#they are exactly up my alley

[sylvleon]

favorite mcr song?

i really like destroya and helena :) i was actually surprised by HOW MUCH i enjoy their music, like i think other than One Song in particular i dont hate any of them

[ribbononline]

MANIFESTATION OF QLIPHA DUE TO SEPHIRAH BREAKDOWN > Suppression of Sephirah’s Core Required

Commissioned by @thepeacockshallstrut !! These were so fun to do , thank you for the comm!

[jtl-fics]

Fluent Freshman - Part 20

PREVIOUS

FF had watched more than a few self-defense videos when he believed that Andrew Minyard was looking for a dark alley to stab him in. He had learned how to turn the attacker’s momentum against them. Had learned about disarming the person trying to stab him.

He’d even had Matt teach him a few punches claiming that it was for the dust-ups that tended to happen on the court.

He, naturally, does not use any of that knowledge because his mind immediately reverts into Lizard panic mode the moment Jackson Plank takes another step forward with a knife (HUGE. Is it wild that he is thinking about Crocodile Dundee right now?)

“If you come quietly you won’t get hurt.” Jackson says and he reverts to who he is as a person and he freezes. His bravery was used up maybe it was only ever tied to great pump up songs and now in the silence of the alley he is back to being Stone-Faced Smith.

“You’re going to dial up Wesninski and if you don’t say EXACTLY what I tell you to then I’m going to have you SING in agony.”

Y’know in that moment he stops thinking about Crocodile Dundee.

He thinks about a movie that is far more ingrained in his mind than any number of self-defense videos or one-off lessons with Matthew Boyd where he’d been trying not to flinch. A movie he had watched in better days with his family and had been a favorite of his Grandma’s (and his).

He thinks about Miss Congeniality.

Sandra Bullock as Gracie Hart has taught him everything he ever truly needs to know when he takes a step back and Jackson comes at him.

He strikes right at Jackson’s nose with the palm of his hand.

“SON OF A-“

The knife is dropped and FF kicks it under a dumpster.

FF grabs the single weapon he has on his person.

The McDonald’s Megamind Happy Meal Light Effects Brainbot.

He points the LED light straight at Jackson’s eyes and just like Aaron in the car on the way back, “Shit, that’s bright!” And now completely blinded by a combination of watery eyes and LED McDonald’s toy he proceeds to SING just as Gracie Hart had taught him.

S - Solar Plexus. He punches Jackson there as hard as he can.

I - Instep. He smashes his booted foot down on the inside of Jackson’s shoes (who the fuck wears LOAFERS to a kidnapping?)

N - Nose. He’d feel bad about hitting it again if Jackson wasn’t y’know…a hitman out to hurt Captain Neil.

G - Groin. He may have to give himself just half a second to apologize to all of mankind for what he is about to do. His step brothers had definitely kicked him in the groin plenty of times to try and get a reaction. It’s an art to not let anyone know that your ball has retreated up into lower intestine. He kicks Jackson as hard as he can (collegiate athlete) with the boots that Nicky had let him borrow. He is right on target with the toe of his shoes.

Jackson goes down.

The next thing he does is not something Gracie Hart had taught him but does still feel like the right thing to do in this situation. He kicks Jackson in the head and the man goes limp.

If FF throws both hands up in the air and lets out a “I am Miss Congeniality!” Victory cry into the alleyway well no one is around or awake to know that.

He feels like he deserves a sash and a crown and some flowers.

He looks down at Jackson and then over at the van the man had hopped out of. He was definitely PLANNING on kidnapping Captain Neil so he probably has like…some kind of restraint?

Well, better to completely subdue this guy before he tries to figure out the game plan for Romero. Wait, what’s that next to the Crocodile Dundee knife, are those...?

***

Roland is calling for a second time.

Andrew had let it go to voicemail the first time. It was usually Roland complaining about Nicky, Aaron, or Kevin doing something exceptionally stupid in their inebriated states. They have a system. Roland will call and leave a voicemail detailing the dumb shit his family has gotten up to and then he’ll let it go.

If Roland calls twice then there’s an issue.

Arm still around Neil’s shoulders he answers the phone, “What.” He asks.

“You need to help your new friend. There’s some guy following him, he’s armed and dangerous and looking for someone to grab to get Neil’s attention. He tried to lead the guy outside but he’s standing watching it for now so there might have already been someone waiting?” Roland gets out in a rush and Andrew is up and moving towards the stairs even as he’s closing the phone to disconnect the call.

Neil, of course, is right on his heels. “What is it? Did something happen?” Neil asks and they are up the stairs and pushing past Frank and his stupid pineapple shirt. Andrew spots Nicky and he spots Aaron.

“Get Nicky and Aaron somewhere safe. I need to go help Smith with something.” He says because whoever this is wants Neil and Andrew will not let Neil get within grabbing distance and won’t mention it. Neil, blessedly, does what Andrew asks without question.

Andrew scans the crowd and finds a man whose gaze goes between his phone and the back door.

A face that Andrew had memorized.

One of Nathan’s surviving men.

In the same Zip Code as Neil.

And that man has the audacity to still be breathing.

He looks and Nicky and Aaron (drunk, drugged, and useless because Andrew had wanted them to be) are with Neil and Roland is directing them to the backroom.

Andrew goes out the alley and can feel Romero’s eyes on him.

He’s prepared for a lot of things to see out in that alley. He’s angry that FF hadn’t just come down and grabbed him and Neil (he does not need TWO martyrs) and he wants to know what the fuck FF was thinking (or if he was thinking at all). Even with that anger he does not wish to see FF’s blood spilled all over an alleyway because Andrew’s family needed to be protected and FF was the only one sober enough and aware enough to do it.

He knows what Nathan’s men are capable of.

Knows that Romero was one of Nathan’s best so if there is someone out in the alleyway then it’s likely one of his other bests.

FF doesn’t even know how to use a knife. He had asked and FF had firmly declined every time Andrew had brought it up after the first fainting incident. “I’m not interested in learning that. No.” Had been the standard response.

He knew FF had at least taken a lesson or two from Boyd on throwing a punch considering the one he shot out a week ago when a Striker came at him after the third time FF intercepted a pass.

Still, Andrew had not anticipated coming out into the alleyway and finding an unharmed FF securing an unconscious Jackson Plank’s arms behind his back with fuzzy handcuffs.

“Am I interrupting something?” He asks and FF looks up at him with a flush on his cheeks.

“It’s not my fault this is a weird sex alleyway! They’re the first thing I found on my way over to the van to look for actual restraints.” FF says immediately and Andrew almost laughs at the insanity of it. “Wait, where’s Captain Neil?” FF looks around nervously.

“He’s with Aaron and Nicky in the backroom. Roland gave me your S.O.S.” Andrew says even as he quickly makes his way away from the door and towards FF. “Romero is watching the door. Let’s give him a reason to come out.” He says going over to Jackson and when he rolls the man over he raises an eyebrow at the piss stain on his pants and the blood dripping down his nose.

He looks to FF who resolutely does not look back at him.

It’s a story he’ll get out of his friend eventually. Looks like FF didn’t really need those knife lessons. Something settles a bit more in Andrew, it’s nice to have someone else in their group that could handle themselves in a fight.

Andrew finds a phone and FF rolls Jackson back onto his stomach, “He could choke on his own blood.” He shrugs and Andrew wouldn’t care if Jackson choked on his own blood in fuzzy handcuffs in a back alley but he can understand FF not wanting a murder charge.

Andrew looks at the phone and sees the the swipe pattern clear as day. It takes him two tries to get the order right but then Jackson’s phone is available for him to get over to the texting app.

The texts he reads there make him angry. There were a lot of plans on what the two of them were going to do to Neil before his body was offered up to a different crime family to show that Romero and Jackson had no loyalty left to the Wesninski line.

He types out a text to Romero that will have the jackass come out thinking everything had gone well and they had two hostages. He looks over to FF, “You ready for round two?” He asks.

“There isn’t a tap out option right?” FF asks and Andrew laughs at the joke.

Always cool under pressure it seems.

“No.”

“Then yeah, I guess just hit send.” FF says with a shrug.

Andrew does just that.

MASTERPOST FOR ALL PARTS OF FLUENT FRESHMAN AU

NEXT

Didn’t wanna leave ya’ll hanging on that particular cliffhanger for too long ;)

@i-have-three-feelings @blep-23 @dreamerking27 @andreilsmyreligion @belodensetdust @rainbowpineapplebottle @yarn-ace @iwouldlikesometea @lily-s-world @obscureshipsandchips @booklover242 @whataboutmyfries @sahturnos @pluto-pepsi @dreamerthinker @passinhosdetartaruga @leftunknownheart @aro-manita-muscaria @hologramsaredead @Chaoticgremlinswishtheycouldbeme @tntwme @tayspots @nick-scar @crazy-fangirl2524 @blue-jos10 @stabbyfoxandrew @splishsplashyouropinionistrash @sammichly @the-broken-pen @bitchesdoweknowu @very-small-flower @ghostlyboiii @its-a-paxycab @bisexual-genderfluid-fan @cheesecookie @theoneandonlylostsock @foxsoulcourt @blueleys @adverbialstarlight @elia-nna @can-i-just-stay-in-the-corner @nikodiangel @foxandcrow-inatrenchcoat @hallucinatedjosten @satanic-foxhole-court @vexingcosmos @chalilodimun @insectsgetcooked @angry-kid-with-no-money @queer-crows @lillyndra @themugglemudperson​ @readertodeath @apileofpillows @mortalsbowbeforeme @hellomynameismoo​ @next-level-mess @youreonlylow​ @interstellarfig​ @notprocrastinatingatalltoday​ @percyjacksonfan3​ @queenofcrazy27​ @bsmr261 @ghostlyscares​ @spencellio​ @adinthedarkroom​ @harpymoth​ @sufferingjustalilbit​ @anxietymoss​ @oddgreyhound​ @ohno-myhyperfixation-itsbroken​ @ken22789​ @atiredvampire​ @isoldescorner​ @not--a--pipedream​ @azure-wing​ @bushbees​  @roonilwazlib-main​ @crumplelush​ @foldedaces-paperbirds​ @thesenseinnonsense​ @let-tyrants-fear​ @ketchupfriesandallthingsnice​ @legowerewolf​ @deadlydodos​ @but-we-respect-his-craft​ @cariniqe​ @zanypersonapricotbiscuit​

The requests to be added to the tag list keep being spread out across a few different areas. If I missed you please just ask again in the replies I promise I just missed you.

As stated before if you’re up here and I spelled it  right but you didn’t  get a notification there might be something  switched around in  your settings that won’t let me tag you properly?

[crunchycrystals]

also what the hell did the classic movie references mean

[chocolatewoosh]

A bunch of busts of a scientist oc of mine, named Dr. Rod Bacter! Tryin to figure out how he'd look in my style- and I think he looks Pretty Great. :]

[aranarumei]

btw surviving romance is getting locked behind daily pass (webtoon I hate you.) on the 23rd of this month so if you’d like to read one of the best comics on that website. I fully recommend it

[swinging-stars-from-satellites]

connection between "the poets are just kids who didn't make it" -> "I went to sleep a poet and I woke up a fraud" -> "I'll check in tomorrow if I don't wake up dead"

also a branch off there that ties Hand of God with TMOTM but that's actually a lyric comp I'm planning to make soon more than an actual note

[lazylogic]

I'm really excited for @bynineb's upcoming game, Cavern of Dreams, and I love the protagonist so I just had to draw the little guy. I tried something a little different too - I tried to imitate those N64/PS1 box art renders where everything is smooth and shiny and the shading is black (though I was a little too scared to go all in with that part). I referenced Yoshi's Story, Banjo-Kazooie/Tooie, and Spyro specifically. It's not perfect but I made an attempt and it was really fun!

Please check out the game, it looks amazing!

[galwithalibrarycard]

When I say I never listen to music this is exactly what I mean: I was today years old when I listened to “Hozier” (self-titled, 2014) for the first time. It is 2023.

[cliopadra]

This may be stupid, but have you watched the sandman?

I love your art, always makes my day better

Thank you! And not yet, no. I haven't really managed to convince myself to watch it yet😅.

[elliegoose]

banjo cover of against me!'s fuckmylife666 my beloved

[doitforstamets]

you know sometimes you watch a series for your fave and it's only tolerable bc of them but silo was a great watch

[cobaltfluff]

my man could you be any more obvious

-

bonus me overanalysing maruki after seeing him twice vs my smug friend who has been recommending me this game for years

[aroaceleovaldez]

So did you get into PJO first or OSP first?

I was actually just generally into mythology as a whole since I was really little (my parents are both big Norse and Celtic mythology fans) so I got into PJO because of the mythology stuff (and also because my brother read it first, and we're both adhd/dyslexic).

The funny part is literally everybody I know was recommending me OSP for the LONGEST time, because particularly according to my brother I'm like a Red 2.0. right down to an eerily similar art style. However, I purposefully avoided all OSP content because I knew everybody was entirely right and it was exactly up my alley, but I was insufferable enough about mythology without watching OSP and I could only imagine how much worse I would get with the added knowledge I would accrue /hj.

Anyways I finally caved this year and I guess it shows.

[rebelrainfall]

can anyone familiar with the x files tell me if season 1 episode 3 "squeeze" is a good indication of the overall creepiness levels of the whole show? b/c i loved the first two episodes, but this is approaching the upper level of my creepiness threshold and if it gets any worse than this regularly i might need to stop.

[jungwookjins]

underground idol #3, sin & lust, and that painting on junji's shirt

happy underground idol #3 first teaser day lyons!! so while we're all still reeling from the new hair, here's even more info

at first, i thought the painting on junhyung's was one of the crucifixion of christ which is already a good sign bc ooo + religious imagery is already suchhh a combo, but!!

(tag via @marginalias)

turns out, yes! it is indeed the temptation of saint anthony by félicien rops which is even better than just a regular crucifixion of christ imo

saint anthony/anthony the great (251-356) was a christian ascetic who is regarded as the father of all monks. there are accounts of his travel through the desert in egypt that tell of him facing supernatural temptations. this has been the subject of a lot of art, rops' painting being one such example

the different works about the temptation of saint anthony cover a lot of different sources of temptation, but rops' is one clearly about lust and sexual temptation (as is a lot of rops' work)

in the painting, jesus has been removed from the cross by a devil and is now behind it in the painting. in his place is now a naked woman, with a look of triumph on her face, representing the devotion to faith/god being replaced by lust and sins of the flesh

the inscription at the top of the cross, which is supposed to read INRI (Iēsus nazarēnus, rēx Iūdaeōrum = jesus the nazarene, king of the jews), now reads EROS, greek god of passion and fertility embodying the concept of erotic love. the book in front of st anthony is de continentia josephi, about the abstinence of joseph (one of the 12 sons of jacob described in the book of genesis)

and while the themes of temptation, sin, and lust already have a very clear connection to past ooo concepts (sage, libido, tear of god, etc), there's a bit more too.

as much as we all hate freud, his work on sexuality obviously served as part of the inspiration behind the instinct saga

and in his essay delusion and dream in jensen's gradiva, he mentions rops' specific rendition of the temptation of saint anthony

with the main point highlighted in both libido and freud's essay being that lust and desire returns (and returns stronger) in response to repression

(also as a tiny non-sequitur, perhaps the most famous painting of the temptation of st anthony is the one by dali, which also has a pretty big focus on the temptation of lust specifically. dali is referenced in the lyrics of picasso, and around the time dora maar was released, jisung and jaden teased a potential song about dali that was probably going to be for if surface m. given everything that has happened since then, it's possible the song has been scrapped, but it's also possible that it hasn't and regardless, clearly ooo has such a consistent artistic and conceptual thread through all their work)

there's much more to be said about the symbolism in the painting, but i'll leave it here for now today <3 already much to think abt when it comes to what we can expect now for junhyung's solo!!