#whoops it's all video game music

[sealrock]

Character Themes

I was tagged by @dragonsongmakhali for this, tysm for the tag! :>

I'll be tagging @shroudkeeper @ahollowgrave @airis-ray and @thefreelanceangel (feel free to skip if you've already done this!)

I'm doing my main roster so everything's going under the cut since it'll be long, I added small blurbs to each:

What instrumental track would play in the background of your character's story during their most meaningful moments?

paris ; ff11 ost - recollection:

here's a track that doesn't match paris' aesthetic in the slightest, but it's meant to be a tear-jerker. I would go as far to say this would be paris' main theme as it shows a vulnerable part of them that no one gets to see. this is probably the only song that fits the question of this tag game

kirke ; silent hill 4 ost - silent circus:

it was between this track and a track from the cry of fear ost, but my love for silent hill won out. I always imagined kirke as having an industrial/trip-hop-based character theme, so this fits way too well for her. I wouldn't call this track 'meaningful' to kirke, it's a bit odd—then again she's an odd character. I imagine this plays during her more leisurely/playful moments

tauvane ; assassin's creed 2 ost - dreams of venice:

the elegance of this song is perfect for tauvane, it's regal and refined as it reflects her background. but what gets me is 2:07-2:45, the sudden change in tone and atmosphere shows you another side of her, something dangerous and cold. I would say this plays when achille meets her again after so many years spent apart

hector ; silent hill ost - only you:

this one is short, but hector's overall time in the story is short. it's overwhelmingly sad and there's a yearnful tone to this, a yearning for andromache to stay. but the piano is drowned out by a repeating 'droning' noise. it hints at something more sinister, aka halmarut. so this doubles a theme for halmarut as well

yves ; silent hill 3 ost: maternal heart:

something not bloodborne for once. it feels empty and haunting to me, just like yves himself. the name 'maternal heart' also calls back to cessair, yves' mother. like kirke, yves has a more industrial track that plays, but since he doesn't talk much I don't think this will be heard often

andromache ; assassin's creed revelations ost - byzantium:

this one fits andromache to a T. there's a strong sense of melancholy and vulnerability attached to this song that I think works well for her meaningful moments in the story as a character theme. the plucking strings, the haunting vocals, and the twinkling music box all scream 'andromache'

evander ; nier ost - his dream:

the tatlonghari brothers share similar themes, the difference between them is the title. this song, to me, has a quick pace, and a feeling of a childhood lost or something masked. it's ethereal in execution, but it doesn't match evander's personality or actions. this is intentional, as evander deep down is still a good person at heart, and this song reflects that, but he shows a totally different person on the surface

patroclus ; nier ost - this dream:

in contrast to evander, patroclus' is more slow, idyllic, and hopeful. it sounds like a song detailing a happy childhood. evander's theme is centered around him, but patroclus' is centered around those he lost—his parents most importantly. patroclus has a lot of meaningful moments I feel like, so this is very much a patroclus track

achille ; cry of fear ost - brandon:

here's something different, something modern. despite achille's positive and happy disposition, this song showcases his inner self and how much turmoil and pain he goes through daily. its singular guitar in the beginning accompanied by an almost underwater ambiance matches what he feels regarding his mother tauvane. this plays a lot when talking about her I think

azem (helen) ; assassin's creed brotherhood ost - echos of the roman ruins:

yet another AC song, I've had on repeat lately since I'm revisiting the games. this song in particular has a sense of wistful nostalgia to it, that feeling of a time that no longer exists once the vocals kick in. while this is too short for my liking, this is perfect for helen the more I revisit their backstory, flesh them out, and reinvent the wheel

[lettersofalover]

-> kiss me quick | blurb

paige b. x famous!fem!reader | for @euphternal

genre: fluff

summary: the hard launch of your relationship happens courtside at a nba game because the camera man won’t give up

the camera followed you. from the moment you sat down he was finding angles and sneaky ways to cut to you each timeout or commercial break. you played into it because it was the new normal for your life. with your dads recent acquisition of an nba and wnba team, all eyes were on your family. the media speculated endlessly about your dad, his previous experience, his hockey playing son and you, a model and brand ambassador for multiple luxury brands. you worked alongside you dad in the office with designing the teams public image and crafting more life and energy into the game. the future of quality basketball meant a unforgettable fan experience. you, your friends, and your brothers’ friends always sat front row. you were a loud mouth heckler and famously known for it. there was a video of you that circulated where you told off the referee while simultaneously giving the bird to devin booker after he played dirty.

it was all in good fun, devin would dm you after the game, asking to take you out but you declined - he was 1/2 your type. he was an athletic professional basketball player but he fell short in the most important area. you liked your basketball players to be women, tall and blonde, with a heart of gold. someone who was unapologetic about their loyalty. and that someone, your girlfriend, was paige bueckers.

she was late to the game and when she finally slid into the seat next to you, she held a shirley temple in her hand and a massive smile on her face. she leaned into your ear to say hi and offered you a sip of her drink - she held the straw for you and you took a long swig of the alcoholic drink that she so desperately loved. you couldn’t help but agree that it was delicious. paige leaned back into the seat and placed her arm on the back of your chair, immediately asking about the game. her infamous leg spread made you smile - she looked really fucking good tonight.

“how does dad feel about it?” paige questioned about the teams sudden lackluster performance. paige loved your dad and he loved her right back. he was skeptical of her at first - he assumed she was cozying up to you so that she would get a guaranteed spot on a wnba team. but the more she came around it was clear she loved you and soon, she was family.

“he’s pissed. there’s some disconnect between the coaches and the players and they don’t want to talk through it.” you admitted. paige shook her head in disbelief.

“what are these plays? the guys are reading right through them.” she sighed as the opposing team possessed the ball. the suns executed a perfect counter play to control the ball and lob it to their own player, who dunked and swung on the rim for good measure. he stuck his tongue out in a celebratory fashion and pointed at you - a friendly jab but it didn’t stop the irritation from growing.

the buzzer echoed through the arena and a commercial break ensued and you turned to paige to give her your undivided attention. it had been while since you had seen her last. you crossed your legs and she placed her hand on your knee, listening closely as you tried to talk over the mc announcing a kiss cam. it was in the back of your mind as you talked to her about the meeting you had with your dad but the music overpowered you. suddenly, the crowd whooped and cheered and paige snatched her hand from your leg. you looked up at the jumbotron where the camera man had you promptly placed in a heart with your brothers friend, who sat to the left of you. the both of you laughed and your brothers friend fiend heartbreak as you denied him a kiss.the camera moved on to someone else, thankfully.

the camera bounced between couples, old and young, and you smiled at how interactive the crowd was tonight. even in the midst of one of the worst days of the season, the fans were happy to participate. the crowd grew louder and this time, the camera man settled on paige and your brother who sat to the right of her. he fell over in laughter and she immediately began signaling “no” with her hand swiping back and forth in front of her face. your brother was cackling, pushing her arm playfully and she turned as red as a tomato.

“oh my god they aren’t giving up tonight.” you laughed and your brother said, “i bet yall are next.”

“no shot.” “hell no.” you and paige spoke simultaneously. the camera panned to another couple who seemed to be wearing matching uconn shirts and paige cheered along with the crowd. the buzzer rang again, signaling the end of the break.

“see, i told you that they wouldn’t come back.” you replied but you spoke too soon. the kiss cam was focused squarely on you and paige. the two of you placed on each side of a heart in the jumbotron and to make matters worse the crowd began to chant, “kiss kiss kiss” over and over.

paige looked to you and you looked at her, both of you bursting into laughter. she took the comfortable, easy route, and placed a kiss on your cheek and much to your surprise, the crowd booed and paige threw her hands in the air.

“should we?” she asked as the crowd began chanting “kiss kiss kiss” again, this time louder than the last. you shrugged your shoulders with a smile and bit the inside of your lip and nodded at your girlfriend, who took you face in her hand. she held your jaw sweetly and kissed you. the sound of the crowd was deafening and your heart was beating faster than you knew it could. sneakily, paige wrapped her hand around your neck and pulled you in closer which made you giggle against her lips. you knew it would go viral as soon as the internet got ahold of it. it was an unserious kiss but a kiss nonetheless and you knew that people were shocked to see it. you pulled away from her and waved at the camera before hiding your face in your hands. paige leaned back in her seat once more, a smirk spread across her face.

the crowd was satisfied with the results of their chanting and finally getting you two to kiss. it wasn’t a secret but you kept it private - until now, when you made out with your girlfriend on national television. where there was no back tracking. paige’s phone immediately started to flood with notifications of what just happened, people even sent pictures of the kiss.

“i cannot believe we did that.” you said, “i can’t believe you did that.” you teased. she pulled her phone out and scrolled through the comments flooding her instagram page.

“look,” she pointed at the comments.

user1: always knew she was for the girls but did she have to take my girl smh

user2: paige you didn’t have to break up with me this way

user3: i would die for your gf actually

[a-soft-hornytiny]

Repaired.

This is “Loved.“ pt. 2

Summary: Two weeks had passed when you decided to turn on your phone again. And it was a good decision because if he hadn’t called you that night, you wouldn’t have gone back. 

Word count: 3.2k+ (whoops)

Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort

Pairing: poly!ateez x neutral!reader

Warnings: depression, blaming, lots of crying (let me know if I missed something) be careful while reading.

Notes: it is time muahaha this is part two to “Loved.” I hope you will enjoy it just as much as the first part and I hope it meets your expectations hehe prepare for a lot of emotions. I usually try to include every member equally in poly fanfics but I had to put a few focuses here. 

Taglist: after the cut (let me know if you wanna be added)

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The dorm had not been the same ever since you had left. The first few days had been pure horror, every single one of them could feel the pain of your absence with every minute. Even when they tried to find comfort in each other, it didn’t take long for their thoughts to go back to you. They were down. Powerless. Numb.

It was like someone ripped their hearts out. But not only once. Because every time they remembered that you left, they also remembered that it was their own fault. When even Yunho decided to skip their regular dance practice, the management realized that they had to do something. After three days of forcing them to work, the group fell into a strange rhythm.

Their apartment had never been tidier. But that wasn’t a good thing. Cleaning was the only thing that Seonghwa could do to keep you out of his mind, to avoid falling into this empty black hole and crying till late at night. And the others would have been worried if they weren’t so absorbed into their own worlds. 

Hongjoong didn’t even come home anymore, always blasting loud music on his headphones to overpower the loudness of his own thoughts. The tracks that had been emerging from his studio were nothing but heart breaking. It was either a soft, flowing sorrowful melody or the heaviest beats and drums to which he screamed out the anger he felt at himself. 

Wooyoung wasn’t much different. He hadn’t left the dance studio in days. He didn’t even allow himself to sleep on cushions, sleeping on the hard cold ground of the studio instead. He wanted to remind himself of how you must have felt, sleeping in their empty apartment while they were having fun with someone else. Every night he lied awake, thinking about your smile, your eyes, your love. And every day he danced until his body couldn’t take it anymore. 

The same goes for Jongho and Yeosang. As soon as they were done with the daily schedule, they went to the gym and didn’t leave until late at night. They didn’t work out together but they were there for the same purpose. Overshadowing the pain in their hearts with physical pain. Pushing themselves through the hardest sets while ignoring every scream of their muscles to give them a break. 

Yunho and San were the opposite, locking themselves up in their room the moment they could and playing video games until the sun rose. But instead of hearing their usual screams of victory or swears when they lost, it was silent. They just sat in front of their screens, pressing keys, for hours and hours until they fell into bed.

Gladly their manager came in once a day, forcing them to eat. 

But one of them was affected the most. One that did neither of those things the others did to avoid thinking of you. Mingi hadn’t left his room, except it was unavoidable. Their manager put food in front of his door but most of the time he didn’t eat it. He spent all of his time in his bed, scrolling through social media or just lying awake, feeling nothing but an incredibly numbness in his body. He didn’t have the need to eat, to shower, or to sleep. He didn’t even notice falling asleep sometimes as it wasn’t much different from the state he was in anyway. His sleep paralysis was hunting him and going outside became harder and harder with every day. 

But there was one thing he was consistently doing. And that was calling you every evening, hoping you would pick up so he could apologize and beg you to come back. So he could get rid of the guilt that was eating him alive. If only he had acted on his thoughts earlier. 

Two weeks had passed when you decided to turn on your phone again. You had stayed at a little motel at the sea, taking a walk on the beach everyday and befriending the old local ladies. At some point you started meeting up with them for dinner, telling them all about your life and the reason why you were staying there. 

And even the grandma’s were fighting over your decision. One side was very eager for you to forgive your boyfriends because there was no evil intent but the other side was pretty firm on the “if they really love you, they would’ve noticed” narrative. But in the end, they were the ones convincing you to check your phone because “it’s important how hurt they are by you leaving, this way you can find out if they understand and regret what they did to you.”. You felt horrible even thinking about their reaction and knowing at least one of them cried broke your heart. But the old ladies were right.

Tears swelled up in your eyes as you scrolled through your phone, seeing all the missed calls and messages. Even their management had tried to reach you. But soon enough you noticed a pattern. In the beginning you had missed calls from every single one of them but with time it was less and less. Only Mingi still tried to call you every day. You missed them a lot. It was always to quiet around you here and you weren’t used to that. You missed Wooyoung bursting into your room without knocking and hearing Jongho’s heavenly vocals while he was in the shower. Hell you even missed staying awake till late at night to eat with Hongjoong when he finally got home. 

You were so lost in your thoughts that you didn’t even realise that your phone was buzzing. Mingi on the other hand was ripped out of his trance by the regular beep from his phone. He had gotten so used to “the person you are trying to call is currently unavailable, please try again later.” that it caught him totally off guard when his phone actually started beeping. His heart was beating up to his throat as he was holding his breath, waiting for you to answer. 

You had taken the call out of reflex before you even realized who was calling you. 

“Hello?” A deep shaking voice echoed through your phone, causing you to sharply inhale. A pain that you had never felt before shot through your body before you felt an unfamiliar feeling of relief, as if a weight was taken off your shoulders. 

“Y/n?” Mingi asked again, his heart still pounding in his chest. You took a deep breath and collected yourself before answering.

“Hello Mingi, how have you been?” You responded, being met with silence. After a few seconds of nobody saying anything, you heard him quietly crying on the other side of the line. 

“Min-“ You wanted to call out but you were interrupted by him sobbing. “I’m so sorry Y/n! You have no idea how much we miss you.. how much I miss you.. I should’ve said something! I knew that something changed but the least thing that we wanted was making you feel bad! Please believe me.. we didn’t mean to.. to hurt you.. to abandon you. We love you, please come back!” 

You were completely taken aback by his sudden outburst and only noticed now that streams of tears were running down your face. Mingi was about to start talking again when you stopped him.

“Mingi. Take a deep breath. I can’t forgive you right now but I will come back to talk. Please tell the others.” You said emotionlessly, contradicting your current state of mind, before hanging up the phone. 

Mingi hadn’t even realized that he had stood up. As soon as he heard you hanging up, he stormed out of his room, nearly running over their manager who was on his way to bring him food. 

“Guys guys guys. Y/n is coming back! Y/n is coming! I just talked with - well I apologised - and it was a short call but but they are coming back to us! Only to talk though, but isn’t that enough? I mean I don’t know what is happening but-“ He immediately started babbling when he came to stand in front of the kitchen table where the rest of his members were sitting. 

“Mingi Mingi slow down!” Yunho had jumped up from the table to give Mingi a hug and gently rub his back. Only now Mingi noticed how heavily he was breathing. 

“So what happened?” Hongjoong asked in a stern tone, gripping his utensils harshly. The atmosphere in the room was highly tense as the seven other were waiting for Mingi to elaborate. 

“I called Y/n. Like I do every night. And they answered. They said they will come back to talk and that I should tell you. Then they hung up on me.” Mingi said, calmer this time. But there was still no reaction from the rest of them. It was as if the information was still being processed in their brains, the fact that you were giving them a chance to make up for what they did. 

“So.. Y/n will be back?” San’s voice sounded through the quiet room, to which Mingi nodded. 

From the next morning on, the tension was high. Seonghwa ran around the dorm, cleaning up every little mess and making sure you would feel comfortable and the rest were trying to do some kind of work. But none of them could concentrate on a single task because their nerves were wrecked by the possibility of you coming back every second. 

You had packed your back immediately after making the call and told the motel owner that you would be leaving in the early morning. Packed with your things, you said goodbye to the old ladies, that were surprisingly already awake at this early hour and took the next train home.

Home. 

It felt so strange to you, this little word. But its meaning became stronger with every foot that you got closer. 

And it was the strongest when you finally stood in front of the apartment door in the early afternoon of the same day. You had your keys in your hand but you hesitated. This isn't right. So you decided to ring the bell. 

Time froze inside of the dorm as the bell echoed through the rooms. It took a moment of realization before all of them stormed towards the entrance. San was the fastest so he opened the door. To your surprise a bit too fast, causing you to flinch. 

But it was clear that neither of you knew what to do now so you just awkwardly stood there before San took a step back to let you in. As you entered the living room, your boyfriends stood there, lined up, as if they were about to “8 makes 1 team” at you. You bowed slightly before waving awkwardly. 

“Hello?” You asked more than actually greeting them and they mumbled the same back at you. Just like at the door, you stood there for a second before someone dared to say something.

“We’re glad that you’re back.” Yeosang said, his voice piercing through the silence. You hadn’t expected him to say something but somehow you were glad it was him. Because you knew it was sincere. 

You nodded shortly before moving towards your room. The line that they were standing in split to let you through, it nearly seemed like they were scared to touch you, scared that you would break or disappear again. “I’ll be in my room for now.” 

You weren’t ready to properly face them yet. Seeing them was overwhelming enough. You had missed them a lot, yes. But this dorm, this room also reminded you of the pain you had felt the last few months. 

You locked the door behind you, sliding down with your back against it. You couldn’t help but start crying and you didn’t care that they could hear it. 

Your sobs were ripping apart their hearts. San immediately buried his face in Wooyoung’s chest, who was still in shock from suddenly seeing you in front of him. Seonghwa went over to hug both of them, allowing himself to finally face the pain he was feeling. Even Jongho hid his face in Yunho’s body, much to the latter’s surprise. 

It was already way past midnight when you heard a knock on your door. You were sure what to do but after waiting a bit, you decided to get up and unlock your door. You thought whoever knocked had disappeared already but shortly after the unlocking click of your door was heard, the someone pressed down the door handle. 

“Wait who- San?” You stood right behind the door as he opened it to let himself in. His head was hanging down, his hands were holding on to his shirt and his whole body was shaking. 

You didn’t know what to do but you couldn’t just watch as he collapsed onto the ground. 

“San? Sannie? Are you okay?” You kneeled down next to him, trying to look him in the eye but he was hiding his face. Seeing him like this physically hurt you. Your heart was clenching and in your head two thoughts were battling. “They hurt you, let them feel how it felt” and “you love them, work on a solution and don’t let them suffer”. But no matter how you had been feeling, letting your loved ones suffer had no use.

“Come here.” You gently whispered before pulling San into a hug. He instantly adjusted to you, pressing his face into your body. He didn’t say anything, you didn’t say anything. All you did was sit there on the cold bedroom floor, bodies intertwined, for an unknown amount of time. With every minute of feeling his body pressed against yours you remembered why you loved him so much. His presence only could give you a peace of mind that nothing else could. 

When you woke up the next morning, you were lying in your bed, cuddled into your blanket. San was gone and you started to think it was only a dream but you could still smell his scent on your clothes. Without looking at the time, you rubbed your eyes and walked into the kitchen to make yourself some breakfast. 

“Good morning Y/n.” You were startled by the sound of Seonghwa’s voice behind you. “San told me what happened last night. Are you alright?” His voice was soft, calming even, just like it always had been. And much to your surprise, nothing was alright anymore. Hearing these words from the one person you had always trusted your deepest feelings with, made you lose control.

“No Seonghwa. Nothing is alright. I took a risk, I put so much effort into this. Into you. And what do I get in return? Being replaced. Do you have any idea how I felt? How it felt sitting at this damned table, waiting for you to get home only to be met with a oh sorry we already ate with someone better. And the worst part about this? I can’t even stay mad at you! From the moment that I left this appointment I regretted it. Why? Because I love you. Because I love every single one of you so much that it rips out my heart to stay away. I suffered from being here and I suffered from being away so can you tell me what the fuck I am supposed to do!?” 

You didn’t even mean to throw all of this at him but it felt good. It felt good to let it out. All the frustration, all the anger you had been feeling. To just say it. 

But all that Seonghwa did was take you into his arms. 

“We love you too Y/n and I can tell you there was not a single second during the last two weeks that we didn’t regret making you feel that way. I’m so sorry… Please give us another chance, I promise we won’t make the same mistake ever again. You are our star, our guide. Without you we can’t work like we used to. Please allow us to continue loving you.” Those words. Those were the words you had been longing to hear for so long. And it was those words that helped you forgive them.

A few days had passed and you took your time to reconnect with them. Ever since you had been back, they treated you like a treasure, like the most precious being on earth. But there was one of them who couldn’t quite forgive himself yet. 

It was Tuesday and you were on your way to visit Jongho at practice. Falling back into this familiar routine was strange at first put it somehow gave you a lot of comfort as well. As you got closer to his usual practice room, you already heard his heart wrenching vocals hammering out a ballad, as usual. You stood in front of the door, hesitating to go in while listening to his beautiful voice. Jongho was the one who had tried to contact you the most, after Mingi. He didn’t call you but he left you little texts nearly everyday. 

Right when the song ended you collected all your courage to enter the room. Jongho was standing there, his back to you, typing something into the computer. 

“That was perfect.” You said rather quietly, unsure if he could hear you. But he did, and he immediately turned around. 

“Y/n! What.. what are you doing here?” He asked. You could hear both confusion and pleasant surprise in his voice. You gently put down your bag on the ground before walking towards him. 

“It’s Tuesday.” You answered, knowing that there was no further explanation needed. “So.. what am I hearing next?” You flashed him a wide smile, trying to supress the emotions that were swelling up behind your mask. 

Jongho quickly turned around again. “Isaac Hong - Without You” He said before the playback started playing. His voice was quiet, unsure when he started singing, barely getting through the first verse. You had goosebumps all over your body. The emotion he put into this song, the lyrics, the melody, everything hit a little bit too close to home. You wanted to cry but you somehow couldn’t. It was Jongho who suddenly stopped singing, hiding his face in his hands. 

He didn’t even turn towards you when he started speaking. 

“Why did you leave us? Why didn’t you talk to us? I- I would’ve- I would’ve said something.. I could’ve made you feel better! We made you leave… how can you forgive us?” His words were stabbing right through your heart. You were asking yourself those questions. How can you forgive them? How could you ever trust them again? But you needed to try. You couldn’t miss out on being as happy as you were before. You couldn’t miss out on loving them.

You wrapped your arms around his body tightly, taking his hands into yours. And that was when you felt his tears drop onto your skin. 

“Don’t ever say you loved us again! Promise that you will love us till the end…” You giggled slightly as he sounded like a little kid demanding your hand in marriage. But if you can work through this, you can work through anything. And you had already decided not to leave ever again. 

“Don’t worry Jongho. I promise I will always love you. All of you.”

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Tags: @jonghoisbabie @multidreams-and-desires @little-precious-baby @yunhofingers-writes @serialee @crimsonbubble @cometoceantrenches @em--ilysm @deja-vux @kawaiiloli00 @ddeonghwva @aaaaajonghooooo @sansbun @cookies-n-joong @plonys @hijirikaww @nari-nim @yunkiwii @mingi-ivity @racheloveyunho @seongsangsgf @jhmylove @lizsvcks @yunhobabygurl @leoninadecorazones @kerra-that-one-random-fangirl @star1117-archives @hoshischeekss @yeosangsbiceps @euphoric-emily16 @anyamaris @shinestarhwaa @seomisaho

Fic specific tags: @yeosangsbiceps @cookiechristie @danirael @camzpetite @butterfliesinthenightsky @lunarhwa @scuzmunkie @jiwelry0224 @parkthothwa8 @channiesbum @sookacc @s10an @just-a-really-bored-kpop-fan @jxrdxnh

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[giveemgreef]

the minnesota wild as High School Musical characters

did I take this too seriously? yes. have I spent the last week thinking about this? also yes. anyway, the context: we were assigned the wildcats by a swede. @babygirlspurgeon kept tagging things with HSM lyrics. @wildaboutmnhockey created the masterpiece video of the mn wild set to getcha head in the game. so now here I am!!! this has been meticulously constructed with the help of my friend who doesn't know anything about the wild beyond what I tell her (shoutout to zoe for being balls to the wall no matter what I throw at her! who else will discuss the misc. cunt levels of the wild players with me). anyway to make this easier on ourselves we constructed a reality wherein High School Musical is being recreated on ice & instead of basketball in the plot it's hockey, so this is NOT about who's most like a character etc (though that ended up being a large part of it anyway whoops), but who could embody them best in a production of it. since the cast for HSM is not...particularly large, I was really getting down into the weeds with minor parts to fit (almost) the whole roster in here, so most everyone has their moment!!! anyway. and lastly. I am just saying that mounting this show during intermissions could maybe fix the nightmare this season has been & bring the team together. because they are. after all. all in this together.

tldr: this is basically a fancast of HSM using only the minnesota wild. I am not explaining myself any further

***

Troy Bolton // Matt Boldy

look. we really had to waffle between many options for Troy and this is where we ended up. my thoughts on matt boldy have been semi-well documented at this point, so mr. white bread bimbo feels like an organic option for this role. I feel like he can really serve us some mid-range semi-insensitive high school jock realness + angst without trying too hard. plus: I feel like he'll play off Shawzy as Gabriella really well.

Gabriella Montez // Mason Shaw

for as fucking annoying as Gabriella is at points, there's an earnest authenticity there that shawzy so easily embodies. his "let's play hockey" moment from playoffs 2023........he has the emotional RANGE and will murder When There Was Me and You in cold blood. plus, much like gabriella does for troy in HSM, mason will be able to coax that emotional performance from boldy as troy with his whole do-it-for-shawzy energy. what else can be said!!! the boys love him!! so don't worry, shawzy!! you soon will be soaring. flying. and breaking free.

Sharpay Evans // Marcus Foligno

marcus foligno the man that you are. he can and WILL serve the cunt necessary to be Sharpay. he will commit body and soul to bringing this role to life, though we may have to adjust the line "evaporate, tall person" to be more appropriate. anyway. I would give SO much in this life to see moose perform Bop to the Top. who will fund this with me.

Ryan Evans // Mats Zuccarello

known funky little man mats zuccarello does SO WELL as Ryan in my mind. his dancing has been well documented so you KNOW he's gonna absolutely kill the game with those jazz squares (it's a crowd favorite! everybody loves a good jazz square), plus his affable, everyman, team-first energy is exactly what the role of ryan demands. also: the idea of him as ryan and foligno as sharpay....chef's kiss.

Chad Danforth // Ryan Hartman

hartzy...hype man for the boys...put him a series of shirts with chirpy slogans on them for my enjoyment please!!! then make him walk around with sports props for the entire production. anyway, hartzy gives me the requisite jock bro energy necessary to pull off chad's role, as well as the bitchiness needed to essentially sabotage something that is making his best buddy troy happy. plus. I'm just SAYING. given chad and ryan's dynamic in HSM2. I am eyeing him and zuccy with anticipation.

Taylor McKessie // Joel Eriksson Ek

he's going the distance. he's going for speed. he's being cast as the tenacious captain of the scholastic decathlon team. mr. september is nothing but committed to his craft and this seriousness and dedication is EXACTLY what we need for taylor. that being said, our boy jeek is up for some shenanigans given the right situation, so will he manufacture a situation to rudely disrupt the decathlon & basketball finals? but of course!!

Kelsi Nielsen // Connor Dewar

who ELSE is going to bring enough weird girl energy to the table?? I feel like dewey 2 would take this SO seriously and the role of kelsi, while at times beyond fucking annoying, demands nothing but sincerity and dedication. he wouldn't be able to NOT take this seriously. this man has also stated that he would be a writer if not for hockey, so we can really get some method acting up in this bitch. essentially: put a bowler hat on that beast and watch him go.

Ms. Darbus // Marc-Andre Fleury

this role had to be rotated in my mind a lot before settling on a casting choice. I mean, goalies are weird, and I feel like flower would bring jussssst enough bizarro energy that would perfectly drive a middle-aged thespian who, for some reason, allowed a high school student to write and mount a musical that seems to make little to no sense. maybe it's all part of a large prank. who knows.

Coach Bolton // Jake Middleton

I can't pretend this is anything other than typecasting, I'm so sorry. I can't look at middsy without being reminded of the dad from Inside Out, plus "the mustache is saying pushing 50" according to my friend. I can also perfectly envision middsy yelling WHAT ARE THOSE TWO DOING IN A TREE with great dedication, so. assigned dilf at HSM casting

Lucille Bolton // Jared Spurgeon

does spurge deserve a larger role? maybe. possibly. probably. but look: once we cast middsy as troy's dad, spurgeon was quick to follow as troy's mom. who are we to fight the natural sexual chemistry of these two? anyway. assigned milf at HSM casting

Jason Cross // Brandon Duhaime

typecast as dumb jock from a team of jocks. what does that say about you, mr. duhaime??? anyway, dewey 1 is really going to deliver on the clueless but loyal bro vibes here. as a bonus. a very IMPORTANT bonus. I have to note that at the end of All in this Together jason is the one to remove kelsi's bowler hat and help her shoot a basket in a VERY flirtatious manner. and I AM all about putting the deweys in that situation, so help me god.

Zeke Baylor // Frédérick Gaudreau

he IS a sweetheart!!!!! a sweetheart!!!!! someday you WILL make the perfect crème brûlée, freddy!!! & your boys will love you for it!!!!

Martha Cox // Brock Faber

the glasses are giving nerd. and then THIS is giving pop and lock and jam and break.

Skater Who Plays the Cello // Jon Merrill

do I need to explain this one????? c'mon. he's so believable as a skater kid and ALSO as someone who plays the cello. the duality of man is contained in jonny "vibes" merrill.

(tbc)

[leaderoffestivals]

Harukawa Sora FS2 4*: Way of the Finishing Move

Sora: HuHu~! This achievement is only possible thanks to everyone here at SHIN. Sora can call himself a Finishing Move Master now~ ♪

Scenario Writer: Kanata Haruka  Season: Winter   Characters: Harukawa Sora, Mikejima Madara. Kiryu Kuro, Amagi Hiiro, Morisawa Chiaki, Nagumo Tetora

< In the Training Room.>

Sora: Please help Sora out with training. Thank you so much!

Madara: Yep, that’s the situation right there! I hope everyone can come together to help Sora-san achieve his wish, somehow ☆

Tetora: No, wait. Even if you say “That’s the situation right there”, I haven’t the foggiest clue what the situation is at all… … 

Chiaki: I'm in the same boat too. However, it’s the duty of a hero to help those in need. If Harukawa wishes to train with me, I’ll be his training partner for however long it takes!

Kuro: Hmm. I don’t mind either, but can we at least know why you want to train with us? 

One can’t really train without knowing what the goal is, after all. 

Sora: Yes! Sora REALLY wants to master a finishing move! It’s the Forward Downward Diagonal Punch~ (2) ♪

Hiiro: Hmm? What’s a forward downward diagonal punch? Is it a kind of spell or something? 

Tetora: OH! Could it be a command from that fighting game? You know, the famous one!

Kuro: Oh, that one, huh? The one that’s surprisin'ly tricky to execute properly. I see, I get what you’re talkin’ about now. 

Any guy would wanna try imitatin’ the techniques they see in manga and games at least once. 

Harukawa, you probably want to try out the moves you’ve been usin' in yer fighting games, am I right? 

Sora: HaHa~! Bin~go, Red Onii-san. Sora will award you a flower seal~ (3)

In the beginning, Sora tried asking Shisho and Senpai for advice, but they’re not very knowledgeable about martial arts at all.

That’s why Sora ended up practising in the dorm room while looking at the game screen, you know~?

Madara: Hahaha. And when I came back and saw Sora-san performing a strange dance in our dorm room, I couldn’t help joining in the dance as wellll ♪

Sora: Urgh. It’s not a dance, okay~. It’s a Finishing Move!

Madara: Whoops! Sorry, my bad! You’re absolutely right. Anyway, that’s the reason why I invited you here after seeing you so worked up about it after all. 

Everything has a purpose and place. If it’s a place to practise martial arts you need, then there's no better place for you than SHIN after aaall!

Madara: Now then. For that reason, once again—Would everyone be willing to help Sora-san fulfil his wish? 

Great! It seems like everyone is willing to lend a hand! Well then, let us start our Circle activities without delay ♪

Tetora: Now, Sora-kun, try loosening your fists a little. Don’t rely solely on your fists to strike—try twisting your hips to inject more power into your punch! 

Sora: Got it! TAKE! THAT! And THAT! 

Chiaki: Whoa, you're looking good! Those punches of yours have some serious power behind them ♪

Sora: HiHi~! Punching rhythmically like this makes it feel like Sora’s playing a fun music game! It’s almost as if Sora can see the notes coming in from the front, huh~?

TAKE! THAT! And THAT! Sora will be trying his best to aim for a Full Combo now ♪

Kuro: Oi, oi. You shouldn’t be losin’ yer focus and thinkin' of other games during warmup, should you?

If you get too carried away, you’ll run outta steam and bonk before achievin’ yer goal, Harukawa. 

Sora: You’re right! Thank you, Red Onii-san. Sora will remember that since Sora doesn’t have much stamina.

However, doing this is so much fun, it feels like Sora’s health is actually being replenished instead~ ♪

Madara: HAHAHA! Sora-san seems perfectly warmed up nowww!

Let's strike while the iron is hot! Now that warm-up is done, shall we move on to the training for your Finishing Move? 

Sora: Yes, please! Sora will be in your care!

Tetora: Anyway, for those who are unfamiliar with fighting games, I’ve managed to find a video demonstrating the technique. 

Madara: Oh, that’s helpful. … … Hmm, hmm. I see nowww. It’s that kind of move, huh? 

Madara: Hm~mm. Performing this move leaves you wide open for a counterattack, doesn’t it? It doesn't seem very practical for actual combat at aaall.

Hiiro: Hmm. I agree with Madara-senpai. The part where you jump after landing a fist on the opponent's chin is totally unnecessary. 

If your attack misses, you won’t be able to dodge while in mid-air, and end up exposing your flank and other vulnerable areas. 

Kuro: Oi, oi, you guys. Stop goin’ outta yer way to say things to crush Harukawa’s dream. 

Chiaki: Exactly, you two. Saying stuff like that feels like you’re interrupting a hero’s transformation scene!

Tetora: Moves like these are cooler when they’re hot-blooded and flashy, aren’t they? It’s so not cool to rain on other people’s parades!

Anyway, Sora-kun, could you show us the Finishing Move you’ve got now? We won’t be able to give proper advice until we know what needs fixing, right? 

Sora: Got it! Sora will show you his punch at full power~! Here it goes… … 

HaHa! Forward Downward Diagonal Punch~ ♪

Tetora: Here, I’ve recorded Sora-kun’s move as it is now. Let's take a look at it. 

Sora: Hm~mm? There’s no force behind it at all~. This isn’t a Finishing Move, it’s just an ordinary jump. 

Sora has a long, long way to go after all~. What in the world is Sora doing wrong, Sora wonders? 

Hiiro: Well, I think your small size is a major reason why you lack power, Sora-kun. The person using this move in the game is very muscular, after all. 

Madara: That’s true, but having a small build doesn’t mean one can’t generate an impact, right? With a little technique, even small things can be made to appear huge, you knowww? 

And Chiaki-san, with his rich experience in hero shows and stunt work, should be able to offer some insights on how to achieve that, riiight ♪

Chiaki: Ahaha… I think the same could be said of you, Mikejima-san. 

However, it’s true that I can give some advice based on my experience to you.

The key idea to remember is—to contract when needed, and to extend when needed. 

For instance, right before jumping, you should fully contract to gather as much power as you possibly can—

—and then unleash all that power at the moment of the jump, extending fully into the punch as you connect with your opponent’s chin. 

If you do that, you’ll have an impressively flashy uppercut! 

Sora: Hm~mm? Um… … So, contracting fully before extending—?  

Tetora: Ahaha. Morisawa-senpai just dumped a bunch of unexpected theory on you, huh. It’s detailed, but then, it might be hard to understand this advice just by listening. 

Kuro: In that case, why don’t I demonstrate what that means for ya? Pay close attention, Harukawa—

Kuro: HERE GOES—!

Tetora: WOW! As expected of you, Taishou! That was incredibly powerful just now!

Sora: Yes! It felt like the character from the game was right in front of our eyes!

Kuro: Haha, thanks fer the compliment. But more importantly, did you understand how the move works from what you saw just now, Harukawa?

Sora: Yes, Sora has got it perfectly~. Sora will give it a go, so please watch carefully! Here it goes~~

EIYAAA—!

Sora: Urm, how was that? Did Sora manage to perform the Finishing Move properly just now? 

Chiaki: That’s amazing, Harukawa! That was powerfully and perfectly done!

Hiiro: Umu! I felt a powerful intensity that made me instinctively raise my guard just now!

Oh, I get it. The key to this technique lies in this very intensity. With such an effect, there’ll be no opportunity for the opponent to attack Sora-kun's exposed flank or back because their guard will be raised high despite themselves!

Sora: HuHu~! This achievement is only possible thanks to everyone here at SHIN. Sora can call himself a Finishing Move Master now~ ♪

AH! However, there are still many Finishing Moves Sora has not mastered yet, so it might still be too early for Sora to call himself a Finishing Move Master now, huh… …? 

Madara: Hoho~! It appears there are still many techniques Sora-san wishes to learn about!

This is a good opportunity, so let’s practise other Finishing Moves today as well~ 

Sora: In that case, let’s all fire out Energy Blasts together! It’s Down Diagonal Forward Punch~ (4) ♪

Kuro: Harukawa, that’s hella impossible, even fer me… …

The End

Translator’s notes: 

必殺技 (hi-satsu-waza) in the title: Sure-kill-technique or finishing move in computer games.  

Sora is saying the controller commands which will activate the 昇龍拳 ShoRyuKen in the fighting game, Street Fighter.

3. Sora says 花丸 Hanamaru here: This refers to the encircled flower seal (equivalent to a gold star) JP teachers award to children for good work at school. It looks like this.

4. Sora just suggested that everyone perform the 波動拳 Hadouken in Street Fighter.

5. It's not proofed, so if you spot anything and/or wish to give feedback, please DM me.

[onebizarrekai]

oh! that's a good one. general curiosity, do you make playlists for projects? on the topic of songs and ibvs, are there any specific artists and/or genres you associate with ibvs? do you have any song associations for specific characters?

this ask is from 2021… looks like we're doing this now… whoops…

so what usually ends up happening is that I make a playlist afterwards rather than before. I don't think I've made a project or fandom playlist since 2021-22ish, but back when I did, I would just kinda throw em together, not necessarily for inspiration, but just for fun. I don't have a full playlist I'd consider updated and complete anymore, here are a handful of songs I associate with ibvs a while ago: high dive by shaed is the honorary intro music young and menace by fall out boy sugar honey ice & tea by bring me the horizon don't go outside by poppy the judge by twenty one pilots everything is fine by all time low just pretend by bad omens suffer by get scared giants by imagine dragons

most of the time I end up associating whatever I listen to the most with whatever I'm currently creating. so, only some of these songs are ones I listen to all the time, so whatever works works.

meanwhile, more accurately, I tend to associate ibvs with video game music. it kinda takes the edginess factor out of it, which I prefer honestly. offline I make a lot of jokes about ibvs being a kingdom hearts style game, so all the boss music in those games make me think of ibvs now. nintendo music, sonic music, orchestra mixes, any music that sounds like it'd play in the bg of whatever felix is scheming (read: team skull theme from pokemon mystery dungeon), metal gear rising music, silvagunner mixes, that's where my brain goes a lot. for me, ibvs is a fake game at heart.

[32bitterra]

Kirby & The Amazing Mirror turns 20 today. I drew a little something to commemorate it.

Sentimental old person rambling under the cut.

Amazing Mirror is my favorite video game, and it is one of my earliest video game memories. I played it before my sister was born, and before I could even READ. I distinctly remember calling it "Rock Hat Game" (referring to the stone ability) before my mother corrected me. For those unaware, the unique thing about this Kirby game is that the game lets you explore the Mirror World and beat the bosses in whichever order you want. This game was full of mystery to me as a child. This was before I had internet so I couldn't just look anything up. I was always wondering what I would find next. I spent HOURS trying to find rooms I hadn't been in yet, believing they held the most incredible secrets (a child's imagination is very powerful.) I believe I got my first glimpses of the final boss when I was around five or six years old. I remember Dark Meta Knight frightened me because of how fast he moved, but I loved the music that played when you fought him, so I'd leave the game paused just to hear it (too frightened to unpause it or else Dark Meta Knight would whoop my ass lol. Does anyone else remember holding the GBA speaker up to your ear to hear the music? I remember listening to the Candy Constellation theme like this.) Something this game is infamous for are the NUMEROUS times you have to beat the final boss, Dark Mind. I managed to get to his second-to-last phase, the giant eye, when I was six or seven or so. If I had to beat his first form four times, I wondered just how far it would go. I distinctly remember having a dream that some sort of mouse boss emerged from the eye (funnily enough, I got Squeak Squad for Christmas when I was nine.) I beat Amazing Mirror when I was eight years old. It was a Friday afternoon, and I was so excited to finally beat the game that my legs went numb lol. Fast forward a little to when I was twelve or so, I started trying to get 100% completion. This involves entering every room and getting every treasure. I know this game like the back of my hand now. When I was thirteen, I wanted to see how quickly I could beat it after watching speedruns. I can beat it 100% pretty quickly now. It's a game I like to play for my friends because I can beat it quickly and without dying.

The drawing above hardly begins to fully encapsulate how much I love the game, and I struggled trying to think of a drawing that could truly show my appreciation. In the end, I went for something rather simple. Emerald is my favorite spray paint color, but if you asked younger-me, I would have answered "Ocean." I was totally obsessed with finding all the spray paint colors, and I remember turning the game off and on to switch the colors to see how they'd look with the UFO ability. If anyone has read this far, tell me what your favorite spray paint color in Amazing Mirror is in the tags if you'd like! Also, the level backgrounds are absolutely beautiful in this game. They look like paintings, and I wonder if any high quality, non-GBA-compressed versions exist. The light blue Peppermint Palace background is my favorite (it's also my header.) Let me know what your favorite level and/or level background is as well. I'm gonna wrap this up because I've went on for too long blurting my guts out over a GBA game. I still feel like I've barely scratched the surface about all I love about this game. I will not be making this kind of long-winded rambling a habit though lol.

[renxzs]

hold on, i still need you // rowaelin // 2.5k // masterlist

cw: a smidge of angst..

a/n: This was inspired by the story within this music video. For some reason teen Ren loved the shit out of it even though it was kind of sad? haha. After stumbling across the video again recently, I thought, “Rowaelin? Why not..” @highqueenofelfhame is also to thank for this first attempt at angst (hope it doesn’t suck? lolol)

Also, major shoutout to my girly @backtobl4ck for helping with the title. It was a grueling journey (hahah), but we got there!

~~

Rowan threaded the worn leather belt through the loops of his jeans, cinching the buckle into place. A pleasant warmth settled in his chest as it did every time he looked at her. Helpless to the broad, eye crinkling grin stretching his lips at the sight of his girlfriend’s sprawled form on their bed, thoroughly sated. His inner ego couldn’t help but be stroked by that fact. 

As she basked in sleepy contentment, Rowan already knew her answer but he asked anyway. “Baby, you sure you don’t want to come?” 

Aelin hummed curling into the satin pillow with a languid, blissed-out smile. “You go, enjoy time with the boys.”

The silky nightgown she’d slipped back on had shifted with her movement, edging up the soft curve of her hip to expose miles of that smooth, tanned skin he loves so much to worship. And that cloying smile on her pretty lips, all pink and kiss-swollen… 

Gods above, he’d just had her--her low moans and soft whimpers still ringing clear in his ears--and yet his body was aching for more. 

But if he missed another guys’ night, he’d never hear the fucking end of it from Lorcan. Rowan swallowed down the rising groan at the thought of leaving her in their bed looking so delectable. 

He needed to go though, if only to obtain his best kept secret that’s been in Fenrys’ possession for safekeeping the last few weeks. It was time. 

Rowan dropped a kiss to Aelin’s brow. “I love you, fireheart.” 

“Mm, love you, buzzard.” 

He chuckled, running his fingers through her glossy locks. Her eyes were already closed when he slipped from their room. 

Rowan slid his phone and wallet into his pockets and headed down the stairs of the apartment building, taking two at a time. Stepping out into the cool evening air, he immediately spotted Lorcan’s car parked along the curb. 

The barest hint of a smirk disrupted his friend’s usual scowl as he called out the lowered window. “Glad to see you didn’t punk out, Whitethorn.”

Rowan chuckled and raised a middle finger as he made his way around to the passenger side. He was in for one hell of a night.

~~

While a larger part of him longed to be home and wrapped around Aelin in their bed, Rowan would begrudgingly admit that the night out with the guys had been nice. 

Vaughn and Fenrys already had a ridiculous variety of appetizers littering the tabletop by the time he and Lorcan arrived. Just looking at the heaps of deep-fried, greasy foods gave Rowan a stomachache. Fenrys, unsurprisingly, had also sweet-talked the bartender into relinquishing him control over the music--something that should never be allowed. Lorcan sat with a pinched look for half the evening when Fen took to belting out his all-time favorites.

After a few beers and two rounds of pool, Vaughn had headed out. He’d been the first among their friends to embark on fatherhood with a newborn now at home--and he was proudly owning the Dad title already. Their little family admittedly had Rowan often envisioning what his own future could look like as of late. It had hit him like a brick to the face, that intense sense of yearning the first time he saw Aelin cooing over the infant cradled in her arms. He wanted that and more with her.

Cracking pool balls and an obnoxious whoop! from Fenrys dragged Rowan’s attention back to the game. They’d agreed to a final round before calling it a night. Rowan chalked the tip of his pool stick as he sidled up to the table on his turn, scouting the best angle to shoot from before proceeding to sink two balls back to back. Lorcan snorted when Fenrys’ sounds of celebration turned to groans of dismay.

Easing back onto his barstool, Rowan took a swig of beer in a failed attempt to keep his mind from drifting. The small luxe box he’d secured from Fenrys earlier was burning a hole through the inner pocket of his jacket. The sparkling stone on the engagement ring he’d designed for Aelin looked exactly as he’d remembered when picking it up from the jeweler weeks ago. 

Knowing Aelin and her penchant for uncovering surprises, Rowan didn’t dare run the risk of bringing the ring back with him into their home. With Elide in the picture, Lorcan was also out of the question. So instead, Rowan--albeit a bit reluctantly--handed the ring over to Fenrys for safekeeping.

He and Aelin were heading out of the city for the upcoming weekend, escaping to her family’s cabin in the Staghorn Mountains. And now with the ring finally back in his possession, if everything went according to plan, Rowan would be starting the weekend with his girlfriend and ending it with his fiancée.

Gods above, he couldn’t wait to marry her.

Rowan’s phone came alive, bright and buzzing across the sticky tabletop. Emrys scrolled across the screen for an incoming call. His brows drew together. 

Emrys and his husband lived on the floor below their apartment. Aelin had made fast friends with him, and the friendship only grew substantially stronger with every baked good he’d bring upstairs to share.

Green eyes flicked to the time displayed in the top corner of the screen and his scowl deepened. Why would Emrys be calling at this hour? 

Rowan swiped his thumb across the screen to answer. “Hello?” 

“Oh, thank gods.” Emrys’ relief was palpable through the line. “There’s a fire, Rowan. But I’m so glad you are out. The whole building is up in flames–”

Static drowned everything out and the bar and everyone around him fell away to nothing.

Fire?

Building up in flames? 

Perplexed, both Fenrys and Lorcan looked over at Rowan with raised brows as the phone slipped through his fingers and clattered to the floor.

“I need to go.” Rowan spoke numbly. His body didn’t feel like his own, pushing off the stool as wide eyes sought out his friends. “I- I need to go,” he repeated. “There’s a fire- Aelin. I need to get to Aelin.”

A beat of silence passed as Fenrys and Lorcan stood frozen in disbelief, then in a split second Lorcan was shoving his pool stick into Fenrys’ hands and snatching up his keys. The blonde was already nodding, saying something about covering the tab and for them to just go. 

Lorcan clapped Rowan behind the neck, turning him towards the door. “Let's go. I’ll drive.”

The next moments were a blur. Rowan had barely gathered enough wits to swipe his phone off the filthy floor before racing out of the bar, dialing Aelin’s number over and over and over. Her pretty face smiling up at him every time he hit call, only for the line to ring and ring before clicking over to voicemail.

Rowan’s leg bounced anxiously in the small space as his thumb smashed the call button again. He was going to fucking vomit. She had to be okay. He needed her to be.

Lorcan cursed as they sped down the empty streets of downtown, wheels screeching on a sharp turn. Never had the man driven so recklessly before. Lorcan’s usual calm-and-collected demeanor was fractured by the panic edging in his own voice as he demanded “What fire?” but Rowan didn’t know--didn’t have the words or mental capacity to think about anything other than how he needed to get to Aelin.

Lorcan had to of broken at least a dozen traffic laws by the time they approached Rowan’s block, but–

Holy gods. The whole fucking building was ablaze.

His frantic gaze bounced around the gathering crowd but there was no golden blonde hair in sight. Stomach sinking further with dread, his eyes inevitably fell back to the burning building.

His fireheart, trapped inside. 

Rowan tore out of the car before Lorcan could bring it to a complete stop. He made a beeline for the building, weaving through loitering bodies, only to be stopped in the front lawn by a firefighter. Rowan heard himself yelling over the noise of surrounding chaos, maybe Aelin’s name, but it wasn’t intelligible even to his own ears.

“Sir, you need to stay calm and keep back,” the man instructed firmly. His solid arms outstretched to block Rowan from getting past.

“Calm?!” How was he expected to be fucking calm with the woman he loves--his entire world--trapped inside a burning building? 

“My girlfriend is in there!” Rowan roared, jabbing a finger in the direction of the flaming structure. And, oh gods- the new realization nearly choked him as a fresh wave of terror wrapped itself around his throat and flooded his chest. “She was sleeping.”

He didn’t know which thought was worse. Aelin unwittingly lying unconscious amidst danger, or her being very much aware but alone and terrified.

Sympathy flashed across the fireman’s stern face, but he still gave Rowan another firm push back. “Sir, please. I promise you we will do everything we can to get all tenants out of the building.”

Rowan shoved away from the man and stalked back toward the road, fingers ripping through his hair. Aelin is inside.Aelin is inside.Aelin is inside. The words barreled through his mind on a torturous loop. 

He hadn’t realized the tears gathering in his eyes until his gaze cut back to the building and all he saw was a blur of vibrant oranges and yellows. He rapidly blinked the tears away, glancing around wildly, his harsh breaths sounding so loud in his ears, not entirely sure of what he was looking for.

Rowan halted mid turn, gaze snagging on one of the trucks a few feet away. He was sprinting toward it without further thought. Hands ran blindly over the cool metal until they found a handle, yanking open the compartment door to reveal additional bunker gear. His eyes landed on a repellent jacket. He snatched it up, shoving his arms through the garment while eyeing the nearby firemen before making a run for the building.

Rowan faintly registered Lorcan yelling after him in the distance, but he paid him no mind. He needed to get to Aelin.

~~

Everything burned. Her eyes, her nose, her throat, her lungs. 

Stifling heat rippled through the room. Aelin choked on a sharp inhale, sending her into a hard coughing fit that set everything inside her on fire. 

Fire.

Moments of lucidity were slowly threading together as her sleep-ladened mind cleared. Only to be met with the dark haze of smoke.

Aelin shot upright in bed, wheezing and coughing. Every inhale burned like her lungs were being flayed. She had never realized how loud fire actually was until it was roaring around her, suffocating and ripping through the little home she and Rowan had poured their hearts into.

Gods, Rowan. Thank Mala he wasn’t home. Aelin’s teeth chattered almost violently, her hands trembling against her bare thighs as she contemplated her options, but… but at least Rowan wasn’t in danger, too.

She scrambled out of bed and dropped to the floor, trying frantically to recall the fire safety tactics taught so long ago in school. Sweat beaded on her forehead, the room sweltering. Raging flames behind the closed door of their bedroom had her flinching away. What was she supposed to do? How was she going to get out?

Aelin clenched her jaw to stifle the cry crawling up from the depths of her chest. She would not panic. She would not–

The bedroom door splintered into pieces. Aelin’s head whipped in the direction of the sound to find a flash of silver hair barreling towards her.

Rowan. 

She croaked his name but the roar of burning flames around them drowned out her broken voice.

She lurched up from the floor toward him. Tears stung her eyes as her outstretched arms desperately reached for him. The sheer relief of seeing him nearly crippling as a sob lodged itself in her throat. His lips crashed against hers, murmuring her name over and over as he held her against him in a bone crushing embrace.

Rowan drew back to look her over, hands smoothing over her face and hair before his eyes darted about the room.

He shrugged the fireman’s jacket off and guided her arms into it. “We need to get out of here,” he said, almost to himself. Aelin’s shaking hands pushed through the armholes before clinging onto him again. 

Rowan abruptly wrapped her in his arms, bowing over her small frame as he turned them to shield her body from the pressurized heat bursting through the bedroom doorway. Blistering flames rippled in, spreading over the far wall. Pictures of their happiest moments curled in on themselves before charring to nothing. 

“Baby, hold onto me okay?” Rowan said in a rush, hooking an arm under her legs and lifting her bridal style in one fluid motion. Aelin’s heart thundered in her ears but she trusted him irrevocably with her life and only nodded, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck. Rowan was quick on his feet, hurrying toward the door of their French balcony.

The cool evening air was like a balm against her sweaty, stinging skin. Rowan stared back at the growing flames engulfing their bedroom before looking down at the drop to ground level. Her stomach plummeted with the realization--there was nowhere to go but down. 

“Ro-” Just the small utterance of his name burned in her throat. 

Those beautiful deep green eyes she loved so much bored into her and the resolve that swirled within them made her want to sob.

No. This couldn’t be it. 

Rowan rested his forehead against hers. “I love you, fireheart. To whatever end.”

Before Aelin could respond, her world was tilting and then they were free-falling amongst flakes of ash. She squeezed her eyes shut and held onto Rowan with everything she had. They would be okay. They had to be okay. They needed–

A resounding ache reverberated through her bones upon force of impact. She wheezed, gasping for breath that’d been abruptly knocked from her. The whir of sirens gradually increased as Aelin blearily blinked her eyes open, awareness creeping back in.

Rowan.

She rolled over, his warm body still under her. Tears sprang to her eyes and her chest constricted painfully as she took in the sight of him--eyes closed and looking utterly… lifeless. 

He wasn't. He couldn't be.

A mangled sound caught between a scream and sob tore its way from her bleeding, raw throat. Rowan’s name both a plea and prayer on her lips as she gripped the lapels of his jacket and shook vehemently. 

No. No no no!

Tears burned her eyes and throat, spilling over her splotchy cheeks, as she cried out his name over and over, unable to let him go--refusing to. Not when firemen swarmed them, shouting things she couldn’t comprehend. Not when a familiar gruff voice spoke her name, cutting through the static as his strong arms wrapped around her from behind and pulled her from her love.

Aelin would never let him go.

--

tags: @highqueenofelfhame // @perpetuallyperplexed21

[peemanne]

rgg game osts ranked Yeah.................

LONG ASS POST AHEAD!!!!!! BAH!!!!!!!!!!!

for context awhile back a yakuza discord server i'm in had a music discussion thread open up and we were invited to make simple little tier lists for the game osts to start it off. it was supposed to be just the tier list but i eventually spiraled into a whole ramble. whoops. so i might as well just paste it here with a few additions so the rest of you can see it yippee!!!!!!!!!!!!

will be providing my reasonings and then my highlight tracks. i'm gonna provide convenient youtube links to all the songs mentioned so if you wanna check one of them out feel free to just click the hyperlink

and yes this is ordered in tiers. the personal highlights aren't though

>Yakuza 5 is my personal top 1 OST overall, but it's seriously close. I can't tell you enough how much of a nut I am for this series and its music. Yakuza 5's ost is, in my eyes, the most consistently hard-hitting amongst all of RGG's catalogue. The street fight themes are all amazing, the boss fight themes hit hard and pump you the hell up, and this also has the one of the best B-sides out of all of them, with stuff like Baka Mitai (fun fact, Saejima's is actually considered the original version, Kiryu's "Taxi Driver Edition" actually uses a different key to fit Kuroda's voice), the songs from Haruka's section, and even the jazzy bar themes. 5 hits that perfect balance of quantity and quality, and also happens to fill like half of my workout playlist.

Personal Highlights:

The place where I used to be

Daigo's western theme

Victory Road

and of course The Battle for the Dream

>I am such a sucker for Yakuza 4's music direction. As Tehsnakerer said in his Yakuza 4 video, this is the first truly GREAT soundtrack, and I'd have to agree. The jazzier style of music on showcase here fits this series- and this entry ESPECIALLY- like a glove. This is such a quality collection of sounds. Featuring the best panic themes, the best chase themes, and some iconic street battle themes. 4's direction makes it stand out even more amongst RGG's catalogue, and I couldn't be happier about it. Also, this game gave us Machine Gun Kiss and Pure Love in Kamurocho, which are two of my favorite karaoke tracks in the whole series.

Please bring back Pure Love in Kamurocho for a modern title, RGG. I'm begging you.

Personal Highlights:

Solitude

Receive and Bite You

Infinite Handcuffs

yeah yeah fine For Faith

Why couldn't they use this for the actual cover instead of the weird one we have now like come on this looks so much better

>Is anyone gonna disagree with me when I say Lost Judgment is easily the best out of the more techno-focused soundtracks? They handle it perfectly here, with tracks that grab you by the throat like K.O.G. and Dig In Your Heels, utilizing the electric sound with effortless grace, while still having enough variety throughout to keep it from getting stale. I also found the B-sides here surprisingly strong alongside the main game, with the school stories giving us a nice variety of music to work with. The boxing ones and Toward To The Skyline are what I'd highlight in that selection.

Personal Highlights:

In the Groove

Unwavering Belief / Dig in Your Heels

Final Destination

1811

>Gaiden oh my gah......... Despite the shorter game, I seriously dig the tracks on display here. It's so consistently amazing, and does a great job of servicing both the legacy of Kiryu, and giving us some Good Shit™️ for the newer faces. This is also when I really came to appreciate the cutscene tracks: Wounded Beast is such a kickass track that you'd be forgiven for thinking it plays in an actual fight, and Psycho's Prelude is an amazing hype-up track for an even more amazing boss theme. Also worth mentioning there's like a gajillion coliseum tracks in this one. Have no idea why but y'know I appreciate it. It's cool.

Personal Highlights:

Psycho's Anthem

Deadly Struggle / Fleeting Dream (HAKANAKI YUME)

Bring It On (best street fight track to date i'm not taking notes at this time)

Un altro appassionato

>0 has One-Eyed Assassin so it automatically goes here. The rest of the tracks are decent too ig 🙄 There are a few sort of those "eh whatever cool skip it" tracks in here which hold it back a teeny bit in my eyes, but this is still a really solid collection overall, and also gets props for being Kiwami's soundtrack if it was good. I'm kidding of course but 0 handles it pretty well for the most part. I find 0 is at its best music-wise when they either go all-in with the techno, or shy away from it almost entirely.

Personal Highlights:

Make You Free

Both Receive You remixes (The Subtype and ~Tech Trance Arrange~)

Interplanetary Spark

Reign

>Yakuza 6 has Lots of Lights so it automati I think 6 does a really good job at telling a story through its music. You have tragedy being painted in Fist Law and DESTINY, you have sheer anger and brutality being portrayed in Body and Soul, and you can even find it in the street themes with the feeling of "I am completely done with all of this bullshit" in KAMURO again. I also wanna say this has some of ZENTA's best work, which I really really REALLY appreciate.

Personal Highlights:

Lots of Lights

DESTINY

Bloodstained Philosophy (coolest name for a track i can't lie)

Theory of Beauty

>Judgment immediately does a great job of differentiating itself from the Yakuzas, and it's apparent as soon as you get into the street fight tutorial. The OST does a great job of painting Yagami and the overall bleaker picture of the game. Where some battle themes in the main series feel like a victory lap, JE instead sometimes has you feel like you're on the backfoot. Lambda, Hyenas Wheezing, and Rake Your Inside are all tracks that make you feel like an underdog, and give you that strength to power through what seems like impossible odds. It also has Flower of Chivalry so it aut

Personal Highlights:

Encounter ~ Keihin Alliance

Hyena's Wheezing

Penumbra

Destination

>Like a Dragon (/7) is another heavily techno leaning OST. If you asked me about it a few months ago, I probably would have put this higher. But now with IW out, I've started to see more of 7's OST's flaws. There are few tracks that are either weirdly low-energy, or feel a little generic and mesh together with the rest of the soundtrack, or at worst, both. But 7 still has quite the number of solid tracks, and those that stand out REALLY stand out. Shoutout to one of the most unique long battle tracks in Enter the Tiger.

Personal Highlights:

Brutality

Receive You The Hyperactive

REIWA LABYRINTH

ism

>Yakuza 3 acts as a sort of bridge between the rough, almost grunge-like sound of the PS2 era and the cleaner compositions of later entries. And I think it does both of those styles pretty well! It also starts to experiment with electric sound a little more, while still keeping the heavy guitars 1+2 are known for. The best are obviously composed of the tracks that do both. They even keep the unintelligible English lyrics in some tracks, what's not to love?

Personal Highlights:

Lyricism Without Tears

Clay Doll On The Cradle

Fly

D2A BABY YEAH BEST THEME EVER MADE D2A D2A D2A D2A

(2!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

>Atmosphere is a large part of the PS2 era of Yakuza games' identity, and the music is a pretty large part of that. Yakuza 2 has an aggressive, grungy sound that pairs perfectly with the brutality of the game. You'll find some of the most of the most rough sounding songs in RGG's catalogue in here, and it's just so good in a way that isn't really replicated in the more modern entries. Also one of the tracks (Block Head Boy) samples Wu-Tang for some reason and I find that very funny.

Personal Highlights:

Evil Itself

North Menace

Hit & Kill

Outlaw's Lullaby (I still think the Kiwami 2 remix is the better of the two but this one's still SO good please listen to it if you haven't already)

whatcho beautiful ass staring at kaito my king >Kaito Files has like 6 tracks. They're all pretty good tracks, but that's like 6 tracks. Come on. Anyways, it's basically just more LJ music, so uhhhh yeah peak

Personal Highlights (plural would be like all of them)

Blood-Drunk Master Theme

>Kiwami 2. Yeah this one falls into the same trap as 7 does, but with less of those "This is the greatest thing to grace my ears" tracks. It still has some of them, though. The best remixes here are the ones that touch up and make completely sure that what the original has is intact: Lullaby of Outlaws and A Scattered, Eternal Moment are both fantastic in that regard. This also has a decent chunk of completely new tracks, presumably because they couldn't get certain composers back. You have stuff like the amazing triple-part track that plays in the Kamurocho Hills segment, Rebellious Phase which is decent, and the randomly amazing Break Off. Still a crime Evil Itself was snubbed like that smh.

Personal Highlights:

Lullaby of Outlaws

A Scattered, Eternal Moment

Kamuro Hills

Update with Gunfire

(1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

>Unfortunately, like with most aspects, Yakuza 2 does everything the first game did better. Still though, some quality tracks here. Yakuza 1 doesn't have too much to work with, but it still does utilize its few track slots well. From long-standing iconic tracks like Receive You, to Funk Goes On, and even the off B-side tracks like Singin' Bass, there really isn't a miss in here, just moreso a lack of super standout tracks. There's still quite a few to love despite that, of course.

Personal Highlights

son of a gun

Turning Point

Receive You The Prototype

Funk Goes On

>kiwami 1 ost snorkkkkkk mimimimimimimim snorkkkkkk mimim Alright I'm exaggerating, but I still think it's pretty weak in comparison to the rest. There's a lot of tracks that just feel kinda butchered to me? And it's not like the new tracks are particularly standout or anything. The tracks that do work are genuinely really good: Ideal For Violence is uhhhh perfect, Get Over It is a really strong long battle theme, Pray Me ~Revive~ is on par, if not arguably better than the original, and For Whose Sake Kiwami matches the sorrow of the original pretty well. But then you have stuff like Funk Goes On 極 which feels weirdly weak, Receive You the madtype which feels sorely outclassed by like, every single other Majima Receive You, and what would be arguably the strongest track, Receive You Reborn, doesn't even show up outside of Japanese versions. Kiwami isn't all bad, hell, there are some really good standouts here, but it just can't really compare to the rest in my eyes.

Personal Highlights:

Ideal For Violence

Get Over It

Amusing Octagon

Everlasting Spirit

>Infinite Wealth sits in haven't listened enough of solely because I haven't finished the game and thus haven't touched any track past Kooky (UPDATE: now any track past Impregnable Triangle. I'm planning to do the finale by this weekend). By any other metric this would have shot UP. I ADORE this OST. The cutscene tracks, the generic battle themes, the boss themes, the B-sides, they're all so excellent. This inadvertently made 7's OST worse for me because of how much better it handles the techno.

Personal Highlights:

Brutality ~Rebuild~

Impregnable Triangle (Fun fact: this track uses the time signature of 3/4, which is a waltz. I'll let you fill in the blanks for what that means for the theming.)

Kooky

Slugfest (Yamaniacs stay winning what can i say)

ok so uhhh apparently i hit the character limit lmao. didn't even know this site had one. uhhhhhh will continute in a reblog it's just kurohyou and ishin anyways

[crumblinggothicarchitecture]

Taylor Swift might just be a hypocrite, who's really good at marketing

You know something y'all

I think that video of Taylor Swift with her parents at the club after the NFL game was literally just a PR stunt meant to make Swift look like an innocent girl who doesn't know what a club is.

Because the whole video is meant to make it look like she brought her parents on accident

just a "whoops-a-daisy" I'm so pure minded and innocent and I bring my parents everywhere because...

So, tell me why all her and Travis' outings since have been centered on nightclubs... or other drinking/ party activities

literally the news on her the last few months is like watching a girl in her first year of college discover frat parties

It's just such a jarring juxtaposition between the image she wants her young audience to have of her, of an innocent flower/ hopeless romantic, and how she actually acts.

It's so.... disheartening that she is held up as a model of authenticity... just because she admits to terrible things or feeling insecure in her music. In fact, I'd argue the music centers around her image of faux authenticity for the purpose of marketing rather than a true attempt at sincerity.

How did I fall for this?

[strange-destinations]

Hey--no need to post this, but you're, like, the coolest?? It is utterly nonsensical how talented you are in every conceivable way--or you hide what you're utterly terrible at, which is a talent unto itself. I'd also like to add that having accurate subtitles on most (or all. I haven't checked) of your videos on Youtube is extremely... touching(? I think we're going with touching. I'm touched. You've touched me. Pervert.) as someone who benefits extensively from their use.

Things I am utterly terrible at: dancing, knitting, fast-paced action/strategy video games, playing the flute, accepting genuine compliments. Hiding those is very easy, I just don't do them on camera. Thank you very much.

And as someone who really likes to have subtitles on when I watch videos, I do in fact do my best to have subtitles on as many of my videos as possible. (Any videos without subtitles are either because they're music/instrumental and therefore have no words to subtitle, or because they're older videos and I just... haven't gotten around to subtitling them yet. Whoops.)

[multiverse-imagines]

So, this is another self indulgent personal story I'm posting before I can change my mind. It's been a year since I got my Vash the Stampede plushie, and I just adore him! I'm also one of kids who grew up watching Toy Story too many times. Whoops

I Just Want To Give Her More 

Plush!Vash x Reader (like a toy story au)

I sat inside that plastic for a long time. Moving from place to place, never being opened. Warehouse, to storage, to a store. I was placed within a dark bag, and was shipped off. I was in the mail once again. I could hear that I was placed into a metal box. A mailbox, perhaps? Waiting once again, I hear the box open, and a hitched breath. The bag is grabbed, and the thudding of talking on wooden stairs is heard, excitedly humming as a door opened and closed. The bag was opened to a bright light. I was pulled out of the bag to see a young woman though the second layer of plastic bag. She opens the plastic bag that has held me captive for so many years, and her smile widens as she brings her thumb up to my cheek.

"He's a little smaller than what I was expecting, but he's still perfect." She whispered to herself. I was perfect? She took a pair of scissors off of the table next to her and gently removed the tag from my hand, and the plastic ring from my hand. 

Nowadays I sleep exclusively between her breasts. Pinned between her and a Squishmallow she has dubbed Dr. Curt Conners. Occasionally she will pet my thin hair, cradle my head with a single hand, and she still caresses my cheek with her thumb. I hear her heart race, and she whispers "Oh Vash, you're so perfect." As she is undoubtedly reading the Manga I'm from, or some fanfiction. We've watched the anime together in bits and pieces. I can see why she likes me. 

She wakes up early, even before the sun can. She gives me a kiss on the forehead, sets me aside on a pillow, and strokes my cheek before stumbling out of bed to start her day. She gives me a smile or a wink if she isn't able to give me a verbal "I'll be home later, Vash! Love you!"

When she changes clothes, she usually does so in her room, where I'm nearby. Usually facing away from me, I can't help but look. She's beautiful. The way her hair sways, the little jumps she does as she puts pants on, the curving of her waist when she takes her shirt off, all contribute to her beauty.  When she turns around, no matter what part of the process, she makes eye contact with me, giving me a knowing smile. I'd probably die if I ever admitted that I had been watching. 

I just want to give her more. That's what I think to myself every day when I sit with the other plushies in the small bins on the floor next to her bed. She's so kind, she truly loves me (even if it is just who I was designed after), and I can tell that she wishes so badly for me to be real. I can almost hear her heart ache, and her breath hitch, late into the night when she squeezes me tightly. She lightly whispers my name, sometimes wishing that the spiky haired man in the red coat were really there. 

But she is not always so sad. I love to see her dance around the house, music playing through her headphones, occasionally belting out lyrics to the songs she's listening to. The food she makes always smells delicious, but as I am inanimate, I can't eat. I would eat anything she made if I could. We watch other anime together. Usually curled up in the sofa chair in a blanket, I watch as I'm cuddled under the blanket with her, and facing the screen, not that I'd complain about the content. She plays video games. Ones that aren't necessarily too complicated or competitive, and usually have a good story.

We have so much fun together, and I'm… not even real. I can't interact with her. Talking, cuddling, laughing, I can't do any of that. She deserves more. I want to be The Humanoid Typhoon for her. I want to be six foot tall, not ten or so inches. I want to tell her that her food is a delicacy. I want to say jokes to make her laugh, I want to hold her in my arms. I want to pet her hair and run my thumb along her cheek. I want to give her kisses on her forehead, even more so, her lips. I can tell she is loved. Friends, family, and even co-workers. She talks on the phone, and I see her messages. But she's still so lonely. A person as wonderful as her deserves to be loved by the guy I'm modeled after. She deserves that much. 

[melancholysway]

What would the 2007 turtles be like around s/o's little sibling? They're only 12 years old. Would they play with them or something?

Omg!

This is so cute & a quick write!

TMNT 2007 Headcanons: How They Would React to your Sibling!

Leonardo

Dad vibes 100000%

Not really the play type, that’s more Mikey and Donnie's thing

He tries to be a good role model, though, not all the time

He's extremely sweet to your sibling, but don't get it twisted, he's not a pushover

unlike Donnie and Mikey who cave in at the first sign of pressure, and Raph who lets your sibling do anything they desire, Leo's the more level-headed one

"That seems dangerous...oh! how about we do xyz instead? Is that okay?"

He's also a really good talker. he knows how to talk to your 12 year old sibling. Not like a child, or a full-grown adult, either. He talks to them with respect, dignity.

tries to get them to be a mini-leonardo for some odd reason- but in a cute way! He'll suggest small things like a short meditation lesson or something like that.

Leo also is an avid tea drinker, he might try and get your sibling to try it. WILL show off his big tea box and talk about it for HOURSSS if given the chance.

Raphael

Omg

The fun divorced auntie with no time for b.s that slides you money at the BBQ

no but seriously Raph is a cool guy, would probably get them into some devious shenanigans (if you allow it)

Likes to take them out on a bike ride, THATS his version of fun for a kid

Teaches them to whoop some ass always

Will join in if Mikey is playing video games with your sibling!

If your sibling is pretty quiet, he tries to get them to talk,

"So, uh, sup, kid?" Raph thinks he's not good with the youngters. But, trust me, kids would look up to Raph.

if your sibling had to pick a favorite, its a high chance it'll be raph.

Will try to get your sibling into sports or something masculine that's not something they're normally into. He'll find a way to make it interesting for them.

is an anchor for your sibling to let all their aggression out. If they need to vent or aren't feeling the best, raph seems to be the guy they go to. If anyone knows what it's like to not grasp their emotions, it's raphael.

So, it's a blessing to have Raph around for those moments! It makes going to the Lair very rewarding knowing that theres a turtle that has the same emotion troubles <3

ilove2007raph omfg.

Donatello

Omg

"You got games on your phone?" - your sibling, to Donnie

ALWAYS lets your sibling play computer games and shows them all the very illegal sites to watch free movies that are brand new

shows them how to use a VPN for said sites

he's the tutor. If your sibling has a big test coming up, Donnie will be more than happy to help

explains math and science really well,

leo is the english guy (i hc he's a bookworm idcidcidcidc debate ya mother)

Him and your sibling play roblox and minecraft together and nobody can tell me otherwise. Donnie is 10000% a sucker for minecraft and roblox.

like just picture donnie aggressively typing in-game after a probably 8 year old just called him a doo-doo head and having the best comeback only for roblox to do the "*************"

donnie loves minecraft, this is a fact. It has calming music, great ambiance, and he would love to just create a world and play online with your sibling and build a few things! It's super cute, and i just know your sibling would love gaming time with donnie

Michelangelo

Omg

yall thought raph was the only hip auntie?

this is the auntie who vows to be single the rest of her life and is carefree as fuck. the one who always makes the best potato salad

that auntie

anyway, mikey works with kids, so...

self-explanatory

he hopes and prays that your sibling isn't like the ones that beat him to a pulp at the parties he hosts

he gets along with them pretty well! Mikey is always down for skateboarding or something that involves fucking up raph's day. Either one gives him satisfaction

will teach your sibling how to use a board no questions asked he's so dedicated to teach them t

the devious duo- Raph has no idea your sibling is in on the pranks done to him, which makes it even funnier! your sibling will distract Raph while Mikey does his magic, and poof! Raph's day is ruined, and now Donnie has to go calm his brother down from beating his baby brother to a pulp

if your sibling isn't into video games, no worries! It's entertaining to watch Mikey play them, he explains what's happening and the context, so it's easier for them to understand.

//

Taglist:

@bee-1n-space @ducky-died-inside

[1-800-c0sm1c]

꒰groovy !꒱

the phantom thieves inviting you to club velvet as their date !

character x gn!reader

includes joker , ryuji , ann + akechi !

warnings : spoilers for persona 5 and dancing in starlight !

a/n : started this months ago when i platinumed p5d lmaoo whoops , got stuck on some of the other phantom thieves so ill be making a part 2 !! hope you enjoy ^^

JOKER // REN AMAMIYA 

this smooth motherfucker. he told everyone ahead of time to practice in their rooms while he was spending time with you, as to not ruin the moment. 

he knocks on your door, inviting you out for a nice evening. (even though time hasnt been moving since you had all woken up here.) a small gift box in his right hand and a bouquet of flowers in the left. he really went all out and showed up every other phantom thief on this list. he doesnt have rank 5 charm for nothing!

you open the door, pleasantly surprised on how your boyfriend always manages to come up with spectacular date ideas in such little time. "would you care to dance, malady?" he says, trying his best to come across as charismatic as possible. the way you laugh at his request sweetly is enough to make his cheeks turn pink, but he refuses to drop the act now. "why yes actually, i would quite like that." you respond, taking the gift box and opening it. 

inside is a calling card, addressed to you. ren cant help but laugh at your reaction. he makes a joke along the lines of how hes "stealing your heart", and how it sounded a lot funnier in his head. you roll your eyes lovingly, before grabbing his hand and making your way to club velvet. 

"ive got a few ideas for new dance choreographies, would you mind accompanying me?" you nod, attempting to follow his lead as best as you can. when you inevitably trip over your own feet, hes right there to catch you in his arms before you hit the ground. he takes this as the perfect opportunity to lean down and place a soft kiss on your lips. knowing the phantom thief leader, its most likely you falling was all just part of the plan, you cant help but admire how much thought he truly puts into ever minute he spends with you.

SKULL // RYUJI SAKAMOTO 

when it comes to ryuji, youre 99% sure he only invites you to show off. morgana has been on his ass since the very begining and of course he loves you, but he loves proving that talking cat wrong just a little bit more. 

however, ryuji wants this to be memorable, no matter what the twins say. so what if youll forget everything when you wake up? his stubborn self would still try to make you remember, and he promises that. (like he'll even be able to remember anything himself,,,) 

barging through the front door of your room, he ignores the slightly annoyed questions coming from your lips. "ahh come on, its just me! hey, get this, ive got a surprise for you! dont give me that look- lets go, its in club velvet!" 

walking through the front entrance has you certainly surprised. your favorite song blaring through the speakers and the flashing lights presenting your favorite colors. its certainly impressive, especially for someone like ryuji, where most dates in the past have consisted of playing video games and watching tv. 

when you turn around to greet your boyfriend, the smug smirk on his face is almost enough to shift your whole perspective and slap him across the face. almost. instead, you pull him into a tight hug, swaying gently to the tune of the music playing in the club. you can feel morganas annoyed eyes on you, maybe ryuji wasnt as totally clueless as he thought.

PANTHER // ANN TAKAMAKI 

anns a little surprised at her own genius plan to have you try on the new outfits shes designed for your next performance together. it was the perfect excuse to get to spend some time alone together. she wants you two to be the best dressed couple club velvet has ever seen. 

you notice the way her hands tend to linger on different spots of your body while shes simply just "adjusting the outfit". by the time shes finally decided on something your face is flushed a bright red. "hey now, dont try and pretend like youve caught a cold to get out of this! were going to blow everyone away tonight!" she exclaims, stars in her eyes as she lays out the brightly colored garments. 

the cheers from the audience seem to prove anns theory right, they love the chemistry between you! when you finish shes already planning out costumes for your next dance routine, determined to make it even better. 

she treats you to a large sum of strawberry crepes as a reward for how well the performance went as she shows off her concept sketches. she loves the way you listen to her with such an attentive look on your face, it reassures her shes not boring you with her rambling. 

youre barely able to catch a break before she drags you backstage for another costume change. she promises youll get free time to spend together at the club afterwards, right now its showtime!

CROW // GORO AKECHI 

akechi literally just wouldnt even invite you, because he wasnt really invited himself. hes not entirely sure how he ended up here, and everyone around is less than willing to explain the confusing situation theyve found themselves in.

very uncharacteristically, he tends to cling to your side the whole time. to save his own ego, hell claim its because you cant trust the others after what happened back in november, but it doesnt take a rocket scientist to realize he feels like he doesnt belong here. 

if you want to dance, he wont refuse your request, but its painfully obvious hes nervous about putting himself out there again. everyone already knows his true identity, so why bother pretending like everything is okay? even if its just for one night in paradise is it really alright for him to indulge in himself? youll have to reassure him a lot, even if he dismisses your concern you dont miss the small smile on his face whenever you attempt to comfort him. 

once hes not so nervous, the charming detective prince persona is right back on again. he manages to wow the audience, no surprise there. after youre done performing hell smile and wink, stating "that was spectacular, shall we go again?" 

hes rough around the edges and a bit hot headed, but if youve managed to stay on his good side for this long (let alone be in a relationship) you know that akechi only has your best interests at heart. even if it means embarrassing himself infront of his rival.

not sure how tumblr formats its works so i hope this looks ok lmaoo fingers crossed !

[aparticularbandit]

okay but also.

i hate the neo world program. i hate the idea of it so much. i hate that their way to save people is to just cut out two-three years of memories, download them into a video game, and then save over those memories once they're better people.

and maybe this is because i come at this from having n2n as one of my favorite musicals where part of let's fix the mentally ill person is by electroshock therapy that WHOOPS caused them to lose their memories and then her husband's like you know what let's not tell her about the thing that we think caused the mental illness and then everything will be good! and great! and wonderful!

and i hate it.

because makoto + co. are making the same assumption nagito does, which is that now that they're remnants they are beyond saving in their current form so we're just going to regress them and cut all of that out of them and give them a reboot so they become the people we want them to be.

and, like, yes, we learn that the remnants agreed to this so they could try to bring junko back in them, which. you know. (is actually really funny when you think about nagito like if we bring junko back, maybe i get to kill her this time and then he's one of the dead people she would be coming back in, like, sorry, nagito, you'd literally become the person you hate the most.)

but makoto + co. didn't know that. they just forced them into these machines and wiped their memories without their consent and just. went from there. and the game suggests this is a good thing. because that's therapy! and dealing with trauma! to forcibly remove years of memory from your life!

it just makes me so uncomfortable. so uncomfortable.

and makoto's oh, i added a fail safe because i knew something would probably go wrong doesn't make it any better because that doesn't address the core issue. i just. i don't understand how people didn't tell them that this was wrong - or that they didn't realize that this was wrong - especially after having their own memories torn from them. (memories that! they had help! recovering! by the way!)

[hiddenbysuccubi]

Chapter 6 excerpt: the dance. Changed to 'you' format.

Everyone pitched in to set up and decorate camp for their gathering. A night of music, magic, drink, even debauchery. There were some who insisted on being moody, like Wyll and one of the Tieflings; Ikaron. No matter. You were going to enjoy yourself. You'd even borrowed a modest dress for the occasion from Bex, and were quickly downing a pint of ale as you watched and cheered on Rolan’s magic display. You hadn’t been to a party in… you couldn't remember how long. Damn. You'd been so young the last time, comparatively.

Refilling your mug you started on your second drink as you wandered around. Everyone was there, there were even children running around and playing games in the sand. Scratch, who you'd rescued just earlier, barked happily and wagged his tail as he jumped around the children. It was good that the Owlbear cub hadn’t joined your camp yet, the poor thing would be overwhelmed and run away. Then there was Halsin regaling Shadowheart with old stories while Lae’zel and Karlach compared battle techniques. You smiled, watching them all. Happy, too, to find that Gale was also occupied, entranced in a lyre performance given by Alfira. Volo was with them as well. And Astarion…. Astarion was on his own, getting drunk.

A little tipsy and fueled by alcohol, you decided to sidle up to the broody vampire. “So,” you drawl, “are you tired of being venerated yet?”

Astarian side-eyes you without lowering the bottle he has to his lips. “Yes.” he says as he finishes drinking. “It’s oh thank you Astarion for saving me, I’ll name my baby after you . How good and heroic you are- I can’t stand it! And you, you just keep offering to help! And I’m going along with it because!” at this he throws his hands up. “Because I don’t know why!” anymore, he laughs in a not so hinged way. Wobbling while setting down his bottle of Esmeltar Red, which immediately falls over onto the ground. Ignoring it in favor of wrapping his fingers around your wrist, Astarion leans in close, his gaze darkening. “I’ve had enough of being good, lover. Let’s get out of here~”

You can smell the wine on his breath, pulling yourself away with a cautious giggle. “Having fun?” you ask, nervous all of a sudden.

“I am, surprisingly.” Astarion answers. No deceit in his words. “It’s easy to. When I’m with you.”

“Uh." you squeaked, "huh.” fully turning the color of a ripe plum. “I’ve got to go check on… something.” you lie.

Astarion can hear the lie clear as day but he lets you go. Only stopping you to question, his tone betraying his vulnerability and hope, that “you will come to my bed.”

You nod before bolting. You figure you just need a moment to cool down by the waterfront, away from the crowd. Maybe you're not wrong that Astarion is warming up to you, but you can't afford to be fooled. This was still a man who would throw you to the wolves if it came down to it. This was still an Astarion who was sleeping with you, guarding your health, just to ensure his own skin would be protected. He used you to make you want to save him first, look out for him first. A ploy. An effective one, you could admit to yourself. Knowing that he needn't have bothered. You had just gotten too comfortable in this world, high on having successfully completed the game's first big quest. That was all.

---

You didn’t know how the lute had wound up in your hands. Finding yourself by the fire again, a small crowd amassing out of innate curiosity. Even Wyll had come closer to see what would happen. Suddenly not feeling the liquid courage which prodded you out, you swallowed hard as Alfira gave a confident nod in your direction, Karlach whooping. “Go on then, play it!”

You looked over and caught Astarion watching you. Could feel his suspicious yet amused gaze, hotter than the flames.

You stared right back, not breaking eye contact as you opened your mouth and began to strum. “Blood of my blood, dripping with love. I bring you a thing (that) you need most,” your voice gradually growing stronger, no longer wavering. Moving away from a head voice to your full bellied and more confident countertenor. You squint but can't tell if Astarion’s facial muscles are twitching at your words or if it's your imagination, so you close your eyes, focusing on the sway of the music and the anti gravity lightness fueled by the alcohol in your system. At some point, Alfira had begun to accompany your lute with a steady tapping on a nearby drum.

"You know I live to keep you safe, no better way that I can see, to, spend all the time while you're asleep." you implore Astarion to understand, with your words. "You know I live to be seen through.” Some of your audience begins to pair off, dancing slowly together. You note them and smile, before finding your way towards the elf. “I wanna be here and nowhere else. Rationing off bits of myself, so I can crumble at your side….”

“Lover, ah. Dear.” Astarion hisses awkwardly through his teeth. Keenly aware of every pair of eyes on them. “What are you doing?”

You roll your eyes at his drunken embarrassment, pushing your words mentally though the link you both share. 'They already know about us. I promise we’ll sneak away after, just dance with me?'

“Yes, yes,” he grits out, taking your elbow with one hand and twirling you with his other hand on your back, guiding you as your own hands are occupied with playing the lute. 'I’m going to fucking kill you.' he answers. At least you have a sense to look remorseful, he commiserates to himself as you continue playing and singing. As he holds your eyes, allowing you both to become lost in the moment. Far be it for him to stop a Bard from fucking Performing.

You barely hesitate before singing on, “Here is a heart, here is a heart. I made it for you so take it,” you croon, heartfelt, as you dance gracefully around each other. Your own steps obvious and unrehearsed, Astarion's effortlessly showing in his footwork that he had once been a noble. One who had danced at many balls, possessing a childhood of etiquette training. “Battered and braised, grilled and sautéed, just how you like it.” you breathe, ending the song "...like it". Bending at your waist in a small bow as the echo of the music drifted off. Unexpectedly, Astarion reciprocates. Dropping low into a sweeping bow himself, he takes your right hand from where it rests on the lute’s strings and presses a soft kiss to the back of it. Followed by turning your hand over to place another, more delicate, kiss to the inside of your wrist.