#Lunchtime Recital Series

[dankusner]

Truman Capote's "La Côte Basque," originally published in the November 1975 issue of Esquire. SESSUMS I wonder how many watching "Feud: Capote vs. The Swans" have read - or as I just did this morning, re-read - "La Côte Basque, 1965" from Esquire's November 1975 issue. I was reminded of Capote's put-down of Jack Kerouac: "That's not writing, that's typing." It's just not that good - at least, to me. There is no dramatic arc, no overarching narrative to the menu of narratives presented, a tasting that takes tastefulness to task in rather distasteful ways so that it finally is just a recitative recipe of a little man making a hash of his misogyny in a transactional world where, spying, his friendship finally was nothing but a misdirection.

The story is not even narratively carefully sculpted from dialogue but just haphazardly cobbled together from seemingly recollected conversations.

"Feud" even lifts some of it for Slim Keith's entrance into the series when she talks about the royal family.

It's verbatim from the story.

There is a turn of a phrase here and there in the stylistic way that Capote - all sprite and spite - could wield his words as if his facility for language were the stiletto he was incapable of dropping from where he firmly gripped it in a flippant hand no matter how staggeringly he tottered and flounced tinily about in a stupor of pills and alcohol and need. But it was published for its scandal value, it seems to me, more than its literary value. And yet I was more saddened after having read it than scandalized. If that were its purpose, then I take it all back. It did succeed. It does. But I was finally reminded of something that Holly Golightly said in Capote's "Breakfast at Tiffany's." She is getting rather drunk herself when she says it.

"It’s better to look at the sky than live there," Holly mused in what I heard as a more enchanting drunken murmur than the droning lunchtime drill of gossip and guile at La Côte Basque. "Such an empty place; so vague," said Holly of that sky she too spied. "Just a country where the thunder goes.”

[insidecroydon]

Fairfield Halls pipes up with series of lunchtime organ recitals

The Fairfield Halls has taken another step towards fulfilling the vision laid out before its refurbishment, to turn the arts centre into a thriving, all-day community asset, with the announcement of a series of lunchtime organ concerts, where tickets are just £5 each, and free for under-18s, and everyone can get a cuppa on the house while they listen to some outstanding performances. The…

[stmaryredcliffe]

Free Music at #stmaryredcliffe! Our series of free organ recitals, Lunchtime at Redcliffe, recommences on Thu 2 Feb from 1-1:50pm. Our guest organist is James Hicks from the US. The programme will reflect James' interest in Nordic music. Follow link in bio for further information. (at St Mary Redcliffe) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cn_7fTzMh_7/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[samuel-de-champagne-problems]

My Works:

~Most~ of my works are SWF (open to minors) but again, anything tagged "NSFW" is not written for minors. While I do primarily write for she/her readers, I do also write for gender neutral readers. Please read my guidelines before you request a fic/blurb.

SFW FICS

forever is the sweetest con:  after a successful case, which is hard to come by the BAU, the team (season 3 team) celebrates with drinks at the bar. things go arise when penelope convinces a normally reserved y/n to sing karaoke. (Angstish Fluff)

sweet valentine:  a 22 year old spencer reid finds himself thinking about his firsts...and the one first that he has yet to accomplish. (Fluff)

cutie pi:  spencer reid’s second favorite holiday isn’t really a holiday, but it’s sure a day that he’ll never forget (Fluff and terrible math puns)

you kiss my face and we’re both drunk:  Who would have figured that a normally serious genius with an eidetic memory would be a silly, forgetful drunk, or drunk Spencer realizes how much he loves Y/N. (Fluff; CW: Drunkenness)

49%: If there’s one thing that Spencer hates more than rejection, it’s spontaneity. But sometimes the things (and people) we love outweigh the things that we hate. AKA a series of events leading up to a weekend wedding between the BAU’s finest Dr. Spencer Reid and his partner in crime, Y/N. (Fluff)

i’ll take x-pecting for 200, alex:  Dr. Spencer Reid plays a trivia game at the request of his wife, Y/N, but he’s in for more than some heaving hitting questions (fluff)

take my hand and drag me head first: Spencer Reid is a scientist and scientists love predictability; but love isn’t predictable, it’s fearless.

wrap your arms around me, baby boy: Sometimes love at first just might be the thing that’ll make you want to get married with paper rings.

i can’t help it if you look like an angel: Spencer is not that kind of doctor, but he’ll always come when Y/N needs him, even if germs are involved.

Las Vegas Boy: Y/N surprises Spencer at their joint Bachelor/Bachelorette Party with a song she’s been working on.

band-aids don’t fix bullet holes, but your kisses do:  in a standoff with an unsub, reader makes a choice: her life or spencer’s. (Angst/Fluff) french toast waffle sundays: coming home to reader from a stressful case, spencer needs a little reassurance that he’s as wonderful as reader thinks he is. (Angstish Comfort) open me carefully: reader finds her hopelessly in love with spencer, who unfortunately for them is hopeless when it comes to love. (Angst/Fluff) the moment i knew my future was sweet: spencer plans a surprise birthday party for reader, who comes to the realization that spencer is the one who’s always been there for her (Angst/Fluff) crawl home to her:  The only thing that’s keeping spencer alive is the memories of his heaven. maybe someone how a faithless man will escape death’s grasp on faith alone. (Angst) you die in my nightmares, but i’m dying to dance with you in my dreams:  tired of being tired, reader takes leap instead of counting sheep :) (Angst, Comfort

fools in love:  He can explain how String Theory works. He can figure out Riemann Hypothesis. He can recite all the numbers of pi until he’s blue in the face. Yet somehow, Spencer Reid can’t figure out what to do for his first first anniversary.

and i will hold on to you: They’ve never been apart for holidays since they started dating. That was until Spencer Reid found himself behind bars for a crime he’d never think of committing. Growing and healing, Spencer realizes that it’s not the holidays that matter, it’s the person. Because with that special person, who’s laugh he can recognize anywhere, even cleaning up the empty bottle the next morning is magical. (Can be read as a part 2 to take my hand and drag me head first)

though i can’t recall your face, i still got love for you: Spencer’s always been ambivalent about his birthday, but self proclaimed lover of birthday’s Y/N attempts to change that.

I Can’t Say Anything to Your Face: Lunchtime is Spencer Reid’s favorite time of day and not because of the crappy endless coffee, dry sandwiches, or the occasional chocolate donut. Spencer’s favorite time of day comes in the shape of a little post it notes and fits perfectly into his heart.

Right Where You Left Me: Y/N never expected to see him again. He tore her heart out and left her in the dusty heat of a Las Vegas diner. She never wanted to see him again, but sometimes the heart wants what heart wants.

Don’t Thank Me For Loving You: Spencer and Reader have been dating for a total of 4 weeks. If someone asked, Spencer would be able to tell them the exact amount of time he’s been in love with Y/N. So why does he get so nervous to share a bed?

is this gonna be graded?: Y/N’s last assignment is simple, write down everything that you’d want to try. The options are endless and that just might be the end of her. (Smut; MINORS DNI) you can hear it in the silence: Sneaking around can be fun, but sometimes the silence is just too quiet, or falling in love with your best friend. Worship This Love: Y/N doesn’t think she can get jealous easily. She knows that Spencer is almost as head over heel for her as she is for him. But still, seeing the pretty detective grab Spencer by the tie is enough to send her into a jealous stupor.

It’s a Love Story, Baby: Secret relationships can be fun, but sometimes the love runs so deep that it’s just begging to get the spotlight. Love like that is difficult, but it’s the realest thing Spencer and Y/N have ever felt. The Doctor Is In: Reader knows that they shouldn’t have dairy, but it’s hard to resist the creamy sweetness, especially when an equally sweet husband wants to have a relaxing vacation.

3 Fics, 2 Authors, 1 Week!: This is the link to @shemarmooresfedora & my masterlist for our 500 followers co-celebration! Be sure to check out her amazing fics!!

[recurring-polynya]

For the ask meme (feel free to answer any/some/none):

🌙 - What’s their sleep schedule like? — Yamamoto

🤡 - What’s something dumb they’re embarrassed about? — Kira

🖌️ - Do they have any hobbies? —Hanatarou

💤 - What do they absolutely need to have to fall asleep? —Byakuya (and does this change over time?)

I hope your weekend is shaping up to be nice!

🌙 - What’s their sleep schedule like? — Yamamoto

Here’s his entire daily schedule, because, as you will see, sleep is strongly integrated throughout.

5am - rise, fully rested. Consume a light breakfast of nattou and kombucha. Hit the gym early, when all the young bucks in their short shorts are there.

6:30 am - Drink a glass of vinegar and eat an entire raw sweet potato.

7 am - Squad 1 morning standup

7:15 - Sit down at desk. Fall asleep.

9 am - Sasakibe brings in their morning grapefruit and talks about British things for an hour.

10 am - Write half a strongly worded letter to whichever captain is on his shitlist today and/or the Seireitei Bulletin. Fall asleep partway through. 

11 am - Lunchtime. 12oz of cod, two raw eggs, and another sweet potato.

noon - Set things on fire

1 pm - Official nap

2 pm - Captains’ meeting, if applicable. Otherwise, wander around and grumble.

3 pm - Dinner. 8 oz of steak (he’s the Head Captain, he can afford it), large pile of veggies, rice.

4 pm - Drills with the youngsters (no one in Squad 1 is younger than 400 years old)

5 pm - Bath. Likelihood of drifting off in the bath: high

6 pm - Drinks sake, contemplates the universe.

7 pm - Before bed second dinner. Another 12 oz of cod, some roughage, more kombucha, 4 pickled plums.

8 pm - A responsible bedtime!!

🤡 - What’s something dumb they’re embarrassed about? — Kira

You mean aside from existing?

Izuru is embarrassed about so many, many things, but this is the dumbest, which is that until very recently, he didn’t think that chameleons actually changed color, he thought it was a folklore-based metaphor, like the way people associate salamanders with fire. The reason he thought this was very simple, which is that Gin mentioned this, in numerous offhand ways, for the purposes of messing with him. I mean, it wasn’t personal, ‘chameleons can’t really change color’ was just one of a number of similar bits Gin did to anyone he thought would fall for it, it just happened that Izuru a) spent a lot of time with Gin and b) isn’t tremendously good at telling when people are lying to him, especially about things dropped in casual conversation. Chameleons aren’t native to Japan and they don’t have them in Soul Society, and who has time to keep track of all the weird animals from other parts of the Living World, some of which are made up. I mean, narwhals are real, but unicorns are made up???

Anyway, at some point after the Winter War, the topic happened to come up in the context of a painting Momo was doing (Shinji had asked her to do something colorful to hang in the office) and they got into a big standoff about it. Izuru refused to take Shinji’s word for it, because the man is at least as full of shit as Gin, so they decided to take it to the man who knows everything about the World of the Living, except that they didn’t want to explain why they were asking, so one night at the bar, Momo just casually asked Renji if he knew anything about chameleons.

Boy, does he. Apparently, at some point during the Advance Team mission, Chad had shown Renji a multipart documentary series called “Remarkable Reptiles,” and he spent the next hour regaling them with Chameleon Facts, including their weird feet, their incredible eyesight, the fact that they glow under UV light, and, of course, their ability to change color (which is not as good as a cuttlefishes, according to a different animal documentary Renji had seen). Momo grew more and more smug as this recitation went on, Izuru attempted to dissolve his own organs through the power of shame. Shuuhei was there also, but was so enraptured by the magic of chameleons, he did not notice that Izuru himself had turned bright red (not for camouflage purposes)

Anyway, Momo is a kind and compassionate friend, and did not rub this in, but it doesn’t matter, the damage was done. Izuru sometimes lies in bed and wonders how many people he casually mentioned the chameleon thing to. He wonders if they noticed. He wonders if there is any possibility that Gin himself was also misinformed about the nature of chameleons.

Shinji loved the chameleon painting (it looks vaguely like him) and hung it in a prominent spot in the office. He also framed the large, extremely random nature column that coincidentally appeared in the Bulletin shortly afterward entitled “Chameleons! Did You Know?” and hung it up next to the painting. Izuru hates going to the Squad 5 offices. 

🖌️ - Do they have any hobbies? —Hanatarou

I think Hanatarou would collect stickers! He’s very chill about it, he just buys ones he likes and he occasionally sticks them in notebooks, just making little collages of ones he things look nice together. He prefers ones that are cute or funny or pretty, but he also loves ones that come from different places or that commemorated a particular event or festival. When she gets an opportunity, Kiyone will sometimes bring them back from the World of the Living for him-- he loves the shininess and quality of the printing.

While he does have some hard-to-get ones that he keeps special, he is very generous with his stickers. The Coordinated Relief Station doesn’t see a lot of children, but Hanatarou is the one who maintains the sticker stock, just in case, plus Yachiru will often drop by for the sole purpose of demanding one.

💤 - What do they absolutely need to have to fall asleep? —Byakuya (and does this change over time?)

His wife. 😭😭😭💔💔💔

Like many neurodivergent people, Byakuya had a lot of trouble falling asleep as a kid. Byakuya is a Kuchiki though, he bends the world to his whim. He would carefully consider why couldn’t fall asleep. Was he too hot? Was there a noise bothering him? Was he hungry? Thirsty? He eventually figured out the optimal Byakuys Sleeping Conditions, which didn’t solve the problem, but it helped. From there, he tried out numerous sleep inducing techniques-- counting imaginary animals, visualizing peaceful surroundings, reciting various things he had memorized. He never found a precise recipe for getting to sleep, but he developed heuristics, and was generally able to get himself to sleep one way or another.

And then he got married.

He worried, somewhat, in the run-up to this, that sleeping with another person was going to require acclimation. A person. Next to you. Breathing. Making body heat. What if Hisana didn’t like the sheets he preferred? What if she wanted the windows closed when he wanted them open? She was the most wonderful person in the world, though, it would be worth going through all of it all over again.

As it turned out, lying in a dark room next to a person he loved was the most peaceful Byakuya had ever felt in his life and he fell asleep immediately, no alternate nostril breathing necessary. For roughly three years, Byakuya slept easily and deeply and awoke well-rested every morning.

Eventually, Hisana’s illness worsened, and Byakuya would often lay away, worrying, listening to her labored breathing, wanting to be awake in case she needed anything, thinking about how sleep chipped away at the limited number of hours he had left with her.

He slept very poorly in the year after her death, which is when he got into the habit of wandering his garden in the middle of the night. The following year, Rukia came. She also liked to wander the gardens in the dark hours, and Byakuya did not regard haunting the grounds as a group activity, so he returned to his old practices and managed to get himself back to sleep most nights. He is grateful to Rukia for this, actually. Sleep is important, and it is very irresponsible for a Clan Head and Gotei Captain to neglect his own rest.

Rukia’s own need for nighttime perambulations decreases eventually as well. Since night air can be calming, Byakuya slowly allowed himself to indulge in it again, occasionally, if he truly felt it would be effective. Even more eventually, he realized that while haunting is best done by your lonesome, a bit of companionship in insomnia isn’t so bad after all.

That was sad, so here’s a chaser:

Because Byakuya has invested so much effort in it, he can pretty much fall asleep in any conceivable conditions. He can and does fall asleep with his eyes open during Captains’ meetings. He never gets insomnia on field missions, because sleeping must be done in turns and if you do not sleep on your turn, it is a betrayal of your comrades and a risk to the operation, in short: you gotta. Renji is also an incredible Field Mission sleeper, and the two of them will just fall asleep and wake up at any time of day or night with no preamble, basically on command. Byakuya and Renji do a lot of awe-inspiring things, but it is the general opinion of Squad Six that this is the most impressive.

(original ask meme)

[bluesylveon2]

It's Beginning to Look Like a Love Story

This is for @levihan-drabbles prompt, Warmth. I hope you all enjoy!

Disclaimer: Attack on Titan is a manga/anime series written by Hajime Isayama and published by Kondasha

----

If Hange Zoe was known for anything, it was her great ideas.

"Hange, this is the worst idea I've ever heard in my entire life," Nanaba said as she opened the door to Paradis Coffee. This coffee was not huge like Starbucks or Tim Hortons (aka the places the girls like to go), but they were willing to try a local shop after Nifa would not stop raving about it. It was also a perfect time to grab a warm drink, especially with the holidays coming up.

"Ha!" Hange replied and looked at her friend in shock. "This plan is foul-proof, Nana. I'm telling you that this will work!"

"Mhm." Nanaba nodded, clearly unimpressed.

The shop was empty except for the girls and the muscular blonde barista. The girls greeted the barista and eyed the many baked goods on display.

"What makes you think that sitting in a coffee shop for hours will help you snatch a husband by Christmas? Do you even have proof that works?" Nanaba asked skeptically without turning to face Hange. Instead, she was eying the selection of breakfast sandwiches available.

"Duh. I know it works because it worked for someone else! Besides, I won't just be sitting. I will be working on my laptop or reading." Hange smiled while staring at the chocolate croissant on display.

"Uh-huh, so did this person sit in a coffee shop for hours then?"

"Noooo…" Hange dragged on with uncertainty. It piped Nanaba's interest, and she turned to her.

"Well, the girl I heard the story from actually worked in the coffee shop when she met her husband BUT!" Hange added the moment she noticed that Nanaba was going to say something. "That does not mean I could meet my future husband in one too!"

Nanaba recited her order and paid the total. "Mhm, but there's a chance this plan won't work, Hans. It may have worked for one person, but that does not mean it works for the next." Nanaba said with worry in her voice just as the barista handed her her change.

"Maybe it could work for you, though, Nanaba."

"I'll pass." Nanaba quickly shut the idea down before finding an empty table to sit in.

"C'mon, Nanaba! You're hot, single, and intelligent! I bet you would get wifed up in no time!" Hange yelled out loud. Nanaba blushed out of embarrassment, and the barista chuckled to himself.

"Did you have to say that out loud?!" Nanaba whispered yelled.

Hange shrugged her shoulders. "We're the only ones here besides the barista."

Right on cue, The barista called out Nanaba's name, prompting her to stand up and grab their order. Hange did not miss the way he was checking her friend out. She decided to save that for a later day.

"Hange, your plan is crazy, but I will say it would be a miracle if it actually worked."

"Maybe," Hange replied and took a sip of her drink. "How hard can it be?"

And so, Hange waited….

And waited…

And waited…

She waited for Mr. Right to show up, but none of them gave her a warm feeling in her chest. One guy looked really handsome until he opened his foul mouth. Another guy was taciturn for Hange's taste. The last guy was just a walking red flag.

Hange huffed in disappointment. She was beginning to lose hope, and there were only 6 days until Christmas.

Suddenly, a coffee cup and a plate full of pastries entered her peripheral view, and Hange looked up from her book to stare at the newcomer. She was too stunned to speak, but she recognized the stranger. He was also a barista who worked at the coffee shop. Hange would see him work from time to time, and he typically had an indifferent look to him. Now he looked shy, and Hange noticed the red tint in his ears. She thought it made him look adorable.

"It's on the house since you have been here for a while."

"Ahh, thank you-" Hange glanced at the barista's nametag. "Levi," she replied and grabbed the drink first. Since lunchtime, she had been here, and she had not eaten or drunk anything since. Hange took a sip, and the familiar spice of the chai latte filled her tastebuds.

Ah, so Levi is pretty observant. Hange thought as she sipped her go-to drink.

"Is this seat empty? I wanted to sit with you since business is slow today."

Hange smiled. "Go ahead." she gestured to the seat, and Levi sat down.

There was a moment of awkward silence except for the Christmas music playing in the background.

"So what brings you to this coffee shop every day? I know it's not for the shitty espressos."

Hange snorted. "You would not believe me if I told you my reason."

Levi stared at her as if he was challenging her. "Enlighten me. I have heard the worst stories, and I have a lot of time to spare. The cafe is practically dead around this time."

"Okay. Let me start from the beginning…."

---

"Wait, so you scammed your uncle into getting two gifts for Christmas instead of one because of your birthday?" Hange laughed and wiped the tears from her eyes. The two have talked for hours since Hange retold her story (A/N: Levi was not impressed). However, something clicked between the two that their conversations flowed so quickly, and there was never a dull moment.

Levi took a sip of his tea (he had made it an hour into their talk) and chuckled. "It worked for a few years until Kenny finally caught on. He realized that one gift that celebrated two holidays was enough."

"I'm sorry. That story really made my day." Hange continued laughing, which caused Levi to crack a smile. He briefly glanced at his watch and noticed the time.

"Hey, Hange. It's getting late, and I'm sure you have to be up early for work tomorrow."

"Shit! You're right! I'm so sorry, Levi!" Hange began to pack up her things.

Levi waved a hand in dismissal. "It's alright. I need to go close up the store anyway. How about we continue this tomorrow? Same time and place."

Hange stopped what she was doing and stared at Levi. She felt a warm feeling begin to form in her chest. "Hang out? Like a date?"

Levi shrugged. "If you want to call it that. I don't mind it."

"Sure!" She replied, already heading out the door. "I'll see you tomorrow, Levi."

Levi smiled. "See you tomorrow."

The warm feeling never left Hange's chest. It only grew instead.

---

©: This is where I insert all rights reserved stuff. This story belongs to me. Do not modify or republish. Hanami is my OC and belongs to me.

A/N: @mello-jello remember that coffee shop au I mentioned ages ago? I did it lol.

[write-a-bad-romance]

Good in Red (Mozart x Isaac)

Pairing: Mozart x Isaac

Rating: T

Word Count: 3390

Prompt: Yandere, Gakuen AU

Ao3 Link: Here

Happy Halloween! I hope you're up for something a bit more experimental!

There was a downpour outside. That much Wolf could tell.

Lately, the white-haired youth found it laborious to roll off the bed and step outside. Not like there was anything to do in the living room.

The constant pangs in his head made it worse. Thank God the room he was kept in was just right across the bathroom. It was one of the few acts of mercy he was given in this otherwise appalling situation.

There was a water dispenser installed by the desk, with fresh mugs replaced daily. Lunch was... unusual,  to say the least. Every day, there'd be a lovingly crafted bento box packed with snacks (and sometimes a carton of milk) left on the desk with a post-it note attached,

The cutely worded messages betrayed the sinister implications of Wolf's predicament. They were better suited for husbands leaving for the office or a child about to spend lunchtime for the first time in middle or high school.

It didn't fit the perpetually frowning boy, whose scent still lingered on the pillow next to his.

Wolf first saw him at the end of a recital, cherry blossom orbs full of wonder as the young conductor eye's swept over his roaring audience.

He was a friend of Leonardo, one of his violinists and a second grade. He was the president of the science club, and he confirmed Wolf's newest fanboy to be one of his members.

"A bit shy, that kid. But definitely full of potential." The Italian spoke between drags of sweet-scented cigarettes (like the chronic chain smoker he was, Wolf's nose curled in distaste) one afternoon. "He doesn't talk much, always standing by himself in the corner. But when he gets talking, boy. He's definitely going places someday, maybe even Todai*. Or MIT."

"Never seen him before, and I'm good at recognizing faces." Wolf's eyes scanned the cafeteria and spotted a female underclassman waving at him. He didn't return the gesture. "Is he a transfer student?"

"Try asking your best friend about him," Leonardo winked as he rose from his chair and gathered his tray. "His other best bud seems to be thick as thieves with the kid."

His name was Isaac, and he loved physics.

Wolf had no need to seek the freshman out himself. It was the school darling Napoleon who ambushed him after rehearsal one afternoon, a fidgeting redhead in tow.

Wolf had no patience for his type  — painfully shy and ready to burst with a single poke. Wolf figured Napoleon was used to secondhand embarrassment as the bumbling schoolboy tripped on his own introduction.  

I'm Isaac, and I love physics.  The exact same words.

"N-nice to meet you." he blushed. "I've been coming to your recitals, you see. And I'm-"

Wolf zoned out on the remaining words as he expertly masked his growing disinterest. At least the boy seemed sincere.

The boy brought a sizable bouquet full of gladiolus and lily-of-the-valley. His face must have been burning behind the flowers as he presented them to Wolf.

"H-here." He thrust the bouquet in Wolf's face. "I hope this isn't too much."

He'd been given roses, chocolate, and even stuffed animals from secret admirers, boys and girls alike. But the straightforwardness with which Isaac gifted him the colorful array was novel.

"Danke Schoen." Their fingers touched as Wolf received the offering. Isaac was trembling. "You didn't need to go this far."

"But I- I wanted to!" The boy exclaimed with passion. Wolf was so astonished that he had no time to fight the red blooming across his cheeks.

Visiting the music room outside club hours had been Wolf's habit since his first year. It gave him time to practice and space to breathe new ideas into his compositions.

Before, there was nobody but him and the lustrous grand piano. Isaac became a new addition to his routine, unwelcome.

But only at first.

"Ah, Wolf-senpai. You're still here. Again," He would barge in at the end of every song, after unsuccessfully concealing himself near the door. "You don't ...tire, do you? It's after hours, and you're still fiddling with the piano."

It's the uneasiness in his voice that made the exchange endearing.

"And Leonardo should be looking for you by now." He smirked. "Don't you have science club?"

"Oh, there was nothing much, just a meeting and... stuff. I suppose you don't mind me intruding on your...uh, practice."

Wolf wanted to say he did mind. The line suited someone with a little more dash and charm, like Napoleon, better. The way Isaac stuttered and stumbled on his own words was amusing if only a bit awkward.

Few people could withstand Wolf's aloofness, and most would cower away after the slightest click of a tongue. There was a reason why he was dubbed the 'Ice Prince' by the school population.

The gratuitously assigned title always gave him and Jean (the other Cold Beauty of the School) a good laugh during lunch breaks. Except for the select few, no other person in the entire student body dared to disturb their exclusive, distant bubble of companionship.

Isaac was either admiringly bold or dangerously foolish for inviting himself into Wolf's presence. The music prodigy thought the effort was worth applauding.

Not that it was failing.

"I've got still got some sandwiches here. If you'd like, we can- "

" Sure, I've got some time to spare."  Wolf smiled as he gathered his sheets. Isaac looked like he could drop dead on the spot.

"I didn't know you had this much interest in music,"  Wolf commented one breezy afternoon as they shared earphones on the school's rooftop. Without too much deliberation, he decided to let Isaac listen to his demos.

The boy was surprisingly candid with his critiques on Wolf's compositions, despite being a fanboy (which he refused to admit).

"I grew up on classical music," The boy replied. "Nan always said it contributed to my IQ or something."

Wolf held back a snicker. It was very much Isaac to drop hints of his own superiority, even behind a self-deprecating tone.

"I'm glad you did. Jean doesn't really listen to them. He's hopeless when I ask him for opinions."

Isaac dropped his fork onto the plastic food box with a loud clack.

"You talk to him too?" Wolf imagined Isaac drooping like a puppy. "Of course. He's your best friend."

Wolf only thought it was cute at the time.

"You're living by yourself?"

Isaac nodded as they walked side by side, cherry blossom trees in full bloom along the road. It was the start of a new school year, and Wolf had accepted Isaac's invitation to walk home together that day.

"You should try making unforgettable memories before you graduate." Jean urged him after hearing his best friend's recent development with his new best friend.  "It's not often you get the chance to score with your favorite underclassman."

"Sure. Good luck scoring with Napoleon, yourself."

Wolf barely took notice of his surroundings as he was led to a massive apartment building. Even he knew no student would be able to rent their 1DK* units on part-time wage and parental subsidy.

"You're not the only one with fat wads of dosh." Isaac playfully smirked as he opened the door to his apartment.

Wolf could feel his heart thumping against his chest as he took his first step into the threshold.

There was no window to the outside world besides the TV. His iPhone was stashed away somewhere in this godforsaken apartment, most likely dismantled beyond repair.

Wolf curled on the too-small couch as the sound of rain muffled whatever trite noises the TV made. These days, there was nothing to watch but variety shows and drama.

He had no stomach for anime. His jailer, however, would drag him out to eat dinner while watching his favorite series.

He'd laugh and talk to him as if this was normal. Wolf supposed it was, for the aberrant. Had he been a girl, the freak would somehow bring get his hands on a marriage registration form and force him to sign it.

Alright, that was harsh. But judging from Wolf's current circumstances, maybe his prejudice towards the other boy wasn't entirely unjustified.

He fell for his kindness, and his hormonal, teenage self drove sealed his fate. What he thought was a mutual exchange between two touch-starved boys turned into a one-way transaction with no way out.

Wolf laid down on his back. The shadows playing across the ceiling gave him a sense of deja vu.

He could still feel the weight of a warm body on his own and the scent of strawberries clinging to his black sweater. His eyes and head were full of nothing but Isaac, Isaac, Isaa-

If that afternoon felt like a dream, then this must be a nightmare. The next time he opened his eyes, he would be back in his own bedroom, Nannerl's voice waking him from outside the door.

"Where on earth did you manage to get that? You don't have a sister."

"Be still, "Isaac admonished, leaning so close that he was partially sitting on Wolf's lap. "You don't want me to smear this all over your face."

You're not answering my question.  Wolf wanted to know why Isaac was able to produce a glossy lip tint from his bedroom. He'd seen girls at his school carrying that particular brand and type. It became en vogue several months ago, and he still remembered his sister saying it was a best-seller.

Why a schoolboy with no girlfriend kept one in his bedroom, he didn't know. If this were somebody else, Wolf wouldn't pry. But this was Isaac.

He needed to know more about him. Peel away his layers and uncover the many different faces no one else would ever see.

Wolf put up mock resistance as the pointed applicator (apple-scented. Curious.) drew closer to his lips. Knowing that struggling would only lead him into having one of his eyes poked, the taller boy decided to lay down and let Isaac finish the job.

He gently swept the tint over Wolf's lips back and forth until he was satisfied. He reared back to look at his handiwork adoringly.

"Ah, as I thought, you look perfect in red." Isaac was quick to don back his signature frown. Only this time, there was a furious blush spreading across his cheeks.

Wolf said nothing as he pulled Isaac's tie until dry lips crashed on his lacquered own. The younger boy was just as eager as he was, an inquisitive tongue slipping into Wolf's welcoming mouth.

"I haven't seen you as often lately." Isaac caught him one day in the shoe changing area. "Been going somewhere?"

Wolf smoothly fought his desire to brush back Isaac's bangs from his forehead. "I'm now a third-year, and I'm attending the university prep class. I need to devote my time to studying."

"Is that why you're hanging with Leonardo-senpai all the time in the library?"

"What do you think? Of course," Wolf rushed towards the exit. He had no time for Isaac's nagging. "My parents have high expectations of me, you know."

"But what about your music?"

Wolf stopped in his tracks and turned toward the panting boy. "What about it?"

"I thought you got a recommendation from a music school somewhere. Why do you need to spend all your time studying?" the redhead yelled, his outburst a rare display of candid emotion.

What's with this naivety you're suddenly showing me?  "My portfolio alone won't be enough to get me into a good school. I also need good grades to help me pass. I thought that's obvious, especially to you."

No high-achieving student like Isaac would suddenly fret over having to achieve higher grades to get to a reputable university.

I thought you wanted to get into astrophysics yourself? Does it not require outstanding grades?

"Isaac, what-"

"Then, does that mean you'll stop going to the music room and play like you used to?" Isaac strode to catch up with Wolf. "Does that mean I can't come and see you anymore?"

Wolf reached out and grabbed Isaac's sides, unaware of the attention they drew from bystanders.  "If that's what you're worried about," he sighed. "We can go on weekends when I'm able. How does that sound?"

He didn't like the slight trembling of Isaac's lips. Here, he couldn't kiss it away. Not if it meant risking becoming the topic of gossip among students for many months to come

Wolf's phone vibrated for the fifth time over the last twenty minutes.

"Are you not picking that up?" Jean pointed at the device, eliciting a groan from its owner.

"That's just Isaac. Ignore it." The white-haired youth snatched his phone and switched on silent mode. "He's just a lot clingier lately."

"Why don't you block him? I'm sure this is not the first time." Jean regarded him calmly, his eyes focused on the problem that they were in the middle of solving. "Doesn't it bother you too when you're studying alone?"

"That's a little too harsh, even for Isaac." Wolf threw the phone over his head, and it landed on the bed with a soft thud. "Besides, weren't you the one shoving me towards him?"

Jean tapped the butt of his pencil against his lips. "I didn't expect it would turn into anything like this."

"Like what?"

"That he'd turn out to be this... possessive." Jean selected his words carefully. "I'm surprised you even let him go this far."

Wolf sighed. His friend was right. Nobody had ever driven him up the wall quite like Isaac. "He's always been lonely," Wolf concluded, violet orbs focusing on the mechanical pencil he was twirling. "I can't just leave him alone, can I?"

"Even so," Jean murmured. "I can't bear to see you like this. I've seen you approached by admirers before, and you turned them down all down without trouble."

What's so different about him? was the real question he didn't ask.

"He's... entertaining, to be honest. Makes you want to take care of him." Wolf explained, matter-of-factly. There wasn't a single tinge of red on his cheeks. "But, to be honest, his clinginess does irk me a bit."

Jean came over to ask help from Wolf for his math homework. He wasn't here to listen to him drawling about his (honestly hopeless) love life.

Wolf brought his attention back to the workbook they had abandoned. His brows were knitted in thought.

"You think it's a good idea to call it quits with Isaac?"

After a while, the rain finally quieted down, nearly lulling Wolf to sleep. Losing himself to slumber was the easiest, least painful way to deal with this hallucination-gone-horribly-real.  

There was light rain on the day he asked Isaac to talk in a cafe not too far from here. Wolf remembered it like it was only yesterday. There was the posh interior, girls from the nearby Catholic school giggling at them, the aftertaste of the cafe au lait he ordered. He could vividly picture the delicately plated apple pancake in front of Isaac, piping hot and enticing.

He would never forget phantom tears prickling in the corner of Isaac's rosy eyes.

Everything considered, he did what he'd always done: tell the other they needed to part ways, calmly explain the reason why, and set boundaries. "I won't be answering your calls or messages, and I won't be waiting around for you after school."

"I will no longer be visiting the music room. You won't find me there."

Unexpectedly, the boy only heaved a sigh and shook his head. No screaming or begging involved.

"I see. I had a feeling it would turn out this way." He continued to finish his dessert silently.

Perhaps it was out of genuine love (or even pity) that he brusquely offered to walk Isaac back to his apartment building one last time. Wolf didn't consider himself a poor judge of character, so it must be his heart winning over his head.

And what a blunder that was.

He nearly collapsed onto Isaac's side, barely listening to the boy fretting and calling to him in distress. "Senpai, what's the matter? You look pale. Let's get you inside so you can lie down."

The unwitting Wolf was led straight into his awaiting den.

Wolf awoke to the sound of the front door unlocking and a quiet I'm home,  followed by some shuffling and other sorts of ruckus the clumsy boy caused.

Footsteps approached the couch he laid on. His heart no longer throbbed like crazy by now whenever the other came near.

"I'm home, Wolf. Why didn't you answer?"

His boyish voice used to be the reason why he was drawn to Isaac. But now, it only made his skin crawl. Wolf seethed and averted his eyes as far away as possible from his 'guardian', wishing he could regurgitate his lunch all over the plush carpet.

"Are you still sulking? Don't be. It doesn't become that lovely face of yours."

If you weren't drugging me daily, I would have strangled you.

"Were you lonely without me? It can get pretty dull as dishwater 'round here." Wolf tried to distract himself from the hands, grabbing him and propping himself up. " 'suppose it's about time I get you a keyboard to play. It'll be like the old days."

I wish I never let you inside the music room that day.

Cold fingers combed through unruly silver locks. "This is all 'Leon's fault. Bummer. He insisted on waiting for Jean-senpai."

Isaac squeezed himself into space next to Wolf's rigid figure. The elder closed his eyes as an arm snaked its way around his waist. "Yeah, we couldn't exactly run under heavy rain."

Wolf's eyes were fixed on the screen. Would there ever be a chance of his face showing on breaking news, a shot of his parents crying over their missing son, or interviews with fellow students from his school?

Anything but the white noise the darned TV emitted. Or the unwanted hand now caressing his burning cheek.

Poor sod looked like he was missing you for real. Napoleon invited him to walk home with us because he 'couldn't bear to see him in distress." His voice dropped into a whisper. "But if you ask me."

"They're prolly trading making out in some dark alley because Jean-senpai can't stand being alone,"  Isaac mocked. Every syllable pouring out of his lips made Wolf's stomach churn. "I take back what I said about him missing you. He just wants dick in him, thinking it'll help him get better."

The plastic remote clattered on an uncovered part of the wooden floor. Wolf wanted to pry away his imprisoner's claws from his shoulder. Fingers that used to radiate heat all over his skin now left nothing but disgust in their wake.

"He likes to pretend he's all prim and proper when really, he's just an attention-seeking slag." The venom was so palpable and potent in his voice that it made Wolf overlook the fact that the bastard was muttering directly against the back of his neck. "I don't get why you kept putting up with him, that fraud."

Nobody else would ever be this genuine to you, Wolf-senpai.  So the boy mumbled to him every night before sleep.

All sheepish pretenses were thrown and cast aside as conveniently as changing clothes. Wolves were affectionate creatures, the young composer once read.

But they're still wolves.

"I don't know if you'd be fine with electric keyboards," Isaac sighed into his hair. "If I had more money, I'd buy you a real red piano  — the polished kind that looks like a toy. Ah, I used to see them all the time at a toy store when I was a kid."

Isaac's delirious rambling convinced Wolf that he wasn't the madman. That this was real and that there was no waking up from this long, bad dream —

Wolf violently shut his eyes as Isaac drew him closer, tighter. To Wolf's impaired senses, Isaac's words were losing to the sound of rain. There was a downpour outside.

" I found a picture of you from when you were in middle school. You were already stunning, sitting in front of your family's white piano." He went on. "It's always white, grey, light blue. Ever thought that you'd look perfectly good in red?"

Glossary:

*1 Todai: short for Tokyo Daigaku or Tokyo University. Basically Japan's most legendary university. *2 1DK: a Japanese term referring to an apartment unit with two rooms with a kitchen and dining space separated from other areas. The D stands for "Dining" and K stands for "Kitchen".

I originally planned this to be a shorter fic from Isaac's perspective, but I switched to Mozart's instead and got carried away.

[lovelylaurie]

Chronology - Part 2

Adolescence  Laurie x (March) Reader Words: 2478 Request: @psychshawnjuleshanluke A series where each part follows reader and Laurie’s relationship over time.  Part 1 | 2 | 3 

--

     Meg sighed dreamily. Her breakfast plate sat untouched before her. Jo screwed up her face, “Ugh, gross!” She followed the gaze of Meg’s fluttering eyes out the window, only to find John Brooke on the path outside, gazing back at her, “Aaah! Gross!” She ran across the room to draw the curtains. Brooke looked embarrassed and began to walk away briskly. Amy looked up at Meg mischievously and slipped a few pieces of toast off her plate with a sly hand. 

     Over the past few weeks of summer, your world had begun to change, ever so slightly shifting into maturity. Meg was engaged now and seemed wholly unable to think about anything else. Though you wanted to be happy for her, and wished for her to have the future she wanted, you, like Jo, couldn’t help but feel some contempt. Just last winter, you were running around and romping as usual. But come spring and summer and everyone was suddenly different. Jo, noticing this as well, had a quicker temper than ever. Too much talk of the future sent her storming off to the attic, presumably to skulk. And you were inclined to agree. Even Amy, though still very much a young girl, was beginning to realize her dream of becoming an elegant lady. She fussed about her hair and clothes and accessories. Instead of playing Pilgrim’s Progress, she had taken to strolling around the house haughtily, pretending to be some rich aristocratic lady. But worst of all, worse than any of this, was Laurie, who would be going off to college in the fall. The thought of it alone gave you an acute sinking feeling. For now, you were attempting to ignore it and live every day to the fullest. But it was a difficult thing to take your mind off. You kept returning to an image of the March house, quiet, dark, and dusty, reeling from the twin losses of Meg and Laurie. Though you knew the house would still be full, and Meg would visit often, the feeling of loneliness was incredible and overwhelming. The other loss, Laurie’s, somehow loomed darker, more ominously leering. “Well! I’m off!” you stood up suddenly, trying to shrug off the intense foreboding that gripped you. “Where are you going?” Jo asked defensively. “Laurie’s,” you answered, without so much as a glance back at Meg’s dazed and faraway expression.      You ponder, as you walk the path to the Laurence house, how difficult it is to leave one’s closest friend. It has you utterly and completely torn. In seeking comfort and escape, you turn to Laurie. His presence, his very being, has always been its own consolation. His smile warms your heart and his cool, contented expressions calm you. But now, every thought of him is a double-edged sword. Every thought of him has you thinking of his coming departure. Every chime of his laugh and twinkle of his eye has you missing him already. But loneliness and distance are worse, so you seek him out every chance you get. And however much you want to stay at home with your sisters, you simply can’t. Jo’s contempt is similar to, but different than, yours. She seems to have already fully realized these changes and departures, and stubbornly resolved to refute them every chance she gets. Meanwhile, you have been ignoring it as much as possible. Her animosity and constant irritation only worsen your loneliness. By now you have arrived at the Laurence house. You enter without knocking, as has become custom. But upon entering the study, the scene before you causes your cheeks to redden with embarrassment. Laurie and Brooke are seated at the table by the window in the midst of a lesson. At the sound of the door, Laurie, whose legs are resting nonchalantly on the table in front of him, turns to look at you. Relief washes away his expression of extreme boredom. “(y/n)!  What a wonderful surprise.” He jumps up immediately and waltzes towards you. Brooke looks hesitant and you look horrified. How could you have assumed Laurie would be free? Of course he would spend his few months remaining before college preparing academically. Or at least, his grandfather would force him to. Your blush deepens as you consider that just as he has served as a distraction for you, from change, you have served as a distraction for him, from education. “I’m so sorry, I should have knocked.” “Nonsense, come in.” He is wearing a white linen shirt with large, flouncing sleeves and an unbuttoned silk vest. You make a move to leave, but he shuts the door and leads you away. Brooke looks exasperated, “Laurie, please sit down.” He is ignored. “You are always welcome, (y/n), I insist.” Part of you, the polite and mannerly part, wants to leave. But the door feels miles upon miles away, and the thought of spending a day alone is utterly and gut-wrenchingly awful. After an awkward pause, you say to both of them, “I’ll let you get back to your lesson, but do you mind if I stay?” Brooke seems taken aback, but accepts, “I suppose that would be alright.” “Stay as long as you like,” Laurie assures you, returning to his seat.     So you settle into the study, walking the shelves and flitting through old books. Laurie follows you with his eyes, and Brooke appears worried, presumably that your presence will only distract him further. But then you immerse yourself in a book and read quietly on a couch, close enough to hear them but far enough away that you are apart from their discussions. With time, you notice that Laurie is more quiet and subdued than you expect, and his feet have not returned to their spot on the tabletop, Brooke’s tone loses its edge of irritation, and Laurie buttons up his vest while reciting verb conjugations in Latin. By lunchtime, they’ve finished. The second he is allowed, Laurie strides across the room and seats himself beside you on the arm of the couch. “I promised Grandfather I’d eat with him, but after that, I propose the wildest and most riotous adventures.” “I can’t wait.” You smile and Laurie continues talking, but out of the corner of your eye, you see Brooke giving you a long and pensive stare before leaving. The following day passed with little to note. Laurie was occupied almost until dinner time and you were forced to spend the day between Jo and Meg, where a sense of animosity was growing.     But during breakfast the day after that there was a knock at the door. Marmee answered and you heard her conversing with Mr. Brooke. When she returned, she asked for you. Meg looked considerably crestfallen. Jo rolled her eyes, “You’re already engaged, Meg, seriously.” Brooke had the same thoughtful look he did two days ago, as he said, “Good morning, Ms. March-” “(y/n)” “-(y/n). I was wondering if you noticed anything out of the ordinary regarding Mr. Laurie’s level of focus while you were present the other day.” You tried not to laugh at the way he said ‘Mr. Laurie’ or at his exceedingly formal tone. He was about to be your brother-in-law for Christ’s sake. “I’m not usually there, I can only speculate.” “Well, you see… He was focused, intent, and, well, reasonably respectful.” “Which he isn’t usually, I’m sure.” He nodded, “Correct. I attribute it to your presence.” At that, you blushed a bright scarlet. “He frequently skips lessons or rushes out early, and I’ve noticed that it is to come here, and, frequently, to see you. But while you were with us, he seemed placated. Or at the very least, temporarily mollified. I came here, Ms.- (y/n)- to ask that you accompany us again today.” “Okay,” you squeaked, “I’ll just… grab a few things.” Laurie has been your best friend and closest companion for almost as long as you’ve known him, but your pulse quickened to think that you could have that effect on him. You returned to your family and found your sisters’ faces full of amusement, even Meg. “I’m going to accompany Mr. Brooke to the Laurence house today,” you proclaimed matter-of-factly. “I’m glad to hear that Laurie will be focused on his lessons,” Meg chided. Jo and Amy laughed and Beth and Marmee smiled as you gathered your book and scarf in a small bag and hurried out.     When you arrived at the study a few minutes later, Laurie was slouched against the window with, once again, complete and utter boredom. “Brooke, I could have sworn I saw- (y/n)!” He sprang across the room to greet you, “Oh, please tell me you’ve come to take me away. I can’t stand another minute of this.” “It’s 9 am,” you laughed. “I’m at my breaking point.” He smiled with an air of levity forming at the corners of his lips. “Vive la révolution, Laurie, but only after your lessons.” You resolved to thoroughly explore the room today, and laughed at Laurie’s frequent proclamations of “Vive la révolution!” whenever Brooke scolded him for getting off task. Other than that, he remained focused and even appeared at times diligent. Many days were spent just like this one as the summer drew on, hours wiled away in companionable silence and distant closeness. You would remember these times, later, when he was away, and imagine he was beside you in your loneliness. Perhaps equally lonely, himself.      Finally, as you neared the end of summer, Mr. Brooke deemed Laurie prepared for higher education and released him to his final weeks of freedom. He then could often be found at the March house, as early as breakfast, and frequently staying late into the evening.     One afternoon, a week from Meg’s wedding, you had both escaped from the preparations and planning to the woods surrounding your houses. You had climbed up to a low-lying branch of a large tree and was now seated there, reading. Laurie was lying down on the grass below you, gazing lazily at the sky through the tree branches. “I can’t believe one of the March sisters is getting married,” he said. “Yes, and to your teacher,” you replied bluntly, trying to brush him off and avoid the conversation. You still wanted to ignore everything, but the time was fast approaching when you wouldn’t be able to any longer. “Is there something on your mind, (y/n)?” His tone is tender, soft, and caring. “Nope, I just want to read my book.” He chuckles, “No, you’re not.” You look down and glare at him, ��And how do you know that?” “You haven’t turned a page in the last ten minutes.” “That’s what you’ve been paying attention to?” He must have been more bored than you thought. “What else is there to?” You didn’t realize until later what he meant by this, but for now, you just stared at him curiously. “Come down.” He sat up against the trunk of the tree and patted the space next to him. You sighed, gave a small smile, and obliged, hopping down from your branch to sit beside him. “So this has something to do with Meg?”      You paused before responding with an apprehensive, “Yes.” Meg’s marriage was definitely part of your melancholy. And although you didn’t plan on telling him this, Laurie’s leaving for school was affecting you much more. “What about her?” “It’s just- she’s getting married and- and moving away. And as much as I want to be happy for her, which I am, I can’t for the life of me figure out why.” Laurie gave you an odd look, so you continued, “Okay, I know why. But it’s just that she’s leaving all of us for this… this boring bachelor. I just find it odd.” “Perhaps it is, but they love each other very much. And you know what happens when two people love each other very much-” “YES! I do, Laurie!” you shrieked, and you both burst into laughter. Then you saw that familiar glint of mischief in his expression that had you forgetting everything, forgetting Meg, forgetting Laurie’s university. But soon it all came rushing back, because this is what you would miss, that look in his eye, that smile. You stopped laughing. Laurie stared at you contemplatively as you leaned back against the tree trunk and pulled your knees up towards your chest protectively. His voice dropped to barely above a whisper, “But that’s not everything, it is?” “No,” you admitted. He didn’t respond and instead put his arm around your shoulder, allowing you to lean into him. He traced circles on your shoulder with his finger. You sat here for a while, reveling in this hint of bliss, before he whispered, “You can tell me what it is if you want.” You couldn’t say no anymore, you couldn’t simply walk away. Not here. Not now. “You, Laurie. It’s you.” His finger stopped moving and his arm hung over you with far more weight than it had just moments ago. “You’re leaving and I’m going to miss you,” your voice broke, “so much.” The softness wasn’t gone from his voice, but something else was there as well, something much more morose, “I have to do this, (y/n).” “I know that, and I couldn’t possibly ask you to stay, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.” “(y/n),” he turned your face towards him, putting his hand on your cheek, “I will think of you and I will write to you and I will come home as often as I can, I swear it.” He was just inches away. Your heart beat fast, and though you didn’t quite know or understand what was happening here, you loved it. “Laurie-” in a second, he closed the space between you. The kiss had a depth of emotion and feeling that encapsulated everything you could have possibly said in that moment. It was not long before you would forget what you were going to say, the memory being overshadowed by what came next. You put a hand on his chest. He was warm and soft and it felt so natural to be this close to him. The kiss ended, but he didn’t pull away.  Then, from somewhere behind you, you heard, “(y/n)! Laurie! Come, it’s time to get back to work!” It was Marmee. Laurie merely sat up straighter and looked in her direction, but you jumped up and brushed yourself off. As you and Laurie walked home, you realized how fast your heart was beating and how breathless you felt. You were dazed and stared off with a glassy and faraway look that was oddly similar to the one Meg had recently adopted. Laurie was skipping slightly as he walked, unable to control a smile spreading across his face.

[kinktae]

hot rod || (M)

↳ PART OF MY REWIND SERIES

a 1950′s inspired fic where greaser Hoseok can’t keep his eyes, or hands, off the new waitress at his and his boys’ favorite diner.

pairing: greaser!hoseok x reader

word count: 10k

genre: 1950s au, smut, fluff

warnings: VIRGIN KINK, semi-public fingering, oral (f), brief handjob, unprotected sex, lots of banter

A/N: SMUT WRITTEN BY @httpjeon AKA THE LOML. Photo of hobi originally by twt user GUWOLJK! Thank you to @mortaljin @please-donts @yoongspeach @haroo--mar @ms-universe @usangie-tsukino @attaeboy and @heartweaver for allowing me to use their names!

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"Seriously, why the hell didn't Joon drive?" Taehyung whined, pressing two fingers against his already swollen eye.

Hoseok let out a chuckle as he slid into his and his boys' usual booth.

As per tradition, Fridays called for lunch at Rosie's Diner.

An old woman by the name of Rosie Salinger was the owner of the joint; she had been running the diner since right about around the turn of the 20th century. Her age didn't mean much it would seem, as she was as notoriously feisty — her tongue and mind as sharp as the red cat-like glasses she sported on the bridge of her nose.

Hoseok let his eyes flicker over to the annoyed blond.

Taehyung was typically the group's designated driver, but seeing as he no longer had a car — a result of a drag race gone south — Jungkook had driven this time around. Problem was that Jungkook was what one might call an... inexperienced driver.

On the way over to Rosie's a squirrel had paused in the middle of the road and with Jungkook being the anxious driver that he was his foot found the break pedal abruptly, sending Taehyung straight into the rearview mirror.

"I told you not to go for pinks, Tae. If you still had your car Jungkook wouldn't have to be driving." Namjoon shrugged as he took his seat next to Hoseok, the two youngest boys mirroring his action as they took their places across the table.

"Hey!" Taehyung spoke up, "I told you it was too fucking soon to bring up Rachel like that."

Taehyung's friends let out a collective laugh at the sound of the name he had given the beat-up vehicle, only causing the blond boy to become even more irritable.

"Rachel was my old man's car, I'm in the doghouse till I turn forty." He continued.

Namjoon shrugged, "It's your fault for challenging Min Yoongi to a race."

At Namjoon's words, Taehyung's eyes narrowed into slits, nostrils flaring with disdain.

The name Min Yoongi had always been a sore spot for Taehyung, their dislike for one another reigning back all the way to middle school. It was only a matter of time before one challenged the other.

It all had happened so suddenly; Taehyung and the others had run into Yoongi and his boys at the gas station. All it took was for one slick comment from the Min boy for Taehyung to finally snap, challenging him to a drag race to where the winner got ownership of the loser's car.

"For the record, I only suggested going for pinks because I was pissed and I thought I would take his car." Taehyung defended.

At his friend's words, Hoseok couldn't help but laugh, "Get serious! Min is an asshole but there was no way your hunk of junk would've won against him. His machine is absolute cherry, not to mention to it tears ass on concrete."

"I know, why do you think I jumped at the chance to take his car?" Taehyung pouted bitterly, eyes flickering to Jungkook, "Instead, I lost Rachel and gained a concussion."

Jungkook let out an exasperated, clearly fed up with the topic.

"What did you want me to do? Run over the squirrel?" The youngest pressed. "How was I supposed to know you'd go flying in the windshield like that?"

"Well, shit! Forgive me for not being fucking attached to your car!" Taehyung chided sarcastically causing Hoseok to chuckle.

"That reminds me, you boys hear about those new cars models that are coming with belts?" Namjoon chimed in, changing the subject entirely.

"Belts?" Jungkook questioned, turning away from his bruised best friend entirely.

"Yeah. They're meant to hold you to your seat or something like that."

It was at this point in the conversation that Hoseok had become uninterested; certainly, he was interested in cars but he hadn't managed to catch a wink of sleep last night so he couldn't help but lose concentration, his eyes running lazily over the rest of the diner.

It was surprisingly slow for lunchtime, he noted. Only two other tables seemed to be occupied by the looks of it, both couples eating away at their meals quietly.

Was anyone even working today?

His gaze shifted over to the long counter that sat in the middle of the diner where the staff usually stood, only to pause as he met the eyes of a girl he hadn't noticed when he had first walked in.

Your eyes widened in surprise as the boy caught your stare, quickly looking away as you moved to occupy yourself with folding napkins.

Hoseok furrowed his eyebrows.

You were an employee here, obviously. You wore the usual uniform: a pink and collared button-up dress, the white apron wrapped around your waist embroidered with the diner's name.

However, it wasn't the uniform that confused him, but rather the fact that he had absolutely no clue who you were. Hoseok and the others had been coming to Rosie's for a long time and there wasn't a single face in the staff he didn't know.

The last person to join Rosie's staff had been a girl named Johara who Taehyung had become outrageously infatuated with, but even she had been working here for ages now.

"All I'm saying is car seats with belts on 'em sound ridiculous." A voice argued, bringing Hoseok's attention back to his table.

"Henry Ford seems to disagree." Namjoon replied causing the youngest to raise an eyebrow.

"So what? We're just meant to all start wearing these car belts? That'll never catch on." Jungkook countered.

"Who knows? Maybe these seat belt things will become the new standard for generations to come. Hell, they could be an instrumental part in saving thousands of lives all over the world." Namjoon shrugged nonchalantly as if he had said something as mundane as today's forecast.

The table fell silent as they stared at the tall man, glancing amongst themselves they contemplated his words.

Hoseok took this opportunity to speak, clearing his throat.

"Hey, there's a new waitress standing over at the counter but don't–"

At the mention of a new girl, all three boys turned to look your way, causing Hoseok to physically cringe.

"–all look at her at once." Hoseok continued aimlessly, a frown now present. "Way to keep it cool, boys."

"She's making her way over here."

"Be cool, be cool."

On cue all three boys turned back to face one another, shifting back into more laidback positions.

Curiosity got the best of Hoseok, however, and he glanced over his shoulder to see you making your way over to their table, hands extended out by your sides as you carefully made your way over, bright pink roller-skates on your feet. You reached the boys with a slight wobble, a sheepish smile on your face.

"Cute skates you got there, kitten." Hoseok complimented as soon as you arrived, throwing you entirely off guard.

You could feel heat prickle at your cheeks as you took in the handsome man. His hair was dark and slicked back, a single strand of hair having had fallen down onto his forehead in a way that seemed both effortless and purposeful. You could see the white t-shirt that poked out from underneath his leather jacket and you could feel the way you lost grip on all thoughts other than him.

Hoseok cocked his head at the sight of you standing there looking flustered, a small chuckle falling from his lips.

"Cat got your tongue?" He teased, cocking up an eyebrow.

Suddenly remembering that you were meant to be doing a job, you snapped back into reality, clearing your throat as you tried to ignore the amused looks the four men wore.

"S-Sorry." You apologized through a forced laugh.

You didn't mean to be this awkward; you had always been somewhat shy and the fact that these men happened to be as attractive as they were certainly didn't make things any easier for you.

When you first saw the boys enter the diner clad in their cuffed jeans and slicked-back hair, you nearly contemplated going back into the storage room to ask one of your coworkers to serve them instead. But seeing as they were on break and one of the boys had already seen you staring, you knew you had to go ahead and serve them.

"Good afternoon, my name is Y/N and I'll be your server for today." You told them politely, reciting the words Rosie had had you memorize on your first day.

"Why? Where's Juliet?" Taehyung spoke bluntly, causing your eyebrows to furrow slightly.

The sound of a foot shoving itself into a shin rang out from underneath the table, causing the blonde boy to cry out.

"Ow, fuck's sake!" Taehyung hissed lowly.

"Ignore Taehyung, he hasn't quite figured out how to open his mouth and not sound like an ass yet." Namjoon explained calmly, ignoring the glare that Taehyung was burning into the side of his face. "We're regulars and Juliet is our usual waitress. It's nothing against you, he was just surprised."

"Taehyung." You thought out loud, the name sounding familiar.

"Yeah?" The blond boy responded causing you to jump.

You hadn't meant to say your thoughts out loud. You had remembered that your coworker Johara had specifically mentioned a boy by the name Taehyung on your first day, pleading for you to warn her when he came in.

"Oh, no. Sorry! I just— a coworker, um, mentioned you ." You admitted hesitantly.

At your words, Taehyung's eyes lit up.

"Really? Was it Johara? Is she here?" Taehyung questioned excitedly.

Your mouth opened and closed, knowing you shouldn't have said anything but not knowing how to fix this.

"Oh, uh, I don't–"

The sound of the storage room door swinging open cut your sentence short and sent all heads turning in its direction. The person of interest turned out to be the very co-worker in question, a pink bubble of gum pushing past Johara's painted lips.

Her head turned towards the crowd of eyes that were fixed on her, her bubble popping as she saw Taehyung.

Rolling her eyes, she peeled her eyes off of all of you,  making her way over to the counter.

"Excuse me, ladies, my lady love awaits." Taehyung sang happily, slipping out from booth to walk over to Johara.

You let out a sigh, "Crap, I was supposed to warn her."

"Warn her?"

"Warn her if saw Taehyung, yeah." You admitted causing the three remaining boys to laugh.

"Poor kid. Ain't that a bite." Hoseok smirked and suddenly you became aware of the way the man's eyes had yet to leave your face. You cleared your throat.

"So, what can I get you all?"

You did your best to take the boys' orders, hands shaking slightly as you wrote down onto your notepad. The boys were polite enough but you still couldn't shake your nerves, especially with the way the boy you had overheard being called Hoseok kept looking at you.

As you retreated back towards the kitchen, Taehyung made his way back over to his table, a sour pout on his lips.

"Hey, nosebleed. How'd it go with your lover?" Jungkook mused.

"What's it to ya?" Taehyung snapped back, causing the table to let out a round of Ooo's.

It wasn't a surprise that Johara had shut down Taehyung's advances, she wasn't subtle in her disinterest after all. However, Taehyung was nothing if not blindly persistent.

"It's okay, Tae. You can't win 'em all." Hoseok reassured.

"He can't win any of them..." Jungkook added lowly, covering the comment with a strategic cough.

Taehyung glared at the youngest boy, "You're cruisin' for a bruisin', you know that right?"

"Bet he'd lose that fight too." Namjoon added slickly.

Jungkook let out an amused laugh at the older boy's comment, only to be cut short as Taehyung trapped him into a headlock, digging his fist into the top of his head.

"Come on! Let go! That wasn't even me that time!" Jungkook protested, shoving an elbow into Taehyung's ribs in an attempt to free himself of the blond's grip.

"Sorry to interrupt," You spoke up suddenly, appearing suddenly. "I have your drinks."

Taehyung quickly let go of the now disgruntled looking boy, smiling at you politely as you reached over to place their drinks in front of them.

The boys were quick to begin drinking but Hoseok was far too enthralled with the way your hair had been suddenly put up into a messy ponytail to bother reaching for his.

Namjoon was the first to notice Hoseok's interest in you, straw in his mouth as he observed the way his friend's eyes followed you even after you walked away from the table.

"You like her, Hobi?" Namjoon asked.

Hoseok fought off a smirk, thinking back on how flustered you had gotten when he had first caught your eyes, "She's cute."

"Go and get her, stud." Namjoon offered, clapping a hand onto the back of Hoseok's shoulder encouragingly.

"Yeah?"

"Why not? Your day can't end up any worse than Taehyung's," Jungkook offered, "he's got a bruised ego and eye."

"You're the one who gave me the shiner, dumbnuts." Taehyung quipped immediately, turning to Jungkook angrily as Namjoon laughed.

Hoseok didn't have time to catch Jungkook's reply as he already up on his feet and making his way over to where you stood behind the counter cleaning the milkshake station.

"Y/N, right?" He began as he reached you, causing you to squeak in surprise.

You had been too busy wiping up spilled chocolate milk to notice that the leather-clad boy had plopped down onto one of the many cushioned stools as he watched you with interest.

"Y-Yeah!" You replied shakily, grabbing a napkin as you began to dry your hands.

"I don't bite, you know."

You blinked in confusion, "I'm sorry?"

"You just seem like you're afraid of me or something." Hoseok pointed out causing your eyes to widen.

"No, no! It's not you! Really! I'm just really awkward around attractive people." You explained without thinking, immediately wishing you could disappear into the ground.

Hoseok's shit-eating grin that followed your words only solidified your shame.

"Well, in that case, I'm flattered." He mused.

The hem of your apron was in your hands, abused by your nervous tugging as you offered him a shy smile.

"Oh, did you want a milkshake?" You asked, realizing he probably came over for a reason.

"If that'll buy me more time to talk to you then sure." He shrugged easily.

Staring at the handsome man, your stomach did a flip as you realized exactly what he meant by that.

"Of course, you could always agree to go out with me and that'd give us loads of time to talk." He continued causing a nervous laugh to slip past your lips.

You were flattered.

Really, you were. And a large part of you was happy that he had asked you out. The only trouble was the moment you had first left the boys table, Johara had gone out of her way to explain to you just exactly who the group of boys were.

She had attended high school with them and as far as she knew, their reputations had held up even past graduation. They were trouble, she had told you. They were exactly the kind of guys your parents often warned you about; dirty troublemakers that would start fights needlessly, sleep around with the neighborhood's daughters as they danced along obscenely to rock n' roll.

Your own high school was home to the same kind of boys after all and you had seen the way they had wiggled their way into your friends' pants, only to forget all about them the next day.

And as much as you felt awful for assuming anything of Hoseok, you knew you'd just make a fool of yourself if you agreed to go out with him. The farthest you had gone with a guy was a sloppy ten-second make-out session prompted on by a juvenile game of spin the bottle.

"Ah, I'm sorry... I'm probably not the kind of girl you'd be interested in."

Hoseok furrowed his eyebrows.

"Uh... What?"

The sheer look of confusion on Hoseok's face almost made you open your mouth to retract your statement, but you continued on.

"You and your friends kind of have a... reputation." You explained.

"Huh." He mused dryly, further furrowing his eyebrows. "And that would be?"

You bit down on your bottom lip, unsure of how frank to be.

"That you guys are trouble and don't treat girls the way you should. You know... wham, bam, thank you ma'am kind of guys."

At your words, Hoseok's expression dropped, an unreadable one taking its place.

"I'm just not the kind of girl that can go along with that. I'm sorry." You apologized quietly.

Hoseok stared at you for a moment.

It wasn't what you said that bothered him, it was the fact that he couldn't deny it. He fooled around a lot and probably had a list of fathers who hated him and while he really didn't care, sitting across from you as you stood in your pink skates and waitress uniform, he couldn't help but feel as if he had been reprimanded. He almost felt... embarrassed.

As much as he wanted to give you a reason to go out with him, he just couldn't.

He didn't let himself dwell on the fact for too long, however, tucking his hands into his jacket's pockets.

"Don't be. It's cool." He shrugged nonchalantly.

For a second, you worried that you might have offended him, but his laidback disposition convinced you otherwise.

"I'll see you around, Y/N." Hoseok offered you a small close-lipped smile to which you responded with one of your own, eyes following as he hopped off the stool and made his way back over to his table.

Namjoon, Taehyung, and Jungkook were all in their own conversations when Hoseok slid back into the booth, their conversation fading out at the sight of his return.

"Well?" Namjoon pressed when Hoseok remained quiet.

Hoseok had been in his thoughts from the moment he left your side and hadn't even noticed the way his three friends were all staring at him expectedly.

He leaned back into his seat, "Oh. Nah."

"No way." Taehyung gaped in disbelief.

"You struck out too?!" Jungkook chimed in.

Hoseok let out a small laugh, trying to brush off their disbelief, "She said she knew about our reputation or whatever. Wasn't interested."

"Damn. We've been here for 30 minutes. Word sure does travel fast, huh?" Jungkook added with a laugh.

The table fell silent for a few beats, Hoseok's heavy mood tangible.

"Hey, don't sweat it, Daddy-o!" Taehyung spoke up finally, taking on a playful tone. "She was probably a real square anyway. You're better off."

"Yeah man, she's like a baby deer, she could hardly stand on her own two feet." Jungkook noted.

Namjoon knew the two youngest were just trying to cheer Hoseok up but he knew his best friend well enough to know his smiles in return were merely surface level.

"Yeah." Hoseok replied monotonously, letting his eyes fall across the room to where you were stood in front of another table of customers, notepad in hand and a polite smile on your pretty face.

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A week had gone by since that fateful day that Hoseok asked you out. After that shot to his ego, he swore to himself he wouldn't spend another moment dwelling on the new girl working at Rosie's. He told himself he'd spend his time with his boys fixing up his car, maybe hitting up a former flame or two if he found himself bored enough.

All he knew was that he certainly wouldn't spend his days moping about and hung up on some chick he hardly knew that wouldn't give him the time of day.

So imagine his frustration as he found himself standing in Rosie's parking lot, heart in his throat as he leaned up against the side of his red Ford Thunderbird, waiting for the diner to finally close and for you to walk out.

Try as he might, he couldn't shake you from his mind. He wasn't entirely sure what he was planning on saying to you although he had practiced several different speeches in his head, but he knew he'd go crazy if he didn't at least try one last time. For the first time ever, Hoseok could sympathize with Taehyung and his hopeless attempts at getting the girl he liked to go out with him.

You were sat at a random table inside the diner, slipping a foot into one of your cherished sneakers, your feet thoroughly appreciating the non-wheeled shoes you changed into once the day was done. You could hear your coworkers chatting conversationally as the three of them laughed about something a customer had said today.

You weren't as familiar with your coworkers Alice and Thea as you were with Johara but in the short time you had worked beside them, you had grown to like them.

"Would you want to join, Y/N?" Alice's voice spoke up suddenly, catching your attention.

"Oh, I'm sorry! What was that?" You apologized causing your coworker to laugh.

"I asked if you'd like to come over for dinner. We usually have a ladies night at my apartment and we'd love it if you joined." Alice offered politely.

Your eyes quickly flickered over to Johara, wondering if it was really alright to intrude on your coworkers' plans like this. You hadn't known them for more than a week but the idea of getting to know them over a warm meal sounded like a pleasant one.

"Are you sure?" You turned back towards Alice after Johara sent you a nod.

"Yeah, it'll be fun! We always have a blast. Don't we, girls?" Alice chimed.

"Loads!" Thea assured.

Johara let out a hum in agreement and smirked, "Food, wine and complaining about men. Can't get much better than that."

A collective giggle broke out between the girls and you felt yourself start to grow excited. You hadn't gotten a chance to properly make friends since first moving into town and this was as good an opportunity as any.

"In that case, why not? Sounds fun!"

The four of you made your way out of the diner eagerly, talking amongst yourselves as you tried to decide what food you were all in the mood for. Thea had been in the middle of pitching her suggestion of hash and corn fritters when Alice let out a noise of surprise.

"Isn't that that Hoseok boy?" She observed, causing everyone to turn to where she was looking.

Your heart did a flip as you realized that standing in the parking lot was the same boy who had asked you out, his familiar leather jacket illuminated by the light of a nearby lamppost that cascaded down on him.

"He's holding a rose." Thea added.

"How romantic!" Alice gushed. "What is he doing here?"

"Oh, crap." You gaped, face growing warm.

Alice and Thea turned to you automatically, interests suddenly piqued.

"Whaddya mean by that? Is he here for you?" Alice's eyes widened, looking far too excited about this whole situation.

You turned away from where Hoseok stood, heart fluttering with the way he was looking over at you, rose in hand and bottom lip tucked away in his mouth.

"He... asked me out last week."

Alice and Thea let out small noises in surprise, matching grins falling onto their face. You shook your head quickly.

"I told him no, though!" You told them.

Alice furrowed her brow and tutted, "Now why'd you do that?"

"Because she's got a brain that works." Johara spoke up finally, rolling her eyes.

Alice let out a huff, pointing a polished finger at the younger girl.

"You shush." She reprimanded, "You can't be trusted when it comes to boy problems. You think men are pigs."

"That's because men are pigs." Johara stated matter-of-factly, crossing her arms as she raised a brow stubbornly.

"Go on, Y/N. Don't leave the poor guy waiting. Go see what he wants." Thea nudged your shoulder, pulling your attention away from your bickering co-workers.

Glancing over your shoulder, you bit down on your lip. Thea was right. You should go see what Hoseok wanted and at least hear him out. Sending her a nod, you began to make your way over to him, nerves rising up your throat.

Hoseok let out a breath at the sight of you walking over to him. For a moment, he was afraid you were going to ignore him altogether and continue on your way home. He had absolutely no idea what he'd do if you left him standing here– actually, he had no idea what he'd do now with you on your way over to him.

Hoseok let his eyes fall onto the rose in his hand, trying to grab ahold of just one the millions of thoughts that were running across his mind right now.

You reached Hoseok in a matter of seconds, pausing in front of him as you crossed your arms across your chest, the cold night nipping at your bare arms.

"Hi." You breathed finally, Hoseok's eyes flickering up to meet yours.

You looked about as nervous as he felt but lovely all the same, your hair was pinned back neatly this time, unlike the messy ponytail he had first seen you sport.

"Um... this is for you." Hoseok began, extending the flower out to you awkwardly.

The side of your mouth twitched up slightly, finding the gesture oddly endearing. You took the rose from his hand before turning your attention back to him.

"Right so," Hoseok cleared his throat, shifting slightly, "I'm not any good with this cheesy romantic stuff."

"You're doing alright so far." You teased lightly. Hoseok shook his head.

"No, really. I thought I oughta buy you a whole bouquet of roses but when I got to the flower shop I realized I couldn't afford it so I just stole a rose when the vendor wasn't looking." He admitted with a frown.

A surprised laugh slipped from your lips. You weren't expecting such blunt honesty, especially not paired with the way Hoseok currently resembled a puppy that had been caught doing something they shouldn't have been doing.

At the sound of your laughter, the sides of Hoseok's mouth curled upwards. It was a pretty sound and it was just enough to encourage him to continue talking.

"In fact, everything you've heard about me is probably true. I'm not someone who takes things seriously. And I'm probably not the kind of guy you're looking for."

Hoseok paused for a moment before letting out a laugh, rubbing the back of his neck, "I don't know where I'm going with this. Man, I really am shit at this stuff."

There was something about Hoseok's candidness that was understatedly charming, you decided. The moment you had seen him standing outside with a rose in hand like some romance film protagonist, you were expecting a long-winded speech about how he secretly longed for love and stability– that there was more to him than leather jackets and trouble. You liked that he was honest with you, even if it didn't paint him in the most positive light.

"What are you asking, Hoseok?" You asked softly, holding his gaze.

Hoseok let out a sigh, "I'm asking for a chance. I can't give you a reason why you should give me one. I'm not sure what will come from it, and I can't promise I'm the best guy for you but if you can somehow overlook all that then I'd like to take you out to a movie tonight."

You brought your free hand up to your neck, letting your fingers wrapped themselves around the chain of your necklace. You made the decision to reject Hoseok so easily last week, but now, for whatever reason, with him standing here in front of you once more you weren't sure what to say.

Hoseok stared at you, your silent contemplation slightly dissolving his nerve.

"No funny business. Just a date where we get to know each other. If that's what you want." Hoseok placed a hand over his heart, raising the other hand into the air as if to take an oath, "I promise to have you home early and in one piece."

You bit down onto your lip, letting silence fall over you both as you tried to come to a decision.

"Are you writing a book? Go on and say yes already!"

The voice that called out from the distance caught both Hoseok and you by surprise, and you turned around to see Johara and Thea shushing a giggling Alice, who flashed two encouraging thumbs your way.

You suppressed the laugh that threatened to escape, turning to face Hoseok instead. He had shoved a hand into the pocket of his jeans, looking incredibly nervous as he awaited your response silently.

He looked... cute.

You stared at him for just a second before a small smile broke out onto your face. Intertwining your hands behind your back, you nudged the tip of your shoe against his shyly.

"Alright. Let's get outta here." You finally agreed, causing Hoseok to grin lopsidedly.

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Surprisingly, the car ride to the movies was far from awkward, as you were expecting it to be.

Conversation between Hoseok and you occurred easily, mainly due to the fact that Hoseok was quite clearly a natural extrovert, but also due to how much you had in common.

Hoseok had casually mentioned that he had let his younger sister, Elena, name his car 'Bambi' after her favorite movie and you enthused about your own cartoon loving little sister.

"Angie's gonna be a handful when she's older but she's actually quite fun to hang out with for her age." You had told him.

"God, Elena never leaves me alone. Especially whenever the boys are over; she follows Jungkook around like a lost puppy. Drives me crazy." He shook his head.

"She can't be that bad if you let her name your car." You pointed out with a hum.

Hoseok flashed you a guilty grin, as if you had a point, "Yeah, well. I guess the little ankle-biter's not too bad when she's not buggin' me."

The rest of the car ride was filled with laughter-filled conversation about Hoseok's friends and Rosie's number one competitor, Daisy's Drive-Thru, interrupted now and again as Little Richard and Elvis Presley played on cassette.

Even when you reached the drive-in movie theater and the movie started to begin, neither of you found yourselves uncomfortable or in need of something to talk about, enjoying the way you found each other's presence familiar yet new all the same.

You had just begun to find yourself getting sucked into watching the movie when you felt Hoseok shift beside you, heat finding your face as he threw his arm around the back of your shared seat.

It wasn't a subtle move in the slightest but the gesture was endearing in its own right and before you could help yourself, you found yourself leaning into him, playing along in the cliché. After all, it was cold and Hoseok was undoubtedly warm, both inside and out.

Hoseok didn't mean to stare, really; he told himself he was going to watch the movie. But it was hard to pay attention when your reactions to the film were so genuine and pure– far more entertaining than the movie he had paid for you both to see.

It wasn't until Hoseok let out a chuckle at one of your gasps that you finally turned to face him, only to see that his focus was on your profile and not the movie like it was meant to be.

"Hey! Watch the movie, not me!" You frowned, nudging your shoulder into his.

"I'm trying!" He defended, a feigned innocent expression on his face.

"Liar." You accused, narrowing your eyes. "This movie's really interesting, you know. Marilyn Monroe is a great actress."

Hoseok didn't reply, choosing to just stare at you fondly instead. You shoved his side once again when he ignored your statement.

"What is it?" You pressed, not used to this much attention on you.

A lopsided grin crept on his heart-shaped lips as he shrugged, "Nothing. You're just cute."

You let out a small noise of surprise and before you could open your mouth to reply, a warm hand found your jaw and Hoseok's mouth met yours.

The kiss was chaste, nothing more than a peck really as Hoseok pulled away just as quickly as he had pulled you in, shaking his head.

"Shit, I'm sorry, I just couldn't help myself. I won't do that again, I promise." He apologized sincerely, to which you replied with a stunned nod.

You hadn't been expected the kiss and as embarrassing as it was, the small peck had left you literally dumbfounded.

You weren't upset that Hoseok had kissed you. On the contrary, the kiss was pleasant, his warm lips and hand had felt nice against your skin. And it wasn't as if you disliked him. He was honest, funny and kind and the fact that your heart was now pounding the way it was probably meant you liked him more than you probably should.

Which is why you had been left speechless, having no idea what to do or say now.

You had made a mental note to remain cautious of him right before you had agreed to go on the date with him but it was just so easy to let your guard down when you were talking to him. The hour you had spent with him alone so far was enough to make you wonder why the hell you had listened to Johara's warnings in the first place.

More importantly, however, you were wondering if he would kiss you again.

You turned towards the movie and the two of you sat silently as an inner conflict waged in your head. On one hand, this would be happening very quickly. While on the other, you weren't exactly sure if you even really cared.

The sound of Hoseok laughing caught you by surprise and you looked over to see him staring at the massive screen, finally watching the movie.

He had a lovely laugh, the kind that showed off his teeth and caused his cheeks to go round. It was carefree and sincere and it made your heart skip a beat and before you could second guess yourself, you pushed yourself off of the seat and threw a leg over his lap, straddling him as you pressed your lips to his.

For just second, Hoseok seemed stunned, as if he wasn't expecting you to kiss him, but the second ticked away quickly as he began to reciprocate.

It started soft, curious even, for neither of you knew just how far to take it before he brought his hand up to your chin up to deepen the kiss.

You whimpered into it, but before it could go on too long, he pulled away– both of your breathing labored slightly.

"Are you... are you sure about this?" He asked, licking his lips as if chasing your taste.

"Yeah, I am." You muttered, meeting his eyes to show your resolve.

Nodding his understanding, he met your lips again, this time cupping the back of your head to keep you close to him. His other hand cupped your hip, lightly stroking your skin through your clothes with his thumb. His touch was gentle, soft while his kiss was experienced and deep.

The way he sighed and grunted into the kiss had your heart pounding and your body lighting up with arousal.

The night was cold but everything about Hoseok felt incredibly hot.

He nipped your lip with his teeth before laving over the spot with his tongue. The kiss grew more urgent as his tongue found yours while his hands gripped your waist to move you against his lap, grinding against one another lightly.

Suddenly, amidst your passion and groping, a thought crossed your mind, causing you to pull away. Hoseok leaned his head back against the seat, staring up at you through lidded eyes as he licked his lips slightly.

"What is it, baby?" He cooed, the pet name sending shivers down your spine.

"I just..." You swallowed thickly, mindlessly playing with the zipper on his jacket. "I really like you and I like this but... to be honest, I have no clue what I'm doing."

"What do you mean?" He shook his head in confusion, strong brows furrowing.

You pressed your lips together, not wanting to tell him but knowing he should know.

"I-I'm, you know," You shyly met his gaze, "a virgin."

There was a beat of silence before Hoseok's eyes shut and he muttered a soft 'fuck'. You watched him bite his lip and you swore you could feel his whole body shudder as his hands tighten around your hips.

"That's okay." He cooed, nodding his head.

"You don't mind?" You felt a little insecure, wondering if a guy like Hoseok would be cool with fooling around with a virgin.

"I really don't." He breathed, leaning forward to brush his lips against yours. "And if you want to keep going, I can make you feel good... if you'd let me."

"I would like that." You replied somewhat bashfully, pushing down any insecurities or second thoughts that plagued your mind. You wanted this. You wanted him to touch you. If just kissing felt this good then you could only imagine what it'd feel like if you let him actually touch you.

With you still on top of him, Hoseok repositioned himself so that he could lay back in the seat, keeping you steady on top on him. Beneath your hands, you could feel the soft leather of the seat. This time as you shared a kiss his hands were anything but innocent, traveling under the skirt of your dress to touch your thighs.

Your body, unused to such intimate touches, immediately erupted in goosebumps at his feather-light touches. A whimper turned into a moan against his lips which prompted him to bring one of his fingers up to your mouth to quiet you.

"You have to be quiet, baby." He whispered, a little smirk on his pink lips. Despite his warning, you could feel how hard he was beneath you. "Unless, you like the idea that someone can see you, huh?"

The idea of someone looking over and seeing what Hoseok was doing to you had your face exploding hotly before you hid your face against Hoseok's shoulder. He hummed softly, enjoying your innocent reaction. Smiling, he moved forward to bring you into another kiss.

You shivered when his wandering fingers moved to the apex of your thighs, pressing the deft digits over your hot cunt. You were wet, you knew it before his fingers slid beneath the elastic of your panties to touch your wet slit directly. Your thighs trembled once his fingers found your clit, hard and eager for his touch.

"You're so wet, kitten." He cooed, keeping his voice low and his lips close to your ear so you could clearly hear him. "Does it feel good to be touched like this?"

"Y-Yes." You whined, clinging onto him and mindlessly arching your hips to get more of his touch.

"You gotta stay quiet, can't let anyone know you're getting your cute little pussy touched, huh?" He cooed, pressing a soft kiss to your temple before circling your entrance with his middle finger. You let out a soft sigh as the digit sunk into you, giving you the slightest stretch your body hadn't felt before. "Does it hurt?" He checked, sinking his finger to the first knuckle.

"N-No, not at all." You whispered, your voice cracking when Hoseok's finger found a soft spot inside you.

"Oh," Hoseok chuckled, prodding the spot again and this time you had to bite down on his shoulder to keep yourself from crying out.

"There it is."

"Ah, that feels good!" You choked, squeezing your eyes shut to let yourself feel.

Hoseok felt like he was in heaven, your hot cunt clenching around his digit. He was careful as he introduced a second finger, his index, beside his middle. Your body tightening for a moment, feeling a slight sting from the stretch.

However, as his thumb found your clit, the sting was quickly forgotten. You keened, clinging onto him as you felt that pleasure boiling up inside you, ready to let go.

"Are you gonna cum, kitten?" He whispered, wrapping a hand around the back of your neck to bring his mouth to yours. You nodded, nearly crying out if it hadn't been for him locking you in the kiss.

The sound from the movie had turned into nothing but background noise at this point, your mind was muddled with the oncoming pleasure.

With a final press to your clit and his lithe digits abusing your g-spot, you were coming. Hoseok held your body close to his as you trembled in his lap, cunt clenching around his fingers.

As you came down, Hoseok pulled his fingers from your pussy, making you whimper. With your panties covering you properly once again, you knew that they would have to be thrown in the wash as soon as possible.

You slumped against his body, head on his shoulders. He gave you the best view of his fingers– covering in your cum and still wet.

Your cheeks were on fire and if you weren't too tired to speak, you would've protested the way he popped those fingers in his mouth.

At the sound of him letting out a satisfied groan at the taste of you on his tongue, you covered your face and let out a small whimper.

Hoseok couldn't help but laugh, finding your small display of embarrassment outrageously adorable.

┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈

The rest of the movie passed by quickly, you hardly caught the ending with the way Hoseok kept tickling your sides and stealing kisses from you.

You almost didn't want to go home. You were having such a good time with Hoseok and to be frank, the greedy part of you want to keep messing around with him in this way, his touches and kisses almost addicting.

You had sulked all the ride home, even as Hoseok walked you to your door you couldn't help but pout at the thought that your date was over already. That is until you noticed the note that had been taped to the front door of your house.

"They're not home." You announced in surprise, once you read it.

Your parents had left a handwritten note telling you that they had taken your little sister, Angie, to see the newest Disney movie and that there was frozen casserole in the fridge waiting for you.

Peaking over your shoulder, Hoseok read the note with a nod, "Oh yeah, that's the movie that's scheduled to play after the one we just watched. Elena told me it was good."

Processing this new information, your insides fluttered with excitement as you realized this meant you'd have the house to yourself for the next hour or so. Unlocking the door and pushing it open, you stepped in.

"Any chance you might want to hang out inside then? Since my family isn't home?" You turned to face Hoseok innocently as if you weren't playing out filthy scenes of what hanging out might entail in your head.

"I'd love to." Hoseok grinned, moving to walk in.

"W-Wait!" You panicked suddenly, halting his movements. "Um... Could you move your car out of our driveway and park somewhere out of sight, actually? Just in case they come home early or something. I'd give my parents a heart attack if they came home to me with a strange boy in the house. I don't usually do these kinds of things."

Usually was a far too generous term. You had never done anything remotely like this before and you couldn't help but want to take every measurable precaution that you could. Not to mention you needed a moment to clean yourself up and change out of your now forever tainted Rosie's uniform.

"You're cute when you're nervous. You know that?" Hoseok cooed with an amused smile before nodding. "I'll move the car."

Watching as he turned to walk back down your porch, you slipped further into your house, humming to yourself excitedly as you made your way upstairs.

┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈

To say you and Hoseok sat in your room and talked about the universe and all its stars would be a fabricated overstatement. While everything started off innocently enough – the two of you laid back on your bed as you chatted happily – you were far too eager to continue the events that took place in Hoseok's car to not press your mouth onto his the first chance you got.

Your head was in your pillows, your soft bedding beneath you as Hoseok hovering above you. The kiss was soft and playful and it had you smiling against his lips. He smelled lovely, you noted, his cologne not too strong but enough to let you know that it was him.

His hands weren't idle at all, traveling along the length of your body. You could feel that he was hard in his pants, probably still from your fun at the movie. You couldn't find it in yourself to care very much when he began to grind his hard length along your thigh.

"Didn't know you were this eager to play, kitten." He growled into the kiss, reaching down to open your thighs for him.

His bulge was against your covered cunt now, the simple shorts you had slipped into not saving you from feeling just how hard he was. He groaned as you began to arch your hips up, meeting his thrusts.

"Hoseok," You whimpered, the sound causing him to groan.

"C-Can we... I want... I want you." You admitted, making the man above you freeze.

When you met his eyes, you were shocked to see how dark eyes had become. His pupils were blown wide and as he licked his lips, you realized how his breathing was growing heavier.

The idea of being your first should've been daunting or even unappealing to him. But he didn't feel that at all. He liked – loved –the idea that he would be your first; the first person to ever claim you like this.

The way you trembled and whined at his touch when he touched you at the movie was forever burned into his mind. You were so sensitive, so responsive to even his simplest touch. It was absolutely exhilarating. Everything was new to you, everything was overwhelming to your cute virgin body. And in a sick, perverted way, that excited him much more than it should have. He knew that.

But with you beneath him, asking him to take your virginity – giving him your virginity. He felt like he could cum right then and there in his pants.

There was just one problem.

"I don't have a condom with me." He sighed, the words physically painful leaving his mouth.

You fell silent, looking off to the side and mindlessly playing with the hem of your shirt.

Hoseok felt stiff, waiting for your next answer.

If you told him that it wasn't a good idea – no matter how badly he wanted to pleasure you, he would stop without hesitation.

"It's okay," You muttered, pressing the softest peck to the corner of his mouth, smiling shyly, "as long as you pull out, it'll be fine right?"

Hoseok nearly growled in excitement at your response, blown away at the level of trust you had just appointed him. You were looking up at him with wide eyes and the cutest smile that he couldn't help leaning down and taking you into a deep, breathtaking kiss that left you whimpering.

Once he pulled away, his eyes were even darker than they were before. He was preening in the trust and faith you had put in him, deciding then and there that he was going to make this experience as mind-blowing as he was physically and emotionally capable.

"Fuck, okay." He breathed, sitting up just a bit to unbutton his pants. They were uncomfortably tight and he was desperate to relieve the pressure on his aching cock.

"Can I touch you?" You asked, somehow having enough nerve to speak the words without stuttering. Hoseok nearly lost his mind right then and there.

"I-If you want to." He choked, voice dropping much lower than you had last heard him just seconds ago.

"But... can you show me how?"

Hoseok let out a groan, far too turned on to care about how loud he was being.

"Yeah, I can." He breathed, closing his eyes before opening the zipper to his pants.

You waited, nervous, as he reached into his boxers to pull his cock out.

He was painfully hard, the head of his cock wet with his precum and he was sure it was smeared all in his boxers. His hand was wrapped around his base, as if he were offering himself out to you.

"To be honest, I don't think I can handle having you blow me, so..." He cleared his throat, squeezing his shaft. "But just wrap your hand around me, kitten."

You reached out, replacing his hand with yours.

His breath stuttered audibly and his head fell back for just a moment. His cock was deliciously long and thick, you marveled at the way your fingers just barely touched around him. Wrapping his own hand around yours, he ever so carefully showed you how much pressure to apply without hurting him and how to move just as he liked.

You couldn't help but grow wet, watching the way Hoseok's brows furrowed slightly as you pleasured him.

"Mm, fuck, make sure it's wet." He whispered, and you nodded, moving your hand along his tip to collect his precum, smearing it down his length to aid in your movements.

"Shit, fuck stop!" He growled suddenly, pulling your hand off his cock. He panted, cupping your cheeks before leaning down to pull you into another kiss. "Can't let you do that too long or else I'll cum."

His words had your cheeks burning, and he merely smiled before kissing you again. You didn't offer any protests as he pressed a hand against your stomach, gently urging you to lay back down. Instead of getting back on top of you, however, he positioned himself on his knees between your thighs.

"Can I take your clothes off, baby?" He asked, tone light and calming now.

Although you could feel your nerves and insecurity started to catch up with you, you nodded. Hoseok's fingers were gentle as he peeled your shirt off, just a simple t-shirt that you opted to sleep in because the material was incredibly soft.

With your breasts exposed, your face was alight again. Instead of shying away from his touches, you found yourself wanting to have his hands on you. You trusted him to make you feel good, you knew he would.

So when his hands cupped your breasts and his fingers lightly pinched your hardened nipples, you cried out immediately. His breathing stuttered at the sound, his cock throbbing between his thighs. You clutched the bed sheets beneath you, writhing against the bed under his experienced touches.

"Hoseok, please." You begged, though you weren't sure what it was for.

"Alright, kitten, I'll take care of you." He cooed, abandoning playing with your tits in favor of hooking his fingers into the band of your shorts and pulling them off, taking your panties with them.

You suddenly felt much more exposed than you had before, clamping your thighs shut to hide your cunt from his greedy eyes. Hoseok felt like the air was punched out of him as you laid beneath him, naked and vulnerable, looking good enough to eat.

That idea had his cock twitching again, precum dripping down its fat head. Scooting further down the bed, you watched as he practically scrambled to rid himself of his clothes. He stumbled a tiny bit pulling his jeans off which brought a laugh bubbling from your lips. He caught your gaze as you giggled, his own heart fluttering in his chest at the sight.

You were just so cute.

"I'm gonna make you feel good, yeah?" He cooed, gently prying your knees apart at your knees.

You squeaked, your hands flying down to over your exposed cunt. Hoseok dropped to his stomach on the bed and leaned forward to nip playfully at your hands.

"Trust me, kitten." He whispered, leaning over to press a soft kiss to your inner thigh. "Let me in."

Closing your eyes, you mentally worked yourself up to move your hands away. Once your wet, dripping cunt was exposed to his eyes he groaned. You were so soft, folds spread to reveal your clenching hole and hooded clit. Your pussy was dripping your arousal and, fuck, you looked so delicious.

"H-Hoseok?" You squeaked, him just staring at your most intimate part had you feeling incredibly bashful.

He let out a small hum, "I'm going to taste you now."

You didn't get a chance to respond before his flattened his tongue over the length of your slit. His hands came down on your hips, when you bucked up in pleasure, to hold you down. His tongue was skilled, circling your hard little clit and sliding into your clenching hole to taste your juices.

You whined, reaching down and tugging at his hair at his movements. The feeling of having someone's tongue on you like this was indescribable. Hoseok felt like he was on cloud nine with your sweet cunt wrapped around his tongue, giving him more and more to taste.

When his greedy tongue found your clit again, sucking the bud into his mouth, you felt that pleasure rising again. Hoseok could feel the way your thighs tightened around his head, your legs trembling and your breathing rapid.

You were close.

And then suddenly, he pulled away, causing you huff, letting out the cutest frustrated whine that almost had him diving back in to wipe the frown off your face.

"I know, baby, I would love to make you cum on my tongue but I want your first time to be on my cock." His words sent another spike of arousal through your very being. "Are you ready?"

"Y-Yeah," You whispered, stomach churning in anticipation, watching as he fisted his own cock to spread his own precum down the length.

You spread your legs for him to settle between, the blunt head of his cock sliding between your folds. He gathered your wetness along his length, making sure his own cock was wet enough for you.

Finally, he began to press into your entrance. Your eyes widened as he began to sink in, keeping your gazes locked as he took your virginity. His breathing halted, mouth opened wide as your cunt enveloped him until he was balls deep inside you.

"Are you okay?" He whispered, moving over you to rest his weight on his hands beside your head. "Does it hurt?"

You had gripped onto your sheets beside you, clenching your jaw as you held back a whimper.

"I-It stings." You replied honestly, eyes drifting to where you were stuffed full of him. His cock looked so big with your wet pussy spread open for him.

"It'll pass." He promised, moving one hand down to find your clit with stealthy fingers.

He grunted when your cunt clamped down on him at the added stimulation. He stayed like that for a moment, just circling your clit to bring the pleasure back until you let him know it was okay for him to move.

When he was given the okay, he felt like he could cry. The feeling of your cunt squeezing him and your arousal dripping down his balls was the hottest thing he'd ever experienced. Nothing in his life could ever compare to having you beneath him.

You were trembling, body already growing overwhelmed from the feeling of having him inside you. Everything felt so strange, so foreign but still so right. Reaching up, you wrapped your arms around his shoulders to pull him in for another kiss.

The sound of skin meeting filled the space and you had to break the kiss to cry out your pleasure. He was over the moon to drag more sounds from you, locating that little spot in your walls that had loud cries of ecstasy slipping past your swollen lips. Burying your face in his neck, you felt like your whole body was on fire. Sweat pooled over both your bodies, making your skin stick together but neither of you cared at all. All the two of you could think about was the feeling of you wrapped around his cock.

"O-Oh, Hoseok!" You cried, your nails catching the slippery skin on his back. "I-I'm close again!"

"Yeah?" He growled, throwing all caution to the wind as he let his words flow. You fell back onto his pillow, letting him see your blissed-out expression again. "You gonna cum for me?"

"Y-Yes!" You panted, unable to stop the loud cry from your lips when he gave a punishing circle of his thumb on your clit.

"Letting me take this cute little virgin cunt, right? Gonna ruin you for everyone, I'm gonna be the only cock that'll ever satisfy you," He chuckled, a cocky smirk on his lips when you positively gushed around him. "You like me talking to you like that, kitten? Such a dirty little virgin, aren't you?"

"Hoseok, fuck!" You begged, tears pricking at your eyes by now from being so close to the edge.

"Go on, cum for me," He egged on, moving his lips close to your ear. "Squeeze my cock with your tight little cunt, baby."

And so you did, and it was beautiful. You clung to him and cried out his name while your whole body trembled beneath him. You were so vulnerable and so sensitive, little tears falling from your eyes – it brought out something primal in Hoseok. He was overwhelmed with the need to mark you as his, he needed to know that you had given him this. He was your first and he wanted to mark you with his cum. Wanted to dirt you with his seed.

His own orgasm snuck up on him and before you even came down from your own orgasm, he pulled out and spilled out onto your stomach. Hot and wet, it pooled beneath your belly button as he pumped his cock until he had nothing more to give.

"You okay, kitten?" He asked after allowing you both a moment to catch your breaths, pressing chaste kisses down onto the side of your neck.

"Y-Yes." You replied, feeling somewhat shy at his doting.

Hoseok removed his mouth from your neck to look at you, opening his mouth to say something when he was interrupted by the sound of your front door opening and your family walking into the house, causing both your stomachs to drop.

"Y/N, are you home?" A familiar child's voice rang out from downstairs.

"Crap!" You hissed, your wide eyes meeting Hoseok's as you both sat up.

"What do we do?" Hoseok asked, keeping his voice low. You sat frozen on your bed for a few moments before the sound of your sister's footsteps on the stairs snapped you back to reality.

Without thinking, you sprung right up, grabbing all of Hoseok's clothes and throwing them at him.

"Closet! Now!" You ordered hurriedly, pushing the naked boy in the direction of your closet door.

"Wait–"

"Shut up!" You hissed lowly, heart in your throat as you heard your sister walk outside in the hallway.

Opening your closet, you ushered Hoseok inside, closing it shut as quickly and quietly as you could.

"Y/N? Are you here?" Angie called out from outside your door and you took a silent moment to thank your lucky stars that your sister knew better than to enter your room without knocking.

"One second! I'm, uh, changing out of my uniform!" You called back, nearly tripping on your rug as you began to clean yourself up with a spare towel you luckily left out from your morning shower, slipping back on your shorts and shirt.

Fixing your hair as you made your way towards your door, you let out a shaky breath before plastering a smile on your face and opening the door.

"Hi, peanut! How was the movie?" You replied, probably somewhat too enthusiastically.

Angie's face lit up as if she had been waiting for you to ask her that.

"So good!" She told you, eyes wide. "There was this pretty girl dog who got lost and she got found by a boy dog and then there was this mean dog catcher and a spaghetti kiss and–"

"Neato!" You interjected quickly, knowing how chatty your little sister had a tendency to be. "Tell you what, I'm absolutely beat from work so I'm gonna head to bed. You can tell me all about it tomorrow, okay?"

"Aw, you're no fun." Angie complained, a small pout on her lips.

"I'm sorry, I'm just... really tired." You apologized, throwing in a yawn for good measure.

Your sister held your stare for a moment as if considering the validity of your statement before ultimately sighing.

"O-kay..." She hummed dejectedly causing you to lightly pinch at her cheeks.

"Goodnight! I love you!" You called out after her as she began to trudge to her room, "I'll see you in the mornin'."

"See ya later, alligator!" Was Angie's final reply before disappearing down the hallway.

"Goodnight, mom! Goodnight, dad!" You called out, poking your head in the hallway so the sound would travel downstairs.

The disembodied voices of your mother and father answered back, wishing you sweet dreams.

"Cute kid. The way she talks reminds me of Elena." Hoseok voice rang out from behind you just as you shut your door, causing you to jump. You turn around to see that he is now fully dressed, probably having had put his clothes back on during his time-out in the closet.

You offered him a small smile.

"So... what do I do now?" He asked with a tilt of his head. You let out a sigh, plopping back down onto your bed.

"I have a window?" You offered sheepishly causing Hoseok to make a face at you.

Despite the fact that climbing down the side of a house was not exactly how he pictured this date ending, he couldn't really complain. The date had panned out far better than he could've hoped really.

Crossing your legs at the ankles, you watched as Hoseok opened your window, the night's events suddenly sinking down on you.

You had told Hoseok that you weren't the kind of girl who would let him get in your pants and then ditch you right after but here you were.

You didn't regret sleeping with him but your chest couldn't help but feel a little heavy knowing that you had just become another notch in Hoseok's belt.

The selfish part of you wanted to be more than that but you also remembered Johara's warnings. You had done this to yourself. Pushing down your feelings, you decided to try and make light of the situation.

"So is this the part where you leave and I see you in the diner next week and we pretend like this never happened?" You joked half-heartedly, hand fiddling with the drawstrings of your shorts, hoping to appear nonchalant.

Hoseok's eyes flickered to your anxious gesture, shrugging. "I guess so."

Your shoulders fell dejectedly but you nodded silently. You knew the name of the game far before you agreed to go out with him and he had made it very clear that he wasn't a romantic kind of guy so really, what could you do?

"Although," Hoseok began suddenly, throwing a leg over your window sill. "If you ask me, I don't think that would do me any favors."

You blinked in confusion, "What do you mean?"

"Well, if I'm tryna make you my girl, what good would ignoring you do?"

You stared at him for a moment as if unsure you had heard him correctly, before a massive smile broke out on your face, sure that you had.

"In that case, I think I would strongly advise against ignoring me." You replied cheekily.

"You think so?" Hoseok hummed, a playful tone to a serious question.

He had every intention of pursuing you seriously and if you gave any indication that him pursuing you wouldn't be in vain, then he wanted to know.

Hoseok liked you. He actually liked you and wanted you to be his girl. He didn't want this to be just another one night stand if he could help it.

You stared at him for a moment, fawning over the way he was looking at you, eyes wide with hope as he chewed on his bottom lip anxiously, awaiting your answer.

Pushing yourself off your bed, you walked your way over to the handsome escapee. You held his warm eyes briefly before pressed a chaste kiss onto his cheek.

"Yeah. I do." You answered shyly, not bothering to conceal your beaming smile, leaving Hoseok absolutely breathless.

Climbing down the side of your house, Hoseok couldn't help but feel like he was stuck in some sort of cliché romance film. Not that he really cared at that moment, though. Hell, if it made you smile at him like that then maybe he wouldn't mind becoming the romantic type after all.

[vicky-shitposts]

as yet untitled

25 Feb 2021,

depression meal check: four slices of plain bread and a mini apple pie. spent 15 minutes reciting 11 lines of dialogue from How To Get Ahead In Advertising at 3am this morning for a video i put on instagram. in it i wear braces with my pyjamas and people are probably going to think i've lost the plot - or that's what i want them to think. nobody has the care or knowledge to understand what the fuck im referencing. currently sat in bed listening to KMFDM, probably going to go back on minecraft and work more on my pyramid; playing that game is basically free therapy for me, but my eyelids are drooping. my plan is shower at 7 am, grab an energy drink before class at 9 am and go vicko mode if start learning about Othello in class today.

It's 9 am and im already appalled. the white monster energy drinks used to be £1.10 at the garage on the corner, right?? just ran to get one for breakfast and to see me through my english lesson til lunchtime. the bastard has gone up to £1.89 - the audacity!! today is a very Shakespeare day however; we have started studying Othello in english and my copy of REG's To Be Or Not To Be single has arrived. time for me to start being a pompous twat who speaks in old english and constantly breaks into a soliloquy. doesn't help that my internet is being unstable, rendering my sessions in class to short and interrupted bursts.

ive managed twelve hours awake, and here am i studying the plot of a five act tragedy. currently shaking like an absolute leaf on a tree, debating if i should give my CD a play or watch another episode of Outnumbered before sociology begins - i think the latter. did a measure of the stickers i got against my phone case and, provided it bends with the corners okay, one should fit. come 4 pm when college is over, i'll be attempting to getting sticky. results should be in for our sociology assignment later tonight too so let's see how that goes; the results are in and i somehow managed to get middle marks on both!? this calls for a celebratory drink. to quote my love Withnail: "i must have some booze, I DEMAND TO HAVE SOME BOOZE!!"

about to go for a nap now ive finished college. im terrified im going to sleep in and miss release time for my album, but i should be woken up about seven. fingers crossed and see you on the other side... quite astonished at myself for the fact i have been able to attend 6 hours of college today, and also finish a whole series of Outnumbered (6 x 30 minute episodes).

[maxxfabray]

Puppy Play | MaxBlaine

Who: Max Fabray & Blaine Anderson ( @blaineandersonsub )

When: Tuesday 2.9.21 Lunch Hour

Where: Max’s Suite

What: Pet play; Blaine is the cutest puppy EVER

max fabray

Max was ready for something carefree and easy to do during lunch. And it seemed like her pet play scene with Blaine was exactly the right call. After a very big breakfast and two bags of chips throughout her first two classes, she wasn't very hungry. Which meant she could focus just on Blaine and the scene during their lunch hour. She was opening the package she ordered for him just as there was a knock on the door and Max hurried over, kicking the side of the couch with her bare foot as she did so. Opening the door with a bright smile, she greeted him and pulled him right in. "I don't want to waste any time, pup. Down on your knees, recite your limits and safeword and let's have some fun. I got sooo many toys for you. I also went with black ears and a tail to match your actual hair."

Blaine D. Anderson

Blaine had been watching the clock all day, even during classes, in anticipation for his scene with Max at lunchtime. It had been ages since he'd actually been able to get into a puppy headspace with anyone, much less on his own, so when the Switch had expressed interest in a scene with him on the dash, he'd hardly been able to wait for the week to go by. Watching the door to the room open, he let out a soft laugh as he was swiftly pulled inside. At the mention of the toys, ears and tail, he wasted no time setting several bento boxes on the counter, that contained the crust-less sandwiches he'd promised, dropping his leather messenger bag to the floor, then sinking to his knees. "Yes, Queen," He started, barely able to contain the of excitement in his voice and eyes as he spoke. "My limits are cutting and lacerating of any kind, vore, knives, needles, scarring, permanent marks and any non-sexual body function. My safeword is 'red'."

max fabray

Max had forgotten about the promise of the meal prep so it was a very nice surprise. "Good boy, pup. You just got here and you're already making me extremely happy. But putting these on will make me even happier." Max pulled the black ears and tail from the package, just letting the plastic fall to the floor. She tried her best to focus on the limits he was reciting for her as she slipped the ears back onto his head. "Oh my goodness, you're so fucking cute. Turn around." She unhooked the pin attached to the tail so she could secure it onto the back of his pants carefully. Max circled him once before patting him on the top of his head. Max grabbed her phone off the counter and snapped a couple of pictures. "So fucking cute. Alright, you can stay on your hands and knees for the remainder of the scene. Follow me." She led him to the living room where the other packages were stacked by the couch. She took a seat and grabbed the one on top. "Hm, I wonder what this is." She shook it held it out for Blaine to interact with.

Blaine D. Anderson

Blaine's eyes lit up when he saw the ears and tail being pulled from the plastic, and he quickly followed instructions without so much as an ounce of hesitation. He could feel the mental shift occurring as he looked back over his shoulder and experimentally moved his hips side to side to move the tail, then growled playfully and moved to spin around and chase it for a moment. When she spoke, she caught his attention once more, and he paused and looked over at her out of the corner of his eye with the tail clenched between his teeth, and then he was quickly crawling after her towards the living room. Once there, he knelt in front of the couch with his palms pressed to the floor and his gaze followed her as she grabbed the box off the top of the pile. When she shook it, he grinned and got up on his knees, taking the box and shaking it eagerly. "Open!" He exclaimed, his gaze flickering to meet hers with big, brown, eager eyes as he moved to set the box on the floor, nuzzling it towards her feet.

max fabray

Max was impressed by how fast Blaine got into the right mindset. She couldn't pull her eyes away when he chased after his tail. She would definitely need to catch a video of that the next time he did it. He was attentive and he all but jumped in her lap when he took the package. She sat back and watched him play with it for a bit. Max only picked it up when he nuzzled it against her feet only to shake it again. "You sure? This is what you want me to open?" She held it right in front of his face. "Sit, pup. And don't move until I say you can." Max had a feeling what was inside based on the shape. She pulled out the dog rope and dangled it in front of his face. "Oh look at that. Do you want that?" She asked in a playful voice, and shaking the rope right above him.

Blaine D. Anderson

Blaine nodded eagerly at the question of whether or not to open the box, big, brown eyes not once leaving the cardboard as he watched her pick it up and shake it once more. His mind raced with what exactly could be in there, but still sat when he was told to, nodding in response to the order as a way of acknowledging it. "Open," He confirmed softly, the corners of his lips turning up in an eager grin as he curled his fingers around the carpet below. When the rope was removed from the box, it took everything in him not to jump for it, her order of sitting still until he was told he could move replaying in his head. With eyes locked on the rope that was dangling above his head, he simply whimpered and nodded eagerly, his eyes only leaving the toy momentarily to flicker over at her before they were trained right on the rope again. "Please, Queen," He quickly added, inching up towards the toy in anticipation.

max fabray

This was a test, a test for his restraint. And he was passing with flying colors. She could see the struggle in his eyes, to keep still as he waited for her command to move. It was even evident by the way his voice strained when he begged her verbally and she wanted to hang on to that desperation just a little while longer. She dropped the box back on the floor and stood up, keeping the rope where it was hanging above the submissive. Stay..." She circled around him, checking his form as his hands pressed into the carpet and his body shook in anticipation. "Good boy," she praised once she was standing in front of him again. "Alright, grab it." Once it was in his possession, she let go and reclaimed her seat on the sofa, watching him play with the toy with delight.

Blaine D. Anderson

Blaine struggled really hard to stay still, but he managed, his eyes never once leaving the toy as Max circled him with it hanging over his head. The anticipation built, which lead to excited trembling and an iron grip on the carpet, and a soft whimper at the command when it was given. When the Switch stopped in front of him and gave him permission to grab the toy, he wasted no time jolting upwards and grabbing it between his teeth. He rolled around with it, and even shook it for several moments before moving to drop it on her lap with a wide, eager grin on his face as his eyes flickered between the toy and her eyes. "Throw?" He asked excitedly with wide, brown eyes, then dropped his torso into a playful stance.

max fabray

It really was captivating, watching Blaine play the perfect puppy. His movements were perfect as were his little whimpers. Even the way his nose wiggled and his tail wagged. When he brought the toy and dropped it in her lap she picked it up with a swiftness and dangled it above him in the air once more. “You want it?” It was a good thing she decided to move the table before he came, knowing she wanted to play like this. Max faked left. Then faked right. Then tossed it to the left so that it landed right in front of the television. “Get it!”

Blaine D. Anderson

Blaine perked up when Max lifted the toy up and started getting as excited as he was, which just made him more excited. He started bouncing from side to side, following her movements so when she moved left, he went left, and vice versa. He kept his eyes trained on the toy as she interacted with him, even going as far as to "jump up" which just involved him reaching for the toy itself. When it was finally thrown, he spun around and crawled as fast as he could over to where it landed, then dove on top of it. Picking it up between his teeth, he spun back around and carried it back over, holding it up for her with wide, eager eyes as he wagged the tail quickly. "Again," He muffled out around the toy, then giggled eagerly as he dodged her hand when she reached for it, a challenging glint in his eye.

max fabray

Max fell back into the couch, clapping her hands and laughing out loud as Blaine chased after the toy. She wasn't sure of this joyous feeling was because Blaine was enjoying himself so much that it was contagious or that she was just genuinely enjoying the experience. It was hard to gauge because she couldn't remember the last time she was actually happy or actually felt joy without some kind of adrenaline rush accompanying it. He brought it back to her quickly and she eagerly moved to take it back from him. When he dodged her grasp and displayed a mischievous grin, she offered a smirk of her own before leaning back and pulling out her phone. "Oh, I guess play time is over then," she teased in a sing-song voice.

Blaine D. Anderson

Blaine grinned up at the Switch as he continued to taunt her with the toy to try and get her to grab at it again. However, when that didn't happen and she mentioned play time being over, his eyes immediately widened, and he couldn't help but whimper and move closer, nudging her hand several times. "Play..." He muffled out around the toy, then rested his chin against the cushion on the couch. Then, he deployed his secret weapon. He turned his eyebrows up, widened his eyes and let out a series of low, soft whimpers around the rope still grasped between his teeth. Puppy dog eyes were something Blaine had perfected over the years, and he absolutely loved to use them to his advantage.

max fabray

Max did her best to ignore Blaine at first, scrolling through Instagram aimlessly only looking down after he nudged her hand several times and begged. She wasn't going to give in so easily, no matter hard it was to ignore him like this. It's what she enjoyed about pet play so much, the playfulness of it. Though, if he had one thing on his side, it was the cute factor and he played into it well. Max didn't give in right away, but he did capture her attention. "Oh you want to play?" She teased. "Are you going to be a good boy and play nicely, hm?"

Blaine D. Anderson

Blaine nodded as much as the couch would allow, but kept the puppy eyes going as much as he could. He even began wagging the tail eagerly as he moved forward and nudged the toy against her hand once more. "Be good," He murmured softly, then decided to try a different tactic. He left the toy there and moved back a few steps, then got back down into the playful position as he watched her with a big smile on his face, keeping his head low to the ground.

max fabray

What Max really wanted to do was just set the precedent and remind Blaine who was actually in charge. She knew it wouldn't take long for him to comply because she could already see he was a good boy. "That's better." She set her phone down beside her and picked the rope up again. Standing up, she raised the toy far beyond his reach and snapped to get his attention. "Up. Sit up straight," she cooed.

Blaine D. Anderson

Blaine grinned at the praise, knowing it took him one step closer to play time again, and he let out a playful growl as his gaze followed her as she picked up the toy, then also as she stood up and off the couch. When Max snapped, Blaine's attention was immediately on her, and he quickly sat up straight and locked his eyes on the rope as he wagged the tail excitedly. It was hard not to move, and he very quickly started trembling with anticipation as he waited not-so-patiently for the command to "get it" or for the rope to be thrown.

max fabray

Max could see the anticipation, from the way his body shook to the way his eyes were trained on the rope. But she was going to make him work for it. "Lay." She ordered, pointing to the floor at her feet. When he complied, she continued to fire off orders, telling him to turn. Then telling him to shake hands. Then finally to speak. "You're going to be a good boy from here on out, right?" She asked with a warm, yet stern voice.

Blaine D. Anderson

Blaine eagerly followed each order exactly as it had been laid out for him, his focus shifting to her as opposed to the toy as she gave him tasks to complete. He took his commands quite seriously in general, but especially when he was doing them to make up for a wrongdoing. After the last had been given, he moved back into a sitting position and kept his eyes on her as she spoke. He let out a soft whimper at the stern tone and dipped his head submissively, the puppy eyes coming back out in full effect as he waited for her to finish before responding. "Yes, Queen. I'll be a good boy," He pouted, then scooted closer and nuzzled at the hand not holding the toy with another softer, needy whimper.

max fabray

Max watched Blaine follow each and every command to a T and she rewarded him with a pat on the head and when he nuzzled into her hand, she massaged the back of his neck. "That's better. That's a good boy." She was much more willing to comply to his wishes now that he righted his rights and she lifted the toy up again and tossed it behind Blaine. "Go on, go get it." She took her seat back on the couch, except this time she balanced on the end, holding her hand out for him to drop it into when he retrieved it.

Blaine D. Anderson

Blaine relaxed at the gentle pat to his hair, followed by the massaging on the back of his neck. Letting out a content sigh, his eyelids fluttered and a small smile formed on his face once the praise was returned. He thrived on being a good boy, and anything less than that, to him, was something he stayed as far away from as he could. When she lifted the toy again, he was right back up with those same wide, brown, sparkling eyes and a playful growl as he backed up and when she started to prepare to throw it. Once it was thrown, he spun around and chased after it, then dove on top of it and clenched it between his teeth. He began shaking it side to side, spinning around with it, flouncing around excitedly. At least, until he noticed her hand outstretched. He then rushed over and dropped the toy into her hand, then got down into a playful position as he wagged the tail side to side eagerly.

max fabray

Max wasn't interested in rushing him, just letting him know that she was still engaged as he played with the rope. "The little tail wag was almost too much for her as a bright smile stretched across her features. "You're just too fucking cute for your own good." She dropped the toy next to her on the couch and pointed to the pile of packages she pulled it from earlier. "We have time to open one more package and for being such a good boy, you can choose which one we open next. You have 30 seconds to choose and bring me a package to open. Go ahead."

Blaine D. Anderson

Blaine grinned at the compliment, and after he was instructed to go pick out a box to open, he quickly did so. He began carefully shaking each one, looking eagerly and hastily for the one that sounded the most intriguing until finally, one of the boxes gave a small, but audible squeak when he shook it. He whimpered eagerly and rushed over, holding the box out with both hands. Big, brown eyes flickered between her and the cardboard as he continued to wag the tail even faster.

max fabray

Max didn't even bother keeping time. She knew that Blaine was going to be good enough to stay well within his time limit. When he brought her back a box that squeaked, she smiled, knowing exactly which package that was. She pulled the box and took her sweet time opening it up. Stopping every once in a while to 'check' something on her phone, just to build the suspense she was sure he was already feeling. It wasn't until his tail was wagging and his eyes were strained that she finally tore into the package and pulled out the pink squeaky ball. "Is this what you wanted?" She asked, then threw it somewhere behind the couch. "Go get it."

Blaine D. Anderson

When Max ripped the box open, Blaine got even more visibly excited. He dropped down into the same playful position, bouncing left and right excitedly as he kept his eyes trained on the box. It wasn't until the squeaky ball was pulled from the box that he got really excited. He began whimpering eagerly and backing up in preparation for it to be thrown as he excitedly nodded. "Please throw! Ball!" He grinned, keeping his eyes trained on it as she pulled her arm back to throw it. When it was thrown, he sped around the couch and began searching around the room, making a point to look under each and every piece of furniture he could. When he finally located it, he found it under a table that was just low enough that he couldn't easily access the ball that had rolled all the way back against the wall. He dropped to the floor and started trying to reach it, letting out soft whimpers, huffs and growls as he poked his tongue out in concentration.

max fabray

It was the sweetest thing, watching the excitement on his face as he watched the ball, then chased after it. She might have gone overboard, buying all those toys, but getting to let go and play with Blaine made it worth it. Max was expecting him to come right back with the ball but when there was a delay, Max turned around, peering over the back of the couch to see where he was. When she caught him trying to reach it behind a table, Max smiled, but then stood up to go and join him. "Oh no what happened?" She asked, running her hand up and down his back. to try and get his attention. "Do you need some help getting it? Alright," she continued, pointing to a spot on the floor out of the way. "Sit. And I'll get it."

Blaine Anderson

Blaine relaxed slightly at the touch on his back, looking up at her with the biggest, most eager puppy eyes he could muster as he scooted back and pointed behind the table. "Rolled," He whined out, lips immediately pouting as his eyebrows furrowed. Of course, he knew what to do to get it back out again, but when in the headspace he was currently in he rarely did things like moving a table to get something from behind it, or anything similar. When she asked if he needed help, he nodded quickly and moved in to nuzzle her hand as he began wagging the tail excitedly. This meant he was getting his ball back, and that had the glint of excitement returning to his eyes. He quickly shifted to the spot Max pointed to, then sat on his heels with his hands planted into the floor, an inquisitive, curious look on his face as his gaze flickered between her and the table.

max fabray

It was easy for Max to pull the table from against the wall and retrieve the ball. Once she got it and returned the table to its spot, she gave him the ball and motioned for him to follow her back to the couch. Time was a ticking which meant the scene was coming to an end. So she patted the couch for him to jump up on and join her. She ran her fingers over his head and settled on the back of his neck. "You were such a good boy for me today, pup. And because of that, I'm going to let you hold on to this ball. And every time you come be a puppy for me and you're a good boy, you get to take home a toy, okay?" They still had a few more minutes, so she milked the time and spent the last few minutes just petting him as he laid his head in her lap. Max couldn't wait to do this with Blaine again.

[verdiprati]

Looking ahead . . . in spite of it all

The last time I published an unofficial list of Dame Sarah Connolly’s upcoming performances, it was with hesitation, knowing that she had months of treatment for breast cancer ahead of her and that she might need to withdraw from some of her performance engagements. That was in late October, 2019. I had, at the time, no inkling that a then-unknown respiratory virus would begin infecting humans over the winter and rapidly break out into a deadly pandemic, resulting in the widespread closure of public spaces and devastating the performing arts.

The change log appended to my previous unofficial schedule post shows that on March 23, 2020, I made the first round of edits to reflect corona-cancellations. Since then, I have been quietly monitoring the status of Dame Sarah’s scheduled gigs and crossing them off as their cancellations have become known to me. 

I have also picked up on a few new dates that we can very tentatively look forward to. It is hard to say how long the coronavirus crisis will go on; even when large, indoor public gatherings become possible again, some arts organizations may have had to slash their offerings—or may have succumbed completely—due to the financial fallout of the pandemic. In the meantime, we are starting to see some companies like the Bayerische Staatsoper, Wigmore Hall, and the Royal Opera House offer small-scale, live musical performances with no live audiences, just online streaming. 

Now that Dame Sarah is about to perform in one such livestream-only concert—tomorrow’s Das Lied von der Erde in Covent Garden, also notable for being her first live performance since withdrawing from the stage for cancer treatment over the winter—it seems like the right moment to refresh my list of her upcoming performances and start anew. 

See my current list after the jump.

This is the point in the post where I normally give a condensed list highlighting the cities where Dame Sarah is scheduled to appear in live performance, so that readers can tell at a glance whether she is coming anywhere near them. This list must now be read with a giant asterisk, as some performances may be online-only (so it doesn’t matter where you live), and others may be much more prone to cancellation than normal! 

That said—British performance sites on the horizon at the moment are the Royal Opera House (for online viewing only) and Wigmore Hall in London, plus the Lieder Festival in Oxford (also online only). Audiences in continental Europe might get to see Dame Sarah in Barcelona, Berlin, Hamburg, Amsterdam, or Luxembourg. An as-yet-unconfirmed operatic run may be in store for the 2021-2022 season in New York.

The usual disclaimers:

This is not an authoritative list. These are the upcoming performances by Dame Sarah Connolly that I have been able to learn about from Dame Sarah’s new website, Dame Sarah’s agent's website (Askonas Holt), Operabase, Bachtrack, Dame Sarah's Twitter, and generally ferreting around the web.

I sometimes list concerts that are not yet officially confirmed; you should of course check official sources before making plans and be aware that cast changes and cancellations can happen at any time. This obviously goes triple in the COVID-19 era.

I have added links to venue, ticketing, and broadcast information where available. Tips on new information are always welcome! Please contact me via email (verdiprati [at] selveamene [dot] com), Tumblr messaging, or ask box (plain prose only in the ask box; anything with links or an email address will get eaten by Tumblr filters) with corrections or additions.

[Livestream only] Mahler, Das Lied von der Erde at the Royal Opera House, London, June 20, 2020. With David Butt Philip and members of the ROH orchestra; Antonio Pappano conducts. The performance will be livestream-only; no audience will be seated in the house. Tickets are £4.99 and grant you not only live access, but also the ability to view the concert on demand for two weeks following the performance.

[New!] Recital at Wigmore Hall, London, September 16, 2020. With Malcolm Martineau, in the Wigmore’s 1:00 p.m. “lunchtime” slot. Songs by Poulenc, Roussel, Mahler, and Bridge, capped by a pair of songs newly written by Bob Chilcott for Dame Sarah. At the time of this writing, Wigmore Hall expects to admit live audiences of 10%-20% capacity during the autumn season under socially-distanced reopening guidelines, but the situation for live performance in the UK remains fluid, to put it mildly. The website says that “More details on how to access tickets will be released in the coming weeks. All concerts will go ahead, with or without an audience.”

[Livestream] The recital, like all the others in Wigmore Hall’s autumn 2020 season, will be streamed for free on their livestreaming site. It appears that you can also use this YouTube link.

[Canceled] Recital at Wigmore Hall, London, September 30, 2020. With Roderick Williams and Julius Drake; the first concert of the Wigmore’s Mendelssohn and Liszt series. Public booking is scheduled to open on July 14. UPDATE: As of July 31, this recital is no longer listed on the Wigmore Hall website. Update, August 22: see above for a newly-scheduled Wigmore recital by Dame Sarah.

[New! Livestream only] Handel, Solomon (title role) and Foundling Anthem with the English Concert, October 1, 2020. Also starring Sophie Bevan, Soraya Mafi, and James Way; conducted by Harry Bickett. Selections from both works will be performed as part of a concert titled “Handel – The Philanthropist.” Tickets to the livestream are free; donations are requested to both The English Concert and Bart’s Heritage, the fund for renovating St Bart’s Hospital, which will be the venue for the performance. 

[Livestream only] Recital at the Oxford Lieder Festival, October 10, 2020. With Eugene Asti (pianist) as well as “emerging artist” William Thomas (bass)—apparently part of Barbara Hannigan’s Momentum initiative, which is supported by both Dame Sarah and the Oxford Lieder Festival. Schumann’s Fraunliebe und -leben and Mahler’s Rückert-lieder bookend an assortment of songs by Haydn, Arne, Bush, Quilter, Howells, and Britten. The livestream ticket (£12, or £5 for under-35s) includes access to a post-performance Q&A session with the artists. Video will remain available until November 1. Notably, the £250 “Pioneer Pass” for the whole festival gets you bonus goodies including “Two guest tickets to Dame Sarah Connolly’s recital, to share with friends” and “Exclusive artist interviews and other content.” 

[New!] “Pappano & Friends” chamber concert at the Barbican, London, November 1, 2020. With Ian Bostridge, the Carducci Quartet, and Antonio Pappano. Tickets are being sold separately for a limited live audience (£20) and for a video livestream of the performance (£12.50). The listed program comprises just two works: Ralph Vaughn Williams’ song cycle On Wenlock Edge and an arrangement of Ernest Chausson’s Poème de l’amour et de la mer. I don’t really know either work, but a little googling suggests to me that Bostridge will sing the RVW and Dame Sarah will sing the Chausson. Tickets go on sale to the general public on September 11 at 10:00 a.m., and a few of the live audience tickets will be held back from the earlier Barbican members’ sale for the general sale, so if you want to try to attend in person, be ready to act swiftly at that time.

[Livestream] As mentioned above, there is a fee of £12.50 for access to the livestream. The Barbican website says, “We advise you to watch the performance live, but the stream will be available to watch back for 48 hours after the live broadcast.”

[New!] Mozart’s Requiem with the English National Opera, London, November 6 and 7, 2020. Fellow vocal soloists are Elizabeth Llewellyn, Toby Spence, and Brindley Sherratt. With the ENO Chorus and Orchestra conducted by Martyn Brabbins. As of this writing early on September 15, the ENO website says “Ticket details will be announced soon.” ENO plans to perform for a live, socially distanced audience; livestreaming has been mentioned only as a backup option in case government restrictions make it impossible to host a live audience in the Coliseum. 

[New!] Forum participation, International Vocal Competition, 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands, December 2, 2020. Having postponed its opera and oratorio competition until 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the IVC announced that it would sponsor a multi-day series billed as “IVC Mozart Masterclasses & More” late in 2020. Masterclasses will be led by Vesselina Kasarova, Roberta Alexander, and Thomas Oliemans; Dame Sarah doesn’t seem to have the same role, but the IVC promises that she will be among several “leading professionals” who will “talk with the participants about the future of their profession” as part of “a forum ... about the future as it now looks for (young) singers.” Singers who were born no earlier than December 5, 1987 and who can cough up €500 for the experience may register by October 1, 2020. Members of the public may buy tickets to the events beginning “at the end of August.”

Handel, Agrippina (title role) at the Dutch National Opera, Amsterdam, January 17-29, 2021. The production is Barrie Kosky’s (previously seen at the Bayerische Staatsoper and the ROH, and later moving on to the Staatsoper Hamburg). Ottavio Dantone conducts; co-stars include Ying Fang (Poppea), Franco Fagioli (Nerone), Gianlucca Buratto (Claudio), and Tim Mead (Ottone). As of this writing (June 19, 2020), single ticket sales are indefinitely suspended due to the coronavirus crisis.

Stravinsky, Oedipus Rex (Jocaste) at the Dutch National Opera, Amsterdam, March 10-27, 2021. In a double bill with the new commission From ‘Antigone’ by Samy Moussa. Other singers in the Oedipus cast include Sean Panikkar (Oedipus), Bastiaan Everink (Creon), Rafał Siwek (Tiresias), and Ramsey Nasr (Speaker). Erik Nielsen conducts; Wayne McGregor directs. As of this writing (June 19, 2020), single ticket sales are indefinitely suspended due to the coronavirus crisis.

Stravinsky, Oedipus Rex (Jocaste) with the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester, Hamburg, April 10 and 11, 2021. Even though these concert performances follow on the heels of Dame Sarah’s engagement for the same opera in Amsterdam, the two gigs appear to be administratively and artistically unrelated. Her co-stars in Hamburg include Brenden Gunnell (Oedipus), Tomasz Konieczny (Creon), and Sir John Tomlinson (Tiresias); the MDR Rundfunkchor Leipzig supplies the men’s chorus. Alan Gilbert conducts. The program also includes Le sacre du printemps. Under a special policy instituted in response to the uncertainties of the coronavirus pandemic, tickets can be pre-ordered starting May 26, 2020, with payment due when it is confirmed that the performance will go forward, no later than six weeks before the concert. There’s some background information about the Stravinsky pieces on the NDR website.

Stravinsky, Oedipus Rex (Jocaste) with the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester at the Philharmonie Luxembourg, April 19, 2021. Co-stars, conductor, and chorus are the same team as in the Hamburg performances, and the Luxembourg program likewise includes Le sacre du printemps. Tickets go on sale February 22, 2021.

[New!] Recital for St Luke’s Music Society, London, May 8, 2021. With Joseph Middleton. Repertoire TBA. Note that “during the COVID crisis tickets may be restricted to Friends only.” Tickets are £18 and Friends membership is £35; the tickets for Dame Sarah’s recital go on sale December 13. 

Recital at the Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, May 18, 2021. With Julius Drake. Songs by Mendelssohn, Liszt, Elgar, Debussy, Ravel, and Chaminade.

Elgar, The Dream of Gerontius with the Berliner Philharmoniker, Berlin, May 27, 28, and 29, 2021. With Allan Clayton and Roderick Williams, as well as the Rundfunkchor Berlin; Simon Rattle conducts.

[Livestream] The concert on the 29th will be livestreamed on the Berliner Philharmoniker’s Digital Concert Hall platform.

[Unconfirmed / details TBA] Tour with the Wiener Symphoniker, October 2-5, 2021. Dame Sarah’s name appears along with that of conductor and violinist Andrés Orozco-Estrada (who will take over as music director of the Wiener Symphoniker in the 2020-2021 season) in this list of orchestra tours on the website of agents Dr. Raab & Dr. Böhm. Details of the repertoire and cities for the tour will presumably be revealed when the Wiener Symphoniker announces its 2021-2022 season.

[New date!] Recital at Sant Pau Recinte Modernista [PDF], Barcelona, November 15, 2021. With Julius Drake. Part of the LIFE Victoria series of recitals; originally announced for November 27, 2019, but postponed due to Dame Sarah’s treatment for breast cancer; rescheduled for October 2020, and further postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Themed as a “Viennese journey by the hand of Alma Mahler,” the recital includes songs by Brahms, Wolf, Debussy, Alma Mahler, Gustav Mahler, and Zemlinsky. 

[Livestream? TBC] This article in the Catalan newspaper La República says of the combined 2020-2021 season that “Tots els concerts es retransmetran en streaming, independentment de si pot assistir-hi públic o no” (“All concerts will be streamed, regardless of whether the audience can attend or not”). I have been unable, however, to confirm this detail on the LIFE Victoria website or in the PDF of the combined season announcement. 

[Unconfirmed / details TBA] Brett Dean, Hamlet (Gertrude) at the Metropolitan Opera, New York, sometime in 2021-22. Allan Clayton, who starred in the title role of Brett Dean’s Hamlet at Glyndebourne in 2017, mentioned in an interview with the Telegraph that he would be reprising the role at an unspecified date and venue in the US. When prompted on Twitter, Dame Sarah indicated that she would be participating in the revival, too (“I shall be misunderstanding my confused boy again”). In a later interview with Opera News, Clayton reportedly specified that he would reprise Hamlet at the Met. The Future Met Wiki places the production at the Met in the 2021-2022 season (as does this New York Times article). Hat tip to Christopher Lowrey, who sang Guildenstern in the original production at Glyndebourne, whose tweet praising Allan Clayton brought the Telegraph interview to my attention. (No indication whether Lowrey will also be cast in the American revival.) Additional hat tip to the Tumblrer who submitted information on this topic via the ask box.

Previous versions of this list can be found under the schedule tag on this blog. This list published June 19, 2020. Updated June 22 to reflect the further postponement of the LIFE Victoria recital. Updated July 22 with the new date of the LIFE Victoria recital and the addition of the IVC forum. Edited July 28 to correct the closing date of DNO Agrippina to January 29 (not 27). Edited August 1 to reflect the cancelation of the September 30 recital at Wigmore Hall. Edited August 22 to add the September 16 recital at Wigmore Hall and update the Oxford recital with more details. Edited August 29 to add the English Concert livestream and fill in the repertoire for the September 16 Wiggy recital. Edited September 8 to add the Barbican “Pappano & Friends” concert. Edited September 15 to add the ENO Mozart Requiem and belatedly fill in some details on the Oxford Lieder Festival recital. Edited September 21 to add the recital for St Luke’s Music Society. I may continue to edit this list as I receive new information.

[newsandmediarepublic]

Aplomb, empathy and élan in Madeleine Perring's warm and confident debut recital

Aplomb, empathy and élan in Madeleine Perring’s warm and confident debut recital

The human voice doesn’t really mature until twenty-five or more, so when, like Maddie Perring, you’re only sweet sixteen and giving your first solo recital, it’s not going to be the finished product just yet. (more…)

[samuel-de-champagne-problems]

Welcome!!

I'm open for requests, but I do say that I move kind of slow. I'm a college student & I work, so I'm pretty busy. But I love writing as an outlet for stress.

I'm open for requests, asks, blurbs or fics!!

Guidelines For Interacting:

Spencer Reid x Reader (Any Female, Male, Gender Neutral, Non-Binary)

I will really only like to write a happy ending, but comfort angst is okay!

I love Taylor Swift, so most of the pieces that I write are inspired by her songs.

Smut Guidelines: Female or Gender Neutral only (I am a cis woman, I don't want to seem like I am fetishizing mlm relationships. Minors cannot interact with anything tagged #spencer reid x reader smut OR #spencer reid smut. Minors will be blocked if they do not abide by this.

Please be kind, thoughtful, and considerate when interacting with me or anyone within this blog. If you do not abide by this, you will be block.

Click to be brought to my Masterlist!

Masterlist

Spencer Reid x Fem!Reader

forever is the sweetest con:  after a successful case, which is hard to come by the BAU, the team (season 3 team) celebrates with drinks at the bar. things go arise when penelope convinces a normally reserved y/n to sing karaoke. (Angstish Fluff)

sweet valentine:  a 22 year old spencer reid finds himself thinking about his firsts...and the one first that he has yet to accomplish. (Fluff) 

band-aids don’t fix bullet holes, but your kisses do:  in a standoff with an unsub, reader makes a choice: her life or spencer’s. (Angst/Fluff)

french toast waffle sundays: coming home to reader from a stressful case, spencer needs a little reassurance that he’s as wonderful as reader thinks he is. (Angstish Comfort)

open me carefully: reader finds her hopelessly in love with spencer, who unfortunately for them is hopeless when it comes to love. (Angst/Fluff)

the moment i knew my future was sweet: spencer plans a surprise birthday party for reader, who comes to the realization that spencer is the one who’s always been there for her (Angst/Fluff) 

cutie pi:  spencer reid’s second favorite holiday isn’t really a holiday, but it’s sure a day that he’ll never forget (Fluff and terrible math puns) 

crawl home to her:  The only thing that’s keeping spencer alive is the memories of his heaven. maybe someone how a faithless man will escape death’s grasp on faith alone. (Angst) 

49%: If there’s one thing that Spencer hates more than rejection, it’s spontaneity. But sometimes the things (and people) we love outweigh the things that we hate. AKA a series of events leading up to a weekend wedding between the BAU’s finest Dr. Spencer Reid and his partner in crime, Y/N. (Fluff) 

you die in my nightmares, but i’m dying to dance with you in my dreams:  tired of being tired, reader takes leap instead of counting sheep :) (Fluff, Comfort) 

is this gonna be graded?: Y/N’s last assignment is simple, write down everything that you’d want to try. The options are endless and that just might be the end of her. (Smut; MINORS DNI) 

you kiss my face and we’re both drunk:  Who would have figured that a normally serious genius with an eidetic memory would be a silly, forgetful drunk, or drunk Spencer realizes how much he loves Y/N. (Fluff; CW: Drunkenness) 

fools in love:  He can explain how String Theory works. He can figure out Riemann Hypothesis. He can recite all the numbers of pi until he’s blue in the face. Yet somehow, Spencer Reid can’t figure out what to do for his first first anniversary.

i’ll take x-pecting for 200, alex:  Dr. Spencer Reid plays a trivia game at the request of his wife, Y/N, but he’s in for more than some heaving hitting questions (fluff)

you can hear it in the silence: Sneaking around can be fun, but sometimes the silence is just too quiet, or falling in love with your best friend.

take my hand and drag me head first: Spencer Reid is a scientist and scientists love predictability; but love isn’t predictable, it’s fearless. 

and i will hold on to you: They’ve never been apart for holidays since they started dating. That was until Spencer Reid found himself behind bars for a crime he’d never think of committing. Growing and healing, Spencer realizes that it’s not the holidays that matter, it’s the person. Because with that special person, who’s laugh he can recognize anywhere, even cleaning up the empty bottle the next morning is magical. (Can be read as a part 2 to take my hand and drag me head first)

wrap your arms around me, baby boy: Sometimes love at first just might be the thing that’ll make you want to get married with paper rings.

i can’t help it if you look like an angel: Spencer is not that kind of doctor, but he’ll always come when Y/N needs him, even if germs are involved.

though i can’t recall your face, i still got love for you: Spencer’s always been ambivalent about his birthday, but self proclaimed lover of birthday’s Y/N attempts to change that.

Las Vegas Boy: Y/N surprises Spencer at their joint Bachelor/Bachelorette Party with a song she’s been working on.

I Can’t Say Anything to Your Face: Lunchtime is Spencer Reid’s favorite time of day and not because of the crappy endless coffee, dry sandwiches, or the occasional chocolate donut. Spencer’s favorite time of day comes in the shape of a little post it notes and fits perfectly into his heart.

Right Where You Left Me: Y/N never expected to see him again. He tore her heart out and left her in the dusty heat of a Las Vegas diner. She never wanted to see him again, but sometimes the heart wants what heart wants.

Don’t Thank Me For Loving You: Spencer and Reader have been dating for a total of 4 weeks. If someone asked, Spencer would be able to tell them the exact amount of time he’s been in love with Y/N. So why does he get so nervous to share a bed?

Worship This Love: Y/N doesn’t think she can get jealous easily. She knows that Spencer is almost as head over heel for her as she is for him. But still, seeing the pretty detective grab Spencer by the tie is enough to send her into a jealous stupor.

Spencer Reid x Gender Neutral Reader

It’s a Love Story, Baby: Secret relationships can be fun, but sometimes the love runs so deep that it’s just begging to get the spotlight. Love like that is difficult, but it’s the realest thing Spencer and Y/N have ever felt.

The Doctor Is In: Reader knows that they shouldn’t have dairy, but it’s hard to resist the creamy sweetness, especially when an equally sweet husband wants to have a relaxing vacation.

[kamino-ink]

Trust | Bang Chan

genre ⌁ haunting!au, horror, supernatural, angst, fluff, enemies-to-lovers-ish

summary ⌁ you are a regular ole’ demonologist, just living your best life attending the occasional possession or exorcism - until a novice exorcist with a giant ego accidently gets you into harm’s way.

word count ⌁ 2.8k

warning ⌁ kinda violent tbh, mentions of death n blood and religion

Check out my masterlist!

A/N - I hate this a lot I swear the other parts will be better :/

the case of the southend werewolf was one that would haunt you forever, for years to come until the day you passed

while the famous husband and wife duo, ed and lorraine warren, had solved the case many decades ago, one oddly similar instance popped up in news reports and videos over time

you’d been doing some personal research since the very first story came up on your recommended page, diligently applying your demonology knowledge to the strange case

yes - demonology

you weren’t exactly catholic, or... religious in general, for the most part; you liked to call yourself agnostic for lack of a better term

you didn’t quite believe in the idea of gods and all that jazz, but you did however delve deeper into the possible existence of demons or, rather, negative energy that fed off the masses

moving on

you decided that you really wanted to go to the area in England where the supposed possession was taking place, but on account of their authority figures (and the church) you required a professional to go with you

enter bang chan, novice exorcist in training

in the midst of your heavy digging for an exorcist to accompany you on the trip, you stumbled upon a verified site from the Vatican itself, which cited experienced or in training students all over the world

bang chan happened to be the first one who had a decent record, plus he was technically still training so if he came on the trip, his supervisor would have to go as well - meaning double the protection

after a week of arranging flights and meetings, you found yourself landing in an airport located in Essex, England

there you met up with chan and his supervisor, a decorated exorcist by the name of park jinyoung

together the three of you spoke about the case, from the ride to the hotel all the way into unpacking for the stay

while you and jinyoung had been in a heated discussion over the suspected possession, chan spent that time rolling his eyes whenever you presented your research or an opinion - he even had the audacity to glare at you as you asked questions about their church and services

“you shouldn’t even be here,” the Australian man finally spoke up, “you’re not a child of god, so why do you even care about our church or what we’ve devoted our lives to?”

jinyoung hisses and smacks the younger man on the back of his head, offering you a reprimanded look of apology

“chan, just because you’re technically a licensed student doesn't mean that you can ridicule others who have different beliefs than we do. our first lesson is to-”

“not judge others, for judgement is a sin.” the blonde finishes with a grunt, though he sends you another harsh glare at the same time

“my beliefs are my own, chan. while I don’t believe in your god, I do believe in the mere existence of negative entities in our world.” you reply shortly

he scoffs, abruptly standing from his chair at the dining table, “you’re completely unbelievable, woman. just - stay out of our way during our investigation.”

and with that, he left, storming off into his bedroom

jinyoung apologizes for his pupil’s behavior, though he doesn’t bring up the topic of your beliefs for the rest of the night

for the next three days, the three of you delve deeper into the possible possession of a man named mark tuan

he was a normal guy from la who moved to England a few years ago so he could be with his long-term girlfriend, and up until recent months he was just like any other man

but then he started to exhibit strange, inhuman habits; such as uprooting a fence post and crunching on the wire mesh, walking on all four limbs, and just the other day he reportedly sniffed out a deer carcass deep in the woods behind his home

after witnessing the man break out into a cold sweat and nearly attack a smaller dog much like a predatory wolf, father jinyoung decided they would perform an exorcism

the plan was to bring mark tuan back to their church in Australia, as the demon manifesting inside of him was something entirely inhuman and could potentially be a threat if it somehow wasn’t fully dismissed

however on the same evening you all were planning to fly to Australia, something triggered mark into a furious frenzy

foam started to dribble between his dry lips, his hair stood up all over his body, and the lanky man literally lunged at father jinyoung - effectively pinning him to the ground as he attempted to gauge out his throat

you leapt into action, throwing yourself onto the back of the man to try and pull his weight off of the priest

meanwhile chan was in a state of sheer panic, watching as his own mentor was being targeted by a very powerful demon before his very eyes

“c-chan,” jinyoung called out to the stunned man, letting out a painful scream as mark tears into his flesh with his teeth, “leave and lock all the door and windows - call father jaebum from the church in London-”

but chan doesn’t listen to him - he silently reassures himself that he can handle a real exorcism himself - it’s what he’s been training to do his entire life

so the blonde snatches a bible from the bookshelf behind him, flipping through it until he finds a set of pages, his gaze wavering in fear and panic as you whip your head around to gawk at him

you scream and shout at him, telling him to listen to the dying man’s words, all the while struggling to pull him towards the front door and away from the possessed man

still he goes on, reciting his teachings word by word until there’s a pregnant pause

mark’s body, still on top of father jinyoung’s, twitches after a certain phrase chan had stuttered out weakly

“y-you didn’t say it the right way-”

“how would you know!?”

“just because i’m not religious doesn’t mean I haven’t done my own damn research,” you hiss quietly, voice shaking as mark continues to twitch madly and turns his attention to the two of you, fresh blood and torn skin hanging from his stained lips, “c-chan, we need to go!”

“no - if we leave then there’s a chance the demon will use his body until it can find a new host and go on torturing innocent people just like mark!” he protests, glancing down at the bible as the brunette man takes a step forward

“chan-”

he doesn’t listen to a word you say, attempting the passage yet again, but more clearly this time

it’s too late, though

on his last word mark charges towards the man, his mouth wide open and prepared to take a chunk of flesh from his neck - but you’re somehow faster. you shove chan out of the way just as the deed is done, receiving a painful bite to your shoulder

in seconds mark’s body collapses onto the ground, a strange, cold presence emitting into the open air before all goes quiet

the series of events that followed that were a blur to you: from chan rushing to cover your wound to the two ambulances that arrive on the scene to take you and father jinyoung to the nearest hospital

before you know it, an entire month has flown by since the southend werewolf incident

you had to stay in the hospital for a majority of that time, since your demon-inflicted wound tended to get infected too easily

by the time you were given the okay to leave, you heard that father jinyoung was still being held there as a patient, his entire throat needing to be worked on for who knows how long

the one interesting outcome of the entire situation, though, was finding a defeated looking chan at your doorstep when you got home

“the church said that, due to my hasty actions and its consequences of you being injured by a demon I was instructed not to interact with, I am to be your caregiver until I am able to go back to learning.”

“... so you’re grounded, basically.”

“please, don’t say it like that.”

so that my friends is how bang chan the sort of exorcist was thrust into your life for good

“heyyy chan, can you please make me some chocolate-chip pancakes for breakfast?”

“your bite is healed, you can cook your own fucking food-”

“ah, but the church said that you have to do whatever I ask of you until you aren’t grounded anymore~”

“... I’ll make them super fluffy if you promise to stop saying it like that.”

so for the next two months, you were accommodating an amusing roommate of sorts

he slept on an air mattress you set up in the living room, so it wasn’t like the poor guy had to suffer with an aching back the entire duration of his ground- of his punishment

each morning he’d cook the both of you breakfast and begrudgingly watch exaggerated dramas with you until lunchtime rolled around

usually he’d take you out to eat and explore the city with you, something he refused to admit actually made him have some fun for once in his life

for dinner you’d both kind of give up on the idea of making real food and would instead order pizza or Chinese takeout, all the while hiding under a set of fluffy blankets next to you in favor of watching scary movies

you kind of hated to admit it, but chan had really grown on you - over time he seemed to accept his mistake back in the England exorcism, and one night he even took the time to apologize to you on his own terms

“chan, I still don’t understand why I have to wear a dress if- oh...”

there the man stood himself, clad in a black tux with a red bowtie next to the tiny dining table stuffed in the cramped kitchen. “I think it’s time that I owe you a real apology for what happened in England... and how I acted. I know that, to a degree, we have different beliefs - but you’re still an amazing, wonderful woman who I would like to call a friend.”

you totally didn’t almost ruin the moment by commenting on how his bowtie was crooked, shhhh

that night he treated you to homemade pasta and brownies for dessert, the first dinner either of you had actually made yourselves since he arrived at your home

ever since that night, the two of you would grow closer and closer - and then his punishment was over

the church had called him immediately, stating that he had to return quickly if he wanted to continue his training

neither of you admitted it aloud, but having to help him pack his things just so he could go back to Australia crushed your hearts

you’d grown so used to each other’s presence, forming a natural routine every single day that never became tiresome

after you bid farewell to the now silver-haired man at the airport, you found yourself feeling more lonely than ever before

sure you both exchanged contacts with one another and talked on the phone often, but it just... wasn't the same, honestly

then, out of the blue, just about two weeks after his departure, chan called you and told you about a haunted house he was being sent to investigate near your city

you weren’t required to go, but you found yourself offering to accompany him during his paranormal studies at the home

the moment you two met up at the house, you went straight into work mode, having no time to catch up since it seemed as if something was very wrong

cameras placed by the two husbands all over the two-story house showed signs of life, even when no one was awake

they reported that they’d seen furniture being tossed around their rooms and that their own daughter had started to experience hellish nightmares that ended with her being covered in scars the next morning

you and chan went to work, looking at every single audio or video file you could find in their tapes and cameras, even interviewing each member of the family alone to see if it was a hoax as the church suspected it to be

then one night, you felt an odd chill roll over your body in the middle of your slumber, though you at first thought nothing of it

but the next morning, there was a circle with a cross etched onto your wrist. chan immediately guessed that the demon had somehow managed to inch its way into your body - though that in itself was odd, especially since demons traditionally had to weaken their target host before fully possessing them

your condition continued to grow worse and worse as the days passed by, up until chan had finally decided that the best course of action was to take you to a church and see what more experienced priests could do

luggage in tow, chan lead you to the front door of the house, bidding a short farewell to the family and promising to send members of the church the same day - yet, you didn’t follow him

or rather, you couldn’t

something forcefully snapped you back into the house, causing you to stumble and crash into a shelving unit on the wall

“y-y/n?”

“mam, are you alright?”

you shake your head, slowly standing back up to walk back to the door where a worried chan was staring at you with furrowed brows

the second the tip of your shoes reach the doorway, another tug slams you onto the cold floor - quickly going to drag your limp body down the hallway into a bedroom before the door suddenly slams shut

you can feel the demon lurking in your body, hungrily feasting upon your state of utter terror - though you try your best to fight it off before it can fully possess you

seconds, minutes, hours - you're not quite sure how much time had passed since you’d been thrown into the secluded bedroom

all you knew was that you had grown so much weaker in that period of time, your eyes struggling to focus on anything in the room

you also knew that chan was banging on the door, trying his damned hardest to break it down

in a woozy state your head bobbles around until your blurry gaze lands on your now exposed shoulder, spotting the wound from the werewolf demon now irritated and red with pus seeping out of it

the demon had been able to subdue you so quickly because you’d technically already been afflicted before, and now it was a race against time before it was able to completely overpower you

with a snap the bedroom door flies open, a rugged looking chan standing with a bible and a slim jar of what you could only guess was holy water

“c-chan,” you echo his name just as the late father jinyoung had, feeling dread sweep over your entire being as another wave of pus pushes out of the inflicted wound on your bare shoulder, “leave, be-before you get hurt-”

“I won’t run away from you, y/n,” he whimpers softly, stepping closer to your now convulsing body as he flips to a page in his bible, “you’re not going to get hurt because of me... not again.”

you find that you’re too exhausted to argue, instead nodding your head silently

“I - I trust you, chan. you’re an exorcist, you can do this-” you stop in your tracks, heaving in pain as a spurt of red blood shoots out from between your cracked lips

with no hesitation at all, the silver-haired man clears his throat and continues to stare you down, occasionally glancing back down to his bible as he perfectly recites the words for the exorcism

he splashes a dosage of holy water onto your skin, wincing as you let out a screech of pain - but he knows it’s not you reacting that way, it’s the demon possessing you

in a matter of seconds he’s performed the passage perfectly, not once stuttering or saying a word incorrectly like he had in England

a wave of relief causes you to topple over when the evil presence vanishes completely from your body, but before you can hit the floor chan has wrapped his arms under yours to hold you up steadily

“I sent the family out to call an ambulance and other members of their church - you’re going to be okay, I promise.” he speaks to you softly, brushing your now frazzled hair out of your face

“I knew you could do it, you know.”

“but - but how, y/n?”

“because I trust you with my life, bang chan.”

[gillianwormley]

Review: Arcadian Ayres

Lunchtime Concert Sarum College Chapel Salisbury Friday 1st November  2019  

Arcadian Ayres - lute songs with a local flavour Musicke in the Ayre:  Din Ghani, lute  Gillian Wormley, soprano

Our sincere thanks to an audience member, Stephen Hope for writing this review and for giving his permission to share it here.

I was privileged to attend a wonderful concert of lute songs presented by Gillian Wormley, soprano and Din Ghani  - lute which was one of a series of lunchtime concerts held in the Chapel at Sarum College Salisbury.

The programme was a most interesting collection of 16th and 17th Century lute songs that linked to the local area around Wilton and Wilton House, famously the family home of the Earl of Pembroke and a popular tourist attraction still. Din added to the interest by giving the story behind the creation of the songs and the people involved, between each set.  

For those less familiar with lute songs, unlike a traditional vocal recital,  in the performance of lute songs, both the lutenist and singer may be seated and adjacent to each other, and as the lute is not a particularly loud instrument balance between the singer and lutenist is key. For a less experienced singer, these elements can present a problem for the delivery of the songs,  but Gillian demonstrated her considerable experience and skill with her lovely warm rich voice filling the great acoustic of the little chapel yet still allowing the distinctive sound of the accompanying lute to percolate through in duet.

I noted that a number of the lute songs are lower set but with sudden higher sections, yet Gillian moved from bottom to top seemingly effortlessly with her voice as smooth as silk, a real joy to listen to, her excellent diction conveying each story to the audience and making them come alive. The songs were sensitively complemented by Din on the lute, with the addition of his solo piece, ‘Rosamund’ by John Danyel,  that added richness to the programme. 

Yet I have some favourites that struck a particular note with me, the opening song 'O dear life' which I am particularly keen on performing myself and 'Have you seen but a white lily' in which Gillian sang such beautifully smooth runs to the top notes. It was magical.

So, in summary, it was an excellent concert, well attended and appreciated, in an intimate chapel with a lovely acoustic that so admirably suited the partnership of Lute and Voice. Many of the audience said it was the best concert that they had seen and who am I to disagree!

Congratulations to both Gillian and Din on a fantastic job well done!!