#also yes this includes a Mitski song…couldn’t help myself

[bluemojave]

“I Will”

this is a oneshot i wrote with @lee-by-thy-side ‘s wonderfully fun group of cultist reject™️ ocs for @scungilliwoman’s gift exchange! if you haven’t read about Jules and the gang, i highly recommend it- fell in love with them while working on these gifts.

People she grew up with: her friend’s parents, teachers, even the waitresses at restaurants; they were all being indoctrinated or violently killed. Her favorite trees in the woods of the mountains were burning, the wolves that she’d once loved as if her own pets dragging innocent victims to their demises. The decimation of the county was systematic and organized and everywhere, so very in character for her father.

But nights like these, sitting around a campfire in the lawn of Hope County prison that she and her fellow ‘cult rejects’ have taken refuge in, with the fire warming her aching muscles and the stars bright and visible despite all the carnage- she was reminded of how it could be beautiful. For a second, she could close her eyes and remember when the woods were not a place to fear angels or kidnapping or gunfire, but somewhere to explore. When the county felt like a breath of fresh air after the hustle and bustle of Atlanta. Packed dirt under her feet, pine needles in her fiery red hair, and her voice hoarse from laughing so hard as she chased after her friends- that was what Hope County was supposed to be. The shitty small town of her late childhood that she adored but had to leave; not out of forcefulness, but so she could grow and see the world. It was supposed to be like a snow globe, somewhere she could eventually come back to and find everything basically the same as she left it- a short refuge in the storm of the real world.

But now it wasn’t. Now it was hell.

Tony’s voice is what eventually gets her out of her thoughts. “You good, Julie?”

Mar waves a hand in front of her face, incidentally blowing smoke into her eyes that brings her to her feet. “Yeah what’s- whoops, sorry dude.”

“Hey, you should be flattered! My Dad always said smoke follows beauty.” Liam winks at that, making the rest of the group huff and exaggeratedly roll their eyes.

“No, no- it’s fine! I’m fine. I was just thinking about stuff.” After looking at her friend’s expectant gazes, she sighs and sits back down, eyes still stinging slightly. “Y’know-“

Before she can continue, Sharky’s stumbling out of the prison door, package in hand, with Hurk Jr. sprinting (aka, mall-walking) behind him to catch up.

“Aye- Jullio, uh, Julius- JULES!” He practically falls onto the ground next to her, thankfully protecting his bulky gift by gripping it close to his chest. “Hurk and I, we uh-“

“WE GOT YOU A GUITAR!”

Boshaw is back up on his feet instantly, guitar momentarily forgotten as he confronts his cousin. Their argument is mostly incoherent, but Juliard is used to their banter enough to pick up the main part. “I thought you and me agreed we’d do it together-“

“- I know but c’mon man look at how bummed she is with her crazy daddy and all that-“

“- well now I’m sad-“

“A guitar?!” Jules finally interjects, her blue eyes shining as she cradles it in her arms. Despite the scuffs and scratches, all the strings were still in tact- it just needed to be tuned. “This is amazing- thank you!”

Sharky and Hurk turn from each other to face her, looking rather bashful at her praise.

“Aw, well we knew you needed a lil’ pick me up and you’ve always been so good. Your momma’d be proud.” Jr. beams, cheeks flush in the firelight as Boshaw drags him to an empty spot in front of the fire.

“So…you gonna play?” The ex-con asks, taking off his hat shyly, as if he was ashamed to ask. But of course, that was the whole reason they brought it to her in the first place- the duo were sick and tired of that peggie bullshit on the radio. And lil’ Julie was the perfect target for musical distraction.

However, the red-head looks almost anxious at the prospect of playing in front of everyone- especially as the sight of her with a guitar is starting to draw in crowds. “Ohh, I don’t know. I’m kinda rusty to be honest-“

“Lies” Mar retorts, crossing her arms over her chest. “I’ll throw that thing into the fire if you-“

“NO! No, no- I’ll play, I’ll play.”

Maria smiles, clearly satisfied as she stands to drag Jules into the prison where they can listen from behind the safety of closed doors. The angels were not going to be paying the prison a visit tonight.

The group of refugees and guards follow, their precious melancholy temporarily dispersed by the promise of good music. Only when all the doors slam shut and the crowd gathers in front of her does she realize just how many people are listening; desperate for an escape from the Reaping.

“What do y’all wanna hear?”

There’s a bit of grumbling and a few odd shouts for classic rock, hymns (this gets a few boos), and pop until Liam’s voice chimes over the crowd. “Play what you’d want to hear.”

Oh. That’s almost sweet.

Juliard can feel her pale cheeks flush as she nods and begins to tune the guitar.

What do I want to hear?

She closes her eyes again and thinks of her grandparents. The gentle feeling of a wooden comb through her hair as Granny Wilma carefully worked out the knots, softly singing old nursery rhymes she never seemed to get tired. Papa Otis- so strong and generous despite his old age, so willing to help others before himself. And then she opened them again and looked out at the crowd; they were exhausted, hungry, and desperate for peace. They needed help too, and music was something she could give to them.

“I will take good care of you. I will take good care of you-” As the young girl sings she makes sure to make eye contact with as many people as she can, the lyrics a message she wants each refugee here to internalize. Whitehorse, Tracy, Tony, Liam, Mar…all of them. The weight of their suffering feels heavy on her shoulders, and her hands start to shake.

“-so stay with me. Hold my hand. There’s no need to be brave…”

Her father would hate that lyric. He would hate what she’s doing, right now. Giving hope to the hopeless, granting a reprieve to the weak- it was everything he detested. Jacob would say she’s encouraging their failures. The thought only makes her voice stronger.

“And we’re not out of the tunnel. I bet you though there’s an end.

“Stay with me. Hold my hand. There’s no need to be brave.”

Her mother’s voice cuts through her focus, just for a moment. She can feel warm arms wrapped around her torso, the smell of lavender, her breath tickling her hair tucked behind her ear.

“It’s all just a bad dream, baby. You don’t have to worry, or fight, or cry. I’m here, Julie. I will protect you.”

“I’ll be brave.”

The warmth fades and she’s back in the prison.

“I’ll be brave.”

Jules’ hands aren’t shaking anymore- they’re strong and sure as she continues to play.

“I’ll be brave.”

#hope you like it dude!!! #also yes this includes a Mitski song…couldn’t help myself #friend’s ocs #my writing #far cry 5 fic #far cry 5 fan fiction #far cry 5 fanfiction #fc5 gift exchange #my post

[amy-issen]

ok so here it is!! i spent the last week solely making and listening to this playlist like i was POSSESED because this ship is lovely and deserved a nice playlist!  if anyone wants to know why i picked each song, i’m going to ramble about it extensively in the read more, so check that out if you want! hope you enjoy it! also thanks again to @birbwell​ for letting me use her art for the cover!

i divided this playlist in a few sections so let’s start with the first one (section one: first meeting/pining) i. in the rain - joe hisaishi i wanted to start with a short instrumental track to set the mood, and i looooove howl’s moving castle score, so i had to pick this one! the fact that it has rain in the title also helps to reference how their relationship began! ii. with every breath i take - frank sinatra “every breath that I take is a prayer that i’ll make you mine” my sister is a big sinatra/jazz fan (and also a yakuza fan) so she helped me with picking a few of the songs here! this one is very romantic, elegant and beautiful and i thought it fit the mood (and it’s what i think tachibana listens to in his free time lmao).

iii. gold rush - taylor swift “what must it be like to grow up that beautiful? with your hair falling into place like dominoes my mind turns your life into folklore i can't dare to dream about you anymore” this one is my FAVORITE song on this playlist, and one of the first i picked because this song just fits them like a glove. it’s basically pining 101, and i love that what taylor said this song is about “daydreaming about someone then snapping out of it.” i feel like the first part could be from tachibana’s perspective and the second one from kiryu’s (also giving a bit of a glimpse into the future, with the mention of a coastal town they’ll never find together) iv. first love/late spring - mitski “so please, hurry, leave me, i can't breathe please don't say you love me mune ga hachikire-sōde (my heart seems like it’s going to burst)” this one was another song i picked very early on because i love mitski, and i needed to include her here. i just wanted something to symbolize the trust that tachibana and kiryu have to share to work together, and the feelings that emerge from it, if that makes any sense. i don’t think this has a specific perspective, because i feel like this could work from both kiryu’s and tachibana’s (mostly kiryu though) v. real estate - adam melchor “every time I wonder how i'd carry on without you i'm runnin' out of real estate tryna make all the right moves i don't wanna hesitate i would bet the house on you “ do you UNDERSTAND how satisfying it was to find a song named real estate for them?? come ooon. ok that’s not all of my reasoning for it but it’s like. most of it, lmao another song i felt was about trust and feelings. (also a bit of a glimpse into the future, because i’m sad) vi. i get a kick out of you - ella fitzgerald “i get no kick from champagne mere alcohol doesn't thrill me at all so tell me why should it be true that i get a kick out of you?” another one my sister recommended. i originally was gonna go with sinatra’s version of this, but i love this one and it just wouldn’t leave my brain. again, one from mostly tachibana’s perspective, get this man to sing this on karaoke night right now. vii. like real people do - hozier  “i will not ask you where you came from i would not ask and neither would you honey, just put your sweet lips on my lips we could just kiss like real people do” this is one of my all time favorites from hozier and, again, it just fit perfectly. tachibana and kiryu have both lived some very... troubled lives so far, and while they’re depending on this trust they have in eachother, none of them really care to know about what they’ve done or who they are. this is mostly from kiryu’s perspective, specially with this metaphor of being rescued/dug up from the earth with the whole being found in the rain and saved by tachibana and his poor driving skills. viii. delicate - taylor swift “this ain't for the best my reputation's never been worse, so you must like me for me... we can't make any promises now, can we, babe? but you can make me a drink” y’all are going to have to forgive me for picking TWO taylor swift songs but COME OOOON this is another one that i picked early on because i could draw so many parallels between the lyrics and things that they both said in that car scene on chapter 9 (mostly tachibana though) and i kept harassing my sister with screenshots to prove my point and i’m gonna do it again

ANYWAYS i’ve made my case, and now we enter the second section of the playlist at last ( section 2: actual romantic/fluffy songs because this is a ship playlist) i. good old-fashioned lover boy - queen “dining at the ritz we'll meet at nine (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 o'clock) precisely i will pay the bill, you taste the wine driving back in style in my saloon will do quite nicely just take me back to yours that will be fine” is this a bit of a cliché? yes. did i want to include it because it’s very cute and i’d like to imagine kiryu and tachibana having a nice date night with no people trying to kill them all the time? also yes. i love this song.

ii. stay with me/mayonaka no door - miki matsuraba “you in your gray jacket with that oh-so-familiar coffee stain just as you always are the two of us reflect in the window display stay with me knocking on midnight's door i beg you not to go home tonight” (translated lyrics) is anyone not obsessed with this song lately? this is the only song here i’m blaming tiktok for making me listen to it lol. in any way, this song is deceptive because it sounds really happy but is actually quite melancholic. i thought it fit their relationship well, and it seemed like a good addition to the playlist with it’s 80′s city pop vibes.

iii. on melancholy hill - gorillaz (covered by matt forbes) “just looking out on the day of another dream where you can't get what you want, but you can get me so let's set out to sea, love 'cause you are my medicine when you're close to me" this is a gorillaz song but i went with this cover because it fit the feeling of the playlist a little better. another song that i just love very deeply and i thought fit the sentiment of kiryu being like “hey i know we have Big problems and you’re very sad in the moment but i’m here for you” iv. (i love you) for sentimental reasons - nat king cole "i think of you every morning dream of you every night darling, i'm never lonely whenever you are in sight" surprisingly, not one that my sister recommended, but one i found for myself while looking for quiet  romantic songs. i feel like this is tachibana's reply to kiryu being there for him and helping him. plus, idk i just wanted to imagine them slow dancing to this. v. positions - ariana grande (covered by travis atreo) "perfect, perfect you're too good to be true but I get tired of runnin', fuck it now, i’m runnin' with you" i picked this cover because i felt like using ariana's one would be a little goofy for this section lmao, but i really like this song and how it's about commitment and doing everything to make a relationship work. i just wanted to throw some sexy vibes before this playlist delved into depressing stuff. also if you telling me tachibana wouldn't absolute body a tiktok set to this song you're lying to yourself. (section 3: oh no this is getting sad) i. forever - labrinth "i'll live forever" i love everything labrinth makes, the euphoria soundtrack lives in my mind rent free and this is my favorite one. this barely has any lyrics so, again, mostly a track i picked for its intrumentals and feeling overall. mostly preparing you for the sad stuff ahead. ii. hong kong - gorillaz "you swallow me i'm a pill on your tongue here on the nineteenth floor the neon lights make me calm" this is my favorite gorillaz song, by FAR, and i think it's introspective vibe really fits tachibana's character. not really a song about relationship but i really wanted to include it because it's just such a GORGEOUS song. iii. fragments - severon another instrumental track! this one i stole from a playlist my sister made for a fic i wrote last year. again. sad vibes. iv. sign of the times - harry styles (covered by LANY) "remember everything will be alright we can meet again somewhere somewhere far away from here" i loved the synth-y vibe this cover had, while still keeping this song's sad "our lives are dangerous and i'm about to die" vibes. i mostly wanted to evoke the vibe from the scene where tachibana agrees to go with lao gui after kiryu gets shot. just really sad all around. v. so close - jon mclaughlin "we're so close to reaching that famous happy end almost believing this one's not pretend let's go on dreaming though we know we are so close, so close, and still so far" me? picking a song from disney's enchanted??? for a playlist??? it's more likely than you think. idk this song just gives me that vibe of being so close to being happy and together, almost reminiscing and wondering what could have been. but it just... won't happen. vi. as the world caves in - matt maltese "yes, it's you i welcome death with as the world, as the world caves in" oops, yes, i had to go there. just couldn't resist including this song, and i feel like it's really self-explanatory. vii. places we won't walk - bruno major "neon lights shine bold and bright buildings grow to dizzy heights people come alive at night in places we won't walk" again, i feel like this song speaks for itself. a bit of a meditation on kiryu's perspective on things that could have happened, things they would have done, that kiryu will just have to do alone from now on. viii. carry me out - mitski "i drive when it rains at night, when it rains, i drive and the headlight spirits they lead me down the styx so black it shines and carry me out carry me out"

possibly the saddest and the most powerful song in this playlist, because i just had to put a mitski song again. the image of kiryu carrying tachibana's body is just constantly in my mind when i listen to this, but i could also see this song being from the perspective of tachibana's spirit. ix. arms tonite - mother mother "i died in your arms tonight i slipped through into the afterlife it was nice" lmao this felt a bit like a cruel joke to include, but i didn't want this playlist to end TOO depressingly. it's a nod to tachibana dying in kiryu's arms, sure, but also it's romantic and possibly a little hopeful (tachibana lives au!!! orpheus and eurydice au!!! fuck it, idk!!)  xi. everybody wants to rule the world - tears for fears "there's a room where the light won't find you holding hands while the walls come tumbling down when they do, i'll be right behind you so glad we've almost made it so sad they had to fade it everybody wants to rule the world" not a recommendation from my sister, but it is her favorite song, and she was happy that i included it. another 80's bop with sad lyrics! i feel like this is a lovely summary of their story together and it feels like a nice little bow to wrap up the playlist.  i hope you enjoyed my long ass explanations! i might add songs later (or make an entire second playlist altogether for the fic i'm writing rn, but let's not get ahead of ourselves)

#tachikiryu #yakuza #ryu ga gotoku #kazuma kiryu #tetsu tachibana #playlist #audio #THIS IS SUCH A LONG POST I CAN'T BELIEVE I WROTE ALL THIS ARRRRGH #praying this shows up in the tags lmao

[theparaminds]

We always ask for organic in music. Someone who is truly grassroots and honest in their come up, someone who has had to find every possible solution the roadblocks that they face on their artistic journey. Look no further than Jan Romina, the Philippines based artist doing it all on her own, building a world of sound from her bedroom, one track at a time. 

Jan is constructing musical emotion to a degree few can match, bringing forth instrumental knowledge and intensity that few would expect but all are gladly impressed by. She understands the broken heart as much as she does a full one, as well as everything in between, as she traverses her fears of growing up by expressing it all in song. 

She often worries that due to her location she may not be able to break through into the music scene and that possibly her efforts won’t go anywhere. But if there’s one thing that’s certain, it’s that her worries are completely irrational. Jan has the talent and emotional understanding to take herself anywhere, as long as she continues to stay honest and true to herself while releasing damn good music along the way. 

PM: First question as always, how’s your day going?

JR: Well, although it’s 1:16 am where I am from right now, my day is going pretty well. I can’t sleep because as usual, I’m listening to music and discovering new bops.

PM: Oh yeah? What have you been listening to as of late?

JR: I’m listening to “Nobody” by Mitski! and Vansire’s new single, That I Miss You!  And songs from the 80s, which is my favourite era of music.

PM: When creating your own music, how do you find yourself implementing your influences into your own sound?

JR: l think subconsciously when I am on the process of creating my music, I am implementing their style and sound. Artists like Phoenix, Miniature Tigers, Tennis, The Smiths, Cuco and other artists from the indie scene have contributed to how I want my music to sound like. I realize and find myself implementing the sound of my influences after I listen and internalize the song I created. Then after, I can recognize the similarities. I really enjoy “poppy synth” sounds and I think it was highly influenced by Phoenix's Bankrupt! album and Miniature Tigers’ Cruel Runnings.

PM: So how did you come to create the sound you have apart from through influences? Did your environment and location growing up bring you on this path or did you find people in your life nudging you towards this train of creativity?

JR: Definitely with the help of GarageBand and learning different instruments. I first started to create sounds in my phone and then leveled up using the mac. The different instruments that came with it really helped me to create my sound. I made use of what I had just so I could make music.

I think everything that was mentioned had a significant part in how I was brought into the musical path. Singing contests happen a lot here in the Philippines and my mom constantly pushes me to join. At first, I disliked it because I was a really shy girl but then I grew to love it. Growing up, I am already surrounded with music because of my mother who is also a musician. I also have a friend, Ed, who is beginning to make music and we are helping each other somehow. Also, my friends and family are very supportive of what I do so now, I am more than inspired to create more and follow this train of creativity.  Special mention to Victor Internet, a very talented, kind and supportive person! I think my music wouldn’t be as known if he didn’t share it. So he’s also one of the people that nudged me in the music/ indie scene.

PM: What is it for you about the indie scene that resonates with you and your journey as an artist?

JR: The indie scene provides a diverse playground wherein creativity is encouraged and experimentation with different styles are accepted and appreciated. This makes the indie scene capable of fostering the freedom of making music that's really your own. There is also a beautiful simplicity as to how the indie genre presents itself. Personally, I find that this along with those I mentioned, relieves the pressure of being a novice. And it’s not just about the music that encompasses this scene, it’s also about the community that supports and participates in it. They encourage multi-cultural dialogue and a platform to discover and create music that has never been heard before.

PM: Absolutely, would you say the key there is that outsiders finally feel accepted into something larger than themselves? And if so, is that what you experienced in this scene compared to others?

JR: Yes. It’s an interesting feeling, having something as simple and as complex as music be a part of you and simultaneously make you feel like you’ve found your home. The community is warm and open to beginners such as myself, which makes my communication with other artists and listeners easier. I’m still new in the scene so I am not certain about how it has been for other artists but I’m sure they probably feel the same as I do.

PM: Going forward, what skills and improvements do you hope to add to yourself as an artist to continue growing and accomplishing artistically?

JR: I super want to improve my skills in producing, playing the keyboard and the guitar! Being in depth with music theory is also one of my goals because it is undoubtedly going to enhance my skills as a musician artistically and professionally. I feel like there’s so much more I need to learn and improve that is essential to my growth as a musician. I am actually going to study music in college, so hopefully, I’ll be able to achieve these goals.

PM: Those are such fantastic ideas to get to, apart from music theory and music school, what are 3 goals you have set up for yourself that you hope to achieve?

JR: Oh my, I’ve been thinking a lot lately on performing my songs live! When I move to the city I would really love to do live shows and gigs! I think it would be one of the best feelings in the world to perform and sing my songs live and reach out to people. Apart from that, I am planning to release an album by September, assuming school won’t hinder me from doing so. This coming August, I’m going to be releasing two songs! Lastly, I plan on collaborating with more artists!

PM: Let's talk a little bit more about moving and where you are now, is your current location limiting to your artistic endeavors and how do you hope moving will open doors for you?

JR: I’ve been living in Ilocos Norte, a province here in the Philippines and I think the only things that are limiting me is the inability to expand my music outside of the internet. Live shows aren’t much of a thing here. Although, as I’ve mentioned, when it comes to singing contests, I’m all in! But since I’m moving to the city of Manila, where you know, things happen, maybe I could grow as a musician by performing in shows. It is also going to be an advantage that I am going to be surrounded by musically inclined people constantly!

PM: Yeah! Changes like that can make a world of difference! As well, we’ve talked about those that influence you and your art, but I wonder who it is YOU hope to inspire and who you hope to speak to with your work?

JR: I think timeless music moves this way. From every walks of life, it exists. Further, I want my music to inspire young and beginning musicians like myself. I want them to know that we’re in this together!

I also don’t really hand pick people who I want my music to relate to or speak to because I want it to resonate with everyone regardless of who they are, their background and any other factors that might come in to play.

PM: That’s a beautiful way to put it. In your music, what topics and themes do you hope to talk about and why do they have significance to you as an artist?

JR: Aside from the usual romance content, since I am approaching a new life and things are inevitably going to change, it is going to fuel me to write about the experiences I am going to face may it be about friendships, sadness, love, really anything. I’m still young but I am growing older every day and I think it would be interesting to perhaps document this journey through my music and just be raw. It’s more of a narrative of what I am going to experience given this new change awaiting me. However, maybe someday I think I want to deliver more substance into my music meaning, I would want to share my views on advocacies and issues that are relevant to this era.

PM: What would you say are the one album and one movie that has meant the most to you most and why?

JR: Oh I find this question hard to answer! But I have to say Louder Than Bombs and The Queen is Dead by The Smiths (I’m sorry I couldn’t choose haha) because I have this personal connection with the content of their songs. I first listened to them when I was 14? I think. I was just a really sad teen and when I discovered the band, I instantly fell in love with their sound and that the lyrics of their songs relate to me. They’re just brilliant and listening to them made me happy somehow. Anyways, I know came to think that the films that are close to my heart are Begin Again and Her! I also really enjoyed watching when I was younger was Almost Famous. I remember I kept rewatching it. Lately, though, I was mind blown by Hereditary. It was fun and I’d honestly watch it again.

PM: If you could design the ultimate creative space, what would it include and how would it look? What personally do you look for when wanting to be creative and inspired?

JR: Ahhh, I’ve been envisioning about this a lot! Well, I’d really want a cinema and a studio in my own home! I would really want the studio to be cozy, low light and my favorite albums would be plastered on the wall, something like that. And it would include the essential instruments and gears for producing and a food bar.  This is just a dream for now. I’m really broke, like I’m going to be selling my electric guitar and I’m just borrowing my uncle’s microphone. Honestly, I don’t really look for anything. I just let myself be because I don’t want to force my art when I’m not feeling it. Some days, I wake up full of inspiration and creativity and when I am in that state, there’s not stopping for me. Some days, I just feel disconnected, but that’s okay.

PM: Agreed, you can’t ever force creativity. Now, what’s one book everyone reading this should pick and why?

JR: ‘Life’s Little Instruction Book’ by H. Jackson Brown Jr. It’s minimal but substantial.

PM: And final question: do you have anyone or anything to shout out or promote?

JR: NEW SONG NEXT WEEK (OR THE WEEK AFTER THAT), TITLED ‘CLOSE TO YOU’. ALSO, SHOUT OUT TO THE PEOPLE WHO’VE LISTENED AND SUPPORTED MY MUSIC! YOU GUYS ARE COOL!

Follow Jan Romina on Instagram and Twitter

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