#mixed cds

[onceandfutureclotpoll]

Title: I Owe You a Love Song

Author: lady_ragnell

Rating: Teen and up Audiences

Summary: In which Arthur's courting Gwen by mix CD (and other means) and Merlin is a backwards Cyrano de Bergerac who builds robots.

[spacegirlspiffy]

I just found some old mixed CDs of mine.

[liugeaux]

Greatest Boxed Set Ever (Prepping for Vol 20)

Sure, I just talked a bunch about the incoming Greatest Songs Ever Vol 20, and I highly encourage you to read the linked blog (I'm kind of proud of myself). This post will be much more esoteric and odd.

That post referenced a fictional collection of CDs named the "Greatest Boxed Set Ever", and this post is that idea taken a step closer to reality. I've already talked about the 2 CDs I made in the early aughts to celebrate my narrow view of our musical world. Using the existing list of Greatest Songs Ever and that same NARROW scope, I've curated a 6-disc boxed set of tracks that, had I continued to make Mixed CDs, would have been volumes 3-6.

It's a weird alternate reality version of my established Greatest Songs Ever, that will lead directly into Vol. 20. I'm sure it sounds confusing, but as I established in that last post, I'm doing this for me, so these are my rules. **shakes fists maniacally at the sky**

Before we can create discs 3-6, we have to establish what tracks were on discs 1 and 2. Finding out what those were, was much harder than I imagined it would be. I somehow lost my copy of the original Greatest Songs Ever disc 1 and most disc drives have a VERY hard time reading 20-year-old burned CDs with heavy printed stickers on them.

I had to enlist the help of the only other person I knew who still had a copy of Disc 1, Lesley Keyes Colwell. With her help and an Xbox 360, the device that could read the discs easiest, I gathered the original tracklists for Discs 1 and 2. Below are the original tracks from what young Sergio (age 17-21) thought were The Greatest Songs Ever.

Disc 1 - Release Date - 2000-ish

Counterfeit - Limp Bizkit

Bones + Joints - Finger Eleven

Desperately Wanting - Better Than Ezra

Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana

Adam's Song - Blink 182

Is Anybody Home? - Our Lady Peace

Typical Situation - Dave Matthews Band

Machinehead - Bush

Counting Blue Cars - Dishwalla

Papercut - Linkin Park

Everlong - Foo Fighters

When I Come Around - Green Day

Mr. Jones - Counting Crows

Drive - Incubus

Mudshovel - Staind

Save Yourself - Stabbing Westward

Shimmer - Fuel

1979 - Smashing Pumpkins

First things first, I'd stand behind every one of these songs. Choosing Limp Bizkit as track #1 is much more trollish than intended, but I love all this music, so no complaints here.

Disc 2 - Release Date - 2004-ish

I Believe in a Thing Called Love - The Darkness

A Certain Shade of Green - Incubus

Next to Nothing - Breaking Benjamin

The Best Deceptions - Dashboard Confessional

Bellevue - Fingertight

Sweet Child O' Mine - Guns N' Roses

You Oughta Know - Alanis Morissette

The Anthem - Good Charlotte

Under the Bridge - Red Hot Chili Peppers

Iris - Goo Goo Dolls

Far Behind - Candlebox

Run-Around - Blues Traveler

Interstate Love Song - Stone Temple Pilots

Wait and Bleed - Slipknot

Rain - Audiovent

Scars - Papa Roach

4 A.M. - Our Lady Peace

Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) - Green Day

Again, no regrets about any of these. Actually, a couple of them (Fingertight and Audiovent) are hyper-deep-cuts that deserve any and all attention they can get. There's a reason these CDs stayed in my Truck's rotation.

Here's where it gets weird. Discs 3-6 were never actually created. So, I've combed through my existing list and carefully curated 4 more discs that could fill out the rest of the box set. I gave myself a few parameters to work within. The songs had to be in the genres I listened to during my youth and be released within my lifetime (basically 1983-current). Each disc is given a release date based on the disc's contents to create a faux release cadence similar to a "NOW" collection. The songs can't have been released after the artificial release dates. This will make the songs on the discs progressively get newer as we venture through them.

This may make more sense once I start listing discs, if not, I promise it makes sense in my brain. Also, each CD cannot exceed 80 minutes because that's the length of a standard CDR format disc. With that out of the way, here are discs 3-6. I even threw together some fake disc art. I can't believe I found that weird-ass font again.

Disc 3 - Release Date - 2005-ish

Sugar, We're Going Down - Fall Out Boy

Time Ago - Black Lab

High Voltage - Linkin Park

Weight of the World - Saliva

Killing in the Name Of - Rage Against the Machine

At the Stars - Better Than Ezra

My Happy Ending - Avril Lavigne

Crush - Dave Matthews Band

Wonderwall - Oasis

Downfall - TrustCompany

Daughters - John Mayer

The Beautiful People - Marilyn Manson

The Dolphin's Cry - Live

No One - Cold

Brian Wilson - Barenaked Ladies

Hey Man, Nice Shot - Filter

Tribute - Tenacious D

I'll Be - Edwin McCain

Okay, here's the first disc where I see some cracks. That TrustCompany song might have been crowned prematurely, and both the Saliva and Live tracks probably should have been rethought, but overall, it's still a strong list.

Disc 4 - Release Date - 2006-ish

Man in the Box - Alice in Chains

All Downhill From Here - New Found Glory

Harder to Breathe - Maroon 5

Pressure - Skindred

Only Happens When It Rains - Garbage

Joan - Butch Walker

Kickstart My Heart - Motley Crue

Makedamnsure - Taking Back Sunday

Stop This Train - John Mayer

Complicated Questions - Finger Eleven

My Own Summer - Deftones

Fade to Black - Metallica

The Sharpest Lives - My Chemical Romance

Dreams - The Cranberries

Bright Lights - Matchbox Twenty

I Remember You - Skid Row

Mr. Brightside - The Killers

More Than Love - Los Lonely Boys

Live Forever - Oasis

Disc 4 is solid and includes an unprecedented 19 tracks. The only hole is the Los Lonely Boys song. Not that it's a bad song, it's fine, and might even deserve its spot, but the initial reason for its inclusion is super-dubious. That doesn't matter because once a song is enshrined, it CANNOT be un-enshrined.

Disc 5 - Release Date - 2013-ish

My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark - Fall Out Boy

Volcano Girls - Veruca Salt

Synthesizers - Butch Walker

Her Words Destroyed My Planet - Motion City Soundtrack

Gravemakers & Gunslingers - Coheed & Cambria

Everybody Talks - Neon Trees

Innocence - Halestorm

CrushCrushCrush - Paramore

Tears Don't Fall - Bullet For My Valentine

Thinking of You - Katy Perry

Car Radio - Twenty One Pilots

Open Your Eyes - Guano Apes

Little Black Submarines - The Black Keys

Watch Over You - Alter Bridge

Friday I'm in Love - The Cure

Weatherman - Dead Sara

Second Chance - Shinedown

So What If You Go - Adelitas Way

Kiss From a Rose - Seal

Just like the canonical blog posts, there's quite a date gap between Disc 4 and Disc 5, but that's fine. This is the first disc representing more modern songs, so there aren't really any regrets here (at least not yet). The closest is that Adelitas Way song, but then I listen to it and I totally agree with 2013 Sergio.

Disc 6 - Release Date - 20...um...23?

Shut Up and Dance - Walk the Moon

I Think I'm OKAY - Machine Gun Kelly Feat. Yungblud & Travis Barker

Here To Mars - Coheed & Cambria

New Horizons - Flyleaf

Roman Holiday - Halsey

Drown - Bring Me the Horizon

How About You - Staind

The Jester - Badflower

Thinking Out Loud - Ed Sheeran

Dreams - Van Halen

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

?

Oh no, where are the last 10 of Disc 6? Good question, it's the theme of Vol 20! That's right, I have built all these fictitious discs with the sole purpose of justifying the theme of Vol 20. Do you feel dumb yet? I hope not, I put a lot of work into this weird fever dream, so try to enjoy yourself.

Since these discs are basically full of rock tracks that I would have chosen had this project continued as a Mixed CD adventure, Vol 20 continues that idea. 10 new Greatest Songs Ever in the vein of the original aughts-era disc releases. Yeah, I get that I'm the only person this appeals to, and I get that anyone just now familiarizing themselves with my list will think I'm insane, but let me throw this out there. If you've made it this far and you're still reading ... you either understand the nature of this project and "get it" or you deserve to be confused.

With all of this "on wax," the next step is finally typing out the post for Vol. 20. It'll be out soon, I promise. Until then, please enjoy the ongoing Youtube playlist that is, THE GREATEST SONGS EVER!

[literallyneurodivergentandaminor]

once again made a mixtape with @nauseant4xx!!!! this time based on vittorino from the game 8:11 by @du-buk

also important context the stickers are 1. vintage and 2. i found them in the church basement/bunker which i think adds even more to it. and yes the cover slips paper is a bunch of ripped german bible pieces <3

artwork of vittorino done by @nauseant4xx

[k-i-l-l-e-r-b-e-e-6-9]

Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here

[90s-2000s-barbie]

March 2, 2007 💿

[zegalba]

susumu yokota: mix (1999)

[ittyybittybaker]

To celebrate Neil's birthday, here's a time-period accurate emo/pop punk love song mix I made inspired by this post by @wuzeio (featuring only songs released in 2007 or earlier)

1. Ocean Avenue - Yellowcard | 2. crushcrushcrush - Paramore | 3. I'm Not Okay (I Promise) - My Chemical Romance | 4. My Bloody Valentine - Good Charlotte | 5. Just Tonight - Jimmy Eat World | 6. Count 'em One, Two, Three - The Maine | 7. Of All The Gin Joints In All The World - Fall Out Boy | 8. I'd Do Anything - Simple Plan | 9. First Date - blink-182 | 10. Give Me Anything - The Maine | 11. The Promise - New Found Glory | 12. G.I.N.A.S.F.S. - Fall Out Boy | 13. Work - Jimmy Eat World | 14. Only One - Yellowcard | 15. Until The Day I Die - Story Of The Year | 16. Bang The Doldrums - Fall Out Boy | 17. MakeDamnSure - Taking Back Sunday | 18. Demolition Lovers - My Chemical Romance

[couch-house]

Fleebay Beepo playlist! [youtube link] [zip link]

it's been foreverrr since i finished a character playlist--i missed doing this! tracklist and director's commentary under the cut teehee :)

if you disagree with any of my choices, just remember: 1) this is my playlist for me to listen to made of songs I like for me 2) you just don't see my vision 3) you don't know him like i do 4) make your own so i can disagree with yours too.

WDKYWMYAK -- Rabbit junk

This is a Killing Game After All -- Gadgetor

chance bought this cd from the comic store. i think the album is Doom-inspired? pretty cool! check it out! anyway this first section is pretty obviously all violence killing and maiming etc

we're coming down out of the chaotic songs into some confusion for the amnesia arc, starting with ministry and boards of canada. 7 references an unwilling change of the self, and just fits the vibe right now. 8... should be obvious lol.

3. All Futures -- The Armed

4. Bears -- Mass of the Fermenting Dregs

5. You Know What You Are -- Ministry

6. 1969 -- Boards of Canada

sorry i heard a psychedelic rock song that starts with a big cat meow and blacked out. EBONY MOMENT!!! this and the next couple songs are again more about contributing to the Feeling of the groovy train than a direct relation to the lyrics. though 10 can be justified by the fact he's british.

7. Long Road Home -- Oneohtrix Point Never

8. I Don't Remember -- Peter Gabriel

9. Come Back June -- Pussy

i didn't think i would end up keeping this song when i threw it on here but it just... works really well structurally. sigh... okay well it kind of works thematically. we're moving into some merger au territory at this point, which is my way as a fan to give fleet more of a self-actualization arc. establish his own identity, make friends, accept his existence a bit more. 13 is again more focused on the caring environment of groovy train (and the idea that this won't last forever) but we'll come back around to merger in a second.

10. Hey, Mister Sun -- Bobby Sherman

11. Baby All the Time -- Julien Love (NOTE: NOT IN YT PLAYLIST)

12. Handlebars -- Flobots

i'm so obsessed with this as a song from fleet to sonic. esp focused on the idea of fleet being the trauma dump that everyone wants dead and sonic being the one who gets to keep their friends. another lucky cd find--this time thrifted. this band still has their old website up--you can contact them if you'd like to get ahold of your own copy!

13. Cursis Melodías -- Natalia Lafourcade

14. Flagiolletes -- Billy Mahonie

15. Wake Up To Be You -- The Aesthetics

16. Every Home a Prison ft. Jello Biafra -- DJ Coldcut (Inevitable Alien Nation mix)

i'm in love with this song. we're back in merger au btw. fleet is now a goddamn hooligan in the street (teenager socializing outside with his friends).

17. Default -- Django Django

we're getting to the end of his life! canon, not au. once again on the idea of fleet (dying, cringe) being a comparative failure. the next two songs are our big explosive end! 18 is another band i found from a thrifted cd. lucky!

the end! thanks for listening! ^_^ as a treat, YOU get to see the special bonus track: The Adventures of Little White Baby -- No Soap, Radio.

18. Werewolf -- Progger

19. light speed drift ft Kasane Teto + Adachi Rei -- frog96

[thisisrealy2kok]

Miru Takayama With Two-Mix – Rhythmic Youth (1999)

[webdiggerxxx]

꧁★꧂

[granulesofsand]

🗝️🏷️ mentions of RAMCOA

I want to clarify what mixed origins means to us, the different pieces of our histories that lead us to this place.

We are a CDD system. We prefer CDS system, Complex Dissociative Structure, but we understand that our healing goal will still be considered disordered by medicine. (Our healing goal is to be free from programming, to rebuild our systems and collective in our favor, and to keep our discrete memories and traits while increasing our communication for those who might use it.)

The programming. Our abusers did not call it that, but it is what our community knows it as. We were forced, by torture and training, to grow into the system our perps wanted. We respond to cues and fit roles designed by people who genuinely believed it was the best choice. It was not our choice. We have never been a singlet, our trauma did not have a start date. It is our life.

The programming itself is where we get into endo territory. Odd, isn’t it? The poster child of DID, and it’s part of our endo-ness. Always been a system; we are protogenic. Programmed for ideology; we are a spiritual system. Coerced into existence by outsiders; we are a created system.

That’s not where it ends. We are structured with gateways, with headmates we do not consider alters because they are spiritual or otherwise metaphysical. We have dreamways, where the headmates are half-para, half-autonomous.

We have headmates we have willed into existence, have received as gifts from deities, have assembled from fragments (on purpose).

Even just in what we form new headmates for, we get people to exist near the lake, or to get a job, or to comfort existing insiders. Sometimes our NPCs become self-aware and have introspection and identity now. We snowball split, where headmates (usually alters) shatter into fragments that either stick to each other and other fragments or elaborate on their own. A lot of those happened during periods that were calmer than any, and should not have caused the distress to need that. We count that pretty normal for CDDs, but that’s not a unanimous consensus.

We don’t all agree on our origins. In fact, hardly any of us do. But we are a coerced system, and we have always been multiple — that much is non-negotiable without some heavy denial. We are mixed origins, even from a purely psychological perspective. And we’re not giving that up.

[queerfanfiction]

Love Notes (Ch. 6)

Larissa Weems x musicteacher!Reader Thank you for being so supportive, even though it has been literal months since I have updated!! I will try to post a bit more regularly (but also who knows because depression is a bitch).

AO3 link

You decide to hop up and shower after Enid’s inadvertent pep talk, feeling more hopeful now than you have in days. After getting dressed and stocking the bathroom for recently arrived students, you head to Jericho. It’s time to finalize scavenger hunt plans. You don’t want to wait weeks and drag out the process through secret codes in your mixes.

Flowers were taken care of, thanks to your new acquaintance James. You had also created a few other clues but needed to access a few places, like the bookstore, in town to complete them. You try to push your latest trip with Larissa to Jericho from your mind as you begin jogging the wooded path from Nevermore grounds to the town square. The crisp spring air was welcomed, and hopefully you could use this time to clear your head. Besides, you didn’t want to check-out any vehicles to drive in case Larissa was nearby. Her quarters were right above the school’s scheduling office, and you weren’t ready to face her just yet.

Once you’re severely out of breath and think the pain in your side will topple you, you finally reach the outskirts of Jericho. Your pace slows, and you begin to map out a to-do list in your head. At the bookstore, you’ll need magazines and the clerk’s cooperation on the day of the scavenger hunt. At the flower shop, you’ll need to ensure James was able to secure lilies and might lend his labor in planting and arranging them. At the Weathervane, you will need to clue the new barista in on your plan. Since Tyler is now a guest of the state after everything went down a couple months ago, a new barista was hired. You two are friendly due to your aggressive kindness when they would accidentally make mistakes during training. You hated that people in town weren’t understanding of the realities of service work. Finally, you will need to visit city hall to ensure you don’t need a permit to occupy the public space around the fountain in the middle of the square.

As you check things off your list, you realize you still need a way to ensure Larissa makes it to the book store once in Jericho. You ponder this as you head back to Nevermore—this time at a reasonable pace. Once on the grounds, you cross through the courtyard to the dorms and see Enid giggling with Yoko. You smile softly at their carefree banter. It’s at this moment you have the idea to loop Enid into the scavenger hunt, especially since she had helped you put things into perspective when you were secluded away in your room. It’s also at this time that you know it would probably be a terrible idea to entrust Nevermore’s gossip queen with a secret regarding the school’s principal. Stumped at this conundrum, you trek up to your room to leaf through the magazines from the bookstore you bought.

You get to work creating the aspects needed to complete the scavenger hunt—a new mix CD, cut out letters, a fake newspaper crossword, and so on. After an hour or two, your energy and attention span begin to falter without food. Your eyes wander to the clock; with students back on the school’s campus, you could catch dinner before the cafeteria closes if you leave now. You toss on an oversized maroon cardigan and head downstairs.

As you wander, you wonder if Larissa will be tucked away in her office with dinner and wine like she usually is. You desperately missed the time you two would spend together. You also speculate about whether or not you two would stay friends if she rejected you. You think too highly of her to be sour if her heart does not feel the same magnetic tug that yours does.

—

The same morning as your talk with Enid, Larissa awoke in sweats. She normally regulated her body temperature well and wasn’t terribly affected by nightmares. She’d lived through enough monsters to not be effected by them in dreams. Recently, however, she had been agitated…fitful. She knew why, even though she tried to rationalize it away.

She didn’t have a lot of friendships, let alone close ones. Shapeshifters never do. That’s why she constantly worked so hard to change the perceptions of outcasts—both within and outside the community. Whatever she had with you, Larissa feared she had ruined it. At the beginning of her relationship with you, there was a feeling between you of treading carefully, of testing boundaries. When could you be silly or drop the professional façade? That hesitance quickly dissipated and was replaced with comfort and familiarity. Unfortunately, Larissa had learned to rely on it. She craved it. It balanced her. Letting others in didn’t come easily, yet it felt like you were meant to know her.

After giving it more thought, Larissa isn’t completely sure if seeing you flirt with someone made her lash out or if it was about being confronted with her own feelings for you. Regardless, the underlying fear came true—damaging her relationship with you.

Once her breathing steadied after waking, she peered around her room. Her living quarters used to feel so luxurious and private, something completely hers in a boarding school that constantly pulled her in so many directions. Now, though, all she can sense is emptiness in the space. Bitter echoes of joyous moments she had with you throughout the room lingered.

Not only did you vanish from her room and office, but she hadn’t visibly seen you since that day at the Weathervane. You were no where to be found these last couple weeks. Instead of regularly creating music in the orchestra room and popping into her office, the library, the conservatory, and student dorms, you had hidden away. She knows this, because she had asked around about you to various faculty (and even some students). Larissa’s schedule often took her throughout Nevermore, and she ached to catch a glimpse of you—check in on you in some way. It wasn’t until she stepped away from answering emails to drink tea on her balcony for a moment that she saw you. You were outside in the spring air, heading away from the school.

Larissa had never seen you in athletic clothing…mainly because you two had joked about running being a punishment, that it was often a mutually constituted performance by people who bought into traditional, often limited ideas of health. Of course, that’s not why seeing you stunned her.

Rather, her heart ached. She felt panicked, as if she should make a decision about what to do right then and there before you ran completely out of sight. With a deep, slow breath to hinder acting impulsively, Larissa began to consider her options. Is it better to swallow the hurt and try to salvage the friendship? Surely, only a friendship with you is better than being without you completely. Or would doing that and being close with no hope for a future together hurt worse? Could she handle seeing you with the florist all the time? Larissa sat her teacup down to rub her temples.

A distant knock at the door to her office pulled her away from her thoughts. She stepped inside and called for the visitor to enter. There was work to do, meetings to be held. Quickly and neatly compartmentalizing her thoughts and emotions, Larissa moved forward to greet the mayor.

—

You were in the orchestra room, arranging a new composition in preparation for the scavenger hunt. You couldn’t sleep now that you had decided on a course of action, so you decided to make use of the extra energy swirling in your stomach and radiating out through your arms and legs. Thankfully the dormitories were on the other side of Nevermore’s campus, meaning students could not overhear or be disturbed by your work. You don’t quite remember how you got across the grounds or what time you left your room. All you knew was that this was your time, your safe space.

All of the sudden you hear heels from down the corridor and know that it must be Larissa. Who else would it be? Sure enough, Larissa comes in. No hesitation in her approach. Your stomach flips, and you’re surprised she seems so confident and determined. No silk pajamas; she’s still in a work outfit. You can’t remember if you’ve seen it before. Her sense of purpose impelled you to lean the cello in your arms to it’s stand instead.

Her lips are on yours before logic can catch up with you, her hands cradling your face as if you’re something holy and sacred. You let out a surprised “mmph” but return the kiss eagerly, wrapping your arms around Larissa and inviting her closer. When your lips part ever so slightly, she deepens the kiss without delay. Her hands drift downward from your face to your neck to your arms to your outer thighs. You feel as if your heart is going to beat so quickly and become so enlarged that it will begin to break through your ribcage. Still, you wouldn’t stop this long-awaited union for anything.

Larissa’s swift hands had begun to pull you up into her arms, urging you to wrap your legs around her torso. You couldn’t bother with whether or not the cello was okay. After feeling her warmth against you, knowing she could feel the heat radiating from you too, both of your movements turned frantic. Your breath mimicked the raggedness it had from your run the other day.

“I want you. I want you. I need you.” Breathy declarations from Larissa ring out and ring throughout the room. In response, you bring her hand from the small of your back to your front, just under the edge of your shirt. The encouragement makes the taller woman whimper in between fervent kisses.

Suddenly, a deafening, reverberating crash sounds out.

Heart racing, sweaty, you jolt awake in your office chair in the orchestra room. Looking around anxiously, you see the cello you were playing on the ground, still vibrating. You must have was accidentally kicked it over in your sleep. The reddest blush plasters itself onto your cheeks. You were no stranger to dreaming of Larissa, but this is the first suggestive dream since she left you in the Weathervane. You didn’t even know someone could feel this embarrassed with no one else present. You’re alone and unsure of what time it is or what time you fell asleep after traipsing across campus. Only the quiet singing of birds outside indicated it was early morning. You normally frowned upon clocks in the classroom, but maybe you’ll rethink that now.

You look to the sheet music stand near you and find your phone. It’s dead. With a deep sigh, you gather your items and make your way to your living quarters. You need to confirm what time it is and change your clothes. Today is the day that you’re putting your scavenger hunt into motion.

—

Outside of Larissa’s office is a corkboard for Nevermore news, flyers, events, and so on that she checks daily. You post the anonymous note that serves as your first clue and fade into the stone wall behind you just as her office doors open and she steps out.

Larissa moved towards the board, not suspecting any terribly special memos pinned on a Saturday morning. Her eyebrows furrowed as she read the pasted together instructions. Larissa knew the mismatched lettering had to belong to whoever was gifting her the elaborate playlists. It was finally time to uncover the truth that she so desperately desired. She quickly glanced around to see if anyone was watching or leaving the area. …No one.

The patchwork note from cut-out magazine letters read, “Alas, it’s time to confess who I am. Come and find me if you can. I can skip but can’t walk. I’d rather sing than talk.”

A wild goose chase? Larissa considered. Truly, what can come of this? Just another CD with no confirmation of who this is? Even with her skepticism, Larissa was intrigued. She enjoyed conquering puzzles. There was something so satisfying about hunting down information and excavating the truth. With everything going on with you, Larissa welcomed a distraction, especially from someone who she considered herself to have a certain bond or connection with.

Snatching the clue from the board, Larissa retreated back to her office, abandoning her morning plans to roam among the grounds. I can skip but can’t walk…sing rather than talk…hm… Larissa mulled over the riddle. After a few moments, she can’t believe it took her this long to realize: CDs. Of course, it’s telling her to go back to the CDs. It’s where this all started. She walked over to her media player where one was already in place and started from track 1. Larissa felt as if she had committed the sounds and occasional lyrics to memory. How is there a clue here?

Pacing in front of her lit fireplace, Larissa fumbled haphazardly with the CD case in her hands as she listened with new intent. On the third turn around, her hand accidentally brushed off a sticky note that was placed on the back cover. “Wha-” she began while bending over to pick up the small piece of paper on the floor.

“Finish” she saw written on it. Finish what? A bit frustrated that she can’t make sense of the notation, she went to her desk to examine the other gifts. Sure enough, there were post-its on the backs of them as well. When read all together, they directed her to finish the newspaper crossword. Okay, so whoever this was definitely knew her routine. That’s not exactly breaking news, though. Larissa stepped out onto her balcony where she laid the newspaper next to her finished cup of tea. Flipping through to the crossword section, she saw a custom crossword tucked into the paper. In all honesty, she admired the dedication and thought that went into these clues.

Once she completed the crossword, it very obviously did not read out her admirer’s name like she had hoped. Rather, the answers prompted her to go to Jericho. Larissa pursed her lips, attempting to win against a budding smile as she shook her head. This is ridiculous. The final part of this clue spelling out Jericho also mentioned finding an outcast and a normie laughing together. Larissa didn’t know if she hated or loved that prospect, seeing as many Nevermore students had passes to Jericho this weekend. How many will be hanging out with a local, though? she asked herself while grabbing her overcoat and heading out the door.

—

“Alright, and what’s the plan?” you quizzed Enid on the ride over to Jericho.

In the passenger seat sat a wiggly werewolf who bounced her legs with excitement. In a singsong voice, she responded,“Hey now, give me some credit. I’m the one who suggested Lucas and I could give Principal Weems the next clue!”

“What if she asks who is orchestrating the scavenger hunt? How do I know you won’t crack under her prodding?” You narrow your eyes at her briefly before returning them to the road. You try to keep the tone light while still voicing your concerns.

With a small scoff, Enid confidently replies, “Please, one time Thing accidentally spilled nail polish on Wednesday’s typewriter, and I was an iron trap. If I can handle Wednesday Addams, I think I can handle Weems.” She ends the statement with her arms crossed, seemingly very proud of herself. To be fair, that was impressive. “Besides, I’m on the side of true love. This idea is so romantic!” Oh my god was all you could think to yourself at that statement. Once parked, you and Enid walk into the center of the square to wait for the normie component of this clue.

“What are we doing here again?” Lucas, the mayor’s son, questioned once he was in front of Enid. She sheepishly glanced at you and back to Lucas and then swiftly elbowed him in the side. It was kind of cute how seriously she was taking this.

You’ve done all you can do, so all you can do now is hope for the best. You put your hand on Enid’s shoulder and reassure her, “If you need anything, just give me a signal and excuse yourself. I’ll be watching from the Weathervane.” Well, mainly you’re reassuring yourself.

—

Once in Jericho, Larissa felt it an insurmountable task to search every store and outdoor area for the right outcast and normie. It didn’t help that she automatically parked in her usual spot, which happened to be by the flower shop. Getting out of her car, Larissa saw that very florist outside, pruning and watering plants. He noticed her and waved. She could feel a scowl on her lips, so she looked away, pretending to not have seen his friendly gesture. At least that’s one person that the admirer couldn’t be…

Having walked past the flower shop, Larissa cups her hands over her eyes to look inside Uriah’s Heap. She can’t imagine a normie having fun in the morbid antique shop, but she’s nothing if not thorough. After being satisfied that Uriah’s Heap did not contain her next clue, Larissa turned around to consider where to search next.

Before she can decide to go into another store, she sees Enid. Actually, she sees multiple Nevermore students. It’s a beautiful day, and many students want to make the most of their time before classes officially begin. Curiously, though, all of the other students are with Nevermore peers, and here is Enid with the mayor’s son. Larissa wouldn’t have pegged them to be friends.

Attempting to take control of the situation, Larissa came straight up to them. “Enid? Young Mr. Walker?”

“Principal Weems! Wow. Hi!”

For a brief moment, Larissa considered if running into them was a red herring. There was always a possibility that at a boarding school, the person sending her gifts and love notes could be a student with a harmless crush. Could Enid be the admirer? Larissa had always considered Enid to be like a daughter or menteé. She had felt protective of her, especially when Enid’s own mother made some questionable choices at the last parents’ weekend. Larissa pushed the thought to the furthest recesses of her mind; the person from those letters had a connection with her that no one else compared to. Well, almost no one else.

“What are you-” Larissa began but was cut off by Enid’s excited voice. “You should try to find the building with the most stories!”

“I assume this is the next clue?” Larissa stood in the familiar pose she often used to command attention. Combined with her height and immaculate dress, it simply wasn’t hard. “Enid, I’m terribly busy with finalizing spring semester contracts, schedules, and arrangements. I need to know who has enlisted your help. I know you know more than you are letting on.”

In an effort to be defiant, Enid asked, “What do you mean, Principal Weems? What help?” Her face gave her away, though. Her lips were pressed together firmly, as if she was attempting to hold back a grin.

Larissa considered escalating, but before she could, the young girl interrupted again with a determined look, “Remember, find the building with the most stories.” With that, she grabbed Lucas’s wrist and skipped off, pulling him behind her. All Larissa heard was next was a distant, “Byeeeeee, Principal Weems!”

Larissa is a bit surprised Enid could hold out, but the young werewolf’s evasiveness helped in that regard. Sitting underneath her gaze made Enid uncomfortable. Larissa remembers a time when she pressed the girl on Wednesday’s whereabouts the night Crackstone’s crypt flooded and the water was dyed red. Enid promptly confessed after Larissa put on a semi-firm voice and a stern look of disappointment.

Back to this never ending task of uncovering the identity of her secret admirer, Larissa thought. Bars have quite a lot of stories… The only bar in Jericho is the Rabbit’s Foot Tavern, and the only tales it holds are repetitive small town musings and desires to leave the town behind.

Though it seems like a long shot, it’s her only lead. As Larissa headed in the direction of the bar, she began to pass the bookstore. She only made it two more feet before she stopped in her tracks. There are thousands of stories there!

Feeling pleased with herself, she steps inside only to be met with a tired clerk that is paid too little to care about town shenanigans. The worker behind the counter gives Larissa a sticky note with specific numbers from the Dewey Decimal System. He doesn’t even look up from his phone. Larissa blinks slowly and gestures appreciatively before she heads to the 700s, somewhere in Arts & Recreation.

The “book” that she finds at the detailed location is actually a mix CD on the shelf disguised as a musicology textbook. Torn between feeling excited to have a new playlist and determined the find the next clue, Larissa pushes herself to continue and try to examine the cover, rather than only appreciating it. The track listing is unlike the previous CDs, so she begins to break down what she assumes is a code. Finally, Larissa cracks it: “Make a wish, but don’t take a drink.”

—

Once you watch Larissa disappear inside the bookstore, you leap into action. Hopefully you’ll have enough time to sit out all the lilies before she figures out the next clue. Thankfully, Enid offers to help (and makes Lucas assist). Even James briskly walks over with an armful of lilies. You appreciate the kind gestures and make a mental note to send everyone thank you after this is all over. You’re not sure how long it takes, but your calves and lower back ache from the manual labor. You all successfully sit out hundreds of lilies planted in recycled Weathervane cups. Thank goodness the new barista, Emily, was on board to save as many used paper cups as she could throughout her shifts over the week.

When Larissa makes her way to the town square fountain from the bookstore, you are safely back inside the Weathervane, becoming more and more anxious as you realize she is so close to finding out you’re completely smitten with her and have been keeping it from her. However, she stands at the fountain, unmoving, for much longer than anticipated.

Larissa did not expect this—the humble lily of the valley, her favorite flower. She had never been gifted them. When she was younger and pining after Morticia, Larissa remembered getting the other woman an entire slew of flowers. Dark, moody flowers. Orchids. Carnivorous plants. Anything she thought Morticia would like. In return, when Morticia asked about Larissa’s favorite flower, she ended up giving her lilies. Larissa thought lilies were beautiful, but she had always adored lily of the valley. It hurt that Morticia did not care enough to get her the correct flowers, because it symbolized so much more when it came to their relationship.

The lily of the valley is always overlooked, considered modest and unimposing. Of all people Larissa thought Morticia would appreciate that every single aspect of the flower is poisonous. Now Larissa is at a loss for who arranged this scavenger hunt, because she hasn’t told a soul about what this flower means to her in years. Before she can intervene, tears begin to fall from Larissa’s eyes, staining her face. Sitting on the edge of the fountain, surrounded by hundreds of lily of the valley, Larissa takes a few minutes to appreciate the flowers, almost as if she is mending her relationship to them.

After awhile, Larissa stands, smooths out the creases in the front of her clothes and takes a deep, filling breath in. As she can infer from the cups, the next stop is the Weathervane.

At the Weathervane, Larissa takes notice that it is unusually empty for a Saturday. She strolls around the counter and then the seating areas, examining the area for any clues. Her eyes glance quite a bit to the booth she normally shares with you. Nothing seems to be out of the ordinary except for the much smaller amount of people she would expect.

When Larissa internally questions if this is the wrong destination, the barista calls out “Larissa” and sits a mug in the “pick-up” area before going back to make the rest of the drinks in the queue. Scrawled on the cup are the words “sit where you are most comfortable.” That doesn’t seem like much of a clue, she surmises incredulously.

The task at hand proves to be more difficult than expected. Larissa looks to her regular booth, the one you two often shared. Is that where I am most comfortable? She wants to face the door, to surveil the inside of the café for any changes. However, she normally lets you sit in that direction; Larissa liked to have her focus on you instead of the bustling environment. Longing for that familiarity wins out, and Larissa takes a seat facing the back of the Weathervane.

No more clues. You knew that was the last one. Once Larissa sits in her usual spot, you phase through the back wall near the bulletin board. Astonished, the taller woman steps up and out of the seat with a slight gasp.

Before preparing to explain the past several months and your previously concealed ability, you proclaim, in what you hope is the most impressive way possible, “I’m sure you have a lot of questions, but you owe me a hot chocolate date.”

You slide into the booth opposite to Larissa, waiting for her to sit back down.

—

Tagging: @lilsmeaux, @suckerforcate, @rickistheman, @tundra1029, @aster-loves-gwen, @justcallmelittleone, @poorwritingandstalecoffee, @lvinhs, @one-pining-queer, @kimiinou, @bobia13, @gwendolinechristieiscute, @kay-liah-scope, @readingtheentrails, @a-queen-and-her-throne, @weemssapphic, @ctrlamira, @im-a-carnivorous-plant, @winterfireblond, @gwendolinechristiesnumberonegirl. Let me know if you'd like to be tagged or have your tag taken off future posts. :)

[garadinervi]

Lucie Treacher & Genevieve Carver, hydrophonica, (CD, Digital album), 2024

Poetry written and performed by Genevieve Carver Music composed and produced by Lucie Treacher

Bass Clarinet and Baritone Saxophone performed by Tamar Osborn Flute by Daniel Shao Accordion by Josh Middleton

Cover Art by Siobhan McLaughlin

[k-i-l-l-e-r-b-e-e-6-9]

Pink Floyd - Comfortably Numb

[laboitediabolique]

Cover artwork of the limited edition version of the Two-Mix compilation "Two-Mix 25th Anniversary All Time Best" CD album The cover artwork is by Tomofumi Ogasawara ©1995-2001, 2021 King Record Co, Ltd Japan ℗2021 King Record Co, Ltd Japan Scanned from my personal collection