#and then i think she explores writing some and even a bit of music and bard magic

[y-rhywbeth2]

@chexala Astarion and Shadowheart both seem very disconnected from the arts (probably because of the Trauma) and it makes me wonder which (if any) they were into Before, and which (if any) they might get into After. Maybe this is also why they are both into personal aesthetics, since it's basically the only "art" they had any access to or control over during their Ordeals.

Sharran doctrine isn't big on creation or positive self-expression, and the depressing horrors of living as a vampire's slave would also put a dampener on creativity and joy, yes. Especially because the whole thing with elves prizing art is about how it's an expression of life and being alive, which both the religion and undead would take issue with.

Elves' most valued artforms in order from most to least: Magic -> Music -> Poetry and Literature -> Sculpture ('Shaping' if you're an elf) -> Tattooing -> Cooking (Those are the big ones. Theatre, philosophy, engineering and textiles is also fine, as is any self-improvement or skill you commit yourself to. No arts except song and dance have been cited in courtship though. Painting doesn't count as an artform itself).

Astarion does have some creative hobbies that he's into: tailoring and embroidery, literature and, going off of EA, he possibly writes poetry (might be quoting). Going off of his playing with human organs as props and dramatically re-enacting Poe, he might be a theatre nerd. As an elf he should probably be able to pick up singing naturally. He also likes playing with knives in a flashy manner, and that's... technically an art. While I'm not entirely sure how this stuff is handled by elven diaspora (although he references Evereska, so I'm not sure the degree to which that applies to him): As a 30-something, Astarion would only 'recently' be at an age in elven society where he'd be expected to start a formal education ('magistrate' is not a career in Baldur's Gate, it's more jury duty for high society, so it's not an indication he had a job or commitments or even a formal legal education), and (particularly as at least half-silver elf) probably have been left to his own devices to play around with hobbies and skills and work out what he enjoys. He also complains about art and artists at any opportunity, but these tend to be in response to paintings and painters, which he probably associates with Cazador and paintings don't count as real art by elven standards anyway.

Shadowheart was only a child before she was kidnapped, so her 'before' was probably drawing, exploring creative hobbies, and gardening and singing with her parents (music and caring for houseplants being important elfy things to impress on one's children. She does like her potted plants that she drags to all our camps. Maybe she enjoys bonsai and landscaping (or will, if she has the opportunity.)) She likes books. As a priestess who would be singing hymns, and one who voices horror upon realising that she was likely sent undercover as a bard and forced to sing, Shadowheart can sing she just doesn't want to. Dancing is part of Shar's image/thing, so I'd imagine there's some dancing in her faith too. But I don't think singing and dancing outside of specific forms and times meant to honour Shar were on the table. Arnell is excited to try and catch up on all the parenting opportunities he missed over the last 40 years, like dad jokes, I can imagine him also reintroducing her to elven culture and trying to teach her some songs, which Shadowheart will probably be happy to humour. Her mother is also teaching her recipes, so experimenting with cuisine is on the table as well.

I think song and dance are 'loud' expressions that are a bit too flashy and personal for either to be comfortable with. I think, if they're in a good moon, they might humour dancing, in private. Trying to serenade them if you romanced them will likely earn you a playful mocking. Selûnite Shadowheart might try singing for fun, later in life. Astarion has one line where he's humming something in the middle of combat, which is probably the closest you're getting to hearing him sing.

They'd be big on aesthetics regardless of trauma, since it's an elf thing. Personal aesthetics as a form of self-expression are also particularly important to moon elves. I imagine that side of them might actually get more focus in the future, assuming Shadowheart doesn't stay with Shar, considering reclaiming autonomy is a big part of both their arcs.

...it had never ceased to amaze Araevin that [his fiancée's] heart had turned to him. He had no gift for songs of love or dances beneath the stars, not compared to a dozen other noble-born lords and princes who had wooed her...

The traditional elven courtship of dancing and composing songs that has already been mentioned: if you can't dance, and worse, can't sing, your dating pool shrinks significantly.

But also in light of my realisation that elves have a lot in common with birds, I'm now thinking of birds with their courtship songs and even more specifically, dancing. On one end is like swans and seabirds who do their dancing as courtship and as greetings between mates (which makes sense for elves who spend a lot of time apart the same way some seabirds do: Araevin up there hasn't seen Ilsevele for almost a year. This is normal, although intermittent check-ins are at least appreciated.)

But on the other hand of bird dances as courtship: elves doing bird of paradise type nonsense. Build me a stage and do a funny little dance with your brightly coloured feathers in funny shapes, or I shan't be impressed.

[yardsards]

a pet headcanon of mine is that after they're done with the sigil removal, emira expands her horizons and starts studying the psychological side of healing, pulling in some resources from the human realm and combining it with boiling isles methods (i imagine the field of psychology in the boiling isles, while existent, was often pushed aside as just a lesser branch of the healing coven back when belos was in charge. i do imagine there's often magic like the memory tweezers involved)

and i imagine she ends up focusing in on like, art therapy and self-expression, because she knows how important that can be, after having her individuality stifled so hard when she was young

[thefabelmans2022]

i have so many thoughts about the little mermaid (2023) and it's like. oh my god who cares.

[galactic-magick]

For You: AU!Claggor x Reader

Summary: In the alternate timeline, Powder encourages you to admit your feelings for Claggor.

Words: 800+

Author's Notes: Adult alternate timeline Claggor is fine af so I wrote this short oneshot. Also I just needed to write something more lighthearted and cute after writing that devastating Viktor fic earlier. Enjoy <3

“I don’t get why you can’t just tell him,” Powder huffs, shuffling through her drawers for a particular brush. She glides on eyeshadow in your favorite colors, endlessly teasing you while she works, “It’s obvious he’s liked you since we were kids.”

“Oh, like finally admitting your feelings to Ekko was so easy,” you roll your eyes, causing her to scold you for opening them. “Besides, that’s not even true. He probably just sees me like a sister.”

“Look,” Powder tilts your chin up as she applies blush to your cheeks. “As someone who was actually raised as his sister, I can promise you he treats you differently. I catch him staring at you all the time, and he goes out of his way to be nice to you. Like, he literally made a new hybrid flower for you for your last birthday. What is it you’re not getting?”

“He gives plants to everyone, I don’t think I was special,” you shrug, pressing out your lips so Powder can swipe on some gloss.

“You’re a lost cause sometimes,” she sighs with a laugh. “Come on, it’s time to make our entrance.”

-

The Innovator’s Competition is crowded as usual, with loud music and ambient lights showering the entries and guests. Powder meets up with Ekko while you go to grab a drink and browse the inventions.

People start dancing, and you sway back and forth a bit to the beat. You don’t particularly want to third wheel right now, so you make do on the sidelines. You’re closer to the snacks here, anyway.

“Wow, Y/N. You look beautiful.”

You whip your head towards the voice, your mouth stuffed with one of Jericho’s famous, sloppy appetizers.

“Oh! Hi, Claggor!” You swallow as quickly as you can and wipe your face with your sleeve. “Sorry, um, thank you.”

“Anytime,” he chuckles. “How come you’re not out there dancing?”

“I...I just don’t like dancing alone,” you say, your eyes darting back to Powder and the other couples and friend groups on the dance floor.

“Well let’s go then,” he extends his hand to you.

You smile and take it, weaving through the crowd as he pulls you towards the middle. You see Powder give you a thumbs up before your attention is back on Claggor, and suddenly the crowded room feels less overwhelming.

You let lose, showing off your most ridiculous dance moves without a worry in the world. That was the thing about Claggor, he always made you feel safe, like you could be yourself whenever he was around. There is never a glimmer of judgment in his eyes, never an inkling of unkindness. He’s been your most stable and trusted friend for years—he played with you, explored the city with you, mourned with you, rejoiced with you. He’s just that kind of guy, with a heart of gold that never wavers.

But if you told him how you really feel—how you’ve felt since you were young—things might not be the same.

-

After the competition, Claggor takes the scenic route while walking you home, showing you a couple new gardens he’s been working on around the city. He hopes that one day plant life can be the key to the pollution problem in the underground, a dream that isn’t too far off with the latest hybrids and prototypes he’s made. It’s fascinating, and you’ve always admired his natural talent with nature.

He picks you a flower from one of the gardens, the kind he knows are your favorite.

“For you,” he says, slithering the stem into your hair. His hands, his face—it’s all so dangerously close now. You can feel his warmth, feel his gentle gaze.

Maybe Powder’s right, no man who saw you as just a friend would look at you like this.

You take the chance and close the space between you, kissing him quickly before stepping back to gauge his reaction.

He immediately pulls you back in, grabbing you by the waist and kissing you harder. You wrap your arms around his neck, fingers twiddling with his soft wavy hair.

“You have no idea how long I’ve been wanting to do that,” he says, your lips barely moving apart.

“I think I have some idea,” you giggle.

“Would you look at that, what did I tell ya?” You see Powder and Ekko coming around the corner, clearly ecstatic about this new opportunity to tease you. “Finally.”

Claggor keeps holding you close as you fire back, “Did you follow us just to say ‘I told you so’?”

“Nah, I didn’t even know you left the party yet,” Powder laughs. “But boy am I glad I saw this!”

She keeps walking with Ekko, whispering and chuckling as they go. You and Claggor can’t help but burst into your own fit of laughter as well, basking in the hilarity of the whole situation.

“We’ll never live this down, will we?” Claggor smirks.

“Absolutely not.”

[ennabear]

girlfriend!abby 💫

⋆✦⋆ she always buys you flowers because she thinks it’s a perfect way to show you how much she loves you!!! and she likes going to antique stores to find vases with cool patterns and buying them for you.

⋆✦⋆ every last one of her pennies will be spent on you. no matter how much you protest, she looooves to spoil you and nothing makes her happier than the look on your face when she gets you a surprise gift.

⋆✦⋆ i know i already wrote about this but she loves cuddling you before going to the gym early in the morning. sometimes she’ll get a little bit carried away and smother sleepy kisses all over your face and accidentally wake you up :((( she apologizes so many times but that’s one of your favorite ways to wake up!!!

⋆✦⋆ she likes to wear your clothes because it reminds her of you. especially if you’re a masc too, you’ll never get your clothes back, sorry!! they’re hers now.

⋆✦⋆ some of the pet names she calls you are honey, sweet girl, and babe. but she also frequently calls you dude and bro just to piss you off.

⋆✦⋆ there’s always a book on her nightstand!!! she likes to read before bed or when she wants some time away from her phone. if you ask her for book recs she could write you a whole list of the best books she’s read and an in depth rating without spoilers.

⋆✦⋆ most of the furniture in her house/apartment was built or put together by her, including the bookshelf. she could sit on the floor for hours putting together an ikea coffee table while occasionally stopping to watch whatever music video was playing on the tv.

⋆✦⋆ her gym routine is very specific!!! she has designated days for legs, arms, full body, and two rest days a week. and she makes sure she eats 3 meals a day and a snack, drinks enough water, and gets enough rest.

⋆✦⋆ taking care of herself is super important, but she also loves taking care of you. knowing that she can keep you safe and happy makes her feel so proud!!! and whenever she has a rest day, she’ll spend the whole day cuddling you, cooking for you, doing skincare together, etc. she’s such a sweet gf :((

⋆✦⋆ she loves roadtrips!!!! just driving a few hours out of town to go exploring, she’ll bring her camera and take sooo many pictures of you to get developed later. and she’ll go with you to every shop you want to and she’ll buy you anything you look at!!

⋆✦⋆ lowkey she’s kind of a clean freak. growing up with jerry she was taught how to wash her hands like real doctors do, how to thoroughly clean and disinfect a space, how organization can impact your mood, all that jazz. she gets a lot of her traits from her dad actually, it’s so adorable.

⋆✦⋆ i’m convinced she’s the type of girl to take an edible and then clean the whole house because she suddenly felt super productive. you’ll come home to her cleaning, shirtless because she got too warm, with her music playing. and then she’ll fall asleep right on top of you. <33

⋆✦⋆ taking you to meet jerry would be super fun!! he’s such a sweet guy, and the love he has for his daughter is so adorable. he’s definitely the type of dad to go through an entire photo album of baby/kid/teen abby the first time you meet him.

⋆✦⋆ once she asks you to move in (after only like 6 months of dating) she loves to decorate the space with stuff that represents the two of you. she probably has a pride flag hanging in a window, and she has a hook for her carabiner right next to the door.

⋆✦⋆ she’s super close with her friends!! she’d love to take you on a double date with the two of you, manny, and whoever he was currently seeing. and you can count on her to always show up to leah and jordan’s shitty parties, even though they always end up super boring.

⋆✦⋆ she loves lazy sunday mornings when she gets to cling onto you the whole day and never let you go. she’ll hold you in bed, in the shower, on the couch, in the kitchen, on the porch, in the middle of the grocery store, anywhere!!! she just can’t get enough of you!! ;)

[alotofpockets]

Loved | Alessia Russo

Pairing: Alessia Russo x Williamson!Reader

Summary: During your concert you surprise your girlfriend with the song that you wrote about her.

Masterlist | Woso masterlist | Words: 2.2k

You loved being on tour, playing your music for your fans, and traveling the world at the same time. However, there was also a downside to this part of your career. You had to miss your favorite people for long periods of time. Of course, there were many facetime calls with them, but it wasn’t the same as having them beside you. There were only a few shows left on your European tour before you’d fly back home to London, where you’d perform your final show at The O2. 

While on tour, you used every moment that you weren’t performing or out exploring the cities you were in on writing new songs. Being away from your loved ones sucked, but it also helped you in your songwriting. Your thoughts often on the memories you created with them. Right now you are strumming rhythms on your acoustic guitars, as your mind wanders to the first time that you met your girlfriend.

It was a little over three years ago. You arrived at your shared home with your sister around 2am, after being on tour. Leah had insisted on picking you up from the airport, but you declined time and time again, since you knew she would have training in the morning. After leaving your bags in the living room, you quietly made your way over to your bedroom. Upon entering you noticed that your sister was sound asleep in your bed. You didn’t think much of it, maybe she just missed you. So, you head over to her room but when you opened the door slightly, you noticed that her bed was occupied. It was too dark to see who it was, but you softly closed the door to Leah’s bedroom and made your way back to your own. After finding some clothes to sleep in, you slipped into your bed beside your sister. The moment that your head hit the pillow, you were gone, the tiredness of touring catching up to you.

Your night wasn’t long, as Leah’s 6am alarms woke you abruptly, “Leah, please shut that off.” Leah jumped at the sound of your voice. “Don't ever scare me like that again.” She said with a warning look. You simply shrug, “You’re the one in my bed.” Leah quickly turned off the loud ringing of her alarm and fell back on the bed hugging you tight. “I can’t believe you’re back, I’ve missed you so much.” You smile into her shoulder, “I’ve missed you too, Leah.” Your sister is about to get up when you pull her back down, “Are you not going to tell me who the girl sleeping in your bed is?” Leah rolls her eyes jokingly, “Of course I was, I just figured you wanted to sleep some more first. Her name is Alessia Russo, she-” You interrupt her, “Just joined Arsenal.” You were an avid football fan, and just like Leah, your favorite team had been Arsenal from a young age, so even when you were away you kept taps on your team. Leah nods, “Yeah, I told her she could stay here until she finds a place of her own, which worked out great because the house was feeling rather empty without you here.” You act hurt, “You just replaced me?” Both of you laugh, basking in the feeling of being together again. “How about after practice the three of us get lunch together, so I can introduce the two of you properly?” You nod with a smile, “That sounds nice.” Leah changes into her training gear before heading downstairs, you hear her and Alessia talking faintly but soon fall back asleep, not even hearing them leave. 

From the first moment you met Alessia in person, the two of you connected instantly, as Leah had expected. During the lunch you had gotten to know Alessia a bit, as well as told them all about your tour. Alessia moved out about a week later, finding a nice apartment a few blocks over. Leah had been with Arsenal for years, and her teammates were as much her friends, as they were yours. So, like always, you met up with the girls often, getting closer and closer with Alessia as the months went by, until eventually she had asked you on a date. 

The first few months of dating Alessia were on your mind as you worked on the song. You both had to learn to speak each other’s love languages, as they were different from each other. Even while figuring out how to best show your love to the other, you felt nothing but love in whatever way Alessia showed it. You start testing out some lyrics, writing down the ones you like. When you had the general idea of the song figured out, the lyrics came easy, as did your love for Alessia. 

Before your flight back to London, you finished up the rough version of the song, and could not wait to sing it for Alessia. From the airport, you went straight to Colney, knowing the team’s training session was in progress. You stand to the side of the field as you watch the girls play, having gone unnoticed so far. When the whistle is blown to signal that their drill is done, Alessia is the first to notice you. She comes running your way and jumps into your arms. “You’re back!” You hold her tight and spin her around. “Hi, Lessi baby, I’ve missed you.” After putting her back down you share a short kiss before Leah joins in on the hug. Alessia stepped aside, but not going far, to give you a moment with your sister. One by one all the girls came to greet you, before heading back to training. Alessia kissed you once more before returning to training too, a “I’m so happy that you’re back.” Shouted your way from the striker that was running back to the field.

Once training was over, you headed back home. You still lived in the same apartment as three years ago, the only difference was that Alessia had moved back in, now sharing your room. Leah and Lia offer to pick up something for lunch, while you and Alessia have a moment together. You take her up to your shared room, and ask for some much needed cuddles. 

When you hear the front door open, you head downstairs to have lunch all together, and spend a couple of hours catching up. You check your phone to see the time, “Oh, I have to go in a bit for sound check. Leah, how many of you were coming tonight?” Leah starts counting on her fingers, “Let’s see, so it will be us three, as well as Beth, Kim, Laura, and Jen. So, that’s seven, for sure and a few of the girls weren’t sure yet. Can you put us down for twelve to be sure?” You smile, feeling grateful for how many of your friends were going to be able to make it. “Of course, I’ll see you guys there.” You hug Leah and Lia, before you kiss Alessia bye. 

Performing in your home country was always very special, it was also your favorite place to sing your song ‘Home’. “Thank you all for an incredible night so far.” You say looking out into the crowd. “As many of you know, London is very special to me. London is home.” The crowd erupts in cheer as they know what is coming next. “It’s an extra special evening, as there are a lot of people here tonight, that make London a home.” You look over to the friends and family section where your friends are gathered. “You know who you are.” The smile on your face grows when you see the girls cheering back at you.

You start strumming your guitar, “This is ‘Home’, hope you enjoy it.” The rest of the band joins in. 

‘Cause they say home is where your heart is set in stone

It’s where you go when you’re alone

It’s where you go to rest your bones

It’s not just where you lay your head

It’s not just where you make your bed

As long as we’re together, does it matter where we go?

You step away from the microphone, letting the crowd sing the rest of the chorus for you.

Home

Home

Home

Home

You continue the rest of your show with a few more songs from your setlist, as well as more interaction with the crowd, soaking in the last concert you’ll be giving for a while. The evening was coming to an end, having played the last song on your setlist but you weren’t done yet. “Everyone, can we get a big round of applause for Jimmy on the drums, Sarah on guitar, Brian on keys, and last but not least, Mandy on base?” You bow to them, as the crowd claps and cheers for them. The band makes their way off-stage, and you pick up your acoustic guitar for one last time this evening.

“I have one last song for you.” The enthusiasm from the crowd was immaculate, and you hadn’t even told them the surprise yet. “So, I have written a song over the past couple of days, and I would love to play a little bit from it for you tonight.” After the crowd calmed down again, you continued. “I have literally just finished this, it has not yet been recorded, and no one has heard it yet. With that being said..” You let your eyes drift back to the friends and family box, “Alessia, baby, this one's for you. This is ‘Loved’ for the first time ever.” You play the first few chords of the songs, while you watch your friends tease Alessia for her jaw dropping at the news. Alessia’s eyes stay focussed on you, as she watches you with a big smile on her face, seeing you become one with your music. Your eyes closed as you were strumming your guitar. Before you start singing, you open your eyes and lock them with Alessia’s.

I don’t need a hundred roses waiting by the front door

I don’t need a fancy house in the hills

You could rope the moon and bring me all the stars in heaven

It won’t change how I feel

Even though the arena was filled with thousands of people, the crowd disappeared around you, as you were singing to just Alessia. A moment you would never forget.

You don’t have to be a modern-day Shakespeare

You don’t have to be anything you’re not

You don’t have to give me diamonds to impress me

Just give me your heart

Make me feel loved, make me feel beautiful

Make me feel dance around the room Cinderella kind of magical

Make me believe that I’m all that you’ll ever need

Hold me close and make me feel a million kinds of wonderful

Baby, your touch, it’s more than enough

Make me feel loved

You were pulled out of your moment with Alessia as the crowd went wild once you finished the song. After taking a bow, you speak your final words to the crowd. “Thank you all so much for making tonight the best ending to an amazing tour. Thank you for coming out!” With that you run off the stage. 

Only a few moments after handing your guitar over to the crew, and another crew member taking your in-ear monitors from you, Alessia came running up to you, and jumped into your arms for the second time today. When you place her down on the ground again, you see tears in her eyes. “I love you so much, that song was amazing, and you are amazing. That was a beautiful performance, and I cannot believe that you wrote a song about me and then performed it in front of twenty thousand people.” You hugged your girlfriend tight. “I love you too. You inspire me everyday, darling. So, I wanted to do something special.” You share a sweet kiss with her, before taking her hand and walking down to your dressing room, where the rest of your friends were waiting.

You were so happy to be surrounded by your favorite people again, soaking in their laughter, smiles and hugs. Some girls wanted to go out for drinks, but you told them you had to rain check, since you were so tired. Alessia picked up on your words and offered to take you home, an offer you gladly accepted. She walked you to her white Mercedes, loving the opportunity to drive you around once again. Her hand was resting on your thigh, as the two of you listened to the radio. 

Back home all you want to do is take a shower and fall asleep in Alessia’s arms. Alessia being the amazing girlfriend that she was, knew exactly what you needed. “Why don’t you head up, baby, I’ll join you in a bit.” She pecks your lips before heading into the kitchen. When you’re done with your shower, clad in sweats and Alessia’s hoodie, you enter your bedroom, where Alessia was sitting in some comfy clothes surrounded by your favorite snacks. “I know you want to sleep, but your body needs some food after all the energy you put into that show.” You smile appreciatively, “You’re the best.” 

After enjoying the food that Alessia prepared, you cuddle into her side. Quickly falling asleep in the arms of your favorite person.  

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[xamiipholia]

Since it’s been a year since Burning Shores came out, some thoughts on Seyka:

TL;DR: Great character, really happy with her as a love interest for Aloy. They do some really interesting things with her that I never really see addressed so I wanted to talk about them.

She is tangibly shown to be much more of a match for Aloy through gameplay. Compared to other npcs, she solves things faster, does more damage, is a much more formidable melee combatant, faster climber - she even has a fucking Valor Surge using her Focus that does pretty significant tear damage to large machines like Slaughterspines. Environmental storytelling- Seyka’s skiff has at least 2-3 Tiderippers’ worth of parts, meaning she’s been out on her own killing the things to build boat motors, and she has some ambient dialogue that strongly suggests she’s fought and killed Slaugterspines before. Is some of this npc tech advancements in Burning Shores? Maybe, but it feels intentional. 

Seyka has a natural probing curiosity about the old world that for the most part Aloy’s other companions didn’t have without some significant hand-holding from Aloy to get them started, and some of her close friend (but not base team) characters just don’t have at all. I don’t mean this as a moral judgement, everyone is different and has different strengths and priorities , but it’s absolutely critical that a partner for Aloy have that kind of curiosity - it’s such a big part of her character. While she lives in this new world, she’s never going to be entirely a part of it. Like she says, she finds belonging in individuals, and not really the tribes. I don’t really see Aloy settling down in Meridian or Mother’s Heart. She needs to have a life of exploration and discovery and Seyka seems cut from that cloth too, whether she was always that way or being marooned gave her a fresh perspective.

Seyka did risk death using the focus and decided to do it anyway- in Rheng’s notes he calls for capital punishment for her. The threat is never *too* present but honestly I think that’s a broader critique of the series and pretty consistent with the writing of conflicts in Horizon. I agree they could have played up the dramatic tension a bit, but this is a person who weighed the risk of a military execution by a totalitarian state and immediately decided it was worth it to save her sister and others. I think Aloy can intimately relate, given what she went through for Beta.

Even though it’s a DLC, she has a TON of screen time, probably comparable to Kotallo in HFW, and Horizon does SO much storytelling through gameplay and ambient dialogue. I think she’s given a LOT of narrative space to breathe. She’s also has her own musical cues and leitmotifs that do a ton of foreshadowing work through the DLC - in terms of musical cues and framing she’s very associated with the acoustic guitar, and the flute melody in ‘Her Sky, Her Sea’ has for Aloy and Seyka the same function that ‘It Can’t Last’ does for Ellie and Dina in TLOU2 - next time you play Burning Shores, listen for it. That and the guitar cues from ‘The Idea of Home’ and ‘For His Entertainment’ do a lot of emotional work. It’s great stuff.

Okay and lastly- YMMV on this one - I’ve def talked about it with friends before but I don’t think I’ve said it on Tumblr. I’m a firm believer that meta narratives and the way that stories are situated and created in our own world matter and that art deserves to be taken seriously and dissected. I love Horizon, but it, and Aloy as a protagonist, are absolutely drenched in white savior and colonial storytelling tropes. Every time I play Frozen Wilds, all I can think of is Jack Sparrow going “and then they made me their chief”. There’s a lot of iffy stuff in the games, as much as I absolutely love them. We’ll have to see how H3 goes, but Burning Shores is MUCH better about this and honestly Seyka is a huge part of it. The story centers itself on a queer woman of color who is pretty tangibly presented as Aloy’s equal with her own strengths and weaknesses throughout the story and takes the lead just as often if not more than Aloy does, which I find really refreshing. It doesn’t entirely fix Aloy’s white savior issues but I think it’s a really good move for the narrative that continues the themes found in HFW about community and connection.

Horizon Zero Dawn: The Frozen Wilds (2017)

[fiendishfables]

hello!! i saw ur blog and i was super excited to see another aroaceee is it alright if you do platonic adam x reader headcanons? he can be reader's friend, sibling, or preferably reader's father figure as long as its platonic, anything u'd like is fine! sorry if my request is kinda weird lol, i just haven't seen a lot of platonic hazbin hotel stuff (especially stuff with adam in it)

a/n: Always good to meet other aroace individuals, indeed. I personally love Adam, he is absolutely my favorite character. I’ve been dying to write for him more and thinking of him as a dad is just my favorite scenario-

warnings: cursing, Adam being Adam, brief mentions of sex, subtle hints at Lute x Adam (if you squint)

words: 944

additional notes: this was one of my first asks I ever got; I AM SO SORRY FOR THE WAIT. Enjoy~!

Adam as a Father Figure

Headcanons

First of all, he never expected to actually have a kid of his own, but now here he was

By the time you turned 6, you knew about every single curse word in existence, along with a (disturbingly) decent amount of female anatomy

Lute gets promoted to babysitter

When Adam is off performing with his band or needed in the council/other Heavenly resides, Lute is responsible for keeping track of his child

Even if she lost you (which she has, multiple times) he won't be that worried

You were a kid and as far as Adam knew, kids needed food

Hence how he knew you would find your way back to him eventually

Okay scratch that, maybe he does get a little worried...a lot

Starts to doubt his ability as a parent

Once he even got Sera to send out a search party for you because you had been gone longer than usual

It worried him sick whenever you went exploring, but he was almost a bit prideful that his offspring had managed to inherit his sneaking around capabilities already at such a young age

Lute has had to console her boss many times in response to your random disappearances under her watchfulness

He has legit been facedown on the couch with his head in her lap whilst he bawls his eyes out, blabbering to her about his worries pertaining to you, and then somehow that stems to his hopes and dreams in life (he doesn't wanna talk about it)

Only for you to walk in with food from some random location about 10 minutes later

You'd be on the floor as soon as you enter the domicile because Adam would have jumped on you and then proceeded to hug the very life out of you (all while stealing your bag of food in the process and running off with it)

Calls you a bitch, dumbass, and 'a little shit' for worrying him

Though he would never openly admit he had been worried

He doesn't care if you have a social life, he wants you home safe before 9pm, sharp

── ･ ｡☆*☽*☆ﾟ.──

Teaches you how to play guitar

He claims its because he wants to pass on one of his awesome talents to his only child, but he also really wants you to join him and his band on stage one day or another

You are in the starter stages of learning and are able to accurately get chords down and learn to read sheet music

A tear just may have come to his eye

The first song you two ever perform together is "Hell is Forever"

He did see someone try to give you a rose after your performance and nearly knocked them out

Trust him, he's a sex and relationship positive guy (for the most part) but he also can't help but feel like he wants to protect you at all costs

If you dare to call him over-protective, he will very gladly give you the silent treatment for a good 5 minutes

After that time mark, he will be groveling at your feet and whining about how sorry he is (rare that he actually says 'sorry')

His biggest fear is his own child having it out for him and not wanting anything to do with him

A clingy parent, no doubt

Wants to train you in the ways of becoming an Exorcist Angel

Poor guy is a bit insecure about everything and needs extra reassurance, though he would never ever outwardly ask for it

That's a sign of weakness in his eyes

Not for his child though

You come to him with even the smallest hint of watery eyes and he is already going full dad-mode

Determined to find the fucker who made you upset

Promises to give em' a good ol' kick in the balls (or vag)

Adam won't discriminate, he's just there to beat the ass of whoever hurt his precious baby

He will get in a fist fight with Sera in order to make you happy

Just expect to be the one he then blames when he gets demoted

── ･ ｡☆*☽*☆ﾟ.──

Adam totally took lots of naps before he had a child, so this just makes for the two of you ending up crashing on the couch together and creating a melodic tune out of your in-sync snoring patterns

Anything the two of you can do together without constantly arguing is a miracle, so this is to be cherished

He has definitely given you some very creative nicknames (as he calls himself 'Dickmaster')

Lute has taken many pictures

She wants to make a photo album and give it to Adam one day just to piss him off

But as she knows how much he really cares for you, she does not want to risk him growing apart from you due to something stupid she did for a few momentary laughs

Let's you two have your moments without interrupting

The two of you always fight over food and who gets to pick where you go for the evening, if going anywhere at all

Lute claims that you are making Adam all the more emotional, but no one seems to be complaining

Especially not the High Council

Its nice to have him shut his mouth for once and remotely think about his actions and who they could potentially effect

Adam has something to lose now, and everyone in both Heaven and Hell alike knew it

No demon spawn would ever get to set even a foot near you

You were the first life he felt truly responsible for

He refuses to fuck it up and lose someone else he cares about

He would protect you until the ends of time, whether you liked it or not

[whorediaries-09]

hey, could you write a one shot where Sirius, as his playboy self, had sex with y/n, dates her for a week, and his cocky demeanor thought y/n would plead for them to talk after the week, but it's like she ACTUALLY knew what she was getting herself into, so she's accepted the fact that they broke up, and Sirius is like "huh? she's not desperate? how does that work?" and then ANGST with a happy ending please i need this

womanizer

pairing- sirius black x reader warning(s)- angst, 18+ content, drinking, hints at sexual assault. a/n- man has me in a chokehold

ps- trying to write more dialogue heavy fics, so a bit different than usual.

masterlist

to think that I would be a victim, not another say it, play it, how you want it but no way I'm never gonna fall for you, never you, baby

it's not an act of public humiliation, or embarrassment for you as sirius had expected when you catch him with his tongue down some other guy's throat. instead you smirk, taking a swig of your drink, swaying your hips to the music, walking towards your group of friends. sirius wipes saliva off his lips, his fingers gripping tight around his glass of firewhiskey.

lily rolls her emerald eyes, grabbing your arm and pulling you closer to her, whispering into your ear,

'weren't you guys dating?' she enquires, her tone weaved with curiosity.

'me and the puppy dog?' you chuckle, arching your eyebrow.

'yeah?'

'oh, yeah, for a week. but he likes to lap dance on everyone's dicks and pussies doesn't he?'

she chuckles at your statement, the throaty laugh filling your ears. you smile, taking a seat on the soft plushy sofa, your ass sinking into the cushion comfortably. it's no surprise to you that sirius would have sex with you, whimper false praises of affection while ramming his cock into you, take you on dates just to leave you. you knew what he was like, bold and extravagantly handsome. he was a fucking womanizer, a player of hearts, with girls and boys falling to their knees with every swagger of his step. it was no hushed secret that the man was good in the bedroom, because he knew what he was doing, and neither was he afraid to explore the different spectrums of sex. he was charming, and if you were honest, you thought he could charm even a brick wall.

his charm you could resist, but the way he fucked? oh lord you so couldn't resist that.

you feel the sofa sinking beside you, a scent of cedar and marijuana tantalizing your nostrils.

'hi james,' you acknowledge his presence. he smiles, pouring you a drink in your glass. you arch your eyebrow,

'this shit non-alcoholic?' you question.

'drink up to find out won't you?' he offers you a shit eating grin. you smirk,

'that won't be very fun,'

'we'll see about that....i'll get padfoot to check upon you if you get a hangover,' he replies, his shoulders dancing to the beat of the music. you ruffle with his curly hair,

'nope, that puppy dog's too busy shoving his damned tongue down everyone's throat,'

he winces, before cursing. 'again?'

'yeah,'

'doesn't it bother you? i mean he was shoving your fingers into you yesterday in class and now he's out there making out with other people,'

you laugh, patting his shoulder.

'i know what he's like,'

you're not sure whether his face turns red because of your statement, for sheer embarrassment for his friend or because lily catches his eye, swaying her hips with mary's and drinking away endless shots of tequila. somehow the marauders had manipulated lily to sneak in 'muggle alcohol' within the walls of hogwarts without getting her head girl reputation and pride tarnished.

'smoke pot?' he asks, gritting his teeth as lily flaunts her lovely red hair, batting her eyelashes before wrapping them around mary's neck and dancing away to the music that fills the common room. james had finally gotten his chance with lily, after she'd said yes for a date....but the both of them weren't on exclusive terms. at least no labels of being in a relationship.

you smile, 'get ya girl. she'd doing it to get your attention potter,'

his eyes brighten under the dim lights and he scoots away to his 'lily-flower', on a mission to steal her from mary.

you continue taking sips from the drink james had poured in for you. while you usually kept away from alcoholic drinks, you needed one tonight. the party felt warm and stuffy, with your friends gone away to enjoy the presence of their lovers or hook-ups. it was too much, the sight of sirius making out with someone who wasn't you. it wasn't something you should've been bothered about, but he took up a space in your head which you just couldn't escape from.

it was a strong dose of alcohol. it got you filtering your tension through a few sips, loosening your senses and anxiety. very soon you'd found yourself hazing away from the line of reality and dreams, your eyes deciphering blonde curls before you fell asleep, you head slack on a muscular shoulder.

*****

'god why can't you fucking leaving me just alone?' you scream with wrath, a strange tiring feeling consuming your insides, the sunlight trepid on your face, as you turn to face the window of your dorm.

'because you're hungover. did you know malfoy actually try touch you yesterday night?' sirius answers, his hand shaking from anger he bottles up inside him. tears well into your eyes, soreness clinging you from within as you bite your lip, you face still hidden.

'why do you even care?' you turn around.

his eyes widen, the gray in his eyes darkening at the thought that you thought he didn't care about you.

'why, why, why? you slept with me, whispered fake promises and shit and now you're acting up, as if you fucking give a shit,'

'i do give a shit about you! even if i didn't fucking love you so much, i would've given a shit because no one deserves to be touched in a nonconsensual manner.'

your eyes widen, as you spit loathe for the words of foul lies he throws from his pretty lips. you're burning red with anger and confusion,

'shut the fuck up. you don't love me. you had your tongue down some random dude's throat last night and now you're spewing fucking bullshit about loving me,'

'i do love you.' he says, as if fighting a nightmare.

'bullshit honey, if you loved me you wouldn't have done what you chose to do last night,'

'i do fucking love you! god i was so scared of getting attached to you, of gaining feelings for you, but somewhere when we started dating, i realized i had always liked-god loved you! it was so scary, i got fucking drunk and pissed at myself. james told me that i was sitting on the bathroom floor, crying with one sock on. he told me i could mumble nothing but your name and how scary it was in my head to fall for you!'

'if you loved me you wouldn't have pulled such a cowardly move sirius. just leave me alone.' you whisper.

'no, i love you, i'm not walking away. i'm gonna prove how much a love you.' he says, with each step walking closer to you. his warm breath fans over your already heated face, as he holds your face, his thumb gliding over the back of your ear.

'please,' he whispers, almost like a beg. you feel his eyes scan your face, as you hold the collar of his t-shirt, pulling him close to your face. you brush his lips against yours,

'on your knees. now,' you demand. his mouth slacks open at your demanding tone, his knees wobbling as you lock eyes with him.

'if you want to prove you love me, you've to do what i say. on your knees,' you whisper. he grabs your thighs, slowly moving down upon his knees, still maintaining the eye contact with you. you bend down, grabbing his raven locks,

'come on puppy, do what you do the best.'

his finger twirls around the cotton of your underwear, pulling it down your thighs. you feel your knees weaken as his tongue prods at your clit, sucking upon the sensitive bud. you whimper, rotating your hips against his face, his stubble scratching against your inner thighs, his breath hot on your mound. his finger enters your pussy, stretching you open.

'f-fuck, you feel so good,' you praise, feeling the coil of orgasm building inside you. it's like a ferocious fire, the touch and twirl of his tongue haunting your pleasures.

'go on, go on, make me fucking cum,' you demand, while you rub yourself on his tongue. he moans against your pussy, the vibrations sending you into a frenzy of need that drives you crazy. your orgasm comes ripping apart, as your thighs shake and you feel release coating his face.

he stands up, smiling, his chin glistening with your juices. he grabs you by your throat, pushing you on your bed. in a swift move, he's gotten out of his pants, freeing his thick, long and hard cock.

'i'm a slave for your love,' he says, before ramming his whole cock into you, splitting you open, swallowing up your moans and whimpers with his mouth upon yours. he's consuming you, abusing your pretty little hole, ramming into you, pinning you onto your mattress. his teeth glide down upon your neck, marking pretty spots on the skin, before opening the buttons of your shirt with his teeth, freeing your breasts. his moves his hips with yours in a rhythmic manner like he's got your body memorized. it's maniacal, the way he has explored you, the way he hits your g-spot so perfectly with each thrust.

it's not long before you feel the familiar feeling of burning up, gnawing coil bubbling inside you. you feel like you're going mad,

'oh-god-fucking shit, sirius!' you scream, as he groans, his finger circling your clit with the perfect amount of friction you liked. his tongue latches on your nipple, ramming into you with full force, like a symphony of imprinting the 'bullshit' of him loving you into your head. he feels your cunt tightening around his cock,

'i-i fucking love you. you got that?' he asks, pushing into your guts, even deeper with every word that slips out of his mouth.

'y-yes-you love me! god- i'm so close,' you scream, cumming around his cock, his seed spilling into your warm cunt simultaneously. there's a beat of silence that hangs as the both of you pant, sweat clinging upon your chests. your eyes are locked, it's as if you're speaking with your eyes, before he falls on you, his lips intertwined with yours.

[shitsndgiggs]

Hii, I love your work and that you write for Arda because there is not much about him. So i would like to request a fic about him maybe with a Slavic reader (because I am Slavic, from Slovakia), just them experiencing their different cultures, maybe her meeting his parents and them being worried because their culture is so different, thank you and have a great day🫶🏻💗

A/N: it’s kinda short. Not my best work, but I still hope that you like it.

LOVE WITHOUT BORDERS - ARDA GÜLER

In which meeting Arda’s parents was not as bad as Y/N had imagined

Arda Güler x slavic! reader

︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿

I had always been proud of my heritage, with its rich traditions and deep-rooted customs.

When I met Arda, I knew our relationship would be a journey of discovery.

We came from different worlds, but our love was strong, despite out different cultures.

Arda and I had been dating for almost a year, and things were getting serious. We had spent countless hours sharing stories about our childhoods, favorite foods, and family traditions.

Now, it was time to take the next step: meeting his parents in Turkey.

As our plane descended into Esenboğa airport, I felt a mix of excitement and nerves. Arda held my hand, sensing my unease.

"Don’t worry, miláčik," he said, using the Slovak term he had picked up. "They will love you."

"I hope so," I replied, squeezing his hand. "I just want to make a good impression."

We arrived at his parents' home, a beautiful house filled with the warmth and aroma of Turkish cuisine.

His mother, Serap, and father, Umit, greeted us with open arms. Their hospitality was heartwarming.

"Welcome to our home," Serap said in Turkish, which Arda quickly translated for me. "We are happy to finally meet you."

"Thank you so much for having me," I replied, smiling. "I'm excited to be here."

As we sat down for dinner, the table was covered with an array of delicious turkish dishes. I recognized some from the meals Arda had cooked for me.

We started with small appetizers, and the conversation flowed smoothly at first.

"How was your flight?" Umit asked through Arda, who was acting as our translator.

"It was good, thank you," I replied, feeling more at ease with every passing moment. "I’ve always wanted to visit Turkey, and it’s even more special to do it with Arda."

Serap smiled. "We’ve heard a lot about you," she said. "Arda speaks very highly of you."

As the evening progressed, we talked about many things—Arda’s career, my job, and our shared love for travel.

At one point, Serap turned to me, her eyes warm and curious.

"Tell us about your family," she said gently. "Arda mentioned you have a close-knit family."

I smiled, feeling a bit more at ease. "Yes, we are very close. My parents have always been supportive of me, and I have two younger siblings who I adore. My brother is in kindergarten, and my sister is finishing high school."

Umit nodded, his eyes twinkling. "Family is very important. It’s good to hear that you have such a strong bond."

Arda squeezed my hand under the table, giving me a reassuring smile. "She talks about her family all the time. They sound wonderful."

I felt a warmth spread through me at his words. "They are," I said softly. "I’m lucky to have them."

The next few days were a whirlwind of experiences. Arda took me to explore Ankara, showing me the stunning Atatürk Mausoleum, the bustling Kızılay Square, and the serene Gençlik Park.

We even attended a music concert, which was unlike anything I had ever seen.

One evening, as we were having tea on the terrace, Arda and I talked about our relationship and the future.

"Do you think our cultural differences will be a problem?" I asked, voicing a concern that had been on my mind.

Arda looked thoughtful. "I think any relationship has its challenges," he said. "But as long as we communicate and respect each other’s backgrounds, we can make it work. My parents love you already, and I know your family will welcome me too."

I smiled, feeling reassured. "You’re right. We’ll take it one step at a time."

[z0mbiekisses]

Short imagine/one shot of Josh and reader where she’s the videographer for a festival they’re playing and he sees her and asks her to come backstage and they go from friends to lovers over the week long festival. Maybe on the last day he asks her to continue on tour with them?

Hehe I need someone to write my requests while I write other requests 😁😁

HELLOO P!! 🤗 thank you sm for being my first request i’m sooo excited!! hopefully it’s not too long 😅 if it wasn’t for your work i don’t think i’d ever have the motivation to write so just know your work doesn’t go unnoticed && i’ll always write your requests 🫡

as for anyone else reading this i hope you enjoy this as well!!(: i haven’t wrote an imagine in so longgg, so hopefully it’s good!! my requests are open 🫶!

₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊ ₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊

₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊ ₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊ ₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊

VIDEOTAPE !

i’ve always loved filming. whether it was my friends goofing around or my cats simply existing in their space peacefully. i love just being able to capture the moment then and there. i also love music. concerts are my number one happy place. who knew that two of my favorite things could turn into a career?

i was doing an apprenticeship for this photography company. this week, i’m going to the music festival the town did every summer. except this time i’m able to be the videographer for one of the main stages! i was stoked to say the least.

it was the first day, i spent the morning helping set up the stage i’ll be filming for the next 6 days. since this stage was more for the “bigger acts.” no one was scheduled to perform till 3. after i was done, i went to explore the festival a bit before i was gonna be stuck at the same stage for hours. as i was grabbing a drink, i noticed a guy next to me in line at the taco truck. his hair was black with red underneath it. his black tanktop showing off his colorful tattoos. he must've noticed me staring. he looked over and flashed a smile at me. it was contiguous, i instantly smiled back at him before my drink was handed to me. i walked away hoping i'd run into this handsome stranger. that i'd find him in the crowd of thousands of people..

the only downside to being a videographer is not being able to dance around to the music. i had to make sure my videos were the best quality, trying hard to catch the peak moments of each artist's set. however, i was able to be in front of the crowd. only people in my section were other photographers/videographers and security. it was also nice hearing new music. most of the bands i was familiar with were playing later in the festival. and luckily for me i only work two nights. the last band set to play was about to come on. i looked behind me and saw the crowd double in size. whoever was about to play must be popular. a red light came on the stage, shining on a guy wearing a ski mask. i watched as he walked over to the drum kit on the stage. people in the crowd were screaming. i listened to the drummer, he was one of the best so far. i then eventually the singer came on stage, also wearing a ski mask. and the music started blaring. let me tell you, these guys knew how to put on a show. it was the hardest set yet for me to NOT dance and jump around. eventually the drummer took off his ski mask, and it was the same guy i saw in line. during the show he recognized me and smiled. which i made sure to get on film, even though it caught me off guard that he even remembered me from our brief interaction.

this show was my favorite to film. these guys knew how to put on hell of a show. some of my best footage came from their set. i quickly learned the drummer's name was 'josh dun." who i admired the whole night. his eyes would seem to find me, making sure to flash a grin or do some sort of pose for me..and the camera of course. and every time i felt my heart flutter. their set was over and as i was getting ready to head back to my tent a security guard caught my attention. he said i was asked to be somewhere. i had not a clue where they were dragging me to. nonetheless, i hopped on the golf cart, making sure to film the different bright neon displays that shined through the dark open field. they brought me to a fancy tent. it was huge, there was a soft glow from all of the fairy lights. giving a nice soft ambience. i began to fidget with the rings on my fingers. still unsure on what this place is and why i was here. until the same guy with black and red hair came up to greet me. i somehow felt relieved yet so much more nervous.

“i hope this is okay, i wanted to talk to you but i didn’t want to hope that i’d run into you again.”, josh chuckled nervously.

“duh, who doesn’t like backstage passes.”, i laughed softly. hoping i wasn’t making a fool out of myself.

“i’m josh by the way.”, he smiled once again. reaching out his hand.

“y/n”, i shook his hand. i looked up into his brown eyes. i was admiring his features, from his long eyelashes to his soft lips. i looked away to prevent myself from looking like a total creep. he brought me over to one of the many couches and sat with me. we talked about our careers, and what made us chose them. i enjoyed listening to him talk about something he was passionate about. the way his eyes would squint up whenever he got excited. i barely know this man.. but good god. i thought he looked good on stage, glistened in sweat & his hair damp. but seeing him get so happy was so attractive.

i spent the next 24 hours thinking about josh dun. i sadly didn’t run into him the next day at the festival, but my work was able to occupy MOST of my mind. however it was officially the 3rd day, and my first day off duty. i traded my athletic leisure for something more festival appropriate. i decided on a short sparkly black dress that had silver moon & stars printed over it. as i was walking around the festival that night, i felt someone tap my shoulder. which honestly scared me a little bit until i turned around and saw josh.

“sorry! i didn’t mean to scare you.”, josh must’ve noticed me jump. i wrapped my arms around him. normally i’m not big on hugs. but once again, there was something about him.

“i missed you pretty girl.”, he mumbled against my neck. i couldn’t hide my blush as i pulled away. we talked about our plans yesterday and how we just barley missed an encounter with each other every time. i brought him over to charli xcx’s set. i was nervous he was going to be one of those guys who just stands there and silently judges you for dancing. but josh jumped up and down with me, in my mind it was just me & him. he occasionally would hold onto my waist from behind as we danced together. which flooded my stomach with butterflies. afterwards, i followed him to the stage where one of his favorite bands were playing; death cab for cutie. he held my way the whole way through as we navigated the crowds. josh was also able to get us into vip, which i’ve been in before for work. but this was so much better. being able to relax and really enjoy the music. josh’s hands never left mines. i felt safe besides him. i smiled as i watched him sing along to the music, clearly enjoying himself. of course, i had to get it on camera. to which josh started singing to when he finally noticed. i never wanted this night to end. josh walked me back to where my cab was. i looked up at him for a moment. i wanted to kiss him. everything in that moment was screaming at me to do so. but i was so worried about messing things up that i just stared at him.

“i had so much fun with you tonight, you’re really cool y/n.”, i smiled sweetly at josh’s compliment.

“thanks, you’re not too bad yourself joshua.”, i responded which earned a chuckle from josh. we continued to look at each other, not wanting to leave but unsure what to do next.

“maybe i could have your number? you know, so you can send me that video of me singing.”, josh tried to play it off. i giggled and typed my number in his phone.

the fourth day, i decided to go for a more spacey look. i wore a silver shimmery dress & i put star glitter in my space buns. of course, i met up with josh again. who i got to match with me. he was wearing a white t-shirt with an alien on it.

“you look better each time i see you i don’t get it.”, josh’s compliment made my cheeks heat up. it was almost embarrassing the effect this man had on me. but i didn’t mind it. we ran around the festival, trying random foods & messing around with the different photo ops. we even met up with his bandmate, tyler and his girlfriend jenna. me and her instantly clicked, as if we were best friends in another universe. it was amazing, i never thought this would happen. eventually we parted ways and josh dragged me to the goo goo dolls set. our hands still intertwined. i closed my eyes and moved side to side as i listened to iris, one of my favorite songs. josh pulled me in closer to his side. i looked up at him, meeting his warm brown eyes again.

“you’re so beautiful, you know that right y/n?”, i bit my lip slightly trying to surpress the huge grin on my face. before i could say anything else i could feel josh leaning into me. his lips met mine and my heart was practically beating out my chest. i wasted no time running my hair through his soft curls. josh grabbed my waist and pulled me in closer to him. i dreamed of moments like these. we both had the biggest smiles on our face as we pulled away. josh walked me to my cab again, josh was telling me they were going to start their tour soon. i felt sad. sure, maybe it was naive of me to think this could be anything long term. but this week had been so amazing, the thought of it being over hurt. and knowing josh would be gone for months hurt even more. there was a bit of silence as we were walking, i didn’t have much to say this time around. josh stopped me, holding my hands in front of him.

“okay this may sound crazy, you can say no.”, josh warned me. i could tell he was nervous to ask me. i watched his face as he tried to find the words in his head.

“we need a videographer for our tour, our usual one wife just had a baby so.. would you be interested in being our videographer?”, my face lit up.

“yes!”, i exclaimed. i hugged josh tightly. he spun me around as we giggled together out of excitement. josh kept his arms around me & pulled me in again. our lips crashing together. i was looking forward to having more moments like these over the next 4 months.

[steddieunderdogfics]

This week’s writer spotlight feature is: @thefreakandthehair! With thirty-nine works in the Steve/Eddie and Stranger Things tags on Archive of our Own!

In an underdogfics first, we have TWO nominators!

Our first nominator recommends the following works by @thefreakandthehair:

this is my month, I can feel it. october, baby!

never been afraid of any deviation.

scar-crossed lovers.

the answers are all inside of this.

Our second nominator, @sidekick-hero, recommends the following works by @thefreakandthehair:

over the hills and far away

meeting you was coming home.

make no plans and none can be broken.

rounding third, sliding home.

what's mine is yours (to leave or take)

Lex's brain is full of very creative scenarios, reading her writing is like reading an anthology of short stories but it's with all of your favorite characters! You get to see what they'd do in this AU or that AU, I love the exploration. It's like she's made a stew and it's simmering on the stove and you realize you're so hungry for stew as soon as you see it. <3 -- anonymous

Lex writes characters that come to life on the page while you're reading her stories. It makes it so easy to get invested in them, to feel with them and root for them to get their happy ending. She's one of these authors I would follow anywhere, any trope, any setting and universe, I am here for it. So I think more people should get to find her stories and be treated to the magic. -- @sidekick-hero

Below the cut, @thefreakandthehair answered some questions about their writing process and some of their recommended work!

Why do you write Steddie?

How can I possibly give just one reason! These two burrowed themselves into my brain like little gerbils with no hope of ever getting them out. I mean, was I supposed to hear ‘dontcha big boy?’ and be normal about it? But in all seriousness, they’re two sides of the same coin and those oppositions in character are super fun to play with!

What’s your favorite trope to READ?

It was tough to choose, but friends to lovers keeps coming up!

What’s your favorite trope to WRITE?

If I have to choose a particular trope, hurt/comfort would be the closest fit, but in the sense of healing past hurts together as a unit.

What’s your favorite Steddie fic?

This question sent me into an existential crisis and the best I could do is narrow it down to three, and even that was nearly impossible. In no particular order: We’ll Know For The First Time by KikiZ; carve your name into my chest by hexiewrites; and more recently, Among the Wildflowers by ParadimeShifts.

Is there a trope you’re excited to explore in a future work but haven’t yet?

Rivals to Lovers in my football AU! I’ve been so excited to get moving on that one.

What is your writing process like?

Oh, I wish I had a better one. I start with a skeleton outline, pop on some music, and then pick and choose which part of the outline sparks joy in that moment. I rarely, if ever, write chronologically so I just write what feels good in the moment and then go back with a scalpel to create connective tissue.

Do you have any writing quirks?

Definitely writing out of order, I think! And if there’s one thing about me, it’s that someone is gonna have an introspective moment looking up at the stars. Someone told me it’s like my calling card and they’re not wrong.

Do you prefer posting when you’ve finished writing or on a schedule?

I like a bit of both. I like to post on a schedule for multi-chapter fics but only after it’s either completely done or mostly done so that there’s no pressure to it.

Which fic are you most proud of?

Over The Hills And Far Away incorporated some personal bits of my past that were equal parts cathartic and difficult to write at times, so I’d have to say that one! It’s really satisfying to take experiences that you regret or that didn’t end the way you’d hoped and give them a different ending in fiction.

How did you get the idea for never been afraid of any deviation?

The Eddie Month prompt for that day! Me and my co-mod for the event, nostalgicbones, included Bad Reputation by Joan Jett as a prompt and as I was listening to it, it got me thinking about how Eddie is someone who cares for those in less than ideal situations— maybe even to the point of weaponizing his own bad reputation to protect someone. In this case, that was Steve!

When writing the answers are all inside of this, what was something you didn’t expect?

I didn’t expect it to become multiple chapters! That one is part of my So Much For Stardust series (that I haven’t forgotten about, I’ve just been busy with big bangs) so it was based on The Pink Seashell interlude from the album. I still don’t know exactly how a 1-minute interlude turned into a 15k multi-chapter fic, but it was super fun to let go off the rails!

What inspired scar-crossed lovers?

Also a So Much For Stardust series fic, the first one in the series, actually. I heard Heaven, Iowa for the first time and wrote this based on that song in a day. My brain just kept rotating it around like a rotisserie chicken until I wrote it.

What was your favorite part to write from scar-crossed lovers?

This is ironic because I’m not an angst-writer by nature, but writing about the slow deterioration of Eddie’s van as a symbol for the passage of time was really fun to do. Bittersweet, but it was one of those things that I didn’t realize I was doing until I was in the middle of it and once I realized, I just carried it throughout!

How do/did you feel writing never been afraid of any deviation.?

Excited! It was the first time that I wrote pre-s4 steddie (which is wild that in two years, I just wrote that for the first time last fall?) and it was so fun to do!

What was the most difficult part of writing the answers are all inside of this.?

Probably balancing the kids’ voices in the first chapter while still creating tension between Steve and Eddie.

Do you have a favorite scene and/or line from any of your fics?

It isn’t one of the fics listed here, but in no better version I could pretend to be tonight, I loved writing the line “Something about Steve feels like home, and Eddie is only familiar with houses.” Hurt/comfort, my beloved.

Do you have any upcoming projects or fics you’d like to share/promote?

I’m planning on taking a break from big bangs for a bit to focus on some super neglected WIPs, so there are a few upcoming fics I’m excited about! My Football AU, an ASMR Artist!Eddie x Insomniac!Steve AU, and I’m working on a fic called Pickup Note with sidekick-hero and firefly-party that I cannot wait to dive into fully.

Outside of these questions, Is there anything YOU would like to add?

Just thank you so much for all that you do with this blog! The ship truly exploded overnight and there are so many incredible stories that I’ve completely missed just because they’ve fallen through the cracks. I really appreciate what you’re doing here and the undertaking that it’s been!

Thank you to our author, @thefreakandthehair, and our nominators, anonymous and @sidekick-hero! See more of @thefreakandthehair works featured on our page throughout the day!

Writer’s Spotlight is every Wednesday! Want to nominate an author? You can nominate them here!

[shrimshrim4fun]

Random thing I’ve been thinking about is before you and Shalom started to date she would “stalk” interact with you a lot. She’ll note lots of things you like, hobbies, certain things you do everyday, etc. She probably even remember your period cycle before you guys start dating. I love this woman you don’t know how much I do 😭 But I present to you……

Dating Headcanons for Shalom

SFW

-Very dotting person and notes if you’re uncomfortable or anything. You can’t hide your emotions from her. Though her emotions are hard to tell. If you know her well enough you’ll see flicks in her eyes that somewhat can tell her emotions.

-She’s usually the one to drag you to social events and the one to step in front of you and protect you from people talking to you if you’re shy. She’ll usually tease about your shyness when you guys are going home.

-Her biggest ways of showing affection would be words of affirmation and physical touch in general. Her soothing voice is like honey as she holds you close to her. Hands running through your hair as you lay on her lap.

-In return she loves if you do stuff for her. As simple as planning a date or preparing a bath for her. Also gifts are a big thing for both of you. She has a special box dedicated to the gifts you get her. From handmade brackets to jewelry. She keeps them all. She especially loves the ones that she can wear or shaped as flowers….

-She would be very happy if you can keep flowers alive, because she can’t. But do not fret if you both can’t keep them alive she likes to the arts and crafts to make flowers out all sorts of things. She does them on her free time with you as she plays her record player in the background.

-Sometimes she’ll have nightmares about when she entered BR-002 and how got targeted by an Underground hitman which made her fall into a deep coma. Her body would slightly tense up and hug you tighter. She doesn’t say anything but you know that you shouldn’t pull away. You hug her tighter as if trying to give her some comfort as she nuzzles into the crook of your neck.

NSFW

-She is 100% a power bottom so she likes to be in control but still likes to get pleased. You go at the speed she likes and you obey what she tells you to do like a good girl.

-Her fingers are very nimble and slim also long so she can reach deep inside of you and make you cum within minutes.

-Quite big into body worshiping. She lays on the bed like the pillow princess she is as you run your fingers along her body. Moving across every crook and nook. Moving your hands down her curves as you murmur praises to her while make her shiver.

-The sounds she make is like music to your ears. Small moans as you please her boosts your ego a bit too much. So she sometimes will try to cut off her moans a bit or use her hand to block her moans just to make you huff; due to her blocking her beautiful sounds from you.

-Also loves it when she runs her hands through your body. You sudden gasps and sounds as she pry and touch at her spots on your body. Explores your body like it’s some type of puzzle that she will figure out. She’ll hum softly as she runs her fingers over your body.

-Into pet play. Having a custom collar around your neck. It’s red with a light hint of purple to it. It’s somewhat thick with a tag named Shalom on it. On the side is a golden ring which she can clip a collar onto. You’re on your knees between her legs as she tugs the collar up so you look at her.

-Her aftercare is also really nice. A nice bath with some candles on the side. Her record playing spinning as you lay against each other in the warm water. (Usually leads to another round) Likes running her hands through your hair as she murmurs what a good girl you were.

I love this woman so much 😭😭😭😭 I cannot express how much I love. I NEED her. I wasn’t playing during her banner so I’m saving up until she has a rerun (which is proabably gonna be around October) ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ I want to write a self ship with her so bad 😞

[wonder-farm-hc]

Elliott headcanons!!

Just some general headcanons, cw for mentions of homophobia

The post was a bit long, so I ended up putting a "read more" banner, but nothing explicit is mentioned!

Requests are open!

-☆-☆-☆-☆-☆-☆-☆-☆-

❤️ He struggled many years with a speech stutter, but eventually was determined enough to overcome it (he practiced, a lot, in his mirror)

❤️He’s an only child, and up until middle school he was homeschooled. For this reason, he was always a bit more awkward than other kids, never made friends easily

❤️ Although part of why he didn’t make friends easily was because he was always true to himself: he had a fancier style than most, he liked to play piano and write, stuff that many of his peers didn’t find interesting or fascinating. That said, he never tried to fit into the mold, preferring to remain true to himself rather than dulling his lifestyle

❤️ As he lives on the beach, he observes the small creatures such as crabs, starfish and others. He often ends up chatting with Willy over the local sea population, and they’ve become somewhat good friends

❤️ When he arrived in the valley, the first person he bonded with was Leah: they bonded over being artists (although very different ones) and living alone in nature

❤️ They often have debates on art, philosophy, music: they prefer different things, with Elliott being less chaotic than Leah in his art, and tastes as well

❤️ He sometimes stays up until very very late. One time Willy (who was coming back from a night time fishing trip) spotted him awake at night. As Willy noticed the tension in Elliott’s speech and manners, he tried to be there for him, and the best way he could do that was to show him how to light the fireplace, in case he wanted some warth

❤️ He suffers from insomnia, that’s why he was up

❤️ Now, from time to time, Elliott lights it up when he can’t sleep. Not that it helps him sleep, but he find the crackling of the fire to be relaxing

❤️ Elliott and Shane, strangely enough, sometimes do get along. Elliott is one who, ideally, likes to provide for his loved ones and such, and that’s something that Shane understands very well (as he is protective towards Jas).

❤️ Plus, Elliott often spends time in the library, and therefore watches many lessons that Penny gives to Jas and Vincent (sometimes, he even helps Penny, or accompanies home the kids). Getting to know Jas automatically means to hear a lot about Shane, as he’s important to her

❤️ Elliott has refined tastes, that’s for sure, but he’s not squeamish as one may assume: quite the opposite

❤️ He realized he was queer later in life, when he got a crush for a friend of his. To this day, he’s not 100% confident in his queerness

❤️ He came out to Leah, one day while they were in her cabin. He simply whispered “I don’t think I’m straight” during a quiet moment, and she sensed his tension immediately

❤️ She helped him overcome a lot of the internalized homophobia he had (turns out kids joking about your interests being gay does leave a mark, even if you don’t notice it) and, ultimately, he decided to not put a label on himself

❤️ He likes the Hamilton musical, a lot (but it’s a secret)

-☆-☆-☆-☆-☆-☆-☆-☆-

This was fun to write! Although Elliott isn't one of my favorites, he's very cool to write about, and explore as a character in general!

I hope you enjoyed my silly little writing thing :)

[watermelonsugacry]

But It's Not You

A/N: double update bebe! 💚

SUMMARY: After almost a year into One Direction's hiatus, Harry craves being in the studio again to make some music. After inviting his best friend and former band member, YN, onto his team, they spend the next two months in Jamaica as they make an album, uncover hidden feelings, and explore uncharted territories. (3.3k)

GENRE: 1dbandmember!yn, friends to lovers

SINCE 2010 masterlist // Jamaica series // Previous song here! ✈

SIDE-NOTE: italicized is voice over commentary (I wrote this kind of like the Behind the Album documentary) bold are things Harry actually said irl

YN’s jaw goes slack in a yawn as she knuckles over her eyes. Her bare feet pat softly against the hardwood floor of the hallway and she has to keep in mind to be quiet on some level as she passes the rooms where the rest of the production crew sleeps. The moonlight that peaks through the multitude of windows throughout the house act as her guide. 

It’s been a few days since the team has arrived in Jamaica and so far, it’s been both a relaxing and exciting experience for everyone. With a day full of writing and continuing to get more and more hands-on experience producing, the team was able to get another song down and didn’t go to sleep until the early hours of the morning. Unable to fall asleep herself, however, she finds herself out of bed in search of a late-night snack. She stretches her arms above her head before letting them fall down to her sides. 

When she faces the kitchen, her feet come to a stop when she sees a semi-bright light that shines over a small section of the room. Harry stands in front of the open refrigerator, his forearm rests on top of the door while his body bends over to look inside. His torso is bare and the muscles on his back push and pull as he goes to grab something. His sleep shorts hang low on his hips and when he looks over his shoulder at her, his hand to his mouth as he bites down on something. 

Is that a strawberry? 

Harry takes in the sight of her: an oversized band t-shirt she’s had since their time in the band that has holes scattered around the fabric and slipping off her shoulder every now and then. Her pj shorts are barely visible from underneath the huge shirt and her hair is a bit tousled from her attempt to fall asleep. He smiles at her as he finishes what’s in his mouth, “Good morning, darling.” 

Ignoring how nice and raspy his voice sounds, she smiles back at him and shuffles her feet over to him to lean her forehead in the middle of his chest. When she feels his arms around her shoulders, letting out a hum at the warmth he gives off, she thinks back to the time when she couldn’t stand physical affection. She felt claustrophobic if someone were to wrap themselves around her; even with her ex, it still felt off to be held or hold his hand. She knew she was in trouble when she found herself naturally gravitating towards Harry’s body for a cuddle or missed the warmth of his hand on her back rather than anybody else’s.

“Morning,” She says as she snuggles deeper into his chest. 

“Couldn’t sleep?” 

She shakes her head side to side, still pressed to him, “You?”

He hums out a no before he says, “Want a strawberry?”

She lifts her head so her chin rests in the middle of his chest. She silently parts her lips and he places the half-eaten strawberry to her mouth. The tips of Harry’s finger hold onto the green leaves of the fruit as she takes a bite. He pulls it away and finishes off the rest of the strawberry before throwing the end leaves into the sink beside them. 

Knowing that there wasn’t a chance of going back to sleep any time soon, the two friends situate themselves on the kitchen floor, their backs to the kitchen island with their legs splayed out in front of them and the refrigerator door open. As they chat, they’ll both occasionally grab at the cut pieces of fruit in the bowl between them.

“I’ve been thinking about you a lot lately.”

Harry discreetly cringes to himself at his words. As comfortable as he is to talk about literally anything with her, he has to catch himself before he says anything stupid—meaning, not accidentally telling her that he’s head over heels in love with her.

“Yeah? All good things, I hope.”

“Oh no, just the bad stuff,” He says sarcastically.

“Shit, I knew it.” Harry chuckles when she playfully throws a grape at his chest with a smile. 

“No, I could never. There’s nothing horrible about you, lovie.” Despite his better judgment, he lets the words of affection slip from his mouth. “You’re perfect.”

YN scoffs with a roll of her eyes. “Don't say that,” she says around a mouthful of a slice of orange.

“But it’s true. You’re beautiful, YN.”

“That’s a bit hard to believe,” Before he can swallow the grape and protest, she beats him to it. “Come on, H. M’nothing like the girls you’ve been attracted to in the past. With their perfectly blue eyes and scarlet red lips,” YN says with a dramatic, playful flutter of her eyes before twisting at a cherry stem between her fingers.

Harry furrows his brows as he processes her words, “Okay but, was that ever really me?”

“What do yeh mean?” she asks with a tilt of her head.

And oh how he wishes he could explain himself to her. Throughout their time in the band, it’s been a known fact that their management teams have been trying to force a certain persona on each of the band members. For Harry, he was labeled as a womanizer: a bad boy who's never done anything bad. Time and time again, their teams had set him up with fake blonde models who were only into him for his name, looks and nothing more. And after each time, he would find himself going back to her. 

He’ll take her natural hair color and texture over the girls who fry their hair to achieve a fake-blonde look. He’ll take her bare face over any of the women with too much contour and red lipstick any day. He’ll take her natural plushy hips and chest without it having been done through the work of a doctor. He’d rather be with YN. He meant what he said, she’s perfect. Even her imperfections are perfect.

How he wishes he can tell her all of this but his tongue trips over itself. How can he even collectively get his words together when she’s patiently waiting for him to speak with her soft smile and her eyes that sparkle from the refrigerator’s white fluorescent light. 

Harry smiles down at his lap, “Y’know, my mum thinks we’re dating.” 

He’s changing the subject. She decides not to call him out on it and just smirks at his statement.

“M’not surprised.” When he gives her an amused look, she continues with a lazy shrug of her shoulder. “Me mum's the same way.”

It’s no secret that their mums have been secretly-not-so-secretly rooting for them to get together the second they saw the kind of chemistry their kids began to show during their time in the X-Factor. The two women don’t push their wishes on them though, merely watching from the sidelines waiting for them to realize it for themselves. 

A giggle tumbles past YN’s lips as it easily puts a dimpled smile on his face. “Do you remember that one time when we were on our, what? Third tour and we did that waltz dance thing on the B-Stage?”

Of course he remembers. The band was doing the segment of the show where they answered fan-sent questions. Most of them were dares and this one in particular asked the band to show off their ballroom skills. When none of the other boys wanted to be her dance partner, Harry honorably stepped up with an out-reach of his hand.

“The time when you clumsily fell on me and we landed on the floor?”

“No, no. You fell on me,” YN points out with emphasis, her laughter like music to his ears. 

“Same thing.”

“It is not the same thing.”

“Where were you going with this again?” He asks with a humored look, plopping a blueberry past his lips. 

“Our mums were at that show.” Harry tucks his chin down to his chest as his shoulders shake with a chuckle as he knows exactly where she’s going with this. “And they wouldn’t shut up about it afterwards in the green room, remember? Penny just kept going on and on about how that was gonna be us dancing at our wedding or some shit.”

“My mum was already telling me about taking some dance lessons so I wouldn’t trip up like we did on stage.”

YN squeezes her eyes shut, one hand over her mouth to muffle her laughter while the other one grips onto Harry’s wrist. The creases beside his eyes appear as his own chuckles rumble from his chest. After they’ve calmed down, Harry lets out a happy sigh at the memory.

“Yeah...Richard had a field day with that one.”

As soon as the words come out of his mouth, he instantly regrets it by the sad look that comes over YN. Her once giggling shoulders slow down to a slump, her cheeky smile fades into a somber one and her bright eyes dim down to her lap.

Bringing up their old management team has become a sensitive topic for YN. These people who took her freedom away, tried silencing her voice just because she was a woman, and forced a different persona on her for the sake of fame sit in the darkest parts of her mind. 

Even for something as silly as the two of them dancing together on stage had their management representative give them a good scolding. Richard went on a rampage, yelling at YN for her improper behavior, for putting her hands on Harry in that way. He scolded her for being so clumsy and that she made them fall on purpose just to get physically close with her band mate.

It broke Harry’s heart to see YN keep her mouth shut, knowing that she would bite back if she could. He saw the way she had her hands clasped together in front of her, occasionally flinching back at Dick’s spitting words.

And when Harry tried sticking up for her, he was told off for even offering himself to YN, that he should have known better. That supposed little “stunt” that they pulled had cost their solos to be removed from the new song they were working on for the next album.  

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought that up—”

“Don't be.” She says sincerely, licking her lips and keeping her gaze away from her best friend.

Call it a curse or a superpower, but he sees the way her mind begins to race. She’s been good at hiding it, but he can read her like an open book. 

“Tell me what you’re thinking,” He tells her softly.

Knowing she can’t hide from him, she lets out a deep sigh, “I just felt so trapped sometimes, you know? They’ve just always dictated our lives in everything. What we wear, what we say,” Who we can be with. “And for what? More money in there’s fookin’ pockets? You know, there were just times in my life where I didn’t even feel...alive.” 

“Do you still feel that way?” 

“Some times more than usual,” She surprises herself as she answers his question truthfully. She didn’t expect to be talking about this tonight or ever with anyone, really. But she’s glad it’s Harry. 

“One day I’ll tell you everything,” She thinks to herself.

“But do you know when are the times that I don’t feel that way?”

“When?”

“When I’m with you.”

“Shut up,” He looks away from her with a bashful smile on his face. Even from the small light coming through the kitchen, she can still see the pink coming onto his cheeks.

“It’s true. It sounds cheesy as hell but it’s like I feel the weight of the world around me being lifted or something. It’s like I can finally breathe. Like, I remember that one day on the yacht last year. We were sitting on the front of the boat and we didn’t really talk or anything but we were just...I don’t know. It’s kinda stupid. I think you were asleep or something so I don’t think you remember—”

“You wore that green bathing suit and the sun was just setting so the sky was kind of orange,” When YN turns her head to look at Harry, he’s already staring back. “I remember looking at you then. You were sitting up and had your eyes closed. You were crying.” She doesn't flinch when he brings his hand to her cheek and wipes away her tears with his thumb. YN didn’t even realize she was crying until now. “But when you opened your eyes, you took a deep breath and you... you just looked so in-the-moment. You looked free, YN.” 

She closes her eyes and lets the tears silently stream down her face. Harry’s forehead touches hers.

“This was all I used to need,” She whispers in the space between them. Her words pluck a chord in his heart. He’s felt the same feeling more and more lately. He knows that they’re both incredibly grateful for the success they’ve had with their careers so far. They were able to start so young, provide for their family, and do what they love to do every single night for crowds of devoted fans. 

But there’s a longing for the silence. 

She can be in a room full of fans and press and their team, but she can still feel like the loneliest person in the world. Having each other to lean on, having someone to go to when the darkest parts of themselves want to consume them is more than all the happiness that this measly world can provide. 

“I know. I feel it, too.” Harry whispers in the small space between them, reaching up to thumb away at a tear on the supple skin of her cheek. “I was just thinking about how much we haven’t spoken to each other in a while before this.”

“It had only been a few weeks,” YN pulls back a bit and smiles. She wipes her eyes with the front of her worn-out shirt. “And we’ve been texting during that time anyways.”

“Still. S’not enough.” 

She softly laughs at Harry’s teasing. He puts an arm around her shoulders and pulls her to his chest. As much as the band’s hiatus was needed, there’s no denying the fact that the separation was hard—especially for these two. How can one normally carry on through life when the person you see, talk to, and laugh with everyday goes away?

They sit in comfortable silence for a little bit longer, staying embraced by one another before YN speaks up.

“I love you, Harry.” Her words make his body tense up and he tries not to let it show too much. She lifts her head from his shoulder and one little dip of his head can connect their lips. His eyes search hers, trying to find if she meant her words in the same way he does. He sees her eyes flicker down to his lips before she takes a deep breath. “No one knows me like you do. I feel safe with you. I...I feel alive with you.”

When he nods his head in agreement, his nose brushes alongside hers, “I feel everything with you.”

“I meant what I said,” She can get lost in his green eyes, looking at her with that same feeling she feels in the pit of her stomach. The same feeling she first felt as a teenager whenever he was around her. The feeling she would get despite being engaged to someone else. She meant those three words, but now that they’re not under the watchful eye of their old management team, the feeling terrifies her even more. “You’re my best friend, Harry.”

And there it is. 

During their time in the band, there was no question that the two were able to get on another level of closeness that they knew each other like the back of their hands. Reading each other from across the room became second nature. Maybe the separation has made Harry lose his touch. Maybe those three words don’t share the same meaning they do for him. 

“And you mine,” He reciprocates truthfully.

Without another word, YN shuffles herself to lay her head down on his lap. He brushes his fingers over her scalp, gently pushing her hair behind her ear. Once he sees that her eyes are closed and hears her breathing has evened out, he whispers her words back to her unknowing they hold her true meaning behind them.

“I love you, YN.”

...

Anytime you’re doing anything different, it’s quite scary. I didn’t know what I wanted it to sound like, I didn’t know what I wanted it to look like,” Harry explains the initial feelings he had when making his album. “But it was nice to have someone there who you’re familiar with and, and sort of turn to them when you feel a bit uneasy.”

The next morning, YN plops down on the chair next to Harry at the dining table where he finds him scribbling away in his brown leather journal, “Hey.”

“Hi,” he answers, his eyes still glued to the pen on the paper.

“Anything good?” YN nods to his notebook.

“Maybe, actually.” He shifts his body to face her. “It kind of just wrote itself to be honest.” 

A soft smile tugs itself on her lips as she leans her elbow on the table to rest her temple on her fist, “The best ones always do.” 

“Kind of wanted to let the work do the talking a little bit. I mean, definitely part of my ego wanted to see if I could write something that people liked without people knowing everything about me.”

Harry slides over the journal for her to read, “What we spoke about last night really stuck with me.”

That infamous crease in her brows appears on her face as she reads his scribbled handwriting and Harry wants nothing more than to smooth over the skin with his thumb or a gentle press of his lips.

We're just two ghosts standing in the place of you and me

Trying to remember how it feels to have a heartbeat.

“I didn’t mean to overstep by writing something personal about you. It was just an idea and a melody for it was stuck in my head all morning.”

“No, don't apologize. This sounds good. Really good, actually. You took what I feel kind of pathetic about and made it sound poetic. It’s beautifully written, Harry.” She lets out a laugh and slides Harry back his journal. “M’kind of jealous that I didn’t write something for myself like this.”

“Well, it can be our song then,” Harry rubs his index finger under his nose, a nervous habit that he hopes will go unnoticed by her; it doesn’t. “I mean, I still need to work out the guitar bits and stuff.”

Instead of calling him out and teasing him just to see the pink tint hit his cheeks, she reaches over the table and lifts the acoustic guitar onto her lap, “That can be arranged.”  

Not long after, the team is scattered around the room as they watch the two former band members create music together. 

We're not who we used to be

We don't see what we used to see

Their voices blend together beautifully, naturally falling into a harmony. YN’s fingers press on the wired strings as she strums with her other hand. 

Mitch watches from his seat on the opposite side of the table, his eyes flickering back and forth between the pair. Harry wasn’t kidding when he said that YN is a skilled guitarist; she’s making beautiful melodies with it without even trying. 

More importantly, he sees the way they look at each other. As YN adlibs a vocalized melody, a smile etches on her face as Harry looks at her.  His dimples dig into his cheeks and the tiniest hint of pink paints the apples of his cheeks.

Mitch may not know a lot about these two, but it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see their shared chemistry. 

.

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[b1ackbunny]

LOVE LIES

CH. 1 | SIN CITY

A Bada Lee smau-ish ff

pairing: bada lee x fem!dancer!oc (jia mei yu)

synopsis: bada lee wasn’t looking for love when it found her. jia mei yu couldn’t truly comprehend the feeling inside when she was with her, on and off the dancefloor. when these two dancers meet by chance, a bond is formed and uncharted territories are explored.

word count: 2.9k

warnings: definitely au-like… no mentions of swf or smf, uhhh idk any more, bad writing, friendly violence, a little inaccurate, unedited

previous: prologue

next: chapter 2

masterlist

a/n: first posted ff on here obviously has to be with my wife ofcccc!!! I’ve always wanted to do a smau-ish type story so I wasn't gonna pass up this opportunity 🫶🏽 this is just for funsies take nothing seriously so if you guys want to comment feel free I hope you enjoy! planning for this to be a series

Jia sighed and opened the practice room door, shrugging her bag off her shoulder and placing it by the mirror. She spent most of her day with Leejung and Deukie, although she got breakfast with her main friend group beforehand.

Looking down at her phone, she saw a couple of notifications displayed on her lock screen. She ignored them for now and opened Spotify, scrolling through her different playlists. Jia wanted to end the day with a calm freestyle session, so she settled on her playlist containing relaxed but danceable songs.

She clicked shuffle play and stretched for the duration of the first song. Setting her phone on the floor to record some of her session for potential sparks of genius, Jia made sure her shoes were tied as the first notes of Waves by Normani began to play.

Jia swayed to the beat before beginning to be immersed in the music. It was like second nature to hit each beat for the girl. Every move she did matched the vibe of the song. She stared at the mirror and couldn't help but criticize her dancing a bit.

Yes, her body control was exceptional, but she believed her lines could've been better. She took off her hat and ran her hands through her hair. She crouched down and took multiple sips of water. After she finished, she put her hat back on and stopped the recording before standing up straight and waiting for the next song.

The playlist continued to shuffle play and each song that played reminded her of the one person she didn't want to think about. After dancing to Too Late by SZA, Jia decided to take a break. She looked at the time and saw it was 7:16 in the evening.

Taking her water bottle and drinking a decent amount, she looked at it and saw that it was a little less than halfway. She picked up her phone and water bottle, put her phone in her pocket, and exited the studio. She felt comfortable leaving her bag in the room since YGX was her usual studio.

Jia walked down the hall, occasionally peeking through the windows of other rooms to see if any of her friends were in. Just as she was about to peek through the window of a room, she heard her name being called and hurried steps.

Her eyes widened once she turned her head to see it was her friend J-Ho. “J-Ho! What are you doing here?” She beamed at the Just Jerk dancer with a slightly confused smile. Jia and J-Ho’s friendship was one of those low-maintenance ones so it's safe to say she hadn't seen him since June.

J-Ho answered while pulling the girl into a hug, “My friend is hosting a workshop here so Howl, Hulk, and I wanted to sit in and support.” Jia let out a sound of understanding and pulled away before looking through the room window and seeing two familiar faces.

“Wait- it's in this one?” J-Ho confirmed with a nod and a grin. “There's a 10-minute break so I took a bathroom break,” J-Ho explained as he opened the door. Jia was getting ready to walk away before seeing J-Ho’s confused face.

“You’re not coming in to say hi to Hulk and Howl?” Jia glanced at the window before looking back at J-Ho. “I don't want to intrude or anyth-” Her sentence was cut off by J-Ho laughing and pulling her into the room. Jia smiled and bowed at the students she passed while the two made a beeline toward their friends.

“Guess who I found lurking in the hallway.” J-Ho joked as the two reached their target. It seemed that they were in a conversation but when J-Ho spoke, they all turned their attention toward the two. Jia only recognized two out of the three dancers they approached.

Hulk was the first to pull her into a hug and sway side to side. “G, I haven't seen you in so long!” Jia laughed a little and nodded as their hug ended, forming the Scout Honor sign with her right hand and standing up exaggeratedly straight. “I've been extremely loyal to YGX since about early August.”

The three rolled their eyes at her statement with a smile, knowing that her statement was only half-true. Jia greeted Howl before glancing over to the girl she was unfamiliar with. She looked her up and down, not in a rude way but in one with genuine curiosity.

“Oh, right sorry. This is the friend I told you about. Jia, meet Bada Lee. Bada, meet Jia Mei Yu.” J-Ho introduced the two. Jia and Bada bowed toward each other, a smile spreading across Jia’s face when she started to recognize the name. “Wait, you're the one that choreographed for Aespa and NCT, right?”

Bada nodded her head with a smile, causing Jia to smile more and slightly bounce on her toes and quietly clap. “But, you choreographed for Le Sserafim and Itzy, if I'm not mistaken?” Bada asked her smile still prominent when Jia nodded and covered her mouth.

She felt she was smiling too hard so she pulled down her hat, hoping it would swallow her face and smile whole. Bada glanced at the clock and saw the break was almost over. She made it known to the class before making her way back to the group.

“It was nice seeing you guys-” Jia started to say her goodbyes before she was cut off by Bada. “You can stay and watch the rest of the workshop…” Jia furrowed her eyebrows, glancing at the boys who nodded in agreement with Bada then locking her eyes back on the beautiful girl in front of her.

“Only if you want to or aren't already busy, of course..” Bada rushed out and the corners of Jia’s lips slightly curled up when she saw a hopeful glint in the girl’s eyes. “I didn't want to be a bother or anything but if you insist…” Jia trailed off, the smile that threatened to escape fought a winning battle.

Bada nodded and grinned before moving toward the front of the class. Once she left the group, Jia turned toward the boys and punched J-Ho in the arm. He winced in pain and moved away from the girl before she could hit him again. “That was for saying my full government name when introducing me to the Bada Lee.”

Jia sweetly smiled at him and patted his arm, summoning laughs from Howl and Hulk. J-Ho rolled his eyes and mushed the girl’s head to the side. “You’ll be fine.” Jia folded her arms and shifted her attention to the girl she stayed to watch.

Jia found Bada undeniably attractive and couldn't have been any more unprepared for what she was about to see. Since Bada had already taught and ran through the dance moves before the break, it was time to do the choreography full-out once again.

Jia and her friends stood toward the back while the first group, including Bada, moved to the center where there was a space cleared for them. The cameraman signaled that they were recording and the song started.

The girl recognized it as Sin City by SAAY and began to feel excited that she was able to experience this in person. She grinned at Bada through the mirror and caught a glimpse of the corners of her mouth twitch up.

She was completely and utterly caught off guard as soon as the group started dancing. Although both Bada and her students were doing an amazing job, Jia couldn't seem to shift her gaze onto anyone other than Bada.

She clapped and cheered for the dancers but as soon as she made eye contact with Bada for the fourth time she had to cover the lower half of her face with her hoodie’s sleeve to hide the rising blush that took over her features.

The other dancers stepped away, leaving Bada to perform her freestyle at the end. At this point, Jia fanned her face a bit, feeling unbelievably embarrassed and flustered at the way her body seemed to respond to seeing the girl dance.

Hulk laughed at her expression and how pink her face seemed to be getting, causing Jia to feint at him before going back to watching the phenomenal dancer in front of her. Once Bada finished with a bow, everyone began cheering for the dancer.

Jia clapped, cheered, and bounced on her toes before being pulled down to stand flat on her feet by Howl. The girl’s smile dropped and she side-eyed him before shooing his hands. “Let me applaud for this talented woman in peace!” Howl laughed and shook his head.

“You just met her, you're embarrassing yourself.” Jia rolled her eyes and looked over at the girl who was picking out the dancers for the next group. She held a dimmed smile, knowing that there was most likely some truth to Howl’s statement.

After the next group danced, Jia decided she wasn't going to stay for the other groups and it was time for her to head back to her practice room. “Well, this was fun thank you guys for convincing me to stay!” She said with a smile while glancing between all her friends.

She peeked over at Bada who was now stationed at the back of the room with them and saw she wore a slightly bummed expression. “You're not staying for the whole workshop?” Jia sighed at Bada’s question and shook her head.

“I should get back to the practice room I was in. It was great meeting you and I hope we meet again!” Jia kindly stated before saying her goodbyes to the group and bowing. She walked toward the door, greeting some students who recognized her on the way and exited the room.

Remembering the original reason why she left the room in the first place, she walked to the water dispenser at the end of the hall and began filling her bottle. She couldn't deny that Howl’s words ran through her mind a bit.

Why did she get so excited over a girl she just met? Especially when less than thirty minutes ago Jinhyoung was one of the only people on her mind. Speaking of him, she still couldn't wrap her mind around how he basically ghosted her for four months and then commented on her tweet.

Jia grimaced at the thought and stopped filling her water bottle. She walked back down the hall to her practice room while tightening the cap of her bottle. Opening the door, she was met with the room exactly how she left it.

She connected her phone back to the speakers and began stretching while searching for her next song. After deciding on a song, she set her phone up against the mirror. Only by J.cob began playing and Jia smiled when she took off her hat, running her fingers through her hair.

Before the lyrics began, she made the quick decision to ditch both her hat and her hoodie. Thankfully she had a black crewneck tank top underneath. Right after she tossed the hat and hoodie to the side, the lyrics commenced and she began dancing.

With each dance move, she found herself getting more and more hyped. She looked at herself through the mirror when the pre-chorus hit. She slowed down her moves and incorporated some hip movements before picking up the speed when the chorus began.

Due to this being one of her most listened-to songs, she was able to tell a story with her moves. They were smooth and looked pretty good for it being a freestyle. When Nathania’s verse on the song began Jia smiled at her reflection.

She was truly having fun. With her notifications ultimately being silenced and left in the company of herself and the music, Jia was honestly at peace. She smoothly danced to the verse, coordinating her body in ways she felt went with the song.

As the song came to an end, Jia felt that some parts of that freestyle could've been rearranged into a choreography. She slipped over to her phone and bent down to stop the recording.

She disconnected it from the speakers and replayed the recording. While watching the video, she cringed at some parts and felt like an intellectual at others. Overall, she ruled the freestyle as a stroke of genius.

When this happens, Jia usually locks herself in the room until she is able to transform it into an adequate choreography. This time is no different. She stood in the middle of the room, rerunning the video and dissecting the routine.

Jia decided that she would only make choreography for Nathania’s verse. She debated with herself on whether she should make the choreo more sensual or hip-hop-based. After some deliberation, she chose the latter and began working.

Since she didn't bring her notebook, she opened the notes app and started writing out elements that she liked from the freestyle, flipping between the recording and the notes app.

She added to, subtracted from, and rearranged the choreography until she was satisfied with her end result. This took close to three hours and many recordings later. Once Jia finished her final take, she smiled at her reflection and held her hips.

Her shallow breaths were heard once she picked up her phone and stopped both the recording and the music. She laid on her back and took deep breaths, the cool flooring helped her body cool down.

Hating the feeling of her hair sticking to her skin, she got up and walked to where her bag was. Once she reached it, she pulled out a hair tie and put her hair up in a ponytail while looking at herself in the mirror.

She heard a knock at the door and looked at her watch. It was currently 10:30 p.m. She remembered renting out the studio till 11 p.m., so this made her eyebrows slightly furrow. Jia turned toward the door and slightly smiled at who she saw.

Calmly striding over to the door, Jia swung the door open and leaned against it. “Well, well, well, what do we have here? Didn't your class end hours ago?” She joked with a tiny smile and happily maintained eye contact with the girl in front of her. “Yeah, it did, but I stayed to work on some new choreography.”

Jia hummed in understanding before putting a hand on her hip and quirking her eyebrow. “So, Bada Lee… why are you here?” Jia observed as Bada rubbed the side of her neck.

“I didn’t get the chance to ask for your number before. I think we should collaborate on a choreography or two in the future.” Bada vocalized and Jia put on a thinking expression. She looked up at the ceiling before glimpsing back at the girl.

“Yeah, of course! To tell the truth, I was honestly hoping we could potentially be friends…?” Jia hopefully drew out. The pause that occurred was mortifying and made the girl stare at her shoes.

Jia held back the urge to cover her face and right when she was about to take the request back, she heard a laugh from Bada. Her eyes immediately snapped up to meet Bada’s and what she was met with made her smile.

Bada was staring at the girl with a grin while nodding her head. “I’d love that.” Jia slightly giggled and tried to smoothen down her ponytail. Her eyes scanned over Bada’s face, stopping at every minute feature before meeting her eyes once again.

“So, the phone number?” Bada reminded and Jia could hear a slight tease in her tone. Jia shook her head and laughed to herself before turning toward the inside of the room. “Right, yeah, of course, duh!”

She signaled for Bada to come inside as she walked toward her phone lying in the center of the room. She picked it up and speed-walked to where Bada stood by the door. Unlocking her phone and opening her contacts, she swiped on the keypad and turned the phone toward Bada.

Bada did the same and the pair took each other’s phones. After they typed their phone numbers into the other’s phone, they both handed it back. Jia smiled at the contact and slowly tapped her phone against her hand.

“I guess we’ll meet again sooner than later.” Jia joked and watched as Bada backed up toward the door, holding up her phone. “I’ll text you.” She said once she reached the door and shook her phone, grinning.

Jia nodded and put a thumbs-up before Bada excited the room. She waited a couple of seconds after Bada’s departure to start celebrating. The giddy feeling inside was still apparent and Jia couldn't help but start hopping out of excitement.

She started doing her victory dance and punching the air before stopping and looking out the window to make sure nobody witnessed that. With a sigh, she fell back on the floor and smiled at the ceiling.

It feels like it's been forever since she truly liked someone, and though she's okay with how her life was, she missed the feeling a new crush brought her. Although she proposed the idea of being friends, Jia couldn't help but want for more and she hoped Bada would soon feel the same.

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