#not sure how I would have felt about the individual songs had I been introduced to them completely out of context

[glorious-blackout]

Okay, the latter half of Body Paint has won me over 🥰

I’m starting to suspect that this is an album that I’ll utterly fall in love with once I get the chance to listen to it all the way through, and that hearing the songs out of context is doing them a disservice. They’ve both (Mirrorball and Body Paint - I haven’t listened to the others) been really good, but I haven’t instantly fallen in love with either of them. Which admittedly - with the exception of TBHC - has been a constant in my relationship with Arctic Monkeys 😅

[gay-dorito-dust]

Hello! I loved your last hobie fic btw it was really good!!

Imagine that in hobies universe you died but when he travels to miles universe he sees you alive 😭 and then the reader introduces themselves to him the same way they did in his universe

Keep feeding us with these ATSV fics 😈😈

Have a great day!!!

Thank you for enjoying my Hobie Brown stuff anon cuz he’s been invading my mind recently. I hope to god this is okay for ya. 🦦

Hobie remembered first meeting you as though it were yesterday, you were within an alleyway vandalising the walls with your spray paint, he happened to be passing by when one of your masterpieces caught his eye; it was of him…well him as Spider-Man clocking a cartoonish Osborne -appropriately adorned with devil horns and a tail- in the head with his eyes crossed out in red spray paint as though he were dead.

It got a good chuckle out of him that was for sure and from that alone he knew he had to know you more on a personal level. ‘Whatcha gonna call that?’ He asked aloud, making you jolt, you were pretty sure you had chosen a spot where you weren’t going to get caught by the authorities or those that’d grass you up for expressing how you truly felt about Osborne and all those just like him. You shrugged, looking up at your finished product before looking back over at Hobie, ‘dunno yet,’ you told him truthfully, ‘my working titles are either anarchy incarnate or death to capitalism.’

Hobie hummed in approval, but he thought you could do better, ‘how about anarchy is the death of capitalism?’ He suggested and he couldn’t never forget the light in your eyes upon hearing his working title, that in the midst of your excitement you had grabbed him by the arm, ‘that’s it! That’s what I should call it, you’re a genius man!’ You cried before realising what you did and immediately removed your hand from his arm, ‘sorry about that.’ Hobie dismissed your apology by slinging an arm over your shoulder. ‘Nah, don’t give me that shit, you shouldn’t have to apologise for being yourself for that’s what they want you to do.’

‘I don’t think I ever got your name.’ You said. ‘Hobie. Hobie brown and may I get to know the name of the amazing artist behind this.’ Hobie gestured to the spray painting. ‘Y/n l/n.’ You replied. ‘Well y/n, I think we’re going to get along quite well.’ And you did.

So when your untimely death happened, Hobie felt as though he were Achilles having lost his Patroclus. He cradled your body into his arms even long after you had said your final words, ‘keep fighting the good fight, my little anarchist.’ and much longer after it had already gone cold. You had told him that you were heading out to go spray paint with some people you’ve met and the worst soon came when despite knowing that you didn’t have to, you still went out of your way to act as a distraction so that the rest may escape; which resulted in the way that it did.He knew he should’ve gone with you that day because then maybe you would still be alive and taking the piss out of him for worrying about you but he didn’t, so you weren’t.

Ever since then Hobie had made it his goal to keep fighting for not only his chase but yours as well in your memory. He made you a memorial in the exact same place where you first met, always paying it a visit whenever he felt as though he needed you with him, which has lead him to start talking to your spray pairings as though they were actually you. There was without a shadow of a doubt that you were quite possibly one of the greatest artists to have ever lived, alongside with being an avid inspiration to many to the youths who felt as though they had no way of expressing themselves when feeling slighted by the society they were born in. Hell you even inspired him! So much so that there were a multitude of songs he would perform that depicted a individual with stardust in their eyes, a rebellious fire in their heart and a insatiably need to insight the themes of anarchy within anything they touched.

After your death Hobie kept a good portion of your things; such as your spray cans that would never get used, your clothes that still clung onto the very last essence of you much like he did and even kept the picture you took together after helping you finish a project you had been wanting to pursue for a long while; and who would’ve thought that it would be him, not as Spider-Man, just good old Hobie Brown with the message, ‘keep fighting the good fight, my little anarchist.’

So when he caught himself walking down a alleyway much like he did long ago but this time in a completely new place, he felt as though he was being hit with a wave of de ja vu when his ears picked up on the familiar hissing sound of a spray can. It was like he was back there again and if his memory serves him right, he knew what was to come next the moment he, Gwen and Miles made it into a clearing where they were greeted with the sight of someone’s back as they were deeply engrossed with their own handy work. ‘You’re going to love them Hobie, they’re like super cool and awesome.’ Gwen told him but her words went in one ear and out the next as he stared up at the spray painting of Miles as Spider-Man mid swing; it was beautiful without a doubt but they style in which it was drawn was all too familiar.

‘Whatcha gonna call that?’ Hobie had said without realising it until you jolted before turning to look directly at him, regaining your composure, ‘dunno yet.’ You shrugged and your voice sounded like an echo to the past for Hobie who so desperately wanted to pinch himself in that moment. ‘my working titles are either a bright new era or rising above all expectations.’ Hobie didn’t say anything for he knew he was going to say something that would only scare you away, just because you were another version of his y/n didn’t mean you shared the same memories; to you, he was just another spider-man from another reality, he wasn’t your Hobie despite how he wish he was but he knew he couldn’t put that on you.

He also couldn’t blame you for being alive while his version of you was dead. It wouldn’t be fair on you for being blamed for something that wasn’t your fault to begin with and it wouldn’t be fair on him either, as despite how many times he made himself believe that he has accepted your death, his heart would remind him that he truly hadn’t. You were such a pivotal part of his life that he couldn’t seem to let go of. ‘Hmm, both titles sound cool but I think we can do better.’ Miles pipped up, breaking Hobie out of his headspace that was running rampant with all the best memories you shared together. ‘How about…the bright new era of rising above all expectations?’ Hobie interjected.

You made a face at the suggestion before a wide smile spread across your face as you lost yourself in your excitement and grabbed ahold of his arm like you did when your first met, ‘that’s it! That’s what I should call it! You’re a genius dude, thank you.’ But before you could remove your hand from his arm, Hobie grasped your hand and held it firmly. ‘I don’t believe I told you my name, it’s Hobie by the way.’ Your excused his actions as an exchange of formal greeting and grasped onto his hand with the same about of force. ‘Nice to meet you Hobie, I’m y/n.’

‘I know’ is what Hobie desperately wanted to say but kept it all contained under a strained smile.

[tkpuke]

Best Mistake

Pairing - Alastor x Fem!Reader

Word Count: 4,015

In which you’re a new member in the Hazbin Hotel trying to redeem yourself. Everyone has made you feel welcomed, you’ve warmed up to everyone, everyone except one. It is no secret that you do not trust him, and Alastor seems to take matters into his own hands and change that.

This is a tickle fic. Do not read if that’s not your thing.

It has only been a month, but you vividly remember how your first day went when entering the doors of Hazbin Hotel. Charlie immediately running up to you with such a tight suffocating hug, asking but almost demanding Angel he takes your bags into your room as she expresses her delight of having you stay.

Staying wasn’t your first option. The idea of a sinner redeeming themself enough to see the pearly white gates of Heaven greet them was almost laughable to you. When you first entered Hell, you thought that you finally reached the end. Made yourself at home and rot yourself away almost like how you did on earth.

One stroll in town is when you saw a commercial advertising Hazbin Hotel. You watched Charlie eagerly tell the purpose of the Hotel as she gives the viewers a thirty second tour, almost losing her breath as she tries to fit in as much information as possible before her timed commercial ends. You weren’t alone watching it, people gathering near you as they whisper to the person next to them their opinions. The majority of the reaction was chuckles here and doubts there. You, admittedly, also had your doubts.

Although, did you really believe you belonged down here? That this was your final ending?

Which brings you back to remembering your first day. Charlie had an iron grip on your hand from her excitement, pulling you to every room in the hotel and showing off its purposes and making sure to not leave any details out. Once an hour went by and she finally finished, she made you meet the staff and other guests individually.

You were a little intimidated by Vaggie, but could tell she will be very sweet once she warms up to you. Angel seemed like the guy that could make you crack out of your shy shell by spending five minutes with him. Husk didn’t say much, but you could tell he likes being here rather than anywhere else. Just don’t call him out on that. Niffty left you guessing if she is twelve or somewhere in her mid 20s, would not be surprised if older than that. Oh and also, her swiftness and pleasure for pain and torturing bugs kept you awake on your first few nights. Sir Pentious looks naturally suspicious, but he was actually very nice when greeting and you asked him a little about his egg minions.

“Aaaannd the last person I want to introduce you to is…!” Charlie sing song, bringing you down the halls in search for her last friend she has yet for you to meet. She opens a door, assuming to yourself that’s their room as she peeks her head in a little. You waited behind her, rubbing your neck a little as sudden goosebumps were felt. Charlie turned around after not having much luck finding him in there, but quickly gasped when she looked behind you.

“Alastor! There you are!”

You froze in place for a few seconds as the name fell upon your ears. Alastor. Alastor. You inhaled deeply, slowly turning around and almost having to crane your neck to make visible of the face smiling down at you, arms behind his back and small radio statics being played. Every hair on your body stood up, forgetting to blink when you two locked eyes for a good solid minute.

Count yourself as scared shitless.

You came back to reality, stepping back to keep a good distance between you two but went for a small tumble. “Woah, I got you!” Charlie giggled, catching you before you could fall. Unaware of the now fear written all over your body, she continues on by gesturing her hand towards the seven foot demon.

“Y/N, this is Alastor. Alastor, this is Y/N. Our new guest!”

He sticks his hand out towards you for a handshake, but all you could do was stare at his red claws that looks like he’s been sharpening them every five minutes. Alastor took your hand, knowing he would be standing there all day if he let you willingly shake it.

“Don’t leave me hanging, dear! It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Y/N.” You knew awkward silences went by after that, but you couldn’t tear your eyes away from his hand interlacing with yours. You just want to get the hell out of here and run far, far away from this hotel and never look back. You knew there would be regrets when you gave this hotel a chance.

Okay, this was actually your first time meeting Alastor, but his stories were no stranger to you. Recalling back when hearing those horrifying, blood-curdling screams being broadcasted on the radio for all to hear as if it was a fair warning, people begin telling you the man responsible behind all of it. You wished later on you’d never asked, The thought of The Radio Demon selecting you as his next victim crawling into your dreams which turned to nightmares. Of course, you know that chance is slim, but is never zero. Down in Hell, you just don’t know what the fuck kind of trouble you’ll find yourself in.

Now having a face to the name, he completely became a new wave of terrifying to you. The red claws you observed earlier sent a shiver down your spine. Those pointy yellow teeth that you swear on Lucifer he’s put to good use. Bonus points for his tall, lanky figure which practically makes him towering over you so easily.

What you did not expect, though, was his strange resemblance to a deer. The antlers and, also, are those ears? Funnily enough, it kind of made him less scary. Almost. Not really.

Ever since your first interaction with him, you weren’t dumb understanding that he right off the bat knows your lack in trust and feeling unsafe around him. You would often walk down the halls being paranoid that eyes were watching you intently, eyes belonging to Alastor but had no further proof it really was him.

At certain times, you were convinced the demon was toying with how you felt by saying things to you that definitely came off creepy, but could never accuse him of doing it purposefully when he smiles like there’s no tomorrow. He always looks at you harmlessly, but you’d be a fool to take that as a sign to let your guard down. Every conversation he picks up with you ends short on your end, pretending you have somewhere else to be.

That somewhere being away from him.

Everyone knew the relationship you stand with him. Some didn’t blame you, especially Vaggie. Others, like Charlie, tried her best to ease your worries.

“Alastor is a great friend, Y/N! Just give him a chance.” She would say to you on most days, but it was gonna take more than believing someone’s word for you.

So, bless her, Charlie decided to come up with a trust activity exercise.

“Charlie, I appreciate you trying but I don’t see how this will make a difference…” You say as she rounds everybody up, some sitting and some standing. Charlie waves a dismissive hand. “Not with that attitude it won’t!” Her confidence is quite admirable, something in which you lack greatly.

She went over the jist of the activity, it being pretty simple. Everyone gets a turn to stand on a table and fall backwards, trusting everyone behind them that they will catch you with no hesitation. It seems easy, but once you are up there doubts will for sure start flooding your mind.

It’s called trust fall. A game you remembered playing when you were in middle school, to test your friends on their trust. However, to put this test on a seven foot demon with a horrifying reputation that all of Hell is aware of? Yeah, you wish you could count yourself out of this one.

One by one, everyone went up on top of the table and fell into the arms of those whose duty was to catch them. Some fell as soon as they climbed on top without letting second thoughts get a chance to swoop in their mind, while others took a little bit of reassurance.

Once it was your turn, you did one last pleading look towards Charlie, but she gave you two thumbs up and gestured for you to go. Sighing, you made your way up and looked down at everyone having their arms up and ready. Your eyes looked over to the middle, there Alastor standing nice and tall with his signature grin. A grin you want to see drop at least once.

As you turned your back, you didn’t hear everyone scoot back and have Alastor the only one standing near the table, in range of catching you easily. You took a couple of seconds to yourself to ease your breathing, because you are embarrassingly afraid of heights, but then you let yourself fall.

Arms slide past under yours, fingers resting on your sides as your back hit against a chest. The first thing that clouded your mind was how it felt like only one person catch you, but the next thing on your mind was how you suddenly felt fingers dig a little in your sides, pulling a small squeal from you as you quickly turn around to view the culprit.

Alastor stared down at you, feigning cluelessness. He clapped his hands together, ignoring your confused yet questionable stare at him. “Now! That wasn’t so hard was it, darling?” Vaggie nodded slightly in agreement, while Charlie ran over and gave you a big hug and excitedly expressing how proud she was of you.

Yet, you are still stuck on the question what just happened right after you fell. Every time you look over at him, he just smiles your way innocently, making you second guess yourself on what you truly felt.

You weren’t crazy. You knew exactly what he did, and he damn well knows it too, but it still feels so unlikely to happen.

Ever since the trust activity happened, which has now been a full week, Alastor seems to be playing a one sided game with you. A game that leaves you frustrated yet confused on what he’s gaining from it.

You’ll find yourself reaching for an item placed high on a shelf. Alastor will come strolling along, offering to give you a helping hand, and in the midst of doing so you’ll feel a ticklish breeze near your ribs. Now, the breeze would feel so similarly like fingers dancing along your ribs, their intent to send a ticklish wave throughout your body. Hence you turning with a glare, but Alastor would simply ignore the face you’d be making and hand you the item you’ve been trying to reach.

Another time you felt the same breeze is when you ultimately made a bad decision thinking you could fit into a hoodie that definitely wasn’t your size. You saw it displayed in a store when you decided to take a walk downtown, immediately calling your name. It was so cute in your eyes, despite realizing it wasn’t your true size you usually get clothes in, you wanted to give it a try.

Now, you noticed it was a grand mistake and a waste of money when the tightness it held around your body was starting to get unbearable. What you weren’t expecting, though, was how it didn’t budge any further when you rolled it up and couldn’t get it over your head, blocking your eyes.

You didn’t know whether to feel blessed or cursed that Alastor was walking down the halls during that time. A blessing, because he saw your poor state and undoubtedly offered to help. A curse, because you felt that damn ticklish breeze along your ribs in the midst of him helping you out, a yelp of surprise leaving your lips.

“There we are!” He exclaimed heartily, tossing the hoodie to the side and watching you fix your ruffled up hair but also eyeing him skeptically. “What was that?” You asked, but it almost sounded like an accusation because you damn well knew what caused it.

“What was what, dear?” He beamed, raising an eyebrow with arms crossed behind. You stared for a couple of seconds, not knowing whether to sound like a lunatic explaining what’s been happening for the last couple of days whenever he’s around, or to let it slide once again. Unfortunately, you were already feeling exhausted and were in the middle of heading to bed, so you waved a dismissive hand.

“Nothing, nothing.”

It kept you on your toes. Always checking your surroundings when walking around outside of your room, it got Angel questioning to Vaggie if someone’s out to get you by how paranoid you look.

You knew how stupid you looked to others, because you haven’t talked about any of what’s happening to you with any of them. You thought they would either laugh and say your imagining things, which you weren’t guilty of also thinking the same, or they would confront the overlord himself. If anything, you were at your wits end. You were considering doing the latter yourself, because it really has you on edge.

And so, you did.

One thing that you like to spend your free time on is painting. Painting anything that’s in front of you or whatever idea you had in mind that day. It could also depend on your mood, and for this particular Tuesday afternoon you felt quite peaceful. Your hands were almost as dirty as your palette, sticking your tongue out a bit whenever you were focused and gently dragging the paintbrush across the paper.

Your peace filled mind abruptly vanished when ears picked up on a familiar humming and distant blue jazz playing on a radio. It didn’t take long for you to put the hum to a name, looking over your shoulder but he was already behind you.

You gasped, his sudden appearance startling you. Standing up a bit too fast caused your easel to tip slightly and send your paper flying down, but luckily Alastor caught it and brought it up high to fully view the painting in front of him.

“You never told me you paint, dearie! I’m certain this will turn out marvelous once you’re finished.” His eyes look up for a response, but you’re standing like it’s a predator vs prey fight. Nervousness written all over you, hands out to defend yourself.

“Don’t you dare.” You say, making him tilt his head and squint his eyes a little. “Don’t I dare what?” His smile tightens, but you swore up and down its a smirk laced with nothing but mischief behind it. He’s being a little shit acting oblivious, and he damn well knows it.

“You know what!” You raised your voice a little, trying to sound intimidating but if he keeps staring down at you like he’s about to pounce, you might shrink in fear. Alastor takes a step forward, and you take a step back.

“Oohh sweetheart, whatever do you mean?” He’s got you backed into a wall, which staggers your confidence. Nonetheless, you gulped away any indication you’re feeling quite rather terrified, as anyone else would, and stand a little taller. “Don’t act dumb, Alastor.” The radio demon hummed as if he was collecting any memory of what could possibly trouble you, which made your eye twitch.

“Ah! Do you mean this?” Bringing his hands forward, Alastor danced his fingers alongside your ribs, instantly having the same vibe as the breeze you’ve been feeling. You barely had any chance to react and defend yourself, immediately grabbing his wrists as tightly as you can to tear them away. It did absolutely nothing, by the way.

Being tickled by an overlord was not on your list of things that could happen down at your time in hell. If anyone were to tickle you at the hotel, Alastor wouldn’t even be one of your top three guesses. Him sending those ticklish breezes your way, knowing how easily it got you to squeal and feel embarrassed. Knowing how it kept you on your toes around him, but still not so sure of yourself if it really was him responsible for it. Knowing how easily it can get under your skin.

He tsked at your hands gripping onto his wrists, his tendrils making an appearance and snatching them away, making your entire torso fully vulnerable. However, he did not continue on with his attack and instead watched you struggle a little, chuckling under his breath.

“Why are yohou doing this?” You say, a nervous giggle tittering out because anyone would be a fool to think his onslaught ends there. Alastor traces his fingers alongside your neck up till it reaches under your chin, which tickles like hell.

“You’ve been far too tensed recently, and there should be none of that.” A calm tone in his voice, acting like he’s not about to bring you into a breathless mess. “And you think what you’ve been doing to me over the last couple of days was making me less tense?” You shot a glare, but it bounced right off of him.

Shrugging his shoulders, Alastor tiptoed his fingers on your tricep all the way down to right on the soft spot of your underarms, causing you to violently jolt. “I thought my little game was helping, with all your delightful short squeals you’ve been giving me. hmm, what does it sound like again?”

His fingers, more like claws, resting on your underarms started scratching, not disappointing him when you squealed just like he predicted. Alastor pressed his fingers in a little deeper, searching for a more boisterous laugh. Your true real laugh that you’ve been choking back lately because of how badly it made you feel insecure.

You did not fail him with his goal. You laughed a little harder and tugged on the restraints on your wrists a little harder, but wherever you move, his hands follow. “I must say Y/N, your laugh is like music to my ears. Shall we have everyone else listen?” He sways his radio stick closer to you, but you shake your head desperately.

“Nohoho! Plehehease!” It was a little humiliating, but you were already getting close to your limit. On earth, friends and family recognized how you were more ticklish than the average person. You were a regular victim to tickle fights with your close loved ones, always yelling truce within five minutes. In this situation, you were a little hesitant that begging would translate to him ‘continue’.

Yet, luck was on your side since Alastor took notice you were already having slight tears mirth your eyes. Regardless, he didn’t plan on doing this for very long from the get-go. The whole thing of him brushing his hands against your sides during the trust fall was a honest mistake, but when Alastor picks up on weaknesses that people have, he puts a pin on it and takes advantage of it later down the road for his own good use. Tickling was something Alastor learned was a common weakness for most people, but the other half people rather enjoyed the feeling and the bond it creates.

For you, he already found out it was the second preference. You will never in a million years admit to it, but this entire thing seemed kind of playful to you. The kind of playful you haven’t experienced in so long. Haven’t laughed genuine in so long, and have all your ticklish spots exploited when the reason behind it is for all in good fun. And oh, to be a teasy asshole. He’s doing great in that field.

“Such a sensitive being you are. Have you always known you were this ticklish?” To be honest, you kind of wished he would stop talking. You can’t explain it, but it made everything tickle ten times worse. He’s aware. Of course he is.

You felt his hands travel to every spot that can be ticklish, quickly catching on he was in search for that one spot that can make you go ballistics. “Alastor, wahahait..” you stopped struggling awhile ago, realizing it brought you no use. He yet again ignored your giggly pleas, fueling him to keep going. The more his hands traveled down almost near your hips, the more you start to get nervous and newfound energy kicking in to pull your body away from him.

He catches on.

His next movement happened so fast, you swear it all went down in a blink. The minute he latched onto your hips, you let out a snort, cheeks forming a tint of pink. The tendrils finally release your wrists, at the same time Alastor switched up the pace and drilled his thumbs in a motioning circle. Your legs didn’t stand a chance to support you up, immediately crashing down but he did not follow.

You laid there for a moment, greedily sucking in sweet air to the point you almost thought you saw Heaven itself. When you felt like you collected yourself, you slowly sat up and moved a couple of strands away from your face to view Alastor, looming over you with his widest grin yet in his books. “Bad spot?” He tilts his head down at you, and in response you huff and roll your eyes. He lends you his hand, looking at it hesitantly before taking it. “Come now, let’s get you on your feet.”

You brushed yourself off, finding your painting propped up neatly back on the easel. Alastor follows your eyes, coming to stand next to you. “If you add a pop of red into the sunset you’re creating, I’d say it would almost look like I’m viewing out from a window. What do you say?” Raising an eyebrow, you look up at him. “Do you know how to paint?”

Alastor beams. “Not at all.”

You chuckle at that, picking up the palette and switching to a new freshly blank paper. Picking up a second paintbrush, you handed it over to the demon. “Here, I’ll teach you.”

Teaching wasn’t your strong suit, or either Alastor was seriously terrible at painting. Either way, you guys shared a couple of laughs, listened to any stories he got reminded of along the way, gladly listening. The finished product was suppose to be anything his heart desires to paint of, and after examining it for a few seconds you felt the need to ask what the hell you were looking at. To him, it’s him and his mother enjoying a warm meal of jambalaya while sitting on their front porch. To you, it’s just a big blob of bright colors, but the more you squint the more you start to see his vision and let out a small smile.

The guilt of judging him way too harshly off the bat started to set in. You tried not to blame yourself too much, because if anyone heard the tales and myths you’ve been hearing about The Radio Demon, anyone would jump at the sight of him. Although, there’s one thing you always believed in people: Second Chances.

If everyone at the hotel did not see a problem with not only having him stay, but having him help out a tremendous amount to have Hazbin live up to its full potential, then that must mean they all put a lot of trust in the guy. Charlie specifically, and although people might say she’s naive, she’s not dumb. If putting full trust in Alastor was a mistake, she would’ve taken care of that a long time ago.

However, trust is a sensitive topic for you. Alastor has a long way of achieving that, but for now the time you’re spending with him is something you’ll smile to yourself later tonight.

Maybe The Hazbin Hotel has already started to redeem some qualities of yourself you thought you would never get to see.

[tomatoswup]

phone calls

summary: two old rotary phones begin the connection between two souls. One from the past and another from the future.

warnings: angst, literally angst, sad vash :(, hurt/comfort but its not the comfort you think it is. kinda more like an acceptance comfort

pairing:vash x reader

-inspired by the movie "The Lake House"

A/N: am i a fiend for writing angst? yes. do I like reading it? NOPE. wanted to get this out before I hustled on school work hehe. But fun fact this was originally longer but I rewrote and condensed it b/c I thought it was too long for just a one shot lost media typa beat. honestly i don't think i wrote this right but fuck it we ball. I recommend reading this with the saddest song you have bookmarked. Enjoy!~

"Hmmm...Well you got some personality to you.” You mumbled, staring at the old red vintage rotary phone sitting in front of you. How did you come to achieve this old relic of time? Well in short terms, you liked to think about it like an equation.

Old attic + mischievous white cat = you adventuring to go find said cat and to your dismay, said cat scares the living ever hell out of you making you lose balance and fall backwards into endless towers of boxes.

Fun times right?

Those bruises weren't gonna be….

But that was the least of your problems at the moment. As expected, the rotary phone suddenly started to ring, shaking and clicking in itself, making you sigh in disappointment. Grabbing the phone, you yanked it up to your ear “Hey, yeah I don’t think this is gonna work.” You deadpanned “Now we know that we're always gonna be connected, what is this? The 5th time?"

"Damn and I thought you hanging up would’ve solved the problem. I don't think we could connect with anyone else though! I asked the farmer about it and he had no idea!" Chirped the male on the other side of the line.

Of course! It sounded like a normal conversation between two individuals but even Einstein himself would've been baffled at these circumstances. Imagine this, you find an old phone and you had been playfully talking into it until a voice actually responds without it being connected. Strange right? And no, you were sure you hadn't been seeing any strange figures on the sides of your vision.

Now here you were, trying to figure out what the fuck was going on alongside the man who had introduced himself as Vash The Stampede.

"21st century my ass, Google isn't doing shit!"

"Wait hold on now, did you just say 21st?"

"Yeah? Something wrong?"

"Uh well.. It's just that its actually the 32nd century."

You blink a few times "No, it's not. My calender literally says it's the 21st century. It's general knowledge."

"No I'm pretty sure its the 32nd century!" Vash snapped back.

Silence filled the air on both sides.

"WAIT A MINUTE-"

And thats how the unknown man from the future and you hit it off.

After this discovery, the two of you talked on the phone for a while, sharing things about each of your own time periods. And you slowly found yourself enjoying the conversations you would have with Vash who you soon found out, was pretty goofy in his own way, but kind. And unknowingly, Vash felt the same way.

What was an accidental and odd situation turned into practically an everyday thing for the both of you now.

After work, you always looked forwards to that red phone on your nightstand until one day, you decided to decorate it with cute little stickers because why not?

After all, it was fasinating to hear things about the future. Sometimes you'd laugh at the way Vash described it, like something out of an old wild west movie.

"It's all just desert! Really!" He groaned out as you chuckled, holding the phone to your ear with your shoulder as you put books and CD's away on your bookshelf "At least you can make some cool sandcastles or something!"

"With what water?"

"Your tears." Snorting, you listen on as he whined through the receiver. "Hey but just imagine me helping you build them! Makes it hurt less."

Vash let out a exaggerating sigh "But seriously, it's not always sunny were you live?" He asked curiously.

"Nope!" You smiled, slipping one of your favorite books into place "It changes every so often really. Depending on the season." You hummed out, looking out the window to your right to see the drenching rain down with its spring showers.

"Season?"

"Sometimes it rains and sometimes it gets super cold. Other days it just gets too hot and if we're lucky, we get days with perfect temperatures. Its never the same but I guess that's the beauty to it here. Every day is a new sight no one could really get tired of. "

Or a new headache.

Vash stayed quiet on the line, and you imagined how he looked like deep in thought. Eyebrows furrowed, his supposed pointy blonde hair messily spread out across his pillow, and eyes as blue as the sky looking up at the ceiling in concentration.

…Okayyy that’s enough out of you.

He didn't say the eye part himself but you liked to ponder on the idea.

"That sounds beautiful.."

And to that, you smiled. "Yeah, it kinda is."

But something in your head made you stop and look down at the book you had in hand, unsure if you wanted to say anything.

"Hey Vash.."

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry that I'm the only person you could really reach with this thing. I know you really wanted to talk to your friends.."

"Why are you apologizing? It's not everyday I talk to someone from the past! From even before No Mans Land!”

You sigh and slip the final book away to which Vash adds in one more sentence. "And even if you weren't, I like talking to you."

You scoff in good humor "You're lying blonde."

"NO I"M NOT!" Vash gasps out dramatically "Oh how you hurt me so!"

"Hardy har har." You chuckled, shoving a box of things you wanted stored away in the corner of your room. "At least I know I'm speaking to someone as beautiful as the nightsky!" He huffed out trying to sound manlier.

“Yeah? Now how could you tell that?"

"Because I know a pretty and kind soul when I hear it."

E-Excuse me?

Your face flushes red "Alright cowboy are you trying to soften me up?"

"Pftttttt nooooooo~"

Your conversations never ceased to end, and when talking to Vash about practically everything, it felt...comforting. To know there was someone to listen to your struggles, and listen to his own. It felt so intimate.

Sharing about your life on Earth, the things you do and him speaking about his own life and travels around his home planet.

One day, Vash and you had been talking for the night and he mentioned something that gave you a sense of familiarity.

PROJECT SEEDS.

A large project that's been reported on the news for more than a few months now so of course you caught onto that. You've watched their segment on TV before. Something about bringing life to other planets?

You knew the Earth was dying, scientists had announced that someday in the nearing future, the very sun that shone down on you, would destroy you. But did that really matter to you anymore?

The project had been accepting registrations for boarding their new ship incase it happened. Your sister got to register in time but you had been too late. All the slots were filled.

That was a very odd day to say the least.

But that didn't stop you from speaking to Vash.

"Vash, do you ever think you'll see me in the future?" You pondered one night as you were cuddled up in your blankets, the cold being unbearable this winter season.

"Well, I hope so. Sometimes it gets tiring speaking into a thing of metal and plastic hehe.." You could practically hear him playfully grin through the receiver.

You gripped the handle of the phone tight as tears threatened to leave the corner of your eyes.

"I hope I get to see you one day Vash.."

He went quiet for a moment.

"I do too.."

That night, you slept with the phone held to your chest as the fluttering feeling in your stomach never ceased. And you didn't want it to.

Vash had made it a routine to call you every night at exactly midnight to check in on how you were since he couldn't really do it in person either way. And every time he called, it felt as if he heard your voice for the first time all over again. The warmth in his chest made him smile when you answered the phone with the nervous pitch in your voice.

"Vash?"

He found it theraputic to listen as you talked about your day, the normalicy and peace No Man's Land and that his own life had lacked.

Hanging out with friends, reading in libraries, and more.

How he loved it.. Hearing you speak so fondly, so excited, it felt refreshing to Vash.

You were full of life

And Vash wouldn’t trade it for anything.

With every time you spoke his name, he felt like melting into a puddle. He just wanted to hear you repeat his name over and over again, and no, he'll never get tired of it. He could spend an eternity laying in the dusty bed of the farmer’s home just listening to your voice. Listening to your worries, your hopes, and the momentary jokes you would tell him.

But as the days passed, after one full year and a half of the two of you speaking over the old rotary phone, you answered the phone one night with a change clear to Vash. You sounded so weak, so sickly and out of breath.

"Are you alright?" He asked, hearing loud shuffling and things falling on the other line.

"I-I'm fine!" You coughed out as Vash peeked out the old wooden window in the room he was staying in, spotting Wolfwood and the broadcasting girls waiting for him to join them.

"Are you sure?" He breathed out in honest concern, feeling his fingers fiddling with the hem of his sleeve.

"I'm fine Vash, seriously." Your voice weakly echoed through the receiver "Just a little sick, that's all.."

"Please make sure to get some rest okay? I'll ring you when I come back."

"Promise?"

"I promise lov-" Vash caught himself, quickly shutting his mouth.

"Hm?" You hummed out in question.

"Sorry a fly got caught in my throat! Hahaha!" He played off before sighing.

"Take care of yourself, for me okay?"

"I will, I will.." Before Vash put the phone back onto the base, you said one more thing.

"Love you." And with that, the familiar ding of the phone receiver on the other line rang through Vash's ear, signifiying the end of the call.

And Vash was left in utter silence and awe. Love. Love you said. Him?

A fond expression instinctively grew on his face, yet the churning feeling in his stomach wasn't one of butterflies, but one of dread. He couldn't help but leave with the gut feeling that something was wrong.

When Vash returned back to his room and picked up the phone at the same time the two of you would call each other at every day, there was no reponse.

He called your name and no sound came out of the other end. So he put the phone back down onto the base and lifted it back up again to his ear as the same dread slowly seeped into his chest. The room was starting to feel a bit more heavier than usual.

"Hello?" He breathed out nervously as he felt his forehead start to sweat.

"Come on.." He muttered to himself worriedly. Maybe you weren't home in time and had gone to the doctor. Yeah, maybe that's the reason. So Vash left the phone alone for the night for the first time but the prodding feeling in his chest didn't leave.

He tried the next night.

No response.

Maybe you had stayed over your parents' for the day.

He kept the phone by him whilst he napped, waiting for the ring of the phone to wake him up like an alarm, but that didn't come.

He tried the next night, the next night, and continued for the next 3 months until finally.

One night, Vash just stared at the old red phone that hadn’t rung since that day, anticipating at least one final call, one last goodbye from you. Sitting on the bed side, he kept his eyes on the phone until finally Vash couldn’t hold it anymore and cried. Clear waters falling down his cheeks as he tightly held the phone to his chest in desperation.

Did you forget about him?

Did you find the love of your life and decided not to bother with him anymore?

'Come back.'

'Dont leave me please.'

'I love you."

'Please speak to me.'

The string of desparate thoughts ran through his mind as the burning sensation grew in his chest. He can't breathe. He gasped for air as his quiet wails filled the night.

Don't go.

The morning after Vash permanently left the farmer's residence. Of course, he took the phone along too, incase you ever decided to ring back but to Vash's dismay, it never did.

And Vash thought back to you, from time to time, stil wondering if you remembered about the red phone that sat in your room and the idiot blonde on the other side of it.

2 years had passed since that night, and both Vash and the gang found themselves in the city of Augusta for their annual merchant gathering, an event in which all the merchants from around the planet come and trade their valuables or tools in a big, single event.

Crowds of people flooded the streets as the stands were all surrounded to the brim. Vash had been walking beside Wolfwood, who was talking about some bounty hunters causing trouble around when something red caught his eye from an stand that they had walked past, causing Vash to stop in his tracks. Eyes widening in realization, he rushed over to the stall, leaving Wolfwood in the dust.

"H-Hey where are you going!?!" Wolfwood called out but Vash ignored him. His leather clothed hands slammed down on the stall table, the young man who managed the stall yelping in surprise.

"H-HOW CAN I HELP YOU?!" The man nervously shouted out as Vash reached over and picked up a very familiar red rotary phone "Where did you get this!?" He exclaimed in urgency. "How'd you get this!?"

"I-I-" The young man quickly cleared his throat and regained his composure at the sudden burst from the tall blonde-spiked haired man.

"It's a very old device! Back during the old days according to my great-grandmother!"

Vash looked down at the red phone, very dusty but he was able to make out the sticker decorations and doodles that were scattered around on it. Inspecting it more, he turned it around to the back and saw something melancholic.

"12:00 PM Midnight" was written on the back of the base with black marker. The time the two of you would call each other every night those years ago.

"Sorry, is.. is there anyone I could talk to about this?" Vash apologized, giving the young man a somber smile as he held the phone to himself, as if someone were going to rip it away from his grasp.

The man observed Vash for a moment, before nodding and giving Vash directions to his great-grandmother's home, right outside the border of Augusta.

"There you are!" Wolfwoods' voice rang out angrily behind him "The hell did you see now?!"

Vash turned to Wolfwood and simply gave him a smile "We're gonna be paying a visit."

It didn't take long to reach the old worn down home and greet the owner of the property, a small old lady to which surprised Wolfwood that she hadn't kicked the bucket yet.

Vash, of course, elbowed him in the rib for that one.

Seeing the phone in Vash's arms, the lady let out a small smile "My, I haven't seen that phone since I was a child..." She quickly showed Vash and Wolfwood inside, explaining how the phone came to be here.

"According to my grandfather, our lineage began with two sibilngs who were born and raised on Earth. When Earth neared its end, the daughter of the family was able to escape whilst the other sibling unknowingly stayed behind on Earth."

The old lady snapped her fingers to Wolfwood and waved him over "Be a dear for me and put this on the table."

Watching Wolfwood put a very old and deteriorating box on the table, the lady continued.

"Well, the sibling died before the daughter left Earth, so in attempt to preserve her family's memories, the daughter took some of her siblings' things, something to remember them by."

The old lady points to the phone in Vash's arm "That was one of them. And here-" The lady patted on side of the box "-are the things she was able to take with her. Check them out yourself." She softly motioned Vash to come closer with her frail, wrinkled hand.

Hesitating for just a second, he took slow and steady steps towards the box, biting the inside of his cheek in attempt to not just cry.

Damn, he sure felt like a cry baby these days.

Putting the phone down besides the box, Vash reached into the box and pulled out various things. Old shirts, CDs, a wallet, wired headphones, books, and something he never thought he'd ever see in fine print that made his breath hitch.

A colored photo I.D and on the side of it, your full name printed in black.

It was you.

These were your things, these shirts you've worn, the CDs you've listened to, the wallet you used in your day-to-day life, but he kept his eyes on the I.D.

Vash stared at your photo, the features you've described to him once were in his hands, proof of your existence.

He couldn't hold it anymore, how could he? Silent tears ran down his face as the small giggles he let out, turned into full on laughter.

He laughed and laughed whilst holding the I.D close to his heart.

You didn't purposely leave him.

You hadn’t meant to.

The same gracious laughter morphed into sobs as he grabbed everything he had taken out of the box, and enveloped them tightly into his arms.

This was the first time he was able to physically feel you, even if you weren't there yourself. He wished the smell of the favorite perfume you had gotten one day had still lingered onto your shirts, he wished he could've shared and listened to your favorite music alongside you. And he wished you were beside him, looking through all these things with him. He wanted to hear you reminsce your past and your present again.

Oh he wished.

Vash spent hours at the old ladies' home, looking and observing every single one of your belongings. There were some he remembered you talking to him about, and others he didn't recognize.

But it was time for him to leave and Vash knew it.

Looking up at the sky outside, he softly smiled, caressing the small compartment he had your I.D pocketed in.

"C'mon needle-noggin. Time to get your ass moving!" Wolfwood shouted ahead of him.

Letting out a large exhale, Vash muttered out a few words before running to catch up with the priest "Wait up!"

Behind him, two objects were left behind in the sand, placed neatly besides a metal nameplate.

The two red cherry rotary phones glistened in the sun, one filled with stickers and the other covered in dirt and scuff marks as your name plate, that had been cleaned of any dirt or scratches, continued to sit in peace as the windy breeze passed on by.

"I'll live on. For the both of us."

[twilightmalachite]

2wink Album Release Commemoration Solo Live MC Segments

Characters: Yuuta, Hinata

Translator: Mika Enstars

"Both Yuuta-kun and I’s solo songs have a strong message of “let’s keep on moving forward!”, but… Don’t you think both songs shine with their own individuality?"

[Read on my blog for the best viewing experience with Oi~ssu ♪]

Time: MC①

Hinata: “Kuu! Chuu! Kuuchuusen!”

Yuuta: “Now is a free-for-all of rave reviews~! ♪ That was our first song, Twinkle Kuuchuusen!”

“Though I was a tad nervous about how the choruses would go since they were written specifically for the album—”

Hinata: “But there was no need to worry! Thanks to you all, it was fun to sing and it felt amazing~! ♪”

“Everyone here at the venue~! Thank you for coming to our commemorative album release live today!”

Yuuta: “Today’s live show will be ruled by 2wink from toe to tip!”

“To express our everyday gratitude for all those who support us, we will be doing “this and that” to show our appreciation~!”

“…Well, Aniki will be. ♪”

Hinata: What do you mean, “this and that”?! That’s way too much!”

“We’ll do our best to liven things up as we usually do! …Well, “usually” might not be the right word, but stay with us to the end, ‘kay~!”

Yuuta: “Now, our next song, Swee2wink Love Letter. With a love letter from us, we’ll a smile to your face…♪”

Time: MC②

Yuuta: “—That was our second song, Swee2wink Love Letter. Did our love letter reach your hearts?”

“…Huh, is it that shocking that I went out on stage by myself?”

“I took a shortcut and slipped on out while Aniki’s looking around for me. …Kidding~! ♪”

“No worries! I’m your scheduled MC appearing right as planned, here to introduce himself!”

“Anyhow, hello again! I’m Aoi Yuuta from 2wink!”

“What did you think of our latest album? Were you able to feel 2wink’s potential?”

“I made this album together with Aniki, with all sorts of our feelings and thoughts put into it.”

“I’d be happy if we could convey our growth through our songs.”

“But for this moment, please let me have you all to myself!”

“Next up is my solo song. A WAY OF LIGHT—Right now, please look at me.”

Time: MC③

Yuuta: “That was A WAY OF LIGHT by Aoi Yuuta.”

“The path you take forward on your own is steep. It’s uneven, and pitch black.”

“But I want to keep moving forward and to keep trying, without stopping. I don’t want to have any regrets.”

“Everyone, if you have a goal, don’t hesitate to take on the challenge!”

“It’ll be alright, if you work hard, surely, you will find your way.”

Hinata: “Uu~… It’s hard to come out when you’re saying something so “heartfelt”, Yuuta-kun!”

“Or rather, that’s on purpose, isn’t it? It has to be a strategy to monopolize the MC role! I can see right through you! ☆”

Yuuta: “You got me there! As a prize for seeing through my ruse, I’ll let you introduce the next song, Aniki.”

Hinata: “Hooray~! It’s not like I’m actually getting anything, but I like it when it sounds like I get a prize! ♪”

“Here’s our next song! Grasp victory, with Fighting Dreamer!”

Time: MC④

Hinata: “That was Fighting Dreamer by 2wink!”

“We performed this song around the time we held Twin Peaks.”

“How nostalgic, remember the Meat Bun Eating Contest? We ended up getting a buncha offers from big-eating programs because of that, you know!

Yuuta: “Yup. But apparently our agency said no, saying that we’re “not that type of idol”.”

“If we had accepted it, maybe there could’ve been a world where we were sold as the “big-eating twin idols”! ♪”

“...By the way, Aniki. You haven’t introduced yourself yet, have you?”

Hinata: “Oh, you’re right! I nearly forgot! Thank you, Yuuta-kun! ♪”

Hinata: “Hello, I’m Aoi Hinata from 2wink! Are you enjoying the live~?”

“…Ahaha, thanks! We’re starting to reach the homestretch, but let’s make things even more exciting!”

“Next up is my solo song, GO-AHEAD SIGNAL! Are you guys ready? Now, let’s jump on out together!”

Time: MC⑤

Hinata: “That was GO-AHEAD SIGNAL by Aoi Hinata! Did you guys like my solo song?”

“Both Yuuta-kun and I’s solo songs have a strong message of “let’s keep on moving forward!”, but…”

“Don’t you think both songs shine with their own individuality? My song is like daytime when the sun is shining, and Yuuta-kun’s song is like dusk when the stars begin to appear in the sky.”

“What do you guys think, comparing the two songs? If you liked them, let us know on social media!”

Yuuta: “And let us know how you felt about the live, too~! ♪”

Hinata: “Huh? What are you doing in that outfit, Yuuta-kun? Isn’t your turn over?”

Yuuta: “Heheh, we don’t get to wear our personalized outfits that often!”

“I figured it’d be a great opportunity to let everyone see us both wear our personalized outfits. It’s a special one-night-only service…☆”

“Now that we’ve received some huge cheers, let’s move onto our next song!”

“Please listen; Turbulent Storm by 2wink!”

Time: MC⑥

Hinata: “That was Turbulent Storm by 2wink!”

“Hmm? The venue’s going wild…”

“Oh, I get it! Surprised by our outfits?”

“This is the outfit we used for our Repayment Festival live. It’s a school event of sorts, so this is probably the first time a lot of you are seeing it live!”

“…We look nice in the calm vibes it gives? Ahaha, thank you~! ♪”

“I like the outfits we wore for Twinkle Kuuchuusen, too. We can wear all sorts of outfits now, compared to our debut.”

“Not just that. We’ve been able to release a new album, we’re now able to perform all on our own—”

“And we were able to have our long-awaited namesake program, 2×2!”

“And it’s all thanks to everyone for supporting 2wink. Really, thank you! ♪”

“Together with Yuuta-kun, I will continue to keep on moving forward. Thank you for all your support of 2wink~! ♪”

“Here’s our next song! 2×2’s theme song, Love×me⇄monsteR!”

“More selfishly than anyone else, we’ll shine on, peace…☆”

Time: MC⑦

Yuuta: “That was Love×me⇄monsteR by 2wink! Has everyone checked out our namesake program, 2×2?”

“Ahaha, that was our loudest cheer yet today~! ♪ Our viewership rating is 100% here! ☆”

Hinata: “Seems a lot of people look forward to seeing the “friends” Yuuta-kun and I call in each episode—”

“How about next time we do a “Making New Friends” episode? Onii-chan’s worried about your friendships, Yuuta-kun!”

Yuuta: “Eh~, don’t “onii-chan” me. I don’t intend to invite any friend other than Shinobu-kun!”

“Anyways, I feel those who watch our program get excited to watch each episode to see if I’ll invite someone else!”

“That’s why I firmly only call in Shinobu-kun. It’s called strategy! ♪”

Hinata: “Is that what it is~? I have a feeling you’re just making stuff up~…”

Yuuta: “You’re imagining it, “Onii-chan”. ♪”

“Well, let’s take the opportunity to all sing together! ♪ Mischievous Party Time!!, and Sugar Spice Houteishiki!”

Time: MC⑧

Hinata: “That was Sugar Spice Houteishiki! That’s it for today’s live! Everyone, did you have fun?”

Yuuta: “…Ahaha, thank you so much for all the applause! ♪”

“We’re so happy to have been able to see everyone’s smiling faces!”

“Let’s all have fun together again sometime. Goodbye~!”

Hinata: “Bye bye, seeya then~! ♪”

Time: MC⑨

Yuuta: “Thank you guys so much for the encore!”

“Everyone’s cheers reached all the way backstage! ♪”

Hinata: “All your passionate feelings reached us! We also felt we hadn’t sung enough!”

“If they want us to sing this much, we have no choice, don’t we, Yuuta-kun? ♪”

Yuuta: “That’s right, Aniki! ♪ Let’s all enjoy the final song together! Here’s 2wink, with—”

Hinata & Yuuta: BRAND NEW STARS!!”

Time: MC⑩

Hinata: That was BRAND NEW STARS!! Everyone, thank you so much for coming to our solo live today!”

“I’m so happy to have gotten an encore~! It really encourages me to keep doing my best! ♪”

Yuuta: “For us 2wink, today’s live is an unforgettable day for us.”

“We 2wink are still growing! We’ll keep shining even more, so please continue to support us, okay!”

“This was 2wink’s Aoi Yuuta…”

Hinata: “And 2wink’s Aoi Hinata!”

Hinata & Yuuta: “Goodbye, ‘til the day we meet again~!”

[ ☆ ]

story directory

[squaric-acid]

A Comparison and Analysis of RWBY Vol3-4 and Vol8-9

I will start this post with the caveat that I have only seen clips and parts of Volume 9, I am not caught up (but I do have pretty good idea of what has been happening). I’m sure someone else has talked about this same topic before so if I missed anything, please let my know in the notes. These are just my own observations.

First, I’ll discuss the overarching situation:

Volume 3 ended with the fall of Beacon and the death of one of the major leaders of Remnant, Ozpin. We also ended this volume with the transfer of the Fall Maiden powers to a villain, Cinder. Volume 8 ended similarly with the fall of Atlas (literally) and the assumed death of Ironwood. The Winter Maiden powers were similarly transferred but to Winter Schnee instead. Additionally, both volumes ended with lots of collateral damage. In Volume 3 Remnant-wide communications were lost and in Volume 8 Atlas and Mantle were both lost as well as any assets that were left there.

The major difference here is that Salem did not acquire the relic from Beacon but she did acquire the relic from Atlas. We are not really shown what state Beacon was in after Volume 3 so I would surmise that it was not a total loss. If it were Salam would likely have used her resources to acquire Beacon’s relic.

Next, the status of the protagonists:

Volume 3 ended with Pyrrha’s death and volume 4 showed our protagonists split up. Team RNJR (Ruby, Nora, Jaune, and Ren) heading to Haven and Weiss, Blake, and Yang spread across Remnant. 

Volume 8 ended Penny’s death (she also died in volume 3 but her death felt more final in volume 8). Our protagonists were similarly split up in Volume 9, with Team RWBY and Jaune falling into Ever After and Team NERO (Nora, Emerald, Ren, and Oscar) in Vacuo with Winter.

The differences here are simply that there are two groups instead of a group and scattered individuals. 

In volume 4 we gained a new protagonist, Oscar, as the reincarnation of Ozpin. in volume 8 Emerald defected from Salem’s forces and joined Team RWBY-JNR+O.

I will also point out that the timeline of team RWBY finding Jaune during volume 9, in a somewhat familiar way to how Team RNJR was introduced to Oscar in volume 4.

In both volume 4 and volume 9, all of the main characters are shown to be suffering some form of survivor’s guilt and/or trauma from the events of volume 3 and volume 8. For volumes 3-4 that was notably Jaune (and Yang) and for volumes 8-9 that is Ruby. 

That brings me to the opening themes for volumes 4 and 9:

The opening for volume 4, “Let’s Just Live,” is more upbeat and lighter-hearted.  But it also signifies that the protagonists have all had the revelation that their lives (reality) are not the fairytales they thought they were. 

The opening for volume 9 is a bit more intense. As I’m sure most of you know or suspect, volume 9 concerns Team RWBY and Jaune literally being dropped into a fairytale. The lyrics of “Inside” reflect as much. 

I think we all can agree that the lyrics of “Inside” are most specifically about Ruby and her character growth. However, both songs are heavy-handed in their message about moving on from grief and the burdens of the past. 

In volume 4 Jaune was dealing with the grief of Pyrrha’s death and Nora and Ren were dealing with events from their past. 

I hypothesize (reasonably so) that Ruby will undergo some sort of transformation in volume 9 that will allow her to come to terms with all the grief and burdens she is carrying. She is the last of the main cast to do so. 

With that in mind, I cannot help but wonder if volume 10 will be mainly focused solely on Team NERO and Winter with Team RWBY and Jaune (possibly) returning from the Ever After near the end of the volume. This would allow for Nora, Ren, Oscar, and Emerald to undergo the rest of their character development so that all of the main characters are at their fullest potential for the last volume(s) which will undoubtedly concern the final battle against Salem and the fate of Remnant. 

The final volume(s) have a high likely hood of occurring at Beacon for a couple reasons. Beacon’s relic is still there, as I stated earlier, Salem has yet to acquire it. But most importantly, it would allow RWBY’s narrative to be cyclical and poetic by ending where it started.

Thanks for reading through to the end! I’m sure I’ve missed things and oversimplified others but these are just things I’ve had thoughts about. 

[sankta-starkova]

LETTERMAN

022; the field trip

previous chapter | next chapter | masterlist

summary: the one where ej and andy realise that there may be some romantic feelings between them that hadn't been there before, or had they? the new year test this revelation

wordcount: 1.2k

EJ and Andy sat in a room in front of a camera as they prepared for the news show they signed up for, the east high morning news show.

"Welcome to the East High Morning Show, I'm Ej Caswell," he said as they both sat on the chairs

"And I'm Andy Kennedy and we're co-hosting the first ever East High Morning show," she introduced herself.

"Cause I'm the president of the AV club," EJ said with a grin.

"And I'm also the president of the AV club," she said with a laugh, the two smiling at each other.

Andy had been trying to convince Mr Mazzara to let them have a morning show for ages and now that there were more people in the AV club, it was allowed.

Now the two of them sat there, nobody knowing about their relationship as they co-hosted a show.

"And now for our first guest, you know her from the Rose Song which has been blowing up the East High Instagram," she said and EJ quickly cut in.

"Sorry, quick reminder, tickets for Beauty and the Beast go on sale next week," he added in.

"Thats right EJ, now, please welcome Nini Salazar-Roberts," Andy said and she walked in, the duo cheering.

After her song about being the Rose went viral, they were hoping to convince more people to come onto the morning show and to come see the theatre production.

"Thanks for having me," she said and EJ placed a finger on his ear like he was on a real morning show.

"This just in, Ninis song has over 2,500 views, making it the most viewed post in drama club history," EJ explained and Nini looked shocked.

"Nini, how does it feel to be you right now?" Andy asked and Nini said she felt good.

Nini had never had this level of popularity before and it felt weird, but also kind of nice

They continued the interview until the show ended, the three having to go to an impromptu meeting by Miss Jenn.

"Everyone, attention please. We are in such a good place and today our wonderful actor/designer Kourtney Greene is going to show you the completed costumes," she explained and everyone cheered.

Kourtney pulled the tarp off of the rack and everyone cheered as they saw their costumes.

But then she went to show individual costumes. She showed them the details of the dress and the design.

"EJ, I gave you some abs that would make Captain America proud," she said as she handed him his costume.

"I have abs, ask And-" then he realised what he was saying and froze, "-ask Ashlyn my cousin, who must have seen me at water polo practice,"

He looked so awkward and Andy just giggled, her and Ashlyn watching from the other side of the room.

He hoped that the comment wouldn't make people think that they had slept together because they hadn't.

They'd done other things, a few heated make out sessions with a shirt or two off - thus allowing her to prove that he had abs.

"Well, everyone has abs, these are Kourtney Originals," she said and he took it with a smile.

Clearly she had not heard the slip up that he had as nobody commented on the words.

"And every Gaston needs a Beast," she said before realising the mask was missing.

"I know where our beast mask is," Carlos said as he looked on his phone. He showed everyone a picture of the North High drama stage.

Everyone looked at it confused, not seeing it. "What are we looking at?" Andy questioned.

"Look at the trunk," he said as he zoomed in, but they still didn't get it, "Thats obviously Beast fur. It makes sense why they would want to take it,"

It wad a little bit blurry and some people would definitely not believe that it was the Beast mask but they had no other leads.

"We have to get even right," Big Red said after everyone agreed that it definitely was the Beast mask. 

They were all bickering amongst themselves, Andy not sure that North High had taken their beast mask.

"They posted something new, 'North High gonna steal your heart this spring' they must have stole it," Carlos said as he read it off his phone.

Maybe they were reading too much in between the lines or maybe they were just teasing them and wondering if they even knew.

"Stop. I want you to keep looking for that mask and let it go," Miss Jenn said, "Understood,"

They all nodded their heads, muttering that they understood as she left the room.

But as soon as she had left, they rushed over to North High as fast as they could.

By the time that they made it there, they were all ready for the sneak attack. They stood in the hallway, Carlos organising them.

"Based on their Instagram post, the mask has to be in the costume shop," he explained.

"Isn't this kind of trespassing?" Seb questioned, looking around suspiciously.

The group didn't say anything as they knew that it was kind of wrong to be stealing something back but they had stole it initially.

"There will be other people still in school, we'll blend in," Carlos said, trying to reassure everyone, "Though Ashlyn, you may have taken the camouflage thing too far,"

Everyone looked at Ashlyn as she wore a yellow hoodie that said 'North High Hornets'

"No, today, I am Diane. I play volleyball and I love North High," she explained to everyone.

Andy and EJ laughed about it, everyone talking amongst themselves and Carlos got frustrated.

"Focus! Who's gonna be the lookout?" He asked, looking around at them.

"Me and Andy could be lookout. I can't promise I won't go all Gina 1.0 and Andy can reign me back if I try to escape," Gina explained.

Andy smiled at her friend, placing a hand on her shoulder as a supportive mechanism.

"Okay, we've got this. Everyone ready?" Carlos asked and everyone nodded their heads with excitement.

"What team?" Ricky asked with a huge smile on his face, placing his hand in the middle of their circle.

"Wait, maybe we shouldn't yell," Carlos said but his voice was frowned out by everyone else placing their hands in the middle and yelling out 'wildcats'.

"Be careful," EJ whispered to Andy before he walked off with the others. 

Taglist:

@maggiecc @hesfasttandshesweird

[chaletnz]

Amazon: Ayahuasca Ceremony

I made my way up the hill to the temple around 8.30 for my spiritual awakening. Maestro Alfredo was there waiting for me, and Rodrigo and Segundo (a guy who worked in the kitchen) were both also there. The American couple had backed out at the last moment so it would just be three of us drinking under Maestro Alfredo’s guidance. He introduced himself and told us how he had drank his first ayahuasca at 15 years old with his uncle who taught him all the shamanic practices - he is now 70 years old and has drunk ayahuasca thousands of times. Maestro Alfredo told me to trust him and our ceremony began as a torrential downpour of rain started. First he gave me a few drops of some “Amazon perfume” and I was instructed to rub it over myself. Then the cup of ayahuasca was poured. I took a whiff as I held the small wooden cup, it didn’t smell good but certainly not too bad. I was instructed to introduce myself to the ayahuasca and then drink the full cup in one go. It tasted a lot worse than it smelled so I had to do it in two sips rather than one. I sat back down, then Rodrigo and Segundo took their dose. By this time it was 9pm and the generator was turned off to throw us all into complete darkness. All there was to do now was wait, cradling my sick bucket until the aya kicked in.

The first thing I noticed was that my sense of sound was far heightened. It could’ve been the darkness or the aya, I’m not sure, but I could hear the rain as well as every other sound of the jungle like croaking frogs. I had a loud ringing in my right ear which sounded like a chainsaw - it couldn’t be, so I figured  it must be a boat. In hindsight though, it was raining so heavily and the nearest boat with an engine would have to be about a mile or two away, it was probably my imagination. I was able to slow down the individual sounds and isolate them to listen in more carefully and that’s when I really felt like I was on drugs. The shaman regularly performed songs with his “instrument”, a flax brush, and singing to Ayahuasca to give us her energy. I tried to see some visions asking Aya internally for a glimpse of my future if she would be so kind to show me. In the pitch blackness I started to see coloured outlines drawing themselves, a spark of blue and then an outline of a cat - throughout the night I saw some greens and pinks too drawing random shapes but the cats were recurring, big jungle cat faces like a jaguar, or puma. Most of the visions were hard to make out, a lot of human and animal eyes, I did make out my mum’s face at one point, as well as something else that looked like a cartoon Pokémon but there was nothing super distinct other than the multiple cats. In my head there was some shouting back and forth which sounded like a domestic argument and was kind of scary although I couldn't make out the words. I felt my stomach churning as time passed and eventually I threw up about three times which burned my throat a lot. I started to hear snippets of music in my head, they sounded like songs I’d listen to but not so familiar that I knew them. It seemed like someone had a radio on but I think it was my imagination because I wouldn’t have been able to hear it over the rain if there was one. Maestro Alfredo told me to focus on the messages in my head rather than the images, as I’d said they were weak and hard to see when he asked me what I saw/heard/felt. I thought about my mum, she is the most important. I also had thoughts about my brain not being able to trip “properly” maybe something is wired wrong or different or possibly I have a health issue? About an hour in I realised it was easier to see the visions with my eyes open just staring into the darkness because I was so tired, my body wanted to sleep but the visions are not dreams so I needed to be conscious. I would see maybe three or four continuous sparks of colour making a line drawing of a shape and then changing to another one but then it would fade out into the black. There was nothing so profound or enlightening that I saw or felt or thought and after an hour and a half it seemed to get weaker still and Maestro was closer than before. He’d sounded very far away compared to the boat/chainsaw and the rain and jungle noises when he’d been performing his songs. He said I probably could’ve taken more but he didn’t recommend it now because I’d be up for hours longer. I was tired and the waves of hot and cold had landed on cold also from the wind and rain - at 11pm I pulled on my hoody but was still cold. Wild as I had been sweating the entire time since I’d landed in Iquitos airport. I wanted to lie down in bed but Segundo and Rodrigo were still tripping hard so I had to wait about another 20 minutes for them to come down enough to be able to walk back. The walk back was tricky, pouring rain and a slippery grass slope to climb over, Rodrigo also had to stop at a tree to throw up a lot. Once I got back to my room I felt almost completely lucid though. I tried to sleep but I was still seeing a few coloured sparks trying to draw outlines, I saw a house with a straw thatched roof on fire and others I couldn’t make out before I finally drifted off feeling restless and weak.

The experience was enjoyable, but I didn't feel the enlightenment I think I was expecting from it. I had requested a lesser dose from the Maestro as I was afraid. I would try ayahuasca again, and I would take a full dose, or even slightly more, now I am not afraid of it.

Myself and the shaman Maestro Alfredo

[chorusfm]

Frank Viele – “Mountains We Can Climb” (Video Premiere)

Today I’m thrilled to share with everyone a new acoustic video performance from Frank Viele called “Mountains We Can Climb.” On this heartfelt song, Frank Viele channels the best parts of rustic Americana music with veteran ease. Viele is currently on tour in support of the single, and the dates are below. I was also able to catch up with this talented songwriter for a brief interview below. Your new single “Mountains We Can Climb” has a distinctly jovial and romantic tone, referencing the journey that love can take two people on — what inspired you to write a track with such an overt message? This track is inspired by the realization that lives throughout my upcoming album. A realization that there’s something magical about meeting somebody special after you’ve fought so many of life’s challenges on your own. You think you’ve found your limitations, and then all of the sudden somebody else comes into your life and makes you realize that the heights that seemed impossible to you before now feel attainable. It’s this understanding of how two imperfect people can create a perfect world in each other’s eyes. It’s honestly, just coming to terms with what love really is. It’s not perfect, it’s not what the movies I grew up watching told me it was; it’s two people that see each other’s flaws in plain sight and say, “That’s okay, I love you and together we can go on some incredible adventures. And when times get tough, cause they always do, you’ll never have to face the world alone.” Really, in all sincerity, since I wrote the songs that became my Time Is A Thief EP back in 2021, I’ve been on this journey to understand life, purpose, humanity, and my place inside of it all.  And I think “Mountains We Can Climb” is a song that speaks to the importance and power of love inside of all of that. How does this new track introduce what’s to come in 2024 for you in a musical sense? Is there anything you can indulge about the future? This track is the 5th song that I’m releasing off my upcoming album. I’ve been releasing the songs one at a time starting a year ago with “Hearts We Left Behind.” The album will eventually come out in full form this year, but I felt that releasing many of these songs individually would allow listeners to truly absorb the songs in their entirety as they have a lot of layers to them lyrically and sonically. That said, “Mountains We Can Climb” may be my favorite song on the record. It represents where my writing has gone since my time in Muscle Shoals, and feels like one of those tracks that epitomizes the sound, essentially a modern approach to Heartland Rock, that I’ve been searching for the last few years. Additionally, you’re heading out on tour this month. What tracks of yours are you most excited to take on the road? I grew up following bands like The Dave Matthews Band on tour and I always tried my best to emulate that “no two shows are alike” mentality. But as 2023 closed out for me, I looked back on over 120 shows played that year and spent some time staring at my song catalog feeling as though writing and beginning to release this new record was somehow also breathing new life into my older songs. I’ve had new fans that discovered me last year touring with John Waite or Jeffrey Gaines and are now reaching out to me requesting I play B-sides off my first album at an upcoming show. Meanwhile, I’m saying to myself, “I’m not even sure if I remember how to play that tune.” But that’s the funny part about this journey, every show you play opens another door within the creative process. So to answer your question, I’m excited to play “Mountains We Can Climb” on this tour because I feel like it’s one that people are going to be able to sing along to. I also have some surprises up my sleeve for this run where I’ll be reaching back to a few of my earlier tunes as they’ve been speaking to me differently lately. --- Please consider becoming a member so we can keep bringing you stories like this one. ◎ https://chorus.fm/features/frank-viele-mountains-we-can-climb-video-premiere/

[ecsundance]

As We Speak: The Cruelty of Censorship

I have never been a huge fan of documentaries as I tend to find them a bit slow paced and jam packed with way too much information that I won’t be able to fully process until I read up on an article written about it. However, I have seen so many documentaries at this year’s Sundance Film Festival that my opinion on them has slowly started to shift. As We Speak, directed by J.M. Harper, was an absolutely game changer for me and whilst the theme of the film is something beyond interesting, I believe what truly sparked my interest was Harper’s unique and innovative style of documentary. The film follows Kemba, an up and coming rapper from the Bronx, and his journey in trying to find out why the rap genre and its lyrics is being criminalized on a global level. We watch as he travels to different cities across the country and even gets the opportunity to travel to the United Kingdom to see how drill music artists are being closely watched by government officials. As viewers, we are introduced to a handful of different characters who openly share what their experiences have been with this ongoing issue with outlawing song lyrics. 

I found the structure of the documentary to be so unique and unlike anything I had ever seen before. Harper makes sure to include several interviews that cover the basis of information needed, whilst also managing to incorporate narrative elements and archival footage. I felt that the narrative pieces implemented in the film aided so much in the viewer’s experience when it came to processing the information, as well as allowing Harper’s creative expression to flow freely. The cinematography was so insanely beautiful, I felt myself completely captivated by some of the shots while also keeping in mind how heavy the subject being explored was. In my opinion, Harper did an amazing job at putting together a film that discussed the harsh reality of some of these rappers whilst also highlighting the beauty of the genre and the stories of these individuals. 

As I mentioned earlier, the main idea for this documentary is the criminalization of rap lyrics and how they are able to be used in court by prosecutors, even if there is no concrete evidence to pinpoint the accused. A detail I found particularly interesting is the fact that some of these lyrics are completely taken out of context and rearranged in a way that makes the accused seem guilty. It absolutely baffles me how any of this is even legal, especially knowing that the majority of minority groups have different lingo that a person not associated with the culture could not possibly understand. In the film, the use of the phrase “make a killin’” is used, which quite literally translates to “to earn a lot of money in a short time and with little effort”, yet in the case of a particular rapper, it was perceived by the court as him saying that he had an urge to commit murder. It honestly feels so utterly ridiculous to type that out that it is baffling to think that this is an ongoing issue that has been going on for so long. To think that artistic expression can be criminalized, knowing that the first amendment right in the United States depicts the freedom of speech. 

I could honestly write about this subject matter and As We Speak for so much longer, but I think that the film does a way better job at covering the information and showing the truth about what is unfolding within the music industry and the drill music genre in general. J.M. Harper is such an incredible director and storyteller, I would recommend this film to everyone that is unaware of the criminalization of rap lyrics, especially with how little people know about it.

-Manu Delgado

[haechanniesunflowers]

Ateez being jealous

I left some of these open ended cause I might want to write a second part to this

Seonghwa

Your boyfriend had invited you over to watch him practice for an upcoming award show. The choreography was intense and it was hard to pull it off. He got rap parts for the song so that was the cherry on top. All he wanted was to show you how hard he was working and for you to be proud of him.

You met the rest of the boys through Seonghwa and supported them wholeheartedly. Unbeknownst to you, Seonghwa invited you for selfish purposes but you had eyes on all the members and cheered them on. That didn't sit well with Seonghwa.

Yeosang had the hardest part in the choreography and you cheered for him every time he executed those moves. What worsened things was that Seonghwa couldn't do his part the way he wanted to and that made him angry. When the head choreographer announced a break you came running to him but he didn't spare you a look.

"Seonghwa you did great!"

"hmm"

"don't overburden yourself, you'll get it right, I know it"

"can you leave?"

"what?"

"I can't concentrate with you cheering for everyone else, please leave"

Hongjoong

You finished your semester and to celebrate, Hongjoong invited you over to have a little pizza party, just the two of you, since the other members had schedules. He was alone in the dorms when you came. It was a wholesome date, snuggles, pizza and netflix. Some time later he showed you the piece he was working on for a rap song him and Mingi were planning to release.

You praised him and gave him feedback. Hongjoong was the happiest. He was about to kiss you when Mingi walked through the front door and entered the living room. You were really close with him so he came in for a hug which you gladly returned. You then asked him to show you his rap verse and he did. You were a huge Mingi fan and everyone in Ateez knew that. So you unconsciously praised him more than you did Hongjoong, which didn't sit well with him. He held his breath and didn't cause a scene because 1) he knew you were supportive of the members and 2) Mingi was his and your friend and an outburst from Hongjoong would hurtyou both.

He controlled his feelings and became quiet which didn't go unnoticed by Mingi. Sensing that his friend was spacing out he excused himself, patted his shoulder and mouthed an 'I'm sorry' before leaving for his room.

Yunho

He had been wanting to see this movie with you but didn't get the chance to tell you because of his busy schedule. He knew you'd love it and all he wanted was for you to be happy. When he was done with album promotions and got a day off, he got the perfect chance to meet you for a movie date before going to his home town. So he came to your apartment. You were very excited to see him and wouldn't stop hugging him. You guys talked about random things and you told him what you were up to while he was busy.

"I really really missed you that day Yunho, I missed you so much I called my friends and cried to them about how much I miss you. So they came over and we went out. We went to KFC and had ice-cream from McDonald's later. Oh and then we went to see this new movie that came out. It was really good, you should watch it too. I'm very thankful to my friends for taking me out that day, the food and movie made me feel really better."

When Yunho heard you talking about the same movie he was about to ask you to see with him, he felt devastated. He didn't want to, but he got sensitive about it and felt bad.

"you could've called me, I would have taken you to see that movie."

"but I didn't want to disturb you, you were so busy doing your thing."

"didn't want to disturb me? or didn't want to see the movie with me? and rather see it with your friends."

"what's so wrong with seeing the movie with my friends? And you're the one who set this rule about not meeting up for dates while you were promoting."

"it was just a movie, I could've made time to take you to see it!"

You were silent for a moment.

"you're right Yunho, it's just a movie."

Yunho caught on with the hurt in your tone but was too clouded by his jealousy that he didn't stop there.

"maybe you should go out more often with Robin then." he said knowing Robin was nothing more than a close friend to you.

"Robin is my friend and you know that."

"sure. Didn't we start as friends too."

Your jaw dropped at his words.

"I'm out of here." he said in an annoyed tone and got up to leave. You followed him and tried stopping him.

"you're doing all this just because I watched that movie with my friends and not you?"

"I'm doing all this because your friends care about you more than I could, so why not get out of your way and make things easier for you." he said and slammed the door shut.

Yeosang

You visited their dorms to see Yeosang because he wasn't feeling well. He worked out too hard and his body was sore so you came to tend to him until he felt like he could move his body without discomfort. He was on his bed and you sat on the chair. He moved a little and you immediately got up to hold his hand.

"hey don't move, tell me what it is."

"it's okay I just needed water, I can reach for the glass."

"let me do it Yeosang, just stay still for now."

He had heart eyes and was thankful for you. You lifted his head and brought the glass to his lips. You gently rested his head back on the pillow and were about to get up when he grabbed your hand.

"I need something."

"what is it?"

"give me a kiss."

"oh God Yeosang! Do the guys know how cheesy you tend to get?"

"they don't need to know." he smiled.

You placed your hand on his chest and lowered yourself to kiss him but were interrupted by Wooyoung suddenly entering the room. You moved away from Yeosang but he still had a grip on your arm. Wooyoung stomped to his bed and sat with his head in his hands. Yeosang nudged you to bring your attention back to him but you were worried for Wooyoung. Yeosang let go of your arm when you turned to look at his friend.

"hey is everything okay?" you asked.

"no" Wooyoung answered. You got up before Yeosang could grab your arm again and sat next to Wooyoung, patting his back.

"what's up? you can tell me."

"she was cheating on me with my friend." he said with a shaky voice, wiping his tears.

Yeosang scoffed, earning a glare from you. He wanted to comfort his friend in a time like this but he acted on his jealousy instead. He wanted you to sit next to him and not Wooyoung.

"didn't I tell you she was faking it? didn't I tell you she loved Yedam and not you? but you were just too in love to listen to me."

"Yeosang!" you warned him.

Wooyoung lifted his head to look at Yeosang, showing his red tear stained face. Yeosang looked unfazed and stared back at him, now sitting up on his bed. You didn't help him up, too annoyed with the way he was reacting to his friend's horrid break up.

You made Wooyoung face you instead and squeezed his shoulder.

"good riddance. You don't need someone who would look at other men when she had you. Be thankful that you got out of this."

Wooyoung whimpered at your words. You wanted to hug him but you knew it wasn't right so you gestured for Yeosang to comfort him. He scoffed again and you mouthed for him to do it or else. Yeosang hissed a little while getting up, his body still sore.

"I'll leave you two to talk about this, while I get ice-cream for Wooyoung to cheer him up."

"thanks y/n, I appreciate it." Wooyoung said.

Yeosang looked at you in disbelief.

San

You and San made it official so it was time to formally introduce him to your best friends. They knew you were seeing a guy who was very loving and caring and had a very kind heart. They were very happy for you because he was the first man you dated in a long time after breaking up with your toxic ex boyfriend 6 years ago. They arranged a surprise party for him and it was just San, you and your three best friends, Stella, Mia and Eric.

You picked him up from his place and drove to the location your friends sent you. San was excited and nervous, something you knew he would feel because he wanted your friends to like him. When you got there he was a little flustered to see the surprise, a separate table for 5 people, drinks already on the table and pretty wall hangings. You squeezed his hand and walked to them. They met you two and congratulated you both. San flashed his bright smile, showing his dimples. Your friends teased you about how handsome he was, making him shy. He was a gentleman and it showed by how he treated you all.

You introduced them individually and they noticed how San didn't shake hands with Stella and Mia and instead put his hand on his chest and bowed politely. When you introduced Eric to him, they revealed that they used to be classmates from grade 6th to 8th before San's parents moved to another city because of his dad's job. They shook hands and San felt a little weird about how he slightly squeezed his hand, making him lock eyes with him. He saw the look in his eyes and it made him uncomfortable. San didn't want to think about it and disregarded it as something in his head.

While talking and having food, San noticed how Eric would talk to you about old times, as if showing off how close you two were. It made him very jealous but he didn't act on it and acted like it didn't bother him.

Eric decided to test the waters and brought up a particular topic.

"so San, how long did it take you to build that muscle? I remember you used to be skinny as hell!" he joked.

You knew San was insecure about his past self and that's why he worked so hard to earn his toned and buff body. You knew Eric was only joking so you didn't interfere.

"haha well I... I became very active in junior year in college and I got these muscles after practicing dancing every day for 4 years"

"damn you went to college skinny?"

Although Eric was joking, nobody liked the joke and before you say something, Mia spoke first.

"what's wrong with being skinny?"

Eric started snickering, "nothing, I just meant that San looked like a kid when he was skinny."

"you went to college with that attitude and that awful haircut, who're you telling what they looked like." you defended your boyfriend who could only laugh at this point. Eric laughed about it and then the subject was changed.

San could feel Eric glaring at him but he chose to ignore him and focused on you.

Mingi

Mingi was headover heals for you the moment he saw you but you didn't like him like that. He saw that but worked hard to get you to notice him. You did notice him and thought he was hot but you didn't see him as a suitable partner for you so you let him be. Mingi, however, was determined to get you to like him so he came to the cafe you worked at, whenever he was free. One time it was raining and you were not that busy since people weren't coming in because of the rain. It gave you time to sit back and relax and it wasn't your turn to clean the counters and tables so you sat at one of the tables and watched the rain peacefully. You heard the bell jingle, signalling someone had come in. You immediately got up to get to your station. You didn't expect to see Mingi there, setting his umbrella in a corner and coming to the counter with a smile on his face. He ordered two coffee cups and two fudge brownies. You perceived that he had to meet someone here. After paying for it, he sat at the table and waited for his order to come. When your coworker placed it on the tray, you took it and served it at his table. Mingi thanked you and smiled warmly. You got back to your station and watched as he sat quietly, not touching the food. After about 5 minutes Mingi called for a waiter and your coworker went to him. He asked her if people came in this weather to which she replied that the cafe was usually empty when it rained heavily so they weren't expecting customers and Mingi was probably the last customer of the day. He thanked her and she returned to her station. Mingi came to the counter after her.

"hey y/n? I uh asked your coworker and she said probably no one's going to come so I was wondering if you would uh maybe want to have coffee with me?"

You could tell he was nervous.

"your date didn't show up?" you teased, making Mingi's eyes widen.

"no no it's not like that. I was hoping you could be my date today haha I ordered the other coffee and brownie for you."

You thought it was cute of him and your coworker said she'll take the orders if anyone comes in so you accepted his request.

You talked with Mingi over warm food and got to know that he's actually a really sweet and intelligent guy, contrary to what you thought of him to be a dumb guy with accidental hot looks. Mingi enjoyed your company too. He was talking about the song he was working on when another coworker came out from the staff room and walked over to the table when he saw you there with Mingi. He tapped your shoulder to get your attention.

"slacking are we?" he asked.

"what's it to you? Go back to your rat hole and let me be."

"it's lonely in there." he fake pouted. You were annoyed. He sometimes tried flirting with you but you never showed interest. Mingi saw the exchange and was jealous of the dude.

"come on I'm waiting for you." the guy tried again.

"I think it's pretty clear she doesn't want to tag along so why don't you leave her alone buddy." Mingi sternly said. The guy had no choice but to leave.

You were thankful for Mingi's help, even though you would have easily told him off too, but something about Mingi doing it made you feel butterflies.

"I've seen his kind, they just don't know when to stop. Just smack him in the head next time he tries something." Mingi said making you giggle.

He felt accomplished to have made you laugh and deep down was dying to get your number.

Wooyoung

Wanting to pick up another style of dancing, Wooyoung enrolled himself in a dance academy. Aside from ATEEZ's activities, he really wanted to learn this style.

It was particularly hard for him to grasp so he spent any free time he got at the academy, practicing. 6 months in, he got close to a few people in the academy but he had no time to spare. He was determined to get it right this time around so he decided to stay until they told him to leave. After much hard work he got a hang of it so he took a little break to rest his body in order to dance again. He was passing by one of the classes he was drawn to the music and peeked through the glass door and saw a young woman in the dimly lit room, dancing the same dance he was learning. Her dance lines were flawless and she moved effortlessly. Wooyoung was blown away and couldn't resist going inside.

"wow you're amazing" he complimented, after the music stopped. He clapped for her.

She thanked him but hadn't faced him yet, she instead walked towards her laptop and played another track and danced to it. Wooyoung still hadn't seen her face but was absolutely hooked to the way she was dancing.

He watched attentively as she danced perfectly. He wanted to dance like that too. When she stopped and sat down to catch her breath, Wooyoung clapped for her again and went to hand her a bottle of juice. She finally turned to look at him. Wooyoung felt his chest tighten, finding it hard to breathe. He felt weak in the knees. She took the bottle from him and thanked him. Wooyoung sat beside her, pupils dilated. She'd be lying to herself if she said he had no effect on her. She felt giddy and warm by his gesture, not to mention he was hot too.

"can you teach me that dance some time?" he asked.

Seeing this as an opportunity to get to know him better she nodded.

Wooyoung smiled widely, "I'm Wooyoung by the way."

"oh I'm Senna." she smiled back. They sat in awkward silence, tension thick. Someone came inside and switched on the lights.

"damn it Senna I was gonna ask you to dance with me for the duo performance!" he whined. He looked like he was close to her and that made him unhappy and jealous.

"huh?" Senna was confused.

"wait you didn't pair up with him for the duo performance?"

Before Senna could tell him no, Wooyoung answered first.

"yeah she was showing me the dance just now."

Senna looked to Wooyoung but he kept up his act.

"come on we have to get this right." he said, holding her hand.

Jongho

Being the reserved person he is, he didn't find it easy to mingle with his colleagues in the kpop industry. He was too shy to walk up to people and introduce himself. He felt he was hopeless and would be the rich single uncle to his members' children in the future. He talked about this with Seonghwa and Hongjoong. They advised him to put his walls down and let someone in. He struggled with it still. One day they were practicing for their dance performance for Ateez's 7 year anniversary. Seonghwa was suffering in silence with Wooyoung and San messing around with him. He noticed a female bb trippin dancer occasionally glancing towards Jongho. Seeing the chance he escaped from the torment and went to talk to Jongho. He subtly brought Jongho closer to her and seized the opportunity.

"hey y/n we saw your performance video, I think it was really cool. Your technique is amazing. Don't you think Jongho."

"haha yeah I uh think it was really good. You're very talented."

"thank you." she said and bowed.

"I'll leave you two to it, maybe you could talk about common interests." Seonghwa said and took his leave. Jongho and y/n started talking and over time became comfortable. They met at every dance practice and grew closer. They exchanged numbers with Seonghwa's help and hit it off from there. They would meet within the company and have little 7/11 dates.

Y/N invited Jongho to watch her performance at bb trippin's dance studio. Jongho went with Seonghwa. Y/N was a passionate dancer and it showed. Her moves were clean and sharp. Jongho felt proud. There was one performance where y/n danced with a male dancer. Their chemistry was excellent and everyone cheered them in. Jongho felt jealous and looked away, clenching his jaw. Seonghwa noticed this and tried soothing him.

"it's only a performance Jongho." he smiled warmly.

Jongho broke out of his trance and listened to Seonghwa's words.

"you're right hyung, it's only a dance."

He understood that she was his and one performance won't mean otherwise.

[goonification]

yungi smut

[18+] Mingi gets hard before stages and has no idea why. Neither does Yunho but he’s happy to help.

The fast-paced voice of a MC echoed through the hallways over a loudspeaker to introduce the lineup for the night’s show. No one was listening too carefully though to the tinny voice, as the livestream usually only acted as a reminder that, in the same building, the Music Bank stage was soon to be lively with performances for the next 90 minutes. It wasn’t uncommon for the muffled sounds of the host to be overshadowed by the busy chatter of stressed out staff and excited idols, donning various elaborate and colourful outfits. 

It was less than an hour until Ateez were supposed to be rounded up and ushered to the wings of the stage, prepared to give the nth performance of their most recent comeback.

While most idols we’re counting down the minutes to their upcoming stages, Mingi was rushing back to his group’s green room, hoping to god it was empty.

He scuttled through the crowds, politely bowing at passing staff and tucking behind ongoing interviews to not draw attention to himself. A lanky, 6ft man with a hand on his crotch lumbering through the background of someone’s acrostic poem segment would be bound to draw the wrong kind of online attention.

Hand grasping the doorknob of their assigned green room with relief, the sounds of the hallways were snuffed with the thick door shutting behind him. 

He gave the space a quick once-over, falling at ease when he found it seemingly empty. With the room barren of members or staff, Mingi pressed his back to the door as a makeshift lock and shamelessly dropped his pants below his waist.

This wasn’t an uncommon scenario.

There are plenty of different ways that the human body can react to a stressful situation. Some people overthink to the point of a headache. Others have physical reactions, like shaking or sweating. Some people even feel faint or collapse.

However, Song Mingi got boners. Plain and simple. He doesn’t know why it happens. Often, he doesn’t even know when it’ll happen. 

The regularity of stage fright had faded away to a fear of the past. With the exception of the occasional special stage, Mingi typically didn’t get stressed out over every individual performance but, for some godforsaken reason, his body seemed to know what a pre-show countdown sounded like and reacted regardless. 

Nervous or not, popping a semi backstage was a shamefully familiar feeling for Mingi. He was well aware that there had been a couple of fancams where his half-hard cock made far more of an appearance than he wanted and, determined to not repeat history if he could help it, intended to try de-escalating his problem before stepping foot on stage this time.

Mingi looked down at his dick, standing fully upright.

It was mocking him.

Frustrated at his situation, Mingi furrowed his brow, scowling at his penis before feeling grateful that no one saw him do that. Nothing like a healthy dose of random horniness to cloud every crevice of his brain with a layer of fog, stopping him from thinking rationally. 

He collected his composure with a deep breath, using his knees to pinning his pants at his mid-thigh in case someone entered unexpectedly, and got to work.

A large hand wrapped around the proportionately large shaft and began to pump, so quickly in fact that his whole body lurched forward at the sudden relief. It wasn’t long before his knees instinctively spread and baggy pants fell to his ankles. There was no use picking them back up. Not a minute could be wasted. The door behind him could open at any second. With his very noticeable presence missing, someone was bound to be looking for him to reunite him with his members.

Mingi didn’t know how much time he had. A few drops of spit and a dab of precum was all he could gather as lube, forcing him to slow down his pace to avoid discomfort. Mingi whined. He knew this wouldn’t take long at all if he was back in the dorms with his usual creamy lotion or the constant flow of a soapy shower to keep his length slick.

He could practically hear the threat of a ticking clock in his head. The bustling sounds of people on the other side of the door weren’t helping. The MC’s voice echoed again, saying something about a commercial break, probably the first of several. He was desperate to fix his problem fast and would need to try something different.

A shaky second hand joined the first, holding it steady as his hips took on the task instead. The closed tunnel of his fist stopped the air from drying away his precious moisture, allowing for a more comfortable friction than before.

“Ah-” Mingi couldn’t stop the escape of a single low moan as he fucked his hand, balls slapping against his curled fingers and stretched wrist with each thrust.

It felt good, definitely better. But he was still too distracted. While his new technique was undoubtedly more successful than the first, his brain was still going a mile a minute with the looming reminder of the risk he was taking. His hands were shaking, needing to readjust their grip every few seconds. 

Mingi didn’t want to cry; he had just had his makeup done. Yet, still, every shaky slip of his hands was contributing to a growing frustration. 

It was becoming more difficult to keep quiet. Mingi was being assaulted with the buildup of both dull pleasure and throbbing pain and needed some way to express it. Small grunts were turning into breathy moans, low and long, to try to keep the sounds contained in the room.

Suddenly, even through welling tears, his eyes caught sight of a slight movement caught in one of the dressing room mirrors. What Mingi assumed were just piles of jackets on a couch began to shift, before he noticed the pant legs of a stage outfit, matching the one Mingi was currently “wearing”, donned on a long set of legs. A pair of large boots stuck upright off the end of the couch.

“You’re terrible at staying quiet.” Yunho’s familiar voice spoke out from under the pile before he threw a heavy jacket off of his head, exposing his tired face in the reflection of the mirror. He was basically eye-level with Mingi’s cock.

“Ah, what the fuck!” Mingi shouted, trying and failing to pull up his pants. In that moment, he silently cursed the stylists for always putting him in the baggiest outfits. He repeated his expletive of choice. “What the fuck were you doing under there?”

Yunho squinted tightly, shaking his head as his eyesight adjusted to the harsh fluorescent light of the room. “I had a headache and couldn’t find the light switch.”

“Oh.” Mingi stood dumbfounded and beet-red. Yunho was as giant as he was and it wasn’t like he was exactly hidden. He mentally scolded himself for not checking the room better before fully exposing himself, accidentally baring his entire cock and balls to his friend.

“I knew you were horny earlier!” Yunho exclaimed, like it was his own personal victory for guessing correctly. “You were all bouncy and quiet during stage rehearsal. Kinda like before you take your extra long showers. Always before the stages too, huh? Why is that?”

Mingi shrugged. He didn’t know what to say. He especially didn’t know that Yunho was so attentive to his behaviour. It made him think back to every time he busted what he thought was a secret nut but maybe he wasn’t so private after all.

It was a lot of information to take in with his pants around his ankles. He had so many questions. Mingi started with an easy one. “Why didn’t you say anything when I came in here? I would’ve stopped.”

“Honestly, I thought you were here to get me.” Yunho was fixing his hair at the mirror, composing himself while stealing occasional glances of Mingi’s cock in the reflection. “At least, until I heard you all -” He mocked the deep timbre of Mingi’s voice and moaned comically. Painfully to Mingi, even the unflattering imitation made his exposed dick twitch. He hoped to god Yunho was too busy laughing at him to tell.

Noticing the shift in posture, Yunho offered some comfort, not wanting his friend to feel too embarrassed. “I didn’t mind. Really.”

“But why did you scare me like that?” Mingi’s embarrassment shifted to anger. Yunho’s logic wasn’t making any sense and Mingi still didn’t have a plan for how he was going to get his dick down.

Yunho avoided the question. “How long until we go on?”

“Huh?” Without context, the request went right over Mingi’s head.

“Fine, I’ll look for myself.” Yunho raised an eyebrow before checking a nearby phone. “Forty seven minutes until our stage? That’s tons of time.” 

The tension on Mingi’s face unwravled with a small ounce of relief. The events of what felt like hours of pure frustration likely took place over a mere thirty seconds. He just needed to be reminded.

Still, the reality was that Mingi was rock hard and not as alone as he thought. As one problem disappeared, another became even more prominent. Yunho made his way towards Mingi and the door, hopefully to leave the room, and pretend he saw nothing. 

Even in that best case scenario, Mingi wasn’t sure if he could ever recover from the mortification of what just happened.

Wanting to drop the hint and give Yunho better access to the door, Mingi shifted to the side, movement restricted from the pants still pooled around his legs and too ashamed to pick them up.

However, Yunho didn’t turn towards the door. He instead turned his attention towards Mingi, who had backed himself into a corner. They were uncomfortably close considering the fact that Mingi’s lower half was fully nude.

Yunho smiled stupidly as though the confusion on Mingi’s face was unwarranted. “What? You were struggling to get off, right?”

“Yes...” Mingi admitted, still confused over what exactly his friend was doing. “It was that obvious?”

“Believe me, I know what it sounds like when you’re getting off. What I just heard sounded like a struggle to me.” Yunho never broke eye contact with Mingi. There was a glint of joy in his eyes as he explained his thought process, while never actually revealing his intentions.

Everything he said only raised even more questions. So many that Mingi didn’t have the brain capacity to sort through. Right now, he was more curious why Yunho had him cornered in their dressing room. 

“Mingi,” Yunho uttered his name as though he was scolding him with endearment. Telling him off for being so apparently stupid even thought Mingi thought his confusion was very much justified. “Do you want me to help you?”

Yunho wanted to jerk him off? Mingi thought he had heard wrong.

On first thought, it would fix both problems at once and still leave time to spare, even if the idea of his friend touching his dick would leave Mingi with a whole new slew of questions to plague him until they got back to their dorms. That is, if Yunho would even want to talk about it.

Mingi was getting ahead of himself. He needed to answer the question first.

He kept thinking, pushing through his stress and arousal to conduct a clear thought. Yunho was handsome. He was always clean and smelled good, and liked holding hands with Mingi. Though his qualifications were sparse, Mingi was almost surprised at just how unopposed he was to the idea of Yunho helping him cum. After all, that’s all it would be, right? A friend helping out a friend.

“C’mon, you’ll feel so much better afterwards. I don’t like seeing you in pain.” Yunho pouted as he got closer to Mingi’s face. He was being sweet. Buttering the other boy up without knowing that it wouldn’t even take any convincing to get him to agree.

If only Mingi could answer the damn question. All he could muster up was the confidence for a moment of warm eye contact and a gentle nod.

It was signal enough for Yunho, who leaned in for a hesitant kiss. Mingi’s puffy lips were already parted and set to lock with his own. As they brushed against each other, Yunho’s tongue peaked out, sliding over Mingi’s bottom lip and making him shudder before dipping inside his gaped mouth. 

The gap between them closed even further when the fabric of Yunho’s pant leg accidentally brushed over Mingi’s hard cock, which was poking out and occupying most of the space between them. Mingi moaned into Yunho’s mouth, a gentle reminder that they had a goal to achieve.

“Mmm. No more,” Yunho sighed with regret. He pulled back as Mingi stupidly chased his lips in a daze. “We need to be quick, remember?” 

“But you don’t need to see your hands to jerk me off.” Mingi pouted comically, trying to convince him to return to their greedy kiss. He didn’t expect to enjoy kissing Yunho that much and was wondering if it could turn into a hobby of theirs.

Yunho simply chuckled, obviously knowing more than Mingi about his plans for his mouth. After a breathy “huh?” Yunho took the cue to drop to the floor.

Mingi froze. He was expecting a steady hand to help jerk him to completion at the most but this was so much more. The sight of Yunho on his knees, locked upright so he could keep his face raised inches from Mingi’s cock was making his head throb in more ways than one.

He watched as Yunho’s eyes darted around, carefully examining every inch of him as fast as possible. If he knew Yunho was going to be that close and personal with his junk, Mingi would have shaved that morning. 

“I knew you were big but, damn.” Yunho’s vision stayed locked on to Mingi’s shaft. His eyes were wide and his lips were parted. He looked just as needy as he felt.

“I mean, you don’t have to go d-” Mingi couldn’t even provide an alternative, let alone finish his sentence before Yunho’s tongue was curling itself around his head, soaking his cock with a sudden warmth. Mingi’s hand flew to the wall, then his thigh and, finally, Yunho's hair, needing to grab a fistful of something to keep him steady.

Yunho tilted his chin, relaxing into Mingi’s touch and exposing the length of his neck towards the ceiling. Still, he stayed connected via his tongue. Mingi gulped loudly at the sight of Yunho’s throat swallowing, which was suddenly looking very empty to him.

The soft stimulation prompted beads of creamy white to escape from Mingi’s cock, directly onto the flat surface of Yunho’s tongue. He moaned at the taste and vibrations surrounded Mingi’s stirring cock head. Embarrassingly and against his will, Mingi pushed forward a bit, cock sliding across Yunho’s tongue and spreading the pre-cum all over the wet muscle.

“Sorry.” Mingi sheepishly apologized as he returned his hips to where they were before but, to his surprise, Yunho bobbed his head. He artificially repeated the motion over and over until the entirety of the cock’s head was trapped inside Yunho’s mouth. His tongue was running indulgent laps as it circled the pulsing tip.

Mingi was a panting mess. He wasn’t sure if he should speak. Should he tell Yunho how it felt? Would that be too much?

It was then that Yunho’s gaze flickered up to make eye contact with Mingi. His eyes were glossy as though he was stuck in that moment. Mingi’s stomach did a flip at the sight. He was waiting for Mingi’s approval.

“It feels good, you know?” Mingi whispered as the fist in Yunho’s hair released to scratch at his scalp. Mingi didn’t exactly sound confident but Yunho could tell the words were genuine considering how the other boy was falling apart above him. The upper half of Yunho’s face lit up with a would-be smile at the praise.

Meanwhile, his mouth stayed open wide, lips surrounding Mingi’s cock with a gentle suction, before pushing forward slowly. Yunho didn’t look away, not even once, as Mingi watched his cock disappear inch by inch inside his friend's mouth.

“Jesus, Yunho...” He hissed as more of his shaft was coated with the slippery friction from Yunho’s spit.

Yunho was only two inches from fully swallowing Mingi’s cock before he came to a halt. As he paused, he shifted with discomfort on his knees. The breathing from his nose became more erratic, puffs of warm air bouncing off of Mingi’s pelvis. It was clear he had reached his limit. Even while he couldn’t get Mingi’s dick all the way down, his determination was admirable. Cute, even. It was especially impressive considering Mingi presumed it was Yunho’s first time doing this. 

Mingi dropped his hand to fall behind Yunho’s ear, rubbing his neck with a long thumb. Not experienced with dominant dirty talk, he merely offered a simple smile to let him know it was okay to retreat.

When Yunho began to pull back, Mingi caught sight of a bulge in his throat deflating as his dick reappeared. The thought of being that deep inside any of Yunho’s holes made him shudder with excitement.

Less than a second of the cold dressing room air had cruelly returned before Mingi’s dick was throbbing with need again. The shaft was a reddened, slobbery mess as Yunho cupped him against his hands before returning his mouth to the leaking tip.

Now, when Yunho bobbed down on the cock, his movements were more confident, knowing his limits and puffing up with pride over his abilities. Once he reached the checkpoint, he twisted two slippery hands over the base to make up the difference, fully covering Mingi’s large cock in one way or another.

This time, when Yunho pulled back, he tried sucking in his cheeks. He was so concentrated on making Mingi feel good, eyebrows furrowed in a way Mingi would’ve thought was adorable had the air not been just knocked out of his lungs by the new sensation of suction inside Yunho’s mouth.

Yunho never let the tip leave his lips before taking the entire shaft deep into his mouth again, producing extra spit only to suck it up again when he pulled back. It was clear he was enjoying himself discovering his newfound talent. 

Not as much as Mingi was enjoying himself.

The feeling was unlike anything Mingi had ever experienced. Yunho’s mouth was like being surrounded by an always-moving, sopping-wet warmth. The boy on his knees took the term ‘sucking’ dick very literally. Wet and sloppy sounds echoed through the tiny room as Yunho slurped at his cock. 

Mingi was fully collapsed against the wall at this point, fighting gravity to keep himself standing. His moans were deep, guttural and spurring Yunho to move even faster, knowing that Mingi must be close. 

He was. Mingi was seconds away from cumming and already panicking over where he was going to finish. As pretty as he would be covered in streaks of white, Yunho was already in his stage clothes and makeup, ruling out that option. Alternatively, it wasn’t like Mingi could just leave a puddle of his release on the green room floor. The clock was ticking and Mingi didn’t have any alternatives left.

Yunho, more intuitive than Mingi was aware of, must’ve sensed his panic. He looked up at Mingi as though he was trying to tell him something, eventually slowing his neck’s momentum to a standstill and grabbed his attention.

As Mingi’s eyes were full of panic, Yunho eased his fears with a small nod of approval, motions mostly restricted by his throat accommodating the deep curve of Mingi’s cock. Yunho’s eyes were glistening with tears but dark with determination. He was ready to let Mingi take over.

Mingi whimpered, clawing at the wall as he realized what Yunho was telling him. 

“In your mouth? Are you sure?”

A gurgle escaped from the back of Yunho’s throat as he pushed his limits even further, allowing the cock to sit the deepest it had been. Despite his gagging, his actions were entirely permissive, knowing he wouldn’t have to endure the pain for long before Mingi would finish.

Dormant hips sprung into motion, sliding back at first and dragging his cock along the inside of Yunho’s mouth. Strings of thick saliva followed the path, dripping from Yunho’s bruised lips. Carelessly, Mingi’s ass hit the wall with a thud with how roughly he fucked backwards, making Yunho wince in preparation for him to return.

When his hips snapped forward, it wasn’t as bad as Yunho expected. Sure, Mingi was rough in his desperation but the slickness of collected spit gave the cock a smooth re-entrance past Yunho’s lips, into his mouth, and down into his raw throat. Yunho couldn’t help but moan as he felt himself loosen up to accommodate, hoping that the sound got concealed beneath the low sounds of Mingi’s own pleasure.

Mingi fucked his willing mouth again and again, inching just a little deeper each time whether he knew it or not.

“Yunho. Feels good.” Mingi grunted out, unable to conceive proper sentences as his vision was flashing white with fast growing pleasure. “So good. Fuck.”

With the added motion of Mingi’s thrusts, those final two inches that he couldn’t quite conquer seemed like a task from forever ago, Yunho’s throat gladly opening itself up to accommodate until Mingi’s cock was buried completely. It wasn’t long until his nose was bumping against a set of abs.

Ready to be emptied, Mingi’s heavy balls smacked against Yunho’s chin with each greedy snap of his hips. It should’ve been humiliating but Yunho found himself arching into the motions. It felt good to have Mingi use him.

Yunho kept his needy gaze up at Mingi, watching the way his mouth fell agape and the muscles in his jaw clenched. His chest was heaving as he got closer and closer to completion. The sight inspired Yunho to work through the increasing soreness to help Mingi succumb to his pleasure.

“Ah!” Mingi yelled loudly and abruptly, followed by several softer stutters. His hips suddenly began to jerk in a rhythmless pattern he couldn’t quite control and then the first hot spurt of cum splashed against the back of Yunho’s throat. The second erupted into the cavern of his mouth as Mingi fell back further, shaking with pleasure.

Yunho hollowed his cheeks, not allowing Mingi to retreat any more and trapping the twitching cock inside his mouth. He sucked deeply and used the rest of his energy to relax the entire length of his throat and milk Mingi’s shaft until he was empty.

Mingi’s head fell back in awe as Yunho’s tongue lapped every last drop of cum that emerged from the hole on his tip. He was going above and beyond at this point, the aftershocks of Mingi’s orgasm already starting to subside.

“You can stop if you want.” Mingi’s voice was shaky, hoping Yunho wouldn’t take him up on the offer. The gentle warmth felt nice against his softening cock, easing him back to reality gradually instead of all at once.

“Mm, I probably should, shouldn’t I?” Yunho croaked out against his dick, giving the tip one final kiss before letting it fall limp against Mingi’s thigh.

They paused for a brief moment to catch their breath. Mingi dropped a hand to Yunho’s shoulder, giving it a soft massage as a thanks. “Are you okay?” 

Yunho tried to answer but, at first, the words got caught on their way out. Clearing his throat, Yunho choked out a laugh at the discovery of how raw his throat was. “It’s a good thing I didn’t plan to sing live tonight.”

Mingi giggled at the half-joke before yanking up his oversized pants, needing both hands to hold the flowy fabric up so they wouldn’t fall again. Kindly, Yunho helped him tuck the now satisfied cock away before zipping up his fly.

“You know you might have less of a problem if you just wore underwear?” Yunho poked roughly at the downsized but still prominent bulge in Mingi’s pants.

“But it’s uncomfy.” Mingi whined, clearly more willing to go the lengths of jerking off before a performance rather than just wear another layer. Tired and needing to conserve his energy, Yunho rolled his eyes and found another spare phone to check the time. He clicked on the homescreen with little care for the fact that one of their fellow member’s phones was currently being contaminated with Mingi’s dick particles.

“Was that really only ten minutes?” Yunho’s eyes widened at the screen and Mingi went red in the cheeks. “Guess I’m pretty good at that, huh?”

“Yeah. You could say that…” Mingi nodded, getting shy again as the realization set in that his best friend’s lips were just around his cock and they were already back to business as usual. That is, if they didn’t count how disheveled they both looked from the aftermath. Mingi ruffled his hair back to look as close as possible to how the stylists left it.

Not having too much time to dwell on what their new experience meant for their friendship, a loud knock on the door made both boys jump out of their skin. The knock was only a warning as the hinges creaked and the door swung wide, trapping Mingi behind it.

Panicked and then relieved, Mingi stumbled against a plastic knob on the wall, the room falling into darkness just in time for someone to enter the doorway.

“Yunho, are you in here?” Hongjoong’s voice carried through the small room until he saw Yunho by the mirror, hopefully only looking like he woke up from the best nap of his life and nothing else. Definitely nothing else…

“Hey, what are you doing in the dark?”  Luckily, he couldn’t see Mingi. His voice continued. “And why are you on my phone?”

Mingi cringed when Hongjoong snatched the phone back and placed it on the counter. He thankfully had no idea where Yunho’s hands had just been and he would probably never find out.

“Just checking the time.” Yunho replied nonchalantly, rubbing at his jaw.

“Yes, we’re on soon!” Hongjoong sounded excited. Enthusiastic about even the task of coraling up his fellow members for their performance. He seemed too distracted to notice Yunho dabbing away at his lips to clean himself off.

He patted Yunho on the back for encouragement before turning to leave out the open door. “Can you find Mingi on your way back too? We don’t know where he is.”

“Sure thing, Hyung!” Yunho did a goofy salute, playing the clueless role with ease as he bid Hongjoong farewell out of the room. The door slammed shut, leaving both Yunho and Mingi in the pitch dark.

“Hey Yunho,” Mingi whispered loudly, as though the darkness would make it harder to hear.

“Hm?” Yunho’s boots squeaked as he turned to face the voice.

“I think I found the light switch.”

.

.

.

[blu-joons]

The Fan Meet ~ Lee Minhyuk

He could never quite put his finger on what it was that set off his heart as soon as he saw you walk into the venue for the fan meet. Perhaps it was how oblivious you were to his attention whilst you queued, patiently waiting your turn to meet the individual members.

“It’s lovely to meet you,” Hyunsik smiled, the first of the members to greet you as you were invited onto the stage. “What’s your name?” He asked, taking your photocard and signing his signature.

“It’s Y/N,” you whispered back to him, watching his hand carefully as he wrote each individual character of your name with plenty of care. “Thank you for hosting an event like this for your fans today, it really does mean a lot.”

“It’s thanks to all of your support that we can do these things.”

Your head nodded, “I’ll always be cheering for you guys with everything.”

As the corners of his mouth turned up into a smile, and his eyes narrowed until they were barely visible, you couldn’t help but feel your cheeks begin to brighten. You quickly took the card before Hyunsik noticed and moved onto the next member.

Peniel was the next to write over your card, signing just underneath his face on the image. “I’m running a poll with the fans today, so I want to know what your favourite song is?”

“Any song that has your rap in it.”

His eyes widened with a loud chuckle, extending his hand out for you to high five in response to your answer. You cautiously reached out, knowing just how clammy your hands were with nerves, thankful that Peniel had been so kind to ignore that about you.

“Maybe you could have a word with the company to get them to feature my raps more often.”

“All of you guys deserve to feature equally,” you replied, aware that the next member was also listening into your conversation. “But no one will be able to rap like you can, don’t worry.”

“That was a good answer,” he acknowledged, sliding your photo card along the table, “although, for my own ego, can we just agree that I’m your favourite member of BTOB?”

Your head nodded, rolling your eyes as he leant closer towards you. “Don’t worry, at least for whilst I’m speaking to you, you’re my favourite member of BTOB.”

“Don’t worry, I know you’ll just end up saying the same to all the other members anyway.”

As both of you let go of loud echoes of laughter, Minhyuk’s attention was caught at the end of the table. He tried to ignore the wide smile on your face, although by the grip he had on the pen that he held, it was clear that his frustrations had gotten the better of him having watched you for so long without anyone else around you.

You soon moved onto the next member, instantly feeling your cheeks blush as Eunkwang looked back at you. He signed your card, keeping his eyes on you invitingly, capturing your attention like he did with anyone in his company.

“Thank you for being such an incredible leader,” you smiled, breaking the silence.

“Thank you for being such a dedicated fan and taking the time to come and see us today.”

It didn’t take long before you found yourselves in heavy conversation, as ever, Eunkwang couldn’t have cared less for the time restrictions that they were put under. He had you in stitches of laughter in no time, seemingly funnier in person than you could have ever imagined.

“My turn,” a voice soon called out, ushering you along to come face to face with Changsub, with Sungjae quickly leaning across too, both signing your photocard at the same time.

Your head could only shake at how chaotic the two of them were, with several questions being fired at you, you barely had time to think. The only thing you could feel for sure was both sets of their eyes staring back at you.

“I have no idea what either of you just said,” you admitted, anxiously glancing between them both, “I feel like every YouTube compilation I’ve watched has just come true.”

Both of them chuckled at your response, relieved to see you’d taken their chaos with such humour. “We’re trying to break the stereotype of us, but I think we’re just making it worse.”

You quickly assured them it was adorable how close they were, glancing down to see that your card had been moved on once again, coming to the final member in the line-up.

Before you even looked up at Minhyuk, he had a wide smile on his face, pulling himself further into the table so that he was within closer earshot of you, letting go of a chuckle.

“How’s your day been Y/N?” Unable to stop his laughter as your eyebrows knitted together in confusion, perplexed by his sudden question.

Your head shook, trying to wake yourself up, “have I introduced myself or just had some sort of existential crisis that I’m unaware of?” You asked, only to see his finger tap where Hyunsik had signed the card earlier.

“Don’t worry, everything is very much normal right now,” he quickly assured you, finishing off signing over his figure. “So, tell me, how long have you been a melody for? A while?”

You were very quickly taken aback by how intently Minhyuk listened to you, holding onto your every word. Even if he’d spoken to hundreds of fans before you, he still managed to make you feel as if you were the first fan that he’d greeted all day.

As your story began to conclude, his attention was still very much on you. “I’ve been trying for a couple of years to get tickets to an event like this, but I never managed to find the money in time, until now at least.”

“I for one am glad that you found the money,” he sincerely responded, “I keep trying to get the company to reduce the prices of these things, but they never seem to listen.”

“Well, it was definitely worth the wait after so long. You guys are all so lovely, you must be exhausted, and yet you’re still wearing a massive smile,” you complimented.

With that, Minhyuk’s smile only widened further, enjoying the kindness that you sent his way. Even though he’d heard it from most of the fans that he’d met, hearing it from you somehow just felt different for him.

The two of you had been talking for so long, a slight queue ended up building behind you, although Changsub and Sungjae did a good job of keeping them entertained. Before long, a member of staff crept over to Minhyuk, giving him a bit of a nudge.

Just as you were about to go, he pulled your photocard back towards himself, turning it over onto the blank side. “Would you consider this ruined if I wrote something else on it?” He quizzed, relived when your head shook back at him, shielding it from you and scribbling something down.

“Thank you,” you smiled, taking it back after a few moments as he slid it back across to you. “I hope the rest of the meet goes well for you too.”

“Hopefully, it won’t be too long until we see each other again,” he smiled, admiring your innocence as you walked down the steps.

Once you were outside of the building and away from any fans, you turned the photocard back around, noticing the small note that Minhyuk had written in the bottom left coroner of the card. A gasp escaped from you as you read over the black ink, unable to comprehend that what you were reading really was true.

“Y/N, my number is written at the bottom of this note. I really enjoyed meeting you today and would love to get to you more. Give me a text when you’re free sometime, Minhyuk x

---

Masterlist

[everafterkeiji]

Song: Officially Missing You by Tamia

Summary: When Tsukishima realizes how much he needs you even if you just started dating

Pairing: Kei Tsukishima x fem! reader

Genre: Fluff

Word count: 5.8k

A/N: this is PURE, ALSO JRISNDOESN I FORGOT ABOUT THE DISTANCE OF MIYAGI FROM TOKYO SO PLS LET'S ACT LIKE THEY'RE SEMI NEAR-

"Yes! Of course, Kei!"

It's only been two weeks when the blonde finally received your sweet approval of being his. You probably wouldn't have guessed to see the harsh boy with red cheeks and a smile on his features on that day, but it was safe to say it was a sight to remember. Icons and nicknames changed instantly when you two got home, the giddy feeling in your hearts making the new lovers stay up and talk until the dawn. You also couldn't forget the look on Yamaguchi's face when he saw you two holding hands when Tsukishima was walking you to your bus stop for you to go home, the green haired boy rushed to you immediately hugging you, genuinely happy his best friend finally found someone.

Even if it was only two weeks ago, it felt as if it should've happened a little earlier than that.

The only downside to this new found love was that you didn't exactly go to Karasuno unlike your boyfriend. You went to Nekoma high unknowing they were soon to be Karasunos opponent but you disregarded the idea and still decided that he was in fact, good for you. So every morning, he calls you when you two when you were on your way to school. He insisted on this little habit knowing you two never really have the time to be around each other since he was busy with training and so that he can spend time with you without his annoying teammates scramming around that he has a girlfriend.

With you being hours away from him, it was only right to text or call him whenever you arrived, reassuring him you were safe and sound. Even when you two were walking home, there was no way for you to end the call, cautious of the time you spent even if it was through FaceTime. In a short amount of time, this little habit was already embedded in your relationship. Tsukishima even managed to take notice of your schedule the minute you got home. When you've finally made it back to your house, you were bound to finish all of the requirements so you can talk to him all night once you're done.

You also managed to slip in a little gesture for the boy, sending him audios of you greeting him good morning or overall reminding him to take care of himself. Telling him it was his little good luck charm, something to remember you by whenever he was training. Surely he shouldn't be affected by something so simple but since it came from you, his heart never fails to flutter whenever he hears your sweet voice, greeting him so early in the morning with your little giggle when you went to talk about a dream you had.

As far as Tsukishima knows, he hasn't really made it clear to his teammates he was in a relationship. He didn't want to hear the never ending questions of the mysterious girl or even how it started. Even Yamaguchi doesn't ask questions about you knowing Yamaguchi was the only person Tsukishima even introduced you to- well was forced to introduce you since he really couldn't find an excuse as to why he was a holding a girls hand late in the afternoon.

"T-tsukki?" Yamaguchi utters, his eyes switching back and forth between your hands that were intertwined and to you in general. He wonders if he was dreaming, there was a huge chance of that but remembering how his best friend mentioned a girl in one of their conversations he can't help but blink wondering if you were the girl he was talking about. You look up to Tsukishima while he lets out a sigh as he pushes his glasses forward.

"This is Y/N my uh..girlfriend." You smile at the familiar boy and remove your hand from the blonde before sticking your hand out aiming to shake hands with him but instead arms were wrapped around you shortly catching you off guard. You hear a tch behind you but your hands were clasped into his shaking it excitedly.

"I'm Yamaguchi! It's so nice to finally meet you!"

On your side of the story, Kenma didn't really wanna intervene but when he sees you smiling at your phone he can't help but wonder if it was a game. Which lead you to admit that it was just your boyfriend and hearing the words slip your mouth, he just continued on with his game not even asking who the boyfriend was but soon Kuroo found out about the little secret at practice when it was just the two of them knowing you trusted Kuroo as well.

"Y/N promised me she was gonna ask something about chemistry. You know where she is?" Kuroo asks but he only receives a shrug from the smaller boy.

"Probably texting her boyfriend." He says nonchalantly and Kuroos eyebrows furrow but once he realizes that Kenma was actually being truthful, a smirk appears on his face.

"Ah! A boyfriend! That's interesting, I wonder who the bastard is. Do you know?" Kenma shakes his head no but Kuroo only lets the sly smirk on his features as he thinks about the next day, ready to bombard you with teases.

Kuroo stuck to his promise, urging you to spill who the lucky guy was but you only remained quiet with flustered cheeks as Kenma slightly glares at him wishing he'd stop the jokes, fully respecting your decision of not letting Kuroo know who the boy is.

Up til now, no one really noticed that their tallest teammate was in love since Tsukishima really didn't show an ounce of adoration on his features and he was entirely caught up in improving his moves and mocking the first years so his love life was kept behind doors.

But even if his features didn't show, his heart says otherwise.

How can his heart skip a beat when he sees you? What is that happy feeling in his stomach whenever you hold his hand? What is that anxious feeling when your name flashes on his screen? Needless to say he was new to everything, but nothing beats the feeling of having him make his way home to your arms when you two meet. All his exhaustion from long practices vanishes quickly when your arms were around him, your scent rubbing off him, and especially when your lips press to his cheek.

Disregarding his crave for your presence, he was still in denial of being clingy. He never really liked the idea of a person acting in such a way so he assumed he wouldn't act like that but when a girl comes strolling into his life, of course he was bound to act different but then he remembers a certain conversation between you and him.

"How was your day?" He asks and he can see through his screen you were shuffling in your bed hugging a pillow underneath you, your cheeks resting on the soft material and Tsukishima smiles slightly at the appeal.

"All good, Tsukki. Did you miss me?" You teased with an eyebrow raised. He rolls his eyes when he hears your little giggle, making his heart jump at the sound.

"You really didn't miss me?" You chuckle again but you look at the camera to see him staring right back.

"Pft..Of course I did, dumbass but I'm not the one to be clingy." He states and you run your fingers through your soft h/c hair. "Its okay to be clingy, babe. I really wouldn't mind having my boyfriend be crazy for me." He chuckles at your comment but shakes his head before adjusting his glasses.

"Sucks for you then, you can't expect me to be clingy that's for sure." You pout and his lips merely broke into a smile. How cute. He thought.

"Then maybe you are crazy."

"Oi!" And your laugh just echoes through his ears, a sound he found addicting like his favorite song.

Now that texting was your usual way of communicating, he wonders what it'd be like to be around you all the time. If only you were in the same school as he was, he wouldn't dare to pass up the opportunity of being with you 24/7 even if he has to be with his teammates, he'd still pick you over them in a heart beat.

With your father switching between Miyagi and Tokyo, it was beneficial for you two to meet at a location while your father was at work, waiting for him to pick you up. After school you would just ask him to take you to your school then picks you up in the afternoon so he can finish his job at Miyagi. With pure luck, you'd arrive at Miyagi at 7:30pm, wherein they've yet to finish training so you spend time with him when you're able.

So here he was after practice, bidding goodbye to Yamaguchi with his phone in his hands messaging you if you were here. You replied a yes and he was already on his way to see you, eager to experience your embrace.

And this is part of the day that he loved.

Ending the day, exhausted and worn out, just to feel refreshed when his eyes land on her figure. His heart swells with joy when he sees her sitting on the bench with a longing expression of her face. Then light is brought upon his world when her eyes met his, forming a smile onto her features as she walks over to him, slowly wrapping her arms around his tall figure. A sigh of relief is expressed and he reciprocates the embrace immediately his chin resting on top of your head as his hands caress you waist gently.

"You wanna eat before you go home? You look tired babe." You say and he just mindlessly nods, lost at the sweet tone of your voice. You step away from the embrace, grasping your hands with his before walking inside the convenience store. As you two pick up the food to eat, you were back at the bench with your head to his arm while you two feast on the snacks enjoying the night sky.

"Kei?" You turn to him and he looks right at you the minute his name slips off your lips.

"What?"

"I might be busy for a bit. There's a group project and an individual presentation for me to do. Is that fine with you bub?" You ask and Tsukishima rests your head on his arm once again.

"Of course I'm okay with it, idiot. Just don't over work yourself got it?" You nod and place a gentle kiss on his cheek.

"What about you? Still training with Yams and the others?"

"Tragically, yes." He comments making you laugh. You threw the wrapper into the trash bin at the corner, Tsukishima following your movements as well. You both stood up, linking your arms with his as you two walk.

"I'm assuming they're not as bad as you make them to be. I mean Yamaguchi is so nice." You say earning a scoff from the boy.

"I promise you that two of them are little delinquents from hell-"

"Kei!" You slap his arm gently and he laughs at your gesture before planting a kiss to your hair, catching you off guard and making your heart leap with excitement.

"Okay, some aren't bad but you don't need to meet them. It's too chaotic and I know Hinata would not stop when he meets you." Tsukishima comes to a hault when you've received a notification from your father who was ready to pick you up. As expected, you immediately hug Tsukishima before pulling away and landing another peck to his cheek.

"I'll see you when I see you, Kei. Thanks for tonight." You say and he too lands a kiss upon your forehead before muttering a stay safe underneath his breath. You smile at his words before walking away from him, turning back to wave at him once in a while. Once you were for sure out of his vision, he smiles to himself, satisfied of another happy night with you.

-

As five days pass, he's yet to hear from his lovely girlfriend, not even meeting him in the morning now that she's driven to school by her father later than the time she usually goes with him. He's received texts later than he expected but it just proved she had a lot on her hands. He was the one who said to take her time so why's he missing her this fast? So he put his thoughts into practice knowing there was a practice match happening soon and he was expected to do his best.

"Oi, focus." Kageyamas voice detaches him from his thoughts earning a glare from the blonde. As the practice went on, his thoughts remained to be consumed by you.

Once they were back in their classroom, Yamaguchi takes a sit in front of Tsukishima who was busy scribbling some notes he'd missed when his mind was distracted by the thought of you.

"Did you and Y/N fight? You've been distracted all morning." Tsukishima crosses his arms to his chest, leaning back on his chair with a scoff to his expressions.

"No we didn't."

"Then what happened?"

"It's nothing serious." Tsukishima exclaims making Yamaguchi shrug before grabbing his snack and munching on it.

"Well that's good then. I like Y/N for you." Tsukishima playfully pushes Yamaguchi while his friend laughs knowing he made the taller boy blush.

When practice came to an end, he was expecting a message from you claiming you've gotten home safe, but all he saw was his wallpaper staring back at him, not even a single notification displayed or even a sound indicating a message. Beside him, Yamaguchi sneakily peaks at where Tsukishima was looking and he smiles to himself.

"Looks like somebody's missing Y/N-chan too much." He says earning a scoff from his friend.

"Shut up, I don't miss her."

"Your face says the opposite." But I do miss her, she's just really busy and I won't bother her for it but what if she's not at school? He thinks to himself. Worry rushing to his mind but his pride of messaging her stopped him.

"She's probably busy. Why don't you leave a message for her then?" Tsukishima rolls his eyes before plugging in his headphones that were around his neck.

"Like I didn't thought of that. I got to go." Yamaguchi bids a goodbye to the blonde before riding his own bike, heading home. Tsukishima stayed behind, hands gliding over his phone picking a song for him to listen to since his usual companion wasn't there.

"I like this song, do you have a playlist?" You asked while you walked alongside him. He nods making you smile.

"Can you send me your playlist?" Kei knew it was just a innocent question but it was enough to make his heart triple it's speed.

"No. Low class people like you don't deserve my music taste." He jokes making your remove the shared ear bud and slapping his arm playfully.

"You're a pain in the ass."

"Geez, thanks Y/N."

Once he arrives home, he laid in bed with his phone clutched to his hands, still waiting for the notification sound. The more he hears the annoying ticking of the clock, he unlocks his phone hurriedly before clicking on your contact typing away his anxiousness.

Oi, answer the phone dummie

Minutes turned into hours and soon his message was left on delivered.

I hope she didn't overwork herself. He thinks before wearing his headphones hoping his nerves wash away with every song but with every melody who does he think of?

You.

It was all you. He even wonders if it was healthy to miss a person like this. He opens his phone swiping continuously, gazing at every picture of you two taken from his phone. He'd see the photos of your cute little smile when you two were out on dates, you casually holding his hand, or even pictures with him when his arms were around your waist. He finds himself chuckling at photos you told him to delete but to him they were all adorable. From staring at the ceiling with memories replaying in his head, he falls asleep.

-

For Tsukishima, it was rather weird to step into your school knowing you didn't even expect him to be there.

"Hinata can you shut the fuck up?" Tsukishima groans as he tries to block out the excitement of the tangerine haired boy. Hinata was rambling on about how he was ready to beat the team against them but Kageyama wouldn't shut up as well making the conversation last longer than expected. The bus stops making them all step out, face to face with the Nekoma boys volleyball team.

"I've never seen you in your school uniform before. What school do you even go to again?" Tsukishima asks while you fix your tie. This was the first time he was seeing you after school. He couldn't really ignore the dark colors of your uniform.

"Nekoma High. Did I really not mention it to you?" Tsukishima shakes his head and Y/N giggles. In every date, you disregarded conversations about school since you two always had a nick for talking about songs and movies so it was no surprise the question slipped through his mind.

"I'm sorry I didn't mention it before, my parents went to Nekoma so I'm assuming it was only an obligation for me to follow in their footsteps."

"Following them to be the shortest student in Nekoma then?" Tsukishima teases and you roll your eyes.

"Says the fucking giraffe."

"Oi, say that again."

"A gira-" Tsukishima flicks your forehead with his fingers before walking ahead chuckling to himself before you caught up to him smacking him with your backpack.

He watches as Kuroo and Daichi shake hands, Yamamoto and Tanaka looking like a brawl was bound to happen, and Yamaguchi beside Tsukishma as they both watch the two teams.

"Someone can finally see their girlfriend~" Yamaguchi teases and Tsukishima rolls his eyes before looking around to make sure no one heard Yamaguchi.

"Shut up and lower your fucking voice, she's probably in class anyway."

"What if she watches us then? I bet you'd lose focus huh?" Yamaguchi laughs beside him and Tsukishima smacks the back of his neck playfully making him groan in pain.

"Let's get going everyone!"

-

"Holy shit!"

You stare at your phone with a miss call and message from Tsukishima but you couldn't respond as fast since you woke up late. Staring at the wall beside your bed, you got off your bed immediately and rushed your way into the bathroom to take the fastest shower you can take. Exiting the bathroom and wearing your uniform not even bothering that droplets from you wet hair created a trail around your room as you pack what you needed for school.

You went downstairs and bid goodbye to whoever was in the room and immediately opened the door to reveal your father, impatient with his hand on the steering wheel.

"I'm really sorry!" Your dad chuckles breaking his angry facade as he opens the door for you as you step in panting at how your energy was drained from moving so fast.

"You didn't eat did you?" You shake your head and your father hands you your breakfast. "I saw you passed out on your table I figured you'd be late so I went ahead and bought some." You smile at him, thanking him as he starts the engine and you pray that you weren't late and that you were able to compose yourself for the presentation.

When you made it to school you were already greeted by cold winds and you clutch onto your blouse, irritated that you couldn't bring a jacket but then you remembered a certain boy had your jacket. You decided it was best to find the jacket after your nerve wracking presentation since now you were focused of keeping away the anxiousness that was creeping up on you.

As you walked into the classroom, you were greeted by your also nervous classmates cramming around you asking if you were ready to which you responded too defensively letting your confidence collapse. You desperately wished the teacher would just cancel the presentation or even continue it some other day but she just had to pursue it tdoay and now it was affecting everyone.

"Good morning everyone!"

A voice echoes through the room and you swore you can hear the silent groans from your fellow classmates but a good morning was their response back. Your eyes land on the wall clock above the board and you bit your lip wishing it would all finish alreasy.

"Is everyone ready?"

"Nice kill!" Nishinoya shouts as Tanaka hit another successful spike. Everyone had their guards up especially the Nekoma boys, overwhelmed at Karasunos quick attack from the first year duo. Kenma, observing every teammates and reading the game as he usually does and Kuroo looking as intimidating than usual.

The bell rings and you felt a weight lifted off your shoulders. You place all of your belongings back to your bag and immediately leave the classroom knowing you were freezing to death. The presentation went better than what you expected, not a single stutter in your presence but deep inside you were crumbling with every word you manage to say. The minute you sat down, your heartbeat never came back to its original pace and the sweatiness in your palms didn't go away either but now that the class is officially over, you can finally have a moment to properly breathe.

You wandered around classrooms searching for the quiet setter to retrieve your jacket but he was nowhere in your sight. You assumed it was because he was still in training so you grabbed a snack before walking to the Nekoma gym.

With every walk, the more chills ran up your spine, cursing you were forced to wear a short skirt as a uniform. By the time you've reached the doors of the gym you already wanted to beg for Kenma to give you your jacket.

"Kenma-"

Your voice echoes through the gym as heads turn to your direction. The game to a hault suddenly and a certain pair of wide eyed golden brown eyes were stuck on you. Yamaguchi's eyes land on you before changing his gaze to Tsukishima who had a very obvious surprised state in his expressions. Yamaguchi chuckles as Sugawara looks at the boy.

"Who's that?" Sugawara asks as his curiosity watches you from afar as you make eye contact with your boyfriend, whose heart was picking up a new pace with every second your eyes remain on his.

"Ah Y/N! Come watch-" Kuroos eyes gaze at you and Tsukishima. He wonders if this was what Kenma was talking about, but you've never mentioned a boy like him, especially from a different school and with this assumption in his mind, an idea surfaces to his mind making him smirk.

The game finally resumed and you hear your heartbeat all too loudly as you took a seat watching them. Why is he here? A practice match? Why am I suddenly nervous? You assumed that the reason you felt nervous was because you haven't seen him in a week and you certainly did not expect to meet him like this, especially when Kuroo was there.

Kenma waves at you from where you sat and you awkwardly wave back as Karasuno wonders who you were.

"I bet it's their manager." Tanaka replies as his hands came contact with a ball, receiving it. Daichi glares at him and Tanaka quickly turns his head avoiding his gaze and Kuroo takes another look to where you were, eyeing your worry to a possible member of the opposite team.

The sound of the volleyballs colliding with the floor is a sound you should be used to considering every match Tsukishima has, you have to be there. Now that this was your first match you see him in, it was very unexpected that you came in such a random time. Even if you were late to this match, what mattered to you is that you finally get to see him. You certainly didn't mind watching him in such a focused and skilled state.

Your eyes linger to his teammates, seeing Yamaguchi in the corner and you waved to him and he flat out ignores you and you wonder why. Sugawara turns his attention to you giving you a warm smile before returning to watch the game.

They all look kind, what is Kei even talking about delinquents from-

A loud sound caught you off guard as two Karasuno members shout knowing they've once again succeeded with their quick attack. You turn to see number 9 and 10 as the others compliment them on the move.

Is this what Kei was talking about?

You began to turn your attention to the two watching them play as if every move was planned beforehand, moving in synch with each other. Kuroos confusion now grows as he watches you switch back and forth between 9 and 10. At that moment he wanted to give up in finding the mysterious boyfriend but once a ball suddenly hits a certain player, his assumption was proven to be correct.

"Tsukishima-" You watch as your boyfriend winces when a ball harshly passed to his fingers making Tsukishima look over to you, seeing your face painted with a weary expression. As he reassures his teammates he was okay, a rotation begins and he was face to face with the captain of Nekoma.

"The boyfriend huh?"

Tsukishimas eye's widen at Kuroos words but the second he realizes he was being serious, he lets out a sigh before returning his focus to the game not wanting to disappoint the team.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Tsukishima replies before eyeing the ball carefully as Kuroo manages to spike it past him. Tsukishima glares at the captain but Kuroo laughs staring him down.

"Okay then four eyes. You better not be lying to me then." Kuroo says and Tsukishima sighs once more before forgetting the conversation that just happened, desperately wishing your relationship wouldn't be announced in this way.

Despite having to switch back and forth between classes and to the gym, you really wished the practice match ended already. You had no other choice anyway. With every visit to the gym, your eyes were still fixated on Tsukishima. He knows you were staring right at him and the nerves catch up to him the minute you watch him.

Now it's different, finally the practice match came to an end as you went to Kenma, tapping him slightly on the shoulder. He turns to you but another figure comes beside you two.

"Y/N. This is Shoyo." Shoyo excitedly shakes your hand with his and you smile at him and take in his features.

"Are you Hinata?" Shoyo happily nods but his head comes to a tilt when you mentioned his name knowing Kenma didn't exactly introduce him that way.

"Do we know each other? Oh! You're the girl who entered the gym! I'm so sorry I didn't notice you though!" He rambles on and you giggle at him, understanding why Kei was irritated at the small boy.

"Well not really but-"

"Oh Y/N, I forgot here's your jacket. Sorry for keeping it too long." Kenma hands you your jacket and you smile, hugging the fabric close to you.

"Thanks Kenma! I actually wanted to get it from you earlier, I didn't know you were in a match." Kenma nods to you and he signals you to move close to him. You awkwardly obey as he whispers into your ear.

"I think Kuroo knows who your boyfriend is." You chuckle at his words but when you pull away you notice a certain friend was staring down your giant of a boyfriend.

"T-thanks, Kenma." Now, you weren't humiliated of your relationship, what you weren't ready for was Kuroos endless comments on how you've finally settled on a boyfriend.

As Karasuno entered the bus, Tsukishima desperately wanted to stay behind so he can walk you home now that school ended but coach Ukai insisted on training once they were back. You wanted to talk to him but his entire team was caught up with talking to Kuroo and the others and you didn't wanna interrupt. Tsukishima didn't even notice when the teams were all gathered, you were already gone.

But now he's caught a familiar figure with hands stuck to their phone with earphones plugged in with their eyes calmly set ahead of them. Tsukishima stands up with his duffel bag catching the sleepy Yamaguchi off guard as he quickly makes way to his teacher asking if the bus could stop. Takeda questions the tall boy as the rest of the boys woke up slightly wondering if they were at school already.

"Sir please, I promise I'll make my way back to the school for practice. This is um- important." Tsukishima pleads and Takeda nods giving in the boys request.

"Are we here?" Tanaka lazily asks, rubbing his eyes and he watches Tsukishima making his way outside the bus. He was half awake so he mindlessly lifts his duffel bag in his shoulders thinking they've arrived but he watches through the window of Tsukishima catching the attention of a girl. Takeda eyes Tanaka wondering if he was going to leave as well.

"Tanaka?"

"Look Tsukishimas with a girl.. WITH A GIRL?" His scream awakens half the team but they groan and once Nishinoya lays eyes on the pair he was up on his feet, face near the window.

"TSUKISHIMA HAS A GIRLFRIEND- OH WAIT THAT'S THE GIRL FROM THE NEKOMA RIGHT?" Nishinoya shouts and Daichi runs a frustrated hand through his hair, now all the members of the Karasuno volleyball team had their curiosity to the window. Once they saw the girl give a peck to Tsukishimas cheek, they were all wide eyed and interested in what was happening.

"Are you sure she's isn't held hostage?"

"Yo, she looks hot-"

"Oh she's the girl Kenma was talking to!" Hinata exclaims and then they all look at the boy.

"Didn't know she was Tsukishimas g-girlfriend though!" He says and Ukai is confused as to why all the boys were all staring at the window, it's also been three minutes since Tsukishima left and the bus was still not moving. Sugawara looks over to Yamaguchi who had no reaction whatsoever so he nudges him.

"Did you know about this?" Suga asks and it was a moment of silence until Yamaguchi felt a dozen eyes land on him, suddenly feeling like he was gonna faint from how intense Tanaka and Nishinoya was staring at him.

"He- I uh.. m-met her already.." He shyly says earning a scream from the two years as they surround him.

"WHAT OTHER SECRETS DO YOU HIDE FROM US?"

"THIS IS BETRAYAL!"

They scream and Suga and Asahi laugh at the two years but smile as they watch Tsukishima walk with the girl, hands together with the afternoon sunlight shining on them.

"Let them be everyone. Sorry about that sir, we can go home now. " Daichi says and Tanaka and Nishinoya finally left Yamaguchi. Before the bus moves, Tanaka decides to bring up a plan for the blonde boy.

The trip finally resumes and once the couple was in their sight again, casually laughing, Tanaka opens the window with a goofy grin on his face along with his partner Nishinoya as the rest of the team open the window ready to tease the poor boy.

"HEY! I'M TANAKA! IT'S NICE TO MEET YOU TSUKISHIMAS GIRLFRIEND!"

"I'M THE LIBERO NISHINOYA!"

"I'm Sugawara!"

"Daichi."

"Asahi!"

"IT'S HINATA AGAIN! FROM EARLIER-"

"I'm Kageyama."

You didn't really understand why the Karasuno team was introducing themselves to you, especially when you were on the walk with your boyfriend who has been blushing the entire time, badly wanting for the earth to swallow him.

"I'm Y/N! H-hello!" You say with a giggle, laughing at Tsukishimas expression and he walks ahead, hands to his pockets with head low as you catch up to him with the bus still slowly following you two.

"YOU'VE GONE SOFT YOU BEANPOLE TAKE THAT HA!" Hinata screams and once Tsukishima hears his voice, his head snaps looking at Hinata before Hinata grabs onto Tanakas jacket tugging on it and yelling for someone to drive and leave now. Before Tsukishima can even run to him the bus drives off leaving a very happy Hinata and an embrassaed boy.

You link arms with him again, still laughing at what he just had to go through. Tsukishima hides his face from you and you pull his hand making him stop as you stood in front of him with that gorgeous smile he adores.

"Kei, seriously they're gone. Stop blushing already." You say making Tsukishima drop your hand as he walks ahead making you shake your head before chuckling.

"I'm not blushing, dumbass." He says stubbornly and you pull him by the hand again bringing him close to you. You were 5'7 so it was enough for you to place your delicate hands to his warm cheeks and before he can respond you've placed your lips onto his for the first time, and you can sense how shocked he was. You pull away with a cheeky smile as you walk ahead of him while he was still in deep thought of what just happened. He couldn't really put into words how his heart practically went in loops at the gesture.

If this is what he receives after days of not being with you, then maybe he'd consider being clingy.

"Huh, first time you've got nothing to say." You teased as you continue to walk laughing at the impact your kiss hand on him. He looks at you before a smile creeps on his lips, then catches up to you pulling you by your waist and now he was standing in front of you, his figure towering over yours.

"Oi, you think you can just pull a stunt like that pipsqueak?" You happily nod as he lowers his head making you roll your eyes knowing this was his gesture when he was ready to throw some insults.

But instead of an insult, all you got was a pair of lips on yours before it vanished before you, the blonde pulling away from the peck as he flicks your forehead like he always does, with his fingers dragging you out of the daze.

"Are you coming with me or not?"

".. of course I am, Kei."

"Good cause it looked like you wanted something else-"

"TSUKISHIMA!"

BONUS:

When he walks back to Karasunos gym, he was greeted by his teammates standing in front of him all lined up, as he lowers his head, Yamaguchi laughing silently at his friends embarassment.

".. yes she's my girlfriend-"

Then the sound of chaotic screams and endless questions has begun.

[holymunson]

#001 Mini Fic - Eddie’s Bedroom

summary: smoking a spliff in Eddie’s bed.  words: 700 tw: none? a/n: it has been forever since I have written anything so this is not perfect lol

What was it about Eddie’s room that you liked so much? Was it the smell? Weed and aftershave. His aftershave was strong, and he would often tell you it was only to cover the lingering smoke from his spliffs that would sink into his clothes, but you enjoyed it, it smelt like Eddie. If you could wrap yourself up in that smell you would. Maybe that’s why you found yourself here again, engulfed in Eddie’s sheets, waiting for him to come home. He had gone to pick up; even drug dealers needed to buy occasionally. This strain was supposed to be special, he made that clear, said it was out of this world, which is why he had decided to do the 100 mile trip just to collect. He asked you to join, however you could not miss another day of school, you needed to show your face every once in a while. You made it clear though, 

“I’ll be waiting for you to come back, in your room, in your bed.” 

There were other things you liked about his room, you liked his clothes, thrown carelessly across every inch of the floor. You were often the one to pick up after him, wash his clothes, oftentimes even dry and iron them just so he had something to wear the next day, to throw again onto the floor. You didn’t mind though, you often cared for him that way, you were only friends but your friendship with Eddie was unlike any other. How could it be? Plus, your responsibility of washing Eddie’s t-shirts meant you were allowed to wear them, perks of the job. 

As a thank you he would roll for you, he’d keep a secret stash of pre rolled spliffs hidden in a box in a drawer so that his Uncle would never steal them. You could roll, but your skills weren’t the most refined, and Eddie would often tease you about this. Only in a gentle way though, sometimes you were sure he liked to do things for you; look after you. You even had your own special lighter, it was bright pink with a white heart in the corner. He said he saw it in a gas station and it reminded him of you so he couldn’t leave without it. He was always so thoughtful. 

Your eyes felt heavy, as much as you would pride yourself on your tolerance, Eddie’s spliffs were always next level. This man had a talent, you couldn’t understand how he could smoke these on the daily, and remain a functioning member of society.  

Glancing at the posters around you, he had such an interesting taste in bands, you’d poke fun at his interest, but in reality he had introduced you to some of your favourite songs. It was something you loved about him, he was individual. Taking another hit you fell further back into the bed, into his sheets, almost embedded into the centre of his mattress; this felt like bliss. Your fingers tingled and your mind buzzed, this sensation could only be better with one thing; Eddie.

“Honey, I’m home!” His voice echoed through the room. It was as if he had read your mind, he knew you needed him. You didn’t respond, you didn’t need to, he was already fixed onto you by the time you had opened your eyes. He sat down beside you, eyes searching you; adoringly.

“Oh wow,” he chuckled, “Look at you.” Gripping onto the sheets you wanted to hide, your eyes red and half open, his t-shirt partway up your chest, your hair in desperate need of a brush. He had seen you like this before though, many times. 

“I guess I have some catching up to do,” He reached into his bedside table, pulling out a spliff and lighting it. After a couple puffs he pulled the covers back just enough to slide in next to you. He lay on his side facing you, taking you in. The cold touch of his rings brought you back to reality, his hand was pressing against your stomach, his thumb drawing lazy circles. 

“I’ve missed you sweetheart.”

[mostlymovieswithmax]

Movies I watched in July

Once again I’m doing my monthly round-up of movies I’ve watched. This was a good month for the cinema getting back on track and seeing new releases including the new M. Night movie, Old and James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad. Pretty sure Marvel put out a new movie also. I’m hoping that this list can help in guiding a decision about what to watch (or what to avoid) and introduce people to movies they may otherwise not have heard of or bothered to see. These short reviews are my own subjective opinions on each individual movie and maybe a more informal approach to movie criticism can help include others who are just passing through. Here is every film I watched from the 1st to the 31st of July.

Bridesmaids (2011) - 4/10

Off to a good start. I won’t say Bridesmaids is a terrible movie but I don’t think I’m exactly the target audience. As far as I know, this is a beloved comedy but I just can’t get on board with all the boring, juvenile humour; with Maya Rudolph shitting in the street, with Rose Byrne and Kristen Wiig trying to one-up each other at a toast that went on forever, with Melissa McCarthy shitting in a sink… the conflict is so done to death and makes the movie feel unspecial. I do understand the appeal of the film, especially for women in that before this movie the likelihood of seeing something like this, where women play up the more crass and gross side of comedy, was probably few and far between. But the story is very tired and while I did appreciate some moments, namely a couple of decent jokes and some of the more intimate scenes, for the most part it felt like they wanted to corner a more quiet type of line delivery in a way that was supposed to be understated but very funny so as to not rely on over the top body language or musical cues, and it ended up being super dull.

Spectre (2015) - 7/10

As far as I can tell, a lot of people don’t like this instalment of the James Bond franchise… but I really enjoyed it! I’ve really taken a shine to these Daniel Craig-era Bond movies and while I can’t say any of them are the most amazing thing, I have a lot of fun with them. The biggest problem I have with Spectre is the villain being utterly pointless and uninteresting in basically every way. The idea of every villain Bond has fought before being tied to this one organisation controlled by this one guy is ridiculous, and what makes it worse is that the villain is barely in it! There’s so much that doesn’t come together in this but as it goes, I still had a really good time. Daniel Craig holds the whole thing together; he is excellent as 007 and the main reason I’m up for each of these movies is because of him. Sam Mendes directs again after the previous instalment and for what it’s worth I do think he does a good job with some of the action set pieces and the locations. I’m so ready for No Time To Die.

Shazam (2019) - 7/10

Shazam is a genuinely fun superhero movie that doesn’t take itself seriously at all. I was having a great time throughout and while it could conform to some of the same tropes we’re used to with these kinds of movies, it still remained playful and used the character of Shazam to his fullest potential in a way that showed an understanding of just how silly the idea of a kid who can turn into an adult and shoot lightning out of his hands is.

High School Musical (2006) - 6/10

So as you may or may not know, I co-host a podcast: The Sunday Movie Marathon. It’s a film podcast and every week I get together with my other co-hosts and watch movies. For episode 38, we watched the High School Musical trilogy. This first movie blew me away. I was really surprised with just how much fun I had, and if you want to hear more of my thoughts on the film, please listen to episode 38 of the podcast.

High School Musical 2 (2007) - 4/10

We then jumped into the second and while it’s certainly not as good as its predecessor, there are still some brilliant songs that manage to top the last movie. Again, more of what I have to say can be heard on episode 38 of the podcast.

High School Musical 3: Senior Year (2008) - 3/10

Senior Year was pretty hard to get through. I don’t remember it being as bad as it was, but then I didn’t really remember it anyway. It did however have one redeeming quality, which you can discover on episode 38 of the podcast.

The Piano Teacher (2001) - 9/10

What the fuuuckkkk. The Piano Teacher is horrendously affecting and I was so upset when it ended, maybe not because it’s not what I wanted but because it’s just so fucking dour and unrelenting. This is the second Haneke movie I’ve seen (after the original Funny Games) and I’m so impressed with how well executed it is. Following a woman who teaches piano, we get a glimpse into the life she lives, how sheltered she is from living with her mother at an age where you’d reasonably expect a person to be living alone or with a partner or friends (even going so far as to be sleeping in the same bed as her), and how repressed she is sexually. It’s clear she’s never experienced any kind of sexual interaction or romantic love with another person, so she goes out of her way to take control and make that happen. The upsetting nature of it comes from just what she does in pursuit of it or as a result of her repression, and what is done to her. It is by no means a movie to recommend to your parents but The Piano Teacher offers so much in terms of the ideas it presents (and I’ll admit there seems to be a lot more going on than I think I picked up on a first go round) about women in modern society, and about the portrayal of sex and expectations of people when it comes to how that is represented in a person’s character depending on their gender. I really enjoyed this movie but it is not for the faint of heart.

Sharpay’s Fabulous Adventure (2011) - 1/10

My podcast co-hosts decided it’d be a right laugh to add Sharpay’s Fabulous Adventure to this episode and that might have been a fun idea for them because they got to watch it together, but I was just watching it alone. Just a 24-year-old man watching Sharpay’s Fabulous Adventure alone and having a miserable time, I might add. But for a short and sweet ramble on what we all thought, please listen to episode 38 of The Sunday Movie Marathon podcast.

Dr. No (1962) - 6/10

A lot of very iffy parts of this movie. A lot of discomfort arising from how black people are portrayed that really didn’t sit right with me. As far as a Bond movie goes, this first instalment in the series is one I’ve seen before and it’s not wholly engaging but it plants the seeds for the rest, with Sean Connery breathing life into the role and making an otherwise lacklustre plot bearable.

Black Widow (2021) - 6/10

I think probably the best part about Black Widow is the experience I had while watching it. It was great being back in the cinema with a couple of friends in a packed theatre. The energy was high and I’m sure for a lot of people, this is the first time they’d been to the cinema since Endgame. For what it’s worth, I did have a lot of fun with Black Widow and I’ve explained more of what I thought about the movie in episode 39 of the podcast.

The Climb (2020) - 10/10

The Climb was added to Now TV recently and I already knew I loved it, having seen it in an empty cinema theatre last year, which I had an absolute blast with. The Climb details the years of a rocky friendship told over scenes filmed as one-shots. Not only is the presentation something to gawk at, but the performances by the two leads playing these friends with a terrifically dysfunctional dynamic is truly captivating. They’re both trying to figure out their own lives and where one can come across as being rather selfish, the opposite is true in his counterpart, whom everyone loves. This is a truly funny and heartwarming movie with a lot to say about how we choose to live our lives and who we choose to be with. It’s a shame the distributors of The Climb didn’t do a very good job because if not for it being available on Now TV, it would be near impossible to watch without forking out more money than is necessary to purchase a film.

From Russia With Love (1963) - 5/10

The second Bond movie. I thought perhaps I’d change my mind on it with another watch, having seen it for the first time maybe a year ago. But no, it’s still largely boring and it treats women like absolute garbage. From Russia With Love is one of those movies I forget as I watch it, and I was trying very hard (in the middle of the day!) not to fall asleep.

The Good, The Bart, and The Loki (2021) - 1/10

I don't usually talk about the short films I watch but for this I'll make an exception. As we all should know, Disney owns The Simpsons now, through their acquisition of Fox, so, coupled with another of their properties, that being Marvel, they decided to make a six-minute animated film wherein Marvel’s Loki is stranded in Springfield. This felt as though it was a minute long due to the horrendously jarring pacing; it is a movie that feels adamant that it needs to exist, while trying as hard as it can to be over as soon as possible. It serves only to stare the audience directly in the face and say “look, characters from The Simpsons are dressed as Avengers”, shit out three credit scenes, then end before you’ve even processed the atrocity you just bore witness to.

Russian Ark (2002) - 8/10

For this next episode of the podcast, we watched a few Russian movies, starting with Russian Ark, a film shot completely in one take as the camera moves about a luxurious museum in a first-person perspective as this main character watches what is happening around him, seeing people moving about the place but unable to interact with them, guided only by another man who seems to be just slightly out of his own perception of reality. This is a tremendous feat in filmmaking and more can be heard about what I have to say in episode 39 of The Sunday Movie Marathon podcast.

Ivan’s Childhood (1962) - 7/10

For my own pick of Russian movies to discuss on the podcast, I chose the debut feature from one of my favourite directors, Andrei Tarkovsky. It’s amazing that while this is not his best film by far, Ivan’s Childhood is still such a stellar debut, jumping around in its timeline as it details a child’s experience in the second world war. Again, I do go into more depth in episode 39 of the podcast, so be sure to check that out.

Outlaw (2019) - 1/10

The third movie chosen for this marathon is apparently the fourth Russian LGBTQ+ movie ever made. I’m unsure of the ultimate goal of this movie but what seems to be clear is that it hates the LGBTQ+ community. This is perhaps the worst film we’ve discussed on the podcast to date, so listen to episode 39 to understand exactly why it’s such trash.

Almost Famous (2000) - 7/10

I too love heavy music and also studied journalism so it stands to reason that a movie about a teenager who makes his way onto a band tour, following them through America and interviewing them as they hang out and play shows is going to be a premise that resonates with me. This certainly did. I enjoyed Almost Famous a lot; this kid is living the dream and I was so along for the ride, seeing a lot of myself in what was being portrayed. That said, the story itself is at times a bit by the numbers and I really would’ve been more on board if the visual component was more interesting. For what it is, technically it’s fine enough but nothing in that department ever jumped out at me.

Minari (2021) - 8/10

It’s crazy that this didn’t get a theatrical run where I live in the UK. It feels as though I complain about film distribution all the time but I really don’t understand the process by which a movie gets no cinematic release and yet, months later will pop up on the front shelf of hmv, taking pride of place. But of course I got the blu-ray straight away. Minari has a lot to say about the immigrant experience, specifically in America as a family comes over from Korea and tries to start a business and make something of themselves. You get to see a lot of what you might not think twice about when you think about immigration: the hardship of coming from a place where you know everyone to somewhere rural and sparsely populated, having to make friends with locals and integrate within the community; the strain it can put on a family and on a marriage where this idea is presented about the importance of making it on your own in order to live and not just survive, while also taking into account why you’re doing it in the first place and the value you place on being part of a family that you decided to make because that was more important than money, than economy, than proving you were good enough to make it in a place that gave you very little advantage from the offset. This concept of the promised land, of the American dream is a construct. There are times when it’s not pretty, when you have no running water, or you’re in debt, or a family member is dying and it just feels like you’ve been dealt as bad a hand as you can get. But it is better to know you’re not facing all that alone.

Roma (2018) - 10/10

This was my recommendation for the podcast episode on Alfonso Cuarón movies. Roma is as beautiful as it is heart-wrenching and I would recommend listening to episode 40 of the podcast to find out more about my thoughts.

An American Werewolf In London (1981) - 8/10

In all fairness, London is enough to make anyone a little crazy at the best of times. An American Werewolf in London showcases some fantastically grotesque effects, akin to something like Carpenter’s The Thing, in showing the dead brought back to life and a horrifically gory transformation scene. Although the film is from the perspective of an American protagonist, directed also by an American, the depiction of British culture and climate is something I’ve not seen many films pull off quite so well, and I was pleasantly surprised at the more comedic tone the film has overall, which is something that works more in its favour than straight horror would.

The Party’s Just Beginning (2018) - 6/10

Karen Gillan’s directorial debut is… pretty good! There are a lot of ideas I like in this movie: a woman living life and through convenient circumstances, is confronted with death in many ways. Gillan obviously knows her homeland as well as she can, imbuing the whole thing with an intensely Scottish vibe (though maybe not in the same vein as something like Trainspotting) that makes it a bit more unique than a more run of the mill movie of this ilk, backed up in no small part by her own main performance. The plot itself is no great diversion from the kind of story I’m used to with these smaller movies and for something that’s trying to include messaging about transgender issues and suicide, it probably could have been handled better or done in a different way.

Solaris (1972) - 9/10

Another Tarkovsky joint, one I thought I’d revisit to see if there was indeed more to get out of it a second time. Well, it’s no surprise that yes, there was certainly more to get out of it. Solaris is a crazy trip of a movie and I would liken it to Kubrick’s 2001 in terms of how grand the scale of it feels. Yet this is a film that comes across as deeply personal, choosing to focus on a specific character as he goes to a space station to help those on board who are experiencing some kind of emotional crises, only to feel the effects of the planet, Solaris invading his own mind as it has the crew. To many, I can see this lengthy Russian sci-fi being a tad slow but my personal experience is one of deep engagement. Solaris pulls its viewer in a lot of different directions and it is always doing something unexpected in terms of where its narrative goes. There’s a lot to think about with the movie and thankfully it’s no chore to watch again.

Y Tu Mamá También (2001) - 9/10

Another recommendation for the podcast episode on Alfonso Cuarón movies. This is a very relaxed experience, following three young people as they go on a road trip, visit different places and have sex. Listen to episode 40 of The Sunday Movie Marathon podcast for more of my thoughts.

Children of Men (2006) - 10/10

My favourite Cuarón movie, one that never stops being tense as its characters are constantly moving towards the end goal. Set in a future where humans are infertile, the oldest living person is 18, and London is the last city in the world that’s still keeping it together, somewhat. This is masterclass filmmaking. Listen to episode 40 of the podcast for more insights.

Minority Report (2002) - 5/10

I’m really not the biggest fan of Spielberg… Minority Report is an interesting movie in terms of its concept of stopping crimes before they happen by way of prediction, but I just didn’t connect with the heart of it. The colouring is way too overexposed in a way that’s supposed to be eliciting a futuristic vibe but instead feels so early-2000’s in the worst way. My biggest problem with Minority Report is just how long it is, clocking in at two hours and twenty-five minutes which allows for a lot of meandering, all while never quite developing characters enough for you to care about.

Caché (2005) - 9/10

Oh god! Another Michael Haneke movie! Here we see a couple periodically sent video tapes featuring hours of footage of the outside of their house. The anxiety ratchets up and the mystery gets deeper with every minute. There’s always at least one moment in any of his films that have so far made me realise just how out of my depth I am. Caché is no exception, and I won’t spoil anything here because I think it’s better just to watch the movie and see for yourself. He is a director that wants the audience to know something and that something is never what is explicitly shown at face value; it is pressed into the fabric of the film - plainly evident, yet hidden. Caché is so stupidly clever in displaying its themes and messaging - making reference to the Siene Massacre of 1961 as well as a deeper study of colonialism - and there’s no way to change a single detail of it without risking the Jenga tower crumbling to the ground. It all works in tandem. It is passion and fury and haunting.

Coco (2017) - 7/10

Pixar had a string of around seven forgettable movies before this point so thankfully Coco emerged to show the company still had something good in them. Coco deals a lot with themes of death and legacy, remembering those who are gone in order to preserve them and while its plotting is quite basic and there are certainly moments that either drag or cannot escape the same Pixar formula, most of what the movie has to offer is a lot of fun, with creative, colourful animation and emotional beats that resonate the way they’re supposed to.

Incredibles 2 (2018) - 5/10

Oh, they almost had it! There's a lot here that could have been explored in far more interesting ways. Setting Incredibles 2 directly after the events of the first movie was not a good idea. If it had taken place five or ten years after, the characters could have been in different places in life and it would feel as though they'd actually changed and developed. But instead of trying to be a film that actually cares about its characters and the journeys they go on, a lot of the film is wrestling with the idea that Bob isn't supportive of his wife and Jack-Jack has to fight a raccoon… They have to shoehorn in a villain that in no way compares to the genius of the original. The ending of the original introduces another antagonist that gets wrapped up within this film's first ten minutes, except they don't catch him and he's never mentioned again. It's a real shame because the animation is fantastic and the acting is superb and there are great ideas sprinkled throughout. It just doesn't come together.

Toy Story 4 (2019) - 6/10

I was rather reluctant to watch Toy Story 4 because from the get-go I’m not really here for sequels being made just for the sake of it. Everyone loves Toy Story and making another one is a sure fire way to make money. This is the first time I’ve seen Toy Story 4 and for what it’s worth, I did enjoy it. The animation is immaculate and that alone feels like a huge flex from Pixar who tend to step up the game when it comes to animation in film, despite not having the best track record for films generally at this point. While it was nice to see these characters again, I found a lot of them to be side-lined (namely Buzz) in favour of a story that focuses mainly or entirely on Woody, who I just don’t like as much as in the previous movies. Generally the movie is good and decent enough but there’s no real antagonist and the plot is quite loose… it doesn’t feel as though it needed to be made from a story point of view.

Onward (2020) - 6/10

And with that I have seen every Pixar movie. And Onward is a fine one to go out on. While I don’t think it compares to the likes of earlier Pixar it’s still pretty fun. Or maybe I’m just a sucker for a medieval setting filled with bright colours and magic! Speaking of which, the animation was super and the medieval quest element is something that hooked me with the film. Again, plot-wise it does feel very familiar and I don’t know, maybe I’m past the point now of expecting Pixar to mix it up where their formula for story-telling is concerned but the movie is quite predictable. Nonetheless, while I’m not rushing back to see Onward I would hardly turn it off or refuse if someone wanted to watch it.

Old (2021) - 3/10

Oh boy! New M. Night movie dropped and my word, was it fun! For more of my thoughts on this… masterpiece (?) of a movie, please direct your attention to episode 41 of The Sunday Movie Marathon podcast.

T2 Trainspotting (2017) - 5/10

Trainspotting is perhaps one of my favourite movies and I had never bothered with the sequel, 20 years on, because the ending of that first movie is so conclusive. T2 felt more an excuse for these guys to get together again and in that, I probably would have preferred a couple of pictures on Twitter of the main cast and director, Danny Boyle having dinner or something. This is a fine movie - very arty in its presentation but meandering and dull in its story that doesn’t offer much in the way of proof that it had to exist.

Taste of Cherry (1997) - 9/10

What makes life worth living? This is a central question and theme of Taste of Cherry, and one that leaves such interpretation not only up to its central character but to the viewer as well. This film got me thinking about times in my life when I truly have had no answer to hard questions. Because it’s hard to convince people of things they are so adamantly against and harder still to rationalise what you believe if you’re not even entirely sure why you believe it in the first place. We are all of us alive and in recognising that, does that make it precious? And if indeed living is not a happy thing, why then should we fight so hard to preserve it? I felt upset as I watched this movie because I’ve been asked these kinds of questions before and it makes me feel stupid when I’m unable to answer. But the only real answer I can give is, everything. And if you can’t see the point then you’re not looking hard enough. Taste of Cherry is beautiful in its exploration of these topics and in its overall presentation, offering some of the best visuals in any movie I’ve seen - fitting for a feature with so much to say about the beauty of life - and an ending that as much pulls the rug out from under you as it does pull you out of the dark and make you realise just how lonely you’ve felt.

Bones (2001) - 2/10

Snoop Dogg is Jimmy Bones! This film is super funny but I’m not sure it’s trying to be and I really didn’t love it overall. But I do talk more in depth about it in episode 41 of the podcast.

The Duchess (2008) - 5/10

Another recommendation for the podcast. The Duchess was pretty much exactly what I thought it was going to be and there’s a lot to like about it but generally it’s a bit sparse. For more chat on the movie, listen to episode 41 of the podcast.

The Man With One Red Shoe (1985) - 1/10

This was another one for the podcast and man, was it awful. We had to watch it at 1.5x speed towards the end because it just wasn’t getting finished otherwise. To find out more, make sure to listen to episode 41 of the podcast.

The Emperor’s New Groove (2000) - 7/10

Pull the lever, Kronk! Haha! Slays me. I do quite miss this era of Disney, where the animation was hand-drawn and the stories were actually compelling and funny. The Emperor’s New Groove is vibrant, it’s got great characters and memorable moments that will forever be ingrained in the memory of culture. All in all, it’s just a solid flick that doesn’t waste time, developing the standard fall from glory type of arc but smoothly and in an entertaining way.

The Suicide Squad (2021) - 8/10

Oh, bloody hell! They actually made a good one! The Suicide Squad is not only better than the ‘Suicide Squad’ of 2016 in every way, it’s a genuinely great film! This time, James Gunn (director of Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy movies) is at the helm and it seems clear that Warner Bros. basically let him do what he wanted with the movie, as it doesn’t seem to bog itself down with the restrictions of a more family-friendly rating. The result of this is a far cleaner, colourful film with a clearer vision that takes from early Vietnam movies and uses that style to craft a superhero/villain movie that differentiates itself among the copious amount of existing films of the genre.      The Suicide Squad wastes very little time, introducing fun, crazy characters we’ve not seen on the big screen before and isn’t worried about killing a whole bunch of them, with standouts being Elba’s Bloodsport, Melchior’s Ratcatcher 2, Stallone’s King Shark (expertly rendered with fantastic visual effects), and Robbie’s returning interpretation of Harley Quinn.      A lot of Gunn’s trademark sense of humour is laced throughout and more often than not, it hits. The audience at the cinema were truly loving this movie and I’ll admit, I was right there with them. This mix of the gritty, gory and absurd is not something that should work as well as it does but the basic premise of the film is already so silly (and boy, do they know it) that it just works! Certainly one of the best DC movies since The Dark Knight and one I’d be more than happy to watch again. This is what the modern comic book movie should be: just balls to the wall fun!