Tagged by @hairyecballium (you can't see it but I'm doing little hearts with my hands at you) for WIP Wednesday on a Frihursday, because what are timezones?
A little snippet from the next chapter of Encore, Encore which is in edit mode over the weekend:
A tap of the cane on the stone almost makes Gustave flinch. Almost.
"You are playing with forces you do not understand," Renoir warns him, though something in his voice feels almost plaintive.
"I understand enough," he answers steadfastly.
"You are trying to end the wrong cycle."
Gustave just stares him down.
Renoir makes a noise that could be a huff of disapproval if he were ever to make such an undignified sound. "So be it then."
In an instant, his cane is flying up into his hand. Chroma sparks along the motion, gathering into a lethal cutting edge that Renoir leans into. When he swipes the cane and sends it arcing across the battlefield, Gustave recognizes the Gradient for what it is.
This time, he is ready.
He parries.
Who to taaag? @arialerendeair @foxxlology @ornstein !
Encore, Encore will go on a brief hiatus while I'm visiting France. The next chapter will likely be posted May 11th!
In the meantime, I thought I'd share a curated playlist for the fic with commentary under the cut! It even includes some hints towards feelings in upcoming chapters...
The album art, when available, is from aliennotperson. Because I'm mad obsessed with that clock motif. :]c
Spotify | Tidal | Youtube links under the cut
Track listing:
Until Next Life by Lorien Testard & Alicia Duport-Percier
Colder Heavens by Blanco White (the fic's theme song!)
Copycat by the New Division
Goliath by Woodkid
Divine by Ember Falls
Hurt by One Desire
Fearless Pt. II by Lost Sky & Chris Linton
Gates by Speak
Out of the Dark by Young Lions
Don't Look Back by Kotomi & Ryan Elder
Ocean Eyes by Dakota Deyoc
I find a lot of inspiration in music, so I make playlists for everything I write. Yes, every fic, every original story - they all have playlists somewhere! It helps me get into the right headspace, generate new ideas, and dig into what characters might be thinking or feeling. While some instrumentals and such might be vibes-based, the ones with lyrics are chosen specifically because they fit the characters' backstories or feelings as the story occurs. I have a fairly sizeable playlist for Encore, Encore and thought it'd be better to share a curated version of it instead of the whole thing! So, here we go, with commentary by track.
Until Next Life by Lorien Testard & Alicia Duport-Percier
Of course I had to choose at least 1 track by Lorien Testard and Alicia Duport-Percier. Of course it's the one about the man whose time flows off beat. Or should I say men in this case?
You'll learn that all is not in vain
All that matters remains
But it's time to say goodbye
Until next life
A man whose steps leave no trace
A man whose voice sounds like tears
A man whose memory erase
A man whose time flow off-beat
How could I not include this when, in this fic, it fits both Verso and Gustave so well? An impossible challenge to me.
2. Colder Heavens by Blanco White (the fic's theme song!)
I'm very serious when I say that this song is the fic's theme. Maybe it's not what one would choose if doing, say, a title credits sequence, but this song gets to the true heart of Encore, Encore. Once more, it fits both Gustave and Verso... and Maelle.
In every corridor that shifted the maze
No single part of you was ever the same
Now we're so tired by the things we have seen
All we've forgotten only visits in dreams
[...]
Sometimes I get the feeling I'm lost
Just hiding it is never enough
Now I find in every mirror a ghost
We've got the core of it: Gustave and Verso being unable to escape the maze that is their lives yet being changed at every turn, becoming more and more tire the longer they go on. They hardly remember anything except the endless marching of days sometimes. It burdens them so heavily that, at times, they can hardly bare wearing the mask even when it feels necessary.
It's the same for Maelle: though she's forgotten she's a Peintresse, though she's forgotten Gustave's deaths through sheer force of will, ultimately... those truths will always come back to her in dreams.
Also, when the last repeated line hits, "Heaven's over now, gone away," I can't help but imagine the Gommage to that fluttering guitar, the fading voice, the chorus slowly joining in... it feels so ghostly. It often gives me goosebumps just imagining it.
3. Copycat by the New Division
Sick of your life
You lust for a knife
You lust for a life
Verso, sick of his life, wishing he had a life that was his own yet lying at every available opportunity to preserve his plan, wishing that someone, anyone would pick up his lies and stop him before it's too late. Imagine living your whole life on this delicate balance, especially now with someone you're falling for: you want them to notice that you're living a lie so they can really connect with you and help you. You don't want them to notice because you don't want to be talked out of it. You want to be noticed. You don't. You want it.
4. Goliath by Woodkid
With this track, we go from the acceptance of desolation and loss to seething anger. This track is post-Old Lumiere, with Gustave being forced to reconcile his conflicting feelings about Verso with what needs to be done to stop the Peintresse. The more Gustave forgives Verso, the more it backfires.
In your eyes, night cold, I see the end of us
You're playing your best role but the mask shatters
Where are you going, boy?
When did you get so lost?
How could you be so blind?
How could you be so blind?
Also, not gonna lie, I think it's funny that this line - literally the first line of the song - feels like Renoir separating Gustave's head from his body over and over on the Stone Wave Cliffs:
The chest and the head divided by a white laser
5. Divine by Ember Falls
I won't go, I won't go / I won't leave you here alone / I'll remain, I'll remain / I won't let you down again
Hear me / You and me / We'll be there across the sea / Where this war has no reign / And we can sleep
Gods. Okay. Verso and Gustave both swearing to each other that they'll help each other and wanting to be together at the end of it all BUT
I'm not afraid to die this way [...] I would trade eternal life for a touch of the divine
Let me make a bridge to bind our thoughts / Even if I only get to share one / I would waive forever just to hear your voice again
I cannot stress enough how crazy thing song makes me at times. What do you MEAN it Gustave and Verso and Maelle and Aline and everybody in this damn story??? CRAZY. But I keep hinting that Maelle recalls Gustave's deaths as nightmares because she refuses to accept it as fact... an increasingly important fact as the story moves on!
The parts of the playlist below have not yet happened! They contain hints and clues as to what's going on so be forewarned.
6. Hurt by One Desire
While "Colder Heavens" is the story theme, this song, "Hurt," is the Gustave + Verso love theme and OUCH. I think you all can figure out pretty easily where this song fits and why. Just look at the lyrics:
But trouble came for what I left behind / Hey, was it all pretending?
Ouch, my heart!
They say this world will not run dry / So where's the hope you feel the same as me? / (Cause I never saw the fall) / And it was never ending
OUCH, my heart!
Hurt / Does it matter where the pain is coming from / When it still burns? / And the fire here inside me wasn't enough / Will we still love? / Can't you see that there was never ending love? / And it's still here / And it's still here / And it's all alone / And it's all alone
OUCH, MY HEART!!!
There is a VERY specific place in the upcoming story where I think this song fits the most. I'll give y'all a hint: Bourgeon.
7. Fearless Pt. II by Lost Sky & Chris Linton
A Verso song! A Verso character development song!
The pain I felt is paid for, all is said and done / I am restricted, fixed upon the web / I need to kick the habit / That my mind is breathing in
I am conflicted / Watching where I step / Still, hangin' in the balance / Not the life I want to live / I want to take it all, standing tall / Fear outweighed the person you are
Verso is going to grow, I swear! And he will do so because he's inspired by Gustave! But ALSO... he's still conflicted on some very serious issues that the fic will address as it goes on.
8. Gates by Speak
A song for Verso and Gustave both slowly coming to terms with what they are for each other and that they need to do right by each other. Well, Gustave at least has that second part down, but Verso needs to learn it too.
This is my second life / And it's hell or paradise / Those circles in your eyes
Maybe we'll get it all / If we choose one night / And we both choose right
Dude, the YEARNING. The TRYING TO BE BETTER. Literally, I won't live my life again!
9. Out of the Dark by Young Lions
This song is about saving a friend from suicide even when you feel like you're good for nothing. I mean... come on.
It was light when I came back to life
The first lyric is already hitting just right!
Oh, are you close? Are you far? / Can you hear when I say from my heart / I was there at the edge of the earth / I was screaming to pull you out of the dark
Oh man, I am SO not normal about this. I think you can all see why I included it. But I think once you read what I have planned for the ending, you will understand.
But I found out music can pull you out of the dark
The last lyric is also so fitting!
10. Don't Look Back by Kotomi & Ryan Elder
This song is apparently from Rick & Morty which I've never seen so I don't know the full context but I like this song a lot from the vibe + lyrics. Specifically, it's about learning to let go of the past that has been dragging you down and to face your fears so you can live the life you've always wanted to.
Don't look back / Nothin' left to see / Just leave the shadows in the past / If I let it go / Can I shake this feelin'?
Just like that / Tomorrow's one day that I'm never getting back / I can feel you, though / Wake me from this dreamin'
We're reaching the true fulfilment of forgiving each other, forgiving ourselves, learning to embrace both the present and what you can make out of your future. This will be, of course, a key theme as we keep moving on through the story.
11. Ocean Eyes by Dakota Deyoc
And we've reached our happy ending.
Purple foam crashes on the sand / Sinking starlight hand in hand / Feel your heat embrace the chill / Love me until your soul is filled
Partly shy, partly blind / No matter where it's you I find / Heaven hears our earthly sighs / And lives inside your ocean eyes
And that's a wrap on the curated playlist! I have lots of other songs on the uncurated playlist that I'm happy to share also, but just these 11 I think set up the major themes of the story's progression pretty well.
I was so excited to go to bed last night and read your chapter update but ao3 was down! It was so disappointing! (I read it today of course but still!)
HAHA, I know, it crashed literally a few minutes after I posted the chapter too. This also happened a few weeks ago with the major AO3 outage: I posted that week's chapter in a blip between when it came back on and then offline again. Glad you were able to read it today still at least! <3
hey just wanted to say how much I absolutely adore Encore, Encore! tuesdays are my fav days now, those update emails genuinely make my day ❤️
I love how the story is going and I love how you write everyone! your writing style feels so smooth and the dialogue feels really natural and I'm so hyped for what comes next!! I'm on the edge of my seat!!! poor Gustave is really going through it and I wish I could give him a hug. the whole "we're cutting my arm off" bit sent me, you've balanced humour with angst amazingly in this and I'm really looking forward to Monoco joining the crew
time loops are my absolute favourite trope and I'm really loving the way you're doing it. I can't count how many time loop stories I've read from all sorts of fandoms, but this one seriously stands out as one of the best. the slow burn is perfect and it works so well here.
100000/10 I'm having an amazing time and I hope you are too!!!
Thank you so, so, SO much! I love getting comments on the fic itself, of course, and you going the extra mile by coming back to my tumblr to leave this ask feels EXTRA sweet!
Especially the compliments to my writing style, getting the characterization down right, and how it's one of the best time loops you, a time loop connoisseur, have read is SO touching. That makes me so happy and proud to hear. Thanks so much for not only reading but for sending me this ask too! You made my good day even better.
Encore, encore Tác giả: Kim Thập Tứ Thoa. Raw: T rường Bội - Kho tàng đam mỹ Văn án: Encore, nghĩa là "hát lại một lần"
Đang 2x : Plot holes nhiều thế đọc buồn cười vl.
Vẫn 2x: Chời má bắt đầu tóm tắt, nhảy tình tiết rồi đó hả :)) à cũng k hẳn mà là rút ngắn giai đoạn mâu thuẫn hiểu lầm - hết hiểu lầm trong 1 đoạn văn vài ba câu thôi. :)) vẫn buồn cười vl :))
3x: ok có tiến bộ rõ rệt nha, diễn biến logic hơn mà phát triển tâm lý nv cũng tốt hơn, tuy vẫn còn nhiều khúc bị tóm lược, đặc biệt là hội thoại của các nv nhưng nhìn chung hay, bút lực tác giả cuối truyện lên tay phết.
Bất ngờ với việc có H trong này, mà còn là H khá bạo nữa, dù k miêu tả 100% nhưng trời má bên Tấn Giang nhìn chỉ biết ước :))) có lẽ bên Trường Bội (tg chỉ đăg bên đây thôi thì phải) hơi thả thời gian đầu chăng, k biết sau này còn được như này không nhưng dù sao cũng rất ngạc nhiên với cái đoản văn 38 chương mà có full H mà nhiều nữa :)))
Phải công nhận đại thần là đại thần. Mặc dù đầu truyện tuyến tình cảm phát triển siêu tên lửa, sau thì nhét đầy tường thuật văn, nhảy cóc diễn biến, nhưng những lúc tg bỏ tâm ra viết thật sự rất hay.
