#and so *another* florence song suddenly appeared in the playlist

[cantspelldragoonwithoutgoon]

Who is the knife

and

Who is the lamb

[nctseren]

❝ For a long time, love was unattainable for her. She wrote, sang and dreamed about it, but she had never been truly in love.

The truth is that, and although she denies it, Kang Sohee is a hopeless romantic and she always has been. She often dreamed of meeting the right person and doing everything right so that love would last... and not fade like her parents' love.

However, love is strange and it does not come easy. She has learned that you can meet thousands of people and yet none of them will make you feel the things that you are supposed to feel.

She has also learned that you can mistake love. And as much as it hurts and breaks your soul, there are people you were born to love, and there are others you were not.

So, Seren doesn't have much experience in romance. And she's slowly learning that love and infatuation are two different things, that it doesn't have to hurt, that it should make you feel happy, and that you don't go looking for the right person, because eventually fate brings you together. ❞

⟶crush list

—WANG YONG

❝ I'm too shy to tell you how I feel.

So I'll hide behind timid smiles and soft hellos.

I'm afraid if I ask you: "what do you think of me? " your reply will be "I don't" ❞

duration of crush: 2014 — 2015

relationship: close friends, one side crush

current status: they haven't spoken in a long time but she still cares for him

their things: practicing together, sharing chocolates, him giving her books and then the next week sharing opinions about them, eating together all the time

playlist: kid in love by shawn mendes & u smile by justin bieber

Wang Yong came to SM Entertainment in late 2012 and Lee Taeyong quickly took care of him under his wing. He was quite a popular trainee, not only because of his looks, but also because of his great talent for dancing, despite his young age. He was to the younger ones what Kang Seulgi was to Sohee.

Wang Yong was a sweet guy, it was inevitable for girls not to have a crush on him, and anyone in his place would take advantage of it, but not him. He was focused on doing what he had to do: training hard. That's the reason why his only friends for a long time were only Taeyong and Hansol.

Kang Sohee (long before she was known as Seren) officially met him in late 2013, after watching him practice. They did not become friends right away, since it was not easy for him to open up to other people. However, when she became close to Taeyong, they inevitably had to become friends. And then they connected thanks to dancing, something they were both passionate about. They went from being acquaintances to partners who practiced together to friends. Then it was not only Wong Yong, Lee Taeyong and Ji Hansol, now it was also Kang Sohee.

2014 was a rough year for her, starting from the loss of her grandparents to learning that she was not going to debut with Red Velvet. It was the most difficult year for her in all that time locked up, but her friends were with her. And he didn't go unnoticed, no matter how hard he tried. He always carried an extra portion of food for her, left her books that he thought she would like and always pretended not to learn the choreography so that she could teach him and in that way distract her mind by doing what she likes the most.

It really wasn't difficult to like Wang Yong, he was sweet and a good boy. Soon she found herself thinking that she really liked the way he wrinkled his nose when he laughed, or how his eyes sparkled when someone complimented him and, most of all, the way he tilted his head when he was confused. And then every time he looked at her she felt something in her stomach (and no, she had thought the first time she felt it, it can't be diarrhea), her cheeks would blush and it was difficult for her to keep look at him.

He was her crush for a few months and suddenly their interactions were shy smiles and sharing chocolates. Until he was no longer making her feel like she was flying. He meant a lot to her because not only he was her first butterflies in her stomach, he was also one of her close friends and one of the most supportive.

Sometimes she still thinks about him, what is he doing? how is he doing? what it would have been like if he had debuted in NCT instead of her? SM Entertainment did not treat him well, apparently his voice was not good enough, in the future they had told him. All she knows is that he returned to his home in China, and all she hopes is that he's truly happy.

—MARK LEE

❝ There's a boy I like.

He smiles so bright and my heart can't take it.

There's a boy I like.

We both love the same things.

There's a boy I like.

I think about him all the time.

There's a boy I like.

He's my best friend. ❞

duration of crush: 2017 — early 2018

relationship: bandmates, best friends, crush

current status: bandmates, best friends, partners in crime

their things: holding hands, sharing songs, singing, rapping, dancing together, telling jokes, listening to music, trying to teach her basketball, teaching him to play futboll soccer, doing karaoke

playlist: the one that got away by katy perry & walk you home by nct dream & everything has changed by taylor swift & catching feelings by justin bieber & whenever you are by 5sos

For a long time, Mark was the closest thing to a best friend that she had. They practically grew up together (and are still growing). They wouldn't exactly tell each other everything, but they did trust each other. And every day, especially when they missed home, they would get together to tell their funniest childhood stories, and then listen to music for the rest of the time, enjoying each other's company.

Maybe that's what made her have feelings for him. Maybe it was the inside jokes, the laughs, the songs, maybe it was all together.

It was different, of course. It didn't feel at all like her first crush. No, it was definitely stronger, because they were Mark and Seren — everyone was talking about Mark and Seren: NCT's 99 line, best friends.

Liking Mark was a fresh feeling, no discomfort, no obvious blushes, no big butterflies either. No, liking Mark was being at peace. Being comfortable in his presence, hearing him sing, sharing smiles, doing mischief together, it all felt too good... almost like she was born for it.

And maybe she was born to love Mark, but in another life. Because on this one Mark Lee and Kang Sohee were just best friends. And although at nights she sometimes dreamed of his eyes, the same ones that hold thousands of stars, in the morning she reminded herself that nothing could change the friendship they had.

That's one of the reasons why she didn't do anything about it, that and because she didn't want to ruin all their efforts just for a crush.

It was difficult for her, because months passed and she kept thinking about him. Until eventually she stopped seeing him in a romantic way, his hugs stopped making her feel things (things you're not supposed to feel for a friend) and at night his eyes and laughter stopped appearing.

Now that time has passed, she realizes that staying best friends with him is a hundred times better than a possible relationship with him. And she prays, Oh, she prays that Mark Lee's future partner can love and appreciate him as much as he deserves... As much as she could have.

⟶dating list

—MOONBIN

❝ I enjoy our time together. And your laugh, your voice, your kisses. I enjoy you.

We may not be in love and that's okay for us.

Because what matters right now is that we're both having fun. ❞

public knowledge: private (only friends)

duration of relationship: march 2018 — april 2018

relationship: fling

current status: friends

their things: hanging out with friends, kisses, supporting each other, hugs

playlist: we are young by fun feat janelle monaé & locked out of heaven by bruno mars

They met at some awards and immediately they knew there was attraction, so they exchanged phone numbers and soon found themselves talking every single day.

They both knew what it was and what they wanted, to be young and have fun.

Those two months sometimes felt like an eternity, because they genuinely had a good time together. There was always fun, affection and, most importantly, sincerity.

They both knew it was meant to be over, so they enjoyed it.

Having fun with Moonbin felt like riding the drop tower: they weren't afraid of it, they just felt the adrenaline and fun you feel being up there in the air. But just as fast it goes up, it also goes down. And even though in the end you seem to want more, you know enough was enough.

—WOOSEOK

❝ I loved you as Icarus loved the sun — too close, too much. ❞

public knowledge: private for three months until their members found out

duration of relationship: july 2018 — january 2019

relationship: kind of dated, never really had a "tittle"

current status: acquaintances, they don't really talk anymore

their things: secret dates, midnight calls, back hugs, kisses

playlist: sweet creature by harry styles & the scientist by coldplay & the end of love by florence + the machine & it will rain by bruno mars

Kang Sohee and Jung Wooseok were never in love, but they might as well have been.

They met in mid-2018 thanks to a close friend, and the physical attraction was so immense that without thinking they both decided to give it a try. It was all very fast, but the result had been good. They were something, no tittle, yet they didn't care because they were okay with that.

Their relationship was like trying a new dish, they didn't know what to expect: they didn't know if it would be sweet or salty, everything was so different. But they had liked it. They spent a good time together, sometimes hiding from their members, it was a little secret that only the two of them knew.

They loved what they had. Midnight calls, secret dates, just sneaking around their members backs like that. It was exciting and fun. They were young people enjoying themselves.

Until it became real. Too real.

Suddenly they weren't just missing each other's presence, but they craved for their touch and kisses.

It was almost like an obsession. Every time they were together they felt intoxicated. They needed more, they wanted more.

And that wasn't healthy nor they where ready for that.

So, because they cared about each other, they put a stop to it. God knows that if they had stayed together, they would have burned.

—THE8

❝ The Ego asked:

'What is Love? It's too big of a word for me. I don't understand it at times.'

The Soul replied:

'If you understand Kindness

If you understand Respect

If you understand Acceptance

Then you will understand Love.' ❞

public knowledge: private (only members and close friends)

duration of relationship: december 2019 — present

relationship: acquaintances to friends to lovers

current status: in love, best friends

their things: nose, forehead and cheek kisses, showing her his art, painting together, taking pictures, listening to music, dedicating songs, slow dancing, hype man! hype woman!, writing songs about each other, domestic dates

playlist: love someone by lukas graham & ily by the rose & common by zayn & have you ever been in love? by the ivy & love somebody like you by joan & sunday morning by maroon 5 & natural by zayn

Falling for Xu Minghao was like breathing, so natural, so effortless, without realizing it.

They met in 2018 and for a year they were just acquaintances: their bandmate's friend. There were few interactions, maybe greetings and a few smiles. But when she has a very persistent Boo Seungkwan as her best friend, it was only a matter of time before she eventually became friends with the rest of them.

Being friends with Minghao is yellow, like observing the sunset. It's relaxing, enthusiastic, supportive, positivity, happiness...

It was an unexpected friendship but suddenly they were sharing songs, painting together and hanging out a lot more than with their original friends. Soft laughs, little jokes, looks full of adoration — it was so obvious that there was something there, they could feel it and everyone could see it. And still it took almost a year for them to take the risk. Was it really mutual or were they just imagining it?

He was the first to take the step, because even if it was all in his head at least he would be at peace knowing that he tried and didn't just let her go.

It was silly, really, how much they wanted to be together and how much they doubted.

Loving Minghao is comforting, honest, understanding, compassion, teamwork, sometimes overwhelming, and a new feeling that completely scares her because she has never been in love or in a serious relationship, yet she is sure of one thing: discovering those feelings with him was her best decision.

[dawninlatin]

Queen of Peace, chapter 9

A Manorian High School AU

Words: 2780

AO3 Link

Masterlist

Summary: Manon Blackbeak is flawless, untouchable. From the outside at least. Her grandmother pushes her to achieve greatness, and she doesn’t let anyone get too close in fear of being hurt. How can anyone love her when not even her parents could?

Dorian Havilliard has always felt safe and confident around his friends. He might not have the greatest of families, but with Aelin and Chaol by his side, nothing can go wrong. That is until he tries keeping his greatest secret from them.

What will happen when Dorian and Manon gets to know one another? Can two lost souls find their way back together?

Sometimes I wish for falling

Wish for the release

Wish for falling through the air

To give me some relief

-Florence + The Machine, Falling

«So what did you do yesterday? Since you’re doing your homework last minute.» Dorian looked up from his math homework to find Manon taking him in with an amused expression.

They were sitting in the busy coffee shop a few blocks from school, spending their shared free period eating lunch together. Or, Manon was eating lunch while Dorian tried his very best to finish the homework he’d forgotten to do last night.

A few weeks had passed since the two of them had agreed to be friends, and almost immediately they’d fallen into a rhythm. They got coffee after school, they hung out during free periods, they met up at the library to do homework together. Manon still claimed she only did this so Dorian would stop bugging her, but she’d been the one suggesting they go out for lunch today.

«Erhm-,» Dorian begun, debating whether the truth would make her laugh or make him lose his last shred of dignity or both, even. Fuck it, he decided and confidently stated, «I was up watching Riverdale.» If you’re losing your dignity, better do it with swagger.

It took Manon a while to actually register what he’d said, but when she did, she set down her coffee and let out a snort. A snort that quickly turned into her lilting cackle. One thing Dorian had learned over these past few weeks was that nothing made her laugh harder than his suffering, and to be honest, Dorian didn’t mind. Not at all. She was adorable when she laughed.

«You didn’t mean that? Right?» Manon asked, suddenly all serious. «Please tell me you’re joking.» Dorian shot her a confused look.

«That show is literal trash,» she kept going once she realized Dorian had in fact not been kidding. «Sorry I changed my mind we’re not friends anymore, sorry, bye.» Manon even went as far as to start gathering up her things, but the barely-there smile playing on her lips told Dorian she was very much enjoying this.

«You just have to give it a try, it’s not that bad,» Dorian said, Manon sitting back down across from him. As he noticed a faint blush spreading on her cheeks, something in his head clicked into place. «You’ve watched it, haven’t you?»

Rolling her eyes, Manon answered, «Yes, but it was years ago. I watched a few episodes with Asterin.» Upon seeing Dorian’s smug expression, she quickly added, «Unwillingly.»

If it had been years ago…This time, Dorian was the one to break out into uncontrollable laughter. Oh my god, he thought, clutching his stomach. «You thought the first season was bad??» he managed to choke out. Manon only looked at him with a dumbfounded expression, having no idea what was so funny.

«I would give anything to see you watch season three and four. That’s when it really gets ridiculous,» Dorian explained, his laughter finally dying down. Manon chuckled and shook her head, returning to her half-full cup of coffee.

She stared out the window, and Dorian allowed himself to take her in, if only for a moment. There had been more and more of these moments over the past few weeks. Moments where she was looking a different way, moments where Dorian couldn’t stop his eyes from landing on her, moments where he found it impossible to look away. Dorian hadn’t let himself think about what it meant. Manon had been very clear from the beginning that they were only friends, and they would never be more than that.

Manon was like the sun, Dorian had decided. You knew you shouldn’t stare at it, but that was the exact reason why you did, why it was so hard to look away.

«Okay, but apart from Riverdale, have you watched anything good? I don’t watch much TV, but…» She never finished the sentence, seemingly lost in her own mind. Manon did that sometimes, trailing off to gods knew where. Dorian was certain it was a beautiful place.

Taking some time to think, Dorian tried to come up with a good show, sorting through the catalogue in his mind for something it was likely she had watched. Suddenly he thought of how she had loved reading a fantasy series, how eager she got whenever they discussed history or mythology. Hesitantly, he suggested, «Game of Thrones?» Manon’s eyes lit up.

«Yes!» She put down her empty cup. «Oh that was so good-»

«-apart from the final season,» Dorian finished.

A sigh. «Jon Snow deserved better.»

«I know. His storyline was a tragedy.»

Manon bit her lip, sinking further into her chair. «You know, I only started watching it because I thought he was hot.» She blushed, and Dorian couldn’t help but chuckle. «I stayed for the plot though. I swear!»

Same, Dorian nearly blurted out, before a voice in his head reminded him, Manon doesn’t know you’re bi. He wasn’t going to think about this now, so he shook his head and forced his signature smirk to appear, ignoring the sinking feeling in his gut.

«I still can’t get over the fact that you drink chocolate Frappuccinos with extra cream.» Smooth, Dorian, it definitely does not seem like you’re avoiding the subject of your shared fictional crush.

«Why?» she chuckled. «You expect me to order my coffee extra bitter so it matches my soul? While we’re at it, let me just gather up my things and head home to my cottage in the woods where I fly around on broomsticks and brew weird shit in cauldrons. My black cat must be tired of waiting.»

They were both laughing now, Manon’s dark, wicked sense of humor still taking him by surprise. «For real though, what do you do when you’re not at school or at dance practice?»

«Uhm,» Manon looked down at her shoes, suddenly uncomfortable. They hardly talked about serious stuff, private stuff. Dorian was ready to change the subject once more, but then she spoke: «I listen to music a lot, I guess.» A shrug.

«Anything good?»

«Doubt it, you seem like the type to listen to mainstream shit.»

«Please. And I bet your music isn’t as special as you think.»

«I bet you don’t know half of the stuff I listen to.»

«Why don’t you give me some examples?»

«Why don’t I send you a playlist when I get home?»

«Can’t wait,» Dorian smiled.

-

Gods, how difficult could it be to make a playlist?

Manon had been sitting with her laptop for an hour now, scrolling through her endless Spotify library to find the perfect songs. Nothing too mainstream, nothing too personal, nothing too impersonal. This was one hell of a challenge, she decided.

After narrowing it down to twenty songs she loved, after finding the perfect balance between upbeat and slow, between sad and happy, after meticulously arranging the order, making it not only a playlist, but a musical experience, Manon decided this would have to do.

Why do you care so much? She didn’t dare answer the question, too afraid of what the answer might mean. This was just her sending a friend a casual playlist.

Except it wasn’t. Nothing about her music was casual. It meant everything to her. Manon listened to music when she was happy, when she was sad, angry, whenever she felt lost and needed to be pointed back in the right direction. She listened to music when she was dancing, dreaming, disappearing. If one listened closely, her music revealed all her secrets, all her feelings, and for Manon, who was used to keeping it hidden away, locked in a box deep inside herself, sharing that with someone was terrifying.

But what terrified her the most right now, was that she actually wanted to share her music with Dorian. Being with him always left her feeling light and happy, she had started craving that feeling like a drug. And today…today when he had made her laugh so hard she’d had to set down her half-empty cup so as to not drop it, for a moment, Manon had imagined what it would be like to just lean in and kiss him. It would have been so easy, would have felt so good.

She hadn’t been able to stop thinking about that moment, about what it meant. Was she falling for him? Was she actually that stupid?

The only solution, really, was to stop hanging out with him, to ignore her feelings until they went away. So why haven’t you done it yet? Why do you keep going back?

Besides, even if she wanted to be more than friends, there was no way he felt the same way. Sure, he kept joking about how their meet-ups were dates, but that’s all it was, a joke. Being in a relationship with Dorian also meant letting him see who she was up-close, and as soon as he saw the broken, messed up truth, he surely would want nothing to do with her. Better to spare herself the heartbreak.

Ugh, feelings.

Manon decided it was too late to brood over such complex questions. Instead, she typed a quick message to Dorian, linked the playlist and hit send before she could change her mind.

Manon: Here’s the playlist. It’s best enjoyed if you listen to it in the right order. 22:03

And just like that it was done. Manon waited a few minutes for a reply and when none came, she quietly said to herself, «Girl, get your shit together.»

She stood up, stretched, and stepped out of her room to turn of all the lights, ready to just go to sleep. Asterin still hadn’t come home, but it was late, so she probably wouldn’t show up at all. What a surprise, Manon thought to herself.

When she reached the living room, she spied Abraxos staring at her from one of the couches. Manon turned of the lights and the creature immediately leapt to where she was standing in the hallway. «What kind of cat is afraid of the dark?» Manon asked her companion, sighing at his antics. Abraxos only stared up at her as if she was the stupid one.

It was true that the cat was afraid of the dark. Ever since he was a kitten, Abraxos simply refused to be alone in a room if the lights were off. Manon found it equally confusing and adorable.

She walked back to her bedroom, Abraxos trailing her like a shadow the entire time. Laying back down on the bed, Manon picked up her phone to see if Dorian had texted back yet. She couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed when there was no new messages.

«Calm down, it’s not as if he’s looking at his phone at all hours, just waiting for you to text him, you creep,» she said to herself.

Instead of waiting, she opened Spotify, plugged in her earphones, and pressed play on the list she’d just sent Dorian, contempt to shut out the world for a little while.

-

That afternoon, when he’d gotten home from school, Dorian had waited, and waited, and waited, for a text from Manon, including a certain playlist she had promised him. He’d stared at his phone for hours, like some creep, hoping her name would pop up.

Around 10pm he’d given up and opted for spending some electronics-free quality time with his family. His mom’s suggestion, not his. Dorian had lasted about 20 minutes, before he once again fled to his room.

Leaving his phone alone had worked it’s magic though, because when he reunited with it, there was a text from Manon waiting to be opened. He was so eager he typed the wrong passcode. Twice.

Manon: Here’s the playlist. It’s best enjoyed if you listen to it in the right order. 22:03

The text was written in typical Manon-style. No spelling errors, perfect language, no emojis, only periods. What kind of teen only used periods when they texted? Manon never seized to surprise him.

Dorian opened the link, finding a playlist full of songs and artists he’d never heard of before. Told you. He could almost hear Manon’s voice say it, a smug smile playing on her lips.

Plugging his earphones in, Dorian leaned back and pressed play. In the right order, obviously.

-

About an hour later, as the final song died out into nothing, Dorian let out a long exhale, giving himself a moment to just be.

He didn’t know what he was thinking, what he was feeling. It was all so personal, so full of emotion and passion. The complete opposite of what he would have expected from Manon.

Dorian knew this was important. He had been shown a vital part of her, a part he suspected she hadn’t shown anyone before.

Who are you?

It was a question he had asked himself over and over again over the past few weeks. Manon was a mystery, a puzzle, and all that music, all that insight, felt like the most important piece of them all.

Who are you?

Yet he wasn’t sure if this had given him answers, or more questions.

-

Manon listened through the entire playlist without being able to fall a sleep. She had too much on her mind, too many thoughts churning in her head.

Her phone buzzed from the nightstand, and Manon sat up abruptly, knocking over a stack of books as she fumbled around for her phone. They landed on the floor with a bang, waking Abraxos from his carefree slumber in the process. The cat jumped and glared at Manon, then turned his back towards her, settling down once more. Manon did the mature thing and stuck out her tongue at him.

She’d nearly forgotten about the phone in her hand, but glancing down at the screen, she saw Dorian’s name, her heartbeat quickening in response.

Dorian: Sorry for not replying til now but I heard through the entire thing and fine you were right I hadn’t heard any of it before and yes you do have fantastic taste in music pls send me more!!!!! 23:41

Manon chuckled at his enthusiasm, pleased at having been right. She was about to type a response when she heard the front door open, then the sound of someone trying to stay quiet as they made their way through the house. Asterin.

She expected her cousin to go straight to her own room, but instead, Asterin stopped in front of Manon’s door, slowly pushing it open. She must’ve thought Manon was asleep, because she jumped slightly when she found Manon sitting upright, taking her in with curiosity and annoyance.

«I’m s-sorry, I thought you were sleeping,» Asterin whispered, her voice cracking. The sound of shuffling feet. A sniffle. Was Asterin crying?

Asterin walked over to Manon’s bed, and Manon made room for her, sliding under the covers. Asterin soon joined her, and neither said a word, Asterin’s soft crying filling the room.

«Did something happen?» Manon asked at last, unable to handle her cousin’s crying for much longer.

«You can’t tell her,» Asterin sobbed, burying her head in the mountain of pillows.

«Can’t tell her what?» Manon knew Asterin meant their grandmother, the heavy feeling in her stomach told her so. She wasn’t sure if she was ready to hear the answer. It couldn’t be anything good. Had she and Hunter broken up? Had someone hurt her?

Asterin furiously shook her head. «You have to promise, Manon. She c-can’t find out!»

«I promise,» Manon sighed, clearly uncomfortable. She’d never been good at dealing with crying people.

Still, Manon let Asterin creep closer, let her bury her face in the space between Manon’s neck and shoulder. Putting her arms around her shaking, crying cousin, Manon asked once more, «What’s wrong, Asterin?»

Asterin went completely still, not saying anything. Manon waited, waited to the point where she was sure her cousin had fallen asleep.

As Manon closed her own eyes, Asterin whispered something that made Manon go rigid, the words so quiet you could barely make them out.

«I’m pregnant.»

«Shit,» was all Manon could answer. She tried her hardest not to think about what their grandmother would do if she found out, panic spreading throughout her body.

Asterin started sobbing once more, so Manon began stroking her back, telling her to breathe, telling her to calm down, pushing aside her own worry and fear, for now. «It’s going to be okay,» she whispered to Asterin, not believing her own words one bit.

A/N: Wow I haven't updated this in forever. Sorry....

But as an apology I do come bearing gifts. Not only is this chapter the longest yet, I also made a fic playlist if you wanna vibe<3 In the wise words of Manon Blackbeak, it is best enjoyed in the right order;)

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3LFklksVGgX4X8LxoYzbbK?si=oC-3zOZMTC-B5Nd4C3QAZg

Also while I'm at it, a couple disclaimers:

- I have earlier made a lot of references to Harry Potter, but I will no longer do so, as I am not comfortable with referencing the work of an author who do not respect trans people. I hope you all understand this.

- Yes I mock Riverdale in this chapter and if you feel offended know that I will never understand how someone can actually enjoy that show but I DO respect you:)

As always, thank you sooooo much to everyone who takes the time to read, give kudos, like, reblog, write comments etc. For real I love you<3<3

Peace&Love<3 -Dawninlatin

[suffering-and-happy-about-it]

I want to tell you... (Part 8.)

Description: Nathan Drake is not the exact definition of an unhappy man. His job is steady, his friends still see him from time to time, he plays football, but his marriage is his main problem. Many things will change when a special person comes to his life.

Part Summary: Some things from the past are about to be revealed slowly... And you don’t know if you feel relieved that Nate knows first bits about you or if you want to keep the things secret. 

A/N: x

Word counter: 2.7 K

Tagging: @missdictatorme​, @peakymarvels​, @nemodoren​, @flavorishy​

Series master list: H E R E

Nathan’s car sing-along playlist: H E R E

This time, Nathan promised himself to be better than before - and he texted you right the other morning when he woke up. First, he was feeling weird about it, but as soon as you texted back, a grin appeared on his lips. You've even sent him a photo of your completely moved-in living room with a heart emoji, which made grin all shift long.

It took exactly three days before your other hangout. Your semester was starting in October and you hadn't got many friends in the town, so when Nate offered you any kind of escape from the loneliness, you've accepted right away.

The hangout wasn't originally even Nate's idea - it was Sully's. They were just hanging out at Sully's place, Florence has been gone for the shift, and both boys were getting ready to visit a farmer market in the nearby city when the idea crossed Victor's mind.

"Hey, kid?" - Sully sighed as he walked out of the bedroom, adjusting his belt on his jeans. Nathan expected the old man to ask if the visage suits him, but Victor pulled a completely different Uno card.

"You know, I was thinkin' about that girl of yours. Ain't she free for the day? I mean... A bit of help never hurt anyone, amirite?" - The old man adjusted his Cuban shirt, having Nathan thinking about two things in particular. How could he charm Florence while wearing such fashion crime and why on earth he wanted to meet you? The first one was bothering Nate way more, but he still asked about the second subject. - Why would I invite her to shop with you?" - Nate asked confusedly, earning a chuckle.

"Because you, boy, have been staring outta window the whole time I've been in the bedroom, thinkin' about her. Didn't you?" - Sully asked, knowing he's right. Nate was thinking about you - yet he was thinking about the best text to respond with to your last joke. It wasn't like he was just mindlessly signing, talking about how pretty you were. - "How am I lookin'?" - Sully turned at himself in the mirror, putting a cigar between his lips and aviators on his eyes, before hooking them on the hem of his white top. Nathan rolled his eyes, standing up.

"Like someone whos too old to be attractive, but he still thinks he has it. Come on." - The younger man asked, already hearing his phone ringing as he called you, hoping you wouldn't pick up. To his bad luck, you've picked just after the second sound. Your voice told Nate that you're really glad to hear him.

"Hey!" - A joyful cheer came out of the phone, making Sully chuckle at your excitement as he locked the apartment door.

"Hi, nice to hear from you." - Nathan greeted you back nervously, looking at the old man giving him his well-known grin. Nate felt like a nervous girl asking her boy out to the prom, so he took in a deep breath to ask you if you'd like to join them, being interrupted by your giggle. - "You're out of breath? You're jogging or something? I mean, jog in this weather is a suicide, but you do you." - You rambled, being lost in the thoughts inside of your head.

The weather was beautiful, indeed. The sun was shining, and the air was nicely warm, so it would be ideal weather to go to the beach for a swim. But having you thinking that Nathan is jogging made Sully chuckle as the young man rolled his eyes at him. Nathan would jog only if necessary and Victor mas aware of that. It was more probable that Sully himself sets on a jog, this boy would rather go to buy an ice-cream, sit on a porch and watched the nature.

"No, unfortunately, I don't jog, so..." - Nathan answered, having you chuckle with quiet 'kay added in the end. - "But I'm going to a market and you, miss, are going with me. How does that sound?" - The man said with confidence, having Sully make a dramatic surprised face as both the man walked to Nate's jeep standing in front of the apartment building.

"You don't even ask me if I have time today? Rude." - You answered, and for a moment, Nate felt saved because you won't be going with them. - "Sure, where will you pick me up?" - You asked suddenly when Nate plugged his phone into the car's Bluetooth, suddenly hearing your voice everywhere around them. Sully was quite amused with the personality you seemed to have so far.

"I don't know, maybe on the street, you're livin' at?" - The old man asked, having Nate's eyes widen in horror. Sully just innocently opened up the window, lighting one of his cigarillos up. Nathan hated it when the man smoked in his car, but he also learned that resistance comes in vain when it came to this man, so he just rolled his eyes and set on the road.

"Excuse me, who is that? I thought I'm talking to Nate." - You asked nervously, all the humor suddenly leaving you.

"Don't mind him, it's my best pal. So, in twenty minutes at the corner of the street? I think I won't be able to drive in because of the people and stuff." - Nate smacked Sully's thigh angrily, watching the man having a problem with containing a serious face as he turned around to look from the window. For a while, there was this weird silence on your end, before you sighed.

"'kay, I'll be there. See you, both." - You said your goodbye swiftly, already hurrying off to put some clothes on.

"Was that necessary, Sullivan?" - Nathan sighed, turning on one of his car playlists. This man was a sucker for singing in the car when he was stuck in a long colony, so he made a few playlists over the time - some included rock'n'roll when he was feeling fierce, one of them was solemnly based on the legendary 80s' songs, but he had an indie one of the modern music that kids these days listened to as well. And because he knew that Sully's more this oldies guy, he turned this one on, having Sully sigh unpleasantly. But he deserved it at the end of the day.

"Shed see me one way or another, kiddo. Or did you plan on shovin' me into the trunk, makin' me jump out of it as a surprise once we arrive there?" - Sully responded with his typical sense of humor, having Nate take a while to think over his stupidity. No matter how much he didn't like it, Sully was right. You'd see Sully when they'd be picking you up, so maybe, it was better to be aware of the danger beforehand. You've been looking exquisite, almost kicking the breath out of Nathan's chest, which sully didn't miss at all - he just didn't say anything out loud.

You had the same denim overalls on, with another amazing t-shirt a huge sunhat on your head. The old man sprang up from the co-drivers seat, opening the door for you, offering you a handshake. - "Hi." - He said. Oh Lord, this man was at least twenty years older than you, but he had some damn charm inside of him. - "Name's Victor, what 'bout you?" - The man gently kissed your knuckles, stealing breath out of your lungs.

Nathan couldn't but eye-roll at the sight of Sullivan. This guy was something, trying to impress every lady around even if he was taken. - "I wonder what Florence would say about your 'bout you, Sully." - Nate peaked out of the car, giving you one of his typical grins. At that, Sully chuckled and winked at you, as you still realized you're holding his palm in yours and that you also have a boyfriend. - "I'm Y/N. It's nice to meet you, Victor." - You smiled back calmly, finally letting his hand go as you climbed into the car next to Nate. Sully didn't miss the dreamy look on the young man's face as he watched you settling down.

"Hey, Mr. Drake." - You told him charmingly, immediately vibing to Nate's playlist. Nathan smiled after a while, waiting before Sullivan settles his ass down on the backseat.

"Hey, how are you?" - Nate started a small chit-chat as you set on your way. It took you quite a long time since, in the middle of your journey, Nathan decided he wants to have an ice-cream, so you had to get an ice-cream. And when you finally set on the real way, there was a huge colony of cars because of some roadwork ahead. You and Sully chatted about his girlfriend, about how he's doing, what is he doing. He was a business owner, which quite surprised by someone who was looking like Sully. Suddenly, a song dropped, having both you and Sully to look at Nathan, who started dancing around, mumbling the words.

"Well, here we go again." - Sully mumbled under his mustache, rolling down the window to have another cigarillo. For a moment, you were amused by simply watching Nate vibe to the song, before he turned to you and sang you the lyrics. - "What are you doing? Stop." - You told the man between the waves of laughter washing over you. Soon enough, you noticed that Nate rolled every window down, now screaming the lyrics from the top of his lungs. For a moment, it almost looked as if you just let the man make an idiot out of himself, but suddenly, you started dancing too, yelling the lyrics on the man driving the car next to yours.

"Like strangers. Perfect pretenders. We're falling head over heels, for something that ain't real. It could never be us, eh, just you and I." - And at that moment, Sully was sure by two things. First was that the people on the front seats were just kids in overgrown bodies, Nathan especially. And the second thing was that he understood what Nathan saw on you. Elena was crazy at times, she was fun and really smart, but she had never sung one of Nate's car songs as passionately as you did. Sure, he didn't crush on you as Nathan did instantly, but you were likable.

The people in the cars around yours were laughing at the sight of two adults making such moves and faces during a pop song, there was no-one angry about you blasting the whole highway with the song. - "And you were acting as if I was embarrassing you?" - Nathan asked you unbelievably when the colony moved forward, grinning at you. - "You, miss, outshined me. You're way better at car sing-along than I am."

"Well, I couldn't let you know my strengths from the very first moment, could I?" - A classy smirk appeared on your face before you turned to look out of the window. - "But Sully is looking like his ears are about to bleed every second. You okay?" - You turned to the big man on the backseat, who had that grin on. - "Well, it was an impressive concert, to say the least."

You needed to say... You were grateful that Nathan made you come to the market that day. It was happening in a small village and it was obvious that you either had to have friends there or know about this place on your own to find about a market like this. There were animals, hordes of vegetables and a lot of gardening tools. You almost bought some, but Nate told you not to because you didn't have even small flowerpots at home. Even if the market wasn't too big, you spent almost three hours there. And just when you were walking back to the jeep, Nathan was carrying four bags of goods in his palms, you heard your phone ringing. It was from Mike.

"Hey, baby." - The man sighed and you could already tell what that will be about. You were about to spend another day at home on your own. - "What're you doing?" - He started sweetly, as he always did.

"Oh, Nate and his best friend took me to a market to buy some veggies because Nate is about to cook dinner for him and his girlfriend. How about you?" - You asked Mike back. Yeah, sure, he was quite surprised that you were spending time with Nate again, but he decided not to comment on it. You were hanging out quite a lot.

"Guess where. I won't be at home until midnight, again, so..." - Mike breathed out and your face automatically saddened. Nate caught this just when he and Sully finished packing the goods into the trunk, so he slowly walked up to you, but didn't let you know that he's standing just a few feet away from you.

"Are you sure it's about work?" - A sour question left your lips as you tried to stay calm, not to cause some drama in front of Sully and Nate. But Nathan furrowed at the words you've said. He almost started assuming what you were talking about, but you asked another one to his good luck. - "Or is there someone else in work again?"

That made Nate widen his baby blue eyes and from the stress, he started to toy around with his fingers. Mike was cheating on you with someone? Was it before you moved there, was it happening now or..? How long did you know about that? Jesus. Nate didn't know why is he still listening to such an intimate call, but he had an actual feeling that in a way, it made him more sure about the feelings he was having for you. You didn't deserve such a jerk. - "Yeah, sure, whatever. I'll find some program for myself, don't worry about it."

With that, you turned on your heels and Nate's head sprung in the opposite direction as he pretended that he wasn't listening to you. You didn't know how much he heard, so you just gave him a careful look. - "Uhm, I and Sully talked about inviting you over to the diner... I mean... If you want to, of course, but I would like some help with preparing the masterpiece... That's what I wanted to ask... You about..." - Nate mumbled with nervosity in his face, still playing with his fingers. It was a relief that Nate didn't hear any of what you just spat at Mike.

"I think I can save some time for you and these two. It's your lucky day, Nathan." - You answered, fighting the urge to cry at least. Back when you were living in your old place and things got bad, you used to yell at each other. So you decided to move to a different town, start over - you finally started working on your degree and Mike had won a good work offer. And for the few months, the situation had settled down once again. Mike stopped seeing these... Ladies and it could be felt the love had come back to your relationship.

It was almost a month and a half since you've met Nathan (it took quite a long time before you heard back from him) and the relationship was getting cold again. It wasn't even that Mike was gone for a lot of time, it was just the feeling of love disappearing again. You were almost seeing Nathan more often than your boyfriend, which was sad, but you could understand him a lot of aspects of his relationship with his wife. That was why you were fond of spending time with Nathan, most likely.

When you watched that awkward goofball smirking as he looked away from you. So you immediately took off to drive back to Sully's place. It made you feel better about yourself once again - Sully pulled up all of his best jokes for you, so he had you giggling in no time at all. Nate was thinking about the conversation he heard, but he joined the conversation not too long after. And just like that, you were headed with two practical strangers to the apartment of one of them.

[aili]

Music Newsletter 11 / Happy Valentine’s Day 2017

Welcome to the 11th Music Newsletter!

Short intro for the newbies - I love music. I love sharing music with other people. In college I started a "music newsletter" email with some playlists (aka mixtapes) I've made and some song/band recommendations. Why Valentine's Day? Because I think this day should be about love in many ways - including for music!

That brings us to today - the first Valentine's Day mixtape I put together was actually a physical mix CD that I mailed to my home friends while I was away at college. That was in 2008. A lot has changed since then, but my love of music has not. While I feel sometimes too busy or too old or too out of touch to know what I'm even talking about, I hope you'll get some enjoyment out of this - as much as I've been enjoying listening to these songs and picking them for you!

I also have an email listserv with a special music bonus for anyone interested, please DM me to get on the list.

Click here to play Valentine's Day 2017 on Spotify!

1.) "Best to You" - Blood Orange

Starting off this year's mixtape with an incredible artist and song featuring singer Empress Of. Blood Orange is the project of Dev Hynes, who was a member of the British band Test Icicles. He's a songwriter and producer with a pretty epic list of artists on his resume, including Solange, Florence Welch, and Kylie Minogue. His album released last year, Freetown Sound, was a frequent flyer on the best of year lists and is mainly an R&B project featuring songs speaking out on prominent social justice issues.

2.) "Alaska" - Maggie Rogers

Thanks to my sister in law Anna for introducing me to Maggie Rogers, an indie singer-songwriter who's chart-climbing songs have crossed over into pop music's to-watch list. After presenting this track to Pharrell in her senior master class at NYU, their interaction went viral as he praised her work as something unheard before. Check out the video here.

3.) "I Need a Forest Fire" - James Blake feat. Bon Iver

While I enjoyed both Bon Iver and James Blake's latest albums released last year, it was their duo that seemed to encapsulate the sound growth I was looking for by both artists. This is, in my opinion, the best song either of them released last year. Together, the two artists were able to create something that apart was somehow a bit lacking. The combination of their voices is something not to miss.

4.) "Mothers" - Daughter

A beautiful and haunting song from the perspective of a mother on the drain, physically and emotionally, of having a child. The push/pull of loss and love is strong over the entire album, Not To Disappear, and lead singer/songwriter Elena Tonra has discussed the brutal and harsh themes that frequent her album and how she learned to uncensor herself from those sad places.

5.) "Strangers" - Psychic Twin

The title of this song along with the synths would make this a perfect addition to the Stranger Things TV soundtrack, don't you think? After Erin Fein's divorce, her debut album appropriately named Strange Diary, focuses her energy and emotions into a cohesive dark pop album.

6.) "Your Best American Girl" - Mitski

Mitski's fourth album, Puberty 2, is the one that sprang her to critical acclaim and popular success, with her punk-rock music discussing culture, race, identity, and belonging. This song in particular is poignant in a scene that doesn't hold much diversity in its popular spaces. Consistently selling out live shows and having a witty online presence, Mitski is not one to miss.

7.) "Foulbrood" - Two Inch Astronaut

Hailing from my hometown of Silver Spring, Maryland (with one member attending my high school), this band seriously caught my attention this year. There's something to be said about a specific D.C. area rock that is reminiscent of this kind of post-punk sound. One of the greatest influences of this sound was Ian MacKaye, co-founder Dischord, the label Two Inch Astronaut is on and the frontman of bands like Fugazi and Minor Threat. A lot of the local bands growing up had this kind of influence, but Two Inch Astronaut seems to get it right in a way that is all at once nostalgic of Maryland high school basement parties and paving the way for an innovative kind of genre-bending sound all together. Buy their latest album, Personal Life, here.

8.) "(I'd Rather Be) Anywhere But Here" - Honeyblood

Discovering Honeyblood last year was one of those moments where I instantly connected to their music and they catapulted to become one of my favorite bands. Honeyblood is a Scottish duo that could be described as a darker version of early Best Coast. I was lucky enough to see them live and the drummer, Cat Myers, is incredible. Their latest album, titled Babes Never Die, was released last year.

9.) "It Hurts Until It Doesn't" - Mothers

I debated putting Mothers' song "Daughter" on this playlist just to confuse everyone (see #4), but this song is just too good to ignore. The song comes to a slow down and instrumental build up about 3 minutes in that completely changes the tone but somehow manages to tell a consistent story. Mothers latest album When You Walk A Long Distance You Are Tired was released last year.

10.) "Never Meant" - American Football

I was too young to know the types of bands like American Football - the bands that a lot of people 5-10 years older than me consider real emo. Before heavy eyeliner and whining vocals and power chords came bands like American Football with their twinkly guitars and emotive lyrics. American Football and other 90's emo pioneers made punk risky by talking more openly about their feelings and they ended up creating incredible music because of it. This album is considered a classic among the 90's emo genre, and to fans surprise, the band released a new album last year, also self-titled, which can be found here. This song evokes a nostalgia for me because suddenly a lot of emo bands I liked in high school make sense because I can see how they were influenced to make the music the way they did.

11.) "Clay" - HANA

Hana is one of Grimes (Claire Boucher's) best friends and toured with her assisting on instruments and vocals this past year. Along with having a captivating and beautifully clear soprano voice, Hana brings out a lovelier, sweet side of nostalgic pop reminiscent of Carly Rae Jepsen.

12.) "Coconut Crab" - TTNG

This math rock song caught my attention because it evokes lo-fi indie surf rock style with some emo influences. TTNG has been around since 2004 and are from the U.K. Their latest full-length, Disappointment Island, was released last year.

13.) "Shut Up Kiss Me" - Angel Olsen

Angel Olsen's latest album, My Woman, topped charts and made many best of 2016's lists. The album was a turn from her previously labeled country-folk music into something she feels fits her personality and voice more.

14.) "Life Crisis" - River Whyless

A indie-folk pop group from Asheville, North Carolina that toured with Blind Pilot. Live in concert, lead singer Halli Anderson discussed how this song was written in part based on a bad break-up after a boyfriend went to visit his ex in NYC while she paced back in forth back home in Asheville. Check out a live performance of the song through NPR's Tiny Desk Concert, including creative choices such as using a typewriter for percussion here.

15.) "Jellyfish" - Laura Stevenson

I was able to see Laura Stevenson open for the Hold Steady in December which was so fun. Laura grew up on Long Island and did keys and vocals for Bomb the Music Industry. Jellyfish was released on the 2015 album, Cocksure.

16.) "Evening / Morning" - Bombay Bicycle Club

Throwback Tuesday can be dedicated to this song by Bombay Bicycle Club. An English indie rock band together since 2005, they consistently release rock bangers. This particular song was actually the first single they ever released. Currently, the band has essentially broken up, with the members saying they want to work on solo projects. Bassist Ed Nash released his solo album The Pace of the Passing earlier this year.

17.) "Black Leaf" - John Paul White

I have a deep love for the Civil Wars, a folk/country/americana duo consisting of John Paul White and Joy Williams. Like most of their fans, I was devastated to learn of their messy, drawn-out break-up official in 2014. They were two excellent artists who met through a musician's workshop and just seemed to click, winning four Grammys in their short time together. Their chemistry was electric, as can be viewed in their live videos like this one or this one. The thing was, they were both married. To other people. Joy's husband was their band manager. John's wife was at home in Alabama with their children. We may never know if a traditional affair happened, but it appeared that in one way or another, at least an emotional rift had opened. After their break-up, Joy Williams was fairly vocal with her feelings, explaining in interviews that "irreconcilable differences" were much more complicated than appeared on the surface. John Paul White was silent. He returned last year with an incredible solo album, Beulah, and rocketed back into success. While he remained silent in interviews about his former Civil Wars partner, almost like a divorced couple with the giant pink elephant in the room, he may have written about it. The lyrics on his album seem to me to easily be interpreted as the complicated emotions he felt while simultaneously losing Joy as a musical partner and friend, and potentially losing his wife for his lack of attention and focus on his family. It's important to note that John Paul White has said himself that his lyrics are meant for fans to interpret more into their own lives, than his. Privacy is important to him, and while we don't know what really happened between Joy and John Paul, maybe we can hope that just like in their song, 20 years from now we could see some sort of reconciliation.

18.) "No Way Out" - Warpaint

Warpaint are from Los Angeles and released their latest album, Heads Up, last year. Their sound is dreamy and especially this song features harmonic reverb as a major theme.

19.) "Left Handed Kisses" - Andrew Bird feat. Fiona Apple

Andrew Bird's feature with Fiona Apple is pretty much perfect. He is one of the most talented contemporary musicians and with his 2016 album, Are You Serious, he gets a little more personal, including writing a love song for his wife (swoon!). In an interview with NPR, he discussed major life changes - including marriage, a child, and his wife's battle with cancer.

20.) "Old Friends" - Pinegrove

Emo is making a comeback. While I've been spending time attending emo/pop punk live band karaoke events, Emo Night BK and Emo Nite LA have been touring the country with sold out events. I've been trying to reflect on this re-popularization of the genre of early to mid-00s bands that were made fun of and dismissed. My teenage years thrived on emo. The darkest lyrics spoke to me in a time when depression wasn't really talked about in the mainstream. Now, it does feel a bit silly to scream along to the same intense lyrics that I once cried over, but at the same time there is a sense of nostalgia. As a very drunk Adam Lazarra of Taking Back Sunday told the crowd at the 2015 Taste of Chaos tour, "I was there when you smoked your first cigarette."

But there's more to emo than 40-something majority white dudes screaming about their broken hearts. There are bands that hold a sense of authenticity and talent coming from 90s punk and post-punk influences.

Pinegrove is a band bringing it back to the start. A cross between the new, indie sound and the older, 90s/early 00s emo authenticity. Pinegrove is an incredibly unique band that not only hits indie and emo, but crosses over into folk and americana as well. This blending of genres is what is making artists really begin to stand out to me, as we cross over into the second half of this decade. Check out their 2016 album, Cardinal, here.

21.) "Radio" - Sylvan Esso

I always put a lot of thought into the order of songs on my playlist. What I love about this year's playlist is that Sylvan Esso's "Radio" can perfectly transition back into the first song on the playlist. So make sure your repeat all buttons are on, and I hope you've enjoyed this year's Valentine's Day newsletter!

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SPOTIFY

Don't forget to subscribe to my playlists on Spotify! And if you don't have Spotify yet, get on that shit, it's awesome. Here is the link to listen to this year's mixtape on Spotify

I try to add new songs at least once a week to this playlist. What I'm currently listening to a lot (updated frequently): currently lovin' (updated freq)

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Want More?

I try to update with latest music news, favorites, covers, and live videos and photos from concerts. Follow me for more!

@AiliAmanda - Twitter

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I hope you guys enjoy the new music and feel free to send me recommendations of anything you like!

<3 aili

Previous Mixtapes:

Autumn Love Spotify

Copenhagen Spotify 

Philadephia Spotify

New Crime Spotify

The City Spotify

Drive Spotify

VDay 2012 Spotify

King's Myth Spotify

Hold On Spotify

Vday 2013 Spotify

Vday 2014 Spotify

Vday 2015 Spotify

Vday 2016 Spotify

[buildingpalacesoutofparagraphs]

Writing Block Day Five

worked on: 1950′s Play

If you can’t tell, I’m really good at titles.  

I’ve had this play idea swirling around for a year and I keep tossing something like it around in my head.  I decided today to work on it and see what I can dream up with it, but I have no clue what a good working title would be?  I know they aren’t necessary, but I feel weird sending people works called “Untitled Lesbians” and “Play With Whiskey” (the latter is notably all my plays, but I digress).  It’s important to not really name your work until you’re done with it or until you have to.  I was presenting sections of a play I’d written for a research conference at my college and my professors and I all agreed that “Dumb Lesbians” or “Untitled Lesbians” wasn’t the best name for a play.  I want to point out, however, that my fellow queer friends and my lesbian friends all thought it was the only appropriate name.  So, I went digging in the play itself and it’s compiled playlist and settled on a working title I’m still not mad at: Girl With One Eye.  Taken from the Florence and Machine song with the same title.  The song reflects two characters very specifically and I thought it was the least obvious of the titles I was looking at.  I didn’t want something that directly gave away every theme and the entire plot: Girl With One Eye left some mystery and guessing.  But I had been working on that play for close to six months, had worked through three drafts, and felt I knew the story and the characters.  I’m only just starting this play and I want something to call it by, but giving it a name or nearly a name would make it feel...complete?  Tied down?  But I can’t call it “Play About Mental Illness” or “Play Kind Of Based On My Kind Of Fucked Up Family”.  I don't know why this is bothering me so much or what the point of this rant was, but I guess I want to say that you shouldn’t stress over titles.  Titles should be one of the last things you ever decide on and will take a lot of time to appear.  And, yes, going through several titles before you find one you like is fine.  

The bright side is that I got back on my bullshit and worked on a play and I feel so alive right now.  I started playwrighting a year ago and I can already tell it’s how I do my best work.  I’m really good at dialogue and I know it can be one of my strengths and playwrighting is a great way to showcase that.  Especially with quick, witty dialogue.  It also helps with my inability to sufficiently describe scenes, as I just have to lay the groundwork and describe key actions.  This will ding my other projects where I have to describe everything going on, but it helps me get back into the swing of writing.  

I also wrote for at least forty minutes, probably closer to an hour.  Which is really weird for me right now!  I haven’t written for that long in a good while.  I think it’s because I was back in a mode that I’m comfortable in and know how to work.  It’s the kind of writing my brain does best with, so it was easy to write for that long.  I only stopped because my scene halted.  

With plays, it’s very easy to tell where there’s going to be a change in scene or tone: you’ll stop.  Your characters will stop speaking to you suddenly and you could take that as a hint.  If suddenly your ex-lovers are staring at each other and there’s no more bitter back and forth, maybe they’re signaling some kind of change to you.  Does the scene stop?  Does one of them change the subject?  Does another character enter?  What happened that would not only cause that halt but maybe spice up the scene a little bit?  It’s also worth mentioning that some silent moments are just moments that you need to think on.  You’ll be able to tell when you need something else from a scene.  Write it and add onto it until you’re satisfied.  In moments like these, the best thing to do is close the document (after you save it, ofc) and come back to it with a fresher mind.  

Sage advice related to the above: if you can stop midsentence, that’s even better.  It gives you an exact spot and moment to pick up at when you start writing again.  Give it a try next time you’re writing!  Trust me, it works and gives your brain a much better jumping-off point.  

How are you at coming up with titles?  Do you have any golden, title making advice for me or other writers?  Let me know: I need as much as I can get!

What kind of writing do you think is your best?  Are you curious about the ins and outs of playwrighting, or how to begin playwrighting?  Let me know: I would love to make a post about it!

overall success: I’m gonna go with a nine.  My set descriptions are pretty solid and I paid close attention to making my characters sound like two different people.  I also got quite a bit figured out and done considering I had nothing but four lines of dialogue when I started writing.  

listening to: Lots of Elvis, but if I had to pick I’d say Don’t Be Cruel and Heartbreak Hotel. 

munching on/drinking: More water bc I’m a dehydrated bitch!