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elshells · 7 months ago

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Agent Ace || Map of Harmont

Ever read Agent Ace and wonder where Sophia and Harley are relative to one another at any given time? So did I, and that's why I made this handy-dandy map of Harmont!

There are a lot of locations in Agent Ace, and the characters don't stay in one place for long. While you don't necessarily need to read the map to follow along in the story, if you're a visual learner like me, who sometimes has trouble keeping track of locations without a point of reference, then hopefully you can get as much use and enjoyment out of this map that I do!

Obligatory disclaimer that I am not a professional map maker. I drew heavy inspiration from maps of real cities I'm familiar with (I won't say which ones but if you know, you know), and distances, borders, etc. are not drawn to scale. Names of locations are also subject to change at any time, as I am incredibly critical and indecisive of my choices in such matters.

The map itself is made to be relatively simple so you can easily find each location. The black dotted line shows the trajectory of the light rail, and the white dotted line represents the island ferry. Districts are coordinated by color, and there are brief descriptions for each neighborhood below the cut. Bear in mind that some of these descriptions may contain spoilers for Agent Ace, so read at your own risk!

MAKER'S DISTRICT

Champion: Match Girl Council Delegate: Orya Stockdale

ATWOOD

Area Commander: Morningstar

Cozy and retro; home to a number of restaurants, boutiques, and parks. Housing prices are especially high.

BARLOW

Area Commander: Sabre

Barlow is best known for being the location of the main training complex for new recruits of the Guard, adapted from a long-dead shopping mall. A quiet neighborhood that is much more affordable to live in, at the cost of a higher crime rate.

BENNIC

Area Commander: Scythe

The biggest commerical neighborhood in the Maker's District, home to an upbeat and close-knit community.

DARKSBURY

Area Commander: Witchsong

Over the years, Darksbury has built up an unfortunate reputation as an undesirable place to live. With a gritty environment and difficult living costs, this neighborhood seems to attract trouble.

LANDEM

Area Commander: Firebird

Landem's biggest features include an abundance of unconventional art installations and a weekend market flaunting local arts and crafts and vintage wares. Most of the restaurants here are fine dining, yet the housing is surprisingly affordable. Also the location of the city's annual Architect's Festival.

RITCHING

Area Commander: Celeste

Houses some of the best schools in the districts and decent public facilities. Looks may be deceiving, however, as violent crime is not uncommon.

TALAKE

Area Commander: Lumen

A relaxed lakeside neighborhood with lots of green space; perfect for picnics, casual athletics, and aquatic activities.

HUB DISTRICT

Champion: Talon Council Delegate: Cressida Manalis

ARKLEY

Area Commander: Rook

A quiet suburb with a sleepy village-vibe, Arkley boasts plenty of wildlife trails and a stunning view of the bay that shares its name. Beautiful but pricey.

BLUMOORE

Area Commander: Equinox

A vibrant neighborhood that appeals to both the serene and the wild side. The ritzy north end hosts cafes, bookstores, a celebrated florist shop, and old historic mansions that have been standing since before the Guardian era. On the other hand, the dynamic south end is much more lively when the sun goes down; bars and dance clubs are popular venues for block parties and live music. LOCATION(S) OF NOTE -Dorian's Garden (North End) -The Vibe (South End)

CONCORD

Area Commander: Sphinx

A small, robust neighborhood that's home to a variety of cultural eateries and coffee houses, but best known for its history museums and community food festivals. However, despite the reputation for having a generally friendly populace, many consider Concord unsafe at night.

DANTARY

Area Commander: Barracuda

Dantary is widely regarded as the heart of the city. The downtown market is a hot spot year-round, as is the Ferris Wheel docks by the harbor, which transform into an amusement park for four months of the year. Movie theaters, rooftop bars, and waterfront housing do make this one of the more expensive neighborhoods to live in, but the abundance of public transportation makes traversing these streets much easier. LOCATION(S) OF NOTE -Kinghaven Park

ENDEN

Area Commander: Jewelheart

Enden has the highest population of Guardians to compensate for the historically high violent crime. Coupled with the difficult schooling and housing in this area, people generally try to avoid this neighborhood at all costs.

KINGHAVEN

Area Commander: Scarlet Letter

Perhaps the most luxurious neighborhood Harmont has to offer, if the name is any indication. Buildings and skyscrapers imitate a Romanesque-style architecture that can't be found anywhere else in the city, and the collection of specialty shops, art galleries, and a grand stadium for sports and Guardian festivities make Kinghaven a must-see spot for any visitor.

LEXDON

Area Commander: Bishop

The de facto technology industry of Harmont, spearheading the movement of biotech development. Despite the presence of innovative warehouses and high-rise apartments and condos, housing and rentals are surprisingly affordable, even if night crime and traffic congestion are higher than usual. LOCATION(S) OF NOTE -Vigilante Complex -August's Apartment

PANDOR

Area Commander: Wren

Pandor is widely residential, thanks to its high appeal to the cultural side with soul food joints, tap rooms, museums, and a high-end performing arts center. Even with all of these amenities, Pandor makes plenty of room for green parks and playgrounds, keeping the neighborhood scene active but easygoing. LOCATION(S) OF NOTE -Tona Buna (Ethiopian cafe owned by Imani Clarke and Angel de Soto) -De Soto Residence -Manalis House

SKYLAR

Area Commander: Seraph

Known for its steep hills and stunning architecture, Skylar is the main hub for the Watch and the City Council. Uphill is home to upscale shops, bars, and some of the best views of the city, while garden venues adorn the downhill scene. LOCATION(S) OF NOTE -The Watchtower (Lower Skylar)

STOCKARD

Area Commander: Nightingale

Casual and somewhat grungy, Stockard has some of the most affordable schooling and housing in the district. Paired with an abundance of apartments and high-rise condos with waterfront views, this neighborhood is a favorite for families looking to settle down. The night life is unexpectedly lively, featuring jazz lounges, nightclubs, and sunset parks for the night owls. LOCATION(S) OF NOTE -Apartment of Ahn Tae and Evelyn Moon

GATEWAY DISTRICT

Champion: Goldweaver Council Delegate: Ronan Dalton

CROFTHILL

Area Commander: Zephyra

Charming and quiet, Crofthill is connected by parks and playgrounds. The north side hosts coffee shops and a library, while the south side is best known for its bakeries.

EASTLOOK

Area Commander: Aviatrix

Industrial and eclectic, Eastlook has a prominent food and bar scene, and features the city's main airport and steam plant. All light rail stations connect back here.

VALENYA

Area Commander: Moonbow

A quiet, residential area of lakeside beaches, parks, and the largest public garden in the city.

WILLOUGHS

Area Commander: Griffin

Quaint but lively and known for its friendly locals, downtown Willoughs is home to small shops, brunch cafes, and open mic shows. Housing here is mostly affordable, consisting of townhouses, apartment complexes, and single-family homes. LOCATION(S) OF NOTE -Residence of Ahren and Sophia Colbo

BAY DISTRICT

Champion: Spider Lily Council Delegate: Neil Kallister

CALANELL

Area Commander: Nymph

Laid-back and communal, this island neighborhood holds a small-town feel for those that live there. Coffee shops and grocery stores are within walking distance of residential areas, as are the parks and beaches that make this area so popular. The bay bridge connects the land to the rest of the city, and the woods grow quite dense east of the community border. LOCATION(S) OF NOTE -Former Manalis Residence -Tempera Park and Forest

ACADEMY DISTRICT

Champion: Paragon Council Delegate: Galilea Albright

AYLOR

Area Commander: Viper

Home to the esteemed Aylor Institute, a college bringing STEM and fine arts students together, all thanks to dean and renowned scientist Dr. Billie Prout. The population of Aylor is made up almost entirely of college students demanding independence from the rest of the city, and is a haven of cheap eats, shopping centers, and hiking trails. Every school year concludes with a street fair featuring the labors of students' creations and accomplishments before they enter the work force as developed adults. LOCATION(S) OF NOTE -Aylor High School -Aylor Institute -Jade and Max's Apartment

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TAG LIST: @writernopal, @mysticstarlightduckduck, @livums, @wotchergiorgia Message me to be added or removed!

#hope you enjoyed getting a lil bonus content from me today!#if you visited Harmont where would you go first?#where would you never want to set foot??#fictional maps #inkarnate #map art #alternate timeline #fictional city #ella's writing #my writing #writeblr #writing #original writing #creative writing #harmont heroes #wip: agent ace #current wip

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sunoosera · 3 months ago

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CHAPTER EIGHT — Truth and Dare

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As usual, Sim parties never disappoint, they're never lacking. There's always so much going on — the loud music blaring through the speakers, the colourful lighting all over, shrieks of laughter, drinks everywhere, the crowd going wild and partying into the early hours of the morning. They're simply too fun to not attend, so the house is always bustling with activity and crowds gathering to live the night up.

Sure, other students on campus throw their own parties from time to time, but none of them can match the level of Sim parties. There's just something extravagant about them that causes adrenaline to run through everyone's veins, to make sure everyone has the time of their lives every time.

Sometimes people even ask them if they can throw a party when they want to attend one, or for special occasions. And depending on Jade and Jake’s mood, it's either a yes or a no.

This party in particular (and most of them in general) wouldn't have been possible if Jade and Jake's parents weren't on a business trip today. They often are, so the Sim siblings usually find themselves living alone because their parents are more out than in here. It's not necessarily a bad thing, or a bad thing at all; the house is always vibrant with laughter and joy with their closest friends. With no parents around, their friend group practically lives at the Sim residence. It's the perfect place to hang out.

Even now — the party is an example of how the Sim siblings make the most of their freedom.

Everyone is wild and free, but they know there are also rules in place even if this is a party. Those are there so that things don't get out of control. The biggest one is absolutely no hooking up in any of the rooms. The reason is obvious, they wouldn't want any of that happening. Sometimes people get carried away at parties, Jade and Jake know that firsthand — but here, that shouldn't happen with rules in place that everyone already knows.

But rules aside, everyone can let loose and enjoy the party.

Jade in particular isn't necessarily a party girl, but she definitely is a “center of attention” kind of girl. She gets high on the feeling of intense gazes burning into her skin, high off knowing her charm is almost bewitching. It's not hard for her — she's gorgeous, she's talented, she knows what she's doing.

Jade loves being the center of attention, so you can usually find her dancing in the middle of the room at parties. She's a good dancer, since she's done ballet since she was 3. When she got older, she got into contemporary and then tried other styles of dance. Now she's pretty versatile when it comes to dancing.

It's hard not to stare at her when she dances; her aura is captivating and you can just tell she's good at what she does. Sometimes her moves are mesmerising and everyone gets lost in them, and sometimes they earn loud cheers and claps.

Or both — like this time.

It's not hard to fall in love with her charm when she looks so gorgeous. She always does, of course, but there's something about the entirely black outfit — high waist shorts, a lace corset clinging to her body, a matching leather jacket; almost knee-height side silver zipper black boots, and a choker to complete the look — that makes her look so dangerously stunning.

The brown-haired girl can't help but smile as the song finishes, bowing dramatically and looking back up with that smile still on her lips. She immediately spots Beomgyu in the front of the crowd gathered around her when she looks up; he winks at her and she's laughing and waving at him. She's about to go over to talk to him, but she’s interrupted.

“Done showing off?” a voice cuts in, louder than the music.

The dark-haired female turns around, a hand on her hip as she raises her eyebrows at her brother. Her tone is lighthearted when she replies, “I wasn't until you decided to interrupt me.”

“Sorry, your majesty,” Jake rolls his eyes, his energy mirroring hers. “The others are together, I came to get you.”

Jade frowns and crosses her arms over her chest. “Hm, I don't know, what if I don't want to be with you?” It's a joke and they both know it — but that doesn't stop Jake from giving her an unimpressed look that makes her laugh.

She nods and gestures to Jake to lead the way. Then she follows her brother through the crowd, a few people trying to talk to her as she moves. That's the downside to being popular. She barely gets in a word before she's moving along, apologising for not being able to start a conversation with everyone.

But those people in the crowd are forgotten when Jade leaves the large room(s) and steps outside into cold air. She's almost immune to the cold, but tonight it's a bit more chilly than she can handle. Even her leather jacket isn't offering her any sort of comfort. Neither is the black lace corset she's wearing. It's odd.

But she'll be okay.

The nice thing about being outside was the music's volume dropping significantly. Jade loves music and loves blasting songs, but at parties there's a point it gets too much for her.

“Jade! I missed you,” Aly is the first one to greet her, practically jumping on their best friend.

She welcomes the embrace, hugging them tightly. Jade pulls back with a large grin, “It’s a good thing I’m back then.”

“Ah, Jade’s here?” Jungwon's voice cuts through the air as he walks into the space the group occupies. He'd gone to get drinks (some alcohol, some juice) and arrived just after Jade did. The corner of his lips twist into a smile, “Now everything's good.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know I'm the life of the party,” she half turns her body with her hands on her hips and poses.

“That’s my title,” Jake argues, almost pouting.

“It’s always been Jade’s, honestly,” Jay chimes in, snorting as he helps Jungwon set the drinks down.

Jade makes a face at her brother that undoubtedly screams “told you so, loser”. Jake merely rolls his eyes, salty (but not really).

Jay looks back at Jade, “Still keeping that title, you look great tonight.”

The dark-haired girl can't help but flip her hair dramatically, “Thank you. I always look good.”

“You look extra good then,” Sunghoon’s voice causes her to turn around to look at him. There's a subtle smirk on his lips, eyes running from her head to her toes and then back to her eyes. He continues, “You’re so divine it's lethal.”

Jade opens her mouth to reply, likely with a flirtatious comment, but of course she doesn't get a chance to.

“Yah, stop flirting with my sister,” Jake groans for the umpteenth time. He should be used to this, yet he wants to fling himself off a cliff everytime. “I hope one of you falls in love so I can hear the end of this.”

Jay snorts loudly again, finding Jake's reaction amusing. He pats him on the back. “Alright, drama queen, let's get you to bed.”

Jake gives him a dirty look, shoving his hand away playfully. And, of course, Sunoo has to laugh at the scene in front of him. And the conversation between the group goes on from there.

The atmosphere is lighthearted and full of joy — it always is when the nine are together. Their energy simply matches each other, fitting together like pieces of a puzzle. They're the perfect friend group, the best one in Yonsei, dare they say.

Everyone starts talking, small chatter between them. It's always laughter, lighthearted bickering either between the Sim siblings or Sunoo and Ni-ki mostly. Either way, there's always something to talk about with them.

Amidst the chatter, a voice louder than the rest of them speaks up.

“We should play truth or dare,” Heeseung suggests, a slightly drunken smile on his lips. His alcohol tolerance is not as great as one might think. But still, it's good enough to keep him functional.

“Words uttered before disaster,” Jade breathes out, making an annoyed face.

“But fun disaster,” Jake grins, pointing at Heeseung, who returns the gesture with the same grin.

Of course Heeseung and Jake are on the same wavelength. They always have been in terms of making stupid decisions. And unfortunately the rest of the group suffer the consequences with them.

But truth or dare is just for fun, right? It's harmless.

“I’m with Jade on this one,” Jay says in his mom-friend voice, knowing the possible outcome. “Nothing good ever comes out of this.”

“This is a party, we're here to have fun,” Jake groans dramatically, “Can we live a little?”

Everyone starts talking amongst themselves, throwing reasons to play or not to play across the circle. In the end, Heeseung and Jake get their way and it's agreed that everyone will play.

“Okay then,” Jade starts casually, looking at the purple-haired male, “Since Heeseung was so eager to start this — I dare you to let Aly sit on your lap until it's your turn again.”

“Hey, why am I involved here?” the curly-haired individual protests immediately (but truthfully they're not against it at all).

“Because we're all tired of this Heeseung x Aly 20k words, best friends to lovers slowburn,” she replies, smiling brightly and offering them a heart made with her hands.

Sunoo lets out a loud laugh that he can't contain. It's not just him that's eager to see the dare in motion. Jade was right when she said everyone is tired of watching the two pine after each other. It's obvious to everyone but the two involved themselves.

Two best friends completely oblivious to their feelings for each other — the usual with Aly and Heeseung.

Aly wants to complain this sounds like more their dare than Heeseung’s, but they decide not to and oblige instead. They're not against it at all. So they get up and move to where Heeseung is seated.

On the outside, his expression is almost flirtatious, a brow raised and a subtle smirk tugging on the corner of his lips. His legs are already slightly apart, a silent invitation for Aly to take a seat. His gaze almost says “go on then” when their eyes look into his.

He can tell they're slightly nervous just by their eyes alone — he knows them well enough to know how they react in certain situations, how they feel different emotions.

And honestly? Heeseung kind of feels the same.

On the inside, he can feel his insides grow warmer. He feels like he's anticipating this a bit too much. Heeseung doesn't show it on his face, but having Aly so close to him is what he wants. And a part of him is shy about it. He doesn't know what to do with these strange feelings.

He's not quite sure why having Aly in close proximity makes his insides feel warmer than usual, but he knows he likes it. He loves being close to those he loves most, of course, but it feels different when it comes to Aly.

So whatever agenda Jade and the others have — he's ready to go along with it.

Aly clears their throat before turning around and slowly taking a seat on the reddish-purple-haired male's lap. Heeseung’s hands catch their waist immediately, making them blush involuntarily.

“Comfortable?” he asks and they can hear the smirk in his words. Half of him is smug, but the other genuine.

Aly swallows and nods, quietly answering, “I’m fine.”

I am more than fine, they think to themselves as their body burns up. Why would I not be sitting on a pretty boy's lap?

They're so lost in their own world that they don't hear the whistles and clapping from their friends. Jungwon’s laughter is particularly loud as he falls back in his seat.

“Wah, this is a beautiful sight,” he grins, “you look good together.”

He's teasing them, which only makes their cheeks turn red. But what Jungwon said isn't exactly wrong, even if it was said as a joke. I mean, all of them agreed with the sentiment.

“Okay, my turn,” Heeseung says to take everyone's attention off him and Aly before he starts to show he's blushing inside, beginning to think of his next target.

He ends up choosing Jake, which is not unexpected at all. Jake ends up being brave and choosing dare, then regrets it immediately when he's given one.

The rest of the game goes a similar way.

The group knows each other too well. They know each one's embarrassing moments and can pick up when someone is hiding something fun. Everyone goes back and forth, some truths are asked (with Jay yelling every time someone obviously lied), some dares are given.

Unfortunately for Heeseung, his turn came up quite quickly again and he had to say goodbye to the warmth of Aly’s body against his. But it's okay — he'll find another opportunity to make sure it happens again.

The game goes on for a while, gradually becoming more and more boring. But then Sunoo gets a chance to ask someone and he seizes the opportunity to switch things up a little.

He points to Jade the second his turn starts. “Truth or dare?” Sunoo asks with a devious grin.

If it's Sunoo asking, the others just know he's up to no good. He's the biggest instigator in their group, always making mischief and creating chaotic situations. He's the bubbly and sassy type.

Jade is similar to him, so she knows how she thinks. No matter what she chooses, he will find a way to make sure she'll struggle a little. If she chooses truth, he'd definitely ask something she wouldn't like to admit. If she chooses dare, he'll make her do something ridiculous or insane.

The bold side of her wants to play into his mischief. She might have to sacrifice her sanity in the process, but at least it'll be funny.

So she goes with it.

She pretends to think for a moment, then smiles cutely and says, “Both.”

The room erupts at her answer. No one's ever answered both. And for good reasons too — who wants to risk that in a friend group that are out to get each other (lovingly, of course).

“Both?” Jay repeats, staring at her with wide eyes. He's asking the question all of them are.

This is a chance to take back what she said, but she's not going to back out. Why would she? She can handle any truth or dare. Or maybe she's too confident.

The dark-haired girl nods with a slight pout on her lips, “Yeah, why not? Let's spice the game up a little.”

Just what Sunoo wanted, and she knows this. Even if she hadn't locked gazes with him to see the mischief in his eyes, she knows what he's up to. Now she's granted him the opportunity to do something really funny.

“You’re a brave soldier,” Jay replies, nodding his head, still with slightly widened eyes.

“Okay, okay, I have a question,” Sunoo interrupts the chaos, making everyone go quiet. By the way he's holding back a laugh, Jade can tell he's going to ask something amusing — amusing to him.

He looks around, moving his hand from one side of the circle to the other as he asks, “Who in this circle are you attracted to the most?”

“Ohhh, crazy question,” Heeseung reacts first, making a hissing sound of joy.

It's not that crazy actually. Everyone practically knows her answer already. It's not like she's ever kept it a secret, even if it was a joke. Sunoo knows more than well, but he wants to hear it come from her.

Jade bites back a smile — the question amuses her. “I don’t know,” she crosses her hand over her chest, leans back in her seat and frowns, “none of you are really attractive.”

“Lies,” Aly shakes their head immediately, throwing their best friend a look. The others are on the same wavelength even though they know she's joking.

“Alright, I'll stop joking,” Jade holds her arms up in surrender. Then she looks around the circle. She already has an answer, but she's going to pretend to think a little.

That doesn't go very well for her.

When her gaze meets Sunghoon’s, he already has a knowing smirk on his lips — one that makes Jade look away immediately. She almost blushes. It's not like she doesn't blush around him. Sometimes she does; that's a normal reaction to their playful flirting. But now the smirk on his lips is making her body burn so hot she can't feel the cold anymore. She doesn't know why this feels different to any of their previous interactions.

She doesn't know what's wrong with her. I mean, he'd called her divine and lethal around 30 minutes ago and she was fine — so why does this feel different?

Maybe because she's slightly tipsy, with the bit of alcohol settling in, and isn't thinking completely straight. Maybe it's because the cold has gotten to her. Maybe it's her sixth sense knowing this is going to cause a disaster.

Either way, she's not going to lie.

“Sunghoon,” she answers calmly, letting out a breath of air. Thankfully her tone doesn't reveal any of the heat building up inside her. She pauses and lets everyone react, then continues, “I don’t know why you asked when this is ‘obvious’ according to Ni-ki.”

“Oh, it is. We just wanted to hear you say it out loud,” Sunoo grins, laughing with a hand over his mouth.

“We could tell by the fact you have him saved as ‘pretty boy’ in your contacts like the rest of us aren't,” Jay rolls his eyes playfully.

“Someone’s salty,” Jake whistles, making the blond throw him an annoyed glare.

“Wait, then I can give Jade a follow-up dare?” Heeseung cuts in with his arm swinging from the middle in the air, to the side, looking around the group for approval.

A chorus of “yes” goes around.

“Make it spicy,” the bubbly blond adds, rubbing his hands together with glee. Up to no good yet again.

Jade narrows her eyes at Heeseung. She has a feeling she knows what he's going to say before he says it, because she knows what everyone is thinking. Something to do with Sunghoon, definitely, since she'd stated she's basically attracted to him. She still thinks her friends are being ridiculous, but it's all just for fun in the end. So while it seems absurd, she doesn't really mind whatever Heeseung has in mind.

Obviously he'll want his ��revenge” for the dare she had given him. Revenge for setting him up with Aly, even though everyone knows he wanted it inside. So if he's thinking on the same wavelength…

The purple-haired male has a subtle smirk on his lips as he starts, “Kiss the person you find most attractive in the group.” There are a couple gasps and “woah”s even before Heeseung finishes saying, “And it has to be on the lips, you're not pulling any of that ‘you didn't say where’ shit on me.”

Jade doesn't even get time to react, because her brother does the second Heeseung finishes his sentence.

“Woah, woah, hold on. That's my sister and my best friend!” Jake exclaims and jumps out of his seat.

If it was in other circumstances, Jake wouldn't really have minded — if it were genuine and not a dare. Sunghoon is his best friend so Jake knows that he's a good person, good enough for his sister. But on the other hand, if they were together and broke up… well, it definitely would put a dent in the group dynamic.

But in the present moment he doesn't want his sister to kiss his best friend either way.

“A dare’s a dare,” Ni-ki shrugs, and Jake can't really counter that point.

Their group rule is no blackouts. It makes the game all the more fun, crazy, wild. The only exception is when it involves something truly serious. Other than that? It's do or die.

Jade groans dramatically.

She can't really say she's against kissing Sunghoon. She doesn't mind. She is kind of attracted to him. Well, not kind of. She is.

And she's not the only one that's attracted to him, nor the only one that thinks his beauty is above all others.

It's absolutely no secret that Sunghoon is adored by almost everyone he meets. There's so much about him to like — how sweet he is, how polite he is, how charming he is, how gorgeous he is.

Everytime Jade looks at him, his beauty leaves her in awe. His aura is so captivating, enchanting. She sees him almost everyday, and yet every time she can't help but admire his features. He's just too pretty and sometimes it makes her mad that he can look so gorgeous so effortlessly.

There must be other students who feel the same.

If Jade is the campus princess, then he's definitely the campus prince. The same way half the students have a crush on Jade Sim, the other have a crush on Park Sunghoon.

And there are definitely rumours about them going around almost all the time since they both have similar reputations. Things like Jade and Sunghoon being a couple, sometimes ones about them being rivals. Whatever the case is, they're just rumours.

Well. Partially.

Those rumours about Jade being attracted to Sunghoon aren't exactly wrong. She is. She flirts around a lot, she's known for that. It's part of her charm. But none of the people she flirts with makes her feel the way Park Sunghoon does.

No one knows that.

It's not a big deal though. It's a normal reaction, a normal event to occur — having a small crush on a close friend. That sort of thing happens to so many people at least once in their lives, right?

A part of Jade really wants to kiss him, just so she can get a taste of him. Just a little. It's not a huge craving, but she can't deny that it sounds appealing. She's thought about it a few (well, kind of often) times. She's never really acted on that urge because it could make things weird. She hasn't had a reason to either. It was casual flirting. Always.

But since Heeseung is daring her to—

“Alright, fine,” Jade lets out, rising from her seat and dusting her black shorts. “I’ll kiss him.”

“Are you for real right now?” her older brother stares at her with wide eyes as she walks across the circle slowly.

“It’s just one kiss, Yun. It's not going to kill anyone,” the girl reasons, stopping for a moment to look at him.

“It’s going to kill me,” he answers dramatically, falling back into his seat. He looks and points between her and Sunghoon. “And you seem too ready to kiss him. You didn't even hesitate.”

“Because I’m not a pussy, a dare's a dare,” Jade repeats Ni-ki's words. Sarcasm drips from her voice as she adds, “And, of course, I'm just so ecstatic to kiss Park Sunghoon.”

It's sarcasm — but again, not a lie. By now she's standing in front of him.

“Oh, I’m sure you are,” Sunghoon replies, that famous smirk of his making its way onto his pretty lips yet once again.

No one really asked him if he's fine with the dare yet, but from his words, and the look he's giving her, it seems like he is. Like he wants it even.

Jade looks him in the eye, matches his energy and says, “I’d say shut up, but I’m about to make you.”

He lets out a scoff of amusement, but it's overshadowed by the loud cheers and wild “ohhh”s coming from the group. They're more excited about this than they are about Jungwon and Jade coming back, she thinks.

“You’re all making such a big deal about this,” Jade rolls her eyes, “It’s really not.”

“If it isn't, then go on, dear Jade,” Heeseung gestures to Sunghoon, then bows for dramatic effect.

Jade doesn't bother responding. She stops for a second, wondering how exactly she's supposed to do this. She didn't really hesitate to agree to the dare, but now she isn't exactly sure how to go about it. She could tell him to stand up, but that seems so boring. She blinks again then decides to—

Everyone lets out shouts of anticipation, thrilled to watch the scene go down. Jake is the only one that doesn't want to see any of this (“I can’t look, I refuse to look,” he covers his eyes with his hands).

Jade can practically hear and feel Sunghoon's breath hitch in his throat when she takes a seat on his lap and wraps her arms around his neck hesitantly. A hand of his instinctively moves to settle on her waist, but he stops himself and withdraws it. Jade notices.

“Are you sure you're fine with this?” she asks him, blinking innocently. “I should've asked that sooner, I'm sorry.”

“Don't be,” Sunghoon is already staring at her lips, which is an answer on its own. “I’m sure,” he responds, looking back into her eyes.

For a second she just stares at him, the same way he stares at her. It's intense — the way they get lost in each other's eyes, the way the eye contact sends a rush of electricity through their bodies. There's something in his gaze that Jade has never seen before, something he's never felt so intensely before. If she allowed herself to get lost in them, if he allowed himself to drown in it, they'd have realised they're both filled with burning desire.

But Jade doesn't dwell on it because she can already feel heat creeping up her neck. It's bad enough just by being this close to her, but it's arguably worse that all her friends are watching. The thought of kissing him is suddenly making her feel shy, but she's not backing out.

So without thinking any further, without allowing herself to become nervous, she cups his cheeks and brings her lips down onto his.

Instantly, Sunghoon has to hold back the moan that almost slips out of his mouth.

No one would've heard it anyway — they're too busy jumping out of their seats, clapping, making noise because Jade actually went through with the dare. They're all looking at each other and screaming. So no one's really paying attention when his hand grips her waist, tugs her closer slightly and kisses her back. Or when her hand falls from his cheek onto his chest, gripping the material of his clothes gently.

She loses herself in his touch for a moment, angling her head to deepen the kiss. Sunghoon sighs into her mouth involuntarily, hands slipping beneath her leather jacket to grip her waist tighter. Jade can't help but fist her fingers into the material of his shirt. The kiss feels so good she can feel boiling heat run through every inch of her body. She wants more. She needs more. Her head is spinning. All she knows is his touch. If only she knew how much his body was burning up like hers, then—

“Okay, that's long enough!” Jake yells over the rest of them, shrieking. Despite saying he wasn't going to look, he peaked a little — enough to snap them out of it.

That's how Jade realises this is just a dare. Her brother's voice slaps her back to reality. She's never pulled away so fast. Her breathing is slightly heavy, she's slightly dazed and the bits of alcohol in her veins aren't helping her case at all. She can tell his body is reacting the same.

She doesn't let her gaze meet Sunghoon‘s after that. There's heat all over her body — and not just from embarrassment. She doesn't rush to get up though, that would give away how panicked she's feeling on the inside. She merely withdraws her hands and stays in his lap for a second.

“Jade kissed him like she's been waiting to do that her entire life,” Jay comments, laughing.

“I wouldn't be surprised,” Aly chuckles.

“You guys are ridiculous,” Jade scoffs as she stands up, a part of her missing the warmth of Sunghoon's touch (as much as he misses hers). She pushes away the blush threatening to coat her cheeks. She could blame it on the alcohol, but she drinks too little to cause her face to turn red. “I just did the dare properly — Heeseung said kiss, not peck.”

“Uh huh,” Aly lets out, clearly not believing a word that Jade just said.

“She's not lying. You know Jade likes to do things to the highest standard,” Jungwon defends the dark-haired female. He throws her a wink and Jade is extra grateful for him at that moment.

“Alright, fair,” Heeseung accepts the reasoning, even though half of the group aren't fully convinced. Still, no one says anything further and they move on.

“Let’s play something else now, Jungwon says, leaning forward in his seat, “Of course?” he suggests.

Everyone nods in agreement, and so they begin another game that goes by smoothly, that makes everyone drown in laughter.

Jake and Aly end up paired to play first — which went in the funniest way possible. The only one that ended up not laughing at one of the questions was Heeseung. And you can't really blame him because—

“You’d kiss me if you had the chance to, right?” Jake grins at Aly with his signature flirty gaze.

Everyone holds back laughter, anticipating Aly’s answer. They stare at Jake for a few seconds, then nod, “Of course.”

The circle fires up at their answer, laughter and exclamations of joy going around it.

Jade’s laughter is loud, it usually is. She always leans into the person next to her (this time it's Jungwon) and claps her hands loudly or hits her legs instead as she chokes on laughter — these are things Sunghoon has noticed before, but now he's extremely aware of every move she makes.

He can't take his eyes off her. He'd said she looks divine earlier, but now he's truly being hit with the “lethal” aspect. Suddenly she's so sinfully gorgeous he doesn't know what to do with himself.

He shakes his head, bringing himself out of his daze to focus on the game. He hears Jade let out another laugh when Aly has to admit they've had a crush on Jake before, which definitely fueled his already big enough ego.

But karma caught up to Jake — Jade lets out a particularly loud laugh when he has to accept that Ni-ki is better than him at soccer.

She's too busy laughing to notice Sunghoon's gaze fixed on her. Even though he tries not to, he can't stop sneaking glances at her. Then it's almost like she can feel the intensity of it, so she glances in his direction. There's a brief moment that electricity crackles through the air between them, but Jade chokes on her laughter, coughs into her hand, and immediately breaks eye contact.

She'll pretend that didn't happen. Or well, try to.

The rest of the game passes by full of shrieking and laughter. But unfortunately for Jade, her attempt at forgetting whatever tension suddenly appeared between her and Sunghoon didn't end well.

The entire time, Jade and Sunghoon are in their own world, and they can't stop stealing glances at one another throughout the game.

Something in the air feels different now.

Casual flirting doesn't feel like this. It never felt as if this tension was their little secret, their flirting was always out in the open. But this feeling…

Maybe a simple dare, one kiss, is enough to change everything.

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dmumt · 4 years ago

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i always forget because im a dumb slut for the song and aesthetic as a whole but kokobop had the worst individual teasers like yes girl give us nothing

#literally just . who at sm thought that was a good idea #wait rant warning there are a lot of tags under this you have been warned #like it's just clips of them taken exactly from the mv but like not even good #it's just so jarring because if it was just bits of them looking pretty in all the greenery then yeah sure cool but they have the clips of #them singing along to kokobop while there's another song playing and it just takes you out of it like it looks . BAD .#and like the dancing too because obviously it doesn't match the beat so it looks really out of place #and they've like obviously tried to match it up sometimes like they do it in baek's to try and make it look like he's singing along #but it just . looks dumb im sorry but which executive at sm looked at that and just said okay #like creative exec not the actual company leaders #and like the cuts don't necessarily match the music but sometimes they do so it's just inconsistent #ok chanyeol's and sehun's aren't necessarily bad but the editing is just a bit meh like it's just slightly off #minseok's makes me so mad because it starts off so good like the first few seconds are great because the cuts match the music so well #and then they have to ruin it by putting a clip of him singing some random wordss #grrrr it makes me so mad bc he's literally so sexy #tbh kkb jongdae is literally so sexy that i will pretend like his teaser is so good and that the ooooh part works i'll look past it for him #and kyungsoo's . hm . of course it's the best because duh it's kyungsoo he can do no wrong he's perfect in every way not even sm can #sabotage him with their crappy editing #but even then his just grinds my gears because certain parts are so so good but then there's just these clunky group shots and that #shot of him running which goes on for too long #anyway enough ranting about something that was literally 4 years ago bestie get over it no one cares #but i care #at least the mv is fun and the album is good #.txt

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gonerface · 2 years ago

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What advice would you give to someone who wants to cut themselves?

If you've never done it before, don't start cause it's hard to get rid of or to quit

If you are familiar with it, there's lists out there for things you can do instead of harming yourself

Like call a friend, pet or play with your pets (if you happen to have any), draw (you can draw lines, you can draw with a sharpie on your skin too), write (sometimes writing out what made you get to the point of thinking about sh of doing it, helps cause you can go over it and see what bothered you the most and then talk about it with someone), sing (singing songs that match the emotions you feel is such a big help for me), listen to music (same as with the singing but then I like to visualize the artist singing it or just someone cause I don't know what each singer looks like but then you realize you share these emotions with someone and you feel less alone), go for a walk or run, splashing cold water on your face or running it down your arms, also doing the opposite of harm so take care of yourself (pamper yourself, do some skin care face and body maybe even taking care of past scars), talk about it with a professional, read a book, go for a ride on a bike or with a car to wherever you like and enjoy the view, feel what you feel but don't act on it (sit in it, I know it's crazy blablabla no it's actually good tbh just feeling what you feel and trying to figure out what it exactly is what you feel. Pay attention to that, not necessarily to the negative action you wanna do because of how you feel but THINK about the feeling. Where does it come from? Why is it that it made you feel this heavy feeling? Have you felt like this before? How did you react to it back then? Etc but don't act on the negative action you feel like doing cause then it becomes an endless cycle, act the opposite way and break the negative endless cycle. This is not bullshit, it's actually backed up by science and I've done years of therapy so don't come at me AHAHAHAH), take a nap, talk back to your emotions or thoughta (it's fun to do, bringing in a second thought on anything. It's like talking back to your sad pessimistic self but instead you bring in something realistic. Not positive cause you'll never believe that anyway but be realistic), go do an sporting/breathing exercise. Just anything but the action you want to do, cause it's not an action that helps. It helps for what? A solid 5 seconds? And the afterwards you regret it, think it's ugly, then hate yourself more and repeat. Don't. Do. That. I mean this in the kindest way. Get yourself out of the negative cycle.

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beatriceportinari · 3 years ago

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2, 9, 23!

Omg thank you! Under the cut it goes

2. 5 favourites of your own work?

Hmmm... best and hardest question... these are all my children. The one I liked working on the most is my chuunin exam forest of death one definitely. I loved the environment so much during my naruto rewatch and finding ways of matching the different zones of what I'm trying to represent into my own textures is one of my favorite things to do. The one I'm most proud of in terms of challenge would probably be my mermaid, and its got one of my favorite paper textures I've made for an origami too. In terms of one I'm most emotionally attached to it'll have to be my 600 roses labyrinth I will never let this go. In terms of ones I think just really look good I love the barbossa duo I did and the dancing squid too

9. What are you currently trying to improve?

I don't know if I'm necessarily trying to improve it but I'm not that great at composition! So I'm at least thinking about that. In a more concrete way I'm also learning blender and I'm trying to get better at actually working with it instead of just deciding I don't need to learn and I can somehow do everything by instinct.

23. Do you listen to music or watch shows while you work? If so, what's your favourite?

I do! I prefer when the task is engaging enough that I only need music in the background but if I'm doing smth more repetitive sometimes I'll have some stupid video in the background. So it's usually just my normal playlist of all my songs, or whatever video essay I find. The only time I've ever watched a show was those milf centered episodes of columbo when I was re-re-re doing the precreasing for my mermaid lmao

#about #thank you for that first question i was just thinking about my art batting my legs like a schoolgirl lol #in terms of music we all know my tastes...#i recently realized i can't decide by the scissor sisters had been deleted from my phone somehow #even though it's one of the first songs i've had on my playlist i remember getting it in middle school with one of those apple gift cards #because me and my dad were sharing an account at that time and i'd get songs recomended from his stuff lol #anyway I got it again from youtube and so I've been listening to it quite a while.#also icecube's it was a good day

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burned-gucci · 5 years ago

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(Your) Friendship Reaction: Friday Night With The Girls!

A fairly casual Friday night sleepover with your best friend(s)

Karina:

She had asked you to come over tonight to play games, eat, drink, sleep. Maybe some scary movies. However, the plan seemingly changed when showed up to her place and found her in the bathroom bleaching her hair with a box of burgundy hair dye on the sink in front of her.

Karina definitely isn't shy about dying her hair, she changes hair colors like one would change out a load of laundry. It feels like every time you see you she has a new hair color, so this really isn't new. It's also not new for her to switch plans last minute cause truth be told, she never knows what she wants to do until that moment hits and an idea springs into her mind.

As she continued bleeching her hair, you hoped up on the sink counter and watched her while you talked. She said you could use her nail polish, mess with her makeup, do whatever you wanted. Play whatever music you wanted. If you liked, she even offered to dye your hair as well since she has plenty. It was up to you!

You guys ended up talking about a number of things. Discussing the latest episode of your favorite tv series and guessing what would happen next using logic from what has happened thus far. She laughed at random jokes and lines you repeated from the show, knowing exactly what scene you were refering to as she commented back with the next line. Afterwards y'all talked music videos, celebrities you both like and dislike maybe. Filled each other in on the news (celebrity or politics). Once the bleach was in and her hair was held up in a plastic bag, she went to grab her keys so you could both go grab some food, she let you choose the place.

It was always kinda weird how shameless she is but at the same time, her confidence about it is inspiring and one of her best qualities. Anywho, hoping in her broken apart damaged black car that no-one knows how it's still running, Karina drove you guys to the restraunt and put in your order picking up the food and driving back JUST in time for her to wash out her hair.

You ate as she washed her hair and attempted to eat little bites of her food as she applied the hair coloring, not wanting to waste time in between. As you low-key called her gross and made jokes you still helped her eat while feeding her little bites of food, teasing her sometimes and making her chase the fork/spoon/iteam. Overall, the eating process was full of laughing and her threatening to dump the hair dye on you just for you to threaten dipping her food in the hair color changing soup in return.

As her hair dye had to sit in for 45 minutes, the two of you watched music videos and played kids monopoly, or jenga. As they're the only games she currently owns! Karina being the not-so-well-focused girl that she is, ended up losing for silly reasons. In jenga she lost because she didn't realise 2/3 of the blocks in the middle row had already been pulled out, since she was eyes glued on the video, and she ended up pulling the last block and knocking the whole tower over in the process. During monopoly she simply had bad luck of sitting in jail throughout half of the game, allowing you to buy the majority of the properties. The other half the game she was paying you and the bank causing her to go bankrupt with only one or two properties being owned by her.

After the game you end up helping her wash out and dry her hair upon her endless begging you to just for her in the end to decide she isn't sure how she feels about this color. After spending about 4 hours total on her hair, she kinda wishes it was still black but she decides to leave it anyways. Insisting she'll clean up the bathroom mess tomorrow (she won't) she pulls you back to the living room and puts on your favorite movie for you guys to watch in the backround while sharing random stories back and forth.

Ciara:

Ciara isn't entirely sure why she invited you over at night knowing well enough she isn't a night time person. She's usually asleep before 11pm. However, she's really missed hanging out with you lately and your presence alone gives her so much energy and makes her happy.

When you arrived, she was eating a bowl of cheerios and drinking some gatorade while scrolling through instagram looking at denim skirts. The first thing she said to you as you walked inside the house was 'what do you think of this?' As she held her phone up to show you a light blue denim knee length skirt with a yellow sunshine on the bottom right side. You gave your opinion on it as you sat across from her at the table. "You're welcome to the kitchen. I don't care what you eat as long as I don't have to make it." She pointed towards the kitchen as she continued to scroll. Almost dropping the phone in her bowl of milk, as you made your choice on what to do, Ciara ended up slapping the phone back at herself and hitting herself in the face with it. Laughing and half crying, she placed the phone on the table and held her nose. "Maybe I should put that down for now!" She stated fairly loudly before getting back to her food.

After eating and placing the dishes in the sink for her to wash later, Ciara headed to her room with you close behind. Forgetting she had washed her sheets earlier, Ciara had to now make her bed. She asked you for help putting the bottom sheet on, let you choose your own blanket from the closet, she made the rest of the bed half efforted. Wrinkles covered the sheets and the pillows were simply thrown at the top of the bed but she didn't care much since you guys were both going to be laying in it immediately anyways!

Crawling into bed to lay on the side closest to the window, Ciara situated herself before tapping the bed beside her for you to lay down. Knowing you well enough, she handed you a book you love/turned the tv onto your favorite channel and let you do your own things as she scrolled through instagram once again occasionally asking for your opinion on certain clothing iteams.

If you have any to share, she listened to you share your thoughts, about whatever was on your mind. She gave her advice and shared her honest opinions in return. If you just wanted to lay there and watch your show/read your book she was fine with that too. She just wanted to be with you and hang together. Not necessarily do something together, that's what tomorrow is for!

At some point, your unsure of when, she managed to fall asleep facing the wall using her arm as a pillow, her actual pillow tossed to the foot of the bed. She was curled up halfway in a ball half stretched out, taking up half the bed space. She looked peaceful, almost dead she was so still and quiet, but peaceful.

Monse:

She had everything planned out! Dinner: Taco Bar! She made different kinds of main fillings based on your tastes and hers. Included little things she knows you love and she set the table up in a very aesthetic and neat way. Drinks: at the store she made sure to buy a few of your favorite drinks as well as a case of water. She also made homemade punch using sherbet ice cream and 7up/Sprite. Outfits: She had your guys matching Marvel/DC robes ans pj sets pulled out and on her bed. Hers was a Nebula/Poison ivy (depending on which one you prefer) set while yours was Gamora/Harley Quinn (dending).

Once you got there, you guys would eat then change. As you ate, she asked all about your day, let you rant and get everything off your cheat if need be. She told you what you wanted to hear and what you needed to hear as you guys discissed several topics. After eating she let you use the bedroom/bathroom to get ready first while she cleaned up the mess before going to change her own clothes and get ready for bed.

Afterwards, she set up the table with posterboard, construction paper, assorted art supplies, ect because tonight you guys will be making your own board game! Whether it be a toally made up game based on shared thoughts between you two or a remake of an already owned and made game. EX.: Marvel/DC based monopoly. Twister using memes. Your own version of battle ship or LIFE. Whatever it may be!

As you both divided up the jobs of who does what parts and as you agreed upon one main idea for the game/gave ideas for the game, Monse played your guys 'Alien Dreamz' playlist AKA the music playlist you guys made last time you spent the night. The whole time y'all were making the game she kept making really bad puns. As she was measuring the cardboard she came up with 'whos the King of school supplies? The RULER!' Before laughing at her own joke. She asked: 'Whats a frogs favorite art supply? Ribbon-t, Ribbon-t' and actually sounding like a frog as she cut ribbon for decoration. The list is endless honestly.

While working on your guys project, between her bad jokes, she complimented you on random things that she genuinely adores about you. Like how pretty/handsom/cute you look when you're focused. Or how she loves the way your hands look as you use a pair of scissors. How soft your eyelashes look. How much she loves your laugh/singing voice. Ect. If you compliment her back, she'll blush and giggle feeling shy but so happy under the surface.

Eventually, she gets really tired and asks if your ready to go to bed saying y'all can finish the game in the morning. You end up laying on the bed she made on the floor out of twelve dozens blankets and pillows, stuffed animals and sheets. While you lay together you share a bowl of popcorn/snack of your choice while watching the Simpsons or any tv show you want if you don't like the Simpsons. She tries so hard to wait for you to fall asleep first so you won't feel lonely but she was so tired she ended up falling asleep a few minutes before you do.

Question of the Day:

Can you/do you stay up late or fall asleep at a decent/early hour?

My Answer:

Depends on the day! Some nights I'm asleep at 7pm some times I can stay up for 80+ hours. It just depends!

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youspoketome · 6 years ago

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Ten Essential non-Christmas Christmas songs

I was a subscriber to Alternative Press magazine for quite a while. Even when I wasn't a subscriber, we would get them in at work and I would read them there or buy them and read them at home. The point is, I read a lot of AP for a long time. And I bring that up because one of my favorite features in AP was always the "10 Essential..." somethings on the last page, where they would come up with a topic and then write a quick blurb about what they thought were the 10 essential whatever the topic was. All that to say, I've decided to steal that format here. If I think of other topics I may revisit it, but I make no promises.

I find in my life I come into contact with two groups of people who have very strong feelings about Christmas music. There are the people who hate all of it all the time no matter what, and the people who listen to it in July. Both of these groups are wrong. Christmas music is great... Between the day after Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. People who blanket hate it all are being stupid and just haven't given the right albums a chance (Actually, ten essential Christmas albums might be a decent topic someday), and people who listen to it outside that window are just doing it wrong. But there are some songs you can listen to outside the Christmas Music Window that can still count as Christmas songs. And the haters can't hate them arbitrarily, because these are songs that weren't necessarily written as Christmas songs and were released on normal albums, but still work as Christmas songs. (So, sorry Stryper's Reason For The Season, you showed up on a Christmas themed single before you showed up on the re-release of THE YELLOW AND BLACK ATTACK, so you don't count.)

So without further ado: here are my ten essential non-Christmas song Christmas songs.

Have It All - Ace Troubleshooter (from THE MADNESS OF THE CROWDS)

This one is almost cheating. I think my brother had a roommate in college who was friends with the guys (and girl at that point) in Ace Troubleshooter, and so I ended up with a copy of their first self-released album BACK IN THE SHOOTIN' MATCH. That album has some laughably bad songs on it such as "Chilly Minnesota" and a terrible cover of the Spin Doctors' "Two Princes," so I never gave them a second thought even after they signed to Tooth & Nail. But years later I heard "Have It All" on a T&N Christmas compilation and was shocked by how good it was. It was so good that when I found a copy of the album it was from for a dollar I snatched it up. Unfortunately, the rest of the album was just blah, and that is literally the only song on it I ever listen to (and even that, only during the Christmas Music Window.)

If I Was Santa Claus - Atmosphere (from LUCY FORD: THE ATMOSPHERE EPS)

Slug's talk of what he would do if he were Santa Claus is an easy way to consider this a Christmas song, but it's Ant's use of what sounds like a music box rendition of "O Holy Night" that makes "If I Was Santa Claus" not only a Christmas song, but an incredible song.

It's Always Christmas At My House - Huntingtons (from SPLIT with Darlington)

I think this release probably slipped by a lot of casual Huntingtons fans. It wasn't released by Tooth & Nail and I never saw it in any stores. The only reason I have it is because they were selling it at a show when I saw them shortly after they released it. Which is a shame, because it's got some really great jams on it, both by the Huntingtons and on the Darlington half. The Christmas song here (which was saved from obscurity by a T&N Christmas comp) is kind of a tribute to violators if the CMW.

12.23.95 - Jimmy Eat World (From CLARITY)

Is it weird to you that I only own CLARITY as a burnt copy with a ridiculous "I heart punk" quarter machine sticker on it? Because it's weird to me. CLARITY is such an amazing album. "12.23.95" isn't even the best song on it (Actually it isn't even their best Christmas song. Jimmy Eat World are the only band that has been able to turn"Last Christmas" into a genuinely good song.), but it may be the best of all of the non-Christmas Christmas songs.

D**k in a box - The Lonely Island (from INCREDIBAD)

It counts!

A Stick, A Carrot, & String - mewithoutYou (from IT'S ALL CRAZY! IT'S ALL FALSE! IT'S ALL A DREAM! IT'S ALRIGHT)

A song that is so obviously about the Christmas story , and I never even thought of it as a Christmas song until Dustin Kensrue covered it for the re-release of his Christmas album, THIS GOOD NIGHT IS STILL EVERYWHERE.

Jamie's Kisses - Pep Squad (from NO DOY!)

I do not actually own NO DOY! and never did. The only Pep Squad songs I ever had were on 4 or 5 T&N come comps I had. This is another song I never thought of as a Christmas song for years. Every year my cousin makes a mix of new Christmas songs called "Red, White & Twisted." Having learned he was doing this shortly after buying Twisted Sister's A TWISTED CHRISTMAS (and knowing he started making these mixes in the late 90's), I just assumed he meant twisted as in not normal. It took me years before I was listening to TOOTH & NAIL ROCK SAMPLER VOL. 1 and picked out the line "Jamie's kisses are like candy cane on Christmas. Jamie's kisses are all red and white and twisted." Christmas song.

In Like A Lion (Always Winter) - Relient K (from APATHETIC EP)

Another almost cheater. This one was written for a "songs inspired by the Chronicles of Narnia" compilation, but didn't make the cut. Instead it ended up on the APATHETIC EP, which came out right on the cusp of Relient K becoming not embarrassing. I listened to it at work at the time, but didn't own it until it showed up on the Relient K Christmas album LET IT SNOW BABY, LET IT REINDEER. I would end up acquiring the APATHETIC EP sometime after that.

A Holiday Song (Happy Holidays) - Starflyer 59 (from THE FASHION FOCUS)

This one has everything you would want from a Starflyer Christmas song: a sweet guitar line, mumble/crooned vocals, organ interjections, and jingle bells chiming throughout. THE FASHION FOCUS was the album where SF59 lost a lot of the fuzz from their earlier albums (and renditions of actual Christmas songs), but their shoegaze brilliance was far from over.

The Night Santa Went Crazy - "Weird Al" Yankovic (From BAD HAIR DAY)

And of course we finish with murder. Lots and lots of bloody reindeer deaths and nervous breakdowns. Pure delirious, chaotic fun that was exactly what I was looking for in a new original Christmas song as a 13-year-old and hasn't gotten stale to this day.

#you spoke to me #ace troubleshooter #atmosphere #huntingtons #jimmy eat world #the lonely island #mewithoutyou #pep squad #relient k #starflyer 59 #weird al

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