#I could say it about the whole album actually

[forcaleb]

a picture worth sharing — caleb

warnings — fluff, childhood friends to lovers (kind of, it's implied)

notes — i think childhood friends to lovers is one of my favorite tropes in the books and fics // tags: @aomiiine @sydneybee @tojicide

caleb taps your shoulder, trying to show you a picture on his phone. “hey, pip-squeak, do you remember when-”

you quickly cut him off. “nope! no, i don’t. i actually don’t know what you’re talking about.” you turn your head away, refusing to look at his phone, already suspecting it’s something embarrassing.

“you didn’t even let me finish,” caleb says, a pout evident on his lips. “come on, i promise it’s something good. you’ll love it.”

“no way! the last time you tried showing me something, it was an embarrassing picture of me as a kid!” you grimace, recalling the picture of you crying because you fell off a slide. caleb had snapped the shot with your grandma’s phone before tending to your scraped knee. “i’m not looking at whatever you’re about to show me.”

“hey, i swear it’s nothing embarrassing this time,” caleb promises. “it’s actually a picture of us from your graduation day.”

that piques your interest. “huh? really? where? i haven’t seen my graduation pictures in so long.” you reach for caleb’s phone, but instead of handing it to you, he raises it out of reach. “hey! i thought you wanted to show it to me!”

“yeah, but aren’t you going to apologize for… whatever that was just now?” caleb raises an eyebrow.

you groan. “ugh, fine. i’m sorry for assuming you were going to be mean to me. forgive me? pretty please?” you give him the classic puppy eyes, his ultimate weakness.

“pip-squeak…” caleb sighs, shaking his head. “alright, i give up. here, look.”

he shows you his phone, and your eyes widen at the sight of the picture. it is a picture of you and caleb together during your graduation day. you stand just in front of caleb, your body angled slightly toward the camera. you are holding a bouquet of sunflowers in both hands, your face lit up with a warm, cheerful smile. behind you, caleb stands slightly to your side, his posture relaxed and confident. one of his hands rests gently on your shoulder, a subtle gesture of support and closeness. 

“cute, isn’t it?” he asks, grinning.

“how have i never seen this picture before?” you exclaim.

“well…” caleb smiles mischievously. “i made sure the photographer didn’t upload this to the graduation album. that way, i could surprise you with it anytime, like now.”

“wait, was it the photographer or one of your friends from the academy? i remember you coming to my graduation with a friend... gideon, right?” you ask, recalling how gideon kept teasing caleb about being so smitten with you.

“hm… well, it’s both, actually.” caleb points out. he swipes left and shows another version of the photograph. except, this time it’s a different shot. in this image, you are posing playfully in front of caleb, tilting your head to the side with a big, joyful smile. you raise one arm high in the air in an energetic and carefree gesture, adding a lively and cheerful tone to the scene. caleb stands behind you, his body angled slightly toward you, wearing a relaxed smile. his expression is calm and gentle, complementing your vibrant energy. “this is the one gideon took, and the previous one was taken by the photographer.”

“why didn’t you send these to me before?” you whine. “i could’ve used one for that empty photo frame I’ve been keeping in a box for a whole year.”

“okay, okay, i’ll send them now.” caleb chuckles as he opens your text thread and sends both pictures. “see? told you it wasn’t anything embarrassing.”

“yeah, yeah. i’m sorry for assuming the worst.” you apologize again, narrowing your eyes at him. “but from now on, you’d better send me any photos of us together. don’t you dare hide them from me again.”

“sure,” caleb agrees easily, his grin turning playful. “as long as i get to keep the silly pictures of you.”

“caleb! don’t you dare!” you shout, smacking his arm, while he laughs, clearly enjoying your reaction.

[foreignjaykay]

company (a jungkook fic)

part two - "better late than never, right?"

company - a jungkook fic

can we keep each other company?

their workplace was chaos, but jungkook made it fun. their camaraderie was effortless—until he decided to leave. no big deal. people quit all the time. so why does it feel like everything is about to change?

pairing: jungkook x reader

genre: r18+ (angst, fluff) minors do not interact!

chapter warnings/misc: workplace!au, coworkers!au, event planner!jk, event planner!oc, jk is not famous, angst, fluff, sad, crack, event planner!mingyu, bts in event planning company, unserious friend group, they are so silly and unserious, , ANGST, IDIOTS both of them, OBLIVIOUSNESS LMAO, yeah you might feel like screaming at the screen i know, i know

notes: hello everyone!!! sorry for the delay. here you go with part 2, i really like this one! things will only get more interesting as we progress further -evil laugh- no but seriously this whole fic is just like justin bieber's believe album. heard that while writing this part lol. we also meet a lot of new characters who are so dear to me! anywho, hope you enjoy this one <3

also here is company!jk’s visual vibe

moodboard • playlist • series masterlist

The moment you finished the texts that morning, you knew the office was going to be a whirlwind of chaos. And you were right.

As soon as you punched into the system, and opened the door, you could already hear laughter coming from the cafeteria.

Oh brother!

The 'Survivors' gang was already huddled around a table, with Jungkook right in the center, laughter radiating from him like sunlight. His eyes lit up the second they met yours, and before you could even think about slipping away, Mingyu—Gyu, as you fondly called him—beckoned you over.

“_______! Get over here!” he grinned.

You smiled lightly, already dreading what was going to happen however you nodded your head, and made your way to them anyway.

As you join them, a familiar warmth settles over you. Around the table were all the familiar faces who had become your second family: Mingyu and Shane from CS team just like Jungkook and you, Yuna, Dae, So-hee, Jimin, and Taehyung from design, Namjoon and Jin from production, Hobi and Yoongi from accounts, and Iseul from the same team. Each one of them held a special place in your heart, but after Jungkook, it was Mingyu and Yuna you were closest to.

The conversation buzzed with excitement, actually no, shock, as everyone bombarded Jungkook with questions about his new job, his plans, and his time left at the office. 

“No cause what the fuck were you saying this morning?” Yuna asked, remembering the conversation from earlier this morning. 

“Are you really resigning, JK?” Hobi asked. Just like you, they all couldn't believe it. 

Jungkook nodded with a wistful smile, the corners of his lips curve upwards slightly, but his eyes conveyed a hint of sadness, suggesting a mix of melancholy and acceptance.

So,” So-hee started, leaning back in her chair. “You wanna explain?”

Jungkook chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. “I mean… yeah. It’s happening.”

“Where are you even going?” Namjoon asked, arms crossed. “You never said anything about leaving.”

Jungkook exhaled, his fingers tapping against the table. “I got an offer to work on live concerts. Big ones. A-list musicians, full production scale, global tours. It’s what I’ve always wanted to do.”

Your chest tightened. You already knew this, but hearing him say it out loud made it real.

“You and _____ always talked about this,” Jimin murmured. You glanced at Jungkook as soon as you heard that and when you looked at him, you saw his eyes flickering to yours. An emotion you couldn’t describe passing briefly through his features.

“Yeah,” he said, softer now. “We did.” 

You noticed both Yuna and Mingyu glancing at you, and you knew exactly why. Yuna specifically was going to ask you about this later, and you mentally braced yourself for the impending interrogation.

“So you’re leaving because you finally got your dream job,” Yoongil summarized.

Jungkook nodded. “I didn’t want to do these luxury brand launches forever. The dinners, the red carpets… it’s cool, but it’s not my thing. Concerts? That’s different.”

“Shit, man.” Taehyung whistled. “I mean, I’m happy for you, but this sucks.”

“Who’s gonna get roasted in the GC now?” Shane joked, nudging Jungkook.

Jungkook laughed. “Oh, don’t worry. I’ll still be in the GC. I’ll be haunting you all from afar.”

Shane, Mingyu and you already knew. God, you still couldn't believe this news.

He was leaving.

You know it wasn’t supposed to be this dramatic but why did it feel so heavy?

You broke from your thoughts when your phone buzzed with calls and dozens of messages. 

“Guys, I gotta go,” you interrupted when you saw Jungkook animatedly describe his upcoming journey, holding up your phone. “Already getting calls.”

Jungkook’s eyes flicked to your phone and then back to you. “Oh, by the way,” he said casually, but his voice held that familiar teasing lilt, “Natasha asked me to shadow you for the Johnnie Walker Blue Label dinner tomorrow.”

You raised an eyebrow, a playful smirk tugging at your lips despite the sudden pang in your chest.

“Maybe this could be our last adventure?” he said looking at you, voice dipping a little. “Gotta make the most of my final days, right?” He added. 

You could feel the rest of their eyes on you.

Your heart clenched when he said that, but sarcasm was your armor. “Jungkook, you leave in a month. We still have Cartier coming up.”

He chuckled, the sound effortlessly charming. “Oh yeah.”

And for a second—just a fraction of a second—you hesitated, watching him.

And he watched you back.

But the moment passed, and you rolled your eyes. “Drama queen.”

His laughter, carefree yet tinged with something unspoken, echoed through the cafeteria. Around you, the rest of the group exchanged glances, picking up on the subtle awkwardness in the air. It was brief, fleeting, but undeniable.

And then you were gone, walking away with your phone glued to your ear, pretending everything was perfectly fine.

The cafeteria slowly emptied after the morning chaos. You had already left, phone pressed to her ear as she dove headfirst into calls for the Johnnie Walker event. One by one, the rest of the ‘Survivors’ gang filtered out, leaving only Jungkook and Namjoon seated at the corner table.

Jungkook sat silently, fingers tracing the rim of his coffee cup, eyes lost in thought.

“Thinking hard for someone who’s got a dream job lined up,” Namjoon teased gently, breaking the silence.

Jungkook blinked, pulled from his daze. “Huh? Oh... yeah. Just... a lot on my mind.”

Namjoon chuckled, leaning back in his chair. “Right. ‘A lot.’ Or maybe... someone?”

Jungkook’s brows furrowed, then softened as he followed Namjoon’s gaze. Across the glass partition, you paced back and forth, phone glued to your ear, animatedly sorting out last-minute details.

You have always been like this. Dismissive. Untouchable. And yet, here Jungkook was, wishing you’d just–

Namjoon’s question broke Jungkook’s train of thought when he asked, “You gonna miss her?”

Jungkook’s eyes widened slightly, the question catching him off guard. He opened his mouth, then closed it, taking a moment to collect his thoughts. “Yeah... of course. She’s my best friend here. And... well... my saviour.”

He chuckled softly, pulling out his phone and flashing the contact name — ‘Saviour.’

Namjoon observed him for a moment, the corner of his mouth lifting into a knowing smile. He didn’t say much, but the silence between them felt weighty, charged with unspoken understanding.

Jungkook glanced at him, confused. “What?”

Namjoon shook his head with a small laugh. “Nothing, man.”

Jungkook, oblivious, ran a hand through his hair and stood up. “I should get back to work.”

“Yeah,” Namjoon replied, eyes still watching you through the glass. “You should.”

As Jungkook walked away, Namjoon sat back, sipping his coffee, a quiet smirk playing on his lips.

You sat alone in the bustling cafeteria, the clatter of trays and distant murmurs barely registering in your mind. December’s madness gripped the office, with Natasha’s vacation leaving the team drowning in work. Even Jake Peralta’s comedic chaos on your phone screen couldn’t compete with the storm of thoughts in your head. And that show single handedly was there for you after your 5473829018393th break up with San.

Oh San.

You didn't like thinking about him. At all.

You were glad you were not in that mess of a relationship anymore. So toxic. The constant lying, manipulation and chea-

Oh no. You are not thinking about that.

It had been 2 years since you were really with someone. Enough time to heal, right?  Funny to think that after  you broke up with San, you  got the job here and met Jungkook and the rest of the gang. Work had also consumed you then and still does. It helped distract you from the pain you felt then.

You were glad you did.

Met them, you mean.

Your fingers mindlessly pushed your food around as you stared at nothing in particular. Jungkook’s words from the morning replayed like a broken record in your head. The brightness in his eyes, the laughter, the ache that tugged at your heartstrings for reasons you couldn’t pinpoint.

It’s just a job. People leave all the time. Shane, Mingyu, Yuna, and the rest of them will still be here. Nothing’s changing. 

The weight in your chest whispered otherwise.

Your phone buzzed, pulling you from the spiral.

yuna (work) [2:05 pm]: babe where are you?

you [2:05 pm]: in the cafeteria. whats up?

yuna (work) [2:06 pm]: we need to talk!

You sighed. Here we go. 

you [2:06 pm]: about?

yuna (work) [2:07 pm]: meet me at conference room #2 once you are done with lunch?

you [2:07 pm]: sure

yuna (work) [2:07 pm]: see ya!

You were already bracing yourself.

After lunch, you found herself pacing outside the conference room before finally pushing the door open.

Yuna sat cross-legged on the table, her usual grin replaced with a softer, more curious expression. “Hey, you okay?”

You raised a brow. “Why is everyone suddenly asking me that?”

“Because we care,” Yuna replied simply. “And... because you seem off. Jungkook’s leaving is hitting you harder than you’re letting on.”

You scoffed lightly, though your posture stiffened. “It’s not that deep, Yuna. He’s a friend. People leave all the time. Shane, Mingyu, you... you’re all still here.”

You could feel Yuna study you for a moment. “So, you're fine?”

“Completely fine,” You said, and nodded.

Were you really trying to convince her or yourself?

“Right,” Yuna responded, her tone laced with an almost imperceptible amusement. “It’s just funny how ‘fine’ people don’t avoid eye contact every time someone brings up Jungkook.”

You sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. “I’m just... busy, okay? There’s so much going on, and—”

“And?”

You bit your lip, deflecting. “Look, I’ll miss him, sure. But I’m not losing him. He’s a text away. We’ll still talk,”

“Of course,” Yuna nodded, standing up and smoothing her shirt. “If you say so.”

You narrowed her eyes. “What does that mean?”

“Nothing.” Yuna smiled slightly, walking to the door. She paused just before leaving, throwing a glance over her shoulder. “You’re so oblivious.”

“To what?” You asked confused.

“Exactly,” And with that Yuna is gone.

Your mouth opened to respond, but she was already gone. You stood there, confused and restless. Oblivious to what?

The office hummed with the quiet rhythm of the evening shift. The December chill seeped through the windows, blending with the glow of computer screens and the occasional click of keyboards. You returned to her desk after your client meeting, only to find Shane and Mingyu locked in a heated argument.

“Dude, I’m telling you, Die Hard is totally a Christmas movie!” Shane insisted, arms flailing dramatically.

Mingyu scoffed. “Just because it’s set during Christmas doesn’t make it a Christmas movie.”

“Next, you’ll tell me Harry Potter is a Halloween movie because there’s a troll in the dungeon,” You quipped, trying to suppress a smirk.

“Okay, but seriously,” Shane interjected, “___, back me up here. Christmas is all about family, redemption, and explosions—Die Hard fits!”

Mingyu rolled his eyes. “You just like explosions.”

Their playful banter made you smile, but it didn’t fully erase the weight you felt inside. Your eyes drifted across the room, where Jungkook sat on the worn leather sofa, focused intensely on his laptop. The crease between his brows, the way his fingers moved with precision—there was something magnetic about him in moments like this.

Why does he make this so hard?

An hour slipped by. Mingyu and Shane finally gathered their things.

“Don’t stay too late, ______,” Mingyu called out. “And JK, take a break from being a workaholic, would you?”

Shane and you chuckled.

“Later losers,” Shane joked, shooting finger guns at Jungkook and you. You rolled your eyes while Jungkook chuckled and gave him a mock salute.

The door clicked shut, and the office felt quieter than ever. Jungkook stretched, shutting his laptop and walking towards your desk.

“Long day, huh?” he asked softly.

You nodded, your gaze drifting to his laptop. Curiosity morphed into something heavier.

“Wait... is that your handover sheet?” Your voice cracked slightly.

Jungkook chuckled, though his eyes reflected something bittersweet. “Yeah. Better to start now than rush later.”

“Look at you being all prepared huh?” You said as a joke.

“Isn’t it too soon?” you added, forcing a laugh that barely hid the lump in your throat.

“Maybe,” he replied. “But... better late than never, right?” His smile was soft, almost apologetic.

You nodded and felt a weight settle in your chest.

“You okay?” he asked you gently.

Were you seriously this obvious? Well since childhood, your emotions always showed on your face. You just can’t control it.

These days it feels like a flaw, more than usual.

“Yeah,” you lied. “Just... you know, work. Event tomorrow and all,”

Jungkook didn’t seem to buy it, but nodded anyway. 

“Heading out? I can drop you home.” He asked as you saw him pack his bag and wait for your answer.

“No, I’ve got stuff to finish,” you said quickly.

“I don’t mind waiting,” he offered.

“No, really,” you insisted, eyes glued to your screen. “Go home, Jungkook.”

He hesitated. “If you’re sure...”

“I’m sure.” You said and gave him a smile. It wasn't sincere and he knew that. He didn't want to push it.

Things between the two of you have been a little awkward anyway. As he left, the emptiness felt overwhelming. Better late than never... you repeated in your mind, but it didn’t feel right at all.

The office was eerily quiet now, with only the hum of the air conditioner and the faint clicking of your keyboard filling the space. You leaned back in her chair, stretching, when your  gaze fell upon the corkboard in front of your desk.

Pinned right in the center was a Laneige-branded polaroid, its white sleeve bordered with the brand’s iconic blue. In the photo, you were  mid-laugh, eyes crinkling with joy, while Jungkook stood beside you, grinning mischievously as he held up bunny ears behind your head.

A soft chuckle escaped your lips, and before you knew it, you were  pulled into the memory.

The Laneige event was supposed to be smooth sailing, until it wasn’t.  Your eyes darted between your laptop and the large screen where the AV was supposed to play the brand’s latest product ad. Except, instead of the sleek, high-definition video, there was static. Then a black screen.

“Oh no, no, no,” you muttered, frantically searching your files. The sound team huddled around you, whispering about corrupted files and missing backups.

“I’m screwed,” you whispered under your breath, panic tightening your chest.

“Hey, what’s going on?” Jungkook’s voice cut through the chaos. He crouched beside you, brows knitted with concern.

“The AV—it's all wrong. Somehow the final version is not playing even though we did the tech check this morning. It’s not working, and the event starts in fifteen minutes,” you rambled, barely breathing.

“Okay, hey, breathe,” he said softly. “We’ve got this.”

He turned to the sound team. “Check the codec settings and reload the player. Sometimes it freezes with large files. Do we have the original file on a backup drive?”

One of the techs nodded, scrambling to connect it.

“____, check if the client sent any last-minute updates.”

You nodded, fingers trembling as she searched. “Here! The client sent a backup this morning.”

“Perfect. Upload it to my drive,” Jungkook said, opening his laptop. Within moments, he transferred the file, reloaded the player, and the screen flickered back to life with the flawless Laneige ad.

You exhaled deeply, your heart still pounding. “Thank you,” you whispered.

“Teamwork, remember?” he grinned.

After the event wrapped up successfully, the two of you found yourselves at the instant photobooth Laneige had set up for guests. Jungkook pulled you in, making funny faces while youburst out laughing.

“Smile!” he said just as the camera clicked.

The polaroid printed out, and before they could take another, Mingyu, Shane, Yuna, Namjoon and Jin jumped in, cramming into the frame, laughing uncontrollably.

Back in the present, your smile was bittersweet. You traced the edge of the polaroid with your finger, the weight of the impending goodbye settling heavily on your chest.

“Drama queen,” you whispered softly, echoing your teasing words to Jungkook earlier. But deep down, you knew—this goodbye wasn’t going to be easy.

Maybe he was the saviour all along.

© foreignjaykay

[thebvbbletea]

I love love love thamepo in general, and I know it's pretty soon to say it since they still have 3 more episode and maybe it would be change in the future, but I think this episode is THE episode to me.

Since the first time they showing us the mock trailer, I already in love with the whole 'idol couldn't date anyone, that they're betraying their fans' theme that they're bringing. This theme has been around so much, especially with k-pop idols, we seen how many of them has to let go their career & dream just because they're dating someone. Gmm already try to bringing it a little bit in only boo! And then deepening it in this series. ALSO I kinda admire how they're so brave to make the real active idol group acting out in the series instead of making a new non-existed group.

And I would never tired of saying this. But, idols are humans too. They have real feelings. They have real hearts. They could feel love & hurts. They could fallin love with other people just like us.

And the dialogue that strikes me the most in this episode is "what if someone really wants to be an idol? Aren't there any other choices for them about the rules", "per and I dating someone doesn't mean we love our fans less than before. What we're doing now, trying to keep the group keep going, isn't just for ourselves. We're doing it for our fans too", "from filming their documentary for some time already, I can tell no way they will love you guys less. Do you know why? That's because you're part of their dreams, their future and their lives. No matter if they're dating someone or not, without you, they won't be able to protect their dreams at all".

That 3 conversation sums all of the discussion about the whole 'idols can't dating' themes. The reason why they're been doing what they're doing, ofc beside because of the money (bcs let's be realistic), is also for the fans. And I also love how they also showing us how scary it is that people are so easy to attacking someone else, digging up their personal life & wishing them d*th just because they're dating the said idols.

By leaking idols private life, is not only damaging that idol life, but also their partner and other people around them. And just like I said in the beginning. Just because fans buy their merchandise, albums, participate in voting, streaming, it doesn't means you could literally buy and own them. It's fine to sometimes criticize them, WHEN THEY'RE ACTUALLY DOING SOMETHING WRONG OR CRIMINAL. But, punishing someone just because they fall in love with someone else it's truly not fair.

If you banned idol just because they're dating, then by that logic, shouldn't you be banning all people that dating right now? Because once again, idols are ordinary humans, just like us. With the three episode left, I really really really hope they maintaning this good storyline 'till the end. Because oh god, I don't know why but watching thamepo is doesn't feel like watching gmmtv production. It felt more deep, more soft and more high quality then their other series. AND I LOVE IT.

[deakyjoe]

Con Clavi Con Dio into Ritual into Elizabeth is insane track listing

[steinwayandhissons]

arctic monkeys and every time the word ‘love’ is mentioned

whatever people say I am that’s what I’m not

tonight there’ll be some love, tonight there’ll be a ruckus yeah regardless of what’s gone before

~ view from the afternoon

oh there ain’t no love, no montagues or capulets

~ i bet you look good on the dancefloor

all that’s left is the proof that love’s not only blind but deaf… yeah I’d love to tell you all my problem

~ fake tales of san francisco

she makes a subtle proposition, I’m sorry love I’ll have to turn you down

~ when the sun goes down

lady, where has your love gone, i was looking but can’t find it anywhere, they always offer when there’s loads of love around but when you’re short of some it’s nowhere to be found

~ no buses

well how can you wake up with someone you don’t love and not feel slightly phased by it

~ leave before the lights come on

favourite worst nightmare

it’s wrong wrong wrong but we’ll do it anyway cause we love a bit of trouble

~ balaclava

and those dreams weren’t as daft as they seem, aren’t as daft as they seem my love

~ fluorescent adolescent

there’s room for the trouble and there’s lovers to be had

~ this house is a circus

it’d be a big mistake for you to wait and let me waste your time, really love it’s fine, I said really love it’s fine

~ the bad thing

old yellow bricks, love’s a risk… houdini love you don’t know what you’re running away from

~ old yellow bricks

another roll around and another push and shove, further away from the idea of love

~ da frame 2r

the more you keep on looking the more it’s hard to take, love we’re in stalemate… you’re slacking love where have you been

~ the bakery

am I too quick to assume that the love is no longer in bloom

~ too much to ask

humbug

i had a hole in the pocket of my favourite coat and my love dropped into the lining

~ i haven’t got my strange

suck it and see

i wanna feel your love brick by brick

~ brick by brick

do you still feel love is a laserquest or do you take it all more seriously… when I’m not being honest I pretend that you were just some lover

~ love is a laserquest

your love is like a studded leather headlock

~ suck it and see

jealousy in technicolour, fear by name, love by numbers… crushing up a bundle of love

~ that’s where you’re wrong

before she showed you how to shake love’s steady hand

~ the blonde o sonic shimmer trap

your love’s not what I need, so don’t give it to me

~ evil twin

am

it’s not like I’m falling in love I just want you to do me no good… the look of love, the rush of blood

~ no.1 party anthem

love buckles under the strain of those wild nights

~ mad sounds

I heard that you fell in love, or near enough

~ snap out of it

love like locked horns, love like dominoes… love like thunder, love like falling snow

~ electricity

I know you’re nothing like mine cause she’s walking on sunshine and your love would tear us apart

~ you’re so dark

tranquility base hotel and casino

love came in a bottle with a twist off cap, let’s all have a swig and do a hot lap… but it’s alright, cause you love me

~ star treatment

when true love takes a grip it leaves you without a choice

~ golden trunks

pattern language in the mood for love

~ the world’s first ever monster truck front flip

I wanna stay with you my love, the way some science fiction does

~ science fiction

the dawn won’t stop weighing a tonne, I’ve done some things that I shouldn’t have done, but I haven’t stopped loving you once

~ the ultracheese

the car

lights out on the wonder park, your saw toothed lover boy was quick off the mark

~ jet skis on the moat

put your heavy metal to the test, there might be half a love song in it all for you

~ mr schwartz

[edge-oftheworld]

when I was in high school there was a tendency whenever there was an attractive boy to simply fan over him. in a way that talked over everything he might say for himself and created a narrative that completely ignored, the fact in some cases, that he was really struggling—or if he was struggling, to pin all the blame on the girl he’s dating and completely ignore the thousands of other factors (no it can’t be mental illness or unaccommodated disability or systemic abuse or exploitation and if he is in an abusive relationship we won’t ever consider the factors that put him at risk for that)

and I’m not saying this fandom is like that. I get the need for privacy around some things and how in public conversations sometimes it’s a lot more respectful to stick to the positives (everyone who does that, I admire you) or even the struggles that are talked about publicly, show respect by not reading too far into them. there’s a time and place for that. but sometimes I feel like our only options are shitty and ableist gossip or totally ignoring the systemic and structural issues we know exist in something like the music industry until someone dies and then we’re looking for someone to blame. friends, there is a point where the respectful thing is to listen to what someone says and come together to make things better. and you can learn how to have that conversation respectfully. please do

[yannfredericks]

being online rn is such a fucking nightmare oh my god!!!

[unproduciblesmackdown]

maybe bsol is that time jen tepper mentions when she was so upset about a review of a show of joe's that she broke a glass (&/or threw it out a window)

[louismygf]

girls when they just finished watching aotv

[alphalesbian]

Youll just be minding your own business when all of a sudden the inherant intimacy of solo instrumental music is realized upon you. Like youre just supposed to proceed normally after

[dragons-and-yellow-roses]

I was going to go to sleep early tonight but then I had to Google my most painful ex and listen to the entirety of Five Seconds Flat by Lizzy McAlpine. I may have to listen to it again, so it's going to be a busy night.

[afterglowsainz]

is it over now? | carlos sainz

pairing: singer!reader x carlos sainz

summary: you decide to release a breakup song on your ex boyfriend’s birthday, one year after the break up

fc: riley keough

warning: some grammatical errors in the tweets that i was too lazy to fix sorryyy

a/n: me??? writing a carlos fic??? the stars must’ve aligned

—

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f1gossip it’s been officially one year since carlos sainz and y/n y/l/n broke up

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username it’s been a year already?? 🤯

username nooo don’t bring the memories back 😭

username i’m never getting over this breakup :( they were so meant for each other

username i have no perception of time why did i thought they broke up like a month ago?

username and not one single breakup song from y/n…

username no i’m waiting for the album

username we really are delusional huh

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yourusername my favorite type of night 🖤🥁🎤

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username MOTHER

username best concert eveeeer

username and you know the one about releasing the album ???

username what a WOMAN ugh

username i don’t understand you carlos sainz

username how did he fumbled so hard 😭

username the aesthetic is everything

username so beautiful so gorgeous so ethereal

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f1gossip carlos sainz was spotted with a new date at the monte-carlo opens

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username uhhh ….

username i wish i could say “that quick?” but to be fair it’s been a year

username bestie weren’t you there after they broke up?

username he literally went on a date five minutes after they ended things 😭

username and he told you that personally?

username so it’s really over with y/n huh

username i mean … yeah!

username noooo lord please bring back the family as we know it (carlos and y/n)

username this is the worst type of news i could’ve got

liked by alexandrasaintmleux, francisca.cgomes and others

yourusername i hope you’re in the mood for new music … because my new single “is it over now?” drops today at midnight 🕊 thank you to my amazing girlfriends for writing this song with me and having the most fun at the studio

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username now that’s what i’m talking about

username new music at last omg i could cry

username okay but THAT COAT !!!!

username i need her whole wardrobe actually

username girl not on you ex’s BIRTHDAY 🤣

username dare i say … carlos song?

username crossing my fingers

username ohhh she knew what she was doing with this release date

username not only during carlos’s birthday but also right after he was seen on a date with a new girl

username i aspire to be THIS level of petty one day

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carlossainz55 really great weekend! thanks for the birthday wishes❤️

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username pookie how are we feeling after y/n’s song?

charles_leclerc happy birthday! wanna get three thousand takeout coffees? (liked by carlossainz55)

username i didn’t wanna get mad cause it’s his birthday but like …. i’m gonna need you to pay for your crimes mate

username no cause the song was crazyyyy

username “you search in every model’s bed for something greater” ma’am ???

username it was the “your new girl is my clone” for me

username “if she’s got blue eyes i will surmise that you’ll probably date her” ….

username carlos just answer the question

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yourusername forever in love with this city <3

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username MADRID 🤍

username my city my city !!!

username reyes liking this 🥹

username that’s her girl fr!

username sooo excited for tonight’s concert

username ahhh can’t wait to see her

username if she sings is it over now? tonight i might actually faint

username imagine her singing this at the city of the guy she wrote it for 😭

username poetic

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ynupdates carlos sainz was in attendance at y/n’s concert tonight in madrid

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username say again?

username he has two moods only: happy and confused

username what the hell is he doing there 😭😭

username does this means what i think it means ???

username ahhh the second picture is mine! it was so random to see him there haha

username girl if you don’t start talking right now !!!

username was he with his new girlfriend?

username nooo he was with his family only

username you really can’t make this up 😭

username he listened to that song and was ready to risk it all

username who wouldn’t!

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yourusername one of my favorite cities with one of my favorite crowds 🇪🇸 madrid you never disappoint 🤍

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username y/n if you’re trying to make me fall in love with you it’s working

username name a more iconic concert quick!

username literally the gold dust woman

username THE OUTFITS THE SETLIST THE LOOKS UGHHH

carmenmmundt 🤍🤍🤍 (liked by yourusername)

username forever obsessed with her aesthetic

username not to start anything but carlos liking this… 👀

username i meaaan the guy was at the concert …

username this night will go down in history

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f1gossip carlos sainz and ex girlfriend y/n y/l/n have been seen together recently in numerous occasions

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username of course they are going on dates OF COURSE THEY ARE

username and all it took was one year and a single song from y/n

username no bc i’m sure if she released that a year ago they would’ve been together by now

username so it was NOT over gotcha

username are we witnessing the comeback of y/n and carlos in real time?

username god i never ask you much but i’m asking you this one thing

username when ynupdates likes this so you know it’s serious

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carlossainz55 some people have asked me recently if it’s over now? the answer is of course not 😊

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username “some people” you mean your literal ex-girlfriend ???

username GIRLFRIEND NOW ***

username i can’t with the 😊 he thinks he’s so funny

username idk why they broke up in the first place but if all it took for them to get back together was y/n releasing a song and carlos going to her concert let me tell you …

username i think what really did it for him was the fact that she released it on his birthday 😭

username they’re just obsessed with each other i guess 🤷🏽‍♀️

yourusername oh i knew it wasn’t! just wanted to know what you thought 😁

carlossainz55 i love you let’s never do that again ❤️

username she’s so real 😭😭

username MY PARENTS BACK TOGETHER AT LAST💖

[littlemsshoney]

Hannibal falling in love

It is ridiculous how wrapped around your little finger he was.

From the first moment he laid eyes on you he found his new fixation. Every time you were in the same room with him his gaze was fixed on you, observing silently every detail, getting to know you before you were even introduced.

Of course he would be very careful, almost suspicious of any new person being added to his social circle. For a man obsessed with his social image he had to be cautious of any potential competitor and you were just lovely. So charming, well educated, funny, and polite.

He found you unusually enchanting. Of course he recognised your beauty but there was something less superficial about you that just pulled him in.

The feeling was known to him yet very rare as it never seemed to have a happy end. He knew he tended to be quite intense with his emotions and that never ended well so he promised himself it wouldn’t be that way with you.

It wasn’t long till you happened to be invited to the same dinner parties through common friends. How could he not observe you when you were sitting opposite of him only a few centimetre out of his reach? Every time you happened to talk he found the perfect opportunity to study you, the way you spoke, the way you smiled, the faces you made when you found something funny, stupid or ridiculous. You tried to be discreet not to offend anyone but he noticed, he noticed and he loved every expression your precious face made.

If you happened to sit next to him he would already know what perfume you wore, what scented shampoo you used everything. (And he wouldn’t mind doing some personal research about you beforehand)

With every joke of yours he found himself truly laughing and when you spoke his inner monologue quietened and he didn’t have to pretend to be listening because he actually did.

For a man like him who spent most part of his life stuck inside his head, building fortresses against the cruelty of people you quickly broke down everything while having him feeling so comfortable and at ease with you. You had him hooked.

Of course he noticed the way other people looked at you. Women and men with their envy and lust and he wouldn't be jealous if he only knew you were his.

During his sessions he found himself unable to focus on anything, his mind just replaying every conversation you two had over and over like a broken radio. Almost every night he was awake at the most unholy hours, his mind unable to rest and stop thinking about you. That was when he knew it was inevitable.

His insomnia and love for you he treated with writing love letters and sonnets, making sketches and drawings of you as he imagined you, all of them hidden and locked in the drawer of his office and his heart too.

Now not only were you dominating his every through but his whole life too.

He would take notes into his head of your interests and would say all the perfect things to keep you interested. What were your hobbies? Art, literature, music he would become an expert for you. He knew everything from Taylor Swift's latest album to the full analysis of your favourite poem. He would do and learn about anything you liked and was passionate about, just to keep you talking to him with that sparkle in your eyes. He could do it for hours, days and every minute for the next of his life.

I hope you don’t share your affections with anyone special because if he found out which he would, they would be the next missing person in town or worse.

When you became used to him and you got to know each other better he found his chance to invite you to one of his special dinners. Only that one would be even more special as you would be the only guest hence having his sole interest. He had one whole evening to amaze you with his culinary skills, deep, meaningful conversations about art, philosophy and life. At the end of the night he had you feeling it too.

And when the time came and you became his you and the whole world would see just how smitten he is.

He laughed with every joke, he listened to you carefully and everytime your name was mentioned he couldn't help but smile. Any little things that caught your eyes you would have and if you asked for the moon itself he would find a way to give it to you.

He didn’t mind, he actually loved it. That was love for him. He wanted to be your loyal servant and your beloved and feared god all at once. Could you give him this and he would give you the world.

If you didn’t however return his affections or god forbid you betray him that would be a very different and tragic(for you) story.

[vyva-melinkolya]

we all agree that the push towards short form, vertical video (tiktok/reels/shorts) is ruining fucking everything right? Tiktok has been useful for the dissemination of political information (e.g Gaza) i’ll give it that, but that feels moreso a result of meta and twitters algorithms being just a little *more*’evil and censor happy. And i want to make it very clear that my hatred for tiktok has nothing to do with the fact that it was a product of a Chinese company, because i see a lot of critiques relying on some sort of sinophobic conspiracy. On the contrary, it’s what tiktok has become in the vacuum of western popular culture and marketing that makes me fearful.

I know that every generation faces a new, polarizing technology and inevitably, there are those among said generation who will critique it. That is the nature of things. However, there is also something to be said about how, with the acceleration of technology (running parallel to the acceleration of capitalism, acceleration towards collapse etc), each coming generation faces an increasingly more malevolent “advancement”. TLDR, i’m going to talk my shit.

I’m going to speak on the aspect that is most relavent to me, as a musician. I am petrified by what short form video is doing to music and to musicians. I think that tiktok provides the illusion of making music and being a musician more “accessible” while actually pouring gasoline on the fire that the pop music machine had already started. Standards for what popular culture “expects” from music are being doubled and tripled. Let’s talk about song length. Success and marketability favoring shorter songs is not something new, it has been the trend for decades. But with short form video, it goes even further. You’re not just hearing the same song over and over on the radio, you’re hearing the same 15-30 seconds of the same song over and over again. This in-turn, starts to influence the way people write music, persuading people to make songs that *could* have that 15 second appeal. There is an art to pop music, there is an art to writing a catchy hook—this is something else. We weren’t meant to hear or understand music like that. There are so many songs from reels that i found annoying, until i heard them in their full context. It’s insidious. It makes everything feel like a fucking commercial, even if nothing is being advertised.

I’m going to pull directly from someone else’s experiences, someone who’s music seems to be everywhere on short form videos. The ambient musician My Head Is Empty has a hundred million streams on the song “i was only temporary”. Despite that exposure, they experience “never ending copywrite issues” and have “received death threats” by people who refuse to credit them when using their song. Pulling a quote here, from a comment on their own post

“vyva_melinkolya unfortunately it just gets worse. i saw a bot content page that steals pod cast footage and spams dozens of videos with my song stolen, comment on a "motivation" spam content , who actually made a post telling people the name of my song, and the previous page i mentioned, the pod cast spam commented on that video saying "Bro stop don't give out the sauce. this audio helps me pull numbers brooo" - so people are actively INTENTIONALLY stealing it and telling people to not credit me. like. u can't make this stuff up”

Beyond this, My Head Is Empty feels frustrated that despite all this exposure, the rest of their work (nine albums) as a musician remains under appreciated, and i think that frustration is 100% valid. People cannot fully appreciate music, or even understand it as a work of art created by another human, when it’s taken so far out of its context. Again, the soul being sucked out of art by “the machine” isn’t anything new but, this is a whole other level. Being a musician is more expensive than ever, streaming earns you fractions of a cent etc, it all feeds into itself.

When a song or a musician i love deeply finds its way on to tiktok (let’s use Duster’s “Stars Will Fall”, one of my favorite songs ever as an example)I am not upset that i cant “gatekeep” it anymore. I’m not upset by the idea of something I love and hold dearly finding a larger audience. I AM upset in the manner in which it is being disseminated. I’m upset with art I hold dear to me being chopped up and used as “trending audio”. When I saw Duster in concert recently, lStars Will Fall” was the song I was most looking forward to hearing. It was the last song they played, and it was the song seemly everyone chose to talk loudly over. The audience was mostly people my age and younger. This complaint might come off as petty or pretentious or cliche, i frankly do not give a shit.

Let’s talk about how musicians are expected to promote music on tiktok/reels. This is a matter of opinion, at the risk of sounding very pretentious: the “POV we are x band from x” “My label says i need x followers before x” “posting this video until c musician notices me”. I understand that some of it is in jest but, what the fuck? When did this become the norm? I do not blame anyone for promoting their music like this, but we should want more for ourselves. I’ve always said being a musician is deeply embarassing, inherently. If being a musician is inherently embarassing then what is this? I dont have a solution for this, and the music industry has always been ugly and bloodthirsty and seldom fruitful— but i feel like the very small amount of dignity we had as artists is now lost and I cant fucking stand it. Artists seem to promote the same single with dozens of reels over the course of months, hoping that something sticks. I dont want to sound like i’m shaming or, again, sound like i can provide a solution. I’m just very fucking sorry that it seems like this is “the way”. And personally, i’m scared that if i dont “get with the program”, im going to fail.

Again, all of this speaks to larger trends in entertainment industry and even larger trends in capitalism. But i’m just airing specifics right now because frankly? I cant take it anymore.

[chithereader]

you and me / aaron hotchner

word count: 1.9k

pairing: aaron hotchner x singer!reader , aaron hotchner x f!reader

genre: fluff, a little angst

cw: a lot of conversation, i went a little crazy i just love interviews like zane lowe’s!!! and soft aaron

a/n: this photo just makes me think of aaron waiting backstage for popstar!reader / singer!reader

and requests are open!! would love to know what you guys want to read ◡̈

You requested that the set-up of the interview be comfortable. You knew you’d be talking about your albums which are notoriously packed with stories and emotions, personal and imagined. Now what is more comfortable than your own home? 

When you were designing your home, you knew from the start you wanted a conversation pit. You’ve always dreamed of a house that screamed cozy and comfortable, warm and inviting. Even if it cost millions to make, you had no regrets. 

But aside from the occasional family dinners, your sunken living room was only ever used when Aaron and Jack sleep over, and you had a movie marathon night. You'd throw in duvets and pillows on the pit and bunch together whether it was cold or not.

So you thought this interview is perfect to justify your design choice. To use the conversation pit for actual conversation. Which brings you to now, sat across your good friend and favorite interviewer Zane Lowe, your previous and latest album being the topic of conversation. 

“Your previous album was– you know, I mean, it was–” Zane appears to struggle for a word to encapsulate one of the lowest points in your life. Fractured was definitely an emotional album to make and an even sadder one to listen to.  

“Depressing?” you jokingly say. Talking has always been so easy with Zane. He just has this air to him that lets you know he truly just wants to know you. You sit on the couch sideways, facing Zane. Leaning on the back rest with your elbow, head resting on your hand while your other hand fidgets with the tassels on the pillow. 

He laughs, “Well, you were definitely at a low point in your life romantically.” fiddling with his chin, thinking of his next words, “You just– I think you perfectly captured in your songs that sort of loss and tangible grief that comes with letting go of a person- not because there weren’t any love anymore but more because love just wasn’t enough to keep it going.” 

Remembering what had happened– the air felt thinner. Like it was getting harder to breathe. You had to remember that that point of your life was over. You felt such real pain that time, so much so that you struggled to function in your daily life. That void. That ringing emptiness. 

You’re brought back to reality by Zane’s voice, “Could you touch on how that came about?” 

You breathe out a small sigh and with a gentle smile you recall, “Yeah, uhm.. I was in this relationship.. which in hindsight, I’m so lucky to have been in. It taught me so much and truly made me so much more mindful I guess. I mean like, smarter? More conscious definitely of what goes into making a relationship work, and what makes it strong.” 

“But like you said, it ended because as much as we both wanted it to work, as much as we loved each other, it just wasn’t happening. And it was a vicious cycle that was tiring us out. We just knew it wasn’t supposed to be like that.” You pause for a bit, reflecting. 

Flashes of you and Aaron driving home in silence after a dinner at Rossi’s play in your head. You didn’t talk the whole night. Not when you were dressing up. Not in the car ride on the way there. Not when you sat down together. And definitely not when each of you were across the room, busy in separate conversations ignoring the glaringly obvious. 

Looking down at the decorative pillow in your lap, you start, “And I think that in my experience, that’s a lot more painful. I think that break-ups that happen when one hurts the other is somehow better because you get to hold on to I deserve better or like– there’s just thing like anger that drives you to move on.”

You’re taken back to that night. Coming home and feeling the weight of it fall on both your shoulders. You sat for hours in silence, holding each other. Knowing that when the sun rises, he’ll go to work, you’ll go on tour, and your little world will be put to rest. 

“But having that overflowing love for a person who is just not meant for you– I mean how do you tell yourself to let go? How can you even try to convince yourself ? Because people say so often that as long as you love someone there’s nothing you wouldn’t do for them and that’s true. I’ve been there, and even everything wasn’t enough. And that was something we really struggled with.” 

“Just admitting that we had to love each other from afar before we turned into strangers together.” 

It just didn’t make sense. The love you had for each other was real. It was deep and true, and neither of you had any doubt of what you meant to each other. There was no question of loyalty or trust. 

But the traveling, the conflict in schedules, the missed calls and messages left on read. You just became both so busy, you were worlds apart. It even reached the point that you haven’t talked for days and neither of you noticed. Or minded. You thought of each other, yeah. But there wasn’t that urge to reach out anymore. There was just… longing. 

–

“Which brings us to now. Your latest album Leftover Love– it’s a lot more hopeful isn’t it? I mean I’d even go as far as saying that it’s about falling in love all over again.” Zane sips on the tea you made him. Leaning over the makeshift coffee table to add more milk in there. 

You straighten a little. Mood instantly lifting at the mention of your favorite album to date. Images of the inspiration behind the album filling your head. 

Zane puts down his tea to gesture generously, ���And hearing it live, you could just feel it in the crowd– this kind of electricity. And because there’s no other way to put it– your songs in this album feel a lot like jumping and dancing with a partner in a room full of people and everything is just in slow motion. It’s like this sort of alignment or clicking into place, finding that one person that makes those small moments feel so.. big.” 

He put it perfectly into words. You had really hoped to relay through your songs the recent turn of events in your life. People who have supported you and loved you when you were at low points in your life got you through that, and you felt so strongly that they deserved to know and feel even a fraction of the happiness that you’re feeling right now through your new songs. 

“Definitely, I mean I’m so proud to say that these songs, even if they’re a touch fictional or exaggerated or romanticized– they are based on truths, on real things that have happened or are happening in my life.” You’re getting excited. Pulling the sleeves of your sweater to cover your hands until only your fingertips are visible– you place both hands down on the pillow as if bracing yourself for the climax of a rollercoaster ride. 

“The song Blindly for example, it’s about that feeling or like moment of realization that you’re just so crazy in love you’d follow this person anywhere blindly. I love that the sound’s so grunge-y and messy– insane. Because that’s literally how it feels to be in that whirlwind.” 

Zane picks up on your excitement, nodding at your explanation. He relaxes more into his seat and gestures to you, “It’s a good thing you mentioned that because I actually wanted to ask you why that song slows down at the end. I think that was such a unique and beautiful thing to do to the song and it works so well. But I just want to know what made you do that–” You’re biting your lip smiling, so proud that it was recognized as a conscious choice as a musician and artist.

Zane continues, “It goes from crazy drums and guitar, and the bass– then slows down into this almost hypnotic music box sound that transitions by the end into just this beat like a pulse.” 

Your smile grows bigger which Zane mirrors, “I’m so happy you picked up on that. I have to say that’s actually one of the songs I’m most proud of because it’s one of the first songs that I was heavily involved in the engineering of the sound.”

“But yeah I guess ultimately I just wanted it to mimic that transition from being in crazy love, tornado-esque to it literally settling into this beautifully calm and serene kind of love.” 

Zane listens intently, nodding and humming in agreement and knowing. Finally understanding the point of view from which the sound was created. He has this gentle smile on his face, almost of encouragement knowing you had more to say, 

“Like you go from all these dates and the honeymoon phase, and your heart’s just beating crazy fast all the time and then it turns into that steady murmur of your fridge in the null of the night when you’re baking muffins together in silence.”

You take a deep breath, chewing on the inside of your lip. Hopelessly trying to minimize the smile fighting its way on your face, “It’s just that process of someone becoming your home.” 

-

You're ushering out the last of the production people. Walking alongside Zane who’s the last to step out your front door, you give him a big hug which he returns warmly. 

“I’m so happy you’re happy,” he murmurs into your ear. 

You bury your face into his shoulder and breathe out a laugh, “Thank you.. Really.” 

You separate and smile at each other. Waving goodbye as he walks backwards to his car. You stand by your front door until they pull out of your driveway.

Once you see that your driveway is empty, you turn to your door and see him leaning against the doorframe with a smug, knowing smirk. 

Rolling your eyes playfully as you pass by him into your home, he chuckles. You hear his footsteps behind you and you know he’s following you around while you tidy up the dishes you and Zane used, “Aaron, take out the trash please.” 

This man just listened to you talk about him for hours. With headphones and a monitor set up in the other room– Aaron just got his ego inflated to a size so immeasurable he can’t hide his smile from the strangers beside him controlling lights and volumes. He has got to be humbled.

“Oh so I’m back to Aaron now?” He catches up to you, halting your movements from behind as he takes hold of your arms so you can put down whatever was in them. Then he turns you around by your shoulders so you’re facing him, grinning that smile that makes you go Fuck and then blank in your head.

“And here I was thinking I was home.” Aaron pulls you close, sliding an arm around your waist only to settle on your back as the other holds your hand against his chest, in between you. He starts swaying you both slowly as he buries his nose into the side of your head, humming a familiar tune. 

Kiss me once, then kiss me twice

Then kiss me once again

It's been a long, long time

Haven't felt like this, my dear

Since I can't remember when

It's been a long, long time

You'll never know how many dreams

I've dreamed about you

While he was listening to you go on about how you loved him all throughout your rocky start and even more well into the present– he became overwhelmed with the realization that for once in his life, there was absolutely no doubt in his mind that he is loved. Truly, deeply, and steadily loved. And that filled him with something that nothing and no one could ever define or measure. 

[woso-dreamzzz]

Mija's Halloween

Alexia Putellas x Baby!Reader

Summary: The twelfth of my Halloween-centric fics

It wasn't often that the staff let them have too much fun on camp.

There were breaks for team bonding and a few game nights but nothing like a party, especially not a Halloween party.

But the RFEF could be fickle at times and Alexia knew better than to look a gift horse in the mouth so just nodded along when the staff told her of their plans.

Besides, it just meant that she could finally dig out the Halloween costume from her suitcase and put you in it.

You'd worn it once before at the store to check it was the right size but that was it. The tags were still on it by the time Alexia puts it on you for a second time.

"Mija," She coos," Over here, look at the camera."

You do no such thing, looking down at the scary pumpkin face on the front of your body. Your little brow furrows in confusion as you touch it.

"Mija," Alexia says again," Look, it's our friend Bun-Bun!"

At the mention of your bunny, your head pops up and you watch as Alexia dangles your best friend behind the camera.

"That's it," She says," Big smile. Smile for me, Mija."

You giggle as she makes Bun-Bun do a funny dance while she takes enough pictures of you to fill a whole album before finally returning your bunny to you.

"Oh!" Alexia says," Big kisses for Bun-Bun. Does Mami get kisses too?"

You lean forward and give her more of a big wet puff of air than an actual kiss but Alexia accepts it all the same, finally placing the hat onto your head so you can be a proper pumpkin.

"Now," She says, as she changes into her own costume," You need to remember to laugh when you see whatever silly costume Tia Jenni is wearing, okay? Osita will be a fox like always but Tia Jenni will wear something silly."

You babble a bit back at her, chewing on Bun-Bun's ear until Alexia lifts you up and onto her hip, pointing at the mirror.

"We're pumpkins!" Alexia says," Can you say that? Pump-kins?"

You babble something that kind of sounds like that but also not really.

Alexia takes it as a win, kissing the top of your head before making her way downstairs to where the party is already in full swing.

Just like she predicted, your cousin Osita is dressed up as a little fox complete with ears and paws and a cute bushy tail that you briefly wonder if you can pull.

You don't get the chance to though because Alexia gently presses a kiss to the top of Osita's head and continues walking through the hall, bringing Osita back to Tia Jenni at the same time.

It's not difficult to find the others, hidden away in the corner like they're simultaneously too old or too tired to take part in the quite vicious game of Spoons that the younger girls are partaking in.

"Jenni..." Alexia says," Are you a...?"

"Fork? Yes, yes I am."

Jenni grins proudly back, hands on her hips as she shows off her fork costume.

"And the fox ears are because...?"

"Osita wanted to match." Jenni looks down meaningfully at the bottom of the table, where Osita has hidden herself away with some food and her IPad. "But I've had this fork costume for ages so we compromised."

"You had this fork costume...for ages," Alexia repeats, completely deadpan.

"Since last Halloween," Jenni replies, nodding like she's done something particularly impressive by not assaulting everyone's eyes with the costume until this Halloween has rolled around.

"Mija," Alexia coos, getting your attention again," Remember what I said when we see Tia Jenni's silly costume?"

She tickles your tummy and you burst into a peal of laughter.

"That's exactly right! We laugh at Tia Jenni!"

Jenni rolls her eyes as she gestures towards Irene.

"At least I didn't just bring a sheet and cut holes in it!"

Irene, dressed plainly as a ghost, shrugs.

"This party was very short notice," She says," They're lucky I went out and bought a sheet rather than just cutting up one of theirs. Besides, Matteo wants to be a ghost this year. We can match."

"Well, Alexia knows all about matching. Two pumpkins in a pumpkin patch," Jenni teases.

Alexia rolls her eyes. "At least I'm making my little girl's dream come true. Fox ears? Really?"

"Hey! Osita likes them! Besides, Mija can barely talk. How do you know matching costumes is what she wanted?"

You hear your name and lift up your head from where you're playing with Bun-Bun.

Tia Jenni and Tia Irene are looking at you but you look away because Alexia is looking at you too.

You lean your whole body weight against her, tucking your head under her chin and reaching your hand out to play with her fingers.

Alexia grins down at you. "I think Mija is very happy with our pumpkin costumes."

"I think Mija," Jenni says pointedly," Is up past her bedtime."

Your train of babble has slowed down now and you're more of less gnawing on Bun-Bun's ear like you do with your dummy sometimes.

"Osita too," Alexia says, spying the way that Osita is leaning more heavily against Jenni's legs," I think this is a bit too much excitement for them."

"Well I guess they don't want any sweeties then."

You don't know a lot of words but you recognise that one, blinking blearily as you try to sit up though Alexia's arms cuddled around your body restrict a lot of your movement.

Irene shakes her little bag of sweeties and even Osita pops her head up to take a look.

"Mami!" You whine, kicking your little feet when Alexia doesn't let you lean forward to collect what Tia Irene is offering. "Mami!"

Alexia laughs at the stubborn look on your face, cheeks puffed out in outrage before she finally gives in.

"Maybe we eat this tomorrow, Mija," She says to you as a big yawn racks your whole body," You're very sleepy."

Her finger swipes down your nose and you go cross eyed trying to follow it. Your eyelids feel all heavy and droopy and Alexia is so nice and warm against you.

"Well I think she's out for the count," Alexia says softly, adjusting you in her arms until your head is pillowed against her shoulder," I think I should get her to bed."

A content, sleepy noise leaves your mouth that has Alexia melting as she puts you in your travel crib, smacking your little lips together.

"Your bottle isn't for another few hours," She coos, stroking a finger over your cheek," And then we can cuddle in bed."

You make another soft noise and Alexia just can't help herself.

"You're right, Mija," She says," Let's cuddle now."