#favorite fitzgerald girl for ever and ever

[laurapetrie]

THE LAST TYCOON (2017) I’ll stand there and bloom. After he kisses me - I bloom, I told you. How often do I have to tell you I bloom? - F. Scott Fitzgerald

[earlysunshines]

moonlight serenade

kindergarden teacher!sana x fem!reader. (pt. 3)

summary: sana finds you even cuter after seeing you in shark pj's, you two are hopeless lesbians, you drive sana home and it's more romantic than it should be – oh my god you're not a mother?

wc: 5.3k

warnings: mentions of food, i think that's it ; reader has tattoos ; u two are hopeless romantics ; lesbians being lesbians

pt 1. pt2. pt4.

a/n: I love jazz. I've been listening to jazz in a bakery/cafe while writing each part actually. pls listen to moonlight serenade by ella fitzgerald, it's a work of art and one of my all time favorites :-D

(are lyrics in fics corny? I have no idea. I just love jazz and thought this song was perfect for this part.)

trying to write as much before I move! enjoy ;-]

-

“Are you actually serious?” Jihyo says, placing her cup of coffee down. Sana pinches the bridge of her nose and lets out a small breath,

“Jihyo, I don’t know what to do,” Sana says defeatedly.

Two months have passed by and that means two months of seeing you every now and then. Johnny, your brother, has returned from his business trip, so he ended up being the one to take Hana to school in the morning and the one to pick her up in the afternoon. You, however, were not going to miss the chance to see this lovely woman named Sana. 5'4 inches of pure beauty and charm. So, you convinced him to let you take Hana to school once or twice a week just to see who you think is the woman blessed by Aphrodite. 

I mean, the temperature is dropping, and the warmth that spreads through your body when you see Sana is definitely something you need for this weather.

Every week Sana would see you in the morning once or twice. You two would exchange your friendly greetings before Hana goes off to chat with her new best friend Jiyeong, you’d stare at each other all lovingly (you two are oblivious, it’s sick), and then part ways. Rinse and repeat, reuse, reduce, recycle, etc, this went on for two damn months. 

Sana would never say anything more, she wouldn’t flirt, she wouldn’t ask you out, and she wouldn’t do anything but be friendly. She still believed that you were literally her student’s mother, and there was a guilt that got heavier every time her heart did a flip from seeing you.

Each interaction sparked a small flame in your hearts, and just before it grew bigger, you’d wave goodbye; the flame would die again, never growing large enough to really warm you two the way you both needed.

“Sana… I honestly have no clue what to say,” Jihyo starts, and she looks at the young teacher in front of her, practically losing her mind, “I mean, you’re sure she’s her mom?”

“Yes, I mean, the girl’s dad and her take turns dropping her off and whatnot. I'm not going to be more delusional than I already am trying to find anything that makes her seem less like a mother, I mean, it's clear that she is the mother of that girl.” Sana explains, and her heart sinks a little, “I guess her dad is nice, though, and tall, I don’t know.” Sana groans. 

Jihyo watches Sana stick out her signature little pout and swirl the coffee in her cup, 

“Well… There are always others, no?”

“I don’t know, it’s just something about her Jihyo,” and Jihyo listens with interest, “I just, ever since we met, I feel like, there was some kind of… god this is so embarrassing…” Sana trails off, putting a hand on her forehead and pinching her eyes shut from slight embarrassment. Sana reminisces the way you’d joke about Hana making your wrinkles appear if she kept it up with her little antics, how you’d make her laugh at your little comments, and the way your eyes scan the room for her in the mornings and -

“You’ve been a hopeless romantic since we were roommates, I’ve probably heard worse.” Jihyo sighs, and she reminisces about the days when Sana and she had to share a small single-bedroom dorm, and how she would gush about anything and romanticize everything. 

“Look, she’s just so pretty… Maybe we could just be friends? She’s sweet.” Sana suggests, and Jihyo laughs in disbelief.

“You want to be friends with someone’s mother that you also, or, might have a crush on?”

“Maybe.” 

-

You let yourself in through the front door with your spare keys, hanging your jacket on the coat hanger and sliding your shoes off, setting them on the shoe rack. 

There’s a faint melody of a slow, soft song playing, and there’s a low voice that hums along to the old tune. It fits the atmosphere of the quiet house on a Thursday night.

You creep through the hall quietly to see your brother in the dimmed kitchen washing a few plates. He’s in a navy long-sleeved shirt with its sleeves rolled up so water doesn't temporarily shade his apparel, and loose shorts that go down to just above his knees. His hair is a bit messy, and he looks nerdy with his circular black glasses on. You laugh at the sight of him in his pajamas and slides, he jumps a little and turns his head in surprise after hearing you.

“My god, at least text me.” He sighs, and you chuckle at him. You make your way over to the area where he is and sit across from him at the kitchen island, he directs his attention back to the dirty plate in his hand, “Did you need something?”

“Kinda.”

“You know where everything is, just grab it if you need it. Also, be quiet, Hana just fell asleep.” Johnny responds, turning off the sink and placing the white dish in the dishwasher. 

“It’s not a physical thing, I just… maybe some advice, or at least your thoughts.”

“...On?”

“There’s this girl,”

"Oh," He mumbles quietly, “You’re ready to date again?”

“I think so,” You begin, “She’s different you know. Not like that girl in high school. She’s actually the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, and she’s sweet and nice and caring and-”

“How long have you known her?”

“Two months...”

“So it is Ms. Minatozaki.” Johnny scoffs, though, not in an insulting way, more of an ‘I fucking knew it’ way. He picks up a rag and starts to wipe it on the countertop.

You look at your taller brother in surprise, “How did you know?”

“Hana tells me all about you two y’know? Why else would you willingly wake up earlier than you should to drop off my daughter at school? And, she tells me that you ask about her teacher?” He laughs, “You’re not good at hiding things, never have been.”

“Hey!” You say defensively, and a little too loud as it makes him put a finger to his lips,

“Lower your voice.” 

“Sorry.” You mumble, laying your head on your palm. Johnny turns his body to face you instead of the counter connected to the sink that he had previously been wiping,

“Soooo, what are you going to do?”

“I don’t know Johnny.”

“You think she likes you?” He asks, genuinely curious about your new interest. Johnny grabs two glasses of water and places them on the counter, then sits down to the right of you, making sure to give his full attention to you. 

Johnny has always been a good brother, and you two had your necessary brother-sister moments where you were at each other's throats; in fact, you’d bicker all the damn time and it even went on into high school. However, you two always had each other’s backs. Even when you hated each other there would be moments where you two were the only ones who understood each other, and sometimes time seemed to stop when you’d talk about the deeper topics and anything bothering you two. 

And so, time slows down as Johnny listens to your rant.

“We’re friendly, I mean, what am I thinking? I feel slightly delusional I won’t even lie,” You sigh, “She’s so pretty and sweet and I just, I really want to get to know her. Like ever since I met her I felt like… It’s so corny but I swear the world literally paused for a moment.” You add, shifting your look away from your older brother.

How are you supposed to tell your brother that this woman that you’ve known for two months is making you lose some sleep, and, by the way, you haven’t even had a full conversation with her either. You think of the woman that you go out of your way to run into and see for ten minutes a day total, twice a week. You think of her radiant smile that rivals the sun's rays, the voice that’s more soothing than any song on your playlist, and the way her eyes light up when she sees you, and -

“You’re head over heels, huh,” Johnny says, amused.

“Don’t be ridiculous, I barely know her.” you lie,

“Well, you could.”

“And how am I supposed to do that? ‘Oh hey I think of you day and night just because I think you’re cute and nice and I think I almost overfilled a cup of cold brew while daydreaming about you, uh maybe we could go out sometime?’”

“Maybe don’t say that much, dumbass.” Your older brother says playfully, “Just start with a compliment or something, you seriously suck at this romance stuff.”

“Thanks,” You mutter, rolling your eyes, “But what if she thinks that’s weird? I’m literally her student’s aunt.”

“Maybe,” Johnny sighs and finishes the water in his cup, “Maybe you should get some rest, y/n. If you lose sleep over this woman who you’ve never had a full conversation with, imagine how much sleep you’ll lose when you finally do.” He stands up and makes his way over back to the sink to rinse the glass cup you had gotten him for his last birthday, “So, maybe you should catch up on rest now and rant to me when you finally have the balls to actually make a conversation with her, then I could actually give you some decent advice."

“You suck.”

“I want to give you my feedback and advice, but this is literally all I can say right now: ask her out and come back to me.”

“This is too much.”

“You’re a loser, y/n.” Johnny jokes, and he takes the cup that you hadn’t touched away and then rinses it.

-

You don’t even get to plan anything or prepare yourself for your next interaction with Sana, and you look stupid when you run into her too.

You’re at the nearest convenience store in an oversized t-shirt that was your brothers’, the gray shirt with a shark graphic on it that was too comfy to not steal. Paired with that tee were plaid shorts and white socks with more sharks on them that you had gotten from Hana last Christmas, along with grayish-green clogs on your feet. 

You were dressed like a college student that was on a budget, and of course, you had to run into the woman of your dreams at a convenience store at 12:24 am on a Friday night while looking stupid.

Sana had run into you while you scanned the drinks section. You didn’t notice her calling out your name while there was pop music playing in your earbuds, and when you turned to see who had tapped on your shoulder your eyes widened.

Sana held a small basket in her hand, and she wore a purple sweatshirt along with gray sweatpants, much more presentable than what you were wearing. Your face goes red as you realize that she’s caught you looking ridiculous, all while she looks perfect.

Her hair is clipped up and some strands fall over her face, and she looks so unbelievably adorable just standing there smiling at you.

“Hi.” She says, looking you up and down. 

She scans your whole look and gets a little flustered by how precious you look. Your hair is messed up and disheveled at the roots, as if you’d just gotten out of bed and ran a hand through it. The oversized t-shirt drowned your figure in comfort, and your inked, toned forearms were revealed. The t-shirt you wore had a cute shark graphic on it, Sana had guessed that your daughter had something to do with why you had that shirt. She smiles at the sight of you in such comfy clothing, looking lovely as ever while you stare back at her. 

“Hey.” You respond, taking out an earbud,

“It’s surprising to see you here y/n,” Sana giggles, “Thirsty?” She questions, and she’s peeking at the vitamin water in one of your hands.

“I guess so.” You mumble, biting the inside of your cheek and putting a hand in your pocket, “It’s pretty surprising to see you here too.” You add. Surprising, but wow, definitely lucky. When would you ever see her looking so comfy and out of her workplace looking so cute? 

Sana giggles and you feel like a huge gust of wind has hit you so suddenly, about to hit you off your feet. You smile brightly. 

“I couldn’t sleep, I wanted something to snack on,” Sana shrugs. You glance at her basket and see some spicy turtle chips in the basket,

“Eating something spicy at this time is new to me, most people would have something warm, no?”

“Maybe.” Sana mutters, “I like your outfit, by the way.” 

Your ears turn red again and you look down at your clothing, “Yeah… It’s a shirt from Hana’s dad, haha, that’s why it’s so big.”

Sana’s heart sinks a bit at the mention of Hana’s dad. 

Sana and Johnny had met other times, and Sana thought he was nice, sweet, and she can't lie he does has a nice smile, but not as nice as yours. He treated Hana with care; Sana could tell he loved her dearly, as much as you did. 

“I see, I like it. The two of them must love sharks, she always draws them during class.”

“She and her dad are very similar, lots of shark things in the house. I prefer koalas.” You reply. You wonder why the hell you’re mentioning koalas at this time, at this moment in this place, but it doesn’t matter because it seems to spark some kind of conversation with the woman in front of you, and Sana thinks it’s cute, actually. 

“Koalas?” She questions amusingly, "They’re cute. I think hamsters are cuter, though.” 

“hamsters?”

“Mhm.” 

You chuckle at her response and wonder, how does she get cuter every time? Sana turns her head to eye at the drinks, then makes her way to the refrigerator door to grab one for herself, she grabs a canned iced americano and turns her body to face you again, 

“Do you live near? I feel like I would’ve run into you sooner if you did.” Sana says, looking at the can in her right hand. 

“Uh - no. The nearest convenience store closes at 12, so I just drove around until I found one open.” You answer, “Do you live near?” You ask. You wonder if the question is too weird or creepy to ask, I mean, this is a woman you don’t know too well, and would it be weird to ask a person you find so attractive where they live?

“Kind of. It’s a fifteen-minute walk, maybe less, give or take. The one right next to my place is closed too.”

“You walked? At this time?” You question her. Worry takes over your whole body because she walked alone? In the dark? At this hour? 

Sana just hums in response, “Yeah, the neighborhood is really quiet and not too bad.”

“Still, you should’ve driven or something.”

“I don’t drive.” She simply states. You furrow your brows. She just stares back at you with those big brown eyes, it almost makes you forget about worrying.

She walks past you and heads to the self-checkout, you follow. There's a sudden idea that pops up in your mind, and you usually wouldn't be so bold to suggest or ask anything so direct, but it's twelve in the morning and your mind is too scrambled to make or think of any decent decisions.

“Sana,” You murmur, voice just barely above a whisper as you find the confidence for what you’re about to say, “Uh- this might be a little weird to ask, but, um…” You stutter, why the hell are you stuttering? She’s staring at you with those large espresso-colored eyes that remind you of your job at the moment, and the longer she stares back at you the more your mind races. This woman has your heart doing flips and pounding through your chest, you can barely manage your thoughts and words,

“Yes?”

“Uh, could I take you home?” You finally say, barely managing to make eye contact with her and it’s a humbling experience as your usually leveled (at least you think) demeanor crumbles under the presence of this woman.

“You don’t have to. It’s late and I don’t want to cause you too much trouble, y/n.” 

“I’d be much more troubled if I knew you were walking home alone at this time, I insist.”

“Alright then. Let me pay first.”

You pause for a moment and Sana just turns back around, scanning the chips and canned coffee she had in her basket. It’s almost 12:30 now, and a pretty girl is letting you take her home. This wonder of the world is letting your disheveled self take her home.

-

“You have a nice car,” Sana says. She's never had a thing for cars or really knew too much about them. She's only paid attention to Jihyo’s five-seat white Lexus and the black, modified BMW that belonged to her childhood friend Momo. Other cars don't really matter or stand out to her, but Sana’s interest in you grows when she first sees the green Mercedes. Five-seated car looks nice and neat from the outside, for some reason, it really catches her attention. When she sits in the passenger seat she’s hit with the smell of coconut and vanilla. There are two things hung from the internal rearview mirror: One, a small keychain of a koala, and two, a picture of you and Johnny.

Sana can’t help but smile at the picture of you two, you two look happy.

You start the engine and put on your seatbelt before putting the drink you bought in the cup holder. You press on the screen in your car and a slow jazz melody plays. Of course, it had to be a love song. 

“I’ve never seen your tattoos up close, they’re really pretty.” Sana suddenly says as you start to move out of where you were parked. Her eyes scan from your upper forearm, where the tattoo started, and down to where it ended just below your wrist, “I only saw a bit of them when you had dropped Hana off the first day.” Sana added.

She wanted to add on about how she also noticed the tattoo just under your knuckles too, and how she found the ink on your skin so endearing. She wanted to tell you all about the things she found attractive about you. From the noticeable things like your bold features to the little things she’s noted in her mind from every meeting. The way you’d always run a hand through your beautiful hair once or twice, the eye contact you couldn’t hold with her, the way you bit the inside of your cheek when you were quiet, the way your fingers often tugged at the beaded bracelet on your hand, how cute it was to watch you say bye to your daughter, and various other little details. Sana wanted to tell you all about those things, but that would be incredibly weird, right?

“Oh, yeah, thank you. I got the tattoo on my forearm a couple of years ago. Hana picked out the butterfly on my hand last year, actually.” You say, looking at the screen of your car as you back up a bit, making sure you don’t hit anything. 

“Oh, also, you can type the address on my phone. Here.” You add, handing her the device. Sana types in her address quickly and it pops up on the screen. It’s a quick 4-minute drive, and you both wished it were a bit longer.

The music continues to play softly while you two sit in silence, and it somehow makes the mood a bit more intimate whilst the faint sound of Ella Fitzgerald's voice echoes,

I stand and I wait 

For the touch of your hand in the June night 

The roses are sighing 

A moonlight serenade

Your breath hitches, “Um, you can change the song if you want…” You say embarrassed. Sana shakes her head and mumbles, 

“It’s alright. I like it, It’s cute.” She admits, making you blush a bit. You grip the wheel a little tighter as you stop at the red light. The heartfelt lyrics fill the air with a romantic hum, and only the tender melody is heard as you sit together in silence.

The stars are aglow

 And tonight how their light sets me dreaming 

My love, do you know 

That your eyes are like stars brightly beaming?

Sana’s heartbeat skips a little knowing that you listen to such romantic melodies, and she wonders if you love as romantically as such songs. Her mind wanders to the thought of you serenading her in the moonlight, or serenading her in a more domestic setting. The sudden thought of you humming along to these tunes while you cooked or cleaned allowed made her cheeks flush a bit. Jihyo was right: Sana is a hopeless romantic. She’s too far in to get out of the hole of these feelings, and her heart aches a little, the guilt piles up.

You on the other hand are freaking out.

Sana likes your lovey-dovey taste in music, and she seems content (Sana's having a crisis). Maybe you do have a chance with this woman, I mean, she’s already in your car and letting you take her home. Maybe you can do this again, maybe you can listen to songs like this together in a more intimate setting rather than your car, and maybe you can do more than just listen to Ella Fitzgerald together. All the maybe’s in your head are cut short as you reach her place and park in front of her apartment complex. 

“We’re here.” You mutter, and you wish you weren’t.

Sana nods and reaches for the eco-friendly bag she had set down, unbuckles her seatbelt, then turns so that her eyes stare into yours with a new intensity. She puts her left hand on your right hand that had been gripping the gear shift ever so gently, your jaw tenses a bit and your left hand that had been on the wheel tightens its hold once more. She looks from your eyes to your lips, then back to your eyes again. Your heart is suddenly an acrobat the way it's doing so many flips.

“Thank you again, I appreciate it.” She says, and her other hand is on the handle of the door, ready to get out, but she doesn’t.

“Anytime, I didn’t want you to be out alone at this time.” you wonder how that sentence leaves your mouth so calmly because your heart is beating at least two hundred times per minute. 

Sana’s lips curve into a smile again and you relax a bit,

“Well,” Sana starts, and she opens the door, “I’ll see you soon?”

“I’m picking up Hana on Monday.”

“Great. See you then, y/n.” She finally says, turning away and getting out of the car. You two look at each other again and your eye contact lingers a bit before she finally closes the door, waves, and turns to head inside the apartment complex. 

The music continues to play, and your heart longs for her once again.

I stand at your gate

And I sing you a song in the moonlight 

A love song, my darling 

A moonlight serenade

-

A week passes after this encounter, and Sana is currently giving the kids an announcement that might have them jumping off the walls.

“Alright everyone in your seats please.” She says kindly. The students listen to her and shuffle to their seats, some chatter being shared as they do so. Sana claps her hands in a pattern to bring the students’ attention to her, and they clap their hands the same way that she had, quieting down in the process.

“Alright everyone, before I make this announcement, I need everyone to behave and not get too rowdy, okay?”

“Yes Ms. Minatozaki!” The class answers enthusiastically. Sana nods and smiles at them,

“Alright. So, there’s a special trip that is planned for you all next week.” She begins. The kids' faces start to light up after hearing the words “special trip” and almost all of them are itching to get more details on it. Sana’s face seems to light up with theirs from just looking at the excitement on their faces, so she continues,

“Next Wednesday we will be spending the day at the art museum downtown. There are going to be multiple people guiding you throughout the museum, and you’ll be able to learn about the art.” Sana explains, “And, at the end of the trip we’ll all meet back at a special room where you can paint along with an instructor.”

The kids’ smiles grow even wider, some are whispering to each other while others continue to keep their attention on the young teacher. 

“Now, I also wanted to add that we will be needing some chaperones to help look after the class. I have some papers that I’ll give to you, make sure you show them to your mom, dad, or guardian. If they’d like to tag along to help out that would be great, and highly encouraged.” Sana says, pulling out a pile of papers from her desk, she begins to pass around said forms.

-

An hour passes and it’s free choice time. Hana walks up to the young teacher with the form that Sana had previously handed out. Sana smiles at the young girl and tilts her head,

“What is it, Hana? Is everything okay?” The young teacher questions,

“Um, Ms… What does guardian mean? You said mom, dad, and guardian earlier. Does that mean grown up?” Hana asks, and she looks at the paper as if her five-year-old self can read the whole thing with ease, 

“I guess so. It’s an adult who takes care of you.” Sana explains to the girl. The girl hums to herself and furrows her brows,

“Does that mean y/n can come?”

“Of course, she’s your mom isn’t she?” Sana asks, and she’s confused as to why the girl looks up at her in surprise,

“My mom?” 

“Yes… She’s your mom, no?”

“Ms. Minatozaki, Y/n is my aunt.” 

Sana’s whole world stops for a moment. Y/n is her aunt? 

“So your dad and her are…?”

“Y/n is my papa’s younger sister, she always jokes about him being so old,” Hana says, laughing to herself.

Sana genuinely stops functioning as she processes this new information: You’re not taken. Fireworks set off in her heart and confetti seems to pop: you’re not her mom. All the guilt that had been on her shoulders from thinking she was infatuated with a taken mother is gone, and it all makes sense now. Sana wonders how stupid she could’ve been, I mean, you and Hana’s dad had similar features, face shape, hair texture, and color. The young teacher had also realized that Hana only called you by your name, and not “mommy” or “mom” or anything like that; how could she have been so stupid?

“Ms. Minatozaki?”

“Oh, yeah, yes Hana. Y/n can come, of course, she can.” Sana says, and she really hopes you do come. Hana smiles and looks back at her paper before talking to her teacher again,

“You know, my aunt, she asks about you a lot.” 

“She does?” Sana says, her heart skips a beat. Hana nods and looks back up at the teacher,

“She always asks about how school was, but she always ends up asking more about you and how you were during the day.” Sana’s eyes widen and she looks at the young girl in front of her, exposing you for being so interested in her. 

The flame in her heart grows bigger, and it seems that the flame has no intention of dying down now that she knows you’re not Hana’s mother. Hana turns around and makes her way back to her desk to color after seeing that Sana wasn’t capable of responding again, and Sana doesn't even notice. Hana sits down unbothered, not knowing that she just turned Sana’s whole mood around, not knowing that this new piece of information will have her daydreaming the rest of the day – no, the rest of the week – maybe the rest of the month.

-

The school day comes to an end and the usual routine occurs: bell rings, kids scream, talk, and practically leap out of their seats to get in line to go to the entrance of the building. Sana waits with her usual group of eight, which includes Hana, and she hopes that today would be the day that you decided to pick her up. You had already picked Hana up on Monday, but now it’s Wednesday and those are the days that Hana’s dad would usually pick the little girl up, great.

-

Forty minutes pass and Sana sits down at the main office with Hana, no one had come to pick her up yet. Hana seems to be unbothered by this as she colors and draws on the sheet of paper that Sana had given her to cure her boredom, but she worries slightly since Jihyo still waits for her in the front. 

Sana texts Jihyo a string of apologies and explanations and before she reads the instant reply, the sound of heavy breaths are heard as a familiar face enters the room, looking around all worried until her body relaxes when she sees her niece.

Y/n lets out a sigh of relief seeing Hana sitting down, coloring as if there wasn’t a single problem in the world. Her look shifts over to Sana, who is already looking at her. Their eyes meet and it makes the two women smile at one another.

“Hana,” your voice makes the little girl turn her head. She smiles and runs up to hug you, leaving her art on the desk,

“Aunt y/n!” And this is the first time Sana hears the little girl actually call you her aunt, she wishes that she would’ve called you aunt earlier (it would've saved her sleepless nights of wondering what the hell to do with her feelings, but at least she knows now). 

You hug the little girl back and swipe away the strands of hair on her face, “Hi little one. Your dad had something come up at work, I rushed over as soon as my shift ended.” You explain. You turn back to share eye contact with the young teacher, eyes narrowing and lips curving upwards as you smile at her, “Thank you for watching her, I’m sorry for being so late.”

“It’s all right, really.” It’s more than all right, Sana thinks. 

You grin again and turn your attention back to your niece, “Ready to go?”

“Yup!” 

“Okay little one, come on.” and you crouch down to let her wrap around your shoulders, letting her piggyback ride you. You grab the art that your niece had made on the table and finally stand in front of Sana, thanking her.

“I’m sorry again, thank you so much.”

“It’s no problem, it’s nice to see you again,” Sana admits, a bit shyly too. The grin that’s already present on your lips grows and you wave to the shorter woman,

“I’ll see you.” You finally say, waving with your free hand and turning your head to the little one, “Let’s get going, your dad will be back by dinner.” You mutter, and Hana hums tiredly in response before you head out the main office doors, taking a quick glance at Sana, smiling again.

…

Jihyo’s going to lose her mind when I tell her all of this, Sana thinks to herself.

[brynnterpretations]

THE BOYS' MUSIC TASTES ☻

Click each character's name to see a custom-made playlist for them with song-to-song transitions!

Annie January (Starlight)

Since she was thirteen, Annie has religiously listened to female-led pop-punk such as Alanis Morissette, Garbage, No Doubt, Veruca Salt, and Hole. Even when she was, by all extents, "a good Christian girl" who was expected to shut up and sit pretty, Annie held a fierce nature that she expressed through her music tastes. To avoid being exorcised from her mother (half-joking-half-not-joking), hid her CDs in her old toy chest at the foot of her bed. She keeps them on a neat shelf in she and Hughie's apartment to this day.

Billy Butcher

Billy is an OG punk fan, particularly of the British variety, with his favorite bands being The Clash, Sex Pistols, Dead Kennedys, Ramones, and Black Flag. Ever the rebellious spirit, Billy's music reflects that, and has since he was a child; when times with his father were particularly rough, he'd head down to the nearby record stor with his little brother and haunt the aisles looking for something of interest, where he found his to-be all-time favorite band, The Clash.

Frenchie

Frenchie enjoys psychedelic-rock (and just straight psychedelic) music in both French and English, with some of his favorite artists being The Mystery Lights, Juniore, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Limiñanas, and Allah-Las. At first influenced by his heavy-stoner friend group in middle school, Frenchie began developing his own tastes into what they became to this day through a lot of house-shows, concerts, and drugs: per the name, the bands he's into are intertwined with social drug use.

Hughie Campbell

So, obviously, Billy Joel — but, believe it or not, Hughie does listen to other music. He loves '80s and '60s music, specifically Daryl Hall & John Oates, The Beach Boys, Elton John, The Monkees, and TOTO. His music taste came from either the radio (Eagles, Wham!) or his Dad (The Animals, The Beatles), and Hughie prides himself on having an old-school taste in music, no matter how mainstream the bands may be.

Kimiko Miyashiro

Kimiko loves jazz (particularly its "bebop" subsection) and R&B from the '40s, '50s, and '60s, with a particular love for Ella Fitzgerald, Etta James, and Billie Holliday. When she was unfettered from the Shining Light Liberation Army, Kimiko didn't have much music to choose from besides an old Waklkman she swiped from a snoozing man on the streets of Brooklyn. For the next few years, she wore the Walkman and its headphones thin. Currently, she owns a sick vinyl player with an impressive catalogue of Dinah Washington records.

Marvin T. Milk (Mother's Milk/M.M.)

If it isn't obvious enough from his shirts, old-school rap. Growing up in Harlem, M.M. was both surrounded by the rap scene and deeply connected to the values it held (and continues to hold) of Black strength, resilience, and culture. From childhood to adulthood, M.M. has broadened a diverse taste in '80s to '90s rap and hip-hop from mainstream to obscure, and especially loves Public Enemy, Boogie Down Productions, and Run—D.M.C.

[medievalanchoress]

Hi, if you ever feel up to it, I'd love to see a books recs post from you! ✨️

without ruminating too much on it, off the top of my head, my top five authors are:

-Virginia Woolf (The Waves, Mrs. Dalloway, To the Lighthouse, Orlando). if you’re having trouble getting into her work, begin with A Room of One’s Own.

-Marcel Proust (Swann’s Way, In the Shadow of Young Girls in Flower, The Guermantes Way). an absolute must-read at some point in one’s life and i hope to one day reread the first four volumes of La Recherche and make it to the seventh!

-Elena Ferrante (The Neapolitan Quartet, The Days of Abandonment). if you enjoyed My Brilliant Friend (or even the tv series), i’d highly recommend reading her collection of essays, Frantumaglia, too.

-Vladimir Nabokov (Pnin, Pale Fire, Lolita, Invitation to a Beheading; Speak, Memory).

-Marilynne Robinson (Housekeeping, Home, Lila, Gilead). an American author who writes in spare, beautiful prose with a theological underpinning; the first book here broke my heart while the last three books listed form a trio of sorts, an expanded rumination on the Parable of the Prodigal Son. 

beyond the above list, many of my favorite books from high school still feel fresh: Sula by Toni Morrison, One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez, Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, Hemmingway’s A Moveable Feast, as well as the iconic sad girl books that i think are damn well-written: The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath & The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides. 

my favorite classics include Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë, Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë, My Ántonia by Willa Cather, Kafka's selected short stories, Aeschylus' Oresteia, and, of course, Homer's Iliad + Odyssey (trans. by Fagles). i’m not super up to date on contemporary novelists but i like include John Banville (The Sea), Michale Ondaatje (The English Patient, Cat's Table), and Donna Tart (for her fashion sense, reclusive lifestyle, and The Goldfinch & The Secret History obviously). Rachel Cusk's work is also dryly witty and good. finally, i have a soft spot for well-written memoir; it's a genre that gets put down sometimes but Lit by Mary Karr, Firebird by Mark Doty, and Why Be Happy When You Could Be Normal? by Jeanette Winterson (btw i highly recommend her fiction too) saved my life in small but meaningful ways. 

well, this answer is itself fast approaching a novel, so i will end by saying, if anyone would like a book rec, tell me a few books you like or what you’re in the mood for and i’ll try to come up with a reply. 😌

xxx Ana 💫

[ticklinglady]

The Guild's actions during the story are so insane, when you think about them properly, you know? When I first read the arc with them, this moment hasn't really occurred to me, as I was too busy going nuts over finally seeing the names of the familiar writers, but now when I think of that... I am not sure, I comprehend how they managed to achieve such a ferocious reputation. I have already made a little post about how extremely dysfunctional the DOA members are, but at least those guys have a plan, which actually makes sense more or less, even despite the gang using cheatcodes/the Book. The same cannot be said of the Guild however archghhjkn. Like, what the hell were these guys even doing??? XD

So here are just some moments, which weirded me out the most

At first I'd like to address the entire story with everyone's favorite tsundere, Lucy Maud Montgomery. Her introduction leaves quuuuite an impression in the best way and nothing makes me happier than the fact, that she gets a chance to find happiness in the following chapters and actually becomes a reoccurring character! HOWEVER, her entire involvement with the Guild is super odd... I still can't wrap my head around her getting fired. She is a girl with a hella powerful ability, who got taken to the Guild from a terrible, terrible orphanage in order to fight for them in the war for the Book, so not only is she very strong, but she's also immensely dependant on the organisation and wouldn't do anything outside of its interests. Yet Lucy is also put under extreme pressure. As she herself puts it, the Guild doesn't tolerate failures and will kick her out the moment she screws something up.

Later we see that this is exactly what happens, when she messes up her first mission. Fitzgerald himself confirms that, since she failed and revealed her ability to the enemies, she's no longer useful, so now a powerful esper, like Lucy works for free as a... laundress?

EXCUSE ME??? WHEN HAVE THE GUILD MEMBERS EVER DONE ANYTHING, BUT FAIL AND REVEAL THEIR ABILITIES?

Let's be real, these dudes were successful like only once or twice...

This fact not only makes Fitzgerald look like an idiot for wasting such a talented and useful worker, because of one mistake, but also as one hell of a hypocrite, cause he is more than fine with everyone else fucking up. And in case of Lovecraft and Steinbeck: fucking up twice. To add to the oddity, we later learn, that Louisa genuinely cares for Lucy and despite her social anxiety actually stood up for her during the entire story, but even that wasn't enough to change Fitzgerald's mind on the issue, though Louisa is one of the few people, whose opinion he respects. Honestly, this is such a waste of a truly useful subordinate. And speaking of which....

The Guild has never even tried to implement Edgar Allan Poe during the war...

This man is actually rather op when you think of it. He can capture and neutralise literally any ability user in Yokohama (besides Dazai, Mori and Ranpo ofc) just by throwing a book at them. Seriously, as we see with Chuuya, they don't even have to read it, they just need to see the pages. Plus the book can be actually sent via email!!! So why has there been an absolute zero amount of strategies with the use of this ability??? They could actually try to catch Atsushi by sending him such email containing any of Poe's mystery stories and then safely carry him back to their base. And it doesn't have to be just Atsushi, it could be literally any of their enemies. Non-combatant, like Ranpo could use this pretty damn well to his advantage and it doesn't take a genius to understand the potential of the "Black Cat in Rue Morgue". But nooooo, it seems like everyone has just forgotten of Poe!!! (Tho to be honest, I can actually see this situation in a funny extra awfgbfggfjj. Not the main story however) The agency would never even learn of his existence, if he didn't personally decide to try to fuck Ranpo's life up. Like, what does Poe even do in the Guild? He's the master architect and, according to him, the third ranking man in the organization, but we never see him be of any use, so Idk. 🤷🏻‍♀️ Lucy at least got to do something, unlike this poor man.

Then there's the entire drama with the Guild's decision to destroy Yokohama. Where do I even begin...

First of all, Fitzgerald has no way of knowing that Atsushi is going to come to Moby-Dick to fight him. Poor guy is the Guild's primary goal and has already gotten himself captured once, so it would have been safe to assume that the ADA decided to hide him somewhere and not send him on any dangerous missions for the time being. That basically means Fitzgerald could have burned down not just Yokohama, but also the only person, who could actually help him find his precious Book.

But if we're to ignore this, let's also go with Wikipedia then~

"Yokohama is the second-largest city in Japan by population and the most populous municipality of Japan. It is the capital city and the most populous city in Kanagawa Prefecture, with a 2020 population of 3.8 million. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu. Yokohama is also the major economic, cultural, and commercial hub of the Greater Tokyo Area along the Keihin Industrial Zone."

..........................

Good luck making up for the destruction of THIS, Fitzgerald 🖕

And if this in itself wasn't bad enough, most people, including me, tend to forget that all Guild members are actually big shots in the American government, which I think is very sad. Because first of all, can you imagine any of the Guild members actually working as politicians?!! The sheer idea makes me hysterical avshbgj. Like, just consider Lovecraft working as a senator or something. This eldritch horror of a man leaves the ocean once in three years at best LMAO. Second of all, I have a feeling, that the destruction of Yokohama at the hands of influential politicians from a foreign country would have resulted in an international conflict or two~ Like as if random deranged rich Americans arriving in Japan, wreaking havoc over there and destroying the second largest city in the country wasn't bad enough, these Americans just HAD to be super influential businessmen and politicians. Louisa, my dear, I understand that it wasn't your intention, but it's as close to a declaration of war as it can get, you know? Fitzgerald may be ready to do anything to resurrect his dead daughter, but I'm not sure, that the execution of himself and the rest of the Guild at the hands of the Hunting Dogs is something he'd like.

(And here's another funny thing that stems from them being politicians 🤭 As @originalartblog wittily pointed out, Fitzgerald wasting all his money fighting sskk has probably resulted in a market crash and recession over in the USA)

I also have some other questions in regards to this entire plan, such as why did they have to waste Moby-Dick just to destroy Yokohama? Yes, it works in the short term, but in the long term they loose a super powerful fortress with the stealth mode and as the practice shows, you better have a safe base, unless you want another lemon freak to blow it all up. I mean, you could just ask Lovecraft to destroy everything for free. Or, if the device is the only way to stop the giant whale from crashing, why didn't Fitzgerald just take it to a far away bunker or something and waited things out there without the need to spend millions of dollars just to survive the explosion? (And it would have been extremely funny, if during the fight with sskk he just threw the device overboard) But I think I have already rambled for long enough already atxhghbgv XD

The Guild is an even bigger mess than the DOA and I think that's glorious 🙌

[sitpwgs]

books read in 2024!

books read so far: 81/100

— gr: http://goodreads.com/cossettereads — sg: https://app.thestorygraph.com/profile/cossettereads

as always, askbox + dms are open if have any questions or would like to chat about books! 🤍

⊹ indicates any (new) favorites of the month! previous months are under the cut!

july ⋆ ˚｡⋆౨ৎ

1) firekeeper's daughter by angeline boulley (audiobook) ⊹ 2) born to run by bruce springsteen (audiobook) 3) it had to be you by eliza jane brazier 4) the great gatsby by f. scott fitzgerald (reread; annotated) 5) death on the nile by agatha christie (audiobook) 6) blue sisters by coco mellors (arc) ⊹ 7) juniper and thorn by ava reid (audiobook) 8) the villain edit by laurie devore ⊹

january ⋆ ˚｡⋆౨ৎ˚

1) beach read by emily henry (reread) 2) on palestine by noam chomsky & ilan pappé 3) valley verified by kyla zhao (gifted) 4) the wind at my back: resilience, grace, and other gifts from my mentor, raven wilkinson by misty copeland & susan fales-hill (gifted) 5) check please: year one by ngozi ukazu (reread) 6) check please: year two by ngozi ukazu (reread) 7) check please: year three by ngozi ukazu (reread) 8) check please: year four by ngozi ukazu (reread) 9) raiders of the lost heart by jo segura (gifted) 10) the frame-up by gwenda bond (arc) 11) everything i never told you by celeste ng ⊹ 12) forgive me not by jennifer baker (gifted) 13) ever after always by chloe liese (gifted) 14) the summer of bitter and sweet by jen ferguson (gifted) 15) the lily of ludgate hill by mimi matthews (gifted) 16) last call at the local by sarah grunder ruiz (gifted) ⊹ 17) the sun and the void by gabriela romero-lacruz (gifted) 18) a line in the dark by malinda lo (gifted) 19) biting the hand: growing up asian in black and white america by julia lee (gifted) 20) play it as it lays by joan didion

february ⋆ ˚｡⋆౨ৎ˚

1) mister hockey by lia riley * 2) collide by bal khabra (arc) * 3) a curious beginning by deanna raybourn (gifted) 4) breaking the ice by k.r. collins * 5) if only you by chloe liese (gifted) * 6) anxious people by frederik backman ⊹ 7) the catch by amy lea (gifted) 8) weekends with you by alexandra paige (arc) 9) happily never after by lynn painter (arc) 10) klara and the sun by kazuo ishiguro 11) good material by dolly alderton 12) in the event this doesn't fall apart by shannon lee barry 13) the night ends with fire (arc) by k.x. song 14) the good, the bad, and the aunties (arc) by jesse q. sutanto 15) where sleeping girls lie (arc) by faridah àbíké-íyímídé 16) sophomore surge by k.r. collins * 17) lighting the lamp by k.r. collins * 18) glove save and a beauty by k.r. collins * 19) home ice advantage by k.r. collins * 20) power play by k.r. collins * 21) grounded by k.r. collins * 22) line chemistry by k.r. collins *

march ⋆ ˚｡⋆౨ৎ˚

1) happy medium by sarah adler (arc) 2) a darker shade of magic by v.e. schwab (audiobook) 3) expiration dates by rebecca serle (arc) 4) divine rivals by rebecca ross (book club) 5) the siren by katherine st. john (gifted) 6) light in gaza edited by jehad abusalim 7) how to end a love story by yulin kuang (arc) // reviewed here 8) rising from the deep: the seattle kraken, a tenacious push for expansion, and the emerald city's sports revival by geoff baker 9) les misérables by victor hugo (reread)

april ⋆ ˚｡⋆౨ৎ˚

1) the goodbye cat by hiro arikawa (reread) 2) the traveling cat chronicles by hiro arikawa (reread) 3) this is me trying by racquel marie (arc) 4) kill her twice by stacey lee (arc) 5) the pairing by casey mcquiston (arc) 6) swiped by l.m. chilton (arc) 7) lies and weddings by kevin kwan (arc) 8) the odyssey by homer (audiobook)

may ⋆ ˚｡⋆౨ৎ˚

1) this summer will be different by carley fortune (arc) 2) the viscount who loved me by julia quinn (reread) 3) romancing mister bridgerton by julia quinn (reread) 4) the iliad by homer (narrated by audra mcdonald) (audiobook) 5) a novel love story by ashley poston (arc) 6) when he was wicked by julia quinn (reread) 7) a banh mi for two by trinity nguyen (arc) 8) the secret garden by frances hodgson burnett (audiobook)

june ⋆ ˚｡⋆౨ৎ

1) lessons in chemistry by bonnie garmus 2) the phantom of the opera by gaston leroux (audiobook) 3) you, with a view by jessica joyce 4) s. by j.j. abrams & doug dorst 5) the hunchback of the notre dame (audiobook) A

[soullesscorvidds]

My Good Omens Playlist

Gnaw - Alex G

Say Yes To Heaven - Lana Del Rey

Lose Control - Teddy Swims

Summertime Sadness - Lana Del Rey

summer depression - girl in red

Radio - Lana Del Rey

From Eden - Hozier

Like Real People Do - Hozier

Good Old-Fashioned Lover Boy - Queen

Somebody To Love - Queen

Pale Blue Eyes - The Velvet Undeground

Walk On the Wild Side - Lou Reed

Soft To Be Strong - MARINA

Every Breath You Take - The Police

Take Me To Church - Hozier

I'm in Love With My Car - Queen

I'll Be Your Mirror - Nico & The Velvet Underground

Black Angel's Death Song - The Velvet Underground

Oh! Sweet Nuthin' - The Velvet Undeground

Come and Get Your Love - Redbone

Mr. Blue Sky - Electric Light Orchestra

Stuck in the Middle With You - Stealers Wheel

I Want To Break Free - Queen

Arboretum - Sparkbird

A Nightengale Sang in Berkeley Square - Bobby Darin

Bohemian Rhapsody- Queen

If Our Love Is Wrong - Calum Scott

My Bad - Teddy Swims

Young at Heart - Frank Sinatra

Have You Ever Seen the Rain - Creedence Clearwater Revival

Almost - Hozier

November - Sparkbird

I Found a Reason - The Velvet Underground

Twin Size Matress - The Front Bottoms

Hell's Comin' With Me - Poor Man's Poison

Angeleyes - ABBA

Dream Sweet in C Major - Miracle Musical

i like the way you kiss me - Artemis

Can't Help Falling in Love - Ice Nine Kills

Saint Bernard - Lincoln

Valentine - Laufey

Purple Haze - Jimi Hendrix

It's the End of the World As We Know it - R. E. M.

Dreams - Fleetwood Mac

Starman - David Bowie

Heaven is a Place on Earth - Belinda Carlisle

Non, je ne regrette rien - Edith Piaf

So Much (For) Stardust - Fall Out Boy

Give Me One Reason - Tracy Chapman

A Thousand Years - Christina Perri

It's Been a Long, Long Time - Harry James & His Orchestra

Famous Last Words - My Chemical Romance

All Things End - Hozier

Angel, Please - Ra Ra Riot

A Sinner Kissed an Angel - Frank Sinatra

I'd Rather Go Blind - Etta James

In Dreams - Roy Orbitsen

Could've Been - H. E. R.

Just My Imagination - The Temptations

Cry Me a River - Julie London

Heart and Soul - The Four Aces

Midnight Rain - Taylor Swift

The Show Must Go On - Queen

I'm a Mess - Bebe Rexha

Astronomy - Conan Grey

Puttin' on the Ritz - Ella Fitzgerald

Dear Arkansas Daughter - Lady Lamb the Beekeeper

Problems - Mother Mother

Mr. Loverman - Ricky Montgomery

Fly Me to the Moon - Frank Sinatra

Two Birds - Regina Spektor

S. C. A. V. A. - Hollywood Undead

Treehouse - Alex G

Angel With a Shotgun - The Cab

Love of my Life - Queen

Atlantis - Seafret

Dandelions - Ruth B.

Smoke Signals - Cavetown

Favorite Crime - Olivia Rogrido

Come With Me - Chxrlotte

Feel free to ask me for explanations or tell me any song recommendations! I'm happy to talk to y'all

[kaurwreck]

Whatcha think of how Mori is depicted by Asagiri? People are always mad about it, so I do wonder your own opinion of it.

I think Kafka Asagiri is cheeky and clever, but I'm not very objective about his choices because I knew next to nothing when I first began watching the anime, and researching complex, multidisciplinary, and context-laden subject matter about which I have very little prior knowledge is something I love doing so much that I've made it my career and most of my hobbies. I'm very, very easily delighted by layers I can sink my teeth into, and I get immense satisfaction (i.e., a lot of dopamine) from untangling patterns, recognizing references, and exploring contours I hadn't initially noticed by deepening my contextual knowledge.

The rush I get from learning means that engaging from a starting place of near total ignorance and then retroactively piecing together more information ensures I'm continously starry eyed and dazzled by the depth I'm perceiving. But I'm an American reader who was entirely unfamiliar with the Japanese literary references or relevant Japanese history prior to watching the anime or reading the manga, and I'm piecing together context from limited English-language resources. So, much of what I'm getting a rush out of learning for the first time is likely common knowledge to the native Japanese audience. It's easy to think that the water is deep when you first jump in and can't touch the ground.

For an example of how my unfamiliarity manifests as bias: I love Fitzgerald as an antagonist and then uneasy ally, and I enjoy that Fitzgerald's skill manifests as green light. But I've already chewed his themes and source material references to bits, having studied the Great Gatsby and its period-relevance re: the disillusionment of the jazz age in high school. I was already familiar with the significance of the green light to Fitzgerald's relationship with wealth and how it enchants him such that he becomes so obsessed with its hazy distortion of his dreams that he forgets himself. I liked how the anime and manga both interpret the green light, and I especially like how the green light wraps around his body, lightly paralleling Chuuya's Corruption runes and thus tinting Fitzgerald's skill with the suggestion of possession/loss of control.

But although it's a lot of fun to trace those familiar patterns in a novel interpretation, it can't compare to the thrill I felt when I belatedly realized that Vita Sexualis isn't erotica but instead a skeptical reflection on sex and the purported objectivity of naturalism; or when I learned that irl!Mori was the most girl dad to ever girl dad. With Mori, my expectations were subverted, Mori's character became brilliantly nuanced where he was flat to me before, and I felt the same rush of pleasure as if I was made privy to an inside joke. Fitzgerald felt comparatively like rediscovering a favorite blanket buried in the back of my closet; warm and fond, but not gripping or perspective-shifting. (Unlike when I first read the Great Gatsby, and thought it saturated in clever and well wrought commentary that complicated my prior feelings and prompted me to grapple with my own sources of green light.)

In other words, I don't have any objectivity here for the same reason I shouldn't be trusted regarding how badly any of my tattoos hurt. I remember vaguely that they did, but the process flooded me with enough endorphins that the edges of my memories are blunted and tinted rose.

So, to actually answer your question, I think Kafka Asagiri's depiction of Mori is brilliant and witty and subversive, layered with insight into the blurred lines between love and imperative, fear and intuition. I think Mori is emotionally wrought but manicured with pathological attenuation, which renders his bursts of passion all the more compelling. He's also funny and silly and horrifying in how his levity only ornaments and never softens the weight and gravitas of his presence.

I used to feel like Kafka Asagiri's suggestive playfulness regarding Mori was in bad taste, given the severity of the implications. I don't anymore; Kafka Asagiri is hardly as irreverent as academic commentary on Mori Ogai's medical legacy regarding beriberi or Mari Mori's love for him. I wouldn't enjoy Mori nearly as much if he were reduced to an easily digested archetype or caricature without any of the dissonance that humanizes him.

I also can't take seriously my own first impressions of Mori's character either; I've rewatched and reread bsd several times over, and I can't recall the narrative ever affirming or validating my initial presumptions. I reacted rather than engaged, which is fine as an instinct, but I certainly shouldn't conflate it with analysis.

But, as I said, I'm not objective about bsd. I think Kafka Asagiri is brilliant and fun and thoughtful. I think Mori is a watermelon full of hamburger meat that I love gnawing. I think bsd is the greatest thing since sliced bread. Carthago delenda est.

[lindszeppelin]

Sweet Oblivion

Pairing: Austin Butler x Fem!Reader

Prompt: Austin books you two lovebirds a romantic getaway in a cozy cabin. You revel in each others company, and clothes will definitely be left on the floor by the end of the night.

Rating: Mature, 18+. Minors i'm sorry but this ain't for you!

Warnings: fluff (there's so much fluff in here you could make PB&Fluff sammies), smut, swearing, oral (f receiving)

Word Count: 9.2k

a/n: Hey beautiful people! This is my second Austin oneshot, and i wanted this one to be different than my first. Since it's autumn and it's my favorite time of year, i wanted to explore what it would be like for Y/N and Austin to spend some sickeningly sweet romantic time together. The smut will be smutty (obviously) but it's more on the tender love making side of smut. So if that's your cup of tea then read more! (and also it's nearly 4am as i post this and i cant look at it anymore Lol. so here you go!)

extra: a song for the vibes

It was a gorgeous autumnal day in the best month of the year, October. There was something about New York in the fall season that made your heart soar. But you didn't have to look too far to see the remembrances of why. The leaves on the trees have fully morphed into their warm hues of red, orange, and yellow. That crisp cool air was refreshing, and made you clutch at your scarf a little tighter. The spicy effervescent of cinnamon made your mouth water. It was simply spectacular.

Life couldn't be any more picture perfect even if you tried. Somehow your vivid fantasies that are allocated to your dreams have bled their way into reality, causing you to sigh in delight.

After you allowed your mind to wander for a few minutes you slowly shift your focus back into your body. Here you were, driving down a winding country road with your amazing boyfriend Austin Butler at the wheel of your 1970s Jeep Grand Wagoneer.

It wasn't all that often that you and Austin are able to get away on vacations, what with his very busy schedule keeping him away from you for much longer than you'd like to be okay with. But, you support him wholeheartedly with his acting career. Eventually when he was done with his projects and you two were back into each others arms the distance faded away like an afterthought in the breeze. The cheesy phrase definitely was true - your hearts had grown fonder the longer the miles that separate you two encroached the sanctity of your relationship.

The filming of his upcoming film Dune 2 had just wrapped up in Budapest, and when he came back home to your shared Manhattan loft he swept you into a warm embrace and surprised you with a perfect getaway vacation in a cozy cabin upstate, far away from the prying eyes of the general public and the vultures that are the paparazzi. No particular reason was given for this dream vacation other than he wanted to pamper you properly like you deserved to be.

He was so cute with how he planned this whole thing. He wanted it to be as romantic as ever, and he scrutinized over every detail - obviously. The Cabin he had actually got a good offer on from one of his friends, and he rented it out for an entire week. Of course he refused to tell you how much he paid out of pocket for it, but a knot churns in your stomach at even the slightest thought of Austin shelling out big money on you. It never is an easy thing to get used to when he spends his hard earned dollars on your behalf. But he saves his paychecks for these specific reasons. Why would he not treat his girl? Nothing is to expensive for you.

The second detail of this vacation was the Wagoneer, which he was honestly even more excited about securing than the cabin. He somehow managed to find this car, again for an assumed price that leaves a rather large lump in your throat, that he purchased just for this week. There was obviously no need for a car in the bustle of the city, and parking was astronomically high as it was. So this one time purchase was the very first in your relationship where he went all out for a vehicle for the two of you to keep.

You had to admit, it was very sentimental that he splurged on you. The cabin and this car was like something out of a vintage travel guide magazine for the most aesthetically gorgeous autumn destination holiday ever.

The Wagoneer was a vintage cream color with contrasting wood panels. It came complete with crank windows, weathered black leather seats that were still comfortable enough, and the dashboard was accented simply with beautiful radio that Austin had dialed in to a local soft rock station. Van Morrison's "Brown Eyed Girl" was filtering through the old car speakers and gave you both a soundtrack to your wonderful journey.

You felt the car jolt as Austin shifted gears with the clutch to gain speed as you drove around a wide bend. As his large hand flexed over the gear shift and settled back on the steering wheel you couldn't help but ogle at him like he was your most cherished possession.

He looked positively exquisite as he effortlessly drove the classy motor through large piles of fallen leaves that crunched under the cars tires. You took in the full sight of him, totally unashamed that you were full on staring at him.

Austin was wearing a cream cable knit sweater underneath one of his vintage black leather jackets he picked up at a consignment store in the lower east side, and his long legs were clad in stiff blue jeans that he wore all the time and suited his frame deliciously. On his feet were broken in combat boots that looked like they've been through hell and back, but he was not one to throw things away just because they didn't look pristine. His sandy blonde hair was tousled back off of his face and held in place by his favorite pair of aviators that were placed atop his head. He was scrumptious, and sometimes you had to pinch yourself to make sure this wasn't some kind of wonderful dream - that here you were, dating the most beautiful man you had ever seen in your life, and he was whisking you away to be wined and dined. Men wanted to be him and jealous omen wanted to be in your shoes. If it was a dream, you certainly didn't want to rouse from slumber.

Out of his peripheral vision, Austin felt the heat of your stare on him from the passenger seat and chuckled.

"You know Y/N, haven't you heard the age old saying that it's rude to stare?" He bemused playfully, not at all intending to be harsh with his comment. He just enjoys riling you up.

"Nope, I must have missed that lesson in school." You retorted with sarcasm.

"Well, instead of eye-fucking me from the sidelines you should take a picture because, as another ancient saying goes, it'll last longer." He quipped back, dripping with just as much sass in equal measure.

"Okay Butler, maybe I will..." Fully playing his bluff, you meander through your purse that's sitting on your lap and pull out your phone.

He momentarily glanced down at the phone in your hands but kept his focus back on the road, biting his lip and stifling a laugh that wanted to come out.

"Smile baby, give me one of your many sexy model poses." You hold the phone up, maneuvering the lens to get the perfect angle to compose your shot. Since Austin was a photographer and he took that hobby very seriously, he taught you a thing or two about how to take the best pictures. And now it was coming round to bite him in the ass.

"You're fucking crazy you know that?" Austin shook his head in amusement.

"Don't be shy now Aus, let me see that smolder you know I love so much." You teased.

He gripped the steering wheel firmer in his hands as his vision was transfixed on the desolate road ahead of him. He had let you coax him into this back and forth play of flirtation until he sighed and relented into your request.

Austin made sure that there wasn't any oncoming obstacles in the road before he took his eyes off the pathway and gave his signature sultry stare down the lens of your camera. His eyes narrowed slightly and his lips curled upwards into a thin coy smile that spread across his handsome face. He was a pro at turning on the charm for the cameras when needed for his job, even though he was shy and clammed up when getting his picture taken. But with you, he would let his walls down and it was easier for him to get comfortable.

Your thighs clenched together as you felt a zing of pleasure roll through your body like you were hit by a bolt of lighting. How he managed to turn you on with just this simple pose was utterly beguiling. You gained enough composure to steady your shaking hands and take the picture. If you were on social media this would definitely be the shot that would garner thousands of likes and heart eye emojis from Austin's fans. But it was more than enough that the picture would be allocated to your screen saver and kept in your personal collection of physical photo albums. And that's the way you and Austin both liked it.

After the camera made it's shutter noise alerting him that the picture had been captured, Austin's face effortlessly switched back into his normal demeanor and gave you a crooked wink before giving his full attention back to driving.

"Satisfied, baby?" He asked sweetly.

"Always, Aus. Thank you." You spoke demurely.

"You're welcome." He replied affectionately, smiling warmly.

You weren't sure how many minutes had past since taking Austin's picture. It was just so easy to lose track of time when you're in his presence. Not every moment had to be filled with conversation between the two of you. Nothing gave you ultimate peace in your soul like being in his delightful company. You hadn't even noticed that the radio station was now playing America's "Ventura Highway" until you heard Austin's raspy voice break the silence.

"If i'm not mistaken, I'm pretty sure where we wanna be is right around the corner."

Sure enough, he was right. You perch yourself a little higher in your seat, leaning forward and peering out the windshield to get a better view of what was to come. This cabin was literally in the middle of no-man's-land. Pine trees were condensed so tightly together that you couldn't even see anymore than a few yards in either direction. The narrow gravel road you were travelling on curved one final bend, and then you saw it in all it's glory - Yours and Austin's cabin.

The sight before you was like something out of one of your childhood fables. You weren't even aware that you were holding your breath until the strong smell of granny smith apples had wafted through your nose. This was ethereal. The cabin was quaint. It had a wrap around porch that lead out to a walking trail down through the other side of the woods. The shingles on the roof bounced back the sunlight, and the large chimney was just waiting to be used for a toasty fire.

Austin slowed the car to a gentle rolling stop and put it in park, turning off the ignition. Finally your week long romantic vacation could begin.

He flashed you an excited knowing smile before he got out of the car, sauntering over to your side of the vehicle and opening the door for you. As he swung open your passenger door he offered you his hand to help escort you out. You gave him a peck on the cheek as a non-verbal thank you.

"Here we are, honey. Home sweet home. What do you think of the place so far?"

Words had failed you. You couldn't even respond right away, you were still trying to soak it all in. Truly tou've never seen anything like this in person. It was a picture perfect dreamscape come to life before your eyes.

"Austin this is...wow." You sighed dreamily.

"I did good, huh?" He asked, satisfied at your inability to answer. Of course he knew he did good, he planned the whole thing. He just wanted to hear your praise. Though, leaving you speechless was one of his many talents.

Austin walked around to the trunk and turned the key to unlock it, gathering both of your suitcases and placing them on the ground.

"You did very good." You finally replied.

"That's what I like to hear." He cooed. You help him carry your belongings as you both walk up a flight of stairs that brings you right to the front entrance. Austin settles his bags on the floor and rifles through his pants pocket for the keys to unlock the large burgundy door.

No word of a lie, as soon as he pushed the door open you nearly felt the wind get nocked out of you. Okay seriously...this place is amazing. The layout of the house was open concept, so you had a nice view of the living room and kitchen from the foyer. Whoever owned this place really knows about interior decorating, that's for sure.

There were large windows framing the perimeter that made the place look even bigger. Rays of sunshine cascaded over the expensive furniture that you were a little scared to touch. In the living room you took note of the massive black leather couch that was perched in front of an even larger tv. Off to the side was where you took notice of the antique fireplace that was already set with fresh firewood for your convenience. Glass chandeliers hung in the middle of the living room and one over the imposing rustic dining table off to the opposite side of the room that were dimly lit, the crystals twinkling as they gently swayed to and fro. And there were unused candles strewn about the place, sitting pretty in their candelabras.

Your attention then turned towards the expanse of the kitchen. There weren't a lot of modern appliances, which you assumed was to keep up with the vintage aesthetic. The fridge and cabinets were made of mahogany wood, and the linoleum floors were a nice accent. Enchanting didn't even begin to describe this place. Austin really did chose perfectly.

You stood there in a daze taking it all in as Austin brought in his bags and locked the front door shut behind you. No one in your life had ever done something this chivalrous for you. It almost was a little overwhelming actually being here. Throughout your relationship. Austin catered to you and showed you just how much he loved you. Doing something as simple as booking a getaway vacation sounds mundane to maybe the average person. But in this circumstance it only reminded you to never take anything for granted with him. You were going to soak up every single bit of this week long stay and commit it to memory.

Ever so slowly you felt Austin's long arms wrap around your waist from behind, pulling you back into his chest.

"I can't wait to devote all of my time and attention to you - to us - right here and now. We're gonna make some great memories in this place I just know it." He softly spoke against your ear. You hummed in contentment as he gently allowed his lips to caress your cheek.

You turned your face to the side and watched as his azure orbs glaze over with adoration. "Thank you for doing this, Aus. Really, this went above and beyond all of my expectations. I love you so much."

"I love you too, baby." The space between you shrank as his lips collided with yours in a tender dance of affection. Never in your life will you ever tire of the way his soft voluptuous mouth works over yours in harmony. Even the lightest of touches sends a chill down your spine.

Austin pulls away from your kiss and pecks your button nose. "Come on, i'll show you around.". He takes your hand in his and gives you a tour of the whole cabin.

As the sun sets over the lush hills and day fades into night, you and Austin have done your fair share of wandering around the cabin and relaxing on the couch. The rumbling in your stomachs was the obvious indication that you both needed food, and pronto. What delighted you about Austin was how much he loved being in the kitchen. This was a joint effort, and he wanted to offer his help in any way he could. Plus he was actually a superb cook.

Tonight you both settled on something totally simple yet hearty and classic - spaghetti with homemade sauce. You've spent years perfecting your sauce recipe that you know it down to a science, and Austin inserts his own elements from his experience in the kitchen to make this meal a special one. And to top if all off, once you've plated this meal for two, Austin pulls out a cabaret from the wine cupboard and poured each of you a full glass.

Before you could shove a fork full of the delicious pasta into your expecting mouth, Austin raises his glass and cradles your hand in his, proposing an impromptu toast.

He cleared his throat. "Cheers to the first of many fantastic vacations we'll have together. I'll always do right by you, Y/N. I'm constantly enamored by your beautiful womanly charms, and how you manage to put up with me being away so often. But this I swear to you baby - I will always make sure you're completely happy and satisfied like you deserve to be. You know I'm a man of my word, and my word is my bond."

A solitary tear nearly fell down your face at his lovely proclamation. But you managed to bite back the tickle in your throat that signified crying, and you raise your glass with him.

"Cheers to the beautiful life we're creating as one. I love you Austin to the moon and back. Salut."

Your glasses clink.

"Salut." Austin squeezes your hand as you both take a swig of your wine. The bite from the red is quite palpable, as you're not really one to like the stuff all that much. But this is a special occasion. You're celebrating the two of you embarking on this journey of devotion and unconditional love for each other in this crazy uncertain world. No doubt it's been an emotional whirlwind for you, having to deal with everything that comes with dating a famous actor in the limelight. But you know you're protected by Austin's commitment to bring you into the fold and simultaneously shield you from the scrutiny of voyeurs.

A comfortable silence falls over you both as the sounds of clanking forks and knives scrape against the ceramic plates.

After a few minutes, Austin speaks in his delicious low baritone register. "I meant what I said, you know. I really do hope that I make you happy. I know its not always the ideal situation to not spend a lot of time together like we want, but I'll always strive to meet your needs in whatever way I can."

Your brow furrows, concerned about where this moment of insecurity is coming from. It endeared you even more to Austin that he was open with you about what he was thinking and feeling. Your fork rests on the plate and you place your delicate hand on his forearm. "I know, baby. You make me so happy, I hope you realize that. Yeah it's not exactly like how we want it to be all of the time. But what we've cultivated means everything to me."

"It means everything to me as well. You're the best thing that's come into my life in...honestly I can't really remember the last time someone made me this happy." He exasperates, spilling his vulnerable heart to you.

"Well good that makes two of us." You smiled reassuringly.

Your heart thumped in your chest as Austin flashes you a million dollar grin. Picking up your hand from it's resting position on his arm, he kisses your knuckles sweetly. "God you're just everything a man could ever want."

"And you, Austin Robert Butler, are everything a woman could ever hope for and then some. You're perfect."

He tuts and bows his head shyly, an embarrassed flush rises to his chiseled cheeks. "I beg to differ but i'll the the compliment, baby." He peers up at you through his long lashes and kisses your hand again. For now you quelled his momentary bout of insecurity, and you feel proud that you were able to have that real conversation with him. He's only a man after all, he's not made of stone regardless of his celebrity status. His shy nature is one of the things you love about him.

The two of you savor your spaghetti dinner and clean up the kitchen before heading back into the living room. You weren't quite sure what the exact time was, but the chill in the air and the watercolor of the sunset in the sky was now fading into shades of navy. In the middle of the woods amongst nature you could see the twilight of the night sky so much clearer compared to the smog of Manhattan. It was simply exquisite.

As an autumn chill ran through your body, you remembered that there was an enticing wood burning stove just sitting there totally untouched. That had to be remedied. "I kind of want to give the fireplace a whirl, what do you think, Austin?"

"I think that's a great idea. Let's see what I can do here." He clasped his hands together nervously, his thinking cap was now officially put on as he figured out how to work the fireplace. All the gears in his head were spinning at once. He didn't want to let on that he's never lit a fire in an actual antique fireplace before. But he was going to try his damndest to figure it out, that's for sure. And it anything was certain, he was going to look cute doing it.

Austin got down to it's level and inspected the fireplace very carefully. A pang of anxiety swelled in his stomach. This can't be that complicated, but you were expectantly waiting for him to get this going which made him nervous. Not wanting to offset the romance by fiddling awkwardly with the fire, he motioned his head back towards your general direction.

"How's about I get a roaring fire going, and you can get settled for the night, baby. Sound good?"

Oh, this was actually perfect timing. While Austin was working on things here in the living room, you had other plans you wanted to attend to by yourself. Little did he know what you had up your sleeve for him this evening. A wicked grin spread across your face.

"Yeah, that sounds good to me! Um, before I go and...get settled...pick a color between red, black, and blue."

As Austin finally managed to get the process of lighting this fire, you saw him stop in his tracks at your puzzling question. He had no idea what you even meant by that, you totally caught him off guard. So, without thinking too hard about it, he simply replied "Red."

"Okay, red it is."

With a quick turn of your heels, you saunter off towards your shared master bedroom, leaving him just as confused without explaining yourself at all. But for what you had in mind, you didn't need to explain. Showing would suffice.

Walking around the edge of the bed, you pull out your suitcase and pop the top off to reveal your clothes still neatly packed in there. You honestly just didn't have the wherewithal to hang your clothes in the closet you were so caught up in the moment with Austin. Everything was probably wrinkled to oblivion. But what you were looking for didn't need to be hung up.

The answer to your question to Austin lied at the bottom of the bag. The contents of which are of the most scandalous quality. Within your hands you hold three beautiful lingerie sets - one red, one black, and one blue. Each set was different in their general cut and accessories, but the components were the same. The red one which he ambiguously chose features an all lace ensemble comprising of a balconette bra that lifted your perky breasts into beautiful mounds atop your chest, a pair of matching red lace panties that laid high on your hips in a way that compliments your curves. And then the final touch were sheer red stockings that held up on their own, high on your thighs.

You thanked your past self for buying this skimpy little number a while ago when you and Austin first started dating. Funny enough though, this was the first time you were going to wear it for him. He's seen you in plenty of other lingerie sets, but this one was special. It made you feel more like a sophisticated sexy woman rather than a demure sex kitten. If one thing was certain, his jaw was going to hit the floor the moment he sets his sights on you.

So you take your time in primping yourself and putting on the items with care to make sure you looked perfect. With a few fluffs of your hair and a sheer reapplication of your lipstick, you were ready. Its not or never. Butterflies filled the cavern of your stomach. This was the moment, there was no turning back.

With one final check in the full length mirror, you slowly swayed your hips as you floated on cloud 9 back into the living room. To your surprise Austin actually got the fire going like he said he would. The heat was definitely welcomed as you felt goosebumps rise on your flesh - partly due to the nerves you were feeling.

Your man was standing in the middle of the room, unaware of your presence, as he fiddled around with his phone as he connected his spotify to the cabin's bluetooth speakers. A little mood music never hurt anyone. He hummed in delight as he found the song he was looking for and pressed play. The sensual tenor of Otis Redding filled your ears.

These arms of mine, they are lonely Lonely and feeling blue

If there was ever a right moment for him to notice you it would be now. You don't have any drink in hand to give you a bit of liquid courage, but you pull the strength from within you. Rolling your shoulders back and head hung high, you make the move.

"Austin..." you purred, beckoning him to look at you with your enchanting voice dripping with sex.

The look that Austin gave you when he finally turned around to catch your gaze was something you'll never forget. Seeing him already unraveling at just the sight of you was the ego boost of the century. His eyes nearly fell of out their sockets, and he swallowed a rather large lump that was forming in the back of his throat. His lips parted, quivering with a building need for you.

These arms of mine, they are yearning Yearning from wanting you

"Holy shit Y/N..." His wandering eye traveled all the way from the top of your head, to your ample bust line, the small of your waist, your clothed core, and your long legs adorned in the most beautiful red stockings. He placed one of his hand over his heart to steady himself. A heart attack was impending, he just knew it.

With a bat of your fluttery lashes you make another bold move. "You chose right, Aus. I think red is my color." Placing one dainty foot in front of the other, you walk your way over to where he's standing, exaggerating the sway of your hips just a little as put on a show for his greedy eyes. The newfound confidence you have in yourself is exhilarating, and you were riding off the back of this wave as you strut over to Austin.

He did most of the work for you though. "I'll say..." He spoke huskily. With his long legs he closed the distance between you with a few brisk strides.

These arms of mine, they are burning Burning from wanting you

In a flash, your bodies were pressed tantalizingly close together. The electricity vibrating between you two was intense. Now that you were right here with him looking down at you like he wants to swallow you whole, the reality of your flirtation sets in. A bright flush rises to your cheeks. It's the perfect accessory to your scantily clad figure.

"Hi." You said breathlessly, peering up at him with a suddenly shy demeanor.

"Hey." He replied barely above a whisper, licking his lips and swallowing to clear his salivating mouth. He was sure it was plain as day that he was literally drooling over you. It was obscene the way in which his body radiated such strong sexual desire. While he was a man that fell weak at the knees for his woman and would absolutely fuck you without hesitation on every conceivable surface in this cabin, the man before you was overcome with demure boyish intentions. He was just as shy in this moment as you were. Almost afraid to touch you for fear of you disappearing.

You both stood there, shaking with anticipation, not sure who should be the one to dare to make the next move. Even though you've been with Austin for so long, in this moment it felt like the first time. Two young lovers being in each others company, both nervous for the night ahead of them, unsure of what to say or do. But you fumble your way into each others arms nonetheless.

Your hand seemed to have a mind of it's own as it rests gently on Austin's chest, feeling him rise and fall with shallow breaths under the soft wool of his sweater. And he returned the touch by wrapping one of his hands around your waist, drawing you closer to his personal sphere, and his other hand went to cradle your face. The intoxicating aroma of his cologne mixed with his pheromones drove you wild, and you shook harder under his embrace. Austin's eyes darted between the desire behind your eyes and full pout of your lips, which were succulent and begging for his attention.

Come on, come on, baby Just be my little woman Just be my lover

As you planted yourself in front of his tall stature you took all of him in. The warm contrast of the fire beside you set a cast of golden shadows across his face, making his blonde waves sparkle and his tanned skin radiate a soft honey tone. His half-lidded ocean eyes stirred into a stormy whirlpool of eagerness dripped with intense lust.

Like a moth to a flame, you slowly allow your lips to be drawn to his, and his to yours, in a losing battle of self control over the powerful magnetism you shared for each other. This first meeting of your mouths was not a hungry one, but rather it was gentle and exploratory. Almost as if all previous sexual experiences had gone out the window and you had to re-learn the motions of one another's natural current.

Hot breaths passed between your lips as you moved together, pressing feather light kisses upon each other. The racing of your heartbeat was increasing tenfold as the adrenaline was coursing through your veins. You needed him all at once or not at all. His thumb rubbed tiny circles on your cheek as the tenacity in which he kissed your pliable lips hastened.

The tips of your toes stood to attention on the hardwood floor as you craned your body upwards to sink even further into him. The warmth from his strong arm around your waist pressed you closer to his body.

He gruffly rumbled into your mouth, his tongue reaching out to part your lips and deepening the kiss even further. And you happily let him inside without thinking twice. His wet muscle danced effortlessly against you, your tongues rolling in tandem for assured dominance. Needing more of him, your hand found purchase in his sandy locks as your deft fingers clutched onto his silky strands. And the other hand found a home on his toned bicep, firmly gripping onto him for dear life as he flexed beneath you. The realization of how wet you are for him hits you like a freight train, and through his jeans you can feel the formation of his hardened erection press into your lower stomach.

Austin knows you well and he can sense the arousal oozing from your pores. He wasn't sure where the final destination for tonight was going to be, but his feet moved from under him as he walked you backwards into the nearest possibility - the leather sofa. The cool fabric stuck to the backs of your thighs as he leaned forward and sat you down gently on the side of the steady armrest.

Reluctantly, he pulled away from your addictive mouth - but he soon enough replaced his lips on your jawline, leaving a wet trail of kisses down your delicate neck. From this new position you wrapped your legs around his hips, pulling him closer to where you needed him.

"Austin..." You sighed at the feel of his plush mouth sucking and licking at your neck. His skillful lips trailed their way down your collarbone as his long fingers slipped underneath the straps of your bra and pushed them down the slope of your shoulders.

"Y/N..." Austin hoarsely moaned. As he strained down to keep planting kisses on your goosepimpled flesh, he adjusted himself to a much more comfortable position with one knee planted on the ground . This gave him easy access to explore every single inch of your gorgeous physique in whatever way he saw fit. Your legs unraveled from his hips, instead falling either side of his shoulders, spreading them wide and revealing your soaked lace core to his hungry eyes.

All the synapses in your brain were firing frantically. You had Austin ensnared in like an enchantress, he was literally on his knees for you completely at your every command. The power was thrilling.

"Tell me what you want, baby." Austin cooed from below. His hands stroked the smooth silk of your stockings wrapped around your calves. The tender sensation sent a pool of wetness gushing out from your hot core, trapped by the restrictions of your panties. But you couldn't hide that from him, he was dangerously close to your pussy and he licked his lips in instinctual preparation for taking care of you.

As much as you craved for him to take you right here and now, you weren't sure if the side of the couch was the most practical spot. You have to stifle the moan that wanted to escape your lips at the sight of your man on the floor waiting for your order. It took a hell of a lot of strength to not give into him.

"How about maybe we move over there first?" Your gestured over to a wide open space on the floor in front of the fireplace. That sounded romantic and he seemed to mirror your sentiments, smiling brightly up at you.

"Your wish is my command, darlin'." Austin rose from his feet, planting a chaste kiss on your lips before he moved over to the fireplace.

The cogs in his brain were kicking into high gear yet again, as he thought about how to make this as comfortable for the both of you as possible. Being sore from a romp in the sheets was par for the course, but not from something as silly as fucking on the hardwood floors with no cushion.

He snapped his fingers as a bright idea overtook him. Turning his attention back to the sofa, he scooped up a couple of random cushions and plopped them at the floor beneath his feet. And finally, he grabbed the heavy throw blanket that looked cozy and spread it out, creating a make-shift bed that will do just fine for tonight's rendezvous. He crouched down and made sure to fluff the cushions as best he could in preparation for your head to lay. You must admit, this looked so inviting.

When he was finally satisfied with his handiwork, Austin stood back up and proudly displayed his hands on his hips. "And, voila. What my lady wants, my lady gets."

You crinkled your nose adorably. "That's even better than what I imagined in my head."

He giggled. "Well, I do aim to please," Austin might have been momentarily distracted, but he could no longer ignore his cock straining through his jeans. From where you were sitting you could see the imposing member begging for release from it's denim prison.

He took note of your obvious staring and drew his bottom lip into his mouth. "Now, where were we?" Seduction dripped from his vocal chords.

Two broad steps was all it took for Austin to make his way back to you. With one arm around your waist and the other snaking underneath your legs, he cradled you as he gently lifted you into his arms. In one smooth motion like he's done this hundreds of times before, he knelt down and gingerly lowered you onto the blanket, making sure your head was comfortably in place on the cushions that he lovingly fixed for you.

Austin rested his hands on his knee as he just simply looked at you, his goddess reincarnate, batting your long lashes at him innocently. Oxygen depleted his lungs as he sat there, mouth agape and turned on as all hell at the vision of you. It was in pauses like these where the reality of his unconditional love for you was accented tenfold.

You faintly uttered, "C'mere," as you reached out your hands, beckoning him to join you. He didn't need to be persuaded any further. With a coy grin, he nested himself on top of you as your legs opened for him, inviting his body to melt with yours once more.

His soft lips were back on yours, but this time he wasn't delicate about it. Immediately his tongue was back home in your mouth, dancing inside of you with every swipe. While his lips were occupied he let his hand roam your supple curves - groping and kneading at your breasts that he expertly removed from your bra. He sure was sly because you don't recall him unclasping it behind you. Tossing the garment off to the side without a care, he took his salivating lips and dragged them back down your neck.

The warmth of his breath against your sensitive nipples made you gasp. Once he took your pert bud into his mouth your eyes rolled back into your head so far you thought you may lose sight.

"Austin," You moaned, egging him on. The pleasure he was lavishing on your breasts sent a shockwave directly to your clit, throbbing strongly for him in every conceivable way. Your greedy hands clutched the hem of his sweater, signaling to him that it had to go.

Releasing your nipple with a wet plop, he sat up on his knees and pulled the sweater over his head and threw it into the abyss to keep company with your bra. In this lighting by the fire, Austin looked like a work of fine art. The contours of his toned chest and abs glistened with a thin layer of sweat that were calling for your touch. And you obliged, letting your fingertips trace over each and every curvature of his chest.

Austin smiled sweetly as he let you map out every single muscle your hands could conceivably reach. These kinds of things would usually make him shrink away into his shell, shy to the ogling of others at his body. But with you it was different. He took pride in how viscerally attracted you were to him, in an almost carnal way. Like you needed to touch him to make sure this wasn't all a beautiful dream.

Grasping your hands in his, he places barely there kisses on each of them and crept his way inch by inch down further on your hourglass figure. Your stomach was peppered with wet licks and nibbles, driving you crazy as he neared the one place you craved him to be.

But alas, he was determined to keep you on edge just a little bit longer. He purposefully skipped over your sopping wet desire and made his way to your thighs. The secure straps that were holding your stockings to your thighs snapped back against you roughly as he toyed with the fabric, testing their durability.

"As much as I want these on you, they're unfortunately in my way. We can't have that, now can we?" He asked half rhetorical and half expecting you to answer, if you could even muster a response. All you could manage was a shaking 'no' of your head.

"Hmm, that's what I thought." Never daring to break eye contact with you, he caught hold of your stockings and rolled them off your feet. With one leg free, he kept on teasing you like it was his job. He started at your ankle, his velvet lips making contact with the newly exposed skin. Soon enough he doted your calf, your knee, and up the soft flesh of your inner thigh. This was enough to send you careening over the edge, you threw your head back and let out an exasperated moan. He was so close yet so far and he was thoroughly enjoying making a full meal of you.

With both stockings now out of his way, he repeated the same movements on your other leg, still never looking away from your yearning doe eyes that were screaming for him.

"Aus, please stop teasing me." You whined.

Austin chuckled against your thigh. "Someone is eager." You nearly yelped when he tauntingly nipped gently at your thigh. You swear if he kept this up and denied you what you really wanted you would evaporate right here and now. You rose your hips off of the floor and into his face in a not so subtle hint to direct his attention where you wanted.

His tongue licked over the bite mark he left behind on your thigh. "I know baby, I just like taking my time with you."

At this point he couldn't even deny himself the joys of your pussy any longer. In one swoop he hooked his fingers into the waistband of your panties and quickly discarded them into the clothes heap.

Here you were, now fully exposed and waiting wantonly for Austin's next move. He couldn't help but groan lowly as he gazed at your swollen flushed pussy, dripping all for him. His cock bobbed in his jeans at the sight, but he would ignore his primal urges to take care of the ache in his pants to be the gentleman and satisfy you - like always. His mouth was watering to taste you.

"You are so fucking beautiful, baby." He expressed sincerely.

It was your turn now to get shy, as you covered your face in your hands to hide the tinge of rose to your cheeks. But he was quick, he batted them away.

He tisked at your actions. "I'll have none of that. I want you to look at me as I eat your pussy."

A strangled moan crept past your lips at his command. You knew you'd be a goner if you were forced to watch him go down on you, but you had to oblige him. How could you not? He was so fucking hot when he took what was his.

The orbs of his azure iris's were totally blown out. The storm that once befell them minutes ago were black, glossed over with desire. And now that he's made himself clear what his intentions were, there was no stopping him.

Your soul nearly left your body when you felt the very first broad stroke of his tongue lap against your folds. An ungodly, desperate groan fell from your lips and reverberated off the walls and into Austin's ears as he took his time in devouring you.

Your juices covered his strong muscle as he licked at your wetness, parting your lips even further for him to explore. He moaned at the sweet taste of you, never breaking eye contact as he wrapped his lips around your pussy.

"Fuck, Aus..." You choked out.

He spread your legs wider with his large hands dominating your thighs, forcing them even more to the side so he could have as much access to your glistening folds as possible. The grit of his 5 o'clock shadow rubbed against your skin, making you hiss at the burning sensation that felt so goddamn good.

Your pussy was being ravaged with long swipes of his tongue, setting a steady pace that made you rock yourself onto his face. And just when you thought you couldn't get enough, he ghosted the very tip of his tongue over your severely aching clit. You nearly closed your eyes as you moaned loudly at the sensation, but you were a good girl and you made sure to keep eye contact like he asked for.

Your hands flew to his blonde tendrils, drawing him further into your pussy for more amazing friction. Groaning against you core, he went back down to your sopping hole and brought along a trail of your wetness and his saliva back to your clit.

He masterfully flicked your sensitive bud until there were tears in your eyes. The overstimulation will be the beautiful death of you, and he knows this all too well. But he needed more of you. He was insatiable. He ate your pussy like it was his last meal on this Earth. If there was one thing he could do for the rest of his life, it would be his tongue buried deep in your needy cunt for all eternity.

"Yes baby, that feels so fucking good." You mewled, coaxing him on even more determined to get you to the apex of your release. Vibrations from his mouth as he moans into your juices added to the intense pleasure he was giving you.

His pace was unrelenting on you now. He ground your hips down harder on his face, working your pussy into a frenzy as his tongue worked hungry circles over your clit and lapped back down at your folds. He was breathing heavy with exertion, but he was nowhere near finished with you.

He brought one of his hands into the mix as it left your thigh. And with a husky growl he plunged two long fingers into your gushing pussy while he focused all his efforts with his tongue on your clit. Your walls clenched around his digits as he finger fucked you into sweet oblivion.

"Austin!" You screamed. As the pads of his fingers massaged your g-spot deep within you and your clit was getting assaulted by his mouth, your climax was reaching it's peak. You grasped even tighter to his hair and your toes curled as you bounced yourself back onto his fingers. With one last moan of his name you came hard and fast around him. You did so well with keeping your eyes open for him, but this orgasm rippled through your body so strongly that it overtook you and brought you to another dimension. You squeezed your eyes shut as your head lolled back roughly against the cushions, riding the wave of your release.

With one last swipe of your clit, Austin removed both his tongue and his fingers from your pussy. He admired how your slick coated them as he withdrew his digits from the vice grip of your walls, wanting him to stay there.

He looked positively fucked out of his mind with your juices running down his face as he rose from his laying position and hovered over you. He made sure you looked him square in the eye as he brought his fingers to his mouth, sucking them clean and savoring one last time the taste of your cunt.

No words were shared between you two, and no words would suffice in the heat of the moment. All that mattered now was freeing his strained member from his pants and having another part of his body back inside the confines of your warm pussy. And now.

In record time, he unzipped his jeans and pulled them down his legs along with his boxer briefs. All the blood rushed to the red tip of his thick cock where you saw a bead of precum drip into the floor beneath him. You got wet all over again just from the sight of him.

Quickly stepping out of both garments, he tossed them aside and made his way back to you, snugly climbing the expanse of your body. Still shaking from your powerful climax, you ground yourself back into reality by anchoring your jell-o legs around his sturdy hips for support.

He aligned himself with your entrance, leaving no time wasted as he slipped his cock between your slippery folds. You both moaned at the intrusion, absolutely sure that any signs of life in the general vicinity would definitely hear your combined cries of lust. But you didn't give a damn. You would scream to the high heavens and let the entire world know that Austin Butler was fucking you so good.

"So goddamn tight for me." He gritted through his clenched jaw as he relished in the way your walls squeezed around him.

He let you get accustomed to his girth for a brief moment before plunging himself further into you, filling you to the hilt.

"Oh fuck." You mewled, your nails dug roughly into his back as he snapped his hips and began his assault on your pussy. You clenched hard around his cock, drawing him even deeper inside.

Soon enough the sound of juices sloshing around him echoed loudly and drowned out any of the mood music that was playing over the loud speakers.

His bangs hung down his face and tickled your forehead as he steadily moved his dick in and out of your soft cunt. The slick from your last orgasm and new pools of desire enveloped him fully in the most delicious way.

"You take my cock so well baby. What a good girl you are for me." He moaned against your ear, his gravelly voice speaking these dirty things to you made your walls clamp down around him, earning you another sexy groan from his lips.

The heels of your feet pressed into his backside, encouraging him to fuck you deeper and harder. Who was he to not accept the invitation? He did you one even better. While he hastened his pace, snapping his hips feverishly against your core, he took one of your legs and threw it over his shoulder. The new angle made his massive cock plough into your pussy in ways you never thought he could. He was hitting every single aching spot inside you with expertise.

Your brow knitted together and your mouth hung open, your breath caught in your throat. Luckily you were flexible and could accommodate such positions with ease. Austin watched from above as he plunged his dick in and out of your cunt, your juices dripping down your thighs, and your tits bouncing right in his face as he fucked you into the stratosphere. He throbbed violently inside of you, sucking his bottom lip between his teeth as he focused intently on this heaven on earth.

"Aus, " You squealed, "I-I think i'm g-gonna..." you warned him, unable to say anymore.

He captured your lips in a rough kiss that was all tongue, you could taste the faint hint of your essence lingering in his mouth which was so erotic. That alone nearly sent you to the precipice. But Austin somehow fucked you even faster now, your pussy getting completely beaten up by his engorged cock. His repeated blows to your cervix had you bent backwards in ecstasy. You were so close to another earthshattering orgasm.

The rise of your voice, the quivering of your walls milking his cock, and urgency in your moans alerted him of your impending climax. If you came now he was done for. Which he was grateful for, as he too was dangerously close to spilling every ounce of hot cum inside of your pussy.

"That's it," He coaxed, "That's it, baby. Let go. Come for me." The ending of his command trailed off into a whisper as he was getting lost in the throws of passion.

Your lungs ballooned twice their size and propelled out of your body a blood curdling scream of the most divine nature as you crash-landed hard around him. You came just as hard this second time, and your entire body shivered as you rode through the tidal wave of your climax.

Austin wasn't far behind you. Each and every sloppy thrust sent him over the edge. The quivering of your walls milking him for everything he's got put him in a tailspin. Your pussy was hungrily drawing out his own orgasm, and his cock would give in.

"Fuck Y/N, I'm gonna c--". Before he can even finish, Austin roared as his come coated every inch of your walls, thickly. His hips thrashed with each and every spurt of his seed that skyrockets into your pussy, marking his territory.

You moaned a sweet sing-song of his name as you felt your insides fill with the warm sticky fluid. Your pussy gulped down every single drop he had to offer you.

He tried his hardest to not collapse on top of you and smother you to death with his body weight, but his arms were giving way. Neither of you wanted his dick to leave the comforting residence of your pussy. So you both remained there with his semi hard cock stuffed full to the hilt before he begrudgingly withdrew and rolled over next to you with a thud.

As you both laid there laboriously catching your breaths, the euphoria of your orgasms hit you and Austin at the same time. You shuddered and he followed suit. Was this real life?

"Goddamn." He roused softly. "That was..."

"Incredible." You finished his sentence for him, turning over on your side and slotting your body perfectly to his side.

He chuckled under his breath, lifting his tired arm and dangling it over the small of your back. "I was going to say ''fucking incredible'', but yeah."

You were both a sweaty pile of limbs on the floor, but you didn't care. He lifted your chin with his free hand up to his face and placed a gentle kiss on your lips. One of your legs wrapped around his side as you snuggle up closer to him.

The roaring fire beside you that once was is now a low tumbling flame, but it still managed to keep you both toasty in the aftermath of your marathon sexcapade. Austin brings one corner of the blanket up and over your bodies, lulling you into serene comfort in his embrace.

If this was just the start of your vacation, you couldn't wait for what was in store.

tags: @powerofelvis @headfullofpresley @2lekk @sapphirescripts @karamelcoveredolicity @blurredcolour @ggwritesstuff @bisexualwvtson

[jokerislandgirl32]

Favorite books??

(I mean everyone in your little family + you) 😇😇

Helloooo! Thank you for this ask! We have decided to list favorite books by ages for everyone below the cut! So, all of our favorite books as children, our favorite books as tweens, and our favorite books teens and adults!

And yes, each family member is responding to this ask!

Please note there is mention of Harry Potter, I (JIG) know the author/books are triggering to some, so please do not take offense to this, I just feel like the books would have been some read by one family member in particular wayyyyy before all the unsavory details came out.

Also, a lot of these books are my personal favorites, or they are books I actually dislike immensely…so my selfship kids liking them makes me laugh 😂.

Zach: As a child I was always partial to The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams and the Peter Rabbit books by Beatrix Potter. I also loved How The Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss. As a tween/teenager, I liked the Harry Potter series by JK Rowling, the Lord of the Rings series by J.R.R. Tolkien, and the Ender’s Game Saga by Orson Scott Card. Now that I’m an adult, I’d have to say The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald and 1984 by George Orwell are probably my favorite novels. 

Violet/JIG: As a little girl my favorite book was The Foot Book by Dr. Seuss, there was just something about the “here comes pig feet” line that cracked me up, I also adored Thunder Cake by Patricia Polacco. As a tween I loved Grandpa’s Mountain by Carolyn Reeder and the American Girls Books. As a teen and adult I’d say my favorite books were/are Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls, The Education of Little Tree by Forrest Carter (the best nonfiction book I’ve ever read), Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, The Fear Street Series by RL Stine, and anything by Mary Downing Hahn.

Varina: As a child my favorite books were Winnie-the-Pooh stories, my mom had an entire collection her parents collected for her and she read them to me and all my siblings! I also loved A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon, the Mr. Putter and Tabby books by Cynthia Rylant, and the Amelia Bedelia books by Peggy Parish. As a tween I enjoyed The Tale of Despereaux and the American Girls books. As an adult/teen my favorite books were/are Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, The Magic of Ordinary Days by Ann Howard Creel, and I adore any romance novel by Nicholas Sparks. 

Vera: When I was a little girl I loved the Fancy Nancy books by Jane O'Connor, any and all princess books, the Biscuit books by Alyssa Satin Capucilli, and the Junie B. Jones Books by Barbara Park. As a tween I read the American Girl books, but only I enjoyed a few of the series, Samantha was my absolute favorite! I also loved The Secret Garden and A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett, and The Wish by Gail Carsen Levine. My favorite books during my teenage years, and as an adult, are The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls, any of William Shakespeare’s plays (Romeo and Juliet is my favorite), and Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. 

Victor: When I was little my favorite book was Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss, my favorite book series was Curious George by Margret and H. A. Rey. During my tween years I read any Goosebumps book by RL Stein I could get my hands on, I also read all The Chronicles of Narnia books by C.S. Lewis, and A Series of Unfortunate Events books by Lemony Snicket.  My favorite book as a teenager was The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton, and my favorite book series as a teenager were Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs and the Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien. My all time favorite book as an adult is Into The Wild by Jon Krakauer.

Vallen: The Wonky Donkey by Craig Smith was my favorite book as a kid, it was freaking hilarious, and the sequel was almost as good. I also loved the Clifford books by Norman Bridwell as a kid, and the No David books by David Shannon. As a tween I read a bunch of the Goosebumps books by RL Stine. Victor and I were in competition to see who could read the most, he won of course, the dedicated bookworm. In my teenage years and into adulthood my favorites have become The Lord of the Flies by William Golding, The Giver Quartet by Lois Lowry, and The Wayward Pines Trilogy by Blake Crouch.

Victoria: When I was a little girl I loved all of the Eric Carle books, The Very Hungry Caterpillar being my favorite! I also loved all the Little Golden Books, I think my favorite one was My Little Golden Book About God by Jane Werner Watson. Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White, Each Little Bird that Sings by Deborah Wiles, and the Little House on the Prairie Series by Laura Ingalls Wilder were my favorite books during my tween years. As a teenager I enjoyed reading the Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children book series by Ransom Riggs and To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. As an adult I’d say my favorite books are Wish You Well by David Baldacci or Go Down the Mountain by Meredith Battle. 

[laurapetrie]

can you do a comprehensive list of your all-time favorite works of literature?

Okay, comprehensive. Let's see.

- Any word that ever came out of Fitzgerald's pen. Not me going through his trash and reading his canceled checks to his bootlegger while copiously weeping, “THIS IS POETRY!” - La Dame aux Camelias - Eugene Onegin  - The short stories of Katherine Mansfield, Ivan Bunin, and Aleksandr Kuprin - Les Fleurs du Mal - La Vita Nuova - Victoria (Hamsun) - Leone Leoni, Sand in general - One of Cleopatra's Nights and Other Fantastic Romances - White Nights - Andersen's fairy tales - Breakfast at Tiffany’s - Manon Lescaut - Undine - Vanina Vanini - On Tangled Paths. Or Effi Briest. Can't choose! - The Pursuit of Love/Hons and Rebels double feature - Franny and Zooey - Le Rêve (Zola) - Notre Coeur - Idylls of the King - The Pillow Book - As I Crossed a Bridge of Dreams. Forget Austen versus Bronte - are you a Lady Sarashina or a Sei Shonagon? - Madame Bovary - Spring Torrents, First Love, literally anything by Turgenev - A Farewell to Arms - my all-time number one forever favorite book - Le Grand Meaulnes - Aucassin and Nicolette - KEATS! - Sunflower (Krudy) - the Anne of Green Gables series, for sentimental reasons - The Portrait of a Lady - Great Expectations - The Artificial Silk Girl - Hardy in general, but especially Tess of the d’Urbervilles and The Return of the Native - Les Miserables - A Double Life (Karolina Pavlova) - War and Peace - Spring Snow - Fêtes galantes (Verlaine) - Slow Days, Fast Company - Sylvie (Nerval) - Complete Works of Shakespeare - My Antonia - Love in a Fallen City - Madonna in a Fur Coat

[eleapolitan]

WHAT'S TODAY'S SPECIAL?

✩ THE GREAT GATSBY

: a few luxurious vanilla bean scoops, alongside a bright pistachio scoop and a drizzle of some quintessentially american hot fudge to top it off.

I’ve seen Gatsby: An American Myth at the ART two times now, and it’s been such a pleasure both times, with it quickly becoming my favorite show I’ve ever seen or witnessed in my entire life. At this point, there’s no real breakdown of the songs or story yet, and I wanted to detail my own thoughts on the score of the musical. So, here’s my review and summary of every song from Gatsby: An American Myth, in the best way I could possibly articulate it.

— SPOILERS FOR THE GREAT GATSBY BY F. SCOTT FITZGERALD AND GATSBY: AN AMERICAN MYTH AHEAD. read the better version of this on my substack !!

WELCOME TO THE NEW WORLD

NICK, ENSEMBLE

Welcome To The New World is our opening number, and it’s a phenomenal entrance to the story and themes of The Great Gatsby. It starts with NICK, explaining who he is, why he left for New York, and the general vibe of New York as he arrives, and transforms into a full company performance. The choreography really carries this song, but the detailing of New York and its culture at the time of the story is done so well in the lyrics, really emphasizing the passion and energy in the city and state. what i love most is that the song opens on the common people of New York, those that attend GATSBY's parties but are not a part of the “elite,” with clear references to those characters in the company being immigrants, from out of the country and from other parts of the country itself. This idea of the song being sung by the average person in New York really lends itself to the introduction of TOM, DAISY, and JORDAN, who, during the song, are watching the company dancers from a higher level of the stage. as the song concludes, TOM says something along the lines of “quiet down” or a comment about the amount of noise from the other side of the pond, forming a line of class before the show even truly begins. crazy fun beat, crazy fun choreography, and such a captivating start that really draws you into the world of the great Gatsby, despite its weakness in catchiness.

a solid opening number, being incredibly fun with fantastic and dynamic choreography, although not the best song on its own in comparison to other gatsby: an american myth tracks or other musical openings. won’t be a super interesting listen for those who only have access to the score, but will be a super fun watch for everyone who sees the show, and a great start to an even better show! 

GOLDEN GIRL

DAISY

Golden Girl is DAISY’s first solo, and it’s good. for context, the scene previous to this is DAISY confronting TOM about taking a phone call, presumably from a woman or mistress, while they are hosting dinner, and demanding he hang up. he hangs up the phone and hurts her hand in the process, to which she crumbles in pain, with TOM then telling her that she is “being a bad host,” which leads into the song. Detailing DAISY’s emotions of always feeling the need to be perfect, and feeling as though she was pushed from being a debutante directly into being a bride, Golden Girl should be incredibly emotionally touching, especially as DAISY begins to reminisce on a previous love and another possible life, but it’s just not. Golden Girl is fine, and that’s the best way to say it, and it rests a lot on the gorgeous vocals of Charlotte MacInnes. The lyrics are okay, but at this point in the story, the song reads strangely, and it’s just a bit boring to sit through. I think Golden Girl does it’s job explaining DAISY’s feelings, I wish it just did it in a more interesting way, because it feels a bit like an afterthought, and a little forced into the overall flow of the story. Golden Girl’s crime is that of being boring, and that is the real tragedy of the song.

overall, a very basic take on daisy without very compelling ideas or lyrics, that rests on the vocals and acting ability of the performer and not on its own merits. not the worst i've seen in theater before, but my own personal contender for one of my least favorite of this show’s numbers. disappointing for daisy’s first solo, but will be a genuinely great audition piece for those looking for something from the show. this is likely a controversial take, but i just didn’t enjoy it. 

VALLEY OF ASHES

MYRTLE, WILSON, ENSEMBLE

Now. We’re. Talking. MYRTLE and WILSON are so cool in this production, and Valley of Ashes only cements that further. It’s a fantastic company number with a balanced focus between MYRTLE, WILSON, and the rest of the company that centers on the working class’s view of New York and the dichotomy between them and those with money, both new and old. It introduces crucial characters, interesting plot and thematic elements, and from what I recall, it’s sound and choreography is captivating for an audience. Both Solea Phiffer and Shea Renne performed beautifully as MYRTLE, and Matthew Amira makes me actually care about WILSON in ways I didn’t think were possible. It’s just so good, and is such an edgy, interesting performance. Huge fan!

a great company performance with a variety of skills from acting to dance to vocals on display from every member of the cast performing. takes everything amazing about the opening, and dials it up now that it knows the audience is already sat and listening. i'm obsessed.

SHAKIN OFF THE DUST

MYRTLE, ENSEMBLE (FEAT. TOM & NICK)

Another banger from MYRTLE and the wildly hardworking company, that’s only made better by the acting ability and the raw comedic and dramatic timing that Cory Jeacoma and Ben Levi Ross have as TOM and NICK. Taking place in MYRTLE’s apartment, Shakin Off The Dust gives a balance of a fun, party-like atmosphere that really showcases MYRTLE’s lust for life and desire to really live, which is core to her character, alongside the genuine emotions and motives behind the speakeasies and parties of the 1920s, which came from a desire to feel loose and free after the war and diseases that hurt the country, and also deeply hurt MYRTLE and the company characters like her, who desire to emulate the luxury and freedom of the upper classes. It’s much more emotionally raw than would be expected of the flashy costumes and lights, and the gaudy set, and provides insight into TOM and MYRTLE’s relationship and MYRTLE’s difficulties with her husband, family, and life that lead her to lead this affair. It also gives us canonically gay NICK, which I could never be mad at. Fantastic choreography as always, with a special solo given to a wildly talented dancer in the company, Chris Ralph who has delighted the audience both times I’ve seen the show in an incredibly unique way.

fun, flirty, and emotionally devastating. everything that i look for in a track, only made better by those performing, with phenomenal execution of the lyrics and choreography.

NEW YORK SYMPHONY

NICK, MYRTLE, DAISY, ENSEMBLE

This one took me a second to remember, but once I did, it was hard to forget. Taking place after TOM slaps MYRTLE, telling her that he would never truly marry her, and after NICK’s realization of queerness, New York Symphony is a song detailing the experiences of NICK, DAISY, & MYRTLE as people who have moved to New York in search of something, and emphasizes their similarities. It’s not a very memorable song, but I find it touching and a strong support for the overall story. Nothing too special, but still leaves a pretty hefty impact even with just a vague memory of the emotion it evoked.

a strong addition to the story and an interesting depiction of the similarities between multiple main characters, drawing connections that are crucial, or at least helpful, to the story.

ONE HEART BEAT

GATSBY, JORDAN, ENSEMBLE

One Heart Beat is our introduction to GATSBY’s parties, alongside the man himself, and it does a great job at utilizing the skills and talents of the cast alongside the fantastically designed set to create a dynamic and fun atmosphere. Great utilization of JORDAN’s character, which this production can occasionally lack, so that’s a major plus. Reminiscent of Shakin Off The Dust, and previous company numbers, One Heart Beat shows the party scene of New York and emphasizes the characters of both old money and new money who crowd together in GATSBY’s grand parties, but in a great contrast to the desperation of Shakin Off The Dust with the amount of opulence it shows. It’s a little bit of a drag, as I feel it’s a little longer than it needs to be, but overall a great track in vocals, score, and choreography, with amazing comedic moments and a great execution of NICK and GATSBY’s first meeting, and leads perfectly into the next track.

a great party song, with a fantastic showcase of skills from the company and the lead actors and actresses. faithful to the story and the ideas of gatsby’s parties, and just such a fun song, despite possibly overstaying it’s welcome.

DEATHLESS SONG

GATSBY (FEAT. DAISY)

Gonna be real with you guys, I don’t remember this song at all. From what I recall, it happens after GATSBY solidifies plans for lunch with NICK. The song itself contains GATSBY detailing the motives behind his parties, talking about scanning every face in the crowd, obviously looking for DAISY. Towards the end of the song, DAISY enters, standing in front of the green light prop that exists on House Right, but she’s more of a vision and GATSBY does the classic reach out to her from across the pond, which is referenced in the book and the musical. It’s not a bad song, from what I remember, just very forgettable, and it has the problem of existing after a very fast paced moment. Gatsby: An American Myth’s largest issue seems to be timing and placement of songs, and this is an example of it, because it is so easily forgotten in between those that come before and after it. 

doesn’t feel fair to give this a review, but i’m gonna say it’s a little forgetable and boring, but absolutely something that would resonate with someone who is not me.

FEELS LIKE HELL

WOLFSHEIM, ENSEMBLE

We are so fucking back with this song. It’s incredible, and defies every stereotype of the “ boring old guy musical song that nobody likes,” by being just so well done. I could write a whole post on this song alone, but WOLFSHEIM as a character is just so monolithic, he takes up all the attention on stage, supported and only contested by GATSBY, who has incredibly unique blocking and choreography throughout the scene. In this song, WOLFSHEIM explains GATSBY’s rise to fortune through his help, and the idea of the American Dream in a way that feels so genuine and wildly inventive and creative. WOLFSHEIM manages to be such an amazing character, with so much personality and wit in ways that I don’t the book, the movie, or the other musical have managed to capture. While I will sing the praises of Adam Grupper all day, Isaac Powell’s performance as GATSBY is nothing to scoff at either, managing to transform himself from a young, naive man, to the GATSBY we know today, and doing so flawlessly. An amazing backstory song that blends rawness and wit into something spectacular. 

fantastic addition to the musical, and a dynamic number that never gets old and one that you always look forward to, with especially amazing performances from all cast members involved. i have a feeling that this song will turn out to be wildly underrated when the cast recording releases, but trust me, it’s great.

A SMILE LIKE THAT IS RARE

NICK, JORDAN (?)

You may notice the question mark next to JORDAN. I can’t fully remember if she has a singing role in this song, or only a speaking role, but it doesn’t really change the overall song. It is, even if JORDAN also sings, largely a NICK solo, as he comments on GATSBY’s charm. The song details GATSBY’s smile, and how his genuine joy is rare for the circles both JORDAN and NICK find themselves in, and it’s the beginning of NICK’s understanding about who DAISY is to GATSBY, as this all comes after NICK’s agreement to stage a tea meeting for the aforementioned characters to come together, which is what GATSBY wants. It leads into a larger song, as NICK’s hesitance to set up the meeting is met with JORDAN’s reassurance that it may turn out well, as she remembers GATSBY for the radiant joy he had around DAISY, and their relationship. It’s a bit of a filler song, but it’s pretty, with lyrics that show an understanding of the characters in the story’s feelings and moves the plot along in a way that doesn’t feel too forced or too slow. It’s small, it’s cute, it’s there. 

nothing too much to say. it’s a cute addition, and it does it’s job. it’s not anything special, but it’s well-written and well-performed, and has a very clean placement in the story itself.

MONTH OF LOVE

GATSBY, DAISY (FEAT. NICK & JORDAN)

Do I remember the lyrics? No. Do I remember how absolutely lovely this song was in essence and feeling? Yes! NICK and JORDAN watch on from a side of the stage as a young GATSBY and DAISY meet and fall in love, with JORDAN being implied to be telling their story to NICK. However, everyone other than DAISY and GATSBY seem to melt away during this song and the scenes within it, even if they’re still present on stage, which seems intentional and phenomenally done. DAISY and GATSBY pull the audience into their romance, with soft lyrics and a romantic backing to every word spoken and action taken, without it coming across too gaudy, fake, or unreliable to the book itself. This is a gorgeous song, and it really demonstrates the skills of the performers to be able to shift into their characters’ younger selves so well, with only a change in costume. A beautiful song, made even better by the tragedy you know will befall their romance.

dreamy, romantic, and gorgeous, everything gatsby and daisy remember their month together as seen from their and jordan’s memory. this number really makes us understand daisy and gatsby’s history in a way that wasn’t available before.

I’VE CHANGED MY MIND

DAISY, JORDAN, DAISY’S MOM (FEAT. GATSBY)

This song is so heartbreaking, it makes me physically ill. DAISY, on the day of her wedding to another man, receives a long-awaited letter from GATSBY, begging her to wait for him. So simple, yet so gut-wrenching, Daisy’s repeated lines of “I’ve changed my mind” show her youth and desperation so well, especially as her mother berates her and asks her to think of their good family name (“Love will fade, but our good name is forever.”) and the luxuries that DAISY has enjoyed her whole life. DAISY continues pleading, standing soaked in a bathtub (like, actually soaked), until the moment she is carried out and dragged to the wedding, and it’s such a deeply ruinous song that absolutely wrecks an audience. TOM is a looming, silent figure throughout this song, and JORDAN’s helpless worrying only adds to the desperation the song carries and the fear DAISY has, every element on stage working to make you see just how much DAISY is conflicted, scared, and naive. I’ve Changed My Mind shows the tragedy of The Great Gatsby that is always so delicious, and it’s nauseating how amazing this track is. The blocking, costuming, and subtle choices made (JORDAN picking up GATSBY’s letter from the bathtub where it dropped as DAISY gets carried away, before throwing it out, DAISY’s mother and JORDAN in black as though they are mourning) elevates this song to heights I’m obsessed with.

possibly one of my favorite songs of the show, with just phenomenal vocals, acting choices, blocking, and just everything that makes a song perfect. i’m obsessed with this track, and I think it’s a real showcase of the show at its best.

POURING DOWN

DAISY, GATSBY, NICK (KINDA), ENSEMBLE

I know I just spent 10 years absolutely showering I’ve Changed My Mind with praise, but Pouring Down manages to elevate to even higher heights as a track. At NICK’s house for tea, both GATSBY and DAISY are overwrought with stress and nerves, and are so awkward and tense they can find nothing to talk about but the stormy weather. It’s difficult to detail in words, because it sounds so simple, but the mixture of their voices and characters combine into something so awkwardly beautiful, emulating the true tense feelings behind reconnecting with an ex. The company aids in the vocals, especially later in the song as they move into GATSBY’s house, and NICK’s involvement in the scene is somehow both touching and incredibly comedic, adding some necessary levity without drawing too much focus to himself when unnecessary. It’s a beautiful, understated but near-perfectly constructed track, and I love it so dearly. Not to mention, the set design including led-lights that flash down in rain patterns during this scene has such visual appeal I can’t even find the right words to describe it.

a crucial addition, that shows both the comedic and tragic potential of the characters themselves, that adds such great character building and tension to the story that makes it absolutely delectable. it’s a treat for me, seeing and hearing this song. understated, simple, and yet so deeply complex and thought out, a real work of ART.

MR. NOBODY FROM NOWHERE

GATSBY, ENSEMBLE

BOOOO!!! Tomato, tomato. Okay, I joke, but in all seriousness, this song is GATSBY’s Golden Girl, if you know what I mean. It’s just so boring, especially as the Act One finale, and it’s just so disappointing because it’s obviously placed there so we can get a serious moment to end on, that centers around GATSBY himself, but it just lacks what the past two songs had and really dampers Act One’s momentum. I understand it’s neccessity, especially for setting up GATSBY’s character, and his relationship with the idea of being “nobody” and finally escaping that boudary with the love of DAISY as his crutch, because that is vital for later on, but I just find this style of ballad-esque solos very boring, basic, and uninspired, which is a shame for a show as dynamic and unique as Gatsby: An American Myth. It was okay, and it does something for GATSBY’s character, but that’s the best I can do.

again, we have another song who’s worst crime is being boring. it wouldn’t be so bad if it didn’t follow multiple fantastic songs, but it does, and it’s rough. there’s not a better place to put it, and there’s no getting rid of it, so we’re stuck. still mildly disappointing, although i’m sure every high school theater boy just cheered for another audition song for them.

JUST A LITTLE PARTY

MYRTLE, ENSEMBLE

Starting off Act 2 with a quiet bang, Just a Little Party is a subtly sinister take on the party scene of 1920s New York, with “the help” at the center of the song. Highlighting the hauntedness of Gatsby's parties and the way the lower class workers are essentially invisible to the party-goers and work jobs that are completely unnoticed every night and every day, it's a dark, but incredibly captivating performance. MYRTLE’s appearance as a maid to contrast the life she wishes she had, as one being served rather than the one serving, is incredibly tragic and adds depth to her character. Her appearance in the song as a whole elevates it, and it's just such a fun way to get dragged back into the world of the show.

absolutely gorgeous re-entry to the world of gatsby: an american myth, that used the entire company to their best, and was just an amazing performance. 10/10, no notes, i’m in love.

WELCOME TO THE NEW WORLD (REPRISE)

GATSBY, DAISY, NICK, JORDAN, ENSEMBLE (FEAT. TOM AND MYRTLE)

DAISY’s introduction to the party world that GATSBY has created for her is within this song, and it is absolutely perfect. Before I write anything else, it’s important to know that NICK and JORDAN shine in this song, especially showing the way that NICK has evolved to mold seamlessly with the upper-echelon’s party mindset that he was once uncomfortable with. It’s such a gorgeous, fun reprise with just the right amount of sinister to remind us that GATSBY and DAISY are on borrowed time, with the threat of TOM right around the corner. Such a fun beat, and a great callback to the original song. All the characters, including MYRTLE and TOM who don’t have singing roles in this song, are utilized so well in both acting and vocal talent and skill.

so fun, so perfect, and an amazing reprise! more fun to watch then the original in my opinion, although the lyrics probably aren’t as strong, or at least don’t change much from the original.

DRIVING MY WAY

MYRTLE

This is MYRTLE incredibly ironic breakup song to TOM, although framing it that way doesn’t do her justice. Post-party, MYRTLE is incredibly frustrated with TOM, and I would describe this song as a type of angry, break-up letter to him, essentially telling him that one day, he will have lost her, and he won’t be able to drive her way anymore. It’s tragic in the context of the show, and that tragedy comes from the hope that it has as a standalone track, but it’s still incredibly powerful in the moment and represents something important for MYRTLE, and the shows overall themes and ideas. It’s a very powerful song, and while that really rests on the power of the performer, it’s just a fantastic track. The costuming of MYRTLE during this scene, in the maid dress she wore to the party, lends so much to the powerless feeling MYRTLE feels like she gains with TOM, and it gives the ending, where she clearly states her power over him, so much more punch than it would’ve otherwise.

overall, myrtle really isn’t in a single song that’s bad, especially not ones focused on her, and the stage presence that is both written into myrtle’s character, and executed flawlessly by the performers, only served to make this piece so much more emotionally fufilling and shattering for an audience.

WHAT IS THIS WORSHIP?

GATSBY, DAISY, NICK, ENSEMBLE

What Is This Worship is by far one of the most dreamy, romantic tracks in the entire score, with a slightly sinister undertone, and it’s no wonder that it comes in the seemingly blissful, but secretive, days of GATSBY and DAISY’s reigniting of their romance. The melody and music tell a far different story than the lyrics themselves though, with the music airy and cloudlike, like a fairytale, and the lyrics painting a picture of doomed devotion. According to the song, GATSBY falls into depression the moment DAISY leaves, and places his whole value on her presence, which shouldn’t need to be explained as unhealthy to be understood that way. The choreography shows they can never get their hands off of each other, with GATSBY especially clinging to DAISY and the lyrics reflect such desperation. It’s just such a gorgeous song, and everything about it reflects the love of DAISY and GATSBY without straying from the original themes and intentions behind their relationship, and the complexities with idealism and “the american dream” that litter the relationship as a whole.

showstopper, amazing, and steamy without being gaudy or graphic. one of my favorite portrayals of gatsby and daisy’s romances done, like, ever!

WHAT WILL WE DO WITH OURSELVES 

GATSBY, DAISY, NICK, JORDAN, TOM, ENSEMBLE

shirts getting thrown off, daisy regrets, gatsby asks daisy to tell tom she never loved him

This song is so fucking long, and so fucking good. The whole song is just wrought with tension and stress and it genuinely made me almost claw into my seat, it was so nailbitingly good. Beginning in GATSBY’s home, with DAISY worrying about the past and how much time they’ve both lost, and what their future will look like together (“What will we do with ourselves / Today, and the next forty years”), the song immediately brings a sense of finality that we know is coming to the affair, highlighting DAISY’s insecurities and fears. However, they move on, with the song transitioning into DAISY and TOM’s home as DAISY and GATSBY prepare to tell TOM of the affair —with JORDAN and NICK being the unfortunate bystanders. This begins the “it’s too hot” repeated lyric, which shows the way that the environmental circumstances, along with the tension, are affecting everyone but TOM, unaware of the issue. Later on, TOM becomes more conscious of the affair when DAISY decides to drive with GATSBY, leading him to also remark on the heat later on. All in all, it’s a rich, tense piece of storytelling that relies on the actors’ abilities in the best possible way, highlighting all of the strengths of the amazing performances done.

stressful, nauseating, and just so deliciously good. a fire could’ve started during this song and i would’ve had no idea. i don’t really know how they’re going to split this song and what is this worship up, or how they’ll make it into the cast recording, but that doesn’t change the intense emotion raditating out of this song.

WHAT OF LOVE, WHAT OF GOD

MYRTLE, WILSON, ENSEMBLE

I NEED THIS SONG TATTOOED ON MY BRAIN. Anyway, this is my favorite song of the whole score. MYRTLE and WILSON are fascinating characters, and they’re love and dynamic is so stressful and so beautiful and so heartbreakingly, realistically tragic. WILSON’s desperation for MYRTLE to stay despite her affair is so clear in this song, alongside the clear anger and betrayal he feels for both himself, God, and his and MYRTLE’s deceased daughter. It’s genuinely so raw with emotion that it’s palpable, and MYRTLE doesn’t pull her punches either, with her clear exhaustion with WILSON’s excuses and her pessimism contrasting his optimism, which is a swap of their earlier roles in the story. The contrast between them is what really seals this, with WILSON (And what of love, and what of God?) and MYRTLE (Love will not save you here / ... / God will not save you here) showing clear the hopes that people had in America and how those hopes eventually are crushed. The shift in their personalities is evident too, and it’s just such a realistic depiction of the kinds of struggles they would face as fully fledged people, not characters. It’s so. Fucking. Good.

a really great song to pretend you’re fighting with someone to, if that makes sense. a really great song, period. i am getting a tattoo of these lyrics, and no one can stop me.

THE DREAM FOUGHT ON

DAISY, GATSBY (FT. TOM, MYRTLE, NICK, JORDAN, & ENSEMBLE)

DAISY is going to drive. That’s important for you to know. This is the scene, as in the scene where DAISY takes control of her life, for better or worse, removing herself from being the dream debutante, the dream wife, and then GATSBY’s American dream, and in doing so, taking back both control and the keys to the car from GATSBY. The Dream Fought On is about fighting for a dream, whether this be DAISY’s dream of breaking free from expectations, GATSBY’s dream of having DAISY, and MYRTLE’s dream of truly living, and finding a new life. This is where MYRTLE dies fighting for her dream, running in front of the car as DAISY drives, and the choreography and blocking of specifically this scene is phenomenal, along with the song’s blocking as a whole. While the song can be rather basic, and a pretty common and derivative take on the story, it’s still very well done, especially on stage, and especially with the acting of all those involved.

overall, it’s a great song that has the issue of a lot of acting moments around it, and being shelved in between multiple other far better songs, but still, it’s great. i feel like i’m forgetting something about it, but i’m fairly certain this is a reliable description.

THE DAMAGE THAT YOU DO

TOM, DAISY

If there were to be any song that beats out What of Love, What of God?, it would be this one. TOM and DAISY are such rancid people in this song, and it really highlights the ways TOM and DAISY behave similarly, which calls back to similar highlighting during Act Two’s opening that showed both DAISY and TOM’s affairs in the spotlight. It’s so good in ways I can’t describe, but it’s one of the other great argument songs on this track, and there’s a piece of lighting work I also really love in this song, where the spotlight kicks up from behind them and you can see dirt and blood on the bottom of both DAISY and TOM’s clothing, highlighting the blood and grime they both have on their hands and their consciousness, and how neither of them are clean people. I think it provides a lot of insight into why DAISY and TOM end up staying together.

VIGIL

GATSBY, NICK

GATSBY is going to take the fall for DAISY, and desperately wants NICK to validate this decision, which NICK struggles immensely in doing. This is, I believe, where NICK fully beings to understand the lengths that GATSBY has gone in only the pursuit of DAISY, how the entire empire he has built is for her, and how he will tear it all down for the chance of having her call, for the chance to protect her. This song, while sung by GATSBY and NICK, is more reminiscent of NICK’s point of view on GATSBY’s tragedy, rather than a real duet. NICK remarks that GATSBY is “standing vigil over nothing,” and when GATSBY asks NICK if he thinks DAISY will call, NICK decides to lie and say yes, despite his real beliefs. It’s a truly tragic song, if only in the sheer patheticness and desperation shown in GATSBY. I have, personally, never been one to dislike DAISY as much as many other readers of the book, but this song really hits hard, and really draws a lot of sympathy for GATSBY’s struggle and desperation for something, and someone, we all know isn’t coming.

it’s raw, it’s good, it’s tragic, and it’s all one big beautiful lie, and it’s just incredibly desperate and pathetic as a song, in the most loving, sympathetic way. it’s gonna be great, and people are going to love it.

AMERICA, SHE BREAKS

GATSBY, WILSON

Oh, I’m crazy. WILSON, similar to MYRTLE, is always going to be a smoking gun —see what I did there— of a character, bright and attention-grabbing and with such a loud but welcome stage presence. America, She Breaks is a perspective on the myth of the American dream from both GATSBY and WILSON’s perspective, as they lament on what the pursuit of this dream has lost them. This song genuinely leaves me speechless, a heavy tension and desperation running through the entire thing until the death of GATSBY and WILSON by WILSON’s own hand and handgun. It’s, strangely, a magical experience of a song, with it being wildly captivating and attention-holding. It’s a fantastic commentary on the themes of the show, and genuinely could’ve been a great ending to the show that wraps up the story and the themes, although it would leave parts of the book’s ending out. It’s just such a solid and genuine performance, and it always leaves the audience gasping.

this song drives me crazy. i am crazy. 

POURING DOWN (REPRISE)

NICK, JORDAN, GATSBY’S FATHER, COMPANY

This is where, ideally, the show would’ve ended if it didn’t end after America, She Breaks. The inclusion of GATSBY’s funeral, and the few mourners, alongside NICK and GATSBY’s father is well-done, and I absolutely adore GATSBY’s father being Native-American, which adds a whole new level to GATSBY’s character and desire to fit into the 1920s American dream. I’m not well-versed enough to speak on the representation, but I do think the idea of GATSBY being Native-American adds a lot to the story and adds complex, and interesting dynamics and themes to the overall script. I think this song specifically being a reprise of Pouring Down works well, and I think it’s an emotionally fitting ending to the show. 

emotionally fitting, a perfect mourning song, and a lovely and well-done reprise. incredibly solid as both a standalone song and a closing to the score and story as a whole.

BEFORE I GET INTO THE LAST SONG... I want to say that there are two places this show could’ve ended after this that I would’ve been happy with.

After NICK mentions to GATSBY’s father that DAISY didn’t even send flowers, GATSBY's father asks NICK who DAISY is. This works as a tragic ending, as it shows that GATSBY’s pursuits were largely for nothing, and no one will ever truly remember or understand the lengths that he went to for DAISY, along with being tragic due to the reminder that DAISY was not all that important to anyone else, and that she was only a dream of GATSBY’s, and not nearly as lifechanging for others. It just ties up DAISY and GATSBY’s relationship in a tragic little bow that I think works

And I would prefer this. NICK and WOLFSHEIM have a conversation about GATSBY after WOLFSHEIM doesn’t attend GATSBY’s funeral, that generally goes with NICK saying that GATSBY should’ve meant enough to WOLFSHEIM that he be bothered to go to the funeral, and WOLFSHEIM saying that GATSBY meant everything to him. WOLFSHEIM’s monologue ends with him saying that “[GATSBY] was a beautiful fool” and I think this makes for a good ending.

I’m sure there are other places that would make for a good ending, but not the one I’m about to tell you.

WE BEAT ON

FULL COMPANY

I hate it. I’m sorry, I hate it so much. We did not need a full company number at the end, it really just ruined it. It sucks so bad, I’m so sorry. I’m sure there’s a good reason to have it, maybe, probably, but my idea is that reason was just that they wanted the whole company on stage for bows, which is not a good enough reason to have this number included. It’s a boring song, with boring choreography, and I don’t think it serves a good enough purpose, or emphasizes the message of the show in any way. I believe that this song was only included to have the entire company onstage at the end of the show to prep the stage for bows, and nothing else. Sorry, but not really.

i’m a d1 hater of this song, and will be pretending it doesn’t exist.

so, that’s the scoop!

if you enjoyed this review, let me know. if you didn’t, that’s too bad, sorry about that. please follow me for more content, and feel free to ask me any more questions about this show, my experience with it, or content in general! i’m always down to chat, and i’m open to reviewing more scores, soundtracks, and/or albums! all the love, all the kisses, and have a fantastic day or night, wherever you are.

8.12.2024🍨 eleanor

[charbles]

In your AU who is your all time favorite and why?

Anon, I've been thinking about this for hours, I'm NOT joking, This au has been around since 2018, its a very special thing to me, its gotten me personally through ALOT of shit, and its one of Me and Ricks (@galacticaldisaster) first au's/rewrites we've EVER done together, this au short is SO SO important to me which is why its SO HARD just to choose one character, you feel me? On top of that Rick and I try to implement literally EVERYONE into this au, we Cherry-pick from books, we include EVERYONE from AR, there are GENUINELY so many options!

My favorites bounce around alot due to whoever i'm focusing on developing and the likes but i think i've got a solid tie for #1! and ive got reasons for why its a tie :]!

Chris is my favorite out of all of the characters i've written purely because he makes me very sad, I think i did the best job writing him as a character, hes balanced in the sense that hes a heartbreaking character and yet i think he stays child-like in essence, hes got reason for what he does but he goes about it like a 6 year old would, a very scared 6 year old

Which brings me to my second favorite of all of the characters, Richie. Richie is this au's FNAF 3 Phone dude, I havent really talked about Richie too much, besides the mention from last night. But richie will ALWAYS be on top, mostly because he is the very first character i wrote for this au, WAAAYYY back when i was 15, the very first picture i EVER drew of this au was of Richie Scott, Age 17, Threatening to hit someone with a lightning mcqueen Croc. Richie and Phillip's (@galacticaldisaster s phone guy) whole concept came from a game of Garrys Mod where we were being little idiots and beating the shit out of eachother with fnaf character models! I also just think Richies silly :]

Legally i DO have to give you all my favorite of Ricks characters;

You all obviously know springtrap/william, absolute motherfucker, but RICK. RICK HAS THE AUDACITY, THE G A L L to both turn him into the saddest dad you've EVER met, and the scariest and i mean, SCARIEST William ive ever read. seriously, dudes believe me, Rick's writing for his devolve from a dad/ business man to murderous deranged killer is GENUINELY my favorite, I've seen alot of interps of william, and maybe im a bit biased, But Ricks is my favorite.

Now Phillip is in the same vein of Richie, hes the phone guy and was made during a game of Gmod via rambling, but Phils character and story is genuinely very very :[ i love him, he is my favorite white boy, Phillip my beloved little corporate slave turned Man Fuck This Place >:,[ i wont talk about his story too much, but its sad, and i fucking adore him and will kill for him

an honorable mention for ricks, who i will not be sharing pictures of is Jeremy Fitzgerald, because rick is the ONLY person i know who has implemented the fact jeremy carved his fucking face off and also once again? i love him. hes a FUCKER.

HONORABLE MENTIONS BELOW CUT!!

my FAVORITE fucker to draw is malhare.

look at this fucking idiot, i love him, and yet he is ABSOLUTELY TERRIFYING. HE IS A MENACE. this guy and his bestie in au is ARE ABSOLUTE FREAKS. FUCK UP YOUR LIFE FLAVORED FREAKS!!

annnnndd currently my favorite character to write for is Vanny and the Tape girl (Delilah!) :]

i will not be giving context to this image :]

[augustheads]

taylor swift asks!

i made this in lover era but adding a couple new ones/made adjustments for newer days. enjoy!

debut: when did you find out your life’s passion?

fearless: what is one thing you did that scared you but you did it anyway?

speak now: what is something you did by yourself that you are most proud of?

red: what life event put through through hell but you ended up better for it?

1989: what makes you feel most free/at ease?

reputation: have you ever had a bunch of people believe a lie about you? how did you deal with it?

lover: what type of love means the most to you right now?

folklore: have you ever shocked the people around you with a surprise project/life event?

evermore: what was your lockdown escapism?

taylor's version: which taylor's version do you like the most/are you looking forward to most?

i'd lie: if you know the unreleased songs, which do you hope taylor releases from the vault?

beautiful eyes: what cheesy/lame thing gives you joy?

the holiday collection: what is your favorite holiday?

meredith, olivia & benjamin: do you have a pet?

13: what superstition do you hold on to the most?

polaroids: what retro/vintage thing do you particularly enjoy?

hot glue gun scar: what is the funniest injury you ever got?

mean or shake it off: do you like to stand up for yourself to people who are rude to you or do you just move on from them?

b-stage: what acoustic/lowkey song gives you the most comfort?

sparkly dresses: what is your favorite unconventional clothing in your wardrobe?

baking: what is your favorite food to make? includes drinks, food, dessert, etc.

grammys: what is your biggest achievement?

tim mcgraw: what old work of yours are you still proud of to this day? it can be a poem, an edit, a painting, an essay, an award you won in elementary school!

love story: what classic tale would you want to change? fairytales, plays, movies, etc!

long live: do you have someone who has been your rock for many years? the answer can be your mom, your cat, your best friend, even you!

all too well: what do you remember like it was yesterday?

clean: have you struggled with letting something/someone go? how did you get out? or how do you plan on letting go?

i did something bad: what is something you did that people told you you shouldn’t have but you nonetheless enjoyed it?

a girl called girl: what did you create when you were young that you are surprised by today?

jersey shore: did you have any summer traditions with your family or friends growing up?

christmas tree farm: how did where you grew up shape you into who you are?

human-sized bird cage: do you have decor that is a little (or a lotta) out of the ordinary? what is it?

scrabble: favourite board game?

wonderstruck: what ~fancy~ word do you like the most?

wonderstruck enchanted: what is your go-to perfume?

taylor: how do you reference Taylor Swift to your friends/family? first-name basis? her full name?

secret messages: what does no one know about you? this can be lighthearted! 

F. Scott Fitzgerald: favourite author?

the story’s got dust on every page: what is your favourite book or short story?

red lipstick: what style choice does everyone know you for?

so overnight you look like a sixties' queen: which taylor album aesthetic do you like the most?

sharpie eyeliner: what beauty faux pas have you made?

candid: favourite candid?

superstar: favourite red carpet look?

old fashioned: (if you have had alcohol before) favourite cocktail? if not, favourite soda/carbonated beverage?

drinking beer out of plastic cups: (if you have had alcohol before) favourite beer? if not, favourite juice?

i'm spilling wine in the bathtub: (if you have had alcohol before) favourite wine? if not, tea or coffee?

chicken tenders: what could you eat everyday?

cheesecake: favourite food?

love actually: favourite movie?

little mermaid: childhood hero?

12/13/89: what is your birthday? bonus for telling us your astrological sign!

country accent: what old habit did you have makes you cringe now?

chai tea eggnog cookies: favorite dessert?

double jointed elbows: what is your “party trick” or just a weird thing you can do/your body does?

teffy: what weird nickname do you have/have you had?

got a long list starbucks lovers: what is your starbucks order?

track 5: favourite track 5?

f.r.i.e.n.d.s: favourite TV show?

[typingwithmyhandstied]

Book recs? (I’m deleting most of my tbr and starting over. Idk what I will actually end up getting to but I trust your taste in books.)

I am very honored that you trust my taste. I'd have to know specific genres you are looking for to make the best recommendations, but here are my basic ones (including a lot of my favorite books):

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab (This is probably actually my favorite book ever. The characters are amazing, the dynamics, everything) (trilogy with a sequel series starting)

If You Could See The Sun by Ann Liang (speculative fiction, girl turns invisible) (standalone)

Realm Breaker by Victoria Aveyard (fantasy book, somehow has strong world building, characters, relationships, AND plot while most only have one or two) (finished trilogy)

Renegades by Marissa Meyer (it is not the best of her books, but I think you might appreciate the fact that the messy situation is almost exactly like the Phoebe Silas Priest situation but messier? I don't remember it that well) (finished trilogy)

Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid (this book has some of the most vivid characters in any book I've read. They feel real. It's also very open to interpretation and analysis which I think you'd like.) (standalone)

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (this is my favorite classic. everyone sucks it's great. I mostly love the writing)

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab (standalone, it's a little hard to get through at first but it's a lot to think about)

Made of Stars (Bonnie and Clyde retelling, sci-fi)

I could probably think of more, but I'll leave it at this.

[space-cat-in-a-teacup]

character ask: lucy, poe, and fitzgerald

Oooh Guild characters, don't mind if I do

Lucy first!

First impression

Anne of Green Gables author! I understand this reference!

Impression now

Best girl, she's just trying to live her life post-Guild arc and exist as best she can. I'm so glad she continues to have a presence in the narrative, and I want to see more of her!

Favorite moment

Guild arc, Moby Dick, Atsushi's prison cell. She bears her scars to Atsushi to show exactly why she hates him (and considering all the other members of the Guild, she's probably used to people who don't understand her pain, who have more to their lives than she could ever dream of) only for Atsushi to reveal he has scars just like hers, that they share this pain that no one else does. And when Atsushi asks if the people on the ground deserve to suffer like she did. GOD.

But a close second is the moment where she drags Atsushi out of the cafe to give Kyouka some peace, explaining to Atsushi why he should give her that peace of mind. It's a cute moment, and I like that it shows Lucy has the deeper emotional understanding in this situation versus Atsushi.

Idea for a story

When I finish that one fic where she becomes a detective thanks to Poe moving to Canada it's over for all of you. And maybe a canon-compliant fic exploring her average every day life at the cafe, how she goes about and what she does with her time

Unpopular opinion

I do not see enough Lucy content to know what opinions of mine would be unpopular or not?

Favorite relationship

Atsulucy is my beloved for a reason... I love they. I would like to explore her dynamic with Kyouka more though, I think they're interesting.

Favorite headcanon

I don't have a specific headcanon, but thanks to some old OC named Lucy I do associate her with ladybugs a lot.

Now, Poe!

First impression

FUCK YEAH I LOVE THE CASK OF AMONTILLADO a shame that isn't his ability BUT HELL YEAH I KNOW POE THIS IS GREAT

Impression now

He's a silly goofy guy who's rivalry with Ranpo is really fun, and the continued use of his ability in present BSD storylines is really cool. As a fan of IRL Poe's writing style and stories, he's an absolute treat. Could use more Cask of Amontillado references though.

Favorite moment

His inroduction is iconic... but the moment where he casually reveals how incredibly wealthy he is and gets to be the one who shocks Ranpo instead of the other way around? Oh, oh that is wonderful.

Idea for a story

As I mentioned above with Lucy, the fic where he fucks off to Canada and accidentally brings her into the mystery business is one I treasure dearly, even if I don't know how to write it just yet. I also have an AU version of him that, while he doesn't have a story yet, is quite an intriguing premise.

Unpopular opinion

I don't have a specific one, but I do feel like the fandom tends to soften him a little bit, make him a little bit too shy and anxious.

Favorite relationship

Ranpoe is iconic, but to be fair it is like... the main one we see in canon. If we're talking about dynamics I'd like to explore with him, I think him getting dragged around by Kenji on a shopping trip or something could be fun (based on that one brief scene in the manga where Kenji tried to help him but couldn't understand him) or a scenario with him and Fukuzawa.

Favorite headcanon

He definitely has an ominous wine cellar in that giant mansion of his. You know why? Cause Cask of Amontillado is-

Now we move on to Fitzgerald himself... oh boy.

First impression

THE GREAT GATSBY???

Impression now

This entire character and the storylines surrounding him are such expertly weaved references to the Great Gatsby that while I don't like the character himself a lot, I do have a secondhand appreciation for him because I love that book.

Favorite moment

The moment he shows up in TJ Eckleburg's house and just casually explains how horrific of a death drinking lighter fluid is kinda funny to be honest?

Idea for a story

...Does that one time I had a Pokemon AU where he got eaten by Reshiram count?

Unpopular opinion

I don't see a lot of content about him so I can't say for sure what is and isn't unpopular?

Favorite relationship

Him with the Guild as an entity, not its individual members. Something really fucked up about how he calls them all his property and that's how he cares about them, not really having much care for their individual cares.

Favorite headcanon

The man is bad at fishing. He likes the idea of it vaguely in that 'white American dads fish' kinda way but he cannot actually fish he's bad at it. If you know you know.