#the theme song is just going to constantly be stuck in my head forever. so

[lucretiaadventurezone]

had to memorialize justin shaking ass in gif form forever

[ultimateloserboy]

I’ve been holding back this ramble forever but the food episode makes me tear up and i NEED to talk about it.

The food episode was the only episode I really couldn’t watch as a kid. I remember being horrified by it. to this day i still feel uneasy thinking about it, even though it doesn’t scare me in the slightest anymore. the reason i feel uneasy now isnt because im scared, its because to me its the saddest episode of the whole series and makes me want to punch walls. when i was younger i didnt notice a lot of the things ive noticed now, and every time i watch the episode i notice even more.

a lot of people talk about this episode as if red guy ran away and wants nothing to do with the house, that he’s trying to save the other two by bringing them to his world. while i dont think this is a wrong or bad interpretation, considering it’s understandable, id like to talk about my own interpretation. i dont think red guy even knew how he left. keep in mind he just exploded and then woke up in an office. there’s absolutely nothing suggesting he ran away on purpose. all he wanted was for colin to shut up, he wasnt intending to find the room he found. this itself isnt an interpretation, its a fact, BUT how he feels about it and what he does in the red guy world is completely up to interpretation! mine is that he wants to go home instead of trying to get the other two out of it. lemme explain ok hear me out:

throughout the entire food episode red guy is constantly popping up in the background somewhere. hes drawn behind windows and his head is in the microwave in one shot. when duck knocks the camera over for a split second you can even see his legs as it falls. the leg thing is what really got me, because most other times he was simply drawn. but those were his actual legs standing in the kitchen. to me it represents the fact that he isnt actually there but is “haunting” the other two. they dont really remember him but they can see him out of the corners of their eyes. hes blurry and far away but they KNOW someone is there (or WAS there, i should say). but on his end i think it could represent how hes still there in his head, how hes still singing songs and shit like that despite being out of that world. he says he hated that world, that hes allergic to music, but now that hes gone from it its stuck in his head. he misses the music. he misses his friends. hes still there in spirit.

before i continue id just like to say that, no, the main three INCLUDING RED GUY dont always want to leave the house. especially when they have to leave the others behind. whenever theyre off somewhere they usually want to go back home, yellow guy even said “i want to go home” word for word once. but he also said “no more songs” these things can exist at the same time guys. they can not want to drown in oil but still want to live in their house, yall realize that right? thats a huge theme in the show, that the house and the main three have a very complicated relationship. they dont want to leave their home they just want it to, yaknow, NOT EAT THEM. so i think red guy wanting to come home isnt at all out of character. and he doesnt like the red guy world anyway, why would he take his friends there when theyre wacky as shit and wouldnt fit in there or enjoy it at all? also id like to make the point that he doesnt know what’s happening in the house (at least not the seriousness of it) until he sees the machine. so him trying to save the other two from getting munched makes no sense to me personally. AGAIN THO THIS IS JUST MY INTERPRETATION!! YOURS IS VALID TOO AND I LOVE YOU!!!

But anyway continuing on, ducks reaction especially makes me insane. whenever i see how duck acts in episodes like “jobs” when he starts freaking out and trying to get the first aid kit for yellow guy im reminded of this episode. duck really does love his friends at heart. he doesnt want to leave the house, he sees no point, but to me the reason he doesnt want to leave is BECAUSE of his friends (or at least one of the reasons). in the tv series duck has a whole argument with red guy about leaving, and while some people say this duck is different than webseries duck i have to disagree. i think duck wouldve always argued about staying, but i also think hed always want to leave if red guy did. duck always switches up as soon as something is “wrong”. he always wants to stay until one of his friends is acting weird/hurt/missing and then suddenly the world isnt right and he doesnt want to be there. not only that but he will do everything in his power to fight against the things keeping him from his friends or hurting them, even if it means risking his own life. he knew some weird shit was going on every time he answered the phone, but despite that he continued answering anyway. he interrupted the songs and pushed things away and kept running to the phone, being disobedient and not giving a damn. this isnt unusual for duck, but it makes me especially ill, because he acts very confused as well. hes very upset, not mad like he usually is but genuinely upset and worried. most likely because of how hazy his memory is. my favorite scene of the series is when he pushes over the camera and says “i dont want to do this anymore” it rips my heart apart hes just like me fr. it also comes back to the transport episode, where hes like “well the song wasnt that great but at least it was funny. nobody gets TOO hurt by these songs and stuff so who cares? why leave?” i think hes always thought this way, the reason he says “i dont want to do this ANYMORE” is because suddenly the world has shifted. suddenly things are much more sinister and make even less sense. suddenly he is in genuine danger, and he isnt coming back this time. things have gone too far now, and he tries tearing down reality itself to get out, but unfortunately hes just not strong enough.

i also like to think that the food is singing about red guy the whole time, not actually food, and how he deserves punishment, and if you end up like him youll be punished too (which is exactly what happens to duck for answering the phone) “the bad, not-healthy foods are very rude! and must leave through the catflap!” isnt that what red guy did? he wandered too far and saw what he shouldnt have so he was sent away. also the steak says “you need to know whats right from wrong” which doesnt go with the rest of the song at all and seems to be directed at duck specifically. it seems more like theyre trying to keep duck and yellow guy in line rather than teach them about food. when they say “you shouldnt eat food from a strangers plate” considering the previous lyrics and the context before the chanting i think theyre talking about not believing what youre told by “strangers” (aka the non-teacher characters) theyre saying not to listen to whatever red guy is trying to say, to not answer the phone, to not end up like him. or at least thats what i think anyway.

lastly, the ending. yellow guy sitting in the kitchen alone, in the dark, covered in blood while the phone loudly rings is probably the most haunting part of the series to me. remember what i said about not being scared? well i LIED. this scene specifically still scares the fuck out of me. it fills me with genuinely painful dread. the scene where he looks over at the phone, hearing it but not getting up to answer it and letting it ring until red guy gives up is heartbreaking. im not sure if yellow guy even knows what’s happening in this scene, but hes been taught by now to NOT ANSWER THE PHONE. so he doesnt. and the teachers leave him alone with the phone because theyre confident he wont answer it. and theyre right. it breaks my heart just looking at it. in the next episode he ends up fighting back just like duck did, but just like duck, he cant truly do anything. it really puts into perspective how powerless all three of them are. god it ruins me. all they wanted was to know what the biggest thing in the world was, and now theyve been torn apart for wandering too far. cries and sobs

[writtenbyevie]

Hihi I’m nosy!! For the fic writer questions thing you reblogged: number 4 (about earth and moon), number 10, number 17, and number 27!!

Feel free to ignore any if you want to, I’m just very curious hehe big love you!!

jules!!! big love back to you and i’m booping your nose!! 💖💖💖

4.

For the little details in earth and moon, my favorite is that Atsumu’s introduced in a mini chapter titled apollo (since he’s the sun to Osamu’s moon) and Kiyoomi is later described as having hyacinth curls.

In Greek mythology, Hyacinth and Apollo are lovers. So, that’s a little inside joke for me :)

Other little details include:

Rin comes home late in the final mini chapter because he got lost in the grocery store just like Osamu dreamed about. They then talk about hanging jerseys on his wall and slow dance to the song stuck in his head just like they fantasized about

Rui wears Star Wars pajamas when we first meet her. When she meets Motoya he is too

Osamu is constantly compared to the moon, “borrowing light and regifting it without the burn,” only to receive a bad burn at work

The (b)romance between Sato and Underwood

The first mini chapter in earth and moon is called afternoon eclipse (rin finds a moon at midday) the first chapter in sakuatsu’s story is called midnight dawn (because kiyoomi finds the sun in the middle of the night)

There are a ton more but those are the ones I thought of off the top of my head :)

10.

So I tend to create stories by taking a series of related images, lines, and ideas that I’ve had in my head and seeing what connects them. From there, I’ll take I’ll take those major concepts and try to fill in the gaps to create a story that I feel best expresses them if that makes sense? So I’ll draft out a basic outline, with room for revision, as well as select some major motifs and themes and go from there.

With earth and moon, I had several monologues and descriptions I had written at random that I felt fit sunaosa, as well as a series of images/scenes in my head. I took these things and combined them with my desire to write a sunaosa story that not only explored their relationship but it’s impact on their senses of self from when they met all the way through adulthood. I also thought about what I felt was missing from the existing canon (pun semi intended) of sunaosa stories and sought out to put it in my fic!

17.

So iwaoi will always be my first and forever loves. I have an idea for an AU that involves exploring oikawa’s origins as the demon king (there’s a twist I want to spoil but won’t unless I ever do write this), as well iwaizumi’s history as holy knight (in this universe he’d be a nephilium). It also involves shiratorizawa as demon hunters. I’ve always wanted to write it and daydream about it a lot. I love biblical imagery and metaphor so maybe one day!

27.

I don’t super know how to describe my writing process other than that I write almost every day. I don’t necessarily write A LOT every day (a good deal of the time I get caught up editing), but I try to sit in front of my computer at least once a day.

I have two notes on my phone. One for lyrics (I just started writing music!) and one for lines (both for scripts and fics). I try to write down ideas as they come to me. Sometimes they’re fully fleshed out. Other times they’re a vague idea of something and I’ll put in parentheses (develop this later)

I’m also someone who likes to write long form, so I’ll dump all of my ideas for one (mini) chapter and then go back and tighten it up later. I have a second doc for all my fics where I put all the lines I cut in case I want to use them for something later.

I’m also a fan of writing out all of the dialogue for a scene and then going back and adding action and description, just because I can over write both of those if I do them as I go. I love to wax poetic like the nerdy little lass I am, but ya gotta keep it in check.

I like writing to ambient sounds? Sometimes I write to music but I like using atmosphere instrumental music to set the vibes for whatever piece I’m writing.

I tend to write chronologically too. I really struggle to leave a section unfinished and move onto the next. So I’ll just stare at same paragraph for four hours until I get it Right™️.

The only other thing I can think of is that I like to write very rhythmically/musically. I tend to accidentally rhyme a lot. I find the pace of a piece very important and I feel like I have a fairly distinct style that relies on that. That and imagery. I love imagery and metaphor. I thoroughly enjoy creating visual throughlines, like in earth and moon I used different silver/gray imagery to represent Osamu and how Rin sees him. The gray, the storm, the moon. All introduced in the first chapter and used throughout.

anywho, that’s a bit of looksie into how I write! I hope that makes sense?

also thank you for all the queries jules I adore you and am kissing your forehead 💖

[devildomdoofus]

Winter Storm:Part 2

Asmodeus, Beelzebub, Belphegor

WARNINGS:

‼️contains spoilers from chp. 16‼️

[[angst, cursing, anxiety, fear/terror, depression, near death experiences, hypothermia, dehydration, fainting, severe pain, cliffhangers, unhealthy coping mechanisms, suggestive themes, if I missed any - please let me know!!]]

Author’s Note:

As you already know, I will forever apologize for my sluggishness but I hope that when I do get to posting, it is worth the wait 😣 I’m particularly proud of these pieces, especially Beel’s and Belphegor’s... the angst was fun to write and helped me let off some steam! Forgive me, but Asmo is kind of hard to write for as we’re practically polar opposites 😭 OH!! Since this is the final piece to my “Winter Storm” puzzle, I’ll be needing more requests so if you’ve got something on your mind that you wish to bring to life, send ‘em my way and I’ll do my best to help make it come true!! I’d love to hear what you lovely individuals have rattling around in your brains✨. As always, thank you kindly for your patience, your generosity and support, and thank you very much for hyping me up to write and continue writing. You’ve helped me in more ways than I can count. Stay ruling them all, MCs ❤️

- DevildomDoofus

Prologue/Part 1:

Asmodeus:

It was difficult letting you go on an adventure without him, especially since you were taking the camera with you and he was all dolled up to the nines, looking way too good to not be in the pictures you were going to take... but then you offered him a reward he simply couldn’t refuse, IF he were to be patient. You took him by the hand, gazed into his beautiful eyes, and whispered low enough that he had to lean in close to hear your proposition. “Wait for me here and when I get back, we can dip into the hot tub and sip our favorite drinks until we’re pruny.” He practically kicked you out of the door so that you could hurry back and fulfill your promise.

In the time that you were gone, he busied himself with intricately arranging yours and his belongings until he felt you’d be proud with his eye for organization. By then, you hadn’t returned in the time he felt you‘d said you’d be back but... if he went out looking for you now, he might not get to be warm and bubbly with you later on and damn it, he was going to get that time with you. Once again, he tried to find something to keep his mind off of saying ‘the devildom with it!’ and going after you anyway. He flipped through magazines, scrolled on his D.D.D., sang and danced to his favorite human songs on the radio, but eventually, all he could think about was you. Wondering if you were ok, if you were having fun without him, what kind of pictures you might be taking to show him later... “Ok, that’s it. MC, sweetie, you’ll just have to forgive me.” He donned his comfiest and cutest winter trend setter, lathered the remaining exposed skin in protective lotions and creams because he simply CANNOT have his skin cracking or breaking, and stepped out the door to come find you- “Unholy shit...” The sky had darkened and the wind had picked up immensely. This is not good. For him, his skin, and much less you. He had to find you and fast. He spotted markings on the trees and the piles of stones nearby and he tilted his head. He knelt down to pick up a stone and eyed it a moment before he brought it to his nose for a quick sniff. It smelled of the lotion he had given you on one of your birthdays and for a brief moment, his heart flutters. You wore it constantly because it reminded you of Asmo and whenever you were feeling down, you’d take a whiff of yourself to feel closer to him and whatever was bothering you would instantly vanish. You told him this and he never forgot it nor did he ever let you hear the end of how happy it made him. Emotional in nature, Asmodeus started to tear up a bit as his fear of losing you increased. If he couldn’t find you soon, you’d surely be in danger if you weren’t already. He continued after you like a bloodhound, following you primarily by scent as his vision was becoming obscured by the blinding snow and ice. In addition, he would call out your name, hoping that by some unholy miracle, you’d hear his voice and come trudging through the snow into his arms. Today, he wasn’t so lucky.

Before long, your trail of markings and scent waned into nothingness and he came to a halt. “No, no, no, noooo!!” He turned in circles, sniffing until it hurt to do so, desperately trying to pick up your scent again but it never came. “Damn it!!” he cried as he dropped to his knees, a bit exhausted and heavily defeated. He couldn’t catch the tears before they trickled from his eyes so instead, he held his face in his hands and let them go. How could he have let this happen? The only one he could love more than he loved himself was probably stuck out here alone, terrified, and most likely hanging on for dear life but he couldn’t do a damn thing about it because he couldn’t find you. He was so overcome by his feelings of weakness and hopelessness that he almost missed the echo of your voice crying out through the storm. Almost.

He perked up in an instant, stumbling back to his feet before chasing the sound and calling after you. “MC?! Where are you, love?!” Although there was no reply, he continued in the same direction with your scent having picked up, until he came across the makeshift shelter you held up in. As he crawled in and got closer to you, he came to a complete stop before his jaw dropped to the floor and heart concaved within his chest. You were lying there like-... like you had been lying once before like a broken porcelain doll, abandoned and forgotten by it’s owner. He covers his mouth with his hand and began to cry once more, only this time in much more pain. Crawling over to you, he takes one of your hands in his and brings it to his quivering lips, gingerly kissing your hand before taking the rest of you into his embrace. “Oh MC... My sweet, sweet MC,” he whispers through his tears, “I’m so sorry.” The lump in his throat strangles the words that try to come out. “So very sorry.” He clutches you tighter, leaning his head against yours and rocking you in his embrace, telling himself this is a horrible dream. He never imagined days would come when someone else’s wellbeing came before his and yet the moment you had made a pact with him, he was immediately catching himself thinking of you before he ever came close to thinking of himself. It was incredibly bizarre... and he only wanted more. Eventually, he came to the conclusion that if fewer thoughts of himself meant more thoughts of you, he’d gladly take himself off the pedestal and place you on top instead. Unfortunately, this newfound wondrous feeling wouldn’t last long as the possibility of losing his source of selflessness and humility was rapidly increasing.

“As..moo...” His crying stops and he jerks up, looking down at you. For a brief second, he thought he heard you speak but seeing as you looked the exact same, he assumed he was starting to hear things. Until you said it again. “A..sm..oooo.” Any human would have thought that their ‘cheese had slid off the cracker’ because now, they’re hearing voices from beyond the grave, but Asmodeus knew better. He saw the curving of the delicate lips that your frozen face had allowed and he gasped. “MC!!” He tugs you ever so closer and snug to him that your spine could’ve snapped if he hadn’t of pulled away seconds later to litter your profile with swift and gentle kisses. When he’s done showering you in his smooches of relief, he stands up with you cradled to his chest and flies to back to the cabin to try and bring you back to the MC who once inspired him to be more by thinking of himself less. Besides, you owed him a dip in the hot tub and he wasn’t about to let some horrible blizzard take that away.

Beelzebub:

When you told this man that you wanted to go on a little scavenger hunt to check out the area, he thought you meant you were going to go see what kind of food joints were nearby and he was a little heartbroken at first, thinking you were doing such a thing alone. Without him. The avatar of Gluttony. But you assured him that you two would go together to do that later, and then buy as many groceries, snacks, and take-outs as he pleases as soon as you got back from a quick sight seeing. You also mentioned that you might find some berry bushes on your outing and you would bring some of those berries back for him to try. His cheeks dimpled and he gave you that smile that made your heart do cartwheels in your chest. For his cooperation, you gave him the location of the secret but not so secret because he could smell them anyway stash of your packs of fruit snacks. Ever since the pact, he has never been offended that you had ‘secret’ stashes because he understood all too well why you had to hide them away. His brothers did the same. But even still, you would always, and I mean always, share parts of your food with him so all he really had to do was wait for you to get hungry and surprisingly enough, it was almost as often as he would. You two were a match made in the celestial realm that could eat take the world by storm and he could never really put into words how much that connection that the of you two shared meant to him other than sharing HIS food with YOU.

Thinking of all of this food inevitably made him hungry so he went to your luggage, fumbled around a bit until he found them, and then gobbled down the full packs of fruit snacks, one by one, to hold him over until you came back. He then shuffled over to the couch to plop himself down and wait for your return. Before long, he was shifting and fidgeting in his seat as the cabin started to creak in the uncomfortable silence. He tried watching tv, doing little exercises, and eating more snacks but nothing was helping ease the uneasy feelings he was having.

There were many times in his life where the world around him seemed uncomfortably quiet. Yes, he was technically used to bouts of quietness with Belphegor, the Avatar of Sloth himself, being his twin brother and roomie. But typically, Belphegor was at least in the vicinity; either quietly snoring across the room, resting himself against Beel in one way or another, or could be called on and they could reach each other in a matter of seconds. They were never too far apart nor were any of his other brothers for that matter, if Beel needed a distraction. But as life can be a bit unforgiving, Beel was left alone, on occasions, for long periods of time with nothing but his increasingly loud thoughts to keep him company. And mind numbingly loud they were. It would range between his memories from The Great War of battling angels he once called friends, his overwhelming guilt of not being able to save Lilith, a bit of leftover anger with Lucifer for locking his brother away and then lying to him about it, guilty anger over Belphegor’s attempt to kill you, but most of all... he’s bent to the point of breaking over the fact that he knows he has a problem with his sin, more so than his brothers, and yet celestial realm knows there’s absolutely nothing he can do about it and that is what hurts most of all. And when thoughts like these come knocking at- no- BEATING DOWN his door, he either works his body until he crashes from fatigue, goes on binges for months to drown them out, bottles it all up until it terrorizes him in his dreams, or all of the above. That is, until you came along. Whenever you’re around, his mind, body, and soul seem at peace, and no more does he feel that he is starving, or broken and in need of fixing, or so far beyond forgiveness for what he’s done and who he has become that no one should ever be around him again for he’d only hurt them in the end, unable to stop himself. With you around, the quiet nor his own mind are his enemies but rather, potential friends. Indeed, he still has his moments where the ‘darker’ silence still pays him visits but they have become fewer and farther in between. And it’s all because of you.

That being said, this is one of those ‘darker’ silence visits and before it can get any sort of footing in his mind, he shoots up from the couch and heads out of the door to come looking for you.

He noticed little digits in the trees and piles of stones lining up with a trail going in a particular direction. If he remembers correctly, Satan had once mentioned that humans used these types of techniques as a survival tool in order to find their way back or leave a trail to be found if need be. Wow, his human is a smart cookie- “Damn it.” Shouldn’t have thought that. His stomach growled as if it was summoned and he pats his belly in an effort to console it. “I know, I know. I’m sorry buddy. We’ll find MC soon and then we can go eat with them.” It practically purred in response.

Minutes passed of following your trail and the sky began to darken with the wind picking up, followed by the walls of snow and ice. This was unsettling as he knew that humans couldn’t really survive out in weather like this for long, no matter how smart or capable they were. It was even more unsettling that your markings had disappeared and you were nowhere in sight.

“MC!!” he calls after you but you don’t respond. He continues, over and over, calling after you yet only the wind calls back. There was only one solution left and it was one he didn’t particularly like. He could use his ability as the Avatar of Gluttony to enhance his senses and sniff you out but... the problem was in the fact that he only ever used it when he was particularly starving, so inherently, whenever he zeroed in on something, he was going to eat it when he found it. This didn’t bode well for you considering you, in particular, had an exceptionally appetizing scent and it was extremely difficult to ignore, even with a full belly on the rare occasions that it is and out of his demon form. But because he was out of options and time was running out on the possibility of finding you alive, he had no other choice than to shift into his demon form and zero in on your scent. By Lord Diavolo, it was immaculate. The oh so sweet aroma was speaking sweet nothings to his stomach and the growl it emitted could shake the earth, if not hidden away under flesh and bone. He could make out a ghostly outline of your old footprints, beneath layers of snow, leading in one particular direction. He followed blindly, his hunger now at the wheel and in full on stalking mode as an apex predator on the prowl. It lead him in a few circles before ending up at the miniature shelter and by now, your scent was overwhelmingly delectable to his senses. He ducked low and could make out your silhouette in the darkness. Inching towards you, his nails turned to darkened claws and his teeth bared themselves with an impending goal to devour you whole until there was no trace of you but the outline of the snow of where you once laid- “NO!!”

Beelzebub stripped his sin from the reigns of his mind and he dropped to his knees beside you before it could begin it’s feast. He shook his head, trying to completely erase the thoughts of consuming your body and the immensely alluring smell that lead him to you in the first place. He then looked back to you and your drooping, solidified form and couldn’t hold back the tears that started to trickle down his face. “M-MC...?” Your heart would’ve shattered, just as his did in that moment, upon hearing the pain in his voice. “MC, no... please don’t do this.” He takes your head in his hands and turns your vacant, expressionless face towards him to try and get you to wake up. His thumbs trace circles over your cheeks and he’s calling your name but with no reply. The hands that are usually ever so steady and gentle with you, the hands that you’ve come to love with your whole heart, now shake in bits of agony as he pleads with his entire existence for you to wake up and come back to him. You continue to lay there, upon the cold, hard stone with your empty eyes looking right through Beelz’s and he can’t take it anymore. He lifts you into his arms and races back to the cabin with your limbs dangling towards the snow. Once there, he gingerly places you on the couch and flies around the cabin, grabbing the things he needs to get you warm and bring you back to him. He strips you of your wet clothes and dresses you anew in dry pairs. He throws a plethora of blankets over your body, covers your hands with fuzzy mittens and your feet in multiple pairs of fuzzy socks, then wraps a scarf around your neck and adjusts it so that it comes up to just beneath the opening of your nose. Lastly, he tosses firewood into the fireplace and sets them ablaze before settling onto the couch, placing you between his legs and wrapping his large arms around your frame, snuggling his face into the crook of the scarf around your neck. He inhales deeply, taking the sweet scent of you into his lungs before exhaling and letting his tears fall again. His grip on you tightens as he’s torturing himself for allowing this to happen to you a second time, the one and only person who could ever really take all of the darkness in his life into the palm of their hands and toss it to the four corners of the earth like it never existed. Like it never even knew his name in the first place. Now it was his turn to take away your pain, your darkness, your mistakes and it terrified him because as much as he hated to admit it, he didn’t feel as if he could, no matter how strong he was or tried to be. The only thing he was certain of was that he had try his damndest to bring you back but then wait for fate to decide the rest.

Belphegor:

To be honest, Belphegor didn’t exactly want to come up to the human world in the first place, for a couple of reasons.

(1): He still has a teeny tiny ginormous grudge against humans, even if he knows Lilith became one and you were one as well. That didn’t mean that the rest of them were not still thorns in his side and most likely will remain so until the end of time. Especially Solomon. I mean really, what is that sorcerer up to half of the time?

(2): There isn’t much he prefers to be doing more so other than sleeping. He’s the Avatar of Sloth, Mr. Sandman himself. It came with the ‘job description.’ So he would just be going from sleeping down in the devildom, his palace of comfort, to sleeping up in that Father awful human world, the bane of his existence. “What a joy that would be,” he thought to himself while rolling his eyes as you were in the midst of going over all of the reasons he should come with you on this trip.

And finally (3): As much as he refuses to admit it, deep down in his heart of hearts, he often times feels guilty for being so low energy while you attempt to do things with him and share your life with him. He’s angry with himself for not being able to do much about it given that it is his sin, other than try his best to spend as much of his waking hours with you as he can for as long as you live, rather than sleeping both of them away. Which is why he inevitably caved and agreed to come with you on the trip. Besides, maybe the human world isn’t so bad when he’s with his favorite one? And maybe the chill from the snowy mountains could be his obvious excuse for snuggling ever so close to you under the piles of blankets and pillows. A smug little smirk tugs at the corner of his mouth while he imagines it, eyeing your frame slowly, up and down, before nodding at whatever you had just said... sorry, MC. He wasn’t really listening at the time.

That is how the two of you ended up waving goodbye as you stepped out of the cabin to go sight seeing for a bit and he stayed behind, assuring you he would try his best to stay awake and unpack. We both know how that went

He awoke to the sound of an alarm you had secretly set on his D.D.D. knowing all too well that his promise was empty and growled at the ringing in his ear, nevermind that it was as soft as a loving mother’s lullaby. He jerks up, fumbles his hands in and around the mountain of blankets in search of his device, until he feels the vibrations of it and snatches it from its snug hiding place between his rump and the cushions. The light from it was blinding, having him squint into a frown as he swipes away the alarm. He grumbles, scratching his head through the tuffs of chaos before lifting his intertwined fingers towards the ceiling and letting out a groan, stretching his limbs. “MC?” he calls with his eyes still closed in a grumpy squint. Assuming you simply didn’t hear him, he calls for you again, a little louder, and with no reply for the second time, his eyes finally open and he looks around the empty cabin. He wiggles out of the blankets and walks around, giving the entire cabin a quick once-over, looking for his little, seemingly hard-of-hearing human. That’s odd. You weren’t home and it was-...? He checks his D.D.D. It was about the time you said you would be back. He glances out of a nearby window and frowns. It was swiftly darkening outside and not because of the sun laying down to rest, but due to a vicious storm beginning it’s onslaught. It ticked him off that you hadn’t returned since he felt that you knew better than to leave him waiting for you and it ticked him off a little bit more that now, there was a storm brewing and he had to go out in the cold to drag you back himself before you got yourself killed. Being here was pointless without you and staying awake was quite difficult; Therefore, if you weren’t going to be there with him when he happened to be ‘with the land of the living,’ he would simply go back to sleep... angrily for that matter considering he put time and effort into staying awake for you. He never did that for anyone, not even Beel. So you had better have a good reason for still being out in the cold, soon to be cold storm, or there was going to be devildom to pay. But instead of laying back down to return to his rudely interrupted slumber, as much as he wanted to do so out of spite, he grabbed a coat that was thicker than the one he typically wore and stepped out to come looking for you and then eventually punish you for your transgressions. He sighed as he pulled the hood over his head in an effort to reduce the blasts of ice filled wind and shambled through the rising snow, looking high and low for any traces of you. That’s when he noticed the carvings in the trees and stone piles shaped in an odd fashion. “Ah... not so naive after all,” he mutters to himself and another one of his signature smirks makes its way to his face, but that soon fades as the wind picks up and his line of sight shrinks further and further. This storm was becoming a bit too strong, even in the eyes of a demon such as himself, and that thought alone gave him chills that no blizzard could muster for he knew that this kind of storm was not something humans typically survive in, especially alone. “MC, I swear on Diavolo’s very demon soul that if you’re out here goofing off, you’ll regret the day you came back from my attempt to kill you.” The threat was empty and uttered without any true intention of being carried out. He was simply masking his fear with anger because he felt that his fear would weaken him and you didn’t need someone who was weak, you needed a strong and capable Belphegor to find you and bring you back home, safe and sound... being that you’re still alive.

He followed your trail until it came to a complete stop and with you nowhere in sight, he leaned against a nearby tree, one of the last ones you had marked, and traced his finger along the outline of the markings in the bark. “MC!!” He shouts for you but you don’t respond. He shouts your name over and over but the wind simply swallows them whole. Those fingers he once had on the bark, curled and tightened into a fist and he inhaled deeply just as he was rearing back before delivering an earth shaking blow to the center of the tree, leaving a gaping hole in its wake before the giant finally slunk to one side, toppled to the ground, and sent clumps of snow up in the air. His body shook no longer from the cold, but from the fear and the rage and the guilt overtaking him. He was terrified that he was losing you. Angry over the fact that no matter how hard he was trying, he couldn’t find you, much less save you. And celestial realm only knows how immensely guilty he felt for being the cause of your possible death, both in the past and now. He was shifting in and out of his demon form, his mind and sin arguing over who gets to take the reigns. Regrettably, his sin won without too much of a struggle and he bursts into his demon form onto his hands and knees, and began to scream, balling his eyes right out of his skull. “Please, MC!! For fuck’s sake, I can’t do this alone!! I need you, damn it!! I need you so fucking much!!” The world itself seemed to darken even further as Belphegor poured his breaking heart right out of the newly vacant pit in his chest. Nothing in all of the three realms could pull him from his decent into madness...

...until the sound of your voice makes it way to his ears, past the baying wind and cries of agony. Time itself seemed to stand still and the world around him grew deathly silent as he listened for your voice. He hears it echo from not too far off from where he kneeled. In the time it takes lightning to reach the earth, he has wiped his tears clean off and is now on his feet and bolting in the direction of your voice. That oh so delightful sound of your voice.

He reaches the knockoff shelter that you hid away in and hunches down, making his way to you. As soon as he reaches you, he slows to a stop and places his trembling fingers against your neck, testing for a pulse. It’s dangerously low but his heart lightly flutters because now he knows there’s a chance that you could make it out alive... if he hurries. Refusing to give up, he takes you in his arms and bolts back to the cabin to try and warm you up. If he can save you, he will make the celestial realm seem pale in comparison to the world he will provide for you. If not... Father have mercy on them all.

[whosaskingwrites]

The Sound Of Love (Tsukishima x Reader)

A/N: Um I don't like this one as much as the others but I did my best. It honestly took forever cause I didn't want to write it and I had no idea what song to use but I eventually decided so here we are.

WARNINGS: angst

Date: Saturday November 7th, 2020

Details: 5.3 pages 2,000 words

Theme: Musicalia- The victim will hear a song constantly playing in their head until it drives them insane. The person of affection will only hear the music when they are around the victim.

Angst Masterlist

Clair De Lune

A simple, beautiful piano melody that had been repeating in my head for weeks. There was never a reprieve from the beautifully haunting melody. My mind followed the sound like a moth to a flame and deteriorated the closer it got to the music.

No amount of holding my hands over my ears stopped it. It had become a part of me like the backround music in a video game or movie. However this wasn't a video game or a movie this was real. Every day was the same never a rest I couldn't even sleep some nights.

This was my last week at Karasuno before I was put in the hospital. My mind was too far gone to stay out I couldn't really hear anything anymore to distracted by the music and of course I hummed it on occasion. Everyone in my classes knew I had it...Musicalia but they didn't know who caused it.

Monday

I walked to class with a sigh Yamaguchi was following and as we walked I heard a gentle piano melody that got louder. I spotted a familiar H/c haired girl fast walking past me like she'd done since I pushed her away. Yamaguchi followed my eyesight and the music faded the further away she got "you should apologize you know. This week is her last at Karasuno," I blinked 'her last week?' I thought "Shut up Yamaguchi," I said keeping my emotions off my face "Sorry Tsukki," I continued watching the S/c skinned female rush off down the hall.

Tuesday

I was walking up to the roof ready to reject another girl. Why they felt the need to confess to me of all people id never understand. As I rounded the corner someone ran into me and with a short shriek they fell. I was about to say something when I noticed who it was...Y/n she looked paler than I remembered and eye bags were prevalent on her face. I heard the piano again it was louder than ever.

"Do you need to listen to music that loud?" I asked though it was harsher than intended. Her eyes widened and I held back a frown as I saw she was afraid. "S-sorry," she stood up quickly and ran off down the hall the music fading the further she got and I watched 'why was she afraid of me?' My eyes caught something on the floor which I turned to. Picking it up I realized it was a simple gold bracelet with a dinosaur charm on it.

"This is...," It was the bracelet id given her three years ago on her birthday. It was still in perfect condition looking like it did on the day I'd given it to her and it caused a small smile to pull at my lips as I pocketed the familiar bracelet.

Wednesday

Everytime I spotted the e/c eyed female in the hallway and approached her she would turn and run the music following her. Nobody ever seemed bothered by the piano it was almost like they didn't hear it and Y/n was never wearing headphones when it was playing. "Does she ever stop listening to that song?" I mumbled to myself as she ran away yet again.

"What song?" Yamaguchi asked next to me I furrowed my eyebrows as I looked at him. "What do you mean what song? That damn piano music she's always listening to it's annoying," I said and Yamaguchi’s eyes widened "Tsukki...She's not listening to any music...," He stated.

I blinked as I processed what that meant "No ive heard it-," Yamaguchi cut me off before I could continue he had a sad look in his eyes and as he spoke I realized why. "She's got Musicalia Tsukki...," He whispered as he looked at me. "She...She what?" I asked. "She's got Musicalia and if you can hear it that means...," my own eyes widened as I realized what he was implying. "Oh...,"

Thursday

Cornering someone who was avoiding you was much more difficult than you'd think. Everytime I ended up even in the same room as her she ran before I could even get near her. "Yamaguchi," I stated causing him to jump. "Yeah?" He nervously asked. "Can you convince Y/n to meet you on the roof?" I asked. He didn't ask any questions he just nodded mumbling a quiet yeah as the teacher walked in the room.

I stood on the roof looking out towards the gym. I heard footsteps come around the corner and stop before they slowly started backing away. "Can you stop running? I need to talk to you," I said. The footsteps stopped and I turned around. Y/n stood a few feet away nervously shuffling on her feet.

"When were you gonna tell me?" I asked and she sighed "Preferably never," She answered and I furrowed my eyebrows. "Never? This could kill you!" I took a step toward her while she took one back "So what?" She spit bitterly rasing her head up to glare. "So what? So everything!" I shouted.

"So everything? You dont even fucking like me! You made that pretty clear last year!" She yelled back. She was referencing an argument that I barely remembered and that she hadn't forgotten. "Do you even know what its like to have your heart crushed in seconds!?" She screamed. "You still should have told me you have Musicalia!" I glared back. 

She just gave me a bitter smile "I suppose my dear this was how it was meant to be," she stretched her arms out as she spoke and tears dripped down her face at a slow pace. "You dying isn't how it's supposed to be!" She only shook her head in response. I stuck my hand in my pocket and pulled out the bracelet. "Here...just take this back," I said holding it out. She walked forward and I heard that gentle and haunting music get louder.

She stopped closing my hand around the bracelet and leaning up to press a kiss against my cheek. "Keep it I won't have a use for it much longer," she mumbled before turning and walking off. "Y/n!" She stopped but didn't turn around and I continued speaking. "I love you," she sighed and turned her head. The sunset cast her in an ethereal glow and sparkled off the remaining tears on her face.

She gave a sad, watery smile in response. "No you don't Tsukki. If you did...You would have come back to me a lot sooner," she turned and left I knew she was right but god it hurt to hear her say that. My hand was still tightly closed around the bracelet the metal uncomfortably warm against my skin as she walked away from me.

Friday

She avoided me even more. I never saw her but I heard the music following around on occasion. After yesterday I had looked for the melody finally hearing it long enough to search for it. The results had told me the song was Clair De Lune I should have known. It was Y/n's favorite song though I doubted she liked it now.

I had tried to find her when I heard the music but even if I followed it I never found her. I was walking toward my locker keeping an ear out for that melody. As I opened the locker a f/c envelope fell out as I picked it up I noticed it was sealed with a gold wax stamp. Flipping it over my name was written on the front in flowing cursive. I put it away in my bag before heading to practice.

I flipped the envelope around in my hand staring at it before sighing. I pulled open the envelope and slipped the contents out. The first was a photo of me, Y/n, and Yamaguchi we were standing in the park in the photo. Y/n and Yamaguchi had their arms over eachothers shoulders while I stood in the background glaring towards the camera.

The other thing was a letter that I was hesitant to flip open. I knew the letter was from Y/n but I for the first time felt afraid on what she had to say. Sighing I opened the letter ready to read it.

Dear Kei,

It's been awhile hasn't it? Though That's what happens after fights. You give each other time to calm down and then you come back. Only this time...There is no coming back. You already know I have Musicalia and I'm sure you know I love you. It's weird to write that to someone you know doesn't love you.

Don't lie either. You don't love me the way I love you. You may think you do but if you had we would have been friends again by now. But you were perfectly content with not having me in your life so I know you'll be fine when I'm actually gone.

That's the issue isn't it? I'll be gone soon really, truly...gone. I'm not afraid knowing my death is approaching im...content and at peace with it. My death won't be glorious. I'm not going out with a bang. Or any final inspirational words. I'll go quietly in my sleep hopefully. Sleep however is hard when there's music constantly playing on loop in your head.

When I'm gone Kei...Will you visit me? Tell me about your day or the volleyball team! Yamaguchi told me about the team you should go easier on them. You should also learn from them you know? Anyways if you ever can't make it to me...Play Clair De Lune and I'll go to you! I'll listen to you talk at your place instead of you coming to mine!

I'm sure you know by now that this is my goodbye letter. Don't act so suprised of course I want to say goodbye to you. You're important to me you should know that. I've written this for awhile but I wanted it to be a good final goodbye since its immortalized forever in a letter. If you share this with anyone I'll kill you by the way. Even in death I still have a reputation. Anyway...

Goodbye Kei

I love you

—Y/n L/n

A month had passed since she said goodbye I moved forward even though it hurt to not see her around school. It almost felt like she moved but that imagine was ruined whenever I visited her grave. "Hey Tsukki I didn't know you liked dinosaurs!" I sighed in irritation my eyes flicking towards Kuroo who was pointing at my wrist.

"Wow that's cool!" Bokuto joined in and my eyes drifted to the golden bracelet around my wrist. "It's not mine," I stated drinking my water. "Whos is it?" Akaashi asked and I sighed again. "My friend Y/n’s...She's gone now and I'd rather not talk about it," I said standing up and heading back to the net. None of them said anything more about it and I was grateful for that.

Later that night I closed my eyes and played the song that I had grown very familiar with. It was quiet except for the soft melody playing through my headphones. While my eyes were closed I felt the familiar pressure on my body like someone was laying on my chest. If I listened through my headphones close enough I could almost hear her soft voice humming the song. 

I knew in my brain it was impossible but for now I let my heart believe that it was her. I talked quietly about anything and everything that came to mind. The team was sleeping so I knew I could talk freely most of them slept like they were in a coma. I sighed as I reached the end of my story before I spoke once more.

"I miss you Y/n,"

————————————————————————

TAGLIST: @wonhomarshmallow

[womansharry]

SHE

Fashion blogger and New York Socialite Juliet Oliver meets rockstar Harry Styles. And what follows is a story that no one could have predicted.

Chapter 1 - Gold Dust Woman

Juliet Oliver stepped out of the black SUV. A man in a black suit approached her.

"Good afternoon, Ms. Oliver. You'll walk the carpet in just a minute. Stay here. I'll send you as soon as I can." He turned to another man, and Juliet took a second to look down at her gown. She was wearing a purple Giambattista Valli gown. The floor-length dress was made entirely of tulle. It was growing heavier by the minute. She smiled despite the discomfort, relishing in the fact that she was about to walk the carpet at the Met Gala.

Juliet had grown up obsessing over fashion. She would stay up way past her bedtime and look at the pictures in her mother's copies of Vogue and Elle. She would often sneak into her mother's closet and try on her various dresses from DVF or Dior. When she was in high school, she developed a bad habit of leaving school early to go shopping at Bloomingdale's with her best friends.

Juliet had been born into a prominent Upper West Side family. Her father, Richard Oliver was a hedgefund lawyer. Her mother, Marie Lawrence-Oliver had been a model in the late 70s and early 80s before she met Juliet's father. By the late 80s, Marie had become a mother and decided that she would stay home with her children. First came Christopher. Chris had always been interested in movies. He had gone to NYU's film school for college and moved to LA right after. Next came Caroline. Caroline followed in her father's footsteps and went to law school. She attended Brown as a legacy student and had come back to NYC for a job in the financial district. Juliet was the youngest of the three and had attended college at Columbia.

Somehow over the past few years, she had amassed 1.2 million followers on Instagram. After graduating she decided to turn those followers into an audience and she launched a website. She had been writing full time for her blog for 3 and a half years. She had been featured in Harper's Bazaar, Marie Claire, and Vogue. The latter had led to a friendship with Anna Wintour. She had also traveled to Paris and London working with brands like Stella McCartney and Saint Laurent. Juliet could hardly believe that this was her life, working in fashion and writing about the things that she truly loved.

"Alright, Ms. Oliver are you ready?" She took a deep breath and smiled at the man. She started walking and was met with a large crowd of photographers and reporters.

There was a chorus of shouts, "This way!" "Juliet, over here!" "Look here," "Smile" as she made her way across the pink carpet. She began ascending the iconic Met steps. She stopped for a couple of interviews. As she was about to head inside she heard the shrieks of the teenage girls that were lined up along 5th Avenue. Years ago, that had been her. She looked over at the front entrance and noticed that Alessandro Michele, the creative director at Gucci, had arrived and with him was Harry Styles. Harry wore a sheer black top, black heeled boots, and a single earring. She admired his outfit from afar before turning her attention back to the front doors of the MET.

"Juliet!" She turned to see Lana Condor making her way up the steps. Juliet had met Lana and a few other ladies wearing Giambattista months ago during fittings.

"Lana, it's so good to see you. You look gorgeous!" Juliet pulled her in for a hug.

"Thanks, Juliet, so do you! They knew what they were doing when they put you in purple. It's your color!"

"You're the sweetest. Next time you're in New York we should get dinner." Juliet said and she moved up to the next step.

"Yes, for sure! I'll see you inside." Lana stepped towards one of the red carpet correspondents to give an interview.

Juliet headed towards the front door nearly running into Harry Styles as she did.

"Oh, I'm sorry," she said quickly. He looked over at her with his emerald green eyes and dimpled smile.

"S'okay love. Y'look very nice, by the way." She felt warmth spread through her body and she smiled back at him.

"Thanks, so do you."

"'m Harry." He stuck his hand out towards her.

"It's nice to meet you, Harry. I'm Juliet." His large hand was softer than she had expected.

"Hmm, Juliet. Quite a romantic name." He chuckled.

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Juliet, s'nice to meet ya. Maybe I'll see ya inside, yeah?" He moved closer to the door.

"Yeah." She smiled and followed after him and into the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

___

Sometime later Juliet was running on champagne and adrenaline. Cher was performing a few of her greatest hits. The beginning chords of "If I Could Turn Back Time" sounded through the speakers and Juliet smiled. She was dancing around in her own little world with some of the people around her when she noticed that Harry was watching her from across the room with a smile on his face.

Once the song was over she noticed that Harry had moved. He came up beside her and leaned over to whisper in her ear.

"Ya coming to the after-party? Think ya should." She nodded.

"I'll be there."

"Save a dance for me, yeah?" She felt her face turn red.

"I can do that." He gave her a longing look and made his way back over to his friends.

___

Alessandro was hosting a Met Gala after-party at Hunter College. Juliet changed into a red pantsuit. The blazer was v-neck and she decided that she wouldn't wear anything underneath. It gave her an edgier look. Once she was inside the school gymnasium it didn't take long for her to find Harry. He had a champagne glass in one hand and was using the other as he carried on about something. The speakers were blaring a song that Juliet didn't know when someone grabbed her arm.

"I didn't know that you'd be here." Juliet turned to see Mary Kate Olsen.

"Oh my god! It's so good to see you." Mary Kate smiled.

"Let's get a drink." the two girls set off in search of the bar. "Are you still writing?"

"Yeah, it's going really well. I'm meeting with a few people next week about starting my own fashion line. I know it's a lot of work, but it's something I've wanted to do forever." Juliet said as they approached the bar.

"I think that's a great idea. It might seem like it's an oversaturated market, but if you bring something to the table that's new and unique you'll do great." The girls both got Vodka Tonics and went back to an open couch.

"I'm really excited to start the process. I've got a long way to go." Juliet said sipping on her drink.

"Well, if you need help or just someone to talk to, please call me." Mary Kate gave her a smile. Despite being so private, Mary Kate Olsen had always gone out of her way to be kind to Juliet. They had met a few years ago at London Fashion Week.

"How's Ashley?"

"She's good. I feel like we're constantly running 100 miles per hour with our brands. She was at the gala earlier but she was ready to go home. Why don't you come by later this week and see us? You could even throw out some of your ideas for your line. We'd be happy to give you our opinions." Mary Kate touched Juliet's arm.

"Yes. I'll text you tomorrow after I look at my calendar. You'd think I'd have it on my phone. I'm still old fashioned that way. I like writing things down in my planner."

"Yeah, I understand. Please do that! See you soon."

Juliet stood up as well and looked out at the dance floor, so many people were scattered around dancing and talking. She told Mary Kate goodbye and made her way to the edge of the dance floor. "Sucker" by the Jonas Brothers was playing. Juliet laughed as she saw Harry singing his heart out.

The song died out and a new one began playing. She knew what it was almost immediately. It was, "Take My Breath Away" by Berlin, or as many people knew it as the love theme from Top Gun. She downed the rest of her vodka tonic and sat the empty glass on the closet table to her. She took a deep breath and approached Harry.

"How about that dance?" He gave her a devilish grin and pulled her in his arms.

"How's ya night been, Juliet?" Harry asked as they swayed back and forth to the 80s pop ballad.

"It's been great. I don't want it to end..." she wished out loud. She admired the man holding her, his features soft in the dim light of the gymnasium.

"Think I'll ever see ya again? Quiet like looking at ya." He asked. Juliet felt her cheeks heat up.

"Maybe, if you're lucky," she said teasingly. If Harry wanted to see her again, of course, she would say yes.

"Can't believe we've never met before."

"I know. I'm glad you were a co-chair this year. I like your style a lot. You dress in a way that makes you feel good, no matter what anyone says about you. I like that about you." She said. His green eyes were sparkling.

"Thank you. 'm blushing, really." They laughed together as the song died down.

"It was so nice to meet you, Harry. I'll see you around." He hesitated, almost like he didn't know how to respond. Finally, the words came out.

"Yeah, you too Jules. See ya around." He held her hand a second longer before letting go and drifting off into the crowd of people.

Juliet found the exit and called Cal, her driver. He pulled up a moment later. She got into the SUV and Cal drove off in the direction of her apartment. The entire drive home she played Harry's words over and over again in her head. "Yeah, you too Jules. See ya around." Normally, she only let her family call her Jules. But, she liked the way it sounded when Harry said it. As Cal pulled up outside her apartment, she silently prayed that tonight wasn't the last time she would see Harry.

_____

Read ch 2 here! 

[harryhooksgazebos267]

Blackpink The Album Review~

I love this album! All of the songs are bops, and the packaging is so cute! So the way this is gonna work is I’m gonna give a number ranking to the songs, rank then in order from my favorite to least favorite, talk about the physical albums, give my final thoughts, and then do an overall ranking 🙈✨

Number ranking for songs~

How you like that~10/10

So the first time I heard this so I instantly fell in love with it. I don’t care what anybody says, this song is a fucking bop.

Ice cream~10/10

I think the first time I heard it I liked it but it wasn’t an “I LOVE THIS SONG” as soon as I heard it. Buuuuuut, the more I heard it the more it grew on me and now I really really love this song. It makes me super happy to listen to and makes my mood rise whenever I hear it.

Pretty savage~ 10000/10

Pretty Savage is that bitch and you’re lying to yourself if you say you hate this song. The beat, the vocals, the raps 🙈✨ Oh and then when Jennie is like “saaaaavvvvvaaaagggggeeeee” and Jisoo saying “you better run run run” 🥵 Rosé saying “pretty girl” and everytime Lisa says “all my diamonds blah blah” oh my god. This song is my sexuality now.

Bet you wanna~8/10

So I had a lot of hopes for this song because of Cardi B but it kind of fell through. To clarify I really do like this song, when it comes on I don’t skip it because I still enjoy it but it isn’t my favorite off the album. Rosé’s vocals saved this song and it shows lmao. Like I said, still like the song but it’s not my favorite.

Lovesick girls~1000/10

Okay so when I first heard this I thought it was super cute and I liked it but it was just 🤷‍♀️ for me. But for some reason I just kept rewatching the MV (I don’t stream cause I ain’t got time for all that) and I would replay it everytime it came on. There are lyrics that really hit home. To be specific: “we were born to be alone but why we still looking for love” , “Everyone eventually leaves, I’ve become numb to crying, Hurt over and over again”. There were more but those are the ones that stuck out to me the most. I feel like this song applies a lot to things and relationships (like friendships and other relationships) I’ve had or have so it just hits a little different. Of course there also is Jennie’s iconic rap and then the MV! Lisa’s jacket that has flashing lights hits different, Rosé with pink hair in the bathtub, Jisoo in water 😭😭 Oh my god I can’t! I really love this song and music video.

Crazy over you~ 10000/10

Once again, this song is that bitch. It’s the beat for me and when they say “sound the alarm”, “I’m crazy over you” oh gosh it’s perfect 🥴😭 And the vocals right before the “I am crazy over you”!!!!! Don’t even get me started on Rosé and Jisoo 😭 JeSuS this song lives in my head rent free. I LOVE this song. The way I walk around the house just repeating “I am crazy over you” and dance is embarrassing. That song makes me feel like a bad bitch for some reason. Everything about it is perfect. Pretty Savage was my fafavorite song but I think this has replaced it honestly. I could go on and on as to why this song is THAT song but I’ll save y’all the headache lmao.

Love to hate me~9/10

So I don’t hate this song but it was pretty forgettable for me. The first time I heard it, it was my least favorite. It’s not that I hate it because it’s constantly stuck in my head but it just doesn’t stick out to me as much as the other songs do. However, this song hits a little different. Like the lyrics 🙈✨ Oh and I really love the part where they’re lowkey whispering. Like the “wake up, yeah, make up, maybe” that part and then Lisa’s rap....those parts hit a little different. So yeah, not my favorite but still a good song.

You never know~ 1000/10

This was the perfect way to end the album. A softer song that has that raw emotion...absolutely beautiful. This song really really hits home. A lot of people think I’m this perfect person because I’m pretty smart, I have good friends, I get the leads in the plays and musicals, im nice to everyone, I go to an art school and it basically just seems like im thriving but the truth is I do be struggling. I have a lot of hardships I’ve had to overcome and that I’m still overcoming yet a lot of people don’t know that. I’ve gone through a lot to be where I am today and people like to think I have this perfect life because that’s the front I put up. So this song just hits a little different. When Jennie sings the chorus that really hit different because it just made me think of how much hate and bullshit she has to go through. Obviously I also thought about all the hate every single one of them has to put up with. We think their lives are perfect yet we’ll never truly know how much they struggle unless we’re in their shoes. This song is so beautiful and the vocals just....wow. Idk what it is about how Jisoo starts the song but there is something so pretty about how she sings. Anyway, love this song so much. I saw some people say this was forgettable but I completely disagree. The lyrics hit different. Even if you haven’t gone through what the girls are singing about, you’ve experienced someone who has and I feel like thinking about that person while listening to the song just makes your heart hurt a little. Idk, this song is so perfect to me.

Ranking the songs in order from favorite to least favorite~

1.) Crazy over you

2.) Pretty Savage

3.) You never know

4.) Lovesick Girls

5.) How you like that

6.) Ice Cream

7.) Love to hate me

8.) Bet You Wanna

Physical Album Thoughts~

So, the physical album is super cute! So for version 3 I had the impression that it was going to have a smoky look but it ended up just being shinny so that was lowkey weird lmao. I got version 2 because pink is my favorite color but I almost got the 3rd version (version 4 was sold out when I went to preorder) so I’m glad I got the 2nd version. I love the cover of the photo book, it’s so beautiful and it was a nice little surprise that the picture changes. All of the pictures in each of the photo books are so so cute! The girls look absolutely stunning. I personally perfer their past photo books only because I’m a sucker for the concept photos and seeing pics from the music video buuut like I said all of the pictures are beautiful and I’m so happy with the quality and how many pictures are in the photo book. The only other problem I had with the photo book is I wish they did it like the past ones where all of the pink versions had color with the black stuck to the darker gray, white, and black themes. Version 2 is kind of like both of the black versions but still, the pictures are great so I cant complain at all! Love the postcards and they feel very smooth. Great pictures, could look at them all day. Love the size of the poster, very cute! I saw pictures of the group PCs and I wish they were different cause they kind of looked the same but maybe they look different in person. The sticker is so cute, love the black and white picture you get, and I LOVE the random postcards and random photo cards. Overall, you get a lot and I’m in love with the packaging. Some little things that bothered me but the quality was great so I can’t complain 🤷‍♀️

Final thoughts~

Everything about this album is perfect. There are no songs that I hate or dislike. None that I skip and none I wouldn’t listen to by itself. I disagree with people saying pretty savsavage should have been the title track instead of lovesick girls. We got the black with how you like that, we got the pink with ice cream, and lovesick girls was a mix of the two. Obviously that song meant something to the girls since Jisoo and Jennie wrote some of the lyrics and helped produce it. I think people would have complained if Pretty Savage was the title track because they always want the girls to do “something different” and lovesick girls was something different. At first I was a little sad by the fact that there were only 8 songs but honestly I’d rather have quality over quantity. Each song felt like they spent a lot of time on it and if there were more songs I feel like there would have been some filler songs so the quality wouldn’t have been as good as it is now. Like I said, packaging was cute and you get a lot. The issues I had are more personal issues and they don’t really bother me all that much so the positives out way the negatives by a LOT!

Overall ranking:

1000000/10....this album was that bitch and will forever be that bitch 🤷‍♀️

[fmdkiana]

【✧】━━━━━ 🌿 k i a n a     i n t r o     p l a y l i s t 🌿 ━━━━━【✧】

these are nineteen songs that i’ve been listening to while making kiana’s blog [x] some i came across, some randomly thought of, and some suggested by lovely muns i’ve been chatting about kiana to. since she’s a character that i’ve adapted for the purpose of famed, these songs have helped ground me in the person she is. i hope the songs and descriptions below will help you learn kiana a little better too

1. to be torn by kyla la grange

this first song was a suggestion from someone, and i think set the tune for the rest of my choices. apparently it’s from beauty and the beast? lol anyway it describes this desire to be torn, a carnal need to be used. the heavy sound of it is kind of haunting, a bit sad, but also strong. the emotion can be felt even without the lyrics. kiana has this part of her that deeply craves being important, whether it comes at her own expense -her own tearing- or not. also forewarning that a lot of these overlap on the same concepts. shrug emoji

2. intertwined by dodie

intertwined is a song that immediately came to mind for kiana after to be torn. when this song came out, many people saw it as a cute love story, wanting to be intertwined with a lover, and have them be the safe space when you have a troubled head. however, dodie made a video debunking this, against her natural inclination, because the song describes something severely unhealthy. the following music video also helped many people to see the gore that’s strung throughout the lyrics. it Actually describes a relationship where the participants have put all of their source of happiness in one another, and it’s left them codependent, but ever seeking more. kiana has this perpetual trouble in relationships, especially romantic ones

3. bite by troye sivan

i can be the subjective of your dreams, your sickening desire is a pretty good sum up of where the inspo comes from. it’s difficult, when talking about the negative parts of kiana, to not talk about her ex-boyfriend. i have lots planned to talk on so i won’t go on forever here, but it reminds me of how all it took was the tiniest invitation for kiana to “become his.” that’s how she works. come here puppy, don’t bite, and she’ll heel at your side forever. at least, back then. she’s someone who seems difficult, because she’s very asocial, but with the right formula, it could be so easy to slip her into your arms

4. hell in heaven by twice wish

this song is a bit similar to intertwined, i would say? someone who feels stuck, drowning in a “hell” that is only saved by a piece of “heaven/paradise.” yet they’re in between the place of hell and heaven, constantly confused of where they land, because they’ve placed their hope for salvation in this one, singular place/person. they want to be freer than they are, yet their salvation keeps them locked away. open the door to heaven, let me walk on the cloud. the day i’m trapped in you, save me, hold me tight

5. dinner & diatribes by hozier

a few different levels come from this song. while it was created with the idea of how tedious social gatherings are, the story that comes from it makes another world. kiana is asocial, and struggles with fear over social situations, which make something like dinner parties quite stressful for her. she’s also someone who isn’t fond of small talk, and more likely that type to say ‘talk to me about your deepest fears,’ but... she actually means it and isn’t saying it to be pretentious. she would much rather see the sickest, nastiest parts of someone, soak all of that up, than talk about whether the food was good. the music video describes this in part, but also gives a hades/persephone but worse type of story that is also quite kiana aligned. that’s the kind of love i’ve been dreaming of

6. creep by radiohead

i want you to notice when i’m not around. so fuckin special, i wish i was special, but i’m a creep. not to ‘have you ever seen me without this hat’ on you, but lissen! kiana is forever convinced she’s an outsider. the things she likes are more Cool these days than they were when she was a kid, but the feeling of being ostracized for liking them back then will always live with her. she’s an insecure overthinking fuck at times too. and also desperately wants to be someone special, and unique, as if having that would make her pain of feeling different worth it

7. seigfried by frank ocean

the meaning of this song is pretty different from how i view it in relation to kiana. for her, the focus is on the idea of ‘settling down’ being... acceptance of normality? her whole life, she’s been searching for someone and/or something that makes her feel special. she became an idol for this exact reason, dated her ex for that reason, seeks the relationships she does, thinks she could still have superpowers for this reason. but the truth is that she’s pretty normal. her hobbies are very normal people type things. her talents aren’t anything that would have her being called top of the line. her thoughts are all things other people have thought of. her booksmart intelligence isn’t any stronger than the average. she is very normal, and the tiny part of her that acknowledges that usually shoves it away. but on occasion, she wonders if she should accept it, and settle

8. gimme love by joji

gimme gimme love is all you really need to know lol kiana doesn’t stick around easily when she’s not being given the same kind of world-ending affection from those she’s chosen to share that with that she gives out. she gives at Least 110% of her love, affection, and loyalty into anyone that she has chosen to keep closest to her heart, and if she isn’t getting that back, she can feel dejected, unloved, and unimportant. she may give people like this a few chances to change, but her expectations, or “standards,” won’t change

9. pain by king princess

cos i can’t help turning my love into pain is the strongest lyric that ties back to kiana. the overall message isn’t as strong because king princess has a different view on a relationship as described than kiana. for her, it’s yet another kiana will put herself in the face of terrible parts of relationships. the trouble is that she enjoys it, and seeks it, thinking it’s the ultimate show of love. not to pain one another, but to be pained without them. also realizing after all these i should be saying this applies to her inner circle friendships as well, but the standards are just a little less heavy

10. any song by zico sun

not one for big gatherings, kiana likes to have her social interaction either through the wire, or in small groups (duos are best to her tbh) the song has an upbeat tune that contrasts against the lyrical meaning of something more about... any song will do, something to drag away the sadness that’s living inside. kiana functions a bit like that, always seeking her uniqueness to bust out and save her from her own mind thinking she’s not good enough

11. why won’t they talk to me? by tame impala

she is asocial, but that doesn’t mean being a hermit,, an otaku,, whatever you want to call her, is a life full of happiness. she functions very well on her own, but when she has that for too long, it can be damaging to her head as well, especially when she has inner circle friends or a romantic relationship. when not speaking to these people, the need for human connection seems unbearable to deal with, and anxiety runs rampant

12. alien by lee suhyun

her mama told her she’s alien, but actually it was herself telling herself she’s alien mixed with influence from pop culture making her want to be a superhero and kids who told her she was a freak, all coming together in the desire for weirdness to be a Cool thing. kiana will wish til the day she croaks that she will have a realization that she has a special power

13. stressed out by twenty one pilots

ki doesn’t care about the core message of this song. many people relate to oh no bills~ adult stress~ but kiana doesn’t. even if she wasn’t born into a family that could live comfortably, and didn’t become an idol making phat stacks, she would feel the same. to her, it’s an inevitability. HOWEVA the beginning lines are 1:1 for how she wishes to be something extraordinary, and is supa insecure that she isn’t. i wish found some better sounds that no one’s ever heard. i wish i had a better voice that sang some better words ... i was told when i get older all my fears would shrink but now i’m insecure and i care what people think

14. true crime by epik high ft. miso

not exactly 1:1 word by word, since there’s several perspectives coming in one song, however, the overall message i think can be summed in it’s a true crime to be without you. other lines like i’d open up my chest for your entertainment, that was the line that drew me to originally put this in the playlist. i’m not sure on a story behind the song, but it strikes me as something bonnie & clyde-esque? there’s themes of being on the run, lying on the pavement dying, stuff like that. that kind of relationship is strongly the ideals kiana holds for her romantic and close platonic relationships

15. shine by pentagon (shouldve been knight but bad bois image PLAYIN)

i cannot explain to u the random joy this dumb song gave me when it came out. it’s similar to power up like i just?? get so happy lol anyway the whole premise is like nerdy person has a crush n theyre like oh my god~ why would u like me~ i cant say i like u~ it’s super fucking cute. i’m a loser who loves you. yes, i’m a misery. to you, i’m a nuisance, i’m an outsider, but in this world, i only need you. that’s where the kiana part comes in strongest, or explains it in one sentence. she worries she isn’t enough for others but her affections are always incredibly strong. also she’s cute

16. tail by sunmi dimensions soloist 2

when i first heard this song, i needed to play it again to pay attention to the lyrics because i had the feeling it was kiana-esque. i was right, but i would say that it’s where kiana could go at her worst. has she been there? i’m not so sure. perhaps teetering on the edge of having her claws out, but really, for now, it’s just that the potential is there

17. she’s my religion by pale waves

so as to not repeat myself too much and because this is so much fookin writing already, this is another song that talks about how deeply and dangerously kiana falls into others. she’s no angel, but she’s my religion, always finding ways to numb the pain ... made me feel like i was finally enough ... she needs this love just as much as me

18. space cadet by beabadoobee

this song has similar themes to alien, but rather than about being special, it’s about being in a shitty place and letting your mind wander to create a better reality. ki has her interests, her extreme love of her fandoms, because it’s an escape for her. that’s not something i personally approve of, however, it’s a common reality for many people. living in these online spaces and thinking of these fictional worlds gives her a place to go to when the irl world is too difficult for her to handle

19. me! me! me! by teddyloid

you might think this is a meme addition and sure! to a degree it is! but i’m also going to talk about it as an actual piece of music and visuals. first we’ll talk about the music video. kiana feels complicated about the type of anime fans that oversexualize everything, so in general, she likes a message that’s against those types. the message of addiction tearing real life relationships apart also is something kiana sorta needs to hear. the lyrics of the song itself talk about an all consuming type of relationship, and dissects it to explain how it wasn’t love, but worship, which was dangerous to them both. it’s a song that kiana perhaps would need to take to heart, but i, as her mun, am unsure if she ever will. that depends on the connections she forms, and what types of people are goading her on, or trying to get her to stop

[letmetellyouaboutmyfeels]

I've been listening to THATW on your recommendation & loving it. Battle Cries keeps getting stuck in my head and I was curious about your take on the lyrics. To me, especially coming at the end of the album, it seems like maybe it's about growing apart & realising that's for the best rather than being sad ("this isn't a breakup dear heart, it's a season finale") or maybe the singers are at the end of their lives & facing that end to their relationship? I'd love to hear your thoughts/analysis.

Me: GUYS I’M DOING ANOTHER TAD SONG ANALYSIS

My Friends: You have the backbone of a chocolate éclair.

Please keep in mind as I go down this rabbit hole conduct this analysis that art is what you interpret it to be. So whatever it means to you is a valid interpretation, and this is just my own take on it. Here is my ranting analysis of Farewell Wanderlust, for those of you who are wondering why this lovely person is trusting me, a certified feral bastard, with literary discussion.

That dealt with, that’s tackle the three layers of analysis here. Yes, I said three. Buckle up buttercups.

(Listen if a joke is funny the first time it’s funny every time.)

Okay, so level one: analysis separate from any other piece of work. This is where you look at the art (in this case song lyrics) and examine it purely on its own merit, not by looking at background or connection to other texts. If we just look at the lyrics, what do they say and what do they mean?

PART THE FIRST

Unlike Marbles, which tells us a very easy-to-follow story of a relationship, even giving us a handy-dandy year of meeting (I’ve held your hand since 1979), Battle Cries doesn’t give us solid details to fix on. We have to fill in the blanks a lot, which is obviously deliberate given that Marbles and Little Miss Why So (from their previous album Love Run) have shown us that the band knows how to be specific and grounding in telling us a story. If they’ve left things abstract, it’s on purpose.

From the very first lyric, we’re shown two people at odds, as they sing wildly different words:

“I’m at the brink, don’t laugh,

at the winks I’ve masked.”

vs.

“The wrinkles and bricks that we’re left with at last,”

They’re even singing at a different pace from one another. The man is more upbeat, faster, and his notes go up and down. The woman is slower, more deliberate, and her notes are closer together. This pattern continues through the song - the man is all over the scale and moves faster, the woman is slower and her voice stays even.

The central conflict here seems to be over the singers differing on what they feel is important, culminating in, “we were gods” vs “we were kids.” We have references to specific events where the signers acknowledge that they understand one another, even if they don’t agree:

“You’ve a knack For applause from the back of the stalls but you lack The conviction to look at me straight and say yes”

vs

“Some fictions we took to mean fate believe me I know”

and

“Tell the truth to me love, does my hair look as nice As it did when you once tied it up in your eyes? Look at me as you say this, don’t look at your phone.”

There are continued references to things that they’ve done, such as “but we sunk into water...” and “our devils broke ranks, and out of the depths came an army.” They’ve been through a lot together, these two people, and most of it is metaphorical, you assume... but there’s also the theme of playing pretend, making believe, with repeated references to devils, kings, monsters, pirates, and all the rest. The line between fiction and reality is blurred strongly here, as we’ve seen in their other songs like That Unwanted Animal.

The woman appears to be a performer, since the man sings that she “dragged us along to watch all of your shows.” The man could be a performer, but he refused: “and by God, love, believe me, I wanted to play, too, I did.”

The lyrics the woman sings imply that she throws herself into things wholeheartedly while the man holds himself back - which has become a problem, given the lyrics they’re singing at each other. This is ironic because the woman’s lyrics might imply that, but her voice is the more deliberate and grounded one, while the man, the one singing the lyrics that imply holding himself back, is the one with his voice jumping all over the place.

The woman embraces her power and lack of restraint and proclaims we were gods. The man acknowledges that they were young and lost and didn’t know what they were doing, reminding her we were kids.

And both of them are right.

They’re also both constantly trying to counsel each other. A good moment that highlights their differing views is here:

Done with your dreams, they won’t last Thirty winters will pass, you’ll look back at the woman fifty year old you will be proud to have known.

vs

Cos that sun that beams down as my hands touch the grass After summers of fasting I feel hunger at last For the person fifteen year old me would be proud to have known.

One of them is putting aside dreams, and looking towards the future and saying, I want to be someone that future me is proud of.

The other, however, is focusing on how they feel in the present moment, on how they feel alive (this lyric of feeling hunger at last is also possibly a callback to Wild Blue Yonder’s “tried my best to get thinner” and Farewell Wanderlust’s “when your mom says ‘you look healthy’ but you know she means you got fat”) and saying, I want to be someone my teenage self would admire.

This also highlights how the woman seems detached from reality. She’s all about make-believe, dreams, the future. The man is more focused on the here and now, the past, what was and what is. And again, neither person is wrong here. But their differences are bringing them into conflict as seen from different lyrics and rhythms.

But there is, however, a lack of goodbye. The lyrics show an understanding of one another, and there are moments where they share the same lyrics. The line, “this isn’t a break up, dear heart, it’s a season finale” is very telling because it’s a season finale.

Season vs. series, real quick - series means the entire end of a show. Not coming back. It’s the final ending. But season? That just means it’s time for a break. We’ll be back. It’s a conclusion of an arc but not the conclusion of a story.

So the couple isn’t saying goodbye forever. They’re just saying this is the end of one arc. One part of the story. And now we’re taking a pause, and then we’re going to tell the rest, be the rest, presumably together. Especially because just previous to this the woman said she’s not leaving without a fight, and the man said he’s not going to let her turn their last night into this. They’re not going to be gone from each other forever.

In fact, one could (if one was so inclined) call this one of the fights that the couple from Marbles had. Both songs have a very similar feel to them. So you could very well view it that way. This isn’t a look at the story of an entire relationship, this is a look at one specific part of it. And again, this isn’t a painful breakup song. We see that in the chorus:

But that breathing you hear don't mistake it for sighs, Don’t you realize - They’re just battle cries, dear. And these lines aren’t wrinkles, dear heart. (Hardly knew the words) They’re just dollops of paint on a new work of art! (I’m dolled up love don’t I deserve to just) And as I walk away I know, I’ve been through the wars, But that creaking you hear in my bones is not pain, it’s applause.

There’s no pain. There’s no sighing. No screams. Not wrinkles for age. There’s an embracing of it all, a joy found in things that might otherwise cause sadness. It’s saying don’t worry, this is all good. But there’s nothing about goodbye, it’s more “look at what I’ve been through and I’m glad of it, I’m okay with it.”

I also think it’s telling that the song ends with just one singer performing.

All it took to unearth in the dust and the dirt Some release or respite from the heat and the hurt Was taking the time now and then to ask how I am And now at the end, at the end of all things, I’m not going to scream, beat my chest at the wind, I’m doing fine.

That’s a callback to The Rockrose and the Thistle, both lyrically and in how the singer’s performing it (his voice is almost exactly the same, quick, someone compare the musical notes for me).

Basically, yes, there is a sense of something ending, but it’s not The End. The end of university was not the end of your life. The end of childhood was not an end to your life. And so on. It feels more like the end of a phase - both in this couple’s relationship (but again, season finale, I don’t think it’s the end of their relationship completely) - and in their lives. They’re phasing out of a certain stage. But the lyrics say explicitly “this isn’t a breakup” and we need to trust that.

I think, looking at these lyrics, that Battle Cries is about facing the end of a certain period of your life, whatever that period is, and embracing both the frustrating and the wonderful about it, and looking at both your own flaws and the flaws of your partner, and maybe needing to take a break - but knowing that it’s not the end, and that you’re going to be okay. It’s about self-reflection as well as reflecting on a relationship. It’s taking a small step back and observing yourself from a slight distance. Getting philosophical with a bottle of wine.

Basically this feels like the end of act two, not the end of the entire play. Does that make sense? Am I making sense to anyone?

However, that is just the FIRST LAYER of analysis. There are two more. Because just one layer of meaning would be too simple, apparently, for a certain British bastard. Not naming names here, mostly because I don’t need to, we all know what life-ruining motherfucker I’m referring to.

So, the second level here is not Battle Cries as a song on its own, but Battle Cries as the final song on an album.

PART THE SECOND

The Amazing Devil did this with their previous album, Love Run, as well. They’re fond of using the first song as an introduction that lulls you into a false sense of security and using the final song as not just a culmination of all the other songs on the album but as a callback. Not Yet/Love Run on the same-titled album contains direct lyrics from the previous songs embedded into the background, and also serves as an emotional crescendo of all that the previous songs in the album were touching on (mainly depression, romantic relationships, and ‘what the fuck am I supposed to do now’).

With Battle Cries, we get the same thing.

First and easiest is double lyrics that sometimes conflict. We saw this in Wild Blue Yonder most predominantly, where the man was being the more dramatic of the two and the woman was kind of talking him down and being more pragmatic. Even though there’s not as much conflict in their lyrics as in Pruning Shears from Love Run, that conflict is still there - and is done, again, in Battle Cries.

There are also smaller, more specific lyrical callbacks:

“And these plates they smash like waves” = That Unwanted Animal (and these plates they smash like waves/throw the plate at the wall)

“And the wine stains hide the tears” = Farewell Wanderlust (but like rubbing wine stains into rugs it’s my curse, to try and make it right, but by trying make it worse)

“The wrinkles and bricks we’re left with at last” - Marbles (your eyes aren’t rivers there to weep but a place for crows to rest their feet) and Wild Blue Yonder (every brick you hurled I’ll use to build)

“But that creaking you hear in my bones is not pain, it’s applause” = That Unwanted Animal (and if we join our hands in prayer enough to God I imagine it all starts to sound like applause)

Aside from these direct lyrical callbacks, there’s the emotional tone.

In the very first song on the album, The Rockrose and the Thistle, we have the theme of helping someone - someone who might not necessarily be good at accepting your help. The lyrics, however brief, give the impression of night (when you call to me asleep) and a foreboding seaside (up the ragged cliffs I scramble).

In Battle Cries, we once again get lyrics that give us the impression of the seaside, through allusions to pirates (more on that in the third section). But instead of nighttime, and danger, the lyrics give us the impression of light and warmth:

“Now the wind is so warm on the back of my neck As I walk with the sun hand in hand from the wreck”

Wreck, again, suggests a shipwreck (most other acts of destruction we call crashes i.e. car crash, ‘wreck’ is almost exclusively used for ships) which suggests the ocean. But in TR&TT all is dark and uncertain, and it’s told from the point of view of the helper, who is trying to assist someone who’s struggling. In Battle Cries, we go from darkness to light, and it’s the point of view of the person being helped, saying that all they needed to feel better was having someone take “the time now and then to ask how I am.” We’ve gone full circle.

That final bit could also be a callback to Welly Boots, where the singer talks of someone “screaming far too loud to hear me swear” and running out into an impending thunderstorm. In Battle Cries, the line is,

“I’m not gonna scream, beat my chest at the wind. I’m doing fine.”

Again, a POV shift from a previous song to no longer be the person sung about, but the person doing the singing, and no longer in a position of distress, but a position of acceptance and moving forward.

Also if someone who like actually can talk about music as opposed to just lyrics could help me the fuck out here I know there are musical similarities between The Horror and the Wild and Battle Cries, and I’m pretty sure between Marbles and Battle Cries too, but I still can’t fucking read music and once described a note in a song to a friend as, “it sounds too Idina Menzel and you need to make it sound more Florence Welch” and so I am not the person to be discussing this but I FUCKIN’ KNOW THE SIMILARITIES ARE THERE I CAN FEEL IT I JUST DON’T HAVE THE ABILITY TO ARTICULATE IT.

Anyway.

So, Battle Cries is not only a standalone work but a culmination of the emotional journey that the album has taken you on. You’ve moved through songs about needing help and being unable to receive it/seeing someone you love needing help and being unable to give it (TR&TT, Welly Boots), songs about hiding from your demons and having a fun time being in a sexual relationship with someone you have to say goodbye to and move on from and while we’re at it let’s say “fuck it” (Wild Blue Yonder), to screaming about our failures and how people have failed us (Farewell Wanderlust, Welly Boots), to more sex and oh let’s throw spirituality and God in there (That Unwanted Animal), going full-on feral and taking on all comers (THATW) and then finding joy and the profound in the little moments with those we love without censorship or rose-colored glasses (Fair, Marbles).

Battle Cries is bittersweet not only because of its standalone lyrics but because it is embracing the bitter, wild fury of certain songs in the album and the sweet, soft love of the other songs. It’s combining them. And then, in its final moments, it’s taking a deep breath and releasing it all: “I’m doing fine.”

The band clearly chooses, with extreme care, the order in which their songs are to be played. While certain songs like Wild Blue Yonder and Pruning Shears could very well be the kind of songs you hear on the radio, and all the songs are good as standalones, there is an extra layer of emotional depth when you listen to them in the order the band intended. The number one thing people tell me when they listen to TAD for the first time is, “I get a musical feel. It reminds me of a particular kind of musical.” I’ve gotten a lot of comparisons to Hadestown, which, fun fact, started not as a musical but as a concept album in 2010. And I think that’s because people are picking up on the fact that the entire album is a journey that the listener is carefully being led on, and the final song draws it all together in a bittersweet, triumphant end note.

Not Yet/Love Run at the end of their last album did the same thing, which brings me to my final level of analysis: Battle Cries as the spiritual successor of Not Yet/Love Run.

PART THE THIRD

The first and most obvious comparison is the lyrics. In Not Yet, we have a theme of fighting an enemy and playing make-believe, being pirates:

“Sing me awake with a song about pirates,” “you point I’ll steer and we’ll rip up the map by the seems,” “it’s time to fight don’t be yellow bellied, hold the bar at Hurley's hurly burly's give ‘em hell give ‘em hell.”

In Battle Cries we have much the same thing:

“‘Come at me you blaggards’, you’d yell from the banks Wielding words against make-believe wizards and tanks”

There is a lyrical theme of pirate-speak and make believe, playing games. (In fact the next line in Battle Cries is “and by God, love, believe me, I wanted to play, too, I did,” referencing both playing make-believe and playing music.)

Not Yet and Battle Cries both blur the line between what is real and what is pretend, with the woman singer being much more willing to throw herself into imagination and the man being more cautious, more realistic. Both feature the woman in a fighting mood (“where is God, ma?”/“I won’t leave without a fight”) and the man more grounded and accepting (“I held your hand as you shook in the middle of the night”/“I’m not gonna scream, beat my chest at the wind”).

And both times, in both songs, both singers have a point. Neither one is fully right or wrong. That fighting spirit in the woman in good, but so is the acceptance and grounded attitude of the man.

Both Not Yet and Battle Cries also have the lyrical dance, where the man and woman sing different lyrics that overlap, and then occasionally come together and sing the same thing. It’s moments of understanding in between moments of disparity, which, really, isn’t that what every relationship is like? You’re never going to be in sync with your lover, friend, family member, all the time. But when you do come together, it’s fantastic.

Not Yet/Love Run is basically two songs in one, and so the Love Run portion is separate from the Not Yet portion in my analysis. Love Run is about fighting, but not fighting to get away from something, not fighting out of anger, but running towards something and fighting for love. There is, in Love Run, an acceptance that things can be shit, but we’re gonna keep running anyway:

“It’s not from what we run that drums, but what’s to come,” “run to show that love’s worth running to,” “though some would harm you, none, not one, no none, would raise to you, a hand nor thumb, not while by you I stand and hum.”

In Battle Cries, we get a similar acceptance and a reaffirmation that love, care, and compassion are what keeps us going:

“And as I walk away I know I’ve been through the wars, But that creaking you hear in my bones is not pain, it’s applause,”

“All it took to unearth in the dust and the dirt, Some release or respite from the heat and the hurt, Was taking the time now and then to ask how I am.”

Both Love Run and Battle Cries take the lyrics of their previous songs in the album and rework them, echo them, and then stand tall and say, “but it’s going to be okay, dear heart.” And Battle Cries emotionally and lyrically deliberately echoes Not Yet earlier on in its lyrics, and then emotionally (though not quite as lyrically) deliberately echoes Love Run at its end.

I could keep going on the details of this but this is fuckin’ long enough already and you all are smart people with an insane amount of time on your hands thanks to quarantine so I’m sure you guys can extrapolate further from here. Battle Cries plays the same role in THATW that Not Yet/Love Run plays in LR, therefore, there is a thematic and emotional similarity between both songs, therefore, lyrical comparisons and callbacks to Not Yet/Love Run were placed in Battle Cries.

IN CONCLUSION

This song is operating on three levels. It’s operating as a standalone piece of work, it’s operating as the culmination of a collection of work, and it’s operating as a successor/callback to the final piece in a previous collection of work by the same artists.

You’re going to find themes in the work of every artist, conscious and unconscious. I can tell you right now that my original novels have a strong theme of dreaming - dreams as power, dreams as prophecy, dreams as manifestation of our fears and our subconscious, dreams as escapism. It’s a theme I at first did subconsciously and now, as a writer with a better sense of self-awareness, one that I utilize consciously.

Good artists recognize their personal themes and turn them into leitmotifs. They harness what they’re already subconsciously expressing and wield it as a tool. It takes a very skilled artist to take those themes and use them the way TAD does with all of their work but especially with Battle Cries. There is a deliberate awareness of what they’re doing and the words they’re wielding. Battle Cries is an ending that knows it’s an ending in the best kind of way, one that says not all endings are bad, here, let us show you.

And that’s what makes it so brilliant.

[everhaunting]

I was tagged by @somefeministtheatrepls​ 

1. Name: Serina

2. Gender: Female

3. Star sign: Cancer TT_TT

4. Height: 5′4″

5. Time: 8:30pm

6. Birthday: June 30

7. Favorite band(s): Fall Out Boy. I am and will forever be pop punk trash. There is no cure. So... 

8. Favorite solo artist(s): Halsey

9. Song stuck in my head: What’s New Scooby Doo Theme Song. The one Simple Plan did. It’s a fucking bop. Fight me. 

10. Last Movie: Happiest Season 

11. Last show: Guy’s Grocery Games (Or SPOP but like I’m constantly rewatching SPOP)

12. When did you make this account: March 16, 2010 12:41 AM

13. What do I post: Gay shit? Mostly SPOP or RWBY. The occasional Teen Wolf thing sneaks it’s way back in and some Tokka too. Really if I see something I like it goes on my blog. 

14. What is the last thing you googled: “how votes do you need to convict impeachment” I wanted to know how many republicans we needed for 2/3rds vote.

15. Other blogs: No sideblogs. We shitpost on main. 

16. Do I get asks: Sometimes when I do ask posts but they often come in way after I’ve reblogged it so I forget what they are for and don’t post them. 

17. Why did I choose this url: An Ex of mine picked it for me and I kept it and now it’s my brand™ 

18. Following: 571

19. Followers: 1,304

20. Average hours of sleep: 6ish hours give or take.

21. Lucky number: 5

22. Instruments: I am killer on the electric triangle and I play a mean rendition of hot cross buns on the recorder. 

23. What am I wearing: A The Doors muscle tee and some shorts. 

24. Dream job: Full time creative. Whether that is for Film/tv/VO I don’t care I just wanna make art to support myself. 

25. Dream trip: I just wanna leave my house. 

26. Favorite food: Tacos. 

27. Nationality: Biracial Black and a mix of Caucasity. 

28. Favorite song: Currently I’ve been bumping She by Dodie on repeat. That is as close to favorite as you’re going to get. 

29. Last book I read: "You Should See Me In A Crown” by Leah Johnson Which everyone should ABSOLUTELY read. 

30. Top three fictional universes I would like to live in: SPOP post season five, The Universe where Clinton won in 2016, Stardew Valley

Tagging @gideonthesixtyninth @avatraang @lilywolf and @capitola Y’all are free to ignore this. 

[pileontheyears]

Misty Playlist for Misty Day

A Character Study in Insecurity and Self-Love

Green Eyes, Red Hair - Gaelic Storm

She's a cup of tea, she's a Jaegerbomb She's an angel, she's an Amazon She's a poem, she's an alphabet She's a violin with a bayonet She's a revolution, she's a peace accord She's a grain of sand, she's the Cliffs of Moher She's Friday night, she's Sunday Morning She's a fair wind, she's a sailor's warning

I think one of the main reasons I love Misty so much is she’s a bit of an oxymoron. She has so many contradicting personality traits which fleshes her character out. She’s tough but she’s vulnerable, she’s romantic but she’s abrasive, she’s outspoken but she’s insecure. Oftentimes characters and people are put into boxes, if you act one way all the others traits should act accordingly. But Misty represents how that’s not how people work, you can have completely opposite traits existing in you and that’s ok.

Insecurities - LOVA

Meet my insecurities Let’s count in one two three Not smart, not pretty like a star Not weak, not tough, not nearly good enough Meet my insecurities  Let’s count in one two three Not small, not skinny like a doll Not sleak, not rough, not nearly good enough

Misty’s childhood has shaped her into an insecure young girl. From what we know, her older sisters constantly tell her how she isn’t pretty, calling her a runt. This would be reinforced as everyone in Cerulean City would come to see them perform leaving Misty to be ignored and alone. We don’t have any information about her parents, but Misty’s sisters would be given gifts that she would later get on as hand-me-downs. It could be assumed those presents were given by their parents, so not only would Misty be left out of playing with her sisters, but her parents probably never bought her a gift of her own. All of this reinforces the negative message that Misty is not worth anything. She feels she isn’t pretty and she’s not as good as her sisters. So when anyone like Ash brings up how she isn’t pretty, it obviously brings up those insecurities that she already has. 

How Far I’ll Go - Auli’i Cravalho

I’ve been staring at the edge of the water Long as I can remember, never really knowing why I wish I could be the perfect daughter But I come back to the water, no matter how hard I try Every turn I take, every trail I track Every path I make, every road leads back To the place I know, where I can not go, where I long to be

As Misty grows up, she has this longing to go out and explore the world. Part of it comes from her insecurities, perhaps she thought she can’t be as pretty as her sisters but maybe she could become a stronger trainer. She wants to be able to prove to them and to herself that she can be worth something. Deep down, she has a genuine love for water and Pokemon and a desire to travel.

Oh No! - Marina and the Diamonds

I know exactly what I want and who I wanna be I know exactly why I walk and talk like a machine I’m now becoming my own self-fulfilled prophecy  Oh, oh no, oh no, oh no, oh! One track mind, one track heart If I fail, I’ll fall apartMaybe it is all a test Cause I feel like I’m the worst, so I always act like I’m the best

Misty’s insecurity begins to take form in a superiority complex. Throughout her entire life, no one has told Misty she is good enough, so she gathers that if no one else will talk her up then she will. Of course, just because she says how great and beautiful she is, does not mean she actually believes it. In fact, just the opposite. Because she receives no outside validation, all of her confidence has no real meaning, her self-compliments just leave her empty. 

Dear Future Husband - Meghan Trainer

Dear future husband Here’s a few things You’ll need to know if you wanna be My one and only all my life Dear future husband If you wanna get that special loving Tell me I’m beautiful each and every night

This next portion of the playlist focuses on Misty’s outlook on romance. Misty is a huge romantic, she loves love and wants her own happily ever after. Misty’s ideal romance is full of cliches, she wants a knight in shining armor, a prince charming who will sweep her off her feet with extravagant gifts and big romantic gestures. Misty’s ideal romantic partner is just that though, he has no name or personality, he’s just someone she wants to have shower her with affection. Again this could stem from her lack of affection in her childhood, she wants someone who will tell her she’s pretty and give her the love she never got as a kid.

Use Somebody - Laura Jansen 

I’ve been roaming around Always looking down at all I see Painted faces, fill the places I can’t reach You know that I could use somebody You know that I could use somebody Someone like you, and all you know, and how you speak

The switch in Misty’s feelings, she no longer is looking for love, love has found her. We see this change when Misty could have the romantic ideal with Rudy, he’s charming, suave, and definitely would be the one to fill the role of her dream guy showering her with gifts and compliments- but that’s not what she wants anymore. Instead, she wants someone like Ash, who Misty absolutely did not picture as her ideal at all. However,  she accepts and wants him because of who he is, and isn’t that what love is all about?

Tangled Up In Me - Skye Sweetnam

You wanna know more, more, more about me Gotta know reverse psychology I’m the reason why you can’t get to sleep I’m the girl you never get just quite what you see

For all the sentimental songs on this playlist, there still is Misty’s harsh attitude towards Ash. Misty has always acted this way around him, even before realizing her feelings. Misty’s rude behavior definitely isn’t going to go away, especially when Ash is just as guilty insulting her any chance he gets. While Misty could be trying to push his buttons to get under his skin for fun, or to see how he’d react, maybe it’s just from being scared. She’s acted horribly to him, and now that she feels something more, she doesn’t want him to know. So she decides she’ll keep up appearances by just being the hot-tempered friend following him for her bike.

Things I’ll Never Say - Avril Lavigne

It don’t do me any good It’s just a waste of time What use is it to you What’s on my mind If it ain’t coming out We’re not going anywhere So why can’t I just tell you that I care

Following that same theme, this is Misty’s more vulnerable side that she’d never voice (the “Misty’s Song” of the playlist). Misty might feel like she could tell Ash how she feels about him but of course does not. Part of her feels angry and annoyed that he doesn’t seem as concerned about her as she is with him, but because of that insecurity she has it makes sense she’d think it’s no use, she has no chance. After all, he pokes fun at her appearance a lot, she feels like she already knows how he feels about her, and it’s not positive.

Better Place - Rachael Platten

But it feels like I’ve opened my eyes again And the colors are golden and bright again There’s a song in my heart, I feel like I belong It’s a better place since you came along It’s a better place since you came along

Switching from romance, Misty does feel like she’s found a family with Ash and Brock. After a childhood of not fitting in, she finally has people who love her for who she is. She can finally be herself, she doesn’t feel like she needs to measure up to anyone, she finally feels like she belongs. 

“So you’ve been traveling with Ash and Brock for a long time?" “They’re like my new family.”

Black Hole - She & Him

And it just gets so foggy It’s nowhere in here And it’s everywhere else That I don’t want to be But I’m stuck here Getting misty over you I’m alone, on a bicycle for two

The journey has to come to an end, though. Misty’s family feels like it’s breaking up, and is understandably upset when Ash seems unfazed by her upcoming departure. She doesn’t want to leave, she wants to stay with the people she’s grown to love, the people who were more like family to her than her own sisters. She rides off on her bike, alone.

Head Above Water - Avril Lavigne

And I can’t see in the stormy weather I can’t seem to keep it all together And I can’t swim the ocean like this forever And I can’t breathe God, keep my head above water I lose my breath at the bottom Come rescue me, I’ll be waiting I’m too young to fall asleep

Misty finds herself in over her head as she takes over the Cerulean Gym. Not only does she struggle with her fear of Gyarados and the possibility of the gym being shut down, but she’s also still struggling with her own insecurities. Without Ash and Brock, she doesn’t think she can be the Cerulean Gym Leader, she’s terrified of not being good enough. She nearly dies twice trying to keep the gym afloat, she literally and figuratively is drowning.

Woman - Kesha

I do what I want, say what you say I work real hard every day I’m a motherfucking woman, baby, alright I don’t need a man to be holding me too tight I’m just having fun with my ladies here tonight I’m a motherfucker

After Misty is able to handle the issues at the Cerulean Gym, she finally has a sense of validation that came from her. She was able to save the gym, not her sisters, not Ash and Brock, her. Her insecurities will never go away, but she has a sense of self-confidence that she never had. Now when she talks about herself being beautiful and strong, she means it. She doesn’t need anyone to tell her that she's worthy of love, she knows it. She’s worked hard and sees she has value, whether others see it or not.

[somelizardperson]

Descendants 3

ok so i finally took the time to properly watch d3 and i made some notes throughout, so here they are:

- i love how in d2 mal tried her best to look like and be what audrey would be bc she thought that’s what ben would’ve wanted, and now audrey is changing and looking more like mal bc that’s what she thinks ben likes

- i like what they’re doing with audrey. she does have a point: even if she kinda behaved like a bitch, she was dating ben, and mal basically just drugged him and everybody disregarded how audrey felt. it was never addressed. ben didn’t even properly break up. with her, he just started declaring his love for mal. also if audrey is the one to finally make mal face the consequences of her actions and actually LEARN then i’m down

- why are all the adults looking at mal when asking what to do?? she ain’t even queen yet, and she’s the least qualified in the room to deal with these issues. they’re both teenagers, but ben has at least been trained and prepared to be king. why are the adults so irresponsible??

- “i dont want to take away your dream” why the fuck is she prioritizing ben’s wishes?? this isn’t about him, it’s about all the innocent kids stuck on the isle!!

- ben is a bit more likable now i guess? he hasn’t done anything overly stupid and annoying yet, so that’s an improvement.

- ok i think the fact that mal now starts prioritizing auradon over the vks is basically down to society’s pressuring her. all of the core 4 were transferred to a more privileged life, but the difference is that mal basically became a public figure, and in order to stop society from scrutinizing her she became what society wanted to see. she had this theme in her outfits and presentation of this rebel, bad girl, she wears a dragon themed dress as an homage to her heritage, but she’s not a rebel. she’s exactly what auradon wants her to be, just repackaged to look super cool and progressive. evie, the girl who likes glamour and fashion, and always wanted this luxurious life is a way better representation of a rebel, since she remembers what life was for her back at the isle and wants to help those who were less lucky. mal can’t ACTUALLY represent the vks properly.

- damn i love celia she’s adorable (and dizzy too)

- i LOVE the parallels between audrey’s upbringings and the vks. it kinda blurs the lines between auradon being “the place for the good guys” and the isle being “for the bad guys”, since evil can still be raised in auradon and the isle could be home to genuinely good people (dizzy, for example). and i like how when they find out that the crown was stolen they immediately assume it was uma, not even considering someone from auradon could’ve done it.

- “so long suckers” DAMN I LOVE HER

- they ride BIKES now what a glow up

- carlos just ditching jane’s birthday is a mood

- audrey ominously singing happy birthday is sponsoring my gayness

- i love celia. did i day that yet?

- i can’t help but want to make carlos’ hair into a mini-ponytail on like the top of his head, you know what i mean?

- what the fuck did they expect when they just parked the bikes without looking after them? of course harry fucking stole them you’re on the isle.

- this entire dungeon thing gives me a disneyland ride vibe, and i dig it.

- hades not actually having the dog would make sense, since why the hell would they give him the giant dog which could potentially cause a ruckus and destroy the place? i mean, they did take away magic, so it would make sense dangerous pets would also go.

- OH FOR FUCKS SAKE OF COURSE HES HER DAD.

- ok but it kinda recontextualizes her desire to close the barrier forever, since it could read as an attempt to cut off her parents, since hades could’ve also tried to take adcantage of her like maleficent.

- “try being married to your mamma” SO THEY WERE ACTUALLY MARRIED??? this shit is like disney’s own crack fan fiction what the fuck

- i love how celia just accidentally walked in on this family fighting session and is just in the background watching the entire thing

- hades has his nailes painted??? valid

- i REALLY hope they won’t make audrey into just a “crazy ex”, bc she has a point!

- ok ben starts getting on my nerves again. “who put a spell on you?” “just give the septor and i’ll forgive you”. he still doesn’t understand that it was his fault for never addressing mal drugging him into a relationship. nor him, nor mal apologized for dismissing audrey like that. bal have some cute moments but the fact that this relationship’s fundamentally based on toxicity is never addressed is bothering me too much to enjoy it.

- what was harry and gil’s shipname again?? i forgot, i’m just gonna call them garry bc that’s fun. anyway i love them.

- UMAAAAAAAAA SHES BACK I LOVE HER

- uma is the real vk activist we need!!

- i love how the pirate crew are all chaotic neutral.

- why did nobody take evie’s gum?? don’t be mean to evie!!

- i just love the pirates. they are my fucking saviors right now.

- there’s so much sexual tension between everyone in his movie and celia is just in the background forced to watch all of it

- tbh the songs aren’t that bad so far, i didn’t like vk day, but i like the energy night falls brings into the scene, and i like this entire scene overall.

- harry’s face when evie complemented his accent is adorable.

- “i love you” “i love you” GAY. the fucking look in evie’s eyes when she said that? GAY.

- gil suggesting to play the icebreaker just to complement jay had gay energy

- celia genuinely caring about the twins and dizzy is simultaneously adorable and also breaks my heart

- “well we haven’t actually used the l word yet” doug and evie are better off breaken up. and. by that i mean only evie, i don’t give a shit about doug.

- is she actually singing a song about doug? oh my fucking god.

- JUST FUCKING BREAK UP. NOBODY GIVES A SHIT ABOUT DOUG. EVIE DESERVES BETTER.

- does disney actually think anybody gives a shit about doug?

- HE FUCKING WOKE UP

- i was waiting for him to not wake up and evie thinking that he doesn’t love her and going on about how sad she is only to then realize she is the one who doesn’t love him. like, how cool would it be for disney to leave one of their female leads to be single at the end of a movie? instead of having her realize she’s in love with him and this is true love her going through a realization that she doesn’t love him and that it’s ok? her realizing she doesn’t have to constantly be trying to look for her true love and take things slow? but no, we have to make her first proper relationship her last.

- i’m still convinced janelos is mlm/wlw solidarity

- wh- why is harry flirting with jane? wha- is this a ship now? is harry/jane a ship? hane? jarry? what the fuck?

- celia and uma eating cake together is adorable

- both uma and celia are adorable

- just generally uma eating cake is adorable

- i’m at the point where mal is all alone now, and i’m glad the theories that the core 4 is gonna divide into two “teams” based on the trailers didn’t turn out to be true. mal is probably the only one who didn’t actually change her ways as a villain but just switched sides. she’s still selfish at the core, and i like that they’re singling her out to really challenge her.

-on that note it could actually be completely fucked over and not addressed again but oh well. i’ll have to wait and see.

- i like her taking responsibility. yes, mal had a hard childhood, but she had to now put in the work to be a better person. she has a supportive environment which are her friends, so now she just has to put in some effort.

- dizzy saying “same” like that saved my life

- mal!! finally!! apologizing!! to audrey!! yes!!

- mal!! admitting!! that her own idea!! was wrong!! yes!!

- yes i approve this plan let’s abolish borders too

- UMA JUST FUCKING REJECTING HARRY DMFNSKFNSN

- ok so what’s the harry and audrey ship name? haudrey? audarry? haurrey?

I honestly don’t think this was a bad ending to the trilogy. I have mixed feelings about the core 4 going back to see their parents in the end, but it was overall an enjoyable experience, and probably my favorite of the 3. I’m gonna write some more coherent thoughts on it later, since this post is already too long djdjdsks

feel free to respond to this post and start a discussion

[jeanvaljean24601]

Black Monday's Producers Explain Why Confessed and Went to Prison in Season 2 Finale

If you stuck with the joyously demented carnival that is Showtime's Black Monday for all of Season 2, you know it took bonkers to new heights, even for a show that was pretty bonkers to begin with. By the time it was done, we'd seen a half-dead man sing a song through a computer; an epic shoot-out that looked like something out of Rambo; the precursor to the modern-day dick pic via a Xerox'd willy; and a whimsical musical number inside a white-collar prison that celebrated the joys of wealthy white privilege. Yes, the jokes, set pieces, and gags in Season 2 of Black Monday were a lot, in the gleeful, "I can't believe they just did that" way that makes the enjoyably absurdist romp unlike anything else on TV. Season 2 also juggled a dizzying number of overlapping storylines involving financial jargon and backstabbing schemes, with Mo (Don Cheadle), Dawn (Regina Hall), Blair (Andrew Rannells), Tiff Georgina (Casey Wilson) and Keith (Paul Scheer) tangled up in crisscrossing tales of revenge and oneupmanship. At the conclusion of its 10 episodes, we'd seen Mo try to do something right for a change, the once-innocent Blair turn dark, Keith cozy up to the Lehmann brothers, and Dawn land in prison after confessing that she was the one who engineered the Black Monday crash that kickstarted the series. Even if the intricacies of every story turn became a little head-scratching at times, the overall movements made Season 2 like a wild, intoxicating ping-pong match that ultimately finished with Dawn in the clink and Mo back at square one. Why did Dawn tell on herself? And what might a Season 3 look like if the Showtime gods smile on us? Executive producers Jordan Cahan and David Caspe talked with TV Guide about how the madcap season came to be, some of their favorite moments, and what they're thinking about next. There was so much happening inside this season; how'd you map out what you wanted to have happen? Jordan Cahan: Well, that's funny, because I was thinking before this call, as comedy people, it's rare that we get to go story first. Usually, it's like, what jokes, what is a funny set piece. But it's good to go story first, and that was what so fun about the season. We really did talk about where we wanted the characters to end up. What is the final frame of each character? Where are they? And then the real question was, how do we get them there in a way where we're juggling all the characters but where you can't get so cleanly ahead. So that it feels like a drama where the journey is exciting and unexpected, but hopefully at the end, it all feels like it makes sense. We're not used to doing that for comedy. I think the fun of that was looking at a board and bringing out where the characters' peaks and valleys were and how we could get them to all interact. David Caspe: I think the end game that we were excited about was Regina [Dawn]. The room as a whole got to a place where they're like, "Okay, the most interesting thing is that a Black woman is responsible for [Black Monday] which was actually a brilliant trade, but also something very illegal. There's such an interesting dichotomy of wanting the credit or something that also would take you down, but being so frustrated over the course of the season that you're not getting the credit you deserve, that in the end, she basically turned herself in to get the credit more than anything. We had where everyone begins and we had where Regina ends and we had to figure everything else out. Black Monday Wasn't Conceived with Black Leads, but It's All the Better for ItOne of the things that stood out to me was the feminist theme of the season. You have Dawn in charge of a mostly female firm at the start, and then this subplot where Wayne (Horatio Sanz) is this incel character determined to punish women. Was Season 2 intended to be an overtly feminist statement? Caspe: I think every character we have is, for lack of a better word, not a straight white man. Looking at how they have to navigate today through the lens of the '80s is really been what the show is about a little bit and I think inevitably women are a big part of that. The Just for Men thing from Wayne was very much about a lot of men's reactions to like, the female Ghostbusters and stuff like that just felt insanely ridiculous to us. It just felt natural that if we've got this woman who was the mastermind behind Black Monday, she would break the glass ceiling and start this all-female firm, but inevitably you're gonna have one of these sort of incel type-men who reacts in this misogynist way. You see it constantly now, as a reaction to the Time's Up movement. They always frame it as like, "I'm a men's rights activist," which, you know, straight white men don't need activists. They've done just fine. So a lot of the story is, "How did we get to the end game?" We really wanted all the characters and stories to be very interconnected. You've talked before about how your writers' room is mostly people of color and/or women — and you had that in place before the new push for more inclusivity behind the scenes. Do you feel like you were ahead of the curve there? Cahan: Saying it's a mandate is sh---y. For us, it's always been our absolute desire to have the most diverse rooms as humanly possible. I've never worked any other way and I won't. Yes, it happens to fit this show hand in glove, but I just think it's the way shows should be made. Caspe: And it's also selfish, frankly, in that you get a better show that way...the more perspectives you get and voices you get in the room [you get] more variety of hilarious jokes and experiences that inspire storylines.

Cahan: I can think of two or three storylines that I would be really afraid to touch, that would be like third rails, and the room was so encouraging going in that direction. Ultimately, you want them to lead you. Not only did it end up educating me, but I think it makes the show richer. Dawn borrowing from what is essentially the United Negro College Fund. Stories like that where it's like "Do we really want to do this?" and then having the room get so excited, to put that character in such a difficult moral pose

Caspe: And the story itself is just not one that I would think of. The relationship between Dawn and her mother is informed by Black women in the room. I wouldn't have come up with the nuanced, intelligent version; I would come up with like, an outsider looking in assumption of it rather than something that felt authentic. A lot of [Blair's] story was inspired by people that went through similar things of what it means to be gay in a religion that doesn't accept it. That's not my story to tell; I also don't know it, because I haven't been inside it. Let's talk about the brilliant song "White Collar," Keith sings in Episode 5. How'd that come to be? Cahan: We knew we wanted to [take on]  Club Fed because it was such an '80s anomaly. And it was so weirdly written about in the '90s as like, "Can you believe this happened?" It felt almost like a Simpsons-style step out where all of a sudden you're seeing things...it felt like a fun, silver bullet way to describe what you're seeing in these prisons but in the same way but a silly, fun thing that stretches the limits of credibility where we didn't know if we could pull it off and still feel like you're in the real world. Caspe: It was very inspired by the Simpsons musical numbers. Cahan: It was "See My Vest" from The Simpsons. It was Maison Derrière Simpsons. We probably pulled the rubber band back as far as we could with that one. In that vein, the visual gags and set pieces in Season 2 went to a new level — the bank shootout, in Episode 3 ("The Idiot Inside") for example, the most over-the-top. What were your favorites of the season?

android tv box

Cahan: I would say the things that got me excited are on two ends of the spectrum. And I'm sure Dave's would be different but on one end, the bank is as ambitious anything we've ever done. I mean, the idea of not just making it a little music video or alluding to it, but actually playing it, and really destroying that bank digitally and physically, having to do a lot of practical effects and plotting that whole thing out. We had never done an episode that didn't have a B-story. So we have never done an episode that didn't cut away to the other characters. So it was very much like writing a play, but a play that could get explosive very quickly. I can't tell you how much fun it was for somebody who grew up with '80s action movies and loves them so dearly, to be able to do that. And then weirdly, on the complete other side of that, I would say the very next episode, which was on purpose, was the country club episode. We wanted it to feel zany and goofy, almost like a Three's Company episode in the same way that our bank episode feels like a Miami Vice or something like that. The country club episode deals with race and class and sexuality and religion; we really wanted that to feel like a farce. And I think I think we got really lucky with our writers, directors. I really love the way the show can go from one complete extreme to the other. It sure seems like Mo is full-on in love with Dawn, but he just can't seem to get over himself. What's up with their dynamic and why he's so reluctant to be vulnerable with her?Caspe: I think this season he was a victim of circumstance, which was like sort of the most tragic [part]. Usually, in the past it's been his own ego and his own lack of vulnerability that has [messed things] up with her, you know, I think this season, he was getting on that plane. He was going to disappear forever. Now granted, he had just completely f---ed her over, but he was completely f---ed over by her Black Monday. She did steal his entire company and basically took all his money. So he was pissed. And he did his one last piece of revenge to screw up her bank deal. And then he got on that plane and was leaving. When the FBI caught up to him, they forced him back to help them find who was responsible for Black Monday. And in that respect, he was trying to keep Dawn out of it, and he was genuinely trying to steer them towards Blair and saved Dawn.

He just kind of wasn't able to. But he really was trying to do the right thing by her. I also think we were trying to look at [how] there's still sexism within races or cultures. When you flashback to him, he genuinely looked at it as like, I'm the one who got the seed money, I'm the one who got on the [Wall Street] floor. Like I think it never occurred to him that Dawn would have been his partner. Mo has some sexism [about him] too. Discover your new favorite show: Watch This Now!But, he's willing to take the rap for her. I read that as a sign of his deep abiding love for her, and I reading that wrong? Cahan: No, you got that. He literally says, "I'm going to be the tragic hero." He's trying to display that he's changed. At the end he runs into Keith and Keith is basically telling him "You are going to go away for life." And Mo continues on. He goes to the FBI and he confesses, he's willing to do the sacrificial thing. Where are you thinking about for Season 3, if you get renewed?Caspe: Maybe the '90s. It's almost '89 by the end of Season 2, so there's something interesting about 1990, or even jumping ahead.

Cahan: I'm really excited by where the four chess pieces are. We really wanted to position them in these exciting places. Season 2 starts with Blair making a deal with Tiff and they have this understanding, and they're going to help each other. And by the end of the season, you can see she's kind of terrified of him, and how far he'll go for power. And we get a glimpse into his background and know that when his back is against the wall, he's not afraid to push back all the way to protect himself. Now I'm like, "Oh, God how bad is this going to get?" I think for Mo, it hinges on a little be careful what you wish for. Now he's inadvertently got the immunity he's always wanted. All of his old transgressions are wiped away.android tv box

He's a new man. He can start again clean, but the question is at what cost? For Dawn, we were very careful to not mention how long she'd been put away or how deep of trouble she's in. But clearly it's a very serious crime. We've painted ourselves into a corner of how could that possibly work? And then for Keith it's another be careful what you wish for [situation]. He's finally found someone who really appreciates him. But there's a bit of a Single White Female relationship. I feel like if Season 1, we painted ourselves into a corner, I think Season 2, it would be even more fun to watch how these four people, who seem to not be able to get out of each other's way, and their lives would continue.h96 tv box

Last question is, in the final moments, we see Lenny, that poor twin who's just come back from the brink of death, being attacked by a wolf after being left in the woods by his brother. The guy can't catch a break. Is he dead, or just in bad shape again?Caspe: I think it would be the same thing as Season 1. So if he died again at the end of Season 2, if you're a betting man I would bet on Lenny's triumphant return at some point in Season 3 if we get it, probably even more mangled than he was at the end of Season 1. In classic '80s villain.

[spooder-moon]

Jealous. Jason Todd x Reader

REQUEST: How about a Jason todd x reader where Bruce insists he go to a gala so he brings his girlfriend. But she constantly gets flirted with and asked to dance so Jason gets all jealous and she finds him brooding in a corner. I’d love if you could write this! But if not I understand 😉. Thanks! 

A/N: I am so so so sorry this look forever! I just had the worst writers block and then I had assignments and then went away. Excuses excuses I know but I hope you still want this and that this is ok. Thank you for waiting so patiently xoxo

@avengerdragoness

“So we finally get to meet your girlfriend tonight huh?” Dick approached Jason who was standing to the side of the ballroom, waiting for you to arrive.

“Yeah, she should be here soon.” Jason grunted in response, not happy that Bruce had forced him to be here and drag you along.

“And you didn’t come together because?”

“‘Cause she was working late and didn’t want me to miss out on ‘valuable family time’. I’m starting to wish I came with her though.” Dick only laughed at Jason’s remark.

“Tt Todd, I knew you had no manners but leaving your date to arrive by herself… you continue to surprise me.” Damian tuttered in his usual arrogance making Jason grow more agitated by the second. If you didn’t arrive soon he would more than likely rip someone's head off.

As if sent by an angel it was in that exact moment that you walked through the doors. Your eyes scanned the room looking for Jason but he had seen you straight away. You weren’t hard to miss in the bright red silk gown that adorned your body to a perfection Jason didn’t think existed. His breath caught in his throat as he drank you in, red painted lips looking ever so inviting. Apparently he wasn’t the only one who noticed your arrival, it was as if the whole party momentarily stopped when you walked in as men gawked at you and women stuck their noses up in distaste.

“Whoa, who is that?”

“Was she even invited?”

“She obviously didn’t get the dress memo.”

“Look at that dress!”

“I’d like a piece of that to myself.”

Comments were hitting you from all directions - some friendly, some not - as you continued to search for Jason who was stood frozen staring at you with his mouth agape.

“Tt, shut your mouth Todd, what would your girlfriend think.” Damian’s comment snapped Jason out of his daze in time to see Dick begin to walk towards you and grab him by the back of the collar.

“Jason let go, I want to ask her to dance.” Dick whined.

“You will do no such thing.” Jason grunted as he let go of Dick.

“Why? You’ve got a girlfriend!”

“Exactly,” Jason replied, “That’s her.”

Both Dick and Damian turned to him in astonishment, looking after him in disbelief as he started to make his way towards you.

You jumped when you feel Jason’s arms wrap around you from behind, relaxed when you smell his familiar scent. “You look gorgeous,” He whispered in your ear as you turned in his arms with a glare already set on your face.

“So, you didn’t want to tell me that the theme was black and white?!” you whispered harshly. Of course you had to wear a red dress to a black and white event, and of course Jason didn’t tell you the theme.

Jason grinned sheepishly, “I forgot.” He began you sway with you, rocking back and forth to the slow music.

“I asked you and you said no,” you huffed, “Forgot my ass.”

“Sorry, I couldn’t resist, you know red is my favourite colour, especially on you.” As he said it Jason glanced down at you lips.

“I suppose I could forgive you.” You pressed a cheek to his cheek, leaving behind a bright red lip print. You grinned, “There, now you’re wearing red too.”

Jason rolled his eyes at your childness but couldn’t help the soft smile that graced his lips. He leaned down to kiss you fully but was interrupted by the clearing of a throat. Jason looked up and groaned when he saw Bruce, Damian, Dick and Tim behind you. You quickly turned around to face them, greeting them warmly with a light blush dusted over your cheek from the moment they had just interrupted.

“Y/N, how lovely to see you again, I trust you found your way ok?” Bruce greeted you, shaking your hand warmly.

“It’s good to you too Mr. Wayne. It was no trouble, thank you again for the driver.”

“Please, call me Bruce. These are my other son’s, Dick, Tim and Damian.” He gestured to each boy accordingly. Dick took your hand a kissed it lightly making Jason huff, Tim shook your hand politely, and Damian grunted at you with a small wave.

“I’ve heard so much about all of you, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you.” You grinned.

“The pleasures all mine Y/N, would you care for this dance?” Dick stepped forward offering you his arm. Thinking nothing of it you politely accepted and walked to the dance floor with him, leaving Jason with a little wave while he glared at the back of Dick’s head.

It was on the dance floor that you were suddenly overwhelmed with attention. As soon as one song ended, you had another man coming up to you and asking you to dance. Of course you were too polite to say no but there’s only so much dancing your feet could take.

At the fifth song you lost sight of Jason, after the sixth you went to get a drink only to be flirted with at the bar, at the seventh you were really starting to regret wearing such high heels, and after the eighth you finally managed to make your escape off of the dance floor to go find Jason.

You searched for a good 5 minutes before you finally found Jason alone in a corner, brooding with a drink in hand.

“Hey Babe, I’ve been looking for you.” You said as you walked towards him.

Jason only grunted in response making you frown. “What’s wrong?” You questioned him.

“Don’t you have another pretty rich boy to go dance with?” Jason mumbled out so quietly you almost didn’t catch what he said. But you did, and it made you laugh.

“Oh my God, Jay, are you jealous?” You walked closer to him, gently taking the drink from his hand and setting it on a nearby table before wrapping your arms around his neck and pressing your body against his as he leant against the wall.

Jason shot you a quick glare and said ‘no’ with a huff and a half grunt, only making you smile again. You pressed a gentle kiss on his jaw, eliciting a quiet sigh from him and his hands found themselves grasping your hips, drawing you slightly closer to him and pushing your hips together. “Ok, maybe a little jealous.”

You hummed, “Then perhaps I should remind you that you have no reason to be.” Leaning up you gently pressed your lips to his in a chaste kiss before pulling away and smiling up at him.

“I think I’m going to need more reminding than that.” With a smirk Jason crashed his lips back down to yours, wasting no time in deepening the kiss by slipping his tongue into your mouth and searching for yours to battle. You couldn’t help the breathless moan that escaped your lips into Jason’s mouth, before you remembered where you were and started to pull away, earning a whine from Jason.

“I think, perhaps, that we should take this somewhere else. Somewhere that isn’t your father’s ballroom?” You suggested with a flirtatious smile before pressing another kiss to Jason’s jaw eliciting another sigh from him.

Jason nodded, eyes still closed from the kiss before grabbing your hand and dragging you from your place, leading you out the ballroom with a devilish smirk on his lips.

“I think it’s time I show you my old bedroom.”

@jasontoddismyhusband

[kucigloss]

TOP 10 albums of the decade

Hello folks! 

The year is coming to a close, and I felt it necessary to share my top 10 favorite albums of the decade. It was so hard to narrow it down to only 10 but ultimately, I went with the albums that stuck with me the most during the most formative years of my life. I’m excited to see what my 20s will be like, soundtracked by new music of the 2020s. Let me know what your favorites were!

beach house - depression cherry (2015)

This album made my xx-loving, emo/indie girl lifestyle feel so validated. Beach House songs tend to have a certain air of nostalgia, melancholy and hopefulness, but the airy, unique tracks on Depression Cherry are in an emotional universe of its own.

Faves: 10:37, Space Song, PPP

___

the garden – haha (2015)

The Garden was my favorite band for the first half of high school. Every single album they put out creates a new ethos, with the Shears twins’ method acting supporting it all the way through. The Vada Vada universe was made whole when haha came out (I'm also probably biased because I was at their album release show lol). This is one of their most defining albums as an act that is constantly breaking molds and standards. Although that sounds contradictory, haha truly set the Garden apart as a band slightly outside of the “Burger Records” scene forming around that time, materializing the Vada Vada aesthetic into our dimension.

Faves: This House Can Build a Home, Crystal Clear, Gift

___

death grips – the money store (2012)

Death Grips was my favorite band for the second half of high school. MC ride's gritty vocals/screaming paired with Andy and Zach's tight musicianship has been what makes death grips so powerful, album after album. This release in particular employs a more synthy-electronic vibe to its tracks, which may make it more accessible, but also more unique among their discography. 

Faves: Hustle Bones, Hacker, The Fever (Aye Aye)

___

US Girls - in a poem unlimited (2018)

Every track on this album makes me want to dance. The sensual vocals over the vintage-tinged instrumentals make US Girls a go-to for me. Some tracks go super hard while others are more sensitive; but either track you choose to listen to will make you feel like a badass.

Faves: M.A.H., Incidental Boogie, L-Over

___

japanese breakfast - soft sounds from another planet (2017)

This beautiful and heartfelt album takes me back to my early college days, when I first started up at KUCI! Michelle Zauner’s emotional traumas are exposed in her first release Psychopomp, which was meant to be her only album. After some growth and learning, though, this album was created and showcases an evolution; it explores the same themes of mortality, fame, and love through a more mature angle, without compromising her child-like raw emotionalism.  

Faves: Diving Woman, Road Head, Machinist, Boyish

___

parquet courts - wide awake! (2018)

Political, poetic and emotional, Wide Awake! is a study of masculinity, relationships, and war in a weirdly fluorescent light (their album cover is the most fitting one I've ever seen). Andrew Savage is just a genuine dude with a shy aloofness that makes his scream signing all the more endearing. They use cowbells and talk about Alan Turing-- what else could I ask for?

Faves: Before the Water Gets Too High, Almost Had to Start a Fight/In and Out of Patience, Normalisation, Wide Awake

___

french vanilla - french vanilla (2017)

This album changed my mind about riot grrl. Although their music is a bit more organized, almost neurotically, and much more instrumentally formal, French Vanilla takes the wailing vocals and angry lyrics the riot grrl genre was partly known for and made a beast of it's own. I love them.

Faves: Honesty, Carrie, Evolution Heavy Handed

___

little dragon - ritual union (2011)

Little Dragon was one of those bands along with Crystal Castles, Blonde Redhead and others, that were the foundation of my music taste during the formative years of my life. I can’t explain more about the album without spoiling it; it’s just a lovely journey to take.  

Faves: Little Man, Brush the Heat, Shuffle a Dream, Crystalfilm

___

khruangbin - the universe smiles upon you (2015)

Call it easy listening for hipsters if you want, but Khruangbin is one of the few bands I know where I can truthfully say I like every single track they put out. Their energy is infectious and seeing them live changed me for the better!

Faves: Dern Kala, White Gloves People Everywhere (Still Alive)

___

mitski - bury me at makeout creek (2014)

Although Retired from Sad, New Career in Business holds a very special place in my heart, Mitski's junior release, Bury Me at Makeout Creek, is one of Mitski's most powerful and vulnerable albums. Her exploration of genre, sound, and identity are tangible, though admittedly not as much as her art school debut, Lush. Every track still experiments with poetry and taps into a new wound, but she sounds more confident in herself this time around. Where her sophomore album was a piano-ridden set of ballads, this album is much heavier with bass-heavy love songs, leaving listeners with a distinctly different taste in their mouths. Her Joni Mitchell-esque mania makes me cry and dance just the right amount. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.

Faves: Townie, First Love/Late Spring, Francis Forever, I Dont Smoke, Drunk Walk Home, Last Words of a Shooting Star... so like all of them (oh and Class of 2013 from Retired from Sad belongs here too, same energy)

___

honorable mentions: 

show me the body - body war (2016) I officially became a cool e-kid when I went to my first show me the body show. Their new album is great too, but this ones a classic. (Listen to Tight SWAT when you’re angry, or not angry enough).

autolux – PUSSY’S DEAD (2016) This genre-defying album was the soundtrack to the end of my high school career. Every moody lyric and punchy drum beat had me feeling like Bella Swan in the second half of Twilight.

sasami – SASAMI (2019) I'm so very moved by every heart wrenching song on this album. That’s all.

Kadhja Bonet - Childqueen (2018) Beautiful neo-soul with a classic edge.

MGMT – Little Dark Age (2018) One of the best comeback albums ever. 

Anderson .Paak – all of his releases He was my top artist of 2019, whoops.