#lee!oren

[alechans-cutetickles]

Day 26:raspberries

[ihatefortnite1]

Now, can Pinki take the revenge and Tickle Oren?

Okay!

Hope you like it!

[fluffyskies]

Is Request open yet? can you more do Sprunki tickle arts? Simon tickles Oren or vice versa?

They are such sillys X3

On another note: I will be temporarily be opening asks/requests for an X number of days starting today :>

[numberonelittlechild]

Art Trade for @stephaniestar06

I heard that you love some TK arts from "Sprunki Incredibox", but here you go!

I hope you like it, my friendo! XD

[the-fire-is-on-the-water]

Lee!Jevin and Ler!Tunner please? And also Ler!Pinki with Lee!Oren ^^

Pspspspspspspspsppspsspspsps

Your food is here :3

[jgthirlwell]

playlist 08.27.24

Louis Cole Nothing (Brainfeeder) Lee Gamble Koch (Pan) Oren 0'Blivion Anceint Melodies (Bandcamp) Tom Holkenberg Furiosa OST (Water Tower) Arne Nordheim Epitaffio (Simax) Uniform American Standard (Sacred Bones) Rhythm Method Pastorale (New Focus) Polymorph Tenuous Phenomena (Bandcamp) Yannis Kyriakides Hypnokaseta (Unsounds) Fire-Toolz Breeze (Angel Marcloid Music) Patrick Higgins Versus (Other People) Oneida Expensive Air (Joyful Noise) Sextile Push (Sacred Bones) Leonard Bernstein On The Waterfront OST (BMG)

[iburntthewateragain]

Can you making the fic for Oren and Pinki? Ler!Pinki and Lee!Oren ^^

smile!

warning: Oren X Pinki, tickles, a lil romantic vibes, (it is cannon so don’t come at me) and swearing. (This takes place before the killings)

Oren and Pinki were chilling at Orens house, Oren seemed stressed. and he had a fairly good reason to be stressed. Somebody the night prior broke into his house and he accidentally killed the intruder, he didn’t know what to do and if he should tell Tunner. He was pacing around before eventually sitting down on the couch next to Pinki, “hey honey, you okay?” Pinki asked. Oren nodded no and sighed, “look I-i don’t really know what to do, I don’t know if I should tell a Tunner or not.” Oren was panicking. Pinki patted his back for a second, “you shouldn’t stress about it too much, I’m sure Tunner would understand.” Pinki said. Oren hugged Pinki but he was still panicking,

Pinki got an idea. Pinki gently scribbled her fingers across his sides, “ehehehehe!?!? The fuhuhuhuck?” Oren giggled. Pinki has a smug expression and simply said, “just cheering you up, you Should smile more!” Pinki used one of her other hands to scratch at Orens ribs. Oren lost it. “NOHOHOHO!! I DOHOHHOHOAAHANT!!!” Oren tried to speak, but he couldn’t form a very coherent sentence. This went on for a few minutes before Pinki stopped, “you okay honey?” Pinki asked while ruffling his hair. Oren nodded, Pinki kissed him and Oren just froze. “I need to get Tunner to take care of this thing” Pinki said while looking at the dead intruder.

END

(So so sorry if you didn’t like the thing about Oren panicking cuz he killed a intruder on accident)

[dustedmagazine]

Dusted Mid-Year 2024, Part I (Oren Ambarchi to Loma)

Oren Ambarchi and crew

Half the year is gone already, and how did that happen? At Dusted, we’ve spent six months listening to good records and bad.  We’ve picked our very favorites, the top two from this year’s pile.  And now, in an annual tradition, we turn them on our fellow writers.  Hah, take that!   

Some of our Mid-Year switcheroos have been highly contentious.  We may have lost a writer or two in the aftermath.  Others have been remarkably collegial and full of positive discovery.  This one falls more or less in the middle.  Only a couple of reviews are notably grumpy.  A slightly larger (but still not large) number show evidence of newly awakened fandom.  For the most part, we came out with the same favorites we brought with us, though perhaps a little wiser about the music that we’re missing. 

For this reason, it is harder than ever to identify winners.  There’s no universally admired album we can call “this year’s Heron Oblivion.”  Rosali and Winged Wheel each got four votes, as close to a sweep as this year brought.  Oren Ambarchi’s Ghosted II notched three.  There were lots of lone pics—which is fine.  More music to check out. 

As always, we’re breaking the mid-year into three parts.  This one covers the front of the alphabet, a second will deal with the back.  The third, as always, provides longer lists from participating writers.  We hope you enjoy it. 

Oren Ambarchi / Johan Berthling / Andreas Werliin —Ghosted II (Drag City)

Who recommended it? Bryon Hayes

Did we review it? Yes, Tim Clarke said, “They cleave closer to the meditative, exploratory grooves of The Necks, laying down intricately detailed and gradually evolving parts… Sublime.” 

Bill Meyer’s take:

Count me among the Dusted writers who hold this trio in high esteem. Ghosted II strikes so precise a balance of texture, stillness and motion that it’s easy miss how fragile it is; one misplaced note or beat could bring it all down in a second, but the trio sustains each of the album’s four tracks for ten minutes or thereabouts. While it’s easy to appreciate the tidal flux of Oren Ambarchi’s guitar>>table of boxes>>Lesley speaker signal chain, and Johan Berthling’s immovable bass presence, if you are about to put this record on the hi-fi for the first time (PLEASE listen in stereo), consider focusing on the infinite mirror effect of Werliin’s percussion. Your third eye will thank you.

Olivia Block — The Mountains Pass (Black Truffle)

Who picked it? Bill Meyer

Did we review it? No

Ray Garraty’s take:

This has actually none of the pretentious stuff you expect to find in a work by somebody who has been dubbed a “media artist.” The second part of The Mountains Pass is especially stunning where ‘f2754’ has clearly a Giallo-esque feel to it, fast paced and a tad prog rock-ish. “Violet-Green,” perhaps the best composition on the album, brings in mind those creepy soundtracks, with synths and bells, which we usually hear on bad horror movies. And even when Olivia Block, on the same track, begins to sing, her voice is outlandish enough to think that she was abducted by the aliens. 

Camera Obscura — Look to the East, Look to the West (Merge)

Who Picked it? Andrew Forell

Did we review it? Yes, Andrew said, “Campbell writes movingly about memory and friendship. Looking at what was rather than regretting what might have been with an honesty that goes directly to the heart of things.” 

Bryon’s take:

This record makes me realize that I should listen to more Camera Obscura. The Glaswegian indie pop group is a delight to take in, especially Tracyanne Campbell’s lovely voice. Look to the East, Look to the West is a comeback album, the band’s first since they went on hiatus following the death of keyboardist Carey Lander in 2015. The most striking aspect here is the use of pedal steel and organ, which lend the album a country and western flair. This seems to be a new development for Campbell and company, but they pull it off well and the new sounds really suit the band. Similarly effective are the digital drums that the band employ on tracks like “Liberty Print.” Camera Obscura have altered course slightly but retain the loveliness that lies within their core.

Chief Keef — Almighty So 2 (RBC)

Who nominated it? Patrick Masterson

Did we review it? No.

Jennifer Kelly’s take:

Six years in the making and continually delayed—a fact the artist refers to several times during the run-time—Almighty So 2 is massive and ambitious, with operatic hooks and wall-shaking, body-pummeling beats. A mountainous swagger rocks, “Grape Trees,” the cut with Sexyy Red, a machine-gun ratatat thundering under brutal lyrics about gender relations. The politics are embedded in the subject matter, in the screaming sirens, the South Chicago gangland scenarios, the profanity, rage and cynicism. “Jesus Skit,” though, gets a little more explicit about it, positing a sliding reparations scheme that depends on skin color; light skinned rappers like Drake and Chance the Rapper lose out big time, while darker ones, like Sosa, get millions. The violence comes in the shattering beats, as in “1,2,3,” a slow-motion eruption. Here the artist sketches the bleak world that made (and continues to make) him, chanting, “I always believed I was gon' get paid/When I got to hustlin' up in sixth grade/You ain't givin' off that nigga, you won't get laid/Sleep for the weak, I been up for six days.” The track, like the rest of Almighty So 2, is gritty and nihilistic and undeniably powerful. So glad I got to hear this, non-expert though I am.

Cindy Lee — Diamond Jubilee (Realistik Studios)

Who nominated it? Patrick Masterson

Did we review it? Nope (and shame on us…)

Jonathan Shaw’s take:

Diamond Jubilee commences with three dazzling songs: the title track, “Glitz” and “Baby Blue.” Even if the rest of the record weren’t so excellent (it is, and at over two hours, there’s a lot of it), the strength of those three songs would propel it into frequent rotation, on my various devices and in my head, and likely onto the year-end list I will eventually compose. “Baby Blue” is the crucial track: it’s one of those songs (along with Warren Zevon’s “The French Inhaler,” Townes Van Zandt’s “For the Sake of the Song” and a few others) that is so ruthlessly fine in its execution and so suited to some of the least comfortable angles in the emotional furniture in my head that it requires a kind of commitment to listen to. Beyond that irretrievably subjective response, Diamond Jubilee commits, as well: to gorgeous melody, without entirely smoothing out the sharp edges that distinguished Lee’s What’s Tonight to Eternity (2020); to the reverb-saturated aesthetic of fading girl-group harmonies, clubland at 3 am, spangled cocktail dresses of motheaten satin and the pleasures of the last cigarette in the pack when there’s no money for another; and, it seems, to love, in social conditions that make love nearly as unthinkable as it is completely necessary. The surreal, in its modernist avant-garde iteration, emerged in similarly extreme social conditions, after the slaughter of the Great War and amid fascism’s rise. Those forces were enough to distort human relations into monstrous shapes nigh irrevocable. Lee’s music has strong relations to the dreamlike quality of the surreal, and we have our own terrors now: climate’s awful and furious change, social media’s psycho-social poisons and fascism, once again. Those terrors’ spectral presences are audible all over Diamond Jubilee, but they can’t blunt the sharpness of human longing in songs like “All I Want Is You” or “Don’t Tell Me I’m Wrong” or “Government Cheque.” Love’s intensities may not be sustainable, or even particularly livable, but they won’t be denied. Cindy Lee captures that set of truths with that aforementioned dazzle, and with depth.

DIIV — Frog In Boiling Water (Fantasy)

Who picked it? Tim Clarke

Did we review it? Yes. Tim Clarke said: “Despite the music’s dense layering and the overall feeling of frustration and confusion, Frog In Boiling Water thankfully leaves the listener with a feeling of hope and eventual redemption.”

Ray Garraty’s take:

If I were given this with no title and artist’s name I’d say this was written by a no name indie band circa 2016. It’s the same shoegazy guitars and sweet and melancholy vocals we’ve been hearing since when, 1994? The songs like “Reflected” got things moving but it’s far from boiling temperatures, merely lukewarm. It’s been written somewhere that the DIIV’s album is about “coping with capitalism,” yet it’s evident that it’s feeding the same capitalism, giving the fans the same thing over and over. And that is how capitalism works. 

Nomi Epstein — shades (Another Timbre)

Who picked it? Christian Carey

Did we write about it? Yes, Christian said, "Epstein’s music is unfailingly attractive and elegantly paced. Shades is an excellent introduction to her work."

Bill Meyer’s take: 

Since Nomi Epstein leads the Chicago-based new music ensemble a.pe.ri.od.ic, I’ve had plenty of opportunities to hear her guide performances of other people’s music. But shades is only the second album devoted to hers. Its three long pieces are, like the Wandelweiser and minimalist composers that a.pe.ri.od.ic has often supported, sparely arranged and deliberately paced. She puts intriguing sounds — some prepared piano notes, or a barely-there vocal tone — just far enough inside the frameworks of the music to invite one to listen in. Once your consciousness is inside the music, the slow movement of what surrounds you mesmerizes. Music this reserved and respectful is a welcome respite in a world where reality smacks you upside the head every day and even that influencer babbling on the phone belong to the person sitting next to you on the train insists on staring you in the eye.

Fuera de Sektor — Juegos Prohibidos (La Vida Es Un Mus Discos)

Who nominated it? Jonathan Shaw

Did we review it? Yes, Jonathan wrote, “It’s a singular sound, by turns compelling and bewitching—like the beautiful face you can just about discern across a dim and crowded room, a set of lines and textures briefly lit up by occasional drags on a cigarette. Not quite (or not just) postpunk, pop or dance music, the songs on Juegos Prohibitos itch at your hips and scratch into your brain.”

Christian Carey’s take:

Barcelona band Fuera de Sektor released a demo in 2022, but Juegos Prohibidos is their first full length recording. No Wave is a significant influence, particularly in the fiercely intense sing-shout vocals from Andrea Jarale. If you visit the band’s Instagram, it includes an amateur video that is an homage to Richard Hell, replicating a 1970s comic from NY Punk Magazine in which he starred. But there are many more reference points. The guitars channel the chops and soloing of eighties New Wave, and the rhythm section provides relentless uptempo playing. The defiant demeanor of the songs themselves depicts an unstoppable wall of intensity.

Daryl Groetsch — Above the Shore (self-released)

Who picked it? Andrew Forell

Did we review it? Yes, Andrew called it “a 75-minute floating symphony that insinuates its way into your subconscious with almost imperceptible stealth.”

Ian Mathers’ take:

Whether approvingly or not, works like this 75-minute composition/album are often described as if they were very static in nature; as if even when there are changes they happen in rigid, predictable ways. It may be that if you poke around under the hood of Above the Clouds enough you might be able to diagram out the way elements meld, progress, and separate again, and possibly under that light the whole thing looks regular. But in terms of the way it feels when you listen to it, there’s something quite different going on with Groetsch’s work. The whole thing does feel quite immersive, almost environmental. But as opposed to any number of ground-level or even underwater vistas that come to mind with similar works, here I feel suspended in the air, very far above any shore indeed. The listening experience feels akin to endlessly falling, eventually not so much above as through softly glowing clouds. It’s somehow soothingly vertiginous, and more captivating (and attention-rewarding) than most of its peers.

Icewear Vezzo — Live From the 6 (Quality Control Music)

Who picked it? Ray Garraty

Did we review it? No.

Patrick Masterson’s take:

Chivez Smith has been a familiar name to anyone keeping an eye on Detroit rap for the last decade — longer than you might think and long enough, now, to make him an elder statesman among the city’s spitters. What better time, then, to take a step back and assess not just how far you’ve come, but what all that hustling has amounted to? So goes Live From the 6 (not a Drake reference, in case you were momentarily confused; Vezzo’s from 6 Mile on McNichols north of Hamtramck), which isn’t quite a career retrospective but carries the themes of one. Vezzo’s in a reflective mood over the course of these 13 songs, his slightly frayed vocals forever unhurried and his beat selection consistently nodding to the high West Coast era; you could put Ice Cube or Snoop (or, for that matter, YG or Nipsey) over most of these productions and it wouldn’t throw you off. It’s not totally insular bars-wise, either; a questionable DaBaby feature aside — his double-time admission that he sees a therapist is heartening given how deservedly he got shunned by the establishment just as he was fixing to peak — Memphis artist YTB Fatt also shows up. Fellow Motor City emcees Babyface Ray and Chuckie CEO provide the remaining color, but end to end, this is Vezzo’s show and he shows up. There’s no lack of entry points to Icewear Vezzo’s discography by now, but if you were hesitant before, Live From the 6 is merely the latest display of his acumen. Hear why he’s the one.

Loma — How Will I Live Without A Body? (Sub Pop)

Who picked it? Tim Clarke

Did we review it? Yes, Tim wrote, “Yes, this is a heavy album, but luxuriously so. It’s music that stares death in the face and instead of running, hunkers down and gets comfortable.”

Alex Johnson’s take:

Listening to How Will I Live Without a Body? is like eavesdropping on a collage of someone else’s thoughts. Contemplation or confusion or a eureka one moment to the next. It’s theatrical, passionate music that, to me, shares a heavy sensibility with the operatic post-rock on Portishead’s Third. Like an unsettling daydream, the lyrics blur the mundane and existential. In “Affinity,” the narrator stares “into the dark,” finding herself multiplied but disconnected – “my shadows move/with and without me.” In “I Swallowed a Stone,” a“kettle boil[s] forever” and she “can’t live this feeling anymore.” Given the song’s tense, foreboding percussion and muted guitar “can’t” sounds like “might have to.” 

Might, but not necessarily will. Despite the doses of dread, How Will I Live Without a Body? never feels resigned. You’re treated to interjections of sound, instrumental and otherwise —  flashes of illumination, portals to enter. “Unbraiding” fits sheets of strings, bird song, and burning punches of guitar fuzz around a simple, repeated piano, illustrating the line “bring somewhere out of nowhere.” Loma is working with a robust sonic palette here, but the album’s ethos seems grounded in a DIY curiosity. That “Broken Doorbell” features what sound like actual broken doorbells and then ends with waves hitting a shore is emblematic. It’s a lovely, if perhaps temporary, moment of arrival, having followed the shadows wherever they led.

[courseyoulovemeyoudontknowme]

I'm Not There (2007, Todd Haynes)

12/08/2024

[alechans-cutetickles]

day 20:crossover <3💕

[ihatefortnite1]

Oh please do Ler!Oren and Lee!Pinki! ^^

Okay!

I really tried for this one, so I hope you like it!

[fluffyskies]

Can I request for Ler!Oren and Lee!Pinki? Also I love your arts! ^^

Hope ya don't mind, I tried something new and made a lil animation!

[sinceileftyoublog]

Oren Ambarchi, Johan Berthling and Andreas Werliin Interview: Winning Concepts

Photo by Thobias Fäldt

BY JORDAN MAINZER

Well, that didn't take nearly as long. A mere two years after releasing the once dormant and eventually critically acclaimed Ghosted, Oren Ambarchi, Johan Berthling, and Andreas Werliin are releasing its follow-up on Friday via Drag City. The trio returned to Studio Rymden in Stockholm last June, with years of performing together under their belt, and laid down the tracks for Ghosted II in a mere two days. Like its predecessor, Ghosted II delves into jazz and drone music, has numerical track titles, and features guitar from Ambarchi that sounds like an organ, album art by Pål Dybwik, and video art by Cédrick Eymenier. Less like its predecessor (though not wholly unlike it), Ghosted II plays with dynamics, is more improvised with minimal overdubs, and roots itself in everything from ambient music to funk. Oh, and its numerical track titles are in Swedish instead of Roman numerals.

Seriously, Ambarchi, Berthling, and Werliin could follow the same four-track formula with the same featured artists every time and I would be more excited with every release. That's how potent Ghosted II is. “en” sports brilliant textural contrasts, pattering drums, scraggly guitar, and barely-there bass, but nonetheless wears a zesty groove. “två” I can most aptly describe as chrome lounge jazz, rife with repeated bass, slow hand percussion, and cold, warbling guitars that pulsate at constantly changing speeds. “tre” is where we first truly hear those inexorable Ambarchi guitar sounds, whirring and shapeshifting with a light chirp and glitch as Werliin's percussion circumvents Berthling's bass. The song sounds like it's traveling through a prickly continuum. And “fyra” ends the set with shimmering ambiance, syncopated bass and drums steady until Werliin jumps into a clattering groove, eventually letting Ambarchi take front and center before the three descend into silence. Ghosted II is the type of album as easy to listen to as it is heady and complex, an achievement that should further this trio's welcome emergence in the experimental music realm.

Oh, and I forgot to mention another similarity to Ghosted: Ambarchi, Berthling, and Werliin once again were willing to answer some questions from me over email about the album. Read their responses below, edited for clarity, including some can't-miss music recommendations.

Since I Left You: How would you say Ghosted II is different from the first record, and how is it a continuation of what you were doing on Ghosted? Oren Ambarchi: I would say that it's a continuation from the first one. The approach in the studio was very similar: We simply got together and improvised with little discussion beforehand. It was recorded very quickly--from memory, all the pieces are first takes, and there was minimal overdubbing.

SILY: How did playing live as a trio inform Ghosted II? When you went in to the recording, did you think of it like a live concert with no audience? OA: Playing live has been really great, as we've been developing our language as a trio from show to show, and this definitely impacted the new one. Like the first trio recording, the vibe in the studio was very relaxed. It was like playing together in someone's lounge room. Personally I tried to approach the new one with newer guitar sounds, many of which I discovered in real-time whilst we were recording. I was hoping my playing would be a little different to the playing on the first record. I didn't want to repeat myself, and I'm sure the others felt the same way regarding how they approached the recording. So the new album is, on the one hand, a continuation from the first album, but on the other hand, it's an exciting new development for all of us. Johan Berthling: I think playing live has merged our sounds together quite a bit. We know each other's playing a lot better. When recording the first album, we had nothing. Now, we have a sound and a foundation we can continue to build on. For me, the studio (could be) a magical environment where all is possible. The live situation has so many parameters that are not controllable, so I want to keep them apart. I never look at recording as a live performance. Andreas Werliin: Playing live in front of an audience is very different from being in a studio recording session.[It has] different energy. It’s weird: The great live shows rarely transform into a good recording. It’s usually too much information. What we experienced when playing live was that we could use much more dynamics than on our albums. In a studio recording, you can use the room and vibe to play less and still keep it interesting, making small changes instead of the big movements we do live.

SILY: Is there something unique about Studio Rymden that fosters creative collaboration? OA: It feels super relaxed recording there, which really suits our vibe and somehow enhances what we are going for. I think we are all inspired by the room at Rymden and play off of the space. JB: It has a really nice living room atmosphere and has all the equipment we need. Daniel [Bengtson], who runs it, is also a great and knowledgeable guy making everyone feel at ease. AW: [It's] a good sounding, very relaxed place. [It] feels like being at a home party.

SILY: Why was it important for you to have continuity between the two albums' visual identities (cover art, music videos)? JB: Why change a winning concept? :) AW: These days, things are moving so fast. Everything and everybody has to change all the time to not lose the audience's attention, both visually and musically. We took the opportunity to go against that movement, I guess.

SILY: What inspired the track titles this time around? OA: Laziness. It's 1/2/3/4 in Swedish. Maybe we'll pick another language when we do another release.

SILY: How did the songs on the first record end up evolving live? Do you foresee these songs having a similar live evolution? OA: Absolutely. It's been really fun expanding on the pieces on the first album in a live context. Those pieces have really gone places. Some live versions of the pieces have lasted 30-40 minutes each. We've already been playing some of the new pieces live, too, and they are already morphing into new explorations that are quite different from the recorded versions.

AW: We developed a new form and used more improvisation and a lot more dynamics.

SILY: What's next? OA: We have some shows coming up as a trio which I'm really looking forward to. I really love playing with Johan and Andreas. My next big show...is a new piece titled "Sous Vide" with conductor Ilan Volkov and the Brussels Philharmonic Orchestra. I'm also hoping to start on a new solo record later this year. AW: I'm excited to release [Ghosted II]. We’re all pretty busy with other projects and family life, so [I'm] just hoping for peace, love, and understanding in general, I guess.

SILY: Is there anything you've been listening to, watching, or reading lately that you've enjoyed or that's inspired you? AW: I would highly recommend Brighde Chaimbeul's album The Reeling (River Lea). She will play live in our village on the west coast of Sweden on July 7th in an incredible church. Much welcome. JB: Lately, I’ve been listening a lot to Howlin' Wolf's Message to the Young and John Lee Hooker and Canned Heat's Hooker 'n Heat. Live, I recently saw a fantastic performance by Evan Parker and Alexander Hawkins in Germany!

OA: [I've been] listening to plenty non-stop, but here's a few recent things that come to mind:

James Rushford's Turzets

An unreleased 1974 live recording of Salamat Ali Khan from Berlin

ML Buch's Suntub (15 love)

Tyshawn Sorey's Continuing (Pi)

Ahmir Khan's Khayal By Ustad Ahmir Khan

RLW's When freezing air stings like ice I shall breathe again (Drag City)

Lenny Breau's Quietude

Eduardo Mateo

Glenn Gould's version of Brahms: 10 Intermezzi

Mikel Rouse Broken Consort

Tirzah

Weather Report's Live & Unreleased

I also just picked up an amazing new remaster of Genesis' The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, which I've been playing endlessly.

I recently watched Dog Day Afternoon with my 16-year-old last night. It was good to revisit that one. I also recently saw a great UK documentary on Cornelius Cardew with footage of the Scratch Orchestra and AMM. Other than that, it's always Law & Order before bed.

Reading:

Scott McClanahan's The Sarah Book Ian Penman's Fassbinder Thousands of Mirrors Adrian Sinclair & Allan Kozinn's The McCartney Legacy Henry Threadgill & Brent Hayes Edwards' Easily Slip Into Another World Dorothy B. Hughes' The Expendable Man

[hasanabiouttakes]

[fluffystuffovo]

Please do Lee!Oren and Ler!Simon :D

Here ya go!

[catapparently]

Crescent Moon, Coast is Clear

MASTERLIST • AO3 LINK A rewrite of the ball scene from averyjameson’s point of view Not proofread

“You know, Heiress,” Jameson began as he tied the back of her dress. “While they all struggle with the game and rip their hair out –though Grayson already has enough bald spots-, we could just run off and get married.”

She could feel his breath on her nape, now in faster puffs speeding along with his heartbeat. Jameson couldn’t help but stare. It wasn’t just her bare back nor the familiar little mole under her right shoulder that bewitched him and made his heart race. No, it was the way her hair was laid provocatively over the front of her shoulder, displaying her back to him. The way the soft light shone on the curve of her neck in an alluring manner, taunting and waiting for him to pepper some bites and kisses along it.

“Married? But we’re dressed in dark blue,” Avery shot back, a small smile playing on her lips. Jameson could get drunk on the way she looked at him. If the twinkle in her eyes that she always had with him were the last thing he’d see, he’d die a happy man.

“Why not? As lovely as you’d look in white, you know I never did mind being a bit more,” he paused, “unconventional.” The corner of his lips curled up into his signature sly smirk. “Oren could officiate, and Tiramisu can be the witness.”

He took a step back, finally done tying her up, though he couldn’t help but imagine it was a different set of straps and laces he’d been tying. Avery turned around, handing him a silver necklace to clasp onto her neck, and he did. His knuckles brushed against the soft expanse of skin, bringing the jewelry up to the dip at the bottom of her throat where her collarbones peeked out. He made a mental note to leave a mark there later. Then, last but not least, the mask. It was adorned with black gemstones and purple around the eyes, with tendrils of black and gold weaving in spirals and swirls. It had been designed to match both her dress and Jameson’s suit, both a deep midnight purple. Avery’s dress had silvery stitching along the layered skirt to make it look like moonlight on water, while Jameson’s suit had small, embroidered pearls with silver gemstones along the sleeves and the hem to make it look as though the moon itself was dripping onto the water.

His mask was identical to hers, though instead of purple gemstones lining the eyes, he had short strands of the same pearls as on his suit dangling from the bottom of his mask.

Just as he was about to offer his arm out for her, the laptop connected to the video surveillance cameras let out a high-pitched ding, letting them know that someone had entered the library. Lyra Catalina Kane. She was a mystery to both of them, since Grayson seemed to know her prior to the game. The coincidence that they knew each other wasn’t something neither Avery nor Jameson could ignore. The Kane girl hadn’t gotten in by invitation; she’d been one of the wild cards.

Avery had done her little investigation on Lyra. Is it Lee-ra? Lie-ra? She lived with her biological mother and stepfather, and her biological father’s name was Thomas. Thomas, like when Grayson came asking for a ‘Thomas’ that might be on the List. There was.

She still had an itch in the back of her head, telling her something was off. Either Lyra had a hidden agenda, or someone on the outside messed with her game, intentionally making sure Lyra got one of the tickets. The only person she could think of was Eve, but they haven’t crossed paths ever since last year’s game.

“Maybe you should go talk to her,” Jameson suddenly said. “You know, get a taste of her personality and see if she’s hiding something.”

“With all the tension in between them, what are the chances Grayson is out there waiting for her behind a bookshelf to make out?” She retorted, raising an eyebrow. “I don’t want to walk in and have to see that.” With that, she pressed a small kiss to Jameson’s cheek as a goodbye, stepping out the door of their room.

She made her way through the dimly lit halls, feeling a pair of eyes on her. Of course Oren was still tailing her even when the island was perfectly secure, even safer than the Hawthorne House. There was no discreet way in or out of the island since it was surrounded by water.

Finally, she made it to the library. It was circular and stretched so far up you couldn’t see its ceiling. She tried her best to step as lightly as she could without making a noise. Even the slightest sound would echo through the room and ruin the element of surprise. The mystery appearance would be in her favour, she supposed.

She finally spotted her target, who was staring around in awe.

“I’m a sucker for libraries,” she spoke up from behind Lyra. “Circular ones in particular.”

Avery cringed internally. Wow, so smart. Out of all the things she could have said, really? Even after being the Hawthorne heiress for so long, she still lacked social skills and didn’t really know how to start conversations.

Lyra slightly jumped, turning around to face her. Lyra’s gown was a dark navy blue with a tulle skirt that faded into a light pastel blue like waves.

Her surprise seemed genuine. Avery didn’t know what to feel at the way Lyra was staring at her.? Nervous? Lowkey uncomfortable but still flattered? She’d been used to people staring at her for the wrong reasons, never because they were in awe of her or what she was wearing like Lyra was. Then again, the dress was a far cry from the torn dirty jeans and the loose shirt she’d wear back when she lived in her car. She could still feel the phantom laughs, snickers and sneers of her old classmates.

“It’s beautiful,” Lyra said, tearing her gaze away from Avery to look back at the shelves.

“And you don’t trust beautiful things?” Avery asked, tilting her head.

Lyra’s expression shifted, recognizing her. “You’re Avery Grambs.”

She held back a laugh. Really? Had Lyra really thought she was Brady? After all, there was only one player the Kane girl had yet to meet.

 “I was you once,” she smiled. “Trusting people wasn’t exactly my forte, either. But if I could give you a little advice, going into this game?” Oh, what a lie. She hadn’t ever been like Lyra. Both in life context and personality. New Avery, though, told people exactly what they wanted to hear. Every little thing and detail the media expected from her, she did and said.

Her little line of empathy must have worked, because Lyra still had that faint awe-struck look. “Like I’m going to turn down advice from the person who masterminded all of this?” the girl answered.

“Sometimes,” she answered, “in the games that matter most, the only way to really play is to live.”

When Lyra looked away, she took the chance to quickly run away, thankful for the soft slippers that didn’t thump when her feet hit the floor. She crossed her fingers, silently hoping that it had looked like a mysterious disappearance and that Lyra hadn’t actually seen her running off like a dramatic Victorian lady.

She ran as fast as she could back up to her bedroom. She hated running, especially in slippers. She flung open the door, panting like a dying dog. Jameson was waiting, laid back on the bed dramatically.

“Finally, Heiress, I thought you were going to leave me here to starve and die.” He got up languidly, still faking boredom and a yawn. “Our own ball already started.”

As if on cue, she heard slow instrumental music floating up from the Great Room through the door she’d left open.

“Which entrance would be the most dramatic?” she asked as she put on her heels.

“Dramatic? But I’d rather enter discretely so that I can have you all to myself to dance all night without anyone watching us,” he replied, taking her hand in his. The spiraling staircase only added to Avery’s dizziness that was sparked whenever Jameson touched her.

People, a sea of tuxedos, dresses, and masks, were already in the Great Room. Jameson led her through the crowd and all the way to the center, where some people had begun to dance. Before the day Grayson appeared in her school’s office, asking for her, she’d always been on guard everywhere she went. On the streets, in her car, at school… With Jameson, he could just lead her everywhere by the hand like she was a puppy. She didn’t have to look around cautiously and constantly be on the lookout. She trusted him. Though when they made public appearances, she was the one who took charge.

At the center, he let go of her hand, raising his palm up while facing her. “Shall we dance, Heiress? I’m sure dancing was one of the first things Alisa made sure you learned.”

She raised an eyebrow, pressing her palm to his as they walked slowly around each other. It’s a seductive type of dance, she’d been told. “And what if I didn’t? It can’t be that hard. We just spin around each other, barely even touching.”

“You don’t have to touch for a dance to be or look intimate,” he said, looking down at her and bringing his face closer to hers just the slightest bit. Enough to taunt her, but not close enough to kiss. Her breath caught in her throat, a small hitch that she was sure Jameson could hear.

She mustered her lips up into a smile, but really, she wanted to pull him down, dance be damned, and kiss him until she couldn’t feel her lips from his nibbles. “Oh really?” She looked around, making sure nobody was watching. After all, Jameson’s passionate eyes and red ears were only hers to see.

She slid her outstretched palm down his forearm, not breaking step, until she reached his nape, bringing his head down until his forehead was against hers.

“I think this is much more intimate, don’t you think?” she whispered, her breath warm on his lips. She glared up at him playfully when he ignored the cue to kiss her. “We still have five minutes before we need to start the game.”

His green eyes were smoldering, the usual smirk gone from his face. “Heiress, with you dressed up like that, five minutes isn’t enough.”

He cupped her cheek, careful not to smudge her makeup. As much as he loved seeing her face messy, her lipstick smudged around from kisses and her eyes screwed shut in bliss, she would probably kill him for it later. He finally lowered his lips down to hers, tilting her head slightly to the right the way she liked it. Their lips slotted together perfectly, moving in tandem, always in sync with each other. It was moments like this that Avery lived for and had longed for her entire life.

Between kisses, he rested his forehead against hers again, taking a breath. “Wait for me before you take this dress off tonight?” he said, taking in a ragged breath. “It would be a shame to waste such an opportunity.” With that, he leaned to kiss her again.