#BABY I'M THE ONE TO BEAT!!!!!!!!! THE SIGN ON YOUR HEART SAID IT'S STILL RESERVED FOR ME!!!!!!!!!!!!

[taylortruther]

dress and the alchemy feel kind of similar to me - both seem to be telling a story of finding love during/after a dark period, although the alchemy is fun because it's about winning her rather than the other way around.

My one and only, my lifeline I woke up just in time Now I wake up by your side My hands shake, I can't explain this

Baby I'm the one to beat Cause the sign on your heart Said it's still reserved for me Honestly, who are we to fight the alchemy?

they both completely "match" the sound of their albums. but somehow dress stands out more in rep than the alchemy does in ttpd.

[meidui]

the alchemy + stevetony

[neverbesokind]

Every time I see hate for The Alchemy my love grows ever stronger

[itoshiexx]

words i want to say

synopsis: four times itoshi sae wanted to tell you he loved you, and the one time he finally did.

pairing: itoshi sae x gn!reader | words: 1.6k | warnings: established relationship, fluff

notes: why hello! i'm back with this 4+1 prompt that i absolutely love, i wrote this in like an hour so this is definitely not proofread lol and istg i'm writing the kiss prompts so bear with me :((

masterlist

i. 

it was a game like any other. at a certain point in his life, sae didn’t really felt a huge thrill by entering a stadium, already knowing he would win easily and beautifully destroy his enemies. this time, however, there was electricity dancing through his veins and prickling under his skin — and it was all because of you, who was sitting in the stands, wearing his jersey, for the first time.

and sure, he could swear such a thing did not affect him at all; he was the itoshi sae, after all, and anyone would die to wear his original jersey at one of his games. 

but you weren’t just anyone. you were his partner of three months, and everything about your relationship was still fairly new, and for the first time in forever, sae really, really didn’t want to mess this up. 

you were beautiful, sitting prettily in the special section of the crowd, reserved for family, partners and very rich people. sae could distinguish your smile from miles away, because it shined like nothing he had ever seen. he felt his heart beating faster, and it was not from all the running around the field.

as expected, his team won, with sae scoring a gorgeous final goal that made everyone jump in the stands. though, he didn’t care about the pats in the back from his teammates, the thumbs up from his coach or the shrilling screams of the crowd — all he could focus was on you, hugging his neck and beaming like the sun. 

“you were amazing, sae!”

it was fucking early. he knew it. 

but as he hugged you back and buried his nose in your hair, the words i love you flew through his mind. 

ii.

“this is stupid.”

you giggled at his words. this sound always sounded more like a melody to sae, but he would rather die than admit that. instead, he just glared at you, sitting right beside him at a stupid photobooth. 

“c’mon, baby, it’s gonna be fun!” you said, completely unaware of how the word baby did bad things to his heart. he wasn’t brave enough to call you pet names yet, but you were always more outgoing than he was. 

“don’t wanna.”

“please?” you pouted, your eyes becoming googly like a puppy. he could only mouth a tsk, knowing he couldn’t say no to you even if he tried (he didn’t).

“fine. just do it already.”

you happily bent your body forward to click at the screen, starting the countdown for the pictures. then, returning to your place by his side, you lay your head on his shoulder and smiled for the first picture. sae did a simple peace sign, face still stoic as ever.

on the second pic, you waited until the last second to do fishy lips and cross your eyes, and that caused sae to snicker, which was fortunately caught by the camera. happy by that, you laced your arms around his neck, squishing your cheeks together in a cute pose for the third picture.

on the fourth and last one, you separated slightly, looking sae straight in the eyes with that sparkle that made his stomach churn. 

you smiled, and he kind of stood there, dumbfounded, barely listening to the click of the photobooth. an i love you was the only thing he could hear.

iii. 

seven months in and sae thought he had already seen all of you. despite his busy schedule, you saw each other quite frequently because of your flexible job, meaning you could travel along in his trips around the globe. he was used to your soothing presence and he loved every second of it.

but this — this was something that he wasn’t used to. 

he hated to attend gala parties just to appease sponsors and snobby people, but he had agreed for the first time because you said you wanted to see how it was, and that it would be good for his career. you were always so thoughtful, and that never failed to make his chest fuzzy. but he did not expect to almost have a cardiac arrest seeing you all dressed up. 

“do i look good?” you asked, bashful and uncertain. he wanted to scream. good wasn’t even close to what you were. you were perfect, divine, an angel on earth. 

you were everything he needed. 

“you look beautiful, baby,” he said, smiling ever so slightly in hopes of convincing you of the purest truth. his hands found home on your hips, and he gave you a little peck. 

“thank you.” you smiled. “you look very handsome, too.”

then, you proceeded to fix his tie like it was already muscle memory, despite it being the first time either of you did this. you smiled again, sweetly, once you finished.

“all done. you’re good to go, mr. itoshi.”

the domesticity hit him like a truck. a lump formed in his throat, and it tasted a lot like i love you.

iv.

the beach was his favorite place in the world. being around the calmness of the sea always brought him peace, much like when he was with you. so combining both of his favorites was a bonus sae couldn’t deny. 

the sand was warm and soft beneath his feet, and he sat on top of a towel, observing you standing nearer the ocean. the wind blew in your hair, and he could hear you laughing and squealing every time you tried to feed a seagull and they ran after you and your food.

“sae! help me, baby, they’re gonna kill me!”

“you can do it.”

“what if i can’t?!”

“i’ll cry at your funeral, don’t worry,” he answered simply, snorting when you gasped in pure offense. 

when you finally got tired of running around, you sat next to him, panting a little. though you didn’t stay put for long — you never could. you grabbed a stick and started to draw on the sand, doing little shapes and words. 

sae could only watch, mesmerized, as the orange hue casted a heavenly glow around your frame, almost like a halo. it complimented your skin perfectly, and he cursed himself for not having the guts to take a picture so that he could remember this moment forever. he wasn’t sappy, after all.

he casted his eyes down, only then realizing you drew the letters ILY inside a heart, looking at him with a fond gaze he didn’t deserve. 

i love you, too, was what he wanted to say. but itoshi sae was never good with words, so his hand reached for yours and he gave it a little squeeze, before bringing your knuckles to his lips in a tender kiss. with the way the corners of your eyes crinkled, he knew you understood. 

and he loved you even more for it.

v.

you worked a lot. despite your adjustable routine, you often had to bring your laptop everywhere, just in case your boss needed something more immediate. in sae's penthouse, it was no different, and that specific day happened to be one of those urgent matters. 

sae was grumpy. he wanted your attention for a while, but he would never stoop so low as to ask for cuddles, so he just sat by your side on the couch with his arms crossed. you’d say he was pouting, but that was absurd. itoshi sae didn’t pout. 

you were pretty, he thought, all focused and dedicated like that. you were like a painting that sae could spend a lifetime admiring, without ever getting tired. the slight furrow of your eyebrows, the curve of your nose, the crease of your mouth… oh, he got distracted. you were now facing him and saying something he didn’t catch. 

“what was that?”

“i said, let’s go.”

he grimaced, confusion etched in his face. “where are we going? i thought you had urgent work.”

“to bed, baby. it’s your nap time, isn’t it? i can finish this later. i know you sleep better with me in your arms.”

you grinned in a smug kind of way, but sae could barely register anything besides the three magical words that were hammering inside his heart, coming up to his tongue until all he could do was say…

“i love you.”

fuck, he thought. now the cat is out of the bag. he fucking loves you. 

your eyes widened slightly, as if you weren’t expecting such a declaration, but your expression softened and your hand came up to cup his jaw. your thumb did a small caress at his cheekbones, and sae felt goosebumps rising up his skin.

“i love you,” he said again, because now that the dam had broken, nothing could stop that phrase from flowing. “i love you so much.”

your smile could rival the sun and light up any darkness. he loved you like this. he loved you in all your ways.

“i love you, too,” you answered, all soft and giddy, and sae finally released the breath he didn't even realize he was holding. “so much.”

his hand came to meet with yours, and he interlaced your fingers, standing up and pulling you along. you stumbled a bit, but he steadied you by gripping your waist, as if scared you would let go. his lips met yours almost urgently, but they were still soft nonetheless — because with you, sae knew to be soft, to be gentle. it’s what you deserved, after all. 

when you parted, lips swollen and a little breathless, he showed you one of his rare smiles; the ones that always came easier when you were in the picture. you felt butterflies swirling in your stomach watching itoshi sae beam to you. because he loved you.

your fingers interlaced again, and he started to drag you towards the bedroom, ready for his 3pm nap.

“you’re right, by the way,” he confessed, and you looked at him, puzzled. “i do sleep better with you in my arms.”

© 2023 itoshiexx. do not plagarise, translate, or repost any of my work on here or other sites.

[eternalxvenus]

⇢ ˗ˏˋ broken promises pt. 4 ࿐ྂ

summary: Rafe promised to take you out and spend your birthday with you, but you don’t hear from him all day and then suddenly he shows up at your door trying to explain.

wc: 1.8k

notes: i really hope you guys enjoy this chapter!! part 5 will be the final chapter for this series! (there were a few people who asked to be in the tag list but i can't find the asks in my inbox anymore im so sorry!! if you happen to see this comment/message me again to be added!)

previous chapters: part 1 | part 2 | part 3

You woke up this morning and felt so much better than you had in the last few days. Rafe not only cleared everything up, but he also practically poured his heart out for you. Now you both would head back to OBX and hopefully everything will be normal. Both of you know Topper lied and you'll probably have to talk to him about it, which is something you weren't looking forward to.

Leaning over the bed you glanced down to see Rafe's shirtless body still sleeping. You got off the bed with your blanket and snuggled up next to him on the floor. Immediately, you question how he was able to get any sleep down here. As you tried to get comfortable, Rafe stirred awake. You looked up at him with an apologetic expression. "Good morning. I wasn't trying to wake you."

He groaned softly, looking down at you before smiling at you. "Sure you didn't. Good morning, sweetheart." Rafe rolled on top of you, leaning in to give you a kiss before you stopped him.

"Morning breath," you said with a shake of your head, placing your hand over your mouth. He gives you an unamused look before moving your hand away.

"I don't care about morning breath. I gotta make up for all the time I spent not kissing you these last couple of days."

Rafe gave you one long kiss on your lips. It was so soft and caring like he wanted to express all his love for you with the feeling of his lips on yours. He slid his hands down to your hips, giving them a gentle squeeze. "God, I missed you, baby. You have no fuckin idea," he whispered.

You couldn't help the smile that grew on your face. "I missed you too." Sitting up, you moved from under his hold and leaned against the side of your bed. "But we aren't having sex in my parents' house, especially while they're here."

He placed his head in the crook of your neck before sighing, "It's okay, I can wait." 

"Alright, let me up so I can go brush my teeth and get ready," you giggle, pushing him off you lightly. He rolls onto the floor dramatically. "I'll be here waiting."

⭑*•̩̩͙⊱✩•̩̩͙⊰•*⭑

While you were going around getting ready, Rafe's eyes followed your every move. He knew that he probably looked creepy staring you down like this, but he was just appreciating you and how he was so lucky to have such a beautiful girlfriend. Rafe was attracted to you the moment you both met at the country club. Your confidence, your style, even the way your perfume still lingered in the air even after you left.

He'd never admit it but you had him wrapped around your finger the minute you agreed to go on a date with him. You were too good for him, so accepting and supportive even when he'd try to push you away. Love wasn't enough to describe how he felt. He was fucking obsessed. Willing to do anything and everything for you. His personal heaven.

The sound of snapping brought him back to the present. "Hello? Did you hear me?" Rafe shakes his head. You roll your eyes, something he can never take seriously when you look so damn stunning. "I said I'm ready to go."

He gave a brief sign of acknowledgment so you'd know he heard you, but his eyes were focused on eyeing everything from your hair to your shoes. "C'mere, I wanna hold you for a bit," he said softly. He rarely ever heard himself like this, the soft side of him being reserved for those special moments with you. The moments when his heart felt like it was beating so fast it would come out of his chest, or his face would heat up with a light tinge of pink on his cheeks.

You made your way over to him and straddled him on the bed. "What, you miss me giving you all my attention?" you teased.

Rafe gave a small smile before kissing your forehead— He knew better than to mess up your lip combo so soon— "Yeah, something like that."

⭑*•̩̩͙⊱✩•̩̩͙⊰•*⭑

Since Rafe had brought his truck with him to the mainland, he drove you both back to the ferry going to OBX. He didn't talk much during the drive or the ferry ride back but he kept his hands on you at all times— holding you in his lap, putting a hand on your thigh, or an arm around your shoulder— he was keeping you close.

Once you arrived on the island, you thought Rafe would take you straight home or to Tannyhill until he mentioned having to stop somewhere first. You didn't think anything of it but when you saw The Boneyard coming into view you looked over, confused. "Rafe, what are we doing here?"

"I just gotta take care of something alright? Stay here I'll be right back." He got out of the truck and started making his way toward the sea of people drinking and hanging out.

With a sigh, you got out of the car shortly after, following behind him. Immediately you saw him heading in Topper's direction, making you pick up your pace to catch up to him.

Rafe reached Topper just before you did and was staring him down with his arms crossed. "What's up, Top?" he said in a harsh voice. Topper gave a confused look at his attitude before trying to seemingly move on. 'Hey Rafe, what's good, man?"

When you reached them you put your hand on Rafe's arm in an attempt to pull him away. "Come on Rafe, please just do this later." You didn't want to make a scene with all these people here or risk him getting in trouble, but he ignored your attempts.

"Do you wanna tell me why you told my girl I cheated on her?" his voice was eerily calm as he spoke, you almost wished he were yelling instead.

Topper looked at Rafe in silence before he shrugged. "Listen, man, you were coked out of your mind and got all up on your ex. I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't even remember. But it's on video and everything, I was just trying to look out for her and do the right thing."

By this point, a few people who were close enough to hear the conversation had started watching, eager to see what was going on. Kelce, who had been standing next to Topper, looked just as confused yet interested as everyone else.

"Oh, so you have the video? Let me see it then." he urges.

Topper rolls his eyes but takes his phone out and plays the video. It's the same one he had sent to you that you now know is old. "See man? I'm sure you regret it or whatever but it happened. You fucked up." he has a small smirk on his face as he said it like it was the hard truth.

Rafe licked his lips and nodded. He pulled his phone out and showed Topper the photo that was actually from the party. "You took this photo at the party, right?" Topper nodded "So?" A chuckle left Rafe's throat. "So... I'm wearing two completely different outfits. Why don't you show me the date on the video Top."

Topper was silent for a few moments before his smirk dropped and an angered look took over his features. "You don't fucking deserve her, Rafe! You know she'd be better off with me. You'd choose drugs over her, you would choose yourself over her!"

Your eyebrows shot up at his outburst. Topper was jealous. Rafe got closer to him, getting into his face. "I should've known you'd go after her. You were the one who convinced me to do the coke after I told you I'd quit you fuckin' prick!" Topper shoved Rafe but he only stumbled a little before lunging at Topper and throwing a punch. Kelce and a few other Kooks who were close by rushed over to try and break it off but Rafe wasn't letting up.

"Rafe! Stop, let's just go!" you shouted, trying to get his attention. Someone had finally gotten them off of each other, and Topper was bleeding from the mouth with and his eye was starting to swell. You could see the blood on their clothes and on Rafe's knuckles. It was unlikely someone would call the cops but you wanted to get out of there before things could get worse. Before you could get far enough, you heard Topper yell "She's just another piece of ass anyway!"

Pulling Rafe away from The Boneyard and back towards the truck, you sigh, noticing the bruise forming on his cheek. Both of you got into the truck and Rafe started to drive to your place, still pissed off.

"You didn't have to do that Rafe..." you tried to keep your voice soft, not wanting him to think you were angry.

Rafe scoffed, "That fucker deserved it. He's lucky I don't kill him." You said nothing for the rest of the ride, and neither did Rafe.

⭑*•̩̩͙⊱✩•̩̩͙⊰•*⭑

After what felt like forever, you saw your house come into view. The truck rolled to a stop, and Rafe shut off the engine, placing his head on the steering wheel. "I'm sorry," he muttered. It almost seemed like he felt... ashamed?

"I'm sorry for doing that... I let him get to me. I shouldn't have gone in the first place." he explained. You felt bad that he was beating himself up for letting his anger get the best of him.

You leaned over the center console to place a kiss on his non-bruised cheek. "It's okay. Let's just get inside and forget about it."

Rafe nodded, and you both got out of the truck to head inside. You made him take off his dirty, bloodied clothes and put them in the wash, leaving him in his boxers. With a little convincing, he allowed you to tend to his busted knuckles and ice his bruise for a while. There was a silence between you that was both comfortable and strained up until you'd gotten in bed.

You were laying on his chest tracing shapes along his skin while he stroked your back soothingly. "Hey Rafe," you spoke softly looking up at him. His eyes were closed, but he wasn't asleep. "Yes, sweetheart?"

"I thought of something you could do to make my birthday up to me, at least a little bit."

He opened his eyes looking down at you lovingly. "What is it? Name anything and I'll make it happen."

You bit your lip to try and suppress your devilish smile while climbing on top of him in a straddle position. Leaning in close, your lips ghosted his as you whispered, "How about some belated birthday sex?"

part 5

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[lumosinlove]

The Alchemy is SUCH a Finnlo song!

Baby I'M THE ONE TO BEAT

CAUSE THE SIGN

ON YOUR HEART

SAYS

IT'S

STILL

RESERVED FOR

M E

IS FORGIVEN UNDER MY RUULLLE

SHIRTS OFF ANDYOURFRIENDSLIFTYOUUPOVERTHEIRHEADS

CAUSE THEY SAID

THERE WAS NO CHANCE

WHERE'STHETROPHY!?!?

H E J U S T C O M E S R U N N I N G O V E R T O

ME!!!

(and for when we want a sad vibe we can talk about the prophecy)

[dieddeadrecently]

So when I touch down

Call the amateurs and cut 'em from the team

Ditch the clowns, get the crown

Baby, I'm the one to beat

'Cause the sign on your heart

Said it's still reserved for me

Honestly, who are we to fight the alchemy?

The alchemy by Taylor Swift

[mamidankee]

I've been thinking a lot about The Alchemy lately. One of the many, many things I love about Tay is how many different angles we can view songs from.

I have been toying with the idea that this song is about her preparing for her last beard with the ogre. miss ma'am loves to break records and she can do so with the heteronormative society and a big ol' distraction. there are a lot of meathead references in here too but just like So High School, i don't think it's positive or endearing.

this happens every few lifetimes

with so much death and rebirth in her work, I interpreted this as every bearding situation being a lifetime and now we're starting a new lifetime

these chemicals hit me like white wine

which chemicals? likely, the Forget Him medication from Fortnight MV. this can be the promise of success, this can be entering back into the closet; but essentially there had to have been an BIG incentive or push. and even moreso, it was something Tay really had to swallow but was not her choice--it was prescribed by the ward. and this "Forget Him drug" could bring forth Taylor Swift The Brand. Taylor Swift The Brand comes with a manic high, a hunger for success, a desire to push through whatever she needs to overcome. there's probably lots of spite in there too.

in addition, wine drunk is super different! wine brings a warm carelessness. personally, wine makes me feel like i'm a bad bitch and life isn't that serious.

what if i told you i'm back?

the hospital was a drag

worst sleep that i ever had

they let her out of the hospital, but only when she was medicated. she's "fixed"!

i circled you on the map

a TK reference because so many dummies said he put HER on the map (fucking as if). this is one of her little jabs at him saying, "nah, bro. i put YOU in the spotlight"

(note that these 4 lines feel like a conversation with someone that you're trying to prove something to)

i haven't come around in so long

but i'm coming back so strong

she hasn't had an in-your-face PR relationship for years. so this is her giving herself a little boost. i haven't done this in a while, but i can do this and i can do it even better than before. i feel this especially because it's right before the chorus where she goes:

so when i touch down

call the amateurs and cut 'em from the team

ditch the clowns, get the crown

another jab at her beards and at TK's sad attempts to get others to put him on the map. MH is an amateur, he did not lead Taylor to the success she was looking for. TK had no luck liking baddies instagram pictures to weasel his way into the industry. but who did that? Taylor Alison Swift: The Mastermind. note how she's focused on the crown, not the actual "muse"

Baby, I'm the one to beat

'Cause the sign on your heart

Said it's still reserved for me

i took this as a line to her fans. so many people tune in to the big headlines because we, as a society, have a weakness to be fascinated by/addicted to the drama. especially taylor swift drama! our hearts are still reserved for any juicy tea she might have

honestly, who are we to fight the alchemy?

this feels like an act of acceptance and a little defeat. don't forget, taylor is still on those chemicals that hit her like white wine. so she succumbs to the fact that the world's biggest pop star and an award-winning NFL player would definitely make for lots of success. this is why she came back, to come out on top. i've seen others comment on the fact that she uses alchemy instead of chemistry. (they have the same end rhyme and the same syllables so alchemy was very intentional.) they're making gold out of robust situations, they're not sharing energy with one another.

hey, you, what if i told you we're cool?

that child's play back in school

is forgiven under my rule

i haven't come around in so long

but i'm making a comeback to where i belong

this next verse reminds me of the structure of the first verse. the first 3 lines feel like a sense of defending actions to someone else while the last two feel like another act of self-perseverance and having to hype herself up.

he jokes that, "it's heroin, but this time with an 'e'"

i really can't see this as anything other than a jab at the meathead. those illiterate tweets of his surfaced and we all found out he really is an idiot.

this line does confuse the hell out of me otherwise. if anyone has any thoughts i would love to hear!

where's the trophy? he just comes runnin' over to me

i know a lot of people find this endearing saying he chose her over the trophy. but i think it's Taylor asking "where's the trophy?" with her eyes on the prize still. and the dummy loses sight of what they are actually after

she's "high" on those Forget Him drugs throughout this whole song because she finishes the song with the same two lines she opened with.

but, yet, here we are again: swiffers thinking she's being cutesy with some dude but in reality this is about her and her success.

this song all feels like work. i don't know if anyone else played the alchemist game where you start with the most basic materials and have to make all kinds of substances, eventually getting to gold. and, man, was it challenging. just like i can imagine it's challenging to make this dirtbag into a "glamorous gentleman."

anyway! this was way more in depth than i thought it was going to be but i hope this leads to more confidence to post more OC! thanks for the read <3

[woso-dreamzzz]

THE ALCHEMY (BY TAYLOR SWIFT) DEFINITELY PRINCESSE AND TALIA SONG!!!!

“Shirts off, and your friends lift you up over their heads

Beer sticking to the floor

Cheers chanted, cause they said

There was no chance, trying to be

The greatest in the league

Where's the trophy?

He just comes running over to me”

'Ditch the clowns, get the crown baby, I'm the one to beat. 'Cause the sign on your heart said it's still reserved for me'

Big Princesse and Talia vibes

[loustyleshtommo]

Taylor Swift’s TTPD Song Theory: The Alchemy

I believe The Alchemy is about Karlie Kloss showing up at the Eras Tour postpartum, while Travis Kelce is another red herring.

He’s a counterfeit; She is 24 karat magic in the air~

This is Taylor writing from Karlie’s perspective:

The Alchemy

This happens once every few lifetimes.

It’s how IVF works. Not all embryos get implanted. Not all pregnancies are viable. (Higher miscarriage rate than traditional conception). It feels like a miracle when it results in a healthy baby.

These chemicals hit me like white wine./He jokes that it’s HEROIN but this time with an ‘E’

Epidural used to assist childbirth can make you feel drowsy. That’s where the ‘E’ comes from. Mama also had to give up white wine due to pregnancy, so she hadn’t felt tipsy in a while.

Heroin + e = Heroine

Taylor in Don’t Blame Me: My drug is my baby I’ll be using for the rest of my life

Reputation muse is her heroine.

Also, how sweet it is to call your wife a heroine for giving birth to your child. I’m grinning from ear-to-ear every time I hear this line.

What if I told you I'm back?

The hospital was a drag

Worst sleep that I ever had

This is Karlie showing up at The Eras Tour concert only days postpartum.

I circled you on a map

Confirming that she was a muse for reputation. (End Game: I buried hatchets but I keep maps of where I put them.)

Or, even sweeter interpretation: They drew circle around their baby in the ultrasound pictures taken during pregnancy. Taylor’s baby in Karlie’s tummy. That’s the most adorable mental picture ever.

I haven't come around in so long

But I'm coming back so strong

Remember Karlie at the reputation tour? That was after kissgate and love blackout. So many people were saying they hated each other then. And so many people mocked her for coming to the Eras Tour. How strong is she that she refused to let anything stop her from coming to support Taylor? Not the public opinions, nor recent childbirth can stop this mother.

So when I touch down

The continuation of Call It What You Want: My baby’s fly like a jet stream

Call the amateurs

I’m biased and think this line is about Swifties who chased Easter Eggs but couldn’t see Karlie embed into the heart and soul of Taylor’s songs.

And cut 'em from the team

bridges burn, I never learned

Ditch the clowns, get the crown

All the jokers dressing up as king

Baby I'm the one to beat

This is so cute. Taylor wrote from Karlie’s perspective here and really said Karlie KNOWS with absolute certainty that she is the King of My Heart.

Cause the sign on your heart

Said it's still reserved for me

Again with the ‘Karlie knows I am in love with her so utterly and completely, always

Honestly, who are we to fight the alchemy?

And the sweetest thing about this being from Karlie’s pov is that, she already made damn sure Taylor knows, that Karlie doesn’t blame her at all for the bearding/fake love for the crowd. That’s how Taylor gets the confidence to write this whole song in such a way that could be attributed to the guy on the chief. He’s not the real muse, like the alchemy that doesn’t make real gold.

Hey you, what if I told you we're cool?

That child's play back in school

Is forgiven under my rule

This is Karlie at the Eras Tour responding to Taylor’s inability to hide how smitten she was for Karlie, especially during ‘betty’ performance. James is down bad.

I haven't come around in so long

But I'm making a comeback to where I belong

Again a reiteration of Karlie showing up to support Taylor at her concerts since 1989 to reputation tour, and now The Eras Tour. It’s as reassuring as the repeating chorus. But do you know what changes? The two lines about giving birth to IVF baby that she opens and closes the song with. In the beginning, there’s only one leading vocal. At the end, there are two vocals in harmonies. Like how Taylor and Karlie have transitioned from being moms of one kid to two kids. And they’ve been so in love through it all.

These blokes warm the benches

We been on a winning streak

Once again with the reassurance. Karlie made sure that Taylor knows no matter how much bearding they have to do, the love they have for each other never wanes.

Shirts off,

The many outfits change Taylor does in every concert.

and your friends lift you up over their heads

I Did Something Bad Choreography: Go ahead and light me up.

Beer sticking to the floor

Shout out to swifties drunk on alcohol AND fun during the concert

Cheers chanted,

ONE, TWO, THREE, LET’S GO BITCH among many others

‘cause they said

There was no chance, trying to be the greatest in the league

Again, with reference to reputation era and how Taylor was not the mass media’s favorite at all, at the time.

Where's the trophy?

Not Taylor calling herself Karlie’s trophy wife. HAHAHAHAHAHAHSJK

He just comes running over to me

James is still just as down bad for Betty now as ever.

Thank god for Travis’s team winning, otherwise this sweetest song would’ve been scrapped for being too obviously not about him.

[rpmemes-galore]

taylor swift : the tortured poets department album pt. 3 ... sentence starters

"Was any of it true?"

"I can show you lies."

"Baby, I'm the one to beat."

"Old habits die screaming."

"What if I told you I'm back?"

"Lights, camera, bitch, smile."

"It's hell on earth to be heavenly."

"Now you know what it feels like."

"So cross your thoughtless heart."

"And they tried to warn you about me."

"'Cause I can do it with a broken heart."

"Hey, you, what if I told you we'rе cool?"

"And I'll forget you, but I'll never forgive."

"This happens once every few lifetimes."

"This town is fake, but you're the real thing."

"I cry a lot, but I am so productive, it's an art."

"Did you sleep with a gun underneath our bed?"

"'Cause I'm miserable, and nobody even knows!"

"The crown is stained, but you're the real queen."

"I move through the world with the heartbroken."

"And you deserve prison, but you won't get time."

"You didn't measure up in any measurе of a man."

"'Cause I'm a real tough kid. I can handle my shit."

"One less temptress, one less dagger to sharpen."

"I'm the life you chose and all this terrible danger."

"Were you sent by someone who wanted me dead?"

"I can tell when somebody still wants me, come clean."

"All your life, did you know you'd be picked like a rose?"

"The devil that you know looks now more like an angel."

"I would've died for your sins, instead, I just died inside."

"Told my friends I hate you, but I love you just the same."

"Lights, camera, bitch, smile. Even when you wanna die."

"He said he'd love me all his life, but that life was too short."

"'Cause the sign on your heart said it's still reserved for me."

"They said, 'Babe, you gotta fake it 'til you make it', and I did."

"I'm so obsessed with him, but he avoids me like the plague."

"All the piеces of me shatterеd as the crowd was chanting, 'More'!

"You know you're good when you can even do it with a broken heart."

"I'm not trying to exaggerate, but I think I might die if it happened to me."

"You said I needed a bravе man, then proceeded to play him until I believed it, too."

"If you wanna break my cold, cold heart, just say, 'I loved you the way that you were'."

"Whether I'm gonna curse you out or take you back to my house, I haven't decidеd yet."

"I changed into goddesses, villains, and fools. Changed plans and lovers and outfits and rules."

"And I don't even want you back, I just want to know if rusting my sparkling summer was the goal."

[skubean]

|| 7.33pm // missing him ||

characters: xiao x gn reader

notes: just some domestic-ish fluff, modern setting, slightly suggestive, xiao brainrot bcs i miss him

it was bothersome, how you were alone in your room, waiting for god knows what to happen. you had spent the whole entire day alone, with nothing to do and it was starting to tick you off how he didn't message you at all. you were constantly checking your phone, opening the chat between you and him. xiao, are you busy? (sent at 1.35pm) he hasn't read the message. you knew xiao had plenty already on his plate, but it would be a lie if you said you didn't miss the teal-haired man. checking out the window, you noticed how dark the sky was getting, and the cold wind was a sign of rain. sighing, you took off the thin clothing you were wearing to warm yourself up in the bath. as you felt the warm water hit your legs, you let yourself melt under the comfort of the bath tub. with how often xiao had spent overworking, you were getting lonely since he would come home when you already fell asleep, only to leave early in the morning. you've been with xiao for three years, and moved in together last year. it was unbelievable how much you've progressed in the relationship. when you first met him, he was so quiet and reserved, you thought he hated you. but, seeing him warm up to you was something you cherished even until this day. seeing all his products lined up next to yours in the shower, the two toothbrushes next to each other, it almost felt surreal. the moment he confessed to you in the rain, drenched and cold. the moment he kissed you so roughly and you both had swollen lips. the moment his body tangled with yours as he continuously professed his love to you. shaking your head, you got out of the tub and took one of xiao's old tshirt that were baggy on you and some shorts you found in the drawers. seems like he'll come back late today as well, you thought, as you searched for any leftover food in the fridge. however, what you weren't expecting was the sound of someone putting in your door code, causing you to hit your head on the door fridge. you groaned and felt your heart beat so fast. when you saw him, the man of your life, his coat drenched from the heavy rain outside, hair messy, face laced with exhaustion as he holds a bouquet of red roses, you couldn't hide the relief and love on your face. he was here, he was home. and when he saw you, his face lit up as you ran to engulf him in a tight hug. fumbling, xiao tries to pull you off of him since he was drenched, but he knew it was useless when you gripped him closer. "i'm home, baby"

a/n: hellaur, everyone! i was having some xiao brainrot bcs the thought of modern xiao coming back home was just so endearing. i received some requests in my inbox that i promise i'll do soon! thank you for showing me so much love and stay safe!

my request box is still open and read the rules too bfr you request!

[alma-artts]

hear me out... alchemy by taylor swift and dair. like the sports imagery obviously doesn't match but the verses... I'm picturing adult blair coming back to herself after chuck or smth. feeling a tiny bit unhinged and powerful

"What if I told you I'm back? The hospital was a drag, Worst sleep that I ever had. I circled you on a map. I haven't come around in so long, But I'm coming back so strong" I also kinda see serena in this lol

"Hey, you, what if I told you we're cool? That child's play back in school Is forgiven under my rule. I haven't come around in so long, But I'm making a comeback to where I belong" this one is the biggest reason for this

bonus: "So when I touch down, Call the amateurs and cut 'em from the team. Ditch the clowns, get the crown, Baby, I'm the one to beat" queen B energy

bonus number 2: "'Cause the sign on your heart, Said it's still reserved for me. Honestly, who are we to fight the alchemy?" second chance adult dair after their divorces

also just dair power couple energy

[dearreader]

so when i touch down/call the amateurs and cut 'em from the team/ditch the clowns, get the crown/baby, i'm the one to beat/‘cause the sign on your heart/said it's still reserved for me/honestly, who are we to fight the alchemy?

[separatist-apologist]

Of course you can assign meaning to any of Taylor's songs however you like. However, I keep seeing people put The Alchemy in the Tayvis timeline because of the sports references and I'd just like to offer a different analysis of the lyrics.

The Alchemy is about calling up that one person you know is always waiting on you. The one who got away, the ex you never quite got over. The Alchemy is Taylors Version of Break Up With Your Girlfriend, I'm Bored.

For your consideration (in this essay, I will-):

This happens once every few lifetimes-

Like the phrase, "that was a lifetime ago,"- if you subscribe to the theory that Taylor and MH were together back in 2014, you could consider that a lifetime ago.

I circled you on a map/ I haven't come around in so long/ but I'm coming back so strong

She's calling him up, he's back on her mind and she's ready to give this a shot again. She's saying, I'm single (finally) and you're the first person I thought of, the first phone call/text I'm making now that it's over. I'm in it, now.

So when I touch down call the amateurs and cut them from the team. Ditch the clowns/get the crown/ baby I'm the one to beat

I get why people think this is about Travis but consider touch down in terms of an airplane landing on a runway. She's coming to him and telling him, break up with your girlfriend if you have one or cut your roster. Ditch the clowns LMAO because baby its ME. The one you've wanted for YEARS.

Cause the sign on your heart says it's still reserved for me

This implies they've been together before. It's STILL reserved for me- we didn't work out before but you've been holding the same candle I have. You can be done with all those others (they're never gonna work out anyway) because we both know you and I belong together.

Honestly, who are we to fight the alchemy?

I love this line because alchemy is a pseudoscience. In medieval times, alchemy is basically proto-chemistry. It's looking at taking metals and turning them into elixirs, most famously turning lead into gold. Taylor isn't saying, who are we to fight fate? She's saying who are we to fight the ALCHEMY- it's not real, but she wants it to be. And I love this song because its a doomed love song. Lets turn these feelings we have into true love- but its alchemy. She can't, even if she wants to.

I'm taking this interpretation from Taylor's insistence that while Travis knows ball, she knows Aristotle. She'd be familiar with Neoplatonism and its relation to alchemy. Only she knows for sure, of course- I'm not stating any of this as fact.

Anyway back to the lyrics:

Hey you, what if I told you we're cool? That child's play back in school/Is forgiven under my rule

What happened in the past doesn't matter anymore. The things we messed up back then don't matter to me now. It's a fresh start for us

I haven't come around in so long/But I'm making a comeback to where I belong...

I haven't seen you in a long time- for whatever reason (her long term relationship imo), but I'm coming back to you now. I belong WITH you and I've always known it.

These blokes warm the benches/We been on a winning streak

All these other guys were just place holders for you, but they can't touch you. They'll never be US, they were never as important to me as you were.

He jokes that its heroin but this time with an "E"

I think this is the biggest indicator this song is not about Travis. I'm not a 1975 scholar, I don't know their music well, but I did listen to Halsey's Colors, she mentions similar themes with the drugs. A quick google search confirms that MH did have an addiction to heroin and honestly, this seems like the kind of joke he might make. He feels high again but this time it's her, the Heroine. She's his new drug.

Cheers chanted 'cause they said/There was no chance trying to be the greatest in the league/Where's the trophy?/He just comes running over to me

I struggle to make meaning of the bridge, but to me, I interpret this as HER saying he's the prize, where's her trophy, well he's running over to her right now. He's on his way to her. Everyone is telling her this isn't going to work, this isn't the kind of love she was writing about in Enchanted but she's not listening. It SHOULD be that kind of love, she wants it to be, and he's on his way to her. This time they're gonna get it right and this time it's going to work the way they both want it to.