#they have 2 albums but i think this one is much tighter

[a-deadly-serenade]

if u want to listen to something that takes into account the actual story of her life, with its own appropriate twists, i cant recommend opera diabolicus's concept album 1614 enough. its only 8 tracks, & theyre all so wonderfully composed. its dark, gothic metal at its finest. and it takes you thru the story of her life, from the beginning, to the discovery of her crimes, to the very end. the last track is called "stone by stone" for pete sake, which is how she was imprisoned!!! the name of the album is the year she died and even the album cover incorporates her imagery. all the lyrics interweave aspects of her life with the horror of her actions, alongside their creative liberties and it all blends into this glorious, hour long epic that i never tire of listening to, even as it peaks into its 11th birthday.

i am also very biased and love this video. (+ this song is an absolute BANGER)

#opera diabolicus #they are CRIMINALLY underrated #they have 2 albums but i think this one is much tighter #thematically especially #if you're a big gothic metal/doom metal fan #hints of symphonic metal #cannot rec them enough #Youtube

[marie-swriting]

The Slut Of Hawkins - Steve Harrington [1/2]

Emails I Can't Send Masterlist

Stranger Things Masterlist

Part two

Part one - two (French version)

Summary : You're paying for the consequences of dating Steve Harrington.

Warnings : italics are for flashbacks, Slutshaming, school bullying (reader getting bullied) (talk to someone if you're being bullied!), implied sex, Steve is a bit of a coward, bad relationship with parents, angst, sad ending, fighting.

Word count : 3.5k

Song inspiration : Because I Liked A Boy by Sabrina Carpenter

The laughs were filling the fresh air of the early night. Laying on your backyard trampoline, you were cuddling against Steve. You had been getting closer recently and you had to admit, it made you feel good to have someone to talk to, especially when your parents weren’t there - which was pretty often, that night was another proof.

Steve held you a bit tighter in his arms while you were talking about your favourite singers. You had said some names like Madonna, Bowie though, it was the mention of The Beatles that caught his attention.

“The album Help! is definitely my favourite.” Steve informed you.

“Same for me, I love all of the songs but You’re Going To Lose That Girl and It’s Only Love have a special place in my heart.” you said whilst Steve looked away. “Is everything alright?”

“Yeah, it’s just that It’s Only Love was our song, to me and Nancy.”

“You really loved her, didn’t you?”

“She was my first love. Unfortunately, it ended pretty badly. It became complicated after her best friend Barbara disappeared. Besides, I have to admit, I was at fault, too but I’m trying to be better.”

“I’m sure you will.” you affirmed hugging him a bit more against you. “You’re not the same Steve you used to be. We wouldn’t be here, otherwise. You’re a good person, Steve, don’t doubt it for a second.” 

“Thanks for what you just said.” Steve smiled at you.

“Anyway, what do you think of I Need You?”

“Not really my favourite.”

“Steve Harrington, I am appalled! How dare you say this kind of stuff?” you exclaim, faking shock.

“You asked for my opinion.”

“And you were supposed to agree with me.”

“I don’t like it, it’s not my fault.”

“You just don’t get this song. You’ll see, you’ll be a fan of it one day, I’ll make sure of it.” you stated looking at him right in the eyes.

“I’m dying to see that.”

Your lips were only a few inches away. You didn’t dare to make the first step, even if you were dying to, you were too afraid to have read too much in between the lines. You liked Steve a lot, but you weren’t sure he wanted the same thing. Steve looked at you with stars and tenderness in his eyes, yours were quite similar. You both were waiting to see which one would bend first. Steve was the one who ended up breaking the inches by pressing his lips against yours. Your lips were moving slowly, taking in this innocent moment of the beginning of your relationship.

Now, the innocence is gone. Once you close your locker door, the word “slut” is written in big letters, reminding you of the price you had to pay for this moment. Who knew cuddling on trampolines could be so reckless? 

Far away, Steve is watching you. However, the second you turn your head toward him, he looks down and goes in the opposite direction. It’s been the same thing for a month. You are called names and Steve turns a blind eye. You are accused of being a homewrecker and Steve receives sympathy for the pain you supposedly caused him.

During the day, you keep your head low, not wanting to draw more attention to you. Unfortunately, the insults just like the degrading pieces of paper keep coming your way. The only moment of peace you have is during lunchtime. 

At first, you hid in the bathroom then you ended up running into some girls who made you understand they weren’t on your side so you went to find a safe place in the janitor closet. At least, no one can bother you there. You don’t like the way you accepted the bullying however every time you tried to explain the situation, no one listened to you. So, now, you don’t say anything and you let people tell you who you are, hoping this story will end soon. 

In the afternoon, you have chemistry. As you got used to the past month, you sit at the end of the class, wanting to be far away from your classmates' judging look. You do your best to stay focused on the lesson but you have to admit since the beginning of the rumours, your grades have been falling. You keep your energy to survive the comments so you don’t have enough of it to keep your grades high.

While you finish writing what Mr. Kaminski just said, he announces you’ll work in pairs. Right away, your stomach twists and you want to throw up. You can’t work in pairs. You’ve never been a fan of group projects however now you hate it; it’s an open door to being called names nonstop for a whole hour. The teacher informs he’s already made the groups before saying them out loud. Like a convicted person, you wait for him to say your name. You’re part of the last group and you’re with Tucker Walker. At the mention of his name, you want to die. He’s part of the basketball team and he’s entitled. You don’t like him. You try to negotiate with your teacher to work alone but he insists.

“Come here, Y/L/N, I’m not gonna eat you.” Tucker laughs.

Reluctantly, you gather your stuff and go to his desk. You put as much distance as possible, wanting to avoid new rumours.

“I’m going to do the whole exercise and I’ll put your name on the sheet like this, you’ll have nothing to do.” you announce while starting to read what you have to do.

“Who said I didn’t want to work with you?”

“I don’t want to work with you.” you specify. “Now, do something else and let me work.”

“On the contrary, I’m sure I can be useful.” he contradicts, putting his hand on your knee.

“Take your hand off.” you say through gritting teeth.

“What?”

“Your hand. I don’t like you and if I’m not mistaken, you’re with someone.”

“It didn’t stop you with Harrington.” he says before leaning in. “You can meet me behind school later.”

“No.”

“You don’t have to play hard-to-get because we’re in class.”

“I’m not playing hard-to-get, I just don’t like you.” you repeat, trying to stay calm.

“That's what you say now.”

By some luck, Tucker takes his hand off and lets you work. You’re surprised to see him give up so easily. You know it’s hiding something else, from now on, you have to avoid him.

You finish the work sheet the same second the bell rings at the end of the class. You pack your stuff quickly and give the sheet to your teacher before leaving the room. Tucker doesn’t follow, allowing you to sigh in relief.

Walking by your locker, you discover the insult is gone. It’s one of the positive things with the janitor, he always erases the insults right away. Though, no matter how many times he erases them, he’s never reported it to the principal, leaving you on your own with the high schooler venom.

The moment you leave school, you walk to your car when you get stopped in your tracks. In front of you, there are four girls, Jessica - Tucker’s girlfriend - included. You try to not show anything, mentally preparing yourself for what she’s going to tell you.

“What makes you think you can hit on Tucker, my boyfriend?” she asks drily, “Being his chemistry partner and telling him to meet you behind school? That’s where you were going, weren’t you? He’s not coming. Unlike Steve, he won’t let the slut of Hawkins destroy our relationship.” Jessica affirms, you’re about to answer when she beats you to it. “Don’t even try to deny it, Tucker told me and Sarah heard you!”

“Well, she can’t hear correctly then and your boyfriend is lying. Tucker is the one who hit on me and I stopped him. He put his hand on my knee and told me to meet him behind school.” you retort, annoyed.

“You think I’m gonna believe you over my boyfriend and my best friend?”

“I know you’re not going to believe me. It’s so much easier to believe your boyfriend who tells you what you want to hear rather than the girl who shows you the true colour of your boyfriend. Don’t be too disappointed the day you’ll discover he’s cheated on you, if he hasn’t done it already.” you state with a fake smile.

“Take that back.”

“Why ? Everyone knows he’s a cheater.”

“He’s different with me.” Jessica insists and you shake your head.

“That's what he wants you to believe but the truth is, he’s sleeping around while keeping you under his hat.”

The sound of the slap resonates in the school parking lot. You look at Jessica with eyes wide open whilst you’re touching your cheek. For you, that’s your last straw, you answer to her attack by pulling at her hair. Jessica’s scream alerts the adults around while her friends try to separate you two. You keep giving her a piece of your mind when two arms wrap themselves around your body and gets you away from Jessica. Being separated doesn’t stop both of you from insulting one another and trying to go for the throat again until Mister Jenkins arrives.

“That’s enough! What is going on here?”

“She attacked me!” Jessica lies, pointing at you.

“What? You’re the one who slapped me first.”

“She’s lying, we saw her, sir!” a friend of Jessica adds.

“They’re lying, Jessica did hit her first.”

Looking behind you, you discover the one who is holding you back and who is defending you is none other than Eddie Munson. You didn’t even see he was around and you certainly didn’t expect him to defend you.

“Are you seriously going to believe what Munson is saying?” Jessica questions, faking tears. “He’s always against us! He’d say anything to get us in trouble. I’m the victim here-”

“You’re talking nonsense, you-” you cut her off before Jenkins gets your attention back.

“Enough! I have enough. Go to the principal, now!”

And that’s how you end up in Mister Higgins’ office for the first time. You can’t believe the situation got this bad. The worst part isn’t listening to the disapproving speech of the headmaster, it’s actually witnessing your mom’s disappointment beside you as he speaks.

While the principal is explaining to your mom and Jessica’s mom what happened, you look at your feet, holding back tears of anger. Once he’s done talking, Higgins catches your and Jessica’s attention.

“Do you have anything to add?”

“I didn’t attack her first.” you insist.

“Everybody saw you!” Jessica retorts.

“You’re the one who accused me of stealing your boyfriend. I did nothing wrong.”

“Yeah, just like you didn’t break Nancy and Steve’s relationship.”

“Sir,” you start, trying to keep a calm voice, “I’ve been receiving insults for more than a month now from everyone including Jessica. She called me a slut then she slapped me when I told her her boyfriend was cheating on her. Eddie Munson saw it, he told Mister Jenkins.”

“Munson,  the one leading a cult? What a reliable source!” Jessica’s mother states, rolling her eyes.

“Madam, please.” Mr. Higgins reprimands. “One witness against Jessica’s three friends doesn’t bring a lot to the table.”

“So you’re not even going to do something about the harassment I’ve been receiving?”

“Y/N.” your mom says drily.

“I’ve never heard anything about people being mean to you. However, your grades haven’t been going down for some reason.”

“If you cared a bit more about your student, maybe you’d know why.”

“Y/N, enough!” your mom orders you before turning to Mister Higgins. “I apologise. I guess Y/N will be punished?”

“Indeed, we can’t tolerate this kind of behaviour. Technically, this kind of situation can lead to expulsion though considering Y/N has always been a good student - until now -, we’ll just say she’s going through a bad phase. Y/N will have a month of detention and you will be doing an assignment on bullying.”

Before you can protest, your mom glares at you. You stay silent while your mom apologies once again for your behaviour. Your mom’s grip on your arm forces you to stand up and to leave the office. She doesn’t say anything until you arrive at your car where she orders you to get home right away.

Once you’re home, your mom informs you you’re not allowed to drive your car therefore, you have to take the bus to go to school before informing you to stay in your room until your father arrives.

The second you close the door, you finally let your tears of anger stream down your face. You’re frustrated by the whole situation and you have never felt this alone before. You lay down on your bed rolled up in a ball, searching for some comfort. As you search for that much-needed comfort, your mind takes you back to a time in your life when you had it without needing to make any effort.

At one point, you had this comfort with you. When everything was still going great, it wasn’t rare for Steve to come to your place and put on a smile on your face.

You had been a couple for three months and no one knew about your relationship. You preferred to not say anything, wanting to protect what you had. Thanks to your relationship, you both felt less alone, you finally felt like someone cared about you, that was why you felt so good with him. Therefore, you would see each other when your parents weren’t home. As you didn’t want to stay alone for another night, you had invited Steve to come. Knowing he was in the same situation, Steve had rang at your door thirty minutes later.

Laying on your bed, you were enjoying each other’s presence after your first intimate moment you had just shared. Steve had his arms wrapped around your hips, pressing your back against his torso.

“You know,” Steve started, whispering in your ear, “maybe you’re too late to be my first love, but you’ll always be my favourite. I like what we have.”

“Me too. I like you, Steve, a lot.” you told him, turning around to look at him.

“I like you a lot, too.” he replied, tenderly kissing you.

Your thoughts are interrupted by the harsh voice of your father ordering you to come downstairs. You fastly wipe the tears away from your cheeks and prepare yourself for what your parents are about to tell you. While you’re walking down the stairs, your father makes a sign to go to the kitchen. You sit whilst your parents stay on their feet on the other side of the table, a severe expression on their faces.

“Is it true what your mother told me? You’re getting into fights now?” your dad says, angry.

“I was only defending myself, Jessica attacked me first.”

“Why would she attack you? I know her dad, she’s a nice girl.”

“She called me a slut and she accused me of stealing her boyfriend when I didn’t do anything.”

“Why does she say you did then?” your mom questions, annoyed.

“Because she’s against me like everyone else in this school!”

“Lower your tone, young lady.” your father orders.

“It’s about what she said about Steve and Nancy, isn’t it?” your mother wants to know with accusing eyes.

“Yes, they accuse me of breaking their relationship when it’s not the truth.”

“Because you never did anything with Steve, didn’t you?”

“How do-” you start, shocked to discover she knows.

“It’s a small town and you really thought the neighbours wouldn’t see you sneaking in a boy in our own house?”

“You sneaked in a boy?” your father angers.

“And according to Miss Johnson, it went on for several months,” your mom specifies, “aren’t you ashamed of yourself?”

At this sentence, the tiny bit of hope you still had about your parents disappears. You can’t believe your own mother is against you. You’re getting used to the reputation people gave you but hearing your own mother implying you’re less than good because of your relationship is the final blow. You can’t understand how liking a boy could destroy everything.

“Steve and I got together after he broke up with Nancy, I almost wasn’t talking to him when he was still dating her. Steve was my boyfriend and we did nothing wrong!” you defend yourself, feeling the tears coming.

“Of course and you did nothing wrong when you attacked this poor Jessica.”

“Poor Jessica? She insulted me and hit me. I did nothing. Why don’t you want to believe me? I’m your own daughter and yet, you’d rather believe Jessica than me.”

“The facts are here!” Your father yells. “Besides, we should have reacted a long time ago, have you seen your grades? Do you really think you’re going to pass your year like this?”

“My grades are getting worse because I’m going through a living hell at school.”

“Stop playing the victim! We have enough of your behaviour. You have to do better and quickly. Go to your room right now! And don’t forget to apologise to Jessica.”

Tired of screaming in the void, you don’t answer your mother’s order and run to your room. Mad, you slam the door behind you. Normally, you’d be scared to hear more reproaches however at this moment, it’s the least of your concerns.

You throw yourself on your bed and you hold back a scream of frustration. You can’t understand why your own parents don’t have your back. They didn’t even try to listen to you, they only blame you some more. You know it’s stupid yet a part of you was hoping they would understand. You were wrong, no one is on your side; you didn’t think it possible, yet, you feel even more alone.

If you thought you already were the public enemy, the second you get back to school the following day, you realise it’s worse. Everyone is staring at you, you’re called even more names just like the whisperings got worse. You’re being even more discreet than usual - if it’s possible - wanting to keep to yourself.

In hindsight, you tell yourself you wouldn’t recommend dating boys with exes, it’s not worth all the pain and all the bullying that comes with it, in particular if the boy in question ignores you.

When you go to your last class of the day, you wish you could say you’re finally about to breathe but you still have detention. You have to stay at school a few more hours.

Sitting at your usual seat in your history class, you put your notebook on your desk. Your eyes land on the last page you wrote until they fall on the inscription carved on the desk: “the slut of Hawkins = Y/N.” It’s not the first time you see those words, it’s actually on this very table you discovered your life was about to change before you could do something about it. Despite the time, those words still feel like a knife in your chest. You distinctly remember the moment where everything fell apart.

You were behind the school building with Steve. You had been together for four months but contrary to the first three, it wasn’t going on so well between you two. You didn’t get along anymore. No matter your effort to hold him close, it was always ending in an argument. The main reason for it was that you were more invested in this relationship than Steve. You had noticed this the moment you had tried to get closer to him at school.

“I’m not asking for a lot, Steve! I’m not asking to make out with you in front of everyone, I just want to, at least, be able to talk with you without you ignoring me. I’m your girlfriend and yet, it looks like you don’t know me.”  you pleaded, mad and desperate.

“You said you wanted to keep our relationship for us.” Steve retorted, avoiding your eyes.

“That was before it became more serious between us. I like you and I want to say you’re my boyfriend.”

“I know but you know that with Nancy-”

“What are you bringing her into this? She moved on, unlike you! She’s with Jonathan, I don’t think she cares if you’re dating again. Why are you searching for an excuse? I thought you liked me, too.”

“It’s true.”

“Really? It doesn’t look like it!” you said, outraged. “I feel like I’m alone in this relationship. Everytime I take a step towards you, you push me away. I’m getting tired of it. I don’t even know why I even try to save our relationship when it’s clear you don’t care.” you finished, going inside the building.

“Y/N, wait-” he tried to hold you back.

“No, we’re done, Steve!”

That day, you ended your relationship with Steve, signing at the same time the end of your peaceful life in high school. While you were arguing, someone had heard you and had twisted the whole story. Before you could react, the rumours had started to fly a few days later at school that you had ruined the relationship with Nancy and Steve by seducing him. There was nothing you could do to correct the rumours. Just because you liked a boy, you got judged as a homewrecked and you had to accept your sentence.

Emails I Can't Send Masterlist

Stranger Things Masterlist

#marie swriting in english #Spotify #stranger things #steve harrington #stranger things x reader #stranger things imagine #stranger things fanfiction #stranger things fic #stranger things x y/n #stranger things x you #steve harrington one shot #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington x you #steve harrington x y/n #steve harrington angst #steve harrington x fem!reader #steve harrington x female reader #stranger things angst #marie swriting with music #marie swriting with sabrina carpenter #marie swriting with eics

[blouisparadise]

Upon request, today we have another part of our friends with benefits rec list! You can find part one here, and we also plan to have another part to this that will come out eventually. Be sure to check out these fics and show them love. If you enjoy our rec lists, please be sure to like and reblog this post to help spread the word. Happy reading!

1) A Treat For You And A Treat For Me | Explicit | 3416 words

Louis blushed at Harry’s flirty tone. “You’re just saying that to get in my pants.” He giggled, half joking. “But thank you. I’m glad you like it.”

“Not just to get in your pants, baby. I’m being honest. You’re always cute. Are you wearing mascara?” He asked, licking over his lips. Louis in makeup always did something to Harry. He loved it.

Louis nodded, leaning forward. “I am. Do you like it? I’m also wearing some cute Halloween panties under my costume.. if you wanna see them later?” He murmured, letting his lips touch Harry’s lightly before pulling away, a tiny smile on his lips.

Harry’s mouth opened a bit, but no words came out. Instead Louis was lifted up and carried in Harry’s arms, up the stairs. “Later? I wanna see them now.” He whispered into Louis’ ear, hot breath sending shivers down Louis’ body. “Missed you so much since last time.”

2) Kissy | Not Rated | 6876 words

Harry buys a motorcycle against Louis's advice, and it might be the best mistake of his life. Kissy.

3) You're The Only One Who's Making Me Come, To My Sinful Senses | Explicit | 9355 words

Louis the dance major and Harry the business major meet on Tinder. They hook up regularly and come to find out they like each other more than they let on.

4) I Would Wait Forever (And Ever) | Not Rated | 10018 words

Louis is brave but has the worst timing in the world, Harry doesn't want to lose his best friend and they just don't communicate enough.

5) Butterfly Kisses | Explicit | 11832 words

Himbo Harry is smitten with stem cell researcher Louis, who only dates smart people.

6) Before You Go, Can You Read My Mind? | Not Rated | 13415 words

Harry can listen to whatever is going inside of Louis’ head and breaks up with him. Louis can never let it go.

7) Kiss Me Once, Kiss Me Twice | Mature | 13487 words

“You’re a fucking brat, you know that,” Harry muttered through clenched teeth, bones already burning with the pure desire and hatred mixing in his body. It was an intoxicating rush of adrenaline and something else that probably came with fucking Louis Tomlinson. He squeezed his neck just a little tighter. “I can’t stand it.”

Their lips were brushing against each other, just moving with the ragged movements of their mouths and harsh breathing.

“You’re a lying piece of shit dickhead,” Louis muttered right back. That was all he did, challenge and nag. He loved to have the last word and Harry let him because he used all his energy to fuck him mindless.

8) Wait For Me (To Come Home) | Explicit | 16066 words

"I’m always soft for you, that’s the problem. You could come knocking on my door five years from now and I would open my arms wider and say, ‘come here, it’s been too long, it felt like home with you.’"

9) Dance Like Waves Along The Wind | Explicit | 17031 words

A Greek Mythology AU where Louis is Adonis and Harry is Poseidon. Louis would really like to move on with his everyday life without everyone on Mt. Olympus talking about his ex, who just happens to be the God of the Sea.

10) Keeping The Flame Alive | Explicit | 19706 words

Recording with One Direction never felt like this. There’s a couple reasons for that, Harry thinks. One is that they did most of their recording on the road, rushed and in busses and hotel rooms, never in one place long enough to really get an argument going. The other, larger and more important one, is that back then he had the sweetest, meanest little omega around to distract him from all of that frustration.

The first time around, when he’d been recording his debut solo album, it hit him pretty hard. He likes to think he’s better adjusted to it now, but frustration is warring under his skin nonetheless. He doesn’t want to be told what to do most of the time, and he especially doesn’t want to be told what to do when it comes to his music.

What he does want right now is that sweet, mean little omega right in front of him with his mouth on Harry’s cock. Unfortunately, the best he’s got is his own hand and a shared toilet. So. That’s really not going to work.

11) The Evenness I Fake | Explicit | 26372 words

Harry doesn’t do relationships. He has a perfectly enjoyable friends-with-benefits agreement with a perfectly lovely omega, and he doesn’t see the need to change that anytime soon. The small fact that Louis giving his attention to another alpha makes Harry want to put his head through a wall isn’t nearly as much of an issue as everyone’s making it out to be.

12) Let Me Carry Your Weight | Explicit | 28633 words

Louis is fresh out of a bad relationship with someone who made him feel awful about how he looked. on his journey to better himself, he meets harry - the ridiculously attractive and fit personal trainer.

13) Building Me Up (But Buttercup, You Lied) | Explicit | 31007 words

Harry’s mouth felt dry just saying those words. What he had with Louis was so much more than a simple ‘fuck buddies’ situation. It was slow kisses in the morning between soft sheets and shy smiles, it was holding hands in the afternoon while walking and eating ice cream. It was breakfast for dinner, laughing and licking honey from each other’s lips as they shared goals and even some secrets, it was happiness, it was glow.

To Harry, what he had with Louis meant everything. Until Louis decided it meant nothing.

14) Tarnished But So Grand | Explicit | 32258 words

Louis hides in places. Harry always finds him.

15) You’re An Alpha, Harry! | Explicit | 32900 words

Right before Harry goes to university, he presents as an alpha. Struggling with his newfound identity in a completely different environment, he seeks advice from the notorious Louis Tomlinson, an omega whose claim to fame is being the local campus sex expert. Sex Education AU.

16) Sweet Like Honey | Explicit | 33117 words

Weeks of flat shopping with their limited budget with Louis as a librarian aid and Harry as a barista and arguments about whether a balcony or extended bathroom suite were more important (Harry wanted to be able to feel the crisp night’s air and watch the sun set and Louis just wanted to take long bubble baths) led to them stumbling across the perfect fit. A small flat only ten minutes from campus with a cramped but lovely balcony and an included bath.

It’s affordable too… well, sort of. But they always manage. Louis picks up more shifts as an aid, adapting a habit of bringing his Psych textbooks and homework with him to finish in between duties, and later his script so he can quietly practice lines with little distraction.

Harry also increases his number of shifts at the cafe and valiantly endures the nasty customers who for some reason flock to their establishment like moths to a flame.

For a while, it’s enough.

17) A Common Place Affliction | Not Rated | 36508 words

“You should go home,” Louis muses, and Harry can feel the omega crouch down to become eye level with Harry, poking his cheek with a dainty finger. Harry lifts his arm, taking a peek at Louis’ face. Louis looks tired, he notes, but not exhausted, and there’s an eyelash stuck to his cheek. Harry doesn’t hesitate to lazily reach out and thumb over his cheek.

“Can’t,” Harry croaks, blindly twisting his hand around to grab at Louis’ offending finger and just holding it. “C’mere. Take a nap with me,” he asks after a beat, opening an eye to look at Louis.

Louis raises an eyebrow. “M’not going to nap with you in the middle of the ER, H.”

Sighing, Harry squeezes the young nurse’s finger. “Nobody cares.” He knows they do; they’ll annoy nurses and probably worry patients when they catch sight of a nurse and surgeon sleeping on the job. Let alone in the middle of the emergency ward hallway. Harry can hear the complaints now: ‘these are the people we’re supposed to trust with our lives?’

18) Smoke Between Your Teeth | Explicit | 37015 words

Louis tries to stop his addiction to cigarettes and discovers he's been addicted to Harry for much, much longer.

19) The Space Between | Explicit | 39917 words

Harry Styles is the alpha rockstar who can’t sleep and doesn’t know why.

Louis Tomlinson is the omega PhD student who helps him figure it out.

20) Where I End and You Begin | Explicit | 42730 words

Global rock sensation Harry Styles is set to perform in his sold out residencies across six major cities. What happens when his usual makeup artist can’t make it and they hire the most beautiful human he’s ever laid eyes on? Surely it couldn’t be that hard to remain professional.

21) Two Can Play That Game | Explicit | 44221 words

Harry and Louis have been best friends since they were little. Now being flatmates, both being single, they decide to hook up during the weekends as that is easier than having to go look for someone nice to hook up with.

But can friends with benefits really work? Or do feelings get in the way?

22) Social Cues | Explicit | 55860 words

To Harry, Louis was becoming as tangible and essential as music in his life. He still was a mystery but at the same time, he was one of the most real things Harry had. He just hoped he could live up to the image Louis probably had in his mind of him.

He could play the part, after all, what was published of him wasn’t as detached from reality. He didn’t think of himself as a rockstar cliche, although he couldn't deny he did sleep around, partied a lot, and did some drugs. But then again, wasn’t that what the majority of his friends back in his hometown were doing at college?

Harry wanted to impress Louis, he didn’t want to disappoint or leave his expectations unfulfilled, so he’d give him the full rockstar experience.

It was a very simple plan, what could possibly go wrong?

23) Know I Think You’re Awesome, Right? | Explicit | 60113 words

“Well, that’s not very Treat People With Kindness of you.”

“Neither is approaching someone with the sole intent of criticizing a cause they’re clearly passionate about, given the amount of time they’ve dedicated to advocating for it,” Louis snaps.

“Sure, but I’m not the one with the button,” Harry shrugs.

“So, is there actually something I can help you with, or did you just come to push me into pepper spraying you as well?” Louis is quickly growing impatient. Hell, he was impatient the moment that Harry made his grand entrance on campus yesterday.

“I’m just trying to assess the environment here,” Harry says, “Because if this is all you’ve got to offer trans people who just want to be able to use the bathroom in peace like the rest of us, then I’m not sure I fit in.”

“Allow me to save you the trouble, then: you don’t.”

24) Quite On The Contrary | Explicit | 63816 words

Neighbors x High School AU where it all started with Harry moving next door to the Tomlinsons, a balcony break in, mixed feelings, a poorly thought-out initiation, several missing sweaters and a lot of non-platonic activities.

Check out our other fic rec lists by category here and by title here.

#bottom louis #top harry #larry #fic recs #blp fic recs #blp #friend with benefits

[sunangelstears]

Doppo kannonzaka Headcanons

-----> AN : Hi ! Im so sorry for posting this late . Truth is ...... I fell asleep at 11am and woke up around 9 pm amd then ended up helping with packing for the move .......so yeah........

------> Late birthday post for our darling overworked , underappreciated salary man Doppo kannonzaka ❤

------> Tags : @kazukazuhas @decaffeinatedcloudkryptonite @nerdy-talks @guiraguira @matenrou-fan

----> ♥ Likes running his fingers through your hair after a long day of work .

----> ♥ He falls asleep while cuddling 【 lord help him bc he needs it 】

----> ♥ If you move he would wimpr a little and hug you tighter , not wanting you to leave .

----> ♥ Cuddly af when he's drunk 【 God forbid this man from going drinking with the rest of Matenro T_T 】

----> ♥ He will lie on his stomach and rest his head on your tummy , with his torso between your legs . You'd sometimes fall asleep in that position with his face resting on your chest .....very very red .

----> ♥ He has a camera roll of pictures of you that he takes on all your little dates - whether at home or out he wants to cherish these little moments ♡

----> ♥ Secretly writes down all the things he loves about you .

----> ♥ Little to no PDA . Keep it behind closed doors , our boy is easily flustered .

----> ♥ You basically fight with anyone who insults him . You once fought with Jyuto O_0

----> ♥ Grab a shotgun we killing his boss !

----> ♥ You made him a photo album .....he almost cried ....... he cried so much .

----> ♥ Always cheering you on while being a proud boyfriend ( esp if you also do the rap battles )

----> ♥ Trusts you like no one else in the world .

----> ♥ Maybe you will be introduced to his little brother ?

----> ♥ You and Hifumi get along like a house on fire . not to mention that yall almost set the house on fire

----> ♥ Blushes so red if you decide to wear his clothes that tomatoes get jealous :3

----> ♥ He is little spoon . He loves listening to your heartbeat , it soothes him .

----> ♥ You get him matching bracelets or any kind of jewellery and he will make it a habit to wear it with EVERY . SINGLE . OUTFIT .

----> ♥ Netflix and chill .

----> ♥ Constantly apologizes for every little thing he thinks he did wrong . Pls assure him that you love him !

----> ♥ Call him ' babe ' ' love ' or anything like that and 1 of 2 this will happen :

1- doppo exe has stopped working - man shuts down . Just freezes .

2- doppo=🍅 there is no difference between the two at this point .

----> ♥ If you come across your ex while out and about , he will follow you like a lost puppy EVERYWHERE YOU GO . EVEN THE KITCHEN ! give him lotsa kisses and cuddles and tell him that you love him and only him . Do it !

----> ♥ Hugs you from the back and just stays there .

----> ♥ You have a necklace with his mc / first name on it and his eys light up everytime he sees it on you . Ignore the blush

Okay...... this turned out to be........... really long . Hehe...

Thanks so much for reading . Reblgs are greatly appreciated.

#sunangelstears #writing #sun angel is not quiet #doppo kannonzaka #doppo x reader #hypmic doppo headcannons #hypnosis mic #hypmic headcanons #hynosis microphone

[bigsusreview]

Why Do You Love Me Satan? - Review #6

i love sharing random obscure shit

this is by a band called Fucking Werewolf Asso. they are a band from Sweden. this record is putrid and absolutely amazing at the same time and i honestly don't even know what genre to define it as. punk rock is probably the closest match. at only 31 minutes in length, this release flies by in what feels like seconds. but man, those are some memorable seconds.

Cri Du Chat is a (mostly) instrumental introduction, allowing you to get a good feel for how the rest of this album is gonna sound. pretty standard stuff. My New Sneakers Could Never Replace My Multi-Colored Bangalores then continues with a massive breakdown beat and some of the most in-your-face, abhorrent screaming and singing i have ever heard. but there's a level of cohesion and understanding to the madness. this band really knows what they're doing and have already shown that with just the second track. The Tito Beltrán Massacre has a much more punk-friendly sound with some 8-bit-inspired synths added into the mix, reminiscent of some sorta old Nintendo game (hence why this band is usually referred to as "Nintendocore," but i hate that phrase). Alphonse Laurencic starts out with the now typical whiny scream-singing until exploding into a massive wall of sound. if the band hadn't shown you that they're worth your ears just yet, they have now.

the biggest highlight to me, though, is the 5-minute Your Ex Doesn't Mark Treasures. it's the longest piece on this record by far, with every other song having an average runtime of around 2 to 3 minutes. it closes out everything perfectly, feeling like the band's true magnum opus. if nothing connected beforehand, this one will. it's probably the easiest song to listen to by them and it really shows. it also features a different vocalist sometimes, which can help keep it grounded for the more serious tone it sets.

as mentioned before, the main vocalist sounds like shit. it may be on purpose, but i can definitely understand why that would turn some people off. having an open mind is a pretty necessary part to enjoying this album because it sounds like this band wants to rip your face off as soon as possible and then eat it. but hey, that's the main appeal in my opinion so there's a really good chance this one's not for everybody and that's alright too.

i hope you liked my little show and tell. this album has become a favorite of mine, reminding me a lot of MCR's debut if it was more unhinged with the vocals and tighter with the instrumental. there's a clear influence of all things punk and old VGM on this record, which is a hard combination to nail as well as it does here.

favorite tracks:

Your Ex Doesn't Mark Treasures

Alphonse Laurencic

everything else (it's all very consistently great)

overall score: fucking werewolf ass out of 10

also i think one of the guys from this band made Hotline Miami? that's some pretty fun trivia. it does make a lot of sense though. i swear scandinavian people are some of the most insane individuals alive.

#FUCKING WEREWOLF ASSO #why do you love me satan? #rock #album review

[chaunceyandchumleysdad]

Dead & Company Wrigley Field Chicago, Illinois June 24, 2022

I’ve been to a dozen Grateful Dead concerts from 1975 to the early 90’s. (Most of those shows at Alpine Valley in Wisconsin in the 80’s.) Jerry Garcia died in 1995 and after that, I never saw any of the Grateful Dead spinoff bands. By 1995, I was well into full adult mode, owning a home, raising kids, and managing a career. My concert activity slowed down at that time in my life, and by the time it picked up a bit of steam again (2003, thanks to the Dandy Warhols), I had basically moved on from the Grateful Dead. My concert attendance reignited like a jet-propelled rocket once my kids were raised. Aware that Dead & Company had become a draw on par with the original band, with a couple of exceptions (Rolling Stones and Pearl Jam), I had mostly moved on from most stadium and arena shows preferring theaters, clubs, and outdoor festivals. However, when my wife expressed interest in seeing Dead and Company, I thought, “Why not? It’s been about 30 years, and Wrigley Field (Chicago) is an awesome concert venue. Let’s do it!”

DAMN, I’M SO GLAD I WENT!!! It was just so fucking awesome. I was back in the mood the moment they opened the show with Man Smart, Woman Smarter. The first set began at 6:45 in the beautiful sundrenched summer evening. They played 75 minutes before intermission. At 8:45, as the evening had transitioned to dusk, they returned to the stage and played a 130-minute set, finishing up just before 11:00. Having spent much of my lifetime in Wrigley Field (a few concerts, scores of Cubs games and even a Bears game), I used my knowledge of the old ballpark to select the perfect seats. Upper deck above home plate on the third base side provided an excellent view of the stage in center field. We also had the roof for cover, but it wasn’t needed with dry conditions, temperatures in the low 80’s, and a delightful breeze from Lake Michigan.

The band included original Dead members Bob Weir (guitar, vocals), Mickey Hart (drums) and Bill Kreutzmann. (Bill only played on two songs as he had suffered a minor injury a few days earlier.) The rest of the band included John Mayer (guitar and vocals), Oteil Burbridge (who I had seen once before in the early days of Tedeschi Trucks Band), Jeff Chimenti (keyboards and vocals) and Jay Lane (drums, sitting in for Bill). John Mayer is quite a competent replacement for Jerry Garcia. He is an excellent guitar player, although not as fluid as Jerry was. Bob Weir sounded and played great and seems to have not lost anything to age. Keyboards and the rhythm section were excellent. My overall impression was that they were a bit tighter and a bit more polished than the original band. Not to take anything away from the original band, because in those days, it wasn’t necessarily about being polished. It was more about the feel of the music. At this point in their career, the band has much better technology which aids their sound. Also, compared to my early concert days of the 70’s and 80’s, I think the audience has a greater expectation for the live bands to be at the top of its game, so there is that factor. On the other hand, Dead and Company have not been making any studio albums. Without that pressure, they can focus exclusively on honing their live sound. All-in-all, it was a wonderful night. My only regret is wondering why I didn’t see Dead and Company sooner.

Set 1:

·         Man Smart, Woman Smarter (King Radio cover)

·         Eyes of the World (Grateful Dead cover)

·         Bertha (Grateful Dead cover)

·         Next Time You See Me (Junior Parker cover)

·         Dark Star (Grateful Dead cover - preceded by a Wharf Rat jam)

·         Dear Mr. Fantasy (Traffic cover)

·         Hey Jude (The Beatles cover - coda only)

·         Althea (Grateful Dead cover)

Set 2:

·         Throwing Stones (Grateful Dead cover)

·         Brown-Eyed Women (Grateful Dead cover)

·         Estimated Prophet (Grateful Dead cover - with The Other One tease)

·         Sing Me Back Home (Merle Haggard cover)

·         Truckin' (Grateful Dead cover - brief "Foxy Lady" reference

·         Drums (Grateful Dead cover with Bill Kreutzmann and Oteil Burbridge)

·         Space (Grateful Dead cover)

·         All Blues (Miles Davis cover - D&C debut)

·         Cumberland Blues (Grateful Dead cover)

·         Stella Blue(Grateful Dead cover)

·         Not Fade Away (The Crickets cover with Bill Kreutzmann)

#dead & company #grateful dead #wrigley field #chicago #live music #summer 2022 #bob weir #john mayer #mickey hart #bill kreutzmann #oteil burbridge #jeff chimenti #jay lane #setlistfm

[xmystophalesx]

Best New Heavy Metal Releases Week of January 27th, 2023

Another great week for releases and once again the quality ramped up pretty dramatically, as evidenced by 22 albums in the “standout in their genre” section. I will say it for the millionth time, the amount of talent in the Heavy Music genres has never been better. More than a few of these 22 albums could easily be someone else’s overall pick of the week. This list is pretty subjective overall, as it is based on my own tastes. I believe, however, that I have a pretty good grasp on what makes an album stand out over one that ends up being forgettable. My best of the week category is simply the albums I would love to have a vinyl copy of and sit back with the artwork and just completely focus on the music for the duration of its runtime. I have been asked this question before and it really is just that simple. Enough blabbing about my process, lets get to some highlights.

Anzillu-Ex Nihilo (Thrash)**

There hasn’t been a lot of really standout Thrash Metal albums as yet this year but Anzillu is looking to change that. I get a pretty strong The Haunted mixed with a bit of The Crown from this album. Fantastic aggressive riffing is what really stands out here along with drums that never overpower the song but give it exactly what it needs.

Crowne-Operation Phoenix (Heavy/Power/Hard Rock)**

I was a fan of this band’s debut in 2021 and everything I liked about that album has been ramped up on this one. Super catchy Melodic Heavy Metal/Hard Rock that just worms its way into your mind from the very first listen. The level of talent in this band is insane when you just look at some of the other bands these guys have been in. I dare you to listen to track 2 (Champions) and NOT have it get stuck in your head for the rest of the day.

….And Oceans-As in Gardens, So in Tombs (Symphonic Black)**

This is a band that I have always liked, to a certain degree or another. I always find their albums to be enjoyable but in varying levels of quality. No worries on this one however, as this one is excellent from beginning to end. This could arguably be the best of their career. They are really emphasising the symphonic elements on this one and at times the album becomes mesmerizing.

Seven Doors-Feast of the Repulsive Dead (Death)**

One man project out of the UK and man does this album absolutely slam. There is zero pretense here about trying to mix genres to appeal to a wider audience. This is motherfucking DEATH Metal with tinges of riffing reminiscent of Reign in Blood era Slayer that gives absolutely zero fucks. You can just tell that if you don’t like this, Ryan Wills could really care less. If you are a Death Metal fan at all, do not miss this one!

Malice Divine-Everlasting Ascendancy (Melodic Black/Melodic Death)**

One one-man project deserves another and here we have Ric Galvez out of Canada. I was a HUGE fan of his debut in 2021 and when I saw this one on the list of releases for this week, my eagerness to get to it was palpable. Sometimes this can be a bad thing as your expectations can get a out of control. Not only did Mr. Galvez reach those lofty expectations, he surpassed them. This album gives me a lot of Kvaen vibes which is a VERY good thing as Kvaen was my album of the year last year. Everything about this album builds on the debut. The album feels tighter and more focused here. The guitar work is absolutely fantastic with riffs and leads that will melt your face. Everything about this album just screams METAL and what makes me love this genre so damn much. This is an album that will stick with me the entire year and I can almost guarantee will be on my end-of-year list. I sent Ric a message about a vinyl release and he said he was looking into it. I sure as hell hope so!

That will do it for the first month of 2023 and damn, every time you think it can’t possibly get any better than the year before, it doesn’t take long to being proven wrong. Always in the best of ways however. Until next week, fill your soul with happiness and listen to music and, as always,

BANG THY HEAD!!!

All worthy of a listen if you like the genre

*= standout in that genre

**=best of the week regardless of genre

Best of the Week

….And Oceans-As in Gardens, So in Tombs (Symphonic Black)**

Solution 13-Turmoil Diaries (Heavy/Groove)**

Crowne-Operation Phoenix (Heavy/Power/Hard Rock)**

Seven Doors-Feast of the Repulsive Dead (Death)**

Anzillu-Ex Nihilo (Thrash)**

Malice Divine-Everlasting Ascendancy (Melodic Black/Melodic Death)**

Steve Vai-Vai/Gash (Hard Rock/Heavy)**

Standouts in their genre

Reverence of the Martyr-Blood Horizon (Melodic Death)*

Bolzo-Void (Death/Black)*

Apeiron-Urkraft (Black)*

Spell Garden-Spell Garden (Doom)*

Conjureth-The Parasitic Chambers (Death)*

Uriah Heep-Chaos & Colour (Progressive Rock)*

Arctic Rain-Unity (Hard Rock)*

Pyramid Suns-Reflections (Progressive Rock)*

Iron Void-IV (Doom)*

Adavant-The Mystic and the Mountain (Folk/Epic)*

Dark Sarah-Attack of Orym (Symphonic Metal)*

Electric Mob-2 Make U Cry and Dance (Hard Rock)*

Grief Symposium-…In the Absence of Light (Death/Doom)*

Hellproof-Supernova (Heavy/Hard Rock)*

Hell’s Satans-Hell’s Satans (Heavy)*

King Kraken-MCLXXX (Heavy/Sludge)*

Love Gang-Meanstreak (Hard Rock/Classic)*

Marco Garau’s Magic Opera-Battle of Ice (Power)*

Methane-Kill it With Fire (Groove/Thrash)*

Psychostasy-The Empty Circle (Death)*

Trastorned-Into the Void (Thrash/Black)*

Zombie Riot-World Epitaph (Death)*

Worth a listen if you enjoy the genre

Dark Image Inside-Nine Stories and One Life (Death)

Liv Sin-KaliYuga (Heavy)

Malleus-The Fires of Heaven (Black/Speed)

Bizarrekult-Den Tapte Krigen (Black)

Anachronism-Meanders (Technical Death)

This weeks pick of the week was once again VERY difficult but Malice Divine takes it with an overwhelming 5 Bulldogs Staring Into Your Soul out of 5!

#black metal #metal #music #classic rock #folk #hard rock #hardcore music #rock #death metal #punk #melodic death metal #heavy metal #heavymusic #heavyrock #traditional metal #melodic black metal #youtube #extreme metal #melodic death #melodic metal

[sydmarch]

it's about time i write at least some semblance of a review for gadzooks volume 2 rather than continuing to throw out vaguely incomprehensible text posts about it so. here goes

SO it feels weird to say that ANYTHING is better than volume 1 bcus I have such a deep deep love for that album it almost feels like a betrayal. but objectively 2 IS better it takes everything from 1 and builds on it. every single thing caleb releases manages to be better than the last even when the last one has had you for months like "this is the best album in the world". like it absolutely has the same vibes as 1 and feels like how a volume 2 of something should feel yknow but it also feels like. tighter & slightly more cohesive without losing that experimental wandering feeling that 1 had. & I feel like 1 was such a departure from the mother stone and then 2 kind of brings some elements from tms back around like it had those moments that feel dark and sweeping in the way that only tms does.

yknow how people do those web weaving posts collecting artwork or quotes I am mentally doing that w music all the time & it's like this album takes the best of both the previous albums like. touchdown yolk is in between a venn diagram of you're so wonderful and this won't come back. obviously not like its just a mix of them both but like i fewl elements of each in it & like. those are mt absolute big favorites on both albums so of course thay ends up my favorite on this ine. near the end of the album it's like you get the vibes from little planet pig but also for a short time. love how opening with croc killers 2 followed by little lion kind of mirrors the never wet + yesterday will come combo as opening up volume 1. & I've always felt like one of the strongest & most interesting things in his songwriting is the way a song will like go in and out of different parts then bring another part back & loop around and you'll almost forget how the beginning started but then the same elements come back around & thinking about that interview where he says it comes from writing songs mentally while on set so he's not recording or writing them down really just keeping them in his brain for months where they grow and warp & blend and how obstacles and challenges are where creativity really shines through. & I feel like the shanty shine achieves this more strongly than anything since you're so wonderful. (WAIT california also does this extremely well to a smaller extent) but THEN just a few songs later slink on fido does it just as well.

i also love the way vocals are used so many songs out there feel like it's just about the vocals & the music is just there to support it but with a lot of Caleb's stuff it feels more like the voice is just another instrument that weaves in and out, sometimes it gets more focus but sometimes not there will be times where it feels more like strings or drums are the star of the show and I love love love that. makes all of his songs feel so thought out and cohesive and more like the vocals are PART of a song & other things aren't sacrificed for the sake of vocals. so much stuff I'll listen to an instrumental version & be like wait you can't even hear that sound, you never even notice that in the version with vocals, wtf, & wish there was more balance between the two. I feel like his stuff does that balancing act extremely well. 

& ik I had previously said idk if croc killers 1 is as strong of a closer as this won't come back but at that time I hadn't realized that the entire last 8 mins of the album was all that song so I'm going to amend that statement. when comparing just the VERY end like final minute of each song's ending twcb will always win out over anything that final minute is like The Finale To End All Finales. to me. I've already talked to death about that so I won't go on but otherwise. yeah croc killers 1 is just as strong an ending if im being objective & putting aside twcb being so special to me personally. OH & I didn't even touch on the more abstract synesthesia stuff like I meant to but yeah it goes back to 2 feeling a bit tighter & more cohesive just looking at what colors tend to pop up like 1 goes through such a journey from skies and grass & light colors to reds & pinks & blacks then to a mix of both & back & forth while 2 feels much more consistently jewel toned. crimsons at the start & orange and green & mostly darker throughout the later songs. while I feel like it absolutely sounds much more like 1 with some of the elements of tms brought back in my minds eye it's colors are much closer to tms than vol 1 which is inch resting. anyway. I didn't even get into lyrics bcus I still feel like I haven't spent enough time with the album in isolation to dive into looking them all up & figuring them out for sure yet. 

#ive gotten so many new followers since the last time i deep dived into one of these albums lmao #hi hello here's 900 words of deranged calebposting. it will happen again. #texticles #caleb landry jones #truly no musician is doing it like him i will never get enough of his music

[christopblog]

CHRIS 2022 TOP 10 ALBUMS 

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Carly Rae Jepsen - The Loneliest Time 

She's back baybee! Though it grew on me significantly, her previous 2019 album Dedicated was a bit of a let down after I'd gotten really into EMOTION. The Loneliest Time doesn't come close to EMOTION, but I might like it better than Dedicated, this is a really great helping of extremely catchy pop without too many misses. More of an even, consistent good without major highlights though. Western Wind, and Go Find Yourself Or Whatever are the best.

Weyes Blood - And in the Darkness, Hearts Aglow She's back baybee! One of the most unique vocalists out there, I was very excited for Ms. Blood's follow up album to her excellent 2019 Titanic Rising and was not let down! Though maybe slightly weaker, Hearts Aglow brings incredible songwriting, excellent instrumental production, and more of her iconic voice and singing style. Very pretty, if you like Baroque pop/chamber folk or whatever the fuck genre she is check it out. Opening track and God Turn Me Into a Flower are the highlights.

The Smile - A Light For Attracting Attention 

He's back babyee! Featuring pioneer sadboy Thom Yorke and guitarist Jonny Greenwood, The Smile looks, feels, and sounds exactly like what it is, half of Radiohead. And since Yorke is in that half, that's honestly good enough for a pretty excellent album. Not quite Radiohead tier, maybe better than some of their weaker releases. Radiohead 2!

Florence + The Machine - Dance Fever She's back, baybee! This one was pretty close to cracking the top 10, I think this is Florence's strongest release since HBHBHB, and wayyyyy better than High as Hope. This is definitely her Bovid album, creating a much more intimate atmosphere than some of her previous, more grand releases, and I think the introspection really suits her. Getting to see a lot of these songs live also helped, what a fucking great concert. Cassandra, Free, and My Love are the best, but honestly there are very few misses.

Hikaru Utada - Bad Mode 

They're back, baybee! This is definitely their Bovid album, creating a much more intimate atmosphere than some of their previous, more grand releases, and I think the introspection really suits them. It's funny that I get to just copy and paste that, because strangely it fits both of these albums very well. I think this is easily Hikki's best in years, I really love some of the longer ballads that have extended instrumental sections. Somewhere Near Marseilles clocks in at kino length aka 11:54, legendary stuff.

Big Thief - Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You

The bit doesn't fit for this one unfortunately it's a band. This is easily the most hot and cold release on this list, this fucker is 80 minutes, and I think some of the weaker cuts could have been left off the table for a tighter album experience. Adrienne Lenker continues to prove herself one of the best songwriters alive right now though, and while this is not nearly as tight as her solo project from 2020, some of that brilliance shines through in a few tracks. Time Escaping, Little Things, and Simulation Swarm are some of the best songs of the entire year, seriously, go check them out. Folk's in a good place with them at the top, tbh. TOP 10 ALBUMS OF 2022: 

10. Hatchie - Giving the World Away

This album feels deeply nostalgic for a certain sound and era of pop, somewhere in the 90s, and I can feel that despite having not really listened to much music in that era. What really elevates this album is the production and mixing, which is just fucking phenomenal. Jangly reverbed guitars, synths, and Hatchie's great vocals create this layered, harmonic, blissful pop that I cannot get enough of. This is one of those albums you just throw on and vibe to hard the whole time, zero skips, all gas. I'm very excited to see what she'll make in the future, she's clearly extremely talented. Track highlights: Lights On, This Enchanted, Quicksand, The Key, Til We Run Out of Air. Common Australia W

9. Naked Flames - Miracle in Transit

I get in the mood for house music sometimes, especially for late night gaming sessions, or when I'm working on some kind of creative project. House provides something that I can throw on and not pay attention to the nuances of the track, but let them sort of wash over me and impress the themes and ideas over time. This album was literally so good I kept stopping what I was doing to jam out to the beats, this goes fucking ridiculous. It's like the soundtrack to some indie game that was never released from the early 2000s, games like Sonic are a clear inspiration. If you're into electronic music game soundtracks, you absolutely have to give this album a spin, I'm looking at both of you Juan and Claire. Probably my biggest single recommend for both of you. If you want a test, throw on Pan Matsuri or Visiting Corners. I'm literally skimming through the songs right now and popping off at how good the grooves and beats are on this thing, it's so textured and layered and delightful.

8. Alvvays - Blue Rev 

So, I think I listened to their extremely popular sophmore album Antisocialites a few years ago because I have it rated on RYM, but I never saved any of the songs, I think I liked it okay but it didn't leave much of an impression. So, suffice it to say I was surprised when this new one blew me the fuck away. This is superb indie pop. A great mix of noise, with some shoegaze thrown in there too, wonderful guitar playing, and top notch songwriting. I think one complaint would be that the songs tend to blend together in my mind, there's a similar sound throughout the album, but that sound is a good sound so that doesn't end up being a problem for me. Even despite that, there are a few melodies that really sink into my brain and get lodged there, like Many Mirrors, and Tile by Tile. Belinda Says is an incredible piece of songwriting, too. I think I was a little hotter on this after the first listen than I have been since revisiting it, which is why it's lower on the overall list, still, don't miss it if you like this kind of stuff.

7. The Beths - Expert in a Dying Field

 What's that? Oh, it's the sound of the Beths cementing themselves as one of my favorite bands of all time with another stellar album. Crazy, they just keep doing it, huh! This band has a real talent for a style of quirky, witty, deadpan lyrics that trend melancholic in a way that somehow hits me directly in the feelings every time. This is likely due to their knack for writing music that elevates the lyrics emotionally in a way that I really don't experience with many other acts. Power pop at it's finest, I adore Elizabeth Stoke's voice and could listen to it forever, but the rest of the band backing vocals lead to some amazing harmonies too. Using a pretty simple rock band structure, they like to lean into different styles like punk, ballads, and just good old fashioned rock'n'roll too. I hope they keep this up, and I'm very excited to see them in concert in March. (this is still probably my least favorite album of the three so far, but it's close, they're all amazing) extremely common new zealand W

6. Kessoku Band - Self Titled

Do not let your eyes deceive you, this is not an anime soundtrack, this is a proper J-rock album from Bocchi and the band. I just want to point out that Tricot did release an album this year, which was good, but did not make my list. This made my list. If this was a real band releasing their debut J-rock album I would be praising them as one of the best new groups coming out of Japan, and I promise I mean that genuinely and not just because I gave Bocchi the anime a 10. It's admittedly difficult to separate my enjoyment of these songs from their appearances in the anime, but I maintain that without context I would like this music just as much, it's very my shit. This is genuinely amazing songwriting, a full album's worth of catchy bangers, zero skips, and listen to Bocchi fucking shred dude!! that's MY guitarhero. I also absolutely have to shout out the track カラカラ, which was written by Ikkyu, the lead guitarist and singer of Tricot. This song is literally just a Tricot song performed by Kessoku Band, and is probably my favorite unofficial Tricot song of the year, beating out all the real ones they released. anyway, season 2 when? Especially if it means I get more of this.

5. Vylet Pony - Can Opener's Notebook: Fish Whisperer

It is time to post cringe! I have ascended past cringe, this is so good that I no longer am capable of feeling cringe! Praise be! Seriously though, I mostly included Vylet's last album Cutiemarks and the Things That Bind Us at the 10th spot on my list last year as a meme, Little Simz probably deserved it for her album. Not to disparage Cutiemarks, I think it's amazing, I still listen to it all the time, but all of this is to say that, clearly, I don't need to dedicate a meme slot to a horse album this year. This thing deserves its spot here, 1000%. Fish Whisperer is a narrative concept album that tells a story about a marine biologist horse that leaves home to pursue her dream of becoming a musician, and juggling that dream with her work which she also loves. It's a surprisingly compelling narrative that flows well from song to song, you could probably miss it if you're not paying close attention, or if you don't read the blurb Vylet put on her bandcamp page, but I think it makes some of the songs hit harder. Even after such a short period of time, this album shows some serious improvement on Cutiemarks, with much better lyricism and songwriting, which was probably my biggest issue. Her production continues to be stellar, but evolves into something even greater, offering some of my favorite pieces of electronic music of all time. Vylet is stupidly talented, showcasing singing, guitar playing, rock and roll, and phenomenal EDM/indietronica skills too. It's fucked up how good this album is guys, I really cannot sing its praises enough. If you want a sample, listen to the three song run from The Yak Song to Typewriter, or maybe just Fish Whisperer. 2nd best horse album of all time.

4. De todas las flores - Natalia Lafourcade

Okay, I have to do a disclaimer here, I have listened to this album all the way through 1 time. It came out pretty recently, and I saw a lot of buzz, so I finally got around to it a few weeks ago and was extremely impressed, but I don't have nearly a good enough handle on it to evaluate it as fairly against some of the other albums on here. Real Fantano heads in the chat probably know that this was his AOTY, and I really can't fault him for that choice even if there were  a few more I liked more. This album is a powerhouse, just phenomenal, jazzy singer songwriter latin music. Incredible instrumentation and production, I think this one has a lot of depth that I'll be unpacking for a while. Maybe I'll come back and rearrange the order as I listen to this one more, but this is where it slots in mostly out of sheer respect over familiarity.

3. Black Midi - Hellfire 

Okay, as we get into the top 3 I want everyone to know that these three albums are close to interchangeable, it was very, very hard to rank them against each other. Especially spots number 3 and 1, which are frequently compared to and pitted against each other because they're both recent sensations in the underground rock scene in the UK, and have released albums around the same time twice now. I liked Cavalcade when it came out, I was really impressed with the crazy instrumentation and great singing, but wasn't quite blown away like everyone else was. Then we get Hellfire. Holy shit. This is fucking Prog baby, but it's twisted and evil and new and exciting, I have literally never heard anything like this album before in my life. The speed at which the playing can change on you at the turn of a hat is a little mind-boggling, and the bombastic playing is matched by Geordie Greep's one of a kind voice, which I think is the only style that could ever go with this kind of music. What unfolds is a descent into Hell, through narrative driven prog tracks covering all kinds of sin and debauchery, of war and death, soliders, love, lust, prostituation, racing, and one of the best closing tracks I've ever heard in my life. The theatrics are turned up to 12, it really does feel like I'm watching some kind of stage play while listening to this. Also, I cannot praise Greep's singing enough, his voice surprises you after all the raucous shouting to reveal he's got one like, a nearly operatic, angelic voice when he wants to bust it out. Some of the best parts of the album are when he does both on the same track, like in Sugar/Tzu. The vocal work on The Race Is About To Begin is probably the single most impressive performance this year, and maybe this decade so far. Writing this is making me think maybe this is my AOTY so I need to stop before it all gets mixed up. Logan listen to this or I will kill you in real life.

2. Silvana Estrada - Marchita

Originally my number 1 spot, like, I literally wrote out the Ants From Up There blurb and then changed my mind, don't let any of that detract from this album. What an incredible piece of music, Silvana is has one of my favorite voices out there, the way she flawlessly delivers each lyric, shifting from pitch to pitch is mesmerizing. This is obviously right up my alley, singer songwriter folk is one of my favorite genres, if my Ichiko Aoba addiction didn't make that obvious. Even if I was predisposed to like this, I still fell in love with this album over the course of this year, revisiting these intimate songs that mostly consist of her singing and guitar playing, occasionally joined by other instruments, all of which is flawless. This album is also special to me, because it was one of the first pieces of music I really connected to Elli with. Our tastes don't always line up very well, but she got just as into her as I did this year, and sharing that with her for what felt like the first time was extremely cool. Not much more to say, this thing is just beautiful front to back.

1. Black Country, New Road - Ants From Up There 

This was easily my most anticipated album of 2022. After their breakout debut last year, For The First Time which has ascended to favorite status very quickly, I was excited to see what new tom foolery this group would get up to. Unfortunately, just as the album released, we got news that the lead singer Isaac Wood would be leaving the band, cutting short what could have been an incredibly promising career. I'm not sure how much of that decision was looming on his mind as he and the band wrote this album, but somehow it feels like the swan song that it ended up being, a much more emotionally driven, bittersweet, loving, lonely thing than their first. The band's incredible instrumental talent is back on full display, outshining even my favorite performances on FTFT somehow, which is a gargantuan achievement. There are multiple points listening to this album where I tear up a little bit, it's just so heartwrenching. This group is so fucking talented, and they're bringing their best on every single track, especially Isaac, who's singing and vocals continue to floor me. This album is an artistic achievement, a modern classic, that, I think will be remembered long past this year, or even this decade. I'm still excited to see what the band does without Isaac in the future, as he's hardly the only member, but it'll be different. And that's okay, I think. What a way to go out. And that’s it, it was a very good year for music! Thanks for reading if you did, I had fun writing this! 

[dherzogblog]

songs/22

The "Press and Play"list version (click the links for music and extras) songs/22 playlist

1. Elvis Costello -“Farewell, Ok”: A garage rock burner with a bit of the attitude that made E.C. the dean of the class of ‘77. 2. Band of Heathens - “Carry Your Love”:  A monster hook, and every time I hear this it, it makes me think of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers. That's a good thing. These guys also released a cool Covid covers album this year. 3. Nikki Lane - “First Time: On-the-rise outlaw rocker recalls her 80's high school rock roots. It features my favourite lyric of the year: "Take me back to the first dream, 501 blue jeans, tighter than god damn Springsteen”. 4. Lucuis- “Next To Normal'': Produced by Brandi Carlile, this deceptively funky tune has been in my head for months. 5. Khruangbin/Leon Bridges: From "Texas Moon" the lone star state collab and follow up to 2020’s "Texas Sun". The adventurous and vibey, Khruangbin have become one of my favourite bands. 6. Lizzo - “It’s About Damn Time”: "It’s bad bitch o’clock". 7. Elle King - “Honky Tonk Disco Nights'': Been listening to Elle for a while now as an emerging star in Americana/Country world. But on this one she makes a left turn teaming up with Chic’s Nile Rogers on this country/disco mash-up. "Dance, dance dance". (Hollywood Fun Fact #1: Elle the daughter of comedian and former SNL cat member Rob Schnieder). 8. Say She She- “Pink Roses”: Slinky cool and danceable, this Brooklyn based female trio love Nile Rogers too. So much so, their band's name is a sly nod to his group. "Yowsah, yowsah, yowsah". 9 .Stone Foundation - “Heaven Knows Why”: Smooth disco grooves and wah- wah guitar from UK soul revivalists. Bell bottoms and platform shoes not included.

10. Dreadzone - “Dread Town”: The eternal spirit of 2-Tone lives on this bouncy single from veteran British reggae/dance outfit featuring lead vocals by Emily Capell who borrows the style of Amy Winehouse and the attitude of Lily Allen, on a joyous celebration of London's multi racial musical melting pot. 11. Pearl Charles -“Givin it Up”:  Last year I stumbled on Pearl’s brilliant ABBA inspired “Only For Tonight” and was subsequently blown away by the whole album. She’s back again with another lush and luminous 70’s styled single whose swirling strings, memorable hook, and slyly funky finish made it one of favourites of the year. (Hollywood Fun Fact #2: Pearl is the daughter of Larry Charles ofSeinfeld/Curb fame). 12. The Dip - “Real Contender”: Big horns and big hooks from a Pacific northwest band that gives me Jamie Cullum vibes. 13. Mapache - “Light My Fire”: Cosmic folk rock harmonies for your mellow mood. 14. River Kittens - “Hate To Break It”: Speaking of harmonies, this break-up torch ballad sounds like it came straight off Shelby Lynne’s country/soul masterpiece, “I Am Shelby Lynne”. 15. The California Honeydrops - “In Your Arms”: More soul horns and a chugging Stax rhythm from Oakland outfit who sounds like they may have been fans of Oaktown homeboys Tony! Toni! Tone'! 16. The Harlem Gospel Travelers - “Nothing But His Love”: Nope, this is not a gospel tune, just some sweet vintage styled soul and harmony in praise of a higher power. 17. Miko Marks/Ressurectors “Feel Like Going Home”: Rising star Miko Marks and the guys may actually get closer to church on this one. Her album has blues, country, and gospel influences, think The Staples Singers and The Band on the "Last Waltz, All of which reminds me there was a pretty great posthumous release this year from the late Leon Helm and the very much alive Mavis Staples.18. Lee Bains + The Glory Fires - “(In Defense of the) 40 Hour Work Week: Blue collar country rock in the spirit of The Drive By Truckers.

19. Titus Anddronicus - “Give Me Grief”: A jangly, angsty pop anthem from post punk Jersey boys. 20. Pinegrove - “Alaska”: More catchy indie pop from Jersey (Montclair!) 21. Wet Leg - Wet Dream: Isle Of Wright indie pop duo exploded on the scene last year with two great singles, "Chaise Lounge" and this one. A proper album was released in '22, so the song still qualifies, and I get to make up for missing them first time around. 22. Hurray For The Riff Raff - RHODODENDRON: Always moving in new directions, Alynda Segarra and crew are back. This time they bring the spirit of The Velvet Underground with them. 23. Melissa Carper - “Ramblin Soul”: Old-time Texas Swing from the woman they call the “The Hill-Billie Holiday”. 24. Taj Mahal/Ry Cooder - “Hooray Hooray”: Roots rock veterans and former Rising Sons bandmates reunite over 50 years later to pay tribute to blues legends Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee. Hooray Hooray indeed. 25. North Mississippi AllStars - “See The Moon”: These guys have always drawn on the southern rock and blues they grew up on. The connection runs deeper on this album with the addition of Lamar Williams Jr, son of former Allman Brother Band bassist Lamar Williams. 26. Wilco - “Falling Apart” (Right Now): I’ve enjoyed all of Wilco’s sonic explorations over the years. but If I’m gonna be honest, I always loved their early alt country outings the most. 27. Reigning Sound - “Lonely Ghost”: This long running Memphis garage rock band broke up late last year…but they released this Dylanesque single early this year. So, have they “ghosted” us or not? Either way, it’s the final rattle of a hard working band at the end of the road, but going out defiantly.

28. John Doe - “Never Coming Back”: Former X-Man John Doe reminds us you can’t go home again in this dark, moody song with a memorable hook that will stick with you and your subconscious. 29. Valerie June - “Use Me”: No, not the classic Bill Withers tune, (it actually has the opposite sentiment), She has an idiosyncratic vocal style, but like Bill Withers, Valerie June is the real deal. 30. Deslondes - “Good To Go”: A charming world weary tale of hard luck and never giving up. 31. Billy Swan - “Don’t Be Cruel”: Season two of “Euphoria” opened with this haunting 1974 cover of the Elvis classic and it blew me away in much the same way the show does. I couldn't stop listening to it for weeks.

If you got this far...thanks for checking it all out. I appreciate you. Hope you all have a great holiday season and I look forward to seeing you in the new year. Peace, Doug

Los Angeles, December 2022

[glassyeyedblinddivine]

Appreciate the insight from an older fan! I became a fan when Rats Nest released but never got into it until recently. It cooks be because I'm not a metal fan in general and I always felt PDA was stronger. Do you feel it was less coherent lyrically? or what would you say makes it less impactful? if you don't mind me asking

i think rats nest is a tighter album overall, both in terms of length and in terms of concept. the longest song's like 6 minutes, none of them really overstay their welcome or feel like they have much that could be cut. and the concept's pretty cut and dry: We Fucked Up The Earth Whoopsies. it's an easy front to back listener, doesn't take itself too seriously, and despite that has one of the hardest songs kglw has ever done on it (self immolate).

in comparison pda, while having a similar narrative, has a lot of padding in songs- likely to facilitate live show jamming- and feels bloated in a way i don't love. it's more proggy, which is fun, but the problem with its progginess is that there's not a lot of new ideas through the songs. like the first 3 songs on it are, to my ear, essentially the same, and i feel like they could've either been condensed or cut to a really tight 4 minute ripper. i also thought that using ambrose's vox the way they did in gila monster megasucked and if anything they should've had him do a dio-style operatic high part. though i also just don't like gila monster generally - it's another one where i wish they cut a bunch of stuff and made it fast and lean and heavier, just a 2 minute firestorm.

also like bear in mind i say all this while being a deep and true lover of sludge/stoner metal, where songs routinely come in at over 10 minutes long, so the duration itself isn't the problem- i just think that the styles kglw are paying homage to in these albums lend themselves to tight, concise songwriting, and padding things out only serves to give the listener more time to see the holes and have their initial feelings of Hell Yeah Fucking Rock turn into a feeling of boredom, or worse, embarrassment.

[mathpumamusic]

13-2-2024

[Pilotredsky] "The Scuffler EP" : Wow, I can't believe that this EP still sounds awesome like the third day in a row. [Zock] "Blackbird" : Found this earlier, and it made me wanna check out the artist more. "Hollywood Days" : Very pleasant and easy listening for work, a bit in the smooth/lite-jazz territory. [Bobbing] "Thank You for Singing to Me" : Fantastic and super tight EP that kicks ass from beginning to end. [Moon Hooch] "Acid Mountain" : Wait, this is just a single?! [Wardruna] "Runaljod - gap var Ginnunga" : I've been listening to many of these songs out of order for years now, but hearing them all play out in sequence properly makes the experience even more affecting. [Paul Simon] "Graceland" : Great music, but just not the right pick for when I was listening, so I'll have to return to this at some point. [Glasys] "Defective Humanity" : I still think that "The Pressure" EP is a tighter project overall, but as a development thereof "Defective Humanity" has tons to offer, and explores a broader gamut of interpretation on it's themes. [PJ Harvey] "Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea" : I'll have to check out more by the artist, because I'm super down with the vocal performance, which is excellently complimented by the instrumental. [Evan Marian] "Parallels" : My lovely partner gave me a better set of earbuds to use at work, and hearing a much fuller juicier bass tone on an album I already really love was a crazy treat. [Talking Heads] "Remain in Light" : I don't know why I had such a bias against Talking Heads, but despite my best efforts to the contrary I did in fact enjoy the album quite a bit. [August Burns Red] "Guardians" : Metal is still something I'm learning how to listen to properly, but I love the tones that this group gets, and it's no wonder this is one of the first groups I stumbled across.

#music #music review #moon hooch #glasys #pilotredsky #Zock #Bobbing #Wardruna #Paul Simon #PJ Harvey #Evan Marien #Talking Heads #August Burns Red

[marie-swriting]

Close To Me - Dove Cameron

Masterlist

Summary : You and Dove are best friends so you're always being touchy with each other. When she realized her feelings for you, she decided it was best to not be this close to you anymore, but you just can't understand why your best friend is being distant.

Warnings : pining, fluff, maybe some grammatical mistakes as English is not my first language, tell me if you see any mistake or if I missed any warnings !

Word Count : 1.9k

French version

Prompt : "I know it's 2 in the morning but do you want to..." from this prompt list made by @homesweetnothings, fluff n°19

Song Inspiration : "Do You Wanna Be Friends ?" by Leanna Firestone

Dove is looking at you from afar while you’re dancing on the dancefloor. Usually, she’s always next to you, dancing and having fun with you except from tonight. A few weeks ago, she realised her feelings for you, therefore, she decided to take some distance from you, not wanting to ruin anything. On the contrary, from your point of view, it just seems like your best friend is acting strangely around you. You noticed that she almost didn’t hold your hand tonight or talked with you. At first, you thought maybe she was a little tired, you know she would always dance at least once with you when that’s the case. So, you walk to her, wanting to feel her next to you, like you always do.

When you’re in front of her, she can’t help the smile that appears on her face. As always, she finds you pretty. Exceptionally, she doesn't mention it tonight. She was scared it’d be too obvious the only thing she wants to do is kiss you at this instant.

“Dance with me, Dove ! You haven’t done it yet.” You exclaim.

“I’m tired, Y/N. Next time, I promise.” She answers with a small smile.

“Come on ! I saw you more exhausted than before and still had fun.”

“I’d rather stay here.”

“Okay. But next time we go to the club, you better be well-rested because you’re gonna dance more than usual !” you inform her, not wanting to spend another night without her.

“We have a deal.”

You smile at her before going back to your friends and dancing again. Dove keeps staring at you while you’re having fun. She can’t help but feel a little jealous when she sees you close with someone else, even though you may not even be interested in them. She knows she hurt your feelings by not following you to the dancefloor, but you look so beautiful she’s not sure she’d be able to resist the urge to confess her feelings the moment you’d put your hands on her hips.

When you and your friends group decide to leave the club at around four in the morning, Steven, and Peter, who stayed sober the whole night, are ready to take you home. Steven is the one taking you home while Dove has to go with Peter. So, you have to say goodbye before entering the car. You hug all your friends and when you go to Dove, you hug her too and expecting her to kiss your cheek, like she always does but she doesn’t. She wanted to, but she stopped herself. She just hugs you a little tighter and smiles before following Peter to his car. You can’t hide your disappointment when you realise that Dove totally changed the way she acts around you the past few weeks. You had some suspicions but tonight, it confirmed all of your doubts.

During the whole car ride, you try to find the moment that could have caused such a change. You think that you may be to blame, but you don’t know what you could have done to upset her. So, you try to think about her life in general. You guess that maybe her work on her new album takes her too much time, so she’s just drained. Perhaps she has nothing against you, you try to reassure yourself.

The next day, you spend your whole day recovering from your hangover and thinking about Dove. You try to understand why her not being so touchy anymore bothers you that much. Sure, she’s your best friend and you’re not touchy with a lot of people but her not being with you anymore upsets you more than you want to admit. You obviously care about her, but it seems to be something more. Your head is about to explode from trying to understand this whole situation.

For Dove, not being close to you anymore breaks her heart. She just wants to have your hand in hers every single second of the day, kiss your cheeks whenever she wants to and finally, she just wants to kiss your pretty lips. But she can’t do that. She starts to think that maybe changing the way she acts toward you so radically wasn’t the best idea. She saw the hurt in your eyes the night before when she didn’t press her lips on your cheek. But it’s for the best... right ? Her thoughts are becoming too much, she doesn’t know what to do anymore so she takes her phone, thinking she’s ready to talk to you, no matter what your reaction may be. She starts writing a simple text :

Draft message from Dove to you, 1.55 am :

“Hey are you awake ? I’d like to talk to you. It’s important.”

Before sending it, she re-reads it again and again till she starts overthinking. At the last second, she just deletes it, knowing it’s probably another bad idea. She puts her phone aside and takes a random piece of paper and a pen. She starts writing her feelings for you. Maybe that would help her understand what to do ? She hopes it will. A few minutes after she started writing, her phone rings twice, signalling new messages. She takes her phone and sees the notifications are from you. She opens it, without thinking.

Messages from you to Dove, 2.03 am :

“Hey, are you awake ?”

“I know it’s 2 in the morning but do you want to grab some donuts and a hot chocolate like we used to ? We haven’t done that in a while.”

She doesn’t wait a second to respond.

Message from Dove to you, 2.04 am :

“Sure, I’d love that :)”

Message from you to Dove, 2.04 am :

“Perfect, I’ll pick you up in ten minutes. See you ;)”

You put on a random sweater, take your keys and your wallet before leaving your apartment. You drive to her place. Once there, you send her a message for her to come down. Two minutes later, she’s in your car, a huge smile on her face. You drive to Jeff’s Donuts. Once you get there, you make your usual order. You don’t ask Dove what she wants, knowing her order is always the same when you both get a donut during the night. It’s a habit you picked on two years ago. It was totally random, you don’t even know when it started to become a tradition for both of you, it just did. So whenever one of you is awake, or has had a bad day, you go to Jeff’s Donuts. But you hadn’t done that for two months, first you had been busy and then Dove became distant with you.

When you get your donuts and your hot chocolates, you park near the coffee shop and start eating in silence. You try to look at her facial expressions, trying to find the perfect moment to ask her questions. When she finishes her first donut and takes a sip of her hot chocolate, you decide it’s the right moment. So, you stop eating and turn to her.

“Dove, can I ask you something ?”

“Sure, what is it, Y/N/N ?” she says, putting her drink down.

“Have you been busy recently ? We almost don’t talk to each other anymore, hang out. So, I thought that maybe you, working on your album, was taking all of your time which is fine, by the way. I want what’s best for you and your career, but you’ve been so distant. Or… or maybe is it because of something I did ? If that’s the case, just tell me. I hope I didn’t hurt you because that’s the last thing I want to do.” You ramble, scared of her answer.

“Why would you assume you did something ? I mean, yeah, I’ve been more tired recently, but we saw each other like last night and we even talked.” She tries to play it cool.

“It’s just you’re not acting the same. We haven't talked just the both of us for a long time. Also, you didn’t kiss me goodbye like you always do or hold my hand when we’re walking or even dance with me. It might sound stupid, but I got used to you being touchy and so you not being it anymore is just odd. I mean, I liked the way you acted before. I… I just want to understand.”

“Y/N, trust me when I say you did nothing wrong. This whole situation is because of me and me only.” she states, looking at you and feeling guilty for hurting you so much.

“But why ? Don’t you want to be friends anymore ?”

“On the contrary ! I want to be your friend. You’re so important to me, you have no idea. It’s just…” she starts to say but stops herself. You just gave her the perfect opportunity to confess her feelings, but her fears are being louder in her head. She can’t keep acting like that. It’s breaking her heart, and clearly yours, too. “It’s just, I want to be sure I can still be your friend. That’s why I’m acting like that.”

“I’m not following.” You say, frowning.

“I’m scared if I keep being touchy with you I won’t be able to be quiet in my pining anymore. I really like you, Y/N and my feelings are just getting bigger and bigger, and I don’t want to ruin our friendship. I mean, if I can only have that with you, it’s totally fine. It’s perfect. I just want you close to me. But I’m not gonna lie, if we could be more, I’d love that.”

“You want… more ?” you ask, surprised. “For how long have you known your feelings for me ?”

“I realised it almost a month ago.”

‘In other words, when she started acting strange’, you think. And that’s when it hits you. What you feel for Dove, it’s much more than you thought.

You lay your eyes on her, seeing her nervousness. You take her hand to reassure her, knowing she’s fearing your rejection.

“Dove, I’ve always cared about you. I mean, I like having you close to me. I just thought we were best friends and that’s why the relationship we have is so special to me but clearly, I have feelings for you, too and I’m sorry I didn’t realise it before. But Dove, I like you, too.” You confess, softly.

“You do ?”

“Of course, you’re special to me.”

“Does that mean I can finally kiss you on the lips ?” She asks hesitantly.

“Just do it.”

She just needed to hear those three words to find the courage to press her lips on yours. If she had known it was that simple to have you as her lover, she sure would have done it sooner. Her hands around your neck, she brings you as close as she can. Your lips feel soft to her. She loves them even more than she thought she would. For you, kissing her makes you understand just how strong your feelings for her are. With her confession, you were sure you had feelings for her, but you didn’t know they were that big. When you break the kiss, you both look at each other, eyes full of love.

Masterlist

{This is my side blog so I'll be answering comments under the username @marie-sworld}

#dove cameron x reader #dove cameron #dove cameron x fem reader #dove cameron x fem!reader #dove cameron one shot #Spotify #marie swriting in english

[slasher-male-wife]

Slashers with an insecure chubby s/o part 2

This time around I’m gonna be doing Brahms, Billy Lenz and Jason

Also thank you all so much for 100 followers!!!!!!! I love and appreciate all of you

Warnings: This will talk about body image issues obviously, murder mentions typical slasher stuff. But other wise just comfort

Brahms

Brahms knows about being insecure. He’s learned to cope with it and is trying to learn about loving himself. He wants to help you feel better too.

Brahms could care less about if you’re chubby. He sees is as more of you to love. He’ll kiss your insecurities for you all the time. He won’t let you talk bad about yourself at all. If you do and he hears he’s gonna get upset.

Worried about how something looks on you? Brahms will hype you up and make you feel golden. He’ll keep kissing and hugging and complimenting you until you agree. If you don’t with all of those he’s just gonna throw a fit.

“Brahms come on I just don’t think these shorts look good on me. Like my thighs look huge.” You say turning and looking at him. You have these cute shorts you love but hate how they look on you. “They show my stretch marks too.” You cross your arms and Brahms gets on his knees. “Brahms what are you doing?” You ask.

“I’m showing you how much I love your thighs.” He says kissing them all over. You laugh and walk over to your bed.

“Ok Brahms ok. I just think I look wrong in these shorts. It’s my thighs that’s the issue.” Brahms walks over and gives you a hug.

“Y/N I’m a big man. I’ve got big thighs too. You’re not the only one with them. It adds a layer of protection for you. For injury’s.” You laugh and rub Brahms back.

“You promise you like the way they look on me?” You ask.

“I promise I do Y/N. I love everything about you.”

Billy Lenz

Bold of you to assume he doesn’t like fuller figures. The man is a horny slut he doesn’t care if you have belly fat and a soft jawline.

He’s honestly gonna be constantly hugging you. He loves the way you feel and how you keep him warm. He’ll also be giving you lots of kisses.

He’ll kill anyone who body shames you at all. If you manage to stop him he’s still gonna harass them over the phone. But whenever he sees you, his face lights up.

You push the the door to the attic and turn on the light. “Billy I’m here!” You say standing up. Billy gets up too and rushes over to you. Giving you a huge hug.

“Pretty baby! Billy m-m-m-missed you!” He sways you a little and you laugh, hugging him back.

“I missed you too Billy. I brought us some music to listen to to.” Billy pulls away and sits on a little mattress he has up there. Sometimes he sleeps with you other times he sleeps up here.

“What k-k-kind of music?” He asks. You pull out your phone and pull up Strawberry Switchblade. They make more calm music, hopefully not making Billy even more hyper.

“They’re a nice band. They make good music.” You play and album and set the phone down. Billy lays down and pats the side next to him. You lay down next to him and cuddle him. He cuddles into you and you two lay next to each other listening to the music: “Billy, am I um too chubby?” You ask. He just pulls you closer and tighter.

“Billy thinks there’s so such thing as too chubby. Billy loves his baby and their body. Billy’s pretty baby is perfect.” You smile and shut your eyes.

“Thank you Billy.”

Jason

Jason is a big man himself. Maybe not chubby but he is a giant. If he hears you talking bad about yourself and how heavy or big you are he’ll pick you up and smother you in love.

He doesn’t care what you look like, he’s insecure about the way he looks too, but he won’t let it get in the way of your love.

He’s gonna make sure you never skip any meals and eat enough. He’ll support your choices on your body. But no matter what he’s gonna love you.

“Jason I’m not sure about this shirt. It’s pretty tight.” You say turning looking in the mirror.” Jason sighs and signs ‘give me a minute’. He goes over to the closet and takes out one of his shirts. He hands it to you and you hold it. “Jason this is yours.” You try to hand it back but he pushes it away. You sigh and put it on. You look back in the mirror. Your belly is barely noticeable and although you still can see some of your shape it’s mostly gone. You smile and turn back to Jason. You hug him and he hugs you. “Thank you Jason.” He picks you up and carries you to the bed. He throws you down and lays next to you. You laugh and cuddle into him.

#slashers #horror #slasher #jason vorhees #brahms fluff #brahms the boy #brahms my beloved #the boy 2016 #billy lenz #billy lenz x y/n #billy lenz x reader #jason voorhees x reader #black christmas #friday the thirteenth

[sneezefiction]

answers

oikawa x reader

desc: oikawa changes some lyrics in taylor swift’s song “love story”

a/n: please keep in mind that most of this is just humorous & there’s no serious characterization in this particular story. i laughed a lot while writing it :,,) for @cutiekawa because you gave me the idea; thank you for that! and also for @seroto-rin because this is very similar to your husband’s lyric changing habits lol – i still laugh whenever i think about it <3 warnings: language, mentions drinking/being drunk

wc: 3k

— It’s 2 am when you hear Oikawa pattering down the hallway and past your room. From the gentle footsteps and the occasional whisper of “shit” when the floor creaks, it's obvious that he’s trying to stay quiet.

But his attempts are in vain because, one, you’re wide awake and, two, he’s just knocked over an empty beer can from earlier. It was probably the one he’d left on the hall table – you’d told him to throw it away but he’d refused saying that he’d “throw it away in the morning when his arms weren’t so tired.” 

This is just karma.

The clatter of the aluminum on wooden floors echoes throughout the dorm. A much louder, especially frustrated, “fuck” follows right after it.

The word, though crass, sounds deceptively attractive on his tongue. But most things Oikawa-related just happen to be attractive. 

You muffle your laughter with a blanket. He’s probably disoriented from the alcohol – it’s only been an hour and 5 drinks each since you both called it a night. You’d headed straight to bed but he’d fallen asleep on the couch where you left him, hair a-mess and lips parted.

But, for someone who used to stay out till daybreak on weekends, he’s spent most Fridays hanging out with you instead.

This weekend was no different.

Oikawa ordered Thai takeout, you found a mindless Netflix series to binge, both of you had a little too much to drink, laughter ensued, the doe-eyed boy found his head in your lap, and…

You pull a face – one that goes unseen because of the dark, but you make it anyway.

Okay, that last part was a little different.

He’d had his head in your lap.

His head… in your… lap.

And, if you’re not mistaken (or delirious), you’d had your hands in his hair, twirling strands and tracing circles at the base of his neck. A foggy image of him gazing up at you with softened eyes, deep chocolate in color, begins to solidify. 

That lazy smile, a hand on your thigh, tresses tickling your skin...

You turn over in your bed, bunching up your sheets and holding them close to you like a shield of fabric — a flimsy, make-shift defense against tipsy mind-wandering. It isn’t very effective.

Your brain is not wandering but racing around this hand-in-hair realization.

Like an iron rod poking at hot embers, these prodding memories make your cheeks grow hotter by the millisecond. You bury your face in your pillow, embarrassment tight in your throat. 

Somehow you’d forgotten that he’d practically climbed into your lap. You’re not in the clear quite yet, but your brain is functioning well enough that it wishes you’d had a little more to drink – just enough to forget about it entirely. You starfish out on your bed, arms and legs dramatically splayed across the mattress.

Do (hot, charming, charismatic, windswept) flatmates usually get this... cuddly? Is that normal?

Does Iwaizumi wrap his arms around his roomies after a long day and a few bottles? How about Mattsun? Makki…?

Okay, no, none of them really seem like the type to get up close and personal with their roommates without good reason. Well, maybe Makki, but he’d do it to be a pain in the ass – not to charm the living-hell out of someone.

You try to take in a deep breath and wrap your head around what this means for you… but end up inhaling a feather from your pillow instead. As you hack and cough, you try to smother the noise in more cloth material – you really didn’t need him coming into your room, much less leaning over your bed to check on you.

Oikawa is messing with your head. 

If you knew any better, you’d have run away screaming the moment he’d asked you to room with him. No one that pretty and charismatic is good news. At least, not when it comes to shared housing.

But, here you are, writhing under the covers and hot like a fever all because he couldn’t keep to himself. Screw him and his charming smile for putting you in this position.

He either knows you’re crushing like he’s the last man on earth or he’s blissfully unaware and way too physically affectionate for his own good. 

You don’t dare consider that he likes you back though. Only deer and Olympic athletes made leaps like that. Oikawa had too many admirers… an irritating amount.

The blankets scrunch even tighter between your fists, likely thanking their maker that they don’t have nerve endings.

Every fiber of your being is begging to know if these feelings are reciprocated. You’d hate to live out the rest of this semester knowing the boy down the hall may not like you back. Worse, that he finds out you think he’s hot shit and doesn’t like you back – that would be unrequited love at its finest.

But, with a degree and your mental health on the line, why should you care about such minor, itty bitty, pointless details. 

This isn’t that big a deal.

And even if he did like you back? Well, Oikawa isn’t someone you can simply “pin down.” He comes with a distinctive, dramatic personality and a meddling side. Not to mention, he’s already the embodiment of chaos – he’s proven this to be true over the past 4 months he’s lived with you.

There’s a familiar squeak of the shower faucet handle and the hiss of hot water. You jump at the sound.

Maybe he’d forgotten, but your bedroom shares a very thin wall with the bathroom. Though you recall him saying he wanted to take a shower earlier, so you guess that he’s only just remembered.

You pick up your phone, blue light casting a less-than angelic glow on your sleepy face. You pray that TikTok will have some sort of life-changing “I’m in love with my hot, crazy flatmate” advice. Or that it will distract you from your inner turmoil. Either would be appreciated but the latter seems more likely.

Scrolling slowly, you get through about 3 videos before something else catches your attention.

There’s a deep reverberation buzzing through your wall. A gentle hum, much like a shower-concert lullaby.

But the noise is getting louder. And the humming? A lot more lyrical.

You shift into a sitting position, propping yourself up with your hands. With your side sunken into a pillow, you press your ear against the cool drywall. Your ears tune into the sound.

Oikawa, voice confident and free, is… singing.

“...But you were everything to me, I was begging you ‘please don’t go’…”

But he’s not just singing.

“And I said…”

He’s belting Taylor Swift with the enthusiasm of an 11-year-old Swiftie super-fan. Like the world would end if he didn’t put enough passion into this performance. Like the showerhead is his microphone and the surrounding tiles are his adoring audience.

“Romeo, take me somewhere we can be alone. I'll be waiting; all that's left to do is run...”

Most people would be pissed if their friend were singing in the shower at 2 am… but you can’t find it in yourself to be anything but enamored.

God, you hate him for doing this right now. Hate that he’s inadvertently endearing you to him. Hate that, no matter what you do, he’s somehow always there.

Pressed up against you on the couch, meeting you for dinner at his favorite restaurant, fussing at each other over a shitty cup of coffee in your even shittier kitchen, calling you when he needs somebody to keep him company at the library… 

“You'll be the prince & I'll be the princess…”

And now he’s accidentally serenading you with Taylor’s “Fearless” album. In the shower.

You facepalm, sinking into your hands, exasperated and just so… done.

You sink back down into the bedsheets, wishing your earbuds were nearby to drown out the regrettably adorable performance. 

“It's a love story y/n, just say ‘Yes.’”

And your heart drops, panic setting in like the touch down of a whirling tornado. A fire tornado. A fire tornado with frogs and lizards and sharp objects spinning around inside of it.

What… did he just say?

The lyrics… they were muffled. You definitely heard them incorrectly. You… you just need to get your ears checked. Yes, that’s it. That’s all there is to it. You’ll schedule an appointment first thing tomorrow morning.

Because who the fuck sings like that at 2 am in a shared dorm? And who the fuck puts someone else’s name into a song like that? No one? Yes, no one.

Especially not the Oikawa Tooru.

And especially not with your name.

Because that’s just... weird.

The grip on your phone is mighty – thank God for durable glass because any other material would’ve splintered or shattered in your hold. 

But what the hell.

“Y/n, save me, I've been feeling so alone,” he sings as though he were Beyoncé’s son.

This time it’s clear as day. Oikawa is definitely still out of it and he’s undoubtedly singing your name.

No, no, no.

“I keep waiting for you but you never come…”

You bolt out of bed, feet hitting the floor at lightning-strike speed.

“Is this in my head? I don't know what to think,”

In one swift movement, you fling the bedroom door open and rush down the hall. You shouldn’t be listening to this. 

“He knelt to the ground & pulled out a ring, and said...”

And before you can stop your hand, it’s knocking rapidly on the bathroom door.

There’s a gasp, what you assume to a bar of soap hitting the shower floor, and an abrupt silence that follows.

You’d only wanted to stop him from singing.

However, you hadn’t thought through what you were going to say to him about this whole... lyrical mess. Your face feels like the surface of the sun, burning and flaring and flushing. What are you supposed to do now?

Oikawa speaks up, voice quiet, “Hello?”

Shit.

Maybe if you’re careful you can get yourself out of this. Just act like you didn’t hear anything and bring it up tomorrow when you’re both thinking straight. A thorough and sober discussion would be needed.

You had questions. Questions that needed answers.

Why did he have his head in your lap? Had you said anything to him that you’d regret later? Does he like you? Where should you two place your boundaries if he doesn’t like you back? And why Taylor Swift?

“Y/n, is that you?” He asks, nonchalantly.

Who else would it be?

The handle squeaks and, with that, the water stops. Only the gentle swirl of the drain and the occasional drips and drops from the showerhead are audible.

It’s too late. You’re already there. You’ve knocked and, in doing so, you’ve sealed your fate.

“...Yes,” is your whisper of a reply.

“What’s up? Was I too loud for you?”

You’ve got the entire building on high-alert singing that loudly.

...is what you would say if you weren’t currently imploding. This is like nothing you’ve ever experienced before. And nothing you ever want to experience again.

“Um, yeah, sorry.” You look down at your shuffling feet.

The hallway is pitch black, hardly allowing for even a mere shadow. Rushing out of your room, you’d forgotten to turn on even a single light.

You hear him step onto the tile floor and the rustle of a tower from the bathroom closet.

“Wait, can we talk?” He asks as though it weren’t the question of the fucking year. “I mean, preferably after I get out of the bathroom.” There’s a lack of tact to his words.

This isn’t the charming Oikawa you’re used to. This is a blunt… confusingly straightforward Oikawa.

His tone wavers like maybe he’d had a little more to drink than you’d last remembered. Your memory was proving to be disappointingly unreliable tonight.

You swallow thickly, “Sure.”

Because what else can you say?

“Can I stop by your room in a minute?”

You take a deep breath, “Yeah.”

And you patter back to your no-longer very safe haven. Oikawa is about to infiltrate your space… with your permission. And the weapons he’ll bring will either harpoon you or leave you emotionally paralyzed – whether that emotional paralysis is a good or bad thing will be decided in the near future.

Your bed, though soft and blanket-covered, looks far less appealing now. It may as well be a bed of nails because you would rather hide beneath it than sit atop it.

But you sit anyway, letting the mattress dip and the springs twang.

The bathroom door cries as it opens, putting you on edge. Your heart is pounding like a drum at a summer festival – hotter and louder with every beat.

The trod of footsteps tells you he’s approaching and, sure enough, the open door reveals Oikawa.

With only a lamp to brighten the space, he’s more contoured than usual. His hair is wet and heavy against his head, taking on an even darker brown than before. You’ve seen him fresh out of the shower before, but this… is different. Oikawa’s shirt sticks to his chest slightly – he must’ve thrown it on without drying off fully to get to you faster.

He takes a few steps into your room, choosing to lean his back against a wall next to your work desk. Oikawa brings his hands behind his back, pressing his weight into them. Brown eyes flicker from you to the wall behind you and back again.

Naturally, tension lays thick as a fog in the air space. 

“Hey, I’m…”

You cut him off, “You don’t have to say sorry! It’s… it’s okay.” 

Oops, you’d said that a little too loud. Not that it mattered much after Oikawa’s passionate performance.

An eyebrow raises and confusion sparks across his face. Your body freezes.

He brings a hand behind his neck. “Oh, I was just gonna say that I’m still kinda drunk.”

You knew that much. Though you really thought he’d say something other than that. Preferably something about the, uh, devoted love-song?

Why is he acting so casual right now? Is this even Tooru? Had he read too many alien conspiracies and been abducted for learning too much about extraterrestrials? 

Maybe he doesn’t realize you’d even heard him say your name in the shower.

“Oh... right.” You say slowly, lips staying parted at the end of your sentence.

“Which… probably isn’t good for either of us,” Different words drawl out and there’s a soft slur to some syllables, but at least he’s easy to understand, “me drinking too much, I mean.”

“Yeah,” you mutter.

“I think we should both just go to bed then.”

Your chest tightens. Of course, you want answers.

They’re likely embarrassing, face-reddening, Taylor Swift-centric answers. But you want them, nonetheless.

Although, it’s probably for the best that you don’t bring this up tonight. It was all probably a joke or a harmless accident – and, anyway, he admitted to being drunk.

“Right.”

“But I think you should know that I like you. A lot.”

“Yeah,” you respond again, automatically.

There’s another heavy silence. The pretty boy just stares at you, cherry colors tinting his cheeks but showing no expression of fear or embarrassment. You stare back, processing his words at turtle-like speeds.

The words tumble out, “Wait, say that again?” You double back, your own face reheating to its earlier temperature.

“I’m gonna be mad at myself in the morning if I don’t leave right now. And I really need to stop listening to that stupid song,” Oikawa says to himself. 

“But I wanted to see how you would respond if I changed the lyrics,” the words are pointed back at you again.

He stands up, feet moving slowly toward the doorway. Did he just… completely ignore your question?

Your jaw drops, “Did…” you can hardly speak.

Clearing your throat, you try again, focusing intently on your words, “...did you mean for me to hear you?”

“...Maybe.” He draws out the “e,” looking back at you.

That’s it. He’s lost his fucking mind. You’re going to strangle him. 

No TikTok advice could have prepared you for the monstrosity that is Oikawa Tooru. How Iwaizumi put up with that... that child for all these years, you have no idea.

You have to make a note of sending him a “get well” card, because nobody could be mentally okay after dealing with him for that long.

“B- but… why? What?” You stammer out, back stiff as a board.

“You like me don’t you?” He tilts his head, hair flopping cutely with it.

You gape like a fish, mouth opening and closing.

And it’s not that you don’t want to respond.

It’s that you can’t. You have no words. You vocal chords are on a panic-induced lockdown.

Because he knew.

He knew this entire time. Which you thought he might, but that doesn’t make the situation any less infuriating.

“And I like you back.”

You’re dumbfounded. You can’t think. This is ridiculous.

You open your mouth once more but he has no intention of continuing this conversation.

“Sleep well!” Without further comment, Oikawa flashes you a sleepy smile and begins scampering back to his room after having wreaked havoc on your poor heart.

Your voice comes back just in time for you to wake up the entire building once more,

“No, you get your ass back here and explain yourself!”

#haikyuu!! #haikyuu x reader #oikawa tooru #oikawa #oikawa x reader #oikawa scenarios #oikawa imagines #seijoh #what did i just write #this is gonna go under: 'things i gave up my sleep for' #ughsjdljlds'ldsdjd #also #i dont like the term crack fic anymore? so i think just calling it humorous is... a good way to go #goodnight yall #queued up!

[exosmutfactory]

Six Phases FINALE Pt 2

Originally posted by tipannies

Who knew it nearly took 6 months to win your heart, and 6 phases for Baekhyun to lose his mind.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3  P(1) P(2) | Part 4 P(1) P(2) | Part 5 P(1)  P(2) | Part 6 P(1)  P(2) —– P(3)  P(4) —– P(5)  P(6) | ♬♩♪♩ FINALE P(1)  P(2)✓ (also on AFF)

A/N: Let’s give Riley the ending she deserves 💗

[ contains: smut & fluff~]

•⇔♦ •⇔♦ •⇔♦ •⇔♦ •⇔♦ •⇔♦ •

Tonight is a special occasion, one that requires the most lethal of dresses that I own. A dress I always had my eye on yet never dared to take out from the back of my closet. I could never find the right time to wear it—until now. Because tonight, oh tonight… I have a date with Baekhyun.

I pull up the spaghetti straps of my wine colored dress, making sure that the criss-cross stripes of fabric in the front are straight. This dress is definitely too cold for the first week of December, but that's what winter coats are for. For now, I will turn side to side to admire how the bodycon shape fits well with the cutout section exposing my stomach. Party in the front and business in the back.

Straightening the last strand of my hair, I smile when my phone lights up with a notification, knowing full well who it is. His cute usage of emojis visible on the screen tells me all that I need to know. Chuckling to myself, I set down my flatiron and reply to him.

Baekhyun planned a date at his apartment tonight, subtly dropping a hint about what I should wear. Mmhm, this isn't a t-shirt and sweatpants event. Based on the new black blazer in the back of his adorable selfie that he sent me the other day when he asked me out, I got a good idea of what I'm getting myself into.

Humming to myself, I check my reflection one last time and grab my keys before heading out. Let's see which shade of Baekhyun is awaiting me today.

Strutting my way to the elevator in my rose gold heels, I smile at my neighbor when she steps out onto our floor, whistling at my choice of attire. She winks at me as the doors close. Chuckling, I check my phone one last time, typing a quick reply to Sehun with my French tip nails letting him know that I'm okay. We've made a point to catch up with each other at the end of every week, whether face to face or over the phone. Unfortunately, I have plans tonight… and maybe tomorrow too. And the day after that.

Smirking, I repocket my phone and wrap my fluffy coat tighter around me, waving to the security guard while making my way out of the building. The bite of the December air is refreshing for my skin, the heat packed into my coat leaves me slightly too warm otherwise. I look both ways before crossing the parking lot, staying aware of my surroundings. The last thing I need is any drama from a careless driver or lurking thief in the streets. These heels are too expensive to break off into someone's ass for making me late.

My car unlocks with a familiar chirp, its headlights coming on while I walk around to the driver's side. Taking one last glance at the world around me and my back seat, I climb inside and set my purse down on the passenger's side. My phone vibrates just as I start the engine, buzzing faintly against the soft R&B CD playing on my radio. With a small smile, I check my rearview mirror and pull out onto the road.

I hum along to the first track, wondering if a UN Village actually exists while navigating to Baekhyun's apartment. The Christmas lights set up on the light poles in advance bring another smile to my face. Something about this time of year always sits right with me.

Before I know it, I'm pulling into a parking space at his apartment complex, waiting for the powerful vocals of the 6th song on the album to fade away. Sighing a little, I lean back in my seat, sweeping my eyes over the parking lot as the windows start to fog up. Who would have thought that I'd be back here nearly a year later? With warmth in my heart and a certain silver haired, idiotic yet adorable man on my mind.

"I love you," I mumble shyly, holding eye contact despite my heated cheeks and racing heart.

His whole face lights up with his smile, sparkly brown eyes outshining all the stars in the sky as he cups my cheeks in his warm palms. "I love you more."

Stepping out of my car, I pick up my purse and head inside, sharing a knowing look with the familiar security guard on my way to the elevators. It feels so good to be back, the year-long bad memories vanishing with every step I take. To my home—to my heart. The man my heart calls out for like a rescued fish returning to sea.

Butterflies flutter in my stomach when I arrive on his floor, taking my time to walk down the brightly lit hallway. I wonder what is in store for me tonight. After all, when it comes to Baekhyun, anything can be awaiting me on the other side of that door. Possibilities are endless.

Taking a deep breath, I knock on the door, smiling softly when it opens seconds later only for my jaw to drop to the floor.

Baekhyun... with his silver hair parted to the side, wearing fucking brown eyeshadow. That new black blazer of his has buttons on the ends of the sleeves, sitting perfectly on his broad shoulders. But the real sight to behold is lower down on his body, starting from his half-buttoned black shirt showing his honey-toned chest. That view alone could send a woman into a coma, but then he had to tuck his shirt into a pair of snug leather pants. The belt around his hips shows off the curves of his waist and those damn black heeled boots are back again.

I don't even care that he can see me practically drooling—I already know what's on my menu for tonight.

"Hey," He smiles charmingly, taking my breath away.

I take a moment to compose myself, peeking at him from under my eyelashes with a smile of my own. "Hi, B."

His eyes and smile soften. "Come in, it's cold out." He steps aside to let me in, closing the door behind me.

Humming softly, I relish in his alluring cinnamon scent. "Not really," I mumble distractedly, thinking of how much warmer I feel at the sight of him while he helps me take off my coat. The way his breath hitches has a smirk quirking at my red painted lips. "What are we having tonight?" I inquire, glancing over my shoulder at him.

Baekhyun's eyes immediately shoot up to mine. "D-Dinner," He coughs, trying to cover up his flushed face behind his hand.

"Oooo," I walk further into the apartment, following the spicy aroma of food and making my way to the kitchen. "Okay. What did you order in?"

"Actually," Baekhyun's citrus shampoo floats in the air when I reach the doorway, staring at the set table with wide eyes. "I made it myself," He mumbles shyly, the cool plastic of the flower pinned to his blazer brushing against my back.

"Holy shit…" It's a fucking feast. Fresh salad, crunchy garlic bread, and the most appetizing platter of spaghetti that I've ever seen in my life. Not only that, the single-lit candle in the middle of the table has my heart and below squeezing in earnest. This cheeky little hopeless romantic.

"The meat is turkey-based," Baekhyun perks up after a few moments, walking around to place used pots and pans in the sink. Busying his fidgety hands with moving everything off of the counter. "I bought hot sauce but didn't put much because I didn't know if you'd like it spicy or not."

Walking further into the room, I rest my hand on the back of a chair, watching him with a lick of my lips.

Baekhyun continues occupying himself with everything in the kitchen, not even noticing when I slowly approach him. "The toast is on the softer side and I have some sweet tomatoes in the fridge-"

Fuck it.

I grab him by his jacket when he turns around, tugging on him so hard that a few buttons pop off and scatter around on the floor.

Baekhyun gasps, stumbling a little before bracing his hands on the surface behind me, the dishes on the dining table rattling under our joined weight. "Riley-"

I smash my lips to his, kissing him with fervor, backing him up until his back presses against the counter. I'm relentless with tugging and biting down on his bottom lip, capturing it between my teeth. He moans right into my mouth when I part his lips, sucking hard on his tongue.

The audible smack of our messy kiss echoes around the walls of his apartment, steadily building up tension in my stomach and the ache between my legs. Baekhyun softly huffs and puffs for air after a few minutes, pulling back to catch his breath with rosy, lipstick-smeared lips. "D-Dinner-"

"I'd rather eat something else," I utter lowly, rubbing my hand down his chest. My eyes flicker back up to his wide orbs just in time to catch him gulping, his warm brown eyes darkening significantly.

He looks at me for a long moment, hesitation vivid in his body language. I step closer, cupping his cheek before pressing my lips to his, gently coaxing his soft lips to dance with mine. Baekhyun takes a deep breath before wrapping his arms around me, the caress of his hands over my exposed skin leaving goosebumps in their wake.

This, I muse, shivering in delight when my body is fully pressed against his, is what has been missing.

He grows more daring the longer our lips lock, his warm hands sliding up the back of my thighs and venturing under my dress, bunching up the fabric. His fingertips teasingly slipping between my thighs has my pussy quivering, my own palms tugging on his tucked in shirt to feel more of his skin. Baekhyun grips my ass before spinning us around, hoisting me up onto the counter while I tangle my hand in his hair, my lips still glued to his. I moan when his fingers land on my clothed core, welcoming him between my parted legs.

"You're so wet," He breathes, a look of awe on his face. Sweat is already dripping down from the edges of his hairline, casting his skin in a dewy glow under the dancing candle lights.

"I'm not the only one," I murmur, tapping the back of my fingers on the bulge in his snug pants.

Baekhyun groans, pulling me into another kiss, making me gasp when he tugs me closer to the edge of the counter, his hardon right against my heated core. I shiver, wanting to widen my legs and close them at the same time when he rolls his hips, the thin fabric of my lace thong doing nothing to conceal his erection from my throbbing clit.

Our loud moans and sloppy kisses fill the air, the temperature rising in the room with every roll of his talented hips. I tighten my grip on his hair, gritting my teeth to hold back the tension building between my legs. 11 months has been way too long for me to not be intimate with someone like this, but looking up at Baekhyun's already fucked out face, I wouldn't have it any other way.

With shaky hands and quivering legs, I reach down to undo Baekhyun's belt, flinging it out of my way before pulling his zipper down. My hand slips a few times when he moves my thong to the side, sliding his middle finger into my greedy core.

"Ah…" I pant, tilting my head back as he trails searing kisses down my neck. "Fuck." The feeling of him inside of me after so long has me squeezing my thighs around his waist, fighting the wave threatening to fall over me when he finds my sweet spot immediately.

"So good for me," He murmurs, sucking my earlobe between his teeth. He slips in another finger when I finally pull his cock out of his boxers, swirling my fingers around his tip and stroking him in my firm grip. We speed up as we pant into each other's mouths, too turned on and drowned in pleasure to keep up with our kiss.

"Fuck, baby." He pulls back, cheeks flushed a pretty red hue, "C-condom-"

"No time for that." I shake my head, digging my heels into his lower back only to pause, narrowing my eyes at him. "Unless-"

He shut me up with a kiss this time. "No." He murmurs, meeting my eyes, his firm grip tightening on my hips. "No one else but you."

I am surprised by his answer, but I just nod, letting him continue. I might not be able to read Baekhyun like a book as he says I do, but I know he doesn't fuck around when it comes to his health. Let alone when it concerns the pretty, thick dick he has. Brushing his hair away to look into his eyes, I part my lips only for my breath to hitch, blushing at the feeling of him aligning his cock with my entrance.

"May I?" He murmurs, resting his forehead on mine.

The annoying throb between my legs has me clenching my teeth. "If you don't-" I gasp, clutching onto his shoulders as he slides in to the hilt. The burn of him inside me after so long is more than I expected.

Baekhyun pauses to let me adjust, pressing a chaste kiss to my lips that just makes me spasm around him. A gasp escapes him in turn, his slender fingers digging into the soft swell of my hips. "Easy, baby." He strains, voice deepened in lust.

"Easy for you to say," I grumble through gritted teeth, my back arching when he circles his hips. He presses flush against my goosebump-covered skin, giving me warmth as he starts up a comfortable rhythm, spreading my legs as far as the counter will allow. I can't help but gulp, leaning back against my braced palms. Just the view of his stunning body fully dressed beside his unzipped leather pants is messing with my head, let alone his cock pressing every spot within my walls that drives me insane.

Baekhyun pulls out, and before I can say anything, I hear his knees hitting the floor. Silver locks of hairbrush against my inner thighs moments before warm, wet sensation brushes against my clit.

"Mmm," He moans, tightening his grip on my thighs when I jolt. He pulls me even closer to the edge of the counter, placing my legs over his shoulders, "Come here."

All I can manage to do is tangle my fingers in his luscious locks. Hopefully they are strong enough to sustain my knee-jerking tugs when he drags his lips over my core, sticking his tongue into my hole and taking my folds between his lips. Baekhyun is just… gentle, slurping and smacking his lips against my throbbing core without a care. He's taking his time down there as if he has all the time in the world. I feel bad for my arousal dripping onto the counter and all over his chin—it's embarrassing, but it's never been this… this good.

"So sweet," He murmurs, sliding his warm palms up my waist.

Trying my best not to succumb to the coil in my stomach, I risk a glance down at him. The sight of his tongue poking out from between his coated lips to caress my swollen nub in the gentlest of ways has me tensing up—even more so when his brown eyes flicker up to meet mine.

"Baekhyun." I pant, tugging harder on his hair.

"Come on," He breathes, gripping my hips when I start to tremble.

"B-Baekhyun." It takes everything in me to hold on, bracing myself against the counter. "I want you inside…" I throw my head back when he slips a finger inside, quickly followed by another.

"Give it to me." He demands, so softly in an airy tone, his breath hitching at a particularly hard tug on his roots. He's damn near pleading for it and it's driving me crazy. "Come all over my face, baby."

Yeah, there's no winning this fight. With his lewd words and soft lips wrapping tight around my clit, rolling it around inside of his mouth with his tongue, that's it. Game over. How I managed this long without falling over the edge by the works of his mouth is a mystery within itself.

Baekhyun doesn't stop humming and massaging my clit with his lips until I softly push his head away, closing my shaking legs. He stands back up, sliding his hands up my thighs and leaning in for a kiss. It's different from the others we've shared tonight, filled with a certain hint of gentleness and love that matches the yearning and adoration in his sparkly brown eyes.

"Fuck, Riley." Baekhyun pulls back, cock twitching in my hand when I rotate my wrist. He cards a hand through his hair, chuckling in disbelief. "You are driving me crazy."

"Yeah?" I drawl, wrapping my thighs around his waist. "Come show me crazy."

"I'm not gonna last…" He admits, looking worried.

"How long do you plan on loving me, Byun Baekhyun?" I demand, tucking my index finger under his chin for him to face me.

Baekhyun's eyes dance like shimmering orbs of light. "Until my last dying breath."

"Well," I breathe, butterflies fluttering my stomach when his words settle in. "I'm sure we can fit in plenty of rounds until then."

The sweetest smile forms on his handsome face before his brows knit together, biting his bottom lip when I pull him back inside, digging my heels into his back.

"Don't hold back," I whisper into his ear, brushing my lips over his neck. Baekhyun takes a shaky breath, pulling away until only his tip is in my sensitive core. The bruising grip he has on my hips is the only warning I get before he plunges back inside. 

Baekhyun doesn't hold back in the slightest. He sets a fast, near brutal pace, lifting my hips to slam inside of me at an angle that has me screaming his name, clinging onto his clothed shoulders for dear life.

"Fuck, baby." He groans, his steady rhythm taking on sloppy, shallow thrusts. The squelch of our joined bodies stirs up an unexpected heat in me. "I'm gonna-"

"Yeah," I breathe, locking my legs around the back of his trembling thighs. My heart and pussy clench in earnest at the expression on his face.

Baekhyun pants, sweat dripping down his forehead and falling off of his jaw. The flap of his jacket exposing his chest with his shaky movements. "Can I-"

I lick the salty sweat from his heated skin, sucking harshly where his collarbone meets his gorgeous neck. "Inside me, B."

He groans the loudest one of the night, hiding his face in my neck as he pounds into me. His cum spills deep inside, hot and messy. The warmth of it triggers my own release. I have to bite down on his shoulder to contain the uncontrollably loud moan that's ripped from my throat with his final gentle thrusts.

Baekhyun slows down to a stop, his chest flushed to mine while we try to regain our breath. The smell of sweat and sex permeating the air has me giggling breathlessly, running my fingers through his damp hair.

"Fuck—baby," He mutters, hurrying to pull out. "Your dress."

"It's-" I moan, biting my lip when he slides his fingers back in.

"Where's a towel," He frantically looks around, the most comically concerned expression on his handsome, dewy face. "There it is! Ah, it's too far away... I'm sorry, baby-" He stops when I wrap my hand around his wrist, slipping his cum covered fingers between my lips.

"Take it off of me," I whisper, staring right into his dilated eyes.

"You'll be cold," He murmurs, looking between my eyes and my mouth sucking on his fingertips.

"Then warm me up," I purr, wrapping my thighs back around his waist.

Baekhyun's jaw drops, his cock already stirring against me. I reach down to take him into my hand, rubbing my fingers around his tip. "You'll be the death of me." He groans, tangling his hand in my hair and pulling me into a searing kiss.

Hours later, we're curled up in bed. My head on his pillow with his hands in my hair.

"W-Will you stay the night?" Baekhyun whispers, brown eyes no longer showing signs of tiredness.

I smile, completely in love with this new side of him. Baekhyun, in all that he is, is the most beautiful man in the world. "Of course, baby," I murmur, tracing random shapes on his honey skin.

He perks up with the most beautiful smile growing on his face, gently pulling me closer until my head rests on his chest, his fast-beating heart a dead giveaway to how happy he is. I kiss over his heart, looking up into his shimmering brown pools of love. Is he...? Gently swiping my finger under his eye has a tear falling down his cheek. And another. And another…

"You mean everything to me," He breathes, arms and legs tangled so much with mine I don't know where he ends and I begin.

I smile, falling asleep to the beat of his steady heart and the security of his warm arms. "You mean the world to me."

•••

Time goes by so fast when you're happy and in love, turning even your hardest days into nights that you want to remember. Just having that person you love the most by your side, through thick and thin, for better or for worse, makes all the difference in the world.

—The only downside is how agonizing time passes when you are apart.

I pop my bubble gum with my chin resting in my palm, humming and tapping my pen on my desk. After catching up on a day's worth of paperwork, (blame my procrastination… and spending the weekend at Baekhyun's,) I'm bored, impatiently waiting for noon. There's only one way to fix this mood before I'm in a slump for the rest of the day, and looking at the home screen of my phone, I plan to arrange that very soon. 

As soon as 12:00 pops up on the clock, I tap the first number on my speed dial, pressing my ringing phone to my ear.

"Hello?" His honey-smooth voice flutters over the line.

"Baekhyun." I apply a fresh layer of lip gloss to my lips, tucking away my hair to make sure my diamond earrings don't get tangled. "Are you free for lunch?"

"Yeah." He mumbles distractedly, shuffling papers filter through the call before a door shuts.

"Come over." I demand, hanging up. Pushing back from my desk, I walk over to my vanity table, straightening out my black lace, sleeveless bra from under my robe. It's mid-Spring again, already hot enough to wake me up in the middle of the night when I don't sleep with my fan on. The perfect excuse for what I have planned for my "week off" of work. I don't care how many business meetings I have to host from the comfort of my own home.

The doorbell rings just as I'm smoothing down my hair, checking my reflection one last time in the mirror. I make my way out of my bedroom and into the living room, pulling the door open with haste.

Baekhyun stands on the other side with wide, frantic eyes, dressed impeccably in a black suit with his slicked back silver hair the slightest bit ruffled. "Riley, what-"

I yank him inside, crashing my lips to his, pressing his body to the door before it slams shut. His scent surrounds me in seconds, vanilla-scented clothes with traces of smoke. The rich citrus of his soft hair and the hint of musk on his skin from a long day of work. My hands are undoing his tucked in shirt before he can get a word in.

"Riley." He grunts, holding me close as I trail messy kisses down his gorgeous neck. I walk backwards to the couch, toppling onto it with him following me.

"How long before your next meeting?" I murmur, pulling him closer by his tie.

Baekhyun visibly gulps, brown eyes darkening significantly before they flicker back up to mine. "They'll survive." He chuckles, licking his lips, leaning in for another frenzied kiss.

Yeah, Baekhyun wasn't kidding about him being a workaholic—which I already knew, but damn if it isn't annoying sometimes. He's more busy stressing over the new designs for his clothing line than helping me plan his 27th birthday party. All my subtle questions to find out what he would want have been futile. It's just been him typing on that damn computer of his for hours.

I go around spraying the plants in his office, talking sweetly to each of them to make sure they get enough Co2. Their droopy leaves need some perking up with the sheer amount of gloom coming off of Baekhyun's furiously typing form.

He abruptly stops, sighing loudly for the 100th time today. "I should give up."

"Nooo," I pout, walking behind his chair to wrap my arms around his neck, taking a small peek at the rough sketches on his computer. " Keep going, don't give up now."

Baekhyun smiles tiredly, pressing a kiss to the back of my hand. "What do you know about that, hmm?"

"A bit." I smile softly, lightly resting my head on his. "Things may seem shaky now. Just out of reach. No longer within your control." Twirling his hair around my finger, I smile to myself. "But that's okay, it means you are being challenged. And a challenge conquered to the best of your abilities will do you a lot of good." I close my eyes, basking in his presence and comforting scent. "So keep going, you'll never know what you are capable of until you reach the end."

My eyes snap open when Baekhyun suddenly spins around, staring up at me with wide, teary brown eyes. "B-" I wheeze, not expecting him to pull me into his arms, hugging me like a lifeline. "Baekhyun…?" I try again, growing alarmed when his tears wet the front of my shirt.

He only holds me tighter in response, his chest silently heaving against mine. I slowly wrap my arms around him and gently tangle my fingers in his hair, pressing a kiss to his ear.

He's adorable, in every way, shape, and form. Ugh, I'm going to end up in a love-induced coma one day with the way my heartbeat always skips when I'm around him. No matter if I'm meeting him for lunch or if he comes to work across from me at my desk when I'm chasing deadlines, I wouldn't change a thing for the world.

—Except maybe his sense of timing things.

I startle awake, clutching my racing heart with unsteady breathing. The details of my nightmare slowly fade away, but it does little to calm me down. Feeling a sense of urgency, I clumsily search around for my phone. I'll text Baekhyun; I need to make sure he is okay.

My eyes squint at the bright screen of my phone, not expecting to check it in the middle of the night, let alone the notification I find there.

*

Baekhyunee💘💕🥺💓😘

Thursday, 2:34 am

Riley

//

Hlep

//

I nee d u

//

*

I fly out of bed like a bat out of hell, rushing over to his apartment, nearly hitting three pedestrians on the way. Parking hazardly in the first empty parking spot I find before jumping out and all but running to the fourth floor. I pound on his door loud enough to wake the whole neighborhood until he opens up, revealing bloodshot eyes and a can of beer in his hand.

"Baekhyun, what's wrong?" I pant, resting my hands on my knees and frantically looking him over. He mumbles something unintelligible under his breath. "What?" I demand, trying to catch my breath.

"I-I just..." He mumbles sluggishly, slouching his shoulders with sadness in his puppy eyes. "I just miss you."

My frantic heart softens. "Get inside and sit down." I demand, pressing a kiss to his cheek before closing the door.

I love this man so fucking much. Even if he annoyingly wakes me up sometimes at 2 to 3 am, I'd run over to his place with my baggy pants and sleeping cap in a heartbeat.

•••

June rolls back around before I know it. This time, however, I plan to decline Jongin's offer to participate in the dance competition again. But to my uttermost surprise, he'll be taking Kyungsoo instead. For tap dancing.

???

Just how multi-talented is Baekhyun's group of friends? Spare me some of that energy, please?

Speaking of friends, Chanyeol's tall figure invited us over to his house today, the mansion that he used to share with Baekhyun and Jongdae.

—I have a grudge against him right now though because he literally called Baekhyun in the middle of the night to challenge him to some video game duel. The comical way his face changed when he saw me glaring at him from the corner of their video call though. By the end of their conversation, an invite was extended to me and Sehun too. It's "best friends" night, and boy do I have a lesson for Park Chanyeol. Lesson one: never underestimate a woman on a mission. In work, life, or on the playing field.

"Damn, man," I mumble, looking wide eyed at the huge flat screen TV and various game consoles around the room. "Leave you alone with the mansion for 2 years and you stocked up your mancave to the finest degree."

Chanyeol flicks a few buttons on the wall next to the door that dims the lights, letting the bright TV and a few arcade games illuminate the room. Baekhyun's eyes twinkle brighter than anything else in the spacious room. He goes over to chat with Chanyeol while I stand in the doorway with Sehun.

"Hey," I whisper, nudging him. "Remember when you used to stream your games back in the day? And the pink hair?"

"Oh yeah." Sehun chuckles while I notice Chanyeol perk up out of the corner of my eye. "I had a setup similar to this back at home." He stuffs his hands in his pockets, taking another look around. "Less impressive though," He mutters, crinkling his nose.

Chanyeol quickly walks over. "Number one victory royale?" He asks, eyes wide. "King of the south-bound?"

"Moisty mire extraordinaire...?" Sehun inquires, eyes widening as well. 

Chanyeol stares him down for a long, hard minute, and then raises his hand. "Truce?"

Sehun smirks, gripping Chanyeol's hand firmly in his. "Truce."

I blink, more than confused. Baekhyun catches my eye and just winks.

Originally posted by exo-stentialism

I'm having a huge dilemma—no, a midlife crisis. All hell is about to break loose and I'll be in the center of it.

Baekhyun asked me out on a date—I know, I know, listen! 

He asked me out on a date… with barely any hints on what to wear.

He didn't say, "wear whatever you want," when I called him earlier. He told me to, "wear something nice."

Nice?! Nice. That's all I got while he remained tight-lipped about his own outfit. At least give me a color, man!!!

So, here I am, swiping clothes left and right in my closet like a madwoman until my eyes land on the perfect dress. One of sheer beauty and elegance.

A white, off the shoulder, hollowed out strapless mini dress with floral patterns from start to finish. The sleeves are made completely out of lace, the ends resting beautifully on the back of my hand. I smile at my reflection in the mirror, keeping my makeup light, only focused on enhancing my features. My phone buzzes just as I recap my eyeliner.

Your chariot awaits.

Giggling, I quickly type up a reply, tucking my phone into my clutch while wondering what this 'chariot' could be. Baekhyun sure does fancy using these cheesy words lately it seems.

Strutting down to the parking lot as gracefully as this dress will allow, I feel thankful for the warm summer night air. Bugs and I, when I'm wearing a dress like this, I need all the warmth I can get.

A blue jeep pulls up and honks at me, confusing me for a second because it isn't Baekhyun's Audi until they roll the passenger window down, revealing Jongdae's ever-bored face.

I blink a few times. "...What kind of low budget uber is this?"

"Yah!" Chanyeol loudly protests, barely overpowering Jongdae's rambunctious laughter. He glares at the brunet clutching his stomach.

"Hop in, Cinderella." Jongdae chuckles as the car doors unlock. 

I carefully climb into the back seat, readjusting the hem of my dress.

"Someone got all dolled up tonight." Jongdae grins, shooting a teasing look back at me.

"Ubers don't talk much, Dae." I point out, watching the city lights fly by while Chanyeol pulls off and navigates us down barely familiar roadways. "Where are we going?"

Chanyeol meets my eye in the rearview mirror. "Where do you think?"

"If I didn't have your mother's number on my speed dial I'd call the police, Park," I grumble, resting my elbow on the car door and my chin in my palm. Jongdae's laughter quirks a smile on my lips while Chanyeol continues driving with furrowed brows and a grumpy frown on his face.

After a while of speeding cars and the radio quietly playing, a certain blue building catches my eye. "Where are we?" I perk up, my eyes widening at a sign in the distance. "Is this...?"

"UN Village," Jongdae supplies.

"Step on the gas, Yeol."

"I-I'm not sure you want to do that, Riley." Jongdae tries to diffuse the situation, his weary features flickering over to the competitive expression forming on Chanyeol's face. "You could get motion sickness and-"

"I thought you were the fastest on the road, Yeol," I fake pout, subtly making sure my seatbelt is secure. "I guess I was wrong."

"Oh yeah?" The tall oaf counters, bursting for a challenge at this point.

"Riley," Jongdae tries again when Chanyeol sits up straighter, tightening his grip on the steering wheel. "Don't-"

I curl my lips up into a shameless, cheshire cat grin. "Betcha."

My back thuds against the seat when he accelerates. Chanyeol weaves in and out between other vehicles on the road like no one's business. Thankfully the traffic is light tonight and we are taking a lot of unpopular backroads. Heaven knows what would happen if he did this in the heart of Seoul.

Jongdae holds onto the passenger car door and the back of Chanyeol's seat for dear life, the reflection of him in the mirror looking a little green against the bright city lights. By the time Chanyeol slows to a stop, he's leaning his arm across the dashboard, tucking his head between his knees.

"Never," He croaks out, gasping for air. "Again."

Chanyeol's triumphant smirk has me holding back a giggle. I direct my eyes out the window to avoid Jongdae's disgruntled glare.

"Ha! You call that fast?" I grin, hopping out of the car on wobbly legs. "My Grandma can drive better than that."

"Riley," Jongdae pipes up weakly, holding his stomach while Chanyeol's nostrils flare, big brown eyes ablazed. "Don't encourage him, he isn't your ride home."

I begin to rebuke, but pause, noticing an odd building in the distance. "What the…" It's a giant white structure with a curved entrance, another one of those intricate places that the Hannam-dong architects must have loved to build here. "What kind of building is that?"

"Keep walking," Chanyeol nods, gesturing to the long walkway between the tall walls. "You'll see."

Butterflies erupt in my stomach, making me nervous for a moment, but the good gut feeling I get from looking between both their expressive eyes encourages me to move forward. "Thanks for the ride, Yeol," I say softly, patting his jeep before taking a few steps back. Smirking mischievously over at Jongdae. "Sorry for making you lose your lunch, Dae."

He waves me off with a fake annoyed expression, not able to hide the curl of his little smile.

I spin around on my heels, walking through the entrance between the two curved walls. The clicks of my heels on the pavement is the only sound I hear. Following the uneven path, I crinkle my nose, wondering what the hell Baekhyun is up to this time. Got me out here walking down curved pathways in the dark.

Well, apparently the building curls all the way around to a see-through door in the middle, but that isn't what makes me stop in my tracks. It's that flash of familiar silver hair.

Baekhyun leans against the wall with his silver hair parted in the middle, twinkling under the bright lights. Wearing a white blazer, a white t-shirt and silver leather pants. The metal of his belt catches the light along with the rings on his fingers and accessory necklaces adorning his neck.

I snap my jaw shut, making my way over to him. "Baekhyun…"

He smiles warmly, little strands of hair dangling in his eyes in the most handsome way. "Hey."

"Hi," I whisper. "You look…" Eyeing him from head to toe—to those damn sexy heeled boots, I'm at a loss for words. "Wow."

Baekhyun chuckles, moving off of the wall to walk closer to me, taking me by the hand. "You look beautiful as well," He murmurs, kissing every knuckle on the back of my hand.

I feel my face heat up all the way up to my ears. I've only been out here with him for 5 minutes and I'm already about to faint from the softness blooming in my frantic heart. "What are we doing tonight?" I ask softly, not sure if I want to keep gazing into his sparkly brown eyes or look away from the butterfly-inducing adoration written all over his face.

"It's a surprise," Baekhyun supplies, chuckling at the impatient expression on my face. He brings my hand to his cheek, staring deeply into my eyes. "Walk with me?"

My heart goes into overdrive. With that look on your face? I couldn't deny you if I tried.

I nod and let him take the lead, resting my head on his shoulder. There's something about being with him at night like this. Something unexplainable and magical in the air. The soft fabric of his blazer brushing against my cheek and the light July wind blowing through his hair. He's so warm and smells so good I have to bite my tongue not to drag him back to my apartment just to curl up next to him on the couch.

Something tells me that tonight will be a special one, but really, if it's with Baekhyun, anywhere and everywhere, I'll love it either way.

I notice something out of the corner of my eye when we step out onto a sidewalk, briefly lifting my head from Baekhyun's shoulder. "Dokseodang Children's Park?" I mumble curiously.

Baekhyun hums. "This is my favorite place." His eyes sweep over the slightly aged equipment, resting a hand on my back.

Humming myself, I start to reply only for my eyes to dart over at the dirt road ahead.

Baekhyun immediately takes notice, coming to a stop at the edge of the sidewalk. "What is it, hmm?"

I look up at the annoyingly buzzing light pole. "That flickering light-"

Baekhyun snaps his fingers, and the whole world goes black for a moment, then a dozen lights twinkle in the darkness. Fireflies lighting up the night under the shine of the full moon.

"Come on." His honey-smooth voice rings, softly squeezing my hand before leading the way. I rest my other hand on his arm and watch my every step, realizing we are climbing a hill with the deep slope brushing against the front of my heels. Grass crunches under our footsteps, crickets sing their late night songs of cheer, and then I see a peek of something bright as we near the top of the hill. I gasp, nearly tripping in my haste to get a closer look, my heartbeat skyrocketing when we reach the edge of the steep hill.

A stunning table seated for two sits in the middle of the plateau, with a cooler holding an unopened bottle of champagne. Dome-covered plates are set on the white table cloth and a few candles are lit on the table. Vanilla fragrance flutters in the gentle wind as I take in the dozens of lanterns hung up in the tree above. Brightening up the area surrounded by miles upon miles of other rolling hills without outshining the moon. I even spot the UN Village sign at the other side of the park; you can see everything from up here.

"Baekhyun…"

He smiles so brightly when I look at him. "Yes, my love?"

You mesmerizing little hopeless romantic. I can only press a kiss to his soft cheek, hugging him.

"Do you like it?"

"Yes," I mumble into the safety of his shoulder.

He rests his head on mine, hugging me to his chest. "Then why are you hiding, hmm?"

"I love it so much," I mutter, fully content to stay here for a few more minutes. "It's so pretty I have tears in my eyes. I can't believe you."

Baekhyun chuckles, rubbing my back so soothingly it takes all my strength to not melt further against him. The heavenly scent of vanilla once again meets my nose; we have a date waiting for us.

Slowly pulling away, I look into his sparkly brown eyes, smiling shyly before making my way over to the table. He's a step ahead of me in an instant, pulling out a chair for me while I giggle, hiding my adoring smile and red face behind my hand. God, my heart is racing so hard I swear it's threatening to jump out and run to him.

I give him a grateful smile, my skin buzzing under the familiarity of his gentle touch when he pushes me in, his citrus and cinnamon scent perfectly blending with the vanilla while he walks to take his own seat across from me.

Baekhyun sighs softly, tilting his head with a nearly playful smile. "Ready?"

Grinning a little, I tilt my head to the opposite side, relishing in the twinkles of amusement sparkling in his eyes. "Ready as I'll ever be."

He chuckles. "On three?"

I nod, gripping the handle on the top of the dome cover with another smile.

"One," He leans closer to his dome, mischief swirling in his brown eyes. "Two."

More than amused, I play along, butterflies fluttering in my stomach under his beaming smile.

"Three!"

I lift up the dome, setting it aside while taking in the food neatly arranged on the plate. It's a Korean cuisine that I haven't seen before, full of delectable vegetables and tender meat. Watching Baekhyun take his first bite has my mouth watering for two reasons. I carefully cut a slice of beef, closing my eyes when it melts on my tongue. Holy shit, who is the chef behind this? That person needs a raise.

"Kyungsoo made it," Baekhyun smiles, chuckling when I hum at my next bite. "I have to help him out next week though," He frowns, nearly pouting. "He doesn't like doing things last minute."

Recalling the whole ordeal for Jenny's birthday, I can't help but laugh. "I know," I smile, resting my chin in my palm.

Baekhyun smiles, his nose scrunching adorable while cutting another piece of meat.

Conversation flows naturally between us, as always. Baekhyun is just like that, an easy person to talk to, but it's much different than before. He hums a lot, resting his chin on his palm while gazing at me with adoring and attentive eyes, the tiniest of loving smiles on his face. If I wasn't wearing this expensive white dress, I'd lean over the table and kiss the hell out of him.

However, the mood changes slightly when we are nearly done. He keeps tapping his fingers on the table and his foot against the leg of his chair, clearing his throat with a worried expression on his face.

"Bae?" I call softly, tilting my head at his lack of response. Tired of the constant clink of his leather boot against the wooden chair, I nudge my foot against his. "Are you alright?"

He blinks, sitting up straight at once. "Yes, love." He clears his throat again, smiling shyly. "Wanna dance with me?"

"Dance?" I look around at the grassy nature and chirping wildlife, meeting his eyes again. "There isn't any music here, B."

He shakes his head, standing up. "Yes there is."

"I-" I go quiet when he takes my hand, resting it over his beating heart. Looking up into his imploring brown eyes, I start to understand. I nod, slowly standing up as well, following him over to the empty side of the hill.

Baekhyun lifts up our joined hands, interlocking our fingers together and resting his other one on the small of my back. I rest my free hand on his shoulder, gazing deeply into his brown pools of warmth. He makes the first move, slowly stepping forward while I take a step back. The crickets chirp louder with every movement we make, growing more confident by the minute.

Melting at the way his heart beats against mine, I look up at the stars, millions and billions of twinkling lights filling up the night sky. Meeting Baekhyun's gaze again, however, reminds me that not all the stars and planets combined can outshine the sparkling light in his warm brown eyes. He smiles softly as if hearing my thoughts, squeezing my hand before spinning me around, welcoming me right back into his loving arms.

I could spend forever like this, staring into his eyes and listening to his beating heart. Just the two of us while the rest of the world fades away, nothing but background noise to our undying love.

"Look," Baekhyun perks up, looking up at the stars. My eyes flicker up, widening at the shooting star streaking across the night sky. "Make a wish," He murmurs warmly, taking a step back.

Feeling a sense of hope and childlike urgency, I whip around to face the star head on. What should I wish for? The star is reaching the edge of the sky! Sensing Baekhyun's comforting figure behind me, I have all the answers I need.

I wish… Closing my eyes, I clasp my hands together, finding strength in the soft summer breeze. For a love like this, for all of eternity. The last few streaks of the star fade away when I open my eyes, smiling softly until I remember where I am and a certain someone who is with me. Where is Baekhyun? Stiffening up, I quickly spin around in alarm, slapping my hands over my mouth at the sight.

Baekhyun: on one knee, holding up a small jewelry box with shaky hands and vulnerable. "Why do you look so scared?" He breaks the ice, chuckling nervously.

"I thought you left," I blurt, snapping my mouth shut.

He laughs fully this time. "No." He shakes his head, smiling up at me with the sweetest of smiles. "I'm right here."

I take a deep breath, nodding slowly.

"I love you," He declares warmly, keeping his eyes steady on mine. "I love the way my name falls from your lips, the soft swell of your hips, the love in your fingertips." He smiles. "How your doe eyes go wide when you're surprised. The way you curl up next to me in your sleep when I'm working at night." A little grin forms on his face. "The shy expression you get when you ask if I want the rest of your food and that little song you always sing nonstop around the house when you're happy."

I cover my face in embarrassment, peeking at him from between my fingers.

Baekhyun chuckles, continuing, "I love the little notes you leave when you make me lunch. The way you squeak when I kiss right here." He taps the back of his right ear. "Your beautiful mind and all the mischief that comes with it..." He laughs a little. "The way you nag me when I don't dry my hair and yet always end up doing it for me anyway."

"Your sarcasm and loving touch," He murmurs, sparkles dancing bright in his eyes. "The dimples you try to hide when you smile." He cracks another grin. "Your quirky mismatched socks and way of talking." He laughs warmly when I groan, rethinking all my life choices. "How red your face gets when I compliment you." He hums. "Your loud, high pitched, raspy laugh that I know you hate but I simply adore."

"Oh my god," I cover my eyes, knowing how right he is and how hot my face feels right now.

"How sexy your accent is and how sassy you get when you're angry," He murmurs humorously, giving me a knowing look. "That high horse you climb on when you don't want to admit you are wrong that leaves me frustrated and amused at the same time." He chuckles, sighing softly, his voice taking on a gentler tone. "The look on your face when you cry that makes me want to hold you and hide you away from the world."

My heart squeezes as tears spring to my eyes. I sniffle softly, fanning my face while meeting his loving eyes.

"I love everything about you." He takes a shaky breath. "Not a day goes by where I'm not grateful for you coming into my life."

He looks down for a moment, blinking rapidly before flicking his hair out of his eyes. "I know I'm not much," He mumbles. "I-I know I've done so much shit in the past that you have every right to walk out on me for. I know that you deserve way better than me." He swallows thickly, lips trembling before he presses them into a thin line. "Even with all of this, I have some promises I want to make."

Baekhyun raises his head, reaching to take my hand in his. "I promise not to run away. I promise to communicate. I promise to stay by your side through every blessing and hardship you go through." My heart pounds at the determination in his words and sincerity in his shimmering eyes. "I may not be the perfect man for you." A hint of remorse sparks briefly in his brown eyes. "But I promise to love you with all that I have—with all that I am," He pauses, holding my hand securely in his. "Until my last dying breath… If I break any of these promises you have permission to kick me where the sun doesn't shine." He mumbles in a jokingly grumpy tone, smiling when I giggle.

"I promise to love you until the end of time." His voice starts to wobble, hands shaking while looking deep into my eyes. "Please," He opens the box, revealing a sparkly, rose gold ring with matching gems lining the sides. "Marry me, and be mine."

"Yes." I choke out, tears streaming down my face when I bend down to cup his tear-streaked cheeks in my hands. "Yes. Yes! A million times yes."

Baekhyun stands up, slipping the ring onto my ring finger with uttermost care. As soon as he's done, he pulls me close, sealing my lips in a searing kiss that I gladly let take my breath away.

Originally posted by exo-stentialism

"Unzip me?" I ask, peeking up at him from under my eyelashes.

Baekhyun hums and I spin around, chills going down my spine when his hands gently brush my hair out of the way, warm fingertips brushing over my cool skin. The instant relief of being free from the snug material has nothing on his quiet gasp as he slowly drags the zipper down. He steps back while I shrug off the dress, leaving it to pool at my feet before turning to face him.

His hair color looks out worldly under the favor of the moonlight; shining strands of silver and dark grey swaying with the summer breeze. The way the light reflects off his chains casts him in an eternal glow as he looks at me with those warm, brown eyes. The hints of adoration and need in those captivating orbs break me from my trance.

I take more steps until I'm standing in front of him, pushing his blazer off his shoulders and tilting my head to meet his awestruck gaze, my tone soft and warm, "Baekhyun."

He gulps, letting it fall to the floor while I rest my hand on his chest, placing the other on the back of his neck. The fast beating of his heart under my palm makes me smile before my lips press to his, savoring the taste of champagne on his tongue. I tighten my hold on him when he wraps his arms around my waist, backing me up to the bed.

I sit perched on the edge of the mattress, looking up at him when he pulls off his t-shirt, exposing lean muscle and honey-toned skin to my hungry eyes. I can't help rubbing down his chest and gazing at him from head to toe, smiling at the tint of pink to his cheeks. His leather pants join the scattered pile on the floor before he joins me on the bed, his gentle hands pulling off the rest of our clothes.

"You sure are being bashful tonight," I murmur, lightly tangling my fingers in his hair, relishing in how his warm body presses mine to the cool sheets.

Baekhyun smiles, pressing a chaste kiss to my collarbone. "Let's take things slow tonight." He meets my wide eyes with his adoring ones, pulling the covers over our bodies when I give a timid nod.

•⇔♦ •⇔♦ •⇔♦ •⇔♦ •⇔♦ •⇔♦ •

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3  P(1) P(2) | Part 4 P(1) P(2) | Part 5 P(1)  P(2) | Part 6 P(1)  P(2) —– P(3)  P(4) —– P(5)  P(6) | ♬♩♪♩ FINALE P(1)  P(2)✓

Cry with me

A/N: 

HA! Y'all thought I was going to break these two up forever. I still had the Un Village scene left!!! >:'D A lot has happened in this long asf Finale and you know, on one hand (me being me) I'm never satisfied with it, HOWEVER those last two scenes? Yeah, that's the best for me. :')

Okay I NEED TO RANT for 2 minutes. *inhale*

I have never, ever EVER had such a hard time writing a character. My perfectionism really popped out in Jackson's scenes, I swear. I tried writing about this man and it just didn't feel right because I don't know him as well. I legit spent almost a week watching Youtube videos, GOT7 music videos, JACKSON SOLO VIDEOS and fell down a rabbit hole of smut (typical smfh) just to figure out how to present him properly! I know writing is all about how you present your character and how you can make them different than the person you base them off of but holy f*ck I wanted him accurate and that accuracy kicked me in my nonexistent balls… so that up there was the final result *deep exhale*

After all of this I can safely say that Jackson is one of my favorite soloists and member of GOT7 bye-

-THE ACTUAL END NOTE WITHOUT THE RAMBLING-

We've finally made it, loves. Six Phases is completed. It's been 2 long years of writing this story. 2 years full of laughter, smiles, dance breaks, hardships and tears.

I'm writing this end note before I even finish the story that you've read above. I'm writing this little note while on hiatus. I'm writing this while in the process of working on this story so I can heal - because that is the very reason this story was created. For healing. For growth.

The Baekhyun character you all know, see, hate and love? His expressions of love are heavily influenced by IRL Jenny; my girlfriend; my heart. My coauthor; my other half.

Without her, I wouldn't know genuine happiness, vulnerability, or to know that someone can love you unconditionally. Flaws and all. Without her, I would have stopped at chapter 4 and disappeared from the writing world forever. She taught me that it is okay to be open, my loud annoying rambling self and that I deserve to follow my dreams. She has stopped me from deleting this story a hundred times. She is the reason why I opened my heart time and time again to truly let these characters' voices be heard. Their flaws and all.

Every character is a part of me, but Baekhyun and Jenny are inspired by her. I can't express how grateful I am to her without crying on you; I've cried enough happy tears while finishing this lmao SO just know that she has helped me a lot with completing this story, and for what I will write in the future.

Before I end this note that has gone on for too long already, I want to express my gratitude and love to everyone who has helped me continue and finish this story. Please don't feel bad if I don't mention you directly, I have warmth in my heart for everyone who has read Six Phases. You being here means the world to me.

Loving Mentions

Miss Kay - you seriously don't know how much you have restored my love for this story. I'll never forget the first time you reblogged SP on tumblr and your comment still brings tears to my eyes. I always thought this story was garbage and seeing how much you enjoyed reading it encouraged me to pick up where I left off. Thank you for everything <3 I can't thank you enough.

Miss Jamie - I always love reading your comments and the theories you had with each new chapter of the story. I'll never forget that Minute Man joke, I swear. I'm still laughing over it. Not to be giddy but I always look forward to your comments ^^ Thank you for always sharing your thoughts about the story with me <3

Sherlock Holmes Anon - dear, you and your THEORIES!!! I adore them all. I love all the knowledge you've brought to the table about the meaning of the colors in this story and its universe. You are amazing and everything you are studying is paying off!!! Wishing you all the best in your studies ^^ show those exams who's boss, they got nothing on you and your lovely brain <333333

My aff loves

Beau1996, alexajjang, byundipyun,

queeniexoxo, byunsugar, Taqdees,

juntar, Vish15, baeknhyu,

Baekie_18, Endzii22, ohyeahbb, Shawolgurl, bbhmystar.

- thank you for all of your lovely comments. Your words made me the happiest in the world. Every time I used to get those instant aff notifs on my phone, I'd run across my house to read them, ahhh~~~ I always love hearing from you <33333

My tumblr lovelies - thank you sooo much for all the love and interactions you've given to my story T-T I'm not tearing up, it's the cake batter in my eyes. You guys are amazing.

My beloved anon readers, tumblr and aff commenters - I'm sending you so many freaking hugs and tissues for the angst you've been exposed to XD hearing the hot tea and ideas you had for this story was such a joy. Thank you <3

I've spent hours a day replying back to you all, no joke. Every comment is precious to me and I always want to give back what you all have given me <333 I hope this story's ending was a happy one for you, I've had it planned since fall 2020 and I'm so happy to finally be able to share it with all of you.

Thank you, for interacting, commenting, subscribing, and upvoting. I appreciate all the love you've given this baby (haha) fic of mine more than you can ever imagine. This story is dedicated to all of you <3

-and oh, don't worry. This isn't the end of Baekhyun & Riley's story, this is only the beginning. <3

Thank you, can't wait to see you soon 0:) <3

~Love a million times over, Nisa

#baekhyun smut #baekhyun fluff #baekhyun romance #baekhyun fanfiction #baekhyun angst #The End #Six Phases