#never thought I'd be inspired but a song that actually kind of annoys me
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chapter 1: partridge
“Did you know,” Kara alights on Lena’s balcony Christmas morning with a snap of her cape, words already out of her mouth before she’s fully landed, “that partridges are ground foragers? I mean, they can fly, but still, they spend most of their time on the ground!”
Lena has been waiting by the sliding door into her loft since Kara texted a few minutes ago to say she was on her way. The blonde’s hair is windswept, her eyes sparkling despite the mild annoyance in her voice. It’s unseasonably cold in National City this week, a place where Christamasses are often 70 and sunny, and Kara’s cheeks are rosy, though Lena’s still not clear on how much her Kryptonian best friend even feels the drop in temperature.
As usual, Kara looks unfairly beautiful.
“Merry Christmas to you, too,” Lena responds dryly, breath catching as Kara strides into her personal space and begins to rub her hands vigorously up and down over the thin fabric of Lena’s long-sleeved blouse without preamble.
“Lena! Aren’t you freezing?”
“I’ve been out here for all of two minutes.”
“It’s forty degrees.” Kara hasn’t stopped rubbing, her eyes searching Lena’s face for signs of, what, frostbite?
“Kara, darling, I’m fine.” Lena stops one of Kara’s hands with her own. She stills immediately, eyes flicking to their joint touch before she looks up again, sheepish…and cute, so cute. Kara drops her hands to her sides. Regret pricks at Lena, who suddenly feels very cold indeed. Instead of shivering, she laughs. “Come on in. What were you saying about partridges?”
Kara dutifully follows her into the living room, dematerializing her suit.
“I was saying that partridges are ground foragers.”
“Yes?”
“Did you know?”
“Yes, I actually think I did know that. Lex used to hunt them.”
Kara scrunches up her nose adorably in distaste. “But they’re so cute!”
"They are." Lena tries for a straight face, with little success. “This wouldn’t have to do with the song, would it?”
“You know, I’ve wondered about that song my whole life–well, my whole Earth life–but it only just occurred to me to look it up and,” Kara puts her hands on her hips in manufactured outrage, but her pout is ruining the effect, more Superpuppy than Supergirl, "partridges don't nest in trees. A partridge would not be very happy in a tree."
"I doubt they even like pears." Lena turns her head to grin at Kara as she strolls toward the kitchen, egging her on.
"Exactly!"
The apartment is sans decorations except for a large tree that her friend had insisted on bringing by last week, bulbs and ornaments hung erratically even though Lena had carefully picked out a color scheme of dark greens and golds, baubles bought at the store in advance of Kara’s arrival and presented to the blonde with an aggrieved air that they both knew was for show. But Kara had brought a bag of ornaments, too–some plucked from her own tree, some new she’d chosen especially (“Lena, look, I couldn’t resist. It’s a microscope. And here’s a little cat wearing a Christmas bow tie…)--and Lena had been powerless to say no, even as she watched her modest decorating schema deranged by a laughing snowman, dog Santa, and surfing reindeer.
This is their dance. All these years playing the same game: Lena trying to maintain her taciturn cool facade as Kara whirled in and disrupted everything. Except now Lena is willing to admit to herself that she wants to be disrupted, that the Kara whirlwind, that all of this, all of her, is everything she's ever wanted. It had taken her five years to admit it to herself; maybe, in another five, she’d tell Kara.
"I think," Lena hedges, "it's supposed to be a religious metaphor," but Kara is already shaking her head as she pours herself a cup of coffee and mixes in copious cream and sugar, fully at home and moving around Lena's kitchen, around Lena, who's pulling biscuits from the oven, with practiced ease. A little trill goes through Lena at the domesticity of it all.
"No, no metaphors. I'm taking the song at face value, and I don't approve."
"The partridge is hardly the most asinine part of 'Twelve Days of Christmas'."
"You're right, but it's the first. It's what I'm supposed to– I mean, it's supposed to be a significant first gift, and it's a lie."
"I'm sorry, Kara." Lena chuckles, then resumes setting the table for their planned breakfast, a task she’d interrupted to stand watch at her balcony door–even though Kara was certainly capable of letting herself in.
Kara takes her coffee and flops down in front of the tree, turning her gaze to Lena incredulously.
“Are we eating at the table?”
Was that a trick question? “Yes?”
“It’s Christmas.”
"That…Is that a non sequitur?"
"It's best to eat breakfast in front of the tree on Christmas, Lena."
"Oh? It's best? According to whom, exactly?" To keep up appearances, Lena has to protest, but she's already sliding the coffee table closer to the tree, depositing her own coffee cup on a coaster.
"Actually, it's mandatory."
"Well, in that case," Lena tosses her hands up in defeat, "what choice do I have?"
Before she can backtrack for dishes and the food, Kara catches Lena's hand. For one long, ineffable moment, they just look at each other, fingers loosely tangled, Lena's heartbeat rapid, like a bird's. She thinks about those partridges, minding their own business in the high grass and then a single unfamiliar rustle, a strange scent on the breeze, sends them up, up into the air. Away to safety, maybe, but also vulnerable. Out in the open with the breeze ruffling their feathers, they're more liable to be seen, to be found, to be hurt.
Gently, Kara squeezes Lena's fingers before releasing her. Her voice takes on a serious tone. "I'm only letting you go if you promise to come back." She pauses, then adds, a smirk curling her lips, "With food. Come back with food."
And Lena does. She brings the bacon and biscuits and these delectable little egg bites she made from a Martha Stewart recipe, pleased when Kara's eyes widen in excitement. Lena settles onto the floor beside her, their bodies making multiple points of contact–arms, hips, thighs–as the blonde leans over to fill her plate.
"I guess we're the ground foragers now," Lena offers while they eat, staring into the agonizing and glorious chaos of her tree. It's a half-joke, her uneasy attempt to make normal the feeling that her heart is flying free and wild and out of her chest for all to see.
Later, they'll exchange presents, but the way Kara laughs just then, genuine and joyful, bumping Lena's shoulder with her own–that's the gift Lena's still thinking about hours later. That's the one that matters most.
To be continued...
Also on AO3
#Supercorp#Happy Holidays to Lena and Kara specifically#Twelve Days of Christmas fluff#never thought I'd be inspired but a song that actually kind of annoys me#but here we are#12 days to say i love you
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Best friend's sister
Type: fluff
Chaeryeong x reader
A/n: this story is song inspired! If you want the full experience I'd reccomend listening to best friend's brother off the show victorious!
"I don't know what im thinking! How could I possibly be in love with Yeji's sister?! But.. is it wrong if I see her this weekend?" You think to yourself. "A girl group singer.. and she's 5'6". I just can't get her out of my mind!" You think back to the day you went over to Yeji's for the first time.
Flashback:
You were completely starstruck when Yeji opened the door. Behind her was the prettiest girl you've ever seen. Lee Chaeryeong. "Should I give her a smile? Should I get up and leave?" You didn't know what to think. "Y/n??" Yeji was waving her hand trying to get your attention. "Are you coming in or?" She giggled when she noticed Chaeryeong behind her. Whispering an "Ohh." "That's my sister Chaeryeong, she's pretty cool, I guess." Chaeryeong waved at you and smiled. You thought you were going to pass out at that moment. Snapping out of it, you quickly waved back and introduced yourself. Your mind must have hated you because you blurted out, "god, you're really pretty." She giggled at this, and you went up to Yeji's room. "What was that y/n?!" You look shocked at her and say,"Nothing! I just got shocked, that's all. You never told me your sibling was that pretty." "Yeah yeah she got the good genes. Now shut up and help me get this project done!" She playfully slapped your arm, and you guys got started. The whole time, you could only think about her cute sibling downstairs. An hour in, you heard a knock at the door. "Come in!" Yeji seemed annoyed. When Chaeryeong walked in, your heart started racing again. "I brought you guys some fruits." Chaeryeong winked at you and subtly put her number in your jacket pocket. "Y/n? Chaeryeong asked us a question." "W-what? Oh, sorry, what did you ask?" Chaeryeong couldn't help but giggle. She also thought you were cute. So shy around her. "I asked how the project was going." She sat down and ate the fruits with you two. "Oh, it's going good. It's kind of hard, though. I can't seem to cut this box right." You tried to calm down, but Chaeryeong only got up and offered to help. She grabbed the box cutter and leaned over you to help. Yeji noticed how you panicked and tried not to think much of it. "Just a typical shy, y/n. She would never like my sister, right?" Wrong. Oh, so very wrong. After she cut the box, you guys wrapped up for the night. You didn't want to leave. How could you when Chaeryeong was here? "Bye Yeji, bye Chaeryeong!" You grabbed your things and left. Before you left, Chaeryeong met you at the door. "Before you go.. I just wanna say you're welcome over anytime." She winked and watched you blush as you said thank you and ran off.
End of flashback.
You became pretty close with her since that day. When you realized she left her phone number in your pocket, you texted her. Ever since then, you've texted every day. You checked your phone to see that she asked if you wanted to hangout and that she had something to tell you. Was she about to confess?? You quickly responded with yes and started getting ready.
An hour or so later, you show up to her house. Funny enough, Yeji answered the door. "I didn't know you were coming over today? Did you leave something here?" She looked around confused. "No, uhm actually Chaeryeong invited me over." She looked more confused than ever. "Chaeryeong? As in my sister? But why?" Chaeryeong walked in at the right time. "Oh, I wanted to hang out with her Yeji, sorry about that. Are you ready y/n?" She smiled at Yeji, and off you guys went. As you got in her car, she decided it was time to make a move. "Y/n, can I see your hand, please?" She smiled and waited for you to put your hand out. As you did, she interlocked your fingers with hers. "Oops." She giggled and held your hand the whole way there. You were a blushing mess at this point. Did she actually like you back?
You finally got to where she was taking you. She took you to the amusement park. She knew how much you loved those. Especially the games and food. So she immediately paid for the tickets and brought you to the game area. "Which one first?" You looked around and laid eyes on the cutest plush you've ever seen. It was your favorite animal, and it was meant for you as it was also your favorite color. You gasped and ran to it. "Chaeryeong! I need it, look at it. It just screams my name!" She couldn't help but smile at how excited you were about it. "I'm gonna get it and name it Mr. (the animal of your choice). She paid the nice worker and got to playing the game. "Don't worry, I'll get it for you. Anything for the pretty girl." You blushed at the name. Did she call me pretty? 20 dollars and 3 tries later, she finally won the stuffed animal for you. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" You exclaimed and quickly gave her a peck on the cheek. She turned a bright red as you walked over to the roller coaster. You two got in line, and she pulled out her phone. "Can we take a picture? Sorry, you just look so pretty under the sun like this." "Aw Chaeryeong, of course we can. Thank you." You posed for the picture, and next thing you knew, it was your turn. The thing is, you didn't realize how high it was, and you got a bit scared. The worker helped you two in, and you anxiously waited for the ride to start. You closed your eyes and tried to ignore how high it actually went. "Y/n? It's okay." She took your hand in hers and gently rubbed the side of it with her thumb. After the ride, you went on a few others. It was starting to become sundown, so you decided to get some food. You both got in line and looked at the menu. "Hmm, I'm gonna get a hot dog. How about you, Chaer?" She replied with,"I'm gonna go for the nachos!" She giggled as her stomach growled. "I'm a bit hungry." You guys ordered and sat down. "You know.. I actually really enjoyed my time with you, y/n." Chaeryeong said shyly. "I enjoyed my time with you too." You smiled as the waiter brought your food. "Can I ask you something?" She fidgeted with the box in her pocket. "Of course, what's up?" "Well.. I've liked you for a while now. Ever since I first saw you when you worked on the project with my sister. You've always been really pretty to me, so I took my chance. I enjoy being around you, and I'd love it if maybe.." She pulled out the box with a necklace in it. It had a cute little heart on it. "You'd like to be my girlfriend?" You stared at her in shock. "Really? Me?" You smiled hard. "No y/n the rock, yes you!" She giggled, and you quickly nodded, yes. She put the necklace on you and took a picture to post to her Instagram. She posted it with the caption. "And she's finally mine ❤️." After you ate, she took you home, and before she left, she hugged you. "Are you sure you're all mine now?" She smiled from ear to ear. "Yes, silly, I'm all yours." From then on, you could call Lee Chaeryeong your girlfriend and Yeji? She loved that you two were happy together. You had her blessing. Chaeryeong spent all her days happy that you were by her side. You spent all the days you could happy with her. Your best friends sister really was the one for you.
#itzy fic#itzy imagines#itzy#itzy x reader#itzy midzy#itzy fluff#itzy scenarios#yeji itzy#itzy yeji#itzy chaeryeong#lee chaeryeong#chaeryeong#chaeryeong fluff#chaeryeong x reader#Spotify
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I understand the desire to not support problematic or worse, abusive celebrities, but sometimes I wish we could go back to not knowing much about these their lives. Listening to their music or watching their movies doesn’t necessarily mean you support every thing they do.
it's funny - if i may share some levity in this situation - because i saw a post about a band i adore two days ago, and the op was annoyed about fans misattributing songs to certain muses or trying to figure out who they were ~about~, and the tone was like, "can't you all just stop and focus on the music and the lyricism?" and op was well within their rights to say that, but i was laughing because...i've followed the band for as long as i've followed taylor, and somehow, not once, have i thought or wondered about or investigated who the actual subjects of their songs are. this is, imho, a neutral statement, it's totally fine that other fans do that, heaven knows i get it, but it's not how i engage with them specifically, and it hit me like, oh wow, every fandom is like this, if you get deep enough. because people are curious, and people are interested in others' stories, and fans want to feel included in that, and art (music especially) speaks so directly to us that we enjoy feeling an insightful connection to it when we're super attached to the artist. i'd never thought about it, because even though their music is profoundly important to me, my engagement level is different. it kind of gave me a perspective on how and why certain things affect us all in unique ways. and we could get into diaristic writing and the specific personality of that and the intentional creation of an invested fandom, but it's ultimately up to us how we relate to things. there are beautiful and awful aspects about many of us being very tuned in and online, and thus having a lot more access to gossip and to knowing details.
anyway, human nature is nosy lol and we also tend to hope that the artists we love align with us in some way, so it can hurt when they don't, but celebrities fundamentally can't line up with us due to the world in which they exist, which is vastly apart from our own. pedestals don't do anyone any good, and it's always a long way to fall. :( that said, there's a reason we do tackle things like abuse, misogyny, racism, prejudice, etc, and some of that is a reckoning because we've only begun to call people on it in recent memory. the entertainment industry ran unchecked on these issues for a long time. some things do indeed change with time - social mores of past decades, or centuries!, cannot be expected to match or be upheld to our own - so a lot of the question becomes, is there ongoing harm (or threat of harm) to other individuals or to vulnerable groups? if so, what can we accomplish by confronting that? can we work to break those barriers down, show that those behaviors are unacceptable, and uplift people hurt by it in the meantime? and we try to do what we can. for example, the #metoo movement is still basically a nascent thing, and we're still struggling every day to reconcile all of this and figure out how to change for the better. the fact of the matter is, we as fans are consumers with very little power to affect that. we can decide who to support and how to spend our energy/time/money, but our reach will always be limited. nothing is perfect or unproblematic. we can't expect that, but we try to keep improving.
i've said this repeatedly now, but if i needed people or art to be morally pure, there's absolutely nothing i could love and engage with ever. we read poetry and it moves us, quite often we don't know its personal inspiration. there are poems i cherish from poets who were definitely not great people. do i stop reading them, quoting them? there are films i love with actors i know weren't unimpeachable either, songs i love created by musicians with troubled pasts - should i never watch or listen to that again? is it a sin that i already have? (no.) my room is filled with items from things i'm passionate about, should i be canceled for my old hollywood movies and my cds and my disney princess figurines and my barbie dolls? (granted these are relatively tame things because of the person i am lmao. but you know what i mean?) i'm typing this on an electronic device that makes my life easier for me in my chronic illness, so does my comfort in using it make me a bad person because it comes from a bad company? like it's all so tangled and complex we'd lose our minds if we demanded complete purity at every moment. that doesn't mean we can't be very hurt by harm and bigotry, and it doesn't mean we shouldn't call things out or sit by while marginalized people are upset in our communities. again, it's all very personal boundaries and decisions of what to support and what we care about, even what we feel comfortable/safe speaking about - and a lot of the time those decisions are selfish (not a negative thing, necessarily, just true), because we care more about things that personally impact us. i try to be kind and aware and thoughtful, but i mess up or inelegantly handle things or act contradictorily too, because i'm a human.
i got off-topic, but i'm firmly of the belief that you can enjoy someone's work and artistry without condoning all of their decisions and actions, because people are always going to make mistakes or do things you disagree with. you have to draw your own lines. if i tell someone i won't engage with an artist's work because they're prejudiced or abusive, they have no right to tell me that i'm too sensitive or wrong for that, but i also can't dictate that they shouldn't do it either, that's their choice and anything else would be censorship. really horrific abuse and bigotry needs to be accounted for and stopped whenever possible, but i do wish we knew less about famous people's private lives and (often banal) commentary, and i REALLY wish we knew less about their sex lives (like nothing. i get other people like this, this is my demi self talking because i never understand the intense interest in this topic!), except that's hard to separate out when quite a lot of art is romantic and revolves around love (and i'm such a romantic, so see my conundrum here?). regardless, i do often wish there was a clearer border line between some art and artists. i do wish we could hold certain things on our own, with our individual experience and perspective, even though there's a richness and value in experiencing it as a community and in relation to an artist too.
sondheim said art isn't easy, and meant it as a creator (advancing art is easy, financing it is not, another inherent problem with art and capitalism being intertwined), but it isn't always easy for us either. he also said the art of making art is putting it together, that's what counts, and i feel we do that as individuals embracing it too.
just thinking about how blissfully happy i am not knowing a damn thing about that band because their music has unique personal meaning to me makes me wish i could magically erase a lot of information from my brain, and tbh there's a degree of privilege in that (the luxury to not know and not care isn't afforded to everyone), but it does make the experience of enjoyment much more fun and peaceful. sometimes we just want to explore art and be touched or comforted or surprised etc by it, and sometimes we just want to vibe, and sometimes we just want to love things. that's not a moral indictment, it's not a political praxis, it's not absolute agreement or condemnation of a creator. it simply is. we do need to allow ourselves more grace to enjoy art for art's sake. there is so little time or true pleasure in life. it's good to let the light in when we can.
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I'm soooo excited for the album I honestly cannot wait so I wanted to ask you to rank the song by the titles and what we know about them so far ! and you can add what do you expect from all of them if you have certain expectations
omgie an ask ! lovely :) im superrr excited too and reading fan reactions/comments from the listening parties is so intriguing and also so annoying im incredibly jealous😭
answer under the cut bc i got way too excited and typed my heart out !! louis' music is a Very Good topic imo it should be talked about more often rather than....... anything else🥴💘 (warning: ridiculously long-ass answer below LOL)
initial predictions
okay i would just like to start by giving you the predictions i made before we got any interviews and before we got the full tracklist (when we were unscrambling letters basically)! sadly i never completed it bc i got busy,,, i think i was kinda close with Written All Over Your face and Bigger Than Me, though!!!
i originally thought we'd get 16 songs for standard and 18 for deluxe 🥹 (im kinda right!!) and i thought we would get 5 singles, but now i'm thinking 3 hehe (edit: actually 2 now but let's just say 3 for the sake of this ask)
my song ranking (by title & vibes):
my ranking is based on how intrigued i am by the title and also by the song's description, so basically the songs i'm most excited for! admittedly my ranking changed lot as we learned more information about the songs. i'll also add in my opinions/predictions ab the song. obviously, i know nothing; i could be extremely wrong. also here's a summary of what we know so far by @silverfoxlou 🫶🏽 your post helped a lot when i made this hehe thank u <3
1. Silver Tongues:
"a joyful and wholesome moment that honors the little intricacies of his relationship"
when it's louis' favorite, you Know it's a banger. i'm Veryyy intrigued by this song because louis described it as a high energy song but the lyrics are said to be joyful and wholesome? the little intricacies of his relationship? sounds like an interesting combination. Kill My Mind's sister? or ONE of kmm's sisters?? it's interesting to me how. kmm is an upbeat high energy song but with a kind of toxic relationship with a person or thing,,, this one's a Also an upbeat high energy song but! with a more well-adjusted relationship, i'd say- maybe that's growth... i do have a feeling we're getting multiple kmm's 🥹 he really really really likes this one! kmm was my top 3 in walls <3 it's going to be super fun for louis performing this live and for fans screaming the lyrics back to him. superrrr excited!!!
2. Out of my System
"a pulsating, punk-tinged Arctic Monkeys-inspired track... indie rock", (either 'Teddy Picker' or 'Dancing Shoes'), "a song that is as punk as I can get away with" (Altpress), "
guys, this is the mussy song. i Love arctic monkeys, are you kidding me!!!! this is going to slap so good i just know it. the partial lyrics can seen in the merch! back when we didnt know what sounds inspired fitf, the lyrics did seem very sad but with a punk/emo/grunge feel i think it could work and not be as depressing as the lyrics make it out to be! louis also listed this as his top 3, too so im expecting a lot <3 if i had to guess, this song is about releasing tension, letting go, just. relieving stress and just going with the flow kinda thing? it's a release. also is this going to be released as the next single????? will fitf even have another single???? he better release it soon bc theres no way he'd have enough time to promo the next single (if he even plans to have promo......). fitf + new single promo seems like a bad business decision idk . the streets r saying oct 28th so watch out for that ! (edit: WAIT could be sooner actually???????? excited!!!!!!!)
3. Written All Over Your Face:
"an infectious indie floor-filler... reminiscent of the first two Arctic Monkeys albums", "a song that is as punk as I can get away with" (Euphoria), "punchy energy", "has a slick funky guitar groove"
i was! kinda right, right??? with my initial predictions? it sounds like an argument to me. the peer review results are in, this is the "whiny whore louis song" 😭 the one where his voice is described as "whiny and raspy and... sexual". we already have the lyrics so we know it's not an actual sex song. he starts this song w "hey babe",,, who does that. an arctic monkeys inspired song that's high energy and is paired with a voice that makes you want to bend him over??!??!!? sign me the FUCK up !!!!!!!!!!
4. Face the Music:
"good and bad and right and wrong are stories made up when we are young to scare us" (lyrics), "[this song] took the longest [to complete]"
wait i dont actually know why this song is so high on my list,,,, it's probably bc shes so mysterious and bc we havent heard a lot about her so im very curious. i want this to be a diss track! i think we need more of louis (righteously) talking shit <3 he needs to get angry ! call them out ! if this song's not about a particular relationship,,, maybe it could be about the music industry??? facing the music is having to deal with the consequences of your actions. louis voice: thought-provoking title. i don't have much input on this song but. anyway, this lyric snippet speaks to me in an lgbt way but that's only bc i'm gay 💘
5. That's the Way Love Goes:
"melodic and most tender song", "a little ballad moment", "a non-sexual love between two best friends", "an interesting story, an interesting visual going through the song"
platonic relationships mean the world to me you do not understand... But . i'm a little scared it's going to be another Perfect Now........ ok listen. listen!! louis said he's "confident that this is a song fans are going to adore", and you know he said that with pn,,, i know the themes of both songs are incredibly different, but i don't trust louis' perception of his fans bc i did Not like that song lol. i hope when he means fans, he doesn't mean 1d fans,, my problem with pn was mostly in the concept of the song... the cheesy lyrics werent cutting it for me either,, the melody was alright, but it really did sound like a 1d song. another thought that went through my head (that i mentioned earlier in my initial predictions!) is that it could parallel Only the Brave. i'm loving how louis seems to always end his albums with songs dedicated to love (otb being the unofficial queer love anthem, ttwlg being a louli anthem song ab platonic love). can't wait to hear the lyrics, and the sonic omg it's a ballad ! cant wait to hear how it sounds.
6. Saturdays
"a pretty emotional vocal... I remember being pretty emotional recording the vocals."
"a sad bop",,,, people who've heard it said it was a sad bop !!! saturdays as a title gave me the impression of nostalgia, fun childhood memories kinda thing... saturday cartoons, saturday sleepovers, saturday messing around with friends, just. a fun & cozy vibe i absolutely did not expect a sad one out of this. maybe it's sad nostalgia? some longing? louis also said this was like his top 2 song on fitf, and he said he remembered being emotional while recording the vocals :,o Change vibes tbh but i guess with more melancholy? really like the concept that i completely assumed & literally just made up (lol). watch me be so wrong about this lol😭
7. The Greatest:
"a celebration of [Louis and the fans'] relationship", "specifically written as a tour opener", "propulsive opening track", "musically, it's interesting", "there's probably not another song like that on the record"
so like We Made It !!! immediately, i'm imagining massive drums, massive guitars, loud booming volume at the start of the song and a big chorus that will set the energy for tour way up high. the title feels very grand, so sonically, i'm thinking it will match the title. louis starting an album very strong with The Greatest and then ending with a more mellow one like That's the Way Love Goes is <3
8. Angels Fly:
“Angels Fly” suggest the sort of stadium grandeur we know he’s capable of
what a pretty title. i want this one to be a rock song, or a rock song but like a dance-y one. based on the title alone, initially, i thought this would be like Two of Us, but rn im highly doubting we'll get a heavy grief laden song bc as louis said: "there's a weight to that record [Walls album] emotionally, and I needed to go through that process, but it's not really how I carry myself as a person." so since it probably won't be like tou, and since louis loooves being quirky, he'd probably go the polar opposite of what i expect(ed). i try to outsmart louis but who am i kidding, this man is literally insane i do Not stand a chance. really pretty title though !
9. Chicago:
"it's about a person", "past love story"
lordie it's About A Person,,, 'kay.... "a deep track",,,,, what got jojo wright thinking "who [Chicago] is about, what happened..." yknow, i'm a nosey person; i'm a chismosa- but when it comes to louis' love life, i dont know, i would just... rather stay oblivious lol (given the kind of insane people this fandom has🥴). im absolutely Not looking forward to how #they will twist his lyrics to fit #their narrative. im literally just here for the music, man. well,,, fandom aside, i sense a lot of hurt in this one. louis did say he got emotional while recording this one so there's that. anyway, using songs as proof for thories about an artist's personal life is actually demented literally just enjoy the song and go :)
10. Paradise:
only on faith in the future target exclusive and hmv vinyl deluxe
dave gibson uses the sea as this song's visuals. this one's on the deluxe/exclusive version... dave has been teasing this song since forever, i wonder what it's about. louis wrote Walls, Saved by a Stranger, Chicago, Face the Music, and Out of my System with dave, so already my expections for this song are high!! it's on the deluxe/exclusive, and alongside Copy of a Copy of a Copy! in my mind this one's already a certified banger. louis hasn't acknowledged this song (for now), i don't think..... he's gatekeeping it bc it's just that good i know it.
11. Common People:
"about reconnecting with his roots in Doncaster", "how amazing the people are there",
(lyrics) "when i get lost, i go back to where i started", a song about how his hometown keeps him grounded... maybe he's aiming to make a song that can be played in donny pubs, that'd be cute :) i'm betting on a fun song for this one! originally, bc of the title, i thought this would lean more on social issues bc louis once said he plans on writing those but i think he'll keep it light on this one and focus more on the home feeling. warm, mellow, and cozy— very home-y. a love letter to doncaster :D solidarity, camaraderie, unity sort of thing
12. Holding Onto Heartache:
nothing yet
painful title. louis,,, why hold onto heartache...? i was shocked when these are the words we got after unscrambling. is it cliché to think this one's a ballad? if so then im betting this is the opposite of that lol. rock!! or? a rock ballad maybe??!? dance-y rock ballad??!?? LOL we dont have much info on this one so im really just pulling all this out of my ass.
13. Lucky Again:
leaked last august, nothing official has been released(?)
well, this one got leaked in august and i still have 0 idea what it sounds like or what it could be about. i *have* heard others say that it's really good, or it should've been the lead single as opposed to Bigger Than Me. i don't really want too many songs that talk about romantic love tbh, so im retracting my original prediction & im going to say it's ab his career,,, life in general maybe? feeling lucky again for being given another shot.... at his career.....? he's been using the phrase "i've been lucky enough..." in interviews in regards to things hes done/things he had the opportunity to do so it could relate to that,, guys idk i am just a girl. i feel like this one will knock me off my feet bc i kinda blocked it out; i have been purposefully ignoring it to avoid spoilers😭
14. She is Beauty We are World Class:
"dance genre", was written together with Saturdays and Silver Tongues
the title is definitely the most interesting. i honestly have nooo clue. for some reason, when i search up world class, it directs me to the football definition of world class so 😭 it wouldn't surprise me y'know...... it's a song you can shake your ass to! play this one on football stadiums (just like what didn't happen to kmm lmao)! i personally don't listen to dance music a whole lot but if dmas can change louis' mind then im hoping louis can change mine too. i feel like im giving her a hard time ever since he said this was dance-y, but real talk, i think i'll like her a lot!!! just like all the songs on here i truly feel there won't be a big miss yknow !
15. Headline:
full lyrics
well, we already have the lyrics. i keep trying to make up melodies to match the lyrics for this one (lol) and i already know whatever i come up with will be absolute shit compared to what louis' cooked up. hmmm.... (shitty lyric analysis ahead) "you used to read me like a headline",,,, headlines, well, they're usually bad. or negative is the word. louis has a cynical view on journalism written about him. generally, it seems like he doesn't like them. they're clickbait-y, they're sometimes false, they pull viewers in using shock factor— it doesn't give you the full picture is the thing. being read like a headline sounds awful. this implies his partner doesn't actually know him that well, or has a one-dimensional view of him. the lyrics "so fast to judge in error, you thought you knew me better" support that idea. the opening and ending lyric,,, "sometimes i wake up and i hear you through the silence" and "...wake up and i wish you were beside me",
16. All This Time:
"dance genre"
in my head, it makes perfect sense to group this title with Back To You, Miss You, Always You, and Habit, and All Along🫣 but obviously, i could be completely and embarrassingly wrong. louis is the king of writing songs about missing/going back to toxic, unhealthy relationships and based on the title alone, i think this has similar themes to those songs. this song was described as dance-y though, so i'm really feeling the Always You theme. i don't want AY's "i miss you 🥺, i was so wrong for leaving you🥺" though, i want this one to burn though; i want it to go for the throat. edit: he played this on the listening parties & people said this was actually kind of laid back???? almost lo-fi sound??? alt indie electronica dance?? people who went to the listening parties don't talk about this song much😭 and it's the lowest on my list,,,,, i'm sure it's a great song though!!!!!
[the songs below don't count on the song ranking bc we already heard 'em, so... but here are my thoughts!]
17. Bigger Than Me:
lead single!!! this is my First!!! Ever!!!!! louis official song release🥹🥹🥹 shes very special to me 🫶 tbh i didnt expect this kind of sound for fitf! my first impression of this song was that it sounded like a blend of Walls and Defenceless. it could've easily fit with Walls album, too. it's a really good, upbeat song, im obsessed. i do admit it wasnt love at first listen but that's only bc i expected he'd go for a rocky-er song. the instrumentation is in this one, his vocals, lyrics that actually Mean something,,, mwa chefs kiss! amazing choice for a lead single (but for some reason isn't being pushed by radio lmao.......)
18. Saved by a Stranger:
"vulnerable and poignant"
19. Copy of a Copy of a Copy (Live from Lima):
a moving song, it came at a very unexpected time too (near btm release week, when there was much happiness and excitement about the new era). the lyrics are simple but they weigh heavy on my heart. this being the accompanying song to Bigger Than Me (song about acceptance, healing and growth) is a deliberate choice by louis, and that fact makes me miserable!!!!! i like the themes (ugly face of fame, comfort in anonymity, genuine human connections, and obvious references to depression and suicide) and how it was delivered soo simply but, aaughhHH thinking about this song long enough always puts me to tears :( also i just wanna say,,,, i personally do not think the "she" are the fans like🧍♀️ it's a song that portrays fame in quite a negative light, so the fans he earned from that same fame is not what saved him... i think! personally!!! it's someone who doesn't even know who he is "and i wonder if she still remembers me". having a person you do not even know care about your safety and wellbeing only because you share the experience of being human with them. that is just me though so if u disagree and have your own personal meaning to this song, then it's totally fine!!! take what u want from this song. OH and also, it sounds like the guitar part in the afhf doc !
still my number one! the revelation that louis wrote it all by himself is incredibly sexy, and just reaffirms how much of an amazing songwriter he is. the sound editing/production of Bigger Than Me (Live from Milan) was amazing, so i cannot wait how copy (live) will sound!
tbh when i typed it all out as a list and seeing which songs are higher than the other, i feel unsure lol i'm not 100% on it! it's fine though bc i havent heard any of these (except for btm, sbas & coacoac)!!!!!!!! it's going to change drastically once fitf is released anyway <3
my album expectations:
okay,, album expectations/predictions time !
overall genre: grunge-y indie rock, alternative, pop punk, pop rock, soft rock(?), alternative dance(???), some ballads here and there but generally big and loud songs meant for live shows, arenas and stadiums <3
fitf concept will be about: love and healing, growth, and having faith in the future, acceptance, changes, & coming of age,,, i want him to talk some shit too though 👀
i think we'll get 3 singles: (1) Bigger Than Me, & my guesses: (2) Out of My Sytem (3) Lucky Again (starting to really doubt we'd get a third single bc it's so quiet & releasing a single close to the album release is a little dumb i think, but at the same time having only 2 singles feels wrong..... well, this was my original prediction so im sticking w 3 even though it'd be weird to at this point)
this tweet that says with the listening parties, he's letting fans hear the "mid" songs😭 so this means allll the songs he's still gatekeeping from us are his best!!!!! (not saturdays tho bc it's in his top 3... grain of salt bc ik some bitches r liars)
he said it's not as polished as walls, not as heavy emotionally, so i think we'll get an album that's just him having fun with the sounds and trying new things- lighter, more spontaneous & dance-y vibe. he said it would give us hope.
of course, im expecting the lyric quality to be better than walls ! i personally thought otb was his best song lyrically from walls (regardless of the discourse on whether he wrote on it or blah), so i cant wait for him to top that! (im team otb > copy lyrics wise btw)
i still want a song similar to Miss You so he can tour it
i hope we can hear more of louis' vocal range on this album <3 bigger than me already delivered but i need more 😋🤲
i still think the tiny bit the band plays after kmm is actually part of a song from fitf bc apparently louis already finished 99% of it before(!!!) tour started,,, i could be super wrong lol
louis will actually play guitar on stage before the encore i know it bc he told me ;)
i expect to completely fall head over heels in love with this album!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
#thank u anon sincerely for making me daydream ab fitf😭 i have so many thoughts <3 that i originally never intended to publicize lol💘#and wow if you made it this far and still reading the tags then omg marry me💘 what do u think? ask me anonymously if my answer sucked LOL#NOOO I ACCIDENTALLY PRESSED POST SHSHHSBJSJD#well . if theres any typos i'll deal with them later but these r my thoughts. im so indecisive i dont even think this is my final ranking#edit: disabled the rb function i forgot u could do that#this needs a lot of editing she wasnt ready to be shared w the world
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I don't want to add all of this under the post I took this pic from, because I'm going to get nitpicky and long-winded and it would probably get really annoying for OP... and also because this is the "are you saying we piss on the poor" website, so someone would inevitably think I'm hating on either OP or Mary Reufle. Which I'm not, btw. I think the passage above says something really beautiful and tragic about humanity, and I'm thankful to OP for posting it, otherwise I might have never read it.
But it does remind me of a stupid pet peeve I've been trying to ignore since people on Tumblr started debating whether asexual sailors would be safe from the lure of sirens and other people started replying that, hey! Sirens in Greek mythology, especially the Odyssey, don't lure sailors by offering sex! They lure them by offering them what they desire! Which might be sex for some, but might be just some really great pasta for others!
... again, to avoid another obvious "we piss on the poor" moment: no, I don't actually have anything serious against jokes, thought exercises, and stories in that vein. Ace people belong in fun fantasy and/or mythology-inspired stories and story ideas as much as everyone else. And I'm well-aware you don't need my permission to write about a sailor saving their entire crew by being totally indifferent to sex or almost dooming them because some weird lady on a rock in the middle of the sea was loudly singing about being desperate to share cool frog facts with someone. Hell, I'd probably read both.
But anyway, the pet peeve I was talking about before going on that tangent is that the sirens do sing Odysseus' story to Odysseus, and it just annoys me so much, seeing people ignoring the fact that that's actually a thing that happens. Like, this is from Book XII:
"[...] the Sirens failed not to note the swift ship as it drew near, and they raised their clear-toned song: “‘Come hither, as thou farest, renowned Odysseus, great glory of the Achaeans; [185] stay thy ship that thou mayest listen to the voice of us two. For never yet has any man rowed past this isle in his black ship until he has heard the sweet voice from our lips. Nay, he has joy of it, and goes his way a wiser man. For we know all the toils that in wide Troy [190] the Argives and Trojans endured through the will of the gods, and we know all things that come to pass upon the fruitful earth.’"
... yes, this translation is taken from Perseus and is, unfortunately, in prose. Give me a break, it's not easy to find good poetic translations of the Odyssey posted for free online when I'm not even a native English speaker and to me "Odyssey translation" means "Rosa Calzecchi Onesti's translation from the '60s." The point is, the sirens try to lure Odysseus (and would definitely succeed, if not for the ropes-and-wax trick) by telling him that they know everything, including all that has happened to Odysseus himself and everyone else who suffered through the war of Troy.
And yeah, you could argue that the main draw for Odysseus (his greatest desire, to tie it all back to mythological shitposting) is knowledge itself, because he is that kind of guy. But the sirens don't give any details on their knowledge of all that is presently happening "upon the fruitful earth." They do, however, give details on their knowledge of the past -- specifically stating they know Odysseus' past. The same man who, if you remember, can't take Demodocus singing about a couple of episodes from the war of Troy without needing to hide his face due to being completely overcome by tears, yet has a piece of meat from his own plate brought to Demodocus as a show of respect and gratitude for his singing. Unlike his own wife, Penelope, who when hearing the aoidos Phemius singing about the same war back in Ithaca, asks him to change the subject to something less painful...
It's just. It's so painful and complex and wonderful and it makes me want to tear my hair out every time I think about it. And nobody ever remembers it when someone brings up the sirens and specifically the ones from the Odyssey! *screams*
Btw, now that I've had my nice little rant, please do me a favor and listen to the song Le Sirene by Vinicio Capossela. Because this Italian singer and composer? He gets it.
Here's a rough translation of the lyrics:
The sirens
Tell you about yourself
What you were
As if it were forever
The sirens
Have no tail nor feathers
They only sing about you
The man of yesterday
The man you were, two steps from the sky
All your life before you
All your life as a whole
They say, stop here
The sirens
Assault you at night
Created by the night
They kept all the faces you loved and now
The sirens have them
They sing them to you in a chorus
And you're not alone anymore
They know everything about you
And the best of you
It's a song of sirens
And you hear it in the regret
Of what you lacked
What you glimpsed and won't have
They give it to you
Only in song
They sing to you of how you came from nothing
And nothing you will be
The sirens are a night of beer
And the dawn won't come anymore
They're street ghosts coming in in gusts
They have the voices of sirens
Fill your ears with wax
To not hear them when it's evening
To stay firm
Tied to your routine
But if you listen to the sirens
You won't come home
Because home is
Where they sing about you
Listen to the sirens
They won't stop their singing
In the endless wake, they sing
All your life
Who you were, who you were, who you were
Who you were, who you were, who you are
Mnemosyne
Why go on until old age
Until you feel ill?
It's all already here
Stop here
You don't have anywhere to go anymore
The sirens
Don't sing the future
They give you what has been
But time isn't kind
And if you stop and listen to them
You'll let yourself die
Because the singing is neverending
And it's full of deceit
And takes your life from you
As it sings it
youtube
... also, if you know Italian or you don't mind running lyrics through an online translator (not Google Translate, pls, they don't deserve to be butchered like that) or you're just looking for new music to listen to, do yourself a favor and go listen to Capossela's other Odyssey-inspired songs from the album Marinai, Profeti e Balene. They are:
La lancia del Pelide (The spear of Pelides, and yeah, this one is actually about the Iliad)
Le Pleiadi (The Pleiades, from the POVs of Odysseus and Penelope, and a much deeper and more fascinating take on their relationship than either "Odysseus is a jerk who doesn't care about her because he has sex with other women" or "he's cool, she's cool, they're a cool power couple" could ever hope to be -- even though I do love the latter a lot, admittedly)
Aedo (Aoidos, set in the aftermath of Odysseus' killing of the suitors)
Calipso (Calypso)
Dimmi Tiresia (Tell me, Tiresias, set in Book XI, when Odysseus summons the spirit of the dead seer and receives a prophecy from him)
Nostos (Actually about the tale of Ulysses' final "mad flight" and death in the Divine Comedy, Inferno, Canto XXVI -- yes, you need to listen to this one, too)
... okay, yes, this post did turn into Vinicio Capossela shilling. I swear it wasn't the initial intention, it just happened. But you know what? I don't even care because most of the songs that make Tumblr users go "OMG THIS MAKES ME FEEL SOO UNHINGED 😭 TOTALLY FERAL 😭😭 WHY DOES IT GO SO HARD 😭😭😭" don't go even half as unnecessarily hard as the lyrics to Aedo and Nostos. So, yeah. You can thank me after lying on the floor like "head full. way too many thoughts" for an hour or two.
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Hi It's me again! I hope my excessive rambling in the tags wasn't too annoying I just really loved that drabble you wrote
If it's not too much can I request something with Sollux and Gamzee meeting in the subjugglator training ranks after Ascension?
I'd really love to hear what your headcanons might be or what fics you take inspiration from about subjugglators off-planet
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
Gamzee's breath was perfectly steady, his heartbeat perfectly level, his mind completely calm. Even as he hopped from platform to platform, moving at speeds imperceivable to the naked eye, his body remained impossibly calm. Such was the Messiahs' gift to him and all purplebloods like him. With training, they could command their body to do the impossible.
Gamzee stopped atop a thin pole, claws digging into his perch as he got his barings. A sea of bloodied spikes spread out around him, ensuring him a slow death should he miss even a single pole or platform. But beyond that, lie his goal. His target. The horned outline of which was a mere speck in his vision.
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
Gamzee felt the wood begin to give way beneath his weight and lept to another perch, hoping between poles and bouncing away before the could bend against him. Thoughtlessly, he reasoned out the closest platform in between leaps. Automatically, he twisted his body to reach them. His body twisted in ways that crack and snap the bones of any other caste. If the graveyard full of mangled bones below him was any indication, even other purples struggled to make such moves.
Soon, Gamzee's shadow was cast over his prey. A club appeared in his hand, upraised so as to crack open his target's skull in one swing.
For the first time since this lesson began, his breath hitched.
Gamzee's feet hit the ground, his momentum stopped dead. His club hung over his target's shoulder.
Breathe. In.
Breathe. Out.
At this distance, Gamzee could see that his target wasn't even a troll at all. Rather, he'd been tasked with assassinating a mannequin, a hard plastic replica of his would be victim. Gamzee felt his posture relax before he pulled his club back and cracked the target's head of with one swing.
Purple paint sprayed over Gamzee as the body hit the floor and he turned to his audience and bowed.
The audience cheered as the lights flashed on, a cacophony of honks, whoops, and cheers as the stage was revealed in full. If he bothered to look towards the pit, Gamzee could see all the remains of the clowns who came before him and failed. He did not look.
"well, would you look at that."
"HE ACTUALLY MANAGED TO PASS."
Two ropes descended down around him, carrying the Twin Instructors, clad in their iconic matching masks. Comedy's voice was sing song, contrasting Tragedy's melancholy just as their half masks contrasted their mood. Gamzee looked up to see half of Tragedy's face grinning down at him.
"still, you haven't quite managed to beat our record."
"MAYBE WE SHOULD HAVE HIM GO AGAIN."
The two broke into giggles, with the rest of the tent following. Gamzee heard a few voices call out for an encore and quietly hoped they wouldn't be heard. He didn't have it in him to go another round. He didn't know how Sollux did it so easily, controlling his body they way he did.
Tragedy leaned down and gave him an encouraging pat on the back, causing Gamzee to grin at him tiredly in between pants. Comedy leaned down to his other side, handing him a faygo and a rag.
"OH, BUT HE'S SO WORN OUT. WE WOULDN'T WANT TO BREAK OUR NEW FAVORITE."
"we'd love to share notes, but this isn't your show anymore. head to the lounge, it's time for the next act."
Gamzee chugged the bottle, nearly emptying it in two gulps as he walked off stage. He waved his thanks, to tired to talk, as he shoved his way through the curtains and into the lounge.
Gamzee finished his faygo as he lazily scanned the room. Normally, throwing a bunch of clowns into one room would be a recipe for disaster, but all was strangely quiet. It seemed like the others who passed the test were just as warn out from it as he was. It made him feel better to see his brothers and sisters laying around exhausted, half collapsed against walls or the couch. It made him proud to still be standing.
And then he saw Sollux, looking none the worse for wear as he hogged the couch. He smirked smugly as Gamzee made his way over, scooting over to let the shorter clown collapse next to him. "Jegus, you look like shit."
Gamzee flipped him off, causing Sollux to snort. "And you're acting like shit too. Maybe I'm a bad influence on you."
Gamzee snorted. "Shit man, I thought you didn't want me to be so friendly and clingy around you anymore." He wiped the sweat off his forehead, stopping to look at the facepaint that had melted onto his hand. "Although, a brother's got a point about. I ain't much to look at right now."
Sollux slid his half empty faygo down the table, which Gamzee guzzled happily. "Yeah, body control is hard. I've been doing it ever sense I grew hands and I still eat my swords sometimes. Nevermind the more advanced stuff."
Gamzee slammed the faygo bottle on the table. "Shit, man, my bones hurt. And my veins... and lungs. Fuck."
Sollux grunted and handed him a spare Nintendie Dualscream. "How about something to take your mind of it? It's been awhile sense I kicked your ass in Fiduspawn anyways."
It was Gamzee's turn to snort. "All right, you are on, motherfucker."
~
They were eight rounds in when the new clowns stopped coming in. Gamzee counted only five had made it in after him, but he was more focused on beating Sollux than keeping count. Either he'd gotten better or Sollux had gotten worse. The taller troll used to be able to kick his ass, now they were tied four to four. But, their fifth round was interrupted as two familar shadows were cast over them.
"DID YOU TWO BRING TOYS FROM BACK ON ALTERNIA ALONG?"
"just between the four of us, I've heard that's against the rules."
Gamzee and Sollux froze as the Twin Instructors leaned over them. Even Gamzee could feel everyone in the room staring at them. Gamzee had seen this set up before. Comedy and Tragedy learing over a helpless troll or two. Acting like they were just disappointed, like they were just going to give the rule breaker a stern talking to before they decapitated the mischief maker.
Instead, the twins doubled over into a giggling fit the spread through the room. The trolls around them joined in, some more nervously than others.
"JuSt KiDdInG!"
"WE KNOW OUR HIGHEST SCORERS..."
"....know better than to break the rules."
"AsSuMiNg YoU dId'T cHeAt!"
Sollux and Gamzee pushed themselves to their feet, hands moving to ask about their progress, but the duo pushed their hands aside.
"DON'T BOTHER WITH THAT."
"you're subjugulators now."
"YoU'rE oFfIcIaLlY fUnNy EnOuGh To LiStEn To!"
Gamzee let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. He heard Sollux do the same before the cheers erupted around them. Tragedy grabbed his arm and hoisted him into the air with it to bare before the crowd, leaving him and Sollux to gaze at their audience.
"GIVE OUR BOYS A ROUND OF APPLAUSE."
"well, those of you who still have hands anyways."
Gamzee looked over at Sollux, himself being held up for all to see by comedy. It was strange to see Sollux actually look nervous, even if they were seemingly in the Twin's good graces. Sweeps of living according to their capricious whims was enough to instill a lasting fear in anyone.
Even when granted verbal permission to speak, the two didn't make a peep as the twins hefted them over their shoulders. The twins cheerfully waved off the crowd as they carried the two ascendants to their office.
Gamzee grunted as he was dropped into a chair to small for him, hearing Sollux swear off to the right as the same happened to him. Comedy and Tragedy flopped into their chairs on the opposite end of the desk, kicking their feet up on it.
"normally, we'd take the time to talk about boring business shit with you."
"PREP YOUR ASCENSION SPEECH AND ALL THAT BLAH BLAH BLAH."
"BuT lIkE wE sAiD, wE hAvE nOtEs."
Sollux and Gamzee shared a nervous look, before Sollux straightened up and spoke. "What, uh, about exactly?"
Comedy shook a chidding finger in their faces.
"WHY, YOU BOTH HESITATED."
"tripped at the finish line."
"DeRaIlEd A pErFeCtLy GoOd ShOw."
Gamzee looked over at Sollux in suprise. Sollux... hesitated? But he was used to killing shit. Hell, that was his idea of a date night. Gamzee hardly had time to consider it before Tragedy leaned in his direction.
"now you we perfectly understand. you've never dabbled with fresh paint before."
"YOU'VE ONLY BEEN OFF THE SLIME FOR JUST THREE SWEEPS AT THAT."
"BuT iT's YoUr BuDdY wE'rE cUrIoUs AbOuT."
They both turned to Sollux expectantly. He scratched the back of hia head. "I... well. Something made me reconsider." He rested his hands in his head. "There was.... a kill I'd been planning for a really long time. Something... big. Special. And, when I landed that kill, when I did kill her and savor killing her... it just felt empty?"
Gamzee knew what he meant. The image of a cart drenched in Cerulean blood flashes in his mind. "I'd... rather not get any more into it than that."
The Twins tented their hands as they nodded sympathetically. Comedy even reached over to pat him on the shoulder.
"oh, we've both been there before."
"I DID ESPECIALLY."
Tragedy bent down and fished around beneath the desk, nearly banging his golden mask on it in the process.
"I STILL REMEMBER MY FIRST KILL."
He placed a white horned skull on the desk, carefully preserved and cleaned even though it seemed to have been centuries old. Still, the more Gamzee looked at it, the more it looked slightly off. The horns seemed to be... fake somehow. Like they were made of some kind of old plastic. And the skull's facial structure was all wrong. Too thin, too light, too delicate looking. It looked like a troll but not quite. If Karkat were here, he'd call it a mockery of troll kind.
"you'd think he'd be honored."
"MY VERY FIRST KILL. SHE WAS SO CLEVER AND BRUTAL THAT I NEVER THOUGHT I'D PULL IT OFF."
He rubbed the skull fondly, clearly nostalgic. Part of him sounded almost remorseful over it too, strangely enough. Like talking about a long dead friend or a beloved canceled show.
"BuT iT fElT sO eMpTy."
Sollux cleared his throat, clearly annoyed, even if he couldn't outright say it. Gamzee couldn't blame him. The twins liked to talk about their first two kills a lot. "So, what's your point?"
Tragedy sighed wistfully and Comedy playfully roled her eyes and elbowed him to get him back on topic.
"THE POINT IS, I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO IT."
"and when it's over, it always feels...."
"AnTiClImAcTiC."
Sollux hummed and considered this, but Gamzee could tell he wasn't quite buying it. Gamzee could tell that something else was needling away at him. Something deeper than just that.
"you'll probably get that feeling too."
Gamzee straightened up as he realized they were addressing him again.
"HERE'S A TIP. DON'T LOOK INTO THEIR EYES. IT'LL ONLY MAKE YOU MISS THEM MORE."
Comedy slid two communicators across the desk.
"YOU CAN TALK IT OUT WITH YOU QUADS, NOW THAT YOU'RE ALLOWED TO SEE THEM AGAIN. YOUR BRONZE HEART AND RUST DIAMOND PROBABLY MISS YOU."
They nodded at Sollux.
"and the Empress will be happy to see her favorite clown is safe."
#bloodswaps#gamzee makara#sollux captor#purple sollux#drabble#barzum soleil#bazili soleil#implied major character death#posthumous: joey claire#ambiguously feferi piexes#ambiguously her imperious condescension
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Interview with Eve Golden Woods!
Many of you know who is Eve is. She's a writer and artist, a part of Dreamfeel studios whose beautiful game If Found won Best LGBTQ Narrative and Best LGBTQ Indie game at the first ever Gayming Awards presented by EA games. I am really excited I had the chance to ask Eve some questions about herself, her time at Lovestruck and her creative process.
Congratulations on the two Gayming Awards (Best LGBTQ Narrative, Best LGBTQ Indie Game) for "If Found" from your game studio, Dreamfeel. What was the inspiration behind making the game?
If Found... was a game that emerged out of a collaboration between Llaura McGee, the founder of Dreamfeel, and artist Liadh Young. Liadh's background is as a comic artist, and so when they started working together Llaura had the idea of showing off Liadh's art by making a diary game, and using an erasing mechanic she had previously developed to let the player move through the diary in a fun way. By the time I came on board at the start of 2019, the game had already been in development for a while, so in some ways my work on that game was similar to the work I did for Voltage, because it was taking existing characters and concepts and writing a lot of scripts for them. Unlike Voltage, though, my work for Dreamfeel was a lot more collaborative and I had a lot more creative input. I really enjoy taking something and helping to make it the best version of itself that it can possibly be, but I was also really happy that I got to reflect a lot of my own experiences in If Found. Llaura and I both grew up on the west coast of Ireland, and although If Found... isn't autobiographical for either of us, it was definitely really meaningful to be able to tell a story that reflected our own experiences of growing up as queer teens in a similar kind of environment. Since the game came out we've had fans reach out to us and tell us that they also connected to the experiences of the main characters, and as far as I'm concerned, that makes me feel like I achieved everything I wanted to.
You are a writer and a visual artist. Does one come easier to you than the other?
I used to think of art and writing as talents, and I always felt like my art was at a very mediocre level (that's probably still true, lol). So when I was younger I focused a lot more on writing. It was only later that I started genuinely trying to improve as an artist, but when I did, I think I had a much healthier mindset, and approached it as a skill I could learn with patience and effort. Because of that, even though I still have a lot more confidence in my writing, I find art more fun and relaxing, and I don't stress about it as much.
Did you always know you would follow a creative path?
Kind of? Both my parents are artists, and I grew up surrounded by artists and writers, so it was something that was always very familiar and accessible to me. On the other hand, I didn't exactly have a clear idea of how to make it into a career, or what kind of work would be involved. But there's never been a point in my life where I wasn't doing something creative, even if it was only writing fanfiction.
What did your path to working professionally as a writer/artist look like?
I did a creative writing masters in college, but after that I spent years teaching English as a second language. That was really fun and I got to live abroad, but it was so busy and tiring that I didn't have time to do any writing outside of the occasional fanfic. I only started to take art seriously again when I became interested in games and comics as ways of telling stories. I did some critical writing, which led me to speak at a few local events and get involved in zine fairs. That was how I met Llaura, the director and lead of the Dreamfeel studio, and it's also what gave me the confidence to start applying for actual writing jobs.
Is there any work of art, visual or written, that you look to for inspiration?
So many! I try to read and watch as widely as I can, although there are touchstones I always return to, like the works of Ursula Le Guin and Terry Pratchett. Right now I feel very passionate about the actual play podcast Friends at the Table, which manages to combine really thoughtful worldbuilding and storytelling with cool, fun characters and great action scenes. I'm also reading a book called The Memory Police by Youko Ogawa, which has extremely beautiful prose.
Do you have a favorite piece of your own art, whether it is something you’ve drawn, a screenshot of something you’ve written or something else?
My favourite piece of art is usually whatever I finished most recently (I think that's true for a lot of people). Especially with visual art, once a bit of time has gone by you look back on it and start to notice all your mistakes, which is very annoying. But actually I do still really like the first piece of Fiona fanart I did last year. I managed to use some effects to give it a kind of nineties anime quality that I find really fun, and I think it conveys an emotion pretty effectively. That's always one of the hardest things to predict with visual art, whether the different parts will come together to create the exact mood you're looking for.
I also really like the compass I did for Bycatch. Krissy (@xekstrin) was the one who suggested filling it with fingernails, which was such a good, gross idea! As soon as I heard that I knew it was perfect and that I had to try and draw it.
Many people who read this blog know you as a writer for Lovestruck. When you look back on your time there, what stands out in your mind?
Lovestruck was very important to me when I first started because it was my first ongoing, regular, paid writing work. It gave me a lot of confidence and helped me to get into the habit of writing consistently and rapidly, which is a really useful skill to have. I know I was right to leave when I did, though, because I am just brimming with energy to work on my own projects, and channeling that power into something that you can't control will always end up disappointing you. Also, I made a ton of incredible friends, through Lovestruck itself but then even more so through VOW (@vowtogether), and that is more than worth all the difficult parts.
Is there any character that you would have liked a crack at writing?
Oh gosh, what a fun question! There are so many, but one I do sometimes think about is Axia, just because I know there are a bunch of fans who want her route, and because I had fun writing her as a villain in Zain's route. I can see in my head the shadow of a storyline that takes place after Zain's route is over, where she's in prison and trying to understand how she lost the battle with Zain and MC. I think there's, like, a gap there, where you could see her downfall forcing her to reconsider her assumptions about power, and that could build into a very interesting redemption story. But maybe it's for the best I never got to do that, because I would have wanted full creative control over it, and also I think the story in my head is very different to the sexy, in control, menacing version of Axia that her fans enjoy.
Do you have any upcoming projects you can talk about?
Most of my current work is under NDA, but I will say that I'm doing something very exciting with other VOW members that we should be able to talk about soon(ish). Maybe I can even give a little teaser... It's not a game, but it is something you can read, and my part involves cakes, swamps, and a museum.
Do you have a favorite quote or song lyric?
It's a big long, but there's a section from The Dispossessed by Ursula le Guin that has stayed with me ever since I read it:
"For we each of us deserve everything, every luxury that was ever piled in the tombs of the dead kings, and we each of us deserve nothing, not a mouthful of bread in hunger. Have we not eaten while another starved? Will you punish us for that? Will you reward us for the virtue of starving while others ate? No man earns punishment, no man earns reward. Free your mind of the idea of deserving, the idea of earning, and you will begin to be able to think."
It's such a profoundly radical way of imagining the world, so different to everything I was raised with, but whenever I think about it I feel like I can see something very beautiful and powerful that I hope to come closer to understanding some day.
And of course, "Solidarity forever, the union makes us strong."
I was a big fan of the show Inside the Actor’s Studio. Host James Lipton asked every single guest the same 10 concluding questions. I’ve picked 3 of them:
-What is your favorite word?
My favourite word: for sound, I like words you can really roll around on your tongue. Chthonic, alabaster, insinuation. For meaning, I think simple words that encapsulate big concepts have a kind of power to them. We use them so often we forget how big they are, how much weight they really have, but they give us the space to imagine new possibilities. Love. Freedom. Revolution.
-What is your least favorite word?
I've heard that "moist" is a lot of people's least favourite word but it doesn't actually bother me. My least favourite word is probably one where I feel like the sound doesn't match the meaning. One of the Irish words for rain is báisteach, which I feel has a much weightier and more onomatopoeic sound than rain. Rain is just very flat and uninteresting.
-What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
Oh, so many! I love history, and I think being a historian/archaeologist would be fascinating. Or something that had a physical component to it, like being a potter or a carpenter. I don't think I'd be any good, but I'd love to take the time to learn.
What would be your advice to anyone who wants to pursue a creative career?
All the work you do matters. Even the failed experiments, the things you hate when they're finished. It all helps to make you better. Also, creative career paths are often really unexpected, so chase any opportunity that seems remotely interesting. Don't work for free for anyone who can afford to pay, but work for yourself and put it somewhere. On a blog, twitter, whatever. You'd be amazed how many people get noticed and get offered opportunities because of something they made in their spare time. You'll probably have to work another job for a long time, so don't be hard on yourself if you're too tired to devote much energy to creative work. Try to make art consistently, but don't feel like that has to mean every day. Don't chase after celebrities. Make friends with your peers.
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Happy International Fanworks Day!!
OTW's Creative Lounge recently shared some bingo sheets in honor of February 15th, so I thought I'd participate :').
Instead of doing a creator bingo card for all my works, because I'd just end up filling in every single square, I thought I'd just do one for my current WIP, Divine Intervention, the annoying Solo Leveling SCY/SJW drabble series that floods the front page of SL Ao3 sometimes.
More rambling about my fic and how it all started below the cut if you're interested! 💛 includes fic recs :D
I honestly never thought I'd see the day where I'd be making (and populating) a new tag all by myself, but stranger things have happened since the pandemic started, so here we are I guess LOL.
Honestly, believe it or not, Divine Intervention originally began from Woo Jin-Chul/Sung Jin-Woo roots (which ok, may not be so surprising because I recall several readers thought that was the actual pairingwhen we were first getting started, woops). Namely, another WIP of mine, Divine Right of Kings.
They share a lot of similarities which may not be so evident, seeing as Kings is less than 10 chapters posted, but source dude just trust me. They're both canon divergence AUs; apotheosis stories; Jin-Woo is Shadow Monarch in neither of them; deuteragonists; and, most significantly, they both feature a largely human cast--as the plot progresses, the amount of actual solo leveling that gets done dwindles to nothing, all in hopes of writing a universe where Jin-Woo actually gets the emotional support he deserves after the traumatic events that took place within the first 10 or so chapters of canon.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯ What can I say, I've got a type.
In the progress of planning Kings' main cast (besides the main pair), Chi-Yul popped up as a prime candidate for party member. An experienced hunter, his conflict was interesting from the get-go: a skilled swordsman who ended up in the wrong class. Who else's class commonly gets mistaken in SL? Well, Jin-Woo, except the reverse--where Chi-Yul doesn't successfully make the whole magic swordsman thing work, Jin-Woo pulls off assassin necromancer who revives whatever he kills pretty darn well.
The next step was figuring out how they would fit together.
Song Chi-Yul in Kings was supposed to play a very different role than in Divine Intervention. Namely, their dynamics are completely swapped: in Kings, I planned Chi-Yul as a mentor figure who teaches a still fledgling Jin-Woo magic early on, fostering a decent amount of trust to make the groundwork for their eventual partying. (Of course, well, we never got there, but still. I had plans, guys.)
We don't get too much of Chi-Yul in canon, so I began trying to write short snippets or oneshots just as exercise to get used to them interacting together. This, as it turns out, was either a terrible mistake for everyone who was waiting for me to write more WJC/SJW, or the birth of something truly great: a banger.
Fueled by my diehard R27 nostalgia to give me shipping lenses and a recent venture into the newest Fire Emblem game at the time, I knew I wanted some kind of knight-and-his-lady dynamic, though in the slash case, knight-and-his-lord. Kings' background gave me a solid inspiration for another apotheosis-type story, so now all I needed was a vibe.
TBH I have a lot of different inspiration sources for the vibe I was going for--something otherworldly, ephemeral, and ancient all at once. I think that deserves another post of its own lol (comprising of a lot of anime and manga, but it's the weeb in me what can I do 😔).
Here's some fic recs in the meanwhile because I know my fellow degens well:
For drabble series,
Guardian by forthrightly [Complete]: A Spirited Away Chihiro/Kohaku drabble series.
Chihiro spends a long, hot summer in a tiny seaside community, minding an old auntie's store, but a legend whispered by locals leads the young woman on a quest of rediscovery. A small story with small chapters.
It'll have you soft and sobbing at the end of it. Alt account of Forthright.
Imperceptible by forthright [Complete]: An Inuyasha Sesshomaru/Kagome drabble series.
A story told through a series of drabbles and oneshots, tracing the slow and steady progress of trust. Sesshoumaru x Kagome, CU.
An aching canon universe SessKag rendition.
Forthright is IMO the mother of all drabble series; they just do it best. All of their other drabble series are equally excellent; go check them out if you're digging the format :)
For vibe,
The Human Mask by harunekonya [WIP]: Natsume Yuujinchou, gen. 182k words
Sequel to Worthy of a Name. Natsume slowly learns to deal with life as a god. An inter-connected vignette series.
It's been over 4 years since I've read this fic but damn do I remember the way it made me feel. Insanely intricate, detailed storytelling, a masterpiece. The fandom is dead but thank god we got this jewel out of it.
fear is the monster you forgot to flee from (fear is the monster that won't let you go) by cywscross [Complete]: Solo Leveling, SJW/WJC. 25.6k words
Jin-Woo reawakens. But he reawakens… wrong. Different. Changed. Monstrous.
(Some do not see it. Others do and are rightfully afraid. And then there are those who are afraid and still want it. They want it, until they cannot live without it, and Woo Jin-Chul finds that he is terribly susceptible to the latter.
If you're in the SL fandom, you've read this fic, but I'm putting it here anyway as a hyperlink for when you inevitably go reread it now that I've reminded you about it (and also because it's the only SL fic on this list, not that there aren't more bangers by our fantastic writers in this fandom but just because that's not what this list is about).
The Unexplainable by Metamorcy [Complete]: Katekyo Hitman Reborn, Reborn/Sawada Tsunayoshi. 238k words.
He had only come here to fulfill a dying wish from a younger version of himself, to take his place in this world as Sawada Tsunayoshi. That had been fine, boredom plaguing him constantly in his long life as nothing seemed to matter anymore. So when Reborn arrives to train him as Vongola Decimo, he ends up with something a little more. Dark!Tsuna, Dark!Universe
I regularly go back to reread this when I need a bedtime story to assauge the 'ol insomnia. The supernatural vibes are off the charts. An old favorite is timeless :')
Satis by Eiserne [WIP]: Hellsing, Alucard/Integra Hellsing. 83.5k words.
Integra dies, only to wake up in the past, as a fifteen-year-old. AxI.
Jesus christ the loyalty kink. The vibe kink. The poetry kink. The feet kink, in a totally not weird way. I know it's the 2nd WIP on this list but just, trust me, I wouldn't rec it unless it would completely wreck you.....in a good way.
Anyway this wasn't a fic rec list on purpose so I'll leave it at that 😂 These are all enjoyable reads even if you know nothing of the fandom or characters involved!
If you made it all the way here, thanks for listening to me ramble! I have a lot of Feelings for this newest baby of mine and I hope to take Divine Intervention a long way forward yet 😌🙏🌺
#ifd2022#bingo card#my writing#divine intervention#solo leveling#song chi-yul/sung jin-woo#SCY/SJW#renderedreversed#fic recs#rambling
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Uncomfortable: Chapter One
The Wallflower
A/N: I recently got inspired to start writing again and since I looooove V!Faust, I figured I'd give writing about him another shot. I used a couple of black metal slang terms in this chapter, they will written in bold and their definitions can be found down at the bottom! Also, thank you so much @ill-skillsgard for all of your help with this!!!
Pairing: V!Faust x Reader/OFC
Description: She wasn’t from his world, that much he knew immediately. He didn’t mean to notice her, but he did. He was too proud to admit it, but she captivated him, she intrigued him, she lured him to her without even trying, without even knowing it. She was too scared to admit it, but he captivated her too, she was drawn to him. They didn't belong together, anybody could see that, but they wanted each other. Their love was strange and, frankly, it made them uncomfortable.
Warnings: use of adult language, 18+ only
Word Count: 723
She wasn't from his world, she didn't belong here, that much he knew immediately. Faust didn't mean to notice her, but he did. He certainly wasn't glad that he noticed her because not long after he did, so did his friends.
"Look at that fucking poser," the new guy in the group teased as he pointed her out to the group. God, he hated that son of a bitch even more now.
"Think she's lost?" another guy chimed in, asking jokingly. The guy was Neck, a close friend of Faust's, but now he couldn't help but be annoyed by him. Of course he was joining in on the pathetic poser's little joke. Everyone in their circle thought that piece of shit new guy was kvlt, well, everyone except for Faust. Faust saw through his little charade, saw him for the poser that he really was.
"Forget her, gentleman," the more eccentric member of the circle, Draugr, said as he joined the group, "we have business to attend to. We go on in five," he concluded as he ushered the members of his band backstage, leaving Faust and a few others behind with the rest of the metalheads there for the show.
The idiotic little poser had gone with them, he was their new lead vocalist, which meant she was temporarily safe from his ridicule. As for Neck, he had the attention span of a puppy. Within seconds of the band's departure, his attention was drawn away from her and towards a more pressing matter, debating how grymm tonight was going to be with a fellow headbanger.
Faust couldn't help but roll his eyes at this. It was safe to say that he was getting bored of this life, bored of his circle of friends, bored of the scene in general. He still liked the music, he loved the music, but the scene itself lacked the same flare it once had. It was fun when it was new, but now it had gone stale. The posers had infiltrated, the integrity had long been lost, and the desire to be original, to do something new and innovative had dwindled within the community. It wasn't about the music anymore, it was about the money and the fame, the exact opposite of what the truly evil men who founded Black Metal wanted. This bored Faust, he was bored, or at least that was the excuse he gave himself to explain why his attention kept drifting to her, the mousy girl in the corner.
It was obvious to Faust that she at least tried to blend in, what with her shiny new leather jacket that she probably bought the night beforehand, little black dress that was just an inch too long to resemble those the "pumas" usually wore, combat boots with an evident lack of wear to them, and intentionally smudged, dark makeup. Her failed attempt at fitting in was pathetically adorable, she was adorable, all the more reason why she didn't belong there. In a dark, crowded venue filled to the brim with loud, violent, angsty, immature metalheads all looking for any excuse to wreak some havoc, she stuck out like a sore thumb. Despite cowering back in the corner like a wallflower, she still drew so much attention to herself just by being there.
It was clear she didn't belong there and yet she so willingly stayed, that intrigued Faust. He kept his eyes on her for the rest of the night, deciding to hang back in a corner on the opposite side of the venue rather than to spend his time in the mosh pit with the rest of the headbangers in order to get a better look at her so maybe, just maybe, he could figure out what she was doing there in the first place. However, despite his persistence, Faust never did figure out why she was at the venue that night.
One second he was observing her from afar, then Neck beckoned him, yelling out for him to join in the moshing for the final song. Faust shook his head, letting the shorter metalhead know that he would, in fact, not be joining him before reverting his attention back to her. However, when he turned his gaze back to her, he'd found that she was no longer there, gone without a trace as if she'd just disappeared.
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kvlt: adj. usually meant as a way of poking fun at the people who take Black Metal too seriously. Since Faust would obviously be one of those people that took it too seriously, I figured he would use it in less of a joking kind of way and in more of way to describe people like him.
grymm: adj. used to describe something cool, awesome, ‘metal’, wicked, etc. (the world ‘evil’ is also often used this way in metal/black metal slang).
pumas: I’m not sure if this actually a slang term that they use, but I do know that when the group of girls first walked up to the part in Lords Of Chaos, Hellhammer (played by Anthony De La Torre) says “fuckin’ pumas” while pointing at them. So I assume that “puma” is used to refer to a hot, metal chick like the girls that were at the party, the girls that would show up to their shows, their female fans, the girls they would sleep with, etc. It’s sort of like their groupies, but not really because according to Euronymous, “they don’t have any fucking groupies.”
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taglist: no one at the moment (let me know if you would like to be added to the taglist for this story)
#v!faust#faust!v#valter skarsgård fanfiction#Valter Skarsgård#faust stuff#valter skarsgard fanfiction#valter skarsgard#faust#fanfiction#au fanfiction#uncomfortable
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Defending Christine Daae
I never thought I'd have to write a post with that title, let me tell you.
Because when I first heard of Phantom of the Opera, I was under the impression that everybody loved Christine just as much as I did. I mean, how could you help it? Well, I was wrong. It would seem that there are, in fact, people out there who don't share my exact opinion (shock of shocks) and who dislike Christine for various stupid reasons.
Now, I'm not here to point fingers at anyone or to belittle anyone's opinions in anyway, and blah-de-blah [fill in the rest of long boring disclaimer any way you wish]. But I AM here to defend one of my favourite female protagonists in a work of fiction! And defend her I WILL! IN THE NAME OF THE MOON!
Um, pardon me. Don't know how that last sentence got in there.
Now, on the internet, I've heard some flak about Christine, and though I'm not here to make anyone feel bad (see above) I do want to refute those points about her, point-by-point. (Hmm. Redundancy.) One of the biggest points against Christine is her choice to be with Raoul instead of the Phantom, who *ahem* TOTALLY needed her because he had a bad life and he taught her to sing! My opinion?
I don't think that means Christine owes him love. Appreciation and thanks, yes. But not love. The only thing he ever did that was worth any kind of love was letting Christine go. And she isn't some sort of consolation prize! It's NOT her job to fix the Phantom, only he could fix himself!
C'mon people! The two pretty much fit the qualities of an abusive relationship (emotional manipulation, throwing her around, restricting her from seeing other people etc.) And it’s kinda disturbing. “BUT!” You cry, “CHRISTINE REJECTED THE PHANTOM FOR A SHALLOW REASON! HE WAS UGLY!”
While I do understand what you’re coming from, I would like to inform you that it was actually his toxic behaviour towards her and murderous qualities that drove her away from him and made her choose Raoul. In “Final Lair”, she said one of the biggest burns in Gothic thriller history “It’s in your SOUL where the TRUE distortion lies...” The Phantom's problem isn't with his disfigurement. No, the problem is with what he's allowed his disfigurement to make him. He's become so obsessed with the idea that no one loves him and no one will ever really care for him that he believes anyone who stands remotely in his way is just out to get him. So what does he do? He murders people whom he gets annoyed with. First Buquet, then Piangi, and finally (almost) Raoul. And that is DEFINITELY not okay!
I think Christine saw him as more of a teacher, or a friend, or a... father figure, in a messed up way... which is more evident in the book on how she is both afraid and sympathetic for the Phantom.
While not condoning his actions, I do wish the Phantom could have found someone to love him. Good gracious, his final lines “IT’S OVER NOW THE MUSIC OF THE NIIIIIIIIIIGGGGGHHHHHHTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” makes me tear up every time. Gah. I'm in danger of sobbing, too, but I really want to get this post done, so I will conquer myself and think of something Funny instead. *thinks* I know! Gerard Butler’s version of the “All I Ask Of You (Reprise)”. That’ll cheer me up and make me laugh XD!
In all seriousness, I know that Erik is unstable and violent. But I also know that he really IS a gentle, misunderstood soul. You can be both, you know. The unstable and violent side of him, unfortunately, triumphed- and his dreams, his desires for love, his castle on a cloud came tumbling down because of it.
And so... onto the next point, another common argument used to bash Christine is that she’s considered to be flat, boring and goes through ZERO development! But in actual fact, there’s so much going on in her head and goes through quite an emotional travesty that it’s almost impossible to call her bland!
She is deeply wounded by the loss of her father, and has this incredible musical talent which stayed in a state of diamond in the rough before being discovered by her “Angel of Music”. He trains her, not realizing that she is becoming the center of an unhealthy obsession, genuinely believing in her naivety that he is some benevolent spirit sent by her father, therefore bringing her a sense of comfort. She is a pious girl, after all, and being religious myself, well, such a reaction from someone who believes like her is believable though naive. Can we blame Christine for that? NO. How is she supposed to guess?
And now, let's talk about "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again", aka. The Christine Empowerment™ song! I feel like the difference between a good portrayal of Christine and a great portrayal of Christine, is based on how good their rendition of this song is. It is a crucial part of the plot. One of the reason The Phantom and Raoul appeal to Christine is because of the connection they represent to her dead father. Of course, Raoul actually knew her father and the Phantom uses his memory to manipulate her. At this point in the show, Christine has become disillusioned with Raoul and is afraid of the Phantom. She realizes through the song that the only way she can’t move forward is through letting go of the past, and getting over the death of her father. This fuels her actions through the rest of the show as it makes her realize that if she wants her happy ending, she must take charge of her destiny and earn her own agency! And the Phantom, trying to use her in the moment where she was probably at her most vulnerable since she is questioning herself about her entire life, only catalyses her decision. She performs in Don Juan Triumphant, because she knows that everything is up to her, and that she cannot let the Phantom keep on destroying her life.
As for her unmasking the Phantom in "Point of No Return", Christine did this in a way to show him that she refused to be controlled by him any longer. It is certainly not the most intelligent thing to do, nor the nicest, but again, her behaviour is explainable. But as said above for Erik, it doesn’t excuse her. And it shows how she was beginning to be able to resist his pull/spell/enchantment/whatever you like to call it on her!
I adore and admire Christine Daae as a character so much, and it was her actions and story arc that really started my love for this story. Christine's ability to love unconditionally and selflessly is so profound. Even though the Phantom put her and everyone else through lots of horrors, she still doesn't hesitate to show kindness towards him but makes sure that her abuser NEVER hurts anyone EVER again. She loves Raoul so much that she's pretty much willing to sacrifice her freedom and happiness so Raoul could be free. No matter what circumstances she is given, she will still put the ones she loves before herself no matter what, even if it means giving up a chance to save herself. I know most of us won’t ever be put in such an extreme scenario but Christine is such an inspiration of how to love others and believe in them despite flaws and bad sides. She inspires me to see the good in people. It’s so easy to be cynical and hardened in this world, and I think that Phantom of the Opera reminds us to have kindness and light in our hearts, even in challenging circumstances.
I would also like to add another moment of character. Think what it must have taken to prepare for the female lead role in a 3-act opera. Christine wasn’t even an understudy. In a matter of minutes, she went from member of the ballet corps to the lead role, and she had to rehearse and remember new music, character, blocking, and vocals. Not only did she prepare in time, she performed so well that she became a hit. This reveals, not only the skill and beauty of her voice, but also her concentration, diligence, and acting capability. Everyone hails the Phantom as the ultimate musical genius—and he is—but they overlook the implied extent of Christine’s skill.
She went through the loss of both parents, manipulation, being stalked, and knowing that the person she loves most has his life on the line - because of her. And then she literally gets off of her knees and shows her abuser the first form of kindness he has ever known. Not even the Phantom was strong enough for that; he gave up on the world far too early. Christine is the embodiment of courage and kindness; she teaches us to love and forgive those who have been awful to us, and to protect those we love even if it means our own suffering. But she no longer succumbs to the Phantom and makes sure her abuser never hurts anyone EVER again. Seriously, this girl is AWESOME! And this was in the 18th century! It's really sad that such a great character is overlooked by many...
It seems that Leroux really understood women... That we can be emotional, we are vulnerable but not weak... And emotion really helps us when we keep them in control!
Christine, in a nutshell, is a kind, observant, compassionate, trusting young woman–a too trusting at first–but with a spine of steel and determination once she’s drawn the line. She loves people deeply, but she picks up quickly on the realities of the situation. She has the strongest character arc in the story and makes the choices to grow and to move on. Yet she remains gentle and compassionate, uses her love to bless and not manipulate. She’s a layered character who grows. And there’s so much more to her than meets the eye.
#christine daae#Christine daae defense league#phantom of the opera musical#phantom of the opera#the phantom of the opera#poto#character analysis#I'm in the mood to talk about her rn#She's seriously awesome#And it's sad not many people see her like that!
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Have you ever felt a baby kick?
Not my own personal baby but yes
What color pants/shorts are you wearing?
Gray skinny jeans
When is the last time you did something truly fun, and what was it?
Friday night Glenn & I got dinner at one of our favorite Mexican spots, then had a drink (and a little more food) at a Thai place next door. It was a fun night out!
What was the scariest moment of your life?
I'd rather not elaborate on that and dig myself into a dark place
Have you ever heard of Leonard Cohen?
Of course
Pancakes or flapjacks?
Pancakes
What kind of computer are you on?
A Dell
Do you eat Chinese food? If so, what’s your favorite dish?
I do, and I've branched out more lately. I love Sesame mock chicken & lo mein, fried rice, egg rolls, mu shu...
What are you usually doing at midnight?
Dead asleep
Have you ever developed feelings for a friend, but you were already with someone?
Yikes, no
If so, how did it turn out?
Give me your brief definition of love.
Magic
What is the most beautiful part of the human body, male or female?
That varies from person to person
What kind of shoes do you wear?
Sandals whenever possible
What is the worst thing you’ve ever done when you were really angry?
Ummm
Are there any pills you take on a daily basis? If so, what?
Pepcid & my antidepressants
Do you like the smell of coconuts?
Mhm
What is the heaviest you think you can lift?
Not very much
Do you take Tums?
Once in awhile. But usually my daily Pepcid clears up my reflux
Have you ever walked on a pier at the beach?
Mhm
How about under one?
I don't think so
At what age do you first remember feeling butterflies in your stomach around someone?
Not too sure
Do you feel that way around anyone now?
Of course!
Do you ever sing to yourself?
Mm
What is a sound that relaxes you?
I love unintentional ASMR. I have a ton of voicemails saved on my phone from over the years that I listen to for "tingles"
How hard has it been to reach your main goal in life?
I'm not sure what I'd consider my MAIN goal
Do you remember the song about hoes in different area codes?
Yep
What is your main heritage?
Polish & Northern Irish(British)
What kind of pickles do you prefer, if you like pickles?
Dill all the way
What kind of cheese do you prefer, if you like cheese?
ALL of them. My faves are probably white cheddar (Dubliner if possible), Gouda, and Brie
If you could have a sea creature as a pet, what would you want?
I've thought about getting a crab or a turtle but I doubt I would ever
How about a farm animal?
I love goats!
So, do you have hoes in different area codes?
So many
What is the most annoying song you can think of that came out recently?
I really have no idea what the "kids" are listening to these days!
What is a song that you hate to admit you like?
A few Taylor Swift songs
What inspires you to get off your bum and do something productive?
HA, not much
Do you ever use Urban Dictionary?
Yes, to decode modern slang since I'm officially OLD
Do you find the definitions on there to be generally funny or stupid?
They help me out *shrug*
What comes to your mind when you hear the word ‘transformation’?
A butterfly emerging from a cocoon
What was something you regularly played with as a child?
I loved all kinds of arts and crafts
Have you ever given in to peer pressure?
Yep
What part of your body have you had the most problems with in your life?
I'd say my chest & stomach because of my reflux issues
Do a lot of people check you out when you’re in public?
Sometimes
What is a good name for a turtle?
Rochelle
Can you imitate any accents well? If so, which one(s)?
Actually yes but I never do it on command because I'm too embarrassed
Do you like having your ear nibbled on?
Yes, but moreso I love to do the nibbling. It drives Glenn mad though :D
What makes a good kisser a good kisser?
Passion, intent
How many times a year do you have a family thing?
For all the major holidays and birthdays
What are the best things to put in a smoothie?
Strawberries & bananas? I don't drink smoothies much
Do you ever eat with your eyes closed and just focus on the taste?
No?
What do you dislike most about where you live right now?
My rent is a little steep. It's annoying that my rent is raised every year yet nothing in the apartment changes/improves
Has anyone ever given you a rose/roses?
Yes
Are you watching your weight?
I SHOULD be for the wedding but I'm failing miserably
Have you ever become really good friends with someone you found online?
Not really
What makes your best friend your best friend?
Lots of reasons
Do you have a drunk uncle?
Lol no. We actually think my one uncle is a recovered alcoholic, though
Do you hear weird noises in your house at night?
Thank God, no
What is something you do that is generally more like something the opposite sex does?
Drink beer I guess? That makes me sound like such a pick-me girl, lol.
What is the girliest thing you do, if you’re a girl?
Most of what I do is considered "girly"
What is the coolest tattoo you’ve ever seen?
I've seen some cool ones. And some laughable ones...
Have you ever created anything artistic that you’re proud of? If so, what?
My writing
Do you only eat the middle of the oreo, if you eat oreos?
I eat the whole cookie. That'd be such a waste not to
Do you know anyone with a huge ego?
Ohhhh yes
If so, is there anything else about them you actually like?
Yes
Do you have any friends who are more like siblings to you?
Oh asbolutely
What do you like on your hotdogs, if you eat hotdogs?
Mustard. And occasionally some sauerkraut
What is everyone else in your house doing right now?
Glenn's at home chilling. He has the day off (lucky bastard lol)
How long do you think it would take you to run a mile?
I wouldn't bother trying, so
Look down. What do you see?
My legs
What is a subject that makes you uncomfortable?
My drinking habits
What is a subject you can talk on and on about and not get sick of it?
David Bowie
What kind of mood were you in most of today?
Pretty chill so far
Has anyone ever walked in on you naked?
Yes
Tell me an inside joke you have with someone.
You wouldn't get it
What is the worst thing you’ve ever done to someone emotionally?
Blah...
How do you feel now about the first person you ever dated?
I don't think of him often. But HE'S still hung up on me...
How about the last person (your last ex)?
I don't think of him either. But I do harbor a little resentment, if I'm honest. He fucked me over bad. And while I'm so grateful for where I've ended up, there was no reason he had to put me through all that pain.
What is the best invention ever invented?
Beats me
What is something that needs to be invented?
A dryer for your body for when you get out of the shower
What always makes you burp?
Carbonation
What are you doing tomorrow?
Work and then I'm not sure honestly
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