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etherealily · 5 months

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𝟡 𝕝𝕚𝕧𝕖𝕤 // Nate Jacobs.

Nate Jacobs + Fem!reader. Darker. SFW, but discretion advised.

Part 1 : Whiplash

Part 3 : Blessed

Part 4 : Shards

Part 5 : Eighteen

Part 6 : Sin

You do NOT have permission to repost and/or translate any of my fics.

Desc. : You should be grateful.

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He wasn't supposed to text you. He was supposed to take the beating you'd given him for being a prick, like a man, and shut the fuck up about it.

But here you were, midnight, staring at the chat that had started it all.

'yo, u up?'

You rolled your eyes, going back to your scrolling.

'I hate seenzoners.'

You liked his message.

'That's so much worse.'

'The fuck do u want?'

Nate Jacobs sent a voice message.

You could have just ignored it. You could just block him. You could just… stop. But the allure was far too much. The urge of finding out what he wanted was too strong.

"Guess where I am."

He could've just texted that. No need for a voice message, but he was Nate Jacobs.

"I don't know, the psych ward?"

"You wanna know? You'll have to drive and follow my instructions, though. You trust me enough for that?"

Ha. No fucking chance. "No, I'm good, thanks."

"Oh, so you'll text me, but won't see me in person?"

His voice was oddly sultry, as if he'd either just woken up or hadn't slept for days. Most likely the second one.

"Bingo. Go to sleep, Jacobs."

And then he sent you a picture of him from the bleachers of your school's football stadium - how the fuck did he get in?

"C'mon, don't you want to see what our school looks like at night?"

Uh, yes. But with him? No.

"It's 12:05, ASSHOLE. No fucking way."

"This is the scene where you cave and meet me and we have a cute little nighttime school montage where we sit and talk about life."

You listened to that message a good four times before you stopped laughing.

"This is the scene where I block you."

"I will come over if you don't come to the school. Uh, y'know, if you want your parents to think you're fooling around with the QB."

"I will literally shoot you if you come within fifty feet of my house."

"Come. I'll make it worth your while."

Was it possible to hear smirks?

"I'm not coming, Nate."

No way he was actually at the high school. It was probably an insanely good edit.

"You will be."

The FUCK was that supposed to mean? Not like he could force you to show up.

"Wanna bet?"

"Sure. Fifty bucks says you show up to the high school tonight."

"Not blowing fifty bucks on anything, even if I do win."

"What's it going to take for you to come? Look, I-I know it's been weird, and I might've scared you, but that's… that wasn't my intention, I swear."

Yeah, his intention was just to show you what his blood looked like. You liked his message once more, rolling your eyes.

"Dude, seriously, I swear, I'm not like, a serial killer or anything. You can bring pepper spray, a taser, whatever, if it makes you feel better. I'm just- okay, fuck, you're right. Dumb idea, trying to convince you like this."

Wait, okay, good. That was good. He was getting the message.

Another voice message.

"I forgot who I was talking to. You leave me no choice."

"What?" No.

And then, you received a video. He was teetering off the edge of the top-most row of bleachers. With a gun at his head.

"Come on, Y/N, this is getting really sad, that the only way I can grab your attention is by almost killing myself."

"I don't care. Do whatever. Not falling for it this time."

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"FUCK!", you yelled, as you found yourself running frantically through the school football field for the second time in two weeks.

You'd actually kept your word for a while, pushing out every Nate-related thought for a good night's sleep - you didn't fall for it.

Until McKay called and informed you that Nate wasn't picking up his phone - and that his last message was something along the lines of : 'Call Y/N if you don't hear from me in the next couple of minutes'.

He was deranged. Playing Russian Roulette with his own life was absolutely deranged.

"You actually showed."

GOOD, he was still alive, meaning you could kill him.

You didn't speak. That would simply complicate things, because then you'd have to look at him.

"Plus, you didn't flinch when you saw me. Think that's a win for me in the trust department."

You stood there, glaring at him as he jumped down from the bleachers, even doing that dangerously, as if he was a cat with nine lives, or he was playing a video game and would just respawn.

"You know, you could say something."

He wasn't getting impatient, though, like his tone was trying to portray. No, he was getting more amused. He liked this. He liked the fact that he got you to come to a basically abandoned-for-the-holidays-high school at midnight. He reveled in it.

"Like hey, Nate, thanks for convincing me to actually live a little for a change instead of staying cooped up in my house.", he suggested.

You punched him.

Yeah. You kept running across that field till you were close enough and you punched him right then and there.

You full-on punched him, shoved him back, slapped him, clawed at him. "Stop FUCKING doing this to me! STOP! You can't FUCKING do this to me!", you screamed, hitting him repeatedly on his chest.

He took every beating, and the fact that it seemed he was trying not to laugh just egged you on even more to actually kill him, make his nose bleed, make his head fall clean off his egotistical body.

Eventually, though, it seemed even Nate Jacobs had his limit. He grappled against your hands as he held them between both your chests, clenching his jaw. He wouldn't risk saying anything, seeing as your eyes were already burning with tears.

"You…", you cried out as he shifted his grip on your hands to only one hand, wrapping the other around you. "…Can't keep…"

"Shh, shh, I know.", he muttered as he rested his chin on your head. "Shh, I had to."

"No, you didn't."

He kissed your head, then your forehead, your nose, your cheeks, and stopped for a moment, hovering over your lips but not touching them, as though he was more scared than you were. "You know I did."

You wondered if he could taste the tears, whether he relished it. Knowing what little you did of him, he might have.

"I would've come."

"No, you wouldn't have. Shh." He was right, but there had to be some other way.

"You know what, sweetheart?"

It was sickening how he could do this to you and then use words of endearment against you.

"You should actually be grateful."

And that's when you noticed that he was actually gripping onto your hair, tightening it when your face didn't show any contortion due to pain (only contortion due to unbridled rage and the urge to stab him with your car keys).

"I usually hurt people to get what I want. With you, I'm hurting myself."

You fought the urge to say 'so fucking what?'

"You're not bleeding, baby, that's what you don't get. You're untouched, and safe, and not bleeding. Me, however?"

What was his point? That he was being a gentleman by scaring you half to death instead of having a normal adult conversation?

"I'm bleeding. I'm hurt. I'm in pain. But I'm still holding you."

He said it with exaggerated magnanimity, like he was doing you a favour, or something, like all your problems, trauma, worries, stress, had just disappeared because he was holding you in his 'big strong arms'.

"Then stop!"

"Neither of us wants me to stop holding you."

"I do."

He grinned, knowingly, with a subtle shake of his head. "No, you don't."

"Let me go."

"No."

"Let me go, Nate."

"Fine. Because you called me Nate and not Jacobs.", he nodded, letting go of you and throwing up his arms. "Don't hit me again."

"Was McKay in on this?"

He frowned momentarily, before realization swept over his face. "Shit. Yeah, no, he wasn't. I should text him, huh?"

Oh, now he was asking if he should be a courteous human being?

You watched him loathingly, as he typed out what you guessed was a half-assed apology.

'Sorry, McKay, I'm good, man. Chicks, y'know?' or some absolutely fucked up shit like that, to be sure.

"Done. Now, will you stop being so square and enjoy the fact that you're here at school at midnight?"

"What?" Enjoy?

"I'll bet this is your first time out at midnight period, let alone your first time out at midnight somewhere you're not legally supposed to be."

"Why am I here?"

The condescending look he gave you set your teeth on edge. 'Oh, poor, naive girl. Of course she doesn't even know why she's here. This is why I told her to stay in my grasp. She never listens.'

FUCKING ASSHOLE.

"You're my good luck charm. My good luck charm, but I heard you're fucking Shane. You can't be doing that."

The softness in his movements, the gentleness, it had either completely stopped, or entirely overshadowed the fact that he had put you through yet another nerve-wracking event that would raise your blood pressure.

Shane who, Shane who, Shane- oh. Shane.

Not so much fucking as went on one date with, but it was better for everyone if Nate thought you had already gone that far.

"Why not?"

"He's a punk."

"You're one to talk."

"Look, he plays defense. What if you're just, like, intensely fortunate? Can't have him sneak in a quickie before the game and then he's lucky."

It's like he wanted you to punch him again.

"He's on your team. You'll win anyway."

He shrugged, as though he could see where you were coming from, but was about to respectfully absolutely ruin your argument.

"I like to win."

"Not a team player, are you?"

"Never claimed to be."

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He was so clearly getting frustrated with your lack of response - the initial dopamine and thrill of being a disgusting element of surprise by shooting/not-shooting himself in the head gone.

But what could you say?

You'd already ghosted Shane after the date had tanked, so technically there was no reason for you to still be here. The chances of a 'lucky quickie' were virtually zero.

And so, you just stood there, the two of you, with inexplicable rage pooling within.

Your senses were heightened, your emotions wilder than the crazed look in your eyes as he stood there, looking down at you like an adult looking down at their childhood toy. As if you were the naivest, most precious, pathetically adorable thing he owned, reminding him of a simpler time.

At this point, even a rabbit's foot had been treated with more respect than you.

And you hated every moment of it because it was thrusted upon you, just like the silence of the eerie, void-like field you two were in.

"Why are you like this, Y/N?", he groaned, with the nerve to sound tired.

You? Why were you like this? What about him?

"You're… so cold." His hands flexed as if they were about to move from your hair to your throat. "Just… let loose, please. You're the reason I'm winning, I'd at least like to get to know you!"

"Oh, so this is like, an interview? Is she good enough to be associated with me? You think you're hot shit? Dude, I- you gotta realize how fucked up all of this is."

You were practically pleading. Acknowledge your absurdity, Nate Jacobs, please.

"Hey, whoa, look, you chose to associate yourself with me. Not my problem, ok?", he spat back, clearly happy with the return of banter.

"I didn't choose any of this!"

"You requested to follow me after I followed you. You chose not to block me after I followed you."

"You're putting this all on me?"

That's what normal people do ; they follow people back! He was grasping at straws, but it still seemed as though he had an iron grip on them.

"There wouldn't have been a first time if you didn't care so goddamn much." Like he was mocking you. You almost screamed. You almost hit him. He was so nonchalant.

But that… rang true. However, the humanitarian in you was adamant that there was absolutely no one cold enough to shrug off a video of someone slicing so effortlessly into their palm and exposing their blood so unabashedly.

Well, except Nate Jacobs himself.

"But, y'know what, Y/N?", he said, clearing his throat, matter-of-factly. "That's all in the past. Because now, now, we're going to sort out this arrangement between us and everything will go back to normal."

Normal? Normal as in, both of you go back to being strangers? Unlikely.

"Arrangement?"

"How this thing is going to go. Before every game, you fist-bump me. You don't touch any other players whatsoever, Blackhawk or otherwise."

Great, he was policing who you could fist-bump now.

"I- you brought me here at midnight for this?"

"Uh, no, I brought you here at midnight for fun.", he replied, scoffing. "But since you wanted to be all violent and physical, I thought we should stick to business."

Did he mean to be this insufferable? Was it a bit? There was no way an actual human being could act like this, yes? There was no way anyone could think that this was a justifiable response to a genuine question. Right?

At this point, you didn't know anymore.

Nate Jacobs had officially stumped you.

"If I say okay, can I leave?"

"No, you cannot leave, but you definitely can go sit over there and think about your little attitude before I bring out the tequila."

He burst out laughing at your annoyed face, slinging a heavy arm around your shoulder in an oddly possessive display of 'familiarity'.

"Relax. Loosen up, like I said, and you'll be fine.", he snorted, and that was your only indication that he did not, in fact, actually wish to put you into time-out.

The insane man with a gun had a sense of humour, apparently.

"You brought tequila?"

"I told you, the whole point of tonight was fun and getting to know the reason I'm winning better. So, sit."

You sat, still glaring up at him. You must have looked absolutely fucking cute or something, because he pouted at you before reaching into a duffle bag you hadn't noticed before and whipping out two bottles of straight tequila.

"Body shots?"

"Jacobs…"

"I'm joking, I'm joking. You'll come around soon, though. They all do."

Great. That's brilliant. You'd been reduced from a stranger, to a bitch, to a joke, to now a stereotype. This was just spectacular.

"Why me?"

That question seemed to genuinely catch him off-guard.

Good. Now he knows what this past week with him has been like.

"Hm?'

"Why me? Why am I the good luck charm?"

"I don't know."

"You could just be a really good player. You don't know, you haven't gone a single game without it, so you assume you're winning because of it."

"The third game was the one you weren't there for. You must remember hearing about it, though? Most embarrassing game for East Highland, I swear. 34-nil? That was shameful. That's why I decided, fourth game onwards, I wouldn't have to risk it because I got you."

Shit. That actually made sense.

"Okay, now you tell me.", he began, slightly turning the bottle in his hand around and examining the contents, curiously. "Shane Crestin? Seriously?"

"What?"

He scoff-snickered, taking an impressively large gulp before answering. "Y/N, the guy's a tool."

Look who's talking.

"He asked me out after the game."

"So, he knows you're my good luck charm.", he said, quietly, like a king trying to figure out where his men's loyalties lay.

Did Julius Caesar have a girl who he gaslit in order to get her to watch him in battle because of superstition? If so, she'd have been the first to stab him.

"Of course he knows, you made a huge spectacle of it that first time."

"Oh, yeah. But still, what a bastard. Trying to steal my lucky girl and her luck like that."

You needed to do a lobotomy on this man, seriously.

It wasn't even like you could ask him what the hell that meant because that would just bring him immense amounts of joy.

"You're not drinking. Why?", he inquired, opening the second bottle and forcing it to your lips.

You frowned as you held onto it. "I don't drink."

"Oh, bullshit. Come on, drink, don't be a nerd."

"I said no, okay?"

"Wait, do you not want to drink around me?"

He was really going above and beyond to break the 'dumb jock' stereotype, wasn't he?

"I can't believe it.", he continued, leaning back on the bleachers as he watched your face. "After all this, you don't trust me."

After all this, he said, as if he had spent his entire life working solely for your benefit. Like a tired mentor.

"I mean, dude, this is like… such a bitch move, you know that? I'm just trying to be nice."

"I don't know what you want me to do, Nate."

"Uh, trust me? Thought we were cool now, Y/N. You think I'm going to get you blackout drunk then have my way with you? Rape you? Are you scared to be around me? At midnight? In a quiet, empty football stadium where no one would think to look for you?", he questioned, still holding your gaze as he lifted his bottle to his mouth.

The elaboration of that statement unnerved you.

"I don't think you're going to rape me, I'm just-"

"Just scared of the possibility?"

"Don't take it personal, but-"

"There's no other way to take it. You're all but accusing me of assault. I thought you were different."

Was that meant to make you melt? 'Oh, no, I'm just like everyone else in that I don't want to end up in a ditch somewhere, the horror!'

"Maybe I'm not.", you shrugged.

"But you came. Tonight. No one else would have. So maybe you're a judgmental bitch like everyone else, but you've at least got your stupidly huge heart going for you."

If you strained your ears, that almost sounded like a compliment.

"Uh, thanks?"

"Drink, Y/N. Please."

Oh, fuck it. You needed that goddamn tequila to shoot through you with a vengeance.

"There we go.", he mumbled, watching you. "Dude, look at you."

"Hm?"

"You're finally badass."

His eyes lit up as he saw your finger enter the scene. He chuckled for a moment. "I'm being serious. I mean, you've beaten me up, what, three times so far - once in front of the entire school - and now you're doing underage shots with me at night at school, which is like, two illegal things at the same time."

See, that's where the difference between the two of you lay.

He thought that was being a badass.

You thought that was being a dumbass.

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"…So yeah. That's why I joined football, basically. Made me feel, like, stronger and more in control, I guess."

This asshole had just told the most human story, and now you had to see him as a person. The cunt.

You watched as he stood in the middle of the field, aiming and shooting at the banners that were strewn up all around the field.

God, he was so fucking terrifying.

How does he play Russian Roulette to bait you into coming one minute and then reload and shoot at banners like a child with his first Nerf the next?

"Control. Yeah, that tracks."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You want everything to go your way. You get pissed when other people do things of their own will."

"Can't argue with that.", he shrugged, as he turned his back to you and shot another banner, impressively shooting right in the centre of the 'O' in a 'GO BLACKHAWKS!' sign. "You know how to shoot?"

"No."

"You should learn."

"I'll get right on that.", you scoffed, as you observed your tequila bottle intensely, ignoring him coming back to rest his feet on the bleachers from your peripheral vision.

"Open your mouth."

"What?"

"Humour me."

"I've humoured you enough tonight."

"Please? Pretty please?"

You rolled your eyes, but opened your mouth. You had no idea what you expected, but it sure as hell was not him stuffing the barrel of his gun in there. You suddenly felt the tequila evaporating from your bloodstream as he slapped your hands away after you tried taking it out, like anyone would. Shit, it hurt. FUCK.

"Just relax.", he whispered, so soothingly that he might as well have been talking you through a panic attack. "There's nothing to be scared of."

Besides the hot gun you've got basically lodged up my throat.

Suddenly, the amount of danger you really were in began to materialize in your head. He was right. It was midnight. It was spring break. It was at high school. No one would think to look for you there.

"Are you scared?"

Oh, God. He was one of those freaks who got off on these things.

You nodded, not really knowing what else to do.

"You think I'll shoot you?"

You shook your head.

"Kill you?"

You shook your head.

"Then why are you scared?"

Honestly, it was the fact that he wasn't going to do either of those things, and decided to shove a gun down your throat simply for shits and giggles.

"You need more tequila."

WHAT?

You frowned, but nodded. Anything to get the gun out of your mouth.

He poured it straight from the bottle into your mouth, watching with sick satisfaction as you swallowed, and you realized that he was psychotically drunk.

"How's that? I do it all the time, y'know? Hot metal plus cold tequila equals the best fucking night ever."

Um, ew. No. But that would be super unwise to say.

"You shove a gun down your throat then take a shot?"

"One of my more dangerous drinking games, yes. God, dude, look at you. Like, you're so fucking uptight, loosen THE FUCK up!"

You were unsure how much 'looser' you could get - you were already going along with his 'dangerous drinking game'.

"I am!"

"Not enough. Not even close. You need more."

"We're all out.", you said, (thankfully) pointing at the empty duffle bag next to him.

"Oh.", he sighed, slumping down next to you and using the duffle bag as a pillow. "Just- I don't get it. What is it about you?"

"That makes you get suicidal?"

He snorted, softly. "That makes me so mad?"

"You're mad?"

"Not like angry-mad. I mean like… crazy-mad. Like I go mad around you."

Five-year-olds could explain things better than him, but, to his credit, he was shitfaced.

"Really? Thought you were born that way."

"I mean, last week? When I kissed you? I don't do that shit. But it was the only way to shut you up. I-ugh. It's you, Y/N. Just fucking up my brain, one game at a time."

"Oh, oh, so you being a psychopath is because I didn't show up to one game?"

"When you're constantly worried about someone needing to be there, you do crazy things. Like cut yourself. I would have done it, too, seriously."

"I know. That's why I came."

"So, we weren't entirely strangers, huh? You knew me a little, at least?"

"Uh, no, we were definitely strangers."

"Now? What are we now?"

"Uh… friends?" You didn't mean that. You wouldn't be his friend if it killed you.

"No, I think I'd know it if we were friends." Phew.

"So, you tell me."

"What? No, you've been in charge this whole time, you tell me."

He just said you'd been in charge.

One offhanded, sweeping statement, and he'd shifted all the blame on you as easy as pie.

How did he do that?

It was obvious what he was referring to: the fact that none of these interactions would have happened if you just hadn't given a shit in the first place.

The fact that every single move of his had been linked to you, in whatever this weird everybody (except you) ante, sketchy poker game he was playing was supposed to be.

And it unnerved you.

Because in some twisted way, it was true.

"Acquaintances."

"But we've kissed.", he reminded, diligently and unwantedly. "Acquaintances - and classmates, before you suggest that - don't just kiss."

"Dude, then what do you want to be?"

Shit. That was what he'd wanted all along. For you to ask in exasperation, to give you his interpretation.

"You know, just… an average relationship between a man and his good luck charm." He inched closer, his hand loosening its grip on the railing as if it was going to do something, but there was no more tequila to reach out for.

There was only you.

And reach, he did.

First, his hands were on your cheek, like they had been a half hour ago. Then, suddenly, they were in your hair, and his tongue was trying to coax your words out of you directly from the source.

And you just let it happen.

If anyone knew why you let it happen, you'd have loved to start a suggestion box.

But you had a funny feeling that the only person who knew why was Nate Jacobs himself.

Fat chance he'd tell you.

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otakusheep15 · 1 year

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Obey Me Flufftober Day 5

Prompt: Reunion

Pairing: Asmodeus x reader (gender neutral)

Word count: 613

A/n: Welcome to day 5 everyone! I've been really looking forward to writing some Asmo fluff, as I feel it is sorely lacking in comparison to angst and smut with him.

Going back to the human world was always difficult for you. For one, the transition from Devildom to human world was rough, as the two were just so different. One minute you were in a fantasy world filled with interesting creatures and strange magic, and the next you were stuck in your average, mundane life. It gave you serious tonal whiplash, but that wasn't even the worst part. No, the worst part was being away from all of your friends, and especially your beloved Asmodeus. Any time you would leave, you missed him dearly. Of course, you would call and text him whenever you could, but it just couldn't compare to seeing him in person.

Luckily, you were scheduled to return to the Devildom soon. It would still be about a week, but you were so close. Plus, you've already been gone for almost three months, so what's another week at this point? Hopefully it goes by quick, but you suspect that it'll drag on like every other week has so far.

The week did, in fact, drag on. You could practically feel every second tick by as you waited and waited. It was absolute torture, but you knew it would pay off soon. And, by the sound of your phone going off, it seems Asmo feels the same way you do. As per usual, he's begging you to come back early, or to let him come and see you, but you both know you can't to either. Both of you have responsibilities to attend to right now, and it would be much to complicated for you to carve time out of your schedule to see him early. In the mean time, you settle with seeing him over FaceTime, and for a while it feels normal.

Finally, after what felt like centuries, it's time to go back to the Devildom. More specifically, it's time to see Asmo again. You can barely contain your excitement as you're teleported to the Student Council room. As many times as you've done this, you've never been able to shake the giddy feeling you get when you return. Not that you would ever want to, of course.

You land in the middle of the room as always, and the first thing you hear is a squeal of delight, followed by the sound of running. Before you can comprehend what is happening, you're engulfed in a pair of arms, though this was to be expected. Asmo wraps you tight in his embrace, and you doubt he'll let go any time soon. His brothers are quick to follow, although much calmer than he. You attempt to greet the others, but Asmo is quick to draw your attention back to him. This happens every time, so no one bothers trying to stop him anymore.

Asmo nuzzles into you affectionately, speaking about how much he missed having you with him. You let him talk, letting his words sink in as you adjust to being back where you belong. Back in the Devildom, and back in Asmo's arms. Despite his loud voice right next to your ear, you're at complete peace.

As Asmo continues to rant about all of the activities he has planned out for you to do together, you lean into him, content to stay like this for as long as life would allow. Apparently, life would not allow long as Lucifer decided now was the time to return to the House of Lamentation. That was fine with you. Going back to the house means returning to Asmo's room, where you can stay with him in peace. You couldn't think of a better way to spend your first day back home.

#obey me asmodeus #shall we date obey me #obey me #flufftober #flufftober 2023 #obey me fluff #obey me scenarios #obey me headcanons #asmodeus headcanons #asmodeus x reader #gender neutral reader #obey me mc #gender neutral mc

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technovillain · 2 years

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a little comic self-promo!

Hi! For those of you who don't know, I currently run a webcomic called Another Story, which is hosted on Webtoon Canvas.

I've been working on the story for around 4 years now, and the comic itself has been running for almost 2 now. It is my absolute pride and joy and I have put so much of myself into working on this project. You can find it here:

I am notoriously bad at self promoting, but I wanted to give a few reasons why I think you might enjoy it!!

I was inspired by various cartoon series that follow a serialized setup despite starting off more episodic. I've always been a big fan of shows that start off simply and plant the seed for some later lore that gradually builds over the course of a season. (Shows like Gravity Falls, Adventure Time, Steven Universe, etc. really inspired me to use this style when I first started development)

It has a fun, unique artstyle! I am not trying to toot my own horn, but one thing that I like about my comic is the uniqueness of the character designs. The fact that every character is a part of a diverse alien species and there are no human or earth-based references is interesting and fun. (Considering this is a long term project, you can see how the style and designs have evolved a bit since the first few pages.) If you follow me already because you like my art, you can like my art over and over and over again if you decide to read Another Story.

So much lore and worldbuilding. One of my favorite things in media that I enjoy is some worldbuilding you can really sink your teeth into. It's the kind of thing that really makes me want to theorize and observe and analyze.... which is exactly what I've tried to do when building the world of the Araelian system.

Positive LGBTQ+ representation! I know that this is no longer rare in webcomic spaces, but I still thought I'd mention it as a point. I think it is nice to read a story every now and then where an LGBT character's main arc doesn't have to be about actively struggling with their identity, it is simply another thing that adds on to who they are as a character.

It is silly....until it is not. It has a lot of tone variation ranging from really conversational-style comedy writing to some edge-of-your-seat, earth-shattering intense drama later on. Best of both worlds and I am hoping to give each and every one of my readers some tonal whiplash when the proverbial ball drops.

It's got Umbot in it. Everyone seems to like that guy.

One thing that I have really struggled with on the comic however is growth. I have promoted it on my Insta quite a bit and it never seems to get any traction. It has been the slowest climb imaginable to 100 subs over the course of 2 years. With 4 completed episodes (comparable to cartoon episodes) and around 50 individual updates, this is not all that much. I really care so much about this project and would appreciate any sort of support at all, especially subscribing to the comic itself on Webtoon!

Nothing can stop me from making more Another Story, however. My loyal fanbase of roughly 10 people and my brain that cannot cease AS-related thoughts for more than 5 minutes will not allow me to do so. So read it, or don't! But if you do I'm sure you won't regret it! :D

--Kiwi

#tries so hard to not apologize for self-promoting. reminds myself that promoting is so many people's jobs. this is normal and good.#*coughs* anyways #another story comic #another story webtoon #oc tag #.txt #anyways reblogs are appreciated! or clicking my silly little link

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based-bobcat · 1 year

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The Flash

Yup, I got dragged to see this movie. It’s the best comedy of 1994!

-The opening scene was fine, but it set up the rollercoaster of tonal shifts we were about to jump on. I admit I laughed during the baby shower scene. Barry not being able to touch the people he saves seems like a new handwavy addition so they wouldn’t just speed to, say, Russia.

-Affleck in the Batsuit looks like Dark Knight Returns Batman, especially his face. It didn’t look good at all. Another laugh when WW showed up with that epic musical sting out of nowhere.

-There is no fucking way that Iris West would ever interact with Barry after him schizoing in front of her every single second.

-The time travel itself was pretty cool, until they used CGI akin to Jimmy Neutron to show the ‘waves of time’ or whatever. Also it looked so much like the cosmic treadmill, you might as well have used it. Made totally not stolen from Flash season 3 stand out even more when he pushed Barry off the not!Treadmill.

-Whoever decided to have Ezra Miller play a dual role should be fired, shot and set on fire in that order. Barry Allen is the most annoying character to ‘grace’ the screen since Jar Jar, and no, film, outright saying Barry is annoying doesn’t help. It just makes it worse.

-Barry and Barry have a scene in which Barry comes to the shocking conclusion that nobody of the League is around to stop Zod... Even though during MoS nobody was active during that time aside from Batman. They retcon Barry into the same trailer scene Bruce was in, which felt like I was finally watching a comic book. Pointless retcons! That shows that Barry tried to save a kid and a dad, but failed to save the dad. A nice waste of time because you do see them later, they literally suffer the same fate. Even worse, Barry wasn’t even there this time!

-The usual ‘this is how OUR time travel works’ scene was generic, but spaghetti metaphor was at least an interesting take. Also autism be damned, Bruce can cook a good pasta

-While I usually like Michael Keaton, it seemed like he was phoning it in. He said ‘I’m Batman’ like an old person welcoming you to Target. He looks so bored

-In a later scene he says “You wanna get nuts? Let’s go nuts” in the same bored tone, shot the exact same way and the movie gives a pause for fucking applause. Beyond embarrassing. They also had Batman shield others from bullets with his cape like 5 times minimum and every time he made this face.

-Now the 4 people who follow me and read this will say ‘of course you’d say that’, but Supergirl is the only good part in this fucking shitshow. Rushed as hell, yes, but good. She took off because mankind imprisoned her so mankind bad, and immediately went back because Barry saved her in the span of a literal minute. Could’ve been explored better though. One of the Barry acts like a 4 year old could’ve been cut for Kara coming to terms with the fact that Kal-El isnt out there. Or just adjusting to freedom. Instead she immediately fights Zod, because the movie needs to (They do give her a reason, but only after she agreed to help to stop Zod)

-The reason being, yet another fucking retcon, on this Spaghetti strand Kara is the one with the Birthing Matrix, and Zod killed infant Clark to discover this. I genuinely dont get this change. It’d be more interesting if Clark died on arrival and the matrix was destroyed. So Zod is just Terraforming the Earth as a fuck you to Jor-El.

-Just now realising that Zod came to Earth because Clark/Lois activated a signal, but without Clark how the fuck did he know where Kara even was?

-Final fight scene had tonal whiplash every five fucking seconds, I kind of tuned out until Kara and Bruce died. Barry and Spaghetti-Barry go back in time, it doesn’t work. OG!Barry finally learns the lesson that CW Flash never fucking learned about time travel, but Spaghetti!Barry keeps going until we get a literal crisis on infinite Earths type shit with Earths clashing into each other. To nobody’s surprise, Spaghetti!Barry is not!Savitar. Well to everyone’s surprise probably since I forgot he existed. They have the gall to say Spaghetti!Barry created himself, using OG!Barry as a way to do so.

-This is after an embarrassing amount of ‘REMEMBER THIS’ zooming in on those other Earths, with DC using the corpse of Christopher Reeves as nostalgia bait. Classy.

-At least Nic Cage got to play Superman, good on him. Sad he still had to fight that giant spider. Telling that they CGI’d Reeve in, but Adam West only gets an audio clip

-A delicious middle finger to CW because the only reference to that we saw was Zoom-as-Jay-Garrick also known as the moment CW Flash went to shit.

-Anyway the movie ends with a woman hugging a bloody, dirty, crying man who is clearly wearing stolen clothes, then crying homeless man proceeds to steal her can of tomatoes. This is played with sad music and slo-mo. I genuinely haven’t laughed that hard in the theater in years.

-The movie ends with George Clooney as Batman, instead of giving me more Sasha Supergirl. Which they should’ve done. With Henry no longer playing Clark, why not give us Supergirl.

Numbers for movies dont mean shit, but this movie is a 3/10 and that generous. I laughed along with the movie the same amount of times I laughed at it, so that is a win? The people I went with could not name a single thing that they liked. Not a single fucking thing. Reportedly Aquaman is going to be worse. I cant wait.

Lets hope James Gunn turns this around. Not holding my breath

#The Flash #Ezra Miller #Michael Keaton #Sasha Calle #DCEU #Hiding behind my english isnt my first language excuse

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pewpewpugh · 2 years

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My Roommate's Sister: Part 5

It was Saturday, so as expected the roads were busy. Florence hadn't yet told me where she was taking me for our second date, but we were driving further out of the city according to the road signs. My hand was entwined with Flo's while she drove, only letting go so she could change gear.

It was another 45 minutes before I started to see other signs, signs indicating that there was a fair nearby. Oh, my god. Was she taking me to a fun fair?

"Flo..." I could hear the excitement in my own voice, "are we going where I think we're going?"

"Where do you think we're going?" She asks, looking from me to one of the fair road signs, then back to the road.

"The fair?"

"Busted." she laughed at me, "I hope you like rides, babe"

My stomach screamed at that word. Babe. She called me babe, and I hope she made a habit of it. I hoped for more days like this, more days with her, more dates with her.

We pulled into the car park and I was quick to jump out of the car and head to the entrance. Florence was trailing behind, I could hear her laughing as she followed me. I paused at the gate to wait for her, and as she got close enough she pulled me in and kissed my cheek.

"You're cute" she whispered as she hooked her arm with mine, "which ride first?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We'd been here for hours now and I couldn't wipe the smile off of my face. After exiting the bumper cars for the third time, Florence grabbed my hand and directed me towards the spaceship. Oh god, was I going to throw up?

"Let's go on a ride where you won't be the reason for my whiplash" she giggled as we arrived at the queue.

"Are you a sore loser, Pugh?"

"I let you win"

"Bullshit"

Florence grinned at me before turning her attention to the man taking the tokens. She passed them over, and he opened the gate to let us on board. She still had a tight grip on my hand as we positioned ourselves with our backs against the wall mat. Music started, and I had to laugh as the lyrics to "I Kissed A Girl" ran through my ears. But I didn't have time to make a joke before the ride began. My stomach was full of butterflies, but that was really no different to how it had been all day in Flo's presence. I hadn't realised it, but my head was tilted towards her, and as I opened my eyes I found that she was already looking at me. We held each other's gaze for the whole ride, only breaking the contact to leave the vehicle. Again, her hand never left mine.

"Lets try something less exciting now, please?" I asked.

Florence checked her phone. "That ride took forever," she said. "It's almost eleven. Do you want to go stand in line at the Ferris wheel?"

"Sure," I said, accepting to anything that wouldn't spin me around or make me dizzy.

"Great," she smiled. We didn't speak much in the queue, not that we needed to. You know someone is good company when you don't need to be filling the silences, you can just let them be. I leant my head against her shoulder while we waited, and I swear I felt her hesitate before she kissed the top of my head. She took out her phone from her pocket a number of times while we were waiting. Was she waiting for a text from someone else? Was she getting bored of me? I didn't know what to think, but every time I saw the light from her hand, my stomach dropped slightly. I was a paranoid person, she'd soon come to realise, I just hoped I wasn't scaring her away.

"You're awfully quiet, what's on your mind?" She asked, bumping her shoulder against mine.

"Nothing," I murmured, shifting my feet.

"Babe..." Florence said gently, looking at me intensely "If this..." she pointed between the two of us, "is going to work, we need to communicate. What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I whined, my stomach flipping at the word 'babe' once again. "Look, it's our turn." I nodded at our waiting cart.

Florence rolled her eyes. "So it is." she checked her phone again. Why did she keep doing that?

I sighed and unlaced my fingers from hers as we sat in the cart. We didn't speak much until we were up at the very top, and Florence checked her phone, again.

I was about to ask her what that was all about when she slid it back into her pocket smiling. "It's 11:11, Soph, make a wish."

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, which helped with the nerves. I just wish she would kiss me.

As it became 11:12, I asked "What did you wish for?"

"You" she replied, grabbing my hand again. I hadn't realised how empty it had felt until she re-entwined our fingers.

"Me?"

She nodded. "I wished for more days like this. More dates with you. And... I wished you would kiss me."

"I'm not sure you can have three wishes in one, you know" I teased. But inside I was screaming. She wanted to kiss me again. Me. How have I gotten so lucky?

"They come as a package deal" she was speaking so softly, almost like she was nervous, "can I... can I kiss you?"

"you can kiss me any time, any where, in front of anyone" I said bravely, not really knowing where this sudden feeling bravery had come from. Florence smiled at my words, before cupping my face with her free hand and moving closer into me.

"I've been wanting to do this all day"

And then she did. It was gentle, and slow. It was perfection.

#florence x reader #florence pugh imagine #florence pugh x reader #florence pugh x you #florence pugh x y/n

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thekidsarentalright · 2 years

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ok ok i’ve started to process the album but honestly cant stop yelling enough to write a coherent ask so here’s a whole bunch of stuff that has me going feral:

the title track. i think fob just released one of my fave songs ever, it went to my top 5 from them so fast!!! it reminds me of how much the pandemic fucked up for everyone… “thought we had it all” fr!! but like. the strings??? the choir at the end?! SUNSHINE OF MY LIFETIME REPRISE?!?! SHUT UP FOREVER!!!!! (also my bday is the “day after christmas past” so i nearly screamed when i heard that line lmaooooo… followed immediately by “my pain isn’t cool enough”?! literally almost fell over at that point. that felt like an accidental shoutout and then getting punched directly in the gut 😭)

flu game is absolutely my second fave!!! the “youuuu” in the chorus just hits my brain a certain way i’m obsessed!! also i relate to it a little too much 😭

what a time to be alive!!!!! soul punk vibes fr <3 also that bridge goes so hard i think screaming it live would fix me 😭 WHEN I SAID LEAVE ME ALONE THIS ISNT QUITE WHAT I MEANT!!!! GOT THE QUARANTINE BLUES BAD NEWS WHAT’S LEFT!!!!!

the strings in i am my own muse?!?! patrick is just flexing at this point (as he should) <3

my synesthesia went crazy with heaven iowa… it’s this beautiful deep blue/indigo/purple situation and i want to live in it <— totally normal thing to say abt a song

so good right now gave me whiplash right after heaven iowa but it’s so fun! i went from crying to dancing so fast lmao

in general i love space and this album delivered w the references!! i caved and bought the glow in the dark stars 😳

and the living even though it’s painful and scary, especially when it’s painful and scary vibes… fob always knows what we need to hear i swear!!! ur post abt the themes on this album is so so true <3

patrick dressed as a chicken playing the piano… i love him so much it’s stupid <3 also that music video nearly killed me. couldn’t see the screen super well when they were on fallon and didn’t process that the costume was like… a muscle suit for a solid minute. my brain literally shut down lmaooo 😭

ik there’s like… lyric parallels and stuff i got rlly excited abt but am totally forgetting rn! i’m sure it’ll come back when i listen to the album again (which i’m probably gonna go do rn) but… yeah!! so glad we get to be insane abt all this on here together lol <3 peace and love in fob world ☺️

- 🧋 anon

YESSSS the title track is INSANE with how good it is and how much is in it like. i swear every lyric hits Hard, the reprise absolutely breaks my heart it is so. Perfect. so so so valid for it being in your top 5 fob songs of all time already it is genuinely That Good!!! and made for you Clearly with that birthday shoutout!!! even with the gut punch after. every lyric feels like such a gut punch i swear kfgjdhfkjs

flu game is ALSO one of my top favs, i could not rank this album yet even if it would save my life kfjsdkfj but i know for Sure flu game is in like. top 5 territory. i'm obsessed w it for the same reasons fr it is. too relatable thanks pete (haha i said the thing!)

REAL i need them to perform what a time to be alive live SO bad literally just so i can scream that bridge i think that would fix me fr fr. also just love how dancey it is while having. incredibly depressing lyrics. vibe of all time fksjdhfks

patrick is flexing w his arranging skills all over this album but Esp in i am my own muse and i hope he keeps flexing forever bc it is. so good!!!!

OUGHHH heaven iowa being purpley blue it so pretty... to me it's like... idk a very warm song, orange/yellow/golden so. the opposite of you KFJDSK but still pretty i Also wanna live in it. we are So normal for that bff <3

they are literally sick for putting so good right now right after heaven, iowa it was Such an intense tone shift fsdkjfsh i Love so good right now tho it's slowly becoming one of my favs i think

i absolutely love how jam packed this album is w space references, i was anticipating it but Still am like. fuck yeah space fkjdshkfjs i'm still debating on getting the glow in the dark stars tbh... is u getting them a sign i should too... much to think about

but yeah the albums themes are SOOOO. like. i think what the world needed to hear right now, also what i needed to hear rn, what You needed to hear like. they always know!!!! it is just so cathartic to hear that things might not be okay or better but that you can still live and be fulfilled and have love Despite Despite Despite!!!!

and lastly fr i. didn't process it was a chestplate/muscle suit at first either so was like. ready to die over patrick looking like That lmao honestly i still am he pulls off that look way too well. also pulled off the chicken costume imo <3

#LOVED hearing ur thoughts on all this if u have more. processed ones KFJHDSK i would love to hear them too <3 #so fun to go insane over fob w u and everyone on here tho its the best <3 these last few days have been SOOO fun on here <3 #asks #🧋anon

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monstersliveinthemirror · 1 year

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The Guts Write up Nobody asked for

1. Out the gate with beautiful vocals in All American Bitch. The acoustic intro is interesting and catchy, but when it hits with drums and electric guitar, the song picks up so much. I love her almost punk sound in the chorus, especially the second chorus. This one definitely hits pop rock and it's incredible. The drop to the acoustic at the end is -chefs kiss-.

2. Bad idea right? Is THAT bitch. The sound is incredible, but let's talk lyrics. "My brain goes Ahhhh" is such a mood when you think about that ex you aren't over. "Yes I know that he's my ex but can't two people reconnect I only see him as a friend biggest lie I ever said" This whole track is just a love song to making bad decisions around exes. Let me just say it brings back every single time Alex showed back up in my life and we would be "friends" until the whole line of "I just tripped and fell into his bed..." SONICALLY this song is interesting and upbeat, it's just so good.

3. I don't really have much new to say about Vampire- what a beautiful song about a fucked up time in her life. I love the interesting music and changes in the song. It's catchy, it's just good. It's been good since it came out.

4. Let's talk about the bisexual anthem lacy. It's yet another song for the girlies who don't understand the difference between jealousy and attraction AKA me in high school. The lyrics in this one are silly to me, I think describing skin as puff pastry is so ridiculous, but it's such a vibe for being a teenager and thinking someone is perfect and being jealous. "I despise my rotton mind and how much it worships you" IS NOT A STRAIGHT THING.

5. This one immediately starts off gritty and is almost whiplash following Lacy. The chorus has such a neat and interesting sound and I'm so glad she took a risk with the punk leaning sound for this album. This is another song that makes this album the pop rock genre. I love how upbeat it is, it's a bop and a dance around your room with headphones pretending you're the lead singer of a band song. I will say I don't love the part where it slows down, but I'm glad it picks up and doesn't end with a slower part.

6. Making the bed physically hurt me. I feel personally attacked by the lyrics. I'm not sure I can talk about this. "Push away all the people who know me the best, but it's me who's making the bed. I'm so tired of being the girl that I am every good thing is turning to something I dread, I'm playing the victim so well in my head, but it's me who's been making the bed." Fucking ouch okay. "I got the things I wanted it's just not what I imagined" 😭 it's a perfect mid album song, slowing it down for a minute after lots of energy.

7. I don't have words for logical. Love song to the girls who have been in toxic relationships with men who take advantage of the ones who fall hard. This is an Alex song and I hate it but "you've got me thinking two plus two equals five and I'm the love of your life" I mean come on the WAY people convince you of lies. "Why do I do this, I look so stupid" is the moment of realizing that you were hoodwinked but somehow you still feel for them even though you know better. The whole outro of blaming yourself is just heartbreaking and I am unwell right now okay.

8. Alright back to it with some drums and gritty sound. This one has a great vibe. The chorus is everything to me. Upbeat I hate this man I'm gonna fuck up his life, the break up song for us girlies who knows we aren't gonna get closure but like we're ready to take it. The whole vibe of I want to make him hurt....but with the confusing aspect of wanting to make him feel better by being the one he turns to...nope I want revenge except I want him back FUCK. The perfect song for that confusing part of the break up where you're almost ready to move on but not really.

9. Love is embarrassing is a mood lol. The dumb shit we do when we think we're in love, the way we don't really have boundaries or know what we'll put up with yet. I appreciate the sound and how catchy the song is. I also love the pretty abrupt ending.

10. Alright, slow it back down. We've got the signature acoustic and Olivia's beautiful voice for this one. It seems like it's going to crescendo, but it doesn't quite get there. Lyrically, "I fantasize about a time you're a little fucking sorry" got me. "How could anybody do the things you did so easily" I am unwell. This song made me emotional about a fucking break up that happened almost a year ago. Fuck this. I am hurt. ~you know I can't let it go, I've tried I've tried I've tried for so long~ and it just ending...ugh so good.

11. Pretty isn't pretty starts strong. The sound is good, the lyrics are honest. It just addresses growing up a girl and developing self worth issues and is probably one of my favorite songs here because of the topic. We drop from worrying about relationships and just address what it's like when it feels like nothing is ever good enough. It's not my favorite based on sound, but it's good enough.

12. Ending on a sad note, I see. This one is a coming of age song and not understanding there is so much good ahead. You're just nineteen babe you've got so many better days to come. But at twenty eight I felt this. It's saying goodbye to younger days, "they all say that it gets better, it gets better but what if I don't" screams mental illness to me but I'm probably projecting my own issues. God I love how it picks up because it's such a big feeling. She did a great job of using music to set the mood in this one. Also the outro, the baby sounds the mom sounds just God fucking damn.

#guts #Olivia Rodrigo #personal #don't come for me having opinions

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racingliners · 7 months

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F1 Re-Watch 2013: Round 18 - USA

Yeehaw! (sorry, couldn't help myself). What can I say the 2024 testing hype is getting to me and I really want to finally finish my 2013 watch through before the first race of the season, so we're on Austin!

Again, very few memories of this race bar Seb's first and only win at COTA and the very iconic "We have to remember these days..." team radio 🥹

So let's get into it!

As far as I can remember, they just had regular Pirelli podium caps instead of the cowboy ones but I could be wrong.

Honestly I don't mind COTA as a track that much. It's not one of the greats but it is decent.

What the fuck is Hulkenberg doing in 4th??????

Starting the grid order whiplash early I see

Speaking of, let's get into it: Seb pole and Webber P2, normal for 2013; Grosjean P3; Hulkenberg P4 (WILD); Lewis P5; Val P9 (hell yeah); Jev P14 and Jenson P15 :(

OH we also have Heikki Kovalinen filling in for Kimi as he missed the last two races of 2013, he lines up P8.

Mediums and Hards are the tyre compounds for this race.

[Formation Lap]: It is also Quite Warm™️. To the point where it may become a 2-stop race due to thermal degradation.

"Mercedes don't care if they're 19th and 20th so long as Ferrari are 21st and 22nd" um... I care

[Start/Lap 1]: Grosjean takes P2 at turn 1!!!!

and Lewis takes P3!!!!!

and we already have yellow flags

aaaaand they're gone

shit Sutil's in the wall (he's fine)

aaaaaaand Safety Car

well that was certainly a first lap.

Sutil's girlfriend facepalming is a mood

[Lap 2]: Bernd Maylander sighting!!! Our forever Driver of The Day.

[Lap 3]: as it's a SC there's really nothing much going on apart from shots of people in garages

and the replay of Webber's start was actually fine, it was just where he'd positioned the car that led to him losing places

[Lap 4]: Hi Ted!!!!

woo SC in this lap

let's go zoom zoom!

Seb's had a great SC restart, I miss it when they didn't stress me out

[Lap 5]: "We think Jenson might have a bit of front wing damage" fUCK

racing gods stop being mean to my boy

[Lap 6]: Seb leads by 1.9 seconds like the GOAT he is

Alonso is down in P7 I have zero idea how that happened.

and once again I'm quite compelled by just watching the cars go round even though there's nothing much happening sdvhvhd

[Lap 7]: Webber is catching up to the back of Lewis 👀

[Lap 8]: Not Maldonado having a wobbly front wing (possibly from the contact with Sutil)

[Lap 9]: again nothing much happening but cars going around the track are fun to just watch 😅

[Lap 10]: Though Webber's dropped back from Lewis a tiny bit

Jenson is in the dizzying heights of... P14 🥲

Hulkenberg is also the conductor of a little DRS train in P5

[Lap 12]: a shot of the McLaren pit wall since there's so little racing happening

[Lap 13]: Lewis getting a little snarky with Bono instantly being followed with a shot of the Merc pit wall dbhdfjbshfdj

and Webber gets past Lewis!!

The TV feed literally cut to it as it was happening so I got a bit of a fright

It was a saucy move though, round the outside of turn 16

[Lap 15]: Once again asking where I can get myself an emotional support Bono

also also HOW is Rosberg down in P11 but Hulkenberg is in P5. Nico be serious for a minute please.

and by be serious, I mean get your pretty little head further up the field and be the superior Nico

...Not Hulkenberg being faster than Lewis too 😭

once again asking Mercedes to get their shit together

JENSON SIGHTING!!!!!

[Lap 16]: He's chasing down Massa for 13th

the TV feed following Jenson and immediately getting a Seb fastest lap, the racing gods are Sebson truthers

[Lap 17]: Seb onboard!!!!! He exists!!!!

he also has a 6.3 second gap over Grosjean

"I've got no grip man" every race we get closer to the maiden 'Bono my tyres are gone'

[Lap 19]: Anyway I haven't done a top 5 overview yet, it's: Seb, Grosjean, Webber, Lewis and Hulkenberg

Speaking of Nico v Nico, Rosberg takes P10 from Ricciardo

It was a good move too! Started in the braking zone of turn 16 and ended around turn 18, probably the longest bit of racing we've had so far

[Lap 21]: And Jenson makes his first and possibly only stop

he comes out in P16 😭

[Lap 24]: Bottas pits from P8 and comes out in P10

[Lap 26]: I think Lewis got the message after the third box Bono, but I appreciate the dedication to the bit (Lewis has made his one and likely only stop, like many mediums off for hards)

[Lap 28]: Seb finally makes his first stop! And also for the hard tyres

Lewis jumped Hulkenberg at his stop!!!!!! God!! Bless!!!!

also also 🚨WE ARE FINALLY AT HALF DISTANCE🚨

and honestly thank goodness, this race has not been it thus far

[Lap 29]: Webber also makes his first stop

and oof 2.3 second stop.

I wish I could say that Fernando made a great move on Gutierrez but the on board camera was at a funky angle so I didn't actually see it

[Lap 30]: Grosjean has pitted and comes out between the two Red Bulls

aaaaaand a Seb fastest lap 👌

oof Lewis is not happy this race 😩

[Lap 31]: Perez passes Gutierrez on the main straight

[Lap 32]: Nico Rosberg finally gets himself into P11

and lol at the fact you can barely hear Ross Brawn on the TV feed.

the V8 engines said "I've had enough of this guy"

[Lap 33]: Top 5 overview since it's been a while: Seb, Grosjean, Webber, Lewis and Hulkenberg

Webber is only within a couple of seconds of Grosjean though

And Jenson is still in P14 🥲

Rosberg takes P10 from Di Resta down the inside of turn 16!!!

Another very fun move 👌

[Lap 34]: And Valtteri briefly took P8 from Gutierrez

for a 2013 Williams that's basically winning a grand prix

[Lap 35]: I can't believe I'd forgotten about the rotating cameras on the front wings 😵‍💫

BUT Valtteri re-takes P8 - through the esses section!!!!

another peach of a move 👏

[Lap 37]: Webber's been dropping back from Grosjean by half a second...

Comms don't think he has a problem but biiiig oofs

"Rosberg's starting to catch Bottas" oh the 'Nico's sudden retirement causing Valtteri to take his seat' of it all

[Lap 38]: Webber just did the fastest lap, he's fine

meanwhile Jenson's in P13!!!! progress!!!!

Being a Jenson fan in 2013 was rough, let me tell you

[Lap 39]: *crosses off 'Andrea Stella talking to Fernando in Italian' off my bingo card*

huh, Massa made a second stop for mediums

inch resting

nvm IT PUTS JENSON IN 12TH!!!!!!

[Lap 40]: Seb sighting!!!!

[Lap 41]: livery watch: oh the navy and gold Toro Rosso livery how I miss you...

[Lap 42]: Rocky once again telling Seb to slow down dfvhdfvhd

unstoppable force vs immovable object

Rocky and Bono are the founders of the Exhausted Race Engineers Club

[Lap 44]: and we now find ourself in the very strange universe where Alonso (in a Ferrari) can't get past Hulkenberg (in a Sauber)

You'd think it would be an immediate pass, but no

[Lap 45]: and Fernando finally gets the move done on the exit of turn one

Lewis is the next car ahead...

potential stress inducing battle aside, another Seb sighting!!!

He is unbothered, moisturised, flourishing

[Lap 46]: Jenson closing up to the back of Di Resta

[Lap 47]: damn Fernando is already within DRS range of Lewis

the old man is old manning again

[Lap 48]: Speaking of old men, Webber's back in DRS range of Grosjean

[Lap 50]: Still catching but not quite close enough

Lewis is back to 2 seconds ahead of Fernando

and most importantly on midfield watch, Valtteri is still in P8

Jenson's into P11!!!!!!!! WE MAY STILL GET POINTS!!!!!!

oh a Simon Rennie sighting for the girlies (gn)

[Lap 52]: 🚨5 laps remaining!!!!🚨

honestly the second half of the race was much better than the first, curse you one stop races

Jenson is 2.4 seconds from P10, I'm not sure if he's going to make it

[Lap 53]: you know that "I wanna see my little boy" vine? That's me every time the TV feed cuts to Seb

[Lap 54]: Jenson is now 6 tenths behind P10

come onnnnnn JB

[Lap 55]: We literally have 2 laps left

can't type. too invested in watching the Jenson v Ricciardo battle.

HE TAKES P10 ON THE EXIT OF TURN 1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

that's my guy that's my bestie

[Lap 56]: Last lap!

looks like everyone else is going to hold position

[Finish]: AND SEB WINS IN COTA!!!!!!!!!

His 8th win on the bounce, which at the time made him the first driver to do that in one season. MY GOAT!!!

rest of the Top 10: Grosjean, Webber, Lewis, Alonso, Hulkenberg, Perez, Bottas, Rosberg and Jenson

well, that kind of felt like a race of two halves, which I'm very much pinning on the one stop strategy the bulk of the cars ran. But WHEW once the drivers didn't have to conserve their tyres the racing was great! Loads of battles up and down the field which was so fun to watch.

Next race, and the last one of 2013 - Brazil!

#f1 re watch #f1 2013 re watch #mild spoilers but I had to watch this race in two parts bc the first half was so uneventful 😭

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praglechiropracticblog · 1 year

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5 Essential Things You Should Know Before Seeking Chiropractic Therapy

Are you searching for “the best chiropractor near me” for your health concerns?

Before you make an appointment, you should have a solid understanding of what exactly is chiropractor therapy. In this article, we will explore five essential things you should know before seeking chiropractic care. The useful insights provided in this post will help you make informed decisions and maximize the benefits of your chiropractic experience.

What is chiropractic care and which conditions can be treated with this approach?

Chiropractic care is a holistic healthcare approach that resolves issues related to the spine and the nervous system. Chiropractors are experienced healthcare professionals who use spinal adjustments or manipulations, to improve spinal alignment and promote overall health.

Chiropractic care can effectively treat a range of conditions, including

Back pain

Neck pain

Headaches and migraines

Sciatica

Whiplash injuries

Sports injuries

What happens during the first appointment with a Tallahassee chiropractor?

During your first appointment with a chiropractor, you have to go through an initial consultation and examination. During this stage, the chiropractor will discuss your medical history, symptoms, and goals. Followed by the initial discussion, a comprehensive physical examination is conducted. Various diagnostic tools and techniques are used to assess the severity of your condition. This evaluation is conducted to develop a personalized treatment plan tailored to your specific needs.

What are the treatment techniques used for chiropractic care in Tallahassee?

Chiropractic therapy commonly involves spinal adjustment or manipulation, where the chiropractor applies controlled force to specific areas of the spine.

In addition to applying gentle force on the spinal region, chiropractors may provide complementary therapies such as soft tissue massage, stretching exercises, electrical stimulation, or heat and cold therapy. All these treatment techniques are pain-free and comfortable enough for individuals with different levels of pain threshold.

How long does it take to get the expected benefits from chiropractic therapy?

Every individual responds differently to chiropractic adjustments, therefore the time taken to treat the condition varies. For mild to moderate conditions, just a couple of sessions of 15-30 minutes long are enough to experience remarkable improvements. However, severe conditions may require frequent and longer chiropractic sessions. Frequent visits are often recommended at the initial phase and once improvements are observed the number of appointments gradually decreases. Furthermore, one must understand that the desired benefits can only be achieved if consistency is maintained and the patient must adhere to the recommended treatment plan.

Who is eligible to seek chiropractic care?

Chiropractic care is generally considered safe and suitable for people of all ages. You should consult a chiropractor if you are dealing with back or neck pain, headaches, and sports injuries. Chiropractic adjustments are beneficial for improving overall spinal health and well-being. However, it is important to consult with a chiropractor to determine your eligibility based on your health condition or contraindications.

Conclusion

Before you seek chiropractic care, it is crucial to familiarize yourself with the consultation process, treatment techniques, potential benefits and limitations. If you want to fully embrace the benefits of spinal manipulation therapy, then search for “Best Chiropractor near Me”. You can also achieve the benefits of improved spinal health and wellness by consulting the highly experienced chiropractor at Pragle Chiropractic and Massage Therapy Center.

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wroteonedad · 1 year

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Movies My Dad Would Like

I am writing this as if it isn't still a good two weeks until it's even Father's Day, but I have compiled a list of movies I think my dad would enjoy. Last week when I was home, I forced him into watching Into The Spiderverse and then showed him the trailer for Uncut Gems (we didn't have time to watch it after our movie marathon though). He really liked the Spiderverse one and he seemed to find the trailer for Uncut Gems interesting enough so it only makes sense to compile an entire list of films I think he might enjoy, right? Right? Also I am feeling extra erratic as I write this post because I am currently on the phone waiting for HMRC to answer so I can finally fix my messed up tax code. I love England.

To add to that note of HMRC I have been on hold for 20 minutes already and I dread to think the size of the phone bill I'm going to receive, but my tax code will be fixed and my brain can stop going brrrrr... Let's discuss movies.

Whiplash (2014) directed by Damien Chazelle

This film is about a dude who goes to a music school and is quickly noticed by scary bald jazz enthusiast Fletcher who recruits Andrew onto his team. This team is the prestigious lot, incredibly gifted at what they do, but this gift is brought to the extreme over the way in which Fletcher teaches them. The relationship is abusive and the lengths of punishment that Fletcher would go to in order to have every student sound perfect all the time,,, well it's terrifying. He scares me through the little screen.

It's a proper bloke film. There is a lot of action, but not really in the conventional guns bang bang bang way. Andrew bangs his drums until he physically cannot anymore, he endures a concussion and still shows up to rehearsal. It is the ultimate indie drama movie for every bloke and I think my dad would enjoy it because it is not slow burning and you grow to hate every single character in this universe.

Tag (2018) directed by Jeff Tomsic

The ultimate man film about friendship, truly. This film is all about 5 friends who compete one month per year for a big game of tag. Run into work, at your mates wedding, you name it, you're getting tagged. Except in this movie one of the friends is getting married and he is the only person who hasn't been tagged ever.

The cast for this film include Jon Hamm, Jeremy Renner and Jake Johnson which is the holy trinity for any dad casted line up really. Though when I watched it, I was especially excited for Hannibal Buress being in it, love that guy.

Mid 90s (2018) directed by Jonah Hill

This film follows the life of 13 year old Stevie trying to find the community and lifestyle that he thinks he belongs to. He finds this through the downtown skateboarding community. His mother isn't very attentive to his life and his brother is as the movie synopsis pretty much puts it, a big fat bully. This is visually very pleasing, but I don't think the film is as deep as it was trying to be.

As the film is directed by Jonah Hill, it is the perfect example for a dad movie to enjoy.

Dune (1984) directed by David Lynch

Not the Dune that's just come out, the original one where the budget ran out towards the end of the movie and things start to look crazy to the point you can see the literal green screen clear as day.

It's literally just an action movie about a man in a different universe finding and looking after the rare spice without an entire war breaking out. But the David Lynch version is incredibly goofy, for example Leto is a fun little worm man. I added this version specifically to the list as I've been trying to get my dad to finish watching Twin Peaks and I think this adds to the multiverse of madness.

Boiling Point (2021) directed by Philip Barantini

I want you to imagine Hells Kitchen, but if everyone was British and it was being aired on Channel 4. It follows the story of a head chef who has to deal with many personal problems as well as the balance of professional crisis, especially when the man he owes money to drops in at the end as the restaurant is on flames (metaphorically). A slow burning, but beautifully dramatic piece.

Pearl (2022) directed by Ti West

Pearl is the prequal to X (2022), but it still feels important to watch X before delving into Pearl. Pearl is living on her isolated farm with her family where she has to overcome fears, concentrate on relationships and also figure out how to become one of the most famous people in the world. All while the influenza is spreading and the war is raging. Her dad has to be extra cautious with this as him catching it could kill him.

The whole movie becomes an ironic downfall into how Pearl loses her marbles and becomes a mass murderer instead of the dancer she so badly wanted to be.

Battle Royale (2000) directed by Kinji Fukasaku

If I had to explain this movie in simple terms for my dad, this is the original Hunger Games. This is the movie adaption of Fortnite. But it's a lot better than that because you can't beat the original.

The film revolves around a futuristic land where the Japanese government forced a ninth grade class to travel to an island on a class trip where they are forced to kill each other until there is a crowned winner. Each student receives a package containing a map and a weapon of some form, some better than others and they are left to fend for themselves, receiving announcements at set times every day by their teacher to tell them who has died and which spots of the island to avoid at specific times.

Dad if you watch this movie, I found a dubbed version for you on Amazon.

You Don't Mess With The Zohan (2008) directed by Dennis Dugan

They stopped making comedy movies like this shortly after this film dropped. This film is awful actually, but has the type of irony to it that makes it sort of funny in places.

Zohan is a terrorist. He stages his own death so he can travel to New York so he can pursue his lifelong dream to be a hairdresser. That's it, that's the movie. It's dumb, there are many points of the film that feel like they've aged like a sour milk, but it still maintains some level of dad humour that just makes sense.

At the end of this post I just wanted to add an extra note about me being on the phone to HMRC when I started writing this post up yesterday. It is all fixed, I'm getting a nice rebate. Cheers

#writing #movies #movie review #whiplash #tag #mid 90s #dune #boiling point #pearl #battle royale #you don't mess with the zohan

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tillidontneedfantasy · 4 years

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A Track-by-Track Breakdown of Taylor Swift’s 9th Studio Album: ‘evermore’

“My collaborators and I are proud to announce that my 9th studio album and folklore’s sister record is here. It’s called evermore,” is how Taylor Swift introduces us to this album in its foreword. One might assume a “sister record” would entail b-sides, or tracks that didn’t quite make the cut for folklore, despite Taylor’s explanation that “we just couldn’t stop writing songs.” evermore’s release came at a strange time, upon the heels of the Folklore: Long Pond Studio Sessions film on Disney+, as well as 5 Grammy nominations for folklore. The world still captivated by folklore, it’s understandable why one might not consume evermore as critically. Even as a die-hard fan, I felt some whiplash by this announcement; I am still processing folklore! Hell, I’m still processing reputation!

If this was the Taylor from two years ago, this may have been a big enough fear of hers to hold off on releasing evermore. But as she explained upon folklore’s surprise release, life is too unpredictable now, and there are zero givens or guarantees. So she followed the same path this time (although making sure it fell in line with her birthday weekend). But it’s not just the strategic timing of the release that she’s thrown out the window for now, but also her mindset whilst making records. As she explains in the evermore album foreword,

“I’ve never done this before. In the past I’ve always treated albums as one-off eras and moved onto planning the next one as soon as an album was released. There was something different with folklore. In making it, I felt less like I was departing and more like I was returning. I loved the escapism I found in these imaginary/not imaginary tales. I loved the ways you welcomed the dreamscapes and tragedies and epic tales of love lost and found. So I just kept writing them.”

This is a revelation for Swift, to let the music lead her into artistic freedom, which is what makes evermore such a triumphant return. Truly folklore’s sister record, Taylor wrote evermore with the same creative team: Aaron Dessner of The National (Swift’s favorite band), long-time pal and collaborator Jack Antonoff, Justin Vernon of Bon Iver, and William Bowery aka Swift’s boyfriend, Joe Alwyn (as officially revealed in the Long Pond Studio Sessions). Additionally, former 1989 tour openers and close friends of Taylor, the HAIM sisters, join the crew, along with Marcus Mumford for some dreamy backup vocals.

The production is just as wistful and mesmerizing as it was on folklore, yet the storytelling on evermore is kicked up a notch, expanding on the topics and worldbuilding established in its sister record, with even sharper lyrics and an effective and elaborate use of alliteration. The best thing about Taylor is that no matter what she does, her masterful lyricism is always at the heart of her art, and somehow, she keeps getting better. Once again, I wanted to explore the rich stories she’s crafted in this woodsy universe. This is how I’ve interpreted the album, but I hope you find your own meaning in the songs as well.

1. willow It is fitting that the opening track to folklore’s sister album, where we wade further into the forest that is Taylor Swift’s imagination and storytelling, would center on the type of tree that is a symbol of hope, belonging, safety, stability, and healing. “willow,” one of the few more obviously autobiographical tracks on the album, is a hymn of gratitude for her man (as she wants you to know, yes, thirteen times), Joe Alwyn, and how the invisible string tethering them together pulled her to him in a time when everyone else was counting her out. Though not as present on many of the other songs later to come on this record, you can feel the lightness in her heart on this song as she embraces the way in which the willow has bent, wrecking her plans, throwing her into the water and leaving her happily lost and afloat in his current. The downward key modulation throughout the last two repetitions of the chorus is beautiful and very fitting for Swift vocally, but also sounds like the feeling of finding your comfort and settling into it, basking it in while you wait for the next place the wind pulls you. Best lyric: “Now this is an open/shut case / I guess I should’ve known from the look on your face / Every bait and switch was a work of art.”

2. champagne problems On the second track of the album, Taylor dives back into the fictional worldbuilding she began to explore on folklore. While on folklore high school relationships and dramatics took center-stage, evermore graduates from adolescence to young adulthood, not that it is any easier emotionally on the listener’s heart. “champagne problems” chronicles a rejected marriage proposal between two college sweethearts at their old dorm building. Taylor sings as the narrator, a reflective, self-deprecating young woman who jokes about belonging in a madhouse and dismisses all her turmoil as champagne problems. The term ‘champagne problems’ itself could have various meanings here: their trivial concerns, the fact that their “sister splashed out on the bottle” of champagne that they will not be using to celebrate as they had hoped, or perhaps it could even hint that excessive drinking is a piece of all the ways the narrator is “fucked in the head,” as they said. Although the person she is singing to is the one who got hurt in the story, the hurt in the narrator’s heart is just as palpable and relatable, because you only have yourself to blame when you self-destruct. Best lyric: “’She would’ve made such a lovely bride, / what a shame she’s fucked in the head,’ they said / but you’ll find the real thing instead / she’ll patch up your tapestry that I shred.”

3. gold rush On her YouTube live chat prior to the album’s release, Taylor explained that this song “takes place inside a single daydream where you get lost in thought for a minute and then snap out of it.” The daydream consists of a love story so pure that the town had never seen such a thing; it could only happen in a fantasy for the narrator. How could she possibly have the gall to call them out on their contrarian shit, or end up with her Eagles t-shirt hanging from their door, when they are so coveted by all, and when she cannot withstand the thought of even competing? She sings, “My mind turns your life into folklore / I can’t dare to dream about you anymore,” a sweet little connecting piece to this album’s older sister, effectively convincing herself out of the idea of jumping into the chaos of the gold rush because even inside her own imagination it’s too dangerous. Best lyric: “I don’t like that falling feels like flying ‘till the bone crush.”

4. ‘tis the damn season According to Aaron Dessner, Taylor had written the lyrics for “’tis the damn season” in the middle of the night amidst their Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions recording after a long night of chatting and drinking with their co-conspirator, Jack Antonoff. The lyrics perfectly encapsulate the guttural ache the track evokes. It is a tale of two people who always find their way back to one another in their hometown, which acts as the ever-returning fork in the road. The path taken, back to L.A. in pursuit of her dreams, is the one she chose and continues to choose, but whenever she returns home, she takes a ride down the road not taken, just to get a taste of what could have been, even if just for the weekend. What starts off as an icy homecoming always transforms into the warmest intimacy. The success of this track is aligned with the success of Taylor’s entire career; even with such specific details, it feels so deeply personal to the listener. You know the street you’d drive along late at night laughing, the spot you’d park the car, the person who stars in every what-if. You will never really know if the road not taken is as good as it seems, but that might be ok; sometimes, the fantasy is better than the reality, anyway. Best lyric: “It’s the kind of cold / fogs up windshield glass, but I felt it when I passed you / There’s an ache in you / put there by the ache in me.”

5. tolerate it Inspired by the novel Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, “tolerate it” is an agonizing track from the perspective of a devoted wife who polishes plates and paints portraits and waits by the door for her husband with a battle hero’s welcome, who at best tolerates all her adoration. There are few things as painful as idolization being met with indifference, when you have all this love to give to someone who just leaves it there untouched. “tolerate it” captures that desperation for the approval you know will never arrive, but you sit and watch, waiting for it just in case you’re wrong, but you know you’re not. Best lyric: “I made you my temple, my mural, my sky / now I’m begging for footnotes in the story of your life / drawing hearts in the byline”

6. no body, no crime feat. HAIM “no body, no crime,” the one evermore song solo-written by Taylor, has the clearest plot from beginning to end. In the same vein as the female powerhouse country classic “Goodbye Earl” by The Chicks, Taylor is out for blood to avenge her friend, Este (named for one of the HAIM sisters). The story goes as such: Este’s husband kills her for calling him out on his infidelity, and then Taylor kills the husband and frames his mistress. The HAIM girls, who are long-time friends of Taylor’s and former touring mates, lend their vocals to reinforce the accusation on the husband and to provide Taylor’s alibi. “no body, no crime” is so far the closest we’ve gotten to a return to “country Taylor,” proving that she is still the master of a killer country tune (yes, pun intended, it had to be done I’m sorry). Best lyric: “Good thing Este’s sister’s gonna swear she was with me / (she was with me, dude) / Good thing his mistress took out a big life insurance policy”

7. happiness Written a week before the album’s release, “happiness” is one of Swift’s strongest and most reflective breakup songs. Although she writes it as though it is recent, there’s a lot of power in knowing that she’s been happily in love for four years, and that she is even better now at doing the thing that has always been best at. She is finally “above the trees,” as she sings, and is able to see it all for what it is, but her character is still in the heat of it all, trying to navigate the stages of grief when a relationship ends. We see the narrator grapple with many of those stages throughout the song. Most striking is the anger displayed in the second verse when she sings: “I hope she’ll be a beautiful fool who takes my spot next to you / No, I didn’t mean that, / sorry, I can’t see facts through all of my fury.” That section is jarring and feels like one of the most honest moments in a Taylor song, the insanely difficult emotional balancing act when we are grieving a relationship. The devastation of loss can distort our perception, and a part of that is the difficulty of understanding how multiple seemingly opposing things can co-exist in our hearts, such as happiness because of someone and happiness after them. But when you leave it all behind and finally find your place above the trees, you can find happiness after someone and also look back and appreciate the happiness they once provided. Both of these things can be true. Best lyric: “Showed you all of my hiding spots / I was dancing when the music stopped.”

8. dorothea Taylor Swift has the uncanny ability to create such developed and well-rounded characters with such little information, which is what makes her storytelling so compelling. In “dorothea,” we learn much about the title character through the narrator’s eyes, and the relationship they once had. The lyric “skipping the prom just to piss off your mom and her pageant schemes” alone tells an entire story in itself. “dorothea” is also the companion song to “’tis the damn season,” just from the other person’s perspective, which helps shine even more light on the story. The narrator of “dorothea” reveres her but wonders if she’s still the same soul in L.A. as she was back in their never-changing town. Whatever the answer, they’re still willing to support her no matter where she is, but she’s always welcome back in Tupelo by her hometown love’s side if she ever just wants to be herself rather than someone known for who they know. Besides, they’re the only soul who can tell which smiles she’s faking. And you can always return to the road not taken. Best lyric: “They all wanna be ya / but are you still the same soul I met under the bleachers? / Well, I guess I’ll never know / and you’ll go on with the show.”

9. coney island feat. The National What really started the folklore / evermore journey was Taylor’s love for The National. Taylor has cited them as one of her favorite bands for many years, and as we know, this led to her beautiful new collaborative relationship with Aaron Dessner. So it would make sense for the track written with the intention of this duet to be so well executed; you can feel the love and care Taylor put into writing this song. In her press for these sister albums, she has spoken about trying to channel frontman Matt Berninger’s writing style. But what actually happened was she just produced her own signature lyricism at its sharpest. “We were like the mall before the internet, it was the one place to be / the mischief, the gift-wrapped suburban dreams / sorry for not winning you an arcade ring over and over,” is a hall of famer Swift-ian lyric. “coney island” explores the confusion, hurt, and self-reflection when a passionate affair burns out fast because you did not prioritize that person. And to top it off, Swift and Berninger’s harmonies are achingly beautiful, transporting you right there in the story, on the bench, wondering, over and over. Best lyric: “Do you miss the rogue who coaxed you into paradise and left you there? / Will you forgive my soul when you’re too wise to trust me and too old to care?”

10. ivy Leave it to Taylor Swift to make a song about an affair sound so romantic, and so sympathetic to the narrator, that you’re rooting for adultery. “ivy” tells the tale of a woman in a lifeless marriage, likening her home with him to the tombstone that the widow in town visits each day. I like to think this is the same wife whose husband was out there building other worlds without her in “tolerate it,” because then that means she found someone who celebrates her love, who holds her pain for her, who blooms all over her; they started it, but she’s fighting for it all the way to the end, nonetheless. “ivy” showcases Swift’s gorgeous vocals and her sharp lyrics, with a melody so infectious it is bound to permanently plant its roots in your dreamland. Best lyric: “Oh, I can’t stop you putting roots in my dreamland / my house of stone, your ivy grows, and now I’m covered in you.”

11. cowboy like me With the beautifully blended backing vocals of Marcus Mumford, “cowboy like me” is an entrancing love story of two con artists who lost at their own game and got conned into forever with each other. She’d gone from swindling old men for their money and fancy cars to falling victim to the danger of dancing with someone who only has eyes full of stars, and she knows she’ll pay for it. “cowboy like me” is one of the most romantic tracks on the record, proving that life never plays out quite as we plan. Best lyric: “Now you hang from my lips like the gardens of Babylon / with your boots beneath my bed / Forever is the sweetest con.”

12. long story short One of the more pop-sounding tracks on evermore, “long story short” is pretty much a summary of the long story behind reputation (2017). The song is filled with various metaphors for her reputation crumbling around her, and then finally putting her defenses down to be with her lover, someone as “rare as the glimmer of a comet in the sky.” It is a sweet ode to her boyfriend, and a gentle comfort to her past self that it will all work out. But it is also an oddly relatable example of how we shrug off our struggles and minimize them to just a “bad time,” when the time she is singing about was obviously something that deeply affected her (as will be further explored in the title track); but sometimes it actually feels good to just shrug it off as just a blip in your life, because at the end of the day, you survived, and that’s what counts- even if you’re not keeping score anymore. Best lyric: “Pushed from the precipice / clung to the nearest lips / long story short, it was the wrong guy. / Now I’m all about you.”

13. marjorie Whereas track 13 on folklore was a tribute to Swift’s paternal grandfather, evermore’s track 13 is a tribute to her maternal grandmother, Marjorie Finlay, who was an opera singer in the 50s, and passed away in 2003 when Taylor was 13 years old. “marjorie” is quite possibly the most touching track Taylor has ever written thus far in her career. Grief is one of the most difficult topics to tackle in a song; the genius of “marjorie” is that it is simple, yet not understated. Swift reflects on the profound lessons she learned from her grandmother, about the difficult balances of kindness and cleverness, and politeness and power. She curses herself for not cherishing the moments she had with her, for complaining rather than understanding in the moment how admirable her spirit was, for all the amber skies she’d love but will never see. The chorus, blunt and hard-hitting, reminds us that someone does not have to be living to be alive, to be all around, to be with us. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were singing to me now,” Taylor sings towards the end of the song, right before you hear a sample of Finlay’s opera singing in the background, a truly eye-swelling moment. It is clear that Finlay played a pivotal role in Swift’s own ambitions, as she sings, “all your closets of backlogged dreams, and how you left them all to me.” Marjorie knew she was leaving them in good hands. If you haven’t yet, check out the moving lyric video for the song, where you can see photos and video clips of Marjorie, both throughout her career and in her time with Taylor. Best lyric: “Never be so polite you forget your power, / never wield such power you forget to be polite.”

14. closure On the most experimental track musically on the record, Taylor writes off her need for closure from a relationship of some sort, whether it be romantic or platonic or business, all of which can cause hurt of equal intensity. The subject of the song is trying to make nice with Taylor, and she is just not having it, as it is not coming from a genuine place, but rather to ensure that their life remains picture perfect, or to clear their guilty conscience, or to preserve their own ego. This is a deeply relatable sentiment; as valuable as forgiveness can be, sometimes the person who hurt you just doesn’t deserve it, and all you can do is forgive yourself for blocking their number or shredding their letters. Best lyric: “I know I’m just a wrinkle in your new life / staying friends would iron it out so nice.”

15. evermore feat. Bon Iver To close out the standard edition of the album, Taylor joins forces once again with Justin Vernon of Bon Iver, with whom she collaborated on the Grammy-nominated duet, “exile” for folklore. However, Swift leads most of the track this time, lamenting the difficult time she went through in 2016. The piano and Swift’s vocals are haunting, particularly when she describes this time in her life as “catching my death,” consumed by a pain that she feels will never end. If you’ve ever been depressed, you know what that feels like, and the dark places it leads you. Although she is singing about a time four years prior, it sounds so present, and it is heartbreaking to hear her in such a state. When Bon Iver comes in, the tempo of the song picks up, the piano riff becomes more erratic, like a winter storm hitting you in the face, and he voices all the anxieties of the cost of such a downfall. But through those anxieties, Taylor finds not a cure, but an anchor in love, and then the tempo slows back down. By the end of the song, Taylor has the foresight to understand that although it may not feel like it now, the pain she is experiencing is not permanent (a sentiment my therapist has been trying to instill in me for years). In her Apple Music interview with Zane Lowe, Taylor explained how the lyrics parallel the times we are in currently, and so it feels really special to have the album end with someone who knows how it feels to be imprisoned by your pain gently comfort us with the wisdom that “this pain wouldn’t be for evermore.” I hope one day soon, as we leave 2020 far behind, we can all truly believe her. Best lyric: “I was catching my breath / barefoot in the wildest winter catching my death.”

16. right where you left me (bonus track) The first bonus track on evermore, “right where you left me,” captures a moment so earth-crushing, a piece of you is trapped in it forever. In this song specifically, the narrator finds herself stuck in the same corner of a restaurant where she was told by someone she loved that they had met someone else. “Glass shattered on the white cloth, everybody moved on,” she sings in mourning. We have all experienced those moments that we could teleport back to if we just closed our eyes; the scenery, what you wore, the smell and taste of the season, the very point in your body where it felt like your insides were collapsing. Or that one particular person, who is long-gone from your life but seeing them is like time-travelling back to that person you once were, ready to pick up where you left off. But as much as you want to stay in that moment forever, just in case it changes in your favor, the cold reality is that the world stops for no one. Best lyric: “If our love died young, I can’t bear witness / And it’s been so long, but if you ever think you got it wrong / I’m right where you left me.”

17. it’s time to go (bonus track) “right where you left me” was Taylor’s cry for help to get out of restaurant, and “it’s time to go” is the answer to the call, as she sings in the first line, “when the dinner gets cold, and the chatter gets old / you ask for the tab.” This song is about gathering the strength to leave situations and relationships behind that no longer serve you. She grieves the betrayal of someone she thought to be a twin from her dreams (almost definitely referring to former friend, Karlie Kloss), acknowledges that keeping a marriage together for the sake of the kids often actually has the opposite intended effect (possibly- but not certainly- something she and her brother experienced), and recounts attempting to bargain with someone consumed by greed, only able to leave with herself (absolutely referring to the end of her fifteen-year long business relationship with Scott Borchetta, her former record-label owner). But as painful as leaving all of those situations was, Taylor has gained the wisdom to understand that walking away sometimes takes as much strength as persevering. You can’t stay at the restaurant, or at the mercy of someone else forever; you have to forge your own path, even if it’s in the opposite direction of what you envisioned for so long. And even with all her past success behind her, as folklore and evermore have proved, there is so much more ahead of her. Best lyric: “That old familiar body ache, the snaps from the same little breaks in your soul / You know when it’s time to go.”

In a time where we are all trapped in our homes and in our heads, the folklore/evermore experience has been the sweetest escape. If anything, the creation of these wonderful sister records has taught me that our most powerful tool in times of distress is our own imagination. Even just the ability to close my eyes while listening to one of these tracks and feel the character’s story is a gift. The way I’ve always been able to pick up Harry Potter and escape to Hogwarts when I’ve felt alone and friendless, I can listen to folklore and evermore when I feel scared or hopeless and escape into this enchanted forest Taylor has built, where I can climb above the trees and see it all for what it is. I feel so lucky to watch Taylor’s imaginative world unravel around me. I can’t wait to see what she creates next.

DISCLAIMER – REVIEWER’S BIAS: I would literally die for this bitch.

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calpalirwin · 3 years

Text

Permanent Vacation

Summary: Calum falls for a musician.

A/N: I just really wanted an excuse to use Arrows in Action newest releases in a fic. (They’re bangers. You should go give ‘em a listen.)

Word Count: 2.8k

And away, and away we go!

The sun was hot as it beat down on my neck, the line for the beerstand long, and the noises of people chatting excitedly were loud in my ears. But I didn’t care in the slightest. After the isolating shitshow that was quarantine, I was more than happy to be out at a festival with, wait for it, live fuckin’ music. The only way I could be happier was if my band was in the lineup, but this was still a pretty close second. To be surrounded by musicians and people who loved music was a breath of fresh air after so long. A breath of very hot fresh air. But still.

Behind me I heard the girlish giggling and whispers of my name, which drew the attention of the group in front of me: three guys, and a girl around my own age, two of the guys a good shoulder and head taller than the other man and girl. The shortest of the guys whispered, “Could you imagine if we got noticed like that?”

The tall brunette’s eyes went wide as he pulled a face and shook his head. “No, thanks. I think I’d cry.”

The other tall one with purple hair laughed loudly, “Aw, c’mon, that would be rad! His band’s not even in the lineup and he still gets recognized. Could you imagine?”

“He has a name, and can hear you, J,” the girl hissed with a playful eye roll. Then, she flashed me a smile before calling out in a loud voice, “Hey, man! Good to see ya! How ya been?” to me, before taking a step forward and stretching up to wrap her arm around my shoulders like we were old friends. “Just go with it,” she added under her breath. “Nobody’ll bug you for pictures and autographs if you’re with a bigger group.”

“Thanks,” I laughed at her rescue attempt. “But it’s fine if they do. I don’t mind.”

“Yeah, but they can at least let you buy a fuckin’ beer first.”

“Well, thanks again,” I said, not sure of what else to say, or do so I let her pull me up with her friends who were all staring at her with I’m sure the same look of soft shock I had on my own face.

“I’m Y/N, by the way.” She let go of me as she started introducing her friends to me. “And this is Jesse.”

“Hello,” the tall one with purple hair smiled warmly.

“That’s Matt,” she nudged the other tall one.

“Hey.”

“And this is Vic,” she finished, looking at the shortest man who waved.

“Nice to meet you guys. I’m Calum,” I said, then realized how stupid that was. “But, you already knew that, huh?”

Y/N grinned, holding her thumb and index finger close together. “Just a smidge. But it’s cool. So, any bands you’re particularly excited to see?”

“The Maine and All Time Low mostly. I’m a huge fan of The Maine, and All Time Low are friends of mine.”

“Both are great bands. And the All Time Low guys are good friends to have, for sure.”

“Oh, you know them?”

“Yeah, we worked with them a few times.”

“Worked with? Fellow musicians, huh?”

She laughed. “We’re up and comers, yeah.”

“Your cool aunt’s favorite band,” Jesse grinned at me.

Y/N laughed more at the confused look that crossed my face. “That’s one of his favorite ways to refer to us. Like we’re the band you find out from word of mouth from the cool relative that’s always discovering new music.”

“Ah,” I said, nodding in understanding. “Been there. Are you guys in the lineup?”

“Yup!” she chirped happily as we got to the front of the line. “5 beers, please,” she told the person working the counter.

“Oh, you don’t have to,” I tried to decline, reaching quickly for my wallet.

“Relax, it’s just a beer,” she told me, passing me one of the cups being placed on the counter.

“Well, thanks,” I said, raising the cup and taking a sip. “I’ll getcha guys next time.”

“I’ll hold you to it,” she grinned around the rim of her own cup. “Enjoy your beer, Cal. See ya around.”

~~~

I took the last swallow from my beer, cursing myself for not having stopped her to get the name of her band, or at the very least her last name. But before I had a chance to get the words out, I’d been bombarded with requests from fans for pictures, engaging in small conversations with them, and by the time I was done, Y/N was long gone.

So I resigned myself to walking around the festival grounds, my head reeling. It wasn’t often a woman pretended to be my friend to rescue me from the onslaught of fans. In fact, I couldn’t recall one time that's ever happened. I also wasn’t used to being bought drinks, even if I was still fully intending to return the favor. Although that would require me to find her first. But something told me that wouldn’t be too difficult.

I was grateful I’d come on my own, and not with Ashton who would have no doubt teased me about how hooked I was on the girl. The cynic with a crush? Whatever were the odds? And was it even technically a crush when I’d only interacted with her for maybe five minutes? Okay, maybe Ashton being around wouldn’t be the worst thing if he could help me make sense of the jumble of thoughts in my head. The way that man could bounce from crush to crush almost seamlessly was enough to give me a case of whiplash.

I sighed as I tossed my cup in the trash. Whether or not it was a crush was still to be determined. All I knew was that I liked her energy, and wanted to see her again. And… that was a crush, wasn’t it? God. Fuckin’. Damn it.

A guitar chord rang out loudly, and there was a mad dash of people running towards the stage. Slowly I pushed my way through the crowd of people towards the front, grinning when I noticed it was her on stage, and grinning even more when I noticed the instrument in her hand. A bassist? Fuck, I was definitely in trouble now.

The shortest of the men, Vic, I recalled, started singing, with the other three providing backup harmony on the chorus. Until they got to the bridge that was all Y/N, her voice ringing out “Tomorrow’s a nightmare, I’m dreaming today. And my head is haunted, the past just can’t stay. The devil you know, yeah he comes and he goes. I’m selfish, and vapid, I hide in my prose!” before they launched into the final chorus.

“What up, Anaheim?!” Vic yelled into his mic to a scream of cheers and applause. “We’re Arrows in Action, and that was our newest single, Only Be Mine. I’m Vic. We got Matt over here on guitar. Jesse’s on the drums. And Y/N’s over there on bass. We got a few more songs for you all. And if you’re an awesome crowd, we might have a special treat for ya at the end of our set. Sound good?”

We answered him in whoops of cheers and loud applause, causing them all to grin as they launched into their next song.

They played seamlessly through about three more songs, enjoying the feeling of playing live in front of people again, before Y/N whooped into her own mic. “Whoo! It’s hot! Anyone else hot? Y’all staying hydrated out there?” she asked us, before flickering her gaze across the stage at Matt who was wiping his forehead. “You good, Matt?”

“Dude, it’s like a million degrees up here,” he commented, before taking a huge swig from a water bottle.

Y/N laughed. “Right. Y’all gotta understand. Matt’s from the cold states. Then there’s Vic and I who are California natives, technically, right Vic?”

“Yeah, I was born here. But I didn’t live here as long as you did.”

“Yeah, that’s what I thought. So Vic and I are used to the heat. Matt, not so much. And Jesse? How you doing back there, J?”

“Me?” the drummer pointed at himself in confusion “Oh, I’m great!”

“Great enough to give this crowd a real surprise?” she asked, her voice laced with playful trouble, as she looked at all her bandmates. “C’mon, boys what do ya say? Wanna give this crowd something special before we go?”

Again, we all cheered and applauded as encouragement for whatever surprise they had in mind. “Alright!” Vic laughed. “Alright, you wanna go ahead and introduce it then?”

She smiled wide as she turned towards us. “Alright, everybody! We’re Arrows in Action. We’ve had a great time with y’all! So, as a thank you, we’re gonna play a new song that we haven’t released yet. Is that cool with you?” She laughed as she awaited the response of screaming, whistles, and applause. “Alright. This is called Permanent Vacation, which will be available on all listening platforms this Friday. Let’s go!”

Matt started playing a series of chords that sounded incredibly familiar, while the other three clapped to the beat. But right before the lyrics were supposed to come in, Vic started talking into his mic. “Wait, wait, wait!” he laughed. “I don’t know the lyrics to this!”

“So it’s just like every other song,” Y/N teased him with her own laugh.

“Nah, I think it’s cuz that one’s not ours.”

“Be rad if it was though,” she said, and I swear she shot me a wink. “Alright, alright. So, that one’s not ours. But this one definitely is. And it’s definitely called Permanent Vacation. And it’s out Friday.”

A new guitar and drum beat started up and Vic immediately started singing, again with the rest of the band providing back up vocals until the bridge where it was all Y/N. A soft build before a wild yell that would have torn my own vocal chords to shreds.

“I’m locked and loaded, fire away! Permanent vacation from my brain. Extend my stay another day. Far from home, not alone,” they all finished with a flurry of chords. “Thank you!” Vic croaked into the mic. “Thank you guys so much! We’re Arrows in Action, enjoy the rest of your night!”

With tired but happy smiles, they all bowed before exiting the stage. I moved to follow, but thought better of it, going to hit the drink stand first where I bought 5 beers and 4 waters. A small challenge, made slightly easier by the person working the stand putting the water bottles in a grocery bag for me. With that hanging off my arm, I held 2 beers in each hand, and my own in my teeth.

“Cal!” she laughed, her face flushed when I found them lounging in the grass. “You didn’t have to do that,” she told me as she rose to her feet to help me distribute the beers.

“I said I’d get the next round,” I offered up simply, setting down the bag and taking a seat with them all. “I brought you guys water, too.”

“You really didn’t have to do that,” she laughed, tossing the bottles out anyway, and sitting back down, this time next to me.

“Shut up, Y/N, let the man do what he wants,” Jesse said, downing a water bottle in 2 gulps before turning his attention to his beer. “You’re rad. Thank you.”

“For real, man. This was really cool of you,” Vic said.

“Yeah, huge thanks,” Matt nodded.

“What they said, I guess,” Y/N laughed again, following Jesse’s lead of downing her water bottle before going for her beer. “Fuck,” she sighed. “That’s good. Thank you, really.”

“Happy to do it,” I answered. “That set was amazing, by the way. And that joke at the end was pretty clever. How long were you planning that?”

She giggled. “Uh, well Jesse and I are much more the 5sos fans than Matt and Vic are. But we’re all familiar with your music. And when we were writing the song, and settled on the title, I suggested that it would be funny to start playing your version if we ever got the chance to play it live. Which meant bugging Matt to learn the guitar parts.”

“So you’re the troublemaker of the band?” I guessed.

She shrugged, and hid behind the rim of her cup. “I mean… Depends on the day.”

We continued to lay in the grass, making small talk as we all finished our beers, before Jesse cleared his throat. “Uh… Matt, Vic. You guys wanna come with me to get a good spot for the rest of the acts?” he asked, the suggestion in his tone heavy.

Matt and Vic shared a look, before nodding. “Yeah, yeah of course,” they said, all three of them getting up.

“You assholes are just gonna leave me?” Y/N asked, looking up at them.

“Just come find us when you’re ready,” they winked. “Thanks again for the beers, Cal.”

“Assholes,” she muttered again as they all made themselves scarce. “Sorry about them.”

I laughed, waving it off. “Nah, it’s cool. And kinda nice, maybe?”

“Oh?” she asked, her eyes wide. “Uh…” her face flushed. “I mean…” she started to stammer. “Yeah. Yeah.”

I gave a half chuckle, scratching at the back of my neck. “Look, it’s fine if you’re not… I mean, I figure you probably are if they did that for you, cuz they have no reason to do it for my sake. I mean, they’re your friends and bandmates, not mine. But I know a wing man set up when I see it. But if it’s more of a meddling wing man set up, like that’s fine,” I spilled out, before realizing I was rambling.

“No!” she rushed. “Oh, no, that’s not what I meant at all!” She covered her face in her hands, groaning “Oh, this is so embarrassing…” Her hands moved to push through her hair as she took a long breath to steady herself. “Of course I like you, Cal. Like before I even met you. One of those embarrassing fangirl crush type of deals. And I mean, I’m a bassist in a punk band, so you’re also someone I idolize and take inspiration from.” Slowly her gaze lifted from her lap to lock onto mine. “And then I met you today. And you’re everything I thought you’d be. Thoughtful. Generous. A bit shy, and quiet at times. Nice. And it makes the crush that much stronger, and harder to deal with. Cuz now it’s real. And I feel like I know you. And it’s just… Ugh, it spirals from there, ya know?”

“A good spiral, or a bad spiral?”

“Bit of both? Like the insecurities in me say that you’re an A-list celebrity, while I’m more of like… not an A-lister. My band’s not on the same level yours is. I mean, we play bars and small day festivals. You sell out stadiums and have world tours. There’s a clear discrepancy. But then, another part of me doesn’t give a shit about that. It sees how we’re like-minded. It sees all the ways we click, and all the ways we could work. And that’s where the cocky part comes in, where it sees the like-mindedness and the reasons we could work, and calls you an idiot if you can’t see it too. That, uh, screwed up defense mechanism of it being your loss, ya know?”

“Mhm.”

She sighed. “Sorry. I said a lot. Point is, I do like you. And, that’s that.”

“So the ball’s in my court?”

“Only if you want it to be. And if you don’t, then no. There’s no ball. No court. Just two people who have a few things in common.”

“You wanna hear what I think?”

“Go for it.”

“I think your friends left us for 2 reasons. 1 being that they’re loyal to you, and know how you feel about me. 2 being that they’re also guys. Which gives them a pretty good insight for how I’m feeling too.”

“Uh-huh…” she nodded slowly. “And how you’re feeling is…?”

I could have said the words. But I settled for leaning in, brushing my lips softly against hers for the sweetest of moments, listening to the way her next breath got stuck in her throat. I pulled away, smiling softly at her and shrugging my shoulders.

She traced her lips with her thumb, bewilderment written on her face. “Okay, you really didn’t have to do that.”

“Relax,” I chuckled, stealing her words from earlier. “It’s just a kiss.”

“Well, thanks. I’ll, uh, getcha next time.”

“I’ll hold you to that.”

Tag List

@aquarius-hood1996 @creator-appreciator @philthepegacorn @myfavfanficsever @cxddlyash @youngblood199456 @stormrider505 @iknowyouthinkimbulletproof @hoodhoran @metalandboybands @maybeememez @1weekago @centerlino @binxiboo

#permanent vacation #calum hood #calum hood fic #calum hood x reader #musician!reader #5sos #calpal irwin

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chaos-caffeinated · 3 years

Text

Miracle of a Chance Ch. 9 (Part 1 of 2)

Taglist: @ultimatebottom69 @bitxhinthecomments @natiebug1

This is the longest chapter of yet, so there will be two parts. One posted today, the other tomorrow!

Enjoy!

There's a little extra in there, I didn't write alcina x reader for nothing.

Giggles erupted into the hallway in a teasing manner, and it came from none other of the three witches themselves: Bela, Cassandra, and Daniela. It would stop for a couple minutes and resume once again. Inside a room, the library, was 7-year-old Ezekiel with his mother, Lady Dimitrescu.

Currently in his home studies, Ezekiel's cheeks were puffed as he pouts at his mother's direction, clearly showing his frustration.

"Once you finish with your assignment you can play with your sisters." She stated calmly, reading over his answers. She skimmed through the answers with her glasses on.

"But I did do my work." He raised his papers, "See?" The page was filled of his handwriting. For the past hour, he had been practicing his handwriting, his natural writing and his calligraphy; it needed work, and that is why he was practicing.

Alcina wanted all her children educated, but it was unnecessary for her girls to study what he was because of his human stance. She wanted him prepared for the world, for he would represent what men should be: courteous, respectful, self-worthy, yet still carrying the assertiveness and confidence without humiliating anybody.

She looked up to admit he did finished, "What about the rest?" She asked, opening her palm, only to receive the paper.

"Mom...you said if I had finished my assignment, and I did." Ezekiel confidently spoke, smiling small as he made a point. She was surprised that he listened so well, but she was also slightly upset that now she had to let him go, "Well, Mr. Dimitrescu, You are correct-"

Ezekiel beamed at her reaction, "So I can go?" He asked, almost bouncing in his chair, beginning to pack up.

"Wait a minute, your homework."

Ezekiel slumped in his chair, and Alcina raised an eyebrow which caused him to straighten up in his chair.

Then she placed her hand over the other, "You'll read 5 paragraphs of your favorite book and recite it to me in French, in addition, you'll also practice more of some cursive words to get better at it. That's it for today, you've done well." She praised which lit up his facial features with pride.

"Thank you, Mom!" He cleaned up his desk before running out to the hallway to meet with his sisters.

Alcina smirked softly as she continued grading his papers, distracting her for awhile before going to her bedroom today.

Each of the girls' plan was to scare Ezekiel as he searched for them, already deciding to play hide-and-seek. They were ruthless when hiding from Ezekiel, but he would always scream then laugh at their attempt, it was music to their ears when not dealing with actual men, or maidens.

As Cassandra listened to his footsteps, she noticed the pattern of walking and searching, and running with confident of their whereabouts.

When laughter erupted and bounced on the walls, the footsteps stopped only for there to be a scrape.

"Cassandra!" He shouted with confidence laced with his voice, giggling afterwards, "I know that's you."

"It only counts when you find me, little brother!~" She replied arrogantly.

Ezekiel placed his finger on his chin as he glanced around the main living room. He scanned the area before noticing a shadow cast on the ceiling, "There you are! On the ceiling!" He called out. The mass of flies buzzed off from the ceiling and reached to the floor, nearing him only transformed to her human form, giggling, "So you found me first?" She grins, ruffling his hair only for Ezekiel to giggle and fixing it. His hair was in a ponytail with a bow on the back.

"Now you must help me find Bela!" He pointed at nothing in particular as he took charge in the moment.

"Lead the way, brethren." She picked him up and settled him on over her shoulders. Together they searched and searched, and he even looked on the ceiling. That was until they entered a room. Like every room, it was elegantly designed with the golden details, white walls. There were two wardrobes on each side, and both Cassandra and Ezekiel checked twice because "checking twice removes...it's just better to check twice." he would come up with, and the anti-climatic quote would make Daniela burst out laughing only for him to laugh with her.

Once they check the wardrobes, Ezekiel hummed in dissapointment, "They're not here..." he commented, crossing his arms and resting his finger on his chin before he raised an eyebrow at a brick on the floor. He pulled his hand away from his face slightly before making his way to the brick only to notice a broken side of the wall, "Hey, Cassie....what is...this?" His voice faltered as he felt an ominous vibe from inside. It was horribly lit with the terrible rotting wood compared to the golden accents in the castle. The oil lamp was still lit, and he even stepped back.

"OOh~ Bela and Daniela could be down there, mother is going to be very mad." She inspected the broken wall, "Hm..." She turned around to look at Ezekiel with a grin, "Shall we go?"

"Uhm...I don't....I don't want to..." Ezekiel wrapped his own arms around his shoulders as he stared at the room with a uncertain look.

"Oh come on, baby brother, you're going to let them win? We spent an hour looking for them and they could be here." Cassandra pitched in, "Come on, it'll be quick. We'll hop in, and out in no time-"

"You promise?" He asked, his hands trembling softly against his arms as he made eye contact with her piercing yellow eyes.

"Yes, yes, I do promise. Now shall we? Do you want to be behind me?" She started walking inside, "There's a ladder." she revelled, "Bela and Daniela made so much effort for you to look for them."

Hesitantly, Ezekiel followed. He watched and observed everything around him as he became more sensitive, getting goosebumps at any point. He watched Cassandra just become her swarm as she went to the bottom of the ladders and he turned around to get down. He was cautious about his movements as he tried not to get his clothes dirtied from the dust.

When he reached to the bottom, he followed Cassandra as he passed a pile of loose papers by the table and just watched her become the swarm again and into the cracks of the wall. He was confused as to how she knew her way, but he was disappointed that the wall was not a signal of dead end, a signal for him to turn back.

In the process of Ezekiel and Cassandra making their way to the cellar, Alcina was enjoying her meal from her favorite maid, the nanny that was taking care of her son when not playing with his sisters, and someone she secretly considered someone closer than a personal maid.

Her red, semi-glossy lips were pressed against your flesh as she sucked on the blood, making you grunt as you bit your thumb.

"You make a wonderful noise, dear, I made no mistake in trusting you." She complimented as she pulled way, her lips removing from you sounded that of a separated kiss, a kiss you desired for so long.

"Thank you, my lady." You sighed softly as you lay on the bed, sheets covering your torso and below.

She smirked and caressed your cheek, confidence surging as you leaned closer to her, "Who would have thought that because of your persistence, you would be here?"

You turn your face slightly to face her, to see her smile lines, to see her this close to notice the brush strokes, the eye shadow, and the beautiful pair of eyes you laid upon, "I had no participation other than following you, my lady."

She pressed her smile, and even then she got closer ever so slowly, "Well, my dear, I made a good choice. And, draga, it's Alcina to you only." before pulling you in a soft kiss. That moment, you felt light-headed, you felt your heart rate go up by the second and hoping never to forget what happened before you felt her whip away. The rush of air hitting your body like whiplash as you heard it. A scream, and not just any scream you became accustomed. Your eyes widen in fear and concern as you sat up.

Alcina was already up and getting her robe on, helping you with the gown. She wasn't worried about you two anymore, but Ezekiel and it showed.

You felt her hands shiver as you looked up at her, "Go, I'll follow you."

And she didn't hesitate to go.

~~~~

Oh no a cliffhanger?! Oh but you knew already, welp, until tomorrow! Ta-ta!~

#lady dimtrescu #lady dimitrescu x reader #ezekiel dimitrescu #alcina dimitrescu #Alcina Dimitrescu and oc #Lady dimitrescu and oc #Lady Dimitrescu fanfiction #re8 village #re8 village fanfiction #re8 fanfiction #re village fanfiction #chaos writing #chaos #alcina x maiden #alcina x reader #cassandra dimitrescu #daniela dimitrescu #bela dimitrescu

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emwritesfootball · 3 years

Text

Her Majesty's Men 5 | Mason Mount

Word Count: 1,173

Warnings: the dance and the return of @bluemoonstonesy

- - -

You didn’t know what you were doing here. One minute, you were walking into an obscure pub and the next, you were following a hen party down the hidden stairwell where Her Majesty’s Men were performing.

You ordered a couple shots from the bar, taking in the girl serving you the drinks. She was pretty and personable, putting you at ease as she set the shots down in front of you. “First time?”

“Uh, yeah. Any advice?”

“Look but don’t touch. You touch and they'll bring you up onstage, and something tells me that would be your nightmare.”

“How did you know?”

She shrugs, throwing up an index finger as she tends to a girl wearing a ‘Finally Legal!’ sash and tiara. “I got good at reading people. My family owns this place; I’ve been working here for as long as I can remember.” She looks like she’s about to say more, but a voice cuts through the music.

“All right, all right, all right.”

Your head whips around so fast you’re pretty sure you gave yourself whiplash. When you realize it’s just the frontman, you turn back to the bar. The girl’s frozen, a look on her face that tells you this guy means more to her than anything else going on in the room right now. “That your boyfriend?” You ask without thinking, the alcohol fueling your words.

“Huh?” She chuckles, ducking her head. “Something like that. How did you-?”

“You’re not the only one who can read people.” You drain your drink, sliding the glass on the bar back to her. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve gotta go watch people lose their minds for my baby brother.”

With that, you get up and walk to the back of the room, out of sight from Mason - god forbid, Declan. Of course, the first person to dance is Declan, going by the ridiculous nickname Mason had started calling him when the two were at Chelsea together. You watched through your fingers as Declan sauntered out with some other guy, both dressed in cowboy outfits. They did a whole dueling skit that ended with Declan winning and tearing off his clothes as Big & Rich’s Save A Horse (Ride A Cowboy) started to play and the ladies went wild.

“Hey,” came Mason’s voice over the song, and you turned to find the boy smiling at you.

“Hey, Mase.” You gave him a tight-lipped smile, tamping down the butterflies that were threatening to take flight in your stomach.

“Come down to see me dance, eh?” He jokes, making you crack a smile. “Don’t worry - I’m up next.”

“Honestly? I was hoping this was all a joke.”

Mason strugs. “Well, it is pretty funny.”

“Ha. Ha.” You retort sarcastically, crossing your arms and rolling your eyes. “Any other circumstance and I’d be in the front row, throwing myself at any one of you.”

“Oh, really?” Mason gives you a look that you feel down to your toes, but you willed your brain to ignore it. “How much would you tip me if I gave you a lapdance?”

You let out a laugh - a real, genuine laugh. “Mm, ten pence, maybe? Twenty if you’re actually good...”

Mason looks you up and down, smirking when his eyes finally meet yours. “I can guarantee it’d be the best ten pence you ever spent…”

Shivers run down your spine at the timbre of his voice and for a moment, it’s just you and him in this crowded room. As soon as the moment starts, it ends, the cheers from the women as Declan finishes his performance.

“Gotta go make sure the birds don’t eat him alive,” Mason jokes, giving you another grin.

He starts to walk away but you grab his arm, needing to say one final thing. “You better take care of him, Mase. I’m serious.”

“I will, Angel.” The nickname makes your breath hitch. “Which means I’ve gotta go and make sure he’s all right, okay?”

You’re mute, nodding as you watch him walk away. You wish you’d said something else, but you remind yourself what Mase is to Declan and you try to feel relief that you didn’t do something stupid like kiss your little brother’s best friend.

There was a lull in the performance while the stage got set up for the next act. You thought about going back to the bar, but the girl looked overwhelmed while somehow managing to serve everyone in an efficient manner that blew your mind. You were so engrossed in her that you didn’t even realize the same guy from before - the bartender’s boyfriend - is back up onstage, until you hear his voice.

“This next performer who’s coming out… he’s one of a kind, ladies. I met this boy back in my Academy days and I knew - I knew I had to bring him in and have his talents be shown to the universe. Tonight he’s gonna be right here on this stage just for you. The star of the show, Mister Money Mase!”

Your stomach dips in anticipation as Mason appears wearing a snapback, wifebeater, sweats and trainers, the look doing something to you that you didn’t even think was possible. The opening vocals to Pony by Ginuwine have you thinking thoughts you’d never have outside the bedroom - thoughts starring the one and only man who’s onstage right now making every woman, including you, swoon.

He moved in ways you’d never seen him move before. His body was a perfectly-sculpted machine, and your body responded in ways you wished it didn’t. You’d seen him play on a pitch before, but seeing him dance on a stage with hundreds of screaming women packed in an underground club did things to you that you couldn’t explain. The last time you’d seen him, Mason and Dec had been eighteen, Mason’s scrawny body not even a blip on your radar because you’d been too busy analysing your brother’s game. Now, he was four years older, his body cut in ways you’d never imagined, and it was turning you on.

Mason looked out into the crowd and you swore you saw his face land on you as he swiveled his hips, gracefully transitioning to landing on the floor and pumping his hips as though he were pounding into a woman - you, your brain thinks, and you hate how your pussy pulses in response.

He struts out into the crowd and for a moment, you think he’s coming towards you. It would be the worst thing in the world for you to be brought up onstage, but somehow your brain doesn’t care because it would be Mason bringing you up onstage. Mason, who’s now got a girl in his hands, laying her down on the stage as he mimed thrusting into her and the rest of the ladies cheered. When he slipped his sweats off to reveal his bright red thong, you knew you had to get out of there, slipping out of the club the way you came, unable to witness anything more.

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#her majesty's men series #declan rice imagines #mason mount imagines

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