#feat multi royalty

[little-miss-buffy]

"That awkward moment when your cousin's friend/your friend's relationship with a British vampire parallels your last relationship where your ex is also a British vampire...."

feat. @multi-royalty feat. [//your klaus]

[seesgood]

❝ okay no offense --- ❞  ( it’s mostly always code for full offense )  ❝ but this town’s anti-vampire council sucks at finding vampires. ❞  caroline lifts an eyebrow, grabbing another fry off the red plastic platter in between them before taking a bite out of it.  ❝ i mean damon being on the council was bad enough, but now there’s two of you? and then there’s the whole lockwood thing --- ❞  her head shakes, fingers already plucking out another fry.          /          @multi-royalty​   +   liked for a starter ,  for calista ! 

[betterbooksandthings]

The Jasad Heir by Sara Hashem

The Jasad Heir by Sara Hashem is a beautifully textured Egyptian-inspired high fantasy book that rips your heart apart and puts it back together again. As an orphaned apothecary’s assistant in a small town, no one expects Sylvia to hide powerful magic and an even more powerful lineage. When the kingdom of Jasad fell to the kingdom of Nizahl a decade ago, everyone believed all members of the royal family fell with it, but the magically adept Jasad heir escaped, and she has been on the run ever since. Her magic has been dampened for years so typically there is little threat it will be detected, but one day Arin, the Nizahl heir, discovers her power anyway. He cannot imagine she is lost royalty, but Arin knows her magic is powerful and can tell her strength will serve his political goals. With knowledge of Sylvia’s powers and Jasadi background, he blackmails her into becoming his champion for the Alcalah, a deadly series of trials where each kingdom has one chance at selecting a future victor that will bring pride to their country. Now she must keep her identity as the lost Jasad heir a secret from the strict and inscrutable heir, even as they grow inextricably close. If she wins, Sylvia will have enough money and status as the Alcalah victor to hide for the rest of her life, but as Jasadi rebels and her own conscience demand she takes up her throne, she has to decide if she is willing to live a life of peace at the cost of her people. The book is filled with magic, political intrigue, friendship, enemies-to-lovers tension, and a magical competition to tie it all together. I could not recommend this book more.

I must say, Hashem’s debut is an impressive feat of the genre. The magic system and world-building are top-tier for those looking for fantasy with multi-kingdom political intrigue and well-developed characters. Everyone and everything introduced to the book is there for a reason and they all have well-developed backstories and interior lives. I believe the book follows an iceberg approach to fantasy where we see a fraction of the worldbuilding that goes into crafting such an intricate system where everything feels real. Small details from clothing, food, and value differences between kingdoms give life to the people and the places they inhabit.

Sylvia is a wonderful character. She is a believable traumatized 20-year-old. The book is a good recommendation for fans of New Adult-aged protagonists, but it is firmly adult fantasy. She is comfortable with murdering for survival and capable of doing so. Even without consistent access to her powers, she is clever and calculating and knows how to wield a bevy of weapons. It doesn’t stop her from caring about a select group of people including her two best friends Sefa and Marek who follow her throughout the book. They have their own story that I will not spoil but rest assured they are wonderful and Sefa is on the ace spectrum for anyone who wants to know.

Now, there is also an enemies-to-lovers subplot in the book between the two heirs, Sylvia and Arin but it is a slow burn, backburner, low-spice (but high-heat) romance. Both characters have a certain level of touch aversion one due to a magic curse, the other due to a traumatic childhood. They are also two people who don’t trust or love with any level of ease. Nonetheless, they care about each other, and the growing care leads me to believe in their chemistry. I can find no confirmation that Sylvia was written to be on the ace spectrum so please correct me if I am wrong, but I read her character as demisexual or somewhere on the ace spectrum. I am completely on board with this ship either way.

Training for the Alcalah and the Alcalah itself is so well done. Anyone who likes a good high-stakes fantasy competition will be satisfied with this storyline. The secrets and political intrigue create ongoing tension throughout the book and I cannot wait to see what is going to happen in book 2.

All that is to say this book is absolutely wonderful. Thank you Orbit Books for providing me with an arc for an honest review and I would highly recommend you preorder yourself a copy because when The Jasad Heir by Sara Hashem comes out on July 18, 2023, you will want to get started.

[fuckyeahvanhalen86-95]

Wolfgang Van Halen has revealed he'd like to collaborate with rock royalty Dave Grohl and Myles Kennedy.

In an interview with Help Musician's I Never Thought It Would Happen podcast, Van Halen talked about how, despite being a multi-instrumentalist, he still has a bucket list of collaborators.

“I would really love to collaborate with my really good friend – he sings for Alter Bridge and for Slash – Myles Kennedy,” he revealed. “I think he is a wonderful human being, and an incredibly talented singer and guitar player. So I would I would jump at an opportunity to collaborate with him for sure.”

“It'd also be fun to collaborate with one of my biggest inspirations, Dave Grohl. I'm basically ripping him off with Mammoth and the way that he started with Foo Fighters recording everything himself. I've kind of modeled the way Mammoth exists because of him. So if he didn't exist, I wouldn't.”

In the same interview, Van Halen also talked about the beauty of recording all instruments on the Mammoth WVH albums and the artist-producer trust that’s required, especially when recording to tape.

“My producer Michael Baskette and our engineer, Jef Moll, they're practically the other half of the band. I play all the instruments and write everything for Mammoth.”

“There's obvious frustration some days [when] you're not feeling it. But I think that's the wonderful thing about doing it yourself is that's like, if this isn't working, let's just do another thing and come back to it.”

He continued, “And so while I can fully focus on that, [they can focus on] the production aspect and the recording, the complications. We record to tape for drums and guitar because I use my father's studio 5150.”

“All the tape machines are there and ready to go. So it's like why don't we use it? But yeah, because of their high skill and my trust in them, there's really nothing to doubt or worry about when it comes to the production of Mammoth.”

Despite Van Halen very much steering the Mammoth WVH ship, the project's collaborative spirit extends to the live setup. “The fun duality of Mammoth is that I have a live band of really great friends and musicians to perform and reinterpret the music live, but also having my fun artistic expression in the studio.”

Mammoth WVH are touring extensively this year. The band recently supported Slash feat Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators in the UK and Europe. They kick off their US headline tour on May 4 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and are also touring with Metallica and Foo Fighters this summer.

[offorester]

"And every time we talk Every single word builds up to this moment And I gotta convince myself I don't want it even though I do." feat @snnynatural edits by: @multi-royalty-commissions

[dan6085]

### Top 25 Rap Songs from 2000 Onwards

#### 1. **"Lose Yourself" by Eminem (2002)**

Eminem's anthem from the movie *8 Mile* became an instant classic, blending motivational lyrics with an intense beat. It won the Academy Award for Best Original Song.

#### 2. **"In Da Club" by 50 Cent (2003)**

Produced by Dr. Dre, this track launched 50 Cent into superstardom. Its catchy hook and party vibe make it a staple in hip-hop history.

#### 3. **"Stronger" by Kanye West (2007)**

Sampling Daft Punk, this track showcased Kanye's innovative production skills and lyrical prowess. It marked a significant point in his career.

#### 4. **"Hotline Bling" by Drake (2015)**

With its infectious beat and memorable video, "Hotline Bling" became one of Drake's biggest hits, exemplifying his influence on modern hip-hop.

#### 5. **"HUMBLE." by Kendrick Lamar (2017)**

This track features Kendrick's sharp lyricism and powerful themes of humility and success. It won the Grammy for Best Rap Performance.

#### 6. **"Ms. Jackson" by OutKast (2000)**

A heartfelt apology letter wrapped in a smooth beat, this song cemented OutKast's place in rap royalty.

#### 7. **"Gold Digger" by Kanye West feat. Jamie Foxx (2005)**

A humorous take on relationships and money, this track became a cultural phenomenon and one of Kanye's most recognizable songs.

#### 8. **"Stan" by Eminem feat. Dido (2000)**

A storytelling masterpiece, this song narrates the tale of an obsessed fan and highlights Eminem's narrative skills.

#### 9. **"Numb/Encore" by Jay-Z and Linkin Park (2004)**

This collaboration between a rap legend and a rock band created a unique and memorable fusion of genres.

#### 10. **"Empire State of Mind" by Jay-Z feat. Alicia Keys (2009)**

An ode to New York City, this anthem features powerful verses from Jay-Z and a soaring chorus by Alicia Keys.

#### 11. **"All of the Lights" by Kanye West (2010)**

Featuring a star-studded lineup of guest artists, this song showcases Kanye's ambitious production and lyrical depth.

#### 12. **"Swimming Pools (Drank)" by Kendrick Lamar (2012)**

A critical look at alcohol use and abuse, this track highlights Kendrick's ability to tackle serious subjects with his lyrics.

#### 13. **"Sicko Mode" by Travis Scott (2018)**

This multi-part song became a massive hit, featuring innovative production and guest vocals from Drake.

#### 14. **"Good Kid, M.A.A.D City" by Kendrick Lamar (2012)**

A standout track from Kendrick's critically acclaimed album, it narrates the struggles and realities of his upbringing.

#### 15. **"Racks" by Future feat. YC (2011)**

This song helped to popularize the use of auto-tune in rap and established Future as a significant figure in the genre.

#### 16. **"Work It" by Missy Elliott (2002)**

Known for its creative production and catchy lyrics, this song solidified Missy Elliott's reputation as a groundbreaking artist.

#### 17. **"X Gon' Give It to Ya" by DMX (2003)**

This high-energy track showcases DMX's aggressive style and has been widely used in films and commercials.

#### 18. **"Bodak Yellow" by Cardi B (2017)**

Cardi B's breakthrough single, this song's brash lyrics and catchy beat made it a number one hit and cultural touchstone.

#### 19. **"Suge" by DaBaby (2019)**

This track's infectious beat and DaBaby's charismatic delivery helped it become a major hit.

#### 20. **"Otis" by Jay-Z and Kanye West (2011)**

Sampling Otis Redding, this song features braggadocious lyrics and marks a highlight from their collaborative album *Watch the Throne*.

#### 21. **"God's Plan" by Drake (2018)**

A massive hit, this song's uplifting message and memorable video, where Drake gives away money, resonated with fans worldwide.

#### 22. **"Stan" by Eminem feat. Dido (2000)**

A storytelling masterpiece, this song narrates the tale of an obsessed fan and highlights Eminem's narrative skills.

#### 23. **"Alright" by Kendrick Lamar (2015)**

An anthem of resilience and hope, "Alright" became a rallying cry for social justice movements.

#### 24. **"The Real Slim Shady" by Eminem (2000)**

Known for its humor and sharp social commentary, this song helped cement Eminem's place in hip-hop.

#### 25. **"Mask Off" by Future (2017)**

With its hypnotic beat and catchy hook, this song became one of Future's biggest hits, highlighting his unique style.

These songs not only defined the careers of the artists but also shaped the direction of hip-hop over the past two decades, reflecting its evolution and cultural impact.

[mainpopsims]

TIARA ANGELISTA - Princess

Just in time for Record Store Day, the multi-hypenated entertainer finally releases all of her albums, including her debut LP, on vinyl.

Tiara Angelista and her record label Maxis Music Machine have announced that they will be releasing all of Angelista’s discography on vinyl for Record Store Day - including her debut album, Princess, for the first time ever.

-----

Princess is the solo debut album by Simerican entertainer Tiara Angelista. Released just shortly after she abruptly departed the popular television series Little Angels and the pop group of the same name that was created from the show, the album was released via Maxis Music Machine.

Primarily a dance pop record with emphasized EDM influences, Angelista initially wrote all the songs on the album for Little Angels; however, after she was released and removed from the group and the accompanying television series, Maxis Music Machine allowed her to re-work the songs for her solo debut while she also wrote new songs as well.

Upon its release, the album received critical and audience acclaim with praise being directed towards Angelista’s vocals, the album's production and its commercial appeal. The album was commercially successful, reaching number one on the Simboard 200. The album has been certified multi-platinum by the Plumbob Recording Association Academy (PRAA).

The album spawned six singles: "Hot Right Now", "Young", "RIP" (feat. Tom Wordy), "Call My Name", "So Far" and "Telescope"; all of them reached number one on the Simboard Heat 100 and were certified multi-platinum by the PRAA.

The album and its singles were nominated for numerous awards including Best Album at the Starlight Music Accolades, the Offy Awards, the International Music Awards and the Intergalactic Excellence in Entertainment Accolade. The album helped Angelista win awards in categories relating to Best New Artist.

-----

By the way, Tiara came up with the album's title because her first name is also a word used to describe a jeweled crown that is usually worn by female royalty (such as, like you know, princesses)! It's like Tiara, the name -> tiara, the crown usually worn by princesses -> Princess. Wow, her mind!

Tiara's imperial phase and her reputation as Supreme Main Pop Girl pretty much immediately started after the release of this album. In addition to the album and its singles, Tiara collaborated with plenty of other artists by either providing co-lead or featuring vocals or writing/co-writing songs for them. During this time, Tiara also had the time and energy to film a high-budget prestige film.

Despite the album's success, Tiara was known to avoid talking about this album in interviews, as it was an apparent reminder of a very tough time she was going through in her personal life. Of course, now that some time has passed, she's more than willing to at least acknowledge that it exists - and even more so now that its on vinyl just in time for Record Store Day along with the rest of her discography!

The album is also available on CD, cassette, digital download and streaming. Courtesty of Maxis Music Machine.

[ggukkieland]

📕BTS Fic Reads - 2022 June

Happy to share these fics read, reblogged, and commented on. I think June was a good collection and I might have read some of these fics at least twice over the years. Some of these have been in my drafts since 2020 😭 but I enjoyed reading again because I finally get to scream about these fics.

💌 Thank you to all the authors! I am, once again, amazed at the quality of fics and stories we get. I wish I can do more to show my appreciation. Lots of love!   💌

Note: if link doesn’t work, click on author link and go to their masterlist

🥕 Ongoing - most recent chapter [as of date this list was posted]

🥕 Completed - drabbles | one shots | series

🥕 S - smut | F - fluff | A - angst

Mostly Mature, 18+ only please

I read different members, different genres so please take note of the tags, description per fic

Don’t forget to reblog/comment on author’s work, too 😊

[around 70 fics]

🥕 [Ongoing Series]

↬ Seokjin

The Platonic Collection @joheunsaram - drabble series [10/?] | 33k+ | best friend au, turned fwb, idiots to lovers, childhood friends | s, a, f

Whims & Inconsistencies @hisunshiine - series [3/?] | 12k+ | victorian era, historical au, best friend’s brother au | a, s, f

↬ Yoongi

Better Than Sex @yoon-kooks - series [2/?] | 9.3k+ | producer au, producer!yoongi, producer!reader, studio neighbors | s, f

↬ Hoseok

Blood on the Dance Floor @btsqualityy - series [10/?] | 20.5k+ | choreographer!hoseok, established relationship, assistant choreographer!OC (Bora) who is obsessed with Hoseok, thriller, fatal attraction au | s, a, f

↬ Taehyung

Love: Undercover  @lolabangtan - series [1/?] | 7.6k | CEO AU, CEO!Reader turned Secretary, Office AU, fake identity, humor | f, a

True Love @jjkeverlast - series [3/?] | 8k+ | Our Beloved Summer au, exes au, enemies to lovers | f, a

↬ Jungkook

Devil that I Know @euphoricfilter - series [5/?] | 51.8k+ | strangers to lovers, supernatural au, historical au, demon!jungkook x human!reader | implied s, f, a

Gone @borahaerhy - series [8/?] | 33.1k+ | best friend au, to enemies to lovers, high school au, slow burn, childhood best friend, falling out, common friend Aria goes missing, mystery/some police drama involved in the story | a, f

Her @/jungk0oksthighs   - series [5/?] | 20.8k+ | best friend au, tattoo artist!jungkook, friends to lovers, unrequited (jungkook) | f, s

Hotter Than Hell @chateautae - series [3/5] | 85k+ | demon au, human!reader, supernatural au, fantasy, enemies to lovers, road trip, fallen demon au | a, f, s

Stay with Me @jungk0oksthighs​ - series [10/?] | 30.9k+ | exes au, co-parenting, divorce au, unplanned pregnancy, single dad!jungkook | a, s, f

Take Care of You @kookiecrumb​ - series [2/?] | 10.6k+ | housekeeper!reader, idol!jungkook, friends to lovers | f, s, a

The Prince with the Ugly Heart @daydreamindollie​ - series [15/?] | 108k+ | Beauty and the Beast AU, fantasy, royalty au, florist!reader, prince!jungkook, feat. taehyung as the little bro of OC, slow burn, magic au | f, a

The Things I Never Told You @angelguk​ - prequel drabbles [4/?]  +series [2/3] | 23.2k+ | best friend au, idiots to lovers, mutual pining, ANGSTY PINING | s, f, a

↬ Multi/OT7

Taehyung x Reader | Jungkook x Reader

And They Were Roommates @hoseok666​ - series [6/?] | 70.5k+ | strangers to lovers, enemies to lovers, friends to lovers, college au, tsundere!jungkook, slow burn, roommate au, unrequited love (jungkook who rejected her confession), unrequited (for taehyung but it hasn’t ended yet so let’s see 👀) | a, s

OT7

Cry Me a River @minniepetals​ - series [12/?] | 90k+ | poly au, mafia au, arranged marriage au | a, slight f

↬ Themed Series

Public Enemy @explicit-tae - themed series [4/7] | 33.9k+ | mafia au, different OCs but one universe, related to one man/scenario Shin who recently passed away (cheater and had several girlfriends who are the different OCs in the stories), some yandere tendencies, manipulation from the mafia men, some OC played the game, some 🤷🏽‍♀️, shady bangtan | a, s

Jungkook - OC is the high school sweetheart of Shin, mafia boss!jungkook,  yandere tendencies (he’s been watching OC), appeared when Shin stood her up on a date

Jimin - camgirl au, student, art major!OC, mafia!Jimin, client!jimin, sex worker au, manipulative Jimin, club owner!jimin

Namjoon - detective!reader (the one investigating the case of Shin’s murder), detective!namjoon (but shady and part of the mafia group)

Taehyung - hitman!taehyung, OC is as crazy

Hoseok - established relationship (who doesn’t know about his job

Seokjin - doctor x intern!OC (also one of Shin’s girlfriends

Yoongi - sister of the detective (namjoon’s story) investigating what happened to her sister

🥕 [Completed Fics/Series]

A Dicking but with Feelings @mimithings97​ - drabble | 3k | established relationship (new), boyfriend au, humor | s

Give and Take @ddaenggtan - one shot + drabbles [Backseat Memories]  | 13.5k+ | humor, strangers to lovers, mechanic!namjoon, car repair shop owner namjoon, rich!namjoon (but not really the point of the story), boyfriend au for the drabbles, post-grad au | f, s

Moon Child @adonis-koo​ - one shot | 16k | part of the themed series Fright Fest, supernatural, werewolf au, a/b/o dynamics, soulmate themes, OC is an omega but underappreciated in her pack, alpha!namjoon is actually a gentle giant 🥺 | f, s

Scent of a Woman @sahmfanficbts - one shot | 10k | hybrid au, parfumerie au, boss-employee, slow burn, pining, leopard hybrid!namjoon, human!reader, social hierarchy themes (hybrids are superior species), rich au, hurt/comfort fic | a, f, s

The Take Home Test @versigny - one shot + drabble  | 11.3k | college au, fuckboy image, stranded/snowed in, sort of unrequited, armpit kink (this fic is famous for this! I swear it’s not going to be weird), established relationship (for the drabble) | s, f

Twisted @softlysugas​ - SMAU | completed, with written parts | CEO AU, humor, mixed bags scenarios, strangers to lovers, waitress!reader, enemies to lovers, tsundere!jungkook, rich au | f, s

Not so Silent Night @farfromsugafanfic​ - one shot | 3.3k | quarantine romance, neighbor au, slight enemies to lovers | f

Every Year @another-army-spot​ - one shot | 15.6k | rich au, heirs (they’re both from high society), chef!seokjin, childhood friends, timing was never right | f, a, s

Headlines of the Next @prolixitae - one shot | 36k | thriller, action, mystery, crime au, coworkers au, exes au (they’re in good terms), detective au | a, s

Lacuna @magicalsalamander​ - one shot | 21k | childhood friends, bestfriend au, falling out, turned enemies to lovers, idiots to lovers,  law students/ lawyer au, werewolf au, slow burn, coworker au, mutual pining, soulmate au (themes) | f, a, s

Night Drive @minimonojoon​ - drabble | 3k | friends to lovers, wedding au, they’re the best man/maid of honor, they’re the best friends of the wedding couple trope | f (cute)

The IKEA Test @yoon-bug​ - one shot | 9.1k | established relationship, boyfriend au, lawyer!reader, kind of controlling OC (Seokjin is the dom in the sheets though), cute | s, f, slight a

The Seven Year Itch @jimlingss - one shot | 5.2k | humor, established relationship, marriage au, husband au, divorce themes (but it’s not angsty! More of talks about divorce x 7-year itch) | f, tooth-rotting fluff

White Lily Support Group @army-author​ - one shot | 21.5k | hurt/comfort fic, christmas au, soulmate au (their soulmates are gone), first Christmas after a tragedy, friends to lovers, themes of healing, featuring taehyung (he’s a kid in this) | a, f

Blue Side @minyoongone - SMAU | ongoing (but the part it stopped feels complete) | humor, neighbor au, missent messages, mistaken identity, CEO AU, biker!yoongi, brokenhearted yoongi and OC who chatted thinking they were chatting with their exes, e2l vibes in the beginning | a, f

Carpool @leewriting​ - one shot | 17k | enemies to lovers, neighbor au, fighting over parking - became carpool mates, prank themes, bet dare themes | f, a

Unexpected Lovers @jjkeverlast - two shot [2/2] | 19.8k | artist!yoongi, fake dating of sorts, OC pretended Yoongi is her bf in a club but overheard by family friends, wedding au (bring the date), not clear why yoongi agreed to the fake dating but he went with it | f, s, a

What am I to You? @tayegi - one shot | 5.3k | idol au, established relationship, yoongi not so expressive with his feelings, OC feeling insecure, break up themes | a

It’s You @94hixtape - one shot | 5.3k | roommate au, one night stand (of sorts), heartwarming | s, f

Washed Ashore @alilbihh​ - drabble | 3k | humor, pirates au, tooth-rotting fluff, enemies to lovers (enemy captains who make out behind closed doors) | f

Who’s the Boss @yoonpobs​ - one shot | 4.6k | boss-employee au, CEO au, assistant!reader, valentine’s day au, sort of enemies to lovers (one-sided on OC’s part), tooth-rotting fluff | f

Make it Right @smoochooks - two shot [2/2] | 40k | dancer!hoseok, drummer!hoseok, enemies to lovers, ballerina!reader, friends to lovers, idiots to lovers, slow burn, mutual pining, eventual established relationship, some LDR themes, punk meets ballet | f, a, s

Control @jungblue​ - one shot | 5.6k | established relationship, boyfriend, humor,  blindfolds, lack of control for Jimin (femdom in the beginning), soft dom!jimin in the end | s, slight f

Gauche @taesthetes - drabble | 1.4k | college au, strangers to lovers, one night stand au, but this is the morning after drabble, clumsy OC, humor | f (really cute)

Now or Never @goldenjulychild​ - one shot | 26k | fwb au, summer road trips x heartbreaks/being free from unrequited love/angst, idiots to lovers too, artist jimin, college au | s, a, f

Oneirophrenia @bratkook - one shot | 10k | established relationship, break up au, songwriter/musician au, flashbacks/memory | a, f

Otherworldly - Coraline AU @sinning-on-a-sunday​ - series [3/3] | 42k | horror au, thriller, supernatural, coraline au, multiple universe (parallel universe but a dark version), established relationship (with the real Jimin) | a, s

The Secrets Trilogy @avveh - series [3/3] | 47.9k | coworker au, secret identity (nerd timid jimin but a BDSM dom), secret relationship | s, a, f

We’re Not Really Strangers + Hell-ish @jtrbluv​ - one shot + follow up one shot (can be read stand-alone) | 16.4k | humor, college, mutual pining, feat. the card game “we’re not really strangers”, confessions, established relationship for Part 2 | f, a

Would I Choose You @crystaljins - series [6/6] | 36k | action, humor, superhero au, side kick!reader, enemies to lovers, unrequited love themes, friends to lovers, roommate au, discrimination about superpowers | f, slight a

Come Back Home @another-army-spot - series [3/3] | 27.4k | exes au, co-parenting, falling out, single dad au, single parent!reader, unplanned pregnancy, artist!taehyung, parenting au, college/graduating taehyung (they were teen parents), OC worked | a, s, f

Dick on the Go @jeonggukingdom​ - one shot | 20.7k | humor, crack fic, neighbor au, best friend au, childhood friends, bet dare themes, sex shop au | s, slight f

Farmer Boy, I Love You @strawberrynamjoon​ - one shot | 35k | small town vibes (really cute), slice of life, farm au (farming au), slow burn, slight enemies to lovers, neighbor au | f, s

Golden Lotus @flowerwrites06 - series [3/3] | 24.4k | gods au, god!taehyung, goddess!OC, fantasy, reincarnation themes | f, slight s

Imitation of Art @rmverse - one shot | 9.6k | artist/photographer taehyung, friends to lovers, mutual pining, really sensual and artistic vibes | f, s (also part of my previous reading list but I’ve never done a review so adding it now)

Little Blue Shop on the Main Street + The Red Room in the Back @thewanderingalis (deactivated) [ao3 links] - two-shot [2/2] | 13.6k | strangers to lovers, antique shop au, fuckboy image, college au, heartwarming, established relationship for part 2 | f, s

Petal @jiminiesfavouritecolourisblue​ - series [4/4] | 10.7k | mafia au, sort of starcrossed lovers, a bit of action, bittersweet situation, soulmate au, mutual pining, sort of childhood acquaintances (he’s always protecting her but would never talk to her) | a, f

Pulse @rohobi - series [11/11] | 84.7k | action (medical), medical drama, doctors au, exes au (sort of), fwb au, falling out, mutual pining, break up themes, reunion of some sort as coworkers, emergency scenarios (seriously this is like Grey’s Anatomy), single parent!reader, unplanned pregnancy, tsundere!reader, heartwarming really | a, f, s

Sonder @yslkook​ - one shot | 3.4k | exes au, mutual pining, exes who reunited, second chance au(?) | s, a

Moonstruck @jungkxook - one shot | 7.4k | werewolf au, arranged marriage, needed to marry to protect human!reader, mating, virgin!taehyung | s, f

10 Things I Hate About You @leviackermanscleaningbuddy - one shot | 4.9k | long-standing enemies to lovers (rivals since they were kids), some confessions about (nice) stuff they did for each other (secretly), mutual pining, college au | f, implied s

A Night at the Mall @bunnybubae​ - one shot | 8.6k | best friend au, mutual pining, mall au, security guard!jungkook, sleepover of some sort (but make it the mall where Jungkook is assigned to guard the night 😅) | f, s

At the End of the Day @starshapedkookie​ - one shot | 13.3k | best friend au, vacation au, beach au, mutual pining, longing | f, s

Blight @kpopisthereasonihavenolife​ - series [12/12] | 87.9k | fantasy, action, a bit of hurt/comfort too, enemies to lovers, magic au, witch!reader, reluctant familiar!jungkook, dragon!jungkook, shifter au, school theme (school of magical beings), memory themes (one chapter Jungkook had memory loss) | f, a

Every Corner of my Mind @whatifyoulivelikethat - drabble | >3k | the one that got away, unrequited love (JK pining), sort of exes, reader left | a, f

Half a Cookie and the Shirt Stays Off @oreomonsterhunter​ - drabble | 1.4k | hurt/comfort fic, established relationship, boyfriend au, sort of LDR (he goes on tour), idol!jungkook, baking cookies shirtless (is this a warning lol) | f

Hellblazer @jungkookiebus - series [3/3] | 16.2k | supernatural, demon!jungkook, demon hunter au, constantine au, enemies to lovers (of some sort since OC hunts his likes), soldier au, angel au, plot twist/mystery | a, s, f

Officially Yours @personasintro​ - one shot | 4k | arranged marriage, fake dating/marriage, divorce au, friends to lovers | f

Past Midnight @tae-bebe​ - one shot | 10.5k | college au, strangers to lovers, friends to lovers, humor, meet cute (OC is his roommate’s friend who sleeps over sometimes and he tripped over her in their kitchen lol), music major!jungkook, a bit of surprise with OC’s background hmm, When Harry Met Sally vibes (their banter) | f

Rebound @yoongiofmine​ - series [3/3] | 14.7k | rock band au, strangers to lovers, rebound au | f, a, s

Red @taestefully-in-luv - series [3/3] | 44k | hurt/comfort, exes au, break up au, established relationship (some parts), unplanned pregnancy (yes, with the ex turned fwb), themes of grief, themes of second chances | a, f, s

Rubies are Red @btsmosphere​ - drabble | 3k | hurt/comfort, mafia, rivals, enemies to lovers, gender neutral | f, slight a

Sore Loser @haliiimede​ - one shot | 9.5k | gamer au, established relationship, streamer!jungkook, pro-gamer reader (valorant), bet dare themes, sub!jungkook | s, f

Switch Lanes @rmverse - one shot | 16.6k | strangers to lovers, college au, reader had unrequited feelings for taehyung (fwb), breakfast talks in coffee shop vibes, good guy + hottest f*ck formula | s, f

The Philosophy of Good Luck @kidguk - one shot | 7k | tattoo artist!jungkook, tattooed and pierced Koo, roommate au, meet cute (she got a tattoo of ‘his face’ without recalling why), tooth-rotting fluff | f, implied s

Keep Driving @ugh-yoongi - one shot | 6.8k | best friend au, road trip au, college au though they just graduated, mutual pining | f

Labs @bts-bay-bee - one shot | 3.4k | college au, uptight!reader, enemies to lovers, some degradation | s

The Snack Thief @astralkoo​ - one shot | 6.4k | neighbor au, snack thief!jungkook, noona!reader, sort of fwb-ish (some past hook ups), sub!jungkook | s

Until my Last Breath @iamjungkooked - one shot | 13.4k | werewolf au, human!reader, childhood friends, falling out of some sort | a, f, s

Hoseok x Reader | Jimin x Reader

Two in One @here2bbtstrash​ - one shot | 12k | best friend au, OC thought JiHope are gay, threesome | s

posted: 2022 July 16

link to other reading lists

other fic rec lists (by theme)

feel free to message me about fics! (leads to @ggukkiereads 🌷)

[whereisten]

The Wedding Singer - Part 4

The Wedding Singer (feat. Taeyong and Yuta)

Summary: You are an up-and-coming singer and songwriter who is thriving in the wedding singer business. When you find yourself singing for your former best friend Samantha Perez and not-so-former crush Yuta Nakamoto, shit really hits the fan.

Genre: fluff, drama, romance

Multi-part Series: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

Part 4

Word Count: 3.9k

To many people, Yuta Nakamoto was a shining star. Always happy, always collected, always blessed. He was studious and athletic. He gave off a happy-go-lucky aura while he mastered a physics lab in the first try or a mind-boggling task in PE. It was hard to detect any flaws on the surface.

Which he worked so hard to conserve for a long, long time. When he was fifteen, his parents divorced and his mother abandoned his family, leaving him, his sisters, and his father dumbfounded. The finances of the house were thrown off-balance, which meant Yuta would have to work harder to secure a basketball scholarship to a university. Ideally, somewhere close enough to home to look after his sisters. But he never told anyone the truths of his household. He told everyone that his mother was traveling the world for her job. It wasn’t a lie but it was better than admitting to the truth: she went to start anew back in Osaka, remarried, and had twins with her younger boyfriend.

Yuta and his older sister Akira both took on part-time jobs so their younger sister Haine could perfect her piano skills. Their dad made enough to keep their home and their utilities afloat. But the things that were once guaranteed for them became luxuries they had to strive for. Akira delayed her college applications to get a part-time job to support her younger siblings and Yuta felt helpless.

But once senior year came around for Yuta, he just couldn’t take it anymore. He may have gotten the college scholarship and scouts were very keen to be in contact with him for postgraduate opportunities. But he had his family at the forefront of his mind.

Then, came Samantha.

Samantha was never shy about how she felt about Yuta. Yuta denied her advances a few times throughout their high school career. He didn’t have time for a relationship. Hook-ups, sure. But those were fleeting. And that was what made them ideal. Samantha thought she could convince him to change his mind but he made it clear from the start that he was strictly casual, never anything more than that.

However, he carefully harbored a huge crush on you. You were innocent and kind, blowing everyone away with your poetry in AP English and your motivation to join every club on campus. You were so bubbly and adorable, he could almost scream. You’d blossomed so much since middle school, becoming more secure with yourself that you finally let people around see the real you. You were sassy and when you rolled your eyes at something that annoyed you, Yuta would chuckle to himself. You had a fire inside of you that Yuta couldn’t wait to see you let shine through. He admired you from time to time in high school but he didn’t act on it until it was too late.

And when you weren’t interested, he thought, he realized that he needed to get back to dealing with his own issues. He shouldn’t daydream so much. There was too much at stake. And time was running out.

Samantha came up to Yuta after graduation and he was prepared to run in the other direction until she said,

“I have a proposition for you, Yuta. And I think you’re gonna want to hear it,” she said.

Her proposition was that she would help alleviate all of his family’s troubles. She wouldn’t stop there, though. She would put him in touch with top basketball teams before they graduated. Originally, Yuta was going to go to his second choice, the University of Miami because of his scholarship and so he could be close to his family. However, Samantha pulled several strings to fund his tuition to the University of Florida, his dream school. And she scored him a basketball scholarship he thought he lost out on. Samantha’s family would fund Akira and Haine’s college tuitions, wherever they wished to go. Yuta’s father could retire early, if they played their cards right.

“What’s the catch?” Yuta gaped, finding it hard to believe that this girl he only casually knew could be so generous.

“You would be mine,” she proclaimed shamelessly.

Yuta didn’t want his family to struggle anymore. He wanted his family to have a new beginning. And Samantha was dangling right in front of him in a neat little bow. He could make everyone happy.

He wasn’t keen on falling in love, really. Seeing as how his mother up and left, he had a hard time believing that he could find something like that. With Samantha, there was a physical attraction but there was no warmth. It was a relationship in which both parties would benefit. Yuta’s family’s future would be secured and Samantha could have...him.

Yuta’s professional life was on the rise. He was in the Miami Heat, earning several titles and awards. He scored several sponsorships and was recently offered his first movie role. Samantha’s father was one of the heads of Miami: basically, royalty. He opened doors for Yuta. Mr. Perez was more than obliged when he realized how happy Yuta made Samantha. Yuta refused to be a total sell-out, though. He worked twice as hard to prove that he deserved the jobs he was given.

When Yuta was officially in the limelight, that’s when his mother came back.

She claimed to be remorseful for all of the heartache she caused and she wanted to be in her children’s lives again.

The Nakamoto children saw right through her charade. At least, Mariya Hirai (formerly Nakamoto) had the decency to leave her husband and his half-siblings at the hotel the first day she met up with her children from her first marriage.

Mariya only resurfaced because she thought she too could bask in the glow of her son’s success.

After all, she did raise him (up until the age of fifteen when she ditched him).

And Samantha helped Yuta, then, proving that he could rely on her as his partner. She and Yuta told Mariya and her family to leave because the rest of Yuta’s family refused to acknowledge her.

Mariya begged for mercy. Her new family was in financial struggles. Samantha was about to tell her to fuck off and remind her of the irony: how Mariya left her family broken and struggling while she thought she could start over without them. Yuta, swallowing his pride, told them that he would help Mirai and his family. The Hirai family just had to leave and never come back.

And that worked surprisingly well.

Samantha had seen Yuta through his ups and downs and she wished she’d only helped him sooner. Yuta confided in her more so it gave Samantha hope that one day, he could truly open his heart to her: only her. Her father nudged Yuta to propose to Samantha. He knew it was his duty to Sam, her family, and especially, to his own.

He had everyone convinced that he was truly happy. And most of him was. Professionally, he was at the top of his game. His family was happy. His father remarried and retired. Akira was a successful biochemist. Haine was composing for Pixar movies. His family was safe and healthy.

But he was not in love with Samantha. He didn’t think he ever would be.

And well, he would just have to suck it up.

The engagement was highly profiled in all of the tabloids and social media. The Nakamoto-Perez wedding was the most anticipated event of the year. The idea of being committed to Samantha wasn’t that scary. He’d already been with her for almost eight years. The marriage was inevitable.

And then came the wedding singer.

Yuta was right about you. You glowed with charisma, grace, and confidence. He had no idea you were shitting bricks at seeing her ex-friend and that you also had a crush on him. You two were utter fools. But you couldn’t turn back the past.

And when you sang, Yuta’s heart simultaneously soared and shattered.

Seeing you again reminded him of the fact that he was entering a loveless marriage. He guarded his heart for so long. He and Samantha were aware of their partnership. He denied true love because he didn’t want to suffer at the hands of it. Not after what happened with his parents.

But seeing you at the rehearsals, at the coffee shop, and at Holy Hell nightclub...he started getting ideas into his head.

About you. About what his life would’ve been like if you two had confessed to each other at the right time.

For his own happiness should’ve meant more to him.

But he knew better. You were spoken for by his good friend...His best man, Taeyong Lee. And he couldn’t hurt either of you. You didn’t deserve it.

So Yuta helped you in ways he could. He invited the Epic Records executive to come see you. It was the least he could after you helped him with his wedding vows.

And Samantha was so insistent on putting you down: it killed Yuta, honestly. And when Sam reminded him so pointedly that he had trapped himself with her for life...something inside him snapped.

For once, he released his inhibitions and didn’t think. He didn’t restrain himself. And then came his next regret.

Yuta drank at Sooyoung’s wedding reception. He drowned his sorrows as he watched you and Taeyong enjoy the night together on the dance floor. How Yuta wished he could turn back time.

Perhaps there could’ve been another way to save his family and their future: without having to surrender his own happiness.

Yuta saw that Taeyong left you alone in the photo booth. Why would he do that? He should never want to leave your side. He should treasure you and kiss you every chance he got. What made Taeyong think he deserved to be with you?

Stumbling, Yuta made his way over to the photobooth. The curtain was half open so he saw your gorgeous hair run down past your chest and he licked his lips. Your lips were so soft…He had to know what they felt like. Just this once.

He opened the curtain completely. Seeing you make eye contact with him drove him crazy and he ran his hands through his hair. He smiled fondly at you, “Hey.”

You looked so concerned he wanted to hold you tight. “Yuta, are you okay? I-”

He couldn’t hold back anymore. He moved in and held your face as he kissed you, his tongue begging for entrance into your mouth.

You two heard the flashes from the camera. You panicked and pushed him away. He saw you cower in fear.

“Get off of me,” you said, harshly. You pushed

past him out of the booth.

“Y/n, come back! I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” Yuta said, pathetically.

Yuta should’ve known better. He let you and Taeyong down. He let Sam down. Even if he didn’t love her, he owed her his honesty and fidelity, at the very least.

He left the photo booth, feeling more sober all of a sudden.

Taeyong surprised him when he scared him from behind. Yuta jumped. “You are wasted,” Taeyong said, laughing, “You alright?”

Yuta nodded, working as hard as possible to look Taeyong in the eye but it was hard to meet those eyes. Taeyong was the kind of person who was very easy to confide in. If Taeyong knew Yuta had stabbed him in the back and made a move on his girl in one fell swoop, Yuta’s days would be numbered.

And he never wanted to bring Taeyong into his mess.

Taeyong patted Yuta in the back. “Sam’s gotta take you home. Listen, have you seen y/n? She’s not in the photo booth.”

Yuta thought about telling him right then and there. Just rip the bandage off, he deliberated. “Taeyong, I-”

“She went to the ladies’ room,” Samantha piped in as she walked up, scrolling through her phone. “She looked a little ill. I think you should check up on her.”

Taeyong’s eyes grew in concern. “Thanks Sam.” He ran off to find his girl.

Poor y/n, Yuta realized, what have I done?

“Idiot,” Samantha said without looking up at you.

Yuta frowned. “What?”

She held up a photostrip. “You left this behind.”

Yuta was confused and he took the photostrip. It was of you and him. He turned pale.

“Sam, I-” Yuta began.

She sighed. “I knew this would happen one day. I just figured it would be with someone worth crying over. But her? Yuta, you’ve disappointed me.”

“I’m sorry. I am so sorry, Samantha. I...I will do anything. Please don’t-”

“All is forgiven, my prince…” Samantha said as she wrapped her arms around him. “You’re mine. Always. Mistakes happen. But we will always have each other.”

Sam’s words may have sounded comforting to anyone else but it unsettled Yuta to the core.

;;

You ran to the girls’ room after leaving Yuta in the photo booth. What the hell just happened? You rinsed your mouth out at the sink and wiped your mouth repeatedly. Tears welled up in your eyes.

Taeyong was all you could think about. How would you be able to tell him this? It wasn’t your fault. What was Yuta thinking? How-

You heard a knock outside of the room. “Y/n? Baby, are you okay?” Taeyong’s normally soft voice was alarmed.

You fought back a sob and cleared your throat. “Yeah, I’m okay. I’ll come out in a minute.”

“Sam said you looked sick. What do you need? What can I do?” He asked. You wouldn’t be surprised if he entered at any second.

The sound of his voice was so comforting but you were scared. What would he do when you told him?

You took a couple of breaths and cleared your nose up. “I’m coming out. Hold on.”

You walked out of the room slowly to see Taeyong at the door. He was so...There weren’t enough words to describe how this man made you feel.

“Hey…” He said carefully. “What’s wrong?” He saw how red your eyes were. You looked stunned.

You shook your head and tried so hard to meet his eyes. But you couldn’t. It wasn’t even your fault but you felt ashamed.

“Taeyong, the thing is-” you began as you met his eyes, knowing you had to suck it up, tell him, and prepare for the worst if it came down to it.

Samantha interrupted, “I may have been a little harsh with her, earlier…”

Taeyong looked at Samantha in confusion. “What?”

“Y/n and I used to be good friends...And I...was feeling incredibly envious of her tonight so I...insulted her deeply. I said that she didn’t deserve you and that if it weren’t for you, she would be nothing.”

“What the hell?” Taeyong glared at his step-sister. “How could you?”

You had no idea what was going on. Why was Sam saying these things? She thought Taeyong would be the last person to hear about the insults Samantha threw at you. It was almost as if…

She was covering for you.

But...why?

“I was fucking jealous, Taeyong. This girl comes into our lives only months ago and now she’s everywhere...I...miss spending time with you and Yuta. Just the three of us.” She glares at you. Finally, something real. “Without her.” Very convincing.

That was the most sincere she’s been. The most effective way to tell a lie is to feature a little of the truth in it.

“Sam...I can’t let you treat y/n like that. It needs to stop. I love y/n. You have to respect that,” Taeyong said as he wrapped an arm around you.

Samantha sighed as she rolled her eyes. “I know that. I’m sorry. To both of you.” She met your gaze, then. “I’m so sorry for giving you a hard time.”

Taeyong squeezed you tightly. You started, about to tell Taeyong the truth. “Wait a minute. I-”

“Taeyong, I need to speak to y/n about something urgent. It’s business-related,” Samantha requested.

Taeyong nodded, eyeing her. “Be nice.”

She sighed. “I’ll be perfectly pleasant.”

Taeyong whispered in your ear. “I’ll bring the car around to take you home.”

Samantha said immediately after. “Let’s go.” She grabbed your arm and pulled you to the lobby of the hotel.

You sat together on the loveseat. “Samantha, what’s going on?”

“I know you and Yuta kissed-”

“He kissed ME. I did not...What?!” You paled just like Yuta had.

She continued as she admired her nails. “It doesn’t matter. The wedding was almost jeopardized because of this. I don’t need you running your mouth to Taeyong about what happened.”

You gaped. “What?”

Samantha’s sharp eyes met yours, then. “Yuta and I are getting married. Nothing. No one. Not you. Not even Yuta is going to get in the way of our happiness.”

“Why would you want to marry Yuta when he just cheated on you?” You asked. Had Sam lost her mind?

“He was bound to cheat on me eventually...But he would still be mine,” she said, calmly. Not even a flinch.

“Sam…” You said, feeling a sudden ache in your chest.

“No. No. None of that ‘Sam’. Don’t give me that look of PITY.”

“You don’t have to do this. We may have our differences for God knows what reason but...I don’t want you to marry someone who would hurt you like this…”

“That’s none of your concern, y/n. Take your sympathy and shove it up your glorified asshole.”

You lifted your brows. “Fine. I won’t feel sorry for you. Now I’m wondering...You hate me. This is the perfect opportunity for you to get rid of me. Why not tell Taeyong about the kiss? You couldn’t have done it for me.” The last sentence was meant to get a laugh.

“Get real. I didn’t do it for you, y/n. I’m doing this for Yuta. You think my family would let me marry Yuta if they found out about his...indiscretion?” She asked you.

“Huh?”

Samantha explained her arrangement with Yuta that began at high school graduation. You knew what was at stake. Yuta’s future. Yuta’s family. It explained why Yuta was reluctant about marrying Sam but he wasn’t doing anything to stop it. Now, you were pinned up against a wall.

“If Taeyong finds out about this...not only will my entire family know….All of Yuta’s opportunities will go down the drain. His name will be dragged through the mud. His family’s name will be destroyed. His father’s livelihood will be compromised. My family is just that good, y/n.”

You couldn’t say anything.

“I have to protect him. I love him, y/n. I gave him everything. I would hate for all of that to get taken away from him because of one little mistake. Which is why I beg you to keep your mouth shut.”

You couldn’t imagine lying to Taeyong but you also didn’t expect the reality of Sam and Yuta’s relationship to come to light at this moment. If you say something, Yuta’s life could be ruined.

“I know Yuta doesn’t love me, y/n…”

Sam’s voice cracked. “But one day, he could...We owe it to ourselves to try.”

You remembered when you asked Yuta why he was marrying Samantha if he didn’t love her. He told you, “I think I could love her...someday.”

This was insane. You were stuck. But...part of you already knew what you had to do.

;;

Taeyong drove you home and you were mostly quiet, deliberating over how you were going to tell him.

“You sure you don’t want me to stay the night?” Taeyong asked as he turned into your driveway. “I can take care of you. I’ll even brush your teeth for you.” He pouted, knowing how much his facial expressions softened you up.

Damn it, he was making this so hard.

“Taeyong,” you started slowly.

“Yes?” He said as he ran his fingers through your hair.

“I’m so sorry,” you started, “I...can’t do this...anymore…”

He smiled in confusion. “What are you talking about?”

“We need to break up,” you said.

Taeyong felt his world crashing down. “y/n, stop messing with me. You’re being mean.”

You sighed, releasing the words you rehearsed in your mind before you met up with him to take you home and on the car ride over. “I..can’t leave Miami...My singing career is my priority and I owe so much to you. You’ve made me so happy...But I can’t take advantage of you anymore. It’s not right.”

He laughed humorlessly. “What are you saying? You have never taken advantage of me.”

“I need to figure out my next step on my own. And so do you. Your dreams are in LA. And for now, I’m meant to be here in Miami. I can’t hold you back.”

Taeyong’s eyes began to water at your dismissive tone. “You’re not holding me back. We can do long distance. I respect that you want to stay here but we can make it work. I travel all the time, anyway. We can still be together,” he pleaded, hopeful.

“No, Taeyong,” you said as you looked down at your lap.

He scoffed. “You can’t be serious. You love me. I love you. What happened, y/n? I don’t understand.”

You couldn’t help the tears that fell. You couldn’t tell Taeyong that Yuta kissed you to protect Yuta’s family. You couldn’t continue in a relationship with Taeyong if you had to keep this betrayal bottled up. And maybe Samantha was right all along. Even if you didn’t sign with any of the labels Taeyong invited that night, you would’ve relied on him one way or another. Taeyong would insist because he was so good to you. No matter how small the favor, it would have bothered you, though. You didn’t want to believe that you had taken advantage of him or that one day you would.

And to hide the fact that Yuta kissed you? Taeyong had every right to know the truth...Since your hands were tied, you couldn’t tell him. You couldn’t keep being with this incredible man if you couldn’t be honest with him. It would make you rot from the inside out. Taeyong deserved complete honesty. And you couldn’t even give that to him.

You had to let him go. And you had to push him away. You didn’t deserve him.

“Taeyong, music is the most important thing to me. And I will be forever thankful for everything you’ve done for me. But I can’t keep this up anymore. I’m not signing with any of the labels...It wouldn’t be fair to you. I have to work my way up on my own. And that means staying in Miami for now.”

“y/n, please look me in the eyes,” he took a hold of your hands. “I can wait for you.”

“Don’t,” you said, harshly. You were shaking.

“You can’t do this to me. To us. Please,” Taeyong begged.

You sobbed, then. “I’m sorry.” You said as you let go and left Taeyong in his car, shattered.

You unlocked the door to your apartment and slammed it shut. You couldn’t risk turning around and taking it all back. One look into Taeyong’s puppy dog eyes and you surely would’ve gone down on your knees and begged him to take you back. You’ve done enough damage. You hated yourself, then. You hurt him deeply. But it was the only way for him to let you go. You just hoped that he could find happiness when he left for LA. Meet a nice girl who didn’t take advantage of him and who could give him everything he deserves.

Someone Yuta wouldn’t kiss so she wouldn’t be at a crossroads.

Someone Samantha couldn’t blackmail.

To hope for Taeyong’s forgiveness would be selfish but you prayed for it.

And you prayed that the Nakamoto-Perez wedding would go by quickly so you can never see any of these people again.

-To Be Continued in Part 5-

[deadcactuswalking]

REVIEWING THE CHARTS: 03/04/2021 (Lil Nas X’s “MONTERO”, Mimi Webb, Russ Millions & Tion Wayne)

So, we have a #1 debut, and that’s pretty much the only story here in the UK Top 75 as we get a filler week before Demi Lovato, Olivia Rodrigo and Lil Tjay run in and cause havoc. As for now, “Wellerman” is replaced at the top by Lil Nas X’s controversial “MONTERO (Call Me by Your Name)”, spending its first week at #1 after making pretty sudden gains assisted by the video and alternate versions – the mid-week projection had this at #15. Elsewhere, we just see the fall-out from Bieber. Welcome back to REVIEWING THE CHARTS.

Rundown

It’s a quiet week – only seven new entries, and none from Rod Wave, 24kGoldn or AJR as I had predicted. That doesn’t mean there isn’t some stuff to talk about within the chart, or particularly off of the chart, as we have a fair few drop-outs switching their places with returning entries. In particular, we have Justin Bieber’s “As I Am” featuring Khalid being swapped out for “Anyone” at #25, as well as drop-outs for “Arcade” by Duncan Laurence – slightly premature, I’d think – and all of Lana Del Rey’s songs from last week. We also “Anxious” by AJ Tracey, “Heat” by Paul Woodford and Amber Mark and “Toxic” by Digga D exit the chart, but the only real notable loss was “34+35” by Ariana Grande ending its 21-week run on the chart. Returning to the Top 75 in its place – which I cover – we have “Mr. Brightside” by the Killers of course at #73, as well as “Midnight Sky” by Miley Cyrus at #72, “You’ve Done Enough” by Gorgon City and DRAMA at #70 (really hope this one becomes a hit) and “Don’t You Worry About Me” by Bad Boy Chiller Crew at #66. In terms of climbers and fallers, we do have some notable gains and losses. For songs travelling down the chart, we have “Patience” by KSI featuring YUNGBLUD and Polo G tanking a sharp drop in its third week to #18, “Streets” by Doja Cat shaking off the video gains at #22, “drivers license” by Olivia Rodrigo continuing to collapse at #27, another sharp drop for HVME’s remix of Travis Scott’s “Goosebumps” down to #34 probably due to ACR, which was probably the fate for “Get Out My Head” by Shane Codd at #46. The same probably can’t be said for Drake’s losses, as “What’s Next” is at #40, “Lemon Pepper Freestyle” featuring Rick Ross is at #41 and “Wants and Needs” featuring Lil Baby stalls at #55. We also see falls for “Money Talks” by Fredo and Dave at #50, “Bringing it Back” by Digga D and AJ Tracey at #51, “Sweet Melody” by Little Mix on its way out at #57, “Headshot” by Lil Tjay featuring Polo G and Fivio Foreign down to #61 off the debut (although it’ll rebound thanks to the album as soon as the next week rolls around), “Ready” by Fredo featuring Summer Walker at #62, “You’re Mines Still” by Yung Bleu featuring Drake at #63 and “Day in the Life” by Central Cee at #69. Where it gets interesting are our gains, such as outside the top 40 with “What Other People Say” by Demi Lovato and Sam Fischer which could very well get even higher next week thanks to the album. We also have “Track Star” by Mooski at #53 off of the debut and a couple of tracks entering the top 40 for the first time, those being “Heartbreak Anniversary” by Giveon at #39 and Majestic’s remix of “Rasputin” by Boney M. at #38. Elsewhere in the top 40, we have “Let’s Go Home Together” by Ella Henderson and Tom Grennan at #13 and two songs marking their first week in the top 10, those being “Little Bit of Love” by Tom Grennan at #10, a song continuing to sour on me, and “Your Love (9PM)” by ATB, Topic and A7S, an EDM song at #8 that I initially mocked for its soulless repackaging but has honestly got me pretty hooked since. I’m excited to see how this one does. For now, however, let’s get on with our new arrivals.

NEW ARRIVALS

#64 – “Cloud 9” – Beach Bunny

Produced by Joe Reinhart

Beach Bunny is a power pop band who last year released their album Honeymoon on Mom+Pop and it’s basically a modern r/indieheads staple in that it’s an accessible, airy pop-rock record fronted by a woman. It’s not anything unique, really, or different if you look further into it but that’s fine because there’s a lot of vaguely “indie” or music snob releases pushed out every year that miss the charts entirely. It’s a different story, however, when a year later, it gets viral on TikTok and streams its way onto the chart. In that case, we have “Cloud 9” by Beach Bunny, a pretty simple but sweet love song about a guy who just makes her feel a lot better about herself in times where she can’t pick herself up from the rut she’s in. Again, it’s a simple track but enhanced by the wonderful and unique vocal performance from front-woman Lili Trifilo and some pretty great production making sure no guitar lick is missed in this mix, especially in that chorus which is such an ethereal blend of the electric guitar dubs. I would argue that this actually should end at that second chorus even if it ends feeling abrupt as the transition to the final chorus feels a lot less cathartic than it does awkward, especially if the bridge is going to be a simplistic, quirky instrumental meander that doesn’t go far enough to be a guitar solo and hence feels kind of like a worthless addition. As is, this is a pretty great song still, just not the most fully realised once it loses that initial tight surf groove, though I’ll let it pass if we’re going to get rock this good on the charts again. I know this won’t really get more traction for Beach Bunny – or power pop for that matter – but more of this, please.

#52 – “You All Over Me” (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault) (Remix) (feat. DaBaby) (Part 2) (Radio Edit) – Taylor Swift featuring Maren Morris

Produced by Taylor Swift and Aaron Dessner

Sadly, this does not feature DaBaby and is not the remix, radio edit or sequel to any previously released song. Jokes aside, I guess brackets are the next big comeback for pop music, which goes hand-in-hands with remixes and re-releases, hence why Taylor Swift is dusting off this leaked Fearless-era cut for a new recording with country singer Maren Morris, who you probably know from her contributions to Zedd’s “The Middle”. Now whilst Swift is a great songwriter, I do often find myself frustrated by how she treads common ground all too frequently without establishing much different with how a song is structured or how it emotionally connects. This is true not just lyrically but especially sonically as of recent, as despite being written in 2008, it has too much in common with the less interesting cuts off of folklore for me to really care that much. That’s especially if Taylor’s going to undercut the clean acoustic guitars with flourishes of harmonica and crow sound effects, showing some genuine intrigue here before refusing to let any of that develop past a couple stray melodies or notes further back in the mix. I’m trying really hard to be compelled by these re-recordings and re-releases of her back catalogue as I do consider myself a fan, but it’s tough to pay attention when any new compositions we get sound like folklore leftovers with Maren Morris only put to use as decoration, much like HAIM on “no body, no crime” – and we already got an album full of folklore leftovers. I’m not a fan of this, sorry – I can see the appeal, and I do think this has enough of a country tinge to it to make it at least somewhat interesting – but this goes in one ear and immediately out of the other.

#48 – “Tonight” – Ghost Killer Track featuring OBOY and D-Block Europe

Produced by Ghost Killer Track and Kenzy

Screw the formalities and screw the analysis because D-Block Europe are back to add another D-Block to their EU collection – and since they’re Londoners, their only – and that’s Paris, and contrary to the British nature, we’ve let French rap chart in the top 50 out of the fact that they collaborated with two of the most comical rappers in British history. They’ve also linked up with producer Ghost Killer Track, also from France, as this is ostensibly his song even if he intends not to prove himself with this dull piano-based beat and oddly-mastered bass and percussion, which are really just DBE staples. Unfortunately, past the initial comedy of that first line in the chorus, neither Young Adz or Dirtbike LB deliver any stupid lyrics or funny inflections, instead just resorting to being as boring as they can in their constant flexing as possible. I guess the French guy here, OBOY, commands a higher energy in his verse if only through his comical “no, no, no” ad-libs, but he’s the only French speaker in an otherwise basic British trap song that I just cannot see the appeal in when we’ve had song after song from these guys for three years now. This won’t be the last we see of cookie-cutter UK rap this week though so brace yourselves for that.

#47 – “Last Time” – Becky Hill

Produced by LOSTBOY

It’s almost as if the charts are trying to send me off to sleep as here we have Becky Hill, a singer hedging the line between a non-presence and mildly annoying, which is arguably more frustrating than downright infuriating as her slightly smokier voice does not sound bad, just lacking in texture in every way, especially if the multi-tracking is going to be this minimal on a royalty-free deep-house beat produced by Getty Images with a pretty worthless drop, a generic and simple melody of piano stabs for major chords, and a whole bunch of reverb on the vocal take... but it still ends up feeling dry as there’s nothing here to quench that thirst for a tighter, bass-heavy house banger or even a more ethereal, dreamy trance track, deciding to stick to a healthy medium of boring and utter garbage. Yes, that was a singular sentence. I’m not awake enough to form a cohesive sentence less than 40 words long, and this new Becky Hill track is just worsening that if anything. Speaking of...

#21 – “Body” – Russ Millions and Tion Wayne

Produced by Gotcha Bxtch

Who’s Russ Millions? He’s Russ. No, not that Russ. British Russ – or Russ Splash, stylised as Russ splash on Spotify and nowhere else. This confusingly-named fellow appeared on the charts a couple times and possibly most famously with “Keisha & Becky”, a song also featuring Tion Wayne that is referenced on this very track. Sigh, I usually like Tion Wayne but even he can’t be bothered to delivery his usual brand of suave charm or sinister menace, instead opting for a more growling but ultimately completely monotone cadence that doesn’t flatter him or Russ, who one of my friends described as sounding like one of the aliens from Toy Story. This is a pretty by-the-numbers drill beat too, and it’s pretty safe to say that neither Russ or Tion Wayne here are going to bother with wordplay, even when they start pretty smoothly trading bars and Tion Wayne goes for a more unique chopper flow in the second verse. This is just not of any note. Once again, speaking of...

#17 – “Good Without” – Mimi Webb                        

Produced by Freedo

I assumed Mimi Webb debuted this high because of a talent show she won or something because I’d never heard her name but instead, she just happened to have a major label deal before her unreleased song just happened to go viral on TikTok and just happened to be supported by one of the women who just happened to be the biggest creator on the platform. Yeah, and this song just happened to be garbage, suffering from every possible millennial pop trope and then some, from the mix dressed rather too overtly in reverb, the ugly guitar pluck, a generic indie-girl voice that you swear you’ve heard before in one of those dreadful piano covers of popular songs they use in adverts, as well as this ballad being undercut by badly-programmed trap percussion. I can tell this label is trying to create somewhat of an Olivia Rodrigo phenomenon from this and I for one am terrified of the Poundland knock-offs to come. Screw this.

#1 – “MONTERO (Call Me by Your Name)” – Lil Nas X

Produced by Roy Lenzo, Omar Fedi and Take a Daytrip

At least Lil Nas X will bring some passion into this chart week? Well, not really, as when I hear this I recall that Pitchfork review of his EP, a much-maligned critique that featured the ever-so pretentious questioning if Lil Nas X really enjoyed making and listening to music. It reminds me because I think I now fully get it – at least when Lil Nas X was making slap-dash pop rock with Travis Barker or meme-worthy country rap with Billy Ray Cyrus for less than two minutes apiece, there was something invigorating in the execution or at least in concept. That 7 EP is still not a bad debut at all, but this new single “MONTERO”, a long-anticipated record that went from constantly-teased demo to Super Bowl commercial to Satanic-panicked videos of Lil Nas giving Satan a lap-dance to own the conservatives, has the same remote dreariness to it as “HOLIDAY” did late last year. The acoustic, Latin-flavoured guitar loop reminds me of his much better track “Rodeo” from that aforementioned EP that used its energy for similarly lighthearted subject matter but with some genuine energy, a Cardi B feature and a lot less subtle moombahton creeping in. With that said, I can’t say Lil Nas X didn’t try, as his vocal performance, whilst largely insufferable and strained, gives some energy to an otherwise aggravatingly stunted beat, and makes it a lot more infectious than it has any right to be. Content-wise, the song is essentially about a full circle where Lil Nas X becomes increasingly desperate for a man who starts off lonely and in a bad place, and the irony is that Lil Nas gets more explicitly sexual and crazed due to a combination of the LA life-style surrounding him and the fact that he’s simply, for lack of a better term, “down bad”, despite the fact that this guy doesn’t seem particularly desirable. Lil Nas knows this, though, and acknowledges it in the pre-chorus where he outright says that this guy is living the cocaine-addled celebrity life, but not living it right without Mr. Bullriding and Boobies in his life. I’m happy about the video and the outrage it seems to cause not just within conservative spaces but also amongst the hip-hop community, particularly Joyner Lucas, and I’m pretty happy with how out and proud Lil Nas X is about his sexuality, even if it leads to lines like “Shoot a child in your mouth while I’m ridin’”. I’m just really not a fan of this song past its content, which could really be interesting but falls flat with this plucking production that wastes time in barely two minutes with humming interludes. It’s not bad at all, just not for me.

Conclusion

And that concludes our week, and wow, what a bad week this was for new arrivals. Admittedly, it’s a filler week so only “MONTERO (Call Me by Your Name)” will probably last – or at least we can hope as even if I don’t like the song, I still have to give out an Honourable Mention to someone, and it may as well be Lil Nas X trying to put the effort in. Best of the Week easily goes to Beach Bunny for “Cloud 9”, far and away the only good song here, with Worst of the Week also going out pretty easily to Mimi Webb’s “Good Without”, which is the type of soulless, unmemorable garbage that makes pop music look uninspired, and as a person who writes about the charts constantly, it’s a misconception I don’t want proven or revisited. Dishonourable Mention is a toss-up but I guess I’ll give it to Russ Millions and Tion Wayne for that sprinkle of drill disappointment that is “Body”, and that’ll be it for this week. I predict some impact from Demi Lovato, Lil Tjay and especially Olivia Rodrigo next week, but for now, here’s our top 10:

Thank you for reading – sorry for the grouchiness on this one – and I’ll see you next week!

[everlarkbookclub]

The Everlark Book Club would like to nominate the following fics to @everlarkficbackfriday as part of the Fic Back Friday community challenge:

That’s My Girl by @thegreatorangedragon

Modern AU. Unrated. One shot. 

Peeta reflects on his marriage, one possibly the hardest night of their life.

Speed Date by @ashyblondwaves

Modern AU. Rated M. Multi-chapter (complete).

The last place Katniss Everdeen expects to find love is at a gay speed dating event, but when Peeta Mellark approaches her, they have a speed date of their very own and embark on a relationship that Katniss never could have predicted for herself.

The Sacking of Persia by @therebelliondies

Historial AU. Unrated (but mind the warnings). One shot.  

Peeta is a lonely, damaged soldier in Alexander the Great’s army, and they are a day away from taking the Persian city of Persepolis. How much can his life change when he meets the young native girl, Katniss, during the army’s pillaging of the great city?

Cake Batter Therapy by @ohmakemeahercules

Canon compliant (post-MJ). Rated T. One shot.

Peeta orders baking supplies from the Capitol. Their arrival prompts processing painful reminders of past traumas.

Swear by the heir by @kdlovehg

Royalty AU. Rated T.  Multi-chapter (WIP).

Repaying a debt to a king is no easy feat. But despite mistaken identity, Peeta would never refuse the brazen beauty begging to share his bed and become his mistress. After all, who better to give innocence to than a King? Katniss' only power is within her stubborn attitude until a few nights leave her with one present from a lover who returns to claim what's rightfully he's, or should be. Now Katniss gets to decide who's in charge, after all, she's carrying a royal heir...

*****

Image source

[rebelcourtesan]

My DnD 5e Build for Violet Evergarden

Violet Evergarden is a beautiful anime about a girl who’s been raised in war learning what it is to become human and what it means to love another.  Heartbreaking and inspirational at times, Violet Evergarden is a masterpiece of an anime with a vibrant main character I have fallen in love with as she isn’t your typically female anime lead.  

Long Post Below

Stats

Dex: Highest stat should do in here because Violet is a very agile and quite in combat. 

Wisdom: Second Highest Violet has a high perception, though she doesn’t always understand what it is she sees in others.  

Con: Third highest. Violet has endured many battles and survived having her arms removed and loosing a lot of blood.  Even then, she was willing to do everything she could to get her commander to safety.

Cha: Fourth highest. Try to have this stay be at least a 13 for multi classing purposes.  Switch this out for Int as fourth highest if necessary.  This stat is low because of Violet’s poor social skills once she leaves the army, but she does improve over time to understand social cues and feelings.

Int: Fifth highest.  Low because most of her education comes from Gilbert who taught her how to read and write.  And unless it’s military training, she’s not familiar with the subject at all.

Str: Dump Stat.   

Race: Variant Human.  +1Dex/+1Wis

Feat: Sentinel

Skill Proficiency: Acrobatics

Take the Soldier background which gives Violet Proficiency in Athletics and Intimidation.

Monk lv 1

We’re starting Violet off in Monk.  This will give her Martial Arts which lets her use Dex for attack and damage rolls for unarmed strikes and monk weapons. 

Also, since Violet goes around in a dress, she can use Unarmored defense which lets her add her Wisdom Modifier to her Armor Class.   

Choose Insight and Stealth as her Skills.

Monk lv 2

Violets now has a Ki pool that lets her perform Flurry of Blows, Step of the Wind, and Patient Defense, useful for awesome moves on the battle field.  

Unarmored Movement add’s 10 ft to her movement letting her rush across the battle field to fight the enemy head on.

Monk lv 3

 Violet gets Deflect Missile, but best of all she can choose a Monastic Tradition.

Way of the Kensei is the optimal choice for Violet.  Choose a short sword and a longbow (or gun if your DM will allow it). Agile Parry will allow Violet to add +2 to her AC when making an unarm strike with her Kensei melee weapon in hand and deal extra damage with her range weapon with Kensei’s Shot.    

Also, Violet gains proficiency in calligraphy or painter’s supplies with Way of the Brush.  See if your DM will allow Violet to have a typewriter.   

Monk lv 4

Violet gets Slow Fall, useful for surviving long falls off buildings or stairs.  

Use her Ability Score Improvement to improve her Charisma.

     Switching classes to Bard

Bard lv 1

Violet becomes an Auto Memory Doll or a Bard for DnD purposes. She has Bardic Inspiration which allows her to encourage others in doing better in whatever they aspire to do.  Be it a saving throw, ability check, or attack roll, her ally can add a 1d6 to the roll to improve their chances of success.    

 What’s more, Violet can use spells.

Choose True Strike and Message for Cantrips.

For Spells choose: Illusory Script, Identify, Comprehend Languages, and Bane   

Choose Investigation for Proficiency Skill as she’s had to investigate sometimes in writing letters for her clients.  

Bard lv 2

Violet gets Jack of Trades which lets her add half her proficiency to any ability check that doesn’t already include her proficiency bonus.  Violet writes for a variety of people from soldiers, playwrights, songstresses, and even royalty so she tends to pick up on some skills here and there. 

Song of Rest will allow her allies to regain an extra 1d6 hit die during a short rest.

Grab the spell Heroism.   

Bard lv 3

Choose College of Swords.  And pick the Dueling fighting style. This will let her add  +2 bonus to damage to her Kensei weapon when wielding it one handed.

She’ll get Blade Flourish that will allow her to hand out more damage. By spending her Bardic Inspiration to deal extra damage to the target, or to others within 5 ft or push the target away.            

Violet also gains Expertise in two of her skills which doubles her proficiency bonus in them.  Choose Acrobatics and Investigation.   

Now we’re going to level up in fighter to make Violet more lethal.  She was a top soldier during the war after all.

Fighter lv 1

Grab Archery Style to add +2 to Violets attack rolls with range weapons.  She is excellent shooter.  

And she gains Second Wind to heal her 1d10+Fighter Level during battle.  This girl lost her arms and was willing to keep going.

Fighter lv 2

 Action Surge will let Violet take another action. 

Fighter lv 3

Take Champion Archetype.  This will let Violet crit on a Nat 19 and Nat 20.  

Fighter lv 4

Take the Alert feat. Years in the army makes Violet very away of potential danger.  She cannot be surprised, +5 to her initiative, and prevents creatures from having an advantage on attack rolls against Violet when hidden.  

Fighter lv 5

Violet gets an Extra Attack so she can attack twice per action.

Also, her Proficiency bonus goes up to +3.

Fighter lv 6    

Take the Athletic feat.  Her years of training nets her a +1 to Str or Dex (put it in Dex).  Violet leaps into action when prone so standing only takes 5 ft of movement.  Can climb at full speed and taking long leaps is easier with only five feet for running speed.      

Fighter lv 7

Champion Archetype gives Violet Remarkable Athlete.  She can add half her proficiency to any Str, Dex, and Con checks.  She can even jump further    

Fighter lv 8

Choose the Mobile feat.  Violet is very quick on her feet.

Fighter lv 9

Proficiency bonus goes up to +4.  

Once after a Long Rest, Violet can reroll a failed saving throw due to Indomitable.  

Fighter lv 10

Violet grabs another fighting style.  Two-Weapon Fighting isn’t a bad choice if you want Violet to start dual welding.  

Fighter lv 11

Extra Attack (2) Now Violet can take 3 attacks per action.  

Fighter lv 12

Take the Tough feat.  Violet has lost a lot of blood and kept on going.  Injuries don’t phase this girl.  

Fighter lv 13

Proficiency raises to +5.  And she can used Indomitable twice after a long rest.  

OVERVIEW

And there you have it.  A beautiful, lethal soldier that can inspire others through writing and words.  This is as close as a build to her as I can make her.  Keep her Dex and Wisdom high so she can fight in just a dress and Tough and Second Wind will keep her fighting even after taking severe damage.  

Downside is that she has a low strength, but martial arts could make up the difference.  

[benthemusicalbeard]

3 Jun 2020

Afternoon! I hope you are all keeping well as lock down progresses. We have seen a slight easing of restrictions around certain activities and without sounding like a judgemental parent, I trust you are all still abiding by the rules! Some new music to accompany you as you go about your days. Music is one of the key things keeping me sane, that and over-barbecued sausages and strawberry ice cream as weather looks to be picking up for whatever format our summer takes.

First this week I give you Jacob Collier. The London born multi instrumentalist and producer appeared on my radar this week with the song I’m sharing. His musical talents first entered the public domain with a viral YouTube video of a split screen version of ‘Don’t You Worry ‘bout A Thing’ and subsequent signature to Quincy Jones’ management company. Collier developed a solo audio-visual experience based around track loops using his enviable special talents on multiple instruments. His style is a infuriatingly catchy mix of a cappella improv and reharmonisation mainly with a contemporary jazz groove. His debut album in 2016 titled ‘In My Room’ was recorded and produced by him from his family home and songs from this album won him two Grammy awards; his arrangements of ‘Flintstones’ and another Stevie Wonder song ‘You & I’. A further two albums have been released, the first two parts of a four part volume album collaborating with many different artists and introducing new styles and sounds. The first two albums, ‘Djesse Vol 1′ and ‘Djesse Vol 2′ were released to high acclaim and a further two Grammy awards followed for his arrangements of ‘All Night Long’ and ‘Moon River’. He has returned with a new single taken from ‘Djesse Vol 3′ to be released this summer and the one I’m sharing is the third of these singles to be released, a great track which fully showcases Collier’s undeniable talents.

Jacob Collier feat. Mahalia & Ty Dolla $ign - All I Need - https://youtu.be/MJpiozQUJvE

Second up this week and the legendary Tony Allen. He sadly passed away in April this year and I kept meaning to share one of my favourite tracks of his and to introduce you to the guy who pretty much single-handedly founded the Afrobeat genre. Allen was born in Nigeria in 1940 and was a well respected drummer by the age of 20 playing with many notorious Nigerian jazz musicians in bit part. It wasn’t until 1964 though when Allen was invited to play in famous Afrobeat artist Fela Kuti’s new band that he found a permanent role. They subsequently became known as Fela & Afrika ‘70 and as a group they recorded over 30 albums together and it was during this time that Allen developed and introduced the wider world to his style which had evolved from a purely jazz sound to that of Afrobeat, a mix of African rhythm which is instantly recognisable but containing jazz and soul rhythmic elements. By 1979 the group were experiencing difficulties in the form of arguments over artistic leadership and royalties owed to the band so Allen decided to depart, taking many of Afrika ‘70 with him, to start a new group. Since 1980 Allen performed alongside a plethora of musical artists from all genres keen to utilise the beats of Allen. One of the more well known collaborations were the ‘supergroup’ ‘The Good, The Bad & The Queen’ which introduced Allen to Albarn, as well as The Clash’s Paul Simonon and The Verve’s Simon Tong. Albarn would work with Allen multiple times, even including Allen on the latest Gorillaz album. Allen maintained his status as a pioneer of Afrobeat and was present on tens of albums all wanting a safe pair of hands on drums whilst providing his unique style and rhythm and that’s what sets him apart. You can often tell a guitarist from the style or sound of their play but not very often you can do that with a drummer but Allen is that exception. A true great.

Tony Allen feat. Damon Albarn - Go Back - https://youtu.be/8-hMkHkoFrU

Last but by no means least this week we have the talented Alexander Wolfe. A singer songwriter from Cambridge, Wolfe’s first dip into the music world was when he formed a band called ‘Taxi’ with Jamie Cullum. The band had reasonable success but disbanded mainly due to Cullum’s pending solo deal which elevated him to stardom whilst Wolfe was left to go it alone. His debut solo album ‘Morning Brings A Flood’ was released in 2010 I have listened to this album at great length this week. A wonderful album containing songs packed with emotion and worthy of the acclaim it got, standout tracks for me are ‘Lazybones’ and ‘Movement’. The album was followed by the 2012 acoustic album ‘Skeletons’ and the 2014 ‘From The Shallows’, the latter containing songs which achieved mainstream airplay in ‘Trick Of The Light’ and ‘Sunburn’. His latest album ‘Little Death’ came in 2019 following a small break after liquidation of the label he was signed to. An album which is a snapshot of Wolfe and his life, it contains some beautiful songs none more so than the ode ‘Catherine’. The song I’ve chosen to share I actually found due to my interest in comedian Spencer Jones who appears in the video to the song. The track is used in the TV series Flack and lyrically at least describes Wolfe’s mental torment with himself, offset against a very sweet video with comedian Jones at his unique and weird best.

Alexander Wolfe - Tired Of Me - https://youtu.be/xY60j_YI5Lw

Three more songs there for you to listen to, accompanied by plenty of back catalogue from each artist show you be a fan of their sound. Until next time we speak, stay safe x

[neonlaynes]

tagged by @tracy7307 @darlenealdreson @letshargroovetonight @highon85 @wrecked-fuse !! doing some small blurbs under my picks ^o^

Rules: Copy/paste and bold your fic preferences because why not, gotta choose one (near impossible, but go with your first gut instinct), and tag someone again.

slow burn or love at first sight

give me that lovestruck pining straight from the beginning, babeyyyy

fake dating or secret dating

both of them: yeah so this is totally not going to develop into anything

narrator: so that was a fucking lie.

enemies to lovers or best friends to lovers

enemies to lovers also is great but Only if they get to know one another and strike a tentative friendship before realizing.......hey wait........we mesh together so well.........heavy handed, stolen looks at one another.........

but also best friends to lovers because of the shared ripe history and knowing that they will generally stick through thin and thick for each other...but add some spice to the mix!!

oh no there’s only one bed or long-distance with correspondence

there is something strikingly beautiful in the yearning created from distance, and especially seeing the characters through the lens of say, written words or the comfort of their voice, or even video calling - so maddeningly close yet so far

hurt/comfort or amnesia

bro I Cannot choose..........because for amnesia they can fall in love all over again and for hurt/comfort it’s just a Classic go-to at this point, but my heart cannot take hurt only, it must be swaddled in comfort....

fantasy au or modern au

the idea of royalty/magic/magical creatures set against expansive kingdoms and forests and springs, with adventure and discovery abound and a dash of romance sprinkled? sign me tf up

mutual pining or domestic bliss

another one where I cannot choose!!! how could I. mutual pining makes mutual realization all the more sweeter when they come together, and domestic bliss is like walking on cloud nine simply spending time with one another at home.......definitely warms my heart!!

smut or fluff  

I love both equally but I get a lot more emotional and excited reading tooth-rotting fluff in public let’s just say 

canon compliant or fix-it fic

it’s a feat to skillfully craft around canon imo! and who’s to say that a fix-it fic wouldn’t be canon compliant if the ends are loose enough? ;)

alternate universe or future fic

AUs 100% all the way bc it is so so lovely to read how no matter which universe and whichever way, these two characters will find one another !!

one-shot or multi-chapter

there is a certain thrill in going along for the ride, especially if I catch the updates early on and look forward to updates in my inbox; also I tend to lose my place especially if the one-shot is very long

kid fic or roadtrip fic

oh no.......you’re stuck in a car for an inordinately long time with this other person that you may be a little (a lot) in love with......whatever shall you do............

reincarnation or character death

when character death is written so hauntingly well, I truly appreciate it but I am Weak and would like if it was temporary and/or reversible...

arranged marriage or accidental marriage

how do you........accidentally marry, besides a wild night in vegas? genuinely curious!!

but arranged marriage ties into fantasy AU back up there; rival kingdoms that seek a truce in wedding their children...at first they are not receptive to the idea At All but spending time w one another and sharing each others’ cultures n castles n markets etc.........mayhaps........Romance!

high school romance or middle aged romance

I like reading about high school romance bc it’s not something I have experienced and brings about a sense of nostalgia for simpler times!

time travel or isolated together

snowed in!!! sharing a bed!!!! cuddling under the covers for warmth!!!! if I am interpreting this correctly!!!!

neighbours or roommates

as much as I love roommates, distance makes the heart grow fonder. give me neighbors that are wary of each other first, but one or both of them are struck with unbridled lust and try to find out as much as possible about the other party without being too obvious, taking every chance to visit them, slowly but surely romance blooms............then they move in together.

sci-fi au or magic au

growing up I was never hugely infatuated w sci fi but you know what I /was/ bonkers over? magic. make one or the other do grandiose gestures of magic for the other in an effort to woo them. or person A so devoted they give up part of or even all of their magic to save the other........exquisite.

bodyswap or genderbend

cannot have enough of bodyswap!! admiring the other’s body to their heart’s content...seeing THEMSELF.....telling the other what their own body likes/craves.......;))

angst or crack

cause I love to mchurty

apocalyptic or mundane

is it really so mundane, when I will never tire of reading for the umpteenth time how they came home from a long day of work, ate a hearty dinner together, and shared thoughts in bed, whisper quiet, before drifting off in bliss, legs tangled under the covers? 

a loooot of people have been tagged already so this is my cue to say if you would like to, feel free to say that you’ve been tagged by me and go go go !!!

[southsidewrites]

WIP MEME

The Rules: post the names of all the files in your WIP folder, regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous.

Tagged by: @rivendell101

This is as many as I could find.  I also have way too many WIP’s

Multi-Parts:

Pacific Rim AU | Reggie x OC in which rydia are friends with benefits

Rockton AU | in which the characters of Riverdale are all hiding from something in a remote Canadian village

Royalty AU | Reggie x OC arranged marriage

Breakfast Club AU | feat. Dilton, Cheryl, Sweet Pea, Reggie, and someone?

Pretty Lies 2 | Rydia has a long-distance relationship while at college

The Secrets We Keep | multi-ship Twilight AU in which the Lodges are vampires not nearly as friendly as the Cullen’s, and the southsiders are a werewolf pack

Archie x OC | the future fic I’ll never write

One Shots:

Elevator Meet Cute | in which Reggie and Lydia are trapped naked in an elevator

Insecure Rydia smut | Lydia is insecure about her body, and Reggie does his best to prove her wrong

Rydia Tries Anal | no description needed here, folks

All Tied Up 2 | it’s Reggie’s turn to tie Lydia to the bed

Graduation | shit goes down at Reggie and Lydia’s college graduation party

Tagging: anyone who wants to!  feel free to tag me!

[iloveyou-morethanthis]

This One's for the Books

College AU

Characters: Jeon Jungguk, Reader

Rating: Fluff and Smut

Words: 1488

The speakers in the house were so loud all you could hear, feel rather, was the bass thrumming through your body. You had been in the house less than an hour and had already lost sight of your friends. Honestly you could've cared less, you were already 5 shots in and with a mixed drink in your hand. Finals week was stressful so the parties the weekend before were always the best. Everyone needed to let off some steam before the reality of too much work, and not enough time hit. The infamous Beta Tao Sigma party was hard to get into but hella worth it. Whatever stress reliever you need the party offered. Weed, cocaine, alcohol, jumping off the fourth floor balcony into the frat house's indoor pool. You name it. They had it. Adrenaline pumping outlets to relieve the average students stress of over bearing responsibilities and ultimate disappointments. But of course none of this is what you were seeking. Alcohol yes. But that was just to help you forget and boost your confidence to get what you really wanted.

The best lay of your life.

You just wanted someone to wreck you, make you forget you name, and turn you into a whimpering mess. Only a few people in this house had that reputation and one of them was going to be yours tonight.

You made your way up the winding staircase to the third floor where the presidents lounge was. This is where you'd find them. The Cabinet.

The group referred to the president of the house and his closest friends. Since Kim Namjoon came into power in the BTS house the frat's popularity spiked. He was the first ever elected sophomore president. Meaning that his presidency was already legendary. He rebuilt the house's reputation from the ground up in just three years. Just getting a pledge was a privilege, actually making it into the house was another feat. The qualifications to be accepted....let's just say it'd be easier to get into the CIA. Yet every year the house got hundreds of applicants despite only opening two or three spots.

Upon reaching the third floor you headed down the hall to the left straight to the back room. You knew the hallways like the back of your hand. Upon reach the doors you knocked three times, paused, then knocked twice. The door swung open to a dimly lit room. Multi colored lights bounced off the walls and the ceiling. The small space was smokey but smelled fruity something akin to skittles. You made your way across the room and into the lap of the sophomore and Namjoon's successor Jeon Jungkook.

He was taking his second hit as you lowered yourself into his well-toned thighs. Before passing it to the guy on his right he extended the mouth piece to you, you took one hit and passed. Nuzzling your nose underneath his jawline, you began to suck and nip gently at the exposed skin on his neck. You could feel the boy underneath you begin to squirm, his hands grasping tighter to your hips pulling you higher in his lap.

"What do you want babe?" He spoke, his voice low and raspy.

You responded by pulling his chin down, kissing against his soft lips for a moment only to bite down on his lower lip and pull tenderly letting it slap back into place.

Keeping your gaze on the younger you work you lips further down his neck and against collarbone while working your hands up and down his sides, gingerly brushing your fingers across his sensitive nipples . His hands came to rest in the back of your head, fingers tangling into your hair pulling you off his chest and bringing you face to face with him.

"What do you want kitten?" He asked again, looking far more wrecked than before.

You leaned in, your lips barely brushing his, locking your eyes, you whispered back, "Fuck me."

His tongue darted across his lips, with a hunger in his eyes he lifted you from his lap and led you through the room and out the door. His fingers wrapped around your wrist as he guided you down the hallways and up the house's secret staircases to his room.

Bursting through the door you both were relentless, his mouth on any exposed skin he could reach, your hands tugging at his clothing hoping to get to what's underneath. He got the hint and released you momentarily to throw his shirt and pants away.

His hands returned to you as quickly as they left, he lifted your body and threw you onto the bed. His lips captured yours, the kiss was passionate and deep. His hands worked up and down your body swiftly taking your clothing off piece by piece. Everything but the the straps heels you wore and the thin red lace covering your wet heat remained.

He sat back on his heels to admire his work. With a feathery touch he glided his fingertips along your newly exposed skin, admiring his handy work. How flushed you look—because of him. The deep bruising marks—because of him. As his fingertips connected with the red lace, how wet you were—because of him.

"Beautiful." He spoke barely above a breathe.

"You look absolutely stunning," He bent down, arms caging your head. His eyes bore straight into yours as he leans in close and presses a light peck onto your forehead.

Wrapping your hands around his waist pulled him closer to you wanting to feel more of his body against yours.

"Baby.." you whined. It was sweet how much he wanted to take care of you and taking it slow making you feel like royalty but it's not what you came for and not what you wanted right now.

The corners of his mouth lifted at your neediness. He grinded his hips down making a moan escape your lips. You dug you fingernails into his back as you clung to his torso and grinded back against him.

"Kookie please.." you begged.

He laughed. It was rare to see you all worked up and begging. Under normal circumstances it'd be him begging for you attention, in dire need for you touch. In times where you were needy he was beside himself, as if this was his greatest entertainment.

You dropped your hands to your sides and sat up with a frown. "Really?" You questioned.

This made the younger laugh a little harder. "I'm sorry babe, I'm sorry." He echoed, trying to cover his smile with the back of his hand.

You try to push him off of you hoping to find someone else to give you what you need. His arms are lightening fast wrapping around your waist and pinning you under him. With his precious smile and big puppy eyes his tried kissing your frown away. Pleading with you in between kisses. "Please..please stay. You know I love seeing you like this. It's just—" He pauses to look you in the face. "I want this all the time. I want you all the time. Please, please don't leave after tonight. Just stay, stay with me." He pleaded.

You could feel the truth of his earnest words. You wanted the same. Months of running around with Kookie was becoming exhausting. You'd been lying to yourself saying that it didn't mean anything. You want him. You like him. You two have been exclusive ever since your first one night stand almost a year. It had quickly become something more than sex, sometimes lunch dates, sometimes study dates (that actually involved studying), you had even seen him cry. Kookie never cries. But the night he came you a sobbing mess because his childhood friend had killed himself, you knew he meant more to you, this wasn't just a fling.

"Fine, but just hurry before you ruin the mood again."

"What? Me! I would never." Feigning innocence, he was grinning from ear to ear. You laughed.

"Kookie if you don't fuck me right now..."

"Alright alright" he said slipping his fingers between the thin fabric and pulling it down your legs. He lined himself up with your entrance, teasing you with a smirk on his lips.

He leaned down close to your ear and whispered, "Let's get it."

"KOO—" As you opened your mouth to scream at him, he slammed into you setting a fast pace. You were losing your sanity each thrust was hitting that perfect bundle of nerves that drove you wild. He knew your body like the back of his hand. Why would you would even consider this dork, but looking up at his face watching him smile down at you, you knew he was your dork. Of all the boys you've slept with he was one of the few you've made love too. And of course it had to start with "Let's get it."

Yep this one's for the books.