#ghost town album

[elizacarlsonwrites]

In the Quiet (Official Music Video) is out now on my YouTube!!! 💛

[theaologies]

YOUR HANDS ON MY CHEEKS YOUR SHOULDER IN MY MOUTH I WAS UP AGAINST THE WALL ON THE WEST MEZZANINE WE RATTLED THIS TOWN WE RATTLED THIS SCENE

OH

AAAANNNNNAAAAA SUUUUUNNNNN

OH

AAAAANNNNNAAAAAA SUUUUUUNNNN

[bunnyboylyricbot]

and i'm serious when i say i'm over it, i'm over it!

[stalkish-shellos]

I know it’s September September but this song is hitting particularly hard

[call-me-strega]

Dc x Dp Prompt #24: The Midwest Prince(ss)

Danny is a Singer/Siren/Banshee au where he’s basically a Chappel Roan-type figure.( Also, I'm Dead on Main trash so Strangers-to-Friends-to-Lovers, Celebrity x Civilian romance for two of my favorite boys)

Danny’s Ghostly Wail develops into vocal manipulation bc he’s a siren or banshee. Ember teaches him to sing and control the power. He finds music is a good outlet for his emotions and decides to pursue music as Danny. It takes him a few years but he develops a style and brand that he bases off the Realms. However, he doesn’t anyone to connect him to Phantom so he uses parts of his ancestors’ names to become “Walker Gale”(shout out to my beautiful mutual @mirigold-mayflowers for helping me pick that name), ordinary small-town midwestern boy turned Music Icon. He hires Val as his personal bodyguard, Sam as his manager, and Tucker as his head stage tech.

He dresses in really campy clothes the low-key mimic his ghost form as well as other ghosts he’s met. The outfits change to match the vibe of the song. So a rock ballad with an outfit inspired by Ember, Show Tunes-Murder Mystery-type-beat with a costume for Amorpho, EDM-techno-hyperpop themed song styled after Technus or Skulker, etc. He just has a lot of fun experimenting with his appearance and he’s an icon for it. He even makes friends with Star and Paulina through this and they give him feedback and help with new looks. The eventually join the team as his PR and Styling team.

Since he’s a banshee/siren all his songs have this underlying despair/sadness even if they have a fun and bubbly beat. He also references his feelings about being/hiding as Phantom and being partially dead and shit but vaguely so no one actually knows or assumes it’s a metaphor. Many of the themes are actually things lgbtq people identify with, specifically trans and bi fans. He also references battles he’s fought and ppl assumes he’s talking about mental illness or abuse which attracts another category of fans altogether. Again inspired by Chappel Roan his first album his called "The Ascent and Downfall of a Midwest Prince" gaining him the nickname the "Midwest Prince".

He’s weird and unfiltered and full of emotion and he gains a few fans in the hero community too. Raven and Zatanna start a fan club for him, well aware he’s some type of banshee/siren but knowing that the extent of his powers are being used to deliver beautiful performances. The are staunch supporters of him and his music and spread it to their friends. The current fan club is Co-Presidents Zatanna + Raven, VP Greta(Secret, a.k.a: a ghost hero), Starfire, Bart, Cassie, Tim, Kon + Jon, Steph, Cass, and Billy.

His identifying features are a signature make-up look and white underdye (when the color is on the underside of the hair). He’s grown his hair longer so it’s not super visible when he has it down and not styled. He also looks different without make-up so he can totally go unrecognized in public and live life semi-normal (as normal as a half-ghost vigilante powerhouse superstar can be). He actually planned it to be that way so that he could still go to college and stuff even though he’s doing it mostly online. All this to say that Danny has low-key got a Hannah Montana thing going on. Also, let's mix it up a bit and say he's based in Star City.

One day Danny goes to a second-hand book store because he's looking for a cheap textbook when he bumps into an absolute hunk of a man who doesn't seem to recognize him. Jason had been in Star City to visit Roy and Lian. He stopped at a second-hand bookstore to see if he look for some older editions of books (one time he found a second edition copy of Persuasion so he likes to peruse) and ran into a super pretty boy who made his chest feel funny and doesn't realize he's a Wayne. They got to talking about started really connecting. They decided to exchange numbers and kept in touch, meeting up every now and then when they had the chance. Danny gave him his private social media accounts so Jason never learned much more beyond that Danny worked in the music industry but not his exact role in it.

Eventually Danny moves to Gotham, either bc he switched labels or to be closer to Jazz whose doing her doctorate thesis on reforms that need to be made in Arkham. He and Jason begin meeting up in person more frequently and start catching feelings. Danny really wants to ask him out but feels sleazy doing it without telling Jason about his past and superstar alter ego. However, he also doesn't want to lose the mostly normal friendship they have. On the flipside Jason wants to date Danny but doesn't want to drag him into the life of a vigilante or the life of a Wayne. Both of them Pine and Agonize over this. In the end Danny decides to bite the bullet and tell Jason who he is, every part of who he is. He invites Jason over for a movie night and tells him he's got something important to tell Jason.

That same day Starfire decides to introduce Walker Gale's work to the other Outlaws and Jason really resonates with his work. He identifies with the lyrics on a literal and physical level and recognizes the underlying emotions that usually only other ghosts or liminals can. Starfire overjoyed that her friend likes his music decides to show Jason some of his music videos and photos. Jason, not being blind or an idiot, recognizes not only the props and costumes but his crushes face under that (very well done) make-up.

Jason is stunned and conflicted: it’s not like Danny lied to him about who he was, but he was entirely truthful either. Did he assume Jason knew? Or did he just not trust Jason? Why did he even bother with Jason, a seemingly regular guy, if he had such a claim to fame? And Jason keeps listening to his music and it’s speaks to him the same way hanging out with Danny does, making him feel seen and connected. It makes him all the more sure that someone incredible as Danny doesn’t need someone like Jason. He heads to Danny’s place that night very subdued.

He gets to Danny’s place and the smile that greets him twists him up inside. He puts on a mask and tries to act normal but Danny can tell somethings up but persists as he has made up his mind to be clear with Jason. He sits him down and tells him there is something important he wants to tell Jason. He starts by letting Jason know that he cares about him very much and appreciates the normality and closeness of their friendship. He confesses that he doesn't normally get that bc well, he's the superstar "Walker Gale". Danny goes onto say that the reason he didn't say anything earlier was because he treasures the simplicity of what he had with Jason and the reason he's telling him now is because he couldn't continue a relationship that he wants more from without being completely honest.

Jason's heart thunders in his chest and he stares at Danny with a slightly constipated look. Danny asks Jason what's wrong and on an impulse Jason word vomits his feelings. That he actually found out through a friend earlier today, that he really connected to his music the same way he did with Danny, that he's never felt seen the way Danny sees through him, that he's never felt the same way as deeply before, that he's completely and utterly in love with Danny but was scared to say anything and get him involved with his crazy life and the Waynes. And Danny sits and listens shellshocked.

And the only thing Danny can think to do is kiss this incredible boy senseless and tell him that if he likes him back then they can figure it out.

[sunnydaze081]

I’m putting songs that i specifically recommend here and bands in the tags

does anyone have emo band recs? i’ve recently (last few months) gotten into the scene and i listen to mostly emo/pop punk bands but i’d like to discover some more!! most of the bands i listen to are in the tags :D

[imreidswifey]

Velvet Minds -S.Reid-

Famous Singer Reader x Spencer Reid

Summary: When the BAU is assigned a case involving murders linked to the music of the enigmatic singer Y/n, Dr. Spencer Reid is drawn into their world of haunting melodies and vintage allure.

Author’s Note: Hi, lovely readers! First, thank you for choosing to dive into Velvet Minds. This story contains mature themes and darker elements, so please read the warnings carefully. I tried to keep the balance between mystery, emotion, and romance, and I hope you find yourself immersed in their journey. Happy reading, and I’d love to hear your thoughts! Your feedback means the world to me.

Warnings: Violence and Crime, Mental Health Themes, Mature Themes, Mystery and Suspense, Emotional Content

———————————————————————————-

The small Nevada town was unremarkable, a blur of cracked asphalt and sun-faded storefronts. The crime scene, however, was anything but. Reid stood in the center of the motel room, his keen eyes cataloging every detail.

The room was steeped in 1950s nostalgia: a rotary phone sat on the nightstand, a cigarette still smoldering in an ashtray. But the focal point was the record player. It sat in the corner, spinning Y/n’s “Midnight Motel” on repeat.

“Looks like our unsub has a theme,” Morgan remarked, gesturing to the décor.

Reid nodded but didn’t respond. His attention was consumed by the music. The melody was melancholic yet mesmerizing, the lyrics a tapestry of longing and despair.

“Y/n,” he murmured to himself.

“What was that?” JJ asked, glancing over.

“The artist. Y/n. They’re known for this retro aesthetic and emotionally charged music. Their songs are often about isolation and nostalgia.”

JJ raised an eyebrow. “Didn’t peg you as a fan of cinematic dream-pop, Spence.”

“I’m not,” he replied quickly, adjusting his tie. “But their cultural significance is undeniable.”

Unshaken by Reid’s deflection, JJ smirked. “Right.”

As the team worked, Reid couldn’t shake the feeling that the music held more than just atmospheric appeal for their unsub. It felt personal, almost like a signature.

Back at Quantico, Reid dove into research. Y/n’s career was a study in contrasts. They had skyrocketed to fame with their debut album, Echoes of Velvet Dreams, yet they remained elusive, retreating from public view between releases.

“They’re like a ghost,” Garcia said as she tapped away at her keyboard. “No scandals, no sightings outside of carefully orchestrated performances. Even their interviews are cryptic. The fans eat it up, though. They call themselves the ‘Velvet Hearts.’”

“They’ve cultivated an aura of mystery,” Reid observed. “It’s part of their appeal. People project their own emotions onto the music, creating a deeply personal connection.”

Garcia spun her chair to face him. “Sounds like you’re one of those people.”

Reid ignored her, focusing instead on the patterns emerging in the case. Each victim had been found in a space meticulously designed to mirror Y/n’s aesthetic. And always, one of their songs was playing.

The team’s investigation led them to Kansas, where Y/n was performing a rare, intimate show in a vintage lounge. Reid and Prentiss attended under the guise of being fans, blending into the crowd of retro-clad concertgoers.

The atmosphere crackled with anticipation. When Y/n finally appeared, the room fell silent. Draped in a sequined gown that shimmered under the dim light, they looked like a vision from another time.

As their haunting voice filled the space, Reid felt a strange pull. He couldn’t tell if it was the music, the case, or something else entirely, but Y/n had an undeniable presence that commanded attention.

After the performance, Reid approached their manager, flashing his badge. “We need to speak with Y/n about a case we’re working on.”

Moments later, he was ushered backstage. Y/n sat at a vanity, their reflection framed by dimly glowing bulbs. When they turned to face him, their gaze was sharp, cutting through the haze of their ethereal persona.

“You’re FBI,” they said, their voice softer but no less commanding than on stage.

“Yes, Dr. Spencer Reid,” he replied, extending his hand.

Y/n studied him for a moment before shaking it. “What’s this about?”

Reid hesitated, momentarily distracted by the way the light caught on their features. “There’s a string of murders. Each scene is styled after your music, your image. We believe the unsub may be targeting people in connection to you.”

Y/n’s expression didn’t waver, but their hand gripped the edge of the vanity. “If someone’s using my art to hurt people, I want to help stop them.”

Over the next few weeks, Y/n became an unlikely collaborator. Reid found himself spending long hours with them, combing through fan letters, interviews, and obscure references in their lyrics.

Their dynamic was an odd but comfortable rhythm. Y/n’s introspective nature balanced Reid’s analytical mind, and their conversations often veered into personal territory.

One evening, while reviewing letters in a small recording studio, Y/n asked, “Do you ever feel like you don’t belong in the world you’re in?”

Reid looked up, startled by the question. “All the time,” he admitted.

Y/n smiled faintly. “That’s why I write. It’s the only way I know how to connect.”

Reid nodded, understanding more than he expected to. “For me, it’s knowledge. Facts and patterns—they make sense when nothing else does.”

Their eyes met, and for a moment, the case, the unsub, the danger—it all faded away.

The case reached its climax in a derelict diner on the outskirts of St. Louis. The unsub, a disillusioned fan, had recreated a scene from Y/n’s song “Midnight Motel”, complete with neon signs and half-empty coffee cups.

Reid and Morgan cornered the unsub, who ranted about preserving Y/n’s art, his obsession spilling out in fractured sentences.

“Y/n doesn’t want this,” Reid said, his voice steady. “You’re twisting their message.”

As the unsub was subdued, Reid’s thoughts drifted to Y/n. The case was over, but he wasn’t ready to let go of the connection they’d built.

Months later, Reid received an unmarked package. Inside was a vinyl record: Y/n’s latest album, Velvet Minds.

He placed it on his turntable, the familiar hum of the needle filling the room. The first track began, a delicate piano intro leading into Y/n’s unmistakable voice.

“Dedicated to Spencer,” the liner notes read.

As the music played, Reid leaned back, a rare smile tugging at his lips. Somewhere, in the vastness of their respective worlds, he and Y/n had found a melody that was uniquely theirs.

[tokiwarcube]

I have a funny thought ! How would the boys react to their s/o meeting their parents. I feel like this would be hilarious or uncomfortable for the s/o (because they may get to see pictures of the boys when they were babies/kids or some of them talking about weird topics) but downright mortifying for the guys, because they’re parents are embarrassing at times, lol !!

And it’s okay if you don’t do this one, have a nice day or night :) 

I swear, I went into this with silliness and joy in my heart. But alas, not all of our boys had... passable parents. Not angst, but some of our boys are tinged with it.

Nathan Explosion

Maybe if he smashes the photo frames, he can gouge out his eardums so he doesn’t have to listen to this anymore. He regrets ever introducing you to them, and worse, he’s wishing death unto whoever created the fucking camera. How do they have this many photos of him? How do they remember such weird shit about his childhood? How does he not remember that phase, and how did they even get that photo? He hates every moment of this. I mean really, with how quickly Rose pulled out the baby albums, its like she’s been waiting for this moment her entire life. Maybe she has. And he knows his dad has too, with how readily he’s jumping on to add details to every little story. He knows you’re never gonna let him live any of this down.

He would like a copy of him, age 10, punching Donald Duck though. Now that, that was brutal.

Pickles the Drummer

If the stories that Molly remembered weren’t so damn embarrassing, he might feel happy that she remembers so much of his toddling years. But then she’s pulling out her phone to show you the old family photos she “sent to the clouds,” and she’s zooming in on one of his baby photos, and good God, he’s about to walk into the woods and never come back. He hates that stupid polo shirt.

He chooses not to comment on how she doesn’t talk about his teenage years, and he bites his tongue when the garage discussion comes up. Place a hand on his thigh to quell his bouncing leg before he loses it, please.

Skwisgaar Skwigelf

This could go one of two ways — either A.) She sets her sights on you, or B.) She doesn’t. The former is just about the most uncomfortable situation you could possibly be in, and no amount of reminders that you’re dating her son will dissuade her. When Servetta is over, Skwisgaar has learned to just keep his head down, ignore everything, and just practice his scales. But the moment she starts flirting with you? It’s the only time you’ve ever heard him miss a note.

In the latter case though, she does actually try to regale you with stories from Skwisgaar’s childhood… but they’re tinged with a sadness that frankly, I don’t think she entirely grasps. Stories of him holding her hair back in the morning, that time he punched one of her dates, or that time he walked home in the snow because he thought she forgot him at school… not all of the stories are like that, mind you, but they’re interspersed so casually with the normal ones that really, it leaves a rather heavy impression.

Toki Wartooth

He’s catatonic, and for better or for worse, doesn’t recall much of the meeting once they leave. He’s left with very faint memories, ghost-like in nature, of Anja silently encouraging you to go out on the town with her… but it’s all very foggy.

William Murderface

Now surely, murder has to be warranted in this case. How the hell Stella keeps finding him, he’ll never know — what he does know, however, is that he’s about to lose his fucking mind. Rationally, he knows that the stories she’s telling shouldn’t be that embarrassing — he still pisses in the apple bins at the grocery store, who gives a fuck? — but it’s the way she says it that just makes his anger boil and his face flush in embarrassment. You have to be the voice of reason for him, otherwise he might actually kill her this time.

[elizacarlsonwrites]

✨ In the Quiet. The Music Video. 2.11.2024. ✨

[archive-of-music]

Pt start. Partygravesongic! Pt end

PARTYGRAVESONGIC !!

a gender connected to or otherwise related to the song 'party in the graveyard' by ghost town; a 'party in the graveyard' musicagender! ⊹ ⁺

ID: a flag with 6 circles inside of one another, with these colors from the innermost circle to the outermost circle: light green, sky blue, brown, pastel pink, red, army green. in the center of the flag, there is a brown music note icon. ID OVER.

flag / term created + coined by bucky! rq by anon!

READ OUR PINNED POST BEFORE INTERACTING!

[ckret2]

While we're on the topic of Ciphertology, I've really been wondering about Emmaline Butternubbins. How on earth did she figure out exactly what was going on from the get-go? Immediately clocking that Silas was "a human corpse puppeteered by a space triangle" that's "come to build an interdimensional portal" seems a little too suspicious to me.

It makes me wonder if she had a connection with the Anti-Cipher Society, perhaps related to one of their founders? Or maybe she had a close relationship with Bill himself, and figured out he was forming a cult? It would explain how she remained as the only resident of the town that didn't convert to the cult.

Her headstrong attitude and behavior against Bill's agenda reminds me of how Modoc and Ford went against Bill (throwing this out there that maybe she was one of his "favorite humans" that turned against him.)

These are just theories of course, and I'd love to know what you think!

She's portrayed as a grumpy old cat lady, "spoilsport," "unmarried town nag," who passes out homemade chick tracts.

And granted, the townspeople seem pretty dumb and are under the influence of a cult with mind-altering practices—but no one seems surprised to hear her claim that a space triangle is possessing a corpse and they must slay him by the sword.

My guess is that she's just like this. Every detail we have about her suggests that she falls into a pretty common character trope: a religiously conservative crotchety busybody who sees the devil in any new social/religious movements.

She might have wildly speculated based on insufficient evidence and accidentally been right. Or, she might have actually confirmed the truth, but said things like this so often that the town thought she was crying wolf again. Given that TBOB indicates the Gravity Falls universe is full of historical beliefs and superstitions about Bill—the "bastard triangle" of England, country singers who release albums warning people away from Bill—"this man's controlled by a triangle" might be as common an accusation as "this man's possessed by the devil" or "this man was abducted by aliens"—something common enough in pop culture that you'd go "only someone who KNOWS THE TRUTH would guess this!"

A priest during the height of the Satanic Panic who accuses local businesses of being a front for a child-sacrificing Satanic cult is a paranoid bigot—but every once in a while a serial killer does decide hailing Satan would add a certain je ne sais quoi to his murders. Sometimes the priest might accidentally be right.

Either that, or the writer of the chapter is an unreliable narrator, and Emmaline is the town Dib. (idk what another comparison would be if you haven't watched Invader Zim lmao.) somebody who lives in a town where weird-ass stuff regularly happens, always recognizes what's going on because it's always blatantly obvious, but everybody else in town is an oblivious idiot who goes "there goes crazy old Emmaline again, imagining up ghosts and werewolves and space triangles like usual!" Since we don't see any of her life outside of her involvement against Ciphertology, we don't have a way to know if that's the case.

This is the same universe where Stan writes a doctor's note from Dr. Medicine in front of the cops and immediately hands it to them and they buy it. You can't overestimate the stupidity of Gravity Falls background characters.

so, tl;dr: I don't think she had any special knowledge. I think either she was paranoid enough to overreact to minor clues and accidentally hit on the truth, or else Bill was being really really obvious and everyone else was too stupid to pick up on it. Possibly a mix of both.

[ohdorothea]

This tournament is being run by and for queer fans, homophobes will be blocked on sight <3 More info here!

Lyrics for the songs under the cut!

The Archer lyrics

Combat

I'm ready for combat

I say I don't want that

But what if I do?

'Cause cruelty

Wins in the movies

I've got a hundred thrown-out speeches

I almost said to you

Easy they come

Easy they go

I jump from the train

I ride off alone

I never grew up

It's getting so old

Help me hold on to you

I've been the archer

I've been the prey

Who could ever leave me darling...

But who could stay?

Dark side

I search for your dark side

But what if I'm alright

Right, right, right here?

And I cut off

My nose just to spite my face

Then I hate my reflection

For years and years

I wake in the night

I pace like a ghost

The room is on fire

Invisible smoke

And all of my heroes

Die all alone

Help me hold on to you

I've been the archer

I've been the prey

Screaming, "Who could ever leave me darling...

But who could stay?"

(I see right through me, I see right through me)

'Cause they see right through me

They see right through me

They see right through

Can you see right through me?

They see right through

They see right through me

I see right through me

I see right through me

All the king's horses

All the king's men

Couldn't put me together again

'Cause all of my enemies

Started out friends

Help me hold on to you

I've been the archer

I've been the prey

Who could ever leave me darling...

But who could stay?

(I see right through me, I see right through me)

Who could stay?

Who could stay?

Who could stay?

You could stay

You could stay

Combat

I'm ready for combat

Daylight lyrics

My love was as cruel as the cities I lived in

Everyone looked worse in the light

There are so many lines that I've crossed unforgiven

I'll tell you the truth, but never goodbye

I don't wanna look at anything else now that I saw you

I don't wanna think of anything else now that I thought of you

I've been sleeping so long in a twenty-year dark night

And now I see daylight, I only see daylight

Luck of the draw only draws the unlucky

And so I became the butt of the joke

I wounded the good and I trusted the wicked

Clearing the air, I breathed in the smoke

Maybe you ran with the wolves and refused to settle down

Maybe I've stormed out of every single room in this town

Threw out our cloaks and our daggers because it's morning now

It's brighter now, now

I don't wanna look at anything else now that I saw you

(I can never look away)

I don't wanna think of anything else now that I thought of you

(Things will never be the same)

I've been sleeping so long in a twenty-year dark night

(Now I'm wide awake)

And now I see daylight (daylight), I only see daylight (daylight)

I only see daylight, daylight, daylight, daylight

I only see daylight, daylight, daylight, daylight

And I can still see it all (In my mind)

All of you, all of me (Intertwined)

I once believed love would be (Black and white)

But it's golden (Golden)

And I can still see it all (In my head)

Back and forth from New York (Sneaking in your bed)

I once believed love would be (Burning red)

But it's golden

Like daylight, like daylight

Like daylight, daylight

I don't wanna look at anything else now that I saw you

(I can never look away)

I don't wanna think of anything else now that I thought of you

(Things will never be the same)

I've been sleeping so long in a twenty-year dark night

(Now I'm wide awake)

And now I see daylight (I see daylight), I only see daylight (Ah)

I only see daylight, daylight, daylight, daylight

I only see daylight, daylight, daylight, daylight (Ah)

(And I can still see it all)

I only see daylight, daylight, daylight, daylight

(And I can still see it all, back and forth from New York)

I only see daylight, daylight, daylight, daylight

(I once believed love would be burning red)

Like daylight

It's golden like daylight

You gotta step into the daylight and let it go

Just let it go, let it go

I wanna be defined by the things that I love

Not the things I hate

Not the things that I'm afraid of, I'm afraid of

Not the things that haunt me in the middle of the night

I, I just think that

You are what you love

[mdemorita]

new pics❕

Tobias in the Rise Above Records store in London

📸 - Jeremy Miller. 21st March 2011 at St Bartholomew the Great, West Smithfield

📸 - Lee Dorrian. 21st March 2011 at St Bartholomew the Great, West Smithfield

📸 - Lee Dorrian. 21st March 2011 at Abney Park Cemetery, Stoke Newington

“When we first signed Ghost to Rise Above Records, after hearing their amazing demo tape, we knew that the band were something special. That demo version of Ritual must have been played by me at least 10 times a day for weeks on end, until the album was finally delivered. To see where the band have elevated to since then is nothing short of mind-blowing! When you consider that their debut London show in 2010 was at The Camden Underworld, then fast forward to their most recent London show, which was headlining the 02 Arena in 2022, it shows you exactly how far they've come in those 14 years. All power to them.

Tobias was in town this week for the premiere of the Ghost Movie: Rite Here, Rite Now, which goes on general worldwide release today. It was, as always, nice to be invited and the movie itself is phenomenal, though everyone in attendance was sworn to secrecy regarding the leaking of spoilers.”

[📸 - @/rise_above_records_and_relics on instagram]

[whocaresstillthelouvre]

Down Bad - A Joel Miller Drabble

Rating: Explicit. 18+ (Minors DNI) Pairing: Pre Outbreak Joel Miller x Female Reader Word Count: 800 Summary: You get ghosted after a one night stand with your handsome neighbor. Warnings: Drinking, smut remembrance, angst. A/N: Happy Tortured Poets Department release day! Thank you to @beskarandblasters for the amazing Taylor Swift Drabble Challenge AGAIN. I previously wrote Paper Rings for it. TBH, I stayed up until 3:30 AM listening to TTPD last night with @ohheypedrito and your girl is STRUGGLING TODAY, but well worth it. What an album.

Masterlist

One night out with your friends, one shared glance, one half smile, one opportunity, one drink bought, one phone number drunkenly tapped into his phone. 

One date, one heated make out session in his truck, one moment of being heaven struck, one naked body left alone in your bed as he quietly leaves without a word. 

One text telling him you had a good time, one week since you’ve heard from him, countless hours of yearning for your neighbor. 

Across the street and two houses to the left, Joel Miller lives. Well manicured lawn, cute daughter who goes door to door selling Girl Scout cookies, large truck parked out the front dinged and well used. 

You’ve been down bad for him since you first moved in, a quick introductory hello and wave one early morning as you took your dog for a walk, how could you be so attracted to a total stranger?

That stranger ignoring you from that moment on, leaving you feeling nuts. Sometimes you’d take your dog for a walk when you’d notice him mowing the lawn, sneaking a glance under your sunglasses, watching the sweat make his skin glisten. Teenage crush vibes, teenage petulance coming out because you can’t have him or his attention. 

You never see him with another woman there, only his loud, precocious brother Tommy who stops to talk with you whenever you’re outside. You know he likes you, but you’re too drawn to his older brother’s beam to even want to lead him on. 

That night shared between the two of you, it almost feels like an evil experiment. He fucked you, fucked you hard, stared into your eyes as he came all over you, devoured your cunt as if he was starving, made you cum so hard it felt like you were floating in a cosmic cloud of sparks, then he left you naked and alone. He owned your body, like it was some sort of hostile takeover. 

You’re barely even sure it happened, like if you speak about the existence of that night, everybody will tell you it never happened, that you’re nuts.

Why did he leave you like that? Why did he strand you the way he did? Why can’t you have him? Why cant you have an us? 

Doesn’t he know what you would do for his attention? How you feel like you could just die when you think back to that night? You’re pathetic for him, isn’t it romantic?

You replay the words he uttered against your skin as he fucked you. “You feel so fucking good, like you were made for me.” 

The taste of your sweat against your lips makes you almost want to cry as you try to run the thoughts of him away on the treadmill at the gym. The last time you sweat like this his cock was stretching you, his hand holding your cheek, his tongue languidly licking into your mouth. 

——

After a night of staring at the ceiling, sleep not visiting you, tossing and turning not being able to get the thought of the weight of his body against yours, you decide to sit out on your porch with coffee in hand, staring at the sky as dawn approaches. A door slamming across the street startles you. He’s outside. This is it, you live in the same old familiar town, he can’t escape you, you can’t escape him. You trudge across the street, only clad in your shorts and your old Rangers shirt. You wave at him to get his attention as he finishes lifting his tool box onto his lift gate. 

You see him swallow as you stand at the edge of his driveway. 

“G’morning,” he nods. “Quite early.”

“It is. Could’t sleep.” 

“Happens to me too.”

“Mm,” you tap your foot, arms folded across your chest. “Did I do something wrong?”

“No, not at all.”

“Then why are you ignoring me?”

“S’complicated.”

“Try me, it’d make no difference.”

“Alright,” he runs a hand through his hair, “you’re too good. I don’t think it’s smart… for me to be with someone right now. Too much going on, ’n it’s safer if we just leave it at that. It’s better for you.”

“So, you fuck me, whisper all those sweet things in my ear, make me feel like I’m the chosen one, then just leave? How romantic Joel.”

“Never said I was the romantic type.”

“No, you’re just the fuck ‘em and strand ‘em. I guess.”

“Listen,” he looks down at his watch, “I gotta get goin’, got an important job to start. I really would like to talk more, I respect you too much ’n I really like you, I just think it’s better if you find someone else.”

“Right, well, see you around neighbor,” you bite.

Fuck it, you can’t have him. 

[evermoredeluxe]

a really interesting theme i find in taylor’s work is that of being a fool or fooling someone else. love is looked at from this lens of a thing that you have to tricked into. which is really juxtaposed by her belief of “it is fate.” i think it somewhat comes from how openly and hugely she loves vs her view of herself as something that brings disaster. and also some pretty formative experiences when she was a young girl going into adulthood and how she felt used and unworthy and small. hence, all the trickery to make someone love her and trying to be in control, whether she’s the one starting it or ending it.

in cowboy like me, she talks about how she’s conned all these men, and they’ve all fallen for her. she takes what she wants from then and then she bolts. then in hits different, she sings “i use to switch out these kens, i’d just ghost // rip the bandaid off and skip town like an asshole outlaw” she meets a boy, falls in love, and when they break up, she moves on quickly and goes to another one to not feel distraught, and when this new boy makes her fake promises, she does the same thing to him and moves on with someone else. she’s in control.

and then “i think there’s been a glitch,” and with joe, she thought it was gonna be something casual and they tried that but it turned out to be one of those things that supposed to last. her con finally works. after all these tries, she’s finally masterminded her forever, and she doesn’t even feel bad because he knew. but then, she realizes that she failed yet again, it didn’t work. she didn’t con her way into a sweet forever, but rather forever conned her. fate gave her something, she tried to control it, but she failed.

she tries again. she’s been talking with this boy from her past again, and she thinks that this time, bolting will work and she will find her happy ending. what she though was fate, meant to be, all the pain of her long term relationship and her leaving was supposed to meant something, but turns out that this time the script flips, and he was the conman and he was selling her a get-love-quick scheme (loml). and she doesn’t even get to bolt! he’s the one who leaves her behind (“i’ll never leave, never mind” - loml), and she can’t even complain.

all’s not well because it doesn’t end well because she didn’t end up with anybody. instead of trying herself again, she’s just begging someone to change the prophecy. and the alchemy still implies something not in her hands being a huge factor, and who are they to fight it? they have to abide by it. and ofc she equates love to religion and sees fate as a belief system. she wants it to work out, and it hits her hard whenever it doesn’t. i’ve been thinking about this since the album release and seeing some other posts, and my unpopular opinion is that i think it’s still something she believes in despite *gestures broadly* but after last year, she doesn’t wanna control it anymore. no fooling, she doesn’t wanna mastermind and do all the work, she just want it to be easy and she wants it to be simply good to her.