#i really like how the second one mentions each cat gets their own style/category of dance

[millenari]

PAC posted a couple short videos abt that ballroom culture Cats production and it's mentioned that they're explicitly intended to be humans, so it's going to be like that one czech production methinks

[maria-scribbles]

we’re just like kevin bacon!

prompt: for @bricksatanakinswindow​ ‘s halloween writing challenge! this was initially inspired by "mortal enemies accidentally showing up in matching costumes every fucking year" but once i started writing it kind of snowballed from there and i ended up with this lmao

ship: jj maybank x fem!reader

word count: 4.6k+ (i think this is the shortest thing i’ve ever written lol)

warnings n stuff: childhood enemies to lovers, swearing, mention of underage drinking, halloween shenanigans, makin' out, smut (not too explicit but i still think it's spicy enough to need an 18+ warning), jj and the reader being cute lil nerds and quoting movies back and forth, the author blatantly using some of her personal favorite movies/shows as inspiration for costumes, the author also making her opinions on ghostbusters clear (instead of the human trash can peter venkman, stan the adorable dork known as ray stantz for clear skin)

a/n: this was hella fun to write and i already have so many more halloween fic ideas bouncing around in my head (it's spoopy season, y'all!). title of this fic comes from guardians of the galaxy 😊

Of three things in life you were certain.

One, you loved Halloween more than any other holiday of the year; after all, you and your twin brother Mason were born just after one AM on October 31st so you could say a penchant for all things spooky was in your blood.

Two, Sarah Cameron was your best friend. Being neighbors your whole lives, the two of you were thick as thieves and spent almost every day together, much to the annoyance of both your brother and hers; as much as you loved Mason, sometimes you wished Sarah was your twin instead of him and you knew without question the blonde girl would trade Rafe for you in a heartbeat (with little to no guilt, in fact.). 

And three, you absolutely hated JJ Maybank. You'd been at the top of each other's shit lists ever since you were both six years old, when he made fun of you for the stutter you'd had back then and you dumped a full milkshake over his head as payback, and even as time passed and you grew out of your stutter, your disdain for the blond pogue only grew stronger. He was infuriating, plain and simple, and the mere mention of his name made steam come out of your ears. 

The boy was just good at being annoying and seemed to love pushing everyone's buttons, yours especially, and always found ways to get under your skin without fail every single time your paths crossed (which was way too often for your liking, but running in the same friend group made it hard to avoid each other). It became an unspoken thing, the great Y/L/N-Maybank feud, with both of you trying your hardest to piss the other off until one of your mutual friends or your brother broke it up and pulled you to opposite corners of the metaphorical ring to take a breather before the next round.

You'd never admit it but deep down you kind of liked it. You liked being at the center of his attention (granted, it was antagonistic in nature but it was attention all the same), his bright blue eyes following your every move whenever you were within his sights and you liked that you were in his thoughts even when you weren't around, a fact proven to you by the tiny notebook Kiara carried around in her pocket recording how many times he mentioned your name. Knowing you lived rent free in his mind brought you an embarrassingly high level of satisfaction that you'd absolutely deny feeling if anyone ever asked, just as you'd deny the fact that he lived rent free in your mind, too.

...At least for most of the year. Everyone, including JJ, knew that to you Halloween was a damn-near sacred time. He knew never to mess with you during the weeks leading up to the holiday and definitely never on the day itself, lest he want yet another milkshake dumped over his blond head. He knew that, the whole damn island knew he did and yet...somehow, some way, he managed to get your blood boiling every. single. year. And you, like a masochistic idiot, let him. 

It all started when you were twelve.

You, Mason, and your friends were finally old enough to go to the annual youth party held on the sprawling lawn of the Island Club, an event you'd been looking forward to attending every Halloween since you were eight. Of course, you were excited for the dancing and games and food but the thing you couldn't wait the most for was the costume contest, a chance to show off your skills and prove to everyone on the island that Y/N Y/L/N was the undisputed queen of Halloween.

So what if your hopes were a little too high (considering you were only twelve and going up against kids ranging from your age to fifteen), you were still gonna give it your all; you spent weeks perfecting not only your costume but your brother's as well with your mom, helping her cut fabric and sew zippers, styling wigs and painting props until everything was perfect. 

"Oh my God, Y/N!" Sarah, dressed as Cinderella, yelled from the passenger seat of her dad's SUV when they swung by to pick you up. "You look amazing!"

"So do you!" You said, slipping into the back seat in between a miserable-looking Rafe as Sarah Sanderson ("I lost a bet," he explained with a scowl) and Mason, holding your mini R2-D2 on your lap. Was it kind of cheesy, dressing up as the most iconic twins in movie history? Probably, but you really didn't care because Leia Organa was a total boss bitch and Mason was practically over the moon that he got to be his ultimate silver screen hero and swing around his very own lightsaber as Luke Skywalker.

"The Force is strong with you two." Ward joked, earning an eye roll from both of his children as he drove to the Island Club to drop you off. Rafe immediately disappeared into the crowd to meet up with Topper and Kelce and the three of you went off to find your own friends, skirting around the edge of the party toward the snack tables, also known as the most likely place for them to be.  

You spotted Kiara first, looking like an actual princess in her Tiana costume and waved, smiling when she waved back and beckoned you over as she said something to Pope, dressed as Albert Einstein, that made him start laughing hysterically.

"What's so funny?" You asked, reaching between them to grab two handfuls of pretzels and immediately dropping one into your brother's outstretched palm, careful to keep the sleeve of your white dress away from the bright orange-iced cupcakes on the table. 

The two of them exchanged a look that instantly made you realize something was Up™ but before either of them could answer, Mason asked around a mouthful of pretzels, "Where're Tweedledee and Tweedledum?"

"J, why didn't we think of that?" John B's voice came from somewhere over your shoulder and when you turned to face him, you nearly dropped both the droid cradled in the crook of your elbow and the snacks in your hand. Not because of John B and his hilarious Chewbacca costume but because of the fact that JJ Maybank, the one person you hated the most on the whole entire island, was dressed as Han freakin' Solo. 

"Yikes." Someone muttered behind you -it sounded like Sarah but you weren't really sure- and Mason nearly choked on his pretzels as he tried and failed miserably to keep himself from laughing. 

"You've gotta be kidding me." You huffed, rolling your eyes as JJ crossed his arms and glared in your direction, blaster hanging from the holster on his hip.

"Listen, Princess, I'm not too happy about this, either."

"Oh, shut up, you nerfherder."

"Who you calling-" Mason and John B cut in and pulled you both in opposite directions before either of you could turn it into a shouting match, your brother physically grabbing you around the waist and carrying you off while the latter caught the back of JJ's vest and dragged him away. Despite their best efforts to keep you apart, you ran into each other more times than you could count and spent a minute or two squabbling like cats and dogs each time until one of them intervened once again. It was childish, it was immature, and it was fun, even though you'd never, ever admit it. Ever.

You didn't win the costume contest that year in the way you'd imagined at all. Still, first place in the group category was a win in your book and it felt good, even if one of the members of your unintentional Star Wars posse was someone who tested every bit of patience you had. The four of you split the cash prize and you went home 25 bucks richer, stashing it away for next year's costume and pushing the thought of accidentally matching with your mortal enemy from your mind. 

You had no idea this thing was only just beginning.

The next year, you let Sarah and Kiara convince you to match with them and the three of you rolled up to the party as the Pink Ladies -you as Rizzo, Sarah as Sandy, Kiara as Frenchy- only to run right into the boys, your brother included, dressed as the T-Birds. John B, perfectly in character as Danny, immediately whisked Sarah off to dance while Pope, the most adorably awkward Doody you'd ever seen, went to grab some snacks with Kiara, leaving you stuck with the bane of your existence as, of course, fucking Kenickie (Mason, as Sonny, dipped sometime before then without you noticing). The two of you spent the whole evening glaring at each other and hurling insults back and forth at breakneck speed, more in character than either of you'd ever want to acknowledge and for the second year in a row, you won first place in the group costume category.

At fourteen, you went as Princess Buttercup and JJ showed up as Westley, fake sword in hand as he followed you around all night like an annoying fly, sarcastically drawling "as you wish" every time you so much as glanced in his direction. Your brother, dressed as Inigo Montoya, nearly pissed himself laughing and you wanted to snatch both of their prop swords and shove them up their asses. You came in first again in the group costume contest and begrudgingly split the prize three ways. 

At fifteen, you worked hard on a Dr. Ellie Sattler costume from Jurassic Park, he strolled in as a disheveled Dr. Alan Grant with mud splattered boots and tattered clothes, and you really regretted not taking the offer to be the Tai to Sarah's Cher and Kiara's Dionne. Once again, Mason laughed so hard his face turned red and you were tempted to grab the sword he was holding and beat him over the head with it, not just for laughing at you but also for the completely atrocious Jack Sparrow costume he wore. To your absolute horror, you and JJ won the contest in the duo category and you wanted to melt into the ground when they called you onto the makeshift stage to collect your reward. 

When you were sixteen, you and your friends "graduated" to the party held for the older teens inside the club itself. With costume rules a little more lax than they were for the younger kids, you decided to go as (an only slightly sexy) Janine Melnitz, complete with a prop telephone you answered every so often with a loud "Ghostbusters, whaddya want?!" much to the embarrassment of Mason, who was once again dressed as Luke Skywalker, this time in the fatigues he wore while training on Dagobah in The Empire Strikes Back.

You strutted into the party in your heels and pencil skirt only to nearly fall flat on your face when you caught sight of JJ in a terrible black wig and glasses, proton pack strapped to his back and 'Spengler' printed on the front of his jumpsuit. Your brother winced when you all but screeched "Again?!" right into his ear and grabbed your elbow, dragging you over to an empty table and depositing you into an open chair.

"There's no way this is a coincidence anymore! He could've picked Venkman, with all the womanizing and lowkey being a creep and thinking he's God's gift to mankind? It would've been the perfect choice! He's not nearly adorable or dorky enough to be Stantz or sassy enough to be Winston-"

"Jesus, you have a lot of feelings about Ghostbusters," Mason muttered, rolling his eyes when you shot him a withering glare.

"Shut up! Listen to me, there's no way in hell Maybank randomly decided to be, out of alllll the 'Busters, Egon fuckin' Spengler, okay? He had to have somehow known I was coming as Janine and did it just to piss me off!"

Your brother heaved a deep, heavy sigh that made you want to smack him and fixed you with a deadpan stare. "Or, have you pulled your head out of your own ass long enough to think that maybe you're just becoming...predictable?"

You really did smack him then, hard on his exposed shoulder and he yelped, scowling as he rubbed at the red mark you left behind. "Ow! What the hell, bitch?!"

"Don't you dare call me predictable, you dickhead! I pride myself on my costumes being very unique and unexpected -you know, out of the box!"

"Hate to break it to you but they're not really out of the box if Maybank shows up in a matching one every single year." He said with an infuriating, shit-eating grin, patting your shoulder before straightening the plush Yoda strapped to his back. "I'm gonna go get some food, wanna come with?"

Still miffed at his comment, you shoved his arm away and glanced down at your lap, ignoring your brother's sassy "your loss" as he headed toward the snack tables. Not even a minute passed by before his empty seat was taken and you groaned when you looked up to see who it was, your eyes meeting a pair of bright blues behind tacky, oversized glasses. 

"Hi, Janine."

"...Egon."

The two of you sat in silence after that, watching the dancing crowd under the flashing neon lights and sparkling disco ball until you saw him turn to face you out of the corner of your eye.

"Why Janine?" 

"Huh?" You turned to face him, too, one eyebrow raised in a perfect arch as he gestured toward your costume.

"Why did you dress up as Janine, Y/L/N?"

"I've always liked her sassiness and 'I like to play racquetball.'" You offered a casual shrug of your shoulders and carefully stuck a finger under your wig to scratch an annoying itch above your ear. "Why'd you pick Egon, Maybank?"

"He's my favorite." He answered simply with his own shrug, shooting you a genuine, real smile that you, for who knows what reason, found yourself returning without a second thought. "Smart, hilarious -plus, 'I like to collect spores, mold, and fungus.'"

For the first time in your life, your eyes rolled out of amusement and not annoyance at something that JJ Maybank said and, to your complete surprise, it kind of felt...right. "Really? I'd have pegged you for a Venkman stan."

"Are you kidding? He's the worst!" 

Never in your wildest dreams did you ever think you'd sit across from your hated enemy, not only having a civil -hell, downright enjoyable- conversation but actually smiling right along with him, laughing at his jokes and doing your best to ignore the sudden flutter in your stomach each time you caught sight of his slightly crooked teeth when he grinned. You didn't even notice when your brother returned with Kiara, dressed as Moana, at his side and two heaping plates of snacks in his hands until his chair scraped gratingly across the hardwood floor. 

"Kie, are you seeing this? Pigs must be flying 'cause they're actually smiling at each other." Mason said, cackling as Kiara turned to squint out the window.

"Yeah, I think I see one or two soaring around out there." She giggled and sent a mischievous wink in your direction. With your face feeling like it was on fire, you flipped them both the bird and took off, disappearing into the crowd and leaving all your traitorous, confusing thoughts about JJ behind with the boy himself; it was Rafe's last party at the Club and he owed you a dance anyway, but even as your best friend's older brother, cute as hell in his Thor costume, playfully twirled you around the floor to the Ghostbusters theme song, you felt more than your partner's blue eyes on you.

To no one's surprise, you and JJ won the duo category for the second year in a row and when you joined him onstage to collect your prize and didn't feel like you'd rather die than be up there by his side, you suddenly realized you were only certain about two things in life instead of three. 

At seventeen, you were confident you and JJ wouldn't be matching for once (after last year, though, you were kind of thinking it wouldn't be that bad of a thing). You'd gone cult classic for your costume, pulling inspiration from your mom's favorite move, 1999's The Mummy, and put together a screen-accurate Evelyn Carnahan in her iconic black dress, including a handmade Book of the Dead and matching key. You blackmailed Mason with pictures of him, drunk as a skunk and dressed in your Janine costume from the previous year, and got him to go as Jonathan, complete with a pith helmet and prop bottle of The Glenlivet.  

But, as always, JJ managed to surprise you. You literally ran right into his chest and if it wasn't for his arms instantly wrapping tight around your waist, you would've bit it hard.

"Whoa, careful there," He said, one hand keeping you close while the other moved to help you hold the book in your arms. "'The Book of the Dead? Are you sure you wanna be messing around with this thing?'"

Of course he'd make the perfect Rick O'Connell, you thought as you playfully raised one eyebrow and curled your fingers around the strap of the gun holster draped over his shoulder. "'It's just a book. No harm ever came from reading a book.'"

Mason was a little too in character as well as he dramatically rolled his eyes and wandered off, muttering "puh-lease" under his breath and shooting Sarah a conspiratorial wink that you didn't see. The blonde girl glanced between the two of you -arms still around each other and identical smiles on your faces- and grinned. The party flew by in a blur of movie quotes, laughs, and more dances than you could count and by the time you made it home, 50 bucks in the pocket of your dress and another group costume win under your belt, you were almost positive you never actually hated JJ Maybank in the first place.

Now at eighteen, you pulled out all the stops for your last party at the Island Club. You'd spent the last few months slaving over your costume, sewing custom pieces, hand-crafting your prop, and spending way too much money on body makeup and a wig but when you saw the final product in the mirror, you knew it was all worth it. You were ready to slay the competition this year and take home first place for the final time.

Mason, indifferent as always about the contest but willing to do anything to keep those pictures from seeing the light of day, didn't protest one bit when you forced him into the matching costume you'd made for him -in typical Mason fashion, he liked that he didn't have to wear a shirt and could show off his muscles- and spent a few hours perfecting his makeup.

You felt on top of the world when you walked into the party that night as Gamora, a replica of her Godslayer sword in hand and skin painted a perfect shade of green, followed by your brother as Drax, already flexing for anyone and everyone looking his way. The rest of your friends came to win as well: John B and Sarah as Flynn Rider and Rapunzel, Kiara as Eleven, Pope as T'Challa, and, of course, JJ as Peter Quill, Baby Groot perched on his shoulder and twin blasters at his hips. 

"Lookin' good, Gamora!" He called over the music, shimmying his way over to you with some dance moves that would impress Star-Lord himself.

"Flattery will get you nowhere, Quill." You replied in a sing-song voice, even as you took his outstretched hand and let him pull you into the crowd of bodies hopping up and down to some terrible EDM beat under the twirling disco ball.

"It got you out here with me, didn't it?"

You rolled your eyes and hooked the sword to your belt before stepping closer and draping your arms around his neck, twirling your painted fingers in his hair. "Just remember, 'I know who you are, Peter Quill. And I'm not some starry-eyed waif here to succumb to your pelvic sorcery.'"

You should've known you spoke too soon the second you saw the spark in JJ's eyes that all but screamed 'wanna bet?'

And that's how you found yourself in the middle of the single hottest make out session you'd ever had the pleasure of participating in an hour later: back pressed against the locked door of someone's deserted office, legs wrapped tight around his waist and his hands hooked under your ass, both your sword and his blasters abandoned on the floor at his feet, and he was either a sinfully good kisser or trying really, really hard to blow your mind.  

"I'm not gonna end up green after this, am I?" He mumbled against your mouth before trailing his lips along your jaw and you breathed a laugh, tightening your grip on his hair.

"This is professional makeup, dumbass. It's gonna take more than some kissing to smudge it."

"I'm down for some smudging if you are." 

You pulled him back for another kiss in response and gasped into his mouth when he walked across the room, one strong arm reaching out to sweep whatever was on the desk to the floor before setting you down on it.

"Confident, are we?" 

JJ smirked at your breathless question and the way you hooked your ankles around the backs of his thighs to pull him closer. "So is that a yes to the smudging?"

"Just shut up and kiss me." 

He did -very well, you might add- and you kissed him back, untangling your hands from his hair to slide them under his jacket instead; you helped him push it off his shoulders and it had barely hit the ground along with poor Baby Groot before your fingers were tugging his shirt from the waistband of his pants.  

"Someone's impatient." He teased, leaning back just far enough to let you pull it over his head and toss it somewhere behind you.

"Someone doesn't know how to stop talking." You whispered your reply low in his ear and then trailed your lips down his neck, smiling in satisfaction at the tremble in his voice when you kissed the purple mark you'd left behind earlier.

"N-never was very good at that." 

"'You should've learned.'"

"'I don't learn, it's one of my issues.'"

One of his hands gripped your wig, pulling your head back a little roughly -you'd have so been into that if it had been your real hair he pulled- and you winced at the way the bobby pins holding it it place tugged painfully at your roots. "Ow, not so hard!"

"Wait, what the fuck? I thought you were wearing a wig!" 

"I am but it's still pinned to my actual hair!"

"Sorry, but how the hell was I supposed to know that?"

The sight of JJ's face slowly turning red made the butterflies in your stomach go haywire and so you just shook your head, mumbling "don't worry about it," before pressing your lips to his once again. He was gentler this time with the pulling and you dug your nails into his bare shoulders at the thrill of his mouth against the exposed column of your throat, leaning back further and further until you laid flat on the desk.

His fingers had just unbuttoned your pants when your phone started to ring from your pocket, blaring the Star Wars theme you had set as your twin's ringtone. 

"Mason's timing is impeccable," JJ said sarcastically, chuckling as you clamped a palm over his mouth and answered the call.

"What the hell do you want?"

"Jesus, no need to be pissy!" Mason loudly replied over the applause crackling through the phone's speaker. "I just thought you'd like to know that we just won best group costume with Maybank. Again." 

The blond winked at the mention of his last name and pulled your hand away from his mouth, pinning it to the desk beside you with one of his while the other started tugging your pants down over your hips.

"Oh, that's cool, Mase-" You inhaled sharply when his lips touched the edge of your underwear, so close to where you wanted him most but at the same time so far away, and your fingers held your phone in a white-knuckled grip. "But I-I'm kind of in the middle of doing someone -something!- right now."

"Smooth," JJ said, not even trying to be quiet as he released your pinned hand to finish pulling your boots off, along with your tight leather pants that he casually tossed aside. "And I knew you weren't green under these!" 

Your laugh quickly turned into a gasp when his fingers hooked under your panties and pulled those off, too, and the touch of his tongue against the skin of your inner thigh sent white-hot lightning racing through your veins; the phone slipped from your grip, falling with a clunk onto the desk as your fingers tangled in his hair and he lifted one of your knees over his shoulder.

"Okay, I'm hanging up now! I already know you're getting laid but I don't need to hear it." Mason's loud grumble drifted up through the speaker and if you weren't so preoccupied with the boy between your thighs doing some downright wicked things to you with his mouth, you might've noticed that your brother didn't actually sound that grumpy before he ended the call and your phone's screen went dark, right as you lost control of your voice.

"Fuck me."

"Funny, I thought that's what I was doing?" You felt more than heard his response against you and a shiver ran down your spine when his bright blue eyes flicked up to met yours in the dim light of the office.

"You know what I meant, Maybank."

"Trust me, Y/L/N, I know. Question is: where do you want me?"

You tugged on his hair, grinning wolfishly at the way his eyes fluttered closed and a low moan rose from his throat. "Everywhere in this damn room, starting right here."

"I was hoping you’d say that.”

- Back at the party, Mason looked up and met Sarah's gaze, both of her eyebrows raised expectantly as she asked, "Well?"

He took his time slipping his phone back into his pocket before giving her a quick nod, grinning triumphantly when she immediately burst into gleeful giggles.  

"Yes! I just knew they had a thing for each other! Mortal enemies, my ass."

"I think that was the very first time in my sister's life that she didn't give a shit about the contest." Mason said and reached over to snag a cookie from her plate, chuckling when she pushed his hand away from the chocolate chip ones and toward the peanut butter. "We couldn't have pulled this off without you. I mean, making sure they showed up in matching costumes every year? Genius, Sarah. Absolutely genius." 

The blonde girl grabbed her own cookie with a wink. "Think they'll ever figure it out?"

Your brother just threw his head back and laughed. "I hope not! I wanna save that story for my best man speech at their wedding."

taglist: @sinkbeneathwaves @cordeliascrown @maysbanks @jjpogueprincess @jiaraendgame @alexa-playafricabytoto @sexualparkour @agirlwholovescoffee​ 

[a-dragons-journal]

My Experiences of Nonhumanity

I get asked about “what makes you/people in general feel you’re/they’re otherkin” a lot, and while the answer is far from simple and my experiences are anything but universal, I figure it deserves a write-up once in a while. A friend asked about it a couple nights ago, so I wrote up a huge long message on Discord, and decided to rewrite it into a Tumblr post for posterity. This’ll be a long one, folks; hit J on desktop to skip.

It’s worth noting ahead of time: none of these things are required to be otherkin, and none of them automatically mean you’re otherkin. In fact, most of them are little more than mildly “weird” quirks when they occur in isolation, and only start to push outside the range of “normal human experiences” when many of them occur together. You can’t look at someone (including yourself) and say “they like collecting things, they must be dragonkin!” It’s not that simple. You have to take the individual as a whole even as you examine each specific experience in more detail - don’t lose the forest while you’re studying the trees. This is just a description of my personal experiences.

Shifts

- Phantom shifts/supernumerary phantom limbs: Probably the most obvious thing and the hardest to brush off, although I still managed to do so for years. Phantom shifts, aka supernumerary phantom limbs, are the experience of feeling limbs or body parts that do not and never have physically existed. In my case, the most common phantom limbs to show up are my wings and tail; other body parts, such as digitigrade legs, horns, snout, and paws/talons, also make appearances less frequently. While my phantom limbs almost never attempt to replicate tactile sensations/interactions with the physical world, they’re often defined by very vivid proprioception (ability to tell where your body is in space, mainly via muscle stretch receptors), and I can tell where each part of the limb is at any given time - it’s not just a shapeless sense of “weight,” or it wouldn’t be phantom limbs. I can also move them at will, typically. My phantom shifts are typically spontaneous and involuntary, but they’ve been induced artificially a couple different ways as well, though I can’t typically do it at will.

- Sensory shifts: Still not something I’m totally sure I experience, but there are definitely times my sense of smell becomes insanely strong compared to usual even for me, which fits the definition of a sensory shift.

- Astral shifts: While I’m far from an adept astral traveler, when visualizing “traveling” within my own mindscape, I shift form fluidly between human and dragon - although I almost always have wings at the very least.

- Cameo shifts: Mentioned only because it’s relevant to my phantom shifts. I realized at some point that the reason I get cameo shifts of canine/feline ears sometimes is because they usually show up when they’re pricking/flattening to express emotion, and the muscles that move to do that action are basically the same as the ones that do those actions with the crest that runs down my neck, and because of my obsession with cats/dogs/horses as a young child and because that’s not a particularly strong phantom shift for me usually, I connected the dots a little wrong and created a false association.

- Self-image: This isn’t technically a shift, but it’s going here anyway because it doesn’t really fit in any other section either. My body image/self-image is weird. I know, consciously, what I physically look like. However, my instinctive self-image is... hmm. What I “expect” to see doesn’t always match up with what’s actually there when I look in the mirror. Teeth are a huge point of fixation for me for some reason; I always expect them to be larger, sharper, stronger. I expect my neck to be longer, my face to be... different. I expect scales in places. I expect claws. Even knowing consciously that of course it won’t be there, it’s still strange sometimes that it’s not. There’s sometimes some mild disconnect when I see myself. (Sometimes not. But sometimes.)

Homesickness

(Or, the sense of missing something you’ve never had - not of “I want/want to be [x], and it makes me sad/upset that I don’t have/am not that,” but of “I should have/be [x], and it is fundamentally wrong that I do/am not.”)

- Flight: I have always wanted to fly, and for a long time I thought everyone ached for the sky the same way I did. Most people don’t, as it turns out. Yes, everyone’s fantasized about flying, but most people don’t feel bones-deep, crushing, physical pain in their chest thinking about it. Most people don’t lift up onto their toes instinctively straining for the sky. I’ve felt that aching longing for it for as long as I can remember.

- Connection to dragons: For as long as I can remember knowing about dragons, I loved the idea of them and even when I was very young, when I’d only really been exposed to media where they were the great evil for the hero to defeat and received no more character development than “evil, destructive, fire-breathing beast,” I was always on the dragon’s side and wanted to learn more about them. That hasn’t faded. I’ll watch an absolutely terrible movie or TV show that I otherwise loathe if it has good enough animation and sound design on the dragons. (Looking at you, Game of Thrones.*) I would commit arson to see one of those Isle-style dragon survival games actually go through and finish production. (Holding out hope for the Dragon Game Project on YouTube; go check them out if you haven’t already.) I’ve also used dragons to represent myself for pretty much as long as I’ve had an online presence - years before I ever heard of otherkin, I was calling myself Dragonheart.

- Dragon-like creatures: Snakes, crocodilians, and dinosaurs all fall into this category - all of them give me a similar heart-and-breathing-pick-up, aching familiarity to dragons. They’re not perfect, but in a snake’s scales and a crocodile’s bellows and a dinosaur’s spectacular reptilian size I see echoes of us and I have always loved them with a passion, even before I quite knew why.

- Dragon/”monster” noises: Sound generators, creature sound design, real animal noises, etc. that are meant to be monstrous and that most people find unsettling or even frightening, I find comforting and relaxing. Alligator bellows, “monster noise” soundscapes, etc. all apply here.

* No shade on anyone who likes Game of Thrones, I’m just not a fan. :P

Behaviors/Instincts/Urges

- Hoarding: I’m still not sure how much of the crystal thing is "monkey brain say Shiney Colorful," how much is a witch thing, and how much is a dragon thing, but some of it is a dragon thing.

- Territorial/possessive nature: I can get... extremely territorial over my stuff and my home. This can extend right into being ridiculously protective of my people too, although I do try to rein that in to a reasonable amount. This also extends into games like Capture the Flag, because put me on defending the border during middle and high school and I got frighteningly territorial. (Fun fact, this extends to spiritual protection stuff and it has almost gotten me in trouble a few times on that front.) The other main side effect is my brain trying to claim completely inappropriate things as “mine,” like every piano I have ever touched or, that one time, the entire city of Portland.

- Prey drive: Going on a walk in the woods with me will always be an exercise in stopping every twenty seconds because I heard a small animal move in the brush and froze instinctively to track it. Prey drive ranges from "okay I can indulge this enough to track-stalk-chase without actually intending to catch-kill-eat" to "this is entirely inappropriate and needs to Stop Right Now" depending on the day and the situation - sometimes it’s fairly low-key and innocent, but sometimes it's also being confronted with the sudden and completely serious/genuine thought of grabbing someone or something by the neck/around the body with your jaws and hunt-prey-kill-devour when it's completely inappropriate and kind of disturbing or even sickening. It’s one of the more annoying things, although it’s not like it’s severe enough that I’m an actual danger to anyone - it’s just a gut thought that gets filtered out at the conscious level without significant problems. This also bleeds into games (I get... maybe a little overenthusiastic during tag) and even watching TV shows or gaming videos - most of the time at least part of me is rooting for the hunter because I relate to them as a fellow predator, even if the audience is supposed to be rooting for the prey - I mean, protagonists.

- Basking/heat-seeking: Probably only partially a dragon thing, but despite the fact that I hate heat in general, radiant/sun heat and heat from a heated surface are both fantastic feelings provided the ambient air temperature isn't too high. I'm guessing this is at least partially a reptile brain thing.

- Height-seeking: Give me a chance to climb up on top of something - a rock, a cliff, a chair, a table, a bunk bed - and look out over everything else, and I'll take it in an instant. Getting to climb up on the roof is the best thing that's happened to me this entire quarantine.

- Flight instinct: Being mildly leery of cliffs not because I am afraid of falling, because I'm really not, but because there's always some part of my brain that goes "jump, fly, this is a perfect takeoff spot" and I have to squash that before I do something particularly stupid. This manifests in other ways, but that's the most dramatic (and annoying) one. This is also one of the things I noticed as definitively not normal long before my awakening. (The Grand Canyon was fun.)  Similarly to the prey drive thing, it's not like I'm actually in danger of throwing myself off cliffs, it’s just - there's a not-insignificant part of my brain that thinks "hey we should go run and jump off and take a quick flight," in the same way I might also casually think "hey I should stroll across to the corner store for a bag of chips" before I consciously decide whether or not to do that. It’s the exact same type of thought process, despite the fact that one of those things is something I might do on any given school day, and the other is, you know, physically impossible.

- Combat instincts: I get in a fight and my pure instinct is to bite or claw, not kick or punch or whatever it is humans do instinctively. I have those reflexes now courtesy of Krav, but I had to train them in - if you’d thrown me into a fight before, I absolutely would have resorted to claws/nails and teeth immediately (and I still will, when pressed into a corner). Sometimes, unfortunately, this goes off completely unwarranted, either in an anger situation that does not deserve a physical response, or for no apparent reason whatsoever. It's one of the more problematic things, but once again - it’s not like it’s a compulsion, just a gut-emotion thought that gets filtered out at the conscious level.

- Scent focus: Who knows how much of this is environmental influence and how much is instinctive, but I always have and still do focus on scent more than most humans seem to. I can identify people by scent, I seem to pay more attention to it than most people do. I also seem less bothered by natural body smells than most people do, but considering the responses when I asked around in the otherkin community once about that, unclear whether or not that's connected.

- Nonhuman noises: I make just a bunch of weird nonhuman noises, and always have. Growls, hisses, croons, hurrs, throat-clicks, chirps, etc. I've never met any human who does them instinctively like I do except my half-sister (whom I didn’t meet until a couple years ago), and she was just as surprised to hear me do it as I was surprised to hear her do it.

- Affection: Face-rubbing, light head-bonking against someone’s shoulder/body/head, and love nips/bites are all perfectly acceptable ways to show platonic affection, to dragon brain. Human society disagrees. The instinct to do these things is so strong that I definitely do give into the first two with people I’m close with, and I have physically had to catch and restrain myself when I was about to unthinkingly bite/nip someone’s skin because I wasn’t paying enough attention.

- Movement: Moving on all fours just feels better than moving on two legs, even though it’s objectively physically uncomfortable because humans aren’t built for that. I also have the instinctive want to be a lot more flexible than I’m capable of being, in ways I’m not capable of being - curling all the way around something or someone to squeeze them tight in the coil of my body, turning my head a hundred eighty degrees because my neck Should Be Longer.

- Expression: Baring one’s teeth when frustrated, irritated, or angry is not a particularly human instinct. I realize it’s something a lot of primates do do, but. *gestures at society* Humans ain’t one of them, at least not anymore. Even in Krav Maga, which is a self-defense style that focuses on being vicious and “dirty fighting” to survive a real street fight, every single time I have a new partner (and most times I have a partner I’ve worked with before) and I get tired enough to get snarly, they respond with some variation of “god that’s scary”. See also: gesturing at things with my nose because it should be long enough to make that a much more dramatic gesture than it ends up being.

- Den/lair/small spaces: I never feel safer than when curled up in a tiny alcove just big enough to comfortably fit my body curled up into it. The only position I’ll prioritize over it is getting up onto a high space.

Past Life Work

Unlike every other bullet point on this list, most of these didn’t apply until I started actively seeking them out, because, you know. Past life memories are like that.

- Past life regressions: I’ve got a tag for these, but tl;dr I take anything I learn from a past life regression or similar meditation/visualization with a whole spoonful of salt, forget “a grain,” because I know for a fact my brain is very good at making stuff up with these types of exercises. Unfortunately, they’re the only way to get information on certain things, like appearance.

- Tarot: Got a tag for that too. I use tarot to ask questions and confirm or reject suspicions.

- Spontaneous memories: I don’t have many, but they’re clear as day when they do appear. I don’t count something as a “true” memory unless it includes senses I can’t reproduce through imagination - smell and touch, mainly. Mostly these are quick flashbulbs, nothing cinematic or anything like that.

- Noemata: Again, I don’t have much in the way of noemata, but what I do have is persistent and consistent. I know things about my wing shape and flight style despite not having really experienced that in detail during past life regressions. That particular set of noemata has been confirmed to fit with real-world physics and bat wing shapes (the closest wing type to mine that exists or has existed on Earth).

[shinsorokiri]

UA Idol | Chapter Eleven

Hitoshi Shinsou x Reader

Word Count: 4,209

Warnings: Language, big nerves

A/N: IT’S THE FIRST DAMN CHALLENGE! There are two more and I low key may have just introduced all the other supporting characters in the story so 👀 I hope you enjoy this one. It took a while to write because of the length and also. the fact that it’s welcome week at my college and I work at a bookstore (RIP). I’ve been working so much, and not to mention the homework I’m getting for classes (DOUBLE RIP). But yeah, I hope this chapter is to your liking, and I will make a song list for everyone under the chapter! I do recommend listening to the version of Halsey’s Graveyard stripped because that was a game changer for that song for me. I listen to that one more than the original HAHA. Anyways, enjoy!

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Sitting through the pop singers did not calm your nerves in the slightest. You already knew Mina and Denki were really good, but you soon found out that they weren’t the only ones. Especially when you heard Kirishima. He took Denki’s advice, and decided to sing Golden by Harry Styles. And to say you were impressed with the only acoustic version of one of Harry’s most hype songs was an understatement. And his voice was crazy good, and contrary to what he’d said previously you bet he could join Katsuki in singing rock songs. You’d have to tell him that later. “You know, this is only making me feel worse,” you say to Shinsou. All of the pop singers had finished their genre challenge performances and were waiting backstage to come out in lines and be told if they made it to the next part of Hell Week. The judges were currently speaking in hushed voices and choosing who would go through, and who would not go through. “You and me both. But you have absolutely nothing to worry about. You’re still better than everyone else who’s gone up there so far,” Shinsou whispers the last part to you, and you can’t help but smile. “Same to you, loser. Now, what did you think of everyone?”

“Denki and Mina killed it, obviously.”

“Obviously.”

“Now as for Kirishima, I was pleasantly surprised. I knew he was already a loud guy, so hearing him go from straight belting at times to a small little falsetto was very interesting and very nice to the ear.”

“Yeah, not to mention his range is amazing.”

“Right? It was insane. Oh, and another person who stood out was the guy with the silver hair who kind of sounded like Kirishima. He was very similar to him, and he even sang Adore You.”

“Yeah, I noticed that too. It’s kind of funny, they were like almost the exact same person. You know who caught my eye?”

“Who?”

“That blonde girl. You can tell she’s a little… wild. Especially with her song pick, I never expected anyone in a million years to ever sing a Chainsmokers song, especially Don’t Let Me Down, with only a piano backing them.”

“Yeah, that caught me off guard, gonna be honest. She did have a lot of energy and her voice was really good though. Fits that genre of singers, so I bet she’ll get through. She can also move, which is always a perk for performers. But, do you know what I just can’t get over?”

“The fact that we had to leave our cats with cat sitters?”

“Well, yes, thank you so much for reminding me of that, but also how absolutely wholesome the kid with the green hair was. Not gonna lie, it kind of made me want to die. I mean, he really came in here and sang Imagine. Of all songs, Imagine by John Lennon. That is so ballsy and when Aizawa commented on how ballsy it was this fucker answers with, ‘I didn’t choose it because it was popular, I chose it because I believe that someday we can achieve that level of peace.’ What the fuck.” You laugh at his disbelief before nodding your head. “I totally agree. That was low-key hilarious though, Aizawa just sighed and Toshinori almost squealed because he loved that answer. It was like he was in a pageant and answering the world peace question. Wait, hold on, speaking of ballsy, what about the blonde guy who looks like he could be a part of a boyband singing Africa by Toto.”

“I know! He pulled a meme, I literally had to reach over and grab your arm to keep from fucking screaming. I mean, I know pretty much everyone else did, but I need to keep up my little mysterious façade I’ve got going on here.”

“I mean, you just don’t show emotions like that, but yeah. You’re just too mysterious.”

“Shut up. I am mysterious. Almost as mysterious as that girl with the short hair and long bangs who looks like a literal cinnamon roll and then came in belting I Will Always Love You.”

“You could only dream of being that mysterious sir,” you tease him, and he rolls his eyes, but his smile deceives him. He went to fire something back, only to be told by all the producers that everyone had to quiet down again because the judges had made their decisions. You and Shinsou both nervously watched as they turned away about half of the pop singers that were there, and you two nearly broke each other’s hands when Denki and Mina showed up on the stage. “Oh, they are definitely getting through, look at who they’re with,” Shinsou whispers in your ear, and you look at the rest of the line-up. Kirishima and all the other acts you and Shinsou had just discussed were all in a line onstage. Sure enough, they all made it through to the next round.

“Knew that would happen,” Shinsou says and you nod. “So, who’s up next?”

“Country. But there’s only a few of them,” Shinsou says, and you lean back in your chair. “I wonder how many of these guys will make me feel incompetent,” you say, and Shinsou snorts. “None of them should, doesn’t matter how talented someone else is, it doesn’t lessen yours in the slightest.”

“Aw, you’re so sweet,” you say, grinning while poking his arm. He smiles at you and shrugs. “I try, kitten.” You both see Mina, Denki, and Kirishima walking back to their seats in the pop genre section and give them a thumbs up. They all look actually ecstatic and return the positive hand gestures. “How much do you wanna bet Denki and Mina will wanna go out for celebratory drinks after this?” you ask Shinsou and he groans. “Shit, you’re right.”

“How about we feign sickness and have them go and we just, you know, stay at the hotel,” you suggest, and he gives you a side eye. “Yeah, like they’ll fall for that.” He has a fair point, and you sigh. Maybe if you get through the first round you’ll be up for it. As long as Shinsou will be there, it won’t be too bad.

The country genre starts up and everyone in the category jumps right into the southern swing. There aren’t nearly as many as the pop category, which is odd. There truly aren’t a lot of country singers in this competition, now that you think about it. To be fair, when live shows come around, it’s very intense and since the majority of the singers in the competition are pop singers, country can definitely get lost in the mix. Oh well, the singers who are going are actually really good, so maybe this year it’ll change up a bit. One of the country singers who really caught your eye was this little short girl with long dark green dyed hair. She had this cute little bow pulling it back and had this little southern charm, but her style was more of a mix of country and singer-songwriter you noticed. Not all of the words she sang had that good ‘ol country twang to them, but it was still there. It could have been the song choice of making Before He Cheats into an acoustic (she played her own black acoustic guitar decorated with cute frog stickers), but you’d have to see more of her to be completely sure. She was really really good, though. And sure enough, she made it to the next round.

Up next is rock. You look over to see Bakugou with a stone cold unmoving resting bitch face. From what you know from the guy, this was normal. “If his singing is anything like his yelling, he’s one hell of a rockstar,” Shinsou says to you, which causes you to laugh. He was right, his screaming was pretty loud, gritty, and impressive, so that statement was true. And his singing was similar to that style as well. Even though he did a low-key song by a rock band, Good Riddance by Green Day, he still managed to get that rocker vibe with it. It was probably because of how angrily he played his guitar. That poor guitar. He wasn’t the only rock singer that really stood out though. “I’m not trying to judge because I know I look like a pretty miserable and intimidating guy too, but did you see that guy with the long gray hair and no will to live?” “Yeah, I saw him. Heard him, too. Didn’t realize anyone could make Disenchanted by MCR even sadder than it was already,” you say. It’s true, that guy had a really good voice, sort of similar to Gerard Way’s actually, but christ he made the song sadder than the original somehow. Then of course there was this mysterious guy who was wearing a black face mask to compliment the all black outfit paired with the multiple layered red choker and long black cardigan he was wearing. Somehow, he still sounded great and barely muffled, but it was such a weird visual. It was fitting for the genre though, and you can respect the brand. A cover of Creep sung by someone who covered half of his face was spot on for the song’s meaning. And his purple electric guitar with the symbol of a raven on it was pretty dope, you have to admit.

“Look, it’s Denki’s crush,” Shinsou says as the girl with the purple hair walked on the stage. Denki’s going for a rocker, huh? Fitting, he needs someone intense to balance out his stupid. And intense this girl was, she sang a killer rendition of That’s What You Get, and when you looked over at Denki you could have sworn his pupils turned into little hearts. Unsurprisingly, all of them got in, and Kirishima almost started crying when he realized Bakugo was through as well.

The producers then decided to combine the r&b and hip-hop genres at the last minute, making it the second largest category. But you didn’t mind sitting there and listening because, again, there were some really talented people in the categories. Especially the guy with the long black hair and infectious smile who sang Red Red Wine and absolutely and totally brought the reggae vibe. You could just tell he would sing something like that, too, the minute he got onstage wearing a drug rug and long flowy pants. You honestly dug his aesthetic and his voice, and so did Shinsou considering you both started dancing in your seats the minute the song started. To be fair, though, it’s a good fucking song. Another guy who caught your attention was a dude with a shit ton of piercings, you notices four on his ear, an eyebrow piercing, a lip piercing, and when he was singing you saw a tongue piercing too. His black hair was messy and almost completely covered his eyes, but you could just tell that he was intense. Take What You Want by Post Malone never sounded so dark and angry. They both made it to the next round.

Next thing you knew, it was your category. The smallest category. And much to your bad luck, you were the last one to audition. Luckily, Shinsou was second to last. “Think that was on purpose?” he asks you as you wait backstage. “What do you mean?”

“The judges like to be dramatic on this show. They said we were top two material in general auditions... think they made us the final two on purpose?” You hadn’t thought about that. But you have to say, it does make sense. “Huh. Wild. Guess we better pull out all the stops then.”

“Original?”

“Obviously,” you grin, and he returns it. “Well, might as well do the song I wrote based off of that old high school friend Monoma I told you about.”

“The one where he went to LA for college and wound up coming back to Japan all... different?”

“That’s the one. I feel like I need to be that poetic and mysterious guy and what better song to sing when we’re here. In LA.”

“Yeah, yeah okay Mr. Mysterious. As for me, I’ll just be sad singing about, you know, him.”

“Still warning you in advance, if I ever meet this guy, I’m literally fighting him. And I’m winning,” Shinsou says, and you can’t stop the smile that breaks out across your face. You don’t see it, but your smile causes him to smile. And then the two of you are just cheesing about each other without actually telling each other y’all are the reason for your cheesing. How cute.

Watching the other singer-songwriters do their thing was really fun for you, actually. There was a girl with a jet-black ponytail who did an amazing cover of Skinny Love. Your favorite thing about her was how creative she got with the guitar during it, she added a few new riffs and really just showed her skill with the instrument. Then there was the guy who had like absolutely no presence or personality until he started playing his guitar and singing What Do I Know by Ed Sheeran. He immediately came to life and everyone was bumping to it. His hair was also dyed half red and half white which looked really cool. And then there was the guy who had the typical nerdy indie look with his glasses and navy-blue hair. He played the piano instead of the usual guitar for his cover of Cherry Wine by Hozier and absolutely smashed it. Now none of this helped your nerves, but luckily Shinsou was there to put a brave face on for you and keep you relaxed. Then, it was finally his turn. You could tell he was nervous since he can only hide his emotions from you so much, so instead of psyching him out more, you just grabbed his hand and gave it a little squeeze. He’s the type of person who needs a physical reminder that everything would be okay, and so far, every time you’ve done that action with him, it’s helped calm him down faster than words could. Sure enough, it worked, and he gave you a small smile before walking out onstage. For his performance he’s playing the piano, so he walked over and sat down. “Hello again,” Midnight says, smiling at him. “What will you be singing for this challenge?” Keigo asks, and Shinsou clears his throat. “Um, I have another original for you all.” He could hear the crowd murmur and see a few people whispering to each other. No one had ever really done an original at Hell Week before. They all thought that the judges saying that in the beginning was a joke because of how intense this week could be. Well everyone except Mina and Denki of course.

“That’s great! What’s it called?” Toshinori asks. “Dying In LA.”

“I like the title. Whenever you’re ready,” Aizawa says, and Shinsou nods. He begins playing the opening, before taking a breath and singing.

“The moment you arrived they built you up;

The sun was in your eyes.

You couldn't believe it.

Riches all around, you're walking

Stars are on the ground.

You start to believe it.

Every face along the boulevard is a dreamer just like you.

You looked at death in a tarot card and you saw what you had to do.

But nobody knows you now,

When you're dying in LA.

And nobody owes you now,

When you're dying in LA.

When you're dying in LA.”

People immediately started cheering the minute he did his little rocker dying thing. And he loved it. He could honestly get used to that.

“When you're dying in LA.

The power, the power, the power…

Oh, the power, the power, the power

Of LA.

Nights at the chateau;

Trapped in your sunset bungalow,

You couldn't escape it, yeah.

Drink of paradise,

They told you ‘Put your blood on ice.

You're not gonna make it.’

Every face along the boulevard is a dreamer just like you.

You looked at death in a tarot card and you saw what you had to do.

But nobody knows you now,

When you're dying in LA.

And nobody owes you now,

When you're dying in LA.

When you're dying in LA.

When you're dying in LA.

The power, the power, the power…

Oh, the power, the power, the power

Of LA”

As expected, everyone was dead silent for a moment before breaking out into applause. Even the judges gave him a standing ovation. And you had to follow literally the most perfect human being and songwriter. Nice. The judges aren’t really permitted to say anything after the performance because they need to just listen to the singing and judge off of that, so Shinsou walks offstage and back over to you. “I warmed them up for you,” he says, and you snort. “Wow, thanks. Maybe next time don’t be that amazing.”

“Hmmm, that’s a tall order, kitten.”

“Yeah, my bad, can’t ask someone perfect to be less perfect.”

“You’re right about that, which is why your performance is going to be much better than mine was,” he pats your head with a grin, before shooing you onstage. You walk on, clutching your guitar as you greet the judges. “Hey chickadee, you gonna sing an original for us too?” Hawks asks, and Midnight hits his arm. “Don’t just go assuming that she also has an original prepared, what if she doesn’t? Do you know how stressed out that would make her you glorified Kentucky Fried Chicken Colonel!”

“Actually, I do have an original prepared.”

“Oh, well in that case I’m excited to hear it! What’s it called?”

“Graveyard,” you respond, and Aizawa motions for you to begin whenever you’re ready. You take a deep breath before strumming away, picking at the strings of your guitar to make the melody you’d written so long ago. Then, you open your mouth.

“It's crazy when The thing you love the most is the detriment; Let that sink in. You can think again, When the hand you wanna hold is a weapon and You're nothin' but skin.

Oh, 'cause I keep diggin' myself down deeper, I won't stop 'til I get where you are. I keep running, I keep running, I keep running.

They say I may be making a mistake, I would've followed all the way, no matter how far. I know when you go down all your darkest roads, I would've followed all the way to the graveyard.

Oh, 'cause I keep diggin' myself down deeper, I won't stop 'til I get where you are. I keep running when both my feet hurt, I won't stop 'til I get where you are. Oh, when you go down all your darkest roads I would've followed all the way to the graveyard (no, oh).

You look at me (look at me) With eyes so dark, don't know how you even see, You push right through me (push right through me). It's gettin' real. You lock the door, you're drunk at the steering wheel, And I can't conceal.

Oh, 'cause I've been diggin' myself down deeper, I won't stop 'til I get where you are. I keep running, I keep running, I keep running.

They say I may be making a mistake, I would've followed all the way, no matter how far. I know when you go down all your darkest roads, I would've followed all the way to the graveyard.

Oh, 'cause I keep diggin' myself down deeper, I won't stop 'til I get where you are. I keep running when both my feet hurt, I won't stop 'til I get where you are. Oh, when you go down all your darkest roads, I would've followed all the way to the graveyard.

Oh, it's funny how… The warning signs can feel like they're butterflies…

Oh, 'cause I keep diggin' myself down deeper, I won't stop 'til I get where you are. I keep running when both my feet hurt, I won't stop 'til I get where you are. Oh, when you go down all your darkest roads, I would've followed all the way to the graveyard.”

Just like Shinsou, there was a moment of silence before everyone applauded. This was a weird feeling. You’d never really sung an original song in front of a crowd of people this big before, and you never expected to have celebrities give your original song a standing ovation. But here you were, Hell Week in UA Idol, and this feeling was honestly something you could get used to. You’re just happy people enjoyed it. You hurry offstage and go over to Shinsou who immediately encapsulates you in a hug. Huh. That’s new. You don’t hate it though. This is actually… pretty nice. He gives good hugs. And you love the lavender scent he gives off, it almost gives him a lavender hue, actually. “You did amazing, (Y/n). Better than I ever could,” he tells you with a small grin. But it doesn’t look like he’s jealous. If anything, he looks proud. Like he’s proud of you. Like you just did something that made him feel happier than anything in the world. You liked him looking at you like that. You want him to look at you like that more. “That’s a lie, you’re the best singer-songwriter I know.”

“That’s because you’ve never actually met yourself other than looking in a mirror. If you actually knew you, you’d take that statement back.”

You’d be lying if you said that didn’t make you blush. The producers ushered you all in a different room, allowing the judges time to talk about who was going through and who wasn’t. You and Shinsou stuck to each other like glue and tried to ignore the stares and looks at you two. That was when the guy with the navy-blue hair approached the two of you, and kind of screamed, but you could tell that he was just using his regular talking voice. “You’re both very talented! I hope one day I am able to write songs like that!”

“Hey, thanks man. I’m sure if you tried right now you could write songs like ours; everyone has the ability to write something good if they have the drive,” Shinsou tells him, and you can’t help but feel a sense of pride swell up in your chest. Shinsou was a really good person. And you were his friend. How did you get so lucky? “My name is Tenya Iida! It’s a pleasure to meet both of you, and I hope we all get through so I can talk to you both about songwriting some more,” he says, a big smile on his face as he sticks out his… very large hand. It wasn’t for a handshake or anything. The man just talks with his hands. You could see the callouses on his fingers from the guitar, though. Gotta love that. Since the singer-songwriter genre was the smallest, the judges seemed to make their decisions very quickly. You and Shinsou watched as people got turned away and as other got through to the next round. Iida, the guy with the dyed hair, and the girl with the black ponytail all made it through to the next round, which you were happy about. They were all very talented and deserved it 100%. But now, the only people who were left in the genre and the entire competition were you and Shinsou. “Do you think we didn’t make it?”

“Well… honestly I don’t know. If we didn’t, at least we got some exposure. Maybe someone will see us, and you can pay off your student loans and I can pay off my mom’s medical bills.”

“And maybe then you could go to university. I know you’ve always wanted to go to school for a music production major.”

He looks over at you with kind of big eyes. How did you know about that? He may have mentioned it off-hand like once while you, Mina, and Denki were around. Did you really just pay attention to him like that? And if you did, why did it just make his heart literally skip a beat? What is going on? Before he could even ask you, the producers gave you two the go-ahead to go onstage. You both walked out, obviously very nervous, but you stopped in the middle. “Well, well, well,” Midnight says, leaning into her microphone. “I bet you two are probably freaking out because what kind of line up of people is two people, right?” Keigo asks, and you both nod. “See, I told you. They know fear. Recording artists would be nothing without fear. These two are something,” Aizawa says, pointing at the two of you. Did the Shouta Aizawa just say the two of you were something? What? “Well, you don’t need to be nervous!” Toshinori screams, smiling very wide at the two of you. “Yeah, after all, we can’t just leave our top two in Hell Week,” Midnight says.

“Congratulations, Shinsou and (Y/n). You’re moving on to the next challenge.”

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Song list:

Kirishima | Golden - Harry Styles

Mina | If I Were A Boy - The Queen, Beyoncé

Denki | Old Me - 5 Seconds of Summer

TetsuTetsu | Adore You - Harry Styles

Toga | Don’t Let Me Down - The Chainsmokers

Midoriya | Imagine - John Lennon

Mirio | Africa - Toto

Uraraka | I Will Always Love You - Whitney Houston

Tsu | Before He Cheats - Carrie Underwood

Bakugo | Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) - Green Day

Shigaraki | Disenchanted - My Chemical Romance

Tokoyami | Creep - Radiohead

Jirou | That’s What You Get - Paramore

Sero | Red Red Wine - UB40

Dabi | Take What You Want - Post Malone ft. Ozzy Osbourne & Travis Scott

Momo | Skinny Love - Bon Iver

Todoroki | What Do I Know - Ed Sheeran

Iida | Cherry Wine - Hozier

Shinsou | Dying In LA - Panic! At The Disco

(Y/n) | Graveyard (Stripped) - Halsey

[jadespeedster17]

So, I don’t post alot of my Lore Based stuff. But, I’ve hit a creative burst since watching Dream SMP. And given, I have a whole truck full of Minecraft Lore/World Building, thought I’d share some of it.

I’ve posted some on my Wattpad, but this post is going into the many species and races of my Minecraft World. Later I might post about how this fits into some made up Lore I did for the Dream SMP. 

I’ve always pulled inspiration from other creators, so I will be sure to mention them should I know who they are. 

Also also, this whole thing was made possible by my long time friends on wattpad. Bloxiegirl123 and @littlewolf651 They both gave me so much inspiration for this stuff through many talks and us just goofing off. 

-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Netherains: These are the people of the Nether, under the rule and protection of Herobrine. They live in the inner cities of the Nether, when we the players spawn there it’s on the out skirts, and look like more taller and ‘humanish’ piglins. Who are there own species  They are a very isolated people, Netherains, having a demonic heritage, are destructive by nature. They prefer the company of themselves or close family over the company of many people. They also prefer their own kind over any other species and races of the realms. 

They have a equal mindset, both men and women are capable of being warriors, merchants, and so forth. Males typically have larger fangs, be them lower or upper jaw, and large scrunched up noses. While females have smaller noses that are flatter and tinier fangs (Think like orcs). Male ears tend to be longer and pointed, while females tend to have short ears that are also pointed. As for body builds, really that depends on parents, some are just bigger and able to gain muscles faster than others, while some are skinnier and take longer to build up. The only real difference between males and females is that the females can give birth and their physical looks.

Strangely females don’t have breasts, actually how their young feed is often from mushed up food as babies are both already with teeth in place and able to digest soft foods.  Young typically grow up fast, and by the time they reach 7 seasons of age, they are given their first weapon to train with. 

All members of the Netherain people are able to fight, regardless of their profession in life. Why do you think not many want to fight Hero’s army, it’s not just because of the mobs.  To know of a human/nether baby is in the eyes and skin tones and sometimes ears and teeth.

Netherains are of the dark/light browns and red skin tone, they are fire resistant, and their eye colors rang from common browns, blacks, to the slight less common golds and red, to the more uncommon silver and grays. Their eyes are narrowed and their color covers their whole eye with the only difference being in their pupil (should their eyes not be black). 

Their hair tends to be of the braided, with gems weaved into them. (The inner nether is very gem rich, there is a reason Hero is also considered the ‘Rich God’). Some even shave the sides for the middle to be in a pony tail. Others prefer the more wilder hair types or even dreads. 

Some facts about them. - They only use gold as a accessory or coin, but it’s considered to be of low value and do trading in gems and items. - They are a culture rich people, with many stories, superstitions, and foods. - They mostly eat spicy foods, to a normally person their ‘mild’ is very hot. - Mostly meat eaters, due to having more fanged filled mouths, babies teeth are duller until they reach 5 seasons old. - Some live in villages while some live in the city, each set of people has it’s own brand of fire magic used, from lava, lightening, and some even coat themselves in fire. However, they don’t see a difference, Village is just like saying ‘I come from the west and use lightening’.  - They used to be at war, until Hero united them.

Valkyries: These are the race of the Aether people, some call them Aetherains too but most prefer Valkyrie. They are under the rule of Notch and some even are his personal guards and fighters.  Their main job however is guiding souls to the afterlife and protecting their homeland , the Aether or Ether. 

Some call them ‘angels’ though this is just a preference really, and really just less of a mouthful for humans. Honestly, Valkyries don’t really care being called them.  Anywho, this race is very social with each other, relationships range from Platonic to Romantic. They help groom each other wings, share the news of the day like this, and they enjoy being touched, held, cuddled.

Valkyries can have relationship and kids with other Valkyries, though there isn’t much need for sex or reproductions due to them being near immortal. However, half babies are considered taboo after the last war with Herobrine. 

Typically ‘families’ have their own looks and styles. But all Valkyries have some form of light hair and eyes.  Wing types also are a family trait, some families have many wings, others have only one pair. Some have darker wing colors, some are speckled, some are just lighter, some are just one color. They range from Large, Medium, or Small in size.  Family trees tend to have their own types of magics, be it better healers, better fliers, or able to conjure weapons, some share these traits but not wing size and looks, or vice versa. (Basically some family can have the same wing look, but different magics, and the same is true in reverse.)

Valkyries have pale skin tones ranging to more yellowish hues or tanish hues. This is in their ‘human form’ in their Valkyrie form they are wind like creatures, made up of elements with vaguely ‘human’ like bodies, though some look more bird like.  Eye color ranges from the common golds, greens, to the less common teals, and the uncommon blues. Hari tends to be blond, dirty blond, or even silver and white. They like long hair, smooth, wavy sometimes, with many small things weaved into it. Some have pointed ears, some don’t, some even have feathers for ears. Some Facts: - They don’t really have a ‘gender’ concept. As they are able to turn themselves whatever gender. Though, unlike like Voidlings and Enders, they do tend to stick with one of the other after a while. Though it’s not uncommon to see some who are non-binary.  - Young grow up slowly, one of the downsides is due to their immortality slowly coming into place. This causes slow aging of the body and sometimes the mind. Unless they are hybrids of another species. - Though immortal, they can be killed through fatal wounds with weapons made by Voidlings or Netherains. But humans weapons, the only one that could remotely harm them, is the Netherite weapons. Due to being a crude recreation of Netherain weapons. 

Humans: Considered to be a pet project of Notch, that was somewhat of a disaster, and was the third creation to walk the Overworld, Villagers being the first, then Players or Spawns and Mobs being the Second.  Humans have a very short life span along with Villagers, confined to a 100 years to 150 years at best. Taking both the qualities of destruction and creation to make a race had them not be as long living.  However, humans come in ‘genders’, thought this is just because some are just born looking one way to the other or a mix. So they came up with ‘gender’s to tell them apart.  Females have breasts and give birth while males don’t. Different sex organs and such. Really this was just made for repopulation means, Notch didn’t really have ‘Male’ and ‘Female’ in mind. 

To keep it brief, as they are pretty much the same as we are. They come in many skin tones of light to dark depending on climate and area born. They also have a very complicated history with other races. It’s gotten better over the years in the future though. And sometimes they fight with each other. Most of these problems are due to Notch trying to use Destruction in their making, then he’s a Creation God. Opps. 

However, they are a culture rich race as well, and in the recent years have done some great feats with the help of other races. But their past is complicated, luckily Hero did help his brother after the second war to curb any problems later, evolution! 

Players/Spawns: This race comes in all shapes, looks, and sizes. They are created by mostly Herobrine with some help from his ‘Father’ and ‘Grandfather’. As Mobs hadn’t turned out the best as he hoped.  Having the power the ‘Respawn’ in a place they made, and can live for a few 100 years. They don’t really have a set gender or look, as they can be any and everything. Some classify them as ‘Shapeshifters’ and that is about as close as we can get to a category for them. 

They can be half Ender, Zombie, Spider, Cat, to even stranger species. Some can even have Netherain or Valkyrie traits. As when they mate, they have a change of making a Player due to near immortal or magical beings mating with humans.  Really Player as a ‘race’ is complicated as genetics play a big factor. Should a human family have any non human blood in their line, it’s very possible to give birth to a Player.

Most tend to worship Herobrine, though some do worship other gods of the world.  Eventually, they do die, but they live for longer than most would think. And their live styles are very diverse, so it’s hard to pinpoint them. They all just go under this category is they are able to ‘Respawn’. 

Not much else is known about them though, and they are very secretive about their creation myths. At least ‘OG Spawns’ are, meaning they have no other genes or blood in them other than ‘Player’ 

Some facts: - The first Spawn ever was a man named Steve, who later became immortal and the husband of Hero.  - They are the second race we know the least about. - Some call them ‘Protectors’ as they are protective of any race who can not protect themselves. - OG Spawns live with Mobs in large cities away from non-player reach. Though, it’s rare for even some Players of today to find them. Due to conflicting feels about Mobs and their need to attack humans and villagers. 

Enders: These are the tall, mysterious people of the End, under the ruling of the Queen and King, Jean and Ignis.  They are lanky, the shortest they can be is 6 feet in height, and the tallest being 13 feet tall. Long arms with claw like fingers for some, and some have very boney appearances. They are naturally skinny looking with sharpen teeth in the front and more flatten teeth in the back.

They have a very scholarly society, putting the pursuit of magics and knowledge as the highest form of profession. Being there is only one way in and out of the End, they aren’t attacked the much, and have a decent relation with their Demonic cousins of the Void. 

Their society tends to be everyone looks after everyone. There are no real ‘families’ as the young are taken care of by everyone and taught by everyone. Expecting bearers are housed in a nursery, and take care of the child, until they are old enough to walk and talk, then the children are to live with chosen Parentals until they reach Apprenticeship age, 13, and choose a profession, and live with their mentor until they are 21. 

Like their cousins, they are very possessive of things, though capable of more empathy than them. ‘Mine’ in their langue has many meanings, often it’s considered a high honor for an Ender to claim you if you are not of their race. As it can mean ‘friend’ ‘family’ ‘brother/sister’ or ‘lover’ and among other means. 

They range from purple tones to greyish tones in skin color, some even have dragon like traits though it’s noted these are of the noble statues. Eye colors rang from common purple hues and some reds, the less common blue and green hues, and the uncommon blacks and white eyes.  Hairs tend of the dark purple, black, and sometimes white, they have shorter hair styles to sometimes no hair at all. Thought long hair isn’t uncommon, it’s just less seen.

Some Facts: - They tend to have a view of being a ‘perfect race’ at least the older generation those, the newer tends to be more open minded.  - Not may outsiders are allowed into the cities, those that are don’t leave that often much less talk about it.  - They are in close contact, allies, with OG Players and Valkyries, though they tend to dislike Netherains.  - They are also a type of Shapeshifter, more so than Valkyries and Players. - They have no gender, and are born without parts to reproduce. Reproduction is done by magic/science and the ‘baby’ placed into the ‘carrier’ to grow until they are ‘cut out’ of the body. - That is considered a big deal, and takes alot out of the carrier, they are treated very well by the whole society. To harm a child or carrier is considering an offense punishable by death.

Voidlings (Demons, Daemons, Dreamons, Pure Ones): These beings go by many names, some we don’t even know of. They are the first race of beings to have ever lived, just under the Gods.  Created by the OG Gods of Destruction and Creation, (Tristan and Terrance), and they live in the Void. 

There are many sub levels of the void, the one we see of the endless pit of blackness. To two more levels that aren’t the well known, it’s thought Voidlings live on this level.  They come in two categories, those of the Destructive and Chaotic nature and those of the Creative and Orderly nature. 

Demons are more inclined to be of the Destructive and Chaotic Nature under the rule and laws of Lord Tristan. They are playful beings, loving to cause trouble and bring chaos with them. Though, they seem to dislike killing their targets. Daemons are more inclined to be of the Creative and Orderly Nature, under the rules of laws of Lord Terrance. They are stubborn, cold hearted, and harsh beings. Some have been known to kill their targets should they be displeased with them.  Dreamons are a mixed bag, some are Destructive and just playful, Some are Creative and enjoy helping, some are Orderly and a little harsh to people they see beneath them, and some are Chaotic and care little for life. It’s unsure who you get until you meet them, so be careful.

They are called ‘Pure Ones’ due to the fact they were the first race to be created by the Gods.  They do not reproduce, they are created and there is a set number of them. They are also extremely hard to kill, most can only be banished back to the Void. They each represent something, with strange names. Example, (And I’m use Dream SMP here) Eater of Dreams or Truth Where Lies Meet. 

Size is everything, it’s indicates power, the bigger you are, wide or tall, the more powerful you are. And they can take many shapes and forms. 

Some facts: - They can’t feel empathy or sympathy, but they can be possessive of things they consider ‘theirs’. - They can look human like or something indescribable, however horns tend to be a common trait - They are true shapeshifters, meaning they can take any shape they please. - They possess people they find a ‘kinship’ with, to escape the void. - In their true form, they can’t walk anywhere but the Void, thus need a vessel to do so. - To fall into the void either results in death, or becoming a Voidling yourself. It’s unsure how this happens. - Some are born a ‘Natrual vessels’ with means they are prime targets for posession from a certain Voidling. - Void/Demonic Magic is the oldest living magic and can corrupt people easily

RACES I NEED TO DO LATER

Gods- Tristan, Terrance, Hero, Notch, Victor. Sub Gods  Villagers Mobs Socrerers/Mages

[getalittleclosey]

under 100k larry fic recs

hi! i’m becca and i read...so much fic. these rec lists are an accumulation of fic that i’ve read or reread and extra loved from 2016-now. there’s a wide range of stuff here and i think there’s definitely something for everyone!! i divided them up by length so you can check out all those categories below!

please make sure to read tags and warnings on all these fics!! the only things i think i can guarantee is that these are all larry, there’s no non-con, no age play, no eating disorders, no mentions of bg, they end happy, and they’re mostly aus. oh and they’re all on ao3 and some are locked so you’ll need an account! anyway i hope y’all enjoy!!!

under 5k

under 10k

under 25k

under 50k

100k+

☆ somethin’ bout you by missandrogyny 60k

Of all the government agents in the world, Louis had to go and land the most charming one.

☆ tug-of-war by cherrystreet 63k

Louis' husband dies suddenly and he is left with nothing. Well, not really nothing. He has Harry. And a St. Bernard puppy named Link, whom his late husband left behind for him. Louis takes care of Link and Harry takes care of Louis. Everything is okay until suddenly, it isn't.

☆ cameras flashing by juliusschmidt 82k

With his breakout single platinum three times over and his second album still selling out in stores around the world, Louis Tomlinson has made it to the top. However, his position as Pop Heartthrob of the Decade is threatened by the edgier, more artistic Zayn, who happens to be releasing an album a week after Louis’ upcoming third. Louis needs something groundbreaking- scandalous, even- to push past him in the charts. Much to Louis’ dismay, his PR team calls in The Sexpert.

Consulting with PR firm Shady, Lane and Associates pays the bills so that Harry Styles can spend his down time doing what he really loves: poring over data. On weekends and late into the evenings, he researches gender, presentation, and sexual orientation, analysing the longitudinal study that is his father’s life’s work. That is, until his newest client, the popstar with the fascinating secret, drags him off his couch and frighteningly close to the spotlight.

As the album’s release date approaches, will Tomlinson and Styles be able to pull off the most risky PR scheme of the millennium and beat Zayn in sales or will the heat of their feelings for each other compromise everything?

☆ home to you by crowsonthewire 54k

“If someone wrote that for me I’d probably be a crying mess before it was even over. I’m crying a little right now actually.”

It’s about you, Harry’s brain screamed. I wrote it about you.

Gemma appeared in the doorway then and dragged Louis away. With one winking smile he was gone. Harry curled up and stuffed his face into his duvet so he could cry with no one hearing.

**** At fifteen, Harry wrote his first song for an oblivious seventeen year old Louis Tomlinson. Ten years later he’s a singer/songwriter who cant find any words for his second album and Louis is a closeted actor tired of LA.

They both try to run from the things weighing them down and in the process, they find each other.

☆ fate don’t know you by sincewewereeighteen 99k

“Just. How bad is it?”

Zayn sighs. Shit.

“Not that bad, really,” he says quickly as he scans Louis’ face. “It depends, really. The freshmen are all right and I think you’ll manage just fine with the sophomores.”

“But?”

“Seniors are always shit because they think they rule the school, and this specific class of juniors… Well, let’s say you’ll find a real troublemaker there. Some say he used to be a soft kid, but- I don’t know. Most teachers just leave him alone.” Zayn shrugs. “He walks around with a tough crowd. Guess no one wants to take their chances with him. This is Chicago after all.”

“D’you know the name of the kid?” Louis asks, already very curious to meet said person.

“His name is Harry Styles.” The other man responds. “You’re in for a treat with this one.”

[Or: The one in which Louis always hears thunder when Harry speaks and sees lightning when he glances at him.]

note: this is student/teacher so if that makes you uncomfortable please skip! harry’s 17 but he is still a student so power unbalance and all that but from what i remember it was tastefully done. just like....don’t do that irl obv jfkdaj

☆ like an endless summer by objectlesson 87k

“You just wanna go fawn over Styles as soon as possible,” Zayn grumbles.

“I do not. Plus, he probably got ugly this year. Eighteen is an awkward time...I bet he’s got acne and one of those terrible fuckboy haircuts all the hipsters are getting these days, with the shaved sides? Just watch, the first year we’re gonna get any time together is gonna be the first year I don’t have a stupid crush on him.”

---

Or, Louis is a riding instructor at a summer camp, and Harry is a fellow counselor who he’s been successfully managing his crush on for the last two summers. That is, until Harry shows up this year leveled up and lethal, and all Louis’s formerly perfected veneer of nonchalance melts like a popsicle in the sun.

note: there’s a second part to this that’s 6k of pwp

☆ back to how it was by lululawrence 53k

Harry carefully stood up and was on his way to the window to look outside when he ran his hand through his hair, and it stopped entirely too soon.

He froze then began fervently patting all over his head. Where was his hair? He’d been growing it out for a couple of years now and it was finally almost to the length he’d had as a goal the entire time. How could it have gotten cut off overnight?

Harry rushed over to the mirror hung on the wall adjacent to the window.

Oh shit. What the hell was happening? Harry leaned closer and saw that not only was his hair cropped shorter than he’d ever wanted to go again, but it looked like he had the beginning of crow’s feet by his eyes. Those definitely weren’t there yesterday! And what happened to his tattoos? He still had some of them, like the star and the letters he’d gotten for his mum and Gemma, but most of the rest were missing and there were a few he’d never seen before instead.

What. The. Fuck.

Or the one where Harry goes to bed angry with his bandmates and wakes up in a universe where One Direction was never formed and he has to find a way back home. Home definitely has nothing to do with his best friend and bandmate, Louis. That would be ridiculous.

note: there’s a second part to this that’s 24k!

☆ when we were younger by dinosaursmate 76k

About a week after Harry started visiting this particular chat room, he was watching some kid argue with the whole room about football, personally disinterested as he tipped a bag of crisps into his mouth. He happily chomped on the crumbs, taking a swig from a glass of Ribena to wash them down, glancing at the screen and very nearly spat the squash back out again. His heart was pounding wildly. The display icon of the argumentative newcomer had caught his eye, and not in a good way. He gulped as he clicked the picture, and when it popped up in full resolution, his heart nearly fell right out of his arse. - Sixteen year old Harry Styles’ world turns upside down when he logs on to gay teen chat to discover somebody has stolen his photos and used them as their own.

note: there’s a second part that’s 3k ziam centric

extra note: you don’t want to know how many episodes of catfish i’ve seen

☆ like cabbages and kings by you_explode 61k

When Louis was a kid, he had a series of very vivid dreams about a place called Wonderland. There were rabbits wearing waistcoats and talking cats and ridiculous tea parties, and amidst all the absurdity, there was a boy. A boy with dimples, big green eyes and the sweetest soul Louis has ever known. Louis has always kept a place in his heart for that boy and for his funny dreamworld, and when he’s twenty-five and his life falls apart, it turns out Wonderland might not be so imaginary after all.

☆ knives don’t have your back by turnyourankle 51k

The lone survivor of an on campus massacre that claimed the lives of his four housemates, Harry is urged to take a sabbatical or transfer. Instead, he chooses to stay in school, move into the dorms, and overcome his fears.

He finds comfort in a budding friendship with Louis, an upperclassman who lives on his floor, not realizing that their relationship will bring him closer to his traumatizing past rather than further from it.

☆ loving you is free by littlelouishiccups 68k

Louis is a workaholic record label CEO who hasn't been on a date in nearly a year. Niall and Liam make an account for him on a sugar dating website as a joke. And then Louis meets Harry.

note: there are two other parts to this that are pretty much pwp. they’re 24k and 4k

☆  dance to the distortion by lis (domesticharry) 93k

Louis accidentally breaks Harry's camera lens and in order to get it fixed, they decide to participate in a romantic couples study. The only issue is that they are not actually couple. Well that and the fact they cannot stand each other.

☆ waiting on you by emma1234 77k

“Vampires,” Louis says with disgust, glaring over at the vampire who is noisily slurping from the woman’s neck nearby.

Zayn gives the neat fang marks on Louis’ neck a meaningful look.

“Can’t live with them, can’t live without them,” Louis finishes, ignoring Zayn when he rolls his eyes.

Louis takes a long sip of his milkshake, presses his fingers against the marks on his neck, and definitely doesn’t think about the vampire who left them there.

note: there’s a second part to this that’s 5k

☆ this wicked game by cherrystreet 70k

An AU in which The Bachelor is gay, Louis is a contestant, Harry is the bachelor, everyone drinks a lot of champagne, the entire world gets to watch them fall in love, and no one plays by the rules.

note: i’ve seen maybe five episodes of the bachelor in my life and hated it but i have read every larry bachelor fic 

☆ coax the cold by mediawhore 86k

England, 1897.

English Professor Louis Tomlinson’s passion for the occult has been a source of mockery and derision for most of his life. When he hears whispers of a travelling freak show newly established in London claiming the existence of a monstrous sea hybrid, half-man, half-fish, Louis sees it as his ticket to credibility amongst his peers. The summer he spends undercover working on the show, however, gives him much more than that.

☆ this feeling by orphan_account 59k

"Gonna play it back for you now." Louis clicked play and the song flooded through Harry’s headphones.

The sound of each others voices united into one, and the rhythm of the music carried their voices effortlessly. Harry’s insides tingled and a wave of shivers rolled down his spine.

Before the clip cut off, Harry turned to raise an eyebrow at Louis, and failed miserably at disguising his smile. Louis stared back at him in shock.

Or A Larry Duet AU

☆ love’s on the line, is that your final answer? by pearlydewdrops 53k

Harry can’t believe it when Louis, the boy he’s always had a tempestuous rivalry with, asks him to be his boyfriend. Well, pose as his boyfriend, that is—for a new television game show in which young couples are quizzed on how well they know each other for a jackpot of thirty grand.

Reluctantly, Harry agrees—because he's got student loans to pay off, hasn't he? What's the harm? And he can totally deal with keeping his secret thing for Louis under wraps too. This is all just to win some money. It's fine. No big deal. What could possibly go wrong?

Well, everything. Obviously.

☆ say your prayers by nothing_but 59k

Louis was left wondering what the fuck this encounter had been. Coming to this camp - especially after learning that it was a religious one - he had never expected to find himself in a bathroom with the attractive, strictly Catholic, not-gay-or-anything head counsellor making flirty remarks. Quite the opposite, to be honest.

Or the one where Harry, head counsellor at a Catholic summer camp, dedicates his time to what he loves most, year after year. It’s mostly the same every summer; the place, the topics, the games. This year, however, there’s a new assistant counsellor stumbling into his camp, and possibly his heart.

☆ i’ll crash until you notice me by stylinsoncity 61k

Louis sets off to Barbados to oversee the massive resort his family owns known as Sandy Hill. For years, he's been looking for a change in the monotony of his life, seeking adventure and perhaps love too. What he doesn't expect is the bright eyed boy who spills a milkshake on his shoes.

Cue the summer loving.

note: zendaya is listed as a character in this which desperately makes me want to reread it because i don’t remember that!!!

☆ nothing but you on my mind by nonsensedarling 84k

Louis Tomlinson is a PR manager hired to improve the image of royal bad-boy Prince Harry Styles. Unfortunately for him, that means being faced with the Prince's constant innuendos, incessant dirty jokes, and relentless flirting. Louis just wants to make it to Princess Gemma's coronation; once she's crowned Queen, his contract is up and he never has to see the Prince again.

☆ ghost note symphony by whoknows 96k

Louis is on tour when he first hears about it. It’s all over the news – Harry Styles Attacked By Fan runs in headlines for days. It’s not even just the gossip rags, either. Actual journalists are covering the story. It would have been impossible to avoid hearing about it. Technically, Oli is the one who tells Louis about it, but it’s not exactly being covered up. Harry doesn’t answer Louis’ text asking if he’s alright, but that’s not really surprising. They haven’t spoken for months, and it’s been a lot longer than that since they’ve had a real conversation. The sting of the text going unanswered is still there, less painful than it might have been a few years ago.

It’s not that it’s easy to forget about, exactly. Louis has a whole life outside of One Direction now, though. So Louis goes on with his life, figuring that if Harry was seriously hurt he would have heard about it by now. He might currently be in the same country as Harry, but being on opposite sides of it puts enough distance between them that putting it in the back of his mind is easy. There’s nothing Louis could do, even if he thought Harry might want him to.

That’s why everything that happens next comes as a complete shock to him.

☆ thinking about the t-shirt you sleep in by nonsense_darling 52k

Harry's alpha fraternity donates to a local thrift shop (because of Liam's latent crush on a cute beta in his lecture). Louis' financial situation (and confusing omega instincts) lead him to make some interesting fashion purchases. Lots of pizza, feelings, and not-really-lying.   

☆ here in the afterglow by fondleeds 89k

“If you hadn’t noticed, I don’t have many friends,” Louis whispers, the blossom of insecurity in his stomach unfurling and clawing its way into his throat.

Harry is silent for a long time, and then he speaks; a soft, slow uncurl that makes Louis’ stomach shake. “I’ll be your friend.”

-

1970’s AU. In a tiny town in Idaho, Louis’ life is changed forever by the arrival of a curious stranger.

note: i can’t believe i waited until 2020 to read this...it was life changing tbh and i cried

☆ just call me inspiration by hereforlou 52k

The truth is Louis knows he’s going to hell, if there is such a thing, but it isn’t because he writes erotic fiction for a living. If anything, it’s because his muse, the reason he’s inspired to write about people shagging in increasingly creative ways everyday, is the sweetest, loveliest, most genuine (and completely oblivious) future children-book illustrator in the world.

(Or, the one where Louis is a writer, Harry is an art student, and they inspire each other in very different ways.)

☆ truly, madly, deeply (10 things i hate about you) by sunsetmog 54k

The first Louis had heard of Harry auditioning for X Factor was the night he'd turned up on Louis' doorstep the day before leaving for Boot Camp, with a DVD and an illicit bottle of vodka.

Thing was, Louis hated secrets, and he really hated being made a fool of, and he really, really hated Harry Styles.

or: the one in which they're all in sixth form together, and Harry auditions for X Factor without them.

note: this has always been a fav

☆ the impossible now by stylinsoncity 65k

A wish on Christmas Eve sends Louis to an alternate dimension where Harry is a member of One Direction.

☆ swallow the knife by whoknows 76k

“You came,” Louis says, still breathless, clinging to Harry, uncaring that his sweat is getting all over Harry’s presumably clean dad shirt, or that he’s making Harry hold up all of his weight.

“Of course I came,” Harry says. He shifts, one arm curled underneath Louis’ arse, the other spreading wide in the middle of Louis’ back. “If I ignored you every time you pissed me off we would have stopped being friends a long time ago.”

Louis already knows that, of course. It doesn’t do anything to stop the pleased squirm in his belly every time Harry proves it, though. They fight like nobody’s business, both of them too stubborn to pull their punches when they’re arguing, and it used to get them in trouble, but they always make up.

Adrenaline makes Louis loose-lipped, and they both know it. He tightens his arms around Harry’s neck, buries his face in his hair. “I missed you,” he confesses, quiet. “Doesn’t feel the same up there by myself.”

note: i don’t even normally like non-aus but i have read this fic five times in the last nine months so. there’s that. 

extra note: there’s an 11k alternate sex scene here

☆ perfect storm by cherrystreet 80k

What do you do when your best friend asks you and your (now) ex to be the best men at his destination wedding? You can either tell him the truth, tell him you’re not together anymore, and deal with the consequences, or you can pretend you’re still together and roll with it, just pray you don’t spiral. Fake it ‘til you make it. You know, for the sake of the wedding.

Harry and Louis choose the latter.

☆ anyplace, anyhow, anytime by aimmyarrowshigh, colazitron 81k

Harry's going to audition for The X-Factor in a few days, he really can't use this persistent tickle in his throat. What's even worse is when the tickle turns into a full blown cough, and the cough makes him pass out only for Harry to wake up in a different world. And then another one, and another one, and another one. The only other person who seems to be as affected as he is, is a boy with blue eyes who keeps showing up in every single one of these worlds.

note: i reread all of aimmyarrowhigh’s larry fics this year including the 500k or whatever sheylinson verse and i thought about putting them all in here but like...felt excessive & i figured i’d give attention to a less well known one, plus this way we get colazitron too! 

☆ the second hand unwinds by kingsofeverything (fullonlarry) 52k

Louis Tomlinson is one of the first members of NASA's top secret Chrono Exploration Program. When things go wrong and he's sent further back in time than planned, he has no other option than to show up on his ex-boyfriend's doorstep.

☆ waiting for the tides to meet by nauticalleeds (metamorphosis) 60k

Louis lets out a deep breath, thinking about Harry’s soulmate. Thinking about how Harry’s soulmate is probably as beautiful as Harry, some person that Louis cannot compare to, and how the universe has chosen them to be Harry’s. Fuck the universe. “Fuck you,” he calls out to the universe. He’s aware of how crazy he sounds.

Maybe he is crazy, with how he’s falling for Harry. And fuck that, too.

Soulmate AU. Everyone is born with heterochromia — one eye is their own eye colour, while the other is the colour of their soulmate's. It's only when they meet their soulmate for the first time that their own eyes match properly. After a hazy night at a frat party, Louis wakes up to blue eyes and the shocking realization that he had met his soulmate, without any sober recollection. Seven years pass where Louis comes to terms with the fact that he'll never know who his soulmate is. Then one fated summer, a beautiful green-eyed photographer arrives at Louis' workplace, with promises of endless laughter and a familiar feeling in Louis' heart.

Featuring a lovely cup of OT5, a road trip down the coast, and a scene where Harry eats a whole head of lettuce. Don't ask why.

☆ keep my candle bright by whisperdlullaby 79k

louis returns to his hometown after four years to find that the reverend’s son has done some growing up of his own.

☆ strawberries & cigarettes by dimpled_halo 77k

Harry looks up and immediately freezes. Next to Ms. Archie stands the boy from just the other day. The boy with the leather jacket and chipped black nails, that might or might not be sketched in the very book Harry has just placed on the table in front of him. The leather jacket is missing today, probably because they aren’t allowed as part of their required uniform attire, but Harry can still see the fading black nail polish on his nails, and eyeliner around his eyes. Harry’s mouth goes a little dry. This boy is so intriguing to him.

“Ye-yes, Ms. Archie?” Harry tries to play it cool, but he’s almost positive that his cheeks are burning red, and he’s relieved neither of them can tell how fast his heart is beating in his chest.

The boy seems to also recognize Harry, because his lips curve into a knowing smirk.

“Harry is at the top of his class. He’s your best bet at getting familiar with things around here.” She explains.

Louis nods, his smirk still very prominent on his face. “Thank you Ms. Archie. I’ll be sure to take advantage of young Harold here.”

*

Summary: Two stories, eleven years, and the two boys that never stopped loving each other.

[rockmiyabideusexmachina]

2019 Megaman Summer Fanart Contest Results! [Part 2 - K/DA Akane]

In part deux of this year’s summer contest results, I threw Akane in the title due to the inspiration for the theme, and as I fully expected, nobody actually drew a K/DA-styled Akane. Yet that didn’t stop entrants in this category from trying to bribe me by including Mrs. Stelar in their submissions. Such an artistic temptation didn’t work on my strong will, despite entrants best attempts, in the previous category. Will it for this one? Find out after the break!

Thank you again to all who participated! This set of entries certainly was varied in scope, and definitely had me reconsidering placements over and over in my head, before I finally settled on them. I will be contacting all winners today, after these posts go live.

For the (mostly) full gallery with images at their actual resolution, in case you have issues viewing on tumblr, head here: http://imgbox.com/g/2sbxl6nX4C

I will also include a direct link after each entrant’s name, if the images won’t load for you.

Category 2 - K/DA Akane (this category focused on Mega Man characters in a pop group music scene, with a minimum of 3 members in their group. Scenes could range from stage performance to day-in-the-life to album covers, etc.)  1.) @inanehipsterslang: [ENTRY...is seriously 33 pages! I will avoid uploading every page into this post, so the rest of the entries don’t get buried. This one gets it’s own separate full gallery link instead.]

Every year, someone gets more and more ambitious with massive comics for these contests, and it truly is hard for me to not reward those who put in that time and effort for my silly little contests, as I try to objectively judge everything. And in so many ways, this entry from inane is so different from the rest, as well. It focuses on the lyrics of an actual song that you’ll see on most pages, while telling it’s own separate story in a very different way, to create a pop group.  And once again, your tale does such a beautiful job mixing a deeply serious mood with humor interjected; with moving dialogue from the heart, that feels personal, and hits home in a lot of ways. You certainly thought outside the box with the theme, and can craft a great story! 

2.) @iandimas: [ENTRY]

As always, Ian’s crisp colors draw my eye in, but I think one of these mama’s slightly more revealing stage outfits was intentionally designed to do the same thing...Akane missed the memo about ties being required for this gig. 

It was definitely a surprise to see characters who rarely ever get drawn by anyone (Misora’s mom, Veil, and Emilia) in your piece. It certainly gives off the pop idol vibe with the flashy stage lights, video board and excessive fog machine use, that Veil could use less of. Cute, and well done!

3.) @ask-the-half-enlightened-one: [ENTRY]

A private concert for the Servbot army, featuring Miss Tron, Marino and Meddy. I really liked the subtle purple glow from the lights in this one, that even without full color, gave off a great vibe to fit the scene. Unique outfits for all of the ladies, that still fit their personalities well. 

And did you all catch the little subtle W-I-L on Tron’s belt? Or notice how each of the ladies are flashing a specific hand gesture? Or how the second Servbot from the left sure does seem to be throwing up his hands in the air like he doesn’t care, in a Y...MCA...pose. Even the Bonne speaker machine sort of forms a giant W with a skull on it. Hmmm...I think there’s a hidden message in this pic.. XD

_______

Just came up a little short, but here are the other great entries for this category, in alphabetical order by alias -

@bracedshark​: [ENTRY]

Oh no, the hunter trio have finally become Maver-X!! I bet it’s the fault of their producer, $igma. Bracedshark bring us the timeless tradition of boy bands fleeing the paparazzi and adoring fans. Some want the attention, others just want to haul it out of there! It might not quite be Neon Tiger Beat Magazine, but I love the Beat on the mag cover! ;D Their relaxed, sporty outfits retain a lot of the basic design of their normal armor, and honestly, I’d kinda love to see/wear in real life. 

@dahlia-the-nurd​: [ENTRY] [Solo Tundra] [Solo Jewel] [Solo Star] [Solo Gemini]

Dahlia based her entry off of actual group Fifth Harmony, but even not knowing that, you have to love the flair of the clothing design for each of the Robot Masters here. While I am refraining from directly adding each individual pic in this post to keep it shorter, you can see each one linked above. 

I certainly love Gemini’s popped collar and glam rock attitude the most, but it’s also neat seeing Tundra’s ice crystal braid all done up like that. That was some nice creative thinking. Certainly a great group shot!

@hyperbole1729​: [ENTRY]

Hyperbole’s entry was a very clever parody on the Elite Beat Agents game, using Commander Beef and his Net Agents in the titular role. Their singing and cheering on people in need is meant to help, even if they seem to show up in situations that, you know, don’t really seem to be the most appropriate time for singing and dancing. 

Like, say, when Navi babies are sleeping, or a woman finds out her husband is likely dead in space and her son doesn’t get why daddy’s not coming home. XD It’s one of those things that shouldn’t be so funny, but I loved where you were going with it, as a parody!

@janitorbot: [ENTRY] (*RAFFLE PRIZE WINNER - Archie Issue 33 Pg. 19*)

Prancing dads who think it’s hip to be square. Well, to everyone but Bass, they look cool. Janitorbot’s pic has the doctor trinity working together again to achieve their Ph.D in synchronized pop dance moves and finger *pew pew pew*-ing. I’m only imagining them singing Kaze yo Tsutaete, and you can’t tell me otherwise. The facial expressions for each character here makes this pic so wonderful! 

@larytello​: [ENTRY]

Reploids of the world, spice up your life! Lary’s pic reimagines the Spice Girls with a single representative from 5 different series. Nice job getting them to fit each Spice Girl’s unique look. Although I would have figured Misora the better option for Ginger Spice, rather than Baby, with her hair color. XD But I’d assume she is the youngest of the group here, too. 

I’m sure the glittery background was partially created by the battlechip obtained from a Mushy virus. The sparkles and your shading all turned out really well here!

@prar-draws​: [ENTRY]

Prar’s beautiful piece features Ciel, X and Zero as Kpop idols, with a glamorous angelic vibe. Gosh, those feather adornments around each of their heads turned out so pretty, and unique for each character. I mean, just in general, each of their outfits are really gorgeous. The definition and texture you create with your brushstrokes will always wow me!

roninapprentice: [ENTRY]

Ronin’s pop group is known as Claw, based off of the cat-like appearance of Cinnamon’s strongest weapon, and Axl’s helmet, giving him that pointy, cat ear look. With those connections, why not have an album cover where they all adopt cat-like looks? Their eyes even glow within the dark scene! Certainly a cute idea, with a background that even almost feels like a cat tower playground for the trio, even though you mentioned it was a laser tag arena. I can only imagine how distracted these 3 would be, pawing at the lasers all around! XD

[johnmulaneys]

i need your sims opinion: i own city living, get famous, and parenthood and i want to get the bundle what do you recommend i choose

honestly it depends on what’s your priority when it comes to playing. some people like building more than playing, some people like supernatural stuff, etc.

based on what you own i assume you prefer more real life based gameplay? so i’m gonna give u a top 3 of each type of packs i think fit better for your type of gameplay (and excluding what you already own) and give a quick explanation as to why you should consider those:

expansion packs:

seasons: having seasons in the game just seem very essential to me. it adds A Lot to the game very organically. not only do you get the 4 seasons of the year (with stunning views!) you also get holidays that you can edit and customize as much as you want and that add a lot to the family life gameplay.

cats and dogs: i mean… how can you not! cats and dogs are absolutely the most adorable things in this game and they make good companions and great additions to the family + you get the brindleton bay world which is gorgeous.

get together: probably the most unpopular opinion i have when it comes to the sims 4 but get together is actually a good pack. sure the selling point of this pack (creating clubs) isn’t the strongest but it’s occasionally useful and i Genuinely cannot imagine my game without get together because of (what should’ve been the selling point of this pack) the wonderful world of windenburg. it’s the biggest world we’ve ever had in the game, it adds So Many great community lots, in different and Gorgeous areas. most of my sims live in windenburg and get together rules (but since this is a very unpopular opinion that i particularly have, be careful when considering this one)

game packs:

dine out: this would’ve been in second place if you didn’t already own the superior game pack (parenthood). i think restaurants are great and a fun alternative to the daily cooking life. they’re fun to own and run, and fun to go to once in a while, on a special date, a nice family celebration, etc. it can be kinda buggy sometimes but it never really bothered me all that much. and the objects that come with it are quite fancy.

jungle adventure: this pack isn’t *exactly* as real life based as i proposed to recommend but to be fair the sims doesn’t have that many (good) game packs in that category (rip). i like jungle adventure because you can totally ignore the adventure part of it and just enjoy a relaxing weekend with your boo or your family, listening to the birds and going to the local bar to enjoy some local food and music. though the adventure part of it can be quite Fun and beautiful. the selvadorada jungle is just Gorgeous (the sims team Killed It with that one) + the objects and clothes that come with it are super pretty

spa day: another controversial opinion! again, the sims 4 doesn’t have that many great real-life based game packs, so removing the supernatural ones (vampires and strangerville) from the equation we only have spa day and outdoor retreat left and between one and the other i prefer spa day mainly because of the clothing + objects it adds.

stuff packs:

laundry day: i KNOW right? laundry?! yeah. who’d thought this would’ve been the best stuff pack in this game. the thing is that this pack exists because of the community of sims fans that Voted on pretty much every aspect of this pack from concept to even the objects that would be featured in it. if you don’t like laundry it’s fine, you can just not place the laundry machine and you’re good to keep playing. the stuff this pack adds though are Gorgeous, the clothes and objects feel so realistic and domestic. it just feels Real and organic.

kids room: honestly if you were turned off by the concept of laundry that’s fair. this pack is here to save you: kids room stuff is an amazing pack because it focus on kids only, it gives them great new (pre-teen vibes) clothes and the objects that come with it are really pretty and just give you a whole new set of options for when creating your kid’s room and style

toddler stuff: considering we only got toddlers in 2017 (like 2 and half years after the sims 4 was released) it’s fair to assume we don’t have that many great things for toddlers with the base game + packs that came out before 2017, so toddler stuff gives them babies some love.

honorable mentions: movie hangout stuff and backyard stuff, both add gorgeous colorful objects and clothes.

*even tho i recommended get together, dine out, spa day and mentioned movie hangout and backyard stuff keep in mind they came out before we had toddlers, so you might wanna consider that before making a decision

again, this is *my* opinion based on what *i* think you’d enjoy. maybe you are into supernatural stuff, in that case the vampire game pack would be Amazing for you since a lot of people who are into that praise the gameplay aspects of the pack. i, personally, just don’t play it.

but please check out each pack and all the features, clothes and objects they have to offer. you can see every single thing about every pack in the EA website, you can also check first impressions and reviews of all the packs on youtube, many sims youtubers will give you comprehensive and honest opinions on each pack (even the people who get the pakcs for free). i hope this is helpful!

[thathomestar]

Yakuza 6 beaten! This game is mechanically rough but the story is good. An interesting sendoff for Kiryu’s final adventure, to say the least.

Putting this under a read more because it got kinda long sorry

I’ve already talked at length about the combat mechanics and how I’m not a fan, but I’ll sum up my thoughts here a little more succinctly. Kiryu’s old Dragon of Dojima style he’s had for like 6 games now is replaced with this weirdo clunky fighting style that’s really slow. It gets better when you get the speed upgrades, but Yakuza 0 has this game beat by a long shot. The enemies, at least on Hard difficulty, love to swarm you all at once and all attack at once, making large group fights a real pain. The combat is at it’s best when you’re one-on-one with a boss, but previous games have done it better.

The introduction of Extreme Heat Mode is an interesting decision, but ultimately I feel it’s a misstep. A large amount of heat actions being locked behind a limited-duration ability is odd, and you can’t do your standard combos while in Extreme Heat Mode either, as your standard rush combo becomes essentially a Dempsy Roll. Not to mention, activating Extreme Heat takes a solid 2 seconds, which means setting up for specific heat actions is much more difficult. You’re still susceptible to flinch from enemy attacks while in Extreme Heat Mode, so wailing on your opponents isn’t feasible. The best method for crowd control is to grab and throw, or use Finishing Holds.

How you level up is also completely new. Gone are the Mind, Body, and Technique categories, gone are the sphere grids and multiple styles. There are now five aspects that you can earn XP points for: Strength, Agility, Spirit, Knowledge, and Charm. Just about everything gives you XP now. Fighting, eating, going to the RIZAP gym in Kamurocho, completing substories, filling out the completion menu, etc. Earn enough of these, and you can either level up your core abilities (health, attack, defense, evasion, heat) or choose to purchase skills, whether it’s new attack moves or augmenting your heat.

I don’t mind this new system, except for one thing: knowledge. There is no good way to get XP for knowledge outside of eating food (you don’t earn it from fights, and typically don’t get much of it as a reward for side activities), so you will be stuffing Kiryu full to the brim every single chance you get just to scrape together some knowledge XP. However, Kiryu now has a stomach capacity meter now. Eat too much, and you can’t earn XP from the food you eat. Being full or hungry doesn’t affect Kiryu outside of this though, thankfully, but it’s rather annoying. You quickly find out which restaurants are worth eating at for knowledge XP and ignore the rest.

Enough about the gameplay then. The story is pretty damn good. It’s like if Yakuza 5 was actually cohesive and paced well, lots of new characters and good drama. The stakes are probably the highest they’ve been for a Yakuza game, which I know sounds ridiculous considering the kinds of things Kiryu ends up getting sucked into, but it’s the truth. There’s a few older characters like Daigo, Majima, and Saejima that make what amount to cameo appearances, and they are quickly shuffled out of frame to make way for the new cast. I love all the new characters. The Hiroshima newcomers take some warming up to but they come into their own by the time the story concludes.

Side stuff this time is a mixed bag. New engine, new minigames. The railgun spearfishing game where you genocide fish was my favorite, the baseball management game not so much. Karaoke has finally gotten a much needed overhaul, making rhythms not a guessing game. All of the classic Sega arcade games from Yakuza 0 are brought over, as well as Puyo Puyo and a full arcade-perfect port of Virtua Fighter 5. I am fucking awful at Puyo Puyo. The batting cage game is a bit different now too, it’s more like how Shinada’s batting minigame was from Yakuza 5. Darts and Mahjong have also returned. Woo. I ignored hostess clubs as I always do.

The camgirl game is amusing on your first go but it’s be boring to play it over and over just to view all the different branching scenes, unless you’re into that sort of thing I guess. Substories are now all fully voice acted, to my surprise. There’s 52 in total, which is less than usual, but given how each one has a lot more time and effort spent on it makes up for it a bit. Unfortunately, some of them are tied behind stuff like the baseball management game, like the ability to be a regular at a hole-in-the-wall pub. Also, I don’t know if there’s anything else to the Cat Cafe thing if you actually find all the cats, because I didn’t bother.

The Clan Creator is the big new side activity for Yakuza 6, and it’s... kinda boring. The little story thread is that this bigass gang (led by New Japan Pro Wrestling members for some reason) is causing a lot of trouble, so Kiryu and some kids he meets up with form the Kiryu Clan to stop them. You recruit leaders to your ranks and slot them into a hierarchy, then set off on missions. It plays like a bare-bones RTS game where you send out troops, up to 6 of your leaders and your pick of generic gang members who specialize in different things (some are tanky brutes who can soak up damage but are slow, some stay back and shoot guns, some chuck grenades, etc). You send your gang up or down a street and have them duke it out with the enemy gang, occasionally using your leaders’ abilities to help turn the tide in your favor.

Unfortunately, it’s not exactly that difficult or that fun. I did use a code or two to unlock OP leaders (like Daigo with his ability to refresh your reinforcement pool), so maybe that’s why, but it was always a steamroll until the very last battle. Hell, I didn’t even have Daigo for a while and I was still cruising through it. But you’re encouraged to find and use codes, so I dunno. The little storyline was kinda boring outside of the goofy wrestling personas doing their goofy things.

I guess I oughta wrap this up. Overall, I still enjoyed Yakuza 6. But literally every time I was in combat, I was thinking about how much more fun Yakuza 0 or even Yakuza 5 was. The story is great, I loved the characters, but it’s brought down by the rough mechanics of this new engine and fighting style. I hope for Shin RGG they really polish its mechanics. I would not recommend this as a first Yakuza experience, but I think I would recommend it for people who have beaten 0 and Kiwami.

God I wish they port the PS3 games to PS4 WELL HEY

[teaandgames]

The Teacup Awards (2017)

So as the wellington boot of inevitability comes crashing down on the innocent snail of time, we must say so long and farewell to 2017. It’s been something a tumultuous year full of disasters and political upheaval but at least we can now boot it out of the door. On the gaming side of things, there have been a fair share of scandals and nuisances but through all of the mess some quite decent games have emerged. So it’s time to do the proper thing and order them into categories before we limp into 2018.

As usual, I’m limiting my awards to games that I’ve either written about or recorded at some point, regardless of release date. Of course ‘written about’ can include the smallest of articles but hey, I make the rules so I can bend them. We’ve got a few new categories emerging this year but let’s start with an old hat, shall we?

The ‘Tea Up My Nose’ Award for Scariest Game

Runner Up - Thumper

I don’t think Thumper has ever been marketed as a horror game. Wikipedia has it as a ‘Rhythm Violence Game’ which sounds silly until you play it. You quickly realise that you’re not so much listening to Thumper’s music as being beaten over the head with it. It’s deep, rumbling and aggressive. Above all, it’s sinister. That’s helped along by the fluid, metallic quality to everything. Clinical yet unsavoury. Things just sort of rise up out of the netherworld, curling and flexing like metal tentacles. If hell doesn’t turn out to be full of fire, then Thumper’s aesthetic would be my second guess.

Winner - Resident Evil 7

There were two big boys of horror this year: Resident Evil 7 and Outlast 2. Both share the same problem, really. They start off very strong but quickly fall apart once you realise they’ve shown you their entire hand. Outlast 2 starts by scaring you with its creepy villagers and making you hide in logs. By the end, you’re still hiding in logs, waiting for the villager of the moment to stop muttering to himself and sod off. That’s when you’re not getting your balls impaled that is. That happens a lot.

Resident Evil 7 stays strong for longer but it keeps chucking its weird goopy enemies at you, as though three of them at once is supposed to make them more interesting. They kill you a lot until you realise you just kind of wave your hands in the air to stop their attacks. The level near the end, set on a ship, just proves how irritating they are. But this award isn’t a measure of how decent a game is, it’s a measure of how scary it is. And the Baker family scared the life out of me. I knew it was going to be that way from the moment Jack Baker punched me in the face and I woke up strapped to a dinner table.

That scene really stuck with me. Just the whole family of nutters, giggling as they force feed you god-knows-what. Then you go through each of the family in turn and have them pop out right when you don’t want them to. The king of it all is Jack Baker. The man who refuses to die. The first quarter or so of the game is spent in his company and he will not leave you alone. When all you’ve got is a pistol and a tiny pocket knife, the knowledge that Jack Baker could be behind any door is terrifying. The best thing a horror game can do is make you scared even when nothing is near and Resident Evil 7 did that. Until Jack turned into a giant slug thing that is but we don’t talk about that.

The ‘Folded Corner’ Award For Best Writing

Runner Up - Night in the Woods

I really like Mae Borowski. She’s a kid that’s had things beyond her control repeatedly dumped on top of her and now she’s kind of drifting. She went to college and it didn't work out. Now she’s returned home and it’s not home anymore. Regardless of the dialogue choices you make for her, she always sounds like a real person. So do her friends. You feel like another member of the gang just hanging out. Dealing with the real world crumbling around them at every turn. It takes a decent storyteller to make characters dealing with personal problems believable. Mae’s just like any of us. Only a cat, I guess.

Winner - Oxenfree

The worst thing about Oxenfree is having to play it. Sounds odd but the best part of Oxenfree is the characters talking to each other. I’d say it would work as a book but that would be an insult to the decent voice actors. Maybe an audiobook? Anyway, the joy of Oxenfree is how you make these characters interact with each other. It’s a branching choice kind of thing, rather like an interactive fiction game. The protagonist, Alex, has her own personality but there’s just enough room to inject some of yourself in there too.

So much so that when I got to the end and found that I hadn’t really made friends with Jonas, I had to stop and think back over everything I’d said to him. Had I been rude to him? Had I ignored him? I told him to calm down once, was that it? Oh God, I’m a monster. In most games of this type, it’s usually obvious what line is going to elicit what response. And that’s why I love Oxenfree because it’s not obvious. It’s natural. Humans generally don’t talk in grand, sweeping words. We hide behind small talk. We talk about the weather, what we did today, what we’re playing. It’s how we say things and how much of ourselves we put into the conversations that matters.

Oxenfree captures that well, putting a group of scared teens together and making them depend on each other. Making them get to know each other. Making them love or hate each other. It’s one part lighthearted drama to two parts B-Movie nightmare. On top of the good chemistry, you’ve got the fact that Edwards Island is slowly breaking down the people on it. Otherwise stable characters begin to shout at each other and you feel drawn into the mess. I haven’t felt so desperate to keep a set of characters alive in a long time. That’s a sign of good writing if anything is.

The ‘Head Nod’ Award For Best Soundtrack

Runner Up - DEADBOLT

You know when a great song comes on the radio and you find yourself mouthing along to the words without even thinking about it? Well by the time I finished DEADBOLT, I was clicking my fingers along to the music. It’s a very smooth soundtrack, which complements the suave feel of the game. The undead are rendered as mobsters, ranging from thuggish zombies to the more stylish vampires and skeletons. So a soundtrack that switches from violent to classy, while keeping the same smooth feel, is undoubtedly a good one.

Winner - Night in the Woods

There weren’t many games this year that had mind blowing soundtracks. There was an odd song here and there that I liked but nothing that really leapt out at me. So I was struggling to find a game to fit into this slot.  But then as I was looking back through the list of games I’ve played this year, I remembered the band practice parts of Night in the Woods. They were fun to play, even though I was terrible at them, but the real joy was in what they represented.

It was the gang back together, united by a burning desire to get out of the deadbeat town they were born in. The first song, Die Anywhere Else, captured that perfectly. All of the songs are great to listen to by themselves, even without reading the lyrics underneath. You often can’t read them actually, as you’re too busy mashing buttons. Which brings me to the real reason this is number one: the covers.

I don’t usually care for covers or remixes. But the excellent covers of Die Anywhere Else and Pumpkin Head Boy out there elevate Night in the Woods to the number one spot.

The ‘Mmm, I Don’t Get It’ Award For Best Art Piece

Runner Up - Little Nightmares

In terms of gameplay, there’s a lot lacking when it comes to Little Nightmares. You run and hide from dense enemies as you move right. The interesting part of Little Nightmares is the world. It’s proof that art doesn’t have to be all sunflowers and grass fields. Sometimes it can be a urinal that someone’s pissed on. Sometimes it can be disgusting. Little Nightmares is. It’s a world of bloodied meat, dirty corners and obese, gluttonous characters. It’s a horror game that lets its world speak for itself. It’s gross, unsettling and while it looks like ours, it feels like a truly other world. Did I mention it’s gross?

Winner - Hyper Light Drifter

Okay, cards on the table, I am biased. I have a love of games that have a pixel-based art style. Hyper Light Drifter is, perhaps, the finest example of that art style. The crowning moment comes near the start when your protagonist walks to the top of a hill and the camera pulls back to show a city behind it. It’s a beautiful moment that’s contrasted well with the darker elements of the game. Like the pixel-based bad acid trip that the game opens with. Full of black monsters that appear to be corroding our hero from the inside out.

The protagonist is deathly ill, a decision that was meant to reflect the developers own health, and his coughs cause the graphics to darken. Outside of those moments, Hyper Light Drifter is an extremely bright and colourful game, that does a lot to differentiate its areas. Granted there aren’t very many of them but each is wonderfully distinct and culminates in its own unique boss. When you’re not slashing up bosses, you can retire to the main town and take in the sights.

Hyper Light Drifter is a short one but it's one full of intricate detail, bright colours and a whole lot of my own blood being spilled.

Special Mention - Prey (for Talos 1)

The ‘Lot Of Paperwork’ Award For Best Action Game

Runner Up - Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus

There’s a lot wrong with Wolfenstein II. It wants you to be badass, but slaps your wrist when you do. It’s built around stealth but the easiest way to do things is just put a couple of thousand of bullets in everyone. So on and so forth. That’s not relevant here. What’s relevant is how fun it is to mow down Space Nazis with a shotgun in each hand. The guns look nice, sound nice and feel nice. Given how hard it is to nail that last one, it makes Wolfenstein II’s gunplay all the more impressive.

Winner - DEADBOLT

DEADBOLT is a kind of understated badass. The Reaper wears a shabby coat and a skull mask. At least, I think it’s a mask. He basically walked off the set an action film and went home. He even spends his evening in a big wingback chair. All in all, he seems like a pretty (possibly undead) regular guy. That is until he goes about his job. He takes a message from the fireplace (don’t ask) and goes out to murder the undead.

That’s where the true fun is. It’s taken a few notes from Hotline Miami but its action is a bit slower paced; a bit more thoughtful. The mad run’n’gun gameplay of Hotline Miami rarely works in DEADBOLT. Usually you’ll clear a few vampires only for the bartender to casually blow your head into tiny fragments with a shotgun. You normally need a plan before you go in. So when you do have one, and it all works, it’s bloody marvelous. Even when it fails, if you can think on your feet then you have a chance of pulling it back. The sheer flow and mania of DEADBOLT’s combat makes it stand out for me.

That and the simplicity of it. For the most part you’re just dealing with a handful of firearms and maybe a hammer or two. You get a few guns out of the trunk of your car but the ammo dwindles quickly. On some levels you’re basically throwing an entire kitchen at the undead. This all culminates in a final level that pours on the baddies. I lost count of the times I’d unload into someone only to be left with a hammer. Burst through a door, bury it in someone’s head, grab their gun and begin the rampage all over again. My God it’s addictive.

The ‘Beep Boop’ Award For Best Retro Game

Runner Up - Punch-Out!!

Rather ironically, Punch-Out!! Kicked my arse. I managed to get all the way up to Super Macho Man then he launched his over-the-top clothesline attack and my head hit the ground. Presumably after it was rapidly detached from my body. But time and time again I tried. I still go back to it, after the internal swelling has gone down. The modernised Punch-Out!! On the Wii is an excellent sequel but it’s worth paying tribute to the game that kicked it all off. It’s the perfect blend of timing and charm that no doubt sucked thousands of coins out of kids in the arcades. Now it just sucks some of my soul.

Winner - King’s Quest VI

I played all of the King’s Quest games this year, including the modern version, and of all the games I think it was King’s Quest VI that stuck with the most. Mostly because it was the game where King’s Quest stopped trying to play its fairy tale inspirations straight. Instead it embraced the silliness and love of puns that was started properly in King’s Quest V. In short, King’s Quest VI is where it found its own goofy identity.

Sure it was still mired in the moon logic that characterise the King’s Quest games, and pretty much any adventure game of the age, meaning you to hunt through the entire world for an easily missed object, but it didn’t matter. That same world was the most important thing. And King’s Quest VI took you from an Arabian town, to a Minotaur’s labyrinth and then to a strange garden full of anthropomorphic fruit and veg. Then you meet some living chess pieces. It’s weird as hell.

And that’s why I love it. I’ve a love of surreal games in all forms and King’s Quest VI pushes it to the extreme. When you’re dealing with a genie that gets drunk on mints, who hides himself around the entire map, you know you’re dealing with a special game. That and it’s pretty damn funny because of it. I mean, you find a rotten tomato that shouts at you only for you to shove the damn thing in your trousers.

The ‘You Wanted Sugar, Right?’ Award For Biggest Disappointment

Runner up - Yooka-Laylee

Truth be told, I’m not a hundred percent sure why I backed Yooka-Laylee. My only real experience with the genre was a brief stint with Banjo and Kazooie back in the day. It was okay but I don’t remember it setting my world on fire. Perhaps I backed Yooka-Laylee because it was bright, colourful and looked like good silly fun. It was that, to a degree, but what they neglected to mention was the awkward camera, fairly by-the-numbers level design and bloody annoying final boss. It’s not a big offender but Yooka-Laylee is clogged with too many little annoyances to keep it off this list.

Winner - Condemned 2: Bloodshot

Maybe it’s not right for me to rag on a game from 2008 but I can’t help it. I hold up Condemned: Criminal Origins as one of the best horror games I’ve played. It has a great combat engine and knows the right environments to stick you in. Even if the Super Taser snaps the difficulty over it’s knee. It was Monolith at its height, as they also had the first F.E.A.R game out, bringing the creepy Japanese little girl to the world of video games. But it seems that Monolith have something of an issue when it comes to sequels.

F.E.A.R 2 was nothing revolutionary and Condemned 2 was far, far worse. The big selling point of Condemned for me is the combat. Knocking out teeth with a bit of pipe and trying not to suffer the same. Condemned 2: Bloodshot somehow ignored all of that and instead focused much of the later half of the game on dull, gun-based combat. With guns that have all the weight and feel of a spud gun. It’s nonsensical to me and made much of the game a tired, boring slog. Shame really, as we’d dropped the relatively bland Ethan Thomas from the first game and replaced him with a more interesting one.

And yet, they also tried to really push the supernatural angle. I’m all for a bit of weird mystical nonsense but you need to make it fit. The rest of Condemned is going for a sort of realistic feel. You use proper forensic skills, you’re in a world full of the homeless and it’s just generally dark and grimy. Then you use your magical throat to shout a guy off a giant tower. That’s the final boss fight. No, I’m not joking. It’s the final decisive blow in an onslaught that begins about halfway through the game. It starts strong, with some good old fashioned pipe to the face action, then descends into supernatural nonsense and tedious gunfights.

Now, for the big one.

The ‘Golden Teapot’ Award For Best Game

Runner Up - Night in the Woods

Night in the Woods has appeared in multiple categories this year for good reason. A somewhat branching adventure game based around a group of friends who want out of their town, Night in the Woods wonderfully transitions from light comedy to creeping horror. Remember how I said supernatural stuff needed to fit in? Night in the Woods manages it. Your main character, Mae, witnesses a kidnapping halfway through the game. It sets you up to find a killer only to realise the true evil seems to be lurking in Mae’s own head.

It pulls it off because its very well written, with each of the main characters being a delight to talk to. I had a definite fondness for Gregg, who wears a sweet leather jacket, because of his excitable nature that he uses to mask his own feelings. There’s a lot in Night in the Woods when you dig under the surface and the charming graphics, solid writing and sinister atmosphere in the later half make you want to do just that.

Winner - Hollow Knight

When I finished Hollow Knight and put the controller down, I thought to myself, ‘That’s my game of the year’. Usually, I have to puzzle over these things but not this year. Hollow Knight has just absolutely won my heart. For one thing, it’s pretty damn beautiful. Visiting Hallownest is like visiting an old castle. It lies in ruins but with remnants of what once was. A great battle has swept through it leaving only fragments behind. Fragments of buildings, fragments of people, fragments of memories. It sets the tone of the game very well. It’s a sort of downtrodden tone yet here and there you find little pockets of hope, which seems at times personified by our little hero bug.

But the world building aside, it also plays remarkably well too. I’ve been banging on about simplicity in gaming for quite a while now and Hollow Knight embraces that concept. There are a lot of skills for moving about, and a few for attacking, but for the most part you’re just going to be bouncing about and slashing things with your nail. I like it because it takes the focus off the game’s mechanics and puts it back on the player. It comes down to timing and precision. Button mashing isn’t really going to cut it when you’re dealing with a small bug stuffed inside a giant suit of armour. It also has some of the smoothest platforming I’ve seen outside of games like Super Meat Boy. Our little knight jumps, slashes and glides perfectly. Platforming deaths nearly always felt like my fault.

What’s more, Hollow Knight introduced me to a genre I’d never really been interested in before: Metroidvania. I’d played a bit of the old Castlevania games and one of the newer ones that went completely out of my head as soon as I’d finished it. Never played Metroid though. I’d never really gotten the idea of exploring and re-exploring areas. Hollow Knight changed that for me. Every time I came to a barrier, I made a mental note, knowing I’d be able to get through it one day. It changed how I looked at things. I’d try, die and save it for later. Every new skill caused new exciting areas of the map to open up.

It was that thrill of discovery that kept me glued to Hollow Knight, along with the great boss fights. I wanted to poke into every corner and Hollow Knight let me try, drip feeding me tools along the way. So even if you discount the great graphics, haunting soundtrack and excellent gameplay, Hollow Knight wins by introducing me to something new and making me love it.

So that’s 2017 over and done with. I hope you’ve all filled yourself with Turkey over the Christmas period and your drink of choice over New Year. With any luck, you won’t be too hungover when you read this. As for me, I’m going to make myself a nice, strong pot of tea and get ready for 2018. See you there.

[rachelkulagodfrey-blog]

A [MUSIC] Review: My 10+1 Favorite Live Acts From the Last Six Months

Originally posted on January 17, 2019.

Some people procrastinate by online shopping, cleaning, or watching the first season of a Netflix show that truly isn’t worth it (Judd Apatow’s Love stole my time and I want it back).

Others make an Instagram post about how they “just can’t focus :/”, masturbate to a point where it’s almost violent, or complete every single task except for the most pressing one at hand.

I am all of these people. Baked to perfection.

As appealing as all of these options are, my favorite way to procrastinate is watching live musical performances. If I said this was my number one choice because I really love to see what each and every artist can do on their feet, I would be LYING; it’s because I’m broke. Imagining I’m in the actual audience sounds like a cute and affordable outing to me.

I was originally going to write a late post about my ten favorite live musical acts of 2018, but then The Holy Trinity™ a.k.a The Goat Trio (Noname, Smino, and Saba) decided to perform on The Late Night Show with Jimmy Fallon and fuck up my whole plan.

Fucked up my whole plan, but made my whole life.

Here are the 10+1 live acts that have rustled my big and bright feathers in the last 184 days, ordered by upload date:

1. Mac Miller: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

August 6, 2018

I was tabling at my school’s Student Activities Fair when one of my best friends approached me looking like tears were seconds from falling down her cheeks and flooding the fucking campus. Her “I have to tell you something” was followed by what most onlookers would probably describe as an unnecessarily loud processing of the Five Ws and One H of Malcolm McCormick’s death. It probably looked overdramatic, but it honestly didn’t feel that way.

Mac’s placement in my mind shifted in tandem with his style. In his “Knock, Knock” days, he was the weird white kid who Wiz Khalifa seemed to have taken under his wing. I started high school a week or two before “Smile Back” was released. And I was in attack mode after a girl had used up MY oxygen to talk about me not being a “real” Black girl. While 14-year-old-me did put a hex on her soon after, Mac’s anthem of the opposition not being worth my stress set my mind right. Did not reverse the hex, though. Sorry, sis.

His eventual Earl Sweatshirt, Ab-Soul, and Anderson .Paak collaborations reframed the way I thought of him as a creative. I realized how open he was, and how honored he was to share space and thought with a wide range of musical talents. You can hear it in the production of the songs. His NPR Tiny Desk was an elevation of this. His energy was right. Thundercat on bass was right. Watching this performance made me want to bop the shit out of my head but also call all my old niggas and let them know I was suing them for stealing energy I could have put toward studying a cool cat’s artistry. So much love to Mr. Malcolm.

Favorite Moment(s): When Mac laughs at Thundercat’s abrupt tone change during “What’s the Use?” @ 9:10.

2. Rex Orange County performing “Sunflower” live on KCRW

August 14, 2018

I know I’ll get heat for this. But Alex O’ Connor is worth the slack.

In this performance, Rex Orange County looks and sounds like the place where lo-fi, Big Mouth, and driven-over lilacs meet. Doesn’t seem like the most appealing thing that could come out of your speakers, but it’s honestly just one really sweet surprise. And romance may be a capitalist sham, but all I can say is ShamWow! After finding out that he wrote “Sunflower” for his girlfriend of 3+ years, the bridge started to make me feel like someone slipped me a “Would You Date Me?” note in detention. Uncomfortable, but definitely entertained.

Favorite Moment(s): The aforementioned bridge @ 3:02.

3. serpentwithfeet – mourning song (Live on KEXP)

September 11, 2018

Josiah Wise, better known as serpentwithfeet, is one of the greatest storytellers I have ever witnessed. His entire KEXP performance is worth watching to see an immersive experiment in chaos and control using lighting, backtracks, and his voice. Confidence is not something we often associate with grief. In this performance of “mourning song”, he lists all the ways he will allow himself to think and feel through the end of an intimate relationship. Every time I listen to this song, I feel like he actually rips the voices from my head that tell me I am a burden, or that I must hide any part of myself.

I’m not really a church-going girl anymore so I won’t say watching this took me there. But it definitely took me to the Pokémon Center. HP on 255, bitch.

Favorite Moment(s): When he plays around with distance from the mic @ 2:30.

4. 070 Shake – I Laugh When I’m Friends But Sad When I’m Alone

September 14, 2018

My dearest New Jersey babe. The shining star of the 070 Crew, Danielle Balbuena, used to be at the top of my “Anal Sounds Great!” list after the 2016 “Bass for my Thoughts” release. Trevante Rhodes has since stolen her spot.

Shake takes her time with COLORS to sing about her unadulterated thoughts about the negatives that come along with fame, as well as how the perceived positive of always being around people can be suffocating. No matter what life decisions we try to make, no matter what our intentions, we’ll always be criticized. 9/10 times the criticism will come from people who are too scared to live out their own dreams and have decided to try and put their hooks into the dreams of others. I love this performance because she manages to make the sentiment hit relying primarily on her flow, with the beat not coming in until more than halfway through the video.

Favorite Moment(s): The belting at the end. She sounds like Roy Woods and it makes me want a collab.

5. Noname Performs A Three-Song Medley From Her Album ‘Room 25’

October 18, 2018

I am a walking Noname stan account.

I saw her perform during my sophomore year of college, soon after Telefone‘s release. I had never felt so represented in my existential absurdity. She was as wishful as she was uncertain; the last time I had felt that seen was when I heard Paramore’s “For A Pessimist, I’m Pretty Optimistic” for the first time. But you know angsty white people are always doing something, so it didn’t really click the same. I sobbed in the first row while Noname rapped about the effects poverty has on the Black imagination, battling with addiction, and finding the will to fight our own apathy.

In this performance, she gifts us with a three-song medley, featuring “Blaxploitation”, “Prayer Song”, and “Don’t Forget About Me”, three singles from Room 25. Together, the musical collage tells a story about trying to create in a culture that values what we make more than our livelihood.

Favorite Moment(s): The GIGGLE when the music ends before she does.

6. dvsn: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

November 28, 2018

Roy Woods and Majid Jordan were my favorite OVO acts for the longest time. I had heard of dvsn and didn’t really care for the duo at first. I didn’t even know they were a duo until like a week ago.

One night I was at a party that I didn’t want to be at, and I really wasn’t feeling the music. While I waited to sober up so I could walk home, I put on my headphones and started playing my own music. When the beat in “Mood” dropped and Daniel Daley’s vocals came in, I knew it was the beginning of a spiral into a rabbit hole full of fuck nigga energy… Energy to which I am apparently still very open. In this performance, Daley’s falsetto as he sings about not wanting to pull out of his partner is literally the most disarming sound I’ve ever heard. It’s what I imagine the Sirens in the Odyssey sounded like. I’m 100% certain that behind the sunglasses, his eyes are pitch black. Because Satan.

Favorite Moment(s): 6:13 – 6:35. Mother of God.

7. Rapsody, “Sassy” Night Owl | NPR Music

December 4, 2018

RAPSODY IS ONE OF THE MOST UNDERRATED LYRICISTS OF ALL TIME AND I WILL NOT REST UNTIL JUSTICE IS SERVED.

Like… I’ll sleep and all that. But I will be dissatisfied. Known for her home-hitting lyrical additions – Kendrick Lamar’s “Complexion (A Zulu Love) and Anderson .Paak’s “Without You” – Marlanna Evans deserves so much more for the brilliance that went into Laila’s Wisdom. When she was nominated for 2018 Best Rap Album of the Year, she was the fifth female-identifying nominee in the 23-year history of the category. This performance of one of Laila’s singles, “Sassy”, makes me want to bounce through the streets in some high tops. It demonstrates her ability to give us all profound lyrics and pop-off sounds.

Favorite Moment(s): Her dance break @ 2:45.

8. H.E.R.: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

December 13, 2018

H.E.R. had already appeared on NPR Tiny Desk before this performance, but five minutes of listening to her voice were simply not enough. Whenever I listen to one of her songs, I have to listen to two or three more. The cool thing is that she’s not using subliminal messaging! It’s literally just carefully-honed skill and talent! These niggas can’t even spell talent!

The transitions in this video are wild. Seeing how many times Gabi Wilson switches the instrument she’s playing is honestly just really fun. “Focus” is my favorite H.E.R. song, and this performance takes it up three whole notches. Considering the fact that she’s an actual child prodigy, I cannot help but smile seeing her get the shine she deserves; hearing people refer to her as “the girl who covered the Drake song” really made me as upset as the people who fight in the comments under Lebron highlight reels seem to be.

Favorite Moment(s): The back-and-forth between H.E.R. and the two amazing background vocalists @ 16:28.

9. JPEGMAFIA – Thug Tears | A COLORS SHOW

December 14, 2018

I really cannot tell if Barrington Hendricks/JPEGMAFIA/Peggy is the kind of person who hates astrology and everyone who mentions it, or if he consults his Co-Star chart every morning. Regardless, as the sole member of the non-Scorpio Scorpio Fan Club, I love this Scorpio king.

One second into his COLORS episode, I thought my speakers were fucking broken. Twenty seconds in, I thought I was having a stroke. I eventually realized that I was not being Punk’d by the peculiar nigga on my screen, and decided to go back to the beginning and try this shit again.

I became so infatuated with JPEGMAFIA after watching this performance. This may mean that I need to call my therapist soon, but I would argue that my interest stems from the healing power I feel is available in his artistry. While different from serpentwiththefeet’s “vibe”, Peggy presents us with a similar sentiment: being unafraid to display your emotions, whether it be grief or anger, in ways that are not respectable or palatable can shake up a nigga’s psyche. Lord knows this shit had me shook all the way the fuck up.

Favorite Moment(s): He starts off stretching. Definitely didn’t realize how necessary it was going to be.

10. KOFFEE – TOAST (LIVE FROM KGN)

December 23, 2018

I first listened to Koffee when she performed with Chronixx on the Real Rock Riddim. This past November, the 18-year-old released the inspirational fucking BOP, “Toast”. In the song, she speaks to her performances with Chronixx and other key moments in her musical journey as well as the bright future she sees ahead. The song itself has been at the top of my morning playlist; you already KNOW I love to bust an early whine while I brush my teeth. But this performance… it’s magic. You can barely hear Koffee herself with the audience screaming all the words back at her, letting her know they’ve got her back. And with a big ass smile full of braces, you can tell she’s feeling all the love they’ve got to give. Everyone, myself included, is ready for Koffee to rise to the top.

Favorite Moment(s): Her disbelief at the room’s energy at the beginning, and when she brings on the girls to help her sing @ 1:30.

10+1. Noname ft. Smino and Saba: Ace

January 8, 2018

One day, I’ll share the story of how Noname was an instrumental part in my sexual “becoming”. It’s the same story that I shared with her after the aforementioned concert (still so sorry about that, yikes). Until then:

I screamed when I found out this performance was happening. I don’t even think I can put into words how Noname, Smino, and Saba’s performance of “Ace” changed my whole attitude. For the last eight days, my sense of clarity has been… well, CLEAR! I realized how much my hair had grown. I finished grant and job applications. I’ve received great personal news and old, important friendships are being rekindled. They have too much power. I’m tweaking.

All I have to say is that this video ran me a bath, put a glass of wine in my hand, and made me dinner. Enjoy.

Favorite Moment(s): I. Cannot. Choose. (But wow. The way they look at Saba @ 1:56. I’m emotional.)

[auburnfamilynews]

Another year of college football is in the books, which means it’s bowl season baby! Truly one of the greatest times of the sports year, but honestly, this year feels a little underwhelming. Maybe it’s the matchups, or maybe we put too much emphasis on the College Football Playoff. Don’t worry, I’m here to spice it up.

We all know the matchups, but let’s look at the games in terms of mascot matchups. The rules of the game are simple: I’m going to look at each game like both mascots are battling to the death, Roman gladiator style. Here are my Top Ten mascot matchups(with a couple honorable mentions).

10. Georgia Southern Eagles vs. Eastern Michigan Eagles

We are at number ten on the list and this might be the most unique matchup we have this season. It’s Eagle vs Eagle, brother vs brother. So which eagle is superior? We have redneck eagles against, well… midwestern eagles? I’ve never watched Eagles fight, but I imagine it’s watching two eagles fly in a circle over and over again. If I’ve learned one thing from living in the south, you never underestimate a redneck in a fight, give me the Georgia Southern Eagles.

9. Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. Iowa Hawkeyes

I don’t know if any have ever owned a bulldog, but my dad had a pug for 7 years, and to me that’s close enough. This dog didn’t do a damn thing, you’d be lucky to get him to go outside for a little while. That being said, how would a bulldog stand a chance against a hawk? Hawks can lift up to 60 pounds, which seems hard to believe, but I watched YouTube videos on it so it must be true.

Bulldogs would have to use the buddy system so that with their combined weight, it would be really difficult for the hawks to scoop them up. Here’s something else, bulldogs aren’t very smart. You think they’d stick to the buddy system? No. They’d get a sniff of something and be off and running alone. That’s why I’m taking the Hawkeyes here, just not a fair fight.

8. West Virginia Mountaineers vs. Syracuse Orange

On NCAA 14, I always loved playing as West Virginia. Let me take a break from this regularly scheduled programming to bring you the following announcement…BRING BACK NCAA 14 YOU COWARDS. And we’re back, the real puzzling aspect with this matchup is what to do about the Syracuse mascot. They’re called the Syracuse Orange, but what is “Orange” //hits vape.

To me, we can look at this in one or two ways” the Mountaineers are going to be battling literal oranges, as in the fruit, or they are going to fight a bunch of men in the Orange mascot suits, which is what I am going to believe. So now we have rednecks with old time rifles, fighting against people dressed up as oranges with eyes. As much as I want to take Syracuse, because nothing gives me more joy than imagining a stampede of oranges running up on mountaineers, I have to take West Virginia here. I’m sorry Syracuse fans, I’m not strong enough.

7. UAB Blazers vs. Northern Illinois Huskies

My wife has always wanted for us to get a Husky. It would be great, they’re smart, loyal, and they look freaking majestic. I would love to have a bunch of huskies following me around all the time. And the huskies are going to need more than their smarts to defeat a dragon, technically a blazer, but I’m going to call it a dragon.

Now what do we know about dragons? They’re highly dangerous, often the villains in movies, and very powerful. But they do have weaknesses. It depends on what type of dragon we are dealing with, if it’s a dragon from Shrek, you just give it a few compliments. Dragons from The Hobbit love gold, so that seems easy enough. Unfortunately, dogs can’t speak, and have no sense of money. Give me the blazers in just not a fair fight.

6. Michigan State Spartans vs. Oregon Ducks

This isn’t the best matchup on my list, but this one is my favorite. It provides my favorite mental image of them all. Imagine, if you will, we are back at the coliseum, the Spartans come out first, dressed in their armor with their swords and shields. They’re getting themselves pumped up in whatever fashion Spartans pumped themselves up.

And then, out of the other door, ducks come out. Surely those Spartans didn’t train their whole lives to take on a flock of ducks, right? But what they don’t know is that these ducks have a plan. Ducks can’t fight, but they can poop. That’s their play, flying in formation and pooping all over the Spartans until they can’t take anymore. Sure, it’s not a great plan, but it’s ducks! Give me the upset, I want the ducks.

5. Kentucky Wildcats vs. Penn State Nittany Lions

Actual underrated game in terms of football, and underrated in terms of mascots. Two different species of cats, big cats, going at it. If you’re wondering what the difference is between a Wildcat and a Nittany Lion is, I did some research for you. Wildcats are a species of small cats, mostly found in Europe and Africa. Nittany Lions on the other and is, well, not even a real animal, it’s just a mascot.

For these purposes, we are going to see a Nittany Lion is smaller than normal African Lions. Nittany Lions have the size advantage, but Wildcats are faster and more agile. It really depends on the style you prefer: big and strong, or agile and fast? It’s like that scene in Dark Knight when Christian Bale asks Morgan Freeman to make him a new suit because he needed to be faster. I prefer being fast, that’s why I’m going with the Wildcats in a close battle.

4. Florida Gators vs. Michigan Wolverines

Now that we are entering that top 4, you could talk me into rearranging numbers 2-4 in any order. It really was splitting hairs trying to decide where to rank these matchups. A wolverine, as in not Hugh Jackman, but if it was Hugh Jackman fighting a bunch of gators, you’d best believe that would be in the number 1 spot.

An actual wolverine is a carnivore that resembles a small bear. An adult wolverine only weighs between 20-55 pounds. The gators would have a clear advantage in terms of size. Wolverines tend to hunt Wolves and Lynxes, and they usually hunt in packs. Gators tend to keep to themselves, unless they feel threatened, or are hungry. The wolverines would have to surprise the gators in order to have a chance of winning. I don’t think they would have much luck, and that’s why I’m picking the Gators in a close fight.

3. Baylor Bears vs. Vanderbilt Commodores

This might be one of my spiciest takes, but I didn’t like the movie The Revenant. Yeah, thought it was overrated. That being said, the bear scene was just really well done. Before that movie, I didn’t really think of bears as being overly threatening. Now, if I ever go hiking, I’m taking at least one person that I know I can outrun.

Commodores are a rank in the military, specifically in the Navy. So, I could plop down someone from today’s world, but that’s not what Vanderbilt’s mascot portrays. They portray someone from a couple hundred years ago, and that’s what the bear has to fight. I’m imagining someone with a pistol and a sword going up against a bear. I feel like the commodore would get the first attack in with his pistol, and that would slow the bear down for a second, before it recovers and comes on a hate fueled rampage. The commodore can’t climb because of all the heavy equipment, and there’s no way they can outrun a bear. I predict the bears start slow, but come out and maul the commodores later in the fight.

2. Clemson Tigers vs. Notre Dame Irish

Hey, the Tigers are back! And this time they get to fight more humans. But, not just any humans, drunk, Catholic Irishmen. This battle goes in one of two ways, and there’s no in between.

Scenario #1: the Irish drink as much as they can handle, gaining powers such as super strength and durability, and go toe-to-toe with the tigers. Scenario #2: the Irish drink, and fall over in an alcohol-induced nap while the tigers maul them as they sleep.

There is no middle ground here. It’s just a manner of which scenario you choose to believe will happen. I’ve never personally met an Irish person before, but I have heard rumors about them, and I want to believe they are true. I’m picking the upset, and hoping the drunk super-powered Irish can pull the upset against the confused tigers.

1. Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders vs. Appalachian State Mountaineers

The number 1 spot, king of the hill, best matchup of the year is the Blue Raiders vs the Mountaineers. We have multiple factors in play here: both parties are from the South, which means both qualify into the redneck category. What do you do when two sets of rednecks are fighting? Sit back and enjoy the show.

As I’m writing this, I’m only about 70% sure I know who would win this fight. I know Middle Tennessee’s mascot is a horse, so let’s imagine the Blue Raiders are from the Old West, makes it a fair fight. Mountaineers have already won one matchup today. Can they make it two?

I’m giving the edge to the Mountaineers, and here’s why: mountain men know the terrain better, they grew up in the woods, and know how to use it as an advantage. I think it’s a really close fight, but the Mountaineers come out on top.

Honorable Mentions

Purdue Boilermakers vs. Auburn Tigers

Come on, you thought we wouldn’t have something about Auburn in this? Even though I am a homer, this matchup is interesting in terms of a mascot battle. When doing research, I honestly thought Boilermakers were a type of trains. According to the Google machine, a Boilermaker is someone who works on and repairs boilers. So now we have a group of tigers (which is called an ambush or a stealth) against men who work with heavy equipment. It took me fifteen minutes to try and come up with a reason why boilermakers would win in a matchup against tigers, but I can’t, unless it was just an army of buff sweaty men against a few tigers. However, in a surprising move, I’m taking the Tigers.

Iowa State Cyclones vs. Washington State Cougars

You might be asking yourself why I think Cougars stand a chance against Mother Nature. And that’s a fair point, on the surface, cougars should not be able to even damage a cyclone. But these aren’t normal cougars, they are cougars that are trained by Mike Leach himself. If anyone can figure out how to defeat an act of nature, it’s that man. I think the key to defeating a cyclone is misdirection, you can’t stay in the same place. Eventually, the cyclone will just get tired and give up chasing you, like your dad in the family backyard football game. All that being said, I’m taking the upset. Go Cougs!

from WarBlogle.com http://www.warblogle.com/2018/12/10/football/top-10-bowl-game-mascot-matchups/

[grapsandclaps]

GRAPS AND CLAPS REVIEWS THE BEST AND WORST OF 2017.

Hello Everyone! Welcome to this issue of Graps and Claps reviewing what was 2017 - one that has been full of highs, lows and middle of the road going on's in general.

Having only started these memoirs of 2017 in late March it looks like it has proved popular amongst the masses on Twitter, even to the effect that I have met new people at shows due to them reading this blog.

I'm happy to admit that at the start of this year, I never had any intention of pursuing a writing/blogging career, but due to some advice from a couple of people and also due to the fact I had a really bad day at work it took me to the decision - what had I got to lose from writing about something I guess I avidly follow around the country?.

The original #80showyear which at the start of the year looked a reachable target after I had done 76 the year before. But as soon as the realisation that 80 was going to be surpassed, the silly side in me thought 100 was the more likely target and even now it has been surpassed and now ended on a total of 104 for the year.

By the looks of the greater world, another half a dozen people have gone past the 100 and beyond marker including two lads I have met a lot this year at shows - Martin and Davey.

Davey I first met at GPW early this year and was a relative stranger to me at that time, but has become a part of the furniture at nearly all the local shows I am at now. For the life of me I don't know how Davey keeps awake at shows, must be something they put in the Pepsi Max nowadays - but it has been great to meet someone who has been doing a similar thing to myself (Top lad).

When I look back on this year and forward to next year I will say one of my problems was once I knew I could make a certain figure, the numbers took over my head and I would book tickets to shows that were on my doorstep or about an hour away.

Never has their been a year where I have ever gone to shows in Todmorden, Middleton and Halifax, but this year was the year, I mean if there was a show in a back garden somewhere I would have probably turned up clapping away and reviewing the spread of sarnies No.10 had put on.

With doing 104 shows it all comes to a very high cost. From trains, tickets, drink, food and hotels the cost all mounts up and it has been one thing that has hit me hard this year.

As mentioned before in an earlier edition, I talked about the over £300 I spent on a trip to London on the August Bank Holiday to watch what was basically a Progress 'Go Home Raw' show which left me cursing my own head on spending that amount of money on what was a very missable 4 hour show.

Ever since then, there has been many times (Fight Club Pro Project Mayhem Night 2, WXW London & PCW Blackpool) to name specific ones where I have had the 'face of worry' due to my own stupidity of trying to afford going to shows, going to gigs and football plus other things - trying to live the Champagne lifestyle on lemonade pockets.

This is something I have already i've said to myself, it won't happen in 2018. Cutting out the number of London trips and going to Wolverhampton instead, which is a cheaper option all around and some might say the better wrestling product.

Also not going to some shows just for the sake of it, even though it is great going to shows meeting friends, the 4 and 5 show weekenders can become a bit tiring on the body.

There has been many a Monday morning where I have literally felt worn out and wanting to stop under my duvet and sleep but hey these shows don't pay for themselves.

One exception to the rule next year will be a trip to WXW 16 Carat Gold which is an event I have always wanted to go to after hearing so many great things from people who have gone in the past years.

So as with any year end review, I would like to give out some thoughts on the best of 2017 awards for Show of the Year, Match of the Year, Chant of the Year, Pub of the Year, Promotion of the Year, Comedy moment of the year.

LET'S BEGIN!!

UK Show of the Year:

1. Fight Club Pro DTTI Night 1

2. WXW London (January)

3. Chikara King of Trios Night 2

4. PCW Tribute to the Troops Night 2

5. Progress SSS16 Night 3

Fight Club Pro DTTI gets the verdict in a close contest due to the fact of it's ridiculous card of riches headlined by The Elite vs British Strong Style but with also an exceedingly strong undercard only featuring one downpoint which was The Hunter Brothers vs The LDRS. The venue might as well have won an award for itself for the 'Hotter than the sun' Award, the whiff of wrestling fans was certainly bottled up on that night.

Match of the Year:

1. Matt Riddle vs WALTER (Progress Birmingham in July).

2. Travis Banks vs Soner Durson II (Futureshock Wrestling).

3. David Starr vs WALTER (WXW London October).

4. Daisuke Sekimoto vs Keith Lee (XWA Bethnal Green)

5. Zack Sabre Jr. vs Angelico (FCP DTTI Night 2).

The Atlas title clash between Matt Riddle vs WALTER wins a hotly contested award thanks to its believability of two men hitting each other really hard, the chops to Riddles chest were some of the most vicious chops I have seen all year. When a match leaves you with goosebumps they have certainly got you by the short and curlys and this delivered that.

A close contender to the No.1 spot was Travis Banks vs Soner Durson II from Futureshock Wrestling which left a 200 strong Stockport crowd in awe and amazement after a breathtaking 20 minute contest. The literal buzz after this contest was something that had to be seen to be believed, a star making match for Durson and a belt making match for the Adrenaline Title.

Chant of the Year

1. WOOOAAAHHH HERE HE COMES, WATCH OUT BOYS HE'LL CHEW YOU UP, WOOAAAHHHH HERE HE COMES, HE'S A FLAMITA.

2. EVERY WOMAN EVERY MAN JOIN THE DONOVAN OF LOVE, STAND UP STAND UP!

3. PURPLE FACE PURPLE FACE, ONLY WANT TO SEE YOU WRESTLING WITH YOUR PURPLE FACE

4. CHICKEN IN A BIN IN A BIN CHICKEN IN A BIN!!

5. BALDY BALDY OVER THERE, WHATS IT LIKE TO HAVE NO HAIR, IS IT HOT, IS IT COLD, I DON'T KNOW COS I'M NOT BALD.

A runaway winner with the chant thought up on a Premier Inn Shitter by our Geoff. Inspired, had Flamita flummoxed and a crowd of 700 people in stitches.

2nd place goes to the ill-fated 'Donovan of Love' as much as the Progress Gestapo said it didn't work, it very much did with the crowd being offered a HouseMartins music lesson whilst watching a storming match between Donovan Dijak vs Pete Dunne.

3rd place went to the Purple Ronnie of BritWres - Robbie X, this wound him up rotten this chant haha!

4th & 5th place were inspired by the underated works of Damon Leigh in Futureshock Wrestling, who has got his Chicken antics that over, that a fight over a bin has become one of the most anticipated of the year.

Pub of the Year:

1. The Crown and Kettle (Manchester)

2. The Guild Ale House (Preston)

3. The Fenton (Leeds)

4. The Devonshire Cat (Sheffield)

5..The Giffard (Wolverhampton)

The Crown and Kettle gets the win here due to its status as the home to the Pre Show Tuesday Night Graps Lucha Lash. Great ale, good pies and great location to a venue.

The Guild Ale House was a close second due to its nice beer at a price under £3 and has took pride of place as the best pub in Preston.

The Giffard sneaks in at No.5 due to being a good aftershow venue for Fight Club Pro and the class tunes it has to offer. If based on toilets it would get nowhere near.

The Fenton makes an appearance thanks to the top afternoon a huge group of us had whilst on a trip to see TIDAL in Leeds. Seeing at least 20 of us enthralled by a game of Pool whilst all generally getting on with each other is still one of my favourite days of the year.

Promotion of the Year:

1. Fight Club Pro

2. Futureshock Wrestling

3. PCW

4. Lucha Forever

5. PROGRESS

Fight Club Pro gets the win here for me due to the fact it has got the right blend of great wrestling, fun atmosphere and reasonable ticket pricing - almost like what Progress had a couple of years ago.

Futureshock deserves its second place standing here - consistently good shows, fun audience and a focus on making the secondary title as important as the Heavyweight title has been a great feature of a promotion who has it right on point.

PCW is another that has had a great year thanks to consistent storylines which were a problem last year. Tribute to the Troops Night 2 is well deserving of a spot in Show of the Year categories. Also take into account the number of promising wrestlers soon to be making waves from the Academy - Philip Michael, Sheikh El-Sham, Rhio, Dave Birch and BIG T.

The shows that took place at both Blackpool Tower Circus and Ballroom have provided two of the most spectacular venues you could see wrestling in. 2018 could be a very big year for PCW and it is one i'm looking forward to.

Comedy Moment of the Year:

1. Eddie Dennis sending Chris Linay to the 02 Academy Sheffield Deck

2. Joey Janela vs The Invisible Man

3. Inflatable Kid Lykos, Sexy Travis & Chris Brookes vs Aussie Open & Millie Mckenzie

4. Our Geoff vs Athers for the BritWres Pool Title in the Fenton to the sounds of 'Candle in the Wind' by Elton John.

5. BANGARANG at the first Lucha Forever in Manchester.

THE 'GET IN THE BIN' AWARD

1. Social Media i.e. Twitter (great at times, but christ there is lots of tedium)

2. 02 venue prices

£4.40 for a coke at the venue in Liverpool had me reduced to tears.

3. Casio keyboard theme tunes

I have wrote about this at length this year, the entrance means everything to getting an act over, you only had to see the reaction to the return of Rampage Brown at Sheffield for the use of the real music at a show - that crowd came unglued.

4. 'BOTH THESE GUYS'

Get off the fence you arse-splintering fence sitters.

5. PROGRESS Fans Forum

'I spotted someone wearing a 'Choose Progress' shirt in Costa Coffee and I thought I would post it - Deary Deary me.

Worst Toilet of the Year:

1. The Giffard

Remember that scene out of Trainspotting, welcome to the Giffard bogs - wet bog roll, smell of stale piss- Hell on Earth.

2. The Corporation

See The Giffard but less 'Hell on Earth'

Best Toilet of the Year:

1. The Resistance Gallery

Comic Magazines plastered on the wall made for an interesting and thoughtful time on the toilet.

2. The Devonshire Cat

Nice designed piss stones which are actually beer barrells. Great idea and I commend them for it.

So there you go that's the review of 2017 and I hope you have enjoyed reading it, many have actually said it is the best wrestling related blog they have read this year 😊.

It has been a year where the group of people I now know at shows has grown to huge numbers, some who have made the trip to shows no matter how shit the shows or how down I have been, they have made it more bearable and to them I want to say Thank You.

Also thank you to Ben Corrigan and Matthew Pryor for their guest reviews this year for which they did great work.

So what of 2018, well GRAPS and CLAPS will return and even the odd review for other sites will be taking place (Indy Corner and WrestleRopes). #grapsandclaps