@anothertawogsideblog its been a while, but i still wanted to respond to this! first off, thank you for your compliment on this post, it really means a lot! second of all, yes! although whatever song you have to recommend, it might already be on here! (however if it isn't, dm me!! i have something for that ;3c)
i've actually been waiting for an opportunity to share this, so thank you so much!
this playlist follows Rob's character progression through the original series (wiiiith some gaps filled in ;3)
below the cut are my insane ramblings explanations of why i picked the songs on the playlist, where/how they fit into the timeline of events, aaand a couple of headcanons i have that were inspired by the songs :D i tried to be quick and concise and only talk about lines that REALLY stood out to me
WARNING: don't click on it unless you are prepared to do a bit of reading. legitimately i'm warning you here, there's well over 3K words on this (not counting the lyric transcriptions)
wow, really? okay, strap in!
Self- by Will Wood and The Tapeworms
this and -Ish were recommendations from my partner, so thank you to him :3
the respective opening and closing songs to SELF-iSH tied the og album together, so it was only natural that they serve the same function here.
the SELF-iSH album already deals with themes of identity, and i personally find Rob to be so interesting because of his complex relationship with his identity. or i guess the relationship that i perceive him to have
this song is short, but it's one of many songs that represents something we didn't see happen onscreen. for this one, its Rob getting zapped into the Void.
"well i don't remember 2012,
but i heard the world would turn to hell,
and compared to that, well, i'm doing well,
so i pray to God it really did"
2012 was the year the show began, but its also a year where people believed the world would end. the connection is sort of paradoxical in relation to the show
"so when all my friends forget my name,
no, i wont come back and be the same,
no, i wont come back and be the same,
and i'm gonna be myself again"
this part in particular is not only representing him being erased from the mind's of people who knew him, but also foreshadowing his eventual transformation...
the last line haunts me, because in my head animatic, its something he's saying to reassure himself that he'll be okay. that he'll get out of this and still be himself. which,,, i'm sorry, excuse me (UGLY CRIES HARD INTO A PILLOW) okay next song
Turn the Lights Off by Tally Hall
AUTISM JUMPSCARE
so this song is basically the ensuing panic and chaos from being brought to a place where mistakes are kept. most of my head animatic is just him wandering around in the Void and being chased or frightened by all the weird shit in there.
"eyes of yellow
scales and feathers
tails in tethers
turn the lights off"
more foreshadowing,,,, how the white of his eye changes to yellow after the Void,,,,,,, how he gets a pig tail in The Future,,,,,,,,,,,,, yeah
Sweet Hibiscus Tea by Penelope Scott
Penelope Scott is a recurring artist on this playlist :3 (foreboding sense of doom)
"and i am not your protagonist
i'm not even my own
i don't know anything
i don't even know what i don't know"
local boy achieves sentience, more at 11
"and if you look outside you'll see
disintegrating trees
the artificial way the sunlight
bounces off the waxy leaves"
these lines perfectly paint a picture of a world that is not real, again tying into him becoming sentient
"and if you look outside you'll see
disintegrating trees
the artificial way the sunlight
bounces off the glitching leaves"
do i even have to say it.
"my wet heart catches on every thorn
you're already halfway out the door"
Rob calling out to Gumball and Darwin and then seeing them ignore him in favor of Molly........
"and i'm so tiny and so old
and god its never been so cold
and it is 85 degrees
i don't know what i need"
the ending to this song feels so hopeless and frustrated. which sadly, ties in perfectly.
ECHO by Crusher-P (feat. GUMI)
this is like. the ultimate Rob song for so many reasons. here are my takes!!
"the clock stopped ticking
forever ago
how long have i been up?
i don't know"
reflecting on how long he's been in the Void. has it been a day? or has it been years? it's impossible to know
"why cant i see, why cant i see
all the colors that you see?
please can i be, please can i be
colorful and free?"
so in this instance “seeing color” is a sorta metaphor for being important or interesting. things which he wasn't, based on being put into the Void.
then him longing to be important, to be interesting, to be out of this god-forsaken place
"what the hell's going on?
can someone tell me please?
why i'm switching faster than the channels on TV
I'm black, then i'm white
no, something isn't right
my enemy's invisible, i don't know how to fight"
in reference to his surroundings being screens of TV static. realizing that his real enemy is whatever decides who’s important and who isn’t, but not knowing how to fight back against it
"the trembling fear is more than i can take
when i'm up against the echo in the mirror"
at this point the "echo" is the boy he was when he was brought here. young and naïve, hopeful that somebody would remember him and care enough about to come rescue him.
"i'm gonna burn my house down into a ugly black,
i'm gonna run away now and never look back"
this is him running after the van and leaving this fucked up place behind. the fact that these lines repeat and overlap each other really sells the amp up towards the climax that is him grabbing onto the side of the van and holding on until we flash to the other side.
"what the hell's going on?
can someone tell me, please?
why i'm switching faster than the channels on TV
I'm black, then i'm white,
no, something isn't right,
my enemy's invisible, i don't know how to fight,"
this,,,,, this is after the memory wipe. this is the "who am i? what happened? whats… wrong with me?" that happens as soon as he's spat out the other side.
"the trembling fear is more than i can take
when i'm up against the echo in the mirror"
now the echo is a ghost of his former self, before he was transformed. i headcanon that his pre-Void self's appearance haunts him like a ghost, never being fully visible or tangible in any way, but still undeniably there.
from this point on when he tries to interact with it or remember who he was, its like trying to grab fog. it just slips right through his fingers and dissipates into nothing.
Eighth Wonder by Lemon Demon
FIRST and ONLY silly song!!! this one is him sneaking into and hiding in the Watterson's house almost entirely undetected :3 (DON'T look at his body dysphoria look at him he’s normal he’s NORMAL)
Projections by CG5
hey hey hey hey hey DON'T look at the Bendy and The Ink Machine character on the cover of the song—look at me! this song is a PERFECTLY NORMAL CHOICE-hey hey! stop looking at The Projectionist look at me-LOOK AT ME! this is NORMAL.
just. hear me out, okay. just listen. to the song.
"in the dark i see everything
there's no place that i'd rather be"
he's just some poor amnesiac hiding out in a basement. he isn't happy about it, but he doesn't have anywhere to go. no memories, no family, and goodness knows California isn't particularly kind to the homeless. he has nowhere else to go. this is what he has and he has to deal with it.
"way back in history,
you could say i was very bright,
but now i'm drawn to the deepest darkness,
and that's where i find my light”
and now he's alone in the dark, where the only light he has is the light that emits from his body.
"everywhere that i look, all that i see
is projections of what i used to be"
he sees the ghost of his former self so often, and he knows that it's a clue to his past, but he can never get a good enough look at it to jog his memories.
in the original song, the change in vocalist signifies that Norman Polk, (the soul trapped inside The Projectionist) is the one singing now. i though that was cool, so that format carries over here as the former self begins to sing!
"but i guess it'll always be like this
cant change anything about this infinite abyss”
infinite abyss is the Void that lurks just beyond their world, all powerful and unchanging
“i cant believe that this is happening, not at all
i'm literally a walking thing singing 'bout my downfall
i can still remember the day that i drowned, but i never even died"
this is the part in The Nobody when he got his memories back and decided to pursue vengeance
"start the show and look up at the screen
watch from the beginning to the end of the scene
if you want to learn more about me
just watch the projections of what i used to be"
the rest of the song is his acceptance of the villain role and the ghost abandoning him for it
Again by Crusher-P
the first song for The Nemesis!!!
okay so quick thing before we start: there's a cover of this song by Jayn and The Living Tombstone (MAJOR FLASHING LIGHT WARNING FOR THE VIDEO). this version changed the lyrics in some places which offered some SUPER awesome opportunities for angst stuff. i would have put this version on the playlist, but it sadly isn't available on Spotify :( so for simplicity's sake i'll just talk abt the original here :)
i sort of see this song as an argument between his current self and the one he left behind. how much this anger and resentment has changed him from what he was. some parts of the song are sung by his past self and others are sung by the present.
"i haven't been myself lately
i don't blame you for not wanting to stay
saying things that i don't mean
not meaning what i say"
(lines 1 and 2 are present self, lines 3 and 4 are past self)
i think that after he accepted the role of antagonist, the ghost of who he was before just vanished. i like to believe it was afraid of him, and perhaps ashamed, too.
"when its good, its so good
when its bad, its so bad
even when i knew what i had
what am i supposed to say when i end up driving everyone away?"
(present self)
wanting revenge can change you. you were hurt, or something was taken from you, and you want to DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. when you have all of that anger festering inside of you, it can distort whatever idea you have of who you are—and that is what happened here. the anger and resentment not only permanently changed who he is now, but scared away what little of himself he had left.
"every inch of me is charred
god, what happened to my heart?
i'm about to fall apart
again, again
and you're never coming back
and i'm not okay with that!
and i should have never let myself get attached!"
(present self speaking about past self)
he's never getting back what they took from him. he'll never be the same, because of them. who he was — that's not him anymore, and its their fault.
"and its like every day is a fight for my life
to get some self control
and when you've forgotten who i am, it just feels, it just feels
like i'm nobody at all"
(present self talking about past self)
again, the ghost disappearing after he accepts the antagonist role making him lose touch with who he was
"i lost myself hitting the ground
i held my breath in case i drowned"
flashback to when he got spat out of the Void without his memories. when he got his memories back, he also regained self-awareness.
"i should have known when to let go
and when to see who i was being"
maybe it was a mistake. but its still their fault. now he's REALLY mad.
Enemy by Imagine Dragons
i think you and i know each other pretty well at this point. you're reading my analytical mini-essay about this cartoon character. we’re being cringe together. you won’t make fun of me for choosing the jerma meme song.
the first part of this song is for The Bus. think of it as an internal monologue while he does his villain shit. this one also kind of touches on how he’s taking the nemesis thing a lot more seriously than Gumball is
the second part of the song transitions into the events of The Disaster.
"they say pray it away
i swear that i’ll never be a saint, no way”
this is Rob reflecting the role he’s been given as antagonist because he wants to be the main character. he’s not content to be a good little character and stay in his assigned role, he wants freedom!
“a chair in the corner is my place i stay
i shake and i think about the powers at play, the powers at play”
the powers at play are exactly what they sound like. it’s the show runners and the audience — the people who are watching and controlling his fictional world.
“and the kids in the dark that were doomed from the start,"
i've done a little digging into what the show creators have said about Rob, and from what i can gather it was planned for him to have had this happen to him from a very early point in the show. so. yeah. doomed from the start indeed
"love is a constant, love is a basis,
he cannot be, she cannot be, they can not be changed
goodbye..."
everyone in this story is powerless to change it. everyone... except him, now that he has the remote
Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing by Set It Off
a classic villain rage song! most of this is him fucking up Gumball's life in The Disaster
"baa baa, black sheep,
have you any soul?
no, sir, by the way
what the hell are morals?!"
fun fact! early prototype versions of Gumball made him a black cat to tie into his unluckiness :3 they didn't end up going with it because he was too hard to see against black backgrounds, but still. i like to imagine Rob knows stuff like that,,,,
"maybe you'll change
abandon all your wicked ways
make amends and start anew again
maybe you'll see
all the wrongs you did to me
and start all over, start all over again"
this is that moment in The Disaster where Rob tries to reveal the nature of their world to Gumball
"oh, who am I kidding?
now, let's not get overzealous here
you've always been a huge piece of shit
if I could kill you, I would
but it's frowned upon in all fifty states
having said that, burn in hell, yeah!"
but Gumball doesn't understand. so Rob gives up and decides to finish what he started.
"karma's gonna come collect your debt!"
at the end of the song its Gumball jumping in after the remote, Rob closing the AV portal like curtains, and Gumball managing to press the rewind button, transitioning into the next episode
Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land by MARINA
holy fuck i love this one okay lets go. now we're in The Re-Run, but these next two songs are replacing the ones that were there in The Disaster
"you don't have to be like everybody else
you don't have to fit into the norm
you are not here to conform"
again, rejection of the role he was given and what the universe wants him to be.
"i am here to take a look inside myself
recognize that I could be the eye, the eye of the storm"
now that he has the remote, he can be the center of it all. the eye of the storm, the main character.
"i am not my body, not my mind or my brain (ha)
not my thoughts or feelings, I am not my DNA
i am the observer, I'm a witness of life"
i like the interesting position that sentience puts him in. he's watching the world with the context that none of its real, so he's watching it with us, the audience. but he's still living through all of these experiences like they are real because they’re happening in his reality, so he’s still part of the show and,,, yeah you get it.
"i live in the space between the stars and the sky"
line is in reference to how he's caught between worlds. he doesn't belong in Elmore, but he doesn't want to go back to the Void
Dr. Sunshine Is Dead by Will Wood and The Tapeworms
ooooh this one’s good. let’s get started.
"if we can't see each other, then there's no more use for hiding
I've decided I'll abide it; why deny the color black?"
why shouldn't he have what he wants? he has all of the power to get it. who's going to stop him?
"i'm not a flower, not a solar-powered calculator
Damn my eyes for seeing what's not there"
these lines are in reference to Leslie and Bobert, who get to be important and interesting and not having their lives ripped apart by the universe. god fuck those guys and fuck him for ever wanting to settle for being a cute side character when he could have THIS
"the future must know where you've been
the past predicts the state you're in
the present did and will not last
is, isn't, was, have, hasn't, has"
this is the part where Gumball starts to get the upper hand and it starts to dawn on Rob that he's fucked
"all that i ask is, keep those empty frames
if nobody's in them, then no one is to blame
for your self-portraits, sign another name
well, who should I be then, if I'll never be the same?
Gumball ejects him. and now he's falling…
"and if dreams can come true, what does that say about nightmares?
i'll stay awake tonight..."
if he can come so close to his perfect life, if he can wield the power of a god and still fail--is there any point in continuing to think he can be anything else? anything but a mistake to be cast aside and forgotten?
there's nowhere to go--no point in trying to be anything else. this is the end.
Bad Apple!! - English Remaster by RichaadEB and Christina Vee
STOP LAUGHING
okay so this cover is metal as fuck and i love it a lot but anyway- we're still in The Re-Run at this point. just for fun we're going to pretend he was in there a lot longer than he was in canon
"and maybe its a dream, maybe nothing else is real
but it wouldn't mean a thing if i told you how i feel"
oughhh imagine trying to pull the wool away from someone's eyes only for them not to understand and leave you more isolated than you've ever been before.
"you could tell me what to say, you could tell me where to go,
but i doubt that i would care and my heart would never know"
so what if he's a mistake? does any of it really matter in the first place if none of it’s real?
"will tomorrow ever come?
will i make it through the night?
will there ever be a place for the broken in the light?"
will things ever get better for him? will things get better for anyone trapped in the existential nightmare of their own fictionality?
will the mistakes of the world ever find peace, or comfort, or solace in what they are--toys to be ripped apart and cast aside by greater beings?
"if i find a way to change, if i step into the light
then i'll never be the same and it all would fade to white"
imagine holding infinite power in your hands--the ability to rewrite reality to your liking, to step into the spotlight you've yearned for for so long, only to be sent back to the buzzing white hellscape where everything terrible began?
ramping up towards the climax of the song is when Gumball enters to rescue him from this place. Rob is running from him stubbornly because he's being overwhelmed by hatred and hopelessness- convinced an eternity of loneliness is what he deserves.
"this time you're not hurting me!
this time i will take a stand!
all the hatred in my eyes building up an evil plan
standing lonely in the night, with the darkness by my side"
he finally gets ahold of the remote again. Gumball is utterly defenseless--and Rob has the chance to finish what he started. but...
"looking deep inside myself, and revealing only fright"
but standing behind Gumball is the ghost. his ghost.
"if i make another move, if i take another step
then it all would fall apart, there'd be nothing of me left"
the person that he was- the person who would have done anything to even have the chance to be rescued, is right there.
if he does this--if he takes Gumball's life in favor of an eternity of loneliness--then he'll lose what little remained of who he was.
so he cant do it. he cant bring himself to do it. so he goes back
"so i'm back here once again, so i'm back here once again!
will i ever make a change?
will my heart begin to mend?
this one simple action, where Gumball goes back into the Void to save Rob even though he's won, it lets Rob forgive him in a sense. the two of them are friends now.
"would you love me if i go?"
but it cant last, even if he wants it to. he has to fix the mess he's created.
"it feels like a heart attack!
but still everything's the same-"
so he rewinds, fixing all of the problems he caused. he finally stops just after he first got the remote
"and it all just fades to black"
he smashes the remote and the world goes dark as the credits roll and the music fades out...
Amygdala’s Ragdoll by Ghost and Pals
this is another song that takes place during some offscreen time, specifically the time between the rerun's end the ex's beginning.
there's a general theme of guilt and anguish in this song. he reason he “breaks up” with Gumball is tied to what happened at the end of The Re-Run. Rob feels bad about ruining Gumball life and he’s still struggling with the guilt of his actions along with everything else.
"an eye for an eye
that's how the game works
i'm losing my autonomy, a mutilated part of me"
being aware that you are fictional character and therefore losing what autonomy you had because somebody is making all of your decisions for you & having a mangled, broken body that's a distorted version of who you are or used to be.
"today something changed
i figured it's true
the frontal lobe placed me behind my own strings
'cause i defy the way the game works
i'll say it again, i'm only getting worse"
yet another reference to Rob being sentient and trying to go against the show's narrative
"the dull assumptions that I've tasted decency
waiting for the embers
to lose their glow
and I, and I dunno
oh, all I've ever seen before
were clusters of holes"
he's really been put through the ringer for like. genuinely no reason. what was the point.
“the fire and i, alone again
the guilt and i, alone again”
ough this one hits. after everything that happened in the re-run can you imagine the kind of guilt he felt? like. friendly reminder that The Re-Run was an infinitely more fucked up episode than The Disaster because one character CEASED TO EXIST and another literally DIED onscreen.
jesus. being somewhat responsible for that happening has GOT to fuck you up.
Be Nice To Me by The Front Bottoms
this one is a breakup song that i put on here just for The Ex because there is no heterosexual explanation for it. anyway
the themes of hating someone you’re in a relationship with and trying to get them out of your life but they just keep showing up despite every attempt you make to push them away,,, yeah
“i got boulders on my shoulders
collarbones begin to crack
there is very little left of me
and it’s never coming back”
CRYING
"you say i'm changing
sorry, i didn't know i had to stay the same
could we talk about this later?
your voice is driving me insane, driving me insane!
you get it. you see the parallels.
"you're a werewolf and i'm a full moon
all your very worst enemies will be gone soon"
oh boy, more foreshadowing! but yeah that's it for The Ex. moving on!
Infinitesimal by Mother Mother
this is one of the few super mentally ill songs that i let stay on the playlist.
this song has a general theme of feeling like an idiot for being upset about seemingly minuscule problems. its also a song about existentialism, which i thought was fitting
All The Rowboats by Regina Spektor
this ones for The Future! starting with him kidnapping Banana Barbara and ending with him being erased, then painted back into existence.
like. listen to these lyrics and TELL me it cant be tied to the paintings predicting unchangeable futures.
"all the rowboats in the paintings
they keep trying to row away
and the captains' worried faces
stay contorted and staring at the waves
they'll keep hanging in their gold frames
for forever, forever and a day
all the rowboats in the oil paintings
they keep trying to row away, row away"
Rät by Penelope Scott
i imagine this takes place when Rob wakes up after being painted back into existence.
now he's dealing with anger and resentment over Gumball again, but now its different because he was TRYING to do a good thing but he STILL got FUCKED OVER ANYWAY.
"i fell for circuit boards
rocket ships
pictures of the stars
if you could only be what you pretend you are"
if only Gumball could be a somebody who's worthy of being the main character
"let me level with you, man
as someone guilty of the game
i took the help, I took the cash
i would've taken your last name"
in reference to Rob trying to replace Gumball using the remote, but ultimately choosing not to
This Is Home by Cavetown
this song is where i introduce one of my favorite headcanons inspired by this playlist: that Rob was the one who built the transformation machines from The Inquisition.
in this song, he's starting to work on his plans to save everyone as well as reflecting on his life and the decisions he's made up until now.
“i’ll cut my hair
to make you stare”
okay so. you know that cluster of polygons on Rob's back? it’s supposed to be a backpack, but the fans (myself included) always draw it as a ponytail.
in The Inquisition, its missing.
i'm serious, go and watch that episode back. it's just gone.
this was probably a purposeful choice during production so that the audience wouldn't see his model clipping through the floor in the shots where he's lying down, since that would break immersion.
but in conjunction with the ponytail headcanon? oh man.
i like to think that after the events of The Future, Rob cut his hair. mostly because i just LOVE the trope of a character cutting their hair to symbolize change/character growth. not sure how it would work with his whole... whatever he has going on, but i digress
"are you dead?
sometimes i think i'm dead
'cause i can feel ghosts and ghouls wrapping my head
but i don't wanna fall asleep just yet
my eyes went dark
i don't know where
my pupils are but i'll
figure out a way to get us outta here"
i don't think Rob knows about the painting, but what he does know is that the world is ending, and he doesn't want to disappear before he can have a chance to save everyone.
"get a load of this monster
he doesn't know how to communicate
his mind is in a different place
can everybody please give him a little bit of space?
reflecting on how he handled the confrontation in the Future. he was so fixated on finding answers and getting rid of obstacles that he hadn't thought to explain the reasons behind his actions to anyone.
"get a load of this trainwreck
his hair's a mess and he doesn't know who he is yet
but little do we know the stars
welcome him with open arms
oh..."
little does Rob know that while he works on a solution, the Void is waiting for him.
Moonsickness by Penelope Scott
getting all of the machines to work right is an arduous task. he's building all of them from scratch, conducting all of the necessary tests, dealing with all of the bugs and problems, and its all on a time limit. the world is set to end any day now and he feels like he's failing, but he has to keep going for the sake of everyone in Elmore.
Who We Are by Imagine Dragons
we've finally made it to The Inquisition!! think of this song sort of like an internal justification for his actions as Superintendent Evil (goofy ass name btw, there's no way he didn't come up with that because of the Dr Wrecker persona)
“it’s who we are,
doesn’t matter if we’ve gone too far,
doesn’t matter if it’s all okay,
doesn’t matter if it’s not our day,”
its for the greater good.
"oh, wont you save us from what we are?"
"up in the attic, down in the cellar
lost in the static, coming back for more
oh, for more"
they need to do this. they need to change. there's no other way.
but things never go his way, do they?
7 O'Clock by Penelope Scott
after he gets knocked out via t. rex clobbering, in my head there's an intense dream sequence that this and part of Some Nights takes place in.
"a glitch in the game, i loop like a bug
and all that i ever wanted was a really tight hug"
REMEMBER WHEN HE AND GUMBALL HUGGED IN THE RE-RUN? BECAUSE I DO
"a glitch in the game, i loop like a bug
and all i ever died for was a really tight hug"
SCREAMING AND CRYING ANS SOBBING AND WAILING AND BANGING MY FISTS ON THE FLOOR
"the future is static, it drips on the floor
and makes its way underneath my bedroom door"
ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME ARHARGGARRAFHRASFASGA (<- INSANITY)
Some Nights by fun.
oh my god we finally made it to the reason i made this post. if you've made it this far you have a problem (<- WROTE ALL THE SHIT)
so. this song is already about reflecting on your past. but my GOD its like they made this song for Rob because so many lines just fit him perfectly. lets get into it.
"but i still wake up, i still see your ghost"
when he started working on a way to save everyone, i like to imagine the ghost started appearing more frequently, eagerly watching him work on a solution and rooting for him to finally become a better person
"oh Lord, i'm still not sure what i stand for
what do i stand for? what do i stand for?
most nights i don't know anymore"
i'm. sorry guys i need a second. (UGLY CRIES SUPER LOUD INTO A PILLOW)
at this point he doesn't know who he wants to be. first he didn't know who he was. then he decided he would be someone driven by anger and vengeance. then he wanted to turn over a new leaf, but was dragged back into villainy.
so who should he be? the frail and scared amnesiac? the malicious and cunning villain? or... maybe, once all of this is over, he can finally choose for himself.
"well some nights i wish that this would all would end
'cause i could use some friends for a change!
and some nights i'm scared you'll forget me again
some nights i always win (i always win)"
I'M SOBBING JUST LET HIM BE HAPPY
"so this is it? i sold my soul for this?
washed my hands of that for this?
i miss my mom and dad for this?
no, when i see stars- when i see-
when i see stars, that's all they are"
this whole bit is him waking up and monologing about why they stopped him. if he's failed, what was the point of all of this? what was the point of anything?
"well, that is it guys, that is all
five minutes in, and i'm bored again
ten years of this, i'm not sure if anybody understands"
in reference to how people sometimes tune out in the middle of a show's the runtime and also. the show turned twelve this year. (kubrik stare)
"the other night, you wouldn't believe
the dream i just had about you and me
i called you up, but we both agree
the ground starts to shake under him and the floor caves in. we hear the final lines of the song as he falls in slow motion, deeper and deeper into the abyss.
"its for the best you didn't listen
its for the best we get our distance, oh
its for the best you didn't listen
its for the best we get our distance, oh"
-Ish by Will Wood and the Tapeworms
in his final moments, Rob reflects on his life for a final time. falling through the air, he realizes that who he is, who he was, who he wanted to be never mattered anyway. because no matter what he did, it all ended the same.
with the world devoured by static and nobody left to defend it.
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What, Like it's Hard?
https://archiveofourown.org/works/21599779
“Help me pick out what to wear!” Tony calls Pepper and Jan, vibrating with excitement. “I… I think he’s proposing tonight!”
“Oh my gosh, Tony! I’m on my way!” Jan squeals. “Pepper, be ready in two minutes!”
They spend 2 hours picking out the perfect outfit. Ty pulls up. As he gets out, Tony walks out the door. “Hi sweetheart.” Tony kisses him on the cheek.
“Snookums.”
Once the Bugatti pulls away, Jan squeals, pulling Pepper into a tight hug. “Oh my gosh! I’m soo excited!!!”
Pepper, the more reserved one, smiles brightly. “Why can I see the three exclamation points after that?”
Jan flips her hair. “Skills.”
Tony and Ty enjoy a nice salmon dinner with roasted potatoes and fried calamari. Right before dessert comes out, Ty takes Tony’s hand. “Snooks, can we talk?”
Excited, Tony nods eagerly. “Sure Ty!”
“Snooks, we have to break up.”
“OF COU- wait, what? Ty? Why?”
“I am transferring to MIT. I’m going to be running Viastone soon, and I need someone serious and useful by my side, not a party animal. I’m sure you see my side.”
“Ty, you can’t be serious. I love you! I thought you were going to propose!” The restaurant grows silent as Tony’s eyes fill with tears.
“Tony… errr… can we not do this here?” Ty shifts uncomfortably.
“Why? You thought this was a great place to break up, why can’t we talk here?”
Ty signal for the check and quickly pays, pulling Tony out after him. The ride home is uncomfortably silent, but Tony doesn’t trust his voice enough to speak.
Ty gets out to walk him to the door, but Tony hops out. Ty grabs his elbow. “Snookums. You know I still love you. I just can’t be with you.”
Tony ignores him as he walks into the house. Pepper and Jam are still here! Jan has a bottle of champagne to open, but seeing his face, she sets it on the table and wraps him in a hug. “Oh baby. What happened?”
“H-he broke up with me!” Tony sobs. “He s-says he needs someone useful and serious.”
“He’s neither useful nor serious. He’s wrong, Tones. He’s a jerk. Take his words with a grain of salt.”
Tony wipes his eyes. “No. He’s right. He has to run a business after his dad dies. He doesn’t need someone like me causing more problems from bad press. So I’m not going to do that anymore. I’m going to serious up. I’m going to transfer to MIT.”
“Tony, you don’t have to prove anything to him.”
“I don’t, but I want to be with him. He loves me, you know. He’s just making the best choice for himself. But if he sees I can be serious and useful, he'll take me back.”
+++++++++
Howard Stark laughs when Tony tells him he is planning on transferring to MIT. “You think you'll get in? Hilarious.”
Undeterred, Tony makes a call to the Dean, who advises he should send over his information as they may have a few openings.
After a few weeks of held breath, Tony gets a letter with his transferal acceptance. Jan and Pepper are happy for him, but they think he’s making a mistake.
He flies to Massachusetts, deliriously happy.
Checking into MIT, he learns he has a roommate – one James Rhodes. Rhodes is in Philadelphia on break so he wouldn’t meet him for another week or so, so Tony sets up his stuff in the room. Tomorrow’s the first day of class! He memorizes the schedule and hall map. Everything is falling into place. Now, to find Ty… Tony drifts off to sleep dreaming about the next day.
Heading down the hall for Lecture Hall 3C, Tony runs into Ty. “Hi Ty!” He says brightly.
Ty almost trips over himself. “Tony? What are doing here?”
“I got into MIT. I’m going to show you I can be serious and helpful in…”
“Ahem.” A beautiful woman cuts Tony off, wrapping her arm around Ty’s back. “Hi love.” She addresses Ty. “Who’s this?”
“Snookums, meet Tony. Tony, this is my girlfriend, Rumiko Fujikawa.”
Snookums?? That was Ty's pet name for TONY! He smiles through the pain. “Nice to meet you. I was heading to class.” He straightens his back and walks past them.
The first week of class, Tony is depressed. He knows his stuff, but he's just not into it. Ty moved on, apparently. Nevertheless, Tony presses on. One little thing won’t bring him down when he is determined.
He stops past a parts store after class and chats with the man behind the counter. A young army vet who lost his arm in Afghanistan, the man could seem to overly threatening to some, but Tony’s sunny personality wins him over.
Tony buys a few new parts for a project while they talk. The door opens and the man stands ramrod straight. It’s just the delivery guy. “What’s up, buttercup?”
James, the vet, grumbles. “Nothing. Pigeon.”
Tony must look so confused because the delivery guy laughs. “He’s just mad because I was Air Force, and he was Army.”
“I see.”
“Sign here and I’ll be out of your hair.”
James signs while saying, “Screw you.” After the delivery guy leaves, he releases his tension. “That’s Sam.”
“He’s cute.” Tony grins.
“Shaddup. Is that everything?” James shoots back good-naturedly.
+++++++++
James Rhodes is tired. His flight was delayed and the cab he took got stuck in traffic. Upon arriving, the dean tells him he has a roommate, some rich transfer kid from UCLA. Daddy probably paid his way on his whim. He knows he shouldn’t judge, but he had to work hard to get a scholarship here, and there’s just so many people who waste it.
Rhodes unlocks the door to his dorm. There’s… machinery… everywhere. This new kid’s a mess. He groans internally. Bewildered, he looks around searching for… where’s my charger? He finds it on the other side of the room from where he had left it. He quickly unpacks and settles into bed. When he wakes up and goes to class the next morning, he realizes he hasn’t seen his new roommate yet. Oh well. Not his problem. He might be better off not ever seeing him.
Engineering class is definitely his favorite even though Professor Ross is a jerk. A little bit racist, VERY homophobic, and with a power complex, it is very hard to get anywhere with him. His TA, Bruce, is a very mild-mannered man. How he puts up with Ross all the time is beyond Rhodes.
When he gets to the classroom, there’s a boy in his usual seat. Wow, he is adorable – his glasses are almost bigger than his face! However, he’s in Rhodes' seat. “Excuse me? This is my seat.” He stands beside his desk. The boy looks up with big doe eyes.
“I sat here all week, and you weren’t here. It doesn’t seem like your seat to me.” He replies.
Rhodes wants to yell and scream, but he’s better than that. He simply just sighs and finds a new seat, one with a much worse view of the board, but, hey, a great view of the new guy!
Ross walks in and asks a question. Rhodes raises his hand and answers. The new guy scoffs. “Are you kidding? That’s not true.” Of course, Ross asks for his opinion. The new guy goes on a long spiel of the ways Rhodes was wrong. The funny thing about this was, he had basically recited the chapter. This new guy just told the book it was wrong! And his points were accurate! Who is this guy? Rhodes is caught between admiring the guy and hating his guts.
Class goes on the same way, this new guy and he were arguing back and forth, the rest of the class enjoying the ride.
The day is over and Tony is tired. He wants to get back to his dorm and work on BUTTERFINGERS a little more. He also has to finish JARVIS' code. He hopes he can use that as his project. Oh, his roommate is supposed to be back today! Tony curses himself because he forgot to clean up. He runs the rest of the way to his dorm. Unlocking the door, he finds the cute guy from Engineering sitting at the desk. The guy stands up. “You? Not youhoohoo.” He groans.
Great. Just one letdown after another. Tony smiles. “I’m sorry. I lost track of time and forgot that you would be back today. I’ll clean up everything. I’m Tony Stark.” He reaches out his hand to shake.
His roomie warily takes it. “James Rhodes.”
“James. Aw, there’s already another James here. Can I call you Rhodey? I’m calling you Rhodey. What are your classes? Mine are…” He rattles off all his classes. He knows he's rambling but he can’t seem to stop.
+++++++++++++
Does this guy ever shut up? Rhodes thinks. And he thinks he can just call me Rhodey because he knows another James.
He ignores Tony for the first couple weeks, only talking to him when needed. Rhodey starts to notice a few things about the guy, though. He rarely sleeps, he doesn’t eat enough, he talks to himself, and he loves to build things.
One night, he overhears Tony talking to “Pepper?” – probably another nickname.“Pep. It’s not doing too great. Ty, he doesn’t talk to me. He’s got this Rumiko chick with him at all times, and she scares the crap out of me. I don’t know, I just thought he’d still want me if I went to this school, too. And I paid attention in school and tried.” His voice cracks. “Uh huh. Mmhmm. Yea, I know Pep.” He sniffs. “I miss you guys so much! Yea. There’s a few people. Steve and Nat are great. Yea, there’s a guy at the parts shop. I think, yea that’s James, I think he’s in love with the UPS guy. I’m gonna set that up. Oh Rhodey?” Rhodes stretches his ears to listen as Tony’s voice drops. “I don’t know if he’s here or not. I think he’s really cool! He’s an engineer and in the ROTC program. I don’t think he likes me much though. He won’t talk to me. Maybe I should stop talking so much. Pep, I know. But just because you like me like this doesn’t mean most people do. Ok, thanks Pep. I love you too. Tell Wasp I said hi and that she better call when she has a chance. I already left 4 voicemails.”
He walks out of his room to see Rhodes at the table. “Oh, hi.” He fumbles with his phone. “How-how long where you out here?”
“Just came in.” Rhodes lies to see Tony’s reaction.
He visibly relaxes. “Oh ok. You just… startled me.”
Rhodes tries to be nice to Tony after hearing this. He will make dinner and give Tony a plate when he’s on a work binge and forgets to eat. They throw ideas off of each other when experimenting for Engineering. Tony tells him about Pepper and Jan (Wasp) from Malibu. He tells him about Ty, and Rumiko, and even about James and Sam. Rhodey gets used to his nickname and end up telling Tony about his family in Philadelphia.
Tony is very tactile. He loves so much, even if the person doesn’t love him back. Rhodey can’t believe he disliked the guy in the first place. One night in January, a blizzard held them inside their dorm. They marathoned all the Star Wars movies. Tony loves Luke while Rhodey is a huge Anakin fan. When Tony cuddles up to him, he glances timidly at Rhodey. Rhodey doesn’t react-it just feels right. Oops… he’s falling for Tony… and hard.
+++++++++++++
Rhodey’s actually being nice to him now! Tony is happy. They worked on BUTTERFINGERS together. Rhodey is great cook – his mom, too. Tony’s had many cookies that she sent up. He’s Tony’s best friend at MIT.
Tony has made several other friends. Natasha is a drama student, Steve’s in for art. Bruce, Ross's TA, is someone who can keep up with Tony’s racing brain. He’s actually interested in Tony’s project.
James Barnes, the parts store worker, is a hoot. Tony feels bad for him, though. He was in a bad relationship that totally screwed him over, and he can’t do anything about it. Now, he really likes Sam, but he doesn’t know how to approach him. He also is convinced no one could love him (compliments of his ex) so he will not ask Sam out. Tony is determined to set them up.
James-“My name's Bucky, kid.”-'s ex is a rich man on the good side of town. Tony wants to get back at him for Bucky. Against Bucky’s knowledge, he sends a package to this Alexander Pierce. One that’s rigged to blow when opened. Two days later, when Tony is in the shop, the man comes in, furious… and with no eyebrows.
“Barnes! I am going to kill you! I have a date tonight with a hot heiress, and you ruined it!”
Doing his best to keep from laughing, Bucky says. “Alex. I have no idea what you're talking about. What happened?”
“You know.”
“Don’t you think that if I wanted to get back at you, I’d have done it 6 months ago? I’m over it and you.”
“You’re going to regret this.” Pierce storms out of the shop. Tony bursts out laughing.
Bucky falls off his chair. “That’s freakin hilarious, but who would’ve done that?”
“Twould be me.” Tony raises his hand.
“I can’t believe you! Why would you…?”
“To show you he’s a big bowl of jerk. And you should not worry about what he says.”
Bucky gives him a side hug. “You’re alright, ya know?”
Sam walks in with a package. “What’s so funny?”
“We-ahh- well, it’s none of your business!” Bucky yells, turning to Tony and cringing so Sam couldn’t see him.
“Ok… sorry I asked.” Sam grins.
“No, it’s ok. I just sent a little bomb to his ex. It was hilarious and well-deserved. He just came in spluttering like a walrus.” Tony says easily.
“Non-lethal?”
“Nope. It killed him. Deserved it. He was a jerk to our dear Buck.”
“Ok. Deserved indeed. Bucky doesn’t need jerks.” Tony can SEE the hearts in his eyes. This needs to happen.
Sam leaves and Bucky sighs. “ I am in love with him. But he’s way out of my league.”
“Lies. You just need to catch his attention. Skinny jeans - put those thighs and that butt to good use. Wear a man-bun to show those cheekbones. Bucky, you’re HOT.” Bucky blushes but follows his advice.
++++++++++++++
Bruce asks a few of the top Engineering students to join a special club headed by Ross and himself. Tony, Rhodey, Ty, and Rumiko are all members. They have to create something to present at a science fair.
Ross is demanding and demeaning. Nothing Tony or Rumiko says goes at all. She stops past Tony’s dorm one night. “Hi. Can I come in?”
Good thing Rhodey’s not here. He’d say no. “Yea sure! We only have one couch, though.”
Rumiko sits down, and they sit awkwardly in silence. “You know, Ross doesn’t like us.”
“Yea, I’m gay and you’re female.” Tony replies.
BUTTERFINGERS rolls up, beeping happily. Rumiko smiles. “Oh my gosh! It’s so cute! A robot.”
“Yea his name's BUTTERFINGERS. I think he likes you. Here.” He hands her a ball. “Throw it. He loves fetch.”
When she leaves, Rumiko touches his arm. “I’m sorry I was such a crappy person. Can we be friends?”
“Sure! See you in class tomorrow?”
Rhodey is skeptical when Tony tells him. “She’s probably just using you.”
“I want to give her a chance.” He says brightly.
Class is the same the next day, but Tony brings in plans. He’s going to miniaturize the arc reactor. Ross laughs at him, but Bruce looks at the plans and believes it’s possible. This is what they’re going to do for the science fair, and if it works, Tony will go places. Ross starts taking his advice over Ty’s. He sounds like he respects his decisions.
After two months, Tony finishes the final touches. The device starts to glow with energy. It powers all the lights in the room. It’s finally ready for the science fair.
+++++++++++
Ross calls Tony into his office one day. “You know, if all goes well, I may ask you to lead a group I run with me. We tour the country teaching science to groups.”
Tony is interested in this so he sits to talk more. Ross stands up to pour them glasses of Scotch. “You know, you’re VERY attractive for a man.” He runs his index finger and thumb over Tony’s beard and cheekbone.
“What are you doing?” Tony leans away.
“Oh, come on. You’re a party boy from LA. You’re as easy as they come. Do you really think you’re smart enough to be in this club?” Tony jumps up, disgusted, and runs out of the room.
He finds Rhodey in the dorm. Crying, he tells Rhodey what happened. Rhodey is furious. “You need to report him. You are the reason we’re still IN this competition.”
There’s a knock at the door. It’s Rumiko. “I thought we were both discriminated against! We were both trying our hardest to get in this! And you have to go and screw the teacher.” She accuses.
“Rumi.” “Don’t call me that.” “Rumiko. I didn’t… I didn’t do anything. I should’ve punched him in the face. I ran out instead. I wouldn’t touch that old codger even if it was the only way I could pass.”
She looks at him warily. “Then why were you in his office?”
“He offered me a job that I’m definitely NOT going to take now.” Tony fumes. “We can get him unseated. I just need you as my witness. Let’s go to the Dean.”
Ross is fired, and Bruce takes his place. Tony’s team wins the science fair. Ty comes over after the fair and asks to talk. “Tones. I made a huge mistake. I didn’t think you could be serious, but I was wrong. I dumped Rumi. Will you take me back? I’m on my knees.”
“Ty. You know I came all this way for you, but I realize now that it wasn’t for you. It was for me to see that I don’t need or want you. I made so many friends here that I don’t regret coming, but I’m done chasing after you. Bye.”
+++++++++
Rhodey can’t believe his ears. Ty is asking Tony to come back! After all that! He can’t hear what Tony said, but he hopes he rejects him. Rhodey will not be able to bear the pain of seeing Tony with Ty. Tony walks back in the room, and Rhodey asks. “What did he want?”
“To get back together.”
“And?”
“Are you kidding me? The guy’s an idiot. Never gonna happen again. Thank you Rhodey.”
“For what? I didn’t do anything.”
Tony hugs him. “You made me realize that I can do so much better than him. I love you Rhodey.”
Does that mean…? “I love you, too, Tones.” A moment of crackling charged air. Rhodey leans down and kisses Tony, who surges up to kiss him back. They take it to Rhodey’s room so BUTTERFINGERS can’t watch. It would feel weird if he could.
++++++++++++
“He told you he dumped me? I dumped HIS butt. Figures. I don’t know what I saw in him. And you KNOW his dad paid his way.” Rumiko rants.
Tony cuddles up to Rhodey and laughs. “I thought as much. I’m glad you saw the light like me. I’m going to introduce you to my friends, Pepper and Jan. You’d love them.”
Bucky and Sam visit a few days later. “I followed your advice. He definitely noticed.” Bucky rambles. “I want to thank you for all your help and for listening to my rants. You helped me see that I am capable of being loved.”
When they all leave, Tony hears JARVIS' disembodied voice. “They all love you, Sir. I am very happy to know you.”
Tony used love and happiness to draw people in and never let them go.
@rocknrollonthat45
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