#taylor swift brain teaser

[narrycherries]

(1) how’s one to know..

harry is just an ass and she is just a stranger — series introduction, bit of angst (8.6k)

(2) an incandescent glow

She just wanted to have a fun night out, but Harry has a tendency to ruin things.. — angst and sadness filled (10.9k)

(3) putting roots in my dreamland

Despite wishing he didn’t exist, she had no choice but to be around him.. — short but necessary angst for the story (8.4k)

(4) and now I’m covered in you..

She can’t seem to keep herself out of trouble and it irritates him more than it should. — a scary situation creates a lot of conflicting thoughts for both characters.. angst (14.3k)

(5) magnificently cursed

She can’t seem to ignore him and he’s rather observant of her.. - angst, little dramatic incident (11.4k)

(6) clover blooms in the fields

She needs help and he just so happens to be the only one available.. - little angst, more fluff (tw: does mention surgical procedures) (12.3k)

(7) crescent moon, coast is clear

She was struggling to let go of her worrying thoughts, but he was determined to help her through it. — there’s some angst & fluff (15.2k)

(8) he’s gonna burn this house to the ground

He has added insult to injury and she gives him one chance to make it right. — bit of angst lots of fluff and dialogue (17.5k)

(9) for moments that we stole

She was trying to figure out how to understand her own body, and he was attempting to help as much as he could.. — includes fluff, angst, hints of smut but not smut, & jealously.. (29.7k)

(10) on begged and borrowed time

She builds up her confidence and he takes care of, just as he promised he would.. — fluff, angst, and finally smut (26.7k)

(11) so tell me to run

He lies too easily to her at times, and she always seems to believe him.. — little bit of smut but mostly angst maybe it’s dramatic maybe not (13k)

(12) watch what we’ll become

She can't get over him and he finally does the right thing. — angst, smut (20.7k)

(13) my house of stone, your ivy grows

He works hard to change his ways and she maintains her patience. After all the hardships, it seems they have figured out how to love each other. — slight angst, smut. the final official update (14.7k)

this series is loosely inspired by the song “ivy” by taylor swift

more pics // more pics (2) // more pics (3)

part 8 teaser post (with photos)

part 9 teaser post (with photos)

part 10 teaser post (with photos)

part 11 teaser post (with photos) extra photos

extra photos 2

part 12 teaser post (with photos)

‧₊˚ playlist ‧₊˚

(just a few songs that inspired this series & what I listen to while writing it :: these are my music preferences so if you don’t like them.. don’t listen) •••slight spoilers so be aware/you can skip over this•••

ivy - taylor swift

lie to girls - sabrina carpenter

my boy only breaks his favorite toys - taylor swift

norman fucking rockwell- lana del rey

right now - one direction

souvenir - selena gomez

something in the way - nirvana

fine line - harry styles

guilty as sin - taylor swift

cinnamon girl - lana del rey

brain stew- greenday

the next best american record - lana del rey

dancing with our hands tied - taylor swift

lips of an angel - hinder

tonight - zayn

meet me in the hallway - harry styles

small talk - niall horan

iris - goo goo dolls

so it goes - taylor swift

stay over - tove lo

love is a wild thing - kacey musgraves

false god - taylor swift

little freak - harry styles

crimson and clover - joan jett (& the blackhearts)

I can fix him (no really I can) - taylor swift

get stoned - hinder

angel - kacey musgraves

there you are - zayn

nobody gets me - sza

alone - heart

cardigan - taylor swift

lover of mine - 5sos

mateo- tove lo

strong - one direction

[kithtaehyung]

back to december (teaser) (m) | ksj

title: back to december (teaser) pairing: brother's best friend!seokjin x reader(f) rating/genre: m (18+) ; angst , fluff , smut ; brother’s best friend au, wedding au, second chance au summary: ever since you left town to pursue your dreams, life has fast forwarded into one big blur. so when you hit pause to attend your brother’s wedding exactly three years later, your brain instinctively resets and rewinds. because you have to spend it with the very person that had been there at the start. the one person you regret leaving behind. note: this originally started as a one-shot for @raplinesmoon for the maui relief fundraiser, but turned into something more. since it also fit into the mold of this holiday collab, here we are! note 2: this is part of the jingle all the way collaboration with @kpopfanfictrash, @leahsfavefics, @cybrsan, @yoonia, and @sugaurora! all the holiday collab fics have the phrase “the holidays aren’t so bad with you around.” warnings: [explicit warnings to be posted on drop day!] language, alcohol, angst lol, time switches/flashbacks, seokjin being the sweetest until he’s not >:)), reader being damn cool, overthinking, bbf!jin needs his own warning i am warning y’all now, horribly great jokes, winter themes, relationship failures, stress/anxiety, jin being jin, did i say angst?, falling into cold water, a lot of gd yearning mood: back to december - taylor swift, halley's comet - billie eilish, universe/snowing in la - thuy teaser word count: 1.2k | est. word count: uhhh 20k+ lol wanna be on the taglist? add yourself here! est. drop date: january 2024

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It all started with an accident in winter. 

Ever the gracious hosts, your family decided to throw a cookout for your brother’s birthday, inviting everyone in the neighborhood and its outskirts to join in celebration. While your brother was initially opposed to being outside in the frost, word got around that his crush of three years running would be present, which suddenly warmed him right up to the whole idea.

Typical.

You were also initially opposed—having to sit through the festivities while your older sibling hogged all the attention—until you discovered your own downfall was attending, too. 

Because of course he would.

And if he was coming, you were set on making your naive self presentable and noticeable, and you still consider the day of the party to be the best you’ve ever carried yourself. You were confident, you were radiant.

Until you got bumped into the backyard pool.

You don’t even recall who knocked you in. All you remember was water rushing into your vision, and paddling through outright shame and embarrassment when you shakily swam your freezing bones to the ledge. Everyone saw you: your friends, your family, your brother’s older circle and acquaintances. In your adolescence, it was the literal worst thing to have happened to anyone in the history of ever.

But someone’s outstretched hand greeted you when you got to the pool’s edge. 

And when you looked up, you questioned if you hit the bottom on the way in because the face you were seeing was a shock. Were you deceased? Did you somehow swim to heaven’s beach?

No. It was really him, the very person you got all dressed up for. 

Seokjin. Handsome, reserved, off-limits friend of your brother Seokjin. 

Years later, you still question why he was the one helping you out. But it didn’t matter at the time because all you wanted was to get thawed out as soon as possible. 

“Come on,” he had urged. “You’ll get sick.”

Trembling because of the cold and nothing else, you took his hand and let him haul you into the house, wondering what the hell was going on the entire time. Why was he the one helping you? Where the hell was your brother? 

Because not only did he lead you inside, but the boy also accompanied you to your bathroom, grabbing a towel off its rack and wrapping it around your knocking shoulder blades. 

“Grab some clothes, okay?” 

“Huh?” 

“Go get clothes,” Seokjin ordered, moving towards your shower. “And change out of those as soon as you can.” 

“Oh.” Blinking, you couldn’t decide if your shivers were from the fall or his comments. But either way, you were shaking horrendously. “Yeah, okay.” 

After that, you remember being so cold you couldn’t even move your legs. Which meant that Seokjin had to lead you to your room and wait at the entrance while you hastily grabbed whatever you could find. 

There was no way he was gonna catch the cutesy patterns of your underwear. No way. 

When you were done, Seokjin brought you back into the restroom, the spray of water echoing through the festively decorated space. “It should be warm enough now,” he urged. “Don’t wait.” 

“Thank you,” you finally huffed, hating how your shakes stifled your gratitude. “You can, uhm. Go back out there now.” 

“Mm.” In the doorway, his eyes reflected the bright lights so perfectly. To this day, you still remember the way you compared them to stars. “Well. Umm. Good luck.” 

And you will never forget the way you felt heat before you even touched the run of the shower. 

“Yes, it’s all set. We are still on for Monday.” 

“Good. This is the meeting we absolutely cannot miss.” 

“Umm, yes—I mean—Understood.” 

“Is everything okay over there?” 

Rushing to close the door of your rental, you bite back a curse as your suit jacket catches in the edge. Because of course it does after the frantic day you’ve already had. “Yes! Everything’s”—you smush your top against your side while shutting the door again—“Fine! But I do have to go.” 

“Sure, sure. Oh, one more thing—”

Right. Rummaging through your purse, you locate the keys at the very bottom while trying to ingest the four things being tossed into your ear, locking the car in a fast walk to the massive mountainside property ahead of you. 

“ —then we’ll finalize the merger. Got that?” 

Holy shit, your brother must be doing even better than you or his fiance is loaded. 

“Hello?” 

“Oh, shit, sorry. Yes, Mr. Hamada, we can do that.” 

“Mm. What did we say about language.” 

“Apologies.” Damn your filthy mouth for running even faster in cold weather. Because it is the goddamn arctic out here. “I will say I have been getting better, though.” 

“Improvement won’t matter if you fuck up during the meeting.” 

“Alright, buddy.” Your superior’s laugh grates your ear as you haul ass into the warm estate, worry suddenly gripping you when you realize that no one is walking around. 

Shit, are you that late? Did you miss everything? 

Skittering right to the main doors, you start to panic. Are these the main doors? They look like them. Fancy. Very fancy. Shit, shit, shit, is the wedding over—

A full body bumps into your side as you round a table bursting with flowers. Having a sound enough mind to cover your receiver, you react in a shout, “Hey, watch it—” 

“Sorry!” 

Wait. You know that voice. 

Even though it’s one that you haven’t heard in years. 

“…Jin?” 

Everything slowly stops as the man turns and, if you weren’t so in shock, you would’ve noticed the way his eyes traveled from your heels to your perfectly trimmed brows. 

You expect both something and nothing. Because when it comes to the person standing in front of you, there’s no telling what he’ll destroy you with next. 

But what comes out is merely a tiny, chest-constricting, 

“Hello.” 

You stare, and stare, and stare some more. Even your boss cannot bring you back to the present with his incessant poking. 

Because Jin looks so fucking handsome in his suit that’s not quite dressed yet, with hair that’s swept just enough to throw you off planet earth. Even the way his tie lounges around his neck gives you pause, because it showcases how broad his shoulders have become. 

How can he look the same and yet so heartbreakingly different?

“I—” 

“Later, tuna fish.” 

Your heart lurches. 

“They’re waiting for me.” 

To your dismay, Seokjin presses a soft hand on your shoulder while passing through the ornate entrance, his lingering burn searing through as you watch him button his suit on the run. 

Well. At least you didn’t miss the wedding. 

You hear your sibling’s hearty shout echo throughout the hall, but you have to physically tear yourself from your spot to finally answer your boss. 

And to not fixate on the one person you thought you were safe from today. 

But of course he’s here. Why wouldn’t he be? Him and your brother have been inseparable since the beginning, and you should’ve known even being on different planets wouldn’t keep them apart too long. 

Speaking of… 

Traveling to another galaxy might solve the numbing ache in your chest. Maybe you should consider that gigantic leap yourself. 

Because seeing Jin again brings you back to December. 

And the frost you feel in your bones overshadows any weather brewing outside. 

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tbc.

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wheee! we have a teaser! | join the taglist!

a/n: isi i hope you know what monster you're about to unleash lmao. here's to another holiday seokjin! gosh, he will keep haunting me and i love him for it. second chance with isi's initial brother's best friend!jin request? gotta love it. the one-two-three punch, i reckon. anyways, hope y'all enjoyed the teaser and i am so so nervous about the main drop but hope you like that, as well :'))

links: jingle all the way collab ; masterlist

[hyewka]

STRICTLY PLATONIC [teaser] | choi beomgyu

SUMMARY. fucking your best friend was supposed to be a one time thing in the hopes of relinquishing feelings for your ex, but a one time turned into a weekly and cuddles after sex are way too intimate for your liking. but beomgyu insists that he’d never catch feelings for you, that he’s experienced in these types of arrangements. he still saw you as his best friend! it was totally only platonic for you too… right?

GENRE. smut, fluff, angst, college au, a hyewka fic with plot and structure.. sort of

TEASER WARNINGS. nothing explicit just some marking lol

AUTHOR NOTE. the dream fwb fic ive been wanting to write for ages so thank you to the ask i recently replied to as it was the main motivator for this 😭 this is going to be a long one so we're going the traditional route with a teaser, im opening a tag list so if you wish to be added send an ask or comment!

You’ve never seen Choi Beomgyu in a different light. That’s what you liked about him, that everything was so… constant. Your life could crash and burn but hey, Beomgyu was still Beomgyu— your friendship was a variable in your life that stayed undeniably the exact same.

You know, until you allowed him to fuck your brains out.

Even the sole fact that you have given the thought of Beomgyu being a ‘sex symbol’ has you quivering out of sheer horror— Beomgyu… has never been a sex symbol. Sure, he fucked around, and has a reputation and yeah sure, he was crazy hot when he isn’t showing signs of extreme sleep deprivation …but you’ve just never seen him in that light.

And to have let it simmer in your thoughts for longer than a second, makes you just a tinge hesitant in letting the silly goof pull you into the dancing crowd. You whine, “I’m tired Beomgyu! My heels are killing me.”

He either doesn’t hear over the blasting music or isn’t going to give it up because he pulls you in anyway, crashing your head right into his chest and you let out an instinctual ouch at the hard surface. Your eyes are wide looking up at him, sputtering out an unbelievable sentence. “Have you—have you been working out?”

His grin widens, holding up your arm to guide at feeling out his biceps. “Every now and then.” He doesn’t mind the minute it takes you to actually feel every muscle through his shirt, in fact he’s relishing in your sudden pique of interest in his body.

Whether he’s flexing them or not doesn’t show in his face—he looks completely relaxed and you finally admit—Beomgyu is getting toned.

“Why? You hate working out.” You could barely muffle those words with the way he had you engulfed in his arms, leaning his head in your neck, swaying side to side as if the song blasting was off of Taylor Swift’s Lover and not a Lil Wayne remix.

And he hasn’t even gotten a drop of alcohol yet.

But it’s true, Beomgyu hated the gym. Like, even more than you did. Which is a testament in and of itself.

He pulls away from the crook of your neck, a pout on his lips. “Didn’t you say your type was muscular men? At Halloween weekend?”

Halloween weekend was a year ago, the first frat party you managed to get into with the help of Beomgyu’s friend, Jake. You barely remember anything from it. Other than the occasional retells of the nights by Yunjin’s words, which are always a different version of the same story... so a not very credible source. “I mean, I guess they are. But what does that have to do with anything?”

“I don’t know, just saying. Jaehyun was suuper muscly.” Okay, the random mention of your ex…maybe he had some drop of alcohol.

“Are you drunk?”

“You took too long to come back, lost at beer pong.”

“How many shots?” you interrogate.

“Two.” At your suspecting glare, he continues on, “Four…five…like, at most seven.”

Your eyes bulge out, huffing out a scoff. You guys always got wasted together! Noticing the furrow of your brows he holds you tighter whining, “I know I know, sorry, I tried telling Heeseung but he’s a savage cruel man, I was practically force fed that cup.”

You don’t doubt that he attempted to persuade Heeseung but you do doubt the force feeding, it only takes a couple nudges before getting Beomgyu to drink. “I’m just slightly tipsy, not drunk yet anyway. I pledged to never ever get trashed without you. Cross my heart and hope to die.”

You slap away the hand he puts up over his chest, incredulously, losing your control over the fits of giggles when he takes your flying hand in his, taking advantage by intertwining your fingers together. “What are you doing?” your cheeks probably hurt from all the smiling, you don’t know, you think your nerves are numb.

“Can’t a guy hold his twin flame, platonic best friend’s hand?”

Skinship was not an unfamiliar with Beomgyu—he was always a naturally clingy guy. You figured when the first ever official lunch hangout you’ve had with the boy and a few of your other friends, had included a lot of random footsie.

You didn’t even know him that well in high school. Who plays footsie with an acquaintance? Choi Beomgyu, that’s who. Yet even after some reluctance that day, you end up letting him have his childish, sort of endearing fun.

Though this was all but childish, the innocently mischievous twinkle of a scrawny teenage boy had been long gone, instead replaced by the most attractive man’s hungry, lust filled gaze. “Who told you to look so sexy today?”

The theme was Angel & Devil—to match with Beomgyu, you insisted on giving him the angel outfit, and you the costume of a devil. Matching was always the fun part of these parties. “Only today?” you drawl, making an exaggerated sultry trail with your finger on his chest.

“God, shut up, you know you’re always hot,” You don’t expect the seriousness of his tone, especially when you were just teasing, but he snakes his hand around your waist, pushing you further into his body, your tits suffocatingly pressed against his chest.

You do not expect the slight squeeze to your ass, your eyes shooting particularly wide, blood rushing up to trickle your cheeks. “But I like it when you’re a little devil, makes you so sexy and alluring.”

His face buried into your neck again, this time not missing the chance of taking a deep inhale. Beomgyu could stay like this forever, filling his lungs with you, and only you. “Still can’t believe I had my hands off you for so long little devil.” Your eyes flutter shut, taking quick breaths as he moves his soft lips to your neck, wet kisses with a slip of teeth nibbling just slightly to tease, planning on coloring you with all the pretty purple hues.

And you’re sure he was well on his way until you sober up at the abrupt change in the DJ’s track.

“Beomgyu, not—not now, we’re in public.” And surrounded by tons of people that you’re either friends with or know. That broke one of the most important pillars of your agreement—to keep the fuck buddies ‘thing’ a secret.

You don’t expect the speed of his instant pull away when processing your words, blinking his pretty lashes and the tipsiness away—his doe eyes are too much of a weakness, the little furrow of his brows something you desperately want to kiss and smoothen out. “Oh. Oh yeah. Sorry.” he scratches the back of his neck, genuinely apologetic.

And eats away at you. You know Beomgyu well—he hates keeping things secret, he’s the type of person to flaunt relationships all over his feed in that lovesick puppy way that most women could only dream of having—but you weren’t dating. And that was the boundary set.

You didn’t ask him to pull away completely though, but here you were, awkwardly as distanced as you could be in the middle of a rager with sweaty college students rubbing their bodies against each other. As gross as that was, you zero’d in on something less of a given: the fact that you’ve never felt this way with Beomgyu. Ever. It was like you were starring in the most awkward coming of age indie movie, y’know, without the crazy scenery and cinematography.

And more often than not, you find that these occurance of realisations, become more and more frequent. You feel things you’ve never felt a certain way with Beomgyu. Which only brought you to realize something else; Beomgyu was now a changing variable in your life and you’re not entirely sure how to handle that.

[talkdutchtome]

Glitch - teaser

pairing . . . max verstappen x reader / mason mount x reader )

summary . . . when mason mount finds out that his assistant has been harbouring feelings for him for years, he makes it clear he doesn't feel the same way. but once he sees her become closer with formula 1 world champion max verstappen, he realises he may have underestimated his feelings towards the girl he has now pushed into the arms of another )

genre . . . angst )

song . . . glitch- taylor swift )

warning . . . tbd )

series masterlist . . . available here )

a/n . . . this is a little section of the first chapter as a little teaser for what's to come. hope you like it )

“Mason why did you and Y/N come in together, aren’t your places on opposite sides of the city?” Ben asked his best friend already knowing the answer to his question. Despite the fact that Y/N worked for Mason as his assistant, the pair were close, very close; so when they arrived to the party in the same car, Ben didn’t have to wonder too hard about the reason why. “Oh, she was at mine for a movie night last night and she was too tired to go home so she stayed.” Mason told his friend matter-of-factly, not seeing what the issue was or why his friend in front of him looked so annoyed. Even if you took away the widely inappropriateness of an employer having his employee stay at his house, there was the small issue of the fact that Y/N was madly in love with Mason and had been for years now. As much as she tried her best to keep it hidden, the only person in their circle that didn’t seem to know about it was Mason himself. Ben and Reece had a conversation a few days before, discussing whether they should tell Mason as from an outside perspective, even if it was unintentional, he did seem to be leading Y/N on; they both knew their friend extremely well, so they knew that he didn’t have the same feelings that she had for him and they knew that if Mason knew the full story there are aspects of his relationship with her that he might change.  

“Look mate,” Ben started, unsure of exactly what to say but knowing he needed to say something. “I think you should know that Y/N has feelings for you” Mason’s brows furrowed, completely taken aback by his friends' blunt honesty. “What? No are you sure?” he asked him, truly hoping that he was mistaken or playing some kind of prank. “I’m 100% sure, it’s obvious to be honest with you mate. You can see it in her eyes when she looks at you, she really truly loves you. Having her stay at your place and being that close to her, it’s going to make her think that someday you two could be more than friends, so if that’s not the case then you really need to reconsider doing things like that as it isn’t fair on her. Y/N’s a good girl, you know that she deserves to be happy.” Ben’s words make Mason’s head spin. Y/N was more to him than just his employee, she was one of his closest friends, but he really didn’t see her as anything but a friend. “Oh, fuck Ben what should I do?” Mason asked with his brain completely frazzled at this point, 15 minutes ago he was feeling great, he had just had a great day with one of his best friends and then then he came to a party to blow off some steam after a very stressful week, but now it seemed like everything had come crashing down. “I think you need to speak to her, make it clear that you value her friendship but you don’t see her as anything else, let her down gently.” he told Mason who simply nodded before starting to walk towards the girl in question who was at the bar talking to one of the other players girlfriends., the second Ben realized what he was trying to do he put a hand out to stop him from going over there, causing Mason to look back at him with a puzzled expression. “Maybe telling her right this minute isn’t the best idea though mate, considering you’re in public. Not to mention the fact we’ve all got that trip planned for the Spanish Grand Prix in a few days, maybe you should wait until after that. If things don’t go well that could make the whole trip so awkward.” Ben pleaded at his friend, but he could see on Mason’s face that his words were going in one ear and out the other. “Fine go, but be nice to her and you better not ruin the race for everyone” he relented, taking his arm off of his friend and letting him walk towards the unsuspecting girl.  

“Hey Y/N, can we talk?” Mason asked with no regard for the fact that she was already deep in conversation with somebody else. His bluntness combined with the pained look on his face made her recognize instantly that whatever he wanted to talk about wasn’t likely to be lighthearted. She hesitantly followed the man as he gestured for her to come along to a quieter part of the bar. Before she could ask what was going on, Mason had already asked her a question that made her stomach sink - “Do you have feelings for me?” She had absolutely no idea how to answer his question, of course she knew the answer; she had been pining after him for years at this point, but she just wasn’t ready for him to know that yet. “Will you please just answer my question?” he almost demanded, his harsh tone making her freeze. Looking up at her best friend with tear filled eyes she muttered the last thing he wanted to hear - “Yes”. Her voice was so faint that it didn’t come out as anything more than a whisper but to Mason it was the loudest thing he had ever heard. Y/N had imagined having this conversation with Mason so many times, imagined herself finally telling him that she loved him but in all her fantasies, in all her daydreams, he had never flinched like he had done just now. “Mason I -” she started but stopped in her tracks when she saw tears forming in her best friend’s eyes. “How could you do this Y/N, why would you ruin our friendship like this?” he asked her in genuine disbelief. Mason watched the girl stood in front of him stumble over her words, clearly not expecting to be asked that question, before putting her almost full glass down on the table and running out of the bar.  

[hwanchaesong]

Altschmerz Teaser

a/n: imma give you a sneak peek for now to give y'all some idea about my works (i'm terribly sorry bc like i said, i type so slow idek why and my brain lags every 5 mins) this is an apology i can manage for the mean time 😭😭 pls do not hesitate to tell me, whatever means, if you wanted to be added to the taglist, tysm! 🥀✨

genre: angst, fluff, smut, university au, part of the ATEEZ Minisode Series

It is a good day to live and breathe like any normal person.

The weather is actually nice, a little cloudy with a nice touch of spring air, the skies are bluer than Taylor Swift's eyes and said singer's song titled 'The Man' is blasting through your earphones. You feel vigorous, your pristine white uniform for your medical course gives you a certain glow. Your classes went well, acing all of the assessments without much studying done, oh, truly a lucky day for you.

Then all hell breaks loose when your lovely friend, Felix, spills the tea during lunch at the cafeteria, his thick aussie accent that you usually love screeched like a racing car's tire in your ears.

"I heard that Kim Hongjoong of the music department has a crush on you."

"What the fuck?"

He held his hands up, explaining that he heard it while passing by their building. The way people narrated the 'girl' sounds exactly like you, and you couldn't help but roll your eyes at the information as Felix lists out the descriptions that caught his ears.

'She's from the Allied of Health and Sciences department.'

'She's really intelligent and kind, well, that's what the professors had said.'

'A fluent speaker! Shy at times but really bubbly with her friends.'

"I did say that I want some spice in my boring college life but not like this!" you exclaimed, stabbing a kimchi with your fork and aggressively eating it, the spice further heating your head up.

"Not like what?" just then, your other friend Lily, sat down beside you with her own tray of food.

"Felix here is spreading some fake news, he said that someone named Kim Hongjoong has a crush on me." you explained, side eyeing the freckled man before continuing to eat the remainder of your lunch.

"Oh yeah, he does. Some people are already shipping you together."

Then you choked at Lily's nonchalant reply, making her grimace and pat your back as an attempt to soothe your burning pharynx.

You did not expect her to agree at all, and you made sure to tell her that with the way you glared at her.

"He's not that bad, yes he is a music major like Hee-" you stare at her hard, not wanting to hear that specific name. Lily clears her throat and rephrases her sentence, "It is true that he is a music major, but you don't have to lump them all in one category. He's nice, my cousin knows him."

Felix nods, gulping his food before speaking, "Plus, it's just a crush. It's not like he's gonna court you all of a sudden."

They have a point, you don't have to make a big deal out of it. Besides, it's a rumor, most of the time it's plain bullshit.

You need to calm down. You're having a great day, a great start of the semester and you'll be damned if it'll be ruined this early.

Then the students at the library squealed like dying squirrels when they saw you enter. The other music majors at the university gates gave you a wink, hell, even one of the freshmen congratulated you and even said, 'You and Hongjoong-hyung will look good together!'

You mustered a smile throughout the ordeals, opting to finish the day peacefully like how you started it. Whatever happened today shall pass.

Well.. it should be but then you find yourself stalking the man's social media. You have already found his facebook, twitter, instagram, even his fucking youtube account (he has uploaded some guitar covers and you have to admit he's great at playing the instrument.)

You could defend yourself and blame curiosity later, but now, you'll indulge in some information that you could find on the internet. Surely you haven't seen him before, his face is unfamiliar, heck, you don't even know his name, not until your friends brought it up today.

Kim Hongjoong. A music major born on November 7, plays a lot of musical instruments, can write lyrics and is also a good producer. He sings, raps and dances (he was tagged in a dance cover on instagram, courtesy of someone named Park Seonghwa.) A passionate one in his career you assume as you watch one of his vlogs on facebook. You also listened to his recordings posted in his accounts, and you have to give him applause for his aesthetic instagram account.

He takes nice photos of his surroundings, even himself, and he does know how to make himself look good. He definitely knows the colors that suit him, outfits that make him stand out yet fully blended in the crowd if he wanted to. His hair is also unique, seems healthy despite the dyes that had stayed there for months before being layered by another one.

You lie on your bed, thinking that maybe the man himself isn't that bad. That you may have judged him early prior to knowing him. A fault on your part but it's not like you're going to meet or get to know him or the likes, you were simply curious about him and now that you have seen that his surface isn't dry nor rotten, your curiosity shall now die before the cat inside you does... and it's 3 in the fucking morning and you have 7 am classes so really, you'll still die either way.

What you did not expect though, as you wake up at 6:00 am, getting ready with max speed, was a notification that had you stumbling over your feet.

'Hongstagram has followed you back!'

Follow you back what? Since when did you follow him on his instagram?

You were careful! Very careful in what you were clicking and all that shit, not wanting to leave a trace of your visit in his social media accounts but you were so fucking wrong. You could blame the fuzzy feeling of drowsiness but you were so sure that you didn't click anything out of the ordinary.

Fuck your life.

That was your motto all day long, going as far as being dramatic with your friends during lunch break. Rambling about how he'll think you're a creep for stalking him or, or, how he'll think that you're interested in him when you swear to every rat out there that you're most certainly not.

It was horrible, except for the fact that you gotta eat coffee jelly for dinner because your father bought tons during a sale in the grocery and he couldn't resist his sweet tooth ass to buy some desserts.

Maybe you can sleep all of this away, yes, one night of beauty sleep will rejuvenate all of your worries except when Kim Hongjoong himself messaged you.

You jumped up from your bed when you accidentally tapped the notification on the upper half of your phone, due to your persistent tapping all over the screen because fuck that chop chop filter in tiktok (you're pretty sure you can cut that cucumber up to 200), opening the message and you contemplated whether to left it on read or be polite enough to reply.

You chose the latter, not really wanting for your name to be tarnished if this Hongjoong guy goes around and says that you're a snob.

Hongstagram: Hey Y/N! Sorry to disturb you, but may I talk to you tomorrow?

You: Good evening Hongjoong! I'm sorry my sched is kind of packed tomorrow, you can tell it now though.

Hongstagram: It's kind of embarrassing to say it through dms.

Oh my god. No fucking way. He's gonna confess.

Hongstagram: But okay, here goes nothing.

Hongstagram: I heard that you're one of the best students, so, could I borrow your notes for History? I've been meaning to ask you this for a while now because Mr. Lee talks about you every time he's in class and tbh, I couldn't care less about the minor subject. But still, I need to pass it in order to advance soo..

He was yapping so hard and you're ridiculing him inside your head but, the guy needs help and you're not some kind of witch with a stone heart. So you, being the kindest soul out there, decided to help him out.

You agreed to give him your notes and print-outs, but you didn't reply to him when he sent you a time and place for the meet-up.

Imagine his surprise when you arrived at the said café, on time and with a big, thick envelope in your hands, sitting in front of him without any trace of hesitance.

"Hi." you greeted him calmly, offering a handshake which he accepted with a smile, "Y/N here. Nice meeting you Hongjoong."

"Likewise. Thank you for entertaining my request." he replied, short but enthusiastic nonetheless.

Still, the awkward air is suffocating you and thank god the coffee and pastries can provide you some distraction because you truly cannot do this without going crazy.

Whatever confidence you had before was some kind of fallacy because you're a nervous wreck in front of this man. You're suddenly hit by the realization that this is the same guy that was rumored to have a crush on you and now you're sitting in this coffee shop with him, alone.

If someone from your university sees you two, that will surely cause a ruckus and your friends will probably bombard you with questions.

"Thank you for this, by the way." Hongjoong speaks up and it brings you back to reality, this time, you took a moment to take him in.

He really is fashionable, you'll give him that. His previously pink hair had turned into burgundy, he pairs his denims with leather better than anybody, and his color scheme for today is on point.

"You're most certainly welcome, I-"

"Listen, I know you know the rumors."

He cuts you off, rude. But he's getting straightforward now, nice.

Then you held a breath, is he actually confessing? If he did, how should you react? How should you answer?

You gulped, your palms getting sweaty and you couldn't help the tiny bit of excitement that coursed through your veins.

Your first ever confession after your dark, thunderous days of romance.

"Yes, I heard about it." you answered truthfully, giving him a small smile which he purposely avoided. This baffled you, shouldn't he be happy that you're giving him the time of your day?

"I'm sorry for the inconvenience but my friends are idiots. It's not you that I like." he admits, biting his lower lip and cautiously peers over your confused form.

You almost sputtered your coffee out, the sweetness of your iced hazelnut compensates well to the bitterness that was starting to spread out.

You faked a cough, sporting a feigned understanding countenance before asking for more elaboration, "If not me, then who is?"

He beams at you giddily and his answer almost made you want to leave.. almost.

"It's your friend, the cute one that you always help out during 21st Century Literature, Sakura." 

---------------------------------------------------

taglist:

@hyuckilstan @gwenchwana @minkiflwr @yeosangsbiceps @charreddonuts @justyoonsworld @hwadump @marievllr-abg

[changbinsboobs]

can u do what is chans thoughts on railway is, is it his fave solo track to perform? like to me it looks like he done a taylor swift and when i listened to it i was about to comment who hurt him? lol. but im sure hes also broken a few hearts as well so i was like tf was going on when he produced that track

Chan's Thoughts on Railway

I really like the cards that i got for him i love it when i get really easy, straight to the point answers🙌🏻

So, there's this ongoing theme with reflection & opposites. I think despite this song being pretty sexual in sound & context - it might reflect more than that. I haven't watched the music video yet, (sadly) but I've seen the teaser and a few clips and it seems very dark.

I've said before how i think he's heavily censoring and suppressing himself to fit a certain image he thinks will please certain people but at the same time he feels very...chained? To this and angry at this fact, that he has to be a smaller version of himself or be something thats not authentic to him. He hates THAT but can't escape from it and he also hates the "person/people" that "force" him to be that way but he has such strong attachments that he can't behave any other way. (Watch me speaking to soon about how easy the messages are🥲 bullshit! This is such metaphorical & hypothetical energy i don't even know how to explain it without writing a novel first.)

Anyways i think this song is an outlet for him to rebel against the restrictions placed on him (either by himself, the company, peoples expectations, family etc) and actually show a part of his dark and suppressed side and do something dark and unexpected to reflect his authentic self.

Now for those with 2 brain cells - his authentic self isn't all dark n shit. His authentic self is a mix between good and bad like every normal fucking person. When he's forced to perform only the "good side" tho, that makes him inauthentic because on half of him stays hidden. Being authentic means showing both.

[elen-tari2]

Down Bad

For @kastleexchange

***My contribution to the Kastle Exchange: Born Again Week. Prompt 3 "Who We Are" is to think of lines and scenes that define the characters and consider how they may be revisited in the upcoming DDBA. This is what happens when my brain decided to throw in a bunch of Taylor Swift lyrics into my fic, predominantly from the song "Down Bad" but other references abound. But don't be off-put if you're not a Swiftie-- hopefully it is tastefully done!***

Teaser:

Sometimes it made her heart clench with loneliness. Other times, it pissed her off. That he had saved her life so many times and then abandoned her. Supposedly for her own safety. Despite the fact that she had never felt more safe than when she was with him.

Today was one of those days. She was pissed off. Not just at Frank, but at herself because she just couldn’t let it go. Couldn’t give him up. That her body still screamed that she needed to be in his presence. She knew what Foggy and Matt would say. Hell, even Dinah, who was probably the closest to being able to read her heart, would think she was nuts.

Karen Page was down bad in love with Frank Castle. She turned up the volume on her playlist and ran faster on the treadmill.

Please enjoy the rest on AO3:

[l4venderg1rl]

𝖗𝖊𝖕𝖚𝖙𝖆𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓 ⸆⸉ (𝘵𝘢𝘺𝘭𝘰𝘳'𝘴 𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯)

my theories/wants for reputation tv:

it will be releasing on february 9th. february 9th is a friday, and we know taylor loves releasing music on fridays. it’s the first tokyo show, and the endgame mv has a segment where she’s in tokyo. idk… it’s just matching up to me! and in the man mv the ‘reputation’ on the wall has the date 2/9/2024 literally on it.

we will get the coolest feature yet. i’m really hoping for beyoncé, and i really think it could happen. beyoncé was so relevant (and obviously still is) in 2017 and the whole kanye vmas thing involving her would just EATTT. like that’s the biggest clapback. them on a taylor’s version track talking about how men need to be humbled and them dominating the industry 😋 it’s a need

taylor should post on instagram a “there will be no explanation” teaser post on 2/8/2023 and then a “there will just be reputation” post on 2/9/2023, with the release of the album. the random anticipation would just be 🤩🖤🐍

the beginning of the reputation era montage for the tokyo show should be snippets of the endgame mv section that’s in tokyo and then snippets of a new mv with “big reputation, big reputation” and lyrics of a new song overlapping… if i was there i would simply faint at the hints of a new track

anyways… that’s the taylor swift insanity that happens in my brain.

bye, loves!

xoxo, l4vender 💟

[awholeconstellation]

***Spoilers***

Do not read if you don’t want Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind spoiled for you!

First of all here’s the plot ->

“After a painful breakup, Clementine (Kate Winslet) undergoes a procedure to erase memories of her former boyfriend Joel (Jim Carrey) from her mind. When Joel discovers that Clementine is going to extremes to forget their relationship, he undergoes the same procedure and slowly begins to forget the woman that he loved.”

1. The switching and jumping around the timeline made the whole thing really confusing for me. They try to remind you of where the movie is by the color of Clementine’s hair but I still felt confused half the time. The movie needs to be watched at least twice I think to really absorb everything.

2. The movie has obvious science fiction elements to it because of the memory erasing. There’s a place you can go to get someone erased from your brain and a whole procedure is done. In the new teaser for Ariana’s next single, she’s clearly at that place or something similar to it. She signs her name Peaches and I think that’s just a reference to Clementine (fruit names hehe). She’s actually wearing a coat extremely similar to one Clementine wears at one part of the movie!

3. There’s genuinely so many meanings you could pull from this movie that it’s difficult to narrow it down. When you just google the meaning of it it says, “Relationships are worth it despite the pain”. I really think since Ariana said this will be a concept album that that’s the message she’ll be trying to send.

4. There’s a part near the end where an employee sends everyone’s files back to them because she finds out she decided to have her own memory erased. She realized she was happy before it even though she went through some pain. She wanted everyone else to remember their relationships or whoever they’ve decided to erase because it’s just worth it. Life is worth feeling even if it hurts. Trying to forget someone almost hurts more than just processing your grief and remembering that there was some happiness. Just like the Taylor swift song, Happiness -> “there’ll be happiness after you but there was happiness because of you too”.

4. I’m really really excited for the album now! I know I spoiled some stuff about the movie but it is 100% worth watching and just know it’s going to be really painful but worth it I think. I’m gonna post the track list picture again because I think the lyrics scribbled on the side are very relevant to the movie! Specifically, “Now I can’t just go where you don’t go”.

The last thing I’ll say is this quote from the movie ☀️

“How happy is the blameless vestal's lot! The world forgetting, by the world forgot. Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind! Each prayer accepted, and each wish resigned.”

TLDR : the movie is about how any relationship is worth the pain you might go through. I think any ariana fan should watch it before listening to her new album. She’s stated that it’s a concept album loosely based on this movie.

[blogger360ncislarules]

For Hilary Duff, this is what dreams are made of.

The Lizzie McGuire alum is pregnant with her and husband Matthew Koma's third baby together and her fourth child overall, she confirmed on Instagram Dec. 12.

Alongside a sweet family photo, showing Hilary cradling her growing baby bump, the "Come Clean" singer wrote, "Surprise Surprise!"

Hilary is already mom to kids Luca, 11, who she co-parents with ex-husband Mike Comrie, as well as her and Matthew's daughters Banks, 5, and Mae, 2.

This new chapter for the family comes shortly after both Hilary and Matthew, both 36, celebrated their eldest daughter's birthday.

"Banks- the sweet/spice/dancing butterfly of our family!" Hilary captioned her Oct. 25 Instagram tribute. "5 years of memories with you are burned on my heart and soul forever and begging for more! You are all the top ingredients! Whimsical, yet practical. Smart-clever-cautious, yet free! Thanks for being ours and for being weird and princessy all in one glorious package!!!"

"Gosh I love you so much!" the Younger star continued. "To the best big and little sister there ever was! Happy 5 my little cherry bomb ! I sure hope the next 5 go by a little slower, all the cuddles, tickles, Taylor Swift, brain teasers, treats and trampoline bounces 4life my queen."

Matthew also celebrated Banks' special day with a sweet message on his Instagram page.

"Being your dad is the greatest gift of my life and seeing every day through your rainbow tinted eyes has colored our family with all the good there is in the world," the singer wrote. "I'm blown away by your wit, kindness, heart, affinity for Dawes and I can't even imagine what magic will come along with your 5th year on this planet. I love you forever and when we let you have social media at 37, you'll see this post and maybe feel a little guilty for telling me you love mommy more all the time."

A few weeks prior to Matthew's shoutout to Banks, the music producer had penned another hilarious Instagram tribute for Hilary's birthday.

"It's wild to think this first photo of us was taken almost ten years ago," he joked, referencing a pic of Hilary and Ed Sheeran. "I remember it so vividly, it's almost like we didn't break up three times between then and now."

Matthew��who, after an on-off relationship, officially tied the knot with Hilary in 2019—continued, "You blow me away everyday with your ability to juggle the un-juggle-able… you do it with such ease & grace. You have an endless well of energy and patience that makes you the super-mom + super-wife you are, all while bringing your wildest dreams to earth level, then still somehow giving a shit about our dogs at the end of the day."

He concluded his message by noting how much of an honor it is to be on this journey with Hilary.

"We're the luckiest," he added, before joking, "our kids are gonna be so stoked when they find out Ed Sheeran is their real dad. #paidad."

[anniesardors]

Annie! While sad OMS is going on a break, I'm excited to see what new fix you'll be sharing....your teases have me thinking many things!

Also, will you be updating any of your other multis? Miss Lulu and Haunted world Upstead.

Happy July!!

Thanks anon! I'll miss oms too for the break but I am SO excited for this new fic. The teasers have been a fun little way of getting ready for the fic (thanks to the wonderful chaotic brain of my writing bestie who said to "drop little hints like Taylor swift" 😂) I hope the real thing lives up to the teasers! And I might update those fics! I do have the next chapter written for both of them and I just haven't found a chance to update so maybe I'll get myself to do it over this break :) Happy July pal!

[peachdues]

Which is gonna be 1st - Phantasmagoria or Great War?

(also the name great war got me thinking Sabaton album hsguskajgdusnago)

- Beer anon 🍻

Whichever my brain demands I finish first lol.

Just because I post teaser from a later part of one work doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s more done than another. I write incredibly out of order, as different ideas come to me — I have a general direction I want, and then I just write in short bursts, and I jump around to various points in the story. I’d say right now, both The Great War and Phantasmagoria are about even in how much content I have written (which isn’t much for either of them).

I don’t know that album! I’ll have to check it out — I drew inspo from the Taylor Swift song.

[dankusner]

The story of Post Malone, a Grapevine kid

‘This kid is legit’

The story of Post Malone, a Grapevine kid who made it big, told from the perspective of people who watched his rise

‘No skateboards or rollerblades allowed” reads a sign near the entrance of Grapevine High School, a beige brick building with newer additions to accommodate growth.

The place looks a bit like High School USA, with long glass cases of sports trophies and metal lockers painted red, the school’s color.

Guitars were apparently welcome, at least in 2012, when Austin Post brought his to U.S. History.

The class had 32 students, but his teacher, Bryan Humphreys, still remembers the tall skinny kid with the curly hair.

“He was very shy but funny and inquisitive,” said Humphreys.

“Very interested in the world.”

Looking back, Humphreys wonders if the guitar was a kind of security blanket, one way for a sensitive teen to shield himself in a chaotic world.

Post Malone is a uniquely 21st-century artist, whose rise to fame crosses genres, platforms and product endorsements.

With six studio albums in less than 10 years, he’s set streaming records and collaborated with a color wheel of artists from hip-hop (Swae Lee) to pop (Taylor Swift) to country (Morgan Wallen).

He’s landed promotion deals with Oreos, Crocs, Doritos and Raising Cane’s, which has a rare Post Malone-inspired restaurant on Dallas’ Northwest Highway.

Most famously, Malone has long been sponsored by Bud Light, which placed him in a 2025 Super Bowl commercial with comedian Shane Gillis.

A teaser clip featured the duo arriving on someone’s doorstep with a case of Bud Light, looking like normie sports bros, if one of those bros had face tattoos.

Malone headlined Coachella this year, and a Pitchfork review called him a “Dallas native, although really, he sprang from a suburban basement of the mind.”

Clever line, but what it misses is how much of North Texas got tattooed on Post Malone, who began his meteoric rise in the flat blackland prairie as a kid named Austin Post.

Born on the Fourth of July

Post was born on July 4, 1995, in Syracuse, N.Y.

His parents split when he was young, and his father got a job in North Texas running concessions for the Dallas Cowboys.

Grapevine is a modestly affluent suburb that abuts two very affluent suburbs, Southlake and Colleyville.

His mother didn’t come to Texas.

“My dad is my biggest fan,” the artist told an interviewer in 2015.

(Malone declined to be interviewed for this story.)

“My mom doesn’t get it,” he said of his then-burgeoning music career.

“My mom is crazy. I love you though.”

There are icebergs underneath most parent-child dynamics, but that casual aside suggests a big one.

Austin Post was a quintessential ’90s kid. He learned guitar from Guitar Hero .

He spent hours playing The Elder Scrolls: Legends and Magic: The Gathering , games of strategy and skill.

When he rolled out of bed on weekdays, he listened to The Kidd Kraddick Morning Show on 106.1 Kiss FM.

“He got me through school,” Post said once about Kraddick, a Dallas radio legend.

He had braces at some point and a mop of brown frizz-curl he eventually grew long, like a headbanger.

In interviews, the adult Malone has talked about anxiety and insecurities, though his U.S. History teacher considered him pretty well-adjusted.

In the Breakfast Club of the high school hallways, Post got along with everyone: the jocks, the brains, the nerds, the basket cases.

“He’s one of those guys who can filter into any group and blend in,” Humphreys said.

“He genuinely liked people.”

Music was his thing.

He brought his guitar to a red-sauce Italian restaurant in Grapevine’s downtown square called Napoli’s.

“He did a lot of old-school country, classic rock,” said Jaime Gage, Napoli’s manager in 2011 and 2012, which was around the time a skinny teen named Austin started showing up and asking the evening’s performers if he could join them for a song.

“Great kid,” said Gage. “Very respectful.”

Post auditioned for a metalcore band called Crown the Empire, but they went with someone else.

That band built an international fanbase, with nearly a million followers on Facebook these days.

No worries.

He became Post Malone.

He used an online rap-name generator to come up with his now-famous moniker.

His real last name — a sturdy word, both noun and verb — and a surname redolent of ’30s gangsters.

He stuck around North Texas after high school, tried his hand at Tarrant County College and got a job at Chicken Express.

His friend Jason Probst was heading to Los Angeles — Probst would eventually become a professional Minecraft streamer — and Post went, too.

His senior class had voted him “most likely to be famous.”

Some kids just have that shine.

Dollar signs in his eyes

Post Malone — or Austin Post, however he thought of himself in those days — entered the hip-hop scene of mid-2010’s LA when he was still a teenager.

“Chopped and screwed” was blowing up, music to drink cough syrup to, along with a bass-heavy Southern rap style called trap.

He wrote a song called “White Iverson,” a reference to the basketball Hall of Famer, and recorded it with the help of a producer he met in California named Rex Kudo.

“White Iverson” was cool and mid-tempo, with lyrics that could send old people to Urban Dictionary. “I’m saucin’, I’m swaggin’.”

“That spacey-melodic Auto-Tune stuff was catching on big in hip-hop and rap, and this song checked all the boxes,” said Mason LaDue, a tour and artist manager who heard “White Iverson” on SoundCloud in early 2015 when it was just taking off.

LaDue is a character, with LIVE LIFE tattooed across his knuckles and an inky sketch of knobby carpals and metacarpals of skeleton bones tattooed across his right hand.

LaDue left the family ranch in East Texas for the circus of the music industry, where he operated from Dallas and went by the name Bric Mason.

He was out in LA at the time, working with the rapper Wiz Khalifa, and the two of them dug “White Iverson.”

LaDue looked up this Post Malone on Twitter, and lo and behold, the kid was from Dallas.

LaDue sent him a direct message — with Wiz in the studio, see you’re in LA — and Malone responded almost instantaneously.

He came over, and LaDue met a 19-year-old talent with dollar signs in his eyes.

“Remember that movie Blank Check ?” said LaDue, referencing a 1994 Disney fantasy about a kid who stumbles across a million dollars.

“That’s kinda how he was. ‘I’m gonna have 500 Lamborghinis and pet zebras.’ I’m like, oh brother. This kid needs somebody to look out for him.”

That kid had chops, though. “He had the magic fairy dust sprinkled on him,” said LaDue.

“You just know.”

“White Iverson” became a hit — the song would eventually pass a billion streams on Spotify — and LaDue became an older-brother figure and mentor.

He booked Malone at South by Southwest that March, where he played 15 shows.

You can find a video of one set on YouTube, the underage performer holding a mic in one hand and a tall boy of Lone Star in the other.

That May, he played his first big hometown show at Trees, a 600-capacity venue in Deep Ellum that sold out lightning-quick.

He wore a Dallas Mavericks jersey (No. 41, Dirk Nowitzki) and placed a Cowboys cap over his hair, braided into cornrows.

Chin-strap beard, silver grill flashing in his mouth, not exactly a common look for Grapevine High, Class of 2013, but Austin Post had transformed.

“You could feel the energy in the room,” said Gavin Mulloy, a concert promoter who was then working as the creative director of Trees.

“Bodies were vibrating.”

The show kicked off with “White Iverson,” and Malone ended the show with it, too.

“‘This kid is legit,’” Mulloy remembers thinking.

Ten years later, the show still holds up for him. “I’ve been to tons of concerts, I’ve seen tons of breaking artists,” Mulloy says now. “He had it from day one.”

Beerbongs and face tattoos

The 19-year-old Post Malone had the hallmarks of a one-hit wonder. The white kid from the suburbs role-playing a rap-star baddie, the Autotune and Soundcloud of it all.

Malone signed with Republic Records, and his first album, Stoney , came out in 2016, debuting at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 . “White Iverson” climbed to No. 14 on the charts, but another single,

“Congratulations,” featuring the rapper Quavo, rose to No. 8.

When his sophomore release, Beerbongs & Bentleys , dropped in 2018, the album debuted at No. 1.

To understand Malone’s success, it might help to recall that he emerged in a decade dominated by hip-hop, with its inner-city brags and wannabe thugs, but most kids buying (or streaming or pirating) this music were softies with curfews and enough disposable income to rent limos for prom.

Malone’s explosion isn’t unlike Eminem’s in the early years of the new century — another white kid sounding Black, giving voice to the rebellion of the suburbs and facing accusations of appropriation, for which the only real comeback is to keep slinging hits.

But where Eminem had his wingman, Dr. Dre, Post Malone seemed to be scrolling through a contact list of high-profile collaborators:

Doja Cat, Ty Dolla $ign, The Weeknd. Where Eminem spat bangers about dumping his ex-wife’s corpse in a trunk (a joke!), Malone put out melancholy trap with titles like “Rich & Sad.”

Shooting to fame at 19 might be a dream come true, but it can also be a nightmare. “Celebrity is a mask that eats into the face,” wrote John Updike, and that was before TMZ. Post’s actual face began to change. Maybe you noticed the tattoos. “Stay Away,” the name of a Nirvana song, was inked in swirly script over his right brow, while cursive words under each eye read, “Always Tired” (not a song, but a state of being).

“I don’t like how I look,” he told GQ Style . “So I’m going to put something cool on there so I can look at myself and say, ‘You look cool, kid.’”

Flashing cameras and the panopticon of social media will change how a person moves through this world. Post showed up to the Grammys in a rhinestone Nudie suit. He was husky, then skinny, maybe too skinny. He had a habit of performing so wasted that strangers on the internet worried about him. He was looking more and more like a product of Bud Light, the sponsor that, according to his mentor LaDue, gave the young star a Bud Light vending machine. “I never saw him do a drug,” said LaDue, who was going through his own “knucklehead” portion of adulthood in the mid-2010s. LaDue remembers Malone as an old-fashioned beer binger. “A beer drunk can be a dangerous soul,” he said.

LaDue and Malone had a falling out around 2018, which seemed to be a pattern for the artist. That’s the year he split from girlfriend Ashlen Diaz, who hired a law firm to sue him for palimony in 2019. She dropped the case after settling privately with Malone for $350,000, according to a suit filed a few years later by the law firm she once retained, which was now suing Malone and Diaz for cutting it out of the deal, a conveyor belt of legal drama that fed a string of clickbait headlines.

Hollywood’s Bleeding was the name of Malone’s 2019 album, one more No. 1 debut. It featured a smash song, “Circles,” that spent 61 weeks on the charts. “We couldn’t turn around,” the song began, “Til we were upside down.”

‘I Had Some Help’

In 2020, Post Malone appeared on Joe Rogan’s podcast, where he said “no, sir” and “thank you, sir,” like a good Texas boy.

The pair talked about writing while high, how substances can unloose the muse — Stephen King wrote Cujo in a blackout, Rogan pointed out — and Malone characterized his songwriting process as “eight Bud Lights and a tiny bit of shrooms.”

He’d moved to a $3 million home in a vast and serene compound outside Salt Lake City,

Utah.

He seemed to be entering a quieter, gentler phase of stardom. In 2022, in his late 20s, he had a baby girl with Hee Sung “Jamie” Park, a woman whose identity was kept under the radar until lawsuits and a custody battle brought it to light in 2025.

But fatherhood changed him.

During the delivery, he told Rogan with awe, he helped pull out the baby.

With his own hands!

That last part was on his second Rogan appearance in 2024, a four-and-a-half-hour ramble through UFOs, Mortal Kombat , government surveillance and nuclear war, with the occasional fizz-crack of a pop-top opening.

“I bought a $2 million Magic: The Gathering card,” he told Rogan, a needle-scratch moment, but possibly a relatable splurge for the podcast’s young nerd-bro audience.

The card was collectible, a Lord of the Rings crossover, and maybe it was nuts, but Malone liked being the only person in the world who owned it.

Post Malone feels like an everyday dude who just happened to become a major star.

He’s not boy-band handsome, neither Eddie Van Halen on guitar nor Bob Dylan with a pen.

His songs are simple and hummable, and they sound — as his writing process might suggest — like a guy who drank eight Bud Lights sprinkled with shrooms.

“I Had Some Help” became his first country hit, off his 2024 album, F-1 Trillion . The duet with country star Morgan Wallen is as easy as a cold brew on a summer day.

Malone’s music catalog is a mish-mash of influences — grunge, country, R&B, rap — which might mean he has no sound, though it could also mean his sound is cross-pollinated, the logical extension of a kid who grew up in the casually multi-ethnic mix of North Texas and wakeboarded the culture as the once-tidy categories of terrestrial radio gave way to the information overload of YouTube and Spotify.

Malone’s pivot to country coincided with that once-derided genre becoming cool again. He was on trend once more, following the path of Lil Nas X and Beyoncé. Unlike Cowboy Carter , the country album from the Houston superstar largely ignored by the genre’s fanbase, F-1 Trillion got nominated for five Academy of Country Music Awards, including album of the year. The awards ceremony was held at The Star in Frisco on May 8, the day before Malone’s big show at AT&T Stadium, so it wouldn’t have been too hard for the hometown kid to make a surprise appearance, but he did not. He didn’t win, either.

Austin Post turns 30 this July. He may be a global phenomenon and a Utah resident, but so much of him is still Big D.

The rhinestone suits and sports jerseys and outlaw denim.

The casual swirl of sounds and cultures in his music, the rootlessness of the Texas suburbs. You can even sense the influence in his Raising Cane’s order, which is four chicken fingers, crinkle-cut fries, two Cane’s Sauces, two Texas Toasts, with extra packets of salt and pepper, because leave it to a Texan to order a basket of fried food — and then add seasoning.

Earlier this month, the Grapevine High School band got a surprise. At an “emergency meeting,” dozens of high schoolers listened as a radio station program director told them about the Post Malone show in Arlington on May 9.

“We are interested in seeing if the Grapevine High School band would be interested in bringing all of its members to perform some of Post Malone’s hits,” the program director said, as one girl in the audience placed both hands on her head, then over her mouth, as if to stop herself from squealing.

More than a decade has passed since Austin Post walked those halls. Malone may not live in Texas anymore, but the place never left him.

‘Hometown hero’

Post Malone sold out AT&T Stadium in Arlington

A sea of flashing camera lights and raucous cheers greeted Grapevine-raised artist Post Malone as he took the stage Friday night for a sold-out concert at Arlington’s AT&T Stadium.

The rapper-turned-country darling strutted down an elongated runway, repping his hometown in a snug Brandon Aubrey Cowboys jersey.

At his back, a neon-cut out reading “Posty Co.” flashed like the entrance to a honkytonk. Flames billowed into the air — bringing a shock of heat into sections far from the stage — as Malone performed “Texas Tea” and “Wow.”

Grapevine treasure and musician Post Malone performs at AT&T Stadium, Friday, May 9, 2025, in Arlington.

He paused to catch his breath after the opening sequence with his mouth agape — grillz on display — as he peered into the crowd.

In a brief, expletives-laden speech, he gushed about being the stadium’s headliner.

“Cut the music real quick,” he said.

He looked teary-eyed, thanking the audience for their support.

“Ladies and gentleman, my name is Austin Richard Post. I came here to play some s---ty songs and f---ing party while we do it,” he continued. “It feels so good to be back home.”

His dad, a former 14-year employee at AT&T Stadium, also joined him briefly on stage later to convey his pride (the elder Post gave the Cowboys a shout-out much to the audience’s delight).

It’s been about a decade since Malone was propelled from Soundcloud obscurity into the public eye after his viral hit “White Iverson.”

In the ensuing years, he has been a musical chameleon, deftly gliding from hip-hop fame to pop glory and now country stardom.

The tour stop was in support of his 2024 country crossover album, F-1 Trillion, a project that Nashville welcomed with open arms, evident by features from the genre’s luminaries Blake Shelton and Dolly Parton.

Early into his set, Malone said he would play a lot of “old songs.”

But, perhaps in a nod to his newfound fanbase, an audience that sported cowboy boots with Western hats and drank foamy beer, some of his rap and pop singles were countrified, so to say.

The chorus of “White Iverson,” for example, had its trap beat substituted for a stripped-back arrangement with the live band. Meanwhile, a bluesy wailing guitar could be heard during “Circles.”

Malone’s genre-hopping and recent foray into country may muddle a neat categorization of his fanbase.

There were Gen-Zers and millennials, couples and families, tattoo-covered fans and other sans the skin art.

One through line, though, was how many had been loyal listeners since the start of his career.

The Arlington show was the fourth Malone concert Virginia native Jamelle Houchens, 28, had seen.

From Stoney to Beerbongs and Bentleys, and now F-1 Trillion, “personally, I don’t think any album has a skip,” he said, nearby a concession stand.

“I’ve never really listened to country until now,” he added. His end-of-the-year data dump Spotify Wrapped listed country as his top genre, which he attributes to time spent streaming Malone’s music.

Garland native Elizabeth Arnold, 39, stood in one of several long lines to buy concert merchandise, although she and her friends were already matching in pink promotional T-shirts.

Malone’s music is the perfect bridge between hip-hop and country music, she said.

He makes the latter genre “interesting again,” she added. Country music should be about heart and that’s what Malone brings, according to Arnold.

Malone, whose words are often abutted with Southern formalities (sir and ma’am, ladies and gentleman), is also widely perceived as an affable sweetheart.

“He’s super quirky and he’s not shy about it. I mean you just watch him dance and it’s just hilarious,” said Isabelle Foley, 27, Houchens’ girlfriend.

Waxahachie resident Jessica Thomas, 48, described Malone as “authentic.”

“Even if he’s singing country or rap or a ballad, he’s just so into it,” she said.

Her 18-year-old daughter Kyla Monroe chimed in. “He’s so truly himself … It’s so appealing; it draws you in.”

“He’s a hometown hero, so of course, we want him back to see him,” Thomas said.

Halfway through Malone’s show, tour mate Jelly Roll, who had performed a gospel-inflected set earlier, joined the stage for a duet of their single “Losers.” They sang about forging community at the fringes — where the “outcasts” and losers lay.

But a sold-out hometown stop and thousands of adoring fans made Malone, certainly on this night, a winner.

CORRECTION, 8:19 a.m., May 11, 2025: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that Post Malone was born in Grapevine. He was raised there.

[vivianbernadetteaurora]

Let’s face it all these women are very polarising ,from hearing bts ii,of how they are , pecieved by other women in the industry,nicki gets a lot of hate some of the similarities I have picked up on, Christina fire 🔥 ☀️ 🌎 🌙

Nicki Minaj fire 🔥 ☀️ 🌏 🌑,both Aquarius ♒️ risings ,also Demi fire 🔥 sun ☀️ 🌍 moon too but Demi is ♌️ rising ,Leon’s and Aquarius may be quite polarising anyway stuck in their ways ,it might be hard to believe but allegedly ,Christina likes girls and also the neighbours complained about her loud loud sex ,if u want to believe the BLIND ITEMS (pop culture sources told from people who aIknow in. Industry mainly anonymous ,she supposedly made her partner have sex lessons to please her and use him as a c*ck, and also has many lesbian affairs to hide who she really is in the industry. There is a lot of bearding. which is known in the blind item world where you are present with a straight couple, behind-the-scenes, you may be with the same sex, because in Hollywood, it’s still like almost found upon life, Demi and Christina are bisexual, so we know for a fact that she got it on with Demi when you seen her documentary how close you are is the same thing with like karlie kloss,and Taylor Swift, which I won’t admit I know much about what my podcast show tells me about that, so when a girl falls out of a girl, and it’s really big you know that it’s more than just friends, I will admit that this isn’t fair for women in the industry they get it a lot harder than the men, men can act in the same debauchery ways and be applauded, so you may feel like it’s very unfair to women, but then the patriarchy will say might get it as well. the sad part is that these women could all get on and be fine with each other, but I really definitely see a partnership between Demi Lovato and Christina Aguilera. I’m right now I’m gonna tell you a story. It started many many moons ago. Take you back to, let’s say 1999 or 98 okay pink meets Linda Perry, Linda Perry is a famous lesbian music writer she did the 1992 song. Hey what up, but I believe she’s more known for her songwriting. Anyway, pink who also is sexually fluid. I believe in many way Linda and they felt she felt like she had had a really special relationship with her now at the time they were really close they did everything together. They wrote that amazing album which I believe came out in 2001 miszundrstood. Yeah that was a tongue teaser so run this time. Also pink had a major feud with Christina Aguilera and she felt very loyal to Linda. This unfortunately didn’t happen both ways. Linda ended up working with Christina on stripped which may I say is one of my best albums of all time, if not my best album of all time, anyway, these songs were meant to be with pink and pink felt extremely hurt that Linda would go to the person she dislikes most in the industry and write an album with her, she felt incredibly hurt. Linda also worked with Gwen Stefani and what are you waiting for going back Christina as much as I loved her music and I loved stripped has never been a girl girl I’m in maybe in the bedroom but that’s another story for another day. Demi Lovato has been hated for more I hated. I don’t like that word, but disliked more for the fact that she presented is sober so many times she selfish with an ED. And then in the next documentary she would come out and say oh no, that was all rubbish had to change my team and I had two strokes and a heart attack. I had fentanyl instead of heroin and crack and she also got a lot of slack for slating Sammy, yoghurt shop I believe. But people need to realise you’ve damaged. She’s had massive brain injuries from drugs and you can’t expect like so much from this goes literally suffered from such a young age I mean she literally at the age of her trauma she is stuck at 16-year-old girl, I don’t know so much about her background, I’m not too sure. I need to look into that one because I always love her and I always loved how she looked but if she was a lesbian Irish for sure would jump on that train, but these women like I said in astrology, they are all fire sons with Christina And Nikki, both being Sagittarius sons and Taurus moon and Virgo moon, Nikki and then Leo son, Demi Taurus moon.

[morganswift]

Tsbt!

It's that time again! I am going to try and stay consistent posting these at 7pm EDT. I'll still tag anyone that wants to be tagged :)

Guess the lyric in the comments!

And let me know if you'd like to be added to the tag list :)

[taylorswiftbt]

Getting ready to post another tsbt!! Check out my others if you haven’t solved all of them yet!