#i tried to fit my favorite parts of both performances

[fizzseed]

it came to me in a vision and then i spent two hours working on it

#be more chill #bmc #musicals #will roland #will connolly #more than survive #be more chill broadway #be more chill two river theater #do you prefer obc or two river? #both #both is good #i tried to fit my favorite parts of both performances #i really wanted to layer the ending riffs #but as i found out making this #two river is SLIGHTLY faster #so they don’t line up #and the instrumental was completely chaotic

[soft-girl-musings]

Comedy of Errors (MK Spring Bingo #3)

Steven Grant x GN!Reader

cross-posted to ao3

tags: theater kid slander (affectionate), amateur references to Shakespeare, steven and reader teach high school, no use of y/n

wc: 1,341

fic summary: The course of true love never did run smooth. And neither does the play you watch unfold.

A/N: as a recovering theater kid, this was a fun one. enjoy!

_____________________

It's poor etiquette to laugh. Right?

How you ended up sitting in a high school theater on a Sunday afternoon, you have no idea. Well, that's not true: you never can say no to your favorite students. When they begged you to come to their closing matinee, you had no choice but to cough up the ticket money (with no faculty discount, to add insult to inconvenience).

So here you are, seated in the darkened auditorium, watching what could only be described as chaos unfold on your school's professional-grade thrust stage.

In the lobby you'd heard whispers of how last night's cast party had gotten a bit too rowdy, rendering a few upperclassmen unable to attend their final performance. It didn’t matter what circle you ran in at their age: you’d learned years ago that a “mysterious illness” following any high school party probably isn’t the flu.

Thankfully there were enough students to fill in the missing principal roles, but with only the morning to prepare, it’s a wonder they've gotten through each scene. Draped in ill-fitting costumes with scripts in hand, the students have tried their best to piece together one last staging of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. All you know about this play is that it’s a comedy, but you don’t think you’re supposed to laugh at every blunder and mishap.

(It’s very hard not to.)

Across the house you see Mr. Grant, one of the younger teachers on campus, whose face mirrors how you feel. He’s probably trying for a look of statuesque stoicism, but all he's managed to pull off is mild bewilderment.

You haven’t spoken to your coworker much– mainly because there’s rarely a moment where he’s without another colleague talking his ear off or hanging on every word of his (admittedly delicious) accent. He’s a newer hire, having come from London to teach a few history courses but was moved to the literature department the moment your principal saw the top of his resume. The modern education system, ladies and gentlemen.

The man is dressed to impress: black turtleneck under a sharp tweed ensemble, his usually wild curls tamed a bit as they grace his forehead, he certainly looks the part of a private school instructor. But there’s no denying the entirely unserious look on his face: he is one blunder away from losing his cool.

You don’t realize how long you’ve been staring until his bright brown eyes connect with yours. In an instant you understand why so many students doodle his name in the margins of their notebooks: his exasperated stare has you instantly weak.

–which is poor timing, given the scene unfolding onstage between you. An unrehearsed kiss goes wrong, and the two of you slap your hands over your mouths to subdue your laughter.

The rest of Act I goes the same way. You try to follow along, but every so often your eyes drift to Mr. Grant white-knuckling his way through the rough performance. When your eyes connect again (and again, and again) you both struggle to contain your laughter. Knowing that tears are likely stinging your colleague's eyes the same as yours makes you feel like less of an ass.

The curtain closes for intermission and you rest your head in your hands. How is this only half over?

“Bit of a rough watch, yeah?”

Your head snaps up– those brilliant brown eyes widen at your expression, now only one row of seats between the two of you.

“Mr. Grant–”

“Steven,” he says quickly, offering his hand. You take it and smile.

“Steven,” you begin again, giving your name in return. “I don’t mean to be rude, but aren’t some of these kids–”

“–in my Shakespearean Studies course? Quite a few, really.” He laughs, rubbing the back of his neck. “But we’ve focused more on the historical tragedies. Don’t think a textbook can teach comedic timing.”

“Oh, I've laughed plenty.” You fidget with your program and look back to the stage. “At least they’re trying their best, I’m sure part of you is proud.”

Steven’s smile grows as he shakes his head. “I’ll be honest, it’s nice to know they’ve looked at the material for once.” He leans in. “Last week I asked them where the phrase ‘double, double, toil and trouble’ came from, and someone said Harry Potter.”

You laugh out loud for the first time all evening. It feels nice to not hide it. You miss how Steven takes in the sight of you, as well as his loss for words when you calm down.

“I have a confession to make,” you say hoarsely, wiping a tear from the corner of your eye. “I have no idea what’s supposed to be happening. I’m lost as hell.”

“Maybe I could–” he trips over his words and his feet as he clambers around the seats to sit next to you. “Maybe I could help you out. Bit of an expert, myself. What they pay me for, and all–”

“Sure,” you stop him with a smile. “I’d like that.”

He breathes a sigh of relief and settles in. Pulling out a pair of reading glasses, he opens his program.

“Right. So, A Midsummer Night’s Dream…”

The rest of your intermission is spent receiving a crash-course in William Shakespeare. You’re amazed at how he spouts the most minute details about recurring symbolism, character motivations, and even the historical context of the play up until the lights dim and the show resumes. You squeeze his forearm to silently suggest taking a break, and he chokes down whatever factoid was about to tumble out next.

Maybe it’s because the students have found their footing. Maybe your mini-lecture has filled in the gaps so you can better follow along. Or maybe it’s the sight of Mr. Grant– Steven– sitting beside you, rapt attention on the stage as his readers slide down his nose each time he laughs and leans in to explain the joke, drawing closer and wafting his subtle cologne your way between still-too-loud whispers. Whatever the reason, you’re enjoying the second half of this show much more than the first.

The play draws to a close with a happy ending. One of the fae characters comes downstage to address the audience as the rest of the cast departs.

“If we shadows have offended,

Think but this and all is mended:

That you have but slumbered here

While these visions did appear…”

“Star pupil, that one,” Steven whispers once more. “Deserves every bit of the spotlight.”

You squeeze his arm again, this time not moving your hand or looking his way. You both take in the last words of the performance in dazed silence.

“...Give me your hands, if we be friends,

And Robin shall restore amends.”

With that, the fairy bows and the stage fades to black.

The audience erupts into applause as the cast returns onstage. You and Steven cheer and swap last-minute quips about the performance as the standing ovation thunders around you.

You exit the auditorium together and are immediately swarmed by a handful of students– some yours, some his– who eagerly await your feedback. You each congratulate the cast, getting them to sign your programs to commemorate the day.

Finally you’re able to break away and step into the brisk evening air.

“Well that was… something,” you laugh.

Steven grins as he fastens his coat. “‘Least they’ll be tuckered out in first period, yeah? Might get a bit of peace tomorrow morning.” He pulls something out of his pocket and hands it to you. “Sorry, don’t want you to leave that behind. Could be worth something someday.”

You take your folded program back from him. “Oh, I'm sure.”

With an awkward wave, Steven steps back. “Right. Well, see you around.”

“See you, Steven.”

You turn to head toward your car. As you walk, you unfold your program to see a new signature on the back page, followed by a phone number.

Let me know if you need any more Shakespeare translated. I’m fond of the love poems, myself ;)

_____________________

A/N: mk bingo has been a blast, i'm grateful for the chance to put these guys in Situations. that's one for each of em now. we'll see who gets attention next...

also, some inspiration was taken from this post (rip)

as always, ty for reading <3

event tags: @moonknight-events @spacecowboyhotch @juneknight

addtl tags: @mrs-lockley @lunar-ghoulie @shadystarlightgentlemen @casa-boiardi @nerdieforpedro @queerponcho (lmk if you'd like to be added to/removed from this wee tag list)

#my works #mk spring bingo 2024 #moonknightevents #moon knight #steven grant #steven grant x reader #steven grant/reader #steven grant x gn!reader #steven grant/gn!reader

[naamahdarling]

Do you have a favorite musical?

If so, what are your favorite lyrics from it, and why?

ALW's CATS.

Is it a surreal mess? Yes! But I love it before everything else.

The lyrics are silly but very clever. Most are at least partly by TS Eliot, drawn from a wonderfully nonsensical book of poems.

I think my favorite song is the Invitation to the Jellicle Ball, neck and neck with Mr Mistoffelees.

My favorite cat is Mistoffelees by a lot, followed by the Rum Tum Tugger. They are in love.

But the part that makes me feel the most in my heart is Grizabella. The only cat I relate to is Grizabella.

Memory is the big number that everyone knows and I do absolutely love it, it's one of my favorite songs and probably the best in the musical as it was before CATS 2019 introduced a new song, but I feel that out of context it simply doesn't have punch. It gets trotted out to showcase a singer's skill, as a bit of a tearjerker if you're a sentimental person. It is so much more than that.

I didn't understand Grizabella properly until I was well and truly an adult and had taken in multiple cats off the street, and lived near a colony, and watched my own cats become frail, which are all painful things in many ways; AND until I had begun to really feel the weight of my marginalization as a disabled person and an ill person, which means confronting almost daily the fact that I am unlikely to come to the sort of end I would like.

Hold on because I'm going to be unhinged about this cat for a minute.

Grizabella is an aged stray, once welcomed, now abandoned and unloved, considered ugly even by others like her (who are shown to supposedly accept differences and value, or at least respect, most everyone...but not her).

She lives in a haunted, lonely state unacknowledged by anyone except to be driven away. She can no longer care for herself, she is filthy and matted and scarred and probably in a lot of pain, she is starving, and she has nothing but her memories of better times, and every single dawn is both a gift and a miserable curse. She gets to remember. She has to remember.

If you watch, Grizabella is onstage a LOT, she's just off in the background, usually poorly lit, where she tries to mirror the dances happening on the main part of the stage, dances she knows because that was once her, there in the spotlight, shining. But now she's in too much pain to dance and her body isn't working right anymore. I have no doubt Grizabella is dying. The question is whether she will get to do that well, comforted and with dignity, or do it badly and alone.

I cannot HANDLE Grizabella.

If you have even the tiniest inkling of love for cats, if you believe every cat's life is worth something, her story should destroy you.

The legendary Jennifer Hudson's performance in the movie brought a really angry and confrontational turn to her, and it was flat out amazing. A rebuke of a performance. It really hurts to watch but it's what the role has always needed. She isn't just weak and sad, she clings to the tatters of her dignity and is angry that the others don't see her as a whole person. Just a miserable shadow to be avoided. A cautionary tale. We are never told what terrible thing she did to deserve her fall, and given that most of the Jellicles are young, I don't know that any of them really remember.

I will physically fight anyone who says she should not have been selected to ascend to a new life. She was the only choice. Even Gus. Even him. He can have his turn next year. Grizabella does not have another year in her.

And I'm going to make some folks mad but I love the 2019 movie (it's bad) and the new song, Beautiful Ghosts, is amazing, and I DO prefer Taylor Swift's version as the movie version is a little more timid (fitting the role and musical way better) but TS fucking BELTS IT and I get chills every time.

The lyrics are incredible and the song is gorgeous, gorgeous. And strung together with Grizabella's song, it finishes the musical in a way that it was a bit unfinished before. It uses an actual full song to connect Grizabella to the Ball and the Choice more directly than any choreography ever did or could:

Victoria, the White Cat and viewpoint character, still almost a kitten, has been dumped in the street and into a terrifying and beautiful new life.

After being swept up into its wonder, she sees Grizabella, utterly rejected, hissed at, made fun of, despised, and aches with the injustice of it -- Victoria was snatched right up by the other cats the instant her paws hit the ground, but nobody will take in Grizabella. Not even her own kind.

Victoria sees how strangely similar they are and feels a kinship that has no pity in it at all, but wonder and respect.

So Victoria sings this new song expressing the first admiration Grizabella has heard in god alone knows how long, reminding her she has had an amazing life worth envy and renown, and she pulls this horrible decrepit old mess of a cat into the Jellicle Ball, where she is FINALLY relieved of her pain.

Like? I'm crying right now?

It isn't a serious musical, but Grizabella's story runs through it like a cold current, something real and terrible, surrounded by absolute ridiculousness. Her numbers are deadly serious, never played for laughs. And ultimately it is her story that turns out to be the most important one, the truest one, and it is dark, and it is hopeful but only in only the most painful and grief-stricken way. She isn't brought back into a comfortable life with other cats to be happy and surrounded by love. She essentially...dies and goes to cat heaven. She embodies hope itself to the others, and her ascension represents a deeply humbling lesson in humility and grace. Her suffering and her ascent represent the possible future of every one of them, and now they have to confront that, and their treatment of her. She was rewarded, and for all their beauty and charm they were not.

Anyway I'm not normal about it.

The lyrics from Beautiful Ghosts that I love are:

Perilous night, their voices calling. A flicker of light, before the dawning. Out here the wild ones are taming the fear within me. Scared to call them my friends and be broken again. Is this hope just a mystical dream?

and

And so maybe my home Isn't what I had known, what I thought it would be. But I feel so alive With these phantoms of night, and I know that this life isn't safe but it's wild and it's free!

Like, come on. It's a lovely song and it took my breath away in the theater.

Ugh this musical touched me as a feral cat girl of 10 and it touches me again as a sad catguy in their 40s. Truly a very stupid work of weirdly meaningful art and one for the ages.

There are much better musicals, but none of them are part of me.

#cats the musical #grizabella

[lemonmaid]

I'm liking having a mental breakdown and stuffing my fatass with popeyes anyways here is...

Chick Flicks that I think the Dorm Leaders have a guilty pleasure for.

Do to that this a different world everything that is popular reference is going to be different! I don't think TWST world has guns or bombs?? So Legally Blonds JFK reference could refer to a King in Port o' Bliss (since Sam is from there, which is a reference to New Orleans). Heather's reference to the Vietnam War could be an overbolt war between kingdoms (obviously for the very very wrong reasons) and JD could've overbolted and Veronica had to kill him.

And I think TWST do have its own fairytale, Enchanted is one of them like "omg what if magic doesn't exists and someone from our world goes there!"

Riddle Rosehearts : Legally Blonde

I feel like he was forced to 'catch up' on pop culture, Cater showed him ( this world's equivalent movie). Out of all the movies he was shown, he liked this one the most.

"So what what's you're favorite part?"

"I loved the fact she proved to everyone that she wasn't a bimbo. Like, seriously? Fashion merchandising is a business school, she wasn't taken seriously because of her greek fraternity? I'm sorry that pink is "too girly" to be taken seriously".

Leona Kingscholar : Heather's

He only watched it because he crashed moive night at Ramshackle. He actually stayed awake for the musical.

"I didn't take you for someone who liked musicals"

"I don't but this moive was enjoyable. You're not supposed to cheer for the cast but to see their flaws which I understand wanting to fit in"

"So you wanna see the live performance?"

"This is on Broadway?".

Azul Ashengrotto : Mean Girls

Azul wanted more guest to come into the lounge so he opened a moive night, Mean Girls was a popular request so popular it is played every Wednesday.

"You know what Azul, you remind me of the mean girls group"

"How so?"

"Well, you're not a fashion statement but you, Jada, and Floyd are kinda of the "It" group. As in "don't fuck with us".

Kalim Al-Asim : Enchanted

Kalim has forced everyone who befriends him to watch this movie, he is obsessed with this type of romance, the very naive and the smitten serious type.

"Oh Yuu! My favorite scene is obviously the dancing in the city!"

"Aww that's so cute Kalim!"

"Yeah! I love this moive! My parents funded the company to make a second one!"

"Oh... Kalim that's .. precious"

Vil Schoenheit : Crazy Rich Asains

This is definitely Vil's favorite moive, like, we've both cried to it. Because for real best romance movie in decades.

"Vil why are you crying?"

"Shut up, you're crying too! I wished I had someone who didn't care about my appearance or my background. I wish I had someone who stood by my side untill the curtain fell"

"STOPPPP YOU'RE MAKING ME CRY MORE".

Idia Shroud : A Slient Voice

I couldn't think of a live-action Idia would genuinely liked, but this counts. Anyways, we had to show him this movie.

"Idia STOP CRYING ON ME!"

"but he... and she....AHHH"

"You know this is rumored to be based off a true story but the guy actually died"

"ahhHHHHHH"

Malleus Draconia : Twilight

You wanted to try and binge watch this entire franchise with the gang one night for a goof, you happened to see Malleus outside and invited him to watch with the gang. To say he was very very interested in this series was a understatement.

"Child of man, explain to me this. Why is she choose the guy who wants nothing to do with her but stalks her?"

"Malleus, I couldn't tell you but don't be an obsessive dick who tries to have an off and on relationship. That's toxic".

"I think I see, but can you explain why the grown man imprints on a literal baby?"

"I cannot tell you".

#twisted wonderland #twst headcanons #leona kingscholar #twisted wonderland x reader #twst leona #twst vil #disney twisted wonderland #malleus draconia #twst malleus #twst kalim #twst crack #twst #twst wonderland #vil schoenheit #azul ashengrotto #twst azul #kalim al asim #twst kamil #idia shroud #twst idia #riddle rosehearts #twst riddle #twised wonderland #twisted wonderland yuu #twst yuu

[ultimateloserboy]

i cant go to sleep until i release the thoughts so here they are. im sorry if this is a bit more nonsensical or rambleish than my other ones, im very very tired but anyway

this is going to be a bit upsetting for the lovey-dovey sunshine and rainbows crowd but people give red guy and duck WAYY too much credit when it comes to their relationship (or at least how it used to be) like they DID NOT //start out// functional AT. ALL. they used to go together like a car and a tree. and honestly this makes them even more interesting

They’re both insecure in different areas, and they react differently to these insecurities as well. from what ive gathered, red guy dislikes how “odd” he is. he tries to act bitter and uncaring about everything and everyone, either to fit in with the other red things, or to keep himself distracted or distanced from the world hes stuck in. he distances himself from his friends as well. this is a horrible contrast with ducks outward and open love of his friends (despite how horribly he treats them lmao but i digress) duck reveals in the family episode that despite loving himself, he wants other people to love him too. duck is not necessarily insecure in himself, hes the best one after all, but he does feel very lonely. he feels like nobody loves him as much as he loves himself, like the only person he truly has is himself because nobody else is willing to love him. this obviously makes him feel very alone. this is why red guys denial and dismissal of his friends hits ducks insecurities harshly and directly, even if its not intentional.

once i got to the fridge scene during my first watchthrough i was very confused. firstly because i was utterly flabbergasted that they were gay for some reason (i had never even considered it), and secondly because ducks reply caught me off guard. duck is a very full-of-himself character. so why would he be surprised to find out someone likes looking at him? shouldnt he reply with something like “well yeah duh you big stupid idiot im the prettiest and the best etc etc”?? well i understand now why duck reacted that way. he doesnt get many compliments from anyone but himself, probably talking in the mirror. and he ESPECIALLY hadnt gotten many compliments from red guy at this point. red guy denied being his friend very adamantly. EVEN AT HIS FUNERAL. HIS FUNERAL!!! and yes red guy does realize he misses duck eventually, but duck isnt even there to see it, and when he comes back he finds himself literally replaced?? (like.. red guy ur fumbling so hard right now. fumbling straight into a divorce. and ur not even married yet man. but anyway, back on topic)

slowly throughout the series red guy starts being more open, and whether he realizes it or not his whole uncaring act isnt that good to begin with. my favorite small detail during the funeral is that red guy calls the plates “our plates” without even realizing it, right in the middle of denying his best-friendship with duck. like dude who do you think youre fooling other than yourself!?

with all of this considered, despite red guys poor performance of denial, it’s perfectly understandable for duck to be surprised when red guy openly confesses his honest emotions. an up-front confession of feelings is not something red guy ever wants or allows himself to do, so duck was probably confused as hell.

my favorite part of this scene is how red guy is looking away when he says it, still clearly embarrassed but saying it anyway. this is a HUGE deal for his character. it was a character development that had been slowly growing throughout the tv series, and by episode six i think it was as close to completion as its ever been. he does pull the whole “its fine just ignore it” thing with duck earlier in the episode, but he does it more to calm him down in this context. the fridge scene confirms to me that red guy has almost stopped running, not necessarily from the house, but from his friends. he has finally let himself love them. hes finally let himself admit not just to himself, but to duck, that hes important to him.

this is why i think theyre so interesting, because these two characters are cynical assholes. that’s how becky and joe have described them at times. these characters are not the best of people, theyre both messed up people in a messed up and confusing world, so of course they wont be perfect. but thats the beauty of it. they dont want to hurt eachother, so they try their best to change. they try their best to fight against the cruelty of their minds and surroundings and let themselves love eachother even if only for a second, even if in the end it wont really matter

ok im going to sleep now goodnight

#fluffybird #red guy x duck #dhmis #dont hug me im scared #dhmis duck #dhmis fandom #dhmis red guy #duck guy #red guy #duck dhmis #red guy dhmis

[mothdruid]

Cut The Ice - Prologue

series masterlist | part one

pairing.

jake 'hangman' seresin x afab!reader

word count.

1.6k

warnings.

this fic is meant for those who are 18+. swearing.

authors note.

finally, figure skating jake is here and he is gonna prove to be an asshole<3 let me know if you want to be tagged for this (:

Cool air filled the arena, waking your brain up fully when you entered. It was a comforting feeling, the cool embrace wrapping itself around you. Something that would only get better once you got on the ice. Nobody was here yet, leaving the arena to your lonesome. As much as you loved your coach and those you practiced with, the early hours of the morning when no one was here was special to you.

The ice was yours in the early morning. Your kingdom and domain. The freshly smoothed over ice from the Zamboni only a few hours ago. Being able to make the first crisp cuts in the ice was exhilarating. A rush of adrenaline surging through you as you skates kept you balanced. Your wild imagination filling the stands with whoever you deemed fit. The crowd in your mind silently cheering for your success, watching as you did whatever routine that came to mind. 

You took a deep breath, letting the cool air fill the full expanse of your lungs, exhaling slowly. A soft smile pulled at your lips. You brought your phone up, checking the time. 05:14. Nobody would be here until 06:30, that was the time you had all agreed on yesterday. You didn't tell anyone you would be here early, but they all knew. It was a habit of yours, showing up early to make sure you were sufficiently warmed up and ready to go. 

Bradley had always teased you about it, ever since you two were kids. But that's because the two of you were different. Mav had taught the both of you from a small age. Even though you received the same training, one didn’t have to work as hard as the other. Bradley had a natural talent on the ice, one he regularly denied even existed. It was like he was born to skate, the winter gods giving him a special gift. But you? The ice was cruel and unforgiving to you. You had to work hard to get where you were. Not saying that Bradley hadn't, but he just didn't have the same experience as you. 

You headed towards the locker rooms at the end of the arena. Soft noises from your sneakers filled up the arena, disrupting the normal silence of the early morning. Halfway to the locker room you felt your phone vibrate. You continued to walk as you checked it, looking at the new notification. A deep sigh left you when you saw the name. 

Mav: New partner should be there today. 

How could you have forgotten? It had been the thing that forced you into singles this year. Not that you hated singles, but it wasn’t your favorite. Pairs were easier. Someone there to catch you when you fell, supporting you throughout the entire performance. Most pairs you knew were people that had known each other since childhood. Which you had tried, only to be turned down. That day had been hard for you, and you liked to believe it was hard for Bradley too. 

“Bradley, please.”

“I can’t, we can’t,” Bradley gave you a forlorn look, unaware of the itch that now crept across your skin. 

“Why not? Why is it only now that you can’t be my partner?” A serious tone was threaded into your words. 

“It just wouldn’t be smart. You deserve better than me as a partner.” His words were tight.

“Bradley, you’re the best I-”

“Drop it,” he let out a huff while turning away from your look, “I said no.”

You pushed the memory to the back of your mind, sending a simple text before feeling another vibration. It was Bradley this time though. A part of you wondered what he was doing up so early. He wasn’t staying too far away from the arena, resulting in the poor habit of waking up only thirty minutes before practice. 

BradBrad: grande macchiato? 

The text made your face scrunch up. Bradley only got you coffee when he knew the day would be taxing. He, also, earned a simple thumbs up back from you. You let out a deep sigh, deciding to trust Bradley’s knowledge of what was to come from the day. You locked your phone and placed it in the pocket of your jacket. 

The door to the locker room was cold against your palm as you opened it. While opening it you heard a noise, turning back to nothing. You shook your head and moved down the hallway, ignoring whatever the noise might have been. Your duffle bag slid off your shoulder, landing on the bench in front of you. You tilted your head side to side, stretching your neck before taking your coat off. 

You stepped over the bench, opening your locker. Pictures from throughout the years were taped to the inside of your locker. Group pictures from practices and events. A drunken photo with Bradley, Natasha, and Bob even.Then your eyes settled one one that made your heart strain. It was one of you and your former skate partner, Brigham, from your second season together. Your smiles were both big and bright, Brig’s arm wrapped tightly around your shoulders, you leaning heavily into him. 

A small pang in your chest appeared, a sadness settling there. It had been months since you heard from him, months since you had reached out to him either. What happened had been a terrible misfortune. The routine had been practiced time and time again, something you both had memorized perfectly. It had all happened before either of you could register it. You were in the air, Brig’s hands were wrapping around your waist, then suddenly the both of you were on the ice. The harsh embrace of the ice and Brigham’s pain filled groans were something you’d never forget. It was a career ender for Brigham, torn rotator cuff. 

You slipped your coat off your shoulders, catching it and placing it into your locker. You turned to start digging in your duffle, sitting down on the bench in the process. After getting your skates out you placed your duffle in the locker, closing it. A sense of relief flooded you once you closed it. The cold of the metal locker could never compare to the harsh chill of the ice. A soft sigh passed your lips as you pushed the thoughts of Brigham to the back of your mind. 

Today would be a new day. Today brought you a new partner. After grabbing your phone from your coat pocket, sliding it into the tight pocket on the side of your leggings. You slipped your thumbs through the little holes in your sleeves, grabbed your skates, and headed towards the locker room door. As you made your way down the hallway to the door, you heard what sounded like much. You paused when you were next to the door, leaning against the hallway to listen. 

It was a melodic piano with a beat and voice complimenting them. Your hand rested against the door, slowly pushing against it. The song got louder as you opened the door, being greeted by the cold arena air once more. You let the door close as you looked out at the rink. The sight made you grip your skates tighter with your left hand. You grabbed your phone from your pocket, checking the time once more. 05:24. After locking your phone you headed to the entrance of the arena. 

Your eyes were glued to the man who was skating in the arena. Long black pants hugged his muscled legs, a matching tight black t-shirt wrapped around his torso. His movements were so fluid and sure, confident in every step and jump he did. His arms weren’t staying still either, fluid and moving to whatever routine he was in the middle of practicing. Slightly longer golden locks flowed through the air around him. That’s when you saw those famous devilish green eyes. 

“Fuck..” The word passed your lips quietly. 

Jake fucking Seresin.

The chorus of the song started to play while you sat down. You kicked your tennis shoes off while continuing to watch Jake. It was muscle memory putting your skates on, sliding your feet into them and lacing them tightly. You watched Jake the entire time, not wanting to miss a beat. He was one of the leading male figure skaters in the world, always cutting the competition down with ease. Bradley bitched about him a lot, his ego and attitude. 

You stood up and headed to the ice, making sure to slip off your skate guards and toss them back near your shoes. The music still played as you skated out towards the opposite end of the rink. You didn’t want to infringe on his space, even if you were confused as to why he was here. You moved to the railing, gripping it as you leaned forward and down to stretch a little bit.

Just as you finished you heard the sound of skates approaching you. You looked over to see Jake skating towards you. You didn’t move from your spot near the rail, waiting for him to reach you. His eyes were piercing in a sense, roaming over you as if you were a piece of prey. You watched those green irises move closer and closer to you until they were inches from your face. 

“Hi,” you let out. 

His face remained the same, looking you over once more. He grabbed the rail you were leaning a little on, placing his hand close to yours. He kept looking down at you, not saying a word. 

“You’ll do.” Jake said, offering you an obviously forced smile. 

“I’ll what?” You asked with astonishment. 

Jake took a step back from you, barely touching his forefinger to your hand when he pulled back from the rail. He turned around, taking a few strides before stopping. He looked over his shoulder at you, “You coming or what, partner?”

#jake seresin #jake hangman seresin #jake seresin fic #jake seresin x reader #jake seresin x female!reader #jake seresin x afab!reader #jake seresin imagine #hangman x reader #top gun fic #top gun maverick fanfiction #top gun maverick fic

[demdems]

Listen,

additional bullet points i could not fit</3 and spoilers for mostly every AQ up to 4.2 ->

wanderer & childe:

- manipulated/used by higher rank harbinger [childe by signora during liyue's AQ & arlecchino during fontaine's AQ, wanderer by dottore in sumeru's AQ]

- follow up: Being Dehumanized 101 [wanderer was crafted into an artificial god, childe is the tsaritsa's vanguard and lowest ranked harbinger used as a pawn by other harbingers]

- current status unknown at the end of AQ [wanderer left collapsed at the end of the fight w/ the traveler in sumeru, childe yeeted thru a rift in space by skirk and supposedly dropped off back home during fontaine]

- lost to traveler in a fight [see: weekly bosses]

- mr. worldwide [wanderer appeared in mondstadt, inazuma, and sumeru as the harbinger scaramouche; childe was in liyue, inazuma, fontaine; both most definitely have been in snezhnaya due to current/former harbinger status but unofficial in terms of an actual AQ in the nation as of now]

childe & furina:

- dragon acquaintance [see the funny thing is that we can count neuvillette twice]

- kept fontaine safe [childe's month long fight w/ the narwhal, furina's 500 year con as the hydro archon]

- follow up: Thanks, I'll See Myself Out [hoyoverse seemingly neglected writing any scene where childe or furina were ever acknowledged for their efforts during the final act of the AQ, I helped save fontaine and all I got was this dumb shirt]

- never ending performance, the façade of a lifetime [childe playing the part of the perfect older brother and the tsaritsa's vanguard and the 11th harbinger, furina playing the part of the hydro archon]

furina & wanderer:

- started a new life following the events of the sumeru/fontaine archon quests

- part of their self was killed/erased [focalors's death to fulfill the prophecy, wanderer's previous identities erased from teyvat to properly start over]

all three of them:

- degree of abandonment from parents/ parental-esque figure [ei effectively discarding wanderer for being human, childe's parents handing him over to the fatui following his return from the abyss, focalors dying and leaving furina to stumble thru the fall out by herself]

- unique gameplay [not a lore relevant analysis im just a meta nut lol, all three have some sort of "stance" change, childe's melee hydro swords, wanderer's levitation during his skill, furina's pneuma/ousia mechanic]

- god's favorite/has a favorite god [childe "nothing but respect for MY archon, long reign the tsaritsa" tartaglia, nahida and wanderer obviously, god loves/hates you enough to make u have the worst job for 500 yrs sorry furina]

- "you were Not supposed to do that" and other fun things these three did [childe fell into the abyss and intentionally or not ended up causing the flooding of fontaine, wanderer tried to become god and then later erased his former existence from teyvat, furina was The monumental player in focalors's plan to kill the hydro archon and trick celestia and kept the charade up for 500 yrs]

- my elaboration on eldest daughter syndrome is that i have no elaboration [childe and furina fit for it but i have no clue why i counted it for wanderer, see: never ending performance^]

#there are probably more points that could be added but this is all i could think of myself #genshin impact #furina genshin #wanderer genshin #childe genshin #demdems.txt #originally i thought of this trio bc i thought having the same gender hc for all three was funny #but then i realised i accidentally opened my third eye

[revehae]

how does hyuck fit into this ? he was already the weaker of the two and jeno and reader both knew that so how would they handle readers sudden love for jeno ?

would jeno use her and her devotion to him to get something else out of hyuck ? or would he get rid of him because he doesn’t need his assistance anymore ?

also,,, what would hyucks reaction be to the whole thing ? would he feel jealous ? would he step in when jeno makes her do fucked up stuff ? would he like it ?

im sorry for asking this much but day and night is my favorite work of yours… I HAVE to know

ignore me switching from third to second person over and over im an idiot. also i can’t believe this is still your favorite work of mine like is this where i peaked?

i think it’s worth noting that haechan’s weakness is anything but physical, of course. he is capable of overpowering mc if he wants to; he just doesn’t want to.

also, where jeno isn’t exactly capable of romantic love, haechan is capable of romantic obsession. that’s been obvious from the get-go. his compassionate actions also come from a place of obsession. remember how he tried to make it so that the mc’s room would be easier for her to be in, because he knew she would be there for a long time? that wasn’t just him being nice. it was his way of showing affection. considering making it canon that he’s the one who even suggested they take you, the one who had his eye on you first.

naturally, he wouldn’t be pleased that in spite of all the thoughtful things he’s done for her, how caring and considerate he thinks he’s been, it’s jeno that you grow fond of. she’s never wanted to service haechan, never taken him seriously. jeno knows this. he’s an asshole, sure, but he’s not selfish enough to keep you all to himself especially because he thinks that haechan plays a crucial role in this dynamic. matter of fact, he’s probably complicit in the demeaning acts jeno makes you perform, whether he wants to be or not.

your tolerance of haechan gradually slims, and you only submit to his urges because jeno makes you. even if you express to jeno how much you don’t like it, he would brush you off, telling you that you will be fine. thirty seconds and he’ll be done, he’d joke at his teammate’s expense. it’s not like haechan is anything to be afraid of. he’s too much of a coward, a pussy to hurt you.

the thing is that even jeno has underestimated haechan. to me, it makes perfect sense that haechan would be the one who comes to aggressively force himself onto you. he could handle your evident disdain for him before, but things are different now. you like jeno better, even though he’s the one that has never even slightly tried to accommodate you. and haechan is emotionally weak. he’s not good at coping. there’s even proof that he’s a little impulsive, so he will react in response to his feelings without much forethought. he will feel under appreciatived, underestimated, and entitled. and he will snap.

even then, haechan’s aggression wouldn’t manifest the same way that jeno’s does… i think that’s obvious, maybe, but i wanted to say it anyway. he will still not want to hurt you, not necessarily, but he will as much as he thinks it’s necessary to get what he feels that you owe him. part of him would pity you, but the other is angry and genuinely believes he is only reaping what he deserves. this would probably happen after a few instances of you turning him down when jeno’s not there, because you genuinely didn’t think that he had it in him to be so violent. you probably forget how strong he truly is, considering he never really uses his strength, and he is usually submissive to you. but in spite of your pleas he wouldn’t stop till he got what he wanted

last thing i think but btw if you told jeno about it he would not gaf like i think he almost wouldn’t even believe you… but if he does he’ll be amused by haechan’s sudden display of courage like he is with literally everything else, and this may be a repetitive response but he would exploit this too, prompting haechan to be meaner and rougher because he realizes that he’s capable of it now, even if it was supposed to a one-time thing to kinda whip you into shape. one day i can see haechan mustering enough courage to defy jeno which would then create a rift in their relationship, and only then would jeno actually take him seriously, but that could play out a couple different ways idk

side note: reminder that after the stockholming happened haechan was getting pussy easier so your newfound “commitment” to jeno after he’s already gotten accustomed to you surrendering yourself would be quite the adjustment

#neocentral #answered #asks #d&n having fans is crazy bc i personally think shes mid #but hey

[mademoiselle-red]

What are your top 5 television shows of all time?

Thank you @rottenlaertes for tagging!

I think my favorite shows of all time are ones that I keep coming back to. They are my “comfort shows”, even if most of them don’t fit the convention of that genre!

1. Doctor Who

A long-running British science-fantasy adventure series. This is one I like to rewatch over and over. My favorite episode is, unsurprisingly, “Blink” and “Silence in the Library”, both written by Steven Moffat. He may not be great at planning out season-long plots, but he writes amazing one-shots.

Blink

Silence in the Library

2. Band of Brothers

An American WW2 drama. This is my number one feel good show. It’s about a company of paratroopers taking part in the Normandy invasions. The chemistry between the cast is fantastic, the pacing and writing is phenomenal, and they fight Nazis.

3. Ultimate Note

A Chinese adventure drama. A group of tomb robbers go on various adventures inside perilous ancient graves, navigating deadly traps and hostile environments. However, they aren’t really after money: they are chasing the footsteps of a group of grave robbers who came before them, to uncover the truth behind the tragedies that had befallen their families. The cast has insanely good chemistry, characters are incredibly well written, and the fight scenes are amazing. The plot is a little confusing at first but very engaging once you get into it. This is the best adaptation of the daomu biji novel series so far. I keep rewatching it for good vibes whenever I come out disappointed after watching a new daomu biji adaptation.

4. What did you eat yesterday?

A comedic Japanese slide-of-life drama. The show follows the domestic life of a middle-age gay couple living in Tokyo, with a focus on the food they buy and cook for themselves. Each episode spotlights a social issue that affects LGBT folks in Japan, along with delicious cooking montages. This is a warm feel-good comfort show that doesn’t shy away from the legal and social issues that gay couples in Japan have to navigate as they go about their normal daily lives.

5. Killing Eve (season 1)

A British action-comedy drama. An MI5 agent tries to track down a ruthless and unhinged international assassin. The agent and the assassin become increasingly, psycho-sexually obsessed with each other, to both their detriment. The first season of this tv series features some of the best dialogue I’ve ever seen. The characters are fascinating, the plot and pacing keeps you on the edge of your seat, and the aesthetics (and outfits) in this show are gorgeous.

Honorary Mention: This is going to hurt

A darkly comedic British medical drama. A junior OBGYN doctor tries to balance his increasingly stressful job with his rapidly imploding personal life. This is Ben Whishaw’s most charismatic performance yet.

Tagging @ralphlanyon , @tigerballoons , @yletylyf , @seventh-fantasy , @yitwosirui , @koaly-ty , @lasenbyphoenix

#doctor who #band of brothers #ultimate note #终极笔记 #killing eve

[genshingorlsrevengeance]

Ayaka, Yanfei, Shinobu, Jean, and Keqing with a Majima-esque S/O (Part 3)

Part 1 Here

Ayaka sighed as she went through the paperwork for this week. An upcoming festival was being held by the Kamisato Estate in Ritou, so she needed to oversee everything.

Though something was bothering here about one of the events being held. It was a singing event by a...'Everybody's Idol'?

It was then she heard the door slide open.

(Ayaka) "Ah, Thoma. Can you please do some research about this Idol? I'm not sure who they are."

(???) "I can answer that easily for ya, AYAKA-CHAN!"

She'd recognize that shouting calling of her name anywhere.

(Ayaka) "S/O?!"

Her S/O was wearing a some...strange outfit. Even moreso than their tacky leopard-print jacket.

It was a shiny silky material, complete with pink accents, a yellow headband-...Were those wheels on their shoes?!

(Ayaka) "What on earth are you wearing?"

(S/O) "I'm the top performance, Everybody's Idol: S/O!"

(Ayaka) "..."

She blinked a few times, still not sure what she was seeing.

(S/O) "Fine, I'll show ya. OUTTA THE BLUE, I BRING MY SINGING TO YOU!"

With a dramatic spin, they suddenly broke out into song, stunning Ayaka into complete silence.

"Sunao ni I LOVE YOU! todokeyou Kitto YOU LOVE ME! tsutawaru sa Kimi ni niau GLASS no kutsu wo sagasou!"

(Let's deliver an honest I LOVE YOU. And I'm sure YOU LOVE ME! Let's find that glass slipper that fits you!)

Futari de STEP & GO! itsu made mo Shin'ya juuni-ji wo sugitatte Kimi wa boku no itoshii nijuuyo-jikan CINDERELLA

(Together, Step & Go! Forever and ever. Even though it's past midnight, You're my beloved 24-hour Cinderella!)

Hey! Hey! Hey!

S/O stood in place, both arms outstretched while Ayaka was frozen in place, completely shocked of the raw energy they exuded.

...The raw energy of an passionate man/woman, anyway.

She suddenly burst into laughter, barely being able to contain herself making S/O raise an eyebrow.

(S/O) "Come on now, I was being serious here!"

She continued laughing, trying so hard to stop.

(Ayaka) "I-I'm! Hahaha! S-Sorry, n-not laughing at you! Ahahaha!"

S/O crossed their arms, honestly annoyed.

(S/O) "Ya done yet?"

She wiped away a tear, her breathing starting to stabilize.

(Ayaka) "I'm sorry, I was just caught off guard is all."

(S/O) "Why? I'm like this all the time."

(Ayaka) "To everyone else, sure. But I know what you're really like and...honestly? I didn't know you liked that song."

She had heard of this song from foreign performers, but it was the first time she heard it sang so enthusiastically.

(S/O) "I can appreciate music too! Shit, this is my favorite!"

(Ayaka) "And you'll be performing it for e-"

(S/O) "Hell yeah I am! Got me some cool folk from Fontaine and a Liyue chick using something called the electric guitar on the instruments!"

This was the most genuinely excited she had heard them in a very long time.

(Ayaka) "Well, I'll be sure to be in the front seats, dear."

(S/O) "You better."

(Ayaka) "...By the way, why are there wheels on your shoes?"

(S/O) "Apparently they're called 'Roller Skates'. Invented in Fontaine by a dude named Petibled."

(Ayaka) "Aren't those hard to get around in?"

(S/O) "Oh yeah! Almost fuckin' tripped like 3 times on the way here."

They tried to slide in before hitting the carpet floor and slipping, making Ayaka cover her mouth to laugh again.

Ayaka didn't know it was possible to fall even more in love than she already has.

But, it was nice to see the 'Mad Dog' enjoy themselves for the first time in a while.

Yanfei thinks it's hilarious watching S/O burst into song with their clothing.

If people were already afraid of that Xinyan woman, then OH MAN, would the people of Liyue have opinions on S/O.

She's not sure if she completely enjoys the type of music they're doing, but she can't deny it's at least different.

She just hopes they won't get into any trouble wearing those shoes, that looks like that would make a LOT of insurance on property damage come up.

Shinobu blinks in disbelief on what she is witnessing.

S/O doesn't even need to lift her mask up to know her jaw is dropped.

While she doesn't hate the song, and actually finds their singing impressive, she is downright horrified by the Arataki Gang seeing this.

For the next few weeks, she has to stop S/O from converting the Arataki gang into a boy band and terrorizing Inazuma.

She has seen fear incarnate, and it is Arataki Itto on roller skates.

Jean laughs the entire time, a mouth shyly covering her mouth watching S/O go at it.

Barbara most likely taught them what the word 'Idol' meant, and got them to do this whole song and dance.

And it was during the Windblume festival, meaning EVERYONE saw it. She wasn't sure if she should be proud or mortified by it.

If anything though, she wants to try out the wheel shoes S/O was wearing, it seemed like a lot of fun!

And she also wants to know how much Barbara taught them how to sing, or if it came naturally.

(Keqing) "What in the...?!"

She has seen S/O pull lots of crazy stunts, to the point of disregarding Lady Ninguangg's advice, moreso if they were given by her or Ganyu.

But this might be the most insane thing she's seen.

What the hell was that outfit?!

What the hell were those shoes?!

WHY THE HELL IS THEIR VOICE SO GOOD?!

Keqing refuses to admit that she actually liked the song because she knows the moment she admits it, they'll pull even crazier stunts out.

She double checks her surroundings before she starts to quietly hum the song to herself.

#genshin impact imagines #genshin impact headcanons #genshin impact x reader #ayaka kamisato #ayaka kamisato x reader #jean gunnhildr #jean gunnhildr x reader #kuki shinobu x reader #keqing x reader #yanfei x reader #kuki shinobu #yanfei #keqing

[kraviolis]

ive got so many random boiling isles worldbuilding HCs in my head but i dont have a way to share them besides just random posts. so here's a random post about one of my headcanons.

there's no modern human holidays in the boiling isles (like christmas, passover, halloween, etc.) but there IS holidays that are widely celebrated by witches like samhain, yule, beltane, the equinoxes-- which i know people do actively follow and celebrate nowadays but i mean more of the ancient ways of celebration. like, live animal sacrifices and everything.

i like to think that demons have similar holidays to witches but different names/traditions. like witches have yule, but demons have krampusnacht. and obviously while there is a lot of similarity with how humans celebrated those holidays, there's obviously a creepy/weird/magic spin on them.

like on yule they do an animal sacrifice to the titan and then eat the animal & burn the inedible parts in a magical fire. but the sacrifice maybe isn't just straight forward, and is more like a hunting competition for the whole family where the one who actually kills the animal gets a special prize. like getting the best cut of the meat or getting to open their presents first.

im specifically imagining eda & lilith as girls both throwing everything they have at this beast they're hunting down and eda getting the kill in the end and gloating all smugly at lilith. with all my headcanons i usually default to imagining the clawthornes doing the thing to see if it's something that feels like it fits in with the world.

also samhain im specifically imagining to be like. less of a halloween or dia de la muertos type of holiday, but more of like... where they are appreciative and thankful to the titan for giving them magic by abstaining from using magic for the day or something. like fasting sorta. it's more of a serious holiday in my mind, where you spend it at home with family or you go to grand galas that usually have some type of charity aspect to them. the emperor's coven holds a samhain gala every year and invites mostly only the wealthy & powerful & their biggest supporters (the blights get an invitation every single year, for instance) & also the coven scouts who performed the best that year. usually theres also a charity auction.

krampusnacht for demons i think would be more set in legend & myth than simple tradition or reverence for the titan. it's 100% kings favorite holiday. it's gotta be about the Krampus, a terrifyingly powerful demon who could travel between the human realm and demon realm at will. maybe the krampus lost its powers somehow and got trapped in the human realm? maybe its even believed that the krampus was The First Demon or something. anyways, demons do sacrifices or more specific things to appease or give it strength so it can gather enough power to temporarily come back and give little gifts to all the demon children sleeping soundly in their beds before going back to the human realm to wreak terror on the human children. maybe that part is more like, for the kids, but the sacrificing stuff in krampus's honor is definitely the main point.

i can literally imagine a full owl house episode in my head of luz learning about yule & krampusnacht from eda & king respectively and trying to help both of them with their traditions and rituals and stuff but actually having a really hard time with some of the stuff-- like the hunting & sacrificing parts for sure (she is the daughter of a vet, after all) but like, they always did their best to follow the traditions of her human holidays that she shared even if they were apprehensive at first so she really wants to be active and engage with them and be more open minded. so instead of voicing her discomfort or upset over the more gruesome parts, she tries so hard to go along with it but at the very last second she ends up not being able to do it and takes off.

then luz feels so guilty bcus these traditions are obviously really important to the both of them and they're including her because she's family and she doesnt want them to think she's rejecting them but in the end king and eda are obviously just like "you dingdong you dont have to force yourself to do stuff you're uncomfortable with just to make us happy! we care about you more than any traditions, no matter how badly we want you to do them with us!" and they find ways to adjust their traditions, like instead of killing the beast they just capture it humanely and then let it go, or instead of doing live sacrifices they just get a pre-killed animal from a butcher and do the burning of the inedible parts, all so luz can feel better about participating in them :-)

and for samhain, i bet at first king never really celebrated it bcus he couldnt do magic but always liked getting to spend it with eda and pulling pranks on her bcus even she would abstain from magic for a day (she def does it bcus her dad has always been super into giving thanks to the titan and treats the nature of the isles with a lot of reverence due to his career as a palisman carver-- think about how eda encouraged luz to connect with the isles! her dad 100% did the same stuff with her!!)

after learning about his dad, king probably spends samhain in remembrance. i like to think the first samhain after he finds out about his heritage, luz & eda take him to pick some flowers and luz uses the memory-tweezers to show him what his dad looked like and they make a little shrine for his dad with the photograph at the center and all three of them spend the day together

#krav talks #toh #the owl house #toh headcanons #god this got long. i have so many thoughts in my brain

[ask-the-clergy-bc]

Era V Ghoul Headcanons (Sunshine, Phantom, Aurora)

I realized I did some minimum headcanons for Sunshine back when she first came to the band, and I wanted to elaborate on it! So here is what I’m currently working with in my universe! :) 

Sunshine:

~Sunshine is still figuring out human ideas of gender (which is a vastly limited version compared to ghouls). Right now they are happy using she/they pronouns equally!

~They were summoned by Copia and are very close to him! Sunshine was the first ghoul Copia summoned after becoming Papa. They see him as their pack leader and respect him greatly. In fact, they are so loyal they tend to act like his defacto body guard. It was very difficult for Sunshine to stay back with Imperator for this tour. 

~She is a mixed elemental ghoul, not just air! Her powers manifest equally from her air and fire roots as LIGHT. Sunshine gets her name from being able to make light that is both bright and can burn almost anything. 

~The newest summoned ghoul for the pack! Sunshine is not the youngest ghoul in the clergy, but they are the newest to earth and human culture. Sunshine has been having fun exploring the way humans work and all the gadgets they make. Right now they love video games, microwaves, and any musical equipment. Sunshine is very curious and has been known to eagerly watch Siblings work for chores that involve human appliances. 

~BOUNDLESS energy! Sunshine rarely sleeps and doesn’t really need to! Typically keeps herself occupied during tours when everyone is asleep with video games. At the Ministry she’ll wander around doing who knows what or checking up on Copia when he’s up all night working. 

Aurora:

~Many think she is only an air ghoulette, but she’s actually a mixed elemental! But her powers mostly manifest as Air. She has a quintessence parent and it has made some of her features reflecting of that. Aurora has a very rare hair color for ghouls from this aether lineage, which is almost a blueish purple that nearly looks white. 

~She gets her clergy nick name from the fact her aura and powers can manifest with colored light! Her aether blood let’s her read energy or manifest the visible auras of herself and others. IT’s a beautiful light show when she likes! 

~Aurora was once a favorite ghoul of a past Papa who wrote opera. The two were very close up until his Death. She often performed most of his unknown works, due to her singing ability. Aurora can actually manipulate her singing voice to be any range (a common feature of her tribe due to needing to be heard over the volatile weather they lived in.) Her favorite range is Soprano, but she’s been enjoying her current range for the Ghost project. Aurora has shattered glass with her voice for fun before. 

~Very regal and carries herself like royalty. She has a natural grace and exuberance that captures an entire room’s attention. Some ghouls have whispered she could rival Lilith herself! 

~Proudly comes from an “artic” region of Hell, thought to be closer to Lucifer’s dwelling. She has lived through the coldest and most brutal territory. Very fitting her powers and name reflect this type of setting! 

Phantom (Chaos):

~His original nickname was Chaos when he was first summoned. But during recent decades the siblings of sin have started calling him “Phantom”. He has gleefully accepted this new nickname and desperately tries to keep it for the new fans! 

~The Quintessence element is notoriously misunderstood and simplified for many humans. Often thought of as dark matter, that which fills empty space, or the force of light and gravity. But as ghouls know it, it’s the element of very being and the universe! So it covers so many types of powers and abilities it’s very hard to catalogue. Phantom is a wonderful example of this! His powers manifest from being able to control shadows and parts of space around him... but the nickname Phantom comes from something more. His quintessence has let him connect to the afterlife and other supernatural phenomena. If the ghoul wanted to, he can alter any given space to make it more accessible for restless spirits to manifest. The clergy have kept him away from MANY Papal resting places... but that rarely stops him. 

~Worked for Mr. Saltarian and the ghoul Miasma for a while before he was brought back to the ministry. Refuses to elaborate on what his duties were. But Phantom likes to make stories up to scare the humans around him.

~Speaking of, very mischievous. He likes to scare people and use his powers to get humans riled up. A favorite is for him to pretend to be a poltergeist or convince the siblings something is haunted. Very fond of sneaking up on others or popping out of shadows!  

~Rumored to be a younger brother to Aether, but they actually just hail from the same tribe in Hell! They are very close! Aether was the one to recommend Phantom as his replacement while Aether went back to the clergy to finish his training with Omega. 

#the band ghost #ghost bc #ghost headcanons #nameless ghouls #phantom #aurora #sunshine

[bradshawsbaby]

What She Tells Herself

Pairing: Jake “Hangman” Seresin x Natasha “Phoenix” Trace

Author’s Note: I have so much content piled up from the week of the shadowban! Here’s the next part in the FWB series! I would suggest reading My Favorite Mistake, Friends With Benefits, and What He Tells Himself (in that order) before reading this one.

Warnings: Some language, mentions of casual sex (nothing too explicit), denial of feelings, slight angst.

Natasha Trace did not have time for love.

She’d had a few relationships in her life, but none that didn’t fizzle out after a month or two. She didn’t have time to coddle her boyfriends’ egos or to keep up with the games they invariably wanted her to play. She had neither the patience nor the desire to fit herself into the molds they tried to force upon her, or to perform the roles they wanted her to assume. And so, no matter how good the sex was or how much they both claimed they had tried to make it work, her relationships always came to the same inevitable conclusion.

That was why she had decided that sex with no strings attached was the best way to go. It was all the good parts of a relationship without the drama and the exhaustion.

No-strings-attached sex with Jake Seresin was even better. With him, she knew she wasn’t going to get caught up in the messiness of feelings. Most of the time, she wanted to smack him more than she wanted to kiss him, so she knew her heart was safe. He would never be able to break it if she never gave it to him in the first place.

With Hangman, she knew exactly what she was getting. Mindless, meaningless sex that completely blew her mind. As much of a cocky jerk as he could be, even she had to admit that he certainly knew how to make a woman happy in the bedroom. Whether he was taking her in secret in the locker room at the gym or pinning her down to his bed and fucking her until she could barely walk straight the next day, Hangman knew just what buttons to push to turn her into a moaning, mewling mess.

And that was what she wanted, she told herself. It was all she wanted.

She certainly didn’t want to develop feelings for a guy like Jake Seresin. No, she definitely had no desire to spend the night in his bed after he’d spent hours making her body come alive in ways she never would have thought possible. She definitely didn’t want to feel his arms wrapped around her all night, holding her close to that chest that somehow managed to feel rock hard and yet as soft as a pillow all at the same time. She didn’t want to hear any whispered words of affection or wake up in the morning to find him sleeping beside her.

No, because that wasn’t how “no strings attached” worked. And, as she kept reminding herself, no strings attached was what she wanted.

Natasha Trace didn’t have time for love. She didn’t want love. And she most certainly didn’t want love with an obnoxious dickhead like Jake “Hangman” Seresin.

When he started asking her to do things, normal things like having dinner at a new restaurant or going to see a movie, she convinced herself that it was no different than grabbing a bite to eat with Rooster or Bob or any of her other friends. Because that’s all they were. Friends. They were barely even that. So there wasn’t any reason she should feel bad about inviting Payback or Fanboy or any of the others to tag along when she and Hangman made plans. No, there definitely wasn’t any reason guilt should be gnawing at her when she glanced over at Hangman and caught, for just the briefest of seconds, a flash of hurt in his green eyes.

They were just friends. Friends with benefits and nothing more. That’s what she kept telling herself.

It didn’t bother her when other women approached Hangman while they were out at The Hard Deck, tossing their hair and batting their eyes and standing just a touch too close. It didn’t bother her when Hangman would catch her eye and smirk, flirting right back and making those other girls giggle all night long. It didn’t bother her when he bought them drinks and accepted their numbers, all the while knowing she would be the one in his bed that night.

It didn’t bother her. He didn’t belong to her. He could do whatever he wanted. That’s what she told herself over and over again.

What bothered her was the way he had burrowed himself into her life, like a thorn in her side that she could never quite remove. What bothered her was the way he branded her body with his mouth, her skin pulsing with the feel of his hungry kisses long after she was curled up alone in her own bed. What bothered her was the way he knew, in that smug way of his, that she would come to him, like a moth drawn to a damn flame, no matter how many times or how many ways he pissed her off.

And she would come. She always did.

But just because she was starting to find that she couldn’t get enough of him didn’t mean that she was starting to develop feelings for him. No, because love wasn’t what she was after and it was certainly the last thing she was going to find with Jake “No Strings Attached” Seresin.

Natasha Trace was not attached to Jake Seresin.

Natasha Trace did not have feelings for Jake Seresin.

Natasha Trace was not in love with Jake Seresin.

That’s what she kept telling herself.

#hangman x phoenix #hannix #jake hangman seresin #natasha phoenix trace #hangman seresin #phoenix trace #top gun #top gun: maverick

[marshmallowprotection]

"I'm not sure about this. Are you sure this is what idols wear?"

You nodded. "Yes, I'm sure that I'm sure. I know this isn't like your usual outfit but that's the point! You want to get out of your bubble when you're performing on stage, Ray. I can't wait to see a different side of you tonight."

His Savior came up with the brilliant idea to put on a rock show, and Ray was the first one who 'volunteered' to do something. Even if you were quite certain that he didn't volunteer himself for that, you didn't want him to feel uncomfortable. He liked to sing, it was something he admitted to you during the vulnerable hours of the night, smiling with sincerity in his words about how much he enjoyed humming along to songs that were your favorites.

Of course, even though he liked to do that, he didn't know anything about how to play a guitar or sing along to a song without losing his breath. Yet, that's what the Savior told him to do... to play along and make himself presentable for the believers. It was a tough act, but it wouldn't go wrong.

You would make sure he didn't fail.

He didn't know what he was doing... but he confessed that he was happy to put on a show if it meant you got to watch him. He wasn't the type to deny how much he really wanted your attention, and you weren't the type to let him go even a moment without knowing how much you wanted to watch him. Even if he was afraid to perform, he could find you in the crowd and pretend it was just the two of you for a confidence booster!

His cheeks were dusted with a fine layer of pink. He gave a tug at the choker you fastened around his throat and swallowed. "So, this is the kind of style you're into, prince[ss]?"

Though, you had to admit as much as you were trying to help him, there was a selfish reason for your actions. You were curious what it would look like if you could convince him to wear something edgy to contrast against his princely appearance. His ethereal hairstyle made you wonder if he could rock both of those styles without any trouble and you were happy to learn that he absolutely could. 

He was a dashing, debonair prince and daring, yet wicked alternative man!

You were already accustomed to his everyday attire, but there was something about seeing him in an outfit that was more revealing than usual that made you excited.

It was nice to see more aspects of his body that he normally wouldn't show off.

Ray was the kind of person who tried to hide every part of himself because he was insecure about what people thought of him, but he never had to be afraid of what you thought of him. You wanted to see every part of him and if he would allow it, you would continue to ask for more and more and more. 

You trailed a finger down his exposed chest with a grin. "It's one of the styles I'm interested in... say, Ray, after tonight, would you like to try more styles for me? After all, you're my prince... but you can be so much more than that, right?"

His sharp eyes met yours. Even with how shy he could be, whenever he felt like you met what you said, his confidence came through the roof. Ray caught your hand in his own and smirked. "Don't you want to see if I can fit the role of this character first, dollface?"

"...!"

Ray chuckled. "If this is what makes you excited... I want to be see it through to the end."

#mod kait #mystic messenger #mysme #saeran choi #mysticmessenger #choi saeran #mm #ray choi #choi ray #mm_mystictober2023 #unknown #ray mm #ray mysme #ray mystic messenger

[elvenbeard]

V paced back and forth between wardrobe and mirror. Checking his outfit, mumbling something, then tossing his blazer, his shirt, his pants, or whatever else was bothering him onto the growing pile of clothes on the bed to start looking for something new. Rinse and repeat. Kerry watched him from a distance for a while, reading through the interview questions the screamsheet people had sent a final time. His manager had attached detailed answers for every single one, obviously. Kerry had already decided to ignore all that and just stick to the story he and V had agreed upon telling them.

After V returned to the mirror for the fifth or sixth time, Kerry put his datapad down and got up from the sofa to join him.

“Gettin’ hot in here, won’t even need my lighter,” he said quietly, fingers trailing down V’s back, looking at them both in the mirror. V scoffed, fumbling with the collar of the sleek black blazer he had picked out now, similar to the one Kerry was wearing already.

 “Dunno,” V mumbled, looking at himself closer, dark circles under his eyes undeniable. He was sleeping better again, finally, but still not as well or regularly as he’d like to.

“Bein’ this nervous is so unlike you,” Kerry noted, and almost instantly bit his tongue. He didn’t want to sound judgmental. V turned to look at him briefly, then back at himself in the mirror and brushed his fingers through his hair. He’d just recently dyed it back to his favorite colors, blond on top, purple on the sides. To how it had been like when they first met. Kerry had missed the bold look, and so had V. It was like he was slowly becoming himself again, after all the doubts and pain and setbacks of the last months. It made Kerry’s heart beat a little faster… with hope.

“Dunno why I’m getting all worked up about it as much,” V then said, “It’s like… I’m headed to a performance audit…”

V rarely spoke of his corporate days, usually not unless Kerry specifically asked. Occasionally he completely forgot V had ever worked for Arasaka, so little did that mental image fit his perception of him. But he’d seen photos, and V’s old ID card. The way he occasionally talked, behaved, and often immediately saw through all the corporate scheming going on around them, even the way he managed things at the Afterlife by now were also undeniable hints to this part of his past. But still… His mainline an ex-corpo. His younger self would’ve tackled him, tried to punch some sense into him at the mere notion of this ever being a possibility.

“How’d those go down?” Kerry asked, to stop V from messing with his outfit even more, diverting his attention elsewhere, away from the mirror. It was almost ten, the medias would be here soon. Surprisingly his manager wasn’t frantically ringing the doorbell yet. V paused and slowly turned to look at him again. Kerry took his hand and led him towards the stairs.

“They’d call you in unannounced, once a week usually. More frequently when things didn’t go how they wanted,” V recounted, slowly, as if he needed to choose his words carefully, “Often you wouldn’t know in advance if you’d be in there alone, or with your team, or with your supervisors. And you’d never know if they were about to tear you a new one in front of the whole department or praise you to the high heavens while everyone else got their asses kicked. All in the name of creating healthy internal competition, I figure…”

“That’s messed up,” Kerry said as they reached the downstairs living room. He grabbed both their sunglasses from the coffee table, handing V his, but not putting his own on just yet.

“It’s how it worked. How it still does, I assume,” V said with a sober tone.

“Well… but today you know what to expect at least, right?” Kerry tried to cheer him up.

V put on his glasses, mirrored golden lenses to obscure his face and tiredness at least a little bit. The journalists wanted to take photos of them both together, at least a few, even though it had been agreed upon upfront that only Kerry would be asked and answering questions. The whole scheme seemed so unnecessary, announcing their relationship to the public like that, with press conferences and social media posts, articles, exclusive interviews, and whatever else Kerry’s manager had organized. It wasn’t like they’d been hiding. That wasn’t their style. But with the way V’s health had been, and everything else going on on top, playing happy couple as a publicity stunt had been the very last of their priorities.

“I guess,” V said, crossing his arms “I just… hm.”

“Hm?”

Kerry smiled, placing his arms around V’s shoulders loosely, trying to find his gaze. V sighed.

“It’s not that I’m camera shy or anything,” he said.

“You’re not very shy in general,” Kerry laughed, trying to downplay his worry about V’s twitchy state this morning.

“I don’t want you to think I’m ashamed of us, or this…,” V said quietly, turning his head away slightly, “You know how much I’m all for this, right?”

“I know,” Kerry said, pulling him a little closer, “But what’s the matter then?”

V slightly adjusted his glasses so he could look over their rim, so Kerry was able to look him in the eyes.

“It bothers me… as soon as this interview is published, it’s completely out of our control. ’s gonna be forever out there…” V then said, “If we go on a date somewhere… if I just go somewhere by myself, I feel at least somewhat in control of the situation… I can take precautions, and so on. It’s a conscious decision every time. But this…”

“You don’t like to be put on display, ‘s what you mean. For people you don’t even know to gawk and talk and draw conclusions, while you’re not there to set ‘em straight right away.”

V paused, and the way his eyes briefly lit up told Kerry he’d hit the nail on the head.

“I guess it boils down to that, yeah…” V said, letting his arms drop slowly, fingers finding Kerry’s belt to hold on to. Kerry had to force himself to not let his thoughts drift away from their conversation too much.

“It’s what I hated about the audits, too…” V added, “Felt like you were being put on trial with no way to defend yourself. You’d just have to sit it out and accept whatever consequences they decided for you, good and bad, no say in it yourself.”

He put is forehead against Kerry’s chest, so that Kerry could rest his chin on his head. They stood like that for a few seconds, enjoying the quiet before the inevitable storm.

“I hated it so much, back when I started out solo,” Kerry then said softly, “Even though I always knew it was part of the bargain, part of havin’ people hear you. You’d have to put yourself out there, no matter if you were in the mood for it or not, no matter what was going on at home or in your head, and just deal with it. But what I hated most, still do, is havin’ words put in my mouth, my meanin’ twisted around to fit someone else’s narrative.”

“People only hear what they wanna hear,” V recalled. His stance relaxed further as he leaned into Kerry’s embrace.

“Prolly sounds awful but… you get used to it,” Kerry continued, “I learned to play along, to survive… the same way you learned to play along and survive Arasaka’s mind games… and honestly, it feels pretty fuckin’ awesome when you get the chance to play everyone else, now and then, completely subvert their expectations…”

V’s head slowly rose again, and a soft smile began to appear on his lips.

“Y’mean, if someone messes with us, we’ll teach ‘em what ‘regret’ means?” V asked cheekily.

Kerry grinned.

“Kovachek learned his lesson for sure,” he said, “So will everyone else. Been in the mood to blow some shit up anyway.”

“Guess we have a plan for what to do after this is over,” V said.

“Well, that works, too,” Kerry teased, “I mean, I had something else in mind for later that also involved blowing, by the pool…”

“Hmm, I like the sound of that,” V purred, his hands immediately getting a hold of Kerry’s ass and squeezing him tightly.

“I dare you to do that during the photoshoot. Give them something real’ good to talk about for once,” Kerry smiled, biting his lip.

“Fuck…” V laughed, “Alright. Challenge accepted.”

(was in the mood to write a little prelude for this, putting it all into context better xD)

#cyberpunk 2077 #cyberpunk v #kerry eurodyne #kerry eurodyne x v #cyberpunk fanfiction #cyberpunk 2077 fanfiction #cp2077 #cp2077 fanfic #corpo v #otp: to bad decisions #vincent ezaki #my writing

[hotliljewishgirl]

Post-Jangle Ball Ramblings: Act Two (VHSCC)

I already posted a part one, so here’s my thoughts on VHSCC. Full disclosure – I’m mostly creating these posts for myself, because I am fucking terrified of forgetting even a minute of this show. I have waited too long for this to simply trust my very unreliable hippocampus. But if you enjoy this too, here it is (this post contains spoilers):

I had no idea what to expect for VHSCC. I wasn’t sure if the second act was going to be in costume, if they were going to do it sung through or do little out of character speeches before each song, if they were going to be acting like their characters or just performing their songs, etc. They did do it sung through but they were not in costume and they were mostly in character. I loved how they did it and I have no notes. I got digital tickets in both 2020 and 2021, and this was my favorite rendition of it. They seemed like they were having fun even in the serious moments and enjoying interacting with the audience on top of singing and dancing their faces off. I have nothing to say other than that it was fantastic and I wish I could see it like that again.

Brian as Tiny Tim made me laugh my ass off. Out of costume, a grown man acting like a sickly child is peak comedy. He came in riding piggyback on Joey, and Lauren reprised the thing where Emily is disgusted by Tim and pushes him away when he tries to touch her. Priceless in general was equal parts heartwarming and hilarious, which is exactly how it should be.

I know I already said this but it bears repeating: Dylan stole the damn show. Get that man on Broadway. I believed he was a crotchety old man, even out of costume, and he made me feel for Scrooge. There was not a single moment where his vocals faltered, and out of everyone he was the one who was most engaged with the audience. Seeing him perform live is truly an out of body experience.

Oddly specific, but I want to mention; Jaime’s Christmas Past came off as a little more gentle/kind than it has been in years past. Both versions of Christmas Past really worked, but the less harsh version was nice to see live. It sounded like she genuinely felt sorry for Scrooge on “she can’t hear it”, and she was trying to comfort him during That Scrooge. The nice thing about doing this show every year is that the actors can make tweaks as they see fit and we get to see it evolve. I hope little character choices like that continue to be made and changed.

Speaking of That Scrooge…Janaya. Girl. Stop being so damn talented. Brian, Dylan, and Jaime also killed it and That Scrooge is quickly becoming one of my favorite VHSCC songs (after Priceless and Three Spirits. I’m a sucker for a power ballad, okay?). Seriously, I’m really glad we have Janaya. I used to be scared when new Starkids were introduced, but that stopped after we got Angela because I realized the new faces are equally as incredible as the people I grew up with, and they don’t make it feel any less like a Starkid show (on the contrary, the new Starkids have become some of my favorites). Janaya is no exception.

Christmas Electricity was SO much fun to see live. I still feel like dancing just thinking about it. The energy in that room was indescribable. James has such great stage presence and command of his work, and his take on Christmas Present highlighted how great he is at working a crowd. This is another number that necessitates a mention of the dancing. I think most of the choreo was recycled from last year, which is fine because that choreo is iconic. I was seriously shocked by how incredible the dancing was. I don’t want to repeat myself but. Holy shit. Starkid dancing, guys.

Priceless was even more special live and out of costume. I forgot I was watching a show – it seemed like it was just a loving family vibing for three minutes straight, and I loved it, because the Starkid community does feel like family. The energy was just as high as during Christmas Electricity, but instead of making me want to dance it made me want to hug the person next to me. Also, Everyone’s vocals sounded incredible. I’m not sure if he’s doing it on purpose or if it’s just the way the harmonies worked out, but in every version of VHSCC, Joey has kind of stepped back and let Lauren shine (or maybe I’m just obsessed with Lauren Lopez lol). She killed it (again with the versatility!) and hearing “I’ll toast my hope that he DIEEEESSSSSS” live legitimately changed my brain chemistry. A note on the choreo - Joey and Lauren slow-dancing gave me visions of their wedding and I am the opposite of ok.

Unrelated to the performance, but I just want to give a shout-out to the audience. As someone seeing them live for the first time (and going to the show alone), I wasn’t sure what to expect. But within minutes of getting in line, I caught myself thinking “I’ve found my people”. Everyone was as excited and into it as I was and it made all the difference. Thank you, Starkid fans, for creating such a wonderful, positive, welcoming community.

#jangle ball #starkid #VHSCC #richpez #jangle ball Philly #jangle ball spoilers