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tieronecrush · 11 months

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maroon

javier peña x f!reader

part of a slight malfunction & continuing from ninth wheels

rating: E (18+ ONLY, MDNI)

word count: 2.9k

summary: And I chose you / The one I was dancin' with / In New York, no shoes / Looked up at the sky and it was

One of your favorite nights from your summer with Javi. Cheap pink wine, ABBA, and having a laugh. Just as friends. Good friends.

warnings: NO USE OF Y/N, undefined relationship, use of pet names, very basic spanish so please correct me, unprotected sex, alcohol use, fluffffff, sweet funny times

April - July 1990

You’ve seen Javi every weekend that he’s had off since meeting him. Usually, he makes the trip up to yours in the city, driving the two hours (sometimes pushing three when traffic is bad) Friday night after work, staying with you until the last possible minute before he has to return home Sunday evening.

It’s a routine you’ve welcomed; he fits right into your life like a missing piece. Everything feels smoother when he’s around, running effortlessly with his efficiency that directly opposes your natural dilly-dallying. The two of you make the most of the sunny season, despite the nearly unbearable heat as it got into the midsummer months. Farmers markets, going out dancing, making meals together, and having one very uppity, fancy dinner that you two couldn’t stop giggling through and nearly got kicked out of. Some Saturdays you’d drive up to Canyon Lake outside of the city to have a beach day around your landlocked city. It was fun together, even just as friends or in this limbo situation-ship. You’d wondered if Javi just wasn’t a relationship guy, but with the way he treated you, you couldn’t imagine him not wanting a girlfriend or a wife, eventually. Admittedly, you were falling for him, but without any security of knowing if he saw this as something that could be long-term, those feelings were kept to yourself.

A few days stick out in your mind from these sweet months, one Saturday night in and slow Sunday morning that had become a quick favorite of yours. You’d gotten an unusual thunderstorm that night, ruining your plans to go mini-golfing with friends. Instead, the two of you had ended up with your apartment to yourselves and two bottles of cheap, screwtop rosé, courtesy of your roommate (you paid her back, of course, but without the opportunity to go out for your own alcohol, you were virtually left with no choice). A bottle was killed quickly, the second not far behind it, and you both fell into tipsy confessions. One came from Javier, admitting after you said you owned all of ABBA’s albums when you were younger (still did, obviously) that he ‘didn’t understand the fuss around ABBA.’

“What did you just say? I think I misheard you, because if you said what I think you said, you might be a psychopath.” You stared at him, completely deadpanned and disbelieving in his previous statement.

Javier rolls his eyes playfully, looking over at you from his spot sitting on the floor in front of the couch. Bottle of wine in his hand, he passes it back to you as he says, “C’mon, that’s a bit dramatic, cariño. I’m not a psychopath for not understanding ABBA. Just prefer stuff like, I dunno, Fleetwood Mac or Springsteen.”

“What is there to ‘understand?’ It’s just good fucking music! Springsteen wishes he was ABBA.”

“I don’t know how accurate that assumption is, hermosa.”

“Oh my god, I just have to educate you, I guess. Hold this.” You pass him back the bottle after taking a swig, unfurling yourself from your perch in the corner of the couch near him. You step around Javier seated on the floor, crossing the room to your record player. Flicking through the albums, you reach what you are looking for and carefully remove it from the sleeve. Placing it on the turntable and dropping the needle, the sweet melodies of “Angel Eyes” sound through the speakers.

Immediately, you turn to face Javi again, hand moving up to hold onto an air microphone as you sing along to the song. He leans further back, arms going up to his shoulders to spread against the seat of the couch. Brown eyes follow down your dancing form and back up to your face, an amused smirk quirking up under his mustache.

You perform the whole song for him, playfully singing the lyrics directed to him and at other times, dancing and singing like he wasn’t even in the room. As the record spins to the next track, you drop your air microphone and turn the volume down. Closing the gap between you and Javi, you take short steps and stand between his legs stretched out in front of him. His arms move from the couch cushions, motioning you down to his level. You oblige his silent request and kneel between his legs, a smug grin on your face.

“So, do you understand the fuss now? They’re so incredible, you just can’t help but want to sing and dance when their music plays.”

He tilts his head side to side, making a wavering gesture with his flat hand between you two.

“Eh, más o menos. I think they’re still okay, but I did thoroughly enjoy your performance. Definitely made me like the song a lot more.” An amorous smirk covers his face, his hands moving to your legs to hook them on the outside of his. He works to pull you closer on his lap, his eyes flitting around your face and back to meet your own as his touch lingers on your hips.

“Is that so? I guess I’ll just have to make up some choreography to the rest of my favorite songs to get you to like them.”

“I can get behind that idea, cariño. Can be my own little show every weekend.” Javi takes the pause between his response and your next quip to him, leaning closer to you and ghosting his lips over yours. Warm, humid breath fans gently across your chin and neck, a sensation that you don’t feel for long before his mouth is pressed against yours in a heated kiss. Hands find purchase anywhere they can, the two of you standing quickly and giggling as you make your way to your bedroom in a woozy, wine-drunk haze.

Clothes are pulled over each other’s heads, lips connecting again with fervor. Javi’s fingers work at the waistband of the cotton sleep shorts that you’re wearing, pushing them down without warning at the same time that you take a step back. The fabric around your ankles trips you backward, lips pulling away from Javi as you shriek in surprise.

His arms catch your waist before you can land on your bare ass, looking down at you with wide eyes and mouth shaped into a perfect ‘o’. He helps you stand up straight again as laughter falls from your lips, head rolling back at the sight of him startled.

“‘M sorry, cariño. Didn’t realize you were walking backward,” his voice mumbles out the apology, brown eyes softening with slight worry. Your giggles continue as your head shakes back and forth, hands finding his cheeks and squeezing gently to exaggerate the pout on his lips.

“It was funny, baby. Can’t be mad ‘cause you saved my poor butt from being bruised with your quick reflexes,” your soft laughter pulls a grin from him before he’s connecting your lips again, taking careful steps to guide you back to your bed.

The rest of your clothes are stripped off, and more giggles come from you when Javi gets frustrated with attempting to tug his belt from the loops in his jeans. His motor skills are less precise from the alcohol, and you’re thoroughly entertained by the antics from your own tipsy fog. He looks at you laying back on the bed, fully undressed and legs spread, a playful glare in his eyes that only makes you laugh more at the moment.

He grumbles something under his breath, finally getting the leather free from the last loop, throwing it down to the floor, and peeling himself from his tight jeans. Fully undressed, he crawls up the mattress to kneel between your legs, hands skimming across the velvety skin of your thighs. His frame hovers over you as he leans down to meet you in another kiss, breaths mingling with each other and a whimper swallowed by him when he slips his tongue against yours.

Javi moves one hand down the back of your thigh, fingers brushing the crease of your knee as he lifts it wider to let him closer to you. The feather touch tickles your skin there, and involuntary giggles slip out of your lips to the point where you have to pull away from the kiss, head pressed back into the pillow as you laugh. He catches on that you’re ticklish there, the sound of your laugh tugging a wide, satisfied smirk on his face. Fingers tickle your knee with purpose, your own hands gripping his shoulders as you plead between laughs.

“Javi, stop! It tickles, please!” Your begs only egg him on for another moment, his own chuckles exhaling through his lips before he concedes, lowering his hand to grip your calf instead.

The two of you easily fall back into heady kisses and feverish touches once you’ve caught your breath, both of you worked up to the point where your needs overcome your clumsy movements. Even as you only kiss, your heart beats faster. It occurs to you that you haven’t been like this with anyone else; comfortable enough to tease or giggle or act playful, and, at the same time, feeling the burning need to please him. The thought of it as more intimate than you’ve been before sends a shudder down your spine, arching your back to press yourself against his torso.

Minds clear for a moment, Javi takes himself in his hand and lines up with your entrance, rubbing against your wetness before slipping into you easily with one thrust. He pauses to let you adjust to the stretch of him, a groan falling to his lips at the grip of your walls around him. Lowered inhibitions and hazy minds make everything more sensitive until he can’t take the stillness anymore, hips moving to find a steady rhythm while he folds over you to kiss your neck.

Moaning his name, your eyes close to focus on the feeling of him inside of you, the drag of him in and out. As his name slips from your mouth, a breath of silence between the two of you lets you hear the music from the record still turning in the living room. An excited gasp leaves your lips, and Javi swings his hips harder at the reaction, head pulling away from your collarbone to look down at you.

A mischievous smirk is plastered on your face, his brow furrowing in confusion for a moment before you break out into song, singing along happily to “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!” off of your Voulez-Vous vinyl.

“There’s not a soul out there, no one to hear my prayer! Gimme, gimme, gimme a man after midnight! Won’t somebody help me chase the shadows away?” You’re incredibly off-key, voice breathy from the exertion of Javi thrusting into you. He groans as you start singing along, shaking his head as he can’t help the smirk on his face.

“You’re unbelievable. I’m literally inside you, cariño.”

“An ABBA song demands to be sung along to, Javier. No matter the time or place. Or activity.”

It’s his turn to laugh, an incredulous but affectionate look on his face as his hips continue to move. Something flashes in his eyes as he locks into your gaze, his smirk turning impish as he pauses his hips, pulling out of you completely and gathering your legs from either side of him. Confusion falls over your face while he manipulates your limbs into a new position, pressing them together and lifting them to rest your calves on one of his wide shoulders. As you open your mouth to question him, he fucks into you again, deeper and harder as he gets into a rhythm. It takes you a second to adjust, whimpers falling from your lips at the feeling of him filling you up completely before you gasp as you realize his thrusts are timed perfectly to the beat of the song.

Javi stares down at you, lustful and doting brown eyes locked with yours. A wide smile pulls the corners of your lips up, a loud laugh falling from your lips at the fact that he’s fucking you to ABBA. The laughs turn to moans quickly as two of his fingers work circles into your clit, the rhythm of the song providing you both with an ideal pace to chase your orgasms. You come ahead of Javi, his name falling from your mouth over and over as he continues to move his hips, the sound of skin on skin and loud moans from the both of you drowning out the music from the other room. Tight around him from your orgasm, it only takes a few short ruts of his hips before he’s spilling into you, a low rumble of pleasure as he finishes.

Chests move up and down quickly to catch your breaths, while Javi slowly pulls out of you, fingers gathering the mix of you two that drips out before it reaches your sheets. He makes quick work of finding his briefs to wipe you clean, discarding them quickly before falling to the mattress next to you.

Strong arms encase your waist, tugging you over to him to share soft kisses as the drunkenness catches up. Before both of you pass out completely, you close your eyes and mumble quietly, teasing evident in your tender tone.

“Bet you like ABBA a lot more now.”

A short exhale from his nose clues you into his humored reaction, his lips pressing to your forehead before his low timbre vibrates in your ear.

“Mi chica tonta, I think that’s my new favorite song.”

Your drunken mind paints a vision during your deep sleep. Watching as if you’re out of your own body, the vignette is Javi and you, in the middle of your living room as you were last night. This time there was no screw-top wine, something much better, more mature, with a deep burgundy color, sitting on the coffee table with two glasses next to it.

Bare feet pad against the low-pile area rug, one of Javi’s hands resting at your hip while the other held yours out to the side. Your remaining hand perches on his shoulder, fingertips feeling the muscle there as his arm moves to wrap around you further and press his large palm against the bottom of your spine.

Something slow and melodic played over the speakers of your record player, a tune that you recognize but can’t quite place in your subconscious. It directs you two into an easy sway around the small open square of flooring.

Your head rests on his shoulder, facing the large windows that look out onto San Antonio from your fourth-floor walk-up. The buildings around you are shorter, leaving your unit with a view of the city and expansive sky. Looking out onto the view, the sun is setting into a gorgeous burnt orange and maroon watercolor. Clouds are shadowed by the summer sun falling slowly behind them, and the lighting in your apartment changes subtly as the outside dims.

Lifting your gaze up to Javi, the two of you share a soft smile and your ghostly presence can see that he says something to you, but the sound is muffled as you’re pulled from the dream.

The memory of him in your mind melds into the memory of him laying next to you as you wake up, turning over to face him. His eyes are fluttering open, a pained groan rasping out as the harsh sunlight hits him. His head is quickly buried into the pillow under him, a soft chuckle falling from your lips at his dramatics.

The two of you sit in your bed with pounding headaches, not from being overly hungover, but from the decision to drink such cheap, sweet, and shit wine. Once you could bear the thought of leaving from under the covers, the two of you dress minimally and leisurely exit to the living room, your record from the night before still on the turntable. The candles and incense you lit the evening before all burned out, and he cleans up the ashes off the table while you put away the record and make a pot of coffee for the two of you.

Full mugs in hand, you carefully step from the kitchen back to the open living space, attempting not to spill a single drop. Javi cranes his neck to look back at you, a sleepy smile crossing his face and lighting up his eyes when you approach with the steamy beverage. He sits up from his reclined position, takes the drink, and sends you a soft thank you in his low, hoarse morning voice.

It was a slow start to the day with him, lounging around the couch and gradually depleting the coffee in your mugs. Your legs stretch across the couch as you lay back, and eventually, Javi creeps closer to you and sets your feet in his lap and rests his lukewarm mug on your bare thigh. His free hand runs fingertips up and down your calves, the goosebumps that raised calm down once he’s repeated the action a few times. It was the type of morning that those old jazz singers write songs about; everything and nothing happening, the two of you talking about things you won’t remember but having a laugh about them in the moment. You peek at Javi from behind your mug as you sip your coffee, thinking to yourself, that he's your best friend. And maybe more, too.

taglist: @swiftispunk @pedrit0-pascalit0 @lil-stark @joelsversion @mrsvedder12 @starsandsaints07 @wild-fauxed @rubyshouse @notes-from-my-journal @mi-place @killervirgosworld @paytonispunk @jakecockley @hydrangaces @jupitercorgi @nic0lodean @creedslove @westeros-needs-me @ikigailereve @the-casual-cat @marysucks-blog @midnightswithdearkatytspb @luamarieta @kaletastrophes @nasanatmfers @storyarcscribe @s3xymoonman @sylphene @asirenbyanyothername @ur-honey-child @frustratedpanda @sarcasmismyonlydefense24 @nonbinarymothman @dieterbravo @theelishad @pascalislove @bigbutchenergee @starkovli @scrambledslut @atinylittlepain @pr0ximamidnight @beskarandblasters @johnwatsn @thetriumphantpanda

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negative-speedforce · 2 months

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Your OCs find themselves face-to-face with a fairy-tale trickster! They're told they have to perform one song of their choosing, and it must be suitably entertaining to the trickster, or they'll lose their greatest skill forever! We're talking superpowers, Max's ability to design tech, Hyun-Ki's kills with performance (how ironic), whatever it is that makes them stand out.

What song do they pick, and how do they make sure the trickster is entertained by their performance?

Siv: Shows off their years of guitar lessons with a half-decent performance of "Boulevard of Broken Dreams"

Jay: Can't sing to save his own life, so he gives backup vocals for Cassandra's performance.

Cassandra: Sings "Texas Hold 'Em" by Beyonce, and while her performance by itself would have impressed the trickster by itself, she ends up making them leave because they got uncomfortable when Jay and Cassandra started making out.

Hailey: "Jokes on you, you can't curse me, I'm dead."

Ember: Uses his powers to make gemstones rain on them from the earth as they lipsync to P!nk's "Raise Your Glass" in her glitteriest outfit.

Arya: Mostly impresses the trickster with the fact that every songbird and squirrel was falling out of the trees around them because of their siren song, rather than their performance of BlackPink's "As If It's Your Last"

Gina: Asks if the trickster can wait like ten minutes, and she calls a few of her choir friends over and they perform "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" together.

Esme: Performs "Work Bitch" by Brittany Spears, and impresses them with the fact that no one should be able to dance that well while wearing heels that high and a skirt that short and tight

Cat: Joins Gina and her choir friends for "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" because they're gonna need someone for the alto line (or potentially the tenor line, if Freaking Travis doesn't show up again).

Max: Takes the microphone and starts singing Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream" while slow dancing with Kyle and looking longingly into his eyes.

Kyle: Gets his old turntables from when he tried to learn how to DJ and makes a sick remix of Mad Love by Mabel

Eric: Pulls out his violin and performs "The Devil Went Down To Georgia".

Jacob: Serenades his husband with Elvis Presley's "I Cant Help Falling In Love With You".

Khalil: Sings "Daniel In The Den" by Bastille, attempts to impress the trickster by using his magic to create illusions to go along with the lyrics

Ameerah: Growls out a passionate cover of Hell's Coming With Me by Poor Man's Poison

Reggie: Manages to get through Rap God by Eminem without missing a single beat, impresses the trickster because xe's just this tiny kid who can rap that fast.

Antonio: Follows the trickster around for two hours playing The Song That Never Ends on kazoo until they promise not to curse him (yay psychological warfare)

Rania: Sings "Can't Catch Me Now" by Olivia Rodrigo and manages to impress the trickster with the sheer emotion coming through her performance (she is actually crying tears of rage by the end)

Kelsie: Sits the trickster down and pulls out a pad of paper and her glasses, and begins digging down into why they feel the need to do things like this. They feel much better after this impromptu therapy session.

Torryn: Just steals the trickster's magic and runs off with it.

Cory: Impresses the trickster with her fry scream and midair acrobatics while singing Monstarrr by Ennaria

Meredith: Starts signing aggressively about how she's "deaf and mute, dipshit, how is she supposed to perform music?" until the trickster feels bad and goes away.

Director Hawke

Onnie: Disintegrates the trickster before they can curse them and then she goes on with her day to day life.

Pippa: Sings a dreamy cover of "Flowers In My Hair" by Wes Reeve while daydreaming about kissing that mysterious Thawne girl she's only met a few times...

Jessi: Performs one of her own hit singles, puts on a really great show, and attracts a crowd of people because "OH MY GOD IS THAT JESSI JUNO???" (if you're looking for a real-world song with a similar vibe to her music, try "Bitches" by Tove Lo)

Hyun-Ki: Sings a haunting cover of Ave Maria, because no one expects the K-Pop star to be classically trained.

Marie: Screams out Girli's "More than a Friend" while useless lesbian-ing out over Qiara's existence, until she's blushing so bad that her face is bright green.

Liah: Dances to "Bombay Dreams" by KSHMR and shows off her skills from her former job as a Bollywood star.

Qiara: "No." *vanishes*. Jokes on you, you can't do that to an omnipotent space god.

Soraya: Asks for a religious exemption, since she's of the school of Islam that doesn't allow music or singing, so therefore she doesn't really know that many songs.

<note: for the Star Wars OCs, just assume it's the space equivalent to the song>

Thalia: Sings Elastic Heart by Sia (Space Version), actually does a fairly good job.

Reyna: Thinks she sounds great, but actually sucks so hard as she quite literally screeches out Space Demi Lovato's "Cool For The Summer".

Laila: Sings "Trouble" by Space Halsey, very obviously singing it to Athena. Stabs the trickster for even daring to suggest cursing her once she's done.

Athena: Manages to capture the trickster in a sack and then takes them back to her lab, where she decides to vivisect them to see how they work, all while singing a very sultry, seductive cover of Space Ariana Grande's "Break Up With Your Girlfriend, I'm Bored"

Pyrrha: Screams out "Weapon" by Space Against the Current (which is basically her theme song), and impresses the trickster with her dance moves, since her cybernetic limbs have higher strength and range of motion than her natural ones.

Samira: Duets "Rewrite The Stars" with Aldrich, since it's their song as a vampire/human couple (BIG taboo on that one)

Aldrich: Duets "Rewrite The Stars" with Samira, taking Zac Efron's part while Samira does Zendaya's part.

Sohelia: Sings "Snakes" By PVRIS, all while visualizing Mr. Head of the Hunters' Guild, immortal alchemist, and accidental creator of Vampires everywhere, Thaddeus St. James, so she puts far more vitriol into her performance than necessary.

Dolores: Sings "Which Witch" by Florence + The Machine and impresses the trickster with her powerful belting and the sheer emotion behind the performance (living your life at risk of being hunted for sport will do that to you)

Victorie: Plays Vivaldi's Four Seasons on violin, since that was new music when she was alive.

Matt: Sings "Believe" by Cher, can't really do anything that special with his performance with his EDS and everything, so he makes sure and puts some extra "oomph" in with his voice.

Vanessa: Sings "A Thousand Years" by Christina Perri, while slow dancing with Victorie, putting special emphasis on the line "Beauty is all she is".

Ellis: They're an angel, so they sing the Hallelujah Chorus with the voice of one. Probably go into the full "be not afraid" Biblically Accurate Angel form too.

#ask revan #oc shit #practically-an-x-man

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4rainynite · 9 months

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EAH Dorm Rooms Headcanons pt 15

Ginger & Melody

One's a candy witch and another a pied piper DJ.

Despite their different styles Melody and Ginger get along very well.

Melody and Ginger are one of many roommates who get along. Melody didn't care if Ginger was destined to be an evil witch and Ginger supports Melody's DJ career.

I picture their room being the same size of either Lizzie & Duchess or Ramona & Justine.

Ginger's side of the dorm:

Ginger is the daughter of the Candy Witch, and like many children of villians' destiny Ginger was discriminated against because of her destiny. Despite that Ginger loves her mom who supports her despite her giving up her villainous role. Ginger hope to open a chain of bakeries, cookbooks, and treats labeled 'Ginger’s Goodies'. Ginger may not want to be evil, but she is an amazing baker who wants others to enjoy her sweets.

Due to Ginger's love of baking she is rarely in her room. She is either in the cooking class, science lab, or busy with her show 'Spells Kitchen'. Ginger spends her time in the room to relax, homework, and play with her per fish/fishes.

Jelly along with two other fish/fishes live in a tank on Ginger's desk. Due to their small size they are one of the few pets to live in the dorms.

Ginger has a Princess-Bake Oven desk next to her cookbook collection, that she's had since she was a child. She uses it to bake treats for herself and Melody.

I can see Ginger's walls being painted brown or pink since they are her main colors. Most of her decor is candy themed with a few witchy items to remind her of her heritage.

Ginger has a closet in her dorm where she keeps all her colorful clothes and chef hats.

Ginger's side of the dorm room would have a similar design to the cooking classroom (minus the oven). She also has a mini fridge stocked with snacks that are mainly candy and small pastries.

Ginger owns a cookbook collection along with cookbook magazines that she reads to try out new recipes.

The food truck was a gift from Raven that Ginger cherishes. Ginger stores it in a school shed where the other students with food trucks and stands have.

Melody's side of the dorm:

Melody is the daughter of the Pied Piper and music runs through her veins. Melody is already popular with her peers and has many fans due to her DJ career. I think Melody was in a similar situation as Ginger before her talent became recognized, which makes it easy for each girl to understand the other.

Melody keeps her flute in a case and her turntables in the dorm and she practices on them daily. When, she's not in her dorm she practices on them in the music room.

Melody's decor would have music theme to it, but it would be in a rave like design.

She would totally have a lava lamp and a floating egg chair like in the common room pic above.

Melody may keep her pet mice/rats in the dorm due to their small size.

Melody has a huge collection of headphones, records, CDs, and etc. that she keeps in her dorm room.

Melody has some studio equipment in her dorm from headphones to microphones. She even records her own music.

Images from EAHWIKI & ROYALREBELWIKI

#my art #ever after high #ever after rebel #ginger breadhouse #melody piper #dorm room #everafterhigh #eah

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laz-kay · 2 years

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Let me hear you

Two weeks after the earthquake in Hawkins felt like an eternity. So much yet so little had happened in that time. Everyone was busy with different things; volunteering at the school, taking shifts at the hospital, mourning Eddie and bringing his body back home, the usual.

One day, Will and Mike were left alone to clear up some more debris around Hopper's cabin. Will hadn’t been the same since he arrived back in Hawkins. He was exhausted both mentally and physically after their unintentional road trip, and feeling Vecna’s presence again was almost enough to shatter him into a million pieces.

Mike was brushing around the edges of El’s old room when he realised Will had been quiet for far too long. He was always quiet, but this type of quiet was nosier than any argument they’d ever had. The silence played too loud for Mike’s liking, so he peered around the side of the door to see what was going on with his friend.

Will was disassociating, hard. He sat on the old, dusty sofa with a dustpan slowly slipping through his grasp. His eyes were dark, tired, sorrowful. His skin was a ghostly white, and his hair was unnaturally scruffy. Strangely, Mike seemed to like it a little more unkempt.

Mike looked around El’s unoccupied room and spotted her old record player in the cobwebby corner. He fumbled around for a moment before finding a very niche selection of LPs. Madonna? Nah. Jim Crose? Good, but no. There. The Clash. More specially, should I stay or should I go. Perfect. Mike snatched the record and threw it, almost discus-style, onto the turntable.

Still completely out of it, Will’s head started to drop. That is, until he heard a familiar guitar riff emanating from his sister’s old room. Confused, he slowly got up and walked towards the sound. “Mike?” he said tentatively, pushing the door.

Just as he started to crane his neck into the room, Mike jumped into the doorframe singing “darling, you’ve got to let me know” at the top of his lungs, using an old can of bug spray as a microphone. Will recoiled for a moment before realising who on Earth was singing into his face, and his smile reappeared within an instant.

He let out a breathy laugh and rolled his eyes at the sight of Mike Wheeler’s bad dancing and out of tune British accent. “You’re an idiot, you know that?” Will said, almost laughing. Mike didn’t stop. He continued to serenade his friend in the doorway before dropping to his knees in the most dramatic manner at the line “you’re happy when I’m on my knees”. The laugh that escaped Will’s mouth was unlike anything Mike had ever heard, so he continued in his endeavour.

After jumping to his feet again, Mike danced himself over to the centre of the cabin. He then gestured for Will to come and dance with him, be stupid with him, be a teenager with him, be himself with him. Will guffawed and shook his head violently. “No way, Wheeler!” he said through chuckles.

Still singing, Mike decided to simply grab Will’s hand and pull him into a stupid little dance as the chorus began. Will very nearly snatched Mike’s hand away, but soon resigned to the fact that his friend wouldn’t stop trying to cheer him up. He shook his head and a side smile emerged as he found himself dancing in the middle of Hopper’s once abandoned cabin with Michael Wheeler

They took each other’s hands in their own almost too easily, and Mike initiated an alternating push/pull movement which Will reciprocated sluggishly. It wasn’t too long before Will started to mouth the words to his favourite song that once kept him from falling too far into the Upside Down’s grasp, and Mike’s smile grew into one of utter joy and achievement.

As the static LP continued to play, the two teens proceeded to get closer and closer as they danced. They fell into a very sloppy, quickened version of a slow dance as Mike took Will’s left hand in his right and tucked his own left hand behind Will’s back. Will was singing at almost the same volume as Mike at this stage.

Suddenly, Mike spun Will under his arm and dipped him as the line “should I cool it or should I blow” played into the hollow room. Will couldn’t help but let out an embarrassed giggle right in front of Mike. He turned a brilliant crimson colour as he shot a hand across his mouth, trying to muffle his laughter.

Mike gazed at his friend for a moment, drinking in every second of his smile that he’d missed so dearly. “Will never smiles anymore” Mike thought to himself. “Not like this”. He remembered the days before the Upside Down. Before Will was taken. Will Byers was different then. He was happier.

He hadn’t taken Will for granted so to speak, but he never realised how important it was to relish in every happy moment. Every minuscule, stupid, dumbass moment. Especially when it came to William Byers. The same Will Byers he lost countless hours of sleep over when he was missing. The same Will Byers he broke his heart over when he saw his “body” being pulled from the water. The same Will Byers who was the best decision he’d ever made.

“Sorry” Will laughed, bringing Mike back to reality. He’d been so zoned in on Will’s elated expressions that he hadn’t been singing for a few verses, unbeknownst to him. He awkwardly mirrored Will’s laughter as he eased the both of them into a standing position. Suddenly realising he was still holding Will’s hand, he let it slip from his grasp and played it off as though he were tidying his hair.

Will's laughter became more staccato as he caught his breath. "You know you're a terrible singer?" Will asked rhetorically through a toothy grin. "I mean, you basically massacred my favourite song of all time, Wheeler". Mike raised a sarcastic eyebrow that came across a little too flirtatious for Will's liking. "Then why would you continue to let me decimate such a grand piece, oh Will the Wise?" Mike replied in a tone fit for a medieval court. "Surely one so wise would not allow such frivolous antics in one's own home?"

“Well, maybe it would be more fitting for our knight in shining armour to partake in such frivolity in his own time, not the party’s” Will replied. He gave Mike a look that screamed “yield or die” while keeping his innocent appearance intact. He looked the slightly taller boy up and down with immense ease. Mike was done for.

“Forgive me, wise one!” Mike dramatized as he fell to one knee. He grabbed Will’s hand in a pleading gesture while he got further into the character. “I have put the party in unnecessary danger for my misdeeds. For my bad, bad pitch”. Under normal circumstances, Will would be flustered, but this wasn’t a normal circumstance. At least, it hadn’t been for some time.

“You are no bard, that much is true” Will replied, almost completely in character. “But your plea has been noted, sir knight. And for that, I offer you a gift”. The light in Mike’s eyes was unmistakable. “Galadriel style?!” he replied, unfiltered. He gave an awkward cough before correcting himself. “Y-you are too kind, oh great and knowledgeable one. Surely no gift could possibly compare to the party’s safety”.

Still kneeling, Mike looked up at Will through his eyebrows; the type of look he felt he’d seen in his dreams. Gulping slightly, he recomposed himself without acknowledgement. “True enough, my good sir. But perhaps this will prevent such matters occurring ever again. A potion so powerful, it gives perfect pitch to even the lousiest singers” Will monologued as he put a gentle hand on Mike’s shoulder.

Mike could not tear his eyes away from Will’s. His raised eyebrow, his pursed lips and his - all of a sudden - exceptionally low voice were too much to handle. “Like I said” Mike began, “you are most kind, Will the Wise”. Will gave a small bow of his head in response as Mike imitated a drinking motion.

A moment passed before Mike stood up slowly and suddenly belted out a Freddy Mercury style “Ay-Oh” into poor Will’s face. Will was taken aback for a moment before he burst into fits of hysteria. “Oh, wise one. You’re clearly not so hot on the potion making these days” Mike teased. “Oh well. Means I can massacre more of your favourite songs with you more often”.

Mike found himself, once again, focusing on his friends facial expressions and mannerisms. It was almost like a hyper fixation; he couldn’t keep himself from staring. He missed this. He missed playing D&D with the rest of his party. He missed the camaraderie. He missed Will.

“I miss this, you know?” He finally admitted to the cleric. Will gave a small but noticeable nod. “I know” he replied in an almost whisper. “I do too”. Will missed many things: Late night drawing sessions in Castle Byers, planning campaigns in Mike’s basement, the build-up to their heroic final battle of said campaign. But above all, he missed moments like this. Moments with Mike. Just him and Mike.

All at once, a silence filled the room. The vinyl had stopped playing a long while ago, not that either of them noticed until that very moment. Will unconsciously began to walk away to remove the LP, but he felt a hand stop him in his tracks.

“No. I mean- I miss this” Mike recognised as he gestured to Will’s face. Will’s eyes darted back and forth in confusion. “You’ve- you’ve missed my face?” “No!” Mike reacted almost instantly. “I mean- yeah, course I have! But- I’ve just missed this side of you, Will” he admitted solemnly. “The Will with no filter. No censors. No mask. Just… you”.

Will could sense the sincerity of his friend’s words and decided - even though he was prone to getting lost in Mike’s gaze - eye contact was an appropriate move.

“It’s been difficult- for all of us- since you disappeared. Since El arrived. Since the Upside Down” Mike began. “But you- you’ve never caught a break since, have you?” Mike knew the answer he sought, but he needed to hear it from Will.

“I- I guess” Will began, feeling very much under the spotlight where Mike Wheeler was the sole audience member. “But it’ll never compare to what El’s been through. What we’ve all been through”. “Damn” Mike thought. “Why does he have to be so selfless all the time?”

“Will. You’re not okay, are you?” Mike asked as he took Will’s hands gently. Will couldn’t seem to divert his eyes from their suddenly intertwined fingers. No. He was not alright. For many multiple reasons. Vecna was very clearly coming for him next. His friends were all in immediate danger, not to mention his sister. Max was unconscious, most likely brain dead. He’d been traumatised from the age of 12 after being dragged into the Upside Down by a Demogorgon. And, to top it all off, the boy he was absolutely enamoured with was sometimes so oblivious he wanted to punch him in his stupid, gorgeous face.

“I-” Will stammered as he felt Mike’s fingers mesh further with his own. “I’m- I’m good” he lied. Mike’s hands made their way to the back of Will’s neck, the spot that always seemed to trouble him when evil was afoot. Will felt a warm, tingly sensation surge through his body. “Will. Friends don’t l-“ Mike began before cutting himself off. He scoffed at himself for being so predictable.

“You know I’ll always be worried about you, right? I mean- there’s never a moment where I’m like “oh, Will? No worries there. He’s absolutely fine and dandy”. Even before you were taken, I- I felt like I needed to protect you. We were both losers- hell, we’ll always be losers. But, you’ve always been so kind, so generous, so sensitive and so creative. I wanted you to have all those things that mouth breathers like Troy would always try to take away” Mike stated with increasing passion.

“But then” he continued, suddenly tearing up. “Then they were taken away. You were taken away. I thought I’d lost you, Will. For real. I saw your body being dragged out of the quarry and- and I felt like my soul had left me” he continued in a crackly tone. “It was terrifying. And- and I tried everything to get you back because the guilt was eating away at me and-“

“Hey, hey” Will interjected gently as he lifted a hand to Mike’s teary cheek. “I know you did. I felt you every step of the way. You and El sat by that dusty old walkie-talkie” he continued, wiping away Mike’s falling tears. Mike let out a sudden, choked laugh before he inhaled thought his stuffy nostrils. “And I’m here now” Will extended again, tears now forming in the corners of his own eyes. “You haven’t lost me”.

“Haven’t I?” Mike questioned, his hands manoeuvring to rest lightly on Will’s chest. Will looked up at his lifelong friend in confusion. The urge to pull Mike closer, thus closing the invisible gap they'd created for themselves, was overwhelming.

“I- I don’t understand” Will lied.

Mike readjusted himself, looking away from Will as though he were hiding something. “I know we haven’t talked much since you moved away, and god knows I’ve been a huge, huge dick these last few days, but I feel like we’re pushing each other away, Will!” Mike admitted somewhat aggressively. “We’ve both changed so much, and I can’t- I won’t lose you again, Will. You’re too damn important. You’re-” he continued, struggling through his tears. “You’re too goddamn important to me, and- I don’t give a shit about what happens between us for the rest of our lives, but I’ll be so mad at you if you’re not there with me” he continued, unknowingly gathering Will’s shirt into his fists.

Will could barely believe what he was hearing right now. Be it a spontaneous declaration of love or simply a friend getting overly emotional about being a bit of a prick, the sentiment still moved him deeply.

“Just do me a favour and don’t ever fucking leave me again, Will Byers. I lost you once, and I’m not about to loose you again because we’re "growing up" or whatever”.

“I mean- can’t really promise anything with the crazy vine man watching my every move- but… sure” Will joked, holding out a hand for Mike to shake. Ah. The handshake. The bond to end all bonds. It was an unbreakable promise. A chivalrous act.

Mike stifled a laugh through his blotchy face as he took Will’s hand in his own. Instead of shaking it, he lifted Will’s delicate hand to his face and placed a kiss on his outer palm. Will was half expecting Mike to lick his hand jokingly to break the atmosphere that had built up around them, but no such luck.

“Chivalrous as always, sir” Will finally managed through dry lips. “I try” Mike responded somewhat bashfully, still maintaining his grip on Will’s hand. The two teens stood there for a moment, secretly analysing each other through unspoken words.

“Are-“ Will began hesitantly. “Are we okay?” Mike’s gaze suddenly shot to meet his friend’s. “Why wouldn’t we be okay?” he pondered. “I can’t have messed up again, surely”.

“O- of course” he began. “Why would you believe otherwise?”

Will’s thoughts diverted back to Pizza Boy. Back to El in the pizza dough freezer. Back to that declaration. He couldn’t care less that Mike and El were in love with each other; it wasn’t about that anymore. What hurt was what Mike said about him. Not directly, of course, but the implication still stung. The best day of Mike’s life was when he met El in the woods off of Mirkwood. Subsequently, the day Will went missing. The day his childhood ended and the nightmares began.

Will’s scrunched up his face in a lousy attempt to stifle his tears. "I can't" he struggled, averting his eyes from Mike's baffled stare. Will's voice was barely a whisper, but Mike could sense pain it in. Longing. Heartache. The type of pain no one should ever have to experience, and that's saying something for Will.

Mike lifted Will's chin cautiously so he could face him, but the notion was disregarded. Will turned his head in the opposing direction, nullifying Mike's attempts to be gallant. "Will?" he questioned in a disappointed tone.

"Don't. Don't make this harder than it already is, Mike" Will responded shakily. It was as though Mike's life had flashed before his eyes, like his mind was trying to decipher what he could have possibly done in the past to hurt Will in such a vengeful way.

"I don't- What?" he eventually stammered.

"I feel like my life started that day we found you in the woods". Will's words were close to silence, but they bounced off the walls of the cabin with ease. A look of bewilderment still painted Mike's face; what had he done?

"The day- the day you found El was the best day of your life, right?" Will questioned, fumbling with the ends of his shirt. Mike gave a small nod, but not one of agreement, so to speak; more like one of contemplation. "Yeah. Yeah I guess it was".

"There's no need to guess, Mike" Will replied all too quickly. "Y-you already said it". Mike was confused before, but now? Will was throwing him curveballs, and he was the nerd who flunked gym.

"The best day-of your life- was the day I-" Will began in a static tone through his ever growing tears. "Was the day I left you". It was at that moment that the flood gates opened. Will had tried endlessly to keep it locked away for days now, but it was suddenly all too much. He'd always struggled with truly trusting people. His dad abused him. Bullies teased him mercilessly. New people frightened him; "what if they're from the Upside Down?" he'd think. And now his best friend, the one person he felt he could trust to the ends of the Earth, indirectly told him he was better off without him. It- it burned.

"Wait. What?!" Mike shot out in defence. "Why would I ever say th-" He stopped himself. He knew. Realisation hit Mike Wheeler like a goddamn freight train. The day they found El was the day Will vanished. The best day of his life, as he'd stated, was the day his best friend went missing. He felt an unanticipated emptiness take over. He felt physically sick. "God knows how Will must be feeling" he thought to himself.

At that moment, Will fell to the floor. He propped his back against the sofa and brought his knees to his chest. His legs were a lot longer now so he felt a bit silly, but to Mike, it didn't matter. "Will" Mike began as he followed Will to the ground. "You know that's not true, right?"

"How could I possibly know that?"

Mike let out a shaky breath of defeat. Will was right. He was always right. When your best friend of ten years tells you the best day of their life was the day yours ended, there's no chance in hell of coming back from it, and hell was precisely where Mike Wheeler thought he was.

"You're right" he began shamefully. "You couldn't have known that".

Will's sobs had morphed into a sort of silent mourning. Singular tears escaped his eyes almost choreographically, prompting Mike to wipe them away gently with his sleeve. Will didn't try to recoil from Mike's touch. He was tired. So very tired. But, despite his tiredness, he felt a strange sense of relief. The bottle had finally blown. He'd told Mike how upset he was; how much his words had affected him. He felt lighter.

"Will. I wasn't thinking" Mike started in a voice not too dissimilar from a whisper. "And- and I know that's a lame excuse, but I didn't know what else to do". Will's energy had been zapped. He starred off in front of him, trying his best to take in Mike's justification.

"I panicked. Jesus, we all did. I- I can barely even remember what I told her. It's all a bit of a blur". The cogs in Mike's brain were turning, trying to recall a semblance of something he'd said that dreadful evening. He furrowed his eyebrows and looked down in contemplation.

"I feel like my life started that day we found you in the woods". He grimaced at the thought of his own words.

He suddenly shook himself out of that hellish headspace and shifted himself so he and Will were eye to eye. Will gasped inwardly at their sudden change of proximity, but soon mellowed to the idea when Mike took his cheeks lightly in his hands.

"But, Will" he began with determination in his eyes. "Whatever I did say, it wasn't true. Any of it. Okay?" Will let Mike take the weight of his head in his hands, the tears still forming in his red eyes. "I meant what I said when I told you you're important to me. That I can't bare to loose you again. You're like my favourite person to be around, Will. It's- it's always been me and you. Mike and Will. Together. And- when I lost you, I lost myself too".

Will was in agony. He allowed his eyes to shut as he inhaled through his nose, his breath still unsteady. "None of it was true?" he inquired somewhat cynically. "Your dramatic confession of love for your girlfriend? None of it was true?"

Mike let his hands drop slowly from Will's face. He manoeuvred onto his knees, his hands now situated either side of Will's body. "William. Listen to me" Mike began in an almost intimidating tone. Will looked up anxiously to meet Mike's gaze. "None of it was true" he continued with conviction.

Will cocked his head in confusion. He was being pulled every which way.

"I love El. I do. But I also love Dustin. I love Lucas and Max and, hey, I even love my own sister sometimes" Mike continued, his hands slowly edging to meet Will's. "I care for her so, so deeply. I really do. But- but I'm not in love with her".

That.

That was the moment Will knew he'd died. He must have. There was no plausible reason for Mike to say such things. "W-what are you talking about?" Will finally questioned. "Of course you're in love with each other. You're Mike and El".

Will's expression was one of confusion and agitation. Mike decided to take the plunge. He traced up and down Will's wrist with his fingers before giving a warm, heartfelt smile. "But it was always Mike and Will" he said softly, pushing back the tears. Will open his mouth as if to speak, but - instead - his eyes began to dart to and from different areas of Mike's body. "I-" Will began breathlessly. "I don't understand".

Exasperated, Mike took a hold of Will's shoulders. He wanted to shake the boy up and down so he could finally get through to him. "Mike and Will. Me and you. A team. Our own party. Just the two of us" Mike enunciated as he somehow forced Will's eyes to cease on his own.

Will shook his head slightly in disbelief. He daren't get his hopes up, but Mike Wheeler always made that task so goddamn hard.

"Mike I-"

"I love you" Mike interrupted.

Will swore he felt his heart stop beating all together. At this point, Mike was almost leaning over him, his hands still gripped to Will's shoulders. "I love you, Will".

"You- Like-like how you love Dustin and Max and-" Will stuttered, relishing in Mike's closeness a little too much.

"Will you're-" Mike interjected again, taking a deep, shaky breath in. "You're still not listening to me".

Unconsciously, Will's eyes shifted down to Mike's lips. They stayed there for milliseconds before diverting back to meet his gaze. "Then let me hear you" Will almost demanded, his mouth as dry as a California summer.

It was as though Mike had been stopped dead in his tracks. He took a prolonged glance over Will's lips, eventually shifting between them and his soft, pleading eyes. He permitted his hands to leave Will's shoulders, placing one gently into the other boy's grasp. Leaning in ever so tentatively, Mike could suddenly feel Will's breath mingling with his own.

"Crazy together, right?" Mike whispered through a gulp, his eyes now fixated on Will's mouth.

"Yeah" Will replied breathily. "Crazy together".

Giving a slight nod, Mike closed the microscopic gap that had been left between them, pushing Will's back further against the sofa. They grazed each other's lips before leaning into the kiss almost simultaneously.

Will had the urge to pinch himself, but came to the rapid conclusion that - if he were asleep - he didn't want to wake up. He pulled away from Mike apprehensively, their fingers still woven together.

"Holy shit" Will declared through shallow breaths.

Mike looked on at the boy in front of him. The boy he'd just kissed. His best friend. His missing puzzle piece. An impromptu hunger was set alight in Mike, one that only Will Byers could satisfy. Unlocking their hands, he took the back of Will's neck while pulling him in greedily. The notion was happily reciprocated.

Will allowed himself to melt into Mike's lips, letting him take the lead. It felt purposeful this time, like they'd both been searching tirelessly for something and had finally found it. Will's free hands made their way to Mike's chest, which was beating a mile a minute. For the first time in years, Will felt like he was coming home. He felt safe.

Before too long, they felt each other's smiles seep though the kiss. Will was the first to giggle, followed closely by Mike. They parted all too quickly as Mike hid his head on Will's shoulder, still laughing nervously to himself. Will's eyes were wide with shock, but he wore a smile fit for the happiest person in the world. He gently pushed Mike up by his chest, his expression mischievous.

"So, you don't do that with Dustin, right?" He asked rhetorically through a small chuckle.

Mike exerted a breathy laugh before shaking his head lazily. "No. not yet anyway".

Will shoved him leisurely for that. "Shut up".

"Never" Mike responded looking back at Will with intent. "I will never shut up again, Byers". He ran his hands through Will's soft, slightly untidy hair before pulling him into a much needed embrace. Will felt every single negative ion leave his body. His soul felt like it had been deep cleaned, and Vecna could never touch him.

"You know I love you too, right?" Will asked into Mike's shoulder. He felt Mike's nod on his back, cueing the tears once again. "I-I can't even tell you how long it's been" he began, his voice breaking with every other word. "I just know I've loved you for what seems like forever, and- and I couldn't bare to tell you like ever 'cause- that's like a total friendship destroyer and-"

"Shh" Mike whispered as he rubbed Will's back in an up/down motion. "You don't have to explain anything to me, okay? I'm the one who's been a jerk".

"It's ju- it's just been so agonizing, Mike. I mean- I spent a week in The Upside Down, I've been possessed, stalked, the lot. But loving you- that was the real challenge" Will admitted through sobs.

Mike tenderly pulled away from their hug, eager to look Will in the eyes once again. He let his hands envelop Will's face for a second time. "It won't be a challenge anymore" Mike stated, rubbing Will's cheeks with each thumb. "And that's a promise".

Will took a deep breath of relief, a smile developing on his face. "Friends don't lie" he replied, taking hold of one of Mike's hands that was still caressing his face.

"But what about boyfriends?" Mike questioned with a smirk. "Do they lie?"

Will hadn't noticed how close they're faces had become until that moment. The nerves he'd felt before had vanished somewhere into the ether. His eyes danced over Mike's lips once again. "No. No, I don't think they do" he replied truthfully.

Beaming, Mike leaned into Will with ease, their lips meeting once again. They both smiled into the kiss, eventually allowing each other to explore further.

"Sup, guys? We thought you could do with a ha-" a voice came from the doorway.

Jumping back from each other, Mike and Will hastily glanced over to the two figures stood in front of them.

"Pay up, Sinclair" Dustin demanded with a snap of his fingers.

"What?! Come on, man!" Lucas replied with agitation, fumbling for his loose $5 bill. "See what you've done?" he continued with a pointed look at Mike and Will. "I'm broke enough as it is!"

Looking back at each other for a split second made the two boys crack up with laughter.

They were all going to be okay.

#this was supposed to be a headcanon post and I ended up writing a goddamn novel #thems the breaks I guess #anyway have this #this is also on ao3 #will byers #mike wheeler #mike x will #will x mike #byler #stranger things #stranger things 4 #byler fanfic

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vintage-tech · 1 year

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today’s educational and demystifying post: How DO you connect a record player or turntable to a computer so you can rip vinyl?

Or for that matter, listen to records through your PC speakers. If this isn’t of interest to you, continue scrolling. If it is, click on thru to the other side...

Where does one get a thingie that plays records? You can go the cheap route and find one in a thriftstore, you can go the pricey route and buy one new, you can go the upper-mid-range route and find one at a used record store (at least you’re more certain than at a thrift that the thing will work!) -- or you can cheat the system a bit by buying one of those all-in-one record/tape/CD/radio setups that look like an old cabinet, branded with Crosley or Intelligent Technology or the like, and see what options it has for output (two RCA output jacks and/or a headphone jack), which often costs less than just a turntable alone.

Can we even do this? It’s fair to say that not every record player can be connected to anything at all if it has built-in speakers. Many, though, have a headphone jack that when plugged into will shut off the speakers, so that’s one way. Turntables meanwhile always have some way to connect to a stereo system, specifically the coaxial connectors known as RCA plugs, and occasionally have a headphone jack also. The RCA plugs are usually color coded red and white for the left and right channels, though nothing’s going to explode if you switch them. :) Here’s what the RCA plugs from a turntable look like next to the RCA input jacks on the back of my stereo receiver:

So how do I get the record player connected to my computer? Let’s look at the computer first... There’s a microphone jack on the computer, on the back or possibly you have a second one on the front of a desktop machine, or on a notebook there’s a jack on the side, and many are color-coded pink. (Additionally there may be a blue color-coded jack next to it labelled Line In. It does the same thing but at a different volume level and that’s what I use on my notebook because something’s wonky about my mike input.) Now let’s look at whatever you’re playing a record on... If it only has a headphone jack, you can use one of those plug-to-plug cables ($8 at Walmart, $1 at Dollar Tree) that have become popular for playing music from your cell phone or MP3 player through the Auxillary jack of your car’s radio. [left] If it has RCA plugs, there are handy adaptors (two styles are shown here) to shift from RCA jacks to a headphone plug. [right] 2-RCA-jacks-to-1/8″-stereo-plug adaptors are available online or you might find one at a thriftstore or electronics store like BestBuy.

So plug the headphone cable into the record player’s headphone jack OR plug the two RCA plugs into the adaptor, and then stick the other end of the wire you’re holding into the computer’s microphone jack (or Line In). Now you are set!

(If you want to/can get a little more snazzy -- useful for adjusting volume and balance, the use of an equalizer, and some bonus effects like Bass Boost and Surround Sound -- here’s how I have my home setup: The turntable is connected to the RCA inputs on my stereo receiver, and I’ve run a cable from the receiver’s headphone jack to the computer’s input jack.)

Okay, so now what do I do on the computer? It’d take a longer post to explain every last detail fully, but you can shortcut past most of this by using the controls in the sound editor program Audacity, which you’ll probably want to be using anyway. (Nothing against any of its rivals like Magix Audio Cleaning Lab, which I also use for its various effects, but Audacity is very easy to understand for the process of ripping music from vinyl.) Let’s set Windows up to use the turntable as an input device now. In the latest version of Audacity, here’s the toolbar at the top:

First thing, choose the source (as shown). The above presumes that we’re using the frontside microphone jack on my computer; if the plug were in the backside Line In jack, that would be another option listed. Now we need to get the input sound level set. I’m going to put a record on and drop the needle in some random location; in the control buttons on the left I click Pause then click Record (just like a tape recorder!) so the input volume will be dynamically displayed without starting a recording:

The green ever-shifting bars in the input meter show that audio is coming into the sound card indeed, so that part was successful. Right in the middle (over the number 30) is the thumb for adjusting the input level -- if the bars weren’t going far on the scale, I’d move the thumb to the right to make it more sensitive, and if the bars were all the way to the right, I’d move the thumb to the left until the bars were maxing out between 6 and 12 on the scale, the yellow zone of the meter, because you don’t want it to be overloud (that’s called ‘clipping’; you can use the software to amplify not-loud-enough sound so being in the midrange is best). Once you have the input level corrected, now’s when you should adjust the output sound -- the standard Windows way, by clicking the speaker icon next to the clock to move the slider -- so you can hear it at your comfort level, and it doesn’t affect the volume of the audio files you create.

Okay, you can click the Stop button now that you have the input and output sound levels set, or you can restart the record where you want to begin and unpause. How to rip, edit, and save music is a different post. :)

What if I don’t hear what’s playing but Audacity shows the sound is working correctly? Also: Can I play vinyl and have the sound come through my PC speakers without being in a sound editor program? Input audio playing through the speakers is a function of Windows’ Sound control panel, the exact location of the toggle varies between versions, but here’s a screencap of what’s what in Windows 10:

Path here: Sound control panel, under Input the Microphone is selected so click Device Properties, then the window shifts to the Device Properties list; under Related Settings click Additional Device Properties, a new dialog pops up with four tabs, and under the Listen tab check “Listen to this device”. Also available here is the Levels tab, which is the place you’d be adjusting the recording level manually if you didn’t do it through Audacity as explained a minute ago.

A protip: It’s probably best to be listening through headphones, rather than using your computer’s speakers at normal volume, when ripping so you hear better sound quality as you work as well as so the playback sound doesn’t bleed/echo into the recording, because needles are fairly sensitive. Yes, I have an MP3 of Thompson Twins’ “Hold Me Now (Extended Version)” where you can hear me lean back in my creeky desk chair during a quiet passage...

So now you know how to physically set up a record player to your computer and how to get the computer to use the record player as an audio input!

#useful post #record player #turntable #computer #ripping mp3s #vintage #technology

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roppongi-division · 5 months

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"Do not judge me by my successes, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again." - Nelson Mandela

Introduction

Kai Quinlan is the leader of the Roppongi Division rap battle team, Private Party. He is known far and wide by his nickname, Veenyle. A former opera singer trained by his talented, yet overbearing mother, this awe-inspiring DJ gave up opera music the day he received his first sampler. Now, known far and wide all across Japan, he makes a living by entertaining the masses with his radio show during the day, and his stellar turntablism at night.

A man of Japanese and African American descent, Kai is a light brownish man with long grayish-black dreadlocks that go down past his neck to his upper back. He has a full-grown beard and moustache along with sideburns, all of which are the same color as his hair. He has light brown eyes which are often hid behind his black circular-shaped sunglasses. He stands at 6'2" and weighs 195 lb. approximately.

When he isn't DJing, he tends to dress casually. He wears a white tank shirt showing off his muscles and a pair of long black faded jeans with black and blue sneakers. Around his neck are two gold chains. He also has two earrings in his right ear, a gold ball earring in his earlobe, and a gold loop one at the top. Lastly, he sometimes wears a black ball cap on his head.

When he is DJing, he often adopts his 'Wolf of Shadows' persona. As such, he often dresses like a wolf with black wolf ears and a tail attached to his black jeans. On his face is a black Oni mask, which obscures his facial features. He also has a black bandana over his eyes, which, surprisingly, doesn't blind him. He also wears a pair of black headphones with a skull and bones motif on both cups. He also wears a black and red jacket with a black t-shirt underneath. Lastly, he has another gold chain around his neck.

Name Meaning

Kai - A name of various origins. In Japanese, it has a number of meanings, including "ocean" (海), "shell" (貝), "open" (開), "restoration" and "recovery".

Quinlan - A name of Irish and Gaelic origin. It means "descendant of Caoinlean, slender" or "fit, shapely, strong." It is also a form of the name "Quinn".

Aliases:

"Wolf of Shadows" - His stage name

DJ Veenyle - His radio/MC name

"The Multi-Armed DJ"

Pops/Dad - Zakari

Husband/Mi amor - Mireya

Biographical Info

Gender - Male

Age - 34

Birthday - April 16th

Ethnicity - African American

Hair Color - Grayish-Black

Eye Color - Light Brown

Height - 188 cm (6'2")

Weight - 88 kg (195 lb.)

Star Sign - Aries

Piercings - A gold ball earring in his right earlobe, and a gold loop earring at the top of the same ear.

Markings -

A microphone and headphones tattoo on his right arm.

A wolf tattoo covering the majority of his back.

A moon and stars tattoo behind his left ear.

Family -

Mother

Father (Deceased)

Sister

Wife

Adopted Son

Voiced By - Pase Rock (Rapping)

Fun Facts

MC Name - Veenyle

Occupation - Radio Personality/Club DJ

Position - 1st Member/Leader

Favorite Food - New York–style pizza

Least Favorite Food - Pastrami on rye

Likes - DJing, his family, Japan, inventing new music techniques, sunsets, musicians, Japan's nightlife, Roppongi, casinos, wolves, his radio show, Minato City, new music equipment, rap battles, and early mornings.

Dislikes - Lacking inspiration, waking up late, crows, trolls, people who call his show and wastes his time, senseless noise, prima donnas, his son's suicidal tendencies, sweating, and thinking about his past.

Hypnosis Microphone

Kai's Microphone takes the form of a pair of black and gold Bluetooth headphones with LED lights that light up at various intervals.

His Speaker takes the form of a large gold Buddha-esque statue with six arms and a gold vinyl disc on its head, which acts as a halo or a crown. Directly behind the statue is a dharma wheel, which acts as the speaker.

His rap ability, Trance, has his speaker delivering a hypnotic tune that puts one, or all, of his opponent(s) in a sort of trance, making them wander aimlessly and forget what they were doing, effectively making them skip their turn. He can use this continuously, but the downside is that Kai loses a lot of stamina each time.

Kai's rap themes aren't centered solely on one topic. His themes change periodically depending on his mood or situation. Often times, however, he'll often rap about the direction that music is taking, and how it is constantly shifting and changing. He raps about how music has lost its true "spirit" and that we need to "give life back to music". He'll also sometimes rap about his past, the love for his family and the direction that Japan and the world are headed.

Personality

Kai, for the most part, is a rather laid-back individual who tries not to let the stress of life bother him. Despite his intimidating presence and appearance, he tends to be rather level-headed and calm. He tends to be very private, however, especially when it comes to his personal life or his past. Besides those in his inner circle (i.e. his family), he tends to keep most people, even his closest friends, at arm's length to avoid them becoming too close.

Despite that, Kai is not one to shy from something even if it is challenging or uncomfortable, especially conflict. He always tells what he is thinking and doesn't care if what he says is hurtful or rude. The only thing that matters to him is the truth. He'd rather have someone hurt his feelings than lie to him, because at least then, he knows where he and the other individual stands.

It may be due to the fact that he's not stranger to violence, but one of Kai's most well-known traits is that he looks at everything as a competition. And when that happens, he tends to throw everything he has towards winning. Though he won't resort to cheating or deceitfulness, he refuses to hold back to spare the other person's feelings. This often causes others to shy away from Kai, but his family and friends know that is just how he is.

Another aspect of Kai is that he is not content to just be another nameless face in a crowd. He loves to stand out and show just who he is. This may be why he created his alternate persona known as, 'Wolf of Shadows', as it is something that no one has ever done before. He is not an attention hog, but he won't shy away from being recognized when he feels he has earned it.

As stated, Kai is known for being a private person outside of DJing. It is only when he is making music or on the turntables that he reveals himself to others. He loves everything about music, because he feels that he can express himself with his music than he ever can normally. This is something he often expresses in his raps, as he often thinks about the direction that music is heading.

Background

*Coming soon*

Trivia

His MC name, Veenyle, is a homograph of the word, 'vinyl', like 'vinyl records'.

He owns and operates his own Internet radio station, which he calls 'Real Music Radio'. He cites his fanbase as part of his tribe, calling them 'The Wolfpac'.

Besides being a DJ, he is also widely known as an expert music producer. He has worked and produced music with the likes of 86, Vox, Yorii Sakuma, ArgoξOrchestra, and many more.

He also helped to produce most of the songs from HypMic's Collab albums.

Though he'll sometimes travel to different cities and divisions to DJ at clubs or events, he usually sticks to his city of Roppongi.

He is called "The Multi-Armed DJ" not only due to his speaker, but because he seems to "sprout" up to ten arms when he is DJing (Truthfully, he just moves his arms really fast, creating afterimages).

He is a man of many roots, being born Japanese, African American, Native American, and Jamaican (The last three are on his mother's side).

His favorite brand of cigarettes is KOOL Menthol 100s.

It's believed his reason for being forced into joining the D.R.B. by the Party of Words is due to his rap ability, which the Government believes to be a sort of brainwashing, which they hope to utilize for their own benefit.

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