#he told me he recommended hozier to someone the other day though

[bookwormonastring]

played my dad some songs from wasteland, baby! and he decided he needs to get that album but not the first one… wait til i play him angel of small death and the codeine scene, or to be alone, or it will come back

[shinysobi]

i came in from the outside, burnt out from the joyride

this was born out of a conversation with @akinosakiya, so all credits go to her >.<

chapter i | chapter 2 (coming soon)

Han Joon Hwi and Kang Sol, years after graduation. post-canon fix it, idiots to lovers.

ao3

a/n : i got this idea as i feverishly dm'd my friend about a solhwi prompt,,, i took it too far i think >.<

please tell me if you like it!!

a/n: title taken from Hozier's Almost (sweet music) which i recommend while reading this.

chapter 1: you and i are lovers in the dark

There has got to be another way of doing this. I can’t be doing this all my life.

“You know,” the words from Yeseul makes her look up, “you didn’t have to do this to yourself. You could have not taken the case, eonni. I told you not to take the case.”

Sol doesn’t say anything, just hangs her head in shame. The soju burns as she tips her head back, draining the last dregs of it, “I knew I shouldn’t have asked you for help. You’re being insufferable now that you’re dating Bok-gi.”

Yeseul laughs, reaching for the soda can, “eonni, I think you’re thinking about it too much.”

“I am, aren’t I?” she looks at the other girl, clearly panicked, “does it show? Oh, it shows, doesn’t it? Oh, what am I going to do—”

“Ah, noona, you shouldn’t have taken this case on, then,” Bok-gi says as he enters the room and take in the sight of a dishevelled Sol and a grinning Yeseul, “oh, Yeseul noona, I was looking all over for you!”

Sol scowls, “haven’t the two of you been dating forever? Why do you still have the honorific? And for your information, I took the case before I knew it was going to be him that I would have to go up against.”

Bok-gi looks affronted, and Yeseul comes to her boyfriend’s rescue, “ah, I like it, eonni.”

“Of course, you like it, you’re just as gone for him as he is,” she grumbles, “so, Bok-gi, Yeseul’s been telling you everything now, has she?”

“Ah, eonni, leave him out of it,” Yeseul soothes her, rubbing circles into her back, “do you want me to take the case? Instead of you—”

“The client won’t agree on it,” Sol whines, “and just when I thought I had got rid of him.”

“Rid of who?” so Bok-gi doesn’t know, Sol notes with some amount of pleasure, good. At least Yeseul didn’t tell him about the fact that—

“Oh, eonni might have to work with Joon-hwi oppa,” Yeseul chirps, looking entirely too pleased for Sol’s liking, “she’s the public defender for Joon-hwi oppa’s case.”

“The attempted murder one?” Bok-gi sounds as perplexed as Sol is, “but I thought hyung only dealt with financial cases, what happened? Didn’t you say you had some other prosecutor to deal with, noona?”

Sol groans, “apparently he’s taking criminal cases too, and the first one he chose to take was mine,” she stands up, “can’t I ever get rid of him?”

Yeseul blinks, “why did you have to get rid of him in the first place?”

Sol groans, sitting down on the chair with a thump. This was becoming a frighteningly regular occurrence, groaning at the mere mention of his name, “I told you, you wouldn’t understand.”

“You sound like a sixteen-year-old right now, noona,” Bok-gi giggles, and she scowls at him. How dare they find happiness in my misery. Just because she loved them didn’t mean she would put up with everything that they did.

Liar. You’ll always put up with whatever they do.

Wait, why did that sound like him? Did he finally manage to get inside her head?

No. no, calm down, Kang Sol. Joon-Hwi is not inside your brain. Your brain is filled with statutes of law, precedents, your grocery list, the things you need to buy Byeol for her birthday—

You have too many things on your mind.

Ah, fuck.

She stands up again, taking a look at Bok-gi and Yeseul’s surprised faces, and sits back down, “never mind. It’s just him. how bad could it be? We just lost touch over the years, and I specifically made sure to not keep in touch with him after we graduated—I’m going to die, Yeseul-ah.”

“No, eonni, you won’t,” Yeseul props her up gently, pushing the bowl of bibimbap towards her, “at least eat something before you cry.”

“No, you’re right,” Bok-gi agrees, although Sol knows he’s laughing at her internally, the little shit, “it’s wrong to cry and not eat. I’ll be dehydrated.”

The food tastes bland in her mouth, although she knows she’s made it spicy, but Sol works her way through it with tears in her eyes (she passes it off as due to the spice) and promptly starts sobbing again, lamenting her crappy life.

“Eonni, the trial isn’t until next month, you have enough time to prepare,” Yeseul tries to placate her, but it only increases the volume of her groans.  A whole month spent dreading the presence of Han Joon-Hwi as she prepared for the trial. “You’ll win it, right?”

There. That was what had been bugging her. The fact that he hadn’t lost a single case since he’d become prosecutor. It isn’t like she hadn’t expected this from him, coming first in her class, but—

“Is this even fair?” she wails, “the attempted murder case doesn’t even have to have him as the prosecutor, it is going to be easy for me to win, the client was framed, and there is no evidence—”

“Noona,” Bok-gi peers at her, his eyes going wide, “you’re scared, aren’t you?”

“Ah, it isn’t like that!” she tries to defend herself. But Yeseul just stares, “fine. You caught me. I’m scared of losing to him, he hasn’t even lost a single case since he made prosecutor, he’s on his way to becoming head prosecutor in less than a decade, and I’m—I’m barely surviving as it is, so why did Attorney Geun-Tae give this case to me?”

Both Bok-gi and Yeseul look shocked, and Sol isn’t surprised. They should be. She was the one who cut off contact with Joon-Hwi after graduation, claiming he didn’t need her to weigh him down, and she was the person who did everything without a single glance backwards, so why was she being so defensive? “It’s not like I don’t want to whine all the fucking time, it’s just that—”

“Whoa, noona swears a lot when it comes to Joon-Hwi hyung, who knew.” Bok-gi says, clapping a hand over his mouth, “have you always been this way, or did this just happen after you found out that you were going up against him?”

Sol scowls, “you’ve been trying to act cute, don’t try that with me, Min Bok-gi.”

Yeseul nods at Bok-gi. Sol scowls again. Traitor.

--

The truth is, she should have known this was coming. Their field doesn’t leave much for anonymity, and even if it did, why did she think it would be so easy to avoid Joon-Hwi? The boy—sorry, man, she supposes she should give him at least that much, they were both in their thirties now—the man was everywhere, the newest rising star in the prosecution. Even her boss, the clueless Park Geun-Tae knew about it, and had requested her to work in a case against him. her, the person who barely passed her law school course at Hankuk. Who has a sister far smarter than her, better than her at all aspects, who really isn’t cut out to be in this profession, something which she’s heard all too often from everyone, and all she wants to do is yell I know, I know, she knows it all.

Which is why, when Han Joon-Hwi approached her after the graduation ceremony, a determined look on his face, she dreaded the words that would come out of his mouth, and instead chose to flee. In retrospect, it wasn’t the best decision, but Kang Sol A isn’t known for making the best decisions.

She still lives with her mother and Byeol in that same house, where Joon had once installed a CCTV camera, which Lee Man-Ho had broken with a well-aimed rock, but the camera is still there, and while Byeol is in middle school now, a big girl, who doesn’t like Sol picking her up from school every day and who is already getting into trouble with that big mouth of hers, and certainly doesn’t need protecting, the camera is still there, and every once in a while, she likes to take a look at it, sipping beer after a long day at work. It’s obviously dysfunctional, but she likes to imagine that Joon-Hwi still takes a look at the camera feed, doing whatever “top secret” things he did.

She sighs, opening the door to their home. I have work to do if I need to beat Joon-Hwi.

--

“Why was I assigned to this case?” Joon-Hwi asks, surprise evident on his face, “I usually take financial dispute cases, this is an attempted murder, and the evidence doesn’t even look solid. Why am I being given this?”

He’s speaking to the wall in his office, and his paralegals are out on break, but he feels as though he should at least vent about this to something, if not someone. He’s supposed to be a star prosecutor, someone who hasn’t lost a single case since they stepped foot into the District Prosecutor’s office. And it’s true, he hasn’t lost a single case since he began working here, spurred on by a desire to both step out from under his uncle’s shadow and to prove himself.

The cases he has handled until now, have all been financial, catching the people who use money to get their way in the world, much like Ko Hyeong-Su, people so entitled to the world that they didn’t consider the rest of them as human beings. He liked bring them down to their level. Hell, he loved it.

But his specialty is not criminal law, and that too, a case that would be difficult for him to win, given that there was very little evidence and whatever he had, would never fly in a court of law. He’s kind of pissed at Prosecutor Lee for giving him the case. No, scratch that, he is pissed at Lee for giving him the case.

Defending lawyer—

Defending lawyer, Kang Sol.

Could it be?

He turns to his computer, and contemplates for a second if he should ask the police officer about the defending counsel, but decides against it. I don’t want to seem like a fool. Which—is correct. He is a fool.

So, he calls up the person who had the case before him, Prosecutor Shin, and tries not to hide the excitement in his words when he asks, “did you meet the defence counsel when you arrested the defendant, Prosecutor?”

“She didn’t have one,” the prosecutor replies, voice scratchy, and he wonders of he did the right thing by disturbing someone who was in the hospital, “we’ve indicted her, but the defence counsel was changed at the last moment, something about the public defender dropping the case. Her new counsel is some young lawyer, although she has a lot of experience.”

A lot of experience. “A lot of experience?”

“Yes,” the voice on the other side cracks, and there’s some commotion in the background, “I remember meeting her in the courthouse once. People call her crazy, the lengths she goes to defend her clients are insane. She’s a good egg though, doesn’t take on cases that she doesn’t like.”

“Hmm, thank you, Prosecutor,” he mumbles, hanging up the phone. So that’s what you’ve been doing all this time, Kang Sol. how long has it been, four-five years? And we’ve never met once, impressive.

He’s suddenly very excited for the initial hearing, even if he knows its going to be nearly impossible to win. But at least he can see her for the first time in years, even if its on the opposite side in a court of law. At least he has that.

—

“You’re being stupid,” Jiho says without much in the way of context, but Joon knows what he’s talking about, “you had to take a case just to meet her? A case you are most likely going to lose? What kind of person does that?”

Joon-Hwi rolls his eyes. Jiho was a good man, but sometimes, he really didn’t know the reason behind things. Or to be more specific, why Joon-Hwi did some things. Still, it was understandable as to why he would behave like this. Neither of them has had any connections with each other over the past five years, missing each other by mere moments at times, and yet, he’s still enamoured by her memory, of the way she used to look at her law books and the way she used to stick her highlighters in her hair, her triumphant smile after she answered something correctly; he remembers everything, and he gets nostalgic sometimes, but such is human nature, one supposes.

“It’s been five years, hyung,” Jiho mutters, pushing the bowl of soup towards him, “isn’t it time you gave up on Sol noona?”

He raises an eyebrow, “I didn’t think you addressed anyone as noona.”

Jiho shrugs, “she’s older than me, so it’s only right. And I did work with her on a case about three—two years ago, and she’s really become good. Or is it all the experience that she has had now, working as a partner at Attorney Park Geun-Tae’s firm, which is unheard of, at her age, but she’s far more competent than him—”

He’s talking, but Joon-Hwi doesn’t register anything anymore, “you’ve worked with her? Together?”

“Hmm?” Jiho mumbles, thrown off his track, “yes, I literally just said that I did, what are you thinking about?”

“No. no, back up a little,” he insists, and Jiho’s confused expression clears when he realises what exactly is Joon-Hwi implying.

“Really? You’re jealous over the fact that I worked with Sol noona? That’s how petty you’ve become now, hyung?” Jiho rolls his eyes, and Joon has the incessant need to just—bury his face in his hands, “you could just give her a call, you know.”

He glares. Jiho nods, “guess not,” and resumes eating. He takes another look at the case file, and sets it down, proceeding to shove food into his mouth. The Japanese restaurant has good food, he does agree, but nothing beats eating too-hot ramyeon at three in the morning with your best friend after you’ve finished reviewing three lectures’ worth of notes together. Crap. He still remembers her as his best friend, even though they haven't had any contact over the past years now. Pathetic.

But self-deprecation isn’t his forte, and he shakes his head at Jiho, who’s determinedly eating, “how’s Sol B doing? Isn’t she going to be a judge?”

“She’s still practicing,” Jiho replies, “her mother wants her to be a judge, although I don’t think Sol wants to do it. She’s happy being a legal scholar. Wants to become a professor at Hankuk later on, if the constitutional law position opens up.” His face has a curiously fond look when he’s talking about her, Joon notices, or perhaps it’s a trick of the light, because Jiho straightens up, “who gave you the case, though?”

“My superior sent it to me because the prosecutor in charge had fallen ill, and had to be taken to the hospital,” Joon-Hwi replies, “it isn’t east for me to win this one, even though—”

“Even though you’ve never lost a single case?” Bok-Gi’s voice almost makes the two of them jump, and Jiho sends a well-aimed smack his way, “so you’re taking noona’s case, are you, hyung?”

Jiho snorts, “he’s losing sleep here.”

“When did I say I was losing sleep?” Joon-Hwi begins to say indignantly, but Bok-gi is still grinning as he slides in beside Jiho, “who told you that, Seo Jiho?”

Jiho doesn’t say anything, so Bok-Gi fills in for him, “hyung, you look terrible. Haven’t you been eating properly?”

Joon-Hwi squints at the other boy, how did he know I haven’t been sleeping well? Does it show on my face? Is it that bad?

“It is that bad, hyung,” Jiho pipes up, “you look like death warmed over.”

“It isn’t that bad, honestly,” Bok-gi says, and promptly shuts up under Jiho’s glare, “jeez, all right, all right, he looks bad. Very bad. Bad with a capital B.”

Joon-Hwi groans. He was supposed to have been handling another financial scam by this time, but he’s now talking to two of his classmates, preparing for a case that he was sure of losing, just to see the girl of his dreams.

Pathetic.

--

It had been two weeks since she had found out that Han Joon-Hwi was going to be the prosecutor for her newly-assigned case, and Sol already felt like she was going to drown amidst a sea of precedents, case studies, and more cases that she needed to read just once, in order to keep her client from getting a guilty verdict. She would have to work harder if she needed to beat him, and had even contemplated asking Professor Yang for help, not that the man would do anything to make her life any easier.

Instead, she settles for the next best thing, calls over Sol B and Yeseul for help, and while Sol B grumbles, Yeseul agrees enthusiastically, even offering to bring over Bok-gi for an extra pair of eyes. Not one to be outdone in anything, Sol B offered to bring over Jiho, who grumbled more than Sol B (if that was possible), but agreed to come along nevertheless, and they all sat in her tiny living room, looking as though they had lived there all their lives, and had helped her with the case, although the boys were more interested in devising ways to make Joon-Hwi lose, as Jiho put it, “noona is our best bet, and he owes me food if he loses.” No one could argue with that, honestly.

Except she feels like drowning, and the trial was only two weeks away.

Stupid Joon-Hwi. Why did he have to take my case? Why couldn’t he just remain in civil law? Why did he have to do this? Why, why, why?

She knew that she was being irrational. He didn’t have much control over the cases he was assigned to, and given the fact that the prosecutor in charge had been admitted to the hospital, she doesn’t think he had any sort of control over what cases he would be assigned to. Still.

You’re being irrational now, a voice that sounds surprisingly like Professor Yang’s pipes up in her mind, you’re being distracted right now, Kang Sol. You won’t win if you’re distracted.

Right. She turns back to her papers, trying her best to push the thoughts out of her mind.

I can’t be distracted.

—

He was distracted.

It wasn’t his fault, perhaps, but Joon-Hwi feels guilty nevertheless, especially as he stares at his two paralegals who are stuck alongside him, working into the night.

He’s been staring at the same picture for the past thirty minutes. In his mind, it qualifies as work, but what sort, he isn’t sure. It’s a picture from their graduation day, the seven of them (Seung-Jae hyung was behind the camera) and Professors Kim and Yang, Yangcrates even had a rare smile, something which he hadn’t ever imagined witnessing, at least not sober. Him with his arm around Jiho, who clearly didn’t want to be dragged into a conversation then, his attention focused on someone else. Sol B, staring straight into the camera, grinning ear to ear. Bok-gi and Ye-beom, the latter gesticulating wildly and Bok-gi just laughing at him, Yeseul with her head thrown back in laughter, and Sol—Sol was radiant, (he laughs at that, radiant, the Greek meaning fitting her like a glove, Sol, the Sun) the way she smiled at the camera, her hand held up in a peace sign. It was an imperfect picture, and he has the final, proper version hung on his living room wall, but it’s the warmest picture he has ever been in.

The trial is the next day, and he should be getting some sleep, but he finds himself staying awake even after his two paralegals have gone home, apologising profusely for leaving him alone, and then he takes out his phone, which has been blowing up with messages from Bok-gi and Jiho, asking to come out with them for dinner. He knows it’s a bad idea, that they would try and get him drunk, or worse, that he would voluntarily get drunk, and showing up hungover at the courthouse isn’t a great idea.

Except… he really wants to do so. It’s like he’s back in university again, trying to find ways to rile Kang Sol up, teasing her, to revel in the way she would get angry with him for cutting short her study times, even though she should have been in bed three hours prior. She would always look at him with that strange sort of expression in her eyes, Joon-Hwi remembers, as if she couldn’t decide whether to hit him or to just kiss him and shut him up.

His phone pings, and it’s a text from Jiho, telling him that hyung, do you want to come out for dinner? Sol’s buying.

He really shouldn’t. even if it had taken him a moment to know which Kang Sol Jiho had been talking about and even then, he couldn’t stop his heart from skipping a beat at the mention of her name, he shouldn’t.

Oi, Han Joon-Hwi, aren’t you a little too old and a little too responsible to be drinking before the day of an important trial?

The voice in his head sounds suspiciously like Sol, not Sol B—Sol A, although he doesn’t know how anyone could confuse themselves between the two—they were as different as light and day, and the one on his mind was not the one who was offering to buy him drinks and dinner. He sighs, texting Jiho a quick apology before he heads out of the office. He needs to be alone tonight, trying to get his thoughts in order before he faced Kang Sol in the courthouse the next day.

Even though he’s sure to lose, he just might win.

--

[colour-outside-the-liness]

Hey, I'm doing good too. Just normal amounts of stressful stuff right now. Just moved to a country I've never been to before but can't complain, things are not as hard as the last time I did this so. Thanks for asking! Yeah, I saw you posting about some pretty scary health issues before, I'm glad you came out of that alive and hope you're healthier now!

The nerve some people have! Haha I know I would be pissed if people were questioning my intelligence like that especially after a couple of drinks in haha. Though I do like taunting people when I play group games, I'll be like "don't need to try that hard guys, you're gonna lose anyway" just to mess with them or just call people sore losers if they accuse me of cheating haha (they're probably right on the accusations tho). People get real mad sometimes it's kinda funny. 😂

Omg literally laughed out loud reading this! Hahaha, how did you manage to fall over a road sign then end up in a ditch? lol omg hope you didn't get hurt too bad 😂 I was trying to downplay my drunken escapades but since you shared yours I should tell you my worst one:

I was at this summer street party at night and got drunk on something made out of tropical herbs and cachaça (which is about 48% alcohol), drank 3 and a half bottles of that like it was apple juice, made friends with a bunch of strangers in a bathroom queue (who tried to talk to me weeks later but I had no idea who they were), had to be held by my best friend while I peed (mostly missing the toilet), fell in the middle of the street and scraped my knee, threatened this boy who was helping me walk and told him not to try anything funny or I would beat him up, then dragged my friends to the beach and left them shortly after to go make out with my ex, came back with lipstick all over my mouth and chin and when my friends asked what I was doing I said I was just talking to my ex and they were like NO YOU WERE NOT, hahaha then I kissed all my girl friends on a dare and we danced under the full moon, then I told my best friend I had to puke so she took me to the ocean but I changed my mind and happened to step on a dead turtle on the way back and started crying bc of it, but last month my best friend told me it was a rock I had stepped on (I believed it was a dead turtle for 7 years!). Had the worst hangover of my life the next day. ✌️✨

Ah I'm happy you liked it! I've never listened to Six musical before but it sounds fun! I can see why you like it haha made me want to dance around my apartment 💃. And hey if liking musicals is your thing then it's great, I'm sure Hozier will understand if he's not your top artist of the year. 😋 Here's my "damie" Pinterest board if you or anyone else wants to check it out, totally recommend making one if you're a visual person like me!

https://pin.it/UcHVlkq

Oh I could talk about Dani and Jamie forever I think. I love the beast in the jungle speech too and it's so painful to watch, VP delivered that beautifully, but I have to admit I'm always a crying mess from episode 1 when older Jamie starts reciting that song about being sad while waiting for her lover to return, this show is fucking cruel I hate it and love it at the same time hahaha. Omg your mom 😂 but I mean it's truly an honor to be compared to someone like Dani, no? She's really great even if she needs a little help haha (don't we all).

Aaah you're amazing! Thank you so much, I'll read this pirate AU soon!

I used to draw a lot, really loved doing it when I was a kid as I said before, and all throughout adulthood too but I haven't done that in almost a year now bc I've got a bit of a case of burnout I guess, it just takes a lot of effort to do it when it shouldn't be like that at all. I used to do fanart too, for other fandoms. Even made one for Dani x Jamie but ended up not liking how it turned out haha. I've got a lot of respect for writers and fanfic writers also! Yall can make words make sense in really interesting and beautiful ways, build worlds so enthralling I can see them vividly in my head. Writing is such an incredibly fascinating skill to have! And I guess the most important thing is that we enjoy doing these things right? Even if we think we're not particularly good at it.

Anyway, have a lovely weekend! 👋✨

Good I'm glad you're doing great but sorry you're dealing with stressful stuff!! Hope living in a new country goes well for you I'm so jealous that you've lived in different countries I'd love to live somewhere else even if just for s few years!! Awwh thank you so much I definitely came out of it alive and am feeling so much better now thank you I mean I do some pretty ditzy things so when people say it to me it's pretty deserved sometimes, I'm secretly smart and people just don't expect it so I never mind too much haha I might have to start saying the things that you do and just taunting them over it I mean, I usually do win even when they make me answer different questions so I will definitely have to start saying things like that to them Haha I love that you're just like "yeah they're probably right in their accusations" I agree seeing how mad some people get over games and stuff is funny (it's me I'm people I hate loosing games depending on what it is and I am very competitive) So it was very dark and all we had for light was my roommates flashlight on her phone but while we were walking home a friend of ours that lived else where kept texting her to make sure we were still safe (my phone as dead at this point) so while she was texting him her flashlight was facing down and someone had moved this road sign to the footpath and it was on that sits on the floor so while I couldn't see it I walked into it and fell over it but while I feel I grabbed hold of it and flipped with it and fell in a ditch with it on top of me... I was fine and was just laid laughing while my friend looked down at me and in the most northern accent ever just said "get up you dickhead." and helped me off of the floor and then asked if I was okay... and I was so it was all good!! Haha 😂 I love this drunken story that sounds like one hell of a night and is a roller coaster from start to finish!! I'm sorry you thought you had stood on a dead turtle for 7 years though, someone really should've told you that it was just a rock!! But that sounds like my kind of night!! I love nights like that... stories that will last a life time... the only down side is the hangover... luckily I have only ever had one hang over in my life and it wasn't the morning after the road sign fiasco... I felt surprisingly good the morning after that haha 😂 It's such a good musical it's about Henry VIII wives and I just love everything to do with his wives and that musical is so much fun and actually gives a little insight to the lives the six Tudor queens had away from Henry and with him because at school we're mainly just taught about him which sucks!! I loved the Hozier song and am definitely gonna have to listen to more of his stuff!! I love musicals so much I mainly listen to musical soundtracks at the minute- usually, Legally Blonde and Six on repeat haha 😂 Ooo thank you I will definitely check out this Pinterest board thanks for sending it to me!! I could talk about them forever too... since watching Bly Manor my niece has been asking me so many questions about it and I am more than happy to talk to her about it haha!! The beast in the jungle speech just breaks my heart every time I relate to it so much and VP just delivers it so beautifully!! Oh yeah now I know at the beginning that it's older Jamie I am just a wreck the whole show is just so beautiful and heart breaking at the same time I LOVE IT!! Even though it makes me sob- I keep putting myself through it!! I mean, yeah I was happy that she said it Dani is great but it was the way she said it... my mum can be something else sometimes... she said she thought Dani was like me the first time she does the accent when she says "I've fallen quite in love with London" because I just randomly do accents a lot too but it was the way she was like "She needs help... but I like her she reminds me of you" I was just like... "Should I go get help?" I still don't know the answer to my question about if I need help or not but I mean I probably do need it You're welcome I really hope you like it!! It's a

great fic I love it!! Yeah I get that if stuff starts taking too much effort and burns you out you're not gonna wanna keep doing it so it's understandable that you stopped!! I think fan art is great and I really would love to be able to do it myself but I just don't have the skill it takes!! Awwh it's a shame you didn't like the Dani x Jamie one you did I would've loved to have seen it!! Honestly there are so many talented writers out there and when I read their fics I am just in awe of the worlds they have built and the stories they have created we are so blessed in this fandom to have so many amazing writers and so many amazing fics out there Oh yeah definitely its important to enjoy what you do!! I know I love writing and love writing fics for Dani and Jamie so I think I'll be doing it for a while even if I'm not great at it haha Awwh thank you very much I hope you have a great weekend too!! ☺️

[secondhand-trash]

The Usual

@shinsoubowl​ Week Day 3 (Prompt: coffee shop)

A/N: I’m so excited for this prompt uwu

Pairing: Shinsou Hitoshi x reader

Description: Shinsou was by no means a coffe drinker. But if it meant that he could see the cute barrista who worked at the coffe shop by the corner, he would gladly pour that disgusting cup of liquid down his throat every day.

(guest starring the pikachu boy uwu)

Word count: 2131

Playlist:

Earth Angel(Will You Be Mine)//The Penguins

Coffee Breath//Sofia Mills

Cherry Wine//Hozier

-

The small bell hanging on the door frame chimed as Shinsou pushed the glass door open, the strong aroma of coffee immediately filled his sense as he walked in.

He first came to this small coffee shop by the corner of the agency he was working at a few months ago when he was asked to get a cup of coffee for his boss on his way to work. It was a cozy shop, the light shining in through the tall windows and plants sitting by every corner. There was only one barista by the counter when he walked in and the barista immediately greeted him with a bright smile as he walked up.

“Good morning! What can I get for you?”

“Er...” Shinsou looked at the message his boss sent him and winced at how specific the order was, “Can I have a tall caramel latte with double shots of espresso, one extra pump of hazelnut syrup, skim milk and a thin layer of foam for takeout please?”

He felt bad for all the extra requirements and was fully expecting the barista to gave him a look but instead of that, they laughed and the sound made his heart skip a beat. “Would you happen to be working in that pro-hero agency down the block?”

He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, “Yeah, I suppose very few customers would give such a long order except from our boss so it must be quite obvious.”

“Oh, trust me, his regular orders are far from being the most complicated ones we’ve gotten.” the barista said with a smile, “Anything for you?”

“Well...”

“We have a new blend of roast that just came in yesterday, would you like to try that?”

Shinsou had no intention to get anything for himself originally but something about that barista’s lovely smile clouded his judgment and before he knew it, he was walking out of the shop with two cups in head. Since that day, he had quickly become a regular at the coffee shop, stopping by each morning before work.

For the record, Shinsou hated the taste of coffee.

Perhaps it was the unhealthy habit of drinking black coffee as an energy drink back when he was studying in UA, but Shinsou could not help but scrunched in disgust at the bitter hue of that dark liquid. He tried adding heaps of sugar and milk to it but it did not make the drink any more appealing to him. How some people genuinely like the taste of it, he could never understand.

But something about that coffee shop made him want to go back day after day and it did not take him long to see just why that was the case.

“Morning!” you perked up from the counter as you caught the vivid shade of purple at the door from the corner of your eye.

Shinsou smiled. You were always so energetic each morning and seeing you made it just a bit easier for him to get through another day of hectic work. “Morning.”

“Should I get you your usual or do you want to try something new?”

“The usual would be fine,” he yawned before continuing, “I would be down if there’s something you recommend though.”

You quirked a brow upwards at the hero’s tired expression, “You look exhausted, even more so than usual. How much sleep did you get last night?”

“None.”

You gasped and sent him an exaggerated glare, he grinned apologetically in response. You picked up on Shinsou’s sleep deprivation very quickly since he started showing up, seeing as how he had drifted off to sleep several times while waiting for his order. “What have I said about-”

“Getting more rest. I know, I know.” he sighed, “I really tried, I swear. But villains don’t wait till you got 8 hours of sleep per day to start crimes.”

“I swear, you’re gonna get a sudden cardiac death one day at this rate.” you rolled your eyes as he laughed.

“Aw, you’re worried about me. That’s cute.”

“Don’t laugh, I’m being serious.” you glared at him before resorting to a soft sigh, “Can I get you a double shot to wake you up?”

Just the faint memory of the bitterness was enough to send him war flashbacks to when he used to stay up all night for catching up to school work after training. In all honesty, he would really much rather stick to the more tolerable taste of latte that he normally get but you were suggesting that to help him, how was he supposed to say no to that concerned look in your eyes?

“Of course.”

Shinsou cursed himself for not having a back bone as he squeezed his eyes tight the moment he tasted the strong coffee on his tongue.

“Are you planning to make a move on that cute guy who looked like he haven’t slept in ten years at all? Because I swear he is only here for you and I can tell that you are always being extra nice to him. It infuriates me that none of you are doing anything about it.”

You looked at your colleague as you tied the knot of the apron on your back. “What? I treat every customer the same!”

She clicked her tongue as she slammed her locker shut, “I don’t hear you gushing about other customers.”

You blushed and tried to brush her off, “I do not gush about him.”

“Oh, so not only were you gushing, you were also doing it without any awareness.”

“Just stop it,” you pretended to fix your hair in front of the mirror instead of looking at your friend as she snickered, “the coffee is not gonna brew itself if we stay here at the back.”

“Keep denying it, it’s not gonna change the truth.” she smirked as she yelled after you escaped to the store front.

You were still thinking about what she said to you when you were setting up the register. Were you being extra nice to Shinsou? Well, he was one of the nicer customers around. Literally every person who worked at the shop had their own favourite customer so it wasn’t that abnormal for you to act just a little bit differently in front of him. Right? Right?

“Daydreaming at work? That’s unlike you.”

You let out a soft yelp as the sudden voice startled you. You looked up with wide eyes as Shinsou stared at you with a crooked grin. He was one of the nicer customers you had here, and it didn’t hurt that he was also one of the more good-looking ones either. You felt warmth spreading from the tip of your ears to your cheeks at the realization that he was standing there while you thought of him. “You’re here earlier than usual.”

Despite not knowing the true cause, he did picked up on the faint blush on your face. Assuming that you were embarrassed from being startled, he couldn’t help but widening his grin at how adorable you looked.

“Got some work I have to finish before the day starts so I need to get back to the agency earlier.” he sighed as he felt the rumbling in his stomach, “I regret skipping breakfast for it though.”

“Oh,” you frowned at his lack of care for his body, “your usual?”

“Yeah, thanks.”

Sitting on a bar stool as he waited for his order, Shinsou was scrolling through his phone when he saw you put a brown paper bag in front of him.

“What is this?” he asked and picked it up. The bag was hot under his touch and he could smell a faint sweetness as he held it.

“A muffin.”

He tilted his head in confusion, “I did not order that?”

“It’s on me,” you smiled as you watched him peeking into the bag curiously, “no way in hell am I going to let you go to work with an empty stomach.”

Part of him wanted to tell you that he could not take it but the way you cared about his well-being filled him with joy and the pastry smelled so good. “You’re a god-sent.” he said as he hummed in content after biting into the warm muffin.

“Anything for my favourite customer.”

He wasn’t sure if the sweetness of the cake could compare to your words, the idea that he was at least somewhat special to you sent his heart pounding furiously in his chest.

You waved at him before he left and watched as Shinsou’s frame disappeared from your sight. You pressed your cold hand to your face and shivered as your heated face came in contact with the icy fingers. Your friend who was talking to you in the back room earlier leaned against the counter, “You looked flushed, what happened?”

“That man had no business looking that good in the early morning-” you paused as you realized what you just said and your friend gave you a cheeky grin, “oh my god, I do gush about him.”

She snorted as your eyes widened, “I told you so.”

“Let me repeat myself,” Shinsou stared at the blonde who was having the widest grin on his face, “why are you here?”

“Since our agencies are working on the same case together, I think it’d be nice if we catch up!” Kaminari said through his toothy smile. Shinsou was aware that he would be working with his UA school mate for the coming days since he got a heads up from his boss but he was not expecting to find Chargebolt waiting outside his apartment as he made way to work this morning.

“And waiting outside someone’s house is definitely a normal way to do that.” Shinsou said dryly but his friend didn’t seem to pick up on the sarcasm as he continued babbling on about the time they spent in UA as they walked.

“Hey!” you were wiping the counter when Shinsou walked in with someone by his side, “You brought a friend!”

“He’s not my-”

“Kaminari Denki, or Chargebolt as you will. It’s a pleasure.” you reached out and shook his extended hand as Shinsou clenched his jaw. “Is this the one you were-”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Shinsou quickly cut him off before he kept running that large mouth of his, “I’ll have the usual.”

You smiled as you marked down his order and handed him the change, “One tall latte, coming right up.”

“What?” Kaminari looked at his friend and furrowed his eyebrows, “But you-”

“Don’t say it.”

“-hate coffee.”

Shinsou wanted nothing more than to slap the blonde for saying what he had been trying to hide in front of you for so long. He was filled with dread and embarassment as your eye widened in shock, “What?”

“It’s nothing-”

“Why didn’t you say anything?” you nearly screamed at how bad you felt for basically assuming that he would want coffee, “I just thought you like coffee since it’s what you get the first time you were here and you actually hated it?”

“It’s fine! I’m the one who asked for-”

“No you did not! I thought you could not make your mind up so I took you not refusing my recommendation as a ‘yes’-”

“I could have said something-”

“We also have tea, you know? I could have gotten you tea!”

“It’s fine! Really, I’m here to see you anyways-” Shinsou stopped mid scream as he realized what he just said. You flailing hands froze mid-air as his words settled in your mind.

“Oh.” your voice softened as you finally got what he was implying, “Oh.”

“Yeah, so it’s ok. Really.” Shinsou said as heat spread all across his face and he sent a sharp glare towards Kaminari who just avoided his accusing gaze.

“Well, I still feel bad. Can I make it up to you?” you shyly looked away as he looked at your face that was as flushed as his own, “I know this really nice cat cafe, we can go there? You do like cats, right?”

“Love them, actually.” Shinsou smiled and it made your heart flutter, “That sounds great. Pick you up when you get off?”

“Sure. Tonight at 6?”

“Tonight at 6.”

Kaminari’s eyes flicked between the two of you as you just stood there and sheepishly glance at each other occasionally in silence. “So... Technically, I did a good thing right?”

“Shut up.”

“Ok. Sorry.”

[myownprivatekeanu]

there’s nobody better than you | john wick/reader

prompt: Anonymous asked: Just imagine reader and John Wick having the same childhood and falling in love with one another, but they cant do anything about it because they're the prized ballerina and ballerino of the Ruska Roma.

word count: 1.2k

warnings: some mentions of blood and wounds.

hey yall! this prompt was sent to me a while ago and it really stuck with me, apologies for my lack of knowledge in ballet but i hope yall like this !! i really liked this idea so maybe if this is well liked i might expand on it? for now it’ll be a one shot ^^ please enjoy !!

recommended songs for reading: Goodbye My Danish Sweetheart - Mitski, Wasteland, Baby! - Hozier, I Want You - Mitski

"There's nobody better than you, It took me a while till I knew. But you knew from the start it was us, didn't you? It just took me a while till I knew."

   There should be nothing beautiful about the way muscles stretch, bent 'til the point just before breaking. Stretches, strikes, movements performed with the most utmost of precision. Through the pale pink of ballet shoes, your blood blooms through and pools around bruised toes. You would rather break than bend, show any weakness, and so you continue your dance. Pain is only a hindrance, and you have already learned to grit through it. When watched from an audience, the only effort they will see is the faux effortlessness of every move, the sway of your arms, moving along with the music.

   Electricity connects him to you on stage. Every time strong hands grab your waist, lift you up, the current is shared from one to another through the contact. Today is another day of scrutinized practice for an upcoming show. A ways off from the seats, an older woman’s voice- a matriarch’s voice- echoes through the theatre.

“Changement cinq! One, two, three, four, five!"

   Her voice startles you. You push off too harshly, too much speed into the spin, but warm hands and a sturdy grip hold you in place and your dance continues without a missed beat. He is always tender; warm calloused hands hold you soft but firmly, treats you oh so sweet, shoots looks your way that make your heart flip. For the fourth time now, you and John are the main roles for another ballet for the Ruska Roma. This new show truly feels like an omen, the tale of Romeo and Juliet. A classic that ends in tragedy.

   Another hour of painful practice passes before you slightly slip on your own blood that continues to seep through your ballet slippers. John doesn’t flinch at the sight, but the look he gives you is almost one of pity. The Director slams down her pen and announces you are done for the day.

   And so you sit alone amidst the bustling backstage, mottled and taut before the vanity lights. Ballet slippers shucked off, you instead get to wrapping your feet, mopped up blood instead revealing deep bruises. Decompressing takes a moment - you stretch out, pull at your sore muscles until you feel eyes on your back. The noise, however, is unavoidable. Stagehands continue to prepare for this week’s new show, background dancers stretch and preen to practice their roles. Through the hustle and bustle, you feel eyes on your back, and peek over your shoulder. At the doorway is John, looking equally tired but mischief in his eyes. His silent hand beckons you to follow, and you do, though wincing from the pain in your feet.

   You easily match his stride, slipping your hand into his, a secret between the two of you. A relationship built on years of knowing each other. Perhaps it was fate, but for now, it was meant to be kept secret. He leads you along through the old building, structures older than the two of you. Old buildings meant old rooms, something you found during days as a child exploring. And you shared almost everything with John - including an old costume closet nobody used anymore due to a rickety door handle.

   Inside is damp and dusty, but neither of you care. Without a working light bulb, the only light that filters through is from the tiny dirt-crusted window above your heads, and light that spills through from under the door. He wrenches the door closed, winces at the noise, and turns to look at you with a small smile. John’s face is shaved smooth now, that unavoidable dark scruff growing in fresh every morning, but he makes little effort to trim his hair shorter. You pull him in close with a giggle, and he hugs you with a head laid on your shoulder. His hands around your waist, you take a second and run a hand through his dark hair, relishing the feeling. Moments of quiet tenderness like this were few and far between. You rarely got to see him off stage as of late. He rarely got to be vulnerable. Portraying lovers on stage was a much different feat than being able to be close to one another. After all, you were both the main ballerina and ballerino. The prized possessions of the Director, her money makers, living proof of her hard work. The thought of her finding out made you shudder, and you push it from your mind.

   “Are you alright?” He mumbles from your shoulder, and your hand moves down to cup his jaw instead to make him look at you.

   “I am fine. If anything, I should be worried more about you.” You respond quietly, continuing to pet his hair. Genuine concern paints your features now. “You’ve been scarce lately. What is she making you do?”

   The question makes him tense up - instead of answering, he mouths at your neck, a trail of ticklish love bites and kisses that move up to your jaw, and eventually a genuine kiss. A desperate kiss though, his grip on your waist tightened and you’re silenced for the moment. But when he pulls back, you can see it from the look in his eyes. A yearning, wanting to prevent the inevitable and enjoy this solace for even seconds more.

   “She thinks I’m ready. I will be of service.”

   No- no! He’s going to get hurt. They’ll kill him.

   “What?! You can’t- you shouldn’t- you’re supposed to stay with me, aren’t you?” You try to pull away, but he holds onto you even tighter, pulls you into his embrace. Now, he comforts you instead. Prolonging the inevitable. “She can’t make you do that, she can’t. You’re supposed to keep dancing with me. We have to get out of here together.”

   “I’m coming back for you, my dear. You have my word.”

---

   You’re coming back, and it’s the end of the world.

   Only an hour ago, your phone chirped from a new message. An open contract on John Wick. Excommunicado. And then, a knock at your door.

   Sat at your arm chair, you slip out your gun from between the cushions and tuck it in the back of your waistband. You hoped and prayed it wasn’t who you thought it was. Probably someone ready to fulfill the new contract. You were in the business, after all. That gut feeling, however, would not fade. Your moment of hesitation was met with another harsh knock.

   Unlocking the door, it swung open to reveal a familiar old face. A tall man, with a scruffy beard, long dark hair, as bloody as if he walked through hell itself. John holds his side, blood seeping through the gaps of his fingers, more coloring his face and clothes.

   You said nothing, only ushered him through the door and into a chair. This was against the rules, you would be killed if anyone saw even a moment, but you still grabbed rags and water and got to work.

   “Didn’t expect to see you again like this,” You said, wiping some gauze at his bloodied cheek. The feelings were....confusing. Loathing. Longing. You left without another word. But, I missed you so much.

   His hand, shaky, tired- God, what did they do to you?- reaches up to hold your cheek. And he smiles, tired, weary. You can’t help but smile back.

    “I told you, I’d come back to you.”

[agentsokka]

♫davekat and ♫roxy

you: wholesome, sincere, genuine.

me: a buffoon, incompetent, forgetful.

prepare for some damn good music lists cause damn you deserve better than my forgetful lizard brain

DAVEKAT ♫♫:

One Week - Barenaked Ladies

It’s been one week since you looked at meCocked your head to the sideand said I’m angryFive days since you laughed at me sayingGet that together come back and see meThree days since the living room,I realized it’s all my fault, but couldn’t tell youYesterday you’d forgiven meBut it’ll still be two days till I say I’m sorry 

How can I help it if I think you’re funny when you’re madTrying hard not to smile though I feel badI’m the kind of guy who laughs at a funeralCan’t understand what I mean?Well, you soon willI have a tendency to wear my mind on my sleeveI have a history of taking off my shirt

[Everything about this song is Dave – the ridiculous metaphors, the rambling, everything. I’ve honestly never come across a better tune that perfectly encapsulates Dave and his early relationship with Karkat tbh]

Romance Is Boring - Los Campesinos!

You’re pouting in your sleepI’m waking still yawningWe’re proving to each otherThat romance is boringStill there are things I could doIf I was half prepared toProve to each other that romance is boring

Start as you mean to continueComplacent and self-involvedYou’re trying not to be nervousIf you were trying at allI will wakeI will bake phallic cakeTake your diffidenceMake it my clubhouseBut my straits swim in liesVentricle cauterizedIt’s the way of living that I espouse

[Listen they’ll do romantic gestures but these nerds aren’t what I imagine when I think ‘big sweeping epic romance’ – and Dave would 10000000% make a phallic cake]

Talk Too Much - COIN

Caffeine, small talkWait out the plastic weatherMmhmm, uh uh, discussing current eventsI’ll take my timeI’m not the forward thinkerYou read my mindBetter to leave it unsaidWhy can’t I leave it unsaid?

You know I talk too muchHoney, come put your lips on mine and shut me upWe could blame it all on human natureStay cool, it’s just a kissOh, why you gotta be so talkative?I talk too much, we talk too much

[Pretty self-explanatory – dummies talk way too much]

Falling for the First Time - Barenaked Ladies

I’m so cool, too bad I’m a loserI’m so smart, too bad I can’t get anything figured outI’m so brave, too bad I’m a babyI’m so fly, that’s probably why it feels just like I’m falling for the first time

I’m so green, it’s really amazingI’m so clean, too bad I can’t get all the dirt off me (all the dirt off me)I’m so sane, it’s drivin’ me crazyIt’s so strange I can’t believe it feels just like I’m falling for the first time

[These nerds have such ‘I’M SO COOL’ shticks going on but they’re such big babies and thus: this]

Like Real People Do - Hozier

I will not ask you where you came fromI will not ask you, neither should you

Honey just put your sweet lips on my lipsWe should just kiss like real people do

[You better believe I’m plugging this]

ROXY ♫ ♫ :

Tightrope - Janelle Monáe

You gotta keep your balanceOr you fall into the gapIt’s a challenge but I manageCause I’m cautious with the strapDo damage to your cabbage thatA doctor cannot patchWhy you don’t want no frictionLike the back of a matchbookDaddy Fat Sax will fold youAnd your MacBookClose shows, shut you downBefore we go-go backwardsAct up, and whether we high or lowWe gonna get back-upLike the Dow Jones and NASDAQSorta like a thong in an ass crackCome on

I tip on alligators and little rattlesnakersBut I’m another flavorSomething like a terminatorAin’t no equivocatingI fight for what I believeWhy you talkin’ ‘bout itJ-j-just talkin’ 'bout itSome callin’ me a sinnerSome callin’ me a winnerI’m callin’ you to dinnerAnd you know exactly what I mean

[I need more peppy songs for Roxy because she’s such a popping personality – this gets more at what I imagine her. Less about lyrics here and more just that kind of Jam y’know? But the descriptive metaphors and pop culture references also link her pretty well]

Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains) - Arcade Fire

They heard me singing and they told me to stop,Quit these pretentious things and just punch the clock,These days, my life, I feel it has no purpose,But late at night the feelings swim to the surface.'Cause on the suburbs the city lights shine,They’re calling at me, 'come and find your kind.’

Sometimes I wonder if the world’s so small,Then we can never get away from the sprawl,Living in the sprawl,Dead shopping malls rise like mountains beyond mountains,And there’s no end in sight,I need the darkness someone please cut the lights.

[I can’t remember who recommended this song for her – it was a while ago, but it’s still apt imo, especially that last line.]

Half Life - Trocadero

And I wonder where you areAnd I wonder what you woreAnd I’m lost inside a barAnd I’m drunk inside a warAnd I wonder where you areDrinking Martinis by myselfOn a SundayDrinking Martinis againOn a Monday

It’s a half-lifeIt’s a half-lifeIt’s a half-lifeIt’s a half-life

[Honestly this is more of what I imagine an older Roxy would be (COUGH calmstorm Rachel COUGH HACK WHEEZE) but I think it’s apt enough to add]

Kids Again - Artist vs Poet

I know a girl who likes to drink her coffee blackCause sugar, no, she don’t got time for thatLeaves her desires at the welcome mat when she walks in

Yeah, I know a boy who likes to keep his burner onHe’s always running with no one to keep warmIt’s like he’s flirting with the smoke alarm, his fire’s fading

But still we laugh, we cry, we fall, we get highJust like we were kids, just like we were kidsAnd when I, I’m feeling small you get me through it allJust like we were kids, just like we were kids again

[A Roxy - Dirk friendship song – I just love their relationship okay, they’re wholesome kids]

Goddess - S.J. Tucker

I’m in love with the goddess who lives down the streetI’ve got clouds on my agenda and a spring in my feetand I wonder if she knows, if she knowsI am smiling at strangers like I usually willlike a cat with a canary who will surely fit the billand I wonder if she knows, If she knowsWhat am I thinking? I’ve got too much to do!I’ve got no time to go running after dreams or chasing after you,but there’s this sleepy sense that everything’s gonna work out right.May I visit you tonight?

[maybe a self-indulgent roxcallie song…..maybe….you’ve no proof]

[musicmixtapes]

September 26, 2018 Mix

This week as I was curating the playlist, I got to thinking a lot about the way that our mood at a particular moment affects the music we choose to listen to. Some people say that they pick music the opposite of their mood to counteract a bad day, some choose to delve into that feeling and get in touch with it. I, being the latter, am having a memory ridden, reflective sort of week, so I chose songs that talk about the past a little bit and how they can influence the present/future. I hope you enjoy and find something that suits your mood. 

Spotify Playlist 1. Planet Hunter by Wolf Alice - This song is all about trying to recreate memories of something or with someone that happened awhile back, events which were really positive, but they cannot be rehabilitated. The artist reminds me of if Taylor Swift had not become a pop music sellout and instead taken a dark moody indie music route, and well, the results are stunning because she creates a depth of feeling to the music that most pop cannot do, in my opinion. The part I relate to the most that struck me was the repeated phrase of "I left my mind behind in 2015" which reaches a point where we, as listeners, realize that there are peaks in our lives that we wish to return to, especially at some of our valleys. I love this because it is an upbeat song about feeling out of place in the present, which is really fascinating. 2. St. Paul by Ritchy Mitch & The Coal Miners - Honestly, the piano that tinkles into a wonderful melody/rift in the beginning has to be the most alluring part of this song, which eventually becomes a much bigger feeling as it continues on. There aren't many striking piano-driven songs these days, so I was impressed with that along with the fact that this song clearly disses a saint, yet doesn't seem offensive in the slightest because it is so personal and not an attack on anything but oneself's feelings. The instrumentals and their uncertainty directly correlate with the restlessness of the lyrics and the crunchy sound of the singer's vocals; we love to see a parallel of the sound of the music to the actual meaning behind the song. All the literary techniques used to write a song is the reason why our ears are so attuned to it. 3. Window by Nana Grizol - Going along with the recurring theme of memories and the past, this song is literally a metaphor for a window looking into the past of what something once was. The defining line of this song comes when the singer refers to the window of the past and saying that "we can lift them/and focus on the moments that we lift in" which is a beautiful shift in tone from a reminiscent tune to one that look towards changing for the better and leaving the memories (whether good, bad or ugly) behind for someone else to revolve around. The artist, Nana Grizol, often covers really broad topics, such as negative feelings, the passing of time, moving on in a really succinct way that reaches an audience who needs to hear mantras in a refreshing way. I like to think of this song as a meditative yoga for the ears, please practice daily. 4. Solitary Daughter by Bedouine - I found this song in the most interesting way, so here it is: I was in the Mcnally Jackson bookstore on Prince Street in the city, rifling through the poetry section (as one does) and stumbled upon a book that transcribed songs into poems and included commentary from other writers and from the artists themselves, in a lot of cases. Reading these lyrics as a poem in a book was so thrilling because I often talk a lot about how some songs are really just poetry set to music, and in this case, other people must have thought so too. This piece is incredible in its way of speaking about a woman not needing someone to rely on or anything to sustain her, except for her own self, her home is herself, which is so liberating to both hear and read. I highly recommend reading the lyrics alongside listening. 5. Chemicals by Gregory Alan Isokov - Off of his brand new EP "Dark, Dark, Dark" which was released not but six days ago, is this peaceful and meaningful acoustic folky ballad by a personal favorite of mine. This piece is especially interesting because it plays off of the notion of the different ways in which chemicals can affect a person's body, kind of like the way a person who is really important in one's life can do the same. An image that I love to see showing up in art is the trope of hands trying to reach one another, whether it be in the "Creation of Adam" or an old film. This song plays with this lost hands imagery, in the line "how my hands can't seem to find your hands in the dark", which if I wasn't already in love with the song, sealed the deal for me 100%. Definitely check out the other two tracks off of the EP, they are wonderful as well. 6. Slipped by The National - This week's mix all began with this one sad ballad by my current favorite group and it just built off of this. I cannot express with words, on paper or in person, how much I am tethered to the lyrics of this song. Something about the raw and honest way that this was strung together speaks to a person who is done with being vulnerable to someone who has no intention in showing hidden parts of themselves back. In this narrative song, the speaker is talking to a girl who left the city to go to a more rural area in the South, thus separating the two, and telling how tragic it is to break away from something when he could not be what she wanted him to be. This is a solemn and intense vow to oneself that they will not break down and fall apart because of a love ending, this is another mantra. 7. We're So Lost by Voom - Upon first instinct, I would like to classify this song under tracks I would listen to whilst laying under the stars and thinking about our existence in such a big place or while slow dancing with someone and contemplating what is going on. But now, even in a good mood this song makes sense because no matter how you feel in terms of being in this world, everyone can agree that we have no idea what we're doing most of the times and are mere beings that are floating through time and space, trying to determine why we were placed here in the first place. In some ways, this can be thought of as a slow rock philosophical crisis song, or you can just love it because of the waltz like beauty of it. Your choice. 8. Fuck Love by Lalić - I definitely expected a cynical, bitter, anger driven song when looking at the title, but if I can say any cliché here, it's don't judge a song (book) based on its title (cover). If anything, it's more of a love song, explaining that the speaker has no real reason to be saying things like "fuck love". I think this is interesting because oftentimes, people don't like to be honest with themselves about their emotions, so instead they put up their walls immediately and turn to sarcastic, defensive comments like "i hate everyone" "love suck" or.... "fuck love". Being one of these people, this song opens up that term and exposes us hate poseurs who are very sensitive and truly love to love. The low fi rock sounds with a strong guitar line is nice to hear as well. 9. Blood Bank by Bon Iver - He is so detailed in his description of bags of blood, I have to believe that he actually had a conversation with someone he loved at a blood bank, discussing the differences between people's blood... which is... interesting. It is also vital to this song to understand that the two separate memories he tells about are very closely related because he is explaining the variability of relationships and how to decide whether it is prudent to enter into an affair or to be your own person and indulge in lonely behavior. Of course, it never hurts to be told really emotional things like this with Bon Iver's delicate crooning and layered harmonies that build throughout with such simple complexity, unmatched by other singers in his genre. 10. How It Gets In by Frightened Rabbit ft. Julien Baker - Your first question after listening may very well be "how what gets in?" as my first question was this exact thing. Maybe what gets in is this undeniably wonderful call and response song along with angelic harmonies. But maybe, what gets in, at least in terms of this song, is the literal healing of an open wound and how to properly dress it and make sure it doesn't get infected, or at least that was what was accounted by the singers in question. I interpreted the song to be a recounting and lesson on how love can come into one's life in unexpected places, and how just because there was hurt and pain in the heart for a long time, does not mean it has to stay that way forever. 11. NFWMB by Hozier - This acronym is probably the smartest thing I have experienced in a song's title in a long time: NFWMB is really Nothing Fucks With My Baby, expressed in a classy way, courtesy of the forest prince and love of my life, Andrew Hozier-Byrne. As always, there are several biblical references and apocalyptic death metaphors, which always leaves me feeling very confused and inspired at the same time. The very jazz and blues influenced low key rock song is so different from other love songs that it kind of creates its own category in that sense. It is described by others as "the love song for the end of the world" therefore going back to my feelings of apocalypse, decay and biblical tellings. 12. One In A Million by Hudson Taylor - "You gotta be cruel if you wanna be kind" ok this just hit me way too hard and true. The only way I even discovered this artist is actually because they are opening up for the Hozier concert I am attending tonight and now I am super excited to see them perform as the opening act as well. They remind me of a toned down version of The Kooks in a lot of shared vocals and chord progressions and upbeat instrumentals, except they are a duo hailing from Ireland and they classify themselves a folk band, though the punk/alternative rock influences found in this song are undeniably present. Also present is the message of knowing someone doesn't care about you the way you care about them and needing to be released from that sort of madness... cool. 13. Into The Mystic by Van Morrison - I'm probably not introducing anybody to this song for the first time right now and certainly not the last, but something about the changing of the seasons and the shift of weather from summer to autumn calls out to the mystical and slow dance vibe that this classic and iconic folky rock song inspires. There is absolutely nothing better than the buildup from quiet lull to the horn heavy chorus and interlude that just makes you want to stop and dance wherever you are in your day. Another musical aspect that is highly appreciated by yours truly is the intricate acoustic guitar rift that is taken and shifted into a lot of newer acoustic based songs that we hear all the time these days. The past influences the present and the present is heard in the past all the time, especially in music. 14. Size Of The Moon by Pinegrove - Shifting into a more heavy punk, angst themed style of music is this memory driven song which tells us about a time where the speaker is thinking on the communication issues that occurred in a relationship and how they could have easily been remedied, but there was no effort on the other half's side. From an interpretation of the song, one person smartly said, "It’s really easy to indulge in nostalgia when you’re at a rocky part of a relationship. Suddenly everything appears better than the present, no matter how imperfect those times were." I have to concur with this notion because our perception of the past changes over time and when we miss someone, at times, we look at bad memories and they even start to seem better than being alone... but they are not. 15. Kathleen by Catfish and the Bottlemen - Another song geared towards a relationship not working out the way it's supposed to is from a band that is one of my all time favorites. Their comical British style of lyrics is so appealing to my American way of thinking of things and the heartfelt honesty heard in their songs play along quite nicely with the super power rock style in which they are written. This tune in specifics, is not about the past, but the present and trying to reflect on what is going on in the "now" which is a really complicated thing to try and do, when you are infatuated with someone. The instability is heard not just in the lyrics, but also in the interchanging chords of the electric guitar and the fast paced anxiety ridden drumbeat, which is awesome.. 16. Holland, 1945 by Neutral Milk Hotel - This band is one of the weirdest, coolest ones that only the people who love grating vocals and intense lyrics can truly appreciate to the desired capacity. The whole album, from the 90s, "In The Aeroplane Over The Sea" depicts the story of Anne Frank and the tragedies behind what happened to such an innocent person, along with her youthful romance and how it all devolved in such a short time. A lot of fans of this album have also speculated that there is a second layer of meaning between the World War II references, being that is expresses the kind of tension and tragedy that occurs when you lose some so important in your life, and how the mourning of this loss can only be remedied through appreciating this person afterwards. 17. I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You by Black Kids - Okay, so I'm pretty sure that we can all understand the meaning of the song strictly through the title of this song, negating my opinion before on how you should not judge a song based on its title... well in this case, you can absolutely do that. Not only does it have the best dance tune in the world, but it is also so adorable that the singer's only common connection with the girl he is speaking about is their affinity and adeptness with dancing. Although I definitely have "two left feet" as the singer describes the boyfriend having in this song, I relate to this in terms of music. If there is a person who I really care about, the connection I automatically have is usually in a musical sense, and I am greedy about this relation. We all have something we won't teach someone else's boyfriend/girlfriend if we care about them. 18. 123 by Girlpool - I love this so much. It depicts a relationship where the speaker is asking the partner/SO to tell them everything that is wrong with them in a really sarcastic and aggressive way. It's comical and honest and vulnerable all at once which I have to give a hand for because mixing comedy with painful relationships is something that I always attempt in my writing. The song deals with an interpersonal relationship that is simultaneously “toxic and loving" as described from a contributor on Genius Lyrics, which is a website I often refer to on advice and other commentaries on music I really enjoy. The girl rock power that is disseminated with this track is so strong and empowering, for any gender, so please don't hesitate to sing this when you're feeling angsty about someone. 19. Million Years Ago by Adele - I don't think I ever really talk about my deep appreciation for Adele on here, because I try to branch out from popular artists and focus on more under-appreciated and undiscovered types; but I'm making an exception because although she is one of the most iconic voices of the modern generation, this specific song is so underrated in terms of her best songs. It sounds so french/spanish acoustic ballad inspired and makes me feel like I am transported to a black and white film from the 50s with the sadness and depth that it gives me in such a simple way. It ALSO follows along with my theme of the week, which is looking back in order to look forward, because she sings about the troubles of missing things from the past and dealing with the issues of transforming into a different person. 20. Apocalypse by Cigarettes After Sex - Finally, one of the best mixes of every song I have spoken about previously, is this moody sad love tune by the moodiest, saddest, love bands of the modern generation. There is an unspoken cheesiness of Cigs After Sex songs that for some reason, I am completely enamoured with because I feel like the notion of expressing things in a hyperbolic way has been tossed by the wayside. This group brings back the feeling of needing to tell someone how much they care and not caring about what anyone else thinks, which is important in a world that so often ridicules the ridiculous emotions that love brings about. In particular this song speaks to the feelings of needing to get someone out of a feeling they are trapped in, so to be with them fully, and telling the person they will be there in their lowest and darkest times. 

Hope you enjoyed listening with me, see you next week!

[shockcity]

HP #2 - Tea, Please!

Rating: T (*whispers* for tea)

Summary: Harry asks Draco out on a date…and Ron’s taste in music is called into question. Coffee/tea shop non-magic AU.

Category: M/M

Pairing: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter

Warnings: silliness 

———————-

Tea, Please! was not Caffé Nero. It was not Starbucks, or Costa Coffee. In fact, it wasn’t a coffee shop at all. About the only thing it had in common with those other shops, was that they were all popular revision spots for the roving rabble of King’s College.

Their clientele was about the same, really – bedraggled young adults begging for free Wifi, the in-between lesson-ers that would most likely end up skiving in favour of caffeine and socializing, and the should-probably-be-studying intellectuals that were, in actuality, pecking at the first draft of a really bad romance novel. 

“Spiced orange latte, have you any spiced orange lattes? Never mind that our sign says tea.”

Harry patted Ron on the shoulder as he walked into the back to clock in. Ginny was sitting at their little break room table with a Starbucks cup cradled in her hands. She looked unrepentant.

“Has he seen that?” He nodded toward the Liquid Betrayal as he took off his scarf and coat and stashed them in his locker.

“No. And before you ask, yes I snuck it in here. No one saw a thing.”

Harry grinned. “Sure, and you’ll leave the empty somewhere where he can see it. When are you going to give your brother a break?”

“When he stops playing Sugarhill Gang at five in the morning.”

Harry nodded. “It was Tinie Tempah yesterday.”

At the moment, It’s Tricky was playing over the speakers. Ginny looked murderous as she daintily sipped at her drink.

He checked that the displays didn’t need to be restocked and tied his apron around his waist. There were caramel peanut butter chocolate scones in the oven, and the Espresso maker was sputtering in the corner. Ron’s current customer was ordering a tea though, thank the lord. “It’s raspberry infused,” he told a blond girl about Harry’s height. “With a hint of white ginger pear.”

Harry could feel Ginny rolling her eyes from the break room.

The morning rush soon began, and Harry managed to drag her out to help. He found himself making tea after tea, the odd cappuccino, espresso or latte, and serving out pastries made with Ron’s mother’s recipes (which were honestly half the reason people even came to Tea, Please!) Also with the exception of Ron’s music, Ginny’s…Ginny, and the fact that the shop was a stone’s throw away from Waterloo Bridge.

There wasn’t much to recommend it, otherwise.

“I love the vibe,” a customer wearing a cat jumper said at around eight. Ron gave him a skeptical look. “I’ve never heard Disco Inferno this early in the morning.”

“We need to talk,” Ginny summoned him once Shameless Cat Jumper Guy had left. “There’s a twitter account for it now. For your…proclivities.“ 

"They spelled Hozier wrong. And Wild Cherry?” Ron scoffed. “Why Wild Cherry?”

“Um.” She took her phone back, throwing him the You Are Dumb and I’m in Pain face. “Play that funky music white boy…?”

“Oh! Haha. That’s actually pretty clever.”

“It’s not. If you’d just let someone else be in charge of the music for once….”

“I paid the cost to be the boss,” Ron retorted with a straight face.

But Ron did not seem to be concerned that a shadowy corner of social media was dedicated to making fun of him. “It’s free advertising,” he shrugged. “If I wanted to go out of business I’d play R.E.M. all day.”

“It wouldn’t hurt,” Draco Malfoy said, sliding up to the counter. “At least play Murmur, if you have any taste at all, that is.”

“80’s R.E.M.,” Harry cheered, reaching out to fist bump the blond. “Please tell me you appreciate the Eurythmics.”

“Who am I to disagree?”

“Here we go,” Ginny muttered, but a smile was twitching at the corner of her mouth. Ron watched them crossly.

“He can do loads better than ferret-face,” He mumbled. His sister elbowed him in the side. “What? He’s a film society twat. And he doesn’t like tea.”

His greatest offense, according to Ron. Ginny did not point out that she wasn’t a fan of that marigold-cornflower-black currant crap either. And she also wasn’t going to befriend any film majors any time soon. But Draco, despite being posh and bratty and leagues different from Harry, seemed to really hit it off with their friend.

Harry was even leaning toward him, doing the counter-assisted seduction pose. Draco was mirroring it. Their bums were just sticking out all over the place.

Ginny sighed. “He’s going to let Malfoy walk out of here again. Come on, Harry.”

Ron made a face, but looked more hopeful now that Harry and Draco’s conversation seemed to be winding down into an awkward anticlimax. “Wait,” Ginny hissed, snapping her fingers. She shot off to the back.

Suddenly, Marvin Gaye cut off, and the first notes of Get Down Tonight came on. A group of hardcore revisionists by the loos cheered and boogied a little in their seats. Harry blushed furiously.

When Ginny came out (looking a bit smug) she was frustrated to see Draco gone. She turned on Harry and demanded to know what had happened.

“Really?!” she squawked. She made girly noises and ran into the break room again. The nightmarish sound of Hot in the City Tonight began to play, but instead of cheering, most of their clientele looked deeply offended. Someone was probably tweeting about white imperialism winning again or something.

“Ginny, turn it off!!!” Ron shouted.

“Harry’s got a date!” she screeched. “Finally.”

Ron grimaced at Harry. “Good on you, mate?” he said, making it clear that he wasn’t sure congratulations were entirely in order. “Have fun with your Billy Idol look alike, but for now, he’s not welcome on our sacred playlist.”

“Aww, Ron, come on,” Ginny groaned. “This calls for a celebration, and I don’t mean a Kool & the Gang celebration.”

He thought about her proposal for a moment. “Alright,” he nodded, and then raised his voice. “One free cup of Arabian Night Oasis tea for everyone that witnessed Harry pulling!”

The customers seemed unenthusiastic. Ron scowled. “And a raspberry square,” he added, rolling his eyes.

They cheered.

“And a change of tune, maybe,” Harry said, his expression embarrassed but also rather pleased. He retreated into the back.

“Why do people keep touching the stereo,” Ron mumbled. “Why is this happening.”

But Harry’s choice met with Ron’s approval.

“You know your love, your love keeps liftin’ me, your love keeps liftin’ me, higher…higher and higher….”

“Alright you big girl’s blouse,” Ron said, laughing. “I’m happy for you. Really.”

Harry smiled shyly. “Thanks, Ron. Couldn’t have done it without you.”

“Eh?”

“Oh, you didn’t know?” His expression turned sly. “Draco and I didn’t actually meet each other at Tea, Please! We met through twitter. I’m one of his followers.”

“No…”

“Yes.” Harry laughed. “So thanks, Wild Cherry. This one’s,” and Play That Funky Music started up again, “for you.”