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no-other-words · 3 years

Text

Just a Bit Closer

Synopsis: Xie Lian suggests taking a relaxing dip in the pond. Hua Cheng slightly freaks out. Rated T | 3400w | canon-divergent, fluff, domestic, slight angst [ Read on AO3 ]

Never again will he be so bold. His Highness follows a path of virtue. His Highness is to be untouched. His Highness—

“San Lang?”

Hua Cheng snaps his head up. Xie Lian’s attention is fully on him, his face half-curious half-amused. He hasn’t been aware that his hands were rolled into fists until now.

“It’s only a bath.”

His Highness is requesting him to bathe with him.

Hua Cheng gulps. He may be a ghost king, but he is not equipped to face this challenge.

---

Hua Cheng has endured much throughout his life.

As a child, love was an alien concept and no friend of his when endless beatings and hate had accompanied him. He’s worn battle scars that no young man’s body should ever had to receive. Wars had been waged against godly figures from the depths of Mount Tonglu to the skies of the Heavenly Court. His soul has died again and again for the anguish that had ceaselessly pierced his one person—yet it is also his soul that lives again and again and refuses to fade.

Hua Cheng is a Devastation, a ghost king, one of the Four Calamities, if not the strongest. His very name demands unwavering respect and brings even the strongest of martial gods to their trembling knees. He’s been through a lot but not one of his past challenges can come close to this.

In just a thin layer of white robe, Xie Lian stands in the middle of the pond. He’s pouring another bucket load of water over his head, completely unaware of the silver allure cast upon him by the soft of the moonlight. His under-robe does nothing to hide the rosy peaks of his hardened nipples, peeking from underneath.

It goads Hua Cheng for a little contact, a little taste.

Long locks of wet hair stick to his skin, drawing out the slender curves down his neck and bony ridges of his collarbones. A few stray strands wound up over Xie Lian’s lips and it reminds Hua Cheng of their kiss in the lake. Their first and most likely the only kiss. The one he bravely stole in the heat of the moment when all he’d meant to do is give Xie Lian a little help.

Necessary on Xie Lian’s part, completely out of line on Hua Cheng’s. He’d let his worst part get to him at the expense of His Highness’ comfort. It’s obvious from Xie Lian’s reaction—a boundary had been crossed that left the martial god catatonic to the point where he had to lie to get away from the situation. The only redeeming hope had been from within Qiandeng Temple, where Xie Lian had thankfully taken to its charm.

His eyebrows pinch and he looks away.

Never again will he be so bold. His Highness follows a path of virtue. His Highness is to be untouched. His Highness—

“San Lang?”

Hua Cheng snaps his head up. Xie Lian’s attention is fully on him, his face half-curious half-amused. He hasn’t been aware that his hands were rolled into fists until now.

“It’s only a bath.”

His Highness is requesting him to bathe with him.

Xie Lian moves to the bank. The closer he gets, the lower the water level around his body becomes and reveals a shapely waist perfect for grabbing onto. Once again, that good-for-nothing under-robe does the opposite of what it’s meant to do and only serves to feed Hua Cheng’s tainted, invasive mind. The translucent material, wet to the core, plasters nicely against Xie Lian’s skin, emitting a pale pink hue.

Hua Cheng gulps.

He may be a ghost king, but he is not equipped to face this challenge.

It had started with a simple question.

“Do ghost kings not take baths?”

Hua Cheng paused mid-sweep and looked back at Xie Lian curiously. They’d been fixing up Puqi Shrine and cleaning the grounds, after leaving it unattended for several days when they went off to catch a runaway fetus spirit. Things were winding down for the day, with Lang Ying washing dishes after a not-so-successful meal and Guzi put to sleep.

“N-not that I mean anything by it! I was just thinking, how we ran around all over the land recently and we just spent a whole day cleaning the shrine, and I haven’t seen you gone washing since.” Xie Lian stopped to reflect. “I suppose there aren’t suitable places around here to properly do so.”

Hua Cheng pulled a small smile and continued to sweep away the last of leaves into a corner. “Gege needn’t worry to justify his questions. Any curious thoughts arise, this San Lang will gladly answer. I don’t know about the other ones and I don’t care to, but this one does well to remember to be clean. It would be an offence not to.”

He faltered and quickly added, “Does gege think this San Lang is filthy? I will—”

“Ah no! Like you said, it was just a curious thought” Xie Lian says. His eyes then sparkled, caught bright under the gleam of moonlight. “How about we take a dip in the pond nearby? It’s a nice little spot I found not so long ago, with a waterfall. The night is still early. I’m sure it’ll help expel the last of the adrenaline from our recent voyage.”

Which is how Crimson Rain Sought Flower has found himself in this current predicament.

Much to Hua Cheng’s dismay, it doesn’t really expel much. If anything, it invites more adrenaline and that is not what he needs right now. To be so close, in the intimate space of such private practices—Hua Cheng calls upon the 800 years of learned patience and discipline.

Xie Lian is still waiting for him. “Something the matter? I promise, this time there are no demon babies in the water.”

“…I’m dirty.”

“That’s the point, San Lang.”

That unassuming smile graces his face, as ethereal under the night sky as the time when Hua Cheng pulled him out of the lake in rescue.

How can he say no to his god?

He feels an excited trembling at his side and Hua Cheng looks down to see E’Ming wiggling to get out. A soft chuckle runs through the air.

“See? Even E’Ming wants a wash.”

Hua Cheng slaps his weapon in annoyance. “Ignore it, gege. This thing just wants to play.”

As if Hua Cheng had said a magic word, the silk band around Xie Lian’s wrist slithers itself free and gently glides towards him. Without warning, Ruoye grabs him by the waist and tugs him into the pond. Hua Cheng surfaces just in time to hear Xie Lian laugh. It’s music in the making and he hopes to hear more of it for the rest of his time.

“Looks like Ruoye wants to play too,” Xie Lian teases.

E’Ming responds by unsheathing itself and splashing water towards the white ribbon. The two sentient weapons go at it nearby, chasing frantically at each other in an almost comic-like scene. It comes to a quick pause when E’Ming casts a rather large wave of water right in Xie Lian’s direction and Hua Cheng blocks the attack with his arm.

The demon lord shoots his weapon a cold killing look. Xie Lian meanwhile tugs on an assailing Ruoye and reminds all three of them, “gentle”.

Reprimanded, E’Ming and Ruoye calm down and go off to find other ways to play. Xie Lian then turns his attention back to Hua Cheng. “San Lang, will you hand me your robe? It’s gotten dirtied from all the chores today. I’ll wash it together with mine.”

If Hua Cheng still had a beating heart, it’d be skipping out from his chest. But he doesn’t and it’s a momentary reminder of the many boundaries he mustn’t cross over. He stands unmoving, a good distance from Xie Lian.

“Is Your Highness suggesting that he wishes to see this San Lang strip? That is quite a bold request.”

“Your outer robes, San Lang! No teasing, please.”

“This one wouldn’t dare.”

Nevertheless, Hua Cheng takes pride in observing the red flush on Xie Lian’s cheeks. Rosy and heated, it’s a gorgeous contrast to his pale white skin. He often wonders what other things can make Xie Lian blush like that. A simple touch on his neck, a nip at his ear, perhaps a kiss on his—

He stops. Stop stop stop. His Highness would not appreciate these inappropriate thoughts.

His Highness, who is currently scrubbing his clothes, as if it’s not a baseless and undeserving task for a martial god to do. He does it so earnestly, as he does with everything else. Xie Lian’s eyebrows scrunch with concentration, the tip of his tongue peeking out from habit. Hua Cheng quietly watches, peeking under his arms as he lathers soap into his hair. This is a treasured moment not to be missed.

“It’s not the grand bathhouse I’m sure San Lang has in his manor, but I find this spot to be very relaxing,” Xie Lian says in a soft tone. “Hidden astray from the main road, not a lot of villagers know of its location. Nature is untouched here and it helps me ground myself.”

“My bathhouse is nothing compared to this. If gege wishes, I can build a fence around the area. Prevent outsiders from trespassing.”

“San Lang,” Xie Lian chortles, “if people pass by, they pass by. If they don’t, they don’t. This place isn’t mine. None of it is, even Puqi Shrine. I’m merely borrowing the land from which the earth has gifted me.”

Hua Cheng sneaks a loving smile. He’s always admired this side of him.

After one final dunk in the water, Xie Lian wrings both their now-cleaned robes dry and drapes them over a low-hanging branch. He gives the red robe a long look, contemplation washing over.

“San Lang, if I may brazenly ask…”

Hua Cheng halts his scrubbing to give the man his full attention.

“Earlier when you said…it would be an offence…to whom would it be an offence?”

It takes several words out before Xie Lian flutters his gaze up to Hua Cheng, already bashful from making such an inquiry. But once Hua Cheng catches his eyes, he does all he can to hold them. He wills them not to look away, yearning to convey all the feelings locked inside. The fires, the bliss, the ten thousand words he’s thought up to say in the past eight hundred years. All the little tingles of emotions bottled up and will continue to be so for he has a beloved and that beloved cannot know.

Hua Cheng tilts his head slightly forward and softens his gaze. “Someone very important.”

A short moment of silence pass before Xie Lian hums in understanding. He grabs hold of the wooden bucket, floating forgotten nearby, and returns to his own washing.

“San Lang is a very earnest person.”

Only for his one god.

“Gege is not going to question further?”

“Whatever San Lang is willing to tell me, I will listen with gratitude. I trust you have your reasons.”

Hua Cheng purses his lips, not knowing what to do with this level of trust. So he dunks his head underwater and scrubs harshly at his hair. He’s determined to get all the dirt out. All that filth that sticks to him like a parasite, refusing to leave this place that Xie Lian considers his haven.

Get out. Get out get out get out. His Highness, in all his lack of self-preservation, has invited a Devastation for a private bath and all he wants to do is touch and feel and be close, so so close with him. Patience is his forte – it’s something he’s nurtured in the past centuries but there are moments of weakness. Moments like this when he cannot contain himself and wish he can kiss gege again.

Be a thief and steal another piece of bliss.

Hua Cheng lifts his head out, a thick curtain of black hair fall around his face. He’s done now, all necessary washing complete. He should get out of the pond and wait by the sidelines.

A warm hand places on his shoulder. Hua Cheng startles at Xie Lian’s sudden closeness.

“San Lang, that is not how you wash your hair,” Xie Lian chides, a slight pout to his displeased face. “You must treat it gently else you can get knots like that. Here, let me.”

Xie Lian pulls him towards the small waterfall in the corner, leading a winding path so they stay on a shallow path. Hua Cheng lets himself be turned around and a second later, feels gentle combing down his hair. He lowers himself to a kneeling position so Xie Lian doesn’t have to tip toe.

Somewhere in the depths of his chest, a ghost heart beats.

Here, under the lull of the waterfall and vigil of the moon, a god washes his follower’s hair. The consistent rhythm of Xie Lian’s fingers massaging soap on top of his scalp and combing through his hair length brings a soothing pleasure. It is here that Hua Cheng braves to think that once again, Xie Lian is okay with his touch.

“My mother used to brush my hair while I bathed.”

Somehow, Hua Cheng can imagine an overindulged young prince melting under his Empress Mother’s loving attention, just as he’s so lucky to be experiencing the same.

“Am I currently as well-behaved as gege was back then?”

Xie Lian answers with a light chuckle, “very. In fact, I was more of a troublemaker. I’d often want to go swimming and try to wiggle out of her grasps. Mother was always too lenient.”

“With good reason, I’m sure. Gege was a beloved son—” Hua Cheng stops, not wanting to bring up unsavoury memories, and quickly corrects himself. “And must have been very adorable in his mother’s eyes.”

His hair is tugged playfully. “Cheeky San Lang.”

Fingers run along his hairline, gently pulling back to catch every strand. When the same hand moves down to his ears and brushes against the outer skin, Hua Cheng shivers in delight. It feels like something forbidden, one he gladly welcomes. No one has ever come this close in contact and Hua Cheng resolves from here on out that only Xie Lian will have the privilege.

Washing turns to a pleasant session of grooming. Hua Cheng’s sure his hair is more than clean but he stays quiet in favour of Xie Lian’s touch. His eyes drift to a lazy close, the peace creeping up on him so sneakily that he almost misses Xie Lian’s murmurs.

“I don’t…I rarely reminisce on old memories, especially ones involving my parents. They were from so long ago.”

An image of the Xianle Empress flashes in Hua Cheng’s mind. She’d been looking worryingly over him, from that time when he’d been rescued from Xie Lian’s bastard cousin.

“Then San Lang is very happy that gege is sharing a piece of his memory with him.”

He’s rewarded with a final stroke of his hair before he’s pulled towards the waterfall.

“Come, rinse. Stand under here, the water is not that heavy.”

Hua Cheng dutifully complies, happy under Xie Lian’s full attention and care. When the waterfall hits him, he tips his head slightly back and feels the suds slide down his hair. He hums in pleasure.

“Gege is right, this is very relaxing.”

Hearing no response, Hua Cheng opens his eyes. Xie Lian is wearing a dazed look, his eyes round and staring at him almost in a trancelike state. Lips slightly parted, as if in shock after discovering something unexpected.

“Your Highness?”

That seems to shake Xie Lian out of his stupor. He swiftly looks away, a nervous smile slapped on to hide the quiver in his voice.

“Ah—sorry. You’re done. Clean now…I’ll leave you. Give you priva—ah!”

Xie Lian slips on a rock in an attempt to quickly turn away. Instincts take over and Hua Cheng moves to catch him by the waist, his arm holding firm.

“S-San Lang…”

Only when Hua Cheng registers that Xie Lian is safe and away from immediate harm that he notices their close proximity. Senses become hyperaware towards the man in his embrace—the heat emitting from Xie Lian’s stuttered breathes, the pounding of his very alive heart, the skin…

Oh the warm hot skin that sends tingles through every cell currently in contact with Hua Cheng. Only a mere thin material stands between them and it’s oddly erotic to feel the cold wetness. Hua Cheng flexes his arm and watches in satisfaction the way Xie Lian jumps. His muscles feel both hard and soft under his hold and Hua Cheng would like nothing but to memorize the ridges and curves.

“San Lang, I’m—I’m cold.”

This time, he’s barely whispering.

Hua Cheng takes mercy and slowly unwraps his arm around Xie Lian and steadies the man. “Gege, be careful.”

He receives no response but he doesn’t need to. That bright red blush on his face is enough to lift the heavy weight off his chest and unchain the shackles that has settled over ever since the time when Xie Lian scrambled away their kiss. Perhaps this is different.

Hua Cheng finishes rinsing himself under the waterfall, glancing over at Xie Lian from time to time making sure he’s alright. The god seems to be back to a normal state, no longer moving in jerky ways. They’re alright. It’s going to be okay.

He can stay by His Highness’ side for just a bit longer.

When time comes for them to wrap up, Hua Cheng grabs both of their outer robes from the branch. It’s still rather damp but better than having no covering on. Which…would be quite a problem because Xie Lian’s slowly getting out of the water, not even at all mindful of the obscene display he’s putting on.

Hua Cheng blames that under-robe once again. It molds perfectly to Xie Lian’s wet skin and paints a pretty pink picture of his naked body underneath. Hua Cheng accidentally catches sight of a rather perfectly-round bottom before looking away. Thick clouds roll over the moon, dampening any source of light. At least there is some protection to Xie Lian’s virtue by the night’s shadows.

But imagination doesn’t discriminate, not to a ghost king’s mind and definitely not to a cursed weapon with a cursed eye.

E’Ming jumps at the sight of Xie Lian, joyous to see its master’s beloved come up to the shore and even more so to see him…in that state. It does a shuddering whirl before launching itself at the man.

Hua Cheng makes a displeased sound and is about to snap his fingers when Ruoye whips around E’Ming and covers its red eye. The two weapons wrestle a short while before the scimitar gives and compliantly calms.

Hua Cheng huffs. Damn thing will have a beating later as punishment for even thinking of peeking.

Their walk back to Puqi Shrine is short but sweet. Now without the bright moon, there isn’t much light for Xie Lian to see. Luckily, Hua Cheng’s silver butterflies illuminate their path and the two take to an extra slow pace.

“They’re so lovely,” Xie Lian comments with a soft smile, a warm husk to his tone. He lifts a finger that a bold butterfly has landed on and watches its wings open and close. “I’ve seen them in action, but they’re so gentle and beautiful and—and…enchanting!”

Hua Cheng gives a teasing voice. “Gege, stop. San Lang can only take so many compliments in a day.”

“The butterflies, San Lang.”

“Oh? I guess I am none of these words that gege commends on.”

Xie Lian pauses and turns his attention on him. “That’s not what I mean! I said—well…San Lang is also gentle. And lovely.”

The smile on the ghost king’s face is ever-growing.

“Anyways! That was quite refreshing, right? I can already feel my muscles relax.”

He, too, can feel Xie Lian’s muscles. Hua Cheng’s fingers wiggle on impulse and he quickly brings his hands behind his back.

“Gege’s suggestions are always the best. I am at my cleanest state.”

Xie Lian laughs and the butterflies flutter to the musical cadence. One floats near Hua Cheng and he reaches to gently play with it. His hand grazes Hua Cheng’s shoulder and the latter promptly looks at Xie Lian, searching for any signs of discomfort.

None. Xie Lian is unaffected.

The butterflies grow more daring by the second and surround the god in an illuminating circle. He in turn gives every butterfly a chance of contact with his hands and hums in delight.

Hua Cheng relishes in the sight before him.

Perhaps it’s okay to be this close. Perhaps even in a way Hua Cheng hasn’t dared to think of before. And someday…maybe someday he can show His Highness just how close he desires to be.

---

a/n: somewhere between these paragraphs, dianxia drops the soap. cue shower-sex scene.

#hualian #tgcf #myfics #im so tired. ready to drop ded.#thank you cofferiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

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dulcetminds · 5 years

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some (concept) playlists

find my spotify here ✨ & my fandom character/ship playlists

this page is updated monthly!!!!

💫 monthly, yearly & get to know me playlists:

monthly mixtape: updated daily and refreshed every month with no correlation to anything what so ever.

twentytwenty: a song for each day of the year

the soundtrack to my life

my favourites

pass the aux cord, fool: car vibes

🍾🌉 playlists based off cliché concepts:

coming of age indie romcom soundtrack: cigeratte burns on film, a first kiss that tastes like beer and chapstick, and laughter falling on train tracks

not another coming of age soundtrack: red party cups and the never-ending feeling of nostalgia

Mother Nature reclaims: a soft apocalypse mix

tragedy in the dark: set in the 90's, you're driving at night on the highway, passing under street signs and street lights that illuminate your lovers tired face as they trace circles on your thigh

rise up!: (a futuristic teenage rebellion playlist) you live in a world full of holograms and plastic food, the government is corrupt and somewhere out there is a bunch of rebels that are fighting back

an angels kiss in spring: it’s the roaring 40′s and you hit the town in bold red lipstick, curled hair, flared dresses & traditional swing

a wispy field of sunshine: there's something alluring about falling in love under the sun, sipping on raspberry lemonade & kissing someone who tastes like chapstick

the air is fresh out here: i am lost beneath the earth; dirt and moss fill my lungs and i cough up ivy and rose petals as the trees whisper my name so soft, it gets caught in the wing of a butterfly floating by

3am dancing with my lover: fairylights are hung low around the kitchen, my lover has tired eyes full of wonder and we trip over our own two feet, laughter pumping our hearts alive

the last dancers at midnight: my prom could have been better so we're gonna visualise it like a teen romance movie; tired feet, starry eyes & a tender kiss under the disco ball in your high-schools' hall

even my phone misses your call: 'hey, this is [redacted] please leave your message after the beep!'

you’re so nice to come home to: finally moving into a small apartment with your lover; succulents adorn the windowsills and you both have a love for vintage polaroids and dream catchers — a dreamers dream

I've been in love with you forever: best friends that live next door to each other & know one another like the back of their hand, connected windows, rooftop talks, sleepovers, & everything that comes along with we're best friends & i don't want that to change but i am definitely in love with you

found you in this life: my mother once told me that some of the people we meet in this life, we knew in a past life and it’s up to us to decide where it goes from here

raspberry stains: spring flings includes squashing raspberries between finger & thumb, and dancing under the sun

rollerskating disco rink fever: we're twelve years young & there's a disco ball highlighting our hair as we dance the night away & i'm pretty sure we've happened to scuff the linoleum floor

endless summer afternoon: hopping from shadow to shadow, blisters on our feet; summer, summer, summer!

summer ate me alive: and I want nothing more than to sleep through the next three seasons

ragtag band of misfits from the year ‘87: group of four trying to solve the murder mystery of their late best friend / everyone’s hiding something / he might be in love with the boy he’s known since childhood

[our hands are brushing against each other as we walk]: i want to slow dance with you in the middle of the street

hey, new kid!: its highschool and life is full of rumours and giggling girls & boys with sharp teeth and then english class rolls around ━━ and did the principal just introduce a new student?

🧚🏻‍♀️ specific concept playlists (mostly based on moments and emotions that I've experienced & can’t get over):

head’s a buzz!: stoned out of my mind, I'm pretty sure I met the girl of my dreams last night

I should be sleeping: but i am walking aimlessly under street lights trying to forget your face, your taste, your voice; with vodka stained cheeks and chipped nail polish

pity party for two: the sudden realisation that the future is scary and we're two lost souls stuck in love with people who helped us grow

we’re under the same stars: It’s talking under the stars till the sun breaks through the trees with him, who makes your stomach ache full of laughter and although the wind is cold against your skin and the sleeping bag is thin, he burns just as brightly as the stars in the night sky, and you want to exist between 3 and 4am forever.

I fell in love for one night: he kissed my shoulder & held me tight

moments left unsaid: I love every part of you when it’s loud, when it’s silent, when you don’t know it at all (basically falling in love with your friends in the moment over the smallest of things like the way they dip their head back to laugh or hide their smile behind their hand or when they slow down waiting for you to catch up or pull you aside to ask if you’re doing okay, etc)

angel in disguise: can angels fall in love?

skate park shenanigans: I spent a the hours 8-11pm at a skatepark with my friends and we don’t even skate but this is the specific energy those hours gave off

you’re dreaming beside me: & I’m dreaming of you

how to be soft, sad & content at 4pm

I wish we could live forever: knowing someone you love is gonna die is the one of the hardest things you’re ever gonna witness

remember when we were in love?: 2015: yellow. open roads. a boy. a girl. my house. high school musical. clouds. stars. a pillow. sunflowers. beauty and the beast. skype calls. a bear. / 2017: a girl. blue, blue, blue. / 2019: a girl. a boy. picnics. skateboards. burgers. your house. an empty promise.

the pretty reckless: my friends fall in love too easily

the ceiling is staring back at me: it’s 1am and I'm thinking about everything and anything

me against the world, vol. 1

me & my apathetic brain: basically Russian roulette with I’ll die anyway by girl in red & just a girl by no doubt

🏳️‍🌈🌈 lgbt+ playlists:

this is for the gays!: for pride month 2019, gay bops to rock your socks to

all I see is her: girls r great!

we should fall in love or something: just kidding... haha... unless?

I don’t wanna b ur friend, I wanna kiss ur neck: yeah, it’s based off I wanna be your girlfriend by girl in red & also my ex but we’re gonna take the former

please look at me the same!: my bisexual teen angst

🦋🏹 ‘old groovy, 70′s, 80′s, 90′s etc music’ playlists:

butterfly dust: old time music that goes together

groovy, groovy: 70′s, 80′s, 90′s

lovestrucklovestruck: nothing goes wrong when you live in your head

she’s gold dipped & cherry wine kisses

funky glow

🥁🍒 genre specific playlists:

metamorphic: rock n roll

devils advocate: it’s like white noise before you enter hell (mostly ghostemane)

you’re not indie till: you skate, own a pair of hot converses, have good fashion taste, drink ice coffee and and and

monsters live amongst us: hiding in plain sight, the people we call our friends / a horror pop playlist

hazy affection: anxiety reducing songs and study beats

softly, sweetly: relax your eyes & dream of simpler times

bubblegum pop: the radio is overrated but here we are

glazed eyes, cherry skies

darkness looms overhead

magic under fingernails / under veins

state of mind: kinda like rap but not, definitely an easy listen to while stoned

moon rockets: fly me to outer space where we’ll become another star in the night sky.

dream & folk pop

my dreams reach the stars: my mind is far away from here / starry-eyed and captivated

local neighbourhood party: songs I'd bang my head to at a party

heavenly hymns

fluorescent heartbeats

take me away, into the night

if you see me listening to this, look away: literally Disney musicals mainly Disney’s descendants & zombies

autumnal breeze: a mix of bedroom pop & 80′s tunes

blueberry feelings: is this soundlcoud or tiktok?

untamed glory: the songs dont vibe together as well as they should but i guess thats ironic given the name of this mixtape

all strung up: my favourite female pop songs & then there's sunflower, vol. 6 by harry styles

candyfloss kisses: baby pop

and that’s on tiktok luv: literally what it says

candle lit afternoons: candles + rain = a gentle quiet in it’s purest form

tenderness: soft, quiet, yielding; murmurs at dusk & the playing of hair

my bed is the warmest place: for rainy days & the chill in your nose

🚀🍁🍓 playlists to listen to when your doing this specific thing:

classic picnic bitch: (cute songs that give me picnic vibes) and we bond over a pack of UNO cards and strawberry-filled desserts

beach bums, baby!: a beach-y playlist

hotboxing ur friends car: get high w/ me!

🥺💫🌞🌻🤩🐝 playlists to grow & fall in love with yourself to:

falling in love w/ myself !!!!!: I'm still learning how I work

then I defy you, stars!

seventeen: I made this when I was seventeen and getting over my first heartbreak and realising that I should never wait for people who can only give half back

no negative vibes here!

💌💖 my romance / love centred playlists:

dancing in my room to the sound of you, you, you (middle school crush vibes)

love cluster: and i guess there are lot of love songs out there but there are also a lot of songs that aren't about love that got me feeling like i'm in love so which is it

lovelorn: (a unrequited love playlist) and we yearn for the hearts we cannot hold; lovelorn, lovelorn, lovelorn

our love has gone cold: I love & I loved

whimsical lovers falling out of love

baby boy blues: fell in love for a day with a boy whose smile is contagious and ever-lasting

you gave me panic attacks & I called it love: unsure if you’re in an unhealthy relationship? leave them.

regret in the simplest of forms: I could have loved you / I think a small part of me did

my favourite ‘what if’: soulmates who weren’t meant to be

seeking love among cruel hearts: perhaps we were friends first and lovers second. but then perhaps this is what lovers are.

it’s a long way down from your window: everyone’s favourite secret relationship trope

heartbreak hotel

i’m yearning for his heart while he gives me his body: I love you, don’t you love me too?

make out w/ me?: songs I'd kill to make out with someone too

miss you forever: sad pop love letter

I liked you better in my dreams: the idea of them has taken root in your mind and it’s much different to how they really are

little bit in love with u: alterous attraction? we KNOW her

drowsy cacophony of love

tracing you back to the roots of my house: I'm sifting through the memories of us, where did we go wrong?

love; a choice or a feeling?: and it is both I suppose, it is a feeling, it’s happiness and soft giggles, faint blush. and then it is a choice, a choice to stay with them or leave. it is a choice to not only love them, but yourself too.

tenderly, tragically: this used to be a collab playlist with someone who loved me fully and unconditionally, things have changed since, but this is whats left; it's our story compiled into a playlist

second chance at love: you make me hard, but she makes me weak

lonely in love: (it was supposed to be just casual sex but fuck, I think I'm in love with you)

silent lovers: skinny love (n.) a type of love where two people are in love with each other but are too shy to admit it

my first love: they say your first love never dies, and love, they’re right

my lover is a liar: victim to broken promises and false truths by a boy who died when he gave me his heart

love locket type of love: I loved you in secret !!

the charms of love: don’t fall in love with the moment & think your in love with the girl! (yes, she’s american by the 1975 lyrics)

almost lovers

💸💄💅🏻⛓ playlists that give off bad bitch energy:

rich girl$: my cash flow will never ever end

kiss the boys n make em die!: femme fatale, girl revolution, girl power

GIRLS. FOOD. GEAR: loosely inspired by people by the 1975

girl, interrupted

you’re like a rhinestone pick-up line: picture this — a girl with a hard attitude that you can’t just seem to get off your mind

back on my bullshit: just got my heartbroken; revamped!

👻👽 my halloween inspired playlists:

hallohalloween: basic halloween playlist

the fae know my name: humans beware the manic pixies & lip curling fae for although they don't lie they are cunning creatures with kind eyes!

frothy vampire chick meets soft green witch: red fanged lover & a green house full of potions, spells & succulents

sirens lament: sharp teeth hidden under a pretty face

murder at the casino: (in breaking news: monster hunters just cant seem to catch a break!)

the howling

witchy renaissance

fuckin vampires, man!

🥀 if I were series (playlists that only feature one artist based off something specific):

if I were to dance in a faerie ring to hozier songs: maybe I want to fall in love with a faerie and be under Hozier’s rule

if I were to live my teenage years to Lorde songs

if I were to get high by the beach to skeggs songs: BIG greening out energy

if I were to fall in love to tom rosenthal songs: tom rosenthal songs that make me feel like I'm in love!!

if I were to reminisce about heartbreak to LANY songs:

Hogwarts Houses:

🌻 Hufflepuff

🥊 Gryffindor

🐍 Slytherin

📘 Ravenclaw

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mintseesaw · 5 years

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Perks and a Touch of Repercussion

Pairing: yoongi x reader

Genre: fluff, boyfriend!au

Word count: 2.6k

Warning: none

Summary: soft yoongi in a concept, that’s it.

“What the fuck—” that was the only thing he could utter under his breath after walking in inside their shared bedroom. His sleepy state courtesy of his boring classes was right away replaced by annoyance. Not again.

His eyes clenched shut after taking in the figuratively minimal but enormous in size alteration made in the room.

Just as he was about to growl out your name determined to locate you wherever you are in the apartment for a reprimanding session, you magically appeared from the closet holding a laundry basket in one hand as you seemed surprise by his presence. You were not expecting him to be home for about two hours more. His classes for today does not end until after 5.

“Oh, hey babe. You’re early...” From the looks of your features, you don't seem to notice his lingering irritation seeping through his sharp eyes.

“YN, what did you do to our bedroom?” He gritted monotonously, his eyes narrowing. His tone alone sparks a tiny fear in you.

It was only then recognition hit you like a bulb suddenly lighting up inside your brain. Scanning the room through your glasses that almost occupy half of your face, your cheeks suddenly flaring up at the sudden realization. You forgot to ask him, beforehand. “Uh… I changed the wallpaper?” You discreetly prodded, eyes going round innocently, hoping to get his support. In his expression alone, you gathered he didn’t.

“I can see that, baby. But—pink? Really?” He taunted, eyes narrowing in pure judgment of your deed. How did you even do it without his help? You’re tiny in comparison with his height.

“What’s wrong with the color?”

“Nothing, YN, if we didn’t agree not to put any color on the walls.” Oh. The talk must have slipped in your mind.

When you moved in together, the apartment was painted aesthetically in white and gray and Yoongi convinced you not to redecorate the interior design of the house without both your consents because knowing you, he wanted to guarantee you would not touch it unless it’s necessary. Guilt slowly creeping into you as your lips protrude unconsciously in pure embarrassment.

Now you’re looking so adorable, it didn’t go unnoticed from his observing eyes despite his never ending frustration from your unnecessary advances in the apartment. He would not fall for your charm, though.

Your head lowering when you mumbled, “But it’s cute, Yoongi.”

He groans audibly closing his eyes shut. Does he really not have a single ounce of strength in him to go against your little ministrations? He could only do so much as scold you every time you do something weird or strange. Last week, you just bought 10 pillows of different sizes and shapes like the whole apartment is in crisis of pillows. Not to mention that you’re supposed to be in a budget for you and Yoongi have yet to cover the unpaid balance of both your tuition fees as you manage all the bills because he couldn’t do it without losing his shit.

Recently, you just had enough of his drunk ass driving at night four times in a row so you put him in a liquor limit. Like, who ever does put someone in a liquor limit? Not even his parents did it to him. Apparently, only his girlfriend can and the sole witch who has the power over him because he obediently followed it anyway although he still thinks it’s ridiculous. Even so, you still stock a few bottles of soju and a bottle of wine or two for him to drink at home. And he loves the considerate side of you, even how crazy you get sometimes.

He sincerely appreciates how you expertly organize and handle everything that needs to be taken care of in your lives and he’s thankful for having you in his for you seemed to make it easier than how he handled it alone.

He is undoubtedly and hopelessly in love with you, but he swore you will be the death of him. He thought the day would never come when he would learn to shrug off your obsession with cleanliness. Hoarding toilet papers, tissues, wipes, disinfectant sprays, and antibacterial soaps, and especially your ridiculous house rules. Shoes off in the bedroom, bed sheets anew three times a week, mandatory hand sanitizing after bathroom breaks, clothes in neat folds and stacked by categories, and the most unforgiving one—no sex after taking a shower arguing that you do not want to perspire right after cleaning yourself. Although it’s the rule he gets to bend the most, alluring you in any way he can to make you submit to his bidding.

Despite catching your look of expectancy to his reply, he turns his back to you, walking out of the room, and occupied the cushioned seat in the living room with a displeased state. You were silently tailing behind him and as he took a seat in the sofa, you put the hamper down, the intention to do the laundry set aside temporarily as you have a sudden mission to get his permission although the deed was carried out in advance. There’s no way you would remove the new wallpaper. It’s not even cheap! It would be a waste of money to change it back again.

Sitting next to him as his arms crossed after turning the television off not letting you hold any of his hands. It’s a habit of yours to entwine your fingers with his and thumbs his knuckles when you try to console him. You scooted closer to his side, “Babe, are you mad?”

“I am, so are you gonna remove that now?” He retorted without even giving you a glance.

“It’s a pastel one, Yoongi.” You tried, but he only raised an eyebrow, titling his head to size you up. “So?”

Pouting in defeat, “It’s a soft shade and I’m sure it doesn’t strain your eyes.” Your eyebrows lifted in anticipation of a positive outcome from exerting a tiny effort.

“You still broke the agreement.”

You shook his arm lightly, trying to shift his attention back to you as he tries to avoid your presence, childishly.

Until you suggested something, “If you want, you get to choose for the movie later…” his eyes were instantly on yours, staring back at you with a knowing look, letting you know he’s attentive and urging you to continue. What else does he want?

Your eyebrows formed a straight line, pondering, “I’ll clean the dishes for a week?” You proposed mindlessly before even realizing what you just did.

“Two.” He quickly declared before you had the chance to take it back, smirking as victory is favoring his side. You’re about to protest, mouth wide open and ready to burst your argument but stopped yourself thinking he would ask for more privileges if you object to his demand.

Sulkily, you sighed while he finally let his arms rest on both his sides leaning his back against the cushioned backrest.

“Fine,” you uttered, finally accepting defeat. He chuckled at your adorable-looking sullen expression, planting a soft peck to the tip of your nose in pure adoration.

When night came, you peered in the screen in patience as he contemplates over selecting the first film of the night. He didn’t say anything, however, when he made up his mind, he straight away typed in the search bar through the remote control. Through your keen observation, you already knew what movie he’s selected after two letters appeared in the empty, horizontal bar in the screen.

“We’ve watched that for 21 times,” you slumped in the sofa, whining as if it would change Yoongi’s mind. He has the advantage tonight and he needs to utilize it well. Although you loved Black Panther, seeing it too many times already feels like a drag on to have it play for two hours. It’s the same reason he chose to play it this time. It could be his only chance to watch it again. Somehow, you always find a way of winning the privilege of selecting a movie during your movie nights.

“We’ll watch it, anyway.” His shoulders making a shrugging motion, a direct nonchalant response to your complaint.

“Just this once,” muttering under your breath and it didn’t reach his ears as you close the distance between your bodies to tuck in yourself to his side, snuggling the material of his hoodie on his chest. His left arm securing your body against his, instinctively. Yoongi left a quick kiss on the top of your head before completely turning his attention from the movie playing in front.

Not even 10 minutes after Yoongi pressed the movie play through the remote control, and you’re already dozed off comfortably on his side, face buried over the length of his neck. He didn’t seem to mind your constant breaths fanning softly against his skin and the numbing muscles of his arm wrapped over your back. His attention purely directed to his favorite Marvel movie.

He didn’t move in the duration of the movie playing, too comfortable in his seat plus your body heat feels good in contrast to the cold weather.

Movie night, huh. He shook his head as the interest to watch another film dissipating knowing that his date already fell asleep.

Before the credits even rolled through the screen and halfway through the last scene, he was already in his feet, your form securely gathered in his arms to tuck you in bed, careful not to wake you up. He places you on the mattress as gentle as possible knowing you’re a light sleeper. Yoongi stares at your figure as you unconsciously snuggle further on the fluffy pillow. You look so cute and tiny wearing his oversized sweater which looks even bigger now that you’re wearing it. He admits he’s not as tall as Namjoon, his bestfriend. And yet he’s still left astonished how he seems taller than his actual height when you stood next to him.

It’s so tempting to cuddle you with how comfortable you look but he has to clean up the little mess in the living room and wash the dishes. Your punishment. Shaking his head for in the end, he is still left to do your supposedly exclusive chore for the next two weeks.

“YN,” He whines but does not move an inch to swat your hand away from his chin. He has a fucking pimple on his right cheek which rarely ever happens. And now his girlfriend is treating it with something he forgot what it’s called.

“It does not hurt that much.” You responded as you recall how tea tree oil felt like when applied whenever you have a break out.

“It fucking stings.” He complained further, and as you dab another coat through the cotton bud, the stinging sensation only prolongs its existence. He winces helplessly, and you smacked his hand when you quickly processed his intention to touch the swelling, red blotch.

“Stop being a baby.” you scolded, and continued as he attempted to touch it again, “Hands off…” He disgruntledly obeyed your instruction.

Your soft chuckle echoed through the living room witnessing him in full anguish as if someone physically beat him up. He really has low tolerance of pain.

You kissed his forehead affectionately in an effort to redirect his attention. And when you pulled away to stare at him, his lips were slightly pushed forward in a pout, silently asking you for a kiss. You smiled before planting chaste kisses in his rosy lips. “Such a baby,” you mumbled in between the kisses against his plump ones.

“Make it up to me,” he gently commanded which sounded more likely as a whine than the intent itself.

You stared at him for a second, before replying, “Why? I didn’t cause that.”

“It doesn’t hurt until you put that mint something, are you sure it’s not a toothpaste?”

“Toothpaste?” You laughed at his remark, “It’s a tea tree oil, baby. It helps relieve swelling zits, I was only helping you and… oh don’t pop it. It would leave a scar on your skin.”

Like I can do that, you wouldn’t even let me touch my face, he argued back silently.

“Come here,” you made a gesture pointing on his face indicating for him to lean his face closer to yours. He scrunched up his face too lazy to move, but followed your command with an exasperating sigh. Cupping his face in discretion of the tender blotch of his cheek, tilted his face to the side so you can examine it, before softly blowing an air directly to it, soothing its tenderness.

“You okay, now?”

He sluggishly nodded. You rolled your eyes, used to his seemingly energy lacking response.

“Why don’t you relieve something else,” and the side of his mouth curling up in a suggestive grin.

Your eyes narrowing as you look at him in disbelief. “You whiny little baby, I just took a shower,” and threw him a look after, which he silently reads as ‘Are you serious?’

He nonchalantly shrugs his shoulders, “I don’t care, broke your little rule too many times.”

Despite establishing that rule, nothing can ever stop you from desiring your attractive and enchanting boyfriend. It’s always a constant battle against yourself when it comes to wanting Yoongi. Like now, you didn’t directly turn his proposition down when you suggested, “Later?”

Shaking his head in stark disagreement, delaying it would only cause him another ache. “Now.”

“Yoongi, I’m too lazy to shower again.”

Rolling his eyes, he tauntingly answered back, “Then don’t. Why do you even bother taking a shower twice? Once is enough.”

“I feel sticky after doing...it”

“Never fucking mind.” He curses crossing his arms out his frustration clearly seeping through his tone.

“What about making out?” You offered all of a sudden like it’s a normal thing to suggest a make-out session just to avoid sex. Besides, kissing you does nothing but arouses and intensifies his need for you.

He tilted his head in question. “Isn’t that the same thing?”

“No? It only requires kissing.”

“Pfft, I’m telling you it would inevitably lead to some action-packed that would cause us to sweat a lot. You wouldn’t like that now, would you, baby?” He mockingly said, giving a hard emphasis on the part which you try so hard to elude of, like sweating is deadly or something.

You’re not that feeble with his advances to let him have his control over you through his kisses, are you? You don’t think so. “Wanna test the theory?” You probed.

“Sure.” He smugly answered like he already knows what would happen.

And even before you had the chance to prepare yourself from the impending make out session, Yoongi already pulled you closer giving you no room to back out, crashing his lips to yours and winces against the plump pair of your lips every now and then when you accidentally touch the sensitive spot of his right cheek.

Soon after the little experiment, Yoongi has finally debunked your argument now that you’re lying naked beneath him, you caught a smug look on his face before he dips his head to claim what truly belongs to him.

He had to savor and enjoy this moment while it lasts especially now that you’re in a state of euphoric bliss, barely moving to stop his advances. Because he’s sure when you both are done catching your breaths and covered with sweat, he probably wouldn’t hear the end of it.

Until then, he has to make the two of you temporarily satiated from the prolonged and leaking mutual need that.

⇀

an: something light and short which I came up with this after starting an ex-lover au three days ago but was not in the mood to finish something angsty at the moment

#yoongi x reader #yoongi fluff #daeguboynet #hyunglinenetwork #yoongi fanfic #yoongi scenarios #yoongi imagines #yoongi!boyfriend #yoongi one shot #yoongi drabble #boyfriend au #bts x reader #bts fanfic #bts fluff #bts au fanfic #bts imagines #bts scenarios

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ritaskeeterx · 4 years

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( CISFEMALE , SHE/HER ) RITA SKEETER is a RAVENCLAW whose favorite subject is TRANSFIGURATION, maybe because they are OBSERVANT but also NARCISSISTIC. They might be so popular because they look like VIRGINIA GARDNER, can you believe they are a SEVENTH YEAR? rumors say they support NEUTRAL. where do they go from here?

BASICS —

Full Name: Rita Celeste Skeeter

Age: Seventeen

Birthday: October 13; Libra

Blood Status: Half-Veela

PERSONALITY —

(+) Positive Traits: Charming, observant, compassionate, idealistic

(-) Negative Traits: Narcissistic, self-indulgent, dishonest, passive-aggressive

LIFE AT HOGWARTS —

House: Ravenclaw

Year: Seventh

Wand: Hornbeam wood, eight and a quarter inches, with a veela hair core, from her great-great grandmother

Best Class: Transfiguration

Worse class: Alchemy

Pets: A Northern Pygmy Owl named Charlotte

Boggart: People whispering about her

Patronus: Russian Blue cat

Extracurriculars: None

BIOGRAPHY —

ACT I

October 13th, 5:42 AM. Rita Skeeter came into the world and two feuding families stopped arguing. Cigars were passed around and congratulatory hugs were exchanged and they toasted to the arrival of the newest member with champagne. Nurses said she was the most beautiful baby in the maternity ward and her parents were told they had never looked happier. Ophelia, her maman, had blessed her child with Veela charm and the looks of a porcelain doll. William, her father, had seen to it that she would have anything she could ever want, be it a pony or a doll house big enough for her to live in. Both of her parents had seen to it that she received magical powers, her mother being a pureblood and her father a half-blood. There wasn’t a doubt in anyone’s mind that their precious Rita would possess magical abilities and by the age of three, she had started to show signs of magic, such as levitating a glass of wine her father had been drinking off the table and almost to her hands before she was noticed by a house-elf and the glass was promptly returned to the table. It had brought her into a bout of wailing that set the newspaper her father was reading on fire. Her first act of accidental magic was to take something she wasn’t allowed to have and then set something on fire when it was taken away. It would have been humorous if it didn’t set the mood for how she would act growing up. Her father was immune to her Veela charms, had learned to see through them thanks to many years with Ophelia, but he allowed her one small sip, allowing Rita to taste it and realize that she absolutely didn’t want it. It wasn’t often that William told her no without Rita winning him over in the end (she could count the times on one hand) but when it happened, he had been nothing but patient and logical to help her understand.

Her relationship with her mother didn’t always reflect the best parts of their personalities. Both had tempers that would put anyone else to shame and it would lead to a blowout more often than not, especially when Ophelia lost control over her temper and she would appear more harpy than beautiful woman. It never scared Rita, frustrated her more than anything because from that point on, the argument was lost. It was a lesson she learned quickly, though her father seemed to still be working on understanding it, because their arguments went on even after her facial appearance changed. Fighting at home was natural to Rita, a weekly occurrence and she had developed a quick wit and thick skin because of it. The French never controlled their emotions and found that they were controlled by them instead and many things were said in the heat of the moment, something patronizing one minute and purposely cutting the next. Though the fights between Rita and her mother never lasted long and they would be back to normal within hours, it would be impossible for Rita to not have internalized the insults. Her parents were in love and very deeply so. They loved her more than life itself, they just showed it differently than other families. She knew that her family was perfect, other people just didn’t understand.

ACT II

Patience was a virtue, William would say whenever she got impatient for something. It was only mildly frustrating when she was a child, because she didn’t have any concept of waiting to get what she wanted. Her mother’s parents were always around, visiting their beloved granddaughter and doting upon her. They came bearing presents on a bimonthly basis and being happy to entertain the little girl while her parents did whatever to occupy their time. Her father’s parents remained in London and they went down to visit her grandparents once a month. They saw her less frequently than their maternal grandparents and often tried to outdo their gifts. They weren’t actively arguing anymore but there was too much bad blood to let anything go. Her parents had already given her everything she wanted, and her grandparents were giving her things she wasn’t even aware that she wanted. Rita was spoiled beyond belief and when she wanted something, she wanted it now. When she began to grasp control over her emotions and understand why she was feeling the way she was, she did her best to emulate patience and the saying her father would whisper to her whenever she had a temper tantrum in a store. “Be patient. You will enjoy it much more if you have to wait for it.” Very rarely was she told an actual no, it was more often a no to instant gratification. And William was right. She frequently got bored with things that were just given to her, but with things she had to wait for, hoping that every day would be the day he would give her whatever toy she had her eye on made it sweeter the day she actually got it.

The day her patience was truly tested was the day her father announced his job transfer. It was a higher paying position, which meant more money for their family and that he’d be able to spoil Rita more. The downside was that it was in London. Her mother’s family had a fit, insisting they let Rita stay with them so she’d be able to attend Beauxbatons, while her father’s family were incredibly excited at the prospect of seeing their granddaughter more and would scoff at their in-law’s dramatics. Hogwarts was just as fine a wizarding school as Beauxbatons, if not better. Neither of her parents had siblings and Rita was an only child. Everything they did was just to spend more time with their darling, their petit chérie. The ten year peace was over and it was back to warring families. Her grandparents were careful to never let her hear it, but that didn’t stop them from arguing with their children when they visited, believing Rita to be asleep upstairs when she was hiding on the staircase, a unicorn stuffed animal clutched to her chest. Ten years old and at night, cuddling a toy as she listened to the people she loved in her life argue. By day, in both Paris and London, people would look at her. Many didn’t know why, they just saw someone charming and beautiful, and most were innocent. Kids her age wanting to be her friend and women on the streets commenting on how she looked just like her mother, that beauty must run in the family. Some men, though, leered at her, making her skin crawl but it was attention that she craved. People had been paying attention to her throughout her entire life and now she only found herself wanting it more and more. She dressed to impress, to look pretty and perfect, an object of desire for men who were old enough to be her father. It was like a game to her. Until one grabbed her under her skirt and Rita had been quick to shout at him in public. People looked horrified, his wife especially, and she felt both nauseous at the grope but a little powerful at having used the attention on her to her advantage. Wherever Rita went, people looked at her. It was the Veela’s charm, or curse, depending on how you look at it. Rita felt that it was a curse, but if she was going to be cursed, she would make the most of what it left her with.

ACT III

Hogwarts was a fresh start for Rita. A boarding school, away from her parents, where she knew absolutely no one. The teachers would be less likely to coddle her and all of the things she had wanted growing up were left back at their spacious London estate. It turned out that very few of her professors were immune to her Veela charm, often letting her go on in class about whatever train of thought she was trying to grab hold of. Her words were never articulate, never carefully thought out and seemed more like a stream of consciousness. It was always endearing, never annoying, and people looked on fondly as she rambled. Friends came into her life quickly, she collected people through her charm and kindness. Her first few years at Hogwarts felt like walking on eggshells, too afraid that they didn’t actually like her for her and simply hung around her because she was irresistible. She made the mistake of accusing someone once of only liking her because she was part Veela and the closest thing to a best friend she ever had walked out of her life that day. It was then she resigned herself to having doubts about the people in her life. When she was old enough to start dating and noticing the attention she received from the older students, she felt wanted and the attention she so desperately craved. Though she was fiercely protective of anyone younger than her, especially girls, she thought herself to know better and understand the game better than they did. It never eased the doubts in her head about whether or not they actually wanted to date her or if they were just into her because of her Veela curse, but it didn’t stop her from dating around. She never held off from dating, but she held off from getting serious about any of them.

Most people don’t know she’s part Veela. They just think she’s charming and kind and with an allure that draws people in. If they knew what she was, they would be less likely to fall for said charms, and now that she’s older and not above using such things to get a leg up in the world, Rita doesn’t want that to happen. Many of them believe she’s just got one of those faces and they trust her, so they tell her their secrets. Any and all of them. Sometimes without any prompting. She prods here and there but it’s almost unnecessary. She comes off as a confidant so they tell her whatever it is that’s bothering them. It’s not her fault. It just started happening. And then because it was happening whether she liked it or not (she did), she felt it prudent to write them down. It was all in a diary, just for her eyes. Or she thought it would be like that anyway, until a sheet full of secrets fell out. The fall out was brilliant, the kind of thing that Rita couldn’t tear her eyes from. It was a power rush in the best way. She didn’t realize it would feel like this, but damn did she like it.

ACT IV

Patience is a virtue and now Rita is very patient but feels more like a snake lying in wait, letting her prey come to her before she strikes. Her classes are spent eavesdropping on the people next to her, meals in the Great Hall are for eating and pretending to read while she listens in to conversations and tries to find the one that’s whispered, for no one else’s ears. That’s the kind of conversation she wants to hear, to be privy to. She writes down secrets, uses them as a form of currency, except she comes out on top no matter what. Whenever people share something with her, she gives them something small, a little tidbit of information that doesn’t matter to her one way or another. When she “accidentally” loses a piece of paper full of secrets, she can’t help but smile as the gossip spreads around the school. No one ever blames her, or thinks she does it on purpose like she does. That is, if they even know its her. People are too busy focusing on the gossip than the source.

Her parents would be disappointed if they knew what she was up to, other people weren’t toys she could play with for her own amusement but Rita disagrees. Until she pictures her father’s face, how he would look at her and then she isn’t so sure she wants to be this person anymore. But given that she’s away at school and he’s in London, the guilt is gone as quickly as it came on. Rita wanted chaos and what Rita wanted, she got.

#svhqintro #intro.

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elenajohansenreads · 4 years

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Books I Read in 2019

#166 - Ice Massacre, by Tiana Warner

The Reading Frenzy’s Holly Jolly Readathon -- A book with a wintery word in the title

Rating: 1/5 stars

Another hugely hyped book that was a vast disappointment to me. The concept is cool, I'll give it that, or I wouldn't have picked it up in the first place. But the world-building is thin, the plot full of gaping holes, the characters mostly without personality, and the action is jaw-grindingly constant to the point where it leaves no room for character development or better world-building. And calling this a sapphic love story is just laughable. Literally the last thing in the book is the main character realizing she's in love with her childhood best friend who's also a girl who's also a mermaid--but they spend most of the books at odds with each other because of misunderstandings, because of the fact that they're both supposed to want to kill each other, and because they can't truly trust each other for most of the story. Eventually there's a small measure of devotion, but there's no romance to speak of. Everyone's too busy fighting, and I do mean everyone. But okay, if it's setup for the future installments, I could give that a pass. What I can't forgive is the insanely stupid logic of this thin, nonsensical world-building. First, the simple idea of the merpeople's "allure"--their hypnotizing magic--being effective against the opposite gender only is heteronormative in the extreme. My bisexual self is plenty attracted to women, so for most of the book I felt like it should work on me just fine. (And I can't even address the issues of trans or nonbinary characters, because there aren't any.) When it eventually became obvious that allure working on everyone would break the plot (the two friends can't fall in love with each other if magic is involved because then it's fake, also then the entire idea of sending girls out instead of boys to fight is a moot point and there's no story) I threw my hands up in the air and said to myself, "I'll accept it but I don't think it's good." Second, that leads to another problem; if the merpeople sent their women to fight because the human warriors had always been male before, when they discover the new ship of warriors are female, shouldn't they send their men instead? Oh, wait, they're all lampshaded to be fighting somewhere else entirely, in a different ocean. Except...are they all really gone? Because if they are, then who's making babies? We know there are babies because the crazy girl kills an infant. Which, by the way, is a war crime if you consider the mermaid "people," because clearly an infant is a noncombatant. So that's fun. (Also she ends up murdering a crewmate, but that's not tied to any of my complaints, actually, which almost surprises me. It was terrible but it actually sort of made sense at the time that it would happen the way it did.) But really, why keep sending the mermaids to kill the girls when mermen would have the advantage? Third, the structure of the Massacre itself. Would you have me believe that a group of twenty girls who have been training together for five years can't put aside petty high-school-style drama long enough to not get each other killed? Do you mean to tell me that the position of captain is assigned by their trainer, with a list of captains to follow in case of death or incapacitation, and it never once occurred to anyone organizing this thing that that's a recipe for constant mutiny? Do you seriously expect me to believe no adults went with them for supervision? That no adult women could have been trained alongside them to sail the ship, if not to actually fight? That no adult woman on the entire island was capable or available to be their captain and keep all those little shits in line? Weren't those people fishermen before the mermaids invaded, and that's why they're being starved out now? Sure, in modern military we train people about their age for combat, but we don't send them out on their own without superior officers, older and more experienced and hopefully with a little more wisdom! And if the problem is that they can't send the men who have survived their Massacres because now we send women because of the allure, then why were they ever sending men in the first place? Why did it take so long to decide to train girls instead? (The story's answer: unquestioned patriarchy. Girls aren't warriors. Because.) Fourth: no one has much of a personality, they're too busy getting killed. Of the twenty girls who set sail, I believe only seven or eight survive. They are mostly names on a page who die. Even some of the survivors, I couldn't tell you anything about, be it their physical appearance or their demeanor. They are mermaid fodder, some are there to be Captain Crazypants' cronies, they are faceless and interchangeable in death. Back to the "romance" for a second: I don't read Meela's constant distaste for her compatriots talking about boys or their boyfriends as her actually being in love with her female mermaid childhood best friend. That early, it doesn't even seem to allow for the possibility. It was far easier for me to read Meela as ace and/or aro--she seems completely uninterested in romance with the guy back home who's in love with her, and she says outright at one point that she can't imagine kissing him or having kids with him. Yes, it's all coded, but to me that's all code for aro-ace, possibly even to the point of sex-repulsed ace. The depth of her aceness would be open to interpretation, but nothing about her characterization for most of the book, such as it is, says to me, "no, she doesn't like Tanuu or boys in general but she's got confused feelings for girls she doesn't understand." She just doesn't seem to think romantic love or sex is important. So throwing it out there at the very end that she thinks she's in love with Lysi doesn't ring true to me at all, even though I could see it coming from the structure. Final problem: the plot takes a completely unexpected and illogical turn at the last second. The whole book has been about the Massacre, and then when it's almost over, our main character sacrifices herself (kind of) and gets captured by the mer-king (sort of) who agrees to let her and the few remaining crew go home so she can find a MacGuffin that's apparently a legend of their home island...that none of them have ever heard of. So if they don't know their own legends, how does the mer-king? There's no foreshadowing for this (or if there is it's so subtle as to be invisible), it makes no sense with the rest of the book, narratively speaking it's a deus ex machina to get them home when they're basically doomed otherwise. And obviously it's setting up the next book. But I don't care. I don't care because this one is so bad I don't want to read any more.

#booklr #book review #ice massacre #tiana warner #book photography #my photos #my reading challenges #the reading frenzy

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imaginethebeautifulworld · 6 years

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nordes, axIs, allIes + prussaI, canananda, sapIn, roma- as craetures??s?

This will require a lot of research~ Let’s crack open some old tomes, light a candle, and conspire, shall we?

Allies:

America- Mimic.

A creature able to change its shape to disguise its body as an inanimate object or another being. The concept was first introduced in Dungeons and Dragons in the 1970s, and it appealed to me for Al as America has a habit- the country as well as the character, of borrowing bits and pieces of other nations, and almost presenting as them on many an occasion. Similar to the doppelganger, but I don’t foresee Al trying to actually consume his targets, merely... Mimic them.

Canada- Ol’ Yellow Top.

Old Yellow Top is an alleged cryptid from Ontario, Canada. Allegedly, there have been sightings of this guy since 1906. Some have claimed that it could be a Sasquatch, apart from the distinctly golden mane on its head and the lightness of fur. I immediately thought of Mattie in this case- Just trying to live in the woods, mind his own business, get mistaken as a local cryptid. All in a day’s work, really.

China- Bai Zé.

An alleged mystical beast of Chinese legend. According to lore, the Bai Zé was encountered by the Yellow Emperor during a patrol. The Bai Ze gifted the Emperor with information on all 11,520 types of supernatural creatures in the world, and how to overcome their hauntings and attacks. The emperor had this information written down in a book called the Bái Zé Tú. Just thinking back to how many stories Yao's passed down to his younger siblings and the advice he has for the other nations- I felt this fit him very well.

England- Feyling.

A child born of both Fey and Human blood. Much like a Half-Fey, they have excellent charisma, and with practice and patience, eventually can successfully cast spells and incantations to overwhelm others, become seemingly invisible, and slip away from the law. These creatures are born with the ethereal beauty of the Fair Folk, but unfortunately, it also makes them a little aloof. And of course, I thought of England. It would make sense as to why he can see the Fey, and his strong connections to earth-based magicke.

France- Enfant de Melusine.

The legend of Melusine is reminiscent of a fairy bride. Melusine, vaguely similar to mermaids, had the lower half of a serpent, and the upper half of a human woman, though by some accounts, this metamorphisis only occurred once per week, some accounts by once per month. She was taken as a bride by a king, and gave birth to two sons. The legend gets further distorted- some claim that she was unable to stand the holy words of a Sunday sermon, others claim that her husband discovered her true nature- But the endgame was the same. She completed her transformation into a dragon, and fled. It is rumored that all French royals were descendents of her two sons, and that one can hear her crying for her children outside the castles to date. I feel France is definitely one of those lost, wandering children. It's in his tenancity, his resilience, and beneath his majestic beauty is a ferocity that nothing has been able to break.

Russia- Domovik.

Similar to the Brownie in Scottish folklore, the domovik is believed to protect the home from tragedy and disaster, including theives, disease, natural disasters, and evil spirits. Although he never attacks people, it has also earned the spite that falls to the common poltergeist. Rumour has it that he lives near the hearth, or perhaps behind the stove, so long as he is warm. I felt this fit Ivan; he is so desperate to help others, and he has a kind of quiet protectiveness.

Axis:

Germany- Kobold.

Kobolds are industrious small humanoid creatures, noted for their skill at building traps and preparing ambushes. As for what Ludvig may be trying to trap is anyone's guess, but combining his ingenuity with his skills in engineering and strategy, it fits him. They are also resilient as a concept, as throughout even modern history, German mythologists like Jakob Grimm (yes, from the Brothers Grimm) made many arguments that the story of the kobold dates all the way back to Rome, perhaps even before. The Church continued to tolerate the creature, and it was one of the small pieces of Germanic culture that hasn't been diluted throughout the ages. And that, to me, seems very much like something Ludvig would appreciate.

Japan- Kitsune.

Stories depict them as intelligent beings and as possessing magical abilities that increase with their age and wisdom. Some folktales speak of kitsune shape-shifting to trick others — as foxes in folklore often do — other stories portray them as guardians, friends, and lovers. Kiku downplays it frequently, but he is a devious little bastard, and it makes him all that better for keeping an eye out for his friends. And with all that age and wisdom he's obtained, I feel he's met all of the qualifications of the Kitsune.

Prussia- Vampyre.

Rather than provide a whole description of the lore on vampyres and all that wonderful blood-sucking stuff, I'm going to cut it short and give a few ideas why Gil would make a good vampyre. An isolationist longing for the simplicty of his earlier lives, relying on the energies of others to keep him young. Prussia needs to have exposure to that youthful energy, to new ideas, and soak it all up. Otherwise, he'll fade away into nothing but dust.

Romano- Werewolf.

I kind of dabbled on this before in one of my asks on Lovino headcanons, and it's a running theory I've been exploring for a while. In the supposed story of the founding of Rome, brothers Romulus and Remus were raised by wolves. Now, I had the thought of if they hadn't just been raised by wolves, but were, in fact, wolves traversing as human. And from there a long internal journey began of if Rome and eventually Romano were also part of that lineage. So anyway- Lovino is very territorial, devoted to his family, and has a deeper connection to the ancient roots than most people would think of him.

Spain- Ventolin.

NOT to be mistaken for albuterol! Ventolins are actually small wind sprites with majestic green wings. Legends depict that they will fly inland from the sea, bringing with them gentle rains and mists. They also help babies fall asleep with quiet, soft whispers, and bring with them the last goodbyes of those who died far from their homes. Spain in particular comes to mind, with his more peaceful nature, especially when it comes to children. Also, the thought of that man gently knocking on the front door with the last whispers of a loved one- It's a very soothing image to me. But mostly the sweet whisperings to quell the nightmares of a baby really stood out to me. It's Tonio; of course he's going to help out the little ones.

Veneziano- Merman.

If there's one thing I picked up while I was lost in the maze of a city that is Venice, it's that the city itself half belongs to the creatures below the waters, not just those of us above it. With deep canals filled with algaes and seaweed and centuries of mystery, it's all too easy to imagine that beautiful bastard's caramel eyes as he slowly swims nearer to the surface, charming young lads and lassies away from the dusty walkways, down the crumbling steps, and into the depths. He's got the charm, the mystery, the alluring smile and bright eyes that could make you want to sign your life away. Plus I mean- At this point, the poor boy probably actually is at least part fish.

Nordics:

Denmark- Draugr.

The Draugr are undead beings, but the rest of the lore gets very debateable. Some say that they guard their treasures in burial mounds. Others claim they haunt the oceans, and if seen are a harbringer of doom for any soul upon the waves. And yet another legend I encountered told of undead Viking armies, raised by necromancy, consuming all flesh in their wake, devouring every- Basically zombies, people. I feel like Mati would be a prime example of a ghost (or zombie) who is still around to fufill their purpose. His devotion to protect his family of Northern rapscallions has kind of become his only real dream now, and I believe it is so strong an emotion that it could essentially keep his spirit tied to the earth, with essentially the same skills he had before. Just- A lot more dead jokes. You thought the dad jokes were bad? Oh buddy-

Finland- Nisse.

Small creatures from Scandinavian folklore, Nisse live in houses and barns, secretly guarding the farmstead. If treated well, they protect the family and animals from evil, and sometimes even help with chores and farm work. In ancient times, it was believed the nisse were the first farmers. It wasn't until later in my research that I discovered that the Nisse are most commonly associated with the winter solstice, and can be seen in a lot of holiday decor; they look like little elves with white beards and either green or red clothing resembling the 17th century. Tino with his nurturing spirit, I feel, is perfect as a representative of these little guys.

Iceland- Fossegrimen.

The fossegrimen is a fiddle-playing water spirit who never wants to leave his waterfall. In lore, many travellers would stop and ask him for help in learning how to better their skill at the fiddle, and he would often gladly be of help. The cost was often just a nice meal with a good portion of meat. If travellers didn't meet the expectations, the fossegrimen would only teach their student how to tune the fiddle, but not how to play it. I thought of Emil immediately for the determined isolationism, the love of good music, and the easy going attitude of still offering help, even if the exchange wasn't quite what he expected.

Norway- Mage.

As much as I would love to explore a potential troll!Norway route, the reality that he is probably a well-rehearsed and extremely gifted magicke-user just refuses to leave me alone. Mages, unlike wizards, are not as timid about their abilities. He is absolutely out there wandering ruins and exploring foreign cities. He may be traveling alone, but he is learning plenty. I feel like at some point, Lukas probably also looked into necromancy, but that's a theory to explore when I'm a little less sleepy.

Sweden- Landvættir.

The Landvættir are land guardians, most specifically centered around farms or wild grounds. When approaching Vikings neared land, they allegedly removed the carved dragon heads from the bows of their ships, to avoid the risk of provoking the Landvættir and bringing bad luck. There wasn't very much lore on them that I could find, but from the little I did, I feel Berwald is exactly the kind of stoic guardian one must pass by quietly to safely explore a new world.

These were a lot of fun, Anon! I may do more research later into some of these concepts (may even try to find some pictures~), but for now it is late, and I thank you for the Halloween ask!

Merry Samhain!

Blessed be.

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news-mashable-yahoopartner-blog · 6 years

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HitClips: Remembering the most absurd way we listened to music

If you were a child growing up in the late 90s or early 2000s, odds are you remember the most entertaining and hilariously nonsensical way of listening to music: HitClips.

In 1999, Hasbro's Tiger Electronics released the "slick micro audio systems" known as HitClips, tiny memory card-like chips that contained a 60-second "clip" of a super popular song. In the early days, that meant tracks from Backstreet Boys, *NSYNC, and Britney Spears, and later they included middle school anthems from Avril Lavigne, Hilary Duff, Simple Plan, and more.

SEE ALSO: Outdated ways of listening to music, ranked

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While, from a tech standpoint, HitClips clearly weren't the most innovative devices, they had such a strong cultural impact that for years, people actually felt compelled to spend money on tiny snippets of full songs — a concept that, in hindsight, seems impossibly absurd.

So what exactly made HitClips so successful? And could they ever follow vinyl's path and make a comeback in today's world? To answer these questions, let's take a trip down memory lane.

y'all remember hit clips? i had all the slaps lmao pic.twitter.com/pzGbcOU2fO

— baby💮 (@m0delofiend) August 23, 2018

I recently uncovered my old HitClips players when attempting to clean my basement, but much to my dismay, my extensive song library — hot jams by A*Teens, Baha Men, Aaron Carter, Destiny’s Child, Dream Street, and dozens more — is still packed away somewhere.

Luckily, a single chip was with the devices. Unfortunately for us, that chip happened to be *NSYNC's "It's Gonna Be Me," which is now almost exclusively associated with memes.

The history of HitClips

HitClips initially debuted as toys in select McDonald's kids meals, but became so popular that they transitioned to the main toy/electronics market. That's when things got really exciting.

From 1999 to 2004, HitClips captivated the minds of budding young music lovers, and over the years, the brand ambitiously moved from basic listening devices to tiny CD players and fun extras.

Back in the day, a player cost $20.00 and a cartridge went for $3.99, which seems like a lot of money, even now. But the price seemed worth it back then considering the collectible tunes quickly became status symbols for America's youth. In school hallways and on playgrounds, the more clips that swung from your keychains, backpacks, or belt loops, the cooler you were. Life was once as simple as that.

The basic player 🎶

Image: martha tesema/mashable

The anatomy of most original HitClips devices were the same. Each player was about two inches long, had a slot for the chip, a single headphone wire that connected to an earpiece, a "Play" button, and a clip on the back so that users could conveniently fasten the devices to their clothing.

One of the first HitClips players I ever purchased (picture above) had a headphone wire that was just 12 inches long, which essentially meant that unless you were extremely petite, there was no way you could clip that thing on your belt and listen to music at the same time.

HitClips eventually remedied this flaw, and though users still dealt with poor sound quality, no volume control, and an inability to enjoy music in both ears, I like other naive children considered these toys among my most prized possessions.

HitClips Discs 💿

Image: martha tesema/mashable

As if the tiny versions of cassette tapes weren't adorable (and unnecessary) enough, in 2003 (near HitClips' retirement,) Tiger Electronics created HitClips Discs that played not one, but TWO minutes of music. Ca-chingggg.

These li'l Oreo-creme-filling-sized discs completely upped the game, but also required completely new players. So in the spirit of not making the original HitClips chips completely irrelevant (they were pricey, after all,) several hybrid devices that played both varieties were invented.

The extras 😎

Image: martha tesema/mashable

As any true fan of the amateur listening device will tell you, the real HitClips magic lay beyond the straightforward players.

You were nothing unless you had some snazzy HitClips extras, like an FM radio scanner attachment, or a three-inch-long boom box that played your tunes out loud for all to enjoy. There was an alarm clock, a Dance Bot, and even a karaoke device called the HitClips Groove Machine that somehow featured Destiny's Child in its commercial.

one time as a kid my parents wanted to follow a big gator football game, but it wasn't being aired on tv on a channel we got so they used the only working radio we had: my little hit clips boom box with the radio receiver cartridge plugged in pic.twitter.com/2NGiWROzg9

— Bobby Schroeder (@ponettplus) July 3, 2018

These came in handy and made the very limited devices a bit more functional. Who wouldn't want to blast a minute of Smash Mouth's "All Star" over and over again?

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Less is more: An elaborate sham

The allure of HitClips is best summed by a moment from an episode of The Office where Michael Scott keeps listening to the iTunes Music Store preview of James Blunt's "Goodbye My Lover" on repeat after breaking up with his girlfriend Carol.

When his colleague Dwight Schrute asks, "Why don't you just buy the whole song?" Michael replies, "I don't have to buy it. I just want a taste of it."

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Now, in this particular scenario, Michael was likely too cheap to purchase the full song. But the sentiment still remains. HitClips did an excellent job of making consumers feel like they needed only a taste of a song to be satisfied. And our silly little brains — distracted by the novelty of miniature music players and more collectible clutter for our keychains — cast aside any shred of reasonable thinking and believed this to be true.

Think about it: People were willing to spend money on part of a song when FULL SONGS existed for less. And in some cases, people (me) already owned the full songs and even full ALBUMS, but still chose to pay more money for a song clip. That's madness. And it worked, because by 2002, Tiger Electronics had reportedly sold more than 20 million HitClips devices, bringing in $80 million. And that doesn't include sales through 2004.

There's certainly an argument that HitClips were more convenient to carry around than Walkmans or CD players, but when you really sit back and think about the logic of it all, it doesn't seem to hold up. In reality, we all got duped with HitClips. But in the moment, all that really mattered was that we felt trendy AF.

Can HitClips make a comeback?

It's been about fourteen years since HitClips were discontinued, and though they'll always hold a special place in our nostalgia-hungry hearts, the thought of a resurgence today is truly laughable.

Nowadays iTunes gives you a 1:30 song preview for FREE, and charges $1.29 on average for a single track. So why would anyone go back to paying more for less music?

Kids these days will never appreciate hit clips keychains and that makes me a little sad

— Tabby Moore (@tabbykmoore) August 27, 2018

Today we're accustomed to high-tech touch screens, shareable playlists, and instant gratification. In other words, we're spoiled. Imagine paying money for iTunes and Spotify song previews. You would NEVER — especially when you have access to free songs on YouTube and Spotify (if you're willing to endure a few occasional advertisements). And since streaming caught on, most people have stopped purchasing music altogether in favor of streaming service subscriptions.

Though HitClips would likely still capture the interest of kids, for the adults who once owned them, reverting back song clips would be a bit like trying to switch back to dial-up internet. (Okay, MUCH less painful than that.) The point is, we're too advanced and too impatient now.

I will say, when I brought my devices to the office, my coworkers were really feeling them. And HitClips still remain a topic of nostalgia-tinged jokes.

When will sweetener be released on hitclips?? @ArianaGrande

— matt (@mattdaly) August 20, 2018

Fixin’ to drop my first mixtape, available on Hit Clips everywhere pic.twitter.com/86QYzQtZjx

— Tom Simmermaker (@tomsimmo) August 21, 2018

THIS JUST IN: OMAROSA SAID TO HAVE OVER 200 HITCLIPS OF THE PRESIDENT AND ALSO THE SPICE GIRLS pic.twitter.com/73ofq1G7HW

— Anthony Carboni (@acarboni) August 17, 2018

Foolish or not, these toys were an important step in music history that helped prep the world for the iPod's release in 2001. For many people, HitClips served as a first experience with a handheld, deconstructed mix tape. Unlike Walkmans and CD players, HitClips let you switch between songs and artists with ease. There was no skipping through tracks you didn't like — you simply selected the song you wanted from your collection of clips.

Sure, they were much less advanced than iPods, but the concept foreshadowed the mind-blowing tech to come. And after the iPod came out, HitClips helped fill voids in the hearts of those who were still too young to own an Apple product.

HitClips aren't likely to make a comeback, unless, as Twitter user @punchworm suggests, an ~extra~ brand tries to revive them for nostalgia's sake.

i just know that the product manager at urban outfitters is waiting for just the right moment to bring back hitclips

— nia (@punchworm) August 26, 2018

But if you're dying to live the HitClips lifestyle now, you can buy them on Amazon or eBay for a pretty penny. Until then, I offer you the best of both worlds with this HitClips-themed Spotify playlists.

But remember, you should listen to just a minute each song if you really want that nostalgic vibe.

WATCH: This multi-instrumentalist understands the rhythm of the subway

#_category:yct:001000002 #_author:Nicole Gallucci #_lmsid:a0Vd000000DTrEpEAL #_uuid:35137ef5-4ac1-35f6-aa8e-32d9510f8507 #_revsp:news.mashable

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