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spaceorphan18 · 4 years

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Blaine Solos Ranked

With the success of the Kurt Solos Ranked, I thought I’d see if I could do Blaine’s as well. Which has become an interesting and complicated endeavor.

First of all - there’s the whole issue of what constitutes as a solo -- especially when he often times has an entire back up group singing along with him. Things like the Warbler numbers I counted -- because he sings the lead in the song by himself. Not counted are group numbers where he is featured - such as Hey Jude and This Is the New Year. Mostly, I stuck to what Glee Wiki counts as a solo, so if you have issues, take it up with them.

Secondly, when ranking Kurt solos, I took a lot into account of how heavily the song ties Kurt’s story. While nearly all of Kurt’s solos tie in with his story, the Blaine solos don’t always do so. So, mostly this is just what I think of them.

Thirdly, the Blaine fans that I have met are, well, fairly passionate about his music, so I want to say this. There aren’t really any bad Blaine solos. Unlike Will and Tina, who were subjected to poor song choices, Blaine’s performances, across the board, are pretty stellar. So, I’d like to remind everyone that this list is pretty arbitrary and based on my subjective biases.

So going in - take the list as it is, just a fun look at how one person ranks the solos. :)

Btw - the trivia on Glee wiki says that Blaine sings 31 solos, but I only found 29 -- do they mean the two songs added to the Warblers CD? Or am I missing a couple??

29. I’m Not Going to Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance With You (Prom Queen)

Look at the list of Blaine solos, and arranging it to a list of things I like more than other things, this just kept sinking down and down. The biggest reason is that I just don’t like the song. Yup, that’s it. Nothing exciting about that really. But I suppose adding to that is the fact that this performance feels way more Darren than it does Blaine, and that the onscreen performance is mostly Finn and Jesse fighting over Rachel. As I said earlier, there’s nothing /bad/ about any of Blaine’s solo, I just like all the rest more.

28. Piano Man (Movin’ Out)

This is a perfectly fine albeit generic rendition of this number. So, here’s my thing about this one - when they did Piano Man in season one, not only did the song fit a bit more into context with Will and Bryan Ryan being somewhat washed up losers, there was a grittiness in not only the song but the visuals as well, and we get to do something that TV can do, which is transport us into the atmosphere of the song. By the time Blaine gets to do this number, all of that context and TV atmosphere has been kind of washed away. And this feels like a number that everyone would have fun singing at Darren’s piano bar because it’s a classic, and less because it has relevance to any of the story.

Look - a lot of these numbers are fun numbers just for the heck of it, but since they had already done this one, and since this is supposed to take place of the NYADA audition, I’m marking it down. You can do a lot with this song, and this performance, mostly, didn’t.

27. Everybody Wants to Rule the World

This is another one where I just am not a fan of the original song, and I don’t go back to listen to it very often. That said - it is super fun to see Blaine joining all the clubs and being super interactive in school, even if it’s tinged with the sadness that he and Kurt aren’t connecting much these days.

26. Bills, Bills, Bills (The Sue Sylvester Shuffle)

This one has grown on me over the years. It is a bit random - the Warblers’ singing an impromptu (and somewhat obligatory) Destiny’s Child song for the Superbowl episode. It has zero story resonance. But it is hilarious to see how much furniture Darren Blaine stands on during the number. If nothing else, the number is fun, and the Warblers look like they’re enjoying the hell out of doing it.

25. When I Get You Alone (Silly Love Songs)

This one, still, is one of the cringiest things they did on the show. Don’t get me wrong, it’s hilariously ridiculous, and Blaine singing to a dude in The Gap about sex toys is just, well, something memorable. It also is getting points for Kurt’s annoyed looks and Darren’s pink sunglasses. But overall, it still makes me uncomfortable to watch.

24. Fighter (Big Brother)

So, mostly, this just isn’t a song I like all that much. Vocally, Blaine sounds fine on it - and does a decent job with it. That said, I can’t take it as seriously as I’m supposed to. There’s something I find unintentionally hilarious about this little, teenage grandpa angsting over his brother. I know it’s got the infamous shower sequence in here - and I get it, I do. But the fact that I can’t keep from giggling through it is why it’s a bit lower than the rest.

23. Against All Odds (Guilty Pleasures)

First of all, I’ve always confused by the debate about this song. It’s clearly for Sam, because Blaine’s an intense guy with intense emotions, and any song he sings for a person he has feelings for is going to be intense. Go back and watch When I Get You Alone -- that was intense for a dude he got coffee with twice. I love Blaine (and Darren) with a piano and his voice, and this is one of the ones that was performed live, so that’s cool. Not my favorite Phil Collins’s number - so that’s mostly the reason for the position here. Also not the most visually engaging. But the song is performed well.

22. Hopelessly Devoted to You (The Role You Were Born to Play)

I’ve never realized just how many angsty Blaine songs he has in his canon. It’s kind of like the equivalent of Kurt crying through his solos. He does it well, and I don’t really have any faults for this one. It’s visually entertaining as well as sounding pretty good. But not a favorite song of mine, and therefore just gets notched a bit lower.

21. Last Friday Night (Pot o Gold)

I actually really like this song, even if I’ve probably heard it enough to be fine with not hearing it again for a long time. The performance is cute - there’s a nice high energy about it (with the exception of Santana’s dower expression during the whole thing because random season 3 conflict). However, this is kind of the height of whole Jukebox Blaine thing, where he’s trotted out to sing the hot new single of the summer, and then we just stash him away in the background to sit next to Kurt platonically until he’s needed again. I like the song and the performance, but am frustrated by the gratuitous context.

20. It's Not Unusual (The Purple Piano Project)

This one is flirty and high energy and Blaine looks super cute dancing on the stairs. I don’t really have any faults for this number. But I’m not particularly emotionally attached to it, either, so so in the middle it goes.

19. Hey, Soul Sister (Special Education)

I unabashedly love this song - even though I feel like I’m not supposed to since it was way, way over played when it was popular. But I do. The performance, however, isn’t the Warblers’ best -- across the board I feel like competition numbers rarely are -- and I’d argue it’s one of Blaine’s weaker vocal performances (sorry Darren), but it’s still fun, and the arrangements for the Warbler songs have always been pretty stellar.

18. Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' (Michael)

While the song itself is a bit strange, and while I’ve never been a huge MJ fan (sorry my dudes), I think this number is a lot of fun. It’s visually pretty entertaining, and I love the second half where they bring in all of the different styles MJ had donned over the years. It’s vocally pretty stagnant, so Blaine doesn’t have to do much here, but it’s about the spectacle anyway - and I enjoy what they did with it.

17. Something’s Coming

It’s always nice to hear Blaine do a Broadway number to give us a break from the mostly pop music he sings. While not Blaine’s strongest number vocally (he struggles just a little more on the Broadway ones), I love that he brings the stage alive when it’s just him singing. He’s incredibly visually engaging, and what he may lack (a little) with the vocals he makes up in energy and enthusiasm, which is always a joy to watch. Plus, there’s something particularly more attractive about early season 3 Blaine (possibly the fluffier, less gelled hair) that adds a nice touch.

16. Not While I'm Around (Bash)

Interestingly, the studio version of this song has everyone on it, and I’m so glad they let Blaine sing it on his own - because I feel it’s much more impactful that way. Not only is this the only real insight we get into Blaine’s head during this episode, but it’s raw and emotional (in a good way), and that adds to story unfolding on our screen. This might be, perhaps, the shortest number on the list, but its impact is stronger than a lot of the other numbers on the list, which is why I enjoy it a lot more.

15. Beauty School Dropout (Glease)

My favorite Broadway number that Blaine does on the show. I kind of love that there’s a lot going on during this song. Not only is Blaine doing an amazing Teen Angel, there’s the moment in the middle Blaine sees Kurt, and the layered look on Blaine’s face as he tries to hold it together is pretty remarkable. It’s one of my favorite acting moments from Darren, and one of my favorite times the story of the characters is layered over a seemingly disconnected performance. Plus, Blaine sounds fantastic on this catchy little number.

14. Silly Love Songs (Silly Love Songs)

This is one of those charming Warbler numbers that doubles as an ending feature that actually gives relevance to the story of the episode. It’s cute and sweet and flirty and fun and everyone gets something interesting to do during it. I don’t have a lot of commentary to add about it - but it’s a classic for a reason, and because of that, it deserves a higher spot on the list.

13. You're My Best Friend (Puppet Master)

I’m not sure I fully understand the casts’ aversion to the puppets (though I’ll acknowledge that it’s probably weird to perform with a puppet of yourself). That said, this number is kinda cool visually, and a nice break from what can be tedious choir room songs at this point in the series. I also enjoy the song and think Blaine sounds nice on it. Plus - Blaine totally has a backup career in children’s programming if he ever desired. It is weird that Blaine’s singing to puppets in the first place, but I do adore this one.

12. Don't Stop Me Now (Diva)

I enjoy that Blaine’s version of being a diva is just adding a leather jacket and pants to a number he performs exactly the same otherwise. Again, not much to comment on here, but I love the song, and Blaine sounds great on it, and while it isn’t hugely impactful to his story, I like that it shows Blaine being the ambitious little go-getter that he is.

11. Misery (Original Song)

This is another one of those songs that I unironically love. It is the most upbeat song about being miserable that I’ve ever heard, and while a lot of this song has to do with Kurt and his own mental state, has there ever been a more perfect song for Blaine? (well, yes but I’d digress if I went on about that.) I love so much about this song, from the choreography to Blaine’s obliviousness with Kurt as the number progresses. It’s fun and energetic and the most entertaining a subject as misery can get.

10. Cough Syrup (On My Way)

This might be the most controversial pick on the list, since I know for a lot of Blaine fans, this is their favorite number. I think it validates what a lot of people had been thinking - that there’s a lot going on underneath the surface of an outwardly peppy and energetic Blaine Anderson. And, I do like this song, and find it haunting -- it’s much different than the songs Blaine usually sings. It’s more emotional and tortured, and it’s fascinating to watch him sing his way through it. That said, the actual performance of this I rarely ever watch. It’s laid over Karofsky’s suicide attempt, and I find that sequence incredibly difficult to watch. So, while I do think a lot of the praise this song gets is completely valid, I can’t claim that it’s my favorite. I’m giving it an obligatory spot at #10 because I do think it deserves to be acknowledged as one of Blaine’s best solos.

9. It's Not Alright but It's Okay (Dance With Somebody)

Funny enough, as just a song, this isn’t one of my favorites. But I love, love what this song does. Clearly, by now I’m sure you’ve figured out, I love performances that have a lot of layers to them - and this one definitely does. There’s a great duality going on here between the awkward sadness that Blaine actually sings in the choir room versus the controlled anger that Blaine displays during his own fantasy. (It’s also one half of a conversation with Kurt that gets resolved when Kurt sings I Have Nothing later on.) I love the complexity of emotion that goes on during this one, and it remains one of my favorite performances on the show.

8. My Dark Side (Dynamic Duets)

Yes, this song is amazing! Again, another one of those performances that has a ton packed in it -- that has the additional quality of sounding and looking fantastic. I love that this song is entirely about Blaine, and where he is in his life. We get more tortured Blaine, but this time it’s in a more upbeat, pop-y song that suits Blaine incredibly well. But mostly, I love his interaction with the Warblers during it, the choreography is brilliant as they slowly start to bring him back in as their leader - and that moment where he parts them and he walks down the center reclaiming his position. There’s a lot to unpack here, as it easily meshes with the themes of the episode - of dark vs light and of heroes not always being heroic (but worth it anyway). I love when there’s deeper symbolism in a performance, and this has a ton of that.

7. All of Me (The Untitled Rachel Berry Project)

Look, it’s probably no secret that I really love Blaine (and Darren) just sitting at a piano singing. And I really love this song in general, too. Blaine’s last solo on the show (unfortunately!) is as tortured as many of the others on this list, but the thing that stands out for me about this one is its simplicity. It’s just Blaine by himself, working out how he feels about his situation through song. It’s not really meant to be heard by Kurt (or anyone else) but it’s also a shame that so rarely Blaine gets to let his real emotions be on display, which he does here. The performance is also beautifully shot, and intentionally evocative of another infamous Blaine solo that’s a little higher on the list.

6. Raise Your Glass (Original Song)

This is quintessential Warblers, and quintessential performance Blaine. This song is amazing on its own, truly. But the Warblers bring so much warmth and joy to it -- it’s such an engaging and energetic song, I often listen to it as a pick me up. No - this isn’t essential to Blaine’s character story, but I think it represents all the fun and ridiculousness Blaine and the Warblers arc brought to the show.

5. Somewhere Only We Know (Born This Way)

There’s something hauntingly beautiful about this one. Blaine (and the Warblers) sound great on it, and it’s the beginning of Blaine having a tortured and emotional underbelly to his personality. But more so, this song is about endings, and this is a turning point in Kurt’s and Klaine’s story as we say goodbye to Dalton and move on with the rest of Kurt’s journey. And it’s a dialogue between Kurt and Blaine, despite the sea of people around them, things are changing between them for better and for worse and for... just growing up, and this song encapsulates that beautifully.

4. All You Need is Love (Love, Love, Love)

Not gonna lie, this one is 100% about the context within the show. When I first heard the song, when it was released before the episode, it was kinda like - cool, Darren’s singing a Beatles cover. But the actual performance, the fact that this is essentially a love letter to the Klaine story, makes it one of the most precious and romantic numbers in the entire show. Blaine pulls out all the stops for Kurt here, and I can never just watch the performance, but always continue on to the proposal as well. It’s a beautiful performance, and a beautiful moment for Klaine and an utter highlight for the show itself.

3. It’s Time (The New Rachel)

Perhaps a number I’ve seen more than any other, I just love this number so much. Yes, it’s a good song. Yes, Blaine sounds great on it. And yes, the choreography is a ton of fun. But it’s also Blaine, very much himself, torn between being a child and growing up. There’s an unspoken dialogue between Kurt and Blaine during this song, about moving on from being stuck, and while this number is very childlike in it’s choreography, the subject matter is a little more mature -- being about moving on from the places your feel safe and journeying out in the world to be the person you’re supposed to be. There’s also a duality here -- where Blaine is stuck in the childlike land of high school as Kurt moves on to college and New York. This is another turning point in their story (as is all the songs done on these steps for these two), and I absolutely love that. But, it shouldn’t be discounted that it is a really good song that Blaine sounds really good on -- which is why it makes it one of Blaine’s best solos.

2. Teenage Dream Acoustic (The Break Up)

I’m sure that no one is surprised this at the top of the list. But what I can’t stress enough is that this is, hands down, one of the best performances done on the show period. Katy Perry’s original version of Teenage Dream is a trashy, forgettable pop song. What Darren Criss did with it is nothing short of magical. But then to bring this arrangement and add in his most phenomenal acting performance, even if it did break all of our hearts. The thing I love especially about the show version (vs the studio version) is that we get to see Blaine slowly break down and become unraveled while singing it. The performer that Blaine is starts to break down and this performance becomes an utter mess -- which makes it all the more powerful, moving, and heartbreaking. I love everything that this number chooses to be -- from exposing Blaine’s character, to the breaking of the fairy tale romance that is Klaine, to letting it be an end of one thing while the beginning of another.

Meanwhile, on another note, I’ve heard Darren sing this enough in his own performances that I have somewhat disassociated this version with the Klaine break up - but that doesn’t make this arrangement less powerful. Darren took a somewhat throwaway song and made something uniquely beautiful with it -- and that’s incredibly special, too.

1. Teenage Dream (Never Been Kissed)

I’m sure you’re gasping with surprise. But, this is no. 1 for a reason. While I think the acoustic version is better sounding (there’s just a tad too much auto tune here for reasons I’m unsure about), this number is the epitome of all Blaine numbers. It’s his introduction to the show, and so much of Blaine’s character was cultivated out of this performance. On top of that -- this performance made Kurt alive again, and it’s the beginning of a wild and beautiful story that would be the Klaine love story. It also became a major hit for the show - thrusting the music of Glee to a height that it never really could match again.

The scene is iconic and classic. The song is iconic and classic. Everything that is Blaine and the Klaine love story is wrapped up in this one. And every time I come back to it, I can’t help but smile - which is why this one remains at the top spot for me.

#blaine anderson #that's how s.o. sees it #huh #i've learned a lot about myself doing this actually #and a bit about blaine too tbh

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peter-parcoeur · 4 years

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“When you’re gone” - part 3

Post Thanos snap, Peter has to live in a world where Tony Stark is gone. But what happens when Tony’s daughter enters his life...?

Summary + Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Going back to school felt weird.

Though Peter always seemed to struggle to find a balance between his ordinary teenager life and being an Avenger, this time, the wake-up call was hitting harder. His body was definitely walking across the High-School Hall, but his head was somewhere else.

All around him were familiar faces, some looked obviously different after what they all called “the blip” but most of his school seemed back to normal, which was harder to digest as he felt like nothing would ever be the same now that his mentor was gone.

How could he live in a world without Tony Stark?

Luckily, his best-friend was there to show some support and bring random chit-chats back into his routine. Even MJ had given him a hug as she seemed genuinely happy to see him back, but when it should have been the most amazing, unexpected moment of his day, Peter had felt nothing but comfort from catching up with a friend. No tingles at the pit of his stomach, no burning red cheeks, not the usual stiffness down his abdomen. Nothing.

It was like a part of him had died too.

They were all sat in history class when Ned tapped him on the shoulder from behind, his voice filled with some unusual excitement.

“Wow mate, check out the new girl!”

Peter had to roll his eyes and smile at his friend’s typical enthusiasm over the opposite gender. Every time a remotely ‘hot’ girl walked by, Ned turned into a little kid on Christmas Day with a massive sugar rush.

His smile faded as soon as he locked eyes with the girl sitting at the back of the class.

“God” Ned moaned “I would gladly let her step on my face, who’s she?”

“That’s Y/N Stark.” Peter stated as she looked away as soon as their eyes met.

“What do you mean--- Stark? As in...?

- As in Tony’s only daughter.”

Ned was left gobsmacked at this new revelation, quite oblivious to his friend’s sudden change of attitude. Peter looked like he had seen a ghost, writhing on his seat with complete nervousness. He could tell her anger was still running through her blood from the way she avoided his look, but for some obscure reason, he also felt relieved. Now that they had to spend an entire year in the same room, maybe they would get to talk at some point.

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When the bell rang, Peter wisely waited for Y/N to exit the room before he made any move. It had been the longest hour of his entire school experience and he had been sat in chemistry before, listening to Mr. Wyatt spreading bullshits about things Peter himself could teach better.

“You should talk to her” Ned said after being quiet for longer than anyone would expect him.

“I’m not sure she wants me to…

- When was the last time you spoke?

- Her dad’s funeral?

- Yeahhhh…. Ned winced, maybe not the perfect time to have a chat?

- I know, but she seemed so upset

- Dude, her father died, you think she’s gonna give you a lapdance?”

Peter rolled his eyes at Ned’s obvious answer. He couldn’t quite process how he felt about Y/N. Part of him wanted to avoid her at all costs to save himself the embarrassment, but mostly, he wanted to walk down the hallway as confident as possible and just… talk to her. There was this weird attraction between them that made it seems like, somehow, this reunion was meant to be.

“Alright, I’m gonna talk to her” Peter sighed as he caught a glimpse of Y/N grabbing a few books from her locker across the hallway.

His palms were sweaty as he tried his best to brush them to the sides of his pants, air caught in his throat like he was about to give an inspiring speech to a bored audience. Nobody had ever made him feel this way, not even his high-school crush, MJ.

“Hi, Y/N!”

Y/N turned around to see Peter standing there awkwardly, both his hands buried in his pockets.

For a second, it seems like she was about to speak, her eyes daunting him from head to toes. As he stood closer to her face, Peter realized just how much she looked like Tony. She had his eyes, his cocky expression but her slim nose and perky lips were definitely Pepper’s. Her long brown hair was tamed on a sid braid and her ankle boots made her seem taller than him, which was embarrassing enough if she had chosen not to talk to him.

But with the snap of her locker door, she simply turned her back and walked away, leaving him speechless and embarrassed once again.

“Well done, Don Juan!” MJ teased as she walked past him.

On the other side of the corridor, Peter saw Ned biting his lip so he wouldn’t laugh at his misery.

Things were going to be tougher than he had thought.

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Economics was the worst.

Peter and Ned usually discussed any other topic that didn’t involve money and budget throughout the whole course, but today, Peter was just lost in his own daydream, looking out the window with his chin buried into his palm. It was a nice autumnal day, the kind that brought him back to better times where he and his Aunt would start decorating their apartment with Halloween/spooky stuff, their favorite time of the year. It was hard to think that life would go on after the blip but Peter was willing to be an optimistic. Happier days would come.

“Alright, today’s class will be sorely about your final assignment… I want you to pay close attention because this will be half of your grade for the exam.” Mr. Andersen spoke louder so the distracted students could hear.

At least half of the class moaned in complete despair. Mr. Andersen’s assignments were known as chaotic and frankly awful. This one was no exception.

“You will be working as a pair”

Ned smiled brightly at Peter, knowing they would definitely team-up, as usual.

At least it would make it less horrible to be working as a team.

“But don’t get too excited” Mr. Andersen added abruptly as he watched his students stare at each other, building up the usual team partners. “I have written half of the class’s names on papers. These papers I have folded and put in this box so the rest of you can draw”.

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me” Ned burped out.

“Mr. Leeds, since you seem so pleased, we’ll start with you!”

Mr. Andersen walked closer to Ned and offered him a chance to pick a name inside the tiny white box he was holding. Ned reluctantly picked a piece of paper and pulled a worried face.

“Betty Brant…”

Sitting at the front of the class, Betty Brant looked over her shoulder and gave him an unenthusiastic thumbs up. At least, she was smart, but her good looks would definitely make it hard for Ned to focus on their homework. Shivers ran down his spine at the thought of having a girl in his bedroom, his temple, the architectural equivalent of a Jedi farting the Game of Thrones theme song, aka the shameful natural habitat of the biggest geek.

Things went on as everyone picked a team partner with more or less enthusiasm and soon enough, it was Y/N’s time to draw a name into the box.

She quite obviously hesitated before she composed herself and spoke.

“Mr. Andersen, is there any way I can switch partner?”

“Well, Ms. Stark, what would be the point if anyone just decided who they’d like to collaborate with? I’m sorry you didn’t pick your crush’s name but I’m afraid things are what it is. Now, would you be kind enough to share your designated partner?”

There was a silence before she spoke again, her hand fiddling with the piece of paper.

“Peter Parker”

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“Dude, what are the odds???” Ned squealed as he sat next to Peter at the cafeteria.

It was lunch time and the whole room was buzzing with chatty students and cutlery grazes.

“Yeah, wow, I’m the luckiest guy in the world, am I?” Peter mumbled, still baffled at the complete humiliation he had been given in front of the entire class. The second one that day.

“Now she has no other option than talk to you, think positive!”

“Amazing, it must be as pleasant as being held at gunpoint somehow, I mean… did you hear what she said?” he sighed “Mr. Andersen, can I switch partners?” Peter was mimicking her disgusted tone when Ned gave him the big eyes, nodding towards a point behind him.

“Brilliant, why wasting your time here when you could have a one-man show?” Y/N bluntly stated. Her arms were crossed against her chest, her eyes glued to his face like she was trying to read his soul for some reason.

“Shit, Y/N, I’m sorry I didn’t mean—it’s just—

- Let’s spare us both this conversation, alright? It seems like we’ll have to do this assignment, so… your place or mine?”

Ned couldn’t help but chuckle at the ambiguous comment, but as Peter gave him the dead eye, it was definitely too late to take his nervous laughter back.

“What are you, 12?” Y/N pulled an unimpressed look, eyeballing Ned until he went slightly red. This time, it was Peter’s turn to contain his laugh. Her attitude and comebacks definitely reminded him of the great Tony Stark. In a weird way, it was comforting, like wrapping yourself into a warm blanket in a cold morning. She irradiated with that famous Spark Confidence.

“Whatever suits you best” Peter finally said after what seemed like an eternity of quietness.

“What suits me best is to not be doing this with you but it seems like this isn’t an option, so…”

“Okay, my place then? Peter blurted out all of a sudden

- What time?

- Six thirty

- Good” she turned to Ned “You got a pen?”

Ned fiddled with his backpack and handed her a black ballpoint pen.

“Text me your address” she simply said, writing down her number on a napkin.

She walked away without further word, leaving both Ned and Peter speechless for a while. Peter watched her sit at a table with a bunch of fellow classmates and for a minute, it felt like his brain had stopped to frame-freeze the scene in front of him. Everyone around her seemed captivated, whatever she was talking about. She had inherited that charisma from her father, that ability to catch everyone’s attention in the blink of an eye.

As he stared at her for a couple more minutes, Peter realized this weird, tingly feeling was back at the pit of his stomach.

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@eternaleviee

#tom holland #spiderman #peter parker #peter parker x reader #tom holland x reader #fanfiction #imagine #tony stark #peter parker fanfiction #spiderman fanfiction #tom holland fanfiction

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rae-gar-targaryen · 5 years

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of retro-tech and rhapsody [p.p.]

A/N: This is my entry for @starksparker Summer Writing Challenge! Thank you for letting me do this, Kaylee!

Takes place while Peter and the gang are still at school. I’m ignoring “Endgame” and “Far From Home,” so it’s spoiler-free! Includes references to Peter’s Civil War-era scrounging.

Prompt: “For someone so smart, you’re an idiot.”

Pairing: Peter Parker x fem!Reader (I kept her vague enough, sans references to a few hobbies and musical taste).

Warnings: Language. Jumpy plot? So much awkward cotton-candy fluff you may just rot your teeth. Sorry.

Word Count: 3.4k of baked good simile, teenage awkwardness, and musical snobbery.

Summary: Dumpster diving wasn’t a good look for most boys. Most of them. But then again, most boys didn’t make you a good, old-fashioned loverboy mixtape.

**NOT MY GIF!**

–

Okay, so. Here’s the deal: You most certainly were not the type to gossip. You really weren’t. The clique-ish chatter of your classmates and passersby floating through your ears like the twittering of so many small birds, muffled like cotton balls in your ears.

It’s not that you were a bad listener. Nah. You actually considered yourself a good listener. You just weren’t that interested in the conversational equivalent of small-dick-energy. Small minds discuss people, so they say…

Besides, rumors were pernicious. Especially those perpetrated by bored teenagers, the girls’ perfectly-filed nails so much like demon’s talons, the boys’ whispering and snickering like the hissing of snakes. All attempting to perforate your uninterested sensibilities.

Whatever. Whatever the topic was today, you just weren’t interested. Until–

“I heard Flash threw him in. What other reason would he smell like a dumpster?”

“Maybe he just doesn’t, ya know, shower?”

“No way. Flash can’t toss him in alone. He’d need help. Besides, I think he went in there, like, voluntarily.”

“He doesn’t smell. You just saw him coming out of the alley.”

“Ew. You mean to tell me that Peter Parker is a– a dumpster-diver?”

The mention of Peter’s name caught your interest. Peter was a tech-type with a seemingly contradictory creative streak. You had often wondered where he had picked up the old school gadgets he sometimes had tucked under his arm as he hurried to and from the science lab or the A.V. room, Ned Leeds in tow, talking a mile a minute about – some thing or another.

You were almost certain the term “motor mouth” was coined with Peter in mind.

You turned your head to hear who was talking, only to be met with a table full of Flash Thompson’s hangers-on.

Of course. Flash Thomson’s weird hate-boner for Peter Parker was well known among your class. And probably the teachers, too.

You didn’t understand. What was to dislike about Peter Parker? He was perfectly sweet, sweetly smart, smartly perfect.

Okay, maybe you had a little thing for Peter Parker. But only just a little. You had, what? Two classes together?

Besides, you were too busy for boys. It’s 2k19, for God’s sake. You had soccer, studying for the SATs, you helped out your parents. You liked to read. It’s not that you weren’t interested in the pursuit of a certain sweet, stuttering boy with coffee curls and eyes flecked with gold.

Dear god. When did you become a poet? Scratch that. When did you become a terrible poet?? Be still your heart, Keats.

Rolling your eyes, you smacked your empty lunch tray for good measure as you got up, catching the attention of some of Flash’s “Mob.”

“Maybe you should chill on being trash who trash-talks? You sure you don’t belong in the dumpster?” You replied primly. Not chancing a glance back, or waiting for a snarky response, you turned, dropping your tray in the designated area and walked out.

Mic drop, assholes.

—

Peter stared after you from his corner table, basking in the glory of your grand exit. He didn’t hear what you had said. But judging by the disbelieving stares that followed you, it must’ve been good. Flash’s hangers-on looked after you, a few then turning their attention to Peter’s table before going back to their lunch, mouths agape.

Um, what?

Peter had no clue what that could have been about. Whatever it was, he was almost certain he didn’t want to know. Unless– unless it had to do with you. Then he almost certainly did want to know.

He would crawl over glass if it meant learning more about you.

Okay, maybe not glass. He did get beat up on the regular, and even super-fast healing and super strength didn’t mean that the sensations that came from small-time ass kickings was enjoyable.

Mr. Stark told him that finding the girl he liked would hit him like, what was it? Oh, yeah …

“A punch to the gut, Pete. You’ll never see it coming. Not even with that little, uhhhh, tingly little super-sense you’ve got goin’ on.”

Punch to the gut indeed. Just the sight of you was enough to make Peter stammer, even moreso than usual. Sweat a bit more than usual. Especially today, what with his latest acquisition burning a proverbial hole in his backpack.

His morning excursion had yielded a perfectly good Walkman. Who would toss that in the dumpster? A little fine-tuning and it should be good to go. He’d been acquiring retro stereo equipment for some time. A little trip to the junk store for a blank cassette, and he was home free.

His heart sang at the cleverness of his plan. Burning you an old-school mixtape seemed like the perfect way to tell you how he felt. How he’d been feeling since ninth grade bio, making a gradual mental catalogue of your band shirts. Of the books you thumbed through while waiting for class to start.

Yeah, he knew exactly what was going on that tape.

“Hey, loser.” Peter whipped his head at the dead-pan to the left, meeting MJ’s shrewd eyes and perpetually downturned mouth from her corner of the table. “What’s up with your stupid moon-face?”

“Uh, what?”

“If you stared any harder at her, you may burn a hole.”

“I don’t — who? Stared at who?” Peter panicked. Surely MJ couldn’t know. If MJ knew, did that mean he was being obvious? Oh, crap.

“For someone so smart, you’re an idiot. Lucky for you, I’m not. Just say something. She’s super nice, you know. She’d talk to you.”

“Thanks, MJ. I think?” Peter’s brow furrowed at the minor insult, which stung less considering it was wrapped in the warm velvet of MJ’s hyper-observant encouragement.

Just talk to her. Like it was so easy.

If he played his cards right, he’d let the tape do the talking. Peter loved it when a plan came together. Take down the bad guys, take down his homework, take down this special project, get the girl.

—

“Decisions, decisions, all of them wrong,” you hummed to yourself, perusing the sweet offerings through the bakery’s glass dessert case.

You stood under the ambient lighting in your favorite bakery. Post-practice you didn’t smell the best, but you’d put in work. You deserved a treat. RIP to the people behind you in line.

“I hear the chocolate chip cookies here are the best.”

You whipped around, only to be met with the cocoa-honey eyes of none other than Peter Parker. A true confectionary masterpiece. Suddenly, the items behind the case seemed less sweet by comparison. And–wait, was Peter Parker actually talking to you about something that wasn’t last night’s reading?

“Um, thanks for the tip!” You cursed yourself for your filler-word of choice. Um, um, um. You cursed yourself again for wearing your sweaty practice gear and grass-stained socks. Of all the times to run into him. “Yeah– I’m more of a lemon bar kinda girl.”

Shit. Why did you say that?

Peter just looked at you.

“Oh.”

Did he look— crestfallen? Did you offend Peter Parker? Shit, shit.

“What I mean is, I’ll go with your recommendation, but the cookies here are huge. Split it with me?” You offered.

Peter’s head whipped back up, his eyes cola swirls of excitement. His mouth split into a toothy grin.

Dear God. What you wouldn’t given to be the cause of that smile forever.

Was Peter always literal sunshine?

You paid for the cookie, breaking off a half and offering him the half in the bag. As you sank your teeth into a mouth full of cookie, the melted chocolate flooding your tongue, you asked, albeit not too politely, given that your mouth was full–

“So, what are you doing over on this side of town? Don’t you usually go the other way?”

Peter blinked.

Nice one. Now he’s gonna think you’re a creep that, like, watches him leave? God fucking–

“Oh, just running an errand for Mr. Stark. I saw you through the window and thought I’d come say hey!” Peter chirped.

Ah. The Stark Internship. Of course. Peter probably thought you were the biggest idiot for forgetting. Everyone knew he had the Internship after school. Mercifully, Peter either didn’t notice your slight, or he didn’t care.

“What are you listening to?” Peter gestured at the earbuds poking out of the collar of your practice jersey.

“Bohemian Rhapsody,” you shrugged. “Wanna listen?”

Peter nodded, vehemently. You slipped the buds from the bottom of your shirt, handing one to Peter, the opening piano keys trilling into your ears. Your eyes met Peter’s, and you felt your mouth form a little tip-lipped grin.

The two of you stayed that way for the duration of the song, munching on your respective cookie halves. You wondered if there had ever been a more perfect moment in all of history? Sure, this was a little rom-com for anyone’s taste, but, hey.

You would crawl over glass if it meant you got to listen to Queen while basking in the literal warmth of Peter Parker for eternity.

The song ended, breaking your Freddie Mercury and chocolate-induced haze. Shit. The Stark errand.

You decided to cut the string and let Peter escape this little interaction. You tugged the earbuds, effectively popping the one out of Peter’s ear.

“I’m so sorry, Peter. I’ll let you get back to it! Don’t want to keep Iron Man waiting,” you said. “Thanks for the tip, by the way. This cookie is, like, magic.”

Peter nodded, shuffling his feet a bit. He gave you a wave and bit out a truncated goodbye, shoving his mouth full of the remainder of the cookie as he exited the shop.

What in the literal fuck. No, not literal. Don’t go there. Did you just share baked goods and an actual conversation with Peter? Did you share headphones with Peter? What is happening today?

If your heart beat any faster, it’d be doing the Roger Taylor drum solo to “Keep Yourself Alive.” If your blood could sing, it would be thrumming a trilled little thrill of your sweet, sugary little interlude.

—

Peter blew back into his apartment like a hurricane, buzzing with whatever that was.

What had compelled him to speak up? He saw you standing there, looking a literal glowing angel in school colors and pulled-back hair, complete with beautiful post-exercise flush. And he just— he had to say something, MJ’s words ringing in his head. “She’d talk to you.”

Peter pulled the refurbished Walkman out of his bag, along with a packet of cassette tapes colored neon pink.

If he was giving you a little retro tech present, he was going full-stop, the neon piece of plastic screaming 1980s, screaming you.

Fitting the blank cassette into the stereo, he hit “Record.”

The following day, Peter hustled into school at a time that was, in his humble opinion, way, way too early, meeting Ned in the hallway.

“Okay, guy in the chair. Did you figure out which locker is hers?” Peter asked.”

“You know I did.” Ned pressed a slip of paper into Peter’s palm.

Glancing quickly at the little shred, Peter stuffed it into his back pocket and jogged down the hallway, jimmying the lock on the locker in question until it gave way under his super-strength. As if it would catch fire at any second, Peter tossed the Walkman and tape into the locker, slamming the door shut and taking off down the hallway as quickly as he could, Ned at his heels.

“Smooth, Spider-boy. Smooth,” Ned laughed.

—

Peter was going to die.

Days went by. Literal days. Those pressed on into a week, and then two. Peter had heard nothing since dropping the tape in your locker. God, this was a mistake. He’s made a huge mistake. A huge, tiny mistake.

His self-doubt crept in like so many webs, suffocating his better sensibilities. Not that he’d tangled himself in his own webs before. Come on!

—Okay, it was ONE TIME. And he’d had time to think about his carelessness while waiting for the webs to dissolve.

But this was different. He was drowning in his uncertainty. Maybe he’d misread that day at the bakery. Maybe you were just being nice. Peter knew he wasn’t entitled to your attention after once interaction. He wasn’t that much of a hyper-masculine dick.

Oh, shit.

—

“Yo!”

You turned, eyes landing on your teammate, Jessica Porter.

“Jess. What’s up?”

“Hey, I found this in my locker a while ago. I meant to give it to you sooner, but, well–” Jess reached into her bag, pulling out a rectangular hunk of plastic affixed to 1980s-esque headphones. “Your name’s on the sticky note, and on the tape inside. I don’t know how it got to me, but it’s clearly meant for you.”

You took the Walkman from her hands, turning it over. No “From” on the sticky note to indicate who had gifted you this little vintage gem. Affixed to the back with some Scotch tape was the plastic holder for the cassette, the jacket within scrawled with writing that you just couldn’t place.

“Uh, thanks, Jess. See you at practice?” You walked away, your brow furrowed, your mind moving at a mile a minute.

After school, you slumped onto your bed. You popped the tape off the back of the Walkman, freeing the case.

As you slipped the jacket out of the case, you hit “Play” on the Walkman, the keyed-up opening to Jukebox the Ghost’s “Everybody’s Lonely” meeting your ears.

You perused the scrawled writing on the jacket– it was a track list. Next to each track was a little handwritten note jammed into each line.

1. “Everybody’s Lonely”– Jukebox the Ghost. Because every song is about love. And because you like Queen.

2. “Radio Gaga”– Queen. Ditto.

Your heart stopped. No, seriously, should you call 911? This couldn’t be – could it? Did Peter Parker make you an actual mixtape?? Had you hit your head today at practice, or something? The stars in your eyes and little bursts like so many Pop Rocks in your belly were so like happy little interpretations of your veritable disbelief.

You had shared a Queen song and a sweet moment with Peter two weeks ago. Since then? Radio silence. But now? Radio Ga Ga. This had to be from him, right? Your eyes continued down the list.

6. “Hong Kong Garden”– Siouxsie and the Banshees. I’d reap the field of rice and reeds if it meant an afternoon with you.

7. “Humbug Mountain Song” – Fruit Bats. My heart thrums like a shitty hipster banjo solo.

8. “Left Hand Free” – Alt J. You looked so cute in your tour shirt Sophomore year.

9. “Cover Your Tracks” – A Boy and His Kite. Heart, cover your tracks, the blood that you spill will wash what you lack.

The last song on the list, replete with a mix of everything from Bowie to Fleet Foxes, was—

14. “Given the Chance”– The Kite String Tangle. The note?

“Given the chance, I’d go for it. One step at a time. Will you give me a chance?”

It was then you knew. Peter Parker was pure happiness. A zipping burst of citrus on your tongue with a zing that shot straight to your heart. A powdered sugar kiss-and-touch. Syrupy warmth enveloping your spirits. This gesture was beyond— well, anything. Your heart felt like so many folded paper birds, fluttering and faint, but solidified with purpose.

You had words for Peter Parker.

—

The next day you strode into school with purpose, only to be met with coffee curls awaiting you. Pacing at your locker was none other than Peter Parker. And he looked — panicked??

Before you could even say a word, Peter opened his mouth, a jumble of words flying out faster than his lips could form the words.

“I am so, so sorry. I messed up…”

I messed up.

Your heart plummeted. Was the tape for someone else? Before you could press, Peter continued, “I– I made you a mixtape. Y-you know, like, an actual mixtape. On a cassette and everything. The only problem is–” He hung his head. “I put it in your locker. Well, not your locker, obviously– I thought it was your locker. 1127? I put it in 1172.” He let out a huff of air at his rushed confession, refusing to meet your eyes, cheeks burning. “I’m sorry.”

You blinked.

“You’re sorry?!”

Peter looked up at you, quickly, flinching, expecting a tongue-lashing after your outburst. To his surprise, you just laughed. He blinked. Had he misread this so badly?

“Jessica Porter has locker 1172,” you explained. Peter continued staring at you, blankly. What did Jessica Porter have to do with anything?

“Jessica Porter and I have chem together. We’re on the soccer team. She’s super cool,” You explained. Peter remained unmoving, desperate to hear the point and why his apparent faux-paus was so funny to you.

“Don’t leave me in suspense, here. Because, I’m like.. really, REALLY sorry,” Peter pressed.

“The point is,” you slung your bag forward and over your shoulder, ripping the zipper open and withdrawing the Walkman. Neon pink cassette tape visible like a flash through the little plastic window. “I got your mix. Jess gave it to me. She thought it was cute, by the way. Sure you didn’t really mean to give it to her?” you teased.

“O-oh. Cool, uh, but did you think it was cute?”

“Peter,” you sighed. “For someone so smart, you’re an idiot–”

“MJ said the same thing…”

“– It wasn’t cute, Peter.”

His eyes got even wider if possible, the sting of rejection starting to set in– could he possibly have misread the situation so badly? What about your little date? Was it a date? Listening to Queen and eating cookies that day at the bakery? How had MJ steered him so wrong?

He had done so well on the reading comprehension portion of his PSAT. But reading paragraphs about the migratory pattern of geese was very, very different from reading between the lines when it came to girls his own age. Any girls, really– he had to stop himself. Maybe they were right, maybe he was an idiot–

“Peter, this is MORE than cute. This is the sweetest, nicest thing anyone has ever done for me. I love it. Your taste in music, you… you get me,” you explained, pressing your hand into Peter’s, pressing the point. He could feel the touch, tingly sensations running through his palm, up his arm, and he swore, straight into his heart.

Peter changed a glance at you through his lashes, lips splitting into a toothy, Peter Parker grin.

You hoped he’d only smile at you like that forever. He truly was like the sun, bright and warming the coldest parts of you with the greatest of ease. Filling any hollowness with golden light. His bright eyes sparkled, permanently etched within the golden hour and you swore you forgot how to breathe.

“Really?”

“I’d give you a chance, Pete. As many as you wanted.”

Before he could respond, you leaned forward, quickly pressing your lips to Peter’s. It lasted a brief second – a dusting of sugar atop something crisp, sweet and citrusy– before pulling back. Sweet, but all too short, panic splicing through your moment of confectionery bliss that was kissing Peter Parker.

“Sorry, sorry, Peter. I’m sorry. Was that too forward?? I–”

You were cut off by Peter, lips firmly meeting yours. Peter’s hands cupped your cheeks, thumbs tracing over the peaks of your cheekbones. Any trace of awkwardness gone, Peter slid his hands from your cheeks — back, back, back— to run his fingers through the hair at the nape of your neck, resting there. The tilt of his lips followed yours, sweet cinnamon heat – persistently welcome and welcomingly persistent. The golden hour indeed.

Breathless– you were breathless. Could Peter Parker kiss like this always? You wished he would. Look at you, smile at you, kiss you – always. But, um, not with anyone else. Decidedly not. Just you, you hoped. The ebbs and flows of your personhood, the sweet contrast of your personalities, like a discord of so many notes coming together into one cohesive piece. This….

This? This was what rhapsody was. You were just sure of it.

—

So that’s it. I do have a complete playlist made for this story, if anyone is interested, I can send you the link.

Tagging: @starksparker @nappingtopknot @ayeayecaptaingally @andallthatmishigas @ymeradonnadx @hey-its-grey

Special s/o to @tigerlilynoh!

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13en-jammin · 4 years

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Top 6 POP ARTISTS of ALL TIME

I couldn’t just pick 5 being the pop aficionado that I am. I’ll break my ranking down by factoring in the artists:

Writing ability

Dancing ability

Charisma

Voice

Strength of songs

Features on other artist’s songs

(6) Jesse McCartney

The reason I extended this list to another spot, is the strength of Jesse’s songwriting. He started in the boy band “Dream Street” then took off for a solo career (this is a common happening on this list.) He rose to fame on the strength of his voice, charisma, and his single “Beautiful Soul”.

What separated him from other pop acts was the cleanliness of his writing, which appeared very genuine and honest in a genre that is hyper-sexualized.

Here is my Jesse McCartney video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zR5_KkxgGqE

After taking creative risks on his Departure album, he took a 4-year break in which Bieber and his rabid fans erased Jesse from memory. He still made great music, the pop scene just became very crowded.

Strengths Weakness Top 3 ALBUM RANKING Songwriting Timing Departure Charisma Quantity In Technicolor Quality Beautiful Soul

(5) Usher

Usher has made a career of dominating Pop and R&B, leaving his imprint on music that Bieber would later follow. One thing Usher is known for is the story-telling writing that he weaves into all of his songs. What still amazes me is that he finds a way to take the listener on a personal journey and make it sound seamless, catchy and amazing.

Here is my favorite Usher video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AszPTJXIgM

Usher is the second-best dancer on this list in terms of overall talent, especially back in his prime, he could pull off moves that only Michael Jackson and Chris Brown could do. Like all great performers, Usher would make all these moves look very easy.

The only reason he isn’t higher on this list is that while he had lots of success, he didn’t separate himself from the top 4 artists in a grand way and his best hits weren’t as massive. After Usher introduced Bieber, he would take 4 years in between album projects.

Strengths Weaknesses Top 3 Albums

Dancing Writing (if you ask Dave Chapelle) Confessions

Story-telling Raymond v. Raymond

R&B/Pop fusion 8701

(4) Justin Timberlake

Justin started in the mickey mouse club and then joined to boyband N*SYNC. After achieving worldwide fame after years of touring, Justin released his music during their hiatus.

His solo career began with the Justified album and shortly after had to take a break from music after the wardrobe malfunction during the super bowl halftime show. Justin came back with FutureSex/LoveSounds and became a household name.

Here’s my favorite Justin Timberlake video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuZE_IRwLNI

I've seen Justin in concert during his 20/20 Experience tour and even though I had the worst seat in the house, as high as can be while perpendicular to the stage, I had a great time.

Justin established himself as a charismatic performer, with his dance moves and smooth voice. He was able to reinvent himself each album creating a subgenre of pop. The reason he isn’t higher on this list is because of his time between albums.

Strengths Weaknesses Top 3 Albums

Most Charisma Super Bowl Halftime scandal 20/20 Experience Dancing while singing Attempts at Country FutureSex/LoveSounds Song production Time away from music Justified Reinvention

(3) Michael Jackson aka KING of POP

I know what you’re thinking: MJ isn’t number 1 or 2!? Correct, and I will tell you why reading audience. There is no disputing that his best albums (see top albums) shaped the genre of Pop as we know it. His dance moves are timeless and his voice is unparalleled.

BUT he was slowed down by the allegations made against him and died as he was preparing his epic THIS IS IT comeback tour. We have an idea of how good it would have been but it is safe to say his best days as a performer were behind him.

This is my favorite Michael Jackson video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuZE_IRwLNI

Essentially I had to drop him down because he was unable to showcase his talents in the back half of his career and therefore his quantity and quality had dropped. Jackson’s relationship with his father during his Jackson 5 days may have been another reason his break from music was so long.

Strengths Weaknesses Top 3 Albums

Dancing ability Exposed personal life (accusations) Thriller

Iconic songs Bad

Best voice Off the wall

(2) Justin Bieber

Justin Bieber was the pop equivalent of lightning in a bottle. During one of Justin Timberlake’s breaks between albums, Justin Bieber burst on the scene covering songs at the beginning of the youtube era. Scooter Braun started managing him and got the best writers, producers, and dance teachers and essentially took over the pop scene.

Bieber benefitted from coming on last on the scene and took inspiration from everyone on this list. Not only that, his voice is one of the best in range and ability.

Her is my favorite Justin Bieber video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOI4OF7iIr4

Justin struggled with his fame and got into a lot of legal trouble. It looked like he would fall off from the pop scene altogether having risen too fast, too quickly. He has since found peace in Jesus Christ and has expressed his faith on his last two albums, Purpose and Changes

The reason he is this high on the list is because of the number of releases that in my opinion are better quality. His music early sounded as if it was produced and written for a young Michael Jackson.

Strengths Weaknesses Top 3 Albums

Amazing voice Exposed life Journals

Song Catchiness tattoo choices Believe

Dance ability Purpose

Quantity+Quality

(1) Chris Brown

Say what you will about Chris Brown but he is the most talented of everyone on this list. He can sing with the best of them, dance better than all of them, genre hops exceptionally better than anyone and he spits fire on a track better than most rappers today.

I had to put him at the top because of how immensely talented he is. After the Rihanna incident, many thought he would fade away, and instead he came back stronger than ever and made his best music(see top 3 albums.) The fact that his fans stayed with him through that transition time is a testament to what he brings.

I’ve seen Chris in concert and his show was visually amazing. I couldn’t believe the moves he was pulling off (effortlessly) and I was amazed at his singing ability. One thing I will say is that he has such a large extensive catalog of great songs that he didn’t have enough time to perform all of them.

I understand that people wanted me to put MJ in the top spot, but really, Bieber and Chris were inspired by MJ, made much more music and created their own identity. Not to mention they both did it while recovering from their fair share of controversy.

Strengths Weaknesses Top 3 Albums Best Dancer Personal life (Rihanna Scandal) X Best Rapper Filter (interviews and online) F.A.M.E Being a featured artist Albums that are too long Fortune Multitalented

What do you think of my list? Did I arrange these pop icons in their correct order? Are these the correct pop icons? What order would YOU arrange them in? Sound off in the comment section and let me know what you think!

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mingyus-noona · 6 years

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My niece renames Kpop groups

**With my notes, because sometimes they’re needed to make sense of what’s going through her mind. She definitely repeats things, so there are a few people with the same name (but that already happens in Kpop, so it fits) or part of the same name, even within the same group. Twice has two members named Pool in my niece’s version. She also asked several times afterward if the name she said was Korean lol. She switches between saying random sounds and objects after I asked her to do shorter names so I could write them down and to say actual names, so she started naming objects. FIRST UP: Some Highlights: Big Bang Taeyang: Bowl of Soup Twice Tzuyu: Mulberry Bush (f)x Luna: Kiss the Beach A.C.E. Wow: Sunny Side Animal Got7 Jinyoung: Trashcan Monsta X Minhyuk: Skeleton Winner Taehyun: Bedroom Mamamoo Hwasa: I am your favorite star of the world Rose 24k Kiyong: Aw, Bad Words 2PM Wooyoung: Do you remember me? Block B P.O.: Drinking Boyfriend Kwangmin: Oh hi Onion BTOB Sungjae: I’m lemoned out B.I.G. Benji: Logo Beast Junhyung: I want Treasure And then she kind of just gave some names to other idols: Shinee Key>>B1A4 Gongchan Astro Sanha>> Block B Kyung Some of the names she chose weren’t that bad and I could actually see them as idol names, given that some are a little odd: Big Bang G Dragon: Song K Monsta X Shownu: Zucka Za Red Velvet Wendy: A-talk Red Velvet Yeri: Boxy A.cian Seulgi: Taeko The full list: BTS: Jin: Chun-gu [this is a character from the Lion Guard] Suga: Chung-who J-hope: Kissy [she said like a Hershey Kiss] RM: Huggy Jimin: Hat [Jimin was wearing a hat] V: Hershey Kiss Jungkook: Lovey Lovey

EXO: Xiumin: I Pig Luhan: Passa Pass a Suey Butt Kris: A Koosa Koosa Wah Suho: Eye Coo Soak Lay: Paper Paper Color Snow [there was snow in the picture] Baekhyun: So Kay Chen: Coal Kah Kushe Chanyeok: Hairy Hair Hair D.O.: Kissy Kissy So Tao: Silly Butt Eye Kai: Koko is a Bobby a So Su Sehun: Koko Ih Ih E A Chacha

Seventeen: S.coups: Steppy Jeonghan: Coosy Joshua: Here We Go Again Jun: Phoney Hoshi: Grass [grass in the picture] Wonwoo: Cuppy Closewa Woozi: Laying Down in Grass [grass in this picture too] DK: Sleepy Sleepy Slook Mingyu: Wordy Cosa The8: Icy Koos Seungkwan: Standy Call Vernon: Heart [she saw a gif of him holding a cut-out heart] Dino: Coosy Got (funny that this goes with Jeonghan's name: Coosy Got is the equivalent of Dino being Jeonghan's aegi 😂)

Got7: Mark: Silly JB: Silly Butt Soup Jackson: Mouthy Kahs Jinyoung: Trashcan Youngjae: Rotten Fish Filled with Trashcan [and not the other way around] BamBam: Pirate Kite Yugyeom: Eye Lip [she was trying to say eyelid lol]

Astro: MJ: Huh? JinJin: Kooka Wappu Deh Eunwoo: Sorry Moonbin: Fan Rocky: Light Sanha: Koosa

Monsta X: Wonho: Eye Sooka Soak a Soaka Shownu: Zucka Za Minhyuk: Skeleton Kihyun: Soaka Soaka a Bassa Hyungwon: So Bae Jooheon: Cossa Cossa Oh Bae Doo Doo Wah I.M.: Kiss the Go Bae Soap Ooh Wah

Winner: Yoon: Table Jinu: Bottle Hoony: Ice Water Minho: Floor Taehyun: Bedroom

Pentagon: Jinho: High Hui: Low Hongseok: Right E'Dawn: Left [creative, huh?] Shinwon: Koos Yeo One: Took Yanan: Keet Yuto: Keep Kino: Eye Wooseok: Love [if there was another member, she definitely would have named him You because the last three would be that Eye Love You gesture people show kids]

Blackpink: Jennie: Kussah Jisoo: Kass Bwi Bway Rose: Bob Wah Lisa: Toosedah

(f)x: Victoria: Pizza Amber: Kayswah Luna: Kiss the Beach [I don’t know if it’s what she said, but it sounded like it and I asked her and she said yes] Krystal: A Kassa Wah Sulli: Jees

Mamamoo: Solar: Peesagwa Moonbyul: Blah Blah Blah Wheein: Bowl Hwasa: I am your favorite star of the world Rose [I think she was trying to sing nursery rhymes and then saw the rose in the picture]

Girls’ Generation: Taeyeon: Um, I don’t know Sunny: I don’t saw Tiffany: Dress [she had a dress on] Hyohyeon: Plug Yuri: Spoon Sooyoung: Call Yuna: Blah Blah Blah, I get it Seohyun: Hairy Jessica: Hug Kiss

Big Bang: G Dragon: Song K T.O.P.: Cooshy Coosh [close enough to kush, and we all know what he was caught with lol] Taeyang: Bowl of Soup Daesung: Hairy Hair Coso Seungri: Jerry Sook [this just sounds like someone’s American name]

Red Velvet: Irene: The wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round, round and round, the wheels on the bus go round and round all through the town Seulgi: The horn on the bus goes bing bing bing, bing bing bing, bing bing bing, the horn on the bus goes bing bing bing all through the town Wendy: A-talk Joy: Bubblegum Yeri: Boxy

I.O.I.: Nayoung: Hi Goodbye Chungha: The itsy bitsy spider climbed up the water spout, down came the rain and washed the spider out, out came the sun and dried up all the rain, and the itsy bitsy spider climbed up the spout again Sejeong: Light Cult [I found out later she tried to say lightbulb, but this is funnier] Chaeyeon: Good Bye Bye Kyulkyung: Toe Sohye: Hair Yeonjung: Bobobo Yoojung: Smiley Face Mina: Hershey Kiss Smiley Doyeon: I don’t know Suh Somi: Wall

Twice: Jihyo: Pool Nayeon: Water Jeongyeon: Fill Momo: Up Sana: Pool Mina: Pineapple [she was holding one in the picture] Dahyun: Flower Flower Chaeyoung: Happy Happy the Hop Tzuyu: Mulberry Bush [nursery rhymes again] [you can tell in this one that she was swimming at the time since she said pool water fill up lol]

Super Junior: Leeteuk: Polka Dot Heechul: Triangle Yesung: Square Kangin: Rectangle Shindong: Heart Sungmin: Circle Eunhyuk: Splash [she was in the pool] Siwon: Fly [she saw a bee] Donghae: Umbrella [same] Ryeowook: Porch [we were on the porch] Khyuhyun: Butterfly Zhoumi: I see butterfly, I like butterfly [she likes butterflies] Henry: I love you Hangeng: Coo Say Kibum: Bubbly a Way So Eh

24K: Cory: Emmy E [her nickname is Emmy] Kisu: Boolooloo Jeunguk: Ma Ba Ba Ba Ba Changsun: Chair Jinhong: Pooly Pool Pool Pool Pool Pool Hongseob: Sun-who Kiyong: Aw, Bad Words Sungoh: Woo-ah Hui: Vacation [she was pretending we were on vacation] Daeil: Flamingo Seokjun: Water Water Byungho: Snow

2PM: Jun. K: Fish Nichkhun: Bird Taecyeon: Heart Lovey Wooyoung: Do you remember me? Junho: I We Oh We Chansung: I love bathing suits all day long in the pool [she really likes swimming] Jay Park: Ha Ha Ha

2AM: Jo Kwon: 444 Wa Changmin: Florida [she knows it’s a place that’s hot lol] Seulong: Sunny Wa Jinwoon: Wha’s that?

A.C.E.: Jun: Rolly Uh Gaygay Donghun: Bubble Bubble Floating in the Pool Wow: Sunny Side Animal Kim Byeongkwan: Haha Chan: Muh Muh Muh [she said this to the tune of Got7′s Just Right, as in ma ma ma ma ma]

A.cian: Jungsang: Pot Hyukjin: Dah Sanghyeon: D Jin.O: Ma UTae: Me Seulgi: Taeko Chanhee: Susu Waya Crooge: Highway Hidden: O Lo-J: Heh Heh Heh Sehee: I’m a PoPoPuh [she was being cute naming one person Dah and the next D (like daddy) and then Ma/Me (mommy)]

B1A4: Jinyoung: Pee CNU: Facey Bath Sandeul: Buh Baro: Goo goo Ga ga Gongchan: Key [she has no idea who he is]

B.A.P.: Yongguk: I love you E Ah Himchan: Helicopter [there was one outside] Daehyun: Plane Youngjae: Bathing Suit Jongup: Iwosa Zelo: Incredibles [she is into the movie right now]

Block B: Zico: Little Taeil: Bump Bump Bump B-bomb: Aisle Jaehyo: Bubble Bubble Wawa U-Kwon: Boo Boo Kyung: Sanha [as in from Astro] P.O.: Drinking

Boyfriend: Donghyun: Bath Hyunseong: Water Jeongmin: Poggy Youngmin: Eggy Eggy Ah Gaygay Kwangmin: Oh hi Onion [I have no idea with this one] Minwoo: Armpit [the names carry over from Block B to Boyfriend: as in Drinking Bath Water]

Boys Republic: Onejunn: Mall Bah Sunwoo: Star Sungjun: Eggy Eggy Gosowah Minsu: San Hahaha [I got her to remember her “boyfriend” Sanha’s (from Astro) name by saying it sounds like San haha] Suwoong: I love you for the time

BTOB: Eunkwang: Here we go again Minhyuk: Dirty Changsub: Clean Hyunsik: Paper Peniel: Couples 2 Ilhoon: Water Out [someone let water out of the pool] Sungjae: I’m lemoned out [no idea?]

B.I.G.: J-Hoon: Incredibles I Benji: Logo Gunmin: I Woo-eh Minpyo: Robot Heedo: Sun tea Gah [my sister just made some sun tea] [Incredibles I Logo: I told you that’s her movie right now]

Beast: Doojoon: Treasure [we were playing pirate/buried treasure earlier and she agreed to name these if I gave her more stuff to use for the treasure lol] Junhyung: I want Treasure Yoseob: Sangha Kikwang: Em Look [I told her this right before] Dongwoon: I don’t know [she couldn’t think of any more names] Hyunseung: Okay [I told her this was the last one]

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loveump3 · 6 years

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jams meme: best of 2017

@blotthis tagged me in a jams meme!! thank you :D since it’s the new year, i thought i’d do a little retrospective of some of my favorite songs to come out of 2017! so here we goooo

“i wish” by wjsn

this song came out literally 3 days into the new year, but as soon as i heard it i knew it would be one of my top tracks of 2017. and i was right!! i loved “happy” too, and “happy moment” was one of my favorite albums this year, but i’ll always be especially weak for wjsn’s spacey concepts. this song is so pretty and light and pink, and the mv is a lisa frank dream, and the choreography is so whimsical and charming… great on all fronts. all hail the rookie pop princesses.

“wanted! wanted!” by mrs. green apple

mga have become one of my top favorite bands after i discovered them earlier in the year. i love how sweet and fizzy and fun their music is, and i love their lead singer motoki’s voice (i’m not sure what it is about it, but it makes me so happy). i feel like this song is a great example of their particular super-hyper brand of pop. this is a good one to blast in the car :o)

“vanilla” by fickle friends

another band that’s shot to the top of my list of favorites after finding them this year! their sparkly-pool-water 80s vibe is sooo up my alley. i love the percussion and the bright guitars in this song, and i have such a crush on natassja’s voice. (i’d also highly recommend “swim,” which has been one of my top jams this year and is also my favorite fickle friends song, and which i would have included, but it it came out in 2016, lol.)

“the song” by zion.t

i loved this song the moment i heard it. zion.t has one of my favorite voices not just in kpop but in general, and it sounds sooo nice and smooth here. and the simplicity of the song is so good?? it’s nothing frilly or explosive, it’s just a pleasant little tune. i like that the lyrics reflect that too—i love the “i’m not trying to write a hit song, i just want to write you something sweet” attitude. also for whatever reason i think the line “let’s stick together all day like alley cats” is so cute? and the mv is so wonderfully bizarre (the colors are sooo good). the rest of the album is great too; got me through a lot of shifts at work.

“when you love someone” by day6

i really thought “dance dance” was gonna hold tight to the title of Emma’s Favorite Every DAY6 song, but then “when you love someone” came out and immediately took its place. this song like the aural equivalent of a warm hug and a hot drink and it makes my heart feel so at peace every time i hear it :( also the lyrics are a complete K-O. those first few every day6 releases were SO ANGSTY, and even though i loved them i was like “will poor youngk ever write a happy relationship song???” but then he started releasing shit like this and it killed me and i immediately regretted ever asking. (also not to be a bitter betty but i’m still cheesed that we never got resolution on sungjin and wonpil’s story!!!!!!!! @ jyp i still have questions)

“we find love” by daniel caesar

“freudian” has become one of my new favorite albums. it’s so perfect for the winter—daniel caesar’s woozy gospel sound is so warm and cozy. there’s not a song on the album that i don’t love, but this one is particularly soothing and comfy. with the harmonized background vocals and the gentle piano, it sounds like something you’d hear on the radio late at night when you’re tucked into bed trying to fall asleep while the snow is drifting down outside. and daniel’s voice has this… i don’t know how to explain it. he sounds so assured and smooth when he sings, like he’s been doing this forever. i can’t get enough.

“cut to the feeling” by carly rae jepsen

2017 was the year that i remedied my worst mistake of never having listened to the power-pop gem that is carly rae jepsen’s 2015 album “e•mo•tion,” and is it too hyperbolic to say that that changed me as a person?? her brand of fizzy fluttery 80s-inspired sugar is everything i didn’t realize i needed. i’m dying for a new crj album, but in the meantime, “cut to the feeling” has done a good job of holding me over—it’s all the shout-about-your-crush-from-the-rooftops euphoria that miss carly does so well. extremely good for car rides, especially when the bridge kicks in.

“praying” by kesha

kesha has been my other pop queen this year. i liked her before, but then i listened to “rainbow” and cried like three different times while doing so, and i fell in love. every single song off of “rainbow” is great (the range of style is amazing, she goes from acoustic to pop to rock to country and back, and each one is just as great as the last), but “praying” is so raw and special; it doesn’t matter how many times i hear it, it hits me just as hard every time. i love how it builds—from the simmering power of the first chorus, to the stomp of the second (those pounding piano chords really get me), to the fireworks of the last (that fucking whistle note!!!!!!!!! also the way she sings “some say in life you gonna get what you give, but some things only god can forgive” with those horns behind her in the bridge…….i get shivers every time)… every second of it hurts so good. you can feel all that anger and pain, and also the euphoria and the healing. i’m so glad that kesha is finding herself again; she deserves the best.

“mic drop” by bts

i thought “baepsae” was my favorite “kiss my ass” bts banger, but then “her” came out and “mic drop” fuckin beat “baepsae” to a bloody pulp. the original and the desiigner/steve aoki remix are both sooo good: i love the dark grungy slink of the original, which sounds like it could play during the trailer for a movie about a scrappy gang of crime syndicate underlings who are sick and tired of being underestimated just because they’re all so young, so they’re ready to go off the books and pull a heist so big, no one will ever underestimate them again; but i also love the extra shot of adrenaline in the remix—desiigner’s verse is like whiplash (seriously, how does he manage to rap that fast???), and minimizing that bouncy little riff in the verses to focus on the vocals and the beat makes the chorus hits so much harder (also the “hella thick”/“hella sick” echoes are so much FUN to sing along to (and of course yoongi’s “baby watch your mouth” is…great, to say the least)). i really couldn’t pick between the two versions; although they share a teeth-bared-knuckles-bruised attitude, they’ve got unique vibes to me and i love them differently. that said, i’m linking to a performance of the original version because 1) yoongi and hoseok’s undone bow ties are really fucking me up; 2) apparently the reason why yoongi doesn’t do the last line of his verse is to prove to people accusing them of lip-syncing that they don’t use a track when they perform, which cracks me up because that’s such a yoongi thing to do; and 3) whoever wrote the captions added some little personal notes of their own and they’re so CUTE and funny.

“beautiful” by monsta x

idek what to say about this song anymore; it’s been 9 months and those opening bars still make my heart race. “beautiful” has become not only one of my favorite songs of 2017 but one of my favorite songs period. i’m a mess for mx and i love everything they do, but this song is really something else—rap line are in top fucking form, vocal line kill it (minhyuk’s lines are a Blessing), and the choreography is still one of my favorites from this year. i’ve listened to this song so many times i really thought i was gonna get sick of it, but i haven’t yet, and i don’t think i will.

“baby” by astro

i’m surprised my teeth haven’t rotted out of my skull after how many times i’ve listened to “baby” this year, because this song is like pure sugar. i love the snappy percussion and the bouncy bass and the bright melody, and astro have such sweet vocals to boot (especially mj, oh man ;___;). and the choreography is so!! good!!! it’s got this old-fashioned swing to it that i love. ugh. it’s all perfect. i remember a few months ago i was having a bad day for whatever reason, but after i watched a few live stages of this i instantly felt better.

“new fears” by lights

“skin&earth” was hands-down one of my top favorite releases of 2017—it’s the gritty post-apocalyptic cyberpunk album of my dreams. i’ve loved lights since like middle school, and it’s so amazing to see how her music has grown and changed; this is my favorite work from her so far. “skin&earth” has SO many good tracks, but “new fears” is probably my favorite. i love the eerie beginning, and the heavy beat in the chorus, and the lyrics!!!!!! they nail that feeling of “i would give myself up to keep you safe” in such a raw and heart-wrenching and beautiful way. just reading them gives me chills. the idea of getting new fears when you start really caring about someone……i never would’ve thought of it that way but it’s so true. UGH! lights if ur reading this i love u

“do it” by masc

god am i glad i stumbled across this one night when i was catching up on mvs, because masc have become one of my new favorite groups. i love the retro vibe, their vocals are so good (heejae’s voice…i’m weak), the choreography is SO freakin cute (i’m still not over the superman move in the chorus), and the mv is so colorful and goofy (two of my favorite things!)… truly a dream. the fan service dance practice and honestly any of the live stages are also a delight.

so there’s some of my faves! happy new year everyone!!! 2017 you kinda sucked sometimes but thanks for at least bringing some sweet jams. i’ll tag @anyhao @shinwhoohoo and @onlyoongi if you’d like to share some of what you’ve been listening to lately!

#tagged in #there are so many honorable mentions but if i listed all of those we'd be here all day lol #these are the ones that stuck out to me though #also i'm sorry if this somehow tagged anyone twice slkdfj the links didn't work the first time so i'm trying to repost #pls work this time

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kpopgerapitico · 6 years

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Song of the Week

After the heavy hitters last week . . . well, I was gonna say this week lightened up, but it really didn’t, so here’s a bunch of song reviews.

Honorable Mentions:

I like the contemplative mood of NO.11′s B1. But I think that is more because of the video than the song, which captures the world in such a stark visual tone, and uses the contrast of a blue filter to a yellow well really well. That’s not to say I didn’t like the song, which was simple but good.

A lot of time, a sweet voice is associated with a high tone. But I can’t think of a better descriptor for Han So Ah’s voice than sweet. And her range and control puts her right in my favorite female vocal range. A Day Prior To Moving is really really simple, which lets Han So Ah be the focus as she sings her heart out with enviable control. Also who isn’t a sucker for a key change.

I love Koh Nayoung’s voice, and a lot of her songs. I am glad to add Clumsy to that list. While she doesn’t get to be quite as powerful with her vocals in this case, she fits the sound really well. The beat drop is nice, and I even like the ear worm weaving in and out for most of the song. And in a year where plot based MVs have been pretty uncommon, or incredibly confusing, Clumsy manages to pull it off with a concise plot, interesting directing and pretty good acting all around.

If you need a dance track that only has vocals so that a verse exists, SM’s Station channel has you this week.

I really like the verse of Red Velvet’s Peek-A-Boo, as well as the video, which is creatively creepy. Sadly, the chorus is just a little too now, and a little too not my thing.

If you like trap, New Champ’s got you with Training Zombie. If you don’t like trap, but want to feel what it is like to be on a slight acid trip, you should still watch it. And if nothing else, the rappers all kill their parts. I also enjoy Sleepy towering over everyone in group shots.

There is a song called Boat this week. Listen to the chorus. Then listen to this. Then you will understand why I couldn’t stop laughing.

I don’t really know he purpose of putting kittens on your base drum. But I like it.

Remember those overly confusing plot videos I referenced earlier? Wanna One has one now with Beautiful. They decided in 6 minutes they would have: a reuniting old friend plot, a falling out of those same friends plot, a fight that kills someone plot (which may have caused the friends to grow apart), a boxing plot, and the rest of the members being bffs plot. Oh, and it ends with Sungwoo presumably dying from falling off a staircase, and Daniel losing his boxing match, but still smiling? I just don’t get it. There are makjang dramas less complicated.

Hey, do you remember those songs for charity that had approximately 5 million people in them, and never really made sense, and had a lot of underwhelming melodies? Fly Day is the equivalent at least in the number of artists. They include: Park Ji Young, Sunmi, DIA’s Jooeun and Jaeyeon, Jin Sewoon, Eunhyuk (yes from Suju), NRG, Astro’s Moonbin and MJ, Halo’s Wowoon Jaeyong and Heechan, B.I.G’s Heedo and Geonmin, B.A.P’s Jongup and Youngjae, Deowon, and Kim Johan. The time it took me to write out all those names was the length of the song. Or maybe just how long it will take me to forget it. Oh, and at the very end, they let you know it is for the Olympics, which gives me high hopes of seeing all of them at the opening ceremonies next year. Or maybe the closing. Or maybe both.

I really want to like Swing’s Clock Out. And the chorus is strong with Crush at the helm, and Jay Park’s rap is solid. Hell, Swings himself is solid too. I just can’t bring myself to care. Maybe it’s just a little bit too relaxed?

At least BtoB’s plot video is easy to follow. Way Back Home may be a bit of a boring ballad, but the video passes the standard of having an actual plot that makes sense. I also may have fallen in love with Hyunshik. And by maybe, I mean definitely. Have you seen him smile recently?

If you like your MV actors famous a pretty, Soyou and Sung Si Kyung’s I Still has you covered with a brooding Lee Dong Wook.

I actually like the jazzy sound of Samuel’s Candy. At least, it is a huge step up for me after his debut.

When I see the names Nell and Groovyroom on the same track, I start getting hopeful. And when I started listening to Today, I grew more hopeful. And more hopeful. And it is basically as amazing as I expected, while being totally the opposite of what I would expect from Groovyroom. Basically, listen to it now, and thank me later. It only didn’t win because of how much I love the song AND video of the first place winner.

So, confession time: I write my little write ups as I am listening, and choose a winner at then end, at which point I cut and paste that song’s review into the end. But this week, I can’t because it is referenced in like 3 other reviews, and I like the referencing, so it is staying.

That is to say, Koh Nayoung won. Go back up and read that one if you didn’t read it the first time.

#koh nayoung #sotw #clumsy

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brazenbells · 7 years

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Earwen in the summer sea

Credit where credit's due: Finrod's nickname was inspired by MJ's adorable art of Elwing catching minnows.

I tried to pick a less sad prompt today!

Also, for the purposes of this story, Orodreth is a son of Finarfin and Eärwen, and all five children were born fairly close together—Finrod's the elvish equivalent of 10-ish, while Galadriel is not yet walking or talking, and the other three are spaced out more or less evenly between.

If you prefer, read it here on AO3.

My darling, you too are floating in the sea of my heart, Let the sound of my song follow the breeze, blowing open the curtain of your window, Let my love follow the flowing water, endlessly pouring out its feelings for you.

The sand was soft and warm where her feet sank in; Eärwen curled her toes for the simple pleasure of it. She would have a host of new freckles by the Mingling—but the heat of Laurelin felt too nice, too perfectly balanced against the coolness of the sea where she stood waist-deep, to seek shade.

Findaráto would be all over freckles too, though that was nothing new. The younger ones had gone sailing with Arafinwë, but Findaráto seemed happy to stay at her side, floating on his back and staring dreamily at the sky. Occasionally he would roll over and swim off to investigate some interesting shell or aquatic denizen, but he always drifted back to tell her what he'd found.

Artanis was in her basket, bobbing with the gentle swells, towed along on a line tethered to Eärwen's belt. She had drowsed for most of the morning, but now she was awake and bright-eyed; and, unusually for her, not making use of the prodigious lungs she'd been born with. Eärwen held out one of the treasures Findaráto had begged her to stash in her skirt-pockets, a scallop shell worn smooth, and Artanis reached for it with one tiny fist. Her grip had been strong from the first, though she was still working on her depth perception; it took a few tries for her to seize the prize.

Findaráto surfaced again beside the basket, careful not to splash the baby. He beamed down at her for a moment, pleased at how she reached for him with the unoccupied hand. Then his face took on the slightly serious cast it had when he was thinking hard. "Ammë?"

"Yonya?" Eärwen said in a playful imitation of his frowning tone. That earned a smile, but only a small one.

"Can I tell you about my dream?"

Ah. Those troubled him, sometimes. Foresight was a difficult thing for one so small. "Of course, Minnow."

He shuffled his feet a little, kicking up a cloud of sand beneath the clear water, and for a moment she wondered if it was a different sort of dream. But no, he wasn't quite to that age yet. She made a mental note to have Arafinwë talk to him about that anyway, when he had a moment.

"It wasn’t a bad dream,” he said slowly. “Artanis and I were grown, and speaking to a man who—I don’t know him, but I did in the dream. He was Teler like us. I think Artanis was courting him. I was trying to help, I think, though she didn’t need me one bit.” Eärwen suppressed her smile at that. “Nothing very exciting happened. It’s not really about what happened, I suppose, I just realized that when it comes—” He glanced almost guiltily at his sister. “I know I'm not meant to have favorites, but I think Artanis will be my favorite. Even over Arto." He worried his lip, distressed, and Eärwen’s heart could break from the sweetness of it. "Not because she's the baby. I think we'll understand one another the best. But it isn't fair to like her best, just because she'll be the most like me!"

"Oh, sweetness." She pulled him into her arms, unconcerned at how the few dry spots left on her blouse were immediately soaked. "That isn't how love works." She lifted a hand, stroking his sopping curls back from his forehead, and gave him a reassuring smile. "You're going to love so many people, more the older you grow, and you'll love each of them a little differently. Sometimes you'll feel closer to one or the other; sometimes that will change from day to day, or year to year. You're not stealing love from your brothers to give more to your sister. You have enough for all of them."

She thought, briefly, of mentioning how his father was closer to Nolofinwë than to Fëanáro, but still loved them both; but Findaráto was a little too perceptive about some things, and she did not think it wise to introduce the idea that any of his brothers could grow as cool towards him as Fëanáro was towards Arafinwë. Instead she took another tack. "You do a grand job taking care of your brothers and sister, my love, but they can take care of you too, when they are old enough. Sometimes the people we feel happiest to be with are the ones who can support us in the same way we support them. It does not reflect badly on your brothers, or on you, if that is one of Artanis' skills when she grows."

He seemed to chew that over, his small shoulders relaxing bit by bit beneath her hands. "I won’t treat them any differently. I'll still look after Arto and Aiko and Ango when you need me to," he offered at last, his voice lifting a tiny bit at the end, as if it were a question.

Eärwen laughed and kissed the top of his head. "Of course you will, Minnow. Artanis too, when she can run enough to keep up with the rest of you. You're the best big brother they could ask for."

Findaráto smiled truly at that and she squeezed him tight one more time before letting him go. He bent over the basket again to tickle Artanis' toes. "You will be running soon, won't you?" Artanis blew spit bubbles at him.

Emotional crisis averted, Eärwen's curiosity got the better of her. "So you saw your sister all grown? What was she like?"

Findaráto lifted his head again and gave her his most dazzling smile. "She'll be the best of us."

"Well," she said softly, unable to resist ruffling his hair again, no matter how bad it would be combing out the salt-tangles later, "considering the competition, that's really saying something."

#my fic #earwen

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diplomaticspoonie · 5 years

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weird asks that say a lot

1. coffee mugs, teacups, wine glasses, water bottles, or soda cans?

What am I drinking? Probably soda can, though.

2. chocolate bars or lollipops?

CHOCOLATE>

3. bubblegum or cotton candy?

Gum

4. how did your elementary school teachers describe you?

I don’t honestly remember? I was in the gifted program, though.

5. do you prefer to drink soda from soda cans, soda bottles, plastic cups or glass cups?

Can are the most recyclable.

6. pastel, boho, tomboy, preppy, goth, grunge, formal or sportswear?

Grungy prep? Like, I wear polos a lot, but they’re all old and fucked up.

7. earbuds or headphones?

headphones!

8. movies or tv shows?

9. favorite smell in the summer?

rain

10. game you were best at in p.e.?

dodgeball? I mean, regardless, I was fat and slow

11. what you have for breakfast on an average day?

sometimes a breakfast sandwich, sometimes a littl ething of nuts

12. name of your favorite playlist?

“spoonie encouragement”

13. lanyard or key ring?

ring

14. favorite non-chocolate candy?

skittles?

15. favorite book you read as a school assignment?

Johnny Tremaine

16. most comfortable position to sit in?

Half lotus

17. most frequently worn pair of shoes?

Sneakers

18. ideal weather?

Overcast, dark, windy, feels like it will rain but isn’t yet

19. sleeping position?

side

20. preferred place to write (i.e., in a note book, on your laptop, sketchpad, post-it notes, etc.)?

Laptop

21. obsession from childhood?

DINOSAURS!

22. role model?

Captain America

23. strange habits?

I pick at my eyelashes and eyebrows to try to keep loose hairs from falling in my eyes

24. favorite crystal?

The Dark Crystal

25. first song you remember hearing?

Bad, by MJ

26. favorite activity to do in warm weather?

swim

27. favorite activity to do in cold weather?

drink hot cocoa

28. five songs to describe you?

Shit, uh... 1) Color in Your Cheeks, Mountain Goats 2) I’m Still Standing, Elton John 3) What’s Up Danger, Blackway and Black Caviar 4) Barrett’s Privateers, Stan Rogers 5) All Hallow’s Eve, Type O Negative

29. best way to bond with you?

Complain with me? Overthink something?

30. places that you find sacred?

Bodies of water in general, but specifically the Ohio River. the “Point of No Return” in Benin, due to the immensity of horrors that took place there.

31. what outfit do you wear to kick ass and take names?

I don’t have an attitude for that

32. top five favorite vines?

God, I’m old.

33. most used phrase in your phone?

“Above ground.” It’s how I tell my wife to come get me from the metro.

34. advertisements you have stuck in your head?

At the moment, none. But there’s tons in there somewhere, including some old horrible racist ones.

35. average time you fall asleep?

2 minutes?

36. what is the first meme you remember ever seeing?

“All Your Base” (I said I’m old!)

37. suitcase or duffel bag?

suitcase

38. lemonade or tea?

depends on what i’m doing

39. lemon cake or lemon meringue pie?

pie. always.

40. weirdest thing to ever happen at your school?

muhammed ali coming to visit? (I went to his alma mater.)

41. last person you texted?

my wife

42. jacket pockets or pants pockets?

yes?

43. hoodie, leather jacket, cardigan, jean jacket or bomber jacket?

hoodie

44. favorite scent for soap?

sandalwood

45. which genre: sci-fi, fantasy or superhero?

fantasy in theory, superhero in movies

46. most comfortable outfit to sleep in?

just my undies

47. favorite type of cheese?

probably just because I can’t get it now, wagash.

48. if you were a fruit, what kind would you be?

pineapple

49. what saying or quote do you live by?

i feel a bit weird, since i think it’s a bit appropriative, but this from the great Jewish scholar Pirkei Avot: “ It is not incumbent upon you to finish the task, but neither are you free to absolve yourself from it. “

50. what made you laugh the hardest you ever have?

i’m old, so it’s hard to say, but i always love Muppets.

51. current stresses?

work, upcoming move, the rising tide of authoritarianism around the globe

52. favorite font?

times new roman

53. what is the current state of your hands?

what the hell does this even mean? they’re fine

54. what did you learn from your first job?

that being a lawyer seemed to suck

55. favorite fairy tale?

three little pigs?

56. favorite tradition?

i’m not a tradition guy. i love caroling, in theory at least.

57. the three biggest struggles you’ve overcome?

1) the idea that my father was in hell for his adultery 2) getting into the foreign service 3) divorce

58. four talents you’re proud of having?

1) perseverance 2) mental math 3) good with people 4) bartending

59. if you were a video game character, what would your catchphrase be? “fuck it” (it was my mom’s catchphrase)

60. if you were a character in an anime, what kind of anime would you want it to be? i don’t know enough anime. a middle aged male equivalent of magical girl?

61. favorite line you heard from a book/movie/tv show/etc.? “you my dear ricky are not just a sentimentalist; it seems you’ve become a patriot!”

62. seven characters you relate to?

1) Captain America (I can do this all day) 2) Captain Marvel 3) Group Captain Mandrake 4) Willow Rosenberg 5) Luke (from Cool Hand Luke) 6) Viktor Laszlo 7) Bow

63. five songs that would play in your club?

1) Voodoo, Godsmack 2) Django Jane, Janelle Monae 3) Turalu, the Bollox 4) Block Rockin Beats, Chemical Bros 5) Children of the Underworld, Tiamat

64. favorite website from your childhood?

brunching.com (ok, i was in high school when it came out -- we didn’t have the internet when i was a kid!)

65. any permanent scars?

emotional or physical? one on my hand

66. favorite flower(s)?

roses

67. good luck charms?

not anymore

68. worst flavor of any food or drink you’ve ever tried?

durian.

69. a fun fact that you don’t know how you learned?

no freaking clue. sorry.

70. left or right handed?

left

71. least favorite pattern?

loud checks

72. worst subject?

art

73. favorite weird flavor combo?

no idea...i like all kinds of weird combos. globally peanut butter and jelly is weird.

74. at what pain level out of ten (1 through 10) do you have to be at before you take an advil or ibuprofen?

7. (I’m always at a 3 or 4.)

75. when did you lose your first tooth?

7 years old. it was loose for FOREVER.

76. what’s your favorite potato food (i.e. tater tots, baked potatoes, fries, chips, etc.)?

depends on meal and mood, but usually hash browns

77. best plant to grow on a windowsill?

any you use in food

78. coffee from a gas station or sushi from a grocery store?

gas station coffee. it’ll do the job w/o killing me

79. which looks better, your school id photo or your driver’s license photo?

well, my school id photo would be about 15 years old at this point, so probably that one. (now, my work id photo is better.)

80. earth tones or jewel tones?

jewel tones

81. fireflies or lightning bugs?

lightning bugs

82. pc or console?

what am i playing? both have good points

83. writing or drawing?

writing

84. podcasts or talk radio?

podcasts. talk radio blows.

84. barbie or polly pocket?

whichever my cousin has (which, considering my age, meant barbie)

85. fairy tales or mythology?

is there a functional difference? i don’t think so.

86. cookies or cupcakes?

87. your greatest fear?

dying.

88. your greatest wish?

immortality. if limited to realistic things, becoming an ambassador.

89. who would you put before everyone else?

the needs of the world

90. luckiest mistake?

dating someone 5 years younger than me.

91. boxes or bags?

for what? what am i using them for? they’re different things with different uses!

92. lamps, overhead lights, sunlight or fairy lights?

depends on what i’m doing. for a party, fairy lights. for reading, sunlight.

93. nicknames?

Frosty

94. favorite season?

winter.

95. favorite app on your phone?

most useful might be FB messenger or Signal, but I’m partial to Marvel Puzzle Quest.

96. desktop background?

some beach scene

97. how many phone numbers do you have memorized?

about 5?

98. favorite historical era?

if it’s a setting for something, WWII. if it’s to live in, and i can’t live in the present, 1990s.

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