#we stan eleven for loving them

[milliebugydementia]

i love nonverbal eleven so much like yessss girl say nothing. it's always like "what did you see?" "who's going to die?" "what did you do?" my mysterious autistic angel. my beautiful cryptic princess tell them NOTHING

[yarameijer]

Tsurugi: Under the Weather

The first thing his brother says to him when he steps into the kitchen is, "You don't look so well."

The words are accompanied by the caring, concerned expression that Yuuichi has always worn whenever Kyousuke showed even the smallest sign of not being in perfect health.

"I'm okay," Kyousuke says, dutifully letting Yuuichi come up to him and lay a hand on his forehead. In truth, he is feeling tired despite getting a full night's sleep, but it's not too bad. "Promise, nii-san."

Yuuichi purses his lips, giving his brother a considering look, and then a quick nod. "Alright, if you're sure. Call me if you get worse."

That's an easy promise and Kyousuke soon finds himself at Raimon Jr. High, changing into his soccer uniform and stepping out onto the field for morning training.

It goes well enough, but the same can't be said for afternoon practice. The noise of the last bell ringing out at the end of the school day is enough to make Kyousuke wince. His growing headache does not appreciate the sound, and the light of the sun sends painful stabs through his skull when he steps onto the soccer field.

He stops in place, one hand going up to his head.

"Tsurugi?"

Oh, right. He'd been talking with Tenma before he so suddenly stopped moving. "Headache," he grimaces. It's annoying, especially because he was fine when walking from school to the soccer building.

"Oh." Tenma is suddenly talking a lot softer, and a second later there's a careful touch to his shoulder. "Come on, I think you should sit down."

Tenma guides him to the bench and Kyousuke gratefully sits down, trying to ignore the sudden dizziness he feels. Being sick sucks. It's gonna make him miss soccer practice.

"I think you should go home for today," Tenma says, still keeping his voice low enough that it doesn't worsen Kyousuke's headache. "You're very pale."

"I'm always pale," he shoots back dryly and it gets an amused sound out of Tenma. "You're right though. I'll call my-"

"Nuh-uh," Tenma interrupts him. "You just sit here and relax. I've got this." And he's gone before Kyousuke can stop him.

Part of Kyousuke wants to be stubborn, but he's still dizzy and getting up sounds like an impossible task. Maybe, for once, he doesn't have to look out for himself. Maybe he can depend on someone else.

It's a couple of minutes later that Tenma returns to his side, a soft smile on his face that reminds him of how his brother looked that morning. He offers him a bottle of water which Kyousuke gratefully takes, only now realizing how thirsty he is.

"I called Yuuichi-san and I told coach you're feeling ill. He said he could drive you home so you won't have to take the bus, is that okay?" Tenma tells him, and despite how poorly he's feeling, Kyousuke can't help the smile curling on his lips, mumbling a soft thanks. "No problem. Get well soon, okay? We'll miss you at practice!"

With friends like this, Kyousuke doesn't doubt it.

[rosemallowss]

some thoughts

Obviously, people have probably analyzed the hell out of this poem already, or it's incredibly obvious, but I just cannot get over the parallels between Bill Cipher and Stanley here so here are my ramblings for myself when I originally read the poem.

As we learn more of Bill's backstory, the hatred he has for Stan goes deeper, not just because Bill is upset that a "lower life form" has defeated him, but because he's deeply envious that the both of them "always dragged his family down", "couldn't outrun life's regrets", and yet only one of them got a happy ending: reunited with a family who loves him despite his mistakes, able to reverse one of his own deepest regrets, ie. pushing Ford through the portal after just getting him back. Bill likely always dragged his family down with his ability to see the third dimension, as the book and website implies that no one in Euclydia were exactly fond of his abilities, nor did they take him seriously, and they tried to quell his power. (He's basically like Viktor from The Umbrella Academy, but I digress I have not seen the new season). "One mistake, disowned, denied", their paths differ here, but Stan's mistake- ruining Ford's school project accidentally, and Bill's- massacring an entire dimension in the process of attempting to get them all to see what he sees.

We know Stanley's whole life of hiding and changing his identity. Bill goes to "reinvent, retry, reload" throughout dimensions.

"A girdle, eyepatch, fathers fez, / 'I'm a new man!' so he says,": With new info from the website, we can also guess that Bill's top hat, where he keeps the molecules of Euclydia in, once belonged to his father. They both "couldn't outrun life's regrets," and both are con mans in their own right of course, Bill is sketchy and makes deals to manipulate people. He’s a new man once he takes his dad’s top hat!

"When you've lost track of your lies / When the poison starts to rise / When the walls are closing in / When its clear you cannot win / When your actions make it worse / When they see you as a curse," sheesh, Bill is really projecting here. Even his lies are lies. It's funny how Bill really sees himself in both of the Stan twins. With Stanley he seems to project what he hates most about himself onto him in terms of mistakes, failures, and permanently altering his and his loved ones' lives forever, again showing why he despises Stan the most. Despite all of that, Stan got the life that Bill couldn't get back. With Ford, they both have a genetic abnormality, and level of genius and personality that no one else could relate to, making them both outcasts.

"You think you left the past behind / But trust me / I'm still on your mind." By the way, if Bill was still in his mind while his memories were getting erased, and Stan is getting those memories back, that implies that Bill can reform whole again, right? But anyway, these last few lines don't seem to apply to Stan as much as it does to Bill. His dead universe is always on his mind no matter what. Bill's story is so fascinating to me. He's been my favorite villain since I was eleven, so to expand upon him feels awesome. Book of Bill coming out has made me feel like a giddy little kid again who was screaming when she found out that there was a secret flashing of an image once the GF intro ended.

Stanley Pines, the conman clown,

Always dragged his family down.

One mistake, disowned, denied,

Only thing to do was hide.

One way out: the open road.

Reinvent, retry, reload.

A girdle, eyepatch, fathers fez,

"I'm a new man!" so he says

Couldn't outrun life's regrets,

Just kept placing bigger bets.

Changed his haircut, switched hotels-

Truth is just whatever sells.

When you've lost track of your lies,

When the poison starts to rise,

When the walls are closing in,

When its clear you cannot win,

When your actions make it worse,

When they see you as a curse,

Give the wheel one last spin,

Take your chips and go all in,

And Lucky Stan- the roll's on black,

He got his life and family back.

His big break, it finally came,

Redemption from a life of shame.

You really think you won the day.

You packed your bags and sailed away.

You think you left the past behind.

But trust me

I'm still on your mind.

[wheeler-fan]

since everyone are yapping at me for "misunderstanding Mike's character" bc i don't ship byler, then I'm gonna show to u how i see both ships rn

byler- i love them, i love their dynamic, Will makes Mike feel better about himself, he makes him feel needed and seen, it's not surprising for me that so many people ship them, but it has one thing that doesn't feel right for me - mike doesn't love him back in the same way (imo😭🙏🏻). he loves eleven- and people are getting mad bc with her mike feels that he's not enough and with Will he feels that he is a hero for someone, but still he loves eleven, it's just works like that, sometimes we love someone even if we don't feel that well around them- love doesn't choose the time or person, sometimes people just fall in love and there's nothing we can do with that. If mike would choose his interest basing on who makes him feel better about himself then byler would be canon, but my son is just in love- he cares about her, he thinks "what if she's lowing her standards to be with me and I'm still annoying her bc I'm not enough??" and that's what hurts me so bad as a mike wheeler stan, i ship him with eleven because i see that they love each other but have some issues what have to be fixed immediately 😰 and byler would be a healthier ship if not the fact that mike not feel the same- and even better, he doesn't know that Will feels like that! (imo! don't eat me for this)

Will feels bad with the fact that he loves Mike- do you think that it's only bc he's in love with his best friend? no, he knows that it's one sided, that mike loves someone else, that if he'll do a coming out, he will be rejected anyway, this is something what makes the situation even harder for him, because being in love with a guy, who's not just some random guy but his best friend is already hard enough. This love triangle is so complicated and for what 😭😭

[3collecurei]

Homestucktober 2023 (1-5)

1) Patron Troll

Seer gang rise up ✊🏽 (I'd done two classpect tests since 2012 and both times I was a Seer, my aspect just changed from Void to Doom which isn't a good sign lol...although the one I just tried from 4chan is telling me I'm a Page of Void now...I mean I'll take it because it's an aspect I've gotten before but I'm not really trying to be Jake or Tavros out here they both got so screwed over lol)

Anyway if she were my actual patron in a game session I'd be fucking terrified because of what she puts John and Dave through but also probably laughing my ass off at her antics and impressed by her intense sensing ability despite the blindness

2) Favorite Beta Kid

Dave Strider is much needed comedic relief in such a tragic tale and his ramblings are often as deeply philosophical as they are deeply ridiculous. I don't even have the right words to describe all this character has done for me. I'm in love with the Time aspect even though it's probably the last aspect I'd be assigned to because I think Time players have to deal with the multiplicity of the self the most out of everyone (except maybe Space players), and what a fucking difficult thing that must be. I will always wonder how he managed to spend IIRC weeks in the game whereas for everyone else it was just 24 hours (and of course Davesprite spending IIRC four months trying to fix his doomed session...my heart)

3) Favorite Beta Troll

(IIRC the beta trolls are technically the dancestors but I just call the original 12 the betas sometimes because they deal with the beta kids and we meet them first. Anyway)

Again I don't have words enough to describe what Karkat has done for me. Karkat rounding up and trying to lead eleven other insane motherfuckers and losing his cool often but almost always asserting, in his way, that it's because he deeply cares. You really see this in Act 6 Post Murderstuck when we find him in Openbound and he's obviously dealing with the weight of having failed at leadership so hard that over half of his teammates are dead. It probably took him a while of raging at how long the meteor trip would be (and upset Sollux didn't stay after "dying" in front of him again) before the sadness set in, but if there's one thing Karkat isn't, it's afraid of emotion. Also the PCG, CCG, FCG conversations remain some of my favorites in the entire canon, especially the one where FCG berates CCG for "wanting [Terezi] in every quadrant like a desperate fool." If there's one thing I can relate to about Karkat it's that I will also always read past me for filth even if it's hard. I use it as a form of self pruning and improvement and eventually I think FCG gets that too.

4) Favorite Alpha Kid

It was Dirk for a long time until maybe the last year or two, but I realized after re-reading the Epilogues that relating to him as much as I do is probably really bad lol, but Roxy was always a close second. Obsessed with the fact that the wild alcoholic, who one might think would be the worst team member because of that, instead sobers up and fully embodies John's role as the "friendleader" which is why I think they end up getting along so well. Despite the obstacles Roxy is full of love for their friends, and with friends like the people who they end up becoming in the Epilogues, you gotta hand it to them for their persistence. Considering that they were in a Void session their positivity throughout was pretty amazing to me, also shout out to them for fully embracing Calliope's skull appearance and finding them beautiful anyway. Alien love wins

5) Favorite Alpha Troll

Okay but can we talk about the fact that she ends up alive??? As a huge stan of hers since we started seeing her I was fucking living my best life lol I can't hate it whatsoever even though it was at John's expense 😭 Meenah's one of the most determined characters in the entire thing fr, she really said "fuck being dead for millions of years after isolating myself on the moon to avoid responsibility, now I want all the responsibility, all of it." Fully meets Karkat again in Candy and is like "lemme reverse what HIC did and use my ancient Queen powers to benefit the mutant," imo an incredible foil to her future self even though they're very much the same troll and speak pretty much exactly the same. Fish puns are hysterical to me most of the time, her unwavering dedication to the shtick 4x as hard as Feferi did it and editing/improving ones she doesn't like in the middle of her sentences 😂 I cosplayed as her at AX 2013 and had a blast, except for that Cronus cosplayer who tried to hit on me in character, I had no idea what to do lmao

[luftballoonit]

BIT Part One

Some thoughts on the first three chapters of IT, for the IT Bookclub! These first three chapters did such an excellent job of setting up everything. @bit-club already said as much in their notes, but it is really amazing how the themes, characters, and setting are laid out with such detail and foreshadowing in these early chapters. 

After the Flood (1957)

I love this chapter. When I first read IT a few years ago, I was instantly hooked by this first chapter. I don’t think I’m wrong in saying the scene with the storm drain is iconic. 

These lines stood out to me, primarily for their personification of the flood: 

“Stenciled across each of the horses was DERRY DEPT. OF PUBLIC WORKS. Beyond them, the rain had spilled out of the gutters clogged with branches and rocks and big sticky piles of autumn leaves. The water had first pried fingerholds in the paving and then snatched whole greedy handfuls—all of this by the third day of the rains. By noon of the fourth day, big chunks of the street’s surface were boating through the intersection of Jackson and Witcham like miniature white-water rafts. By that time, many people in Derry had begun to make nervous jokes about arks.” (p.4)

If memory serves, this is the start of a motif. This town is being eaten away. Literally, in that It is feeding on its citizens, and figuratively in the way the town devours people who aren’t the white hetero Christian majority. The town is rotten, falling apart at the seams despite people’s efforts to ignore and slap bandages over the mess. 

Spoilers, but this is one detail of many in this chapter that wraps around to the end of the book. It begins and ends with a storm, only in the end, they really will need that ark for the storm that will cleanse Derry. 

After the Festival (1984)

A very brutal chapter, but necessary in showing the reader different perspectives on Derry and what it’s like. bit-club makes excellent points about the contrasting perspectives Derry’s residents have on the city, and people’s different ways of handling these perspectives. It is so common, so present and inescapable that people have learned to just accept It and willfully ignore what happens, if they don’t reject and try to leave the way Don Hagarty does.

Six Phone Calls (1985)

Stan’s chapter always makes me sad. That’s the point — it’s a tragedy, that this happy, loving, successful man is so terrified of the great evil he faced in childhood (the thing that he cannot comprehend, and therefore cannot accept and cope with as an adult) that he kills himself. I always wonder what Patty, his parents, and friends made of it. They had no idea what he went through, no idea why he would commit suicide. 

I never realized before, but the first thing Richie does is lie. He puts on a Voice to talk to Mike. This is a man for whom hiding, putting on a persona, is second nature. There is so much distance between the face (voice) Richie presents and the real him. 

“Because you made a promise when you were eleven? Kids don’t make serious promises when they’re eleven, for Christ’s sake!” (p.68)

I love this line. There’s this dismissal/disbelief around the things children believe and promise, but as King goes to show, kids’ promises can be some of the most true and powerful oaths there are. Children don’t worry about the logic or obligations of adulthood interfering. Also, it’s another thing that sets the Losers apart. The Losers are different. They’re adults, but they still hold to this promise they made to each other over two decades ago. 

I love Ben’s section, even if I don’t have anything particularly analytical to say about it. I love the look at his life we get through Ricky Lee’s eyes. It’s just chilling, how afraid Ben is and how he tells Ricky Lee he might be better off killing himself than going back to Derry. It continues to press how terrible and terrifying this horror they’re going home to is. 

Every time I read Bev and Bill’s sections, The Stranger by Billy Joel starts playing in my head. Bev fighting back and escaping Tom such a cathartic scene, but I love how Tom and Audra — two very different people, two very different spouses — recoil from the stranger their wife/husband become once the memories begin to return.

[00angelyoon]

“𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁.”

. “𝘂𝗹𝘁 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿”: seventeen, red velvet, aespa, twice, itzy, ive, (g)idle, txt, enha, xg and kiss of life.

. “𝗦𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲!” i just kinda fell in love with them all but hao first stuck out to me, like to quote myself no exaggeration, like on god when i first saw him i said “who is this handsome man.” that shit came out my mouth no hesitation. like with gose they were so fucking funny, i literally watch gose every single day. and their discography is just mwah.

. “𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘃𝗲𝘁.” just love em, like mothers. joy is my pfp (guess my bias). I’m listening to bad boy right now while writing this right now. their songs are perfect again just mwah like birthday and . and psycho are my songs. so so fun to watch the theories to their songs like a fav pastime of mine, can’t wait for their comeback.

. “𝗯𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗮𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗮.” wasn’t that interested in the beginning because of their concept like i knew they were talented but just don’t want people screaming “i love you naevis.” in my ear, but their new album “my world.” got me to listen to them again. right now i’m loving thirsty and spicy and now i can listen to the occasional illusion.this more of a group i like the members rather than the music like karina is literally my youtube account name and pfp.

. “𝗧𝘄𝗶𝗰𝗲.” just who doesn’t. like again mothers. their music is great, loving last waltz and push and pull and killin me good by jihyo is perfect. love the girls so so much sana and momo are my biases. they are just the group.

. “𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗜𝘁𝘇𝘆.” love these girls beyond your comprehension. yuna is my bias love her. the reason their lower on this list is because not loving their musical direction right now, like i adored their sound before cheshire dropped, like not shy, loco and in the morning just simply mwah. i’m liking none of my business and bratty right now but still love em, yuna just yuna.

. “𝗜’𝗩𝗘.” as you can see more of a gg stan but nonetheless we progress. have been here since debut for them i’ve (no pun intended.) stanned them since eleven. i’ve loved all of their songs except after like but love dive is my song. the girls are so sweet love em so so much. yunjin is mother.

. “𝗧𝗼𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄 𝗯𝘆 𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿.” i think i got really into them was anti romantic era like i knew them but didn’t stan them. love their discography. and the boys are so funny they give sibling energy beomgyu just exudes their concept so fucking well.

. “𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗼, 𝘄𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗘𝗻𝗵𝘆𝗽𝗲𝗻.” love the boys but wouldn’t call myself an engene as a black kpop stan they scare the fuck out of me. i really enjoy their music and i think they have the best discography in 4th gen boy groups right now, sunghoon is a prince.

. “Extraordinary girls.” they cute, Chisa is adorable. I can see them going really far. some of their songs are questionable however some of their songs are so adorable like left and right gives me 200s rnb vibes and new dance was song of the summer so good.

. “𝗞𝗶𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲.” as their quite new they are at the bottom but i’m loving their debut album, like sugarcoat by natty and love games by haneul are my some of my favourite songs right now , shh is like a power song, really loving how their concept and musical direction is looking right now. haneul reminds me of hoshi.

“also how fucking perfect is this it goes in order of my ults lol.”

(ps: all the people i mentioned are my biases in those groups)

[yuikomorii]

I remembered your DiaBoys as kpop artists memes and came to this conclusion:

Ayato is the Wonyoung of DL definitely and I don’t need to elaborate why. Like come on it’s obvious‼️ Shu is Yujin because popular but not very impactful and Subaru is Liz because a lot of his ‘stans’ aren’t actually his stans but only use his name to compare him to others and trash on other diaboys (not cool bro)

// This is low-key so accurate—😭😭

Shu is 100% the Yujin of DL. The stans are mostly chill and nice. I even think he got the friendliest stans in the Japanese DL fandom because I’ve never seen any of them say anything rude or bad and they’re always supportive of other characters. He got some token stans in the Western fandom too, but it’s the WESTERN FANDOM after all, where a bunch of people are toxic therefore I’m disappointed but not surprised. Also, I consider Yujin very impactful even if she’s not on Wonyoung’s level.

Most people who have Subaru as their number one bias are actually really sweet and unproblematic but I don’t get why he got so many token stans?? However, that is essentially the reason he is the Liz of DL. Token stans are the worst since they constantly whine about everything instead of supporting their faves or, even worse, they set them up. I swear, I've heard so many people say things like, "Liz was more popular than Wonyoung during Eleven and Love Dive era, but Starship dyed her hair black because they knew she would steal Wonyoung's hype," and that was so stupid because 1) maybe the hair color was her choice and 2) obviously she seemed more popular than Wonyoung, taking into account that people were too busy hating and degrading Wony in all possible ways for wearing a pink dress in the Eleven MV and showing FaVoRiTiSm. Don't get me wrong, Liz is very talented and beautiful, but I'll only say this in general: If your bias only gets to shine or appear favored when the most famous member is experiencing their hate phase, then hate to break it to you, but your bias is not actually the most popular, but rather the second choice OR their "fans" contributed to the most successful person's hatred in order to uplift your fav. That isn't anything you should be proud of.

When it comes to Ayato, that comparison fits him so much as well. You'll attract a lot of haters when you're well-known, pretty, and talked-about since those people view you as a threat because of their own insecurities. I stand up for Wonyoung, and it baffles me how so many people discredit or dislike her. They try to pull the "Wonyoung isn't the 4th gen IT girl, she wasn't even the most popular in IZ*ONE" card when it's not 2018–2020 anymore, and she has always been loved even before joining IVE, so recently she gained a loooot of new fans because of her visuals, endearing personality, and impact. What is even that difficult to comprehend?

Ayato’s situation also reminds me of how Jennie is treated. Not only due to the “outshining” and favoritism allegations, but also because people are always harsher and show less empathy when it comes to her. She is also unfairly judged as a result of double standards and misinfo. Additionally, a lot of people make her mistakes and bad moments go viral rather than highlighting all of the incredible performances she gave or her good deeds.

We got it, these are fictional characters but there are a lot of individuals who will find comfort in them and seeing people hate or spread lies about something that brings them joy (despite not being written as notably worthy of that treatment) will only hurt those fans and if you get satisfaction out of it then congratulations, you’re a terrible person. Real people having to deal with hate is ten times worse, especially given the likelihood that they will see the offensive posts.

In conclusion, don’t be a mean bitch. Only weak, insecure, and unlovable people behave that way.

[princessconsuela120]

Chapter eleven: Anyone Else But You —✧

Series masterlist

Chapter Warnings: pregnancy, kissing🤭, teeth rotting fluff, cursing

Author’s Note: I was smiling the entire time I wrote this ngl. Mostly all of the rest of season one is going to be original work written by me so please be patient!! You guys are amazing! Eat up!! Don’t forget to like comment and repost!!

—✧

I NEVER REALIZED HOW MUCH I LIKE BEING HOME, unless I've been somewhere really different for a while. Physically and metaphorically I’ve been gone a lot lately. Home just seemed to do the trick. Pulling into the driveway after spending a gross amount of time at the barn with Stan, and then deciding to come home around 3 in the morning. I had a few missed calls from my parents, even Shelley texted to ask if I was okay. Stan had called them a few minutes ago to let them know I was fine, and would be home soon. It felt like all the air I had been neglected of re-entered my body when walking into my home.

“Hey, Dad.” I said softly, making my dad smile as I walked in the door.

“Hey, big puffy version of Junebug. Where you been?” He asked, missing the phone call my brother reserved for my mother, who would most likely be the one to freak out at my absence. I wasn’t quite sure what my dad was even doing up in the first place, but it didn’t surprise me too much either that he was.

“Oh, just out dealing with things way beyond my maturity level. Where is everybody?” I asked, sitting down across from him, as he gestured to the door.

“Your mom’s asleep and Stan’s at the barn. Something about his creative juices.” Dad explained, shaking his head, not even trying to understand what Stan had meant by Creative Juices.

“God, when will you guys learn that creative juices just means piss?” I said, pinching the bridge of my nose with annoyance as my dad chuckled lightly.

“You look a little morose, honey. What's eating you?” He asked, making me sigh as I sat across from him.

“I'm just, like, losing my faith with humanity.” I explained, making my dad sigh in response.

Now I know that Randy Marsh isn’t the best father, definitely far from it. Stan Shelley and I, and even my mother had gotten very close to finally giving up on him. But we didn’t. And somehow, somewhere along those lines he changed. It must have been all the bull crap that came with the pandemic. My dads weed business nearly cost me my life, and I think he realized that quick enough. Because now he was my dad, like he was when I was a kid. Getting shoulder rides and ice cream, and playing the stick of truth with Stan as we’d defeat my dad who’d pretend to be the evil dragon. It was the time of my life, and I know he missed it just as much as me. Because now he was my dad again, and it was great.

“Wow, can you narrow that down for me?”

“I just wonder if, like…Two people can stay together for good.” I asked, making his eyebrows furrow as he stopped what he was doing on his computer to look up at me.

“You mean like couples?”

“Yeah, like people in love.”

He shifted in his spot, closing his laptop and folding his arms.

“Are you having boy trouble? I gotta be honest, I don't much approve of you dating in your condition. That's kind of messed up.” He teased, making me roll my eyes playfully, shoving him slightly as he laughed.

“No, Dad, it's not…”

“That's pretty skanky. Isn't that what you girls call it? Skanky? Skeevy?” He asked, making me scrunch my nose up as I cringed.

“Please stop.” I said, giggling as he continued.

“What? No, I’m hip. I’m a cool dad. Tore up from the floor up? Is that it?”

“That's not what it's about. I just need to know that it's possible… That two people can stay happy together forever.” I asked, making him retreat a bit, nodding slightly.

“Well, it's not easy. That's for sure.” He stopped, scratching the back of his head as he thought. It was kinda a funny thing I always realized my dad did. “And I don't have the best track record in the world, I know, you know. But I've been with your mom for 30 years now… sure we’ve had our ups and downs but I'm proud to say we're very happy. Once I got over myself, we realized when you love someone it overweights all the silly bickering.” He explained, sighing when he remembered our rough childhood. I could tell he felt remorse for everything, that he was trying again. “Look… In my opinion, the best thing you can do… Find a person who loves you for exactly what you are. Good mood, bad mood, ugly, pretty… Handsome, what have you. The right person's still gonna think the sun shines out of your ass. That's the kind of person that's worth sticking with.”

He smiled to himself, laughing slightly when he caught eye of the family photo that sat above our coffee table. I couldn’t help but smile too. I think my parents must have been the most in love people I knew. No one could yell at each other so much, and not care enough about the other to keep coming back. Cause that’s what it means to live someone, to care enough to yell, just because of love.

“Yeah. Yeah, and I think I've found that person.” I smiled to myself, a certain Jewish Ginger clouding my mind.

“Yeah, sure you have. Your dear old D-A-D. I'll always be there to love and support you… No matter what kind of pickle you're in.” He explained, tapping his chest as I chuckled.

“Obviously. Dad, I think I'm just gonna, like, shove out for a sec. But I won't be home late.” I said, getting up and grabbing my keys and wallet.

“Okay. You were talking about me, right?” He asked, turning to see me. I nodded my head, ruffling his hair.

“Oh, yeah.”

“Was it Stan then?” He asked again, catching the sarcasm in my voice. I smiled at him, kissing his cheek as I hugged him.

“Yeah dad, you and Stan.”

—✧

I CALLED KENNY AND SOME HOW MANAGED TO GET HIM OUT OF BED AT 5:00AM TO INDULGE IN MY RIDICULOUSNESS. The great thing about Kenny is that when I asked him to help me buy 212 mini containers of orange tictacs (the day I knew I loved kyle), Kenny didn’t bat an eye at the idea. So we made our way to the 711, managed to derail all the strange looks we received, and made our way to stuff said 212 packs of orange tictac’s into Kyle’s locker.

So the next day at school, I managed to waddle my way into Kyle’s basketball practice, Kenny Stan and Cartman all excitedly waiting and watching by the door. He caught my eye, saying something to Tolkien as he passed him the ball before jogging over to me. I loved the was he looked at basketball practice. His hat was off, his orange/red curls clung slightly to his face, controlled slightly by the sweat and hair gel he previously applied. On a rare occasion he’d be wearing a sweatband around his head, or even tie his curls back into a tiny bun to keep them contained. But this had to be my favorite look by far.

“Tictacoholic, hey.” I said, smiling at Kyle with my hands in my pockets, as he wiped his forehead of sweat.

“Hey, did you put like a hundred things of tic tacs in my mailbox?” He asked, laughing slightly. I nodded, seemingly smiling even more as my cheeks reddened.

“Oh, yeah. Yeah, that was me.”

“Why?”

“Well, you know, they're your fave. And you can never have too many of your favorite one-calorie breath mint.” I explained, making him nod, smiling back as he scratched his neck nervously.

“Well, thanks. I think I'm pretty much set until college on the tic tac front.”

“You know, Kyle, I was thinking. And I'm sorry I was such a huge bitch to you. You don't deserve it.” I explained, making him frown. He sighed, looking back at me as he shook his head.

“It's okay. You know, it's okay. It’s warrented, I mean I’ve sort of ruined your life so I can understand your anger..and you have every right to..”

“I think I'm in love with you.” I blurted out quickly, interrupting his rambling. His cheeks turned a crimson shade of red, and he shook his head again, giggling nervously.

“What, you mean as friends?” He asked, and I shook my head, still smiling at him.

“No. I mean for real. Because you're, like, the coolest person I've ever met… And you don't even have to try, you know.”

“I try really hard, actually.”

“You're, like, naturally smart. Like so mind blowingly smart, I can even wrap my head around it. But you aren’t like a huge dick about it, your so kind. And you're not like everyone else. You don't stare at my stomach. You look at my face. And every time I see you...The baby starts kicking super-hard.” I put a hand on my stomach, confirming what I had said as the baby started attacking my hand once again.

“It does? Really?” His face seemed to light up with joy, his eyes quickly glancing down at my bump then back to my eyes.

“I think it's because my heart starts pounding every time I see you.” I explained, holding a hand over my heart.

“Mine too.” He sighed, looking down at my stomach again. “Can I um, can I feel it?” He stuttered, but I didn’t give him time to answer, instead grabbing his hand and holding it to the place where the baby kicked. His eyes lit up, and for a split second while looking at the smile on his face, I felt home.

“That’s all I could ask for.” I replied quietly, feeling if I spoke to loudly I would ruin the moment. “You're golden, man. Can we make out now?” I asked, holding my hands on his cheeks. He nodded quickly, making me laugh.

“Yeah.”

And with that, I connected my lips to his. His other hand found its way into my hair as we both melted into the kiss. It was entirely perfect, and whole. In its entire entity, it was euphoric and more. An indescribable feeling, it was love.

“Hey, you know, you can go into early labor sucking face like that.” Kenny yelled, making me hold one hand out with my middle finger, hearing Kenny and the boys snickering in the background.

“Careful, don’t wanna make a twin!” Cartman yelled back, this time Kyle pulled away for a moment.

“Shut up fatass!” He shouted in Cartman’s direction, before supporting a hand on my lower back, dipping me slightly as he continued to kiss me.

“Aye!” Cartman shouted back, causing me to pull away, my forehead pressed to Kyle’s as we both started laughing. I couldn’t tell you what was funny, just the feeling of euphoric joy that filt my system. And besides, the look of disgust that was covered on my brother's face from witnessing this exchange was too funny not to laugh.

—✧

LIFE WAS GOOD, and I think for the first time in a long time, I really truly was home. Sitting with Kyle at the old house near the barn, just sitting, listening to the vintage record player that played in the background as I cuddled into his side.

“Ah shit.” I grumbled, holding a hand on my stomach as I felt a few rough kicks against my ribs.

“What? What’s wrong?” Kyle mumbled against my hair, jerking his head up slightly with worry.

“Fucking, jerk.” I groaned again, throwing my head back, this time worrying Kyle, who sat up fully in his spot.

“What is it Jo?” He asked softly, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear lovingly.

“Nothing just, the baby won’t stop kicking me.” I groaned again, and he smiled, putting a hand over my bump as he pressed his lips against it softly.

“Hey little one, you gotta be nice.” He mumbled against my stomach, as the baby pressed an angry kick against his hand. He laughed, realizing the kicking pattern that the baby had.

“What?” I asked, and he just smiled and shook his head.

“They aren’t trying to kick you, they’ve got the hiccups.” He explained, causing me to furrow my eyebrows at him.

“How the hell do you know that?” I asked, and his eyes widened, his cheeks blushing with embarrassment.

“I looked it up. Usually these moving and kicking fits means the baby has the hiccups.” He pressed a soft kiss against my stomach.

“How to I get it to stop?” I whined, rubbing my bump softly at the bottom. He shared a look with me, before turning back to my stomach.

“Hey Buddy, I know you’re excited to come out and all but you gotta calm down, you’re freaking yourself out.” He spoke softly into the fabric of my shirt, making me laugh slightly.

“I don’t think they can hear you.”

“They definitely can. Just follow your daddy’s voice, hold your breath, like this.”

Kyle held his breath, before releasing, and suddenly the hiccups stopped. Kyle looked up to see the soft look on my face.

“Oh, Juno I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to say that it just kinda came out..” he stuttered nervously, before I just smiled, holding a hand over his on my stomach.

“They stopped.” I said, ignoring his apology. He looked up at me nervous, before nodding.

“Yeah.. yeah they did.”

“I really like the sound of that Kyle.” I said, making eye contact with Kyle.

“The sound of what?”

“Of you being a dad.” I said softly, and there was that light that returned to his face.

“Really?” He asked, laughing nervously.

“I think I wanna hear it forever:” I looked over at him and he jumped in his spot, looking back at me with a look full of hope.

“Actually? You mean it? We can keep them?” He asked frantically, and I nodded, holding his face in my hands.

“They’re already ours.” I said, and Kyle pulled me into a deep kiss.

“You have no idea how happy you just made me.” He said, hidding me tightly. We stayed like that for a while, until I felt him falter.

“Not to you know, ruin the moment or anything, but how are we gonna tell your parents?” He asked, making me pull away, my eyes widened as I looked at him.

“Oh f*ck.”

—✧

[bluescreenexe]

i think not being able to record ATOTS on my cable box growing up says a lot about why i haven mulled over stan and ford's relationship until now. i was able to find it and watch it later on, on the same cable box, and i remember the suspense around it- i'd kind of had to piece together what happened in ATOTS until i could watch it, and it was easy to pretend that stan revealed he was his brother and they just moved on- it made why they argued in weirdmageddon 3 really peculiar because i didn't get to see the scene with the toffee peanuts or the perpetual motion machine, i hadn't heard about backupsmore or stan chewing his way through a trunk, or that stan accidentally shoved ford into that portal.

ford's dramatic reveal in NWHS was so exciting to eleven year old me, because:

holy crap

the author

the "main character has a twin" trope is used a lot for plot twists like it was in gravity falls, but i think ford was absolutely planned from the very beginning. there are refrences to him leading up to his reveal all throughout season one and two.

ATOTS turned out to be my favorite episode once i was able to get my hands on it, and it still is to this day. i love picking that episode apart and looking at all of the inconsistencies, and the way that stan tells his story with imagery that doesn't line up is so interesting. his brother is an unreliable narrator as well, as seen when his outfit changes twice when fiddleford is pulled through the portal. it makes me wonder if both ford and stan tried to sugarcoat their stories for the sake of each other and the kids.

stan and ford have such a complex relationship and they always have- they were inseperable polar opposites growing up, and we can infer that stan stuck up for ford a ton in their childhood and even into their teenage years. stan is seen talking back to crampelter on glass shard beach, as an example- but when stan breaks ford's perpetual motion machine, a rift forms between them. stan gets kicked out. ford goes to backupsmore. they don't talk for ten years.

and then suddenly, in ford's paranoia that he's been drowning in for god knows how long, he reaches out to stan. he asks him to take journal one and dispose of it.

but they argue. stan gets pushed into the machine with the hot metal that brands him, ford gets shoved into an interdimentional gateway and remains there for thirty years- and in those thirty years, stan works and works and works to get his brother back. he works to get the brother back that he hadn't talked to in ten years, the brother back that he had spent arguing with moments before he was gone.

stanley pines has one of the biggest hearts in the entirety of the pines family. he risks the us government taking him away for his brother. he risks never being allowed around dipper or mabel ever again for his brother.

stan risks the life he's made for himself for the brother that he probably wished he had nothing to ever do with, and if that isn't love, i truly don't know what is. stan read through the journals of ford's mental descent and still wanted to save him. he still wanted to make amends. and ford couldn't even thank him for it- stan's anger is excusable. i have so much to say about these two but i don't even think a post on an online blog could ever do them justice

sorry for the tangent , i know none of it made sense lol

[starseungs]

no the dazzlings were SO cool, i honestly made those movies my whole personality then it was bad 💀my sister loves it too so i watched them a lot. my mom drew the line at spiky clothes lmao 😭 eleven year old me was such a big mood. and battle of the bands irl sounds very fun, we don't have band culture here like that 😔 i mean there are small bands and stuff for parties like freshmen welcome party and the seniors parties, and festivals.

also a jisung fic you say 👀 yk i'll love anything you write, i can't wait <3 (i'm in the process of writing band! jisung too lol)

THEIR VOICES ARE SO 😇🙏 i ascend every single time... i also had a major mlp (esp equestria girls) phase back in 3rd grade i even sang welcome to the show during a talent showcase omfg ;;; i will always be a sunset shimmer stan >>>> she's everything

i love filipino band music so much (well opm in general even tho not all of them are band music) also the jisung fic is gonna take a little while more since i have other fics lined up first >< next week is changbin for the campus crush series !!

[imsparky2002]

Gigantitan - Stalkernette

I should note that this is an alternate universe where Alya never found out about the schedule in Copycat.

(Marinette is hanging out with her Girl Squad in her room.)

Alya:  Thanks for showing up, girls. So, check this out. I've got the...biggest...scoop! But FYI, it's seriously hush-hush. Top secret, classified information.

(Alix perks up.)

Alix: You know who Ladybug is?!

(Rose, Juleka, and Mylene gasp in surprise.)

Alya: Nope.

(They grown in disappointment.)

Alya: But it’s almost as good! Marinette’s got a crush on-

Alix, Juleka, Mylene and Rose: Adrien?

Marinette: What?! How did you know?

Mylene: Well... it’s pretty obvious.

Alix: Yeah you’re practically belting it out everytime you see him.

Marinette: So, do you think... I mean... Adrien knows too?

Rose: Nope. Guys like him are terrible with signals.

Alix: Yeah if he had some muscle on him, he’d be a total himbo.

(The rest of the girls nod in agreement.)

Alya: Alright. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to arrange a ridiculously romantic date between Marinette and Adrien.

(The four other girls have different expressions on their face. Mylene looks nervous, though she looks anxious most of the time. Alix seems neutral about the whole thing. Juleka seems unsure and even a little bit sad, why that is, Marinette has no idea. Rose would usually be all about this sort of thing, but notices her girlfriend’s displeasure at the moment.)

Alya: What’s the matter?

Juleka: I dunno yet. Maybe nothing. What do you have in mind?

(Marinette smiles once again, seemingly unaware to the uncomfortable air in the room, something that Alya was picking up on.)

Marinette: Thank you girls, I knew I could count on you.

Alya: Well, I’ll let Marinette explain the rest.

(She looks a bit concerned as she sits down with the other girls.)

Marinette: Alya and I came up with a plan.

Alya: Actually you came up with the plan. I just gave it a name.

 Marinette: Whatever. It’s called “Operation: Secret Garden”.

Mylene: Excuse me, but why do we need a plan? I mean, can't Marinette just go up to Adrien and ask him out?

Rose: Yeah, I mean, I’ve always loved these super romantic dream dates, but couldn’t we just help Marinette with straight-up confessing her feelings?

Alya: Girls, I get it, but you know Marinette. Now each of you will have a codename-

Alix: Codenames? The hell is this, Ocean’s Eleven?

Marinette: Save the questions for the end. Now let’s start with Step 1.

(As she lays out the convoluted and insane plan, the girls just look at her as if she’s lost it. Alya is smiling, but the others can tell it’s fake. When she decides to go to the bathroom, Alya drops the smile and turns to the other girls.)

Alya: Ok, I’m gonna be real with you guys. It’s terrible.

Alix: No shit.

Rose: Then why did you go along with it?

Alya: Because we’re best friends. I figured it was the nice thing to do. I planned on you guys politely rejecting it, then we could sit down and have a talk with her about the obsession with Adrien.

Juleka: But I thought you loved them as a couple.

Alya: Yeah at the start, before it turned Marinette into a total paranoid Adrien stan. Seriously, it’s getting to the point where all she talks about is “Adrien” this and “Adrien” that. It’s driving me-

(She notices Marinette opening the door.)

Alya: Hey girl! We all have some thoughts on the plan.

Marinette: Is it great or what?

Juleka: It’s bad.

Rose: And probably illegal.

Mylene: And does it need to be so extravagant? I feel like Adrien would be happier with like... a simple lunch date, or something.

(Alya drops the act and looks to Marinette.)

Alya: Girl, I told you this was too much.

Marinette: Becauussee, it has to be perfect.

Alix: Well it wouldn’t even work in the first place. If “Buttercup” finds out that the “chariot” is gone, he’ll just text his “nanny”, won’t he?

(Marinette chuckles at this question.)

Marinette:  Impossible. "Buttercup" always leaves his personal items in the car when he's on a photo shoot, even his phone!

(She blushes at just the thought of it. The other girls look shocked.)

Alya: Marinette... how do you know about that?

Marinette: I know everything about Adrien! It’s all thanks to the schedule.

Rose: S-schedule?

Marinette: This one!

(She pulls out a large copy of Adrien’s schedule from the ceiling.)

Marinette: I know when he’s got fencing, basketball, his photo shoots, everything! 

(She sees that everyone in the room, including Alya, have looks of utter shock on their face.)

Alya: What the fuck?!

Marinette: What! What’s wrong?!

Alya: What’s wrong?! Marinette, this is messed up! You know everything about him!

Rose: Yeah! It’s horrifying!

Marinette: It’s romantic! It shows just how much I care about him?!

Juleka: Did you care enough about him to ask if it was ok?

Marinette: *stammering* I, well, I- no, but-

Alix: Exactly! Because you know this is wrong!

Mylene: How could you have even known any of this? He couldn’t have told you.

Marinette: I had to do some digging on the interent, ok?

(As she tries defending herself, Alya snaps a photo of her next to the schedule.)

Marinette: What are you doing?!

Alya: Getting evidence. I’m gonna go over to Mr. Agreste and show him what’s going on. Alix, Mylene, Juleka and Rose are witnesses.

(As she says this, the rest of the girls follow suit in taking photos.)

Marinette: Please, no! You can’t! If you do, they won’t let me see him again!

Alya: Well that’s a good thing. Now that I know how crazy it made you. And you should be thankful we’re not taking this to the police.

(Marinette is freaking out now, she has tears in her eyes as she tries to stop them from leaving.)

Marinette: B-but, girls. We’re friends!

Mylene: We’re going to get you help, Marinette. That is what good friends do.

Alya: Goodbye, Marinette.

Alix: If I catch you anywhere near my house, I’m callin the cops, and if you try to stop me, I’m kicking your ass.

Rose: We hope you get better, Marinette.

Juleka: We really do.

(As they leave, Marinette can’t help but sob on her bed. Tikki comes out and looks concerned for her holder.)

Tikki: Is this why you didn’t want me to see what was under the ceiling.

Marinette: I did it for him... I did it for him...

Tikki: Just... try to get some rest, Marinette. We’ll talk about this later.

(All of a sudden, Marinette’s sobs turn to giggles, getting louder and louder. Tikki backs off in fear as her holder begins rocking back and forth.)

Marinette: Hee hee heee... They betrayyed meeee. But that’s ok, Tikki. I’ll stop them!

Tikki: M-m-Marinette?

Marinette: I won’t let them bring us apart. Adrien’s my soulmate, my one true love! And I know just what to do. TIKKI, SPOTS ON!

(She undergoes the transformation into Ladybug.)

Marinette: I know! I’ll find those traitors and I’ll tie them up. Then we can just.. talk, make sure they never talk to Adrien ever again! It’s perfect! PERFECT! PERFECT! PERFECT!

Tikki: Marinette! Please stop! This isn’t you!

Marinette: Oh but it is! And I didn’t even need an akuma to find out. All I needed was... betrayal. And soon, Adrien’s gonna be mine! AALLL MINE!!

(She began cackling like a madwoman, using her yoyo to swing out of her room, looking to pay her old friends a visit.)

So yeah, bet you weren’t expecting that ending, huh? Yep, Marinette’s gone full yandere, without even becoming an Akuma. I could make a sequel to this but IDK. This is just for fun, but there’s some actual criticism in there. As always, shoutout to @artzychic27 and @msweebyness. Lemme know what you think in the comments, reblogs, and asks.

[checkoutmybookshelf]

School Days

Ok, so as I said in this post, I am very much a Numair stan, so when Tamora Pierce announced a million years ago that there was a Numair Origin Story trilogy in the works, I was PSYCHED. Then I waited with the rest of the fandom for I-don't-even-know-how-many years until we got the first book. And while I and the rest of the fandom wait patiently for the second Numair book, let's talk Tempests and Slaughter.

I made no secret that Emperor Mage was my favorite Immortals Quartet book, and that Numair was a lot of the reason for that, but I also really enjoyed Carthak as a setting. That we get to see even more of Carthak in this book is a HUGE plus. We get the much-vaunted university, we get the arena, we get some of the city, and we get some of the rivers and green spaces. Objectively the arena and the university are the primary locations, and I loved the educations that Arram gets in both places and how the imperial family and imperial power structures are so deeply woven into both spaces.

And Arram comes to realize this over the course of the book, even going so far as to realize that he could leave the toxic structures once he achieves mastery. That realization is somewhat complicated by the fact that his is both a student who finds his way to teachers who value him and are willing to teach HIM rather than the politically acceptable curriculum, and the fact that he is roommates and BFFs with Ozorne Tasikhe. Plus, the fact that Varice is dedicated to protecting and supporting Ozorne...that's gonna get complicated in future books.

This is where I feel like it's important to point out that reading Tempests and Slaughter after Emperor Mage had the potential to land like The Phantom Menace did, because there were a lot of similarities. We KNOW where Ozorne, Varice, and Arram end up. We can see all the foreshadowing and we are writhing in our seats as we see every single one of the red flags that were always there for Ozorne. We can see the setups to payoffs we know are coming but don't have yet.

Where Tempests and Slaughter stands head and shoulders above Phantom Menace though is in not simplifying characters because they have a pre-set trajectory and pre-set growth they have to go through to get them to where we know they're going. Ozorne, Arram, and Varice are still complex, compelling characters, and knowing where they're going does not in any way make the journey less interesting. This book does more than just fill in a backstory gap. It is itself a story that weaves into the wider Tortall universe. It's really, really damn good, and it has things to say independent of the expected ending in Emperor Mage.

This book has things to say about class, power, sociopolitical institutions like the arena, and the politics of education institutions. It also has a lot to say about what learning is and where it occurs. I have a PhD, I was in university for eleven years. There is a huge part of me that holds a deep, complex, and oft-uncomfortable love for these insitutions, and having Tempests and Slaughter both recognize the good things universities can do and also highlight the hideous harms they can do was just an incredible experience.

As with all Tamora Pierce books, I cannot recommend this one enough. I will say that we have been waiting for a while for book 2 and will probably wait a while more, but the wait has never not been worth it with this author, so hang on to patience folks, and definitely pick up this book.

[nayeonline]

Ranking EVERY Post-IZ*ONE Single

One thing about me is I like izone and ranking stuff, so a+b=c here we go, u read the title :)

(note 1: im not including jpop partly because this is a kpop blog, and mostly because i dont understand how akb48 hkt48 work)

(note 2: don't question my decisions in what qualifies as a single, i dont understand them either. is it to do with promotions? is it to do with mvs? is it to do with what spotify tells me? who knows)

from best to worst, lets gooooooo

Antifragile - Le Sserafim (one of the greatest songs of all time.)

Glitch - Kwon Eunbi (im aware that i dont shut the fuck up about this song but its a literal masterpiece ok the essay is coming)

After Like - IVE (its 2023 and i'm speaking my truth when i say after like outsold love dive)

Love Dive - IVE (ive are such hit makers trewly)

Fearless - Le Sserafim (what a debut honestly)

The Flash - Kwon Eunbi (ya i’m an eunbi stan what about it this is real music)

Eve, Psyche & The Bluebeard's wife - Le Sserafim (i have in fact overplayed it but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t still slay)

Eleven - IVE (remember when people were like ‘how are they going to top this’ lmao)

Kitsch - IVE (wonyoung loves this song so i love this song)

Door - Kwon Eunbi (i will never forgive you all for not giving this song a chance)

Taxi - Jo Yuri (“get connected for free with education connection” typa beat and ooh does it slay)

Underwater - Kwon Eunbi (quintessential eunbi)

Hush Rush - Lee Chaeyeon (dem jointz can actually do no wrong)

Knock - Lee Chaeyeon (certified hit)

Glassy - Jo Yuri (slays but have u heard the bside from this album???? Life changing)

Love Shhh! - Jo Yuri (rlly cute but i can only hear ‘L-O-V-E is shit’ lmao)

I AM - IVE (catchy but kind of dated???)

Let’s Dance - Lee Chaeyeon (LET'S GET THE PARTY STARTEEEEEDDDD)

Like A Diamond - Kang Hyewon (lofi queen this is fucking amazing)

Love War - Yena (underrated excellence)

Smiley - Yena (she's hella cute but yena’s music is not my thing)

Unforgiven - Le Sserafim (omg the unforgiven stans are after me) (all five of u lol)

First Love Letter - Kang Hyewon (i'm actually legally obligated to never say a bad word towards my sister but this slays anyway)

Winter Poem - Kang Hyewon (pretty as hell ngl but im bored and its september)

Smartphone - Yena (ur lying if u say ur streaming this in 2023)

Loveable - Jo Yuri (is anyone else bored)

I Want - IVE (sponsored songs are such an ick and they are literally never good)

Hate Rodrigo - Yena (i can’t stand this song i really don’t understand what you all are hearing that slays so hard but good 4 u i guess)

[a-moth-to-the-light]

Comeback Celebration: Current Top Ten IVE Songs

IVE have steadily been growing on me over the years. I totally missed their debut hype train, but "After Like" took over my life when it came out--and then their 2023 was just endlessly exciting, enough that even I, a certified "Eleven" hater, had to pay attention! So, in celebration of their new mini, let's talk about all the songs that have convinced me that this group has THE discography to watch out for :)

1. Holy Moly

With performances like THESE and a bassline like THAT, I'm happy to let IVE get away with whatever instrumental ridiculousness is going on here! Somehow, it's both silly and ethereally beautiful--but honestly, I'm mostly just happy to hear an experimental/quirky kpop song that doesn't give me a huge headache.

2. Hypnosis

IVE just makes SUCH glamourous music. I think what draws me most to them are their performances--their vocals alone radiate so much elegance & above-it-all confidence, and "Hypnosis" is the perfect example. Whenever I listen to this one, I get to feel just a little bit all-powerful.

3. After Like

The crunchy vocal effects totally win this one for me !! Neurodivergent-approved texture 👍👍👍"After Like" was actually my emotional support song for starting university--it's as genuinely joyful as it is glamourous, which is exactly what I needed at the time :)

4. Love Dive

Speaking of neurodivergent-approved texture... we love you, unconventional percussion!

5. Blue Blood

We NEED more marching-band drums in kpop! Like "Hypnosis", this song is an instant hit of confidence.

6. Baddie

Unexpectedly, this one is as interesting as it is catchy--I love everything that's happening in this instrumental. I think "Baddie" is going to stick around as a girl-group classic!

7. Not Your Girl

Look, I'm a Twice stan--do you expect me not to like this song?

8. Kitsch

OKAY LOOK IT GREW ON ME, I'M SORRYYYYYYYYYYY... In my defense, I don't seek this one out very frequently, but every time I listen, I'm surprised by how much I enjoy it. I think the performances in the verses are top tier, even if the production there is still a little hollow for my taste--and the layers in the prechorus & choruses are so wonderfully cushiony!

9. Cherish

This is like one of those brain-cleaning audios on TikTok--it's satisfyingly neat & tidy. Plus, that intro rap brings me so much joy!

10. Mine

It’s soo cute--a staple on the Webtoons playlist!

[pebblysand]

[THE BEST OF THE BEST] - [MULTIFANDOM FIC REC LIST]

if you’re in need of something to read, welcome to the crème-de-la-crème rec list. this rec list is multi-fandom, and contains all of my all-time faves, the ogs that will always stay the closest to my heart. i will keep it linked and accessible and try to update it... whenever. for a more up-to-date version, please see my ao3 bookmarks here.

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BEST OF 2021 SUMMER 2022

BOY WITH A SCAR by @ink-splotch (SERIES) (MULTIPLE POVS) (AU) (<250K)

“This Ginny had never met a diary. But she had still died once, though in a flaming home and not a cold, damp castle basement. She had still been reborn into something her mother would always love and never fully understand.” this series by the same author explores canon through unbelievably well-written what-if AUs. i haven’t read all of them because they tend to give me a lot of feels and live in my head for days after that, so I’m taking my time. this being said, one of the ones i have read is the kids who choose themselves and i couldn’t recommend it enough. it might tear you up, though, consider yourself warned.

THE CHANGELING by @annerbhp (POV GINNY WEASLEY) (AU) (<200K)

if you gravitate anywhere close to hinny circles, chances are, you've already heard of this fic. i'm not quite sure what to add to what literally everyone else has said before me, aside from the fact that it is absolutely amazing and 100% deserves the hype. it honestly took me ages to get to because i initially couldn’t get behind the idea of ginny being sorted into slytherin and what a mistake! as soon as i started, i could not put this down. i think what i absolutely love with this fic, above the fact that the writing style is gorgeous, is the characterisation. particularly, the work put into developing ginny's character, and the way growing up in slytherin affects her. it really makes you question nature v. nurture. and, i think a lot of what-if-so-and-so-was-in-another-house fics tend to irk me because they tend to gloss over how that house and the friendships developed (v. those of canon) would affect the characters. this fic is definitely the opposite. it dives in to characterisation, and makes you think about people in ways you probably never have before. nothing is really ever black and white, and the character work is stellar. the following works in the series are great as well, but this is really the one that got me hooked. this instalment is generally gen but the ultimate endgame of the series is harry/ginny.

WE MUST UNITE INSIDE OUR WALLS OR WE WILL CRUMBLE WITHIN by @ink-splotch (SERIES) (MULTIPLE POVS) (CANON-COMPLIANT) (<50K)

"Annie, eleven, watched her mother come to the decision that Bella was someone you pointed at people." this series is one of the most beautiful things i've ever read. it's a collection of character studies themed around the four hogwarts houses. the writing style is very unusual and so poetic and beautiful. i'm an absolute stan.

THE SEAM BETWEEN by @copper-dust (POV HARRY POTTER) (CANON COMPLIANT) (<50K)

i fell in love with this story before making friends with the author, i swear. in fact, that's how we met haha. this is honestly one of the most beautiful things i have ever read. it's one of those beautifully nostalgic stories in which everything and nothing happens, and is my absolute ultimate headcanon for what happened during the summer of '95. it's beautiful, the style is flawless - go read it! i fell in love with this story before making friends with the author, i swear. in fact, that's how we met haha. this is honestly one of the most beautiful things i have ever read. it's one of those beautifully nostalgic stories in which everything and nothing happens, and is my absolute ultimate headcanon for what happened during the summer of '95. it's beautiful, the style is flawless - go read it!

WARM FRONT by @jiilys (POV HARRY POTTER) (CANON COMPLIANT) (<10K)

this is kind of fluff-with-a-plot post war fic that I adore. if you’re looking for a funny, well-written, feel-good and realistic fic to read, i would highly recommend this. additionally, it's another one of those fics where harry goes away/travelling directly after the war, which is a trope i definitely have a weakness for. the dialogue in this is impeccable and i love the presence of teddy and andromeda as well.

MAPS TO THE STARS' HOME by lizbee (POV HARRY POTTER) (AU) (<10K)

out of all the fics on this list, this is probably in the top 3. it's another (i know, i know) one of those harry-fucks-off-after-the-war but it's just - the most beautiful thing in the world. the writing is so utterly brilliant and perfect. it’s poetic, realistic, funny, sad, and is incredibly canon-compliant considering it was written before book seven came out. plus, the non-linear timeline is just So Well Done. i'm speechless every time i read it. it’s everything i wish i could write if i was better at writing. the way it intermingles the muggle and wizarding worlds as well is incredible. honestly can’t recommend it enough.

WE ONLY MAKE TSUNAMIS by dis0rderly (POV OMNISCIENT) (CANON COMPLIANT) (<25K)

this is probably one of the best fics I have ever read, period. to me, it's the harry/hermione classic, in a its-romantic-because-it-never-happened kind of way. the writing is gorgeous. it is about fate, expectations and things that don’t happen (and sometimes, that’s okay). it will break your heart. it's honestly haunting. (and the title is fucking perfect).

‘TIL THE SIRENS COME CALLING by vexmybones (POV OMNISCIENT) (AU) (<25K)

same as the above. on my top ten favourite fics of all time, similar themes. will rip your heart out with a sense of the way that life happens. also, good smut.

DECAY OF YOUR GOLDEN CITY by soapboxblues (POV HERMIONE GRANGER) (CANON-COMPLIANT) (<3K)

this one is also incredibly sad, but beautifully written. it is a very dark take on post-war, with harry slowly slipping into alcoholism. it’s very subtle, very delicate, and one big heartbreak. tagged harmony, though honestly you could read it as gen. some of the lines in this are just heartwrenching and absolutely gorgeous. Hermione here is talking about her and Harry, romantically: "there was a time a time she thought about it. two, actually. (…) now she thinks about it all the time - wondering what she was thinking” it’s the slow and painful breakdown of the trio in this that gets me too in this. very dark but gorge.

IS THAT SUCH A STRETCH OF THE IMAGINATION? by aceofdiamonds (HP/GOSSIP GIRL CROSSOVER) (BLAIR/HARRY) (POV SPLIT) (CANON COMPLIANT) (<100K)

so, look: have i ever watched gossip girl? nope. did i solely jump on this bandwagon because i stan the author? sure. is it fucking amazing? absolutely. this is so, so beautiful. it’s the harry-dating-a muggle-trope done so, bloody, fucking well. it’s poetic, heart-warming, realistic, incredibly well-written and i absolutely loved it. you can 100% read this if you haven’t watched gossip girl before, trust me it's brilliant. it also broadens the wizarding world, normalises muggle/wizard relationships and opens up so many doors - i so, so, love this.

THIRTY-FIVE OWLS by letterblade (GRINDELWALD/DUMBLEDORE) (POV SPLIT) (CANON COMPLIANT) (&lt;10K)

i named this as my favourite fic of 2022, which is a bit unlikely given that this is not a pairing i typically read, but i could not put this down. this fic is an exchange of letters between grindelwald and dumbledore that spreads over years, after grindelwald's arrest. the character's voices in this are incredible, the characterisation is on point -- i could not recommend this enough.

i'm placing these in a separate category because i know some people don't like WIPs, but in this house, we do, so here are a few recs for you.

THE SQUIB by @btelling (GEN) (POV MULTIPLE) (AU) (<25K)

this fic is also one of the best things i've ever read in my life. it lives in my head rent-free and is absolutely insanely brilliant. nargles' ability to say so much in such a small amount of words is absolutely unmatched. the basic pitch is: following the end of the second wizarding war, muggles found out about the existence of wizards and, seeking revenge for the hurt they suffered as a result of voldemort’s reign, they started to hunt wizards down. the fic takes place in this post-apocalyptic/dystopian post-DH world and centers on hermione, harry and ginny as they try to survive. the writing is absolutely stellar. it’s slightly harry/ginny and ron/hermione (as well as seamus/dean, whoop, whoop - funnily enough, it's partly what motivated to write the fault) but romance is not the main focus. it contains absolutely beautifully heartbreaking quotes like this:  Harry threw up and picked at the scar on his forehead until it bled. Like it’d ache again, and they’d have problems they knew how to solve. if you enjoy this fic would like to listen to nargles talk about her work, you can head over here!

THE WANDSMITH'S APPRENTICE by @marycontraire (SEAMUS/DEAN) (POV DEAN THOMAS) (CANON COMPLIANT) (<50K)

this fic was in my summer 2022 wrapped but i could not fail to include it in the massive rec list as well. it’s a post-war story (and, we all know i love post-war) told from dean’s pov. the premise of this story is that dean takes on an apprenticeship with ollivander and, i suppose, life ensues. i cannot stress enough how much i truly adore this work. first of all, the writing is stellar. i totally fell in love with dean’s characterisation in this, which is so on point - i love the world the author has built around his family, his sisters, his parents (his mum!), their lives, ect. so many OCs that feel real. the fic also really explores what life looks like for muggleborns, existing with a foot in both worlds, especially after the war, and the impact magic can have (positively or negatively on muggles' lives). the worldbuilding around wandmaking is also frankly mindblowing and the amount of detail marycontraire has put into the creating and crafting of wands, as well as ollivander, his mind, his work, his shop, etc. is truly next level. the deamus is also the loveliest. i love seamus in this. i was in absolute awe. 

KNOWING WHERE TO LOOK by @ala-baguette (GEN) (POV GAWAIN ROBARDS) (CANON COMPLIANT) (<250K)

i like to think of knowing as castles' sister from another mister. it is a post-war, canon-compliant, adult continuation of the books, and literally everything i've ever wanted and loved in a post-war fic. the outsider's pov is absolutely incredible, the worldbuilding and wizarding politics are stellar, as well as the characterisation. the fic is regularly updated and honestly, every time i get an email notifying me, i get the brightest smile all day. also, @ala-baguette is one of the nicest people i've met in fandom, and interviewing her on the podcast was an absolute joy. if you fancy a listen, it's here.

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UNDEFINED by orbythesea (GEORGETOWN) (POV ALICIA FLORRICK) (WILLICIA) (<10K)

i re-read this recently and i don't think i've ever read a fic so perfect. it is the top-tier of the top-tier, the canon for georgetown era willicia and will shatter your heart into a thousand pieces. i would highly recommend reading the entire series (and anything by orbythesea for that matter) but this one is the ultimate gold. it really made me think of one of the key themes of the good wife, a dissertation on the decisions you make as a "kid" which then shape the direction of the rest of your life. both will and alicia are so in character in this, and the entire cast of recurring orbythesea OCs is lovely.

A BETTER GRACE by @tessiete (WILL GARDNER CENTRIC) (POST 5X15-ISH) (<5K)

when i interviewed tess on the podcast and she told me this was based off the myth of narcissus i was like "mmmh" and in my head "omgofcoursehowdidinotseethisbefore?!" despite what the author herself claims about it not being "legal" enough, this is a very good fic, which i would highly recommend. it's an interesting take on will/his own reflection, and is written absolutely beautifully. it has that heartbreaking tone all post-5x15 fics have, and no, i'm still not over it.

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SPOOKS

LIFE DURING WARTIME by likeyourefuse (POV ADAM CARTER) (AU) (<3K)

i'm sorry. how can such a short story in fandom i've barely ever been in fucking HAUNT me this much?? it's an AU set in a world where the coup at the end of s4 isn't stopped, and the uk falls into a dictatorship. i don't want to quote it cause it's at the very end but the last three paragraphs are all i can think about when i can't sleep at three o'clock in the morning. swear to god.

PEAKY BLINDERS

FIVE FEVERS by ariadness_string (POV TOMMY SHELBY) (AU) (&lt;5K)

this fic is truly unbelievably beautiful. it covers the presence of illness/fevers in the shelbys' lives. there is so much soul and heart in this story, especially now in hindsight with what we know about ruby. part of it isn’t canon anymore (we know their mum didn’t die in childbirth but by suicide) but this is such a gorgeously written story. the characterisation is spot on, not only with tommy, but with all the characters as well. i love (love love) may in this, and tommy “detoxing” from grace. polly is so on point. truly unbelievably good. probably one of my fave PB fics ever.