#partially bc it fit the vibe i was going for and partially just bc i like the key

[bxdtime-ceai]

i hate that my community is so small. i hate that social anxiety prevents me from meeting the people i want and expanding my community and instead puts me in the hospital. i hate that i cant get any kind of medication without losing my visa. i hate going to the straight clubs because the only other lgbtq+ night life is just very small gay clubs where i feel like i and my group are taking space that we shouldn't. i hate that i am always somewhat uncomfortable around the people with whom i am the most comfortable. i hate that even the one person i can relate to about this stuff is able to mask better than me. it's like i am set up to fail socially

[lovewireds]

been meaning to post my designs for these little guys forever. insane splatoon rambling under cut to explain design choices and lore related things ... read my autism boy

btw this is a repost from our art side blog this was written and drawn like months ago <- minorly rewrote some things tho

thx splatoon users drfreeman & drcoolatta for fueling my splatvrai autism brainrot ... i hate u /J

GORDON

idk how to explain this but Theoretical Physicist is inkling coded . maybe its cuz splatoon species social hierarchy

Native ink color is Orange, but he has Dark Brown tentacle roots.

Uses custom weapons to attach in place of his prosthetic; It works best with Splatlings but can be adjusted to attach other weapons.

If the thing above didn't make it obvious, he's a Splatling main. He switches out depending on his mood though.

sighhhhh technically an Agent... stares at the ceiling...Main character...

His arm loss is like pretty much the same as in-canon but it's with the octarian army shrugs. don't ask me why he doesn't just regenerate it cuz hes a squid thats for me to know and you to find out. (get partially sanitized loser)

Born & Raised in Inkopolis pre-splashtags; He wasn't informed of the switch to Splashtags being expected when participating in most activities around Inkadia.

TOMMY

I forgot why i made him an inkling why did i do that. I think it was bc i didnt wanna make them all octolings but i was wrong srry we all make mistakes /hj I ALREADY REDREW HIM ONCE IM NTO DOING IT AGAINNN

Native ink color is orange-brown.

His hat has an eye guard for sensory reasons; He covers up as much of his skin as possible because he doesn't like the feeling of foreign ink on him.

He isn't a specific weapon main, he just uses any long-range weapon to minimize the possibility of getting ink on himself. If he has enough guarding, he prefers to use N-ZAP '89.

Makes his own gear for sensory reasons as well :) It's legal when ur dad's the G-Man.

Exclusively plays in Turf Wars, Anarchy Battles, etc with friends. He hates playing with people he doesn't know.

Born in Splatsville !! He feels like a Splatsville resident. His occupation is resident I cannot imagine him doing Anything

His dad is that creepy curtain in one of flounder heights windows /j

BENR(E)Y

Octoling bc I wanted him to be sanitized :) Other than the visual part of being sanitized, I thought him being clinically dead fits /hj also lore reasons below

Pre-sanitization, his native ink color was blue.

Great Turf War veteran; He didn't do anything in the war itself, he was just enlisted lol. He was primarily security for the Octarian Domes in the years after the war. Yes, that also means he is over 100 years old.

"Raised" (debatably) in Octo Canyon.

E-liter main (4-star Base + 5-star Scope) and avid squidbagger. He also uses any heavyweight weapons (dynamo, tenta, etc)

Absolutely hates working at Grizzco, he only does Turf Wars and Anarchy Battles. He only works at Grizzco during Big Runs. The type of guy that does X battles.

Professional Anarchy / Ranked / X Battler btw. That's literally 90% of what he does.

Got on Gordon's azz over him not having a Splashtag; i wonder what that parallels.

BUBBY

Genuinely don't have a lot to say about his design. He gives off Splatoon 2 Octoling vibes (showoff /hj) also i wanted to make his hair wispy like it should be.

Native ink color is a light blue-gray gradient.

The drawing doesn't give it credit but I swear those are glasses not goggles .. they're opaque-colored slanted oval glasses !! ^_^ u can interpret them as spiked or just eyelashes, both are right.

oh also the text under bubby says "Is Best" in some splatoon font we downloaded awhile ago . i think it was ripped from splatnet

Blaster main. I don't know how to explain this one but it feels right.

helps with the practical Map props (ie ink rails) and with some weapon gear manufacturing ^_^ tech guy

COOMER

Was going to make him an Octoling for the convenience of making his hair curly but i didn't want to make all of them octolings + i think his personality generally fits Inklings more.

Native ink color is an off white gradient.

Slosher main cuz he likes moving his arms. this makes sense to me. Also is a fan of Splatlings and other Shooters.

i felt ill trying to design coomer without making his eyes two lines with eyelids

War Veteran...Stole some octarian tech and got fucked up super limbs. Cyber Inkling stealing from octos !! [inkadia crowd goes wild] /j

anyways outside of the war™ he's a data researcher. just generally. he does shit with splatfests and eggstra work.

If you splashed him with ink he would stand unmoving. He would not shake it off.

DARNOLD

Ok i'll be honest the Octoling choice is primarily bc Octolings have the afro style & inklings have no textured hair styles (i didnt have the energy to design smth that could work) . His personality fits octoling too though :3

Native ink color is red-orange.

The fucked up guy that makes those drink effects people never use ( i use them ... )

He doesn't participate in Turf Wars or Anarchy Battles, but he works some gigs at Grizzco for extra cash every once in awhile !

the type of guy that goes after flyfish cuz no one else will . god bles !!!

not a lot to say about his design & his place in inkadia , it kinda speak for itself . he just wants to get by and make his drinks in peace . #autism ... he is pretty much exactly the same as his canon self

[codename-adler]

AftG AUs I NEED : An Open Invitation to All Writers

sharing ideas i’ve toyed with for so long but i’m beginning to accept i prolly won’t ever write, thus i’m taking a chance some of these will bewitch someone out there body and soul, and i’ll be able to scratch the itch a little… the more the merrier after all !

The Last of Us : either a romantic version of Joel & Ellie’s dynamic (obv. with the ages adjusted) /OR/ episode 3 AU 🥲 [any ship] {EDIT: i KNOW it’s been done already once, twice, but i *need* more! not just with Andreil! let’s be explorers of possibilities, cmon!!}

Detroit: Become Human : this one i’m really only thinking of Andreil, with either as android and the other as human… i don’t necessarily see them conforming to a specific plot line from the game, i think the android/human dynamic is interesting enough and fits them perfectly, but go off i guess !

Brokeback Mountain : i don’t really need to explain this one do i? happy ending vs. canon character death, that is the true question… [any ship]

Titanic : it’s got so many options and tropes, it’s like a buffet for fic writers ! could be used as setting only, or follow Jack & Rose’s tragic (or not!) love story. [any ship]

The Haunting of Bly Manor : Jamie & Dani haunt me still. great opportunity for Renison, Lailalvarez or Kathea, or perhaps a gender swap on mlm ship? or not, leave them boys as is. haunt me, it’s all i ask. [any ship]

BBC Johnlock : don’t shoot the messenger alright? sorry for the ptsd flashbacks btw. i just think their dynamic and crime/detective AU are great opportunities. i’m personally partial to Jeanaaron for this one, as they were my og idea bc the similarities are??? amazing??? Sherlock!Jean & Watson!Aaron, and the Reichenbach Fall??? so neat. but really, [any ship]

The Maze Runner : Thominewt // Kandreil !?!?!? it’s right there! [any ship] tho.

SKAM : ofc Robbe & Sander from WtFock are physically the perfect Andreil which leads to a great adaptation opportunity here, but Élu from SkamFr are also a great blueprint for a Kevaaron story. honestly any S3 Skam + [any ship]

Dune : listen, i don’t have all the answers. idk how that would even work. but surely you can figure smth out ! [any ship]

Inception : i love the movie. i love hans zimmer. i love Arthur x Eames. NORA SAKAVIC LOVES ARTHUR x EAMES. they’ve got such Andreil vibes, but so do Jerejean, even Renison. and the Foxes as dream crew??? so perf it’s insane. give me and Miss Sakavic what we really want. [any ship]

The Fault in Our Stars : 🥲 [any ship]

CA: The Winter Soldier / Civil War : so it’s kind of like an amnesia AU, but more angsty bc Stucky dynamic. Andreil’s the perfect fit, but who knows who else… [any ship]

Jujutsu Kaisen : 🥲🥲 [any ship.s]

Attack on Titan : 🥲🥲🥲 endless, endless paths… to pain ! [any ship.s]

How I Live Now : is that too niche? or too boring? 🤷‍♀️ (also let’s leave out the cousin thingy…) [any ship]

Red, White & Royal Blue : duh. (but not so duh, apparently, since i’ve yet to read it !!!) [any ship]

The Old Guard : oh the possibilities… Yusuf & Niccolo my loves… nobody be doing it like them, nobody. absolutely one of the most movie ever… top 10 of mine for sure. ugh, gosh ! foxes as Immortals?? the action, the mystery, the soulmates?? please i’m begging. [any ship]

that's what i'm letting go of for now... if anything inspires you, please tag me in your works so i can indulge in and appreciate what you've come up with!!

Love, Adler xx

[the-s1lly-corner]

Hi. I don’t know if I’ve requested here before, but I have a (semi) great idea.

The rundown is somehow Caine found a karaoke machine! This leads to an iha where everyone + reader and Caine sing. (Honestly I just want to see what you’d think they’d sing).

Thank you!❤️❤️

KARAOKE TIME IN THE CIRCUS!

quick warning that you guys are about to be exposed to my music taste because i rarely ever listen to songs that dont fit my tastes so uh uh theres your warning, i know i have a warning somewhere on my acc where i say OOC is a possibility but i think it will really shine through here short post since its just me dropping what song i think each character would sing + links! this actually reminds me, ive had an IHA idea where its basically a musical episode where everyone cant talk, only sing but idk what the actual adventure itself would be and how music would tie in shrugs

CAINE:

as much as i wanna say hello world by louie zong, because AI stuff and bc ive been listening to it for the past hour on loop, i feel like that would be too on the nose and even completely out of character. so instead i suggest jerryterrys version of the boys are back in town

for one i am absolutely obsessed with jerryterrys version of the song above, as well as kiss me (kill me), i highly recommend you guys check out the music videos and put together the lore (CW for body horror in kiss me kill me, though!)

but like, my brain juices are flowing, like. i can see him singing the original, but imagine how unnerving it would be (assuming caine is actually going to be an antagonist) for the words to just. change and come out wrong in front of everyone

also i just want an excuse to gush about jerryterry

i love when people make song covers that sound like the original but theres something so terribly wrong

actually i love songs like that in general

caine gets two, because i can also see him singing charlie's inferno

POMNI:

oddly enough i can see pomni being into vocaloid and/or songs from anime. maybe its because her voice actor has voiced someone in JJBA and that fact is plaguing my mind, but i can now distinctly hear pomni singing some of my favorite songs in these genres... alas i dont have a set song in mind: so i will give you a song that does not fit the above at all, everyones favorite classic; come along with me from AT

JAX:

i give him, the main character by will wood because i can definitely see him singing this to be a little shit as well as genuinely. kind of seeing him enjoy the song

not much to say here since im not totally sure what jax would listen to :(!

RAGATHA:

okay i know i just brought up jerryterry's kiss me kill me, but that reminded me of the original kiss me because it does give me ragatha vibes

KINGER:

stumped on kinger, but first song that comes to mind is able by jack stauber i have nothing to explain this, but i will partially blame me listening to jack stauber a lot to be the reason

ZOOBLE:

cant explain this one either, i think its the tone of the voice but also im getting back into the scary jokes and

yeah

anyways icicles by the scary jokes , i can just see it

GANGLE:

okay so this one is less of a "i can see gangle singing this" and more of a "this makes me think of gangle" but imma put it here anyway since i dont have any other ideas for her !

today today by jack stauber

[foolish-took]

So a little less than two weeks ago, my friend gives me their dropout login info and tells me to check out a court of fey and flowers. Fast forward those two weeks and now I’m assigning each character a genre/artists/ music vibe to associate them with!! Because music means a lot to me and when I love a thing enough it gets music attached to it so let’s get into it.

The ideas here are partially mine partially said friends. Also there’s gonna be a bit of acofaf spoilers!!

Andhera is grunge, emo, soft pop shit like Clairo, and ambient music. Grunge and emo bc I feel like he would need music that makes him feel edgy and cool ya know. Clairo bc surprise he’s not actually that edgy. And ambient bc the they live in a cave and play the glow worms it just makes sense.

Binx also listens to grunge, as well as indie rock and country. Grunge bc she’s actually edgy, but also would appreciate music about being awkward which is lowkey indie rock to me. Or like, Wallows almost? And country fits bc when I think of music that talks a lot about being at home or away from home I feel like country sort of fits? At least older country. Oh also I think they would like bachata idk it’s coming to me in a vision and it fits in my head.

Lady Chirp definitely listens to synth pop and gay/fem pop icons from the 90s and 2000s. It just seems like her vibe

Now Lord Squawk on the other hand. Yeah his ass listens to weird ass shit or the most chill vibe ever. Experimental hip hop or 90s rnb there’s literally no in between. He would be the person to pull up to the function and play Death Grips and then go home and listen to Boys II Men.

Rue listens to soul and also Hozier. Hozier bc so far I’ve already got three Hozier songs that make me think of Rue so that’s THEIR artist. Soul is just off of vibe man i dunno it just fits to me.

Hob was a little bit difficult, but the consensus is that he listens to classic old jazz. And also Laufey. And like, after the ruehob thing came into fruition? Any sappy love song that reminds him of them. And for shits and giggles like military chants or songs or whatever they’re called.

Ok that’s all!!! These are super base level and not at all super serious assignments but I was bored at work today and had plenty of time to think.

[alt-wannabe]

MCSR D&D

here's fulham's character sheet!

College of Lore Bard 12 / The Fathomless Warlock 3 (Pact of the Blade)

Fulham is the last HBG member that I had ideas for a character sheet for but I ABSOLUTELY want to make more, I just don't want to mischaracterize the streamers I unfortunately know a little less about. That being said please please please lmk who yall wanna see next and i can make some polls in order to help me get started. Thanks :3

More under the cut!

Fulham's always seemed really well spoken so bard immediately stuck out to me as a good pick, and college of lore was also a pretty easy subclass pick bc my guy is EDUCATED. The warlock multiclass is a little more for player usability than characterization- eldrich blast with some invocations on a 20 CHA character can get some crazy damage. Also fun fact that purple is the pinkest accent color on D&D Beyond it's tragic.

Spell picks were like 40% normal D&D picks, 30% minecraft references, and 30% pure vibes/intuition picks. I gave him a lot more support/enemy debuff spells than pure damage as fulham tends to really shine in team events imo (plus bards tend to lean more on that side of the spell spectrum anyways).

I admittedly went a little crazy on the inventory. The smaller easter eggs include and herbalism kit, melons, and a cactus in the chest along with cooks utensils (tubbathon cooking show) and a playing card set (poker). Going along with poker/gambling I HAD to give him the Deck of Many Things- that things gambling incarnate and is such a fun iconic item (if my memory serves correctly this makes Fulham the only HBG member so far to have a legendary item). Manual of Iron Golems and Cube of Force are straight up just slap in the face minecraft references and I'm impressed it took me this long to spot them. Bag of Beans was another reference to the melon/cactus shenanigans (even though the actual utility of the item isn't super related to the theme but shhhhh). The Lantern of Revealing and Necklace of Adaptation were a little more vibe picks than the rest, Fulham just seems pretty observant and quick to adapt to his surroundings so I felt like they fit well.

Here are the feats I picked. Fulham has a masters in mf ENGINEERING so it would have felt so wrong not giving him something artificer related in some way. Fey touched was partially for the charisma boost and another partially just straight vibe pick.

Finally here's just a few of the bard features he picked up that I thought were fitting- specifically Jack of All Trades and Cutting Words.

Again I hope y'all are enjoying these as much as I enjoy making them! Please please send any suggestions for other HBG members and what would be fitting (I know I want to make silverr and poundcake at the very least but I'm struggling with what choices to make for them)

[venus-is-thinking]

Deciphering the DRDT Character Playlist

Hello DRDT community! @accirax and I took a look at the official character song playlist [remade version bc it got deleted or privated] and decided to take our own shot at figuring out whose is whose and what it means. It's pretty late, but we have at least some sort of a guess with reasoning for every song!

We used a combination of Genius lyrics, the vocaloid lyrics wiki, and google translation of Japanese lyrics in the YouTube description to get a decently functional interpretation of every song. Our theory goes through the songs in the order they show up on the playlist (we're pretty positive it isn't kill order), which means our confidence varies heavily from song to song. With that being said, let's go!

Diamond is Unbreakable by Yunno Kago: Ace Markey

This song does not have many lyrics, so a lot of our guess is based on vibes (though it gives much more than some other songs). The rock instrumental with more yell-based vocals feels like it suits Ace though, and I feel safe to say that Ace has had a breakdown (and may have many more in the future).

Sing Along by Sturgill Simpson: Teruko Tawaki

This song fits Teruko quite well. It has an edgier sound to it, but it isn't completely uncaring if you look at the lyrics.

I can't go on living alone now that you're gone You done me wrong, so here's your song

It reminds me of the scene where she plays with the cacti. She clearly misses Xander (and possibly others in her past), but that obviously doesn't stop her from feeling betrayed by them either.

There are a lot of lyrics about bitterness too (ex. "words can stab as deep as night," "bitter air and the winds of spite"), which reflect how Teruko has been treating the rest of the cast in Chapter 2. It's a duality of caring too much and acknowledging the harshness of the world, which encapsulates Teruko's character quite well.

RUNAWAY by half alive: Hu Jing

Not gonna lie, we were struggling on this one. This song is pretty much entirely predictive of a character arc that Hu might have later on. We're predicting this based on Hu's secret quote, which is basically the only reason we gave this song to her: "I want to pay for what I've done. But even then, I still want to live."

This implies that she has not paid for "what [she's] done," which probably relates to her secret. I know a lot of people think she might be the hopeless child, but I'm far more partial to the theory that Hu is the one who poisoned her competition. If she hasn't paid for it, it's possible she feels like she ran away, from the situation which could open the door for her handling those feelings later on.

cartoons by Louie Zong: Rose Lacroix

This entire song is about drawing and thought processes, which both relate to Rose's character pretty strongly. The recurring lyric of "it's all just cartoons in [her] head" makes me think of her photographic memory, which takes real life and permanently stores it in her mind.

There are also lyrics like "feeling every day the same" and "trying to make that old deadline" that strongly relate to her background with the Spurling Foundation. She feels like she's just watching the rest of her life go by as a corporate slave, and those feelings are wrapped up in a light and airy song, matching Rose's demeanor.

asymptotic by Louie Zong: Charles Cuevas

This is a silly little nerd love song. As a CharWhit shipper, I definitely think that there's a strong chance that this relates to Charles' feelings about Whit, calling him a "cutie face in x-y space" and other such things. It's pretty simple, but it's true that, romantic or not, a lot of Charles' character arc thus far has revolved around his relationship with Whit and realizing that he does enjoy spending time with his classmates.

However, notably, there's also the lyric "I'll forget," which made me start thinking about Charles' past he forgot about.

Asymptotic, obliquely Here's the point of this speech As close as we could ever get, you'll be just out of reach

This reads to me as being about Charles' memories or the older brother he doesn't remember losing. As close as he can get to remembering or understanding what happened through things like the secrets motive, it won't be the same as actually returning to that past or remembering it in full. Maybe that's reading into things a little too hard, but I think the interpretation is there to be read.

A Mistaken Belief of Love by Niru Kajitsu: Eden Tobisa

I'll be direct: this relates to our theories about how Eden is the Chapter 2 killer. I'm a particular proponent of the interpretation that Eden didn't believe Arei when she said she wanted to be friends and decided she wanted to escape back to her old life, to the girl she kissed. I'm not going to go into that Eden theory now, but @/1moreff-creator and @/thebadjoe have a great thread going back and forth which goes over a lot of what I personally believe to be true.

If you assume that Eden is the killer and wanted to be Arei's friend but gave up on the possibility when Arei snapped at her, the lyrics start to make sense. "Then I'll kill you at our rendezvous" would clearly relate to Eden summoning Arei to the playground just to kill her. "I just wanted to mistakenly believe that you loved me" relates to Eden's feelings towards Arei and the rest of the class, but that "mistaken belief" was shattered, causing her to kill.

Shunran by John/TOOBOE: Arei Nageishi

This song chronicles Arei's entire character arc, from prologue to death. It starts out much more aggressive and unfriendly, saying things like "I won't pay attention to small fry" and "I become angry easily." However, there's a recurring lyric that shows how she actually feels.

They say that praying to be loved is a sin. It has such a sweet scent.

Arei desperately wants to be loved, for people to be nice to her, but she's learned over the course of her life that she couldn't have that. Still, she can't help but want to be loved, so even when she knows that David is a manipulator, she still listens to his words. Even when she knows she's been awful to Eden, she swears she'll do anything to prove to Eden that she's serious, that she really does want to be her friend.

I pledged a ceasefire. My personality peeled off and fell because I have the courage to accept disappointment

As the song progresses, that desperate desire to be loved creeps its way into the actions the singer takes as well. Arei was willing to put aside her meanness she learned as a defense and try to stop the fighting, try to become friends, because she's strong enough to try even if she might fail. Through it all, all she wants is to be loved.

Yesman by Niru Kajitsu and Hachiya Nanashi: Nico Hakobyan

This song has a lot of lyrics relating to how the singer expresses scorn or insults. We know that this is a focal point of Nico's struggles with communication: they don't know what comes across as hostile or helpful.

However, as the song progresses, it gets more purposefully aggressive. There's a particular set of lines that seem to relate to how Nico interacts with Ace. They can tell Ace that they hate him, directly, and no one even blames them.

You could say that and you're still just a kid. How amazing!

This, in my mind, relates to Nico saying that they'll kill Ace (and clearly meaning it), but Hu still babies them. They can get away with all kinds of things.

There's no reason for me to turn back now, huh? I was caught in my own trap

Nico then, realizing that they can get away with a lot, goes after Ace, trying to literally kill him. They were caught, though, explaining the second lyric here.

The song also has a prominent lyric: "I'm an introvert, just waiting." There are variations on this, but I think it gets across the core idea: Nico is quiet, but they're still a part of the story the whole time, waiting for an opportunity to get their way.

Undead Enemy by Suzumu and Giga P: David Chiem

This song hinges around David's false persona of smiles and motivation and his true self who hates everything and everyone.

For whatever reason, he put on a mask symbolizing The leading role he had yearned for in the past.

Here, David is choosing to put on that motivational speaker persona.

And, from the next day onward, The unhappy boy's smile did not falter, He was even loved by someone

David then keeps up that happy and inspirational self, without fail, so that the world will love and accept him as the Ultimate they expect him to be.

However, the lyrics are filled with more hateful lines that sound more like him in Episode 11.

Slander and criticize, and then, I won't need anyone else. Just leave me alone

I act spitefully in disgust and force a smile

While he pretends to be happy and good, he knows himself to be much worse. This song focuses on those true colors.

Drawing Pins by Nothing but Thieves: Levi Fontana

Levi is a very pensive character. The main line of the song is "tell me what you did it for, 'cause I can't figure it out." That could relate to Levi's apparent struggles to understand others and what the "correct" thing to do in social situations is, like when he asks others how to handle the situation with Ace. I also like the interpretation that he could be talking to himself, wondering why he did what he did in the past. (Whatever mysterious past Levi has, it's clear that he did some things he's not thrilled about, and he seems to have a lot of feelings surrounding it.)

What do I have to do To be loved, loved by you

I'm personally not an AceVi shipper, but this line would definitely relate to Ace. Levi messed up in the first trial, threatening Ace, but in Chapter 2, he's trying to make up for it. Nothing he seems to do works, though, so he's at a loss as to what he could possibly do to make it up to him.

Hi-Fi Evolution Theory by Keu Studio: Veronika Grebenshchikova

Disclaimer, we had to put this song through google translate, so our lyrics might not be entirely correct.

Given that, though, I'm pretty confident this song must be Veronika's. There are a lot of lyrics that indicate her, but the most important ones surround what we've most recently learned about her: she can't stand boredom and will do just about anything for fun.

But is it selfish to have fun?

The one who laughs last is the winner

Even though Veronika knows that enjoying the killing game or possibly even working against the group's best interests in it is stupid at best and evil at worst, she'll still do it as long as it keeps her entertained. If she's selfish, she's selfish; she'll do it either way.

tip toes by half alive: Min Jeung

This song heavily ties into Min's outlook which she explains in her bonus episode. The lyrics mention a "need to be known," or a "pride" that's "screaming." She internalized a core need to become an Ultimate to keep her going forward and to preserve her hope.

She does want to change her behavior, though.

My future will listen to me, Listen to me, listen to me

Min is trying desperately to find a life for herself now that she's become an Ultimate. She wants to learn how to live after she's achieved the goal that her entire life has centered around. This song is her searching for the life that she wants to live in spite of her previous experience.

The song also sounds sort of desperate with its repetition of "listen to me" and the overall vibe of the instrumental. This fits in with Min's increasing desperation as she realizes, at the end of the first trial, that she won't have a future to figure out anymore.

Polygonal by fallstay (ふぁるすてぃ): Xander Matthews

This one was also put through google translate, so apologies for any mistranslations!

This song makes sense for Xander if you consider his clear survivor's guilt, visible through both his bonus episode and his secret quote, which is, in the most literal way possible, the dictionary definition of survivor's guilt. It mentions a "life full of mistakes" and describes other similar thoughts.

I'm dizzy and it hurts so much that I feel like throwing up

The urge to scream and someone's loud sobbing

That's my pain

These all feel like ways Xander interprets his past, which is his pain. We already know that Teruko accidentally running into him and hitting his eye hurt so badly he passed out, which is a step beyond "dizzy." Someone could be sobbing about his past; maybe it's even him. The things in his past that haunt him are what shape who he is and his actions, and that's what this song is about.

Spitfire (05 Version) by The Prodigy: J Rosales

This one has like one lyric. The vibes fit J though, and I don't really know who else's it would be or what other song would be hers, so it stays.

desk rotation by RQ laji-2: Arturo Giles

I'm not gonna lie. This is an instrumental. We have no idea what it means. This was process of elimination. I don't know what other song Arturo's would be so he gets this one.

(In all seriousness, you COULD give this one to Hu because it's music and she's a musician, give Arei the more hopeful RUNAWAY and give Arturo Shunran. The beginning of Shunran fits him decently, but I think the interpretation sort of falls apart in the middle of the song, at least given what I know about his character, and I think it fits Arei much better.

After we read some other theories, too, we think there's a viable shuffle that goes like this:

desk rotation: Hu (musical connection) tip toes: Arturo (generally prideful, future emphasis contrasting with his secret forcing him to think about the past) asymptotic: Min (abstracted to apply to the life she wants to seek out, math works as Ultimate Student) RUNAWAY: Charles (relating to him "running" from his past memories, positive growth arc)

While I still like our initial interpretations for Charles asymptotic and Min tip toes, I like the handling of RUNAWAY and desk rotation better with this one.)

For whatever it's worth, I also think there's a slight possibility that desk rotation is a placeholder song. It's a complete instrumental (all other songs have at least SOME lyrics), so it wouldn't be too insane to me if they had a song that they decided was just too spoiler-y to be released to the public. In that case, I think it's possible desk rotation will one day be replaced with a different song. Realistically, though, it's probably just here and we have to figure out what the hell it means.

Good Grief by Bastille: Whit Young

Whit obviously lost his mother at some point, who he clearly idolizes. You can see the glowing way he talks about her in the laundry room with Teruko and Charles, and his secret quote is literally "We tend to idolize the dead." He loves his mother, but given his secret, it's clear that she is dead.

This song is about grief. Whit represses a lot of his emotions, so I expect he hasn't yet felt his grief in full and hasn't processed it. He has, however, made it very clear that he struggles with loneliness, and that has a lot to do with his loss. I think that, over the course of the story, he's going to have to actually process grief and experience sadness. While it's possible that'll just be due to the feelings he has surrounding his mother, given that he's in a killing game, I think that he'll have to confront personal loss again to have this arc.

Regrettably, I think that that'll probably come in the form of Charles dying, likely as a Chapter 3 victim. Others have theorized on that, but suffice it to say that, narratively and based on hints they've dropped, I think it's probably true ( :( ). Whit, as he clearly cares about Charles, would then be confronted with grief again. He'd have to endure it and learn to deal with the loss.

On the plus side, I'd expect he'd be likely to survive afterwards.

[goldennika]

hey! i saw that you were interested in fashion and styling and kibbe and i was wondering if you have thoughts on soobin and yeonjun switching outfits for the act sweet mirage finale soundcheck? i thought it was super interesting how the same outfits ended up having a completely different vibe when worn on different people! (this is all in good fun ofc, no shade to either member and they were such good sports for doing the switch)

Hi! omg thanks so much for this question!! I thought it was really cute and silly of them to switch entire outfits when they said they’d be styling each other for soundcheck. it’s so TXT 😂

As for the difference in vibes despite them wearing the exact same outfit, if we’re going by particular styling systems then Seasonal Color analysis and Kibbe typing come into play!

I just wanna preface this by saying that I while I do have an interest in Kibbe typing and styling as a whole but I’m not entirely sure what their Kibbe types are. I had some initial thoughts about sookai’s Kibbe types a few months back but haven’t really done a full-on analysis for any of them (though I’d really like to!! 🙈)

While I’m leaning towards Soft Dramatic (vertical + curve) for Soobin, I can’t pin down Yeonjun’s Kibbe type. But he might be a very slim Flamboyant Natural (vertical + width) in my eyes. Will try to expound on this a little bit later!

With all that aside, let’s try to break down their looks below the cut! Be forewarned that it's going to be lengthy bc of all the photos and side discussions 😅

Top-bottom: Day 1 soundcheck (source) | Day 2 soundcheck (source)

I'm already seeing how differently the pieces fall on each of them. Yeonjun's original outfit appears to fall more smoothly on his body, whereas on Soobin, the fabric appears to bunch up and gather around his midsection more. This could potentially be due to Soobin being taller/having a longer torso so the blue-gray button down ends higher on his body than it does on Yeonjun.

While they both have slim waists, I think Yeonjun being short waisted/having longer legs and Soobin having a fuller 🍑, also contributes to how differently the fabric falls on them, despite both being tall and slim.

First pic (source) | Second pic (source)

With Soobin being the taller of the two, you would think that he could wear all the fabric with no problem, but seeing these photos side by side, he seems to be a little overwhelmed by Yeonjun's outfit.

This, I believe is where their Kibbe types come into play. As mentioned earlier, I suspect Yeonjun could be an FN, and Soobin is a potential SD.

Flamboyant Naturals or FNs are considered to be frame-dominant. This allows them to wear flowing, unstructured pieces without being swallowed by all the fabric, as their body structure is able to provide... well, the structure that would showcase the pieces clearly. This is partially why FN models ruled the catwalks during the 90s -- their body structure allowed for you to focus on the clothing, rather than the body, leading to the "human hanger" moniker that supermodels were given around that time.

Going back to Yeonjun, their recent content (particularly the abundance of sleeveless Yeonjun appearances we've had this year) made me realize just how broad he is, despite being so slim. Just look at how the fleece jacket fits on him (suspected Flamboyant Natural) versus Beomgyu (suspected Soft Classic)!

Or compare how Yeonjun's top falls on his body, particularly the shoulders, versus that of Soobin in a Tinnitus stage.

(Side note: the GBGB/Tinnitus/DBTW stage also really highlights their different frames, given the rather simple cuts and fabrics for their costumes. It's a helpful reference for kibbe typing imo, along with their encore outfits as they usually wear the same pieces)

First pic (source) | Second pic (source)

Going back to the outfit swap, I think the elements of Yeonjun's original outfit work well on him as he has the vertical and the width to pull off the long layers and the looser fitting fabrics. Denim is also a popular material for Naturals as it has some structure but is not overly stiff. The distressed details also add to that rawness that Naturals can pull off well.

That same outfit on Soobin, on the other hand, doesn't look quite as harmonious, as Soft Dramatics tend to shine more in pieces that accommodate their vertical and curve. The flannel shirt being under the long top just made him look wider on the bottom versus if it were acting like an external belt that could have defined his waist. Coupled with the baggy distressed jeans, it just made him look rather unbalanced and visually weighs him down.

Accessories also play a role in the different vibes we get from the outfit swap. Yeonjun's piercings help to tie in the grunge styling. If Soobin wore Yeonjun's outfit with a few more accessories (maybe adding pins to the beanie or some jewelry, idk), it could look more like a complete outfit for him bc from the waist up, he looks a little plain, IMO, and that does nothing for a Soft Dramatic like him!!

(source)

Soobin's original outfit suits him better as a Soft Dramatic as it honors his vertical (monochrome palette, long pieces) and curve (large collar and the leather coupled with a textured trim adds visual interest or "drama" that he can pull off).

231202 Soundcheck (source)

Consider how different Soobin and Taehyun's vibes are despite having similar outfits on. Soobin's jacket looks visually "fuller" (fabric has a heavier visual weight compared to Taehyun's) but it does not overwhelm him as he has the build for it. It also ends by his waist (compared to midhip for Taehyun) which helps to draw the eye in to his curves -- again honoring his Soft Dramatic lines.

Black is also well within Soobin's color palette as a Winter type so the look is very cohesive overall! (Lighter grays/blues, like Yeonjun's shirt, aren't as flattering on Soobin as these could make him appear a little washed out or dull)

Soobin's outfit on Yeonjun still works as he has the vertical and the frame to pull it off. IMO however, the jacket looks a tad oversized on Yeonjun which contributes to the more "relaxed" vibe on him versus on Soobin (where it is a closer fit to the body) and makes him look more.. dominating(?) in a sense.

(source)

When Yeonjun took off the jacket, people somehow went crazier 😂 And I get why! The shirt showcases his build, rather than being covered up by a visually bulky jacket.

By removing the jacket too, it allowed for more focus on his face. I think Yeonjun might be a Summer type so black would take away from his features. Lighter colors are more flattering for him (another factor in why his original outfit doesn't seem to be so overwhelming on him) but he and the rest of TXT are all ridiculously good looking, it's hard to make them look unattractive 😂 I'm still a bigger fan of their orig outfits though 🙈

TL;DR: Yeonbin's original soundcheck outfits honor their Kibbe types and personal colors more than when they switched but since they're both tall, broad (but in different ways!), and just stupidly handsome, the outfit switches still kinda work bc they have elements that work to their Kibbe types.

If you've made it this far, thank you so much for reading!! Let me know your thoughts on their outfits, if you'd want to see more pieces like this from me, or just anything you'd like to share about TXT fashion and/or styling! 🫶

[whumpbug]

okay okay okay so I held back on this one because I asked alternate already BUT. can you put Gene and Cassidy in a sci-fi story. what would they wear what are their roles do you have scene snippets or dialog? sci-fi is my favorite thing ever and as always feel free to ignore if this isn't the vibe!!! i love you bug /p!!!!!

OHOHOHOHOHHOH SETH I LOVE U /P

i am all for a sci-fi vibe. even if star wars is TECHNICALLY a space opera, i love love love the space setting and i would be DELIGHTED to talk about it.

im gonna word vomit on the page first and them ill try my hand at a few drabbles in this au. strap in for ANOTHER very long post. THANK U AGAIN SETH I LOVE UR ASKS I TRULY CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF THEM /GEN

okay so. since i'm only really well-versed in star wars sci-fi concepts, this is going to be a vaguely star wars inspired au but i'll try to phrase it in a way thats more applicable to sci-fi in General (its always so fun to translate their jobs and personalities into different settings)

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we'll start with gene. idk why but i'm getting very much a bounty hunter vibe from him. like someone who maybe works for a larger organization or guild hunting down notorious criminals (i mention that he works for an Entity bc i think its sort of important that he doesnt choose his bounties himself. he gets them assigned)

i think he would still do it out of a sense of responsibility because he doesn't think bad people should just be running around like that, but also because. a man's gotta make a living. he's gotta pay the bills.

i can see him having his own little ship that he practically lives out of considering how much he travels, and i feel like he'd get very attached to his ship (much like calliope. sorry calliope you've become a spaceship in this au)

OMG AND ALSO A THOUGHT IS BEING BEAMED INTO MY HEAD.

he wears a mask. you can't see his face when he's out doing jobs. he conceals his face, partially because he doesn't want people to see when hes scared or smug or anything like that and partially for the Swag.

that brings me to his overall outfit. i believe in my heart of hearts that gene would wear something like this (i wish i could credit the artist but i couldnt find it)

except instead of an entire helmet, it would be more of just a black piece of cloth pulled loosely over his mouth and nose. and im also seeing him in a very wide brimmed hat that he can tilt down to Brood pls tell me you guys see the vision.

he'd have a little revolver-looking blaster and knowing him, it'd be set to stun. i don't think he really enjoys bringing people in cold, and does his best to avoid it when he can

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OK now onto cassidy. my beautiful darling boy silver. my sweetiepie.

it was kind of difficult to translate his profession into this setting because. it involves more people other than him.

ultimately i decided that, similar to the modern au, he is a part of an underground business, kind of like a rebellion of sorts, that fight against the injustices of the galaxy robin-hood style. of course, montana is the leader (unfortunately) and cassidy is essentially his right hand man

i can see cassidy traveling planet to planet, dismantling corrupt governments, providing for the needy, and having an absolute blast doing it, but his methods are. very illegal. and there is a growing bounty on his head.

nearly every major government wants specifically him locked away for life because of the destruction he's caused, and of course they hire the very best bounty hunter around to track him down.

and of course cassidy is a slippery fellow

cue their little cat and mouse thing they've got going on. gene wants to catch him because if he does, he'd practically be set for life. cassidy runs away because, well. he has a job to do. he can't get caught, especially by the weirdly attractive masked dude that talks to his spaceship.

and lastly, here is what i think cassidy's fit would vaguely look like:

he loves ponchos he can't help it. they're too comfy.

he too would have a little revolver-blaster thing and of course, his knife and hat. one thing that it different is the stolen jewelry. i decided that instead of stealing jewelry from the awful people, he takes mechanical/droid parts for his little buddy that he keeps around named SC-071-1 (haha. ahaha get it. please tell me someone gets it.)

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OK ONTO THE DRABBLES AND SNIPPETS! you get 3 because im feeling Generous /pos. here in the first little snippet for you. this is the two meeting in a bar and not wanting to make a scene (gene tracked him there) (i just wanted to write a silly tense scene)

༶•┈┈୨♡୧┈┈•༶

Cassidy heard Gene before he saw him.

The man was always stomping around in a way no one could quite replicate. His footsteps were deliberate, cold, and unmistakable.

And they were right behind him.

The business end of a blaster was suddenly pressed into Cassidy's ribs and his mouth went dry.

"I'll have a Jet Juice. On the rocks."

Gene tossed the bartender a coin, to which he grumbled indignantly and began on the drink.

Cassidy risked a sideways glance at the bounty hunter. His expression was unreadable and hidden as always, and he didn't even turn to look at Cassidy. Instead, Gene leaned close and spoke lowly into his ear.

"Make a scene and you're dead. Try to run and you're dead. Turn on your comm and you're dead. Am I clear?"

Cassidy smirked, and mocked a salute. "Loud 'n clear, sir."

Gene gave a curt nod and turned to the bar. The bartender slid him his drink, which he downed in one go, and he was just about to order another when--

He sputtered when he felt something pressed into a certain.. important area. He blanched.

"Didn't say anything about fightin' fire with fire, did you, cowboy?" Cassidy grinned. The sight of the big bad bounty hunter squirming because his family jewels were threatened never got old.

˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗

DRABBLE 2 HERE WE GO. this one is gene finding cassidy after a mission gone sour. cassidy was effectively abandoned by montana with the promise that he would come back for him.

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The whole mission was a bust from the beginning.

Cassidy should have known. He had a gut feeling-- that it was some sort of trap specifically designed for the organization. When he brought it up to Montana, he said that it was just Cassidy being paranoid. And, of course, he believed him. He always did

And now, there he was, beaten within an inch of his life and left to the elements by the government higher-ups.

They really didn't like people messing with their system.

Cassidy took a labored breath for what felt like the millionth time. Each time it was getting harder. His arms were pinned awkwardly above his head and to fill his lungs, he had to pull himself up. It quickly became exhausting.

The worst part was the cold. Montana had mentioned that this planet's average temperature was a little below what Cassidy was used to, but he didn't mention that the city they were infiltrating was located near the northern pole of the planet.

It was freezing.

Cassidy had long since stopped shivering.

He let his head loll forward. He wasn't sure he had the strength to wait for Montana anymore. He wasn't sure he had the strength for anything anymore. Even keeping his eyes open seemed a monumental task.

So, he let them fall shut.

••••

When he woke up, it was because he registered his center of gravity tilting on it's axis.

There was a body pressed against his. And it was warm.

If he had any remaining strength, he would have clung to his rescuer like there was no tomorrow. Instead, he settled for letting his head fall against the person's chest as he let out a pitiful whine.

A hand chafed up and down his shoulder. "Just relax. We'll get you warm. Don't you dare try to run off, Silver."

He wouldn't dream of it. Not when he could feel himself melting to putty in the arms of this stranger.

˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗

LAST DRABBLE it's gene's turn. in this au he has spasthma (space asthma) and sometimes it hinders his job in Not good ways. and cassidy isn't heartless.

˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗

Cassidy really wasn't thinking when he threw the smoke bomb. All he knew was that the damned bounty hunter was catching up and he needed to throw him off.

He did not expect him to fall to his knees with a guttural coughing fit.

It would have been so easy to leave him there to rot, to hop in his ship and escape without looking back.

But when did Cassidy ever take the easy way out?

"Shit," He hissed, darting back to where Gene was kneeled with a palm supporting him on the ground.

He was clutching at his chest, choked gasps leaving him intermittently. His eyes looked vaguely panicked.

"C-Can't--" He wheezed, getting cut off by another coughing fit. He looked as if he was about to topple over.

Cassidy caught him by the arm and dragged him away from the busy street. He propped him up against an wall tucked into an alleyway and began rummaging around in his bag.

One of the younger kids with the Montana's crew had the same condition with all the same symptoms Gene was having right now. The kid was pretty forgetful, and Cassidy always made sure he had an extra rebreather on him. Just in case.

Gene was going to owe him big time.

His fingers finally grazed what he was looking for and he yanked it out, fumbling to get it open. He shook the small canister and pressed it to Gene's lips.

"You have to puff. Just try, okay? Just a little." Cassidy grabbed Gene's hand and placed it on his chest, exaggerating his own breathing to show him what to strive for.

Gene hiccuped slightly before taking a flimsy inhale. He breathed out and tried at it again, and found it gradually got easier.

When he could finally take a deep breath, he collapsed against the wall, panting. His hand didn't leave Cassidy's chest.

"Thank-- thank you," He whispered.

Cassidy smiled.

"Does this mean I get a headstart now?"

˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗

SETH thank you SO VERY MUCH for this ask and this au. i think i may like it more than their original au GOD i love them so so so much FHDJKFH. thank u for the requests and as always PLS dont be afraif to send more if the mood striked you but no pressure ofc! /gen

hope you enjoy my rambling bc this post was LONGGGGG

[selfproclaimedunicorn]

roots, formal, and stature for taryne bc she intrigues me so!

Thank you for the indulgence, ily 🩷

Roots: Is your OC's look inspired by any specific style of clothing or fashion trend? What are the roots &/or inspiration for their look?

The inspiration for Taryne’s look is that I want her to be hot, next question.

Lmao, okay, answering this seriously now. I wouldn’t say there's necessarily 1 inspiration behind her look as a whole. So I'll just talk about a handful of the ideas I have. This will get long bc you asked me about a thing I'm nerdy about.

So the specific vibe with her hair is "it's always fixed, often to the detriment of touching it." Very intricate updos or partial updos, or fixed around a headpiece that would be difficult to work around. Her hair is very decorative & very controlled. I'm definitely going the "modern period piece where the medieval & Renaissance head piece is worn over hair that hasn't been covered by a veil" route, but The Other Boleyn Girl's styling altered my brain chemistry, okay. This is called me having my cake & eating it too (period head pieces and dope hair)

Her clothes are just me going off of vibes for "yeah, she'd wear this. This feels right." But the general theme has been "very pretty, expensive gown that shows off the goods." If the bodice isn't form-fitting & pushing her tits up, there's cleavage on display or it's real easy to get to the titties. The vibe is generally "this is the one area of compromise;" the fabrics & embellishments are her idea, her boobs being out is her husband's. And I don't think she'd not dress like this if she were in a different situation than the one she's in, but there'd be more off days I suppose? Or maybe something like the difference between Ellaria Sand at Joffrey's wedding vs after Oberyn died. The vibe was the same, but it was less overtly sexy. There'd be less swans in her outfits, that's for sure.

Formal: What's your OC's formal look? Do they like dressing up? Do they have different looks for different occasions?

Taryne has a complicated relationship with getting dressed up. She doesn't dislike it, but she also never had the opportunity to do it until she was 14/15 & carted off by House Swann as a war prize. She'd dreamed of getting dressed up fancy & pretty when she was still living at Wyll with her dad & half-brothers, but as a bastard she never really got to do the whole formal court stuff. Because sure Dorne has a more relaxed attitude, but his wife wasn't gonna be putting Taryne on totally equal footing with her sons.

There's some negative memories associated with the first few times she got dressed up fancy/for formal occasions (her wedding & getting shown off like some kind of novelty after the fact), but she's come to enjoy it about as much as one can when their romantic whimsy is gone.

Her formal outfits are just The Most versions of what she wears normally: more beading, more embroidery, more lace, brocade, samite, shot silk. She feels pretty though, & she gets to be the most extra version of herself. And getting to be extra is something Taryne can do just for herself.

Stature: What's your OC's body type? How tall are they? Do they wear clothing to accentuate their look or do they try to mask it?

Taryne is a 5'9" baddie with fat tits & wide hips & a soft tummy, & you will respect that. When I say she is a MILF I mean it. She has had kids & she did not "bounce back" to being as slim as she was before she had them & she is sexy dammit!

She's definitely embracing how she looks. Can't go back to before, she's still getting clothes that show her off picked out for her, Gwayne thinks she's hot & will bottom for her regardless of the stretch marks & Mom Bod, so why not flaunt it? Why not wear the plunging neckline & the dress with the form-fitting bodice?

[x-liv25-jamieswife]

short taylor swift playlists for each tig character - xander

here's xander's playlist! the sweetest boy in the world whom i love so much. some short explanations again bc im bored. because we don't know a whole bunch about him. some of these songs i think fit him solely because of the vibes or certain lyrics.

#1: i hate it here: this song is about escapism. i think the title is quite self-explanatory, but the narrator escapes to this secret world they've created in their mind because they hate this world. i think xander would relate to this song, but, instead of escaping to secret gardens in his mind, he'd escape to his lab and lose himself to his interests.

#2: snow on the beach (feat lana del rey): i added this song purely because of the vibes. i think this song describes xander falling for max (and vice versa) quite well. the song is about two people simultaneously falling in love with each other which i think is what happened for maxander.

#3: mastermind: this song is about scheming and making up plans to ensure you get what you want (not evil scheming though). the song is about a relationship, and, while it could suit xander that way too (we don't really know much about his relationship with max), i added this song thinking about xander in the first book (because of the secrets he held, and what tobias tasked him with) (you could also just see it as him being a literal mastermind). the bridge talks about being excluded as a child (not being wanted) which we know xander relates to.

#4: paris: again, this song is purely because of the vibes. the song discusses being in love with someone and blocking out distractions like the paparazzi and gossipers. we don't know if the concept of the song fits maxander, but i do think there are lyrics in the song that suit them quite well, and the vibes just give off maxander to me (i think the bridge is really sweet and cute which is what i think of max and xander)

#5: dear reader: this song is written from the perspective of an advice columnist. the narrator gives the 'reader' advice but then warns them to not trust this advice because the narrator isn't really doing well mentally. xander, who tends to give people advice, on the surface, looks very happy, cheerful, and like he has everything figured out, but, as we get further into the series, we learn about his many insecurities and issues. although this song isn't a perfect fit, i do think it suits xander quite well.

#6: marjorie: this song about the narrator's deceased grand mother (or grandfather in this case) and features bits of advice she gave her throughout her life. the narrator talks about her guilt over not knowing her grandmother as much as she could've. we know xander was quite close to his grandfather (closer than his brothers). we don't know much else about his relationship with tobias, but i do think he'd relate to this song (i also assume tobias gave him advice growing up).

#7: mirrorball: the narrator of the song compares themself to a reflective disco ball. they reflect other people's personalities in order to please them or make them like them. we know xander wants people to like him (he grew up being hated on because of his skin color so it makes sense for him to go to extreme lengths to be liked), and it's quite clear that he puts on this facade in order to be liked.

#8: the archer: ignoring the fact that this song is about a relationship, i think it suits xander pretty well. it focuses a lot on the narrator's insecurities, self-hatred, and fear of being left which i think xander would relate to (at least partially).

#9: paper rings: this one is really just for the vibes. this song screams maxander to me. the narrator of the song is so in love with their partner that they're willing to marry them with paper rings.

#10: me! (feat brendon urie of panic! at he disco): i think everyone knows this song. its a fun song about self-love and confidence that i added purely because of the vibes, and i can just imagine xander singing this during his karaoke sessions with his brothers.

#11: how you get the girl: this is a cute little love song that i think fits max and xander so much. i think the title is self-explanatory, but its about this girl who gives this guy advice on how to get a girl (the girl who gives the advice could be avery).

#12: everything has changed (feat ed sheeran): another cute love song about realizing your life has completely changed after falling for someone. i think this suits maxander, but, again, we don't really know much about them so this might not be accurate.

#13: mean: a fun song where the narrator responds to the haters. we know xander gets hate for his skin color, and i like to think that he responds to comments online with something like 'go listen to mean by taylor swift, love :)' or something like that.

#14: never grow up: i think the title is self-explanatory. i feel like xander would look back at his childhood and wish he'd never grown up because 1. his grand father would still be alive, and 2. people are more naive and clueless as children, and he'd like to go back to the time where things were simpler/he didn't hate himself as much.

#15: innocent: this song is about forgiving someone for all of their wrong doings. i think xander is a naturally forgiving person (meaning he could be talking to anyone in the song), but i see this song as him talking to his grand father. tobias wasn't the best grand father and treated his grand sons horribly sometimes, but i think xander forgives him for everything because he wasn't always mean (also, he's family).

that's it. i wrote these at 2 am (i literally only have time to make posts late at night) so forgive me if these explanations are absolute dog shit. next up is nash :)

[ichorblossoms]

*pulls up a seat* i would actually love to hear your thoughts behind the Grimm with flowers piece!!

HI HELLO!!!! OKAY SO this piece isn't as Symbolic or intense as some of my other ones, i moreso had a vibe and also wanted a piece that (somewhat) more directly conveys that hey, grimm's got some fun gender stuff going on. also i wanted to fuck around with drawing hair. i think i mentioned it but i'm trying to strike a balance between stylized and flowy but also not too unrealistic so it's. at least a step in that direction. idk i'm still figuring things out and shrimply fucking around at all times

it's not an Issue really but some of the tags (which i do always appreciate) that i've gotten from ppl on some of my grimm and/or grimmyarrow pieces had me like hm. i think you're interpreting grimm as a man and they are. not that. which, in-canon grimm just goes with whatever people think it is (which is usually a man) and doesn't care about being misgendered so i can't fault ppl for that. but it's important to Me that ppl understand that they've got a fun gender, or at the very least that they're nb. like i talk abt it on this blog but it's pride month and it's even more of an excuse to be more deliberate abt it on main

that all being said, i do like me some occasional flower symbolism though :3c this piece is only semi-deliberate with it bc at the end of the day i wanted a) nb flag flowers and b) at least some sonoran desert wildflowers but it's got:

yarrow- self explanatory. has all sorts of good symbolic meanings like love, courage, healing yadda yadda. medicinal plant and poisonous to dogs. also the scientific name is partially derived from achilles which is something i've had simmering in the back of my mind for awhile smthin smthin having only one specific weakness. also a royal pain in the ass to draw if i'm getting detailed with it. i don't do that here hdkghfdlk

(black) rose- mostly for grimm's general black color scheme really. black roses have their own symbolism like mourning and rebirth that do fit but also. rose typical romance flower + black bc grimm. yeehaw

coulter's lupine- i see these bitches on the side of the road when i drive through the desert in spring and it's really cool to see them in full bloom hehe. i consulted my book on desert flowers and saw the name like. oh fuck yes dog-coded. i mean i'm particular about when i cross between wolf and coyote symbolism and try not to really draw wolf comparisons to grimm bc of that BUT sometimes you need a good the dog motif regardless of what kind of dog it is <thinks about this too much

brittlebush- yellow :) also these are just. pretty common i see em every now and again and i like putting familiar things in my work ehehe

[electraslight]

Ok, so in your latest art dump, is Verdona the absolutely feral lady who could not more clearly have been present in the Woodstock Festival and knows all 60-70s songs by heart despite being an otherworldly energy being?

At least, that's the vibes I'm getting from her...

Can we ask for your headcanons for her, pretty please? :3

hey hey!! sorry this is such a quick thing im at school. i dont have a lot of verdona headcanons? none that i can articulate at least. ill put a couple down here:

-shes very stuck in the 60s, before she met max and assumed her more dignified appearance she used to be a wild party girl stopping by planets and assuming different skinsuits to fit in. she stopped by earth one day and loved it so much she decided to stay and play with what her identity should b

-she thinks embarrassing max is funny which is partially why she assumes her more 'trashy' appearance, but really she just loves looking like an old lady whos aging disgracefully. she loves going to bingo night and listening to the church grannies whisper about her

-she takes ben and gwen to buffets a lot mostly because she likes to eat a lot of food even though she doesnt need to, and she always encourages gwen to eat more bc shes 'so skinny' which she thinks is hilarous bc gwen cant gain body fat. verdona is usaully the one laughing at her own jokes but she doesnt care bc shes having a great time

-living on earth for so long did a number on her, as she became depressed and tired all the time and became a shell of her former self, but she can never bear to part from it bc she loves the culture and the people so much. its the easiest place for her to assume a new identity and make up a new role for herself. she cant really understand gwen bc gwen sees her person as who she really is and doesnt want to change or switch around, and verdonas never felt like that before. she cant understand why gwen stays in a body that will constantly betray her and that she can never fully love, and verdona wants to free her from this bc she wants gwen to be happy, along w putting more anodites into the world. verdona cant get past how she felt when she was trapped on earth and assumes gwen feels the same way, and cant comprehend why she doesnt.

sorry that got heavy lol, thanks for the ask!!

[lonesomedreamer]

The Rings of Power Liveblog: “The Great Wave” and “Partings” (Episodes 4 & 5)

“The Great Wave”

As always, I appreciate this show’s commitment to being gorgeous!

The foreshadowing of Tar-Míriel’s dream is fine as a narrative device, but it feels…deceptive? Númenor was destroyed because they deliberately broke the Valar’s Ban by sailing to Valinor, not because one Elf showed up. (To be fair, they did so due to the influence of [redacted], so…)

Yeah, the whole “the Elves are gonna come take our jobs!” thing is, um…it’s too much.

Love that Al-Pharazôn is using their descent from Elros, the son of two half-Elves who both chose to live as Elves, to pump these people up…bc the Númenóreans had come to resent “the choice of their ancestor” by this time! They don’t fear the Elves. They envy them—resent them. They enjoy life and want to keep on living it. They want to be immortal. That really shouldn’t be a difficult idea to get across on screen!

I initially appreciated the obvious Mediterranean influences in this design, but now it seems over-the-top and doesn’t fit in well with the aesthetics of the rest of the universe.

It’s really dumb—and rude—that the queen keeps calling Galadriel “Elf”

It’s a shame they’ve stripped her of all her wisdom.

Unsure if it’s the fault of the writing or the acting, but Tar-Míriel is not doing it for me at all. Alternating between widening your eyes and smirking does not a compelling performance make.

Cheap comic relief from Elendil—thanks for nothing, writers!

“Isildur” continues to provide this show with unnecessary, meaningless teen angst/drama. No thanks.

More grimdark Orc stuff. At least Arondir’s finally getting out.

Oh, the horror movie nonsense, bad CG, and bad costumes that make up the Southlands subplot…I didn’t miss it.

The actor playing Celebrimbor looks more like someone you’d cast as a Hobbit than an Elf. I’m getting way more “old Bilbo” vibes from him than “master smith of the Noldor”…

WHAT is going on with the timeline? Most of Episode 3 took place over a few days in Númenor. In that time, Bronwyn’s village has run out of food at their watchtower refuge—believable enough—and the Dwarves of Khazad-dûm a) decided to help build forges in Eregion after all and b) already partially completed said forges! Make it make sense.

“Are you suggesting Durin’s got himself a wee girlfriend?” “These wee’uns are turning my mind to much.” I did Shakespeare in high school, and once, after our director asked us to project for the umpteenth time, she shouted, “You do not mic the Bard!” That’s how I feel about these line. I’m so sorry, Professor.

Elrond just wandering around in the mines of Khazad-dûm, alone, like it ain’t no thing, lmao.

Mithril!

Not them making me care about this made-up friendship between Durin and Elrond a tiny bit.

Huh, a Palantír. I didn’t see that coming.

“Palantíri show many visions. Some that will never come to pass.” Cribbing directly from Galadriel’s actual canon dialogue!

“I will not second-guess the gods.” This is so funny to me, bc like…Galadriel lived among the Valar! It’s giving “do not cite the Deep Magic to me…I was there when it was written.”

Arondir saving Theo and then holding his own against like a bazillion Orcs while also trying to defend him…as if!

We just saw the Orcs running around a village in broad daylight, but suddenly they can’t keep chasing Theo and Arondir because the sun’s coming up??

The power of music…now that’s very Tolkien. ♥ This scene also gives the Dwarves, with their exaggerated Scottish accents and bad dialogue, a few all-too-rare moments of dignity.

Which is quickly destroyed by Durin angrily screaming about his “old goat” of a father.

I’m grudgingly going to admit that I kind of like Elrond. Though I still think the actor is wrong for the part, he does have a certain gravitas when a scene calls for it.

“For ever am I with you, my son.” Oh…oh, it’s a good scene. And King Durin also has dignity and gravitas! I didn’t think these writers had it in them.

As surprisingly compelling as the Khazad-dûm stuff is, the Southlands subplot is dull. I’m not interested in Theo at all, and I’m barely interested in Bronwyn—and since they’re not going to bother to develop her character properly (there are just too many characters at this point), it doesn’t matter.

Also: the exchange between Theo and the guy in whose barn he found the Sauron sword about the return of their “king” is really heavy-handed foreshadowing.

Númenor is lowkey a narrative disaster. Aesthetically pleasing, though!

Wait, how did Halbrand get out of prison…? Did I miss that??

“I’ve decided to personally escort the Elf back to Middle-earth to aid our mortal brethren who are now besieged in the Southlands.” Again “the Elf” instead of her name…also, how is Tar-Míriel accompanying her going to make a difference? Sending troops, sure—but having the reigning monarch leave Númenor???

“Brave sons and daughters.” Do we think there were Númenórean shield-maidens? Genuinely asking. Yes or no, an absurd number of women volunteer to serve. I’m genuinely all for gender parity/equality, even in fantasy. However… a) it seems unrealistic in this setting/the style of combat they’d be training for, and b) women can be valuable and valued beyond being soldiers (Tolkien knew this—just look at Éowyn)!

Okay, this one was a doozy!

The Good:

Visually stunning, as anyone who’s gotten this far should now expect. I’m going to say that every time. (Tbh it’s why I’m even still watching.)

It’s nice to return to an Elven location (with the promise of more next time!) They gave a magical, ethereal atmosphere to the first episode that’s been missing ever since, and they feel a lot more escapist than Númenor and the Southlands.

Elendil continues to be hot

Some really touching, well-acted moments in Khazad-dûm*…I even thought Elrond was solid. And mithril!

The stuff with the Palantír was kind of cool.

Tar-Míriel is almost a real character rather than a Cersei Lannister knockoff. The acting’s still meh, but an improvement from the previous episode. And her headpieces/crowns are to die for.

Numerous references to Eärendil, most of them cheesy, but still…the little things.

The Bad:

Everything else.

The entire Southlands plot is spiraling into absurdity. I’m not invested in any of the characters involved, and since this is the halfway point of Season 1, I don’t expect that to change. It’s ridiculous that Theo and Arondir are even still alive after that forest chase scene.

Most of the dialogue is mediocre to Bad. *I think the Dwarves might be the worst offenders…poor Disa, the actress and the character both deserve to do more than spouting stereotypical “Scottish” sounding lines!

Even if the Númenóreans were less sympathetic if they openly yearned for immortality, their perspective and hostility towards Elves would make a lot more sense than “the Elves are gonna take our jobs” or whatever…

Isildur, his OC sister and her OC maybe-love interest are all wasting my time with their personal drama and angst. @ the writers: please stop wasting screentime on this!!!

Time passes differently depending on where you are in Arda, I guess? That, or the Dwarvish craftsmen in Eregion have superpowers.

No Nori at all. :(

I know it’s nitpicky af, but as a history lover, there’s something too historical/not fantastical enough about this Númenor. The design borrows heavily from classical Greece with a helping of Byzantine aesthetics and, confusingly, some generic “medieval” elements thrown in as well…overall, it just doesn’t mesh convincingly with the rest of show. It’s beautiful but imo it feels too grounded real-world motifs.

“Partings”

“I’m peril.” Sadface! Nori and I love you, not-Gandalf.

Listen, I understand exactly why people don’t like the Harfoots. I just do like them, contradictions, clumsy dialogue and all.

Poppy’s song is a real treat! It feels like something Bilbo might have written. No Tolkien adaptation other than the Rankin-Bass films has ever featured enough singing. As anyone who’s read LOTR knows, songs are ubiquitous and inescapable in Middle-earth.

Maps!

Why in the world do the Harfoots migrate THIS far every year? No wonder so many of them keep dying! And the Brandyfoots have definitely become separated from the rest of their village by now…

Overall, a delightful opening five minutes.

Weird “witch” (?) characters, Orc subplot… I’m using the fast-forward option liberally.

Who nominated Bronwyn to be in charge of the Southlanders?

Nitpick alert: We see some other women wearing the same spaghetti-strap style dress that Bronwyn has—good consistency—but why is hers the only one with any color? Some are black, and it’s not like black dye is easier/less expensive to get than blue…

The conniving tavernkeep guy instantly wins over half of the people who were willing to “stand and fight” with Bronwyn thirty seconds earlier. Lol.

I just like to look at him.

Oh no! Mean Daddy Elendil is Disappointed in poor Isildur. It’s a good thing Elendil’s easy on the eyes, because this is dismal. (Maybe it’s supposed to echo Denethor and Faramir, but to me it’s just giving teen drama.)

I don’t buy Halbrand’s Jon Snow “I don’t want it” routine, and neither should Galadriel.

It makes no sense that the Harfoots are willing to leave five or six of their own to die to avoid “making a widow or an orphan” of someone else. Sure, the needs of the many—but there’s no real evidence that the Brandyfoots are endangering anyone.

Not-Gandalf coming to Nori’s rescue…my heart…

Galadriel’s definitely into Elendil. (And who can blame her?)

The swordfighting scene was a little silly. That’s okay, though. I don’t hate fun, and it’s not unreasonable that a millennia-old Elf would be able to show up some overconfident human teenagers.

“When all this is over, the Elves will take orders from us.” How does Al-Pharazôn figure that? Yes, he will eventually take power and lead Númenor to ruin, but someone needs to tell the writers that this is not Game of Thrones.

Too bad the dialogue is leaving something to be desired.

People who haven’t read the Silmarillion are still wondering who tf Aulë is (and now Manwë, too).

How does Durin, a future king, expect to find out what the Elves are “up to” if he can’t be a little more tactful/diplomatic than accusing them of thievery?

“The ore containing the light of the lost Silmaril.” lmfao, WHAT. That’s…ridiculous.

Why and how would mithril—even if it did contain the light of a Silmaril—help heal the blighted tree in Lindon?! Be serious, writers…

More teen drama and hijinks with Isildur…you can go to the bathroom or get a snack without pausing any of this and miss almost nothing.

“This mithril is our only salvation?” It sure fucking isn’t! Why would the Elves even think so? The thing about the Elven-warrior-and-the-Balrog story is that most of these Elves would’ve been alive when it supposedly happened and should therefore know whether or not it’s just mythical nonsense (which it is lol)!

“We believe that if we can secure vast quantities of it quickly, enough to saturate every last Elf in the light of the Valar once more—” Except that doesn’t make any sense. What are they even talking about!!!

I’ve been coming around to this Elrond, but he’s leaning way too hard on the whole “sad puppy eyes brimming with tears” shtick this episode.

Me, currently rereading the Silmarillion: actually, Galadriel had more than one brother (sorry, Orodreth, Angrod, and Aegnor…none of you matter ig).

“They could not longer distinguish me from the evil I was fighting.” ??? ? ? ????? What?

Whether it’s the lighting, the direction, the writing, or Morfydd herself (most likely, a combination of all of them), the delivery and facial acting in this scene…ain’t doing it for me.

“We’re bowing down to the evil bloodthirsty orcs we just fled from because we’re scared and it’s obviously the only way to save ourselves” is a cop out and lazy writing! So is the idea that the Southlanders might somehow be more susceptible to evil by nature.

“Without [mithril], my kind must either abandon these shores by next spring or perish.” This is such utter, arbitrary bullshit. By next spring?!? Five episodes in, I’m coming to a full understanding of why this show pissed people off at last. To me, this is almost worse than the Halbrand subplot.

“Our immortal souls will dwindle into nothing.” And they believe this why? Based on what???

So pretty, and for what?

oh my GOD, they really did everything in their power to make him look like Viggo Mortensen!Aragorn here and I SCREAMED (not in a good way).

Don’t worry, Isildur’s OC sister: your dad and insufferable brother both have impenetrable plot armor.

Speaking of armor, this is truly hideous.

It’s great that the opening five minutes of this episode were so enjoyable, because the rest of it was a HOT MESS.

The Good:

Visuals: some gorgeous landscapes + the beauty of the Lindon set design is still breathtaking. A couple of really good costumes, though fewer standouts than in previous episodes.

Poppy’s walking song ♥

I admit it: the banter between Durin and Elrond is charming.

Not-Gandalf and Nori’s scenes (until the last one) are very sweet. I love that, for her, he’s the hero she sees in him.

I like Elendil and Galadriel’s faces.

The Bad:

Everything else!!!

Al-Pharazôn’s political scheming/machinations and Tar-Míriel second-guessing herself are just pointless filler, as is almost everything that we see in Númenor (though the teen angst plotlines of Elendil’s children are still the worst).

The Southlands subplot(s) are almost unwatchable. They’re boring and depressing—so, the opposite of why I love Tolkien. Frankly, I don’t give a shit what happens to Brownyn, her kid, Arondir, or any of them at this point.

Halbrand. I wish they’d reveal the twist already instead of trying to make him seem like this dangerous but sympathetic dude with amnesia who just wants to start over in Númenor or whatever.

The unexplained three witches/priestesses/whatever they were supposed to be

What the HELL is going on with the Lindon/Khazad-dûm subplot?! Mithril contains the light of a Silmaril and therefore of the Trees and therefore of the Valar? And that residual light will then heal all the Elves, all of whom are suddenly sick/fading??? WHAT were they thinking?! This is not based in any kind of lore or even any internal logic informed by the lore. It’s awful nonsense inspired by the fact that the Elves were indeed fading—at the end of the Third Age, i.e., thousands of years after the events of this series! TROP features not only legacy characters, but also legacy character dynamics (i.e., an odd couple Elf/Dwarf friendship, not-Gandalf and the Harfoots, a disapproving father and the son trying to impress him) and now legacy subplots, because why not?

More bad dialogue, and the acting is leaving a lot to be desired. Good-to-great acting can elevate mediocre writing; the combination of mediocre acting and mediocre writing is a lot less enjoyable.

This was the worst episode so far by a significant margin and the first one to make me actually upset with the changes they’ve made. Unfortunately, I don’t expect it to be the last.

[wrecking]

july continues to be the month where i have the most time of my life ever, in the worst way. thankfully i am okay, but i think the vibes on this chart are about as rancid as you'd expect. going to list the names but also some thoughts abt the motifs at play below the cut

one thing i noticed is there's a noticeable trend of 2017 & 2019 generic pop albums making this weird resurgence in my subconscious, partially bc we had the host from that era reemerge this month but also partially bc i've been working on the same things as i did back then. (halsey, sia, tswift, miley, ldr) technically pop 2 by charli xcx also fits into this but she's not generic so like she's kinda standing next to them but distinctly further away than the rest.

i also noticed the trend of a couple of weirder old projects sticking their fangs into me again (crj, big thief, sufjan, soccer mommy, poppy, the japanese house, kkb, patricia taxxon) and it's kinda funny bc i've been kinda rough around the edges all month and a bit like... incomplete vibes-wise and i think these projects actually convey this. like more eclectic taste, less accessible albums, generally the weird picks in their respective discographies... i'm slaying

and then i noticed the 4 really funny inclusions to have on the same chart -- the new kesha single, not like us by kendrick lamar, rockstar by lisa (of blackpink), and then... the undertale soundtrack. realistically that also stands in for the deltarune soundtracks as well. i don't rly have any commentary on these but these are defs the focal points of the month and i think they're just rly funny to have be all over the place like this.

i think august will see a resurgence in sling by clairo, girl with no face by allie x, fossora by bjork, folklore by tswift, copingmechanism by willow, and probably a couple of random stray things i didn't get to this month or will release next month to jumpscare me. august is gonna be an interesting set of events so like pray for me lmfao

list time yippee:

halsey - hopeless fountain kingdom

remi wolf - big ideas

carly rae jepsen - the loveliest time

clairo - charm

big thief - two hands

sia - this is acting

sufjan stevens - javelin

soccer mommy - sometimes, forever

taylor swift - lover

charli xcx - pop 2

poppy - zig

miley cyrus - she is coming

charli xcx - brat

the japanese house - in the end it always does

lana del rey - lust for life

anri - timely!!

kesha - joyride

cafune - running

kendrick lamar - not like us

alvvays - blue rev

billie eilish - hit me hard & soft

kero kero bonito - totep

patricia taxxon - the flowers of robert mapplethorpe

toby fox - undertale ost

lisa - rockstar (extended)

[vulpixelates]

Dragon Age: The Veilguard HYPE Q&A: 3, 12, 20!

3. Do you usually play as a warrior, mage, or rogue? Which class are you planning to try first this time around? Which subclass?

i always either play rogues or mages in dragon age games! i have been going back and forth between a few ideas but as of this moment typing, i'm leaning towards rogue for my first playthrough, perhaps the ranger option? i think it depends on how i end up liking the combat; for dai i always went ranged bc i didn't really like the up-close fighting for that game, but otherwise i usually go for dual wielding rogues. it also depends on what ends up fitting better once we learn a bit about the backgrounds connected to the factions (i'm leaning shadow dragons).

my other idea is a goth necromancer mage after a convo with @serawasnever earlier where she pointed out the similarities in the vibes of the wiki page on the mourn watch and the ninth house from the locked tomb series... the locked tomb brainrot is so real efoiajoi

that being said, i will definitely change my mind at least five times before the game actually comes out 😂

12. What's one thing you're hoping we DON'T see in this next game?

i, uh. have a long list aowfijeoai but mostly just a lot of the usual pitfalls in dragon age's writing or it shipping incomplete or rushed like the previous games. and i am REALLY hoping that they handle the themes of slavery with more respect in this one, especially considering that it will partially take place in tevinter.

20. Post a picture or gif that conveys your current level of excitement for Dragon Age: The Veilguard!