#this is truly an experiment and without enough votes will go nowhere

[jiminrings]

why do i feel like even if tae is the one who's injured AND caught between stem koo and senior oc's tension, jungkook would STILL be the one who's crying

cold senior!y/n x stem major!koo masterlist :D

there's fINALLY some sort of peace and redemption between them

taehyung has never been indirectly involved in a palpable situation like this

the last time he was involved in anything remotely close to this, it had something to do with his field trip in second grade

whew god that was a rEALLY pressuring experience for him

it was a split vote to whether they should go to a strawberry field or a newly-opened futuristic kid-friendly interactive dinosaur museum SLASH theme park!!!!!!!

then taehyung picked the strawberry farm that was about 70% dirt

tae's put into a situation again and he doesn't know how to act lmao

"y'okay sweetheart? what's your relation to them?" the kind nurse that's obviously the maternal figure of the emergency ward asks him as she assesses him, a bit of a queue before he could get his leg patched up

he is beyond glad that she asked :D

tae's here to get his leg casted and entertain himself for the meantime!!! his fun isn't exactly correlated to that brooding fucking stem nerd's definition of it!!!

taehyung points to you directly, a cheeky grin on his face as you tilt your head in alert from your seat beside him

"she's my girlfriend!"

you chuckle at his playfulness and even the nurse does so with how proud he sounded, about to scribble it down on her clipboard when someone clearly sounds panicked about it

"she's not his girlfriend," jungkook rises from his slouched position on his seat, wide eyes fixated on the nurse as he shakes his head, trying to make her believe him

it isn't true!!!! that's misinformation!!! that's a crime!!!!

tae snaps his fingers, solemnly shaking his head

"right, my bad!! the two of us aren't in a relationship. actually, the three-..."

god oW

jungkook can't help but whack the back of taehyung's head, their boundary from being semi-strangers in your year you see like twice a day now crossing into semi-friends who aren't reserved with each other jUST because of kook's smack

that's a silent understanding, basically

tae smacks jungkook right back, only stopping on bickering when you intentionally clang your watch on the bedframe to spook them, exiting from the curtain so you could talk with the nurse

being caught in the middle of things cOULD really be fun!!! tae should get involved more often

"so tHIS is why you were outside y/n's dorm when i gave yoongi the cookies!!"

"... you know?"

kook freezes at the possibility that for some way he can't think of, taehyung somehow knows what happened between the two of you

was that why he just hAPPENED to drop by cookies when he was talking with yoongi??

yeah uhm not really

"no. i just know that yoongi hung you out to dry," he snorts because as he recalls it, jungkook looked as pale as a ghost

he didn't really plan to arrive at that time either!!! taehyung just wanted to knock on your door and hopefully drop you his treats then he'll be off his way

he didn't exactly expect to walk in on yoongi looking like he's gonna deck jungkook if only he hadn't yelled out his senior's name

see? it's like the universe just wants taehyung to be at the right places at the wrong times in order for them to eventually fall into place

okay he kinda did take a major L for having his ankle busted but that only means that you and jungkook (even if he doesn't know anything) better make up!!!

“is it bad that i wanted yoongi to punch me that time?” jungkook wonders out loud and he almost wishes he hadn’t, getting an immediate reaction of agreement

“i’ll fill in for him!!” tae half-jokes, getting yet another smack to his shoulder and at that rate, they’d be brothers by tomorrow lmao

“anyways,” he sighs as he leans back to his pillow, keeping his foot elevated. technically, this isn’t his business at all, but what could he do?? he’s sort-of-involved now and jungkook looks like he’s gonna cry out of all people, “you just want yoongi to deck you because that’d absolve you of your guilt.”

kook sighs at that, gripping his hair to keep himself from crying

“but i already know i’m guilty. not only with yoongi, but y/n especially!!”

he whistles at that, getting a mental image with your fists balled because he’s hung around enough practices to photograph all of you for the school paper, knowing that you dO pack a lot of power

“so them decking you is the only way you would feel guiltless?”

jungkook shifts at that, murmuring his answer to the question he’s got thrown

“w-well getting my apology accepted by them would be much appreciated.”

taehyung practically spoon-feeds the answer jungkook need to hear, shrugging carelessly as he watches the boy’s turmoil

god what does he dO?? this is his first interaction with you ever since the incident and he doesn’t know how to act

of all places and scenarios, it just hAD to be in the hospital because stoopid taehyung here decided to run to you while in the rain

as if on cue do you return to the curtained area with a nurse, forms between your fingers

“time to get your x-ray done, tae,” you almost sing-song to him in cheer, being relieved that things were picking up faster than you intended it to

you pat him on the head in an attempt at affection, oblivious to the curious glances that jungkook gives you while he assists the nurse in transferring taehyung to the wheelchair

it’s not until the curtain closes again and taehyung’s gone that you move, hand outstretched to give something to jungkook

.... which is just his share of taehyung’s forms that he needed to fill out so you could get on faster

the two of you are sitting beside each other, chairs close but not exactly close, clipboard in hand and taehyung’s phone at the middle edge of the hospital bed so you could copy his information

jungkook kNOWS he should be focusing on writing tae’s blood type right now, but the spur of the moment nudges him on entirely

"i'm sorry. i'm so, so sorry."

he squeaks and he has to breathe out after that

well there it goes :-)

you knew that the day wouldn’t have finished without jungkook’s input, having avoided him long enough that you didn’t know what to feel

were you expecting an apology from him??? uhm not exactly

are you commending him for apologizing??? not at all!! thanking someone for apologizing over what they’ve done to you in the first place is just a new low

“i know i can’t take back what i said now, but i truly didn’t mean it. i-i was just so confused but — b-but i’m not making excuses!! what i did was beyond shitty of me.”

oh hold on a second

that’s the first time you heard jungkook cuss

you wring your hands as you try to absorb his apology as much as possible without feeling awkward

ok you’re not as good for tHIS type of confrontation

it’s not the first time you’ve been wronged but this is perhaps the first time someone owned up to their wrong and apologize for it face-to-face

,,,,,, and not just because yoongi gave them a piece of his mind

yoongi likes fighting battles for you at times, even if you don’t necessarily ask him to

you appreciate it, but you kNOW he did not get jungkook off the hook so easily!!!!

you honestly thought that with his temper, he would’ve punched jungkook even if it was gonna make you mad

“it’s totally up to you if you don’t want to forgive me, b-but i figured i could die trying, y’know? you can reject me a couple hundred times and i’ll retry a couple thousand.”

jungkook adds and it makes the corner of your mouth raise in the tiniest most miniscule way

he knows that not only does he need to apologize with words, he also nEEDS to make it up to you with his actions!!! that’s why he plans on-

you pause your writing on the form, the act of you doing so making him freeze all the same as you try to carry on with speaking as inaudible as possible

"well you know now. i like you, that was my fault," you offer in response to his apology, coughing when you realize your mistake. "i liked you, i mean."

ok he deserved that

jungkook knows you probably figured out the hyeji situation already through yoongi, cutting his explanations down because you don’t even wanna hear her name

was it the truth? do you really not like jungkook anymore?

....

......

.........

you simmer in the own silence you’ve created, only being broken when jungkook shyly murmurs

"can't you like me some more?"

you snort at what seemed to be his playful suggestion, chuckling to yourself

jungkook was only hALF-kidding and he bows his head in embarrassment over your reaction, the pen in his hand feeling extremely light with how his hand’s trembling

you resume your writing wordlessly, not even daring to look at your right because jungkook’s trying to make himself as small as possible too

the words are just dying to fall out from his mouth, an unhinged trap he could no longer regulate when it comes to you

"you're loveable. extremely loveable."

jungkook says out of nowhere and you falter at writing taehyung’s supposed food allergies, a quiet curiosity to your words

"how would you know that?"

there’s no thought process behind it as he speaks surely this time, only taking the slightest bit of courage to look at you from the corner of his eye

"because it's you."

,,,,,

HOW are you supposed to react to that,,,

the curtains peek open and a grinning taehyung on a wheelchair estatically waves his hand

you and jungkook split from each other even if you haven’t been that close enough immediately, thankful for the welcome interruption

tae outstretches his arms for you to hoist him up the bed and you agree instantly, oblivious to the fact that he’s sticking his tongue out to jungkook who’s giving him a mean glare for his playfulness

his x-rays are all finished and he’s just waiting for the doc to come and interpret them (even if it’s beyond obvious that his ankle’s broken!!!!) so he could get on with wrapping his leg with a cast

jungkook takes this as a chance to rise up from his seat, snatching the opportunities he can within the timeframe

"what do you guys want from the cafeteria?"

tae beams at that, grateful because fINALLY someone’s asked him

"ooh!! i want-"

"what would you like, y/n?"

jungkook continues as he effectively interrupts taehyung who’s squinting and looks beyond offended ay the moment

his motive is buying <3 you <3 dinner!! not mr. ankle-breaker over here

you catch on to what he’s trying to do immediately, rolling your eyes with a hint of amusement when you plop back to your chair

“i'll have what taehyung wants.”

huh....

so he has no choice then but to ask,.,.,

jungkook clears his throat, his lips curved to a smile but his eyes looking the furthest thing from friendly

"what would you like,,,, taehyung?"

the boy pretend to be deep in thought just to waste kook’s time even more, even throwing in the humming to sell the idea

he’s been humming for half a minute now

“pasta. i want pasta. like, the most expensive pasta they have,” he nods at the amazement he has for himself, sneaking a look to a narrow-eyed jungkook

“c’mon, kook. think about y/n. she’s getting what i’m getting!!”

jungkook’s eyes instantly become brighter, realization sweeping over his features as he tries to hurry because you might be hungry at this point

“right, of course!! i’ll even get dessert :D”

well wasn’t tHAT easy hee-hee

hey maybe getting your ankle busted does lead to better things!!!

jungkook’s never been more excited to pay for overpriced pasta in cash (!!!) and carry up multiple paper bags of food and drinks on the stairs because the elevator’s taking too long

he’s only slightly confused when he walks to your spot that taehyung wasn’t there, even kinda being relieved actually

tae was whisked away for the second and final time to have his leg wrapped up, leaving you and jungkook alone once again

“that looks expensive.”

you remark the moment you see the fancy paper bags, bringing your wallet out to atleast take out a few bills that you think would cover the cost for this hospital dinner

jungkook incessantly shakes his head no, instead making you sit in place so he could turn the area to be a cozy dinner place as best as he could

"i mean it. i'm gonna make it up to you, i swear."

he speaks sometime in the middle of your silent meal, waiting for the time that it’d feel more sincere and not a little forced

ya know he didn’t want to make it seem that buying overpriced dinners correspond to him making it up to you!!!!

"i know."

you answer truthfully because you might have saw this coming, knowing in the back of your head that you wouldn’t put put it past jungkook to be sincere

you hear a noise of surprise when you reply, jungkook immediately putting his hand inside the pocket of his hoodie to fish out something

“your eyedrops, by the way. i meant to give it back to you earlier.”

your eyes skim on the dainty-looking handmade origami box on jungkook’s palm, a fond look he could atleast distinguish

you take it from him nonetheless, unaware at the multiple layers you have yet to know inside said box

“i can always buy a new one.”

he shakes his head at that, scrunching his nose as he mindlessly pokes at the chicken

he thinks back to what he put inside that might’ve been the reason why he didn’t just buy you a new stock in the first place

“i like giving back.”

giving back as in returing feelings too or whatever maybe!!!!! just maybe

he waves you off when you thank him for giving it back, his next words becoming a little weighted on your mind

"open it up when you feel like it. it's up to you."

that was that then

okay maybe not

you’re almost finished with your dinner and you know that you’re about to come home anyway, getting a text from tae that he’s done being wrapped up and is just waiting for his reminders now

why not say what you want to anyway??

"thank you for the lunchbox yesterday, by the way."

jungkook’s the one who’s caught off-guard this time, choking on his rice briefly before questioning you wITHOUT looking pathetic

"h-how did you know it was me??"

your hand only skims to the right of him, having to slightly lean against him to get what you need

it’s tae's record that jungkook had to fill up

you’ve just realized it a little while ago when jungkook was downstairs buying from the cafeteria, the distinct way of how he writes his A’s and curves his Y’s being embedded into your mind

:)

"because it's you."

[sofwrites]

Hey there, swifitie anon over here. Lets go over some things, shall we?

The last season of The Bold Type could have been better, it felt so rushed and a couple of the plot lines came out of nowhere and didn't make sense. At all.

I saw your post giving us a sneak peak for welcome to the digital age, babe and swooned when I saw you put a Taylor reference for me. I didn't read it though, because I prefer to experience the whole thing in one go.

Like I did last night, when you posted the whole chapter. Funnily enough, I was rereading another one of your fics: he laughed, she shrieked; she yearned, he loved. The references to Taylor's songs are not only greatly appreciated by me, but they also fit the story arc to a t. Weird how I hadn't brought that one up.

Now, the chapter. I'd firstly would like to thank every person who voted for angst on the twitter poll. I hope all of them are having a great day. I loved it. I loved the humour, their panic, their failed attempts at communicating how they're feeling, the fact that looking back from this chapter to the first or even second one, you can really see the progress their relationship has had, that we're officially in the mutual pining territory. THE MENTION OF BENJI. All of it.

I also would like to say that you do such an amazing job at conveying their emotions through text messages that it baffles me a bit. I think is a testament to how talented you are with words, that you can find the perfect way to arrange them so we can understand what they're feeling and thinking, without having access to their inner dialogues, descriptions of their facial expressions and basically only getting a summary of what happened based on what they text to each other and rest of the characters. I'm blown away by you every time I read a new chapter and can't wait for the next one. Meanwhile, you can find me in the pubwe rereading WCBCR again.

We got Wildest Dreams TV!!!

wekjnrafkdjnsaefkjnweajkr you are honestly my favorite person ever. this message really made my day and I literally wasn't expecting it at all (even despite the fact that I left you a s/o in the chapter note lmao)

- completely agree about The Bold Type and it's super unfortunate that they ruined a great show with a poor final season. My favorite character was Sutton and they... made choices with her.

- lwekmfwklasdmf okay so I just realized that the TS reference I kept hyping up is in fact in the part of the chapter I cut off for the next one... Benjamin is, of course, a Tay reference but there's a better one in the next chapter that I think you'll appreciate

- !!!! you re-reading the song fic 🥺Penelope is just so Taylor and her entire experience with Colin works so well with TS's discography. That whole fic was truly inspired by "Mr. Perfectly Fine" (my obsession with that song re-ignites like once a month) and it's so much how I imagine Pen feeling after the incident

- Ahhh I had so much fun with the mutual pining and I love angst sm that I was all too happy to provide. Fluffy endings are just so much more satisfying with the struggle build-up and I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

- I say this every time but you're so so SO sweet oh my god. I think about every single word/phrase/message I write and the meaning behind them and it's so overwhelmingly amazing that people pick up on that and appreciate it. Also, the way you just casually throw in "I'm re-reading so and so" FLABERGASTS me. I know that people generally enjoy my writing and that's amazing but the idea of someone liking it so much that they re-read the same story I wrote is just so incredible and unbelievable that I don't even know how to put it into words. Thank you so so so much not only for reading but also for just letting me know. It's so thoughtful and wonderful and I just wish you all the happiness and good energy back. (also I jammed to the LB reference)

- and finally NKJWESAFDJKASDFNJKESFNSED WILD THINGS (TAYLOR'S VERSION) !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHAT IS SHE PLANNING

[hoodoo12]

Festival (11/30)

It’s not all smutty fun and games. Some participants have other things on their minds . . .

@beetlebitchywitch @beejiesbitch @turtlepated @clairjohnson @memedemonhours @monsterlovinghours @yankyo @edosunshine  @go-commander-kim @saucymangos

Jessie couldn't keep the smile off her face as Ollie led her from the pile of smaller fey. She had to admit there was something charming about being seen as something exotic. She'd never felt she could be seen that way before, having been either ignored or outright mistreated for much of her life prior to having met Beetlejuice. She'd learned to feel genuinely attractive with him, the way he never seemed to tire of her body. To have others who didn't know a thing about her wanting to respectfully fuck her was unprecedented, and she rather enjoyed the confidence boost. 

She hardly noticed when the brownie following them turned back, instead looking forward, up, and around them as he led her on. She listened attentively, smiling and giggling sometimes when he would need to refer back to Gaelic in his descriptions and explanations. Holding tight to his hand as he led her amidst the revelers, Jessie listened to him with a passionate curiosity, observing the different fey, couplings and dancing. She looked pleasantly surprised when the fawn lowered down to get a look at her. Her heart was pounding in her chest with excitement by the time Ollie had helped her down from the creature's head. 

Her jaw dropped a bit at the sight of the centaur's cock, and she laughed aloud , shaking her head a little. 

"I don't know if I'd be able to do much with a dick that big, honey. I appreciate the vote of confidence though," she chuckled, pulling him close, chest to chest. Her lips pressed to his tenderly for a moment, though she didn't want to distract him much, worried that they'd end up getting squished if she took too much of his attention out in the open.

"I've never been to something like this before, it's all so new... and it's rather a lot of fun. Thank you, sweetie . . . I don't know how you managed to do this, but . . . I'm really glad I get to share this time with you . . . glad that you get to experience more of me. You saved my life, and made it better with your company . . . I cherish you, honey." 

She nuzzled the tip of his nose and kissed him again sweetly. "You know, hun, if you can find a cozy little spot for us to be alone . . . I'd love to take our time. Focus on you, y'know? The others are interesting and all but . . . I'm here for you, Ollie." 

She didn't notice the man who'd followed them, either, blocking out the others who stared in her desire to make him understand that her focus was on him, truly.

Could his heart burst? He knew of selkies forced to stay with men who stole their skins, who wasted away pining for the ocean. They weren’t given a choice. But he, despite being grabbed by the big bastard out of nowhere, *wanted* to be exactly where he was now, accepted and happy with his odd little family. Jessie’s offer was too good to pass up, and he stepped up against her, kissing her feverishly to try and pour how he felt into her. Her body was warm against his skin. He’d received too many kisses to count from her previously, but to to be the same size, to properly be able to touch her tongue with his, for her to be as affectionate with him as she was with Beetlejuice, left him breathless. He kept her close as the kiss waxed and waned, and when it broke off naturally, he smiled. “A spot for us?” he asked without needing an answer. 

He didn’t want to get too close to the centaur and his harem of squealing and moaning women, so he cast a glance around and noted an unoccupied place that was near one of the smaller fires. The grasses were still taller there, so no one had stepped on them. It’d be perfect for a private tryst. Ollie kissed Jessie again then laced his fingers through hers to begin leading her to the patch of grass. They’d not gotten more than a few steps before out of nowhere he was grabbed by the back of the neck and yanked up off the ground. Startled, he didn’t even have time to tighten his grip on Jessie’s hand before his fingers slipped out of hers. He screeched and flailed, and felt a surge of fear for Jessie, still on the ground, just as surprised as he was.

“You are a leprechaun!” a man crowed gleefully, as Ollie was hoisted face level with him.

⁂

At the acceptance of Carmen's answer, Beej grinned and levitated both himself and his lover, curling around her back and sucking at the back of her neck even as her body lost contact with the ground below. 

As he lifted them both, he slipped his legs between hers and gripped her tits to steady her, even as a third hand reached between his legs to angle his cock head up against the entrance of her pussy. He lifted his own legs, spreading them wide to expose the pussy beneath the length of his cock, glistening already with slick and squeezing on nothing in invitation. 

He winked at BJ from over Carmen's shoulder as his fingertips plucked and pinched her nipples playfully, keeping her upright so that should she want to hold or kiss the other she would be free to do so. He adjusted their height, keeping her legs spread using his own and presenting himself at the height of BJ's cock in a relaxed standing position, and the hand that had held his cock to aim it for him slipped down to part the lips of his pussy. 

"Don't have to worry 'bout hurtin' me either. Can fuck as hard 'n deep as you like, it'll just milk more come into 'er," he murmured, finally leaning back a bit and sliding his hands from Carmen's tits to her back to offer her support to sit up on his shaft. He bounced his hips, letting his cock's head press tight against the back of her pussy with the force of her body weight as he held them suspended. 

His female clone, noting at the other two seemed to be in the position her original intended, pulled slowly back off of BJ's cock, pressing a reverent kiss to his tip with her plump lips. 

"What do you say, handsome? You wanna stuff that pussy full of cock and fill it up with every drop in your balls?" she asked, nuzzling the underside of his shaft and taking both of his balls into her mouth, tongue swirling around his sack. She pulled off of them with a pop to add, 

"And if you'd like anything from me, either of you," she glanced to Carmen, "just say the word, I am here to please, after all." 

Beej, noting that he had never properly introduced his clone, looked to BJ. 

"She's a clone of mine, a part of me. Physical manifestation of part of my personality. Don't need to have her out if it's crowded here, figured you appreciate the female figure more 'n mine, just wanted ta offer more variety," he explained. 

Despite the way he spoke, his clone seemed entirely unbothered and opened here mouth, looking up at BJ and Carmen. The sight of the latter changed the shapes in her eyes from stars to hearts, and she reached one arm up to tenderly stroke the length of her calf.

Being lifted and shifted again, a smooth dance that ended with her giggling that became a gasp as Beej’s cock stretched her open made Carmen shudder more fully and groan. His movements, creating a subtle bounce that kept him deep inside her thanks to gravity made it difficult for a moment to concentrate on anything but the sweet pleasure that erupted in her belly again. She clutched at his thighs for a moment, for stability, but as Beej’s hands roamed her she pushed herself upright and leaned back a little. No longer worried about being exposed in front of anyone here, this felt right, being fully on display, wanton and euphoric. Clenching her pussy as tightly around him as she could, she rolled her lower back to help provide friction. She’d also liked to have run her hand over his cock, to feel where he fit inside her and even dip down further to finger his clit, but the other ghost took a step forward in between their legs. Instead of feeling embarrassed or jealous, words rang in her head-- “fuck as hard 'n deep as you like, it'll just milk more come into 'er~”--and that was exactly what she wanted: Beej’s come, as much as it could go into her and fill her up. BJ licked his lips at the buffet laid out in front of him. With Jessie, he was the shapeshifter, the accommodating one, and to have someone else literally offer whatever he might desire was heady. He loved what he could provide and what he did with Jessie, but this was a special night. She was indulging with Ollie, so why not take advantage of what was offered?

Without another moment’s hesitation, BJ took his cock in hand and nudged it between Beej’s lips. It felt like a wet pussy--not warm, like a breather’s, but familiar nonetheless. He pulled himself through the slick a few times, liking to hear the gasp as he brushed the other ghost’s clit. Then, as everyone seemed to hold their breath in anticipation, he took another step closer, and eased himself without pause into the cunt. Carmen groaned because Beej groaned and his fingers tightened on her. She reached for his feminine clone, unsure if the two men she was semi-caught between were going to be so rough taking their pleasure she’d be unseated. Pulling her closer for support, Carmen couldn’t help but twist enough for a kiss, and couldn’t help slipping her tongue into the clone’s mouth even as she continued to moan. 

⁂

Ollie looked so happy that it made Jessie's heart swell. She wished that her biofeedback worked the same for fey as it did for humans and ghosts . . . and whatever her previous lover had been. She moaned low in her throat as Ollie stepped closer to her, holding her tight to his body that fit so nicely against hers in this new stature that she had to admit, she actually rather enjoyed. 

She stroked his back as their tongues danced in their mouths, no effort required to pour passion and loving intent into the kiss, though she did still wish he could feel the depth of her appreciation and adoration, the way she knew BJ would have been able to. 

Her wondering about the nature of fey and why they seemed so incompatible with the light inside her was ended by his verbal confirmation that he understood what she'd requested. She returned his kiss happily, and blushed as his fingers interlaced with hers, despite the odd number of digits. She held it comfortably and made to follow him.

 The sudden grasp of a hand from above that hoisted him up and caused him to screech and thrash set a blaze in her stomach as she looked up at whomever had so rudely taken him from her. She'd lost her grip on his hand and remained on the ground as a man she didn't know lifted Ollie to his face. 

She was rushed with anger and felt near powerless as he was lifted so high away from her. But . . . she wasn't powerless. With her brow furrowed in agitation, she glared at the man's shoulder, focusing hard on the location before using her power to deposit herself on it, next to the shell of his ear. 

Her tiny hands grabbed his earlobe forcefully, and she stomped on his shoulder to get his attention. 

"Excuse me! Who are you, and why wouldn't you even ask if you could pick him up? It's fucking rude," she bellowed beside his ear, her anger held tight inside her as she tried to avoid feeding rage in someone significantly larger than herself.

Ollie had no idea who this person was. He continued to writhe impotently in the man’s grip, desperate to escape. His initial startle faded to rage and he ranted in Gaelic at the man, promising nothing but hardship and despair and misfortune. If he’d been angry at Beetlejuice plucking him up, it was nothing like the atomic rage that coursed through him now. The man laughed at him like he was nothing as he examined him. “You’re special. First generation, right? Direct from Ireland. I’ve been wanting a leprechaun--”

Ollie continued to spit, but slowed when Jessie herself appeared on the man’s shoulder, shouting at him too. He didn’t want whatever this man’s purpose was to turn to her; if he was a novelty, she was nothing short of a miracle, even in a gathering like this. Desperately, he tried to think of a way out of this mess. 

Out of nowhere, just how it seemed this man appeared, the faun who’d taken polite interest in Jessie was there. It cocked its head and bleated, drawing the man’s attention away for a split second. Scowling in annoyance, the man kicked at the faun. The faun scampered away. Still annoyed, the man brushed at Jessie dismissively like she was a gnat, keeping his eyes on Ollie. If he’d just avert his gaze for a second, he might have enough strength left to disappear from his fingers. It’d be difficult to find Jessie again for a little bit, but that was a better price to pay than being trapped like this. 

“I don’t want gold,” the man laughed, like Ollie was going to try an bargain his way to freedom. “You’re just coming with me--”

“Hey!”

A woman’s voice interrupted him. Ollie wiggled as best he could to try and see the who this may be. It took him a moment, but then he realized it was the woman who had spoken to him in Jessie’s hood the store! The one who had given him lychees!

Fully nude, areas of her skin glistening and others a little crusty from obvious come, the short woman stomped up beside the man. The little faun accompanied her. “What do you think you’re doing?! Put him down right now!”

The man’s back stiffened. “You can’t talk to Lucien Stone that way, witch! I’m a Warlock of the First Order and you have no right--”

At their raised voices, people began to look over. 

She dropped her chin. “I’m Eve Fairborne-LaBeau, warlock, and I know exactly who you are. Andy Clarke. Put him down right now!”

The warlock lifted his lip and puffed himself up, obviously ready to laugh in her face like he had Ollie’s. Eve stared him down, and he seemed to become aware that others had stopped their celebrations and were starting to turn to them. Their faces were not friendly either. 

“Third time is a dangerous number to make me repeat myself,” Eve said quietly. A very faint tremor rolled the soil under their feet. “Are you willing to suffer the consequences?”

Lucien--Andy--scowled again but did not make her carry through her threat. Carefully he set Ollie back down on the ground. Jessie quickly joined him, hugging him to her as they backed away. As the warlock stood again, Eve nodded sharply. “Excellent decision. Now leave. You’ve damaged some of the energy of this celebration and are not welcome any longer.” With his lips still twisted, Lucien--Andy--opened his mouth to argue that point, but several more fauns crowded around Eve, as did other witches and Richard. A minotaur also stepped closer, to add his bulk to the folks who wanted this warlock gone. With a dismissive wave, he turned to go. Eve stepped after him, to put herself in between Ollie and Jessie as he passed them. There was silence as people who were aware of the altercation watched him walk out of the circle, muttering under his breath as he went. Eve held her hand up and an imp flew into it, like a falcon to a glove. She whispered to it, “Stay with him please. I want to make sure he actually leaves and doesn’t bother anyone else.”

tbc . . .

[dommexbritt]

FONDUE FOR TWO // ELECTION WEEK      ⤷ PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES RECAP

HELLO DEVERUEX! There is a lot going on this week on campus but if you have a moment, it’s time to zero in on the 2021 School Counsel elections. Now, you may or may not know this but for the first time this school has decided to allow students say on the board and that is a BIG deal. Another peg in the growing line of progressive moves for the school and I think I can speak for everyone when I say we are so excited for a change like that! 

 I’m Brittany, your stunning host and this is Fondue For Two Election Edition. There are three presidential candidates and the cheese is HOT. Let’s get stirring... 

 Please-- introduce yourselves and tell us why you chose to run for the position!!

- MATEO: Sure. I'm Mateo Weston, first year Dominant. I think education in d/s is beyond important if we're gonna be living together in this society. It's what's gonna make sure we're all safe and aware of possible risks we might encounter and how to deal with them. And I think being involved is also incredibly important, so this is a great opportunity for us to help shape this school. I'm running to make sure everyone's voice gets heard and that this is an environment for everybody to feel comfortable in.

QUINN: Thank you again for this opportunity, Brittany. I appreciate it. I'm Quinn Fabray and I stand for structure and equality. In recent times, we've all experienced what inequality feels like and that should not become a norm at this school. Structure and respect are important notions, but not at the sacrifice of human rights. So, as president, I hope to assure such situations don't arise again and that we can stand up against them together.

BRITT: Amazing. You hear that Devereux Academy? These candidates are here to have your back! 

Unfortunately not all the candidates have shown up but their silence will be speaking for them... [a pause for cricket sound effect] 

Now, that all sounds very serious but my role here on this show is to truly find and serve the good dish. The extra sides AND the dessert. So I have a few rapid fire questions for you all. Mateo, you’re up first...

Q&A W/ MATEO WESTON -

B: If elected how do you see your ties and affiliations with the people of grimace affecting your presidency? And do you see there being a clear cut line between church and state?

M: I... don't think it will affect it. While I certainly respect everyone's believes, I don't think religion's go much of anything to do with this school. I think everyone can make their own choices as far as that goes but the school is supposed to represent everybody, regardless of what they do or don't believe in. So I'd say in general, I don't see there being a lot of overlap between church and state unless it's something individuals choose.

B: Hypothetical: out of nowhere, picture this... it’s a foggy Sunday morning on a quiet campus when suddenly an alarm blares. First thoughts are hurricane warning but no school announcements quickly clarify that extra terrestrials have landed and are targeting finishing schools in an effort to learn our culture. As a leader, how would you respond?

M: Hypothetically? I would do my best to make sure everybody stays calm and doesn't add to the panic I'm sure would be happening already. I'd then make sure we can all collect somewhere safe, perhaps the cafeteria or somewhere along those lines. Once we're mostly safe and everybody is accounted for, a plan can be formulated. In this very hypothetical and admittedly unlikely scenario, I suppose wanting to learn our culture isn't the worst of intention so perhaps enough contact can be made to satisfy this purpose and encourage them to leave again.

B: And finally, have you ever been in official charge of anything before?

M: I have. There's the basics of sports teams and siblings and responsibilities at my jobs and internships. But I used to volunteer at a finishing school back in Texas for like.. five years and definitely got a lot of experience in being in charge of things as well as a glance into the behind the scenes stuff there. Most of the instances I've 'been in charge' have been with people -- I've had a lot of really close friends I've had mostly platonic d/s relationships with and I've always been very comforted and comfortable being able to take care of someone. In this case, I know it's a lot of someone’s but I'm confident I'll be able to handle that responsibility as well.

-

Q&A W/ QUINN FABRAY -

B: With almost little to no social media presence you were totally tricky to pin down Quinn, but I think the question that is burning in everyone’s mind is... what really goes on in celibacy club?

Q: You should really take a look at the Cheerleader's Instagram profile -- it's a gold mine if you ask me. But, it does what it says on the label. We come together to discuss our choice to refrain from sex until we're ready for a claim. There's a lot of different reasons for a choice like that and especially at this school, it's not always an easy one. So the club is a safe space for us to talk openly and free of judgement.

B: Speaking of the cheer team... say you get elected do you have plans in the works, with my help if you want, to overthrow the current HBIC Alexis St James for the Cheerio captaincy?

Q:  ... Alexis is doing a great job. And besides, I think my presidency would have a few more pressing issues than Cheerio captaincy. But thank you for the confidence, Brittany. I appreciate that and in theory, would make a great captain.

B: If anything like the change up of administration or crack down in the rules were to occur again how do you feel you, as President, would respond? Furthermore, considering of course that this last time the deans we got were said to be hand chosen by YOUR father... would there be any future conflicts of interest should he involved again?

Q: I would hope that as student body president, I would have prior knowledge of such events so an extreme situation like last time can be avoided. I'm aware administration can not always stay the same and that different people may bring different views to the table, but none of those should restrict the freedom of students as strictly as they did last time. And I assure you, there will be no conflicts of interest. While I respect my father and his choices very much, I am my own woman and intend to make my own decisions.

-

FINAL QUESTIONS FOR EVERYONE - 

BRITT: We've heard your main concerns about the campus, is there anything you'd like to add? And also, what is the first action you are planning to take if elected?

MATEO: I still stand by everything I've said before. Student involvement as well as structure to rely on are still two of my biggest focus points that I'm excited to develop further at this school. My first action would be to take stock of where everybody's head is at and see what the student body is currently most in need of and then work out a plan to accomplish that in a way that is suitable for everybody.

QUINN: I would like to say that voting Fabray means electing someone able to look at this school from both angles -- the perhaps more traditional one, as it is undoubtedly known that my family has a history with it as well as the modern one that we are currently pushing towards. I promise students from all aspects of the spectrum that no change will come without consultation and that we are not driving towards extremes in either direction. But we are ready for a mode current approach. As for my first action, I believe there should be a conversation between then elected team of president and vice president as well as administration to review the recent happenings and formulate a plan to deal with such occasions going forward.

BOOKER: [ cricket sounds ] 

-

Well that’s that people!!. From master plans to alien invasion preparation, now you know! The fondue is still sizzling and thank goodness for that because we totally have our Vice President line up next! 

Mark down the date now, election day is APRIL 22nd and one of these candidates are waiting for YOUR support! 

You’re listening to Fondue For Two and the voice of one Brittany S Pierce! STAY TUNED! 

[zzozoa]

ARC  HEADCANONS :  gonzo,  of  the  lost  revenge

PRE-D1 / ARC I, BITE THE HAND THAT FEEDS :  Gonzo has been a proud and dedicated crewmate of the Lost Revenge for over three years and is loyal to his Captain and crew to a fault. When he is not actively working alongside Uma and the rest of the crew, he is operating out of the Blacksmith forge and has been under the tutelage of the Isle Blacksmith, Reeva since she rescued him from the Horned King's dungeon.

Tensions are building between the pirates and Maleficent's posse and allies. Gonzo and the crew have had multiple encounters which have all exclusively turned into open conflict and violent skirmishes. Gonzo works closely with the crew to destabilize Maleficent's territory by targeting supply routes, hitting dead drops and harrassing those loyal to Maleficent.

Gonzo is also struggling to break away completely from the Horned King, as Creeper and the Horned King's Gwythaints have been spotted lurking around the forge.

D1 / ARC II, LIGHT THE MATCH & IGNITE :  A temporary ceasefire over all factionwide hostilities is declared across the Isle as Mal, Evie, Jay and Carlos are invited by Prince Ben to attend Auradon Prep. Men, women, children of both first and second generation begin to prepare for an invasion into Auradon after Maleficent's promises that her daughter would destroy the barrier and free them all.

Hungry for the chance of freedom, Gonzo works tirelessly crafting, upgrading and mending the weapons of the crew in the forge as well as crafting light armor plating for several Cauldron Born who intend to act as the Isle's vanguard.

The Isle is apprehensive and tensions are high. As Prince Ben attends his coronation, and Maleficent escapes through a tear in the barrier, the Isle streets flood with both factionless and factioned, gathering at the bridge in the hope of being the first to leave the island.

However, the barrier is not destroyed and all those at the bridge bear witness to the Auradon celebrations of Maleficent's defeat. With nowhere to go, and no one to blame, fear and rage instigates riots in the streets which spread across the island. Gonzo and the crew rally to Uma as they fight for their lives.

POST-D1 / ARC III, OPEN YOUR MOUTH & CONSUME :  Gonzo suffers a near fatal injury during the Coronation Riots, that lasted for two days and two nights. While he successfully managed to cut off access to the docks, he was impaled on the blade of a rioter and taken to Dr. Facilier's arcade that had been made into a temporary first aid station for the wounded and the dying. Gonzo was nursed by the crew's surgeon, Noelani, but his life hung at death's door for several days due to loss of blood, immense pain and the threat of infection.

Gonzo remained bedridden in the arcade for over a week before Noelani finally declared him well enough to be moved. He was taken aboard the Lost Revenge, where Noelani overlooked his recovery. After three weeks, he was able to leave the surgeon's room. After four, he was able to return to light deck duty and after eight he was well enough to return to heavy deck duty, the forge and resume his combat training.

Once he was able, Gonzo joined in aiding in the expansion of Uma's territory. Claiming the majority of what had once been Maleficent or Mal's.

D2 / ARC IV, IT’S OUR TIME TO RISE UP :  Fully recovered from the injuries sustained during the Coronation Riots, Gonzo is an active member of the Lost Revenge crew's Vanguard, acting primarily as combat support and as a street scrapper during open conflicts with rival factions or enemies.

Gonzo works closely with Harry and Gil in maintaining and holding Uma's territory as well as mastering his skill in the blacksmith forge. Reeva has taught Gonzo almost everything she knows about how to bend metal and iron to their will and Gonzo has proved himself to be an exceptionally gifted and creative innovator. Creating metalwork automen, figurines and mobile prosthetics as well as puzzle boxes, vaults and intricately designed clock faces and compasses.

Later, Gonzo aids in the abduction of King Ben, and leads the first watch over the King's imprisonment aboard the Lost Revenge and fights against Mal and her allies when they break their deal.

POST-D2 / ARC V, THIS CUTS DEEPER THAN ANY KNIFE :  Following Uma's failed attempt to bring the barrier down, riots once again spread throughout the streets of the Isle, however, these riots are far more devastating. Lasting for four days and four nights, the rage of the island spreads and all are swept up within the frenzy of it. Gonzo fights alongside Harry and the rest of the crew to beat back rioters, looters and instigators from Uma's territory and carve out a safe zone for themselves as well as any that pledged loyalty to Uma and the crew.

As the riots finally died upon the morning of the fourth night, Gonzo, along with the rest of the crew, voted Harry in as their Captain until Uma's return. As the Isle agrees to a temporary ceasefire to rebuild, Gonzo discovers that Reeva, his mentor and mother figure, was killed during the Cotillion Riots.

Gonzo is devastated and near inconsolable, throwing himself into his duty as a crewmate. It takes almost two years before Gonzo reconciles Reeva's death and reopens the forge that Reeva left to him.

D3 / ARC VI, THIS IS THE LINE THAT WE HOLD :  Gonzo has reopened the blacksmith forge, with the opening hours between 8AM and 1PM, allowing him to continue as an active member of the Lost Revenge crew from 2PM onwards. Gonzo manages his time efficiently and is incredibly selective on his clientele, crafting primarily for the Pirates of the Isle and the Cauldron Born. He monitors his buyers obsessively in order to keep track of who is ordering what and is an invaluable resource to the Isle itself.

Gonzo is among those that helps steal the bikes from Mal and her allies, and follows Harry's orders of Jonas becoming temporary Captain of the Lost Revenge when he and Gil escape the Isle. While Auradon suffers at the hands of Audrey, Gonzo and the crew face multiple attacks from rival factions and crews believing the crew to be vulnerable without their Captain and Quartermaster. However, under Jonas' leadership, they beat back their enemies and reunite with Uma, Harry and Gil in full control of their territory.

POST-D3 / ARC VII, HEART OF THE ROTTING KING :  After discovering Reeva's prototype designs for advanced prosthetics, Gonzo agrees to attend Auradon Prep for his final year of schooling. He chooses to study mechanical engineering as well as take several classes on biology and physiology and begins building and perfecting Reeva's original designs for advanced prosthetics.

However, as Gonzo finds himself free of the barrier, he begins to experience sudden and prolonged blackouts, losing time and failing to recall his own actions. He begins experiencing crippling migraines, intense and vivid hallucinations, and finds himself capable of extreme and inhuman feats of strength, athleticism and agility.

Things come to a tipping point when Gonzo is cornered by a group of Auradonians who despise Isle Borns. Gonzo lashes out and brutally attacks the group of Auradonians and would have killed them if Uma had not stepped in to stop him. Gonzo just barely manages to break free of the black out and passes out shortly thereafter.

Upon waking, Gonzo is forced to reveal what he has been experiencing since being freed from the barrier. With help, Gonzo uncovers the truth of his origins, that he holds within himself a piece of the Chernabog’s soul and that the Horned King has been attempting to possess his mind and body.

Gonzo must face the Horned King to break himself free from his control once and for all and along the way, discover the truth of his true identity and the identity of the other Chernabog vessels.

POST-D3 / ARC VIII, HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS :  With the Horned King defeated, Gonzo finds himself swept up in another dangerous game against a far more dangerous adversary as the Chernabog’s main body begins to take shape once more. Gonzo, and his fellow Chernabog vessel’s find themselves being called towards the Chernabog as it attempts to reform and repair it’s fractured powers by devouring its pieces that it had scattered across the Isle.

Unwilling to allow themselves to be devoured and lose the lives that they now had for themselves, Gonzo and the others set out to trap the Chernabog while it is within its weakened state and to consume it in order to become truly free of its influence once and for all.

It is during the final confrontation against the Chernabog that Gonzo finally and truly unleashes the full power of his abilities. Uncovering that he has fed upon conflict and discord as a passive ability until the barrier’s fall, Gonzo and the other vessel’s are able to overpower the Chernabog and in a haze, devour his remains.

Gonzo finds himself in full control of his new abilities and struggles to reconcile what he is and what it means.

POST-D3 / ARC IX, LET THESE HANDS CREATE :  Gonzo returns to school and finds himself on the receiving end of direct and indirect opposition to his presence in Auradon as his powers often cause others to become irritable, suspicious and highly confrontational and any negative thoughts and feelings are made manifest. Gonzo, as an Isle Born and being easily distinguished as such, causes him to be made the target of many anti-Isle Born propaganda and arguments which cause Gonzo to lash out with violence often.

Gonzo is regretfully expelled from Auradon Prep following one of his many fights and later enrols into Auradon City High School where his treatment isn't that much better. Gonzo struggles immensely with controlling his powers and abilities and finds himself relying upon his sibling vessels to learn how to maintain a normal life without his powers taking control of him.

It takes a lot of effort for Gonzo to graduate high school, and rather than attend university, Gonzo returns to the Isle where he creates his first fully autonomous prosthetic pieces.

Gonzo continues working as a master Blacksmith but is most known for his autonomous prosthetics and metalwork guardians. He still considers himself a member of the Lost Revenge crew, and has become extremely close to his vessel siblings.

[pikapikarawr]

I-Land Ep 7 Thoughts

**SPOILERS WARNING**

I’m returning with my brain dump of I-Land thoughts again lol after not writing about ep 5 and 6. Anyways, I-Land came back after their 2 week break and ooh boy, I have many  thoughts.

The 6 Grounders

There weren't really any surprises for the grounders that were picked. Daniel, Sunoo, Niki, and Geonu were basically fixed. So I felt like I was really only picking 2 people. I liked Youngbin, Hanbin, and Nicholas. Youngbin needs more practice, so I'm ok if he just debuts later. I'm sad that Nicholas didn't make it, but Taki's good too, so it's ok.

I thought it was kind of cruel how they called the last 3 people up to announce the last saved. I felt bad for Nicholas and Kyungmin :(, even though it's a TV show, so they did it for suspense.

I really like Kyungmin's positive mindset. I hope he continues to be optimistic and keeps on training! I hope to see him debut one day.

I hope the eliminated trainees don't take it too hard and just take it as a learning experience, and keep on going. Hopefully, we see them all debut one day, even if it's not together.

The Initial Ranking This initial ranking seemed unfair. Because during the first round of voting, we knew that Sunoo, Daniel, and Niki were already in Ground. So people knew to vote for them.

I wasn't surprised that Sunoo was 1st because he seems really popular in Korea. Pretty surprised that Daniel scored 2nd, but both Sunoo and Daniel had an advantage of being in ground at the time of the voting. Niki was too, but he's not as popular as those two. And it's likely that people kind of paired Sunoo and Daniel together when they were voting because they performed the vocal test together and they kinda give off the same cheerful and youthful vibe.

Heesung and the I-landers were surprised that he was "only" #3. We all know he's #1 in everyone's heart and debut list though :(. If they knew how the voting was, they'd understand though. I'm actually surprised that so many people voted for him because it was really likely that he was safe from elimination. From the edit this week though, a lot of people will vote for him. So I wouldn't be surprised if he got 1st or 2nd this week.

I did think it was weird during the first round where they included everyone, instead of telling us the 6 that got sent to ground. During that voting, I consistently voted for Sunoo, Daniel, and Niki. Then for the others, the first few days, I voted for my 3 favorites - Heesung, Sunghoon, and Jake. Even though I knew Heesung and Sunghoon were probably safe, just in case Sunghoon somehow gets sent down or these votes affect the challenges later. Then near the 2nd half of the week I voted a mix between some others in ground.

I thought it was fair that K didn't understand why Sunoo and Daniel got such high rankings. He didn't see how the voting went on. And Heesung is definitely more talented than them, so I think they also felt kind of awkward about it and kind of guilty. Why is K getting evil edited tho?? I'm pretty sure his spot is fixed in the final group.. He's basically the best dancer there and can choreograph well. whatismnetdoing? I'm confused. Maybe they're just milking drama as usual.

Dance Battle

Jungwon is good at everything?!? I really liked his freestyle

Sunghoon: I'm not good at freestyle Also Sunghoon: But I'm not bad at it either *giggle* that clip was soo cute hahah

I don't really know locking, but I feel like Taki had an advantage because he's the only one that locks. He did have good energy and expressions during the round though, and the crowd was hyped during his round. So his round was solid

Sunoo LOL. His dance was very "him" haha, it was cute/charming and even though, he couldn't freestyle well, he just went with it and did whatever. The cartwheel to just jumping and spreading his arms and legs was hilarious xD

K and Heesung as expected were good too. K's expressions were really good.

BTS!

The gifts were really nice and thoughtful

I think the hanboks that Niki got were probably the best? I also liked Jin's food bowl, but I'd probably never actually use it because I'd be afraid to break it or wear it out haha.

Niki finally showing his age that he's the 2nd youngest of the group. Aww he was such a baby this episode, so excited about the gifts :')

The segment about the trainees concerns was so sweet. Heesung worried about what it takes to have good leadership and I liked Hanbin's question about confidence (I relate, bro lol).

K saying that he wasn't handsome, and Suga and J-Hope saying, "we debuted, you can too!" hahahah XD.

*All the trainees ask sincere questions* Geonu: How do I look up without getting wrinkles? *Jimin eyeroll*

I'm surprised that Sunoo had bad health. It doesn't show on the show. But that could be the reason that the I-Landers kept voting him out before? Maybe because he couldn't practice as much?

Daniel saying that he wanted to be a rapper came out of nowhere lol. But if it makes him happy, I support it :). I really like his singing voice too though. He just needs to become an all-rounder haha.

I wish the trainees could have actually met BTS, but maybe they were afraid of covid?

I'm actually surprised how long the BTS segment was. I thought it'd just be like a quick 5 min clip of giving the mission. I'm glad they included all this extra stuff and we get to see more of the trainees personalities and behind the scenes of what they're thinking.

Teams Fake Love - Taki, Heesung, Sunghoon, Sunoo DNA - K, Niki, Hanbin, Jay I Need You - Jungwon, Jake, Geonu, Daniel Side note: Super glad they got rid of the internal I-Land voting nonsense lol. It was a good idea in theory, but truly terrible in reality. Maybe they heard feedback from it and changed it. Plus this way the producers have more control of who’s in the group too. 

I actually kind of wish the audience votes didn’t completely decide the fate of the group because even if all the popular trainees make it, the group might not be good if they’re missing an essential member..Like what if all the popular members were rappers, who’s going to sing the songs?? That’s not relevant in this case, but that’d be an example. 

It’d be better if the producers just pick the group and take the audience vote into consideration? Or do a point system like 1/3 from producers, 1/3 from bang pd, 1/3 from audience, which I think they mentioned something like that at the beginning of the series.. but they haven’t mentioned it since then.

Predictions Hmm so from each team, I think Taki, Hanbin, or Geonu will get eliminated first.

Fake Love has a really good team, but that song is really hard. Also, I don't know if Taki realized that if his team doesn't place first.. he's highly likely to get eliminated. I'm hoping they turn it around, but mm I feel like they would all struggle with that song. Who's going to sing all the high notes other than Heesung?

DNA is the Dance representative team omg. This performance is going to be so fun to watch :), I'm excited for this one.

I don't know why, but I feel like I Need You will win? I feel like this song highlights vocals better and the dance isn't as intense as the other 2? And I feel like Jungwon, Geonu, and Daniel are all really good vocals to carry the song. Hmm I feel like Jake would've fit DNA better? There probably wasn't enough spots though. He'll probably do ok here.

Man, time is passing by so fast. Only a month until the finale! And there's only 5 episodes left.

Picks It's hard to narrow down my picks to 7.. : Heesung, Sunghoon, Jake, Jungwon, K, Jay, Daniel

I like the inital 6 I-Landers that made it to Part 2, but ahh, I don't know who the last spot should be. I really like Sunoo too and he's probably more likely than Daniel, Jake, and Jay.. but uhm, Idk who to kick out :(. There's no way Sunoo doesn't make it though unless Producers kick him out. He's so popular. I think he'll take Jake or Jay's spot.. maybe Daniel(?). I feel like the group is better though if Daniel and Sunoo are together though, and not if only one of them makes it. Idk why, but I kinda just naturally pair them together haha.

And Geonu seems to be the "main vocal" pick, but the producers seem to have abandoned him and the editing hasn't really shown much of his personality.. so.. I think Heesung is just going to have to carry the songs as main vocal and center.

[starstwinkleplanetsshine]

The Call of Resistance Chapter 2

The Plan

The conversation shifted from the war and the night passed more normally. Eventually, it was time for Lux and I to go to our rooms and sleep, until the Twins rose again and it was time for another day of farming, scavenging, sweating, and wondering when I would finally get away from the sands of this detestable planet. 

Banthas, I hate sand. 

My nerves rose as each minute passed. Tonight I had a meeting with our small Resistance, and now that I knew Lux was aware of and curious about why I was leaving in the middle of the night, I needed to be more careful about sneaking out. 

Quietly I made my way across the floor, passing his room and chancing a glance into the open doorway. There he was, laying sound asleep in his bed, completely unaware of my movements. I breathed a sigh of relief. I could even hear him snoring ever so slightly, and I knew I was safe. I moved faster after seeing that, grabbing my staff and opening the door, which creaked louder than I had remembered, and stepped into the dry, desert night. Between the three moons shining above and the millions of stars stretching across the sky, it was easy enough to find my way, and this was not my first journey through the night. 

Even so, every step was dangerous. 

The First Order didn’t pay much attention to planets in the Outer Rim, just as the Empire hadn’t, and the Republic before, and that's why Tatooine was allowed to become so wild and uncontrolled, largely run by crime rings and lacking an effective government. Every day I was reminded of how fortunate my situation of living with Lux’s family was. Most orphans on Tatooine are forced into a life of crime or slavery, but since the only source of water on the planet is through moisture farms, the owners of these farms are respected members of the community. I don’t like thinking of how different my life would be if my parents hadn’t been friends with the Mainvin family. But even the wild, untamed Tatooine couldn’t escape the overbearing hand of the First Order, as recently a small band of Storm Troopers had been sent to “keep the peace”, which really meant stop anyone who defied their views, even if that meant killing them to do so. 

Doesn’t seem very peaceful to me. 

This band of stormtroopers was actually the very reason I had called a Resistance meeting that night. 

The closer I came to the meeting spot the more my anxiety rose, as I was planning on proposing an outrageous idea. Up until now, our resistance efforts had been in the shadows, small acts of disobedience that were all but unnoticeable unless looked at closely. But I felt that the time was coming that larger action needed to be taken. We had recently gotten word that there had been battles fought, and more than the mere skirmishes of the past months. Actual battles. This war was quickly moving from cold to boiling hot, from diplomatic stand-offs to laser fire and casualties. 

The stakes were getting higher, and now was the time to act, before it became too late. 

As I finally came upon our meeting spot for tonight, a secluded dwelling set in a hill on the outskirts of a nearby village, I performed the secret knock and was given entry into the space. I ducked my head into the small room and looked around as all the talking dulled and eventually came to a stop. All eyes turned to me as the leader, and I saw that nearly everyone was there that was to be expected, about 100 in all. There were some who couldn’t come to these meetings, whether it was too far or too dangerous, but the information was always dispersed to them the next day. 

We began the meeting with formalities, and I asked everyone any information they knew about the war and any potential trouble that could be brewing here on Tatooine. Everyone shuddered to hear reports of the terror the stormtroopers were wreaking in the spaceport of Mos Eisley and they questioned the stories of the war raging outside our star system. Our older members couldn’t believe that they were going through this again, having to face another totalitarian force threatening the peace of the galaxy and risking their lives for a second time to push back the darkness. I was grateful for their resilience as well as their wisdom and experience, but the jaded look in their eye as we discussed the threat of the First Order always made my heart sink. 

They also reminded me of my parents, who I knew would be in this room with me if they were still alive, willingly putting their lives on the line again without a second thought. 

As the meeting continued, the conversation seemed to center around the fleet of Stormtroopers that had been stationed on Tatooine for a few months now. Despite the short amount of time they had occupied our planet, the destruction and death they were leaving in their wake shocked even our oldest members. Many, especially those who lived in the city, feared for their lives as any hint of their involvement in the Resistance would bring punishment, and probably death. While we were discussing possible courses of action to take to aid the Resistance in any way possible, I knew it was time to propose my ambitious plan. This wild idea struck, seemingly from nowhere, a few days ago, and it had consumed my every thought since. It was truly outrageous and more risky than anything we had attempted before, and the consequences should we fail were certain death and the destruction of our band of Resistance. I almost dismissed the thought completely, telling myself it was impossible, that no one would go along with it, and that they may even question my leadership and authority if I spoke it out loud. 

But despite all these doubts, something arose inside me, a stirring, a prompting that I couldn’t ignore, and before I knew what was happening, the unspeakable words were out of my mouth.

“What if we got rid of the Stormtroopers?” 

Silence. 

I looked around the room, and those who would meet my gaze stared wide-eyed, clearly still processing those words. Most of them were looking at the ground, uncomfortable at my brash words of violent resistance, until a single voice spoke for the rest,

“What?” 

“Just think about it--” I began to defend my idea, “if the stormtroopers were gone, then there would be no First Order threat to Tatooine. They’re the only thing suppressing us right now. The First Order doesn't care enough to pay attention to the planets on the Outer Rim, us least of all! I doubt The Troopers even report to anyone, they’ve been out of supplies for almost two months now and there hasn’t been a restock ship, there hasn’t even been anything sent! Isn’t that right, Kaligo?” I turned to our youngest member, who lived in Mos Eisley and had the important task of keeping an eye on the Storm Troopers there and observing their movements and habits. She nodded slowly, wary of speaking in this situation. “Thank you. If we got rid of all of them before they had the chance to transmit to the First Order for help, then they would never even know.”

“And how do you plan on doing that?” A gruff voice from the back challenged. 

“Well, we would come up with the details together, and it would take a lot of careful planning, but we would have to…” I trailed off, afraid to say the morbid words that came next.

“Kill them.” The same man replied. I swallowed hard, the weight of what I truly suggested sinking in, and dropping a heavy weight on my chest. 

“Yes, I guess that’s what we would have to do” A cold silence filled the room, the only sound coming from those who shifted uncomfortably where they sat or stood. Finally an older woman, a veteran of the first war, broke the tension.

“We’d better discuss this, then.” 

For the rest of the meeting, which stretched out to be a couple of hours, we discussed the pros and cons of my radical plan, eventually putting it to a vote. I thought that everyone would hate it, or be too afraid to enact it, but when it came time to make the decision, the majority of the group wanted to go through with it.

 I was shocked. 

Looking around at the faces surrounding me, I was overwhelmed with the tenacity and spirit that filled the room. Our Resistance was small, and may look weak to the outsider looking in, but our nerve and hunger made up for what we lacked in numbers. I thought of how proud my parents would be if they could see me now, leading this group who were determined to change the galaxy.

 A part of me wondered if they could. 

Eventually I had to end the meeting so that everyone could make it back to their homes safely before the suns came up, but not before discussing when and where our next meeting would be held. This was done quickly, as many of us needed the cover of night to hide from the prying eyes of the First Order and our neighbors. Even though many wanted to stay and keep discussing our bold plan, everyone began to clear out, in increments that would not be suspicious, and go home. For the past couple of weeks I felt as though some were losing heart and beginning to wonder if our efforts were really worth it, but now that we had a tangible plan that would have a large impact, a spark had been ignited once again and the flames of the Resistance began to grow. 

Slowly, but surely.

 I stayed behind to make sure everyone left the way they were supposed to and to thank the hosts of the meeting, and by the time it was clear for me to leave, the sky was already beginning to glow just as it did right before the first sun peeked over the horizon. I had never been gone this long before, or travelled this late (or would it be early?), and I was uneasy the whole way home. Leaving Resistance meetings always gave me a feeling of dread, as I worried about everyone getting home without being caught by Stormtroopers, or the many other local dangers that lurked in the dark Tatooine night. I knew I had to hurry to get back before it was fully light, since if anyone saw me there would be suspicion for sure, but that was difficult as our meeting location was over 3 klicks away from the Mainvin farm. 

I made good time getting back, having to run most of the way, but I still didn’t make it before the first sun came up, instead arriving right before the second appeared. I had a bad feeling as I approached our hut that Lux would be awake, and he would not be happy with me. There was a slim chance he would still be sleeping, in which case I would quietly slip into my room and pretend that my night was uneventful as ever, but I had no idea what lie I could come up with if he caught me before I made it there. I braced myself as I walked through the door, hoping for the best, but a part of me already knew what I would find once inside. 

I barely got one foot inside the door before he started shouting. 

“Where the hell have you been?” His yell broke the silence of the early morning. 

“Lux, I-”

“And why the hell are you coming home at the crack of dawn?” I was shocked at the tone of his voice. In my almost 20 years of knowing Lux, I had never heard him yell like this. There was so much emotion in it, anger being the most obvious, but it was almost as if that anger was a mask for other emotions, stronger ones, that lingered and mixed in but were harder to discover, emotions like fear, worry, and, if I strained hard enough…

“I told you, Lux, I’ve been having trouble sleeping. So I went to walk around outside and I stayed out longer than I intended to.” I paused to catch my breath, still winded from my long journey home. His stony silence told me that that answer wasn’t enough for him, so I strained to think of something else to say that would account for my absence. “Eventually I thought I would get a jump on scavenging for today, so I started looking around. By the time I thought I should come back, the first sun was already coming up, so I rushed back as fast as I could because I didn’t want you to worry.”

“You didn’t want me to worry? Well, you did a fantastic job at that! I’ve been up, worried sick, hoping to the stars you weren’t lost, or hurt, or...” He couldn't even finish his thought, and by the look on his face, it’s because it was too horrible to say out loud. He didn’t say it, he didn’t have to, but I knew what he was referring to. 

Tusken Raiders. 

This feared, nomadic, local people was the monster under the bed in every children’s horror story, and rightfully so. There were many dangers living on Tatooine, especially living on a moisture farm on the outskirts of a village, but the Sand People were the highest threat and the most feared. They were extremely hostile, and known to attack without warning. The energy in the air shifted at that, almost as if it were sucked out completely, and any anger or annoyance I felt at Lux vanished as well. I knew better than most the threat and dangers of the Sand People. Suddenly I could see why my absence made him so worried, and I understood his concern. Suddenly, I was ashamed at my recklessness.  

“I’m sorry, Lux. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“I know you didn’t,” his temper began to cool, and his voice returned to the normal one I knew, soothing and steady, almost musical, “it's just...it’s dangerous out there, especially when you’re alone. I-” he took a deep breath, and I thought he wasn’t going to finish his thought, but then he added, “I worry about you.” I looked up into his caring, brown eyes, so full of tenderness and concern, that I almost forgot we were fighting just minutes before. 

“I had no idea you felt that way.” I couldn't think of anything else to say but, “I’m sorry.” He took a deep breath and I saw a small smile creep onto his face before he softly replied, 

“I know. It’s okay.” His eyes met mine and seeing him smile eased any tension the past confrontation caused. Then he opened his arms and smiled wider, and I knew that our fight was over. “Come here.” 

I laughed freely as I walked to him and melted into his open arms, and as I felt them close around me it was as if I was exactly where I was supposed to be. My life was increasingly becoming more confusing, dangerous, and uncertain, but when I was with Lux, everything was clear, safe, and sure. We stayed like this for a few moments, just with each other, our silence a comfortable blanket, until the blanket was ripped off by Lux’s words,

“Just no more midnight and early morning walks alone, okay?” I lingered in the silence a few moments longer. 

Too long. 

“Okay.”

“Promise?”

More silence. 

“I promise”

But that was a promise I knew I would have to break. 

---

The next few weeks passed uneventfully. The Resistance had frequent meetings to plan our attack on the Stormtroopers, but I was more careful to ensure that Lux never caught me again. I didn’t know what I would do if he saw me sneaking out a second time, but I had a feeling I wouldn’t be able to lie my way out of it then.

My days consisted of helping with the Mainvin moisture farm in the mornings, scrapping with Lux in the afternoons, and then Resistance meetings at night. I was running on empty, and Lux could tell. Everyday it got harder and harder to wake up in the mornings, since our meetings were becoming more frequent, and I was getting less and less sleep. He never said anything about it, but I could see it in his eyes that he was noticing something was going on, something I wasn’t telling him. 

But Lux was never one to butt into other peoples business, and he was always perfectly happy staying quiet, in his own world, not stepping on anyone's toes. 

For once in my life, I was thankful for his diffidence.

Finally, it was the night before our planned attack, and there was a tangible buzz, an excitement, in the air during our final meeting. There were those that got cold feet at the last minute and decided they needed to drop out, but other than those understandable few, everyone was all in. I went over the plan in detail, making sure everyone knew their role. I also went over every single thing that could go wrong, and what we would do in those scenarios. The more I talked about it the weight of what we were planning sunk into me, and suddenly I realized how impossible it was. 

For weeks we had been meticulously planning our attack, but now it was in front of us, looming like a treacherous mountain that you couldn’t see the top of. I didn’t show any sign of my doubts, however. I knew my people looked up to me and needed me to be firm and secure. If I began to doubt, then surely they would too. No, I took on this leadership role, and that meant that I needed to put my personal feelings aside and be what my small band of rebels needed me to be. 

“Now is the time we decide who we’re going to be in this time of resistance and change. When we decide if we’re going to keep our heads down and ignore the devastation that the First Order is causing all throughout the galaxy, or if we decide we’re going to take a stand, and fight for freedom.”

There were smiles from some, but others were stone-faced, paralyzed by fear and dread. 

“We are taking bold action. What we are going to do tomorrow is going to make a lot of waves, and I’m not going to lie to you, it is dangerous. Some of us may be hurt, or worse. But it is times like these that we must remember that we do not fight for ourselves, nor do we fight alone. There are others like us out there, small groups of people on other systems who have also decided to stand, who decided that they weren’t going to let the terror and fear of the First Order rule their lives. We fight for them, and we fight for Tatooine. But not only do we fight for our planet, we fight for all of the Outer Rim, to say that just because we are small and far does not mean we are worthless. We are going to make the First Order regret the day they underestimated us. 

“But most of all, we fight for the future. We fight so that there can be a day when we tell our children, and our children’s children, that there is peace and freedom in the galaxy because of the efforts of a small group of The Resistance on Tatooine who looked tyranny in the eye and decided there was no place for it here, or anywhere. We may be small, but I have no doubt our actions tomorrow will ripple out into eternity. I am sure of this because I look to the generation before us as an example that good will always triumph over evil, so long as the good is willing to fight for it. And we are.” 

I had no idea where those words came from, and I was hardly aware that they were flowing out of my mouth until my speech was over and I was brought back to reality by the sounds of cheering, clapping, whooping, and the sight of everyone on their feet and beaming, even those whose fear consumed them just minutes ago. Looking at them, at all the faces who I had grown to know and love over the past few months, I, for the first time, finally felt like their leader. Their confidence in me fueled me, and I got an overwhelming feeling that our efforts tomorrow would be successful, and we would take one step closer to freedom. 

After everyone settled down, I wrapped up the meeting with a few more logistical items and then, little by little, everyone began the systematic trek back to their homes. 

Almost everyone was out when I felt a light hand on my shoulder. I turned and met eyes with our oldest member, Dya, who had also been a part of the Rebellion in the Galactic Civil War. I had always looked up to her, and often asked her advice on tough situations, as I knew her experience and knowledge was invaluable. There was a kindness and a new light in her eyes that I couldn’t help but notice, and it was infectious. 

“Your parents would be so proud of you.” Dya had known my father since childhood, as they both grew up on Tatooine. She met my mother when they settled here after the war, and I knew they would often meet to share stories about their time fighting. They found solace in each other, survivors trying to make sense of why they still lived when so many didn’t. “You have your father's eloquence and charisma, and your mother's passion and intelligence, not to mention her beauty.”

I was stunned by her heart-felt words, and felt the mixture of pride and sadness, love and loss that always accompanied any mention of my parents. Even after all these years I still felt the sting of their absence. Not a day went by where I didn’t miss them. 

“Thank you.” The weight of her words were still sinking into me. “I try to honor them and make them proud with everything I do. They put their life on hold to fight the Empire, so I knew I needed to do the same to fight the First Order” 

With one last knowing smile and a reassuring pat on my arm, she too left, hobbling through the dark, perilous night back to her home. I only hoped I was as courageous and capable when I reached her age, if I ever did. 

As I walked back to my hut and silently slipped back into my room, careful to not wake Lux in the process, I knew I would be getting very little sleep that night. I was a mess of nerves and doubts, the plans of tomorrow’s events swirling relentlessly in my head. I thought of everything that could go wrong, and what would happen if it did. I thought about what would happen if everything went right, and what our next steps would be. I thought about what would happen if everything went right, but then the First Order caught wind of it and decided to punish us with even more force than there was to begin with. I tried to push the negative thoughts out of my head and just focus on the plan. 

Everything was now in motion, and I would just have to wait until tomorrow to see how it played out. Eventually I drifted into a restless sleep, dreams of yelling, explosions, and Storm Troopers following me even in my rest. 

[blackasmidnightcats]

QfG Rants and Remakes part 5

Big thanks to both @agathasarmy and @yarasquad for sharing their ideas with me and believing that I could actually make a coherent rant without being too swallowed up by my emotions and hopefully I'll be able to do the same here.

P.S. Imma change the title of the next Rants and Remakes cause it's definitely not focusing on QfG anymore and it's gonna focus of AWWP so yeah...there's that to look forward too.

Chaddick & Yara + Tagatha interlude

Note: This post was originally gonna be titled "Chaddick & Yara + Mourning the Departed" and would have turned out as how it is explained below but as I was writing about Chaddick I realized that I needed to talk about something concerning Tagatha and realized that this post would have been too long for all three so I gonna move the "Mourning of Departed" in its own post. Hope you guys understand. Tagatha has a strong pull with me.

Imma actually gonna outline this cause I need to organize my thoughts and at least with this I could remember the direction that I would be heading.

First part's definitely going to talk about how Chaddick and Yara's death is bs

Then imma explain why them staying alive would have impacted the TCY storyline a lot more meaningfully (p.s. this is where the Tagatha interlude will be found)

And last (and this has been moved to its own post so stay tuned for it), I would also like to nitpick Soman's obvious lack of thought when it comes to the characters that have departed (mainly Callis and Lady Lesso and August Sader) and how it should have affected the characters (mainly Sophie and Agatha)

How Chaddick and Yara could have helped the storyline better

WARNING: I realized while writing this that I kinda made Chaddick and Yara more flawed than they are writen because I have to think about their character growth and they can't have that without having any flaws. So expect some more drama with these two than needed as I share my thoughts on how their characters could have went. They get better in the end believe me.

So I think that everyone in the fandom is one with the idea that Chaddick's death was one of the MOST worst decisions that Soman made.

As @agathasarmy said it once, Chaddick's death is more frustrating than sad because of how out of nowhere it is.

Via @agathasarmy:

but… Chaddick??? dying??? IN THE BEGINNING OF THE SERIES????

IT DOESNT MAKE SENSE, AND THE ONLY WAY IT MAKE SENSE IS COS SOMAN OBVIOUSLY DID IT TO INTRODUCE RHIAN AND THATS THE SHITTIEST THING ABOUT IT

HE REDUCED CHADDICK’S DEATH AS A PLOT DOOR WITHOUT PROPERLY SUBSTANTIATING CHADDICK’S CHARACTER FIRST SO INSTEAD OF US TRULY MOURNING HIS LIFE WE’RE JUST LEFT WITH THIS HOLLOW FEELING OF WHAT HE COULD’VE BEEN AS AN INTEGRAL CHARACTER TO THE PLOT

THIS

Chaddick's death felt hollow because it was a PLOT DEVICE. It didn't (or at least Soman didn't) conscider Chaddick much of a character but a means and once this happens some deaths can be very very hollow.

Like his POV chapter was very hard to read all because especially once you find out that he's dead by the end of it (SHAME SOMAN, SHAME) because his story and plot had so much potential. We weren't able to properly feel sad about his lost because we didn't get to know him better.

It just feels tragic. So much potential lost, all because Soman wanted Tedros to feel vulnerable because he lost his close friend.

WHICH SOMAN DIDN'T REALLY NEED TO DO

I explained already why this is bull and I'm gonna explain later what could have happened for Chaddick's character.

But in summary on why Soman didn't need to do it: EXPECTATIONS

Chaddick and Tedros would have been stressed out with all the expectations and comparison with Arthur and Lancelot. One wrong move could have broke them apart easily.

But Soman could have also not wanted to deal with Chaddick against his Sophie obssession so there could be that too.

SHAME SOMAN

Now, Yara.

Our little Soft Girl

She should not have died.

She really shouldn't have

W h y ?

Because her being alive would have impacted the story more than her death ever did. Just like Chaddick.

And if the problem was what she could have affected in the storyline in TLEA, then she could have been on the sides like. . . as Tristan from time to time or something.

Her being alive would have not affected or change TLEA at all. Like if more important characters like the Coven and the League can fade into the background then so could she.

But I really don't imagine her being in the school for New Evil with Aric as Dean. No, maybe Yuba could have hidden her with the League and she could have accompanied Princess Uma when they were getting Tedros and Agatha and then accompanied the Leuge or something.

Really it would have been that simple. C'mon.

Plus Kiko has been reduced to wreck after that. At least, with Yara being alive she could have fixed herself a bit more.

Okay

So in summary again: CHADDICK AND YARA SHOULD NOT HAVE DIED AND SHAME ON SOMAN FOR KILLING THEM OFF

Now, let's get to the juicier part, what could these two have contributed to the TCY storyline.

On Chaddick

It's pretty obvious what Chaddick's role should have been. He should have been important to the plot because his role would have been about breaking the comparison between the Past and the Present (see Soman, it could have been integrated into your canon plot) between him, Tedros, and Agatha to Lancelot, Arthur, and Gwen.

I'm pretty sure that Camelot has its eyes on these three.

It's pretty freaking convenient that they all have a predecessor to be compared to. And I'm pretty sure that it's not just Camelot who notices the pattern. I mean the whole freaking Woods read about this affair.

So Chaddick, along with Tedros and Agatha, should have been the ones that break this chain. It could have symbolized that Camelot was entering into a new, better era after a similar relationship broke it.

Like, a King, his beloved Queen and his most trusted Knight brought hope but ended in a Tragedy.

Now, another King, his beloved Queen and his most trusted Knight are skeptically judged for having the same pattern and they instead bring the Glory that first trio didn't

With Tedros, Agatha, and Chaddick united with each other bringing Camelot out of its traumatic experience with Tedros's parents, Camelot finally accepting that these three are not the same as Arthur, Gwen, and Lance and fully supporting them DESPITE the fear, would have been a much stronger message of that 'the past doesn't always repeat itself.'

Because with Rhian being known and most propably remembered as Tedros's most trusted Knight and betraying him in the end, it's like a copy of what Lance technically did to Arthur.

It just further proved that Camelot's King would always be betrayed by the ones they trust most.

Sadly for Arthur, he was betrayed by both Gwen and Lance and they left him alone.

While Tedros still has Agatha but without Chaddick the lesson simply is not learned.

Chaddick was integral to this formula because Camelot would have had to face yet another propable tragedy for their beloved King in the hands of the people he loves. With Tedros, Agatha, and Chaddick, complete, proving that they could do better despite having just a strong a bond as what Arthur and co had and Camelot accepting and trsuting this, the previous wounds would be replaced with new Hope.

Because even if that whole affair happened and ruined the Kingdom, at least they have proof that it's not always gonna happen that way.

And that's why Rhian being remembered as Tedros's Knight hurts this idea. Cause he betrayed him too.

Anyway, hopefully I made my point with this legacy thing.

Plus Chaddick and Arthur's Round Table training him. WHY SOMAN WHY?!?!?!

And now, imma explain what I think should have happened with Chaddick and how his character development and his role should have played out.

Because Chaddick is a pretty well rounded character, his POV chapter proves that he's brave, and is willing to die for his friends and what's right, and there isn't really much flaws to him aside from that he can sometimes make the most worst decisions despite being pretty wise.

I honestly cannot tell if he is stupid sometimes or Soman just does this to him cause PLOT.

Fandom I need help with this. Give me some opinions.

Like. . . he's wise enough to know what was right, examples being warning Tedros about Sophie and the first to listen to Agatha in AWWP, but also dumb or ignorant enough to bully Agatha in Book 1 and that VERY IMPORTANT THING ABOUT completely ABUSING Tedros is AWWP.

Like I'm kinda confused with him.

Well maybe we can say that he's a bit ignorant and maybe was raised with privilege so that's why he bullied Agatha in Book 1 and kinda wisened up in Book 2 about her.

But I am not excusing his attitude towards Tedros in AWWP because that was messed up. Well, AWWP was messed up so there is that but if we have to acknowledge that mess and have some closure then I vote for it to come from Chaddick and Yara.

Like maybe the reason why Chaddick is more wise now is because of that very experience. Maybe he could still be a bit guilty about it and that kinda messes with his mind cause he still thinks that Tedros is still the same boy those years ago in their second year and Rhian uses this to his advantage.

Actually, thinking about it this makes so much sense.

Like instead of AGATHA having the trust issues (thought I wouldn't completely vanish it, just not at the same level as she does in canon) it's CHADDICK that has them. Cause he's always kinda gets haunted by what happened in AWWP.

I mean Tedros replaced him with ARIC of all people when he failed to retrieve Agatha. There has to be some animosity between them since. I can imagine that Chaddick kinda felt like him and Tedros could never be as close as when they were during their first year. And he would totally understand it if Tedros never really forgave him for what happened and was at peace with it even if he didn't have enough guts to find a closure for it. He'd respect his friend first and foremost.

But then comes Tedros, all fine and inviting him to be his Knight like that would mess Chaddick up.

He propably couldn't believe it at first and maybe even kindly refused the offer at first but then he sees the heart break in Tedros's face and Chaddick realizes that Tedros really wanted this.

Tedros still sees Chaddick as his closest friend despite what happened in AWWP. And maybe after some thinking, Chaddick realizes that he still wants to have the bond with Tedros like what they had in Book 1. So he accepts.

But of course, they've changed and Chaddick still gets eaten by guilt because I think that he's the kind of person that knows that he did something wrong and wants to repent for it.

So instead of that wise friend that Tedros had in Book 1, Chaddick can't trust his judgement about Tedros because he's scared he'd go too far. So he kinda just agrees to Tedros's ideas and doesn't really give advice. Tedros kinda notices this and tries to talk to Chaddick about it but Chaddick would be all formal to him. Tedros, I don't really know, would think that it would be for his sake with the comparison with Arthur and Lance and all. So he kinda just goes along with it.

It's messy right now guys, I know, I'm kinda butchering Chaddick's character here but I promise it gets better and in my mind he'd be like this for only Book 4. He'd be Wise Chaddick again right after. Just give me a chance to explain.

So they have this kind of miscommunication thing that Canon Tagatha had in QfG instead and that would have made so much more sense and here's why;

Warning: this is officially where the Tagatha interlude starts so if you wanna skip it (why though???) find the sign that states it's the end. It's gonna be in pink too.

The fact that Tagatha was having a miscommunication failure was kinda off with me because 1) they've been over this in AWWP and TLEA. In TLEA Tedros has absolutely no problem with pushing Agatha to share more when she wouldn't and 2) he could easily read her like a book, especially when it counts. Like he could get her favorite food wrong but he always seemed to know what Agatha was having trouble with and was there to help her out and is not afraid to call her out on it (i.e. the Cinderella thing, he was on point there)

Imma provide some examples of Tedros totally getting Agatha when it counts;

AND THIS

AND THIS TOO

WAIT THERE IS MORE (The Tagatha Moment)

AND LET US NOT FORGET

THIS IS WHY TLEA TAGATHA WILL ALWAYS BE BEST TAGATHA.

I get that Agatha's insecure about herself and maybe she was kinda influenced with the Excalibur thing (but I highly doubt it though) but it's no reason for her to get to the conclusion she did at the end of QfG.

I mean girl, you were always thinking that Tedros would be a Great King in TLEA and that's why you've been so insecure about yourself. WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT???

Someone call me out on this PLEASE. I'm hurting myself by judging her too hard.

I can imagine that she would be sceptical with Tedros's ideas and kinda doubting him about it (you guys have no idea how much it hurts typing this) but I can also imagine that she would never doubt that Tedros's heart is in the right place even if she thinks that the way he gets there isn't always the best.

Like we have literal proof that Tedros gets Agatha almost like Sophie does and the best thing is that I'm sure that Tedros would think of the best in mind.

The mess in QfG makes no sense because they should be over this miscommunication bs and it should not have been a thing.

And if it was because of the stress with Excalibur and his responsibilities as King that made Tedros suddenly not get Agatha then WTF Soman!?!?!? I did not ask for this. They were literally about to die in TLEA and yet they could still joke and tease each other and have these cute little scenes with the other.

Instead I got Rhian's b*tch ass being Tedros's therapists when he knows sh*t about this boy and Agatha doubting Tedros like he did something horrible. (Well he did for trusting Rhian but i digress)

I could have had more of these cute Tagatha scenes instead. Like, is it too much to ask for these two to just show their love for each other in other ways than "I will save you" and "You're the best thing ever and I don't want to lose you for this horrible thing that I did or say" like give me small softer moments anytime.

Tedros gently teasing Agatha when she's being difficult and Agatha being totally trying not to show that she's smitten over it.

Agatha trying to be romantic at the most outrageous moments and Tedros being like "?????" but totally finding it cute.

Other character just not getting these two when they do and they are just as confused.

These are the kind of scenes I wanted from them. And if I have to use Chaddick to get it then so be it. (I'm sorry about this, I'm mostly projecting at this point and these really affecting my personal opinions on this matter but I'll try to tone it down a bit so that it's still coherent)

Note: this is the official end of the Tagatha interlude but i'm not keeping any promises that it'll be the last

Anyways, Chaddick and Tedros, they have more reasons with having communication problems because;

They have not been together for a very long time and they've both propably changed since

AWWP. So far, the two of them have had horrible experiences as the last thing that they remember about each other.

As I explained, I headcanon that Chaddick has a somewhat formed a sort of PSTD with it and is very scared that he's gonna mess it up.

I'm not even going to try to explain the PSTD thing cause I feel like I'm not gonna do it justice but I hope you get what I mean.

Chaddick must have become more unsure of himself after AWWP and he must still be trying to fit this new Tedros with the old one that he used to hang out with in Book 1. It would have been a good comparison to show that Tedros has indeed change and grown since then.

Like Chaddick kinda feels like he needs to intervene when Tedros shares a very outrageous suggestion but doesn't know how and kinda ends up in a mess.

Basically imagine Tagatha's problems in QfG and apply to Tedros and Chaddick instead.

And Chaddick would have been suspiscious about Rhian from the beginning. He's a smart savy guy afterall.

So Rhian kinda exploits this and gets the two boys against each other. Because say that Tedros and Chaddick have this big fight propably like the one when Agatha comments that Tedros was being a horrible king but Chaddick's the one that said it instead. Say that this happens around the middle of the Book and it's the final straw between them because they haven't been properly communicating and all the pressure on them. Rhian could easily worm his way to Tedros's side and replace Chaddick nicely. Cause unlile Chaddick, Rhian would make Tedros believe that HE'S the one that believes in him the most.

So they kinda fall apart and Chaddick and Tedros are trying to understand where it all went wrong.

Agatha would try to understand each side and get them to better terms again but she can't do it alone plus a-hole Rhian is butting in.

I imagine that, for me, the logical person that Chaddick might approach on his dilema with Tedros might be Ravan.

Cause the two of them basically think the same way and are usually calm and wise. The only difference would be that Chaddick's more active while Ravan's more passive and choses to observe before making a move. So he calms Chaddick down when he's being too impatient.

Chaddick and Agatha would be talking of course. And I don't know why but I imagine that they're more numb to all the gossip about the three of them especially around each other because they're both sort of level headed and wise then when they're with Tedros individually.

And I imagine this is where the Tagatha drama happens. Only after Rhian cause I wanna be clear that without him, Tagatha would have been fine. He also tries to break them up by saying that Agatha sides with Chaddick and that she doesn't have much faith in Tedros too.

Agatha's going to deny this of course (because it's all bs from Rhian) but Tedros has been too stressed and vulnerable that he sorta starts to believe it and Agatha gets frustrated that Tedros is choosing to believe Rhian when she's known him longer and after everything that they've been through.

But Tedros isn't fully under Rhian's spell. I would have put several times when they would doubt each other especially when Rhian talks crap about Agatha and Chaddick and it would be beserk button for Tedros so Rhian doesn't really go there.

Now Chaddick would be having his little personal battle with himself and Ravan and Agatha would be there to support him and give some advice.

The real kicker would have been when Rhian is adored by Camelot as Tedros's Treasured Knight, someone better than Lancelot and Chaddick kinda has a heartbreaking moment because HE'S supposed to be the one that was known as Tedros's Treasured Knight not this stranger. Not this stranger that stole everything from him especially his best friend.

Agatha hears about this and reflects the time when she gave up her own position as Tedros's queen in TLEA and remembers that Tedros knows her and all her monsters and has been the light to help her fight them.

So she and Chaddick have this talk and she tries to concinve him that Tedros wouldn't want for Chaddick to just give up on him like that. Chaddick thinks about it but is still not completely convinced but Agatha reminds him that Tedros CHOOSE HIM to be his Knight and Liege and they both have to fight for it.

It's Ravan who finally manages to get Chaddick to gear when he asks Chaddick if he's going to regret anything he should choose to either regret letting Tedros go and not fighting for their friendship or make a complete idiot of himself but fight for their friendship instead.

So Chaddick does the latter but everything is too late and the Rhian thing happens as I explained in the first Rants and Remakes post and Chaddick gets tossed into jail with Tedros.

It's in book 5 that I imagine their relationship actually starts to heal itself and they both try to get through everything. I haven't thought of all the kinks out yet but I imagine a lot of fights and Chaddick just kinda shouting what he thinks before he startsvthe regret it and Tedros being this physic and just getting Chaddick too like how he does Agatha.

Again, I haven't thought of everything yet but I'll share it when I do

Now let's move on to Yara

On Yara

Yara would have been more influencial alive then dead and I already explained why how she could have been handled in TLEA cause where I really see exploiting her is in the storyline of TCY.

With the Balance vs Chaos in mind as well as the Lady of the Lake villainess plotline, Yara could have been the answer to this.

She'd be a living reminder of everything that all the characters went through in AWWP and how horribly toxic it is to everyone. Especially those like Yara who lives in the between.

Like with the Lady plotline she would have promoted ultimate purity for both Good and Evil and doesn't believe that each side could be able to understand each other so she thinks that she's promoting Balance that way and that letting each side corrupt the other is Chaos.

She would have believed that Yara is an abomination to the Balance because she is the embodiment of the idea that you can choose some charcteristic from two sides and still be yourself.

Plus with Yara alive the other characters would be forced to rethink their ideals and how to approach this new possibility and reflect on the old ways that have been hurting the ones that are similar to her.

I imagine that Yara's gonna have an internal struggle with this like she's still trying to understand it herself and as she tries to understand it the more that the other characters do as well.

I haven't actually thought out her actual detailed storyline just yet and even though I wanna say more I know that I might butcher her character as I go on but I definitely know her importance to the possible story.

As I explained before, if in TSY was Good VS Evil and that the TCY was about Good AND Evil and how both sides need each other to grow and develop and that the importance of the School still teaching Good and Evil in its most purest form is so that they'd all have a guideline to go by but the curriculum has become more flexible with their beliefs OF Good and Evil and that every student just have shades of grey but choses to go by these either of the two and can still be a Hero or a Villain then Yara could have been the right person to show that it doesn't matter if your not completely on one side and was given the characteristics of the other, it matters what values you choose to follow despite it and how tou choose to use it to help everyone else for the better.

Cause it's canon already that it doesn't matter what they are, it's what they do that counts.

NGL I'm not completely satisfied with how I explained Chaddick and Yara I feel like I didn't do them justice here and I will definitely get back to this when I have organized and fleshed out my thoughts on them

Anyways, if you guys would like to add your own thoughts to this post pls do.

[thelazyeye]

Author Appreciation Day!!

Fanfiction is a truly wonderful experience. I am so lucky to not only be involved in writing, but to get the explicit experience of being able to read what authors share with the world. Every story comes from somewhere inside of an author. Even when they’re silly or fun or seemingly ridiculous, an author has taken the time to write it from inside of themselves. We should ALWAYS appreciate them. Today is just something special to really be loud about it. These are some of my all time favorite fics and authors. Please, read and enjoy. 

(I’m not going to hunt down people’s tumblrs if they’re not listed in the fics so if you know who’s blog wrote any of these and they’re not tagged, please feel free to let me know and I will 100% kindly tag them!)

In The Wrong Place, Trying To Make It Right by pininawig (this is the very first Reddie fic I ever read. It got me into the fandom. I have a deep appreciation for it and I reread it all the time. Please go love this story).

"Richie wasn’t sure how the fuck he’d managed to forget Eddie Kaspbrak. Like, now that he’s got Eddie’s hand in his (his remaining hand, Richie’s traitorous mind reminds him cruelly, and he avoids looking at the hospital gown lying flat against the bed where an arm should be) he remembers everything." Or, 27 years later, Eddie makes it out of the sewers alive.

Tear It With Your Teeth by Belby 

"We could leave this place, Eddie," Richie says. "God, imagine that? Not having to live in this trash dump anymore. We could go wherever we wanted. A different place every night."

Give The Past A Slip by brodayhey

On his way to a live show for his popular podcast, Richie stumbles into a person from his past. He remembers.

Remember (It Kills Me To See You Without Me) by Kandakicksass

Richie Tozier falls in love with Eddie Kaspbrak, forgets him, and finds him again, over the course of twenty-seven years.

The Purge by leighwrites / @aizeninlefox​

In 2014, following an economic collapse and rising social unrest, a political organisation named NFFA (New Founding Fathers of America) formed and overthrew the Government, becoming voted into office. In 2016 the NFFA devised a plan to help stabilise the American society and then in 2017 the 28th Amendment was added. The amendment established a twelve hour event called the purge which would start at seven in the evening of March 21st to seven in the morning of March 22nd where all crime was made legal and emergency services were unreachable.

Stay For The Storm by inoubliable / @hanscom​

Richie and Eddie had become friends almost on sight. Since they met, most of Eddie's time in Los Angeles has involved Richie in some way. It's a little different, now that they're both famous. It's a little different, now that they're sleeping together. Well, to be fair, they've been sleeping together for a long time, but. No one knows, not even their friends. Eddie has been very careful about that. It's just not the sort of publicity he needs. So when Beverly calls him that sunny Thursday morning, the last thing he expects her to say is, "You're fucking Richie?"

5555 by weepies / @finnwolfhard​ 

“I am not harmless,” Eddie had said, his eyes thundering—a challenge. “I could ruin your life.”

“I dare you,” Richie had replied, a smug smile on his face.

This is where I leave you (sitting in a palace, covered in gold inside my head) by Enj0ltaiRe

Going blind wasn’t something that Richie had ever even took into consideration. He had joked about it, thinking that having to wear glasses was close enough to being blind, complaining about the fact that there were people that could see for free, while he had to pay for contacts and specs, but he had never actually thought about the possibility of losing his eyesight.

Blackbird by michelllejones 

“Ho-ly fuck,” Richie whispers, and Eddie has never been so fucking scared. Not when he saw the leper, not when he confronted his mother about his pills, not when they fought It in the sewers. Never. Eddie screws his eyes shut and clutches at the material of his jeans. Please be too high to notice, please be too high to notice, please be too high to notice “Eddie?”

Scene Stealer by mseg_21 / @jem-carstairs-is-perfection

“Oh god, oh god, oh god.” Eddie muttered under his breath, staring wide eyed as the man sat up. “You’re a serial killer, aren’t you? You- you lured me in, with the blood and the- the screams and now you’re going to kill me-” The man just kept on laughing, convincing Eddie more and more that he was a psychopath and that Eddie’s good heart was about to get him murdered. “I’m not going to kill you.” The man said, still laughing. “Hurt me? Kidnap me?” Eddie asked. The man shook his head in response to Eddie’s questions. “No?” The man chuckled. “Definitely not. Why would I want to hurt the cute nurse that came to my rescue?”

Richie and Eddie Were Here by andthewasp

Eddie Kaspbrak is leaving for college tomorrow. He's leaving his best friend, Richie, and the park where they grew up, behind; but he has things to do first. Eddie and Richie embark on one final adventure in an attempt to pick up the pieces they've left strewn throughout their little hometown before they part ways, and end up finding even more.

Grow Through The Dirt by tinyarmedtrex / @tinyarmedtrex​

Mike owns a small flower shop next to a tattoo parlor. He's never been interested in tattoos, but he may be interested in one of the owners, Stan.

I Will Make You Hurt by theonlytraveler / @tozierking​

Eddie has struggled with school the past couple years, and his last year of high school is already off to a bad start. His mom hires him a tutor from the nearby University and things seem like they might start looking up. But when Eddie's tutor takes an interest in him, everything starts to fall apart, and Eddie is forced into a situation he never even imagined.

A Memory Of Love by stellarbisexual / @stellarbisexual​

Richie and Eddie, who haven't seen each other since they were kids, get cast as the lead couple in an indie film.

Into The Dark by nb_richie (shipit)

Richie and Stan have seen and dealt with a lot of cases in the years they’ve been working together, from cults to cartels. A case in Derry, Maine, proves to be one of the most horrific for them and for the two local officers they’ll be working with. And on top of it all, Richie keeps remembering things he’d rather forget.

Hit Me Baby One More Time by richttps @richardtoz​

As a child, Eddie always dreamt of becoming a doctor but things don’t always go as planned - especially when you’re still sleeping with a stuffed animal. At twenty-four, he still deals with his fair share of people passing out and crying underneath a needle, but not medically. Instead, he spent his years in college exploring the world of art and went on to work as a tattoo artist in his own shop. In a way, the two are very similar, at least that’s what he tells himself when a newly legal teenager tells him that they’re so grateful that he’d tattooed the word ‘bitch’ on the inside of their lip. His last appointment for the night is especially different.

A Playlist For The End Of The World by gyngersnap / @redactedrichie​

It's been a year since the zombie outbreak started, and Eddie and Richie are all that's left of the Loser's club. Eddie's not sure if he can handle it anymore, but Richie's convinced almost anything can be fixed with a little music, an abandoned mall, and a whole lot of terrible dance moves.

Scorpion Grasses by PimpedOutGreenEars

“Tell everyone… Tell everyone I’ll miss them. And Eds, tell him… Just promise to call him Eds for me every once in a while. So he won’t forget me.”

On his last night in Derry Richie shares a bottle of red wine with Beverly. He makes promises to send letters he knows he won't remember to write, cries a lot, and then ends it with the boy he loves who's just dumb enough to love him back.

Love Your Body Right by richietoaster / @richietoaster​

Eddie's arm is broken and he enlists the help of his best friend to get off. Richie has a better idea.

A Long Way Back To The Light by slytherincosette / @tozierhargreeves​

For Eddie, senior year is supposed to be an under-the-radar kind of year. He's been avoiding all of his friends for months and his mental health has been steadily declining. Why rock the boat and make everything worse? His plans consist of getting into the local community college (easy) and avoiding Richie, the worst sort-of-ex-boyfriend ever (considerably harder.) Then Bill drags him to a stupid party, and Eddie's plans are thrown through a loop. Suddenly, "under-the-radar" seems like a cop-out. Eddie decides, once and for all, to stop settling for decent, for alright, for enough. Eddie's going to take his life back if it fucking kills him.

Baby, I’m Counting On You by PuddingTown / @tozierpunks​

Alternately titled: My babysitter's a rockstar. When Richie Tozier breezes back into his hometown of Derry, Maine, he’s expecting to see familiar faces. Of course, he’s not expecting to see an old flame chasing around a baby. With a million questions, nowhere to go, and a help wanted ad for a nannying job, he finds himself at the doorstep of Eddie Kaspbrak.

My Eyes Only by chucknovak / @wonderwheelzier​

Eddie accidentally finds Richie's nudes because Richie doesn't understand Snapchat.

Meet Me In The Graveyard by Oldguybones / @oldguybones​

After almost five years apart, the Losers club reunites to spend the weekend together at Mike’s lakeside cabin. Armed with booze and total solitude, the gang plans to make up for lost time and catch up with those who were once the most important people of their youths. Tensions fly as lost love is rekindled and friendships are divided. But they soon begin to realize that they are not alone. Someone or something is out for blood and will not rest until they get it. What will the Losers do?

Richie The Ruiner by RanjantheVictor

It takes Richie Tozier a while to realize, but eventually he does. Richie ruins everything, no matter how much he tries not to.

This is BY FAR not a comprehensive list, nor are they ranked in order. I love a lot of pieces and a lot of authors and if I were to combine them all into one post you’d never see your dash board again. This is, however, some of my all time favorites. Some of these fics hold very special places in my heart. Some of these fics shaped me into the writer I am today. Some of these fics are the reason I am here and writing. I love them dearly. I love these authors. Go love them, please. Lord knows they ALL deserve it. 

[quirinjameson]

╰ ♡ MUSE 54, IDRIS ELBA, CIS MALE ┊ have you seen QUIRIN JAMESON around hillston? the 49 year old is said to be a MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER. the neighbours would say that they’re PASSIVE and INSINCERE, but they’re actually GENEROUS and OPTIMISTIC. HE often reminds people of speeches that drag on longer than they should, freshly polished shoes & freshly cut grass in the summer. watch out, though. you wouldn’t believe that HIS LATEST BOOK WAS SPONSORED BY A LOBBYING COMPANY.

stats. 

full name: quirin villiers jameson nicknames: q age: forty-nine gender identity: cis male pronouns: he/him birthday: september 3rd, 1970 @ 6:13pm sun sign: virgo moon sign: libra ascendant sign: aquarius hometown: portland, oregon

trivia.

if there’s no snow and it isn’t raining, he mows his lawn every saturday starting at exactly 11am and finishing just in time for lunch. after which, he heads outside and carefully prunes the hedges and weeds the flower beds --- it’s calming to him, allowing him time to simply think rather than having to directly engage with other people.

people definitely associate him with sharp suits and crisp white dress shirts, but he doesn’t wear those things as much anymore? he’s switched to jeans and sweaters in the colder months and flowy, unbutton shirts and capris in the warmer months, aiming for a more casual appearance. he strays from this during speeches and meetings, only.

gets rather flustered sometimes when people ask him question over specific detailed politic situations, especially if it’s out of nowhere. usually will flounder for a moment before managing to get out an answer, but depending on the topic and how well he knows it, he might decline to comment altogether.

is still struggling to settle back into family life ---- he loves his family, but it can be hard for him to remember how to use all of the time that he has now that he has it. having skipped from one busy job to the next most of his adult life, he’s finding increasingly odd things to do to fill up his time.

suffers from insomnia and is usually up well past when he logically should be, if you see him wandering the streets or in the grocery store late into the night he will probably be lost in his thoughts at first but he isn’t averse to company.

backstory.

born to a mechanic and a teacher, neither of quirin’s parents ever imagined that their baby boy would go on to do the things that he’s done. they saw a bright future for him most definitely, as the young boy stood up for his younger siblings and protected the younger kids from neighbourhood bullies. he excelled in school and while his parents certainly encouraged him to chase his dreams, they never imagined that their son would choose such a public job. he had been shy, if not bashful, as a child --- words carefully chosen as he spoke only when he needed to.

he was in high school when that shyness started to fade away, though he remained thoughtful and deliberate in the way that he spoke. quirin established himself as the school’s debate champion, snagging the spot of president on student government away from the school’s quarterback in a vote that destroyed the status quo. he wasn’t popular, by any means but he was genuine and caring with plans that would improve the experience for everyone. and who doesn’t love an underdog?

it came as no surprise when quirin was also awarded valedictorian, though he lost out on his yearbook’s “most likely to become president” award to the aforementioned quarterback. he received a full-ride scholarship to portland state where he studied philosophy. it was a quiet four years, mostly filled with exams and papers, the occasional party and roommates who refused to respect his personal space. to this day, he describes it as the typical university experience while acknowledging how lucky he was that his part-time and summer employment was for pocket change rather than survival.

law school brought him to illinois, where he attended the university of chicago. and it was there that he began to express interest in politics, building a web of connections with other young democrats who wanted to make a change. these were the formative years of his career before it had even truly started, and he learned many lessons there --- some that were easier to swallow than others.

he met the woman that would become his wife while in law school, putting his plans on a temporary pause as the two worked to figure out what they wanted to do with their lives together. they married the summer before his last year, wildly in love and ready to start their life together - whatever that may look like.

after graduation, they stayed in illinois --- he got a job working for the senator and they settled into a comfortable routine of late nights and early mornings. it wouldn’t have worked for everyone but quirin was always determined to make it work; the effort would all be worth it in the end, he knew.

a few years later and he was making the rash decision to fill the shoes of the aging senator after he announced that he wasn’t running for re-election. it was a big commitment, and meant even later nights but his family supported him through it all and he made sure to do what he could to be there for the milestone moments. and then, when he won the victory tasted sweet on his tongue --- think of all the things that he would be able to do for the people of illinois.

but washington is built on a foundation of money, and cruelty with senators and representatives fighting for whatever lobbyists donate the most money. and there were far too many moments in which quirin felt that his voice was going unheard, with bills being ignored left and right. he never gave up the fight though, determined to make a difference --- determined to be the change that people wanted to see.

in the six years that he served as a senator, quirin felt exhausted more often than not, struggling to balance his work and home lives. his children frequently went weeks without seeing him, and when it came time for re-election he decided to step down. there had to be other ways to make a change, better ways.

in 2010, he found that way and after four years working in law firms and with non-profits, he announced that he was running for president. and if he had thought running for senator had been hectic, he was in for a rude awakening but he had learned things and this time he had the support of ( most of ) his family. he set awake late into the night, pouring over speeches and practicing for debates ---- reading the desires of constituents. evenings were all but consumed by visits to town halls, and he found himself once again struggling to make time for the milestone moments in his family’s lives.

november 6th 2012 came faster than he could have ever predicted. the maps light up blue and that night he fell asleep surrounded by his family, finally satisfied that he would be able to make an impact.

and make an impact he did, for four years he served as the voice for the under-represented, veto-ing bills that would hurt the american people. he was a champion for environmental activism and public welfare, urging the country to unite to life each other up rather than attempting to tear each other down. for four long years, everything the family did was entirely in the public’s eye and he could feel himself beginning to wear down again. he retired, satisfied that he had done all that he could and moved his family back to illinois.

retiring didn’t make it all go away, and exhausted as he may be quirin can’t help but find himself wondering back into the limelight from time to time to advocate for different charities and organizations. he’s also become a published author, writing several memoirs and motivational books, but he isn’t perfect. no, the seedier side of washington gets to everyone and is it any wonder that it’s not all of his advocating is free? he recently published a memoir about his work in the white house with regards to the lgbt community, but what nobody knows is that he was offered a nice chunk of cash to do so by a lobbying firm. do your good deeds become tarnished when they’re later used to make money?

connections.

platonic.

a friendly reminder. [ open to all genders ]

mentee. you would think that having as many kids as quirin does that he would have enough people to remind to take care of themselves, but he’s always been drawn to those who are determined to succeed. he wants to give them the advice and/or help that they need to get where they want to be, and in this case that’s not necessarily just limited to their career. he sees himself in them, that endless drive to do something that matters for the love of doing it and he always tries to remind them that their happiness matters most.

[borisbubbles]

Eurovision 2010s: 55 - 51

55. fusedmarc - “Rain of revolution” Lithuania 2017

[2017 Review here]

Who else? My love for Fusedmarc has become a BorisBubbles.tumblr calling card and come on, there’s no way I wouldn’t drag them this high. Two years later and I still cackle thoughout this song with the exact same vigor as I did two years back. 🤭 Now, I do understand that “Rain of revolution” is one of the worst 10 songs in this decade and... well, yeah, (yeah, yeahyeah NRG yeah yeah yeeeeaaah) that’s the entire point. If we lived in the universe where ESC entries can be compared to motion pictures, in which “Waterloo” is Citizen Kane and “A matter of time” is fucking Titanic, then “Rain of revolution” is The Room, for Viktorija and Denis posses the exact same endearing insanity, inscrutability and genius as Tommy Wiseau.  And honestly, this song should be shown in movie theatres because it turned inteptitude into an artform. Reminder that fusedmarc were the only 2017 act to refuse PBC:UA’s offer for stand-in rehearsals because they were afraid Ukraine would fail at getting their ~vision across~ 😂😍

Reminder that this resulted in technical errors DURING THEIR LIVE PERFORMANCE. 😍

Reminder that they song is punctuated by endless YEAH YEAH YEAHs 😍

Reminder that they only won Eurovizijos Atranka because a diehard vegan facebook group found out that fusedmarc were *also* vegan and urged their lithuanian members to vote for them, allowing them to beat Aiste 😍

Reminder that Victorija styles herself after Little My from the Moomins 😍

Reminder that her diction is equivalent or worse  to the English spoken in the Nekci Menij show. 😍

Reminder that Viktorija’s nail game is more on fleek than yours.😍

Remember that LIFE LIKE ROLLERCOASTEN, SPEENING MI ORAWND 😍

It’s all about MICKIN a start and let their light shine FRUUU U. So DANCE to the RIVEM of ur SOLE, chant ‘LIETUVA’ like that random woman does at the start of the performance (IS THIS THE SAME LITHUANIAN FRUMP who went all out during Belarus, because if so I may have found a soul sibling), end the reign of RevoLucian and look for the reason why hamster on the road. Life is like a rollercoaster and live it to the fullest.

________________________________________________________________

54. Tom Dice - “Me and my guitar” Belgium 2010

I’ll be honest: As a Belgian, Tom Dice has a lot of emotional value for me. The year was 2010: Belgium hadn’t qualified for a final for six straight contests, sending failure after failure. Neither VRT had, until that point, shown any idea behind what they were doing, consistently picking the wrong songs during the national selections. RTBF meanwhile, didn’t even try, sending novelty acts they knew would never qualify. So, imagine being Belgian and seeing Tom get announced, fedora perched askew on his head, with a tepid guitar ballad and you’re like “oh MORE of the same, well bye 😬", except SURPRISE Tom is naturally charismatic and has a great voice and turns his by all standards generic song into an experience. 

It’s the Todevska principle: Tom OUTSOLD. Is he the best entrant? No. Like many ESC alumni he entered the contest with his least good song. Is he the most exciting entrant? Far from it. 

However isn’t it fair to state that we, Eurovision fans from Europe, have always had at least one dark age in our history with the contest? Periods where our supposed “best” wasn’t good enough? Periods where we struggled being proud of whom we were and where we came from. For someone to come out of nowhere and put you country back on the map after years of adversity, be it an ABBA, or a Bobbysocks! or a Tamara Todevksa, that makes for a magical rebirthing experience. Tom Dice is Belgium’s and I am #Proud of it. 

oh and also the live owns dwi. 🤭

________________________________________________________________

53. Aram MP3 - “Not alone” Armenia 2014

WOD EEF EETS ONLE WAN KEES!

Long before ASMR became a popular thing, Armenia send an entry that is only enjoyable if the listeners plugs in their best airphones, clears their heads and lets the music sweep over them.

And I mean, “Not alone” may be a mere Build-Up-To-An-Epic-Climax Ballad, but dear gods is it effective. You see, “Not alone” starts off quiet and solemn, a gentle piano tapping, punctuated with small drums... and then the orchestra comes in and builds and builds and builds until

at long last

WOD EEF EETS ONLE WAN KEES

DAT TERNS AL SIEDS INTO TRIZZ

DE STRONGEIST VIND INTO BRIZZ

OHPEN ALL DORS WIDNO KEEZ

and fuck, take my lifetime supply of hairpieces because that shit is awesome? The only real downside Aram has for me is that he requires a lot of set up: you really NEED to be in The Proper Mood to enjoy “Not alone” in its fullest glory. But when you are willing to take that plunge and be swept away by its rawness, you’re in for three minutes of catharsis. PS: Aram performing it drunk at the finale 😍 

being awesome AND being incompetent in two different performances, what a kraljic <3

________________________________________________________________

52. Ott Lepland - “Kuula” Estonia 2012

There are two reasons why “Kuula” ranks this high and neither is Estonia bias :o

The first is, obviously, the context. I’ve spoken widely about how terrible Baku2012 sounded as a whole, and how disappointment everything was. Well, “Kuula” was not only acoustically sound, it is actually the ONLY song that I was pleasantly surprised me. I had no opinion whatsoever going into Baku and he roses to my #3 of the year.

Which brings me to the second reason why “Kuula” ranks this highly. It is just... really fucking good, lol?

With powerballads such as these it’s REALLY important to suck the listener/viewer in and the combination of Ott’s great voice, adorable personality, the magical language that is Estonian (which also, conveniently, allows me forget “Kuula” has Deep Meaning and Touching Lyrics 🤗), and a great organic build up captivate me immensely. Even though songs like “Kuula” are far from what I normally love, it never fails to sustain me, proving tho every great rule they’re always a greater exception. 🤗

________________________________________________________________

51. Anouk - “Birds” the Netherlands 2013

~She slayed it from the outside~

Oh my god Anouk was such a rollercoaster. From my end, I was OBSESSED with Anouk from the second she was announced (as the first participant of 2013!!!) because hell yeah I LOVED “Nobody’s wife” and “Girl” and this expected ~High Voltage Rock OWNAGE~

What we got instead was... something just as great, if completely different. “Birds” may not have been an in-your-face rock song, but it never-the-less was a beautiful, mesmerising, unpretentious avant garde ballad. “If being myself is what I do wrong, then I would rather not be right” sticks out as an absolutely brilliant line that I often use in my daily writing. 😍 I LOVE how Anouk performs btw, on the satellite stage, in a sea of f(l)ags:

While also delivering distinctly Dutch diction. 😍 Paraphrasing:

“Burds follin daun de roeftops, aut of de skai laik reendraups, no eir, no praad.” 

Like ^ pronounced that in dutch and you literally have Anouk’s diction nailed. 😍

“Birds” was basically the “Me and my guitar” of the Netherlands, but there’s also the added bonus of  Anouk herself. You see, in contrast to her song’s ethereal demeanor, Anouk is KNOWN to be a huuuuuge abrasive confrontal bitch with zero filter 😍 and fragments of her diva personality definitely oozed into Malmö as well, from nonchalantly recording a gritty webcam vid for official channel’s preview vid (😍) to  flippantly pulling a hood over her face each time a journalist wanted to interview her. It ended, how else, with Anouk writing “Walk along” for Trijntje, and then cussing her out for being frumpy / talentless / sucking at life when she NQ’d. When Trijntje tried pinning them blame Anouk for writing her a bad song on purpose (lmfao), Anouk retaliated by stealing Trijnje’s coach seat on The Voice NL. PETTY QUEEN <3 We truly aren’t worthy of this irl Cersei Lannister. 😍

Also um, I just realized I ranked those two on opposide ends of the Dutch chart:

The 2010s marked wonderful renaissance for the Netherlands. I’m never ~OBSESSED~ with their entries, but they are a very solid Eurovision country, reliably delivering good music. I think they’re also the country that has the lowest amount of godawful entries on average (literally 2. Fuck you, “Without you” and “Amsterdam”.). If anyone deserved to win based on track record alone it was definitely them. 

[violetsystems]

#personal

When people wonder how long I’ve spent being ignored down here like everybody else it’s nothing compared to how long I’ve held the same job.  Truly one of the things I’ve been most successful with in proving consistency has been my work ethic.  It helps that it returns financial compensation and benefits not that any of that impresses anyone these days.  I say that work is work a lot and leave it at that.  It is important to note I work in an extremely liberal environment.  I don’t mind being inclusive in fact I think it’s more rewarding in the long run.  You expect that respecting people’s right to be will create an atmosphere that encourages you to do the same.  This is the Utopian vision of liberal America that always has it’s heart in the right place but fumbles upon execution.  Mainly because accepting people in America seems to be largely an egocentric experience.  We the people.  Wait who are we all again really?  It’s true I don’t really feel much in line with extreme politics on either side these days.  I spent years soul searching after making dance music on how to do something more important.  I volunteered for a Korean American Festival for three years back in 2011 through 2013.  That imploded in such a Tarantino-esque way like everything else in my life.  People come together and power struggles emerge out of the vacuum.   Around 2013 I worked with a collective of mostly women from my school in a project called Collective Cleaners.  It was a project about cleaning and the value of human labor.  I learned how to weave rags from old bedsheets.  We did a year long show at Jane Addams Hull House at UIC.  I could go on and on right.   But it seems like I’m telling a joke about my life with no actual punchline.  Like I’m mockumentary in the flesh.  Here I am still out here ambiguous proving myself to some phantom army.  And here I am still not good enough for America staring it in the face.  After all this my life is still a fucking joke to people in the worst and most hurtful way.  It becomes exhausting to remind people you have acted on solutions to these modern problems.  Nobody cares about me and what I do about it year after year.  Trust me I get that part by now.  That’s what it seemed like for awhile.  And then I had the painful realization that the work never stops.  And it seems like I’m all alone doing all the work.  To be truthful a lot of the work and expectations follow me around after I leave my day job.  On my lunch break I had to break up a fight between a white christian woman and a fake monk on Michigan before it happened.  The woman came running down the street making a sign of the cross with her fingers.  I stepped in front of her and calmly asked her what the fuck she was doing.  She ran away in opposite direction.  Where’s my comic book Marvel?  

For all the things I’ve done I’m still just as mistrusted and questionable in the eyes of the social elite.  I’m never quite good enough.  Never quite valid enough to prove I’m just as just viable as a closet misogynist with a six figure salary.  I’ve been questionable for years only to realize that nobody has any answers for me on how to be otherwise without being me.  Other than me.  And so in the end only I really know how successful this has all been.  And only I know when it’s appropriate to stay the course or give up entirely.  I haven’t given up.  That’s self confidence talking.  And sometimes you have to lead yourself forward towards some sort of progress through the hazy chaos.  I spent an entire year answering political calls and surveys out of guilt.  Mostly due to what I would hear from my peers about the intrinsic value of being politically aware and woke in the arts.  When it comes to American politics I do participate at bare minimum in voting.  One robocall asked my political leanings.  I said left.  “So I’ll mark you down as progressive.”  I didn’t know how I felt about it at the time.  Progressive in Illinois is a strange beast.  We elected a billionaire for Governor and a lawyer for Mayor.  At surface level that sounds horrible and I guess the more you dig into Chicago and Illinois politics you’d find the same shit.  You need money in America to have a say in politics regardless of how many free speech arguments you win on the Internet.  You can of course vote and it would be remiss to say I haven’t seen progress in that.  As of January we have recreational Marijuana and abortion legal across the state.  I have seen the drug war up close and personal.  It sounds like I’m a vice news reporter.  I’ve probably nudged up against them too in the field but they pretend I don’t exist.  Maybe that’s a parable of the drug war and the media industrial complex.  Maybe shit was lame.  All I know is through a series of miracles in the democratic process smoking weed in Chicago isn’t as dangerous to your personal freedom as it used to be.  Making friends in public still is.  Welcome to snitchville.  Whereas New York is up close but never personal Chicago is your best friend and your arch enemy at the same time.  Progressive politics signifies that things move on, evolve and change.  I’ve read enough news feeds to understand the Governor made whatever possible by crossing the aisles.  Which can be read as compromise.  That’s government.  I’m a private citizen in America.  Or so one would think.  There’s endless commentary about how people like me don’t do enough.  Americans love to talk all day about privacy and talk can be cheap.  Facing the realities of a growing surveillance state that likes to masquerade as the land of the free is troubling.  So can facing the reality your favorite punk rock festival is using public space for profit in under served neighborhoods.  I’m more concerned about white dad rock masquerading as punk.  But insecure men would rather lash out at the me too movement than rock the boat.  You pick your battles right?  Generally when I’ve been the one to stand up to things it’s been about not moving backwards in terms of progressive beliefs.  I believe in a woman’s right to choose.  I got targeted on the street all summer because of it by Christians who thought it was ok to bring it to my face.  I didn’t get a medal and I sure as fuck didn’t really get a pat on the back.  I still have my secret support systems but I don’t have the luxury any more of hiding from who I am and what I believe.  I often stand by myself and what I believe and suffer for it.  Or worse it gets hijacked, misunderstood, and misrepresented by someone’s interpretation of what I’m trying to say.  And I sit here every Saturday morning wondering if I’ve made any progress in being happy at all.  

After failing so much in everything you get a little tired of falling for the same old tricks.  The personal is the most political you can be and I have years of resistance to draw from.  Nobody ever wants me to be me even after all the passionate posts on the internet about what I believe.  It goes nowhere.  There are people who do understand and people I trust.  But the reality in America is that is few and far between in public space.  The propaganda that we’re all free is largely based on some huge stipulations.  Money is one of them.  I work for a non profit.  You can do the math.  It feels like everything that the Left wanted me to be based on critique is largely ignored unless I have my wallet out.  And even then I’ve been happier being less liberal with my money in places where it isn’t respected.  I guess I could run away to Hong Kong and start over.  The irony of that is pretty funny right now.  I haven’t talked to that side of the family in a while since I’ve been off Facebook.  I haven’t left the country since I came back from China, Korea and Japan by myself since the first summit between Moon Jae-in and the other guy.  I don’t know that I feel very safe leaving the country.  I don’t feel very safe leaving my house these days.  So do I shrivel up and waste away hoping somebody will save me.  What have I done to deserve all this I’m not sure.  I’ve spent over three years clocking in hundreds of miles running around desolate and abandoned areas of Chicago.  What am I really afraid of at this point?  Dying alone and forgotten?  I feel dead inside already every day.  I have no hope any of this will change no matter how much we sit and argue about it.  Nobody does anything.  Nobody is out there with me other than the people close to my heart.  Nobody invites me to a special club other than me at my kitchen table on a Saturday morning.  For all the good I’ve done I’m still the first person to scapegoat as ‘problematic’ after all these years.  And I can’t even profit off it on the internet?  That’s a joke.  If listening to all these criticisms and taking them to heart got me where I am why do we still pay so much attention to Dave Chapelle’s career and for profit opinion?  I’m invisible.  Just like all the victims out there who are invalidated when somebody says they’re over reacting to sexual abuse and harassment.  I think America has enough problems that nobody wants to confront without us having an opinion about any other country’s sovereign dirty laundry.  And this is where I think we can all learn a little something about progress.  I got to where I am by believing in myself and resisting people’s judgements of who I am.  I got there by challenging my own perspective and growing into my own by putting my ideas into practice.  It hasn’t been easy.  It has been largely thankless and a complete mind fuck.  But I haven’t been alone as much as it seems.  People use so many words and get nowhere.  And then people learn how to communicate without ever opening their mouth.  People can say they love you all day long.  I’m always going to be out here showing you just how much it means to me regardless of who sees it and how they feel about it.  In that I err on the side of consistency.  If that makes me a loser I’m happy with the results.  <3 Tim

[stilljumpingback]

(via Episode 203 - XI)

BLACK SAILS EPISODE 203 - XI REVIEW

WELL-FORMED THOUGHTS

Miranda:  In my experience, there is an inverse relationship between the degree of one’s happiness and the concern one suffers for what the neighbors think.

Miranda:  I think you’re someone who’s very good at managing how you’re perceived, and perhaps getting what you want without anyone knowing how you did it, or perhaps if it ever happened at all.  Perhaps– James:  Don’t tell me propriety has worked its evils on you too, now. Miranda:  I was going to say that perhaps you’re more concerned with whether or not people talk about what you and I may be doing behind closed doors more than with what we actually are doing.

Thomas and Miranda offer James a world in which one can take the things that make one happy without worrying if it is the “proper” thing to do.  At that time (and this time, honestly) an open marriage was something to be feared, scorned, or punished.  Yet Miranda knows James well enough to see that he isn’t as interested in social conventions as his naval uprightness implies.  She sees some of the “darkness” and “wildness” that was shown to us in the last episode.  But where those qualities were condemned by Hennessey, Miranda encourages them.  She invites him to leave propriety behind and take what will make him happy.  The fact that we see them so unhappy together in the present day makes us ask all sorts of questions that I cannot wait to see answered.

FRAGMENTED THOUGHTS

I’m still in love with Thomas’s confidence that the problem in Nassau is not the pirates but the corrupt governors.  His idealism is so sexy!

James’s realism is also sexy, but that’s because James is still looking so good in these flashbacks.

James:  Put a man on an island, give him power over other men, and it won’t be long before he realizes the limits of that power are nowhere to be seen.

Silver is officially popular!  The scene where Dooley insists that they return to Nassau despite the incredible danger of sailing into harbor in a Spanish ship seems to imply that the democratic pirate government is flawed.  A popular vote, after all, allows dumb men to make potentially devastating decisions.  If their captain were anyone but Flint, I think I’d be suspicious of this.  As it is, I’m all for Flint as Pirate King…it’s a little unnerving how much I’ve drunk from his Koolaid.

Vane’s men need better wigs.

I loved seeing Miranda and Eleanor together!  It must be weird for Eleanor to see evidence of Flint’s domesticity and to hear him called “James.”  She’s SUPER suspicious of the power Miranda seems to hold over Flint, and while that’s warranted, I’m still annoyed at how rude she was at implying Miranda is unremarkable.

Miranda:  Every man has his torments, demons born of past wrongs that hound and harass him.  You perceive the effects of Captain Flint’s demons, echoes of their voices.  But I know their names.  I was there when they were born.  I know the things they whisper to him at night.  So you can believe me when I tell you that within his chorus of torments none of them look or sound like me.

The scene between Max and Vane is beautiful.  Her suppressed fear of him is so sad considering the last night she saw him, he was letting him men abuse and assault her.  Max seems to be implying that it is weak of Vane to want to protect Eleanor from Ned Lowe, but like, Ned is a brutal psychopath?  I don’t think you have to still be hopelessly in love with someone to not want to see them raped and tortured (though…he totally is).  “I found a way to stop caring about her.  Would you like to know how?”  “No.”

Eme and the other former slaves are working and finding places in Nassau!

UM, I too would invite myself into James’s apartment if he answered the door shirtless and with messy hair.  This is a painful scene in some ways, though, as the power dynamic between James and the Hamiltons is driven home.  He is so obviously pained at her attempts to compliment his small and undecorated room.  Later, we see class rearing its head again when he says the Hamiltons are wealthy and secure enough to scorn propriety – James doesn’t have that luxury.

They are SUPER good at flirting.  Wow, their faces!

Fandom seems very married to the idea that Vane is Loyalty Personified, but I don’t really see it.  In this episode, he restores Jack and Anne to influence, abandoning loyalty to the crew they murdered, and NOT because of loyalty to them, but because he got him what he wanted from Max.  Which!  I love!  Because I like my Black Sails characters morally complex.  But why is fandom so determined to see a Vane that I cannot?

As Flint remembers his past with Miranda, it inspires him to make a gesture of reconciliation by bringing La Galatea to her.  But when he arrives at her house and sees her giving piano lessons, it’s clear that there is no place for him there.  He leaves the book instead, and my heart breaks because he cannot have everything that he wants.

Ned Lowe is DEAD, and I rejoice!  Vane is such a badass, and I was very impressed by his subtle dig implying that Ned not only will submit to Vane (“you know your place”), but that he’s one of the only captains that will do so.  This scene plays out so beautifully, leading us to assume that Ned has the upper hand, but Vane was playing him all along!  I’m so impressed that this show had the balls to kill off such a charismatic, terrifying character after just three episodes.  It shows that they know how strong their central characters truly are.

After seeing Ned’s head on a stick, Eleanor goes to Vane to reward him with sex.  WAH WAH.  I mean, honestly, half of me is annoyed by this trope, but the other half of me is genuinely touched.  This is the most intimate they’ve been during and after sex, and the fact that Vane watches her sleep does things to my heart. I am NOT a believer in their relationship as something healthy, but there’s just enough good there to convince us why they would keep returning to each other.

Speaking of surprisingly lovely sex scenes, Anne’s mostly unspoken invitation for Jack to join her and Max is really sweet.  Despite Max wanting to get between Anne and Jack (“did he see you come up?”), Anne refuses to play these power games and goes for everything she wants.  And in asking for everything, she gives up everything, disrobing for the first time.  It’s a vulnerable moment for anyone, but especially for Anne, who lets Max (and us) see her back full of scars for the first time.

Flint’s final speech resonates VERY hard after knowing some things that are going to happen to him in the near future:  “I know how you must feel, how desperate you must be to go home and be embraced by Nassau again.  But I’m here to tell you, that place no longer exists.  It has been taken from us by a madman, held hostage by threat of force that no one on the island seems able to resist…Nassau was unable to resist him, but we have yet to have our say.”

[sole-cuore-amore-e-droga]

Tel Aviv 2019: Straight outta Czech Republic to Eurovision with an unexpected geographical sight name

Another year, another Czech attempt at a national final that wasn’t televised also BUT this time we got some excitement announcements out of them - even if they were blatantly boring, kind of.

Keep in mind though that I know that the revamp's out, BUT this whole review is just me reviewing the version we all witnessed back when ESCZ hit. The one and only.

So the NF’s here because we saw Mikolas succeed from it the last time (eventhough it’s just a secret internal selection for just the Mikolas’s song and there’s no no denying hihihi), right? And thanks to that we got pseudo-official-but-not-so-official hotel music videos of each contestant’s songs just in case they decide to... like... change it for something different. Like those lyric videos last year. Eventhough they looked so very lowbudget this year, I still liked them to some degree, and eventually I had to witness this one video (set in presumably mostly the living room) where the lead singer confettis all over himself win this year (well not really the video as much as I only got to first hear that song on ESCRadio hahaha). Well, just the lead singer of it. As the buddies were on the other official video (the one I’ll talk about in my revamps update I guess but has anything changed other than the singer singing one of his talking parts?). As a whole the Czech entrants this year are known as Lake Malawi (it exists) and “Friend of a Friend” is their A-game! Let’s listen!

I liked it ever since my first acknowledgence(??) of it through ESCRadio. It reminded me of those happy-clappy 80s synth sounds (eventhough the 80s songs were mostly about gloom and doom), somehow somewhat mixed in with a bit of that ‘modern’ synthpop sound from the British music scene (Years & Years maybe? Nah that’d be too far-fetched). The lyrics, while cheap enough, at least paint a bit of a picture? I don’t think the person in the song was “making love” to his ‘old’ neighbouress back when she was 13, anyway. She’s, afterall, the “friend of a friend”. Who is a friend of a friend. Who is a friend of a friend. Who is a friend of a friend’s COUSIN~

The thing is that some songs out here are enjoyable besides their lyrical content. Or even without the singer’s background (still looking at those who’re shading Sheppard’s family business - shut up and enjoy “Geronimo” in peace, geez!). I, for example, jammed to RiRi’s “S&M” for my lifetime - yes, even since when it got big, and the pop music was being made to sound trashy, and not like something that sounds too somber and ‘foggy’, and with lyrics from r/im14andthisisdeep, and then later slapped on those a e s t h e t i c moodboards with tulips and liquid (of colour blue/red) splashed onto them to make it loof more effective, and placed in front of a yellow background on a white table. I miss late 2000s-early 2010s pop a whole lot, because at least it had fathomable-to-the-ear hits of the time - cheap, fast food, techno melodies with overproduction and lyrics that actually mean something more intimate and grotesque (with sometimes even hinting to the love surface) - that was the shit. Now it’s just drowsy stuff with blurry melodies and lamentings of lost love and devotion in an equally slurry, pathetic, vocal whine. I’m so tired of it. It’s unsettling. Get it off me. And thankfully, none of that invades this small little bubble of Eurovision’s just as of now (unlike the other pathetic musical cliche of nowadays that’s Soundcloud rap - ‘thanks’ a lot USNK). And I guess I shouldn’t be blessed that Lake Malawi brings this “this bangs but the lyrics are... a choice, but it still bangs so idc” back onto Eurovision? Like, come on, we all have had such kinds of songs like those all of that time. From “I Can’t Go On” (a man being a slut for love???) to countless of national final shlocks made by these usual suspects from rent-a-songwriter corner, ESPECIALLY in the 00s, to some of those actual 00s entries that made it - so stupid to sing along to, yet so infectious you can’t drag your earworm out of your ear canals just now. What does “Friend of a Friend” have for itself? Keyboard melody in the 2nd half of the chorus that is easily stuck in MY head, with a female voice (I assume it’s the song’s protagonist’s subject of speech - the neighbourina herself) reassuring that “[she’s] only [his] friend” - not in a “haha I’m friendzoning you forever >:)” way, but “ehhhh there’s truly nothing between us as he says, we’re just friends, not lovers, don’t give me that look” way. Sure it’s believable, sure. It might as well turn out that these neighbours are indeed doing the same thing as in all those local anecdotes where a family’s mother or father has an affair with a next-door neighbour for shits and giggles to move the joke’s plot forward.

So it is, as a whole, a fun little throwback-ish piece of fine and smooth music, accompanied with the lead singer’s ‘British’ ‘accent’ (aha so this is why I get a lot of British radio vibes from this - not to mention, tropical beach ones too for some reason!), some sort of spoken dialogue, energy and the ability to raise you up from your seat the 45875th time you’re actually giving in to all of this. You know you want to, despite this song possibly not being your cup of tea. But I see you, and I look forward to seeing you bopping to this fully in May, no matter if this isn’t Mikolas you’re dealing with anymore, and no camel spaghetti. Ahw yeah!

Approval factor: Although it’s also slowly wearing off me like it already wore off everyone else back then, I’m still giving it one hell of an approval. Yay!

Follow-up factor: I definitely like it more than “Lie to Me” as well. Somewhat. Honestly. Don’t bash me in secret.

Qualification factor: the naysayers are saying this will flop but imo they’re mostly just upset that Barbora didn’t go (even if they were only still upset back in the say), STILL. Ugh can’t they just leave. I am positive about this song’s chances somewhat, just hoping it gets a really memorable and stand out staging and maybe it will escape this hellhole of its semi. Not very confident, just positive. (Also they rocked the Vidbir stage so hard even the uncomfortable question queen Dramala couldn’t not give in the dance, lolz.)

NATIONAL FINAL BONUS

Honestly, the best possible thing that came out of this NF was the oh-so-unexpectedly-expected winner choice, and it is like this because, yet again, people couldn’t get over Barbora losing at first, to which I’m like “to be quite honest, you were all into it because that’s the closest thing to Lana del Rey you’d ever get in Eurovision because Lana herself is American and America should NOT set their foot into ESC... besides, she wouldn’t probably do it anyways”. ESCZ wasn’t pretty bad of a NF honestly:

• people actually laughed at the fact every single video of this NF is so low-budget that it looked like it was all filmed in the same hotel room! (in reality I’m just jealous at the slick-ass hotels they’ve had on there, feels like someone’s house more than a hotel actually)

• Pam Rabbit, one of Mikolas’s last year’s backings, brought the second-best NF song this year imo (Barbora for me is likeable but not to THAT degree, lol calm yer tits), as it was a lowkey bop and I can’t not appreciate one!

(her officially official MV is here but in the spirit of this NF’s, you’re gonna have to subject yourself to this above in order to witness spectacular budget-MVs that happened for this NF especially, come on. Hardly a cool NF without its own little perks!)

• Fine, I’ll bring up Barbora Mochowa too. I gotta say she DOES sound like Queen Bee Lana, same to say on her earlier works which, among them, has one enchanting and haunting forest-like ballad. “True Colors”, her ESCZ entry, is just a pop ballad, which is not THAT bad, it’s just that... did y’all see any more in that song beyond the Lana vocals? Sure sure the melody is pleasant but... did ya?

(Lord alive, she also has a live video for this song on her channel, which is in fact the ESCZ’s unplugged version video!)

• The ex-ESC entrant jury is back for another year! This time though, the votes of all of the participants in it were all up and public (unlike secrety mcsecret ones from 2018 where I’m not even sure if the Eurojury panel was correct), and most of them were #TeamMalawi or #TeamBarbora... up until AWS (yes AWS are relevant enough for their own panel!), being the “wait do we still have to do Eurovision related things??? it’s sooooo 1 year ago already, let us go goddammit!!” type of participants that they are, totally and utterly half-arsing their own experience in there by 12ing Andrea Holá. The thing is that she’s first alphabetically from the artists so that’s probably the best possible theory why. “GIVE ME A HINT, ANDREA!!!”

• The best part? The NF itself taking place in the second floor of an abandoned warehouse somewhere in Czech Republic (Czechia go to hell), in the middle of the day, with no live performances, just that video above played in full motion and some random people speaking in between. Silly of them to leak my ideal NF design location if I ever were a Lithuanian HoD. And yes, it was streamed on Facebook, the platform that I can barely play livestreams on my 11-year-old laptop on, while suspiciously enough, it worked for FiK 56... which meant that I was barely able to grasp a screenshot but I managed!

Well of course I didn’t get to watch much but after someone said Lake Malawi (or, in their words, Lake Malala <333) won, I almost believed it until I found out that the show’s still going... and only saw the thing on the projection screen later out of nowhere. IDK who’s hugging who and if that audience on the right are all the participants then I may have an idea but for now IDK. Ahh, relevant video media being projected on projection screens (duh) <33 giving San Marino, Albania’s Powerpoint scoreboards and Belgian 2013 radio NF runs for their money.

I might find mistakes and off-the-wall blabbers in this write-up later but for now I’ll carelessly submit this beauty to Tumblr today and wish the best of luck to Lake Malawi in Tel Aviv! May you qualify for the 2nd year in a row for CZ ^^

[punkscowardschampions]

Jimmy & Janis

Jimmy: Alright Janis: Not bad, boy Janis: you? Jimmy: Happy to be at work. Says it Jimmy: 🎻🎻🎻 full orchestra Janis: 😨 Christ Janis: assuming you're not just buzzin' to see your fave GILFs, what's the drama? Jimmy: 3 guesses, mate Jimmy: 1 clue, he's a top dickhead Janis: he's a child and you're rude Janis: jk bobs Janis: my number one fan, how's tricks Jimmy: he's #buzzing that we're back to being #goals like Jimmy: expects me to get the cake and bunting in every time he gets a new lass through the door though Janis: obvs its a competition and you ain't trying hard enough Janis: can't win though, cass said you were bringing him down before so what's he want like Jimmy: I've already won, me. Sorry dad but there's the reality Jimmy: Such a twat Jimmy: If you wanted me to date the other twin it's too late to register your vote Janis: Forreal Janis: the LDR might not last but can't be banking on it now Jimmy: Every time he pops his head round me door I keep thinking he's gonna wheel out my ex Jimmy: Having driven back up north to remind me of what I loved and lost Janis: Ha Janis: I mean, not the girl you need to be looking for, wanna get real about it Jimmy: Can't be getting real, can he? Jimmy: Unless its about me then he's gonna fill his boots Janis: What would he know about it Janis: 'less you're doing his job, when's he ever been arsed Jimmy: always time for a bit of father son criticism naturally Jimmy: makes the paid slog go with more of a swing Janis: what a prick Janis: wanna fake breakup? Jimmy: No Jimmy: Why should he get what he wants Janis: Shouldn't but idc about him Janis: if it gets him off your back then don't mind Jimmy: experience knows its not that easy Jimmy: gonna be something most days Jimmy: I packed a bag so many times when you were away only to figure I had nowhere I could actually go Jimmy: Or especially take Cass and Bobs along to Jimmy: nowt to do but unpack it again Janis: It's shit, babe Janis: you'll have somewhere one day but for now Janis: you wanna go somewhere after work Jimmy: I do Jimmy: only thing getting through this shift was reckoning you'd say that Jimmy: and needing money to get far Janis: 'course Janis: don't count as running if you come too right Jimmy: No problems with us both legging it Jimmy: as long as I can keep up 🚭 Janis: good, be shit if i fucked up my streak already, like Janis: can't be that loser Janis: can but try, mate Jimmy: 💪😎🏆 Jimmy: Challenge accepted as many times as it gets laid down Jimmy: 👌 Janis: stoptober the real challenge 😏😂 Jimmy: Funny Janis: I know Janis: s'been said Jimmy: But not the best track record at getting Twix to not do things Jimmy: So I'd need a better trainer if you were serious Janis: 😮 Janis: How dare you Janis: maybe I don't want her to stop Janis: clearly, I am that cunt, fucking with you and yours for the craic Jimmy: Life and times according to Pops Jimmy: As you said, what does he know Jimmy: you're just a piss poor trainer. Unlucky like Janis: 🖕 Janis: got you whipped like Jimmy: 😏 Jimmy: Likely story Janis: okay come thru with that denial Jimmy: It's genetic, mate Jimmy: Clearly foolproof Jimmy: 😒 Janis: Same Janis: awks when they're just bonding us further Jimmy: not mad about it Janis: he will be Janis: don't think any of mine are proper haters Janis: pablo, maybe but our bad Jimmy: and he's got no taste as shown for a full fortnight when those spanish lasses were here Jimmy: so if he don't like me I'm alright with it Janis: honestly 🙄 he's so...let's not even go there Janis: sure about that? Janis: idk if your ego can hack it, personally Jimmy: don't tar me with your brush, like Janis: just saying Janis: know it 💔 when you aren't fave Janis: i'm more than used to it, thanks mr. t Janis: needed cutting down, like 😜 Jimmy: I am where it matters Jimmy: Mr Lucas come through Janis: 😂 Janis: surprised he didn't find a reason to chaperone Janis: like bitch you ain't languages Jimmy: I bet he tried his hardest Jimmy: Would've def found a way to swing it if they'd sent you to a Spanish location with a load of beaches and pools Janis: regret hitting so hard i gotta seduce him to add to the shitheap Janis: 😬 Jimmy: Was there an equivalent when you were over there or is he in a league of his own 💘 Jimmy: Might dedicate my next artsy endeavor to him get those top marks Janis: truly one of a kind Janis: suck up Janis: not bitter i'm being replaced or nowt Jimmy: only in his dreams am I Jimmy: 💕 Janis: 🤢 shut uppppppp Jimmy: fancy helping me with the project yourself then? Jimmy: Less time on my knees and more in front of a lens Janis: what you doing Jimmy: Still in the planning stages cause my POV shifted from 💔 back to 💕 Jimmy: But we aren't busy and I've got plenty of napkins here to figure it out with Janis: Your teach is welcome, saving her from your angst 😉 Janis: cool though, help how i can Jimmy: And me from getting the piss taken by the rest of the class Jimmy: #blessed Jimmy: On the subject of angst though, how's Gracie? Janis: You know they'd lap that shit up Janis: basic bitches i 👀 you Janis: She's alright, he's as highkey so they're making it work Jimmy: Cute Jimmy: Better not be coming for our brand and fans 👀 her Janis: No danger Janis: even if I've pulled a Sinead and you're past your prime Janis: still got it, kids Jimmy: 😂 Jimmy: still a decent muse, you Janis: Oh you Janis: not doing nude for free Janis: 😏 Jimmy: Alright Jimmy: I won't bin the job off yet then Janis: Probably don't Janis: shit fit your dad would have if nothing else Jimmy: nothing he does, says or thinks has any impact on me, don't worry Janis: 👍 like Janis: but if you put that on a phonecase the flat whites would buy it, just FYI Jimmy: Anything for a good earner Jimmy: Need petrol never mind them pricey nudes of yours Janis joined the chat 101 minutes ago Janis: listen, i can go twos on the petrol but i can't budge with the nudes, like Jimmy: 👍 Jimmy: stick to your guns, mate Janis: get disowned by rio if i did it fo free Jimmy: We can't have that. You're the one with the decent fam Janis: Let's not get carried away Janis: they don't actively hate you, s'a start but they aren't the fucking... Janis: I'd say waltons but like Janis: was that not the goal Jimmy: 😂 Jimmy: Your nan started something and your ma was like, challenge accepted Jimmy: Can't fault her for it Janis: Competetive Janis: least I got enough sibs I don't need to come for the title next, like Jimmy: Gotta go the other way and get a different one, like Janis: that's the plan Janis: like I have one but you know Jimmy: We both want to get out of here. Done Janis: True Janis: Hold you to it Jimmy: Alright Janis: even if you're like married with kids Janis: homewrecking that shit 😂 deals a deal mate Jimmy: Who'd wanna marry this dickhead? Jimmy: The in-laws are so offputting an all Jimmy: You've got nowt to worry about Janis: Glad Janis: though I think you're alright, for the record Jimmy: 😎 Jimmy: You aren't too bad yourself Janis: soppy prick Jimmy: cute dickhead Janis: don't take up poetry Janis: words aren't your strongsuit, also you'd be more unbearable so Jimmy: told you before, strong silent type, me Janis: yeah, i know Janis: woulda ignored me for life Jimmy: You think? Janis: Yeah Janis: 😶 like Jimmy: not THAT strong, mate Janis: 💪 never tell your fans, like Jimmy: They probably know Janis: reckon? Jimmy: Is there anything they reckon they don't Janis: bunch of twats Janis: why's there no one decent 'round here Jimmy: Offensive Janis: You don't count Janis: ain't from 'round here, are you boy Jimmy: But I'm still stuck here for a bit Janis: I know Janis: sure there's nothing worse than the couple who only ever hang together Janis: #sooocringe #judgingyou Jimmy: Can't raise this 🐶 alone Jimmy: Sorry Janis: yeah, she ain't my only friend Janis: she's my fur baby Janis: 🤢 Jimmy: #socringe #actuallyjudgingyounowthough Janis: shut up you started it 😂 Jimmy: you gonna finish it then? Janis: too soon 😉 Jimmy: 😏 Janis: such a dick Janis: hardly surprising we're stuck with each other Jimmy: hardly gutting either like Janis: 🤷 had worse Jimmy: Me too Jimmy: Sorry to slander your fave, dad but Janis: Distance ain't made the heart grow fonder? Janis: awks, don't tell Gracie Jimmy: Only if I feel like being a dick Jimmy: So might do Janis: please do Janis: having to be uncharacteristically nice atm Jimmy: Done then Jimmy: If you wanna be uncharacteristically nice to me I'm due a break soon Janis: Hmm Janis: tough ask Janis: see if I've got it in me, like Jimmy: 👌 Jimmy: Keep me informed of your process, like Janis: fucking perv Jimmy: 😇 Jimmy: keep that to yourself, got fans to think of Janis: that i can do Jimmy: Alright Jimmy: Good Janis: yeah Janis: not like i got ulterior motives of my own Jimmy: Obviously not Janis: 😇 Janis: never believe you anyway Jimmy: I can be convincing when I want though Janis: prove it Jimmy: get yourself over here and I will Janis: okay Janis: really make the most of those 15 minutes Jimmy: Done deal Janis: did i tell you i missed you Jimmy: yeah but I don't mind hearing it a second time Jimmy: or third Jimmy: or as many times as you want to tell me Janis: ambitious Janis: see how many we can fit in Jimmy: challenge accepted Janis: 🥇 Jimmy: if I told you I want you I'll say it again Janis: still feels unreal so Janis: take it Jimmy: You're gonna feel how real it is, don't worry Janis: fucking hell Janis: rude of the real world to exist and take you from me Jimmy: I won't go back Jimmy: Like I care Janis: You gotta Janis: this is how addictions start 😏 Janis: think of the plan Jimmy: Damn Jimmy: Alright Janis: I know, buzzkill Jimmy: What are you doing tonight? Janis: Fuck all unless you gonna change that Jimmy: We'll make the most of your drive idea Jimmy: Find somewhere we can be alone for longer than 15 minutes Janis: Good 'cos I need you Jimmy: I need you too Janis: How stupid, 16 years without it and I was chillin' Janis: now, any time I'm not with you I'm frustrated as fuck 😣 Jimmy: 🥇 Jimmy: that's the only victory I proper want Janis: you got it Janis: and me Jimmy: I love you Janis: I love you