#i tried to make the outfit look like the girl on the studio recordings collection cover (i think it's kojiharu?)

[fashionbugster]

i'm a mournful figurine. i can't move from here. the saddest figurine — all i can do is be collected... (akb48 — nageki no figure)

[closedafterdark]

Damp

Jessica Jung x Male Reader

2238 words

categories: smut, swallowing

Note: a super quick oneshot because Jessica is hot

You surprised your girlfriend Jessica one day at her and your company, SM Entertainment. She was preparing for a comeback with her group members. Most of the security and staff at SM knew you since you were a record producer, only a select few actually knew you as Jessica’s significant other. You smiled at the various people who walked by, even high fiving others you have grown to be close with.

“Hey, you” a woman behind you said. You turned around and saw her. Bae Joohyun. A close noona of yours who was preparing to debut soon.

“Hi noona” you said. “Do you know where this practice room is?” you handed Joohyun a piece of paper with instructions.

“Of course. I just came from there” she said.

“Hi brother!” you were swept into a bear hug as your bones were being crushed. Only one person was capable of being affectionate while slowly killing you.

Kang Seulgi.

“Sister, I’m dying” you moaned out. Seulgi blushes and lets go as color returns to your face.

“How’s the debut preparations going?” you asked them.

“Good! We should be debuting soon” Seulgi said as she hugged you.

“They’ve narrowed it down to four of us” Joohyun replied. “They’re thinking of possibly adding another person in the future”

You and Seulgi listened attentively as she explained how the group was supposed to debut the previous year but it was pushed back. You looked at your watch.

“Oh shoot, I gotta go. It really was nice catching up with you two” you said as you removed Seulgi’s embrace. She pouted, pretending to be hurt.

“Don’t give me that face, sister” you said.

“But I miss you! You’re always too busy for us” she whined.

“Drop by my studio sometime. I’ll have a song ready for you guys” you said as you began to leave.

“Wait!”

You turn around and Joohyun holds onto your shoulder and lowers it, tiptoeing so that she can kiss you on the cheek.

“Come by the practice room sometime too. The other girls want to meet you” she said softly as she takes Seulgi and drags her away. Seulgi was stunned, waving goodbye at you frantically until she followed along.

You reached the room that was written down on the piece of paper. Sighing deeply, you knock on the door. The music playing inside pauses as someone opens the door.

“Oh, hey you! We were just finished with practice.” Hwang Miyoung greets you with an equally bright normal and eye smile as she pulls you in for a hug. The other members stand up and see what all the commotion is about.

You let go of Miyoung as the other members push her aside and give you a hug as well. All, except one.

After greeting the last of the members, she looks back at you in shock. She runs towards you and knocks the wind out of you. Her legs wrap around your waist as she begins sobbing.

“I miss you so much!” she cried as your clothes began to be stained with her tears.

“I miss you too, princess” you said as you stroke the back of her head gently.

A few of the members pretend to vomit while one of them hits them on their upper arms hard.

“We’ll leave you guys alone” one of the taller members said to you as she placed a hand on her shoulder. Eventually, all of them left the room only leaving you and her.

“Stop crying, Sooyeon. You look ugly” you said with a laugh.

She hit your chest as you both stared in front of the mirror.

“You’re adorable” you said to her as you kissed her cheek.

Jessica chose to wear a simple outfit today: black yoga pants, a pink sports bra, comfortable nikes and a balenciaga cap. A faint layer of sweat glistened from the lights above.

“I’m sorry I’ve been so busy, babe” she said to you as she leaned into your embrace. “Our comeback is really soon”

“You know I always understand. I am the one who produced this track, remember?”

You fixed Jessica’s hair as she turned around and kissed you softly on the lips.

She gets up soon afterwards and goes to the door, locking it. Once she turns around, her expression changed.

“It’s a good thing they left” she said.

“What do you mean?”

She doesn’t reply as she pushes you softly onto the mirror. She captured your lips, kissing you fiercely as her hands began to unbutton your shirt.

“Why don’t we stay…” she said naughtily as she bit her lips and kneeled down, beginning to unbuckle your belt.

“We might get caught” you said nervously.

She removed your pants and boxers as she looked up at you. “That’s what makes this so exciting...”

Blood rushed through your body as you looked on with excitement at the sight of Jessica removing your pants. The room was completely empty, nothing would be able to cover you both if someone had keys to the room. She didn’t care though, as she seduced you with an innocent expression that was anything but.

“You seem turned on by this, babe” she said as she began nuzzling her cheek against your rock hard cock. Her nose brushed against your base  as she kissed your underside.

“This is so bad” you moaned.

“And yet your cock is so hard. You know how much I love sucking it” she said softly as her tongue slid from your balls all the way up to your tip.

“Oh shit… that feels good...” you exhaled.

She teased your tip, gently drawing circles with her tongue as she stroked your shaft and ran her puckered lips up and down its length. She began licking up as much precum leaking out of you as she could.

“It’s always so yummy…” she said as she took your balls into her mouth. “These feel so, so full”

Jessica covered your entire cock in her saliva, establishing it was no longer yours, but hers. “Do you want me to suck your cock now, babe?” she said seductively.

“P-please. Please suck my dick” you groaned.

“Be a good boy and don’t make too much noise okay? We don’t want others hearing and coming inside” She said as she parts her soft, wet lips with your cock.

“Holy shit…” you cried as she began sucking you.

“That’s not being quiet, baby” she said as her tongue swirled around your head.

Jessica began sucking your dick harder, wrapping her lips fully as she took you down all the way to the base. Your body began to give out as you were hopelessly under her spell.

You looked up at the ceiling, fearing you would cum if you saw her.

“Is there something on the ceiling prettier than I am, baby?” she asked you as your cock was being stroked roughly. You gather the willpower to look down and see Jessica smack her face, her spit coating it each time she did so.

“You’re prettier. You’re the prettiest girl in the world” you moaned.

“I am, aren’t I? Now be a good boy and keep watching me suck your dick” she said as she slapped herself a few more times while stroking you.

She enjoyed hearing you moan and gasp from breath because of her as she roughly sucks on your balls, giving them more attention.

“Babe. Can you facefuck me, please?” her sweet tone betraying the lewd words it released.

You were aroused at this point. Seeing your girlfriend on her knees, dick in her mouth. Her being sweaty from an intense dance practice session with her members. It was all too much for you. You held onto her hair and made a makeshift ponytail, bobbing her head up and down roughly as your cock reached the back of her throat. Jessica no longer had any signs of a gag reflex from how many times she took you in her mouth.

She held onto your thighs harder as she took an intense pounding. The sounds of saliva collecting in her mouth and slowly dripping onto your thighs and balls were music to your ears as you roughly dirtied Jessica Jung. After pushing her all the way down to your base a few times, she tapped on your thighs and pushed herself off.

She began to breathe through her nose, not wanting your cock to escape. She gargled on it as you fucked her mouth more, watching as Jessica placed a hand inside her yoga pants and began to rub herself. A small pool was beginning to form on her crotch. Every time Jessica tried pulling away from you, you ignored; pushing her deeper. If she wanted to get her mouth fucked, you were going to give it to her.

You finally let her breathe several minutes later. Jessica was coughing as you grabbed her and began sucking on her neck. The air condition in the room was useless from how sweaty you both were becoming. Her body was warm to the touch. You grabbed her ass through her yoga pants. They felt so soft as you slapped her ass harshly. Her ass rippled because of this, letting out a scream from her and echoing throughout the room.

“Babe, I’m so dirty” she whined.

“I don’t care” you said, pushing her face down against the mirror and pulling her pants down. You blew warm air on her pussy as her body began to tingle. You held onto Jessica’s arms as you dived in, burying your face in her pussy. You tasted all of her juices, she was a leaking mess. You kissed and licked every inch of surface you could reach. Her natural smell turned you on even more.

“You’re pushing me into you, babe. That doesn’t sound like someone who claims that they’re dirty”

“I’m so gross” she cried. “But your tongue is just so good”

As you ate Jessica out, she cried out in ecstasy. She stopped grabbing onto the yoga mat for support and instead grabbed your hair and pushed you deeper. Her mouth opened in pleasure as she saw you through the reflection. With one final lick, you removed your head and got behind her, slapping her clit several times with your tip. You both moaned in pleasure as the initial penetration sinks your cock inside her.

Jessica made eye contact with you through the mirror as you both watched her get fucked. You held onto her arms from behind as you began thrusting into her faster and faster.

“I love getting fucked!” she yelled. “Even more so when I watch you fuck me”

You began pumping into her harder, her soaked pussy making it extremely easy for you to slide in and out.

“Oh my god…” she screamed loudly. “Harder! Fuck me harder!”

You released her arms, moving your hands onto her hips as you held them tightly. You watched as Jessica’s sex face was a sight to behold. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head as her open mouth began to moan incoherent words.

Her screams echoed throughout the entire dance room. You were sure people could hear from the floors above and below.

“You’re too fucking loud!” you said as you smacked her ass, roughly fucking her as the sounds of skin slapping against skin continued to fill the room. All of your senses were heightened, the thought of ruining a place used by almost everyone in the company turned both of you on even more.

“I’m coming” you moaned, nearing your limit.

“Ahhh”

“Babe. I’m coming” you said again.

“In my mouth” was all she managed to weakly say as you continued fucking her.

Your heart began to thump faster as Jessica screamed loudly from your sudden forcefulness. Thrusting into her several more times, you manage to pull out just in time as she gets on her knees and sucks your cock once more.

“Babe-”

Your orgasm rushes down at once, from your head to your toes as they curl from the intense sensation. You push Jessica’s head down all the way to your base as you cum into her mouth in long, steady pulses.

“Holy fuck…” you quietly said, your legs beginning to feel weak.

Jessica swallowed your entire load. She had put you on a diet which she said would make you cum more and taste sweeter. You weren’t sure about the taste part, but it definitely did make you cum more. As your orgasm winded down and Jessica’s head was no longer being pushed in, she released your cock as saliva began to drip onto the floor. She looked up at you and stuck out her tongue, showing you there were no traces leftover. She smiled sweetly as she gave your tip one final smooch.

“How hot was that?” she said as you both began to gather your clothes. “Sucking my boyfriend’s cock after dance practice”

“That was so intense” you said. “I never had an orgasm that felt that good”

“There’s more of that where that came from, mister mister” she said as her finger poked your chest. You slapped her ass loudly before pulling her into your embrace.

“Hey babe”

“Yeah?”

“You’re always talking about someone watching us right?”

“What about it?”

“Why don’t we let someone watch… and then join us?” you asked.

“Are you sure?”

“I know someone… I think you’ll like her”

[jaehyunspeachparty]

About Doyoung - pt.1 (a)

There has been a lot going on in the past few weeks. Your whole life was only about work. It was good for you that the company you helped build up, was super successful. But lately your boss, who owns all the companies, has been making life difficult for you. You have to invest a lot more work and free time than usual and that didn't make the complicated situation with you and Jaehyun any easier. It has been really hard to see you lately, he has been busy too. You have been a little sick the last few days and you still don't feel fit. But you had to work, you couldn't rest. You quickly run to the pharmacy just before work and get some medication. But when you got to the cash register, your boss called again. You try to order everything while receiving further instructions over the phone. "Excuse me, Miss. We could get everything, we just don't run the company of your contraceptive pill here." The pharmacist looks at you, but you only nod and pay for everything. In reality you didn't notice anything and just take the medication and run quickly to work.

As soon as you were in the company, there were further problems and you had to go to SM Entertainment to clarify some things. To be honest you were happy because you hope to see Jaehyun. You could spend the lunch break together. You write to him immediately, but there is no answer. He probably trained and that's why you didn't think much of it. There was a meeting anyway, and you had to go there immediately. But even when the meeting was over, Jaehyun still hadn't answered you.

You would be celebrating your 2nd anniversary in two weeks, but you felt like he was distancing yourself from you recently. Sometimes you had the feeling that he would end the relationship before that date. For weeks you've been feeling your heart breaking. Is this how relationships live apart? Disappointed, you go down the stairs and try to clear your mind with movement, but the relationship with Jaehyun worried you all the time. "Y/N? I didn't know you were here today." Doyoung suddenly stood in front of you and next to him was a younger man who also looked like an idol. "Yes, I had to go to a meeting spontaneously. Did you hear anything from Jaehyun?" You sigh and find it difficult to hide your grief. "He has just written to me that he is going to the recording studio. We are just showing the building to the new trainees. The managers think that should be fun." Doyoung rolled his eyes and you look briefly at the boy next to him. But at the same time your heart broke a little because you have now been confirmed that Jaehyun ignored your message. Slowly everything became too much for you and it was difficult for you to hold back your tears. "Hey, are you all right?" Doyoung noticed this and could already imagine where or rather who the problem was. He noticed that you have hardly been in the dorm lately. "I'm sorry, I don't want to bother you with my problems. I think I'll go again." You wipe your first tear and try to collect yourself. But Doyoung wasn't comfortable with it. He turned to the trainee and handed him a card. "You know where the cafeteria is. Buy a coffee or cake. It's on me." The boy grinned, took the card, and started running immediately. Then Doyoung turned back to you. "Come on, let's go to a quiet place." He opened the door and you go into a small room where there was a small kitchen. It was a break room, so to speak. Doyoung made you a coffee and then sat down at the table with you. "It's because of Jaehyun isn't it?" He looked at you worriedly and you nod. "Yes. He ignores my messages, is so distant and I hardly see him anymore. I mean, yes, I have to work a lot. But nothing comes from him." The next tears ran down your cheeks. Doyoung looked at you and didn't know how to phrase the next words. "Y/N ... I told you earlier that we have such a mentoring program. I don't know if Jaehyun told you, but he also has a trainee. She is ... how can I say .. .she’s here mainly because of her looks. And they call her prince and princess because everyone thinks they look so good together." He pressed his lips together and waited for your reaction. But you could only look at him stunned. You didn't know what to say anymore. Somehow that didn't surprise you anymore. "I've got to get out of here." You get up and feel slowly how a panic attack started. It felt like an invisible cord was tying around your neck. So you run out of the room, but Doyoung grabbed your wrist and looked at you. "Y/N, if there's anything you need, someone to talk to, I'm there, okay?" He didn't let you go until he got an answer and you were glad that at least one person was worried about you. "Thanks Doyoung, I really appreciate that." You look at him and he smiled softly. He let go of your wrist and you turn to the side when you see them. Prince and princess. She was pretty. Really beautiful. You understand why they called them two like this. Visually, they looked perfect, like the perfect couple. Jaehyun stared at you, you only feel more emptiness. What else should you tell him? He ignored you for this beauty. That day had to come. How could you believe to fit into such a world? How did you think a relationship with Jung Jaehyun would work? Why should you be the person who makes him loyal? He had so much choice. What made you special? Your entire self-confidence was destroyed, much in a thousand small parts. Immediately you turn around, you didn't want to see this picture, and immediately run away. You were glad that you chose flat shoes that day because you could run away faster.

Over the next few days, Jaehyun tried to get in touch with you, but he wasn't very persistent and you still had to work through all of this. When his name lights up on your display, you sigh briefly and your eyes go to your desk, where a gift was. You had made a little book with photos and memories inside. It should be a gift for your anniversary. You invested a lot of time in it and put so much work into it and now you weren't sure whether you still had a future. You would like to cry because jealousy is beginning to eat you up, but then your work phone rang. "Y/N, I know it's Saturday and you're sure to have something better to do." Your boss sounds really stressed and you knew you had to work again on your day off. "I have no plans." What should you be up to? The entire two years you've been in Korea, you've only invested in the relationship with Jaehyun. Maybe you should have taken care of some friendships too. "Perfect. SM are having dinner in a hotel and they really want you with them. They just love you." Your boss laughed and you go to the closet to pick out an outfit. "Okay, is anyone coming with me?" "No, it's very exclusive. They just want to thank a few people and strengthen the connections." You nod and you already know what it is. It wasn't the first time that you were at such a dinner. But you knew that there were often idols and you are prepared that Jaehyun might also come.

You were wearing an elegant beige dress. It had a one shoulder and went together with a belt on your waist. You also wear beige heels and your hair was open over your shoulders. This dress gave you that little bit of confidence that you still dare to go out. In the taxi, you put on your lipstick and try to ignore that your heart almost jumped out of your chest. In addition to your clutch, you also had a bag with Jaehyun's anniversary gift. You didn't know why you took it with you, but it was important to you. When you came into the suit, one of the highest managers came to meet you and greeted you. You have small talk, but in the corner of your eye you could already see Jaehyun, of course with the trainee at his side. And when the two passed by, the manager noticed the two immediately. "Y/N, we have a new mentoring program. The trainees should get to know us faster and that's why idols look after them. We think that strengthens cohesion." She smiled and pulled Jaehyun and the girl toward her. "Jaehyun and Sora look so great together. We are considering whether to create a relationship for the media when Sora makes her debut in the new girl group," she whispered to you as she sent the two away again. You just didn't know what to say, everything inside you felt numb. "But let's have a look. We don't need to stage everything if they fall in love in the next weeks. I mean look at them." Then she started to laugh and when a waiter came with champagne, she ran after him. You could see Jaehyun immediately get up and want to approach you, but you just couldn't talk to him. It hurt all too much. You clasped the bag with his gift and quickly ran through the people until you saw Doyoung. "Hey, you're there too!" He smiled broadly and he should really be happy to see you. "Yes. I was invited spontaneously." You take a deep breath and try to swallow all the pain. You knew that this evening will still be hell. "You look really beautiful." Doyoung indicated your dress and a shy smile escaped your lips. You were glad that at least he was there.

You couldn't avoid Jaehyun while eating because he sat right next to you. Doyoung was opposite of you and you didn't know who to devote yourself to. "Y/N." You hear Jaehyun whisper your name, but how could you look at him? How could you look at the man you love and he just lets you go. "Can we talk?" You don't understand why he came with it now. You didn't want to talk. Either he talked himself out or he ended your relationship. You weren't ready for both options. "This is probably a bad time now," you hiss and keep trying to avoid his eyes. "Y/N I lov..." "May I take your order." The waiter intervened and you immediately ordered a Martini. Alcohol was the only thing that could help you even more now. When the waiter was gone, Jaehyun turned back to you, but there was a speech and he was interrupted again. 2 Martinis later, you were pretty drunk. You see how Sora tried to flirt with Jaehyun and in your opinion he allowed that too much. She sat across from him and looked at him dreamily all the time. Jaehyun smiled in response to her jokes and that made you angry. Really angry. And you don't know why you came up with this idea, but suddenly you grab his hand under the table and put it on your thigh. You see Jaehyun looking down at him with a smile and he firmly gripped your thigh. However, you keep guiding his hand into your inner thigh until his fingertips touched the fine material of your thong. You see him take a deep breath and feel his fingers try to push the fabric aside. But you didn't want to give him too much. You play this game a bit and Jaehyun struggled with himself. He wanted more, he wanted you. But at that moment you realize what you are doing. You disgust yourself, how little respect you have for yourself. When Doyoung got up, you thought to follow him, so you give Jaehyun's hand away and get up. "Doyoung are you going out on the terrace? I need some fresh air." You don't quite know what you're doing. Maybe you wanted Jaehyun to be jealous. Maybe you wanted him to at least have a reaction so you can see that he cares. "Yeah sure." Doyoung looked briefly at Jaehyun, who only looked at him angrily. But he knew that he would not be deterred by him. Now it would be his turn. Jaehyun had already taken you away from him, now he had his chance.

When you stand on the terrace, you take a deep breath and look over the houses of Seoul. Everything was for you a little bit shaky because of the alcohol, but at least your feelings were a little numb. "Do you have that feeling sometimes? You can feel the wind, hear dull music in the distance and look into the night and you think this is my home?" You turn to Doyoung and feel that you have tears in your eyes. "Yes I know that feeling." He was a little apart from you, but was slowly walking towards you. "I don’t know this feeling." You cross your arms and look into the distance. You sob briefly and try to collect yourself again. "All my life I've been looking for a place where I feel at home. But I never found it. With Jaehyun, I was the first time so close to a home, but also as far away as ever. He made me feel to be at home with him, but your world is so strange to me. I feel so strange in it, I don't understand it." You quickly wipe your tears away, but still look over Seoul. The view was breathtaking and the fresh air made your mind clearer. "Yes, our world can seem very strange to others." Doyoung took a step towards you, but was still a little away from you. "I'm just a simple girl. All I want is a family and a home. I just don't think I have a place in your world with that dream." You press your lips together and try to suppress more tears. "But you have! Look at Chen. He got married also to a non idol girl and has now a beautiful daughter." Doyung took another step towards you and put his hands on your upper arm. "The exception only confirms the rule." You put your hand in front of your forehead because you didn't want Doyoung to see you start to cry. But it was no longer possible. The events have been too much lately, you just wanted to numb your feelings. "Hey, everything will be fine." Doyoung hugged you and you sobbed in his chest, it was good to cry out to someone to get a little soft. Doyoung, however, sees exactly in the window that Jaehyun was watching you and he didn't like it at all. But that caused Doyoung to hold you closer and you tow lingered for a while in this close hug. But you knew that you could no longer stay here. "Here. Can you please give that to Jaehyun?" You put the bag in his hand and look at him with your wet eyes. "What is it?" Asked Doyoung, but accepted it. "It is something that I once loved very much." You smiled briefly and thought of the warm feeling that spread when you thought of the good times with Jaehyun.  "Okay, I'll give it to him. I promise." He smiled softly and you nod. Then you turn around, try to collect yourself and disappear.

About us masterlist

daddy jaehyun masterlist

[abundanceofsoph]

SkyFire 2: Chapter 16

“Darling, Just Hold On”: Nov/Dec 2016

Word count: 4.7k

SkyFire 2 MASTERLIST

I’ve been debating whether to write this chapter for weeks and I’m still not entirely sure whether I should have skipped it. While I use real people's names and real life events in this story, in my head they’re all fictional characters since I don’t really know them or how they would actually act in any of these situations. I more just use their likeness and their situations to inspire the story so this chapter was something I didn’t feel like I should include. I tried not to focus too much on Johannah but I felt the bond between Louis and Aurora was so beautiful that I decided to keep this chapter in. I hope you understand why I’ve made this decision.

This chapter's also a bit longer than usual because I wanted to soften the blow of the angst with some domestic fluff. Anyway, we all know what’s coming in this chapter so I'll stop stalling and get on with it.

>Instagram posts

After the trip away, Harry and Aurora decided to stay in London in anticipation of attending the X Factor finale where Louis was going to perform his debut single with Steve Aoki. After the show,  Anne and Robin would once again be joining them in New York for the holidays, but in the meantime, they were enjoying spending a few weeks at Harry’s Hampstead house and catching up with Rori’s friends.

One of those days they headed south to Wimbledon, walking the familiar streets of Aurora’s childhood, their winter outfits helping to hide them from prying eyes, however they were stopped a couple of times by observant fans. Aurora offered to take their photos with Harry but he asked them not to post until that evening so that they could enjoy their day without being mobbed. They headed for the Golden Stag as the sun began to set, grateful for the warmth that greeted them as they stepped through the doors. Greg was working behind the bar, his face lighting up as he watched them approach him and he walked around the end of the bar to sweep Rori into his arms. She buried her face into his shoulder as he held her tightly, feeling instantly at home in his arms.

“We missed you sweetheart,” he murmured while placing kisses to the crown of her head.

“Sorry it’s been so long,” she replied, squeezing him tightly one more time before stepping back from the hug.

“Just glad you’re here now,” he smiled. “Good to see you again Harry.”

“Good to see you too, Sir,” Harry replied, offering his hand and chuckling when Greg ignored it to hug him.

“Told you before you can just call me Greg,” he said as they stepped back. “You kids hungry? Grab a table and I’ll go let Helen know that you’re both here.”

They did as they were told, sliding into Aurora’s favourite booth that was close enough to the fireplace without being too hot.

Helen rushed out of the kitchen a few minutes later, beelining straight for their table and pulling Rori out of her seat and into a bone crushing embrace. “Oh, I missed you my darling,” she cooed, holding the younger woman tightly against her. “I swear every time I see you; you look more and more like your mother.”

“Missed you too Helen,” Rori murmured, her eyes glossy in response to Helen’s words.

“Now you’re both far too thin,” she clucked. “Let me get you some food and we’ll see if we can’t put some meet on those bones.”

Harry chuckled as she rushed back towards the kitchen and Aurora settled herself back into the booth. “I like her,” he said. “She reminds me of mum.”

“She reminds me of mine too,” Rori smiled softly, reaching across the table to take Harry’s hand in hers. “Always feel closer to her when I’m here. We should visit more.”

“Well once we buy a place of our own on this side of the river, we can visit all the time.”

“Sounds perfect.”

After dinner, Rori was eyeing the piano in the far corner, her lips twitching up in a slight grin as she remembered the hours she had spent sitting on that bench growing up. Her smile dropped as she once again berated herself for that stupid fall in the lobby a few weeks ago, knowing that she still had another week before she could wear her prosthetic and she was itching to play. “How do you feel about being my left hand?” she asked Harry.

“And what would you need my left hand for?” he asked, a smirk pulling at the corners of his lips.

“When Louis was at tower over summer, he’d play the left hand for me on the piano before I got my prosthetic. Thought we could maybe try that out.”

Harry smiled widely. “Sounds fun. Lead the way.”

Aurora’s answering grin lit up her face and she jumped to her feet joyfully, grabbing Harry’s hand and tugging him across the room towards the piano. The pub wasn’t crowded, with only a few of the regulars on their stools at the bar, a few families finishing their dinner and a couple of young girls sitting by the door. Aurora had noticed the girls flicking glances towards her and Harry over the past hour, and she was pretty sure they were working up the courage to come over and say hi. She laughed as she imagined the stories they would tell their friends tomorrow about Harry Styles playing the piano in the little pub where they had dinner. Helen watched the pair take a seat on the old piano bench, smiling as they laughed, trying to find the rhythm. They stuttered over the start of a song a couple of times before they got the timing right, settling into the tune. Most of the patrons ignored the pair, a few of the regulars smiling softly at the familiar sound after so many years, and the table of girls by the door watched on with rapt attention. Both Aurora and Harry wore matching grins as they played, their arms slung around each other’s backs as together they wove the melody of familiar songs eventually beginning to sing, giving the unsuspecting patrons an exclusive performance that others would have paid hundreds of pounds to attend if given the chance.

xXx

After having dinner at the Golden Stag, Rori and Harry spent the remaining weeks of November meeting with both their wedding planner and their realtor.

The wedding planning was relatively easy going, seeing as how everything was booked in and ready to go. Aurora still had a few more dress fittings in the new year but otherwise everything was finalised for the big day in only a few months’ time.

The house hunting on the other hand was a little less under control. Harry had agreed with Aurora when she suggested that they look at apartments and penthouses as apposed to free standing houses. Her reasoning had been that she wanted to avoid the issues they’d had with fans camping outside Erskine House, and while they were hoping to avoid the publicizing of their new address, they both knew that it would only be a matter of time before Harry’s fans figured it out. Aurora loved his fans and was incredibly grateful that so many people recognised how incredibly talented he was and appreciated him, but she also got frustrated by how invasive they sometimes got about every tiny aspect of his life, and by extension hers as well. After deciding that they wanted an apartment, Aurora had stipulated that they buy south of the river so that she could be closer to Wimbledon, and Harry decreed that they needed at least 4 bedrooms in addition to the master suite. He planned on turning one into an art studio for Aurora, while another could become a simple recording studio, nothing close to the scale of her studios in Avengers Tower, but just a little something to make it feel like home. He hadn’t mentioned anything to Aurora, but the reason he wanted 2 bedrooms left over once they created the studios, was that he planned for one to be turned into a nursey while the other could remain as a traditional guest room for when their families visited. All of these aspects, as well as the need for plenty of room for Harry’s car collection had left their poor realtor, Lee, with the unenviable job of finding the perfect place for the young couple. He found them four different properties and set up private inspections for each.

The first was in Southwark and Harry was immediately impressed the moment they walked into the lobby and were greeted by the doorman. The security of the building was excellent and they both smiled softly at each other as they took the elevator to the 24th floor with Lee.

“Now this isn’t the penthouse apartment,” Lee explained as the entered the apartment. “But there’s only two apartments above you and there’s shared access between you and 3 other apartments for the rooftop garden.”

Aurora let go of Harry’s hand as they wandered into the main living area, large windows opening out to the Thames and a beautiful view of the city.

“The kitchen and entertainment area are all on this level with a bathroom off the entry hall,” Lee continued as they walked around. “There’s 4 bedrooms upstairs including the master suite with walk in robe and ensuite, with an additional bathrooms for the guest rooms.”

“Only 3 spare rooms?” Harry asked. “Not ideal.”

“I don’t really like the idea of climbing those stairs every day,” Aurora added.

“How about we head to the second property?” Lee asked, accepting immediately that this was not the right fit. “We can always come back if you change your mind.”

Harry motioned for Lee to lead the way and they headed back to the elevator. Once they reached the ground they climbed into Harry’s car.

The second property was only a few minutes away, still in Southwark, and just behind the Tate Modern. “I like the idea of just popping over to the galleries,” Aurora noted as they entered the apartment and spotted the familiar building out the window, the river and Millennium bridge also filling in the landscape sprawled out in front of them. While the building ticked off everything on their list, there was something missing that neither Harry nor Aurora could put their finger on. Whatever it was, the third apartment in Vauxhall was also missing it, leaving them with only one property left to view.

“It’s not available today but we can view it on Tuesday if you want to meet me there at 2pm,” Lee explained once they left the third apartment.

“That works for us,” Harry agreed, “we’ll see you then.”

xXx

They arrived in Battersea a few hours before they were meant to meet up with Lee to view the final property on his list, opting to grab lunch in a nearby café and then wander through Battersea Park.

“I used to come here a lot with my mum,” Rori said as they walked, arm in arm, rugged up against the cold wind blowing in off the Thames. “Used to love going to the kid’s zoo, but mum really loved all the flowers, so we’d come every weekend in spring.”

“It’s beautiful here,” Harry agreed. “We filmed a music video here.”

“I know,” Rori laughed. “As soon as the fans found out you were here, Ella actually came down after school to try and meet you all.”

“Really?” Harry asked.

“Yeah, and I would have been right next to her, but I’d already moved to New York. Still remember watching the video and just feeling so nostalgic. Think that’s why it was my favourite song for so long.”

“You never told me that was your favourite.”

“Because it’s embarrassing, Harry.”

“No, it’s not,” he argued. “I think it’s really cute they you were such a big fan. Imagine if you didn’t like our music. You probably wouldn’t have gone to that after party with me and we never would have gotten the chance to get to know each other if you hated the band.”

“It’s still embarrassing to remember I used to read fanfiction about the man who is about to be my husband,” she replied, laughing softly as they turned towards the river.

“I’m flattered,” Harry promised, kissing her cheek as she blushed. “Now let’s go see our dream home, hopefully.”

Lee was waiting for them outside the riverside apartment building, the ever impressive Battersea Power Station looming next door. The lobby was empty when Lee led them inside Scott House, using a key card to activate the elevator. He explained on the short ride to the 8th floor that the building was nearing completion and the first round of tenants were due to start moving in at the beginning of February.

The elevator opened onto a pristine hallway; the colour scheme monochromatic which was very much to Auroras taste. Lee turned right out of the elevator, leading them to the apartment’s front door, once again using the key card to gain access.

They entered into an entry hall that led straight into what Lee called the reception room, which flowed through to a kitchen/dining area. “This was originally designed to be 3 separate units, but they altered it to create one large 5 bedroom penthouse,” he explained as they entered. “There are 4 other units on this floor, but the sound proofing is state of the art, so you won’t be able to hear them. There’s a secondary entrance from the main hall into the apartment that leads directly into the kitchen so you can bypass the entry hall.” He pointed out the specific features of the kitchen and the enclosed patio that was marketed as a winter garden that ran the length of the apartment, looking out at the power station to their right and the river on the left. “Because it was originally three units,” Lee continued as he led them down a long hallway off the kitchen, “you get three parking spots in the underground garage.”

Aurora sensed Harry brightening at this, but her attention was focused on the 4 bedrooms, office space, study and utility room that Lee pointed out as they passed. Each bedroom had its own bathroom and built in robes with an additional walk-in situated in between them all.  They returned back to the central kitchen via the winter garden, and Rori found herself falling in love with the property more and more with every step. In its unfinished state she was able to imagine the furniture she could buy to fill the space and the colours she would paint the walls, really making a home for herself and Harry.

“And now if we head back through the reception room,” Lee said as he directed them. “You have the master bedroom with the spacious walk-in and dressing room which lead through to the ensuite with a full size tub at one end and a twin shower head in the shower at the other end of the room. His and hers basins and marble tiling.”

“God damn,” Rori muttered as she looked around, picturing the décor she could add to bring out their personalities in the space. “H, I love it.”

“Me too,” Harry replied, equally impressed with the entire apartment.

“It’s not listed yet, so if you can organise the down payment, I’d say we can get it locked down within the next few weeks.”

“Let’s sit down and talk contracts,” Harry replied, watching as Aurora’s smile grew as they walked back out into the bedroom.

“How about you meet me at my office in the morning and we can go over all the specifics then?” Lee asked to which Harry agreed.

“You happy, love?” Harry asked, turning to see Rori standing out on the balcony leading off the master bedroom, looking towards the Power Station. She turned back to him, her face aglow with excitement.

“I can see us starting a family here Harry,” she replied, letting out a surprised squeal as Harry picked her up and held her tightly against him, kissing her cheek.

“Me too my love,” he replied. “Me too.”

xXx

They were lying in bed on a Tuesday evening in the beginning of December, Harry’s head resting in Rori’s lap as she sat against the headboard reading. She was finally able to start wearing her prosthetic again, so she was holding the book in her left hand, the fingers of her right tangled in Harry’s curls. His own hands traced patterns across her thighs, a comfortable silence stretching around them. That silence was shattered as Harry’s phone started ringing on the nightstand and Aurora barely looked up from her book as she passed it to him. His head was still resting in her lap as he answered the call and she felt him freeze against her, a soft gasp escaping his lips.

“We’re on our way,” he said softly, clambering off the bed before Rori could even get her bookmark in place. He started throwing on clothes as she asked him what was going on, and it was clear that he hadn’t heard her at all.

“HARRY!” she yelled, finally breaking through to him. He froze, turning to look at her, his eyes wide and haunted. “What’s happening? What’s wrong.”

“Jay,” was all he said, his voice barely more than a whisper and there was nothing else he needed to say as Rori felt her blood run cold, certain that the haunted look in Harry’s eyes was now echoed in hers. She didn’t say a word, but just as quickly got dressed and moved to pack an overnight bag for the both of them. They were out the door and in the car within minutes. They’d both known this was coming for a while, but everyone had been hoping that she’d make it past the holidays. It took them 3 hours to reach Doncaster, and neither spoke as Harry drove through the night. Aurora turned the radio off after the first pop song played, so at odds with the sombre mood inside the car that she couldn’t handle it.

It was well after midnight by the time they reached Doncaster and headed straight to the Deakin house. Harry texted Louis to let him know they were there, not expecting a reply and not receiving one, and they let themselves inside with the spare key. Despite the late hour neither Harry nor Aurora could think of sleeping and Aurora started tidying up the living room. By the time the sun rose, they’d cleaned most of the house and Harry had thrown together a casserole to put in the oven when everyone got home. They collapsed on the sofa; phones clenched in their hands as they waited to hear.

It was nearing lunchtime when they heard cars pull into the driveway and slow trudging footsteps reached the front door. Aurora was waiting with her arms open and Louis fell into them gladly, holding her tightly as he cried. Harry hugged a few of the girls before moving to Dan’s side and ushering them all into the living room. He busied himself making tea while Louis and Rori continued to cling to each other. No one spoke beyond quite murmurs of thanks and the young couple spent the day doing whatever they could to help, ensuring that the grieving family ate before turning in to bed later in the evening.

They left Doncaster Friday afternoon, driving back to London and leaving Louis  with his family to be together before heading to Wembley the next day. They had assumed that Louis would be cancelling his appearance on X Factor, but he shocked both of them that morning when he announced he was going ahead with the show. They promised to be there and hugged everyone tightly before climbing into their car. Neither spoke on the drive south, both physically and emotionally exhausted by the past two days.

“I just spent the whole time we were there wanting to say something to help Lou, but I had no idea what to say,” Harry admitted once they dropped their overnight bags inside the entry hall of the house.

“There’s nothing you can say,” Aurora said, walking to his side to wrap him in a tight hug. “Not really. At least that’s how it felt when mum died. Anytime anyone told me it was going to be ok I just wanted to scream.”

“Did anything help?” Harry asked softly, his face buried in the crook of her neck.

“Ella stayed over at the hospital that first night. She didn’t say anything, but she just held me. Looking back now, that meant more than anything else. Just knowing that she was there and that I wasn’t alone. That’s what I’ve been trying to do for Lou and the girls, just make sure they feel that they’re not alone.”

“I hate that you ever had to go through that, but I’m glad he has someone that knows what it’s like,” Harry said. “Sorry that sounded really shitty.”

“No I get it,” Rori replied, “and I’m glad I can be there for him too.”

They trudged upstairs and collapsed into bed, neither having the energy or appetite to think about dinner and instead just cuddled up next to each other under the covers. They were silent for a while, both sitting in their own grief until Harry started shaking.

“I can’t help but think we’re going to do this again with Robin,” he sobbed.

“Oh Harry,” Rori sighed, holding him tightly as he cried into her chest. “You can’t think like that. Robin’s tough. He’s going to fight, and he’ll be ok. We deserve the win.”

“We thought that about Jay,” he pointed out.

“I know,” Aurora agreed. “I’m scared too but if I let myself think about it then it’s going to crush us Harry. We have to believe he’ll be ok because we don’t have any other option.”

xXx

They were backstage at Wembley, a little under an hour before the show was set to start and there were plenty of people rushing around getting everything ready. For the most part people were leaving them alone, aware of what had happened and thankfully giving them all space. The boys were all there, as were Lottie and Flic, however Dan and the rest of the kids had stayed back in Doncaster. Occasionally someone would come over to offer their sympathy, while Steve took care of all the technical problems in preparation for the performance. Louis had already gotten through the sound check earlier, mostly holding it together and now was just sitting quietly with his sisters, trying to prepare to go out in front of the sold out crowd, and live tv audience.

“Hey Rori, can we go for a walk?” Louis asked not long before he was needed on stage. She nodded, standing up immediately and following him out of the room. They walked the hallways of the backstage area with his arm around her shoulders and hers firmly around his waist. Aurora stayed quiet, knowing that Louis would let her know what he needed from her. “The night we met,” he finally said, “It was the AMAs, remember?”

“Yeah I remember,” she replied, her voice matching his near whisper.

“That was the first time you performed after your mum?”

“It was the first time on my own,” she explained. “I’d done a couple of smaller shows with the band but that was the first time on my own.”

“How did you do it?”

“It was different. I’d had a few years of missing her, so it wasn’t as fresh, but it was still really hard, especially since the song was about her. I know you’re really asking how you’re supposed to go out there tonight and I don’t really have an answer for that.”

“Yeah, I know, sorry. You’re just the only one I know who’s been where I am right now.”

“You never have to apologise to me Lou. I’ll help however I can because I wish I’d had someone who knew how it felt. But you have something I didn’t have; you’ve got your family and you’ll all get through this together. I guess the best advice I can give is that she loved watching you on stage. She really fucking loved it and she was so proud of you. So am I.” They both started crying and stopped walking to bury their face in the curve of each other’s necks. “I love you so much big brother,” Rori whispered. “We’re all here to help you and the girls through this. You’re not alone.”

“Love you too Rors. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” she whispered. “Now go out there and show the world our song.”

“Our song?” Louis scoffed, a small chuckle accompanying his words.

Aurora smiled in response and even though Louis knew exactly what she was doing, he appreciated her giving him shit like she always did. Just this little bit of normalcy helped him to believe that she was right and that it wouldn’t always hurt this much.

“Of course it’s our song,” she joked. “I helped you write the chorus when you stayed with me over summer. I expect my royalty cheques in the mail soon.”

“Not a chance love,” Louis laughed. “You can have the family discount off the merch though.”

“So kind of you.”

xXx

Harry stood behind Aurora as the song began, his arms wrapped tightly around her, his chest pressed firmly against her back and his chin resting on the crown of her head. She watched in awe as Louis jumped around the stage, tears streaming down her face as each line of the song hit like the lashes of a whip.

The sun goes down and it comes back up The world it turns no matter what Oh-oh-oh, if it all goes wrong Darling, just hold on

Even though she’d been the one to help write them, Aurora felt as though every word was slicing at her heart. Like every word was a screaming plea for things to have ended differently. For her to still be here with them. For her to still be here with him.

As the lights came up and the crowd cheered, Aurora brushed aside her tears, taking deep calming breathes so that by the time Louis reached them she was ready to be the shoulder he needed to lean on.

xXx

They’d stayed out late with Louis, eventually calling it a night when Aurora could barely keep her eyes open any longer. They’d collapsed into bed as soon as they returned home in the early hours of the morning, exhausted both physically and mentally.

Harry stirred as the sun streamed in through the bedroom window, the angle disorientating until he realised that it was afternoon and they had slept away half the day. He also realised that the sun had not been what woke him as he watched Rori slip into a pair of jeans, struggling to do up the buttons one handed.

“Need a hand?” he mumbled, voice husky with sleep.

She jumped a little, startled by his question before she turned to him with a cheeky grin. “I do need a hand actually. I seem to have misplaced one of mine.”

Harry rolled his eyes at her joke and motioned her over to the side of the bed so that he could reach out and do up the buttons for her. “Why are you getting dressed? Come back to bed.”

“Gonna go see mum,” she replied, kissing his forehead before grabbing a sweater off the end of the bed and slipping it over her head. “Be back in a few hours.”

“You want company or is this something you gotta do alone?” he asked softly, sitting up and letting the sheets pool around his hips.

“It’s ok baby, go back to sleep.”

“That’s not what I asked,” Harry replied. “I’m coming with you unless you want to be alone.”

“I wouldn’t mind the company,” she answered, smiling softly as Harry climbed out of the bed and slipped into his own clothes, taking her hand before leading her out of the bedroom.

An hour later Harry parked near the Wimbledon Cemetery, rounding the car to hold open the passenger door for Aurora before taking her hand and walking by her side through the large wrought iron gates. They walked quietly past the older headstones until they reached the newer plots, following the familiar winding paths until the reached Louise Bennett’s headstone. The grass was damp beneath Rori’s knees as she sank to the ground, Harry’s hand resting comfortingly on her shoulder as she reached out to brush away the dry autumn leaves on the ground.

“Hi Mumma,” she whispered. “Sorry I haven’t been to visit for a while, it’s been a pretty wild year.”

NEXT CHAPTER

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[animeniacss]

6 Years - Hoseok x Reader - Chapter 4 - The Dance Recital

Synopsis: 6 years. That’s all it can take to take another look at someone and see that they have completely changed. You were once an eager 20-year-old, with your dreams all in view, and Jung Hoseok at your side to view them with you. However, after a break up the end of your junior year of college, everything seemed different. Now, you’re a recently divorced single mother of two, and your life is nowhere near what you thought it would be. However, after reuniting with Jung Hoseok, you may just be able to capture a little bit of that exciting youth you once knew so long ago.

Feat. BTS Members, Nayeon (TWICE), and Yuna (itzy)

Genre: Romance, SingleMother!AU, Past Relationship, Drama, Some Depictions of Violence/Domestic Abuse

Length: approx.  5k words

Chapter 4 - The Dance Recital 

It had been some time since you had alone time with Hoseok, about a week. The two of you had mostly seen each other at the dance studio and he kept his promise of stopping by once in a while when he was near your house. Those visits were pretty brief, he would sit with the girls and play for a bit, which gave you some time to fold laundry or get dinner ready. You felt bad as if sometimes he would work as a babysitter, but Hoseok assured you every time that it was no big deal.

           Today was another one of those days. Hoseok had stopped by after finishing up at the dance studio with one of his hip hop classes. When you let him in, he saw Min Ja was standing in front of the TV in her white and pink recital outfit. She was practicing for the recital, which was less than a week at this point. Hyo Bin was sitting beside her, a graham cracker in her mouth as her sister kept restarting her routine.

           “Hyo Bin, you have to watch carefully.” Min Ja said. “Because when you do your recital when you’re big, you’ll have to do the same thing.” Hyo Bin kind of babbled out a response, and despite only some words being comprehended by the average human ear, Min Ja seemed to understand perfectly. “Yeah, it’s really hard. But it’s okay.”

           “Looks whose here.” You hummed, stepped into the living room with Hoseok following right behind. Min Ja looked over and saw him, a wide toothy-grin forming on her face.

           “Mr. Hobi!” She gasped, hurrying over to him and squeezing his leg with all the force she had in her little body. Hyo Bin used the floor to stand herself up, before padding her little legs over towards him as well.

           “Well hello there, girls.” He patted Min Ja’s head. “I hope I didn’t interrupt your practicing, Min Ja.”

           “You did.” She said, and Hoseok chuckled a bit. “But it’s okay. Do you wanna see me practice?! Mommy said I’m doing super good!” You saw Hoseok catch your gaze, and he smiled a bit at you.

           “Of course, I do.” He said as his eyes fell back to the little girl. She squealed, hurrying back to her spot. Hoseok followed, offering his hand to Hyo Bin. She responded by lifting her hands up to him. “Oh, okay.” He said, scooping her up without a fight. She lifted up her graham cracker as he followed Min Ja into the living room.

           “Look.” She said. “Yummy, yummy~.” She giggled.

           “Ooh, Yummy, yummy.” He repeated, making Hyo Bin giggle. When you all entered the living room, Min Ja hurried to your phone, which had ended the song. Hoseok noticed this and lifted your phone up as Min Ja took the position.

           “You have to be the music man!” Min Ja said. Hoseok nodded.

           “Alright.” He said happily. “Ready? Get into position.” He said. Min Ja nodded, and once she was in position, Hoseok started the music. You walked past them and into the kitchen, where you were setting up lunch. You weren’t too sure what you were going to make at first, and kind of decided last minute that some sandwiches would work best. From the kitchen, you could hear Hoseok giving gasps and cheers of encouragement for Min Ja’s performance. It felt natural, and hearing someone else’s interactions with your daughters always made you feel at ease. As you put together three sandwiches, cutting one of them in half to split between your girls, you heard footsteps heading towards the kitchen.

           “Mommy, I’m hungry!” Min Ja called.

           “I’m just finishing with lunch.” You said to her. “Wash your hands and come in here.” You heard Min Ja hurry back to the living room to alert everyone else. You got up and walked into the living room, picking up Hyo Bin and taking her to the sink with Min Ja. The three of you washed your hands, and when you returned back to the kitchen, you saw Hoseok standing by the counter. “Do you want to stay for lunch?” you asked curiously.

           “Ah, I think I’m just going to head home.” He said. “I’m pretty tired, I just happened to be in the neighborhood today that’s all.” He sighed. “These recital practices are a lot more stressful than the thought; all the kids are on edge and it’s starting to hit me too…”

           “Your group is going to do great.” You assured him as you passed by. Taking one of the sandwiches, you put it in a little baggie and handed it to him. “Here. Take it for the road.” Hoseok took it and quickly examined the food in the bag. “Don’t worry, I remember your favorite kind.” You teased, and you saw the corners of Hoseok’s lips poke up in a smile.

           “Thank you.” He said. “I probably won’t be able to stop by much until after the recital is over.” He admitted. You nodded, and Hoseok turned to the girls. “Be good for Mom, okay, guys?” he asked. The girls looked up. Min Ja was already taking a bite of her sandwich, and Hyo Bin was lifting her up to her mouth, the sandwich much too big for her tiny mouth. Min Ja waved to him, and Hyo Bin wasn’t far behind in copying her. “Make sure you practice, Min Ja.”

           “Okay, Mr. Hobi.” She said after swallowing the bite. You walked Hoseok to the door.

           “I’ll see you at the recital.” You said happily. “I really look forward to it.”

           “Me too.” He said happily. You waved him off, wishing him a safe trip home before closing the door behind you and locking it. As you headed back into the kitchen, you really couldn’t wait for the recital to get here.

           “Mommy, will Mr. Hobi come back soon?” Min Ja asked curiously. You took a seat at the table and finally began to eat your sandwich as well.

           “Soon.” You assured. “When he has time, he’ll come to see us.” You nodded. “Now, eat your lunch before we go down for a nap.” Min Ja nodded and ate.

----

           On the day of the recital, you were sitting in the living room with Min Ja in your lap and Hyo Bin sitting by your side. You were pulling her hair into a tight bun, with a piece of braided hair wrapped around it. She was fidgeting, most likely due to nerves, so you had to keep calming her down so she would sit still.

           “Is Daddy coming?” she asked curiously.

           “Yes.” You said.

           “And Uncle Tae?”

           “He’s going to try his hardest. But I’m going to record it in case he misses it.”

           “You’re going to record it?!” Min Ja gasped. As you finished with her hair, she turned to look at you with frantic eyes. “No, no Mommy!”

           “Honey you’re going to do okay.” You assured, kissing her forehead. “Daddy and I are so excited to see you because you’ve been practicing so hard. Okay?” Min Ja pouted, and you tried to comfort her with a tight hug. Min Ja’s arms wrapped around your neck and squeezed. “Mmmm, ready to go?” Min Ja nodded. Gathering all of your stuff, you sent a text to Weong-Bin, reminding him to be on his way to the recital, before heading out with the girls.

           The auditorium that the recital was held in was rented out for the day by Jimin for about two hours, which was enough time to get through all the different group's performances. The auditorium was a decent size, allowing for about 200 friends and family to come in and see the performance. It was filling up with people now, and children were gathering in the back to prepare with their groups. Jimin was there now, fixing his jacket as he turned to see Hoseok talking with a few other dance instructors. He was looking over the schedule for the performances, and his hip hop group was fourth to go. As he stepped away from his friends, he saw his group of dancers practicing together nearby. He made his way over to give them a pep talk.

           You walked into the auditorium with your girls in your grip as you squeezed past people to get inside. Once you got inside, you scanned the area to see if you noticed Weong-Bin or your step-brother, or any other recognizable face. With none in sight, you huffed and checked your messages. Weong-Bin was on his way, but there was no message from Taehyung yet. As you searched for a collection of seats, you heard a voice.

           “Hey.” Looking up you saw Jimin approaching. He was smiling. “You look lost.”  

           “Just waiting for my wonderful ex-husband.” You hummed, sarcasm in your voice. “I was waiting before dropping Min Ja off to you.” Jimin smiled down at Min Ja, who was gripping your hand and nuzzling into your skirt. “She’s nervous…” you said simply.

           “Aww, Min Ja.” He squatted down to her level. “There’s nothing to be nervous about. Why don’t we go backstage and practice, hm?” Min Ja glanced up at you, and you offered her a kind smile. Giving a nod, she took Jimin’s hand following him backstage. With that settled, you managed to find seats and sat down with Hyo Bin on your lap, setting your purse and coat down on the chairs beside you to ensure nobody would take them until the others arrived.

           It wasn’t long before you heard a voice at your side.

           “You’re really wearing that?” Glancing up, you saw Weong-Bin. He was wearing a white button-up and slacks as if he had just gotten off work. He ran a hand through his hair as you stood up.

           “Wearing what?” You asked curiously as you watched Hyo Bin reach out and eagerly greet her father. He took her into his arms and kissed her hello before turning his attention back to you. You ran a hand along the sides of your black skirt in an attempt to smooth it out. That, along with a white blouse that had the sleeves cut out and some leggings, you felt it was appropriate.

           “This.” He pointed to your button-up shirt. “A kid’s recital with tons of people and you think a skirt that short is appropriate?” You felt your face heat up, and you suddenly got anxious about your appearance. Weong-Bin rolled his eyes, before sitting down with Hyo Bin still in his arms. “Anyway, is your brother coming?”

           “….Yeah, he’s supposed to be coming right after work.” You mumbled, sitting down right beside him, smoothing your skirt out in the process. You checked your phone, and still no response from Taehyung. He must be driving over here. His new job must be taking up a lot of time for him. You thought to yourself as you put your phone away. Your eyes fell to the stage, where you saw Jimin passing over multiple times, checking the lighting, talking with those in charge of the music, and just looking generally panicked. It was a shame; you’d much rather be talking with him instead of sitting here right now. Your eyes fell to Weong-Bin, who was playing with Hyo Bin and complimenting her dress, which she tried telling him about in her toddler vocabulary.

           Footsteps were heard approaching you a few minutes later, and you looked towards them, assuming it was your step-brother finally arriving. However, when you looked up, instead you saw Hoseok. He was dressed in a nice little white button-up with a bow tie and dress pants. When you caught his gaze, a smile formed on his face as he hurried to you. You didn’t realize how quickly you stood up until you heard your chair skid back a bit from how forcefully you threw yourself up from the chair. Turning towards it, you fixed the chair before looking back at Hoseok.

           “Hey.” He said with a smile.

           “Hey~.” You quickly embraced him in a hug. “You look adorable in that bowtie.” You teased. Hoseok chuckled, a bit of pink dusting his cheeks.

           “Aww thanks.” He said happily. “You look good too.” He motioned to your little business casual attire. Hearing that made you immediately think back to the skirt, and you smoothed it out a bit.

           “It’s not to short, is it?” you asked softly, biting your lip. Hoseok raised his eyebrow.

           “No? Where would you get an idea like that?” As if on cue, Hoseok saw Weong-Bin stand up with Hyo Bin in his grasp. Hoseok saw him stand behind you, and his question kind of felt answered. “Oh…hello, Weong-Bin.”

           “Been a while, Hoseok.” He said. “How are you?”

           “Fine.” He said, a kind smile on his face regardless of how he felt about the guy. The two knew each other in college, and were…friendly? Kind of. Hoseok tried to be nice, but Weong-Bin didn’t want to be bothered. “Nice of you to come.” Weong-Bin frowned at that statement.

           “Min Ja hasn’t stopped talking about it for weeks.” He pointed out. You looked between the two men and sensed a bit of tension between them. You couldn’t really blame them; they were after all two people you used to be in relationships with. As the tension grew, you put a hand on Hoseok’s shoulder.

           “Are your kids ready for the performance?” you asked, giving a small smile in hopes of diverting his attention. Hoseok looked at you and smiled back.

           “Yeah they’re practicing right now. I should probably get back to them soon.”

           “Yeah, you probably should.” Weong-Bin hissed. You looked at him in embarrassment.

           “What the hell is wrong with you?” you asked him. You sighed, looking at Hoseok. When he looked at you, he saw the embarrassment on your face. Your eyes were cast down for a moment. Hoseok tilted his head and smiled down at you reassuringly. When you glanced up at him, seeing his kind smile making you feel better.

           “I’ll come by and see you again before my performance, okay?” He said.

           “Okay.” You said happily, waving him off. He glanced back at Weong-Bin and offered another kind smile to him.

           “I’ll see you later.” He said. “I hope you look forward to the show.” Weong-Bin simply nodded and waved Hoseok off. When he was far enough away, you turned back to Weong-Bin.

           “Are you insane? Why are you being so rude?!” You asked. Weong-Bin sighed, turning back to Hyo Bin, who was still in his arms and looking around at the other sources of noise and chatter from others who were around. “You’re unbelievable.” Just as the two of you began to bicker, you, fortunately, heard a voice to pull you out of it. 

           “HEY!” Looking over you saw Taehyung, your 25-year-old stepbrother rushing towards you. He was wearing a white tee-shirt with a red plaid Gucci sweater and pair of jeans. He was running a hand through his curly black hair, a wide smile on his face, as he approached you. Without missing a beat, he hugged you tightly. “Sorry, I’m so late. Traffic was a nightmare. Did it start yet?”

           “Does it look like it?” Weong-Bin asked, glancing over to the empty stage, and people mingling in the isles. Taehyung’s boxy smile dropped into a frown as you pulled away from the hug.

           “Hello Weong-Bin.” He said. Weong-Bin glanced down at Hyo Bin. When she saw Taehyung standing beside you, her eyes lit up.

           “Woooah, Uncle Tae!” She cooed, grinning. Your brother’s boxy smile returned as he reached out to take Hyo Bin into his arms.

           “Hello, my little princess!” He cooed, kissing her cheek. “Are you excited to see Min Ja dance for us?”

           “Yeah!” Hyo Bin cheered. You smiled as you saw how happy Hyo Bin has become as she had Taehyung had a mini conversation. Your attention was grabbed by Weong-Bin out of the blue when he gripped your hand.

           “Taehyung, watch Hyo Bin.” Taehyung glanced up at him, only to see you being dragged out of the room with him. “We need to talk.”

           “Weong-Bin.” You tried to call his name, but he wouldn’t respond. He took you out of the room, into the hallway, and down one of the corridors, to a section of the building that wasn’t rented out for the recital. It was an empty hallway. When he finally slowed down, he dropped your hand out of his gripped and you stopped. “What on earth are you doing?”      

           “What the hell are you doing talking to Jung Hoseok?” he asked, bitter anger dripping off of his lips as he spoke. It intimidated you a bit, but you stepped back from him and crossed your arms.

           “What do you mean?” You asked. “He and I ran into each other earlier this month. We hung out a few times.”

           “Min Ja told me it was a date.” He hissed. You felt your cheeks heat up at the mentioning of that word…date. “Was it? Was that who came over the time you were cooking when I came over?”    

           “That’s none of your business.” You said simply.

           “I’m taking that as a yes.” He huffed, rolling his eyes.

           “Look, why do you even care? What about Sooyeon? Do you really think she’ll be happy that you’re meddling into your ex-wife’s business?” Weong-Bin’s intimidating demeanor faltered just slightly, and he stuffed his hands in his pockets. “…What?”

           “Sooyeon and I didn’t work out.” He said simply. “She thought I spent to much time worrying about you, and I thought she was fooling around with other guys. It didn’t work out.”

           “Well, I’m sorry to hear that, but she’s right. You shouldn’t be getting into my business.”

           “You’re the mother and guardian of my daughters, don’t I have a right to be curious?”

           “Do you have such little faith in me?”

           “Should I?”

           “You’re unbelievable.” You quickly turned on your heel to make you way back to the auditorium. However, Weong-Bin quickly grabbed your wrist and turned you back to him. “Weong-Bin-.” You scoffed, turning back to face him. When you did, you saw his face get uncomfortably close to yours.

           “I also broke up with her because…well…you’re right. I shouldn’t be so much in your business.” You felt your heart begin to race, and as badly as you wanted to look to the floor, to the ceiling, to the wall, anywhere except directly at him, you were unable to pull away. “I want us to be a family again…” As soon as those words hit your ears, you felt your body go rigid, and you were unable to move. The shock is sent through your body, it felt as if you were in a bad dream, and it would just be moments until you woke up in a cold sweat to your alarm, and the sound of your girls shouting for your attention. However, that moment never came, and every second that you were realizing this was cold, hard reality, you wanted to curl up into a ball and escape this agony eating away at you.

           “….What?” You choked out. Weong-Bin finally pulled back a bit.

           “You heard me. I made my mistakes and I’m sorry. I want us to….try and work it.” You were silent for a moment, trying to process what was going on. After a second too long of thinking about it, you frowned.

           “No…” you said. He blinked, shocked as your answer.

           “No?” he hissed. You saw the anger in his eyes and you shivered, but you tried to keep your level head.

           “I…I don’t know why you’re doing this, I-.”

           “I know, and I’m sorry but-.” He stepped towards you, his hands cupping your cheeks gently. You flinched a bit despite his gentle touch. As his big, soft hands sat on your cheeks, one his thumbs gently gliding across your skin, you felt like you were 22 again. Recently married, thrilled out of your mind, and hopelessly in love. The good memories began flooding back, all from his gentle touch that you haven’t felt in so long. A part of you wanted to believe him, a part of you just wanted to go back to having a stable family, a normal life for your girls where they didn’t have to go between two different homes, two different sets of rules and two different lives every couple of days for the rest of their lives.

Weong-Bin noticed your face soften a little bit, and he smiled at the sight. “I’ve come to realize how wrong I was for the way I treated you. I want to be better for the girls…for you…for us….” When you didn’t respond, he dropped his hands from your cheeks. “I know this is sudden.”

           “You think?”

           “But don’t I deserve an answer?” More silence on your part. Now, he was starting to get frustrated. “You really hurt me when you had your step-brother serve me those divorce papers.”  You looked up at him, a frown forming on your face as you felt your throat close up. You were trying…god, where you trying to keep yourself from tears. Your eyes were burning. Forcing yourself to gulp, you shook your head.

           “I…I hurt you?” You hissed, your vision beginning to cloud. You quickly wiped your eyes. You could see Weong-Bin was furious, but you didn’t care. “I didn’t want to file for divorce, but you left me no choice! I was miserable, I-.” You took a deep breath, trying to keep you calm when you remembered that you were not home. “I can’t do this here. I don’t want to be with you anymore. I don’t care what you say to me…I can’t…. I can’t do it.”

           “Oh, but you’ll go back to that flake Hoseok? Yeah, okay.” You took a deep breath, shaking your head.

           “I cannot believe this, on a night that Min Ja has been waiting for almost two months, you do this! You’re so selfish sometimes.”  Weong-Bin glared at you when you insulted him like that, but you were to busy mentally gearing yourself up to care. “Do not sit by me in there. I don’t even want to look at you.” Turning on your heel, you quickly walked down the hallway and straight back to Taehyung and Hyo Bin. Your mind was racing.

           What on earth was he thinking?! What is he saying?! After all he’s done, he thinks he can just ask and I’ll forget everything that’s happened? No, I can’t… He’s such a jerk off… As you thought, as every sentence raced through your mind, you felt your vision blur with tears. Your heart was pounding in your ears, and you felt like if you stopped moving, you would kneel over and vomit onto the floor. As you saw the door to the auditorium approaching, you noticed through blurry eyes that Jimin was by the front door. He was talking to a mother who had a daughter in the same class as Min Ja, as well as a daughter in the older ballet division. Jimin turned to you and called out your name to greet you as you got closer. However, you walked right past him, and he turned in your direction.

           “Hey!” He called, watching your head into the crowd of people who were starting to find their seats. The recital was starting in five minutes, and he had to go backstage. When you hurried to your seat, you saw Taehyung in his seat. Hyo Bin was sitting in his lap, and he was looking up, talking to someone who you couldn’t see. From the way his head was positioned, you could tell that this individual was standing. Taehyung was talking, laughing, overall smiling. As you got closer, trying to shakily excuse yourself through many people who were shuffling into their seats, you saw that Hoseok was there. He was grinning, clapping his hands together in a fit of laughter as he listened to whatever Taehyung was saying. Both boys looked up when they saw you approached. You had a vague idea of what you looked like when you approached, but you knew it probably wasn’t very appealing when Taehyung stood right up out of his seat. Both boys had a worried expression on their faces, and Taehyung gently passed Hyo Bin to Hoseok, who took her into his arms.

           “Woah…what happened?” he asked. Without responding, you quickly wrapped your arms around his neck, squeezing him as you buried your head in his shoulder. He gently placed his hands on your back, resting his chin on your neck. “Hey…” he said gently. “What happened? Was it Weong-Bin?” He glanced up, seeing Weong-Bin walk into the auditorium. He did not come towards the seats, however. Instead, he kept himself up against the wall, crossing his arms. “Let’s sit down…” he said gently, motioning towards the seats. You nodded, wiping your eyes.

           “Okay.” You said gently. Glancing up, you saw Hoseok and Hyo Bin both looking in your direction. As you took a step towards him, Hyo Bin reached out to you. She could sense your decrease in mood, and worry was etched on her face.

           “What’s wrong, Mama?” She mumbled as you took her into your arms. “What’s wrong?”

           “Nothing, honey…” you said, wiping your eyes a bit as you kissed her hair. “Let’s sit down and watch Min Ja, okay?” Hyo Bin nuzzled into your neck, and you glanced at Hoseok.

           “Are you alright?” he asked worryingly.

           “Yeah, I just…” you took a deep breath. “It’s not important right now. What’s important is this recital.” When you saw he wasn’t convinced, you tried to be playful and poke his chest. It didn’t work too well. “Good luck, Hobi…” you said happily. Knowing that he was not going to get anything out of you, he nodded.

           “I’ll find you after it’s over.” He said. Just as he was about to leave, Jimin hurried over and patted his shoulder.

           “Five minutes, let’s go.” He said. Glancing at you, he saw you still looked a bit distressed. “You alright?”

           “Yeah.” You assured. “Don’t worry about me. You guys have more important things going on.” Jimin was hesitant, but you gave a reassuring nod. Jimin nodded as he led Hoseok off. Taehyung offered them a support cheer for luck.

           “Fighting, Jimin, Hobi-Hyung!” He shouted, waving happily, receiving waves from them as they hurried backstage. As you settled beside Taehyung, your daughter on your lap. “Are you sure you’re okay? Do I need to talk to that idiot for you?”

           “No, Tae.” You said. “Tonight, if for Min Ja. Not him. He just doesn’t understand that.”

           “Oh, I know. Remember when he tried to make my college graduation party all about him?” He smiled as he finally heard a chuckle leave your lips. “Guys a total narcissist. Nothing ever made me happier than when I got to serve him those divorce papers.”

           “I know.” You said, patting his shoulder as a smile formed on his lips. Just then, the lights dimmed, and lights flooded the stage as Jimin walked towards the microphone. You heard Taehyung cheer his friend. The two of them went to high school together, and have been best friends for years, so when Jimin heard Taehyung’s obnoxious cheer, he couldn’t help but turn his head from the microphone to laugh a bit. When he turned back, he began to speak.

           “Welcome everyone to our first recital as the newly formed Dance Canvas Studio.” A roar of applause was heard from the crowd. “We’ve worked really hard, and we look forward to sharing what we have prepared for the past two months with you all.” Jimin added a bit of a speech about how he came to own the studio, recalled the success the studio had before him, as well as what he hoped they could expand the studio to become in the future. “With all of that out of the way… the fun begins.” A light chuckle escaped his lips. “Our first group is our beginning ballet class, which I mainly instruct. They will be doing a dance to Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, from The Nutcracker. One of our older ballet dancers, Hye Su, will be leading them. Enjoy.” The claps arose again, and you saw mothers from all areas pulling out their phones and video cameras. You did the same, and Hyo Bin tried to reach for it a few times, but you had to stop her. Taehyung quickly took her from your lap and put him in hers. She began to whine a bit at the sudden switch, but Taehyung kissed her hair and gently tried to soothe her.

           You watched Hye Su walk out onto the stage, holding the hand of one of the girls. The line of little four-year-old ballet dancers came onto the stage, and you saw Min Ja right on the end. When she caught your eye, you quickly waved to her before positioning the camera. It took a moment, but the music started, and the performance began.

           Once the performance was over, you lowered your phone to clap for the girls. Min Ja did just as wonderful as you expected, and you saw her beaming from her spot-on stage as the group bowed. She must have been so excited because even when the girls began to exit the stage with Hye Su, Min Ja continued to bow and curtsey on the stage. Amused giggles were heard from the audience, and you felt your cheeks go red.

           “Oh Lord…” you sighed, covering your face as Taehyung began to laugh beside you. Min Ja was eventually led off the stage by another little girl, who took her hand and finally got her off of the stage. As Jimin came to introduce the next stage of ballet dancers, you turned your head to see the status of Weong-Bin.

           He caught your gaze just as he was exiting the auditorium, hands in his pockets.

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[underachievers-please-try-harder]

Interview // Daughters of Reykjavik

For The Forty-Five. Read online.

Dry pussy feminist bitch?” Salka Valsdottir is trying to recall the most offensive comment her band has ever received online. “There are so many bad ones,” the rapper and producer smirks unruffled, speaking over Zoom from the Berlin studio in which she works. In the seven years since their formation, Daughters of Reykjavik – FKA Reykjavíkurdætur – have become depressingly accustomed to verbal abuse. It’s heartening, then, to hear them reclaiming these very slurs on new track ‘No Comment’, and not least because the song forms part of ‘Soft Spot’, their new record and the band’s strongest body of work to date.

Released in May, this self-produced second album represents a giant leap forward for the all-female hip-hop group, eclipsing 2018’s debut ‘Shrimpcocktail’, both in terms of ambition and execution. Now a tight, nine-piece outfit – rather than the nebulous, 20-something-strong collective that first found international notoriety at Iceland Airwaves festival in 2015 – their beats are sicker and bars are slicker, and despite clearly aiming at a larger audience they’re making no discernible concessions in regards to their famously frank subject matter. One moment they’re skewering their more materialistic instincts (‘Fool’s Gold’) or flipping misogynistic hip-hop tropes (the Eminem-bating ‘A Song To Kill Boys To’), and the next they’re exploring female solidarity via a sweet, Spice Girls-inspired bop called ‘DTR’.

We sat down for a lockdown video chat with Salka and band mate Steiney Skuladottir, and talked trolls, empowerment and achieving world domination, one baby at a time.

So it must be a bit of an anti-climax releasing an album during lockdown?

Salka: “(Exhales slowly) Yes. (Laughs) We did have a lot of great reactions and reviews online, so it did feed our egos a little bit, but not as much as it would usually. Which is probably a pretty good thing – sometimes you get a little bit crazy when you’re releasing something. What I think is sad is that we’re not going to have this momentum to tour with this album. But I don’t know, maybe it was better for this album anyway, because it’s a pretty soft album in many ways; an album that was intended to be streamed more than it was necessarily to be performed live. So now we’re going to have to make a huge party album and release it and tour with that.”

How has reducing your numbers to nine impacted the creative process?

Steiney: “This record was very different from the others because Salka said she wanted to produce the album – which we loved. Before, we’ve always had random beats from random producers, but Salka wanted to make an album that takes you on a journey, from the start to the end.”

Salka: “Also, writing was a way more integrated process than in previous projects, where we’ve written in pairs and then we’ve met and hustled the verses together. But this record we wrote mostly in the summer camp when we were all together, bouncing verses back and forth. And as a result I think it became way more fluent and integrated and personal, and that everyone was able to very much channel what they were really good at.

Steiney: “I think we could have a Ted Talk or something about how to work in a group. We’re so good at it.”

Salka: “All of us have to work in other jobs as well. So you have to be pretty dedicated to prioritise something that doesn’t pay your bills. And for the past two years this has been a very, very time consuming project. So some of the [former members] wanted to focus on something else, or had children and didn’t feel like doing both with their other work.”

Speaking of which, I was really impressed to see Sura performing while heavily pregnant in the video for ‘Thirsty Hoes’.

Salka: “Yeah! There’s always one pregnant person. Always. We’re nine and four of us have children. Including the members that are currently working in the band and the members that have been in the band, how many babies have there been born this year? Six?”

Steiney: “Yeah I think so.”

Salka: “There are, like, six new Daughters of Reykjavik in 2020”

Steiney: “We are naturally taking over the world by reproducing.”

You look back on your band history in the video for your latest single, ‘DTR’, right?

Steiney: “Yeah, It’s old videos from our phones from the past five years, when we started touring abroad.”

Salka: “We also decided to include every member that’s ever been in the band. It’s so crazy to see how many members have fluctuated through this little system.

Steiney: Basically, every single girl you will see on the screen has been in the band. I think it’s 23 people.”

The concept for the video fits so well with song, which is basically a love letter to each other. What prompted you to write it?

Steiney: “We’ve often had the question, ‘Who do you look to for inspiration, and who do you want to be like?’ And it kept coming up that we were like, ‘I think, just each other.’ I never feel as powerful as I do onstage with this group of girls. I feel like I can do anything – I can fuck up or I can do something amazing – and they’re always going to love me no matter what and celebrate whatever I do. It’s such a big difference from the rest of this male-dominated world. It’s such a relief.”

Salka: “The dynamic of the group makes you feel so powerful. When we were writing the record at the summer camp a year and a half ago, I think this was one of the last songs we wrote. We were reminiscing and thinking about how we could make something that would be for us, and to confirm the feelings we have for each other and for this group. I don’t think there are a lot of songs in Iceland that are specifically made for or about female friendship, and the confirmation and admiration women have for each other. I was just imagining 13 year old girls drinking for the first time and singing this song at karaoke, crying.”

Steiney: “‘You’re the one who always reminds me of the strength I have inside.’ That’s the chorus. And it’s just so on point of what this group does, I think, for every single one of us.”

And you’ve had to put on a united front because you’ve faced a lot of resistance back home. Do you think that criticism is essentially fuelled by misogyny?

Salka: A lot of it has been pure misogyny. And when you get really used to really, really sexist comments and someone tries to approach you with an opinion that is actually more like constructive criticism, I have caught myself just being too defensive to even be able to listen.

Steiney: Especially because at the beginning it wouldn’t matter what we would put out we would always get these hateful comments from the media here in Iceland. And we got famous very quickly in Iceland. Basically in one night.

Salka: Also, when we started we were amateurs. We were having fun and we were trying something out that we weren’t necessarily comfortable with or confident in. I think women especially get scrutinised for being amateur. It’s almost completely unacceptable. To have this group of this many women that all sucked but were still having all this fun, I think that inspired as many people as it infuriated. But there were a lot of shitty, blatantly sexist comments. It was a really crazy mirror on Icelandic society as well, which is recognised internationally for being progressive.

You’re scheduled to play Iceland Airwaves in November. What can we expect from the show?

Steiney: I think it’s gonna be such a good gig because we’re gonna be so fucking excited and eager. The only thing is I’m scared about is that somebody’s just going to injure themselves because we’re overexcited. That somebody’s gonna run off the stage…

Salka: That’ll be you, Steiney! You’re going to fucking do it (Laughs) But you can expect energy. A lot of it. Too much, some might say. Like, a lot of interactivity with the audience, a lot of chaotic choreography. Somebody once called us shitty Pussycat Dolls. (Laughs)

Steiney: That’s what you’re gonna get. (Laughs) With, I guess, more danger.

Salka: Pussy Riot meets Pussycat Dolls.

[texastheband]

Size does matter

By Lena Corner Taken from I-D Magazine - May 1999, Issue #186 ‘Skin & Soul’

After the rebirth of cool that was White on Blonde, Texas are finally ready to capitalise on their credibility. And for Sharleen Spiteri, this time it's personal...

Armed with a wedge of crisp tenners ready to blow at the bar, it's impossible to deny a slight tinge of disappointment when Sharleen Spiteri's choice of beverage turns out to be a cup of tea. Ask what she's doing at the weekend and she talks excitedly about staying in to await delivery of a new fridge. Getting on a domestic roll, she waxes lyrical about the draught excluders she's just fitted in her new Primrose Hill home. "I think I'm turning into my mum," she concludes.

Sharleen Spiteri may be a woman who stands accused of many things, but domestic obsession isn't one of them. She's been criticised for trying to add credibility to her soul-tinged radio-friendly rock by aligning herself with the likes of Rae and Christian and the Wu-Tang Clan. When she employed Juergen Teller to shoot the cover of Texas' 1997 album White On Blonde, it was said she brought him in an attempt to re-invent herself as a moody, hip and highly marketable frontwoman. Even her choice of boyfriend, Arena Homme Plus editor Ashley Heath, who she's been seeing for years, has been called her svengali figure, a calculated move to position herself within the sphere of all things cool. "I've never ever seen it written where someone's gone, 'Yeah Sharleen's alright, she knows what she's doing'," she says. "But it's like fuck them, who cares? Everyone seems to forget that I used to be a hairdresser, I used to do shoots constantly and teach all over the world. I was very much part of the whole industry before I was ever in a band, then suddenly it got to this point where everyone was saying Texas are trying to re-invent themselves. People want a story though, they want to invent something." When Sharleen first appeared on the cover of i-D back in March'97, readers wrote in to complain: why should we want to feature someone like Spiteri? She was old news: her debut single, I Don't Want a Lover, hit number eight way back in '89. Her records shifted millions and she'd spent far too much time at the top of the charts. In 1997, Texas were one of the most played acts on British radio. Mass market, stadium-sized exposure - how uncool is that? "I don't want to make cool music," she retorts angrily. "What is cool music? It might be cool today but it's not going to be cool tomorrow. People still talk about ‘I Don't Want A Lover’ and that was ten years ago; to me that's far cooler than writing some fucking stupid song that sold 20 copies. It's like, don't waste my time, pretentious fucks. I'm not interested in being trendy. I went through all that when I was 16. It seems it's more important nowadays to be into the right music, wear the right trainers, sit in the right bars and have the right furniture. It's too much effort, I'm too old and it's too boring." Hence her fad for draught, excluders. There was a time, though, when Sharleen did care what people thought and she'd sit through interviews desperately trying to be liked. Even so, after the third Texas album, Ricks Road, the backlash kicked in. People lost interest, the press wrote her off and Spiteri took it all very personally. The whole experience left her feeling crushed and betrayed, she says. For a while Texas plugged away on the European tour circuit; they went "where the love was". But when the tour ended in '95, Spiteri had had enough and took off to Paris for a year to live with her mate. For a while it was touch and go. But today she's got an Ivor Novello award for 'outstanding body of work' sitting on her mantelpiece and a four million-selling comeback album. Finally she realised it was time to stop caring what people thought. "We really fought to make that album," Sharleen admits. "A lot of people thought Texas had split up - some didn't know we'd ever existed - but we made a record because we believed in our ability to keep it going, we kept our values and rode it through. When people aren't interested, you really have to fight for what you believe in; we did and to come through the other end was the biggest gift anyone could ever have given us. All those people who went out and brought that record was the biggest compliment anyone could ever pay us." At the end 1997, Texas played at the Hogmanay party in Edinburgh. With the castle as a backdrop and a sky exploding with fireworks, the curtain came down on what Sharleen describes as an unbelievable, fantastic year. That moment, playing to a rapturous New Year's audience, marked the end of the White On Blonde era and two days later, still riding on the buzz, she sat down with co-writer Johnny McElhone in her Glasgow recording studio and tried to do it again. The Hush, their fifth album, is the result. "This is the Texas album we've been building up to throughout our entire history," she says. "I really do believe we've nailed it."

Sharleen describes it as sensual, a collection of moods, hence the title. They spent weeks planning the running order; it's a record, she reckons, that will take your imagination to all sorts of different places when you put it on in your bedroom. Namechecked influences remain the classic Texas roll call: "You can hear the Roxy Music influences," she says. "Abba and the Human League all mixed in with The Beatles, Marvin Gaye, AI Green and Ann Peebles." The result is pure, polished summer-tinged pop with Spiteri's syrupy, smooth vocals stronger than ever, delivered lying as usual on her back. For the album's artwork, this time Sharleen chose Gucci campaign photographer Luis Sanchez and headed out to Miami Beach where she languished in the sea for something more seductive than the pared down White On Blonde sleeve. "It was a case of let's go to the other end of the spectrum," she says, "the complete opposite of what Juergen Teller would do. He's very stripped down, very in your face. But because it's called The Hush, we wanted something shiny and glamorous. I've always loved the Roxy Music sleeves, classic late '70s album covers. It was more on that tip." The source of inspiration for one track entitled The Girl actually came from Lauryn Hill. It refers to that rare thing: a woman with money and power, with the conviction to use it exactly the way she wants to. "She's stuck to her guns and I think that's what it's all about," Sharleen says. "I'm so aware a lot of people are quite prepared to sell their soul to get what they want, but I'm not and I don't think Lauryn is either. I look at men's magazines and see all these girls on the cover; you simply cannot get on one unless you're prepared to get your tits out and so many people do. It's inspiring seeing the way Lauryn Hill does it. And then she gets called an awkward bitch for it. It's so difficult if you're a woman and you've got an opinion. It's not considered an opinion, it's a fucking attitude problem and I find that very frustrating." Inevitably Spiteri with her natural, androgynous good looks and flair for throwing together Prada with trainers has had countless offers to strip down and 'do something sexy'. But their idea of sexy, she says, is very different from her own. "Sexy is really all about imagining as opposed to seeing. That's why I love working with Juergen; his whole thing is about catching a real moment, something that you actually would do like sit in the bath. If it's all there in your face you don't even see it. But once you've shown it, you've shown it and you can't go back on it. I think it's laughable - if that's where the male sex are supposed to be at, it's very sad. Why do they have to have everything in pictures to understand how things work?" At school, Sharleen was one of those girls who were approached by the boys - but sadly never for anything she had to offer. "I'm not an archetypal beauty. Everything's a mess, my nose is all bent," she says. "It was always, Sharleen, you know your mate, sort us out a date.' I was like a pimp at school. At the time it was like, 'You bastard', but it was actually a really good way to accept the way I am." In those days, Spiteri was convinced she was going to grow up to be a designer. She gave up her Saturdays to study fashion at Glasgow School Of Art, landing her first-ever discount card for the local art supplies shop. She spent countless nights cutting and embellishing outfits, standing on the kitchen table while her long-suffering mum pinned up her latest creation at two in the morning. It's not surprising then that when Muiccia Prada approached her to model for the Miu Miu line, Spiteri turned her down flat. "You're not going to get me stuck with one designer," she says. "I love clothes too much." Back in '89, sporting tomboy denims and a Siouxie Sioux haircut, Spiteri modelled herself on Patti Smith. She made great music, she wasn't gorgeous and she wasn't blonde something to aspire to. But two years ago at the Q awards, Spiteri's mentor came crashing off her pedestal. "She did this whole thing: 'If these are all the people I've influenced then fuck it'. I thought, 'You rude cow'. PJ Harvey gave her the award - if I'd been presenting it I'd have belted her. To have been doing this for so long and to be so lucky to be doing it, she should frigging know better and she should be glad if she's influenced anyone." Since that moment, Spiteri's stopped playing Smith's music. "All I hear when I put her records on is just a really angry person. It's not good vibes to be giving out, it's like what on earth have you possibly got to be angry about?" To this day, Spiteri remains eternally, sweetly grateful for her ten years in Texas, even those spent wallowing in the European pop wilderness. "I'm always very careful what I wish for," she says. "And I never tell anyone because they'll never come true." Texas, she thinks, was something that was always meant to happen, even though when she was first asked to sing she thought it was a wanky chat up line. She carefully avoids tempting fate; insisting on being the last to walk out on stage and always locking away the first pressing of every Texas record because superstition tells her to. She refuses to court fame for fame's sake. "It's easy to be invisible if you want to be," she says. Once a crazed Biblewielding lunatic forced his way into her dressing room in France. Even though he was ousted before he got to say his piece, it was an incredibly frightening moment for her. At 32, she's thinking about having kids; attention like that isn't what she needs. Chances are, The Hush will do a White On Blonde and sell and sell, especially if Chris Evans takes it on as a personal crusade, as he has before. Next month Texas release the single In Our Lifetime. "The whole sentiment behind it is about finding yourself in a situation that's totally meant for you and taking it," Sharleen says. "You only get one chance, it's that once in a lifetime situation; you've got to grab it with both hands and never let it go." The tale of Texas possibly? The story of the girl who ditched a glittering career in hairdressing to join a band on a whim and who persevered in the face of endless criticism. Spiteri pauses for a moment. "Oh yes," she says. "I've never thought of it like that."

The Texas single, In Our Lifetime, is out on April 19 on Mercury, followed on May 10 by The Hush LP.

[irwinkitten]

okay daddy!ash taking princess out to dinner to make sure it’s okay that he proposes to you and then going ring shopping with her!!! LAURA IM NOT OKAY this idea popped in my head and now i’m a mESS

bro what about when ashton asks reader to marry him but he has to get Princess’s approval first and he asks her if it’s okay for him to marry her mommy and he proposes in the sweetest way possible

IDEA! your daughter having a daddy & daughter date with ash and she’s like “so when are you and mommy gonna get married?” AND SHE’S GOTTA HELP PICK OUT THE RING LIKE HE HAS A FEW HE LIKES AND HE HAS TO RUN IT BY THE PRINCESS FIRST

ok hi I cant stop thinking about Ashton talking to his princess about proposing to y/n and y/n overhears and she cant help but smile so big adhauerh

Heyyy! I’m absolutely loving your Ash posts with his little princess! I was thinking, maybe another part where he asks you to marry him after joining him with your daughter on tour?

Just finished the Daddy!ashton and i NEED one where ash gets princess to help with him proposing please! Love you!

Why hasn’t daddy!ash proposed yet???!?!?! I NEED this in my life.

ya’ll have been requesting this from day one. 3k words of pure fluff have fun with ur heart. this is my christmas present to you all. love u xoxo

masterlist is linked in the source

this is part seventeen

—

It was a rare day that you got with just your little girl.

Ashton was tracking for the record for the day and then he and the boys were off out to celebrate the final day. Plus Ashton was stealing her for the day tomorrow as they were going shopping for their theatre date of Finding Neverland. Which gave you an entire day with your princess.

As she climbed into your bed, Ashton having long since vacated his spot, she snuggled close with the small stuffed bear that never hardly left her arms when she was tired.

Most days, you had a list of stuff to do, but Ashton had gotten the last of chores that needed whilst he had his day off and your little girl had her last few days at school.

“Mama, can we bake today?”

“‘Course we can baby. What do you want to make?” She pressed closer to your side, her eyes falling shut as you ran a hand through her hair.

“Cookies n cupcakes.” Her words were half slurred as her breathing evened out and you half smiled, picking up the book on the bedside table. It wouldn’t do either of you any harm to enjoy this lie in and so you took full advantage of it.

When you both next woke up, you felt a lot more refreshed than you had done in a while, and the two of you were in the kitchen with the ingredients all across the counter.

“Cookies or cupcakes first?” You asked your little girl who gleefully cheered.

“Cookies!”

The mixture was easy to make, but it was mostly stopping the both of you from eating the raw dough.

Whilst the cookies were baking in the oven, the two of you washed and dried the bowls and equipment before you set up for making cupcakes.

You had the playlist playing through the speakers in the kitchen, a grin on your face as you helped her prep all of the ingredients before the timer went off for the cookies.

It felt like bliss being able to enjoy this time, taking short videos of her and snapping as many photos as possible, your favourite being the messy selfie she’d all but demanded you to take and send to Ashton.

He sent one back of him and the boys in the studio, waving at the camera.

With the cookies out to cool down, both of you sharing a warm one with a giggle and a promise not to tell Ashton when he got home later on, you began the attempt of making cupcakes.

This was more familiar territory as the two of you sung and danced your way around the kitchen flour everywhere and giggles echoing around the room.

By then time that Ashton crept into bed at about one am, you snuggled closer as he pressed a soft kiss to your forehead.

“How was it?” You mumbled, cracking open an eye to see him switch the bedside lamp off before curling his body around yours.

“Tracking went good, all finished up and shouldn’t need any extras. Party was a success. Pretty sure Luke left with the girl he’s been chatting up.” That made you giggle before snuggling closer as his arms tightened around you.

“She’s excited for tomorrow. We baked cookies and cupcakes. You have a very special one that she decorated by herself.” You hummed and he laughed softly.

“I look forward to it. Get some rest, love.” You were out like a light.

The next morning, you’d fully expected to have to wake Ashton up, especially after the long night he’d had. But the space next to you was empty and your daughters giggles were echoing up to your room, making a soft smile appear on your lips.

As you reached the kitchen, you felt your heart almost burst at the sight of her sat on the counter top, trying to shove a cupcake that had been made yesterday into his mouth.

Ashton was laughing whilst trying to take a bite, pausing to chew before peppering her face with kisses.

“The best cupcake I’ve ever had!” You watched as her face lit up with the biggest smile.

“Looks like I’m not needed for breakfast today.” You commented, both of them turning to look at you with cheesy grins.

“Sorry mommy! Daddy wanted a cupcake but I told him he could only have one if I fed him.” You laughed at this as you greeted Ashton with a quick kiss, blowing a raspberry on your little girls cheek before making breakfast for yourself.

“When you and your dad get back later, we’ll head out for dinner, how does that sound?” Your question drew an excited ‘yes!’ from her and Ashton laughed as he set her down on the floor.

“Go get changed then, princess. We’ve gotta leave in thirty minutes.” And with that, she was off upstairs, her footsteps stomping across the hallway as she headed into her room.

“And you, Mister Irwin, owe me.” Ashton grinned as his arms slipped around your waist, his lips finding the sweet spot on your neck with ease.

“You know I’ll make it up to you. For now, I’ve gotta get ready because if she’s ready and I’m not, there will be hell to pay.” He chuckled as you sighed dramatically before shoving him from the kitchen.

“Go on then. I’ll see you later, handsome.”

—

Once they were in the car and away, the excitement increased tenfold.

“Did you remember the notebook daddy?”

Ashton held up the little book before passing it back to her.

“It’s your job to keep it safe. We’ve got an appointment with the ring people which means that we’re gonna shop for yours and your moms dresses first and then we can go and see them.”

This earned him a playful whine of annoyance and he laughed as they headed into the city.

“Patience princess. We need to get the dresses first before we do anything.” This earned him a dramatic sigh in return before he rolled his eyes at her and turned the radio up, both of them singing along.

—-

It was the third store of the day before their appointment and they’d managed to find your dress pretty quickly.

Ashton had a good eye for colours and he knew what colour suited you best.

But his princess was determined to find one that matched her moms and he was helpless against her puppy dog eyes that she pulled which had him caving almost every time.

“Wait-daddy you gotta close your eyes!” He grinned at the sales assistant who’d been helping them out.

“Okay, my eyes are covered.” He called out once he dramatically placed a hand over his eyes, earning a giggle.

“Open ‘em daddy!” And as he pulled his hand away, he couldn’t get over how sweet she looked in a dress that wasn’t too dissimilar from yours.

“What do you think daddy?” She took the obligatory few steps forward before giving a small twirl and he grinned before putting on his best commentator voice.

“And here we have, a wonderful princess modelling the latest collection, a cute red dress, matched with a small black cardigan that makes her look like an absolute superstar!” he watched as her cheeks went very red, a shy giggle escaping as she rushed over to him, his arms opening up automatically.

“You really think so daddy?” Her tone was shy and he smiled, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

“I know so princess. I think we’ve found your dress, don’t you?” She nodded her head before beaming up at him. “Go get changed, I think we can grab some food before our final stop of the day.” Her excited gasp made him laugh as she ran straight back to the changing room, the sales assistant helping her once more.

He could hear her excitedly telling the assistant where they were going.

“My daddy is finding a ring for my mommy!”

Once she was out of the changing room and holding his hand, they paid for her outfit before heading out and to the building that housed their appointment.

It wasn’t overly obvious that it was a jewellers, but as they went up the stairs and reached the set of doors that led in to the actual store, he chuckled as her eyes took in the plethora of rings that adorned cases.

“Wow daddy.” She whispered as they moved to the counter so she could study the rings a lot better.

“Hey there guys, you our two o’clock?” Ashton nodded to the assistant.

“Yeah. We said we had a rough idea of what we were looking for. You got the notebook princess?” He turned to her and she grinned, her free hand clutching the small book before offering it to Ashton.

The assistant moved them over to a part of the counter where they could show the different ideas and soon the assistant was moving around the shop picking up various rings to show the two of them.

He tried not to get disheartened at the fact that none of them screamed out to him. He was determined and so was his little girl who vetoed a lot of the rings almost instantly.

It took a while before the assistant found the ring that had her gasping in excitement.

“Daddy look! This is like nana’s too!” Ashton found himself staring at the ring for a second before he felt that feeling in his gut, an excited twist.

“You reckon that’s the ring we’re getting for your mom?” She nodded vigorously and the assistant laughed.

“It’s a solitaire twist band with a princess cut diamond, 18 carat white gold.”

“Daddy, we have to get it!” He laughed as he pulled her up so that she could see the ring closer. “Mommy’s gonna love it.”

Ashton could feel his heart in his chest going miles a minute.

“Yeah, I think she is princess.”

—

You’d thought nothing of the small looks your daughter and boyfriend shared every so often. You knew they had their own inside jokes, so it didn’t bother you as much as the week carried on and before you knew it, it was time for the family date night.

Finding Neverland had been on the list of things you wanted to eventually see, and you knew that Shay had deliberately let slip to him about it, so when he surprised you with the tickets for your birthday, you knew this was going to be a good evening out together.

The show itself was incredible. You couldn’t help but share a look with Ashton every time the two of you glanced down to your little girl who had her eyes glued to the stage in awe.

By the end of the performance, she was going over her favourite parts before you finally realised that Ashton wasn’t driving you home.

“Ash?” You glanced over to him and his face held a grin.

“We’re doing a detour.” Was all you got in return which only served to confuse you further.

But you waited patiently.

Eventually you recognised the area and this only made you question what was going on.

“We’re going to Cal’s? Why didn’t you just say?”

“Nope. That’s a pit stop. Dropping someone off with her uncle as they’ve got a few friends around. We’ve got one more stop before we’re joining the party.” He explained and you nodded your head.

When he pulled up to Calum’s place, you went to get out, but Ashton stopped you.

“Don’t worry, love. I’ll sort her out.”

You eyed him suspiciously for a second before your daughter distracted you.

“Mommy, can we go to another show like the one tonight? I really enjoyed it.”

“Of course baby. We can look at the shows and how about you pick the next one, yeah?” She nodded her head and Ashton pressed a soft kiss to your lips before getting out of the car and then helping your princess out.

He was back in under five minutes, his lips in a full grin.

“I think a certain princess of ours is going to get taken out by one of her uncles that isn’t Luke. I’ve just had to placate two very jealous band members.” This made you laugh as he peeled away from the drive.

You talked about the album, the possible tour that would happen once it was dropped and the promotional tours as well. The discussion then turned to your job and the possible promotion on the horizon.

Eventually, Ashton pulled into one of the overviews of LA and you found yourself grinning.

“We haven’t done this since she was five.”

“Special treat.” He grinned as the two of you got out and he took your hand. The walk around was nice and you rested your head against his shoulder as the two of you walked.

“What are you thinking about, love?” His question was quiet as the two of you came to a stop, watching over the area.

“Us, the future, how much I love you.” You rattled off softly. “How lucky I feel to have you in my life and hers, and how excited I am for a quiet weekend with you.” This made you both laugh as you turned your head towards him and he leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to your lips.

“Thing is, I’ve been thinking the same thing.” You smiled at him as he pulled away slightly, taking his hand in yours.

“Ash?”

“My future with you, I see us, I see my little family that has made me a better person, a better lover, a better dad.” His tone softened entirely and you could feel the tears in the corners of your eyes.

A gasp escaped as he got down on one knee and you knew there were tears as he produced the small ring box.

“Holy shit.” Left your mouth and he smiled.

“Even knowing you had your little girl, I still wanted to know you, to be apart of your life. I can see my future without either of you in it. Both of you are such a part of my world that I cannot begin to describe how much love I have for you and her. I want to make us, a foundation for our family in the future. Will you marry me?”

“Yes, a thousand times yes!” You finally managed out, your heart hammering in your chest as he took the ring from the box and slid it onto the third finger of your left hand. He kissed it softly before you cupped his face, bringing him up to press your lips against his.

His arms wound around your waist as he picked you up easily, spinning around and making you laugh into the kiss as you finally wiped the tears away once your feet were on the ground.

“I’ve had this planned for months, but the ring, that was the very last thing we got.” He whispered, pressing a soft kiss to your lips once more.

You could see his own stray tears, your fingers lifting up to wipe them.

“We?”

“Last weekend.” And then it hit you. The secretive looks and shared giggles.

“She kept it secret. I’m impressed.” You finally got out before the two of you laughed and he kissed you once more.

“Shall we go tell the others the good news?”

“I’ve been duped. You’re a good planner, Irwin.” He grinned as he led you back to the car and kissed you once more.

“I have to be. I live with a rambunctious soon to be eight-year-old who gets bored easily.”

When you arrived at Calum’s and stepped through the door, you were greeted an excited squeal as your daughter rushed from Calum’s side and wrapped her arms around your waist.

“You are a sneaky little miss. But it’s the most beautiful ring in the world.” You whispered to her hair and she giggled.

“I had to be sneaky! Daddy promised me it would be worth it. Will he be my real daddy now?” You were crying yet again as you held her tightly.

“Looks like it baby. I said yes, which means-”

“Mommy’s getting married!” She squealed excitedly and moved from you to Ashton and that caused the cheer from the gathered group of friends and, to your amazement, Ashton’s family, and you laughed through the tears that were falling.

“I told you I have to be a good planner.” He smirked at you and you could only smile as Anne reached you first, her arms wrapping around you as she welcomed you to the family.

Good planner indeed.

—

taglist: @cals-babylons , @plainwhiteluke , @calumspeachy , @wrappedaroundcal , @holidayhood , @mistletoemichael , @merryashmas , @hereforlukescruff , @astroashtonio , @catchinqcalum , @grinchluke , @qualitylu , @5saucewho, @babylon-uncrowned , @dontstopisagoodsongchangemymind , @therainydays4 , @asht0ns-world , @silverchainbee , @hidd3nfangirl , @doodleasouarus , @hemmomfg , @mylovehes , @songforhema , @kinglyhood , @youngblood199456 , @makecoffeenotwars , @5squash , @negative-love , @softboycal , @hollyjollyhood , @you-of-ghost , @dannisos , @jane-ofalltrades , @meetyoutheremgc , @lmao5sosimagines , @lietoash , @aw-hawkeye , @biggestslutforcalum , @drummerboy794 , @itkindajusthappenedreally, @mycollectionofnuts , @coreybryanttrash , @abitloudforanaccousticset , @boytoynamedcalum , @teampreator , @dukehoods , @hoe4hemmo , @calumhampton , @sassy-asht0n , @happycrimiscalum , @gigglyirwin , @blue-skies-are-alright , @hearts-to-the-sky , @tiddlerrr , @all-i-want-is2b-loved-by-you , @thesensationalcalum , @ashtxns-hxe , @cakeassx-blog , @hopelessxcynic , @5secondsof-im-so-dead , @baby-loba , @captivatingcal , @rosesfromcth , @esoltis280 , @cal-puddies , @dancingonanemptywallet​ , @rotten-kandy​ , @vipclifford​ , @musiclover1263​ , @irwinsbambi​ , @cliffordstxngue ,   

[hiken-no-stark]

NSFW Alphabet ··· Freddie Mercury // Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury

Ready Freddie? (    ͡°  ͜ʖ   ͡°) 

Thanks for all the love and support. I really appreciate it. I never thought to write  in english, pero son las vueltas que da la vida XD 

And thanks to the wonderful person that helped me again QwQ 

ENJOY!

Warning: NSFW

*Gif’s not mine*

A = Aftercare (What they’re like after sex)

Freddie lays next to you and takes a breath, holding your hand. Then he kiss your knuckles and gets up from the bed. "I'll be right back, darling." He takes one of his fancy robes and disappears through the door. 

Five minutes later he reappears smiling. "Come on, your majesty. The bath is ready." He caress your cheek and carries you in his arms, wrapped in the sheets. 

Once in the bathroom, he helps you enter the bathtub. It’s full of bubbles and there’s a sweet fragrance floating through the room. 

He kneels next to the bathtub and caresses your shoulder "How is it?" "It would be better if you were in here with me." He laughs and takes off his robe. 

Freddie always puts you between his legs while he cleans your body with a sponge, singing softly in your ear.  

B = Body Part (Their favorite body part of their partners)

Your whole body. 

He can't choose just one body part. 

Freddie loves all of you, head to toes.  

C = Cum (Anything to do with cum basically)

Inside, outside. It doesn't matter.

He always surprise you. One day can be inside, another over your belly or breasts, in your mouth. Who knows?  

D = Dirty Secret

Freddie wants a threesome.

At the parties after gig he has seen some handsome men with whom he would like to share a bed, but he always refuses the idea for the sake of your relationship.  

E = Experience (How experienced are they?)

He has a lot of experience. You can be sure that he knows what he's doing.

F = Favourite Position

Doggystyle.

He loves seeing your ass bouncing against his hips. 

Also he feels more control this way, he can take the pace he wants.

He can be very sweet and kind with you, but in the bed he's a different person.

"Fredd!" You yell when he holds your hair in his fist. "Harder." You whimper holding the sheets around you. 

When your legs start to tremble he gives your ass a smack. "Come on, darling. Cum for me." 

G = Goofy (Are they more serious in the moment, or are they humorous, etc.)

He can't be totally serious, he make some jokes or random comments, making you laugh. 

But when he's focus in your pleasure he leaves the jokes aside, focussing on fucking you harder.  

H = Hair (How well groomed are they, does the carpet match the drapes, etc.)

He has other things to worry about. The new album, the tour, the outfits.

He doesn't care about that. 

I = Intimacy (How are they during the moment, romantic aspect)

He lays you upside down on the bed and then he lays himself over you, holding his weight with his arms. He loves feel the warm of your body against him.

He caress all your body marking it with kisses and compliments, and, of course, a lot of "I love you”s. 

Freddie never tires of telling you how beautiful you are.  

J = Jack Off (Masturbation headcanon)

He does it a lot. When you aren't with him during tours, when you aren't in the mood, for teasing you or for turning you on.

K = Kink (One or more of their kinks)

Lingerie and strange attires.

He buys you a lot of clothes from every part of the world.

During tour he can see something he likes and immediately runs to buy it for you. 

He comes back home with a lot of shopping bags, some of things are for his cats, the others are souvenirs and (the most important of all in his mind) plenty of outfits for you, some of them more strange than others.  

L = Location (Favourite places to do the do)

Every room of his mansion. 

The limousine. 

The recording studio.  

M = Motivation (What turns them on, gets them going)

When he sees you in one of the outfits he bought for you. 

Sometimes after a gig you want him all for yourself, but he's busy attending his guests. So you run to your room and choose one of the outfits and walk down stairs looking for him.

You found him laughing with a group of people you don't know. When he stares at you, his laugh stops.

"How do I look, Fredd?" You smirk at him. His mouth stays open till he shakes his head and hold your waist approach you to his body. 

"Ok, everybody! Party is over!" He yells lifting his glass. "Everyone go home, hurry, hurry!"  

N = NO (Something they wouldn’t do, turn-offs)

Hurt you (physically or emotionally).

You're his treasure, his inspiration, his muse, his all. He can't risk losing you. 

O = Oral (Preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

Both is good for him. 

In this case his favorite position is where you are over him sucking his cock and you put your ass in his face, so he can lick your pussy at the same time.  

P = Pace (Are they fast and rough? Slow and sensual? etc.)

He can be slow, but he prefers sex fast and rough. 

He has a lot of stress on his shoulders and this is the best way to avoid it.

Needless to say, you are more than happy to help him relieve his stress this way. 

And you regret nothing even though you can't walk the next morning. 

Q = Quickie (Their opinions on quickies rather than proper sex, how often, etc.)

He likes quickies before a concert, during a party or in the backside of the limousine on the way to anywhere. 

But proper sex is always better, Freddie loves taking his time with you.  

R = Risk (Are they game to experiment, do they take risks, etc.)

Freddie always wants to experiment with something new. He always appears in the room with a new idea in his head.

He is accustomed to other people judging his life, but he wants to keep you away of all that shit. So in public he behaves like a gentleman with you.  

S = Stamina (How many rounds can they go for, how long do they last)

He can continue till the dawn, obviously with little breaks for a drink or a cigarette. 

In your case, four rounds is more than enough. 

"Are you ready for more, darling?" Freddie appears by the door finishing his drink. "Darling?" 

Freddie can't help but smile when he sees that you're deeply asleep under the sheets. 

“Rest, my love.” He whispers and caresses your hair. 

T=Toy (Do they own toys? Do they use them? On a partner or themselves?)

He's got a big collection of sex toys.

Some for him and some for you.

At first you were a little embarrassed to use them, but Freddie guides you and you end up enjoying them a lot.  

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

He loves teasing you to see how far you can go.

"You can't come yet, darling." He groan in your ear. "You don't deserve it."

"But-Fred." You whimper, biting your lip.

"But what, princess?" He smack your ass and increase his pace.

"Not yet." Freddie murmurs when he sees you trembling and squirm under him. "Not yet, (Y/N)."

"Fred-I can't." 

"Be a good girl and hold on."

"Please, please, please." He smirks and smack your ass again. 

V = Volume (How loud they are, what sounds they make)

Freddie moans slightly, but always he tries to hold on to his moans, he prefers listen to you. 

Your voice is like music to him. 

W = Wild Card (Get a random headcanon for the character of your choice)

Between strange looks and murmurs the house empties.

"Right, darling." Freddie smiles at you and then kisses your neck.

You smirk and caress his hair, pleased that you were able to achieve your mission. 

A moan escapes your mouth when Freddie bites behind your ear. 

Then you push him to the couch and sit on his lap, starting to kiss him, while his hands caress all your body. 

Freddie removes his fancy jacket and starts to strip you, leaving only your underwear. Your hips begin to moving looking for some friction between you and him. 

"Fred, I lost my keys." Brian's voice sounds on the hallway. "Oh shit!" Brian cover his eyes. Quickly you grab Freddie's jacket and cover yourself. "I'm so sorry (Y/N)." He turns around while Freddie can't hold his laugh. "Forget it, I will break my window." Brian start to walk away for the hallway. 

"You can join if you want, darling!" Freddie yells, still laughing.  

X = X-Ray (Let’s see what’s going on in those pants, picture or words)

A little bigger than the average. 

Y = Yearning (How high is their sex drive?)

Freddie prefers spending time with you doing other things. Teaching you how to play the piano, talking, writing a new song, shopping, fancy dinner, running around the house like a pair of kids. 

The both of you love dressing up in all his concert outfits and singing for the cats like a true gig, but this always ends with you two fucking on the couch. Like I said, he loves seeing you in strange attires.  

Z = ZZZ (how quickly they fall asleep afterward)

Freddie could stay awake just seeing you sleep. It’s one of his favorite hobbies.

He loves the way you look for him in your dreams, trying to stay close to his body.

Then he caresses your hair and sings softly.

Sooner or later, the fatigue wins, and he falls asleep holding you in his arms.

[unicornio-unicorniando-blog]

Online Vocal Instruction And Singing Techniques

The Advice on Singing

- There are a number of basic singing exercises offered to help you be considered a better singer, or even a rudimentary knowledge of these fundamentals can dramatically boost your voice

-  In fact, learning a variety of singing exercises is vital in succeeding as a much better performer

-  Always remember that even very talented singers must practice on a regular basis and ensure they look after their voices

-  By doing this, they have an inclination to harness the talent they have and employ it to its maximum advantage

That being said, obviously there are some pointers which you can use to aid train your voice and have it to where you desire to be. Two of the most important exercises could possibly be two of the most obvious, but they're actually the least utilized. Interesting, isn't it. Well, the two thing are, singing itself and recording yourself. One of the most important and finest things you can do when you wish to improve your singing, is always to actually sing whenever and wherever you'll be able to, all the time.

Your voice is like anything else that you might want to cultivate as well as the more you employ it and develop it, better it will become. It's a basic rule to check out however it is so very important. Your voice can be a muscle which needs to be exercised and also the more its exercised the greater its likely to perform to suit your needs. Have you ever noticed that sometimes a certain song comes on radio stations that's never a problem to suit your needs to sing before, is now a little difficult in your case to sing comfortably?

This is because the muscle, "your voice", will not be exercised and therefore loses a few of its ability. Sometimes it loses a lot of it ability. So doing the point that you really love the most, which can be singing, you'll regularly exercise the pc muscle as well.

-  You can start by picturing yourself doing it

-  In fact, you can go on it a measure further by simulating it

-  For example, you can grab a brush or any situation that includes a long handle

-  Then you stand it front of the mirror and commence singing

-  The aim is to feel more confident in regards to the concept of singing

-  By being able to see yourself within the mirror, you'll be convenient of using the microphone and humming out the tunes

Facial expression can seriously curtail your singing in case you let that person have its way. Try singing a really high note and notice what that person does. Chances are, your jaw and throat become very tight. The veins stick out. You might even increase your head just as if physically reaching for the note. NONE OF THIS IS HELPING YOU HIT THAT NOTE. In fact, that person is so that it is much much harder to sing it than in the event you used no facial expression whatsoever.

Not all great singers are created exactly the same way when you are. There is nothing different in how a large amount of great singers are born. They do not have bigger lungs or better shaped vocal chords to allow them to sound awesome. What they have may be the expertise in the way you use their voice the appropriate way when singing and you may learn that as well.

It could be the sweet melodies with the impromptu African acapella sung in the 3 or 4 - part harmony at any sort of function where individuals are gathered, mostly family or friends, or even the radio deejay playing smooth, silky soulful sounds about the local station or yet it may be the church choir on an early Sunday morning singing "Hallelujah"

-  It does not matter which part of your lifetime you see it in music is not resisted or avoided

-  I give you some precious thoughts I have around the arena of music

Place your hand around the corner where your chin and neck come together. Now swallow. Did you recognize that thing moving up and down your throat once you swallowed? That little thing is termed your larynx. You can feel it move whenever you swallow, nevertheless, you should not be able to feel it move if you sing. If you do feel it move, you're singing the wrong method.

- The easiest way to start out deciding on a striker is usually to search for a store that sells singing bowls in person

-  Here you will discover a good selection to choose from

There are other varieties of chords you can learn, apart from the major triad. The "major six" consists of the most important third chord, plus the sixth note. The "major six add nine," obviously, consists of the most important six plus the ninth note. The "major seven" can be a major triad in addition to the seventh note, whilst the "major nine" is the major seven plus the ninth note. There are countless other chord variations, and several can be truly complex and challenging. But you can use all of these chord structures as the building block if you learn to sing harmony.

Actually my present seems to be cemented in classic or traditional country as aficionado's reference it and again there are numerous favorites it hard to pick one over another, numerous great songs you merely wish you can sing them all. Somewhere across the early nineties I decided that I would perform some writing of my own, personal and compiled a ten song cassette's worth of home grown. We went in to the studio and recorded it with a few of the highest quality musicians on earth producing something I was proud to set my name on. I didn't do much with it incidentally of promotion because concurrently I was too involved operating a trucking business that consumed almost all of my waking hours.

Proper Posture for Better Singing

- Are you looking for ways to learn how to sing vibrato

-  Well, it's vital to realise why when make use of it

-  A number of singers use vibrato to reach a fantastic crescendo

-  However, one of the leading hurdles faced by many singing beginners is learning to sing this vocal style

-  Many people progress to attempt to become skilled at some other singing method and they're struggling to achieve the correct tune to sing vibrato

-  Learning to sing vibrato is imperative since it adds flavor for your voice

-  This will also open other doors for the career, because everyone likes it and many people stop trying from becoming skilled at it, so that it includes a high demand

Currently, you will find only 2 Justin Singing dolls singing hits including Baby and One Less Lonely Girl. The other dolls are each put on another fashion outfit including red carpet, street and music awards. Each fashion doll comes with the 12" Doll, unique fashion outfit and microphone, sunglasses and headphones, as well as a collectible mini magazine. Singing dolls comes with a 12" doll with outfit from his famous music video combined with the music from any particular one video in addition to a collectible mini magazine.

- It was the director Anurag Basu who noticed Hritik singing once after pack up

-  He insisted that Hritik should sing a song inside the movie, and after much prodding Hritik finally consented to sing that song

-  Being the bona fide and hardworking sort, he tried his level best anf the husband adds that he isn't a professional singer

-  However, the director Anurag Basu was so excited which he continued to advise that Hritik should think of music as a substitute career

If you're shy your singing and speaking will probably be shy. There are terrific books, videos, seminars and classes which can help you with this particular problem. Go on the internet, visit a bookstore find the best therapist. But first you have to admit and accept your shyness. If you shrug it well and say "oh that's only the way I am" you might never be a singer or public speaker. You don't have to affect the way you are, but you do should try to learn the way to place it aside when you're performing.

Our annual Awards Night gala was quickly approaching, and I wanted singers and dancers. Jennifer approached me planning to sing...a solo! We brainstormed and found the ideal song; a straightforward, yet catchy tune. What came next? Leading up to the important night was comprised of weeks of rehearsing, minor breakdowns, and Jennifer ultimately mastering the song; along with she managed. She performed beautifully, being a shining star! She owned it looking at bavarian motor works logo that has reached over 100 people! Was her performance perfect? No, but the thing that was perfect was her ability to surpass her fears, and are proud of herself for who she was and what she accomplished. This was successful, not the failure she had been conditioned to.

How to Develop Your Singing Skills

- You might be a novice to the karaoke scene but there are several that have become so pleased to be singing who's has spread nationwide in popularity

-  People really adore to sing mainly because it makes them happy relieves many of the stress of the day and so they like to have some fun at the same time

-  Even professional singers enjoy commencing a bar and singing along to a karaoke machine

-  You are usually with people that have a similar tastes while you and that means you are out for any good time

What do we do, as Voice Professionals, whenever we must sing a concert, provide a presentation or speech, whenever we wake up your day of our event and also have an excessive amount of mucus on our vocal cords as well as in our throat? This is among the numerous challenges in the Voice Professional. Excess mucus is practically always due to something. Diet.

- There are many different varieties of singing lessons available these days

-  Of course, there is certainly still the woman across the street which will to utilise her piano and play scales as you sing along

-  That will never change

-  But, i am not saying that she is the best way to learn how to sing

-  Just have a look at some singing course reviews and you'll notice that these day there are many alternatives to the traditional methods

There are other varieties of chords you can study, aside from the major triad. The "major six" contains the most important third chord, together with sixth note. The "major six add nine," as you know, contains the most important six as well as the ninth note. The "major seven" can be a major triad plus the seventh note, even though the "major nine" is the main seven as well as the ninth note. There are countless other chord variations, and several could be truly complex and challenging. But you may use these chord structures since your foundation once you discover ways to sing harmony.

They must activate their creative mind! Sounds like an oxymoron, that singers should try to learn to activate their creativity... But it's the  singers have trouble accessing higher amounts of creativity. Why? Because most of them are utilizing their and engaging their left brain hemisphere a lot more than their right brain hemisphere.

Learn to Sing Songs

- Learning how to sing songs properly can be a testing time

-  While some everyone has lots of singing talent and pick-up things effortlessly with hardly any effort others struggle with concepts and application of these singing techniques

-  So what sets these individuals apart

-  These discover how to sing properly tips may shed some light for the issue

Currently, there are only 2 Justin Singing dolls singing hits including Baby and One Less Lonely Girl. The other dolls are each dressed up in a different fashion outfit including red carpet, street and music awards. Each fashion doll comes with the 12" Doll, unique fashion outfit and microphone, sunglasses and headphones, plus a collectible mini magazine. Singing dolls includes a 12" doll with outfit from his famous music video combined with the music from that specific video as well as a collectible mini magazine.

- What most experienced wedding planners feel is that you simply cannot really do without one or perhaps the other because every one has a unique role to play

-  Most people believe that a live band is essential for wedding music because it can begin to play the level of music that goes best with all the occasion

-  Not only will this guitar rock band be able to provide music for the main ceremony and the events before it nonetheless it may also play dance music to keep guests entertained through the reception

Warm up is an additional important things to accomplish to be able to sing well. Our voice have to be gently heated up as a way to are very effective and avoid damage. Singing intensely without right warm up will produce a harsh and rough sound and definately will eventually damage your voice box (larynx). Even 10 mins of warm-up is enough. Warm up exercises on your voice include breath control, scale exercises and humming.

Conventional singing lessons can be very expensive without any guaranteed results. However online lessons are not only affordable, but also help to further improve your singing as lessons could be repeated as frequently as you would like. Expertise that has been once available the wealthy is available at the internet at affordable rates.

[jos-corner-of-the-world]

Unexpected -- {13}

{12} Semi Filler chapter as it’s the SHOWCASE!!

You had spent the last half hour greeting different audience members as they came in.  You had some of your students handing out programs that had a list of company members and who were in what dance groups.  It was a way for you to boast the studio name, but also each student also.

You’d quietly excused yourself from a lovely business woman you were talking with, and walked backstage to where the students were all gathering.

“I’m not going to give another speech. Just want to remind you guys that our dances go as follows: kids dance, hip hop dance, contemporary dance, my duo, and then the group dance.  Lilybug, can you finally tell me what song you guys are dancing to?” you asked, glancing at your daughter who was sat on Yoongi’s shoulders.

“Nope momma. You’ll find out soon.” she said.  You could see her shaking softly and looked to see Yoongi laughing at her attitude.

“Alright then. I trust you guys and Mira.” you said, looking to Mira, the only other instructor at the studio.

“Let’s go out and have fun guys!” you said, amping everyone up.

“Let’s kick ass!!!” you heard one of the older students say.

“Hey! Children are present” you reminded them.

“Momma! Can I collect 50 cents for the swear jar?!” Lily asked.

“Baby, so not the time for this!”

You stood at the very edge of the stage as you watched your kids class go front and center.  You were nervous for all of them, but especially for Lily.  She’d never performed in front of a big crowd before.

But you watched as all of them walked out there and confidently took their position.

“She’s one confident girl.” you heard Yoongi say from directly beside you.

“I know. I don’t know where she gets it from.” you said.

“I do.” Yoongi said.  You turned around and gave him a shy smile.  Boy, he’s standing awful close and smells extremely good you thought to yourself.

Before you could say anything else, music began floating through the venue.

“I should have known” you said, smiling as the kids started dancing.

“Is this Justin Timberlake?” Yoongi asked.

“It sure is.  It’s from the movie Trolls. It’s Lily’s favorite.”

You watched as all of the kids danced their little hearts out to Can’t Stop the Feeling.  They’d condensed the song down to about two minutes, but the energy and fun the kids had never stopped.

Your heart almost stopped when Lily ended the song with a two handed backflip.

“Jesus Christ Lily!” you muttered quietly.

“Is that safe for her to be doing that?” Yoongi asked, tone edged with worry.

“Well...she landed it just fine, but damn if my heart didn’t just drop in my chest.” you said.

“It’s good it wasn’t just my heart then.” Yoongi said.

You couldn’t respond to him because all of the kids were running backstage after finishing.  The crowd was clapping happily and you could tell the kids felt proud of themselves.  But it was nothing to how proud you felt of them.

“That was so good you guys!”

“My dad was in the audience recording me!” one little girl said.

“Of course he was sweetie! This is a big moment for you!”  you looked around before finding Lily trying to escape.

“Lillian Harper! We’re going to talk about that flip later!” you said to her retreating form.

She gave you a big thumbs up before taking off towards Jin who was seated against one of the back walls.

“Okay guys, let’s settle down. Hip hop, you guys are up in two!”

You listened as Imogen was introducing the next group to come up on the stage.

“Aren’t you dancing too?” Yoongi asked.

“No, I’m planning on wearing this for the contemporary dance” you said looking down at your baggy jeans, tank top and flannel.

“Sorry, sarcasm just comes naturally. Yes, I’m dancing. The other dancers who are in both hip hop and contemporary, and myself, will have about 5 minutes after to change into the outfit for the next dance.”

“Busy little bee you are.” Yoongi laughed.

The hip hop dance and the contemporary dance went by extremely quickly.  Everyone hit their marks and seemed amped up for their final performance.

You’d let them know that they could wear whatever clothes they were comfortable in for the final performance.  

You had just finished changing into your outfit for Shape of You, which consisted of a thigh length flowy skirt and a cut off t-shirt.

“You’re wearing that for the dance?” Yoongi asked as you’d walked out of the dressing room.

“Yes?” you asked looking down at yourself.

“So...Kookie is going to touch your actual thigh...not your pants?” he asked for clarification.

“I mean… yeah. It’s just a dance though.”

“That’s not how it felt last night.” Yoongi mumbled.

“You’re right.  But there’s one big difference.” you said.

“What’s that?” he asked.

“I was dancing with you.”

Before your stage with Jungkook you had to go out and address the audience.

“Hello everyone. I just wanted to make you guys aware of one small change. In the program it says I will be dancing with a student named Michael.  Unfortunately, Michael was injured a few days ago while practicing so he is unable to participate today.  Instead, I was able to get one of my friends to come and dance with me.  He’s not a student here, but is extremely talented nonetheless.  Please help me welcome my friend JK.”

You watched as Yoongi said something to Jungkook, which had him looking like he swallowed his tongue.  But as soon as he was on stage and saw the audience, he gave a big smile and waved.

You heard a few excited murmurs throughout the room, but it seemed as though it wasn’t going to turn into a huge event like you had dreaded it might.

You and Jungkook took your spots a little bit away from each other.  The choreography starts with the two of you “seeing each other from across the room” and meeting in the middle just as Ed starts singing.

You didn’t have to try to keep a smile on your face throughout the dance.  Dancing with Jungkook was just too much fun and you found yourself almost laughing at how serious he seemed to be taking it, not missing a single beat.

You noticed somewhere in the back of your mind that Jungkook had changed the choreo a little and instead of his hand going to your thigh, it went higher, almost to your hip instead.

There were quite a few times where the dance called for you guys to make eye contact and you could tell Jungkook was having just as much fun as you were.

As the song came to a close, you and Jungkook separated again, mirroring the beginning of the song.

Holy shit, its over already? You thought to yourself.

Jungkook came over to you, shoving you softly to the center so you could bow before leaving the stage.  He tried standing behind you, but you pulled him next to you so he could get recognition also.

When you went backstage afterward, you hugged Jungkook and thanked him profusely for helping you out.

“But why did you change the placement of your hand?” you asked out of curiosity.

You watched as Jungkook looked towards where Yoongi sat with Lily in his lap.

“No reason. Just missed my mark.” he said once he was looking at you again.

That sounds like a lie, but okay. Min Yoongi, what did you say to the poor boy?

{14}

[discofreaks]

Disco Freaks meets... Leee John

There is, quite simply no-one else like Leee John. And I don't think there ever will be. He is an absolute dream. A few of my friends have a dedicated WhatsApp group to the 80s icon after they fell in love with his social media output. Which is obviously a little odd, but you get the point.

We met on two afternoons, once at The Union in Soho, a members club in the middle of Greek Street, Soho. The second was at the incredibly regal setting of the Landmark Hotel, Marylebone. Believe it or not, both venues were chosen by Leee. We didn't feel Cafe 338 on Bethnal Green Road was appropriate. The two occasions we met he left quite an impact on us. Born in Hackney and raised in New York he has a few stories to tell and in his own words he can “talk for Christmas.”

There are facts about his life he could drop into conversation that are quite unbelievable. The kind of tales you'd hear from an eccentric chap in a bar, that you’d dismiss but humour anyway. Like the time he was a young lad and the first major person in the music industry he performed to was Marvin Gaye, or that he has recorded a track with MC Skibadee. It sounds too good to be true, but there you have the wonder of Leee John and Imagination, it is all a bit out of this world.

With all the stories and flamboyance he is also a successful and well-respected artist. His iconic and sultry vocals fronted Imagination; a band who both musically and visually were so influential to 1980s pop culture. Matching outrageous outfits inspired by Funkadelic with sensual performances, they produced some of the most loved disco-flavoured hits the UK ever had.

Hollywood movies and struggles

What I loved about Leee the most during our two meetings in 2017 is he would talk with the same authority about classic Hollywood and what he described as schmaltzy movies, in the same way he would discuss the struggles black artists have in the UK. And he would switch between such topics seamlessly. Leee was then, and is still now, working on a film about the history of British black musicians called Flashback. He’s currently working through hundreds of interviews with black artists who also happen to be some of the most successful people in music this country has to offer. So he knows what he is talking about.

Leee arrived to meet me appropriately dressed; black leather jacket, burgundy skinnies, a paisley cravate and a ring on each finger, holding a copy of his new album Retropia. The highlight of his set was a huge purple gem stone that he told me removed any stresses he has in his life. The clothing ensemble was accompanied with his iconic beret. It’s a look.

An added quirk of our second chat was Eric Cantona making a guest appearance. This bearded icon was just kicking a pebble round the Landmark on a Wednesday night while on the phone. As you can imagine, I was a little distracted but desperate not to look disrespectful by making a note of seeing him. When we stopped recording I had to point out the former actor and noted French footballer (still on the phone) to Leee. Of course Leee had met him in France before.

After the interview I assumed a driver or maybe a rocket would come to collect Leee. But instead we both got on the normal tube where he treated me to an extra edition of off the record showbiz tales. When he disembarked, some of the passengers/audience looked at me and I gave them a nod and mouthed ‘I know.’ 

Leee was here to promote his new album Retropia. But, over the hour, he kept to his promise and talked for Christmas - and a little bit for Easter and bank holiday too. 

I hope you have Leee’s voice and the setting all locked in and you enjoy these pearls of wisdom from the voice of a soul and funk legend.

Leee on ....

Getting a photo with The Jacksons

I used to write for ‘West Indian World’, that was run by a guy called Arif Ali. He allowed me and a friend to go off and we would do all the showbiz section so we would watch all the groups like The Supremes, George Benson and Brothers Johnson who I remember interviewing.

We tried to be older, I remember interviewing Brothers Johnson and I didn't shave or anything like that. But now I try to look younger, you know.

It was a doorway to understanding how the industry was. Meeting all the different artists, Natalie Cole, Ray Parker Jr, The Jacksons, we got a picture with The Jacksons actually. It was by the time I did Imagination I was kind of prepared.

I wanted to study my craft and to study your craft you gotta really get down and work. and that meant getting on the road, playing pubs and bingo halls and working men’s clubs and you're on your knees baby, carrying the sound equipment.

I did so much amazing grounding work. I was a singing waiter in the West End for nine months. I learnt the craft darling, you know, to get your equity card. That was a real turning point for me I was learning that and having to learn a lot of repertoire, a lot of songs, a lot of everything. And it was a long way from my club scene days. but it was great. Then I found myself in the studio doing some background vocals for Elvis Costello on an album. got a lot of money and ended up going St Lucia. It was a great time and this was all before Imagination.

When I was 15, I got signed when I was at school. We recorded at EMI and actually auditioned in the foyer of EMI. You know when you see in the movies, and they say ‘Okay kid sing for me, whaddya got?’ I remember singing some track we’d written. One of those people we sang for was Roy Fisher.

We recorded two tracks, they were no hits. But it taught me a great lesson. We were in the best studios we had the best session musicians, we had Gonzalez as our backing band. Lou Reed who at the time had a hit with Walk on the Wild Side, he had a backing band called ‘Thunder Thighs’. The part where he says ‘and all the coloured girls go do-do-do-do-do-do’ well they were singing on our track. So we all thought hey this is it, this is a hit. But no, it wasn’t a hit.

Singing for Marvin Gaye

Sometimes I do forget things, you know the old brain cells. But there have been some wonderful moments. I sang for Marvin Gaye in Soul Train. He did Soul Train and he was basically in the dressing room and I said, ‘there was a duet you did with Diana Ross called Light In My Window and it was really good and we used to dance to it - ‘why didn't you do it.’  - And he said: ‘Sing it to me kid, sing it to me.’

He was living in London then came back and gone really big with Sexual Healing. I passed the dressing room and he burst out and told me to come inside. They shut the door on the band and the manager. I was inside the dressing room with Marvin Gaye. I started singing Light in My Window and it has this organic feel this track, you should check it out if you can.

Collaborating with MC Skibadee

We did a thing called Retrospects a few years ago and we did a tune called Raver with Skibadee doing a rap on there.

(I told him about Skibadee playing in Margate back in the day.)

Being from of out of Space and getting lucky on TOTP

When Imagination first started we were so out there and so outlandish in our costume and our visual. Because the music, like Body Talk had really heavy base, very sexy, it had the lyrical content and the sound. And we could have easily been like the Four Tops and The Temptations up there in suits. but we decided to go for the Funkadelic way.

They thought we came out of space people were like, wow. We took stuff we liked from the Caribbean and a combination of that, and particularly in the 80s our following was so strong. And everyone looked and sounded so different. Nowadays if anyone wants they can sound like Beyonce, or look like Beyonce. But what we had in the UK with Imagination at that time was our own brand.

Everyone was flamboyant - Parliament, Funkadelic, early Earth Wind and Fire everyone dressed wild. When we came up in the early days, Kool and The Gang were kind of copying what we were doing because it was relative at that time.

Morgan Khan, our A and R guy was very crazy, very influential and very wild. When I went on stage he’d say, boy you gotta stroke that keyboard, you gotta be outrageous you gotta be out there. For black groups being on TV it was a phenomenon, you didn't see any black artists on TV, much less so British black artists and to make an impression was so important. I know that when we did that first performance, it is on YouTube now, it was legendary - the next day everybody was talking about it. It was in the papers, how we were going to get banned and all the rest of it.

I wasn't prepared for the first Top of the Pops performance but I was prepared for the work mode. I was totally nervous for the first TOTP. You did three or four different performances in the day, but everything was riding on it. Because we were there by fluke, because someone dropped out . That’s the only reason we were there. So that’s how life is, sometimes it’s a lucky break.

In some people’s terms I was flamboyant but if you look at other people like Eddy Grant in the late 60s, a black guy wearing blonde wigs. He told me we were doing just what he was doing which is like carrying on this kind of banter. I think that was good so it broke the ice. You couldn't put a black artist and just put them in one category. It made everyone question and that’s what you had to do, you have to push the button.

Recording We Will Rock You

I did a version of Highway to Hell. You know whether it is blues, jazz or rock, if you slow any song down that is the element. It comes from rhythm and blues. Like if you sing I Can’t Get No Satisfaction or something like that it is the same element. A lot of the rock artists, that is their influence, Muddy Waters and those kind of people.

I was in Paris doing an album with the Gibson Brothers (starts singing their tune Cuba) we are very good friends and do loads of shows together.

Basically,we were doing a completely different concept. I did a version, like Pharell, of We Will Rock You, that is in the can and no-one has heard it. Then we did decided to do Highway to Hell. Then I started singing the vocals and the background vocals. Then I went over to the UK and got Mark Vandergucht (Push, Galliano) to do all the bass guitar and all the you know (air-guitaring) “I’m just shaking ma locks” and we went back to where we recorded the album and tidied it all up.

I did it in one take and then did all the backgrounds. You see I do all my own harmonies anyway. So I kind of took it away from the Gibson Brothers in a sense from the concept we were doing for my album but they didn't mind. But I sung them a new track on their new album.

*at this point I asked ‘do you have to do a lot of favours with your voice?

It tells you all you need to know about Leee that he did not need to pause for thought when he answered ‘sometimes, sometimes, yes.’

Flashback  

It stems from the 20th century through to the 90s. I felt there were so many different artists that people just don’t know about. Because nowadays I feel youngsters don’t know this kind of music. I was lucky to grow up knowing Eddie Grant, Errol Brown and Clem Curtis from The Foundations, Light of the World and Junior there are just so many different bands.  

And there are so many different artists from the years that I felt people just don’t know.

I think people may know the music but probably think it’s from the States.

There aren't enough live platforms for groups if you play funk, soul, blues or jazz. It’s like if you’re a white group and you play rock music there is always a platform. There is always that kind of thing. If you play soul or funk, it’s like you have to have decks and a computer and I’m thinking that’s rubbish, because I still want to see someone play those chords and someone singing.

the mission

I think I will do a final Imagination album but I have an idea in my mind what that will be. I think I need to do that as there might not be people around who know us, so I want to get them in the studio before they’re gone!

I am doing a lot with the film side of stuff and Flashback, we have 400 hours over 200 different interviews, I’ve interviewed so many fascinating people who have loads of interesting stories and I think that needs to come to light.

I think that my mission is to really bring that to people around the world.

MB

[tuckinpodcast-blog]

EPISODE 3: THE LEGACY OF DOROTHY ARZNER

LISTEN: SOUNDCLOUD / ITUNES / GOOGLE PLAY

NOTES: Guess who finally typed up their script before recording? ME! No more note shuffling!

SOURCES: listed at end of transcript

TRANSCRIPT:

Hi, I'm Jack, and this is Tuck In, We're Rolling: Queer Hollywood Stories. I know I mentioned that this week, we were going to talk about the sapphic Holy Trinity of Greta Garbo, Marlene Dietrich and Katharine Hepburn, but I made a new discovery while I was digging through Pride posts on tumblr, and I thought that maybe instead of talking about some big names that everyone is already familiar with, I might put off talking about actresses to focus on someone behind the camera. There isn't a whole lot of information about Golden Age lesbians and bisexual women, and I heard this name that I had never even seen before and I thought, what the heck? Let's talk about more lesbians.

So today, I'm going to introduce you to a woman named Dorothy Arzner. Maybe you've heard the name, and maybe you haven't, but she's an important woman. Here's a woman who directed sixteen movies – a run comparable to the men of the time, and twenty more than contemporary female director Kathryn Bigelow – over a career spanning from 1927 to 1943. This is the woman – the person – who invented the boom mic while directing Paramount's first talkie, launched Katharine Hepburn and Lucille Ball, and did it all while whispers of affairs with the likes of Joan Crawford floated around. In short, Dorothy Arzner was a fucking badass, but that's not even half the story.

Dorothy Arzner was born on January 3, 1897 in San Francisco. Her family moved to LA and her dad opened up a restaurant that attracted a lot of Hollywood elite – and that comes into play a little later. Arzner wanted to be a doctor – dead set on it so much that she went to the University of Southern California for it, and when World War I broke out, she went overseas to drive ambulances. I guess the experience was kind of intense, because she came back and said, “Maybe being a doctor isn't for me.” Let's pause here for a second and bask in the complete badassery. This is World War I. This is 1914, or thereabouts, and this woman is like, “Oh, I want to be a doctor and you're not gonna sway me into nursing.” This is a woman saying, “Fuck you, fuck this, I'm gonna go drive fucking ambulances at the front during a major world conflict.” I can't blame her for coming home and not wanting to be in medicine anymore, but what does she decide to do?

Be a director.

She wasn't a director at first, of course. She wanted to become a director because, in her own words, “If one was going to be in the movie business, one should be a director because he was the one who told everyone else what to do.”

Her father got into contact with William C. deMille, older brother of Cecil B., who got her a job at the Players-Lasky Corporation, which we would all come to know as Paramount Pictures. She started out as a stenographer, typing up scripts – but she was a terrible typist, so they got her out of there pretty quick. Imagine being so bad at a job that they promote you just to stop you from pecking at a typewriter – that's the life I want to live. They had her writing scripts for a little while, and then they got her into an editing room, and this is where she really starts to shine.

She edited a film called Blood and Sand in 1922, which starred our friend Rudolph Valentino. While she's working on this film, she has the brilliant idea to use stock footage of bullfighters to make the movie more believable and entertaining, and the director – a guy named James Cruze – is so impressed with her that he basically pulls her onto his permanent team, and she goes on to edit over fifty films.

So Arzner is trucking along with this editing career, but she's also starting to realize that she doesn't want to edit forever. She wants to direct, so she goes up to the heads of Paramount and she lays out her demands: let her direct a film, or she's going to leave and take her talents to Columbia, basically their direct competitor. They were like, “Uh, okay. Sure.” At this point, I've found some reports that she was already writing scripts for independent movie outfits and they were causing a lot of buzz, so I'm sure Paramount was a little nervous that they could be losing out on a lot of money. This was still the time that studios were cranking out movies left and right, turning over footage at a really crazy rate. Movies were basically turned over weekly, so they came up with stuff that was long and short, and they needed a lot of people to do it.

In 1927, Paramount hands Arzner the script for a movie called Fashions For Women. It's a silent film, kind of a comedic love story, about a cigarette girl who falls in love with a count and becomes a model. This movie does so well that they put her in charge of another movie: The Wild Party, starring Clara Bow. It's Paramount's first talkie, and it's a remake of a silent film that she had edited. Again, I want to pause and bask. Paramount Pictures gave their first talkie – a thing that could make or break a studio back in those days – to a woman who had gotten her job by demanding she be given it.

The thing about the first talkies is that the actors couldn't really move around too much because they had to stand still in front of their microphones for the sound to be captured. It was really obvious to Arzner that shooting this way was making Clara Bow act awkwardly, so Arzner gets a hold of her sound guys and helps them rig up a microphone attached to a fishing rod so that they could hold the mic up over Bow's head, out of the shot, and follow her around so that she could move and act without having to worry about being stuck in one place. If that concept sounds familiar, it's because Dorothy Arzner invented the fucking boom mic. She didn't patent the idea, but everyone is pretty much in agreement that it's her invention and give her credit for it. Another cool thing about Arzner directing the studio's first talkie is that all the male directors were like, “Woah, the post-production work on these things is way too intense – let's just sit back and let the lady deal with all the bullshit while we keep making silent movies.” So Arzner took a job that no one wanted and invented the fucking boom mic while she was at it. Could this lady get any more badass?

Of course she can.

The Wild Party is a pre-Code film, and it's a little raunchy and it's racy and it's set at a girl's college. This becomes a theme with Arzner's films – she does this wild woman thing with girls misbehaving, even after the Hays Code comes along and ruins everything. Clara Bow's star and her particular style started to fade with the coming of the 30's, so Paramount nudged Arzner into directing melodramas. So she did it – and did it really, really well. In 1930, she directs a movie called Sarah and Son, and it gets actress Ruth Chatterton an Academy Award nomination.

In 1931, we get Honor Among Lovers, and it has some big names in it: Fredric March, Claudette Colbert, Ginger Rogers. Arzner isn't messing around here. The plot is kind of hard to follow, but basically it's what would have happened if Pepper Potts went to work for Justin Hammer and then tried to go back to Tony Stark after she realized she was in love with him – but it's set during the Stock Market Crash of 1929. The movie basically puts men on blast for their greed – all these guys running around trying to collect money and women and that's their downfall.

Her movies were pretty popular – The Wild Party was the third top grossing film of 1919 – and they usually had strong female characters in them. Arzner had a way of directing women in films that showed them as real, complex people – and the studios decided to capitalize on that. She left Paramount in 1932 to freelance, and she really starts to take off from here. Since this was still the 30's and 40's, the women in her movies usually ended up happily married by the end of the film, but they were still an anomaly in Golden Age cinema. She liked to point out the unfairness of sexism and gender discrimination, and people, not too surprisingly, loved it.

She directed Katharine Hepburn in her second movie in 1933 – a film called Christopher Strong. This is the movie we get all those great images of Hepburn in pilot gear from, I'm sure you've seen it. She plays a pilot who fall in love with a married politician, and apparently she and Arzner got into it on the set quite a few times. I've seen some quotes talking about how Arzner was basically trolling around RKO and saw Hepburn up a tree in a leopard skin – I'm not even kidding – and basically just got heart eyes because Hepburn was so beautiful and Arzner didn't want to see her making Tarzan movies her whole career. Can you imagine that? Arzner is the reason we have the Katharine Hepburn we all know and love today. There isn't really any evidence that the two had an affair – but knowing what I know about Hepburn today, I wouldn't be surprised if they did.

In 1936, she launches the career of Rosalind Russel in Craig's Wife. If you're not familiar with Rosalind Russel, I highly suggest watching her in His Girl Friday, opposite Cary Grant – it's a really funny screwball comedy, and Russel is such a fast talker and she's super slick – it's great. And we have Arzner to thank for having Russel at all. Not only that, but Arzner took a script that was kinda sleazy and gross, all about a husband going fighting with his cold wife, into a movie that's begging women to become their own people.

In the 1930's we have a lot of talk about Arzner's sexuality come up. She wore trousers and suspenders – and I'm not gonna lie, she looked pretty good doing it, if I do say so – and she apparently had an affair with Joan Crawford on the sets of The Bride Wore Red and The Last of Mrs. Cheyney. It's been described as a 'fiery affair', but there apparently wasn't any ill will because in the 60's and70's, Arzner directed a bunch of Pepsi commercials with Crawford as a special favor. In 1936, she became the first female director to join the Directors Guild of America.

Then in 1940, she directs Dance Girl Dance, which is Lucille Ball's first on-screen performance. It's a screwball comedy about two burlesque dancers that end up fighting each other over a man, giving up their dreams to try and get with this guy. Maureen O'Hara plays the other burlesque dancer, and she gives the audience a dressing down about gaping at her. And this is a character who has to perform to make her way in the world, and she's not ashamed of it. There's a lot of lesbian subtext in the movie – like in all of Arzner's movies – some sly glances and the fact that Ball and O'Hara's characters really obviously want to be together but they misplace that affection onto a man.

Arzner directed her last film, First Comes Courage, in 1943. It's a pretty typical war-time story, except it's totally about a lesbian spy who runs away with a nurse after her husband dies. It wasn't nearly as commercially successful as her older films, and Arzner was dealing with a pretty serious case of pneumonia at the time – and these are all kind of agreed upon reasons why she didn't continue directing. She made a few training films for the Women's Army Corp, but after that, she was kind of done with feature films. Like I mentioned, she made some commercials with Joan Crawford, and she did some other commercials. She also went on to teach film at UCLA, where she taught – get this – Francis Ford fucking Coppola. In the 70's, she told a reporter that Louis B Mayer had killed her career by spreading the word that she was “difficult”, which is – as far as I'm concerned – Louis B Mayer's code for “very, very gay”.

Arzner lived with her partner Marion Morgan for forty years. I've found conflicting reports on whether or not Arzner was out, but I think it's pretty agreed upon that she was openly with Morgan but not necessarily publicly out. Morgan was a dancer and choreographer – she had a dance troupe called the Marion Morgan Dancers, which was mostly made up of women. They did a lot of Vaudeville work and then they were hired to do dance sequences in Hollywood films, and Morgan did a lot of choreography for Arzner. They actually met on the set of Fashions for Women which as you will remember was Arzner's first movie, and they moved in together in 1930. Again, I'm gonna pause and let that sink in. These two met and fell in love and decided to move in together – in 19-fucking-30. They lived together until Morgan died in 1971. Arzner was apparently a gardener and gushed about the roses she grew in their garden. They had beautiful parties and invited Marlene Dietrich. Arzner might have had affairs with people like Billie Burke and Alla Nazimova, but she went home every night to Marion.

Dorothy Arzner died in 1979 at the age of 82. She left behind a legacy for the women that came after her – she was a prolific director and she refused to live life on anyone else's terms. And you know, not only that, but she was a great director – not just a great female director, but a great director. You know, Dorothy Arzner gave us quality. And I think that if she was alive today to see Patty Jenkins direct Wonder Woman, and if she was alive to see that movie today, I think she would be very proud.

Thank you for listening to Tuck In, We're Rolling: Queer Hollywood Stories. This episode was written, recorded and researched by me, Jack Segreto. You can find a transcript of this episode and all of our episodes, along with some fun facts and photos, on our tumblr, tuckinpodcast.tumblr.com. You can also give us a like on Facebook at facebook.com/tuckinpodcast. We accept messages on both of those platforms, so feel free to shoot us any suggestions for show topics or comments you might have. We put out new episodes every Wednesday, and you can listen to us on SoundCloud, iTunes and Google Play, so don't forget to rate and subscribe to us! I read all the comments that you leave me and it makes me really happy. Special shout out this week to my buddy Ricci for listening and offering to come onto the show – I haven't forgotten about that, man, I'm coming for you. Happy Pride month, everyone! Stay safe, have fun, and remember that Pride started when two trans women of color threw bricks at cops! Thanks for listening, we'll see you next week!

SOURCES:

Dorothy Arzner: Queen of Hollywood

Why Was One of Hollywood’s First Female Film Directors, Dorothy Arzner, Forgotten?

Dorothy Arzner, First Female Director in Hollywood Studio System

Women Who Paved The Way: Dorothy Arzner

A Life Shared: Marion Morgan and Dorothy Arzner

[rosemarycountess]

Matthew Goode became the new face of Pal Zileri

@pleasereadmeok Here you go :) Tried to be as quick as possible.

Russian GQ took an exclusive interview in which Matthew describes the continuation of Downton Abbey, his work as a fashion model and explains why Italian girls exclaim «Ciao, bello!» in front of him.

He (Matthew Goode) is accustomed to playing refined aristocrats. He has already charmed the ladies with his cunning smile in the Match Point and Brideshead Revisited. It is his character who has married the unapproachable lady Mary in the end of Downton Abbey. This year the 38 years old actor tried an unusual role – he became the new face of the Italian brand Pal Zileri.

Why do you think they picked you as the new face of the brand?

Fortunately, these kinds of decisions are made by someone else and almost without my participation. It is decided by the people in major brand companies, who just call my agent after it’s accepted. How do you think yourself, why so?

You’ve got the type of the aristocrat with the pure taste. The quintessence of an English gentleman, who is slightly over 30.

You see, if I has said something like that, I would have sounded like a pompous fool! I’ve been casted in the few historical dramas, and people know beforehand how I would look in a good costume. My tailor says it’s easy to fit the clothes for me, I have a rather fashion body measurements. I am tall and thin, I can make an excellent hanger.

If talking about your life behind the screen, what kind of clothes do you prefer? Today, for example, you don’t wear a costime with a bow, but a cap, sweater and jeans.

Apart from being an actor, I have a second career in my life – being a father. Often it consist in working as a driver for my family and spending the time in the car during traffic jams. That’s why the comfort matters to me. When I need to go in public, for a premiere or a dinner party, I prefer the costume. I am very conservative about the style and colour, so it is possible to say that Pal Zileri withdrew me from my comfort zone.

The new collection is so bold?

It’s not a big jump to the left, but I am still very wary about the colour, and they tamed me with a carefulness and a tactful assistance of the stylists. For example, they have a wonderful blue jacket, which I could wear outside the studio now. From afar it looks quite usual, but when you come near the texture and the slight geometric pattern becomes visible.

The older you get, the calmer you are about the experiments?

That’s right! In my twenties I would never attend the party in something aside from the black jacket and the tie of the same colour. Now I understand that I would have looked as a security guard. Today I can even amuse myself with a costume of the burgundy colour. If I start to doubt , the Italian assistant exclaims: “Oh, ciao bello!” My doubts immediately go up in smoke.

Why do you have doubts?

I think it’s because of the culture traditions. Plus, men basically are less susceptible to changes in taste than women. We need some kind of impulse or a friend’s recommendation. For example: I once was going to the wedding and send my costume to the dry cleaners.  At the same time, I was foolish enough to forget to check the working hours and in the morning - the day before the important event -  on Sunday, I found out that the shop is closed. In panic, I went to my friend who lives in Chelsey, who has a similar body type, and in his wardrobe I discovered a wonderfully tailored outfit, which happened to be Pal Zileri. On that wedding I’ve received a lot of compliments from women about my costume, and since then I noted this brand in my head.

What is more important in the brand: the name or the ability of showing the character through the clothing?

Both. I love it when the designers experiment with the materials, sewing with cashmere and leather, but at the same time saving the loyalty to the classic canons.

What kind of wardrobe items would you take with you on a business trip?

I love the jersey jacket. The cape also saves me during the trips, abolishing the thoughts about the hairstyle. When it comes to winter, I put on the knitted cap and warm sweaters, mainly in navy blue colour.

I know a lot of movies stars entrust the question of the wardrobe replenishment to their stylists. Do you have the same solution, or do you go shopping by youself?

My spouse has worked in the fashion industry (Sophie Dymoke worked as the Sale Director for VINES – GQ example) and she has a great taste, so I trust her opinion even when I pick the jeans. What’s on me right now? The wife brought it from her trip to Japan, look, what is this label? (turns the back of the jeans inside out.)

G-Star Raw!

Exactly. Never thought I’d like the skinny jeans, but Sophie assured me these are able to stretch and I won’t feel too tight. In the case of the party I do have two or three costumes in my wardrobe, though I need to get them to the dry cleaners and return in time! Though this year I almost had no time for the parties…

When you star in the period drama, do you get an opportunity to pick your own costumes?

Depends on the production. I trust the artists and designers, and only leave the notes in the case the costume is too uncomfortable to wear. If the collar is digging into the throat, it is read upon the actor’s face, and you don’t have to suffer in silence.

What was the most interesting project in terms of clothing?

Recently, of course, the Downton Abbey. On the set we had a consultant who was responsible for the smallest details. He finally taught me how to make the perfect tie.

Probably, your costumes in A Single Man were made by Tom Ford, who directed the movie?

It is interesting how Ford tried really hard not to make his movies look as commercials to his brand, so he wouldn’t use his clothes on principle. But, of course, the film looked very stylish, just like the footage for a glossy magazine.

I was fortunate to talk with Tom recently. I was surprised with his young look and how eloquent he is…

Don’t say a word! In his 55 he looks mockingly good and much younger than me. It would be interesting for me to ask him about his skin care. On the same time, he really does have the talent of a speaker. He can present the TV-show, I would have watched it with pleasure!

How is it like – to work with the designer in the director’s chair?

During our first meeting it could barely fit in my mind. We agreed to have a dinner in Claridge’s hotel, and all the ladies in the restaurant around us whispered: “Oh God, it’s Tom Ford!” But after the first few minutes, it becomes clear that it’s a creator sitting in front of you, who refers to the cinema as seriously as to handbags design. He knows exactly what he wants from the actor and the other members of the cast. He’s a beautiful and eloquent dictator. We shot the whole picture in a record of 21 days!

You had no regrets when the previous, sixth season of Downton Abbey, was announced as the last one?

I mustn’t complain, as my character, Henry Talbott, has finally married lady Mary! (Laughs.) The creator of the series, Julian Fellowes, had to write so many excellent scripts, but he managed to finish the show on a beautiful, winning note. He did not suffer the fate of TV shows that close after the absolute loss of the audience interest. If you count all seasons chronologically, at the end of the sixth season the Countess - portrayed by Maggie Smith - would have turned 110 years old. Although I can please the fans: now there is talk of shooting a full-length movie.

Would you star in it as well?

It may well be! Julian has already wrote the script. The main thing now is to link all the actors schedules, who started to be torn apart by the producers immediately after the completion of the series. Michelle Dockery, my wife in the series, is now engaged in several projects. But I am sure very soon you’ll hear about the movie, and then I’ll tell you more about it.

Translated from Russian by @rosemarycountess

[thekimmiandjackieshow]

A Day of Being Dapper and Dining at Cinderella’s Royal Table

My phone vibrated on the cheap wooden nightstand next to my head early one Saturday morning. I turned the alarm off as quickly as possible so I didn’t wake up my roommate who had worked late the night before. Usually I hesitated to get up. Usually my alarm meant I had to get up for work. I spent a quick second double checking my work schedule as I did every day - a paranoid habit I had picked up after reading horror stories of people getting termed for going to the parks after forgetting they had work that day. Moments later I was getting ready for the most magical day ever.

See, twice a year, Disney parks become the home for a famous event known as Dapper Day. It started out as a small event in 2011 where people could showcase their style, vintage or otherwise, and roam the parks. It has since grown into an event that attracts guests from all over, even those who aren’t particularly invested in fashion. Dapper Day Events take place in Disneyland California, Walt Disney World, and Disneyland Paris, with events in both the fall and spring. I had been lucky enough to attend two spring events at Disneyland and one fall event at Walt Disney World, but I was extremely excited for the spring event at Walt Disney World. With Disneyland being a relatively easy park-hopping resort, Dapper Day Events typically take over both parks. At Walt Disney World though, the organizers of the event tend to pick a main park for the celebration. The Fall 2015 event was held at Hollywood Studios. It was really fun and had its own charm to it, but I was excited because the Spring 2016 event was being held at Magic Kingdom. While no specific era is the focus of Dapper Day, I like to imagine that Dapper Day events recreate what Disneyland would have looked like when it first opened its gates in 1955. You know, back when guests wore high heels and bow ties to the parks. I was excited to see what Magic Kingdom felt like.

It was every bit as magical as I had hoped.

Dana, Jo, and I planned to get to Dapper Day early so that we could ride the street cars down Main Street. Of course when make up and hair curlers are involved, you never leave on time. I wore the same thing I had worn the Dapper Day before, a cupcake dress I had ordered off of Etsy. There are people who design their own dresses, go all out in accessories, and have to have something new every single outing. I’ve never been that person and I’ll probably never be that person, but the cupcake dress was easily one of my favorites out of my dress collection. I checked the weather: hot, humid, with a chance of rain. Classic Florida. My hair went up in a ponytail, Dana curled it, and we were ready to go!

I’m not usually the biggest fan of Magic Kingdom. *Cue audience gasp and immediate loss of followers.* I just think Disney can update quite a few of the attractions at this point, although I recognize that it’s hard to do when you’re trying to get everything open year round for guests who are there on a once-in-a-lifetime vacation. That being said, Magic Kingdom is one of my favorite hangout parks. I love the atmosphere from Main Street to the hub, and could easily spend my entire day in front of the castle. 

We ran into the park, giddy and ready for magic. The energy on Main Street matched our excitement, and we couldn’t wait to get the day started. Jo had driven separately since she had to work later in the day, so Dana and I started off on Main Street by ourselves. The Town Square Theatre was on our right, inviting guests to come inside and meet Tinker Bell and Mickey Mouse. The wait to meet Tinker Bell was next to nothing, and I had never done it, so we skipped inside. The Cast Member greeted us, asked us how many were in our party, and invited us into the next room. It was dark inside, lit only by the shimmering pixie dust on the walls. I grabbed Dana’s hand in excitement. The Cast Member appeared in front of us and told us to say, “Pixie Dust”. As soon as the small crowd did, the pixie dust danced over to a door that had been hidden by the darkness of the room and it opened up. We shuffled into that room to find Tinker Bell playing in her forest. When it was our turn to meet her, Tinker Bell wasted no time in asking if the pumpkin muffins on my dress were real. I said I wished they were and she invited me back to have pumpkin muffins with her and her fairy friends any time. We took our picture and headed out back into the theatre. 

I couldn’t stop talking about how neat it was and what a magical start to the day it had been. Even the things that just looked like buildings from the outside were magical worlds on the inside, and it impressed me. We continued on down Main Street and ran into a Cast Member who was passing out “I’m Celebrating” buttons that already said Dapper Day 2016 on them. Even though Dapper Day is an unofficial Disney event, Disney is very much aware of when these events happen and do what they can to make the visit special for guests in the small ways they can. Dana and I grabbed buttons and pinned them on before heading to Casey’s Corner. 

Apparently Casey's Corner has their own special opening. Being a quick service food stop, it opens slightly later than the rest of the park does. They’re supposed to sing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” or something like that when they open their doors. I had never heard of it but Jo and the coworkers who worked there were interested in seeing it from the outside. We waited for it, but I was soon distracted by other things. A random guest who was also celebrating Dapper Day said she liked our outfits and wanted to get a picture with us. I didn’t catch her name but she appeared to be by herself and was trying to get as many pictures as she could with people who were dressed up. 

Then, the classic Main Street music paused and Move It, Shake It, Dance It, Play It! was announced. If you know me at all, you know I’m fairly socially awkward. With characters, it’s even worse. I can tell they’re trying to communicate with me, but rarely can I tell what’s going on. So a dance party with characters would seem like my worst nightmare. But MISI actually has a very special place in my heart. It’s such an upbeat parade/dance party that you can’t help but feel anything other than excited. The “Party Up” music began, and despite the fact that I didn’t really visit Magic Kingdom all that often, I had all the words memorized. Dana and I instantly started singing along. Casey’s was opening behind us, but MISI had stolen all my attention. I looked up as Mickey Mouse passed by. He waved to me. Friends behind me laughed as their work location opened up. My roommate to my right was dancing along to the loud music pumping through speakers on the famous Main Street, USA street. Dancing to MISI had become the norm. The Florida breeze that comes right before it starts sprinkling passed by and reminded me that I was over 2,000 miles away from home, and that this was real life. The e-mail I had received months and months ago led to that very moment, and I was living the dream. 

Parade Control followed the last set of dancers towards the hub. Dana and I followed right behind, dancing and singing along. A few other dapper friends joined in on our mini parade while tourists anxiously shuffled their feet close behind, trying to get a few pictures, unaware that they were all going to get very close to the characters shortly. We followed them until they parked around the hub and then cut across to Liberty Square. We weren’t in any real hurry. Our first scheduled stop was to have a late breakfast at Sleepy Hollow. 

I had never been. It was on my bucket list of course, but had always been put on hold for other things. We got our breakfast and found a table in a corner. All of them were covered in powdered sugar, a sign of the place being good.

The powdered sugar was as messy as everybody else made it look. I tried to avoid getting any on my black dress, wondering why we had made the choice to eat at a place that was that messy when we were trying to look so fancy. Despite the messy powdered sugar falling everywhere, it was one of the best breakfasts offered inside the parks. 

After everything was cleaned up, we decided to watch the Trolley Show. Another thing I had never seen before. I was slowly checking things off my bucket list. It was part of what made the day so magical. If we had done all of the things that I normally did at Magic Kingdom, it wouldn’t have been special. It wouldn’t have been any different from any other day. But instead my day was filled with new experiences and memories specific to that day. Experience after experience filled my heart with the love I knew I’d eventually have for Magic Kingdom once I got past the homesickness it gave me for Disneyland and the resentment I had against my job. Each thing reminded me why I loved Disney. Being there was an escape. It was a place where a large majority of the people were happy and excited. It was a place I could feel good in. A place that felt like home while still being new each time. A place filled with good, positive memories. A place that allowed me to be worry-free. That day especially was a special one.

We stopped on a random curb along Main Street. I had no idea what to expect. I asked Dana if this is where we’d see the Trolley Show. She said it was a rough estimate, but it should be a good spot. Shortly after, a big blue trolley appeared around the corner. Following the trolley were performers in pastels. The boys wore bow ties, vests, and hats. The girls wore petticoats, frilled dresses with bows on the back, and their hair in large curls. The giant wheels on the trolley came to a stop while the performers danced and sang around it, welcoming us to the town in true Main Street fashion. I clicked my camera away as Dana recorded the show in 10 second intervals on SnapChat. She commented on how the trolley was different. We talked about how even the trolley wanted to partake in the holiday.

The trolley was soon on its way down Main Street again, steadily approaching the next small crowd of guests. The small spontaneous show left a smile on my face, and reminded me that Disney wasn’t only about being big and impressive, but about being detailed and thorough. The show was a continuation of the idea that everybody on Main Street truly lived in that small town and knew the mayor at the end of Town Square. The casual appearance of the performers made it feel like you had stepped into a real-life musical, where every regular citizen randomly dances together and bursts into song. I’ve always wanted to live in a world like that, so it left me feeling pretty jazzed about life. 

Of course one of the main reasons to go to Dapper Day at Walt Disney World is to get pictures around the parks. Dana and I wanted to get as many pictures as we could as early as possible so we could switch out our heels for more comfortable shoes. I had walked around in the parks in character heels before for previous Dapper Days and never had a problem. But combined with the previous 12 hour shifts, my feet were feeling extra sore. Most of our pictures were going to be in front of the castle, though we had quite a few in mind that we wanted to get. So we twirled in front of the castle, princess posed on bridges, made wishes at the wishing well, skipped to the castle steps, spread out our skirts over the hub grass fences, and took pictures of each other from every angle. At that moment we were inseparable and our day was magical, and nothing could change that.

We got pixie dusted in Fantasyland, danced in the rain, and marveled over the castle’s beauty. Jo then split off to be with coworkers, so Dana and I headed off on our own path. After changing into more comfortable shoes, we made a plan of what to do next. During Dapper Day, an artist who does unofficial Disney buttons was passing out free Dapper related buttons. I had gotten one the semester before after Joy introduced us to him, and this time he was giving hints about where he was on Snapchat. Dana and I were determined. We went around Magic Kingdom and ended up waiting by the People Mover for a while. All of a sudden we got a text from Jo saying that he was right next to her back in Fantasyland. The two of us raced to the back of the park, hopeful that he would still be there when we got there. There he was, stopped by a small crowd who had discovered him. We said the magic word, picked out our buttons, and had achieved our mission from the day.

Shortly after, Main Street was preparing for Festival of Fantasy. We waited impatiently on the curb, ready to sing along and wave to our favorite characters. The parade rounded the hub and started down Main Street as the guests of Magic Kingdom were welcomed and invited to be part of the magic. Our dreams came true, our hearts soared, and we lived for being part of the magic as the parade passed before us. Just another day living in Walt Disney World.

During our day, I realized that an old friend was visiting Magic Kingdom. She hadn’t realized it was Dapper Day, but was in town and was stopping by Walt Disney World with family. I messaged her and we had agreed to get together right after the parade for a quick catch up and a picture. Bri and I had met during my first Disney Cruise in 2011. I had gone to Alaska - a 7 night cruise on the Disney Wonder. Every night, since night one, the early 20′s college-aged club would meet up with an entertainment host in a club along “Route 66″. We’d play games, watch live entertainment, dance, and do just about anything. Even after the regular meet-up times were over, we’d hang out around the ship talking about life and bonding. Our little group got pretty close and we managed to stay in touch with Facebook and whatnot after the cruise ended. Bri and I had also gotten together again in 2013 when I sailed on the Disney Dream with my mom. She was working as an Entertainment Host on the Dream at the time, and we were very excited to meet up with each other. Then, on Main Street, on Dapper Day, we were reunited again.

The two of us got to chat briefly about our lives as Cast Members before she had to catch up with her family for the rest of her vacation. It was yet another magical moment to add to our list of magical moments for the day. We wished each other well and went our separate ways.

Dana and I still had a few ideas of pictures we could take along Main Street. Before we did that, we started to think about what we wanted the rest of our day to look like. I wanted to try to ride Space Mountain in a big fluffy dress, explore Tom Sawyer’s Island, and see if any table service restaurant had any walk-ins available. Dana agreed. I had been to Be Our Guest several times and was ready to try some of the other restaurants in Magic Kingdom. The Lady and the Tramp inspired restaurant on Main Street caught my eye, and I mentioned to Dana that we should try there. Then she said something crazy. She said we should check to see if Cinderella’s Royal Table had anything open.

Cinderella’s Royal Table is a restaurant on the second story of Cinderella Castle. It is one of the most popular restaurants on Disney property. Not only is it in the iconic castle with stunning views of Fantasyland, but it is a princess meet and greet dining experience. Sometimes day-of cancellations happen, but they don’t happen that frequently because it costs money to cancel the reservation. I tried not to get too excited as we raced towards the castle. The odds of getting a table there were slim to none. An old roommate of mine had told me stories of times that she had waited on waitlists for the restaurant and never got in. I had never even put it on my bucket list because it didn’t seem possible. 

Dana walked up to the Cast Member working the front desk to ask if there was any magical way that a table had opened up for that evening. A table on any random day would’ve been a miracle, but on Dapper Day - a day where guests love to sit down to fancy dinner in their fancy attire? I wasn’t holding my breath. The Cast Member didn’t miss a beat. 

“Does 10:00pm work for you?”

We stopped. It took us a few seconds to register what was happening. Dana turned to me with a questioning look.

“I can stay until 10:00,” I said.

We agreed. We’d stay all day and finish our day at Cinderella’s Royal Table. It didn’t feel real.

The Cast Member gave us a slip of paper with our names and a return time on it. She told us we’d be one of the last tables seated. We couldn’t believe it.

It was still day time and we had so much time before the end of the day. I put the slip of paper safely in my purse, still half wondering if it was even valid. I couldn’t believe all the magic that was happening. With excitement rushing through our bodies, we skipped down Main Street for more pictures.

One of my favorite parts about working and living in Walt Disney World is the feeling that you know everybody. When you’re on vacation there, you pretty much know the people you’re there with. Living there is entirely different. While wondering the park you may spontaneously bump into friends who are also there enjoying their day off. Or you may walk right into a friend who is working somewhere. Running into people everywhere you go makes the place feel more like home. Instead of being filled with strangers, the place is filled with friends. Dapper Day was no exception. We stumbled into a few of my coworkers that day who were also celebrating Dapper Day!

We were so focused on getting pictures throughout the day that we weren’t really focused on any of the attractions. I had mentioned trying to ride Space Mountain in a giant fluffy dress, but we ended up passing on that and heading to Big Thunder instead. The line was short and we had time to spare, so we hopped on. Shortly after, we raced over to Tom Sawyer’s Island. I had never spent a lot of time there and I never seemed to have time to do it on my visits to Magic Kingdom, so it made the list of things to do that day. It had actually been a while since I had stayed at Magic Kingdom until closing time. 

Tom Sawyer’s Island isn’t usually favored for Dapper Day. The dusty paths and barrel bridges are not ideal for fancy dresses and heels. We of course had already ditched our heels hours beforehand, and the dirt didn’t really bother us. The loud roar of our raft drowned out the murmurs of guests as we trekked over the water and to the island. The two of us skipped down swaying bridges, bounced on barrels, and relaxed in the shade of the trees for a while. 

As we took a break from the warm sun and crowds on the mainland, we looked up the menu for Cinderella’s Royal Table. It had occurred to me that I had never actually looked at what they served because I had written it off as impossible. Looking at the options made us even more excited. We talked quite a bit about how living at Walt Disney World is really the main reason we got the chance to go there. On a standard vacation, we wouldn’t have been able to change our plans up that much and probably wouldn’t have even checked for a table there. Even if we had, we’d most likely be vacationing during a time when we didn’t have to be in school or work, meaning the parks would be significantly more crowded. Magical moments happen on vacations all the time, of course, but spontaneously eating at Cinderella’s Royal Table with a roommate on a random day off between two work days was honestly the reason I went to do the Disney College Program. We then realized that Dana’s umbrella was missing and raced back to a raft to see if we could find it somewhere on the mainland. On the raft we realized that it was probably left behind at Big Thunder, so we asked a Cast Member there to check their Lost and Found. Sure enough, her umbrella was discovered. Another magical save.

The sun was starting to set over Magic Kingdom. The clouds turned pink and the lights on the buildings of Main Street started to flicker on. The morning’s high energy and fast paced atmosphere had relaxed into a calmer evening. Guests who had started their day with tons of plans and little time were now slowing down. Main Street was growing quieter as guests finished off their last few attractions before heading back to the castle to watch the final nighttime spectaculars. Dana and I headed to the train station for, of course, more pictures.

We took our time looking over Main Street from the train station. Watching the magic of the park from above was surreal. It felt like looking in from the outside. Cast Members at kiosks below were waving with Mickey gloves and taking a knee to trade pins with little guests. Fresh popcorn was popping. Guests were pointing out details to their families and friends, kids stared in awe at the majestic castle in the distance, and families were sitting down on the curb with ice cream just people watching from down below. Main Street is so simple, and yet still so magical. 

The sun disappeared but the warm humidity stuck around. Time passed and crowds gathered in front of the castle for the fireworks. Dana and I brainstormed a plan. Celebrate the Magic was always just before Wishes, the fireworks show at Magic Kingdom. Wishes was set to go off at 9:00pm and was about a 13 minute show. We were told to arrive for our reservation at Cinderella’s Royal Table 15 minutes early, so we needed to be on the other side of the castle by 9:45pm. It sounded easy enough. The trouble was, in order to help with crowd control, the castle was completely blocked off. Instead of being able to walk right through the castle from Main Street and straight on to Cinderella’s Royal Table, we would have to go around. The small pathway leading around the castle and right to Fantasyland was also blocked off, so our best bet was to go through Liberty Square and around. How fast we’d be able to do that was dependent on how fast the crowds were able to move after the fireworks. We contemplated skipping Celebrate the Magic, watching Wishes from behind the castle, and then heading to Cinderella’s Royal Table, but Celebrate was my favorite show and I definitely didn’t want to miss it on our incredibly magical day. I couldn’t think of a more magical way to end the day.

Cinderella Castle went dark, magical light instrumentals played, and a projection of Tinker Bell danced on the castle. My eyes instantly filled with tears. Just the day before, I had wished to go home. I had moved to Florida from Southern California with every intention of going back. But my parents had made the move to Texas shortly after I moved to Florida, so there was nothing much to go back to in SoCal. My girlfriend and I had planned to move in together in North Carolina, but I had only visited NC one time. I was excited, but it hardly felt like home. Everything had changed during my program. Not just me but everything I had expected my life to be. I wanted to call Walt Disney World my home, but I also constantly wanted to leave. That night, as the sketches of Walt flipped across the castle, the pressure of finding home released. Right then, I knew I was home. It wasn’t what I had always called home, but it was my new home, and it was magical. It wasn’t just Walt Disney World that was my home though. It was all of Orlando. I knew the best routes to get to work. I knew where to find the cheapest gas. I had my favorite grocery store and knew exactly where to find everything. I went to nearby concerts, clubs, malls, restaurants, etc. An evening out didn’t just mean going to the parks. Sometimes we all went out to Cheesecake Factory because it was nearby and we all loved it. We lived normal lives with just an extra touch of magic. I knew right then that even though I hadn’t always had the best time on my program, I was one of the lucky ones. Dana and I usually would have been singing every word along with the show, but we were silenced to tears as we both thought about how magical our lives had become. The darkness only lasted a moment before Wishes began. I’m not one to get emotional over Wishes, but that night I was a wreck. Tinker Bell flew overhead, flares shot over the castle recreating the image we grew up seeing before our favorite movies, and Jiminy Cricket reminded us to wish upon a star and dream. Wishes ended and while the crowd cheered and paused to take pictures in front of the castle, Dana and I weaved through towards Liberty Square. Of course we had 30 minutes to walk around, so we really had plenty of time, but we were so nervous about losing our table that we didn’t hesitate. We got there early enough to stop and stare at the back of the castle. 

Just a floor above the entry way of the castle sat one of the most popular restaurants in Walt Disney World. The large windows shone brightly on Fantasyland as guests inside enjoyed a magical dinner. I had imagined what the inside looked like for years. I had wondered what the view looked like from the inside of the castle. I had taken as many pictures of the back of the castle as I had the front. I had also always walked away from it, knowing I’d probably never have the chance to really know. That night, we were going to find out. It probably seems silly to people to hear how excited we were about a restaurant, but the chance to be inside the castle, even if it’s just for a moment, is something that most fans of the park long for. We paused to take pictures before walking up to the restaurant to check in.

I half expected the Cast Members to tell me it had all been a joke. I was sure that the pink slip of paper granting us access to our reservation would be lost somewhere in the park earlier that day. I really didn’t believe that any of it was real. I found the pink slip with our names on it and gave it to the Cast Member to check in. Waiting on a bench nearby was Kassidy, a friend of mine from my work location. She was waiting with her friend for a spontaneous late night reservation of her own and was just as shocked as we were to have gotten a table. We were told that we would be one of the last ones seated for the night and that we could take our time exploring the castle after we were done since the restaurant would be closed. Our table was ready almost immediately. 

We were let in through the large wooden doors and were told to walk on the red carpet towards Cinderella. The inside of the castle was beautiful. Stained glass windows were painted with the blue birds that had helped Cinderella wear her first formal dress. Swords were crossed behind a shield that bore one of the many coat of arms displayed inside the castle. Research dictates that over 40 coat of arms are displayed, each dedicated to a person important to the history of Disney. The tall ceilings and stone walls were lit by simple chandeliers. In the empty spaces around the windows hung large quilts with pieces of Cinderella’s story. Around the bend, stood Cinderella. 

To the left of Cinderella was a large regal fireplace. Behind her were tall royal blue curtains that fell behind some tall swirling plants. A photographer snapped pictures for families as excited princesses raced up to Cinderella for a hug. The line was short, but we wouldn’t have cared if it were long because there was so much to look at. Our turn approached and we walked up to meet her. She welcomed us to her castle, complimented our princess dresses, and wished us a magical evening. 

The photographer guided us to the staircase wrapped in stone in front of us. The blue carpet was covered in pixie dust from all the princesses that had makeovers in Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique before making their way to Cinderella’s Royal Table. The stone walls opened themselves up to a small balcony that overlooked Cinderella’s meet and greet below. It was already almost entirely empty.

I took pictures of absolutely everything, refusing to forget the detailing inside. Before we got to the dining hall, we found the restrooms. I was once told to always go inside the restroom of a fancy restaurant because you’ll never know what you’ll find. I was actually told this for the first time at Club 33 at Disneyland by a waiter who could tell it was a once-in-a-liftetime experience for us.  The second time I heard it was on the Disney Dream on a tour of the reservation-only restaurants. Inside the women’s restroom were gold-plated sinks. Actual gold. From then on I have been convinced that Disney hides some of their best detailing in restrooms that are off the beaten path. I told Dana this and we both agreed to go inside and check them out. It was pretty but nothing too spectacular. 

Finally we walked up the rest of the stairs to the dining hall. It was glorious. The middle of the dining hall was slightly lower than the outskirts of the restaurant. Flags and lights filled the open ceiling over head. The windows overlooking Fantasyland were dark with the night sky, revealing just the twinkling lights of the carrousel below. We were sat at a table on the elevated outskirts of the restaurant and greeted by our waiter. Our visible excitement was enough to earn us both a Wishing Star and a magic wand, gifts that are usually saved for much younger princesses. The waiter set our menus down in front of us, introduced us to the restaurant, informed us of how the character meet and greet would go, and left to let us soak everything in.

Shortly after, an announcement was made to the entire restaurant. The princesses were arriving. I have done a few character dining experiences in my life, but never a princess one. To me, they’ve always been a little awkward. While you’re eating, the characters come up to say hi and get a picture. It results in an awkward pause in whatever you’re eating and a weird shuffling around the tables to get the picture you want. I was worried Cinderella’s Royal Table would feel like that, but it was perfectly executed. There was plenty of space to get up and take pictures with them and nothing felt rushed. Everybody in the restaurant applauded as the princesses walked in and started making their rounds to the different tables. 

Snow White, seeing the cupcakes on my dress, asked if I enjoyed baking. She invited me to come over and bake with her and the dwarfs any time! After that, Ariel and Dana twirled in their fluffy skirts together. There had never been a more magical dinner.

The food, of course, had also been fantastic. My favorite part was the themed dessert. Dana and I made sure to get different ones so we could experience as much of menu as we could. I got a lemon dessert that was incredible. Dana and I both thought it tasted like something (besides just lemon of course) but we couldn’t put our finger on it. We started just calling it lemon magic because everything inside the castle was probably made of pure magic anyway. 

As we were eating, the wishing ceremony took place. I had never heard of the wishing ceremony before. The only reason I knew about the wishing stars was because my roommate had obtained a few during her time in the castle. The castle grew silent as we were told to make a wish on our wishing stars and wave our wands in the air. Dana and I waved and waved them around as the ceiling above us twinkled with all of our wishes. Unfortunately, our waiter was un-phased by the event and tried to ask us questions during the ceremony. I don’t think he realized that two young adults would be very into it considering it was geared towards the younger ones. We brushed him off until he got the hint and stood to the side, waiting for us to be done wishing. While it bothered us at first, the overall magic of the day was enough to make us forgive him. After all, he probably saw the wishing ceremony hundreds of times a day and at a certain point, I’ll bet it just becomes part of the noise. I felt lucky that I hadn’t lost that much of the magic. 

By the time we were done, the restaurant was almost empty. We double checked with the waiter to see if it was okay if we roamed the castle to take pictures. Luckily the tables against the windows were almost entirely cleared out, so we walked right up to the glass to get the best view of Fantasyland. 

We made our way down the sparkled blue steps and paused for more pictures. With no guests trying to make their way up or down, we were able to take as many pictures as we wanted. The Cast Members were all really nice too, probably very used to overly-excited guests capturing every possible magical moment they could. 

Downstairs, Cinderella was no longer welcoming guests to her castle. There was nobody around the large echoey room. I wondered if we could get pictures at Cinderella’s picture spot before leaving. Dana walked right up and sat down, figuring that anything they didn’t want touched would be blocked off. I couldn’t imagine finishing my meal and walking back down to seeing guests still in line to meet her. I would have left wanting more pictures, more time, and more freedom than the structure that’s in place during the day. The empty castle was part of what made the night so magical for us, and I couldn’t have asked for a better experience.

We walked out of the castle overwhelmed by the night. Neither of us could believe that we had just twirled with princesses in Cinderella Castle, eating pure magic while wishing on a star, and finishing it off by skipping through an almost empty castle. I completely forgot that Magic Kingdom had already closed for the night and was working towards emptying the park while we were upstairs. The area was empty and we took the opportunity to take even more pictures.

Main Street looked beautiful with all the lights shining on a completely empty street. The music seemed louder than ever with no guests nearby chatting or screaming. There were no ECV horns sounding, no crowds to work our way through, nobody standing in our pictures... just the sound of the famous Main Street music as we walked towards the front of the park. We turned around to get one last look of the castle, standing tall, lit beautifully, with nobody around. It was hard to imagine that we were just inside that very building, eating and wishing and dancing with princesses. In fact it was hard to believe any of the magic that had happened that day. It truly is the Most Magical Place on Earth, and that day, we felt so lucky to call it home.

*I found out that pictures become blurry when viewed on the dashboard. If viewed directly on the blog page, the blurry images become clear again. I’ve looked up work arounds as the image quality issue only happens in text posts when viewed on the dashboard, but the workarounds have failed me.*