#i have this one type of man that i can encapsulate so fucking perfectly

[nex-has-gender-envy]

Fucked up lil creature

Xmen97' got me on that wolverine brainrot. He's perfect amount of feral in that series.

[360iris]

I don’t really write smut nowadays but fuck it— without further ado, here’s my nsfw moon knight system headcanons (plus scene blurbs)

Steven is considerate. You could use a myriad of words to describe how he is in bed in fact, like attentive, or accommodating and devoted to pleasing you.

The word that truly encapsulates the experience, that describes what mindset he so seamlessly slips into when his eyes darken and his objective becomes razor focused however, would be generous.

Because Steven, first and foremost, always aims to please when it comes to you. He wants to know that you’re throughly satiated and well aware of how desirable you are in his eyes.

A misconception you’d had early on in your relationship with him was that he’d be gentle, in a borderline overboard kind of way. Not that you would have minded much, but somewhere along the line you’d just convinced yourself that he’d be soft, meek and docile— looking to you for encouragement, or perhaps even instruction on more than one occasion.

You most certainly did not expect for Steven to be the type of man that uses you like he needs it.

Like nothing in the world could get between him and his objective to have your cum covering him, sliding down his fingers and dripping from his wrists. His nose, chin and throat wet from how ferociously he eats you out.

Steven fucks you dumb, making it his personal mission to have you cum so many times that you lose count, but don’t worry because he never does.

“The kitchen counter is cold, the metal handle to the cabinets that currently press into your shoulders even moreso, but you deem the momentary discomfort minuscule and insignificant to the sexual tension that surrounds you and your boyfriend.

The unadulterated want courses through you like electricity. It makes you jittery, causing your hands at your sides to clench at nothing, making futile clawing motions on the dark surface as your pupils dilate, swallowing your irises whole and perfectly mirroring his reflection back at him.

Maybe you should feel embarrassed by how intense and delicious a simple caress of the tips of his fingers against your covered bundle of nerves feels— because it’s a signifier of how desperate you are for him, but any inklings of potential shame are quickly smothered in a blinding instance when his hand slips past the band of your underwear.

The pads of two coarse fingers set into a rotating circular motion as his left hand palms and firmly squeezes at the exposed skin of your thigh, holding your legs open even as you twitch from pleasure.

His grip maintaining even as you begin flinching and jolting in small, sporadic bursts. Even as you helplessly grip at the material clothed on his broad shoulders, cry into his collar and cum so intensely the long sleeves of his shirt are wet to his forearms.

Steven is many things, can be described many ways but above all else, he is generous in his affection and in the way he makes love.”

Jake could be described as rough, unrelenting. Possessive even, in the way he commands so much of you, that he might as well be taking all you have to offer and what remains after that too.

He’s consuming, with a hungry, ravenous sort of appetite for you, you, you.

Jake’s guaranteed to take the cake for the messiest fucks you’ve ever had.

He wants you wanton and cock drunk. Demanding nothing short of your makeup ending the night smeared and unrecognizable to its initial form, with his spit on your face and his cum dripping out of your cunt.

In the way that Steven uses you like he needs the satisfaction of knowing your pleasure is a direct product of his labor— Jake uses you as though you were a sex doll, made for his pleasure, for his use.

Though it’s not to be mistaken that he doesn’t care for you, when on the contrary the man loves you like you were akin to a cherished stuffed animal.

He focuses in on you, making the act of fucking you his only priority and mission. And you can’t say he doesn’t play to his strengths, doing his job well.

“Perhaps not every woman, but as you imagined it, most women wanted to feel pampered and special during sex.

A nice dinner date beforehand, the end result happening somewhere comfortable and lush, like in a comfortable bed fitted with soft sheets, a plush duvet and fluffy pillows. The whole nine yards laid out essentially.

You wondered how many expected to end the night like you were, slouched in the fine leather seat of your partner’s limo? Your left leg extended and pressed against your chest, leaving your core as open as the space— and your current level of flexibility, would allow for.

But you were more than certain that not many could say they’d experienced Jake Lockley like this. His cap, gloves and outerwear long since discarded. His pupils blown as his hips surge forward, hips meeting your own in ferocious and sturdy thrusts that have you moaning unintelligibly.

“Keep your leg up.” He commands, growling into the juncture of your neck as he maintains such a relentless speed— the intensity making it increasingly difficult to hold your limb up without any additional assistance.

After a particularly penetrating slip of his cock, your grip falters for the umpteenth time and Jake’s retribution is swift and brutal but sweet as he finally takes charge of the one task you were currently fucked too dumb to do.

The trimmed nails of his left hand dip into your thigh, creating half moons in their wake as his other hand finds it’s way into your hair. Looping his fingers into the strands, he issues out a rather punishing tug.

Freeing his digits only to give your face a disciplinary slap that seems to offer less towards correcting your insubordination, and more towards encouraging it as you simply moan shamelessly in the wake of the sting.

The sharp impact easily overshadowed by the resounding sloshes that originate further bellow. Slick thoroughly coating your thighs, his cock and the snow white leather of the seats below you.”

Marc’s method is slow and purposeful. He prefers to take his time with you.

It’s always the little things with him. Like the way he makes a point of holding the back of your neck, his forehead resting against yours as he thrusts in such a deliberate and gradual manner— all just so he can make sure you feel every inch fill you up before hollowing you out again.

He’s needy, just as he wants you to be for him. He’s also firm in his grip on your body as he pleasures you. Marc always makes sure to hold you close to him, as though you’d slip out of his grasp like drifting sand.

This is also the reason he has a bit of a cum play kink? Though it’d have less to do about “breeding” and more to do with claiming you as his own.

Marc wants to leave you used simply because he quietly enjoys the sight of his cum leaking from you; and loves the act of slipping your underwear back over the mess to have you walk around with.

Orgasms are more impactful and earth-shattering focused with him because he wants you to be obsessed with how he makes you feel. He wants to leave you unwilling to ever settle for fucking anyone else again.

This guy has the most debilitating praise kink, and that means that simple phrases like ‘good boy’ don’t cut it! You have to get creative and personal!

He would absolutely dematerialize and reform into the most feral version of himself if you ever whispered, “Your cock is made for me, baby. I need you, Marc. I need you, honey.” —into the shell of his ear as he fucked you.

“Desire is generally a fickle concept. People’s feelings ever changing and fluctuating in the same way nature alternates between seasons.

What someone wants today, they scoff at tomorrow, rolling past wants off their plates like freezer burnt peas.

When it came to Marc, the things that he wanted seemed to stay the same. He was just a simple guy like that, in a sense. Old fashioned and committed once he had his mind set.

Marc makes how head over heels in love he is with you abundantly clear, every time he fucks you.

With the way he holds you in between his arms and against his chest like he never wants to let go. And the way he makes a mission out of kissing every inch of your face, no matter how sweaty you are.

He wants his love to forever be a part of you and he’ll get the job done, no matter how many kisses it takes.

Though you keep this tidbit to yourself, your favorite part of sex with Marc is when he cums.

He’s all tensing muscles, deep breathy moans and needy hands that grasp for you as he struggles to make his way back through the foggy veil of dopamine-induced euphoria.

The man having a habit of fighting through his pleasure like he’s being forced to wade through high levels of water. But you try to make it as calming as possible, mouthing at his Adam’s Apple with tentative nibbles and kissing into the curve of his jawline as he rides it through.”

a/n: just finished my final proof reading! this took me days to work on in short sections because I have work and stuff— but reading everything back has me so shdhdh lmao this is just so hornknee!!

this really isn’t something I do much of anymore because i find my old nsfw fics to be really cringe,, anyway I hope you guys enjoy it 🫣🫠😩😭

[amethystina]

hiii! just curious of you've watched beyond evil? 🤔 (ps: i loveeee ur fics <3)

I have not, no, but it's been on my list of things to watch since I saw The Devil Judge. Though mainly because I had seen (and liked) Yeo Jin Goo in Hotel del Luna and was curious to see him in a drama with a different tone and story (i.e. I had no idea about the comparisons between The Devil Judge and Beyond Evil at the time). It was actually one of the dramas I had planned to watch right after The Devil Judge, but then got too distracted writing fanfics x'D

And, by now, I'm mostly postponing it because I don't want to collect another drama I possibly want to write for, which is the same reason why I haven't watched Word of Honor or Evilive, for example.

(For real: I took one look at Kim Young Kwang in Evilive before noping the fuck out because I have a type — a specific brand of kryptonite, if you will — and that man, in that specific drama, so perfectly encapsulates it that my flight-or-fight response kicked in. I feel like I dodged a bullet on that one)

(But I will eventually watch it — just give me some time)

Anyway! Also, from what I've gathered, the Beyond Evil peeps are doing fine without me? Like, they seem to be having a great time! No need for me to show up like the aggressive, invasive species that I am and ruin it x'D

I do want to watch it some day, though, but I admit a part of me is also kind of... hesitant? Because people have hyped it up so much? And what happens if I watch it and don't like it? Or don't find it as fascinating as everyone else seems to? x'D

(I'm pretty sure I will, but the worry is there nonetheless)

I'm one of those people who prefer to go into things blind. If I hear too much, I will build expectations (or start figuring out spoilers) without meaning to and it usually influences my experience in ways that are detrimental to the drama/show/movie in question. The less I know, the better (aside from triggers and warnings, of course).

And while I know next to nothing about Beyond Evil's plot (and would like to keep it that way so please don't spoil me!) some of the posts I've seen here on Tumblr have already influenced me negatively towards it. Which I absolutely HATE. And I'm referring to the ones that basically say that everyone should watch Beyond Evil instead of The Devil Judge because it's so much better. And while that might very well be true (especially since a lot of that is subjective), I'm still going to end up unintentionally siding with the only one of those that I actually know in more detail (i.e. The Devil Judge).

"You can't tell me what to like or not like" and all that.

Which I know is a ridiculous response and I'm trying to combat it, but I can't deny that it still affects me. To the point where I honestly wished I had watched Beyond Evil sooner since now I worry I'm going to be biased in a negative way, simply because of the discourse I've happened to glimpse online. I don't want to compare the two, but I feel defensive enough that I still might, despite my best intentions. I want to be able to judge things based on their own merit.

So can we please just stop pitting things against each other? It's tiring and ruins the experience for me.

I just want to be able to watch and enjoy cool things :C

TLDR: I haven't watched it yet but hope to at some point since it sounds like it will be good. But I'm hesitant because I already have too many projects and don't want to stumble into another fandom I want to write for right now x'D

And thank you so much! I'm glad you like my fics 💜

[goldmanguyperson]

if you support ukraine but not palestine or vice versa then you are a hypocrite. the world is more complex than russia good cuz america bad, or america good cuz russia bad. Both are ran by imperialists.

saying NATO is waging a war against russia is without any kind of further expansion can make people too easily fall into the hands of Russian propaganda. NATO destroyed the USSR and thus Russia’s economic and political stability, yes, but this is not the exact same thing as Russia starting a war in Ukraine over it. Russia could have gone so many other ways that don’t even require falling into the hands of NATO, but the government chose to push away all their neighbors to NATO by being extremely aggressive out of imperialist desires instead. This is the government’s own fault. The Russian government lives in a fantasy world where hard, militaristic power makes sense to exercise en masse, yourself. When in reality we are in a world of soft power taken to extremes.

The Russian government operates on the imperialist idea that the world would be better under Russian control; that Russians are uniquely gifted with the ability to handle multiethnic nations, and other ethnicities and races are unable to handle themselves and thus need their guidance. Basically “the white man’s burden”, but instead of all white people, it’s just Russians. That’s why “new chronology”—the idea that scholars and the catholic church are lying about how much time has passed in recent history and that there was actually a globally spanning empire ran by Russians which is being covered up—is such a boosted conspiracy theory in Russia. It encapsulates the beliefs of Russian imperialism.

Now I am aware the United States does not support Ukraine because of any kind of good will. And if you believe it is out of good will you are wrong. It is definitely out of the desire to push Russia back. But if you believe that that means we should just let Russia have Ukraine, or let this have you fall into similar beliefs, I think you’re also wrong, and are failing to understand the bigger picture. Russia will commit and is currently committing genocide. They do that with all their ethnic minorities—if not by physically killing people, then by attempting to eliminate their culture very forcefully. The language of the Crimean Tartars may one day die if Russia continues to have control over Crimea, because Russia has shut down all its teaching it in favor of Russian.

I am unhappy that the US is Ukraine’s biggest ally, because the US government does not care, but it will remain all they have. They have the option of slow cultural death via further Americanization and consumerism, or assured mass physical death.

If you understand that the US is not supporting Ukraine out of the goodness of anybody’s hearts, then you should also perfectly understand why America supports Israel. The government wants a foothold in the Middle East. They want oil and gas. Palestine is in the way of oil and gas, and Israel is right there to commit some genocide for them, complete with ethnonationalist and imperialist ideas. Israel has already done the work to make it seem alright to their citizens to permanently take the Palestinians out of their homeland. All this is yet another case, or rather a continuation, of war on terrorism-type politics. Convince the people there are those who you cannot see who want you dead, so you can go in and kill every single person you can with complete justification in the eyes of the people. And then you can one day come in and steal resources from the dead land.

There is no moral imperatives at play anywhere at the top of the government for either of these situations. this does not mean the nations that oppose the US are automatically in the right. Everybody fucking sucks major shitty asshole here and i wish people understood this. World politics is not a neat and clean black and white.

Pretending so lets ordinary people die.

[mizufae]

Orchid and cactus for the ask meme, please!

Thank you for giving me an excuse to talk about myself!!

A song I consider perfect? My taste in music is kind of ridiculously varied. But honestly?? Bohemian Rhapsody might be perfect. I know it’s like everyone’s favorite song or whatever, and I should pick like, some Mahler symphony or some Björk mouth sounds, but okay what are my criteria for perfection when it comes to songs?

One, it should be able to express a spectrum of emotions and generate empathy within the listener. Two, it should have a melody you can recall well enough that at least parts of it get stuck in your head. Three, musicians who cover it should be able to add their own twists and style innovations but it remains recognizable. Four, it should make people stop and want to listen to it all the way through.

The audience can vary of course so “people” and “musicians” and “listener” and “you” might be a million people or it might just be fifty people in a niche theme bar or it might be just you and your shipmates. But Bohemian Rhapsody can get a stadium of gross teens singing in complex harmony. You can play it on a carousel organ or mumble it under your breath while doing chores and people can still ID it. The emotional journey of the song transposes from an incredible queer anthem to literally any challenge or coming of age you want. The vocals are so incredible that Freddie Mercury’s voice like, spiritually imprints his energy on everyone who gives it their all. It broke through genres and cultures and arbitrary industry standards and makes no sense on paper but it’s transcendent. Please enjoy it on a 100 year old fairground organ.

What am I currently learning about? Right now nothing super in particular. I’m honestly kind of in hibernation mode cuz we’ve entered the season in Seattle where I feel like there’s two hours of sun a day and it rains constantly. Personally and fandom wise I’m still on a Stranger Things fic binge and I’ve learned that I’m grateful to be an old because if I were younger I would have the biggest fucking celebrity crush imaginable on Finn Wolfhard, because he so perfectly encapsulates my younger self’s type that it’s insane. As it is I merely have cuteness aggression about him and want to feed him pie and encourage his dreams, thank god. So, like, self-knowledge is good.

Hrmmmm. Oh, also, I’ve been discussing/teaching color theory to my friend who is an indie game designer (play project O.R.B.! It’s free! Explore a mysterious ocean and find rainbow crystals!) and because of that I’ve been refreshing and updating a lot of the things I learned about fifteenish years ago when I was getting my BFA. Do you know about the CIELAB Color Space??? Color science is wild, man, cuz it’s like our meat brains trying to quantify our collection interpretation of sensory information but also fused with cultural preferences and personal histories and technological limitations. My friend is a programmer by trade so I keep bringing up art history references he has no clue about and he’s like “wow, I didn’t know art looked like this ever” and I’m like “surprise, artists can also be autistic!” And he’s like “give me homework” and I’m like “I don’t know how to handle this kind of power” so that’s been fun! We’ve been having kind of a break for a month though cuz he is the at-home dad for two young kids and holiday season is upon us. I hope we can get back together for some more color theory time before next year.

[crystalelemental]

You know what? Fuck it. It's anniversary. Treat yourself.

We're maxing out Best Chatelaine.

General Overview Ohooooo man. Okay. Big fan of this one. Obviously personality clicked, I do have a type, but I'm kinda loving her kit too.

Dana's obvious benefit is SEUN, which is...I have mixed feelings. I think it's simultaneously really good, and over-hyped. Really good because a huge 50% bonus, which I believe is multiplicative, applied for an EX sync nuke or heavy DPS shot, is fantastic. But it's only applicable on-type, which is generally the least important way to deal damage in the Gauntlet/High Score meta. This is part of why I think we need more pairs with two attacking types. SEUN with a potential super-effective coverage move would be really good. But as it stands, a lot of options can't make good use of it.

Moreover, 1/5 Dana encapsulates an issue with SEUN appliers. Specifically, they tend to make for bad offense buffers. Red and Jasmine have crit rate, even though one does it better than the other, and some arguable benefits that are inconsistent at best and insufficient at worst. Dana takes this a step further by boosting no offensive stats at 1/5. You get SEUN, and only that. But pairs that cap all relevant offenses fast enough for that to matter tend to be so good that the on-type modifier is irrelevant. It just doesn't accomplish much.

3/5 Dana is an entirely different beast. Team Sharp Entry is a divine skill that saves a turn off any self-buffer with +2 crit. Which is a lot of them. Hype Up on her attack, especially combined with Cold Snap, is divine. Not only does she now have the potential to disrupt an action, she's buffing special attack routinely while doing it. On physical stages, Dana has literally nothing better to do but spam Frost Breath, which allows her to rake up the special attack boosts for the team easily. At 20/20, I admit I had zero issues keeping her alive, without ever touching X Sp Def All. First Aid 4, combined with a Max Potion/Damage Guard effect on her trainer move, makes her more than sturdy enough. SEUN applications are great, but two are more than sufficient in most scenarios.

I didn't do this, but another fun angle is that she can boost both defenses and has Synchro Healing. So she's a great stall support as well. Girl is versatile.

Vs. Bruno It's a bad picture because I was frustrated and just glad to be done. Gardenia is stupid frail, so any time he's set to use two Bulldoze, you have to take a turn early on to throw TM on Gardenia instead and hope Dana can handle it (she can). But then you run into the issue of Gardenia needing sun up or she loses special attack, and her missing sync crit, etc etc etc. She's really frustrating. Gardenia kinda sucks.

Vs. Will Poison is fairly hard to shop for, but Dana has one extremely funny option. H!Iris gets +4 Sp Atk/+2 crit, and is therefore perfectly salvaged by Dana. Lucian just makes the team invincible at this point, and covers all needed gauge concerns. This is a really easy setup to take -2 sync cooldown parameter as well, because Iris will obliterate this team. Following that, second SEUN on Hyper Beam, which can combo into Iris getting Super Victory for yet another, and just blasting a stage into powder.

Vs. Karen This is more a showing of how SEUN can offset lower offense boosted stats, at least in part. +3 Sp Atk on Lusamine with SEUN is more than enough to eviscerate the sides, and Lusamine only needs two trainer moves with Team Sharp Entry in play, so she can focus on pure sync power. This was a really clean win, despite how much Sp Atk Lusamine seemed to need. Dana was able to provide.

Vs. Koga There is an ice stage! Initially I was going to do Ghetsis or something, before realizing (1) accuracy issues, and (2) not a great showing of Dana's abilities specifically. I then considered BP Candice, before realizing mine is EX. So I ran Pryce. Who is not EX. We did eat the opponent's sync, Pryce absolutely cannot DPS his way out of this. He did get a denial thanks to SEUN, but I messed up the gauges and it caused problems. I don't know that it made enough difference. The point is, she carried non-EX Pryce. It's not quite Irida, but I will gladly take this.

[tillidontneedfantasy]

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.  

[nerice]

Can I play the OC song ask game in reverse? Which category does Feel fall into? Or any other songs from that album. You don’t have to answer if this is not a valid option.

WELCOME TO SCREENPLAY HOURS i'm so happy you asked in this way bc i have so much to say here (and the fact that u still care abt screenplay/its songs makes me so 💖💖💖💖) ALRIGHT [puts on my hyperfixation glasses]

feel (a life divided)

aka the quinessential tge song out of which this entire fuckery was born & the lyrics of which i have not misheard at any point & am objectively correct about.

therefore: spot on lyrics. special shoutout to 'i know you're weak / got lost in time' it's why we're here in the first place <3

badass scene (in there for several points. 'this must be the last day of my life' fr the inv moon trap scene. :3) on the same account of which it also wins:

sexy song (we love the face of a suffering man tm)

first song on the playlist!

definitely amv material !! this one & wait for me encapsulate the entire screenplay & are so so good in brain <3

there's both a kiss & a kill imagery in there due to. screenplay amv-ness ;3c

personal favourite (tho again sharing it with wait for me!!)

song a character dances to (by virtue of content again. tho not in an insert song type way; that wld be sounds like a melody which i'm not counting rn bc it's on the other album h,, 'she's so soft and warm in my arms' an aes i CANNOT get in canon due 2 cold touch cure so i'm TAKING IT HERE)

own category: it fucks me to pieces🥰

REST OF DISCUSSION UNDER CUT bc lesser song emos

wait for me

aforementioned other most important song that (in strict screenplay context) actually dethrones feel >:3

ouchie hurtie angst (only in context but it so perfectly hits the "please show me a way to live" and "i can't do this on my own" vibes (despite. despite💔) the push n pull of 'no one's ever shown me the way / everyone just told me to stay' into the later 'stay / don't break me / don't make me / stay' i go insaneee

spot on lyrics (ofc!)

would work both as trailer or credits song though i don't feel strongly abt either of it. amv in my brain again tho

personal favourite! feel is the better song & has application for canon too, but if we are just talking screenplay this one wins!!

comforting song (softness amidst the hurt... bc you know linn is responding to it on the other side. :3)

own category: )-)o

clouds of glass

in this playlist solely on grounds of how strong the vibe of the opening line is ('im in a hurry / i got no second to lose') overlaid on how the screenplay opens (gray dropping the peach > hauling ass into the smoldering settlement) bonus points bc it mentions moon things. 10/10

on the edge

like feel this is a song that works extreme double duty with canon (it is more canon relevant than tge but) when that 'im falling away from a life that i could never love' hits in conjunction with the final inv moon facing scene imagery i dieeee. rating it Whatever Black Swan Have Going On In General/10

THANKS FOR PLAYING

[thegreatgrumbolia]

Monarchism within the Canadian Context

God damn in the fuck man is it an absurd thing to witness. As I drove round town, listening to the radio I heard as the differing stations gave their reactions to the Queen’s recent death. Fuck me man, this is stupid. Now should ye be sitting outside the Canadian realms but its honestly hard to say that the Canadian is especially different from our neighbours the Americans. Of course this isn’t to say we are the same, there’s certainly a vibe of difference between the standard Anglo-Canadian, those residing anywhere from Ontario to British Columbia (Maritimes get their own Atlantic vibe), and of course within those there own vibes of separating difference. If one were to ask for an average between these you’d get the city of Winnipeg, the most Canadian City. This is all to say, in stupid terms, that Anglo-Canadians are just... well, they’re by and large calm Americans, with all connotations (negative and what little positive) included.

This is especially true in Alberta, where through frequent migrations many Americans have come to inhabit the area, with varying degrees of Canadianess arising from it. This Americaness I found to be perfectly encapsulated within the context of Canadian appearance was one Rock channel’s tribute to the now late Monarch, may she never find rest. A rockers voice cried out, like one similar to those Rock Station GreenTexts, saying (I only caught a lick of the dribble) QUEEN ELIZABETH, ENGLAND’S LONGEST RULING MONARCH is DEAD. Which is all to say, god, fuck if I know, Canada is a stupid place, all the absurdities of American culture calmed slightly yet with a monarchist flair. Fuck me man, then you got the guy on the talkative music station saying shit like “She was everyone’s Grandma you know?” with all the people calling in to tell the stories about “how they got to meet the queen” or “stand on the back of her train.” Of course the Suburban is the Monarchist, of course they find it quaint (Granted there’s stuff I enjoy about Monarchy, that is to say, near exclusively the roman numerals that come when names repeat, I eat that shit up. The difference with me however is this enjoyment results in a looking forward to the deaths of Monarchs cause fuck knows I wanna see how high those numerals can go), after all the Radio says so, “she was our grandma after all” rather than what she actually was, a parasites born of long dead conquerors and brutes their courtier sycophants (also known as the British Press) who now offer nothing yet platitudes of unity and an annual bill for their ‘services.’

Imagine now, me rubbing my temples as I type this, perhaps pausing to coalesce those thoughts for which I have been thinking. “Is there a punch line to this?” I ask myself. By all rights it seems there isn’t, all this having been just some strange glimpse into an oft derided nation and it’s most absurd ‘culture.’

Fuck me man, land back.

I’ll let y’all know what the local Irish think of this.

[mostlycompetentwriter]

On Track

F/M Pairing: Y/N x Lee Minho

Genre: Married Life AU, Romance

Warnings: Smut and Language

Word Count: 11K

Summary: Despite her reputation, Y/N is considered one of the very best agents in the music industry. Of course, it doesn’t help that she married one of her clients---notoriously stubborn and arrogant Lee Minho AKA the extremely talented Lee Know whose silky voice and amazing choreographies appeal to an enormous fan-base. A pop singer who prefers to work alone, Y/N usually obliges Minho’s preferences...until her boss demands that he collaborate with the up-and-coming and multi-talented trio, 3racha.

Well, nobody ever said that married life is easy.

For: @hwngjn​

There’s a certain decorum involved with the management of arrogant pop singers who think the entire world revolves around their singular existence. In my experience, if you want to tame these wild inclinations, then it’s best to do one of the three things: 1) leave the company ASAP with a two-week notice and a heartfelt plea for a good recommendation, 2) tolerate the existence of this pop singer and hope that he matures with age, or 3) marry this pop singer because you fell in love without understanding the fraternization clause of your contract. 

Allow me to elaborate: options one and two will leave you with enough room to continue rising through the ranks without much conflict with upper management. You see, I have firsthand knowledge because I lived through the ensuing outcomes, leaving my first job at the tender age of 23 with very little knowledge and then arduously suffering at my next position with a female artist who insisted on testing my patience. But then again, if you choose to skip options one and two and pursue option three, then you better learn to live with the consequences because it will bring the most long-term effects.

Let me start from here because, for the most part, the consequences for me were fairly minimal. The record company was, of course, incensed when they found out about my unauthorized affair. Unfortunately, Minho liked to brag about the things he cherished, and he made no secret of our relationship outside of the company. I knew it was only a matter of time before the issue was brought to the attention of Mr. Park, the company’s CEO and head producer. 

I can still remember sitting in his big office, ignoring the lingering smell of smoke, while Mr. Park shoved my management contract in my face. “What the hell is wrong with you?” he asked, to which I had no response other than my weakness for Minho’s cunning smile. “You’re done here,” he announced and my heart broke in my chest. 

Fortunately, before I could finish packing my belongings on the same afternoon, Minho had appeared at my desk with a very unhappy Mr. Park trailing behind him with an intense scowl. “Tell her,” Minho growled.

“Y/N,” he sighed. “You’ve been reinstated. Mr. Lee made a convincing argument on your behalf. Apparently, he can’t possibly work here and renew his contract without you as his manager.”

I remember glaring at Minho for his intervention, since our impromptu marriage was entirely his fault. “Thank you, sir.”

Thereafter, I was determined to do the best job I could as famed singer Lee Know’s manager, even if it meant facing scrutiny from jealous fans or bowing my head when I faced another agent in the hallways. I suppose I could deal with their scrutiny because it was better than the alternative of finding myself lounging away in Minho’s expensive condo unemployed and ruined because of my reputation. Even so, I was walking on thin glass everyday, and Minho continued to make things hard by insisting that he didn’t need to follow the rules, especially since he insisted on some one-sided feud with Mr. Park. 

For example, today Minho was scheduled for an interview with a very distinguished magazine, but my husband had decided to prioritize his never ceasing libido over regular responsibilities. “Hold still,” Minho said, smirking against the side of my neck while his hands made quick work of my skirt and panties, shoving them harshly down my legs to make room for his greedy touches. Inhibited access to the heat between my legs, presented to him in just the way he liked, meant that his fingers were currently teasing the swollen folds of my labia while I fell apart at the seams. 

I could tell that Minho wanted to take his time, but one glance at my wristwatch told me that we weren’t allowed such liberties today. “No, sir,” I said, reaching behind me to scratch my nails along his forearm. “You have an interview in ten minutes!”

“Relax,” he said, kissing delicately down the individual knobs of my spine. “I missed you today.”

“How romantic,” I deadpanned. “Can you hurry before the agency sends someone to look for us?”

As I said before, Minho was never the type to follow clear instructions, and he didn’t like the fact that his agency was rather strict when it came to scheduling. He liked to spite the men upstairs whenever an opportunity arose, such as prolonging needless foreplay when I was already dripping down my thighs because of his ministrations. I reached behind me for his belt, attempting to undo the zipper and release the erection straining the material.

“What’s your hurry, sweetheart?” he purred, knocking away my hand. 

“My job as your manager,” I returned, fervently trying to hasten our unexpected intimacy. 

“Well, as your favorite client, I suggest you bend over for me so I can fuck this little pussy.”

His words went straight to the tight coil offering no resistance the longer Minho continued to speak dirty words into my ears. “Did you lock the door?”

“Why? Are you expecting someone?”

I frowned, ready to offer a snarky retort before the words were wiped clean from my head when I felt the tip of his cock sink into my awaiting heat. “What was that, sweetheart?” he asked and I moaned loudly because he was suddenly intense with his movements, leaving no room to gather my bearings before he was fucking at a harsh pace.

Actually, in hindsight, I should’ve seen this coming when I met Minho in my office for the very first time. He walked in wearing a loose-fitting tank top and tight skinny jeans like he was attending a fraternity party instead of a company meeting. Minho’s steps were completely assured, sunglasses framing his face perfectly and standing out against the smooth tone of his skin. “Y/N?” he asked with a smirk.

“Miss Y/L/N,” I said with a roll of my eyes. “The agency assigned you to my care.”

“Really?” Minho asked, cocksure and smiling bright as he made himself comfortable on my futon without permission. “Miss, you say?”

“We go by professional titles, Mr. Lee,” I said, glaring at him from behind my computer screen. 

“Sure,” he dismissed, reaching for the flower vase on my coffee table. “How does this work exactly? You do whatever I ask, right?”

“Put the vase down and pay attention.”

Minho’s smile vanished at my tone. “What did you say?”

“Mr. Lee, the agency forewarned me about your...behavior. I must assure you that it won’t be tolerated because my job is to make sure that you do everything outlined in your contract. I’m sure you didn’t bother taking the time to read it, but there are certain things the company expects of you other than posting to your Twitter at 3:00 AM in the morning.”

I took a deep breath, satisfied that he appeared to be listening. “For example, the company expects your first album release this October. It’s my job to make sure you attend all recording sessions. Furthermore, promotions will be anticipated leading to the album’s delivery to applicable streaming platforms. That means interviews, photoshoots, award shows, and radio performances. Please understand that I’m one of the very best this agency has to offer, which means my clients demonstrate respect and high aptitude for their work and how it reflects on the company. From the moment you first stepped through that door, I knew that you lacked both of those capabilities.”

I stood up from my desk, walking around to the front to regard the man who suddenly found it difficult to look at me. “Here’s a warning, Mr. Lee. If you fail to adhere to my standards, then I won’t hesitate to ask the company to find you a new manager, understand?”

Minho scoffed, snatching his sunglasses away before nodding his head. “Fine.”

Satisfied, I reached behind me for the manila folder I prepared for his arrival. “Now, let’s review your schedule.”

Of course, that was two years ago and despite the whirlwind of mischievousness that encapsulated Minho, including several scandals, an endless barrage of paparazzi, and several intense arguments with upper management, I wouldn’t trade our relationship for anything else in the world. You see, I never counted on falling in love with an idol singer, but he managed to charm his way into my good graces with an irresistible smile and warm personality masked beneath his arrogant facade of indifference. He always brought a smile to my face, even in the midst of an intense orgasm bent over my desk as his cock hit deep inside. 

He fingers wrapped around my wrist, dragging my watch into his line of vision. “Two minutes, Y/N.”

I groaned in complaint, wondering how someone who graduated college with a flawless 4.0 GPA continuously broke company rules on a daily basis.

The following morning, I found myself crushed between several executives for an undisclosed company meeting. “Everyone!” Mr. Park announced. “I have exciting news for this year’s Christmas theme.”

A chorus of groans greeted his words. “Sir, I thought we were leaving the decision for the talent?” another agent spoke up.

“Yes, but I think this will work better for our core demographics,” Mr. Park said. “Y/N!”

I sat up straighter, attempting to look more alert than I felt inside. Unfortunately, Minho had kept me up all night in the small recording studio he built in our shared condo, asking me for continuous feedback on his latest project. “Sir?”

“Mr. Lee gave us a very interesting demo last week for a recent project.”

“Oh?”

“I’d like to make it a collaboration effort with our talent,” Mr. Park said and my heart seized in my chest because I knew firsthand just how much Minho despised working with other people. “3racha have landed their first platinum album. We need to capitalize on their success!”

“You want a collaboration between 3racha and Minho?” I asked, swallowing hard at the idea of telling my husband. 

“Exactly,” Mr. Park said with a smile. “For the music video, I was thinking we could also invite Hwang Hyunjin and Lee Felix to choreograph something for the project.”

“How...exciting?” I offered, cringing at my tone. Thankfully, Mr. Park was already addressing 3racha’s manager while I stared at my empty coffee mug and wondering if I would need more caffeine to survive.

Afterwards, Mr. Park adjourned our meeting and I returned to my office to find Minho waiting for me perched on the edge of my desk. “Sweetheart,” he greeted me, pulling me in by my waist to press a welcoming kiss to my pout. “You seem worried?”

I leaned back enough to meet his gaze. “You better promise me that you won’t get upset and scream.”

Minho rolled his eyes. “When have I ever done that?”

A million scenarios filtered through my mind before I decided to leave those memories in the past. “I just finished a company meeting.”

“Oh yeah?” he nodded, playing with the necklace resting against my collarbone. “What happened?”

I took a deep breath, searching for the right words. “Mr. Park had an... interesting suggestion.”

Minho glanced up and narrowed his eyes. “This doesn’t sound good.”

“He wants a collaboration,” I said, deciding to go for the killing blow before I could lose any more of my fading confidence. “The new demo you played for the company. He wants you to work with 3racha.”

Minho was quiet for a moment before he chuckled. “Really? Well, I don’t think so, sweetheart. You know how I feel about those things.”

I released an unsteady exhale. “It might be an opportunity?”

He shook his head. “You just march your cute little ass back into Park’s office and tell him I’m not interested.”

I groaned, pulling out of Minho’s arms to walk around my desk. “I have no power to tell Mr. Park anything.”

“Why not? You’re my manager!”

“Yeah, but he’s the head producer and owner,” I remarked, offering him an unimpressed look as I sat down to unlock my computer. “Besides, I think it’s a cool idea for the fans.”

Minho frowned. “Fuck, if I’m collaborating with anyone, then it’s gonna be Sam Smith or Post Malone.”

“As likely as that sounds,” I started with a dramatic sigh, “I think you should start small and work your way to the top.”

“But 3racha?” Minho grimaced. “Those fucking guys think they’re the absolute shit around here.”

“That sounds familiar.”

“Not funny,” Minho grumbled. “It’s my demo. I should be able to choose who I work with.”

“I think you’ve forgotten the fine print in your contract,” I said, reaching across the desk to offer his hand a gentle squeeze. “Please don’t make a big deal out of this. Can’t you make an exception...for me?”

Minho sighed, and I offered my absolute best pout in return.

“You’re lucky that I love you.”

Later that afternoon, I was surprised to meet Mr. Kim in the elevator on my way to the lobby. It was heavily rumored around the office that 3racha’s manager was notorious for locking himself away in the studio with his favorite clients. “Y/N,” he greeted me. “Are you busy?”

“Not really,” I said, holding up a folder. “I was bringing some files to Mr. Park.”

“Leave them with his secretary,” Mr. Kim insisted. “I thought it might be a good idea for you to meet my clients since we’ll be working together.”

“Minho is busy with an interview right now.”

“Oh, that’s fine,” Mr Kim said. “Maybe it’s better if you talk to them first?”

I considered his offer, noting the disheveled appearance of his suit. “How long have you been trying to find me?”

“Does right now work for you?” he continued, pointedly ignoring my question.

“If you must insist,” I grumbled. “But they’ll have to meet at some point.”

“Yes, but I think we can delay the inevitable,” Mr. Kim said with a pointed look which I knew was directed at my husband.

“Fine.”

My easy agreement was met with a satisfied smirk to which I resisted the urge to remind Mr. Kim that I was only meeting his clients to make things easier for everyone involved in the collaboration. Of course, I had no room to talk down to my superiors and Mr. Kim’s credentials were practically golden compared to the minimal mark I had left on the company and its prolific talent. Instead, I let out a shaky exhale, wondering if it was too late to reconsider the fight I endured on a regular basis to keep my position with the company.

“Here we are,” Mr. Kim grinned. The elevator stopped on the top floor with a resounding alarm. “I think you’ll find my clients to be satisfactory.”

“In comparison to Minho, you mean?” I asked, narrowing my eyes as Mr. Kim urged me to follow him down a narrow hallway. I vaguely recognized our destination, but I usually never lingered around the studios.

“Did I say that?”

“It was implied,” I sighed, crossing my arms.

“Well, that wasn’t my intention, Y/N. You, of course, understand that nothing between us is personal?”

“We’re colleagues, Mr. Kim,” I replied. “That defines our relationship.”

“In that case...” he trailed off, pausing outside one of the doors. “I’m excited to work together.”

I rolled my eyes when he turned his back, but held my tongue as he reached for my hand to drag me inside the room. Immediately, my eyes were drawn to the plethora of monitors and screens dragging the walls of the entertainment studio. It reminded me of my early time as an intern during college, overwhelmed by the inner workings of the record company I was privileged to support, learning everything about the business. There was also a time, however briefly, when I first entered my current company as nothing more than an executive assistant for Mr. Kim who enjoyed reminding me of the fact, especially when his clients continued to eclipse mine in popularity. And that included the three men who offered us polite smiles when we interrupted their session. 

“Y/N,” Mr. Kim said, dragging me further into the room. “I thought it might be nice to formally offer introductions. I’d like you to meet Bang Chan, Han Jisung, and Seo Changbin.”

“I’m very excited,” I said, taking on a professional tone as I extended my hand to Chan. “My client is looking forward to your future collaboration.”

Chan accepted my outstretched hand, curling his fingers around mine. “Likewise.”

I withdrew my hand slowly, offering Jisung and Changbin a courteous nod. “Mr. Kim insisted that we meet today.”

“Yes,” Chan nodded. “But your client is noticeably absent.”

I swallowed hard as I met his gaze. “Minho is busy with an interview.”

“I see,” Chan remarked, taking a step back. “Well, 3racha is working until this evening. Perhaps Minho could join us here after his meeting.”

I turned around to look at Mr. Kim who only shrugged in response as if it hadn’t been his idea to keep Minho as far away as possible until necessary. I rolled my shoulders, schooling my expression as I gave Chan an airy laugh. “That only makes sense, doesn’t it? Let me send him a message.”

“In the meantime,” Changbin sighed from behind us. “We can continue with the recording.”

“Keep us updated, Y/N,” Chan said, returning to his work while I started on drafting a message for Minho.

To Minho: Tell me when your interview ends

“Y/N,” Mr. Kim cleared his throat. “I hope Minho’s schedule is cleared for tomorrow?

I raised one eyebrow in question. “Tomorrow?”

“We’d like to start the first recording session,” Chan replied. “Mr. Park played us some of Minho’s demo and we have some ideas for the track.”

“Oh,” I responded, completely out of my element when it came to the actual creation of music despite the many nights I spent with Minho in our home studio. “I’m sure we can make it work.”

“Perfect,” Mr. Kim declared, pulling out his cellphone with a grin. “I’ll make the arrangements on my end.”

Mr. Kim stepped out into the hallway, leaving me alone with his clients who were all watching me with barely concealed curiosity. “You know,” Chan started, “I’ve listened to Minho’s albums. He doesn’t seem like the type of person to write love songs.”

“He likes to experiment,” I said, blushing when I recalled the way he had intimately explained the meaning behind his new demo, but there was no way I was telling anyone that the song was about me. 

“Is he...open to criticism?” Jisung asked hesitantly.

“Why? Is there something wrong with the demo?”

“Of course not!” Jisung immediately corrected. “I just thought I’d ask because we have some cool suggestions to improve the overall quality. But I don’t know if Minho would listen.”

It was highly unlikely. “I’m sure he’s open for improvement,” I lied, wincing when I felt my phone vibrate from inside my pocket.

Minho: Call me.

“One second, gentlemen,” I said, cringing at my tone before escaping into the hallway. I held up my cell phone reluctantly, tapping on Minho’s contact name to place the call. He answered almost immediately. “Minho?”

“Sweetheart,” came his voice from the other end. “I’ve been looking for you.”

“Yeah,” I said with a heavy exhale. “I’m with 3racha.”

He was silent on the other end for an uncomfortable duration. “Why?”

“Mr. Kim caught me on the way to Mr. Park’s office,” I said. “He insisted we meet.”

“Really? Are you having fun?”

I inwardly groaned at Minho’s tone, recognizing it as the same one he reserved when he was feeling particularly annoyed. “They want to meet you too.”

I was met with another long silence and then- “I’ll be there in ten minutes.”

I paced outside the studio entrance, wondering if Minho had suddenly had a change of heart in the brief amount of time he had been notified of the collaboration project. After all, everything would be a lot easier if my husband wasn’t so stubborn, a perfectionist in every sense of the word who had trouble delegating work to other people, especially when he didn’t trust them. But for this to be successful, Minho would need to respect 3racha as capable artists who knew what they were doing when it came to creating hit singles.

“This feels more like an intervention,” Minho suddenly announced, trudging down the hallway and pulling me out of my foreboding thoughts.

“Then don’t give me a reason to be nervous,” I said, accepting his brief kiss before reaching out for the door handle. “Promise me you’ll behave?”

“I’ll try,” Minho grumbled, and that was the only confirmation I received before letting the literal beast into the jungle..

Chan was the first to realize Minho’s arrival, standing up from the couch to greet Minho with a professional smile. “It’s nice to meet you.”

Minho glared at Chan’s outstretched hand. “I’m not thrilled about this collaboration.”

I shook my head, resisting the urge to grab Minho’s hand and force him to feign politeness for once in his life. “Oh,” Chan said, retracting his arm. “I just thought we should get along since we’re working together.”

“A temporary arrangement,” Minho said, clicking his tongue as he turned around to look at me. “Y/N can handle the PR stuff.”

“That’s what I’m here for,” I quipped, trying to lighten the air even though Minho had more or less successfully generated enough tension to last a lifetime. 

“Mr. Lee, my clients were hoping to schedule a session tomorrow,” Mr. Kim said. “We’d like to start on the collaboration as soon as possible.”

“Sure,” Minho said, jaw clenching to betray that he wasn’t entirely happy. “I’d like to work quickly.”

A long, insufferable silence ensued while Minho took his time studying the three artists he was expected to share his newest creation. Finally, Mr. Kim interrupted the never-ending staring contest, flashing a forced smile. “Bring the demo with you, Mr. Lee, and anything else you’ve been working on.”

Minho nodded. “I’ve already finished most of the song.” I took a deep breath, waiting until Minho turned around to look at me. “I have something to do, so I’ll see you at home.”

I bowed my head, holding my tongue until the sound of the door closing broke whatever spell Minho had cast over our sullen group. “Pleasant isn’t he?” Changbin snorted.

“He’s just busy,” I tried to excuse, but the sentiment fell short and I suddenly had the desire to run down the hall with my arms flailing above my head.

I guess we can consider day one a complete and total failure.

Despite the awkward tension of Minho’s first meeting with 3racha, I was determined that the remainder of the collaboration would endure no further obstacles. Accordingly, I woke up early the next morning with every intention of playing the part of the mediator, which meant doing everything possible to improve Minho’s mood. For example, my husband was notorious for being intimidating at work, but he was nothing short of soft at home and I took advantage of his early-morning clinginess by surprising him with breakfast in bed and open arms without worrying about rushing through our usual routine. 

“You want something,” Minho said, one arm pulling me close to his chest while his other hand made busy work of his breakfast.

“What makes you say that?” I asked.

“In general? Maybe it’s the fact that we’re already twenty minutes behind schedule and you aren’t losing your shit.”

I opened one eye, watching him as he swallowed down the remainder of his orange juice. “I’m comfortable.”

“Really?” Minho snickered, looking down with a knowing glance. “Sweetheart, you’re usually pushing me out the door right about now.”

“Well, things have been hectic at the company, so I thought it might be nice to treat ourselves.”

“I assume you’re talking about my required collaboration with the three idiots,” Minho said. 

“I’m concerned,” I continued. “Minho, you hate working with the other artists, but this isn’t something we can just walk away from.”

“I understand,” Minho sighed. “I don’t want you to worry about me or the collaboration. I promise to be a good boy.”

I rolled my eyes at his tone. “That’s a great way to instill confidence.”

“They’re irritating,” Minho continued. “My inbox is full of messages and I hate email.”

“Welcome to the 21st century.”

“Are you sure Mr. Park wanted this?”

“Minho,” I said, slowly pulling myself out of his arms. “Stop thinking about the project like it’s some sort of punishment. Consider it an opportunity instead.”

“Please feel free to elaborate.”

“3racha are incredibly famous and they have a considerable fanbase,” I said. “When those fans hear your voice on the record, they might start paying more attention to your music.”

Minho exhaled, chest falling beneath my hands. “I see your point, but I don’t like it.”

“Nobody said you had to like it,” I reminded him. “Be nice to them.”

“What are you asking me to do?” my husband groaned, rolling over onto his stomach.

I quickly straddled his waist, working my fingers into the tense muscles of his shoulders. “I know you don’t like the collaboration, but it won’t last forever and then you can go back to working on your solo projects.”

“I guess, but only if you come to all the recording sessions.”

I grinned triumphantly, even if it was only one victory in a long history of tedious arguments with my stubborn husband. 

Mr. Kim was a very impatient man, and I was only somewhat surprised to see him standing by the main entrance when we finally arrived at the company.  “Minho, you needed to be in the recording studio...” he trailed off, glancing at his wristwatch with a frown. “Ten minutes ago.”

My husband scoffed. “I don’t work on your time, Mr. Kim.”

“We had a late start,” I intervened. “I’ll make sure he gets there soon, Mr. Kim.”

The older man grunted, clearly displeased with Minho’s behavior. Thankfully, Minho had the decency to wait until he was well out of hearing range before further disparaging Mr. Kim’s character. “Sweetheart, I’m doing this for you,” Minho said, glaring over my shoulder at Mr. Kim’s retreating form. “But I don’t appreciate being told what to do.”

“That’s how he is,” I said. “I used to work for him as an assistant. He was always keeping everyone busy. Time wasted is money lost.”

Minho snickered at my poor imitation of Mr. Kim’s accent. “I’d kick his skinny ass if I was any less patient.”

I resisted the urge to laugh at Minho’s “restraint” because my husband was notorious for acting without consideration for the consequences. “Don’t be late for your first recording session.”

Minho pouted, looking down at me with wide, brown eyes. “You aren’t coming?”

“I’ll be there soon,” I promised him with a quick kiss. “I have something to do first.”

Minho was hesitant to leave me behind, but I offered him another encouraging kiss before retreating in the opposite direction to my office. It seemed that I would need reinforcements for this particular occasion, and I knew there were only two men who I could force to help me. As such, I found Jeongin and Seungmin loitering around their desks, passing back and forth what appeared to be a paper airplane. “I wasn’t aware I made any prior aviation requests.”

Jeongin let out a small whine, quickly disposing of the distraction in the bin next to his desk. “Sorry, Mrs. Lee.”

“Look, I’m actually in a hurry today and there’s too much going on for me to handle your hijinks,” I said, beckoning the interns to follow me into my office. “I have an important assignment for you.”

“Of course!” Seungmin agreed, walking ahead to grab the door. “Whatever you need, Mrs. Lee.”

“It’s about Minho.”

“Lee Minho?”

I turned around to glare at Jeongin. “Who else? Or did I receive notice of another client with the same name?”

Jeongin shook his head furiously. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Lee. It’s just...”

“Minho has a history with interns,” Seungmin finished. “And maybe people in general.”

I laughed at their suggestions. “You’ll be with me the entire time, alright?”

They both visibly relaxed. “So we don’t have to help him?”

“Not directly,” I affirmed, moving around my desk. “Sit down, boys.” They both complied quickly, looking up at me with wide and innocent eyes that reminded me of my days in university. “Minho and 3racha have a recording session scheduled for this afternoon.”

Jeongin squealed from his chair. “The 3racha! I love their music! Oh, do you think it’d be too much to ask for an autograph?”

Upon seeing my glare, Jeongin quickly apologized. “Would it be too much to resist that urge, Mr. Yang?”

The younger boy sighed. “Sorry, Mrs. Lee.”

“Anyway,” I continued, ignoring their antics. “I have your assignments.”

Seungmin leaned forward expectantly. “Whatever you need, Mrs. Lee!”

“Your job,” I said, glancing back and forth between Jeongin and Seungmin, “is to make sure that Minho doesn’t piss off 3racha.”

“How?” Jeongin asked with sad eyes that almost forced me to change my mind on the spot.

“Just make sure you’re at their recording sessions with me,” I said. “Intervene whenever it seems like they might argue.”

“Intervene?”

I sighed impatiently. “I don’t know, improvise or something, but nothing bad needs to happen or Mr. Park will chew my ass out for disrupting a perfectly good collaboration opportunity.”

Seungmin and Jeongin looked at each other before sighing in defeat. “Does this mean we’ll be getting a raise?”

Here’s the thing about my job: despite Minho’s insistence, he was not the only client I represented. For example, I was also currently working on the debut of a new boy group who were incredibly talented and highly charismatic. They were also obedient and respectful, doing whatever they could to make my job easier even though I never asked them to sacrifice their free-time to practice their dancing and singing. When I worked with their leader, I couldn’t help but think that my job was considerably easier in comparison to the extra effort sometimes required to fix Minho’s mistakes, like the time he showed up an hour late for an interview because I forgot to set the alarm in our bedroom. Nonetheless, it always seemed like I was doing something extra to remedy Minho’s abrasive nature, which explains why I was prepared to sacrifice two of the company’s interns for the betterment of the future.

“Are you ready?” I asked the younger boys, lingering by the doorway to the studio.

Seungmin managed a nod while Jeongin murmured something that I decided to interpret as his approval. I knocked on the door expectantly, slightly relieved when Minho greeted me on the other side. “There you are,” he said. “We couldn’t possibly start without you.”

I rolled my eyes, but followed him inside with my interns hot on my heels. Minho retired to the couch, hunched over his laptop as he worked with a frown. Meanwhile, Chan, Jisung, and Changbin were busy adjusting the sound equipment while Mr. Kim watched his clients with eager eyes.

“Stay here,” I said to my nervous interns before joining Minho on the couch. “Do you actually plan to help them?”

“Believe it or not, Y/N,” Minho said. “I’m not actually procrastinating...just putting the finishing touches on the initial demo.”

He lifted one of the earbuds, offering it to me with a grin. “Are you trying to ask me something?”

Minho scoffed. “Will you please listen to my finished demo?”

I snatched the earbud from him in response, plugging my right ear and blocking out the lingering noise from the studio. The soft cadence of the piano started to play from the computer, shortly followed by Minho’s familiar breathy vocals that never ceased to amaze me. My husband was gifted with a profoundly gorgeous voice that could reach high notes that even I would struggle to obtain.

“My voice sounds angelic, wouldn’t you agree?” Minho asked.

“I see your ego has somehow managed to grow overnight.”

Minho chuckled, leaning in to press a chaste kiss to my lips. “Don’t worry, I don't intend to sabotage the collaboration...I worked too hard on this demo.”

“I guess we can start then,” I said, stretching my arms high above my head as I waited for Minho to eject his flash drive. From the corner of my eye, I spotted Jisung approaching the two of us with a hesitant smile. “Good morning, Jisung,” I said, nudging Minho when he continued to remain silent.

“Let’s get this over with,” he said, holding up the flashdrive. “I prepared most of the song.”

“Really?” Jisung questioned, accepting the device from Minho. “I’d like to listen.”

Jisung returned to the sound booth and Chan accepted the flash drive with a brief glance over his shoulder at Minho. My husband remained silent while Chan opened the corresponding file on the computer and everyone listened with admirable concentration while Minho’s sweet music and tender voice filled the empty studio space.

“It’s good,” Changbin acknowledged at the end, even though his tone was somewhat reluctant.

“Good enough on its own,” Minho muttered and I shot him a warning look. “Fine,” he begrudged. “I have some ideas on the arrangements.”

“Sure,” Chan nodded, leaning back against the sound booth. 

“We can split up the parts,” Minho continued. “I’ll handle the chorus.”

“I see,” Chan acknowledged. “I guess that means you want us to take the verses?”

“Logical, isn’t it?” Minho snarked. “I suppose you can add a rap verse or two since that’s your...thing.”

“I could try and sing as well,” Jisung offered. “We could harmonize over the final chorus.”

“You sing?” Minho snorted. “I thought you were a rap group.”

“Does that automatically disqualify us from being singers?” Changbin asked gruffly.

“Of course not!” I interfered, inserting myself effectively between Minho and Changbin. “I’ve heard some of your vocal work and it’s absolutely beautiful.”

Minho grumbled something indecipherable under his breath from behind me, but I ignored him and continued to do my absolute best to ensure the recording session progressed as smoothly as possible. “I hope you don’t mind, but my interns will also be joining us today for their field work.”

“That’s fine with me,” Chan spoke up from his position behind the sound station. “Should we start with finalizing arrangements?”

I ushered Minho forward whose expression revealed his reluctance. However, since he was on his best behavior, Minho started conversing with Chan and the others about arranging the vocals and rap verses for the song. In return, I sat down on the couch with my interns since I wasn’t skilled enough to comprehend their impressive knowledge of song production. I knew Mr. Kim was also quite unfamiliar with their vernacular, but the proud man continued to linger around the artists as if he could possibly offer something beneficial to the professionals.

I scoffed at the idea, turning to look at Seungmin who was busy playing some sort of application on his phone. “Is this your way of doing a good job?”

He jumped at the sound of my voice, closing out of his game before shoving his phone back into his pocket. “I’m paying attention!”

From my other side, Jeongin sighed happily. “Han has the best voice.”

I tried not to laugh at Jeongin’s starstruck expression, especially since Han Jisung was a very impressive vocalist, singing Minho’s lyrics like they had come from his own imagination. “He’s quite talented,” I agreed, studying my husband to try and determine if he also shared the same opinion.

But Minho was difficult to read when he was focused on his music. He never spoke during Han’s performance, waiting until the younger boy was finished before addressing him expectantly from the recording booth. Minho sighed, pressing the button to allow him to speak directly to Jisung. “It was alright for a rapper.”

I resisted the urge to bang my head against the wall as Jisung glowered at Minho. “I’m not just a rapper.”

“The tone isn’t right,” Minho carried on as if Jisung hadn’t spoken, “we need tighter vocals.”

“My vocals are fine!” Jisung bristled and I shoved at Jeongin’s arm who immediately jumped into action. The younger intern stood up abruptly, the unexpected action commanding the attention of the entire studio...

“Who wants coffee!”

I sighed at his dramatics, but it was a decent distraction. “Why not?” Chan asked, reclining back in his chair. “It seems like we have a lot of work to do.”

Sadly, truer words had never been spoken.

Graciously, Minho managed to keep his more radical opinions to himself for the remainder of our scheduled recording sessions with 3racha. Of course, my husband always had his ways of insinuating an insult through carefully chosen words. Nonetheless, I think all parties involved knew it would be to everyone’s benefit if we finished recording the new song without arguing about Minho’s dismissive comments. 

In any case, Mr. Park was thrilled with the final result, inviting me and Mr. Kim to his office after listening to the finished product. “This is exactly what I envisioned,” he said with a bright smile. “The fans will love this!”

“It was a process, sir,” I admitted, sheepishly offering Mr. Kim what I hoped was a sincere apology.

“I’ve scheduled a shooting day for the music video,” Mr. Park said. “I have the perfect concept for the song!”

“I’m sure it’s brilliant, sir,” Mr. Kim added.

“Lee Felix and Hwang Hyunjin have agreed to choreograph the track,” Mr. Park said. “They have some very interesting ideas for your clients.”

It was only then when I remembered that Minho liked to arrange his own dances, but since we were already this far into the collaboration, he might reluctantly agree once more. “We’ll be there,” I reassured my boss.

Unfortunately, I knew it would be a horrible shooting day when I walked outside with Minho and saw a gray sky and light misting of rain. “This is already a mess,” I said, dragging my still sleepy husband to the car. 

“How long will this take?” Minho grumbled.

“If you’re willing to cooperate,” I said, fixing him with a stern glance, “then I’d imagine we can finish by this evening.”

Minho yawned. “I hate music video shoots.”

“You poor thing,” I sighed. “Whenever you finally decide to become a director, then I’m certain you’ll insist on controlling that aspect of music production as well.”

“I feel like you understand my vision, Y/N,” Minho said with an airy laugh. “I’m too tired to argue today.”

I exhaled a sigh of relief, hoping that he was being honest. “Mr. Park invited the company’s best choreographers. Please don’t insist on doing your own performance.”

“As long as they won’t have me doing anything less than artistic,” Minho said. “We should be fine.”

I chose not to take my husband’s words to heart as we drove to the shooting sight together in silence. It had started to steadily rain the longer we drove, and I had a feeling that the sky itself was foreshadowing the impending breakdown threatening to destroy all the progress we made. But I was also an optimist, and Minho was usually the least abrasive when it came to shooting music videos.

I parked my car next to the company’s van, watching a few regular staff members unload equipment from the back. “Y/N, it’s not too late for us to drive to that adorable little breakfast restaurant we like so much,” Minho reminded me.

“Shoot the video and I’ll treat you to a gourmet dinner,” I said, reaching across the console to squeeze my husband’s hand. 

He was still reluctant, but I was proud when he reached into the backseat for our umbrella. We stood close together, Minho’s hand firm around my waist. In the distance, I easily found Mr. Kim talking with his clients as they fought to stay dry under one of the company’s tents.

Mr. Kim saw me first, letting out an exaggerated sigh. “Y/N, you’ve decided to keep us waiting again.”

“Blame it on the weather,” I said, closing the umbrella as Minho wandered over to talk with one of the directors.

“Oh! You mean the rain pushing us into a delay? I guess I didn’t notice,” Mr. Kim returned, rolling his eyes as he led me further into the crowd of people. I faintly recognized the younger men dressed in gorgeous outfits, recalling their appearance in various music videos from some of the company’s most distinguished artists. “Y/N,” Mr. Kim smiled. “I’d like you to meet Lee Felix and Hwang Hyunjin. They have some excellent suggestions for the music video.”

“The honor is mine,” I said, bowing respectfully to Felix and Hyunjin. “Minho is eager to work with you.”

Felix smirked. “You don’t have to lie to us, Mrs. Lee. We know your husband prefers to work alone.”

“Ah,” I murmured. “His reputation precedes him.”

“I hope he can appreciate our efforts,” Hyunjin added. “Felix and I have been working on some new choreography for the track.”

“He’s being compliant today,” I said. “I’m sure he’ll appreciate everything you’ve done.”

“There isn’t much of a choice,” Mr. Kim said, startling when the director attempted to speak over the white-noise of the tent’s occupants.

“Attention! We’re starting inside the school for the first scene.”

I met Minho’s eyes over the crowd of moving staff, nodding for him to obey the director’s command. “What’s the concept, Mr. Kim?”

“Friends-to-lovers?” Mr. Kim shrugged. “Your pretty husband is the main character, which I’m sure will please him greatly.”

“It’s a high school setting?”

“Yes, and he has a crush on a school girl,” Mr. Kim said. “You should know this very well, Mrs. Lee, didn’t he seduce you in the same way?”

I ignored his jab. “And 3racha?”

“Protective friends, I guess,” Mr. Kim said. “The director assured me that it wouldn’t take long to film.”

“I hope not,” I said. “The less Minho has to be here, the better.”

“Cut!” the director growled. “Mr. Lee, this is not the same choreography that we discussed with Felix and Hyunjin.”

“I tried to improvise,” my husband defended himself.

There were less than two scenes left to film and I was very close to dragging Minho away from the film shooting and knocking some sense into him. “Follow the script we discussed,” the director said. “Let’s take five.”

Chan glared at Minho as he snatched a bottle of water from the snack table. “Is it too much to ask you to cooperate, Minho?”

My husband ignored Chan, pausing in front of me to bring his forehead against mine. “I’m tired.”

I shot Chan an apologetic smile as I smoothed my hands through Minho’s hair. “I’m sorry.”

He pulled back to look at Chan who was engrossed in conversation with Jisung and Changbin. “He’s impossible to work with.”

“What’s wrong now?” I sighed, feeling another impending headache courtesy of Minho’s behavior.

“I hate Bang Chan,” Minho said. “He keeps looking at your ass.”

“Who cares?” I nearly shouted, attracting the attention of a few camera workers. “Minho, the shooting is almost over. Please, for the sake of my mental sanity, can you try to listen to the director?”

Minho’s eyes betrayed his exhaustion. “I want greasy food for dinner and a cheesy movie when I get home.”

I laughed, amused by Minho’s behavior. “Whatever you want.”

“Minho!” the director yelled. “We need you back on set.”

Minho closed his eyes and sighed. “He’s lucky I’m a professional.”

I was lingering by the snack table, picking my way through the bowl of skittles because I only liked the red kind, when I heard the unexpected sound of yelling from somewhere inside the school. My husband’s voice was easy to detect about the noise, and I stuffed a handful of candies into my mouth before deciding to investigate. As much as I’d like to imagine that the yelling was a part of the music video, common sense told me that my husband had likely gotten into another confrontation with the director.

However, the last thing I expected to see was Minho marching through the open doors of the school with Chan following him with clear annoyance. “I’m telling you it’s not good enough,” Chan said, frowning when Minho stopped by my side.

“I don’t want to film it again,” Minho said. “Besides, your reaction was genuine. The best ‘acting’ you’ve done all day.”

“What’s going on?” I demanded.

“Nothing,” Minho said, glaring at Chan as he reached for my hand. “The collaboration required a song and we have a finished copy and a music video. I’ve done my part, so if you’ll kindly excuse my wife and I...”

Chan shook his head. “Do whatever you want, Minho. I don’t care anymore.... But the sad part in all of this is how much I was sincerely excited to work with you, despite your reputation.”

Minho seemed at a loss for words, glancing back and forth between me and Chan. “I can’t share your sentiment, Chan,” he finally said. “I think it’s best if we make this a one time thing.”

“My thoughts exactly,” Chan agreed with a disappointed sigh.

I could only helplessly stand aside as the two bickered, wondering if it was too late to formally retire.

Sunday was the only day of the week where I could actually enjoy myself without having to worry about the company or the never-ending demands of my clients, with the exception of my husband. “Y/N,” Minho slurred from next to me in our bed.

I made a vague noise of recognition, pulling the blankets closer to my chin because it was too cold in the apartment. “What?”

“Your phone is vibrating,” Minho said, and I managed to crane my head back just enough to realize that he was right.

I reached out my hand to feel for the stupid thing on the nightstand, pulling it close enough to read the message displayed across the screen:

From Mr. Kim: Mr. Park planned some sort of elaborate interview/performance for the new collaboration. Make sure Minho is at the company tomorrow by noon.

“Who is it?” Minho asked, using one arm to drag me closer to his welcoming heat.

“Mr. Kim,” I murmured in return.

“Why?” Minho growled.

“Apparently, you have an interview with 3racha tomorrow. Mr. Park wants a live performance for the debut of the collaboration.”

“I thought I was done with them,” Minho said with a tone that suggested he was anything but pleased with the news.

“It’s just one performance,” I argued. “And you promised me that you would finish all your responsibilities.”

“You keep adding more things,” Minho gruffed.

I smirked, rolling onto my side to face my husband. “I think it’s a great idea to let the fans hear it live on the same day it starts streaming.”

“Can’t they just play the recording of my parts?”

“It won’t be the same,” I said, leaning in closer to brush my lips across the seam of his pout. “I’ll be the loudest fan screaming your name from the back.”

He chuckled, allowing one hand to pull me in closer. “Aren’t you always my biggest fan?”

“Lee Know, will you sign my albums?”

“You’re a good negotiator, sweetheart,” he said, diving in for a passionate kiss that reminded me of when we first started dating and Minho was always eager to shower me with affection. 

“Minho,” I gasped, barely restraining a moan when he suddenly moved between my thighs.

“I’m sorry I’ve made things difficult,” he said, pressing sweet kisses to the skin around my calves. Tender moments like this reminded me of the person I fell in love with, slowly learning that there was more to Minho than his arrogant stage persona. 

“Please,” I whispered, helping him remove my sweatpants before weaving my fingers through his hair.

“Anything for you,” Minho said, breath hot against my sensitive skin. He stuck out his tongue, tasting the heat between my legs with languid strokes that promised the best wake-up call to start the day. Not that Minho and I did anything substantial on Sundays since we preferred to watch movies and indulge in the glorious high of junk food.

More often than not, we always ended up in this position with my husband doing his best to please me. And I had no room to complain because Minho was awfully talented with his tongue, and he had me writhing against the mattress like a complete mess. “You’re too good at this,” I complained halfheartedly.

His nails dug into my hips, holding me in place while he continued to drive me over the edge. “Are you going to cum for me?”

I always broke at his husky tone, lying spent in my post-orgasmic haze as Minho feathered light kisses across my legs. In moments like this, it was impossible to think about the negative aspects of working for the company, or the drama of the collaboration. Besides, it was only one more day and Minho never broke his promises.

I found a strange, but calming quality to pacing back and forth when I came across a problem that was incredibly difficult to solve. For example, arriving at the office early to prepare last minute forms while fully expecting my husband to show up to his scheduled interview and performance without my intervention. Yet, despite my expectations, I was currently backstage with Mr. Kim and his clients while we listened to a crowd of eager fans waiting to hear the new collaboration. Unfortunately, my husband was nowhere to be seen, and that meant our schedule was in jeopardy.

“Where’s Minho?” Mr. Kim nearly screeched, raking his hands through his balding hair while remaining heavily engrossed in his phone screen.

The performance was supposed to start ten minutes ago and the fans were clearly confused. A distinct murmuring of intermingled voices echoing throughout the soundless concert hall. “Y/N?”

I turned around, using every last ounce of strength I could muster to meet Chan’s gaze. “I don’t know where he is.”

“Is that so?” Chan asked, and the anger in his eyes was enough to nearly give me a premature heart attack.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, desperately ringing Minho’s number once again only to be met by the familiar greeting of his voicemail inbox.

“I knew that bastard would ruin this,” Changbin said. “He was determined from the start to see this fail.”

“It was one performance,” Jisung bemoaned, and I could only feel absolutely miserable listening to their shared complaints. But, in the words of my formidable boss, the show must go on and I couldn’t bear to disappoint the eager fans waiting to hear the song they loved.

Speaking of which, I reached out a hand to support myself against the wall when I saw Mr. Park walk backstage with his assistants. Our eyes met from across the room. “Mr. Park,” I managed, but my throat was suddenly dry despite the three empty bottles of water I had consumed.

“Y/N,” Mr. Park sighed, eliminating the distance between us. “Tell them to have 3racha perform without Minho. Our phone conversation today has certainly changed my mind about the viability of his collaboration.”

“You talked to him?” I growled, feeling nothing short of betrayed since my husband had repeatedly ignored my phone calls.

“We’ve reached an impasse,” Mr. Park explained solemnly. “Please tell Mr. Kim about the change.”

“But sir!” I tried to protest because I was extremely confused and had no idea what we needed to tell the fans.

However, Mr. Park was already focused on a new task and instead of delaying the inevitable, I found Mr. Kim talking urgently to a stage hand next to the curtain. “Introduce 3racha,” I said. “Tell them that Minho had an unexpected emergency.”

Mr. Kim, if it was even possible, grew even redder to the point where I hesitated to call for help backstage. “This is an outrage!” he finally growled, crowding me against the wall. “If this goes wrong, then I hope you know that it’s entirely your husband’s fault and his mistakes reflect poorly on your performance.

I bowed my head, because I knew that part of the blame rested on my shoulders as Minho’s manager, especially in regard to the mysterious phone call he shared with Mr. Park. In the meantime, I could hear the crowd cheer for the arrival of 3racha who performed to the best of their ability without my husband. Still, it broke my heart to know that he had somehow been excused from the performance after promising to complete the remainder of his responsibilities. 

But I still wanted to give Minho the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps something happened when I left for the company and he was forced to call Mr. Park? Still, my optimism didn’t stop my hands from shaking from my grip around the steering wheel, pulling into my usual parking spot with a heavy sigh. Before our marriage, there were plenty of times when Minho tested my patience. For example, on multiple occasions I had come very close to handing in my request to have him transferred to someone else because he was sometimes impossible to handle. However, each time I would threaten to leave, Minho always convinced me to stay, turning his entire attitude around and doing his best to make up for his mistakes. He was usually successful, but today’s mishap forced me to question whether or not he was capable of recovering from this unexpected slight. And it wouldn’t just jeopardize my relationship with him as his manager, but also the close intimacy I shared with him as his wife.

I paused at the door to our apartment, trying to listen for any sound of movement from inside. “He’ll have a good excuse,” I attempted to justify, unlocking the door before dragging my feet into the entryway. “Minho?” I called out, greeting nothing but silence before I walked downstairs to his studio where Minho often liked to escape when he wanted to be alone.

I was surprised to see him inside, working on his computer as if today was just another ordinary session. “Minho,” I snapped, opening the door without bothering to knock. “We need to talk.”

Minho sighed, glancing away from his computer screen. “I know Mr. Park cancelled my performance.”

“Yeah? And you don’t think that there’s something wrong!”

“Y/N, don’t worry about the interview,” he replied. “Park called me earlier and told me he would take care of everything.”

I slowly exhaled. “I know he called you, but I don’t understand why it happened.”

“He said it wouldn’t be the last time I was involved with marketing,” Minho continued. “I told him I was under the impression that today would be the last performance. We argued for a while and he told me that I shouldn’t bother showing up today if I wasn’t committed to the project.”

I blinked twice, trying to process his words. “Why didn’t you tell me?” I asked, barely restraining the anger. “I called you several times before Mr. Park showed up backstage.”

“I knew you’d be disappointed,” Minho said with a vulnerable tone I could hardly tolerate. “It’s not a big deal. Park knows about everything, and tomorrow we can forget about the collaboration.”

He looked at me like he was expecting me to just agree with him, but I was beyond words. Instead, I turned my back to him and retreated upstairs to our bedroom. I had fought with my husband before, but this was an entirely new level of anger and frustration.

I could hear Minho following me, but I refused to acknowledge his attempts to gain my attention. “You’re an asshole sometimes,” I growled, storming around the bedroom to find a spare set of sheets in the closet. “Let me know when you’re done being the world’s biggest jerk.”

“What are you doing?” Minho asked, blocking my path to the doorway. “We’re not done talking about this if you’re upset.”

“Yeah? Well, I’m done and you don’t always get your way,” I snapped, pushing past my husband into the living room.

“Y/N,” Minho said, reaching for my arm despite my attempts to ignore him. “I’m sorry.”

“No you aren’t,” I said, spinning around on my heel to confront him. “If you were sorry, then you’d try to make things right, but your ego has grown to such a monumental size that you can’t even accept the added weight of another mistake.”

“What are you saying?”

“You can’t make this right,” I said, tears obscuring the vision of my husband. “I don’t know what to do.”

“Sweetheart,” he said, expression transforming completely when he realized I was truly on the verge of a breakdown. “You know I’m not mad at you! Park knows everything, he was the one who told me not to show up!”

“It doesn’t matter,” I cried. “I asked you to do something that’s surprisingly simple for most people. Not because I wanted to punish you, but because I saw an opportunity to help Lee Know! But after the stunt you pulled today, I don’t think I’d bother helping you anymore.”

The single tear that fell from Minho’s eye would have normally been enough for me to recognize his guilt, but I wasn’t in the mood to fall back into the tedious cycle of forgiving him only to deal with another mishap in the future. “Y/N,” he said softly. “Please don’t leave me.”

I shook my head. “I need some time to think about things.”

“What do you mean?” he asked with a desperate tone. “We should talk about this, I can make it better!”

“Just let me sleep,” I begged him and he broke even more, releasing my hand with an uncharacteristic whine.

I tossed my blanket onto the couch, attempting to find a comfortable position on the leather. It was a far cry from the mattress in our bedroom, but I desperately needed space away from Minho. For now, I didn’t want to deal with the reality of our situation, which is why I was more than willing to drown myself in the familiar darkness of sleep.

The smell of bacon was surprisingly overwhelming when I woke up the next morning with lower back pain. I groaned, attempting to sit up despite the near constant throbbing. Apparently, leather sofas were built for style instead of comfort.

I opened my eyes slowly, feeling my heart jump inside my chest when I saw Minho holding a plate in my direction. “Y/N, are you okay?”

I swiped a hand across my face, remembering my argument with Minho from the previous evening. “I’m fine.”

“You should eat,” he insisted so I accepted the plate from him, shaking my head when I realized the toast was burnt, but Minho had never been a great cook. “I want to talk about last night,” Minho said. “Because you’re obviously hurt and that’s the last thing I wanted.”

“What did you expect?” I asked. “You weren’t there for the performance, you ignored my calls, and then my boss tells me that one of his artists decided he was done promoting his new single?”

Minho winced at my tone. “It’s all my fault because I decided to take everything personally. He forced me to do the collaboration when I didn’t want to participate, and it felt like he was taunting me...like I had no control over my music and he could do whatever he wanted.”

“He can, Minho,” I said. “You signed a contract with the company.”

“I know,” he sighed. “I keep forgetting that part, and it’s really stupid how much I let it affect me, but I hate it when things are out of my control.”

“But that’s no reason to take it on the people who were only trying to do their job,” I snapped. “Or refuse to tell your own wife!”

“I understand,” Minho nodded. “I was too caught up in my problems to realize that everyone was suffering because of my decisions.”

“What are you going to do about it?” I asked, holding my breath because I was dreading his answer.

“I’ll apologize to them,” Minho said, hanging his head in shame. “I need you to know that I’m sorry for everything.”

My heart broke at the sorrowful expression he wore, completely uncharacteristic of my husband...as was his decision to apologize since I halfway expected Minho to threaten his leave from the company. However, I also sometimes forgot that Minho was more than the way he acted around other people, and his sincerity was perfectly evident for me to recognize. “I know you are, but sometimes you do things without thinking about the consequences.”

“I’m aware,” he chuckled. “And I usually don’t really care, but that’s selfish...especially when it hurts you.”

“It is selfish,” I agreed. “How do I know you won’t do this again in the future?”

“Because I’ll remind myself of this moment,” he said. “I’ll remember what happened last night and do whatever I can to prevent it from happening again.”

I was stunned by his determination. “Are you really going to apologize to everyone?”

“I am,” he nodded. “Of course, your forgiveness matters the most.”

I took a deep breath, processing his words and the steady way he continued to hold my gaze. “You know I forgive you.”

“Thank you,” he said quietly, leaning in to press a chaste kiss against my lips. “I need you more than anything else in the world.”

My heart warmed at his declaration. “I wonder what everyone at the company would think if they saw how cheesy you are.”

“Are you going to tell on me?”

“Not as long as you behave,” I returned, laughing at the way he held me tighter, feeling nothing short of safe and secure in his familiar embrace.

Mr. Kim was surprisingly calm when I requested a meeting between our clients. In fact, I was shocked that he even accommodated my request considering our bad relations. However, I recognized an opening, walking down the hallway next to Minho who was clearly nervous as he hugged the bottle of champagne we brought as an apology gift.

“Good morning, Y/N,” Mr. Kim greeted us upon our arrival, sparing Minho a grimace before inviting us inside the studio.

Chan and Jisung were sitting together on the couch, glancing up only when Minho paused in front of them. Meanwhile, Changbin stood against the wall, watching my husband with narrowed eyes. Minho held tightly to the bottle of champagne in his hands, glancing between the three men who all wore similar expressions of disdain. “I’m sorry for the interview,” he said. “It was really selfish and immature.”

Chan arched one eyebrow, glancing between me and Minho. “Really?”

I quietly offered Minho a small push against his lower back, encouraging him to continue. “I rehearsed this,” Minho chuckled, “but it’s hard to swallow my pride.”

“Take your time,” I whispered to him softly.

“Well, let me start by saying that I was wrong about the whole collaboration thing,” he said. “It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be and you guys did everything to help us succeed.”

Changbin scoffed. “You certainly made it more difficult.”

Jisung nodded furiously in agreement. “I don’t think I’ve ever had this much trouble with promotion.”

“I know,” Minho agreed. “I was just upset because I have this stupid thing with Park and he knows that I have...problems working with other people.”

“That’s an understatement,” Changbin said, glowering at my husband with obvious disapproval.

“Honestly,” Minho said, swallowing hard. “The song is one of my favorites. I wouldn’t mind collaborating again in the future.”

“Well-” Jising broke off, staring at Mino with something akin to shock. “Huh?”

Chan frowned. “You really made us look bad on stage.”

“That wasn’t my intention,” Minho sighed. “I was being an enormous jerk, trying to stick it to the man or something ridiculous and it played out better in my head.”

I reached out a comforting hand, squeezing Minho’s shoulder for support. “I think he knows his decision was wrong.”

Minho nodded. “You might be upset with me and I understand. I’m sorry for everything that happened, and if you decide I don’t deserve to be taken seriously, then I won’t blame you.”

Minho ended his speech with a nervous cough, thrusting out the bottle of champagne in Jisung’s direction who accepted the bottle hesitantly. “Minho,” Chan said, closing his laptop with a sigh. “I know about your history when it comes to working with other artists.”

“It’s not exactly a glowing resume,” Minho admitted.

“No, but that’s the only reason why I know that your apology was sincere,” Chan said. “If you’re really serious, then I think we can move past this.”

Changbin nodded his agreement. “Mr. Park also explained some of the...politics behind the interview fiasco.”

“I guess it’s hard for you,” Chan shrugged. “I’m glad you came here to make things right.”

“And the champagne is nice,” Jisung added quickly to which Minho managed a smile.

“I’ll do whatever I can to make it up to you.”

“Well, if you were serious about collaborating again, we can start with line distributions,” Changbin said, leaning in with a smirk. “I want to sing next time.”

Minho laughed, nodding enthusiastically. “I think that’s a great idea.”

“In that case, we have cause for celebration,” Jisung cheered. “Mr. Kim, do we have spare glasses?”

In the meantime, I took a step back to allow the four men space to talk together, distributing several glasses of champagne before laughing at Jisung’s failed attempt not to spill anything on the carpet. It was certainly admirable, and I found myself simply watching Minho from across the room. This was nothing short of substantial progress, and I cherished the moment because it promised very good things for the future.

And at one point, Minho snuck away from his new collaborators to join me at the sound booth. “I love you,” he whispered. “I’m glad you’ve always been at my side.”

I reached out for his hand, watching Chan, Changbin, and Jisung hold up their champagne glasses in our direction. “You know? I’m really excited about your next project.”

Minho grinned, leaning his forehead against mine. “I think I could get used to this...as long as you’ll be there.”

I sighed happily, closing my eyes to remember this moment. “That will never change.”

[slickbackdani]

Batman Movie Villains Ranked from Worst to Best

Recently, a YouTuber I follow by the name of Mr. Rogues released a list of Batman villains ranked from worst to best. I have nothing but the utmost of respect for Mr. Rogues as a content creator, but I took issue with his list because his long-standing biases were often the deciding factor in many of his rankings. So, I decided to do a list of my own.

I’ll be going over every Batman villain to appear in the movies, briefly analyzing their portrayals and ranking them on a scale of 1 to 5. To prevent the list from being too cluttered, I’ll be separating the villains by which movie series they’re part of. Here we go!

Burton/Schumacher Tetralogy

Bane: Perhaps the only villain in this series I’d call “bad.” The calculating tactician of the comics is nowhere to be found here; instead, he’s reduced to a monosyllabic, brain-dead stooge for the other villains. Overall, he does nothing that couldn’t be done by a random henchman. 1/5

Two-Face: A deeply layered villain in the comics, Two-Face sadly gets upstaged by the other major rogue in the movie, but that’s not to say he doesn’t leave an impression. Tommy Lee Jones gives him a manic and mercurial demeanor that, combined with his colorful design, wouldn’t be out of place in the Adam West series. The size and scope of his criminal organization make him a genuine threat, and there’s something darkly fitting about Batman’s former ally being responsible for the creation of Robin. 3/5

Poison Ivy: Mr. Rogues for some reason ranked her as the worst Batman movie villain of all time, and frankly, I don’t see why. Like Tommy Lee Jones as Two-Face, Uma Thurman gives this character a delightfully over-the-top demeanor that combines with a colorful, comic-booky ensemble to make for another great “what-if-this-character-appeared-in-the-Adam-West-series” take. She does a good job juggling the differing facets of Ivy’s character: she’s the put-upon cynic, the craven opportunist, the radical eco-terrorist, and the suave seductress all in one package. 3.5/5

The Penguin: Fuck the Razzies. Danny DeVito made this role his own and set the stage for the character for years to come. He’s a bit of a departure, but a welcome one: far from the refined gentleman of crime Burgess Meredith portrayed, this Penguin is an animalistic thug warped by a lifetime of anger and hatred of the society who rejected him due to his deformities. His signature wardrobe, trick umbrellas, and Penguin gimmick are all there, but DeVito sells the role by showing amazing versatility: he can go from a comical and pitiable weirdo to a terrifying sociopath at the drop of a stovepipe hat. 4/5

Mr. Freeze: I honestly can’t say much about this character that my mutual @wonderfulworldofmichaelford hasn’t already. Arnold Schwarzenegger perfectly encapsulates both popular versions of this character: the flamboyant, pun-loving criminal genius from the Adam West series and the Animated Series’ traumatized scientist desperate to cure his loving wife of her terminal illness. Sure, the puns and hammy one-liners are what this version character is known for, but Ahnold definitely knows when to apply the brakes and give a greatly emotional performance as he tries desperately to cure his wife. 4.5/5

Max Shreck: Probably the only time you’ll see a movie-exclusive character on this list, and deservedly so. Corrupt businessmen are dime-a-dozen in Batman stories, and most of them have little personality outside of being greedy scumbags who either get defeated by the hero or betrayed by the other villains. Shreck, however, is different. Not only does he have an eye-catching fashion sense on par with any of Batman’s famous rogues, but Christopher Walken brings his signature manic intensity to the role, creating a character that’s as wicked and sinister as he is cool and stylish. You totally buy that the general public sees him as the good guy. His warm relationship with his son is also a delight to watch. 4.5/5

Catwoman: Michelle Pfeiffer does a lot to really make the character her own. She gets a lot of genuinely badass moments, but underneath all of her coolness lies the undercurrent that she’s a broken, traumatized character lashing out at the people who abused her and took her for granted. Even when she takes these ideals to unreasonable extremes, you never stop feeling like the retribution she brings on her enemies is at least a little warranted. Also, she has amazing romantic chemistry with Batman and her costume is fucking metal. 5/5

The Ridder: It’s Jim Carrey. 5/5

The Joker: This role is perhaps the one that set the standard for future Jokers to follow: Jack Nicholson’s humorous yet unnerving performance signaled to audiences early on that this would not be the goofy trickster of the Silver Age, but a different beast entirely. This Joker is a film noir gangster on crack: a disfigured mob hitman who quickly takes the entire criminal underworld by storm and unleashes his special brand of chaos and destruction across Gotham. He’s an artist, a showman, a charismatic leader, and the man responsible for ruining Bruce Wayne’s life. 5/5

Christopher Nolan Trilogy

Talia al Ghul: You know that recent trend in Disney movies where a side character we thought was harmless and inconsequential turned out to have been the villain all along in a twist with no buildup or foreshadowing with the reveal happening too late in the movie for this character to really do anything cool or impressive before being unceremoniously defeated? That’s Talia. DKR is the weakest of the three Nolan films, and I feel like it would’ve been much better received without this twist villain contrivedly shoehorned in. Also, while I could kinda forgive the trilogy’s whitewashing of other villains like Ra’s al Ghul and Bane due to the talent their actors display, Marion Cotillard doesn’t get a pass because she just doesn’t have the charisma or screen presence needed to pull it off. 1/5

Victor Zsasz: While the idea of redefining Zsasz as an over enthusiastic mob hitman instead of a serial killer is very interesting, it’s ruined by the fact that he barely even appears in the movie and doesn’t really do or say much of anything despite the buildup he gets. 1.5/5

Two-Face: Aaron Eckhart portrays Harvey Dent as a character of tragedy in a slightly different way than other tragic villains in superhero movies: he’s lashing out at a society he feels wronged him, but instead of being a lifelong outcast or put-upon loser, he was a handsome, successful crusader for the common good who lost everything he once held dear all in one fell swoop. You really feel for him even as he does horrible things. If I had to nitpick, though, I am slightly bothered by the fact that he plays some comic book movie cliches straight (i.e. they never call him by his alias and he dies at the end,) but it’s a solid performance overall. 3/5

Scarecrow: I’ll be upfront and admit that I’m more than a little annoyed that certain facets of the character had been changed in the name of “realism” — once again, they never call him by his villain name and he never wears a comic-accurate costume — but other than that, I can’t complain. Cillian Murphy plays the character with a smarmy, eerie charm that really makes his scenes stand out, his willingness to ally himself with other villains suits his character well, and the fact that he appears in three consecutive films with a different evil scheme in each really helps tie the movies together. 3.5/5

Catwoman: Much like other secondary villains in this trilogy, she really doesn’t get a chance to shine compared to the main antagonist — and, once again, it pisses me off a little that they do the whole “never refer to her as Catwoman but vaguely hint at it” thing — but she’s everything a modern Catwoman should be. She’s sly, manipulative, really holds her own in a fight, has great chemistry with Bruce Wayne... it’s all there. It’s also great to see Anne Hathaway break away from her usual type casting to play a role this dynamic. 4/5

Ra’s al Ghul: He’s a character that was in desperate need of mainstream exposure, and by God that’s what he got. Making him Bruce Wayne’s mentor adds a layer of personal tragedy to the climax where our hero has to stop the man who made him who he is from destroying Gotham with his admittedly brilliant plan. Add in a strong, captivating performance from Liam Neeson before we found out he was a racist asshole, and we’ve got one hell of an overarching villain. 4.5/5

The Joker: Everybody’s already discussed this version of the character to hell and back and likely will for years to come, so I’ll keep it very brief. He’s funny, he’s badass, he’s terrifying, he has great dialogue, it sucks that Heath Ledger didn’t live to see his performance reach the audience it got, and he basically makes the entire film. 5/5

Bane: Mr. Rogues actually ranked Bane higher than Joker on his list, and keeping it 100, I actually agree with him here. Finally, after decades of being dumbed down and misrepresented outside of comics, Bane is finally portrayed as the tactical genius from the comics. Tom Hardy plays Bane to perfection, being very believable as the peak of human physical and mental achievement, the man who broke Batman physically and emotionally. His design is iconic, his every line is quotable, his voice is weirdly fitting, and the memes are funny. 5/5

DC Extended Universe

KGBeast: Another point where I agree wholeheartedly with Mr. Rogues. He is absolutely wasted in BVS, being nothing but a generic henchman for Lex Luthor. He doesn’t wear his costume from the comics, he’s never referred to by his alias, he doesn’t have his signature cybernetic enhancements, and he never does or says anything noteworthy. 1/5

The Joker: Ugh. I don’t know what’s worst: the tacky clothes, the stupid tattoos, the weird Richard Nixon impression that passes as his voice, the fact that promotional material hyped him up as a “beautiful tragedy” of a character even though he’s only in the movie for like 10 minutes and barely does anything, Jared Leto’s toxic edgelord behavior on set done with the flimsy pretense of “getting into character,” or the fact that he’s just trying to copy Heath Ledger instead of making the role his own. 1/5

Victor Zsasz: Chris Messina proves undoubtedly that Zsasz CAN work as a secondary villain in a Batman movie. He’s once again a mob assassin who enjoys his job a little too much, but unlike Batman Begins, he really gets time to shine. He’s just as sadistic and depraved as in the comics, but he also has this disarming, casual demeanor about him like he’s just indulging a hobby instead of slicing innocent people’s faces off. His close friendship with his boss Black Mask adds some depth to the character as well. 3/5

Killer Croc: Sadly, he doesn’t get much time in the spotlight, but he’s pretty cool nonetheless. The makeup and prosthetics used to create him look amazing, and Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje’s deep voice and imposing body language make him really stand out as an intimidating presence. He’s often in the background, which fits his role as an outcast by choice and a man of few words, but whenever he does get focus, he has everyone’s attention. It really would be a shame if this character’s only appearance was in a mediocre schlock action movie, but he makes the most of what he has. 3.5/5

Deadshot: Another highlight of what would otherwise be a forgettable film, Deadshot is just as cool and competent as he’s always been in other media, but this portrayal stands out for one simple reason. Will Smith was a very odd choice to play the role, but it worked out for the best here because you get the sense he truly understands the characters. He’s ruthless and pragmatic, but has just as enough charm and depth to make him likable. 4/5

Black Mask: I, like many, was skeptical when I saw early trailers depicting Roman Sionis as a foppish weirdo who doesn’t wear his signature mask, but upon seeing the final movie, I really feel like he has the high ground over other DCEU villains. Ewan McGregor is endlessly captivating in the role, portraying him as a swaggering dandy who is nevertheless dangerous due to his boundless narcissism and explosive temper. Sure, those who deal in absolutes would be put off from the differences with his comic counterpart — who is far more cold and humorless — but from a certain point of view, this flamboyant take on the character isn’t so much a departure as it is an addition to make him stand out while keeping his role the same. Black Mask has always been a middleman between the traditional mobsters of yesteryear and the colorful rogues that plague Gotham today, and this portrayal perfectly encapsulates that. He works in the shadows, but isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty; he flies off the handle and gets reckless at times, but there’s no question that the whole operation was his idea. 5/5

Harley Quinn: Margot Robbie owns this role. She’s unbelievably dazzling as a badass, funny, sexy antihero who deals greatly with tragedy and proves that there’s always been more to her than her initial role as the Joker’s sidekick. Again, not much to say, but she’s almost perfect. 5/5

[hellyeahheroes]

Misconceptions of Uncle Aaron Davis

So I’ve seen people say that in the comics, Uncle Aaron was less redeemable than his movie counterpart, and I have gotten tired of it because it is a basic misconception of what Aaron was. Make no mistake, ITSV Aaron was every bit as bad as comic! Aaron just as they were just as redeemable.

First and foremost, Aaron loved Miles and saw his nephew as his son.

Aaron was always the guy Miles would go to see if he needed advice, needed a break to relax and chill with, or just wanted to be with his cool Uncle. And there are several instances of Aaron being a guide to Miles and became instrumental in how much Miles loved Brooklyn.

In almost every interaction of Miles and Aaron prior to Miles becoming Spider-Manwas shows Aaron as being nothing but a loving and dutiful father figure to Miles. Not unlike Uncle Ben was to Peter.

See some similarities between this scene and the movie convo between Miles and Aaron? Yeah.

So what changed? Miles became Spider-Man. The spider bite for Miles symbolized

Miles entire world turning upside down. His father’s justified hatred for superheroes and super powered people in general didn’t bother Miles before but now he feels terrible for it. And with the exemption of Ganke, his sole would be confidant’s relationship turned antagonistic. Just like in the movie.

The difference is that Aaron stopped seeing Miles as his nephew and saw him as an opportunity. And when Miles wasn’t game to be used as his Uncle’s way in to be the next Kingpin, he saw Miles as Spider-Man, his enemy.

And that doesn’t make ITSV Aaron better because he was very willing and eager to murder RIPeter Parker and Miles without a second thought. It wasn’t until he saw Miles behind the mask that he hesitated.

Trust me, it is very much intentional that Miles was bitten in the company of his Uncle in both the comics and the movie. It is crucial that this life changing moment happened while Miles was in the company of Aaron because that is where there is an immediate shift in their relationship.

This is when he realized that Uncle Aaron isn’t as good as guy that he thought he was with Miles’ dad barging in and accusing Aaron as the type of guy that would harm a child.

Oh and fuck you, Insomniac for taking this origin for a black character and making it about Peter because of course you assholes would think “maybe we should take the most popular black superhero character of the decade’s origin and tie it in with a white guy.” There are so many things wrong with PS4 Miles from taking him from his school and putting him in Midtown(why in the fuck would a kid in Brooklyn go to a school in Queens), changing his father’s personality, and fucking making him into black Peter Parker. Godspeed, for all of the homage and research they paid to Peter, they threw Miles under the bus. Oh and killing Jefferson was the dumbest shit...look I love the game but the Miles sections were fucking infuriating. It should have been Anya Corazon. In fact, it makes more sense for Anya.

Anyways, the movie did a good job of making Aaron more likeable by showing that he isn’t completely ruthless but the context of the fight between Miles and Aaron is often misconstrued as this negative thing. Aaron ultimately was using Miles to become Kingpin under the guise of training Miles. Miles caught wind of it and tried to tell him to stop. Aaron then threatened to tell Miles’ father that his son is Spider-Man.

It is so very much more complicated than comic! Aaron just being more evil than ITSV! Aaron. Aaron’s last words to Miles were from a man who no longer saw his nephew as his own anymore but saw him as an enemy of his. And that’s when the two fought.

It is an intense fight between family. Did Uncle Aaron mean to try to kill his nephew? No, he meant to try to teach him a lesson in a violent way and his anger got the best of him. That doesn’t redeem him at all, but it does not erase the relationship he had with his nephew.

The movie took this scene and instead of turning it into a demotivator into being Spider-Man, they instead opted it to be the reason why Miles, who was previously timid throughout the whole movie, to want to stop Kingpin. But what really pushed Miles over were his father’s words to his son.

It’s complicated. Do I think the movie handled that aspect better? Yes. It is more straightforward and unlike the comic, it gives Miles an actual motivation to be Spider-Man unlike the comic that relies on the idea that Miles must be Spider-Man because he let Peter Parker die because he was too afraid. But the comics are themed differently. It was a deconstruction of the idea of wanting to be a superhero or more specifically Spider-Man. Miles’ life did a complete 180 when he became Spider-Man. It made his life even harder. His loved ones started to die. The whole thing was literally to ask you the reader, “Why in the fuck would anyone want to be Spider-Man?” People gloss over the lows of being broke, losing friends through death or simply losing touch with them, and constantly lying to your friends and loved ones. It is a strain. The movies often gloss over this because it is not enough to cover in two hours and I get it. But Miles is this case of being a true classical anti-hero. And the antagonism from his Uncle was part of that.

But to answer the question as to why Miles is Spider-Man in the comics, it isn’t because of Great Power and Great Responsibility. That quote by Stan Lee at the end of the movie perfectly encapsulates Miles’ entire motivation.

Because he must do it. Because he can do it. Because it is the right thing to do. He was inspired by Peter’s example of being a hero in spite of not really being a Spider-Man fan. Not really being raised by a squeaky clean and completely innocent family. Miles is an example of superheroes being more than just fighting bad guys but superheroes as a symbol. And that is why he works so well.

@ubernegro

[zigtheeortega]

ride or die playlist

by @pixeljazzy and @zigtheeortega

so after pj made this post, and was encouraged by @choicesarehard to make a playlist for rodaw, i reached out to her and we decided to collab! this is a comprehensive playlist, with explanations for each song. some being the lyrics fit really well, but others are because the vibe fits the characters (in our opinion), not necessarily the song meaning.

putting the song explanations under the cut, since it’ll be long! songs picked by pj have [p] next to it and mine have [j] next to it! hope you enjoy it!

Logan

What You Know Bout Love, Pop Smoke [p]

I had to apply the pressure, ‘cause you my hidden treasure / I think I’m falling in love 

Are we surprised this song is first? C’mon now. Anyway, literally when I heard it for the first time, I was like this is the love song that I could see someone just vibing to in a car with their partner, at a house party in the corner serenading their boo, etc. and then BOOM a vision of Hieron and Logan in a car appeared because I could totally see this as their vibe. Just the thought of Logan rapping this line to Hieron clears my skin.

[p.s. pj wrote a fic based on this song and it’s perfect you should read it]

The Way, Trippie Redd ft. Russ [p]

We’re lost but, babe, we found the way

Because Logan and MC are two teens are a mess lowkey and don’t know what they want from life quite yet but they know they got it together.

Think About Me, dvsn [p]

This song is just radiating Logan and MC parting ways vibes

FIND MY WAY, DaBaby [p]

I feel like as Logan is driving away from MC to god knows where, this is something he’d definitely drive to

Seasons, 6lack ft. Khalid [p]

You’re lucky the greatest thing I can do is marry you / ‘cause if I could, I’d spill my blood

I absolutely adore this slow, chill song, and feel like this is something MC and Logan would be listening to as they unwind in their loft, and with the favorite line, I think it encapsulates how much Logan truly loves and would do anything for MC

Idfc, blackbear [p]

This is giving me Logan vibes after the reveal where MC leaves the shop and he’s just reeling in his emotions and feelings and is just purely in his bag thinking about everything

Hide, Juice WRLD ft. Seezyn [p]

Really think I found my home, shorty made me feel at home

Think I met my soulmate, yeah, I know it

Dusk Till Dawn, ZAYN ft. Sia [p]

But you’ll never be alone / I’ll be with you from dusk till dawn / I’ll be with you from dusk till dawn / Baby, I’m right here

This song hurts me so so much but it’s giving me MC sleeping on Logan’s chest type of vibes while he’s up because he can’t sleep and he’ . Also reminds me of Logan because we all know that infamous line “I was just a rock in space lucky enough to burn up in your atmosphere for a moment,” and I feel like this was an unspoken if you look to the stars you’ll know I’m always with you type beat.

Fool In Love, Rihanna [p]

Mama, I found a man / who loves me and understands / papa, he’s quite a man / he adores me, he’s my biggest fan

Okay so y’all remember how MC was having a mini identity crisis and didn’t know which version of herself she was? And Logan was listening and understanding and processing everything she was ranting about but in the end was just like no matter which one you decide, I like all of you? Yeah, that. Along with him just supporting her whenever he can, even though sometimes it can be overbearing, and him just loving watching her change and grow before his eyes (even though we not gonna mention the part of him that doesn’t love that change, feeling guilty for the person she’s becoming and how it could change her life, and the initial intentions he had although how he feels now is genuine) is literally what I think about with these lines

And don’t get me wrong, I know he’s not perfect in your eyes / but somehow he’s flawless in mine

Papa, did I let you down? / Are you ashamed of how your little girl turned out?

This is the lyric that really gets me because one of the things I loved about Ride or Die was the complicated relationship MC had with her father as it was something that resonated so strongly with me. So this one right here really just encapsulates an aspect of that because when MC’s on her this is who I am now and I know you resent that because he genuinely is so hurt and in shock of how his girl changed before his eyes, beyond the reigns of control that he once had, and he can’t do anything else but process and accept that his little girl isn’t so little anymore, rolling around with the people he tried so hard to keep her away from.

Roll Dice, Roddy Rich [j]

I seen the Reap’ come / Live my life I had to roll dice / Been through strife, my heart is cold as ice

I’m a star, I’m just hidden in the low light

Pretty explanatory, considering Logan’s been through a considerable amount of situations that put him in harm’s way and he’s come out stronger (and considerably more detached) each time.

Story Of Us, Tinashe [j]

Yeah, you’re the prince of my heart / And now there ain’t no way they can keep us apart, keep us apart

This song reminds me of Logan and MC a lot because it’s an optimistic take on their relationship as a whole and the sad ending.

You Know That I Love You, Donnell Jones [j]

You know that I love you / And that ain’t gon’ change / And though you’re not here with me now / My love for you stays the same

I think Logan would listen to R&B, specifically sappy 90’s R&B, and this line reminds me of them perfectly. I mean just listen to it, it’s perfect.

My Favorite Part, Mac Miller & Ariana Grande [j]

Said, you just don’t know how beautiful you are / And baby that’s my favorite part / You walk around so clueless to it all / Like nobody gonna break your heart

Said, the universe couldn’t keep us apart / Why would it even try?

Before things come together, they have to fall apart

Logan says from the get go that he thinks it’s wild that MC is modest and that he’s surprised she hadn’t gotten a lot of attention from guys. The other song lyrics I mentioned remind me a lot of their separation.

Colt

Me And My Girlfriend, Tupac Shakur [j]

Lost in the whirlwind, ninety-six, Bonnie and Clyde / Me and my girlfriend, do one-eighty-five when we ride

All I need in this life of sin, is me and my girlfriend / Down to ride to the bloody end, just me and my girlfriend

So it’s canon that Colt likes West Coast rap – and this song absolutely embodies Colt’s musical interests and his relationship with MC. He wouldn’t admit it out loud but he definitely heard this song and thought of MC.

Something Special, Pop Smoke [p]

I think you’re something special / I’ll take you on a shopping spree

We all know Colt is the king of LA and can definitely buy him and MC anything they want, also the “her father the police” verse quite literally hit the nail on the head

Martin & Gina, Polo G [p]

He was playing games / Got you dancing in the middle of the club

At first, saw this as a Logan and MC song to listen to in the car, but if you’re like me and was romancing Logan but danced in the club with Colt because Logan was being distant, the lyrics just do it for me

Hit ‘Em Up, Tupac Shakur [p]

You couldn’t tell us Colt wouldn’t love this song, we’re not accepting criticism at this time

Pulling Me Back, Chingy ft. Tyrese [j]

Every time I try to leave / Something keeps pulling me back, me back / Telling me I need you in my life / It was meant to be / You were meant for me / So that means we gotta make it work

This song reminds me a lot of Colt’s feelings towards MC, because in the lyrics they’re not mentioning they necessarily love her, they’re just gravitating towards her, realizing they need her. And that’s exactly how Colt works through his feelings.

Loveeeeeee Song, Rihanna ft. Future [j]

Boy lately, you been stingy with your time / Got me wondering, I’m wondering if I’m on your mind / Boy I just wanna be in your possession / You say I’m the one you want so come express it

Yeah, we all know Colt wasn’t straightforward with his feelings but is more prone to expressing himself physically, and I think this song feels like a confession of her own qualms with him but recognizing that she’s alright with him being physical over verbal. Honestly it’s probably not that deep but this song reminds me of Colt x MC so much.

Complicated, Rihanna [j]

Why is everything with you so complicated / Why do you make it hard to love you / Oh I hate it / ‘Cause if you really wanna be alone / I, will throw my hands up ‘Cause baby I tried

God this whole song is Colt and MC all over because he’s so wishy washy and doesn’t express himself properly.

90210, Travis Scott [j]

I think Colt and Logan would bump this and that’s my only reasoning.

Changed Up, Rae Sremmurd [j]

I think Logan and Colt both alike would bump this in their car and maybe relate to the lyrics and the general vibe of it.

Demons and Angels, A Boogie With a Hoodie ft. Juice WRLD [p]

I’m from the West Side, know not to play with us, yeah

I think I’m addicted to this lifestyle, I swear

Colt is quite literally from the West Side, and the ‘I think I’m addicted to this lifestyle’ line is what really stood out to me because Colt wanted nothing than to be a part of his father’s life and legacy, and Kaneko wanted to keep that separate from him because he knew Colt would be all in.

Run This Town, Jay-Z ft. Rihanna [p]

Does this need an explanation because you already know Colt is running the fuck outta LA thank you for tuning in

Mona

Ungodly Hour, Chloe x Halle [j]

You know that I’ve, I heard it all before / You’re hesitant, wish you could give me more

I don’t have the time / To teach you how to love all over again / Now let me ask you this / Are you giving all that you could give?

This is Mona and MC all over. She was clear about being hurt by an ex, and that it was hard for her to open up to MC in the first place, let alone fall for her. So this is like a confessional from MC to Mona.

Te Amo, Rihanna [j]

Then she said Te amo, then she put her hand around my waist / I told her no, she cried Te amo / I told her I’m not gonna run away, but let me go / My soul is awry and without asking why / I said Te amo

The lyrics are sad but this reminds me of Mona and MC, too. There’s a lot of push and pull with Mona, so I think this describes their back and forth so well.

Scared of Love, Juice WRLD [p]

Not scared to love, just scared of love

I initially put this in the Logan section, but I think it’s more fitting for Mona because she put up these walls to avoid putting herself at risk in the process of giving someone her all after the last girl played her, but underneath it all, she’s still capable to love even though she may think she’s undeserving of it from MC or that love in itself is a scam.

ball w/o you, 21 Savage [p] [and j bc our minds are linked]

I’d rather have loyalty than love / ‘Cause love don’t really mean jack / See love is just a feeling / You can love somebody and still stab them in they back

This is giving me Mona and her ex vibes, and just how Mona is a very everyone for themselves type of person so she has no problem balling by herself because that’s what she expects in the end.

Escape, Akon and Wizkid [p]

We can run away / so far away, escape

Oh, my baby, oh, baby / I would never let you go

Okay I know our songs for Mona have been sad lately, but this reminds me of them because Mona said MC would be hard asf to forget and I already know MC is scrambling to find a solution, a possibility, where Mona didn’t have to go to jail and they’d be able to be together, hence ‘escape’.

Escape, Kehlani [p]

Strange for me to wanna love someone / Who’s better by themselves

‘Cause I can’t let you lose yourself, looking for me / And I can’t let you make me your, your everything

I know you see this escape theme I’m on here LMFAOO but I think this is in Mona’s perspective about MC because she’s like MC is a goody two shoes, new to this life, etc. just overall someone with a better future than me and I don’t wanna mess that up for them (hence the I’m dangerous and pushing her away in the beginning and all the warnings).

Acquainted, The Weeknd [p]

Baby, you’re no good / Cause they warned me ‘bout your type girl, I’ve been ducking left and right

To say that we’re in love is dangerous / But girl I’m so glad we’re acquainted

Can’t Remember to Forget You, Shakira ft. Rihanna [p and j]

I can’t remember to forget you / I keep forgetting I should let you go

“You’re gonna be damn hard to forget.”

This is so Mona because it’s both flexible in meaning with her ex and MC. 

MC

Don’t Make It Harder On Me, Chloe x Halle [j]

If you keep acting so sweet / I might just wake up and leave / This boy that I pinky swore / We’d be together for sure / I can’t be thinking of you / When I’m alone with my boo / If you smile at me again / I may do something stupid

Gives me Logan/Colt/Mona love triangle type vibes!

Who Can I Run To, Xscape [j]

Who can I run to, to share this empty space? / Who can I run to, When I need love? / Who can I run to, to fill this empty space with laughter?

After her li’s leave this def gives me those bittersweet vibes like when they all leave L.A., including MC for college.

Aston Martin Music, Rick Ross [j]

Bobbin’ to the music / This is how we do it, all night / Breezin’ down the freeway / Just me and my baby

Would’ve came back for you / I just needed time to do what I had to do / Caught in the life / I can’t let it go / Whether that’s right I won’t ever know

This reminds me of another bittersweet moment like MC is reflecting on her favorite times with her LI, but also acknowledging that her LI can’t be 100% loyal to her because of her lifestyle

Love Without Tragedy / Mother Mary, Rihanna [j]

Brown eyes, tuxedo, fast cars / A James Dean on the low, Dean on the low

Who knew the course of this one drive / Injured us fatally

Let’s live in the moment / As long as we got each other / Die in the moment / I’m prepared to die in the moment / ‘Cause even forever ain’t forever

This entire song fits for all the LI’s (despite the lyrics saying “boy” it works for all of them perfectly. I just picked a couple lyrics to prove it!

Question Existing, Rihanna [j]

Who am I living for?/ Is this my limit?/ Can I endure some more?/ Chances I’m given, question existing

Reminds me of when MC was torn between loyalty to her father and Jason Shaw and MPC at the same time.

Bed of Lies, Nicki Minaj ft. Skylar Grey [p]

This is 100% MC after the reveal.

Change Your Life, Kehlani ft. Jhene Aiko [p and j]

I heard that you a gangsta / Not one to try to save her / Always focus on your paper / Don't got time to wager with your heart

You deserve someone that'll take you to another level

The lyrics to this song fit so well with all of the LI’s. Definitely addresses all of the LI’s reluctance to be with MC and MC’s pursuit of them.

Serial Lover, Kehlani [p and j]

Lord knows / My intentions are pure and my heart full of gold, oh

This song fits MC’s relationship with all of the LI’s, especially when there’s conflict between them. MC is miles more transparent with her feelings than Logan, Colt, and Mona.

She’s So Gone, Naomi Scott [p]

So it looks like the joke’s on you / ‘cause the girl that you thought you knew / She’s so gone

You can look but you won’t see the girl I used to be, ‘cause she / she’s so gone, away / like history

Yes this is from Lemonade Mouth and yes I feel like this embodies MC perfectly!

Misc.

(this includes Ximena, Toby, side characters, the overall vibe of ROD, etc.)

Tints, Anderson .Paak ft. Kendrick Lamar [j]

Ridin’, ridin’, round that open street / I need tints / I need my windows tinted / I can’t be flying down that 110 with a bad bitch in my whip / I need tints

This reminds me a lot of Ximena and Toby because they’re so chill and carefree compared to the rest of the crew, and this song embodies that.

Nascar, Roddy Ricch [p]

Honestly, heard this song and thought I’d be perfect for another side show, or a racing song

We Don’t Luv Em, HoodRich Pablo Juan [p]

Another side show/racing song

DJ Got Us Fallin’ In Love, Usher [p]

I feel like this could’ve played at the club depending on the vibe they were going for, and even if they weren’t, I feel like the club was a very romantically charged event so the DJ had errbody falling in love (MC and whoever, Toby and the guy he went off to dance with, etc.)

break da law, 21 Savage [p]

Me and my dawgs break laws

This is Kaneko and the crew, even though Kaneko would never call them his dawgs, but you get the gist.

Trust Nobody, Lil Wayne ft. Adam Levine [p]

I don’t trust nobody, not my lovers, not my friends / I don’t make no promises ‘cause I know just how they’ll end / I don’t trust nobody, I don’t need nobody else / And as messed up as it sounds, I don’t even trust myself, yeah

This hurts me because the song talks about not being able to trust people in general so I feel like this has been Logan all his life, Mona after she was betrayed, and Colt after the death of his father (minus the don’t trust my lover part because obviously they are whipped for MC and you can’t change my mind).

Undercover, Kehlani [p]

You know they don’t wanna see us together / But it don’t matter, no, ‘cause I got you

Baby, they don’t wanna see me be happy / ‘Cause they ain’t happy, no -- they don’t got you

So this is MC with all the LI’s because everybody (Riya, Darius, her dad, etc.) thinks everyone in the crew is bad news but no matter who MC is with, they’re happy with them regardless of what everyone thinks.

Party Monster, The Weeknd [p]

Okay, this might seem really weird, but I feel like this is a song that would play in the background as the crew would plan or orchestrate a heist you know like the camera panning to different people just really focused on that they’re doing like there’s some camera work going on in my head that I wish I could properly articulate but I hope you guys see the vision.

Shut Up and Drive, Rihanna [p and j]

This is self explanatory.

[shinsorokiri]

UA Idol | Chapter Fourteen

Hitoshi Shinsou x Reader

Word Count: 2,516

Warnings: Language, dense Shinsou and (Y/n) (the usual)

A/N: I literally love the idea of Shinsou as a singer I can’t even right now. I hope you enjoy this chapter, it was fun to write! I also am sorry I got it out like ten minutes late, I have a lot of homework and had to write a whole outline for something as well as this, so it took a teeny bit longer to find the time to upload. I hope you like it, nonetheless, and hopefully I get a moment to breathe soon so I can write all those requests I have! (All the songs I used are listed at the bottom of the post!)

For the duet, the words only italicized are sung by (Y/n), the word only bold are sung by Shinsou, and the words both bolded and italicized are sung by both of them!

───────────────────────────────────

The alarm brought you out of a great dream. But it wasn’t too bad, because the main character of the amazing dream you just got ripped out of was quite literally right in front of you. Well, more like you were literally snuggled into him. And he had you as close as possible. Huh. Maybe this wasn’t too bad. You reluctantly start to wiggle your way out of his arms, before they pull you back into him. “Where do you think you’re going?” you hear his raspy, tired voice say to you, and you can hear the small smirk on his lips. Oh fuck. Oh fuck. His voice. His sleepy confidence. What the hell. How are you supposed to just lay there and not feel things? Luckily, before you even have the chance to respond, there’s some heavy knocking on the door to your little practice room. You hear a soft groan come from Shinsou, which causes you to giggle. You don’t see it because of the dark, but he smiles to himself. He likes making you laugh.

He stands up, allowing the blanket to stay draped over you. You don’t feel all that warm without him next to you, though. He opens the door, immediately squinting and grunting at the bright light that hits his eyes. “Woah, did you two actually get some sleep and not stay up for two more hours practicing the already perfect song I’m sure you have prepared?” Denki says, shock genuine in his voice. “Yes. Did you bring us clothes?” Shinsou asks, rubbing his eyes to try and begin to adjust to the light. “Uh, yeah. Obviously. You two are going to look so good together, Denki and I low-key coordinated your outfits so they look good together but not like they’re matching, oh and by the way, the list of who all is going was put up. It looks like you two, me and Denki, and Kirishima and Bakugo are in the same group,” Mina says, she’s obviously very excited about that.

“Yeah! They did this thing where they have three duets going and then they make the decision to keep or let go of some of them or all of them or none of them or whatever, so that’s fun!” Denki gives a thumbs up, and you stand up, wrapping the blanket around you. “Okay, so when are we going?”

“Oh, uh, yeah about that. We’re going at three. We’re the first group. And you guys are the first to go out of literally everyone. Fun…?!” Mina says, and you and Shinsou both immediately snap out of your drowsy states. You both snatch the clothes, running to your respective bathrooms and changing as fast as possible. Yeah, it was only noon, and you still had sound check, so you had time to prepare but this is some serious shit. You need to be more than 100% if you expect to go further in this competition than this week. Lucky for you, Mina perfectly encapsulated the look of “Falling Cardigan,” so you were actually very pleased with her outfit selection. You walk out of the bathroom, ready to thank her when you see Shinsou. He, too, had on something that worked for the song. How did Denki and Mina do that? You and Shinsou literally told them nothing other than we picked more than one song to sing. Anyways, the wonder was pushed to the back of your mind because the man standing in front of you? Attractive. So, so attractive. So very attractive. In fact, he kind of resembled Harry Styles right now. If Harry had even wilder hair that was indigo and he was constantly tired and Japanese. Point is, he looked good.

“Wow! Look at you two! I think Denki and I did a damn good job,” Mina says, and Denki smirks. “You look like a power couple,” he says and Shinsou punches his arm. “Can you stop saying shit like that?” Shinsou says, avoiding your eyes. “Yeah, people are gonna start thinking we’re actually a couple. When we aren’t,” you say, frowning and looking away from Denki and Shinsou. “You guys do that yourselves, plenty of people already believe y’all are dating, we don’t have to do that for you,” Denki says, smirking at the two of you. Before Shinsou can hit him again, one of the producers runs up to you two and tells you that it’s time to do your soundcheck. You both head onto the stage, and talk to the stage managers, telling them exactly what you want for the performance. They fulfill your wishes and before you know it there are two pianos onstage, set up so you and Shinsou can be back to back. You sit down at one of them, with Shinsou following suit at the other piano. For soundcheck, all the two of you really need to do is play a bit of your soon to be performance and make sure that the piano’s volume and the microphone’s volume with your voices is balanced and everything technical wise can go smoothly. You two begin playing and singing, and the technicians begin working out all the kinks in the sound. And any time you need to stop and let them adjust something else, you both do it no questions asked. The soundcheck for the two of you goes very fast considering how cooperative you are with the technicians, which by the way they really appreciate because normally, the singers just kind of brush them off, but you two are being very professional. And it’s a nice change of pace from the usual type of people they get on this show. Regardless, soundcheck goes very well. Of course, there were a few hiccups on yours and Shinsou’s parts considering you hadn’t rehearsed for a few hours, but all in all it went very well, and the two of you were very excited to perform what you’d created.

The next couple of hours went by very fast, the two of you rehearsing and practicing a few more times before feeling extremely confident, and then being interviewed by the camera crew. “So how does it feel knowing you are the ones who are setting off the duet challenge?” PM asks, and you give a nervous laugh. “Well, I mean it’s exciting, but also nerve-wracking because it’s the first time anyone is ever doing the duet challenge, so yeah it’s intense,” you say, and Shinsou nods. “Of course, we’re going to do our best and hopefully impress the judges enough to get through to the next challenge,” he adds. “I bet the two of you will set the bar high, and don’t worry about the nerves. Having nerves are good because that means you actually care about what you’re doing, so if anything, saying that shows that the two of you are willing to fight to make it to the next round,” PM says, and you grin. You’d never thought of it like that before, but yeah, it makes sense. Why would you get nervous for something that you didn’t care about? Obviously, this was important to you.

After being interviewed, you and Shinsou decided to sit down for a while and relax before performing. He could tell you were nervous, so without thinking, he pulled you into a hug. You calm him down by physically touching him in some way, so he hopes that the same will work for you. I mean, he’s right. Maybe it’s not necessarily his touch, but it’s certainly something about him that just eases your mind. And yes, you’re very thankful. You just want to do well so you can showcase him and not drag him down. If anyone deserves to go through to live shows, it’s Hitoshi Shinsou. “Calm down, kitten, everything is gonna be fine,” he says as you pull away from his embrace. The gentle smile he has on his face tied with the stupid nickname he’s given you tugs at your heart, and you give him a small grin and nod. Damn. Okay, so maybe you liked him? Maybe he’s attractive? That’s not a bad thing, it’s not like its love. Love is the bad thing. Like? Completely different. And acceptable. When you like someone, your feelings for them can go away entirely. That’s not love. And that’s fine. Because love never does anything good for you. It’s a painful chase with painful results, and you’re fine in the romantically loveless life you are living. You didn’t even want to think of this man hurting you. Or of you hurting this man. You’d honestly rather die and love inevitably ends in someone getting hurt. At least your experiences with it have.

“(Y/n)? You’re kind of zoning out, are you okay?” he asks, genuine concern in his voice. “Yeah, yeah, I’m good just… nervous,” you say. And you’re telling the truth. Not only are you nervous for the performance, you’re also nervous for your blossoming feelings for him. Hopefully, they just stay in the “I like you” range and not the “I love you” range. You can do that. You can make them stay there. “Well, if you need anything, just squeeze my hand, and I’ll do what I can to help. I’m nervous too, like PM said, it’s natural for us to be nervous, but if it gets to be too much just let me know. Because I’m here for you.” Fuck, you can stay in the I like you range, just pretend he didn’t say that because that was adorable. “Thanks, Shinsou,” you say, and he gives you a smile before starting to talk about something to distract you from your nerves. What a good fuckin guy.

Before you know it, it’s time for the two of you to perform. He squeezes your hand befor you walk out onstage together, sitting at the pianos that have been arranged for the two of you. In this round, the judges are unable to talk to you or give any feedback, so the two of you just jump right in. You feel him nudge his shoulder with yours, as you’re back to back, and you feel instantly comforted. You then begin singing.

“You’d come back to me,

And you’d come back to me

And you’d come back to me

And you’d come back…

Vintage tee, brand new phone,

High heels on cobblestones;

When you are young, they assume you know nothing…

Forget what I said

It's not what I meant

And I can't take it back

I can't unpack the baggage you left

But I knew you,

Dancin' in your Levi's

Drunk under a streetlight

I, I knew you

Hand under my sweatshirt,

Baby, kiss it better, right?

What if I'm down?

What if I'm out?

What if I'm someone you won't talk about?

I'm fallin' again

I'm fallin' again

I'm fallin'

A friend to all is a friend to none

Chase two girls, lose the one

When you are young, they assume you know nothing

And the coffee's out

At the Beachwood Café

And it kills me 'cause I know we've run out of things we can say

But I knew you

Playin' hide-and-seek and

Givin' me your weekends

I, I knew you

Your heartbeat on the High Line

Once in twenty lifetimes, I

What if I'm down?

What if I'm out?

What if I'm someone you won't talk about?

I'm fallin' again

I'm fallin' again

I'm fallin'

And I get the feelin' that you'll never need me again

Was all we needed

You drew stars around my scars

But now I'm bleedin'

'Cause I knew you

Steppin' on the last train

Marked me like a bloodstain

I, I knew you

Tried to change the ending

Peter losing Wendy, I

What if I'm down?

What if I'm out?

What if I'm someone you won't talk about?

I'm fallin' again

I'm fallin' again

I'm fallin'

But I knew you'd linger like a tattoo kiss

I knew you'd haunt all of my what-ifs

The smell of smoke would hang around this long

'Cause I knew everything when I was young

I knew I'd curse you for the longest time

Chasing shadows in the grocery line

I knew you'd miss me once the thrill expired

And you'd be standin' in my front porch light

And I knew you'd come back to me

You'd come back to me

And you'd come back to me

And you'd come back

And when I felt like I was an old cardigan

Under someone's bed

You put me on and said I was your favorite.”

Immediately after you ended, everyone started clapping and cheering. Of course, you heard Denki and Mina screaming from backstage, and it caused you both to smile as you got up, walking over to where they were. “You two are actually crazy for even attempting that,” Denki says, and Shinsou shrugs. “What artist is entirely sane?”

“Touché,” Denki says, giving him a finger gun before he and Mina walk out together onstage. “You did really, really good,” you say to him and he grins. “You did better. I thought you were actually about to start crying, not gonna lie.”

“No way, I thought you were actually gonna start crying!” He chuckles, shaking his head at you while you smile at him. “Guess that means we killed it?” he suggests, and you grin. “I guess so,” you say, and he smiles at you. “I didn’t know those two song would sound so good together! That’s crazy, how did you guys figure that out?!” Kirishima whisper screams to the two of you and Shinsou shrugs. “I was playing the piano for Falling and (Y/n), being the genius that she is, started singing Cardigan. It just kind of… flowed after that.”

“Yeah, well I can’t even pretend it wasn’t fucking good and cool. Good job, losers,” Bakugo says, his arms crossed while Kirishima is beaming at the two of you. How… was their relationship even real? You were pulled out of your disbelief when you heard Denki and Mina start, and whew, the mood went from wow I’m sad to wow I’m horny in .5 seconds flat. They did extremely well, as expected, and then Bakugo and Kirishima go, and their voices are just heavenly together. Not to mention how cute it was that they sang Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls. Altogether, your song tones went from heartbreak, to horny, to pure love, and that is just… hilarious. The six of you were then instructed to go onstage while the judges made their decision. It took… barely any time for them to speak to each other before they all turned to you. “This may be the easiest decision we will make today. All six of you did an amazing job. And Shinsou and (Y/n), we’ve never seen anyone do what you did in this entire competition. Ever. So good job there by making yourselves stand out while also performing a song that’s already come out,” Keigo says, and Midnight grins. “All six of you are going onto the next round.”

───────────────────────────────────

Song list:

(Y/n) & Shinsou | Falling Cardigan - Harry Styles & Taylor Swift (CosmicMashups on YouTube)

Mina & Denki | break up with you’re girlfriend, i’m bored - Ariana Grande

Kirishima & Bakugo | Iris - The Goo Goo Dolls

[samtheflamingomain]

old man yells at tv show

I'm a Simpsons superfan. I don't care what anyone says, I'll argue to my grave that it was still a great show until season 25, and a watchable show until now.

So it is not without immeasurable grief that I finally say, a broken man, "it's time to cancel the Simpsons".

I don't mean "cancel" as in they've committed some heinous act, literally cancelled. End the show. Please.

Until today I would always say, "The worst episode of The Simpsons is better than no Simpsons", and with the season 33 premiere, I finally have to retract that statement. That's just how fucking awful this episode was.

Here's a quick synopsis: Lisa puts on a school musical as Stage Manager, but finds herself left out of the friendship the cast create. She exposes the Big City New Girl as being a fraud and a liar, but because she does it in a mean way, she has to apologize. The end.

Now, because this really shows how little the writers care about character consistency, replace "Lisa" with "Marge". Because despite this being a pretty convincing Lisa plot, this is for some reason a Marge episode. Also, because it's a musical episode starring Julie Kavner as Marge who can barely deliver her spoken lines. they "make" a "joke" saying Marge "sounds like a Disney princess in her head" so they can have Kirsten Bell do all her singing. It's eerie at best.

This episode, which might I mention has no B plot, is bizarre, jarring, and surprisingly unfunny in every capacity. It doesn't feel like a Simpsons episode, which is encapsulated perfectly in one of the "jokes" they did try to throw in next to all the cringey musical numbers.

Marge is realizing through song that the group of friends she thought she was close with in high school actually went and did a bunch of fun stuff without her and she feels left out. After the first verse, Marge says something like, "Okay, so I don't remember all of those exact memories, but I'm sure there's something! Keep going!" which probably came the closest to making me laugh. It wasn't super close, but my mouth muscled twitched slightly.

Anyway, the next verse starts with "The kegger at Marge's house!" and Marge goes "What? Where was I??" which, if it had stopped there, would've been a solid laugh from me. But they answer "oh you were doing stage manager stuff" and then list a bunch of things that supposedly happened on Marge's property without her ever knowing, including the suicide of a classmate.

Again, if it had stopped there, that might have been a bit funny, and definitely as edgy as The Simpsons would ever get. Right?

Well, this keeps going until we get this South Park joke Frankensteined onto a Simpsons corpse: "We didn't see the signs... then when the news crew came we made it all about ourselves!" In bold is the drawn-out solo part of the song.

Look, I'm a huge fan of South Park and other "not PC" comedy. It just doesn't belong in a song on The Simpsons. It's absolutely jarring with not only the tone of the show as a whole but even the tone of the episode.

So the "jokes" that are there suck, there's maybe 10 attempts made overall, and it feels like an episode written by a casual fan. Ask a casual fan you know, "name 5 Simpsons adults who you'd think were theatre kids in high school" and they'd probably guess most of them.

Not that their characters do anything. We have Kirk, Helen Lovejoy, Smithers, Dr. Hibbert and Barney. The only one to have lines relevant to their character at all is Barney, because he has a 2-line moment where he mentions being an alcoholic. That's literally it.

It's also very weird to see Bart and Lisa as bookends. They have 1 line each at the start and another one each at the end. I honestly don't think I've ever seen less done with a main, speaking character. They don't even make jokes, they just comment on the current situation.

On the surface, it seems like this episode was terrible because it was a musical. Usually, I hate musical episodes of shows; I think they tend to be worse for it. But I loved the musical episode where Lisa becomes class president because it was a musical - a parody, but still.

However, this is one of the only cases I can think of where I think it being a musical actually made this episode better than if it had been about a musical (like "A Streetcar Named Marge") without all the songs.

I read a book by a few of the early writers of The Simpsons, and one thing that made me realize why this episode is so bad is because, in the writers' own words, "musical numbers take up time, so they never get cut". When I read that at the time it made me reflect on how astounding that is, given that almost every original Simpsons song is a fuckin banger. Now it makes me realize that this episode would've somehow been even worse if it wasn't a musical, which I didn't think was possible because boy were the songs bad.

Maybe it's the plot, the characters, the lack of jokes, the bad songs, the expectations of a 33-year old show, but honestly I think it's everything. Everything that could've gone wrong did. I literally cannot think of a single thing this episode did right or even just well. For Homer to take the spot of Lenny in the cast they have to injure Lenny, so of course, it being Lenny, they get him in the eye. Just kidding, they break his leg. If it had been an eye injury, and I'm not even kidding, I wouldn't be typing right now. That would've been enough.

For a show that's been on life support in my mind for a long time, in a way, I'm almost glad this episode was the worst piece of shit I've ever seen, because I'd rather pull the plug now than keep it braindead in the ICU for another season, trying to find a single solitary moment in each episode that makes it worth my time.

I'm taking solace in the fact that now, when The Simpsons does eventually end, I won't be upset at all. Last season I would've still been upset and said "it's still good!" Now it has, in my mind, officially stopped being good.

Stay Greater, Flamingos

[smileysuh]

hi hi :) I just finished reading Tease and omg 🥵 I know you're working on lots of wips (I've read all your fics at least once oops haha and I'm looking forward to all the new ones) but if you ever felt like writing another monsta x one?? 👀 cause it was SO fucking good. I think you really encapsulated their personalities well. that's one of your greatest strengths as a fic writer I think! sometimes reading other work I can get taken out of the story by the way people write cause it doesn't seem accurate to the person they're writing about but you ALWAYS do it perfectly even with the AUs. my favorite will always be the frat AU haechan though I have a big soft spot for that man and that fic is by far my favorite out of all the nct fics I've read -🦦

asdfghjkl THANK YOU! not me typing out a whole response to it and then having to do it a second time oh my gOSH TUMBLR WHAT THE HECK

I'm glad you enjoyed Tease!!! i definitely agree that my greatest strength is character, which is hoenstly why i might get into screen writing and get jobs being a character based writer cuz i have 8 years experience writing imagines (and stepping into tv character's personalities) on my old blog @obscure-imagines which has a FUCK TON OF CONTENT if you go check out it's masterlist and the range of characters offered there

I usually only focus on Hyungwon so i really had to like, go research Joohoney and Shownu separately and then watch crack videos of them interacting to get a vibe for their specific dynamic! I'm glad it worked out :) i've been a fan for a year but never wrote about them it's nice to tear the bandaid off now that i have a vibe with those two

i'm gonna respond to your stuff about feeling out of fics when they don't match their character/irl people in the tags cuz im a safe space blog and my opinions have slight negativity about a few things so they're in tags to be skipable :)

on the topic of more monstax content i will DEFINITELY be writing more! If you check out my to do list on my blog, you can see most of the projects I have on the go, as of right now for Monsta x we have these :)

im- not me realizing as i put this here that every single fic features hyungwon- i promise to add some changkyun solo stuff too SDFGHJKL; as i said, it's not updated and i know for a fact i have some Changkyun vibes in my drafts... which have 150 things in them on tumblr im-

im a mess, but thank you so much for your wonderful comment, it means a lot to me :) and i hope i can continue to give you characters who fit their irl counterparts :)