#alexa's playground

[south-of-heaven]

Alexa Bliss x Fem!Orton!Reader where alexa creeps randy out and messes up his matches but she helps reader because she’s in love with her?

Interrupted || Alexa Bliss x Reader

Summary: Alexa just loves to creep Randy out. However she doesn't treat you the same at all.

The bond between you and Randy was unbreakable, as siblings, you shared a deep connection. You were often the one person who could easily get under his skin, but in the most playful and endearing ways. Then there was Alexa, someone whose presence often sent chills down Randy's spine, especially when she crept into his matches or brought out her eerie persona.

However, for you, Alexa was a different story altogether. She treated you with unwavering kindness and a sweetness that contrasted starkly with her on-screen persona. Her affection for you was evident in the way she'd always lend a helping hand, offer advice, or simply be there for you when you needed someone to talk to.

Her gentle demeanor around you never failed to amaze Randy. He'd seen the lengths Alexa went to creep him out, yet with you, she was a whole different person. Little did he know, there was another reason behind Alexa's softness towards you—her feelings for you ran deeper than just friendship.

Alexa's heart raced every time she was around you. Her feelings for you were something she kept hidden, fearing it would change the dynamic of your relationship. She cherished the moments she spent with you, relishing in the times when she could express her care and affection without the facade she put on for the rest of the world.

One day, as you sat backstage, flipping through a magazine, Alexa joined you, a warm smile gracing her lips. "Hey, how are you holding up?"

Her concern for your well-being was genuine, her eyes filled with warmth as she sat down beside you. You couldn’t help but smile in response, feeling comforted by her presence.

"I'm good, just prepping for Randy's match," you replied, flipping another page absentmindedly.

Alexa chuckled softly. "Oh, you know how much fun it is to mess with Randy during his matches."

You both shared a laugh, but as she glanced at you, something shifted in her expression—a flicker of something deeper, something she tried hard to conceal.

"Listen," she began hesitantly, her gaze shifting to meet yours. "I... I care about you a lot. You mean a lot to me."

The sincerity in her voice was unmistakable, and as her eyes held yours, you sensed there was more to her words than just friendship.

Before you could respond, the PA system announced Randy's match, pulling both of you back into the moment. As you parted ways, her words lingered in your mind, leaving you with a sense of curiosity and a warmth that echoed her feelings.

As Alexa watched the match from backstage, her attention wasn’t on the ring but on you. She couldn’t help but hope that someday she’d find the courage to express the depth of her feelings, longing for a chance at something more with you—something beyond the playful teasing, something that could bring her closer to your heart.

[mias-playground]

Actresses Alexa Demie and Taylor Russell

✴️ Celebrities in Leather

There's more here at My Archive

[toastedclownery]

Grabs you and pulls your face right in front of mine. Aubades are morning poems. Aubade is the beginning of the day. Aubade is fixated on creating life, on starting life, but he doesn't let it grow. Aubade is the beginning. Aubade is hello.

Zinnia is a flower that represents rememberance of a loved one that is absent. Zinnia is Z and Aubade is A. The only mention there is of them is the diary and the letters in Aubade's lab, saying goodbye to them (he never burnt them). Zinnia is goodbye.

[theplaygroundkrp]

[THE PLAYGROUND] welcomes SOLOIST: AleXA

“Don't be afraid to ask for what you need... Look us in the eyes, and just say please. We're ready for you, anytime of the day. Your personal playground... Where only you... get to play.”

We’ve been waiting for you! We can’t wait to play with you! Please fill out your application and submit it within 3 days of your set reservation date to be reviewed for entrance into the roleplay, and for your muse to be counted in roll call. See you soon!

«▲ Ask ▲ Rules ▲ Mod▲ Apply ▲ Mobile Nav ▲»

[kamotecue]

18 ➷ l. horan

pairing: lindsey horan x reader

summary: a cute moment between two lovers when their favorite song comes on. lyon!reader, french!reader

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ ⋆✦⋆ ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

you heard the door close making you look away from the puzzle that you had assorted the pieces to their color. you saw lindsey walk through arched doorway giving her a soft smile, as she opened her arms while walking to you.

“give me a hug, baby.” lindsey said, as you stood up wrapping your arms around her waist as she held you in her arms.

“tough day at training?” you asked, as she gave you a soft nod. you didn’t train today as you weren’t cleared by the physio, you had suffered a knee injury during the game against france vs australia, where it had lead to penalties.

“you know what would make it better, mon amour?” you asked, with a grin on your face as lindsey chuckled at your mischievous look.

“what will?” she said, as she hummed.

“alexa, play 18 by one direction.” you said, as alexa continued the command. lindsey laughed at your silliness, as you gave her a bow holding your hand out.

“really?” lindsey said, as you just gazed up at her and nodded. she accepted your hand, as you pulled her closer.

i got a heart, and i got a soul

you watched as her eyes sparkled at you, the tiredness has gone away and she looked at you in adoration.

believe me, i will use them both

one of your hands was on her waist, as the other was in the air, interlocking on of her hands with yours as you took a few steps around the shared apartment.

we made a start

you thought about the moment she went pro, she first played for colorado rush and had three appearances for the team. before her transfer to paris saint-germain a fellow french professional team.

you didn’t like the idea of how they treated her there, it ruined a part of her so you were determine to stay by her side, even if you were miles away.

be it a false one, i know

didn’t everyone tell you that it was a reckless decision? being a couple, young and in love? however, it worked between the two of you. you had been together since you both were 18, and now you were both here dancing in the dining area at 29.

baby, i don’t want to feel alone

you weren’t one for being alone, you enjoyed it yes. however, you were clingy when you needed to be. it annoyed others, but for lindsey it didn’t. she actually loved your clingy side, the cuddles you’d give her, and how you would talk about topics you were passionate about.

so kiss me where i lay down, my hands pressed to your cheeks, a long way from the playground

you were training on an empty pitch one day, lindsey joined you as she had nothing better to do, and she also wanted to spend time with her girlfriend. during the break, you’d lay a blanket underneath the nearest tree and would simply lay on it.

she’d kiss you, and you’d have your hands pressed to her cheeks which made the kiss even more romantic.

i have loved you since we were 18.

you were utterly in love with the blonde that you had met in the youth team. however, you made your debut for the senior team of your father’s country as the us already had a good line up.

it was the tulips that you’d give her every day, you’d pick them and removed the thorns so she wouldn’t get pricked by them.

long before we both thought the same thing, to be loved and to be in love

would you believe me, if it took you both a long time to realize your feelings? you both wanted to focus on your soccer career, yet you noticed this when you saw her hanging out with someone else.

to be in love was one thing, but to be loved was a whole other story.

all i can do is say that these arms are made for holding you, oh-oh

if there was one thing you’d love the most, it was holding lindsey in your arms, in the middle of the night, when your watching a movie, or out of the blue when she’s cooking.

you always told her that your arms were made for holding her, which she found true.

i wanna love like you made me feel when we were 18

when you were both 18, it was indescribable. there was the happy stage, the little quarrels that you’d have but you both solved, the lessons you learned.

it made you both grow as individuals, as a pair and as a person. you were glad that you met lindsey horan, the love of your life.

[outrunningthedark]

When I was away there was a lot of…change that happened in me. But when I look around I see this place is still the same. The names and faces may be different, but the desperation and insecurities remain the same.

You’ll see in Toronto when I turn the Elimination Chamber into something of a…playground of my own.

I know the Chamber. I love the Chamber. I’ve won the Chamber. For the other five women, it’s gonna be a hell like they’ve never experienced before.

Need I remind you this is my division. And I am in charge.

[snickers] See you soon!

— Alexa Bliss’ Elimination Chamber promo (February 21, 2025)

[scotianostra]

Dorothy Campbell Hurd Howe was born on March 24th 1883 at North Berwick.

Born as Dorothy Lee Campbell, Dorothy was the first woman to dominate the international female golf, between 1905 and 1912, she won 10 national championships in Scotland, America, Canada and England. Then, 12 years later, she won the American title once more.

As Dorothy Campbell, and later as Mrs. J.V. Hurd, her count of national amateurs was three Scottish, three U.S., two British and three Canadian. In 1909, she became the first woman to win the U.S. and British Amateurs in the same year.

Dorothy grew up with the town’s famous links, where her paternal grandfather and eight uncles all played, as her playground. She took her first swing when she was 18 months, and by age five, was playing matches against her older sisters.

Campbell did not evolve into a top player until her later teens, when she changed what had been a half swing into a full one. In 1905 she won her first Scottish Ladies title, played at the North Berwick links, more than 4,000 people watched her win the final on the 19th hole. She repeated in 1906 and 1908. The next year she entered the U.S. Women’s Amateur for the first time and won at the Merion Cricket Club. When she returned to achieve her first victory in the British Women’s Amateur Championship at Royal Birkdale, it was an unprecedented double.

In 1910, Campbell moved to Canada and won the country’s championship three consecutive years before moving to the United States permanently in 1913. When she won the American title again in 1924, she was 41 years old. She remains the championship’s oldest winner, and her 15-year span between victories is also the longest in the event’s history.

Hurd advanced women’s golf in America by being the first to aim directly at the pin on her approaches instead of just the general vicinity of the green. She had a tremendous short game, which she once said, “is almost second nature to me.”

A deadly putter, she was even better from just off the green. Her favourite club was a goose-necked mashie she called “Thomas.” It was “Thomas” that she gave credit to for her American-British double at Birkdale she used the club to hole out at a crucial point in .the match. In the final of the 1921 North and South championship at Pinehurst, “Thomas�� holed two shots.

After her flurry of national titles, Campbell married and her golf career hit a fallow period. When she lost the final of the 1920 U.S. Amateur to Alexa Stirling, it appeared to be her last hurrah. But in 1923, seeing that many women were out-driving her by using a more modern technique, she concluded that her game needed updating. She changed her swing returning to winning ways at the 1924 U.S. Amateur at Rhode Island C.C., she rolled through the field, ultimately defeating Mary K. Browne, the national lawn tennis champion of 1912 and 1913, 7 and 6, in the final.

Although it was Hurd’s last championship, she was far from finished as a golfer. In 1926, she set out to surpass the record for fewest putts in 18 holes, 21, which had been set by Walter J. Travis. At the Augusta C.C., Hurd came to the 18th hole with 19 putts, when she holed out from off the green using “Thomas,” her famous mashie.

She married Jack V. Hurd in Wentworth, Ontario, Canada on 11 February 1913. Hurd was a steel magnate living in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She won many of her titles as Mrs. J. V. Hurd, but she and Hurd were divorced in 1923. Dorothy married Edward Howe in 1937 and divorced again in 1943.

Her life ended tragically in a railway accident on March 20, 1945, falling off a platform and into the path of an oncoming train.

Dorothy Campbell was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1978.

[foxes-that-run]

That time 1D posed for Vogue with a Taylor lookalike next to Harry:

December British Vogue: The Fab Five Full Interview

By Jo Ellison 18 December 2012 (x)

Photographed by Patrick Demarchelier wearing a Christian Dior dress - with One Direction - for the December 2012 issue of British Vogue. Patrick Demarchelier

In just two years, since coming third on X Factor, they've charged their way to global fame, smashed new records and set millions of hearts aflutter. Not bad for a boy band who don't dance. Jo Ellison tries to catch up with One Direction in the December issue of Vogue.

Could it be that the only person in the world not familiar with One Direction is Patrick Demarchelier, the photographer today charged with capturing the fab five for Vogue. Sitting on a battered leather sofa in a comfortable studio in north London, his typical Gallic indifference to the upcoming task is almost comic. "So, oo iz ziss zat we are shooting?" he appeals to the room. "The Beatles?" Pretty much, an entourage of overexcited females nod back. He shrugs, and glances at his watch.

For the benefit of Demarchelier - or those who don't associate regularly with seven-year-olds, televisions or radios, or those of us of a slightly older vintage with dubious moral intentions - One Direction are currently the biggest pop band in the world. In two years, since coming third in the reality talent factory X Factor, they have achieved successes even Simon Cowell couldn't have quite dreamt of. At the time of writing, Messrs Liam Payne, Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson and Niall Horan are number one in 50 countries, boast about 10 million Facebook fans and lead more than 6.5 million followers on Twitter. Their debut album, Up All Night (a pop-pourri of infinitely familiar but earwormy tracks, including the ubiquitous summer anthem What Makes You Beautiful), was the first by a British act to go straight to number one in America. Ever. Its release coincided with an epic, global, sellout tour, during which their every movement was accompanied by a shrieking tsunami of tweenage desire. They've just recorded a "difficult" second album in Sweden.

Critics may dispute their musical legitimacy - they don't write songs, nor play instruments, nor dance (unless you count swaying vigorously on the spot). Neither was their genesis remotely organic; the five were thrown together "live" on air when they failed to persuade the X Factor judges of their strength as soloists. In short, they are as manufactured as McDonald's. But 1D, as their apparently un-ironic moniker would now have them, are the modern pop phenomenon. As Alexa Chung puts it: "They're no Beatles, obviously, but it's nice to see a boy band dress well for a change. They remind me of a box of puppies at Christmas - each one more adorable than the next."

The question as to exactly who is the most adorable remains the most hotly contested debate in the playground today. Is it Liam, from Wolverhampton, star sign Virgo, with his newly shorn, post break-up crew cut, his phobia of spoons and his excellent Kermit the Frog impression? Or Zayn, a chocolate-eyed Capricorn from Bradford, who has three sisters, always wears two pairs of socks and can't swim? Maybe it's Louis, the green-eyed granddaddy of the gang, another Capricorn, this time from Doncaster, about to turn 21 and one of only two members to hold a driving licence. Is it little Niall, Virgo, a blond moppet from Mullingar in Ireland, with not-so-invisible invisible braces, "a soft spot for girls with green eyes" and a habit of curling up and dozing off at any given opportunity?

Or is it Harry? Which, of course, it is, because if you have heard nothing whatsoever of One Direction you have probably heard of Harry Styles, the hazel-eyed, mop-topped, bedimpled lead singer and baby of the group, with whom the whole world has fallen in love. Harry, an Aquarian, who hails from the village of Holmes Chapel in Cheshire. Harry, whose delightful scowl of petulant confusion, like a teddy bear trying to do trigonometry, has skewered millions of fluttering hearts, and has wooed scores of women if the papers are to be believed (and wouldn't you, if you were he and had that kind of opportunity?). Harry, whose favourite food is tacos, who hates mayonnaise, adores the Beatles, likes to perform Justin Bieber at karaoke and who is the first to introduce himself to the assembled crew when the band arrive, two hours earlier than scheduled, throwing everyone into a paroxysm of panic that even the best Carry On film couldn't emulate.

"You're never going to get used to walking into a room and have people screaming at you," he says of his status as World's Most Fanciable Adolescent, as a stylist fumbles around him with a black tie in as professional a manner as she can muster. Despite being so terribly attractive, with his lazy northern brogue and cursedly pretty face, he has managed to stay sanguine about his fame. "There's a lot of things that come with the life you could get lost in," he says, eyes flickering earnestly under the signature 'do (ebony curls, fringe swept-over, mussy at the back). "But you have to let it be what it is. I've learnt not to take everything too seriously."

And how does he feel about the endless photocalls and press shoots that go with the territory? Days like today, for example. "I enjoy 'em, actually," he says. "Especially ones like this, where you don't have to just sit there and grin."

He's especially comfortable in the fashion world; he was the only member of the band who sat front row at Burberry last September, for example. "I like fashion," he says. "When I look back at the kind of stuff I wore on the X Factor, I laff." In fairness, he was only 16 then, a highly forgettable period in anyone's style evolution. "No," he shudders, recalling the bow ties and long straggly scarves that accessorised his earliest television appearances. "There's no excuse."

Despite being the most obviously charming of the group, Harry is also remarkably self-contained. In front of the camera he can appear removed, even shy at times. As to his role in the group: "I float a bit," he says vaguely, before adding, "and I can fall asleep anywhere. That's my thing."

Asked to identify the "father figure" among them, the boys nominate Liam, who is wrestling with the laces on a new pair of white Converse and getting used to the aforementioned haircut. "At the start, the management said I wasn't allowed to change my hair," he says of the strict aesthetic with which the boys are expected to comply. "But then I did it anyway, so they kind of let that one go. I tend to change my hair quite a lot." The change affords him a small window of anonymity. "I can go out and about," he says. "The other day I went out dressed as a big chav - Adidas trainers, jogging bottoms - and no one recognised me."

"It seems almost sad that a little haircut should represent such a big opportunity for the boys to lead anything like a normal life, if only until the papers catch up with them 24 hours later, but they are, at least, beginning to enjoy more autonomy in their artistic lives. The new album allowed them "to experiment with new sounds", says Harry. "We want to gradually get more and more 'live' sounding. So this album is a lot less little synth sounds, more guitars and drums. It's important to experiment with things - we want to move with the times, but keep true to ourselves."

For others, the second album was a longed-for chance to flex some musical muscle. "We did a lot of writing in the studio," says Niall, the self-described "carefree" member of the team. "And I play the guitar, so I play on a lot of the tracks on the album." A "born performer", whose first party trick, aged four, was to sing Saturday Night at the Movies to any willing audience, Niall has no issue with screaming women. Adores touring. "I love it. I love the screaming. They love it, too: they've all got their tickets and they've been waiting a year or so to see you, so you've got to give it your best." That said, he - like all of them - is looking forward to the three-day holiday they've been allocated, and the quiet normalcy of "hanging out at home and going to the pub with my old mates".

But now it's time for work. And so they assemble, staring down the lens of Demarchelier's camera with all the intensity of Derek Zoolander, as the sphinx-like Edie Campbell trails lissom limbs along their shoulders. Approaching 22 herself, she's far too old for these young swains: "They're just children," she laughs as she quick-changes into white Dior. Anyway, the boys seem largely impervious to her beauty, Zayn standing stock-still as she arranges herself around him, never breaking eye-contact with the lens. Perhaps he's in awe of her - the band's groomer later mentions she's never seen the boys so "well-behaved". True enough, they are a treat to shoot: quick, uncomplaining, each doing just as they are told - there's barely even any banter between frames. It's far from the hi-energy performance they bring to the stage, but no less efficient.

Such professionalism is almost eerie - the product of a long, long education at the school of Simon Cowell but they're ever so sweet with it, too. Afterwards they sign autographs, pose for pictures, thank everyone for their time, and are as lovely as you hope they'd be. And then they're off, all ushered, in one direction, towards the next appointment on that relentless schedule of world domination.

One Direction's new album, Take Me Home, is out now.

Read more: The December Issue Highlights

[bidisasterevankinard]

Wip Wednesday 👨‍👧🧑‍⚕️

tagged by @devirnis @wikiangela @panbuckley @lover-of-mine @eddiediaztho thank you💙😘

ok more people choosed girl dad Buck and I'm going to concentrate on enemies to lovers for a while(hope to end it as I'm motivated) so, you will no see it for a bit (i will come back soon) so here last snippet for a moment

prev snippet

“I’ve read the form you filled in the waiting room, but let’s fast check everything, ok?” Buck knows the doctor talks with him, but he also says it to Diana and it makes Buck warm inside cause he’s a little tired when people treat his daughter like she can’t talk for herself, or like she’s just an accessory that makes him sexier, like Jennie or single moms on playgrounds.

“It started this morning, you felt too cold, your throat,” Dr. Diaz points at his throat, “and also your head were hurting, that’s right, Diana?”

“Yes,” the toddler's quiet tired voice answers the doctor, “it's still like that, but daddy and Alexa said you can help me,” Diana smiles at the doctor and Buck sees the doctor a little melting from this.

Yep, his daughter knows how to be sweet and wraps people around her little fingers. He has enough proof.

“I will try my best,” Dr. Diaz nods and now looks at him. “How high was Diana's temperature?” Dr. Diaz puts on his professional voice while talking to him, making it less playful.

“98,6 this morning, same as when we were in the waiting room. If it wasn’t for her headache and sore throat I think we would just rest, but I wanted to make sure it’s just a cold.”

“Completely understand your concerns. Diana,” Dr. Diaz again changes his voice and sends all attention to the girl, “is that ok with you if I will listen to your heartbeat and how you breathe with my Stethoscope? I promise it’s not painful, but might be a little bit cold,” Buck thinks it shouldn’t be so hot how this man can be so professional with parents, but so playful and good with kids, still staying professional.

“I know it’s not painful, but even if it was a little I’m not scared, especially if daddy with me.”

Buck melts hearing it, and he can say Alexa and doctor too. 

He helps Diana to take off her t-shirt. Dr. Diaz quickly cheeks her heartbeat and asks Di to breathe from him, and takes off his stethoscope with a satisfied nod of the head while Buck dresses Di.

“No sights of  wheezings, it’s good. Now can you, sweetheart, say ‘aaaaa’ for me so I can see your throat?” 

Tagging if they want to share : @honestlydarkprincess @911onabc @ebdaydreamer @alyxmastershipper @transbuck @cowboy-buddie @heartshapedvows @bekkachaos @rogerzsteven @the-likesofus @elvensorceress @barbiediaz @buddierights @housewifebuck @thewolvesof1998 @wildlife4life @hippolotamus @transboybuckley @heartbeatdiaz @buck-coded @spotsandsocks @monsterrae1 @spaceprincessem @userdisaster @caroandcats @mandzuking17 @useramor @jobairdxx @translasso @firemedicdiaz @jesuisici33 @bigfootsmom @jeeyuns and anyone who wants to share

[bedforddanes75]

alexa chung has the face of a mid 2000s mum from somewhere south of manc. calls her kids babe and is always best dressed at the school playground when she picks them up. like. insanity

[south-of-heaven]

Alexa Bliss x fem!reader where alexa invites reader to her playground and everyone tells her not to go but she is interested and turns out alexa has feelings for her and asks her to join her?

Alexa's Playground || Alexa Bliss x Reader

Summary: Alexa invites you to her playground. Everyone advices you not to go but you're too curious. In the end you're very happy that you decided to go.

The WWE backstage was buzzing with rumors and hushed warnings. Everyone had something to say about Alexa Bliss's "Playground" segment on RAW, and most of it was cautioning you not to go. They said it was eerie, unsettling, and downright strange. But none of that could deter you; there was something about Alexa that drew you in like a moth to a flame.

You watched from backstage as Alexa made her way to the ring. Her eerie entrance and the haunting melody that followed her sent shivers down your spine, but you couldn't take your eyes off her. She was captivating in a way that defied explanation.

As her segment unfolded, you found yourself drawn deeper into her world. The dark, whimsical playground set, her cryptic words, and the eerie doll she cradled in her arms all added to the surreal atmosphere. Despite the unsettling feeling in the pit of your stomach, you couldn't look away.

After her segment was over, the cameras switched off, and the eerie ambiance dissipated, leaving only the reality of the wrestling arena. Alexa stepped out of the ring and made her way backstage, and you decided to take a chance.

You approached her cautiously, not entirely sure what to expect. She turned to you, her eyes locking onto yours with an intensity that sent a thrill down your spine. You swallowed nervously.

"Hi," you greeted her, your voice tinged with curiosity and just a hint of nervousness.

"Hello," she replied, her voice soft and melodic, like a siren's call. "You came to my Playground."

You nodded, unable to resist her magnetic presence. "I did. It's... unlike anything I've ever seen."

A small, enigmatic smile played on her lips. "I knew you would appreciate it."

That statement puzzled you. "How did you know?"

Alexa took a step closer, her gaze unwavering. "I've been watching you, studying you. I can see something in you, something special."

You felt a shiver run down your spine, but it wasn't from fear. It was from the undeniable connection you felt with her.

"What do you want from me?" you asked, your curiosity overshadowing your caution.

Alexa's eyes held a mixture of emotions, but one thing was crystal clear—desire.

"I want you to join me on my Playground regularly," she admitted, her voice low and intimate. "I want us to be partners, to explore this world together. And..." She paused, her gaze dropping for a moment before locking onto yours again. "I want more than just a partnership, if you're willing."

Your heart raced, and despite the strange circumstances, you felt a pull toward Alexa that you couldn't resist. You took a deep breath and nodded.

"Okay," you said, your voice trembling with uncertainty and anticipation. "I'll join you, Alexa, and... I'm willing to see where this leads."

Her smile widened, and for the first time since you met her, it held a warmth that was both comforting and thrilling.

"Good," she whispered, her fingers brushing against yours. "I promise, you won't regret it."

As you left the arena that night, you couldn't help but wonder what mysteries and adventures awaited you on Alexa's Playground, and whether this enigmatic woman would be the unexpected twist in your life that you had been waiting for.

[sapphia]

alexa nikolas got bullied on a nickelodeon set instead of the school playground like everyone else and she thinks it makes her the most specialest “victim” to ever walk the earth

[cliperry]

December Vogue: The Fab Five Full Interview

By Jo Ellison

18 December 2012

media.vogue.co.uk

Photographed by Patrick Demarchelier wearing a Christian Dior dress - with One Direction - for the December 2012 issue of British Vogue.Patrick Demarchelier

Photographed by Patrick Demarchelier wearing a Christian Dior dress - with One Direction - for the December 2012 issue of British Vogue.Patrick Demarchelier

In just two years, since coming third on X Factor, they've charged their way to global fame, smashed new records and set millions of hearts aflutter. Not bad for a boy band who don't dance. Jo Ellison tries to catch up with One Direction in the December issue of Vogue.

Could it be that the only person in the world not familiar with One Direction is Patrick Demarchelier, the photographer today charged with capturing the fab five for Vogue. Sitting on a battered leather sofa in a comfortable studio in north London, his typical Gallic indifference to the upcoming task is almost comic. "So, oo iz ziss zat we are shooting?" he appeals to the room. "The Beatles?" Pretty much, an entourage of overexcited females nod back. He shrugs, and glances at his watch.

For the benefit of Demarchelier - or those who don't associate regularly with seven-year-olds, televisions or radios, or those of us of a slightly older vintage with dubious moral intentions - One Direction are currently the biggest pop band in the world. In two years, since coming third in the reality talent factory X Factor, they have achieved successes even Simon Cowell couldn't have quite dreamt of. At the time of writing, Messrs Liam Payne, Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson and Niall Horan are number one in 50 countries, boast about 10 million Facebook fans and lead more than 6.5 million followers on Twitter. Their debut album, Up All Night (a pop-pourri of infinitely familiar but earwormy tracks, including the ubiquitous summer anthem What Makes You Beautiful), was the first by a British act to go straight to number one in America. Ever. Its release coincided with an epic, global, sellout tour, during which their every movement was accompanied by a shrieking tsunami of tweenage desire. They've just recorded a "difficult" second album in Sweden.

Critics may dispute their musical legitimacy - they don't write songs, nor play instruments, nor dance (unless you count swaying vigorously on the spot). Neither was their genesis remotely organic; the five were thrown together "live" on air when they failed to persuade the X Factor judges of their strength as soloists. In short, they are as manufactured as McDonald's. But 1D, as their apparently un-ironic moniker would now have them, are the modern pop phenomenon. As Alexa Chung puts it: "They're no Beatles, obviously, but it's nice to see a boy band dress well for a change. They remind me of a box of puppies at Christmas - each one more adorable than the next."

Performing on NBC's Today Show at Rockefeller Plaza in New York, surrounded by adoring fans.

The question as to exactly who is the most adorable remains the most hotly contested debate in the playground today. Is it Liam, from Wolverhampton, star sign Virgo, with his newly shorn, post break-up crew cut, his phobia of spoons and his excellent Kermit the Frog impression? Or Zayn, a chocolate-eyed Capricorn from Bradford, who has three sisters, always wears two pairs of socks and can't swim? Maybe it's Louis, the green-eyed granddaddy of the gang, another Capricorn, this time from Doncaster, about to turn 21 and one of only two members to hold a driving licence. Is it little Niall, Virgo, a blond moppet from Mullingar in Ireland, with not-so-invisible invisible braces, "a soft spot for girls with green eyes" and a habit of curling up and dozing off at any given opportunity?

Or is it Harry? Which, of course, it is, because if you have heard nothing whatsoever of One Direction you have probably heard of Harry Styles, the hazel-eyed, mop-topped, bedimpled lead singer and baby of the group, with whom the whole world has fallen in love. Harry, an Aquarian, who hails from the village of Holmes Chapel in Cheshire. Harry, whose delightful scowl of petulant confusion, like a teddy bear trying to do trigonometry, has skewered millions of fluttering hearts, and has wooed scores of women if the papers are to be believed (and wouldn't you, if you were he and had that kind of opportunity?). Harry, whose favourite food is tacos, who hates mayonnaise, adores the Beatles, likes to perform Justin Bieber at karaoke and who is the first to introduce himself to the assembled crew when the band arrive, two hours earlier than scheduled, throwing everyone into a paroxysm of panic that even the best Carry On film couldn't emulate.

"You're never going to get used to walking into a room and have people screaming at you," he says of his status as World's Most Fanciable Adolescent, as a stylist fumbles around him with a black tie in as professional a manner as she can muster. Despite being so terribly attractive, with his lazy northern brogue and cursedly pretty face, he has managed to stay sanguine about his fame. "There's a lot of things that come with the life you could get lost in," he says, eyes flickering earnestly under the signature 'do (ebony curls, fringe swept-over, mussy at the back). "But you have to let it be what it is. I've learnt not to take everything too seriously."

And how does he feel about the endless photocalls and press shoots that go with the territory? Days like today, for example. "I enjoy 'em, actually," he says. "Especially ones like this, where you don't have to just sit there and grin."

He's especially comfortable in the fashion world; he was the only member of the band who sat front row at Burberry last September, for example. "I like fashion," he says. "When I look back at the kind of stuff I wore on the X Factor, I laff." In fairness, he was only 16 then, a highly forgettable period in anyone's style evolution. "No," he shudders, recalling the bow ties and long straggly scarves that accessorised his earliest television appearances. "There's no excuse."

Despite being the most obviously charming of the group, Harry is also remarkably self-contained. In front of the camera he can appear removed, even shy at times. As to his role in the group: "I float a bit," he says vaguely, before adding, "and I can fall asleep anywhere. That's my thing."

Asked to identify the "father figure" among them, the boys nominate Liam, who is wrestling with the laces on a new pair of white Converse and getting used to the aforementioned haircut. "At the start, the management said I wasn't allowed to change my hair," he says of the strict aesthetic with which the boys are expected to comply. "But then I did it anyway, so they kind of let that one go. I tend to change my hair quite a lot." The change affords him a small window of anonymity. "I can go out and about," he says. "The other day I went out dressed as a big chav - Adidas trainers, jogging bottoms - and no one recognised me."

"It seems almost sad that a little haircut should represent such a big opportunity for the boys to lead anything like a normal life, if only until the papers catch up with them 24 hours later, but they are, at least, beginning to enjoy more autonomy in their artistic lives. The new album allowed them "to experiment with new sounds", says Harry. "We want to gradually get more and more 'live' sounding. So this album is a lot less little synth sounds, more guitars and drums. It's important to experiment with things - we want to move with the times, but keep true to ourselves."

I love the screaming.

For others, the second album was a longed-for chance to flex some musical muscle. "We did a lot of writing in the studio," says Niall, the self-described "carefree" member of the team. "And I play the guitar, so I play on a lot of the tracks on the album." A "born performer", whose first party trick, aged four, was to sing Saturday Night at the Movies to any willing audience, Niall has no issue with screaming women. Adores touring. "I love it. I love the screaming. They love it, too: they've all got their tickets and they've been waiting a year or so to see you, so you've got to give it your best." That said, he - like all of them - is looking forward to the three-day holiday they've been allocated, and the quiet normalcy of "hanging out at home and going to the pub with my old mates".

But now it's time for work. And so they assemble, staring down the lens of Demarchelier's camera with all the intensity of Derek Zoolander, as the sphinx-like Edie Campbell trails lissom limbs along their shoulders. Approaching 22 herself, she's far too old for these young swains: "They're just children," she laughs as she quick-changes into white Dior. Anyway, the boys seem largely impervious to her beauty, Zayn standing stock-still as she arranges herself around him, never breaking eye-contact with the lens. Perhaps he's in awe of her - the band's groomer later mentions she's never seen the boys so "well-behaved". True enough, they are a treat to shoot: quick, uncomplaining, each doing just as they are told - there's barely even any banter between frames. It's far from the hi-energy performance they bring to the stage, but no less efficient.

Such professionalism is almost eerie - the product of a long, long education at the school of Simon Cowell but they're ever so sweet with it, too. Afterwards they sign autographs, pose for pictures, thank everyone for their time, and are as lovely as you hope they'd be. And then they're off, all ushered, in one direction, towards the next appointment on that relentless schedule of world domination.

One Direction's new album, Take Me Home, is out now.

[huntsvillehq]

on october 31st, it started as a rumble: a low sound deep within the earth. the telephone poles and street signs began to sway. the ground shifted and opened up: a jagged split down the middle of main street, three feet wide and fifty feet long, revealing a black void beneath.

buildings cracked and crumbled. the huntsville bank lost a third of it's structure; the shelves in the library toppled and crashed into each other; pete's garage collapsed completely; the playground in the park slid to an angle.

the earthquake destroyed all the booths and stalls for the festival. a fire broke out in one of the haunted houses. a pipe burst, spraying the street with water. destruction and devastation reigned down upon main street.

it lasted a total of five minutes before the ground and dust settled and people were able to take stock of what just happened. Mayor Natasha rounded up the police and fire departments, sending them on a search and rescue to ensure everyone was recovered in some form or another and to put out the fires and check that every door with a protection rune remained intact.

shock and horror gained traction over the course of the next several hours, as reports came in. three individuals were killed and dozens were injured. Sunflower Parsons was declared missing, as her body was not recovered and no one could remember where they saw her last.

the list of deaths were posted the next morning: Minnie Garcia, Sammie Thompson, and Zoë Clark.

(below the cut are the people who were injured in alphabetical order. the muns can determine how severe the injuries are, up to and including loss of limb/disability. due to the nature of the disaster, those not listed can still have minor cuts and bruises. the event concludes on nov 11th, at which time no new event threads may be posted and we catch up to the ooc present. you will still be allowed to continue event threads until completion.)

Alessandra Nuwa Chen

Alexa Cruz-Dutton (10)

Andrew Richardson

Andy Flowers

Avery Cowling

Bowie Bardot

Briana Ryan

Calloway de la Luna

Claire Forbes

Cain Barlowe

Daishiro Takahashi

Daisy Theirry

DJ Cruz-Dutton

Domino Otto

Eagan Connolly

Edgar Wayne

Eldon Harcourt

Emma “Em” Dunford

Falco Romero

Halley MacGillivray

James Goldstein

Jane Doe

Jay Romero-Sawyer (15)

Jerico Leeds

Katarina “Rini” Roberts

Liam Jefferson

Lin Xiu

Mallard “Duck” Romero

Mylene “Myles” Karimi

Natalie Gray

Penelope “Penny” Lane

Peter “Rusty” Craven

Saffron Aubert

Salem Salazar

Sandra Quispe

Scout Garcia

Sicilia “Lia” Flowers

Spencer Holmes

Reggie Alson

Ricardo “Ric” Reider

Rosemary Felton

Valeria “Val” Moreno

Victoire “Vic” Dubois

Ward Langston

Wolf Lykaios

[scary-ivy]

Overhead a kid on the playground talking to their friends saying "do you know vampires werewolves and zombies are real? You know why I know that? Because I asked Alexa if they were real and she said yes."

[cass1x1]

hopscotch, dried paint brush, playground equipment | theo, marisol, owen, alexa!

@gerrykecy

theo

hopscotch — does your muse like to work out? if not, how else do they move their body from day to day?

they do! they like the routine. they have a morning routine (mostly like cardio or training depending on where they are in their mental cycle) and an evening routine (more like yoga/flexibility stuff, and also sometimes reflex-y stuff). in addition, they typically do something as part of their disguise. their current iteration of self goes to barre.

dried paint brush — how creative is your muse? do they create anything with said creativity or are they considered ‘wasted potential’?

they're not super creative but they like the routine of stuff like knitting or crocheting. like they can't develop their own pattern but they are absolutely diligent when it comes to completing a project based on a pattern. perfectly even stitches etc. they're a paint-by-numbers kind of person.

playground equipment — what’s a childhood memory, whether it’s liked or not, that stands out to your muse? why does it stand out among the rest?

because the prompt said playground, the memory that comes to mind is of them in high school with their first boyfriend on the elementary school playground at night and they had sorta hoisted themself up on top of the monkey bars and he was on a swing and they were just sort of talking. i think it was one of the few times in theo's life where they felt like they were normal????

marisol

hopscotch — does your muse like to work out? if not, how else do they move their body from day to day?

she does a little like...light cardio? a morning jog? and she's just generally active (walking/biking places, etc.) and she's done cycling classes when she has some extra money.

dried paint brush — how creative is your muse? do they create anything with said creativity or are they considered ‘wasted potential’?

super creative! marisol has a great eye for design and things like that. she does think her skills are wasted but tbh i cannot imagine what she would be doing that would a) not feel like a waste and also b) not feel like too much work.

playground equipment — what’s a childhood memory, whether it’s liked or not, that stands out to your muse? why does it stand out among the rest?

i think being at a ball or royal part of some sort and it being the first time she fully did her own outfit (before that, she'd been choosing from, like, a list provided to her--this time she worked with a designer) and just like, having people stare at her as she walked in, and the warring feeling of some people staring in admiration and others staring in disdain...just a weird feeling. because it was the first time she'd picked the appearance and planned her entrance herself and having such a mixed result was just strange.

owen

hopscotch — does your muse like to work out? if not, how else do they move their body from day to day?

not really! he does go on bike rides (he cannot afford a car so he bikes everywhere) but he doesn't like to work out and doesn't have a routine to do so.

dried paint brush — how creative is your muse? do they create anything with said creativity or are they considered ‘wasted potential’?

super creative and artistic! hence the wanting to be an architect. he draws well (his preferred media are charcoal pencil, watercolor pencil, or ink depending what he's trying to do). he does sometimes do things but because it's a hard industry to break into he doesn't do as much as he would maybe like, and then he gets into funks.

playground equipment — what’s a childhood memory, whether it’s liked or not, that stands out to your muse? why does it stand out among the rest?

ooof. i think maybe it was with a foster family, and they were going on a skiing/snowboarding vacation and it was the first time he'd ever seen snow before so he was like "whoaaa!!!!" i think it stands out because, like, if you've never seen snow in real life before, it's pretty wild. ice just falls from the sky and it's super chill and honestly kind of magical.

alexa

hopscotch — does your muse like to work out? if not, how else do they move their body from day to day?

she does! she used to be an athlete from childhood through college, and though she's slowed down, she still keeps up some of those habits. she runs every day and she goes to zumba classes or pilates or something like that depending on what fits with her schedule. she loves it.

dried paint brush — how creative is your muse? do they create anything with said creativity or are they considered ‘wasted potential’?

she's creative! her main genre of writing is creative nonfiction but she does clearly do some poetry too. it's not her plan for it to be a waste but....there is always that fear, right?

playground equipment — what’s a childhood memory, whether it’s liked or not, that stands out to your muse? why does it stand out among the rest?

she remembers hiding out in her treehouse with dean and the two of them were lying out their backs looking up at the roof of their treehouse (which was like, kinda janky so they could see through it) and then it started to rain and they had to scramble/race back to the house and by the time they got inside they were both soaked and inexplicably muddy and they got in quite a lot of trouble for that for reasons she doesn't fully remember.