#i’m in love with her voice and the timeless sounding arrangements

[tr4ggot]

trying to have a laufey spring (marked by a deep appreciation for the small pleasures of life and beauty of the natural world, while also processing deep feelings of grief and longing for a contentment and a sense of belonging in a relationship that doesn’t yet exist)

[better-call-mau1]

Ok I gotta ask: The Timeless art of Bride theft sounds amazing.

Love that you asked about this one!!! 🤣 It might be the WIP I’m most excited about on the list, which is really saying something. The original idea actually came from the summary of @lothcatlovesysalamiri’s From Here On Out — which I’m waiting to read until after I finish Bride Theft. (But her stories are great, and they were some of the first Sabezra fics I read years ago. Definitely recommend them!)

Anyway, just based on the outline I have, this will probably be the longest fic on that WIP list once it’s finished and posted. A snippet alone won’t do it justice, so I’ll give you the rough-draft summary I wrote, an explanation of the premise, and a little snippet. 😁

(Here’s the link to the WIP list for the ask game.)

Summary:

Ezra may not ‘get the whole Mandalorian thing,’ but when Sabine is captured and held by her own clan, he finds himself enrolling in Fenn Rau’s Mando Culture Crash Course while on a desperate mission to rescue her — not only from house arrest or the lurking threat of Imperial collaborators, but an arranged marriage orchestrated by her well-meaning mother.

He’s pulled off a few impressive heists over the years, but stealing a Mandalorian bride on her wedding day is going to take the uj’alayi.

Obviously Sabine isn’t the traditional damsel-in-distress type, but I wanted to write a rescue fic where she, a damsel by definition, is in serious distress — and if anyone is a match for her, it’s her own mother.

The basic premise is that Sabine first goes down to Krownest alone in “Legacy of Mandalore” to smooth things out with her family before giving Ezra, Kanan, and Rau the green light. And just like in the show, Ursa knows that Sabine’s return is bound to bring Clan Wren into the crosshairs of Gar Saxon — but without the Jedi as a bargaining chip, she has to make a calculated decision to keep her family alive (including Alrich, currently a prisoner of Saxon and the Empire). As far as she can tell, the best course of action is to ‘neutralize’ Sabine in the eyes of the Empire by marrying her off to another Mandalorian clan, signaling that she’s given up fighting for good and is no longer a threat.

Shockingly, Sabine isn’t too happy about the idea, not least of all because the prospect of marriage to a total stranger forces her to face the feelings for Ezra that she’s kept buried for some time. Her initial attempt(s) at escape backfire…but little does she know that among the pool of suitors her mother invited to Krownest, there’s a Loth-rat coming to her rescue. 😏

Here’s a little snippet:

“This is great! Just as light as stormtrooper plastoid, but it feels like it can actually take a few hits!”

Ezra clapped his palm against the stark-white chestplate, enjoying the solid smacking noise that filled the cabin of the Phantom II. Vanity may not have been the Jedi way, but he did feel pretty awesome in Mando armor — and he probably looked awesome, too.

“That armor can take more than a few hits,” snorted Rau. Leaned up against the bulkhead, his weariness was as easy for Ezra to see with his own eyes as it was to sense through the Force — having just returned from a brief retrieval on Concord Dawn, the Protector was burdened with a fresh reminder of what happened to his men. “Beskar disperses heat two hundred times more efficiently than durasteel. It’s practically indestructible to conventional blaster weapons.”

“Unfortunately for Mandalorians,” Kanan added, sitting arms-crossed in the copilot’s seat, “Jedi don’t carry conventional weapons.”

“Beskar holds up better against your laser swords than anything else,” Rau countered, his voice carrying a combative edge for the first time since he joined their cause.

Ezra couldn’t really blame him — he felt just as off-balance. Since Reklam Station, Sabine had become a constant steadying presence, a partner he could count on during high-stakes missions like this one…but this mission was for her, to get her back and bring her home.

“Hey, think of it this way,” he blurted out, making an attempt at levity for his own sake as much as Kanan and Rau’s. “As a Mandalorian Jedi, I’m unstoppable!” He reached out with the Force and called his lightsaber from the cockpit. “Rescuing Sabine is going to be easy! If you lent me your spare set of armor sooner, I could have toppled the whole Empire by now!”

Rau grimaced, his expression darkening. “Firstly, wearing that armor doesn’t make you a Mandalorian.” He drew in a sharp breath, the corner of his mouth twitching. “But the armor you have on isn’t mine. I don’t have a ‘spare set’ — that would be considered profane.”

“Then where��d you get all this?”

“Where do you think?” Reaching behind himself, he scooped a clunky object off the cabin bench and tossed it to Ezra. “Until we return this to Clan Saxon, I’m guilty of the highest desecration in Mandalorian culture. And if you’re caught wearing it…I doubt Countess Wren will hesitate to disintegrate you.”

Ezra gaped down at the white Imperial Supercommando helmet in his hands, staring at his reflection in the transparisteel visor.

“Wait…did you take this off a dead guy?!”

[queenlakiefer]

Wendell Goddard x Reader Part 1

Part 2

(Y/N) had been working at the Goddard estate for a couple of weeks now, and she had grown accustomed to Wendell’s reserved nature. However, she couldn’t help but notice the occasional glint of mischief in his eyes whenever they crossed paths.

One sunny afternoon, as (Y/N) was arranging fresh flowers in the drawing room, Wendell strolled in. He leaned casually against the doorframe, watching her with a playful smile.

“Those flowers look beautiful,” he remarked, his voice smooth. “But I think they pale in comparison to you.”

(Y/N) felt a blush creep up her cheeks. “Thank you, Mr. Goddard,” she replied, trying to keep her composure.

“Wendell,” he corrected, stepping closer. “Mr. Goddard makes me sound so old.”

She laughed softly. “Alright, Wendell. Is there something you need?”

“Actually, yes,” he said, his eyes twinkling. “I was wondering if you’d like to join me for a walk in the garden. It’s a lovely day, and I could use some good company.”

(Y/N) hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “I’d love to.”

As they walked through the garden, Wendell’s charm was on full display. He pointed out his favorite flowers, sharing amusing anecdotes and making her laugh with his witty remarks.

“You know,” he said, stopping by a blooming rose bush, “I’ve always thought roses were the most romantic flowers. What do you think, (Y/N)?”

She smiled, meeting his gaze. “I think you’re right. They’re beautiful and timeless.”

Wendell reached out and gently tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “Just like you,” he said softly.

(Y/N)’s heart fluttered at his words. “You’re quite the charmer, Wendell.”

He grinned, his eyes sparkling. “Only when I’m around someone worth charming.”

They continued their walk, the air filled with light-hearted banter and stolen glances. By the time they returned to the house, (Y/N) felt a connection with Wendell that she hadn’t expected.

As they reached the front steps, Wendell turned to her, his expression sincere. “Thank you for spending the afternoon with me, (Y/N). I hope we can do this again sometime.”

“I’d like that,” she replied, her smile matching his.

Wendell leaned in, his voice a low murmur. “Until then, I’ll be counting the days.”

[loweandgray]

CHAPTER ONE - THE NEWS OF ADRIAN GRAY.

THE NEWS CAME on a Thursday evening. It was a fairly normal Thursday evening. They ate lasagne for dinner. Aurora was sketching in her corner, the baby was asleep and her parents were watching the news. It was too late, anyway. Adrian Gray was already dead. His editor had arranged a meeting to discuss the final draft of Adrian’s new book only to find him slumped over a heavy manuscript with bold lettering titled Calm Until the Dark. That manuscript was now in Aurora’s bedroom. It felt strange, to think that was the last thing that had ever touched him while he was alive. It felt even stranger to be at the funeral, full of people she didn’t recognise. 

The reception was held at Adrian’s house. The house was timeless, graceful, and probably a few decades old. It was rendered a soft, faded white, three stories tall, rectangular and well-proportioned. There was a deep porch that wrapped around the front of the house. The first floor was originally several rooms but Adrian knocked the walls down to create a wide, open living area. The walls were painted white apart from the southern wall, entirely made from glass. Aurora lingered by the wall-sized window, tapping her nails against her glass of water. She watched her parents talk to the attendees - strangers offering hugs and condolences. She found it bizarre - half of these people didn’t even know her brother. 

“My deepest condolences.”

The voice wasn’t one she recognised - it was smooth and deep, like velvet. It belonged to a man she hadn’t seen before. He was tall, taller than her father, and he wore the most exquisite suit she had ever seen. It was a deep navy blue and was made from a material she couldn’t recognise. On his head he wore a matching wide-brimmed hat - it was a nice hat - and underneath, his untidy hair was golden brown and fell in messy waves. She blinked, wondering why the man was wearing sunglasses inside. They weren’t the type of eyeglasses that darkened when the sun came out - polarising lenses, she thought they were called - they were dark sunglasses - dark enough that she couldn’t see his eyes, even though he was standing right in front of her.

“Thank you,” she frowned. “You too.”

The man smiled thinly. “Funny things, funerals. They seem to be more for the living than the dead.”

“Yes,” Aurora agreed. “Or for strangers that only knew of Adrian through the news.”

“Your brother was dearly loved,” he said simply.

Aurora looked at him. “How did you know him?”

“We were old friends,” the man said, but was cut off by the unfortunate sound of Aurora’s Aunt Prudence, talking rather loudly about the cause of Adrian’s death.

“That woman has no class,” Aurora muttered. 

“Did you know?” He asked.

“That he had a condition? No. We got the call at around 7pm. His editor had found him unconscious when they were supposed to be meeting. He was already gone by the time we got to the hospital.”

“I’m sorry,” the man said. “Are you okay?”

Aurora looked at him. “You’re the first person that’s asked me that. Most people are talking about his condition or the will.”

The man nodded. “Like I said, these things are more for the living than the dead.” He checked his watch and then bowed his head. “I’d better be off. I wanted to pay my respects.”

Aurora nodded. “I never got your name.” “Jensen Lowe,” he responded and held out a hand for her to shake. She shook it and the man disappeared into the crowd. She found it strange he didn’t once take off his hat despite being indoors. Adrian had some strange friends. 

An excerpt of the first chapter.

[sopxhiea]

Lush

Alfie Solomons X Reader

Summary: The days morph into months and Alfie realizes that he wants more but fate and the wild girl has other plans, ones that make the scary gangster feel uneasy.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 

“I don’t know if you’ve ever noticed this, but first impressions are often entirely wrong.”

Push and pull.

It’s easy, second nature at this point in the game you have been playing for months now. The opponent occasionally manages to surprise you, use your skilled movements against yourself in the battle that’s nearly as old as time. But he’s easily deceived, not by anyone else but you. He trusts you, you find out and the little devil inside smirks.

Poor man.

You’re not around as much.

He finds out that it was all fun and games at the beginning, as it is with any kind of relationship but it becomes harder and harder to reach you every passing day. Alfie’s sitting on his large chair, in front of the old wooden desk with a bunch of papers on it. He doesn’t know what’s on them, although he’s skimmed through the yellow pages at least a dozen times now.

Something went wrong, he thinks.

You still come around, a devilish smile on your lips as you wear a thin dress that leaves more to the imagination than he’d led on. He thinks maybe you’re winning the game still, although he swears in the early hours of the morning when you snuggle against him that there is no game to be played anymore.

But he hears things.

There’s a price that comes with being redeemed wild on your side. He hears of the frequent visits you make to the pubs and the poor men who want to buy you a drink. You let them, although you don’t sleep with anyone but him anymore. It’s not a relationship, not exactly but he doesn’t know what it is. He’d wanted you all to himself and when he got it, it had been very easy for you to slip away from his hands.

He then thinks about the favor.

You’d wanted to go to the country side, somewhere specific too where he assumed you had family. He didn’t know a lot about your ties to other people than the ones in the boarding school so he hadn’t denied you the opportunity. You’d be leaving soon, in a couple days and he wanted to see you once more before you left.

He knew you’d come to him. 

You were such a wicked little thing, Alfie thought. Always got what you wanted without pressing too much, it only took you one smile and he was done for. He gathered maybe it was his age, or the fact that he hadn’t been with anyone like you before but the effect was there on every man as you walked down the street and he realized, a long time ago, that he was utterly fucked and that he was quite okay with it. 

Ollie came into the office, a faint smile on his lips and stack of papers on his hand. He muttered something underneath his breath and Alfie, with the frustration of not getting any work done, raised his voice at the lad. “Speak up, lad!”

“You have a visitor, boss.” Ollie said, the same faint smile still apparent before he disappeared, not letting Alfie ask who the fuck was visiting him without an appointment.

And then the doors opened and things made sense.

You walked in with a bouquet of roses in your hand, ones he’d sent out to you the same morning. The color of your lacey dress matched the rose color of the flowers, hair a bit puffy than usual as you walked inside his now familiar office.

And Alfie felt himself go weak.

The man was someone many trembled against, avoided at all costs and changed lanes when he’d walk down the street. Women were in awe of him to some level but not in the way that made him desirable for more than a week tops but you, oh you, didn’t even care that he was a gangster. 

Seeing as you were much more dangerous than he was. 

“Good afternoon, Mr. Solomons.” you spoke, voice breathy as you left the flowers on his table and shed the layer of the thin coat you were wearing to give him a better look at you. He wouldn’t have you, not against the desk but you could always tease him.

You made your way towards him and his legs instantly opened wide from where he was sitting to allow you easier access. Slowly planting yourself on his thigh, your hands rested on your lap as he looked at you. His hands were now on your waist and hair, caressing as he looked at you like he had been resurrected. 

“’ello, lass.” his voice was gruff, eyes always searching for yours but he realized it might as well be a trap.

“Busy?” you spoke, looking over the desk to see the mounts of paper staring right at him but his response was direct, too fast almost as he played with strands of your hair.

“Nah.” he spoke, making your attention snap right back at his direction.

You nodded at his words before getting up from his lap. He lightly groaned at the absence of your small body on top of his but didn’t lead it on. You fixed your dress, something you’d bought on your own last week and he admired it for a split second before leaning back on his chair and watching you roam around his office.

You were there to tell him something.

“I’m leaving soon, you know.” you spoke, a mere whisper Alfie was accustomed to. He nodded before speaking.

“Aye, I do.” he spoke and you looked at him through a smile, a genuine one you have him from time to time.

“I came here to.....warn you, let’s say.” you said, making him raise his eyebrows at the words.

He liked the game.

“Fuckin’ warn me, eh?” he spoke and you nodded, a light chuckle escaping your lips before you spoke up again.

“It’s good to see your ears are working again.” you teased before hearing his hearty laugh. You basked in it for a second, the sound echoing through the empty corridors outside. Then your soft voice could be heard. “Don’t have me followed, not by Ollie or anyone else.” your words were stern this time, a spark of mischief in your eyes as he looked at you.

“Why the fuck would I do that, lass?” he spoke, amused but he already he knew the answer.

Because he was getting possessive.

Men had gotten away the first weeks of you being called ‘his girl’ but these things only lasted for a bit before blowing over. A month later, you were back to how things used to be, dancing with strangers and using their wallets to help yourself out to a drink. You didn’t sleep with them anymore, not when you’d need some quick relief as Alfie took care of you in that department quite well.

You sighed, swaying your hips as you walked around the office. He forgot, for as smart as he was, he could also be foolish and forget who he was dealing with. You offered him a smile while speaking, looking at him with darker eyes than usual. “You know why.”

And he did, he just preferred to hear you say it.

“Enlighten old me, eh?” he spoke, hands clasping in front of him as he looked at you from head to toe once more before settling on your eyes. He wanted to fuck you against the desk but knew you wouldn’t let him, not today.

You would enlighten him, with pleasure.

“Since our little....arrangement here..” you started off, walking closer to him as slowly as you could and you saw his fingers moving, itching to touch you. “..you seem to think I belong to you. Now, that’s not true and very foolish for a man of your power.” you spoke, almost cooing when you stood right in front of him with hands on your hips. He was looking at your eyes this time.

You had hit a nerve.

It had to be done and you didn’t mind breaking the poor little baker’s spirit a little to do that. Men needed it, some harsh words to be put into their place and you had never been afraid of a gangster. Plus, the way he’d hold onto you in the nights you spent together told you he would do no harm.

“Go on.” he spoke, hand tugging at his beard with dark eyes.

“I know you want me safe and as nice as that is, you know I’m a big girl.” you spoke and he knew what was to come.

You could take care of yourself.

“Leave me alone for the time I’m there and things might change around here for the better.” you spoke, almost giving him some sort of an ultimatum. He looked at you with a smirk on his lips, you were threatening him again but he couldn’t find it in himself to care.

He offered his hand to you as if he was making an offer and you eyed it for a bit before meeting it. His much larger hand enveloped yours as you shook it, the first of many deals to come with the devil and he didn’t know what he was in for.

------

The grass under your feet was cold, the weather nice for the first time in days as you watched the kids run around. You had been here for a while now, it had been a week or so with you staying in the countryside and it already felt like a month. Time passed differently around the forest, you had realized and it had done some good in clearing your mind to a certain degree.

This was a place Lisa had taken you a couple years ago to blow off steam at first. It had quickly become a favorite of yours after meeting the owners of the other houses. The place you were staying at was hers, a timeless gift to you so that you could come here whenever you wanted and spend time with her family.

She was married now, a kid on the way and the husband was a successful businessman, or so you’d heard.

That had been the case with many of the girls your age who had been lucky enough to leave the boarding house. You walked next to her mother, a smile on her lips as she spoke to you about how happy Lisa had been and it made you feel content that at least someone who left that damn place had found her happy ending. 

It wasn’t long before the sunset came around, little kids running around the open field. You didn’t mind the mud on your light colored dress, the weather was nice enough to make you forget some things.

Like how much you had grown attached to him.

It was hard to tell if it was love, you didn’t know how that felt to begin with. You didn’t show it, not to him or anyone else but your heart was at ease when he was around and it had made you confused. You had mastered not getting involved with people after all and the entire relationship you had with the gangster had grown so complicated that you had forgotten to keep your heart in a cage in the meantime.

And he’d caught it, he just didn’t know it.

You watched the kids dance and their mothers clapped. All of them were slightly younger than you, a content smile on their lips as they watched their little ones. You wouldn’t be able to that, you’d made peace with it a long time ago that motherhood was not for you but you craved human connection, much like any other living being.

“Ms. Y/N?” a boy spoke, not older than ten years old with flowers in his hand.

You offered him a smile and spoke, voice softer than it was in the city. “Yes?”

The boy slowly gave the flowers to you, red colored roses that stared up at you. You offered him a curious set of eyes and he spoke before running away. “You have a visitor.”

The boy then ran away and you stood up, careful with the flowers as you looked around. The other mothers around you didn’t seem bothered, like it was common occurrence as you looked around in the open field before settling on a familiar form. Broad shoulders, no cane in hand but his hat instead.

A smile found your lips but you got rid of it quick enough.

Walking towards him as he looked at your approaching form, he saw a part of you he had not seen yet which only made him wonder about the depths of you. Your feet were covered in dirt and grass, the ends of your dress wet and grassy from the running around you had done the entire day around the fields. Your hair was messy, picks and a few leaves on top of your head as you approached him with a smile.

He felt like the wind had been knocked out of his lungs.

“You’re following me again?” you spoke with a playful tone. Hand coming to your face to push some of your hair back.

He giggled.

The man who had crushed another man’s windpipe with his left hand giggled. The very bad, scary gangster giggled as he looked at you with a smile you had missed. This was him in his pure form and it made you want to hide.

“Came to see how you ‘ere doin’, yeah, ‘s all, luv.” he spoke with a smile on his lips which you mirrored and nodded at his words.

And then, you did something he didn’t think you’d ever do.

Taking an unsure step towards him, you wrapped your arms around his middle and put your head against his chest. Your head barely reached his chin but you could hear his heart beating, fastening with each passing second before he returned the embrace. His hug was tighter than yours, enveloped your entire body in his as he planted a kiss on top of your head.

“I’m glad you did.” you whispered against his chest, hoping he hadn’t heard in the three seconds of you being as vulnerable as you were capable of being with him.

He nodded at your words, confirming that he’d heard but he didn’t reply. It didn’t need a reply. He smelled of musk and rum, some vanilla you could still place as he hugged you. He didn’t let go, not until you did and took a step back with flushed cheeks.

This was the same you he had seen that day in the boarding school, knees bloody with soft eyes.

He cursed at his heart for being so soft.

“Are you...” you spoke, trailed off and then met his eyes and remembered what you were going to say. A smile found his lips as he looked at your flustered form but he had been holding one of your hands the entire time. “Are you staying?” you asked, voice breathy and hopeful.

How could he say no?

“If you’ll have me.” he spoke and it made you giggle. He was a stupid man.

Then, he just watched you.

He watched as you went up to the women and asked for a bigger mattress for you and him. He watched you shyly nod as they asked questions about him and watched you hold his hand as you led him to the cottage. He watched you sit on the dinner table, next to him, talking to the smaller kids about their findings around the field with a halo around your head. He watched you converse with the women around and giggle, smile like you hadn’t done in his time of knowing you and the entire time, you could feel his fingers caressing your knuckles.

------

You turned around on the bed next to him. Alfie should’ve been asleep, he had driven for hours to reach you but your shuffling on the bed made it impossible, along with everything he’d seen today. He pulled your body close to his, almost on top of his broad form and you gasped, realizing he was awake. 

You slowly sat on top of him, not quite straddling his thighs as he looked up to meet your face. “Do you hate me?”

His eyebrows furrowed at your question. Of course he didn’t. He hated everyone else, the people he worked with and the men he had to hire, he even hated Ollie sometimes but he had never even come close to hating you. He slowly sat up much like you’d done a couple minutes prior but cradled you on his lap in a careful manner while doing so. You watched him the entire time.

“What the fuck did ya’ say, pet?” he asked, thinking he must’ve been imagining or hearing things. The entire night felt like a dream to begin with and he wasn’t sure what was real anymore.

“I said do you hate-” you started speaking and he realized he had heard you correctly.

“No.. Why th-” he started speaking but realized his voice was too harsh. He stopped, kissed your hand and then continued. “Why the fuck would I hate ya’?” he asked, genuinely curious and also quite angered by your words. He would never do that.

“The Alfie I know would’ve hated me after the past couple of weeks.” you spoke, voice a mere whisper and he understood every word you’d been saying.

You hadn’t behaved well and he knew it. You knew that he knew it.

“The Alfie you fuckin’ know, yeah?” he spoke with a smile on his lips this time. He dismissed the entire idea of him hating as you as that was out of the question, he had not even thought about it once. You made him confused and sometimes, frustrated but that was it. He liked that anyway.

“The one who came to the boarding school, the one whose wounds I cleaned...” you trailed off, counting first experiences with him as you sat on his lap. He fixed the strap of your nightgown as you spoke and nodded when you didn’t speak any further.

“Lass...” his voice was a mere coo, like he was talking to a kid and you felt the need to be babied by him even though you’d hate it if it was anyone else. “I don’t know if you’ve ever fuckin’ noticed this, right, but first impressions are often entirely wrong.”

You nodded at his words, searching his eyes for a....lie of some sort, to see if he was saying it just to please you but that was nowhere to be found. You sighed, looking away into the room, away from his eyes this time and he pulled your face towards him to face his moonlit face.

“So no?” you spoke, earning a laugh from him and a shake of his head. 

“No, lass. Never, okay?” he asked, as to make sure that you knew, for sure, that he would never feel that way towards you.

All he earned was a nod from you before you laid on top of him again.

Maybe some people were good. 

Most had been mediocre at best, people only cared about themselves and as far as you had been concerned, Alfie was the same. But he had surprised you, at every little turn and it made you utterly confused. It put you in a place of wonderment about him.

You slowly got up again, sitting on his lap once more and earning a throaty groan from his lips. You didn’t know if it was because of the position you were in or because he wanted to sleep but he seemed wide awake as you looked at him.

“You didn’t listen to my warning.” you spoke against his face as he got your hair away from your face, a silly smile on his lips as he nodded.

“No, I fuckin’ didn’t, right.” he spoke, his words following the previous ones soon after. “I got fuckin’ worried.” it was a mere whisper but you’d heard it.

It earned a giggle from you.

“There’s no need to be worried.” your voice was soft as you spoke against his lips, pecking them every now and then during the conversation.

“Hm.” he grunted, deepening the last kiss you had given him. Your little mewls made into his mouth, vibrations meeting his chest before you broke the kiss.

You looked into his eyes and realized this was as good of a time as any to ask the one question you’d been thinking about. The one keeping you up at night and the one that had made your stomach feel sort of sick when you had thought about it because it was so unknown to you.

“Alfie...” you whispered, face a little away from his to gain space so that he wouldn’t try and kiss you while you spoke as he did often.

And you’d ask him.

It was a given fact that if you didn’t ask, you’d regret it and you didn’t see it as a question that should be asked in his office with his anger on the highest level it could be. He was soft now, as kind as he could be, away from the mess of the city and his job.

“Are you in love with me?” the words left your lips, sure of yourself as you looked into his eyes.

His orbs were housing a storm now, no longer as calm as they had been as you looked into them. You didn’t shy away from his piercing gaze, wanted him to tell you all about what he was thinking but he just cleared his throat and stared at you for a bit.

How did you not know?

The answer was obvious to Alfie, had been for some time now but he found out that you were quite clueless when it came to it. He didn’t chuckle at how blind you were to his feelings but just offered you a stare, a kind one at that.

“What do ya’ think?” he asked, challenging you as he kept playing with your hair.

“I don’t know....that’s why I asked.” you spoke softly, honest with him for the first time about all this: about how you felt and the fact that it was affecting you daily.

“Ya’ still don’t fuckin’ know?” he asked, expressing his genuine surprise at last. You shook your head, eyes meeting his once more in the dark room with curious eyes. You spoke up afterwards, impatient and panicked.

“If you’re not going to tell me then-”

“Aye, I am.”

You couldn’t look up to meet his eyes then, the courage didn’t come to you. He watched you fumble, try to get in a more comfortable position while avoiding his eyes at all costs. A smile found his lips when you groaned, realizing you had nowhere to go.

There was nowhere to go.

“I don’t know..” you whispered at last and that’s when he wrapped his arms around you and spoke against your temple.

“Ya’ don’t have to fuckin’ say it back, right.” he whispered, making sure that you knew. 

Maybe you would.

You presumed it wouldn’t be today or the nearest future it could possibly be but sometime in the next couple of months seemed doable. You had not done this before, this part of the game was new to you where the lines of what was real and what was not blurred in together. He was peculiar, different in a way that pushed out of what you really knew to be true. Men weren’t gentle like this but he had been, they weren’t as kind or understanding.

He was so stubborn, never listened to anyone but himself but he felt himself stilling with you. Like the war was a distant memory, more so than it already was. It felt as though some of his deepest scars didn’t exist and it was all because you had made it felt that way.

He pulled your body closer to his then, watching the way moonlight kissed your skin. This was a reality for Alfie that had not existed before, a line where he could be kind and loving.

And you were it for him.

--------

Tagging: @clairecrive  @parkbearum @sourirez  @vetseras @mollybegger-blog @babylooneytoonz @peakascum @fuseburner @r-rose08 @innerpaperexpertcloud @caffinated-tree @cathartichaoss  @ihavefandomsssss @thatchickwiththecamera @sugarcoated-lame @alainabooks143 @enrapturedbythemoon @a-southern-doctors-drawl  @houseofdupree @evangelinesolomons​  @kissmyoops a/n: hello, dear ones!! I hope you liked this chapter and thank you for sticking with me on this. I think there’s going to be one more and that would be it for this series but i would love to hear any other ways of going about it. Do let me know if you’d like to be tagged and what you thought of the chapter!!

And Ramadan Kareem to all who celebrate <3

[matchamorphosis]

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ 1-800-𝓘-𝓛𝓞𝓥𝓔-𝓤

𝓼𝓾𝓶𝓶𝓪𝓻𝔂 || waiting for you and your beau’s dinner reservation later on tonight you and he spend valentines day together through the devotion of your dial rotary telephone

𝓰𝓮𝓷𝓻𝓮 || fluffy smut

𝓹𝓪𝓲𝓻𝓲𝓷𝓰 || steve rogers × [black//woc]!reader

𝔀𝓸𝓻𝓭 𝓬𝓸𝓾𝓷𝓽 || 4.6K

𝔀𝓪𝓻𝓷𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓼 || 18+ nsfw, introduction to phone sex but i don’t go any bit further, body worship, captain kink, one bibical mention, reader gets spoiled to the t!, but still this is not suitable for anyone that isn’t 18+

𝓼𝓸𝓷𝓰 𝓹𝓻𝓸𝓶𝓹𝓽𝓼 ||  move over darling by doris day ♡ all of me by billie holiday ♡ unforgettable by nat king cole ♡ dream a little dream of me by ella fitzgerald & louis armstrong

𝔀. 𝓷𝓸𝓽𝓮 || this is my gift for the divine @denisemarieangelina! for @chrissquares​ + @drabblewithfrannybarnes + @amythedvdhoarder Hoelentine’s Day Challenge! ♡ i’m very anxious to share this because i did this simpler version of writing then what i’m usually used to but I hope you enjoy this lovely and happy valentines day! muah! ♡ please tell me if you don’t like this because i can always add onto this if you want more! ♡ anyways i hope you cherubs enjoy this to! ♡♡♡

     BABY PINK ENVELOPES FILL THE SPACE IN YOUR HANDS

     humming along to the musing record that spins on the turntable the kitchen is alive with the sentimental lyrics of Nat King Cole and Billie Holiday you sway your leg over your knee as you read the bush colored letters. the quaint apartment complex fills with blissful warmth, for the maiden in the kitchen enjoys her breakfast yearning for her partner to return as quickly as he promised. analyzing the intricate curves and dips of Steven’s handwriting, it pulls you into a hypnotizing trance as your mind fills with nothing but his deep voice as you read along. 

     cordial elements wrapping the visible areas of skin your Valentine’s sweethearts button down doesn’t cover. it is a relaying fact that the crisp expansive piece makes your body seem petite but because of its obscene size the fabric falls past your shoulders in a graceful fashion. clumsily buttoning up the blazer wrongly that early morning, it only adds onto the carefree nature that exhibits and adds onto your soft sways and musical hums. 

     reaching for your steaming pink mug of milk chocolate cappuccino that lays near more open letters and more envelopes free from their wax sealings. you plan on opening all of them throughout the day, holding onto the handle you bring it up to your soft lips. attentive fingertips trace the cursive black ink of Steven’s handwriting in a lovesick gaze. the accidental ink splotches and small charcoal sketches of floral anatomy make the pace of your heart slow in a tender beat. 

     despite your devoted attention being on your beau’s love letters there are other envelopes that aren’t just from your Steven. although to make it easier to recognize the difference between the uninterested letter from past lovers and secret admirers Stevens envelopes are printed in your favorite shade of pink. 

     these darling letters that Steven is now confident to share with you are filled with small poems. being terrified of gifting you in the early phases of your relationship, your holding the multiple pages amongst pages of dazing sketches of your bodies beautiful features. paragraphs that outline his love letters to you which he kept hidden in a journal. reading and daydreaming as you take in each poetic sentence of your beau explain and sharing each love struck moment of his days that he adored spending with you. 

     the timeline of these letters go back from days, to weeks to whole years. it astounds you how you’ve never caught Steven in the act of writing poetry or making a love entrée yet you aren’t at all complaining. however the envelopes were a surprise to come across to when you looked over the mail. they weren’t in your daily sack delivered by the porter but laying in a huge pile on your kitchen island before he left that morning. 

     they went handsomely with his gifted bouquet of your favorite flowers that decorated each room of your apartment. a bud of them you found laying amongst the colorfully cream colored candles is now in your hair tucked behind your ear. Steven’s handwriting displayed on the front- 

     for my darling 

     they were just waiting for you to read and so here you are soaking in each vow hidden in his whimsical sonnets and ballads. 

      smelling both the sweet nectar of the flower and the divine cocoa of your cappuccino you continue reading from his letters. mirthful eyes dashing along each word of the little poem he wrote for you, the gleaming smile that frames your face doesn’t settle down one bit as you read and sing them not louder than a breathy whisper. giggling aloud and kicking your bare feet in the air when you read Steven’s beautifully crafted poetry centered and dedicated to you and only you. 

     the letters seem to distract you from the vast amounts of gifts, arranging from exquisitely wrapped small boxes to large gift bags bearing designer brands. Steven sent each gift along with the blush colored letters but they lie unattentively under your pedicured feet that bounce along with the turntable. singing along Billie Holidays lyrics of April in Paris as you continue to read and sip from your chocolatey cappuccino. the letters themselves are elegantly scattered onto the marble island where you bite into one of the buttery croissants that are bunched in a wooden basket you have prepared since the morning.  

     of course you weren’t supposed to eat alone, by all means this day of domestic and fairytale romance wasn’t suited to be spent alone. it of course isn’t suited for you in the slightest, not like you to bear this inconvenience. 

     in front of you -well behind the sketches your dreamily admiring- rests a large breakfast consisting of baked sweet and savory pastries, sunny yellow omelets and fresh ripe fruit. the early meal was suppose to be a little feast for both you and the public hero but of course your heroic beau had his urgent errands to run. a phone call rudely interrupted the session of your passionate lips and tongues destine to spiral you both on the cloud of desire. 

     the ringtone acting as nothing but an irritating background noise, it cause the blond to pull away to deal with it. walking away from you and out of your private bathroom suite and as obvious as this is going to sound- Steven didn’t decline the call. from your position as you sat on the marble and gold flecked kitchen sink, your hand rests on the golden swan at the faucet. 

     listening as you heard him hum along to whatever the dispatcher had to say before hanging up and heard his footsteps coming closer and there you say your lover. smiling to him as you pulled him towards you, lips gracing his he cut the devastating news to you of his unplanned errands. apologizing to you with a kiss but ending it with a promise for an intimate dinner reservation he did plan beforehand. 

     then with a change of clothes, he was out the door but you willed yourself to not be upset at him. your Steven always kept his promises and you were still swooning over the lovely events that happened last night that still show the results of it all on your skin and a delicious soreness in between your legs. ending passionately in wine soaking your thoughts and actions you both headed to your apartment and tangled in your sheets. you now are wearing his button up he wore to the dinner reservation that night, slightly wrinkled yet smelling of Stevens entrancing cologne.

     it brings you back to that night and you could still feel the searing butterfly traces of his lips along your collarbones, neck and breasts. dainty and vivid as the white sunshine that streams through the high white apertures of your apartment. 

     it’s all beautifully cinematic 

     the music playing on the record as you enjoy your breakfast while reading your lovers letters to you. chocolate spread used to smear over the flaky pastry in your hand smears the corners of your lips and you wish Steven is here to thumb it away. a sorrow filled sigh break through your lips, knowing these letters are all you have of him at the moment as he’s out busy at Stark Tower doing only god knows what and bumping heads with only god knows who. silence only greets those thoughts and you realize that the collection of records playing your favorite romance artists have stopped sounding out their hearty tunes. 

     frowning, you get up and replay the record before returning back to the kitchen and to your seat. hands go back to the letters and your heart warms up in a matter of blissful seconds, cheery contentment dawning your face in delightful charm. although a question still dances along the crowded ballroom of your mind-

     whatever will you do with the time you have alone on Valentine’s Day awaiting for your beau? 

     it is only eight in the morning, Stevens plans are set around nine tonight and you could do so much more than just doll yourself up. finishing your lavish breakfast you begin tidying up once you place another record on the sitting room turntable. the music flowing throughout the large and finely furnished apartment, it creates a heavenly picturesque glow that brightens the golden framed paintings and renaissance clawfoot furniture. 

      you feel like an old Hollywood actress staring in her romantic comedy, it makes you nothing but languorous glee. the beauty of your vivid imagination pulling your typewritten script and setting your scenes to hear the director yell action! manifesting the movie with each pirouetting step, you feel the timeless sensation of Audrey Hepburn and Elizabeth Taylor gracing down on from the heavens. 

     singing along with the records, recited movie lines from Breakfast At Tiffany’s and Rear Window. romantically immortal films consisting of elegant tailored outfits of Chanel and Moschino that the leading actress would flirt with her on screen partner, long and lust filled stares between your lover and the epitome of transatlantic accents that would make an European swoon. 

     the craftsmanship of your fantasy aiding you by hiding away any untouched breakfast foods, biting into a jam filled puff pastry you keep the sweet confectionery in between your teeth as you organize Steven’s letters. filing them from the ones you have read, that you carefully fold back into their envelops- to the ones you plan on reading later. clearing them away safely on an ivory tabletom dancing along with the beat of the record. 

     pulling yourself back into the visionary scene of your beloved vintage films, a baby blue Dior headband frames your heads crown and keeps your untamed bed hair away from your temple as you start a kettle of tea. retrieving your personally cherished china set from your glassy cupboards, soaking your desired teabags, home grown herbs and honey dewdrops into the separate porcelain teapot. turning the nob on the stovetop off once the screeching kettle ready with boiling water becomes louder than the music, it quietly dies down and you hum as you place the boiling water into the small porcelain teapot.

     steam erupting, its soothing when the scorching water drenches in the tea ingredients that begin to linger a sweet smelling scent. peachy cheeks soft and dewy as the sweet sunshine bounces off them, you carefully unfold each divinely wrapped box covered with glossy ribbons and confetti gift bag covered in strawberry scented tissue paper. blowing and sipping from your tea cup, you tenderly bundle Stevens button up around you as you examine his gift. 

     each eye grabbing and more expansive with each one passing you look over the heavy offering of baby pink and cream tulle trimmed Agent Provocateur lingerie. the occasion of lacey babydolls and pink fury teddys holding cupid hearts coming once with every three bags you also discover the silver Tiffany charms in powdered pistachio blue boxes. pastel pink heart-shaped pastel boxes of Chardonnet et Walker pink marc de champagne truffles make your mouth tingle.

     mink coats and cashmere sweaters dedicated to wrap you nice and warm in the snowy weather. a starlight smile shines at the fact of Steven remembering you looking through a few catalogues days after New Years. princess cut Dior earrings that shine like dangling stars and heart-shaped Prada handbags that would make any winged cherub strike their golden arrows into. 

     Steven always went above and beyond with your Valentine gifts and you weren’t even halfway done with opening the boxes and bags but seemed fit to prepare yourself for the day ahead of you.

     curves swaying along with Louis Armstrong's flaunting trumpet and Ella Fitzgerald's sweetly divine vocals once you get from your criss-crossed position on the floor. passing the wrapping paper and ribbon bows scattered in a sprawled lovecore mess, you make your way to your bedroom. bare feet adding against the carpet, passing golden framed body length mirrors and vase upon vase of flowers and burning candles. a silver tray bearing the porcelain petunia painted tea kettle, china tea cup and Stevens letters in your hands. 

     entering your open bedroom filled with crisp sunshine, your eyes dash over to your mess of a bed. white sheets that once held two giggling and kissing lovers is now empty with the exception of your pet laying lazily on the wrinkled plush comforter. blowing a kiss to the sleeping fluffy beauty before opening the molded white door to your private suite. 

     dancing along the white marble of the floor you run your bathtub full of hot water. taking your time preparing your dress and the lingerie you’ll wear tonight, it wasn’t exactly easy. Steven took a great joy in gifting you all the luxuries of jewelery, lingerie and clothing you desired, took great joy in fucking you in them as well. but as you enter the bathroom and exit to go through your wardrobe in your closets you go through boxes upon boxes of lingerie. 

     rummaging the organized baby pink boxes that you took hours organizing, you did realize that some bralettes were missing their panties yet you remember your gentlemen liked keeping a pair or two in his office when he’s away. you settle with not wearing anything Steven bought you but what you ordered on a website that caught your attention, more so intrigued of the fabulous singer and actress who ran the brand. 

     the divine deep red Valentines Day pieces of Fenty Lingerie were expansive but so was your credit card as you ordered the whole collection. hiding the box away from Steven and his too curious grasps you now reveal the box and open it. taking out the desired heart bralettes and Gartier belted thigh highs that went along with the lewd sheer panties you let out a delightful squeal at the thought of Steven ripping off your silk slip dress to reveal this sinful number.

     sipping from your tea, you go through your jewelry boxes settled on seashell chests on your vanity. retrieving your dearest diamond accessories to go along with the slip dress you head back to the bathroom. the water rising to your favorable height you fill the marble crest with rose petals, rose oils, rose water and rose bubble bath. of course, with Steven’s relentless showing of gifts there were enough Italian imported red wines for you to bathe in but you settled for your rose bath set that was tucked in the corners of your towel closet. 

     burning Diptyque candles around the tub, you settle your delicate cup down on the tray. departing from your beaus button down, you sink your feet and body into the floral water glowing in pearly bubbles smelling just the tint of sea salt. dissolving your thoughts and worries in the soft pink-hued mist your hands reach for Steven’s letters. carefully undoing the crimson wax seal your fingers grasp the letter and polaroid photographs it holds. 

     giggling when you read that this specific letter is about you and Stevens first time. reading along the lines of his amusing embarrassment of him not knowing what he was doing exactly it still warms your heart when he stated in his own writing that he was grateful and happy to share that moment with you. 

     the letter going into detail of all the moments that break you into laughter- such as when you and Steven rolled off your bed unaware as you and him were to wrapped in the passion- to your face heating up when he went into erratic detail of his hand placements on your ‘Aphrodite like body encouraging the Aries affair to overturn gracefully, to repent in no favor but yours’. 

     not being ashamed to write down every moment of the midnight passion. from the way you tongues and lips were locked and didn’t dare separate for air, to how his hands ripped your clothes into shreds ‘to praise and worship the skin that sparkled and shone like buried treasures for my hands to caress’. a heavenly burn begins fluttering in between your bubble sud thighs when you look over the polaroid's. some you took and some he took but all in all they showed you and him doing, well- 

     your first time 

     a slow hand that doesn’t hold the scandalous polaroid's flows down to your bubble covered breast. pinching the nipple, the sensation only sends the pleasure down south to your hidden jewel. biting your bottom lip, you crave for Steven’s hands. crave his lips, crave his touch... 

     generally, his attention but you cannot go past your golden rule no matter how good the thought of your fingers stroking your folds sounds. knowing its best to not break the rule of touching yourself without his permission the thought of it sits pleasantly in your head. trying to distract yourself the growing sensation with his other letters and plucking one of the fifty fluffy macaroons that lie on the pretty Laudree packaging. 

     Steven gifted you all the luxuries that would substitute his absence, but all you ever wanted was him

     heart thumping in this truth you again attempt to distract yourself with his blush colored letter. cooing at Stevens cute sketches of you and reading poems dedicated to his first impression when meeting you- but you cannot think of anything or concentrate on anything but the first letter. giving cheating glances back to the polaroid's, your glance is captivated by Steven’s handsome and muscled physique in the contrasted filter. the faintly colored noir-film like pictures emphasizing on his golden skin rippling against the sheets caging you in with his arms. 

     the night replays with the jazz music in the ballroom of your mind, throwing your head back you feel yourself underneath him just as you were then. hands in his hair and his clenching the sheets besides your head when you kiss passionately as he rubbed his hard member against your forbidden fruit.   

    it didn’t help your case at all that you’re embellishing that night into your thoughts. it’s only making you desire your sweetheart more and more, needing him more and more as the minutes passed. 

     wanting- no, craving to hear the sweet music that is his voice    

     yearning to descry the divine tinge of his tongue clicking to his teeth when you says your name so sweetly. to imagine the movement of his tulip petal lips as he speaks his ‘I love you’s’ like a prayer and he’s on his knees for a goddess.

     oh you needed it just as much as his instructions on how to handle your distressing state. realizing the soft pink dial telephone that stood at the opposite side of the tub you bite your lip in thought. 

     should you call Steven?

     it makes you wonder, shifting against the water careful to not spill any over the edge. chewing on a raspberry macaroon at the thought, you pout not knowing exactly what you’d say. you and Steven have been in a relationship for years now, it should be simple to call your lover and talk to him about this yet a sparking idea light up like a shimmering star above your head. 

     you and Steven were both helpless for dirty talk, your words and underlying message would pull him out of whatever he was in to cater to help you with your problem.

     your thundering impatience and searing lust had shameless minds of their own as you pulled the cushioned ottomon closer to you and dialed Steven’s office number through the rotary disc. heart strumming along with the music continuing to play in the distance you do not exhale a breath as you hear the sound of the phone dialing. the powdered pink handset in your hands. chin resting on the rim of the porcelain tub as your lips brush against the mouthpiece in the shape of a heart. 

     when the dial ends with the sounds of him about to speak a gleaming smile radiates off your lips, pulling the handset closer to you to speak.

     “Steven!” your giggle that follows afterwards makes a dimpled smile pull at the blond’s lips and he lightly chuckles. 

     your presence melting away anything else that captured his attention away from you. fortunately you weren’t the only one craving the love and affection of your partner, Steven was in a busy meeting with Tony and the other avengers at the grey and stern table. argued his way through and pursuing a solution to the worldly crisis that was in their hands but with the progress he’s making he’s sure to help the team come to an agreement.

     “how are you doing, my love? did you enjoy your gifts? i’m counting down the hours till I pick you up for our reservation. treat you how you should be treated today,” Steven’s tender words breaks your dreamy state and your wispy babydoll lashes flutter at the sound of his voice. 

     “well right now i’m taking a bath. drinking some tea, reading your letters and i just so happened to cross on this one specific letter…” your teasing voice flowing through the mouthpiece and into Steven’s ears. 

     striking his brain, trying to comprehend what you're saying and trying to decipher whether your giggles are aimed towards him or onto something else. you made it known how much of a tease you were, from your suggestive dresses you’d torture him with when you’d attend gala’s to your shameless yet elegant class as you’d whisper all the dirty things you want him to do you once you two got home.

    indeed it worked like a charm, sometimes it left little self control as he’d take you in that backseat of the sleek vehicle. it’s definitely working now

     “alright what are going on about you little minx?” Steven states, a tint of his dominance in his voice but you continue to drift in your fit of giggles as you bend your knee to your chest in exuberance. 

     pulling Steven’s letters that rest besides the silver tray of macaroons and tea, you hug them to your chest as you reread his paragraphs upon paragraphs of his thunderous thoughts and detailed emotions ravaging you in sinful detail. 

     “oh, nothing Stevie... just couldn’t stop thinking about a little something, do wanna know about it?” 

     “absolutely darling. anything is better then being in that room with those blockheads,” Steven didn’t know he said that thought aloud but you don’t care. 

     you’re panning on relieving the throbbing pleasure pulsing at your slicked core and maybe undo some stress he’s under if he’s a fair distance away from wandering ears.

     “will do Captain, ‘the second our mouths collided was an ambrosial taken place. a supernova in labor between our bodies thriving to find our peak, creating a cosmos of divination as her walls wrapped around my cock. the indescribable pleasure as unforgettable as the dimple at the corner of your fiery lips and enchanting sparkle in her eyes. the moans that flowed from her mouth soft and encouraging-

     “‘-as I wrapped her thighs over my shoulder and thrusted my cock deeper and deeper into her forbidden fruit. her sweet, forbidden fruit so sweet I wouldn’t dare reject if a serpent offered so.’ I was hoping you’d read that special one, you need to understand how lovesick I was for you then. i’m still lovesick about you now but its gotten impossibly stronger now than before.”

     that statement makes you shift in the water, rubbing your thighs together as your fingers rest in between them. imagining its Steven’s large hand that’s pinned at the plushness, however you’re yearning for the warmth, security and skill they hold that your hands don’t nearly possess.

     “lovesick you say?” you purr, the sinful sound rolling off your tongue it makes roses blush on Stevens cheeks.

    an unknown tightness of his trousers making itself known, he grits his teeth at your tactic but he cannot help it. he gives in so easily for you, it impossible to repent and withold

     “yes doll, i’m lovesick. lovesick for you and only you. now answer your Captain, did you enjoy your gifts?” his voice growing and deepening, lust soaking his thoughts and hardening his member at the thoughts of you, you, you.

    holding the phone in between your ear and should as you pluck another macaroon from the assortment. a smirk plays on your lips knowing that your plan is working, you can here his little grits and groans as he locks his office door. 

     “I did enjoy your gifts Captain, and I love the fact that seventy percent of them all are tiny pretty things that barely cover my body. I love giving you a good show when you get home from work,” your voice smooth as the buttercream roses you decorate with your heart-shaped cakes.

     your free hand tweaks at your nipple, the remands of strawberry vanilla from your previous macaroon stick on your tongue but how how you want to taste the pre cum that leaks from Steven’s tip. the filthy thought has you abandoning your breast to give attention to your cunt, a whimper excluding your lips when it burns so good at just the touch.

     “mhm I knew you’d enjoy them doll. you always pull such good performances for me in them. so sweet and pretty, all for me to rip it off you,” you don’t mean to slip past a moan as your fingers rub your pearl but it’s too late to take it back when he hear Stevens stern exhale.

     “are you touching yourself sweetheart?” his voice isn’t smooth and suave no more but raspy and demanding, making your fingers stop their rubbing motion.

     “n-no,” you fib but all you want to do is sink in the bubbly warm water when you hear Steven darkly chuckle.

     “don’t lie to your Captain sweetheart. are you touching yourself? tell the truth,” you gulp at that, mouth shaking as you bring the sound piece of the handset closer to your lips. internally hoping and praying that Steven will give in to you, even when you’re breaking a golden rule. 

     “yes. yes I am Captain,” your breathy whisper holds all the euphoria and lust you're body is swimming in and it doesn’t help that you hear the metal clank of a belt unbuckling.

     “without my permission?” you can’t decipher his voice, whether or not he’s angry or disappointed your fingers stop tracing the bubbly surface of the pink tinted water.

     “y-yes, Captain- but I just couldn’t help it! you left me and my mess alone this morning. i’m so lonely here without you,” you mellow, your fingers once again tracing your lower lips. 

     not daring to plunge them deeper once you hear the light sound of Stevens heavy breath fanning into your ear. shivers sending up and down your spine deliciously, it’s like he’s here with you now even when he’s on the other side of the city.

     “mhm, you just couldn’t help it, sugar can’t you? you need me right now don’t you sweet girl? you need your Captain to help you?” nodding hysterically along with him.  

     coming to a realization that your lover can’t see you nod your head, your pretty lips you’d let him kiss and use any day pull into a pout. knowing you’re going to have to beg him to allow yourself to touch your pussy.

     well, his pussy

     “yes please! I-I need you Ste- Captain! please I need you!” your breathy voice begs and on the other end Steven has a smirk playing on his handsome face. 

     it’s hours until he’ll be done with his meeting and hours until he picks you up for your dinner reservation but he’s in your debt. you never know this but Steven was sprawled in your hand, whatever you desired and needed he’ll give you within the snap of his fingers. if you needed him when he’s away, he’ll make it seem he’s right near the tub. guiding your fingers in and out of your hole and leaving praises and affirmations into your ear.

     “how can I say no to you doll?”

♡♡♡ thank you for reading! ♡♡♡ pretty please like, reblog and/or comment what you think and if you enjoy this follow me to read more of my future works! ♡♡♡

𝓇𝑜𝓈𝒾𝑒'𝓈 𝓅𝑒𝓇𝓂𝒶𝓃𝑒𝓃𝓉 𝓉𝒶𝑔𝓁𝒾𝓈𝓉 || @cloudystevie ♡ @steebsbabygirl ♡ @lovelyblxckgirl ♡ @honeychicana ♡ @afriendlyblackhottie ♡ @bearbear0923​ ♡ you may comment down below or throw me an ask if you’d like to join my taglist!

𝓭𝓲𝓿𝓲𝓭𝓮𝓻 𝓬𝓻𝓮𝓭𝓲𝓽 || @chrissquares​ ♡ go follow her account and check out her fics! ♡ she also has loads of cute dividers and other related things! ♡♡♡

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ my storybook || aka my masterlist!

[vegalocity]

Reunited (Red Groom AU)

This is the part where you guys realize i'm not going in chronological order and am probably just gonna do the scenes i like

but like who cares right that just means we're skipping to the good stuff

Also i combined the battle of wits and the Reuniting scene bc this is my AU and i do what i want

--

In a cruel turn of fate, when the Spider Queen stood alone between him and his most hated foe, the Red Prince wished he still had either the large blue fellow or the dragon with them still. At least the two of them were slightly more amenable to him. And maybe while they couldn't be persuaded to take these wretched restraining cuffs from his wrists they at least were better conversational partners than the half mad Spider Queen.

Tethered to the spider woman as he was at the time, when she began to mutter aloud to herself about trying to lose the Monkey King over a secret way, he had no choice but to follow as she dragged him off of the forest path and into a clearing. He'd assumed she'd gone mad, but before he could voice such opinions she'd spun a quick web and used it to blind and gag him. She'd activated the damned cuffs and finding himself unable to move on his own, he could only comply.

He could rely on naught but his hearing as the Spider Queen dragged him across the open plain and forced him to sit upon what felt to be a long felled tree trunk. He heard her arrange things with the shift and clang of cloth and metal, and soon enough he heard approaching footsteps.

One of her pointed legs pressed up underneath him, the tip just grazing where his chin met his neck.

“So, Monkey King, it's down to you and I once again.” She purred and he let out a shout of rage at finally finally being so close to the monkey who'd taken away his everything but unable to move or even look upon the face of that wretched foe.

“-By all means if you want the prince dead, come closer.” The point of the Spider Queen's leg pressed a little harder against him.

“Give me a moment, let me explain-” The Monkey King started, tense and rough and possessing none of the cocky lit his father had described it as in the stories he'd heard-

“There's nothing to explain!” The Spider Queen crowed. “You're trying to kidnap what I've rightfully stolen!”

“Per...haps an arrangement can be reached?” Why did the Monkey King even want him enough to not have grown bored and moved on? Some sort of assumed loyalty to his father? As if he'd go anywhere with the monster that had taken his-

No. Stop. Stop thinking about it, now's not the time.

The Spider Queen thought so too, he felt a small prick on his neck as she broke the skin there just a bit he let out a muffled yelp in surprise as she grabbed his arm for better leverage. “There will be none. And if you do not wish to bring a corpse back to his family you will remain where you are.”

The Monkey King's voice wavered, and for a moment it sounded afraid... and almost familiar-... No. don't you dare compare him to the monkey who killed him.

“Well... if no arrangement can be made, this is quite the impasse we've reached.”

“I would say so. If you went about swinging that staff I'd likely be squashed flat, yet if you dared do so your prize's blood will stain the soil before you finished the swing. Your brawn is unparalleled 'Great Sage' But so is my intelligence.”

“You're that smart, hm?”

“Whose the one holding the prize, Monkey King?” She gripped his arm tighter.

“Well, In that case how about a battle of wits?” There was that cocky lit. No doubt the Monkey had a trick up his sleeve to take care of the Spider Queen-

“For the prince?”

-and then if he could just play nice for long enough to get him to remove these damned restraining cuffs he could-

“To the Death?”

-he could charge at the simian with every ounce of pain and rage he'd built up in the past two years and turn him to ash and whatever smoldering stone he was made from that remained stone yet.

“I accept.”

He just had to be patient a little longer.

“Wonderful! Pour the wine, please?”

This would possibly be his greatest test of resolve yet. He heard the Monkey's footsteps approaching and as the creature drew near he smelled of peaches and the wind, and-...

Had- Had he stolen some of his beloved's clothes?!

His senses were stronger than an average humans and without his sight his other senses were sharpening and he could swear he smelled the distinct scent of-...of-....don't say his name don't even think it you don't have the time to be hysterical right now

-He didn't think he was CAPABLE of hating the Monkey King even more than he already did and yet here he was. His rage mounting and seething beneath his skin.

He heard the clack and pour as the wine sloshed into what were apparently two cups between his captor and his enemy.

“Smell this, but don't touch it.”

“This smells of nothing.”

“It's called Iocane powder. It has no smell, taste or distinctive texture but it can kill a demon in no time flat.”

“Hm.”

“Now it can't kill ME per se, but even I'm not fully immune to it. It'll put me into a sleep like death for a solid week, which is about as close to dead as I can get anyway.”

“Ahhh I see where you're going with this.”

There was another pause, and the sound of the two cups clinking as they were moved about.

“There. Which cup as the poison within? You select which you'll take, we both drink. And from there we see who has the custody of the prince, and who is dead.”

The Spider Queen laughed and released her hold on his arm to clap in her amusement.

“Truly? We both drink the wine and see who keels over? How delightful! You were never this collected with your gambits before, Great Sage! Truly I can only divine which cup is poisoned from what I know of you, Monkey King.” the Monkey King sucked in a breath and She laughed.

“I suppose the real question is how does the Monkey King go about when he plans on tricking people? Does he poison his own goblet or his enemies?”

Then the Spider Queen began on some long, painfully winded, tirade about what she'd divined about the Monkey King based on his reputation and what she'd gleaned from his behavior, and he honestly could not care about her backwards thought process one whit. He simply wished for this to be over and either make plans to return to this palace when the Great Sage was in his sleep like death and char him to a crisp or wait for the Spider Queen to fall dead and convince the Monkey King to free him so he may do the job himself.

“You're trying to confuse me into giving something away aren't you?”

“You'd LOVE that wouldn't you Monkey King? I know which goblet has the poison in it you great fool.”

“Then choose! Geez, this is boring me!”

“You'll see whose embarrassed soon enou- What in the world could that be?”

“What? Where?” Did.... Did the Monkey King really just fall for the 'look behind you' gambit? “I see nothing.”

...Really?

“I could have sworn I saw something- oh nevermind I suppose. Now, a toast. I select my own cup.”

“Very well.” the two cups clacked together dully.

“You chose wrong.” The Monkey King chortled, only to be cut off by the Spider Queen's cackle.

“You only BELIEVE I chose wrong! How humorous! The great and mighty Monkey King so easily duped!” the Spider Queen cackled “I switched our glasses as you were turned around Monkey King! You've fallen for one of the greatest blunders of them all! The Greatest of course being to never invade the far north nearing winter, but slightly less well known, is to never bet against a Spider when death is on the line!”

The Spider Queen laughed for a time longer before her laughter started to slowly dissolve into a coughing fit. Her hand scrabbled along his arm as she searched for purchase- and then fell away.

The Monkey King approached him and he most certainly HAD stolen the clothes of his beloved with the scent that clung there still—and oh how he'd wished he'd still have a remnant of him to remember with in his timeless eon of grief—and the sheer unbridled unfairness that his killer was allowed something that he so desperately had craved made him furious.

The Monkey King removed the webbing around his eyes first and he blinked in the sudden sunlight. The dark mask and head wrapping the Monkey King wore obscured the majority of his face and he found himself so full of rage at the idea of the wretched stone monkey being so close to him that once the webbing was torn from his mouth his first instinct had been to spit in his face.

He hadn't, but it had been a close call.

“....All that caterwauling and you knew you'd poisoned your own cup the whole time.”

“They were both poisoned, highness.” The Monkey King stated stiffly. “Iocane powder only works on demons and I'm immune to everything but what can kill an immortal... so you may not want to touch either of those cups yourself.”

The Monkey King reached for his bindings and he held his breath as he gave the shackles an experimental tug. The golden bands shuddered and tightened against his wrists. “What nature of binding are these?”

...just play nice, just until they're broken...“I'm not familiar with them myself, but they blast my own fire back onto me should I try to summon it, and tighten upon attempted removal.” Come on... if anyone could break them before they lopped his hands off it would be the Monkey King... and he'd thank him by giving him just what he deserves....

“Sounds like a stolen artifact from the heavenly court or something, you're probably stuck in those things until we return to Flower Fruit Mountain.”

“...Excuse me?”

“Well I know very little about the surrounding area, how short a time it's been since I've returned to the world, and if I remember correctly this mercenary group said themselves they were hired by your fiance, So we should probably assume his palace is hostile territory, and to send you home would surely double our journey time before we can be assured of safety. It's far safer to head back to my own mountain and send word to your home from there.”

No...No no no no That was not allowed. He got to his feet—in such a rush the Monkey King stumbled back in surprise—and couldn't hold on to his temper any longer.

“I will no nowhere with you! You- You absolute-! I- I can't even find the words to DESCRIBE how deeply my hatred runs for you!” The Monkey King flinched back in surprise, before huffing.

“Well you don't have much of a choice, do you? I can't remove those restraints short of chopping your hands off and the sun is due to set soon; How long do you think you'll last in the wild without your fire power? Far as I see it, You either return with me to my mountain, or leave as powerless as a human without even a weapon by your side and hope to make it back home on your own before you're either eaten or slaughtered.”

Red Son growled under his breath, but when the Monkey King gestured for him to follow, he did.

They made it to the outer side of a mountain, a steep decline into the valley off on their side and in the center of the valley lie a dark and tangled forest.

“We can rest here for a time-”

“I refuse to put my guard down around you, ape.” The Monkey King bristled.

“Would you mind terribly to indulge me as to why you've decided to detest your own savior, highness?”

The horrid monkey should know what he's done- “You killed the love of my life”

And then the bastard had the gall to remain unshaken “Maybe I did. I've killed a lot of people since getting free.” The Monkey strode forward and began to circle him, like a predator toying with its prey.

Red Son decided he wouldn't need his fire to attack this creature. Sure he may die within moments, but his rage would at least let him one punch before his skull was split open-

“Tell me, who was this 'love' of yours? Another prince like yourself?” The Monkey King leaned in. “Rich? Cutthroat? Bossy?”

Of all the disrespectful- “He worked in an Inn when I knew him! He was poor!” He rounded on the disgraceful simian yet the killer before him wasn't his focus. “I didn't care about his wealth!”

He couldn't think on him or he'd fall to pieces and-

He couldn't-

“I never cared about that.”

The memory of gentle laughter echoing in his ear, the bright excitement and bounce in his step, those elegant yet calloused hands and he had to stop this right here because the Monkey King wasn't ALLOWED to see him so vulnerable-

“He was perfect in every way...”

Yet now that the memory was in his head again it wasn't going away. And he found his heart aching as deeply as it was during his period of mourning.

The shimmer of adoration when he'd simply glanced at him briefly and known his heart; the embarrassed way his gaze had darted away when he'd later confronted him on his discovered feelings, the warm, bright joy when he'd told him his feelings were returned-

“...With eyes like the space between the stars...” His voice had grown weaker, barely a murmur as the memories reclaimed their long repressed spot in his mind.

Xiaotian... his face, his voice, His passion and energy and-

And the tired look on the Inkeep's husband's face when he'd informed him of their son's death-

-The eager excited look on his face as he'd eagerly listen to Red Son talk about his projects, always listening even if he didn't understand.

The feeling of the floor falling out from under him and and a million horrible noises and feelings mounting up in his throat and chest but restraining it just long enough to find somewhere to be alone

-The energy in his voice as he talked about his art, looking for all the world like his greatest pleasure in the world was taking a brush into his hand and immortalizing the world around him into inks and papers.

Kneeling in the grove of trees for hours screaming his rage and sobbing his despair until a stranger had finally found him.

-The stories he loved to hear and tell in turn, entire body going into his storytelling as he gestured and enacted and faked fights

Night after sleepless night tirelessly working trying to—needing to—just stop thinking else he'd be able to do nothing but wish the world itself had died when Xiaotian had so at least the sun would stop rising and the birds would stop singing and the servants would stop bringing him meals he didn't have the appetite for and he could just work and work until his body finally collapsed in on itself and the light of his forge would go out blanketing the world in eternal darkness like it deserved to be after the greatest light of them all was extinguished.

-one picture, just one, given to him the one time he'd returned to the town by the Inkeep, stating in a gruff, tired voice that he may as well keep it. A figure done up in coals, his own visage of that one beautiful night they'd had together, the paper folded and held in a secret pocket right over his heart where it remained forevermore.

That final goodbye, Xiaotian pressing a feather light kiss to his knuckles as though still trying to be respectful to a prince. And he couldn't suppress the laughter at such a overly fancy action so once his chuckles had subsided he'd pulled him into a proper kiss. And they'd both known it would be some time before they'd see eachother, so they made it a proper goodbye-

But he hadn't thought it would be the last time he'd ever see him alive.

If he'd known... all the things he would have said, all the pleas to keep him there with him in the little town just beyond the palace. To- To move him into the palace, and yes his parent's wouldn't approve of a peasant for a husband, but he'd have no other and eventually they'd come around to it. Especially after they actually MET him and knew the kind of man he was-

But he didn't. And Xiaotian was dead-

He was dead at the hands of someone he'd admired and loved the stories of.

And his rage returned. The fire burned beneath his skin and begged to be let loose but he had to keep a lid on it to keep the cuffs from bouncing his power back onto himself and burning away like an effigy of love and loss.

“He was staying in the village you burned to the ground when you left your traveling group.” his voice was low, as calm as he could possibly make it, if he went any louder he would begin screaming, he knew it. “The one you ensured none would live to tell about beyond your former friends-”

“'Friends' is such a heavy word. My 'traveling compatriots' perhaps would work better.” The Monkey King interrupted him -He interrupted him! “And I mean I couldn't afford to show any mercy while I was leaving them behind! If people thought the Monkey King had gone soft after his five hundred year imprisonment nobody would respect him! Then it's nothing but work work work to rebuild that reputation!”

“Are you mocking me?! You destroy my everything and you have the gall to mock my pain?!”

“Oh, Life is pain highness.” He couldn't see the Monkey King's eyes but he was sure they were mockingly rolling in his self-assured life knowledge. “Anyone who tries to tell you otherwise is just selling you something.”

Then he looked off to the side, and he was so tempted to just charge the Monkey, see how far he could go before he was struck back. See how far his rage could carry him alone. He twisted the restraining cuffs on his wrists, they tightened, he grit his teeth at the squeeze.

“You know, I think I remember this inkeep boy of yours. I separated from my former group about... what, two years ago was it?”

...You know he'd thought that if the Monkey King did remember Xiaotian it would give him some sense of catharsis. That his love had at least made an impression on the great fool, and was not just some faceless passerby, but...

It didn't.

“Does it bother you to know?”

“I'll not give you the satisfaction of hearing any more of my thoughts on the matter.”

“Well, he died well if that's any consolation.” The Monkey King was peering at him through the mask. “No bribe attempts with those meager savings, no blubbering. He pleaded his case to me only the once.” he looked away, seemingly lost in the memory, head tilted upward as though to help him remember. “He said 'Please... I need to live'...Not a lot of people say 'please' and mean it highness, so it gave me pause.”

“I asked him what was worth sparing him over, and I remember this, he said 'True Love'” His chest felt tight...

He reached up a hand and pressed it against his collarbone to try and alleviate the pressure, he could practically see it, the village up in flames, the Monkey King in this same hideous black outfit, his staff already stained with blood, and his precious, darling, beloved Noodle Boy kneeling in the dirt, blood seeping down his face from a cut somewhere on his head, and pleading just for a moment. And-

True love...

“He then went on to describe a gentlemen of great intelligence and deep passion; I can only assume he meant you...Have to say, I'm surprised you're not grateful to me destroying him when I did.”

His mind stuttered to a stop, his entire train of thought completely derailed as the Monkey King spoke.

“...What?”

“You know, before he could see the kind of person you really are.”

His control snapped in half, his fire sprung forth, the golden bands shuddered and the flames erupted out only for a moment before being bounced back onto him. The heat of his own fury scalding him until the pain made him stop. The Monkey King took a half step forward but Red Son made SURE he kept his distance with his glare alone.

“And what, pray tell, kind of person am I?!”

It seemed like he'd finally pissed off the Monkey King. Good. His shoulders tensed and those long canines bared, as though ready to tear into him. “He was really stuck on the idea that you were the faithful sort, highness. That no matter what, yours wasn't the kind of heart that could be swayed! He was so sure that you would wait for him-”

Wait- why was that what had angered him?

“-So tell me, when you learned of your 'love's death did you start accepting suitors the next day or did you wait a full week out of respect for the dead?!”

His hand went flying before he even thought about it, he should have punched him; if that was his only shot in he should have punched him, but his reflexes had decided the action for him and instead his palm was out and he'd slapped him instead.

“How dare you?! You mocked me once see if you live to do it again!”

But he wasn't thinking about that, he wasn't thinking about anything beyond the pain that had gone from a dull ache to white hot in his chest, the absolute blinding rage and the sting of tears welling in his eyes from the sheer tidal wave of anger and despair.

“I DIED THAT DAY”

The tears turned to steam the second they left his eyes, smoldering trails out of either, just barely able to vent that little bit of flame into the world without hurting him but he didn't care if the proof of his despair was made obvious by it or not.

He didn't care about any of it. He didn't care he couldn't summon a single plume of fire or how completely eclipsed his ability was by the Monkey King's without it, and possibly even with his it. He only cared about making him pay. He pounced on the monkey when he seemed stunned by his vehemence.

The scuffle was brief but he DID get another hit in before he was pinned. This time it was a real punch, and it was just as satisfying as he'd hoped it would be.

But too soon was he pinned, The monkey pressing his front to the ground, a knee between his shoulder blades and his hands held together against the small of his back.

He let out a shout of rage, not even bothering to try and give any more words, no more words were necessary.

“Calm down! You need to listen-!”

The steam was clouding his eyes so greatly he was nearly blind with it, his fire was trying to come out unbidden to throw off his opponent, the scalding agony rippling through his body proof of such. But he was numb to it beyond it fueling his anger even further; maybe if he just burnt hot enough he could melt the cuffs right off of him. Everything was hurting, his clothes were going to be a holey mess, but he could smell cooking meat and he could only hope it was the monkey above him. He HAD to burn the Monkey King first. Even if he was immolated himself in the process!

“The only thing I'd like to listen to is your demise! You-! You wretched ape! You heartless horsekeeper! You took my everything you don't deserve the breath you stole from his lungs!” His own lungs ached, was it through holding back sobs? Was he experiencing smoke inhalation for the first time? He couldn't tell.

The pressure was off of his back and his hands were released, he made a blind swipe to try and right himself but his arms wouldn't obey him, and at that realization the pain finally kicked in.

The world went fuzzy at the edges, then dark at the edges. Until he could only see a small spot in front of him and the rest of his sight was naught but a haze of black.

Then everything was black-

It was probably his own flesh he could smell burning-

There was rapid muttering above him-

How embarrassing if this was what did him in, revenge in his grasp and he was too eager to kill the Monkey King right there he let cursed jewelry trick him into offing himself-

Someone was sobbing, was it him? He didn't think he had enough breath in his lungs for that-

The pain was going away, did that mean he was dying-

He tried to open his eyes, but he was still face down in the dirt and could only manage one, the former grassland around him was still smoldering from his fire as it eased back into focus, his breathing was ragged, and at some point his skin had stopped burning so hot, he felt cold.

The pain had eased but hadn't vanished, but the shock was still heavy in his system as he couldn't respond when he felt a pair of arms lift him up and pull him against a hard yet warm surface.

Dark fabric met his eye, and...he knew who this person was, didn't he? At some point in the writhing pain he'd forgotten just what he was doing here, mind going blank for everything but the burning sensation. But whoever they were they felt familiar. Their arms wrapped around his torso like they belonged there, as though the two of them were made to be like this.

The next thing that processed was the sound. His ear was pressed to the person's torso and he could hear the rabbit flutter of a panicked heartbeat. But nonetheless there was something... familiar about it. And alongside the heartbeat there was the vibration of words in the stranger's chest, but these he couldn't quite make out as their face was pressed against the top of his head, buried in his hair and making the words indecipherable.

It was then that his mind finally re-engaged and he realized that it was the Monkey King holding him so tenderly. His anger felt muted by the cold cold blanket of shock, but he still struggled in his grasp to pull away, if only to try and make sense of what was going on. If the Monkey King had such judgmental and inaccurate views of a man he'd never met before now, why was he doing this?

The Monkey King held him tight and he felt the shake of his shoulders as he was pressed even closer. Why was he shaking? He shifted again and this time found his face pressed against the dark fur of the Monkey's neck.

But it... felt off... it didn't feel real. It felt more like fabric with an illusion placed over it than it did actual fur...

The smell of burning flesh finally faded from his nose and was replaced with-

…What?

No that- that wasn't possible, he'd stolen Xiaotian's clothes sure but his face was pressed to the Monkey King's neck, that can't be his scent that can't be-

His arms were still aching as he reached up and found the knot tying the dark mask and headscarf around him. Both fabrics fluttered away and with them came a puff of a cloud of smoke, a shapeshifting form dissolving around him.

And he was pressed against a very human body.

This- this could still be a trap, this could be some sort of illusion to pacify him, so he wouldn't ask any more questions, so he'd just lose himself entirely-

The human—the alive human—clutching to him tightened his grip and he could finally make out the words he was muttering

“I'm so sorry never do that again you scared me to death I'm sorry I'm sorry-”

The cocky lit in his voice was gone and it sounded so achingly familiar without it, and the feeling and the scent and it- it couldn't be....

It had to be

It was a struggle, his arms still felt heavy from the echoes of pain and the numbness of realization, but he pulled away just enough to properly look at him and-

Oh...

Like the space between the stars...

“Xiaotian...”

He was crying, just beginning to pull himself together now. Pulling an arm off of him to scrub at that beautiful face. Those enchanting eyes he'd thought he'd never see again darted away from him and he wanted to protest at not being allowed to simply look at him after... after EVERYTHING... but he couldn't find breath in his lungs.

“I think your fiance's been tracking us- I hear horses. Can you walk?”

He tried to respond, he really did, but he found himself spellbound by the sound of his voice, just as he remembered it without the false persona twisting it until the point it had become unrecognizable.

“Red Son?” he shuddered at the sound of his own name being spoken by that voice again. So many emotions and memories, the hole in his chest finally being filled, and knowing without a shadow of a doubt this time he wouldn't let anything part them again still leaving him stunned. The fire was gone from his skin and finally, finally he felt one emotion beat the others and bubble up to the surface.

Red Son started to laugh. Tears bubbling up and sliding down his cheeks as true, overwhelming joy engulfed him. His arms ached and felt stiff from the burns he'd laid onto them but he pulled them around Xiaotian's shoulders all the same and squeezed with every ounce of strength that remained in his body.

“You're alive...” he wasn't sure if his laughter had turned to sobbing or if the two had simply mixed together but his breath was hitching and the tears wouldn't stop. “If you wanted I could fly”

Those arms pulled around him again and now he could truly appreciate just how easily the both of them fit together.

“I- I still don't understand, why did you accept the proposal if you still loved me?” Xiaotian's voice was a whisper against his shoulder, and he didn't want to think any more of his family's decisions and his hopeless acceptance, yet-

“My parents decided it, and what else could I have done?” he paused for breath “You were dead.”

Xiaotian responded with such conviction he had no choice but to instantly believe him:

“Death can't stop true love; it can only delay it for awhile.”

His lips were rougher than he remembered, but Red Son had no complaints upon kissing them again.

[scarletwinterxx]

Timeless pt. 6 - Doyoung AU

For my other works you can check them out here, and for my other story series’ you can check them out here.

All works are copyrighted ©scarletwinterxx 2020 . Do not repost, re-write without the permission of author.

PART ONE || PART TWO || PART TWO.5 || PART THREE || PART FOUR || PART FIVE || PART SIX || FINALE

Doyoung motioned for me to go ahead so I did, him following closely behind. The place looked the same, if anything it looked like no one lived here. The place was spotless, furniture's looks unused, the only sign that someone’s living here are the shoes by the front door and the few fruits on the basket. 

I continued to look around, not noticing that Doyoung was now standing beside me and waiting for me to say something

“Oh I uh- I didn’t really think this through” I mumbled, nervously fidgeting with my fingers

“Clearly, why don’t you take a seat? Do you want anything to drink?” it wasn’t like he was being cold, he just sounded tired.

“Water sounds good, thanks”

With that he walked across his kitchen while I sat by the island, just watching him. I realized I looked a bit creepy just watching him like that so I settled my eyes on my lap. 

“Here you go” I hear him say, making me look up. I mumbled a quick thank you. 

Doyoung just stayed on the other side of the kitchen island that separated the kitchen and living room, leaning on the counter behind him with his arms across his chest. His gaze never leaving me, I felt tiny under his gaze. 

“You know, you said when I come back you’ll be smiling at me” I mumbled, I’m not sure if he even heard me with all the mumbling I’ve been doing. I don’t even know why I keep on mumbling

He let out a chuckle before speaking, “It’s been a long day for me, and clearly I didn’t expect you to be back” 

“I didn’t either”

“So why are you back?” 

“I just felt like it’s time” I gave him my answer, after that there was just silence. 

I know Doyoung has a lot more things to say, questions to ask like he mentioned in his letter but right now no words are really being spoken between us

“Are you okay?” his question caught me a bit off-guard

“Me? Yea I mean as okay as I can be”

“That’s good to hear” 

Then silence again

“Doyoung-”

“I-” we both spoke at the same time, 

He motioned for me to continue on, “Go on”

“No, you go. Ask away, that’s the least I could do” I couldn’t even look at him, feeling too nervous under his gaze. His silence just added to my fuel to my anxious nerves.

All I heard was him taking his keys from the counter then walking towards the door, that’s only when I looked up to look what he’s doing

“What are you doing?” I asked him

Doyoung had one hand on the door and another holding his coat, 

“Somewhere, want to come with?”

“Weren’t we about to have a very serious talk?” I asked back

“We will, I just suddenly felt like going on a trip” he shrugged

I stood up from my seat to follow him, when we got to his car he still haven’t said where we’re going. It looked like we were going away from the city

“Are you okay?” I asked him the same question he asked me, looking over at him I can see he was thinking about an answer to give me

“I’ve been worse, been better too” he answered

“How about now? what do you feel now?” I asked, he gave me a brief glance before looking back on the road

“I’m thinking whether this is actually real or I’m back in my office passed out and dreaming”

His answer broke my heart, I knew I hurt him but hearing him say it hits me like a thousand bricks.

“Sorry” was all I could say, how I wish I could mend what I broke

“The worst part is this wouldn’t be the first time I’ll dream about you being here, with me. Then I wake up and realize you’re still gone”

I tried to discreetly wipe the few tears that escaped, I knew there were some tears that were bound to be shed, I didn’t know it would be this bad

“You should hate me, after what I did. You don’t deserve that”

“No I don’t, but I want to know why you did it” he replied

“Because”

“Because what? You got tired of me? of us? you got cold feet? you were scared? Any reason would be better than having no reason at all”

“Because I love you!” I screamed, catching both of us by surprise. It was the first time I’ve ever said that I loved him outloud.

“You loved me, that’s the reason why you left me? because you loved me?”

“The irony right. There we were, about to get married and spend the rest of our lives together. You would think I would be the happiest girl. I was. Remember when you felt that feeling of being seen for the first time...”

“All our lives, you were all I saw. Even when you didn’t need me, I was there ready to drop everything just incase you do. Even when Joy thinks I’m so stupid for just not telling you I liked you all this time but instead I drank my feelings away and accidentally confessed to you...”

“Even when you were happy with someone else, I was happy seeing you happy. Even then, I was there.” 

I wiped the furious tears that are flowing down on my face, trying to suppress the sobs as I try to speak

“I was scared that it wouldn’t be like that for all our lives, I didn’t give myself the chance to see anyone else because you set the standards so high I wouldn’t even look at another’s guy way if it wasn’t you. All the time I was gone, I learned how to love me, I learned to be independent, I learned to live with just me. I’m not scared of being alone, don’t get me wrong. But I also learned that I won’t be able to love anyone else the way I did with you, it’s scary to think you’ll only feel like that once in this lifetime”

“Did you ever think to ask me how I feel?” Doyoung spoke up, his voice softer this time as if he was scared he was going to make me cry if it goes one decibel higher

“You have a tendency to not say what’s on your mind, You keep your distance” I answered, “I knew, I just wasn’t sure because you never said anything”

“You’re right about one part, I might have never said it but in my own ways I tried to show you. Remember when you missed prom? I didn’t want you to miss out so I threw you your own prom night. When you got drunk on your birthday? that was the night I knew I couldn’t keep away from you. You looked at me like I put all the stars in your sky, who else would ever see me like that?”

“Why didn’t you say anything?” I asked

“I was scared too, Was it worth risking a lifetime of friendship for my own selfish want? I already had you in my life, I was okay to take what you were ready to give. It just seems like we were both waiting on each other”

How can two smart people be this dumb. I can already hear those kinds of comments from our friends. And I agree, we could’ve avoided all this trouble if only we said what we really felt

“We’re kind of dumb aren’t we” I told him, looking out the window to see the scenery passing by

“We are”

For a while neither of us said anything. The silence didn’t feel heavy this time, the atmosphere didn’t feel suffocating. We still have issues to work through, we’re taking one step at a time. 

“Doie”

“Mhm”

“I missed you”

I didn’t hear a reply from him, instead I feel his hand reaching out for mine. Intertwining our fingers together. 

After our little drive last night, Doyoung dropped me off at Joy’s place. I felt bad for keeping him out til late last night since he still had work the next day but the hug he gave me told me he didn’t mind. He just held me so tight against him, I can tell he was still trying to figure out if it was a dream. 

“It’s too early for you to be smiling, and where were you last night?” Joy asked

“With Doyoung” my answer made her almost spit out the orange juice she was drinking

“Excuse me?! You were with who?”

“Kim Doyoung, you know that tall dude you’re friends with. My supposed to be fiance” I answered

“Okay okay hold up. I’m going to be late so we’ll continue on with this conversation later” Joy said as she pick her stuff from the counter, “You’re staying here tonight right?” she added

“Where else would I stay?” I asked back,

“At Doyoung’s since you’re back together or whatever”

“It’s not like that” I mumbled, and it is the truth. I’m really not sure where our conversations leads us, what we’re calling this relationship or whatever

“Okay well see you later, Bye”

I spent the rest of the day productively. Since I’m moving back here, I was finishing up with my new working arrangements. It was a good thing that the company I worked for had an office branch back here. After talking about my plans to move back here, they courteously allowed me to switch branches. 

I didn’t even notice it was already late afternoon when my phone rang, Doyoung’s phone flashing on my screen

“Hello?” I said as I pick up

“Are you free tonight?” his question took my surprise, wondering what got him to ask that

“Uh- I guess?”

“You guess?” he chuckled, “I mean, yes. I really didn’t make any plans tonight. Unless you call ordering take out as plans then yes I’m free”

“How about instead of take-out, you can have some home cooked meal?” his question got me smiling already

“I would never turn down good food, why? Are you cooking tonight?”

“If you come over, then why not” I don’t why but his statement got my blood rushing to my cheeks

“Okay, sounds like a plan”

“Okay, should I pick you up from Joy’s?” Doyoung asked, I could he was enjoying this. I was too. Whatever this was.

“If it isn’t too much bother then sure”

I was never like this but his invitation got me scrambling to the bathroom to get ready, I had to remind myself it was only dinner but I was still nervous. It felt like I was going on my very first date. 

The thought making me blush yet again. 

After struggling to pick an outfit, an activity that shouldn’t have been as hard as it was, I finally settled with some comfy knitted sweater paired with simple jeans. I tried to make it seem like I’m not trying but still looking cute. 

This whole finally confessing to him thing got me feeling nervous all of a sudden. 

“Hey, you look flushed. Are you okay?” were Doyoung’s first words when I opened the door for him

“I’m alright, why?” I asked back

“You look so red, are you sure you’re okay?” he asked again, laying the back of his hand on my forehead. For the tenth time today, this guy got me blushing yet again. 

“Yep, should we go now yea that sounds good let’s go” I told him so fast then pulled him out of Joy’s apartment. 

The ride to his place was less hectic, we just talked about how our day went, what he’s been up to these days, and all that. It was easy to fall in a conversation with him, I admit I missed this too. 

As promised he cooked dinner for us, it was nice. Better than I remember, I was suddenly reminded how he used to come to my place to cook us dinner even after a long day at work

“Thank you for tonight, I missed this” I told him, we’re now cleaning up the dishes we used. He insisted that he would just clean it up later but I didn’t want to leave it out. Plus he already cooked for us, it was the least I could do. 

Passing him the last plate I washed while he pats it dry. I wiped my hand on another towel and leaned on the counter beside him

“Me too” he was looking down, a small smile on his lips

He looks so adorable I wanted to kiss the little smile on his lips

Wait

I thought, looking around as if someone heard what I just thought of. My eyes as big as saucers. 

“Y/N? You okay?” He asked, putting away the last plate on the cabinet beside me head. My eyes following his movements. 

“I actually have a question” I answered, now that we’re on this new chapter of our relationship and we definitely learned from past mistakes I’m going to ask instead of guessing like we did before. 

“What exactly are we? I know I just got back and we still have a lot to talk about, but it would be nice to know what we are or if you don’t totally hate me” 

I looked over at him, waiting for an answer. His gaze wasn’t on me, jaws tense, lips pursed, 

I’m starting to think it was a bad idea that I asked when suddenly I was trapped between the counter and his body. My eyes level with his chest. I couldn’t bring myself to look up at him yet, so I just stayed frozen. My hands clutching on the counter behind me until it turned white. 

“I’m going to throw that question back to you, because I already told you when you’re ready, in your own time, place and pace, come back home. Now that you’re here, I’m not going to let go of you. Are you okay with that?” 

Before I could give him an answer he was speaking again, 

“We don’t have to go back to what we were before. If I’m being honest, I don’t want to. If we’re going to do this, I want us to do this with just us and no one else dictating what to do with our relationship. Just you and me”

“You and me, I like that” I repeated with a smile. 

I feel his hand under my chin, raising it so now I’m looking up at him eye to eye

“I’m sorry it us this long” he whispered

“I’m sorry I walked away” I whispered back, his finger gently caressing my cheek as if I was the most fragile thing

I don’t know if it was just me or the space between us was getting smaller and smaller yet it felt like he was still to far from me.

“I’m never letting go of you now” he told me, his forehead now resting on mine. He was so close to me I could feel his breath fanning my face. I can already tell my cheeks are as red as they could be right now

“Okay”

and with that he closed the gap between us. His lips landing softly on mine. 

In that moment I saw our whole history play before, when we were kids playing in my backyard, to our awkward teen years, to getting our college degrees to almost getting married. Our whole timeline replaying in my mind, a smile making it’s way on my lips

When we broke apart, we didn’t dare to break from the hold we had on each other. His arms around my waist and my arms around his shoulders,

“What got you smiling like that?” he asked then gave me a little kiss on the nose

“Just how long it took us to get here, honestly I would do it again if it meant this is where we end up” I mumbled, relaxing in his arms. I’ve never felt more at home. 

It doesn’t matter how long it took us to get here because my mom was right, love like ours is timeless. It’s the kind of love that you can’t measure with time. We’ve loved each other on our own ways all throughout the years we’ve known each other. Now we have all the time in the world to give the love we both deserve.

[beelze-bae]

Parting Gifts: Lucifer

Summary: After a year in the Devildom, the exchange program comes to an end. Jae gives a gift to each of the brothers before she leaves for the human world, and after a few weeks, Lucifer finally discovers just what his gift is meant to be.

Eunjae is my MC, Yl belongs to @lovelesslovers who deserves all the love and affection!

The house is quiet in the absence of the humans, and it’s something that every one of the brothers has noted in their own ways. The melancholy aura is almost tangible, hanging heavy over their minds and actions as they try to remember what life was like before it had been overturned by the people that had changed it so drastically.

Lucifer’s mood had certainly been better before their departure, tension growing as the days spun by. He had never noticed just how mundane it had been. Meetings and ordinances and stacks upon stacks of files, broken only by his daily duties with the Council...and he couldn’t even count on his brothers to break up the monotony now, with each of them handling the loss of their dear humans in their own ways.

He couldn’t be victim to his emotions like this, he decides. It was an inevitability that the exchange program would end. The angels and the humans each didn’t belong in the Devildom...no matter how his brothers might wish for things to change. So when he catches himself wandering past the room that Jae and Yl had occupied, absently listening for any signs of life, he has to break the cycle.

It’s his life. He had been perfectly content before they arrived. He wouldn’t allow them to hold such power over his emotions. Their lives would have been snuffed out in the blink of an eye compared to the eternity he has stretching before him at any rate...it would do him no good to grow attached to something so temporary.

This decided, he waits until the end of a particularly trying day at the RAD to face these emotions head-on. The quiet of the House of Lamentation is overbearing...and he could use a break.

The record that he chooses has sat on his shelf since the day the humans left. The sleeve is nondescript--only brown paper, with his name written in black marker across the front. “It’s cursed,” Jae had told him as she pressed the package into his hands. “I don’t know what it does, so watch out. Back home, people used to make tapes or CDs of songs they liked and wanted to share...but I thought this would be more your style. Something original for your collection.” He blinks away the memory of her smile as he removes the record from its sleeve, arranging it in the player. A glass of demonus sits at the ready as he settles in his chair, hearing the first strains of a familiar tune.

She knows his taste well, he discovers. The handwritten tracklist on the back of the sleeve has several songs from his favorite eras of human music--jazz, swing, and crooning ballads across the golden ages of songwriting, all sung by voices he hasn’t heard before. Timeless melodies brought into the modern age. He’s sure it’s the alcohol that makes this carefully-crafted list so touching to him...but he has to admire the time and thought she has put into the gift.

The curse is much more insidious--to the point that he nearly forgot that it was there. Slowly, as the first song winds into two, then three, the bitter-spice of his drink no longer lingers on his tongue, replaced by black tea, flavored with strawberries and mint. A special blend that Barbatos had put together for none other than Jae herself. No matter how much he tries, he can’t rid himself of the flavor sitting on his tongue, heart twisting at the bittersweet warmth that it leaves behind. He finds himself running his fingers through his hair, loosening his tie as the vain attempts to thwart the curse start to take their toll.

He should have known, he thinks, laughing wryly as the needle makes its way across the record. Getting under his skin was her worst habit…and greatest skill. Despite his best attempts, he can’t keep her out of his head.

The pleasant hum of the alcohol softens the ache in his chest, allowing him to listen to the recordings in relative peace as he reminisces on the moments that they had shared across the space of a year...but the biggest surprise waits at the end of the final track, when instead of the soft hiss of the record coming to a stop, he hears a voice instead.

“You told me once that your pride controls everything in your mind.” Jae’s voice hits harder than he expects, breath catching in his throat. “And this is...probably a really terrible idea, but here I am, making an ass out of myself to prove a point. And that point is, Lucifer, that it’s okay to make an ass out of yourself. To apologize. To look foolish for the sake of mending bridges. What I guess I’m trying to say is that...whenever you start to feel like you have to destroy everything in order to save your image...I hope you remember this. That you’ll hear me in the back of your head, telling you that it’s okay. You’re allowed to be wrong. And we’ll still love you, even if things go wrong. And,” She laughs softly, the sound making his heart jump in his chest. “I’m sorry. Because this is probably going to sound terrible.” And then, against a music track he knows better than all the rest...she begins to sing.

A thousand thoughts tangle in his mind. He wonders when she had the time to record this, or how she managed to keep it a secret from the others. He wants to know who managed to curse the record itself, and if they knew what the results would be. He regrets waiting quite so long to experience this, knowing that its effects are made ever more devastating by his drinking and the longing in his heart that he had gotten accustomed to ignoring. He’s curious to know if she realized just how much he likes this song.

Laughter bubbles up from his chest, bowing his head as he tries in vain to wipe the tears from his cheeks. He is a fool, he decides. It’s impossible to ignore his own emotions when they’re sitting so close to the surface. He can’t pretend that things will ever go back to the way they were...not when his family, his life, and his heart has changed so much.

As her voice sweetly begs him not to forget her, he plucks his phone from its place on the table, finding her name in his history without a second thought. He doesn’t give himself a chance to consider his actions, or the repercussions this might bring. Right now, all he wants is to see her again. This, much to his regret, will simply have to do. He had always been more eloquent over text than in person, anyway.

“Eunjae. I listened to your gift today.” He begins. “I love it...and I miss you.”

[mengyan]

Omg hey! I’m so exited to read the Valentine’s Day collab!! I love love loooove your writing so much!! So anyway I wrote my first Carulia fanfic and I just wanted to ask you what you think of this small bit? If it’s bad please tell me-I wanna improve🥺

If you don’t wanna critique it I totally get it, it is kind of long.

..

Julia POV

Warm rays of sunshine brushed Julia’s freckled cheeks, making up for the bite of frost in the air. The sky was a cheerful blue today, reflecting her mood. She was sitting at a street corner, admiring the view of quaint little shops that resembled the cutesy designs of dollhouses.

Saturday morning chatter rung in her ears in soft, eloquent words of French that were so different from the English required for her job. A frenzy of Bonjour’s (hello/good morning) and Comment allez vous? (How are you doing?) could be heard from across the street.

It was good to be home, to have a day off to enjoy the beauty she had forgotten Poiters possessed. As an avid traveller, there was nowhere quite like the city. Nothing could match it’s charming, Romanesque buildings or tranquil solitude.

Julia smiled at nothing in particular, a flaky, warm croissant in one hand and a timeless romance novel in the other.

How long had it been since she had gotten to relax like this? To enjoy the nature of her city and not have to chase a certain red rogue across the globe? The very same red rogue she struggled to protect from her coworkers?

A sigh escaped her lips. Suddenly her mind wandered to someone she hadn’t wanted to think about: Carmen Sandiego. The thief never ceased to plague her thoughts lately. A warm blush tinted her cheeks as she recalled the kiss they had shared in Cairo, Egypt. There was a sort of thrill in knowing it was so, so wrong, and Julia hated the adrenaline rush it gave her.

Their last interaction had been a week ago, and it had been on an ACME mission rather than the late night visits the thief had begun to pay her. The absence of the red rogue pained her terribly. She missed Carmen. She missed everything about her from her cunning gray eyes to her knowing smile, the light rasp to her voice, and the feel of her lips. She had barely gotten to see the lady in red recently.

Would this be what a relationship with the woman would entail? Random visits sprinkled through the weeks while Carmen gallivanted around the globe and Julia had to pretend she wanted her behind bars? Would she be doomed to live with this uncertainty, this emptiness?

At her inner turmoil, the thief seemed to appear before her with her signature smirk, the curl of her lips forever ingrained in Julia’s memory. Hallucination-Carmen spoke, reciting the promise she had made her not too long ago. “We can have a normal relationship, Jules. We’ll be able to see each other everyday, go on dates, do all of that couple-y stuff. I promise.”

Julia had scoffed at that, of course. Maybe in another world where she wasn’t dating a thief, for goodness sakes. But still she wished there was some way the red rogue could fulfill her promise. Julia knew that what Carmen was doing was absolutely important but....she couldn’t help but be selfish and wish she had her to herself.

On top of that, though, there was the fear that whatever was happening between the two was nothing but physical on Carmen’s end, that this...fling...would be over in a heartbeat and the red rogue would once again disappear with Julia’s heart, only this time she wouldn’t return.

She didn’t want fo think about that.

Trying to take her mind off her worries, Julia reopened her book. The petite woman frowned, nibbling on the last of her pastry and lazily scanning the page for anything interesting. It was one of her favorites, yet she couldn’t bring herself to relax, to forget.

Sighing, she closed the book with a sense of finality, tucking it safely in her messenger bag. It was no use. Nothing could keep Julia’s attention from Carmen for long.

“Partir déjà?” Said Nadia, Julia’s friend and the cashier. The woman adjusted the side of her hijab before opening the cash register. “Habituellement, vous passez toute la matinée ici lorsque vous êtes absent.”

TRANSLATION: “Leaving Already?.....Usually you spend the entire morning here when you’re off.”

Julia smiled sadly. “Quelque chose me vient à l'esprit ces derniers temps, Je ne peux pas me détendre.”

TRANSLATION: “Something has been on my mind lately. I can’t relax.”

Nadia smirked knowingly. “Querelle d'amant?“

TRANSLATION: “Lover’s Quarrel?“

Julia felt her cheeks heat up. Nadia was one of the few people who even knew she was seeing someone, let alone the fact that that someone was a thief. “Entre autres, oui. Il s’agit plus de mon travail.“

TRANSLATION: “Among other things, yes. It’s more about my job.“

Nadia shook her head, making a tut sound. “Tu travailles trop dur.“ She inserted her credit card into the register, swiping twice before the transaction was complete. “Vous savez, les filles et moi allons au Buckingham Club ce soir. Tu devrais venir. Je parie que cela vous fera oublier ... quel est son nom? Carolyn?“

TRANSLATION: You work too hard....You know, the girls and I are hitting the Buckingham Club tonight. You should come. I bet that’ll take your mind off of...what’s her name? Carolyn?“

“Carmen.“ Julia corrected with a smile. “Et Je ne sais pas, pas ce soir. je n'en ai pas vraiment envie.”

TRANSLATION: “Carmen....I don’t know, not tonight. I don’t really feel like it.”

“ S'il vous plaît? Ce sera amusant!?” Nadia replied, making an exaggerated pouty face.

TRANSLATION: “Please? It’ll be fun!”

“Je ne devrais vraiment pas.....”

TRANSLATION: “I really shouldn’t...”

The cashier shook her head, pressing her lips into a thin line. “Oh, Julia, tu es toujours aussi ennuyeuse.”

TRANSLATION: “Oh, Julia, you’re always such a bore.”

Jules simply smiled in response, pushing the rim of her glasses up her nose. “Peut-être la prochaine fois, Nadia.”

TRANSLATION: “Maybe next time, Nadia.”

She said her goodbyes and left the small cafe, the little bell at the door signaling her departure. The cool, crisp air met Julia immediately, the frost already kissing her skin. She turned the corner, making a beeline for her apartment complex when suddenly, a certain beeping sound caught her attention.

A very familiar beeping sound.

She threw a discreet glance over her shoulder before darting into the nearest alleyway, ducking behind the nearest dumpster before removing her pen from her pocket.

Julia clicked the cap, tossing it to the ground as she wrinkled her nose at the stench.

“Agent Argent.“ Chief’s no-nonsense voice came as her hologram blossomed. “I have a new mi-“ She paused, taking in Julia’s location.

“Are you behind a dumpster, Agent?“

Julia felt her cheeks heat slightly “I was in public and had to be...creative...“ She replied curtly, breathing through her mouth.

“Right....anyhoo,“ Chief began again, adjusting her blazer. “I’ve got on assignment for you. I’m sorry to interupt your time off, but you’re the closest agent in proximity.“

Julia smiled sadly, scratching her wrist. “It’s alright, chief. I was feeling restless anyway.“

Chief cocked her head in mild concern. “I’m sorry to hear that, Argent. It’s nothing too serious, but we have reports of some meddling with the security systems at the Louvre. I need you to investigate.“

“Of course. Will Agent Zari or Devineaux be accompanying me?“ She asked, already picturing the splendor at the Louvre. Maybe a trip to the museum was just what she needed today.

“No. Zari and Devineaux are on a case in Santo Domingo.“ Chief said, beginning to pace the length of the alleyway.

“Khadija or Jonas, then?“ Julia replied, referencing two agents she’d been paired with in the past, albeit less frequently than Chase or Zari.

“You’ll be going it alone today. Intel indicates that Carmen Sandiego won’t be present. I trust you can handle a routine check up.”

“I’ll take care of it, chief.“ She answered, giving a small salute to her superior. Internally, Julia released a sigh of relief that she wouldn’t have to tail Carmen.

“Good. Transportation has already been arranged and the details should be on your phone.“ Chief said, crossing her arms. Almost simultaneously, her phone pinged with an encrypted email from ACME.

“Don’t disapoint me, Agent.“ With a terse nod, the hologram disappeared from before her.

Quickly, she darted home and changed into her ACME-issued suit before making her way to the train station. Paris was waiting, after all.

...

No matter how many times she frequented the city, Paris never ceased to amaze Julia with a million new places she hadn’t visited yet. The Louvre, however, was an outlier to the fact. It was Julia’s favorite spot to hit whenever she was in the area.

It had been One-Thirty when her train had pulled into the Paris Saint Lazare, a station settled on the right bank of the Seine and the one closest in proximity to her destination.

The Louvre lay before her in all its grandiose splendor, afternoon sunlight glinting off of the crystal pyramid and casting a rainbow into the burbling fountain before it. The Famed palace of the same name was set on either sides of it, the tasteful renaissance era architecture transporting her into another time.

Julia smiled. She knew every corner of the museum. Every nook and crany was immortalized in her mind from it’s renowned Petite Galerie to it’s extended Egyptian exhibit.

She removed her ACME card from her messenger bag, thumbing it’s side to allow her interpol credentials before going to speak with the security

As promised, a staff member was waiting for her once she got inside.

“Bonjour. Julia Argent, Interpol Britain?“ A tall, skinny man with hooded blue eyes and unkempt blonde hair stepped forward.

“Oui.“ She replied, flashing her badge. “Marcel Cardone?“

“Oui, correct.“ He answered in a thick French accent. “Thank you for coming.“ He said, gesturing for her to walk with him.

Julia smiled. “Bien sûr. J'ai été informé mes supérieurs de la mission. Pouvez-vous me dire quel semble être exactement le problème?“

TRANSLATION: “Of course. I was briefed by my superiors on the mission. Can you tell me what exactly seems to be the problem?“

Marcel spoke as he led her through the halls of the grand building. “Do not worry, I am fluent in English. I do not know the details but the head of security will inform you on the matter.“

“Sounds good,“ Julia said reverting back to English. Her guide stopped at a door with la sécurité (security) written in bold script.

“This is it, mademoiselle.“ Marcel said, opening the door and leading her to the back. Standing before her was another door. Probably to an office, Julia guessed. “Monsieur Toussaint? L'agent d'Interpol est arrivé.“

TRANSLATION: “Mr.Toussaint? The interpol agent has arrived.“

A tall, stocky man with brown skin glanced up, adjusting his glasses. “L'agent? Miss, le problème s'est corrigé juste avant votre arrivée.”

TRANSLATION: “The Agent? Miss, the issue corrected itself just before you arrived.”

“Il n'y a donc rien de mal avec la sécurité?” Julia asked, confused.

TRANSLATION: “So is there nothing wrong with the security?“

“Plus maintenant, non...” Mr.Toussaint answered, scrutinizing her.

TRANSLATION. “Not anymore, no.”

“Mais je suis venu tout ce chemin...” She answered, slightly disappointed.

TRANSLATION: “But I came all this way....”

The man scratched the side of his head in mild concern. “Nous sommes désolés, mademoiselle. Perhaps you would like a tour of the Louvre in compensation?”

TRANSLATION: “We are sorry, Miss. Perhaps you would like a tour of the Louvre in compensation?”

“No, it’s quite alright, thank you.” Julia murmured, tugging at the hem of sleeve.

“Please accept. Nous allons même le rendre gratuit!”

TRANSLATION: Please accept. We will even make it free!”

“If you insist.” Julia smiled awkwardly.

“Good.” Mr.Toussaint lifted the phone on his desk, dialing as he spoke. “Cheryl? Préparez-vous à faire une visite. Oui. Rencontrez-la près des statues.”

TRANSLATION. “Cheryl? Prepare to give a tour. Yes. Meet her by the statues.”

The balding man put the phone down, swiping through the many papers scattered on his desk. “Our tour guide, Cheryl, will meet you out by our Sculpture Department. Please enjoy your day.”

They exchanged goodbyes and thank-yous before Mr. Toussaint returned to the millions of files on his desk and Julia to the swarming museum crowds.

Deftly, Julia navigated the throngs of people, making her way to the modern sculpture exhibit. As promised a woman was waiting before the exhibit checking her watch.

Her dark red-brunette hair was pulled into a pony-tail, and a pair of green khakis and a blue blouse contrasting against her flawless brown skin. From the back of her head, Julia could see a thick pair of glasses settling at the rim of her nose.

She seemed familiar, so very familiar....

And then she spoke. “Enjoying the view, Jules?”

The light rasp, the sultry tone of voice...

The petite woman gasped. “Carmen?”

“Surprise.” The thief said with a smirk.

“What’re you doing here?!” Julia asked, confused. Was Carmen behind the security issue already being solved before she arrived?

“You must have mistaken me for someone else,” The Red Rogue grinned coyly, reaching over gracefully and slipping her fingers between Julia’s. “I’m just Cheryl Vasquez, foreign exchange student and Louvre Tour guide.”

“Of course.” Julia scoffed but played along. “And what would Cheryl Vasquez be doing touring the Louvre?”

“If you’re asking whether I’m here to stop VILE, then no. They aren’t trying to steal anything. I’m here of my own accord.” Carmen replied, her thumb tracing circles along Julia’s palm.

“So I suppose it’s just a coincidence that I was sent here on a mission?”

Carmen winked at her, her rouged lips relaxing into their signature grin. “Yep. A coincidence. Absolutely nothing more.”

A twitch of annoyance flared within Julia. Sometimes Carmen’s games could get tiring. “Well then, since you aren’t stealing anything, I’ll be on my way then.”

“What?” The thief said, for once taken aback.

“You heard me.” Julia began with a smirk, turning in the other direction. “Have a nice day, Miss Sandiego. The Louvre is quite the sight to see.”

“Not so fast, Jules.” Carmen grasped her wrists gently, pulling her in close. Julia blushed, her mouth mere inches from the thief’s. She parted her lips gently, her eyelids sinking lower. Her tongue flecked across the expanse of her bottom lips as she waited to meet the thief’s lips for the first time in more than a week.

“Huh?” Julia said in confusion as she felt the other woman’s heat move away from her own.

Carmen was no longer before her, lips moving closer. Instead she darted away from the smaller woman, a smug grin scrawled on her beautiful face. She waved Julia’s ACME gas gun in the air teasingly, throwing her a wink. “A theft in progress is occurring, agent. You’re lawfully required to follow.”

“Carmen!” Julia shouted in shock, not at all caring about the attention they were gaining from their fellow museum-go-ers. “Give it back!”

“Come and get me!” She called with a trickle of laughter, disappearing into the hordes of people.

Julia smiled despite her frustration and ran after her, for once not at all caring that her behavior was extremely unprofessional.

That was what Carmen did to her. She...freed her. Allowed Julia to relax, to sit still, to live in the moment.

Julia felt all the tension that had built up over the course of the week melt away as she pursued the chase and danced across the Louvre court yard.

She chased Carmen out of the museum, nearing the edge of the complex. “Aha!” Julia shouted, finally catching up to her lover and realizing a smile had formed on her lips.

“You’ve got me, alright,” Carmen smiled, lowering her lashes flirtatiously as her voice lowered teasingly. She slipped her arms around Julia’s waist being just tall enough that the shorter woman had to slightly look up to meet her eyes. “Now what’re you gonna do with me?”

Julia answered her with a kiss, feeling the thief’s bright red lipstick smear onto her mouth. The lady in red captured Julia’s lower lip with her teeth, chuckling at the ACME agent’s Yelp of surprise as she tugged. Every gasp that managed to escape her lips was swallowed by Carmen’s mouth as she pulled her closer with passion.

“Mhm, I’ve missed that.” Julia smiled. “I’ve missed you.”

“You aren’t the only one.” Carmen purred against her lips. “You have no idea how badly I wanted to come and see you...but...”

“It’s alright, Carmen. I understand.” Julia whispered, touching her forehead to the Latina’s and lacing her fingers through the thief’s. “Do you plan on telling me why you’re here, though?”

“Can’t I just pay a visit to my favorite ACME agent?” She teased, beginning to lead Julia out of the museum complex.

“At my apartment, yes. But here?”

“Okay fine....” The thief relented, turning away. Julia spotted a tiny tinge of a blush dusting her cheeks. Carmen? Blushing? “I....may or may not have had my team hack the museum security and leave a trace to VILE to get you sent here.”

“Carmen!” Julia hissed. “You could get caught! And for what? Just to see me? You can meet me at my apartment!”

“Hey, hey, what’s done is done, alright?” She said, her arms flying in front of her in attempt to calm her down. Then, she smiled. “Aww you were worried about me. That’s adorable.“

“Thats-Thats not!....Thats not the point!“ Julia tried to fight a blush but it was no use.

Carmen laughed, caressing Julia’s face and tilting her chin up to meet her eyes. “Hey. I know you mean well. I’ll be more careful from now on. Promise.“

“O...Okay.“ Julia murmured, the woman in red’s slate gray eyes catching her off guard.

“But...since you’re already here....we should make the most of it, no?“ Carmen smiled sweetly, for once with no tinge of smugness to it.

“Alright.“ Julia relented with a small grin. “So is this a....date?“

The latina winked, her teeth sliding over her bottom lip. “Do you want it to be?“

“No! I mean...I just thought...“

“Relax, I’m messing with you.“ Carmen said, taking Julia’s hands in hers. “The truth is...Jules...I wanted to prove that I’m serious about this. About us. You...mean a lot to me, and I want us to be about more than just random hookups.“

The petite woman felt herself smiling at the other’s words, and gave the red rogue’s hands a squeeze. “You have no idea how relieved I am to hear you say that.“

Carmen returned her grin, running her thumb over Julia’s knuckles. “Explanations aside, are you ready for the greatest date in the world?“

Julia’s brow tugged upwards along with her lips. “The greatest, huh?“

Carmen threw her a flirty glance. “Hey, I don’t settle for second best.“

“I can see that. Alright then, Miss Sandiego.“ The shorter woman said coyly, “Show me what you got.“

....

ANON!! THIS IS SO AMAZING OH MY GOD?? for your first fic this is incredible and i absolutely love how you write them!! everything is so in character and carmen absolutely would create an entire heist just to meet up with jules 😭

i don’t have much to critique: just a few minor spelling errors here and there and some misplaced punctuation but that’s it, everything else is so good?? i’m serious this gave me so much serotonin omg,,, if you post it on ao3 let me know and i’ll be sure to leave kudos and a comment!! <3

and thank you so much for enjoying my writing, i can say the same for you :D

[betweenthetimeandsound]

Three Minutes to Eternity: My ESC 250 (#130-121)

#130: Franco Battiato and Alice -- I Treni di Tozeur (Italy 1984)

“In una vecchia miniera, distese di sale E un ricordo di me, come un incantesimo”

“In an old empty mine, the salt extends And I seem to remember it, like a dream”

Franco Battiato was one of Italy's greatest songwriters, known for his complex songs in a mix of genres. Unfortunately, I haven't listened to most of his discography, but I do know of "Per Elisa", the song he wrote for Alice which won Sanremo 1981 (coincidentially, the first year Italy withdrew from Eurovision, welp). It's thoughtful and its incorporation of Fur Elise is well-done with its synthesizers.

In comparison, I treni di Tozeur is not a song readily caught by first listening, and that’s why it’s not my favorite of its year. This doesn’t mean it’s not a good song, though—it's sounds eerily futuristic even for the synth-based 1980s, and actually timeless. The lyrics seem ambivalent, but I think there’s some philosophical bent towards them. One of the commentaries talk about the train to Tozeur being built in the early twentieth century to satisfy the whims of the King of Tunisia, at a huge cost. Maybe there's some social commentary sneaking in there.

The performance was good, but it seems like Alice had a bit more control of her voice. She did so with style, and I actually liked her outfit.

In addition, the opera singers at the end were the cherry of the cake. A mix of classical and modern, indeed, which earned itself classic status.

Personal ranking: 2nd/19 Actual ranking: =5th/19 (with Belgium) in Luxembourg

#129: Linda Martin -- Terminal 3 (Ireland 1984)

“Staring into a space, searching through every face He's been away too long now, he must have changed”

I feel like there are two types of people in terms of 1984--those who have Alice and Batiatto (#130) as their favorite, and those who have Linda Martin as theirs. As shown by how close they are on my list, I love both, but Linda Martin just eeks it out.

The storytelling aspect of the song is very strong, as Linda waits for her lover to come from an international flight. Ironically, it can't be from Dublin, as no Irish airport has a third terminal. Maybe it's from London's she's waiting for her love? Or the flight is coming to the United States, rather than from it? Mysteries indeed.

(Now my life goal is to be at Terminal 3 at 10:30; one of David Tao's most famous songs is 飞机场的10:30--Airport at 10:30, which deals with the same topic)

The New Wave instrumentation and orchestration add up to the drama too--the brass grabs me from the first beats, and the strings and rock influences remain as the song goes on. It's kind of hard to believe Johnny Logan was behind this, especially considering he's better known for his ballads. If she had to win one Eurovision, Terminal 3 had to be the one.

Personal ranking: 1st/19 Actual ranking: 2nd/19 in Luxembourg

#128: Halla Margrét - Hægt og hljótt (Iceland 1987)

"Kvöldið hefur flogið alltof fljótt Fyrir utan gluggann komin nótt Kertin er’ að brenna upp Glösin orðin miklu meir’en tóm"

"The evening has fled all too fast Outside the window night has come The candles are burning low The glasses have become much more than empty"

As their debut entry was fun and "in-your"face", Iceland’s second entry has an afterparty feeling, but I've heard some comparisons to being a Christmas song. It doesn't sound like it to me, but it's still really serene and beautiful, as if the snow was falling outside (not unlike #213 on this list).

The lyrics are quite gentle and pretty, painting a dainty picture. However, they also contain enough melancholy to add a tinge of darkness to the scene, which is why I don't think it would work as a Christmas song. Halla’s vocals are very pure, and adds enough delicacy to the composition. The piano and orchestration also helps.

What stands out more is the funny notes related to Hægt og hljótt--one refers to the last line of their chorus, which is bufflaxed to "anus in the air" in English, another mentions how Halla's dress is see-through against the white piano, almost as if she was a ghost. Very strange, especially the latter as the lyrics focuses on the upcoming dawn. Or it would make a good fan-fiction, come to think of it.

Personal ranking: 3rd/22 Actual ranking: 16th/22 in Brussels

#127: Raphael -- Yo soy aquél (Spain 1966)

“Yo soy aquél, Que por tenerte da la vida, Yo soy aquél, Que estando lejos, no te olvida,

“I'm that one, Who gives his life to have you I'm that one Who's far away and doesn't forget you”

When I first did this sorter, Yo soy aquel ended up close to being in my top 50. It was a surprise, because despite being one of my favorite songs from Spain, I didn't think about as much in terms of great songs, even though it's a beautiful song.

The opening bars to this song are filled with drama, which gives way to Raphael’s crooning for the one he loves. The lyrics are a bit repetitive, sure, but they still work in how Raphael wants his love to know he will be there. I particularly love the way the song builds, which, combined with his singing, creates a brooding atmosphere. The explosion in the chorus is really effective, which the orchestra compliments and actually amplifies. You could actually feel his passion thanks to those strings.

1966 was an incredible year (especially for a black-and-white contest), and if I could switch one of Spain's wins, I would drop La La La for this in one second (even though there's another song from this year on my top 250). Massiel doesn't hold a candle to Raphael.

Personal ranking: 2nd/18 Actual ranking: =7th/18 (with Yugoslavia) in Luxembourg

#126: Liam Reilly -- Somewhere in Europe (Ireland 1990)

“We should be together, and maybe we just might If you could only meet me somewhere in Europe tonight”

For my European friends, I wish for this lyric to come true! I am sadly ill-traveled, haha.

When I started to consider this top 250, I thought "Somewhere in Europe" would be song #250, because it was pleasant and pretty, but wouldn't trouble the rest of the list. When I was re-arranging the list, this was one of the songs which got a great boost, and now it sits just outside of the top half of this list!

As for this song, I like it a lot. It not only a pretty little ditty, but it also takes the theme of unity and takes one on an adventure. Because of the piano-based instrumental, I keep thinking that it's like a Billy Joel song, as it's quite homebrewed. While I don’t think this would’ve made a better winner than Insieme (or White and Black Blues, for that matter--France winning would bring some new energy to the contest), Liam Reilly proved he was a talented songwriter, and it shines with the orchestration too.

As a result, I keep thinking that it would be a good New Year's Eve song--it's nostalgic yet calming, and seeks out a better future. Unfortunately, Liam Reilly died on New Year's Day this year, which makes it a bit sadder. RIP.

Personal ranking: 8th/22 Actual ranking: =2nd/22 (with France) in Zagreb

#125: Rita -- Shara Bachravot (Israel 1990)

לבוקר הזה יש טעם של חופש זר כמו של מוות או ברכה כי הלכתי ממך”

“This morning, Has the taste of strange freedom Like of death or a blessing Because I went away from you”

(I actually heard of Rita before stumbling on her Eurovision entry--one song I really like is Idan Raichel's Mechake (Waiting), and I searched the web. One of the results was Rita's version of his composition, which compared to Raichel's, is a bit more produced. Still great!)

1990 focuses on freedom in many ways, especially because of the Berlin Wall falling and the end of communism. Shara Barkhovot also talks about freedom, but does so in another way.

It’s basically a tale of a relationship ending, with a woman leaving her partner in the morning. It’s frequently interpreted as running away from abuse, and the imagery involved does a good job in conveying that feeling.

It’s dramatic and passionate, with Rita “emoting” the song rather than merely performing it. Unfortunately, it does go off the rails later on, with her vocals losing out at points. I still like how she played with the microphone stand, though!

Personal ranking: 7th/22 Actual ranking: 18th/22 in Zagreb

#124: Helena Paparizou -- My Number One (Greece 2005)

“You're my lover Undercover You're my sacred passion and I have no other.”

Helena Paparizou was one of those artists that I knew that participated in Eurovision, but didn’t listen to her song until much later. I found out about her with the song “Heroes”, which I played a lot when I was younger (about 11-13 years old), and didn’t think about her in the contest, other than she won and she received a wide ovation when she returned to Greece.

My Number One is all kinds of fun, from the ethnic instrumental to the sometimes silly lyrics. I also love the performance featuring Helena playing a human lyre, which is a definite highlight! A fun and energetic bop (the last of a holy trinity of ethno-influenced dance winners during this time), now I’m a happy fan of hers (I really listened to Kati Skoteino a lot since 2018, for example. Plus her Mambo interval the following year is fantastic.)

On whether this or "Die For You" was the better song, it's hard to tell, especially on how close they are on this list. Whereas 2001 was the weaker year and Die for You had to win it, My Number One was in a stronger year and held its own. And yet it's not my favorite...

Personal ranking: 2nd/39 Actual ranking: 1st/24 GF in Kyiv

#123: Vanilla Ninja -- Cool Vibes (Switzerland 2005)

“Don't want you to come so close to me Don't need you to blow my fantasy But I know that you are livin' far beyond those lies I can see the danger rise in your eyes...”

From my last place in 2004 to my favorite in 2005, what a glow up from Switzerland! Though to be honest, I have a hard time determining why this song in particular is my favorite of its year. I did come in knowing that Switzerland was the only one of the original seven to not win in my timeline, so that may have impacted my thinking.

Cool Vibes a dark rock song, with occasionally dramatic lyrics (though then again, emo rock was getting popular during that time), but an intriguing musical atmosphere. Despite 2005 being known as the "ethno-bop year", there were a number of interesting rock songs (e.g. In My Dreams), and this holds up by its sheer seriousness, versus the occasionally silly vibe of those others.

And with that string motif, it does sound like a song that needs an orchestra to realize its full potential. There's a lot of hidden angst throughout the song, and the multiple key changes actually helps here.

Personal ranking: 1st/39 Actual ranking: 8th/24 GF in Kyiv

Final Impressions on Switzerland: Not one of my favorite countries in the contest, unfortunately. I find most of their entries to be quite non-descript, with some of them being very bad. That said, they do have a number of gems on here, and some great ones that just missed out (Moi, tout simplement; Io senza te; She Got Me especially). And with the track they are now, they could actually win in the next few years. Hopefully with a French-language song. :)

#122: Tanja Ribič - Zbudi se (Slovenia 1997)

“Zbudi se, dobri princ Rada bi ti dala vse Svoje sanje in mladost Da ne bom iz pravljice”

“Wake up, good prince I would like to give you all My dreams and my youth Break the spell of the fairy tale”

Sometimes I forget I love this song. As 1997 is one of the strongest years (if not the strongest year song-wise), there are so many good ones one can't remember all of them. Zbudi se a bit dark and fits in very well with the rest of the 1990s with its mythical character (and might be the first Balkan ballad proper), but Tanja does it so well. And she would later be more known for her acting!

When I do listen to it, it just takes me away. It’s a dark fairytale, with beautiful lyrics and an intriguing atmosphere. The narrator longs for her loved one, filled with magical imagery and dreaminess. I also appreciate the transition between the lyrics and the chorus, which can be very hard to do! And of course, the orchestration, including the harp parts in particular, create a fantastic soundscape.

Personal ranking: 8th/25 Actual ranking: 10th/25 in Dublin

#121: Lúcia Moniz - O meu coração não tem cor (Portugal 1996)

“Dança-se o samba, a marrabenta também, Chora-se o fado, rola-se a coladeira.”

“We dance the samba, the marrabenta too, We weep the fado, and roll the coladeira”

Curiously, for a song which was one twelve away from a top-three finish, O meu coração não tem cor seems a bit less known within Portugal. It even didn't get a studio release, and Lucia is better known for being the love interest in Love Actually. And yet it's still a fan-favorite within Eurovision.

The lyrics call out to everyone in the Portuguese diaspora (or the Lusosphere in general), and welcomes them to engage in their cultural traditions. We have fruit and dance and crying and laughter all at once. All kinds of fun, except when the clips grayscale and I keep thinking of those "in memoriam" scenes.

And it managed impress in another way; it came in 18th in the audio-only pre-qualifer which only appeared in 1996. Thanks to the brazen and fun orchestration, along with Lucia's very sweet voice, it was lifted up in the final to a solid sixth place! Very well-deserved.

Personal ranking: 5th/23 Actual ranking: 6th/23 in Oslo

[thebandcampdiaries]

Ember Mikayla - Dissociative Anarchist EP

A punk-rock EP with a timeless, yet catchy sound.

January 2021 - Ember Mikayla is a solo artist and songwriter with a focus on making music that blurs the lines between various genres, including alternative music and punk rock. Recently, she set out to release a brand new EP titled “Dissociative Anarchist.” This release feels like a perfect example of the artist’s approach to creativity and songwriting, going for a direct and one-of-a-kind sound. The release unfolds through four tracks, each setting the bar higher in terms of innovation, and stretching the artist’s sound towards different creative directions and songwriting nuances.

The opening track is titled “Anarchist Skirt.” What makes this song special is that it feels like an immediate introduction to the group’s unadulterated energy. The arrangement has a really direct sound that makes me think of some early Foo Fighters music, especially when it comes to the wall of sound brought on by the guitars. The vocals are hard-hitting and inspiring, at times even reminiscent of iconic vocalists such as Kurt Cobain or the early days of Greg Graffin from Bad Religion, only to mention a few. Having said that, Ember has a unique voice and a distinctive character, which really makes the music all the more personable and direct. The second song “Untouchables” has a really different vibe. It is a lot more melodic and catchy when compared to the angsty vibes of the first single. This track actually makes me think of some of the earlier Blink-182 music (Think Cheshire Cat) as well as iconic bands such as Screeching Weasel, The Queers or Mr. T. Experience, only to mention but a few. It’s all about capturing that unique melodic feel that is at the heart of a great punk band!

This release is a perfect example of the artist’s unique attitude and charismatic approach to songwriting and performance, going for an immediate and earthy sound that favours the human connection between the musicians, rather than hiding their work under an excessive layer of studio trickery.

The third track on this EP, “Dissociative Anarchy” is a fantastic track, and perhaps one of the most unique songs on this release. The tune has influences ranging from punk to grunge, and the vocals are just as direct as you would expect from an artist who is not afraid of telling it like it is! There is also room for an excellent punk cover: a rendition of “Folsom Prison Blues,” which was made famous by the late great Johnny Cash. This cover really makes me think of bands such as Social Distortion, who also managed to release a stunning Johnny Cash cover (of the song “Ring Of Fire.”) There is something about Cash’s music, which really works with punk rock, and the intensity of the lyrics really work with Ember’s unique twist.

Ultimately, I would definitely recommend listening to this particular release, especially if you enjoy the sound of artists such as Against Me! (with the amazing Laura Jane Grace), Cloud Nothings, Dead Rituals, as well as Blink-182, only to mention but a few. Any punk rock fan is immediately going to connect with the sound and feel of this release, which brings such an immediate and easy-to-relate sound to the table, appealing to any fan of great alternative music in general. Ember is a very honest artist, the kind who is not afraid of sharing her feeling and pouring her heart out. Some people never seem to understand this, but even punk rock can be quite an intimate and personal style of music, especially if an artist is as honest and forward-thinking as Ember is, with a willingness to share everything about herself and her vision with the audience. In addition to that, this song has a really beautiful approach to production, and the sound might remind you of some of the best first-wave of punk music, with a bit of a contemporary twist as well for good measure!

Find out more about Ember Mikayla, and do not miss out on this new studio EP, which is currently available on the web.

https://open.spotify.com/album/0pjYi3QoDjZiILne4Vk4oh?si=J9d5cftRTJ2poddL0N3TXw

https://youtube.com/channel/UCBpZ-V4Af34dR-i8rVoroJA

https://www.tiktok.com/@embermikayla

https://www.facebook.com/embermikaylamusic/

https://www.instagram.com/embermikaylamusic/?hl=en

(via https://open.spotify.com/album/0pjYi3QoDjZiILne4Vk4oh?si=EW9kZNsjSYem2HPBTNSSOA)

We also had the chance to ask Ember a few questions: keep reading for more!

I love how you manage to render your tracks so personal and organic. Does the melody come first, or do you focus on the melodies the most? 

Usually I usually write the lyrics first but not always. I do have a lot of lyrics that don’t have” music but there are times when i write a really cool riff and add words later. Sometimes I write both together.

Did you perform live before COVID? If so, do you feel more comfortable on a stage or within the walls of the recording studio?

I have performed live before but not with this work that I’m doing now. I have been in bands in the past that did live shows. I do have some social anxieties and get nervous on stage but as soon as I start playing they seem to melt away into the music. Having said that the studio is easier for me not just because of my anxieties but also scheduling with my kids.

If you could only pick one song to make a “first impression” on a new listener, which song would you pick and why? 

Probably “Anarchist Skirt” because it kinda gives my background. It explains that I’m a trans woman and that I had a rough life. Also it tells that I’m an anarchist. Those are the things i write about the most, my life experiences and my ideas on anarchy.

What does it take to be “innovative” in music?

I just write and play what I feel. I think that is the best thing anyone can do. Be true to yourself and tell your story. That always makes the best music to me. 

Any upcoming release your way? 

Yes. I am currently working on a new full length album. I do not have a release date yet but hopefully in the next few months. There is a double album dropping on Jan. 22 titled “F**k You” with tracks that have already been released before but for some reason there was trouble and it was pulled from some places. If you heard the “Heading North” album it is that but with and extra 10 songs that are old acoustic recordings of mine.

Anywhere online where curious fans can listen to your music and find out more about you? 

I’m on Spotify, Apple music, Youtube, and all other streaming services. You can also find me on Facebook, Instagram, twitter, tumblr, and tik tok. Just search ember mikayla or ember mikayla music on any of those and you will find me

[maidenxfmight]

home is where the heart is

Who: Kara Zor-El, mentions of so many people guys I’m sorry. Particularly Alex, Donna, Peter, Nia, Jon, Kon, and Lar in that order. When: Post-siege, over the course of one week Where: The bottom of the Atlantic Ocean What: Kara builds a fortress Warnings: Loss mention Words: DON’T LOOK AT ME it’s 2,760

The humans said “home is where the heart is.”

When Kara was little, her heart was in Zor-El’s lab, ducking between table legs and helping him with calculations. It was down in the markets where there was always fresh fruit and smiles for the House of El. It was in Alura’s arms, warm and tight around her, supporting her even when she’d caused her own troubles. Home was Krypton, and she never thought she’d lose it.

Home was Krypton for thirty-six years, because The Phantom Zone was a prison sentence. Twenty-four years served while coming to terms with the fact that she would never have a home again for the rest of infinity.

Then home became Alex. It became Donna, Peter, Nia, Jon, Kon, Lar, and so many others.

Day One:

She woke up to Alex, and left the moment the conversation hit a lull. Her sister sat beside her with sad eyes and hands that were too cold to the touch. Her smile was soft but unsteady and Kara could hear the way her heartbeat would vary in pace with each turn of the conversation. There was no way “I’m sorry” would ever fit the space gouged out by Kara’s words, but Alex seemed to accept them nonetheless.

Kara couldn’t, not yet.

She needed to think, to yell and scream until her voice was raw without placing that burden on those who’d already taken the brunt of her uncontrolled anger. Before she could think twice, she’d left Alex in the medical bay and found herself standing in front of her pod.

Home. Not really, it was a prison, but it held pieces of a place she once called home. Her hands wrapped around one of the Kryptonian crystals clinging to its underside, one that had continued to grow as it sat in the DEO desert facility. She pulled it off delicately, feeling the base separate still in tact.

Red kryptonite echoed if this world won’t be my home, I’ll make it. Kara blinked back tears.

She could make something somewhere for herself, right? She hit the Atlantic Ocean going faster than humans could process, and kept her momentum until she hit the ocean floor, planting the crystal and watching it glow a soft blue. Home.

No.

Her home sat in the medical bay, probably still processing her sudden absence.

Day Two:

One crystal turned into two, turned four, turned eight. They grew until they formed a hollow inside. Kara sat cross-legged in front of them and watched. Her vision blurred, but at the bottom of the ocean the moisture in her eyes was simply sea water, the pressure in her chest was only the depth. Her heart beat was lost in the pulse of the sea.

The crystals arched into an entryway, with Kara’s gentle hands prodding them where she wanted them. It could almost be a home, but they were cold to the touch. The shifting blues and reds were but an echo of Krypton. The last remains clung to her pod for a timeless infinity before being plunged to Earth, and even there they didn’t quite fit. A protective film closed over the entryway; a makeshift door, the water from inside rushing out. Kara stepped through, her hair clung wet to her face and her cape dripped steadily onto the new crystal floor.

It was cold. Soon there would be rooms full of what remained of Krypton. There would be beds and Sun Eaters and everything the Fortress of Solitude had but different, but hers. Only hers, though. The thought sat heavy in her chest. Hers were the only footsteps echoing off cool crystal, the only heartbeat filling the silence between breaths.

Her home was usually so alive, filled with the clattering of plates and the drone of the news on their television. She had Donna, always, with her quick-fire wit and her smirks Kara would groan about, but always with a responding smile.

The crystals were beautiful, but home?

No.

Her home lay in a bed in New Jersey, probably refusing to lie still, and worrying too much for her own good.

Day Three:

The crystals were beginning to stretch upwards.

It could almost be the Argo City skyline, with its curved spires and cool-blue hues. But the sunlight didn’t reach so low. There were no pods zooming between the highest reaches, and the whole thing only took up a small postage stamp on the great expanse of the ocean floor. There were no markets and the only thing Kara could hear was the gentle push of the water around her, and the creaks and groans of the crystals as they grew.

It wasn’t even comparable to New York City. Though subjectively more beautiful by miles, the city far above was beautiful in a different way. It had bustling street corners, families walking their dogs, laughter and living. Kara could see it all from the highest rooftops.

Her stomach dropped at the thought, her hand freezing over the Kryptonian symbols of the newly formed control panel. She thought of boxed skyscrapers reflecting the orange-yellow-red sunsets off their mirrored windows, the way her heels would kick up against the edges of concrete. How cinnamon and sugar would melt on her tongue, how she was always right on the edge of laughter and it had everything to do with the company she shared.

She released a shaky sigh as her hand finally fell to the buttons on her control panel. Her alphabet had been stuffed into relics, only seen when herself or Lar traced it into existence, keeping its memory alive through love and perseverance. It should feel familiar and warm, and it did, but the buttons felt cool against her fingertips. Familiar, but home?

No. Her home was probably sitting alone on a rooftop, his mask pulled up to just underneath his eyes, lips set in a frown.

Day Four:

Her trips to the surface were sporadic and quick, afraid someone would catch her heartbeat and follow (but who? Clark hadn’t approached her in so long she wondered if he even remembered what it sounded like. Jon had tried and failed, Kon harbored anger just as well as she did, and Lar...she can’t imagine he would want to hear it anymore). But the rooms were growing empty, and she could feel the space of them in her bones.

Clark wouldn’t miss a few relics, and she had her own.

An old television found its way into one of the rooms, out of place amidst technology far beyond that of which what Earth had even dreamt. Kara was almost giddy as she arranged crystals around it, ran wires and fiddled with hands that had been idle for too long until an image blurred to life on the screen. It was the Channel 2 news, showing a grainy image of Dreamer pulling an elderly woman from the rubble of her home.

Kara swallowed once, twice, the image on the screen blurring before she smacked the crystals on top of the television. They flew off and embedded into the wall of the room, cracking then growing until they were fully incorporated, raised like scar tissue against the otherwise pristine surface.

The image remained for a moment longer, the cameras zooming in on Nia’s face. Like a ghost, it faded until nothing was left but the black screen and a memory.

Kara stifled a sob, pressing a hand hard to her chest. Why had she even brought human technology into her fortress?

Because maybe, maybe the crystals alone would never be home.

Her home was on the surface, being the hero she was always meant to be.

Day Five:

She was on the surface. The cold Antarctic air breached even the impenetrable facade of the Fortress of Solitude, and Kara almost wished she could properly feel it. It would feel better than the hollow twinge in her chest, or the warm prick at the back of her eyes, or the familiar tension pulling at her shoulders.

Clark had a whole collection tucked away in the various rooms of the Fortress. They were amassed over a lifetime of being hero across many galaxies, of fighting alongside friends, of collecting what was left of a home he never had the opportunity to know. Some of them were familiar, and Kara traced her fingers over them with quiet reverence. Her game was a conscientious give and take. Her hands wrapped around the things she knew he’d understand missing, with the quiet promise to explain herself later.

They’d never talked about them. He’d spent so long collecting, did he ever think to ask about their history? He had a veritable encyclopedia at his fingertips, the crystals be damned, and he’d never thought to open it.

Kara wondered how many times he’d talked about them with Jon. She could see the two of them walking the halls, Jon young and eager and far too excited to follow in his father’s footsteps. Rao would smile kindly on both of them. The House of El, said to have descended from the Sun God himself, would live on. Their legacy was burned into the stars, and kept safe in the walls of the Fortress.

Her heart thumped against her chest and she closed her eyes against the gleam of the Fortress’ crystals. The future of the House of El deserved to know his family, his history. He deserved better than to be cast aside as less. She let her hearing stretch and stretch, beyond the crack of Antarctic ice, beyond the pitter patter of familiar heart beats, one by one, until she found Jon’s.

Kansas, of course.

Kara pressed one of the crystals from her own fortress against one from the fortress, copying generations worth of knowledge. Somewhere in there was a hologram of her father, and the entire history of their family. It was home but...

She’d have to remember to add to it. Her family had grown.

Home was sitting on a couch in Kansas, letting himself be loved just as he deserved to be.

Day Six:

Kara sat cross-legged on the floor of her fortress. The crystals still grew around her, but their progress had slowed. A new Kelex bot buzzed around her, doing much of the work she’d been doing herself over the course of the week spent at the bottom of the ocean. The control panel had lowered until it was even with her, a myriad of crystals pressed into various slots. A translucent blue screen hovered just above the panel, Kryptonian spelling out the history of each member of the House of El as she scrolled through them.

It was long and proud, and for the first time all week, Kara felt herself smiling. It was soft, tentative, something marked by a loss that could never been confined by words.

“Hi, Mom.” Her voice scratched from lack of use, and the hologram of her mother offered nothing in return. They were just ghosts. They were stories told in languages long lost, memories burned into crystals and hearts that could never be anything more than that ever again. Kara could find a home in memories, but they would never be enough.

She moved on, her father’s face replacing her mothers, then Kara, then Clark, then Jon, then...

Nothing. The history ended with a small outline of Jon’s lineage and his accomplishments; he was going to college, and there was some pride in the way the Kryptonian words described his studies. But there was a space after Jon’s entry that fell heavy on Kara’s shoulders. She thought of leather jackets and rounded sunglasses, of how anger coiled familiar in the curl of fingers into palms.

She thought of sitting just on the outside, watching love but not necessarily receiving it. There was no more clear of an indication than a blank space on a family tree that shouldn’t be blank at all. Her fingers moved swiftly over the keys of the control panel: there was nothing under Kon-El, or Conner Kent. Accessing the CADMUS files proved more fruitful, and Kara froze.

Her breath stalled and her brow furrowed and oh, she didn’t need red kryptonite to recognize this feeling. But then, she hadn’t been much better, had she? She could still hear the way his voice had dropped as she told him to get out, and the scratch of understanding was easier to acknowledge now that she could think straight.

Kara found an image of Jon and Kon together on her phone, easily transferring it into Sanctuary’s systems (the name was inherent to the fortress, Kelex had informed her). He was smiling and the curl of his hair across his forehead matched Jon’s. She changed the name from an experiment number, deleted the Kryptonian equivalent of questions marks, and updated it to Kon-El. His file was then moved to the docket containing the rest of her family history.

He belonged among them.

She backed out of his file and looked at the family tree as a whole. Was that home?

Almost. Home was probably somewhere thousands of feet above New York City, wondering why he didn’t have a Kansas to which to escape.

Day Seven:

It was done. The crystals had groaned to a halt, and a new fortress sat sprawling across the floor of the Atlantic ocean. It shimmered blue and red and it felt so much like something Kara needed. It reminded her of crystals caves and the shimmering sprawl of Kryptonian landscapes. The colors danced against the steady movement of the water around it, capturing what little sunlight made it to such depths and amplifying it ten fold. It was stunning.

Kara took stock of each room, mapping the expanse of it the best she could. Most of them were empty. She had a blank slate, ready to be filled with memories and relics and things that were only important to a very select few. What she’d gathered from the Fortress of Solitude barely filled any space at all, and the small bits she had for herself were dwarfed by the amount of empty space.

It was everything she needed, but she found herself spending most of her time in the control room. Her fingers idly traced over a translucent screen displayed in front of her. Left in their wake were blue lines, slowly sketching out the shape of a face.

When she was small, she had an art station in her room. Zor-El would complain quietly to Alura when they thought she was in bed; Els were scientists, respected across twenty-eight known galaxies. They looked to the future, and they didn’t get caught up in flights of fancy. Alura had explained that science wasn’t stifled by creativity, and Kara could still remember the way her father couldn’t contain a smile when she’d hand over her sculptures and drawings.

As long as she passed her exams, she could sketch the Argo City skyline to her heart’s content.

It’s what she had meant to do, as she sat on the floor of Sanctuary, but her fingers moved of their own accord. She traced the gentle slope of a nose, the firm lines of a jaw. Messy hair appeared over soft brows. When she got to the eyes, she paused.

She tried, and erased, and tried, and erased, and tried...

She tried to remember Lar when he was happy. It wasn’t hard, he smiled about as much as she did. He took joy in discovering everything there was to learn about their planet, in the quiet moments they shared between the chaos of their lives, in the way the moonlight played across the space of the pillow between them in bed.

But no matter how hard she tried, the eyes were always sad. Sad like a proposal pressed against his chest, like her words cutting into his kindness without mercy. Sad like planets lost and friends left in time. Sad like finding love and losing it all in one breath.

Sad like zhaomodh w rrip eh meaning something to both of them, but dying between them as just another ghost.

Kara’s full hand pressed against the sketch, the ridges of her fingerprints outlining blue across Lar’s face until they took over, the sketch ruined. A sob lodged itself in her chest and she couldn’t breathe.

This was Sanctuary. She was surrounded by pieces of home. But no.

No, no.

Home was watching sunsets and loving so purely, while expecting nothing in return.

Sanctuary’s floors were cold. Kara was cold.

She wanted to go home.

[strwbrymoonchild]

The Albums That Got Us Through 2020

We’ll save you the soliloquy, and get right to it: (skip to the bottom for the full playlist)

LaChelle’s Picks

Overture x Gaidaa

“Sonically, this album was very cathartic. Gaidaa’s songwriting is so imaginative and authentic, and I really love it when her voice hits those lush lower notes, her tone is like butter.”

Favorite tracks: Falling higher, Still Water, I Like Trouble

2. Rose in The Dark x Cleo Sol

“The timeless musicality and vocals are very reminiscent of some of my favorite classic soul artists like Angela Bofill, and Patrice Rushen but sound refreshing all the same. I would love to hear this project live but you know... COVID.”

Favorite tracks: When I’m In Your Arms, Why Don’t You, Rose in The Dark

3 & 4. Untiled (Black is) / Untitled (Rise) x Sault

“I can’t think of any projects more timely for this year than these two albums. They spoke to Black pain, weariness, and resilience in a way that felt mores insightful than preachy. A lot of the drums used on this project had an ancestral feel to them and the use of strings was extremely effective in giving it cinematic energy. The interludes also spoke to the difficult emotions many Black people grappled with this year while maintaining a musically rich sound.”

Favorite Tracks: Hard Life, Wildfires, Sorry Ain’t Enough, Why We Cry Why We Die, Free, Uncomfortable

5. The Angel You Don’t Know x Amaarae

“I first discovered Amaarae as a featured artist on one of my favorite music submissions of the year ‘NASA’ by Rvdical The Kid. I became entrenched upon my first listen to her first full-length project which is a mixture of afro-fusion, R&B, electronic, alté, and alternative hip hop. I love her animated voice and how effortlessly she glides over the track. I enjoy artists who can fuse multiple genres together and make them sound like a whole new sound”

Favorite Tracks: Fancy, Feel A Way, Céline

6. Last Year Was Weird, Vol 2. x Tkay Maidza

“This album had a lot of surprises on it. It’s a mixture of fun-loving R&B, raging nu-metal, and 808 thumping house tracks. While there’s not much fusion in the array of genres, I appreciate her ability to showcase her eclectic range.”

Favorite tracks: Shook, 24K, Don’t Call Again

7. Honey For Wounds x Ego Ella May

“This is a great self-love soundtrack. The pensiveness of this album is tempered by Ego Ella May’s jazzy vocals and even-keeled instrumentation. A very relaxing vibe to listen to during downtime or moments of solitude.”

Favorite tracks: Girls Don’t Always Sing About Boys, Table For One, Song For Bobby

8. Jaguar x Victoria Monét

“This album is oozing with sensuality, sexuality, and confidence. I love the lush vocal arrangements and the production which taps into nostalgia without being lazy or gimmicky. If you're feeling insecure, put on some lingerie, pour a glass of wine, turn this album on and you'll be feeling like a Savage Fenty brand ambassador”

Favorite tracks: Moment, Touch Me, Go There With You

9. Extra, Extra! x Lou Phelps

“ My boyfriend who is a Kaytranada fanboy put me onto this album. Haven’t heard a hip hop EP with such a fun, laid back like this in a minute. Lou’s big bro Kaytranada came through with the dancey vibes but you also get a bit of that classic boom bap energy that an old head like me loves”

Favorite tracks: Party in LA, Nike Shoe Box, Smiling

Dorian’s Picks

Pulp (Director’s Cut) x Ambré

"Ambré takes you deep into her world with sounds of a sweet lullaby, and a pulp garden full of hallucinating trips on a journey towards discovering love, vulnerability, and purpose. Overdosing on ‘Pulp’ has become a nightly ritual for me, no surprise as to why Ambré is my top artist of 2020."

Favorite tracks: free drugs, LUCIADA(EGODEATH), gucci slides

2. A Written Testimony x Jay Electronica

Jay Electronica's debut album, once heralded a myth by many, has finally seen the light of day, 10 years later. It sounds godly, rich in ancestral wisdom, paralleled with classic Hov features throughout. This album to me raps a soulful tune of Black enlightenment, and feels like a really lavish ode to the Nation of Islam.

Favorite tracks: Universal Soldier, Flux Capacitor, The Blinding

3. In Search of Lost Time x Protoje

"The Jamaican OG delivers a sonically wise lesson on life, what it means to live in our truths and light in search of happiness and prosperity as a free spirit. This album at many times served as a soundtrack to my life, a saving grace from my own insecurities and struggles amidst a very unsettling year."

Favorite tracks: In Bloom, Deliverance, Like Royalty

4. I Shine, U Shine x RIMON

"Amsterdam-based artist RIMON delivered a sonically pleasing project shortlisted with a blend of melancholy neo-soul/R&B influenced melodies. This project evokes raw relatable emotions and centers the beauty of the imperfect for full display. With each listen the lyrics pierced my heart and filled my memory of love lost and love found."

Favorite tracks: Out Of My Way, Got My Back, Downtown

5. Note to Self x Jah9

"Jah9's Note to Self, is a call to channel your divine form. Reggae has long been a genre that speaks to a higher force and existence. With the wild year we experienced, this project served as a guideline on how to battle those inner demons and live life to your fullest potential through faith."

Favorite tracks: Love Has Found I, Ma'at, New Race

6. SuperGood x Duckwrth

"The title is self-explanatory. Duckwrth gave us all that we deserved and dropped a bomb ass feel-good record. SuperGood gave me all the contemporary neo-funk grooves I've come to love about Duckwrth. Listening to this project made it easy to tune out all the noise of 2020 and just dance my sorrows away."

Favorite tracks: Quick, Coming Closer, Super Bounce

7. B7 x Brandy

"Brandy, now indie and seasoned in the industry, answers to no one and that's made clear with her experimental R&B sounds on B7. This project is fearless and sounds so different from previous Brandy albums, but delivers in that same angelic aesthetic and powerhouse vocals we've come to love. B7 is criminally underrated in my opinion and will stand the test of time. "

Favorite tracks: Rather Be, Borderline, Say Something

8. It Is What It Is x Thundercat

"Thundercat delivers another soothing jazzy-bassline record. This album feels cathartic, experiential in a sense, almost as if I'm listening to a score from an intergalactic movie set in some futuristic utopia. Best enjoyed with a spliff and/or glass of wine."

Favorite tracks: Black Qualls, DragonBall Durag, Unrequited Love

9. The ExPerience x Lila Iké

"This captivating debut EP from rising reggae siren Lila Iké will make anyone a believer. Her journey is compelling, spiritually guided, a modern tale of romance - the highs and lows of navigating young love. The way Lila belts out these reggae-R&B infused chunes pon ya head top is mesmerizing and sets the standard for Jamaica's new generation"

Favorite tracks: Forget Me, Where I'm Coming From, Thy Will

10. grae x Moses Sumney

“‘grae’, a two part album, explores the complexities of identity. Moses Sumney never quite submits to the boundaries society aims to box us in. ‘grae’ is undefined in sound, Moses gracefully flows from one end of the artistic spectrum to another without landing anywhere too long. What I love most about listening to this album besides Mose's falsetto is the high level of self-awareness, the screams of escapism, and determination to exist in free agency. "

Favorite tracks: Cut Me, Polly, Lucky Me

Rachel’s Picks

Instrospection x UMI

“After another year with no new SZA album, discovering UMI was a godsend. Her voice has that same angelic raspiness and lyrics that sit with you long after the first listen. What sets her and this record apart is how UMI’s lyrics recognize her own faults and the faults of others in a way that is so graceful that it never comes across as self-deprecating or accusatory. Listening to Introspection, you can’t help but introspect your life the way UMI does on this album.”

Favorite tracks: Introspection, Open Up, Pretty Girl hi!

2. Girlhood x Girlhood

“This electropop duo’s vocalist, Tessa Cavanna, has a voice reminiscent of the late artists Amy Winehouse and Sharon Jones, and with their neo-soul, 90’s inspired sound being so colorful, it’s impossible to get sick of listening to this album.”

Favorite tracks: Keep On, It Might Take a Woman, My Boy

3. Who Cares? x Abby Jasmine

“Released during the reclusive days of stay-at-home orders, Jasmine’s tracks on her sophomore album made me nostalgic for parties that were once filled with smoke, close friends, and good music. Her brutally honest lyrics, progressive production, and her overall confidence were comforting during a year of instability and empty dancefloors.”

Favorite tracks: Stay With Me, Artificial Lover, Groovy

4. Texas Sun x Khruangbin & Leon Bridges

“Two Texan artists came together and were able to use Bridge’s soulful and textured tone and the fluidity of the psychedelic-funk trio Khruangbin's sound, to create a desolate Texas landscape. Listening to the EP feels like driving with all the windows rolled down, feeling the sun’s heat on your skin.”

Favorite tracks: Texas Sun, Midnight, C-Side

5. They Call Me Disco x Ric Wilson & Terrace Martin

“In a year of so much grief, it is refreshing to hear music that sounds like it was as fun to make as it was to listen to. Wilson and Martin’s rhythmically dynamic collaboration prefaced a summer filled with social media’s fascination and nostalgia for the glittery freeness of the 70’s while still fitting into their respective genres of hip-hop and R&B.”

Favorite track: Don’t Kill the Wave, Move Like This, Chicago Bae

Lionnal’s Picks

Dinner Party x Terrace Martin, Robert Glasper. 9th Wonder, & Kamasi Washington

"These Four legendary musicians came together and gave us an album full of beautiful vocals over smooth, jazzy, soul instrumentals."

Favorite tracks: Freeze Tag, LUV U, Love You Bad

2. Burden of Proof x Benny The Butcher

"This album feels like a vintage east coast rap album. Hit-Boy’s luxury production matched with Benny’s grimey delivery is everything a classic rap fan would ever need."

Favorite tracks: One Way Flight, Burden of Proof, War Paint

3. Sin Miedo x Kali Uchis

"I didn’t know how I would take to an album primarily in Spanish, but Kali’s intoxicating and seductive vibe still found a way to draw me in."

Favorite tracks: Telepatia, //aguardiente y limón %ᵕ‿‿ᵕ%, Quiero Sentirme Bien

4. Fuck The World x Brent Fayaiz

"Brent Faiyaz’s personality is what makes this album so great. His cool and confident approach to tracks make for a unique spin on modern R&B and it’s honestly very refreshing."

Favorite tracks: Clouded, Been Away, Let Me Know

LISTEN TO THE FULL PLAYLIST BELOW

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[nikosomething]

Heyyyy! I'm back again. Sorry it took a while to send this ask! Mmm I'd choose the lan sect cuz I need some form of structure in my life lol. I'm not too bad with rules either. But I'd definitely hate their food. I eat wwx levels of spicy and hence I'd like to join the jiang sect haha. Also, their sword forms look nice? YASSS We'd LOOK SO GOOD! 💙🖤 ooh I like what you read. I like reading pining, arranged marriage aus, crack fics, post canon fics, missing scenes, I like canon divergence aus that concentrate on characters other than wwx and lwj. I also like fics with sad endings haha. (1/4)

I'm a big multishipper, too! There's no ship that I don't like? My favorites would be wangxian and sangcheng though. I'm always up to reading these two ships, but I'd read anything really. I feel yah, I do. I can't pick a junior either. I love them all dearly but I tend to get bored if lan jingyi isn't there in junior fics? I need Jingyi to be a major part of the fic if I'm to like it haha. (2/4)

I loooooove Asian cuisine. My favorite is Indian! All that spice, you know? I hope you ate good food since you made yourself hungry answering that lol. Your answer about the seasons is so detailed and beautiful? I love?? Mmmm my favorite season is the rainy season. It's the best. I love the melancholy, the cold and the sound of water tapping against the windows. I'd rather stay at home than venture outside in the rain tho! Winter is the most comfortable time for me, really. I hate the summer! I love the cold and end of the year is my favorite time! (3/4)

Now questions! Have you read any other mxtx works? Also, if you could change one thing is mdzs, what would it be? Do you have any post canon wangxian headcanons? Oooh, what's your favorite wangxian moment in CQL? General questions- do you celebrate Christmas? If you do, are you excited and how do you celebrate? Do you drink coffee or tea or neither or something else? What other shows have you watched except CQL this year? Aight, that's so many questions haha. (4/4) See you soon- 🐰

_______

Heyyyy my dear bunny! I missed ya! But don’t worry, life gets busy sometimes, so take all the time you need <3

Whoahhhh so cool that you can eat intensely spicy food!! I am trying to get used to spicy stuff, but I got a looong way to go haha I detect every gain of pepper or chili or whatever so I am only making slow progress, but I do enjoy spice - up to the level I can take without ending up all red and teary-eyed haha I enjoy good food a lot, too. I like to have some variation so I’d probably be unhappy if I had to only ever eat the Lan cuisine, too hahaha

Ohhhh arranged marriage, people keep recommending it to me - I shoudl really give it a go at some point! Any good fics you wanna recommend? And omggg sad endings!!! Whoah, I bow to you! I’s always pick a happy ending but then again the ending has to fit the need of the story, so I suppose if a happy ending would feel forced then pls gimme a sad one, perhaps even one we can all learn from And yessss, there are so many amazing characters in MDZS I totally get why you’d wanna read about them!! <3

Ah Sangcheng! It’s quite the popular ship I feel. I think it’s cute and a close friend of mine really loves them, too. I bet they’d be excited if I got into that ship as well haha What do you love about Sangcheng? (sell it to meh hahaha, get me hooked) JINGYI!! Yes, he’d the spice we need in the junior fics! He is just so much fun! I think all of them together make such a perfect and well-balanced mix! Perf flavour hahaha What’s it with all the food references here. Am I mildly thinking about food again? Whaaaat Ohhhh Indian!!! (here we go again w the food hahaha) Damn I love Indian food! I cant take the spice so I always go for the noob dished, but they are amazing,t oo! What makes you hate the summer? Do you dislike sweating? You make it sound so cozy ahhh, I am happy we get to spend your fav season together, then, my dear bunny!! I love these timeless days between christmas and the beginning of the new year. It feels like everything is catching its breath and makes whatever you can think of become a bit more possibe

MXTX-related Questions

So far I haven’t read any other works of MXTX, but I think I wanna get to the one with the demonic guy in red and the white soft one next. What was it called? Heaven something? Now TMI tells me ‘City of Heavenly Fire’ which is absolutely not helpful. Uhm.. I could look it up, but then u wouldn’t witness my absolutely entertaining struggle of trying to make my brain work. The Scumbag Self Serving System (did I get that one right) is the first novel if I am correct. And then there is the Heavenly Helper... No... uhm Mysteries of Heaven... Heaven’s Helping Hand... I don’t think it’s getting any better here. I even watched the Donghua trailer wtf why can’t I remember hahaha... Voices of Heaven (that sounds like an American Singing Contest) Okay... imma look it up now.  HEAVEN’S OFFICIAL BLESSING! that one. I was so close Have you read any other works? <3

If I could change one thing in MDZS, what would it be? I would want for XXC and XY to not die, thank you. But then again how about non of my baes die? Okay, lemme try again, to get an impressive and seemingly deep reply... Have Meng Yao realise what kind of a horrible butt his dad is early enough to prevent most of the bad things that happen. I am not sure - but what’s your idea on this one?

My favourite WangXian moment? In CQL it’s the one where they are both at the Cloud Recesses, watching the snowflakes dance through the air. Their bond feels so deep there! Or the one where they are at the lantern thing and WWX get’s LWJ the bunny lantern. Just... the pure happiness. Or the one where they are bold husbands and run away from Carp Tower. Is it even humanly possible to pick just one moment?? Which one is it for you?

General Questions

Do I celebrate Xmas? Yes, I do! I go to my mom’s place for Xmas, where we have dinner and then her boyfriend puts on his super old, super old and worn-out Santa clothes (which is very endearing, cause he is always having the time of his life). Then he hands us our presents which are gathered under the decorated Xmas tree and we have to cite a poem or sing to earn each present. Afterwards we all unpack together, excitedly thanking each other, have dessert and then watch a movie or a video of our past christmasses someone put together It’s all very wholesome. How about you?

Coffee, tea or something else? I like Moccachino, cause it’s an amazing hybrid of coffee and cocoa!! It’s best with coconut milk! That kind of coffee makes me feel all cozy and comfy, but I handle it like a treat. I only drink one, while a close friend of mine drinks several cups of milky coffee a day. I also love cocoa, but I drink it like others drink espresso. I tiny highly concentrated cup. No more. Like a shot of chocolate hahaha I don’t have much of a sweet tooth, but sometimes I crave it. As for tea, I looove herbal tea! Peppermint and Fennel Caraway Anise are amazing. Also freshly brewed ginger tea. And green tea with jasmine/flower blossoms or white tea. Big love for these. All of which without sugar so the flavour comes out to speak of its very own beauty I also like mate tea to keep me awake! Otherwise I love water or - omg - freshly pressed apple juice! The! best! Try it if you aren’t allergic! AHHHH that is honestly THE TREAT for me. Rare treat. I don’t even have it once a year. More like every four years or so. But dang. The. best. How about you? <3

Which shows have I watched this year? Many. Lots of cooking shows (on Netflix), cause, you know, food. xD By now I probably know almost all of them. There was a time when I was thoroughly up to date with ALL cooking shows on Netflix. One of my big dreams is being wealthy enough to hire a cook. To cook for me every day. Yes, yes. Otherwise lots of Asian shows. I can recommend:

Hotel Del Luna (omg, do urself a favour, judging from what I know about your taste I think you will like it a lot) also The King Eternal Monarch (good one, very good one)

I also watched Eternal Love and Eternal Love The Pillowbook, which were okay, but they aren’t my favourites Cinderella and the Four Knights was sweet Accidentally in Love was fun but has some major plot holes in my opinion I enjoyed She-Ra Who Are You moved me quite a bit ahhhh Extraordinary You was quite the ride, too!

What are your 2020 shows?

[troped-fanfic-challenge]

Chopped: Holiday Trope Exchange Masterlist 

A huge thanks to every person who signed up for our gift exchange, we got 18 really wonderful fics! For anyone who isn’t sure what this was all about, this was a double blind gift exchange where each of our eighteen (18!!!) writers were assigned four tropes from an anonymous recipient, and were tasked with writing a fic that fit our holiday theme, and included all the tropes. The only guidance from their recipient were a couple of brief notes they included during the sign up, and both the writer and recipient were revealed when we shared all the fics! These fics, as with all our Chopped fics, were creative and unique, and found ways to utilise tropes that may seem so simple in really spectacular ways! If this gift exchange, or any of our other Chopped events, have sparked your interest, keep your eyes peeled on this page for some future events we have planned, and sign up to join the fun! In the meantime, we hope you enjoy these wonderful holiday fics!

Love to everyone who participated, Bailey and Sara <3 

Let it Snow (And I’ll Get Sentimental) [G] (Memori) 

Written by @mylifeiskara, for @hostagetakerandhistraitor​. The four assigned tropes were 1) friends made a bet, 2) one character kisses the other and the one who got kissed is shocked still, 3) amnesia AU, 4) ark AU (or any other AU where the story takes place in space).

All John Murphy wants for Christmas is for Emori to remember who he is.

Won’t let you go [G] (Clurphy) 

Written by sapphictomaz, for @vmreed​. The four assigned tropes were 1) childhood friends-to-lover, 2) grounder au, 3) tattoos, and 4) body painting

There is nothing shared in Clarke and Murphy's lives. They come from opposite clans who have a history of warfare between them. She lives in the jungle, while he calls the mountainside home. She celebrates the holidays by dancing the year away, and he does so by claiming dominance on another year that has passed.

They meet, anyways, and realize that sometimes, you have to make your own traditions.

Contained Constant Chaos [T] (Murven)

Written by @vmreed, for sapphictomaz. The four assigned tropes were 1) Post-Apocalypse AU (different from canon), 2) Found Family, 3)Hurt/Comfort, and 4) "You're an asshole to everybody else, but you're nice to me"

“Please don’t kill me.” He said, stupidly.

She raised an eyebrow, saying nothing, but offering him a box of tampons.

and i’ll die by your side if you want me to [T] (Memori)

Written by @dylanobrienisbatman​, for @justbecauseyoubelievesomething. The four assigned tropes were 1) based on a tv show (author chose Timeless), 2) soulmate AU, 3) fake dating, and 4) timeloop/groundhog day AU.

Murphy got tapped to come work for a special project after he was arrested for stealing a military vehicle right off of the base (long story). Turns out the special project... involved time travel... so theres that. About 6 months after he signed on, it all went horribly sideways, and now they were chasing their friends across history, trying to stop them from making a horrible mistake.

Thats how they end up in the middle of World War I France on Christmas day in 1914. Thats how she dies.

And then... somehow... the day begins again. Can he figure out a way to stop The Blake Siblings from wrecking history forever and also save the girl?

This Christmas, You're All That I Want (Just Don't Tell Anyone) [G] (Bellarke)

Written by @bellarkestitchdelena​, for @captaindaddykru​. The four assigned tropes were 1) Joke kiss turned serious, 2) The main ship must share something (can literally be anything), 3) Two characters giving extremely biased flashbacks to an event, and 4) Secret Relationship.

It all starts trying to prove Murphy wrong

Season’s Grievances [G] (Multi)

Written by @hostagetakerandhistraitor​, for @teeandsnowflakes​. The four assigned tropes were 1) a terribly loud crash and one of the characters yelling ‘IM OKAY’ from another room, 2) huddle for warmth, 3) found family, and 4) one character is ‘icy’ and slowly defrosts. 

Bellamy and Raven have been best friends for over 3 years. They found each other at their low points and bonded to turn each other into better people. But when Bellamy starts dating Raven's ex, Echo, things get icy. This is a story of family, friendship, romance, betrayal, culinary inaptitude, with a slight zest of things I wanted to be canon. Also a Blake family Christmas party.

Kiss Me Babe, It's Christmas Time [M] (Bellarke)

Written by @eyessharpweaponshot, for @shen-gong-oops​. The four assigned tropes were 1) One character has a child, 2) Characters are not together but are mistaken for a couple, 3) Terribly loud crash and one character goes ‘oops’ in a casual voice, 4) Two characters giving extremely biased flashbacks of the same event.

How long have you been in love with him? Seven years now?’ ‘Eight’ Clarke corrects him, her voice muffled through her hands as she cups her face. She’s still trying to calm her heart rate down. Murphy simply laughs, his amusement of this clear as day. ‘Don’t know what you’re laughing at. You were in the same boat with Raven’ Clarke reminds him. ‘Not for eight years, I wasn’t.’ Clarke rolls her eyes. She should never have told Murphy. The results of too much wine and being the last ones standing after a night in Grounders a couple of years ago. ‘Look, all I’m saying is it might be worth telling him’ he shrugs, leaning against the broom in his hand. Clarke gives him a pointed look. ‘Nobody is telling Bellamy anything.’

Christmas time, a harbouring secret and a festive get-together. The perfect combination.

where the love light gleams [T] (Murven)

Written by @teeandsnowflakes, for @kuklash​. The four assigned tropes were 1) meet cute, 2) first kiss, 3) surprise proposal, 4) pregnancy AU.

Raven hadn't been home for Christmas in four years, but the one year she did, she met Murphy, new in town since she had last been there, and learns a very important lesson about the holidays.

i know you can feel the magic we don't need to talk about it [T] (Bellarke)

Written by @captaindaddykru , for @eyessharpweaponshot​. The four assigned tropes were 1) exes, 2) jealousy, 3) protectiveness, 4) modern au. 

Christmas eve, Clarke's sort-of-ex shows up at her door in the middle of an awkward family dinner and so she ends up flashing him. Holiday spirit and all.

Dance Your Way Home [T] (Becho)

Written by @justbecauseyoubelievesomething​, for @dylanobrienisbatman​. The four assigned tropes were 1) historical AU (1920′s or earlier), 2) almost kiss/interrupted kiss, 3) holiday party, and 4) sunrises.

“We need to get you home. You’re freezing.”

Home. She has no home.

Everyone Telling You Be of Good Cheer [G] (Clurphy)

Written by @kinetic-elaboration​, for @hopskipaway​. The four assigned tropes were 1) amnesia, 2) found family, 3) oblivious pining, and 4) and mistletoe kiss.

“Merry Christmas, by the way,” Clarke adds, which settles that.

“You too. Merry Christmas.” He takes down Bellamy’s NYU mug without thinking, tries to shake the feeling that he’s no more than an extra in Clarke’s amnesiac version of Groundhog’s Day. That this is, somehow, normal. That he is not wondering, the thought like an invasive little jingle in his ear, what she thinks yesterday was.

The day after Murphy, Clarke, Bellamy, and Raven return from disappointing family Christmases, Clarke wishes that they could have spent the holiday together instead. A fall down the stairs, a bout of amnesia—and suddenly it’s Christmas again. And again. And again. Reliving the day puts even Murphy into the holiday spirit, and helps him learn to open his heart to his friends, and to the possibility of love.

3 Times Murphy Lost a Fight, and 1 Time He Didn't  [M] (Clurphy)

Written by @kuklash​, for @mylifeiskara​. The four assigned tropes were 1) 3+1, 2) Oblivious Pining, 3) Work Party, and 4) First Kiss.

Dec. 20th, 2003

"This party is gonna fucking suck, Clarke."

"Of course it’s gonna suck, Murphy, but if you want this job you have to schmooze," the blonde said with an eye roll. "The best place to schmooze is the company Christmas party."

A Little Brighter [G] (Bellarke)

Written by @shen-gong-oops​, for @bellarkestitchdelena​. The four assigned tropes were 1) Rivals to Lovers, 2) Arranged Marriage AU, 3) Pregnancy, and 4) Sunsets.

Taking a deep breath, he turned towards Clarke. "If I were to take up your father's offer for knighthood, please know, I do not wish to be the knight to the princess of all Arkadia."

Or: Bellamy takes a really long time to realize he's being a hypocrite.

when i’m feelin' alone (you remind me of home) [G] (Clurphy)

Written by @hopskipaway​, for @probably-voldemort​. The four assigned tropes were 1) royalty au, 2) marriage pact, 3) clumsy character, and 4) roommates. 

Within the walls of the palace, Princess Clarke of Arkadia lives a quiet and lonesome life.

That is, until John Murphy waltzes into her life and changes it forever. She’s not complaining.

sweet dreams of holly and ribbon, mistakes are forgiven, and everythin' is icy and blue, and you would be there too

make my wish come true [T] (Murven)

Written by @probably-voldemort​, for @kinetic-elaboration​. The four assigned tropes were 1) almost kiss / interrupted kiss, 2) holiday movie (as in being in a holiday movie), 3) friends with benefits, and 4) band au. 

It's been ten years since the Delinquents went off air, so clearly it's time for a reunion in the form of a Christmas special. Yeah, it sounded like bullshit to Murphy, too, but he hadn't seen the crew since Raven's wedding a few years back, and he'd managed to convince Kane that his character should have a dog, so there was no way it could be all bad.

Right?

Last Christmas [NR] (Bellarke)

Written by @bellarkeshoe​, for @hiddenpolkadots​. The four assigned tropes were 1) Exes, 2) Fake dating, 3) Kiss under the mistletoe, and 4) Modern Au.

Bellamy Blake never thought he would see Clarke Griffin again in his life. At least, not after the way things ended. He wished that things had gone differently because well, he cared about her. He loved her and he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. He never even really got the chance to tell her that.

Everything happened so fast. One moment he is as happy as he can be, enjoying his life as a professor with an amazing girlfriend, and just like that, his world came crumbling down and over one huge misunderstanding.

But when they ended it, they both said some things they didn’t mean, or well he hoped she didn’t mean what she had said, he knows he didn’t.

But that is all in the past now, he can never forget about her, he still thinks about her everyday, but there is nothing he can really do about it. Clarke hates him for some reason and he doesn’t know if he’s totally over the fact that she ended things.

He is sure she had a good reason to. I mean at least that’s what he hopes. If the love they felt for each other was genuine and real than she should have had a very good reason to end things, right?

your eyes outshine the town, they do [T] (Bellarke)

Written by @hiddenpolkadots​, for @thelittlefanpire. The four assigned tropes were 1) magic au, 2) competing businesses, 3) secret relationship, and 4) kiss in the snow.

“I’m going to make you enjoy Christmas,” she tells him, her confidence in herself almost overwhelming. “I can’t do anything about the weather but I’m pretty sure I can handle the rest. By the time the season is over you’re going to love Christmas.”

“I highly doubt that,” he says, staring at her hard. “I may just tolerate it at best.”

“I’ll take it,” she says, “Bellamy Blake, prepare to have the best Christmas of your life.

or, sometimes christmas is you and your rival falling into a snowbank together.

Taste of Arkadia [G] (Bellarke)

Written by @thelittlefanpire​, for @bellarkeshoe​. The four assigned tropes were 1) Rivals to Lovers, 2) Character A catches Character B crying, 3) Modern AU, and 4) Competing businesses (author’s choice).

Before Christmas, the Chancellor of Arkadia charges his son with the task of repurposing the city’s warehouse district into a cool, hip hub for commerce and camaraderie.

At its opening, an impromptu competition among the many businesses in the area begin for the best spot in the ARK.

Take a read! Leave a kudos/comment! These fics are so unique and fun and the authors worked so hard on them. Thanks so much!