#why did this turn poetic i dont know

[wander-wren]

i just came to the realization that i can’t play video games by myself.

no, that’s not the realization. i knew that already.

i can’t play video games by myself because i have siblings.

three of them, a set of twins and a stepsister less than a year older than them. they’re all ~3 years younger than me, so of course when i’m 10, 11, 12 and they’re getting their first tablets and starting to play mobile games, they’re sticking together and i don’t have shit to do but play with them. and our big one was minecraft, obviously, but we also played a ton of single-player games just…in the same room, commentating. complaining when we lost a level, sharing strategies and shit.

my sisters and i aren’t close, i don’t think. we’re very different people, even if we’re similar in a few specific ways. different interests, friends, a bigger world beyond our house. jobs and college and a propensity for fighting.

they still play hay day together. i don’t, since i’ve been away at school, and even now that i’m not it feels wrong to insert myself. i still have it on my phone, though, and occasionally one of my sisters asks if i have cookies.

sometimes i redownload old mobile games that are kind of shit, either because they got abandoned in 2015 or they’ve gotten so overrun with ads and pay-to-play there’s practically no game at all. the nostalgia is fun for a little bit, but i never keep them long.

i just cant play games by myself. i don’t have anyone to talk to.

[mr007pennyworth]

Alfred: What? What was wrong with that reply...they did ask!

Mun: Nothing was wrong per se it's just....don't you think your POETIC soul got s bit carried away?

Alfred: You mean ours?

Mun: ......I'm going to go hide now and pretend you did just make me emotionally barf into Gareth's inbox...

[nyx-is-missing]

Hi! Can I request a Clarissa × Fem!reader, where reader is spending a lot of time talking to someone from Athena's cabin and she gets jealous. you can decide what cabin reader is in :)

Jealous jealous girl

Clarisse la rue x fem!reader (apollo's kid)

Summary: when the girl she likes is being friendly to someone, Clarisse might see red.

Warnings: no major fights actually, fluff (a bit) kissing (yes today no clickbait) medíocre writting and im sorry.

(I didn't review it, don't sue me, English isn't my native language, that's probably why it's mediocre, love ya

"Have you actually read that book? Oh my gods really? I felt like i was the only one who knew it"

Clarisse watched with red eyes as (Y/n) got excited and laughed togheter with some kid from Athena's cabin.

They werent exactly...togheter yet, but they WERE something, everyone was sure of that.

Clarisse mind couldnt comprehend then, how even though EVERYONE knew they had something, that particular girl would not back off of her.

(Y/n) laughed togheter with the girl at some book reference she had made, and the final straw for Clarisse was when the girl had the courage to touch her girl's knee.

Her sunshine?

The disrespect, was she not seeing Clarrise looking at them? Like 10 steps behind?

The.disrespect.

Oh that will end right now.

Walking over to the girls with a fake smile who people would perceive of normal happiness, however, if you did knew her, her eyes had a hint of red rage in them.

"Love? Would you come with me for a second yes?"

She took (Y/n) by the hands but before she could even get up the Athena kid made herself seen.

"Excuse me? Cant you see we're talking? So rude."

"Oh yes, excuse you really, i dont think a need a cue to talk to my girlfriend, now shut up before I make you eat that book for dinner."

Not waiting for any more words Clarisse took reader by the hand again.

"Clarisse that was not nice, she was my friend- dont even start to speak right now, we'll talk in my cabin, it must be empity right now, we dont need the camp seeing something they dont need"

Letting (Y/n) guide her, still holding her hand, Clarisse had a confused look on her face.

"But we are not going to fight, not today"

"Says who?"

They got inside the cabin and bingo, empity empity, all the Apollo kids must be doing its activities, or getting ready for dinner, as always.

"Me, Love. We wont fight, we'll talk."

Clarisse sat down at the bed she knew it was (y/n)'s waiting for her to do the same.

Choosing to stand, she had a blank look on her face.

"You said we would talk, talk to me, why be mean to my friend clari?"

"Because im jealous. Im not made of steel, love, i cant see a girl from a rival cabin flirting with my sunshine and go around skipping like a kid, you know me"

"We were not flirting clari, she is my friend!"

"YOU were not flirting, she wants to be more than that"

Clarisse corrected

"And you have a right to do something about it since when? Everytime you talk about me to your friends im a friend too, but suddently when its convenient i turn into your girlfriend? Oh please"

Clarisse looked at her, and extended her hands to grab (y/n) hands, when they finally touched Clarisse got (y/n) to get closer and closer to her, now she was standing in between Clarisse's legs and had to look down to see her.

"I never said i was right love, im sorry for hurting you, i swear.....i was insecure about that, im so sorry really..."

"Clari you dont needed to-"

"Date me"

Clarisse interrupted her mid speech.

"What?"

"Date me, let me introduce you to everyone as my girlfriend, i wont make you hurt anymore, date me....-"

Please

That was the word missing, would it make clarisse apear as desperate if she used it?

Fuck it, she was inside the Apollo cabin, that gave her enough poetic justice to be as luvestruck as she could

She found herself resting her hands on (y/n) hips, looking up to her with heart eyes.

"Please... date me"

.

.

.

"Say something, please"

Whoever first said that acts spoke words was very much right, because the kiss Clarisse received was nothing short of a love letter.

Clarisse felt hands on her cheek and neck, caressing her.

The kiss was slow and carefull at first, like the first time they kissed, so very sweet, until it wasn't.

When the kiss deepened, Clarisse's hands sunk more onto (y/n) hips, and then started to pull her down, to sit on her lap.

It was the very first time both felt like this, the absolute need to just become a fusion, hug so tightly a loved one that they would just morph into one.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you"

Clarisse said, breathing in her girlfriend's neck when they separated to breath.

When (y/n) was going to speak, she felt a small bite on her lower neck.

"Clarisse- ah"

"Sorry.."

Clarissed giggled before she went back kissing her mouth, when did she became one of the girls that giggled?

They heard the cabin door opening and then a

"Oh fuck sorry i just...ill come back later, and you (y/n) will tell me everything about later or ill change my name, bye lovebirds"

They looked at each other resisting the urge to laugh.

"Well i guess we wont need to introduce ourselfs to anybody, by tomorrow morning they'll know"

[honeyshiddendesire]

Dirty Alphabet 

Fujitora x Female Reader *I did not make this template unfortunately I can’t remember where it’s from since I saved it months ago and finally did it today. But i have a clean copy as well*

*banner*

A = Aftercare (what they’re like after sex)

A literal KING at aftercare. He’d run a bath for you or get you a warm rag making sure you’re treated like royalty. You can NOT tell me otherwise cause that man just screams compassion and tenderness

B = Breath Play (do they like it done to them or doing the deed)

I literally wrote a story on my last blog about this exact kink lol I think he would love to choke you as well as receive. Anything you give this man he’ll accept with a smile. But I think with his lack of vision he would enjoy feeling your pulse in the palm of his hands, all the hitched breaths and sounds you make going straight to his dick. 

C = Cum (anything to do with cum, basically)

I think this man would live for cream pies or maybe I’m just biased lol but then also cumming down your throat. Anything that involves him feeling the warmth of your body would drive him insane 

D = Dirtiest Kink (what they think is their dirtiest kink)

PANTY THIEF!! If he knows he’s about to be on a long mission I can see him taking a pair of your panties and not a clean pair either lol Best believe he will snag a dirty pair just to have your scent with him, using it to jerk off and loving the fact that he has your smell wrapped around his cock. It feels almost like you’re there in the room with him. 

E = Exhibitionist?  (Do they like being watched)

If that’s what you want then he is more than willing to give that to you. 

F = Favorite position (this goes without saying)

Mating press master and don’t tell me no lol he’s a large man and I think he would love having his weight cage you from above. Feeling your legs wrapped around his large squishy waist would drive him insane. The way your nails would scratch at his back making him hiss or wrapped around his neck pulling him close. 

G = Goofy (are they more serious in the moment? Are they humorous? etc.)

If you’re goofy I can see him matching the energy, if you’re passionate then so is he. He’d never tease you more than you can handle though

H = Hair (how well groomed are they? Does the carpet match the drapes? etc.)

I definitely think he has a bush and if you want it gone then you’ll have to be the one to do it lol 

I = Initiation (how do they get you going? Vice versa )

His hands are his eyes so he’ll be very handsy. Coming up behind you and wrapping his arms around you using his kind words to drip over you, spilling in poetic dirty talk that makes you melt into his touch. All you have to do is touch this man and he’s rising like the sun lol

J = Jealous (how do they get when jealous )

Calm af but I can see him getting jealous if it’s someone like Akainu and I don’t know why lol 

K = Kink (one or more of their kinks)

Babyyyy this man got a voice kink and dont tell me otherwise. He loves talking and hearing you talk back. I make him pretty poetic even in bed so hearing you engage back with his seductive words would make him melt but if you’re not good with your words thats fine as long as you don’t hold in your moans/screams/whines and whimpers. 

Thigh Riding! I can see him enjoying the feel of you soaking his thigh as you sit on his lap, your hands clinging to his shoulders for leverage as he manhandles you back and forth on his muscled thighs. His lips spilling filth the entire time

L = Location (favorite places to do the do)

In his private home garden and anywhere and everywhere in the house. Kitchen sex bent over the counter? Sure! During your relaxing bath together? Absoulately. In the bedroom? Obviously. 

M = Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going)

Your voice, your smell, your hands lingering gently over his skin, just you in general

N = No (something they wouldn’t do, turn offs)

No heavy bondage, if you wanna be tied up cool but whipping you or using his sword on you is not an option. He trusts his skills but you’re still to precious

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

Both and honey if that mouth can say the sweetest words best believe he spell them in that pussy too

P = Position (favorite position)

You on top riding him till your heart is content and satisfied 

Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.)

Yesssss anything involving you lol 

R = Rope (shibari, bondage? Do they like it?)

Very light rope use used on you but if you wanted to tie him up as well then go for it. 

S = Sharing? (Are they willing to share you?)

Honestly I feel like it depends on who’s trying to get in on the action. Akainu? Fuck no. Garp? I can totally see it happening and I don’t know why lol 

T = Toys (do they own toys? do they use them? on a partner or themselves?)

I can’t see him owning toys for himself but for you, yes. Vibrators, some silk ropes, pretty fluffy handcuffs stuff like that 

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

I can picture him only teasing for so long, wanting to work you up till you’re begging and finally he gives in

V = Voyeur (do they like to watch)

I’m sure he’d want to if he could lol but he loves listening while you pleasure yourself

W = Wild card (a random headcanon for the character)

Flower pet names all day every day

X = X-ray (let’s see what’s going on under those clothes)

Heavy hitter for sure cause have you seen the size of that big juicy man ??!!!

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?)

I can see spending many years alone until you came along so I feel like if your libido is high then boom so is his now and if you’re more chill then so be it. Like the ocean I can see him going with the flow as long as you’re satisfied

Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)

Nah he’s waiting until you’re all comfy, if you want to stay up and talk after or cuddle some more then he’s there for you. Like I listed on the aftercare slot he is a literal king full of compassion for you.

[mothxmoons]

Hi hi hiii!! I really liked your reader who reads mind thing with wesker IM OBBSESED AND IT WAS A SHORT LITTLE THING anyway ! If you want to could you make a part 2 to it 😈 IF YOU DONT WANT TO JUST IGNORE THIS !!! <3

Thank you !!🩷

>:3

“You’ve been acting strange around him, you know.” Jill said suddenly, making you jump in your chair, looking over at her. “He knows it too, he’s been really on edge.”

You already knew that, his thoughts were so loud. He was upset that you started not spending as much time with him anymore, downright waxing poetic when he was in his office. Behind those closed doors was him basically whining about how you stopped spending so much time with. You never thought a man as stoic as he is would be so pathetic sometimes.

However that was only in the minority of his thoughts, you typically had to suffer through his jealousy and possessive behavior towards you. Especially when you were hanging out with Chris, you knew hated Chris with a burning passion, you couldn’t tell why but he just did. You knew you couldn’t avoid him forever, him or his thoughts.

“I want them to stop hanging around Chris.”

“What’s so good about him anyways? I know I’m so much better than him.”

“He doesn’t have anything I do. I have money, power, and looks, what could he possibly have?”

“They’re mine, why can’t they see that?”

He was being extra hard on the others now that you weren’t around him as much. You really couldn’t avoid this man forever, not that you were planning to anyways. You sighed, getting up from your desk to go over to his office, the office’s blinds were closed but you knew he was in there. Grumpy thoughts were streaming from the door. You huffed, looking over to Jill who gave you a thumbs up and an awkward smile. You turned back to the door and knocked.

“Sir?” You said, placing your hand on the doorknob waiting for an okay to come in.

“They’re here? Finally! Did they come to their senses?”

Oh brother, what did you get yourself into?

“Come in.” A very different tone of voice came from behind the door from the one you hear in his thoughts. You opened the door and peeked inside looking at him before going inside.

“Sir…” You started, walking over to where he sat. “You’ve been rather…upset lately. Is everything okay?”

“You haven’t been around me that’s why I’ve been so upset.”

“Have I been?” He asked, moving back a little in his chair. You could feel his stare through his shades, glowering at you. With a shrug you walked over to his desk and sat down near him.

“Is everything alright?” Your voice was very soft, you knew exactly what he wanted, you could give that to him.

“No.”

“Yes.” Came his reply almost immediately. His arms were crossed over his chest as he spoke, making sure anyone peeking in knew he meant business.

“I worry about you, you know.” You leaned in further, your elbows resting on his desk. “If work is getting too stressful then maybe we can…I don’t know…go to the new restaurant down the street.”

“Really?” He asked surprised, Wesker almost jumping out of his skin. He wasn’t expecting you to invite him out on a date.

“Yeah, I think it’d be nice. I mean, if you’re okay with that of course!” You quickly said, covering up how you knew what he wanted already.

“Yes, I’d love that.” He responded almost immediately, almost desperately, he didn’t want this time with you to end if he said no out of spite.

“Great! How about after work then?” You asked, smiling at him.

“I’d love that. Thank you.” Wesker nodded with a barely visible smile of his own. He seemed much calmer after that, maybe you got through to him?

“I’m going to take you back to mine afterwards and fuck you so hard you can’t come into work the next day. Ohh…you’ll be able to stay in my bed, in my home, the whole day.”

Okay, maybe you got through to him a little too well.

[justanotherdrfan]

WELCOME ALL DANNY FANGIRLS TO YOUR INSTALMENT OF DANIEL RICCIARDO’S DTS BREAKDOWN! 🍯🦡

I’m leaving this one open since you all skipped straight to this episode! (I waited and I don’t know how)😂

S6E9 (Three’s a Crowd)

GIF by @arturleclerc

DANNNNNNNNYYY BOYYY 😍😍😍😍😍😍

He’s already laughing (god I love him)

‘Alright, what’s up?, Daniel Ricardo, this is season six drive to survive, and yes I’m back’ (fangirling HARD)

WAIT HE WAS IN SYDNEY, HE WAS IN FUCKING SYDNEY (why did no one tell me I would have called sick at work)

Daniel and Blake I really wish you went ahead with that podcast because you two are poetic chaos together

Cue another Daniel montage (they have his whole discography on file don’t they?)

He looks so fucking tried though

Logan and Alex talking about DTS frothing at the mouth about Daniel returning is the most factually, correct thing I’ve ever heard 😂

Logan: ‘All I know is the most excited people when Danny Ricciardo came back was Netflix.’

Alex: ‘I literally think they had to change their pants three times. I know the episode already. Let…let me run it through. Ready? Here we have Danny Ricciardo watching on the sidelines. “Yeah, it hurts to not be racing.” Then all of a sudden, pans to Nyck de Vries. Lock up. [imitates brakes screeching]. Off the track. Crash. Oh shit! Boom. Fast-forward. Silverstone. Test. Daniel Ricciardo. Super quick. [laughs] Danny looking at it like…big smile on his face. “It is what it is. You know?” [man]“I never left” “I never left. I’m back,baby. Honey Badger. Don’t give a shit.” (Hire him now DTS because he nailed that)

Fuck why they got to follow that shit with Zandvoort though

Daniel whoring about in his Enchante tattoo thigh high shorts

“Feels right. Feels good” (It sure does Danny is sure does)

EVERYONE LOVES DANIEL

And they get him straight to a photoshoot to whore him out

THEY DID NOT USE HIM WINKING IN THE INTRO (da fuck you lot doing? Give the people what they want)

Yes Christian 2025 prospect (he’s a shoe in ahh? See what I did there) 😉👟🍾

FUCK YOU MICAHEL ITALIANO (why is he getting air time) I’m glad he’s left F1

OHH NO OHH NO OHH NO NO NO NO NO NO

IM CRYING AGAIN. I CRIED WHEN IT HAPPENED AND IM CRYING AGAIN

Ohh they have his X-ray

Clairey bear

Cue Liam Lawson (I do love you but I missed Danny terribly)

The others telling Liam to be prepared (this is very welcome to our toxic work environment)

‘She doesn’t even go here’ (a Danica story)

Liam out qualifies all the red bull drivers (yes kiddo)

DANNY BACKS (SCREWS AND ALL) for engineering purposes only

Umm why are you hurting him? DONT TOUCH HIM! (Look yes I know it’s physiotherapy and he needs it. But I’ve broken my hand before the left one as well and driving a normal road car caused me to cry in pain so when I say don’t touch him I mean it)

I SWEAR TO GOD ZAK YOU STAY THEY HELL AWAY FROM HIM

Checo clips Yuki and he’s out (he probably thought it was Daniel trying to take his seat. It’s his in 2025 mate there’s no fighting it)

Ohh look Alpine with reliability issues (things you continue to see)

Yes DTS let’s show Russel’s crash from another angle 😂

POINTS FOR LIAM 🎉🥳

Are we positive he was in Sydney and not Perth?

Yes king SWEAT SWEAT SWEAT

Yuki GP time

Not Suzuka having Daniel, Yuki and Liam on all the banners

Poor Yuki being overwhelmed by the fans. I understand fans being excited but he’s cornered in the car and clearly doesn’t feel safe (and for Michael to be like it’s ok the fans are happy is actually the problem at hand. His and all the drivers safety has to come first and he point blank didn’t feel safe you arsehole Michael so it’s not okay)

Yuki honey it’s okay Liam not going to hit you

If we can’t have an Aussie a Kiwi will do

Liam finding out Daniel’s and Yuki are getting announced for 2024 🥺

Liam mate I’m sorry you deserve better

Mexi-coooooo

HES BACK BACK

Yes yes your P10 in the constructors (just you wait, just you fucking wait)

Checo out before turn 1 (its AUSGP all over again)

Ohh look another McLaren/Alpha Tauri incident 😤

No McLaren the plan is not to attack Daniel (haven’t you fucking done enough?)

P7 BABBYYYYYY

ENCHANTE, MON AMI

See your P8 now (told you to wait and see)

Yes Christian, Daniel did drive a good race (remember that and who didn’t)

Look at him and his little moustache

Will: ‘ I think this is only part one of a far wider story.’ (Yes 2024 season will be epic for Danny Ric)

[dreambigdreamz]

Inside the brain of a writer

(me talking to myself)

the mental process of writing a smut fic

the usual warnings ofc proceed with caution.

wheee i’ve been reading some ahem hotd stuff ahem and i think i can pull off my very own as well 🌚🌚🌚

yass eomer and lothiriel’s wedding nighttt

actually no i’d die writing

for many reasons

julie write a sample for me please

should i just ai generate this

oh loth why on earth would you say that

quick, make her drown another flagon of wine to avoid the embarrassment 

BAHAHAHA i’m 6k word count and not yet halfway guysss

NO BROTHER YOU CAN’T READ THIS

because lothiriel is undressing eomer 🫢

*hysterical giggles as the world dissipates internally*

what on earth am i saying to a 11-year-old

shit he’s taking up the discussion

he says eomer should be allowed to undress himself to show ‘manly’ independence

shut the f up kid you don’t know anything about the romance of unbuttoning and revealing the man’s body

“stahp ahaha i can’t imagine it i’d DIE”

*dies for three months before guilty sense kicks back your arse to continue working on the wip*

drag myself through the shit like it’s no big deal

eomer without armour 💗💗💗

eomer without shirt 👀🥹🫢🌚🤡

should i or should i not put a full description of his… 

nope 

KEEP IT POETIC NOT GRAPHIC

will there be a blowjob

but i won’t know how to describe how it tastes so no

functioning on the last single braincell

once read a headcanon saying eomer will give you no less than 3 o’s and i stand by that

is ‘reverberate’ smth to do with vibrations or vertebrates

his voice being deep and gruff his voice being deep and gruff his voice being deep and gruff HIS VOICE—

what does ‘convulse’ mean

could i maybe find a use for it to be included in the writing, even though i don’t know what it means?

i mean, i’ve seen it written but never bothered searching up 

gets up in the middle of the night to search up thesaurus

“TREPIDATION” IS SUCH A NICE WORD inCLudE iT iN By aLL meAns

….if only i gave half the effort for my academics…..

if he gives her oral, remember to get him to wipe off his mouth before he kisses her again because

you don’t know what it tastes like 

+ somewhat disgusting and shameful (ahh little purist me)

“did you finish your smut fic lol”

“haha nearly! was up till one am last night writing it” (i normally sleep at 8 pm)

“he’s penetrating her now ehehe”

*deletes last message*

keep your purist virgin opinions out of this and Let Them Have Fun!!!!

how long does it take a candle to burn out

“would you like to read what i have gotten so far 👉👈”

no lothiriel would never think the act “sickening” KEEP YOURSELF OUT OF THIS

YES YES YES KEEP THE CLASSICAL ROMANCE ALIVE YOU ARE SUCH A POETIC WRITER DID ANYBODY TELL YOU HAHA 😇 

but also the tension, don’t undo the tension all at once

DONT LET THEM FALL IN LOVE OVER ONE NIGHT WHAT SOAKING IDIOT ARE YOU

it takes time, it has to take time 

so no

make it an awkward messy ordeal

you are a most horrifying author, you deserve to go to hell three times over WHAT WAS THAT FOR

i know

how do i describe what his hands are doing

like one is doing smth while the other is another—

or keep it simple?

how big and strong he is x300 sentences

he’s gotta have big brown eyes / be able to satisfy / he’s gotta be big and strong / enough to turn me onnnnnn (the angelic choir version please)

his eyes turning into dark orbs 👀 a glint of dangerous light ahahahahahahahahah 

*descends into madness*

god save my soul 

no no Snow you got it wrong bby

there are no whores and sluts here

be horny without guilty

you might actually make some money out of writing this one day

big ambitions >>>

in the meantime enjoy yourself 

but seriously dude

wouldn’t he crush her bones if he collapsed on top of her

REWRITE EVERYTHING

first go and scroll through tumblr again

and spiral down into the sinful one-shots and take inspo from the masters

BUT THE AGONYYYYY (cuz u barely crawl out alive after these little visits onto that side of tumblr)

or shld i just post it and pretend nothing’s the matter and let it be and delete this entire post on making a fuss out of as tiny a thing as writing smut

fuck it i’ll go solve some mathematics

p.s. make eomer considerate at all times

p.p.s. you need to seriously decide between making lothiriel either an innocent angel or a coldhearted bitch MAKE UP YOUR MIND 

because i feel for the poor guy if she keeps acting hot n cold like this 

woe is me, the writer

i declare nobody suffers it as i do

but what if there was a toad in the bed as a prank from amrothos

[autisticempathydaemon]

sorry if this is a lil long (￣□￣;)!!

What song are you fixated on at the moment? What lyric or verse, and why?

there are a few albums (igor, damn., songs) ive been listening to on loop for a few weeks now, but if i were to narrow it down to one song it would be “forwards beckon rebound” by adrianne lenker ^_^. i liked it when i first listened to the album in full but then found out my boyfriend liked it, so i LOVE it now. 

What is your Enneagram type?

INFP-T, 4w3

Do you love gargantuan Youtube video essays, and if so, which is your favorite and why?

i LOVE them!! i really enjoy jacob geller’s video essays, specifically his video “how can we bear to throw anything away?”. i think its SUPER cool and very poetically justifies my hoarding. though for GARGANTUAN, i like flawed peacock’s 7 hour and 42 minute video on “who’s lila”, which i still havent finished.

Tell me about your childhood imaginary friend.

when i was around 9 i used to be called “daffodil” when teased so i turned daffodil into my alter ego and spoke to her with pure hatred

What is your go-to way to fall asleep?

most of the time i scroll and scroll and scroll until im about to pass out from exhaustion, but when im NOT doing that, either put on music or a sleep aid audio n stare at my ceiling til i fall asleep.

If you had to change your name, what would it be, and why? (In tandem, if you have changed your name, why did you pick that one?)

im trans and have been out to my friends for around 3-4 years now, and i changed my name to my current one due to dissatisfaction with my previous name choice and my fixation on the character i named myself after.

What is your favorite of Redacted’s audios, and why?

ashers 2021 hbs. its so sweet and silly and full of love <3 i love asher and i love fluff :3

What Redacted boy holds no appeal to you, and why? Like, not the one you hate but the one who you don’t get the hype for. (I won’t judge, I promise.)

guy. hes alright but i just dont see the appeal character-wise. hes kind of just erik’s self-insert or low-effort character which is great for him but not that interesting for me.

Tell me about that one book/movie/tv show you know all the words to.

book + movie: the perks of being a wallflower, and tv show: brooklyn 99. i was DEEPLY into tpobaw a few months ago and finished the book (with annotations) in 4 days. charlie kelmeckis is me!! as for b99, its my comfort show and i’ve rewatched it at least 6 times in full.

Which Redacted boy are you platonically attracted to? Like- forget dating, which dude do you want to be your best friend?

caelum :3 i need to hug him asap!! need to bake with him!!

Do you have a go-to thing you ramble about when you’re tired, and if so, what is it? (For example, my boyfriend knows I’m ready to sleep when I start talking about space.)

no specific topic, but ill start talking about how much i love something or someone. tired me is very loving. according to my best friend i talk a lot about my boyfriend when im sleepy.

Tell me your go-to gas station and drink combo.

diet coke and ice cream ^_^ 

Tell me about your favorite playlist at the moment. 

there are a few, but my top three are a playlist containing every alex g song i like, a playlist full of love songs of all different genres and artists, and a playlist i made in 2022 when i was into more obscure rock ^_^. but mostly i listen to adrianne lenker or kendrick lamar on shuffle.

What’s your guilty pleasure media, and why?

video essays talking about drake vs kendrick. i swear ive watched over a hundred videos related to that drama, mostly cause i love kendrick so much and have been a drake hater since 2015. 

And whatever else you think tells me about who you are!

im a big lover of the arts!! both visual (i draw both traditionally and digitally, and have tried painting) and musical (big music fan + very amateur singer and guitarist). i really like movies, but i like movie analysis youtube videos more! in that same vein, i love horror media but am too scared most of the time to actually consume it, so i watch a lot of horror explanation or analysis videos.

im an extremely awkward person to talk to, like severely. also i like minecraft a lot, avid hermitcraft watcher.

Type Fours are so lovely, so internally complex and magnificent and creative despite and perhaps in conjunction with their introversion. I think a fellow introvert would especially appreciate that about you- Anton, specifically.

Another reason I like y’all together is this enneagram type (and MBTI) tends to be very feelings based, very pathos motivated, and that would contrast from Anton whose life and job are so technical, so logos-y. You bring so much light and verve into his life; whenever he sees art, he thinks of you and how it would make you feel. You make him think more about how he feels, you know? The art you create and the way you experience art, the way you enjoy things, makes him marvel.

And you do love to enjoy things with him, to show new things and movies and shows, because his marvel in turn makes things even more fun for you! Anton strikes me as the type of guy who knows nothing about pop culture if left alone, so you get to show him everything. He likes Brooklyn Nine Nine a lot more than he thought. (Terry is his favorite; he also likes yogurt and wants to be a girl dad.) He doesn’t give a single shit about the Kendrick/Drake beef but you’re so animated when you talk about it, he listens raptly. He doesn’t really enjoy horror, but it doesn’t scare him either so he’s a comforting presence whenever you decide to try watching some.

Song:

A volcano erupted/ And the stars fell one by one/ And finally I'm done right/ And it's a kite trapped in my mind/ But I don't mind/ I think of your hands on my body/ And they feel nice/ Just one more night

(Thank you again, Spotify Artist Radios, because I don’t listen to a lot of folk! This is a new song for me!) I chose this one for you and Anton because of the phrase “velvet kind of mood”, because it makes me think of how Anton’s love would tactile-y feel- warm, plush, heavy like a weighted blanket and just as comforting. The lyric “just one more night” also made me think of Anton holding onto you the night before he leaves, so I could not resist.

Runner-ups:

Geordi is the first runner-up that came to mind because he strikes me as the most… artistically inept of the redacted bois if you will- thus, he would feel the most awe and reverence and your prowess. Plus, I like to headcanon him as trans, and we love a t4t couple. Asher is my favorite runner up for you though, but I can’t quite word why. I think it’s something about his extrovert energy against yours.

Read this post and send me an ask if you’d like a match-up of your own! 💌

[dddragoni-drabbles]

As one of the foremost experts on traveling the Infinite Cities, I get a lot of questions about them. Stuff like "how do I make sure I don't get lost," or "what do I need to bring with me?" That's why I wrote this guidebook, to make sure folks who get the itch to wander between dimensions can do so safely and successfully. Of course, I also get a lot of questions like "what's the best sushi place within six rifts," to which I say- keep am eye on the shelves at your local bookstore next year, Dear Reader!

But there's another type of question I get. Odds are, you've asked yourself one or more of them while reading this. It's the "why" questions. Why did the rifts form where they did, and why do they connect those particular LAs? Why does leaving the Infinite Cities always bring you back to your home dimension, and why is that dimension your home? Why are the rifts contained entirely within the Los Angeli, and no further?

I don't know the answers to those questions, Dear Reader, and I don't want to. You shouldn't either. I could wax poetical about the sanctity of the unknown, but the truth of the matter is that bad things happen to people that research such things. I'm not exactly what you'd call the superstitious type, but when five separate scientists suffer career-ending or even fatal injuries less than a week after announcing they were close to a breakthrough, you start to notice a pattern.

On their own, they seemed like tragic accidents. One of them, a good friend of mine, made a wrong turn and ended up in Knife Angeles with no protective gear. Another was in the wrong place at the wrong time when an Unpire went Rogue. The kind of thing that can happen to anyone. But I think there's more to it than a strong of coincidences, Dear Reader. I think that the Infinite Cities don't want to be Known.

Now, don't let this discourage you from your adventures. There's an infinite frontier out there! Go, learn, discover, expore! Keep an open mind, but focus it on the Whats, Wheres and Whos. Avoid the Whys. And above all,

DONT LOOK TOO CLOSE

-Explorer's Guide to the Infinite Cities, by Thunder Rockwell (Postscript)

[ya-boi-haru]

Rewatching Treasure Planet for the 1000 time so here are my brain brrr thoughts/ things i noticed...

• During the opening scene where Jim is freely Solar Surfing the area, the music that plays over it comes back again in different tones: when they take off from the spaceport, when escaping the supernova and when Jim saves them from the planets destruction and that's pretty poetic

• I was thinking "why are they the only humans" but then why is anyone one species. I dont think you see 2 of the same species around. It also makes sence since they own/work at an Inn and the movie takes place on other alien planets

• Amelia from the start clearly states she doesn't like the crew Delbert hired, yet she doesn't push for him to hire a new crew or anything. She maybe be the captain and a really good one, but in a way (despite what Delbert says) she does know who she's working for

• Amelia and Arrows' whole dynamic. "I said something rather good before coffee" (- Amliea) they're besties

• Doplers bulky suit runs on 3 AA type batteries 😂

• When Silver said to Jim "I have two new friends I'd like you to meet" before he revealed it was a joke to do chores, Jim looked genuinely interested in new people to meet. He's finally on a spacing adventure that is based on his favourite legend since childhood and he gets back to doing more things he was doing at the Benbow, so I think his disappointment is some what valid

• Silvers crew either severely sucked up and faked their resumes and/or took out any competition to get that job, which is why they got the job and not a better crew

• Jim built his first Solar Sufer when he was 8 and probably did it as a way to be closer to his dad (I think he was still around at that age)

• In the flashback of his dad leaving, Jim woke up startled and worried. It then cuts to his dad already walking away then his mother crying at the table, so they probably had a massive fight as he was leaving which woke Jim up. They probably fought a bit before hand as well

• Morph turned into a wrench to help Silver, so Morph can hold the weight/strength of things he shapeshifts into

• Its been pointed out that Jim's cloths are a symbolism of his development. He starts with a black shirt and jacket then a tan shirt and black jacket and by the end its just the tan shirt.

He gets the tan shirt and black jacket when they start the voyage, but loses the jacket part way through the "I'm still here" sequence. He wears it again after Arrows death then loses it again when Silvers true intentions are revealed to him.

• Jim and Silver did fasten their lifelines after being told to - during the supernova - but they had to undo them to get the sail at the front of the ship. So if Jim hadn't caught Silver when he fell, even his lifeline would t have helped him

• When bracing themselves for the last Migella in the Supernova, Silver holds Jim and the pole, looking down to make sure he's ok

• At the start of the movie Jim uses a Purp to sus out Silver, and its the same Purp barrel Jim is hiding in when he overhears what Silver says to the crew

- Jim using the purps to try and hint that he's onto Silver vs Scroop using the purp to emphasise that Silvers gone soft

• Treasure Planet was using drabooln currency before tiktok deemed it cool

• The parallels in Arrows and Scroops deaths.

Bonus cause:

Scroop: Do say hello to Mr Arrow

Jim: Tell him yourself!

• When trying to find the gate, the crew threaten to kill Jim but Silver looks worried. When he says "I suggest you get the gizmo going again and fast!" It was more a warning, cause he looks scared for Jim when they prepare to attack him...

• B.E.Ns eyes going from green to blue I think is a little clever bit of symbolism. They started green which was the colour of Treasure Planet (map, portal etc) and then when he got his memory circut back and could help them get out, they changed to blue

• Morph, Morphs into things around him, which is why he copies what people say, he's Morphing/copies their words

• When Silver is saying goodbye to Jim he smiles up at him, showing his non cyborg side

Hope you enjoyed, feel free to tell me your thoughts on this movie, that I feel normal about

[creepydudesinthedesert]

Mad Max Fury Road: Drunk Commentary Edition

EDIT: I figure I might as well post this since, surprise!! I'm actually sober now so there's no chance of me very finishing this lol. But it was funny to read when I wrote it up like a year ago. Enjoy!

I’m starting after drinking 2 canned mojitos, and a glass of wine WITNESS ME!!!!!

- I watched this movie because a friend of mine wanted to get with a dude, and here i am, 6 years later and it’s still my favorite.

- It’s crazy having a boyfriend whose super into cars and telling him all the trivia for this movie lol

- Max NEED SOME MI:Lk after that car crash

- Guys i found a movie poste r for fury road at a thrift bookstore this year amd its thebest $30 ive ever soent

-someone tatoo my bloodbAG info on my back

-yO anyone remember that furiosa comic that reached NO ONES expectations??? idk about that guy but im built different i could write a better one

- THE CHASE SCENE

- CHARLIZE THERON WITH THE BRAND WALKING AWAY FROM THE CAMERA

- poetic cinema/im gay

- WE. ARE. WAR. BOYS.

- Everything about the i,mmortans reveal gives me straight up D****T***** Vibes and you all know why i am not taking questions or criticisms

- you know youer drunk when you accidentally open inspect element

- KEEP HER NAME OUT OF YOUR MOUTH

- bro im abbouto rise from the ashes from this world b/c im GONE

- That reminds me, when drinking, HYDRATE

- I DO RESENT ITS ABSENCE YOU DONT GOTTA RUB IT IN

- FUCKER

- THE LOOK. THE DETAIL

- Organic always felt the most aussie of of the cast

- The fact they al respect her decision for "heading east”

- Gaslight. Gatekeep. Girlboss.

- They dialogue between the brothers always got me because they seemed so normal. Maybe they actually had a good relationship together and rictus was actually mourned when it was revealed that immortan joe was dead.

- I did a paper on this movie my freshman year of college, yess i was a nerd, and yess I got a 100%

- ‘YOU CANNOT OWN A HUMAN BEING!”

- GASSLIGHT. GATEKEEP. GIRLBOSS

- ngl miss giddy you could’ve saved us a good 2 hours if you didnt miss

- #Killrapists

- NUX

- problematic fave turned wholesome fave

- “thas maigh whill!”

- “IM GONNE HISTORIC ON THE FURY ROAD”

- THE BEST SEQUENCE

- THE DRUMS

- THE GUITAR

- THE CARS

- DUN NA NANANA, DUN NA NANANA

- nux fangirling like me at the black veil brides concert last week

- I AM AWATED

- “...it’s a detour...”

- Im so gay

-oh my god i realized i havent seen this movie since majoring in russian language, I heard that whole exchange while not even looking at the tv

[nicolloyd]

Hey uh, random question

What the fuck happened in Crystallized and why is it so bad?

Thanks to following icy-watch, I'm pretty much thru the ice emperor arc and stuff, but I cannot go another minute without knowing what the hell happened in Crystallized

ok so uh they kinda like screwed up harumis whole like "i dont love lloyd i was just using him" to like i actually like lloyd a little like MAAM you tried to kill him 😭 and also they brought her back to life after her poetic death which like i dont really mind but its whatever

and also the whole "shes with us" thing.. if you didnt know its lloyd basically going like yeah harumis on our side now because she helped fight against the overlord?? not even for any like moral reason it was ONLY because she found out he corrupted the great devourer and then it killed her parents like 💀💀

AND it brought nya back to life too in like the first few episodes like r u serious let her be dead for a minute like i assumed she would come back but that was TOO fast it was like her sacrifice meant nothing.. the whole thing was like oh once you become the ocean u cant turn back but apparently now she can???????

also lloyd.. his whole thing now is he hates oni which is um, did u forget mystake??? shes not even brought up once in this season. and they were hyping up lloyds oni form the whoke time like THIS will be the key to stopping the overlord!!! and then he finally does it, it stays for 3 seconds and then he looks at his reflection and gets scared and then never uses his oni form WHICH IS HYPED UP THE WHOLE SEASON to defeat the overlord 😭

and its also the fact that its the overlord again like omgg r we not done with him

and wu is suddenly like a super law abiding citizen cuz the ninja wanna break the law to save nya and wu is like NO i will not partake in this!!! i love police and the law!! SIR SINCE WHEN HACE YOU CARED!!!!

i will give crystallized points for making me cry tho, it was during pixal and zane ans he was like dying for the 10th time and pixal was like i dont know if theres an afterlife for being such as u and i but i will find you there and it was really sad and like yeah,, also the whole nya thing also made me cry even tho it was kinda sucky IT WAS STILL SAD OK WHEN SHE WAS READING ALL THE LANTERN NOTES 😭

i dont hate crystallized btw, it was really fun to watch and it was one of my fav seasons when i first watched until everyone pointed out all the bad parts and i was like yeah.. this isnt that good but theres a difference between enjoyable and good ok its fun to watch but its sucks

anyway anyone wanna jump in and add more feel free to

[destiel-wings]

Listen I love jack I think he's awesome but I still dont feel like jack was an elevated replacement of Crowley cause man did I LOVE Crowley either way I still love jack...but I had a thought imagine if jack storyline didn't existed that castiel was made god Instead...can you imagine the poetic implication of God being in love with Dean Winchester omg like that has just bamboozled my mind...dean Winchester who never takes credit of anything being loved by the absolute supreme??? him being bestowed the absolute validation??? LIKE THAT IS JUST PERFECT....AND LIKE CAS WAS LITER LIKE

cas to anyone else: I will kill you

cas to dean: I'm your huckleberry

God being only soft for one individual yea no bye i want to bury myself rn cause I need this

I absolutely love Crowley too!! I never thought about Jack as a replacement for him, but I see where you're coming from.

The thing about Jack is he brought a whole different dynamic for team free will, narratively speaking. He reshaped all of them, bringing a lot of new story territory. When i first watched s13 I remember that I noticed and loved how much Sam's soft approach towards Jack made me appreciate him once more, reminding me why I love Sam so much. His own storyline had been weaker up until that point, but when he decided to take care of Jack, fighting for him and taking upon himself the responsibility of a child (the way Dean had done for him), that was a huge step for the character. It was growth, and it shed some very much needed good light on Sam and his good empathetic heart.

For Dean, Jack brought an intersting conflicting dynamic. I love the initial opposition that seeing Jack triggered in him, for the way it underlined his grief of losing Cas. I think seeing a character like Dean, who had always been collecting stray kids, and whose main role since he was a child had been that of the caretaker, struggling so much with Jack, was very interesting. Because Jack is a mini Cas. He's Cas's kid. And so, Dean's kid. He's not his brother, or a stray kid that he can befriend providing a parent-like care (like with Claire or Kevin, in a way). Jack is, in every way possible, more like a son. And for that, it gets harder. One gets meaner sometimes, because it's family. And it's not fair, but in the dynamics of the show, in the portrayal of family that we've seen, and that the boys have grown into, it's as real as it gets. And one makes mistakes. Dean certainly made so many mistakes with Jack, and he sometimes went way too far (like when he said Jack wasn't family in the end of s15 and then the show ended and never let him eat his words to Jack - but again, there's a lot of things that the show never let Dean say in the end...), but still, one can't deny that he cared about Jack and that his introduction didn't bring new flesh for Dean's storyline.

I don't need to explain how Jack affected Cas' storyline. It was simply wonderful to see. To witness Cas genuinely develop a father side and learn a different, completely selfless kind of love. All of that love had always been in Cas, but I think Jack brought it to surface even more, and who knows, maybe that's even what helped Cas realize that his feelings for Dean were different, romantic. Because he now had something else that was just as strong, but felt completely different to compare it with.

Ultimately, I think the point is that Jack kind of brought the whole team together even more strongly. He was like glue that kept them together, in a way that felt even more impossibly like family. And that's why i think it's so beautiful, and why his introduction was a great move that gave new life to the show.

With Crowley... they did him dirty. He was such an interesting character but towards the end the writers stopped caring about him and his storyline had become stale. His main feature, his wit, had been turned against him when they had him do a couple of stupid things (the whole storyline with Lucifer), and they just demeaned his character until he killed himself. And while i love that he was the one to do it, and for a good cause, to save our boys, his sacrifice was ultimately rendered useless too since Lucifer didn't even stay trapped but escaped and kept bringing problems.

I think the wiriters got a little bored with the character and didn't really know what to do with it, but they should've given him a refresh instead of killing him. I would've loved a storyline where he became a real part of the team. Imagine team free will being formed by hunters, a nephilim, an angel and a demon? Seeing Crowley become one of the good guys (while still being a demon) might've brought a lot of interesting story territory for them. The constant diffidence. The struggle to constantly prove his loyalty and gain their trust and approval, his relationship with Rowena developing in all this... it would've been fun. I'm thinking it might've been something like Spike's storyline in Buffy's fourth season (for those who are familiar with the show).

OR, imagine if they had him develop on what s8 started, and had him be cured as a demon and become human. Either by his own free will or by force. I'm imagining him somewhat like Endverse Cas, some sort of pariah, maybe hiding away as a hermit with a life crisis, that could've been treated both in a funny way, but also with some real moments of depths. With the Winchesters coming to look for him for his knowledge, seeking help and finding him in a sea of bottles, depressed and purposeless and overwhelmed by feelings, until they gave him something to fight for, a reason to get up, and eventually he might have become part of the team.

That's what I would've done, and I think either solution would've been better than what his character got, but anyway. 😅

I'm not sure i understand how Jack's absence would be linked to Cas being revealed God, since Chuck had already been established as God by the time Jack arrived (are you talking about Godstiel?) but anyway I see your general vision about Cas being God and being in love with Dean and... yes, oh, yes, that definitely would've been something. I'm thinking about Dean's "Cas? Are you God?" and that would've been sweet. Instead we got a different kind of God who was still obsessed with Dean, but unluckily, not in a good way.

But again, every show needs conflict, so we couldn't have it the sweet way. Just like the characters, we were doomed from the start.

Thank you for the message <3

[1-up-chump]

Assorted fallout 4 companion opinions

Preston is not boring he's simple. He's just a guy trying his best to do good in a fucked world and he's hanging by a thread. It's not his fault bethesda radiant quests suck.

Strong is wasted potential as a character. He should have been more than a dumb brute companion with the only difference being "he's not aggressive to you" he should have been a rather "smarter than the average mutant" and know a lot of advanced words and how to properly apply them (but mispronouncing them terribly) due to his interest in literature.

A super mutant who does super mutant things but can wax poetic about his POV as a mutant would've been a great companion. I know the "milk of kindness" being taken literally is a joke but honestly i was expecting strong to eventually "get it" and figure out why human so strong is bc of compassion that helps them lead a group and not a show of brute strength (which is why strong thought fist was a terrible leader bc he didn't care about his brothers, but with his dialogue it seems like he only cares about your ability to kill as long as you dont say mean things?) and like, Maybe strong is a bit NICER to travel with and his opinions could change to thinking humans are decent at most.

Nick should have had more side quests involving him. More mysteries to solve, hell i had an idea for at least a mod quest that if you side with the institute a scientist who's interested in older tech to improve advanced tech offers to fix the holes in nick's synth skin bc C'mon we are traveling the god damn commonwealth full of trash, irradiated water, and bullets from who knows where like how has nick not gotten some radroaches trying to make a nest in his chest cavity. It would make for some great dialogue and philosophy of "are you content with yourself even if you could fix some problems? What are you willing to trade off?" And give players options while hearing out both sides.

Piper also should have more side quests involving interviews with certain characters, maybe after completing certain quests you can go back to them with piper and maybe get additional quests involving old ones to tie loose ends? Or the very least have an opportunity for your character to voice their opinion on the events

Maccready. WHERE IS HIS SON????? i DID ALL THAT FOR THE GUY JUST FOR HIM TO KEEP FUCKING AROUND WITH ME AND NOT GO TO HIS DAMN SON??? Now it sounds super awful to say but the only possible outcome for his story to conclude is, macready leaves the commonwealth for a few days, and in a few days daisy wants to talk to you and she says to talk to maccready in the third rail. Turns out when maccready left to ensure the cure gets to his son, it was too late. The man is in an awful state and you gotta pass a few charisma checks to keep him in the commonwealth as a companion.

Gage. It makes some sense for him to turn on you too when you open season the raider leaders. HOWEVER, the leaders were needy dicks anyways and YOU'RE the boss so why can't you: replace the gang leaders with someone else you personally like OR Tell gage "im the boss, you got me here, you deal with me. You're lucky i like you so much" and establish dominance and give gage a sexual awakening. Gage will hate you for a few moments but ultimately with everything he said to you about his views and personal code he has to agree that you really are better/worse than colter.

That or bully him into being not a raider by either saying "do you REALLY wanna fight me?" Or "being a raider sucks this is actually beneficial for everyone even assholes like you" like the whole of nuka world would've been cooler to be like an actual fleshed out raider and not generic "haha im mean" but a "if its kill or be killed then im gonna kill the status quo to become god"

Cait is perfect in every way ngl i have nothing else to say about her except i love her

[taniushka12]

for hypotenuse, 2 and 11, and for alan/zane artistic cannibalism, 15 and 20!

thank you!!! under the cut bc it got long u_u

[unwritten/unfinished fic ask game]

Hypotenuse

2. How did you get the idea to write this?

the question is how did anyone ELSE not had this idea before! i love the trope of a character being so worried abt someone it starts seeping into everything they do, and i just think alice and barry should vent that frustration with each other :) 👍

11. Is there any scene you can't wait for people to react to when reading? Why?

so the fic is an tense argument/fight between the two, right? nitpicking abt stuff then building up around the point (the fact that they're both worried sick abt alan's declining mental health and just dont know how to help him) getting more upset bc the other person doesn't help, until it reaches a crescendo where they both (mostly barry but yknow) accidentally reveal some jealousy and other stuff abt the other in regard to alan, and the scene goes silent in mortification and embarrassment and the awful, awful realization that they're not so different after all u_u i DREAM of having that peak written and -in an ideal world- people going fucking insane over it like...

fucking imagine you tell your bestie's wife that you're practically jealous of her, 📣📣📣 to her face

artistic cannibalism (name pending)

15. Do you have any unwritten scene that you think about a lot?

theeee very beginning where they're yknow drinking and kissing and touching and zane starts spouting some conceptual & poetic nonsense abt the necessity of an artist to consume other artists and how art in itself is an act of cannibalism etc etc etc and how Surely This Time This'll Do The Trick to get em out of the dark place, Trust Me, and the moment the story takes a turn from erotic to horror

i just love rambling about conceptual bullshit in fics, i might not be very good writing smut but i can do a mad rambling for SURE and i cant wait to write it.....

(also spoiler, it does not get them out of the dark place, but it does make a Great movie in zane's mind)

20. Give a vague description of something that will happen without revealing too much

hmmm... well the scene starts with alan and zane, but it doesn't end with those two. acute fans will know what i mean 😏

[mileshehimwhite]

ok i know this is played out but i wanna touch on how music is generally seen as one of the most socially acceptable art forms. it is impossible to live as a human and escape music, its everywhere. however, that really doesnt mean that music is upheld as an art worth discussing.

id say its pretty fair to point out poetry and music are fairly similar mediums. they cross over all the time, and the distinction of the two is more of a matter of subjective taste than concrete lines. something interesting ive found with poetry is that its not as easily accessible by the masses as music - why not? much of poetry is melodic or could be easily transformed into song. the iambic pentameter is infamous for its specificity when it comes to syllables, very akin to how lyrics in music must conform to certain tempos or become a noisy cacophony.

the kendrick vs drake beef has brought the idea of music being poetic back into the mainstream. i say "back into" but any kendrick fan can tell you that hes always incorporated poetic devices into his lyrics and instrumentals to illustrate the theme of his song/album better. its fun! its a way for him to showcase his skills while also making the music a participatory act for the audience. almost like a scavenger hunt, you know everything is THERE, its up to you to find WHERE. however, the beef has far surpassed kendrick and drake fans, hiphop/rap fans, and has become a discussion point for those who have absolutely no background in these mediums. this is not a diss, its an acknowledgement that for those of us who have and do revere music as an artform, a lot of the talking points can come off as very beginner - because they are, they're made by beginners who are finding their foothold in this new world, just like we all did at one time whether we were 5 or 50 when we first started.

disclaimers aside, my grievances aren't with the people intrigued by accusations. i mean, i dont like 2010 pop very much but if katy perry called pink a pedophile you bet your ass id have tuned the fuck in. im not even sure if thats a comparable accusation, as i think katy perry was more popular than pink? i dont know, you get my point. the accusations are more indicative of the system they're both existing in than kendrick saying this one guy sucks and if we get rid of him and his groupies hollywood will be rainbows sunshine and happiness forever. like, we should still get rid of him, but the systems in place that let drake rise to the level hes at and profit so widely from the communities he claims to represent wont disappear with him, they'll just find the next drake, or taylor swift, or james corden, literally fucking whoever fits the mold they need them to fit into, and if they dont, then adapt to the mold assigned to them. the system continues, the gears keep turning.

i dont even want to talk about the beef necessarily, though i do want to talk about the two songs meet the grahams and Not Like Us. meet the grahams was the heavy-hitter. the one that got everyone talking. Not Like Us was the chaser. a sweeter mixture to dull out the bitterness in the audience's mouth. there's been more controversy about the lyricism in Not Like Us than meet the grahams, and i find that it comes from a lack of understanding of what artforms really are - communicative devices. they're not trying to TELL you something, as something like a report or spreadsheet would with its analysis of sourced data, but it's trying to make you EXPERIENCE something. you can hear the sentence "Treat others the way you want to be treated." all your life, but if you've never experienced a situation where you need others to treat you with the same humanity they hold for themselves, it's a lot less impactful.

Not Like Us showcases exactly what kendrick lamar has already shown us repeatedly: he not only understands people, but he knows how to get through to them. meet the grahams will inevitably go down as one of the most vicious disstracks of all times, yes, but who's bumping that shit? nobody. its not supposed to be bumped. people discuss how it sounds very eerie and frightening, and its SUPPOSED. TO. BE. the instrumentals weren't picked for no reason. the unintelligible yelling in the background? purposeful. the vocals of kendrick going in and out of rage, of him simultaneously saying he wants drake dead and also that he wants him to improve himself by going through ego dissolution? purposeful. this is not just kendrick showing his own emotions regarding the scenario, he's priming the audience to be on his side by proactively aligning himself with their emotions - which leads me to Not Like Us.

okay. like, even the title you see it clearly. Not Like Us. kendrick, even before the song begins, has the audience creating an Us VS Them dichotomy with drake and his crew. kendrick also doesnt define a clear 'us' within the song - he does directly call out drake's culture vulturism in his music, but notice how deliberate he is with it. kendrick points out how drake uses "the people" to get himself a larger paycheque. that is, purposefully, relatable to every working class person regardless of race or location. he uses specific black people in his examples because of drake's anti-blackness, and while he mentions drake being half white in a few of his songs his criticism is always very carefully cushioned by the fact that kendrick DEFENDS drake's white half. he says hes a culture vulture for profiting off of such an important artform made by and for black america, yes, but he also points out that the inauthenticity towards his mother's side of the family and his nationality as canadian is pathetic and disloyal. he SPECIFICALLY MENTIONS how drake lied about his religious views not because kendrick hates the jews secretly but because DRAKE CAN'T PROFIT OFF OF BEING JEWISH THE SAME WAY HE CAN BEING BLACK. that's why he doesn't claim being jewish as hard as he does being black, if the inverse was true i doubt drake would EVER try to 'fit in' to the hip-hop crowd, in the same way he rarely if ever mentions his upbringing in a jewish household.

this is very important and VERY strategic of kendrick. he CANNOT be making enemies in this stage. kendrick has been banking on this reaching far past hip-hop/rap crowds. drake is fluid and, to the core, mainstream. therefore, kendrick NEEDS his lyricism to be just as easily approachable. think about the difference between kendrick's double entendres. "Tryna strike a chord and it's probably A Minor" has been a joke since, probably literally the day we quantified the concept of chords in music theory. some people criticize the line because of that, accusing kendrick of being a hack for using such an easy joke. what they dont understand is, THE JOKE HAD TO BE EASY. it had to simultaneously be easy to access for the general public and also still somewhat biting. kendrick already planted the seeds of drake being a pedophile in meet the grahams, and he's reaping his harvest by dropping that line and "Certified Loverboy, Certified Pedophile". they not only dont have to be clever, THEY CAN'T BE. they can't be more clever than what the layman would gather with one listen, they're his hooks in the song.

some people use Not Like Us as kendrick stepping up to the dick measuring contest on drake's terms. "oh, you think you so good cause you can write something that'll get em jumping? not only can i do that, i can do it BETTER." and i do agree with them! Not Like Us was incredibly well thought-out. it gives us basically no new information, but it doesnt need to, Not Like Us owes its purpose to beating people over the head with a few of the concepts addressed in euphoria. and meet the grahams, yes, and also to prime the audience against drake, yes, and also to show the audience that anything drake does you can get somewhere else and done better, YES! even the beat is produced by DJ Mustard, whose works are both familiar to rap fans, and widely loved. DJ Mustard producing it reinforces the Us VS Them. i mean, even casual listeners of rap have heard the notorious tag "Mustard on the beat, ho!".

im not going to claim this hasnt been pointed out before, i havent seen it, but im sure it has. kendricks discography has primed old fans to indulge in every lyric to make sure no nuance is missed. i dont think kendricks artistry has been in doubt once the entire time this beef has been widely popular. so it seems a little silly then, to start this goddamn dissertation off with a criticism of how music isnt treated with the same consideration by its fans like how a similar artform, poetry, is. and thats because... well, 1: music is way more popular than poetry, like i said. and that leads into 2: people dont recognize music as... important.

some music is. that's true. i mean, remember during the pandemic when celebrities were singing john lennon's Imagine from their mansions while the working class were dying from completely preventable causes? we can say what we will about that era, and oh boy do i have a lot to say, but it does prove that we on some level acknowledge the impact of music. why else choose a song? why not literally just say the words, or words to that impact? because music is better? well, no. people say impactful shit everyday - sans music. Inspirational speeches are a type of communication basically always devoid of music and yet they serve very similar purposes. so, no. music isnt always better. in fact, during the situation i outlined above, i could not think of anything WORSE than breaking into a little tune and jig. there is some tact necessary.

music, however, does excel in one thing inspirational speeches don't: community. this may make little sense, because inspirational speeches are notorious for being purposeful in their bonding of individuals into one united movement. but i want you to consider this: what role does the speaker hold? in inspirational speeches, they're on the same side as the crowd, yes, but they tend to hold some position above or differing from them. a figurehead or trusted authority figure to a movement. they're fighting for the same thing, but they're in a unique position to the crowd.

think about music in that same concept. the singer doesnt tend to hold that same difference. how could it? the audience sings along, the audience dances, the audience taps their foot or bobs their head, whatever participation is included, its necessary. kendrick's Not Like Us, no matter how eloquently reworked, would have NEVER gained the same traction as an inspirational speech. it would make kendrick seem too different from the masses. it would remind us that... he's a celebrity too. he isn't working class. he isn't the one getting affected most by drake's culture vulturism, misogyny, or alleged pedophilia. which would then ask the question: well... why didnt he point this out earlier?

some people are still asking that question, which i think does hold merit. kendrick lamar is not our friend. he has done amazing things for his community and black americans at large and we absolutely cannot discredit that, but kendrick lamar could personally fund my lifestyle forever and that still wouldn't mean i know him or his mindset. he is much more impactful to me because a lot of his songs about growing up in poverty or in crime-ridden environments resonate with my own upbringing, and hearing his experiences heightens that level of relatability because kendrick DID experience what he's writing about, unlike drake, but i also know me. i know people from my block, people who died or got on drugs. im aware that it isnt a black and white scenario, that someone could do amazing things in one area and hurt people in another, and that both are true simultaneously. kendrick himself is obviously aware of this, he addresses it routinely in his music.

i truly believe that kendrick lamar showcases an incredible wisdom of people in his music. i believe that is more necessary to contributing to music than having a good ear for what sounds right. music is a communicative tool, and kendrick knows exactly what to say, how to say it, and when, to elicit the response he wants. THAT is why the people who thought drake would ever win the beef were, at the very best, not paying close enough attention. roasts are not just insults, they're insights to another person's flaws. a metaphorical airing of dirty laundry to the public to initiate change. kendrick can get away with outright admitting he hates shit about drake for no reason and not be seen as petty because he articulates it in a way that has the audience agreeing with him. sometimes you hate somebody for a reason you can't pinpoint - and the funniest part is that kendrick CAN pinpoint exactly why he hates, for example, when drake says the n word. he literally goes on to say why! very explicitly! but now he's made it more comfortable for people to start bashing on drake for any given reason because "the vibes are off".

TLDR; be careful what you listen to, because theyre definitely listening to you.