#butterfly studio version release day too!!!!

[lalalalamisfit]

happy yuta debut day to everyone who celebrates 🥰

[brokenmachinemusings]

guys idk if anyone else has but i found the link click camera. rolleiflex 2,8f aurum, a special edition. at first i thought it was a regular 2,8f rolleiflex, because most rolleiflex are black and on later models they have a very similar look; 2,8f lenses looked the most similar to link click ones. however, the sphere engraving at the top is throwing me off; maybe it’s a different brand? but that makes no sense, considering it looks like a typical rolleiflex and at the top cheng xiaoshi it literally says “polleiflex” and it has a diamond engraving. (sorry, i don’t know how to call it, i’ll just say engraving.) at the reflection of the sphere TLR (ill call them that, stands for twin-lens reflex, which is the camera type) it does turn into a diamond (if anyone has the blank version of this poster i would be grateful!), which makes me to think it was probably from the messing with timelines? which is a wild guess. but regular butterfly effects occur so much in time travel media, and in link click, too (you just haven’t realized it).

reflections… they typically tell the objective truth, don’t they? it used to be a diamond engraving so typical of most rolleiflex cameras; the logo. yet the meddling of time has skewed even that, and you can’t tell which is real and which is fake. i looked through a list of models; did it again. maybe i missed something. there are NO rolleiflex with a circle. the can spelling out “past or future, let them be” next to said TLR is even more telling. a typical warning label, one that wasn’t followed. even if you try your best, you’re bound to make a mistake or two, and suddenly all of history is altered to the point the logo (and maybe the name?) of a camera production company looks different.

you know, what’s interesting is these cameras are big on the parallax effect. due to the viewfinder being one lens, where you can look through to better capture your photograph (it’s why they were more popular than SLRs at the time, or single-lens reflex cameras), there is bound to be a mistake due to the height. well, not mistake, but the result is slightly altered; slightly skewed from how you perceive it. TLR’s also shoot in 6x6 dimensions; there’s the number 6 again. link click has a lot of repeating numbers, the most of them being especially 8 and 5, and 6 is another one. (let me redirect you to the fact li tianchen’s localized/english name is ‘vi’; not one i’m on-board with, but an interesting choice, considering that is the roman numeral for 6 and you could’ve chosen literally anything else. i’m slowly starting to believe each character has a number associated with them; cheng xiaoshi 8, li tianchen 6, and lu guang likely 5. but maybe it’s the other way around. if you’re curious, my personal belief is that we are currently in the 8th timeline.)

the model of our rolleiflex, K7F aurum, or 2.8f aurum, whichever you prefer to call it, comes out in 1983. cheng xiaoshi was likely born around 2000. well, it says 2000, but it’s unsure if that’s set in stone. which means that was 17 years prior to his birthday; his parents have well been alive at the release of this special camera.

you know what i think? i think it might be a gift, or a heirloom so to say. his parents — while we don’t know which one does more — are obviously working with photography, likely from a young age, just like him. likely bought the camera themselves, or got it gifted from someone close — either way, it ended up in time photo studio, or in cheng xiaoshi’s hands, likely stashed away. you don’t take a special edition camera out to shoot every day, do you?

well, that’s what i’m gathering anyway. it could be that cheng xiaoshi doesn’t even have such a camera — or OUR cheng xiaoshi doesn’t. it’s not explicitly shown in the donghua; like i said, either doesn’t exist yet or is hidden away somewhere. the only problem i find with it not being in cheng xiaoshi’s hands until the time comes; where does he get a rolleiflex aurum? a camera that often goes for around 4k, one that was made a good almost 40 years ago. it’s possible that the camera is meant as a simple metaphor, to represent something in the show… we don’t know what, yet, but this is just speculation.

i tend to end off my rants in a weird note, unable to think of how exactly to formulate that. i apologize in this case. thanks for reading; if you have any thoughts or any way to extend this, feel free to reblog, comment or go to my askbox. leaving the full art/posters at the end here in case anyone wants to look at them. again, if you have the clean version, please please please send it to me

(i think, a really interesting detail of this poster is that li tianchen’s on there. if you look close enough)

[dojaejung]

hi lia!! how about nct u and red velvet? 💞

hi maaike! 💓💓

nct u

1. round&round - i love everyones vocals in this song, i listened to it a lot last year and i'm glad they performed it live at nct nation!

2. baggy jeans - 😭 i really hated this song when it came out but i listened to it a couple of times bc i enjoyed jaehyuns and doyoungs parts, and now i like the song lol

3. without you - i've been listening to without you a lot more in the recent years, it has a nice vibe, it feels like a timeless song, and i feel like the lyrics are pretty nice too?

4. rain day - i love to listen to this song when i want to relax, also moon taeil!

5. n.y.c.t - this song sounds so lovely, i've been listening to it a lot these days. i think the studio version sounds slightly different from when they performed it at the link, and i wish they would release love sign too

special mentions: sweet dream, pado, know now, birthday party, work it, all about you

red velvet

1. queendom - i think a lot of people disliked this song 😭 it sounds so fun though (and to be honest i like it a lot more than the title tracks they have been releasing after it)

2. so good - such a catchy song, like the name says it sounds so good lol

3. time to love - this is my favorite red velvet ballad/slow song

4. on a ride - my favorite from the birthday mini

5. beg for me - one of my current favorites

special mentions: bad boy, umpah umpah, blue lemonade, butterflies, pose

[itsallyscorner]

For Tom x

Pairing: Tom Holland x singer!reader

Summary: You have a surprise for Tom:)

Warnings: none, just pure teeth rotting Fluff:)

A/n: Hello my loves! This is literally a rewrite because I accidentally deleted the original version of this story on Tumblr RIGHT before I was gonna post it😭 Anyway here it is, I hope you all like it! Ally x

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

look at my sunshine🥺

꘎♡━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━♡꘎

Your giggles filled the hallway as you lead Tom into your makeshift studio. Since you were quarantining with him and his mates in their shared home in London, you were miles away from your crew and studio. Which, yes, made it difficult to record an entire album on your own—but it did give you the creative freedom to do whatever you pleased for the album.

The boys had their own creative outlets; for example putting together a puzzle or having a movie marathon. While you found those activities enjoyable, the inner singer in you couldn’t stop thinking of beats or coming up with lyrics in your head. You needed the studio—you needed to bring those beats and lyrics to life before you could forget them. So with the help of the houses’ tech lord himself, Harry made it possible for you to have your own little studio in the spare guest room of the house. There, you spent endless days writing and recording things like harmonies and building melodies. Little did you know that this would lead to the creation of your sixth album. Now a couple months later, your latest album is currently in its final stages and would soon be released to the world.

Tom adoringly watched your figure, which was drowned in one of his oversized jumpers, excitedly skip towards the guest room. As soon as you were both inside, you rushed to close the door and eagerly pushed him to sit on the edge of the bed.

“What have you been up to, lovey?” He teasingly asks you. He knew you were up to something, he just didn’t know if it were bad or good.

Your figure was bent over the desk where your laptop was located. Turning over your shoulder you tell him, “It’s nothing bad, I promise!” You’re met with an amused grin on his blush pink lips.

Gathering your laptop into your arms, you move to sit beside Tom on the bed. He curiously leans forward, trying to get a glance at what’s on your screen.

“Nuh uh, it’s a surprise, Thomas.” You playfully scold him and gently push his face away from your laptop. He responds with a pout against your palm before pressing a kiss onto your skin. You continue to click around on your laptop, looking through your documents for the specific file.

Meanwhile, Tom shuffles further up the bed, getting comfortable. He notices the new distance between you and him and decides that he’s unsatisfied with the additional inches. He choses to snake his arms around your waist and lifts you up, happily placing you on the empty and lonely space on his lap. Laying down on his back, he takes a moment to admire the way you look in his jumper. It was a few sizes bigger than you and stopped right above your knees. The jumper may have looked good on him, but it looked absolutely perfect on you.

“You look so cute in my jumper.” He hums, hands lazily rubbing up and down your thighs. Your nose scrunches up as you lightly slap his chest; your silent way of saying “shut up” whenever Tom would say something that made you blush.

You finally find the file you were looking for and place your laptop on your lap. You nervously glance at your screen, biting down on your lip out of habit.

“Ok, so I did something.” You started. Tom squints his eyes at you, “That sounds like the beginning of a really bad something.”

You huff, “I just told you it wasn’t anything bad! Do you want your surprise or not?”

Tom chuckles and grasps onto your thighs, “Yes—yes, sorry, keep going.”

“So you know how I’ve already finished my album?” You question him. Tom nods, staring up at you while you sit on his thighs.

“Well, I wrote a few more songs that were supposed to be on the album. But I don’t know, I felt a bit greedy and decided to keep them for myself.” You explain. Tom raises a brow at you, “Baby, you don’t have to feel guilty about keeping songs to yourself. If you don’t want to share them, you don’t have to.”

“No, it’s just that, they’re about you.” You pause, staring down at your fingers that fiddled together. “Like I wrote them specifically for you to listen to. I wanted to include them on the album, but it just didn’t feel right to share something that was meant only for you.”

You place your laptop on the bed and turn it so the screen is facing Tom.

“So...as a solution, I made you your own album.” You were too busy avoiding his stare, that you missed the twinkle in Tom’s coffee colored orbs. He carefully sits up, his arms around you getting tighter, as he pulls you closer into his chest. Tom ducks his head down to yours, nudging your nose with his to get you to look at him. When your eyes finally meet, the lopsided grin on his features grows wider.

“You made me my own album?”

“Yeah.” You shyly answer. Tom softly coos at you, cupping your face and pressing a chaste kiss onto both of your cheeks.

“You are the most precious thing in the world, sunshine, I swear.” He squishes your cheeks together and began to cover your face with butterfly like kisses. Sweet laughs erupt from you, the sounds making Tom’s heart swell.

You stuff your face in the space between his neck and shoulder, using it as a place to hide from his lips. Instead, Tom opts to lay his kisses along the side of your face, your neck, and your shoulder.

“Lemme kiss you!” He whines. You chuckle at him, finally moving away from his neck. His attention darts towards your lips more than once, prompting you to lean forward and connect them with his. Tom’s lips were soft against yours, like clouds or cushiony pillows. The kiss was short and sweet; though it didn’t prevent you from feeling the adoration and passion he felt for you in that moment. In fact, he felt it all the time, but right now, his love for you was coursing through his veins.

He finally pulls away, leaving the taste of him linger in your mouth. “Can I have a listen?” He motions his head towards your laptop beside him.

“Go ahead.” Tom’s arms unravel from your waist, the area they once occupied left cold and yearning for his warmth. He uses one of his elbows to hold himself up and the other to control the touchpad. His eyes scan the file.

For Tom x

someone like u

test drive

worst behavior

main thing

He glances at you, “I start with ‘someone like u’, right?” You reply with a quiet “mhm”.

Tom clicks on the link. The opening notes of ‘someone like u’ begin to play followed by your angelic voice. You hear him release a content sigh, making a small smile to form on your lips. His arms make their way around you again, this time holding you closer against him. He rests his head on your chest and sneakily presses a kiss onto your neck. You fondly run a hand through his curly hair and rest your chin on the top of his head, listening to the songs you’ve made for him.

The two of you listen through the album in one go with no stops. You found joy in Tom’s reactions towards every song. Sometimes he would make little comments or sounds of shock whenever he heard you hit a certain note. He nodded along to the beats of ‘test drive’ and ‘worst behavior’, dancing around in his seat and making you join him. This time, you didn’t miss the twinkle in his eyes when he listened closely to the lyrics. ‘Main thing’ got him the most, leaving him with a goofy-lovesick grin plastered onto his face.

When ‘main thing’ came to a close, the room became silent, leaving Tom enough time to process the four songs you wrote about him and the meanings behind them.

You were the first to speak, “So did you like it?” You scan his face looking for any signs of dislike.

Tom’s eyes widen, “Are you kidding me? That was bloody fantastic—that was the most amazing thing I’ve ever heard! I’m obsessed with it, oh my god!” He expressed, arms moving around as he spoke.

His face was radiating with happiness, “You are the most talented and loving woman in the world. And I honestly don’t know what I did to deserve you or your love—but I just love you so fucking much.”

“I love you so fucking much too, you dork.” You laugh, pecking his lips.

“No, but seriously, thank you so much. I know you’re used to writing songs, but the fact that you actually took the time to write songs about me means a lot. They’re just a bunch of songs, but they mean the world to me and I cherish each and every one of them.” He admits, taking one of your hands and placing it onto his heart. Your palm feels the faint rhythm of his heart beating against his chest.

You tilt your head at him, mirroring the smile on his face, “I’ll always write songs about you. You somehow manage to inspire them anyway.”

Tom smirks, “Well I am Tom Holland.” You snort and roll your eyes at his humble brag.

“You’re still a dork, Tommy.” You comment.

Tom shrugs, “I’m a special dork because I’m your dork. Therefore making me superior to the other existing dorks—there’s a difference, darling.”

“And where did you come up with this hypothesis, Mr. Holland?” You question him, playing along with his antics.

“It’s Tom’s Theory.” He answers with feign seriousness. You burst out laughing, “Oh is it?”

Tom leans down to your laptop and restarts his album. “Yes, and now Tom’s Theory, believes that we should listen to the album again until I learn all the lyrics to every single song.” He proclaims.

“Babe, you don’t have to—” Tom stops you, “I’m dead serious.”

It was going to be a long night.

｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆

Tags ↴

*@/username = Tumblr won’t let me tag you :( *

Tom Holland + characters Taglist

↪︎ @lovableparker @aprettyfleur @sunwardsss @dummiesshort @thotforcriminalminds @cuddlykoala101 @itstaskeen @whoslili @white-wolf1940 @tomsirishgirlx @roseke @kaylans-imagines @spideyspeaches @slutforsebstan

General Taglist

↪︎ @quxxnxfhxll @just-here-to-escape-from-reality @thegirlwiththediary @agustdowney @bi-lmg @rqmanoff @sesamepancakes @stardustofreading

[mentesimploria]

It’s already June and god knows what they’re going to do on Señorita 1 year anniversary so I made this whole massive post about SEÑORITA BECAUSE IT’S ABOUT LAUREN JAUREGUI AND CAMILA IS GAY

Her interview to Variety:

"So finally we're just 'you know what? no pressure, let's just get in the studio. Let's finalize and see how we feel about it.’ Then two weeks later we made the music video"

Her interview to Vogue:  

Her interview to E!News:

They've come up with an answers for every question related to when they recorded the song, who came up with the concept of the song, when they decided to do another song together etc

Her answers were always short: it took eight months so that both of us agreed to do the song. 'When I wanna do it, he didn't wanna do it and then we went back and forth for months'. So this was a short lie, you don't wanna say too much and take the risk of being caught in a lie.  Another thing: she never said exactly when they recorded the song or shot the music video. Why? 1. too much details that could've been easily forgotten. 2. They were ok with people wondering if she cheated on Matthew or not. You don't like Camila? Well, she cheated on her boyfriend with Shawn Mendes. You like her? No one knows when they recorded the song, they could’ve recorded it on June. 3. Camila sucks at lying, she always forget what she's supposed to say. An example: she started saying they shot the music video two weeks after they recorded the song, then she changed her mind and it was one week and a half after then it was just only one week after.

If any of it was true, she wouldn't have forgotten when they made the music video. to sum up: They want you to think they made the music video on June. They didn’t spend eight months working on the song, in fact, they wrote and recorded it in less than a month. 

Now let’s see Shawn’s version: On June 24 a fan asked Shawn how was the process of making Señorita, his answer was pretty much the same as Camila’s: 

“it took us so long to make the song. I mean, the song was done and there was a point where Camila didn’t wanna do it there was a point where I didn’t wanna do it” “it was like ten months of this back and forth (...) and then finally, out of nowhere, literally like 3 weeks before the song came out we were like ‘let’s go to the studio and sing the song together and see how it feels’”

According to Shawn, they finalized the song two weeks before it came out. Señorita came out June 21 and on June 12 Shawn was back touring, so that means they finalized and made the music video some time between June 1 and June 11. On May 27 Camila and Shawn got papped together but we can’t say that’s when they decided to go to the studio and see if they would finish the song or not because two days later he was in Toronto. Another thing: the last time Camila and Matthew were seen together was on May 14.

Now let’s talk about the co-writers version (August 12):

They came up with the idea then their first thought was: why don’t we send it to shawn mendes like he’s gonna love it camila who

They sent it to Shawn and he only wanted to do it with Camila pois não é o seu lugar de fala

 Charli XCX forgot what she was supposed to say when asked about Señorita (October 21) :B

so many lies

Early this year Charli XCX gave another interview and this time she was smart and kept her answers shorter although she messed up a little bit by saying she, at first, didn’t know Shawn and Camila were involved in the song.

 So this is the part I wanted to talk about: when they came up with the concept and recorded Señorita. 

 I don’t know exactly when Camila recorded Dream of You and Living Proof, but it was some time between November 2018 and January 2019. I don’t think Camila was in the studio on February, she had the rehearsals for the Grammys and after that she went to Dubai. When she came back she had to go to the Rodeo Houston. She was back at the studio during  this time  So she could’ve started to work on Señorita on March, I don’t have any proof of it though, I know she was at the studio with Ali Tamposi on March, but that doesn’t mean anything since Ali Tamposi co-wrote most of her songs.

Watt said something to the Billboard interview that helped me to figured it out when they recorded the song:

This was on April 7. That means they were already working on Señorita, but since Camila was at the studio in Miami (probably recording This Love) on April, I’ll assume they were working on Señorita in the end of March and were going to finish it when Watt came back from London. 

It didn’t take them too long to finish it considering Camila started to record Liar and shoot the music video right after, and when finished, she worked on Bad Kind of Butterflies, went to Italy, came back and recorded Shameless on May 15. 

I doubt that they finished the song on May, Shawn was promoting If I Can’t Have You in New York and when he went to L.A they had to: come up with the concept of the music video + rehearsals  + shoot the music video. 

And when was that? if you watch Señorita Behind The Scenes Video you’ll see that they had two days of rehearsals and then recorded it in two days. It has to be before May 29 (Shawn was in Toronto) and after May 15 (Shawn was in NY) So it has to be some time between May 16 and May 28. On May 24, Camila posted this on her instagram:

Look at her clothes :B Also, it looks like they were in a trailer, right?    Last day of shooting the Señorita MV:

It didn’t take them eight months to record the song. Ali Tamposi, watt and Charli XCX didn’t come up with the idea. They didn’t record it on June. “we went back and forth for months” is bullshit. Camila recorded Feel it Twice on January, that means: once they accepted on doing a PR together, they knew they had release a song together on June.  Shawn didn’t write the song. Camila’s a genius. 

[zebraslovescupcakestoo]

My BLUSH BLUSH wish list.

For those who likes the game, fan of the game or anything in between, I wanted to share my thoughts and what I wanted from the game in future updates.

Of course this is just MY thoughts, MY imaginations and just MY wish list so if you disagree, that’s OK! You can just leave what you wanted instead in the comments or in my ask box. I am open to what you have to say. So let’s go right into it:

1. Ugly Christmas Sweaters

Yes, I know I’ve posted this here after I made a screen shots of my conversations in the Steam community, but after the debut and full release of the game, we got up to date 2 DLC characters, voice audios, and a Halloween costume bundles. So if they came up with a special Christmas costume bundle, it would make me up for 2020!

In their older sister game predecessor, Crush Crush, all of their dateable girls have the Santa suit options after you max out their lover levels. (10 diamonds each.) Even though they’ve alternated each of their red Santa style suits, they’re pretty much the same.

Don’t get me wrong! They’re beautiful, but almost the same!

So that’s why if we get UGLY CHRISTMAS SWEATERS instead, it would be more festive and think of how some would match their characteristics like for example: Imagine Nihm with a cute pastel colored sweater or Ichiban with a horror reference video parody. (Or imagine a certain guy with a Grinch vibe with a ‘Merry go f#k yourself’ ugly sweater.) 

2. A new Diamond Boy bundle!

If you have an account with Crush Crush and you played long enough, you already know that there’s the Darya DLC bundle that gives you diamonds on the first run. (The bundle was 15 US dollars.)

So for this, I hope that the Sad Panda team studio would do the same in this game.

I have a few good ideas about what animal forms it could be before you un-curse them:

-A Pokémon knock off of Cloyster and probably friends with that Narcissistic mermaid on the phone fling. They have pearls that looks fabs!

-A dolphin if an Oyster isn’t ‘Shelling’ enough for you nor the others. Think about a treasure hunting dolphin like Ariel who’s collecting human treasures.

-A raccoon thief inspired by the Sly Cooper video games series. This was on PS2 series and had a remake later but this would be an interesting Easter egg reference. (Maybe add some Arsene Lupin reference to ‘compliment’ the detective phone boy fling.) *Wink wink!*

-I found this interesting when I search this topic but an Owl, specifically white barn owls, with ties of Hindu myth symbol of Wealth and Fortune. I’ll leave the link here if you’re interested, but this is like if Sascha was looking for him before scamming...

-A peacock! Think how back in time when you in one of the banquet Henry the 8th hosted and this was served. This was a symbol of pride and luxury so only rich people can have these.

If you have any alternatives references, please let me know in the comments or ask box if you have an ideal diamond bundle manimal and what’s their story. I would love to know and share!

3. Ideal Animal!!!

We all know how a basic Blush Blush dating game is by now: You found their animal forms, you un-cursed them by dates and they’re back to humans again. (For a good humping DLC d!k pic.) We all see that it can be either a real or a fantasy animal like a rabbit to a dragon. So here’s MY idea of the next animal:

-Marine Manimal options!

I’ve said this previously, but all of the guys so far are land animals. I would understand if it’s a bit hard to do, especially with dating scenes, but if it works, I’ll sing Part Of Your World whenever I want!

My personal options are a Dolphin, Shark, Orcas AKA sea pandas, Octopus, Lobster, Crab and Oyster.

-Bird Manimal!

The only bird species we have there at the time is Kelby as a Rooster.

So for the feathered fans of the bird community, MY personal options would be an Owl, Peacock, Hawk, Eagle, Seagal, Ostridge, a Kiwi (bird) (Yes, they’re called like that in New Zealand.) Duck, Parrot, Toucan, Pidgeon or Dove, Crane or any domestic pet birds.

I would like an honorable mention of a crow or raven but since the first phone fling boy winner is the college student goth Poe, there’s a high chances that’s gonna be our second bird at high predictions. But I could be wrong so we’ll see how this would turn out.

-Insect Manimal!

I know that there will be some that would disagree that ‘ThAT’s Not An ANImal CataGory!’ which I could agree. HOWEVER! Since the game creators broke that rule with fantasy creatures like a Pegasus and a Dragon, I thought maybe we can bend that rule a bit.

MY personal insect options would be a Scorpion, a Spider, a Bee, Butterfly, a ‘manly’ Ladybug inspired by Pixar’s A Bug’s life, Praying Mantis, Cricket inspired by Jiminy Cricket  and a Beetle. 

Imagine the last one inspired by either the rock band ‘The Beatles’ or ‘Beetlejuice.’

-Land Manimals!

So going back to land animals, here’s MY personal options that hasn’t been done yet.

A Raccoon, Squirrel, Elephant, Barn Pig, Zebra, Bat, Mice, Fox, Monkey, Turtle (Which COULD have been in the marine instead, but they’re are some in land forms too!) Koala, Kangaroo, Bear, Frog, Donkey, Buck (Adult Bambi) and Lizard.

I would add an honorable mentions or a domesticated Dog or a Cat breed, but we already have a Wolf and 2 Big Cat Boys on the team with DLC. (A Lion would be a nice option, but only if it’s the magical 3 times the charm!)

-Fantasy Manimal.

I’m not entirely sure cause Pegasus and Dragons are already taken, but would think that maybe just a Horned Unicorn, a Loch Nest creature inspired ‘Animal’ or maybe the Eastern version of the Dragon.

Imagine the last one being true and Scales got a rival!

If you have other suggestions, please share if you want.

4. Ideal Manimal characteristics that hasn’t been done yet.

We have some that has characteristic that defines themselves. Nihm’s a shy, cute guy. Eli’s a Bi pride boy. Dmitri is a Smooth talker adult. Anon’s technology attributes.

So for this category, here’s MY personal ones that hasn’t been done yet.

-A Boxing or Kung Fu fighter type.

-Italian Mafia/Gangster or a Yakuza

-Chef or a Baker

-Artist

-Demon (Unless we get Seth or a different guy.)

-Business men or CEO.

-Soldier or Army Officers. 

-Car/Motor/Boat Racer.

-Thief. (Arene Lupin, Sly the thief raccoon or Joker from P5 references.)

If there’s something else that hasn’t been done or that I haven’t posted it, please share with me what you think.

5. Outfit ideas!

I know this would be like a continuation from point numero uno, but here’s a couple of more.

-Swimming trunks.

-Winter apparels. 

-Onesies Animal wear. (Cuz if we don’t get the Animal Options asides resets...)

-Summer apparels.

-Masquerade attire or wedding tuxedo.

-Pajamas.

If there’s more you wanted, again, please share.

6. MORE INCLUSIVITY IN EVERY FORMS!!!

The reason being is when I saw the reviews on the selected winner from Phone vote fling in Blush Blush.

On one hand, there were people who were happy while the rest... aren’t.

I know we all have different taste of either ‘I like cute boys’ or ‘I want a REAL man!’ but that got me thinking... and maybe if we can see guys in different skin tones or different cultures, that could be a nice inclusivity.

Imagine a Native from Southern America with a poncho or a real buff African who’s passionate with animals.

But what would you think? Let me know if this is a good idea or needs to rethink.

7. New dating places.

Like their counter part, they only have 4 date spots. So here’s a few more that would help change the scenery:

-The Beach.

-Theatre (But only showing the front, not the silhouettes.)

-Revisiting the same zoo and meet their counter parts.

-Ice cream shop or cart near the park.

-Their bedrooms. (plausible having the uncensored DLC alternate versions too...)

If you have a separate dating options, share that with me too!

8. Daily spin the wheel prizes.

Hear me out on this one! You probably seen these on numerous Gaming apps in any form, but if you think about it, this could be a nice change of pace!

In each chances, you can either get a boosters from Jobs or hobbies, Diamonds, exclusive outfits, or time skips.

What’s more, you’d get 1 free spin by daily and maybe get an extra 4 more for like 5 diamonds each. (like phone votes.)

9. Decorate your virtual room.

This is only an optional and unrelated to the game. (much..)

If you’d get the option to decorate your in-game room like plushies, posters, BF jackets that was ‘lend’ to you, you’d wanted IT in RL too!!! Also, it would also boost your intimacy's with your manimal such as love hearts intakes or ‘spend less on items with this!’

And this is all I have suggested for now.

If you have other suggestions on what you wanted in that game or update it, please let me know and we can share it here!

Thank you for taking your time to read this and have a wonderful day!

[taehyung-rambles]

Best BTS Vocal Takes: Early 2021 Edition (Up to Butter)

This post is gonna look like a full ass mess, I’m gonna tell you right now.

So, I’m kind of obsessed with BTS’s vocals; I don’t know if that’s, like, an unpopular opinion or anything, but I’m here to talk about it. What I’m looking at here are BTS’s vocal takes. In this context, a vocal take is a section of a song that a member or members sing, and the ones I’m listing are the best of the best (not iconic, mind you; iconic doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best vocal take ever. This also isn’t about how good the melody for song is; it’s about the vocal quality). This is all in my opinion, of course, so I’m just picking what stands out to me. A few things to bear in mind: 

This is based off of my personal BTS playlist, so not all of BTS’s songs are considered because I don’t listen to every single BTS song.

The links that are on the timestamps mark the beginning of the vocal take; you’ll have to note the ending time yourself and pay attention when listening to the song because Tumblr doesn’t let us embed audio into a text post. Sometimes the timestamp will start in the middle of a member’s verse and only include a small part. Don’t worry about it. I mean what I say, and the tiny parts are the parts that I want to look at sometimes. Also, the videos linked are all lyric videos, so the timestamps come from those videos specifically. Some of the videos don’t assign the lyric to the correct member (like saying Jin sung Jungkook’s part or whatever), but I’ve corrected for it in my post.

Not every song has an extraordinary vocal take. Also, some songs will list the first of many times the member sings a specific melody because all the vocal takes are the same; in that case, I’m talking about every time the member sings that part. However, sometimes the vocal takes are different despite it being the same member and the same line; in that case, I will clarify that I mean “Taehyung’s second chorus” or whatever.

I think all the members sound 110% amazing at all times, but this post is to find the times where they sound so good that it could be considered some of their best vocals ever.

This doesn’t include the live interpretations of the songs as BTS sometimes rearrange their songs for live versions. It also doesn’t include self-released songs (sorry, Sweet Night; I wish I could include you, too); it’s just including BTS songs, though that does include solo songs released under BTS.

As this is based solely on studio recordings, I still consider vocal takes that are highly edited and processed if they sound amazing. It may not be how they sound live because they don’t use the effect on their vocals live, but the way the vocal take turned out in the studio still makes it one of their best vocal takes ever.

On some of these songs, I went in. Some songs have so many vocal take examples that I should’ve just said “the whole song,” so be prepared.

Some songs are gonna have statements like “this member did the best with this melody,” and that doesn’t mean I dislike other members who sing the same part; I just think that specific member stood out to me more. I promise that, for every song I say Jimin sang the melody the best, there’s another song where I say Jin sang the melody the best.

My bias 100% does get in the way. Taehyung’s vocals always stand out to me the most, so naturally, I find more exceptional vocal takes with his solos.

That being said, all the members mean a lot to me, and they all have representation on this list because they all kill it. And, again, even though this post is for the best of the best, BTS is already the best there is.

Share your opinions with me in the replies. All of us listen to different combinations of BTS songs, and all of us like different parts of the same songs. Maybe some of your biases will get in the way of your opinions, but that’s the fun of loving BTS. Anyway, this post will look like a hot mess and be long as shit because BTS has a fat ass discography, so we’re just going to have to do our best. If you don’t want to look through this whole thing, I suggest you just skim for a specific song or member. (P.S. I’m not trying to say a whole bunch of shit about every vocal take because that’d leave me dead before we hit the Dope era, so hopefully, this’ll be shorter than you think).

Attack on Bangtan

Namjoon & Yoongi [0:08-0:15] - No shade to Hobi here, but the way Namjoon and Yoongi do the “jingyeokhae bang.tan.sonyeondancheoreom” is fire. Namjoon is all calm, and then Yoongi comes in with a really whiny, brassy version of that line, and it’s awesome.

Paldogangsan

Jimin [0:14-0:18] - Jimin doesn’t sound like Jimin in this section of Paldogangsan, but he does sound super cool. He’s got an almost speech-like tone to his voice, and it sounds really good against Namjoon’s vocal.

Hobi [1:31-1:41] - Hobi doesn’t do this often, where he intentionally highlights the over-animation, nasality, and grit in his voice, but it stood out so much in this song.

Boy in Luv

Taehyung [0:13-0:24] - He just kills this hook, doesn’t he? The growl, the grit. Iconic.

Jungkook [0:25-0:35] - I’m gonna say it: this is Jungkook’s best rap verse ever. No offense to his earlier and later work, but this slaps.

Namjoon [0:41-0:47] [2:14-2:16] - In Namjoon’s first vocal take, it’s the vocal breaks, for me--like, the little hitches in his pitch at the end of his phrases. For the second, it’s the animation. He’s so colorful in that second vocal take, and it’s some of the best stuff he’s done.

Yoongi [1:57-2:08] - Look, Yoongi’s whole verse slaps, but this last half is such a vibe. And that “ow!” at the end is ecstasy.

SPINE BREAKER

Taehyung [1:06-1:17] [1:22-1:27] - I know it’s not much, but doesn’t his voice, like, make this song? It does include the effect on his vocal, but it blends so well with the natural depth of his voice, and it sounds badass.

JUMP

Taehyung [0:59-1:16] - I mean, how could I not include “nuga naruel magado”? This is one case where iconic does equal awesome because Taehyung’s delivery of this line is such that no one could do it better.

Danger

Jungkook [1:24-1:28] - It’s literally one line, I understand, but do you hear that static he puts onto his voice when he sings the “uh”? Beacuse it’s dangerous.

Jimin [1:28-1:36] - I’m putting it down that this is one of Jimin’s best vocal takes, even to this day, periodt. His voice is deep, but he slides up into a yippy sound, and it’s 100%.

War of Hormone

Namjoon [0:20-0:40] - Can I say this is one of BTS’s best rap verses, let alone one of Namjoon’s? Did I just say that? Well, there it is.

Taehyung [1:34-1:39] - I don’t know why this one part of War of Hormone reads better than the rest of Taehyung’s parts (even though he slays in this song regardless), but I think it’s that the melody moves upward one the “choego” part, and Taehyung still growls when he does that, so it sounds really good.

Hold Me Tight

Taehyung [1:15-1:29] - You can say what you want about Taehyung’s vocal agility back then and now, but the fact of the matter is, he nailed the vocal run in this vocal take, and it sounds fire.

Jimin [3:45-3:59] - Ah, Park Jimin. Every time he comes in on a song like this with his brassy falsetto, I die. His high note in this is absolutely stunning, but so is are his vocals leading up to it.

DOPE

Jungkook [0:19-0:22] [1:36-1:38] - The first vocal take is... I don’t know; the way Jungkook delivers it is perfect. Speaking of perfect, why is specific way Jungkook sings “jjeoreo” so satisfying? Do you know?

Hobi [0:53-0:56] - This is a sound that Hobi is really brilliant at producing, and that’s what he did here. What a king.

Boyz With Fun

Yoongi [0:47-0:51] - He just sounds cute, okay? No, but this is the exact type of animation in Yoongi’s voice that always works. It’s a style he found that always produces gold, and it’s awesome in Boyz With Fun.

Taehyung [1:57-2:05] - I’m telling you, there’s something about Taehyung going up in pitch while he’s growling that makes his vocal takes slap. Also, the amount of growl in his voice for this song is extra special, you know?

RUN

Hobi [1:40-1:47] - This verse is so vibey. I don’t really like RUN that much, but Hobi sounds so good because he’s got that groovy vocal tone, you know? On top of the melody, I think this is one of Hobi’s catchier verses.

Jimin [3:04-3:07] - So, this is during Jungkook’s line, but Jimin harmonizing in the back is so pretty. It’s the exact type of piercing vocal that stands out in a good way, and Jimin does really well in that wheelhouse.

Butterfly

Taehyung [0:14-0:25] [2:34-2:47] - So, the first take here is absolutely gorgeous because Taehyung’s vocals sound really delicate, but the second take is listed because he uses his full voice. The second take is the second time he sings in the chorus, and I like it a lot better than the first because it’s more of a belt and less breathy; that specific take is beautiful to listen to.

Jungkook [0:51-0:57] - I’m not gonna lie; sometimes Jungkook’s voice is a bit too clean. Sometimes there’s not a whole lot of texture going on. However, in this vocal take, he’s adding breath, he’s adding vocal cries, he’s adding vocal cracks; it’s perfect for the song, and it sounds absolutely amazing.

Jin [2:09-2:20] - Jungkook made fun of both Jin and Taehyung in this song--which is a funny meme--but I thought both of them fit the concept of Butterfly to a T, and this specific vocal take is an example of that. Jin sounds like he’s out of breath, which would usually be bad, but it works in Butterfly, and it’s become one of the best moments in the song.

Whalien 52

Jungkook [1:06-1:15] - This is one of those songs where a really clean vocal is as close to perfect as it can get, and Jungkook’s tone sounds stunning here.

Ma City

Namjoon [0:15-0:28] - Namjoon had this melody again in Ma City, but the way he delivers it in the beginning is so fire because it’s overly animated and subdued at the same time. I don’t know if that makes sense, but Namjoon sounds super cool in this vocal take.

Jin & Jimin [1:11-1:18] - Jin just sounds good here, right? He doesn’t have vocal takes like this often because he usually gets softer parts of songs, and it’s not like this is a gritty vocal take, it’s just that Jin had a bit more bass to his voice here, you know? I stuck him and Jimin together because Jimin sings literally right after Jin, and splitting them up would’ve been dumb. Jimin singing “Ma cityro wa” is one of the vibiest things I’ve ever heard. That is all.

BAEPSAE

Namjoon [0:10-0:22] - But Namjoon sounds so cool saying “baepsae”? It’s, like, a little whispery? And he really hammers that “e” vowel? It all sounds awesome?

Taehyung [0:56-1:07] - I didn’t think I was gonna put this down--which, this serves to mark both times Taehyung sings this part--but Taehyung intentionally puts a bit of a cry into his voice to make his vocal crack, and it really works well with the beat of this song.

Jungkook [1:29-1:33] [2:41-2:52] - So, the first one is a nice, little vocal run from Jungkook, but it’s one of the most satisfying ones I’ve heard him do. The second one is a short rap verse, and it’s on of my favorite Jungkook vocal takes ever. It’s such a fun verse, and he really pushes his vocal to add as much character as possible.

Jimin [3:24-3:27] - Jimin on a high harmony like this is always awesome, but this one is particulary satisfying, to me.

FIRE

Yoongi [0:08-0:09] [0:36-0:47] - I know we all know that Yoongi’s opening line is one of most iconic things he’s ever done, but I had to list it. Now, his rap verse--and I mean this honestly--is one of my favorite BTS rap verses to this day. The sheer animation in his voice. Yoongi killed this song in more ways than one, y’all.

Hobi [0:27-0:36] - Hobi’s verse is iconic for all the same reasons Yoongi’s is. Animated vocals, amazing vocal texture, brilliant delivery; it’s all aces.

Jimin [0:56-1:05] - “Errbody say la la la la la” is catchy and all, but can we acknowledge that Jimin’s voice is actually what makes it sound so good?

Taehyung [1:13-1:17] - This is, like, the eyecatch of the whole song. Other than Yoongi’s opening line, Taehyung’s line made this song what it is. And nobody can deliver this line like Taehyung can. It’s definitely one of his most memorable vocal takes.

Namjoon & Hobi [1:35-1:44] - Namjoon’s verse is good, but it’s this specific part where he and Hobi trade off that it becomes an incredible vocal take for both of them because their vocal characteristics match up so well.

Jin [2:24-2:33] - I had to get Jin in here somewhere because he got to use a deeper part of his voice while still going up to that beautiful falsetto note, and it’s, no pun intended, fire.

EPILOGUE: Young Forever

Hobi [1:10-1:18] - Hobi’s verse in this song is great, but this ending bit is the shit that hits you really hard. The way he delivers it, and the fact that the music stops, makes it the best part of this song. Period.

GOOD DAY

Jin [1:24-1:33] [4:08-4:19] - Don’t ask me why Jin always slays Japanese songs. I don’t know, either, but his soft vocal in Good Day is perfect for the atmosphere that song is trying to produce, and because of that, it’s gotta be one of Jin’s best vocal takes.

Namjoon [2:34-2:45] - Give Namjoon more parts like this 2k21 because, I swear, y’all, when Namjoon sings, it’s always gonna be one of his best vocal takes.

Taehyung & Jungkook [3:13-3:16] [3:23-3:26] - In the first vocal take, the way their vocals blend on “’til the end of life” with the extra swell of the backing vocal? Please. I can’t tell if it’s more than just Taehyung and Jungkook, but it sounds amazing. The second vocal take is Jungkook’s high note, but Taehyung underneath him on the harmony makes it sound so warm? BigHit, where the fuck is my Taekook subunit?

Blood Sweat & Tears

Jimin [0:04-0:14] - This is meant to reference all the times Jimin sings this melody, but doesn’t his vocal type just fit this song? He sounds amazing because he got to be the vocal center of this song.

Namjoon & Jungkook [0:45-0:56] - This would qualify as one of Namjoon’s best vocal takes, even without Jungkook, but Jungkook comes in and completes it really well with his smooth vocal, so it becomes epic for both of them.

Taehyung [1:06-1:16] - Alright, I love how Taehyung sounds in this song regardless because his vocal sounds so fragile, and it’s gorgeous. However, this timestamp is for this chorus only and not his second because, when he comes down from the vocal run, he adds static on his voice, and it’s sexy, y’all.

Hobi [1:27-1:47] - We weren’t getting out of this without mentioning “wonhae manhi manhi.” No, but, it’s not because it’s iconic; it’s because Hobi sounds so damn good with the way he delivered this line.

Stigma

Taehyung [2:35-3:18] - This is our first solo song, and I’m not gonna waste time because I honestly think this entire song is some of Taehyung’s best work vocally. However, if I’m picking out a moment, it’s everything from the bridge onwards because his control of his falsetto register is beautiful, and the brassy sound he chose for the jazzy tone of this song was genius. Genuinely, this is one of the best songs on any BTS album.

Awake

Jin [2:48-3:13] [3:24-3:29] - I’m being picky here, too, so I don’t have to say “the whole song.” The first vocal take of him singing the bridge is so pretty, and the second is his high note because holy shit, the vocal tone he had on that note was stunning.

Spring Day

Namjoon [0:17-0:35] - Look, I say “fuck yeah, give Hobi more parts in Spring Day besides just singing in the background,” but it is such a shame that Namjoon doesn’t sing this part live. This is, without a doubt, in the list for Namjoon’s top three vocal tracks. He sounds phenomenal. Oh my goodness; he sounds like an absolute angel.

Jimin [0:53-1:01] - Ah! Jimin is absolute master of knowing when to add vocal cracks, and he nails it in Spring Day. Like, Namjoon’s part gets me primed to cry, and Jimin’s part is where I lose it.

Jin [2:23-2:31] [4:12-4:30] - I don’t know if you guys get what I mean, but Jin has a specific tone when he sings, so he sounds very Jin. It worked so well in these vocal takes because it was pure emotion. Jin outdid himself in Spring Day vocally.

Taehyung [2:58-3:27] - Y’all can fight me in the replies all you want, but Taehyung could be the main vocalist of BTS in songs like this. The fact that his voice is still deep on this vocal take while also being delicate, but also full, is amazing. The texture on his voice in this take is beautiful. I picked the second chorus he sang because he was more belty on it than in the first, but this whole song is a win for Taehyung. This also includes his part in the bridge, which is one of the best vocal takes in BTS by far. Vocalists and the rap line included. I mean, the vocal crack alone.

Jungkook & Jimin [3:32-3:36] - This is in the top ten best harmonies by BTS. Fight me in the replies. I mean, please; they sound absolutely angelic together.

Taehyung & Jimin [4:07-4:11] - This is, like, a money piece in this song, and Jimin’s vocal is what makes it that way. That being said, having Taehyung underneath him makes it so much better.

Not Today

Yoongi [0:17-0:27] - It’s the fact that Yoongi used his vocal tone so well, you know? I’m gonna stop here because I’ve been talking too much, but Yoongi really said, “Watch me own this song.”

Jungkook [1:07-1:09] - I know this is a tiny part, but doesn’t Jungkook do it so well? Doesn’t he sound amazing?

Namjoon [1:44-1:53] - You know, Namjoon has got a deep voice, and when he uses it on verse with so much onomatopoeia, it really sticks out. It’s almost like ASMR, the way he chose to deliver his verse here.

A Supplementary Story: You Never Walk Alone

Hobi [0:46-0:59] - Hobi sounds so pretty in this vocal take. The way he sings, it’s almost like listening to a solo in a gospel choir. It’s so soothing and emotional. Honestly, it’s probably the best part of this song.

DNA

Taehyung [0:16-0:30] [2:49-2:56] - Is this era when the widespread Taehyung bias took hold? Because I think it is. For all we talk about Taehyung’s deep vocal tone, this is one of only a handful of BTS songs where he’s actually singing in a low register since he’s normally singing in a tenor register. He sounds like honey in DNA. I always love Taehyung, but there will always be something special about him coming out in DNA and saying, “I’m a baritone, bitch, ain’t you knew?”

Hobi [0:30-0:37] [3:23-3:26] - Hobi invented the phrase “a vibe” with his verse. He’s doing animation, he’s doing stylization, he’s doing different vocal tones. And the “la la la la la la’s” at the end? Please.

Yoongi [1:32-1:39] - It’s like Yoongi using his husky voice that you hear more in darker songs or with his mixtapes in a high energy pop song is devastating, you know?

Jungkook [1:47-1:50] - Yo, Hobi is one version of vibey, but isn’t the way Jungkook does this one line hella vibey, too? I love it when Jungkook does this with his voice because it’s a type of vocal tone for pop music that he doesn’t do often, and it always sounds amazing when he does.

Best Of Me

Jin [0:17-0:24] - Jin vocal tone sounds really good on this track, and I don’t understand why it’s so different? Like, he sounds like Jin with a bit of Jungkook mixed in. It’s an incredible vocal take because of the way Jin chose to use his voice.

Taehyung [0:25-0:33] - It’s like... this is the exact vocal tone that kills in songs like this. I absolutely love when Taehyung’s voice sounds like it’s about to crack into falsetto because it makes the vocal so emotional.

Yoongi [1:19-1:28] - Y’all remember when Jungkook sang this part because Yoongi was still recovering from his shoulder surgery? I sobbed. Anyway, Yoongi sounds really soothing here. I know he makes fun of his own singing voice, but he’s able to add the same tone into his singing as he does with his rap, and it translates so well. This is one of the few times he’s done it, so I love this vocal take. It’s, hands down, the best part of Best of Me.

Dimple

Taehyung [0:08-0:13] [0:56-1:01] [2:01-2:05] [3:03-3:05] - Don’t @ me for my Taehyung bias, alright. Listen, this shit came out in 2017, but I could swear 2021 Kim Taehyung is the one singing. His tone sounds gorgeous. He’s got that low adlib at the end, too. He shared a couple lines in this with Jungkook, but I wish we’d been able to hear Taehyung more because it’s one of those genres that Taehyung just nails.

Jimin [0:30-0:34] [0:42-0:49] - This is in a lower key when compared to the rest of BTS’s stuff, right? Listen, Jimin’s lower register doesn’t go all that low, but when he sings lower in his personal range, he sounds so interesting to listen to. That’s why these two vocal takes are some of my favorites from Jimin.

Jin [1:27-1:31] [2:57-3:02] - Jin may be the king of high notes, but he usually sounds pretty thin when he goes up high. In this song, however, he sounded so full, and it was so nice. I love Jin’s tone normally, but woo, Dimple was doing things for him. That adlib at the end was one of the best vocal takes I’ve heard from Jin.

Jungkook [2:21-2:34] - Jungkook always has this nice, full-textured high notes in the studio, which is nice because he’s another one that goes really thin when he sings high notes live. The high note in Dimple is so satisfying to listen to. Beyond that, though, the way he begins this line by almost sighing out of his head voice is so pleasing.

Pied Piper

Namjoon [0:40-0:45] - He just sounds vibey; I don’t know what else to say. To say it’s one of Namjoon’s best vocal takes ever may be a stretch, but the transition between his rap tone and his singing tone is beautiful to me.

Jin [1:00-1:03] [2:44-2:54] - Jin’s got that full tone I love in this song again. These particular takes showcase how nice his vocal tone can be. Especially his breathy head voice.

Taehyung [1:04-1:07] [2:55-3:05] - So, I think the tone of Pied Piper was handcrafted for Taehyung’s voice, for real. The melody and the lyrics are begging for a sensual vocal, and because Taehyung delivered it the way he did, it came out amazingly. Even Taehyung’s head voice has a lot of depth to it on the chorus.

MIC Drop

Hobi [0:28-0:50] - If we’re gonna bring up the best BTS rap verses, this one is front and center. Hobi’s tone on this track is insanely fun to listen to because he really goes for that whiny sound that compliments the lyrics perfectly.

Yoongi [0:50-1:13] [1:44-1:46] - I mean, Yoongi’s got the best parts of MIC Drop, too; hands down, this is one of his best verses. I love when Yoongi chooses a higher-pitched tone--and he goes whiny in this song, too--to drive home sassy lyrics, and it slaps in MIC Drop. And that second take... I mean, why does Yoongi on the “bal bal joshim neone mal mal joshim” line devastate?

Jimin [1:24-1:29] [3:48-3:52] - The first take is kind of also about the effect on Jimin’s vocal, but both the first and second takes are fire for him because he adds character into his voice. It’s just short of adding grit to it, but it works so well.

Jungkook [1:18-1:23] - Okay, the reason the “how you think ‘bout that” part is here and not the “did you see my bag” part is because Jungkook yips more on the “how you think ‘bout that” line, and it’s amazing.

Namjoon [2:09-2:20] - I understand that this is about the effect on Namjoon’s voice, and I don’t care. It turned out so well on top of the slight growl in Namjoon’s vocal, and I stan this as one of his finest moments.

Taehyung [2:26-2:31] [2:43-2:48] [3:23-3:28] - I will die on the hill of Taehyung being the best vocalist in rap-heavy songs. The grit in his voice is the perfect accompaniment to offset the rappers. I really think this song was a win for him all around. Like, legit, Taehyung is sliding up into a yip all throughout this song, and yet his vocal always has bass. How in the hell? That’s the magic of his vocal in this song.

Jin [2:37-2:43] [3:17-3:23] - The second take of the first timestamp just hits different. It’s subtle, but the added umph Jin put in his voice elevated it a lot. Also, Jin’s low voice at the end is perfection.

Go Go

Jimin [0:13-0:25] [1:19-1:23] - Jimin hits different in this song. He has hella animation in Go Go. Like, he sounds like a full ass crow in that second vocal take, and it slaps? Someone explain?

Hobi [0:27-0:34] - Animation is the theme of this song--which is the product of the lyrics--and the way Hobi does it is one of the best examples of him using this tone.

Yoongi [0:52-0:56] - Yoongi sounds like a bird, too, y’all. And it’s still so pleasant to listen to. Please tell me how this is one of Yoongi’s best lines ever.

Taehyung [1:53-2:05] - Deadass, I nearly hated this verse because it’s so over the top, but fam, the animation in Taehyung’s vocal is iconic. Nobody does it like Kim Taehyung, I tell you what. He hits way different on this track. This is my favorite part of Go Go now. He stepped into the rap line in Go Go with this shit, and I want more of it. Let Taehyung sound like a whole ass cartoon character again, please.

SEA

Taehyung [4:52-5:04] - I can’t express what it is about this vocal take. I didn’t mean for it to be here, but it’s so emotional. Maybe it’s the key it’s in; maybe it’s because it’s the last line. I don’t know, but Taehyung sounds like a dream. When he goes this low, it’s stunning.

Don’t Leave Me

Jimin [0:56-1:07] [2:22-2:30] - I got mad respect for these two boys right here. I mean, they don’t sing this live, but still. This was a hella hard vocal for them to do, and even if it was just for the studio, both Jimin and Jin pulled it off. That’s enough to make this some of Jimin’s best vocal takes.

Jin [1:15-1:23] [2:02-2:13] - Jin doesn’t flip into head voice on the Eb5 like Jimin does; did you know that? That’s every level of impressive. And his vocal was open, as well, which made it sound awesome. Same thing here: Jin deserves this listing because he killed it.

Crystal Snow

Hobi [0:37-0:42] - Ah, Hobi does so well with these fluffy melodies. The way he basically whispered this line was gorgeous. I would listen to that on repeat every night.

Taehyung [1:00-1:05] [1:31-1:43] [2:47-2:58] [3:31-3:28] [4:16-4:34] - The last timestamp includes his adlib at the end, okay? This is another hill I’m gonna die on. Taehyung is unequivocally the perfect vocal for Crystal Snow. I mean, they closed the chorus with him for a reason. It’s because of the soul he’s got, you know? This song is hard for Taehyung. Going up to Bb4s that often is meant to be nearly impossible for a baritone, but not only does he pull it off, he pulls up so much depth and emotion into those high notes because his voice is naturally deep that his vocal ends up standing out the most. If I had to have a top ten list of songs that I love Taehyung in, this would be near the top.

Yoongi [2:06-2:12] - This is another one of those times where Yoongi is bringing his rap tone to his singing, except he’s also rapping a bit here, too. Either way, he sounds so soft and I adore that sound in Yoongi’s vocal.

Jin [2:16-2:20] [3:43-3:49] - How does Jin sound so delicate in that first vocal take and so epic in the second? Y’all, sometimes Jin’s high notes outdo themselves because they’re so full and open, and Crystal Snow made that happen.

Jimin [4:41-4:50] - I mean, Jimin’s sweet tone would normally be good in a song like this, but Crystal Snow really benefitted from Jimin using a sharp high note right here. Every time I hear this, I get chills.

Let Go

Jungkook [0:01-0:12] - I mean, really; how angelic can a vocal take sound? It’s, like, because Jungkook is using a breathy head voice while dipping his voice down low for just a second, you know?

Jimin [0:12-0:22] - Jimin’s doing the same thing as Jungkook, but it sounds so different with Jimin’s vocal tone. Either way, it’s beautiful. And Jimin’s vibrato at the end of this line is stunning.

Taehyung [1:07-1:18] [3:52-3:57] - I mean, this is the same thing as Taehyung in every other slow-but-kind-of-poppy Japanese song. He’s doing that thing where it feels like he could flip into head voice, but then he’s also got husk every time he drops into a fuller sound, and it’s devastating. He makes me want to cry with how gorgeous he sounds.

Jin [3:41-3:46] - I can’t tell you why this specific falsetto vocal take hits differently. It may be because of Jin’s Japanese pronunciation, but it’s a flawless vocal take.

Intro: Singularity

Taehyung [2:56-2:58] - I’m gonna keep it a buck: I’m a Taehyung stan, and I love his deep vocal, but Singularity doesn’t show off all the colors of Taehyung’s vocal that well. It is an incredible demonstration of Taehyung’s overall vocal tone and how unique it is--which is probably why it’s critically acclaimed--but there isn’t a lot of vocal variation. That being said, the adlib in the background that you’ll hear with this timestamp is one of the most beautiful things I’ve heard anywhere. It’s literally three seconds long, but it sounds like it’s a part of a gospel track--that’s how soulful it is. Kim Taehyung is the king of vibrato, for real. This tiny adlib somehow showed us an array of colors in Taehyung’s voice that we don’t get very often, so I love it.

FAKE LOVE

Taehyung [0:00-0:11] [1:33-1:39] - Look, there are certain things that just sound better with certain members. Every members has a few melodies that sound the best when they do them. These are two for Taehyung. First of all, his vocal in the intro is as good as it is in DNA--so stunning. Second, his tone on the chorus is beautiful. It fits FAKE LOVE perfectly. It’s not too clean, his vowels are on point, and he puts the little bends in his voice that Taehyung is a master of. These are definitely some of my favorite vocal takes from Taehyung.

Jin [0:31-0:36] - Jin sounds so good on the “fake love” lyric, though? It’s a C5 and it sounds effortless for him. His tone in FAKE LOVE is gorgeous, as well. Giving Jin the hook was good choice.

Jimin & Taehyung [3:31-3:43] - Listen, I would vibe so hard with a Taekook subunit, but nothing beats the 95′s harmonization for me. Actually, usually these two just sing the same melody in two different octaves because Taehyung can go really low, which is the case here--though, when they really do harmonize, it’s also gorgeous. Anyway, this line is the perfect way to call back to Taehyung’s beautiful vocal in the beginning, but with Jimin’s vocal on top blending with Taehyung’s, it sounds even better.

The Truth Untold

Taehyung [0:07-0:09] [2:06-2:22] - How do I explain this? I tried to be really picky with this song because all the members sound beautiful. The first timestamp here is the hum in Taehyung’s first part; I can’t explain why it’s one of the most satisfying vocals I’ve heard, but it is. The second is Taehyung on the chorus. Whereas the other members are singing gently, Taehyung’s vocal take makes me feel like he’s singing emotionally, and that’s why I listed it.

Jungkook [1:22-1:26] - Jungkook never gets to sound delicate like this, but he really should have the opportunity more often. His vocal didn’t crack too much, it wasn’t excessively breathy, it wasn’t quiet--I liked it a lot.

Magic Shop

Jungkook [2:23-2:35] - It’s mostly the second phrase of this vocal take that I love a lot, but the whole thing sounds gorgeous with Jungkook’s vocal on it because Magic Shop benefits from a clear vocal tone. Essentially, I love listening to Jungkook flip between his head and full voice in this vocal take.

Jin [2:35-2:48] - Everything leading up to the C#5 is stellar, but I can’t express how satisfying it is to listen to Jin hit the “Magic Shop” lyric. The fullness in his belt is so gorgeous. Jin doesn’t always sound like this when he belts, but in Magic Shop, his delivery was beautiful.

Taehyung [3:14-3:26] - Deadass--and I don’t say this lightly--if I were to make a top 20 list of BTS’s best vocal takes, this would qualify. Putting aside the fact that this is a hard vocal for a baritone, Taehyung puts texture in his voice at all the right places. He lets it be breathy at certain parts, powerful or soft at others, and it becomes a few, short seconds of some of the best vocals I’ve heard in the entirety of BTS’s discography.

Jimin [3:26-3:39] - Speaking of some of the best vocals, this is one of my all-time favorite high notes from Jimin. This applies to the whole vocal take, as well, but Jimin’s vocal tone really stands out in Magic Shop. Magic Shop is the type of song that blends best with a clear vocal tone, but sometimes, I don’t want a vocal to blend--I want it to stick out. Jimin’s does.

Anpanman

Yoongi [0:29-0:38] - This isn’t all of Yoongi’s verse, but this vocal take is what makes me hype about Anpanman. I don’t understand it, either. It’s probably because Yoongi sounds awesome, but these nine seconds are the part of Anpanman that get me emotional.

Euphoria

Jungkook [3:07-3:14] - The solo songs are so hard to talk about because there’s so much to choose from. I know I just singled out the falsetto high note, but it sounds pretty, and it was the quickest way to figure out what part of this song should make this list. Seriously though, Jungkook did well with his tone on the high note because it doesn’t sound too strained or thin. It turned out perfectly.

SERENDIPITY

Jimin [1:08-1:15] [1:23-1:30] - This is the same melody, but different lyrics, so I listed both. Look, I know everyone is head-over-heels for Jungkook’s vocal agility--which is justified--but Jimin sounds so pretty in these vocal takes. And not pretty because he’s using his sweet vocal tone; in fact, this is one of the few times after 2016 where we get to hear Jimin’s lower tone. I love it.

Trivia 轉: Seesaw

Yoongi [0:26-0:44] [1:03-1:39] [3:45-4:02] - I have no problem saying this is one of my favorite solo songs. Actually, it probably makes the list for my favorite BTS songs, in general. I’m not gonna talk about each one of these, but just know that Yoongi sounds like an angel when he sings. He did so well with this song, and I think he was able to create something that fit his vocal tone perfectly.

I’m Fine

Taehyung [3:38-3:57] - So, this could technically cover Taehyung’s first part on the chorus, too, but this last bit has a different melody since he’s ending the song; plus, he goes up on the higher note during “beonilado” in a nicer way than he did on a different lyric the first time. Anyway, Taehyung taking the last line of I’m Fine was nice because he’s the best at shifting between intense vocals and soft vocals without a noticeable change in his tone. He did that to finish off this song, and it came out sounding gorgeous.

IDOL

Namjoon [0:15-0:18] - I mean, this is an iconic line, but Namjoon just delivers it perfectly. Fight me in the replies that no one could’ve started IDOL better than Namjoon.

Yoongi [0:30-0:36] - Yoongi’s “woo” is, no joke, one of the best parts of IDOL, for me. Overly animated songs are Yoongi’s bitch, and he slapped in this song.

Taehyung [0:46-0:50] [1:54-2:02] - I’ve seen people say the second vocal take is a rap? Is that true? I don’t know, but regardless, I’m on another hill that says songs like IDOL fit Taehyung’s vocal the best. Like, his pronunciation and tone sound amazing on the first take, and the second take is rude as shit with how good it is. Taehyung’s vocal can be aggressive, and it works in IDOL.

Jungkook [1:46-1:54] - Jungkook’s tone changes by the end of this vocal take, and it’s so cool? Legit, he starts as himself, growls once, and all of a sudden, he’s Kim Taehyung. Jungkook needs more parts that let him do this because he sounded dope.

Answer: Love Myself

Jin [1:11-1:26] - Jungkook is technically within this vocal take, but I didn’t wanna split Jin’s chorus up into two timestamps. Anyway, doesn’t Jin’s falsetto blend with the melody so nicely? It’s really pleasing to listen to.

Hobi [2:06-2:14] - This vocal take is the Hobi tone I love to hear in slower songs. He puts a bit of that animation in that he would if he were rapping, but it can sound so nice when he’s singing, too.

Taehyung [2:51-3:07] [3:45-3:47] - The first timestamp is probably one that certain people wouldn’t agree with, but I love Taehyung’s brassy falsetto. The adlib he does also sounds beautiful because it’s so full. The last timestamp is also an adlib, and yes, it’s so pretty. I’m an advocate for more Taehyung adlibs because his vocal tone makes everything sound stunning.

Jimin & Taehyung [3:25-3:30] - I know this is usually said to be Jimin and Jungkook, but I don’t understand why they’d give this part to Taehyung live for every single performance if it wasn’t his part to begin with. It’s not like this is Spring Day where they gave half of Namjoon’s part to Hobi because Hobi had no lines. I only say that because Jungkook is the main vocalist, so I can’t imagine that part being switched for the live version since it’s a very technically difficult part of the song. It also sounds like Taehyung in the studio version--when you can hear the lower melody--because the lower vocal tone matches what you’d hear from Taehyung live. Whatever. Whether it’s Jungkook or Taehyung, they sound gorgeous harmonizing with Jimin.

Intro: Persona

Namjoon [2:24-2:47] - This part is so fun, though. I mean, the whole song is a vibe, but this is where it hits, you know? Namjoon did such an amazing job using his vocal texture to highlight the melody.

Boy With Luv

Jimin [0:15-0:31] - Jimin’s vocal was so pretty in Boy With Luv, for real. He outdid himself in this song because his vocal should blend really well into the song, but it sticks out instead. That’s why I had to list it.

Taehyung [0:31-0:40] [2:08-2:13] - I’ve said this before, but Taehyung’s vocal in Boy With Luv is literally what flirting would be if it were a sound. The first vocal take is the best example of that because it turns from a bubbly song to sensual so quickly. Then, the second vocal take does it again, but with Taehyung’s falsetto dropping into his chest voice rather than his deep voice. Him doing the pre-chorus is my absolute favorite part of Boy With Luv.

Jungkook [1:07-1:12] - I can’t accurately explain why this is so satisfying to listen to. I just listen to it, and go, “Yes, Jungkook.” I don’t know why. Because his vocal has texture in it? Because his vocal blends nicely? Because it’s Jungkook? It’s a mystery.

Yoongi [1:36-1:44] - Why is it that Yoongi stepped into a bubbly song with his lazy tone and turned it into one of his best vocal takes ever? I can’t explain it, but it’s gotta be Yoongi’s own brand of magic. His vocal tone fits wherever it is.

Hobi [1:51-2:08] - Hobi sounds like an instrument, and it’s so cool? But the end of this verse, where Hobi sings, sounds so nice with Hobi’s vocal tone. His vocal stands out in the same way Jimin’s does, and I feel like Hobi doesn’t always get that opportunity, so he killed it with this one.

Mikrokosmos

Namjoon [1:32-1:40] - Namjoon sounds so pretty here, doesn’t he? I keep saying that about his singing voice, but I really do love it that much. He always makes melodies better with the way he delivers them, which is what he did here.

Taehyung [1:51-1:59] [2:40-2:44] - So, Taehyung is the only one--talking about the first vocal take--that had the vocal run on the pre-chorus, and it sounds gorgeous. The second vocal take is Taehyung’s part in the bridge, and I think it’s one of the nicest examples of his head voice. The tone on it is really nice, and the texture he used was beautiful, as well.

Jin & Taehyung [2:06-2:39] - Don’t @ me for this Jikook stans, but Taehyung and Jin on the chorus kill it. Jin fits his lines perfectly because this is the exact type of song his vocal texture sounds the best on, and Taehyung adding in a fuller sound balanced it out nicely. They both sound amazing.

Jimin & Taehyung [2:55-3:01] - For the life of me, I don’t know why they didn’t give Taehyung the harmonization for the entirety of this line in studio, but you know. Regardless, these two sound stellar, as always. I don’t know how to explain it, but the type of song this is is dying for vocals like Jimin and Taehyung’s, so for them to sing together here is beautiful.

Jimin [3:01-3:08] - Though Taehyung and Jimin sound good doing this part live together, it doesn’t mean that Jimin harmonizing with himself didn’t sound absolutely perfect. The harmony itself is really pretty, but Jimin’s sharp vocal tone plus the high note send it to another level.

Make It Right

Taehyung [0:09-0:18] - Taehyung’s vocal sounds so relaxing, doesn’t it? Make It Right doesn’t have a lot of chances for the vocalists to stand out since it’s a pretty basic song, but Taehyung used his vocal tone well in this take.

Jin [0:46-0:55] - Jin sounded very delicate in this vocal take, but I still like that his falsetto had some power to it. It wasn’t very much, but it made the vocal take sound really pretty, and it’s probably one of my favorite examples of Jin’s falsetto.

Hobi [1:31-1:36] - This is, without a doubt, the most melodically and tonally interesting part of this song, for me. It’s because Hobi used his voice really well, but Hobi’s vocal tone is naturally really interesting in songs like this. This is one of Hobi’s most satisfying vocal takes to listen to.

HOME

Taehyung [0:26-0:36] [3:20-3:26] [3:45-3:49] - No, but Taehyung’s voice sounds so special in HOME? He made his tone brassier, which complimented the song really well. Actually, that’s something he does a lot in BTS’s 2019-2021 music. Not to mention the fact that he hit two C5s right after one another in the final chorus. Taehyung just sounds good. That’s my closing statement.

Dionysus

Namjoon [0:21-0:43] - This is one of the coolest rap verses BTS has ever produced, real shit. Legit, this is probably in my personal top 5 for Namjoon and the rap line in general. Namjoon made it sound so fucking amazing.

Hobi [1:03-1:05] - Don’t ask me for explanations with this one; I just really loved Hobi’s vocal leading into the chorus because of his delivery.

Taehyung [1:05-1:10] [3:25-3:27] - The first take is Taehyung on the first half of the chorus, and holy shit does his voice fit Dionysus perfectly. Not that clean tones don’t sound good, but Dionysus has a dark tone to it, so Taehyung’s vocal was it, fam. The way they mixed his vocal in the production process came out really cool, too.

Jimin [1:14-1:16] [2:22-2:27] [4:00-4:02] - I’m not going into detail on all three, but just know that Jimin’s vocal pops in Dionysus, and he slays. It’s because, while he does have a bright tone, he darkens it in a really lovely way for this song. I am gonna talk about the last one, though, because how cool was that ending adlib? What a way to end the song.

Jungkook [1:33-1:38] - Jungkook’s doing little echoes of the lyrics here, right? Even though the video says it’s Jin. I’m talking about each time he does this during Dionysus, okay? The falsetto he uses is crazy satisfying to listen to. It’s so sharp; like, you have no choice but to pay attention to it.

Yoongi [2:55-3:05] - This is another thing that has to do with the final production because they made Yoongi sound super cool. It’s got a really dark tone to it, and that’s something I’ll bring up with Yoongi again because it sounds incredible on his vocal.

Jin [3:27-3:30] - Y’all hear that high note, though? It didn’t sound human? Kim Seokjin is an alien confirmed. No, but for real, the brassiness in his tone? I want more of that shit right now.

BLACK SWAN

Yoongi [0:26-0:39] - This is that dark tone I was talking about--plus the effect on Yoongi’s vocal, too. Doesn’t it sound incredible when it’s Yoongi? I mean, what a way to start this song. It’s a somber vocal, and it’s stunning on top of the mix and paired with the lyrics.

Namjoon [0:46-0:52] - I really like the note change on “jukgessji ama,” but I really love how Namjoon delivered “but what if that moment’s right now, right now.” It’s somber, but it also feels like a propelling force into the pre-chorus.

Taehyung [0:52-0:59] [1:18-1:24] - I lose my shit every time I hear Taehyung sing the “bump bump bump”/”jump jump jump” part. He’s got such a husky vocal in BLACK SWAN, and it sounds so damn good. I mean, his tone sounds so distinctive anyway. That second vocal take is him on the chorus, and it is genuinely the only time I can hear a clear difference between the vocalists’ voices in BLACK SWAN. They put so much processing on their vocals that they all sound similar, but when Taehyung’s vocal comes in, it’s easy to tell that it’s him. I can tell when it’s Taehyung throughout the whole song, but the second vocal take is the only other take that makes this list.

Hobi [1:44-1:56] - This is almost on par with Namjoon’s verse in Dionysus, for me, and for all the same reasons. His tone, the delivery, the way he enhances the melody; Hobi slaps in BLACK SWAN.

Louder than bombs

Hobi [1:38-1:45] - While everyone sounds amazing in Louder than bombs because it’s so unique, I think Hobi is the only one with a notable vocal take because his tone sounds so different from how it normally does. Hobi always has some degree of husk in his vocal when he sings, but this vocal take is almost a whisper, and it sounds really beautiful.

ON

Taehyung [0:28-0:36] - So, Taehyung has a slightly different tone in Map of the Soul: 7 through BE and Film out, and it’s really nice. In ON, he uses really well on his verse because he adds in interesting textures throughout the entire take. For instance, at the end of it, he yips a little bit. Overall, it’s a sound that only Taehyung could pull off.

Jungkook [2:58-3:12] - This is probably the best vocal take Jungkook has up to Film out. The tone he has in studio isn’t easy to replicate live, but the way it came out in the studio version was phenomenal. Yes, the falsetto is dope, but that’s not my favorite part of this vocal take because it doesn’t have the best tonal qualities in the world, though I still listed it because it’s impressive technically. The part that drives me wild is when Jungkook comes back up in pitch on “Oh, I’m takin’ over.” It’s two D5s in a row, and Jungkook’s raspy tone sounds insane.

UGH!

Yoongi [0:23-0:24] - I wasn’t gonna add this because it’s just Yoongi saying “dungdungdung,” but the growl in his voice is sick. It’s like a freaking subwoofer. Is it bad if it’s the highlight of UGH! for me? Too bad.

00:00

Jimin [0:36-0:48] [1:50-1:56] - Doesn’t Jimin’s voice kind of sound wobbly in 00:00? I love it, though. It lends itself to the tone of the song really well, and I think it resulting in him having a unique tone that qualifies as some of his best vocals yet.

Taehyung [0:49-1:00] [2:01-2:14] - I mean, Taehyung has that gorgeous tone, he’s giving us raspy vocals when he drops his pitch, he’s belting during his lines even though they’re just verses and not a big high note in the bridge because he’s a legend and always has to sing higher than he’s comfortable; basically, he’s doing the most in 00:00 and his vocal sticks out a lot.

Jungkook [1:25-1:26] - Yes, Jimin is singing the “and you gonna be happy” part, but Jungkook singing the “ooh ooh” part is so nice. He does it every time the line is sung except for when Taehyung has the “and you gonna be happy” lyric. I think. I’m pretty sure Jungkook is doing it every time Taehyung isn’t. Anyway, Jungkook sounds so pretty. I love when he drops into his chest voice from his falsetto. Even small parts like this wow me. 

Jin [2:14-2:20] [3:37-3:40] - Jin doesn’t get a lot of chances to show off vocal agility, but the first vocal take gave him some wiggle room, and I thought it sounded beautiful. The last vocal take is his high note because how can I not, you know? Talk about beautiful.

Jin & Jimin [3:32-3:36] - No, but their harmony together sounds so pretty? Jin and Jimin’s vocal tones are incredibly different from one another, but whatever they did here was a success because it’s entrancing.

Inner Child

Taehyung [2:03-2:22] [3:05-3:19] - Taehyung sounds so different in this song. I think it’s because this is a genre he hasn’t done before, but I love it. I mean, Taehyung’s vocal tone is always consistent, but that doesn’t mean he can’t sound fresh. The first vocal take has a really pretty bend that Taehyung does with his voice that I love every time I hear it plus the second chorus, which I thought was a better take of it than the first. The second take is the bridge, which sounds so gorgeous with the harmonies and the high falsetto in the background.

Friends

Taehyung [0:09-0:14] [1:02-1:08] [1:27-1:32] [2:54-2:56] [3:14-3:16] - For all Taehyung sounds different in Inner Child, this genre of music did something for his voice; it’s almost like he sounds more grown up, if that makes sense. He has so much character in his vocal. Like, the yips, the speech-like singing, the softer parts, the belts, the pronunciation; I stan. Also, that high note he hits in the last chorus on “you are my soulmate”? Shut up, fam. It sounds so good. On top of that, the lick at the very end that ends the song is so satisfying, and I love that they chose to end Friends that way. Basically, Taehyung sounded like a new being in this song. I don’t make the rules.

Jimin & Taehyung [0:17-0:27] [0:42-0:44] [0:47-1:02] [1:14-1:27] [2:14-2:50] - I’m not gonna make you suffer through an explanation of all of these, but don’t they kill it together? These are some of the best vocal takes I’ve heard from either of them; must be because Friends is so personal, but who knows. Some of these takes are weird because it catches the end of a phrase or is Taehyung and Jimin switching back and forth between them, but I mean what I put down, my friends. Also, can we talk about their harmonized high note and all the harmonies afterward because please; how do they sound so gorgeous? Taehyung is doing nice melodies behind everything, Jimin is going up high and harmonizing with his falsetto; I mean, lovely. It’s all lovely.

Jimin [0:27-0:29] - I had to put in “hello, my alien” because Jimin makes it sound so endearing. There aren’t more Jimin timestamps beacuse all his best parts are with Taehyung, but this line had to go in.

We are Bulletproof: the Eternal

Hobi [0:40-0:42] - I think Hobi is harmonizing with himself here? I want that to happen more often because he sounds amazing.

Taehyung [1:14-1:18] - I don’t know if it’s because it’s Taehyung or because he says “bulletproof” with an “ooh” sound or because his voice sounds so full, but I love the way Taehyung sounds here.

Jungkook [1:18-1:20] - Jungkook’s falsetto on this line was the right choice. That is all.

Yoongi [1:35-1:46] - Ah. I love Yoongi’s verse. It’s the best part of We are Bulletproof: the Eternal, for me. You can hear all the texture in his voice, and the emotion just slams you in the chest.

Jimin [2:20-2:24] [2:43-2:48] [3:06-3:09] - This song was made for Park Jimin. He’s flipping from his falsetto to the fullest, most gorgeous tone ever, and it conveys all the emotion it’s supposed to. Something about Jimin’s vocal in these takes is send-shivers-up-your-spine worthy.

Stay Gold

Taehyung [0:45-0:58] - Y’all this melody sounds so pretty with Taehyung’s voice. The vocal runs he does are so gentle, and then you have him fading his voice into this light tone with his vibrato running through it; I mean, please. Beautiful.

Jungkook [3:06-3:11] - Speaking of vocal agility, Jungkook bouncing between these notes and then ending in a vocal run is so nice to listen to. His tone is gorgeous, but he uses it well, which is the important thing. I love this part a lot.

Lights

Taehyung [0:12-0:20] [0:51-1:00] [1:50-2:01] [2:30-2:40] - The second vocal take also references Taehyung’s part in the last chorus, by the way, but they had the same lyrics and sounded the same, so I just listed it once. Is this every part Taehyung has in Lights? Yes. Do you know why? Because this is his song. He owns it. Can you hear his tone when he belts? Which, by the way, happens almost every time he sings. Do you know how difficult this song is for a baritone? And Taehyung still manages to have that full, intense tone when he hits the high notes? Shut the fuck up. Hands down, this is one of the best examples of how amazing Taehyung is as a vocalist.

Jungkook [0:41-0:50] [1:41-1:49] [3:46-3:50] - Jungkook is it in Lights, my friends. After ON, I think I like Jungkook’s tone the best in this song. Don’t ask me why; I know this probably isn’t on the list for an ARMY with a Jungkook bias if you’re asking them about their favorite songs, but Jungkook doing things with his vocal that I love in Lights. It’s not too flat, not too clean; he’s adding in whispers and snapping from falsetto to full voice and belting at the end--all of it made the song come out beautifully.

Jin [1:05-1:10] - Jin like... whispers in this vocal take, and I go crazy over it. Besides that, please tell me why Jin saying “itsu datte” sounds so pretty. I don’t understand it, but he’s legendary.

Jimin [1:15-1:20] [3:27-3:36] - Jimin sounds so bright in this song, and no, that isn’t a pun. I really love how he offsets the other vocalists who are belting because Jimin is flipping into his falsetto or leaning into his sweet tone a lot, which brings a gorgeous character to the melody.

Yoongi [2:51-3:08] - Yoongi sounds like the prettiest thing in the world in Lights. I know it’s the melody, too, but Yoongi delivers it so well. This is a verse I could fall asleep to.

Your Eyes Tell

Jungkook [0:03-0:14] - Jungkook sounds different on this vocal take, and I like it a lot. Where he places his vibrato, as well as where he’s dropping into a softer voice are both lovely details that make this vocal take one of his best.

Jin [2:07-2:19] - I love that Jin’s vocal almost sounds like a cry. Not a vocal cry--as in, the vocal technique--but a real cry. It spills emotion all over the place, and I’d say it’s one of Jin’s best attempts at this type of sound.

Namjoon [2:20-2:27] - I don’t know why, but I really love Namjoon’s dark tone in Your Eyes Tell. It’s relaxing, to me. I’ve heard it before in songs like SEA, but for some reason, it reads as special in this song.

Jimin [2:45-2:51] - This song is so soft, but Jimin comes in and slaps you in the face with a super sharp high note, and I think it’s a brilliant way to add variation in the vocals. Jimin’s vocal tone made it what it was, as well.

Life Goes On

Jimin [0:23-0:35] [2:42-2:46] - This is another song that’s very suited to Jimin’s vocal tone. Jimin does have a bit of a whisper going on, but he’s also putting in vocal cracks that add a bit of intensity, and it all blends really nicely. Like, the second vocal take is his harmony in the back, and it sounds heavenly.

Taehyung [1:00-1:11] - This covers both takes of this line, but Taehyung sounds so soothing. It’s so nice to listen to because he made his vocal really smooth while his tone naturally gave it texture. I love, love, love this part.

Yoongi [1:47-1:58] - Y’all this is my favorite example of Yoongi singing. He sounds so soft. It kills me every time I hear it; I mean, who gave him the right to sound so pretty? Seriously, though, Yoongi’s vocal is also really soothing, and melodically, this is one of my favorite parts of Life Goes On thanks to Yoongi’s delivery.

Hobi & Jungkook [1:59-2:06] - Jungkook is only doing harmonization for a second during this vocal take, but it was so pretty that I had to add it in. Speaking of pretty, what the heck is Hobi doing that he sounds so lovely? The way he slides his pitch down on “mallo” is so nice. Hobi’s tone is perfect for Life Goes On.

Taehyung & Jimin [2:58-3:21] - This is perfect way to end this song. This would’ve qualified had it just been Taehyung because this is the type of song where Taehyung’s vocal really benefit the melody, but Jimin on top of him with his light tone is stunning.

FLY TO MY ROOM

Taehyung [0:09-0:17] [0:34-0:50] [1:08-1:24] [1:40-1:57] - There’s so much goodness happening in FLY TO MY ROOM with Taehyung’s vocal because he spent time developing his tone for this song since he wanted it to sound like a conversation. It ended up sounding gorgeously brassy yet soft, and the vowels he used popped a lot, as well. It’s not so much about specific moments in this song as it is that Taehyung just sounds really good. Like, his parts in the chorus--the timestamps I have are meant to account for all of Taehyung’s chorus parts, and same with Jimin, by the way--and the vocal run at the end of his part in the verse were incredible.

Jimin [0:18-0:34] [0:50-1:07] [1:28-1:40] [3:11-3:13] - FLY TO MY ROOM simultaneously fits Jimin’s voice really well and makes him sound totally new. He’s leaning into the fact that his voice has a higher pitch naturally, and it complimented the tone of the song really well. Like, listen to that high note at the end. That’s my kind of shit right there.

Yoongi [1:57-2:12] - Yoongi is a straight vibe in this song. You’ve got his lazy tone on a lower octave than the higher, brighter tone laying on top of it, and the blending of the two is just stunning.

Hobi [2:13-2:30] - Hobi sounds different here, y’all. It’s like he got dropped into a song that had the capabilities of bringing out the best in his natural vocal tone, and that’s what happened. The way he pronounces things is really interesting to listen to, as well. I can’t wait to hear this live.

Blue & Grey

Taehyung [0:14-0:30] [1:41-1:49] [3:10-3:17] [3:57-4:12] - The pun is absolutely intended, but Taehyung sounds angelic in Blue & Grey. Probably because he wrote it for himself, but holy shit. The fact that the song started and ended with Taehyung makes me so happy. He’s got the gorgeous low tone happening, his sharp and brassy falsetto, and at the end, you can hear him opening his mouth to sing “good night;” it’s like fucking ASMR. And the emotion. How is he allowed to be this amazing? Honestly, though, he outdid himself in every facet of this song: singing, writing, and producing.

Yoongi [0:47-1:18] - Ah, Yoongi is the exact rapper you want on a song like this. No shade to Hobi and Namjoon, but Yoongi’s somber vocal tone is an exact match for what Taehyung was trying to say with these lyrics. Yoongi sounds perfect.

Jimin [1:33-1:41] - I can’t explain accurately why it is that Jimin sounds so pretty here, but I think it’s just because he’s Park Jimin. His vocal tone fit on top of this melody so nicely, and it’s nicely contrasted by Taehyung having the same melody and doing so wonderfully with it later.

Jin & Jungkook [1:50-2:05] - The harmonies in this song are so pretty. Jin and Jungkook sound so good; why do we not hear this kind of thing more often? Jin’s falsetto is so light, and Jungkook underneath is singing the most beautiful harmony with his lower vocal tone that he doesn’t use nearly enough, and it’s all just... stunning.

Jimin & Taehyung [2:05-2:20] - Y’all. This is my favorite part of Blue & Grey--probably. I love Taehyung’s parts a lot. Anyway, it feels like these two are talking to me through their vocals. Jimin sounds so sharp while Taehyung sounds soft, and the whole vocal take feels warm and comforting. Honestly, this is one of my favorite bits of harmonization in any BTS song.

Telepathy

Yoongi [0:37-0:55] - Yoongi invented the word vibe, okay? Telepathy was made for Yoongi. That is true. I know the pitch was difficult for him, but you can’t even tell? The effect they put on his vocal, too, makes it sound even cooler.

Taehyung [1:15-1:23] [1:31-1:39] [2:18-2:27] - This is a song that I wouldn’t think about being a good fit for Taehyung’s vocal tone, but he proved me wrong, I tell you what. He’s doing that interesting thing with his vocal tone that he’s been doing for a year or so now, and it fits. He sounds so interesting in Telepathy, and I hope we get more of it in the future.

Dis-ease

Taehyung [0:47-0:52] [2:27-2:32] [3:15-3:19] [3:24-3:25]- Doesn’t Taehyung sound so cool? It’s that interesting tone again, but it’s even more interesting in Dis-ease somehow. Like, you head that bend in his voice in the second take on “laugh”? Doesn’t it sound awesome? I know the effect on his vocal has something to do with it, too, but it’s also just Taehyung playing with his tone and making it sound really fun and cool.

Jimin [2:17-2:22] - Jimin just sounds wavy. That’s all I have to say. Like, he sounds so nice, you know? I think it’s the vocal run and the “I hate dat,” but who’s to say?

Jungkook [3:10-3:14] - The character in Jungkook’s voice is so cool, though. He sprinkles in the tiniest bit of vocal agility and umph, and it came out so well.

Dynamite

Jungkook [0:01-0:26] [2:07-2:11] [2:40-2:44] - I mean, this was supposed to be a song for Jungkook to center in, right? I know he’s always the center, but you know what I mean. His vocal tone is super clean, which is probably why they wanted it to anchor Dynamite since it’s a standard pop song. It worked, though. Jungkook sounds super vibey. His falsetto note going into the key change is really nice, too.

Namjoon [0:26-0:34] - I love this part in Dynamite, and I don’t understand where the love for Namjoon is at. He owns this shit. 

Jimin [0:51-0:59] [1:25-1:32] [2:11-2:15] [2:24-2:31] - Yo, is it just me, or does Jimin sound super different in Dynamite? I don’t know if it’s the key it’s in or what, but he sounds really cool. He sounds brassy, almost, but also it could just be his pronunciation. I don’t know. Either way, Jimin came out swinging with Dynamite.

Taehyung [1:00-1:12] [1:42-1:50] [2:20-2:23] [3:06-3:14] - They really said, “Let’s give the baritone the hardest fucking vocals in this song.” Like, Jin is the king of high notes, and he struggles with Dynamite, and yet they gave Taehyung the same high notes as him? You wanna know what though? He murdered this song. Absolutely killed it. I cannot express enough how impossible it should be for him to his a C#5, but he fucking did it, didn’t he? Not only that, but his tone on his verse, as well as the choruses, is such a vibe. For such a basic song, Taehyung did something really special with it, and it resulting in the most impressive vocals--in terms of range--he’s had to date.

Jin [2:49-2:53] - Yes to Jin killing this high note. His tone sounds really nice, and he slapped on this line.

Jin & Jungkook [2:54-2:57] - You hear Jungkook doing the “light it up like dynamite” line in staccato behind Jin? That shit sounds so cool. It’s easily one of the most fun vocal takes BTS has ever done.

Film out

Jimin [2:39-2:46] - Jimin’s vocal tone is it for Film out, fam. You hear that high note, yo? It’s so gorgeous. Like, the impact it has on the emotion of the song. Jimin really came out and snatched this era.

Taehyung & Jimin [3:19-3:29] - This is my favorite part of Film out. Like, it would’ve been enough to have it be Taehyung, but Jimin harmonizing with him makes it so pretty. Jimin adds a lovely delicacy to the last line, and Taehyung’s vocal conveys all the somber emotion that is necessary to close out this song. And Taehyung’s vocal run at the end is so damn gorgeous. The 95′s are killing it yet again in 2021.

Butter

Taehyung [0:43-0:48] [2:06-2:14] - I’m sorry, but holy shit. I know the vocalists all had the same parts, but this is (yet another) really high-pitched song, and Taehyung singing up in that range is gorgeous. I adore his tone in Butter. And all those C5s he was hitting? Again, I’m aware that the other members are hitting those notes, as well, but--I mean, do I need to bring up the fact that he’s a baritone again? No, more than the high notes, though, I thought Taehyung’s vocal color stood out a lot in Butter, so these couple parts deserve to be on this list.

Okay, that’s really it. For now. Until we get new music. Honestly, I’m really impressed with each and every one of these members each time they release something new. It’s insane to me what they can do with their vocals and the control they have over their vocal tones. Every vocal take they have is the best of the best, but this list set out to find the gems hidden even within the diamonds of their discography. If you actually went through this list, thank you, and I’m sorry. Like I said at the start, it’s a hot mess, but I really wanted the chance to talk about specific notes or lines that blow me away every time I hear them. Share some of your favorite vocal moments in the replies, and thanks for reading.

[oyesmendes]

the river between us - one

a/n: here it is!!!!! this is the story of emma and shawn. hope you guys like it as much as i enjoy writing it! p.s. the butterfly that was mentioned on emma’s stage set up is the same one that shawn has tattooed!

summary: Shawn stumbled into a piano room one day following her voice. Now they’ve fallen into each others lives. But what happens when life gets complicated and international pop-star Emma Rivera isn’t all that she is?

the meet; new york city - Spotify Studios

“Okay, we’re going to record ‘In My Blood’ then we will do ‘Lost in Japan’ followed by a song of your choice. Is that alright, Shawn?” The rockstar nodded his head, leaning back on the soft leather couch in the studio. He was about to record a few special version of his new singles in the Spotify New York office to celebrate the release of his third album. The album had just hit the streets a couple weeks ago, sky rocketing to number one and was currently claiming it spot for the third week at number one. It was an overwhelming experience having a number one album for such a long time and it being one of his most vulnerable pieces of work so far. He glanced at the clock on the wall - another twenty minutes before the recording begins, he had time to escape the buzz in the room.  

Shawn slipped out of the room quietly, barely anyone noticing him leaving. The door shut softly behind him and he made his way down the corridor. It was quiet on this floor, each room sound proofed so artists could have the comfort of recording their music. Most of the rooms were empty when Shawn peered into them, until he got closer to the end of the hallway. An angelic voice filled the air, accompanied by the loud keys of the piano made Shawn move closer to the source.  

Off in the night, while you live it up, I'm off to sleep

Waging wars to shape the poet and the beat

I hope it's gonna make you notice

I hope it's gonna make you notice

Someone like me

Someone like me

Someone like me, somebody

He knew that song at the back of his hand but the voice that was behind it was someone who he’s never heard before. He pushed the door open softly, being careful not to make his presence known. And there he saw her. Her eyes were closed, and her body swayed while she played on the piano. She held the notes right where they needed to be held, a soft smile emerging on her face when she knew she did them right. Shawn hadn’t realised that she had finished, until she cleared her throat and his eyes met her honey brown ones. He stumbled into the room, nearly face planting the floor when the door swung open after he lost his grip. She giggled softly, shaking her head as the boy composed himself.

“My singing was that bad huh?” Shawn’s eyes widened at her comment, but he somehow couldn’t form words to respond to her. She chuckled again, standing up from the piano bench making her way to Shawn.

“I’m just kidding, amor. My name’s Emma Rivera, most people call me Em.”

“Shawn Mendes” His voice squeaked a little as he took her outstretched hand in his, shaking it one too many times. He was running her name through his head again and again, where did he hear or see it? It was so familiar, yet he couldn’t put a finger on it. Then he realised his hand was still holding hers when they stopped the handshake and he quickly let go, rubbing his neck sheepishly. Get it together, Shawn.

“Sorry for snooping around by the way, I heard your voice and the door was slightly open-“

“It’s okay” She was laughing again, and the laughter was suddenly music to his ears. He was about to open his mouth, before Annie, the crew in-charge of Shawn’s recording came bursting into the room.

“There you are! I’ve been looking everywhere for you!”

“I uh-“ before Shawn could even respond, Annie cut him off with her loud voice.

“You’re recording in five! Come on let’s go big- Emma? Thought you were at rehearsals upstairs?” So she is a singer.

“I was, just had to take a little break from all the people upstairs.” She shrugged her shoulders and Annie nodded understandingly.

“You coming to watch the event later, Annie?” Emma asked. Annie perked up immediately, still gripping Shawn’s arm so tightly that he was sure a bruise was going to form on his bicep.

“Of course honey, I wouldn’t miss it for the world. You know how much we love hearing ya” Now it was her turn to smile. She waved Annie goodbye before Shawn was dragged out of the room by his arm.

-

“Nice work Shawn. That’s a wrap for today!” Shawn pulled the big headphones off his head, making his way out of the recording booth. He thanked the couple of producers and team in the room before heading straight to Annie. She eyed the boy up and down as he stood in front of her nervously.

“So, I heard there’s an event on the rooftop?”

“Yeah, Em is playing a special show for some of her fans” Annie smirked at the brunette.

“Can I go?” He asked softly. His cheeks turned a bright shade of pink while he stood in front of Annie like a kid asking for candy. She nodded at the boy, gesturing for him to follow her. Shawn bid his goodbye to the crew and made up a poor excuse to get away from Andrew. Annie handed Shawn a baseball cap with the Spotify logo on it, forcing him to put it on his head. “This is to avoid you being recognised!” She berated when Shawn refused. He eventually pulled the cap down when he saw the crowd that had arrived for the event. The rooftop was filled with tons of people of all ages, mingling and moving around in excitement. Annie led him to a corner of the rooftop where there weren’t as many people and Shawn could have a full view of the stage. The set up was simple - a large butterfly in the centre of the white backdrop, half the butterfly being covered with floral drawings. He waited quietly next to Annie while she chatted with a couple of her colleagues. Shawn never felt nervous at a concert before but somehow this one felt different. He replayed the image of her playing the piano so passionately in the studios, her brown hair covering her eyes just a little when she looked down at they keys. He was unknowingly smiling to herself and Annie was watching it in front of her eyes.

“She’s pretty good y’know? And single.” Annie’s voice brought Shawn back to reality. He hummed in response, eyes still trailing the stage set up. Shawn knew she was more than ‘pretty good’ but decided to keep his mouth shut, fearing that Annie would drag him off the rooftop.

Eventually Emma’s band took the stage, playing her intro music before she came strutting in. She had changed from her black hoodie and sweats to a denim jacket on top of a white t shirt and black jeans. Simple, but Shawn thought she looked stunning. The crowd roared as she waved and started singing her songs, dancing on the stage with her band. She was in her element, the crinkle in her eyes and her smile was the evidence. She interacted with her fans individually, trying to get to as many of them as she could when they sat down for a short Q and A. She would call each of them by name as they danced to her music, occasionally bringing a few of them on stage to dance along with her. Shawn felt connected to her, along with the feeling of sunshine and confidence radiating off her skin.

Emma hadn’t notice Shawn until her last song when he saw him  bopping to the music with a huge smile on his face. Her eyes met with his and she grinned widely, a couple of butterflies erupting in her stomach. She too hadn’t felt like this in awhile, not since her last relationship. Something about Shawn made her feel nerves unlike she’s ever felt before and she welcomed the feeling of it. She jumped off the stage and danced with her fans, twirling them around and hugging them while she sang. She glanced occasionally at Shawn, noticing that his grin never left his face. He would nod back at her while he moved comfortably to the music.  

"thank you Spotify! thank you New York!" Emma bowed and waved to the crowd before sprinting off to the back. Shawn trailed behind Annie as she led them into a small room filled with Emma's crew and band. He scanned the room until his eyes landed on her - chatting away to a blonde lady, the smile and cringe in her eyes still on her face. When she noticed Shawn, she kindly excused herself from the group and approached the gentle giant.

"my singing wasn't too bad now was it"

"no! oh my god, no" Shawn's cheeks flushed a shade of pink again.

"you sounded beautiful" he spoke softly, a shy smile gracing his lips. she hummed in response, swirling the beer in her hand. Shawn’s eyes were locked on the gold liquid, feeling the nerves running up his spine. He hasn’t felt like this in a while and it was scary yet exciting.

“Do you want to go for a coffee? I know this place down the street that’s pretty quiet”

“Sounds like fun”  

-

As promised, the cafe was quaint, empty and safe. They talked for ages, sharing their life stories. Shawn felt at home with Emma - her laughter and voice brought peace to his mind. He told her about his humble rise to where he was today, how he wrote the album and he talked about his family back home in Canada. She asks about the meaning behind his tattoos, told him about her older brother who she absolutely adores and the meaning behind a couple of songs she wrote. Emma teaches him a couple of Spanish words and they laugh at how bad his accent is.

“cariño”

“Carino?”

“No, ca-ri-nio. Roll your tongue.”

“Ca-ri-no”

“Forget it”

And they laugh, until the golden hour glow shines through the windows and they’re reminded of how long they’ve been sitting in the cafe. Emma’s knees were now brushing Shawn’s under the table, and he would occasionally push her hair behind her ears for her when she looked down. It made the heat rise to her neck and ears, and a soft blush appearing on her cheek. They sat in a comfortable silence for awhile, Shawn tending to messages from his team. She felt blissful and happy until a message from her brother made her smile falter.  

Aaron: Your boy Celio from Los Zetas, he just trashed Papi’s place.

Celio? He hasn’t spoken to me in a year. A million thoughts ran through her mind when she read the message again. Her brows knitted together before she set her phone screen face down on the table.

“Everything okay?” Shawn asked. She put on the smile she was trained to plaster on her face ever since she stepped foot in the industry and nodded her head.

“We should probably go” Emma suggested quickly. She had to get back to the hotel to talk to her family.  

“Let me walk you back to your hotel”

“I would love that but-” Shawn furrowed his brows and she quickly continued, “oh no! Don’t get me wrong, there are paps waiting outside my hotel. Last thing you and I need is a big headline when we’re both on a roll. I’ll get my driver to come pick me up”

Shawn had to agree with her. He couldn’t afford to have a massive headline about him when he was about to go on a worldwide tour, Andrew would murder him before he could apologise. So he exchanged numbers with her, opened her car door and promised to see her again. He watched her disappear behind the darkened windows of the car and smiled to himself. And she waited for the car to pull away before all the colour in her face drained and was replaced with a shade of dark red.

“What the fuck did Celio do?”

[niallsstainedcoffeecup]

Still Get Butterflies

After their rough breakup, Harry runs into Y/N at a friend’s wedding.  Harry’s attempt to rekindle his love with Y/N may be ruined from a recent fling.  Idea is from Perfect Day by Gabbie Hanna.  I hope you all enjoy.  Feedback and requests are welcomed.  Lots of Love! --------------------------------------------------------------------

           Brown, brittle leaves hugged the damp sidewalk.  Paper ghosts gripped the coffee shop’s black, marble counter. Couples clutched one another’s hands, only freeing their hands from the grip to sip their steaming coffee.  Y/N glanced past the warm lights blinding her vision from the curly haired man beside her.  His crystal green eyes scanned the colorful chalkboard that promoted new Halloween themed drinks.  His strong jawline jutted out more than usual due to the tension bubbling within his chest. Y/N recalled nights when she’d tuck Harry’s growing curls behind his small ears while he admired the moonlight reflecting against her eyes.  She missed the nights when Harry would whisper promises of forever into her shoulder while they cuddled in his bed.  Y/N hadn’t noticed the tears blurring her vision until the barista interrupted her happy memories.           “Are you okay?” The barista asked, noticing the heartbreak behind Y/N’s glossy eyes.            Y/N sniffled, clearing her throat with an awkward laugh, “Yes, I yawned a few minutes ago.  Do you need my order?”           “No, I ordered a pumpkin spice latte for you,” Harry grumbled, jabbing the card reader’s buttons with his ringed fingers.            The barista shot Y/N an encouraging smile before tending to their order.  Harry shuffled across the gray tile toward the pick-up station.  Y/N stood across from Harry, wondering if the man she fell in love with two years ago still resided inside this colder version of Harry. Once the barista handed the unhappy couple their drinks, Harry exited the warm café that shielded them from the bitter autumn winds.  The chilly winds nipped at Y/N’s ears and nose during the walk toward Harry’s house. Dark gray clouds blocked the white moonlight and stars from dancing above the buzzing city.  Sleeks cars sped past Y/N and Harry’s figures down the damp streets that started to empty after a long day.  Y/N begged Harry to interrupt her racing thoughts with his soothing voice, but even his voice couldn’t calm Y/N’s broken heart anymore. Y/N’s sneakers skidded across the sidewalk where her feet remained glued for a few minutes.  Harry spun around, checking the sidewalk for anything that might stop his girlfriend’s pace, but nothing stood in Y/N’s path aside from her broken heart.  Harry glanced into her glossy eyes where he understood the reasoning behind her frozen figure.            “What are you doing?” Harry asked, searching around for paparazzi that might catch this dreadful moment.            Y/N’s cracking voice betrayed her need to look strong before her cold boyfriend, “Harry, I can’t do this anymore.”            Harry rolled his eyes, shoving his free hand into his jacket pocket, “Listen, we can discuss this in our home.  We cannot fight on the street where everyone can video us.”            “I can’t go home.  If I go home, then I’ll let you convince me that we are okay. You’ll take a few weeks off from the studio to reassure me that we aren’t broken, but the reality is, our relationship died weeks ago.  When was the last time we spoke?  I live in silence and fear that one day I might say something, and have you lose it. Who lives like that?  Even roommates get along better than we do,” Y/N cried out, gripping her weak heart through her thick jacket.            Harry nodded, “You make a good point, but we can discuss this at home.”            Y/N rolled her eyes, “Harry, you aren’t listening to me.  You are too worried about your image than our relationship.  Harry, I’ve opened myself up to you.  I’ve stuck around to make you happy despite my sorrow, but you never do the same.  If you truly loved me, then you’d let me leave.”            “Hey, if you want to leave, then go ahead. You love giving up rather than tending to this relationship like a real adult,” Harry growled, ignoring the stares from couples that passed by the shouting couple.            Y/N gasped, “I never gave up on us.  I deserve better than this relationship. You always ask me to give you second chances.  You promise to talk to me more, you promise to open up, and you always break those promises.  I can’t keep following this pattern in hopes that one day you’ll wake up a new person.”            “Fine, but you aren’t allowed to come back to me after you realize that no one will love you,” Harry growled, turning his back on his ex-girlfriend.              Y/N sniffled, swallowing the lump of sad and angry tears that threatened to spill from her eyes.  She huffed, releasing the tight grip she had on the coffee cup that helped her maintain her strength through that argument.  She planned to message Jeff to collect her items from Harry’s house to avoid seeing Harry’s face again.  Her heart couldn’t imagine life without Harry, but her mind repeated the phrase “you deserve better” until her heart believed it.  Harry choked back the anger that threatened to rear its ugly head again. He nearly shouted at an elderly couple that bumped into his tense figure, almost causing him to spill hot coffee onto his feet.  His silver key slipped inside the black knob, unlocking the empty house that reminded Harry of the past two years he wasted with Y/N.  A growl ripped past Harry’s rosy lips as his hands shoved the floral vase, that Y/N purchased for Harry, from the small table near the front door. Harry tossed the sweet pumpkin latte into the bin, deciding a few shots of vodka might soothe his angry heart. Harry expected Y/N to return to his doorstep in a heap of sorrow. *          *          *          *          *          *

           White roses and pastel pink candles decorated the circular tables that filled the white tent. People dressed in pastels and florals carried glasses filled with bubbly champagne while the DJ blared love songs. Gemma, Michal, and Harry admired the warm Christmas lights strung around the tent’s beams.              “Everyone stand up, and welcome the newlyweds,” The DJ shouted into the cheap microphone.            Harry cringed at the microphone’s shrill scream echoing throughout the tent.  The cliché, ‘Love is all Around’ replaced the crowd’s whines while Scott and Jessie jogged through the tent’s door.  Harry clapped his hands, blinking back the happy tears threatening to spill from his eyes.  He couldn’t believe his childhood friend married the love of his life while he couldn’t keep a girlfriend longer than a few weeks.  Michal brought Gemma and Harry plates piled with the vegetarian option.            “Hello, can everyone hear me?” That melodic voice tore Harry’s attention away from the salad drenched in vinaigrette. Y/N stole the DJ’s squeaky microphone, but the microphone refused to squeal in her hands.  She eyed the crowd nervously as if they might boo her off the stage.            “We can hear you,” Jessie shouted, shooting Y/N a thumbs-up.            Y/N smiled the dazzling smile that sent chills down Harry’s spine.  Did Harry expect to see Y/N? No, but he wasn’t surprised since Jessie took a liking to Y/N after Harry introduced her to the newlyweds.  Harry bit his lip, admiring the fairy lights that highlighted the natural glow that constantly surrounded her figure.  Ever since the breakup, Harry imagined Y/N returning to him on her knees; however, when a few months passed without any contact, Harry realized the mistake he made.           “How do I know Jessie?  Well, a common friend introduced at this awful dinner where Scott burnt the roast.  I remember choking down the roast with red wine, and Jessie snuck me a few edible pieces. That night, I watched Jessie and Scott admire each other as if there were stars in their eyes.  Scott surprised Jessie with flowers, poems, and chocolates whenever she had a rough day, and Jessie stood by Scott after his boss let him go.  I knew that if I ever found love, then I’d like it to be like their love.  To Scott and Jessie, I hope you have a wonderful marriage,” Y/N toasted the couple before chugging the bubbly champagne.            Harry clapped, eyeing Y/N as she headed toward the empty chair near Jessie.  Scott’s best friend stole the microphone from Y/N’s hands.  His speech centered around Scott’s previous conquests who could not compare with Jessie.  The entire room blushed at the awkward speech that left Scott fuming.            “Well, Y/N’s speech was lovely,” Gemma mumbled, hiding her giggles through small sips of champagne.             Harry chuckled, keeping his eyes locked on Y/N’s beaming figure, “Yeah, she always had a way with words.”            Gemma and Michal shared a knowing look after picking up on the starry look within Harry’s eyes.  Last week, Y/N messaged Gemma to discuss possible gifts ideas for the newlyweds, and Gemma did not tell Harry about the interaction.  She hoped Y/N and Harry might talk through their issues and rekindle their love.            “Will the newlyweds find the dancefloor for their first dance?” The DJ announced, searching through lists of songs for their song.  Scott and Jessie spun around the dancefloor while the guests admired the beautiful couple. Happy and sorrowful tears blurred Harry’s vision.  His shaking hands gripped his fragile chest that couldn’t breathe in the suddenly thick air.              “I need air,” Harry choked out, dragging his fingers through his now tousled curls.           Gemma nodded through her concern, “Call me if you want to leave.”           Harry weaved through smiling guests until the cool, night air greeted Harry’s flushed cheeks.  The white moonlight glimmered along the nearby stream.  A shaky sigh parted his chapped rosy lips while his eyes focused on the twinkling constellations.           “You couldn’t stay either?” Her smooth voice mocked Harry’s racing heart.            Harry wiped his sweaty palms down the front of his gray suit pants before facing Y/N.  The champagne glass covered the weak smile from Harry’s stare.            “Yeah, I needed some air,” Harry lied, stuffing his hands inside his pockets.             Y/N nodded, seeing through Harry’s lies, “Me too.  Gemma didn’t tell me you’d be here.”             Harry chuckled, rolling his eyes, “Of course, Gemma knew I wouldn’t attend the wedding if you’d be here.  She enjoys watching me squirm.”            Y/N frowned, attempting to hide the heartbreak that throbbed when Harry stated he didn’t want to see her, “I understand. Who wants to see their ex? Especially after telling her never to contact you again.”             Harry’s eyes widened because how could she not see his heart dying to hold her?  He shook his head, reaching for her empty hand before she walked off, “No, I didn’t mean it like that.  Y/N, I fucked up the minute I let you walk out of my life.  I miss you like crazy.”             “Harry, I prepared for this moment.  I pictured yelling at you, but now, I can’t even look at you longer than a few seconds without wanting to cry.  You broke my heart, and yet, I can’t stop craving you,” Y/N hissed through tears.             Harry frowned, cupping Y/N’s cheeks in his hands, “I’m sorry.  I wish I never broke your heart the way I did.  If I could take it all back, then I would.”              Y/N smiled, cupping Harry’s cheek, “How can you still have this control over my heart?”             “You have the same control over mine,” Harry whispered, leaning toward Y/N’s plump lips.            “Y/N!  Jessie needs you for the bouquet,” A random guest shouted, interrupting the moment between the couple.           Y/N smiled sheepishly, “Okay, I’ll be right there.”            The lady disappeared behind the tent’s door, leaving Y/N and Harry in awkward silence.  Y/N nibbled on her bottom lip, staring into Harry’s heartbroken eyes.            “I better go tend to the bouquet.  I’ll see you around,” Y/N softly mumbled, breaking away from Harry’s grip.            Harry sighed, returning to the table where Gemma and Michal discussed the nightly plans.  His eyes roamed around the room until he found Y/N snapping photos of Jessie throwing her bouquet.  He sighed, wondering if he should let Y/N walk out of his life again. *          *          *          *          *          *          

           Burnt popcorn masked the vanilla candle Harry lit a few minutes ago.  The television paused Hugh Grant carrying yellow roses toward the famous woman’s room.  Harry discarded the gray suit a few hours after the ceremony, slipping into his black Adidas pants and sweater.  His socked feet shuffled across the floor toward his gray couch.  Harry’s fingers hovered above the play button when the doorbell startled Harry’s relaxed figure.  He didn’t expect guests.  Gemma and Michal booked a nearby hotel for a romantic evening, Jeff knew Harry would attend the wedding, and his recent fling told Harry that she’d be gone for the weekend.  Harry sighed, setting the popcorn bowl onto the nearby coffee table.  His hand wrapped around the cold knob, revealing Y/N’s sheepish figure behind the door.             “Hey, what are you doing here?” Harry gasped, stepping aside for Y/N to enter.            Y/N smiled, kicking her heels off before stepping foot onto Harry’s white carpet, “I needed to talk to you.  I looked for you after Scott and Jessie left, but I couldn’t find you.”            Harry nodded, rubbing the back of his sore neck, “I left after that lady interrupted us.  I couldn’t handle the emotions that flooded my system.”            “I understand.  Are you busy?” Y/N wondered, examining the familiar house.            Harry chuckled, “Can you count watching Notting Hill as busy?”            Y/N giggled, shaking her head, “You love those rom-coms.”            The couple shut the front door, heading toward the couch where they held one another multiple nights.  Harry plopped down near the couch’s arm where his glass of red wine waited for him.  Y/N sat next to Harry but kept her hands in her lap.            “Did you move on?” Harry asked the question his heart kept wondering.            “Yeah, I dated a couple of guys, but the relationships ended after the guys realized I wouldn’t put out after the second date,” Y/N mumbled.             Harry frowned, “Me too.  I haven’t dated anyone in a few months.  I wanted to call you, but I was afraid you moved on.”             Comfortable silence surrounded the dazed couple.  Harry’s heart dove into her twinkling eyes that reminded him of a better time.  He missed the mornings when Y/N surprised him with breakfast in bed, followed by lazy morning sex.  He craved the domestic life where they cooked dinner together in absolute bliss.  Y/N’s eyes traced the freckles dotted around Harry’s tanned skin.  She missed pressing quick kisses to Harry’s flushed cheeks. She dreamt about laying underneath the stars while Harry sang sweet songs to her.  Before the couple could process their emotions, Harry captured Y/N’s lips with his own.  The action caused Y/N’s body to tense up while Harry’s hands gripped her arms. After a few seconds, Y/N’s body caught up with the action, allowing her to relax in Harry’s arms.  Harry forgot about Hugh Grant waiting to win the love of the beautiful actress.  Y/N’s hands trailed up Harry’s chest and into his tousled locks.  Y/N tasted the red wine on Harry’s breath as his tongue traced the outline of her lips.  Y/N whined, opening herself up for Harry.  Harry leaned back, making room for Y/N to straddle his waist.  Harry’s hands slid down Y/N’s torso stopping at her hips.              “Do you want to go to my bedroom?” Harry asked, pressing his lips against Y/N’s warm neck.            Y/N pulled away from Harry’s intoxicating kisses, “Harry, I can’t do this if we are going to go back to the way we used to be.”             Harry shook his head, pouting his swollen lips, “I love you.  I promise to try at our relationship this time.  I can’t lose you.”            “I love you too,” Y/N purred, pressing her lips to Harry’s neck.            Y/N wrapped her arms and legs around Harry’s sturdy body as he carried her toward his dark bedroom.  He thanked earlier Harry for cleaning his room from his recent fling’s discarded clothing.  He laid Y/N down onto the comfy white blanket, pressing kisses to her neck. The couple rekindled their love that neither one expected to get back. *          *          *          *          *          *

           “I missed you so much,” Y/N gushed through giggles.           Harry chuckled, running his fingers through Y/N’s soft hair.  Moonlight streamed through the linen white curtains and onto the couple’s sticky skin. Y/N yawned, tracing her fingers around Harry’s tattoos.            “I missed you too.  When we wake up in the morning, we can celebrate our relationship with pancakes from Tammi’s diner,” Harry stuttered through yawns.            Y/N gasped, propping her body up on her elbows, “Are you serious?  You know I love those pancakes.  How did I get so lucky?”            Harry laughed, tugging Y/N’s naked body on top of his own, “I’m the lucky one.”            Y/N’s eyes focused on the white ceiling covered in different shadows from around Harry’s room.  She recalled moments when she stared at the ceiling, searching for the answers to their broken relationship.  Tears blurred her vision at the memories that flooded, but Harry’s lips silenced her racing thoughts by humming her favorite song. Y/N’s heart believed this time her relationship with Harry could work.  Her eyes drooped closed, allowing sleep’s sweet dreams to carry her mind off to happier places.  Harry sighed, dragging his eyes away from Y/N’s eyelashes fluttering against her cheeks. He scrolled through messages from recent flings who attempted to win his heart, leaving him guilty now as he cuddled Y/N.  Why did he lie to her?  He couldn’t help but lie because he feared she might leave him if she knew he fucked someone yesterday night.  Harry turned his phone off in case someone tried contacting him.  He snuggled his nose against Y/N’s warm neck, inhaling her sweet scent until he dozed off into a heavy sleep.  The future looked bright for their relationship. *          *          *          *          *          *

           Yellow sunflowers greeted Y/N when she stretched herself awake.  A beaming grin spread across her face as she searched around the empty room for her boyfriend.  The cold sheets contained a neon pink sticky note that informed Y/N that Harry would be in his office.  Y/N tugged the warm sheets wrapped around her body away until her feet met the cold hardwood floor.  She tiptoed toward the room, illuminated by the summer sunlight.  Harry’s white t-shirt stretched across his broad shoulders while he strummed the guitar propped up on his black jean-clad legs.           “Good morning.  I loved my gift,” Y/N whispered, sneaking up behind Harry’s back. Her hands trailed up Harry’s back and around his shoulders.            Harry didn’t expect Y/N to startle him in his office, but he nearly yelped from the surprise, “I’m glad you liked them. I woke up early and stopped at Tom’s shop.”           Y/N smiled, noticing the leather journal filled with Harry’s scribbled lyrics, “Are you writing a new song?”           Harry nodding, spinning around in his office chair, “I got new inspiration.”            Y/N giggled, leaning down to capture Harry’s lips with her own, “I love you.  Can I take a shower before we grab breakfast?”           Harry snorted, “Love, this is your house as much as mine.  You shouldn’t have to ask to use my shower.  I’ll be here waiting for you to return.”            “I’ll miss you,” Y/N pouted, slowly shuffling away from Harry’s warm arms.            Harry gripped his aching heart as if he couldn’t carry on without Y/N, “I’ll miss you more.”             Y/N entered Harry’s large bathroom with marble counters and the best shower.  Her hands grabbed two white towels from Harry’s rack before heading toward the open shower.  She twisted the knob until steam floated above the glass door.  The warm water relaxed Y/N’s tense muscles while she scrubbed the floral shampoo into her hair.  She assumed Harry purchased the shampoo for Gemma and Anne who might have visited him.  She closed her eyes, picturing the beautiful day awaiting her.  After breakfast, she could persuade Harry into taking her on a walk through their favorite park.  Then they could return home and watch romantic comedies until one of them fell asleep.  Y/N turned the shower off, wrapping the white towel around her damp body.  Water droplets rolled her skin and onto the black marble floors.  Her eyes drifted up the mirror, stopping at the sweet message scribbled across the steam. I love you.  Y/N giggled, embracing the fluttering in her heart until she spotted the y’s curly end.  Suddenly, all air left her body as if somebody rammed against her fragile ribcage. A desperate gasp parted her lips while her hands hovered above her churning stomach.  Tears blurred her vision because the message wasn’t written in Harry’s handwriting.  No, this wasn’t an old message either.  Y/N stumbled out from the bathroom and away from the message.  She gripped the white walls as she tripped over her clumsy feet on her way to Harry’s office.  She furrowed her brows, watching Harry scribble down new lyrics with the widest grin.              “Hey love, when did you get out?  Did you need something—Why do you look like you just saw a ghost?” Harry wondered, setting the guitar next to the glass desk.              Y/N shook her head, searching for her voice among the heartbreak, “I—I—The message on the mirror.”             Harry furrowed his brows, “What message?”              Y/N glared, staring into Harry’s confused eyes, “The message on your mirror.  The one where someone professed their love for you, and you didn’t wipe it away.  You let me take a shower in the same bathroom where she left that message.  Oh my gosh, I used her fucking shampoo.”            Harry’s stomach dropped the minute he realized he never wiped Cindy’s message from his mirror.  He watched Y/N storm toward his bedroom for her clothes. Harry shook his head, chasing after Y/N until his feet skidded to a stop outside his bedroom.            “Y/N, her name is Cindy.  We’ve been dating for around three months.  I never expected to run into you again, so I moved on. We both moved on, so you can’t be this upset because you dated other people too,” Harry argued, pointing his finger accusingly at his ex-girlfriend.             Y/N gasped, tugging the stubborn dress up her legs, “Harry, I don’t want to hear about this new girl.  I don’t need to hear how you fucked someone else.  I understand that we both moved on, but you lied to me.  I would’ve understood if you told me about her, but you told me that you hadn’t dated anyone in months.  You let me live in this fantasy where we could’ve worked when in reality.  You still haven’t changed.  You are still the same selfish man who lies to their loved ones.”             Harry rolled his eyes, “Listen, I don’t need you to judge me.  We broke up almost nine months ago.  Did you expect me to stay single until you returned?”              “I loved you.  You fucking idiot.  I loved you, and you lied to me,” Y/N cried out, pushing past Harry’s figure.               “Y/N, we can try this again.  I’ll end things with Cindy,” Harry begged, following Y/N through dark hallways.               Y/N shook her head, “Harry, I don’t want to fight anymore.  I can’t be in a relationship with the same guy I broke up with nine months ago.  You won’t even apologize for lying to me, so I need to leave.”               Harry shook his head, sniffling through the tears threatening to spill down his pale cheeks.  Y/N smiled sadly before exiting Harry’s warm house.  Harry didn’t see any tears or anger in her expression only disappointment lingered behind her exhausted eyes.  Harry frowned, crumbling to the ground the instant the door clicked shut.  Tears flowed down his pale cheeks while harsh sobs racked his body.  He couldn’t believe he lost Y/N again.  Harry knew Y/N wouldn’t return to him this time.  He fucked everything up for the final time because he refused to be honest with her.  Silence and loneliness surrounded Harry’s broken figure.

[timeless-hollywood-classics]

Maureen Paula O'Sullivan (17 May 1911 – 23 June 1998) was an Irish-American actress. She was best known for playing Jane Parker in the Tarzan series of films during the era of Johnny Weissmuller. In 2020, she was listed at number 8 on The Irish Times list of Ireland's greatest film actors.

O'Sullivan was born in Boyle, County Roscommon, Ireland, in 1911, the daughter of Mary Eva Lovatt (née Frazer) and Charles Joseph O'Sullivan, an officer in the Connaught Rangers who served in World War I. Maureen returned to Boyle in 1988 to be honoured by the town. She attended a convent school in Dublin, then the Convent of the Sacred Heart at Roehampton (now Woldingham School), England. One of her classmates there was Vivian Mary Hartley, future Academy Award-winning actress Vivien Leigh. After attending finishing school in France, O'Sullivan returned to Dublin to work with the poor. In October 1929, she sailed to New York with her mother on the British steamer RMS Baltic, on the way to Hollywood to work for the Fox Film Corporation.

O'Sullivan's film career began when she met motion picture director Frank Borzage, who was doing location filming on Song o' My Heart (released in 1930) for 20th Century Fox. He suggested she take a screen test. She did and won a part in the movie, which starred Irish tenor John McCormack. She traveled to the United States to complete the movie in Hollywood. O'Sullivan appeared in six movies at Fox, then made three more at other movie studios.

In 1932, she signed a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. After several roles there and at other movie studios, she was chosen by Irving Thalberg to appear as Jane Parker in Tarzan the Ape Man, opposite co-star Johnny Weissmuller. She was one of the more popular ingenues at MGM throughout the 1930s and appeared in a number of other productions with various stars. In all, O'Sullivan played Jane in six features between 1932 and 1942.

She was featured with William Powell and Myrna Loy in The Thin Man (1934) and played Kitty in Anna Karenina (1935) with Greta Garbo, Fredric March, and Basil Rathbone. After co-starring with the Marx Bros in A Day at the Races (1937), she appeared as Molly Beaumont in A Yank at Oxford (1938), which was written partly by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

She appeared in Pride and Prejudice (1940) with Laurence Olivier and Greer Garson, and supported Ann Sothern in Maisie Was a Lady (1941). After appearing in Tarzan's New York Adventure (1942), O'Sullivan asked MGM to release her from her contract so she could care for her husband, John Farrow, who had just left the Navy with typhoid. She retreated from show business, devoting her time to her family. In 1948, she re-appeared on the screen in The Big Clock, directed by her husband for Paramount Pictures. She continued to appear occasionally in her husband's movies and on television. By 1960 she believed she had permanently retired. In 1958, Farrow and O'Sullivan's eldest son, Michael, died in a plane crash in California.

Actor Pat O'Brien encouraged her to take a part in summer stock, and the play A Roomful of Roses opened in 1961. That led to another play, Never Too Late, in which she co-starred with Paul Ford in what was her Broadway debut. Shortly after it opened on Broadway, Farrow died of a heart attack. O'Sullivan stuck with acting after Farrow's death; she was the Today Girl for NBC for a while, then made the movie version of Never Too Late (1965) for Warner Bros. She was also an executive director of a bridal consulting service, Wediquette International. In June and July 1972, O'Sullivan was in Denver, Colorado, to star in the Elitch Theatre production of Butterflies are Free with Karen Grassle and Brandon deWilde. The show ended on 1 July 1972.

When her daughter, actress Mia Farrow, became involved with Woody Allen both professionally and romantically, she appeared in Hannah and Her Sisters, playing Farrow's mother. She had roles in Peggy Sue Got Married (1986) and the science fiction oddity Stranded (1987). Mia Farrow named one of her own sons Ronan O'Sullivan Farrow for her mother. In 1994, she appeared with Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers in Hart to Hart: Home Is Where the Hart Is, a feature-length made-for-TV movie with the wealthy husband-and-wife team from the popular weekly detective series Hart to Hart.

O'Sullivan's first husband was the Australian-American writer, award-winning director and Catholic convert John Villiers Farrow, from 12 September 1936 until his death on 28 January 1963. She and Farrow were the parents of seven children: Michael Damien (1939–1958), Patrick Joseph (Patrick Villiers Farrow, 1942–2009), Maria de Lourdes Villiers (Mia Farrow, b. 1945), John Charles (b. 1946),[8] Prudence Farrow (b. 1948), Stephanie Farrow (b. 1949) and Theresa Magdalena "Tisa" Farrow (b. 1951).

O'Sullivan married James Cushing, a wealthy businessman, on 22 August 1983; they remained wed until her death in 1998. Maureen O'Sullivan became a U.S. citizen on 22 October 1947 (Petition for Naturalization #133033), Los Angeles, California.

She was a Roman Catholic.

A Democrat, she supported Adlai Stevenson during the 1952 presidential election.

Maureen O'Sullivan died in Scottsdale, Arizona, of complications from heart surgery on 23 June 1998, at age 87. O'Sullivan is buried at Most Holy Redeemer Cemetery, Niskayuna, New York, Cushing's hometown. Michael, her oldest son, was killed at age 19 in a 1958 plane crash. Her son Patrick Villiers Farrow, a sculptor and peace and environmental activist, committed suicide in 2009. Her grandson, Ronan Farrow, is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist.

O'Sullivan has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6541 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, facing the star of Johnny Weissmuller. A black plaque marks her home on Main Street in Boyle, County Roscommon, Ireland. Just around the corner from there, opposite King House, is a tree, ceremonially planted by O'Sullivan to mark her return to her birthplace.

In 1982, O'Sullivan was awarded The George Eastman Award, given by George Eastman House for distinguished contribution to the art of film.

[fmdxsujiarchive]

summary: a close producer tells suji the story of his twenty year-old niece falling in love with her first boyfriend, and it takes suji back to the days when she was young, stupid but in love date: multiple times around june to july word count: 2,205 words, excluding the lyrics notes: creative claims (full lyrics & composition) verification self-para for one day of twenty! not name-dropped but some very vague mentions of jae 👀

it’s been a couple of weeks since she’s submitted 26 for confirmation. the feedback that she received from the couple of in-house producers about the song had been overly positive. they say that they’re proud that she’s ventured into something a bit different and that going for a rock ballad style doesn’t sound too bad for her next album. suji knows that they’re mostly teasing her, but she appreciates the genuine support that she’s been receiving. she really wouldn’t be anywhere close to a singer songwriter if all these people surrounding her hadn’t been so helpful and supporting. 

she’s mumbling on about how many she should go find herself an actual studio to work in other than her home studio so that she doesn’t have to borrow equipment from a bunch of people inside the company when the producer that’s been allowing her to use his studio walks back in. he’s brought in some food, and she almost forgets how she hasn’t eaten in about five hours. she gives him a quick thanks. 

“hey, so my niece is turning twenty soon, and i was wondering what twenty year-old girls would like? i literally have nobody else to ask but you, suji-yah.” the look on his face tells her enough that he’s quite desperate for some advice, and she can’t help but chuckle as she takes a fry out from the bag. 

“i haven’t been twenty in so long, oppa,” she replies with a slight hum. “the most typical presents are roses, perfume and a kiss. i’m positive she doesn’t want the last one from you so maybe perfume? just go to olive young and ask them what’s popular these days with college freshmen. i’m sure they’ll be more than ecstatic to help you.” there was nothing special that she received on her turning of age day so she wouldn’t be too much help. 

“my sister—her mom—tells me she has a boyfriend already though so she’ll probably be getting all that from him anyway. isn’t there something more useful?” suji can’t help but laugh at the look of disgust that’s on minwoo’s face as he talks about his niece’s boyfriend. her sister hasn’t blessed her as the position of an aunt just yet, but she thinks she’ll probably understand the feeling one day. 

“if you want to be useful to both your sister and your niece, i say get her a laptop. that’s useful for college freshmen.” that seems to do it for him because he immediately whips out his phone and types on it. she assumes he’s making a note to himself or looking up laptops. either way, he seems to have hit the jackpot so she swivels her chair around back to the computer. 

she’s pulled up an older beat that she’s had drafted since preparations for her first mini album. it wasn’t polished enough then to be released as an actual song, but it was a soft beat that she enjoyed, and so she’d been working on it for a couple of days now, trying to polish it up so that it actually sounded like a song. 

“that sounds nice, suji. almost like a softer version of 26.” suji turns back around at the sound of minwoo’s voice with a raised brow because she hadn’t considered it like that before. the background sounds are quite repetitive as she’d been hoping to keep it minimal with the instrumentation, but now that he mentioned it, she could hear the similarities. “i guess? it has a lot less guitar though because i’m not trying to write another rock song, trust me. 26 was difficult enough though jaehyuk oppa was helpful when it came to the guitar in that one.”

he gets his eyes off of his phone to walk over to the screen. “yeah, but i think where the beat falls is pretty similar. not that it’s a bad thing. i actually think if you were to finish this, it’d go well in an album with 26. that is if gold star confirms 26 which they’d be stupid not to.” she gives him a light punch on the arm out of pure embarrassment from the compliment. 

“okay, yeah, my sister definitely wants the laptop. i think she just doesn’t want to buy one herself for her daughter. speaking of my niece, apparently she’s head over heels for this boyfriend. it’s her first boyfriend so can you blame her?” she can see that he’s trying to brush it off like it’s not bothering him, but she can see the clenched jaws as well as how he’s tapping the soundboard a bit too rapidly. “i think everybody thinks they’re in love at that age.” 

he nods in agreement before telling her how he needs to leave. she nods goodbye at him, and he doesn’t forget to give her one last burst of encouragement about how nice the composition sounds, and she gives him a thumbs up in response. 

now that her distraction was gone, she went back to the composition at hand. it was almost finished, but after minwoo had implanted the idea that it was similar to 26 but softer, she couldn’t help but wonder if it was the right decision to keep taking it. the instruments used are different, but the direction and sequence of things was similar. she puts it on repeat a couple of times before coming to the decision that she still likes how raw it sounds as it was originally drafted back when she was beginning to learn how to compose. she’ll take his words as meaning that her sound just really hasn’t changed too much. 

the volume of the background instrumentals don’t shift throughout the whole song, and she likes that about it. she continues to add a few new sounds as the song progresses, but it returns back to the original composition that she had in the very beginning at the end. the song progresses like it’s telling a story and that after the climax, it comes to a resolution just as it began. just the way she likes it. 

the completed composition is a step up from its very first original draft she created back in early 2019. she knows that her upcoming album is going to be released late into the year, and she thinks the way the muted bells and other instruments work together reminds her of walking on a fresh blanket of white snow. 

she hopes that it’s how others perceive the song as well. 

//

she’s on stand by in the middle of filming and hanging out in her car to avoid the harsh sunlight when she decides that she’s already memorized all five of her lines, and that’d she would like to use her time a little more productively. she takes out her cellphone as well as the notebook she keeps with her at all times in case she gets a burst of inspiration. 

she’s scrolling through her list of compositions that are naked without lyrics when she gets a kakaotalk from minwoo. 

[ hey! my niece really loved the laptop so thanks a lot, suji! but she’s always on a date with her boyfriendㅠㅠㅠ i miss when she was seven ] 

suji can’t contain her laughter at the whiny text, and she’s lucky that she’s the only one in the car right now. it would have been embarrassing to explain what she was laughing so hard about if anybody was around. leaning back onto the car seat, she tries to think back to her own life back when she was twenty. what was it like? was it as great of a transition as people make it out to be? 

twenty would mean six years ago which was exactly when she first debuted with fuse. she doesn’t remember any feelings of being in love around that time or really falling for anybody. all she can remember is the nerves she felt from performing on stage and just overall from being a rookie in the industry. looking back at the text that minwoo sent her, she smiles because his niece seems to be living the life. 

twenty. 

it’s made out to be some extravagant age, but nothing really changes much. however, korea seems to put a lot of emphasis onto the age. you’re suddenly allowed to drink, stay out during later hours and buy lottery tickets. though it also means you no longer can pay a discounted fare for the subway and bus, and that you’re suddenly thrown into a bigger society that’s no longer just school. 

but she can’t help but be a little jealous of minwoo’s niece. to feel like you’ve fallen so deep in love that you can’t live without your significant other though they’re both young. people grow out of love as quickly as they fall in love. she hears stories of how people were in the most beautiful relationships as college freshmen right when they hit twenty, and then they go through nasty breakups and then all marry someone else. however, when she hears those stories, the same people who curse their boyfriend or girlfriend at the same time also tell her that it was a meaningful time of their lives. 

perhaps that’s what’s so beautiful about being twenty. 

being allowed to do wild things, throw yourself into all these relationships but then look back at it and excuse yourself because you were young. because you were fresh, and you didn’t know any better. 

you know, there’s nobody i like so much these days that it makes my heart burst  not since that blue summer of our’s  that we passed through and suddenly faced breaking up 

there’s that feeling that exists when you first fall in love where you feel like you can’t live without the other person, and that you’re going to be with them forever. though she wasn’t twenty when she first felt it, she remembers the butterflies she felt as well as the way her cheeks would flush up at the mere thought of him. now suji looks back at it and laughs because just like minwoo’s niece, she was simply young and stupid but equally in love. loving at that age isn’t invalid, and that’s what she wants to tell minwoo, but she also understands why adults are quick to tell their adolescent children that nothing will actually last forever at that age. sure, there are the exceptions but most people are born as the rule anyway. 

the moment you turned away from me that night i cried alone so hard that i couldn’t breathe i’m still here the same

what was love to me back then?  somehow i don’t think i can love again

suji never actually confessed because the crush came and went, but she thinks that if she weren’t living her life as an idol, and that she was some regular college freshmen going through a breakup with her first love, this is how she would feel. somehow after losing your first love, you’re left with the thought that you can no longer love again. it’s only years later or when you’re meeting someone else that you tell yourself that it was such a silly thought to have. again, it’s the perks of being young. of being twenty.

back then when it was thrilling and clear back then when the whole world was brilliant  that time when i cried alone and hurt back then, at that time

one day in my twenties that seemed like it would last forever

it’s like the butterflies are back in her stomach as she writes down the lyrics as if she’s writing a boyfriend to some non-existent ex-boyfriend from her younger days. there’s a specific face that comes to mind that she does her best to try to erase because she knows it’s foolish; she knows that she’s completely over that now. she doesn’t feel her heart fluttering anymore around him, and she doesn’t blush at his every touch like she used to. or at least she doesn’t think she does. 

suji makes a mental note to herself to thank minwoo—or more like his niece—for being the inspiration to this song. if he hadn’t walked in on her that day and asked for the present recommendation as well as whine about how in love his twenty year-old niece was right now, she doesn’t think she would have been inspired to finish the song. 

it goes well with the soft instrumentals of the song, and she likes the way that it can act as a key to locked up memories that people most likely have of their first love, their first relationship, and their first heartbreak. 

a lot of people like to think that when they turn twenty, they magically turn into complete adults. they go above and beyond to prove that they can care for themselves only to look back at those days about five or six years later and cringe, kicking the blankets as they try to go to sleep with those memories in their head. 

but there’s a nice, cringey emotion that comes with the memory of coming of age. twenty, while legally now an adult, is a transition between still being young and learning more about yourself and the world. not just in love but all around. 

she scribbles little doodles and hearts around her finished lyrics just like she would back in school and closes the notebook with a satisfied smile. perhaps if this song makes it onto her next album, it’ll become one of her favorites.

[jlf23tumble]

Hei jen! How are you? I was wondering if you know of any hl fic where they meet as adults? (Like 30s but even older) and also if you have a rec for fics that are just mmm... warm? Idk how to explain it but just really nice and warm ? Because usually i find super fluffy fics a bit boring ( wjhfah sorry!) But i feel like you may have found some good ones!

Hello, and you bet I do! Sorry for the delay; too much work jumped up, and it’s about to jump again, but I can squeeze in a good old-fashioned rec or two! Let’s start with the older h/l fics...I actually did one on this topic a little while ago, but since then, OF COURSE, I found some more, so I’d add these to that list, too:

Took Me By Surprise, by QuickedWeen, louis/harry, 20k, M. Louis Tomlinson was on the brink of becoming the next MLS star. Until he blew out his knee. A decade later, he's the head anchor of the American version of Match of the Day and is raising the coolest nine-year-old on the planet. (I actually read this a while ago and only just realized that it fits this rec perfectly, derp)

taking tips and getting stoned, by alison, louis/harry, 24k, M. Louis drives a taxi. He hasn't seen Harry in eight years when they have a chance meeting. A lot has changed in that time. But not everything. (not a new fic, and not a first-time meeting, but it has album release vibes that had me thinking Things)

Not That Gone, by abrighteryellow, louis/harry, 61k, E. A few weeks after Louis and Harry, *ahem*, reconnect at their high school reunion, Harry temporarily moves back home. Louis isn't sure he has the emotional fortitude for a prolonged fling with the man of the dreams. (a sequel i never saw coming! you don’t need to read the first one, but still recommended all around)

Now for the warmth! This is a bit trickier because I read this ask as a soft, cozy, kind of comfy blanket of a fic, with a bit of spice...so that’s what I pulled for you! At least one of my faves is in the link to the earlier rec list, so I won’t repeat it here (cough, cough, Turning Page)...you’ll find I *do* repeat a lot of my faves below because I love that warmth:

Only Thing That Can Quench My Thirst, by eyesofshinigami, louis/harry, 6.5k, E.  Louis wouldn't exactly call it a thing, his newfound fascination with the curly trail that starts below Harry's bellybutton. (PUBE FIC THAT LAUNCHED A FEST, but it’s so sweet-n-hot, god, I love it so much)

So Much Left to Say, by myownspark, louis/harry, 7k, M. Harry and Louis play for rival high school football teams, and when they play against each other in the Homecoming game, someone has to lose. (like a warm blanket of snow)

call me anything you like, but my name is, by wishforwishes, harry/mitch, harry/clare, harry/mitch/sarah, 9k, E. Three mentors, two tea parties, one and a half recording studios, and a reference to Archie comics. (yes, it isn’t h/l, but JESUS this story sticks so hard right now, I’m obsessed with it on four levels)

Laundry Room, by beautlouis, louis/harry, 10k, E. Louis can't stop staring at Harry and he can't figure out why Harry consistently points out Louis’ inside-out shirts, and his untied shoes, and messy hair. (i space out and think about this fic anytime i see a laundry room picture)

Tan Lines and Some Memories, by twoshipstiedup, louis/harry, 11k, M. Harry Styles is the indie movie darling he’d been avoiding ever since Louis saw his movie at Cannes and harbored an unreasonable grudge against him. A unicorn t-shirt finally brings them together in person. (this one’s warmth comes from the dialog...so sparkly!)

Tuxedo Dress-Up, by blake, louis/harry, 11k, E. Louis is an aspiring song writer by day, a make up artist for drag queens by night, and masquerading as a full time real estate agent for his third most famous (and first most handsome) client Harry Styles. (I LIVE AND DIE BY THIS ONE, FRIENDS)

burn this flame, by rainbowninja167, louis/harry, 13k, E. When Harry gets invited to play in a celebrity charity match with Louis Tomlinson, Manchester United's star player, he's determined to impress him with brilliant football skills. (this is a great representative of my love for footie!louis)

Grenadine Sunshine, by objectlesson, louis/harry, 18k, E. He wants to show him everything he knows, even though he doesn’t know anything about this, about kissing boys or flirting with them or doing their makeup or even showing them it’s okay to want to wear makeup in the first place. (the response to wankerville’s call, GORGEOUS and dare I say it, totally canon)

Sing You Butterflies, by objectlesson, louis/harry, 22k, E. Harry’s a clumsy unicorn who accidentally stomps on a witch’s garden and is turned into a human as punishment; fairy-tale-fine Louis has to teach him how to live as a human and stop him from eating soap. (so HARD to choose between this and the mermaid fic, but I love allllll of phoenix’s canon and AUs so much)

If You Asked Me if I Loved Him (I’d Lie), by allyasavedtheday, louis/harry, 26k, M, needs ao3 account. Or the one where Harry and Louis eloped but neglected to mention it to anyone. (what is it with me loving part 2 of a story more than part 1??? both are amazing, but this is a nice spin on a familiar trope)

Nothing You Can Do (But You Can Learn How to Be You In Time), by Teumessian, louis/harry, 28k, E, needs ao3 account. Louis braids Harry’s hair. There are good times, bad times, fancy houses, supportive bandmates, secret boyfriends, small rebellions, bigger revolutions, some nail varnish, ribbons, cute clothing, and a Pinterest. ([lights up voice] do you know who you are????)

hush., by wankerville, louis/harry, 41k, T. “I don't like you like that, Harry.” “See,” Harry starts, Louis can hear the smile in his voice, “that's where I think you're lying.” an au where small towns suck, louis is losing it, and harry’s just too perfect. (goddddddddd, this story, it kills me, it’s so beautiful and cozy and warm)

Harry Styles Cooks..., by sunsetmog, louis/harry, 52k, E. Louis owns all of Harry Styles’ cookbooks, and he never intends to cook a single thing out of any of them. (I ascend every time i get the nota that this wip has updated)

To the Ends of the Earth, by stylinsoncity, louis/harry, 68k, M. During a yearlong hiatus, Louis visits Harry at his cabin in Idaho, where long-buried feelings ignite like the fire keeping them warm. (if you haven’t read it in a while, check out the updated epilogue!)

knock knock, i love you, by beautlouis, louis/harry, 86k, E. Harry and Louis get kicked out of a statistics exam for passing a knock knock joke note, and subsequently fall in love. Harry's a virgin, there's a cat, a hot cocoa date, a lot of sex, even more knock knock jokes, and everything is lovely and happy. (pure fluffy hot coziness, dreams really do come true--this was a wip for 2 YEARS)

Untangle Me, by suixcene, louis/harry, 100k, E. It’s not like Louis can pinpoint the exact moment in time when him and Harry fell out of sync. There wasn’t really one at all. It had been a gradual slip, like the tide wearing away at a sandstone cliff. Chipping the solid foundations until there was nothing left to stop the structure falling to the waves below. or the one where they finally get it right (listen, there’s a lot you have to sort of take with a grain of salt for the sake of the story, but this one owns my heart because it was the first big one i read in this fandom? yah, YAHHHHH)

[jawnjendes]

shawn meets... | bella

SUMMARY: in the life of a rockstar, shawn mendes comes across some unique people. sometimes, things stray from the norm. (AU, shawn x every one of my oc’s)

AN: hiiii this is somewhat of a continuation of my last series, goth gf. you dont HAVE to read it to know what's happening here, but there will be references to it every so often. if you've been here since the goth gf days then, hi. i appreciate you. enjoy this shit. let me know ur thots.

****let me know if you want to be added to the taglist!

bella's origin story | bella's playlist | masterlist

It felt awfully strange to be in Annalise's hometown, knowing she wouldn't be going home right away. The residential part of North Hollywood where her parents lived still felt like it was a million miles away. The glamorous Lyft Lux was going through the equally glamorous parts of the city, and it was almost mundane despite the fact that she had been away for over a year.

Shawn and his younger sister, Aaliyah, were frequently pointing out the exciting things they had only seen in photos and movies: the Chinese Theater, the Walk of Fame, the Hollywood sign. They were bundles of energy and excitement. Annalise was only jittery because she never fully processed that she lives in the same city as her favorite YouTuber, Bella Santiago.

Over a month ago, Bella discovered the Shawn Mendes profile on Spotify, causing her to give him a shoutout on Twitter. Then, just after the release of his newest EP, In My Blood, Bella messaged Shawn, offering to fly him out to LA, put him in a hotel and make a video with her. Shawn immediately jumped at the chance, but he couldn't go without bringing two of the biggest Bella stans he knew, Annalise and Aaliyah. The only reason why it took until the New Year for this to happen was simple: exams and Christmas.

When the semester ended, Annalise spent the holidays and her 22nd birthday with Shawn's family in Pickering, much to her own family's disdain. It was different, celebrating Christmas on the morning of the 25th, rather than the 24th. It was also different not eating tamales or pozole like she did with her family. It totally wasn't annoying when Shawn blasted that god awful Taylor Swift song on the morning of Annalise's birthday. She totally didn't miss her family either.

She had to promise her parents that she would stay in LA for the duration of the holiday break in return for missing all the important holidays. It wasn't a hard decision to make, but it was going to be hard letting Shawn go. Annalise only hoped that there would be time for him to meet her extended family during this trip. From what she understood, as soon as Bella was done with him, Shawn and Aaliyah were getting on a plane straight back to Toronto.

As it turns out, Bella Santiago is insanely generous. She reserved the three of them a deluxe suite at the Marriott. They had a view of the city, a massive king size bed, and a pull out sofa bed. Everything was spotless, and luxurious.

"She didn't have to go this hard," Aaliyah pointed out as she tossed her suitcase to the side.

"What, would you rather sleep on the floor?" Shawn teased. "And pick that up and move it so it's out of the way!"

She rolled her eyes as she did what he said.

Annalise made herself comfortable on top of the white sheets. While all of this was exciting, she was fucking exhausted. It felt like it was much later in the day, having gotten up at seven. The time change made it feel like it was well in the afternoon, but it was barely eleven.

"How's your tummy?" Shawn asked from the window. He had his phone out and was taking photos of the view.

"Much better," she replied.

Against her better judgment, Annalise had a coffee during the five hour flight, and it did not agree with her. She made good friends with a barf bag… or three. All the caffeine must have left her system if she was feeling better now.

"What time do we meet Bella?" asked Aaliyah, padding over to stand by her brother.

"Three o'clock," Shawn replied. "In the ballroom downstairs."

That prompted all three of them to take a death nap for the time being. It only lasted about three hours, and when their alarms went off, none of them felt any more rested.

Annalise was the first one to actually get up and get ready. For once, she was intimidated by who she was going to be standing in front of today. She had to look her best, even if it was in all black.

It didn't take long for Aaliyah to follow suit. Soon enough, both girls were sitting in front of the window, using the California sun for their light as they did their makeup.

The funny thing is, as much as they cared about looking their best, neither of them were going to be in Bella's video. She only wanted Shawn, who was still lying in bed half an hour before the scheduled meet up.

"What are you gonna wear?" Annalise asked her boyfriend.

"I don't know," he replied, his voice muffled by the pillow. "Will she even care about what I'm wearing?"

"You're gonna be on her channel," Aaliyah said, looking up from her handheld mirror, "which has millions of viewers, including some of my friends who will never let me hear the end of it if they see my brother looking like a clown in front of the queen!"

Shawn grinned and got up. "I'll go like this, what do you think?" He held his arms out, showcasing his plaid pajama bottoms and a Nike hoodie. He also only had one sock on.

"You'll be dead before you step out of the room like that," Ann darkly added.

“Thanks Satan.” He chuckled.

Shawn was only pretending to be calm. Inside, he was shaking and his insides were heavy. He didn't even think about Bella's subscriber count until Aaliyah pointed it out. He really wanted Bella to like him too. She seemed like such a sweetheart from her videos, Shawn hoped that wasn't just a persona.

He had spent most of the flight watching her videos (when Ann wasn’t puking up her caffeine, of course.) He made it through a few tutorials, learning a lot about not only makeup, but Bella herself. She suffers from several anxiety disorders and constantly works to better herself. She left her parents when she came out to them as bisexual, and she hasn't spoke to them or her extended family in years. She recently got out of a relationship with another YouTuber named Ethan Nestor, which was part of the reason why she spent half of 2019 in her hometown of Palm Springs. This woman has some thick skin, there was no denying that.

One of the best things that Shawn learned about Bella was that she had a butterfly tattoo on her left arm. In another video, she talked about how her viewers drew butterflies on their arms in support of her when she was down. She got it tattooed for them, and the colors of the wings were the same as the bisexual pride flag. Shawn looked at his own butterfly tattoo differently now.

The other best thing he learned was how talented of a singer Bella was. She had covers on her channel, and Shawn watched every single one. Bella had such a rich, beautiful voice, and it looked so easy for her to hit any high note. She sang Love on the Brain without any strain on her face. She sang a gayer version of You Belong with Me, and played guitar with it. She sang with Markiplier as the opening act when they were on a comedy show tour in 2018.

Shawn couldn't wait to sing with her, though he was intimidated. He thought he was a good singer, but put him next to someone with Ariana Grande levels of talent? The nerves were never ending.

It was ten til three when everyone was ready. Their only predicament was to go down to the ballroom early or not.

“Did she text you?” Aaliyah asked, clearly antsy. “Is she on her way or anything?”

Shawn shook his head. He had changed into a white tee, black jeans and a denim jacket, which the two girls approved of. “Should I message her? Or… her manager? She’s the one who made all these arrangements.”

“Hey, she might not even be here on time,” Ann said. “YouTubers are like celebrities. They run on their own schedules just because they can.”

“Bella wouldn’t do that, would she?” Aaliyah said in disbelief.

“Only one way to find out.”

And to the ballroom they went. The space was huge, clearly meant for a party. There were sheer white curtains hanging from the huge windows, and a chandelier hanging from the ceiling. In the far corner of the room, tables and chairs were folded and leaning against the wall. Shawn, Aaliyah, and Ann looked around the room, all silently nervous and excited. Only a few minutes into it, they heard female voices just outside the room.

“But we’re always early! I knew I should have driven myself!”

“It’s two fifty-nine! Relax, they’re probably not even here yet!”

“Huh, I’ll be damned,” Ann mumbled, looking at her phone to verify the time.

The owners of the other two voices entered the room, carrying expensive-looking camera equipment and studio lights. They were followed by a bellhop, who was carrying a keyboard in a case. One woman was short and curvy, brown and freckled. Her short black hair was curly and glossed down, and she was wearing a bright red pantsuit.

The other woman was long and lean, decked out in a white long sleeve crop top, a black skirt, and knee high boots. Her iconic bright pink hair made a comeback, that wasn’t in her latest video. Her kind face looked airbrushed and flawless, although her brown eyes looked alarmed, like she was caught in headlights.

The first person to break the silence was the woman in red, already establishing her power. “Hello!” She held her hand out to Shawn. “I’m Sonji, I’m Bella’s manager. I believe we spoke on the phone. And on Twitter.”

“Yeah, yeah we did,” he said as they shook hands. “Uh, this Aaliyah and Ann, my sister and my girlfriend.”

“Hi, ladies!” Sonji greeted, shaking their hands as well. “So lovely to meet you! God, you’re all so pretty!”

Both girls mumbled shy thank you’s.

“Okay, so my handsome friend here and myself are going to set things up for the video,” Sonji explained. “In the meantime-” She looked at her silent client. “-Baller, come talk to your little protégé.”

Then, Sonji led the bellhop further into the room, over by the windows.

Bella still had a bag slung over her shoulder and a massive studio light stand in her hands. She was clutching it to her chest, a very performative and awkward smile etched on her bright pink lips.

“Hi!” she said after one very long second. “Uh - lemme -” She set down the giant lights and removed the bag from her shoulder. Then she stood up straight and smoothed out her hair. “Hi! Uh, I said that already!”

“I’ll say it again! Hi!” Shawn greeted, smiling politely.

Bella looked at him and opened her arms for a hug. “It’s nice to finally meet you!”

It might be weird to put it this way, but she smelled pretty. Whatever perfume she was wearing was probably more expensive than the flight over here. Shawn hugged her around her shoulders, inadvertently touching her surprisingly soft hair. You could just tell that she didn’t spare a single penny when it came to caring for herself.

“Wow, I wasn’t expecting you to be so tall!” she said, looking up at Shawn. “For once, I’m not the tallest person in the room!”

She couldn’t have been taller than Ann, who was five foot five inches and felt very short most of the time.

“And this is the sister and the girlfriend?” Bella said, turning to the other two girls. She went to hug Aaliyah, who was more than delighted by the gesture.

Bella leaned back and took her hand. “I love your nails! Love the shape and color!” She ran her thumb over the white acrylics. “So cute!”

“Aw, thank you!” Aaliyah was beaming.

Then, Bella turned to hug Ann. It’s important to point out that in most situations, Annalise Flores is stone faced, calm, and collected. Today, however, Ann had wide eyes, like she was face the good Lord herself… like she was going to drop down on one knee and propose to Bella.

Shawn wouldn’t blame her.

“Me encanta su delineador!” Bella told her, gently cupping her face.

“En serio?” Ann softly asked.

“Yes, que linda! Those inner wings are to die for! What do you use?”

“Um.. uh, I think it’s NYX? I don’t know the exact one, but it’s definitely NYX!” Ann chuckled nervously.

“Well, it looks amazing!”

Ann looked like she was going to faint with that euphoric dazed look on her face. Thankfully, she stayed on both feet because Sonji grabbed their attention. She managed to sneak by Bella, take the lights and bag, and set them all up by the window. She also set up the keyboard, camera and two chairs. There were three other chairs behind the camera as well. Sonji was incredibly fast.

“We are all ready to go!” she said to the others.

“Shall we?” Bella gestured for the other three to go first.

Shawn, Ann, and Aaliyah went over to the set up, excitement only increasing from here.

"Were you two going to be in the video too?" Sonji asked the two girls.

They both shook their heads.

"Nervous? Don't blame you, the Internet is brutal."

That didn't help Shawn's bundle of nerves. He took a silent deep breath as he went for his guitar case while Bella sat in front of her keyboard. The Internet is brutal, and Shawn's own minuscule corner of it was safe solely because of the size. The fans he tweeted every so often were seemingly normal, and no one was overly critical about him or his music. More exposure means more space for criticism and plain old hate.

Bella had over five million subscribers, and at least forty thousand of them took an interest in Shawn over the last month and a half. It was a lot of new people to make a good impression to. He took another deep breath and removed the guitar from its case. There's no going back now.

"So, I don't want this to be a structured, planned out video," Bella explained when Shawn took the empty chair next to her. "I just want us to talk so my viewers can get to know you, and we'll sing whatever comes to mind."

"Sounds good," Shawn said, not really hearing himself.

"Now everybody - and I mean everybody - take in a deep breath."

The room was silent except for the sounds of everyone inhaling through their noses. Aaliyah and Ann still looked excited as they followed Bella's instruction. Sonji followed as well, like she had done this a thousand times.

"And exhale," Bella breathed out, and the others repeated. "Good. Get those nerves out, breathe away the anxiety. This is fun, we're having fun."

Shawn felt a little better, knowing she was just as nervous, if not more. Throughout all of Bella's mental health videos that he watched on the plane, none of them seemed to touch on how severe her own case was.

Finally, Bella addressed the camera, her soft voice suddenly projected. "Hey, it's Bella! Welcome back to my channel! Today, I'm here with a very special guest! Some of you saw me tweet a while ago…"

Oh god, what the fuck was Shawn going to say? He looked over at Ann, who smiled reassuringly and silently did the motions for deep breathing. Stay calm. You're a strong guy.

"So how long have you been making music?" Bella asked him as she mindlessly pressed keys on her keyboard.

Shawn recalled as best he could. "Uh, I sang covers when I was fifteen. Didn't make my own music until a few years later."

"Nice! Are you in school, or work or something?"

"Yeah, I'm in college. I'm majoring in music and botany."

"Oh, you like plants?"

Shawn was mildly impressed. Most people had to ask what botany is, and he would have to explain for the thousandth time. Then, he would be told to drop the music major because it's easier to find a job in plant science.

"Flowers," he clarified. "I work in a flower shop."

"That's so cool!"

The conversation got easier as time went on. Sometimes Aaliyah or Ann would chime in if they felt that Shawn was getting too confident. Bella giggled every so often, which made everyone in the room adore her even more.

Shawn was about ready to propose when Bella started playing Mercy on her keyboard and humming the beginning. He stared at her in shock for a few seconds before he played along on guitar. Hopefully that didn't look too embarrassing on camera. He listened to her voice for a moment before singing with her in the chorus.

He had plenty of questions for Bella after they went through that song. "Where did you get a voice like that?"

"I could carry a tune as a kid," she explained, "so I was put into singing classes to hone it. Then I did church choir, school choir… I just never really stopped singing." She paused and then chuckled nervously. "This is gonna sound pretentious, but I think I got this voice for a reason. Meaning, I have this platform and all these followers. I think I'm meant to use my voice for good. Help people in whatever way I can."

Shawn smiled. "That's beautiful. I see that in your videos. I kinda went on a binge on the plane."

Bella grinned.

"One thing that stood out to me…" Shawn hesitated, minding the camera and the future viewers of this video. "You are so unapologetically bisexual. You always make the point to the person you needed as a kid, because there is still so little bi representation in the media. And you decided, if no one's going to do it, then you'll do it yourself, and I think that's incredible."

"Yeah, I didn't have anyone telling me it's okay to feel what I feel, and I don't want anyone to go through what I went through as a teen."

Shawn nodded, glancing over at Ann once. He had talked about touching on this particular topic with her, and he was starting to have his own shred of doubt.

But, he learned from his girlfriend. Fuck it.

"I wish I had someone like you as a teenager," he said to Bella, strumming his guitar. "I mean, when I came out to my family, I was lucky. They were loving and accepting, but I still couldn't find anyone out there who was like me, in real life or in the media. I really wish I had found your videos sooner."

Bella was beaming. "I knew I liked you."

The two of them went back and forth between talking and singing. They compared butterfly tattoos, and then Bella was asking him about his other tats. Shawn learned a couple of Little Mix songs too, which led him to discover where his girlfriend got that fixation from. He was mostly amazed at how Bella was able to belt out song after song like it was nothing. Like she was meant for this. Why did she choose to be a makeup artist?

"Have you ever been offered a record deal?" Shawn asked. "Or thought about making your own music?"

"Mm, yes and yes," she said. "But singing is more of a hobby. I can't see myself delving into the music industry at all. Makeup is where it's at for me. Makeup got me through some of the hardest times in my life."

Shawn wouldn't say no to a record deal. He'd move to Los Angeles tomorrow if he could. He would do just about anything to play music full time. He glanced over at Ann again, who winked with a smile.

next chapter

_______

taglist: @normalcyisoverrated-beyou @justordinaryjen @chillingbythesea @iloveshawnieboi @shawnsunflower @someoneunimportantxx

[cxhnow]

Chloe and Halle Bailey, Jeremy Scott’s Newest Front Row Stars, on Beyoncé, Their New Album, and the Black-ish Spinoff

When they first entered Jeremy Scott’s New York showroom Friday, Chloe and Halle Bailey were a bit overwhelmed. They were confronted by a kaleidoscope of colors, a daunting array of garments, and a wide mandate in the designer’s archives. That is, the sisters—who are musicians, actors, and protégées of Beyoncé signed to her Parkwood Entertainment label—had arrived with a deceptively simple assignment: to select looks for the designer’s Spring 2018 show, which they planned to attend that night. But that left them with a lot of choice.They eventually emerged, as they often do, with coordinating looks. “We’re the same, but we’re different as well,” Chloe said. “We like to incorporate that through our fashion.” She opted for a black sleeveless minidress printed with trompe l’oeil butterflies formed out of two pistols in blues, pinks, yellows, and greens, with blue and black calf-hair platform shoes, while her younger sister selected the same print in a silk motorcycle jacket, paired with distressed Levi’s and platform heels in black with yellow flowers—“our favorite pieces, and the ones that were cohesive with one another,” Chloe described.These were the looks that hung in the wardrobe of their Midtown hotel room Friday evening, just more than an hour before the show was scheduled to begin. It was a crisp, early fall night, and as they explained their selection, the doorbell rung a couple times—at one point, to let their dad Doug, who is also their manager and frequent fashion show companion, in, and then to welcome in a room-service delivery of spaghetti. (“I love carbs,” Chloe later said enthusiastically—especially as vegans, which she and Hall have been for more than two years now.)

Though Friday marked their first time at a Jeremy Scott show—and their first show of the Spring 2018 season—the sisters are now nearly fashion week veterans. They attended their first fashion show, Tory Burch’s Spring 2017 runway, almost exactly a year ago, proceeding to sit in the front row at the Louis Vuitton show later that season (along with Sasha Lane, their “dear friend,” as Chloe described her). Then, earlier this year, the sisters got a glimpse of the other side, making their runway debut at Dolce & Gabbana’s Fall 2017 show. They sauntered down the runway in minidresses, tiaras, and red boots—holding hands all the while.“It’s like a different stage,” Halle said, comparing walking a runway to performing music. Still, “it was very different for us because we’re used to, we go on stage, we sing, and we feel this, like…” She exhaled with a sigh, a release of tension. “We worked so hard.” When they finished their brief lap of the runway, by contrast, “We were like, ‘Oh, that’s it? Cool.’” (She added, as a disclaimer, “but it was really fun.”)The sisters had just arrived in New York the previous day, fresh off a week of filming the first few episodes of Grown-ish, the new Black-ish spinoff in which Yara Shahidi’s character Zoey Johnson departs for college. Chloe and Halle already get mistaken for twins “all the time,” they told me in unison (perhaps an understandable misconception, considering they speak in unison, often finish each other’s sentences, and dress in coordinating looks), so it probably won’t help that, in the series, they play twin track stars Skylar and Jazz.The Bailey sisters were already close friends of their co-star Shahidi—last year, she described Chloe and Halle as her “BFFs”; they also share a fan in Michelle Obama—so being cast alongside her, as well as fellow Dolce & Gabbana model Luka Sabbat, was “a great feeling.” And though Chloe and Halle are now best known as musicians, they acted on screen as children growing up in Atlanta, making Grown-ish something of a return to form for both. (Indeed, as we drove to the show later that night, the sisters’ mom Courtney pulled out her phone to show me an image of Chloe, at age three, with Beyoncé, then 21, from the 2003 movie-musical Fighting Temptations, in which Chloe played a younger version of her eventual mentor’s character.)Chloe and Halle were making the most of their New York Fashion Week sojourn. In addition to the Jeremy Scott show, they stopped by a party hosted by Refinery29, where they finally met Issa Rae, the creator and star of Insecure, for the first time. They both avidly watch the series, which featured their song “Red Lights” in its first season, and it appears the admiration is mutual: On Thursday, Rae told them she was “so excited to see you guys’ acting debut,” Chloe recalled with a small gasp. “I was like, You know?”

But for all the activity in New York, by Sunday, they would return to Los Angeles to continue filming Grown-ish. The Freeform series, which is slated for premiere early next year, was just one of several projects Chloe and Halle were juggling. For example, back in Los Angeles, the sisters had the opportunity to pay homage to their mentor (and rumored fellow vegan) for her recent 36th birthday. Her mother, Tina Knowles, “wanted to do something spectacular for her daughter,” Halle said, so she recruited some of Beyoncé’s closest friends and collaborators to recreate a now-iconic image from the Lemonade visual album—Beyoncé in a wide-brimmed hat, a black dress, a bib necklace, and two thick braids. Knowles provided each of the participants—including Serena Williams, Michelle Obama, Ingrid, and even Beyoncé’s daughter Blue Ivy as well as Chloe and Halle—with a hat, braids included. She photographed the whole thing on an iPhone.Plus, earlier in the summer, they released a new project entitled The Two of Us that they described, upon its debut, as neither album nor mixtape, and that presages a full-length album they hope to complete soon.“All of the songs were rejects we knew weren’t going to make the album, but we still kind of liked,” Chloe explained as a makeup artist blotted electric blue shadow onto her lids. “We warped them together into one long song. It was really fun to create, because it’s, like, 25 minutes long.” But their album is coming, too: “It’s like, 85, 90 percent done,” Halle explained, adding that they were hoping to begin releasing new music early next year.They write, record, and produce their own music at their home studio in Los Angeles; once in a while, Beyoncé will drop in like a fairy godmother with feedback.“She allows us to have our own mind and our own thoughts and creativity,” Chloe said. “Her main thing, she wants us to do what we want to do,” Halle added. “She’s like, ‘Let the world catch up to you. You girls’ talent is so immense, don’t dumb it down for the world.’” It’s a message they also communicate on “Simple,” one of The Two of Us’s standout songs: 

“No, I’m not calling anybody out, it’s just people telling us, ‘Oh you know your stuff’s too complex for the average ear to get it. Maybe you should just be simple,’” Chloe murmurs, singsong.“We hope that one day we’ll be legends, because legends break barriers and don’t follow the rules, you know?” Halle said.Though Chloe and Halle had just met designer Jeremy Scott earlier in the day, he has long cultivated relationships with musicians: Björk was reportedly his first celebrity client, and his inner circle currently comprises Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus, and Madonna. The sisters slipped into their Scott-designed looks—“Oh, come on,” their mom, Courtney, cried approvingly when she saw her daughters transformed—and Chloe daubed her favorite oil, which she dubbed “the smell-good” and smells of cotton candy, onto her wrists. A last-minute change of hoop earrings for studs, and they were ready to go: The four Baileys hurried out to the car that would shepherd them downtown to Spring Studios. (Back in Los Angeles, Chloe had just passed her driving test and obtained a bright blue Mini Cooper she christened Cleo, making her her own chauffeur.)When they arrived at the show, Chloe and Halle took their seats just down the front row from Lionel Richie and Jimmy Iovine, who their mother introduced as a “legend.” They sidled up to Erika Jayne of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, of which, apparently, they are big fans, and began chatting animatedly with the reality star. The lights dimmed, and Scott’s retrospective of a show got underway, with models like Karlie Kloss, Sofia Richie, Gigi Hadid, Devon Aoki, Coco Rocha, and even Liberty Ross, the ’90s supermodel married to Iovine, making their way down the runway in Scott’s silver-sequined club kid attire.After the lights came back up and before Chloe and Hall dissolved into the crowd, they offered their final review: “It was fantastic,” Chloe said. “I loved how it shined under the lights.”“I liked all the sparkles,” her sister echoed. “Beautiful.” [s]

[more photos from this event]

[megalony]

I do love you- Part 7

Another part of my newest Roger Taylor series, thank you for all the lovely feedback and comments.

Taglist: @marshmallowmae  @mcrmarvelloki  @langdonzvoid  @butlegendsneverdie  @jennyggggrrr  @reedusteinrambles

Series masterlist

Enjoy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(Y/n) didn't recognise the reflection she was faced within the mirror, but she couldn't decide whether it was a good thing or not.

The person looking back at her wasn't the version of herself that she had come to look at for so many years. The old version didn't look like she had come face to face with death himself and walked away from him. The old version of herself didn't look about ready to drop down to the floor in a coma and simply never wake up again which was exactly how (Y/n) was feeling in the inside. This new version was broken.

But maybe there were good points to this version too. This version of herself could call herself a mother. This version could say that she was no longer Roger's best friend, but his partner in life and crime. This new upgrade could say she had gone to hell and walked back out.

Roger's dark green jumper that was very snug fitting on her frame was the kind of comfort (Y/n) had been searching for these past few weeks when she had been stuck in an itching hospital gown. The leggings clinging to her frame was the kind of clothing she had desired. Her own clothes- and Rogers- that made her feel comfortable and at ease, it reminded her of home. Home was also something that the new version of herself had that was different from the old version. Home now included Roger, something (Y/n) had never thought about before, something that sent a wave of butterflies swarming through her stomach and chest.

Maybe soon home would also include James if he got well.

It felt like years ago since (Y/n) had been back to her apartment and she dreaded to think what it looked like now. Roger wasn't the most organised person, she knew that from the beginning so she was expecting the apartment to have boxes and things thrown about here and there when she went home. The nurse had declared that (Y/n)'s liver was now healed from the damage it had been subjected to, her protein levels have dropped to their normal level now. Meaning the feeling of walking around in a daze was almost gone, the sickness had disappeared and her headaches and general unease had disappeared. Since James had been born the pre-eclampsia had been treated and now had gone too, so (Y/n)'s vision was not at risk, her liver and blood were not being broken down or damaged and there was no threat to the rest of her body.

She still didn't feel one hundred percent but that was to be expected apparently so it was nothing to worry about. As long as she came back for regular check-ups for another eight weeks just to be sure her liver was coping and her blood pressure wasn't too low or high then (Y/n) was in the clear.

Meaning that today she was free to go home with Roger who had only been back to the apartment to get a very quick shower and grab some clothes and anything (Y/n) needed. Going home now meant that the couple couldn't be with James whenever they wanted, they were going to have to drive back and forth to come in during the day. When Roger couldn't sleep at night he usually crept down the corridor and sat with James just to check up on him and make sure he was alright. The nurse had scolded him more than once when she did her rounds and found him fast asleep in the chair. Now if Roger couldn't sleep or if he was worried about James he would have to wait until the morning to go down and see him.

The band were taking time off from recording in the studio- well, Roger was taking time off. Freddie, Brian and John were still working on a few things here and there but they couldn't do much without Roger and they could hardly ask him to come to work when his family needed him more

"Fancy some visitors?" Roger's voice broke (Y/n) from her overwhelming thoughts.

Turning her head from the mirror to the door of the room (Y/n) locked her eyes onto Roger. Seeing he had one hand on the door handle and the other on the door frame, leaning partially into the room with a brighter smile on his face than she had seen these past few days. A smile pulled at her lips as she nodded her head, watching Roger walk into the room, waving his hand for the unknown visitors to come in too.

Pulling the sleeves of the jumper over her hands (Y/n) watched the door carefully, waiting to see who had turned up to see them. The smile on her lips widening when Rosie suddenly bundled into the room, her eyes darting around before landing on (Y/n). Her small arms reaching out as a squeal left her lips, jumping on the spot to silently ask for (Y/n) to pick her up. Leaning down she wrapped her arms around the five-year-old she had known since the day she was born. Gently scooping her up and holding her to her shoulder, a wave of happiness rushing through her since she hadn't seen the little girl in over two months now.

"How are you dear?" Looking up (Y/n) smiled when Freddie appeared in the doorway, a warm yet knowing look on his face.

"I'm okay." (Y/n)'s health was no longer in danger and James was stable and steadily getting better little by little so there was no fear pulling her down like a weight she was carrying everywhere with her. They still had a long way to go with James yet, but so far he was doing okay and that was all that mattered.

"So..." Roger started, walking over to the pair knowing that what he was going to tell Rosie wasn't going to be exactly what she wanted to hear. The little girl had been begging Roger whenever he had popped down to see her to take her with him to the hospital. Desperate to see (Y/n), especially when she learnt that the baby had been born already. Roger had decided to wait until now to let her come down and therefore had kept it a secret if she had a brother or sister. He knew Rosie was desperate to have a sister, she had insisted every time he saw her that it was a girl, now she was going to learn that wasn't quite the truth. "Do you want to go and meet your baby brother?"

Leaning down (Y/n) gently set the five-year-old down to her feet, all three adults watching as Rosie turned to look up at Roger, a sudden frown appearing on her face that resembled him so much. Her eyes narrowing into a frown as she thought for a moment.

"Sister! Baby sister." She corrected, a pleading look in her doe eyes as she stared up at Roger. Reaching out to wrap her arms around his leg as she waited for his response, seeing in his eyes that he wasn't going to correct himself because he was right. Shaking his head he tried to bite back an amused smile at how she quietly whined in protest, shaking his leg causing a smile to appear on (Y/n)'s features. Always used to seeing the little girl get her way when around Roger, she had him wrapped around her little finger and she knew it too.

"No princess, baby brother. I told you I couldn't choose, come on let's go pay him a visit. He wants to meet you." Giving his leg a little shake to try and get Rosie to move Roger watched her release his limb, moving over to where Freddie was holding his hand out for her.

"You don't want a sister darling, this way you're the only princess." Freddie whispered, giving her hand a small squeeze before they walked out of the room. Waiting for either Roger or (Y/n) to show them where to go, neither having seen James before. Rosie seemed to think for a moment as they walked down the corridor before nodding her head in agreement. Roger was prone to calling her the nickname of princess, and it made her feel special. Having a sister meant Roger would be likely to call her that as well which could, in turn, make Rosie feel left out or less special.

When the four of them reached the ICU Roger turned around and gently picked Rosie up, carrying her into the room before making his way over to the incubator holding James. Knowing the map of the room and the surrounding corridors that he could walk with his eyes closed.

"Rosie, this is James."

Leaning out of Roger's hold the five-year-old planted her hands down on the top of the incubator so she could look down at her brother properly as all three adults watched her in amusement and intrigue. Walking over to Roger (Y/n) stood at his side as Freddie stood opposite them, his attention also stolen by the little boy as it was his first time admiring his nephew.

"Can I?" Freddie questioned quietly, a look of excitement on his face as if he were a child on Christmas who had spotted their presents. His hand indicating to the opening in the incubator as the couple nodded eagerly. His movements were slow and precise as he very gently grazed his fingertip over James' cheek, his smile widening if possible when the newborn moved his head against the new contact. His left arm moving up slowly prompting Freddie to take hold of his hand that fit perfectly against his fingertip.

"Do you want to hold his hand, honey?" (Y/n) questioned, seeing a sparkle come to life in Rosie's eyes as she looked to Roger before nodding. Both saw that she was a little worried but eager all the same.

Gazing around them Roger pulled the chair he frequently used over again, sitting down with Rosie on his lap before he took hold of her hand. Reaching into the incubator Roger set Rosie's hand over James' smaller one, kissing the back of her head as he watched her delicately take hold of his hand. Not daring to move her hand at all, simply brushing her fingers over his own, marvelling at how small he was and how he looked just like one of the dolls she would frequently play with.

"What's that?" Rosie's voice was quiet as if she were afraid to break the silence that had started to surround them all. Her finger pointing towards the feeding tube in James' stomach which was near Roger's hand, the drummer gently rubbing over his son's chest.

"That's to feed him until he gets better." (Y/n) responded, moving so she was sitting on the arm of the chair. If skin contact really did help with newborns then James should be calm and getting better, having never had so much attention like this before.

"Is he feeling sick?"

"Yeah, but he's getting a bit better now." Roger responded, his head leaning against her own as all of their eyes were focused on the little boy currently drifting off to sleep in front of them. Moving his gaze from James to Rosie, Roger looked down at her wondering what she was doing when a sudden idea seemed to pop into her mind. Her hand very gently letting go of her brothers, setting his hand back down cautiously as if he were made of glass she didn't want to break. Reaching out she took hold of Roger's hand, pulling his hand out of the incubator before pushing his hand near his face as if he knew exactly what she was thinking. "What are you doing?" He questioned with a small laugh, leaning his head back when she nearly hit him with his own hand.

"He needs a magic kiss. You always do that when I feel sicky, it will make him better." There was determination in Rosie's voice as she pushed Roger's hand near his face again, intent on making her brother better.

Tightening his other arm around her Roger smiled at the thought that made tears form in the corners of his eyes as he brought his hand to his lips. Kissing the tips of his fingers before slowly reaching back into the incubator, pressing his fingers delicately to James' temple before brushing across his cheek as if for added measure. Something inside of him begging for this to work, that maybe this once there would be a hint of magic instead of just love. Rosie was very young so of course, she believed that when Roger gave her a 'magic kiss' to make her feel better it worked. Even if it took a few days for her to get better she still believed it had worked.

"He'll be better now. It's magic." Turning so she was facing the incubator properly, Rosie rested her arm on the top of the incubator. Leaning against it as she gazed down at her brother with a smile, her hope infecting them all.

[golddaggers]

La Vie En Rose // Dylan O’Brien

(NOT MY GIF)

A/N: Okay. So no one asked for the Sunday thing. It’s fine. But I had started writing this piece a while ago and just finished, soooo... no harm in sharing it, right? Well. I hope you like it! :D

Warnings: well...... it was supposed to be just fluff. but it sorta became a smut. nothing “wooow, what if people catch me reading this?”, but still a smut so. cursing. masturbation. sex. dylan o’brien. the usual. 

Word count: 1,8k+ 

It was a little past four p.m. when I decided I would cook dinner tonight. Normally Dylan and I would just go to a restaurant or order due to our busy schedules. However, since I had a free day, I decided to treat my beloved boyfriend with a homemade meal. He simply adored those little surprises. So did I, in that matter. 

Giggling, I focused on slicing the tomatoes. Within my family, there was a secret recipe for the perfect tomato sauce that I had never remembered to cook until today, so it would be the first time Dylan would taste it.

Well, the reason I chose this was entwined with our first date. The hot and humid night was still fresh in my memories, as if it had been yesterday. He took me to a private place, which, may I add, was booked only for us. I was so mesmerized I remember my legs going weak. I had gone to extravagant dates before, but this was a whole other deal. Okay, I definitely went off course here.

The chef was Italian, so I was tempted to go for pizza, but Dylan proposed we tried one of the pastas, his favourite choice. I mean, no one would ever hear me denying pasta. Either way, I was glad I didn't. It was the most delicious thing I had ever put in my mouth. I could only hope I was able to reproduce that dish.

“This house is so quiet…” Dropping the knife, I searched for my phone in hopes to put on some music. I was stuck mumbling the lyrics of “La Vie En Rose” all day long. “Oh you cheesy weirdo.”

There were a few texts coming from Dylan. They were brief, just saying that he couldn’t wait for the shooting to be over so he could finally see me. And also that he was missing me as hell. I mean - I knew I was a pretty decent person, no need to be humble, but… I didn’t know what I had done to deserve such a caring man.

With a shit-eating grin, I replied, noticing the texts had come about an hour ago, indicating that Dyl was probably on his way home. The butterflies on my stomach began bothering me upon thinking about his warm embrace and husky voice. I wondered if one day I would not feel like a thirteen year old around him. Something inside me told that I probably wouldn’t. I didn’t care.

“Hold me close and hold me fast…” I began singing, swiftly becoming oblivious to my surroundings, fixating myself on the sauce instead.

The kitchen smelt amazing, my mouth was watering to eat that. I swivelled a wooden spoon one last time and went to reach another pan to boil the pasta. The studio Dylan was working at was a bit far from the house we lived in, so I was taking my time. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind waiting a bit anyway.  

I leant down to pick up the Penne package I had bought. The song had shuffled to another version. Now it was a woman singing instead of Louis Armstrong. It was even more beautiful, I dare to say.

While adding the Penne to the boiling water, I went on mumbling the lyrics, closing my eyes for an instant. That was when I felt a set of arms wrapping around my waist, lips attaching to my neck.

“When you press me to your heart, I'm in a world apart…”

“Hey, darling.” His deep voice muttered against my skin. “I love coming home to you singing.”

“I should do it more often, then.” I grinned, lowering the fire so I could spin to face him. Dylan looked a tad tired, hence my hands urged to cup his face, my features probably showing a concerned gleam. “Is everything okay?”

“Now it is.” He simply said. “Can we just relax?”

“Of course we can…” In a quick movement, Dyl placed me on the counter, getting between my legs and urgently kissing my collarbones. I gasped, landing my hands on his broad shoulders. “Can we talk first? Please?”

“Babe, I just want to make love to you. No talking, please. Work was hell today. I promise I will tell you everything after.”

The tips of his hands got dangerously close to my core, so I threw my head back, gnawing my bottom lip. Oh shoot. There was no arguing when he dealt things like that.

“Dinner is going to burn.”

He chuckled, blindly turning off the oven, returning his full attention to my body. In a matter of seconds, Dyl undid all my dress’ buttons, which left me in nothing but a pair of black panties. I glared at him in expectation.

“A quickie? Right here?”

“Our neighbours might see it, hun’.”

“I don't care.” I felt his hot tongue wrapped around my nipple, hands grasping my waistline with some force. I, without a double, would get some purple bruises later. Not that I minded though. “Jesus, you are so fucking hot.”

“Oh fuck.”

My panties were torn with anger, causing me to squeal in astonishment. Dylan merely smirked, rubbing my clit a bit. That man just knew what he had to do to make me feel all bothered and flushed. However, after a minute or two, he stopped. I grunted, clearly frustrated. I wanted - no, no. I needed more.

“Oh babe, no need for that. I'm gonna’ take care of you just right.”

“Damn it. I love when you talk like that.”

I watched anxiously as he loosened his belt, dropping the pants and underwear down just enough for his dick to bounce free. A smug grin enlightened my face, which made him roll his eyes.

“What? You don't need to do much to make me hard.”

“I can see that.”

Dylan pried open my legs, stroking himself a couple of times before finally entering me in a quick push. I moaned out loud, grasping the cold edges of the counter. Shit, that was good.

Squeezing my butt cheeks, my boyfriend sought my lips, a sensual kiss following it. Our tongues rolled together as his hips slammed against mine. With my eyes still closed, I bit his bottom lip, slowly releasing it, his taste flooding my mouth. In the meanwhile, his long, skinny fingers went down, gently circling the throbbing nub between my legs.

I was not able to hold back the long, loud moan that followed. Dyl smiled against, my neck, his pink mouth sinfully attacking my neck, biting, sucking, whatever it could do to tease me further. Damn. My nails scratched his back, pulling him towards me even further. The sudden movement made him lose balance, bringing a wave of laughter to the steamy session.

“Careful, hun’, I don’t want you hurting yourself.”

“Oh. Are you going to pretend this is not your fault?”

Another laugh slipped whilst my gorgeous boyfriend rolled his eyes, gripping at the base of my thighs, picking up where he had left off. I bit my lip, my arms wrapped around his neck. The way his breath felt… Urgh. Every single hair I had in my body was up. Shivers, chills. I had them all. His tongue, then, toyed with one of my nipples, swirling playfully. I grunted, leaning in to have my way with him too. Taste the flavour of his skin, feel him reacting to my caresses.

Everything seemed to be hot and wet. I knew I wouldn’t last much longer and, by the looks of it, neither would Dylan. I knit my legs around his hips, clenching around him. He smirked, squeezing the flesh of my waistline, his irregular breathing stirring me on even further. Until one tired, husky moan fell off his lips as he came. Falling apart inside me. 

“Not yet?” He quizzed, still shaking from pleasure.

“Not yet.”

After a quick nod, Dylan moved a little more, the tips of fingers finally getting me to arch back, feeling a numbing, pleasurable sensation hit me. We both stood there for a moment. High on each other. His face was nested between my breasts, my fingers were carelessly untangling his hair, our breathing fighting to get even. And that peaceful moment would’ve lasted longer if it wasn’t for an annoying knock on the door.

“Fuck.”

“Go answer while I fix myself?”

Dyl nodded, finally pulling away from me. I felt unexpectedly cold without him within my arms. I slided down the counter, picking up my dress to carelessly put it back on again, leaving the two first buttons undone. Once I got to the living room, I was surprised with Mr. Frisier at the door, his face glistening red. 

Oh. They were fighting. I sped to stand beside Dylan, the two men suddenly quiet due to my arrival. His hand quickly found its way to my hip, pulling us closer. I could tell Frisier bubbled in anger.

“May I know what is happening here?”

“We have children, you know.”

“I know…?” I was puzzled. “What does that have to do with anything?”

“If you're screwing in the kitchen, you should at least close the freaking curtains.”

“Oh.” My cheeks grew warmer. “I'm sorry-”

“No, babe. Listen to me, you are not coming to my home, telling me what I should or shouldn't do inside it.”

“Dylan-”

“Babe. Let me handle it.”

Huffing, I rolled my eyes. Dylan was so stubborn sometimes.

“Mr. Frisier, I am sorry. We'll be careful next time. Now, if you excuse us, good night.”

“Wait-”

The door was slammed shut before he could finish. My boyfriend looked annoyed, his arms crossed against his chest whilst glaring at me. I chuckled. He was so cute when he was angry, that cute pink lip pouting.

Without saying anything, I walked back to the kitchen, finding my meal half done on the oven. I was quick to set everything back on so I could finish it. Dylan came to the room with an intrigued look on his face.

“Sweetheart-”

“I told you they'd see it.”

He laughed, hugging me from behind, his breath fanning the back of my neck. I chewed my bottom lip, trying to focus on the almost done pasta. The sauce boiling.

“Stop… I'm trying to cook.” Dyl smirked against my skin. “Don't you think once is enough?”

“With you? There's no such thing as enough.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Uh-uh.” The room went silent for a second. “I love you.”

My face gleamed with the happiest smile. It was barely a whisper, nonetheless, it pierced my soul. I could never get tired of hearing him say he loved me. And also a little bit relieved for I loved that man more than he could even imagine.

“I love you too.”

Dylan certainly made my life pink.