#the issue with instrumental songs is that you just look them up by lyric when you dont know the name

[weirdkpopgirl]

Burden | Dream Reaction #11

Reaction: When their gf feels like a burden to them

Genre: Hurt/comfort

Warnings: mentions of anxiety, dark thoughts, mental health issues

Word Count: 3593k

Author's Note: This reaction was requested by an anon, which I am very grateful for. I feel like the theme for this reaction is pretty common in my stories. So I tried my best to come up with different scenarios and not sound too repetitive. Writing this story made me think of how all the members of NCT Dream are such sweethearts, honestly. I hope you guys like this and please feel free to request more! Thank you for reading ^ ^

~ ~ ~

MARK

Lately, there’s been this growing distance between you and Mark. You hated yourself for feeling this way because Mark was nothing short of the perfect boyfriend. He treated you with kindness and respect. He didn’t hesitate to show his feelings for you and cared for you in ways that no one else in your life has.

But you were someone who carried a lot of insecurities. Frequently, you found yourself pondering if you were truly worthy of Mark's affection. He was constantly busy with his back-and-forth schedules between 127 and Dream. Yet he still made the time to call you and ask how your day went. You felt like you didn’t deserve him. 

One evening, you were engaging in a deep conversation with Taeyong at the 127 dorm. As the leader figure of the group, you sometimes found yourself confiding in the male when it came to concerns about your relationship. Unbeknownst to you, Mark happened to be present at the dorm that evening, and as he walked down the hallway, he overheard your voice drifting from the living room. 

“I don’t know…Mark is so sweet and loving,” you spoke with uncertainty, as you held a couch pillow close to your chest.“Sometimes I can’t help but feel like I’m a burden to him.”

He observed Taeyong place a comforting hand on your shoulder. “(Y/n), you’re an amazing girlfriend and Mark cares about you a lot. You shouldn’t be so hard on yourself,” he tried to reassure you.

You let out a sigh, “I know…but I just can’t shake the feeling that I’ll never be good enough for him.”

Mark genuinely had no idea you were feeling this way. He’d stay up the rest night, replaying your words in his head. You were so important to Mark, and he couldn’t bear the thought of his life without you. Knowing that you felt so insecure saddened him deeply.

A few days later you received a text from Mark, asking you to meet him at the studio. The message felt somewhat random, but you headed to his company building, unsure of what to expect.

When you walked into the studio, Mark was sitting on the sofa with a guitar in hand. At first, you were confused until his fingers began strumming to a familiar tune.

“Oh, her eyes, her eyes make the stars look like they’re not shinin’. Her hair, her hair falls perfectly without her trying,” he sang softly. “She’s so beautiful, and I tell her every day.”

 You couldn’t help but laugh, finding it almost surreal that Mark Lee was serenading you with a Bruno Mars song. But the charming smile on his lips didn’t leave as he finished the first verse.

“Yeah, I know, I know when I compliment her, she won’t believe me. 

And it’s so, it’s so sad to think that she don’t see what I see.”

His fingers continued to strum the instrument as he stood up and walked up to you, singing the chorus with heartfelt emotion.

“When I see your face, there’s not a thing I would change. Cause you’re amazing, just the way you are.” He gazed into your eyes, singing the lyrics with such love and admiration. “And when you smile, the whole world stops and stares for awhile. Cause girl you’re amazing, just the way you are.”

Your hands were clasped over your mouth, and tears glistened in your eyes as Mark sang the rest of the song. The raw emotion in his voice and the sweet lyrics touched you deeply, making this moment feel incredibly intimate. The romantic gesture felt so sudden, making you wonder what brought this all on.

After the song finished, Mark gently took your hand in his. “(Y/n), I heard you talking to Taeyong hyung the other day. And I wanted to let you know that you’re never a burden to me.”

You felt a mixture of surprise and gratitude, touched by his openness and the effort he took to address your concerns. The love in his eyes reaffirmed that he meant every word, and a sense of comfort washed over you as he held your hand, grounding you in the present moment.

"I cherish every part of you," Mark continued, his voice unwavering. "In good times and challenging ones, we're in this together. You can always lean on me. I'm here to support you through everything."

His words were like a warm embrace, wrapping around your heart and reaffirming the love you shared. In that moment, you knew that you were truly seen and valued by Mark, and your heart overflowed with love for this incredible person beside you.

✎__________________________________________________________

RENJUN

While you were in the kitchen preparing lunch, Renjun was relaxing in the living room. His group had just finished their promotional activities for their latest comeback, leaving him exhausted from the busy schedule. However, you became a bit flustered when you attempted to reach for an ingredient on a top shelf but found yourself unable to reach it.

Sighing in frustration, you stole a glance at Renjun, who was lying on the couch. Perhaps he could lend you a hand with this predicament. But as you started to hesitate when you approached him. His arm covered his eyes, as his chest slowly rose up and down with each slow breath he took. You didn’t want to disturb him when he looked so peaceful.

Renjun’s eyes slowly opened as he watched you walk away. Curious, he stood up from the couch and quietly followed you into the kitchen. The corner of his lips upturned in a small smile when he saw you struggle to get something from the cabinet.

When you felt Renjun extend his arm to retrieve the ingredient for you, you nearly jumped and turned around in surprise. 

Renjun looked at you endearingly and said, “You could’ve just asked me, (Y/n).”

“I know, but you were resting and I didn’t want to bother you,” you frowned. 

In response to this, Renjun planted a soft kiss on your forehead. “You could never bother me, darling,” he reassured, brushing away a loose strand of hair behind your ear.

You blushed at his warm gesture and whispered a "thank you" before returning to what you were doing before. Renjun was truly a sweetheart, and his caring nature never failed to make you feel loved and appreciated.

✎__________________________________________________________

JENO

The day had been long and overwhelming. Honestly, you were just glad that it was almost over. All you wanted right now was to be in your boyfriend’s arms. However, when you entered the bedroom, you found Jeno engrossed in a videogame on his computer.

Approaching him quietly, you softly called his name. “Jeno-ssi.”

“Yeah, babe?” He responded, keeping his eyes focused on the screen in front of him.

You felt discouraged when you saw how concentrated he was on his game. Not wanting to bother him, you took a step back. “I—actually, never mind.”

Jeno caught the hesitance in your voice and spun around in his chair. Just as you were walking away, he reached to grab your hand.

“No, babe, what is it?” he asked, concern evident in his voice. Your cheeks flushed with embarrassment now that you had his attention. Even if you tried to brush him off again, you knew he wouldn’t let you go.

“I was going to ask if we could cuddle. but I don’t want to distract you from your game,” you muttered, avoiding his gaze. You couldn’t help but feel silly for wanting something so seemingly small.

Jeno’s eyes softened at your words, and in the next second, you were being pulled into his lap. He loved nothing more than holding you in his arms and pressing kisses into your hair. The idea that you thought he would reject you, puzzled him.

“You can always ask me for cuddles, babe,” he whispered softly, his arms wrapped securely around you. “I love being with you, and I don’t want you to feel like it’s a bother.”

You slowly smiled and allowed your head to rest on his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart. His touch radiated so much comfort and warmth that it seemed to chase away any lingering insecurities or anxious thoughts from earlier. For the remainder of the night, he kept you in his lap as he played his game. Eventually, he retired from the computer and proceeded to cuddle you in the comforts of your bed. Jeno just loved being close to you and he wanted to ensure that you never felt like you were bothering him again.

✎__________________________________________________________

HAECHAN

Something didn’t feel right when Haechan entered your apartment. After sliding on the familiar gray slippers you always kept for him, he shuffled through the darkness of your living room. His feet padded down the hallway, guided by the faint glow of light escaping beneath your bedroom door. He paused outside the closed door. Apprehension filled him when he heard your shaky breathing.

Haechan swallowed nervously before raising his hand to the door and lightly tapping his knuckles against the wood. “(Y/n)?” he called out softly. “Is it okay if I come in?”

When he was met with an unsettling silence, his determination urged him to slowly turn the doorknob and gently push open the door. The second he stepped inside his eyes fell on you sitting at the foot of the bed with your head buried in your hands. His heart broke at the sight of your body visibly trembling.

Haechan knew you hated it whenever he found you in this state of vulnerability. When he was present, you often put on a brave face for him. You were always trying to maintain this cheerful facade, even when things were not okay. He understood the effort you made to protect him from your inner struggles. But the thought of you hurting weighed heavily on his heart.

With a small sigh, Haechan closed the door behind him. He noticed you tense up when he approached you cautiously.

“(Y/n),” he started to say, extending his hand towards you in a gesture of comfort.

But you shook your head vigorously and pulled away from him. “Please, just go away Hyuck. I don’t want to see me like this,” you pleaded.

His expression faltered at your attempt to push him away. He could sense the pain and he wasn’t going to let you face it alone.

“(Y/n), whatever it is…just let me be there for you,” he said.

But your head shook again, almost as if your brain was refusing to let Haechan’s words comfort you. Your fists repeatedly banged against your head, the pain momentarily numbing the overwhelming thoughts and emotions within you.

 “I’m a mess, Haechan. I’m broken and damaged,” you cried. “I’m…I’m nothing but a burden right now.”

Haechan’s eyes widened with panic and he firmly grabbed your wrists to stop your self-destructive actions. “Hey, hey, don’t hurt yourself,” he murmured, trying to calm you down. “Who put those thoughts in your head, huh?”

As more tears cascaded down your cheek, Haechan loosened his grip on one of your hands and gently brushed away the tears with his thumb. 

“Look at me, (Y/n),” Haechan whispered. He gently lifted your chin, locking your gaze with his. 

“You are not a burden, nor are you broken or damaged,” he said, caressing your cheek. “Please don’t believe those lies your mind tells you.”

His voice was filled with a seriousness that resonated deep within your heart. The tears slowed and your body gradually stopped shaking. Once he was sure you wouldn’t resist, he wrapped his arms around you, pulling you into a warm embrace. His chin rested atop your head, providing security, while his fingers tenderly stroked your hair.

“I know it’s hard for you to see yourself the way I see you,” he continues. “But trust me when I say you’re the strongest person I know, (Y/n).”

The outside world receded as his words sank in. Taking a deep breath, you closed your eyes and surrendered to his comforting embrace. No matter how frequently the inner demons resurfaced, Haechan remained steadfast in banishing them. Within his arms, you never felt safer.

✎__________________________________________________________

JAEMIN

Although you woke up this morning with a fever, that didn’t stop you from attending all your morning classes. It wasn’t that big of a deal, and you fully planned to spend the rest of the day in bed. However, when Jaemin sent a text asking if you wanted to come by his dance practice, you couldn’t turn him down. You also knew that if you told Jaemin you were sick, he’d get worried, and you didn’t want that.

Despite you not feeling your best, seeing Jaemin’s smile when you entered the practice room forced you to suck it up. The other members greeted you cheerfully, and their faces lit up when they spotted the bag of food in your hand.

“I missed you so much (Y/n),” Jaemin said. He spun you around in a hug that left you feeling a bit uneasy due to your headache. But you tried to push it off, not wanting to dampen the joyful atmosphere.

As you sat with the boys, you slowly started to realize that you weren't feeling any better. The fatigue and discomfort seemed to intensify, making it challenging to keep up with their energy.

Mark was the first to notice your lack of presence in the group. “Are you okay, (Y/n)? You look a little pale.”

“I—I’m fine. Just a little tired,” You mustered a weak smile as you gathered everyone’s trash to throw away. But as soon as you got up, the room started to spin. 

Jaemin and the others stood panicked when they saw you lose balance. Luckily, Jaemin reacted quickly and caught you when your vision blurred out. The new thing you knew, you woke up a few moments later, finding yourself resting on Jaemin’s lap.

“Baby, why didn’t you tell me you weren’t feeling well?” he scolded lightly, stroking your hair. “You scared me.”

Seeing the genuine concern in his eyes made you feel a little guilty. “I’m sorry, I just didn’t want to be a burden to you,” you mumbled, slowly sitting up with Jaemin’s help.

Your boyfriend sighed and cupped your face in his hands. “No baby! You’re never a burden to me, especially when it comes to your health.”

Jaemin tried to convince you to go home, worried about your well-being. But you insisted on staying, wanting to support him. Throughout the rest of practice, he kept checking up on you. Despite some teasing and complaints from the other members about how disgusting and cute you guys were, you didn’t pay them much attention.

Seeing how much Jaemin cared for you and how attentive he was to your needs made you feel deeply loved and cherished.

✎__________________________________________________________

CHENLE

Gift-giving was Chenle’s love language, and it was something you still haven’t adjusted to. While you appreciated the thoughtfulness behind receiving flowers and stuffed animals from your boyfriend, you couldn’t help but feel a little guilty. You didn’t like him frequently spending money on you when he could save it for something more important. At the end of the day, you understood that this was Chenle’s way of expressing his love and you didn’t want to diminish that. 

One afternoon, the two of you were at an outdoor mall on a date. The initial plan was just to do some window shopping. But there was a clothes shop place that Chenle suggested you guys check out. The two of you walked around the store for a bit and there was a dress that caught your eye. It was a simple plaid black dress adorned with white sleeves. The classic design exuded an elegance that matched your fashion style.

However, your interest was forgotten when you picked up the price tag. There was no way you were going to spend so much money on one dress. Chenle noticed your eyes widening and followed your gaze to the dress you were looking at.

“Oh, that would look so cute on you,” he remarked.

You smiled sheepishly and let go of the fabric. “Yeah, but it’s pretty expensive. I don’t think I should buy it.”

Chenle smiled and swung his arm around your shoulder. “Who says you’re buying the dress? Don’t worry baby, I got you.”

A frown immediately tugged at your lips. The idea of him paying already made you feel bad. Even if the dress was nice, you were perfectly fine with not having it. 

“Chenle, you don’t have to do that. I’m not worth this,” you said quietly. The carefree expression on Chenle’s face turned to one of confusion.

“What do you mean you’re not worth it?” he asked. “You’re worth every cent of my money and love.”

“But I don’t want to burden you,” you emphasized. “It’s just a dress Chenle, I don’t need it.”

Sighing softly, Chenle cupped your cheeks into his hands, making sure you were looking into his eyes. “Listen here future Mrs. Zhong, you are not a burden or anything of the sort. You’re worthy of anything in this world and I will prove it to you at any cost.”

His words caused heat to rise to your cheeks. But when you lowered your head in embarrassment, Chenle brought your face back up and kissed you. He couldn’t care less about the nearby customers who were now staring at you two.

Feeling even more flustered, you pulled away in surprise. “Zhong Chenle, you can’t just kiss me in front of all these people!”

“Well if you don’t want me to kiss you again, you’re going to come with me to check this out.” Your boyfriend smiled mischievously and took the dress off the rack.

Any more protests from you went ignored, as the boy was already taking your hand and leading you to the checkout area. Chenle was definitely something else, always managing to surprise you with his spontaneous and caring nature. But you were grateful to have such a loving boyfriend. You could always count on him to make you feel like the most special girl in the world.

✎__________________________________________________________

JISUNG

He was just roaming around your apartment as you were in the kitchen making instant ramen for the two of you. It was Jisung’s second time visiting, and he wanted to become more familiar with your living space. He wandered into the bedroom, instantly picking up on how everything was so neat and tidy. He smiled when he spotted a framed picture of him on your nightstand. Seeing the photograph there filled him with warmth, knowing that you held him close to your heart.

However, he also noticed a small black journal on your nightstand. Curious, he picked up the object and opened it absentmindedly. His eyes quickly widened in horror as he read the top words on the second page. 

It was a list of the things you didn't like about yourself. His heart sank as he saw pages filled with bullet points, each one representing the insecurities you carried within. Dread filled him as he skimmed over the reasons that varied from your looks to what you perceived as flaws.

What hurt him the most was the last one on the bottom, which said: “I am a burden to everyone around me.” The weight of those words hit him like a tidal wave, leaving his heart heavy with a mix of sadness and anguish. 

“Jisung what are you—” You entered the room, wondering what he was doing in here.

Your body froze when you saw the notebook clutched tightly in his hands. The sight immediately filled you with panic, uncertain of how much he read. 

Jisung glanced up, looking like he was about to cry. “(Y/n), do you really think you’re a burden?”

The sadness in his tone only confirmed your fears and caused a wave of vulnerability to wash over you. You took a hesitant step closer, wanting to reach out and comfort him, yet also feeling exposed and uncertain of how to respond. But when tears began to spill out of Jisung’s eyes, you rushed to his side.

“Baby I—” You tried to say something, but the words caught in your throat.

"Was there something I did or said to make you think that?" He fretted, his brows furrowing with genuine concern.

Shaking your head, you wrapped your arms around him. “No, you didn’t do anything Jisungie. It’s just me that’s the problem.”

Hearing your confession only made him feel worse. The realization that you had been struggling with these feelings of, and he didn’t know killed him. As your boyfriend, he felt responsible for not being there to show how much you meant to him.

“(Y/n), I…I love you so much,” Jisung cried, his voice muffled against your shirt. “You’re never a burden to me or…or anyone. Please don’t think that way.”

You slowly exhaled, offering soothing pats on the boy’s back as you tried to comfort him. Seeing how deeply upset Jisung was about this surprised you. It took a few minutes for you to get him to stop crying. You rocked him back and forth in your embrace, pressing kisses into his hair and whispering apologies. Once he calmed down, you promised Jisung you’d work on being less critical of yourself and be more open about your feelings with him.

✎__________________________________________________________

#nct #nct dream #nct dream imagines #nct dream reactions #nct dream scenarios #nct dream x reader #mark #renjun #jeno #haechan #jaemin #jisung #chenle #nctzen #czennie #kpop #hurt/comfort #nct dream angst #7dream

[tipsyleaf]

"I had to talk to you."

Steve Harrington x (Fem) Reader

(2.4k words)

Stranger Things Masterlist

Summary: Steve meets a very new face inside a liquor store and immediately in infatuated.

Content Warning: Heavy flirtation, canon divergence (Eddie's not dead idc what you tell me), Steve's in college to be a teacher (I will die with the thought of this man as a teacher at Hawkins Middle School), Steve just being silly goofy lil guy, Steve has bad eyesight sometimes (imagine him in glasses like Uncle Jesse's in Full House)

October 13th, 1989

Steve sighs, leaning back on the drivers side of his 1983 BMW. Burgundy paint starting to chip on the hood, the car becoming less appealing day by day. Girls passing by not even looking in his direction anymore. He was old news in Hawkins after people found out he had finally started at a college half an hour away in Fort Wayne. Just starting his life like everyone else did 4 years ago just wasn't appealing to most girls.

At least not Hawkins girls.

But at this point he didn't care. He was proud of himself for pulling his life together after all the bullshit he had been put through. With saving an entire town too many god damn times. Cutting his dad off when his parents divorced. Moving out to get a rented house with his best friend Robin. Just what he learned he needed over time.

Getting into a good school by himself with no help was just a cherry on top of the fuck you sundae he graciously served his past problems.

He was satisfied with what he had right now.

Dustin walks out of the new game shop in the newest strip mall to grace Hawkins. Steve looks up, pushing his Ray-Ban sunglasses onto his head.

"You made it out before, Robin. I'm surprised." Dustin glanced at the instrument shop a few doors down, then back to Steve. "You get what Eddie needed?"

"Mostly yeah. She's still getting her trumpet fixed?" Steve shrugs at Dustin's question and slides his sunglasses down in place again.

"She probably got distracted looking at something shiny and new. You know Robins crow brain sometimes." Dustin laughs, looking into his bag, shuffling a few things around inside.

Steve looked over at the liquor store at the end of the strip mall. Looking back at Dustin, he taps the top of the car. His head snapped up, eyes a bit surprised at the sudden noise.

"You want anything?" Steve asks, tilting his head back towards the store.

"Coke? If they got it." Dustin simply replied before getting in the back seat. Steve nods and walks to the liquor store.

The bell chimes over his head as he walks through the door. He takes in the warmth of the store and the radio playing over the speakers on the ceiling. Such a nice contrast to the crisp Autumn air outside.

He turns heading down an isle of assorted liquor bottles and bar accessories before finally stopping at the fridge. Humming along to the song over the radio, mumbling the lyrics to 'I wanna know what love is' absentmindedly.

Sliding his glasses down his nose, he squints at the selection. All the labels are blurry the farther he is, he steps forward rubbing his eyes and sure doesn't help with the florescent lighting blinding him from above.

'God I need to get my eyes checked.'

Opening the fridge, he grabs the 3 soft drinks and a 6-pack for later when he hears a metal scrapping and whoosh next to him. Followed by a muffled but panicked "Shit!"

Looking over, he sees the back of a squatting woman struggling with a metal shelf slipping out of one of the fridges.

Walking over, he quickly puts his things down and pushes the shelf back in. The metal shelf, cold against his warm skin as he reaches into the fridge, fixing the fasteners back into place.

An issue he's all too familiar with working at Family Video. The fridge racks always got loose and every time it happened he was always made to clean them up. He could only imagine the mess a bunch of glasses and beer would have made.

"Thank you so much!" The woman speaks as Steve stands up, slowly closing the door. Looking back, he finally sees your face. His lips slightly part as you continue talking, he can't hear a word you're saying right now.

All he can hear is the very oddly convenient Foreigner song playing over the store radio as he takes in every detail of your gorgeous face. From your shiny hair to your bright smile. The vibrant colored nail polish on your fingers you're waving as you talk. You're unfamiliar, he's never seen you before, but you're an absolute stunner of a woman.

Steve never thought of himself as a love at first sight kind of guy. But right now he was undoubtedly being proven wrong by the spark he was feeling, not to mention the nervous knot in his stomach.

"But really you're a life saver... Thank you." You stop talking, looking at him. Your face falls as he perks up, realizing he's just been staring like a complete idiot this entire time.

"You're welcome!" He spoke, choking almost over how inappropriately loud he was for a second. Feeling the effect of not talking to women for a while really hit him. You look down at his soon-to-be purchases.

"Full Sail Amber. Good beer." You comment, making him look at the floor and nod.

Crouching down, he grabs his things and stands cracking his head on one of the fridge door handles. His sunglasses fell off his face and onto the floor. He stands up wedging his soft drink between his side and arm. Rubbing his head with a hiss.

"You okay?" You ask with a slight chuckle. Bending down, you grab the sunglasses, Steve moves his hand, grabbing the bottom of the door handle to shield your head from injury.

"Yeah, thanks." Before he gets to put his hand out to take his Ray-Bans back, you slide them on his head with a soft smile.

'God she's so fucking pretty.'

"You're welcome. And thanks again for... Saving me from paying for a full shelf of beer." She turned down the isle to another part of the store.

Part of Steve wants to follow you and try chatting you up, but the slight embarrassment of hurting his head just keeps him from doing so.

He turns, goes to the front of the store and makes his purchases. Heading outside, he walks to his car, finally seeing Robin in her usual spot, the passenger seat. Opening the driver's door, he slips in.

"There you are!" Robin looked at him, her trumpet case in-between her legs on the floor of the car.

"What's with the face?" Dustin asks, Steve looking at him in the rearview, glaring.

"Shut up Henderson." He hands them their sodas, moving to close his car door when he hears the bell from the liquor store chime.

Out you walk, starting across the parking lot to a top-down red 86' Volkswagen Cabriolet. Steve freezes, staring again. He really can't help but stare.

"Oooh." Robin and Dustin both taunt him, making him sigh. He needs more friends, fewer annoying friends.

"She's pretty." Robin says looking at Dustin.

"Too pretty to talk to, apparently." Dustin adds, laughing as he looks back at Steve.

"I talked to her in the store." Dustin raised his eyebrows, pushing his baseball cap up a bit.

"You asked her out?"

"No." Steve watches you load your bag into the back of the car and start pulling the top up on your car.

"Not too late!" Robin smiled, taking a sip of her drink. Dustin looked at her.

"He's not gonna do it."

"No, he's gonna do it."

Steve feels like he has a devil and an angel bickering on his shoulders right now. His foot meets the new asphalt of the parking lot as you open your driver's door.

He's quickly out of the driver's seat.

"Holy shit he's doing it." Dustin comments as he shuts the door on them.

He stops at the bumper of his car, hearing your car engine click over. Music pours out of your open windows before you turn it down quickly.

The universe is screaming at him to talk to you when he starts hearing that familiar Tears for Fears song, 'Head Over Heels'.

'Please don't pull away, please don't pull away.'

He nearly sprints across the parking lot out of fear of missing his chance. Upon reaching the car, he knocks on the back window, pulling you from looking for something in the console.

"Hi..." He says awkwardly, approaching the window. Leaning on the door, he smiles as you smile back.

"Hi. You need something?" He gets so agitated that you smirk up at him.

'Why'd you have to be so God damn pretty?'

"Sorry if this is weird, but I had to talk to you." He started, finally being able to say something. Your eyes go half shut with a soft nod.

"Talk to me?" He nods, clenching the door frame for a second. "Go ahead then. Talk."

His eyes go wide in surprise at your sudden confidence. Steve stammered for a second.

"Uh... At the risk of sounding crazy or desperate... You're probably the most beautiful girl I've ever seen in my life." You can feel your body warm up as he gives the most genuine smile you've seen on a man in a while.

"Mmhm, go on."

"Are you by chance single? Or like... Are you even attracted to men at all?" He asks, sheepishly smiling.

"Yes, and yes." Your smirk slowly turns into a grin as he squats to eye level now, feeling a bit more confident after your answer.

"I'm Steve, by the way. Steve Harrington." He smiles again hearing you reply with your name. "Are you new to Hawkins?"

"I am actually. I just moved here from the city and needed to stay nearby for school."

"Where are you going?"

"Trine University." His eyes go wide, the same school he goes to. What are the odds?

"Really? I actually go there too. Education major." You look him up and down. You never pegged him for the teacher type.

"Software Engineering major."

"So you're smart and gorgeous. Good to know." He smirks, finally feeling like himself when talking as your flush finally becomes noticeable. "You like movies?"

"What kind of psychopath doesn't like movies?" He laughs at your response, leaning in closer to the window.

"Lemme be more specific. The new Halloween 5 movie came out today. You interested in seeing it? Maybe with me tonight at the drive-in theater in Lafayette. We can have dinner after. All my treat, of course." He can see the sparkle in your eyes, that spark he felt looking at you before is still lingering around him.

"What's in it for me?" You playfully ask. He cocks his head to the side, leaning it on his arm for a second.

"A fun night out with a gentleman, I promise I'm fun." You chuckle, rolling your eyes, he knows you want to say yes. "Please?"

He'd never said please before when asking a girl out. It didn't feel embarrassing like he thought it would. You turn your attention back to the console looking for something.

Pulling out a napkin and pen, you quickly write down your number and address. Turning back, you hold it out to him as he takes it.

"I'm free at 8. And dress nicely. You're taking me somewhere decent after the movie."

"I'll take you to the most expensive restaurant I can find if that's what you want. I don't care. As long as I get to see you again." You laugh at his bluntness, it's like music to his ears.

"That won't be necessary. I don't need to be spoiled."

"What if I want to spoil you?" That caught you off guard as you didn't respond right away. He let a soft breath escape his mouth. "You like roses?"

"White roses." You reply, he nods, standing up again and folding the napkin, storing it in his back jean pocket for safe keeping.

"I'll be sure to remember that." You two just stare at each other in silence for a minute. No man's ever looked at you like Steve has right now, it makes your heart race from nervousness.

"I'll see you at 8 o'clock then." You look past him for a moment and back to him. "Tell your friends I said hello since they like to stare so much."

Raising an eyebrow, Steve turned his head. He sees Robin poking her head over the roof of the car and Dustin sitting on the rolled down window frame. They quickly hurry back into the car, noticing they've been caught. He should be embarrassed, but he fully expects their behavior from being friends for so long.

"Ignore them." Steve says, sighing as he looks back at you. "I'll see you at 8."

He turned away towards his car, trying to stay as confident as he was before turning his back. Reaching his car, he pops the door open, clutching it for dear life as he silently collects himself. Robin poked her head across the driver's seat to look up at him.

"You good dude?" She asks, concerned but also excited as he just nods.

You pull out of your parking spot, stopping behind his car and honk once to get his attention. Dustin pops his head out the back window as Robin looks out her open door. Steves head snaps up at you as you lean on your window frame, chin on fist with the most shit eating grin on your face.

"See you at 8 sexy~" You called to him. And then you have the balls to blow him a kiss before peeling out of the parking lot.

Steve silently gets in the car. Robin shuts her door as Steve does his. Dustin sits forward looking at Steve, who's just gripping his steering wheel, the adrenaline starting to wear off.

"Dude, she's so into you, into you!" Dustin breaks the silence as Robin nods.

"And I'd say it's the same for Harrington here." Robin grins as a massive smile spreads across Steve's face.

He starts excitedly thrashing frontwards and backwards. Enough to shake the car and look like he's about to rip the steering wheel from it's column. He lets out an excited yell, causing his two friends to laugh at him.

He let out a long breath, looking at them.

"She says hi by the way."

#steve harrington x reader #steve harrington x fem!reader #stranger things #stranger things x reader #steve harrington x you

[romanthroughthefield]

okay so it wasn’t my next post but whatever-

Why Something To Believe In is Actually a Good Song (Contrary to Popular Belief):

disclaimer: i’m not a media analyst or whatever i’m just a person with an opinion (and the delusional idea that i know jack kelly better than anyone)

1. first things first i genuinely think that alan menken is a genius composer. how could i not? he has created some of the most influential scores in modern day cinema. regardless of your opinion on the song place in newsies i think that looking at the chord progression, lyrics, and instrumentals you have to admit that it is a nice song to listen to.

2. addressing some issues people have with jatherine i think a lot of the issues people have with this song come from the pre-conceived notion that their relationship was “rushed” or built on “jack being a creep” which i simply just don’t agree with. possibly a side tangent but don’t come a knockin’ doesn’t make jack out to be a creep it simply states that he participates in hookup culture. a line in which he literally laughs while singing. jack and katherine have a very flirty and joking relationship up until this point and not once did i read into this as katherine being uncomfortable. jack finds katherine as an equal, a match for his wit and humor. this is the first girl he’s ever felt a deeper connection with. he is literally in disbelief that a “girl like her could ever wind up with a guy like him.” the song only further deepens their relationship. they state that the love that they have discovered here is new for them. it doesn’t mean that their madly in love, i mean they’re teenagers, it just means that they love each other and what they brought into each others lives. it’s “rushed” if you people that this song is a confession of deep love which i simply just don’t think it is.

4. a deeper look into what believing means “jack already had something to believe in! he had the newsies” “katherine had herself and her career.” people like to deny it but jack didn’t like his life before the strike. it wasn’t because of the newsies of course but can you really think that stealing food and clothes for the boys he cares about in the lodging house was his endgame for him? that’s why he had santa fe, so he could dream. his “something to believe in” was a dream not a reality.

when katherine comes along that is his first tether to reality. they can change the way new york is run. this doesn’t have to be his life anymore. now his “something to believe in” was a reality in front of him not just a dream that would save his crushing reality of not being able to care for his boys properly.

same thing goes for katherine in the sense that her career was finally “busting out of the social pages” until she immediately got shot down. her father’s pressure was not her end goal, she wanted to make a career for herself but was denied it. when jack arrives and she finally gets a story to run with and the courage to change the way that new york is run she discovers her “something to believe in.” jack and katherine each awaken something in each other, they each believe in each other. i mean that is literally said in the song but it goes deeper than just their love for each other, they literally have changed each others lives.

4. from a composers point of view: something to believe in gets no hints/preludes/reprises/playoffs or anything of the sort which the entire rest of the album does (except thats rich im pretty sure but thats completely different). point is any number that jack or katherine sing in up to this point has either already been lamented again or will be in the future. something to believe in stands alone in its present, it is literally the time frane that jack wishes he could freeze. it is a singular moment in which their unique situations come together. before they kiss in the song jack ends his longer phrases with a stagnant note. after his kisses her the notes at the ends of his phrases climb up. from a strictly technical point of view he literally rises up because of katherine believing in him.

idk i didn’t proof read this let me know if it makes sense

#newsies #newsies fandom #jack kelly #katherine plumber #jatherine #i am so normal about newsies #and this song #btw im totally a javey shipper i just think stbi just gets far too much hate for how good it is

[theghostbunnie]

How do you see Max and Nikki’s relationship?

As siblings

I know that's like sometimes what ppl say when there's a straight pairing popular ship (makki) vs a gay popular one (maxneil) and they don't really mean it they just mean they have a uncomfortbilty or hatred towards one of the ships, but in my mind they're literally twins/hj

I have AUs where they're twins, half siblings, step siblings. I love them sm..There's even a line in one of the end credit rap songs that goes something like "we may not have the same color skin but imma treat em like my twin" and I'm like ah yes,,, something to feed into my delusions/j

((on a more srs note I feel like more ppl should look into the end credit lyrics alot of it seems specifically written to fit Max and might give people a better insight into his characterization))

But enough of my fannon delusions n self indulgence they're obviously not actually siblings they're best friends BUT they didn't start off that way no matter how sweet the "you now have three little bastards to deal with" line is bc in the first season, earlier episodes he's more of an asshole to her bc they're still getting to know each other.

He broke her instrument, quicker to basically tell her to shut up on multiple occasions, ect.

Back to the first episode, Max operates BIG on first impressions. Off the bat he's touching Neil's shoulder, he's impressed by his disrespect to authority, he wants to hotwire the bus with him. But Nikki? Hardly addressing her. Even says "why would you help us?" Bc despite biting him, she appeared to be just a 'little more violent, mini-David.' THAT was his first impression of her. Nikki didn't have his attention or respect technically until he learned her willingness to seek and cause chaos near the end of the episode. There's times at later points where she's clearly getting on his nerves.

I'm pretty sure I already wrote out a whole in depth thing about how Max has issues getting attached to people and will fight it off and deny it once it happens even at the cost of their feelings (points at camp corp episode) where as Nikki is a social person who has been denied a real friend til she came to camp campbell same as Neil, who is NOT a social person. They both start off clingy towards Max for this but Nikki works past it and makes 2 other friends while Neil doesn't.

So recap: Max builds a team of two other kids he can just share a common goal with at first, is a bit of a jerk to Nikki initially at times, but she grows on him and now he really values her as a friend n cares for her deeply.

But now onto NIKKI'S POV: She'd been bullied before, it was a traumatic experience for her yes but that's also the ONLY information we have on any past relationships she's had with peers, kids her own age. Any other time she's talking about someone she knew it's often just her mom. sometimes her dad (often not painting a good picture of him but through a childhood innocence lense) or an animal she knew.

So when she makes her first friend group in camp campbell her only prior experience with one is in the flower scouts. Nikki picked up bad habits from them bc she's a kid and doesn't have the emotional maturity to analyze her every behavior.

So when Max is being the type of person who was being quick to shut her down, who (in her own words) was micro managing her, and only ever seemed like he was having a good time when they were doing what HE planned to do, ofc she's gonna start harboring some complaints. Nikki isn't gonna sit down and talk about her feelings to him like an adult she's gonna do what the flower scouts taught her and you talk shit about the problem to OTHER friends.

This isn't to say she secretly hates him, no I firmly believe she deeply cares about him too but they're both flawed people so their friendship has flaws too that doesn't make it void of care for one another.

You can't unbiasedly hate on Nikki for that scene she's mocking him if you're not even taking into consideration WHAT her original issue was. Nikki shit talks, Max has control issues.

As episodes progress I think they really seem to work past it and become better people AND I THINK THAT'S RLLY SWEET I LOVE THEIR FRIENDSHIP ❣️❣️

The way they interact with each other throughout the series really shows that their differences might cause some clashing but they have FUN together and I think their differences and problems just make them more interesting characters

#character analysis #fandom headcanons #fictional characters #character headcanons #headcannons #head canon #camp camp hcs #camp camp #camp campbell #campcamp #cc max #cc nikki #nikki cc #max cc #max camp camp #nikki camp camp #camp camp nikki #camp camp max #writing #character rambles #ramble

[sugar-omi]

what are your general thoughts on step 3 baxter bc i was replaying OL1 and i trying hard not to cackle at the fact baxter is 19 years old in like 2016. bc all i can hear is halsey, p!atd, arctic monkeys when i look at him; it's giving tumblr, hot topic, that specific period of alt fashion. like he looks like a k-pop idol, but has a weirdly deep voice and overly formal way of speaking. like that is a rich sheltered gayboy emo nerd, not a suave daddy dom. his ass is grass and mc is gonna mow it. i'm saying i find his whole aesthetic ridiculous even tho i do have a soft spot for his fear of emotional vulnerability.

LMAOOO NO I READ THE HALSEY, P!ATD, N ARCTIC MONKEYS AND YOU LITERALLY DESCRIBED MY MUSIC TASTE IN 2016-18 PLS JUST ADD MCR AND I AM IN RUINS.....

OMG STOP "HIS ASS IS GRASS AND MC IS GONNA MOW IT" PLS I LOVE YOU YOUR /WORDS/ IM ACTUALLY CRYING

honestly the only reason i don't clown him is bc I think him being older is 🥵🫣 but yeah I had to laugh when they called me Pepe le pew and Victorian emo man

I was literally getting ready to go out the one day after playing the dlc, and was trying not to fuck up my eyeliner from laughing bc pepe le pew is abnormally funny n idek what or who that is

HONESTLY I WAS SO GRATEFUL WHEN HE CHANGED CLOTHES

I COULD GET BEHIND THE SHIRT BUT THOSE PANTS.....

take em off

OH NO WHAT DO YOU THINK HIS UNDERWEAR LOOKED LIKE.... ik in step 4 he had fall leaves on his butt but what abt step 3.... im afraid 😟

okay I totally almost forgot your question, thank god I read things like 5 times before I'm sure I'm not missing smth but general thoughts....

well first thoughts was "who tf is this flirting w my man🤨"

now it's "who let this vampire out the house" bc baxter is so pale... pls I feel like if I put a firefly on him he'd burn like?!)!&*!^!??

final thought: "are you still looking to be sandwiched" bc poly cove/baxter/mc sounds PERFECT for all my issues (will never recover from the dialogue being different if you have cove at fond or crush when you start dating baxter.....)

also I'd like to eat him, did I say that alrdy? well I'd like to shrink him n nibble on him

OH MY GOD THATS OFF TRACK OK STEP 3 BAXTER THO. ID LIKE TO GRAB HIS FACE N YELL AT HIM

knowing he's going to break my heart...... pls... 5 moments wasn't enough imma need reimbursement for this heartache

I wanna sneak into his condo and lay in bed w him and make him laugh until he falls asleep n then I wanna wake him up w breakfast and then I wanna go on a lil stargazing date n walk along the edge of the water, the water only touching his feet when the wave goes up shore

n I wanna find all his lil freckles and moles n count them n be all close n tell him he's pretty like the moon and I wanna put on some song idk the lyrics to bc it's some Spanish love song or smth and make him dance w me even tho the most I can do is spin I a circle and circle literally one hip

and I wanna take him on a long drive w his dumb metal music blasting n make him yell it out w me and I wanna feed him his dumb fries w pie or whatever it was and I wanna make him lay in the grass w me and I wanna go build a dumb sandcastle and get him a silly lil toy that's prbly meant for kids n giggle abt it for a stupid amount of time and when we get home laugh abt it some more and i wanna play my dumb instrument and sing him a dumb song n AKAJHAGA I JUST WANT A FUCKJNG COMING OF AGE MOVIE W HIM I AM JAGADFALAH LOSING MY SHIT

okay.

I'm normal 🧍 ... I like this man a Regular amount

#olba #baxter ward

[vampirevatican]

His Song

“strumming my pain. singing my life. killing me softly with his song.” she sings, and notices your anxious look. “oh! no need to worry, this is a joyous story.”

pairing - hobie brown x black! fem reader

genre/tags - tooth-rotting fluff, lovers, flashback, vauge angst/cute comfort, have been dating for awhile like he's moved into your house

summary - hobie comes home to find you making something in the kitchen and the sound of music, knowing the song he decides to check in on you and you can't help but remember the first time you met and how you fell for him.

notes - 975 words. literally 3 ppl found this idea very cute, so i deliver. tooth rotting fluff, vauge issues so you can input whatever and yes you do know he's a spider person in this one. food lacks description and so does the angst because if it didnt this would be longer and out by 2 years and 5 business days.

The speaker was playing an instrumental of killing me softly by the fugees as you started up on dinner. Knowing Hobie would be swinging back home after a long day of freedom fighting, anarchy and some rescues. You and him had been dating for up to two years now, of course within the first few months he came clean about his secret identity. As you vocalized with the song and started to sing your mind started to recall how you met him.

You didn't really know him back then, he was just some cute guy in a band that would play shows here and there. From friends you heard that he played guitar really good, that his band wasn't bad. Some friends had pulled you out one night to see one of his shows and you only agreed because it was close enough to home and needed to get out for a bit anyways. Your girls told you it'd be a small joint, a dive bar, and you almost backed out before one of them reassured you that it wasn't bad. Since they were going to dress up and slightly go all out, you decided to as well. Doing your hair up in bantu knots; leaving two sections out as twists, make-up, accessories, if it was a night out with the girls you were bound to go above and beyond. Going down some stone steps you walked into the bar and was met with neon lights, a couple of tables and a bar that was off to the side. It definitely wasn't that bad, the vibes in the bar were relaxed and inviting. Taking a seat off in the corner near the stage with your group; while one of them went to get drinks, that's when he spotted you.

That night while he was prepping on stage he had noticed a new face in the crowd. Hobie had to pull his eyes away from you and focus on tuning his guitar or else he'd be watching you all night. When he played though, it wasn't an issue to just play the strings and watch you endlessly. With each song it looked like you were in a trance, both of you locked in a staring contest. He wasn't sure what it was that had you watching him just as an intensely as he was looking at you, but he didn't mind it. After his set he had chatted you up, with acceptance from your 'gyaldem' of course, and enjoyed seeing you at each event he played after that. Now he lives in your apartment, and everytime he comes back it felt like home.

Hobie unlocked the door with his spare key and heard you singing. Picking up on the lyrics and beat he couldn't help the smile that crossed his face. He took a seat on one of the bar stools and rested his arms on the island that was connected to the wall. Looking through the kitchen window, watching you sway and sing. Your back was turned to him and he decided to either wait for you to turn or just surprise you. Turns out he'd do the later as the song neared it's bridge, cuing himself in. "Ayo, leng," He saw you whip around to see him and that smile made his day, "take it to the bridge."

You had grinned after he cued you back to singing and belted out the start. Continuing with wrapping up preparations for dinner, you placed plates on the island and finished the bridge still cheesing at him. He interrupts you with a kiss and you laugh, kissing him back.

Turning down the music, you both start to eat together. "So, how was the day spider man?" You asked him and he lit up, instantly telling you about his fights and successes in great detail. It was always endearing to see him so proud of himself. On days where it was a difficult you'd curl up on the couch or bed, and he'd do the same for you. " 'nough about my tales. How was your day, love? Any reason you chose that song?" There he goes again, reading you like a book. The smug look on his face said it all, he knew something was up. "Just, reminiscing. You've always known me so well Hobie." The admiring smile that was once there had faded into a smile that seemed tired. Hobie got up, taking the plates with him and heading into the kitchen. "Yea, but as well as I can read you, I can never really tell what you're thinkin'." He says, offering that shoulder to cry on, an empathetic ear. Following after him, you hugged him from behind and he turned to hold you close. Swaying a bit in the hug, he kisses your forehead, places a hand on your cheek and says "What's wrong baby?" with that you share with him how busy you've been while he's been out.

Usually he'd never come home this early. There was always some villain to fight, a statement piece to make, a protest. You never held it against him, infact you'd support him and get the word out whenever he had a political movement going on. When it came to him being spiderman you'd stay up late or set an alarm, just in case he came back a bit bruised up. Though, outside of this, being human could still be very draining. It was definitely not the same level as being a spider person, but he understood. Cuddling on the couch together he reassured you that you're just as amazing, strong and capable. Showering you in kisses and affection til your tired expression lit up again. He always knew how to make you feel better, even when it was really bad. Because Hobie knows you, your pain, story, life and he hit your heart everytime.

#*⁠.⁠✧𝖛𝖛'𝖘 𝖉𝖊𝖑𝖚𝖘𝖎𝖔𝖓𝖙𝖔𝖇𝖊𝖗🍷 #hobie fluff #hobie x black!reader #hobie x reader #hobie x black fem reader

[putschki1969]

“Sono Saki e” Random Thoughts (Review?)

Please be sure to ❗SUPPORT Wakana❗ in any way you can! Especially if you decided not to order any physical copies. You can purchase and stream Wakana’s 3rd original studio album “Sono Saki e” on various sites (mora, iTunes etc) and streaming platforms (Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music, etc). • ————— ¤ ♫ ¤ ————— • BUY the album on mora (TUTORIAL here) BUY it in your local iTunes store • ————— ¤ ♫ ¤ ————— •  

Phew, this post is long-overdue. I’ve actually had this “review” sitting around in my drafts since May 30 but I wanted to wait till my physical copies arrived (unfortunately, my package took forever T_T). We have had multiple opportunities to listen to the tracks (or at least snippets of them) and of course I also listened to the digital album as soon as it became available. I’ll be honest with you, my initial reaction to the snippets and later the full tracks was rather lukewarm but in the past couple of weeks, most of the album has grown on me. So far my TOP 5 in order of their track listing are “Rapa Nui”, “標 (Shirushi)”, “希望(Kibou)”,“明日を夢見て歌う(Asu wo Yume Mite Utau)” and “Flag”.  Here are some random thoughts on the album as a whole and the individual songs ┗(•ˇ_ˇ•)→

Vocals: I’m not gonna write an analysis on Wakana’s vocals since I obviously lack the technical knowledge for that sort of stuff but I would still like to vent a little. In recent times, Wakana has talked a lot about how she is constantly refining her skills, working with a vocal coach and discovering new ways to use her voice, however, I fail to hear any real results of those efforts. I have to wonder if her vocal coach (or Takebe in his role as producer) are even giving any sort of effective advice because it certainly doesn’t seem like they do. The Japanese mindset probably keeps them from providing proper constructive criticism. This has always been an issue in the Japanese music industry but I am noticing it more now that Wakana, Keiko and Hikaru can no longer compensate for each other’s weaknesses. I don’t mean to bash or anything, you know I would never do that. I can still appreciate their solo vocals and for the most part I definitely enjoy Wakana’s vocals in this album but sometimes I get frustrated when it’s clear that the girls are not reaching their full potential or are using styles that are absolutely unflattering. I mean, who is telling Wakana (and Keiko for that matter) it’s a good idea to over-affect her voice or to sing in a register that is simply too high? Pretty sure this stuff is up to her so I guess it is a conscious choice and no one is guiding her in a better direction. I know for a fact that Wakana is capable of using a fuller, steadier voice but for some reason she often falls back on singing styles that don’t do anything for her and make her sound quite generic or borderline amateurish. It’s a shame...Rant over.

Visuals: The botanical and watery backgrounds/colours fit Wakana’s image perfectly. I wouldn’t say it’s a good match for the theme of the album but I don’t really mind. These are probably not my favourite looks for her but there are still some super lovely shots included in the photobook and lyric booklets. I originally thought all those light spots were a filter but they really used strings of light for the shoot. Not sure yet if I am a fan of the finished look.Something about it doesn’t really work for me.

Bonus material: No idea why they decided to add a DVD instead of a Blu-ray but I am just grateful we got footage from the Christmas live. It’s a solid concert with many good performances so I am happy there’s official footage. Too bad they cut the Christmas songs though, I remember enjoying them a lot. The audio tracks are a nice addition but I think instrumental versions of the album tracks would have been a nicer bonus. The exclusive fan club track is nothing to write home about, wish they had included footage from the after-talk instead or maybe the Christmas tracks.

Editions: As always, I appreciate that we get different booklets for every single edition. Makes it so much more fun and worthwhile to collect different editions. Overall I would day that all versions were reasonably priced for the content we got. And I am glad they once again decided to go for an LP-sized package with a big photobook. They look so good on my Kalafina showcase/shrine. Small nitpick: The quality of the large photobook isn’t what it used to be, it’s much thinner paper now T_T Makes it easier to scan though so I guess it’s not that bad.

Promotion: As far as the promotional campaign is concerned, I would say it’s sufficiently wide-spread on the media front but it feels a little lackluster in terms of in-store presence. Many Japanese fans have complained that the store promo for Wakana’s “Sono Saki e” wasn’t up to par with all the displays that were prepared for Keiko’s “Cutlery”. Thankfully we got the release events which added a bit of hype. Altogether, her performance in the Oricon Charts wasn’t too shabby either (#28) so the marketing team must have done something right. On a side note, I still very much appreciate the relatively high production value of Wakana’s solo works (especially compared to Hikaru’s and Keiko’s stuff). It’s clear that a lot of money is still invested in Wakana so YAY for that.

Overall thoughts: "Sono Saki e” has been a long time in the making so despite my best efforts, certain expectations have been building up. I know of course that getting my hopes up too high is a stupid thing to do because it will inevitably set me up for disappointment but I am only human and after three years of waiting, I was in a serious Wakana drought. However, now that the album is finally here, I feel a surprising sense of indifference (?) towards it. My reaction to Keiko’s latest album should have been indication enough but I think it’s becoming more and more obvious that I am suffering from a serious case of Kalafina-solo fatigue. It seems like I am steadily falling out of love with their solo music which makes me incredibly sad but I guess it was bound to happen at some point. I am not even saying that I dislike the album but there is just a lack of sparks I guess? Objectively speaking, I would say that Wakana’s 3rd album is quite good, I thoroughly enjoy around 60% of it and I’ve been listening to a lot of the songs on repeat. But I am just not as invested as I would like to be. On a side note, is it just me or does the album feel a little too rushed (despite its long production period)? I would have wanted the album to reflect the three years worth of thought and effort that were supposedly put into it but that’s honestly not the vibe I am getting here. I mean, they decided to include an instrumental of one of the tracks AND a literal copy-paste version of a previous album track, that just screams last minute decision to me. I guess it’s because the actual production didn’t start until much later so ultimately, there was a lot of rushing involved but still, it’s a shame.

●～●～●～●～●～●～●～●～●～●～●～●～●～●～●～●～ ●～●～●～●～

M1. Butterfly Dream: I feel like everything has already been said about this. It’s fun with the visuals of the PV but without those, the song loses a lot of its charm for me. Even though it’s the leading track of the album, I find it a bit underwhelming, maybe because the melody isn’t really resonating with me? Also, not a huge fan of how Wakana seems to over-affect (if that’s the right word?) her voice during quite a few parts of the song (especially during the chorus) to sound cute/innocent. She sometimes does this for certain types of anisong covers but it’s honestly not the most flattering singing style in my opinion. I guess the outward “cuteness” of the vocals appeals to a wider audience so it’s not a bad thing per se. I mean, there must be a reason why they picked this as promo track for the album (Rating: 2.5/5) M2. Rapa Nui: Definitely the most exciting and refreshing track on the album. The Celtic(?) sound matches Wakana’s voice perfectly. Kinda sounds like something you would hear at a medieval festival. Reminds me a bit of Kalafina’s “Moonfesta” or Hikaru’s “Fili”. Based on the title, I would have expected the song to sound totally different but I am honestly not mad about how it turned out. It’s great that they used the Rapa Nui language for some lines, spices up the whole thing. I initially believed that the song could have benefited from a stronger chorus but by now I’m literally obsessed with it, can’t get the melody out of my head :P Some of those ultra-high notes don’t sound pleasant to my ears but it’s not on a level where it takes away from my enjoyment. Contemplated taking half a point off for it but at the end of the day, it’s not worth it. It’s such a superb track (Rating: 5/5) M3. 標 (Shirushi): Sometimes this song doesn’t really affect me all that much and other times it makes me cry like a baby (especially when Wakana sings “この先も力に歌うから”). In many ways, it reminds me of “Ai no Hana” which has a similar theme and is one of my favourite tracks from Wakana’s first album but I need to hear it live to get the full experience. The same is the case for “Shirushi”. And I also have to be in the right mood for it. I am not 100% sold on the melody but Wakana’s vocals are gorgeous and the emotion she puts into her singing is just out of this world. On top of that, we have beautiful lyrics and a precious backstory, I can’t help but give this song a high rating (Rating: 4/5) M4. 希望 (Kibou): With the exception of “Rapa Nui” this is probably the only track that instantly clicked with me. Even when we just got a snippet of it, I immediately fell in love. The melody is just the right amount of cheesy in a good way, it hits me right in the feels. I think it comes closest to a standard power ballad or a 90s pop ballad. I am a huge sucker for those and it is obviously the type of song I love to hear from Wakana. Is it just me though or could Wakana have used a more flattering singing style for the chorus? She is going very high and it tends to sound a bit strained. For me, this is on the very edge of sounding screechy, a little higher, a little flatter and I probably wouldn’t have enjoyed it. It’s clearly a challenging track but not necessarily something that Wakana can’t handle imo. Really curious how she will be handling those parts during a live performance. Hopefully she can tweak her style a bit to make it more suitable for the song. Another tiny nitpick is the bland bridge, I wish it had a little more oomph, it’s neither here nor there but oh well, I am so smitten with this song that I can’t really focus on any of the negative aspects (Rating: 4.5/5) M5. 殻 (Kara): Who thought it was a good idea to do a “Tsubasa 2.0.”? I really wish they would have come up with something else. They had more than enough time to look into other options. I understand the intention of course, “Tsubasa” is solid and highlights some of the grittier parts of Wakana’s voice but that doesn’t warrant a blatant rip-off. Enough complaining though, I feel like I am way too harsh on “Kara”. On its own merits, it’s actually quite fun and yeah, just like its predecessor it works flawlessly to highlight Wakana’s voice in a different way, I like her more feisty singing style. Objectively speaking, I really can’t fault this song but it still doesn’t quite hit the spot for me. Thankfully, Wakana’s singing makes up for it (Rating: 3.5/5) M6. そのさきへ(Sono Saki e)～Interlude～: The melody is not striking enough. I am usually a sucker for a good instrumental piece but this one falls a little flat unfortunately. Wakana keeps saying that she cried when she first listened to the demo but I really wonder why...However, I will have to say that the gorgeous piano playing of this interlude does appeal to me more than the melody in the normal version of the song (Rating: 2.5/5) M7. KEMONO feat.清塚信也: I’ve said it before and I will say it again, every cell in my body is rejecting this type of song. I know that’s a me-problem and I feel horrible judging Wakana’s work based on such a personal preference.This reminds me way too much of some of Keiko’s city-pop (or whatever) tracks. The singing is too fast, there is no proper flow, the melody is all over the place, it’s just outright chaotic. I am sure there are people who can appreciate this new experimental style but I am unfortunately not one of them. I generally don’t like giving low ratings but it is how it is, please know that this is purely subjective (Rating: 1/5) M8. 明日を夢見て歌う(Asu wo Yume Mite Utau): The melody right at the beginning and sprinkled in-between the verses is what initially attracted me to the song, so pretty. However, the rest of the song didn’t leave a huge impression when I first heard it during the Christmas concert. I remember I compared it to “Boku Dake no Stage” because it was also composed by Takebe and I thought it was similarly bland. I realise now that this was a very unfair comparison because those songs have absolutely nothing in common. “Asu wo Yume Mite Utau” is much better imo and aligns more with my preferences in terms of music style. Maybe a comparison to “Toki wo Koeru Yoru ni” would have been better even though Takebe didn’t compose that one... Anyways, after letting the song marinate for a while, I’ve surprisingly come to love “Asu wo Yume Mite Utau”. I’d even go as far as to say it has become one of my favourite tracks from the album. The arrangement is lovely and so are the lyrics. Also adore Wakana’s singing here (Rating: 4/5) M9. Flag: This is probably the most Kalafina/FictionJunction-esque track on the entire album so I understand why it is so popular among YK/Kalafina fans. Personally, I have never been the biggest fan of YK’s more generic anisongs so this track initially didn’t impress me all that much, it was just okay for me, nothing too outstanding. But after hearing it performed live multiple times, it has significantly grown on me. It’s a really solid song and it works perfectly with Wakana’s voice. Even though it might not be the type of music I naturally gravitate towards, it’s still a banger. Especially when you take the Kalafina nostalgia into account. Fun fact, the most recent version with Sakurada has made me add 0.5 points to my initial rating, it was just so good (Rating: 4/5).  M10. そのさきへ (Sono Saki e): Ughhh, I really wanted to love this song but so far my attempts have all failed. I don’t know why it’s so hard for me to get into it. I mean, there must be something to love about it when I hear Wakana rave about the demo tape as if it were the best thing since sliced bread. What exactly is it about the melody that made her cry so much? It still baffles me that this was written by the same person who was responsible for “Kinmokusei” which I absolutely adore. There are some tiny similarities but all in all, “Sono Saki e” feels rather uninspired in comparison to “Kinmokusei”, at least in my opinion. Hearing it live during the release event has also not done anything to make me appreciate the song more. I am afraid it is a lost cause... (Rating: 2/5) M11. あとひとつ (Ato Hitotsu): Nothing much to say here aside from the fact that I adore this song and I am really glad that it’s finally included in an official release. I prefer to hear it live but the studio recording is surprisingly touching too. So understated and yet so charming. I like how Wakana keeps referring to it as prayer, it’s a fitting description. Perfect delivery, as always (Rating: 5/5)

#kalafina #wakana #review #reaction #Sono Saki e #そのさきへ #wakana solo work #wakana solo album #decided to rate the songs but I suck at ratings

[poopyballz28]

Some Baki characters if they played instruments

hello friends its me again, here with a fun revamp of a prompt i made about a year or 2 ago. realized i dont have to burn myself out writing prompts i dont like but know will be popular and i can just, write about the things i actually find cool or interesting. enjoy this one. 💯

Baki

• A really killer guitar player. Like this kid can SHRED. He gets really into the music and eventually everything around him just disappears. You can truly see the determination and skill in his hand movements when he plays his guitar.

• He really didn't expect to get the popularity that he did. He initially just wanted to play his music for himself or to show Kozue. He's a really humble guy, calling himself "fine" at best, despite all of the super hard chords and notes he's skillfully hit with no issue.

• His ability to hyper focus on the music and strike the chords he does leaves audiences in awe. It's almost like he gets better every show.

• Tends to have guitar battles with other powerful players. He tends to wanna battle the ones with the most experience and abilities, a player who could do things Baki knows he probably couldn't pull off himself. Via all the musical guitar "fights" and friendships that form from them, his strength heightens.

• Teased a bit in school for the huge guitar case he tends to carry around. It's especially not helping considering nobody has seen him actually play it. He tends to keep a lot of his playing to himself.

Kozue

• See, I'm kind of caught between her being a bass girl and a piano/keyboard girl. Keyboard may seem like the most agreeable instrument for her but listen to me here. Imagine her absolutely tearing shit up on bass guitar to heavy metal songs all alone in her cute little pink room. Isn't that so true!? That's just so her for some reason.

• But don't get me wrong, keyboard totally fits her too. I see her learning and playing little Vocaloid piano medley's when shes alone.

• Silly idea where Kozue stays late after school in the music room and plays little piano melodies when nobody's around. Baki was actually looking for a quiet place to play guitar until he overhead Kozue playing down the hall in the music room. He watches her from the small crack in the door and falls in love all over again.

• Baki sneaks in and starts playing his guitar with her, adding on to the tune she's playing. She's initially a little nervous, but the big goofy smile Baki gives her lifts her spirits. The two make quite a ruckus in that little music room.

• The two walk home together smiling and talking about all sorts of music and songs they enjoy. When they show up home, Kozue turns to Baki and gently kisses him on the cheek, with a sweet "Lets play together again, okay?" before happily jogging back to her house. Baki just realized how much he loved that girl.

Kiyosumi

• Oh yeah, this guy goes HAM on electric guitar. I got no doubt about it. He'll shred so hard at a live show he'll be grinding that shit ON THE GROUND. He gets a little worked up.

• He's the type to have been in several underground rock bands but always ends up leaving them later on due to creative (or just petty) differences. He eventually starts a solo project where he completely composes his own edgy grungey sounding music.

• He gives me very heavy Orange Range vibes, probably a lot of rapping and singing in his songs accompanied with that super hard guitar he destroys on.

• His stuffs super authentic. He's gotten pretty popular for the shitty but addicting sound quality of his instrumentals. And while a lot of the lyrics you could say are crude or kind of messed up, he's always subconsciously hiding some kind of message in there. If its to do with his overbearing hatred and anger for things or simply just self doubt, theres usually something pretty heavy hiding behind those guitar strokes he uses to impress people so desperately.

• Guitar is most definitely his stress reliever. He'll just grind on that shit when he's upset or stressed out to ease his mind (which is pretty common unsurprisingly) You can see all his pent up issues release themselves through his music.

Kaoru

• Definitely piano. Not even particularly keyboard, just piano.

• He used to play to his mother, with all her favorite songs and melodies, he would play to her for as long as he could. So much his fingers would start to ache. The more his fingertips would strike the keys the more he was determined to cure him mom via music. If even for a day, a minute, a second, she could live without pain, he'd do anything to make it happen.

• After her passing he couldn't touch a piano without flooding memories of his mothers decrepit and declining state when she was still alive. In fact, it would fill him with anger. Why couldn't he do anything to help her? To save her?

• After taking witness to Baki's rising musical power (and quite honestly, his cheery attitude when playing) Kaoru touched a piano for the first time in a while. As he started to play some old tunes he played to his mother, memories started to fill his mind. But not bad ones. The ones where his mom was smiling and chatting with him. Teaching him, joking with him, complimenting his skills and hidden kindness. It all came back.

• Suddenly, he understood. He began playing as much as he could, practicing and honing the skills he's always wanted to achieve, though the keys felt much smaller than they used to. He realizes his mother would've wanted him to continue playing piano. But not for her anymore, but for himself.

Katsumi

• Very much a drummer. Following deeply in his dads footsteps, despite all of the expectations on his shoulders.

• His abilities are super impressive. Some seeing him as being one of the best drummers in the world next to his father. It seems like the more he plays the more his skill tree grows. He's often regarded as a musical genius. His improvisation and techniques on his drum set would blow anyone away.

• He tends to perform neat little tricks while he's drumming (he's a bit of an entertainer at heart, ever since his childhood) He definitely does cool "magic" maneuvers and stuff with his drumsticks.

• He does a ton of taiko on the side too. Usually joining in on parades and brightening everyone up. He's a really popular figure for his skilled drumming and fun aura.

Atsushi

• A true bassist. You can tell he really knows what he's doing when he plays.

• Started playing a lot of instruments during high school after really indulging himself into his musical interests, listening to tons of metal and hard rock and over time collecting a pretty lengthy cd album collection.

• But something about the bass kept his interest, he goes on to practice everyday in hopes to become one of the best bassists in Japan. Never being one to let an opportunity for a challenge pass him by.

• Started a little two person rock band with Kiyosumi that eventually broke apart thanks to an argument. While they didn't release any of their music physically or upload it to the internet, they still played their few songs at private shows together. Their songs sound absolutely sickening (in the best way possible) They definitely have some scat and screaming in them, vocal wise.

• The two have since made up but never resurrected their band back. They still tend to play and challenge each other with their string instruments regularly though, coming up with all kind of stupid challenges and crutches they force each other to use to see whose the better musician. Final verdict, they both suck.

Kosho

• Okay I was really gonna put bass here, which is definitely very true but I thought of something even better. Kosho. Violin. Boom.

• A very heavy visual kei fan, would always find a clever way to add his violin into a vkei song he likes. Loves performing violin covers to music he enjoys. He's probably uploaded a few to niconico, but cropped them just enough so you can't see his face. He's tends to get a bit embarrassed about it. He still manages to wear the most extravagant and stylish visual kei outfits from his closet, though.

• His music was always his best escape from real life, the sounds of the strings taking him to a world that's simpler, devoid of all the common stresses he faces on a daily.

• He really pushes the limits on what a violin can do. He takes his playing very seriously, so he's always determinedly finding new ways to enhance his abilities. He truly honors and respects his instrument, being very well aware of its history and various play styles.

• At first he tried to keep his violin playing a secret from his brother, not really wanting to deal with any teasing. Although, it was pretty inevitable Kureha would notice the melodies flooding from underneath the door to Kosho's room.

• Admittedly yeah, Kureha does poke a little bit of fun at Kosho's little "hobby", as he calls it. Much to Kosho's dismay of course.

no guarantees but i might make another post about the characters if they became popular musicians. i realized i had some cool ideas for that too. anyways poopyballz OUT.

#baki the grappler #baki hanma #baki dou #baki headcanons #baki son of ogre #grappler baki #kozue matsumoto #kiyosumi katou #kaoru hanayama #katsumi orochi #atsushi suedo #kosho shinogi

[mycurrent-hyperfixation]

Take A Chance On Me - Chapter Six (Eddie Munson x Reader Series)

Series Summary: Corroded Coffin is lacking only one thing that could help them win the upcoming Battle of the Bands; original songs. So when a new band comes to town with a lead singer that looks all too familiar and a repertoire of original songs up their sleeves, Dustin concocts a plan that will get you to spill all of your songwriting secrets to Eddie. It’s just a few dates, right?

Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

Masterlist

Word Count: 4.5K

Pairings: Eddie Munson x Reader, Eddie Munson x fem!Reader

Tags: fluff, 10 Things I Hate About You AU

A/N: First off, just wanted to point out that, no, I do not think Eddie Munson would listen to My Chemical Romance. But the songs I've chosen for all the songs in this fic are based more on the lyrics rather than anything else so let us focus on that instead. My Spotify wrapped is gonna look super weird this year because of this fic. I've listened to so many songs trying to find the right ones to fit the different plot points so I don't want people to get too hung up on the genres I'm choosing from. Lyrics, people. Let us focus on the lyrics. Also, I know this chapter is on the shorter side, but the next chapter is going to be soooo long, so that will make up for it. I love and appreciate you all for keeping this fic alive so please keep up with the likes and comments because they honestly make my day. As always, I love all of you xxx

Eddie could feel the change more than he could see it.

His interactions with you since that fateful night of the party had been fleeting, coincidental occurrences. That was at least what Eddie told himself when he found himself driving to Family Video or the record store or the Hideout, knowing full well that you would be there and yet hoping that his feigned surprise at seeing you was enough to play them off as chance encounters.  

When you spoke with him it was always with your usual smile so that sometimes Eddie found himself questioning whether anything was wrong at all. And yet it was in the way your eyes met his less frequently now, your gaze always wandering away from him, seemingly more interested in your surroundings. It was in the way you sought him out less to talk, only ever engaging when he spoke first. It was in the way you spoke, less animated when you did so; your smile less wide, the sparkle between your eyes slightly dimmer.  

So when Eddie saw you emerge from your car in the parking lot of the competition’s venue, your eyes alight as you continued on in whatever conversation you were enraptured within, he couldn’t quite stop himself from staring. Your lips were curved into a smile; the very same smile that he had so thoroughly missed over the past week so that even from the distance that stood between you he still found his heart beating faster at the sight of it. This was the real smile—the genuine one—not the slightly forced and slightly fake one he had seen so often lately.

The drive had seemed so very long this time without you by his side. Periodically throughout the journey Eddie had found himself searching for your car by the side of the road, hoping that maybe a new issue had arisen; perhaps a flat battery or a punctured tire. But then of course he would catch himself before the thought was even fully formed, chastising himself for ever wanting such a thing to occur. Good people did not wish for their friends’ cars to break down on the side of the road. And yet as much as Eddie hated himself for it, he could not quite quell the small sliver of hope that it would happen.

But it hadn’t.

“Why don’t you just go over and talk to her? Your pining is starting to get creepy,” Dustin said from beside him as the rest of the boys unloaded their instruments from the van. The strap of Eddie’s own guitar case hung loosely from his shoulder, his grip on the strap tightening somewhat as a laugh escaped from your lips.

“I think she’s mad at me,” Eddie responded, his gaze not moving from you.

“Well we’ve got the song for today, so something seems to be working,” Gareth called.

Eddie flinched.

“I think we should stop with the plan,” he mumbled.

“Oh, have you already written the other songs we need?” Mike questioned.

“No, not yet, but I-”

“Well then a few more dates can’t hurt,” Jeff added.

Eddie wholeheartedly disagreed. Because every time he looked at you and remembered the plan that had been so stupidly concocted that night within his trailer, the sinking feeling that had slowly been forming over the past few weeks somewhere within the pit of his stomach grew stronger. It ate at him, slowly and yet surely so that now, whenever he found himself within the warmth of your presence, there was that feeling lingering in the back of his mind.  

It disgusted him.

The plan had seemed so innocent at first; so easy. And yet now the thought of it followed him around like a shadow. He had considered just telling you, maybe playing it off as a joke so that the guilt he found himself constantly racked with would finally leave him. But then he would think of the change that had already begun to occur between you and he could not quite bring himself to push you any further away from him.  

“Whatever,” Eddie mumbled, not having the heart to continue with the conversation.

“You know, she’s not going to get less mad at you if you’re all the way over here,” Dustin said.  

A small smile grew upon Eddie’s lips.

“You’re wiser than you look, little Henderson,” Eddie said before he found himself traversing the carpark. His legs felt slightly unstable as he walked—your figure slowly growing closer and closer towards him—until he felt almost as if they were about to buckle right out from under him when he found himself within your presence. Your back was to him, your head slightly hidden in the boot of your car as you grabbed your guitar from within.  

“Allow me, m’lady,” Eddie said and before you could respond he was leaning over you and grabbing the strap of your guitar case, flinging it across his shoulders where it joined his own. Eddie could tell that you were slightly taken aback by his sudden presence, although your surprise could have also partly been because now he was standing so very close to you. He could feel the heat emanating off your skin, could smell that same tantalising scent of your perfume, and although he knew he should probably step away from you, he did not particularly feel like doing so.

“You don’t have to do that,” you said, and Eddie could’ve sworn he saw the slightest upwards curve of your lips before it vanished. He so missed that smile.

“I know,” Eddie responded. “But I want to.”

A silence lingered between you then, and Eddie could feel the rest of your band staring quite unsubtly at him.  

“Okay,” was all you responded with before you were walking away from him. You made your way hastily over to Vicki as you entwined your arm with hers before beginning the walk over to the venue without so much as a backwards glance.

Eddie sighed.  

“Just give her some time,” Eddie heard from behind him, and upon turning around, found Robin looking almost pityingly at him.

“I’m guessing she told you what happened then.”

“Oh yeah she called me straight after.”

Eddie sighed again.

“Does she hate me now?”

Eddie furrowed his brows when Robin burst out laughing.

“Men are so dumb sometimes,” Robin said, and then upon seeing Eddie’s confused expression, elaborated. “She’s not angry, she’s embarrassed, dingus.”

Robin rolled her eyes and turned on her heels as she begun making her way across the carpark. Eddie hastily followed.  

“You’re the first guy she’s let herself like in…forever,” Robin continued. “So when she tries to actually show some sort of affection and gets rejected…well that’s not great for anybody’s ego.”

“She likes me?” Eddie whispered, his lips upturning into a wide smile. He didn’t miss the blatant rolling of Robin’s eyes. “But I didn’t reject-”

“I know that, you know that, and somewhere in that stupid little brain of hers, she knows that. It’s just hard for her to open up and now she’s embarrassed since it didn’t play out like how she wanted it to.”

“So what should I do?”

“Jesus, do I have to spell everything out for you? Why don’t you grow a pair and—oh, I don’t know—actually ask her out!”

Eddie was too stunned to form a coherent response. He didn’t quite know what he had expected from this conversation, and yet being provided such an obvious answer had not seemed to even cross his mind. He turned his gaze forwards and watched on as your figure disappeared into the venue. Slowly, he felt a sly smile creep onto his features.  

Eddie eventually found you sitting within the green room, still enraptured in a conversation with your bandmates. You looked up as he walked in and Eddie offered you a smile, his heart skipping slightly when the corner of your mouth upturned slightly in response.

“I thought you’d run off with my guitar there for a moment,” you said.

Eddie, in all honesty, had forgotten he was holding it.  

“O-oh, yeah,” he said, hastily reaching to unsling your guitar case from around his shoulder, outstretching it towards you. When you reached out and grabbed the strap, your fingers brushed ever so faintly across Eddie’s so that now he found it was him who was averting his gaze from you as a vibrant blush crept up his neck. It was stupid really, blushing from a simple touch of your hand, and yet Eddie’s heart beat faster all the same. “I’ll have to keep that in mind for next time, though. It’ll be hard to win the competition if you’re down a guitarist.”

Eddie offered you a devilish grin and found his breath hitching in his throat when you smiled back at him. Whatever he was doing seemed to be working, for this smile was different to the ones you had been offering him lately. This one was wide and full and so very breathtaking that Eddie knew it was genuine. At the sight of it, he allowed himself to hope that maybe he was succeeding in getting things slightly back to normal.

“Even without my guitar we would still thrash you, Munson.”

Oh, how he had missed you.

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that, sweetheart.”

Faintly, Eddie could hear the rest of his band slowly begin to make their way into the room, but in that moment he seemed incapable of tearing his gaze away from yours. You were close now, closer than he remembered getting to you, and your eyes were so very hypnotising as he stared into them.

It was this that he had missed, he quickly realised. It was the taunting tone of your voice and the confidence in your smirk and the unrelenting attitude that never seemed to back down. It was the way you relished in the challenge of it all. It was the way you never seemed to be scared of Eddie—even with his long hair and dark clothing and inked skin—your eyes instead always focusing on the smile on his lips or the glint in his eye. And as you looked at him—really looked at him and did not back away from what you saw—Eddie felt himself begin to melt.

It was only when Dustin loudly cleared his throat that Eddie finally pulled away.  

“Finally finished a song then?” you questioned with a smirk.

“As a matter of fact, we have.”

“So what’s it called?”

Eddie’s smile widened.  

“Oh, I wouldn’t want to ruin the surprise.”

---

Your band was playing first this time much to your dismay as you waited in the wings, hands gripped so tightly upon your guitar that your knuckles were turning white. It was harder now that you no longer had Eddie beside you as a distraction, the familiar feeling of your chest constricting and your palms sweating coming back in full force.  

But then the stage manager was ushering you forwards and so you had little time to think of anything other than placing one foot in front of the other. The crowd cheered as you appeared on stage, the lights so blinding that at first there was nothing but a sea of darkness stretching out before you. Eventually, as you begun to set up and as your eyes slowly started to adjust, you began to make out faces among the crowd. Your breath hitched in your throat when you noticed that the size of the crowd had grown, a feat you had honestly not thought possible considering how many people had been present at the last performance.  

With a shaky exhale, you tried your hardest to curve your lips into a smile, allowing your gaze to flicker quickly over the crowd. Most of the faces you found staring back at you were smiling, which you supposed was a good sign, but you still could not quell the anxiety that lingered in the pit of your stomach. As if drawn to them, your gaze came to find Eddie’s, his tall frame lingering off to the side slightly. When his eyes met yours, he offered you a wide smile, and even though the change was barely there, you felt your nerves ease somewhat.

“Hello everyone!” you called, revelling slightly as the crowd erupted into cheers. “Tonight, this song goes out to all the wannabe lovers and to the all the cowards who won’t do anything about it.” A few whistles joined the cheering now. “This one’s called Kiss Her You Fool.”

Eddie couldn’t quite stop the laugh that erupted from his throat earning him several confused looks from his band mates standing next to him. He paid them no mind as he continued to look up at you, your eyes meeting his one last time before you began as you flashed him a cheeky smile.

When the song began, Eddie found he could not quite wipe the smile from his face.

“Stop making up your excuses

Call her up, tell her you forgot something

It’s worth more than you are thinking

Don’t be a fool, tell her you think she’s cool.”

When you closed your eyes as you so often did when you played, hands still moving fluidly over each string, Eddie found his gaze flicking over to Robin for just a moment. She was staring right at him, a wide smirk upon her lips as she pulled one eye down in a not very subtle wink. Eddie rolled his eyes dramatically.

“Stop waiting for a fairy-tale to take you away

Don’t wait for someday.

She’s thinking the same thing as you

Don’t be afraid, dreams aren’t found they’re made.”

Eddie did not regret the decision he had made within his van that night. He was, in all honesty, quite in awe of how he had even managed the self-control to pull away from you in the first place. He did, however, regret the way he left things. He regretted letting you leave his van without explaining himself further, without setting things right. Because in that moment when the pungent smell of alcohol had wafted towards him, he had thought of nothing other than you.  

You would regret the action when you were sober, he had been quite sure, and maybe in the end it would have caused a bigger rift to grow between the two of you. A drunken decision, nothing more, probably made from a primal desire to seek out warmth in the cold of the evening. And even though Eddie had dreamed about kissing you—the thought often plaguing his mind at odd hours of the day—if he was ever lucky enough to get the chance to do so he needed to know that you wanted it to.  

“Cause you’ve only got one chance.���

Your eyes found Eddie’s once more.

“You’ve only got one chance

Kiss her you fool.”

For just a moment Eddie allowed himself to dream. He allowed himself to think about that night, how lovely you had looked in the dim light of his van. The alcohol had caused your cheeks to redden slightly and had probably had some effect on the wideness of your smile. But you had been so very beautiful sitting next to him all the same so that sometimes Eddie found himself wondering whether he had not been more drunk than he remembered and had simply hallucinated it all.  

But this dream was different this time. Because as you sat before Eddie, your hair falling slightly in front of your face so that he had the desire to lean over and brush it away, you were not drunk. He smelt only the familiar scent of your perfume as he leaned forwards, so that this time there was nothing but his own racing heart making him hesitate before closing that final distance between you. But in the end he did, and he was positive that you would have been just as soft and warm and delicious as he had imagined you to be.  

Eddie was pulled from his reverie as Jeff tapped him lightly on the shoulder, gesturing that it was time for them to go.

---

As you ran offstage, the adrenaline from the set still rushing through your veins, you couldn’t quite help the smile that erupted onto your lips at the sight of Eddie waiting in the wings. His guitar was held firmly in one hand, Gareth, Jeff and Mike beside him as they awaited the signal to start heading onstage. He smiled at you as you approached him, his eyes never leaving yours.

“Interesting lyrics,” Eddie said with a smirk.

“Yeah well Robin’s been pining after a crush for quite some time, so I guess I was inspired.”

“Liar,” Eddie whispered to you just as the stage manager signalled for him to go. He left your side with one last smile, revelling in the slight blush that began to creep up your cheeks.  

By the time you had hastily put your guitar away and made your way into the crowd, Eddie and his band had just finished setting up their instruments. The crowd was so dense that you ended up having to remain on the outskirts, unable to penetrate very far through the throng of people to get any closer to the stage. But Eddie found you anyway, smiling before he tapped upon the microphone.

“Hello!” he called, clearly revelling in the cheer from the crowd. “We are Corroded Coffin and tonight we’ll be playing an original song that was named by a very special friend of mine.” You furrowed your brows slightly as Eddie’s eyes remained upon you. “This one’s called,” he shot you a wink before continuing, “Na Na Na.”

Eddie could see the rolling of your eyes all the way from the stage and found himself having to stifle a laugh as you flipped him your middle finger.  

Gareth tapped his drumsticks together four times before the room became alight with music.  

“Na, na-na, na-na, na-na, na-na,” Mike, Gareth, Jeff and Eddie practically screamed in unison. It was electrifying, the concoction of drums and guitar that exploded throughout the venue so that you couldn’t quite blame the crowd for going wild. It was an easy song to get lost in, the beat so very prominent so that one could almost not help but bang their head to it. You found yourself doing so after only the first few counts.

“Drugs, gimme drugs, gimme drugs,” Eddie broke off on his own.

“I don’t need it, but I’ll sell what you got

Take the cash and I’ll keep it.”

You hadn’t quite known what you were expecting from an original song that was written by Eddie Munson, but the loud, dramatic and practically unhinged music that filled the room was probably close. The song was fast and rowdy and partly deranged in such a way that was so very him so that you couldn’t quite wipe the smile from your face as you listened.  

Eddie was having fun. It was so very clear on his face as he sang and as his hands danced over the strings of his guitar. And although you had seen him play before and although that experience had itself been entirely captivating, it was somehow even more so now that he was playing his own creation. There’s was an enthusiasm behind his voice now, something so clearly genuine that it would have been hard for anyone not to love the song.  

“Love, gimme love, gimme love

I don’t need it, but I’ll take what I want from your heart

And I’ll keep it in a bag, in a box”

Eddie’s voice was not one that was entirely smooth. It instead possessed a slight rasp to it, and although it was not exactly conventional, it seemed to only add to his charm upon the stage. His voice was something that was perfect in an imperfect way; something that was gruff and guttural and entirely hypnotizing so that the more that you listened to it the more you began to wonder how husky it would get in the early hours of the morning.  

The thought caused a heat to erupt low within you and a blush to rage violently across your cheeks. But the thought continued to grow and develop and multiply until it was almost like it possessed a mind of its own. There was the image of a mop of curly brown hair laid out messily across a pillow. There was the sight of a wide expanse of skin, a bare torso littered with black markings lying beside you, half covered by a blanket. There was the beginning of a voice, deep and hoarse as it wished you a good morning, pulled from the depths of sleep. You physically shook your head to dispel of the idea, and yet still the remnants of it would not leave the depths of your mind as you tried to focus back in on the song.  

The lyrics seemed slightly manic and altogether quite haphazardly strewn together, each line of the chorus intermingled with that same opening sequence of na na na’s sung by Gareth, Mike and Jeff. The song was a call to arms, a rebellion against conformity that managed to get the crowd so worked up that halfway through the song, people began to repeat the na na na’s until the hall was practical shaking with the sound. It was entirely electrifying, the buzz in the room practically palpable.

It was a good song, you had to admit, and the small inclination of annoyance that lingered within you because of this had you altogether feeling quite guilty. And even though your comment regarding Eddie’s song-writing troubles had been said in passing that night at the party, and even though you had said it with the intention to help him, this blatant implementation of your tip had something twisting within your stomach. It was a strange concoction of pride, jealousy and hurt, for you had never had such a large reaction from any crowd that you had ever played. And although you were well aware that your feelings were largely unwarranted and completely unfair, as much as you tried to dispel of them, they continued to remain.  

---

“Interesting lyrics you had there, Munson,” you said as Eddie entered the green room. Most of the other bands had packed up and left already, leaving the space oddly quiet as the rest of your own band began making their way out of the door. Before she left, Robin turned back to look at you before flashing you a wink paired with a grin. You rolled your eyes as she disappeared from sight.

“I just have these genius sparks of inspiration sometimes,” he responded with a smirk. Without another word as you clipped the case of your guitar closed, Eddie leaned over you and plucked it from your grasp, slinging it across his shoulder just as fluently as he had done the first time. And as you turned to look at him and as he continued to smile down at you, the curve of his lips soft and relaxed in the position, all the animosity and resentment you had felt within the crowd slipped away.  

“I want writing credit if you ever record that,” you said, pointing a finger up at him sternly.

You slowly began to make your way from the room, Eddie staying by your side as you traversed the hallway.

“I’m surprised you would want to be associated with such a…hmmm what was it…mediocre band I think you called us.”

A laugh escaped your lips.

“You’re not getting out of this one that easily, Munson”

“I hardly think you can copyright ‘na na na’.”

“It was practically half the song!”

Eddie bent his head back slightly and let out a hearty laugh. Your walk was slow, hesitant almost as you emerged from the depths of the dark hallway out into the moonlit carpark. Eddie’s shoulder brushed periodically against your own as you went, and although you thought this an indication that you were likely walking too close, you did not move away. You could see your friends lingering by the side of your locked car and Eddie’s bandmates doing the same by his van, and although the wind brought with it a slight chill, neither of you quickened your pace. Whilst you still could, you simply allowed yourself to relish the moment; the comfort of the silence that lingered between the two of you, the thought of a boy walking beside you as he carried your guitar bringing a smile to your lips.  

One of Eddie’s hands gripped lazily onto the strap of his guitar case, the other dangling between you. You thought briefly of reaching out and grasping it within your own, entwining your fingers with his. They would be large, you thought, and would likely engulf yours completely. For just a second, the skin on the back of Eddie’s hand brushed against your own, but whether it was intentional or not you couldn’t quite tell. Either way, the touch had you yearning to reach out and do it again.

But then suddenly the walk was over as you came to stop by your car. Your bandmates stood around it, quite unsubtly staring straight at the boy beside you so that your movements were done hastily as you unlocked the vehicle for them. Hesitantly, they began to pack their instruments away before climbing inside.

There was another silence that lingered between you when you turned back to face Eddie; this time something thick and timid and slightly awkward.

“Well I’ll see you later, Munson,” you said, reaching out one hand to open the door of your car.  

“Wait.” Eddie wasn’t quite sure what overtook him, but suddenly his own hand was outstretching towards yours, trapping your wrist within his fingers. You widened your eyes slightly in surprise, but you did not pull away from him.

“I wanted to ask you,” Eddie continued, his heart suddenly thundering in his chest. “Um…I was wondering if maybe…if you were free…only if you wanted to, of course…I could maybe…take you out sometime?” Eddie cringed internally at his own lack of confidence, the timidity so very clear in his voice.  

You simply continued to smile up at him devilishly.

“The thing is,” you said, pausing for a moment. “I don’t really go out with lyric stealers.”

Whatever Eddie had been expecting you to say, it certainly wasn’t that. A hesitant smile formed on his features.  

“So…is that a yes?” he asked.

“No.”

Eddie felt his smile falter slightly. You had meant it as a joke, had said it in the same taunting and teasing tone that you always used with Eddie. And yet you saw it all in the span of a second; the doubt and the embarrassment and the sheer heartbreak that flashed behind his eyes. All of it had you hastening to continue, but before you could do so Eddie spoke once more.

“So was it a no?”

There was a sadness behind his voice now, one that had your heart beginning to break.

So with a movement so quick Eddie wasn’t altogether sure it actually happened, you were suddenly standing upon the tips of your toes and placing a delicate kiss against Eddie’s cheek.

“No.”

---

Songs Used:

- Kiss Her You Fool by Kids That Fly

- Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na) by My Chemical Romance

---

Taglist:

@alicetweven @juggernort @theh3aven @manamitoyota @mimiluvsualot @cherrypieyourface @kaqua @c0untryclub @goldencherriess @emotionaldreamer @givemethesleep @milkiane @miscreantsnopossoms @legendaryfestsoul-blog

Series Taglist

@grungegrrrl @thirddeadlysin @boomitsallie1 @renaroo123 @wordsthatwaterflowersinyoursoul​ @annnnn91 @bakugouswh0r3 @aivilovio @wannabewiedzma

#eddie munson #eddie x reader #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson stranger things #eddie munson fluff #eddie munson x you #eddie munson x y/n #eddie munson x fem!reader #eddie munson x female reader #stranger things s4 #stranger things season 4 #stranger things #dustin henderson #steve harrington #robin buckley #joseph quinn #Joe Quinn

[th3-0bjectivist]

Dear listener, if you offer me ordinary pop music, I will reflexively kick you in the gonads and book it in the opposite direction. However, if you offer me pop music interlaced with elements of metal, punk, and hip-hop… I’m going to do a double take, carefully examine the melodious product in question, and reassess my conclusions on what the tentative limits are in modern music. As long as you don’t have any issues with strobe lights, smash play on the above track, Demons from the 2012 album Reign of Terror. The featured band this week is Sleigh Bells, who, for over a decade-and-a-half have practiced an overdriven, experimental version of pop which regularly incorporates the fundamentals of digital hardcore, industrial rock, and electro.

After years of personal listenership, I am confident that SB can give you everything you want, and more, from modern pop music. Like most pop tunes, the sound is structured around hooks (the peak-altitude of a song, whether it be the melody, the lyrics, or the repetitive composition of instrumentals) crafted to a sharp, absolute, and prominent apex. I LOVE exploring the catalogs of experimental bands… particularly when you catch me by surprise and show me a pop music product that I can actually immerse myself in. Over the last decade or so, Sleigh Bells has provided me with utter bliss, utter joy, utter pain, and a rough ride filled with ups-and-downs, but most importantly… an overall experience that I want to be a part of! It’s pop music that has the capacity to appeal to everyone, not just teenage girls, because the music manages to have a semblance of * universal meaning*. Their tunes are the very definition of sweet-and-sour chicken, only delivered entirely in an audio format, and dammit all, it tastes mostly sweet! A noise pop duo, based out of Brooklyn, NY, has managed to accomplish within a decade and a half what the rest of you limp-dicked, corporately funded pop music jabronis can’t seem to do; immerse the listener in pop music that *actually innovates* for a change. All over their discography, you can find personally resonant tunes that manage to successfully communicate complex ideas and emotions. If you want pop music with an unapologetic nonconformist twist, immerse yourself in something that sounds different for a change. If you like what you heard above, click below for some work by SB that is laced with slightly more traditional pop elements, Rosary from their 2021 album Texis.

Ten years ago, I thought I liked one song by SB. A year later, I liked two songs by them. The next year, I liked four. The next year, eight. You starting to see a pattern? A decade on, I am flabbergasted at their sniper-rifle range in musical versatility and commitment to providing their audience with an endearing and truly meaningful experience that I would recommend to anyone looking for a potent alternative to mainstream pop. Image source: https://www.gq.com/story/sleigh-bells-derek-e-miller-alexis-krauss-interview-reign-of-terror-treats

#sleigh bells #demons #reign of terror #rosary #texis #pop #noise pop #music #music on tumblr #music video #audio video #audio on tumblr #duo #musical duo #experimental music #experimental pop #indie electronic

[rainydawgradioblog]

my very indecisive ranking of an album which i find so fantastic that it’s nearly impossible for me to rank

one cold winter night in 2021, while i was doomscrolling through tiktok, i accidentally stumbled across an original song video by a girl who has become one of my all-time favorite artists. hana bryanne, a singer-songwriter and self-described “emotional brunette” (same.) came out with her debut album dollface in september of this year—and it blew. me. away. hana summarizes the essence of dollface to be “what it’s like being a very sensitive girl in a world that is not always particularly equipped to handle that,” and her beautiful emotional sensitivity clearly levels up her music. dollface is an exemplary member of my favorite genre, which is essentially "poetry with a backing instrumental track.” i love lyrics, and i especially love hana bryanne’s. i find it to be a steep challenge to properly rank an album i find truly amazing, as putting tracks near the bottom is genuinely painful, but i think i’ll manage. here goes nothing!

(TW: some mentions of sexual violence, suicide, and mental health struggle)

1: spades

my obsession with this song is never-ending. i couldn’t possibly be mad at any number-one picks for this album, but i didn’t have any trouble picking mine. the dreamy instrumental that picks up at the second verse, transitioning later into a fantastically swelling and somewhat frenetic electric guitar interlude, and hana’s haunting and beautiful vocals make this track sonically incredible. of course, the lyrics are equally as stunning. they deliver a simple yet poignant account of a past relationship you can’t quite shake the memories of, that haunts you “like a face or a song you should know/but you don’t,” this song communicates so much through sensory description, from “sweet was the smell of the flowers that grew here,” “hot was the taste of your breath in my mouth,” to “in the rain, will you touch me like i planned it?” the imagery of this song is simply delectable. hana draws you into her world, and it feels like you can feel things alongside her as she experiences them. spades is a masterpiece. 

2: dollface

the title track of this album does NOT disappoint. an account of the sexual violence that hana faced as a girl growing up in the age of the internet, this song leaves me gutted every time. the chorus brings a simplistically incredible set of lines: “and he’s gonna want you/and you’re gonna let him” and “he’s not gonna know you/so he’ll call you dollface” capture the certain resignation, defeatedness, and objectification of the issue with absolute stomach-dropping perfection. below is a quote of hana’s that she posted alongside dollface’s announcement that pairs perfectly with this song. it’s imperative that you all see it. 

3: clementine

it will never be an easy task to capture the depth of a mother-daughter relationship in any one form of art, but hana does a pretty damn good job. my standout lyrics from clementine are as follows: “at the edge of the bed/in my silhouette/solemn she says/‘i was beautiful then’/i take your hunger/make it mine/i’ll peel apart your clementines/just promise if i change my mind/i’ll still look like you” the inherent connection between a parent and child who have each other’s faces? the yearning of a mother to still look young as her daughter does? peeling clementines as an act of love? (im a sucker for it every time) the mother in the daughter’s silhouette? there’s so much i adore about this, and so much that could be said about it.

4: cool girl song

this is my college anthem. indeed, “i’m a million miles away,” and “pushing at my luck for some good fun.” something i love about this song is it’s acknowledgment of coolness as a complete illusion, and one that you have to work hard at too. “it’s a trick, and a good one.” very cool about it-esque, which this boygenius fanatic appreciates. i love a good account of the never-ending facade of being fine. when i walk around campus with this in my headphones, i can convince myself that i’m a cool girl™️ … plus it’s catchy as hell.

5: doing the play

i LOVE this song. this opening track sets up the coming album with ease and perfection. another song elevated by it’s gorgeous, dreamy instrumentals. i like to think of this song as a voicemail, or perhaps a letter. i won’t speculate on an artist’s personal life, but the message hana leaves—whatever its significance may be—is stunning. i particularly love “i go to bed with the same old jokes/i’d go to bat for the strangers first,” as a moment of striking self-reflection amid her memories. this song carries a certain nostalgia i can’t get enough of. 

6: visions

visions was released as a single in the spring, and i could not stop listening to it. hana repeats the line “i just can’t stand to be alone these days” throughout the song, and yet the line “keeps me like a secret, my own company/i’m reaping what i’ve sown” reveals a certain self-isolation at play in the same issue. hana sings about her ever-present loneliness while the instrumentals carry on steadily with the breeziness that she tries to convey to the rest of her world. an intentional choice, most likely, as hana has discussed concerning the track how “mental illness especially makes you a really good liar… self-isolation is really challenging and that’s what I wrote the song about.” (note-another perfect walking across campus song. enjoy.)

7: susannah at the wedding

this song is so good. i’m already questioning my ranking. this track 3 brings the most upbeat production out of any track on the album, and it is FUN! at least the instrumental is…the lyrics? well, that’s a different story. what i love about this choice is that the upbeatness of the track vs. the melancholy and frustration in the lyrics create a perfect conflict to mirror the internal conflict of feeling shitty at a wedding, an occasion that’s supposed to be idealistically fun and joyful. the outro, with it’s 9x repetition of “there’s no room in you for the things that i like” is a personal favorite. something about the anguish of an obsessively repeated outro will hit home every time. 

8: lake michigan

lines like “i have seen things i wish to tell you/i have seen things you’d never wish to know” make it feel like such a rich history backs this song, so in line with hana’s amazing personal authenticity. there is so much vulnerability in the words of this song, like so much of the album as a whole, and it elevates the experience of listening by 100 times. her vocal delivery shines on this song, like the emotion behind “come on baby try me/i can show you what dramatic is” which once again hits home for us sensitive, emotional girlies out there, and the crystal clarity of her voice on even the highest notes will never cease to be incredible. 

9: dollface reprise 

being a reprise, this track is much simpler than many of the others, but this only adds to its beauty. the quiet guitar and vocals make it feel so intimate and reflective, perfect for this song. the callback to 2021’s tiktok famous klepto in the bridge/outro was so exciting to hear, and so beautifully integrated to the new track. “i’ve got a good thing goin’/just gotta live a little longer” feels so familiar to the feeling of living on the permanent precipice of being a young person, constantly riding the line between exciting success and falling apart into utter chaos. 

as we get into the lower numbers, i will restate that the placement here is literally just because of my own personal sonic preferences. every single one of these songs is beautiful. go listen to dollface. 

10: valentine’s day

this song is beautiful and heartbreaking. hana has stated that her suicide attempt from 2022 inspired much of the content on this album, and this song definitely reads to me as having a lot of content about struggle with mental health, and the isolation and coldness of that experience. the theme of resignation and defeatedness that i think is done so beautifully in parts of this album returns with “they’ll drag me back down by my ankles/no fight, no light in my eyes/no sound.” 

11: news

my favorite lyrics from doing the play make a return! yippee! this is another track that i resonate with so well as a young person in the midst of the hurricane that is growing up. i love the lines “you tell me i’m changing, i say i know/but i still know how to put on a good show.” so much intrigue lies in the minute details of any song, and i adore the word choice on “i’m betting the news is good/i’m betting the news is just fine,” as whatever the news is, she isn’t actually hearing it. just betting. whether this is about news from back home, news about the world, news from an old friend or partner, or something else, this small detail holds so much meaning to me. 

12: clementine II 

this felt like the most reasonable bottom pick, solely because of it’s short length and lyrical simplicity, but it still hurts. i love this whole album!!! this song is still fantastic. following clementine. a song about a hana’s relationship with her mother, the lyrics of this song are devastating. “won’t you stay where i can see you/won’t you stay where i can go/won’t you stay where if i need to i can let you know.” this refrain is beautiful and heartbreaking. this woman knows just how to tug at my sad little college student heartstrings. brb, calling my mom as i write this (and shedding a tear, perhaps). 

and that’s it!!! a final note from hana’s words about the album: “dollface is about resilience.” this album delivers such a beautiful message and story through some of the most gorgeous-sounding vocals and instrumentals that i've heard this year. i hope i was able to communicate a fraction of this album’s genius. decide for yourself! pleaseee pretty please go listen to it! i’ll link it on spotify right down here. 

stay cool!!!!!!

K-MURPH 

#Spotify

[h-f-k]

what did you think of the album? Any standout tracks for you?

spoileeeeeeers and long ass raaaaaaaant

okay so... i have MANY thoughts and none of them make sense so i'll try my best

I liked the album. It's a vast improvement from midnights but it's just that, a small upgrade. Production wise i feel like Aaron borderline saved the album from being another midnights, ttpd suffers from what i call 3AM Bonus Tracks Syndrome which is that: Aaron providing a breath of fresh air which was incredibly needed after having jack produced 99% of midnights. I love jack and i love his solo stuff but for me the formula swift-antonoff doesn't work as well as it used to and if it does it gives one great song and the rest are just there.

There were three or four songs that really stood out for me. Florida!!! doesn't make any fucking sense to me (i literally had to ask in the gc what the song meant bc i was like huh????) but the production is extremely cool, THE DRUMS????!!!!! GIVE ME REAL INSTRUMENTS!!!!!! I really liked it, it grew on me and now it's one of my faves. So long london is another gem and i remember really liking down bad upon first listen. The smallest man who ever lived is also a song i like. But the rest is just there, my only thoughts while listening to them were "oh... this is cool. i can't wait to never hear it ever again".

Lyric wise... oh boy. Now i don't like to pretend i'm a poet (i'm looking at you taylor) or that i'm extremely well versed with words or that i have an literature degree because i don't, metaphors sometimes are hard for me to understand/grasp and i relegate that to the people who know best bUT the lyrics are all over the place. Again, an improvement from midnights but they still felt clunky and very surface level. Some of them had great concepts but terrible execution and some of them straight up suck. My main issue was that the album felt super repetitive. When i first started listening i really felt bad for taylor, it was painful even but then... the same concept and words kept popping up and it's just more of the same. like i get it, she's sad, she's depressed and i'm not expecting her to write about other stuff if the main subject of the album is being heartbroken or shit. when i started listening to the album i was like 'oh, that's sad, i feel for her' but halfway through it i was like girl if you don't shut up and stop trying to feel sorry for yourself... like there's a moment where the constant repetition of the same thing makes me roll my eyes, especially because she doesn't know how to express it in a different way. it's all pretty much straight forward "we were gonna get married" "you were the love of my life" like i know you can communicate these concepts, these words in a different way!!! why are you repeating yourself so much!!! if you remove some of the songs it makes no difference, it still gets the point across.

as a whole this is probably her messiest album, because nothing, and i say NOTHING makes sense when you put it all together. i know she's not known for making concept albums or for being a visual person, but this album feels incredibly disjointed, it doesn't feel like an album, it doesn't feel like a body of art that was well thought out. the most satisfying part about an album cycle is when you connect all the pieces like the photoshoot, the music videos (sometimes, not all the time), the art direction and overall aesthetic you create for the mkt campaign the pop up shops etc etc, the music, the lyrics, the general concept/theme of the songs and it all makes sense. it's an eureka moment, it's a moment where EVERYTHING makes sense to you, it answers every question you had, why the physical cd is blue, why the booklet uses helvetica instead of times new roman, why the color palette is dark, etc etc. tortured poets department doesn't do any of that, in fact it confused me MORE because with the album art she said one thing, in the lyrics she said another thing and with the promo videos we've seen she said another thing and it'll probably happen the same with the music videos. Which is fine i guess she can do whatever she wants but to me it feels like there wasn't a clear vision, i think it was a bit clearer than midnights but not by much.

overall it's an ok album. i'm pissed because i know she has the potential to do more, ESPECIALLY this being her 11th studio album and the insane amount of resources she has at the palm of her hand. i'm not asking her to create a new music genre, to come up with a screamo album, because that's simply not what she wants to do which i respect but it's so frustrating to see her have all this success and "power" and do absolutely nothing with it, like just call at least ONE more person that isn't from your inner circle to produce your music, at least do that!!! and this is why her last albums felt so repetitive.

idk i was hoping that this album would make me fall in love with her music again but idk, i'm drifting away more and more which sucks but i really can't help it. i might save the songs i like to my spotify and that's it.

[hillbillyhippiemusicreview]

THE HHMR ISSUED A STORM WARNING: A NORTHER IS BLOWING IN AS SHANE SMITH AND THE SAINTS ROLL OUT THEIR LATEST RELEASE

Areas affected include: The Heart, The Soul, & Your Tappin’ Toes. Prepare accordingly.

Strong. Fast moving. Cold. Breathtaking. Those are adjectives to describe a Norther or Blue Norther, a storm bringing in fast cold winds from the north into Texas and surrounding states. Those words also perfectly describe Shane Smith & the Saints newest album, Norther. This album hits you hard and fast! Shane, Bennett, Dustin, Chase and Zach put together an eclectic record that, in my humble opinion, is their best work yet, even topping my favorite, 2013’s Coast.

Before I go any further, I will give a disclaimer that this review is biased—for good reason. I have no affiliation with the band; I’ve only met Shane twice, I’ve met the other members each once, and I follow Bennett on instagram (he’s also originally from my adoptive city of Louisville, KY). BUT, they are my *favorite* band! I may have Timmy Ty’s lyrics tattooed on my arm, but there hasn’t ever been a band that puts me in a trance quite like Shane Smith & the Saints. I’ve seen them at: Tumbleweed (LaCygne, KS), the Basement East (Nashville, TN), Headliners (Louisville, KY), Bulls, Bands, and Barrels (Lexington, KY), and most recently for their headline debut at the Mother Church, the Ryman Auditorium (Nashville, TN). So yes, I am a fan—to say the least. I *may* even fanboy out when they are within a 4 hour drive. That may ruin the credibility of my review in some people’s eyes; however, in others it makes this review even more true and authentic as I have been a fan for 10 years for no reason except for the facts that they make damn fine music, and that they are the some of the nicest artists I have ever met. And to “kind of” quote Uncle Dallas Moore, “there ain’t no one [reading] my shit anyway.” 🤠

Norther opens with “Book of Joe,” a hard hitting ballad with a heavy fiddle presence from Bennett and drums that hit you so hard that your heartbeat matches that of the drum beat. “Book of Joe” repeatedly tells us that “It’s a rich man’s war, it’s a poor man’s fight”—no matter which side of the dollar you are on, this life is always a battle. Next up, we get “Fire in the Sky.” Shane starts out by “deep talking” the lyrics, reminiscent of some of Johnny Cash’s lasts works. But then it goes into a toe tappin’, head banging song that isn’t country, Americana, or red dirt, but in my limited Eastern Kentucky vernacular can only be described as Rock.

We have to go all the way to track number 7 (out of 13) for what may be my favorite song on the album, “Wheels.” One set of lyrics in particular makes this song my favorite…“You can’t blame the memories because they brought you a long long way.” As imperfect humans living in a broken world, we have all had experiences that that have shaped us. Some are great and some we could do without. Personally, looking back at those memories, the good and the bad, they all taught me a lesson or changed my direction; something I am thankful for from the Man up above. And “Just like wheels caught in their motion,” we keep trudging forward throughout this crazy life. Jumping down to the 10th song on the album, “1,000 Wild Horses” gives something to the lover of “real country.” While it may be a little faster and have some great instrumentals, the focus is obviously Shane’s deep voice, the lyrics, and the melody.

Y’all, most albums have one or two of those “skip over songs.” That isn’t the case with Norther. The album has 13 imposing songs, 6 of which were singles starting with “Hummingbird” back in 2022. I’ve already told you once, I am biased because Shane Smith & the Saints are my favorite band for no other reasons except they make great music that casts a spell on me every time I hear it; and that in my few interactions, they are all humble, friendly and down to earth fellas who work as hard as hell to make the music they want to make. So, I know it is only March, but this album has the potential to have my vote for best release of 2024!

Do yourself and the band a favor and go listen to these independent artists right now. Stream them on your preferred platform, check out their merch, and lastly go to the show! I’ve been to a ton of shows over the years, but not one show impacted me the way Shane Smith & the Saints with Justin Wells did at the Basement East. P.S. and that was a show they played with borrowed instruments from Turnpike Troubadours (I think) after their van burned!

-Cheers, N.

Below is the music video for “Adeline,” a track off Norther

#Youtube

[thisaintascenereviews]

Smoking Snakes - Danger Zone

It’s no secret that I love hair-metal, even with all of its problems, and believe you me, hair-metal has some problems. Whether it’s the claims of not being “real metal” from the metal community for being pop-metal, or the rampant misogyny in the genre (that really hasn’t aged certain albums and songs well), hair-metal doesn’t have the best reputation in the metal community, but I love it. When it’s done well, it can be really catchy, slick, and fun, especially when the vocals and instrumentation are great. It’s just really hard to find a solid band that doesn’t wish they were straight from the 1980s, and because of that, they end up feeling dated in a not so fun way. It is fun, however, when a band sounds like they’re from the 1980s, and they don’t try so hard about it, which is kind of how I feel about Swedish band Smoking Snakes and their debut album, Danger Zone. These guys showed up on my radar when this album came out a couple weeks back, and the album cover just screams 1980s hair-metal, but I decided to listen to the album out of pure curiosity. I’ve listened to this thing a handful of times, and I’m really mixed on it, because there are things I really like and things I don’t like as much. I wouldn’t say there are bad things about this album, but there are things that almost kill my enjoyment. I hate to say that, because that’s such a strong statement, but I wish I liked this album more.

Okay, let’s talk about what I like first, and it’s the sound, actually. Their sound is really awesome, as they have a solid 80s-influenced metal sound, especially with some really cool guitar riffs and solos. I love a lot of the riffs and solos on this album, and it’s clear their guitarist has some talent, but at the same time, their sound is kind of generic. Their riffs and solos are good, but they also sound like they’re right out of the 1980s. In a way, I don’t mind, because it sounds good, and I can see this band faring with the likes of Bon Jovi and Motley Crue, but that’s not all I’m looking for, either, so it’s got its pros and cons when it comes to that. It just depends on what you’re personally looking for, and if you’re fine with a band that sounds like they’re from a decade gone by. Some people really want music that just sounds like stuff they grew up with, and that’s it, which is fine, but these guys don’t do anything you haven’t heard before, although I have to admit that their sound is done well.

Where this album goes south for me, at least a bit, is within the vocals. Their vocalist isn’t outright bad, but he’s what I’d call eccentric. He’s got this raspy sound that might take some time to get used to, and it’s not even that he’s bad, it’s that his voice isn’t good enough for the instrumentation, which sounds really bad, I know. It sucks, because I listen to this album, and the one major thought I have is that I wish the vocals were better. I shouldn’t have that thought that while listening to anything, but his vocals just don’t do that much for me. I wish I liked them more, but vocals can make or break an album for me, depending on how they sound and how they fit into its sound. The thing is, the sound of this album is so good, and the instrumentation is really solid, but this album also has some great hooks. The hooks would be a lot better with a better vocalist, frankly, and that’s my biggest issue with this album.

I’d ultimately recommend this album if you want a solid metal album that’s influenced by the 1980s, and it may not be the best thing you’ve ever heard, but it’s good. I wish the vocals were better, but they’re not horrible. Some people like raspier vocals, and for what it is, it’s fine, but the hooks on here are really good and with the right vocalist, they’d be even better. I’m happy I listened to this, because it’s got some good ideas, even if they try a little too hard to emulate the era they’re influenced by. I will say that the lyrics aren’t anything to write home about here, but they’re what you’d expect for an album of this sound. I don’t know, folks, I’d listen to it if you want a solid metal album that may not blow you away, but does what it does rather well. I’d be interested in hearing what this band does next, but I wish their vocalist would improve. It’s not that he’s bad, it’s that these hooks are deserving of a better vocalist, and it really frustrates me, because I want to really love this album, but I just can’t for that reason.

#smoking snakes #danger zone #Motley Crue #skid row #warrant #def leppard #guns n roses #Van Halen #metal #hair metal #heavy metal #hard rock #rock #1980s

[warmaidensrevenge]

Eddie's love is undeniable.

Papa!Eddie Munson x plus size reader

If you want to read my other work you can find it HERE

The next chapter in my Papa Eddie series. Thanks for reading. Oh I'm tagging @mrsjaderogers because I think you would like this series.

Warnings: +18 Language, abandonment issues, oral, and not proof read and no word count.

Summary: As things progress Eddie realizes he hasn't fully healed from Tina. And he works with you as you go through the ringer too.

Chapter 4: Abandoned

🍼🤍😓

The drive home was filled with laughs and stolen glances. Erika had taken over the radio playing a mixture of New Kids on the Block and Michael Jackson. It was funny because the music wasn't really Eddie's taste. But he found himself tapping along to a few of the songs. He liked seeing you sing along with Erika. Your variety of music astounded him. It made him want to branch out just a bit. It wasn't the lyrics that deterred him from that type of music. It was the instrumentals. He very much preferred to head bang than to jive or hop around flaying his limbs about. But if he was honest with himself, he really didn't know how to dance. Awkward stiff movements were all he could conjure when he would practice alone in front of his bedroom mirror.

When you guys pulled into a gas station somewhere in Lafayette, you had decided to teach Eddie some moves. You guys got out of the car when Eddie pumped gas. You had blasted You Got It. Erika was dancing with Rosie and you had his hands trying to rock him side to side. He shook his head at you and smile.

"Try this Eddie." You said letting go of his hands.

He watched you move your legs into a pendulum swing. Eddie looked over to Erika doing the same thing.

" Uhh I can't do that sweetheart."

" Just try Eddie."

And he did. But he knew he looked ridiculous.

" Okay. Okay. Just move your hips." You said while putting your hands on his hips. " Just roll them to the beat."

Eddie liked how you held him. Your smile made his heart melt. When there was a small breakdown you got closer and touched his lower half with yours. Rolling your body into his. Then as soon as it was over you pulled back and started to do The Snake. He just stood there watching you having so much fun. You went to Rosie and Erika and started dancing with them. Pulling them closer to Eddie so that the four of you could dance together. This moment instantly became a core memory for him. As the song ended all of you stood there laughing. Eddie pulled you to him, kissing your forehead.

"God you make me so happy sweetheart."

" Only returning the favor honey."

" Eww. Enough with the PDA guys."

" Sinclair I swear, I will leave you here."

...

Eddie spent the last few days of his vacation with you and Rosie. At least as much as he could. You had returned to work the following day you guys got back from the concert. Your shift had changed and now you were working 16 hour nights with Wayne. Eddie was lucky enough to get a spot on the morning shift because of Rosie. But now he barely saw you. In the morning Eddie would arrive at work while you and his uncle were leaving. A quick kiss on the cheek was all you have been giving him for weeks. The only days he saw you were Sundays. You guys would go outside and make snowmen and take Rosie sledding. Trying to spend most of the day with each other.

One day he was called in to cover a shift Saturday night. He was excited because he was gonna see you all night and you could come over after and sleep with him. However, the night was going to be spent in the hospital.

Eddie was on his machine when he saw a commotion. All he heard was your name and he went running. When he got there you were on your knees.

" YOU. CALL 911." You said pointing at one of the workers.

"WAYNE! MR. MUNSON ARE YOU OK!" You said shaking him.

You looked up and told someone to get you the first aid kit.

" EVERYONE BACK UP." You shouted

Eddie was frozen. He watched as you gave his uncle CPR. You looked up at him quickly and looked back down.

" SOMEONE GET EDDIE A CHAIR BEFORE HE PASSES OUT!" You said before giving Wayne mouth to mouth.

Someone led Eddie just far away enough to find a seat. His face was in his hands. And for 30 long minutes you pumped Wayne's chest until the EMT's finally came. You came and squatted in front of him.

" Eddie....He had a heart attack."

Eddie's eyes were glossed over. He didn't know what to do or say.

" Come baby. Let's go. We need to go to the hospital."

All he could do was nod.

...

His uncle came home a few days later. Eddie was allowed to take family leave in order to take care of him. He moved Rosie's crib out to the living room so his uncle could take the bedroom. He made sure that his uncle rested as much as he could. Eddie found himself crying himself to sleep every night. In the morning when you got off you would bring all of them breakfast. Checking on Wayne. You would sit with him and talk until you were too tired to talk.

Eddie was getting jealous at the time you spent comforting his uncle. Was he not important enough for you to comfort too? Did you not see how almost losing his uncle affected him? His irrational thoughts consumed him. He became distant from you. He didn't really want to but he couldn't help but feel left behind. Again.

You had noticed his change and you decided to act. You got Erika and Max to stay and take care of Rosie and Wayne while you and Eddie went for a drive. You drove out to Lake Jordan. Your original plan was to go to lovers lake but you didn't want to bring up any terrible memories for him.

As you parked you guys just sat there listening to music. Eddie and you moved to your backseat and cuddled.

" I missed you Eddie. I'm sorry that I haven't been spending time with you and Rosie. I know it's hard right now with my schedule. But I promise. I'll be here more. I'll be here for you more. Whatever you need okay. Just tell me."

Eddie was quiet for a second. " I need you to kiss me."

You move to pull his face down, kissing him gently. Too gently. He grabbed your waist and pulled you to straddle him, his grip was firmly on your ass. He lifted his hips and rocked yours against him. He started to kiss you harder when you pulled away.

" What?"

" Eddie."

He tried to kiss you again pulling your neck hard to him smashing his lips to yours.

" Eddie stop!" You pushed him away and got off.

He huffed. What? Now you don't want him?

" Eddie please....we can't...not like this."

" Why not like this? What's wrong with having sex in a car?" His voice was cold and harsh.

" There's nothing wrong with having sex in a car. It's just having sex. You're not ok."

" Why not?! Am I that repulsive? Or what?! Do you like my uncle or something?"

" Eddie no..." You said just above a whisper.

" Then why can't you just fuck me? We've been seeing each other for 2 months now and this is the closest we ever got."

" Is this how you want our first time to be? Does making love to me not as important to you as it is to me?"

" Are you fucking kidding me y/n?!"

" Eddie please. Just talk to me. I can't keep doing this."

Eddie scoffed. " Right. Just fucking leave like everyone else."

" Wait no. That's not what I meant."

" Whatever" he said while getting out of the car stomping off.

He stopped at the lake when he heard your footsteps. He wanted to punch something. He knew how he spoke to you was wrong. But he just couldn't handle everything that was going on. Tears threaten to leave his eyes. Why was everyone leaving him? Did he not matter? Did no one really care? What was the point of surviving if this was what was waiting for him?

" Eddie...please."

Your pleading voice only made him angrier.

" Y/n just fucking go! I don't want this anymore."

" No."

" YES! JUST FUCKING LEAVE. THERE'S NO POINT OF DRAGGING THIS OUT."

"I'm sorry, but no."

"GOD DAMNIT Y/N! JUST LEAVE NOW. LEAVE SO THAT I CAN JUST GET OVER YOU."

" Why? Why I would leave?"

"BECAUSE EVERYONE DOES ALRIGHT!"

You were quiet. As he continued to vent.

" My mom left me, my dad took off on me. All my friends went. My uncle tried. Rosie is gonna leave when she gets older. Tina....fucking Tina left me. And sooner or later, when you get tired of me too. You'll leave just like her. GOD! What was so wrong with me that she fucking left me like that? How could she leave me like that? How could she leave Rosie? What kind of mother just abandons her kid like that? Why would she just abandon me?"

Your lip quivered. And your breath shuddered. It was clear that you weren't the problem. Everyone kept leaving him. But it wasn't like most of them did it maliciously, he just felt like they did.

" Do you still love Tina?"

"What?! How can you ask me that?! I HATE HER! I fucking hate her! I hate her for leaving Rosie. I hate her for leaving us." He turned to you, but you were looking at the ground.

" If she hadn't left. Or if she came back? Would you be happy?"

Eddie had thought about that a lot. He always pictured what his life would be like if Tina would have stayed. He had a ring for her and everything. But she changed after a few months of being pregnant. He had returned the ring when Rosie was born. But he still loved her. He hoped that one day she would come back for so long. But then you came around being this perfect person that he never knew existed. Things changed for him. He no longer pictured Tina with him. It was you who was a part of his dreams. You who he was crazy about. You who was right for him. You who he wanted to be Rosie's mom. But what if she did come back? What if she decided to be a part of their lives again? Would he let you go, just so Rosie could get to know her real mom? Could he really take that chance and lose you?

"Eddie it's fine ok. I get it. If Bastian was alive and his dad gave an actual fuck about him then maybe we could work it out. For the sake of Bastian....I know what this feels like okay. People left me too. But you can't blame yourself for that...if Thomas loved me he would have stayed. If he loved Bastian he would have come to the funeral. And the same goes for Tina. She would have been here for Rosie. She would have been here for you. But she wasn't. I'm here. I love you. And I love that little girl with all my heart....I wish she was ours....but she's not. I promise you though. I will love her like she is mine. Because she already feels like that to me...but if Tina does come back...and she wants to be a mom...then I won't stand in the way...if you choose her then that's okay. But just know that I love you too. Do you think that I would just give up without a fight? Well, I will fight with everything I have because you need someone to. I'm not just gonna go away...I'm not just gonna leave. I'm not like anyone else that has. So don't you dare think that of me....and if you really want me to leave...if you really don't love me...then just say it now. Because... Because I can't stay on the side lines waiting for you for when you eventually find that you don't love me. I won't."

He didn't know what to say. No one has ever said anything remotely close to what you just said to him. He believed every word he said until you spoke. Why did he have to meet Tina before he met you? Then Rosie or Bastian would have been your guy's. And he wouldn't have felt this way. But he decided here and now that Rosie was yours. He was yours. No more questioning of what ifs or doubting you. Your love for him was unmatched. And his love for you was undeniable. He vowed to make sure you would never doubt his love for you ever again.

...

Christmas was just around the corner and Eddie spent every last dime he had saved to get you and Rosie the perfect gift. Matching mother and daughter gold necklaces and a 2 night stay at the Four Seasons hotel in Indianapolis. He thought for a moment that maybe all of it was too much and too fast. But he would be him if he wasn't dramatic in some way or another.

You had an array of gifts for him and Rosie. One for everyday of the month. It was halfway through December when you surprised him with a painfully fun gift. Eddie sat there holding your hand as the tattoo gun pierced his skin. It didn't hurt, he just liked touching you.

He got the latin words Amor vincit omnia on his inner bicep. As he was finished he looked in the mirror. You just behind him smiling.

" Love conquers all sweetheart."

" It sure does."

He turned and pulled you in for a hug. " Ready for your's?

You lifted up to your toes and kissed him softly. "Ready Freddy."

" Uhh for the last time it's Eddie." He teased and kissed you again.

You went and sat down in the chair. Holding out your arm tugging at your bottom lip.

" Alright man. Don't hurt my girl too much. Or we will have words."

Eddie left gentle kisses on your matching tattoo doing his best to soothe your soreness.

" Eddie it really doesn't hurt. I have enough fat there, my arm could be considered a wing. I swear if I caught some air I could fly."

Eddie frowned. " Why do you talk about yourself like that? Don't you know how damn beautiful you are? Do you really think I would care about how you look?"

" I...it's just something I did in order to not let anyone's words hurt me. I figured if I can make fun of myself. It wouldn't hurt so much when others do."

Eddie shot up and looked around the shop. " Who dares talk about my girl like that? Huh? Who wants a can of whoop ass?"

You laughed. " Eddieeee"

" y/n" he said mimicking your whine. " Listen pretty lady. I don't ever want to hear you say bad things about yourself. You're exquisite in every shape and form. I swear."

" You have a heart of gold Eddie. Don't ever change okay."

"Never."

...

Christmas Eve started out so great. You, Rosie, and Wayne were in the living room waiting for Eddie to finish wrapping his gift to you. Why didn't he do it earlier wasn't even a question. Why was that? Because he was such a procrastinator and he got distracted so easily.

It didn't help things when you had finally gotten back to the same shift as him. He and Rosie were with you all the time now. It was damn near impossible to get to wrap your gift. Especially when you would distract him with your lips and body. Every night things would get hot and heavy between the pair of you. But always stop before getting there. It wasn't as if you guys were gonna have sex with Rosie so close by. But it was bound to happen when he took you to Indianapolis. He had it all planned out. He bought candles and fake rose peddles to set the mood for it. He had bought a huge pack of condoms ribbed for your pleasure of course. Though he knew he didn't need that to make you...well you know. But he had to make sure he gave you the best you have ever had. Because he just knew you were going to be his. He dreamed of the heaven between your legs. How fuckin warm you would be. If your body gave any indication on how warm you were. It was definitely going to burn him. In a good way.

As he put the last piece of tape on the medium size box, he smiled at how well he did. Sure it wasn't perfect like how you wrapped yours but he tried. And he knew you would love it anyway because he put in the effort.

" Alright, here we go." He mumbled to himself.

When he walked down the small hall he saw you sitting with Rosie in your lap smothering her with kisses. Eddie had accidentally tripped over one of Rosie's toys. He almost went down but he caught himself. He stood up straight and laughed. He noticed you were looking at him shaking your head.

That's when he heard it. Rosie had started mumbling something that in any normal circumstances would have been absolutely perfect. But the look on your face told him that you were not okay with what Rosie just said.

Eddie and Wayne froze at Rosie's half words half mumbles. Eddie could see your chest heaving and your hands start to shake.

"W-wayne....t-take her...I-I'm-I'm gonna drop her."

Wayne who was the closest to you immediately took her. You had gotten up and ran outside. Eddie's feet had a mind of their own and went to chase after you.

He was right behind you in a matter of seconds. You had your head between your knees trying to breathe.

" Y/n she doesn't know what shes saying. Please baby don't freak out." Eddie tried his best to calm you.

He went in front of you lifting you up so you could look at him. Your forehead was lined with sweat and your eyes were red from the tears.

" Common sweetheart. Rosie doesn't know what shes saying."

" It's not that Eddie. It's me okay. It's me."

" What are you talking about? Talked to me."

I- I...I just wasn't ready for her to call me that. I- I never thought she would... Of course I wanted it...I just didn't expect it so soon."

Eddie hugged you. " Why wouldn't she call you that? That's who you are to her...You're her mom.. or mum as Rosie would say."

" Don't you think that it might be too soon for her to see me as that."

" Why would it be? If she wants to see you as her mom then so be it. I know I already do. And I'm glad she sees it too"

...

During the drive to Indianapolis you guys listened to Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and The Scorpions. He found out during the ride that The Scorpions were your favorite band. He swore he was falling in love with you all over again with each song that played. You knew every lyric and always told him about the favorite part of the song you like. Explain when the first time you heard it. You guys exchange past stories about yourselves filling up the long drive. As you two sang along to Eddie's favorite song he looked over to you and saw the necklace he bought you resting between your cleavage. You were so beautiful. He only wished you guys had taken your car so you could sit close to him. He now cursed his van for having a gap between you two.

When you guys got to the hotel and got the keys you went to the elevator. As soon as you stepped out you gave him a look.

" Race you." You said before taking off down the hallway.

" Hey! You cheater!" Eddie yelled running after you.

He grabbed your arm and pulled you back so he could get in front of you. He knew he was faster so he held back just a bit. The halls were filled with laughter and the sounds of shuffling. You were almost at the door when he grabbed you to pull you into a kiss. Moving you just a bit to be the first one at the door.

He touched it and looked down at you.

" I win."

" Hey no fair. You can't use your lips. Now that's cheating."

He smiled kissing you again.

"Well of kissing you makes me a cheater. Then I'm a damn cheater.... Common sweetheart. Let's get ready for dinner."

Eddie brought his nicest shirt and slacks. Borrowing a pair of his uncle's dress up shoes. He was pulling on his leather jacket when you came out of the restroom. You were wearing this beautiful black velvet dress that hugged you in all the right places. It came down to your knees and you wore 3 inch black heels. You also had on a matching cardigan with your hair pinned up. You looked stunning.

You guys had went to a fancy restaurant. But as you sat there looking at the menu you had no idea what the hell any of it was beside the salad that had some fancy cheese on it.

" Eddie...What's Bouillabaisse?"

" I uhhh think it's bologna soup."

" 46 bucks for bologna soup?! Oh god... Eddie...could we just get a hot dog or something?"

Eddie sighed in relief. " Thank you. The only thing I could make out was the chocolate cake."

Eddie stood up and pulled out a 20, leaving it on the table for the drinks. You shook your head because you guys only had water. But Eddie shrugged and held out his arm for you.

" M'lady."

You smiled taking it. You guys found a small vender just a few blocks over. Eddie scarfed down 3 brats while you were working on your second one. He saw that you were shivering. He put down his fourth dog and pulled off his jacket slinging it around your shoulders.

" Thanks honey."

Eddie kissed your temple and held you with one arm as he worked on his bratwurst.

" Do you think ants hibernate during the winter?"

" Huh? I don't know. Maybe. I have never seen them in the winter. Why do you ask?"

" I don't know. Just a random thought I had." Eddie chuckled.

"Do you always have random thoughts like that?"

" Yeah all the time. I just don't voice them. I don't want anyone to think I'm weird."

" Eddie your curiosity isn't weird. I like it." You turned to him and smiled.

You had a little bit of mustard on the corner of your mouth. Eddie wiped it with his thumb putting it in his mouth. He saw you bit your lip watching him. His watch went off. He looked at it and it was midnight.

" Happy new year sweetheart." He said before kissing you. " Let's go back to the room yeah?"

You nodded and finished your food, tossing your trash. You walked back to his van holding hands. He opened the door for you giving you another passionate kiss before closing the door. Eddie made his way around the van adjusting himself so the his boner wouldn't stand out too much.

Eddie waited in his boxers under the blankets for you. He had the urge to put on a shirt but he remembered that night with you in his restroom. When you came out you had your hair in a high bun and in sweats. He couldn't wait to get you out of them. When you climbed in he kissed you again. His hands wondered everywhere. It wasn't until he tried to touch you lower when you grabbed his hand.

" Eddie we can't... I'm on my period."

Eddie threw his head back in frustration. " Fuck!... I'm gonna get a towel."

You grabbed his wrist. "No honey. Please can we just wait. I don't want to cover you in blood. That's just gross."

" Have you met me? I'm the living personification of gross." He said while he belched and blew the air away from you and pretended to scratch his ass. He tried to fart but it wasn't happening.

You laughed so hard that you snorted. You covered your nose and mouth right after.

" Oh baby that's so cute." He said kissing you again.

He kissed down your neck and tries to touch you again. But you stopped him.

" No honey. Please...I know..I want you too. But I don't want to do it like this."

" I don't care if your bleeding."

" Yeah but I do."

" Okay but I swear the moment you stop. Wherever we our, it's happening."

You and Eddie grinned at each other. Eddie laid down on his back and he looked down as his tent. He then looked at you. You were on your side smiling looking at it. Eddie felt your hand sneaking it's way under the blanket to touch him. He closed his eyes when you did. His hips bucked under your touch. You then pulled down his boxers under his balls and held his dick gently stroking him.

He let out a low, rough groan as your grip got tighter. You suddenly took your hand off and he opened his eyes to look at you. You sat up and pulled the blanket off. You went to kneel between his legs. His eyes were saucers when you licked your lips.

" Y-you don't have to-"

"Shhh. I'm not going to let you get blue balls because of me." You pressed your finger to his lips.

You removed your hand and grabbed him again spitting on the tip and stroked him slowly, spreading your saliva over it's entirety. You brought your mouth down to leave a soft kiss on his head. Eddie could feel your hot breath and he shuddered. His whole body trembled when you gave him one long lick from the bottom of his base to his red tip, licking up his precum and swirling your tongue around it. His eyes rolled back when you took him into your mouth.

"S-shit."

It blew his mind when you took him half way. He felt the bed move and saw you adjusting yourself to a comfortable position on your stomach. Your eyes were closed as to took the rest of him. Your warm wet mouth felt so good he could have cum in just seconds. He felt your throat tightened as your gag reflex kicked in. You let up for just a second to catch your breath. But then you went back in. Taking all of him again.

Eddie saw tears falling from the corners of your eyes. He cupped your face while wiping your tears away. You really couldn't take all of him but being the good girl you are you did. You hollowed out your checks and your head bobbed at the perfect pace.

" Fuck y/n... G-god you're so good.. it feels so good.

The sounds of lewd slurping and his grunts bounced off the walls. A mixture of palm and tongue set Eddie to the edge. His need to cum became too dire now. His balls clenched as you took him in one last time. Stopping at his base with your nose in his little curly hairs. He held your head in place as his load shot into your throat. You moaned as he did, making him fall into complete bliss.

You let him come down from his high before relieving him of your mouth. He watched in aww as you swallowed his cum and wiping your bottom lip.

" Good?" You said breathlessly

"Jesus H Chris! Are you kidding me? That was just...fuck!...How in the hell did you make me cum in" he looked at his watch." Fuck! In only 3 minutes.....baby I swear I last longer than that."

You giggled and you sat up fixing his boxers. He sat up to kiss you but you stopped him.

" No I gotta brush my teeth."

" Uhhh no. You gotta kiss me." He said pulling you for a deep one.

" Ok honey. Can I brush my teeth now?" You asked after he pulled away.

He nodded and you smiled getting up. When you came back out Eddie was fast asleep. You laughed to yourself and got into bed with him. He turned so that he could spoon you.

He mumbled an 'I love you' before he went back to sleep.

" I love you too honey."

The next day you gave him 3 more blow jobs. One in the morning. One after lunch, and one before bed. He was absolutely spent. That thing you did with your tongue and your hand at the same time had him speechless. Even on the drive home you made him pull over so you could give him one in the back. You made him cum twice that time. He wanted to cum again but, this time you took your time with him. Teasing so much that it hurt, but in a fun way. After his second release, you said that you missed Rosie. He did too. So he picked up his pants as you went to the passenger seat. He smacked your ass before you sat down. You yelped and giggled. You flipped open the mirror to wipe your cheeks from the tears that stained them.

" Why do you take it all if you choke?"

" Because I am not a quitter and I love how squirmy you get when I take it all. The sounds and faces you make are worth the sore throat."

Eddie tilted his head and raised his eyebrows with a smirk across his lips. " Oh you like making me squirm? Just you wait sweetheart..."

...

When you guys got back to his trailer. You picked up Rosie and held her so close to your chest.

" Hey sweet girl! I missed you so much."

Eddie came to hug her too but she pushed him away and buried her face in your neck.

Eddie grabbed his heart and fell to the ground.

" Oh no princess. What happened to your daddy? We gotta save him."

Eddie played dead and he could feel you get close to him.

" Give daddy a kiss. Maybe, a kiss from a princess will wake him."

Eddie peaked to see you holding Rosie over him. She was puckering her lips to kiss him. When she did he shot his eyes open and sat up. Making Rosie laugh.

" You've brought me back princess. But, I'm weak. I need a kiss from another princess."

Rosie smacked your chest lightly trying to get you to kiss him. " M-mum, mum..."

" Okay sweet girl. I'll give daddy a kiss. But then he has to promise to love us forever."

Rosie looked at him with raised brows.

Eddie gasped. " Mommy should know I will always love you too."

He looked at you and smiled. Your sweet soft smile made his heart race. He knew you liked what he said from the happy tears forming in your eyes. You leaned over and kissed him with such love that he swore it really did bring him back to life. He jumped up right after making Rosie scream and giggle.

" See princess. You and mommy saved me." He said picking her up and helping you stand.

He held both of you, sharing kisses between the pair of you.

" My girls."

...

After that day Rosie got chicken pox. Since Eddie never had it, you took care of both of them when you could. Eddie still didn't get to have you like he wanted. Even after a month and a half. Things just kept coming up and he was getting extremely impatient.

...

Before he knew it, it was the middle of February and you, him, and Rosie were walking through the cemetery. It was the anniversary of your son's passing. You had asked Eddie to come and of course he did. You stopped at a small gravestone and put down your son's teddy bear. Eddie put Rosie down and held her hand and you kneeled down next to her.

" Rosie, this is Sebastian. Sebastian, this is Rosie. And this is Eddie baby." You looked up at him with tears in your eyes.

" She's your new sister Bastian. Hey bud... I brought you something." Eddie said while pulling a toy car out of his pocket. " It's uhh a black and yellow Hot Bird. It's a really cool car little guy."

Eddie bent down and put the hot wheel car on the small stone. " I wish I could've met you little guy....I promise to take care of your mommy."

Eddie stood up and you picked up Rosie. He held both of you kissing the crown of your head.

" Thank you for bringing us sweetheart."

" Thank you for coming."

" Any time sweetheart. Whenever you want to come with us, just ask and we will come. Always."

...

@salenorona23 @b-irock @browneyes528

#fanfic #eddie munson #eddie munson x female original character #eddie munson x you #stranger things #eddie munson x plus size reader #eddie x reader #eddie my beloved #eddie x fem!reader #eddie x y/n #baby #daddy eddie munson #abandoned #joe quinn #joseph quinn #plus size reader

[anna-dreamer]

Сон Амариэ: a breakdown. Part 1

Sooo. Ever since that summer concert performance of Finrod in Moscow i've been obsessed with Сон Амариэ. I've thought a lot about strengths and hiccups of this song, and i really wanna talk about them. Full lyrics han be found here. Unfortunately, stupid Tumblr character limitation won't let me make it a single post so i will have to break it into several. Let's start with a common issue that can be conveniently summed up.

False semantic pairs (and other grammatical oddities)

There is a common problem in this song that if very typical for Finrod's lyrics in general. I am talking about concepts and ideas that are put into an associative pair but actually cannot form one due to a logical error. The first one we encounter early on, in the phrase Лес молчит, словно полк, лишённый короля. Now, granted, a king like Finrod is expected to also be a military commander, and it is natural for regiments to be led by him into battle and to lose their resolve and fall into silence when their king is suddenly gone. (Though i must say, here i read a weird subtext of 'disloyalty to the cause', as if someone is trying to rally this troop, but in response gets only silence. A really weird undertone to describe a still forest which it the only thing that is there to answer you - and it doesn't - when you call out a lover's name. But that might be just me. It's far more likely that Amarië invokes the imagery of Finrod's deeds in Endorë as she imagines them and feels a foreboding dread that he is not there anymore. Of course a forest can look as abandoned as a troop without a commander. It is, after all, a dream.) But still - it is plain that a pairing "regiment - king" is occasional and conditional. The most natural associative pairing for полк would be полководец, командир, офицер.

Чтобы верить, не нужны ни разум, ни глаза. Now, it is a beautiful sentiment that describes faith and trust against all reason and evidence. But there is still a problem, a case of misplaced metonymy! Разум (reason) is a non-material entity that is usually associated with a body part - a head. Глаза (eyes) is very much a material thing, it is a body part which corresponds with an immaterial sense - sight (зрение). The point being made in the lyrics is, in order to have faith, one needs neither to reason nor to see with their own eyes - or, in other words, one believes with neither their head nor their eyes. But the lyrics try to have it both ways, and it doesn't work. The author chooses to use разум instead of голова (or (иметь) глаза instead of видеть), and as a result we get a mismatch.

Ветви, словно руки, сплетают сеть. The logic in this metaphor is again faulty. True, we often compare tree branches to arms or hands, it's very common. (In Russian both arm and hand are called by the same word, рука.) But then this net thing creates a confusion. Branches indeed can interweave, and arms/hands (or rather fingers) can be interlocked. In Russian both these meanings can be expressed with cognate verbs плести, сплетать, переплетать, the root -плет- meaning 'weave'. The problem is that branches do not actually weave any nets of any material - they themselves intertwine in such a way that a net is formed. On the contrary, hands do weave nets, they are not a material, but an instrument for that. Again, there are two conflicting ideas in this sentence, and they cannot be combined into a functional metaphor. Now, i'm gonna add another entry, a bit of a different kind, that does not necessarily describe errors but still is worth mentioning.

В тьме и в свете я тебя по имени зову. A couple of things here. For euphony sake it is customary to use во not в when the preposition is followed by several consonants (во тьме). Here it is not so for the sake of rhythm. (Also it is worth mentioning just for completion sake that there are two words in Russian that both mean 'darkness': темнота and тьма. The latter, the one used in the song, carries more of an elevated, metaphorical meaning along with the literal one.) В свете is a curious thing, and it is a bit of a nitpick. I don't begrudge the author this form, in my opinion it is acceptable in a poetical work, but i feel it is still worth mentioning. The form в свете that appears in the song is actually a locative that is used not for material but immaterial entities. For carrying across a meaning 'in the light', 'being lit by light' one would say на свету or при свете. В свете is a form that belongs to a word that usually has a separate dictionary entry. It is свет as in 'world', '(high) society'. Here is an example from Eugen Onegin: when Tatiana's husband sees that Onegin does not recognise his wife, he tells Onegin, Давно ж ты не был в свете! Charles H. Johnston has it translated as "...you banish yourself too long from social life". Again, in our case this form comes to use for convenience sake and is used for poetical uniformity. Part 2 Part 3 Part 4

#silmarillion #finrod #amarie #finrod rock opera #finrod the rock opera #anna dissects rock operas