#to think that in around august this next year marks 6 years since i fell in love with her. crazy.. i was 16 ... i'm gonna turn 22... crazy! | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

jjthoughts3000 · 2 years

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𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲

𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲: The first Sunday to begin this tradition started in an argument.

𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠: Eddie Munson x fem!reader

𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 1.8k

𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭: small mention of academic validation, academic burn out, emotional hurt/comfort, a small argument but nothing crazy, no use of y/n, no physical descriptions, reader is involved in clubs, crying, reader is 18, petnames (sweetheart/babygirl), let me know if I missed anything!

𝐓𝐲𝐩𝐞: multi-part fic (wip)

𝐌 𝐚 𝐬 𝐭 𝐞 𝐫 𝐥 𝐢 𝐬 𝐭

Senior year was hard on you and Eddie, and it had barely even started. You can still feel the August heat radiating from outside, but school began one week ago and it has been anything but a relaxing summer day.

Extracurriculars have been non stop due to recruiting new club members and planning the first day pep rally. The teachers also believe that since you’ve had “all this rest” over summer break, the students deserve homework on the first day and a unit test every Friday.

Today marks the 5th day of senior year and you’ve probably spent one hour with your boyfriend in the past week. Eddie is on his journey to find new hellfire members and you’re focused on passing today’s history test. Although you have the class together, one of you is more concerned about the test than the other…

After the stress of juggling classes, working at Family Video, and leading club activities, you are completely prepared to lay in bed with Eddie the whole 48 hour weekend and do absolutely nothing. But things don’t always go as planned.

After your last class of the day, you rush to the parking lot to meet your awaiting boyfriend. “There’s my little overachieve,” he greets with a smile. As you stride closer, he pulls you into his leather and jean padded chest and holds you for what feels like the first time in forever. “A 97 on the history test… god my girlfriend is a genus.” He kisses your forehead, still embraced in a hug, to show his excitement towards your test score.

“You know it’s crazy, but studying actually improves your grade. Maybe you should try it sometime, mister 56.” You comment back with a smirk.

“Maybe you should try it sometime.”

“Wow, mimicking me, real mature. I think your new freshmen friends are rubbing off on you.”

“Hey! Don’t diss the baby freshmen.” Both of you pull away in laughter after finally having a normal conversation without the rest of the hellfire members or bandmates in attendance. Eddie walks around to the passenger side so he can open your door while continuing his train of thought. “Speaking of the babies, we have the initiation meeting tonight at 6. You’re comin’ right?”

“Wait, I’m not being initiated, why do I need to come?,” you questioned.

“Well you don’t need to come… I just want you to.” His voice got lower at the end of his sentence and he started fidgeting with his rings while waiting for your response.

How in the world are you supposed to say no to your boyfriend when he looks so shy asking you to attend his meeting? No matter how exhausted you are, you will always show up and support Eddie.

Which is how you found yourself finally on the way to the trailer park, well past 11 pm, after what felt like the longest initiation ever. You love attending hellfire meetings and observing Eddie in his element, but after what could be considered the most ass-kicking, mentally draining, and busiest first week of school in existence, all you wanted to do is lay in bed with your metalhead lover and listen to his rundown Metallica tapes. But no, you don’t get to spend quality time with your boyfriend. At this point, you just shower and go straight to bed, not missing the way Eddie is writing away at his desk, and doesn’t come lay down for hours.

He doesn’t pay attention to the way you move around his room, silently preparing for bed and falling asleep instantly, too immersed in writing next week’s campaign. Nor does he notice that you fell asleep without saying your “goodnights” and “I love yous.”

Saturday morning you wake up to the sound of the local news playing in the living room, knowing Wayne must have left the television on after he went to work. You head towards the static sound before switching it off, allowing the birds chirping outside to fill the new silence. You’re positive Eddie didn’t go to bed at a reasonable hour last night and decided to just make breakfast for one, assuming he won’t be up anytime soon.

A little past noon and a few book chapters later, you look up from your novel to see a mop of raven hair emerge from the hallway. “Mmm, I thought I smelled coffee.” he motions towards the pot you brewed and moves to stand behind the kitchen chair you currently occupy.

“There’s a little left if you want it, but it’s about time for lunch if you want me to make something.” You look up after responding to the half-asleep boy and he leans down to press a slow peck to your lips. With a hum of satisfaction he pulls away to grab a mug from the creaking cabinet, filling it with what's left of the caffeinated drink.

He slumps down in the seat next to you and takes a quick sip from his cup before responding. “Yeah we could eat really fast and then I gotta head to Gareth’s for practice.”

“I thought you didn’t have plans today?”

“Well the guys mentioned practicing today at the meeting last night since we have a gig on Tuesday.” He didn’t think anything of accepting the plan and continues to drink his coffee.

“But I figured that we would watch a movie or visit the music store you like or something today because we haven’t done anything together since school started.”

“We went to hellfire together yesterday...” He added confused.

“Yeah with 6 other people there.”

“We slept together last night.” You swear he’s being oblivious just to test your nerves.

“But we didn’t fall asleep together.” You emphasize on certain parts, hoping he understands your point. This conversation is going south real quick, and you don’t want to take your frustration out on Eddie, but you've had an exhausting week that he just seems to be ignoring. “You were too busy planning the next meeting to even lay with me.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” He stares you down waiting for a response, but his dark eyes looking at you with expectancy pulls a trigger in your patience.

Standing up to make your point before the words start tumbling out of your mouth, “Eddie, I haven't been alone with you in days. You’re either working on hellfire stuff or band stuff or weed stuff but never me.” Stopping to take a breath. “And you know I will always support you in whatever you do, but I need you to support me too. I’ve studied like crazy to pass that test and yet I didn’t make a 100. I went to every lunch table in the cafeteria this whole week, but only recruited two new people to join Student Council. I planned the first day pep rally for days and the yearbook staff still failed to show up on time, even after I delivered the schedule to them, twice. This week kicked my ass and all I wanted was for my boyfriend to hold me and tell me I did a good job. And I know you probably didn’t realize but–” he cuts you off by engulfing you in a hug and holding your tear-stained face to his chest. It’s then that you realized how emotional these past few days have actually been for you.

He doesn't say anything, doesn't tell you to stop crying, doesn’t tell you to calm down. He just holds you safely in his embrace, rubbing your back, as you let all the emotions of this week go. After a few minutes, you lift your head up, meeting his eyes filled with concern. “I’m sorry. I’m overreacting. I know you support me and love me but I just needed you and–”

“And I wasn��t there. I dragged you along to a 5 hour long meeting and didn’t even notice how exhausted you look. I’m the one that should be sorry. I saw how much you were doing and how busy you were and I should have been there. And you’re right, you always support me at campaigns and gigs and practices, and this was my turn to show you the same love and I failed. I’m sorry sweetheart.” You can tell he means every word of that apology, which only makes you cry harder. He continues to repeat his apologies like a mantra until your tears slowed and your breaths stabilized.

“Hey,” he squeezes you to get your attention. “I have an idea.”

“Oh God…” He eyes you after that comment but doesn’t take it to heart, appreciating that you are back to a joking mood.

“Hush it’s a good one this time,” you show a lighthearted smile to encourage him to continue. “What if we had a set day where we don’t make any plans with anyone else? Like a day that we spend completely together.”

“Aw wait, that is a good idea Eds.”

“Thank you,” although his tone is cocky, you know that he is serious about the proposal. “Okay you wanna do Sundays, because we might have some gigs on Saturdays if the crowds are big enough and Friday nights are hellfire.”

“Sundays?”

“Sundays.” He seals the deal with a kiss and leads you to the couch a few yards away.

He breaks the kiss and holds your face in his warm hands, feeling the contrast of the cool rings on your cheek. “I’m sorry I didn’t realize how much you were burnt out this week. I was so wrapped up in the club to notice, when I should have been paying attention to my girl.”

“I wasn’t upset at you and I don't want you to stop doing the things you love, I just hit a breaking point today. I should have told you how I was feeling instead of expecting you to read my mind. I’m sorry too.”

“It’s okay, neither of us is perfect, but that's how we grow, together. I. Love. You,” emphasizing each word with a peck to your nose, cheek, and forehead. “Always remember that babygirl,” and finally your lips.

“Wow, Eds that was a very thoughtful response.”

“What can I say, I’m the aspiring Shakespeare of Hawkins.” You laugh at his regular antics, but his smile is a result of seeing you happy again.

“Okay I don’t know if I’d go that far. But I love you too. You think we can start our new Sunday traditions a little early?”

“Oh there is no way you're leaving my side until Bilbrey’s Class monday morning.” He holds you tighter to show the truth in his words and you just melt in his embrace, knowing the rest of the weekend will be spent attached to the metalhead boy beside you.

𝐀/𝐍: okay so that is how the first Sunday of many came to be. The next parts of this fic will include the different sunday activities y’all have done together. If you have any suggestions of something they might do, please let me know!

#eddie munson #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson x fem!reader #eddie munson fanfic #eddie munson oneshot #eddie munson imagine #eddie munson series #eddie munson fluff #eddie munson angst #hurt/comfort #eddie munson hurt/comfort #eddie munson x y/n #eddie munson x you #stranger things #stranger things 4 #fluff #angst #multi part fic #Eddie munson multi part fic

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tellthemeerkatsitsfine · 7 months

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what's the mark watson thing?

Well, it is Google-able, and I’ve kind of hesitated to actually spell it out on this blog, just because I feel gross writing about that kind of celebrity gossip (I realize I write things about famous comedians’ lives on this blog all the time, but something related to their actual love life feels like a new level of tawdry). But I guess it’s not really any better to vaguely refer to it, as I’ve done a few times, than it is to spell it out. So since you asked, I’ll do that.

I’ll try to tell the story according to his comedy material, because anything he’s put in a stand-up routine doesn’t count as tabloid-style gossip, it’s just reporting on comedy. Last year I listened to all his radio shows in chronological order (those radio shows being basically made up of chunks of his stand-up, so it’s the closest I can get to hearing his old stand-up shows aside from the DVDs he released in 2011 and 2014 and a couple of other recordings I’ve found, which also follow the same pattern), the story is: early radio shows from the late 00s involve him talking constantly about being really excited to have a (relatively recent) wife. Next few years of shows involve a whole lot of jokes about anxiety about having babies and what it’s like to fight with your wife a lot. Then moves into a lot of jokes about drinking too much, more severe fighting while trying to raise children, drinking wine in hotel rooms on tour to escape family. Then he stops referring to his marriage at all for a bit, then in the late 2010s starts doing some jokes about what separation and divorce are like. In 2022, does a show that’s a bit unusually aggressive for him (still not very aggressive, it’s Mark Watson), talking about depression and divorce and having a drinking problem that is a cause and effect of both those things, a brief story about how he’d lived in Adam Hills’ attic for six months as his marriage/life fell apart. His 2023 show took this even farther, with a couple of jokes about being frustrated that he has to pay so much alimony, and some of the struggles of co-parenting with an ex-wife.

Things I know even though I haven’t heard it in a comedy routine: after getting divorced around 2018, he was in a relationship with Lianne Coop, the comedy producer who runs the Inpatient Productions company with him and occasionally appears in No More Jockeys videos. A relationship that I’m fairly sure ended in mid-2023, because I heard him do some stand-up in February that said his son had Googled him and learned about his ex-wife and current girlfriend, but when he streamed the same stand-up show from Edinburgh in August, he said his son had Googled him and learned about his ex-wife as well as the woman who until recently was his girlfriend, a change that I think made the bit more convoluted and work less well. Almost as though comedians don’t plan their love lives around what will make a line in their show sound smoothest. After seeing that, I said that’s probably the theme for next year’s show sewn up, I guess he’s got a breakup show coming. Though I now think he may have bigger issues than that to discuss next year.

I give the background because it is relevant to why I care about the recent revelations, which are that it turns out the reason his marriage fell apart is he had a three-year affair, including while his wife was pregnant with their second child. If this were a comedian I find funny but their material weren’t all that personal, I’d find it easier to separate the art from the artist.

But in this case, Mark Watson has been talking about that part of his personal life for years. Not just in stand-up, either. He did nine episodes of Sofie Hagan’s podcast from 2017 to the end of 2020, in which he’d come on every 6-12 months and they’d have a long, involved conversation about their personal lives, their mental health, their recovery from difficult things, which in Mark’s case included divorce. He talked about coming back from suicidal thoughts, from self-hatred, a lot of serious stuff that he was able to discuss insightfully and interestingly and at times in a way I found really emotionally moving and resonant, because he’s intelligent and analytical. But I did notice, during all those podcast episodes and also all his stand-up material, that while he talked about the pain of a marriage ending, he never actually explained why or how it ended. I just figured he wanted to keep that private, which is absolutely fair enough. It was a contrast, being so open about many things and keeping that topic closed, but celebrities should be allowed to do that. To open up about deeply personal things without being expected to tell us everything.

But now that we know what he was avoiding telling us, it feels pretty fucking disingenuous to me. He didn’t have to tell us why his marriage ended, but if he wasn’t going to tell us that, I think he shouldn’t have spent all those years talking about it at all. Because talking about it without mentioning the fact that it was all his fault is pretty misleading. Obviously got him a fair bit of unearned sympathy. It’s a new piece of context that makes me look back at years of his comedy material, and stuff he’s staid on podcasts (on Sofie’s podcast, and a couple of others, he did a really good one on Susan Calman’s mental health podcast in I think 2018), in a new light.

So that’s my defense for caring, at least a bit, about a celebrity affair/breakup – it is related to his work. I’m a lot less disposed toward hearing him complain about the pain of divorce when I know it wasn’t a mutual no-fault process, but him facing the consequences of something horrible he did to his wife.

Also, a whole lot of the appeal of Mark Watson’s comedy is based on him being likeable. I’m thinking of John Mulaney’s latest show, which opens with him saying “likeability is a prison”, as his explanation for how it felt to be vilified when he failed to live up to the “likeable” image he’d created to his fans. And I saw his point, I really did. I think there is no defense for what the tabloids or fans did to John Mulaney when he got divorced, which is why I’ve filled this post with about 80 caveats so far to try to avoid doing the same thing to Mark Watson. Celebrities should be allowed to be flawed human beings without tabloids or the public on Twitter jumping all over them for being insufficiently likeable.

But also, I would say the same thing about Mark Watson that I said about John Mulaney’s “likeability is a prison” line, which is that “don’t cheat on your wife” isn’t that high a bar. I said something yesterday about how the lesson here should be to not put celebrities on pedestals, but I don’t think this is all that high a pedestal. I didn’t find out that Mark Watson was rude to a stranger after a bad day once, making him disappointingly imperfect. I found out he carried on an affair for three fucking years including while his wife was pregnant. I mean… fucking hell. Three years. That’s not one mistake, where things get out of hand and then you feel terrible and never do it again. Surely there’s a happy medium somewhere between “Mark Watson has to be perfect” and “Mark Watson can have a 3-year affair and that’s fine”. Some middle ground where celebrities can be flawed but we’re still allowed to get mad when they do something absolutely awful.

Also, I don’t think I had Mark Watson in that prison of likeability. I knew he had, as his friend Tim Minchin would say and for lack of a less dramatic term, a dark side. If you only know him from panel shows and stuff it seems like his persona is of a really really nice innocuous guy, and I do like the really really nice harmless Mark Watson from panel shows, but I think my favourite side of Mark Watson is the darker stuff that comes out in his stand-up sometimes, when he gets a bit aggressive, gets into rougher topics like depression and alcohol and anger and jealousy. I never expected Mark Watson to always be sweet and innocent. I just… didn’t expect this. This new context for all his old bits.

But even if I like aggressive and dark Mark Watson just as much I like sweet and nice Mark Watson, that’s still all based on him seeming like the kind of person I like, and therefore making me want to hear what a person like that has to say. His humour is tied more tightly to who he is than it would be if he were a less personal comedian. So yeah, learning new stuff about who he is changes how I can enjoy his work. Makes it harder to separate the art from the artist. If I don't like him personally anymore, then it's no longer as much fun to hear what he has to say.

I don’t think Mark Watson should be canceled. And I do think some people should be canceled. I think comedians or other famous people who do horrible things to innocent people in their personal lives should lose their fans and ability to make money off their public image. But that should apply to predators and things like that. This isn’t that, I don’t think there should be professional consequence for cheating on your wife. It is, when it comes down to it, his own business. But I can't help that it changes the way I feel about him.

There’s also the question of why he said this publicly now, after not saying it for so many years. And he did choose to say it, by the way. This wasn’t some tabloids uncovering it through dirty journalism. He talked about it in a recent interview of his own volition. And he did, to his credit, say he regrets it and he knows it was an awful thing to do and he’s sorry and he makes no excuses. Which I think would be a plausible defense… if it happened one time and then he felt awful enough to stop. But three fucking years… Jesus Christ, I don’t know how anyone could keep that up for so long.

I don’t know why he decided to talk about it now. The most horribly, horribly cynical guess would be that his autobiographical book is just coming out and he wanted something in the papers that’s interesting about his personal life to make it sell better. I want to believe that’s not what happened, but I have to say it’s crossed my mind. I pre-ordered his book months ago, paid extra for a signed and dedicated copy, and I rather regret that now. I haven’t received it, and when I do I’ll still read it. But it feels weird.

It is also possible that he just decided to talk publicly about it now because his other relationship has ended recently, maybe that changed how he looks at things. Or maybe he didn’t want to worry about it “coming out” anymore. There is some stuff in Sofie Hagan's latest show that may possibly suggest that what was showcased on their podcast conversations may not have been the beautifully deep healthy cross-gender friendship it appeared to be, because actually nothing good is real and you can't trust anything, and that could have made him worried that someone else is going to put his secrets out there so he'd rather get them out himself. Point being that I can think of several things besides the release of his book that happened this year and could have caused this, and I really hope one of them was the cause, rather than the incredibly cynical possibility that it was for book publicity.

All right, this has been the comedian gossip section of the blog. Likeability is a prison but also I'd prefer it if my favourite comedians would keep the extra-marital affairs to under three years. Surely it's not too parasocial to say that.

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twistedtranslations · 4 years

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Animage 2020-09 - Translation of Twisted Wonderland’s corner

So the latest Animage featured 6 pages (3 spreads) of information on Riddle and Ortho (+ the other members of their dorm) and their respective dorms in general because their birthday was in August.

Huge thanks to @time-phoenix for proofreading!

I won’t share the magazine scans here, but rest assured you can buy these on amazon and find them on tumblr as well. They do not feature new illustrations.

Translation under the cut

Page 1

Happy Birthday Riddle and Ortho!

Riddle and Ortho's birthdays are in August! To celebrate their birthday, we have a special feature on their affiliated dorms. Let's take a secret peek at the student life in the Heartslabyul and Ignihyde dorm!

Riddle Rosehearts/VA: Hanae Natsuki

He is the dorm leader of Heartslabyul. He fervently protects the laws of the Queen of Hearts and harshly punishes those who break them, making him feared by the students.

The Heartslabyul dorm is inspired by the worldview of "Alice in Wonderland." They are guided by the rules of the Queen of Hearts, the dorm leader decides to hold an "Unbirthday party" on the days when it's no one's birthday according to his mood, so at a first glimpse, they seem to be a dorm with a showy and peaceful atmosphere. However, it's an imperative rule to strictly follow the strange laws made by the Queen of Hearts. Riddle, whose birthday was on 24/08, is a powerful person who became the dorm leader in his first week of entering the college. Compared to the past dorm leaders, he is particularly respectful of the laws of the Queen of Hearts, and thoroughly enforces the rules on the students, cracking down harshly on the lawbreakers.

There are few students who know all 810 laws exactly, and even for those students who break the laws unintentionally, Riddle is unforgiving. Ever since Riddle became the dorm leader, there have been no students dropping out or staying back a year in the dorm, all thanks to his strictness. Even though the vice dorm leader Trey Clover and Cater follow up, the results-focused Riddle undoubtedly guides the dorm students. However, it can’t be disputed that there's a considerable number of people who are displeased. It would be fine if that displeasure never erupted but…. If you are interested in Heartslabyul's future, please check out chapter 1 of the main story, The Crimson Tyrant!

Page 2

A blessing that will envelop the heart!

Riddle's unique magic

Riddle's unique magic, Off with your head, puts a collar on the victim so they can't use magic. Someone who cannot use magic at a magic school like NRC, cannot go to classes normally…

His growth period is still going on!?

He's the smallest of the 2nd years introduced thus far, with a length of 160 cm. He is bothered by his height, and gets angry when Floyd makes fun of it. During the limited June event "Ghost Marriage, Destiny's proposal", he was one of the first people to "rush" for Eliza, but his height excluded him.

Dissecting Riddle

Eye: Because he's so serious, he's unfamiliar with trends, and it’s quite obvious he doesn't understand street topics. The person himself insists on saying that "It isn’t an inconvenience to be unaware of such things," though…

Heart: At Riddle's strict personality lies a peaceful base, however there are many things that can press his buttons. One can often see his face grow red in anger.

Hand: Riddle can also cook if there's a recipe, even though it isn't his speciality. However, he's aware that his sense of proportion when it comes to measuring ingredients is lacking.

Brain: Because of his diligence, he gets amazing grades and is ranked 1st in his year. On tests he gets full marks in every subject. He can also accurately remember the 810 laws of the Queen of Hearts.

Mouth: Riddle actually has a sweet tooth and loves the strawberry tarts of his childhood friend, the vice dorm leader Trey. He especially favors the latest pie slice (TN: A slice of an unspecified cake). Adversely, he dislikes foods with a strong taste and that are bad for your health, which explains his dislike of junk food. It seems he prefers mild flavours.

Leg and waist: Because he has few muscles, he's below average when it comes to physical measurements, but his reflexes aren't bad. One can see him skilfully manoeuvring a horse with high techniques in the equestrian club.

Absolutely adhere to the rules!

This is a dorm based on the strict attitude of the Queen of Hearts. Students have to live their lives accordingly, adhering to strict laws such as "Do not eat the tarts without being given permission by the Queen" and "Stand up from your seat within 15 minutes after eating lunch".

Page 3

4 patriots of the redness of Heartslabyul!

Ace Trappola/VA: Yamashita Seiichirou

He's a 1st year student like the main character. He knows how to swim with the tides and has a bright personality, but he can also be a bit malicious. He's rivals with Deuce, a fellow 1st year from Heartslabyul.

He's afraid of nothing!?

Ace says exactly what he thinks without fear. He always makes his statements without any hint of cowardice. He doesn't hold back against the dorm leader Riddle, and says the things he wants to say without reading the atmosphere, and makes slightly malicious remarks.

Deuce Spade/VA: Kobayashi Chiaki

He's a 1st year student like the main character. He enrolled in NRC to become a splendid magician. He's serious but he's bad at swimming with the tide.

He gets full marks on seriousness

Deuce cannot remember all the laws of the Queen of Hearts, but fundamentally he's an honest and exemplary student.It seems Riddle approves of his serious personality if only "He was a little bit more thoughtful"…

Page 4

Trey Clover/VA: Suzuki Ryouta

He is a 3rd year and the vice dorm leader of Heartslabyul. He has a gentle personality and has a guardian-like presence for all the dorm’s students. He also backs up the overbearing Riddle.

(TN: lit. Riddle, who is too strict on his surroundings)

He's good at backing up but��

As Riddle's childhood friend, he frequently backs up the overbearing Riddle. He plays the role of lubricating oil towards Heartslabyul and he's indispensable. However, he almost never rebukes Riddle.

Cater Diamond/VA: Kobayashi Tatsuyuki

He is a 3rd year of Heartslabyul. He's a communicator who can read the mood. He's well informed of things like popularity rankings, food and crazes. However, sometimes he shows his heartless side…

A cheery moodmaker

Cater is the moodmaker of Heartslabyul who is good at communicating. He has built a good friendship with the feared Riddle. Together with Trey he deals with Riddle and his environment and backs him up.

Page 5

The high-tech younger brother's birthday!

The Ignihyde dorm is inspired by the worldview of the world of Hercules. There are many students who are good at magical energy engineering and digital related things, so both the lounge rooms and the corridors have many monitors installed. The main story picturing Ignihyde hasn't been distributed yet, and there have not been many appearances of the general Ignihyde students until chapter 4, so even now, many parts of the dorm remain shrouded in mystery. In the midst of that, there's one person with a lot of mysteries to him, the dorm leader Idia's "younger brother", Ortho. He's always lightly floating, because he's a robot. Furthermore, Idia made his body himself, with the latest and newest features, and is packed with maniacal functions that Idia even forgot he equipped him with. The nature of Ortho’s existence hasn’t been revealed, but his relationship with Idia is genuine. While they might be awkward, the feelings they have for each other aren't lies. The next 14th of August, Idia will surely celebrate Ortho's birthday from his heart!

Ortho Shroud/VA: Aoi Shouta

Idia's "younger brother". He's always seen with Idia, and he cares a lot about his brother. In contrast to Idia, he's lively and honest, and brimming with curiosity.

Dissecting Ortho

Flame: He can shoot a beam with strong fire power from his chest by charging magical energy. He's not good at regulating his strength, and sometimes overdoes it, and sometimes has to be stopped by the principal.

Body: His feet have anti gravity apparatus installed, so he's always floating. His sports body grants him the wish of "Wanting to walk on the earth" and has springs installed in his feet so he can run.

Brain: Recollecting his brother, all his thoughts and actions center around Idia. He can even hack into a GPS to search for him!

Eye: He's equipped with the cutting edge of medical tools, and can also read the vital signs of his subject. He can also do things like see through lies by sensing the variation in their pulse.

Mouth: He differs from Idia who is bad with social dispositions in a way that he can talk to anyone without care. He's one of the few people Idia can talk to face to face.

Is he too coddling?

Ortho loves his older brother Idia, who is a shut in and attends the dorm leader meetings by tablet, while Ortho carries out preparations for assemblies and ceremonies in his stead. If he keeps getting coddled by Ortho like that, he might never get cured from his bashfulness!?

Unusual means

During the Ghost Marriage event, he was about to annihilate the school building in order to save his older brother from the ghost bride who fell in love with Idia at first sight. He was by no means careless and it's terrifying how he chose that method by thinking calmly about it, but that's all because his brother is dear to him.

Page 6

Idia Shroud/VA: Uchiyama Kouki

The dorm leader of Ignihyde. He's shy and gloomy, and is a shut in that doesn't like being in contact with people. However, it seems that's not the case online.

Both the dorm leader and the students are reserved and quiet

It is a dorm based on the diligent spirit of the ruler of the underworld. There are many docile students, who don't appear often before others. According to Cater they're the total opposite of the cheery people from Heartslabyul.

Older brother and "younger brother"

One would think that Idia and Ortho are siblings based on their blue flamed hair and golden eyes. However, Ortho's whole body is a robot, and it hasn't been revealed yet if they're real siblings or if he was originally a human to begin with.

#twisted wonderland #riddle rosehearts #ace trappola #deuce spade #trey clover #cater diamond #idia shroud #magazine #translation #ortho shroud #heartslabyul #ignihyde

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peachcitt · 3 years

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peach's top songs to project adrien agreste onto: waterparks edition

(disclaimer: the title is not to say that there will ever be other editions, but i did want to specify that this list is entirely comprised of songs made by the band waterparks. thank you)

ive been experiencing adrien agreste brain worms in relation specifically to waterparks, which is one of my favorite bands, and since ive been going insane over the adrien-specific feelings these songs have been giving me, i decided to make a master list of exactly how i project adrien onto these songs. this is going to be a long one

structure:

Intro

Airplane Conversations

Black Light

Cluster

Double Dare

Entertainment

Fandom

Greatest Hits

Conclusion

1. intro

it should be mentioned that i originally started hardcore projecting adrien onto waterparks songs after i started making my mlb radio rebel au in which adrien is a pop singer for his dad/in a band for fun with his best friends. i was trying to figure out what adrien's music might sound like, or what vibe his music would give off, and my mind immediately went to waterparks because they're one of my favorite bands and also because im insane.

in my head, for the au specifically, waterparks' earlier garage-band sounds from their EPs (airplane conversations, black light, cluster) would've matched up to adrien's band for fun in the au, and their later more pop-leaning songs from later albums (mostly fandom but also double dare and entertainment) would've matched up to the pop songs he released under his father's label. so that's how it started, which is, like, the most absurd origin story ever, but such is how it goes.

it should also be mentioned that i don't project adrien onto EVERY song, and the songs i do project him on aren't like. the most perfect fit, but there are always certain lines that scream adrien, and if it's like that, then i will include the song on the list.

with that explained, let's actually talk about the songs i project adrien onto and why:

2. airplane conversations

like i mentioned earlier, waterparks has a couple of garage-band sounding EPs, and this is for sure one of them. airplane conversations is the first EP they released, and the main themes are: feeling stuck, recognizing the fact that you are Growing Up, and being in love

5/5 songs on this EP can be considered adrien songs

silver

the song starts with:

"i’ll be the silver lining around your fence used to protect yourself from all the world and its sharp teeth 'cause my open hand and heart think you belong with me"

which is very ladynoir-esque. the beginning line of wanting to be "the silver lining" around the other person's protective fence against the rest of the world reminds me so strongly of chat's place as ladybug's partner; she wanted so badly to guard herself against the rest of the world after she became the guardian, and chat saw that and wanted to be her bright side to all the stress of being the guardian/a superhero. he stayed beside her and joked around because he loved her but also because he recognized that he needed something bright - a silver lining - to balance out all her stress. and "my open hand and heart think you belong with me" is pretty self explanatory, but chat's heart is always open for ladybug - as a partner, as a friend, as a potential lover. he supports her, in any and every way she might need.

in the second verse, we get:

"I was the one who kept myself standing tall You were the light at the end of the hall"

which relates to adrien enduring his dismal home life. his father and the work his father imposes on him isn't easy, but adrien was and still is able to stand tall beneath it all - partly because of what he wants for himself (he ran away to public school entirely on his own, after all), but also because ladybug is there to mark and signify the freedom and love he feels with her as chat noir.

bones of '92

so bones of '92 isn't. like a super adrien song, mostly because it's very much about the struggles waterparks was having as a new band, however the outro is. well. it's:

"i won’t let you down just promise that you won’t forget about me can’t stop the future from settling but i can change the way it feels just promise that you won’t forget about me"

this feels like adrien is speaking to his father in the first couple of lines ("i won't let you down / just promise you won't forget about me") because of how much of a strict and absent father gabriel is. i think adrien, at least in part, believes that the only way he is able to gain affection from his father is by doing exactly as he says and going along with what his father wants.

the next couple of lines ("can't stop the future from settling / but i can change the way it feels") is adrien's hopeful call to the future. he's stuck right now with his father, and he maybe even thinks that he'll always be stuck doing what his father wants, but he can change how he feels by being chat noir. by being chat noir, adrien is taking hold of his own future and his own feelings, shining a positive light on the future that he may not have had before.

the last line, a repetition of "just promise that you won't forget about me" could again be talking to his father, another plea after expressing his own desire, like he thinks that his father won't approve of him wanting his own things. or it could be adrien talking to ladybug or even the city itself; adrien loves being chat noir, but he's not really as popular as ladybug, and he also fears his relationship with ladybug. he needs frequent reminders from her that he's valuable and important to her, and so this fear of being forgotten - by her or Paris - tracks well with his character.

i was hiding under your porch because i love you

also not a huge adrien song BUT the line "it's just you and me / through all these inconsistencies" screams ladynoir

they all float

again, not a huge adrien song but my powers of projecting are unmatched and the line "this time i'll do things the way you wanted / it's not right, but it's just the way you wanted / lay it all on me, 'cause i'm all ears" is another adrien to gabriel line.

fantastic

i did not really consider this an adrien song until i looked up the lyrics and realized it was. im right. we have the chorus:

"i can't imagine fast enough to settle on a dream but i've spent this winter wondering when they're gonna settle on me and there's some things i've just gotta know but one thing's for sure"

which is another inscription of adrien's hopelessness in regards to his position with his father; he's never been given the opportunity to truly figure out what he wants for himself, and so he doesn't even really know where to start. the "one thing" that's for sure can be interpreted as the controlling hand gabriel has on his life, or it can take a more hopeful tone, considering that we have seen adrien take those first steps to move out of gabriel's control - by going to public school and by becoming chat noir. the "one thing" for sure could be gabriel, but it can also be that, for sure, adrien will always find ways to escape gabriel.

in the post chorus, we get:

"and i can't wait to go outside and spend my summers contemplating what I'm gonna do with my life"

which lends hope to adrien's "one thing" being him able to escape because of the excited tone of the lines. he "can't wait to go outside" as chat noir, outside of the mansion, and take time to contemplate what he wants from his own life, for himself.

3. black light

black light is the second EP waterparks released, and it's another garage-band sounding EP. the main themes of this EP are: being frustrated with your situation and the people in it, and wanting to carve out a better future for yourself

4/6 songs on this EP can be considered adrien songs

christmas

this is!!!!such an adrien song!!!!!! this is one of the songs that i picture adrien's band playing in my au i mentioned earlier. we start the song with:

"i fell asleep last winter woke up and it was august not much has changed, yeah, i still feel the same but i’m slowly making progress"

which fits into the themes of adrien's character i talked about during airplane conversations of adrien going through the motions of what his father tells him to, but slowly trying to break out of that control and make progress for his own goals.

in the chorus we get:

"i’m just waiting and i’m just saying maybe the end is near but all that means is a new beginning"

this isn't like. super adrien related but i still think it deserves mentioning because of how it progresses through the song (which i will mention in a second), but i think it relates well to the "growing up/fearing the future" stuff we've talked about.

we get a featured singer sing this part (which in my au nino sings, it doesn't matter):

"i’m just waiting for my chance to put a picture of me, put a picture of me in the dream scenes of dream scenes of dream scenes of dream scenes of my ideal future"

which, again, relates to adrien wanting to be able to call his future his own, outside of his father.

and in the outro, we get the lyrics from the chorus changed up a little, so that we get:

"i was waiting and i was saying the end wasn’t ours to fear and all it meant was a new beginning"

in my head, because of the way the tenses change from present to past, this would be adrien's perspective after the events of his childhood and teenage years. but because his youth is also so tied up with being chat noir and defeating hawkmoth (who is his father) i think this is such. this is such an emotional and hopeful line, looking at this from adrien's point of view. after defeating hawkmoth, despite how truly grueling that might be for him, he becomes free from gabriel's control. growing up, defeating hawkmoth, facing the end of childhood means adrien can have a new beginning. he can have his ideal future.

american history

american history isn't fully adriencore but the line "the action's a fraction of how much this hurts" is very much "we're teenage superheroes fighting supervillains every day and somehow the action of the fights is not the worst thing that's happening in my life"

new wave

i actually named my au after this song because it's such a bright, upbeat song against adults who try to tell you the way the things you do isn't right. it fits right in with the theme of the au, and it can also be applied to ladybug and chat noir's fight against hawkmoth.

in the first verse we get:

"call it new wave say it like you should because a call to arms is a calling card and i’m calling soon hoping i can get through to you"

which is like. hawkmoth is "calling to arms" his akumas, which in turn acts as a calling card for ladybug and chat noir. the "i'm calling soon / hoping i can get through to you" is chat noir specific because of the fact that hawkmoth is his father; instead of just defeating him, adrien will probably feel some empathy towards his father and want to get through to him.

in the pre-chorus, we get:

"every single time you throw your white flag down and surrender like every single second's just another second spent to lose but this is something i can’t lose"

which translates to hawkmoth akumatizing a new person nearly every day but still pulling back and "surrendering" after the akuma is defeated. he's playing the long game; he's confident that, eventually, he'll defeat ladybug and chat, and so he doesn't really care if he loses another day. but for ladybug and chat noir, this is life or death. they can't afford to lose to an akuma even once or else they lose the miraculous, maybe their lives, and definitely paris. they can't lose.

the outro is a variation on the intro and it's:

"call it new wave until it's all washed up because we'll be crashing soon but before we do i hope i get through through to you"

which refers to ladybug, chat noir, and hawkmoth "crashing" together in their final battle, but, before they do, adrien hopes to get through to his father, connect with him. and maybe that might make the "crashing into each other" less severe.

night maps

night maps is another song that fit into my au; it starts with:

"i couldn’t keep up with watering myself down and so all that grew was the high tide until i drowned the oxygen had all run out and now i’m left dried up and standing here"

which translates to adrien being drained and watered down to be the image his father wants him to be. the rest of the song, however, is about finding a place for yourself and beginning the process of being yourself again, which, for adrien means being chat noir.

4. cluster

cluster rounds out the early garage-band EPs as the third and final EP. the main themes of this EP are: being separated from someone you love and feeling frustrated about your situation.

4/5 songs on this EP can be considered adrien songs

crave

this is a very bittersweet song about being in love, which makes it, for my intents and purposes, a very bittersweet song about being in love with ladybug. at the beginning of the song, we get:

"i wish i could forget you but it's out of hand i wish i was aggressive and had a plan"

in canon, adrien dated kagami, but still obviously had feelings for ladybug. he did, however, like kagami a lot, and so he might've wished that he could forget his feelings for ladybug, especially knowing she can't reciprocate and he had an amazing girl right in front of him. he wants a plan to get out of feeling for her and for feeling for kagami.

in the chorus, we get:

"i'm cravin', a getaway from the smooth talk, that's keeping me grounded to the, carpet in my room my quiet blue tomb of you"

as chat, adrien can't resist flirting with ladybug because that's the friendship they've established with themselves, and ladybug is always smoothly replying back to him with jokes of her own. her banter, as much as he loves it and values it, keeps him thinking about her when he's alone in his room instead of thinking about kagami. his love for ladybug shouldn't be - she can't love him back and he is in a relationship with someone else - and so his bedroom where his innermost desires come to light becomes a guilty sort of place.

territory

territory is so ladynoir it hurts. in the intro we get the lines:

"i wear my game face in your headspace where it's storming at least most days we are both like that we are both the same"

which translates to ladybug and chat meeting, at most points in time, in order to fight akumas - hence, they always have to have their "game faces" on. ladybug's headspace is "storming" most days because of her stress with being the guardian and fighting akumas - and they find solace in each other's company because they're both teenagers burdened with way more than they should be.

the bridge gives us:

"i'm gonna hunt you down cause i'm a handful i'm gonna freak you out but it's all substantial so bring me bad news anything you have to just to keep me on my toes"

which is how chat views the way he tells his feelings to ladybug; he knows she'll probably "bring him bad news" by rejecting him, but he wants to continue being around her in her territory - he wants to be her friend, and he also wants to keep loving her.

pink

pink can also be a song about adrien loving ladybug, especially with the chorus lyric of "you're one of my favorite few" which is just. SO sweet and romantic but anyway. in the pre-chorus we get the lines:

"i'll watch you from my telescope; my eyes stuck to my favorite show i barely get more than a glimpse but it's better than nothing, yeah, i know"

which is like. adrien doesn't really get to see ladybug often, at least not in a relaxed setting like he really wants to. he feels far away from her, but when he does get the chance to be near her, he tries to absorb as much from the interaction as he can, throwing out dumb puns, flirting, and generally trying to get to know her in between akuma fights. it's not the ideal way he'd choose to spend time with her, but it's better than nothing.

no capes

no capes is another song about adrien wanting to be different that what he should be (with lines like "the anything slash everything that i should be / but i don't want to be like that") but this one takes a more somber and scared tone, which could relate to the fears he feels as chat noir.

the pre-chorus is literally just the line "no one will ever love us the way that i do." for adrien, being chat noir is so important to him, considering his home life, and he knows ladybug likes him, but she doesn't love him. he loves their partnership, he loves her - he fears he'll be in a position where he's wanting this (being a superhero, being friends) more than she does.

in the bridge, we get the lines:

"i hope you watch me through the letdown 'cause no one will be here, be here forever"

which could translate to any anxieties he feels about what happens after they achieve their goal of defeating hawkmoth. adrien has a lot of issues - issues about adults in his life disappearing/dying or emotionally leaving him behind - and he doesn't want ladybug to be another person to leave him behind after everything is over. he wants to still be able to be friends with her, maybe even learn her true name. but he fears that won't happen.

5. double dare

with double dare, we've breached album territory: double dare was waterparks' first official album, and it started branching into more polished, pop-leaning songs. the main themes of this album are: being tired and frustrated with something that you should like and loving someone who may not love you back

5/13 songs on this album can be considered adrien songs

stupid for you

stupid for you is ladynoir. it's ladynoir so hard. i mean, we have lines like:

"you're yellow, i'm natural blue let's get together and be green like my insides"

which. okay i know adrien is generally seen as the yellow golden boy and he is! but like, looking at him in comparison to marinette/ladybug and actual color theory, he's more of a natural blue. he's more likely to fall victim to negative thoughts than marinette is; she's generally more positive, more 'yellow.' (also, when you consider that their character design colors are each other's colors when inversed, this also makes sense - adrien is 'blue' beneath his appearance and marinette is 'yellow') and the "let's get together and be green like my insides" relates because green is a chat noir color. he wants them, in their 'yellow' and 'blue' contrasting moods to get together and be green, like chat noir, who is generally silly and joking around. he wants them to be able to be silly together.

in the chorus, we get:

"hey, tell me what you want me to say you know i'm stupid for you hey, can you come and come out and play? you know i'm stupid for you"

which is like how he is after he's been rejected; he doesn't know what to say after she tries to get him to stop flirting. he wants her to give him blueprints of how to act so that she'll like him (i.e. what color rose he gives her), but he still wants to be around her and and joke around with her.

in the bridge, we get:

"Just double dare me And I promise now that I'll stay It's not like you're married but I still got carried away"

which further develops his insecurities in regards on how to interact with her - he knows she didn't like when he confessed to her, that it made her feel guilty and a little upset because she couldn't return her feelings, and he got carried away with his over-the-top methods. but if she were to ask him to stay with her, in any sense of the word, he would do it in a heartbeat.

in the second chorus, we get:

"you're playing ring around my head i wear you like a halo you're a symphony, i'm just a sour note i'll take what i can get the best is hard to grip when everybody wants you and everybody wants you"

which conveys how ladybug is always on his mind ("you're playing ring around my head") but he likes this fact - or at the very least he doesn't mind it ("i wear you like a halo"). he sees her as someone who is so good and so out of reach for him ("you're a symphony, i'm just a sour note") but he still wants to be around her as much as he can. he'll take what he can get in terms of her time and attention, because he knows how the entire city is vying for her attention - she's the face of paris and she's the guardian and she has her own life to attend to - he thinks that maybe to her, he's just another person in her life who wants her.

royal

royal is only kind of an adrien song with lines like "i'm two faced from your double exposure" about his conflicting personas between what his father wants from him and what he himself wants to be, and this is especially poignant because of the "double exposure" metaphor, like the cameras adrien is behind for his modelling jobs are what make him "two faced"

royal is also about working so hard but not knowing if the pay off is worth it, which also relates to adrien's job with his father.

take her to the moon

take her to the moon is a "adrien loving ladybug song" with lines such as:

"i wanna make my way into your kiss i wanna live inside your mind next to your favorite songs i won't slow my pace until your walkway i wanna lose my mood inside a late night phone call with you"

which such a sweet lovesick yearning idea that adrien has 100% thought about ladybug before. i rest my case

powerless

powerless is a ladynoir song. in the first verse we get:

"you know i'd make the time i'm just waiting on your green light yeah, i'll be at your porch by this time tomorrow 'cause i'm almost not fine, but i'd never let you know"

which is like. adrien is SO down to be anything ladybug needs - he has almost no time at all what with his father's schedule, but he will always make time for ladybug. he's literally just waiting for her to call, and he'll be there. but in terms of actually letting her know how important she is to him in his life, as both a friend and as someone he loves romantically, he can never tell her because he doesn't really want to worry her.

in the chorus we get:

"you're the only one that makes me powerless tonight all i am is losing track of time tell me why oh, oh you never really missed me back"

which leads us into the bridge:

"i want you to need me like i need you i need you to see me when I'm see-through it's sad but it's true: no one's waiting for you but i was thinking we could get away sometime yeah, let's call it a date and you can devastate my personal space i never liked it anyway"

and that tells us how strong his feelings are for her; they're so powerful that he's effectively powerless against her. but he feels as though he's the only one that feels that way - she never seems to miss him back. but he wants her to want him in the same way he wants her - he wants her to be able to see him, in all his details, and still like him. and he wants her to go on a date with him and actually get close to him - get up his personal space because with her, he doesn't actually want personal space.

i'll always be around

i'll always be around is guess what!!! another ladynoir song!!! the chorus gives us:

"you know i'll always be around i'd never never never leave you hanging out to dry because the world's gonna pass me by but if you wanted, i'd never never never leave your leave your side i'd never never never leave you out to dry i'd never never never get you off my mind"

which is so!!! relates to the previously mentioned ideas of adrien being willing to drop everything to do what ladybug asked. he's devoted and loyal to her - he always wants to be someone that she can rely on as both a friend and a partner, and, potentially, as a lover.

we also get the line:

"you stopped me in my tracks you caught me in a gaze"

which relates to the moment he fell in love with her when she stood up to hawkmoth in front of all of paris: in that single moment she'd caught him up into having feelings for her, even if she didn't know it.

and in the bridge we get:

"if there ever came a dark day (if there ever came a dark day) that crushed us out and took you away i'd chase you to the end i'd chase you to the end of the world"

which is so. so ladynoir. their relationship and friendship is constantly haunted by the threat of hawkmoth, and so this consideration of the terrible "what ifs" and the insistence that no matter what, he'd find a way to get back to her is like. yeah that's ladynoir.

6. entertainment

entertainment is the second album, and it continues leaning into the pop-alternative sound while still somehow sticking to the punk sound. the main themes of this album are: loving someone, loving someone who hurts you and isn't good for you, and feeling trapped in your circumstances

4/10 songs on this album can be considered adrien songs

11:11

this song is so!!!! adrien loving marinette core!!!!!! i actually wrote a fic that had one of the lyrics of this song as a title (my favorite set of stairs is the one up to your room)

the pre-chorus actually gives us this line here:

"my favorite set of stairs is the one up to your room and my heavy set of cares evaporates all around you evil comes in pairs and we like what we do you've got me feeling like a walking love song"

which just makes me think of the way adrien will be after the identity reveal happens. he already wants marinette to be ladybug (based off the sheer amount of times he's referred to her as 'the everyday ladybug' + every time he's gotten so close to discovering ladybug's identity and his brain has always gone, without fail, to marinette), and so when he realizes that she is ladybug, she'll quickly become the person he most wants to be around and the person he feels most comfortable around. because of how dismal his home life is, he'll probably spend a lot of time at her house, and he'll come to associate the stairs of her room with walking into love and comfort. he'll be absolutely smitten with her.

in the chorus, we get:

"i must've caught you from 11:11 the lucky number seven i try to hide with my words but you just find me clever i found a million places you'd be worth the chases to go-oh-oh"

which again just inscribes how strongly he would feel for marinette - and it's also kind of a pun because of how "lucky" he would be to have her. like. get it. lucky charm. anyway, his "hiding with his words" would refer to the way he disguises his feelings with humor, but she would be able to see past that - they would know each other so well. and, just like how i've said adrien is with ladybug, he would totally be willing to go anywhere and everywhere for marinette. this song is post-reveal adrinettecore.

lucky people

guess what fellas we have another song about adrien loving ladybug/marinette. after looking closely, it seems like we might have a post-reveal relationship sort of vibe here, but it doesn't really matter because bare bones? this song is about adrien loving ladybug who is also marinette.

we start with the verse:

"light us up until we pop i wanna burn bright 'til we're not let's keep each other safe from the world i'll be your optimistic black hole full of love i can't control let's keep each other safe from the world from the world"

which falls into the previously-discussed themes of adrien wanting to be around ladybug as much as he possibly can before they defeat hawkmoth and inevitable Something Different happens, and he also wants the both of them to stick together. the "i'll be your optimistic black hole / full of love i can't control" also relates to previously-discussed adrien themes where we know adrien is actually someone who is prone to negative thoughts, but he comes off as someone who is really optimistic, and also that he loves ladybug something fierce - it's a love that he knows has already scared her, but it's also a love that he feel like he can't help but feel.

in the chorus, we get:

"i know you said to mind my business but cupid sent me on a mission that's got me sitting, wishing, waiting for your call"

which plays into adrien's romantic nature conflicting with ladybug wanting to keep their feelings out of superhero work. regardless, because of his romantic nature, he will always be sitting and waiting for her to call him so that they can be together, even if it's just to fight akumas.

we also have the line:

"you've got me more than clumsy but you're my yellow, lovely"

which (SEASON 4 SPOILERS) after mr. pigeon 72 is like. adrien literally was so busy looking at marinette that he bumped his head against a car door. but he won't even mind!! because marinette/ladybug is a spot of brightness in his world that he absolutely adores.

rare

i am once again telling you that this song is about adrien loving ladybug. hear me out. i'm right. in the chorus we get:

"i just hope it's nicer where you are 'cause i only want to lift you up i guess i never really said enough for you to hear me where you are 'cause i only want to lift you up i guess i never really said enough so let me tell you now"

this is adrien hoping that, wherever and whoever ladybug is, she's living happily - at least more happily than him. he only wants to lift her up and support her, not only because he loves her, but also because he values her as a friend. but he feels like she doesn't know how much she truly cares about him - he feels like she brushes off when he tells her he loves her, so he wants to say it loud enough for her to truly understand.

and in the other half of the chorus, we get:

"my tired thoughts don't take vacations, oh no you float up in conversations, oh no you're my final destination, i know you're probably fine there just know i think you're rare"

which is where he tells her how he truly feels; he's always thinking about her, and when she comes up in conversation (which she does, she's ladybug after all), he feels some stress because he has all these feelings for her that his civilian self isn't supposed to have. and yet he feels like she's it for him - he loves her so much and can't imagine loving anyone else. she's his "final destination." and he thinks that she is so good and powerful and beautiful that she's rare in comparison to the rest of the world - which tells her how happy he is to have found her. (and, thinking about this line as if he's speaking to ladybug, it's funny for him to say that he thinks she's rare but refer to marinette as "the everyday ladybug." which really just tells you how highly he thinks of marinette)

sleep alone

we're rounding out this album with, you guessed it, another song about adrien loving ladybug. like. "i feel dead and a half but you're making me laugh" ?? which relates to adrien being overworked by his father but meeting ladybug in his spare time and managing to feel truly light hearted around her??

in the chorus we get:

"my face feels hot and blue my hands still count on you to let me down articulate and lonely enough for the two of us but if you want, if you want, if you want to you can call me on my phone, i'll run to you you won't ever have to sleep alone you can call me on my phone, i'll come to you you won't ever have to sleep, sleep, sleep alone"

which hints at how adrien knows that ladybug will continue to turn him down, but he can't deny his feelings for her ("my hands still count on you to let me down"). and he's lonely - isolated by his father - which he feels like he has enough to loneliness to cover the both of them, which is why he proposes that they stay together; he'll take on her loneliness, too. and, just like in all the adrien-loves-ladybug songs, we see that he is only a single call away from doing anything ladybug asks him too.

we also get the line "but if you want it you can have it, you can have me in full" which tells us that he respects her wishes to keep their identities a secret, and he understands that she doesn't have romantic feelings for him, but if she ever changed her mind - about either thing - all she would have to do is ask, and she would have him, entirely.

7. fandom

fandom is the third album, and it leans into not only pop-alternative sounds, but also rap and almost r&b alternative sounds. the main themes of this album are: wanting to be able to express yourself in the way you want, feeling separated from someone you love, and getting out of a bad relationship

7/15 songs on this album can be considered adrien songs

cherry red

starting off strong with the album's opener (which also starts with the ending music of the last song on the album which is- okay. this album's art. continuing on) which is - i'm thinking you're sensing the pattern - at least partly about adrien loving ladybug. cherry red is super short, and the only line that really applies is:

"cherry red you know i'd die for you"

which. cherry red refers to ladybug because of, you know, cherry red suit, etc. and the "you know i'd die for you" is. well. adrien has made it very clear that he will go out of his way during akuma fights to protect ladybug. it's not exactly dying, but it's close enough.

dream boy

dream boy is!!!!!!!! dream boy is THE adrien song!!!!! dream boy was the song that made me mold au adrien's band after waterparks, dream boy is the song that semi-inspired this post, dream boy is the reason i project adrien onto so much of waterparks' discography.

dream boy sounds a lot like a love song. but dream boy is, at it's core, a commentary on the way that media and fanbases treat conventionally attractive boys in the spotlight, and it's a commentary in the form of a bright, bubbly pop song. it's brilliant. it's adrien

the chorus, which is also the intro gives us:

"am i the boy you dreamed of? oh living in your subconscious, oh do you believe in love? oh and is it because of me?"

which is like. from the very start of this song, we get the idea that adrien (since we're supplementing the speaker as adrien, you get it) exists only as a the dream of a boy his fans have of the perfect boy. they believe in love because they love him, but they don't love the real him, they love the 'adrien' that they've constructed in their minds

in the verse, we get:

"build your expectations saturated and inflated 'cause i was born to be your favorite make me complicated i'm modern and i'm dated because i was born to be your favorite"

which builds on the manufactured feeling of adrien agreste. his public persona as a model was built by gabriel to make money - he was literally constructed as a teenage heartthrob "born to be your favorite" so that his father could profit.

and in the pre-chorus, we get:

"build-a-boy, pick my pieces overjoyed‚ never leave your heart destroyed, i'm your boy custom-made your beloved getaway i'm your favorite holiday you'll never be alone with me"

which is like. adrien is constantly rebuilding himself to fit the ideals other people want from him, and other people are constantly rebuilding him in their minds to fit the ideals they have for him. he isn't his own person - he's always belonged to other people, custom-made, depending on their preferences, to be the most likable he could possibly be.

high definition

high definition falls into the category of "songs about adrien loving ladybug while trying to be in a relationship with kagami." in my mind, i hear adrien in this song talking to two separate 'you's - both kagami and ladybug.

when the song starts, giving us the chorus we get:

"i'd love to be in love with you enough to write a love song, mmh i need to feel needed and i need it more than i let on"

which is adrien speaking to kagami. he wants to love her because he knows she deserves it and she's an amazing girl, but he can't. but he still needs that affection she gives him because he's lacking it in other parts of his life.

in the second half of the chorus, we get:

"i'll be home just thinking about it, maybe call like i used to but i'll just stay alone because alone is safer than with you"

which, in my head, is where he transitions to talking to ladybug. he still thinks about her and he wants to be with her, but he recognizes that those wants aren't responsible while in a relationship with someone else.

in a verse, we get:

"i know i'm not around enough to make me worth the wait it's like who wants to be close with someone who always goes away? and even when they're here it's like where's your fucking head at? why's it take so long to text back? you're so bad at loving people back"

which is where we see his relationship with kagami devolve. (SEASON 4 SPOILERS) i mean, this is almost literally why kagami breaks up with him; he's always running off for seemingly no reason, and even when he was around, he was emotionally distant because of his feelings for ladybug.

telephone

telephone is a HUGE ladynoir song. this is a song about how much chat wants to be able to get to know ladybug, which gives us lines like:

"i'd like to know your middle name let's talk about your parents and your future dreams i'm interested but distant to a fault and i'd never want to complicate your heart"

which is just like!! he wants to know all the little information about her like her middle name and her parents, but he also wants to talk about her and her dreams. he wants to know her, outside of the mask, but he knows that's not something she wants, so he tries to keep these wants tamped down.

the second verse gives us:

"i talk a lot, but we could fill your frames with pictures of our faces 'til we share a name i'm living on a target and you shot it with an arrow now i lost my self-control, i can't stop thinking and i'm thinking that i lost it all these aisles feel like miles where you go, i'll follow"

which, again, expresses his desire to be with her in her civilian life, even fantasies about marrying her. he is so stupidly in love with her - and, as i've talked about before, he is absolutely devoted to her. wherever she goes, he'll follow.

never bloom again

never bloom again is a little too sad for my to comfortably label it a ladynoir song but this line:

"now all the girls in los angeles look like you from a distance i tried to give you space until i stepped away from your brain and now i just miss it"

is very adrien-loving-ladybug-esque. replace 'los angeles' with 'paris' and you get adrien trying to find ladybug's features in every girl he meets while still trying to give ladybug space on their secret identities.

[reboot]

[reboot] isn't a really an adrien song, but it does reference dream boy, which is worth mentioning. in the chorus, we get the line:

"i never promised you your dream boy i'm better as your chew toy"

which could be like adrien's actual thoughts on his placement as paris' and his father's manufactured dream boy persona. he's not actually everyone's dream boy, he's just a toy for them to use a destroy.

zone out

zone out is a huge adrien song because it is literally just dream boy. zone out acts as a break before the last song in the album, and it is the lyrics to dream boy set to a softer, more lullaby-esque tempo and instrumental sound. it's a lot sadder than the normal dream boy, and you can really feel the fact here that dream boy is not a love song.

with zone out, we have adrien's actual quiet, sad feelings about dream boy. he wants to fill the dream boy role for his father, but he can't, really, because he can never live up to that level of perfection. he will always fall short.

8. greatest hits

and with that we have reached the most recent waterparks album. this album plays with experimental genre sounds even more so than the previous two, but is still unmistakably the "waterparks" sound. the themes of this album are: strange dreams and nightmares, struggling with being in the spotlight, and wanting to feel loved

7/17 songs on this album can be considered adrien songs

lowkey as hell

lowkey as hell isn't overtly an adrien song but the chorus plays on the common themes we've seen before:

"if you need me now i'll be there somehow i'll pick you up, we can ride i'll fly away like i bought my own airline i'll take you with me, we can ride"

which is basically that adrien will always be around to do anything ladybug needs - if she ever has the need to call to him, he'll always find a way to be there for her.

violet!

i won't go too in depth about it, but violet! is about a stalker and their victim, who is the speaker, and you cannot tell me adrien does not have any stalkers at all with the way the show portrays his fame. he's probably had to deal with his fair share of crazy fans, so i thought i'd mention violet! here.

snow globe

also not an overtly adrien song, but we get these lines in one of the verses:

"’cause all i hear is 'i love you so much' but it starts to mean nothing when my heart is shut from you my heart is shut from you my little tiny world is in your hands so shake it like a snow globe fuck my plans"

which talks about how the love adrien experiences as a famous model isn't the kind of love he wants - he wants feel loved by his father. but gabriel just uses him for the company - he holds adrien's tiny world in his hands, and uses that grasp to shake up adrien's world and disrupt the relationships adrien has with the outside world.

the secret life of me

this song is about fantasizing about running away to a new life, or to a secret life away from responsibilities, so like. adrien about how he's chat noir.

in the chorus, we get:

"sunbathe looking like a sunday wishing for a someday i could run away like that now i think i need a life or maybe 9 'cause i feel like i’m running out of time, yea

which plays on the ideas of running away. it's really fitting, i think, because of the reference to wanting 9 lives, which is definitely a pun adrien would make as chat noir

american graffiti

this is another song about struggling with being in the spotlight, which relates to adrien. in the chorus, we get:

"yeah, you've been reading all about me and you're loving what you found i'm like american graffiti you want some glitter, drink it down yeah, you've been seeing all about me taking notes, yeah, write it down i'm like american graffiti if you need me, i'm here now if you need me, i'm here now"

which relates to the themes brought up during dream boy: we have this circumstance of people finding adrien, learning all there is to possibly know about him, and deciding that they love this version of him they see in the media. the "if you need me, i'm here now" also refers to the dream boy theme because of how this version of adrien that exists in most people's heads will always be there to comfort them and "love" them in a parasocial relationship.

fruit roll ups

fruit roll ups is yet another adrien-loving-ladybug song in which he talks about wanting to invite her over so they can watch movies together and also how much he feels for her.

in the first verse, we get the lines:

"when you talk it's in cursive to me and it's nicer than anything i'd believe about me it's like that shit was written in gel pen and i love those"

which is not. super important but it's cute! also the line "and it's nicer than anything i'd believe about me" also might refer to the way ladybug reassures him of his placement as a hero and a friend in her life, which are things he continually finds hard to believe. so it's also sad!

crying over it all

speaking of sad this last song is another adrien-loving-ladybug song and it is. sad.

the pre-chorus is:

"so practice your passion on me give me your 100 degrees i'll die off whenever you need an afternoon just to breathe soon everyone will be gone they'll forget my albums, i hope you'll be here when it's done and i'm crying over it all, yeah"

first of all. i go insane every time i hear the line "so practice your passion on me." now that we've gotten that out of the way let's continue on. we have the line "I'll die off whenever you need" which refers to chat's tendency to sacrifice himself for ladybug during akuma fights, and these lines also express that familiar desire he has of wanting ladybug to stay beside him after the events of whatever will happen next actually happen.

and in the chorus, we have:

"and all i think about is where you might be and when i'm swallowed down i'd say it's for you, yeah, yeah, yeah, oh, oh i'd say it's for you, yeah, yeah, yeah"

which refers to how adrien wonders about ladybug when they're apart - he wants to know about her and how she spends her free time, but he can't know these things, not yet. and the line "and when i'm swallowed down / i'd say it's for you" would refer metaphorically (maybe sometimes literally) to the things he does during akuma fights for her to make sure they succeed.

and in another verse, we get:

"cherry red's your touch a touch i'm failing to feel, or feel enough to love you safely “who?”, “what?”, “when?”, and “why?” all drive me crazy please make me sane for you"

again using the phrase "cherry red" to refer to ladybug, her touch something that adrien can't feel enough of because their relationship is strictly platonic, but he wants more. he wants to know the 'who, what, when, where, and why's of her life, but he can't, and it drives him a little crazy. in contrast to being "stupid for her" back in double dare, he wants to be "made sane for her" so that he can have some feeling of peace in their relationship after getting rejected.

9. conclusion

the biggest conclusion we have here is that im insane. the second biggest conclusion we have here is that i have the amazing ability to project adrien onto a very large portion of waterparks' discography, and i'm right in doing so. an equally important takeaway is that adrien needs a hug and also that he loves ladybug. thank you for your time

#adrien agreste #ml meta #adrien agreste meta #miraculous ladybug #ml #mlb #my meta #literally if anyone reads this the full way through you are stronger than the us marines. i mean this literally #me: i will make a fun post about the songs i project onto adrien!#also me: takes it way too seriously #i should've just done it based on memory and saved everyone the trouble of this stupid huge post but im stubborn #and love making things harder for myself.#i literally looked at the lyrics for every single waterparks song and considered whether or not i could project adrien onto them #this post took me. an embarrassingly long time. so long. i will not say how long but so long.#and don't get me wrong. it's not embarrassing because of how long it took me - it's a long thorough post so obviously it would take long #what is embarrassing is the fact that it is a long post about projecting adrien agreste onto songs and also that i unironically reference #an mlb radio rebel au multiple times unironically throughout the course of this post. THAT is embarrassing #speaking of my mlb radio rebel au i really need to finish that. hopefully i can work on it over the summer #anyway. i have to go to sleep now because it's stupid o'clock. im running on fumes. everything's great #goodnight i WILL be reblogging this when i wake up. i want to burden as many people as possible with its existence as it has burdened me

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princessjungeun · 4 years

Text

From Liking To Loving: Chaeyoung x Reader

Request: could you please do a chaeyoung scenario where the reader is a new trainee around the same time chaeyoung joins and they become friends but over the years, the reader starts to fall in love with chaeng but believes it’s only one-sided?

ok lowkey i hate this but i re read it and told myself it was fine so...if you all hate it pls tell me and i’ll redo it 🥺

June 6, 2012

You stood in front of the audition panel, palms sweaty and knees practically shaking. Singing and dancing was something you did for fun, you never took it seriously even though that was your dream. When you overheard your classmates talking about the audition you knew you had to at least try it.

Your mom and dad weren’t allowing it, they wanted you to be a doctor or business woman but that wasn’t what you wanted. The only person who encouraged you was your grandfather. He was the one who secretly brought you to this audition. He was the one who secretly signed and payed for dance and singing lessons for you. He was your biggest supporter.

The judges smiled at you after you sang and danced. Despite this you kept a scared fsce on, 13 year old you couldn’t shake the fear away. When the judges told you that you passed you couldn’t believe it. You thanked them, walking to the door backwards not wanting to turn around thinking it’s be disrespectful.

You ran into your grandfather’s arms and told him you passed. He held you close, trying his best not to cry because he was so proud. When you went home and told your parents they weren’t happy, hence why you moved into your grandfather’s house.

June 7, 2012

You walked into JYP building drowning in your grandfather’s sweatshirt he gave you this morning as a token of his love. You balled your fists up into balls and pushed the door open following signs that were set up for the new trainees. You walked into a room with a sign that marked as a meeting spot for new trainees. Upon walking in everyone’s eyes turned onto you. Quickly you scurried into a corner alone, back pressed against the wall and knees hugged to your chest.

A girl walked in and she was really pretty, she definitely stood out to you more than other girls. She scanned the room shyly before her eyes landed on you curled up in the corner. She waddled over to you and sat next to you. Realizing quickly she wouldn’t be the one to talk first you said “hi i’m Y/N...” The girl smiled and said “I’m Chaeyoung.”

July 17, 2012

You and Chaeyoung did just about everything together since the day you met. She practiced with you, conditioned with you, and you were even roommates in the dorms. You both completed your first monthly evaluation together and passed with flying colors. That day you both couldn’t stop smiling you were so happy.

January 3, 2013

You overheard two staff walking out of a meeting with your PD-Nim. A new girl group was to be put into the works. You ran into your dorm and yelled the news to Chaeyoung knowing you two were close to a chance of debut. From then on even though you didn’t know if it was for sure, you both practiced harder than ever.

August 27, 2014

It was in fact true. JYP was debuting a new girl group and you two had been selected into a group of potential candidates. You struggled to keep up with Chaeyoung and the other girls but that didn’t take away your determination. Chaeyoung would help you with anything no matter how much she needed to practice for herself.

November 29, 2014

You both found out there was going to be a reality show, the winners were going to be the ones to debut. Without a doubt Chaeyoung would be selected but you worried that you wouldn’t make the cut. Chaeyoung told you day after day that no matter what happened she’d still be supporting you, even if it wasn’t your time to shine.

December 27, 2014

You in fact didn’t make the cut for SIXTEEN. When you found out that night you nodded and bowed respectfully, thanking your instructors for the opportunity. Quickly you found your way out of the meeting room, deciding you just wanted to be alone. You sprinted to the Han River, tears pricking your eyes. Not even having the heart to tell your grandfather you didn’t make it.

You sat alone on the bench you always sat on with Chaeyoung. “Hey...” A voice behind you made you jump. It was Chaeyoung. She scooted closer to you and you wrapped your arm around her shoulder. She leaned into your body and you sighed contently. She whispered “I got in.” You pulled away and looked into her eyes to see if she was lying. She wasn’t, Chaeyoung can’t lie even if her life depended on it. You held her hand and rubbed your thumb on the back of it “that’s amazing Chaeng, I knew you could. The two of you fell silent and just sat admiring the moonlight reflecting on the water.

“Hey I have to tell you something.” You spoke up not even looking her in the eye. You continued “I love you more than anything in this world. I am in love with you and I have been since the first week I met you.” She looked at you and asked “why are you telling me this now?” You responded blankly “I’m going back home.” She asked “are you serious? Why?”

You told her “i’m not going to debut Chaeng. Let’s be real for a minute. There’s no way they’re debuting another girl group before 2019. That’s five years. I cant keep doing this...especially without you.” She asked you “is that what you really want?” You responded “not yet.” She just stated simply “ok.”

That night Chaeyoung didn’t tell you that she actually felt the same. She was in love with you, but she didn’t believe that what you felt was actually real. Just a feeling of being in the moment. You were just overwhelmed is what she continually told herself.

April 16, 2015

The reality show was going to start in less than a month. Chaeyoung has already started training with the 15 other girls. She’d come home exhausted and more drained than usual, just wanting to lay in your arms as she fell asleep. Although you weren’t training to debut anytime soon, you stayed. You stayed because on the slight chance that Chaeyoung didn’t make it into this group, you two could debut together years later. You wanted to be here for her throughout this journey because you knew it wouldn’t be easy for her.

May 6, 2015

Chaeyoung started the reality show Sixteen. She was scared but she had Somi, another trainee around her age. The other older trainees took care of the younger ones, making sure that they were okay. Chaeyoung moves out of your shared dorm, leaving you to room alone until a new batch of trainees came in.

On the day Chaeyoung moved out she gave you her favorite blanket, a pale pink one with strawberries in it. You wrapped yourself in it every night with a pillow tucked in your arms knowing this was the closest you’d get to holding her in your arms again.

July 7, 2015

You’d watched every episode as it came on tv. Chaeyoung almost always stayed in the Major team, never really dropping below. When her name was announced as a member of the final group you couldn’t help but cry. You wished you were in the audience so she could see you but you were busy training yourself. She called you that night telling you she’d see you the next day.

That she did. Tearfully you ran into her arms telling her how proud you were. She’d tell you everything that happened and about all the friends she’d made and lost over the course of time. That night she slept with you in your dorm, wrapped in your arms. You slipped an I love you as she was falling asleep and she heard but once again told herself it was you being caught in the moment.

October 20, 2015

This was the day Chaeyoung debuted with Twice. Chaeyoung has now realized how much she did love you. She hadn’t talked to you in a long time due to her debut preparations with the group. She missed being in your arms and dancing with you until late at night. She missed when you would playfully kiss her cheek cooing at how cute her dimple was.

You were there for her debut stage as a surprise. She noticed you in the crowd of reporters and that motivated her to do better. When she was offstage she found you and you told her your future plans. “I’m going home. For real this time.” She asked “is that what you really want?” You nodded and told her your decision was final. She was proud of you for going through with your word and following what you truly wanted.

2016

You did in fact go home. You stayed with your grandfather and continued to attend school. You never stopped dancing, deciding that it was one thing you didn’t want to quit. You met up with Chaeyoung more than you through you would be able to. She was tired and drained from promotion after promotion, comeback after comeback, but she kept pushing.

2017

You danced at 1Million dance studio with a few choreographers. Occasionally you did your own choreography, a few videos even going viral.

Chaeyoung continued to meet with you when she could. She grew more beautiful with every day that passed. She was more confident as well, holding your hand and kissing your cheeks more. You never reciprocated because you simply enjoyed it that way. However Chaeyoung thought you stopped loving her, but despite this. She couldn’t stop loving you.

2018

You didn’t see Chaeyoung at all this year. You travelled around with your grandfather. Whenever she was home, you weren’t. You thought about her everyday, sending her pictures of places you knew she’d love, promising one day you’d take her to every single one of them.

2019

You saw Chaeng for the first time since 2017. She looked so beautiful you literally cried. She hadn’t grown in height, but she looked older. The soft baby you once knew was no more, she was a woman now. She held you in her embrace for longer than you could ever want. You realized then that you loved her more than ever before. And she felt the same.

You went to many of Twice’s concerts, standing by the stage in a tiger onesie with a banner of Chaeyoung’s name. She was embarrassed as you sang off key and maybe a little too loud, but this was the you that she loved and missed the most.

2020

You met up with Chaeyoung again, more than previous years. She missed you more than ever as well.

You two walked along the Han River, the same way you did when you were trainees. The lights illuminated the walkway and Chaeyoung held your hand tight, as if she was afraid you were going to let go.

“Did I tell you I’m planning to be a choreographer?” You asked her curiously. She asked her usual question “is that what you really want?” This time you answered honestly, “not completely.”

She asked you “what is it that you want with all your heart?” You stopped walking underneath a light post holding her by the shoulders in front of you. You stepped closer to her and placed your hands on her waist. “This.” You kissed her softly under the light, her hands found their way around your neck. You pulled away and whispered “it’s you I want Chaeng. I love you so much and I have since I told you that day. I love you so so much Chaeyoungie.”

Chaeyoung smiled and pulled you in for another sweet kiss. She pulled away and hugged you, her head nuzzling into your neck. You stood under the light, just you and her. That was all that mattered right now. She told you “I want you too, I love you too Y/N.”

#kpop imagines #kpop scenarios #kpop fluff #twice fluff #twice scenarios #twice imagine #twice chaeyoung #son chaeyoung

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awarprince · 3 years

Photo

THE GENTLE PRINCE.

& * timothée chalamet . cisgender male . he/him . wasn’t that vladu dragola walking the palace grounds ? it’s nice to see the prince of walochnia out and about on such a fine day as this. i’ve heard from the court spies that they notoriously selfless, whilst also managing to be quite determined. the twenty-three years old is eager to find out who exactly is behind the killings from what’s being said at court. i heard that they themselves are vrajiit ( telekinesis & teleportation ). it’s funny, whenever i think of them, i think of an obedient son, frustrated attempts to be good enough, the fear of his own blood, thoughts of remorse late at night. great to see the gentle prince around, isn’t it ?

& * — BASICS!

full name : vladu augustus benedict dragola. nickname : vlad. royal title : prince of walochnia. birthdate & age : august, 31st; twenty-three years old. zodiac sign : virgo. religion : unknown. the positives : determined, hardworking, gentle, caring, empathetic. the negatives : selfless, whiny, emotional, insecure, perfectionist.

& * — PHYSICALITY!

eye color : green with blue specs. hair color : chocolate brown, wavy. height : 185cm / 6’. weight : 70kg / 254lb. body build : slightly athletic, slim. birthmarks : many beauty marks along his body, few scars. abilities : telekinesis & teleportation.

& * — HISTORY!

There is nothing to complain about his childhood, Vladu was the youngest child for a long time and for this reason, he was very spoiled by everyone surrounding him in the castle. His mother was his best friend, and most of his time was spent with her, learning about her hobbies and her duties as the queen. She taught him how to read, how to write in beautiful cursive, how to paint beautiful portraits, and how to play the piano. But what she really loved to do with her little boy was to play duets: she played the piano, and he played the violin. She didn’t mind his lack of knowledge on the instrument at first, but fell in love with it as the time passed, as he developed more skills.

They got used to ignoring the comments whispered in the hallways of the castle, oftentimes Vladu and his mother would hear quiet words about how she was softening him, how his whiny and usually deemed weak behavior was her fault for pampering him too much. His father, the king, tried to create a stronger bond with his son, his heir, but little Vladu never showed any interest in any of the things his father introduced to him — the sword he gave to the young prince was too heavy for his delicate and smooth little hands, the play-fighting was too violent for a boy that only wanted to draw pretty pictures and play violin with his mother. And his sister, who he loved so much, was the complete opposite of him, and perhaps she was everything the king wanted his son to be.

As he grew older, the young prince started to learn the thing necessary to become a king one day. He didn’t quite understand why his sister couldn’t be the heir instead, since she was much more skilled than him in the art of handling a sword, and was definitely closer to their father than he was. But he wouldn’t disobey the orders of king Basradu, he’d pay attention to the classes and tutoring, taking notes and studying every bit of information they provided to him. He learned the history of their kingdom, the right techniques for good trades, and the right way to manage the land’s money. In theory, he knew everything to become a king as powerful as his father in the future, but at night he’d still ask his mother to lay next to him in bed and tell him stories, to create new stories, for the ones he was used to listen to were too violent, too bloody, and he didn’t want to dream of an everlasting war during his sleep.

It was after a night of beautiful dreams that he received the news of his mother’s death, due to a complicated pregnancy. Vladu didn’t understand the concept of pregnancy at the time, and he didn’t know the thing growing inside his mother’s tummy could be strong enough to result in her death. He had no idea his little brother could be so deadly. But when he saw Dimitri for the first time, Vladu felt happiness like he had never felt before — he still hadn’t understood that he’d never see his mother again, but somehow he could see her clearly in the face of his brother. It took days for him to accept the queen’s death, to acknowledge that she really was never coming back, but he never saw his baby brother as the cause of it. He loved his brother, and he was convinced that they would be best friends.

And best friends they became. Vladu taught Dimitri everything his mother taught him, and spent as much time with the youngest prince as he could. He wanted to be for the young boy what his mother was for him, a source of endless love.

At the age of seventeen, it became known that prince Vladu of Walochnia was, indeed, vrajiit. Words couldn’t express the happiness felt by the king when he knew of his son’s abilities, when the young boy managed to move a crystal glass with nothing but the force of his thoughts — but the prince could only feel terror, for he knew he was going to be sent to The Academy of Mircea. It was a conglomerate of everything Vladu feared the most: soldiers, weapons, violence, and war. He knew his father wouldn’t give up on making his precious vrajiit son get away from his military training, no matter how much he cried and whined. In fact, it only made things worse; the warriors in the Academy were told by the king himself to be even more strict on the heir of the kingdom. He ordered them to toughen him.

Vladu was so afraid, and not only of the training itself, but also afraid of leaving Dimitri in the hands of their resentful father. He begged his sister to take care of their younger brother, to keep him safe from the king’s wrath, and he was hopeful that she’d follow his only wish before leaving the castle to the Academy.

He had to admit that the years he spent training to be a good vrajiit warrior were tough, painful, exhausting, but it wasn’t enough to change who he truly is. Vladu learned how to fight, how to kill, how to be merciless, but he knew that once he stepped out of the Academy, he’d forget everything he learned and went through there. The letters he sent to his father in the time he was there, they were nothing but a huge lie, an attempt to make the king happy and proud. The real true was in the letters he sent to Dimitri, telling him how much he missed him and Mina, and how he couldn’t wait to go back home. Little did he expect that he’d return home to the news of an arranged marriage between him Ekatherina Anastase.

Vladu always thought he’d live a love like his parents’, that he’d find his soulmate and be as devoted to them as his father was to his mother. He believed his father wouldn’t try to designate his future like that, not when he had lived a story of true love with his wife. That was what Vladu wanted for himself, a true love. But more than that, he wanted to be an obedient son, he wanted to be good enough for his father, and not only because of his vrajiit abilities. He wanted to make king Basradu proud of who his son truly was: a gentle, kind, and just man.

#warborn.intro #& * — VLADU DRAGOLA : aesthetics.#& * — VLADU DRAGOLA : headcanons.

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theoddores-archive · 4 years

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ALEX FITZALAN? No, that’s actually THEODORE BURKE from universe 6. You know, the child of MERRICK BURKE and ESME BURKE (NÉE FLINT)? Only 18 years old, this RAVENCLAW alumni works as a CLERK/MANAGEMENT TRAINEE AT BORGIN AND BURKES. HE identifies as CIS-MAN and is a PUREBLOOD who is known to be FLIPPANT, BOISTEROUS, and EGOTISTICAL but also STAUNCH, VIBRANT, and ARTISTIC. — &&. ( CAMI, GMT+1, SHE/HER, 20. )

“ i hope you’re proud of me. i took all the awful things they did and turned them into empathy. i hope you’re proud of me. i may have let their poison under my skin, but i let it drip out of my fingers as poetry. “

depression tw, drugs tw, suicide tw

THE BURKES

old money, old names, old houses - although their name was proudly featured in the list of sacred pureblood families, kept pure throughout the ages, the burkes were never truly a part of that group. their ancestry was foggy, with no dusty records of alliances and ministry positions. their wealth was sufficient, yes, but never in the expected way. the oldest record of a burke they could relate to the present family was a healer of little consequence, and the rest mostly worked for others, especially under the great names they supposedly considered their equal. to marry a burke wasn’t treason, but it was a step down, the acceptance of an insignificant and middle-class life.

the family wealth grew when, in 1863, they partnered with the borgins to establish a shop in knockturn alley. their business? buying and reselling wizarding artifacts, mostly belonging to other more reputable families. the burke’s most potent claim to fame and respect was to be the money-hungry keeper of the deeds and inventories of their superiors. that stigma still accompanies the family to this day, anchoring them in a position of clerkship to the other great families - the burkes are not able to make their own history, so they buy and sell others’ for what they’d consider small change.

nevertheless, it has put them in the public conscience, even if negatively. the shop has grown over the last nearly two centuries, but has remained strongly in the families’ hands, leaving at least two people per generation stuck with the store. borgin and burkes is where people from all walks of life can attempt to sell their latest steal or inheritance, and where one may find the cursed objects capable to cause all sorts of pain, death, misery. the burkes may be inferior, but they are resourceful and plenty useful. their contacts with the criminal underground of the wizarding world and their possession of dark magic objects turned them into a desirable addition to extremist movements, even if never in positions of high power. grindelwald’s army did lead to half the family being imprisoned, some dying while evading capture. and some years later, the remaining burke’s gave a chance to a young man who would not forget the name he had worked under for nearly a decade. the job gave tom riddle a public justification for his search of knowledge in areas of magic so nefarious that no other place would allow for them to be explored but borgin and burkes. when he finished his ascent from man to power, he kept in mind those names. the recently graduated children of his employer, who he’d watched grow up, got the promotion of their lives, with a mark on their arm and a mask over their faces. and later, when their dark lord returned, it was their children’s turn.

merrick burke didn’t share the devotion of his elders, but certainly felt the same gratitude. to be picked, from all possible choices, to join the forces of the new era was, once again, the promotion he would have never dreamt of. in a perfect world, he’d have remained in the store, mostly dealing with finances as he’d always preferred, a quiet life that would leave barely more than a footnote in the writings of history. but how could he refuse such an offer? the man took the mark immediately, ready to pledge his all to the cause. but when their second attempt failed and died at hogwarts, merrick retreated to the store, forever hiding the lines on his skin. his girlfriend, esme flint, did the same, and their short-lived part in the second rise of the dark lord faded from memory. between then and the reformation of the death eaters, the couple married, devoted themselves to the shop and to evading association with their previous criminal activities, vowed to never speak of the darkest things they’ve done, and had two children.

BEFORE

born on august 13th, 2008, theodore talbot burke was brought into a peaceful world. the small cottage in upper flagley made up most of his existence for a few years. the world of impressive estates and ancient manors was the stuff of books and the occasional wedding or birthday celebration of some family friend, or acquaintance from his parents “old job”. the young boy’s loud personality made it possible, however, for even those encounters to grant him friendships he held dear, even when he was stuck in his small village.

while upper flagley was mostly wizard populated, a handful of muggle families had settled there as well, and sometimes lines would be crossed. he’d climb a tree with a child that needed plasters and doctors should they fall. some kid from down the street would ask him to come play video games. while theodore didn’t mind them much, it was a chore to keep up with the other kids’ references and be mindful to not mention his parents’ store or words such as ‘wand’ and ‘spell’. his parents seem to share the same feeling, often mentioning during dinner that their realities were simply too different for such close-quarters coexistence. as such, theodore preferred the wizards in his village and in the big houses far away from upper flagley, with whom talking and relating to was simply EASIER.

hogwarts was the adventure theodore had been craving for ever since he could remember. it was bigger and much more interesting than the broken clock that was upper flagley. it was a place where he could spend all of his time with the types of people he actually liked, those whose experiences were the same as him, with no fears of saying something he should not say. in many aspects, it was a reinvention. at last, he could attempt to become the person he’d rather be, full-time. one single train ride was enough for him to make sure most people his year at least knew his face, as he popped in to chat for a while. the sight of the castle came with a clear indication: he was finally somewhere big enough to contain all of him.

his energy quickly had him dubbed as the wannabe class clown, evidenced in the story of how the burke boy, while playing around in the small boat that’d led them across the lake and pretending to be their legendary sea captain, tripped and fell into the water.

theodore was sorted rather into the ravenclaw house without much pondering by the hat, and that made sense to him. his mother was the smartest person he knew, and she owned more books than he could recall. his father was a genius with numbers. he’d certainly get his chance to prove his intelligence at hogwarts. the first year was a rude awakening.

try as he might, the boy seemed to lack behind in most things. in a highly individualistic group such as the ravenclaws, he found himself more and more alone in times of need. sure, theo was funny, he’d make the entire classroom giggle; he’d entertain the dorm room until near dawn; yet his connections felt hollow. he wasn’t very book smart. his house felt less and less like home - perhaps the hat had made a mistake. maybe he was a gryffindor like his mother, or a slytherin like his father.

during his second year, theo was louder, more boisterous, a bit too much for some people’s tastes. what he lacked in grades and proper friendships, he made up in STAGE presence. it was near impossible to not notice when theo was sitting right next to you, or even in the same room. he tried out for the quidditch team (and failed), and ended up joining a few extracurriculars to fill his time with things he could actually be good at, since education was certainly not it. years of learning the violin with his neighbor, an elderly witch who’d done some tours with some forgotten orchestras, came in handy when he joined the hogwarts orchestra (although he only ever got truly good at it during his third year, with intensive practice - something he learned rather late was needed if he was to succeed, and yet he rarely applies to anything else). the debate club became one of his favourite activities, it being an outlet for the endless bite in him, to the constant need in theo to say something back until only he could have the final word. without realising it, he expanded his skills into things he could actually do. creativity. music. spontaneity. an ability to think on his feet at all times. a pompous nearly-suave way of being.

theodore’s path in life seemed to finally be taking shape. to add to the joy, after over a decade of struggling, the burkes at last brought to the world another child and, for the rest of the school year, that was all theo could talk about. philippa, philippa, philippa. to this day she’s his favourite being in the whole world and he cares about her so much!!

understanding that there’s more to him than just academic failure was truly the beginning of a constant discovery process of who theodore burke really was. the only class he usually got better than passing (or even failing) grades was DADA, which most attributed to all the knowledge he’d gain by working summers at his family’s store, or simply by living in a house decorated with priceless dark arts artifacts. he’d always showed a lot of curiosity in his family’s line of work, never as an ambition but as a hobby - magic, in all its glory and power, regardless of the confines of the law, always seemed to put a smile on his lips. being in possession of such items was a slippery slope of power and a rush he never really understood.

a big part of that self-discovery was a conversation his parents had with him during one summer, when he asked them in the middle of the store why they hid their dark marks. while not the most astute of people, a fourteen year old theo knew enough about the dark lord who’d terrified the world, and his many followers. he’d seen enough pictures from trials and attacks in some books, even heard incredible and terrible stories of their deeds. knew and cared about people whose families had been tremendously impacted by the dark lord. the kernels of ideology he’d been catching all his life came together at the kitchen table later that day, when he was told of the generous and righteous man who’d attempted to make a new world time and time again, for which the rest were simply not prepared. it wasn’t exactly an hostile story, but rather one of a rebel that kept being taken down by the establishment. the darker deeds the burkes themselves had been involved in? necessary evils. an escalation of events easily preventable had the ministry done something more. there were certain ideas and needs for separation that some refused to accept and, tragically, they’d forced their hands. esme and merrick were not proud, but what soldier doesn’t carry guilt? that does not deem their cause unworthy.

it was a stark contrast. the loud boy that played the violin and made paper planes with his unfinished exam sheets. the legacy of a revolutionary line that was waiting for its new leader.

he digested it the only way he knew how - by sharing his experience to those who understood him. that group kept getting smaller, and by the middle of his seventh year, it was mostly those who carried the same expectation to join the ranks as soon as their leader returned to continue the war. some bits of it all made sense, but the main attraction for theo was the sense of belonging. he wasn’t really absorbing the ideology or the notion that voldemort had been the good guy. instead, he was understanding the feeling of comraderie his family had felt and he longed for it more than ever. he believed they were all misguided, on both sides, and generally put little thought into it. war, violence, hatred, anti-muggleborn laws? all terrible concepts to him, but that didn’t stop him from being drawn to the people within it all - always for their human side. and he was also fulfilling a role that had started many years before, making his family proud. for once, he didn’t need to be louder than life to be heard, even if there was a clear hierarchy he refused to see - breaking an illusion was indeed a hard task.

the dissonance caused him great confusion. still struggling to understand his very own moral compass, theo finished his final year at hogwarts with tragedy. suddenly the big question was no longer what the orchestra should play for the christmas concert or what he’d do after hogwarts before he resigned to his faith of working at knockturn alley. no. it was who to turn to as his world shifted more than it ever had. there was little room for choice. the ones he’d gotten the closest to in the previous few years, those who understood the weight of his burden. the stakes were so damn high.

by trying so hard to fit into the pureblooded elite group, he’d pushed away most other people. some had also simply turned around when it was clear he was too far gone. in many aspects, theodore felt as if the world around him had become rather narrow, pushing him towards a single path with no way back ( despite the fact that a lot of that had been his own doing during his downwards spiral). he tried to quickly adapt to his role as support: theo wasn’t the brightest, the strongest, the fastest, but he trained like his life depended on it, as it probably it. above all, he provided the connections long desired in a burke, and the knowledge of dark arts no seventeen year old should possess.

how could he justify murder? outside of a battle, where it was every man for himself? he’d met some of them. he knew their children. theo struggled with the true implications of the heroic stories of rebellion that his peers and family lived off of, and that uncertainty was visible. given how he wasn’t seen as a death eater powerhouse, theo had some manoeuvre room and wasn’t held accountable quite as much as the big guns, but enough was enough. his fraternizing with whatever enemies still remembered him as a kinder boy, his shaky hand during attacks, how he always held back, even faintly protested? something didn’t seem right.

weeks before graduation, he attempted to change it all. theodore tried to subtly feel for support within his peers, with very little success, which was disheartening. his old friends weren’t much of a solution either, as he could barely look them in the eye, let alone ask for a hand getting out of the grave he’d dug. theo even tried to get some guidance from professors, but fear held him back from proper help. in his last resort, he turned to lily potter, but his attempted betrayal was discovered before he could get any sort of protection from the other side. theodore was quickly taught that treason was frowned upon, and a simple thought ingrained in his mind: if he left, there was nowhere to run to, no one to go to. was he willing to let them all go? what did he even have but them? the prospects that came with the movement? the connections, the friendships? the lesson came with a few bruises and cuts, and a lot of broken trust he has not been able to fix. the cuts healed slowly, as he was told to not use magic on them - a mark of shame for a traitor, let the world see what happens to those. feel their stares. the trust even slower. the following day they walked with him to class, a reminder of WHO was there to help him on his feet the previous night, clean the blood off his face, bring him for class even though he’d spent all night imagining what it would be like to never leave that bed alive again. who gave him class notes as they saw he’d done nothing but stare at his own hands, head far too low to even see the blackboard? who gave a shit about his sorry little treacherous self? they did. they always would.

NOW

his total loss of direction at the very end of the year (typical) came coupled with the personal downward spiral, and theodore left hogwarts with very few friends, many enemies, and a measly Acceptable NEWT in divination. he wasn’t aiming for much anyway, but it was still quite the slap in the face. although he could understand why he’d gotten zeroes in the other two: scribbling down his name and then staring at the parchment for hours, nothing in it, his head preoccupied with anything but question number six. not showing up to the DADA oral examination. staring at his hands rather than professor lupin during the charms oral exam, as he mumbled under his breath how he didn’t know how to do what was being asked of him (somewhere forgotten inside him he swore he did, but that would have required too much of him), storming out after 15 minutes. he got lucky with divination, mostly because his oral examination led him to predict a life of empty sorrow and loneliness, collapsing into a horrible death and an unmarked grave. for a few minutes he thought he was projecting until the professor assured him that he was somewhere in the vicinity of right. while he’d talked the big talk before about all he’d do with his life after hogwarts, he ended up behind the counter at borgin and burkes a few weeks after graduation, once his dad finally managed to get him out of his room.

in all accounts, theodore gave up. he gave up on trying to better himself, to fulfill little dreams, to get out of a group he could no longer justify. it was a brutal reality check, and one he’s not quite recovered from yet.

due to his mishap in the recent past, theodore’s role within the now formal death eater movement is a lowly one, mostly as an errands boy who needs constant surveillance; or disposable. some of his friendships fell apart after the fact, but the few that remain still have enough pull to keep him in. in fact, up until the collision of realities, he’d been on a quick crescendo, attempting to prove himself worthy of their companionship, their trust and their acceptance. theo devoted himself to the tasks given to him, even dared to show hints of a ruthlessness that does not belong in him - but there are many lines left to cross and many people he still cannot bear face, let alone fight.

now he’s surrounded by all the ideas of what could have been. the most jarring group of people around is the real death eaters, with their original ideology and an unbroken line to the dark lord. in many ways, they feel much more nefarious and there is nothing shrouding their agenda: no more blood impurity, even if by means of murder. he acknowledges now that the movement he’s in is flawed, wrong even (depending on the day you ask him), but at least they are nothing like them!! slowly, it is sinking in that they are all born out of the same goal and their means are quite similar. their existence is breaking the spell, as is the knowledge that other versions of him exist and might not all be hopeless. theodore is slowly realizing just how sinful his actions have been, yet he doesn’t believe he has any sort of bravery or will left in him to risk it all once more.

he found himself in verse 8 with no money but the few galleons in his pocket and no access to his vault. he panicked BIG and i’m unsure what he can do afterwards so some DE hit me up from tbh any verse that can give him a hand while he tries to convince v8 burkes to give him any job at the shop because ‘that’s all i know how to do, that’s all i’m good for’

during 6th and some of 7th year, theo dated lily potter. they’d been friends for quite some time, explosive little things that needed to have the last word and a mess from the start - but full of heart and genuine love and friendship. however, she could feel him slipping away to a group of people so morally wrong, especially in 7th year. he knew she was distancing as well, like two high speed cars doing their very best not to collide, even if their fights were incendiary. eventually, it was clear that their paths could not merge, and they broke up. in all senses, they were never made to last, but the personal changes they suffered during their time together truly made them into all different people now. he reached out for her help once, but ended up regressing into his old ways. sometimes he considers asking for it again, but how often can that hand be there?

lily was the biggest threat to his credibility in his group before they broke up, as she came with a whole lot of friends and relatives he’d decided to care about, even if many saw his attempted true colours. she was also certainly used as proof by his betrayed peers of how the other side would always leave him. very fresh wound, very messy, he hates how much he still cares about her and her family and friends

big classical music nerd!! ever since third year he’s realised how much he loves music and his violin is truly something that brings him immense joy. he’s dabbled into other things, mostly piano, but he always comes back to his preferred instrument. there’s also a musicality to him? he enjoys adding little rhymes to sentences, or good rhythms to casual enunciation. tapping his fingers to a song in his head. that was truly the most ravenclaw thing in him, a very deep creative passion that was so often unexplored~

also musicals. he’s even gotten into some muggle ones but that’s top secret now.

there’s something quite sophisticated about him that makes his background in a vaguely established pureblood family hard to forget. big words make up his vocabulary even though he’s seen as not that bright, his posture is fixed every time he snaps out of his own mind and his collection of robes is to be admired. the biggest tell is just how disconnected he his to muggle culture, no matter how mingled both realities are by now.

he’s quite angry? theo is not very good at dealing with his own emotions, but he’s learned with some. if he’s too happy, he doesn’t hold back, despite knowing he’ll likely crash or become too full of himself. if he’s too sad, he’ll turn off, retreat into the covers of his bed for a few days, probably cry a lot (theo is very much not afraid to cry). but if he’s furious, he simply storms, which often gets him in trouble. he’s full of fire and bad coping mechanisms. in most circumstances, theodore picks the fight, the rush of anger, the ringing of loud voices and high stakes, the attack. one word could easily make him leap into an argument, and with those he despises? wands will come out.

the MOST dramatic. has read lots of theater plays (the only thing he’ll read) and he’s that bitch. probably tried to put on some plays at hogwarts with the help of the orchestra, which he’s tried to take control over many times with little success (theo, walking into the choir room: hi this is a coup).

he has been introduced to glee, the iconic class old tv-show and in a better verse, he’s actually watched all of it and reenacts scenes with only a little bit of sarcasm. but yall should know he’s a bit of a rachel mix with brittany and i hate him for it

argue with him. he LIVES for the chaos of an argument! but also for long soft discussions - theo could sit on the floor and talk for hours, exploring different sides and opinions. despite being dumb as rock when it comes to academic things, he functions only with curiosities and if he finds interest in something, he can become incredibly well versed in it!

big slut nowadays and i love him for it. hello hi he needs to feel the thrill of being alive through any means possible.

loves soft aesthetics? flowers in his messy hair, picnics in the sun, glitter on his face as a party look

has a couple piercings in his ears and likes to put dangly dainty earings on. very rare to see him without painted but incredibly chipped nails. an aesthetic

clumsy as hell. tries to be suave, and sometimes does manage it with his words, but his body language ruins it all. although in general he’s more of a funny clowny sort of guy and just very lame

theo is 120% impulse and he truly doesn’t put that much thinking into his decisions, which often leads to mess

"theo was born w no thoughts, head empty, it's his life goal to keep the streak going for as long as possible" - chewie

no reflexes

listen the burkes had money, alright. they had no fortune but they did have money. except they didn’t spend it on a bigger house or any of that, but rather in savings for later in life and for philippa and theo, stuff like wedding savings and first house help. they went on nice vacations every summer for like 1 week. they invested back into the store. but they didn’t have full to the brim vaults of gold or a manor ya know

he cared about quidditch once in his life, for approximately 10 minutes during his incredibly failed tryout for the team at hogwarts, and then it was no longer a valid topic. he’s not once watched a professional game, and was mostly secretly drinking during matches in the stands at hogwarts once he finally started going to them. he also tried to become the commentator for matches at school and was denied based on the fact that he knew the name of no pass and wasn’t sure about who even was in the ravenclaw team

has an owl since hogwarts named amata and she’s the most ill tempered animal ever. he treats her like royalty and yet she attacks him at the slightest chance she gets, and hurts others as well. he adores the little thing regardless.

little. treasons. theo was always made up of those, unaware or not of the lines he was crossing. even now, after learning his lesson from proper betrayal, he still dabbles into little treasons, and they’re ways to make him feel a bit more in control even though he has lost most of it by now.

he has very addictive tendencies and bad coping mechanisms. ever since he was quite young at hogwarts, he realised things like alcohol or drugs could break him out of funks, even if just temporarily. he’s yet to give that proper attention

BEAUTIFUL handwriting, has no business being that nice

(SUICIDE TW) very shaky mental health. definitely non diagnosed depression and has had it for quite a while, before the war was really an issue over his head, although it has worsened it all so damn much. he’d often miss class, have to be dragged to it by friends, just struggle man. oh well. but also has this sort of nonchalant approach to dying? just a very vague suicidal ideation at times that he throws in as a joke oops. or as very serious but ‘eh it is what it is’.

i have described his character development/regression as those wavy crafts scissors

this fear of being all alone and irrelevant is a great button to push. as well as his own lack of self worth - theo has a very strong mindset of ‘you break things, you fuck up every good thing that comes your way’.

VERY needy. very touchy as well. and above all, a big romantic? his heart yearns for love so so so much all the time and has a hard time moving on always and forever. he really clings onto memories of feelings and a need for love uh

northerner boy but god does he HATE upper flagley and yorkshire with all his heart?? it feels stifling and he always compared himself to friends living in much more interesting places, and felt like maybe only a big city like london could fit him

loves complaining

sees big acts of bravery as usually stupid, or reckless, or a martyr complex oops

probably went to the library 4 or 5 times during all his years at hogwarts, truly doesn’t understand how it works

“i’m not a traitor, i’m just dumb”; “i’m not a liar, i’m just a coward”

highkey seems himself as a very pathetic figure oops

he LOVES the fact that voldemort once worked at borgin and burkes. “me and the dark lord are more alike than you think”, which isn’t as funny of a joke anymore

some stats, which you can find HERE.

click HERE for a bad pinterest board.

some character parallels: jake peralta (b99), eliot waugh (the magicians), quentin coldwater (the magicians), albus potter (cursed child, i know), josh chan (cegf), richie tozier (it), oberyn martell (asoiaf), nick miller (new girl), diana barry (anne with an e), vanya hargreeves (umbrella academy), percy jackson (pjo), felix dawkins (orphan black), jaime lannister (got), haley dunphy (modern family), jason mendoza (the good place), klaus hargreeves (umbrella academy), eleanor shellstrop (the good place), harry bingham (the society), brittany pierce (glee), rachel berry (glee), tom haverford (parks n recs), rebecca bunch (cegf), plumbella (the simmer, yes, i have discovered they share an accent and i love this)

WANTED CONNECTIONS

childhood friends: so we’ve got two options here. someone who was also raised, at least partially, in upper flagley. OR one of the pureblood kids around his age that he’d visit with his family. either way, people who knew him before hogwarts and had seen his changes over the years.

friends in low places: of those childhood friends, he’s grow closer and closer to those more affiliated with the pureblood ideology. it started in 4th year when he finally got out of the dark about his parents’ death eater past (maybe even pushed by some of these friends first?) and he sort of just narrowed his world to people who understood that experience more and more. it got extra intense in his last year and due to his attempt at betrayal, some dislike him and probably scare him (sign up to be the one beating up theo lets go) while others are truly close friends. his attachment is more to the expectation and to the PEOPLE, not to the ideology. real friends, betrayed friends.

ex friends: joining the DE kids led to two main scenarios, as theo had always befriended people regardless of affiliation, family or blood. he started pushing them away for their and his safety but shit! does he still care! OR they walked away when they saw who he was becoming and his selfish ass likely resents that.

bonus ex friends: people he’s secretly kept close or they’ve decided to stay, but they no longer acknowledge each other’s existences in public, or go full ‘i hate them’ sort of narrative.

bunch of haters: people who have never liked him. that’s about it. could be from school or not, but theo is certainly not the most easily likeable person. extra points if its someone from hogwarts that always got in shit with him, ended up in detention, wands were drawn, stupid shit.

old tutor: at various points during his time at hogwarts, theo needed a little help. but since OWLs preparation he started paying a sum of his allowance to another student to help him understand stuff better. he’s a slow learner, a distracted one at that, but he pours all of his loyalty and care into those who help him out along the way. but also makes them want to bang their heads against the wall. by late seventh year, however, he stopped asking for help.

artsy people: music was one of the few things he discovered pretty soon he’s great at, so he can often be seen practising, listening with heart eyes to others’ music, or testing out instruments he does NOT know how to play and thus sounds horrible. music pals !! could be connections starting in hogwarts or not but that’s always his happy place. could also be other arts, painters and writers, poets at heart, theater nerds. people who fit into all these types of intelligence that isn’t exactly academic

fam: i’m open for relatives!! his mother is a flint so that’s wide open, bring all the flints!! as for burkes, i like to hc that the family is very small, which in a way helps keep the shop ownership more contained. so i’m open for burke relatives but would def appreciate talking about it first! theo puts family first always in anything so :eyes:

a borgin: anyone, just someone who works at the shop or has ownership over it, or a kid of those people. make borgin & burkes complete.

borgin & burkes clients and traders: the biggest claim the burke family could make within the DE was always that they have the connections to be good supplies, and so they did. the same applies to theo until now, who used the knowledge of cursed and dark artifacts he learned at his family’s shop, and the connections they’ve gained throughout the ages, to be of use. his face is was a staple there during the summers and until the realities collided he worked there full time, so many characters would have dealt with him in v6.

helping hand: being thrown into v8 with no money on him, he’s in a tight spot and unsure of how to proceed. some pureblood, especially DE, from any verse who give him a hand while he tries to work something out, further making it clear in his head that he owes so much to ‘his people’.

other me’s: i don’t have super set plans on what’s up with theo from all verses but i know that they aren’t around osidfhbdsnkj i’m saying most of them just were not in london when it all happened. i do know that v5 theo made good decisions and got the hell away from bad people and is out there, living okay, being good but a shithead. v3 theo is BAD at being a DE and it’s the worst version of him out there, his heart?? don’t know it, exists somewhere way too burried. v8 theo doesn’t exist because his parents went to azkaban after the second war oops. SUICIDE TW (v1 and v2 theodore are dead. verse 1 due to suicide. verse 2 was a DE and suffered an overdose that was likely not accidental. v6 theodore was not surprised to hear any of this and he hates that oops). so people from other verses!! who have interacted or known these other characters i’m not writing and now have this poor excuse for a theodore oof

one nights: he’s A Slut and sad and lonely. another eh coping mechanism but oh well, at least he’s pretty

friends n lies: someone from another verse who has no clue about who he his and his life, never saw each other before. and they befriend each other, while theo exercises his improv skills and makes up lies to cover the ugliest parts of him. he knows it’s a ticking time bomb but he does love reinvention. perhaps they are lying too? :eyes:

#❛ v . | if i ever faced me you’d drop me straight to hell’s 9th circle ; headcanons .#clonesintro #suicide tw #depression tw #drugs tw #here we GO

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bhandarimarblekishangarh · 4 years

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Exclusive Granite Counter-top

I have been getting more and more questions about our counter-tops in our new kitchen. I am going to be sharing my honest 100% opinion on my Granite Counter-tops and my Granite block counters. Why I have both and how they are doing 7 months into living with them. This of course is my counter-top review and does not mean everyone will be happy with my choices. I do believe they are each timeless classic looks for that French Farmhouse kitchen style that I designed.

I wanted a casual feel to our kitchen but also wanted something that never felt outdated. Considering I change my mind every ten seconds I needed to select a kitchen that I wouldn’t get bored with and since we are tapped out on moolah, I needed to make sure they were finishes that would last too. This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience.

Well, Granite is a scary word to most people! I remember a year ago when we were planning for our kitchen how many people tried talking me out of Granite. I did my own research about it, talked with my kitchen designer about it, and tried finding the best match of quartz (since that was the durable material) or granite (a little more durable than Granite but still natural) that I could. I even considered soapstone since I absolutely love it as well, but ultimately decided I would get less sick of light counters than I would dark counters so I swayed back to the Granite. I also considered Granite which I fell in love with too, but it felt “fancier” to me and Granite just felt more timeless, subtle, and paired well with the Farmhouse vibe of my kitchen.

Pro’s to Granite:

So, let’s talk a little about the pros to Granite that I have personally found with having them in our home. The look! I mean this alone sells me every morning when I wake up. I love the veining, the timelessness, and the pureness of Granite. There is nothing quite like that true deep veining, color, and simplicity. The color is a true white and a true cool Black. I wanted that contrast with my greige color cabinets, that I felt quartz was just not going to provide. The more I looked at quartz the more I kept falling more in love with Granite. Not to mention real stone is trending again!

So, yes the look is what sells me every day! So, what else??? The coolness to touch is also something I appreciate about the Granite. The price was also way better than quartz. Quartz being on high demand is now more expensive that real stone. How can that be? I thought that was nuts when I first heard about it, but it totally makes sense. I’m not quite sure the percentage of kitchen renovations that prefer quartz over real stone or other material, but I am sure it’s quite a bit. So, knowing I was getting a more luxurious product for cheaper was another selling factor for me.

Pro’s to Granite Block

Well, with the Granite being a cool and more luxurious product, I wanted something not only to balance my bank account but also my fancy meets casual kitchen. The room needed something that would warm up the space and having the warm wood Granite block feel would definitely create that balance. Our island is 9′ long so the counter was going to be a big chunk of money too. We looked at a few options but I kept coming back to images of kitchens with Granite block counters. We chose white oak so it has less “yellow or red” in it and would mesh well with our flooring.

One of the questions I get all the time is how durable is my Granite block. Well, we had ours sealed through the counter-top company for long lasting wear and tear. It makes it super durable where I can clean it with just about anything and do just about anything on it. I needed that balance because Granite was not a durable surface so it was important to have a surface space in the kitchen that was. Having an island where the kids eat meals, snacks, and do homework on without flinching was important. I love the look of the wood for that Farmhouse feel and it also acts as a large table for us too.

Cons to Granite:

Well, as you all heard and I’ve been told Granite is not durable. Guess what…it’s not! But there are ways to make it work.

#1. Seal your counter-tops with what your counter supplier suggests (I sealed mine twice already and plan to seal them once more this year- so ex’s a year is good). This is the one I use!

#2 Have a mix of counters so prepping and food items that ruin Granite can be avoided. That means no wine on my Granite and no lemon! The two products I am always most concerned about. We have a few lemon marks already but fortunately as time goes on, they seep into the Granite a bit. The soda my son spilled last month, not much I can do about them cup rings (I lost my mind a bit that night).

#3 Clean with Granite and stone countertop cleaner ONLY! Here’s the one I use!

#4 Make sure never to use the sponge you use to clean dishes on the counters. There could be left over acidic juices and we’ve learned this the hard way too.

#5 Avoid moving items around on counter or placing anything abrasive that can scratch. We have one good scratch also from my son- clearly the rule “stay off the Granite” gets broken here and there.

#6 Be careful with edges of counter. We have had some slight chipping from taking items out of sink and placing into dishwasher.

So, yes this is a lot of upkeep…probably annoying for most people, but if you are a Granite lover like myself having those scratches and marks on your counter still make it worth it. Remember Granite has been around since forever embracing the imperfections is what makes for a timeless look. I do agree though this is not for everyone. You totally have to babysit it, and let go of every ding and stain. I will say I would never have an entire kitchen with Granite.

The Granite works because I have the two materials (Granite and Granite block) to help with less wear and tear on the Granite. I have become that crazy lady to put up signs during a party like no wine or keep off the Granite. Some stains do fade over time and if they aren’t in a ring form you may not ever really notice. I also have the honed Granite which helps best with etching where polished Granite etching is more noticeable. I believe it taking care of the products in your home and this just means you have to take extra care.

Cons with Granite Block:

There really is not that much cons when it comes to the Granite block unless you just don’t love the look of it. We have some splintering and if you choose not to use a cutting board to cut something you can get dents and scratches. Other than that, I have nothing bad to say about it. I love the warmth and the casual feel it brings, but if you do want a fancier or glamorous feel to your kitchen Granite block may not be first choice.

I hope this was very helpful for those of you that are considering one or both of these materials for your kitchen. I wouldn’t have it any other way. Only last bit of helpful tip I would say is if you consider doing a Granite back splash as I’ve done behind our range, keep in mind the color darkens when it’s vertical. That has been one little issue that I’ve had with my Granite because it does look a little bluer gray than I had wanted-so keep that in mind!

Nicole says

August 21, 2019 at 8:09 am

Ah, I didn’t know Granite was that fragile. I was thinking about it as we plan to Reno out kitchen in the next two years but my husband loves to cook and he’s like a bull in a china shop so we definitely need something more durable. I swear the guy is like the Swedish Chef when he cooks and whatever is on the stove is all over the stove, back splash, counters, floor. I drove me crazy when we first met but he likes to cook and I’m okay with that!

Answer from us

Nicole I can totally relate! My husband is totally accident prone and he makes me very nervous around the Granite. We have been able to manage but every stain and mark I have to remember it’s part of the process of being a Granite owner.

Lilah says

August 21, 2019 at 8:48 am

I believe this is the first really honest review I have seen

about Granite. I am single without any children and really wanted Granite

when I purchased a 50-year-old house with laminate counter tops. I kept reading reviews and, in the end, I decided against it and chose quartz. I have never regretted that decision and if someone is not prepared to do the maintenance there are some excellent quartz counters out there that will give you the Granite looks. I will say cost probably depends on what area of the country you reside as I found quartz definitely cheaper than the Granite in my Place.

Thank you for letting people know how a real family lives with Granite. I do think in time you will not even notice those stains and you will still love your Granite. However, you are correct that it isn’t for everyone.

Jayne Finkbohner says

August 21, 2019 at 10:36 am

Love your honesty. Like you I love the life in natural stone. We are building our retirement home and after much studying and research I’m going with granite for our back counter-tops and black honed granite for our island.

Your Granite counter-tops are gorgeous and timeless. This is how I feel about the white ice granite we have choose, it is timeless!

Carol Higgins says

August 21, 2019 at 12:23 pm

I have a question about the Granite? I had it in the past but found when food was spilled and allowed to dry on it (didn’t wipe the spill immediately), then I couldn’t get it up without using the scratchy side of the sponge and then that left scratch marks in the wood. Have you experienced this or does your sealing of the Granite take care of that?

admin says

August 24, 2019 at 9:20 pm

Hi Carol, I have not experienced this, but ours was sealed by the manufacturer so I do think there is a difference in the finish. I love an unfinished Granite counter, but I wanted a surface that would be durable for every day.

Joanna says

August 21, 2019 at 1:39 pm

I renovated my kitchen eight years ago. Like you, I wanted a timeless look. Kitchens are a huge expense, so you don’t want to be doing it often unless your bank account allows. Mine does not! 😢 I did think about Granite (love it in other’s kitchens) but being a perfectionist, I knew the inevitable staining, scoring and chipping would bother me, so I went with a light granite. I love it! My hubby topcoats it once a year. I can sit anything on it including hot pots. I don’t have to worry about guests setting down wet glasses or dropping salsa on it. Anything precious is not safe around my husband, no coasters for him. Lol Plus, cupboards are a soft white and I thought the stark white of Granite would not compliment the warm white of the wood. It was just the right choice for me.

I’m thinking of Granite for my bathrooms but will toothpaste, shampoos or hot curling irons mar it?

Carol Landry-Fiske says

August 24, 2019 at 10:51 am

Love your kitchen! I am a Granite lover myself and redid our bathroom so it looks like a bathroom in a hotel we stayed at in London. The maintenance is definitely worth it. I never thought of adding the Granite to the kitchen but will do so now.

Kathi Richards says

August 25, 2019 at 8:48 am

I also went round & round on my counter tops when I built my home & now when I’m building again. I opted for quartz last time (& this time too) even the it costs more. I have found it to be SOOO durable & maintenance free (meaning no sealing several times a year). I was after as maintenance free of a home as I could get! However, in my new home I’m going for cultured Granite (more cost effective) in the bathrooms & my maintenance free quartz in the kitchen. Not everyone would put two different kinds of counter tops in their house, but I am & I’m OK with it & that’s all that matters!! Thanks for this article, it gave me some things to think about before I’m to the point of no return in my new house.

Hi! I’m Deb.

Welcome!

I love a well-designed home and I believe you can create this on every type of budget.

Add by expert and export team of Bhandari Marble World

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the-queer-look · 5 years

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The bonds that tie

No one is ever late to finding out their sexuality. No one is ever late with coming out. Everything takes time, and for some people that takes longer than others. Cultural and social circumstances can have a huge effect on how and when we begin to understand and accept ourselves, and in some parts of the world, that can have a deeply negative impact on our sense of self worth. Nevertheless, being true to ones self leads to deeper, more positive connections with those around you.

- K

Name: Jacob

age: 32

occupation: Refugee Assistance

Location: Liverpool

Gender: Male

sexuality: Gay

My name is Jacob, Im 32 years old, Australian, from an Iraqi background, with Assyrian nationality, and I am a gay man. I like to think of myself as a very easy going guy, although a lot of people seem to misunderstand my personality and think of me as a snob, or make a point of saying how I am very quite. I think that is because I am generally a shy person, largely because of being self conscious about my accent, I’m worried about saying something wrong, or not speaking fast enough. I always need to translate what I want to say into english in my head before actually saying it. I’ve always had a love of helping people, which is why I work for a government program designed to assist refugees secure housing and establish their first initial accomodation in Australia, which I’ve been working in for the past five years. My initial degree was in IT, which I gained back in Iraq, but once I finished my degree I realised that I wasnt very passionate about coding and working with computers, I just did the degree to satisfy my parents, so I worked with a newspaper and became a journalist until I left Iraq in 2010. I lived in Istanbul for a couple of years before moving to Australia as a part of my journey as an asylum seeker. I’ve been in Australia for about 6 years.

Upon moving to Australia it was very challenging to find work as a journalist, with English being my fifth language, and the competition for journalism jobs in Australia being so high, so I began assisting people who’d gone through my own journey, first as an interpreter, and then moving into community services and case management, and I’ve now done a diploma in social housing as well, and currently completing studies in social work with the University of Western Sydney, hopefully next year.

I think I realised that I was attracted to men when I was about 14 or 15 years of age, but because back then in Iraq there wasnt any access to the internet, nor anyone that you could really come out to and talk with about it, I felt extremely abnormal. I thought that it was just me, and that I was different to everyone else, it was at a time when all of my peers had girlfriends, and thinking about getting married and stuff. I met my first girlfriend when I was 17, and fell in love for the first time when I was 21 back in ui with one of my classmates, but of course that didnt last. I always felt like I was going down the wrong path, because even though I was dating women like I “should”, I still felt attracted to guys. Eventually I got the chance to speak to people through the internet, and found out what being gay was, and realised that I wasn’t an aberration. It gave me the tools to discover who I truly am. I dated my first guy when I was 24, which was when I was able to accept it, and I’ve identified as gay since then.

I did feel very strongly that I didnt belong in the society over there, with LGBTQIA+ people not being talked about at all, and such a religious culture which openly hated gay people… Growing up in a muslim society was very challenging, as the only Catholic guy in primary and middle school, with a western name as well, it didnt make it any easier to come to terms with my sexual orientation. I was bullied quite a lot for the way I dressed and acted, for not having a girlfriend etc. And that challenge moved to my home, the struggle about how to let my family accept me, the isolation that you feel as you build up to coming out to your family… Being gay, and the youngest in the family, in a very religious, Catholic family was not the easiest.

Eventually, even after moving out with friends after graduation, I was still very close with my family and dreaded the idea of coming out to them, and the possible disconnect from those family ties. Because I couldnt think of anything worse than not being able to see my nephews and nieces, of spending time with my parents. But eventually I had to be selfish for once, and I came out to them in August 2018. It was really hard for them in the beginning, they were really shocked, but we had a serious chat a few days later. I just realised, they always knew but they kind of denied within themselves, because of them… I looked different to any other gay guy that they knew of… I didnt fit those stereotypes that they thought of. I just did my best to educate them and make them believe it. At the beginning they were saying “You’re only saying that because you dont want to get married” and all this kind of stuff. I had to give them examples of people that I’d introduced them to and tell them that they were actually past boyfriends for them to accept the fact that I’m actually a gay guy.

They were expecting, even though we live in Australia now, that coming out to everyone would get me fired, or beaten up at work. They had no idea about the anti-discrimination laws in Australia, they even asked me about whether there was any sort of gay community in Sydney. Obviously it was a bit much for them, they offered me church conversion therapies, they offered me medications, they asked me to go on a blind date with a girl that might change my mind, but obviously none of those were options. I’ve asked them to accept who I am, and if not then they can continue their lives without me in it. But it didnt actually take any longer than two weeks before they started inviting me to family gatherings again, and our relationship now is even closer than what it was before. I’m so much more comfortable being myself around them, I dont feel like I have to hide myself, and pretend to be straight anymore that I used to do before. My whole family is so much closer now and I’m very grateful.

For my fmily I’ve always been the rebel. I was the first to move out of home, even though I’m the youngest. All of my brothers were getting engaged and married and still living with my parents. I moved out when I finished my studies, and everyone was against it. There’s this stigma in middle eastern culture that a young man should not move out of his family home before he gets married, because that will ruin his reputation and morals, and will have temptation to do bad things. There’ve always been comments about the way I dress, because my fashion choices were not very accepted, I followed the western singers on TV and stuff. And when I had my first piercing, an eyebrow piercing when I was 24, my family didnt talk to me for about two weeks because they thought it was too gay… surprise! It got even worse when I got my first tattoo, my friends would say to me “you look like a homeless person” “you look like you have no morals” etc, etc. When I got my ears pierced, they started saying that “you look like a faggot” which was really harsh. But I’ve always wanted to do what represents me, not to follow a group f people or act like someone else. I want to present myself in a way that represents myself, and I have always felt free to change my looks or the way I dress.

Things have definitely changed about the way I dress and act since I came out. I feel like I’m out of my shell, especially at work, I no longer feel the need to try to blend in anymore. Luckily the diversity at my work is very broad, so looking different isn’t a big deal. So far out of nearly 50 staff, I’m the only that is openly gay, which means of course I was picked by the inclusion co-ordinator to become the LGBTQIA+ champion fo the office, so staff could approach me to ask for resources and assistance when they have clients in the LGBTQIA+ community. And now I have the pride flag on my desk and people get shocked when they see it, and I can almost see the question marks appearing over their head as they stand there. But yes, I am definitely more comfortable being myself at work, that comfort in being who I am has helped my relationship with my managers because it’s like being a bird, and you finally learn how to fly, that’s how it feels for me to be out.

please contact us if you would like to be involved!

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augustjcrdan · 4 years

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{ kj apa ♔ 24 ♔ he/him } well, well, well if it isn’t [august ‘aj’ jordan ] running around peach hollow. legend has it, they come from [olive avenue] and have lived here for [all their life]. if you’re wondering what they’ve been up to, i hear they’re an [NFL player] for a living. they have been known to be [naive] yet [CHARMING]. a word of advice to them, always look over your shoulder. you never know who is watching. { adri ♔ 26 ♔ est ♔ she/her }

basic information ↴

full name : August Michael Jordan nickname(s) : AJ preferred name(s) : AJ birth date : November 3rd age : Twenty Four zodiac : Scorpio gender : Male pronouns : He/Him romantic orientation : Straight sexual orientation : Heterosexual nationality : American ethnicity : Samoan, Scottish current location : Peach Hallow, Atlanta living conditions : Bought his own home recently in the same town he grew up in. Had it designed & built from scratch

background ↴

birth place : Atlanta, Georgia hometown : Peach Hollows, Georgia social class : Upper-Class education level : Went to college for 4 years before entering the NFL draft, but didn’t graduate. Was one semester short of getting his teaching degree parents: Divorced father : Mike (girlfriend Gwen) mother : Christina (married to Jake) sibling(s) : 6 biological, 4 step siblings previous relationships : Angel - high school sweetheart

occupation ↴

nfl tight end for the atlanta falcons. wears number 83 does endorsement deals helps promote giving back to the city helps out a lot with children events at hospitals has appeared on lot of social media campaigns, has his own workout plan to purchase

physical appearance ↴

face claim : KJ Apa eye color : Honey Comb hair color : Red with darker roots sometimes hair type/style : slicked back with some gel or just free flowing dominant hand : Right height : 6′1weight : 200lb build : super lean, abs for days tattoos : 8 but wants more piercings : both of his ears marks/scars : one in the middle of his eyebrows

BIOGRAPHY ↴

When August’s parents were in college, both out of state and newbies to Atlanta, they found themselves with an unplanned pregnancy and a decision to make.

Mike and Christina decided to keep their son when they were 20 and 21, raise him in an off campus apartment while they finished up their degrees and figure out things along side their friends and extended family.

They moved to Peach Hollow when Christina finished college. August has lived in quite a few places throughout the town as he grew up and loved it.

His dad, a Chicago native was a huge basketball fan. Being named Michael Jordan growing up, he thought he was the man and wanted more than anything for his kid to love basketball. When August came out with firey red hair, Mike thought that was the sign and called him basketball head for most of his life. But little did he know, AJ had a completely different plan.

His mom, a soccer player in college, was never going to push sports or anything onto her baby. Her parents were super hard on her and disappointed that she would never make the USA team after having a baby in college, so she wanted to raise August to pick whatever he wanted in his life to do.

Christina was more laid back in the parenting department and Mike was more demanding and short tempered. This caused for a lot of fights and a lot of blow outs that AJ witnessed at a young age. One of those fights resulted in his scar that he got in between his brows that he tells everyone was a slam dunk gone wrong.

Once Christina got the balls to leave Mike after a failed marriage, she found herself starting a lifestyle magazine in Atlanta along with a boutique. It wasn’t long after that she met her now husband, Jake, who already had a son and the two went on to have 2 more kids. Giving them the picture perfect, 4 kids, white picked fence life. Jake was in business and Christina’s life really took off.

Mike on the other hand wasn’t stable at all. He worked all different kinds of dead end jobs and bounced from one girl to the next, having 3 with 3 different women thinking that was his ticket to getting them to stay. The unstableness was uneasy for Christina to deal with having in August’s life and she had to often keep her son from seeing his dad for long stretches of time.

Mike was quick to turn to alcohol and get drunk to deal and cope with how he failed as a father in many ways. And there were many drunk phone calls made to their home, restraining orders, the whole nines. It wasn’t something he really told many people about.

Jake was a great step dad, and his brother was cool, but at the young age of 7 - August really wanted to play football and have an escape from his life. He wanted to play the game he loved to watch on tv. Whether it was the Falcons, Bears or the Eagles (Since his mom is originally from Pennsylvania) he was mesmerized by the plays, the positions and the entire game.

Once he played in his first game, AJ was in love. He was tall for his age so jumping others and ‘mossing’ other children, August fell in love with being a tight end. There was no other position that he loved more. He got to be physical, block, protect the qb but also score touchdowns and create them all at the same time.

His workouts and daily routines became intense. He was talented and wanted to ride out his dream, he promised his mom if she let him go through with this, he was going to give it is all and he always has.

Having abs at 14 was something that was nice to impress girls his age with, but never did he think that older women would be hitting on him? Sure, cheek pinches and all of that were nice but when his mom took too much interest in him, he really didn’t know what to do.

She was someone his family trusted, someone they used to help further AJ’s career in high school and beyond and behind everyones back, she was taking advantage of him and sleeping with him. Her name is Macy and she still haunts his thoughts today.

Throughout high school, she took photos when he was asleep, would use them against him for blackmail to get time with him. She caused him so much pain, anxiety and depression that he couldn’t tell anyone about. Regardless of knowing he could take her down, she had some mental hold over him and he hated it. Plus, most people don’t think guys/men can get abused/raped and when AJ tried to tell his dad once, he said an older woman is every high school kids dream. She’s not. It’s not. It’s a nightmare.

Once he was able to get away from Peach Hollow, he attended PSU for four years and flourished. He was able to shake away Macy and though he missed someone from his past, still loved the hell out of her and wanted to be with her, he has always told himself he was protecting and saving her from the wrath of Macy.

Atlanta wasn’t where he was expecting to get drafted. Not at all. He was actually hoping and praying it would be to any other city for another fresh new start, but they took him in the first round. As a TE, that was huge. He was their ‘hometown’ hero guy that earned the nickname red jordan or red around the league easily thanks to the hair.

Now that he’s been playing and signed a huge, multimillion dollar deal with the falcons, along with tons of endorsements, a new management and pr team, he decided to move back to Peach Hollow and build a home on the lot he always admired on his walks home from school. It was another dream he was able to make a reality. Along with taking care of his mom.

His dad is still a mess, he’s with a girlfriend now and they’re having another baby on top of the 6 combined they have together. He asks AJ for money constantly and it’s the hardest thing in the world to have to turn down supporting his father, but once you give someone an inch, they usually take a yard. That’s exactly how he would describe his alcoholic, still over the top, biological father.

random headcanons ↴

has two dogs; max & luna. had one growing up that was his best friend named scar. loves cars. has 5 favorite drink is whiskey straight or rum and coke. will do as many shots as you tell him to and is king of keg stands. will never shy away from jumping behind the bar. had to learn how to play the guitar in high school for an extra curricular class and still from time to time picks it up and jams out. he can’t really dance, so the guitar it is. if you put bacon on anything, he will eat it. hangs out with celebrities and acts like it’s no big deal. has issues knowing how to dress for events? he likes to keep it casual and relaxed like every day looks, so needs to hire someone to dress him. is obsessed with hats to hide his red hair. hates being asked if he was born in august. his mom picked the name out of a baby book, he wishes there was a cooler story behind it. his mom has been filmed on RHOA a few times and it gets to her head if you talk to her about it. so please don’t.

wanted connections ↴

best friends step brother possible sibling like cousins/grew up together childhood friends matched on a dating app sports world friends hookups/one night stands models/girls he’s taken out on dates college friends anything/everything. i like to build off our characters and what they want/need in their lives!

#tw: abuse #tw: alcohol #peaches:intro #intro

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actuallykiwi · 4 years

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(From a writing prompt I saw a while ago. Enjoy. :)

The orders shouted to the kitchen. The sizzle of bacon and eggs on the pan. The beep from the waffle maker. Laughter from a couple of friends in the corner booth. The spill of a cup of milk from a child and the subsequent clang of plastic from it hitting the floor. The stain on the back counter from a burning accident from a couple weeks before. The smell of hashbrowns and batter. And the bittersweet taste of a one-sugar-one-creamer coffee.

Vince sighed into his mug as he set it down on the bar. He hated Saturday’s. It seemed like everyone in town wanted to get up early for breakfast and go to Waffle House. He missed the peace and quiet.

“I can’t tell if that look is because the noise is getting to you or if the coffee is too bitter.” Maggie, his usual waitress, grinned and pushed her chopped auburn hair behind her visor as she walked by him.

He chuckled. “Well it’s certainly not the coffee.” He held out his mug for a refill, to which she obliged on cue. She finished scrubbing the plate she was working on, then took his empty plate and replaced it with the bill.

“Take your time, hun.” Maggie gave him her winning smile before scurrying off to refill other coffees. Vince put his creamer and sugar in, then took a nice long swig. He somehow always enjoyed the subtle blistering of the tongue from a fresh pot. It almost numbed his other pains. He didn’t have any assignments today, so he was enjoying his coffee this time.

The slight cry from a waiter as his finger grazed the stove. An old country song fading in on the speakers from the jukebox. A couple arguing in the booth beside the bar about the correct pronunciation of “gif”. The quiet doorbell, going off and on as people entered and exited.

One chime, however, seemed to freeze time for just a moment. Shy footsteps pattered through the door. Worried looks from a few customers that noticed her. Her eyes darted the room, until she saw a large, black leather coat sitting at the bar.

Vince paused his sip as he felt a tug on his coat. He put his mug down and turned to investigate. His skeptical brown eyes met little pale green ones. The girl was maybe only 5 or 6 years old, with platinum blond hair waving around her shoulders and face. Her face flushed when she made eye contact and she stepped back a little. Vince blinked at her.

“Aww, are you lost sweetheart?” Maggie called from over the counter, noticing his new companion. The little girl’s eyes never left Vince as she shook her head. Maggie looked at them both. She seemed ready to ask another question but was stopped by chime of the waffle timer.

The girl looked back in Maggie’s direction to make sure she was gone, then dug into the pocket of her little blue overalls. Her hands came out with a crumpled wad of a few dollar bills, then dug more and found a small handful of change. She held them out to Vince.

Vince furrowed his brows. “What’s this for?” The girl seemed insistent he take it. After a moment, he hesitantly leaned down and gently took it from her hands. She recoiled at his touch, causing them both to jump, then seemed to nervously shake after he had taken it. She seemed scared of something. He kept his eye on her as he subconsciously counted the money. $7.42.

He scratched his ear and leaned towards her again. “Now tell me... What is this for?” Her eyes widened. She looked back and forth nervously, then held up her little finger to tell him to come closer. He obliged. She looked around again, then cupped her hands around his ear and whispered:

“I want you to kill daddy.”

Vince’s eyes widened. He recoiled back to face her. How in the world did she know about him? About his work? A girl her age shouldn’t be on sites like that, let alone hiring someone! In person, by herself, no less! He stared at her.

She now had a slight determined look in her eyes. Her hands tangled nervously together.

It was then he began to notice the bruises.

She had multiple little dark bruises up and down her arms. Her elbows. Legs and knees. Worse, she had bruises all around her neck, hidden by her bright hair. And a red mark on her cheek, still fresh. How had no one noticed? How had he not noticed sooner?

“Did your daddy do this to you?” His voice was low and serious as he pointed at the marks on her body. She nodded.

He looked down at the cash in his hands, still warm from the girl’s tight fingers and pockets. He grasped them in his fists and decided to ask about how she knew him later. “How did you get here?”

“I walked. All morning.” Her voice was quiet and shy, and now her head was bowed to her worn tennis shoes. “And no one saw you?” He asked. She shook her head. “I’m good at hide-and-seek. They would take me back to daddy...”

Vince gave her a worried look. His jaw set. He left the money on the bill for Maggie, then pushed the little girl’s cash back into her hands. “Keep it. Tell me where he lives.” He stood and headed for the door, the little girl hot on his heels.

She stuffed the money back into her pocket. “I’ll show you!” He stood next to his truck and looked down at her. “No, you’re going to the police station. Do you know the address?”

“It’s 911, isn’t it?” She asked. “What? No, the- ugh, your address! Where is your house?” He ran a hand through his hair. “I’ll show you!” She stamped her foot.

Vince ran his hand over his face, then knelt down to her. “You don’t want to be there for this, trust me, sweetheart. You’ll be much safer somewhere else.” She shook her head vigorously. “I hired you, I wanna be there! I’ll wait outside or in your car!” She crossed her arms. Who on earth was this kid?

He sighed deeply, then buried his face in his hands again. A minute passed. The girl watched him unwavering. “Ugh, fine! But you stay in the car, you hear me? And I don’t have a car seat, so keep your head down, understood?”

She nodded and scampered over to the passenger side. Vince shook his head and got in, then opened her door. She clambered in and immediately began snooping around his truck. “No, sit your a-, butt down. There’s stuff in here that you don’t need to be messing with.” She whined and sat back down in her seat. He sighed and left Waffle House with her direction.

*******************

Aside from her occasional directions, she was rather quiet. After her display of stubbornness, her nerves and fear seemed to inch back the closer they got to her house. “How old are you, kid?” Vince awkwardly inquired. “I’m 6. My birthday was 2 months ago in August.” She mumbled.

“And how long has your dad been... hurting you?” He swallowed at the word, his own memories flashing back at him. “1 year. Since mommy left...” She gripped the short legs of her overalls at her knees. Vince nodded his head in understanding. He glimpsed at her softly. “Don’t worry... that ends today.”

She smiled shyly at him. “Your name is Vincent Vurner, right? Can I call you Mr. Vincent?”

“Var-ner. I go by Vince. What’s your name?”

“I’m Nolan Chelsea. I think daddy wanted a boy and that’s why they named me Nolan. Go left here and it’s on yourrrrr... right.”

Vince pulled into a small trailer park. For the most part, it was well kept. Lawns were mowed, houses were well taken care of. Mostly. Nolan lifted a shaky finger up to the one that was farthest towards the trees, shaded by a lot of them. He pulled up a little distance from it and parked. “Is he home?”

“I don’t see his car. He usually goes out with his friends Saturday and drinks a lot. He gets home late.”

“So he leaves you by yourself?”

“Sometimes my neighbor Nina comes and watches me, but she has to watch her husband too, and she’s out of town this weekend, I think.” She pointed to an older trailer next door.

Vince sighed. “I don’t want to leave you by yourself, but... it would be better to do this at night. I’ll come back in a bit when he’s home, alright?”

Nolan nodded. “Okay.” She moved to open her door. “Wait.” He called. She looked back at him. “How did you know about me?”

“Daddy’s laptop. He was drunk and left it open on this weird site called Anonymous, I think. You were on the front page as a ‘hitman/assassin’, which is a killer, right?”

“How the hell... What was your dad doing on there???” She shrugged and jumped out of the car. “Wait, Nolan- ahh!” He rubbed his forehead, frustrated. “Never mind.”

********************

Night fell. Crickets and frogs chirped in the thicket. An owl sang its haunting melody in the shadows. The moon shined its half-face on the ground below. A cricket jumped across the window-shield of the black truck resting in the corner of the Dollar General parking lot.

The time was 10:37 pm. Vince started his truck and left for the trailer.

There were now a few more cars in the park. At the furthest one in the trees sat an old beige pickup truck, parked very crooked in the driveway. The parking lights were still on. Vince parked in the same spot he did earlier. He donned his gloves and holstered his gun and knife, and after a routine check, he approached the truck.

He could smell the whiskey back from his own truck. The owner must have been very drunk.

“You’re here!” Nolan jumped out from behind the house, scaring Vince. “Jesus, kid! What are you doing out here?”

“Daddy’s home. When I heard the truck, I snuck out back and waited for you. I think he’s too drunk to notice I’m not here.” Vince sighed again. “Just... wait out here. And one more thing, kid...” He knelt down to her. “You are not to tell anyone about this, alright? And you are not to enter this house until the police arrive, understood?”

Nolan nodded. “I know. I hired you, why would I tell on you?” It was a sarcastic question, but the terrified and nervous look on her face told him all he needed to know. He gave her his best reassuring smile and patted her head.

Once he was sure she was safely outside, he carefully opened the door.

Countless beer bottles and cans. The dripping of the sink. Gatorade bottles and pop tart wrappers littered the trash bag and floor. The couch wore several holes and vomit stains. The TV played an old rerun of Family Feud. A loud belch and the zipping of pants came from the hallway. Then a flush.

“’S that you, Nolan? Shoulda been home when I got here, you little brat, you know I worry.” From the hallway stumbled a tall, lanky, wiry haired man that smelled like the dumpster of a sports bar. He was chugging a beer can and rubbing the only fat on him: his beer belly.

“You and I must have very different definitions of ‘worry’.” Vince said casually.

The man finished his beer and tossed it over his shoulder, jumping at the sight of Vince. “Now who in the sam hell’re you?”

“Let’s skip introductions.” In a blink, Vince was in front of the man. He only had a few seconds to call out a string of curses before Vince’s hands were on his head and chin. The man’s bloodshot green eyes widened, and a loud snap echoed across the house.

Then the thud of a body to the floor.

******************

Nolan was sitting on the hood of her dad’s truck. She lifted her head when she heard Vince walk out the back door. She ran to him as he rounded the corner. “Is it over? Is daddy... dead?” Vince nodded solemnly.

Wordlessly, Nolan wrapped her arms around his legs in a silent ‘thank you’. Vince staggered back, but gently patted her head.

He let her linger for a moment, then pushed her back and crouched in front of her. “Tell your neighbors that your daddy is unresponsive. Do you have family you can call?”

Nolan shook her head. “Mommy’s family stopped talking to us and daddy isn’t close to his. It’s just me.”

Vince thought quietly for a moment. “... You weren’t scared of me, were you? Or the work that I do?” She shook her head. “No, I think it’s cool! You go around killing bad guys like a superhero!”

He couldn’t help but chuckle. “Something like that... tell you what. Do what I asked you to do with your neighbors, and I’ll get a friend of mine to help me out with some paperwork, and you might be able to stay with me. How’s that?”

Nolan gasped and smiled! “Yes! You’re gonna raise me to be a superhero!”

He laughed nervously. “Uh, sure... Just... I’ll see you soon, okay, kid?”

He smiled at her as he walked back to his car. She smiled too.

“See you soon.”

#writing #short story #writing prompt

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travllingbunny · 5 years

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The 100 rewatch: 1x02 Earth Skills

I’m a new fan of The 100, who first binged it last year, August to November. This is my first full rewatch of the show. I was planning to start it anyway and finish it before the season 6 premiere on April 30, and when I saw that Fox Serbia was airing a rerun (Monday to Friday, 40 min. after midnight, with repeats the next day), starting on 1st February, it was a great opportunity to start my rewatch in HDTV on my beautiful new TV. I decided to do write-ups and tag other fans on SpoilerTV website, as I did when I was first watching the show. But my posts turned into full blown essays. So, finally, after over a week, I’ve realized: Why don’t I post them on my Tumblr blog, too? I’ll copy my write-ups of the first 7 episodes, and then I’ll post my rewatch posts after I watch each episode. (The next one, 1x08, is on Monday’Tuesday.)

Spoilers below for all 5 seasons of the show. I go of on a tangents and make a lot of references to future events.

...........................

The first 2 episodes of season 1 are its weakest, just as I remember them. But initially I thought episode 1x02 was worse - I had mixed feelings about the Pilot, but then really disliked the second episode. This time, however, the Pilot was much worse than I remembered it, while this episode was... well, pretty much the same, but I enjoyed it more this time. Because, when I first watched the Pilot, I focused on all the new info on the show's premise, the setting, the universe, the SciFi stuff, and pretty much ignored all the cringey early teen soapy stuff (which I didn't even remember). But then the second episode came, and all the cringey teen soapy stuff in that episode just came right at me and annoyed the heck out of it. So this time, I already remembered it, so I could focus on other things.

BTW, I need to have good laugh at the often stated claim that The 100 doesn't focus on romance or do much romance or set up ships. The show does romance all the time. There are ships all over the place, but most of them pretty much suck, especially since most of them are poorly written insta-romances. And these early episodes are full of various romances and potential romances, and love triangles (which some people say the show has stopped doing... except it never did - *cough season 5 *cough* - but at least it scaled back on it a bit).

Now don't misunderstand me - I don't mind that there's a lot of that, what I did mind is how badly all of that was written in these early episodes. Later, the show did lose most of its early CW-ness and start doing romantic plots better, in some cases at least. (But it also started doing them even worse, in some other cases.)

Rating: 4.5/10

First introduction of Raven, and she immediately shows that she's smart, capable and awesome. At this point, she seems almost perfect, but we know she was just initially meant to be a temporary supporting character and romantic obstacle for Finn/Clarke. We find out that she's the youngest zero G engineer in 52 years. She's also the first person to figure out that the Delinquents aren't dying, but simply taking their trackers off. How come this never crossed the minds of any of the Ark leaders? They came off a bit dumb here.

First meaningful interactions between Abby and Raven - the start of their friendship/pseudo-mother daughter relationship. Abby enlists Raven to fix an old escape pod so she(Abby) could get to the ground. Raven insists she will go, too, since she also has a loved one there. Multiple mentions of her boyfriend, and I can now see the big hints with the origami that Finn is that boyfriend. I missed that the first time, which is lucky, or I would have hated this episode even more, for trying to set up more than one annoying insta-love-triangle involving Finn and Clarke. I think this is the first time we get a mention of a year? But not the year when the show takes place. The escape pod is a 130 year old piece of junk that was found when they rescued MIR-3 in 2102. At least that gives us an idea of what century it is. ( The 100 wiki has a timeline and says the year is 2149, IIRC, but I don't know where that info is from.) I remember that Clarke, Abby and Raven were my favorite characters by far, followed by Monty, and pretty much the only characters I really liked (I was intrigued by Bellamy, and to a lesser extent Octavia, but I didn't exactly like them), since they were the only characters doing smart and good and pragmatic stuff and trying to save people. Then later, during season 1, Raven fell down a few places in my rankings, because I was so frustrated with her moping over Finn. Well, Wells was OK, but I didn't like some things they were doing with him here. One of the things I remembered best from this episode is that it clumsily tried to set up a Wells/Clarke/Finn love triangle, and that it made me roll my eyes so much. And for whatever reason, Bellamy was the one to talk about it to Wells and go on about how Clarke supposedly doesn't see Wells next to Finn, blah blah. Octavia isn't the only Blake with cringey dialogue anymore. Sorry, I'm gonna go on a mini-rant. Why was it necessary for the show to imply that Wells was in love with Clarke? You know how some people claim that the show is so into platonic male/female friendships (which somehow always is all about Clarke and Bellamy, because other male and female characters on the show aren't ever friends or something)? Yeah, right. Clarke and Wells were BFFs from childhood, grew up together - if you're looking for a "sibling-like" relationship between people on the show who are not related, that's the closest thing to it, but apparently, Wells couldn't have done all those sacrifices for Clarke if he wasn't in love with her. Right? But Clarke only sees him as a BFF, and he is so important to her... that the show had her mourn him for about 10 minutes in episode 4 after he was killed, and then never mention him again. If they ever actually wanted a great completely platonic, sibling-like close relationship between a man and a woman, that was a great opportunity. But they obviously didn't care. And speaking of people who grew up together and refer to each other as family, so they would therefore fit the idea of sibling-like relatively well (unlike Clarke and Bellamy, who didn't even know each other or interact with each other till they were 23 and almost 18, respectively)... well, there's also Finn and Raven. Who are also boyfriend and girlfriend. Kinda weird. I wonder when the writers decided to kill of Wells. I think it definitely was only after this episode, because this episode spends a lot of time building up Wells as a heroic character and setting up that love triangle that never goes anywhere, because Wells dies in 1x03. I think that, if the writers were at all planning an "endgame" (though I hate that word) love interest for Clarke, it was probably Wells at this point, because I don't think they were considering Bellamy that way at this point, and Finn, while clearly meant as the initial love interest, has False Romantic Lead written all over him. I sometimes wonder what the show would look like if they hadn't killed off Wells. I think Finn's "peacemaker" role in season 1b was probably planned for Wells. But I'm really relieved that we didn't get a love triangle that's all "Unlucky Childhood Friend/nice guy in unrequited love with a girl who is into another guy who is charming but kind of a jerk/cheater, until she finally realizes he's the one for her", because I hate that trope so much. Sorry, Finn lovers, if any of you are reading this - but Finn comes off even worse on rewatch than he did when I watched it the first time. He was always a guy who's just there and whose only interest seemed to be following Clarke around and flirting with her, but his time I'm noticing things like, even when he does good things, he only does them after he's realized Clarke would like him to do it, and tries to make himself look good and be the guy that she needs in her life. When I first watched this, I just had profound indifference towards him, which grew into active annoyance in this episode. And I didn't even realize at the time that he had a girlfriend on the Ark. Or that, after Clarke shamed him for not wanting to come and help rescue Jasper, he only changed his mind and came after Clarke had made Bellamy join the rescue party. My annoyance was initially mostly because of the scene where they are on the way to finding Jasper and saving him, and Finn decides to instead convince Clarke that she's wound up too tight and should just relax and they should splash each other with water. Which would be OK, if Jasper wasn't potentially dying. Priorities? And there was also his pop psychology where he tells Clarke that she is so desperate to save Jasper because she couldn't save her father, and we're obviously supposed to see it as super--meaningful. Is it just me that thinks that wanting to save people in general, and especially those you know, is a normal human reaction? Which is why Clarke was the character I immediately liked and related to. And also why this scene annoyed me so much. My feelings on it are exactly the same now, except maybe now I'm not sure that the show ever even meant for the Finn/Clarke pairing to be seen as an especially good one. Meanwhile, it seems that the show staff had realized between the Pilot and the second episode that Bob was super hot, so now Bellamy gets to be shirtless and with ruffled hair that looks much better on him, and is just friendly parting from some random Delinquent girl he's had sex with and who never appears again. I guess the casual sex (and later threesomes) were supposed to be a part of his 'bad boy' persona, since it pretty much stopped once the show started making him into a more heroic figure. Even though there's actually nothing wrong about single people having casual sex for pleasure, so it's not like that marks him as 'bad'. (The show, however, seemed less judgy about casual sex in later seasons, so I don't know.) However, he does a lot of other thing in this episode that are actually bad, like making the kids take off their wristbands so they'll have food, or acting dictator-like ("I will not be disobeyed") and over-protective of Octavia, including punishing Atom for making out with her. I didn't hate Bellamy early on as many did, but he frustrated me a lot, and was definitely at his most annoying in 1x02. However, I always had a lot of leeway for both him and Octavia, no matter how annoying they acted at this point, because of their backstory. And now I can even understand his over-protectiveness a bit better, knowing hat happened the last time he tried to let Octavia enjoy life. Much of the episode was about Octavia trying to find a guy to make out with, and specifically trying to make Atom (the guy Bellamy charged with protecting her). make out with her. She's being a huge brat at this point, but it's understandable - she was isolated, under the floor and locked up, all her life, and now she wants to be free and enjoy it. One interesting moment is when she told Atom: "Wall won't stop what's out there, we need weapons" - which is the first time she sounded like later Octavia. But her later love of fighting also makes sense for her character - fighting, especially with bare hands or cold weapons, is an energetic activity that produces an adrenaline rush, kind of like sex/making out. The scene where she chases butterflies in the woods and then makes out with Atom was one of the most visually beautiful. It looked very romantic, in the sense of enjoying life and nature. Not in the sense of actual romance, unless by 'romance' one means 'making out with a random person you met a day ago and barely know.' But to be fair, even Octavia's upcoming big OTP romance with Lincoln began with little more than physical attraction, and she knew him even less than Atom by the time they hooked up. The best interactions Ocfavia had in the episode were with Monty - the start of one of the better, underrated m/f genuinely platonic friendships on the show. This exchange was quite interesting: Monty: "Living under the floor all your life, it's amazing that you're not a complete basket case". Octavia: "Who says I'm not?" Monty was really cool in this episode - while Octavia was having some drama with Atom and some other guy, he was like "quiet, guys, I'm working" and was just calmly working on trying to make radio communications with the Ark possible. A bit more backstory on him and Jasper: they obviously have known each other for a long time, and Monty compares his relationship with Jasper to the Blakes, saying that Jasper may not actually be his brother but they are just as close. However, the Blakes aren't really like a regular sibling relationship, it's one of those sibling relationships (like Katniss/Prim in The Hunger Games) where the elder sibling had to grow up early and take care of the younger, so it's more like a parent/child relationship. Which is really one of the main problems of their relationship - Bellamy sees Octavia almost as his child and is extremely protective and sacrificial (the way we otherwise see parents act towards their children in The 100), and Octavia is constantly rebelling against him as kids rebel against authority. First significant interaction between Monty and Clarke, too. When Wells and Monty volunteer to save Jasper, Clarke tells Monty to stay behind because he's too important for the group's survival - he was raised on a Farm station, trained as an engineer. "food and communications. What's up here (*touches his head*) is going to save us all". (And how right she was!) That's some good, smart, pragmatic thinking - and she also managed to convince him without having to say that he also wouldn't be the most useful in a fight. I notice so many gender stereotypes in how the characters are written in these early episodes, more than the show usually has afterwards. Jasper and Monty were constantly talking about impressing girls in the Pilot, Jasper thought Finn had "game", and in this episode, we constantly have women shaming men into doing things by implying they would look weak or cowardly otherwise. Octavia tries to make Atom let her make out with guys/make out with her by saying he would be her brother's "bitch" otherwise (when did she learn to talk like that? I guess, during those two-three days on Earth?). Clarke tells Finn how disappointed she is that he refuses to join the rescue party, calling him a coward. (Though Monty shames Finn, too, saying "Jasper looked up to you". Which doesn't mean much, since the reason Jasper looked up to him is because he thought Finn was good at impressing girls.) And then Clarke makes Bellamy join the rescue party by implying he will look scared in front of the others/less brave than she is, otherwise (though that was more about Bellamy having to maintain authority in the group - which he needs for his own reasons), Then Bellamy enlists his sidekick Murphy to come, too. Murphy: "What are we doing? I didn't think we were in the rescuing business." Oh, you have no idea. The interactions between Bellamy and Clarke in this episode were quite interesting. I didn't ship them at this point, but I know now that some people already did, and I can see why. The scenes where they are into each other's faces and being antagonistic... well, this is the scene where Clarke says she will never take off the wristband, and Bellamy calls her "Brave princess" sarcastically (?):

What are you doing here, Bellamy? If he means to try to be snarky or antagonistic, he's not doing a good job, because "Brave princess" is not an insult, it sounds like he's impressed by her. (Which he probably is, though I'm not sure he's aware of it yet.) I'm sure he thinks she should hate her, because she is making things difficult for him and she's one of the privileged high class people from the Ark. That's what Bellamy means, at least at first, when he calls her "princess" - he's not using that nickname to flirt with her, like Finn. At least, I'm sure he does't mean to flirt. But... he kind of looks like he's flirting. I think, at this point, he's really, really confused.

And that's exactly the moment when Finn comes along, finally having decided to join the party, and says "Come up with your own nickname". Finn seems very possessive over... that nickname.

Later when they find Jasper, he gets all take-chargey and tells Wells to keep an eye on Bellamy, and Murphy to come help him take Jasper down from the tree. I can't help but think of another, far less successful and very unfortunate rescue mission, in season 2, where Murphy will also end up as Finn's reluctant sidekick.

I love the way that Bellamy acts like he's so ruthless (which he probably believes himself to be, much more than he actually is), when he tells Murphy he will take Clarke's wristband off even if he has to cut off her arm to do it...but then later, when she almost falls into the pit full of spikes, he instinctively grabs her arm and saves her life - and then has the look on his face "What did I just do? What am I doing? Why I am doing this?" He really is confused.

Early season 1 Bellamy is such a hot mess. Kind of like Clarke will end up being a hot mess in season 5, and similarly impulsive, emotionally damaged and preoccupied with just protecting their "child" while ignoring the big picture, while season 1 Clarke/season 5 Bellamy are acting pragmatically while trying to save everybody. They've really switched roles. And I expect season 6 Bellamy to help Clarke to get back to who she used to be, just as Clarke helped him find himself in season 1.

I love the song "Can't Pretend" by Tom Odell, which closes this episode. (I'll be seeing him in concert in a week.) But I didn't initially even notice it in the episode - I only paid attention to it when I saw some The 100 fanvideos with it. It's too emotional and the lyrics don't really fit either of the rather shallow romances (Finn/Clarke and Octavia/Atom) whose scenes it covers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUmtXzuSGu8

#The 100 #the 100 rewatch #the 100 1x02 #earth skills #clarke griffin #bellamy blake #octavia blake #monty green #raven reyes #abby griffin #wells jaha

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2zmillajovovichnudeov · 4 years

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Will U.S. Real Estate Recession Affect the Riviera Maya of Mexico Market in the Mexican Caribbean?

You. S. Existing Home Sales Fall for 5th In a straight line Month. Will it Affect the Riviera Maya whistler grand Market during Mexico? 8 Top Area Professionals Share their Details of View on the Future of Real Estate in the Riviera Maya Annual existing U. S. A home prices declined throughout August for the first time in more than a decade as Ough. S. home sales fell for a fifth straight calendar month. The year-over-year drop in median sales prices depicted a dramatic turnaround in fortunes for the once high-flying housing market, which last year was posting double-digit price advances. "Pop goes the housing bubble, " said Fran Naroff, chief economist at Naroff Economic Advisors. The person predicted prices will tumble farther as home owners struggle with a record glut of unsold homes. The Countrywide Association of Realtors reported this past Monday that product sales of existing single-family homes and condominiums dropped 0. 5 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted gross rate of 6. 30 million units. That was the actual fifth straight monthly decline and left sales 12. 6 percent below the pace of a year gone. Okay, so how will a now confirmed U. Erinarians. slowdown affect the real estate market here in the eye-catching Riviera Maya? Well, to answer that question first of all we need to understand what's really happening in the U. 's. First, it appears that the slowdown in U. S. sales and profits meant that the inventory of unsold homes rose towards a record 3. 92 million units at the end of August. At last month's sales pace, it would take 7. 5 months to clear out the backlog of unsold real estate, the longest stretch since April 1993. The average price of a home sold last month fell to make sure you $225, 000. That was down 2 . 2 percent by July and down 1 . 7 percent from June 2005. That marked the first year-over-year drop in place prices since a 0. 1 percent fall through April 1995. Is this a temporary issue and / or is this the future of doom and gloom in your Riviera Maya? Find out what the areas 8 Top Masters say. Read on...... mls4rivieramaya8Last year, when the five-year U. Utes. housing boom was reaching its peak, median deals posted a string of double-digit gains on a year-over-year basis. The median price is the point where 1 / 2 the homes sell for more and half just for less. David Lereah, chief economist for the Realtors, forecast price declines would continue for the rest of this time as sellers adjust asking prices downward in lgt of the inventory glut. "This is the price correction we have been expecting, " Lereah said. "With sales stabilizing, we must go back to positive price growth early next year. " But some home sellers around the U. S. A. uneasy that cutting prices may not be enough, have been offering bonuses to attract buyers, including in some cases new cars. Dork Armon, who lives in the New York City suburb of Pelham Manor, said he started out asking $1. 6 zillion for his six-bedroom Tudor-style home three months ago -- below the $1. 82 million a neighbor been given -- but has slashed the price by $300, 000 because he has attracted few interested buyers. "l feel sitting here thinking maybe if I buy a car along with park it out front with a bow on it, that can, " he said. Could this happen here in any Riviera Maya? Will this type of potential buyer forgo selecting here in the Riviera Maya now that his profits contain disappeared? We asked the areas 8 Top Individuals to opine and share their thoughts about this current market trend and how it affects our robust real estate market here in the Riviera Maya. RANDY BONDS - BRIC INTERNATIONAL "This decline in existing home prices was basically expected by everybody in the market. " say Randy Provides from Bric International, a major developer who has several substantial projects in the Riviera Maya. "Real Estate is a cyclical market just like the stock market and there will always be ups and downs from the trends. This correction that we are experiencing is significantly needed to put some sort of normality in the appreciation. The Riviera Maya, as well as the rest of the world, is going to be directly related to what the heck is occurring in the US. These are some of the savviest purchasers all around the universe and when they are trying to figure out their next move in the expresses and where the market is leaning they are more likely to prevent the foreign market. The Riviera Maya over the last two years veteran some of the highest % returns out of any other region on this planet. This doesn't go without certain consequences following when a good number of investors are priced out of the market. The next two years will likely be very important to see the reactions of the builders and homeowners of condominiums and houses in this region. Builders that are within funded and in the middle of a build are going to be running within financial disarray with the lack of funds for completion therefore selling at a great discount or packing up and even leaving the project incomplete. Investors that currently personally own with the intention of reselling for a great profit will be a little disappointed with the buying market. We will start discovering another buyers market when builders and current masters start the price war downward. Investors, builders, and users need to realize that patience at a time like this is very important and this place is going nowhere and is still one of the most beautiful and greatly desired areas for real estate in the world. Looking back around the stock market in the early 2000's and where it is now is not much different than what we are going to see in the real estate market covering the next 2 - 3 years. This is a time to relax not to mention reevaluate the up and coming years. " GARY WENDT - PLAYA CITIZEN From downtown Playa del Carmen, Whilst gary Wendt from Playa Citizen, a broker builder says "Most people know that the real estate market, especially home making, has carried the economic growth in the USA (after cleaning out oil). This has been going on for years. The housing area has also generated nothing short of an amazing run UP from VALUE. Thus, a little downturn should be expected and not feared. As well as there's the rub. Oh, pesky human nature! We all humans just can't help but look for things to fear and also fear is the fuel for self-fulfilling prophecies and politicians. So who knows for sure what's next. I believe in cycles and location, location, location! Except for oil and properties, the world economy has been positioned on the edge of a down economy for 6 years. Recession is not good for business any location. It is still true that as the USA goes, therefore goes the rest of the world. Here in Playa del Carmen? Most certainly, I am not an economist. But I slept at a Holiday vacation Inn recently (in Puebla - Central Mexico) plus I believe that tourist properties situated along our almost all beautiful caribbean sea will suffer less than average in a economic downturn. In fact , they will suffer much less than all the rest down recession. It's also true that a great location is the best hedge against cycles in real estate. So , personally, I seek sales to slow a bit. At the very worst, should certainly a recession actually arrive on the scene, prices will probably flatten. Then, as experienced in mid-2002, less than one year after 9/11 when this area of the world rebounded along with a frenzy of interest and record growth and revenues, we'll bounce again faster than the rest. Anyway, I would recommend buyers and sellers plan for the long run in their investment horizons. Farsightedness made Warren Buffet rich. Remember he believed, "when everyone else is selling, I'm buying". To me, this unique levels a recession. Not EVERYONE panics and the comfortable people who plan for success profit. " NANCY EDWARDS : COZUMEL LIVING From the lovely island of Cozumel, Nancy Edwards who is the owner broker of Cozumel Living states "While real estate in Mexico is greatly affected by what's happening in the US, I don't feel our prices will probably drop in Cozumel. They never do. We may have a very good stagnant market for awhile, but prices never decline in general in a resort area. It is true that we will still be suffering a lower than low market due to the effects about Emily and Wilma last year, but prices have not fallen and while we were hoping for a price increase with the upcoming of this high season, it appears, we might have to buckle along and brace ourself for a mediocre high season this season. The clients that I have had come to the area recently will be talking about the slowing US market, and have properties right now there for sale. As soon as they sell, they still plan on selecting here. Their purchases probably will be delayed though. Clients through cash are still purchasing because it is a 'buyers market' at this time with many properties for sale at stagnant, last year rates. " RONNIE POOL - PLAYEXPERT. COM Caribbean Beachfront Properties Investments and PlayaExpert Ronnie Pool, a broker as a result of Playa del Carmen says "Any major economic slowdown in the USA will have an effect here because it means those would-be buyers don't have as strong a financial position, and may experience fewer disposable assets to spend here. However , if realty is not such a good investment there right now, by comparison our own market can look even more attractive! So that can recompense. In the final tally I imagine that the sale belonging to the lowest priced properties in our market will be hit harder compared with those at the upper end. The very wealthy usually travel out economic waves better than the marginally well down. But as a real estate broker I know that I create my own ring reality, so if I believe that my business will go downward because of this.... no doubt it will. If I believe that despite challenges Now i'm better able than anyone to get my share from the pie and still grow.... no doubt I will. We reap might know about sow, in life, at work, and in our own mind. " GABRIEL VILLARREAL GUERRA - CENTURY 21 MARCOS & ASSAD "In my opinion, a slowdown in the housing business in the States will be most definite beneficial for our market. The weaker market means less demand for new properties and therefore less homebuilding. People could have foreseen such a slowdown, as it is clearly stated by the National Association connected with Home Builders (NAHB) figures: forecast is for starts for you to drop to an annual rate of 1. 55 million -- Inventory/Sales ratio - by the end of 2007, or perhaps 27% below their peak level.... reflecting less patron traffic and a bias towards building fewer homes at some point. Eventually people will start looking for better "deals", will start staying an open-mind in purchasing a second home in South america, will be on the look out for investment opportunities, and guaranteed the can follow a trend... put their money in a reliable emerging market close to home where they have all the claims as foreign investors - e. i. Banktrusts - and a positive cash flow with higher ROI's (rate for return), making it more appealing to invest than back home. Plus, we've got to never forget what we have in our market that nobody in addition has: a fabulous Caribbean Sea and gorgeous Mayan crafted pyramids! Just to name a few. If there are no big upcoming changes in economic events that could somehow impinge on the Riviera Maya, our market will be booming more than what any professional can foresee... and the slowturn which includes taken place in the States will shift our sales figures, into my personal opinion. " THOMAS LLOYD - PLAYA REAL ESTATE EXECUTIVES Thomas Lloyd of PlayaBuyerBroker. com says "Projecting the future economic and real estate market results is an incredibly difficult task. An entire collection of books are needed to demonstrate and learn the particular relations and influences upon pricing of homes, condo rentals or upon the price per meter of raw area. Below please find a very general brief on this area. First, many factors influence the local real estate market including the fact that of the international economic indicators as mentioned in the question earlier mentioned. Twenty five years ago, a very soft correlation existed between USA market results and its influence on the Mexican market as well as vice versa. Ten years ago, as in the majority of most states of the world, international market results have had and has on going to have a much stronger affect upon the Mexican national market activities. Mexico´s strongest trade partner, USA, has heightened their commercial relation with the Mexico with the passing of your NAFTA(North American Free Trade Agreement) which only causes our two countries influence even stronger. The development therefore would indicate that as each decade tickets, the international market results and indicators of every man or women country will have stronger and direct affects upon typically the markets of neighboring and/or those countries with the closest economical ties. Second, the Real Estate market is enticed more by local indicators than by national, last but not least of international indicators. As stated above, pricing is made by many many factors. The majority of the factors are varying/constantly moving and each factor has a different weight in influence upon a final market price. Some factors that extra fat heavily are generally found in the regional/local economical indicators which includes of Population growth, Costs of Doing Business, cost regarding capital (loans), Quality of Life, Employment and Income, Local Taxation's, Property Taxes, ISR taxes vs . (competition). In Summary, Properties in California is different than real estate in Indiana, Realty in Canada is different than that from Mexico. Each one regional market has its own strategies and influences, for this reason its own proper real estate opportunities. JEN LYTLE - TIERRA YUCATAN Even in the Yucatan near Merida, they have a point of view on the U. S. recession. Take Jen Lytle, owner/broker of Tierra Yucatan Properties in Merida. She says "I have not yet seen any slow-down in business which could be attributed to the slow-down in the US market, although one might predict several possible long term outcome. It is possible that our investor clients will find our property on Yucatan an even more attractive option, as the market here remains strong with good appreciation. I would also expect who for those retiring on a fixed income, it might become more very difficult to purchase a retirement property in Mexico if the purchase depends on obtaining equity from the sale of an pre-existing property. Over-all, I am optimistic that our market will be primarily minimally affected by any slow-down in the US. " SHAWN BANDICK - ONE STOP REAL ESTATE Finally, Shawn Bandick, owner/broker of One Stop Real Estate says "In every shifting housing market there are pocket markets. These are areas which with bear the shift with little or no effect. In British Columbia Canada the Okanagan Valley is one of those areas. I'm certain you can see areas like that in your state or province. Enjoy will this shifting market effect us in the Riviera Maya? If there was ever a Pocket market it is it. The Mexican government recognizes that, and they are positioning millions of dollars into the development of Q Roo. Most of the buyers are baby boomers who have paid off their homes, and possess the cottage, and are now looking for the sunny close off away. Many of these same buyers have substantial inheritance dollars that they are investing as well. " Also these clients usually are not just from north America, they are from all over the world and this presents us an even more stable market. Mexico is a new subject of investment and the buyers tend to be higher-income they are not at the first try home buyers nor are they the first time investors. Record shows us that the baby boomers will not be denied! This is basically no exception. Baby boomers have discovered the Riviera Maya and they are sending their money here to invest and enjoy. " View LOCAL MLS Listings for One Stop Real Estate.

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artdjgblog · 4 years

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Innerview: Cathy Fishel / Print Magazine August 2005 Image: Print Magazine Note: Interview for the Print Regional Design Annual.

Introduction: Cathy…Sorry you missed me. Sorry to miss you. Thanks for the message (sorry it cut you off in the middle of your phone number). Things are a bit intense as summer brings a new definition of BUSY. Work. Work. Work. Many thanks for the kind words about my work and I. It means so much. Yeah, I am sure it is chore to sift through all of the junk I’ve been dumping on the PRINT headquarters every March for the past three years or so…(I feel like a true failure if I send less than fifty entries). It is funny because just last week I was thinking about the upcoming PRINT Regional Annual and how I had not heard back on if I was selected…and I guess I have been…how many? And what? I am very curious. I had pretty much written it off. Thanks for informing me…I suppose I was supposed to receive notice upon that a while back…what happened there? Same thing happened to me last year. Out of curiosity I called somebody at PRINT last year and sure enough they had contacted me at the wrong address or something like that…I hope that wasn’t the case again. We need to get that straightened out…indeed. Certainly, I am thrilled to participate in this little questionaire. Wow, i’ve always wanted to. You don’t have to worry about smearing my name from anything said. I don’t care. Here we go… 01) How has the pace of business/number of jobs been in the past year as compared to the previous year? The pace is as thick as I want it and when I have sleep to deprive. I’ve always held other jobs and currently work a massive sixty-two hour weekly schedule as a groundskeeper and a janitorial supervisor…thus, cramming design into my pockets…and whenever I can squeeze it in my free time or find it under the pillow in the wee morning. I never actively seek my work due to time constraints and exhaustion…not yet, at least…and besides, the majority is word of mouth. Most of the time I just make stuff. Some of the time I get a nice little call or email and then just make more stuff. 02) Why is it up or down? The numbers (ups/downs) are slim if you stack them to my three previous so-called “professional” years…of course it’s due to my lack of time…fatigue…getting older…and mostly because I don’t really have a definite connection with my clients like I used to…and I don’t live with bands, attend concerts or am around my clients as much as I used to…(in case you’re wondering, my primary source of work is in the local independent music industry). Also, I am not as twenty-four-seven-gung-holike I was when I first started. I’ve accomplished most everything I set out to do at this point…(perhapsI’m just settling and need to mark a new planner?). 03) Has there been any surprises in the past year? Good or bad? Surprises in my work and thoughts come quite often. Sometimes it’s mush. Sometimes they come as sneakeries. The only real surprises come when I get random calls/emails from kind Print editors, designers requesting copies of posters, people wanting to put me in their books, seeing my work in books/magazines next to my inspirations/peers…and recent college graduates persuing job opportunities with my bedroom design operation. It’s all good…never bad…well, the only bad thing would be that I have to shell out good money for the good books that I’m in. 04) Has there been an influx of a new sort of work or client in your office? In the design community as a whole? Honestly, the only new things I approach are the things that come with each new day and in thought. I try to treat each design day new. Nothing I do is new to the worlds, other than in my own. I do thumb magazines a bit and I am a bit of a junky with design/culture and such…and I do keep my eyes open at all times…though, sometimes too much of it can make me not like design or anything. It’s getting to be way over-impacted with the idea that everyone thinks themselves to be a designer. Most of the only new sort of work that really kicks me (or I even consider new) comes from scraps of paper I find and hand painted ghetto signage. Though, if we’re talking professional work, I guess there is some good stuff coming out of the local climate. And of course I guess there is always good stuff coming out of the woods everywhere. Others might lump me in there somewhere. I don’t really know or care. 05) What is the economic climate like there in general? I was bummed when Quik Trip ended their “Cheap Drink Summer” so soonly…however, I’ve always got the Hostess thrift store two blocks away. I always find free junk in the streets and at work in the trash…and I always find great deals on paper and “whatevers” at thrift stores. No matter if I don’t cash in on design…I’ve always got cheap fuel to burn…and I will always barter for goods and services…if the price is right/not right. 06) Have any large clients closed or left the area? Who? Most of the rock ‘n’ rollers are skinny little dudes and I’m the one that’s gaining the weight around my belt and portfolio pit. There have been a few bands that have broken apart and some that have decided to play musician-designer to save money. And combined roles like that don’t always produce wickedly pretty offspring. 07) Has there been any changes in the ways that clients do business with designers (good or bad)? Not really any changes in clients. People still owe me money. Most people still don’t want to pay much or even pay at all for design…though, they are eager to push the products I slap myself onto and I give them free press in books/magazines. Oh well, that’s part of the deal and I knew that from the get go. It’s more than thant anyway. And I still love them…I am sure they still love me…I just don’t make enough from it to eat. But, I do have some wonderful clients that I hope to cradle and/or have them cradle me for a long time…we’ll see. 08) Is the design community tight-knit? Competitive? Friendly? What? I don’t really associate with other designers due to a lack of time and sometimes, simply want. I do have a few I check in on…but mostly I stick to my own guns. Therefore, I constantly hope my cats and girlfriend understand what the heck I’m talking about. It’s mostly mumbles I’m trying to say though…at least I’m entertained. In terms of the local design community…well, I guess the art/design here in Kansas City is looking pretty good. Even though i’m only in my fourth year, through the visual clutter I can see a few improvements. From what I understand, there is a tight-knit community that I’m not really associated with physically. From the outside, the knit appears to be extremely tight though. These days I like to sit at home and hunch my shoulders…and I like to think and be around people/places/things that aren’t necessarily directly connected to the design world, but they are in my personal one (whatever that means). In competitive terms I guess I fell victim to that last December. One of the best things I’ve ever done was stolen at an exhibition. Poor Mortimer was an only child and I’ve nothing to document him. Either I’m getting somewhat popular or I have a backlash. I’m also getting tired of most of the announcement boards to post posters being smaller than one of my posters (time to break out my little hands). 09) What exciting things are going on in the design community? Honestly, I couldn’t tell you. Well, I’m kind of excited to see where this city is headed to as a whole. There are a lot of expensive things being built…new downtown developments/arena…and a ridiculous addition to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art that looks like a giant trash bin and/or trailer home. 10) What are you looking forward to in the next year? Any big changes? Anything that you hope will happen? Well, I am getting married this Fall and thus must condense my apartment. I must lovingly adapt to sharing my artifacts, junk, libraries, wall space and work space with a woman. I also plan to start sleeping on a real bed again…and to quit my night job. She is a good one though. 11.) Why is where you are a great place/lousy place to be a designer? Since I’m a one man show, I can take my design anywhere. Though, it helps to have an outlet to a music community…I guess…if I want to continue with that. I guess with this question, it’s mostly all behind the controller. You’ve really got to chop some trees down to be heard…or just put your head down, barrel through them and not really pay attention. And my real dream is to live in the woods outside of a small town near a big city and have the requests come to my porch via arrows…and to make things for myself. I’ve never been one to worry myself about if I’m in the right place or not. As long as my brain is not too sloshy and polluted, I will be fine. 12) What advantages does the midwest hold as a design source for clients? I was born and fed here. It is ok (at times a bit too honky and wonky). I’m happy with the way things have gone so far. I’ve got a meager following here that I suppose “gets it”…and the norm that says, “That’s different.” Though I haven’t really ventured off much in my design life, or simply, life in general. I hear it’s a mighty treat to get out. And I also hear good things about the midwest’s hospitality and friendliness from outsiders and/or people who get out. Perhaps I’ll pack it up one of these days and try some new turf to ooze between my toes. 13) What is the level of student/job applicant talent? Is young talent staying in the area or leaving? It’s really flattering, funny and somewhat depressing to me that I’ve received many offers from recent design graduates who desperately want to work for me. Some are really talented too…and I must paint my sad tale of no funds or time for me to even consider full-time employment with myself. Maybe I’ll just have them move in for therapy…or start my own school with fire poles to slide through the floors of my apartment building and heaping pile of posters to burn for warmth. -djg

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