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withasideofshakespeare · 10 months

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The Great Shakespeare Playlist

Hello, friends and foes! If you’re on the Hamlet server, you’ve likely heard about this before, but if not, welcome! I’m working on making a playlist out of all the songs you associate with Shakespeare’s plays and his characters! Submissions are still open and the early submissions have been added! Who they’re associated with will be listed below, organized by play for your convenience.

Submit a song here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScrrJawR9CzAvA-uJMFLrTEGgedTgcIGr2LR5IpYQU7W7cFkA/viewform (Don’t worry about submitting a song that has already been submitted! Just add more thoughts!) Listen to the playlist on YouTube Music here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeoLN_fzmwY2PLxuwuyBtijqheBAis2An An organized list of songs and their associations below the cut and in this Google Doc: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1IEI1UqZ48tnhim3UdQ6O0-KiW8vJ93sK7wEf3_fEj-8/edit?usp=sharing

(Plays are categorized as they appear in The Riverside Shakespeare 1974) NOTE! THIS IS A WORK-IN-PROGRESS- don’t worry if your song isn’t here yet! It will be... so long as it’s on YouTube Music (I’m sorry Spotify gang!!!)

Tragedies:

Hamlet:

Rule #4- Fish in a Birdcage (Fish in a Birdcage, Fish in a Birdcage EP) Associated with: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Comments: “vibes honestly. it reminds me of the plot and themes of ragad.”

Unraveling (The Crane Wives, Coyote Stories) Associated with: Hamlet, Horatio, and Ophelia Comments: “yeah i'm gonna submit a whole bunch of crane wives songs, what about it? i made this form, i get to do what i want. but yeah this song feels like it's about these guys' disastrous relationships.”

Shallow River (The Crane Wives, The Fool in Her Wedding Gown) Associated with: Ophelia and Gertrude Comments: “someone please give these two a duet and make it this song”

The Dead Waltz (Radical Face, Family Tree: The Roots) Associated with: Hamlet and Horatio Comments: “I feel like this is the vibe Horatio is getting while Hamlet is talking to the ghost. also, i like the idea of the whole interaction being somewhere between beautiful and terrifying.”

The Fly (Cosmo Sheldrake, Pelicans We) Associated with: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Comments: “i wrote a whole fic about this (also, i absolutely adore this poem). they have the Vibe”

Ghost (Indigo Girls, Rites of Passage) Associated with: Hamlet and Horatio Comments: “this works post-canon or during canon. the vibes are so incredibly there. "i'm in love with your ghost" is such a horatio line (and i love the indigo girls. gay people music!!!!)”

Joking (Indigo Girls, Rites of Passage) Associated with: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Comments: “...bought you a beer, it’s too corny to cry.” IM SOBBING.”

Down the River (The Crane Wives, Foxlore) Associated with: Hamlet and cast Comments: “everyone @ hamlet's increasingly murderous fuck ups”

Can’t Go Back (The Crane Wives, Foxlore) Associated with: (Post-canon) Hamlet and Horatio Comments: “‘when have you ever known the world to be a fair place? all things end and all things change’ ouch now i'm crying.”

Pretty Little Things (The Crane Wives, Foxlore) Associated with: Ophelia Comments: "i don't believe the pretty little things that you say; i've heard a lot of little pretty things. don't buy me flowers, it pains me to watch pretty little things wilt away" is this not opheliacore?? tell me this isn't opheliacore”

Your Body is a Weapon (The Wombats, Glitterbug) Associated with: Osric and Laertes Comments: “LOOK OSRIC DIDN'T DO SHIT BUT LIKE??? he is. so gay for laertes ok. because i say so <3 i will be back just you wait”

The Anchor (Bastille, Wild World) Associated with: Hamlet and Horatio Comments: “because???? horatio is the light that is blinding him. the anchor that hamlet ties to his brain, if you will absolutely them!!! he keeps him grounded yk”

Another Place (Bastille, Doom Days) Associated with: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Comments: “maybe things would've turned out different in another time and in another place haha”

Mama (My Chemical Romance, The Black Parade) Associated with: Hamlet Comments: “just. it's . just listen to it you'll see what i mean”

Brave As a Noun (AJJ, People Who Can Eat People Are the Luckiest People in the World) Associated with: Hamlet Comments: “same as the last one. holy hell is this hamlet coded”

BlackBoxWarrior - OKULTRA (Will Wood, The Normal Album) Associated with: Hamlet Comments: “once again it's just. yeah . for what for what for what it's worth if it was gonna kill you boy it would have by now”

When He Died (Lemon Demon, Spirit Phone) Associated with: Hamlet, Hamlet Sr., Claudius Comments: “this song is referring to BOTH hamlet sr and claudius. To Me”

Achilles Come Down (Gang of Youths, Go Farther In Lightness) Associated with: Hamlet, Horatio, Ophelia, Laertes Comments: “imagine . horatio singing this to hamlet. yeah. good bye. :3″ “once again this is a hamlet/horatio song that made its way onto my ophelia playlist.”

Ophelia (The Lumineers, Cleopatra) Associated with: Ophelia Comments: “its litterally named ophelia and shes literally named ophelia?????”

For the Dancing and the Dreaming (Erutan) Associated with: Ophelia Comments: “idk it feels like her. she sings it while going mad :3″

Eleanor Rigby (The Beatles, Greatest Hits) Associated with: Ophelia, Laertes, Hamlet, Doctor of Divinity?? Comments: “"Father McKenzie, wiping the dirt from his hands as he walks from the grave. No one was saved." Is this not Ophelia's Funeral?”

Boy With a Coin (Iron & Wine, The Shepard’s Dog) Associated with: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern (but specifically RAGAD) Comments: “The whole song has a running coin motif“

I’ll Follow You Into the Dark (Death Cab for Cutie) Associated with: Hamlet and Horatio Comments: “listen to the song. you'll get it. basically it's "if you die i'm following you"; “The song talks about death and following one's love into the dark, a.k.a. death. It talks of love so dedicated it continues after death and expresses, I think, Horatio's desire to follow Hamlet into death or anywhere at all, just wherever he goes. But it's even more tragic because he's denied the ability to follow his love into that one place, that one place where he can't go.”

Get Used To It (Ricky Montgomery, Montgomery Ricky) Associated with: Hamlet Comments: “it's all about what he used to be and how he feels like he can't get back to the place where he was before which was better and it's just ough hamlet sadboy for realsies”

Time Machine (Miracle Musical, Hawaii: Part II) Associated with: Hamlet Comments: “it's all about time and its passage and "WHY CANT IT STOP"core which has always been what resonated most about Hamlet to me”

Fighter (Jack Stauber's Micropop, Cheeseburger Family / Fighter) Associated with: Horatio Comments: “it's all about how he tries and tries and TRIES in this relationship and he's really trying to help this relationship which he knows will never work which is... just... sobs and dies“

Flowers in My Hair (Wes Reeves) Associated with: Ophelia Comments: “it feels like something she might sing, maybe like earlier on in the play before she went mad outright. idk”

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Fucking Dead (The Rentiers, Get More Loot and Move to a Boot!) Associated with: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Comments: “I. Look at the song title. Just look at it for a second.”

Dust and Ashes (Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812) Associated with: Hamlet Comments: “Vibes I guess”

Isle Unto Thyself (Miracle Musical, Hawaii: Part II) Associated with: Horatio and Hamlet Comments: “Horatio POV. It's so... first love but also like with someone much more important than you and it's asking so many questions that I feel like whoever's on the receiving end (Hamlet) has no answers and it's so horatio”

Je te laisserai des mots (Patrick Watson) Associated with: Ophelia Comments: “song for like earlier in the play when she likes hamlet and is like slighly infatuated with him, it also just sounds like a song for her. <3“

Secrets and Lies (Ruelle) Associated with: Ophelia Comments: “once again most of these are vibes. but i really like it for an "ophelia can see the doom of them all and eventually goes mad" approach :3″

Youth (Daughter, If You Leave) Associated with: Ophelia Comments: “same as secrets and lies, if im being honest. i really like that interpritation“

Constellations (The Oh Hellos, Notos EP) Associated with: Ophelia Comments: “ophelia right at the begining of her madness :3″; “It feels like an Ophelia madness song.”

Soldier, Poet, King (The Oh Hellos, Dear Wormwood) Associated with: Hamlet and Horatio; Laertes, Hamlet, and Fortinbras Comments: “despite this being on my ophelia playlist it is oviusly a hamlet/horatio song . i mean look at it” “Laertes plays the role of the solider, Hamlet plays the role of the poet and Fortinbras of the King.”

Saturn (Sleeping At Last, Atlas: I) Associated with: Hamlet and Horatio Comments: “ummmm. horatio song for as hamlet dies or something, yeah. why was this on my ophelia playlist.”; “Um it feels like a song horatio would sing sing to hamlet at the end. Hamlet would be dying and horatio would like be holding him and cradling his body and he would stroke hamlets cheek softly. Horatio would sing this, voice breaking around his crying, and he's just begging hamlet not to die, but its all in vain. Hamlet dies. Horatio lives. The play happens again. They are trapped.”

City of Angels (Arrows to Athens, Exile) Associated with: Hamlet, Ophelia Comments: “ummmm because . just go listen to the song ok. look at it.”

Vienna (Billy Joel, The Stranger) Associated with: Hamlet Comments: “um . because. idk. like its just there. its not an ophelia song, despite it being there”

Riptide (Vance Joy, Dream Your Life Away) Associated with: Ophelia Comments: “the vibes”

Like Real People Do (Hozier, Take Me to Church) Associated with: Ophelia; Horatio Comments: “a- the vibessdjshf b- hamlet and ophelia are both homosexual and um. in a convience relation ship . with a dont ask dont tell motto . idk its wha t Appeared to me while reading over the lyrics i dont control these things. ANYWAY”

Line Without a Hook (Ricky Montgomery) Associated with: Hamlet and Horatio Comments: “ummm look at it”

Bloom- Bonus Track (The Paper Kites, Woodland) Associated with: Ophelia, Hamlet and Horatio Comments: “vibes”; “vibes and like the lyrics are so cute and soft for liek. them . please just let them be happy“; “vibes . the sound”; “idk it feels like a horatio song, "Can I take you to a moment//Where the fields are painted gold//And the trees are filled with memories//Of the feelings never told?" hes in love with hamlet but doesnt say it, and like "Oh, the whole world, it is sleeping//But my world is you//Can I be close to you?" like look??? please it is horatio im telling you “

Tea Errors (Jack Stauber) Associated with: (Pre-canon) Hamlet and Ophelia Comments: “All about woah we were really young and in love and now I’m super anxious and scared of everything now”

Ball Cap (Mother Mother) Associated with: Hamlet and Horatio Comments: “”Oh don't you know that beauty is only skin deep? Well baby, baby, come on and skin me" desperate love and hamlet wanting to get rid of the flesh”

Angel With a Shotgun (The Cab, Symphony Soldier) Associated with: Hamlet and Horatio Comments: “Obviously on one hand it's just a very obvious choice of song about deep love that makes you go to great lengths - but on top of that there are so many religious illusions in it - "I don't care if heaven won't take me back, I'll throw away my faith, babe, just to keep you safe" etc - that I feel really speak to the just....amount of religion that is in that play and the implications of that for Hamlet and Horatio's relationship.”

A Sadness Runs Through Him (The Hoosiers) Associated with: Horatio Comments: “The song is about desperately trying to save someone who cannot be saved. Hmm. I wonder how in the world that could possibly relate to horatio. oh wait. it's literally the crux of the entire character”

Love & War in Your Twenties (Jordy Searcy, Dark in the City) Associated with: Hamlet and Horatio Comments: “Horatio to Hamlet - "I may never be a politician, or Make a lot of money, hold a high position Baby, you're my mission and all my glory days are yours I don't wanna take the world for granted While I'm still trying to understand it The more I live I am convinced Everyone just wants to be in love"”

It’s Alright (Mother Mother, Dance and Cry) Associated with: Hamlet and Horatio Comments: “Roughly going back and forth in terms of pov, with Hamlet feeling the pain of things that he has done ("I did one million stupid things, I said one billion foolish things", "I am broken down in shame") and Horatio reassuring him he's ok ("It's alright, it's okay, it's alright, it's okay, you're not a demon, there's a reason, you're behaving that way. It's alright, it's okay, it's alright, it's okay and I believe, yes, I believe that you will see a better day")”

Two (Sleeping At Last, Enneagram) Associated: Hamlet and Horatio Comments: “Horatio's love for Hamlet in a "dude maybe you love him a little bit too much maybe worry about yourself too" kind of way.”

peace (Taylor Swift) Associated with: Hamlet and Ophelia Comments: “Somehow all of these lyrics feel like both Hamlet and Ophelia talking to each other with one voice.”

Can You Feel My Heart (Bring Me The Horizon) Associated with: Hamlet Comments: “Just big "Hamlet is really not doing OK" vibes with this one.”

Stone (Jaymes Young, Feel Something) Associated with: Hamlet and Horatio Comments: “Just Horatio trying to be what Hamlet needs...also though specifically the first lyric; "Your father came and went like the ocean’s tide".”

Sunlight (Hozier, Wasteland, Baby!) Associated with: Hamlet and Horatio Comments: "All the tales the same Told before and told again A soul that's born in cold and rain Knows sunlight, sunlight, sunlight And at last can grant a name To a buried and a burning flame As love and its decisive pain Oh, my sunlight, sunlight, sunlight"

Leave Out All The Rest (Linkin Park, Minutes to Midnight) Associated with: Hamlet and Horatio Comments: “Hamlet telling Horatio to tell his story: "When my time comes Forget the wrong that I've done Help me leave behind some reasons to be missed And don't resent me And when you're feeling empty Keep me in your memory Leave out all the rest"

Bigger Than The Whole Sky (Taylor Swift, Midnights) Associated with: Hamlet and Horatio Comments: “I mean, it's just the aftermath of Hamlet's death: "Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye You were bigger than the whole sky You were more than just a short time And I've got a lot to pine about I've got a lot to live without"

my tears ricochet (Taylor Swift) Associated with: Ophelia Comments: “So to me these lyrics scream of, not what sort of "actually happened", for want of a better way of putting it, but of what Ophelia thinks happened and how Hamlet treated her and it's sort of her ghost looking on at the funeral like "oh NOW you care???""I didn't have it in myself to go with grace And you're the hero flying around, saving face And if I'm dead to you, why are you at the wake? Cursing my name, wishing I stayed Look at how my tears ricochet"

Ready, Aim, Fire (Imagine Dragons) Associated with: Fortinbras; Hamlet, Horatio, Laertes, Fortinbras, and Claudius Comments: “Fortinbras taking Denmark; "Ready aim fire An empire is falling In just one day" “This is SUCH a 5.2 duel scene song. listen to me listen. listen. "With our backs to the wall//The darkness will fall//We never quite thought//We could lose it all" Literally they all die. all of them. dead. well not Horatio but still, he looses it all. "An empire is falling//In just one day" what did i say. all dead. empire falling. "You close your eyes//And the glory fades" Theyre all dying. for nothing. why? because claudius wanted the throne so bad he would kill his brother? it doesnt matter if you die. "Off in the distance//There is resistance//Bubbling up and festering" Yeah, that that's fortinbras coming to take over the kindom. good luck buddie. Hey mr motion//Make me a potion//Shake it all up//With your mistery" Claudius again. he used poison on the blade + in the drink to make sure they died. "How come I've never seen//Your face around here//I know every single face//Around here" horatio questioning what fortinbras is doing here. "A man on a mission//Changing the vision//I was never welcome here" Claudius, on a mission of becoming king. yeah. "We don't have the choice to stay//We'd rather die than//Do it your way" Hamlet and Leartes in the duel, doomed to die by claudius. "Blood in the writing//Stuck in the fighting//Look through the riffle's sight" they!! are trapped!! doomed to this duel!! they cannot help it, they must die!! its tragic, but thats how the play was written. doomed by the narrative. "Hearing the echo//Holding the shackle//I was never welcome here" hamlet, seeing the ghost of his father, tasked with revenge, being the ghosts touchstone to the living realm. over all its such a tragic song for a tragic scene!!! there is . so much here. it could fill an animatic. i love it“

Yellow Flicker Beat (Lorde) Associated with: Ophelia Comments: “Ophelia at the beginning of madness, thinking of what she thought she was going to be (she wasn't actually a princess but she did think she'd be Queen) and just watching everything, including her own mind, unravel.”

Battle Cry (Imagine Dragons, Smoke + Mirrors) Associated with: Hamlet, Fortinbras Comments: “Hamlet knowing that he's going to die ("I've been poisoned inside") and Fortinbras taking Denmark ("King is crowned, it's do or die")”

It Has Begun (STARSET, Transmissions) Associated with: Fortinbras Comments: “Fortinbras's pov before invading Denmark.”

Atlas Drowned (Gang of Youths, Go Farther In Lightness) Associated with: Laertes Comments: “This is Laertes storming the castle, willing to dare damnation and call all of Elsinore into account for how they harmed his family. There’s anger, frustration, disgust at the hegemony, but also a deep, deep love.”

Hey Brother (Avicii, True) Associated with: Laertes and Ophelia Comments: “Oh, and if the sky comes falling down / for you / there’s nothing in this world I wouldn’t do.” NEED I SAY MORE 🥺👉👈”

In The Best Case Scenario We’d Die at the Same Time (My Name is Ian) Associated with: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Comments: “🥹 babe”

Little Talks (Of Monsters And Men, My Head Is An Animal) Associated with: Hamlet and Horatio Comments: ““And some days I can’t even dress myself” “It’s killing me to see you this way””

Una Palabra (Carlos Varela, nubes) Associated with: Laertes to Ophelia Comments: “ANYWAY this whole song is so them but especially the last line. “Está la orilla donde me ahogo” means “the shore in which I drown.” This is in reference to eyes, specifically OPHELIA’S EYES. Like it’s literally too perfect. How is this NOT Laertes coded????”

Left Brain, Right Brain (Bo Burnham, what.) Associated with: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Comments: “They’ve always given me very left brain and right brain vibes. Ros is emotional, Guil is analytical. Also, the explosion and immediate apology from left brain is so Guil.”

Dust in the Wind (Kansas) Associated with: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Comments: “The overarching theme in the song of narrative insignificance is very relevant to the idea of R&G.”

i’m gonna tell my therapist on you (Pinkshift) Associated with: Hamlet Comments: “The idea of a ‘downwards spiral’ and blaming it on others feels like Hamlet tbh”

Little Dark Age (MGMT) Associated with: Hamlet Comments: “Dude, just listen to it. It sounds like something Hamlet wrote in his emo poetry book”

Not the Ghost (The Crane Wives, Foxlore) Associated with: Hamlet and Hamlet Sr. (the ghost) Comments: “If only I could break the chain of disappointments weighing me down” is such a Hamlet line.

Typical Me (kroh) Associated with: Hamlet Comments: “Yes ik its originally a ranboo fansong but. Look at it.”

Dead Hearts (Stars, The Five Ghosts) Associated with: Fortinbras and Horatio (talking post-play) Comments: “'They were kids that I once knew/now they're all dead hearts to you'. an interview between an outsider trying to understand and the unwilling witness to it all.”

Up the Wolves (The Mountain Goats, The Sunset Tree) Associated with: Basically everyone young in Hamlet, especially Hamlet and Ophelia Comments: “Just listen”

No Children (The Mountain Goats, Tallahassee) Associated with: Basically everyone young in Hamlet, especially Hamlet and Ophelia Comments: “Just listen”

Child Support (Woz) Associated with: Hamlet Comments: “Vibes”

Another Me (D_AAN) Associated with: Hamlet Comments: “A description of Hamlet’s supposed descent into madness – a change in personality and identity from a madness constructed by a ‘deceiving person’ (偽者) to actually becoming mad. The narrator also calls themself ‘traitor’ (裏切り), which is fitting considering the R&G arc. One line that stands out is “Are all humans in the world the same” (世界中の人間が同じですか), which reminds me of the “To be honest, as this world goes, is to be one man picked out of ten thousand” bit (Act II Scene II)”

Grievous Lady (Team Grimoire & Laur) Associated with: Gertrude Comments: “I just think ‘grievous’ is an excellent word to describe Gertrude’s situation and fate.”

Purgatorium ( お月さま交響曲) Associated with: Hamlet Sr. (the ghost) Comments: “Obviously a song themed around Purgatory and Hamlet Sr. – coded. Specifically, though: “Is this the end or the beginning?” (これは終わりなのか始まりか) feels like a commentary on whether avenging his death will be the end-all of strife or the start of something even more disastrous. Also, “Will you take away my sounds, colours, and memories and destroy what I am?” (音も色も記憶も奪って/私と云うモノを壊して――？) suggests that the ghost is no longer Hamlet Sr., but a faded and hollow shell of him that only understands vengeance.”

Blastix Riotz (Camellia) Associated with: Laertes Comments: “Laertes’s aggressive and chaotic energy.”

Bad Elixir (Xi) Associated with: Claudius Comments: “‘Bad Elixir’ = Poison, which is what Claudius did to Hamlet Sr. and also what the presence of Claudius appears to represent in the play (something rotten in the state of Denmark). Also, the melody is less dramatic/antagonistic, but more descending/tragic, which feels like a fitting representation of how he’s really more of the Lawful Evil type than your stereotypical villain.”

Imaginary Friends (Sta) Associated with: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Comments: “R&G are the Imaginary Friends of Hamlet – apparently his friends, but not really, and cease to be alive by the end of the play. Two especially relevant lines: “we wouldn't wake up to dark so long” -> they are going to be executed, so yeah, they won’t be waking up at all after not so long “We smile under the coil all over again” -> Hamlet’s “For in that sleep of death what dreams may come, / When we have shuffled off this mortal coil” (Act III Scene I)”

WATER (A-39) Associated with: Ophelia Comments: “Well, a song about drowning is a song about Ophelia. A line that stands out is “I was merely searching for a wish that did not come true” (叶わない願いをただ探していた) – which could represent Ophelia’s attitude towards Hamlet’s affection: she wishes they were true, but they turned out to be just a part of Hamlet’s plot. Also, “pressure, opposing currents, suffocation, dizziness” (圧力　対流　窒息　目眩) is a good description of her reaction to her father’s death: Polonius and Hamlet are the “opposing currents” pulling her apart and “pressuring” her in different ways, thus causing her to lose direction (“dizziness”) and start drowning (“suffocation”) long before she physically did”

Purple Verse (Hommarju) Associated with: Polonius Comments: “Polonius speaks in purple prose, but it’s verse instead of prose. Hence Purple Verse.”

I’ve Heard it Said (combatplayer) Associated with: Horatio Comments: “The song is very transient, and Horatio (as “Timekeeper”) is a transient character. Lyrics are also very fitting. “You know that it’s insane” -> direct commentary on Hamlet’s madness. “Before it takes you down” indicates Horatio’s understanding that Hamlet is descending and will eventually fall. “The universe is made up of stories” references Horatio’s role as the person who would be telling the story of the tragedy.”

Phantom (WF1/F-777) Associated with: Hamlet Sr. (the ghost) Comments: “Phantom” can mean “ghost”, “nightmare”, or “illusion”, and I think all three apply to Hamlet Sr. – he’s presented as a ghost, but Hamlet’s madness can be interpreted by some sort of terror/fear in response to his presence (like how one might react to a nightmare), while the ghost might not even be real (illusion). Also the pipe organ is an instrument that fits the religious implications of Hamlet Sr. and the play quite well.”

Out of your love (Exhaust Mix) (RANDO:) Associated with: Ophelia Comments: “Ophelia is a character that should not be defined by Hamlet’s ‘love’ for her, hence ‘Out of your love’. Another line, ‘Heaven can fall’, references how her death is not honoured properly and how the ‘holiness debate’ of Hamlet’s and Claudius’s actions are largely irrelevant to her.”

Why do you hate me? (Camellia) Associated with: Polonius Comments: “Polonius does not appear to understand the gravity of his actions, and is somewhat confused when Hamlet and Gertrude express disdain towards him, hence ‘Why do you hate me?’. Also, the drum patterns, distorted vocal samples, and sound effects sound like endless rambling, and the last bit feels like him bleeding out after he is stabbed (sorry)”

Vicious Heroism - Traitor Version (Kobaryo) Associated with: Laertes Comments: “Laertes is obviously a hero with a vicious disposition who eventually betrayed Claudius. The song also contains a multitude of genre and key shifts, and is set at the very high BPM of 256 – this reflects how fast everything progressed since Laertes returned from France, and his internal turmoil over how to deal with the situation (the whole honour thing).”

lastendconductor (zts) Associated with: Horatio Comments: “This is the theme song of Battler Ushiromiya from the visual novel Umineko no Naku Koro ni. Battler and Horatio are parallel characters in that they are both survivors of tragic narratives that use storytelling as a coping mechanism for their shock, loss, and grief. “conductor” refers to how each of these characters direct the retellings of the “last end”, or the certainty of the deaths of essentially everyone else except themself. Also, the genre of trance and the texture of the violin vibe pretty well with Horatio.”

FLOWER (DJ YOSHITAKA) Associated with: Ophelia Comments: “Apart from the direct association of Ophelia with flowers, I feel like Ophelia is suited for ‘retro’-style songs that have rising chords and reassuring melodies. I suppose this is more of a pre-canon Ophelia.”

RESSiSTANCE (ぐるたみん) Associated with: Hamlet Comments: “I think this is another song that tells the story of the play from Hamlet’s perspective. ‘lovesong with the image of falsehood’ (嘘の様に、愛の歌を) describes his communication to Ophelia; ‘as I do not know whether the meaning of tomorrow will be taken away’ (明日の意味を奪われなどしらないから) expresses his existential dread (to be or not to be) and his indecision; ‘to jail the depths of my heart behind a lock’ (ココロの奥で鍵かけたいや) references his ‘acting’ and how his madness is of ambiguous ingenuity; ‘If the answer I desire does not lie here – merely this is sufficient reason to embark’ (望んだ答がここじゃないのなら/踏み出す理由はそれだけでいい) describes his rather long-winded journey to ascertain Claudius’s fratricide, via a play etc; ‘my struggling heartbeat is the proof of my breath’ (抗う鼓動が今呼吸への証だ) again fits with the ‘to be or not to be’ and his internal conflicts; ‘Even if the clock’s hands turn in reverse, I cannot return to yesterday’ (時計の針を巻き戻しても/昨日に戻れるわけじゃないから) is reminiscent of ‘for yourself, sir, shall grow old as I am, if, like a crab, you could go backward’, and shows despair at his newfound predicament Finally ‘Resistance’ can also refer to how Hamlet breaks the fourth wall and resists the narrative (in futility of course)”

ヘルツ" (Hertz) (zeryoone ft. nao) Associated with: Hamlet and Horatio Comments: “I feel like this song is post-canon Horatio, at a very old age, reminiscing Hamlet. Again, it’s a very liminal song. Key lyrics: “the day we bid farewell” (あの日にさよなら) – establishes the subject of the song being the day Hamlet died “ ‘the unchanging’ is quite beautiful” (“確かなもの”って/綺麗だと思ってた) – commentary on how quickly everything in the play happened “in your eyes, I saw reflected my bitter smile” (その目に映した僕は/上手く笑えやしなかった) – best Hamratio quote I’ve ever seen. (the literal meaning is more like ‘I was unable to smile properly’, hence a contorted, forced, or bitter smile) And I think the following bits don’t even need much explaining: “the conversations floating in space and the resigned answers both fade, frozen in wintry cold” (宙に浮かんだ会話も/苦し紛れの返事も/冬の寒さに凍えて/居場所を失くしたようだった) “I’ve long known your desires; I’ve also known why you didn’t cry” (もう分かっていた/涙なんて無くたって/分かっていた) “Why would this become merely a memory” (記憶になってしまうなんて) “Fear prevents me from releasing your hand from my grip” (僕は怖くなって放せない) “This is the last time; that is the last time” (もう最後だった/あれが最後だったんだ) “A tremendous force took you away” (巨大な力がきみだけ奪ってく) – the force of the narrative; “I cannot forgive this world, about to resurrect itself” (生まれ変わろうとする世界がただ/赦せなかった) – Fortinbras; “I touch the transparent you” (透明なきみに触れていたんだ) “Both my grief and my regret faded on the night of hope” (僕の愁いや後悔も/消え去ってしまえと願う夜を) “on the day we bid farewell, I’ll tell you, I’ve forgotten you” (あの日にさよなら/言って/きみを忘れていく)”

Alea jacta est! (BlackY and WAiKURO) Associated with: Hamlet and Laertes Comments: “Yes, the title refences “iacta alea est” (“the die is cast” = “we are past the point of no return”) supposedly said by Julius Caesar as he led his army across the Rubicon to start the civil war. Thus this song is about Hamlet and Laertes’s duel. (The song’s MV also features two people duelling.) I feel like this sort of ‘jazzy trancecore’ genre also captures the duel’s vibe pretty well.”

しう" (SIU) (MARETU) Associated with: Laertes Comments: “This song discusses Laertes as a ‘rallier of the people’. Specific relevant lines include “an overflowing anti-affluence sentiment” (あふるる反富裕), “life and the world are merely such, huh?” (限界だろう？人間界は), “give compassion to the plebeian sacrificers” (最低の犠牲者に愛を) Also, “give termination to the slaves of hope” (願望の奴隷に終いを) feels like foreshadowing to the duel.”

こちら、幸福安心委員会です。(This is the council of happiness and contentment.) (UtataP) Associated with: Claudius Comments: “This song describes a dystopian society where people are required to be happy – or they will be executed in excessively cruel ways. As such, this is a darker interpretation of Claudius’s reign – why is everyone so content under him? The answer is that any dissenters were executed, much like Hamlet was intended to be.”

Löschen (BlackY and Risa Yuzuki) Associated with: Hamlet and Laertes Comments: “I feel like this is another song that depicts Hamlet and Laertes’s duel. “To reveal my voice with raspy words” (錆びた声で吐き出して) – the pre-duel sort-of-confession-and-reconciliation scene; “One-sided justice manifests in my fleeting thoughts; I have continued to make choices untrue to myself” (片側だけの正義/横切る影に立ち　不自由選び続けてた) – apart from what is essentially a Polonius reference, this shows how both Hamlet and Laertes are unable to comprehend the entirety of the situation and have little free will in their fates “Facing the unobscured you, I wish this nameless view will last forever” (隠せない方を背に/名前のない景色　終わらないでと待ち続けた) – again, they are both relieved that the other is being honest and vulnerable to a certain extent There are also a few self-evident lines: “If forgiveness is as cruel as harmony, I have already made my decision” (赦されること　それが無慈悲な調和と等しいのなら、/答え遂げて) “Under the exploits of “pain”, we keep hurting each other” (悼みという名のもとに/繰り返し傷つけあう)”

Uprooted, Marooned (Memoryheads (Frums & Silentroom)) Associated with: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Comments: “Highly experimental, almost nonsensical style that ends with intense static ambiance – I feel like this is more of RosGuil in R&G are Dead than in Hamlet itself. I don’t feel like this is the type of song I can explain with words.”

彁 (Ka) (LeaF) Associated with: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Comments: “彁 does not actually exist as a kanji or a hanzi – it is a Unicode ‘ghost character’ caused by an error in digitalising and cataloguing kanji. Thus the song denotes the perceived existence of things that don’t actually exist, which is again RosGuil’s lives. This song also ends in static, which is the execution scene, of course.”

Mutiny (F-777) Associated with: Laertes Comments: “Laertes and his revolution, of course. The strong kicks are his vibe.”

miragecoordinator (zts) Associated with: Gertrude Comments: “I’d say this track is a sinister interpretation of Gertrude, in which she is an accomplice in Claudius’s schemes. “Mirage coordinator” indicates that she is helping Claudius put up the illusion of everything being well in Denmark and cover up the fratricide. Also, the song’s chant samples and dissonant melodies give a sinister vibe overall.”

ÅMARA(大未来電脳) (Amaracus, computer of the grand future) (sasakure.UK) Associated with: Hamlet Comments: “Okay, disclaimer, I don’t even comprehend much of this song’s lyrics, but I think it represents Hamlet’s messed-up mind and “infinite space” pretty well. Some bits that I can understand: “Truth or fabrication – no one knows what the future will be” (現実か虚構か、誰にもその先は解らない) – uncertainty, indecision “Even the name of the person who poems are waiting for has been forgotten” (詩が待つ彼の名も忘れて) – something about Hamlet being a poet and slowly losing his identity throughout the play “From the corridor where the poison of dreams is spat out, to the fracturing of the celebration of resurrection – dwell in heaven, in this night!” (夢の毒吐く回廊/再生の祝祭が千切れるまで/天国を這う、夜に！) – I suppose “poison of dreams” can refer to how Hamlet died and “good night, sweet prince”, and the rest is religious imagery about how Hamlet and the people he killed would all end up in purgatory rather than heaven”

Tie me down gently (溝口ゆうま feat. 大瀬良あい) Associated with: Hamlet and Horatio Comments: “Another song of Horatio towards Hamlet. I interpret the title to be Horatio recognising and accepting that Hamlet is “tying him down” – i.e. binding him into the tragedy. Especially relevant lyrics: “If these dreams are so sweet, let me never awaken” (甘い甘い夢ならば覚めないでよ) – an extension of “good night, sweet prince” “This city is threatening whenever, and there is nowhere to run” (街はいつも時間に怯えて逃れる場所は何処にも無い) – Elsinore as a dangerous prison “Merely our distance fills me with dread” (君との距離ですら不安になってくる) – self-explanatory “Slave becomes a knight” – multi-layered meaning in this one. Although Hamlet is of a higher social class than Horatio, he often refers to himself with phrases like ‘a rogue and peasant slave’. Horatio may be considered the archetypal ‘knight by a prince’ character. From all this we get the sense that Hamlet and Horatio are truly inseparable and even not distinguishable at some points. “Even though I am so weak, I remain by your side to show you love, love, love” (弱い弱い僕だけど君の傍で Show you love, love, love) – also self-explanatory.”

Vital (Masaaki Endō) Associated with: Hamlet Comments: “This is actually the OP of the anime “Angels of Death”, but I feel like it also describes Hamlet right after his meeting with the ghost. This is a relatively more noble and less sinister interpretation of the play. “Locked fabrications and the sacrificed future” (鍵をかけた虚構と/捨てられた未来が) – expresses determination despite uncertainty “boring words and obscured fates adorn the cold knife with rationale” (下らない言葉と/正体不明の運命か/冷えたナイフに理由を付着ていく) – Hamlet knows what he’s doing and why he’s doing it “If woe befalls me too much, I will slice it into pieces” (何万と積もった懸念を/線状に切り裂いていく) – again, determination “Uncertain resolve, pure prayers, honest words – promise to forgive none” (逡巡なこの心を/純粋な祈りを/単純な言葉のまま/誓う誰が赦さなくとも) – I guess this is pretty self-evident”

Nyarlathotep's Dreamland (Raimukun) Associated with: Hamlet Comments: “A representation of Hamlet’s so-called “infinite space”, which is surreal and perhaps eldritch in nature.”

Random (Silentroom) Associated with: Polonius Comments: “Polonius will say the most random shit ever in the most random tone, pitch, and cadence ever, just to keep rambling. This is represented pretty well in the song.”

キミとボクへの葬送歌 (A Requiem to You and Me) (ROKINA) Associated with: Hamlet and Laertes Comments: “Simply a representation of how Hamlet and Laertes both die in the duel. The descending chords further manifest the tragedy.”

Ultimatecalifragilisticexpialidocious (t+pazolite) Associated with: Polonius Comments: “Polonius would definitely pick one of the longest words in the language (supercalifragilisticexpialidocious) and make it EVEN LONGER. Bless that old man.”

The Survivor (Taishi) Associated with: Horatio Comments: “What else is Horatio if not The Survivor? Again, trance vibes with Horatio pretty well. The song somehow manages to stay calm with a bunch of chainsaw kicks, which is essentially Horatio lowkey downplaying Hamlet’s murders.”

狂言綺語 (False Embellishment) (影虎。& ikaruga_nex) Associated with: Polonius Comments: ““False Embellishment” is essentially gaslighting with fancy words, which is one of the most Polonius things ever. This song also has a lot of distorted vocal samples throughout – a.k.a. rambling. Finally, the melody is definitely something a stuck-up, fancy noble would listen to.”

Now Is The Time, Do It (Roy Mikelate) Associated with: Hamlet Sr. (the ghost) Comments: “Hardstyle song with a bunch of vocal samples from a horror game is definitely Hamlet Sr.’s vibe as a ghost. The title fits his presence when Hamlet is in Gertrude’s room – he is urging Hamlet to kill Claudius right then.”

F1055 (Silentroom) Associated with: Polonius Comments: “Irregular rhythm, dissonant melody, heavy psy kicks and reverb – definitely the vibe of Polonius’s droning. The title is a convoluted version of the word “flow”, which fits both Polonius speaking in needlessly convoluted phrasing and his speech flowing on.”

Promising Light (Iron & Wine, The Creek Drank the Cradle) Associated with: Hamlet and Ophelia Comments: “This song feels like it's about Hamlet realizing and admitting to his mistakes (and hopefully making up with Ophelia).

White Winter Hymnal (Fleet Foxes) Associated with: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Comments: “This song feels like the end of RAGAD. Man... they're just going along with what they're being told and it always ends the same :(”

Blood // Water (grandson) Associated with: Claudius, Gertrude, and Polonius; Hamlet, Laertes, and Ophelia Comments: “"The price of your greed is your son and your daughter, what you gon' do when there's blood in the water?" These kids deserve a chance to call out their parents for not doing something more to stop this tragedy!”

tous les mêmes (Stromae) Associated with: Hamlet and Ophelia Comments: “This feels like an over-the-top Hamlet & Ophelia argument (possibly performed for Polonius and Claudius to throw them off Hamlet’s trail- he’s gone mad over a lover’s quarrel, not because he knows about the murder of Hamlet Sr.)”

A Great Design (Black Marble, A Different Arrangement) Associated with: Hamlet Comments: “vibes. also, the song talks about "a great design", which I think fits the themes of Hamlet as it also says "we don't have a long time, a great design." This relates to Hamlet, I think, because there seems to be a plan afoot, even if it is only the hand of the author, dictating this must be a tragedy. Therefore, Hamlet is doomed to tragedy and I think this song expresses that.”

Haunt You (X Lovers feat. Chloe Moriondo) Associated with: Hamlet and Horatio Comments: “In the song the singer talks about how someday when he dies, and turns into a ghost, he's going to come back to haunt the other person, because he doesn't want anyone else to have them. "Can't picture my life without you by my side... can't let you go... never let you go..." If this isn't Hamlet to Horatio, I don't know what is.”

Fourth of July (Sufjan Stevens, Carrie & Lowell) Associated with: Hamlet Comments: “vibes. Also, it talks about an evil that spread and a celebration and how we're all going to die. It also talks about someone dying, and how everything was fiction and prediction. To me, it's about Hamlet and the end of his life.”

Bad Decisions (The Strokes) Associated with: Hamlet and Horatio Comments: “vibes. Also, Hamlet makes a lot of bad decisions, and it shows how sometimes he can be harsh with Horatio, and I think it sums up their relationship pretty well.”

Everybody Just Wants To (Johnny Goth) Associated with: Hamlet Comments: “The song talks about "playing pretend" like Hamlet does and asks "when will it end" and I think the song is ultimately about death, which is something Hamlet is fixated on. also, vibes”

christian death (Ekkstacy) Associated with: Hamlet Comments: “The song is about suicide, and wanting to commit it, wanting to rip other people to shreds and losing perspective on other people. It's about despair and desperation and being stuck, which I think resonates with Hamlet.”

We’ll Be Together (In Love With A Ghost) Associated with: Hamlet and Horatio Comments: “The song itself has no lyrics, but I think the title says it all. If you look at it from a Hamlet perspective, the song is about Hamlet and Horatio wanting so bad to be together, then vowing that someday they'll be togther after death. They'll find each other, no matter what.”

Barking Dog (Dizzy) Associated with: Hamlet and Horatio Comments: “Just... listen to the lyrics. I can't decide if it's from Hamlet's or Horatio's perspective, I think it's Hamlet, but it's about pain and letting go and how love can't take the pain away. "We're bound by blood and gore...", "darkness reaps what darkness sows"... agh it makes me wanna cry”

Why Am I Like This? (Orla Gartland) Associated with: Hamlet Comments: “The whole song is questioning why the singer has to be this way, why she can't change. It talks about her coming across everyday sadness and regretting not helping, and that just... reminds me of him. It talks about never being in the moment, going out to shout the words we never said, and how those words are stuck on a loop inside her head. It's an angry song at times, the singer is clearly angry at herself for the way she is, but equally frustrated that she can't change. It questions everything, questions others' love for her, questions her own soul, and it's just... Hamlet. To me.”

Love Like Ghosts (Lord Huron, Strange Trails) Associated with: Hamlet and Ophelia Comments: “Ophelia and hamlet song, song about love and ghosts. they have tenuous relationships with both.”

Hello My Old Heart (The Oh Hellos, Oh. Hello.) Associated with: Ophelia Comments: “the sound/vibes”

Meet Me in the Woods (Lord Huron, Strange Trails) Associated with: Hamlet; Ophelia Comments: “hamlet goes to horatio and talks about seeing his ghost dad”; “ophelia madness song”

Seneca (Novo Amor) Associated with: Horatio Comments: “vibes... there's a sadness to it, a sense of what could've been, but also pride in the love they've had. "I can make it all feel far away..." Horatio wants to take Hamlet's pain away, but he knows it's not that simple, and even if it were, Hamlet wouldn't listen. "Ain't it funny how we went nowhere?" Horatio is talking about how they pushed and pushed, but stayed in the same place... no real closure, no real revenge that could be celebrated, just more dead bodies.”

What A Heavenly Way To Die (Troye Silvan, I’m Not Afraid Anymore) Associated with: Hamlet and Horatio Comments: “horatio in love with hamlet, but i feel like he knows the play can only end in tradedy”

Planets and Stars (PAVVLA) Associated with: Ophelia Comments: “vibes”

Light (Sleeping At Last) Associated with: Hamlet and Horatio Comments: “Horatio song for hamlets death again. horatio sings this to hamlet as hes dying, again hes crying, and hoping that hamlet can go to heaven, even if he knows that is imposible with what hamlet has done. he still hopes. he has to. hes broken by hamlets death but he loves him and need hamlet to know that. he hopes hamlet hears him. he hopes its not too late.”

Haunted (Laura Les) Associated with: Hamlet Comments: “This song is very much a Hamlet kind of losing it a bit: "I've been up for three days, everything is haunted, everyone is evil and there's bugs inside the carpet". Like, him losing perspective on who he is and who the villain is and I don't think he was sleeping much either.”

Upward Over the Mountain (Iron & Wine, The Creek Drank The Cradle) Associated with: Hamlet and Gertrude Comments: “Hamlet looks back on his relationship with his mother just before he dies. "Mother don't worry, I killed the last snake that lived in the creek bed" is a GREAT line about Claudius' death and the rest of the song feels like a retrospective on Hamlet's friendships, relationships, birth, and death. The singer compares himself to a bird (like Hamlet's "fall of a sparrow" line!) and talks about flying "upward over the mountain," perhaps hanging on to dreams of going to heaven.”

Macbeth:

Rattlesnake (Kabaret Sybarit, The Poodle) Associated with: Lady Macbeth Comments: “THIS IS HER SONG. IT'S HERS! completely by coincidence, the whole plot of the play is there and i love it.”

Notos (The Oh Hellos, Notos EP) Associated with: Malcolm Comments: “it has the vibe. maybe post-canon or act 5 specifically?”

Miss Macbeth (Elvis Costello, Spike) Associated with: Lady Macbeth Comments: “Once again. Just. Just look at the title for a second”

Shia LaBeouf Live (Rob Cantor, single) Associated with: The whole show Comments: “I was in Macbeth and we were all super normal about this song and it was a cast in joke”

Thus Always to Tyrants (The Oh Hellos, Dear Wormwood) Associated with: Macduff and Lady Macduff Comments: “I picture these lyrics as their separate thought processes as they say goodbye for the last time (not aware it's the last, of course) through the end of the play.”

Caesar (The Oh Hellos, Dear Wormwood) Associated with: Malcolm Comments: “This is how I picture Malcolm's coronation going down. It's bittersweet but has an air of power about it and takes place in the early springtime ("feel how the winter succumbs to the spring"). I imagine Macduff is the speaker here, ordering the Thanes (now Earls) and soldiers to gather and watch the heir be crowned. Malcolm ignores his uncertainty and takes the crown.”

I Will Survive (Cake, Fashion Nugget) Associated with: Lady Macduff Comments: “She *won't* survive, but I think she'd like this song after getting abandoned by Macduff.”

Romeo and Juliet:

Rose (The Oh Hellos, Boreas) Associated with: Romeo and Juliet Comments: “this has a little bit of romance, a little bit of existentialism, and a little bit of everyone else watching this teenage shitshow play out. (and it's also a great song, when taking for its metaphorical meaning, about oppression by christian nationalists)”

Things We Lost in the Fire (Bastille, All This Bad Blood) Associated with: Benvolio Comments: “i just,,,, he lost a lot of things yk? not in a fire necessarily but still i personally think romeo and juliet is very dumpster fire core”

The Diver (Bastille, VS (Other People’s Heartache Part III)) Associated with: Mercutio Comments: “A PLAGUE ON BOTH YOUR HOUSESSSSS ^ legitimately one of the lyrics”

Kill the Director (The Wombats, A Guide to Love, Loss and Desperation) Associated with: Romeo Comments: “this reminds me of when romeo falls in love with rosaline and/or juliet haha the irony is that it is not a romcom as matthew 'murph' murphy says”

Johanna (Sweeney Todd 2012) Associated with: Romeo Comments: “you have captured a theatre kid congrats anyways this song is romeocore to me. no clue why”

I’ll Follow You Into the Dark (Death Cab for Cutie) Associated with: Romeo and Juliet Comments: “listen to the song. you'll get it. basically it's "if you die i'm following you"

Creep (Radiohead) Associated with: Romeo Comments: “This is what I imagine Romeo singing/screaming in the woods at the start of the play after his pseudo-breakup with Rosaline. Like I like to think Benvolio hears SHEEEE RUNNNSS OUT THE DOOOOOOOOOOR in the distance and is like "oh there he goes"

Kiss Me (Sixpence None The Richer, Songs of Love & Romance) Associated with: Romeo and Juliet Comments: “This song feels like what Romeo and Juliet's relationship feels like to me. Like it's secretive and sweet and there's that lovely emphasis on the safety of night and it's like awwww man”

Time In A Bottle (Jim Croce) Associated with: Romeo and Juliet Comments: “it's a beautiful and melancholic song about loving someone deeply but not being able to spend enough time with them due to the fact that you aren't gonna be around with them forever....hey I can think of two zany teens who love each other and then get very little time together before their demise! It just really feels right. Also a lovely song in general.”

The Bitch Is Back (Elton John) Associated with: Romeo, Benvolio, and Mercutio Comments: “They are ALL the Bitch that is BACK”

A Thousand Miles (Vanessa Carlton, Be not Nobody) Associated with: Romeo Comments: “he loves kinda crappy love poems and he thinks this is THE most romantic song of all times, BAR NONE.“

Come To My Window (Melissa Etheridge, Yes I Am Melissa) Associated with: Romeo and Juliet Comments: “This song is just the balcony scene, and I think it captures the kinda cheery sweet energy of Romeo and Juliet's whole relationship”

Heart Of Glass (Blondie, Parallel Lines) Associated with: Romeo Comments: “it's a song about feeling a lot of feelings over love and being kinda led around by it, for better and for worse! That sounds a lot like my guy Romeo in my mind. It also just feels like a song he would like”

Wonderwall (Oasis, (What’s the Story) Morning Glory?) Associated with: Romeo Comments: “Romeo is kinda annoying/enough into art and poetry that I think he is 100% one of those guys who starts learnign guitar and brings it around when he hangs out with his friends and is like "hey guys look what I learned to play" and then he plays wonderwall (a song he finds VERY romantic)”

War (Edwin Starr, War & Peace) Associated with: The Capulets and the Montagues Comments: “A GREAT song about how war and violence SUCKS and ends up harming people senselessly with no benefit to the actual people. That sounds a bit like my favorite sensless feud between two households, both alike in dignity...”

On My Own (Les Misérables) Associated with: Romeo (about Rosaline) Comments: “This is what Romeo is doing before he makes his first appearance in the play. Dramatic little bitch.”

See You Again (Tyler, The Creator feat. Kali Uchis, Flower Boy) Associated with: Romeo and Juliet Comments: “Romeo goes bonkers about Juliet while she "prepares" for her wedding to Paris”

make me wanna die (lovelytheband, if we’re being honest) Associated with: Romeo and Juliet Comments: “I think the song is written about them, but I think it's a modern rendition with flawed protagonists. They both have mental health issues and modern problems, but they still love each other despite it and somehow it's a strange dependence that seems to fixate on death and seems to spiral towards its inevitable end.”

Othello:

Chemical Overreaction / Compound Fracture (Will Wood and the Tapeworms, Everything is a Lot) Associated with: Othello Comments: “it's a hard song to read but it's all about ANGER and VIOLENCE and OOOOH KILL KILL FIGHT which is like Othellocore, not to mention Othello has always given spaghetti western vibes to me (don't ask me) so this is fits for me :)”

Julius Caesar:

Little Dark Age (MGMT) Associated with: The whole show Comments: “The death of the republic as the death of an already rotting corpse. The cospirators kill Caesar as if he was a parasite poisoning the body of the state. Little do they know that the venom has already infected everything. I see it almost a a background song for scheming/preparing for the war.”

Exit Music (For A Film) (Radiohead) Associated with: The whole show Comments: “After the assassination. Cospirators red with blood, Anthony enters the scene (breathe keep breathing, dont loose your nerve) he fakes civility, he gives them his hands, staining them with blood. Brutus convinces Cassius to keep him alive. Then Anthony is alone. At the crescendo he breaks on Caesar's corpse”

Cassius (Foals) Associated with: Cassius Comments: “Nothing too philosophical it's very Cassius core”

Love It Dissipates (Mother Mother) Associated with: Brutus and Cassius Comments: “After the fight in the tent scene. Almost a lullaby for codepending love. Yes you're everything to me, but you're also all the things that poison me. I'd be your anything, baby. The frame to your picture, the pain to your wound. I'd give my heart too to you”

Brutus (The Buttress) Associated with: Brutus Comments: “Uh. Trans Brutus??? (“What’s more wrong, that I too wish to be great or my mother wished she’d had a son?”) Also, great use of a Macbeth line.”

King Lear:

I’m Not That Guy (Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson) Associated with: Edmund Comments: “Idk man the. The vibes. Not all of it fits but that sure is him. Yeah.”

my tears ricochet (Taylor Swift) Associated with: Cordelia Comments: “hands down”

Comedies:

Twelfth Night:

Never Love an Anchor (The Crane Wives, Coyote Stories) Associated with: Antonio and Sebastian Comments: “Ocean theme! "Unrequited" love angst! I think this is the song that a modern Antonio would listen to on his way home from Sebastian's wedding. (And then Olivia hopefully realizes that she's actually in love with Viola and Seb and Antonio get their happily ever after a few months later)” “HI DIANTHUS putting this here bc of your post! 10000/10 fully agree also ive seen people apply this song to multiple ships on tumblr when i was looking this song up which is great. amazing. let’s keep doing this! (which makes sense bc. anchor… ship…. hey i am normal.) also i am p sure someone has already submitted this here! hi!”

Community Gardens (The Scary Jokes, BURN PYGMALION!!! A Better Guide To Romance) Associated with: Viola Comments: “its giving make me a willow cabin at your gate TONS, also it's so cute and I feel like it's got the kind of edge that I just KNOW Viola has”

Cloud 9 (Beach Bunny) Associated with: Viola Comments: None

True Trans Soul Rebel (Against Me!, Transgender Dysphoria Blues) Associated with: Viola Comments: None

Much Ado About Nothing:

Hello, Goodbye (The Beatles, Greatest Hits) Associated with: Benedick and Beatrice Comments: “This is their entire relationship.”

Champagne (Machinery of the Human Heart) Associated with: Benedick and Beatrice Comments: “Song is about being in love and hating it hating love and that you love and ooough”

Sweet Talk (Saint Motel) Associated with: Benedick and Beatrice Comments: “THE benedick Beatrice song”

She Wants Me (To Be Loved) (The Happy Fits) Associated with: Benedick Comments: “After he is tricked into believing that Beatrice loves him. Sue me.”

I Want You To Want Me (Letters to Cleo, 10 Things I Hate About You) Associated with: Benedick and Beatrice Comments: “This song is playful and teasing and both Benedick and Beatrice definitely DO want the other person to want them. It just feels right man”

Barracuda (Glee cover) Associated with: The whole show Comments: “It just fits lol”

say no to drugs (lovelytheband, if we’re being honest) Associated with: Benedick Comments: “I see the song as being from Benedick's perspective. He is lamenting how people always taught him the things to watch out for, but never warned him about falling in love, which I think fits his actual arc in the play where he unexpectedly falls in love and finds it "strange.”

Over You (HOLYCHILD, The Theatrical Death of Julie Delicious) Associated with: Beatrice, Benedick, and Hero Comments: “This song to me, is so like Beatrice talking about herself "I'm a bitch, modern witch, student in the failure of love" and then about Hero "if it's done, he's not the one" and then Benedick "do you know what your love meant to me" (because I think it's implied that Beatrice and Benedick were together briefly before the events of the play). "I'm so hopeless and over you, want you to know it too" is SO Beatrice talking about Benedick about their "merry war" of words.”

The Taming of the Shrew:

Tongues and Teeth (The Crane Wives, The Fool in Her Wedding Gown) Associated with: Katherina Comments: “I mean cmon. cmon. cmon. cmon.”

Measure for Measure:

Ribs (The Crane Wives, Foxlore) Associated with: Isabella and Juliet Comments: “Fuck men sometimes, man...”

A Midsummer Night’s Dream:

Rude (MAGIC!, Don’t Kill The Magic) Associated with: The whole show Comments: None

Trolius and Cressida:

Achilles (Dhimira) Associated with: Achilles and Patroclus Comments: “Well the song is named after Achilles and I think it's already about Achilles and Patroclus without me analyzing it, but basically it's about Patroclus' death, and about how Patroclus and Achilles will follow each other anywhere.”

HYACINTHUS (Aidoneus) Associated with: Achilles and Patroclus Comments: “This song is supposed to be about Apollo and Hyacinthus, but I feel like it applies to Achilles and Patroclus too. "See how flowers grow beneath where your head once lay... they are crying for you still". Essentially, Achilles mourning Patroclus' death towards the end of the play.”

Histories:

Henry VI:

The Night We Met (Lord Huron) Associated with: Margaret of Anjou and Henry VI Comments: “— but not really as it doesn’t fit their Shakespearean characterisation at all! It’s a Margaret who really actually loved Henry panicking after everything begins to go to shit in the early 1450s :)”

Henry IV (Parts 1 and 2):

Down the River (The Crane Wives, Foxlore) Associated with: Prince Hal, Henry IV, Falstaff Comments: “this sounds like a Henry IV lecture to Hal in song form (also, Falstaff at the end of part 2???)”

Romances:

The Tempest:

Part of Your World (The Little Mermaid) Associated with: Miranda Comments: “sighs. Look it's just the vibes. It's like if Miranda was a fish lady.”

Lost! (The Lightning Thief) Associated with: The Tempest Act 2, Scene 1 Comments: “Group of dumbass men who have no idea what's going on and at least half of them qualify for every national parks discount”

Other:

Comedy, Tragedy, History (Akala, Freedom Lasso) Associated with: The entire Shakespearean canon Comments: “It’s a song that’s trying very hard to name every shakespeare play and it does a pretty good job at it”

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randomrabbidramblings · 1 year

Text

A little tought about Woodrow’s comic:

It’s time for another over analyzing post!

(Spoilers for Palette Prime’s Warden story)

Now that we have some good quality images of the Warden’s backstories, I can point out this thing.

Ever noticed the little scribbles around the panels on Woodrow’s comic?

This one in particular suggests it was Woodrow himself that made them. He insistently drew little hearts, stars and exclamation points with arrows pointing over the poem’s balloon as to say: “I loved it! Why is it portrayed like it was a bad thing??”.

Other scribbles are pretty random and somehow match the overall vibe of the panel (like the Rabbid pumpkin in panel #5 or Woodrow worriedly looking upwards with the trajectory of the falling ship drawn over his head in panel #9), meanwhile others give us a hint of what was going on in his mind at the moment like this on panel #3:

“OUCH”. And maybe here he started questioning the strange phenomenon of the things falling from the sky.

Or this one on panel #4:

Pretty self explanatory. The poor thing is heartbroken after being cheated on.

And the scribbles continue on all the panels.

Except one.

The last one.

No scribbles at all here.

Why? Well, the first thing that comes to mind is: he didn’t want to comment anything on this because he was still traumatized by the whole accident.

Another interpretation could be this: this is the only panel showing him as the oblong Rabbid he is today, so maybe it has something to do with that. Did he hate what he has become?

Or maybe this moment in his life was the beginning of something more serious and he didn’t have anything to say about it because he felt nothing anymore?

This poor bun needs therapy. And a hug.

#rabbid #rabbids #mario rabbids #mario+rabbids #mario + rabbids #mario rabbids sparks of hope #mario+rabbids sparks of hope #mario + rabbids sparks of hope #sparks of hope #rabbid woodrow #my rambles

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john-keels-sinister-goatee · 29 days

Text

Alright, March recap. This month I:

- was honest and upfront about heavy emotional stuff that would have instantly vaporized the me of ten years ago (ouch, owie, but yay growth!)

- discovered a hitherto unknown talent for painting plum blossoms

- trudged through a blizzard to see Dune Part Two, cried at the end, ate some delicious rice and lamb afterwards

- became genuinely invested in the story and lore of Sailor Moon

- continued being a slut (affectionate)

- dipped my toe into confessional poetry, ended up with some good but very sad poems and one thing that I'm pretty sure is a spell (/hj)

- successfully added kettlebell cleans and presses to my workout

- fell down a rabbit hole of early 2000s nostalgia and somehow turned this into a short story about a UFO contactee

- came down with the single worst sinus infection I've had in the last decade, which lasted my entire spring break and then some

- nervously watched myself consume a David Lynchian amount of sugar while home sick

- bowled for the first time in years and somehow managed to get two strikes and still come in last in the same game

- went on an extremely memorable date at an increasingly rowdy strip club and came home with butt smudges on my glasses (shout-out to the skinny old dude who spent hours in the champagne room and was still hanging around when we left at 3 in the morning, your stamina is an inspiration to us all)

- finally got into Clarice Lispector, to the approval of my Brazilian friends ("Perdoando Deus" is one of my favorite short stories now)

- gave serious consideration to writing some kind of elegy for malls, as a species

My life has become some kind of silly picaresque. And I love that. I think that's exactly what it needs to be right now.

#personal #something something life has no plot #the dionysian side of the mountain #it's been strong in me lately

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wingfeathersagafanblog · 1 year

Note

What do u think will be of Slarb's development/fate?

Ooh, that's a good question! I'm curious to see if the show will follow what happens in the books with Slarb. (In one of the livestreams, it was mentioned that they opted not to use the Black Carriage poem because it might've been too scary for younger viewers—but I think we can still count on certain Big Sad Things happening later on, so I'm not certain what they intend to do in those areas here in Season 1.)

Like in the books, the show's Slarb is not held in very high regard by the other Fangs. When you're a bad guy, and your fellow bad guys are laughing at how the good guys did little things to trounce you? Ouch. Slarb is pretty mad about that.

He may not be very powerful, or have the authority to do much—but he's almost scarier for it, because no one lets him forget that fact and he hates it. He's willing to do whatever he can to make the other Fangs regret the way they talk about him, and we're not sure how long his orders not to harm the Igibys will hold him back. I think that's actually an awesome way to develop a more minor antagonist! It's always unnerving when you're not sure just how far an impulsive, bitter character will go in a situation.

I think he makes a great (if very troublesome) antagonist, and I look forward to seeing what happens with his part of the plot in the show!

#asks #dnpanimationstudioclone #the wingfeather saga #Slarb #Slarb the Fang #Season 1 #Across the Dark Sea of Darkness

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prattling-she-elf · 2 years

Text

Rating Rings of Power Characters: Elves Edition!

(As of Episode 5)

Welcome to the show where you get to hear my opinions which nobody asked for!

Are you ready?

Let the frivolity commence!

Aaaaand first up, we have the Elves! Starting with....

Galadriel:

Elegant. Graceful. Proud. Restless. A fighter.

Everything I expect and look for in a young Galadriel. 10 points.

10 points for putting baby Elrond in his place. She has seen shit, and no patronizing from Elrond (who literally has not seen said shit) is making her forget that.

Another 10 points awarded for the iconic line and delivery of "There is a tempest within me!"

20 points for slapping that man in the ass with a sword. That had me howling with laughter.

-5 points for her lack of husband. Seriously, where the hell is Celeborn? Minus another 10 for being shorter than Halbrand. Our woman should be like 6 feet tall. It doesn't matter if Morfydd Clark is only 5'3. They made John Rhys-Davies (Gimli) who is 6'1 look short next to the rest of the OG cast. They could have done the same here and made her look tall. Big boo.

Galadriel comes in with a total of 35 points.

Next up, we have.....

Arondir:

Quick. Agile. Diplomatic. Just. Kind. Serious. Handsome.

This guy has it all. Solid 20 points for a great original character.

Another 10 points for his subtle expressiveness. He's pretty closed off, but the way he looks at Bronwyn.... *swoons*

10 points for the face he makes at Adar when Adar asks him if he is from Beleriand from "the mouth of the river".

*derisive laughter*

Arondir's incredulous face says it all. There are roughly 35 rivers in Beleriand, which drain into around 4 mouths, all of which have some settlement of some kind. Like, I know the writers probably mean he's from the Havens of Sirion, but that was still the elvish equivalent of asking an American, "Are you from America, from 'the state'? I've been there once, you know".

-5 points for speaking Quenya. Not a single Silvan Elf born in Beleriand would be speaking Quenya, ever. Elu Thingol banned the language from being spoken throughout the realm when he learned of the horrors of the First Kinslaying. It's an absolutely massive faux pas on the writer's part.

That has Arondir sitting pretty on 35 points.

Next, we have ....

Celebrimbor:

He's..... old?

That's -5 right off the bat. He's not the oldest elf, so why does he look old? I mean, he also saw some first-age shit, but so did everyone else here. The writers do realize that he's younger than Galadriel, right?

Otherwise, he's a little sassy and ambitious, but relatively a nice guy. +10 points for Celebrimbor.

That leaves Celebrimbor with ..... ouch, 5 points. You know what will make you popular my dude? Forge some rings. What could possibly go wrong?

Next up is.....

Gil-Galad:

+10 points for looking exactly as Gil-Galad should, but what did they do to his character?

Since when did Gil-Galad become.... dare I say it... a dick?

The Gil-Galad I know was kind and benevolent, and overall a gentle ruler who always sided with Galadriel. I was not expecting a sneaky, manipulative, Mithril-hungry, ship-your-best-mates-off-to-Valinor, arrogant bastard, and I do not approve.

I mean, where is the man worthy of the "Gil-Galad was an elven king" poem? The writers so did him dirty.

-10 points.

That leaves Gil-Galad with a great big 0. Shape up, laddy.

Moving on to....

Elrond:

He is a perfect sweet baby. An angel. Kind. Polite. Understanding. He has a lot to learn. The character is so good I can entirely excuse the hair.

10 points for Elrond!

His bromance with Durin is iconic. Another 10 points.

He is also pure and loyal to his friends, and he is starting to learn to do both what is right for his friends, and what is right for his people. Oh, how this series is going to crush him. Another 10 for our poor baby.

That has Elrond sitting on a nice even 30 points.

Next up....

Elros:

Lore checks out. +10.

Just tell me, what idiot decided Elros gets a beard? Tolkien makes it very clear that half-elves don't get beards and it takes many generations for their descendants to acquire that mannish trait (see the princely house of Dol Amroth). -5 points.

That leaves Elros with 5 points as well. You need to shave, my dude.

Aaaaand, last but not least.....

Finrod:

Right off the bat, wtf did they do to his hair?!? Terribly unsexy. -10 points.

And what exactly happens with his death? Finrod dies in the dungeons of Sauron, not on the fields of battle. While the former (and correct version) would perfectly explain Galadriel's extreme hatred of Sauron, the show heavily implies the latter. -10 for such a vague corruption of his backstory.

+5 for his absolutely awesome quote, "Sometimes we cannot know [the light] until we have touched the darkness."

Finrod finishes with a grand..... -15 points.

AND THE WINNER IS.......

Galadriel and Arondir for a tie!

Elrond comes in a close second!

Tune in next time for Rating the Númenóreans!

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golbrocklovely · 1 year

Text

since fob just came out with a new album, i figured i would give you my reaction to it

does anyone care? probably not lol

feel free to read and if not, whatever haha

Love From the Other Side

10/10 love this song, loved it since it came out. this is EXACTLY what i have needed.

Favorite Lyric: I'd never go, I just want to be invited

2. Heartbreak Feels So Good

i know this song came out before the album, but i never got around to listening to it. so this is my first time hearing it.

it was pretty good song for the most part. the lyrics are a little meh, but i do like the "heartbreak feels so GOOD" part. vocals on point as usual. kinda zoned out at one point lol

Favorite Lyric: We'll cry later or cry now, but baby / Heartbreak feels so good

3. Hold Me Like a Grudge

omg… i love this??? so fucking much????????

it has such a good bassline, such a good song to groove to. i think patrick's vocals get a little bit lost in the music, but it still sounds really good. i love the lyrics. i wasn't sure what to expect with this song but i genuinely loved it the entire time i listened to it.

Favorite Lyric: Part-time soulmate, full-time problem / Hold me like a grudge

4. Fake Out

heard the first chords of this song and i was like 'oh, this is gonna be a sad one' and i was right.

the lyrics are such a gut punch. if you're someone like me who kinda lives in fantasy and daydreams to get by, this song hurts a lot. this song reminds me of a lot of a paramore's song - super upbeat but lyrically melancoly. i love it and it almost made me cry.

correction, i was looking over the lyrics for one i liked the most, and i started crying. so… thanks fob.

Favorite Lyric: We did it for futures that never came / And for pasts that we're never gonna change (but honestly there are so many in this song i could have picked any of them)

5. Heaven, Iowa

in the first half of the song, i was like ehh, idk. it was reading like a phil collins song or just like pure 80s, and i was kinda on the fence about it.

but the chorus. omg the chorus. patrick…. THEM VOCALS. seriously he is so good.

i like the lyrics a lot. the ending was fantasic.

Favorite Lyric: Talking to the mirror say, "Save your breath / Half your life you've been hooked on death"

6. So Good Right Now

love the general vibe of this song - upbeat but everything crashing and burning around me. that's me everyday lol

i think the lyrics are so personal in this song. i think we can all relate to changing ourselves for someone else, especially when we love them and want to be with them as long as possible.

song was super fast, kinda wish it never ended lol

Favorite Lyric: I got this doom and gloom in my mind / I got this doom and gloom but I feel all right

7.The Pink Seashell

not really a song, but it was very pretty.

idk where this monologue is from, but… ouch.

8. I Am My Own Muse

very dramatic, reminds me so much of folie.

love the heavy as guitars and all the orchestral instruments too. they had such a dark touch to the whole song.

totally didn't start tearing up at my favorite lyric…. who told you that??

Favorite Lyric: I'm just trying to keep it together / But it gets a little harder when it never gets better

9. Flu Game

fob is really coming for my neck rn dear lord.

as i've kinda mentioned on here before, my ex best friend of 10 years decided to randomly end our friendship and subsequently i lost all of our friends in common, and it's been a bit of roller coaster emotionally. and these lyrics…. fuck me, they are just connecting with me so much.

Favorite Lyric: Oh God, kinda please would you kill me now? or Last night I dreamt I still knew you, you / I carved out a place in this world for two / But it's empty without you

10. Baby Annihilation

first off love that the previous song blended into this one. always a fave of mine when songs on albums do that.

interesting, another poem/monologue on the album. love when pete does his whole speech at the end of a song, but making this it's own is fun.

11. The Kintsugi Kid (Ten Years)

again, they're trying to make me hurt, that's all i will accept at this point.

this feels like such a nostaligic song, too. god. didn't think this would be the third song on fob's album i would be crying to, but here i am.

Favorite Lyric: I felt you at the beginning / But needed you at the end

12. What a Time to Be Alive

never thought i would full on CACKLE at a fob, but oh my god???!?!??!?!?!?!

i love this. no other words. 1000+/10

Favorite Lyric: 'Cause everything is lit except my serotonin or When, when, when I said, "Leave me alone" / This isn't quite what I meant

13. So Much (for) Stardust

this reminded me so much of marianas trench and how they will make the final song on their albums an accomulation of all the other songs on the album. and i really love that for fob.

this song is such a sad ending, but also not?? like it just feels like almost admitting you were upset all this time, and now you're left with what to do with finally telling everyone how you felt.

seriously so good. vocally, i mean… cmon.

Favorite Lyric: I used to be a real go-getter / I used to think it'd all get better

OVERALL: this is seriously one of fob's best albums to date. it isn't the same as anything else they've released, and it's so much more mature than previous album. musically, it has a lot of similarities to past projects, but i think it takes on a life of it's own and is unique amongst all of their other works. a lot more groovy than i ever expected them to sound like. lyrically, gut punching. thanks for making me cry three times. wish i could see you guys in concert but yall REFUSE to come to philly. and coming to camden does not count !!

i'm gonna go listen to this for another week and half, see yall on the other side lol

RANKING OF THE SONGS

What a Time to Be Alive

Love From the Other Side

Hold Me Like a Grudge

Fake Out

The Kintsugi Kid (Ten Years)

So Good Right Now

Flu Game

Heaven, Iowa

I Am My Own Muse

So Much (for) Stardust

Heartbreak Feels So Good

The Pink Seashell

Baby Annihilation

#personal #text #fall out boy

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for-dramas-sake · 1 year

Text

The Starry Love ep 21, 22 thoughts

Haichou having it out with Chaofeng is fantastic. And he's still got that sass!

Yes, distract the alcohol loving Bowser with MORE alcohol. Too many distractions will make him alcohol dependent.

Oh no no no no no no no. The Void Queen isn't stupid and she's figured out something is fishy about Greed. The attack is too sudden to stop and Greed doesn't have Youqin's powers or his smarts or anything of his except his looks.

Too many things are happening at once! I'm freaking out over Yetan being frozen, Qingkui revealing their shared pain secret and now I find Dingyun slightly attracted with that smile and spear?! I can't process it all!

Of course, there's no cure for Yetan's poison unless it involves lots and lots of gold. LOL! Poor Greed, he's worked so hard to get all this wealth. It comes down to: Is Yetan worth it? We know what the answer is: of course.

Yetan's dream was heartbreaking: Not only was she happy with her family, but her father was proud of her. It wasn't real. That's the real pain of the imaginary: it's a hollow reality.

Awww, Greed opened his heart to Yetan! She is totally worth it!

Meanwhile, back at the Void gang, Chaofeng is in self-pity and Haichou tries to cheer him up. It doesn't work.

Ohh, snap! Chaofeng and Yetan finally meet! The lies and the secrets of the heart are starting to unwravel. Not only that, but a new lie has formed and that lie implied "I don't love you". Ouch. Heartbreak for our Void couple!

The sisters broke up, but their tiff was short lived! Yay! Unite the sisterly forced against evil!

As much as I want my Immortal Turtle back, I blush at the sincerity and eagerness of both Bowser and Greed. They are both genuinely in love with Yetan. These two soul shards are incredibly trusting, I hope Yetan doesn't break their hearts.

The newest soul shard is such… a babe! He's so pretty with long flowy hair, pretty sound words and face painting. Get this guy to show some ankle and he'll be attracting all the ladies to the yard!

I bet he's playing her. This seems WAY TOO EASY and Youqin is naturally an awkward turtle. So how does a turtle know how to use pretty poems and lovely gifts to girls? HMMM??

Oh.my.gosh. He's lust! LOL!!! And he's done this seduction trick before?! Where is my awkward turtle gone to? This is a fox, not a turtle.

The use-a-double seduction method! LOL! But don't think too hard about that last scene with Qingheng, cuz…ew.

If you made this far AND you'd like to read my thoughts on the previous episodes, here are the links...

19, 20 / 17,18 / 15,16 / 13,14 / 11, 12 / 9, 10 / 7, 8 / 5, 6 / 3, 4 / 1, 2

#cdrama #chinese drama #the starry love #chen xingxu #landy li

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spacehorrors · 2 years

Text

tma review e161-180

every time I start these reviews I'm like we're really in it now folks but we're SO past that point now

top episodes

E169 Fire Escape: so this one came across quite strongly to be a Grenfell allegory which was disturbing to listen to, similarly to the next episode that deals with xenophobia and disease. As an episode I enjoyed it because I usually enjoy ones that play with houses and homes which turn against you. It was just horrible listening to all of the ways they could've escaped that were shut off.

164 The Sick Village: like the previous episode, this one was a lot to listen to because it was skating SO so close to real life and both of the episodes are examples of how horror reflects society's fears. I thought it was also good example of how the new statement style suited different types of stories.

E171 The Gardener: love love playing with structure and I enjoyed this one being like an instruction manual. The treatment of human beings like plants and flowers ough it was a lovely crossover of things I love.

E170 Recollection: so I was conflicted about this one but god hearing Martin say "oh hello!" to that tape recorder over and over and hearing him trying to figure out where he was over and over it was just devastating. like ouch and the chair that is never comfortable and the house that is never his.

E176 Blood Ties - just loved how this one was written to be honest not much complexity in my opinion lol! I just enjoyed how it sounded.

general thoughts

To get this out the way um I already covered my thoughts on the children episode in an ask but yes I thought that was messed up. I'm still not convinced on the children's fear is not as fully developed as adults? Like I thought they'd be easier to manipulate but I thought it was a good messed up idea. It also raised the issue of the moralities of the avatars again like I enjoy them toying with just how much these avatars are in control or have a choice in these matters.

THE DOMAINS. I already made this joke but uh lord of the rings? I think the domains are a good way to distinguish what makes this the end of the world rather than just a smorgasbord of fear it's like they're sort of in competition.

So. Jon ended the world. I think it's interesting to see the balance of blame in him like is he only blamed if he enjoys the aftermath? Did he know what would come at the end of the statement? Interesting. Especially since Jon's guilt is mainly seen through Martin, how does this change it? Very interesting.

The "knowing everything" aspect is interesting but my favourite part of it is grappling with whether Jon is enjoying it or it's destroying him or both.

So the changes to the statements themselves. Narratively I enjoy it because it allows for a lot more experimentation like that wild poem or the instructions in the gardening flesh one. It's super fun!

Smiting. Why do we have to call it smiting that's such a funny word for a not funny occurrence. I think it's like incredibly interesting because Martin and Jon clearly have very different views on what is actually being achieved via it. The KILL BILL line made me laugh a lot ngl especially with Simon Fairchild. but also the difference between vengeance and justice AND ALSO the fact that Jon is also an avatar. Like what's the line between him and the others yknow? And I think that's a line Martin is going to have to reconcile with pretty soon. Love his I love my murder boyfriend attitude though.

Last thing is that I was kind of impressed with how they managed to make the end of the world just a never ending depressing awful time because I thought that'd be bad but I think the balance they've stricken works well.

character thoughts

Basira and Daisy. Honestly? I found Daisy's death a little underwhelming but I'm not sure what I would have preferred. I thought Daisy recognising Basira was a nice touch and of course you had to have the little "is Basira going to join her" note that I liked. I thought they finished Daisy's arc quite well though I was a bit worried they would lean too heavily into the "oh yeah well she was good at the end" rather than focus on the whole brutal past. Um yeah! I'm sort of undecided but like Basira having to kill Daisy has always been on the cards and what's been built up.

Martin - the dog in the archives..... dear lord my boy. anyway I've been enjoying him this season. I think it's been nice to see how he handles things. Especially nice when he clearly states well no I don't want to do that or I don't like it when YOU do that like yes!! Character growth good for you.

:)..... YESSS Jon have conflicting feelings about your own part in the end of the world and your duty to save everyone and your vengeance. Literally more moral dilemmas please they're very fun to listen to. I particularly liked the bit with Jude Perry and like exploring if he's going to put other people's safety and comfort to one side to find out more, to avenge himself.

Jon AND Martin because they need their own section yes I think they're sweet yes I think they're doomed. Yes I'm enjoying their funny moments yes I think they're going to inevitably hurt each other. I want to walk into the ocean. Enjoyed the early season where it was just a bunch of eldritch monsters reacting to them dating like that was so funny. Listen I'm a sucker for romance ok I'm sorry this is a horror but love IS the centre of horror so.

Tim and Sasha THOSE RECORDINGS WERE MEAN. THEY WERE MEAN AND THEY HURT MY FEELINGS. >:( which I know was the point but god the idea that Sasha should've been archivist is such a CONCEPT. god. and Tim. sounding so happy.... puts everything is such a horrible context. the way Sasha was smart and competent but it wasn't enough to save her. god. head in my hands. that happy birthday recording.

Where is Melanie...... WHERE IS SHE. can I please see Melanie and Georgie soon I miss them so much.

predictions

my main prediction is sort of to do with uh a certain main character whose name rhymes with gone's death. um. I geniunely don't know how they're going to kill Elias apart from my Georgie theory because they've already said that killing Jon doesn't turn the world back. so maybe Jon is doomed to keep watch over wherever they imprison them? I don't know. I'm very worried about it.

CONFLICT BETWEEN MARTIN AND HIS IDEAL OF JON because like yes of course that's been erased away gradually but I feel like one thing is just going to push Martin too far and they're going to have a proper fight about it.

I also think prediction one and two might feed in to each other but I want to think no more about it 😭😭

I will not shut about this one but I'm still convinced Georgie is instrumental to all this. she literally doesn't feel fear how is she not instrumental.

I think I need to take a bit more interest in Annabelle Cain because I have a feeling the Web will be instrumental in taking down Elias. Like, they've got to establish a plan at some point that isn't just walk to London yknow.

THE LIGHTER. can we have some explanation. I also think they should burn the archives down in honour of Gertrude and trap Elias inside. :) I think that would be fun.

hmm. what else do I think. I really don't know to be honest I just don't see it ending with anything but devastation..

ok <3 that's all thanks everyone for tuning in. send me asks, are without spoilers etc whatever!

#tma review #tma reviews #tma lb #✌️✌️✌️

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joanna-lannister · 4 months

Note

💘🌿🎈💞🕯️

THANK YOU SO MUCH NONNIE! ☺️❤️

💘Is there any posted fic you want to rework/re-edit/re-write?

Yes, I have 2 fics I would actually want to rework on; the Teen Pregnancy AU and the first fic I have ever posted on AO3 😭

For "i'll kidnap all the stars and i will keep them in your eyes", I wish my chapters were more lengthy, consistent and had more development. I'm planning to re-edit it some day, and try to make it better. Fingers crossed it will happen 🤞🏻

And for "sweetest devotion", my first fic ever in English, oh God it was disaster! Like SEND HELP tbh. Not gonna lie, a few times I thought about deleting it, but since AO3 is an archive, well I decided to let it there in the end. But I think it need to be rewritten and polished a lot. I think now switching from baby!Joanna POV to Jaime POV and back to baby!Joanna was a bad idea (I don't do that anymore). Also chosing to write the thoughts from a 4 years old little girl who was a blank canvas was more of a challenge and a struggle for a first fic in my non-native language than anything else.

🌿how does creating make you feel?

Def better, and alive. I struggle a lot with depression, and I often feel empty, but when I write (or make gifsets), I use it as an outlet to make me feel like I have some kind of purpose, if that makes sense? Like, I know some of my creations will make people happy, so it brings me joy to read the tags or the comments people leave. It's an exchange between people in the fandom, and I love it.

🎈describe your style as a writer; is it fixed? does it change?

Ouch, the one question I was scared to get because I'm not sure how to describe my writing style 😅 I think it has evolved for the better, but it's pretty much fixed. I have some sentences I overuse like "a smile bloomed on her/his face", "her/his eyes flickered wide open", "tangled together", etc... I wish I could get better at description, but I fear my lack of vocabulary because I'm French is showing. I try to be poetic (I love reading poems while I'm scrolling Tumblr, and I save my faves [+ fave quotes] in a file on google docs), and I focus a lot on the characters' psychology. What they think, what they fear... I try to capture the struggles of human emotions. Yes, I think that would be my writing style.

💞what's the most important part of a story for you? the plot, the characters, the worldbuilding, the technical stuff (grammar etc), the figurative language

Hands down the characters. And the technical stuff, because I want my fics to be readable, I'm not sure if I'm the best because ✨ French ✨ but I'm trying. I spend a lot of time making sure the words I use are properly spelled, and making sure it's the right meaning I want to convey. As for the characters, as I said above, I'm focusing a lot on the psychology so, it def comes first.

🕯️was there a fic that was really hard on you to write, or took you to a place you didn't think it would take you?

Oh, def "grieving for the living". Killing Jaime while Cersei was still living was such a struggle. I was in such a bad place mentally because of work, and I had to convey all those emotions of loss, grief, tragedy, with a glint of hope toward the end, on the paper. I'm lowkey even impressed I could actually finish to write that fic. Yes, that fic was really hard to write, but I'm pretty proud of it 🤧

#anon #answered #ask game

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lucidityisabsent · 5 months

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saw this coming but damn

these lifetime favorites that keep slipping away.

words are left behind, some- times in song,

read from a page perhaps a script, a poem.

an actor, what dies. a poet lost. the words remain.

even your voice may someday sing this song.

that would be angelic, pure elation (as your wings).

although, as a favorite this is all there is.

it does not regress nor advance pretty much

stays in a lane. a lane you go one hundred miles an

hour in, if you were even moving brought you here.

not only a lifetime, seems to be slipping away. all

these favorites remain. still though, how sad. -

ouch

#poetry #writing

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snowywrites · 3 years

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Natsuki x comedic!reader

summary: this was a request from someone on quotev, reader is gender neutral!

word count: 3k

You set your bag down next to your usual chair in the Literature Club room before taking a seat in one of the desk chairs. Stretching your arms up high over your head, you suppress a yawn; being stuck in school for an extra hour or so wasn't all that bad, considering you got to see your friends whom you didn't really share any classes with.

"Ugh. You're never the first one here."

A familiar irritated voice catches your attention, and you turn around in your chair to grin at the one and only Natsuki. Your expression brightens even more when you notice what she's carrying.

"Aww! Are those for us?" You coo, rising quickly from your chair to hurry over to the short pink-haired girl standing by the entrance to the room, examining the tray of muffins in her hands.

Immediately Natsuki recoils away from you, reminding you so much of a stray cat who never received enough love in their life. The thought makes you snort to yourself as she even straight up hisses, "Wh- these aren't for- I mean- they're for the club! But they aren't for, like, you and me!"

You listen to her fierce but confusing denial politely, your smile softening but never completely disappearing. She could get so riled up sometimes over the tiniest things.

Natsuki's blush is apparent, and you're highly tempted to make some sort of joking comment comparing her to something, when she suddenly backs up too far and collides with the doorframe of the classroom behind her. She squeaks, the tray suddenly seeming very shaky in her hands as she struggles to regain her balance to keep herself from toppling to the floor.

Not missing a beat, you reach out to catch the tray just as it slips from her hands, only narrowly managing to avoid watching the muffins spill all over the place.

Feeling pretty proud of yourself for that nice save, you hold the tray up triumphantly with one hand, showing off just a little bit as you smirk at Natsuki. "Well, what do you think? Have I earned the right to have at least one of these most-delightfully-baked-goods?"

She's fumbling for a response, ego most definitely wounded.

You lower the tray again, adding teasingly, "Alas, if you can't spare even one little muffin, I suppose we could work out some kind of arrangement?" You pause and hum, tapping your chin thoughtfully with one finger from your free hand, pretending to think for a moment. "How's about, say, three years of your devoted friendship? That about equals the rescued lives of- onetwothreefourfiveand... six muffins, wouldn't you agree?" You say, making a small show out of counting them.

Natsuki glares at you with scorching magenta eyes, stuttering over her words so much ('don't compare her to Yuri even as a joke, she will kill us right here and now, Y/N.') that you start to worry if maybe you've gone too far in teasing her today- not everyone appreciates your jokes, but you usually got the impression that Natsuki actually kind of liked them... even if she acted like she didn't. Normally, you could literally see her trying her best to fight back a giggle, but this time she seemed more sensitive for whatever reason.

"Ah, Natsuki-"

Whatever half-assed attempt at an awkward apology you were about to come up with was interrupted, of course, by your ever-excitable mutual friend Sayori launching herself into the classroom with all the unrestrained joy of an elementary schooler, exclaiming, "Y/N! You're never here this early- and you brought snacks??"

Sayori leans too close into your personal space to inspect the muffins before deciding, "Wait, no- these look too good to be yours, I bet Natsuki-" She glances over her shoulder to see the baker in question and exclaims, "So you did make them! Hey, thanks!"

Natsuki, still attempting to recover from her previous flustered state, huffs, refusing to look at either of you two. "Y-Yeah, it's no big deal..."

Sayori is already reaching over to snag one of the muffins; you have no doubt in mind that she was the reason Natsuki made six treats instead of five.

You try to catch Natsuki's eye so you could feign some good ol' exaggerated exasperation with the way Sayori ate like such a child, and how tactless she could be, but the short girl was doing her absolute best to continue ignoring your entire presence.

Yikes, maybe you actually had seriously offended her... or maybe it was just something else entirely that had upset her so much...?

Before you had the chance to really think too much about what could be bothering Natsuki, the other members of the Literature Club arrived for the usual after school meeting, first Yuri and then shortly after Monika, both apologizing for being tardy even though they weren't that late at all.

"Oh, Natsuki brought snacks?" Inquires Monika as she notices the muffin tray you had set down on a desk a couple of minutes ago. "Let's all have them before we do any reading or discussions today."

Sayori beams at the club president's words, having already polished off her first muffin and now eager for yet another. You didn't blame her, Natsuki was a great baker, but sheesh, with the way Sayori had inhaled it, you wondered if she even tasted it at all.

You try yet again to send Natsuki a warm smile in the hopes of cheering her up somehow, but she was still steadfastly pretending you didn't exist, apparently, and so your efforts were futile.

Resigned to your fate, you help Monika push some of the desks together to form a makeshift table that everyone settled down at, each club member taking a muffin for themselves and starting to dig in.

"No complaints, Sayori?" You hum after the first bite when you realize what the flavor of these particular muffins is.

Your energetic friend is probably eating too quickly to really notice, as you originally suspected, and she simply blinks at you, confused.

"What do you mean 'complaints'?" Natsuki pipes up sharply, though her voice is wavering which makes you think she actually cares quite a lot about what others- maybe even you in particular- think of her baking prowess.

You shake your head defensively, chuckling a little. "Don't shoot, don't shoot! It's just, they're blueberry. Sayori can be such a kid sometimes, so I-"

"Do you not like them?" Natsuki snaps, making you wish, not for the first time, that you could finish a sentence around these girls.

"Ah- nono, I do! It's really good! I just was- uhm-" You struggle to find the right words to defend yourself under her heated glare. Why was Natsuki taking everything you said so personally today?

"Y/N was only joking," Monika, bless her soul, steps in calmly with the patience of a saint to try and smooth out the situation before it was given the chance to escalate any further. "You know how they can be."

Wow, okay, ouch.

You dramatically place a hand over your heart. "Why, Monika! You wound me." And honestly, there was a teensy bit of truth buried and hidden underneath your dumb joke. Just because you liked to cover up any feelings of discontentment in an effort to find the tiniest semblance of humor in just about any scene of life didn't mean you went around purposely hurting the feelings of those around you. Or... did you? Shoot, now you weren't sure anymore.

Sayori laughs out loud at your over the top display, and you notice even Yuri is trying to hide a smile behind her muffin, her violet eyes almost unnerving with the way they follow your every movement.

But you aren't really paying attention to any of them at the moment, so much so that you don't even process Monika's reply. Your focus is purely on Natsuki.

She's not glaring directly at you anymore, but down at her hands which are clasped together in her lap.

You clear your throat; being serious wasn't your thing, but you still wanted to give it a try- for her. Softly, in the hopes of not letting the rest of the girl's overhear your words, you begin, "Natsuki, I..."

"It is strange, though." Yet again you are interrupted! If it had been Sayori, you would have been openly frustrated with her, but this time it's Yuri's shy self who has at last decided to share something of her thoughts with the group.

A beat of silence. “What’s strange?” Monika prompts when Yuri doesn’t continue her train of thought.

The violet-haired girl jolts a little, as if she hadn’t realized she’d spoken out loud. “Ah- just that- uhm- I was just thinking… Natsuki usually bakes cupcakes for us instead of muffins,” she explains timidly.

Huh. Weird observation, but Yuri kinda had a point.

Natsuki stiffens, sending a scowl in Yuri’s direction. “You don’t have to psychoanalyze literally everything, y’know. Life isn’t always like one of your dumb novels where you have to make up deeper meanings for when one doesn’t exist.”

You exchange a swift glance with Monika- lately, you and the club president had sort of been tag teaming helping each other lately to diffuse conflict within the Literature Club. Most often, the offenders were the same as the ones now: Natsuki and Yuri. Monika’s method of smoothing over issues was calmly and kindly, whereas you tended to take a more comedic route where angry grumbles could dissolve into grudging laughter.

Since it was technically your turn to step in and try to solve some conflict before either girl burst into tears, you interject with the first set-up for a joke that pops into your head.

“Heh, careful, Natsuki. I think you might give Yuri a new idea for one of her poems.” You face the taller girl as you continue, “Here, I’ll help you with the topic- ‘muffins- are they just ugly cupcakes?’ Yeah, just throw in some fancy language and stuff and-“

You can tell by everyone’s expressions that you’ve made a misstep somewhere here in your delivery, but then Yuri reaches up with one hand as she tries to mask her smile, and you’re intensely relieved you didn’t hurt her feelings.

Somehow, though, it seemed someone else was hurt.

Natsuki stood up abruptly from her chair, the sound of it’s metal legs grating on the floor causing you to wince. “Can you be serious for once?”

She doesn’t wait for your response, just turns on her heel to grab her cute pink backpack and then stalk out of the room, slamming the door shut behind her.

“Sheesh, what did I say….?” You sigh heavily, combing a hand through your hair. You were so frustrated with both yourself and Natsuki.

Sayori gave you a sympathetic pat on the shoulder, already standing up to go check on Natsuki, but Monika’s timelessly intelligent emerald gaze was fixed on you with a thoughtfulness that seemed beyond her years, and it did not move away from you when she spoke to Sayori. “No, let’s have Y/N go and talk things out with her.”

You cringe. “Won’t that just make things worse?” You worry, shaking your head. “I mean, call me crazy, but I don’t think I’ll be getting an award for being her favorite person anytime soon, Monika…”

A faint smile crosses Monika’s face. “Mm, I think you’d be surprised. Just go and talk with her, and please hurry before you miss her. I’d hate to lose a club member, especially one as talented as Natsuki.”

You stand up, a bit alarmed by the assumption your club president was making here. What, just because of one little spat it was presumed Natsuki would quit the Literature Club altogether? That would never happen!

….Would it?

You weren’t keen on taking your chances of finding out, so you hastily made your exit from the classroom, looking around the school halls and seeing just a flash of pink disappear around the corner to your right.

You hurry after Natsuki, glancing around uncertainly- you were pretty sure you weren’t allowed to roam the halls like this after classes were over, even if you were in a club. Plus, it seemed like Natsuki wasn’t actually leaving the school building at all, she was heading for the roof.

You don’t call her name for fear of being reprimanded by some annoying teacher or other staff, so you kept quiet as you trailed after your friend up some flights of stairs; if she was aware of your presence, she said nothing- you were mostly sure that she would’ve snapped at you to go away if she had noticed you.

At last you make it to the door that went out to the roof of the school building, which had just closed behind Natsuki. Tentatively, you push it open as quietly as possible and take a small peek outside to survey the situation.

Natsuki is sitting on a small bench with her back still to you, her attention apparently fixed on the horizon.

“Wow, they have benches up here?” You ask, finally making your presence known as you step out onto the roof and allow the door to drift shut behind you.

Natsuki starts, glancing back over her shoulder to see you, and her eyes narrow when you offer her a hesitant smile. “If you’re here to apologize, you can just leave.” Her voice is sharp, but you can sense that she sounds almost, defeated in a way.

You shrug, wandering over to sit down next to her, looking towards the sky. “Good thing I wasn’t planning on apologizing, then.”

She huffs, purposely scooting away from you so that she was right on the edge of the bench. “Look, what makes you think I want your company?”

“I dunno. Maybe I just wanted to explain what I meant for my own sake. My reputation and all that?”

She purses her lips together. “Go ahead then,” she mutters wearily.

“I never mean to offend you or anybody else with my jokes. I just kinda, joke around a lot, it’s not something I ever even think about doing, it just happens.” You pause, sighing dramatically as if the weight of the world has been taken off of your shoulders. “Boy, it’s been so long since I’ve held onto that secret. “So… now it’s your turn.”

At last the pink-haired girl looks at you, mildly confused. “My turn to do what?”

“Share a secret,” you clarify playfully.

Natsuki immediately shakes her head, a brilliant blush painting her cheeks. “Wh- never!”

You laugh. “Okay, alright, point taken. How about this then: how was your day?”

Natsuki calms down somewhat, apparently actually considering your question. You realize she seems… sad, somehow. “It was… whatever.”

“Did you bake the muffins this morning or-?” You ask idly.

“No, last night.” She pauses, glancing away again to stare at the sky, and you got the sense she was somewhere else in her memories, not fully present with you on this school roof now. “I was… going to decorate them this morning, but then I just. Had to leave.”

“Ah, so you’re one of those tardy students, aren’t you?” You tease as gently as possible.

She exhales in a long, frustrated breath. “For your information, I got to school a few hours early actually.”

You have very few puzzle pieces of this mystery to try and fit together, and you wish she’d stop being so- mysterious about this whole thing. You hadn’t noticed before today, but you knew very little about Natsuki, aside from the facts that she liked manga (probably anime too), baking, writing, the color pink, cute things… you didn’t know anything at all about her home life. You’re tempted to ask just why she was so early, why she couldn’t decorate the muffins, but just as you’re trying to work up the courage and the right words, she saves you the trouble.

“My father…” She trails off, sounding uncharacteristically insecure for once, and her eyes seem too-bright, as if shining with unshed tears. She’s being very vulnerable with you right now, and you’re intensely worried you’re going to mess it up with her somehow, so you keep quiet and wait for her to continue. “He…”

Her voice catches in her throat, not allowing her to continue.

Instantly you lean closer to rest your hand on her hand, causing her to flinch in shock at the unexpected touch.

She gives you a look like she wants to be angry, but at the same time, she’s not pulling away from you.

You really, really don’t want to see her cry. Not Natsuki, the strong-willed, determined, fierce Natsuki. You’re unsure how to comfort people, so you go with what you know best.

In a perfectly serious tone and a straight-faced expression, you say, “Do you want me to beat him up for you?”

For a second, you’re about 80% sure she’s going to slap you right in the face.

But instead, something miraculous happens.

Natsuki giggles, and as she does so, tears streak down her cheeks.

“Oh God- I didn’t mean to-!”

“No, no!” She cuts you off, tugging her hand away from yours and swiping at her face to try and wipe the moisture from her eyes, a smile still tugging at her lips. “You’re- you’re fine- I mean! Not you, I meant that, it’s fine. Really, it’s fine…” She pauses, and you think this is the first time Natsuki has ever gazed at you with such softness.

Have you really made her feel better? You’re pretty proud of yourself for that one. You would like to tell her that she can talk to you about anything anytime, or that maybe she can hang out at your house whenever she can’t stand being at hers, but she speaks before you can.

“Y/N?”

“Yeah?”

“Your jokes are terrible.”

You tilt your head to the side in confusion. Despite the insult, you can definitely hear the smile in her voice.

#ddlc #doki doki literature club #natsuki #natsuki x reader #imagine #scenario #preference #ddlc x reader #gender neutral reader #may add more tags if i think of more

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kaeyastopmakingicepuns · 3 years

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Hey, I suck at writing fics that have a plot, so here's a little Diluc x Reader prompt, for anyone who wants it.

It occurred to me that Diluc's character had been MADE for a fake!married trope, and this scene popped into my head, but I didn't know how to go further with it, so if anyone wants to continue it, or use it for inspiration, please be my guest! :)

Diluc x Reader Fake!Married AU

"There you are," you said, paying no mind to your fancy clothes as you plopped yourself down on the dusty floor to lean against the cold, stone wall of the wine cellar. You had found Diluc right where you had expected to whenever the winery held these public festivals.

Diluc, seated on the ground next to you, merely grunted in response, taking a swig from the glass bottle he held before he nestled it back into its place in the crook of his arm.

"People are looking for you, ya know," you commented idly.

Another grunt. Honestly, having a conversation with this man could be like pulling teeth at times. It was a good thing that you had known him long enough to have learned that once you did get him talking, Mondstadt’s grumpiest bartender was actually a huge softie with a droll sense of humor that never failed to have you clutching your sides with laughter at least once or twice before he inevitably clammed up again.

“There’s a new bard in town.” You tried again. “Goes by the name ‘Dandelion.’ Wants to woo you with a special poem he wrote just for you.”

And yet another grunt punctuated by a long swig from the bottle. Time for drastic measures.

“Hey!” Diluc cried, uttering the first word you’d heard from him all evening as you snatched the bottle from his hand and helped yourself to its contents. You lowered the bottle as soon as the drink hit your tongue and spat the sip you had taken to the side.

“This is just stale grape juice,” you said in disgust. Honestly, you should have known, but the way he was nursing the drink had you convinced it was something stronger.

Diluc rolled his eyes as a plucked the bottle out of your grip. “Wait ‘til you find out what wine is,” he remarked drily.

You laughed. There was the Diluc whose company you had sought out. “Connor would cry in shame if he ever heard you say that.”

Diluc winced. “Please don’t tell him,” he pleaded.

“Of course not,” you agreed. “No way I could break his heart like that.” You grabbed the bottle again and took a proper drink this time. Now that you were expecting the sweeter beverage, it was actually quite good. Dawn winery didn’t get its reputation for nothing, its grape juice was just as good as its wine.

“How much longer do you suppose I have?” Diluc asked with a grimace as you passed the bottle back to him.

“What, before they come bursting down here trying to marry you off to their sons or daughters? Oh, not long at all,” you teased, accepting the bottle as he passed it back to you.

Diluc groaned. “Archons, I hate this. I wish they’d just leave me alone.”

You gesture in his direction, using the neck of the bottle to point at him, ignoring the way the juice sloshed around dangerously inside, threatening to spill on Diluc, who leaned away from your waving arms with a frown. “You know what you need to do?” you asked playfully. “You need to get fake married.”

Instead of laughing at your joke, Diluc’s brow scrunched up in puzzlement. “I need to get what?”

You sighed. Leave it to Diluc to not be aware of classic story clichés. “You know, disappear for a week or two, then return with some pretty thing on your arm and just tell everybody that you’ve eloped.”

Diluc scowled. “But I don’t want to get eloped.”

Archons, but he was lucky he was pretty. Diluc was generally an incredibly smart guy, but sometimes the way he failed to employ common sense baffled you. Like when he had used slime bait near his own vineyard and had to fight off a few curious slimes every few hours for a week. Still, being (secretly) big of heart and dumb of ass was what made Diluc, well, Diluc, and you wouldn't have him any other way.

“You wouldn’t actually get eloped,” you explained slowly. “You would just pretend to. You and whatever idiot you persuaded to be your fake spouse would know, but no one else would. That way, you get to be free from all the hassle of being a bachelor, and some lucky sucker gets to, I dunno, live in the manor rent free, or something. I’m not really sure what you would offer them to make it equitable, but I’m sure you can think of something, you’re rich, after all.”

It seemed Diluc still wasn’t getting the joke as, judging from the contemplative look on his face, he was actually giving the idea some serious thought. “That... might actually work,” he said thoughtfully.

Of course he would think this was a good plan, this was the same guy who thought it would be better if the city of Mondstadt was attacked from two fronts at the same time, rather than him revealing himself as the city’s so-called ‘Dark Knight Hero.’

“There is something you do have to be very careful of, though,” you said gravely, schooling your expression into something serious.

Diluc looked at you with concern. “What?”

“You have to make sure you pick someone whom you will absolutely not fall in love with, and will not fall in love with you under any circumstances,” You said. finally passing the grape juice back to him as you realized you were still holding it. Diluc took it and set it on the floor between you. “That’s how these things always go, someone falls in love with the other one and suddenly bam!” You punched your hand into your fist for emphasis, pleased to see that Diluc had been listening to you intently enough that he started a little. “The whole scheme goes up in smoke,” you said dramatically.

Diluc rolled his eyes. “Someone I won’t fall in love with?” he repeated. “How about you?”

“Ouch!” You put your hand to your chest in mock offense. That was clearly payback for making him jump.

Something flickered behind Diluc’s eyes and you hurried to make a teasing remark, knowing that if Diluc thought he had actually hurt your feelings his social awkwardness would instantly turn him back into Mr. Tall, Dark, Silent, and Brooding.

“And you call yourself a gentleman,” you said, lightly shoving his arm.

Diluc smirked back at you, visibly relaxing as soon as he was reassured you weren’t actually insulted. “I can be a gentleman,” he said, “when the situation calls for it.”

“I’ve never seen it,” you scoffed.

“Do you want to?” he asked, raising an eyebrow curiously.

You did, weirdly enough. At least a little. But rather than say that you snorted and said, “Archons, no.”

“I thought as much,” Diluc said confidently. He picked up the bottle again and finished it off, before giving you a sidelong glance. “You didn’t say ‘no.’“

“I didn’t,” you admitted. But that didn’t mean you were saying yes. After all, there had to be a reason this stuff only happened in stories, right? It’s not like this kind of game could work if attempted in real life.

“How would it even work?” you asked. “I mean, this kind of thing can only stay a secret for so long. It just takes one person learning the truth, and suddenly everyone knows. And it’s not like you can just explain away the fact that we have separate bedrooms to your staff, so that right there is where it all starts to fall apart.”

“No, it’s not.,” Diluc insisted. “It’s not at all uncommon for a husband and wife to have separate rooms. Royals do it all the time.”

You barked out a laugh. “Oh, so you’re royalty now? I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize you took that ‘uncrowned king of Mondstadt’ thing so seriously. And all this time I’ve been calling you by your first name. Is ‘your majesty’ too informal when we’re alone? Is it to be ‘His Esteemed Royal Highness, Diluc Ragnvindr of the Grape-Growing-Greats’ at all times?”

Diluc sighed. “Stop that, I just meant it’s not without precedent. My parents had separate rooms here when I was a kid, it’s not unthinkable.”

You blinked. You hadn’t known that. “They did?”

“Yeah,” he said. “They rarely made use of both of them, but they did. It’s expected of nobility, somewhat.”

Huh. There might be something to this plan, after all.

“And you still haven’t said ‘no,’“ Diluc said.

You hadn’t. Were you actually considering this?

“If you lived at the winery, you wouldn’t have to walk down here from Mondstadt every day,” he pointed out casually. Damn him for knowing your one weak point-- your hatred for your daily commute.

You were saved from having to answer by the torch on the wall going out with a pop, plunging the two of you into darkness. You squeaked and instinctively grabbed onto Diluc’s arm.

“Sorry,” Diluc said. “It must be a faulty torch. That’s the third time it’s gone out this week. I’ll get it.”

You felt Diluc wave his hand, and the torch flared back to life, illuminating the small corner of the cellar once again.

“Thanks,” you said, letting go of Diluc’s arm, wondering at the way Diluc’s face seemed to flare blight red in the glow of the firelight.

Suddenly, your eyes widened. “Archons, Diluc, you’re on fire again!” Was there a single pyro vision wielder in all of Teyvat that had mastered the art of not setting themselves on fire whenever they used their vision?

Diluc swore under his breath and began frantically patting his arm in an attempt to smother the flames. You helped, and, between the two of you, managed to get the small flame put out in a matter of seconds. Just another day at Dawn Winery.

Diluc stood, making sure there were no other embers lying around that could burn the whole manor down. “I should get back to the party,” he grumbled, offering you a hand to help you to your feet.

You followed him up the stairs, your earlier conversation seemingly forgotten. You were confidant that once the pressure from the party was gone the next morning, Diluc would never bring up the thought again, and you would both carry on with your lives.

But, still, neither of you had said ‘no.’

#genshin impact #gi diluc #diluc x reader #diluc #diluc ragnvindr

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cruisinwritealong · 3 years

Text

R/S CandyHearts Challenge

Thank you @goodboylupin for this wonderful challenge! I had so much fun thinking this through. I hope you enjoy it! ♥♥♥

Thanks to @starstruck4moony and @kattlupin for the beta 😘

Remus hauls his backpack strap back up his shoulder with a frustrated groan, tightens his scarf around his neck, and then shoves his mittened hand back into his coat pocket. The bitingly cold wind blows hard and he hunches his shoulders against it.

AAah-choo!

Shit, he feels like death. His throat is on fire and all his joints ache. His nose is raw and red, his eyes are puffy and heavy, and all he can think about is the warm blankets draped over his comfy sofa that he crawled out of this morning to trudge across the freezing campus to this fucking final.

Last. One.

He just has to get through this exam. One last final exam and then he’s free to sleep for the rest of his life...or until next term but still. If he was feeling well he’d be all but skipping to class. He knows this material backward and forwards. But his head is swimming and he keeps on snee- sneez-

Ah-CHOO!

Uuuuugh.

He just has to get there, regurgitate it onto the page, hand it in, and then he can go home. He can do this.

The snow crunches under his boots as he trudges along, forcing his feet to move one in front of the other towards his building. He’s probably sick enough to call in, but this test is with Professor McGonnagal and she only accepts death as an excuse to miss her class so she’ll definitely fail his exam if he doesn’t show and then he’ll fail the class and he could lose his scholarship and have to drop out. Then he’ll never get a job and end up on the streets and then people will look at him with pity in their eyes and hopefully toss him a coin and—oh, the coffee shop.

Tea.

Fuck yes. A huge ass cup of tea will get him through this. That’s exactly what he needs...aaaaand if he gets the chance to see Sirius Black real quick well, that’s always good medicine—even if he doesn’t know that Remus exists.

Sirius Black has only said six words to Remus in his whole life—“Would you like a honey bun?” And Remus had stared at him for an alarmingly long time just thinking to himself, “As long as it’s you,” but then Sirius looked confused and all Remus’ blood rushed to his face and he only mumbled a quick no thank you, grabbed his tea, and ran. Sigh.

That was exactly 5 weeks and 3 days ago, not that Remus is counting. Or going to the coffee shop on the daily to see if he’s working. Or ordering a honey bun almost every time. Or dreaming about calling Sirius his honey bun or—

Cough Cough COUGH

Ouch.

On second thought, maybe a coughing, snotting, feverish mess isn’t his best look. But fuck it’s freezing and he needs that tea. What time is it? Yes, he’s got plenty of time to duck in, warm-up, and make it to class.

As soon as he’s inside the shop he pulls off his mittens, loosens his scarf, and unzips his coat a bit, all while stomping the snow off his boots before walking further in. The heat from the cozy little coffee shop defrosts his bones and hugs his aching muscles and it feels so nice that Remus moans out loud before he can stop himself. He hears a throat clearing from behind him.

Shit.

“Come on in, I got the heater cranked nice and toasty just for you.”

When he looks up, none other than Sirius Black himself is standing there in all his glorious perfection. How he can even make a barista apron look sexy is beyond Remus’ comprehension and really, really unfair.

Everything about Sirius Black is simply gorgeous. Every inch of him, down to the last detail just does it for Remus. The wisps of hair that fall around his temples, the silky look of his longer raven hair, the piercing, unique silver-blue of his eyes outlined by the curving, eloquent lashes. Remus could and has written poems and pages about just his face. Not to mention his sharp, stubbled jawline and pouty rose colored lips. And then there’s the strong, wide shoulders and strong, toned arms, and long fucking legs and that goddamn body and OK Lupin focus! He’s talking to you!!

“Umb, h-hi. It’s really cold.” Remus internally cringes at his horse and stuffy sounding voice and lack of intelligent conversation and when he looks to Sirius’ face he sees his easy smile falter a bit.

“Hey, are you ok? Don’t take this the wrong way please but, you look miserable.”

“Oh. Yeah,” he tries to laugh it off, “I habe a co—a col—AH-CHOO!” He lowers his handkerchief, “A cold. Sorry aboud that. I—”

“Remus, you should be home in bed. What are you doing out?”

“Well I juss needed some tea before my final. Trust me, I’d much radder be in bed—wait. You know my nabe? How do you know my nabe?”

“Oh, um,” Sirius’ laugh sounds forced and almost embarrassed. He scratches the back of his neck. “The red head you come in with sometimes is sort of hating, sort of dating my best friend. So...I um, I asked her who her cute friend was.” He swallows hard.

Remus has forgotten how to have a coherent thought and just stands there in silence with his jaw dropped open a bit. He blinks.

“Buuut I’ll just get you that tea,” Sirius spins away on his heel, completely misinterpreting Remus’ silence. “Still on a cinnamon kick? I can make you your usual. Or I could make you something herbal with some ginger. I hear that helps with a cold. But I’m sure you know what’s best.” Sirius talks rapidly as he walks behind the counter and fusses with the equipment.

Remus realizes Sirius is trying to fill the silence and quickly move on from what he just said. Because Remus is still gaping at him with his mouth open and still hasn’t said anything because motherFucker he thinks I’m cute! Cute. I’m cute. Cute friend? Oh, that’s me. Nice to meet you.

All he’s ever said to me is “honey bun” and now he knows my fucking name and I’m the cute friend and am I awake? Maybe I’m still on the sofa at home? I must be asleep because he knows my fucking name. He said… shit breathe. I have to breathe. I have to breathe and I have to talk!

“Honey bund,” blurts out of Remus’ stupid, traitorous mouth. Fucking hell.

Sirius stops the frantic tea making and lifts an eyebrow in confusion, “Honey bun?”

“I mean... I didn’t dow you dew my namb. And you asked me if I wanted a honey bund. Before. When I came in before, but that’s it.” Remus scrunches his face and tries again. “Sorry, I took bedication and I think it’s eating my brain. You said …I’m cute?”

A smile unfolds on Sirius’ face and it is like sun rays breaking through the clouds. It is breathtaking and Remus can only stand there and bask in him. Without conscious thought the corner of Remus’ mouth pulls up a bit too.

“You’re sweeter than a honey bun. And very cute.”

“I...No that’s...You—Ah-Choo!”

“You’re also pretty sick. And as much as I want you to stay, I’m thinking you should probably be resting, yeah?”

“You’re sweet doo.” Remus smiles. “Um. I have to go take this stupid test and then sleep for a few days but...um, could we maybe, um—”

“Yes.”

They both laugh and smile at each other.

“I’d love to go out with you Remus. As soon as you feel up to it of course.”

“I’d really like that Sirius. May I habe—hab—Ah-Choo!”

Sirius frowns in sympathy. “Well I hope you can rest really soon. Here. It’s not actually tea, just um, just hot water with some cloves, lemon and ginger because my friend swears by this when she’s sick. I hope you like it. I can make something else, I just thought—”

Remus reaches out to take the cup but when his fingers wrap around the cup and Sirius’ fingers, he doesn’t let go. “This is perfect. Thank you.”

“Good. ...Good.”

After a moment Remus lets their fingers slide apart and wraps both his hands around the steaming cup. Now he’s warm for more than one reason.

“Oh,” Sirius says, “I um, I wrote my number on the cup. You can call me if you need more tea or anything. Soup even. Or a date. Whatever you need.”

Remus laughs. “Sounds good...I’b glad I stopped in.”

“Me too.”

“See you soon Siri—Siri—Ah-Choo! Uugh.” He does his best to smile back at Sirius while he bundles up again. “Bye Sirius.”

“Feel better, Remus.”

Sirius’ sweet caring face consumes his mind as he walks to his building, somehow not as cold as he was before. When he enters the classroom he nods hello to Lily and she waves him over to his saved seat. When he reaches his desk he sets down his tea, pulls off his mittens, scarf, and coat. Lily begins giggling to herself and Remus is very confused.

“What?” he asks her quietly. All she does is rotate his cup around so he can see the writing on the side and gives him a very knowing look.

438-9713

Feel better soon Honey Bun

xo SB

#RSCandyHearts #wolfstar #remus x sirius #marauders #wolfstar fluff #meet cute #rated t

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iconicharry · 4 years

Text

word count: 3k | warnings: heartbreak, a teenage kid

summary: distance just gets too much but their feelings have never changed

my masterlist l askbox

Harry doesn’t know how, when and what even happened.

He doesn’t know how his day could take such a turn; how his heart could sink in this short of time.

The day had started pretty well. Harry waking up at eight in the morning, getting ready for his yoga class together with Gemma, after that a black coffee in the booth in the back of this little diner on the street around the corner and writing a few song ideas and poems down. The weather was optimal— sunny and a blue sky, but not too hot, just warm enough to leave the house with a shirt— and Harry just felt good. Happy, healthy and full of love.

Well, until the bell at the door of the diner jingled and a special someone walked in with another someone. Loud chatting and giggling was heard as they sat down on a table for two across the room, right in Harry’s field of view.

He remembers how his pen slipped out of his fingers, rolling down his journal and landing on the ground with a plop. But before he could lean down to pick it up again, he held his breath as he watched with a painful expression how the pen rolled across the floor right in her direction and stopping as her foot landed on it.

Her brows scrunched in the middle, creating an all too familiar crease on her forehead he used to brush his thumb over it and kiss it away and she leaned down to lift it from the tiles.

Now Harry doesn’t know how to breathe properly. It’s like he doesn’t even know how to get air inside his lungs.

Looking at the object in between her index and thumb, her eyes shoot up to search the whole room for a specific person. She knowsthis person. She used to write little notes for him with this pen. She knows it’s a pen which usually lies around his house, mostly in his kitchen, because Gemma had forgotten it once after a family gathering where they played games. She used to scribble down the teams points because although everybody always said that they would remember them, the fun together with the alcohol had gotten to them, and they simply forgot.

She remembers that it was a good time, a happy time.

So as she meets this trusted, emerald green eyes, her whole world comes crashing down again and she notices that his eyes seem to have a conflict in themselves.

“I think ‘m never g’na be able to find my way outta the backstage area on my own,” she smiles at him from over her shoulder and reaches her hand out for him to take.

It’s show day. They were just trolling around the venue, having fun and looking for something more private. “I hope you don’t go strollin’ ‘round a place you don’t know, lovie,” Harry’s fingers thread between hers, only to yank her back into his body. A cute, little gasps leaves her lips as she collided with his chest and Harry smirks down at her, leaving him to tighten his arms around her waist and to press a kiss with a loud smack to her forehead, to her nose, to her cheeks…

Squealing, she presses her hands against his upper body and tries to get away from his slobbery kisses that tickle along her jaw. “Harry!”

“Love!” he mocks her, imitating her voice in a girlish squeal with his deep voice. His hands press to his cheek and his eyes closing, smile remaining, to exaggerate.

She flicks his forehead, “I do not sound like that.”

“Ouch, you meanie, what d’you want me t’ say,” he rubs the spot she hit, the other hand stemmed on his hip.

“Oi!” she pouts and turns around, trying to find her way back on her own, although she just said she probably can’t. Then two strong arms thread under her arms around her waist, presses against her boyfriend’s front and he leans slightly back, so that she’s lifted off the ground. “Har-ry!”

He twirls them around giggly with her fitting in his grip, though her complaining turns into loud laughter. His favourite laughter.

Harry can still hear one of his favourite sounds in his ears as he lands back in reality. Back in the old diner, back with this guilty feeling, back with his eyes lost in hers.

It is a sweet memory, one of his favourites. But Harry almost forgets what happened till it hits him like a wave of cold water and he can’t bear to look at her anymore.

To look at her having fun and meeting new people. To look at her and seeing her smile— a genuine smile— and being with some boy in a diner they used to go to.

Maybe it is karma, he thinks. Maybe it was not a good idea to still keep going here, although he knows it’s her favourite because she brought him here at the beginning of their relationship. Maybe that is the reason he still sat in the corner they used to sit and waited. Maybe it all was because he waited for a moment like this. The moment where she would enter the room and immediately search for him, take a seat in front of him like all the other times.

However, the truth is that she is with someone new here. Not searching for him and probably forgot that he may be here too because he lives just near. The truth is that she doesn’t know if she should get up to give him his pen back or if he would do it.

The boy can’t bear this torture of staring and breaks the eye contact. He inhales shakily, he has probably another pen inside his bag somewhere. He takes it in his lap. His fingers struggle with opening the zipper, his nerves are going crazy while Harry gets every object out of it and lays it on the table.

Tissues, gum, hair ties, nail polish, a charger, a lip balm, a few pennies. Everything is in there but not a fucking pen. Is it too much to not have a fucking pen? Harry just wants to scribble down the emotions that currently bubble inside him. He feels his mind wander somewhere else and oh god, he may be having a panic attack.

Harry slams his elbows on the table and presses his palms against his forehead. Trying to calm himself, he watches the pattern of the tiles until his eyes land on an old pair of doc martens.

“Need a tea?” a breathy voice interrupts his train of thoughts.

His hands falling on the surface of the table, his eyes flicker up the light dress she’s wearing and the thick jacket to keep her warm and up over her features meeting her eyes. Again. He shakes his head, getting lost in his memories again.

“Need a tea?” her fingers curl a strand of hair at the nape of his neck around her finger.

Harry’s body shakes with another sob but his face comes out of the crook out of his elbow he tugged it in a while ago. He came straight from the studio home, locking himself in the bathroom and sitting against the door on the cold floor. He was stressed and it all causes a panic attack.

He watches as her lips lift into a small sympathetic smile. She knows by now what helps him to calm down and it developed a thing in their relationship where when one of them is stressed out or suffers because of a panic attack, they would simply need a tea. Alone the thought of her being always so caring makes him tear up again.

“Ye-…,” his voice breaks because of the lack of use, “Yes, please.” Harry lets himself get pulled up from her. She brushes her thumbs under his eyes and wipes away the new tears, “No more of this.” She puckers her lips to just gently peck his nose.

As they Harry sits in the chair in the kitchen and admires how she hurries around the room. He knows. Harry knows by now he loves her. Truly and he fears that it might be a problem with just how deep it is.

Getting his thoughts sorted, his eyes flicker back to her as he hears her flop down in the booth.

“What are you doin’?” his mind strikes alarm and his arms shoot up to quickly gather all his stuff back into his handbag.

She eyes the pen with which she fiddles in her hands and slowly lets her eye take in his sight, “How are you, H?” She holds the pen out for him to take but the uncertain boy across the table just gulps.

It’s been so long since they last saw each other. And so long since she called him that. Well, he didn’t expect such because who would like to see the person who broke up with you in the middle of their first solo tour and was the love of their life again? Right, Harry, but he has a good reason.

The reason for the break up was distance, she said, Harry agreed, she often travelled with him and came to quite a few shows around the world but as the new semester began, it started to get tough. Text messages cutting shorter, calls getting awkward, not seeing each other— feeling each other— became all too much. It was always the same dialogue.

“Maybe you can come to the show next week? Because shit, I have this massive thing pla-”

“Sorry, H, I have this exam after the day of the show an-”

“It’s…it’s okay. Maybe- maybe another time a’right? Uh, love you, see ya sometime…”

“Yeah, uh, love you too…”

It is truly heartbreaking thinking back this time. It felt like being strangers although he knew— knows— everything about her.

He slowly lifts his hand to take the pen, brushing her fingers, his eyes shoot up like a pistol to watch her reaction, and his hands back to his sides because of the contact.

Why?

Why does she show up now?

Harry is in the middle of finally getting over her (no he is not, he just wants to tell that himself because nothing changed ever since) since seeing her last 6 months ago and now…, now she sits in front of him in the booth they always used to sit— well, cuddle— and smiles at him with a furrow between her eyebrows.

“I-uh, ‘m totally fine,” his voice is too high and he definitely wants to slap his forehead right now, “How- how are you?” His head tilts in serious interest.

She probably knows he lied about being fine because he’s everything but fine. Hence, he wraps his fingers around the cup and slurps at the black coffee.

“Harry,” whispering, she curls her fingers around his wrist and pulls the cup away from his lips, away from hiding his face behind it. And Harry. He nearly gets a shock from hearing her beautiful voice saying, no, whispering, his name. But it’s all too much for all that the same time.

He slams the cup on the surface, making some people in the diner turn around in confusion, “What? What is it?”

She winces at the sound of the slam and his harsh voice, “Please no, H. Not in this tone.”

He scrunches his eyebrows together and his jaw hangs in disbelief, “Not in this…? But you! You can talk t’ me in this tone, on the phone, while I am in another country, across the whole damn planet and break up with me because distance gets too much?!” With every word her heart sinks more and her eyebrows create a deeper line in between them.

“Harry, I-I don’t… I don’t know what to say other than-”

“Other than you are sorry?” he wipes his nose, “It’s okay. ‘M sorry too, lovie. Sorry for how this whole situation had sustained, how our communication sucked,” he lists it with the help of his finger, “How we felt because of this, how it all ended like shit.”

The girl in front of him falls silent. She concentrated on a crack in the table, “It’s not your fault, it’s…” Sniffling she brushes her hair behind her ear, “It’s completely my fault because it all began to consume me and-and it was all so much with school and your calls.” Her hands brandish wildly in the air, “When you called I felt so lonely and don’t understand me wrong, I wanted to be there I-I so desperatelywanted to be there, in the crowd or wherever and just show you how much I support you and-and love you but the distance got me so unsure of what to do with myself and what to do to show you exactly that and I didn’t, I just didn’t know how…”

The green-eyed boy sits there and lets it all sink in, “Loved.” He looks back to his rings where he fiddled with them.

Her face scrunches and her eyes fall to where he’s looking too and then back to his face, “Huh?”

“Yeh mean loved. You said tha’ you love me but you mean loved,” his voice is small and when Harry doesn’t hear her answering, he immediately regrets looking up at her because she has this oh-Harry-you-poor-boy-you-dont-even-know-what-i-mean-let-me-help-you face.

Her eyes show emotions but Harry doesn’t know how to interpret them! The dimple on her right cheek appears a bit, “I wish, H. I wish it is past tense. That would make some things so much easier, don’t you think?”

His mind goes blank, his hands fall to his sides, his mouth agape. It really can’t be. The girl, his girl, just confessed she still loves him. But why did she even..? Why has she put him through hell? Why causes she all this pain? He has so many questions.

She sees the question marks in his eyes, sees the big fat question Why? swimming in them. “I know it’s probably so much right now and I think I know how you feel bu-”

He clears his throat, “How?” he leans towards her on his arms in the table, “How would you know how ‘m feelin’?”

“I…,” she falls silent again. She doesn’t exactly now how she knows, she just saw the insecurity as he reacted to her statement. “I assumed.”

Harry wants to say it back. He wants to so desperately say it back to her. These three words that mean the world to him. He can’t even wrap his mind around the fact that she said it first. She also said it first back then. Back then at the beginning of their relationship. Back then where they did a bike tour through Amsterdam and ate an ice cream on this bridge above a lake in the middle of the city. She had always been the more confident one. The one who wasn’t scared of loving someone so much as he was. Is? He doesn’t know.

His hand comes up to brush away the fallen strands of hair and then he straightens his back, making his spine crack once, “What is your plan? What d’you want t’get out of this? And who’s your little friend over there?” He wiggles his finger to the table she previously sat.

Her eyes widen and her head turns around, but then she giggles and just shrugs, “You don’t remember Luke?”

He narrows his eyes, “Well the names sound familiar.”

Her eyes shine bright, “He’s the kid I used to keep an eye on when my neighbours went on vacation. Remember? He once spilled his soda on your Gucci jeans and you were so angry but tried to cover it up with a smile,… if I’m not wrong.” Her skin near her eyes crinkles and a chuckle escapes him. “Luke? The little boy?” She nods and Harry is almost embarrassed that he thought it was her date. His cheeks redden slightly, “He used to be the size half of me! He’s… so tall!” It feels good to feel like this again. It feels like something between them silently clicked. “Puberty hit him,” she chuckles.

“So,” the laughter dies down. Harry can’t help but smile and he feels his dimples deep in his cheeks.

Her teeth appear, “So?” She’s just so flustered to watch him admire her. She isn’t used to it anymore. The girl is happy that he’s happy to see her happy. Does that even make sense?

“Harry I want to apologize. I know it was a real shitty way to break up but I hope you can understand my point somehow.”

And here he is. Seeing the real her in a little diner that means the world to them. He can’t help but understand. Understand how she felt and now feels, how she thought about it and what she thinks now, how all this happened and how she wants to save this— them— and how she shows how important he still is to her. Harry can’t help to pour every ounce of appreciation and understanding, of thankfulness and gratitude into his eyes to show her how much he still adores her and nothing had changed except their shitty communication of which he’s sure they’re both trying to improve because they both want this.

They both want this to work out. Together.

It all consumes him at once. The beauty she radiates from the inside and outside. His ears swoosh and his heartbeat quickens.

“I love you. I never stopped.”

Because nothing has changed.

Little do they know that there’s a young boy watching it all unfold and makes a face in disgust, “Ew love.”

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