#Whistle for the choir hits

[vixxensvoid]

Every time I listen to “whistle for the choir” by The Fratellis I think about jeffbritta and become emo thinking about how we were robbed

#jeff winger #jeffrey winger #britta perry #jeffbritta #emo #“MY EMOTIONS” #Whistle for the choir hits #the fratellis #they should have been endgame #we were robbed #community

[biprotagz]

singing in stairwells is one of life's greatest joys

#lauren.txt #im getting better at belts and transitioning between my head and chest voice so !!! #also my choir teacher wants me to hit a whistle note in front of The Entire School and. no. #i can do it for rehersal but on stage?? like minne riperton??? TT

[chatter-crow]

music hcs for the lu gang

because i’m a choir kid (derogatory)

Sky - Baritenor, decent singing voice. Plays the harp and if you gave him a piano he could play a scale.

Four - Tenor. Doesn’t sing. No formal training in any instrument but can play some pretty good percussion because of being a smith

Time - Bass, the only one in the group. If you give him an instrument he can probably play it. Strongest on the ocarina, of course. He has perfect pitch.

Twilight - Baritone leaning bass, sings a lot. Can’t really play any instruments other than the little whistle Ilia gives him. Enjoys music.

Wind - Tenor, but his voice hasn’t dropped yet so who knows how he’ll actually end up. Very good tempo, hence being a conductor with the wind waker.

Legend - A tenor to out-tenor all the other tenors. I have no doubt this man can hit the most ear-shattering, Ariana Grande, Mariah Carey-esc high notes. For instruments, he can play pretty much anything if you give him thirty minutes.

Hyrule - Tenor, although he doesn’t sing. Can play a flute (?) pretty well.

Warriors - Baritone, has a really good voice. Pretty awful at instruments though, can barely play an ocarina without it making an unholy screech.

Wild - Tenor, but their voice is pretty raspy and singing only makes it worse. They don’t have any conscious memories of learning, but if you give them a piano they could play a decent tune. They enjoy humming along to the Stable Trotters songs.

Extras:

Malon - Mezzo soprano. Wonderful voice, but doesn’t play any instruments

Ravio - Tenor, voice similar to Legend but less high notes. Somehow never learned how to play instruments even though he lived in Legend’s house and had the world at his fingertips.

#crows chattering #euhhhh i’m gonna put it under writing too #crowens writing #linked universe #lu #linked universe headcanons #lu headcanons #time lu #sky lu #four lu #twilight lu #wind lu #legend lu #warriors lu #wild lu #hyrule lu #lu hyrule #lu wind #lu twilight #lu time #lu legend #lu wild #lu sky #lu warriors #lu four #lu ravio #ravio lu #malon lu #lu malon

[aloneinthehellfire]

Chapter Eight: Never Be Distracted

Gates Of Hell Masterlist

Word Count: 6138

Warnings: swearing, horror, blood, mentions of death, descriptions of gore?

[A/N: this is by far the creepiest thing I have ever written. I did not sleep after writing this. So yay hope you all enjoy! xoxo]

Never Be Distracted

You’re stood in a bare room, a bright white bulb flickering above you.

The room stretches into a hallway, the lights illuminating a path for you to take. But you daren’t move.

A shattering blast of noise drives you forward. You don’t even bother to look back at it. All you know is that you have to run, and keep running.

Double doors burst wide open before your hands can even touch them, leading you into a dark corner. You try to leave, suddenly feeling intimidated by the darkness, but the doors slam shut behind you, and you’re alone.

A blinking light strays you away from insanity. Creeping closer, you feel it calling, pain alighting your fingertips the longer you strayed from contact. It felt consuming. It felt… powerful.

But, as you brush against the small force, it disappears.

“Never be distracted.”

“Don’t look away.”

“Run.”

Screams and yells echo around you, floating like wind whistling past your ears. You can’t focus, spinning around in this dark and empty room. You can make out the voices. Some felt familiar. Others were terrifying.

Your eyelids squeeze shut as a sudden light is shone down on you, illuminating where you stood. It takes a moment to adjust, hand raised above your head to shield your only reliable senses.

It all came in a blur.

The doors fly back open and you stumble back. Blood soaked the walls and floors you ran down, dripping in the cold silence. Crimson lights beamed like sirens, distant screams and crashes causing your hands to twitch with every noise.

You stared down that red hallway until your eyes felt dry, gaze never unwavering from the door at the end. It kept thumping like a heartbeat, getting louder and louder. It looked like something was trying to escape.

The first splinter shattered from the door, and you just stared. You stared and stared and stared. You couldn’t blink. You couldn’t speak.

The pop of a metal hinge barely made you flinch. Whatever was crashing against the door was succeeding, the noises around you getting louder and louder, choir to an incomprehensible buzzing sound.

It finally breaks free, the wooden barrier slamming against the ground. Tears filled your eyes, staring back at a black space drawn into the blood splattered wall. But you could sense it there. Waiting.

Something shifted behind you. Head whipping back, you no longer felt entranced. An object lay on the ground beside you and you frown. Some kind of bracelet, woven by strings. It had something attached, maybe a charm. It glinted in the light.

The hairs on your arm raise. A panicked fear strikes your chest.

Never be distracted. Don’t look away.

Your eyes flicker back to the hallway, heart jumping into your throat.

It was running straight at you.

Run.

Claws rip into your skin as you scream, kicking and pushing at the body. It was digging into your arms, touching your face. The noises around you were blaring against your eardrums, something wet dripping from your mouth.

“Y/n!”

You scream louder, trying to get away, your eyes screwed shut.

“Y/N!”

Then the noise stopped. Everything stopped. All that was left was your aching breath.

Your eyes flutter open and you feel yourself falling back. Anticipating the pain, you gasp. But you never hit the ground.

“Hey, hey, you okay? Y/n?”

You focus on the face in front of you, chest rising heavily. “Steve?”

“So you literally have no other personality other than basketball?” Robin teases, bringing up her leg to rest her foot atop the seat.

“Hey.” Steve frowns, shooting her a glance. “You don’t even know me.”

“Correction. I know that you were captain of our Tigers- go, Tigers- and dated like every girl you could until around Junior year when you unexpectedly started dating Nancy Wheeler. I mean, no one saw that coming, but good for you, I guess.” Robin spewed off facts like it was nothing as Steve widens his eyes. “You throw so many parties that the school practically lives at your house, you’re always ranting about getting a basketball scholarship, and weirdly enough I am fully aware of the crush you had in middle school that you completely ruined but it’s so mind-blowing I can’t even repeat it.”

“I even know that the jump from middle school to high school turned you into a high-class douchebag except, for the life of me, I can’t figure out why.” She finished, flopping her head back to hit the headrest. “So, yeah, I know stuff about you. Most of that information came from the fact that I sat behind you in Miss Click’s class for, like, three years now. I know all of that and you couldn’t even remember my name.”

Steve fell silent for a while, focused on the dark roads ahead. Light was falling much quicker than it used to due to the dark cloud looming over Hawkins. It spread further each day. And it should have been his main concern in this moment. But right now, he hated the thought that he was driving with yet another person that hated him. And the sad part was that she had every right to.

“You’re right.” He eventually says, voice quieter than he intended. “I… I don’t know what happened to me either.”

Robin turns towards him in surprise, clearly expecting a snarky response, trying to assess if he was being serious. But what he said was the truth. He had no idea how he became someone he hated.

Maybe it was the pressure of fitting in. Could possibly be the lack of any parental figure since he was 13. But he couldn’t blame his actions on how other people treated him. He made that choice all by himself.

“You’ve changed.” She adds, breaking the silence. Her voice was softer now, still observing him with her sharp eyes. “What happened to King Steve?”

She asked with a light hearted tone, but it felt like a sucker punch to his gut.

“He died.” Steve replies simply, flicking on his headlights when the sun started to fade, before immediately switching them back off.

“Why’d you do that?” Robin asks, frowning into the black of night.

“Uh, trying not to let every monster freak know where we are?” He raises his brows and she raises her arms in surrender, settling back. Steve frowns at himself. Never before did he think he’d be catching himself repeating the same words that left your mouth.

“So…” Robin starts and Steve awaits the next wave of offensive remarks. “This friend of yours. Where exactly do we think she’ll be?”

“I… have no idea.” He admits and she thins her lips, nodding.

“Yep, yep, love a great plan.” She mumbles, her leg bouncing restlessly.

Steve had nothing else to say. No words of comfort. Just that driving force he felt to find you. It still twisted his gut that he had to drag someone else into this mess, but Robin didn’t really have a choice at the end of it. At least this way, he can try and make up those past years to her.

“Wait.” Robin leans forward, both feet planted on the floor of the car as she points, “What is that?”

He turns to her pointed direction and squints, locating the object of her worry and gulping. It looked like smoke, flames dancing at the source. Something was on fire. Maybe even exploded.

He wasn’t entirely sure why, but he headed towards it, trusting his gut and following its orders. Steve was glad he still had hope left after all of this.

As they roll past, Robin couldn’t stop the gasp escaping her lips. It was a bus, a school bus to be precise. And the entirety of it was covered in fire. They couldn’t see if anyone had been inside it, nor did they want a closer look to find out.

The most concerning part of all, was the three giant gashes running along the side of it. Something strong enough to rip through metal. Something big enough to take out an entire bus with just one swipe.

They drive around the streets, hoping to catch a glimpse of a person before the sun disappeared. Once it hit night, Steve knew he would have to get himself and Robin somewhere safe until morning. He was on borrowed time to find you before it was too late.

He was scared he’d have to give up. He hated the idea of leaving you out here during night, not knowing what state you were in. It was almost funny, having feelings of worry instead of hatred. Not that he didn’t find you any less annoying, but Steve felt like he owed this to you. After all, you were willing to push aside your feelings and take him with you to the cabin. It’s just a shame your journey didn’t end there.

“Steve. Steve!” Robin patted his arm. Correction: she whacked his arm with enough force to bruise until he batted her away. He would have snapped at her if it weren’t for her outstretched finger lighting his way to unknown victory.

There, stood in the middle of the road, was a girl. She was facing away from the approaching car, staring at the rubble of a building in the distance. She bore a hoodie, the back printed with lettering.

Harrington [4] Hawkins Tigers

His heart jumps as he brakes the car into a stop, quickly glancing around him before calling out.

“Y/n!” He says and Robin turns to him with furrowed brows. He barely notices, opening his door when you didn’t respond. He’s ready to run towards you until that fear pangs in his chest.

Was it really you?

“Pass me the shotgun.” He says, reaching his hand through the car.

Robin stares at him in disbelief. “What? No!”

“It’s just in case!” Steve pleads, waving his hand around. “What if it’s not her?”

“You won’t shoot until we know for sure?” She asks with little faith in him. He shouldn’t be surprised that Robin didn’t instantly trust someone that only ever showed his worst side through high school.

“I promise.” He says and the metal is placed into his hands.

Steve creeps forward, quickly glancing down at the hands dangling by your sides. They were human, for sure. But that didn’t make his heart beat any slower.

The sound of a car door opening stopped him in his tracks and he turns to hiss at Robin, signalling for her to get back into the car.

“Get back in the-”

“You can’t tell-”

“Just go back in the damn-”

“What if-”

“Go!” He finally puts his foot down and she grits her teeth, glaring at him.

She sends him the middle finger before climbing back into the car, gently closing the door. Steve sighs, turning back.

He circles around, still calling your name, quieter this time.

When he finally sees your face, he almost drops the shotgun. You were stood deathly still, a blank expression, staring at nothing. And what he sees, he’s not even sure is real. Your eyes were completely black, the space fluttering below your eyelids like… like dust. Maybe the dark was playing tricks on him.

“Y/n.” He swings the shotgun over his shoulder and closes the space, waving his hand in front of you. “Can you hear me?”

You don’t respond, and his stomach lurches.

“Y/n, hey. Y/n?” He tries again and again, but you’re not moving. He has to do something.

“Y/n!” He raises his voice and moves forward to grab your shoulders.

And then you scream.

Steve almost jumps as you start to thrash about, trying to push away from him. He keeps yelling out your name, reminding you it’s him. But he soon realises that you have no idea he’s there, and your eyes suddenly screw shut, trying to get away from something he couldn’t see.

“Y/N!” He yells at you one final time before you finally stop, rendering you dead silent.

Then your eyes flutter once more until they return to a familiar hue. You gasp, falling back, and Steve is quick to wrap his arms around you just in time to stop the impact of the ground shattering you completely.

“Hey, hey, you okay? Y/n?” He panics, the whole situation making his stomach sick. You’re not talking, tears streaming down your face.

And then you finally notice him, glistening eyes focused on his.

“Steve?” Your voice is hoarse and quiet. You looked at him in relief before suddenly wrapping your own arms around his neck and sobbing. It was a surprise to have you willingly pull him closer, but he doesn’t let go.

Steve gently lowers you both to the ground and holds onto you. You two had never been this close before. In fact, a few days ago you would have rather died than ever let Steve Harrington touch you. But right now, that pettiness was put aside. Right now, you just needed someone to hold.

“Is everything okay?”

A small voice echoes out and you halt your cries, sniffling as you try and turn around. Steve releases his grip on you, still touching your arms with a worried frown. You try not to think anything of it and search through the dark.

“Oh my god.” Robin steps closer with wide eyes. “Y/n?”

“Robin?” You frown, trying to stand up but feeling like your legs were going to break beneath you. You instinctively grab onto Steve’s arm and his breath hitches, but he doesn’t say anything. Instead, he helps you stand before clearing his throat.

“You two know eachother?” He asks, glancing between both of the girls smiling at one another.

“Yeah, she’s-” You begin but Robin interrupts as she leaps forward.

“Only her best friend!” She almost yells, managing to catch you in a hug and Steve stumbles away, wincing as he holds his arms out in fear you might topple over again. “Where the hell have you been?”

“A little busy fighting monsters.” You chuckle, feeling dizzy.

She holds you tighter and you can feel her shaking against you. She always tried to hide just how nervous she got in certain situations, usually talking your ear off in attempt to calm herself down. But this time she shook like she was terrified.

“Robs…” You start, the dizziness creating spots in your vision.

“I never apologised.” She blurted, stepping to hold you at arm’s length. She opened her mouth to spew out an apology but instead her face twists in concern. “I- Hey, are you okay?”

Steve raises his head and moves closer. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m fine.” You bat them away. Or, at least, that what you thought you did. But you were batting in the wrong direction. You blink. “Woah, okay, I think I need to sit down.”

Something chittered in the street, echoing from the far side of the darkened alleyways.

“No objections here.” Robin’s eyes were wide and she loops her arm around you, leading you back to the car.

Steve cocks the shotgun and follows, trying to anticipate danger before the danger attacks. He’s pulling the back door open for you as you crawl in, trying to stop your hands from trembling. You felt sick, and your head was throbbing.

“Come on, let’s get out of here.” He nods to Robin, making sure she’s safely inside the car before he slips back behind the wheel, slotting the shotgun down the side of Robin’s legs.

As he reversed, he couldn’t help his eyes anxiously flickering to his rear-view mirror. It was too dark to really see you, but your eyes glinted with terror every now and then, and he has to bite back his questions. Steve was so close to the lab now, there was no point to inevitably start another argument with you.

He hated that he was worried about someone that mutually detested him. But he hated that haunted look on your face more.

The car was silent for a few minutes, a tension in the air no one addressed. Tonight had been too spooky for everyone, and now you needed to just calm down and collect your thoughts.

It wasn’t until Robin’s voice cuts through the air that you even zone back into reality, the feel of the car soothing you into your own world.

“Woah.” Robin leans forward with squinted eyes. “Is it just me or did everything just get really dark?”

You raise your head to peer out of the window by your feet. It was pitch black and, as you glance to the windscreen, you realised Steve was driving blind.

“We need to stop.” You try to stay, but it was merely a whisper. You were feeling more nauseas by the minute, blinking back tears you couldn’t find the source for.

“What was that?” Robin turns in her seat to face you, craning her neck around the headrest. Something bubbled in your stomach.

“Stop.” You mumble, sure she wouldn’t hear you. But her eyes widen and she whips her head to Steve.

“She’s right.” She nods and Steve frowns.

“What?”

“We have to stop.” She repeats and he cocks a brow. “Seriously, Steve, you can’t even see where you’re driving!”

“No, I know what I’m doing, okay? We’re close.” He says, grip tightening on the steering wheel. As they argue, you feel your throat tightening and an unsavoury amount of saliva collecting below your tongue.

“You can’t-”

“God, do you have to object to everything-”

“When you’re being a dingus, yes!”

“A dingus? What, are you twelve-”

“Oh, shut up-”

“STOP THE CAR!” You suddenly yell out and Steve instinctively slams on the brakes, halting the car to a complete and final stop.

Before they can react any more, you’re fumbling with the handle and stumbling out onto the road. Steve’s brows shoot up and he practically bursts out of his seat and runs over to you, all while Robin sits in shock.

“Hey!” Steve calls after you as you run to what you assume is the edge of the woods, and then you kneel to the ground, planting your hands in front of you.

His footsteps skid to a stop when he hears you vomiting, coughing up what sounded like your entire stomach. Steve would know how you were feeling; he hosted too many parties to never suffer the consequences. But Steve was very sure you weren’t experiencing a hangover.

“Hey, what’s going on?” He moves closer and you hold out a shaking hand.

“Don’t.” You say softly and he bites his tongue.

“We have to keep moving-”

“Oh my god, just stop.” You suddenly snap, turning back to face him. He could just make out your features in the night, his eyes adjusting to the dark circles under your eyes. “I don’t take orders from you.”

You’re suddenly standing, glaring at him. There wasn’t an ounce of certainty in your actions, but you felt angry, and he was right there.

“You can pretend like you’re the hero, Harrington, but we both know you haven’t got a fucking clue what you’re doing.” You say and he clenches his jaw.

“We need to get to the lab, you said it yourself-” Your noise of irritation cuts him off.

“What is it with you and that lab?!” You yell out, hearing Robin’s door open.

“Everyone that loves us is there!” He steps forward, flinging his arm out in a general direction.

“No, everyone that loves youis there!” You retort, shaking your head. “You’re doing this for your own selfish reasons and you’re gonna get us all killed!”

His features were starting to blur so you rub your eyes, turning away. You knew he hadn’t done anything wrong. But god, did you need to let out your frustrations.

“Woah, settle down, lovers.” Robin interrupts, earning glares. “We can all agree that this has been a horrible day. And Y/n… we can’t imagine what you went through before we found you and I can only assume that’s why you’re acting out right now.”

You don’t respond. Instead, you lower your head and gnaw at your bottom lip, refusing to comment.

Robin sighs. “But I agree with her.”

“What-” Steve starts but she shushes him loudly.

“We’re not gonna make it there if we can’t even see it.” She points out and he shuts his mouth, placing his hands on his hips. “But we also can’t stay out here so we need to come up with something, and fast.”

“I have a tent in my trunk.” Steve offers and you both look at him weirdly. He blinks before feeling the heat rush to his cheeks. “Hey, woah, no, I didn’t mean it like that. I mean I have an actual tent- in my car. A plastic sheet in my car.”

“Pervert.” You grumble and he looks like he’s about to explode.

“Did you say something?” He challenges, narrowing his eyes.

“Did you say something?” You mock, the steam practically pouring out of his ears. “My head hurts, I feel gross, I just want to rest without someone almost crashing.”

“I didn’t almost crash!” Steve folds his arms and you raise your eyebrows.

“You would have!”

“You would have.” He mimics now and you make a sound of disgust.

“You’re such a child.”

“I’m the child?!”

“Oh my god, both of you, shut the fuck up!” Robin groans, dragging her hands down her face. “You’re both children! And I am not your god damn babysitter so pull it together before I beat your heads together!”

“Woah, that’s child abuse, Buckley.” Steve raises his hands, shaking his head.

“Yeah, that’s a criminal offence.” You chime in and Robin drops her shoulders, rolling her head back to look up.

“I give up.” She whispers out harshly before turning around. “If you two wanna be babies, then fine, be babies. I personally wanna survive the night but no, let’s not listen to Robin and instead bicker about our small-scale rivalry in the middle of the apocalypse.”

“Okay then, if you’re so smart, please tell us what your plan is.” Steve interrupts her and she turns back, frowning.

“Uh, what now?”

“Something would be better than nothing.” You say softly, fiddling with the sleeves of the hoodie.

“Okay.” Robin nods, expressing herself with her hands. “We- we stay in the car, right? And we’ll place the tent over the car and just... try to blend in. Is that… good enough?”

“We can’t just be in the middle of the road.” Steve frowns, peering around. “Maybe I can try and park it between some trees or something.”

“Believe me, we don’t wanna be by any trees right now.” You say, wrapping your arms around yourself. You could still see your imposter now, staring at you, mocking you.

“That still leaves us out in the open.” Steve exasperates, feeling like he was getting nowhere.

“We can always camp out there.”

They both turn to where you’re pointing in the dark, eyes widening. A clash of lightning struck in the sky, illuminating the eerie shadow long enough for Robin to make sounds of protest.

“Nuh-uh.” She shakes her head, pouting. “Nope. No.”

“It’s not a bad idea.” Steve squinted, your small action of resting your hand on the back of your head not going unnoticed.

“Not a-” Robin gasps, staring at you both like you were mad. “That’s the murder house. A house doesn’t get a name like that ‘cause it’s all cute and cuddly!”

“Okay, yeah, I agree.” Steve points to Robin and you roll your eyes.

“Fine, whatever.” You sigh, not feeling nearly strong enough to be standing for much longer right now. “We’re just gonna have to risk it. We’ll put the tent over like Robin said, maybe use a flashlight and dim it with clothes or something so it’s not too bright.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Robin smiles unsteadily, already bounding over to the car and waiting on shifted feet.

“I guess it’s our only option.” Steve offers, turning away, but your stomach churns out in guilt.

“Sorry for calling you a pervert.” You mumble and he raises his brow, stopping.

“Uh… thank you?” He narrows his eyes in confusion. When have you ever apologised to him?

“Yeah, don’t mention it.” You say, more of a demand than a social courtesy.

Then you’re walking away, your steps a little more forced and wobbly than before. Steve can’t help but question every little thing you do. Not because he was frightened you might be a shapeshifter, he had left that worry behind a long time ago.

Maybe he was over-reacting, trying to find something to occupy his mind and Jesus Christ, did he not want it to be you. It was bad enough you were both arguing again. And he always did this. He found someone else to worry over so he didn’t have to worry about himself.

When you had all finally clambered into the car after successfully flipping the tent sheet over the vehicle, Steve drops the tarp behind him as he closes the door, locking it.

The sleeping arrangements had been made silently. You and Robin were in the back, happy to be facing eachother in slumped sitting positions against the car doors, while Steve stayed in the front, able to recline his seat just enough that Robin had enough space behind him to be comfortable. He also wanted to make sure he was ready to drive at a moment’s notice.

“I can’t see where I should put my legs.” Robin squirms, her worn converse bumping into your shins with every movement. “Stupid long legs.”

“Hold on.” Steve sighs, rooting around the backpack currently resting on the passenger seat. He grabs the flashlight and a spare t-shirt, wrapping the front of it like you had suggested. “Here.”

Passing it backwards over his head, Robin takes it from his hand and locates the switch, smiling.

“That’s better.” She points it at your legs and you both come up with your own solution; you bend your knees to rest against the back to allow your friend enough room to spread herself out. She sighs happily, smiling up at you. “Thank-”

Her smile drops and she leans forward. “Uh, I don’t wanna freak you out, but you look…”

As she tries to search for the word, Steve twists around in curiosity and his face falls.

It had been dark when they found you, only really making out features that were undeniably you. Now that there was light, they could see exactly what the missed.

One side of your head was covered entirely in dark red, running down to your jawline. Dirt was smudged across your cheeks, your eyes reddened like you had been crying. Steve could even see the small cuts and scratches on the back of your hands when you tried to cover your face.

“What happened?” Robin asks quietly, reaching to take one of your hands in hers. She wasn’t really a touchy kind of person; physical contact usually made her feel uncomfortable, especially when someone didn’t understand her boundaries. But she’s always had a soft spot for people that accept her. People like you.

You gnaw at your bottom lip, trying to avoid the eyes staring at you.

“Did you hit your head again?” Steve frowns and you take a breath.

“Yep.” You sound and his eyes widen. “Look, I know it’s bad and I probably have a serious concussion right now-”

“Y/n, we’re way past concussion, you’ve hit your head twice in like two days!” He sits up straight and your brows furrow at his worry.

“Okay, calm down.” You pinch the bridge of your nose. “You’re gonna give me a headache. On top of this headache.”

“Jesus, you should have said something!” He continued, not lowering his volume as you implied. He was suddenly reaching forward, leaning towards you and you physically sink back into the seat.

“Woah, what do you think you’re doing there, buddy?” You grimace, but he pays no attention, reaching straight past you and grabbing onto something hidden at the back.

Your eyes widen slightly. “My backpack?”

You hadn’t even thought to look for it when you woke up. It had serious supplies in it as well; food, water, first aid. Basically everything you need to survive.

“Technically mine.” He shoots a look while rifling through its contents. “But yeah. It was left on the side of the road with your shotgun.”

“Huh?” Robin looks up, snapped out of her own reality. “I feel like I’ve missed a huge chunk of Y/n and Steve’s happy-time adventures.”

“Not even a single happy-time, Robs.” You sigh. “I don’t wanna talk about it right now.”

“Here.”

You turn to see Steve’s hand offering you white pills, a little paracetamol to help ease the pain. In his other, he held a water bottle. Without arguing, you silently took them from him and gulped the painkillers down, trying to reserve as much water as you could through the littlest sips.

“I don’t suppose you have an ice pack?” Robin asks and Steve frowns.

“Yes. Yeah, I’ve been carrying around ice in my backpack for almost three days now.” He deadpanned. Robin knotted her brows.

“Sorry.” She said with a huff, sitting back. “Just don’t want my best friend to die on me, I apologise if my panicking leads me to ask stupid questions.”

“I’m not gonna die, Robs.” You say just as you wince, looking up at her. “Well, not right now, at least?”

“If you die, I’m personally gonna climb up to heaven and drag your ass back down.”

“Yeah, like she’s going to heaven.” Steve snorts and you roll your eyes.

“Ooh, burn.” You mock and he clicks his jaw, looking away.

“Don’t die.” He says, getting comfortable. “And if you do, die silently.”

“If any of us were to die tonight, it’s gonna be out of murder.” You grit your teeth and turn to find Robin’s wide eyes glancing between you.

“You guys are terrifying. And on that note, I’m going to sleep.” She shakes her head, snuggling back into the door. “Y/n, don’t kill Steve. And Steve, don’t let Y/n die. I wish everyone a happy nightmare.”

“Story of my life.” Steve mutters before he’s silent again, shutting his eyes.

You don’t fall asleep for a little while, at least not until the meds kick in. You were never good at switching off your thoughts in the silence, especially when there are so many things lurking in the dark around you.

There was that little voice that wondered around your head, exploring the caverns on your memories, pulling out ancient artefacts you had buried as soon as you found them. That little voice right now was leading you through the tumbling series of unfortunate events you recently faced. The monsters, the blood, the shadow. That cold nightmare of the blinking hallway.

It circulated over and over until you tired yourself out from the anxiety. Once you heard Robin’s heavy breaths, you quietly reach over and switch off the flashlight. It was going to take some more time, but your eyelids were already drooping from exhaustion, sleep calling you to unconsciousness. And, eventually, you let yourself drift.

Steve assumed he was the only one awake until the light suddenly disappeared. He had blinked against the plunged darkness before hearing movement behind him. Out the corner of his eye, he could just make out your shape, your head resting gently against the back seat.

He had so many questions. So many he knew you would refuse to answer. And he knows you were never close, even when you weren’t ripping eachother’s throats out. But he couldn’t ignore how much he needed to know to satisfy his mind.

And he was getting really bad at ignoring that pit in his stomach whenever he sees you’re hurt.

You’re stood in a bare room, a bright white bulb flickering above you. It all feels too familiar.

The room stretches into a hallway, the lights illuminating a path for you to take. It takes you a second before you realise you’ve seen this before.

A shattering blast of noise drives you forward. You’ve already done this before and yet, you keep running. You don’t have a choice.

Double doors burst wide open before your hands can even touch them, leading you into a dark corner. You try to leave, suddenly feeling intimidated by the darkness, but the doors slam shut behind you, and you’re alone…

Except you’re not alone this time.

Someone stands further into the room, turned away from you. You should feel scared. But you move closer, somehow feeling safer.

You notice they have longer hair, reaching their shoulder blades. It’s the only feature your mind can decipher, like something was blocking you from the full truth. You reach out, hoping they can help.

But, as you brush against their shoulder, they disappears.

“Never be distracted.” A voice whispers out, distinctively female.

“Don’t look away.” It’s an older man this time, gruff and hoarse.

Then comes a softer voice, male, all too familiar. “Run.”

Screams and yells echo around you, floating like wind whistling past your ears. You knew they were coming and you try to search the dark for anything new. But the noise was just too overwhelming to focus.

Instinctively, you squeeze your eyes shut just as a sudden light is shone down on you, illuminating where you stood. It didn’t blind you this time, and it gave you an opportunity to view a piece to this nightmare you hadn’t seen before.

You opened your eyes to watch a silhouette passing through you, like a ghost. It ran to the front doors and pulled them apart, then it disappeared. You couldn’t make out its features either. You weren’t even sure it had any.

It all happened again. The blood soaked walls and floors, beaming sirens, distant screams.

Your eyes flicker to the door that kept thumping like a heartbeat, growing louder and louder. It would only be seconds before something broke through. And maybe this time, you’d know what it is. And not get distracted-

The bracelet.

Knowing you had time, you turn around quick enough to see that you weren’t alone again. It was the same person as before, still quiet, still faceless. Except this time they were facing you, hair clinging to their face like sweat. They were on the ground, swiping their arms in front of them like they were swatting something away. Or protecting himself.

There was a sudden shift, their shadow bleeding red. Their wrist flicked to the side as they fall back down completely, fading into the floor like they were never there. All that was left, was what had broken from their wrist.

It was the same as the last nightmare; some kind of bracelet, woven by strings. It had something attached, maybe a charm. It glinted in the light. And this time, it had snapped in half, frayed edges of the circling rope. You look a little closer, noticing a figure eight etched into the shiny metal dangling from it. Infinity?

The hairs on your arm raise. A panicked fear strikes your chest. Everything was quiet. You had looked away for too long.

Never be distracted. Don’t look away.

Part of you didn’t want to turn around, already knowing the outcome. But this nightmare had to end.

You slowly turn around.

And it was staring at you, barely a breath away.

Dark green eyes.

“Run.”

You wake up, jolting. There wasn’t a sound that left your lips, no movement from the other sleeping bodies to indicate you had been loud. You were sat silently, back soaked in your own sweat, gulping against your racing heartbeat.

Sighing, you notice the colours of morning peeking through the thin gaps of the tent hiding you, decorating the car with various slices of burning hue.

Your eyes drift to the driver’s seat, soft snores from the head lolled against the window, fogging the glass.

Then you settle on the girl in front of you, her arms wrapped around herself while her legs had been flailed across the back seats, one even over yours. She always fidgeted in her sleep, evidence from the many painful sleepovers you had enjoyed.

Something on her wrist glints in the light, catching your eye. You don’t fully acknowledge it at first, caught in the haze of your waking nightmare. Then it shines again.

A chill ran down your spine, an unhealthy thumping in your chest. How could you have forgotten?

You were the one that gifted her that charm, and you had watched her weave that bracelet onto her wrist, a satisfied smile on her face when she had tied the final strings.

Chapter Nine: An Alliance Or A Mistake? ->

taglist: @manyfandomsfanvergent . @sheisjoeschateau . @kthomps914 . @curled-hair-red-lips . @nix-rose . @palmtreesx3 . @kryztalglear . @sattlersquarry . @hey-barnes-stole-a-jeep . @sadslasher13 . @80saestheticismyfav .

#stranger things x reader #stranger things #fanfic #steve harrington #stranger things reader insert #steve x reader #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington x you #steve harrington x y/n #steve harrington imagine #steve harrington series #apocalypse au #st2 #stranger things au #steve harrington fic #steve harrington fanfiction #robin buckley

[dimsilver]

What's one of your favourite Easter memories? Tell it like a story, please. :) Wax as poetical as you wish.

--Rain

I love this ask so so much!

The one that most readily comes to mind was, surprisingly enough, in 2020. That year I’d felt the longing for Easter’s joy ever since Christmas. I planned to come home from college for Easter so I could worship with my family and friends at my home church. I could hardly wait for it to come, for my soul to feel alive and right and ready to leap for joy.

But when the pandemic hit, and my church moved to video for a few months, the loss of the Easter I’d looked forward to was one of the things that hurt the most. Without my church, without the soaring notes of the choir and the bright faces in every direction, without even the communion meal…could Easter really be right? Would I feel that kindled fire?

So the morning came and my family held an Easter service in our front yard, bare feet in the grass, a few neighbors’ families in their camp chairs six feet away, sermon and songs coming from the small speaker we set in the middle, singing and straining to hear over passing cars, praying that our backup speaker wouldn’t die in the middle of it all.

And my heart did not leap. But as the soft breeze stirred my hair, something stirred inside me, too – not overwhelming exultation, but a quiet peace.

At lunch, my prayer began with thank You and ended there, too, as I realized that all my words would only be to say it again.

And a few hours later, as I sat writing a paper (yes, I still had classwork to do) and listening to Andrew Peterson’s Resurrection Letters Vol. 1, as I tried to sing along to Risen Indeed, my voice failed me and tears came instead. And there it was – the rightness within.

Because the truth was so beautiful in and of itself that it needed no trapping or adornment to blaze forth in all its glory. It met me there, at the computer, on the couch, reaching across two thousand years of rejoicing.

The moment was broken by the shrieking whistle of the tea-kettle, and I missed the rest of the song as I raced to turn it off. But the peace and joy stayed in me, the Easter-feeling deep in the bones.

He is risen indeed.

#Easter #asks

[mrsbsmooth]

2023 Fic Year in Review

Thanks for the tag @longbobmckenzie! 2022 was my second year posting for the fandom :)

In 2023, I...

Finished/wrote the following chaptered WIPs:

Finished Jaded! (That was this year?!)

Off Limits (Football AU)

Famous Last Words (1 or 2 chapters left!)

Auld Lang Syne (A choose-your-own-ending!)

Unhealthy (..... is also a fic I started!)

Untitled different Lewie football fic I'm 12k into

Wrote/completed the following oneshots:

Bruno and Miri Make a Porno (Bruno/MC)

Lady Grifferly's Lover (Noah/MC)

Where everything stands still (Ciaran/MC)

But not quite (Jake/MC)

Delicate (Angie/MC)

He Had to Know (Lucas/MC)

Four Seconds (Bobby/MC)

The colour that you are (Rocco/MC)

Everything else is enthusiasm (Tom/MC)

If you want one of us (Lewie/MC)

Six to go (Bobby, Lucas, Rocco, Henrik, Jake & Gary / MC)

Let me be your woman (Ozzy/MC)

Every minute (Lewie/MC)

Filthy (Hamish/Andy/Marshall/MC)

Dark Eyes Too Hot to Handle - (Wesley/MC)

Daydream Too Hot to Handle - (Antoine/MC)

Ready Too Hot to Handle - (Wesley/MC)

Butterly Too Hot to Handle - (Wesley/MC)

Baby, all I wanna do is coast Too Hot to Handle - (Santi/MC)

Whistle for the Choir (Seb/MC)

I could see this view a hundred times (Tim/MC)

Oh, Paw-lease (Andy/MC)

Measure Twice, Cut Once (Alex/MC)

Employee of the Month (Gary/MC)

To Forgive is Divine Heaven's Secret - (Lucifer/MC)

I just wanna love you, baby (Alex/MC)

Carry On (Roberto/MC)

All I want for Christmas is you (Tom/MC)

Reached the following milestones:

Hit one million words posted.

Hit 70,000 hits across all my fics on Ao3

Completed NaNoWriMo

Didn't die :)

Published 428,169 words in 2023 Wrote for 27 different LIs Wrote for three different fandoms Tagging: @ anyone who wants to join in!

Don't feel obligated! Let's just celebrate the things we've done this year!

Here's to hoping 2024 is another fantastic year!

#mbs writes #year in review #2023 #writing

[iwaoiness]

Feel the rain on your skin

In the interlude between sets, music dances as usual in the air, accompanying the whispers of the break. Oikawa is more than used to it and enjoys watching Matias swaying to the beat of his favourite tunes while the coach imparts his final instructions.

This time, however, as they hydrate and wipe the sweat off with their towels during the brief interlude before the start of the last set, a rhythm all too familiar flows from the speakers and reaches Tooru's ears. He furrows his brow, turning away from his group to listen better.

And that familiarity hits him like a freight train as he recognizes the song. His eyes widen like saucers, immediately turning his head towards one of the stands, on the other side of the playing area, and before he can even be aware of what he's doing, he's running. Oikawa doesn't hear the shouts of his teammates or his coaching staff, nor the surprised screams of the fans as they see him approaching. He only has ears for the song, only eyes for the person who is also running downstairs towards him.

Oikawa's laughter rings out joyously as their gazes intertwine, and Iwaizumi returns the smile before descending the final steps and covering the last stretch to the billboard, harnessing the momentum of the run to plant his hands on it and vault over.

Just a few more verses until the chorus arrives, the climax drawing near as Tooru does the same.

As the female voice melds with the choir, when an energetic release your inhibitions reverberates throughout the stadium, as that moment of pause arrives, Oikawa halts before a smiling Iwaizumi. Both sport flushed cheeks and slightly laboured breaths, yet their eyes gleam with excitedness, and then...

"Feel the rain on your skin!” They sing at the same time, the voices somewhat unsteady and off-key, but full of genuine joy that washes over them, tantalizing their senses. "No one else can feel it for you" Wave their hands downwards at the same time, moving loosely in place, mirroring each other's movements with perfect synchronicity. "Only you" and point to each other, smiles widening, Oikawa's eyes narrowing into crescent moons, Iwaizumi's dimples blooming like tulips in spring "can let it in!" they bring their hands to their chests and nod. "No one else, no one else!" And sway back and forth, shaking their hands and heads in rhythm "Can speak the words on your lips! Drench yourself in words unspoken!" They continue their dance, locked in each other's gaze, oblivious to the stares, to the dozens and dozens of mobile phones above them, to their figures now being broadcast on the stadium's big screens.

It's just the two of them. It's Tooru and Hajime back in Japan after almost three years across the ocean. It's Tooru and Hajime in the courtyard of the setter's house, struggling to learn the choreography that Oikawa saw on TikTok and that I need to learn this shit and so do you, Iwa-chan! It's Tooru and Hajime being the same dorks they always were despite the distance, the phone calls, the fights, the video calls, the loneliness, the surprise trips, the crying. It’s Tooru and Hajime as much in love as ever.

"Live your life with arms wide open!" They continue, extending their arms gracefully and drawing nearer, fingers pointing downwards as the words today is where is heard, pointing at each other again in the your and gesturing with their hands the book gesture when the verse ends with book begins.

And then, laughter finally bubbles up and their bodies collide as they throw themselves towards each other in a tight embrace, as if merging into one, with the applause and whistles of the fans (and players too) in the background.

Oikawa's weariness evaporates, the love in Iwaizumi's heart overflows.

“Told you the dance would come in handy at some point" Tooru whispers softly near Hajime's ear.

He feels a squeeze at his waist where Hajime's hand rests, solid and warm even through the fabric of his shirt. And he also hears Iwaizumi snorting with amusement before he turns his head away long enough for their eyes to meet again. Iwa-chan's were always like that, intense and deep, and also full of tenderness and affection.

"You call useful to dancing during a break in the quarterfinals of the Volleyball National League?"

Oikawa shrugs, playfully.

"Maybe it will bring luck. You should dance with me before every set."

Hajime laughs again, shaking his head before leaning in and kissing him affectionately. A kiss of just lips and I love you hidden.

"We will see, darling." He whispers, a promise hidden there too.

...

probably the best thing i write about this two

u can find me on my ao3 🍉

#iwaoi #oikawa tooru #iwaizumi hajime #haikyuu!! #oikawa x iwaizumi #haikyuu #hq fluff #iwaizumi fluff #oikawa fluff #soft and fluffy #hajime iwaizumi #pro volleyball oikawa #feel the rain on your skin #hq oikawa #iwaoi drabble #haikyuu drabble #iwaoi fluff #iwaoi headcanon #iwaoi fic #this is canon your honor #they are so in love your honor

[a-moth-to-the-light]

Most-Listened of March 2024

[last month]

This was such an exciting month of releases--Purplekiss, Day6, BLEACHERS?? Chung Ha gave us a couple of songs, Nina Suárez came back out of nowhere, Lucy dropped a single, OLIVIA RODRIGO IS BACK?? I've been super excited for the J-Hope album, too, but I haven't been emotionally ready to check it out, yet, since I want to have the energy to really love it! Not to mention the Seori EP-- PLUS Bol4 and StayC both dropped some covers of huge 2019 k-pop hits.

And that isn't all. The highlights of my month were seeing Bruce Springsteen (only my favorite artist ever.) and Gregory Alan Isakov in concert(s)! So honestly, I'm a little overwhelmed by just how exciting music is right now. (It doesn't help that this month gave me my first album of the year candidate, too!!) This post will be my opportunity to go a little wild, then :)

1. Leopardos -- Ine Güemes

I should not enjoy this listening experience as much as I do. That whistling noise should annoy me by now, after all these listens, right? ... Right? Nope. I love it. This song is so soothing, it's literally the musical equivalent of a deep breath.

2. Appaloosa Bones -- Gregory Alan Isakov

Concert prep + THE sulking song this month. Look, I'm a guy who needs my daily floor time (floor time. perhaps you require it.), and it always involves considerable sulking. (At this rate, you're gonna see a sulking song on this list every single month. It's a tradition now!) I've been losing it about "Was I that gone? / Man, I hope not / Glad you found me when you did" and "The pages slow / in the room I called your name" and "They haven't made no pill / To get us across the winter time" ...

3. All Things End -- Hozier

You know what ended? My eight-week class. *sigh of relief* All things end, truly! Now I just need the reminder that this semester will end, too...

4. Death To My Hometown -- Bruce Springsteen

I'd never heard this one before, but I ASCENDED when I heard it live (the horns section was. fantastic.) and I left it on repeat all month post-concert.

5. The Ledge -- Fleetwood Mac

This song makes me proud of my music taste, honestly--see, I can like weird experimental stuff, too! It sounds wonderfully, comfortingly crowded--like the ambient noise from a nearby café, or like falling asleep with the TV on. I don't know, it's just a feeling I find myself really enjoying. I'm also SO deeply in love with the round-style singing (see: "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" rounds in middle school choir) Fleetwood Mac sometimes does (see: my obsession with "Paper Doll"), and they do it in this song !!

6. I Don't Want to Know -- Fleetwood Mac

I like this one for the same reason I like "Second Hand News"--that cheerful self-deprecation just never fails to draw me in. ("Second Hand News" is still better, though!)

7. Smart -- Le Sserafim

Does anyone NOT like this song? I missed the Eve Psyche hype train last year, so this one's hitting me doubly hard. I think the sweeter tone of "Smart" suits Le Sserafim's vocals much better, and the production is just plain adorable! This has been my go-to song during classes, when I need something to cheer me up without making me too overwhelmed.

8. Luz -- Ine Güemes

That vocal processing is SUCH a standout--so soft and hazy and fluffy, just a fascinating texture when you really focus on it, but endlessly pleasant when you leave it on loop and zone out, too. (Look, I REALLY loved this album this month.)

9. Nota de Voz -- Los Hermanos Laser

Classic indie boy music! I like "Azul Plateado" from this album, too, and I have a feeling the whole album will hit for me during the summer--I tend to like that exhausted-sounding alt-rock stuff a whole lot around July & August :)

10. Light Sprite -- Baby Pantera, Isabella Lovestory

Thanks for the rec, @pocima !!

11. I Am Right On Time -- Bleachers

This is a weirdly muted album for Bleachers (especially on the heels of "Stop Making This Hurt" and "How Dare You Want More" from their last album), and this is the most weirdly muted of them all--I really feel like it should be... more, somehow? But it's still quite a cathartic listening experience, and I keep coming back to it!

12. Really Like You -- Gyubin

I've started giving myself 30 minutes of reading time in the mornings, to help me wake up and not be completely miserable about it, so I've been reading a whole bunch of webtoons. (Hell, maybe I'll read a book one day!) This one's the perfect cutesy webtoon soundtrack, and I think it might be here because I left it on repeat while reading Blooming Season?? (I just finished catching up with Jackson's Diary, and I think I'm gonna start Death of a Pop Star next!) Anyway, Gyubin sounds lovely here, can't wait for a comeback!

13. Self Respect -- Bleachers

The production on this song is just SO exciting overall!! But I'm mostly here for the saxophone. God, it's not even that much of the song but it's gorgeous !!!

14. Nieve Sin Fin -- Ine Güemes

Nice aesthetic piano :)

15. Rush -- Twice

I love how dizzying this song is--it's chaotic and overwhelming in the most wonderful way! I was a little disappointed by it when I first listened to the album, I think because their vocals here are much softer than usual. When I let myself get swept away in the production, though, I totally get the appeal.

Five-Star Songs (& Albums!) This Month

BBB -- Purplekiss (the tiktok-music trend finally got me last year--against my will, admittedly. unfortunately for me, "bbb" is a fantastic example of that easy-listening, viral-tiktok sound from a group i'm already obsessed with, so of course i'm a huge fan. great vocal performances and silky songwriting? yeah, it's great--the muted aesthetic doesn't bug me at all--and i actually kind of love the super-short horn sections in the chorus. they're surprisingly full-sounding!)

Beam Beam -- Jeon Soyeon (i didn't get this one at all when it first came out, but i've warmed up to it over the years--and this month it just HIT. it's the perfect showcase of soyeon's energy, and it's such a rush!!)

Death To My Hometown -- Bruce Springsteen (five stars bc it has the words "robber barons" in it!!)

Girl I've Always Been -- Olivia Rodrigo (i keep underestimating olivia rodrigo's power as a performer. of course she could make this country-sounding track work. of course she could make it my favorite from the album in an instant. who am i to question??)

Hey Joe -- Bleachers (a sing-along for the politically disillusioned. happy 2024, fellow usamericans. well, at least the harmonies here are delightful!)

Jesus is Dead -- Bleachers (i mentioned that this album is unusually muted for bleachers--not dull as in 'boring in terms of production or songwriting', but dull as in dead-eyed and zombie-like. the vocal delivery, especially, is unusually bland and flat. "jesus is dead" is definitely the best use of this half-asleep, grayscale aesthetic on the album--a song as hopeless and monotone as its delivery. it's strange and stylish and messy, too, AND there's also a sax solo ?? and it works great ?? i admire it so so so much--i'm very surprised this didn't make the most-listened list, i've been looping it a whole bunch.)

The Ledge -- Fleetwood Mac

Self Respect -- Bleachers (re: saxophone.)

White Rabbit -- Jefferson Airplane (i don't think it's much of a hot take at all to say this one is fantastic. i heard it for the first time in february, and i've been completely obsessed since!!)

Heráldica -- Saramalacara (okay, i've had like. a week. with this album, but it was love at first listen--and "humo" already had my heart, anyway. the atmospherics are breathtaking, the production crisp and intense, and saramalacara's voice // the vocal production here fits SO well!! there's a song called ".tumblr" that's definitely worth checking out, though i enjoy every song on here !! except "_cuervos". i admire that one but god it disturbs me i never want to hear it again.)

Qué Nos Mantiene Despiertos -- Ine Güemes (first album of the year candidate of 2024 !!! not much of a surprise, i'm sure, given my top 15. more breathtaking atmospherics, but in the exact opposite direction of heráldica! this album is full of really unique textures, but all that chaos doesn't make it any less soothing. each song is distinct, but they all come together into this sweet, fluffy youtube-lofi-mix type of experience--and look, i'm a college student. could i ask for anything more in an album?)

#me when 2024 #magnetic hasn't really hit for me yet #but it's adorable! and so is the dance! i'm always slow to get debuts so #definitely a great debut tho #and i need to check out the unis album !!

[wizardpigeon]

Its actually wild to me this video going round tiktok at the minute,

The whole "untold dangers of transition" thing?

Haven't seen the whole thing just snippets but particularly the "you will lose your singing voice" bit is driving me nuts

My brother in Christ you are taking a hormone treatment, that is done to produce the affects of puberty, which, traditionally, fucks around with your voice a bit

However it's very temporary

I had a few months where I couldn't utter a word above growling because noise literally stopped coming out of me at a certain volume and pitch, I cannot whistle bc i lost it during that and i have dogs so i cannot practice

I have a whole playlist of songs that I made specifically for figuring out what I could sing without my voice cracking during the shifts, and yknow what? Sure I can't hit the same high notes I used to but I've never had any kind of vocal training, I sing because I enjoy it

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0tQIc3z4kP1uv73lZMhQWG?si=5pb2-lPCTxuYjkjBqzfeVw&pi=e-VYhYDhNHSCOD

I'm way better at country music now, I enjoy singing way more actually because I'm not struggling to pitch my voice lower on my favourite songs, and when im able to hear it over the song i actually like what i hear

Like yeah youre gonna "lose" the way you sang before hrt, but you also "lost" the way you sang before og puberty,

Have a little patience, stick it out, if youre in a choir or something your position might change idk anything about choirs, but it's not like someone's ripped your vocal cords from you

You just have to relearn how you sing,

And yeah, it's a lil freaky when it happens, I didn't sing for a while and it freaked my mum out no end, but I was literally just waiting for my voice to stop breaking every third word,

There are songs that I've always been able to sing perfectly, that I still can, but now in partnership with the singer instead of matching them

You aren't losing anything, and it certainly isn't untold, because, voice changes are like, the main thing people talk about going on testosterone for,

It's gonna be ok you just gotta find your range

#transition #transgender #transmasc #ftm #trans hrt #hormone replacement therapy #trans community #Spotify

[justforbooks]

Although there was never any such phenomenon as Whittakermania, Roger Whittaker, who has died aged 87, built a huge international following in a career that spanned six decades. As the Boston Globe noted of his stage performances: “No one gets high. No one gets hysterical with excitement. And yet Roger Whittaker is one of the most popular entertainers in the world.”

Whittaker’s smooth baritone voice and songs of love, loss and yearning endeared him to audiences worldwide. His best known songs, where his voice was invariably accompanied by keening strings, included 1969’s Durham Town (the Leavin’), I Don’t Believe in If Anymore (1970), which reached No 8 in the UK, The Last Farewell (1971, reissued in 1975 to become a Top 20 hit in the US and a chart-topper in 11 countries), and Wind Beneath My Wings (1982).

He also had a trademark whistling ability, which he used to perform The Skye Boat Song in a duet with Des O’Connor, reaching the UK Top 10 in 1986.

Though he did not rack up chart hits as prolifically as the Beatles or Abba, his frequent TV and live appearances made him a household name in many countries. In the mid-1980s, he was acknowledged as Germany’s most successful recording artist. He made several recordings in German, singing the lyrics phonetically since he could not speak the language.

He was never fashionable, but never out of fashion with his audience. When he recorded a song such as Green, Green Grass of Home, it lacked the drama of Tom Jones’s version and his treatment of Song Sung Blue was homelier and more avuncular than Neil Diamond’s original, but it all became Whittaker music.

He liked to say he represented the “silent majority”. He defined this as “the kind of person who when he marries becomes a parent and a taxpayer and devotes himself to bringing up his children properly – all in all, a pretty straight-down-the-line guy”.

In the 70s, when rock music was dominating the record industry, Whittaker was dropped by his label, RCA, despite the fact that he had sold several million discs. He decided to market his 1977 album, All My Best, on TV. “I was the first act to go on TV with records,” he said. All My Best sold nearly 1m copies.

Born in Nairobi, Kenya, he was the son of Vi (nee Showan) and Edward Whittaker, who had owned a grocery shop in Staffordshire, but moved to a farm near Thika after Edward sustained serious injuries in a motorcycle accident and had been advised that a hot, dry climate would aid his recuperation.

Edward developed a new grocery business, while Vi worked as a teacher. Roger, who could speak Swahili before he learned English, attended the Prince of Wales school (now Nairobi school). He had begun learning the guitar at seven.

After school, where he had sung in the choir, he was called up for national service. He was posted to the Kenya Regiment, and for two years was involved in fighting the anti-colonial Mau Mau rebels. He subsequently attended the University of Cape Town to study medicine, but after 18 months he left and trained to be a teacher.

In 1959 he moved to Britain and enrolled at Bangor University in north Wales, where he studied zoology, biochemistry and marine biology. He also began to make his first moves into music, playing gigs to earn some cash and recording songs on flexi discs distributed with the university newspaper.

These provoked interest from Fontana records, and in 1962 his first single releases were The Charge of the Light Brigade and Steel Men.

He played concerts in Northern Ireland and appeared on the Ulster TV show This and That, and his career developed with constant touring around Britain.

“I learned how to entertain in the clubs of the north-east of England, the working men’s clubs where the miners go,” he said. In 1964 he married Natalie O’Brien.

By 1968 he was touring internationally and even had a TV showcase in the Soviet Union. At the 1968 Knokke song contest in Belgium, Whittaker performed If I Were a Rich Man, from the musical Fiddler on the Roof, and his own whistling composition, Mexican Whistler, helping Britain to win the competition, and both tunes were hits in France, the Netherlands and Belgium. In 1969 he scored his first UK Top 20 hit with Durham Town (the Leavin’), which reached No 12. Its easy-listening mixture of sentimentality and nostalgia, with its mournful references to war and bereavement, was typical of Whittaker’s work.

He revisited his African background in the documentary film Roger Whittaker in Kenya: A Musical Safari (1982), and in 1986 he published his autobiography (written with his wife), So Far, So Good. Three years later, he received the news that his parents had been attacked by a gang of robbers in Kenya, leaving his father dead and his mother brutally beaten. She subsequently moved back to Britain.

Outside music, Whittaker had a shrewd eye for antiques. His collection of paintings, furniture and works of art was auctioned by Sotheby’s in 1999 for more than £1m, at the same time as he sold his Herefordshire home and moved to Essex. Latterly he lived in the south of France.

He is survived by Natalie and by their five children, Emily, Lauren, Jessica, Guy and Alexander, 12 grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and his sister, Betty.

🔔 Roger Henry Brough Whittaker, singer and songwriter, born 22 March 1936; died 13 September 2023

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at Just for Books…?

#just for books #Roger Whittaker #in memoriam

[thevagabondexpress]

tell me all about pinataland!! what you like about them, etc etc, how they just hit that spot for you and everything!! like I feel like there isn’t a ‘from my hometown and similar kind of neurodivergent and age and just amazing at describing that experience in Exactly Sound That Feels Good To Me’ band for everyone but we can get that magic in different formulas!! so tell me what it is for you!

my traveling companions / are whistling through the canyons . . .

okay, so, picture. you're me. it's 2021. you've just finished reading the last hours (books 2 & 3), you're mildly obsessed with a faux-documentary show about ufo conspiracies called hellier, and you've failed two classes you absolutely would not have signed up for if you'd known the pandemic would shut everything down and you'd be doing them virtually. you're in (thankfully, in person) summer school. you're actually kind of glad for this because thanks to The Varus(tm) there's nothing else to do. you think the song at the end of an episode is kinda fun so you sit through the credits to find out what it's called, as you do. it turns out to piñataland's "ashland."

two hours later you are waist-deep into songs for the forgotten future vol. 1, the album that will be the entire personality of your genderbent tid fanfic if you ever get around to writing it. these guys are unhinged. opening samples of everything from soviet military choirs to edwardian pop hits (ada jones's "mysterious moon" we're lookin' at you) at the start of their songs, halfway between polka marching band and eerie dark folk rock, screaming violins and i guarantee you that is a real sousaphone and not a synthesizer (i know, i looked up a video). come to find out what they do is they make songs about weird events from history. "the death of silas deane" is about, you guessed it, silas deane, and not just his death either. "devil's airship" is about mysterious ufo sightings over aurora, texas in the 1890s. "the fall of sam patch" is about the america's first daredevil, a cliff diver and protest performance artist in the 1820s: when the song speaks of jumping off a cliff in jersey, it's not about suicide; patch survived this jump and went on to survive many more.

it's a band that, frankly, sounds like the devil's chorus from charlie daniels's "the devil went down to georgia" sometimes. but i love that about them. i love the complexity of a song that has fiddles, and a sousaphone, and the more you listen the more musical layers you find, but also the simplicity of the "the dreadful night" which is just just a guy and a piano. i love digging into the little history tidbits they offer. and they're inspiring. as an author they match my writing style in a very inexplicable way. the number of scenes that i've written that come from listening to pinataland songs is too high. and sometimes i've just had too much caffeine and i want to listen to evil violin music.

#piñataland

[all-will-be--well]

The Maybe Man

ok no one asked, but here is my AJR album review, song by song:

🌀 Maybe Man: I love this. I have a special place in my heart for all their album openers, they always give me chills. I can't wait to see them open with this live, especially when it goes so hard at the end! I've danced to this a lot already. Also learning that each verse references one song on the album! like a table of contents! I love them so much.

💔  Touchy Feely Fool: Very cute, and fun to sing along with. Probably like a solid 7 or 8 out of 10. Great to listen to, and has grown on me after listening to that Zach Sang interview and learning a little backstory

👍  Yes I'm A Mess: One of my faves from the album. I feel like such a badass walking around listening to this. Wish I could whistle!! The only thing i can't stand is the very end. I don't mind the tempo change but I don't like the slo mo voices that sound like a toy running out of batteries

🤓 The Dumb Song: More mid-tier for me. Got a great swing to it, and the instrumental breaks are really fun to dance to like a total idiot. I like to try out the lamest dance moves and just really commit to it. Lyric-wise, it's cute but reminds me of male weaponized incompetence (I know this isn't the intention, just what i think about), so it makes me feel a little weird if I think about it too much. Can't wait to hear a whole crowd scream "You should nooooot have done that!"

▶️ Inertia: Currently, this is my FAVORITE song on the album. It's fun, it's meaningful, it's got a great beat, and there are sounds that bring me back to past albums so it feels almost nostalgic. They used the instrumentals a lot in their promos for this album, and I can see why. It's both angelic with the choir sounds, and dark with the reverb/bass sounds. So good.

🧍‍♂️ Turning Out Pt iii : Always appreciate the Turning Out songs. Personally, the original is still my favorite. But even that one took me listening to it a dozen times before it really HIT, and then i was crying in the car. So maybe the same will happen with this one someday! Also if i'm not mistaken it's Ryan on vocals? So that's fun to have a change (though honestly he and Jack sound so similar)

🧠  Hole in the Bottom of My Brain: Gosh, so fun! Has that kind of nursery rhyme theme where it builds on itself (swallowed the spider to catch the fly, etc). However, unlike a nursery rhyme, the lyrics are kinda complicated to it's hard to sing along to. I'm sure people will be singing along by the time they're performing it live, like everyone memorizing the rambling line from Karma.

💿 The DJ is Crying for Help: I want to like this one more than I do. Don't get me wrong, I do like it! I think I just find it a little auditorily overwhelming. Like the string arpeggios are awesome, but I can't listen to that and the back up vocals and other sound effects at the same time. idk. To quote my favorite movie, Amadeus: "There are simply too many notes"

🙅🏻‍♂️ I Won't: This one has been out for a while so I feel like I've listened to it a lot already. Definitely makes me swagger walking around my apartment like I'm a total badass. Doesn't get my blood rushing like some of the others, but again that might just be because I've heard it a lot already.

🎡Steve's Going to London: Took me a few play-throughs to actually realize it wasn't just a nothing song! I appreciate them kinda breaking the 4th wall in a very AJR way. This song has grown on me with each listen! Very fun to sing and dance to, and has a great beat. My prediction is that this song will have a lot of special effects when they perform it live. We'll see...

💜 God is Really Real: RIP Gary ❤️ I love that their dad became a beloved part of the fandom. Very touching that they released this song early when it became clear they didn't have much longer with their dad. Beautiful, meaningful addition to the album.

🍂 2085: Perfectly packages up the album! The lyrics say that the old-timey voice says "You are not alone, young child, young child" which is NOT what it sounds like?? So hopefully that gets cleared up. I've seen some claiming it's a Yanny/Laurel situation, and tbh i wouldn't put it past the boys to find a way to do that on purpose. (I hear "You are my heart grown, just know, just know" which i know doesn't really make sense, but it's sweet to me) But the lyrics at the end "You've gotta get better, you're all that I got" give me chills. And then switching to "I gotta get better, I'm all that I got" 😭 . Also loves that it connects so perfectly back to Maybe Man so I can just listen to the album on repeat without interruption

 THE END

#AJR #ajr brothers #the maybe man #i love them a lot okay

[tomb-bloom-noctem]

I love you Top 40 Hits, I love you indie music, I love you Broadway musicals, I love you video game OSTs, I love you concert setlists, I love you scores and soundtracks, I love you harmonies and melodies and rhythms, I love you bass and tenor and alto and soprano and every voice type, I love you demos and lost tracks, I love you studio recordings and live performances, I love you clefs and music notes, I love you a cappella and instrumental, I love you choirs and orchestras, I love you humming and whistling and beatboxing and drumming on any available surface, I love you covers and interpolations and samplings and reimagings and remixes, I love you music.

#tomb talks #music #movie soundtrack #video game soundtrack #orchestra #broadway #choir #pop music #indie music #rock music

[boxwinebaddie]

do they like musicals?

ohhhhh my god....listen i wanna say no so bad but....HDKSHLHD i can't it's not true.....RIP

like i just know stan was in choir all four years and the things that Does to your brain chemistry....oooooof. like i just KNOW he was annoying. i know during christmas him and the first soprano girls were trying to hit that mariah carey whistle tone note in all i want for christmas is you there are tears in my fucking eyes smh smh smh

also canonically in pep bebe and stan were leads in the *high school musical vc* ~spring musicale~

( yes it was guys and dolls idk why i chose guys and dolls i just thought it would be hella funny if i made bebe a biblethumper and stan a cool gangster i know kyle was in the audience crying and throwing up literally the whole time...bebe and stan were also crying and throwing up they hate eachother so much....

....but ACTUALLY!!!!!! like when they had to actually kiss on opening night and the scene ended they both ran off stage rETCHING like LOUD GAGGING SOUNDS SCREAMING CRYING!!!!! ALL DRAMATIC LIKE EWEWEWEWEW EW EW EW E WKILLMEKILLMEKILLEME I HOPE I DIE THAT WAS SO DISGUSTING THAT WAS TORTURE WE ARE IN HELL HELL IS A PLACE WE LIVE EW HLKHSDLDKHSDSLH AND THEY HAD TO DO THAT FOR TWO MORE NIGHTS!!! JAIL FOREVER!!!!!! its so funny to me that bebe and stan are literally the most beautiful and popular kids at sp high and like several people would die to kiss them and they are like i would rather end it all fr....not even enemies to lovers its just ON SIGHT!!!!! help help help

also i do think i am hilarious for making bebe a raven bias in RM...lets see how long that lasts askhdksahd )

also...how do you think stan passed us history....? by studying? with knowledge? HELL NO BABY!!!!!!! that man memorized all of hamilton I WILL NOT BE TAKING CRITICISM AT THIS TIME!!!!!!!! kyle was so mad i know he was FUMING like stan you cant use a musical as factual evidence and hes like WATCH ME KYLE!!!!

that c-....wow. go stan GO! THATS MY BOOOOOOOOOOY

it really is a mixed bag for kyle who is like ah i get to hear stan sing but the con is he is so FUCKING annoying shsjdajdlsl like actually their entire friendship and relationship is like wow stan is so pre--PRETTY FUCKING ANNOYING HO-LY SHIT NEVERMIND DAMN

also the gag of rm is that kyle is basically trapped in a muscial like everyone is singing and dancing and he is like please get me the hell out of here what the fuck is happening

also pep!kyle totally gets dragged to musicals by stan and is like that was actually hell on earth i would rather shove glass in my ears then ever do that again you are so sick and twisted for that...

AND THEN STAN CATCHES HIM SINGING????????? HUMMING THAT SHIT!!!!! BUSTED BITCH!!!!!

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT HIIIIIIIIM!!!!!

...tbh i think kyle is secretly extremely invested in the story aspects and actually thinks a lot of the musical scores are v beautiful so...

sigh....

with a heavy heart i must confirm...

they are musical boyfriends.

actually horrifying.

-uncle nina who is not a proud father atm

P.S. wait i had a thought askhdlksadh

in rm its.....flip flopped

u know wht i think rm kyle actually does like musicals because they are tasteful and definitely cries help askhdlksad

and ravenstan definitely does not like....if u held him at gunpoint he would shoot himself...several times to make sure he was really dead

its not even like he secretly thinks he is good he would actually rather be dead he actually will set the time machine back and sit in that burning house with shelley smh its too cringe for him

ok now im actually done thank u for coming to my ted talk <3

#this was physically painful for me #but like.... #its just true #like if u dont think stan was an annoying ass choir boy i dont want to hear it ur wrong #like there aint no way baby #him and bebe had so many choir solos and duets it was so horrible they want to kill eachother so bad #they like cannot play nice not even for wendy its so unserious #also kyle closetly enjoys musicals YOU WILL NEVER HEAR HIM ADMIT THAT THO #its def flipped in rm tho #like i cannot make ravenstan watch a musical he would be in actual pain the whole time #that man belongs at punk shows only he cannot watch a jazz square he would bust up laughing and jersey kyle would murder him #anyways...boyfriends #edit: im still laughing at this five minutes later whoever sent this bless u and also u are so wrong for this #ALSO BEBE AND STAN WANTING TO KILL EACH OTHER IN PEP IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE SIDE PLOTS THAT SHIT IS SO FUNNY

[cactuupng]

😶‍🌫️

Music helps Mumbo relax, which is why he sometimes starts humming or singing to himself when he's nervous or stressed

During LastLife, Mumbo and the other Southlanders would sing around a campfire to lower the stress, lighten the mood. They would sing when resource gathering sometimes, a joyful town as they run from whatever mob they encountered

When Mumbo turned red, the only voice from the choir you could hear was his. The sound of whistling hitting through the silence of the dead of night. It was like all he could do was sing to himself

This didn't change as Grian held Mumbo's dying body close, both quietly humming and singing for the last time to show that everything is going to be okay

#and then they wake up in s8 and everyone is happy and great now #and definitely don't have any trauma whatsoever :-D /j #mumbo #cactuu talks

[crossroadsdimension]

So I picked up the Trigun Stampede OST and I am just digging these tunes so much. A lot more than the 90s Trigun OST, actually.

Not that the old anime’s music is bad -- it works quite well for the show it was written for, as cowboy Western as it is -- but TriStamp’s songs just feel more full somehow. There’s more going on with the instrumentation in places than I’m noticing in the other anime’s songs -- partly because of everything going on with Knives and how orchestral that part of the soundtrack gets.

But I’m currently rocking out to “Mystery Man,” the third song on the track, which I think we could say is Vash’s theme as much as “Tombi” is. Most of it is very Western-cowboy feeling with the bass, harmonica, probably finger cymbals, and I think a bass saxophone.

But then you add in some choir vocals, guitar, and some distant chimes and suddenly it sounds a lot more full. Like, “hey, there’s something hiding here under the surface, and wouldn’t you like to know what it is?” We’re getting a glimpse at the person Vash is, and then it’s gone, and we’re back to the sax, bass, and harmonica with some whistling this time. Like the mysterious man noticed you staring and is trying to keep his secret under wraps.

And then we get another saxophone coming in -- alto this time, or maybe a tenor playing in the upper octaves -- to carry the melody while the vocals come back in, teasing us with “Don’t you want to know who he is? Hmmm? He’s more than just what he looks like, can’t you see what we’re telling you?”

Vash is desperately trying to keep it all under wraps, of course, but the littlest of sneak peeks is sneaking through despite his best efforts, if you know where to look.

And I just love that.

As a percussionist in a fairly musical family, I just dig these songs in the OSTs and what they do and don’t tell you. They hit the right kind of vibe to jive with the Western-cowboy atmosphere of the old Trigun anime if you listen to them one right after another, but there’s also a hint of secrets and strangeness in the new songs -- especially when they veer away from the cowboy feel and more into the strings -- that just helps pull you along with “okay, this isn’t just a space Western. What the heck else is going on here...?”

#cross' rambling #trigun #trigun stampede #music #music analysis #I'm an English major not a music major so feel free to take some of this with a grain of salt #but as someone who's taken mallets to a marimba #I'm pretty confident with my ability to read what the music is telling me