#with this love (taylor's version) playing in the background

[not-the-coffee-machine4]

I want to find whoever’s idea it was to put Rock Montreal on Disney+ looking like it was filmed yesterday with my own two eyeballs and kiss them on the mouth

[diazevan]

I know we’d go wild for buddie’s first kiss, but personally I will be more chaotic if they do a montage of their scenes together when one of them has their “oh” moment.

[withleeknow]

seasons of you.

pairing: minho x reader genre/warnings: established relationship, tooth-rotting fluff or at least i hope so lmao, not v edited and literally no one is surprised lol i sound like a broken record atp just adding that into every post word count: 0.7k note: inspired by a highly fucked up thing that @matchannie said to me yesterday lmao it has not left my brain since you said it you absolute monster

as always, i’d appreciate any thoughts or comments you may have, and please drop a like and/or reblog if you enjoy reading ♡

navigation / masterlist / ko-fi

minho falls in love with you four times a year.

minho falls in love with you in the spring, over blooming cherry blossoms and vibrant daffodils that greet you on your weekly sunset walk. over the feeling of your fingers intertwined with his own without soft fluffy gloves getting in the way, now that it's finally warm enough to retire that extra layer of protection for the season. over the sun coming out of hibernation and filling your days with golden light, falling upon your face and casting you in a magical hue. over the remnants of winter that still leave behind a palpable chill in the air early in the morning or late in the night, that has you reaching out for the comfort of his warmth. over your delighted smile when he brings home a bouquet of tulips after a long day at work. over your glassy eyes, reddened nose and flushed cheeks as he takes care of you when the seasonal allergies kick in.

minho falls in love with you in the summer, over picnics in the park where you both lay on blue gingham picnic blankets, your head on his chest, as you watch the clouds overhead drift peacefully. over watermelon gelatos passed between teasing lips, the confectionary melting too quickly for your liking under the blazing sunlight. over spontaneous drives to the beach even though neither of you can swim, but you go just for fun, just to build sand sculptures in the shape of your cat babies and stand on the edge of the water to splash at each other. over long naps on the couch on days where you're too lazy to venture into the outside heat, preferring to stay cuddled up together under the air conditioner with niki playing in the background.

minho falls in love with you in fall, over shared slices of pumpkin pie as you watch the leaves turn yellow and red right outside your window. over the adorable way you hide your face behind your hands on nights where he puts on a horror movie because he insists on honoring the halloween spirit. over your off-key rendition of taylor swift's all too well (the 10-minute version) for most of the season because you adamantly claim that it's autumn's official anthem. over weekends spent attached at the hip, baking sugar cookies for hours on end. over your crestfallen pout as you take note of how the days keep getting shorter and shorter, already missing warm sunny weeks with all your heart.

minho falls in love with you in winter, over matching scarves and beanies, even though he often has to carry them for you because you have a bad habit of forgetting them before you go out. over the first snow of the season because they say that if you witness the first snowfall with the person you love, then you will stay together for a long, long time. over sweet cuddles in bed as a bad christmas movie plays on tv, and you fall asleep on his shoulder about half an hour into the movie despite being the one to select the movie in the first place. over your return from a shopping spree with your girlfriends with nothing for yourself but everything for soondoongdori, from christmas themed clothes to treats and toys.

but then again, maybe it's not entirely accurate to say that minho falls in love you merely four times a year. if he wants to be precise, then he would say that he falls for you anew every morning he wakes up and sees you asleep in his arms like a delicate miracle granted by a star he once used to wish upon. if he wants to get technical, then he falls in love with you with every smile that you send his way, which is a terribly sappy thing for him to admit but it doesn't make the statement any less true.

minho loves you every day of every week, of every month, of every year. he's loved you before he even met you, when you were just a romanticized idea in his head and hadn't yet walked into his life like the angel he was always meant to find. he loves you every minute of every hour; there isn't a second where you're not on his mind, not a single beat of his heart that doesn't spell out your name. he loves you throughout the seasons and a million times in between.

permanent taglist: @onlyycb97wife @starsandrqindrops @borahae-reads @abbiestearsricochet @cutiespaghetti @anthropologykpopmultistan @moonlinos @mjnhoz @caitlyn98s @piercidh34rts  @stayceebs97 @linocz @yaorzu-blog @biribarabiribbaem @kayleefriedchicken @extrhotjne @caitxx1 @palindrome969 @todorokiskitten @azuna-sz @meanergreener @nxzz-skz @jazziwritesthings @poutypoutybin @bookyeom @jisuperboard @wyzminho @amarecerasus @channection @lastgreatamericandynasty1 @judeduartewannabe @chanshyunjin @firelordtsuki @astronomicallyyy @alm334 @lashaemorow

all rights reserved © withleeknow. reposting, translating and/or modifying is not permitted by any means. [posted 08.04.2024]

[chosetherose]

The Fortnight video foreshadows the convergence of Taylor Swift and her brand

In her videos, Taylor has continually played with the idea of herself as a person versus as a brand. These portrayals have almost been adversarial in nature. Think about the relationship between the two life sized Anti-Hero Taylors. The hooded robot Taylor who got to exist in the world while her bare counterpart was trapped in glass. Etc.

The Fortnight video introduces similar characters but flips the script because there isn’t a me versus her dynamic anymore. Instead, there is a story about coming together.

A scene by scene breakdown:

Taylor Swift™️ is chained to a bed in a white gown with a spicy slit and garter. A faceless nurse enters walking upside down on the ceiling (a continued theme suggestive of PR games). The nurse presents “Forget Him” pills, arguably reminiscent of a dark time where the world thought they could “cure” homosexuality. After Taylor Swift™️ begrudgingly takes her dose, the nurse unchains her.

We then see Taylor Swift™️ approach a two way mirror and wipe the mask off her face, revealing face tattoos we know to be Post Malone’s in real life. This reveal is setting the scene that within this video Post Malone represents Taylor’s inner self, her true soul behind the veil of celebrity. I’ll call him True Taylor.

Next, the mask is back and we see Taylor Swift™️ walk out of the observation room and into the workspace. She goes from wearing a leggy white gown with garter to a fully covered black poet-esque dress. She isn’t dressed for voyeuristic eyes anymore, she’s dressed to work on her art. I love this light to dark transition because black can be seen as the absence of light. Fitting for a tortured poet who can’t live her truth in public with her sunny muse by her side.

Note that we don’t get to see black dress Taylor Swift™️ through the two way mirror. She exists behind the bright lights of fame, making art in a room hidden from our view. Maybe the pills numb her enough to twist the art for an audience who likes to her to be chained to a bed while they watch her suffer.

But wait Taylor Swift™️ and True Taylor are collaborating. They start work separately but their art eventually drifts out of their typewriters, combining into a white light that bursts into a rainbow. Remember how I said black light is the absence of light? Well white light is comprised of all hues on the visible light spectrum.

We know there are layers to Taylor’s music: the surface layers chock full with to red herrings for the grocery line Swifties and the deeper layers of Taylor’s truth. They both exist in the art, swirled together.

But here is where things start to feel different. We cut to True Taylor and Taylor Swift™️ away from all those faceless people - they are alone in the middle of a road. That in itself is ridiculously symbolic of being on the way to somewhere (maybe brighter days). But there’s more because they are dressed identically, laying inside Taylor’s head that is made up of their art. This scene is like bonking us on the head that these two people are one and the same.

Note: The silhouette here is from the Style video which also portrays Taylor’s inner self as a man.

Taylor Swift™️ runs to True Taylor and they embrace in the middle of the road as pages of their art float around them. In the chaos, Taylor Swift™️ reaches out to True Taylor.

Maybe this scene is suggesting the public version of Taylor is ready to embrace her real self.

Then we see Taylor Swift™️ strapped to a table, wild hair from dropping the hairpins we saw in the opening scene. The drugs aren’t working, it must be time to escalate to shock therapy. The men around her gather and there is literally a sign in the background that says “Master Control”.

But one of the men in the room making decisions for the brand is actually True Taylor, who has been there all this time.

Enough is enough when True Taylor can’t take the pain and pulls the plug on the procedure, freeing public persona Taylor from torture.

Next we see True Taylor, familiarly encased behind glass, on a phone call. Perhaps making plans while safe from the rain. Taylor Swift™️ is elevated on a pedestal, out in the storm, in her best dress FEARLESS! Credit to @rep-princess-witch who put the fearless connection together in another post.

I’ll say it again, that is the huge difference in this video compared to others. Here, Taylor Swift™️ is not an antagonist, she is ready to brave the storm.

So what does she do? She’s back in the workspace burning all the files. It’s not without emotion but it’s necessary. We then see a stoic Taylor Swift™️ with no regrets.

After burning the files she’s back in the observation room. It’s time to fight back against the voyeurs and she does so by smashing the glass between her and them. She regains her agency by squashing their ability to hide. Shes deserting her past life.

Note: We don’t see True Taylor back inside. This fight is specifically for Taylor’s public persona.

In the closing seen, we see True Taylor leave shelter, step outside into the storm, and reach for Taylor Swift™️. The person and the public persona are weathering the storm hand in hand.

*Please check out @heyitsmoog on TikTok - he shared thoughts there that inspired me to make this post.*

[vivwritesfics]

Hello love your writing btw. I was wondering if you could write a one shot or blurb about the reader and Daniel Ricciardo (maybe if you're willing Carlos Sainz) just relaxing swaying in the kitchen while they cook dancing and laughing to Sway by Michael Buble while it's dark cold and rainy outside.

Dancing In The Dark - DR3

Have you ever been so in love that your entire lives are intertwined? Like, shared house, shared cooking, shared cleaning, shared playlists?

That's how in love Y/N L/N was with Daniel Ricciardo.

When he wasn't travelling the world, they did everything together.

They cooked together most every night, Y/N preparing vegetables or the meat or whatever went in the dinner while Danny took care of the rice or spaghetti or whatever they might have had in the oven.

They had their music playing as they cooked, their playlist coming out of the speaker system. Danny danced as he waited by the stove or the oven and Y/N shook her body gently as she chopped and prepared.

Taylor Swift was playing, a song that Danny had added to their playlist. Danny stepped away from the oven and walked over to the girlfriend. He took her hand, putting down her knife, and turned her around. Placing her arms around his neck, Daniel swayed from side to side.

With her head on his shoulder, Y/N looked up at him as he moved them. "Danny, I need to keep on with dinner," she said and pulled away from him.

But Danny didn't let her go. He pulled her back in, spun her around and let her go again.

This was a normal occurrence, especially when they were doing any kind of chores. Danny could afford for them to have a maid or a cleaner, but Y/N wouldn't let him. She loved doing chores, music on in the background as Danny cleaned at her side.

Careless Whisper came on the speaker. Danny dropped the feather duster and turned to his girlfriend. "Something in your eyes," he sang, shaking his hips. "Calls to mind a silver screen."

"And its all sad good-byes," Y/N replied. It was pointless trying to resist him. She wasn't dancing though, she was still cleaning the surfaces in the living room.

Danny walked over and put down the surface cleaner and cloth. "I'm never gonna dance again."

"Guilty feet have got no rhythm!" They shouted together.

Careless Whisper wasn't their song, not by any means. But they loved it, it was the perfect song to scream in the middle of their living room in the late evening when they were still cleaning (because Danny had made them stop so many times to dance).

Danny span her. He sent her around once, twice.

At the saxophone, Danny let go of her and shook his hips in time with it.

Date night.

Y/N loved date night. They'd go out to a restaurant or to see a movie or to an arcade or something. Date night always ended with them in the living room, a glass of wine in hand, candles lit and music playing as they sat on the couch.

Sway, the Michael Bublé version, came on over the speakers. As soon as Danny heard it he was up and pulling Y/N up with him. She went willingly, one hand in his and the other on her on his shoulder.

Daniel took the lead, moving them around the living room. He spun her around and pulled her back in. Danny's steps were quick, messy, almost impossible to keep up with. But Y/N managed it, she had done ever since the day they met.

At the chorus, Danny blindly stepped back, pulling Y/N with him. They went stumbling, over the back of the couch. They fell down in a fit of giggles, knocking their red wine over in the process. "Shit, Danny," she said through her giggle. "The rug!"

Their once cream rug was now ruined, a huge whine stain spread across the middle. "That's never coming out."

Daniel let out a laugh and kissed the top of her head. "We'll get a new one tomorrow," Daniel answered, wrapping his arms around her.

Daniel and Y/N loved dancing together. They did it throughout their relationship, right up until they got married. At their wedding, their first dance was to Careless Whisper. They knew their family and friends were judging them, but they didn't much care.

When sway came on, Y/N's friend gave them a knowing look.

They danced through the night, until the early hours of the morning. By the time they were off to their honeymoon, their feet were hurting and they were exhausted. But they were so, so happy.

[taylorswiftstyle]

The Eras Tour | Acoustic section | Version 5

Roberto Cavalli custom

There's a part of me playing between two potential reads on the new silhouette (and designer) of the surprise song dresses.

The first primarily is function in that not only do these dresses seem lighter in terms of fabric (the previous looked like a heavy plissé, this appears to be a more lightweight, flowy chiffon) which she might find more beneficial for summer. This dress style also does away with the cold shoulder element of the previous style. This, I have to imagine, is a result of Taylor contributing to the Errors Tour one too many times. For background, during the quick change from the 1989 Set to the Acoustic Set Taylor would have to don the Surprise Song dress in darkness ... and she missed the arm hole a few times. Amusing to us but perhaps frustrating for her! This lightweight, sleeveless design tackles both those issues.

But there's another part of me that's possibly 'reaching' because these dresses sort of bear resemblance to the breezy, sundress styles that were signature to the Debut era when she most often performed just her and an acoustic guitar. As a debut stan, I've always begrudgingly accepted the acoustic set as a pseudo stand-in for her early day, unplugged roots.

That said, I actually really loved the nostalgia of the past designer she used here - Jessica Jones. It felt like an appropriately sentimental use of fashion costuming as Jessica was the primary costumer for the 1989 and reputation Tours.

Photo by Kevin Mazur/TAS24 via Getty Images

[helpallthenamesaretakensblog]

Songs I Need to Hear in Future PJO Seasons (ft. me being very intense for no reason)

Angel with a Shotgun by the Cab - SEASON 👏 FIVE 👏 TRAILER 👏 it's literally about stepping up as a hero and fighting a war for what you love without caring what the gods would think, BANGER OF A SONG also so percy in tlo coded

Welcome to New York by Taylor Swift (Sad acoustic version) - Hear me out. It's a panoramic shot of New York during the war, and what the song describes as a city of new beginnings and dreams is now a city of the end of a lot of lives and crushed souls. And it won't ruin the sad vibe because it's a sad acoustic version

Labyrinth by Taylor Swift - Do I need to explain? S4, a slow-mo shot of annabeth staring numbly at the volcano exploding with tears down her face and her mouth opening to a scream as the lyrics "I'll be getting over you my whole life" echo, it's not a want, it's a need.

The Freaks by Jordan Clarke - The most camp half blood song to ever camp half blood, I need this song in an introductory shot of camp or at a campfire sing along scene

I Wanna Be Yours by The Arctic Monkeys - Okay, this is more of a vibe related song suggestion than a lyrics based song, but a scene with percy and annabeth pining over each other with this song in the background? would be chefs kiss. (also rick loves vintage songs in his books and this is a very vintage sounding song sooo)

Brutal by Olivia Rodrigo - Self explanatory, I just need the song, no matter what scene or character

literally any imagine dragons song

Riptide by Vance Joy (Cover) - the same song, the same cover except SON OF NEPTUNE TRAILER COME ON NOW

Not going to happen, but at least an instrumental of Good Kid when annabeth talks to piper in the lost hero season about how everybody had been searching for percy for weeks

The Prophecy by Taylor Swift - You know what a TLO adaptation means, right? It means a proper rewrite of the book to make it better, right? Which means we can write percy being actually depressed because of the prophecy, not just him ignoring it like how he did in the book, right? So imagine: when the whole "If I have to die, I have to die" dialogue comes around during the revealing of the prophecy, this song starts playing as percy storms out the room in anger and disbelief. He just goes to his rooms and buries his face in the pillow and starts sobbing with this song in the background. Also the 'just want someone who wants my company' lyric also expresses his feelings towards the rachel and annabeth drama.

Add on in the reblogs and comments of your ideas hehe😁

[thewritingmagician2022]

Hey! I just found your blog and I've read through your work and I love it 💗 can I request MC trying to talk the brothers out of confessing to them?

(Perhaps taking place towards the end of season 1, beginning of season 2)

The brothers tell MC they love "LOVE" them and MC thinks they're joking and when they finally realize that the brothers are being serious MC's like "I thought you had better taste... are you sure you're not just infatuated with an idealized version of me that you created in your head? I mean you can do better, besides what would the people of Devildom think? Honestly, I didn't really get the impression you liked "liked" me in that way... I think you should think it through, maybe it's because I'm a novelty that your interested in me?" Or something along those lines? The point is that MC doubts their feelings and thinks they can do better.

Thank you so much! 💓

This is one of my favorite prompts because it’s so realistic and human and authentic. Which is terrifying too because I know I’m not gonna do it justice and I’m so freaking late on this. Back on topic - what makes us special to these brothers? Is it going to last? How long until we’re nothing new? (starts playing Taylor Swift in the background while I contemplate these)

Lucifer: Lucifer is vaguely insulted by the implication that you don’t trust him to know his own feelings. Yes, he understands your self doubt because he’s the high level demon Lucifer, the best of the best, and it makes sense that you would feel intimidated by that. But to doubt his feelings is to doubt Lucifer’s judgement and that won’t stand. He knows who’s worth his time and affection (no one) and he is not willing to open himself up to such a state of vulnerability without absolute certainty. So when he says he loves you, it’s true. He’s been around a long time and you’re the only person who has been able to capture his attention and heart in such a way; he isn’t worried at all about the feelings fading or being an illusion. He is under no delusions of who you really are - the person who doesn’t listen to him and runs wild with his brothers and causes so many problems in the Devildom and also the person who brought his family back together again and who reminded Lucifer of who he used to be and could still be. He will provide you reason after reason to back his point if you need it but he really feels he should only have to express his feelings once to make it clear.

Mammon: Mammon’s feelings are definitely hurt when you question him, even if it’s coming from a good place. He knows he’s not the most serious demon and maybe he’s a bit of a tsundere but he doesn’t understand how you can doubt him after everything you’ve been through together. He’s your first man, you’re his best-friend. Mammon is no stranger to romance and flirting over the millenia; demons, angels, witches, humans, etc. He’s got options, almost as many as Asmo, but you are the only person who has ever made him feel this good, this special and loved and in love.It breaks his heart a little every time you doubt his love for you. He might not be the best at talking about his feelings but he promises that he will spend the rest of his life showing you exactly how much he loves you for you, the same way you love him for him - the good and the bad and the weird. He is yours until the end of time, whether or not you’ll ever actually be his.

Levi: Of all the brothers, Levi is probably the most understanding of your doubts - not regarding him, that’s super crazy and he doesn’t understand how you could ever think he could do better than you. He does understand how self-doubt doesn’t always follow logic so he actually does well not taking it personally when you ask him those kinds of questions. He’s a man of many hyperfixations but they’re lasting. Have you seen him with his favorite series or Ruri-chan? This man is dedication personified. He’s already added you to his list of hyperfixations and, okay, maybe he does idealize you a little but he’s not as deluded as you think. He knows you have weird, messy bits of you - just like him - and he loves that so much about you because he’s able to actually be comfortable with you. He loves you and trusts you and respects you, which is more than he can say about anyone else in his life, and he is going to be your simp long after the series finale and he only hopes you’ll agree to let him stay in your life and worship you the way he knows you deserve.

Satan: That line of questioning makes him angry, shocking. He hates that you’re doubting him and his feelings. Satan is the intellectual of his brothers (if you ask him). He’s smart enough to know that there’s a difference between lust vsinfatuation vs love, and he’s considered it for a long time before he came forward with his feelings. He knows they’re genuine and lasting; he even avoided you in the beginning to avoid catching those kinds of feelings but it happened. Satan knows maybe he can romanticize things a little, like in the romance novels that he secretly loves, but he doesn’t think it’s to an unhealthy or unrealistic level - no more than a general man in love might do. He’ll sit and discuss all of this with you for as long as necessary, reigning in that anger that stems from feeling rejected, until you finally realize that he’s genuinely in love with you.

Asmo: Okay, so Asmo gets it, you know? He’s most beautiful being in three realms and charming and funny and sweet and basically everything good wrapped into one wonderful, sparkly, good smelling package. It would make sense that any human he pursued felt a little insecure about his feelings and their worthiness. But like…it’s you! You’ve seen Asmo at his worst - the days when he’s not as beautiful or kind, when he’s selfish and cruel and narcissistic - and you’ve stuck by his side the whole time. He is going to do the same for you. He sees your inner (and outer) beauty every time he looks at you and he falls a bit more in love with you every time. He knows what lust and infatuation feels like - he feels those every day and has them reflected right back at him tenfold. You are not those things. There’s still the passion and longing and affection but it’s so much warmer and steadier, like the warm sun that Asmo used to see in the human realm. You make him better (a hard task considering how close to perfection he is) and he won’t stand for you having any kind of doubts. He’s going to love you into loving yourself until you’re unable to doubt him or your relationship ever again.

Beel: That’s…not unfair to ask him. Beel may not be the smartest brother but he’s not as stupid as others make him out to be. He is the only brother who is going to hear you out and actually take the time to think about what you’re saying. You are the first human he’s ever had these kinds of feelings for, the first person actually. Beel is not used to romance at all and so he really needs to think about the line between romantic and platonic and familial; he doesn’t want to mess up the relationship by defining it incorrectly and breaking both of your hearts in the process. He doesn’t agree that you’re not good enough or interesting enough to inspire those kinds of feelings in him; he thinks you’re the most wonderful being he’s ever come across and anyone would be lucky to know you, let alone be loved by you like he is. It doesn’t take him too long to come the conclusion that no, he is in love with you. He would choose you over food or sports or even some of his brothers; hefeels empty without you in a way that even Belphie can’t compare to. He wants to kiss you and hold you and keep you around forever to share in his food and laughs and affection. Once Beel makes his decision, it’s completely solidified. Beel is a ride or die kind of man and you know you’ll never have to doubt him once he tells you he loves you.

Belphie: Belphie is torn. He understands why you may question his love for you. He did betray you and literally kill you in another universe; he would be more concerned if you weren’t skeptical about him. However, you feeling not good enough? Absolutely absurd. You need therapy ASAP. You are the best thing that’s ever happened to him and his family, even if you are a human. He never wanted these feelings; he loathed you at first but, over the months and different experiences you’ve shared, those feelings have grown to respect and trust and love. He couldn’t stop himself from loving you even if he tried (and he’s tried). He can understand your nerves but he knows down to his very soul that he loves you and that he will always love you. If you can’t accept his feelings, he’ll be the most accepting of it, especially because he doesn’t think he deserves you at all but he will never back down from his claims and he will continue expressing his love for you until the very end.

Diavolo: Of them all, Diavolo most understands why you may doubt the longevity of this relationship. He’s the demon lord. He’s the top choice of the realm, and everyone is scrutinizing him and his choices. He gets why you might be afraid of that and what comes with it. However, he wouldn’t be choosing you if he hadn’t thought long and hard about it to make sure his feelings for you withstood all of those doubts and fears. Diavolo does not lovely easily or lightly; he’s been offered companionship from more people than he could ever care to count but he’s never seriously considered any of them. You are the first and only person to have made him fall so completely head over heels in love that he’s able to get out of his own head which is so often filled with those some kinds of doubts and questions. He may not make every decision in his life with 100% confidence but this is one that he feels so sure of that he’s willing to stake his entire future and reputation on it. He loves you and he will do everything in his power to prove that he loves you and will stay by your side as you both rule the Devildom together, putting you at the top with him - exactly where you belong.

Barbatos: Barbatos is efficient, if nothing else in the world. Do you really think that he would pursue you if he wasn’t completely sure of his feelings and your future together? This is the man who has spent his entire life dedicated to Diavolo; he’s turned away from every and any meager temptation that’s come his way. No one has ever caught his eye like you have and certainly no one has ever made him question where his loyalty lays. Of course he is still Lord Diavolo’s servant and he serves the Devildom to the best of his ability but his heart isn’t in it the same way and that’s because he’s given it to you. You are what consumes his every thought and feeling; he’s broken the rules and used his powers for you, he’s gone against Diavolo for you, he is willing to do anything so long as he can be near you and make you happy. You don’t even have to accept his love or love him back, if you really can’t or won’t, but he’s seen you in every timeline and loves you in all of them. Nothing in this world or any of the others will change that and, if you give him the opportunity, he will dedicate his every moment to proving to you why you can put your full faith in him. After all, Barbatos has never failed at an assignment before.

Solomon: Solomon can understand insecurity on your end. It’s hard to consider yourself special enough to last for someone who has seen everything. Solomon has lived thousands of years, visited the three realms, love and lost time and time again. It’s hard to imagine that you’re anything more than the next shiny toy he’s got his eye on. For someone who can never die, what is this love other than a small blip on his radar one day? Solomon can’t stop you from feeling that way because, in a way, it’s true. You can’t be a permanent fixture in his life because you’re human but he can certainly be one in your life. Solomon would argue that he’s seen so many people and places over the millenia and he has lived long enough to know himself completely, and he knows that he loves you. He knows that no matter what happens or changes, his feelings for you will never waver. He will carry his love for you until the ends of time itself. It’s his curse to bear and the only thing that would make it bearable is being able to love you directly for as long as he’s given the chance.

Simeon: Simeon is the most patient and sympathetic as you ask him these questions. He would never invalidate your fears but he will confront them with you and break them down and banish them. Simeon is an angel who has watched over humanity for as long as they’ve been around. He has seen the best of the best and the worst of worst and still he’s never been tempted to turn away from his Father for one. At first, he could have explained it as curiosity and then fondness but it blossomed into the deep, unwavering love that he feels for you now. He sees your flaws and humanity and loves you all the more for it. You have become the new object of his worship and affection; he would fall from grace if it meant being able to hold you in his arms and shower you in the love he so truly believes you deserve. He will remind you every day of why you deserve to be happy and loved; he will tell you everything he loves about you from your smile to your kind heart to your most selfish desires. So, please, just put the same faith in him and his feelings that he puts in you and let him love you.

[static-symphony-fm]

you are in love (true love)

now playing: you are in love (taylor's version)

pairing: magnus chase x fem! reader

word count: 1.9k

summary: 5 people who knew magnus was in love with you before you did + 1 sword

an: FIRST FANFIC LETS FUCKING GOOOOO this took so long to write! I love how I accidentally made it blue themed even though that's magnus's least favorite colour 😭 its ok we all know he's canonically a 1989 girly

fun fact i actually took the first picture! i shit you not I was on a road trip with my family READING MAGNUS CHASE and I look up and see THAT SIGN and i SCRAMBLED to take a picture

content/ warnings: 5+1 things, background blitzstone bcs c'mon they're basically canon, shitty writing, kissing ooo spooky, magnus being a simp, there actually isn't a whole lot of reader in this x reader fic, minor allusions to sex stuff, a lot of swearing, weird use of perspective, i was trying to go for third person limited but magnus is the one it's limited to not reader? but reader is referred to using second person? sorry if it's confusing.

1. samirah al-abbas

  if someone had told magnus a year ago that in a couple month’s time, meeting for coffee weekly with one of his best friends and not getting kicked out of the overpriced coffee shop was going to be the most normal thing in his life, he wouldn’t have believed them. probably would have flipped them off, too, and stole their wallet as he walked away. but he’d like to think that he was a changed man, seeing as he was, in fact, in a hipster café in boston, trying not to make fun of all the fancy menu options. like, seriously? who orders a dragon fruit, pomegranate, and kale smoothie?

he realized he’d been thinking for too long and returned his attention to samirah, sitting across from him and discussing wedding plans for her upcoming marriage to amir as she sipped her latte. he noticed the way her eyes seemed to get brighter, and her entire body language conveyed how excited she was as she talked about him. magnus had a fleeting thought about how good it must feel to love someone so unconditionally like that, and have them love you back just as much. 

as if reading his mind, samirah finished her sentence and studied him, tilting her head as she seemed lost in thought, peering at him like he was a calculus problem she couldn’t quite figure out. 

after a few seconds, magnus broke the silence. 

“alright, it’s getting weird. why’re you looking at me like that?”

samirah snapped out of it, focusing on what he was saying.

“nothing, just… do you think you’ll ever get married?”

jeez, that was a loaded question. magnus narrowly avoided choking on his black coffee, swallowing and burning his throat before answering.

 “sam, i’m dead.”

“so? people get married in valhalla all the time. i have been to a very disproportionate amount of weddings in the two years i worked there.”

“yeah? how many of those end in divorce?”

samirah took a long drink of her coffee, swallowing it slowly as she responded.

“forever is a very long time, and no relationship is perfect, but wouldn’t it be better to have someone to spend that time with?”

“…i guess.” magnus accepted, lost in thought. truthfully, samirah was right, like always. if circumstances were different, if he hadn’t died at sixteen, he could imagine himself getting married. settling down. living in a cabin in the forest with two kids. 

a thought came into his mind, entirely of its own accord, of doing all of that with you. your laugh, your soft hair, the way your lips curled up and your eyes widened when you smile. you’d probably be a great mom.

whoa, what the hell? he should definitely not be thinking about getting married to his friend, what the fuck? that is not normal. 

he pushed the weird thought out of his mind as best he could, gulping his coffee and focusing on the burning in his throat and not what he was just thinking. samirah had gone back to talking about amir, and magnus was not going to think about marrying you any longer.

2. alex fierro

after nearly getting his head cut off by alex’s garrote for the third time that day, magnus needed a break. alex had decided that magnus needed to learn to fight without the help of jack, and it wasn't going too well for him. he collapsed on the bench next to alex, chugging half a bottle of water before even taking a breath. alex rolled her eyes. 

“it’s not that hard, you just aren’t fast enough.”

magnus managed to control himself and not say a snarky comment back, but it was a close call. instead, he ignored her, staring straight ahead and not engaging. unfortunately, you were in his direct line of sight, sparring with mallory only a few metres away. alex picked up on this quickly, nudging his side. 

“you like watching y/n fight, huh?” she teased, smirking. damn, why did she have to be so perceptive?

“what? no. shut up.” magnus replied quickly, trying to hide his blush. “i mean… she’s a good fighter. not like i like her or anything like that.” 

“mhm. suuuure you don’t.” alex replied, definitely not believing him. fuck.

“i’m telling the truth!” magnus protested. god, how was arguing with alex harder than physically fighting her? 

“yeah. did you see her necklace today? pretty, right?”

“she’s not even wearing a neck- fuck.” magnus said instantly, before catching himself. 

“go to hell.”  he swore, glaring at alex, who was grinning at him in a way that reminded him a little too much of her mother. 

“you first.”

      3 + 4. blitzen & hearthstone

“magnus? magnus?”

a pale hand reached in front of magnus face, waving and then snapping its fingers, bringing him back to reality. he blinked and looked around at hearth and blitz, sitting across from him in the dining room of the chase space. hearth took his hand back to sign finally, raising his eyebrows sarcastically.

“your head’s way up in the clouds, kid.” blitz remarked, drumming his short, well manicured fingernails on the table, his silver engagement ring glinting.  he was right. magnus definitely was pretty out of it lately. 

probably thinking about y/n, hearth signed. jeez, why did every conversation he had have to be about you? and no, he most certainly was not thinking about you and your pretty eyes and your delicate hands and the way your ass looked in those jeans you were wearing yesterday… jesus fucking christ, he needed to stop.

 he buried his face in his hands and groaned loudly, then raised his head back up so hearth could read his lips, hoping that his blush wasn’t as visible as it felt. 

“i am not thinking about her.” he lied through his teeth. 

“there’s nothing wrong with having a crush, you know.”

ugh, why did they have to act so much like his dads? 

“i don’t have a crush!”

“kid, you’re a terrible liar. everyone can see the way you stare at that girl. now remember, if you’re doing anything intimate, you gotta use protection…”

that’s it. magnus couldn’t stand up from the table fast enough

 “nope! this conversation is ending right now. good talk!”

5. annabeth chase

magnus and annabeth had been walking around new york for the past three hours, trying to make up for the ten years spent apart.  annabeth had shown him her favorite library, and pointed out a bunch of cool architecture in nearby buildings, with a promise to show him and his friends camp half-blood in the summer.

 they were currently taking a break, stopping for lunch at a falafel place that wasn’t quite as good as fadlan’s, but it was still falafel. magnus was enjoying listening to annabeth talk about her architecture projects– she was taking online classes to prepare for the higher level of new rome university’s program. 

magnus loved listening to her talk about things he didn’t understand. as a child he’d always thought she was a genius, the way she always solved puzzles and math problems easily. ten years later, that theory still held up, hearing her go on about a bunch of terms he didn’t understand.

“sorry, i’m probably boring you to tears. you wanna talk about something else?”

annabeth offered.

“no, it’s fine… i really don’t have a lot going on.” magnus replied, smiling politely.

“come on. there’s gotta be something interesting.” an idea seemed to come to annabeth.

“you have a crush on anybody?”

magnus swallowed. 

“no.”

but he was too slow. those steel gray eyes that matched his own were locked on him like a hawk, or maybe an owl. 

“yes, you do. come on. spill!”

magnus stayed silent. he was not telling his cousin about his crushes, but those metallic eyes stayed locked on him. he eventually gave up. annabeth could be scary when she wanted to be.

“fine. fine. her name’s y/n…”

+1. jack

 it was movie night at the chase space. was magnus ever gonna stop calling it that? no. it was cool. shut up. the credits were rolling on some disney movie that alex had insisted on, and everyone else was slowly but surely making their way to their rooms, yawning as they said their good nights. you had been sitting next to magnus on the couch the whole time, and suffice it to say that he had had some trouble concentrating on the film.  

it was just you and him, you in your nirvana t-shirt and gray sweat shorts, and in that moment, he decided to tell you.

 you got up to leave, waving at him, and in a feat of bravery so incredible it would be studied by historians for centuries to come, magnus managed to work up the nerve to speak up. 

“hey, uh, can i talk to you for a sec?”

“sure? what’s up?” you asked as you sat back down.

jesus, what had he gotten himself into? it’s ok, magnus, you got this. you beat loki in a flyting. you can talk to a pretty girl. 

“uh, i was just thinking… i just…” off to a great start, aren’t we? fuck off, voice in his head. he can do this. he took a deep breath.

“i really like you. you're gorgeous and funny and so insanely smart. i’m an atheist but i’m praying to god you feel the same way. will you be my girlfriend?”

you bit your lip, breaking eye contact as you looked off into the distance. fuck. you were gonna say no and then he was never gonna be able to talk to you again and he was gonna have to change his name and move to canada…

“can i kiss you?” 

what.

there were a million things magnus expected you to say, but that was none of them. he managed to stutter out a simple “please…” and then you leaned forward and your lips were on his and magnus chase died.

this felt more like the end of his life than being knocked off a burning bridge and drowning did. his heart was beating a million times a second, and he seemed to have forgotten how breathing worked. your lips were softer than anything he’d ever felt before.

 he managed to reciprocate a little, mostly acting on instinct, and all he could think about was how astronomically better this was than jackie molotov in the seventh grade.

what was he supposed to do with his hands? he was pretty sure that keeping them at his side was the wrong answer, so he moved one to your waist and the other one to the back of your neck, tangling it gently in your soft hair as his lips moved against yours.

gods, he could have stayed like that until ragnarök, but his stupid sword had to ruin the moment. jack started buzzing on his neck sleepily, seeming to have been woken up ungraciously. he hoped that you couldn’t feel it, but that was pretty unlikely, considering how close you were to him. jeez, he was blushing more and more every time he thought about that. 

eventually, you pulled away, smiling a little. 

“good night, magnus.”

he nodded, unable to form words, and managed to stand up and walk back to his room, wide eyed, operating on autopilot. he walked into his room and immediately collapsed backwards onto the bed, staring at the ceiling without blinking, completely still. not a thought passed through his mind for at least ten minutes, till he finally was able to reach up and pull jack’s pendant off of his necklace.

“dude, what happened to blades before babes!?!”

[iron-strangers]

That's my girl!

aka Din watches you fight with the biggest heart eyes in the galaxy as Wildest Dreams (Taylor's Version) plays in the background (a WIP of my 3+1 fic)

gif credit @1038276637

Pairing: The Mandalorian (Din Djarin) x Female Jedi!Reader

Length: 690+ words

Tags: Mand'alor Din Djarin, Swearing, Kid Fic

A/N: Written in Expanding Clan Mudhorn universe. Link to the series on ao3, tumblr

-

“I challenge you for the Mand’alor’s hand in marriage.”

The lively chatters around the market shifts into a quiet whispers when a challenger appears from the crowd. She has her full armor on, holding her blaster up for everyone to see. Shrugging, you took your squirming fourteen-months toddler from his birikad (baby harness) into his buir’s (father’s) arms before walking into the fight. Aranar laughs, clapping his chubby hands and pointing at you. “Bu-ee! Look, momma!”

“Yes, Ar’ika, momma’s gonna kick some s-h-e-b (ass), so we have to stand aside and let her do her thing, okay?” Din sighs, bouncing the boundless energy out of his toddler, getting a ‘Kay! and a grin from his son who’s currently munching happily on his small portion of uj cake, with that sweet tooth no one will ever doubt that he truly his momma’s son. Aranar is getting a lot of ‘copikla’ (cute) from every passer-by, enthralled by his mop of dark curly hair and his adorable toothy smile.

“I accept your challenge,” you smile, turning your saber on. The snap-hiss of lightsaber ignition rips through the air and Aranar whoops. “Bu-ee! Pu-pel!”

“Yes, good job Ar’ika! Momma’s laser sword is purple!”

“How many time should I tell you it’s called lightsaber.” Kryze sighs, holding her head in her hand. She insisted to come during their visit to the newly opened Sundari Market for this exact reason, security of the Ven’alor Mand’alor. “You married a jedi, osik (shit), you have two jet’ika.”

“Osik!” Aranar parrots, laughing without caring how his buir is going through all five stages of grief in three seconds. “Kryze! I swear to the Manda-”

Din is cut-off by the sound of lightsaber hitting beskar. You deflect blaster bolts with the force and hits the challenger on her pauldron. You swipe your saber low, aiming for her leg. She jumps and brings her other hand up, shooting grappling hooks out of her vambrace, straining you. You groan as you fight against the ropes until it budges a little, enough for you to slash it with your saber. You pull on the leftover rope, sending the challenger towards you and you punch her in the middle of the T-Visor of her helmet, sending her to the ground with a loud crack.

“That’s my girl!” Din cheers, earning snickers and adoration from the passer-by. Flustered behind his helmet, he nuzzles Aranar’s soft curls, pointing and narrating the fight to the baby. “That’s your momma, ad’ika. Isn’t she the best? Buir and momma will teach you just how to fight like that when you’re ready, ner ka’ra (my star). You’ll be unstoppable.” Din can't take his eyes off of his riduur (wife). You fight with grace, your steps calculated and you never miss your attack. Every hissing sound of lightsaber meeting beskar only adds to his love and adoration.

She shoots another round of blaster bolts and you deflect them all to the ground with the force, careful not to let stray bullets hit the crowd. You stalk over her, the tip of your saber dragging on the ground. You flick your hand and her blaster flies from her hand, crumpling in the air when you curl your hand into a fist and brings the tip of your saber up to her neck, so close to her pulse point. 

“Yield,” you command. She stutters, forfeiting the fight and scurrying back to the crowd.

“Anyone else want to challenge our clan?” Your question is met by silence and you smile, turning the saber off. Addressing the crowd to go back to their activity as the purple light disappear into the hilt of your lightsaber. 

Aranar lights up when he sees you, making a grabby hand and asking you for uppies. Smiling, you pepper the laughing boy’s cheeks with kisses and lift him up to your shoulder. Din leans his helmeted forehead to yours and leads his family away from the crowd.

“Hey, Kryze made Ar’ika swore back then.”

“By the force- Kryze!” 

Yeah, that’s my girl, Din smiles adoringly behind his helmet, taking your hand and lacing your fingers together before you can go smack some sense into Kryze.

-

[saylor-twift]

“Don’t tell me you’re one of those people…”

genshin characters i feel would be swifties!!

if you think i’m wrong, i do not care. 🩷

warnings: none (idk how this tag stuff works)

#1: Navia (obviously)

• One of my favorite parts of Fontaine’s release is how everyone went nuts when she came out especially on tiktok bc she gives such Taylor vibes. Navia Swift fr.

• The type of girlie who stays up till midnight whenever a new album is released so she can listen the second it comes out

• She def gives fearless and 1989 vibes, i firmly believe they are her favorite

• Her favorite songs are Style and You Belong With Me. You cannot tell me she doesn’t freak tf out whenever they play on the radio.

• She would absolutely have a taylor baking playlist for while she makes her signature macarons

#2: Nilou

• Listen to me when I say all dancers are inherently swifties (i’m joking plz calm down)

• As a former competitive dancer:

taylor swift across the floor is >>>

• She absolutely loves dancing to taylor!!

• I feel like she’s be a speak now and 1989 girlie. also definitely appreciates midnights! (i might only feel this way because she was released roughly the same time as midnights was and i just associate two and two together?? anyways..)

• If they went, I just know her and Navia would have the most gorgeous fits for the eras tour

• the type of girl to stay in the studio after rehearsal is over, just practicing and dancing for fun. she loves to improv and make combos, especially to taylor. (imagine her dancing to epiphany??? like?? absolutely stunning)

#3: Xingqiu

• just stay with me now- i don’t feel like he listens to her a ton, but since he’s such a little bookworm i feel like he loves her songs and lyrics with deeper meaning to them

• 100% a folklore/evermore/tortured poets kinda guy

• he’s the type of person who hyper analyzes the lyrics and deciphers all of the hidden meanings.

• he is no singer, but he has definitely tried his hand at writing taylor-esque lyrics in his free time.

• HUUUUGE fan of the folklore teenage love triangle

• #1 john mayer hater

• also definitely stans any songs that make fun of her exes

#4: Barbara

• now i would just be crazy if i didn’t put her here

• taylor was definitely one of her big inspirations for starting to sing

• makes covers of her favorite songs and likes to perform them along with her own originals

• i feel like she’d really be a fan of taylor’s older albums, specifically fearless and red (her fav song is 100% all too well 10 minute version)

• imagine jean and barbara sister bonding time while they do each others hair and listen to their favorite songs together! ughhhh so cute

• i also feel like jean is a taylor appreciator, but doesn’t talk about it much because she feels as the acting grand master she doesn’t really have the time for things like that

#5: Ayaka

• Similar to Xingqiu, I don’t feel like she’s an avid listener, but we know that Ayaka also enjoys poetry so i feel like she would really enjoy taylor’s lyricism

• loves songs like the archer and this is me trying (probably doesn’t tell anyone because sweetie is embarrassed, but i think she really likes some of the songs that are a little more sultry or flirtatious like dress and false god)

• after a long day of wearing her mask and presenting herself as inazuma’s noble lady like everyone expects, she loves to just relax in her room and listen to her faves :)

• yk those tiktok’s that are like: you’re pretty, pretty like (insert song)? she gives me that vibe but wildest dreams

Bonus: Itto

hard to say if he’s actually a swiftie or not, but i just think it’s funny because he reminds me of those videos of post malone dancing on stage with guilty as sin? in the background and he would totally do that 💀 i have a whole collection saved they are so funny to me

[boneblushed]

Mine (Taylor’s Version)

short n sweet + unedited xo Ri

“You’re lucky we weren’t together when Red Taylor’s Version came out,” you muse, your pretty eyes alight with mischief.

“Because you’d have asked me to fake break-up with you?” Rafe asks, though he knows the answer to his question already. He snakes his arm around your waist and hands you the purple concoction he’s created — expensive Prosecco with just enough soda water to fizz, an amaranth liqueur making it taste like candied grapes. You take a generous pull, feeling his hand slide up and cup the side of your jaw.

When he turns your head to his, it’s mostly for selfish reasons. He ducks down and gives you a slow kiss, his wet tongue pressing over yours steadily. “You’re right,” he breathes out, breaking away for just a moment. “Although, I was already prettily heavily in love with you by then.”

“It was two years ago,” you huff, as if that explains it.

Rafe raises his eyebrows. “And?”

You balk. “C’mon. You’re fucking with me, right?”

“You think it was a coincidence that I posted All Too Well ten minute version on my Instagram story the day it came out?” Rafe asks then, somewhere between amused and exasperated.

“I thought you liked Taylor Swift,” you reply, a little indignant.

“Oh yeah, love her,” Rafe nods, faux-solemn. “Especially Shake It Off. Love Story, too. Great songs, really…”

You roll your eyes and make to break away from his embrace, “If this is your way of telling me you aren’t going to listen to Speak Now Taylor’s version with me —”

“The opposite, actually,” Rafe interrupts, only tightening his hold in response. He ducks his head again and sponges a kiss to your neck, another to your jaw, a few more to your cheeks and nose, just enough to have you giggling and gasping for breath. “You know how whipped I have to be to cancel my Friday plans to listen to music I don’t like with you?”

“You like Taylor Swift,” you command, your soft voice still a little breathy.

“I like you,” Rafe corrects, angling away a little. “Love you, actually. Would do anything for you. Even,” he gestures around his living room meaningfully, decked out in Speak Now memorabilia and speakers galore, “have a 2-person Speak Now party with you, apparently.”

You grin up at him, fond and amused. “Simp.”

“Tell anyone,” he ducks his head to your earlobe, his rough voice raising goosebumps over the skin of your neck, “and you’re dead.”

“Oooh, I’m so scared,” you tease, pressing a kiss to his cheek, the stubble rough on your lips.

“You should be,” Rafe replies, faux-serious.

“What’re you going to do, Cameron? Put me on your Instagram story with Mine playing in the background?”

Rafe doesn’t sound as grim as he probably wants to when he replies, “You know I did that as soon as we listened to it.”

“Simp.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Rafe replies, nudging your drink with his own purposefully. “We going to keep going, or what?”

You fix him with a serious look. “You know once we’re done we’re just going to go back and reply, right?”

“I grew up with two younger sisters, baby,” Rafe replies, his handsome face full of mirth. “I know exactly how this goes.”

“Not to mention, you’re a swiftie.”

Rafe eyes widen, and he looks around mock surreptitiously. “Christ, sweetheart,” he hisses, feigning indignation. “Keep your voice down. I’ve got a fucking reputation to uphold, yeah?”

“Oh yeah?” You waggle your eyebrows, placing both of your drinks onto the counter to free your hands. As you pull him against you, your arms around his neck, his automatically encircling your waist, and you add, “I remember how it felt sitting by the water…”

“…and everytime I look at you, it’s like the first time,” Rafe murmurs back, any amusement fading away as his blue eyes deepen, his strong figure pressing you close.

“I fell in love with a careless man’s careful daughter…”

“She is the best thing, that’s ever been mine,” Rafe finishes, and then he pauses, his gaze ablaze with pulse-jolting conviction. “Although…”

“Although,” you repeat, voice weak.

“Enchanted’s a bit more our song, don’t you reckon?”

You crinkle your nose up at him, his words making your heart feel too large for your ribcage. “Yeah?”

“Oh yeah,” he nods, ducks his head again. “Freshman year: please don’t be in love with someone else; sophomore year: please don’t have somebody waiting on you; junior year —”

Your eyes widen. “That long?”

“Longer,” Rafe admits. Another pause. “I was enchanted to meet you, you know.”

You can’t help it. A peal of laughter escapes your lips, the sweetest sound Rafe has heard in a while. It’s just — this guy, six-foot-two with a football scholarship and shotgunning record, is quoting Taylor Swift lyrics to you like it’s the most natural thing in the world.

“If your team could see you now,” you tease, still swaying against him.

“They’d say,” he leans down, kisses you hard, “that I’m,” again, “the luckiest motherfucker on Figure Eight.”

[youunravelme]

drops of jupiter pt. 1

author’s note: this is not a super light read, deals heavily with depression, though it’s never explicitly stated. think liability by lorde/this is me trying by taylor swift. also, this was meant to be one part but it got very long winded so i’ll try to release the second part within the next day or so.

warnings: cursing, drinking/getting drunk, depression

summary: being friends with your ex wasn’t the dumbest thing you’ve ever done, breaking up with him took that slot.

prompts: “I thought I was going to lose you.” / “i just need you.” / “what the hell were you thinking? / “i don’t know who you think i am but i’m not leaving.” / “feel my fucking heartbeat right now and tell me i don’t love you.”

now 

you weren’t quite sure what made you have that difficult conversation with him. what triggered the need to end things and get out of dodge? maybe it was the look in his eye when you joked around with his brothers? or how he said i love you later that night? was it because you were the first phone call he made after every game? or was it the comment he made in passing about his mom asking about you?

the reason, at the end of the day, didn’t matter. because you broke up with him four months ago, watched the joy drain from his eyes, and then stupidly agreed to stay in touch despite knowing that would have to be the hardest thing to date that you’ve ever done.

which is how you found yourself laying in bed, staring at the ceiling fan go around and around with the same sad song playing in the background like you were in some shitty coming of age indie film.

if jack were there, he’d be in bed right beside you, stroking your hair and offering to change the song. but he wasn’t. because you pushed him away before he could see you devolve into a shell of a human being. he only saw glimpses of that version of you before you ended things.

the thing no one told you about breaking up with someone is that you don’t magically forget everything you ever knew about that person. you could still remember how jack took his mornings slow and easy, which brand of protein power he used, and if you tried hard enough, you could still smell the scent of burnt broccoli.

he still lived rent free in your mind, and no amount of alcohol would ever change that.

then

“i don’t understand where this is coming from,” he started. “i thought we were happy.”

you looked down at your feet. “we were, i was, but i don’t know. something changed.”

he nodded and clenched his jaw. “is there someone else?”

your head snapped up to look at him. “what?”

“is there someone else? do you love him? i know i haven’t been very present lately but i at least thought that--”

“no!” you cut his rambling off as soon as you found the words. “i would never. i could never.”

“then why?”

you threw your hands in the air before putting your face in them and collapsing on the couch behind you. “i don’t know,” you said. “i don’t know. i think something’s wrong with me. i should be happy but i’m not and i don’t know how to fix it.”

“we can fix it together.” jack took the seat next to you and pulled your hands from your face to hold in his own. “we can do it.”

but you shook your head. “i don’t think we can.”

“so what’re you saying?”

“i think we need to stop this.”

“as in break up?” you refused to look him in the eye, scared you might find tears, or worse, he might notice yours. “if you’re gonna break up with me, at least look me in the eye when you do it.”

so you looked up and found that your fears were correct. the tears in his eyes only served to make them more blue. “i’m breaking up with you.”

now

in hindsight, maybe going to a bar alone wasn’t the best idea. but when you and jack broke up, he took your entire friend group with him. not that you blamed them, they were teammates after all.

“back again?” the bartender greeted you as you sat down. “the usual?” you nodded instead of speaking, just looking forward to the burn of the alcohol.

she placed the shot down in front of you, and you knocked it back a beat later.

“fancy seeing you here.” you nearly choked at the sound of the voice. or was it the burn of the alcohol? you couldn’t tell. you turned your head to see a smiling nico leaning against the bar.

the bartender furrowed her brow and walked back over to you. “are you okay? is this man bothering you?”

you shook your head. “old friend,” you explained.

“and her drinks are on me tonight,” nico said before ordering you both another round. 

“what’re you doing here?” you asked.

he shrugged lightly and took the seat next to you. “didn’t feel like sitting at home by myself so i came out to the closest bar to my place. why are you here?”

what would you tell him? you drink to forget? to feel? “i also didn’t want to be home alone.”

he pursed his lips but didn’t contradict you despite his face giving away that he didn’t believe a word that came out of your mouth. “how have you been? it’s been awhile since i’ve seen you.”

translation: since you broke things off with his teammate.

you shrugged. “nothing much, just going to school and working. i haven’t really done anything important in awhile.” nico didn’t respond, just chose to keep staring at you. “what?” you asked.

“you don’t look alright. are you okay? do you need something? money? groceries? if you need something--”

“i’m fine, nico. besides...” you trailed off.

“...besides what?”

“you’re his friend, i don’t want there to be conflict between you two.”

he laughed, like a full belly laugh. “last i heard, you two are still friends.”

“i wouldn’t say that--”

“i would! and besides, any friend of jack’s is a friend of mine.” you sighed and picked at the grain of the bar top. “listen, if you don’t want to tell me that’s fine. but are you talking to anyone about what’s going on in that pretty little head of yours? you don’t seem like yourself.”

you met his earnest eyes and blinked back tears. “i don’t even know who that is.” and it was the most honest thing you’d said for months.

then

you sat in the chairs of prudential center staring blankly as your boyfriend warmed up. normally, you’d be staring intently at his smiling face, but all you could think about was the nearly failing grade you got on your most recent test. it was so bad your professor didn’t even hand it back, she just asked to “see you after class” where she asked if you were okay.

you were so tired of people asking you that.

winter was hard, but wasn’t it for everyone?

jack skated up to the glass and smiled, placing his hand on the surface. he didn’t say anything, but you could see the love all the same. you placed your hand in the same spot and gave him your best toothy grin.

it dropped the second he turned around.

you sunk back into your chair and waited for the game to start so you’d have something to focus on other than the gaping hole in your chest.

jack played well, scoring two goals and having a few assists here and there. the best part of the night was how happy he looked.

he’d be happier if you weren’t the dark cloud hovering over his head.

you pushed the thought away like you always did and met him after the game to say congratulations.

he beamed when he came out of the locker room, greeting you with a hug and a kiss. “have you eaten?” he asked, voice low enough just for you to hear. “dinner’s on me.”

“i--”

“hey hughes! let’s go out and celebrate!” nico called from over jack’s shoulder. “i could go for a burger and a beer right about now.”

“i was planning on taking my girlfriend out tonight--”

“no it’s fine, jack,” you started. “nico can come. i’d love the company.” and i’m too scared that you’ll see right through me.

he didn’t look convinced of your answer, but nodded anyway. “where do you wanna go?”

you shrugged. “doesn’t matter to me, you should pick.”

which is how you found yourself sitting in a random sports bar, watching as random men came up and congratulated your boyfriend and his friend. by the fifth person who came up to the table, you excused yourself from the table.

“you okay?” jack asked.

“yeah,” you replied. “just have to go to the bathroom.” you got up from the table and grabbed your bag just in case. it wasn’t that you thought someone would steal it, rather you didn’t trust nico and jack to keep a close enough eye on it and you’d seen too many apple air tag stories on the internet to be okay with leaving it unattended.

thankfully, the bathroom was empty, probably because it had seen better days, but that was neither here nor there. you took one look in the mirror before bursting into tears. you kept trying to wipe them away, but as soon as you did, more tears fell.

“what is wrong with me? get it together,” you whispered to the reflection in the mirror. you weren’t sure how long you were standing in there, wiping away tears until your phone buzzed with a text from jack.

you okay?

everything in you wanted to confess and tell him the truth. no i’m not okay. i’m having a mental breakdown in the most disgusting bathroom i’ve ever seen, i’m not even sure this sink water is clean.

but you didn’t. you couldn’t bring yourself to make him worry.

i’ll be out in a minute.

now

you and nico were stumbling out of the bar with your arms linked, giggling at something that definitely wasn’t funny. you weren’t sure how many you had to drink, but this was the first time you felt great in months.

“i can’t believe you said that to him,” you giggled.

“jacky boy was getting too uptight, had to loosen him up somehow,” nico slurred.

“why was he uptight?”

“you’d just broken up with him silly.”

oh right. 

you laughed.

“he should be here any second,” he said.

you stopped walking. “what?”

“well you can’t walk home this late and i can’t let you just take an uber. i texted him when you went to the bathroom.”

like he knew he was being summoned, jack pulled up in his car and parallel parked before hopping out. “you alright?” he directed his question to both of you, but his eyes were locked on yours.

“she needs a ride home,” nico said.

“looks like you do too, hischier,” jack replied. 

but nico shook his head. “nah, i’m two blocks away but,’ he leaned in and gestured for jack to do the same. “i think she needs a friend, she’s been sad all night,” he stage-whispered.

if you had any cares, you might’ve flushed with embarrassment and denied it, but the stars were out that night and you couldn’t remember the last time you got a good look at them. you were too busy gazing to notice jack look at you, and really look at you. it had been weeks since you’d seen each other, the last time being when you accidentally face timed him and he picked up immediately.

“you sure you can make it home in one piece?” jack asked.

“not my first time doing this, hughes,” nico grinned.

that didn’t seem to comfort jack any, but he let it go. “i want a text when you get home, got it?”

“yes, mom.” nico made a gentle attempt to pass you off to jack, but what he thought was gentle was more like a shove that ended up with your face in jack’s chest and his arms around your waist.

“i got you,” he mumbled. “let’s get you home.” he secured you in the front seat before jogging around the front of the car to get in the driver’s seat. he unlocked his phone and handed it to you. “put your address in.”

you shook your head. “i’m still at our place.”

he didn’t say anything, but you could feel his stare on the side of your face.

then

“guess we need to split our stuff up, huh?” jack said the morning after you broke up. he slept on the couch and ordered breakfast, getting exactly what you wanted. it was gonna hurt like a bitch to let him go, but it was what was best.

for him.

you sat at the kitchen table and started eating, waiting for him to start speaking again, a habit he’d picked up the past few weeks.

“i can move out, stay with nico or someone from the team until i find a place.”

you wanted to argue, wanted to be courteous and say you could do it, but you both know you couldn’t afford to find another place in such short notice. and with your lack of social circle, you didn’t have many friends who had room to house you.

“you can take what you want,” you mumbled. “doesn’t matter to me.”

if you weren’t staring at your food, you’d be able to see the pained look jack gave you. “none of this matters to you? we made a life here, and you don’t care what happens to any of it?”

you shrugged. “it’s just stuff.”

“just stuff,” he mumbled. “and i suppose what we had was just a relationship?”

your head shot up to look at his tear filled eyes for the first time that morning. “jack, i--” but no words came out. he even sat waiting for you to say something else before getting up from the table altogether and leaving you there.

you put your fork down.

you weren’t that hungry anyway.

now

jack slung your arm over his shoulder and walked you up to your second floor apartment. you dug your keys out of your pocket and shakily unlocked the door after missing the keyhole a few times.

if you were sober, you might’ve been embarrassed by the state of your apartment with the take out containers littering the coffee table and the unfolded blankets on the floor. you used to be the clean one in the relationship, now you lived in a pig sty.

but jack made no comment of it. he shut and locked the door behind you and propped you up against a wall so he could take off your shoes. he tossed them next to the door and led you to your bedroom. 

“why are you being so nice to me?” you asked as he pulled pajamas out of your drawers.

“put these on,” was all he said.

you changed in the bathroom and came out to him placing a glass of water and what looked like ibuprofen on your nightstand. “you never answered my question, jack.”

he looked up at you and sighed. “we’re still friends. friends do nice things for each other, right?”

“but i haven’t done anything for you?”

he shrugged and helped you into bed. “you don’t need to.”

he made his way to the door when you spoke up again. “jack, will you stay?”

jack sighed and turned around to face you. “i don’t know if that’s a good idea.”

“i promise i’ll be good. i just need you.”

“you have me,” he said. “i’ll be in the living room if you need something.”

you fell asleep shortly thereafter and woke up to the sun streaming through the blinds and your head pounding like a drum. the alarm on your nightstand read noon. you’d slept longer than anticipated. you took the ibuprofen on your nightstand and stood up, the night before coming back like a tidal wave.

i just need you.

you wanted to throw up.

but you walked into the living room, fully ready to do a little dance around the piles of trash, only to find it spotless. the trash was gone, the blankets were folded, it even looked like the surfaces had been dusted.

jack.

there was a little note on the coffee table with his handwriting written all over it.

i meant to stay until you woke up, but i had practice. hope you feel better. it was good seeing you last night. don’t be a stranger.

you were gonna throw up.

[sturniolocoded]

You Are In Love - 💙 Matt Sturniolo

The dimly lit room felt like a sanctuary, a space reserved just for us. Time seemed to slip away too quickly, leaving us in a bubble of our own making. Matt, with his brown hair, piercing blue eyes, and intricate tattoos, sat across from me, a small smile playing on his lips.

As we exchanged light-hearted banter, I couldn't help but feel a flutter of excitement in my chest. There was something about him, something magnetic that drew me in despite my best efforts to resist. His laughter filled the room, warm and infectious, wrapping around me like a comforting blanket.

A casual drive turned into coffee at midnight, the soft glow of the streetlights reflecting off the chain around my neck as he leaned in closer, his shoulder brushing against mine. It was a simple gesture, but it sent shivers down my spine, igniting a fire within me that I couldn't deny.

In the silence of the night, with nothing but the sound of our breathing filling the air, I felt it—the undeniable pull of something more than just friendship. It was in the way he looked at me, in the gentle touch of his hand as he reached for mine. Every brush of his fingertips sent a wave of electricity coursing through my veins, leaving me yearning for more.

Morning came, bringing with it the warmth of his presence and the promise of a lazy Sunday together. As we shared burnt toast and whispered secrets, I couldn't help but feel a sense of peace wash over me—a feeling I hadn't known in a long time. His laughter echoed through the room, a melody that I never wanted to end.

With each passing moment, I found myself letting go of my fears and insecurities, allowing myself to be fully present in the love that was blossoming between us. It was a slow dance of two souls coming together, finding solace in each other's arms. His touch was like magic, soothing away the scars of the past and filling me with a sense of hope for the future.

And then, in a moment that seemed to hang in the air like a delicate snowflake, he spoke the words I had longed to hear. "You're my best friend," he said, his voice filled with a depth of emotion that took my breath away. In that moment, I knew—beyond a shadow of a doubt—that what we had was more than just a fleeting romance. It was a love that transcended time and space, a love that would endure through every trial and tribulation life threw our way.

As we stood there, wrapped in each other's embrace, I realized that I had found my home—in him, in us. And as the world spun around us like a snow globe, I knew that our love would remain steadfast and true, a beacon of light in the darkness.

For in the silence, in the way home, with the lights out—we were in love. True love. And nothing could ever change that. Our journey together had only just begun, but I knew that as long as we had each other, we could weather any storm that came our way.

The lyrics of a song played softly in the background, echoing the sentiments of our love story. "You can hear it in the silence, silence, you. You can feel it on the way home, way home, you. You can see it with the lights out, lights out. You are in love, true love."

Each word resonated with me, a testament to the depth of our connection. We were dancing in our own snow globe, surrounded by the swirling chaos of life but unaffected by its turbulence. And as he held me close, I knew that I had found my forever in him.

As the days turned into weeks and the weeks into months, our love only grew stronger. We faced challenges together, weathered storms, and emerged victorious on the other side. And through it all, the lyrics of that song remained etched in my heart, a constant reminder of the love we shared.

Years passed, but our love remained unchanged. He kept a picture of me in his office downtown, a tangible reminder of the bond we shared. And as I looked into his eyes, I saw a reflection of my own love staring back at me—a love that would stand the test of time.

For in the silence, in the way home, with the lights out—we were in love. True love. And nothing could ever change that. Our story was written in the stars, a beautiful melody that would echo through the ages. And as long as we had each other, we knew that we could conquer anything that life threw our way.

[kylieswift31]

Today was a fairytale funeral

“I have this dream my daughter in law kills me for the money. She thinks I left them in the will.”

I recently made a post about Cinderella and how the inner version of Taylor became exiled during the fearless era, and then a few hours later Taylor sang 'today was a fairytale' and 'exile' during the surprise song set on the eras tour. The combination of these two songs reveal the contrast between the dreams vs reality that Taylor faced as a young woman entering the music industry.

This is going to be another long really long post, but it's worth sticking around until the end...

The fairytale

Taylor's earlier albums heavily featured fairytale themes, especially within the fearless era. The song 'today was a fairytale' originally debuted on the valentines day movie Taylor Swift featured in, with Taylor Lautner playing her high school boyfriend. This movie follows the journey of several characters simultaneously, revealing the connections between them all along the way.

When 'today was a fairytale' was added to the fearless tour in 2010, it was the first of several songs performed in a black and silver cocktail dress. The visuals in the background depict a forest scene, reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet sneaking away during 'love story'. Taylor also wears a very similar dress during the 'our song' music video as she's singing "I didn't kiss 'er and I should have".

Taylor also performed 'today was a fairytale' during the 2010 Grammys where Stevie Nicks joined her on stage. For this performance Taylor was wearing a blouse reminiscent of the Romeo look that’s seen on the cover of the fearless re-record. Notably, Eric Dane from Grey's anatomy played a famous football player for the valentines day movie. His character came out as gay during a press conference when many were anticipating his retirement. And at the end of the tour Taylor wore a patriots jersey for her performance of 'today was a fairytale' at the Gillette stadium.

Exiled

Following the incident with Kanye West interrupting her acceptance speech at the country music awards show, the speak now tour reveals subtle references to this negative experience and how it had affected Taylor going forward. The 'speak now' performance in particular features Taylor interrupting a wedding that’s taking place on stage as she proceeds to drag the groom into the crowd.

After losing him along the way, Taylor reaches a lone tree in the crowd. She begins singing 'fearless' on a ukulele with a brief cover of 'I'm yours' by Jason Mraz mixed in. "I won't hesitate no more." Taylor then transitions into playing 'last kiss' on the koi fish guitar. "When we say hello, and it's magical, we never imagine that hello could someday turn into a goodbye." The combination of all of these elements is a visual representation of the outer version of Taylor saying goodbye as the inner version of Taylor became exiled.

Fast forward to the release of fearless Taylor's version and we can start to see the evidence of this separation. The lyric video for 'today was a fairytale' is full of duplicated pictures of Taylor from the past, all with varying levels of saturation. This feels like an introduction to the layers of Taylor that have developed over time. The Taylor on the left represents the exiled inner Taylor who is hiding behind a mask. The Taylor on the right represents the outer version of Taylor that is acting as a facade to conceal the layers underneath, just like a set of nesting dolls. And the middle layers represent the different versions of Taylor that have been added over the years. No matter which layer you're looking at, it is acting as both a mask and a facade for the inner and outer layers on either side.

There are many versions of Taylor seen throughout her music videos. I began seeing them as a set of nesting dolls as a way to make sense of the many versions of Taylor we've seen over the years. And it was all inspired by The Truman Show. The director (director Taylor) created Truman as a true man (regular Taylor/Taylor ™), but he was acting like everyone else around him by wearing a mask (pop star Taylor) but they saw him as a character (giant Taylor). Truman lied to everyone around him to protect the inner version of himself underneath (inner Taylor). We all have differing opinions on who Taylor is underneath the pop star persona (straight, queer etc), but the secret to seeing the innermost layer of Taylor is to understand that the outermost version of Taylor exists too. Taylor has been directing herself in the sense that she's created her own layers, but keep in mind that she wouldn't be referencing Truman's story so heavily if there wasn't someone in her life playing this role too.

A cry for help

This was just supposed to be a brief post about the connection between the two surprise songs, but it felt like Taylor was leaning over my shoulder saying "you know this is about the Truman show too right?!" So if you haven't read this post about The Truman Show yet, I'd highly recommend you do so before proceeding.

It's no coincidence that Taylor has referenced Truman's story so much throughout her work because she relates to his story on a personal level. Truman kept talking about how he wanted to get out of town and travel to Fiji, each time forcing the director to retaliate by trying harder to make him stay in Seahaven and continue being the star of the show. Taylor's version of leaving town was leaving her old record label and her plans of going to Fiji was talking about wanting to come out as queer in a similar way.

The 'anti hero' music video is a direct reference to the scene after Truman's first attempt to escape. In hindsight, this attempt was set up to fail as a test run to find out what roadblocks could hinder his real plan to escape. Taylor left her old record label at this point, but her fight for her plans didn't stop there. The aesthetic of the lover era hinted at Taylor's big plans to come out at the time, but this was quickly sabotaged by the sale of her masters. Chronologically, this music video depicts the fallout from that experience.

Truman had slowly been drawing the viewers attention to the flaws and behaviour of the people around him. This gave the viewer a chance to pick up on the clues that he wasn't happy with living a life that had been scripted for him. His wife Meryl advertising a product while trying to offer to help him is seen as the final straw, but in hindsight Truman had known all along that this type of behaviour wasn't genuine. As Taylor cuts into her food, purple glitter begins to ooze out of the egg yolk. The way that the food is arranged as a smiley face feels like a metaphor for how delicate the facade is that Taylor has created to conceal the inner versions of herself. How someone looks on the outside doesn't always reflect how they feel on the inside. This is what Truman meant when he told the director that he couldn't see inside his head. Taylor is showing us that we only see the mask she's hiding behind and that the Easter eggs she's left along the way point to who she really is on the inside. We just need to view them through the context of the Truman show.

When Truman finally confronts Meryl she calls out for help even though no one else is around. It becomes clear that she is talking to the director who is in charge behind the scenes. Taylor appears to be scared as she tries to call for help, only to reveal that the cord had been cut. This suggests that the phone and house is part of a set and that the act of calling for help was just a visible way to show how Taylor feels on the inside.

Truman purposely escalated the situation with Meryl because it was a part of his plan to encourage her to leave. He couldn't progress to the next stage with her watching over him. Taylor also appeared to be scared because she was confronted with the ghosts of her past self. They follow her around the house, but the ghosts in the mirror imply that they've been there the whole time. Taylor's just drawing our attention to them now because she knows what will happen next. Both Taylor and Truman are wanting us to see the director's role in their lives because their actions have always had the same consequences.

To calm Truman down, his best friend Marlon is sent in to intervene. He walks in carrying a six pack of beer, his usual excuse to show up unannounced. When Taylor™ (the Truman version of Taylor) reaches the front door, she opens it to find the pop star version of herself. This appears to indicate that she has answered the call, but we can infer from Truman's situation that it's actually the director attempting to remediate the situation.

When Truman and Marlon get together, Marlon is subtly guiding Truman to follow the script the director has laid out. And at the same time, Truman is subtly revealing what he needs help with on the outside for his big escape plan. As the two versions of Taylor begin taking shots together Taylor™ becomes more in sync with pop star Taylor over time. This means Taylor™ is being guided, just like Truman was.

Dead inside

As we see giant Taylor for the first time she had interrupted a dinner party and the scene feels similar to when Truman tried to leave town on the bus. Truman was again drawing our attention to how strangely everyone has always reacted in his presence. In this case, the dinner party guests reacting to the giant Taylor could be a reference to her level of fame or her queerness. Either way, her size implies that she's the elephant in the room. An archer shoots her with an arrow and this shows that the giant Taylor bleeds purple glitter, just like the egg did. She attempts to drink from a bottle of wine but discovers it had run out. This is a reference to Alice in Wonderland drinking to shrink in size and suggests that the giant Taylor just wanted a chance to fit in.

Truman and Marlon found a way to communicate with each other very subtly in plain sight, to the point that it's undetectable unless you're looking for it. The pop star Taylor is doing the same thing, but in a way that makes it seem like she's teaching Taylor ™ bad habits. Taylor™ takes notes as pop star Taylor explains the rules she needs to follow to keep up the facade that is concealing the inner versions of Taylor underneath. This feels like a true man bootcamp.

Taylor™ eventually throws up some of the purple glitter, implying that this outcome was a part of their plan. This reminds me of the phrase that suggests to 'chew the meat and spit out the bones'. It has a biblical background to encourage discernment, but in this situation pop star Taylor is showing Taylor™ how to read between the lines in order to see the helpful advice she is sharing.

The old Taylor is dead

From the director's perspective, Truman was trying to escape because he had found out that his father was still alive. So to prevent Truman from leaving he reunites them. Marlon guides Truman to follow the script as they're reunited. This feels like the end of Truman's story as it cuts to the director's point of view behind the scenes but we eventually learn that Truman had been working towards a bigger plan the whole time. Pretending to go back to normal was a part of the plan to lull the director into a false sense of security, allowing Truman to leave when he least expected it.

A similar scene plays out as Taylor™ and pop star Taylor are reunited with the giant Taylor. With the added context of Truman's story, this now seems to be an attempt to placate them too. If we know that the pop star Taylor was subtly teaching Taylor™, we can begin to see the signs that they were both working towards a bigger plan. All we have to do to understand their motive is to read between the lines.

If you open up a nesting doll and put it back together again without the inner layers, you're essentially creating a horcrux. This is what happened when Taylor lost access to her masters and what the many versions of Taylor represent. Slowly over time she's been rescuing each layer piece by piece. And once they're all reunited Taylor will become complete again.

The koi fish guitar and the purple glitter are a clear reference to the speak now era, and the purple colour is often associated with queer women. These connections point towards the giant Taylor being associated with the speak now era. The director allowed them to reunite with the giant Taylor because she was the lesser of two evils for the director to choose from. The aesthetic of the lover era and the music videos that went with it appear to be a compromise intended to prevent Taylor from going after her bigger plan.

I mentioned earlier that the inner version of Taylor became exiled during the speak now tour. In hindsight, the red version of Taylor then became a decoy to draw our attention away from the speak now era so that we didn't realise that she was left behind. "'Cause you never gave a warning sign. (I gave so many signs) So many signs, so many signs. You didn't even see the signs." The tree where Taylor was exiled is featured on the cover of the book in the 'all too well' short film and the only lingering evidence of her existence is the red scarf.

The bigger plan Taylor™ and pop star Taylor were working towards was hinted at with the koi fish guitars. Pop star Taylor was smashing her guitar, drawing our attention to the speak now connection. This distracted us from the second koi fish guitar Taylor™ was holding onto, concealing their bigger plan hidden in plain sight. And it's all linked to the koi fish. In the 'lavender haze' music video, Taylor pushes down the walls of the bedroom to reveal that the house was all a facade. She then proceeds to go to sleep on a cloud while surrounded by koi fish as they swim by. This is a reference to the phrase 'sleeping with the fishes', a term used to imply a dead body had been dumped in the ocean. This suggests that Taylor™ and pop star Taylor are working together to rescue this version of Taylor. And how do we know which version is still missing? Taylor showed us with the midnight mayhem with me videos when she paired track 1 with 'lavender haze'. This implies that Debut Taylor is the original version of Taylor who is dead sleeping with the fishes.

The funeral

"And if I'm dead to you, why are you at the wake?"

Looking back we can see that Taylor Nation has been going live to draw our attention to the 'I don't wanna live forever' surprise songs, but more specifically the difference between live vs live. And just like Truman, Taylor™ doesn't want to be live forever, hence the funeral. Taylor's direct references to The Truman Show deviate with the funeral scene, but the main characters do correspond to Truman's family to draw our attention to their intentions. This means that Kimber is Truman's wife, Preston is Truman's mother and Chad is Truman's best friend. I've been going back and forth trying to decide if they could represent Taylor's family or herself, but ultimately I believe it's about fans. As the funeral starts, Kimber is using a selfie stick to fix up her lipstick. "Once you fix your face I'm going in". This action feels like the funeral is a big performance for her rather than a somber occasion.

Next, Preston gets up to read out the will. Kimber and Preston both sound distraught when they discover that Taylor left everything to her cats and all that's left for them is 13 cents each, but the delay in Chad's reaction suggests that he's not surprised but is playing along to keep up appearances. The 13 cents is a reference to Taylor's favourite number and a cent is typically a penny, but it’s also a unit of measure in music. I'm not familiar with US currency, but many versions of the penny seem to feature a shield. The inscription on them reads 'e pluribus unum' which translates to 'out of many, one'. This motto represents a union formed by many states. This implies that there is a maximum of thirteen versions of Taylor, and that once limit is reached they will reunite again as one.

As they continue to argue over the will, Chad and Preston point out that Kimber is wearing Taylor's dress from the fearless tour. She gets upset over this, claiming that "we were very, very close and I miss her!" Knowing that her character is referencing Truman's wife Meryl, this emotional outburst now feels contrived as if she's putting on a show.

The fight escalates when it's pointed out that Chad is recording the funeral for his podcast 'life comes at you swiftly'. This suggests that he's using the recording for ulterior purposes. The argument turns into a fight as Chad accuses Kimber of killing Taylor. "Kimber was the last one with her. She didn't fall off that balcony, she was pushed!" This implies that Chad knows more than he's letting on and is purposely escalating the situation to create a rift between them all.

If the cents represent a new era of Taylor, midnights being the 10th era suggests that they have almost run out. Therefore Kimber, Preston and Chad's disagreement and outrage is a genuine reaction to how little time they have left, not the money. While everyone is distracted, Taylor gets out of the coffin but no one notices because they're too busy fighting amongst themselves. This version of Taylor is wearing a teal and green shirt, colours associated with the debut version of Taylor. But if we've already established that the original version of Taylor is in the lavender haze, does this mean that debut Taylor is the original Taylor™?

Just like Truman learnt at a young age that he needed to fit in and follow the script like everyone else, Taylor did too. "When you are young, they assume you know nothing". If Truman was the 'true man', the more accurate description for Taylor would be the 'good girl'. All her life that's who she was expected to be so that's who she tried to be. Underneath that outer layer, is another layer, and another layer and so on of Taylor's attempts to be a 'good girl'. Each layer of nesting dolls may look identical or completely unique to the next, but in the end there's only one left that's not hollow at it's core. This is the innermost version of Taylor.

"Changed plans and lovers and outfits and rules.

All to outrun my desertion of you."

If Taylor learnt to conceal her inner self before debut, then each layer since then has been her attempt to replace the part of herself that was left behind. This suggests that reuniting all thirteen layers of Taylor was the bigger plan she was working towards all along.

The will to live

"But who got the beach house?"

"She's having it turned into a f*cking cat sanctuary!"

Taylor didn't leave her children very much in the will, but she did request that the beach house be turned into a cat sanctuary. It's common knowledge that a cat typically has nine lives, but knowing Taylor her cats would have 13 lives instead.

To tie it all back to the 'today was a fairytale' connection that started all of this, the thirteen versions of Taylor are woven together in the same way the multiple storylines of the characters in the valentines day movie tell a bigger story together. They each have a story to tell individually, but together their lives weave together to create a patchwork of who they are as a whole. Each version of Taylor is connected through the invisible string, and Taylor has left subtle clues throughout her career to guide us along the way.

Speaking of subtle clues, is there really a secret encoded message hidden in the funeral scene?

There is if you read between the lines!

Chad points at the picture of Taylor with her cats after he asked about secret encoded messages. Taylor overhears this and pokes her head out of the coffin before anxiously glancing at the picture of herself to make sure no one had picked up on her secret encoded message. These subtle actions link the picture that's just out of view at the same time to what they were talking about it. I know that this picture of Taylor with her cats is not new information, but I do think we have failed to uncover the significance of it.

To understand this picture we first have to consider Truman's motivations to leave Seahaven. If Marlon was guiding Truman to aid his escape, the director was using Meryl to prevent Truman from leaving. And the next step in his plan was for Meryl to conceive, give birth and replicate Truman's life in the spotlight. The idea of being responsible for another person living the life he had is what motivated Truman to finally leave.

Scott Borchetta and Scooter Braun had initially told Taylor that they would only permit her to use her older music or video footage within the first year after she left her old record label if she agreed to their terms. This included but was not limited to saying:

"If I agree to not re-record copycat versions of my songs"

This clause went against everything Taylor had ever wanted: to own her own work. Embracing the queer side of herself was a big part of Taylor's journey initially, but creating change for everyone following in her footsteps is her greatest plan above all else.

"You look like Taylor Swift™ in this light. We're loving it."

The long pond studio sessions begins with Taylor talking about how she had created a studio in her home called kitty committee studios while in lockdown. As it comes to an end, Taylor and Jack are talking about how her cats are often fighting in the background while she was recording.

"If I was to close the door on them, they would meow, so they need to be free range cats. Cage free."

Benjamin Button is Taylor's third cat, the one she received during the 'Me!' music video from Brendon Urie. This moment is monumental as it signifies Taylor owning her first album. The significance of this suggests that Taylor was never planning on coming out during the lover era, it had always been about wanting to have access to her catalogue.

"Hey kids, spelling is fun!"

There is no I in team, but "you can't spell cats without TS!"

What's the time Mr Wolf?

Truman's director was concealed within the moon structure he created in the sky of the dome above Seahaven. At the end of the 'karma' music video Taylor and Ice Spice both lasso the moon and saturn with gold and silver thread. This implies that there are two seperate directors influencing her actions from behind the scenes and that her plan involves stopping them, and not leaving her career.

"And you poke that bear 'til her claws come out and you find something to wrap your noose around."

We need to keep in mind that Taylor's references to the Truman show throughout her music videos are a way for her to leave breadcrumbs without leaving a trace. The purpose of this is to avoid directly naming names. And just like Truman, the whole point of the story was to slowly expose us to the director's role in her life. I keep referring back to Truman's story in the same way because there's so much of Taylor's personal life that we'll never be privy to, but ignoring the role of the director means that we're completely missing the truth sprinkled in amongst the lies throughout her discography.

"'Cause for every lie I tell them, they tell me three."

Taylor left many clues in the 'midnights mayhem with me'. But the biggest clue of all was hidden in the title. MMWM. For every truth Taylor has woven into her songs, she's covered it up with three lies. In a previous post I pointed out how Taylor had used the McDonalds slogan to troll everyone by linking her truth with the most recognised symbol of all, the M logo. "We're loving it." And it all stems from her favourite number 13. Believing that Taylor is singing about a Woman or Man depends on what side of the street you're standing on (and if you're looking up at her or looking down at her). If the 3 represents women, the 1 represents the fine line or tightrope that Taylor has had to walk as she added whispers of her truth in plain sight.

"Lost your balance on a tightrope. It's never too late to get it back."

The significance of Taylor's cats doesn't stop with her catalogue. I'll leave it up to your imagination to discover how Taylor has been using the word to troll the directors, but on a more serious note we need to take a closer look at the meaning behind "Karma is a (copy)cat". When Taylor was told that she couldn't create copycat versions of her work she followed that direction meticulously. But just not in the way you think.

"But the story isn't mine anymore."

Taylor didn't rerecord her albums, she just retold the story.

Losing the rights to her own history is why Taylor didn't hesitate leaving everything behind when she left her old label. Instead, she started telling her story in her own way. And lover was the beginning of retelling her-story from debut. Folklore is retelling the story of Taylor™. Evermore is retelling the story of the princess that became frozen in time from speak now. Midnights is adding context to her-story from red. TTPD is the reality of her time in 1989. And there is no TS12 because there will be no explanation. TS12 is the inner Taylor, Taylor Swift. Who Taylor is at 12am is the same Taylor that started at 12pm.

'e pluribus unum'

"Midnights become my afternoons"

But wait, there's more!

There are more layers to the clock than just the twelve numbers.

If the eras are the chapters of Taylor's story, the midnights track list is the manifest. This is the role Taylor played as her own director, or in other words the mastermind. The manifest is her evidence explaining why she created Taylor™. Each track lines up with the ending of an era, starting with the inner Taylor lost in the lavender haze. Debut is in exploring new love with maroon. Fearless is paving the way for Taylor™ as the anti hero. Speak now is exiled as Taylor™ in the snow globe/fish bowl with snow on the beach. Red is leaving the old Taylor behind with you're on your own kid. 1989 is in the getaway car with midnight rain. Reputation is dreaming of purple skies and galaxies with Question...? Lover is playing with fire in vigilante shit. Folklore is reflecting on the diamonds frozen in time with bejewelled. Evermore is preparing to cross the line with labyrinth. Midnights is weaving the invisible string with karma. And TTPD is providing the evidence of how the inner Taylor became exiled.

The next layer reveals the four quadrants, just like the midnights vinyls. These reveal the fantasy vs reality of Taylor's history. "One for the money, two for the show". If we look closely we can see the evidence that the two directors are scripting both Taylor's career and her love life. This is in the form of limiting her music and forcing her into PR based relationships. The first quadrant reveals the dream Taylor had of owning her own music. The second reveals how convincing PR relationships can be. The third quadrant reveals Taylor's plans to reclaim her life's work and history. And the forth quadrant reveals Taylor's current fight to experience a love life without outside influence.

"And I hope it's shitty in the black dog"

"Karma is a cat purring in my lap because he loves me"

Truman spent his life feeling trapped in his hometown as he kept the truest parts of himself hidden. So much of Taylor's music videos point to feeling the same way. On the outside she is projecting the good girl version of herself, but underneath she feels abandoned. And both are in pain because they have been exiled from each other.

Many of Taylor's albums are full of fantasy because that's the life she's created for herself to maintain the facade and the man wall is the remnants of her dreams. The only layers that depict Taylor's reality are the albums that correspond with her real cats in the picture from the funeral scene. During the lover era, Taylor assigned a cats movie character to each of her albums. The big cat in her lap is Benjamin Button. He represents Taylor's future with debut and lover. Meredith Grey is tucked in underneath. She represents the life of Taylor™ as speak now and evermore. And Olivia Benson is behind her. She represents Taylor's history with 1989 and TTPD.

The 'fortnight' music video was a stark contrast with the asylum feel compared to the rest of her discography because that was our peek behind the magician's curtain. It reveals that the deeper meaning behind the tortured poets department is that both halves of Taylor are being tortured. To understand the severity of this, we have to envision the clock as a globe. The equator becomes the fine line the inner and outer version of Taylor is walking along. Taylor™ is in the glass display box performing for the world to see. Meanwhile, inner Taylor is buried and exiled underground. The men in Taylor's music videos frequently represent the other half of herself. In reality, they are orbiting each other but never allowed to touch.

Taylor's end game is to break down the facade of Taylor™, remove the mask to expose her inner self and reunite the two halves of herself once more. After all, it's delicate.

The tortured poets department is called that because Taylor isn't the only tortured poet. So many artists and celebrities from the past have been tortured in some way. Taylor's not the only one that's breaking down their facade and this is what all of the willow orbs represent. It takes someone with enough power and attention to be able to create lasting change, and Taylor's the one that's going to change everything. In 'look what you made me do' Taylor is sitting at the children's table teaching them all of her bad habits. But we have to keep in mind that this is the pop star/anti hero version of Taylor.And her partner in crime is none other than Jack Antonoff. They've been sharing Taylor's tricks with the next generation of artists to prevent them falling into the same trap that Taylor did.

They're creating copycats of Taylor.

"Karma is a cat"

"Every bait and switch was a work of art"

"Karma is a cat purring in my lap because he loves me."

A tortured poet,

Kylie x

P.S. What's in the briefcase Taylor?

P.P.S. I know who the real muse is too hehe

[lfghughes]

Can I request a cute wedding/first dance moment with Nico using the song Timeless (Taylor’s version) (from the vault) by Taylor Swift?

a/n: to my trevor people don't worry we got dad content coming up in a few mins

Every moment of stress that you had felt leading up to this moment had been worth it. Planning this wedding had it’s ups and downs especially when your fiancé had a busy schedule and there were so many decisions to make. But everything ran smoothly and you both were finally here. You were finally married and now it was time to celebrate that with family and your closest friends. Nico was your husband and using that word to describe him was so weird but also your new favorite thing.

It was announced to the whole room that it was time for you and Nico to do your first dance together and butterflies floated around in your stomach. Before this moment the thought of dancing in front of everyone had honestly been a little nerve wracking but right now it felt like it was just you and Nico. You didn’t really care about much else other than him. Your song choice came on over the speakers, a song that you knew described your love for each other perfectly.

This song was accurate or you felt like it was because you knew that you’d marry Nico in every other life possible. That the two of you would have found each other no matter what and that this was a once in a lifetime kind of love. Your heart ached at the idea of not having Nico in your life and you could never imagine a life without him. He was your favorite person and you knew you were his. Your bodies swayed to the music, your hand in his as the other rested on his shoulder. He smiled down at you and you could see he felt the exact same way you did.

“You look absolutely gorgeous.” He whispered to you. It wasn’t the first time that sentence had left his lips today, this was probably the tenth time and you still weren’t sick of hearing it. Nico paused, nodding his head to something behind him. You turned your head but instead Nico helped you turn your whole body. His arms snaked around your waist as he pulled you in close to him but your eyes moved to the screens that were set up.

On the screens a series of photos of you and Nico started playing, photos you knew lived on Nicos phone so you knew he had created all of this to show you. With the music still playing in the background while your joined life played on the screens, you couldn’t help but get emotional as you watched your life with your soulmate. Your fingers went up to your face, swiping away the happy tears that had slipped out and you could feel the kiss Nico left on the top of your head.

As the slideshow came to an end, you turned back around to look at Nico who had the same teary look in his own eyes. Your hands went to cup his cheeks as you reached up to press a kiss to his lips. “I love you so much.” You told him as the song came to an end and the whole room clapped for the two of you. There was so much love in this room and so much love between the two of you. You knew that this love between the two of you was timeless just like how the song said it was and that he was all yours and you were all his.