#i wouldn't really say its poetry per say

[yunville]

DROPS OF JUPITER! — kazu the saviour

masterlist | chapter 2 | chapter 4

word count: 700

deep in your thoughts as you walked out of your last lecture. wouldn't say the day was horrible neither was it amazing. after being confessed to by a person you've always admire from afar, you'd think that you'll actually feel a sense of happiness, feeling accomplished in getting their attention only to have them confess to your secret identity only your friends knew.

kaveh, you thought. oh how could a person be so beautiful with that bright hair that lights up the entire school from miles away. "downbad" is the minimum, infact you've been pining on him ever since you saw him on your first day.

"never knew the only way to get his attention was to create a secret identity i didn't even mean for him to like" you laughed. isn't it ironic? the whole situation. a fool, you're only making a fool out of yourself.

"hey yn" your thoughts were interrupted when you heard a familiar voice call out your name.

"oh kazuha! hi! are you here for rehearsal?" you look up, and questioned. of course he is, the annual concert's only 2 weeks away! everyone's been super occupied with the event, most of the assignments got canceled as to how important this event is to the school.

"mhm, not really. im just here to drop off the scripts and go on with my day. today's rehearsal is for the singers and band team, if you didn't already know and its open to audience," he replied smiling assertively. you nod in acknowledgment. of course you knew that.... hahaha (you didn't!!!)

as you step in the hall, you made eye contact with him. oh god oh no! those beautiful, fiery red eyes that you fell for the moment you saw it. the bright yellow hair that brightens your day. the extremely enchanting dark turquoise feather he has in his hair made him look like the most intelligent man on earth.

"there! thats yn! she's my friend," you hear venti said introducing you indirectly to his group of friends. you smile at him and quickly put your bags down to start rehearsal.

"performers come on the stage now! we'll do a quick briefing before we start," miss lisa said gathering everyone but the audience.

———

practice went well as per usual, with some mistakes but better than previous practices. there was a quick debrief before the dismissal, and you all went your way.

"YN!!! come here!!" the green head calls out for you. you showed him your palm as a signal to wait while you pack your guitar and bag, before heading to them.

"hi, im yn. nice to meet you" you said with a soft smile. looking up, you met eye contact with the blonde.

"no need to be so formal yn" kazuha chuckles before patting your head. you guys have always been kind of awkward, but close! but awkward... kind of! :]

"oh yn! i have a question" kaveh asked. KAVEH ASKED???? oh lord, you were panicking on the inside, he has something to ask you about? did you finally gain his attention?

"do you get inspiration from venus?" oh. oh.... least to say, you froze. you couldn't possibly tell him that you're venus can you.

"ah, yn doesn't watch venus" kazuha interrupts. you look at him and smile, reminding yourself to thank him mentally when you're alone with him.

"oh, thats shocking! you both sound quite similar too!!!" kaveh replies more passionately

"maybe you're venus" a ginger head adds on to the joke. the two of them laughed between themselves.

from your peripheral view, you saw kazuha signalling you as to whether you want to head home, you nodded as a yes.

"i'll be heading home with yn now, im supposed to stop by her place to take my poetry notes," kazuha fakes a reason. sounds of teasing were heard but kazuha pulled you away. he apologised for the behaviour of his friends while you thank him for getting you out of there and you both part ways at the school gate bidding goodbye. what an eventful day. you thought as you sigh.

TAGLIST: OPEN! @cerisetial @shionszz @pyrrhicgaze @sakiimeo @serenareiss @morgandoesstuffsig @jadedist @squishychongyun @sashiette @akagism2 @kazuyato (send an ask or dm!)

[moinsbienquekaworu]

i am about to sleep but i wanted to ask what your favorite poem is? will you tell me about it? what you love and why it’s your favorite? do you like any of its translations? i love you. i hope you have a good day 🥰

(⁠〒⁠﹏⁠〒⁠) beloved thank you for the question!!! As per usual I am incapable of choosing just one of a thing, so I actually have two favourite poems, one in french and one in english (because poetry in french and in english can be pretty different since the codes and models and expectations aren't always the same!) They're the two poems I can recite and know by heart haha.

The english one is Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening, by Robert Frost. I really like the last stanza (like everyone else) but also just the way when you say it out loud it does feel like a quiet moment watching the snow fall all on your own. I found it recently accompanying a fic (two different fics actually but the second time I knew it) and it entranced me!

The french one is Chanson d'Automne by Paul Verlaine. It's a classic in France, some of its lines were used as a signal for saboteurs during WWII and there's an urban legend it was used to signal the landing in Normandy. I personally had to learn it by heart in primary school (I think in 4th grade?) and it just stuck with me. I like it for the way it feels to me and the images it evokes, but also just because it was the first poem I learnt by heart and being able to recite a poem is an easily overlooked comfort of life (insert those posts and quotes about art being vital and what we need to be able to turn to in dark or light times)

Other poems I like include Remords Posthume and L'Albatros by Baudelaire, Le Dormeur du Val by Rimbaud, Le Déserteur and Je Voudrais Pas Crever by Boris Vian, Funeral Blues by W. H. Auden, and Mad Girl's Love Song by Sylvia Plath. The french ones I studied in school, and I found the english ones on my own (I feel like I found both in Johnlock fics?? but I might be wrong about Funeral Blues, it's been years) I included english translations where I could for the french ones, and they're not necessarily incredible but they should let you get the vibe. If one of them speaks to you I can try to explain what makes it tick! My personal anecdotes with those because that's half the fun: we had to analyse Remords Posthume for literature class with my best friend K, and what's really cool about it is the last line, "et le ver rongera ta peau comme un remords", because it plays on the homonymy between ver, the worm, and vers, the line of poetry, meaning she will be devoured physically by worms since she'll be dead but also that his verses, his poem, will make her feel remorse; I like the albatross analogy because I was a weird kid who felt comfortable with books but not with my peers; Le Dormeur du Val is extremely extremely sad and beautiful and I think Rimbaud was a very interesting guy; technically Le Déserteur is a song and not a poem but I first saw the text without knowing that so for me it's a poem forever now, and I love talking about the original versus final ending thing; the YouTube channel Le Mock did an excellent reading of Je Voudrais Pas Crever and it's a jewel, I love it so so much; Funeral Blues was the first english poem I ever liked (or maybe read honestly) and I wrote it on the cover of my 10th grade english notebook (because the teacher was great and said that if we forgot to do our homework he wouldn't punish us if we could recite a poem for him, so I wrote it down and tried to learn if by heart in case I forgot my homework); and Mad Girl's Love Song features in a fic I read a few weeks ago and I just think it's neat. I probably forgot some but those are the ones I remember right now (edit: ADA LIMÓN!! I FORGOT ADA LIMÓN!!! Accident Report in the Tall, Tall Weeds (the I can't help it, I love the way men love poem) hit me in the chest the first time I read it and it's so so good)

My favourites (and most of the poems I like actually) are pretty popular because I'm not really into poetry that much on my own. I get attached to poems once I see how they work inside and analyse them, but I don't sit down and decide to analyse some poem from Les Fleurs du Mal at random because it feels like homework, and I don't go looking for poetry because I'm very hit or miss (I get bored at long winded descriptions in those 4-part 7-pages poems and a lot of things trip up my instinctual Pretentiousness Radar™, and while it's not necessarily accurate it does turn me off poems). So I just stay with the basics, but that's fine, because the comfort of carrying poems with you is there whatever the poem is y'know?

Also question, do americans learn poetry in school? I assume you must analyse some in literature class, but I don't know if you learn poems when you're young. I know we also do lots of La Fontaine's Fables, though I personally never did, but learning poems to recite in primary school is a thing almost everyone has done here I think.

[libraryofjoy]

January 2023 Books read

For 2023 I'm trying a pretty achievable challenge to read at least 12 fiction books and 12 nonfiction books, ideally at least one each per month. I'm not counting books I had to read for school, and most of the books are going to be audiobooks I listen to during my commute. I also just want to pay attention to how much I'm reading and which books I tend toward.

Zephyr by Joan He. My first book this year was a Y/A Chinese historically-inspired fantasy novel. I read a lot of fan-translated Chinese webnovels so it was interesting to compare similarities and differences between this book and those. It's focused on immortals/gods--I think it could be classified as Xuanhuan. I noticed a lot more names were translated into English or changed to terms that wouldn't be as confusing for an American reader. The main character is so clever and mischievous and stubborn--she was really memorable! I really enjoyed this book but it didn't really feel like a whole book. I'd definitely want to read a sequel to get the rest of the story.

Little Weirds by Jenny Slate. I've seen this book quoted all over Tumblr, and it lived up to the out-of-context quotations. I think this toes the line between creative nonfiction and poetry--there are lots of colorful scenes and dream sequences that seem really inventive. So much love and loneliness in this book. I'm going to count it in my nonfiction tally because I think I'm going to naturally skew toward fiction.

Daughter of the Moon Goddess and then also Heart of the Sun Warrior by Sue Lynn Tan. These books also are Western-published Chinese-inspired fantasy about immortals/gods. This duology felt like a mid-rated Chinese drama (which is to say, a really good time, those are my favorites!) I really enjoyed the main character's journey, but the love triangle got really frustrating really quickly. If you like to see characters in terrible dilemmas again and again and again, this is a good pick!

Gender Trouble by Judith Butler. This one actually was school-adjacent: I listened to the audiobook the week my Research Methods class highlighted their work on feminist and queer theory. But it wasn't an assigned reading, so I will be counting it! Gender Trouble delves into the traditional feminist view of gender essentialism, and offers an alternative view of gender as performative. This book was incredibly dense and kind of assumes its reader is coming to it with some context, but I thought it was really interesting!

Fiction: 3

Nonfiction: 2

Total book count: 5

[detective4blog]

Brain can't write this fully but have this one quote that I keep wanting to write for:

"There's something so intimate of knowing the human skeleton. You know exactly what bones would be more agonizing to break, yet also know how to fix that injury. You know exactly how many ribs are blocking my organs. You know what my spine looks like. You know how bones feel, regardless of if they're wet or dry. So despite the skin and muscle blocking you, you know what my bones would feel like when you touch me."

Anyway. Enjoy a poetic little nugget from me.

[the-case-book-of-fanfiction]

1989

Ship: Eddie x reader

Summary: Returning to Hawkins after years of helping Eddie through English class (and specifically poetry assignments), you make Eddie watch a new film with you called Dead Poets Society.

Word Count: 4, 298

Warnings: DPS spoilers (ish?), fluff, ending is waaaay sappier than I originally planned, mentions of the events of S4E9

Note: I have elected to ignore season 4's ending due to the year DPS was released and because that episode was just painful to sit through anyway.

☟ Continue below the fold ☟

Hawkins had been quiet in the past week since your return from college. The town seemed to have reverted to the same peaceful place its residents had known before 1983. It felt strange. You couldn't say you hated the peace, but a part of you did miss the adventure, knowing that danger was around the corner. That urge to chase danger had curbed quite a bit since '86, of course, which was probably the only reason you had survived three years of college so far away from home and the people (read: person) you cared about most.

Summer break had begun two weeks ago, and you'd come back to your hometown to visit your family and friends—and most importantly, Eddie Munson. You had seen him during break of course, but that was nothing compared to spending three consecutive months of summer with him in Hawkins.

You had your other friends to entertain, of course—Steve and Robin had both been sending you letters nonstop throughout the school year, but this summer was important. This was the summer before your final year of college, and you wanted to make it very clear to Eddie you wanted to get your life together (preferably with him, which he ought to know by now) before you graduated.

Practically melting in the scorching heat, you slammed your car door shut and bolted for the AC'ed depths of Family Video. Steve was at the counter, concentrating on organizing a stack showcasing new movies. He looked up when the bell above the door chimed, a grin spreading on his face.

"Y/N!" he said, holding up his hand for a high-five. "Are you starting today?"

Family Video had been your summer job since the summer before heading to college. You were working there again this summer, but you weren't starting yet. "Nope. I'm coming back next week."

Steve frowned. "Then what are you here for?"

You rolled your eyes. "Maybe Dustin's right and you really do need to be told everything."

He made a face. "No no no, I mean why would you come to your place of work if you didn't have to work yet?"

"Maybe she just wants to see us!" called Robin, peering out from behind a row of movies. She beamed at the sight of you.

"As much as I'd love to spend time with you guys, I'm actually here for a movie," you said, leaning on the countertop. "It's date night."

Steve raised his eyebrows, his mouth forming an 'O'. "I suppose you'll want something a little more, ah, intimate, shall we say?"

You laughed, whacking his arm. "Hardly. I've got something in mind. A new release, if you have it."

"We might," said Robin, leaving the stack she was shelving and peering at the new releases Steve was arranging. "How new?"

"June 2."

Steve's head snapped up. "Dead Poets Society?"

You grinned. "You know it!"

He groaned, not the reaction you'd been expecting. "Nancy's been making everyone watch it. She cries every time."

You shrugged. "I can't blame her. They killed off the best character."

"As per usual," Robin grumbled. "You know, they always do that. They kill of the ones I like the most."

"You and me both," you groaned. "So. You got it?"

"Uhhhhhh, lemme check the box of stuff we just got." Steve crouched below the desk and you stood on your toes to lean over the countertop. You watched him sort through movies, looking for the familiar movie cover.

Robin snorted. "You be careful there, Y/N, or Eddie'll think you're into Steve."

Over your shoulder so Steve wouldn't see, you mimed gagging. She snickered and went back to shelving movies as Steve peered at the pair of you suspiciously.

"Speaking of Eddie," began Steve, "have you guys figured it out yet?"

"After college plans? That's what this summer is for."

"And is the movie with the ending that makes everybody cry going to help you sort that out?"

You shrugged, suddenly mute and unsure of yourself.

Steve stood back up, Dead Poets Society in hand. "You alright?"

"Gotta be honest," you sighed, "I'm scared for the whole conversation." You toyed with the ring on your hand, a simple silver band that had your initials and Eddie's intertwined on the inside, as Robin came back over. "Y'know, the whole...having a life together conversation."

"You think he won't want to?" Robin asked, aghast.

You shrugged. "I don't think he won't want to, I'm just worried about the other things that might...might get in the way. His band stuff is always pretty time-consuming, and I don't want him putting that aside for me, but I also don't want to be shoved aside for the band, y'know? It's just..." You sighed heavily, dropping your head into your hands. "After everything that happened in '86, in the Upside Down—"

Blood covered your jacket, the smell of it drawing even more bats. Dustin howled, trying to keep them away from the pair of you, but a few slipped through. You screamed, shielding Eddie with your body. Your shirt came away soaked with his blood when you sat back up, pulling him into your lap.

"Stay with me, Eddie, please. You hear me? You're not going anywhere, love."

"I'm sorry," he whispered, voice thick and choked.

"You have nothing to be sorry for," you insisted fiercely, cradling his head. "Absolutely nothing."

Eddie grinned up at you, and you couldn't help but flinch at the sight of the blood on his face, in his mouth, coating his teeth. You knew how this ended in movies, and you hoped to God this wasn't going to be like that. "Yeah," he whispered. "I wasn't a coward this time, eh?"

"You are many things, Eddie Munson, but a coward is not one of them."

His eyes fluttered, his head dropping.

"Eddie? Eddie!"

"'M okay," he whispered. "I just...need a mo...moment..."

"Ed? Ed? DUSTIN! Dustin, c'mon, we gotta get him outta here!"

"Y/N? Y/N, you there?"

Fingers clicked in your face. "Earth to Y/N?" said Robin, both of them peering at you with twin expressions of worry.

You shook yourself out of the memory, more vivid than the ones that usually plagued you and took you back to that awful moment, to the beginning of the weeks where you thought Eddie wasn't going to make it out.

"Sorry...sorry, I just...got thinking about it again." You rubbed your eyes. "After all that, I don't know what I'd do without him. I mean, you guys saw what I was like. And that was just a few weeks! Life without him? I'd lose my mind."

"Does he know?" Robin asked. "About that week. This."

You nodded. "We...we talked about it before I left for college. It wasn't really a conversation he wanted to have, because he knows it scared me half to death, but...he had it. I'm just hoping he'll be okay with talking about it all again now."

"It's been three years," Steve said reassuringly. "He'll be okay. You'll both be okay."

You nodded, knowing Eddie would listen. The memory had shaken you, and Eddie would notice, so you needed some time before you had your movie date. At least he was with his band for a few more hours beforehand.

"Yeah. I'll, uh, let you guys know how it goes. Say hi to Nancy and the boys for me! I'm off to go see my gremlin child."

"Your gremlin child?" Steve echoed, raising his brows. You grinned.

"Dustin!"

"That's my child!"

You laughed yourself out of the store, listening to Steve shout his irate questions after you.

~❊~

You rapped on the Hendersons' front door. Dustin whipped it open, shouting something to his mother further inside, but his words dissolved into a joyful shout of your name as he flung his arms around you.

"You're back!"

"So are you! How's Suzie?"

Dustin grinned, almost bashful. "She's great! I told her all about you. She wants to meet you, she says you sound like a fantasy character come to life!"

You laughed. "Eddie says the same thing, I'm guessing they'd get along just fine."

Dustin giggled, the kind of giggle that meant he knew something you didn't. You narrowed your eyes.

"Alright, what's he planning?"

"Planning?" Dustin asked innocently. "Nothing. Not that I know of. No plans. Nothing at all."

"You are such a bad liar, Dustin Henderson."

"I am not, Eddie taught me!"

You snorted. "Which is exactly why I know those tells, Dusty. Ed can't hide anything from me." Dustin smirked, his gaze flicking over your shoulder. Realization dawned on you. "He's right behind me, isn't he?"

Tattooed arms swooped around your waist, lifting you into the air. You shrieked as he put you back down, his head resting on your shoulder. "Miss me?" he asked in your ear.

You responded with a grin and a quick peck to his cheek. You turned in his arms, draping your own over his shoulders. "What are you up to, mister?"

He pouted playfully. "No hello?"

You put your hands on either side of his face, thumbs resting above the pale, hardly visible scars left on his cheeks, and put your foreheads together. "Hello, Eddie Munson." You closed your eyes as he kissed you softly and pulled you into one of those warm bear hugs you missed during the school year. "I missed you."

He smiled, pulling back to see your face and brush hair out of your eyes. "If you didn't, I'd be worried."

"No need to worry, believe me." You pulled him back into a hug. "I thought you were rehearsing with the band."

"They practically shoved me out the door when I told them we had a date. So Dustin here helped me set up a little surprise."

You glanced back at Dustin. "How on earth did you two know I'd come visit Dustin?"

"You're a creature of habit," Dustin said matter-of-factly, "and you always come to visit."

"'Course I do, I gotta visit the kid I've got shared custody with," you said, ruffling his hair.

"'Shared custody' is not how you say you're his mom, sweetheart," Eddie laughed.

You smirked. "Oh, sure, but we've gotta share him with Steve."

Eddie rolled his eyes. "Not my kid!"

"You both say that, you know that right?" You glanced at Dustin. "They're gonna fight over you for the rest of your life, just so you know."

"I'm sure," Dustin sighed.

"You like me better, right?" Eddie asked, grinning mischievously over your shoulder.

Dustin paled and hurried to close the door. "You guys should really, really get to your date! You know, um, it's been a while, I'm sure you really want to, uh, kiss and—and watch a movie or—or something. Like that."

Eddie frowned at you. "Since when does he endorse us kissing?"

You laughed. "I'm pretty sure he's just trying to stay out of you and Steve's custody argument."

Eddie slung an arm around your waist, pulling you down the road toward the trailer park. "Kid's right, though. We should get to our date." You leaned on him, murmuring your agreement. "You got a movie picked out?"

You held up the copy of Dead Poets Society. "Yup!"

He raised his brows. "Sweetheart, am I gonna fall asleep during this one?"

"You better not. It's my favorite thing since, well..." You looked at him with a smile. "Since you."

He whistled. "Damn! It's been since '65 since you found something you liked? That's rough."

You rolled your eyes. "Not since you were born, you idiot. Since we met."

"Still a good ten or so years since then," he said.

"Ah, well. Let's just say every day with you has been like discovering my favorite thing all over again."

Eddie beamed. "You sap."

"You love it and can't pretend otherwise, I know you too well."

He kissed your cheek. "Yes, yes you do." He glanced at the movie again. "And now I've been replaced with a movie!"

"Not a movie, but maybe a fictional character."

Eddie dramatically smacked a hand into his chest, feigning offense. "Excuse you." You giggled. "Last I checked, fictional characters could not write you songs and play them for you. And they couldn't hold your hand." He laced his fingers through yours as if to prove his point.

You wrapped your free arm around his waist. "Alright, alright—the real thing is infinitely better."

He beamed. "Are you going to keep that opinion while we watch this?"

You looked up at him. "With this beautiful face in front of me? How could I not?"

"Sap."

"You like it."

~❊~

"Mr. Perry, will you read the opening paragraph of the preface entitled Understanding Poetry?" said Professor Keating, sitting in his onscreen classroom.

In a bored voice, Neil complied, reading, "Understanding Poetry, by Dr. J. Evans Pritchard, PhD. 'To fully understand poetry, we must first be fluent with its meter, rhyme, and figures of speech, then ask two questions. One: how artfully has the objective of the poem been rendered? And two: how important is that objective? Question one rates the poem's perfection, question two rates its importance, and once these questions have been answered, determining the poem's greatness become's a relatively simple matter."

Keating had, by now, gotten up in front of his bored students and now stood before the chalkboard.

"If the poem's score for perfection is plotted on the horizontal of a graph," continued Neil, as Keating drew what he spoke of on the board, "and its importance on the vertical, then calculating the total area of the poem yields its greatness." Neil looked up as Meeks copied down the graph Keating was drawing. "A sonnet by Byron might score high on the vertical, but only average on the horizontal. A Shakespearean sonnet, on the other hand, would score high both horizontally and vertically, yielding a massive total area, thereby revealing the poem to be truly great. As you proceed through the poetry in this book, practice this rating method. As your ability to rate poems in this manner grows, so will—so will your enjoyment and understanding of poetry."

Eddie turned to stare at you. "Are they serious? Is that what we were taught?"

You hushed him and pointed to Keating, who had at last faced his class.

"Excrement," he announced. "That's what I think of Mr. J. Evans Pritchard. We're not laying pipe. We're talking about poetry. How can you describe poetry like American bandstand? 'Well, I like Byron, I give him a 42, but I can't dance to it!'" mocked Keating, getting a laugh out of his students. Meeks was crossing out his copied diagram. "Now I want you to rip out that page."

The class grew deadly silent.

"Go on!" Keating prompted. "Rip out the entire page! You heard me: rip it out. Rip it out! Come on! Rip it out!"

Dalton slowly tore his page from his book.

"Thank you, Mr. Dalton! Gentlemen, tell you what: don't just rip out that page, rip out the entire introduction. I want it gone, history! Leave nothing of it! Rip it out, rip! Be gone, J. Evans Pritchard, PhD! Rip, shred, tear, rip it out! I want to hear nothing but ripping of Mr. Pritchard! We'll perforate it and put it on a roll! It's not the Bible, you're not gonna go to Hell for this! Make a clean tear, I want nothing left of it."

Meeks, ever the academic, turned to Neil. "We shouldn't be doing this—"

"Rip, rip, rip!" urged Neil, turning Meeks back around in his chair.

The classroom was filled with ripping and giggling as the boys tore the pages out of their books, some more messily than others.

Eddie looked delighted. "A teacher is encouraging students to deface books," he said gleefully.

In burst another teacher, Mr. McAllister. "What the hell is going on here?" he demanded, and the class turned to stare at him, their joy and amusement fading quickly.

"I don't hear enough rips!" announced Keating as he returned with a wastepaper basket, just before he saw the other teacher.

"Mr. Keating," Mr. McAllister said.

"Mr. McAllister," said Keating, still wearing his smile.

"I'm sorry, I— I didn't know you were here."

Keating spread his arms. "I am."

"Ah. So you are." McAllister's discomfort was growing, much to the pleasure of the students. "Excuse me." He slowly backed out of the classroom once more.

Keating walked between desks, taking the ripped pages in his basket. "Keep ripping, gentleman! This is a battle, a war, and the casualties could be your hearts and souls! Thank you, Mr. Dalton. Armies of academics going forward, measuring poetry. No! We will not have that here, no more of Mr. J. Evans Pritchard. Now, my class, you will learn to think for yourselves again! You will learn to savor words and language! No matter what anybody tells you, words and ideas can change the world. I see that look in Mr. Pitts' eye, like nineteenth century literature has nothing to do with going to business school or medical school. Right? Maybe. Mr. Hopkins, you may agree with him, thinking, Yes, we should simply study our Mr. Pritchard, and learn our rhyme and meter and go quietly about the business of achieving other ambitions. A little secret for you—huddle up. Huddle up!"

The class leaned in.

"We don't read and write poetry because it's cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race! And the human race is filled with passion. Medicine, law, business, engineering—these are noble pursuits, and necessary to sustain life, but poetry, beauty, romance, love! These are what we stay alive for! To quote from Whitman, 'Oh me! Oh life! of the questions of these recurring, Of the endless trains of the faithless, of cities fill’d with the foolish / What good amid these, O me, O life?' Answer that you are here. That life exists, and identity. That the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse. That the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse. What will your verse be?"

Eddie leaned toward you. "Okay," he admitted. "I see why you like this movie."

You let your hand, wrapped around his shoulders, drift through his hair, a wistful look on your face. "Imagine if we'd had a teacher like Mr. Keating."

Eddie snorted. "I would have passed. I would have paid attention. I like this guy!"

You laughed. "Is it just because you want to rip pages out of a textbook?”

He grinned. "Maaaaybe."

~❊~

Contrary to Eddie's initial skepticism, he seemed to enjoy Dead Poets Society immensely, particularly the part where the kids all shouted at the top of their lungs and stood on tables. He cackled loudly while he watched, drawing a giddy smile from you.

While Neil performed, Eddie turned to you. "Okay, I like this movie."

You grinned, hoping his opinion wouldn't change in the next ten minutes. It, of course, did.

"WHAT?! Y/N, HOW DO YOU LIKE THIS MOVIE?"

"Um—"

Eddie turned to you, in visible distress. "He—! He just—! He died! His father was a dick, so he—" He groaned, shoving his head into your shoulder. "I don't like this anymore."

You held him closer, holding your own tears back. "I know. It's got a horrible ending. I really don't know why they chose to end it the way they did."

"This may be the saddest movie you have ever shown me," he complained, his words and tears muffled by your shirt and shoulder. "How can you like this movie?"

You shrugged. "Well, I mean...it's poetry, and it's Robin Williams, and it's about refusing to conform so it reminds me of you, and it reminds me that life is fleeting so why not make the most of it before it's over, and it's like this...this realizing why people are important and that they even are important to you and how hard it is to go on without them. And that just kind of...resonates with me."

Eddie lifted his head. "Did you have that list prepared?"

"Kind of?"

He sat up fully. "It reminds you of me?"

"Well, yeah. You stand on desks a lot and you like to be loud and you're passionate about the things you love. You'd fit right in at Wheaton."

Eddie snorted, then started to laugh. "Y/N, look at me." He spread his arms, gesturing to the tattoos, band tee, and rings.

"Okay, okay, fine, not entirely," you laughed. "You're too you for that kind of school, but you get my point. You're unapologetically you, and that's what this movie reminds me of."

Eddie pulled you up to stand with him, swaying in place to music only he could hear. "And...what about that last part on your list. The important people part."

"That...reminds me of you, too," you admitted. "I... After everything we've been through and done together, you're my favorite person. I trust you the most, I love you the most, I am most myself with you. I can't really imagine life without you, and those few weeks I did spend without you, not knowing if you'd be waiting for me when I came back to your bedside..." Your head slumped until your forehead rested on his chest. Eddie's arms curled tightly around you.

"You're thinking about the hospital." It wasn't a question or a guess. He knew, just as he always did.

You nodded. "I was so scared I'd come back from the bathroom or a food run or checking up on Dustin and some doctor would tell me you'd gone while I was away. I couldn't bear the thought of living without you." You reached up, touching the tiny scars littering his jawline and cheeks. There were more, these more severe, covering his sides, reminders of what he'd gone through and what he had almost lost.

"You didn't lose me," he said. "I'm right here. I'm okay, I promise."

"I know that, it's just..." You sighed and pushed the words out. "Are you serious, Eddie? About the future. About...our future."

Eddie cupped your face in his hands. "If you're asking me if I'm going to stay with you forever, of course I am." He lifted your face, kissing you gently. "I know I might have seemed delirious, or desperate, or scared, or just plain insane, but I recall asking you to marry me in the Upside Down."

You remembered. Your heart had just about dropped to the ground when he'd said it. As you'd lifted him up with Dustin's help through the rift in his trailer, then climbed up yourself and hobbled to Max's trailer to borrow her car, Eddie had slumped onto your shoulder, had said "You don't have to save me, but I'm glad that you are. Will you marry me?" in the same breath, and then promptly passed out from blood loss. He hadn't woken up after that, and nothing was every said about his impromptu proposal after he woke up for another year, when you mentioned it in passing.

"You know, that was one of the most unromantic proposals I'd ever heard."

He made a face. "Have many men proposed to you?"

You rolled your eyes. "No, but I am a regular romance movie watcher. Usually there's a ring, some flowers, and crying."

"You were crying."

"I was ugly crying because you were gonna die and you were bleeding to death on my shoulder."

He sighed. "Okay, fine, I'll re-propose if that's what you want, and I'll make it as sappy as possible. But the point still stands. I wanted to marry you then, and I still do now."

"Like...now now?"

"Now as in now or in the future, sweetheart," Eddie said, looking into your eyes as if he could see your soul. He brushed his thumb across your cheekbone. "Don't you worry. I'm not leaving you. I asked you to marry me, and you can answer that question whenever you're ready, so I am more than prepared to spend forever with you." He pressed his mouth to your forehead.

You looked at him as his lips left your skin. "So if I were to say yes...after college, could we move in together?"

A grin started to pull at the side of Eddie's mouth. "You serious?" You nodded. "Absolutely. Absolutely we could live together."

"Then start house shopping," you said, "because here I am, saying yes."

Eddie beamed, and it was the largest grin you had seen in a very, very long time.

~❊~

When you stopped into Family Video to return the movie the next day, wearing one of Eddie's rings, Robin caught on immediately and started screaming.

"OH MY GOD, ARE YOU GETTING MARRIED?!"

You giggled, showing off your hand. "It's a temporary ring because it was kind of impromptu again, but—"

"AGAIN?" Steve demanded.

"Well, he proposed to me in the Upside Down but he was bleeding out so he passed out immediately after and I never got to answer, and—"

Steve took you by your shoulders and made you sit on one of the stools behind the desk. "Alright, that's it. You're telling the story from the beginning."

You laughed. "Well, it all started in 1979, when I met Eddie in our freshman year of high school—"

"Y/N!" Steve and Robin yelled.

"Alright, alright, fine. So it was just when the movie ended that we started to get serious and talk about it..."

"You mean after Neil died you had this conversation?"

"You wanted me to do it before?!"

"Steve, shut up and tell the story!"

Maybe Hawkins had gone back to its regular old self, and maybe you were floating through life with Eddie's ring on your finger, but these two certainly hadn't changed. It was a reassuring thought.

☞ ❊ ☜

Stranger Things // Eddie Munson

[analyzen]

Italian Fandom Meta | Most Popular Types of Pairings on EFP vs. AO3

EFP (2001–, Fanlore) is the most popular writing archive in Italy, and it hosts both fanfic and original fiction. Under the cut you’ll find a breakdown of the most popular types of pairings on EFP in comparison to the most popular types of pairings in the Italian section of AO3.

The Italian version of this analysis can be found here.

TL;DR:

53% of all the chapters ever posted on EFP have been deleted

49% of the registered users on EFP have deleted their accounts

M/F works amount to 60% of the whole website

EFP’s three most popular fandoms (Harry Potter, One Direction, Original Fiction – Romantic) all have a majority of M/F works

On AO3, most Italian works are M/M (56%)

F/F doesn’t have much content on either site (4-5%)

Methodology

I’ve followed @olderthannetfic’s methodology from this earlier Fanfiction.net analysis. Basically, I picked a sample size of 666 chapters and organized them in four categories (M/M, M/F, F/F, Not tagged; more on this later).

Why I chose chapters instead of stories

On EFP you don’t have specific links for every single story. Instead, every chapter you post gets a unique id, which can be seen in the link itself. For example, at the time of writing this the last updated chapter on EFP was this one:

viewstory.php?sid=3974099

Which means that this was the 3'974'009th chapter ever posted on EFP.

Ids follow the usual numerical order, so if a link reads id=3, then there have to be id=1 and id=2, and the next link will have id=4.

So I’ve used a randomizer to select ~1200 unique ids to analyse.

Weren’t 666 chapters enough?

I started out with 700 chapters, but half of them weren’t working. That’s because 53% of all the chapters ever posted on EFP have been deleted from the website.

Thanks to the link of the last updated chapter, we know that almost 4 millions chapters have been posted on the EFP. But EFP's homepage shows different stats:

Registered users: 602395, 205974 of which are authors Last registered user: [blacked out] Total of stories: 517083 Total of chapters: 1869573 chapters Total of reviews: 6222695 Online users: 17 logged in and 53 visitors

While we should have almost 4 million chapters, the stats show ~2 million chapters. Why? Because the stats only show the stories, chapters and users that are still on the website, and they don’t show the stories, chapters and users that have been deleted.

(Sorry, I forgot to translate this one. It reads: Total of chapters posted on EFP between 2001 and today. Orange: deleted chapters. Blue: chapters that are still online.)

Thanks to the stats on the homepage we also have a link to the last registered user. User ids follow the same numerical order as chapter ids, so once again we know that 49% of the users ever registered on EFP have deleted their accounts. That's a lot of deleted accounts.

Categorization

After selecting 666 (accessible) chapters, I organized them into 4 categories:

M/M: contains all stories tagged as “yaoi”, shounen ai” and “slash”

M/F: contains all stories tagged as “het”

F/F: contains all stories tagged as “yuri”, “shoujo ai” and “femslash”

Not tagged: which contains a) poetry, b) stories tagged as “no pairing”, and c) untagged het stories.

As for the untagged het stories, there are two issues:

Many M/F fics simply aren’t tagged

Many gen fics include untagged M/F ships

If the description made it clear that the story included a heterosexual relationship, I added the story under the M/F tag. Otherwise I left it under not tagged.

Also, on EFP “yaoi”, “shounen ai” and “slash”, and “yuri”, “shoujo ai” and “femslash” actually mean different things.

This screenshot here is from the posting page on EFP. It reads:

Pairings * You must select at least one tag from the list, and you can choose up to three tags. Het: for heterosexual relationships Shonen-ai: for male/male relationships with anime/game characters; stories with no sex scenes Shojo-ai: for female/female relationships with anime/game characters; stories with no sex scenes Yaoi: for male/male relationships with anime/game characters; stories containing sex scenes Yuri: for female/female relationships with anime/game characters; stories containing sex scenes Slash: for male/male relationships from TV shows/movies/books FemSlash: for female/female relationships from TV shows/movies/books

The thing is. People either respect the rules and use different tags for different kinds of stories, or they use these tags interchangeably to maximise the chance to appear in other users' searches. Which means that you’ll find RPF tagged with “shoujo ai”, and Attack on Titan fics tagged as “slash”. (More info on this later.)

Findings

On EFP, the majority of the stories are M/F.

To confirm this, I checked some specific fandoms:

Some notes:

Because EFP doesn't have metatags like AO3, what I did was: 1) go to a specific fandom, 2) filter through every single tag, and 3) jot down the number of pages per search. Every page contains up to 15 stories, so for example searching for het in Original Fiction – Romantic gives you 846 pages, which amounts to around ~12690 stories.

The tag in red, “Nessuna”, means “no pairing”. It is used for gen fics but also for untagged M/F fics. This is especially true in some fandoms, ie. Original Fiction – Romantic, and Harry Potter.

EFP’s filtering system sucks. You can only filter through stories with specific relationship tags, but you can’t filter out relationships tag. So what you see in the graph is how often a tag is used... which brings us to some issues. For example, Harry Potter is the biggest fandom on EFP, so much that Harry Potter stories amount to 11% (!) of the whole website. But in the graph it looks like the One Direction fandom has more stories—wrong. Actually, One Direction has many stories tagged as both slash and het, while Harry Potter stories tend to be either one or the other.

EFP’s filtering system sucks, part 2. Because “shounen ai”, “yaoi” and “slash” are often used at the same time, you can't really smash together all three of the tags to get a total amount of stories. I'd say that around 50% of the stories tagged as shounen ai and yaoi probably overlap, but there is no easy way to find out because, again, EFP’s filtering system sucks. The same goes for “shoujo ai”, “yuri” and “femslash”.

Fandoms with a majority of M/M stories

While there are some fandoms with more M/M stories (ie. Death Note, Hetalia, Glee, Sherlock, Supernatural, Teen Wolf), these fandoms are simply extremely small in comparison to other bigger fandoms full of M/F fics. Which obviously skews the numbers in favor of M/F fics.

What about femslash?

EFP suffers from the same lack of femslash as AO3 as a whole. In the fandoms I've analysed, only two have a big enough number of F/F. The fandoms are Glee (which has more F/F stories than M/F stories) and Grey's Anatomy (which has as much F/F as M/F stories, with little M/M).

Original Fiction

I thought it might be interesting to explore the original sections too, especially because Original Fiction – Romantic is the third biggest fandom on EFP after Harry Potter and One Direction. These Big 3 all have a disproportionate amount of M/F stories.

By logic, this would mean the the majority of the userbase on EFP prefers M/F stories. But then, aren't fans always complaining about “too much slash”? If “Any Two Guys” were enough to find slash appealing, wouldn't it be easier to simply write original M/M?

I think that looking at original stories might help us understand why people might prefer slash over het in some fandoms. For example, the amount of M/F stories in Original Fiction – Romantic implies that, when authors have to chance to choose what types of stories to create from scratch, they might prefer M/F stories.

This would support the theory that many people might prefer slash because of the lack of (well written/primary) canonical female characters + how well M/M relationships, both platonic and romantic, are written in canon texts in comparison to M/F or F/F relationships.

Obviously, we have to keep in mind that not all fanfic writers write original fiction and viceversa, so I'm not trying to find a universal explanation here. Also because not every website has a majority of M/F stories.

Which brings us to...

AO3 vs. EFP

As per today 20/04/21, the Italian section of AO3 contains “only” 24777 stories, divided between many different fandoms. To make a comparison, the Italian stories on AO3 amount to 5% of all the stories available on EFP. To make another comparison, the whole Naruto fandom on EFP has 20129 stories in total.

EFP has also been active for 20 years, while the boom of Italian fics on AO3 only started around 2018. We can't really make a 1:1 comparison between the two archives, but we can still try to understand the preferences of their users.

M/M and M/F stories on EFP vs. AO3

EFP: 60% M/F, 25% M/M

AO3: 56% M/M, 23% M/F

The percentages are almost swapped.

This might be because of the archives themselves. EFP has always been the general website for any Italian fandom (and actually at first it mostly hosted M/F content), while AO3 has always had a big M/M userbase. I'm basing this statement on this AO3 analysis from 2013, in comparison to this FFN analysis from 2018 which showed a majority of M/F fanworks, and finally this AO3 vs. FFN vs. Wattpad analysis from 2019, which showed that AO3 has always been the outlier for its majority of M/M content.

Then again, M/M stories on EFP have always been subject to the “usual” type of borderline-to-direct harassment that M/M fans are used to, which is something that still happens to this day especially in certain writing groups on Facebook, where the Italian writing community is pretty active. It wouldn't be weird for slashers to move to AO3, where they know they'll find more like-minded people and less headaches. (Also, the Italian section of AO3 has a lot of M/M RPF that's banned on EFP.)

The “Multi” tag on EFP

The only thing that barely resembles a multi tag on EFP is threesome, which for some reason is often used as a synonym for love triangle. So from the tags it isn't easy to understand if a fic includes an actual threesome (as in, a sex scene), a polyamorous relationship, or a simple love triangle.

This doesn't mean that there aren't poly stories on EFP—it simply means that they're impossible to find using the search system.

And that's all, I think!

[scrapyardboyfriends]

Killer Meena has just been such a good story until the last month. Now it's just another disappointment added to the ever growing pile of disappointments. Sigh. Please can they get fired now.

I don't know that it was ever a...good story per say. I think it was a welcome change to the tedious mess the show had become back in July and still largely is today.

We were suffering through Liv's alcoholism, Ben and Aaron's lack of relationship, the whole Jimmy and Nicola saga, Kim's poisoning, the start of some of the pub stuff I think. We'd just dealt with the nonsensical brooch story.

So many of these things were either dragging and boring and depressing or just amounted to absolutely nothing like the Jimmy Nicola saga with Juliette and the brooch story etc. We were starved for something with a little life to it and something that had actual stakes and consequences.

So by comparison, the Meena story started great. Meena was fun, she got all the good one liners. She was certainly something different to the norm and because she was a killer, her story had actual consequences, which was a welcome change. And in the beginning with Leanna, her death had some real impact. I think the Liam grief story was probably the best thing that came out of all of this even if it did slip into the melodramatic sometimes. Plus her death impacted Jacob and the rest of the teens even if I was sort of annoyed by the fact that she wasn't really friends with these people. And they also really worked to make Leanna a likable presence before they killed her. So I was genuinely sad to see her go.

But while I enjoyed that she killed Andrea and Ben cause I wanted them gone and I will forever enjoy the poetry of Ben being paddled to death, I just think her story lost something after Leanna. SSW was okay, it had some decent moments and some okay tension in terms of whether or not they were actually going to kill Andrea in the end. But also, by tuesday, you kind of knew it was going to be her. And ssw as a whole wasn't fantastic by any means. And Andrea's death had basically no impact because Charles didn't really care. Kim didn't even like her. Jamie was already gone and Millie just left right away. Wendy was the most upset and who cares. Haha.

By the time we got to Ben, they'd already kind of stretched the story past its limits, however satisfied I was at his demise. His death followed the same pattern. He finds something out. Meena corners him and confesses everything so she has no choice but to kill him and then chases him and carries out the death blow. It was comedy gold but it felt very tacked on because they needed to get rid of Ben and have an exit for Aaron that really shattered his relationship with Liv to the point he wouldn't come back. Plus they just like making him miserable. But it didn't feel like a necessary death aside from our own needs as far as the story goes. She already had three victims technically so she was a serial killer by definition even if we didn't know Nadine.

Add to that all the behind the scenes controversy that resulted in the story shifting to Billy and Dawn and the fact that she hasn't killed anyone since, plus the fact that it was random evidence we didn't even know existed that freed Liv and not the very obvious trophy box in the allotment that still hasn't been found, it has definitely made for a very anticlimactic ending.

I just don't know that it was ever particularly good in the first place even if it started in a better place. It was just a nice change of pace and met some basic requirements (fun and consequences) But it was definitely all downhill after Leanna for me. I think it needed to be a faster paced story. She should have killed another person between Leanna and ssw. And it should have ended during ssw with some aftermath of maybe a trial or a false arrest or something. But the bulk of the story should have been over sooner. I feel like dragging it out till February was too long. And it's still not even over.

I don't know. It's a mess. These producers definitely need to be removed. The show is in DESPERATE need of new ideas. I fear for the 50th anniversary because they couldn't even get this week right in any way. It's been pretty awful all things considered.

I just don't know when we will get someone new. They've been here nearly four years now. That's a long time for emmerdale producers these days. Sigh.

[nightswithkookmin]

JIKOOK: DEAR ARMY WE ARE IN LOVE

DISCLAIMER: I wouldn't take this particular post seriously. I mean it's something, but nothing at the same time. I just do these kinds of 'analysis' for fun and for my own personal amusement.

Do you see it? Or do you need me to connect the dots for you? Thought you'd never ask! Lol

I have always been fascinated by BTS's incorporation of fine art, poetry, metaphors, imageries, philosophical and psychological theories etc into their craft.

They are brilliant at expressing themselves and conveying their emotions through art and music. I have always found that challenging and mentally stimulating.

Take for example this whole Dear Army moments they shared with us on Weverse this week. Yes, it's a marketing strategy, the objective of which is to build an intimate connection with Army but most importantly hear feedback from Army on the struggles we are each facing in light of Covid 19 and also to provide feedback on why we love and stan BTS through their recommended hashtags.

Suga had already explained they were going to do this in that March YouTube live and so it's no brainer. The fun part for me, which of course is subjective, is the embedded meaning behind this whole Dear Army concept.

The progression from day to night, the use of contrast etc is all very reminiscent of the message of Bulletproof eternal- we are not seven with you. Especially with Suga and Hobi's postcard being taken directly from the BTS bonfire moment in Bonvoyage which made a cameo in Bulletproof eternal and the allusion to winter in both artworks.

The overall message of Dear Army is very simple: we had nothing but dreams, open our eyes to a foggy morning, so much pain too much crying; after seven winters and spring- we are all in this together, BTS and Army forever.

I also found the exploration of the cycle of life, the ambiguity of morning and night that blurs the line between evening and daybreak quite interesting. Its always been a recurring theme in their songs and arts. It's just them reassuring and connecting with us through their ingenuity as usual.

But of course this is just my opinion and my interpretation of their use of symbolism and allusions. And as much as I enjoy deconstructing BTS's musical genius, I'm just going to focus on Jikook's message- well not message, message but their artistic expressions in Dear Army.

JIKOOK'S MESSAGE

Now I already talked about the body text of Jimin's post and so I'm not going over that again. Jk's text is equally very much straightforward and is just a restatement of the message he shared in his recent YouTube live about rediscovering his purpose in life. So I won't focus on that either.

It's the artwork they chose that I am interested in and fascinated by. I was trying to ascertain whether the art work for the postcards where chosen randomly by staff or whether it was something the members themselves chose as at first glance it looked pretty generic- I wasn't able to confirm so...

Now from what Suga said about incorporating letters into their upcoming album, I'm just going to assume BTS themselves chose these images and the creative directors added their finishing touches to it- based on the tone and mood BTS had described.

Let's start with Jimin's. I clocked immediately I saw his postcard where the concept of that artwork or background image was from. I'll circle back to this hold on.

I value and pay alot of attention to the unique ways that each member of BTS expresses themselves. Those unadulterated, authentic expressions of self provides a better sense of who they are as Individuals rather than the perfectly curated, highly edited and performative versions of themselves we see screens. In my opinion.

Take Tae and JK for example. These two men are the kinds who'd write a song about their feelings and emotions when they are hurt. Lol. They deep for no reason. Bless them.

Jimin talks a lot. He is a verbal communicator. But hardly does he reveal any relevant details about himself that gives insight into his psyche and persona through his words. Again, in my opinion.

I keep saying his persona is very elusive to me. He tends to give us so much he ends up not giving us anything at all. Unlike Tae or even JK who write songs, recommend songs, or even GCF(JK) that gives us insight into their personal feelings, Jimin doesn't do covers as much and the songs he recommendes aren't as insightful into his deepest thoughts and feelings. He is very elusive that way.

That doesn't mean he doesn't express himself. He does, just not through his music like the others. In my opinion. Mostly he expresses his wants, his desires through his music but his sensuality through his dance.

It seems also that he explores his identity and expresses the exploration of that identity through the body arts he inks himself with temporarily or permanently.

Jk I find is the opposite. He doesn't explore his identity through his body art. Nor his sensuality through dance. Rather he expresses his values and the things he cherishes through his body art; his thoughts and feelings through his music and art.

And so while Jimin would be inking temptress, seductress, bigender on his body, JK would be inking- rather cool than dead and other symbols that represents his beliefs and values on his body.

I'm going off on a tangent, am I not? Sigh

Back to the post card. When I saw JM's postcard, it immediately reminded me of JK's GCF in Helsinki. [Couldn't attach image due to Tumblr but check it yourself]

It reminded me of JK's Frozen sunset theme, his use of warm and cold contrasting colors throughout that GCF and also the ending parts of GCF Helsinki where the sun is setting over the clouds just as in this post card- Frozen Sunset.

Jk also made an allusion to that frozen sunset in his song Still with you. I am particular about his use of the words Sky, clouds, sunset etc when they appear in his music, paintings or tattoos because he once said it's something he loves taking pictures of- that and of course Jimin.

I pay much attention to the things he says he loves and so I look for them in his self expressions to try and understand why he loves it and what it means to him.

Honestly, I didn't think much of JM's postcard art when I saw that use of the frozen sunset for his postcard. I thought, well staff could have picked it out randomly so I was waiting to see JK's postcard and the overall concept for Dear Army to see if this was something JM had done intentionally.

Part of me also felt those themes they presented in the post card art work were metaphors for the kind of songs they would be creating in the new Album just as Suga had said.

But JK's postcard art made me suspicious of JM's post card. JK's postcard art is the odd one out of all the artworks for the postcards. Sope had a similar complimentary art taken from the bonfire moment of Bulletproof Eternal as I mentioned earlier. The rest all had elements pertaining to nature- sky, parks etc except JK's.

Also the theme and symbolism of Jk's art convinces me he chose his artwork himself for that post- I mean I could be wrong but...

Remember when I talked about GCF Helsinki, Still with you and Never Not etc and I said they all had a similar theme- something about roads and paths, being mismatched, not being on the same page, not having the same goals etc?

GCF Helsinki- I'll take the desert, you take the coast to each his own.( moving in different paths)

Still with you: Though our steps may not go along together, I still want to walk this path with you.(again, mismatched paths repeated)

I was intrigued by that recurring theme of roads and paths leading in different directions in JK's music and art in this timeline especially as it contrasts heavily with the themes of his past timelines.

And I even speculated that I felt it was in reference to him and JM not meeting minds on the direction they wanted to take their relationship.

I have been waiting eagerly for him to release yet another cover or art since still with to see what that whole mismatched, separate roads thingy was all about but he didn't do his birthday cover this year- among other things.

It's thus funny to be that in this post card thingy he chose train tracks- intersecting train tracks to represent his feelings and coupled with the message of him rediscovering his passion- It doesn't feel like a coincidence to me or something staff would chose for him.

It certainly doesn't help my delusional brain cells, that JM flashed that Mickey Mouse during his VLive which again I felt was an allusion to their GCF in Tokyo.

First he is making allusions to GCF Tokyo, now GCF Helsinki, signing his name to JK's posts at Pop-ups...

Remember when I said that if JM was the one who had stopped JK from posting on his birthday, that he would come swinging hard on his Jikook agenda? Remember that?

If JK posting on his birthday was important to JM, chilee nothing would have stopped JM from logging into Twitter, posting and signing JK's damn name to his post- if saving face is what was important to him. It's not like he's not done that before. He could have done that and we wouldn't even know it wasn't from JK. Lol

He really is the one that stopped JK from posting on his birthday for whatever reason- wink. You know. Lol

Park Jimin is not the 'victim' in this birthday drama. He is guilty party your honor. Guilty per the books. Lol

Stay supporting Jikook, your life will be easier that way. Bless you.

Signed,

GOLDY

[ilovejaskierthebard]

Domestic!Witcher AU: Part II

Tumblr was very mean to me and stole the first reply to this, and I am so thankful that the majestic @gods-no-longer-tread-here has decided to add fuel to the fire and give me more to work with/takes pity on my dumbass ways that can't work a tumblr ask to save her life

So lets try this again!

It's not crazy to think the villagers would ask Eskel's brothers for the low down on the handsome goat dad; these people don't just want to unlace the Codpiece of Destiny for a night. They want to whoo Eskel. They want to court him. They want to put a ring on it and have a baby goat ring barer in their summer wedding that they have been planning since they tried his cheese okay -so of course they go to his brothers/father figure for advice.

Except neither brother are super great at romance.

Like, Geralt might not even count because they would ask questions like what's his favorite color and does he have a gf/bf? -and this poor horse trainer who just wants to be left alone is just like hmmn and does that even count as an answer -because no one has been able to afford Jaskier's Advance Understanding of Geralt's Hmms  lessons so that means they have no idea what he means??

((No one can afford it on purpose. As if Jaskier would share that power with anyone but Ciri))

Geralt probably does know the answers but is a super protective of his brothers and thinks if you want someone like Eskel you gotta do it yourself.

Meanwhile my favorite goblin baby Lambert is just doing what every little bro would do and just completely fucking with anyone who has the balls to ask him

He does NOT have time to deal with this. He has bread to poof! Cookies to make! Buns to butter!

So he messes with them.

Like, oh yeah. Eskel's birthday is tomorrow and his favorite color is yellow green and he really loves getting his socks in that color. You should totally get him a pair. Just run up and shove them into his hands. Don't say anything though, because he is super shy."

Or

"Eskel is super into knife jugglers. Yup. Like you wouldn't believe. Might marry you on the spot if he saw you doing it."

-and poor confused Eskel gets a lot of people suddenly handing him expensive ugly green socks that month with absolutely no reason?? They just smile at him and run away?? And he also gets really concerned when there seems to be an increase in terrible knife jugglers in the village now too...

((Of course he accepts the socks, why wouldn't he? They are nice socks even if they are a terrible shade and why won't Lambert stop laughing at them???))

Secretly Lambert is a romantic tho (and no he won't admit it and yes he will poison your breakfast toast if you tell anyone.) But again its not great advice or even makes that much sense???

Lambert: Just grow some horns. He's into that. Promise.

Villager: I will NOT dress up like a goat, Lambert! NOT AGAIN!

Jaskier is also a terrible person to ask, even if he would try to convince everyone otherwise. Like look at all his romantic lesson plans! Look at all the happy couples he brings together! His odes of poetry and limericks to Geralt’s ass is proof enough! Which sure yeah. There are some happy couples and turns out rhyming ‘his ample backside’ with ‘heart soars, satisfied’ isn’t the worst? 

no it is.

-except he is basically a chaotic fae in my world, so all his work is done in a way that causes several break-ups or causes the local priest to abandon his work so he can run away with the local cobblesmith so now no one can get married or have new shoes. And lets be real, his match making is probably along the lines of 'hey you two would make a great couple! You both enjoy [insert rare kink] and I would know because I slept with you both at seperate times, so you also have that in common, how fun!'

He makes as many couples as he breaks

The universal truth is that Vesemir is the best to ask, but it's hard to pin him down because he's so busy, teaching kids, yelling at Lambert and taking vacays with his multiple rich hot widows. He will only answer serious suitors for a price too. They either have to donate to the local library [1 book per question or put in the hours at teaching the kids a skill] -and so basically this funds the whole village's education. They have the best library for miles and miles. It's like if the Library of Alexandria was built on one Sugar Baby's wisdom. 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

Meanwhile Eskel is just hanging out with his goat babies and making cheese and wondering why the town he lives near is so god damn weird.

Srsly that one guy dressed up like a goat wtf

[staytiny-angel]

War of Hearts

Chapter One

Rating: Mature

Main Pairing: Seth Rollins/Becky Lynch

Co-written with @riottbliss

Summary: Seth Rollins was once known as the Bad Boy Prince of MMA, now years after a career ending knee injury he's stepping into.the Octagon again not as a competitor but as his little sister's coach. Unfortunately for him the redhead across the cage from he and Paige is not only woman he'd just had a one night stand with but the younger sister and protege of the Finn Balor...the man that ended Seth's career.

Warnings: MMA style violence, Alcoholism, Implied Self-Harm (DM for details), Depression, Angst with a Happy Ending

Hunter Hearst Helmsley, or professionally known by Triple-H sighed with embarrassment, reading tweet after tweet from his youngest son Seth Rollins.

"What happened to him?" His best friend and practically brother Shawn Michaels asked, looking over his shoulder.

"Cody took him out of the press conference, Seth's hungover, blaming everyone but himself"

Shawn shook his head, "Kid is letting the hype go to his brain. He's all over TMZ, The Bad Boy Prince of MMA is what they call him"

"Seth is the best fighter in the world in his division. He's earned the cockiness but his lifestyle…." Hunter shook his head

Shawn made a disgusted sound. "Kid reminds me of me before I got my act together"

"Fatherhood is what made you get your act together. That won't work for Seth" Hunter clicked on a video of his drunken son yelling into a camera about Finn Balor that had gone viral last week.

"He talks so much shit about Balor being a low rent MacGregor, hell Seth acts more like Conor then Finn does."

Hunter sighed "He's turned this into a complete mess, I wouldn't be surprised if his team drops him."

"Hey, Dusty loved that kid, Dustin and Cody wouldn't release him until he stopped making them money"

Hunter nodded but looked nonetheless unthrilled.

"He keeps making excuses about everything. I'm this close to calling Steph"

Shawn nodded with agreement as the two entered Seth's penthouse, greeting a tired looking Cody Rhodes. "I can't do this anymore Hunter" he said in place of a normal greeting.

"You are not dropping him" Hunter said matter of factly.

"AEF is supposed to be for fighters that respect the sport, he fucks around and doesn't even show up to the gym" Cody said.

Hunter ignored him and went upstairs to where he could hear his youngest groaning in misery.

Hunter sighed as Seth looked up from the toilet he was practically hugging. "I'm twenty five, perfectly legal" he muttered, Hunter's gaze looking at the black and gold championship that laid discarded.

"While ago you would have treated that with respect" He said, Seth rolling his eyes. "Would you rather me puke on it? It's just a fucking belt' "

"Don't let anyone hear you say that" Hunter said lowly. "You're going to the weigh in today even if I have to drag you by your hair there myself"

"No the fuck I'm not, don't you see me dyin' here?" Seth whined "I'm going to fucking sleep"

"What the fuck happened to you?!" Hunter yells "Every since your Uncle Shane became your manager this is what you've turned into."

Seth looked unfazed. "Don't get angry because I'm better than you ever were" and shoved his father out of his way, flipping off Cody, and ignoring Shawn.

"What am I going to do with him?" Hunter sighed, exhausted.

"Knock his ass out?" Shawn suggested. "I'll take care of him" Cody rolled his eyes. "Britt and I will make sure he gets to the weigh in. I just need painkillers and food"

"I'm gonna go talk to Shane, I want to know what kind of garbage he's been filling my kid's head with" Hunter mutters

"I told you listening to Vince was a mistake." Shawn replies shaking his head "All of you let Vince snow you into thinking it was embarrassing that his mother managed him"

Hunter sighed. "I don't know what to do. I don't want to drag Steph back, Shane has a tight grip on him"

"Worry about that fuckface later" Shawn said. "Seth needs you, not him" Hunter nodded firmly, making his way downstairs to see Seth passed out on his couch, his dog Kevin and cat Daryl laying on him.

"This was our compromise" Cody explained. "I let him take a nap, he goes to the weigh in later"

"He isn't going to beat Balor in this condition. He doesn't spar anymore and his knee has been inflamed for weeks" Britt says quietly

"He shouldn't even be fighting. We told Shane but he says there's too much money at stake for Seth to pull out"

"Money money money"' Shawn mocked. "All he cares about is fucking printed paper"

Hunter ignored them and instead chose to brush back some of Seth's hair, his son unconsiously responding to it. "What did I do wrong raising him?" he asked. Hunter rolls his eyes at the look his older brother gave him "The truth" he says quietly

"No offense bro, but this family is a whole fucking lot to live up to and you weren't exactly shy about your expectations once Seth showed an aptitude for the sport. None of us were. I have to even ask myself, when was the last time any of us actually had a conversation with the kid that wasn't about fighting?"

"He's cracking underneath the pressure" Cody chimes in

"Yeah, he is and now Shane is filling his head with all these ideas about the image he should project" Shawn continues "Quiet guys who, play with their dogs and write poetry when their not in the Octagon don't sell tickets, but Bad Boys sure the fuck do."

*Later*

Seth scowled at his phone as Britt ushered him into the arena the weigh was taking place in. "I'm assuming you told the press he was gonna bail?" Cody growled at Shane who held his hands up. "They were gonna find out sooner or later" "Yeah yeah, no press is bad press" Seth said.

"Except the press says you're an asshole" Cody deadpanned. "Don't do anything stupid up there, or Mark is going to have a stroke" Seth didn't respond, instead heading up the stairs to the stage, where Balor had clearly made weight, despite being skinny. Seth took off his shirt per usual, standing on the scale.

"197 pounds" The announcer said, Seth smirking at Balor. The Irish man looked unfazed and rolled his eyes. Seth, in a act of annoyance, promptly flipped him off, hearing everyone in the crowd either laugh or groan

-Backstage -

"Gonna be fun beating your ass Balor, I promise not to hurt you too badly," Seth says cockily, slouching in a chair and putting his sunglasses back on.

"Oh, Rolly its almost time to give up your precious" Finn responds, "Clock is ticking boyo and your time is almost up"

"Mon roi, nous devons-oh shit" a pake woman walked up, speaking rapid French and stopping in her place when she saw Seth.

"Hey Seth" she said coldly.

"Vi" Seth responded, his attitude gone.

"He your king now?" "Surprised you even remember any French, from what I read, you've drank yourself through everything"

"It's what happens when you give your heart to someone and get it ripped in half, I wasn't enough for you, that's what you said right? I wasn't straight enough for you?! So you threw my ring in my face and left" Seth yelled "Cause Bisexual people, we're all cheaters didn't you know?"

At least according to Violet Gillath, wait I'm sorry Violet Balor now isn't it?."

"Stop it" Finn growled. "Before I knock your ass out now"

"Try it bitch" Seth snarled back.

Violet got between them and shoved Seth back. "Chaton, stop" she hissed.

Seth stumbled upon hearing his old nickname. "Why?" he choked out. "What did I do?"

Seth shook his head as if to shake his thoughts into place "Why Violet? Why did you leave me? You...you fucking broke me" he said in a small voice "I have the right to know why, just tell me. Why would you do that after everything. I was going to quit fighting for you because you didn't like seeing what it was turning me into. You get up on stage and you still sing my songs, but you said you hated me. I just wanna know."

Violet crossed her arms and closed her eyes. "I didn't want to be with you. You never signed anything so legally those songs are mine. I said what I meant, you weren't enough"

Seth looked like she had rebroken his heart.

Thankfully Britt walked in. "Hey, we gotta go"

Seth grabbed his title and held it to Finn. "This is mine. You can keep that bitch but you will never get this"

-Backstage-

"I've never known you to be biphobic, wanna explain to me why Rollins is convinced you are?" Finn said sitting down in his locker room with his wife a few minutes later.

"His uncle...manager, that bastard Shane got me my record deal in exchange for breaking Seth's heart" Violet told her husband "Seth hates fighting, he was going to quit and go on the road with me. He can't sing a note but he writes and plays guitar. We were going to be a duo. Shane was watching his cash cow walk out the door. So he threatened me and made an offer. Seth was the sweetest thing and he loved me and I broke his heart and let Shane turn him into that"

"If I could go back in time and slap him across the face I would but I can't" Violet said brokenly. "Shane has made it perfectly clear that if I ever tell him that he would ruin both our careers"

Finn hugged her to him. "I'm still gonna kick his ass" Violet slapped his arm. "Please try not to" Finn shrugged. "I'm undefeated"

"You know Seth is too. And the thing with being undefeated is that there's only one way down, being kicked off the mountain"

-Next Day-

Seth was throwing up again having had drank himself to sleep following his encounter with his ex.

Cody looked extremely tired and Britt concerned. "You have to fight in an hour!" Cody yelled out

"I don't fucking care." Seth yelled back "I don't even want to fucking fight." He muttered to himself, as he rubbed at his knee. "Come on fucking give already." He whispered to the inflamed appendage.

He knew what he was doing was dangerous but it was his only way out. If his knee would just give up the fucking ghost, he could quit this bullshit once and for all.

"Your sisters are out there tonight" Britt said, walking in, holding a brace.

"I really don't care" Seth growled, letting Britt put his knee in it.

"And your mom' Britt added. Seth took a breath when Britt touched his knee.

"Holy shit, it feels like its burning"

We're letting you go after tonight" Cody said angrily. "I don't care if you win or not, you've ruined All Elite Fighting's reputation"

"I don't care, I never wanted to be in your shitty gym anyway" Seth shrugged. "I'm going to get changed"

[eggos-world]

Complainers (A MHA fanfic)

Midorya x Fem! Reader

(A/N : So this is my first fanfic EVER and I've really been into MHA for a while now and I LOVED reading all the fanfics, and I saw this particular ask to a blog if the reader had a writing quirk and how would Midorya and two other characters would react (I am so sorry I forgot the blog who wrote that) but I wanted to put my spin on it and make the reader be into slam poetry and let their tongue be their weapon. This particular poem is by Rudy Fransisco!! Not my original poem!! Hope y'all enjoy!)

When you write, it's like the whole world around you finally goes silent. You live out the daydreams in your own head feeling the words on the page a safe space. This was your quirk. Even if it didn't seem as great to be in combat fighting villains, at least it's something to fight your inner demons. That to you was enough.

Midorya was well use to the song and dance of getting you to snap out of your world when the bell rings, apologizing in advance. In truth he hates breaking your concentration, he knows full well that he hates the feeling being separated from writing his notes. But he knew you would sit there for hours on end just writing in your book, even if you finish it all in one go you wouldn't notice that you were writing on the desk. (And yes he had to get you out of there and insisted to clean it up for you). Even after all of this he still admired your quirk no less.

The bell had rung for lunch and everyone stood up and packed their books away and walked out one by one. You feel a tap on your shoulder not a minute later, and a familiar soft spoken voice breaks you from your concentration. " Hey, Y/N, I-Its time for lunch" He says with a smile and you close your book and packed it into your bag, walking with him side by side to the lunchroom.

"So what was today's story in your book?" He asked with a smile looking to you.

"Not a story today, I've been into poetry for a while. So I figured I might try something different. " You say smiling back.

"Woah, I didn't know you were into poetry. That seems really cool! What was it about? "

You were always so surprised that he was interested in your work. Since it was such a personal thing to you and you haven't really shown off your work due to self consciousness, he was always very supportive even from the beginning. Later on you realized that he also loved writing. That was one of the many things that formed a great friendship between you both, besides from your love of heroes and nerding out with each other of course!. You both carried out your conversation while getting your lunches. Sitting down on the table along with everyone else smiling and joking you all causally eat your meals. You pull out your notebook, sliding it over to Midorya to take a look after you promised him too. He smiles and opens to the bookmarked paged, but a soon as he does a hand flashes and snatches the book out of his hands.

"Please tell me you don't think your sorry excuse of a quirk would get you into the top ten!" Bakugou loudly exclaiming with a smug look.

Well shit.

While he was chuckling you were about to stand and get it back, but Midorya beat you to it trying to pry it off of his hands, but Bakugou only lifts it up higher. "What's your deal nerd? Trying to stick up for your little girlfriend?" He says chuckling louder.

"S-she's not my girlfriend kachan! Give back her book! It's not yours!" Midorya says with a blush forming on his face. But Bakugou shoves him away and faces you.

"What makes you think that writing fairytale lands and princesses would make you pro hero? That's not going to save you from the real world. What's going to happen if a villain comes in and starts destroying everything around you? You're gonna write him a love story with a happily ever after!? Give me a break! " He says with a laugh.

"Kachan! You need to stop this" Midorya says stepping back up to him. "Not everyone's quirk is perfect!"

"Heh! If you really think she could handle the world on her own-" He says before holding out the book "Let's give her a chance to prove me wrong! "

And just like that, your notebook, your work your safe haven was blown up to flames. Bits of burnt paper flown into the air, your book quickly into ashes. You didn't notice midorya quickly moving to get his water and put the fire out, your eyes was fixated on Bakugou. A smirk had formed on his face that made your heart sink into your stomach. A lump forming within your chest as you fought the urge to cry. He moved his arms and raised his eyebrows, waiting for you to make the next move. But you felt a hand around your arm.

"Y/N, you don't need this now. Let's just go-"

"No... " You say stepping up to Bakugou. Taking one last look at your destroyed book you turn your head back to him. "It's a shame, because the poem I was just writing... Was about you. " You say with a sad smile and a nod. He blinks back in surprise, his smirk growing larger than before. "That's not a good thing.. " You later say. Even though it was still in the works, even if you didnt get to finish it you felt your tongue burn. An unfamiliar sensation forming in your mouth. Usually you would feel it within your hand as you write, a soft glow transferring onto the words you'd write on the page. But now that feeling had made it's way from your throat and to your mouth.

And it's telling you to speak the fuck up.

You took a breath, looked him deep in the eye and let your mouth took the wheel.

"The following are true stories.

May 26th 2003 Aron Ralston was hiking, a boulder fell on his right hand. He waited four days, then amputated his arm with a pocket knife.

On New Year’s Eve, a woman was bungee jumping in Zimbabwe. The cord broke, she then fell into a river and had to swim back to land in crocodile infested waters with a broken collarbone.

Claire Champlin was smashed in the face by a five pound watermelon being propelled by a slingshot.

Matthew Brobst was hit by a javelin.

David Striegl was punched in the mouth. By a kangaroo.

The most amazing part about these stories is when asked about the experience they all smiled, shrugged, and said “I guess things could have been worse.”

So go ahead.

Tell me that you’re having a bad day.

Tell me about the traffic. Tell me about your boss. Tell me about the job you’ve been trying to quit for the past four years. Tell me the morning is just a town house burning to the ground and the snooze button is a fire extinguisher. Tell me the alarm clock stole the keys to your smile, drove it into 7:00 AM, and the crash totaled your happiness.

Tell me! Tell me!

Tell me, how blessed are we to have tragedies so small it can fit on the tips of our tongues?

You see, when Evan lost his legs he was speechless. When my cousin was assaulted, she didn’t speak for forty eight hours. When my uncle was murdered, we had to send out a search party to find my father’s voice.

Most people have no idea that tragedy and silence have the exact same address!

When your day is a museum of disappointments hanging from events that were outside of your control, when you find yourself flailing in an ocean of “Why is this happening to me?”, when it feels like your guardian angel put in his two week notice two months ago and just decided not to tell you, when it feels like God is just a babysitter that’s always on the phone, when you get punched in the esophagus by a fistful of life, remember that every year two million people die of dehydration so it doesn’t matter if the glass is half full or half empty, there’s water in the cup.

Drink it, and stop FUCKING complaining.

Muscle is created by repeatedly lifting things that have been designed to weigh us down. So when your shoulders feel heavy, stand up straight and lift your chin – call it exercise. When the world crumbles around you, you have to look at the wreckage and then build a new one out of the pieces that are still here.

Remember, you are still here.

The human heart beats approximately four thousand times per hour.

Each pulse, each throb, each palpitation is a trophy engraved with the words “You are still alive”...

You are still alive...

Act like it."

When you felt the sensation cool from your lips and the tip of your tongue, Bakugou's eyes were wide. His smirk had fallen. Silence filled around you, even from Midorya. Everyone has seen and heard the whole thing. Just as you were about to walk back to your table to grab your things and leave, you hear a slow clap. Then another. Then another. You turn your head to see everyone clapping and cheering. You smile a little. Bakugou steps back and walks off with a smack of his teeth.

"Tch, whatever weirdo.. " He mumbles under his breath.

You walked over to Midorya smiling and he quickly gives you a hug. "That was amazing! The way you kept firing words at kachan was incredible! I never seen him so speechless like that! " He pulls away with a smile and a blush.

"Oh hehe! It was nothing really" You say forming a blush yourself, looking away shyly.

"I'm really sorry about your notebook though. I could buy you another one and bring it to you tomorrow! "

"Oh no it's okay! I have extras at my house-"

"Nope! It's my treat." He smiles and the bell rings again, making everyone pack up and ready for the next class. Midorya grabs his bag and hands you yours. Making your way back into the building he stops you for a second. "Hey, speaking of treat, d-do you think we could both head out f-for some ice cream after school? " He says with a heavier blush and fiddles with his tie. He always did looked cute when he blushed. You smile and giggle a bit.

"I would love to.. "

(Woah hey! First fanfic done! Hope you all enjoyed that!! 🤣💕)

[obserfdom]

Cornelia Street about Karlie Kloss or Joe Alwyn?

Frankly speaking, I don't feel comfortable to put such title knowing Taylor once said her song lyrics are not like a 'paternity test'.

I agree completely to that, cause I pour my heart out when writing poetry - it contains grand idea yet it also bring so much complexity that none could actually able to translate the literal meaning out of it. For me, what's more important is about how the reader could grasp the emotion behind the words string - and as for musician/song writer like Taylor Swift, she may wish that her song could move people sonically.

Nonetheless, Taylor also remarked that only through her lyrics we could understand her. And yeah, we all want to get to know the deeper truth about this brilliant lady, right? Who wouldn't?

So let's talk about Cornelia Street for now.

I know a lot of Kaylors love this song because they are so sure that this one, in particular, is about Karlie Kloss.

I guess we better re-visit the song to find out...

***

Aside from Taylor, as per her own testimony, like to use metaphors in her songs, but I think that one line has a literal meaning - and yes, Taylor did once rent a place in Cornelia Street.

Ok, should we settled on that part that Taylor Swift did rent a place in Cornelia Street, let's now find out "when about" she was there:

Okay look like Tay Tay had rented the place around 2016 to 2017. If we go back to the song lyrics again:

"I rent a place on Cornelia Street". I say casually in the car. We were a fresh page on the desk. Filling in the blanks as we go

This seems like a story about someone reminiscing on how she first met her counterpart. When she was notifying her new acquaintance the place where she lived.

So who would fit best to the timeline?

Did Taylor meet Karlie in 2016 - of course not. And if we take everything literal, it also unlikely that Taylor, who have been friend with Karlie since late 2013, suddenly saying 'casually' in the the car's backseat, being smitten (drunk on something stronger than drinks in the bar): "hey, I got a rented apart in Cornelia Street, wanna coming?"

Joe Alwyn, as the popular narrative by now, clearly more suitable for the role in the song. We've been informed that their relationship sparked at the same timing as to when Taylor Swift did rent a place in Cornelia Street.

***

Another interesting fact about Taylor's house in Cornelia Street is the speculation surrounding the words: "at the roof".

Here the view from master bedroom:

Since we have cleared the timeline and the place in Cornelia Street, let's continue with the consecutive lyrics:

And baby, I get mystified by how this city screams your name

And baby, I'm so terrified of if you ever walk away. I'd never walk Cornelia Street again.

"....the city scream your name!" ==>seems to scream Karlie, to us Kaylors, right?

However, if we speculate that this song about Joe Alwyn, then the context of the lyrics could also be seen as a different timing in relationship - during when they were being apart and Taylor was missing him badly in New York. And with the memory being built up already over the course of time where they spent togetherness in New York, privately - it is apprehensible for Taylor to feel that the city scream Joe's name.

But, pssst, can I be honest? For me, picturing Joe Alwyn instead of Karlie Kloss on the scene with Taylor Swift kinda de-mystified the magic of Cornelia Street (lol). But yeah, we have to be fair on this, if its more likely to be about Toe relationship.

***

Shall we continue again then:

Windows swung right open, autumn air

Again, the timeline suit Joe's. Cause they were supposedly started the relationship in autumn 2016 (at the exact time when Taylor still lived in Cornelia Street).

Jacket 'round my shoulders is yours

Kaylors are reaching with this photo:

Unfortunately.... Those photos were taken in 2014 (not when Taylor rented place in Cornelia Street).

***

Jacket 'round my shoulders is yours. We bless the rains on Cornelia Street. Memorize the creaks in the floor

So again, I think, the above lyrics nothing more than Taylor being sentimental, reminiscing the time when they both "hidden" inside the apart in Cornelia Street - enjoying the autumn breeze while "Sat on the roof, you and I"

The rest of the lyrics seems depicting the emotional imbalance and trust issues - Taylor suffered during that period. Something that caused her to withdrawn from the relationship before then getting back together again with more assurance and security.

"I thought you were leading me on. I packed my bags, left Cornelia Street. Before you even knew I was gone. But then you called, showed your hand. I turned around before I hit the tunnel..."

It continues with Taylor describing their playing "hide & seek" with the media/public with:

Back when we were card sharks, playing games

Now that we've come so far, do you think this interpretation make any sense?

Is it possible to put Karlie Kloss inside the frame of Cornelia Street's song?

=> If we want to be coherent with the timeline in which Taylor rented Cornelia Street apartment (while her Tribeca's house under renovation) then nope, KK is out from the picture according to the lyrics.

But hey, there is always possibility for different interpretation and Cornelia Street may not literally about Taylor's real story/relationship.

Still, do we really need to force a different notion right now? Why is it so important to persevere with Cornelia Street being about Karlie - if the lyrics almost a de-facto describing a relationship that started at the timeframe when Taylor rented a place in Cornelia Street?

***

Final thought:

Despite the above findings, I still prefer to imagine Kaylor 'running barefoot in the kitchen' - even if its only within my wildest imagination. As the quote:

We don’t create a fantasy world to escape reality, we create it to be able to stay.

-Lynda Barry-

;)