#I like red moon in Venus but to go from melting to fantasy - love that felt sacred/religious to completely ungrounded

[ghoulierstudio]

Drunken Babbel Kali Uchis > Kali Uchis after 2016 Period.

[mewyue]

nostalgia; 130 tracks, 7h26m. spotify & apple music & youtube ↳ note that some tracks may be missing or a different version from the original (e.g club ver, chinese ver) because of an exipiry of the songs liscence.

♡ girlgroup throwbacks up to 2017, enjoy! ♡ i like that - sistar / hush - miss a / sexy love - t-ara / vibrato - stellar / miniskirt - aoa / mr. mr. - snsd / thirsty - girl's day / dr. feel good - rania / eat you up - boa / wiggle wiggle - hellovenus / mamma mia - kara / short hair - aoa / eclipse - kim lip / lip 2 lip - 9muses / pandora - kara / expectation - girl's day / marionette - stellar / sugar free - t-ara / i'm ill - hellovenus / ticket - 9muses / you're pitiful - fiestar / b.b.b - dalshabet / confused - aoa / insomnia - stellar / step - kara / one more - fiestar / excuse me - aoa / sticky sticky - hellovenus / someone like u - dalshabet / hurt locker - 9muses / number nine - t-ara / up & down - exid / like a cat - aoa / madonna - secret / first love - afterschool / come to see me - jun hyoseong / something - girl's day / 24 hours - sunmi / wild - 9muses / fantasy - fei / cha cha - rainbow blaxx / ddd - exid / high heel - brave girls / dolls - 9muses / cupid - kara / whatcha doin' today - 4minute / excuse me - bestie / lonely - spica / i'm in love - secret / dressing room - afterschool / give it to me - sistar / touch - miss a / volume up - 4minute / we are a bit different - evol / black swan - rainbow / roll deep - hyuna / hobgoblin - clc / ah yeah - exid / a - rainbow / joker - dalshabet / i (knew it) - sonamoo / sting - stellar / every night - exid / automatic - red velvet / full moon - sunmi / kiss my lips - boa / turn it on - laboum / just go - rania / i'll be yours - girl's day / you don't love me - spica / a bad thing - purfles / only you - miss a / love options - bestie / friday night - sonamoo / find me - jun hyoseong / don't believe - berry good / yasisi - ns yoon-g / black tinkerbell - chocolat / i'm missin' you - d-unit / hot pink - exid / kill bill - brown eyed girls / remember - 9muses / mirror - fiestar / going crazy - kan miyeon / i'm a woman too - minah / talk that - secret / mysterious - hellovenus / so crazy - t-ara / i just wanna dance - tiffany / paradise lost - gain / kiss on the lips - melody day / sleepless night - 9muses / hot & cold - jewelry / bbiribbabba - narsha / this and that - f-ve dolls / miss u - tiny g / watch me move - uhm junghwa / lupin - kara / fingertip - gfriend / drama - 9muses / run devil run - snsd / hurricane venus - boa / sixth sense - brown eyed grils / i feel you - wonder girls / touch my body - sistar / give your love? - spica.s / into you - jun hyoseong / 10 seconds - aoa / nice body - hyomin / blood type b girl - blady / genie - snsd / what about you? - laboum / figaro - 9muses / domino game - kiss&cry / i got love - taeyeon / 1.2.3 - purfles / gun - 9muses / ring my bell - girl's day / i got a feeling - lodia / alone - sistar / secret - wjsn / melting - miss a / eyeline - afterschool / go easy - 4ten / glue - 9muses / closer - oh my girl / deepened - brave girls / pepe - clc / paradise - s.e.s. / free somebody - luna

[chunhua-s]

im gonna CRY, this is like the 3rd time im sending this: OKAY-- ushijima <33 and a royalty au maybe? whether he's the loyal knight or loving king, i will take anything <33 ily davi ur so cool and btw ur handwriting is SEXC

i’m putting the note at the end because really? they clog a lot of space 🧍🏽‍♀️

YOURS ➽ WAKATOSHI USHIJIMA X READER

genre: angst

au: royalty, time travel

warnings: uh nothing went as i planned for in this oneshot and i’ve hurt myself with it enough to the point of a headache :D

when you open your eyes, you’re greeted by the night sky, though there’s something about it that gives you pause. the stars above you aren’t the same ones from your city — the ones that could only hope to shine against thousands of bright lights. the stars above you are brilliant in their light, loud with a declaration of glory and untold miracles that flow across the darkest purples and blues of midnight in rivers of silver. they’re radiant, telling you stories of worlds far beyond what you could ever dream of, and they draw your breath on frost and smoke as it falls from your lips. and should you have asked yourself — where does venus hide among this canvas of light, where does her red outshine the bursts of silver, the trails of gold that glow brighter than the sun, you’d never find your answer.

“(y/n)?”

it’s hard for you, but you manage to pull your eyes away from the night sky, and when you allow them to return themselves to the earth, your breath escapes you once more.

he’s standing amidst an old garden, his face familiar while being like that of a stranger. under the moonlight, you wonder if he’s an apparition, merely a figment of your imagination that approaches you with slow, almost cautious steps. he calls your name again and his voice carries to you on a chilling wind, it ghosts across your skin and fills up your lungs with the oxygen you’d forgotten to take. olive eyes glisten like deep ponds when he finally stands before you, and as you seek out your voice to respond to him, you find that it’s lost its strength.

“ushi-... ushijima?”

and truly, the face that you see before you is that of wakatoshi ushijima. his hair, the shape of his face, and even his lips that now twist into something of a helpless smile. here is the man who you’ve worked with for so long as the dietitian of japan’s national volleyball team; the man who you watched grow through high school, whose transformation reminded you of a cosmos flower in autumn; the man whose smiles told of secrets shared on late phone calls and a voice as calm as the ocean waves at night.

and yet, there’s nothing here of that man you know.

the wakatoshi ushijima you see carries the same regality that he always does, the same grace and silent power that flows from him just as the maroon cotton flutters around his body like waves. he’s always been the perfect picture of royalty, you consider, but here, with assured steps and a certain hush to the normally domineering force he exudes on the court, he really does appear to you like an emperor.

he chuckles lightly, a deep sound that rumbles in his chest and travels through your entire being as his eyes search your expression. there’s something that glistens on starlight, a certain warmth that you’ve yearned for on your loneliest nights, when his gentle words would pull you into deep slumber. does he see the way your brows furrow, the way your lips part with questions you don’t even know the beginnings to? “i thought i told you to call me wakatoshi, didn’t i?” he whispers, his tone soft and gentle, careful just as the hand that reaches up to cup your cheek. your heart stutters under the brushes of his thumb, and you’re sure that he can feel the heat spreading across your skin. “what are you doing out so late? and barefoot, nonetheless.”

he’s right. your feet sink beneath blades of grass as if they would be embraced by them, drops of dew clinging to your skin and causing a chill to travel up your spine. looking into ushijima’s eyes, you have no answer — neither for his question, nor for this strange situation you’ve found yourself in.

with concern melting into his warm gaze, he studies you for a while longer, the thumb that had been rubbing circles into your cheek coming to a stop as he ever so slightly tilts your head back to meet his gaze. at the same time, he’s leaning his head forward ever so slightly, as if to meet you half way. “(y/n)?”

“i—” your words fall short, disappearing under the night air when you try and speak. your eyes fall from his patient gaze, and all your attention is given to the green grass that, beneath the starlight, gives itself to a colour you can’t find the name for. this, you’ve decided, isn’t your world. it can’t be — the stars don’t shine as brightly as they do here, and neither does the air encompass you as if it yearned to kiss your skin. and in your world, wakatoshi ushijima has never held you so gently, and his eyes don’t sing to you poems of a feeling lost on your wildest fantasies. you force air into your lungs when you meet olive hues and try your best to speak with a wavering voice. “ushijima, what’s going on?? i don’t— where are we?”

you see confusion etch lines around his lips and between his brows as he frowns. “what do you mean? we’re in the palace garden, of course.” he says it so assuredly, confident, yet his words are hushed in a secret shared by the both of you. and the way he looks at you, you feel terrible for not knowing that secret. it feels as if somehow, you’d betrayed something sacred by taking the face and name of someone he might hold dear — maybe in this world, in this time, there’s a you who knows ushijima’s love.

“i’m sorry...” you mutter out, guilt and shame unwarranted yet potent behind your words as your eyes lock with his. “i think there’s been some sort of mistake. i’m—” you force yourself to swallow, to breathe; you find that the task comes difficult and your body betrays you terribly. “i don’t think i’m the person who you think i am.”

ushijima’s gaze falters, the hand that had so lovingly warmed your face falls to your shoulder and his fingers grab on to you tightly. “what do you mean...?” there’s a bit of a broken laugh that bubbles from his lips, and to you, it’s as foreign as the night sky above you, because there has never been a time when you’d ever seen him so vulnerable, open, pained. it’s new, and it scares you. it makes you want to wrap him into your arms and to take back everything you’ve said, to selfishly become the person he sees in you — the you whom he loves and cherishes so dearly. “you’re you, aren’t you? you’re (y/n)... my (y/n).”

you shake your head weakly, tears lining your eyes as feelings you’d long since fought against begin to spill from your aching heart like rain. every i love you that you’ve ever whispered to your starless sky burns your skin and sets an unbearable fire alight inside your chest, and the smoke clouds your brain and makes you forget your reality. my (y/n), he’d said — he’d called you his, his (y/n), with all the certainty and confidence in the world, as if those words should stand as true as the moon should shine at night, and oh, how desperately you wished they were true. you wished with all your heart that you really were his. but to look into his eyes, so hopeful, so loving and so, so beautiful in the starlight, you can’t find it within yourself to lie. not to him, and not to yourself. and so you steel your heart and abandon those feelings, and you lift your hand to pull his away from your shoulder, ignoring the pain that could blind you from its intensity. “i’m sorry...” you whisper, and this time, the hushed words bring no secrets, no sweet affections or longings told when the night showers your bodies in silver. it tears you apart and leaves your wounds to fester. “i’m really sorry, but— but i’m not them...”

“i’m not your (y/n).”

chile im so sorry this took so long!! and uh.... see i originally started this oneshot with a cute idea in mind??? but 🤡 somehow it turned into angst and uh.... but anyways!! i had these two requests and i thought “hey, why not combine them!” and it was the perfect opportunity to push my emperor! ushijima agenda 🤩 well.... that was the original intent? but somehow i got sidetracked.... again.... and didn’t really focus on that 😗 in summary? nothing went as i planned for this oneshot and somehow i ended up with a short angst oneshot that could work for an entire plot. like deadass?? i have the whole thing planned out in my head already and i was tempted to go off on it but it would become too long and i wouldn’t have a resolution for it all... or at least not one that didn’t involve pain. so, basically, reader in emperor! ushi’s world would have been like a palace worker who grew up with toshi, and they’d have fallen in love, but it’s ✨forbidden✨ because toshi would have already had his s/o chosen for him. on the flip side, modern world reader is team japan’s nutritionist and they, similarly grew up with toshi, but they have feelings for him that they don’t ever let show because they’re worried that they would destroy what they have with him already. if i went on with the plot, it would have shown reader going about palace life and their interactions with toshi, along with a handful of challenges that they’d have to face. this idea was highly inspired by one of my favourite k-dramas, scarlet heart ryou (a really good watch i def recommend it) but yeah! that’s the end of my rant! (it’s not. i’m stopping myself because if i don’t i’ll never shut up about it.) but anyways!! i really hope you guys enjoyed this oneshot! it feels good to write something after a while — if any of you guys have any thoughts or anything i’d love to hear them!!

taglist: @aiiishiiiteru @tsumue @bootylikepeachy @waitforitillwritemywayout @mixxfi @shnnn @janellion

send an ask to be added or removed!!

[carrottuan93]

Haven’t met you yet | Mark

Masterlist (1/4) | part2 - part3 - part4

Starring: MK x You

Tags: Mark Tuan, Fluff, Destiny, Waiting, Christmas, Bookworm, Nerd, Love, Fate

Total WC: 2631

Foreword: You promise yourself you’re going to wait for the perfect love even if it takes forever but you’re already barging on it’s doorstep without even realizing that love has met you already in the first place.

It’s all about timing and seeking reassurance in all the right places.

It’s a chance you never want to miss and an opportunity that you wouldn’t trade for anything.

Learn to take risks and learn to fall in love along the way. Cause true love is patient and it’ll come when you least expect it.

Have you been good all year round? You never know what Santa has in stored for you this Christmas.

[Feel free to listen on the playlist that I made for this one shot :)))]

"Eunhee, I should probably take a break from your endless blind date setups. Nothing is working out for me, seriously." You heaved a sigh, slouching on the couch as you gave your best friend an exasperated look the moment you entered her humble bookshop. She's too excited for your love life ever since she and her long-time university crush Jackson became an official couple on your birthday when you celebrated it on Jeju last year. It was a really cold New Year’s Eve when you chose to reserve this romantic restaurant by the beach as the venue for your special day. Eunhee doesn't have any idea about Jackson's plan when you booked a flight to Jeju Island for a week despite the busy season. Since you wanted to play the fairy godmother role for the both of them, you saved Jackson from worrying and suggested that he'd do it on your birthday instead. And just like that, they spent the New Year countdown melting into each other’s puddle while greeting you a happy birthday. The things you do for your friend, if that ain’t salty for your part (it is, for being the third wheel), automatically elected you as the sole Queen of singles club after Neun’s grand exit.

 Since their anniversary is just around the corner, they are planning to spend it once again on Jeju and Eunhee, for being the supportive sister from another mother that she is, will surely drag you with them at all costs since it has been your tradition to celebrate New Year’s Eve with your best friend. She is dying to set you up with someone so you won't be celebrating your birthday alone anymore.

 "I'm sorry, Y/N. I thought you and my friend Hae In will work out. What happened by the way? tell me about your date." She sat beside your spot after closing the shop and did the honor of pouring you a glass of your favorite merlot. This girl knows how to calm you down for sure. I mean she isn't your best friend if she have no idea that wine is your comfort drink. For whatever reason it is, you don't know why it helps to lessen your loneliness by drinking the night away. Maybe knocking you down into a deep slumber and finding yourself completely clueless the next day, alongside the horrible hangover can patch up the painful truth that you are still single up to this point of your life. In addition to the earthly and God-sent smell of neatly piled books crowding the interior of her paradise, Eunhee's bookshop is your go-to place at all times. You used to frequent this a lot during your childhood days where you first met her and together you shared the same passion and love for books and wine through all these years.

 "He's too overrated for my type. Like I don't know why we need to talk about all of his exes and why his relationship with them didn't work out when we can sit and be comfortable with just talking about our interests, 'us' the present and not his past. He's a perfectionist per se and I don't like it when a guy shows disinterest whenever I told them about myself as some nerdy bookish girl who craves for a netflix kind of night compared to his ideal dream girl-next-door whom you can freely bring to a club the minute next." You look down on the red liquid in your glass, appreciating its refined and classic smell that is clouding your nostrils. You're way too excited to go home so you can finally sink on your newly changed bed sheets and savor the enticing smell of fabric conditioner which you cannot live without. You glanced outside the window, observing the couples walking together under the falling snow, as if Valentines day has come all of a sudden in the middle of December. Red roses are a popular gift for the ladies as you've observed and you cannot help yourself from wondering if someone will ever give you flowers on Christmas, particularly pink roses, which you really admire. You always dreamt of tending a bed of pink roses only for yourself because the sight of it makes you really happy. It's just unfortunate that they aren't in full bloom during this season that's why you can only wait for February to come so you could save the trouble of finding a lame date and just buy yourself a bouquet for Valentines. You can give yourself flowers and still feel like in a relationship with all the fictional characters on your novels. No one is stopping you from dating them in your mind, you thought.

 “Ugh I can’t believe that guy. I thought he’s a good catch but actually a bummer for real. Don’t worry, I’ll choose better next time." She gave you a warm hug, patting your head as you lay your cheek on her shoulder. She released you and you gave her an 'I'm-okay-don't-worry' kind of smile. And you sat there for almost an hour talking about your other failed blind dates in the past week that all belongs in either Jackson or Eunhee's circle. You have no idea why none of them matched your personality. Either they are too wild or too boring for them to function as your potential boyfriend. No one could really captivate your specific taste in a guy. It's not that you are too picky and have a high standard when it comes to scouting a lover. You just have your own preferences when it comes to choosing someone whom you'll devote your precious time into. No relationship is perfect because everything is built out of flaws, misunderstandings, heartaches and drama but if you'll enter in a commitment at least choose someone who's worthy of that pain. You aren’t getting any younger and all you need right now is someone reliable, honest and trustworthy enough to not waste your feelings and emotion. You need a serious guy who will not take you for granted and who welcomes the idea of settling in the near future. At least someone with a nice job? Or a bearable attitude, outlook and philosophy in life? He doesn't need to be the most handsome or richest guy in the planet. After all, you always talk to God about giving you with someone who will really love all your imperfections and flawed nature. You always pray to the heavens above that maybe he'll cross the mountains and bring you the moon and the stars like they always did on the movies and in stories but you're fed with too much fantasy and began to think that maybe the guy for you was rather inexistent or an alien inhabiting a distant galaxy located in a million light years away.

 "A break is all I need after all. I will be fine tomorrow at Christmas eve. Don't worry about me having a date on our dinner. I'll bring some macarons as an antidote for all things bitter for you and Jackson's couple party." It's your best friend’s first Christmas with her boyfriend that's why they are throwing a mini gathering for their family and close friends. You had this feeling that you will be the only one attending the party without a date so might as well go straight to the kitchen and grab a bottle of whatever wine you can get and spend the evening dancing on tipsy toes and the floor would be very much pleased to accommodate your drunken needs. But you will not gonna end up wasted on a party especially Eunhee will not be there beside you to take you home since you do not want to rob Jackson of his time with her. Their happiness always matters before you and that's what makes you happy, to see your best friend happy with the man that he really deserves.

 "All right sweetcheeks. We'll not let you feel gloomy on Christmas eve. Good girls get a reward from Santa so you have nothing to worry about." She gave you a wink and clanked your glasses in unison as you both emptied the bottle of wine to your heart's content. You both agreed to watch a romantic holiday movie over a shared furry blanket and hear out your friend as she talked to you mostly of his boyfriend, as if you’ve read a book about the guide to 101 ways on how to fall for Jackson. Maybe the love bug bit too hard on your friend now that she really has the man of her dreams right on her fingertips, she can’t ask for anything else. Their love story is too underrated and you’re one of the living witnesses that a coin is never wasted on a wishing well. If you only joined Eunhee on her wishing spree every time you both pass by your University’s fountain of love, your coin bank would have gone empty by now. But you didn’t do it and saved all of your coins for yourself cause you really enjoy playing basketball in the arcades for fun. For all you can remember way back in college days, your friend is just one of the many timid girls who are cheering and admiring the ever-famous fencing athlete, business student and heartthrob, Jackson. You have classes together with him and that is how your job as a love guru began. You really deserve a raise because you did succeed on making them a couple. You could set up a dating agency and earn better than your current job for all you care. But amidst all the love advice that you gave to them, you’re the complete opposite of a matchmaker. Because love never finds your way despite making love work for the others. Love is sweet but a bitch most of the time.

 If love finally came to Eunhee and Jackson, hopefully yours would come in a whirlpool, sweeping you off of your feet and rendering all the other love stories made in the history irrelevant. You love spontaneity and you’re up for the extraordinary. In fact, you already made a dozen of playlists on spotify and counting, awaiting to be dedicated to him. You may have weird habits, like using ketchup as a dip for your honey glazed donuts, and still act straight and sit the whole day finishing a book with your favorite espresso at coffee shops. You love taking midnight trips to the art museum and you wonder if he can appreciate the abstract the way it makes your soul come alive. You love travelling back to time and studying history and it would be a bonus if he’ll join you on the 3% mint choco enthusiasts in the whole world. And your list goes on and on and it’ll take a lifetime to introduce yourself to someone but you want to meet him soon. You can’t wait for that time to annoy the hell out of him and if he still chooses to come back after your endless nagging, that’s the time when you’re not gonna let go of him anymore. You know for yourself, you’re looking for an almost perfect individual but you’re ready to tear up your never ending list of your ideal guy if someone could really surprise you and made you want to look at the world in a different dimension. After all, an ideal can never be achieved in real life. You cannot make someone ‘the one’ but you can only search for someone and make them ‘your one’. Things may not come out the way you want them to be but things will work out if he’s your destiny. It might be hard to find the rarest form of love, which is true love, but you’re willing to go on a train trip bound to a destination you’ve never been to given that he’ll meet you at the end of the tunnel. Love isn’t hard. Love is supposed to be easy. You just need patience and it’ll come to you when you least expect it.

 It's nearing 11 pm already when you feel lightheaded because of your wine intake and maybe due to the fact that your early sleeping schedule has been breached by tonight's unfortunate event. You bid goodbye to your friend despite her invitation that you should just sleep on her place and decided to call for an uber to save yourself from zoning out like a zombie because you can no longer walk straight with your clouded vision. Eunhee lives upstairs her bookstore because she manages her family's business when her father passed away that's why she isn't living with you anymore. You've grown to be independent now that you're living on your own after sharing the same apartment with your friend during your university days.

 "Tomorrow night at 8. I'll text you the address. Don't be late, Y/n. Have a goodnight!” Eunhee tucked you up nicely on your seat and soon the taxi sped up passing underneath the city lights in the mood for the radio's yuletide playlist. You're a bit drunk to see clearly but you can recognize the faint Christmas lights flickering throughout the busy streets. In just half an hour, the uber came to a stop and you hopped off the cab as you made your way towards the entrance of the condo that you’re residing in. You walked past the concierge and romantic music is donning the halls screaming love is in the air but not for you cause it makes you suffocated. Inside the elevator you noticed that you'll join a couple on your way to a 5-minute trip to the 12th floor. You silently wished that nobody would enter in between floors so as not to slow down your fast lane to your unit or else it'll be another episode of 'You-are-single-fgds' slapping your face. Geez, you badly want a damn break but the couple is too absorbed in their own selves, doing whatever cringey couple thing it is behind you, so you chose to ignore their reflection on the elevator walls.

 God spared you for that ride and luckily you reached the 12th floor in the fastest speed possible. You walked in a crazy zigzag pattern when you reached the front step of your door and you held on the handle to prevent yourself from falling directly on the ground. Your eyes are zooming in for the door lock as you punch in your keycode multiple times and still wonder why the door isn't granting you any access at all.

 "The fudge why aren't you opening?" You tried all possible combinations already but to no luck, you are still denied. For the 10th time, the lock gave up on you and is now urging for a password reset when all of a sudden the heavens finally heard your prayer and the door automatically opened. You fell towards a pair of arms, as if on cue you are saved once again from falling directly on the floor. You grabbed on a pair of shoulders, and you felt like you've reached your bed already as your senses are welcomed with a lovely scent of fabcon, which for you is the sweetest scent in the world.

 "Hmm. I can finally sleep now." You smiled the moment you felt safe and secured within the parameters of what you think of as your bed.

"Wait, you cannot sleep on my arms." It's too late for you to wake up because you're already dozing off to dreamland.

"Oh shoot. What am I gonna do with you?" You barged into someone's room and you haven't had the slightest idea of what you'll gonna do the next morning when you wake up.

[bet-your-ash]

Prom

Cherry Tree: Prom About 2k words  Read the fic here, and other extras here! (and The Wedding here) 

Lilac was nervous. 

Sure, she’d thought about wearing a suit to dances before - rented one or two even - but she’d never actually done it. And wearing the suits, breaking the stereotype so boldly in reality and not just in daytime fantasies, was a whole different ballpark indeed. Hell, it was a whole different ballgame. 

But with Ashley behind her, cheering her on and hyping her up as she gushed compliments about her outfit, Lilac felt like she could just about do anything. 

She was reaching for the pastel purple bowtie she’d gotten when Ashley tapped her shoulder, wearing a bright smile. 

“Guess what I found,” she said slyly, holding her hands behind her back. 

Lilac frowned skeptically. “If you crack an egg on my head or something -” 

“How dare you think so poorly of me!” Ashley said dramatically, revealing a shiny blue bowtie from behind her back. Lilac scoffed, taking the bowtie and turning it around in her hands. “How did you find this? That was, like, ten years ago!” 

Ashley shrugged, taking it to gently place it around Lilac’s neck. “Can’t beat the classics, can ya?” she asked, smoothing her hands over the shoulders of Lilac’s jacket. “Looks great, Li,” she said quietly, half a smile on her lips as she met Lilac’s gaze in the mirror. “Really.” 

Lilac flushed, about to thank her when somebody cleared their throat from behind them. 

They both looked around simultaneously, Lilac’s blush only intensifying. “Ready to go?” Connor asked, leaning against the doorframe with a shadow of a smirk on his lips. “Yeah,” Lilac said, flushing when her voice came out as a rasp and repeating, “Yeah,” as Ashley did. 

“Wonderful,” Connor said, spinning around. “I’ll be in the car.” 

It was only then that Lilac noticed his outfit, and she glanced at Ashley with a grin on her lips, giggling when their eyes met. Connor was wearing a spiffy tux complete with a grey vest, shiny black shoes, and a large red bowtie. Best of all, a flat black chauffeur’s cap sat on his head, perched crooked just about his ears. 

“Where did he even get that thing?” Lilac asked through a laugh, and Ashley shook her head. “I have no idea,” she replied. “But I do know that I should probably get dressed… Meet you downstairs?” 

Lilac nodded, staring down the steps. “Call me if you need any help.” 

“Will do!” Ashley called. “Just don’t rip your pants or anything ‘till I get down there.” 

“But once you do come down, I have permission?” Lilac asked with a raised brow. 

“Oh, shush,” Ashley laughed, turning around to get into her dress. 

***

“Woah,” Lilac breathed when Ashley appeared at the top of the steps. 

Her dress was an orangey color, tinged with pinks and whites that looked like a sunset and only made Ashley’s natural glow that much brighter. Its hem floated just above the floor, and a diamond necklace sat on her neck above the dress’s sweetheart neckline. 

Connor shot Lilac a knowing smirk, and Lilac bit the inside of her cheek.

“I know,” Ashley said smugly, stepping carefully down the stairs in her heels. 

Lilac cleared her throat when Ashley reached the bottom of the steps. “You clean up nice,” she said casually. Ashley bit her lip, trying and failing to hold back her grin. “You cliche sonuvabitch,” she replied quietly. 

There was a beat of silence, and then Ashley held out her arm. “Shall we?” 

***

“You’re gonna get melted chocolate everywhere,” Ashley warned as Lilac opened a bag of M&Ms. Lilac opened her mouth to argue, but then paused when the glass divider at the front of the limo slid down. “Remember who rented this thing, ladies - if you get melted chocolate on these seats you’re paying,” Connor warned, and Lilac laughed sheepishly. “I’ll be careful.” 

“That is why Skittles are superior,” Ashley said cheerfully as she popped a few Skittles into her mouth and the divider slid shut again. “Let’s not even get started,” Lilac sighed, and Ashley giggled and stole an M&M from Lilac. 

Lilac scoffed. “Hey!” 

“Sharing is caring, Li.” 

“Hypocrite.” 

“Love you too,” Ashley replied with a grin. Lilac flushed, momentarily flustered before she got her head back and reached over to grab the bag of Skittles - “Hypocrites don’t get candy, Ash.” - right out of her hands. 

“How rude!” Ashley exclaimed, lunging over the seat to try and grab the bag back. 

Lilac gasped, startled, but managed to keep the candy just out of Ashley’s reach. 

There was a scuffle, laughter filling the back of the limo for a few seconds before, at last, Ashley was victorious and she snagged the bag from Lilac. But then she paused, frozen above Lilac as she caught her breath. 

They’d somehow ended up on top of each other, their noses so close they’d brush if Ashley would lean just a centimeter closer. And their lips, Ashley’s glossy with lipstick, could touch, if Ashley would just… lean… in… 

But she didn’t. 

Of course not. 

And she wouldn’t have, even if the car hadn’t stopped, even if Ryland hadn’t knocked on the window of the limo at that exact moment. That’s what Lilac told herself, at least, as Ashley gave a smug smile that almost bordered on a smirk before pulling away as if nothing had ever happened. 

“Ry!” she squealed, bounding out of the limo and into Ryland’s arms. 

Ryland Evans was Ashley’s date for the night. He was a junior, a little bit older than the girls, and a bit of a jerk. He was very fond of parties, paid several tutors of the drop-dead gorgeous female type for help in several classes (and ended up hooking up with the majority of them), and didn’t offer to pick Ashley up for prom. 

And sure, on principle Lilac was infuriated that the guy Ashley deemed acceptable for prom wasn’t even polite enough to do something as basic as drive her to the venue, but in reality, Lilac was more than ecstatic to spend extra time with Ashley. Especially on prom night. 

Regardless, that extra time was over, and now Lilac was left breathless in the backseat of the limo as Ashley skipped into the venue on Ryland’s arm. Lilac let out a defeated sigh, running her hands over her face exhaustedly. Despite everything, there was a small part of her that had been so sure something would happen that night.

Connor came around and opened the door again, ducking down to ask Lilac, “Hey, you good in there?” Lilac managed a smile. “Yeah,” she replied, “yeah, I’m fine.” Connor grinned and held out his hand. “Ready?” 

Lilac shrugged, looking down at her suit. The sparkly blue bow tie glittered up at her, and a grin curved her lips involuntarily. “Yeah,” she said softly. She cleared her throat and smiled up at Connor. “Yeah,” she said again, and she took his hand and let him lead her into the building.

Prom wasn’t as bad as Lilac was expecting. Connor sat with her almost the whole night, talking about anything and everything and keeping a smile on her face despite Ashley’s dancing with someone who was very obviously not Lilac right in front of them. 

It was almost too perfect. Ashley was there, so close yet so far, in her gorgeous sunset dress, smiling that adorable smile of hers, and Lilac couldn’t do anything about it. She just had to sit, and watch, as she flirted with Ryland and let him twirl her around the dance floor. 

Lilac lost sight of them after a while, and as Connor started to gaze wistfully at a group of his friends in the corner, she told him he didn’t have to sit with her anymore. He thanked her a bit sheepishly before running off, and Lilac decided to go and get a breath of fresh air. 

She was almost feeling better outside, leaned up against a railing as she let the cool salt air breeze over her. She pulled off her bowtie, smiling at the glittery blue fabric, and then sighed, sliding a piece of gum into her mouth as she stared up at the moon. 

Her peaceful silence was interrupted, though, when a couple came stumbling out of the building, giggling as they started to make out in a corner. Lilac rolled her eyes, debating whether or not she should go back inside or walk around outside, when something clicked. 

That was Ryland. 

Ryland fucking Evans.  

And the girl? 

The girl was not Ashley. 

No, she was about the opposite of Ashley. 

This girl didn’t have anything on Lilac’s Ashley, and Ryland was making out with her. 

Lilac spun around, pulling up her sleeves and squaring her shoulders as she stepped over to him. In retrospect, she probably wouldn’t have done anything even if things hadn’t turned out as they had, but in the heat of the moment, Lilac was ready to throw punches. 

“What,” she said, pulling his shoulder around so he’d see her, “the FUCK are you doing?” 

He had the audacity to look confused. “I - what?” 

“You think you can come here and disrespect Ash like this?” Lilac shouted. “Like hell you can!” She closed the distance, grabbing his collar and shoving him against the wall. “You bastard,” she hissed. 

“Hey!” Ryland yelled, struggling in her grip. “Hey, what the hell, bitch?” 

“You’re gonna -” 

“Lilac!” Ashley shouted from behind them, and Lilac paused, glancing back at Ashley. “This jerk was making out with her,” Lilac seethed, “and he’s going to pay.” She turned back to Ryland, pulling back a fist to punch him, and - 

“C’mere, fighter,” Connor said from behind her, and Lilac scoffed as he pulled her off of Ryland. “What are you doing?” Lilac asked incredulously. “Go back to the car, Li,” Connor told her, but when Lilac shook her head, still glaring at Ryland, Connor frowned. “Go with Ash, Lilac. I’ll take care of him.” 

“Fine,” Lilac muttered, shaking out her sleeves and adjusting her collar as she walked back to Ashley and grabbed her hand without thinking. “Come on, Ash,” she said, and Ashley followed her back to the limo. 

The car wasn’t too far away, and they watched out the window as Connor slugged Ryland right in the nose. “Jesus, dude, I’m sorry!” Ryland yelped, his hands over his nose as blood gushed over his lips and chin. 

“Damn right,” Connor said, flexing his hand as he watched Ryland run towards the parking lot. Lilac and Ashley waited in hushed silence as Connor got into the limo. “Let’s go,” Connor said quietly, and he let the partition slide up between them as he drove off. 

It was only then that Lilac heard Ashley hiccup a sob, and all of Lilac’s anger faded away as she looked over to see Ashley crying softly next to her. “Hey,” Lilac murmured, sliding over to put an arm around her shoulders. “Hey, you alright?” 

Ashley shook her head, looking up at Lilac with a small smile. “No,” she said, “no, I’m not fine, because - because my mascara’s smudged.” Lilac laughed a bit, wiping away a tear from Ashley’s cheek. 

“I spent - I spent hours on this, Li,” Ashley said, sniffling as she looked sadly at her mascara smeared fingertips. “I know,” Lilac murmured, holding her close as she cried. She hugged her tight, not caring about the dark makeup that would surely be staining her crisp white shirt, and whispered, “But you still look beautiful.” 

At that, Ashley giggled and smacked Lilac’s arm gently. “Fuckin’ sap.” 

“Shut up,” Lilac laughed. 

There was a beat of silence before Ashley turned to look at Lilac, smiling just a bit. “Thanks, Lila,” she murmured. Lilac smiled back. “Anytime,” she replied, her voice just a tad hoarse, because they were so close - again - and what if she didn’t imagine how Ashley’s gaze slipped to Lilac’s lips for just half a second? And what she just leaned in? And what if Ashley felt the same way? And what if - 

Ashley turned away, tucking her head into the crook of Lilac’s neck. 

Lilac bit her lip and watched out the window as they drove back home. 

***

🍒 la fin 🍒

and there’s that! hope y’all enjoyed that one... and btw lee writing this was like: 

nobody:  li: these fists are rated E for everybody

so there’s a fun lil tidbit for ya lskdfjldsfj 

anyway, there’s that! and if you’re confused abt the whole bow tie thing, that’s from last week’s extra, The Wedding, which you can find here! and as always, if you wanna be a gem, you can give us some feedback here. skittles or m&ms, anybody? 

but yeah! hope you guys enjoyed, and we’ll see you saturday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ciao bellas 💖

[emilestrange]

STORM THORGERSON

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Album Covers

10cc:

Sheet Music (1974)

The Original Soundtrack (1975)

How Dare You! (1976)

Deceptive Bends (1977)

Bloody Tourists (1978)

Greatest Hits 1972–1978 (1979)

Look Hear? (1980)

Mirror Mirror (1994)

AC/DC

Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap (1976) (international edition)

Alan Parsons:

Try Anything Once (1993)

On Air (1996)

The Time Machine (1999)

A Valid Path (2004)

The Alan Parsons Project

Tales of Mystery and Imagination (1976)

I Robot (1977)

Pyramid (1978)

Eve (1979)

Eye in the Sky (1982)

Ammonia Avenue (1984)

Al Stewart

Past, Present and Future (1973)

Modern Times (1975)

Year of the Cat (1976)

The Early Years (1977)

Time Passages (1978)

The Answer

New Horizon (2013)

Anthrax

Stomp 442 (1995)

Argent

Ring of Hands (1971)

In Deep (1973)

Ashra

Correlations (1979)

Audience

The House on the Hill (1971)

Lunch (1972)

You Can’t Beat ’em (1973)

Audioslave

Audioslave (2002)

Bad Company

Bad Company (1974)

Straight Shooter (1975)

Burnin’ Sky (1977)

Desolation Angels (1979)

Rough Diamonds (1982)

Be-Bop Deluxe

Drastic Plastic (1978)

Biffy Clyro:

Puzzle (2007)

“Saturday Superhouse” (2007)

“Living is a Problem Because Everything Dies” (2007)

“Folding Stars” (2007)

“Machines” (2007)

Only Revolutions (2009)

“That Golden Rule” (2009)

“The Captain” (2009)

“Lonely Revolutions” (2010)

Opposites (2013)

“Black Chandelier” (2013)

“Biblical” (2013)

“Opposite” (2013)

“Victory Over the Sun” (2013)

“Similarities” (2014)

Black Sabbath:

Technical Ecstasy (1976)

Never Say Die! (1978)

Brand X

Unorthodox Behaviour (1976)

Moroccan Roll (1977)

Livestock (1977)

Product (1979)

Do They Hurt? (1980)

Bruce Dickinson

Skunkworks (1996)

Catherine Wheel:

Chrome (1993)

Happy Days (1995)

Like Cats and Dogs (compilation) (1996)

Adam And Eve (1997)

Wishville (2000)

The Cranberries:

Bury the Hatchet (1999)

Wake Up and Smell the Coffee (2001)

The Cult:

Electric (1987) (credited on the picture sleeve as “Art Direction by Storm Thorgerson”)

Cochise

Cochise (1970)

David Gilmour

David Gilmour (1978)

About Face (1984)

David Gilmour in Concert DVD (2002)

Def Leppard

High ‘n’ Dry (1981)

Deepest Blue

Late September (2004)

Disco Biscuits:

Planet Anthem (2010)

Dream Theater:

Falling into Infinity (1997)

“Once in a LIVEtime” (1998)

“5 Years in a Livetime” (1998)

The Dukes

The Dukes (1979)

Edgar Broughton Band

Edgar Broughton Band (1971)

Inside Out (1972)

Oora (1973)

A Bunch of 45s (1975)

Parlez-Vous English (1979)

Electric Light Orchestra

The Electric Light Orchestra (1971)

ELO 2 (1973)

On the Third Day (1973)

The Light Shines On (1977)

Ellis, Beggs, & Howard

Homelands (1989)

Ethnix

Home Is Where The Head Is (2002)

Europe

Secret Society (2006)

Fabulous Poodles

Mirror Stars (1978)

Flash

Flash (1972)

Out of Our Hands (1973)

Foreigner

4 (Labels only) (1981)

Gary Brooker

No More Fear of Flying (1979)

Godley & Creme

Freeze Frame (1979)

The Gods

Genesis (1968)

To Samuel a Son (1969)

Genesis

The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (1974)

A Trick of the Tail (1976)

Wind & Wuthering (1976)

…And Then There Were Three… (1978)

The Greatest Show on Earth

Horizons (1970)

The Going’s Easy (1970)

The Greatest Show on Earth (1975)

Greg Friedman

Can’t Talk Now (2013)

goodbyemotel

If (2014)

Goose

Synrise (2012)

Helloween

Pink Bubbles Go Ape (1991)

Herman Rarebell

Nip in the Bud (1981)

Humble Pie

Town and Country (1969)

Thunderbox (1974)

Ian Dury and The Blockheads

Mr. Love Pants (1998)

John Wetton

Caught in the Crossfire (1980)

Korda Marshall

Now We Breathe (2015)

Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin (1969)

Houses of the Holy (1973)

Presence (1976)

The Song Remains the Same (1976)

In Through the Out Door (1979)

Coda (1982)

Leisure Cruise

Leisure Cruise (2014)

Leo Sayer

Living in a Fantasy (1980)

The Mars Volta:

De-Loused in the Comatorium (2003)

“Inertiatic ESP” single (2003)

“Televators” single (2003)

Frances the Mute (2005)

“The Widow” single (2005)

Amputechture (2006) (original artwork)

Megadeth:

Rude Awakening DVD (2002)

Mick Taylor

Mick Taylor (1979)

Mike Oldfield

Earth Moving (1989)

Earth Moving single (1989)

Mike Rutherford

Smallcreep’s Day (1980)

Muse:

Absolution (2003)

“Butterflies and Hurricanes” single (2004)

Black Holes and Revelations (2006)

“Uprising” single (2009)

Nazareth

Rampant (1974)

Close Enough for Rock ‘n’ Roll (1976)

The Nice

Five Bridges (1970)

Elegy (1971)

Autumn ’67 – Spring ’68 (1972)

Nick Mason

Fictitious Sports (1981)

O.A.R.

Stories of a Stranger (2005)

The Offspring

Splinter (2003)

Paul McCartney

Tug of War (1982)

Peter Gabriel:

Peter Gabriel (1977) (“Car”)

Peter Gabriel (1978) (“Scratch”)

Peter Gabriel (1980) (“Melt”)

Pendulum

Immersion (2010)

Phish

Slip Stitch and Pass (1997)

The Pineapple Thief

Someone Here Is Missing (2010)

Pink Floyd:[20]

A Saucerful of Secrets (1968)

More (1969)

Ummagumma (1969)

Atom Heart Mother (1970)

Meddle (1971)

Obscured by Clouds (1972)

The Dark Side of the Moon (1973)

A Nice Pair (1973)

Wish You Were Here (1975)

Animals (1977)

A Collection of Great Dance Songs (1981)

A Momentary Lapse of Reason (1987)[10]

Delicate Sound of Thunder (1988)

Shine On (1992)[10]

The Division Bell (1994)

P*U*L*S*E (1995), including the blinking LED light that was featured in early CD packaging.[21]

Relics re-release (1996)

Is There Anybody Out There? The Wall Live 1980–81(2000)

Echoes: The Best of Pink Floyd (2001)

Oh, by the Way (2007)

The Best of Pink Floyd: A Foot in the Door (2011)

The Plea

The Dreamers Stadium (2012)[22]

The Police

“De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da” (single) (1980)

Powderfinger

Golden Rule (2009)

Pretty Things

Parachute (1970)

Freeway Madness (1972)

Silk Torpedo (1974)

Savage Eye (1976)

Cross Talk (1980)

Program the Dead

Program The Dead (2005)

Quatermass

Quatermass (1970)

Rainbow

Difficult to Cure (1981)[9]

Straight Between the Eyes (1982)

Bent Out of Shape (1983)

Ralph McTell

Slide Away the Screen (1979)

Red Hot Chili Peppers

Stadium Arcadium (2006) (unused)

Renaissance

Prologue (1972)

Ashes Are Burning (1973)

Turn of the Cards (1974)

Scheherazade and Other Stories (1975)

A Song for All Seasons (1978)

Rick Wright

Wet Dream (1978)

Broken China (1996)

Rival Sons

Pressure & Time (2011)

Robert Plant:

The Principle of Moments (1983)

“Big Log“ (single) (1983)

Roger Taylor

Fun in Space (1981)

Roy Harper

Lifemask (1973)

Valentine (1974)

Flashes from the Archives of Oblivion (1974)

HQ (1975)

Bullinamingvase (1977)

Sammy Hagar

Sammy Hagar (1977)

Musical Chairs (1977)

Scorpions

Lovedrive (1979)

Animal Magnetism (1980)

Crazy World (1990)

Shpongle

Ineffable Mysteries from Shpongleland (2009)

Slow Earth

Latitude and 023 (2013)

Steve Hillage

Live Herald (1979)

Steve Miller Band:

Bingo! (2010)

Let Your Hair Down (2011)

Strawbs

Deadlines (1977)

Styx

Pieces of Eight (1978)

Cyclorama (2003)

Syd Barrett

The Madcap Laughs (1970)

Barrett (1970)

Syd Barrett (1974)

An Introduction to Syd Barrett (2010)

Toe Fat

Toe Fat (1970)

Toe Fat 2 (1971)

Thornley

Come Again (2004)

Tiny Pictures (2009)

Thunder

Laughing on Judgement Day (1992)

Behind Closed Doors (1995)

T. Rex

Electric Warrior (1971)

UFO

Phenomenon (1974)

Force It (1975)

No Heavy Petting (1976)

Lights Out (1977)

Obsession (1978)

Strangers in the Night (1979)

No Place to Run (1980)

The Wild, the Willing and the Innocent (1981)

Making Contact (1983)

UK

Danger Money (1979)

Umphrey’s McGee

Safety in Numbers (2006)

The Bottom Half (2007)

Uno

Uno (1974)

Villainy

Mode. Set. Clear. (2012)

Wax

American English (1987)

A Hundred Thousand in Fresh Notes (1989)

Ween

The Mollusk (1997)

Wishbone Ash

Pilgrimage (1971)

Argus (1972)

Wishbone Four (1973)

Live Dates (1973)

There’s the Rub (1974)

New England (1976)

Classic Ash (1977)

Front Page News (1977)

No Smoke Without Fire (1978)

Just Testing (1980)

Wings

Band on the Run (1973)

Venus and Mars (1975)

Wings at the Speed of Sound (1976)

Wings over America (1976)

London Town (1978)

Wings Greatest (1978)

Back to the Egg (1979)

The Wombats:

This Modern Glitch (2011)

XTC

Go 2 (1978)

Yes

Going for the One (1977)

Tormato (1978)

Yumi Matsutoya

Sakuban Oaisimashō (1981)

Younger Brother

Last Days of Gravity (2007)

Vaccine (2011)

Yourcodenameis:milo

Rapt. Dept. (2005)

17 (2005)

Ignoto (2005)

Music videos

Paul Young – “Wherever I Lay My Hat (That’s My Home)” (1983)

Rainbow – “Street of Dreams” (1983)

Robert Plant – “Big Log” (1983)

Yes – “Owner of a Lonely Heart” (1983)

Intaferon – “Get Out of London” (1983)

Kevin Kitchen – “Tight Spot” (1984)

Nik Kershaw – “Wouldn’t It Be Good” (1984)

David Gilmour – “Blue Light” (1984)

David Gilmour – “All Lovers Are Deranged” (1984)

Nik Kershaw – “The Riddle” (1984)

Nik Kershaw – “Wide Boy (1984)

Nik Kershaw – “Don Quixote” (1985)

Belouis Some – “Imagination” (1985)

Belouis Some – “Some People” (1985)

Glass Tiger – “Thin Red Line” (1985)

Glass Tiger – “Someday” (1985)

Ministry – “Over the Shoulder” (1985)

The Cult – “Love Removal Machine” (1987)

Pink Floyd – “Learning to Fly” (1987)

Pink Floyd – “The Dogs of War” (1987)

Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe – “Brother of Mine” (1989)

Bruce Dickinson – “Tattooed Millionaire” (1990)

Bruce Dickinson – “All the Young Dudes” (1990)

Helloween – “Kids of the Century” (1991)

Alan Parsons – “Turn It Up” (1993)

Pink Floyd – “High Hopes” (1994)

Richard Wright – “Night Of a Thousand Furry Toys” (1996)

The Designers Behind Our Favorite Album Covers STORM THORGERSON Album Covers 10cc: Sheet Music (1974) The Original Soundtrack (1975) How Dare You!