#like. the song does have some great lyrics! and kinda slaps actually!

[a-treatise-on-velociraptors]

hey taylor swift yeah i have numerous questions

[thesinglesjukebox]

TROYE SIVAN - "RUSH"

Poppers, to two decimal places.

[6.83]

Rachel Saywitz: Heathens, debauchers, partakers of libations, gather round, for this is a story most foul. It's a titillating tale of delight, a sensuous account of the sweetest carnal pleasures. For here bare buttocks were slapped, saliva was swapped, and crotches were lit aflame. And on this most sinful of nights, the boomiest of bass ran pounded a skinny man with undead eyes. Yes, this was the God-hating demon himself. Using his nasal tone to elevate the most traditional of club beats into a sexual paradise. Giving his catchiest hook to a gaggle of men, no doubt caught under his spell. Beware this evil-doer. For he makes even the straightest of people fall into his gaze. Under any circumstances, do not feel the rush. [8]

Nortey Dowuona: Xander went through a lot in that series. He got his music career ground into nothingness before he became an adult, got shocked into incoherence by a lame who has a godawful ponytail, got cussed with homophobic lies, it's great to hear him launch off these exciting house drum programming that gets so big in the mix he kinda has to be - wait, his name is Troye? Wow, what else did they take -- he had an actual singing career and acting career before this. He's never been named Xander? decided to just dance to the song and fix the blurb later, never does [8]

Oliver Maier: Sivan's a curious export to me, a mostly middling songwriter who converts more and more fans each cycle simply by existing, like the Luigi who wins by doing absolutely nothing of pop music. I don't begrudge him it, I just don't see his angle. "Rush" is a certifiable Big Tune™, but to me that has more to do with the shouty lads on the hook than Troye, who flits around like a cherubic chaperone. [7]

Will Adams: So the solution to my problem with Troye's just-okay voice (besides Hot Chip remixes) is to baton pass the chorus to a full Village People chant. Brilliant! It's the cherry on a just-too-tailored piano-house instrumental, which makes me think that maybe he should phone Disclosure for some collabs. [6]

Katherine St Asaph: A rare show of genuine tension and heat from Troye Sivan. But that's not due to Troye so much as the heady fog of reverb and posse of mega-masc guys he surrounds himself with. [7]

David Moore: It's too late for me to grok Troye Sivan's whole deal, I think, but this reminds me of the fake-seeming dance tracks I constantly pull from Spotify's new music playlists, most of which are designed for Dance Mode [picture of purple disco ball] and Beast Mode [picture of buff shirtless man holding dumbbells] and presumably many other Modes that I can't imagine this particular song hyping me up for or, more accurately, helping me to survive with only minor shoulder injuries. [4]

Will Rivitz: Free us from the tyranny of gang vocals. [5]

Michael Hong: Not really a radical reinvention -- if "Dance to This" were dialed to a 5, then this is amped up to a measly 7, and Troye's been way more explicit with underage hookups and poorly disguised flower metaphors -- but damn if this isn't fun. [7]

Thomas Inskeep: Why isn't Troye Sivan an international, honest-to-goodness, radio-saturating popstar?! (Spoiler alert: it's because he's so openly gay in his lyrics, which in 2023 is absurd but there you fucking go.) Sivan's vocals here are simultaneously confident and dreamy, and goddamn, "Rush" is so swoony it actually feels like the rush you get meeting someone on a dancefloor and just connecting, immediately. And also, I mean, poppers; he clearly knows of what he sings. [8]

Wayne Weizhen Zhang: This summer, after seeing Barbie & Renaissance in the same day, my friend found poppers on the floor of our favorite drag bar that were so strong that I'm convinced to this day that I have brain damage. Was it a coincidence that this happened two weeks after the release of this song? I think not. [7]

Ian Mathers: In everything I'd read about the Troye Sivan album I don't recall seeing anyone mention "he sometimes sounds a bit like Friendly Fires now" and honestly I would have liked to have had that information. [9]

Alfred Soto: I would've liked Troye Sivan as a model. Introverted but not shy, fluent in the ways in which a life of constructing an identity on one's phone brings new adventures and stirs up familiar fears, Sivan isn't coy. "Rush," though, reminds me of Jessie Ware's latest album: the forced euphoria of a camp counselor with two weeks to go before the end. [5]

Jacob Sujin Kuppermann: An all-time great song to jump up and down and chant along to. To make beautifully head-empty pretty bro music like this is a true gift that must not be squandered. [9]

Leah Isobel: "Rush" is suitably aerodynamic, with the exception of its blocky football-chant chorus. It's like a beer commercial plopped into a DJ set, and its masculinity comes across as glib compared with the airy pianos and bouncy bongos. But I get that Troye is the chronicler of emotional distance within intimacy, and I like that he takes some time out from huffing poppers with the boys to wink, "This shit is so much fun"; that's the kind of distance that feels true, the moment when your brain surfaces just long enough to realize how ridiculous it is to be a body in space. [6]

Brad Shoup: The video version offers a deal: you get a post-chorus without violent panning between fore- and background, but also a comedown outro about loving "with reciprocity". I'll take the wispy original, which tries to bulk up with a great bro chorus but ultimately glides around corners, pleading for pleasure. ("Kiss it when you're done" is such a good line. I can't get over it.) Also, two-and-a-half minutes is the right duration for this kind of churning yet weightless pop-house encounter. [7]

Crystal Leww: There's a Tiktok floating around where a girl asks where are the men who like women who look like Troye Sivan. While it's extremely funny, it also speaks to the fact that there's a real dearth of men in Western pop who are out here popping their pussy and putting their whole back into it. "Rush" is a full pop song with a curated, cohesive vibe throughout the song, a hook that doesn't stick out in a sea of blah before and after it, and a choreographed silly little dance that Troye and his boys do. The bar is in hell -- we're lucky we at least have "Rush." [6]

Alex Ostroff: On the Something to Give Each Other press tour, Troye pointedly raved about how inspired he is by Janet. Intriguingly, his standom doesn't focus on her Imperial Phase: Not her declaration of Control, the politics of Rhythm Nation 1814, nor the personal discovery of janet. Not even The Velvet Rope's blend of the internet, queer activism, kink & self-empowerment which left such an indelible mark on the last decade of R&B and underground dance music. No, when asked for his three favourite Janet songs, Troye's picks are 'Together Again", "All Nite (Don't Stop)" and "SloLove." Two-thirds of those are from Damita Jo, Janet's horniest record. Damita Jo featured "Warmth" and "Moist," back-to-back odes to fellatio and cunnilingus so explicit that Janet cut them from the clean version altogether. That feels right for the Troye era that launched with "Rush." It's not that Troye hasn't explored sexuality before -- Bloom's title track is famously a bop about bottoming, after all -- but those were his takes on "Let's Wait Awhile," "Anytime, Anyplace," or the psychosexual therapy moments on Velvet Rope, where sex was a window into his emotional state and romantic relationships. Here, Troye just delves into the joy of spontaneous lust and delivers a femme top anthem where his masc bros chant about wanting your touch. He whispers "Breathe '1, 2, 3' / take all of me" and instructs you to "Kiss it when you're done". Like Damita Jo, 'Rush' can sometimes feel uncomfortable or cringey (is the glory hole 12" vinyl packaging too much or exactly enough?), but it also undeniably fucks. [8]

Joshua Minsoo Kim: Earlier this year, a relatively popular musician saw a tweet I made that called their music bad, and responded with a quote tweet that derisively called me a twink. It was wonderful. I have never been called a twink before, and never will be again given my body type, but it started to make me think about all the things I'll never experience in life because of the ways in which we play into type when it comes to sex. Or maybe that's just me being pessimistic. Anyways, how about those meatheads chanting here? [6]

[Read, comment and vote on The Singles Jukebox]

[dancing-to-architecture]

23 - Van Halen - 1984

Starting with a sentence that is pretty much guaranteed to piss off my dad: i was never a big Van Halen fan. (Look, if you heard "Right Now" as many times as i did growing up, you'll understand.)

That said, a few of the songs on this one are among the songs by them that i do actually like, and the cover art cracks me up every time i see it.

Also, my wife is exactly one day older than this album, and i just think that's neat.

• 1984-

Spacy synthy intro song. Not what i was anticipating this album to start off like. Kinda dig it, though.

•Jump-

An absolute classic. As I'm fond of saying: "it ain't about the fall down, it's about the bounce back", and that's the whole idea of this one.

Also, that guitar solo is fucking insane.

•Panama-

One of the songs that broke Noriega, and i think the govt used it solely because of the irony of the title being used against a Panamanian asshole dictator.

Personally, i like the idea of using songs over bombs in combat. Fewer pieces of bodies to pick up afterwards.

That said, what the actual fuck does the nation of Panama have to do with this song that's about a hot lady being described somewhat like a sports car? The world may never know.

Fuckin banger, though.

•Top Jimmy-

(But, i hardly know Jimmy!)

Holy shit, Eddie, are your fingers okay? Because goddamn that's some fast fingering on those harmonics.

Top Jimmy cooks, you say? Well, let him fuckin cook!

Another kick-ass solo, naturally.

Didn't know this one before today, but it fuckin slaps.

•Drop Dead Legs-

To be honest, i always figured Diamond Dave was a tits man, but apparently he also appreciates "a giant butt". Good for him.

All in all, gotta say that ZZ Top wrote the better leg-song.

•Hot for Teacher-

A song that has been relevant a number of times in my life, and that's all I'm gonna say on that matter.

That drum intro absolutely whips ass, and the guitar coming in only makes it better.

It's a little skeevy, lyrics-wise, but overt horniness can't stop it from being an all-time banger.

•I'll Wait-

Oh, that early-to-mid 80s synth. 😍

Kind of a weird one, since it's literally just about jerking off while looking at a legally-distinct-from-a-Playboy magazine. Not the best song on the album, for sure, but it's interesting enough to keep my attention.

I still can't believe this was a single, though.

At the end of the day: the centerfold isn't gonna fuck you, dude. Oh wait, shit, you're David Lee Roth... never mind, yeah, she might, actually. Go for it, bro.

•Girl Gone Bad-

"I'm in love with a prostitute", the spiritual prequel to "I'm in Love With a Stripper", i guess?

•House of Pain-

Just couldn't fuck dirty enough for that girl, could ya? Or, from a different, much darker point of view, kinda feels a little Josef Fritzl-y.

So, yeah, this album is pretty fucking great, (surprising nobody, considering it's their best-selling album).

Funny (but also lame as shit) fact: "The front cover was censored in the UK at the time of the album's release. It featured a sticker that obscured the cigarette in the putto's hand and the pack of cigarettes.".

For real... Are y'all okay over there?

Favorite Track: Hot for Teacher. Every aspect of it just kicks ass.

Least Favorite Track: House of Pain. On one hand, it's creepy. On the other hand, it's very creepy.

[white-eyed-girl]

My personal top 37 for Eurovision 2023 Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

24) Australia - as I place it here in the top I still have no idea what to think of this song? Whether it sounds cool or just out there :''

23) Belgium - song is okay, apparently he's a great performer which paired with a positive song usually means good news for Belgium (I wouldn't have given two cents to Laura Tesoro but that's what well-channelled charisma will do to a mid song), this can do very well

22) Latvia - this sounds so indie, which I like, but I'm usually more of a happy indie type, so this flies over my head a bit; the last bit in Latvian in stellar though, absolutely beautiful

21) Portugal - oh this is so portuguese, which I absolutely say as a compliment :'' it's actually quite good to see, especially after the sad parenthesis that their 2021 entry was for me

20) Israel - I…I mean, it's not bad I guess? It's a bit all over the place, also I just can't get myself to take the ''power of the unicorn'' thing seriously, like I have never heard of unicorns being associated to power? And why does she turn into a CENTAUR in the video?? The ''phenomenal'' part sounds annoyingly cool Her fandom is one of the worst this year btw, absolutely terrible

19) Poland - someone, for the love of all is right and fair, please come and get that BEJBA out of my mind lmao The song itself is alright, it's outrageously catchy but she can't sing it and I think we all pay attention to it mostly because of memes and because of some scandal I heard happened with the Polish tv Oh, I never finished watching the official video because that part where she's eating with her mouth open is so gross lol

18) The Netherlands - this walks on the very fine line between very delicate and almost inconsistent, kinda like a candle flame that's about to be blown away by the wind Still haven't decided where exactly it stands for me :''

17) Armenia - this sounds like something I should like in theory, but I feel like there's a bit too much going on in it, like a lot of different pieces of a puzzle that I'm not sure fit too tightly with one another

16) Georgia - As it is, it has too harsh a start and I find it a bit repetitive It is undoubtedly cool, but I think it could have been even better, also a mention is due to how godawfully written the lyrics are :'' Had this been in Georgian it would have slapped buttcheeks though

15) Malta - I actually like this, it's groovy and SO cozy at the same time, and I find myself randomly going ''…do you wanna DANCE'' during my day lol The sweater gimmick is cute

14) Iceland - I actually enjoy this BUT in small doses, because both the song and her voice are quite explosive and if I listen to them excessively they kinda tire me in a way? The P-p-p-p-power bit is actually my favourite

13) Denmark - this song is so PASTEL asdfghjk everything about it is so cute and he looks like a fawn lol I guess I warmed up to vocoder effects, also unrelated but it's cool that he's Faroese

12) Ireland - pains me to say it, but Ireland's only purpose in Eurovision in this day and age is providing my guilty pleasures :'' They have failed few times in this since when I watch, and they certainly didn't fail this year :'' this is so cliché that it almost does a 180 degrees turn and becomes a cheesy anthem that can be enjoyed in moderation

[mauesartetc]

Thoughts on Helluva Boss Ep7

Pros:

The animation and voice acting are solid, as usual. If there were any flubs, I didn’t notice them.

Moxxie and Millie are wholesome relationship goals.

I chuckled at the bit where Fizz was creeped out by the fan who had four of his sex bots.

Asmodeus’ song was actually… Good? Usually Helluva songs are just “meh” but this one had a catchy tune, memorable lyrics, and great vocals. And, y’know, it advanced the plot rather than being slapped on out of nowhere because Viv needs a song in every episode for some reason.

Edit: Forgot to include this in the initial post, but it’s worth mentioning. This, to me, was the first time Helluva Boss felt like a show made for adults. Not because of the environment’s sexual nature or the sad ending, but because of Moxxie’s song to Millie. The message in the lyrics is that they can still be perfectly fulfilled with a vanilla sex life, and they don’t care what anyone else thinks of them. And we in the audience shouldn’t feel pressured to do kinky stuff we aren’t comfortable with just to be “cool” or perceived as adventurous. We should have whatever kind of sex makes us happy, if we even want it at all. Prioritizing love over lust doesn’t make you boring. It just makes you you. This is a viewpoint we rarely see explored in media, and as a romantic ace, I appreciated seeing it here.

Cons:

Why is this episode a two-parter? It doesn’t end on a cliffhanger or a “to be continued” or anything; it functions fine as a standalone episode. Just an odd choice.

Bit of a nitpick, but the thumbnail image for this one feels boring and lazy compared to other episodes. While the others prominently feature the characters and hint at the shenanigans to come, this one consists of only Asmodeus’ sigil and the number 7. I get the desire to avoid spoilers, but... If you’ve seen the preview images, there really isn’t much to spoil. 

God, Blitzo’s such a creep. What does he find so interesting about Moxxie and Millie’s relationship that makes him want to stalk them? Stop perving out on your employees and get your own life, ya fuckin’ weirdo. Friendly reminder that the writing wants us to root for this guy… Yeah.

 Most of the main characters are taking Stupid Pills this episode. First offender: Moxxie. He makes a dinner reservation in the LUST ring, then makes a big romantic gesture after he and Millie get there. Was he not aware that the culture in that area frowns upon such displays? Did he not do his research? Aren’t there any other restaurants he and Millie could have gone to for their anniversary?

Second offender: Blitzo, for opening his dumbass mouth to attract attention to himself, despite knowing there were people in the club he didn’t want to engage with. Sure, you could make the argument he was just defending Moxxie and Millie, but he could’ve privately told them their relationship was just fine the way it was after they left the club. As seen here and in Murder Family, this twit just doesn’t know when to keep his gob shut. He’s such a liability I’m surprised he hasn’t gotten himself and all his employees killed yet.

Final offender: Stolas, for going to a couples-only club with an imp despite knowing it’d hurt his reputation. Seriously, did he think no one would notice a fucking prince of Hell sitting a few tables over? Couldn’t he have disguised himself, or Blitzo, or both? He didn’t even try to be discreet, which I guess is par for the course at this point, but still.

Speaking of Stolas, WOW, poor baby, huh? He cheated on his wife and tossed his daughter aside like she was nothing, and now they’re gone and he’s wonewy. Excuse me while I pull out the world’s smallest violin. Imagine being so shortsighted that you weren’t prepared to handle the risks of your prolonged infidelity. I guess he’s so spoiled he’s not used to his actions having consequences, but then the writing never gave him any until now.

Also, kinda random, but why does Stolas feel the need to eat cereal? I assume he’s never learned how to cook for himself since he always had chefs to do it, but did all the help just quit when Stella left? Never explained.

How did Verosika and Vortex escape the human cops? Never explained. Edit: I actually forgot Verosika suggested she and her crew “suck a lot of pig dick” to get out of that jam at the end of Ep3, so that was my bad, y’all. It was a long time ago and I’ve never felt compelled to re-watch any of these in full. 

I hate that we never got to see Stella move out. She’s never had a chance to calmly express her thoughts on her husband’s cheating, and it would’ve been so satisfying to hear her final, cutting words to him before she left. Really, he’s earned it. But the show wants to paint her as a one-dimensional villain who somehow caused Stolas to cheat on her, rather than a woman in pain from being betrayed after years of marriage. She’s one of multiple characters who deserve so much better.

While we’re on the topic of Stella, if she was free to leave this entire goddamn time, why the fuck would she hire a hit man to kill her husband. Is she after his life insurance or some shit? Again, never explained. Follow-up question, will this plot thread and the agency plot thread be resolved in the season finale? Normally I’d assume so, but this series has taught me to lower my expectations.

Oh, and um, Stolas is in love with Blitzo now, I guess. Y’know, despite treating him like an object in every other episode. And there’s no buildup to this whatsoever, because that’s how people work, right?? Once again, switch flipped. I have no idea what he even sees in Blitzo; he has zero redeeming qualities. Stolas, even a horse’s ass like you can do better than this.

Back to Ozzie’s: If the writers want to sell us on the idea that imps are second-class citizens, why are they allowed in this upscale club? We know it’s taboo for royalty to have a relationship with an imp, but other than that, the imp characters haven’t experienced any discriminatory obstacles in the way of their business or their everyday lives. If imps weren’t allowed in Ozzie’s but Moxxie and Millie really wanted to go anyway, they could just disguise themselves as succubi or something. Or, Ozzie’s could be a satire of the Cotton Club, meaning imps can be employees and performers, but not customers. The performance option would allow Moxxie to sing his love song to Millie, and they could eat a nice meal backstage with help from the kitchen staff. It’s much more compelling when characters have to fight for what they want rather than getting everything handed to them, and it makes them all the more endearing. Exploring imps’ designation in Hell’s social hierarchy would flesh out the world and the episode, as well.

Why is there no food on anyone’s tables? Damn, the service at this fancy, fully-booked club really sucks. Sad to see Moxxie and Millie go hungry on their big day. :( 

Asmodeus’ design is a tad oversimplified. Yes, I know, streamlined character designs are more efficient to animate. But if you showed this character to someone who’s familiar with demonic lore but hasn’t seen the show, would they know who he was based on? Would they even notice his extra two... “heads”? Not sure why the feathers are here, either. I’m going to need another redesign post, aren’t I.

I know the ending wants us to feel sorry for Blitzo, and yeah, it sucks that he feels neglected and unloved, and maybe unworthy of love. But it’s hard to sympathize with a character who’s been such a dick for the entire season. If he wants love and approval so badly, why does he always berate Moxxie (no, it’s not the same as tough love, and he never actually apologized for it, either)? Why does he stalk him and his wife? Why did he adopt Loona against her will? Did he think she’d just... learn to love him over time? And NONE of these relationships have evolved over the season. Blitzo’s stayed at square fucking one the whole time. How am I supposed to feel bad for a character who treats everyone around him like garbage and who’s done jack shit to improve himself? This episode’s trying SO hard to be Bojack Horseman without the proper buildup or character development required.

All I can say is, I hope the writing in the finale finds a way to make a purse out of a pig’s ear, because damn, it’ll have seven episodes’ worth of heavy lifting to do.

[5-jorjas-in-the-fence]

Fearless (Taylor’s Version) as Newsies

Fearless: Romeo. Yes I know you think he’d be love story but he’s such a hopeless romantic I can guarantee he lives for the whole ‘take my hand and drag me head first fearless’. Plus he’s a pretty timid guy, so him being fearless is just *chefs kiss*

Fifteen: Davey. I feel like he’s made some bad choices which is why he’s so careful. He definitely lives by ‘I found time can heal most anything’

Love Story: Race, the dramatic little f*cker, lives for Love Story. Don’t act like he won’t speed down a freeway screaming at the top of his lungs while whoever is in the passenger seat (usually Albert) looks at him with great concern.

Hey Stephen: Les. He probably has written poetry for some girl in his class. Plus it’s such a wholesome song, I’m just imagining his little voice in the back seat of the car singing ‘I CANT HELP IT IF YA LOOK LIKE AN ANGEL, CANT HELP IT IF I WANNA KISS YA IN THE RAIN SO COME FEEL THIS MAGIC IVE BEEN FEELING SINCE I MET YOU’ and then Davey (who’s driving, he doesn’t trust anyone else to give Les lifts unless it’s Jack or Sarah) Just turns it up so he doesn’t have to hear Les’s screeching

White Horse: oh boy time to ✨cry✨ and you know who relates to this song? Albert. Not sure why, he has a lot of feelings so for him a song about pure hurt is up his ally. He loves all the lyrics and ‘I’m gonna find someone some day who might ACTUALLY TREAT ME WELL’ he screams a little too passionately and then race is there like ‘am I a joke to you 👁👄👁’

You Belong With Me: Crutchie lives for this song. It’s so fun and he loves humming it and he just- he loves a good classic. He definitely has a Junior Jewels shirt that he got all the newsies to sign. It’s his favourite pyjama shirt.

Breathe: Elmer. Probably cause he has nine siblings and he had to leave them, he was hella close to them so now he’s alone... I’m fine

Tell Me Why: Henry. ‘CAUSE YOURE THE ONLY THING ON MYYYYY MIND’ he does that and points his finger dramatically. I have this weird head canon that he takes SO LONG in the bathroom so he sings into his shampoo bottle and looks in the mirror... yeah it’s a lot.

You’re Not Sorry: Specs. It slaps. So does Specs. In conclusion: yes.

The Way I Loved You: Jack. Now The Way I Loved You is about two people. The one they’re currently with, and the ex. So for him I feel like he’s not really sure what his feelings are doing, so he misses his ex while he’s with his current partner... yikes. Someone get the boy some therapy he needs it.

Forever and Always: Spot. He’s angry. He’s going feral. ‘OhhhHHHHH AND IT RAINS IN YOUR BEDROOM EVERYTHING IS WRONG, IT RAINS WHEN YOURE HERE AND IT RAINS WHEN YOURE GONE’ yeah he’s really into it... like he’s popping off. Specifically that part where Taylor is full on P I S S E D and that high note comes up.

The Best Day: *don’t touch me I’m crying* Katherine (pt 1, yeah she has two songs stfu like you didn’t see that coming) k so she loves the best day cause she ✨lost her mother✨ when she was 14 so uhhh, she just likes it cause it reminds her of her... which is sad... oh fearless OG came out when her mum was around as well, so when she lost her she probably played The Best Day to cope.

Change: oh all of them I mean have you HEARD it??? ‘It was the night things changed, I can feel it now, all the walls that they put up to hold us back will fall down itS A REVOLUTIONNNNNNNN SO THROW YOUR HANDS UP CAUSE WE NEVER GAVEEEEE INNNNNNNnnnNn *inhales* AND WELL SING HALLELU-‘ yeah it slaps.

Jump Then Fall: SARAH JACOBS!!! It’s so soft and I can BET she kinda sits there quietly watching her SO and then is like ‘holy shit- fuck their laugh- oh my god’ and has moments where she’s like ‘my gosh I love them’ and she’s so comforting and warm. So the whole line ‘I’ll hold you through the night until you smile...’ cause she knows that she wants to fall in love so bad but she’s also like ‘please don’t be afraid to fall please just love me holy shit I love you’

Come In With The Rain: gosh idk they all scream the chorus at the top of their lungs (there are so many tracks on this album I’m just going to have to skip songs where I can’t think of anyone 🧍‍♀️

There’s also probably gonna be a few repeats

Superstar: Pulitzer thinking about Teddy Roosevelt 😏

Today Was A Fairytale: Albert, he deserves a happy song. After a happy date he dances around the room singing it, until someone knocks on the door and he’s like ‘shit they heard me’

Mr Perfectly Fine: ohhhhhhhHHHH KATHERINE MY QUEEN. She’s p i s s e d. She’s m a d. She’s p a s s i o n a t e. She’s also still with Jack at the time so he’s like ‘wtf’ scared for his life- then he uhhhh breaks up with her... cause of valid reasons and is ok but still broken and that takes her love for the song to a whole new level cause she always got it but never got it. Not she’s on the verge of smashing a vase as she screams it.

We Were Happy: ✨newsbians✨ just for the line ‘talking bout your daddys farm we were gonna buy some day’. Idk if I ever like- posted about it but Chandler @tarantulas4davey and I had a wholeeee thing for cottage core Kath and Sarah so yk

Don’t You: Jack. He’s a mess. Wbk.

Bye Bye Baby: Race. he just wants to live that main character life cause he’s dramatic so... ‘it wasn’t just like a movie, the rain didn’t soak through my clothes, down to my skin’ honestly same. What a mood.

Love story Remix: THEYRE ALL VIBING

Anyway, in conclusion: yeehaw.

Stream Fearless Taylors Version. Please send in asks asking to elaboration or something if you want to :)

[aj-artjunkyard]

Batfam musical headcanons

Dick:

instrument wise? Nothing, the man couldn’t tap out a tune on the piano if his life depended on it but boy that doesn’t stop him from trying

Sometimes the more musically inclined of the family will try to teach him a simple tune or beat to play in the background of a musical video they’re recording, but he’ll always forget the notes in 5 seconds and just improv when he feels it, it always sounds terrible but he’s having a blast 

Can sing though. Oh man can he sing

Doesn’t mean he sings anything other than Disney Princess songs tho 

If you were to ask me for a voice reference, I’d say Thomas Sanders

He has quite a wide vocal range but he’s better on higher notes

He sings quietly or under his breath most of the time, but then he’ll get to a line he’s confident on and he’ll belt it out at full volume

Sometimes a random line will ring out across the manor and it will 100% be Dick’s voice singing I Can Go The Distance from Hercules 

Doesn’t remember half the lyrics 

This still doesn’t stop him 

Remember that scene at the start of Spiderverse where Miles is singing ‘Sunflower’, but only knows half the words, muttering the rest and getting REALLY into the parts he knows? Yeh that’s Dick

plays a KILLER kazoo solo

no he doesn't but it does annoy everyone in a 10 mile radius so there’s an major upside here

Jason:

This man has a breathtaking bass singing voice 

He claims he has never and will never sing in front of anyone, but sometimes when he’s in a rare good mood, he’ll mess around with his siblings in the music room and end up singing sea shanties with Tim and Dick (and sometimes Duke if he’s not too shy)

This is Jason, Dick and Tim. Damian is recording

Sings exclusively Hamilton, but his real talent in singing isn’t in the rapping area he just loves that musical 

Secret Theatre Nerd™

Famed for roping Tim and Duke into musicals; exclusively Dear Evan Hanson, Hamilton, Heathers and Les Misérables

One day Dick and Jason tease Duke out his shell enough to preform this with them

Would sing to himself in his safe houses and while ripping down the road on his motorcycle at top speeds

Not much of an instrument guy, but could tap out a piano tune or a drum beat if someone needed it

Keyword here being *could* bc he CAN but he WON’T

Even if someone managed to loop him into doing a backing beat for a tiktok or smthn he most definitely wouldn’t remember how to do it 30 minutes later

He claims his mind is too crammed with actually important information to remember a dumb piano tune for more than 10 minutes 

Tim:

Can carry a tune, but prefers the instrumental side of music 

He’s a tenor and sings higher than Dick, but Dick has a wider vocal range and if he wanted to, Dick could hit high notes Tim couldn’t dream of. Tim just doesn’t have the same range

But he’s fantastic at instruments 

He plays a wide range due to his private lessons back at Drake Manor, including but not limited to: Piano, saxophone, drums, cello, clarinet, acoustic guitar, trombone and the triangle 

Can Timothy Drake play incredibly difficult classical pieces on almost any instrument with ease and move the listeners to tears? Yes. Will he? No. Because the only tunes you will ever catch Timothy Drake playing is exclusively meme music

If it’s a sound on TikTok, this child can play it double time guaranteed

I’m talking the Mii theme, the Subway Surfers theme, Axel F, Wet Hands, you name it

K I lied he sometimes plays fantastic renditions of pop songs or movie scores 

He also likes joining in on those “adding an *instrument* solo to a song that does not need an *instrument* solo” TikToks

This child makes quality TikToks

His acc has a great following bc has such a vast variety of content and its all peak. It ranges from music to music memes to family shenanigans to academic memes to whatever was in his mind that day

He has a sparse posting schedule but when he does post its always worth the wait

ANYWAYS back on track

Tim will 100% play saxophone on top volume outside Damian’s bedroom when the kid is annoying him

Sometimes Jason joins in but he plays his chosen instrument horrifically just to annoy Damian more 

Jason and Tim do this

ok its time for my favourite boy

Damian:

Damian isn’t a singer. He refuses to ever sing in front of anyone, and he’s got the whole ‘boys’ tween voice’ thing going on too, and though he’ll probably have the capacity to be a great singer when he’s older, he won’t ever sing enough for many to find out

Instruments on the other hand,,,,

Damian does his little “*tt* I don’t care for the music, I play because it quickens reaction time and helps improve my memory and hand-eye coordination” and everyone’s just “sure Dami, thats why you were playing Merry-Go-Round of Life on repeat at 4am”

He likes orchestral and classical music, he’ll often play the song over the speakers in the music room and play along on his chosen instrument

He considers that genre more impressive for a musician instead of the pop rubbish Tim plays

He was taught violin by his mother back in Nanda Parbat, and it’s still his go-to favourite instrument, but he’s been teaching himself every other instrument in the music room

He uses music as a release, because he’s finally starting to get that violence isn’t always the acceptable release like it was back in the League and Dick and Bruce are so happy to see him start to understand this and get hobbies that aren’t related to work

When he gets older his taste in music expands to more electric guitar and drum heavy songs, but right now he’s still a bratty rich child and not an angsty teen

Jason is the one who introduced teen Damian to TØP, MCR, P!ATD and BMTH and now they jam together at excruciating volumes, screaming lyrics and wildly strumming on bass and electric guitar and banging on the drums and everyone would gladly slap Jason if not for the soundproof walls in the music room

Bruce:

Bruce used to be classically trained in a few instruments but he just didn’t care enough to continue them into his teen years so he just kinda forgot them

He regrets it now, seeing all his talented kids bonding over music and thinking that it probably would be been better for him to have a hobby when he was younger 

On one rare night he has the manor to himself, so he sits down at one of his grand pianos and tries to remember one of the tunes he was taught. Alfred hears his woeful attempts and starts to teach him some easy tunes

They do this every time they have the manor to themselves 

Bruce finally masters a song and he’s really pleased with himself Alfred is just so proud of his son,,,,

[mammonshuman92]

- Sapphire -

(Mammon x MC)

| part two | part three |

NOTE: F!MC

It’s here, in the endless sapphire pools, that I could get lost swimming, forever. The sheer power that they hold over me is otherworldly, and to be honest, quite unfair.

“MC! Are you listening?” Satan was looking at you with slight irritation, closing his book. The two of you have been studying for an upcoming test in the common room since you got home from RAD.

You jumped a little, abruptly interrupted from your daydream.

“Hmm? Oh, sorry. I guess I zoned out.” You replied sheepishly. You sat up in your chair, looking at your textbooks trying to regain some kind of memory of what you and Satan had been studying, but it was no use. As of late, there was only ever one thing on your mind. Well, one demon anyway.

“It appears that your mind is elsewhere. Maybe we should take a break and pick it back up after dinner?” he suggested.

You checked the time on your D.D.D., and jumped up from where you sat. Satan looked at you, shocked by your sudden rash behavior.

“Oh, umm.. I can’t tonight, I have a....thing. Tomorrow though?” You rushed around gathering your books and notes into a disorderly pile. Satan looked at you suspiciously. What has gotten into her? He thought.

“Alright. Are you actually going to be present? More than just physically, I mean.”

“Yes, yes. I’m really sorry. Thanks!” You yelled over your shoulder as you ran from the room.

As you rounded the corner of the hallway, you ran right smack into something, sending you and all your books and papers flying. 

Great.

“Oof!” 

That thing you smacked into? Yeah, that was Mammon. You both landed on your butts with a *thud*

“What the Hell are ya runnin’ for?!” He griped, confused as to what had just happened. When he noticed who had run into him and his attitude changed. “MC? What are ya doin'?”

“I’m sorry, Mammon! I didn’t mean to run into you, I’m just in a hurry.” You quickly explained, trying to gather all your papers, again. He grabbed the small bit of papers near him and handed them to you.

“In a hurry for what?” he asked curiously, cocking his head to the side a little.

Shit! He can’t know where I’m going! I need to make an excuse and fast!

“Oh, umm.. I, uh, I-I’m going shopping with Asmo! Yeah.” That should work. He ususally follows you everywhere, especially shopping but once it comes to shopping with you and Asmo? Yeah, he’d rather sit that one out. Although, I’m sure he’ll complain that you’re not hanging out with him anyway.

You quickly grabbed the last bit of papers and took off toward your room without another word to Mammon.

“It’s movie night, ya know?!” He called after you.

“I’m sorry! I’ll make it up to you, I promise!” You yelled hastily, before quickly shutting your door.

“Hmph. Guess I’ll just do movie night by myself then” He pouted, sticking out his bottom lip a little like a small child.

As he turned to go to his room, something caught his eye. 

A piece of paper the two of you had missed. He picked it up and looked it over. 

It’s for sure MC’s handwriting. Is it song lyrics or somethin’?

He shrugged and shoved it into his pocket.

--

“I don’t have time to change, so my RAD uniform will just have to do. I just need to grab my bag, then I can go. Ugh! I’m gonna be late!” You said aloud while darting around your room.

I’m pretty nervous. I’ve never read any of the stuff I write in front of anyone, much less a crowd or people. Maybe I won’t choke since none of the brothers will be there. Could you imagine reading what you wrote in front of HIM?

*Shiver.* No thanks. Pretty sure I would spontaneously combust.

You grab your things and hurriedly rush out of your room. Hopefully I get out of here without being seen. I’m not sure how many lies I can come up with.

As you made your way down the staircase, someone came through the front door.. Dammit! It’s Asmo.

After a quick discussion, you were able to slip away from him.

Checking your D.D.D. for the time, you quickened your pace. “If I hurry I can make it there before the first reading.”

--

Mammon laid sprawled out on the couch in the common room, scrolling through Devilgram. He sighed heavily. “I’m so bored.”

He heard someone talking just outside the doorway.

Is that Asmo?

He went to investigate only to find Asmo walking down the hall with an arm full of shopping bags.

“You guys are back already?” Mammon questioned him. 

“Pardon?” Asmo asked, visibly confused.

“You and MC only left like an hour ago and you’re already back? Are ya sick?”

“Mammon what are going on about? I left to go shopping right after school.”

Huh? She ...lied?

“MC told me she was goin’ shopping with ya and left in a hurry earlier. If she ain’t with you, where’d she go?”

“Maybe she has a date.” Asmo shrugged and headed toward his room. Mammon stood there motionless and shocked like he’d been slapped in the face.

A date? The thought clawed it’s way around his brain. He felt a pang in his chest.

He’s always with her. To and from RAD, after school, through dinner, and until bed. Always together. They’re best friends.

So how did she manage to meet some other demon without him noticing? He started to get antsy and decided to go look for evidence in her room.

He looked everywhere. All over her desk and dresser, he couldn’t find a single shred of information on this mystery demon. Feeling defeated, he flopped across her bed with a groan.

Am I not good enough? I mean, she already spends all her time with me, what’s she need someone else for?

Thoughts of MC being with someone romantically ...intimately, started flooding his mind. He tried to shake it, but they just kept coming. The pain in his chest got worse.

He’s always been fond of her. In the beginning, when she was still new, he acted like it was such a burden to watch over her, but he secretly enjoyed it. There was just something about her. As hard as he tried to fight it, he found himself developing a sweet spot for the human. She’s always so nice and sticks up for him when it comes to his brothers. She always seems happy to see him and is down for whatever crazy money making schemes he can come up with. Before she got here, it had been a long time since he had felt this happy. He’s pretty sure he’s never laughed so much in his entire existence than when he’s with her.

As much as he tries to convince himself that he doesn’t care about the human, he doesn’t want to go back to life without her. Truth is, he cares about her. A lot.

All the thinking was starting to depress him.

He decided to get up and go to his own room and sulk for the rest of the night. Maybe he could stop by Lucifer’s study and sneak off with a bottle of Demonus. 

As he made his way to the door, he noticed something. The little calendar on your desk had a date circled in red. He picked it up to get a closer look. The date circled was today.

“Coffee shop, 6pm”

Boom. Re-con was successful! He found out where your date was!

He put the calendar back on your desk and checked the time. Crap! It’s almost 7.

He bolted from the room. If he had any chance of seeing what kind of punk lesser demon you were on a date with, he needed to hurry.

--

“This has to be it. She only goes to one coffee shop.” Mammon whispered to himself as he tried to peak inside the front window of the establishment. He couldn’t see you anywhere from where he was and decided to go inside and sit at a table in the very back. Maybe she won’t notice me. He thought. 

He scanned the room, but still couldn’t see you anywhere. Maybe she went to the bathroom?

As he kept scanning the room, the lights started to dim and everyone focused their attention to a small stage with a lone microphone at the back of the shop.

Huh?

A light shined on the stage and a man stepped up to the microphone.

“Thank you all for coming, we have a great turn out tonight. Without any further adieu, let’s get open mic night started!” The crowd applauded and the man walked off stage.

"Open mic night? I didn’t know she liked this kinda stuff.” Mammon said quietly to himself.

Maybe that’s why she’s on a date. He probably noticed all the stuff I didn’t. Mammon sat back in his chair, arms crossed across his chest, pouting. She’d never wanna be with an idiot like me anyway.

--

A couple people read poems, one girl sang, and a few people played instruments. Still no sign of MC.

Maybe she does know a different coffee shop. He started to fidget in his seat, mentally kicking himself. You shoulda told her, ya idiot!

How could he though? He is one of the seven rulers of the underworld. How is he supposed to tell a human that she makes his life so much better? That your laugh is like music and his favorite smell is that of your shampoo? That when you fall asleep next to him on the couch on movie night it’s the best night of his week? 

“Our final act of the night is new to the stage and a little nervous, so go easy on her.” said the emcee. The audience started to applaud as the man walked off stage.

Mammon scooted his chair out and stood to leave. She obviously wasn’t here and he needed a drink.

He was making his way to the door, when he heard it. 

That voice. MC?

He turned to see you standing on the stage, spotlight shining on you. He listened as you spoke.

Is that ...a poem? The words sounded very familiar, like he had heard them very recently. Then it clicked. 

He fished the piece of paper out of his pocket. The poem you were reciting on stage was the same thing written on the paper he found in the hallway.

She wrote this?

He looked up at where you stood on the stage. You hadn’t noticed him so he made his way back to his seat. As he watched you, he started paying attention to the words you were saying. You spoke so softly.

“It’s here, in the endless sapphire pools, that I could get lost swimming, forever. 

Gold flecks, warm like sunshine, adorn the precious gems he dare call an iris.

The sheer power that they hold over me is otherworldly, and to be honest, quite unfair.”

So there really is someone. He thought. There was a stinging feeling in his chest. You don’t talk like that unless love is involved.

“Warm skin, the color of caramel, electricity felt in the slightest of touches.

Hair born of the winter, soft as the Heavens from where it once reigned.

Completely enamored by this creature, I would also happily fall from grace.”

Hair born of winter? Fall from grace? Tan skin?

Wait. That sounds like..

Realization hit him like a truck.

“..It’s about me..” He whispered, barely audible even to himself.

His chest felt like it was going to explode. His stomach so full of butterflies he felt nauseous.

He couldn’t believe it..

| part two |

[eurydicees]

thoughts on the musicals y’all recommended!

tysm for all the recs! i had so much fun listening to them, i really appreciate it! always feel free to rec more :)  

to preface, there’s no actual judging system. it’s all about the vibes. so, in the order that i listened to them: 

the mad ones

i already made a post abt this one, but i have to mention it again. i’ve been listening to it on repeat. like. straight up on a loop. 

i’m obsessed with this

the storyline is so put together, and you can really feel the heart of the show

the characters were well written (with the exception of the boyfriend tbh, i could have done without him), and i’m so fascinated by sam and kelly’s relationship (writers were cowards for making them not gay) 

the songs felt super cohesive, and the repeated drum loop was super well integrated. the sound techie in me is fascinated by the way this show was put together, and i’d love to see it performed (like. fr. i was getting ideas for the design. which is always so much fun) 

19.75/10

romeo es julia

holy shit this slaps

costumes were weird

but the music was brilliant

some of the captioned lyrics were ???? bad translation or bad lyrics??? but the sound was incredible so i don’t even care 

mercutio and tybalt were spot on

the moms were GREAT. i LOVED their voices, like. could FEEL the emotions, even if i didn’t know wtf they were saying 

pretty much everyone was like that, like idk what’s going on via words, but i def can feel it, which is the best kind of song

my mother didn’t like this one but whatever, she didn’t get to see the choreo that went with it so what does she know 

the SET. the LIGHTS. the SOUND. the SET. the LIGHTS. the SOUND. chef’s kiss. 

14/10 

ordinary days

eh

i liked “favorite places” and “beautiful” a lot, but the rest of the songs were only okay

i wasn’t super attached to the characters and the singing was just. like. okay for me. i didn’t love any of them in particular 

my mother also didn’t like this one, rip. she has a lot of opinions on musicals. 

6/10

venice

oh my fucking god???????? 

not what i expected at all. right from the first lines i was like. 😲😲😲 

like. this was so good??? wtf???? hamilton meets shakespeare meets the mechanisms meets les mis meets post-9/11 politics meets dystopia. i thought it couldn’t be done, but here i am, in awe

i was going to include some favorite lines but. it’s just all of them. ALL of them. 

further confirmation that i’m in love with jennifer damiano. 

also angela polk?? incredible 

it’s weird bc it’s so clearly Not Broadway Music, but it’s also not trying to be, which i enjoy. i can see why some critics hated it (read some really funny reviews lmao), but i really loved the sound (haven’t seen the show, though, and that’s half of a musical, so maybe gonna try and find a bootleg) 

18.99/10

count of monte cristo 

damn from the overture this was. Intense. like. damn. i’m a slut for any dies irae sequence, so i was a big fan of that

that being said. gonna be real. i had no idea what was happening throughout the entire musical. it’s a pretty music-light show, so that’s probably why? 

maybe it would make more sense if i watched a performance rather than just listening to the soundtrack??? idk. anyone got a bootleg? 

thomas borchert has a nice voice. very distinctive. googled him to see where else i can listen to him. he was rum tum tugger. anyways. mad respect for this man

sonically, it didn’t feel like a very cohesive show? like it felt like there were a lot of diff vibes going around

lots of good songs for my evil musicals playlist though 

11/10 

once on this island (2017 revival)

ok turns out musicals are a lot better when sung by professionals than by sixth graders who think they can belt even tho their voices are still cracking 

also turns out that stories can be much more complex and interesting-- and have much deeper themes of racism and classism-- when on broadway than when in a sweaty middle school auditorium in an upper middle class white neighborhood 

funny how that works, huh 

i’m still a little unsure abt it, and probably wouldn’t listen to it just because i can, but i definitely don’t object to it anymore 

ty for making me give it a second try 

hailey kilgore is brilliant in this

the singing in general is REALLY impressive and beautiful 

12.68/10 

death note

i cannot express enough in words how mad i am that i actually liked this

genuinely don’t know how to feel 

i do think that i would get more out of it if i watched the anime, but it was still pretty easy to follow, just knowing the premise 

idk who the cast is bc i found a weird shady playlist on spotify rather than a cast recording, but the girl’s voice (idk character names) was beautiful. “i’ll only love you more” was SO good

reminded me a little of jekyll and hyde? which? huh

also i’m now getting tik tok videos with audio from this musical can my iphone stop stalking me for ONE second

fucking unfair that this is actually a good soundtrack. the desire to find a bootleg is unholy. 

14.87/10 

35mm

why did no one tell me that alex brightman is in this!!!!

i listened to a few songs and really enjoyed them, but didn't get through the whole album lmao

but i did really enjoy what i did listen to, and i'm gonna come back to it

9/10

ghost quartet

i wanted to like this one. SO badly. i REALLY wanted to like it.

but i couldn't really get into it? 

there were a few songs that absolutely slapped, but overall, it was just kinda. eh. which sucks bc i have heard such good things about it

i LOVED "the astronomer," "the telescope," and "lights out" 

but i didn't get through the entire album

i'll come back to it eventually and give it another try, i think. i might just not have been in the specific mood for it

9.8/10

[impaladolan]

Capture - Grayson Dolan [1/-]

summary: a typical morning run leads to a new life of monstrous things you’d never want to speak of in front of your own mother.. ;)

warnings: not exactly smut— but some bdsm elements, swearing, and a kinda short little chapter for this soon-to-be series!

YOUR rapid breaths aligned with the pattern of your feet created a musical rhythm for your excessively beating heart to follow, your lips muttering numbers that you really didn't know why you were counting. You could see your breath in the shallow light that cascades from each lamp-fixture littered with moths and flys that linger still in the early midst of the morning. The exuberating feeling of the cool air entering and exiting your lungs each moment was what you lived for. Though it was the very first task of the day, it was all around your favorite. To wake up around four in the morning and run a couple miles before six o'clock made you feel on top of the world. And it never feels better than it does in the fall season, where the autumn leaves decorate the ground beneath you and the air frigid but nice against your rosy cheeks. You always dread when the winter came, needless to say that you've fell a time or two on the slippery sidewalks of New Jersey in the middle of January. But that didn't stop you, though your tailbone suffered for a month or two.

But this morning's air felt different.

You couldn't necessarily put a finger on it, but it just had an off-putting feeling that made the hairs on the back of your neck rise.  Maybe it was the obnoxiously loud barking dog yanking on it's bound chains or the screeching pussy cat settled in a tin garbage can, it all just felt eerie and ominous.

Subconsciously, you decided to take a breather break and have a seat on a nearby bench. Your chest rose and fell at a quick pace, much like your running, as you sat yourself down, soon to study the area around you. Tame Impala soothingly played through the earphones engulfed by your ears, a soft humming of the lyrics coming from your own mouth as your breaths began to steady. It was incredibly nice out, with barely any wind and a chilled atmosphere surrounding your active body was the perfect mixture for the start of a day. It felt almost too nice..

Yes, you appreciated the lyrics and productions of Tame Impala's songs, but if it weren't for those soft rhythms, you would've heard the obvious crackle of a broken, stepped on stick not too far behind you. You would've heard the soft breaths that heaved and hoed around you. Even the ever so quiet chuckle of a presumable man's presence hidden in the creeping darkness. So when this dark figure approached your sound persona, you had no clue. It came to you as a surprise when the sudden pressure of a cloth clashed against both of you airways. Only out of fright did you largely inhale the calming scent that made your eyelids droop. You faded in and out of consciousness, remembering the little details you could grasp at the few times your eyes were open. One moment you felt as though you were quite a bit taller, maybe thrown over a giants shoulder. And another, where the cushiony seats of a fine smelling vehicle wrapped you in a warmth you didn't know your body needed. But after hearing the faint click of a seatbelt, your body was limp and useless, so your eyes permanently shut out of fatigue and tiredness.

-

It feels like a dream, it has to be a dream.

To wake up in such a beautifully furnished room surrounded by a puffy duvet and comfy pillows laid beneath your head was far from what you last remembered—which wasn't much at all. You remember waking up, getting dressed and heading out for a run, as usual, but the rest was too foggy and it made your overbearing headache worsen. So instead of focusing on how you may have gotten in such a lovely room, you exchanged your thoughts to where your are in the meantime. It was no secret that you were definitely settled in someone else's bed, distinguishably a man's since the colors of the room were neutral and gray. Tall glass windows that cover the entirety of the wall on your left where showcasing the glimmering rise of the sun, but it wasn't very bright considering the drowsy overcast that hung around.

It kinda fit your mood, actually.

But nonetheless you needed to figure out how to exactly leave the nice comfort of the mattress you were sprawled across. Though, the attempt to leave was absurd. Your limbs ached as much as your head does, which is a great amount, and it felt near impossible to even lift your head in the slightest. So with a sigh of defeat, you retire back to your former position, except this time there was the view of the unmoving ceiling.

Contrary to your aches and pains, your body jolted upward when the loud, intrusive sound of a heavy door opening invaded the large space around you. You didn't dare look to your right, towards what could be the reason you were in such a place. The spaced out footsteps that smacked against the marble flooring, due to lack of footwear, became near and you just couldn't resist the slight opening of your eyes.

Low and behold, an angel of a man stood before you, with a sheepish grin and a button nose. He was shirtless, thankfully, but his lower half was covered by a pair of dark sweatpants that nicely shaped his long legs for him. His chiseled abs and biceps that were proudly on display almost seemed like a magazine cover, even his narrow jawline contributed to beauty. You suddenly felt your eyes widen and your body heat rise extremely quick. Oh god, his glossy hazel eyes that scoured your sleep-ridden face made your core almost want to explode. Your cheeks turned red by the immediate aroused thoughts that clouded your brain. Never did you ever think you'd find a capturer so handsome..

"Morning, sweetheart.." And his voice, ooh, it cut the air with a deep masculinity that you weren't even sure if you could handle any more of it. It took a second before you could finally come to your senses and realize that this man could possibly be the one that had taken you when you were off guard and oblivious to the plans of someone or some man.

You briefly coughed before announcing, "I'm not your sweetheart, sir.." It felt weird talking, almost foreign. Your throat was dry and scratchy while your mouth was the same, it was hard to even move your tongue, but you managed your sassy remark. "Not sir, Daddy." He corrected with a stern look. In an instant your entire face was engulfed by a dark red that made your eyes water with surprise and shock.

Daddy?

You've never thought to call anybody this absurd name, not even did you call your own father daddy. It never occurred to your liking, but this struck different. The way his lips formed the word and how his voice rasped made your body fall into a spell of tinglings and your core had never ached so bad— you were in need to at least touch it, or relieve the consuming pain it withheld. "Excuse me?" Your shivery voice belted, though it contrasted against your lingering thoughts and bodily needs. "You heard me, sweetheart. If I hear you call me anything but Daddy, you'll be ruined and punished. Understand?" He was stern and sexy at the exact same time, and your head was in a whirlwind. While one part of your wanted to bolt up and slap him, the other majority wanted to test him, maybe actually make him punish you.

"Oh, but sir? I'm not exactly sure if I do understand.." Oh god, the fury that came across his face when the lack of a name was present in your little sentence. You almost thought he'd kill you right then and there, but the tightness in his jaw slacked and a smirk rose on his lips. A scream was caught in your throat when you felt his large hands lift you out of the overwhelming comfort of the duvet, and sprawl you across his knees with your ass fixed high up in the air. At that moment, you noticed the black, silky nightgown you've never seen or purchased before, that clings to your body quite nicely. But the thought vanished when the same pair of hands lifted the ends of the gown and scrunched it all the to your chest. You gasped when his fingers lightly touched your regrettably soaked folds before he pulled the matching black silk thong down your slightly shaking legs.

"It's clear as fucking daylight. Maybe you need a lesson on how to actually fucking listen to instruction, yeah?" He growled while his hand clutches your right ass cheek with a firm grip. His anger had only increased the slippery mess that your core withheld, but you could never admit to that. "I'm quite sure I know how to take fucking instructions S—A-aah!" The pain of an uncalled smack against your ass silenced you from any snood remark you could muster. "Better shut that loud fuckin' mouth of yours before it gets you in some more trouble." He seethed, repeating his actions, but the harmful truth to it was that you, in fact, enjoy the pleasureful pain he was proceeding with, one slap at a time until both of your cheeks were a rosy red and your nipples were sharpened to their farthest extent. God, you never wanted to be fucked more than you do in this moment.

But he had other plans.

Although, the plans didn't exactly involve you. He roughly picked you up and laid you back onto the bed, the sight of your hazy eyes and the longing look on your face almost made him want to fuck you right then and there, but he sadly restrained. He swiftly walked away, to where he presumably came from in the first place, but he stopped mid-step to turn around and demand one last thing.

"Don't you dare fucking touch yourself, sweetheart. Or you'll be sorry you even came by those flimsy fingers of yours." His last words had you feeling worse than before and made you want to "break the rules," because whatever he would do to you would be ten times better if he were mad, right?

to be continued...

(masterlist)

[disneychannie]

sing for you | d.kyungsoo

pairings: kyungsoo x female!reader

genre: fluff, nonidol!au, slice of life!au, established relationship, shy!kyungsoo, baker!kyungsoo

warnings: mild swearing but nothing intense

word count: 3.09k words

you’ve dated quite a handful of men before kyungsoo and you’ve got to say that kyungsoo was really none like the rest.

he was more preserved and preferred to keep his social status lower. yes, he was a baker which means he constantly see strangers coming in out of his bakery but he has never made it a big of a deal. even though he barely promotes his bakery, there seemed to be quite a good amount of customers daily. don’t exactly know if it was because of the cute owner with the big eyes or that his goods are actually tasty. he prefers to think the latter.

then when you met him, you weren’t that surprised when he wasn’t that touch-y or affectionate with you. to say that you were shocked was an understatement. when you first became friends, (through jongin, his best friend and one of your good friends), you could tell how he wasn’t the type to always initiate the conversation but he does like to say his input on some things once in a while. for some reason that made you attracted to him though you were kinda the total opposite. 

but hey, opposites attract right?

when you first started dating it wasn’t that awkward to your dismay. surprisingly, he was the first one to ask you out. not just you, who were surprised but jongin too. he always thought that you were the one who was gonna do all the work. he didn’t mind you being affectionate towards him, if you’ve ever decided to kiss his cheek, or a random back hug, he would accept it. 

just, he’s not use to being out of his bubble but he hopes that you know he loves you too.

-

it was 12am and an hour after closing time so kyungsoo was busy tidying up the bakery. though he refuses to accept it he acknowledges why people calls him a neat freak. it takes him at least 2 hours to make sure his small bakery is clean and spotless. he does this every single day and he doesn’t seem to get tired of it.

he was moping the floor when he heard the bell of the main entrance ringing, which signals that someone has entered his bakery. he doesn’t bother to stop what he was doing tho, cause he knows that it was you. usually, after a shift at the hospital, which was conveniently the same time where kyungsoo normally finishes cleaning, you would stop by at the bakery so that you could walk with him back to your shared apartment. 

“kyungsoooooo” you exclaimed skipping happily towards him with the biggest smile on your face. kyungsoo rested the mop against one of the tables to come and greet you. you engulfed him in a big hug immediately and out of instinct he would hug you back. “how was the shift?” he asked, going back to moping. 

you sighed dramatically as you sat down on the nearest chair. “it was sooo tiring soo, i might as well stop being a nurse and come work here with you,” you said with a smirk on your face. kyungsoo just laughed and shook his head. “the last thing i would do is let you even stand 10 cm away from a chopping board, love,” kyungsoo joked. you fake gasped but laugh a long with him. 

“i’m seriously so hungry, the hospital cafeteria served pork cutlets which i thought would taste good but ended up tasting like utter shit” you sighed plopping your head on the table which caused the sound of the impact to resonate throughout the small bakery. 

“i know you would say that, i have two sausage rolls and a red velvet cake for you on the counter,” he said simply, nodding his head towards the counter as he continued to mop the floor. you squealed excitedly and made your way towards the counter to claim your goods from the countertop. “thank you so much my baby honey bunch i love youuuu,” you said dramatically making kissing sounds as you head back to your chair before to start eating the pastries. kyungsoo blushed at your pet names for him and only replied with a small welcome. he wished he was able to call you by cute pet names too but he was too shy to do so.

you took a bite of the sausage roll and made a sound to indicate how good it was. “this is so good man,” your voice mumbled as your mouth was full of the pastry. “eat with your mouth closed y/n, you’re gonna choke on your food,” he warned before heading to the back room to put the mop away after finally getting all the corners of the bakery clean. you only made a face to him and continued on eating your food.

it was the little things that kyungsoo does to show you that he loves you when he has a hard time showing it. like this for example. he knew how bad the food at your hospital was and reminds himself to make some extras for you a half an hour before you arrived so it would still be nice and warm when you make your arrival. he immensely knows how much you prefer his food than anyone else’s, well, your mom’s cooking comes first but kyungsoo has a 89.8% chance on taking that spot from your mom.

- 

it was a week before your 4 year anniversary with kyungsoo and you couldn’t be more ecstatic about it. you already bought and even made some homemade gifts you knew kyungsoo would love. 

while you were anticipating for the day to come by, kyungsoo was shitting himself.

he had no clue what to get you for your anniversary this year. he was the worst at giving you gifts and always opted on cooking something extravagant or making top tier cakes or pastries just for you but he was scared that you would grow tired at his way of giving gifts and would eventually get tired of him too. you’ve always reassured that him cooking was already enough (which you genuinely meant) but he obviously had doubts.

he has thought about getting you jewellery before but he knew you weren’t the type to enjoy wearing jewellery much but you wouldn’t push away the thought of having a nice necklace, right? 

so here he was, at jongin’s house currently dying inside as he complains to his dearest friend about what to get you for your anniversary.  

“i’m about to go bonkers jongin, i’ve gotten her the same thing each year and i feel like if i do it again this year she’s going to break with me on our anniversary,” he said all in one breath, and may haps on the brink of tears. “wow you truly are a simp for her huh,” jongin mumbled before continuing. “i have a quite decent suggestion but i just don’t think you would like the idea of it,” 

kyungsoo shot his head up and grabbed jongin by the shoulder shaking him with determination in his eyes. “i’ll take anything you have, i mean it,”. startled by his action, jongin stuttered before talking. “well first of all, let go of me,” he said taking his friend’s hands off his shoulders. “you could try writing a song for y/n and sing it for her” jongin said shrugging. 

you never knew that kyungsoo could sing but jongin knows. back in high school, kyungsoo use to join the choir and school band and was always chosen as the lead singer for each of them. but as uni came, he became a bit shy to show his voice off and only opted on not telling anyone about it, including you. it’s not that he didn’t want you to know but he thought that you wouldn’t like his singing and think that he was a full of himself. 

“i don’t know about that man, what do i even sing about plus, would she even like my singing voice?” kyungsoo said suddenly going glum. jongin hated seeing his best friend at this state but he undeniably believe that this was a great idea.

“don’t even start soo, you know that i know that your voice is one of the finest out there, still think that you could’ve joined an entertainment company and become a singer instead,” kyungsoo nudged his friend upon what he said and jongin just laughed. “i’m serious though man, you could write about how much you love her but is too shy to show it to her,” he suggested. “you could even ask jongdae to help you with the lyrics and chanyeol to help you with the composing,” jongin continued.

“that’s actually not a bad idea,” kyungsoo mumbled. “thanks jongin, i don’t know why i’ve never came up with the idea,” he said gratefully to his friend. “no problem dude, the only way you’ll pay back to me is by giving me a niece,” he joked, which earned a hard slap on the head by kyungsoo.

-

kyungsoo spent the whole week with jongdae and chanyeol trying to come up with something good in just a week. he didn’t tell you what he was doing obviously and faked that chanyeol had just gone through a massive break up and he kyungsoo had to check up on him making sure that he didn’t do anything stupid. you were gullible and actually believed him to the point you went to the flower store to buy flowers for chanyeol and had kyungsoo to pass it to him. he felt bad about lying to you but in order to give you a special anniversary gift, he had to take one for the team.

he couldn’t thank jongdae and chanyeol enough for helping him to compose and write the song that he promised to give them free pastries from his bakery for free for 2 months. his business was shaking at the thought of that but anything for you.

the day finally came and he was nervous as fuck. he still opted on buying you the new necklace though as he thought that it would at least be something you would carry around for a long time. he kept practicing at the bakery as he was making the pastries and since he was to engrossed in practicing he forgot that there were customers in his shop but thank god he got positive feedback and some of the older customers even told him to sing at retirement homes for them which he didn’t know if it was a compliment or not but he counted it as one.

on the day of the anniversary kyungsoo had packed you a nice breakfast and for one lunch as well so that you didn’t have to eat the nasty hospital food on this special day. he even gave you a kiss on the lips and a big hug before you left for work, wishing you a happy anniversary and a good day at work before letting you go.

he decided on having one of his staff to close his store down which he usually doesn’t ask them too but thank god that they were more than happy to see their hardworking boss to give them the responsibility and for once go back home early. before he went back he stopped by chanyeol’s house to burrow his guitar for the night. once he reached home he hid the guitar in the store room and started getting ready for dinner. he thought that he would get the recipe for your favourite dish from your mother since you’ve told him that you were home-sick lately and thought that this was the perfect opportunity to bring a piece of your home to seoul. 

as he was finish setting the plates, he heard the front door open which indicated that you were home. “i’m home honeyyyy” you said dragging out the Y. you dropped your bag and jacket down on the sofa and crushed your lovely boyfriend with a big hug. “is this [your favourite food]?” you asked and observed the mouth-watering dishes on the table. “yeah, i even asked your mom for the recipe since you said that you’ve been missing home lately,” he said. you started to tear up and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “thank you so much soo, i’m gonna eat this all up till my body explodes,” you said as a tear slip from your eye and kyungsoo laughed. 

“come sit down, let’s eat,” he said and the both of you ate the delicious food he made as you talked the night away. you were talking about the patients you had to handle that day and kyungsoo took the time to admire you. you look absolutely stunning to him and he never stops thinking about how lucky he is to have such a beautiful, hard working and driven you are. you were never scared to voice your opinions out and was clearly the epitome of brave. that’s one of the thousand features that he loved about you. the thought of how brave you are was even sexy to him in some ways but we won’t talk about that.

after the meal it was finally time for the gift exchanging. you got him a new watch with his name engraved on the strap as well as new pairs of airpods with his name engraved on the casing thought you didn’t know that kyungsoo could sing, you knew how much he loves music. “y/n, this must be super expensive, thank you baby but now i feel bad,” he said, grateful that you would spend so much money on him. “don’t worry about it love, you mean the world to me i don’t care that i spend extra money if it was for you,” kyungsoo couldn’t help but when ahead and give you a chaste kiss on your lips and hugging you. “thank you y/n,” you smiled in return. 

it was now kyungsoo’s turn to give you his gift and he was beyond nervous. “i actually got you something as well,” he said. he went over to the kitchen where he hid the necklace behind the sugar jar and went over to hand it to you. “you didn’t have to soo, you worked hard cooking for us,” you pouted but he still passed te box to you. you opened the box to see a beautiful necklace with a small delicate star pendant on it. you gasped upon the beauty of the necklace and turned to your boyfriend. “soo, this is literally perfect,” you said. “i’m glad you liked it, i took almost an hour trying to find the perfect one,” he said. you laughed at that and he took the necklace from you to place it around your neck. “thank you baby,”. shit this was it. “i uh, actually have one more thing to give to you,” he said 

“what is it?” you asked curiously. kyungsoo then went to the store room to retrieve the guitar and brought it to the table. your eyes were as wide as your mouth was when you saw what he pulled out from the room. “where did you get that?” you asked. “i burrowed it from chanyeol, actually i wrote a song for you. well, jongdae and chanyeol helped me with it but i did most of the lyric writing,” he said and you kept quiet as you still didn’t know what to say, till realisation hits you. 

“you can sing?” you asked, shocked. kyungsoo suddenly got shy and placed the guitar on his lap and had his fingers ready to strum and throat ready to sing.

With my old guitar I’ll take all the confessions I couldn’t say All the things I swallowed inside And tell you right now as if I made it into a song Just listen, I’ll sing for you 

kyungsoo started off with a shaky voice cause this was the first time you have ever heard him sing but as he continued on he became more engrossed in the song. 

I love you so much but I don’t tell you that I love you It’s awkward, my pride won’t allow me I’ll take courage and tell you today But just listen without much thought, I’ll sing for you

It’s kind of funny, I only have you But sometimes, I’m worse than a stranger to you When in truth, I just wanna put my head in your arms And be held by you

you were about to cry halfway through the song because one, he had such a nice voice and two, it was because you knew that kyungsoo had trouble trying to express himself to you though you could tell by his actions that he loves you, you didn’t know it was to the point that he would make a song just to tell you how much he loves you.

When today passes, I might get awkward again But I wanna tell you today, so listen

The way you cry, the way you smile Do you know how much you mean to me? Words I wanna say, words I lost I’ll confess to you though it might sound awkward Just listen, I’ll sing for you, sing for you Just listen, I’ll sing for you

just as he finished you started to clap enthusiastically. “soo, this is absolutely beautiful,” you said, hand over your mouth still trying to wrap his head around the fact that your boyfriend had such a wonderful voice.

“do you like it?” he asked, hands already sweating. “like it? babe i LOVE it, please sing more for me in the future” you said emphasising the love. he then set the guitar down and took your hands in his and made you stand up with him.

“i know i may not be the best at being vocal about how much i appreciate you but i hope through the song you would understand how i actually fell and how much you mean to me and that i love you,” he said.

you laughed through the tears and kissed your boyfriend. he kissed back with just as much passion. the both of you pulled away and rested your foreheads together. 

“i love you kyungsoo,” you said. “and i love you more,” he replied placing another kiss on your forehead.

“so all this while chanyeol didn’t go through a breakup? he was just helping you with the song? you questioned. 

“that man doesn’t even have a girlfriend,”

[j3tsabyss]

Here we go, my thoughts on Outsider

Kingdom-This one makes me get so pumped up and this one is like awesome. I just love the instrumental, his singing, the lyrics… The only compliant I have is I wish this went longer because this goes way too hard to be only 2:57

Can’t Break Me Down-ok I have no idea why but the moment I heard this song, it instantly became my most favourite song. Something about it is just catchy and just makes me feel hyped. Also I love the “but please forgive these souls, who turn diamonds into coal” which also just now reminded me of a certain Marina lyric lmao. I also just love the bridge and the lyric video just looks very nice too. This is probably my most favourite song from Outsider

Lil Tim McGraw-This song is pretty silly and it’s not bad and I’ve already said it before but I still CAN’T GET OVER THE FACT IT LITERALLY SOUNDS LIKE RASPUTIN. IT LITERALLY DOES LIKE HELLO?? Someone needs to create a mashup of these songs

Good Mourning-To be honest this one doesn’t really interest me. I mean I do like the instrumental and his singing but Idk this one doesn’t really interest me. Also why is this called Good Mourning despite him saying Good Morning in the actual lyrics lol. Although the song ending on a door closing sorta makes me emotional somehow. The single cover strikes a chord in me too. Idk why I like the cover art more than the song lol

Take It from Me-Wow that beginning sounded very beautiful. The chorus sounds catchy despite the lyrics sounding like it’s warning you, I like that contrast. This instrumental lowkey reminds me of another song but whatever song it is Idk lmao. I just love this one

My Own Worst Enemy-This sounds way more energetic than I thought. I also didn’t expect the “woo hoo woo”s throughout the song. I do like the fast pace of the song it makes me pumped up. Also I love the brief reference to Kingdom, if that was intentional lmao

Save Me from Myself-This one… also started off more energetic than I thought?? And is it just me or does Charlie even sound close to J-Dog in this song or am I imagining things?? Like if you imagine really hard it almost sounds like it’s J singing… or maybe it’s just me. I also love the “do what you want go” part at the end.

Pray for Me-Dang this started off beautiful. I especially love the “aaaa”’s. “I’m the ghost I can’t outrun” especially hit me. “Searching for the beauty but we’ve lost the beholder” that lyric really stirred my emotions a lot too holy frick. Also I LOVED the reference to Another Way Out (if that was intentional). This sounds so graceful I think this is my most favourite song from this album next to Can’t Break Me Down

The Ghost-I love the chorus it sounds amazing. “I lie awake counting the minutes and all the mistakes” this lyric sounds great too. This song just sounds so good�� It makes me lowkey think of Ghost from DOTD but maybe it’s because of the title lmao

In the Mouth of Madness-I just realized the title has mouth in it. Anyway it started off rather mellow until Charlie bursts in with “OH NO”, rather fitting. Almost reminiscent of Porcelain starting off with J3T saying “cocaine”. “THE NAMELESS. THE SHAMELESS. WHO TEAR DOWN THE FAMOUS” part kinda goes hard. While it was kinda odd at first to hear the chorus being somewhat calm to suddenly becoming harsh during the verses if anything that dissonance makes it rather interesting

The Outsider-Haha now there’s another example of Marina and a HU guy sharing a song title. The instrumental sounds fantastic tho and I love the chorus and the “hmmm”s. His singing also sounds great in this. I also just like the sorrowful tone of the song. I also love the “tell me what you want me to be” being heard over the chorus at the end of the song

In conclusion, I think some of the tracks on Charlie’s solo album are rather short but despite that a lot of these tracks make good use of its time. The Outsider slaps

[slipping-through-my-fingertips]

mad woman

part of my folklore series

Summary: Kurt is concerned that Santana has lost her voice; Blaine helps her get it back. 

Notes: I really feel that this song embodies Santana. I can’t explain it but it just reminds me so much of her. HAPPY 1 YEAR OF FOLKLORE!!!!!

AO3

Anytime he heard Santana singing in the shower, Kurt wondered why she gave up performing. Sure, she had the Spotlight Diner shifts but she was seldom a soloist. More likely, Santana opted to be backup vocals unless she was feuding with Rachel that day. It was like glee all over again. Her voice silenced or drowned out by the attention seekers. She didn’t fight for it as she had during her short-lived time as a member of the Treble Tones. Hell, she wasn’t into the music as much as Elliott and Dani were when One Tree Hill had been a quintet. 

Kurt was worried about her. Though she’d deny it, Santana loved to sing. She needed glee just as much as the rest of them. The problem was since she moved to New York it was like she lost her voice. 

He remembers feeling like that when he first arrived. Without NYADA, Kurt was another drop in the huge sea of city folk. No longer did he stand out for his bold fashion choices or being gay. Here, the things that once made him eccentric were just another thing people tried to ignore as they went about their days. No one in the city had time to pick on or compliment a newcomer from a small town in Ohio. 

At first, Kurt liked it because the fear of being beaten for being himself had completely vanished within a few weeks of moving. That was all behind him. Way back in Lima. After a few months, the novelty wore off. He actually started to miss the stares from his classmates at McKinley High. 

He hated to admit it but Rachel may have been right when she said they were similar. Sometimes, Kurt felt like Tinkerbell too. He needed applause to live. Craved the attention. Then, he got it at the Winter Showcase. Madame Tibideaux handed the limelight to him on a silver platter. The entirety of the NYADA staff got to hear him sing. 

Of course, he could’ve thrown up because he was so nervous and completely unprepared. Yet, it had been exhilarating. That rush of being on stage with a captive audience. Combined with his attendance to NYADA being on the line, Kurt hadn’t felt this energized since he last saw Blaine in person. 

None of that seemed to faze Santana Lopez. 

Honestly, after pulling her into the band and having her quit, recommending the evening dance classes at NYADA, and taking her out to Callbacks on weekends, Kurt was out of ideas. She refused to get on stage. But he saw that small smile on her face when she hummed under her breath when she thought no one was listening. No matter how vehemently she denied it, she missed singing. So, Kurt called Blaine. 

“I don’t know, Kurt, it’s kinda hard to help when I’m not seeing the situation for myself.” Blaine sighs, likely bummed he can’t solve this. 

Kurt practically saw him pouting through the phone. Thank god, they weren’t on Skype. He hated seeing his boyfriend looking so defeated when he wasn’t there in person to kiss the top of his head. 

Blaine had become the self-proclaimed advice-giver of the New Directions since he transferred. 

He helped Mike Chang fix his relationship with Tina when they had a week-long fight about only eating at Asian restaurants on their date nights. Tina had been pissed. No simple apology was going to cut it.  Blaine single-handedly compiled a list of Tina’s favorite places to eat and added a few of his personal favorite date night places. 

When Finn would forget special dates and Rachel got fussy about how Finn never uses the couple calendars she made for them, Blaine stepped in and helped him set up a reminder alert on his phone. 

And there was that whole fiasco about Miss Pillsbury not-so-subtly hinting that she wanted to get engaged. Blaine was able to straighten Mr. Schue out pretty quickly that day. For the life of him, that man didn’t understand why Miss Pillsbury was acting so weird. 

“You don’t have to be so roundabout, you know?” Kurt told him. 

“Huh.” Playing dumb, typical.

“Just come up to the city, Blaine,” he said. “I know you want to ask.” 

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, boyfriend of mine,” Blaine huffed. “I have zero ulterior motives while being completely unhelpful to your current predicament.” 

“Uh-huh, I’m sure that’s the case. I’ll see you next week.” 

“Unless Cooper can find an earlier flight!” Blaine exclaimed. 

He had been using up the countless number of frequent flyer miles his older brother had racked up to make weekend trips to New York. After Cooper discovered their long-distance relationship (likely after one too many late-night calls from Blaine missing his boyfriend), he offered them to Blaine. 

Blaine arrived the following Friday. McKinley had some teacher’s day so Blaine was able to hop on a morning flight. He was waiting in the loft when Kurt finished classes for the day. 

“Okay, we’re going to Callbacks tonight,” Kurt said, removing his coat. 

“Hello to you too,” Blaine replied, standing up from the sofa. “How are you, Blaine? How was the flight, Blaine? I missed you so much, Blaine.” 

Kurt rolled his eyes and ignored his boyfriend. 

“This isn’t about you, Blaine,” he said, “it’s about Santana.” 

“Wow, Blaine, you look great! Aren’t those my yellow pants you’re borrowing?” Blaine crossed his arms. 

“Hey!” Kurt exclaimed. “Those are my pants!” 

“Yeah.” Blaine blushed. “I rolled them so they’d fit better.”

Kurt marched over to him and knocked him onto the couch. “You look hot in my clothes.” 

“I look better out of them.” 

Instead of verbally agreeing, Kurt unbuttoned his yellow pants. Blaine was quick to keep up removing his own shirt and attempting to pull off Kurt’s as well. However, Blaine was sitting on the couch and Kurt was kneeling between his legs. It was proving to be rather difficult a task. 

“Kurt…” Blaine groaned, “come up here with me.” 

“I can’t very well do what I want up there, Blaine.” 

He sat up straighter. “Is this payment for not properly greeting me because I’ll take a blowjob over ‘how do you do’ any day?” 

Kurt pressed his face into Blaine’s naked thigh. “So long as you aren’t accepting blowjobs from anyone but me.”

“No, I would…” Kurt licked around Blaine’s hip. “Never.” 

Within seconds, Blaine’s head was fully tipped over the back of the couch and the only thing coming from his mouth were moans. He couldn’t even force the word ‘Kurt’ from his lips. When Kurt finally gave in and decided Blaine had received efficient teasing, he sucked at the tip until Blaine screamed his name. 

They were quick to clean up their mess afterward, unsure of when the girls would be home. It was one thing to have sex in the living room, it was a whole other to get caught. Though, Kurt figured Rachel owned him after Brody paraded around naked for the few months they dated.  

“Okay, now that we’ve defiled Santana’s bed, can we focus on helping her?” 

“Step one, don’t tell her about this,” Blaine suggested. 

Kurt slapped Blaine’s chest. 

“Ow.” 

“Be helpful. You said if you were in New York, you’d be able to help better. So do it.” 

“FIne,” Blaine replied, “no Callbacks. I have a better idea.” 

Turns out that idea was a speciality club night of Alternative Tunes. 

“It’s open mic. There’s gonna be singers, poets, magicians, and I heard their harpist is opening tonight,” Blaine explained, as they waited in line. 

“Is that why she brought your violin?” Rachel questioned. 

“Yup!” Blaine held up his black case. “I haven’t played to an audience of more than one in a while.” 

Kurt smiled at him. He loved when Blaine performed just for him almost as much as he enjoyed watching Blaine in front of an audience. Something about his face just lit up on stage. The same way Santana’s did in front of a microphone. 

“As much as I love talking about violins…” She rolled her eyes, “is there alcohol at this place?” Santana asked, “because that’s like 90% the point of going out.” 

“Yes, there’s alcohol,” Kurt confirmed. 

He told Blaine they’d need at least two drinks into Santana before they brought up performing to her. Which proved true. After nursing two long island ice teas, Santana was finally talking to Blaine about being on stage. He hadn’t gone up yet and she was teasing him.

“Come on, you brought your own instrument and everything,” she said. “Give us a show and tell.” 

With that, Blaine stood up and walked to the stage. No one was in line so he went right up after the juggler finished. He tapped the microphone and introduced himself.

“I’d like to dedicate this first one to my boyfriend.” 

He mouthed an “I love you” towards Kurt, who blew a kiss back. 

Then, he was lost in the strings. The next song he did was for Santana. Blaine didn’t announce it or anything but he watched her face when he could during the progression of the song. When he finished his set, Blaine thanked the audience. Kurt whistled and clapped, Rachel was jumping up and down while screaming for an encore, and when Blaine was back at the table Santana offered to buy him a drink. 

Without Kurt even realizing it, the next performer on stage was Santana. Just her. She didn’t introduce herself as Blaine did, the piano music just started to play and then she was singing. 

“What do you sing on your drive home?

Do you see my face in the neighbor's lawn?

Does she smile?

Or does she mouth, ‘Fuck you forever’?” 

Kurt couldn’t say why exactly but the song suited her well. Santana was always one to command an audience when she soloed. Soft instrumental with harsher lyrics was always her style. 

While Santana had the audience and Kurt captivated, Blaine bounced back over to their table. He had two drinks in his hand. 

“For you,” he said, passing Kurt a mojito. 

In return, Kurt pecked his check. He really was so lucky. Then, his full attention went back to the stage. 

 “Every time you call me crazy, I get more crazy

What about that?

And when you say I seem angry, I get more angry

And there's nothing like a mad woman

What a shame she went mad

No one likes a mad woman

You made her like that”

 As Santana finished her song, Kurt and Rachel turned to Blaine, who was positively beaming. He’d done exactly what he had told Kurt he could do. 

“How?” Rachel asked. 

“I’m a smooth talker,” Blaine said with a smirk. 

Kurt rolled his eyes.

 If anything, his boyfriend was a clumsy mess. Romantic and adorable? Yes. Tripped over his words? Constantly. 

“Come on, Blaine, give it up,” Kurt said. 

“Magicians never reveal their secrets.” 

Rachel huffed. She had a glint in her eyes suggesting she wasn’t giving up. Rachel rarely did when she really wanted something. Kurt had a theory that she could pester anyone enough to get what she wanted. Example A, a ticket to NYADA by tracking down the head of admissions and inviting her to Chicago to watch a show choir competition.  

Before Kurt could tell Rachel to drop it, Santana returned. She had a new drink in her hand. 

“Compliments of the lady in red,” she told them. 

“Excellent song choice,” Kurt said.

“Blaine’s idea.” she shrugged, sipping her drink. 

Blaine was still beaming. 

“It’s perfect for her, isn’t it?” Blaine replied, “When I first heard it I knew I had to hear Santana do a cover of it.” 

Santana winked at him from across the table. 

“What is going on with you two?” Rachel asked. “The devil incarnate and the sun from teletubbies should not get along this well.” 

Santana shrugged. “He’s besties with Britt.” 

“It’s true.” Blaine nodded.  “She even called us the Sunshine Twins.” 

Kurt’s eyes drift to Blaine’s—his—yellow pants. “Yeah, that fits.” 

[trials-by-blood]

Umm...I always see Yautja being paired up with someone strong and skilled and stuff. I was wondering if you could write something with any Yautja being with someone who is shy, meek, and a little chubby. And when they're alone or think they are they sing along to music and dance even though they can't.XD Sorry if I'm asking too much or anything...

Fegris, the dump world where the unwanted are left to rot and crumble.

  This was once a world where the yautja would crash their obsolete vessels so that they could not fall into use by the other space faring races. Ships were not the only things they left behind. Exiles, heretics, or anyone who upset the balance of their society were also left to wither, but not all did.

  In the following ages, other peoples would use Fegris as a place to forget their burdens. The Faceless Ones unloaded their collected specimens here when science deemed that their time of usefulness had ended.

  Now generations of humans, yautja, clade, mind eaters and all manner of invasive species build their cities here, clinging to half remembered mockeries of their mother cultures. Here, all Forgotten busy themselves mining ore, seeking pleasurable escape, stripping precious metals from ancient wrecks, gambling, farming, extorting, building, destroying, breeding, killing.

  One of the few honest livings to be made anywhere, the food service industry, prospers here. Organic people must eat, so this work will never die.

  Heather, an old name from an old world no one can recall, worked for her room and board at what would best resemble a mall food court. It wasn't a particularly hazardous occupation, so long as you don't taste-test the food or stay long after the coalition of retail outlets close.

(OOC: Okay this ran WAY longer than I anticipated and I had to make the choice to cap it off at 2,500ish words. I’m sorry if this TOTALLY misses the vibe you were hoping for, I kinda got carried away. Oops)

  Once, she'd made that mistake. Even her cold hearted rock-sucker of a boss told her not to bother finishing the cleaning if it meant staying after hours, but she hadn't listened. Heather hadn't wanted to leave her work half done and risk losing her job and newly acquired living space on her first day. So she'd stayed to wipe down the counters and load the trolly cart with the leftovers for the cooler. The reward for a job well finished was stepping out into the market spaces abandoned by customers and workers but repopulated by the local Yautja Bad-bloods and their rivals, The Cranium Skaggers. They were working through a territorial dispute.

  The Skaggers were human, but barely. They injected enhancement serums, most barely tested, directly into their brain tissues via an implanted port installed at the top of their shaved heads.

  Heather had stepped out of her safe enclosed little work area into a street brawl, and was pinned between the doors she'd only just locked and the carnal violence of the city. One of the yautja, who's vision was... not like hers, must have mistaken her bright heat signature and rapid heart rhythm for a Cranium Skagger.

  Oh, she tried to run when she saw him move on her with his unhuman, talon tipped hand outstretched to seize her. Heather had dropped her bag, the keys, the silly hat which matched with her uniform, and she ran but he was fast, so horridly fast for something so big, heavy, and grieved with bulky armor.

  It only took him three strides, thud thud thud, to reach her and tangle his terrible claws into the back of her long tunic. She was thrown, landing hard, disoriented and crying out as deep, raw pain shot up her left hip and into her pelvis. Something was broken.

  She saw him, her attacker, and the blades attached to his dominant arm glistening with the blood of Cranium Skagger's, but she didn't even think to cover her face. All she could do was scream for help.

  Her plea was answered. A great clawed fist smashed across the Yautja's mask with such force that his yowling face was revealed as his helm was torn from him. Next, skulls collided with a clapping of flesh so sharp, Heather thought someone had cracked a whip above her.

  One Yautja had begun to fight another. That was when she did the sensible thing, curling her arms over her head and making herself as small as she could.

  She survived that night. That battle resolved itself as she lied on the ground trembling and weeping in terror, but her savior stuck around after all the others had left. He put her things next to her, and waited until her boss came to collect her and get her help. The yautja must have gone through her communicator for her contacts.

  The fractured hip was easily and painlessly repaired but the procedure had completely drained her savings. To her shock and mild horror, someone had wired to her account credits in the exact amount to replace what she'd spent at the Urgent Intervention Facility to fix her leg.

  When she returned to work, who was there at the food court? The yautja who'd stayed that night. He stood out like a broken finger, the cleaned hand bones and torn out skull ports of Skaggers littered about what he wore like grim badges of honor. The sight of him watching her enter her workplace sent a chill up Heather's spine.

  This kept up for weeks, until The Indecent was months behind her. She'd go to work, and he'd be there, just watching. Heather's co-workers weren't fans of her admirer. Yagon, the young clade boy who took the morning shift before her was the least fond of the yautja lingering around.

  Today, as Heather stepped past her bad-blood observer who had decided to lean against the wall next to the employee entrance, Yagon was peeking out from the door to keep a watchful eye on her as she came in for her shift.

  Yagon chittered irritably, antennae vibrating as he took off his smock and hat so he could scratch his double claws at the translator hanging on a lanyard around his the joining of his head and thorax.

  The voice emanating from the little box was monotone and purposefully slow so that it could be heard clearly as he continued chirping and tweeting.

  "You know what that creep does all day waiting for you to come in? He listens to recordings of you singing on your shifts."

  Heather cringed. That was creepy. She'd had a feeling that he'd been able to hear her sing to herself from where he usually hung around, but she never thought he'd record her. It felt incredibly invasive. She briefly imagined confronting him about it, but thought better of it. He could crush her skull between his hands as if it were a brittle little Skitterling egg. She hunched her shoulders and hugged herself a bit.

  Yagon then turned and dropped the claws of his primary arms on her shoulders.

  "I can file an anonymous report for you. Please? I don't want to come in to work one day and find out something happened to you."

  Heather sighed, trying not to vividly imagine how an exiled yautja might retaliate to that.

  "N- no, I think that would just make things worse, Yagon," Heather tried not to whimper.

  Yagon finished folding his smock and hat into his bag and left, but not before offering twice more to file that report.

  A few hours passed and Heather caught herself singing a handful of times as she fell into her work routine but always stopped when she remembered who was listening. It felt awful, being observed so closely and denied the personal freedom do anything without fear of having it recorded for some stranger's entertainment.

  Again, she thought about confronting the yautja watcher, but couldn't help the violent catastrophes imagined with the idea.

  She felt like she couldn't make a noise or do a thing for herself to make this crappy job the least bit bearable without putting on some bizarre show for Captain Cranium Crusher out there! Heather's frustration built and built until she couldn't take it anymore.

  The walk-in cooler. It was sound proof, right? The moment she finished the lunch-rush line of customers holding out their trays for their greasy food, Heather tore off her gloves, tossed them in the general direction of the trash chute and turned on her heel to stomp her way to that cooler door.

  Heather glanced over the counter to confirm the Skull Collecting Jerk was still out there haunting the seating area. There he was, arms crossed against his chiseled chest, ass planted on a chair that could barely hold his weight with his big ugly sandled feet propped up on one of the tables. Bastard.

  She pulled open the thick insulated door and slammed it behind her. First she simply bellowed angrily, stomped her foot, slapped a bag of single serve condiments as hard as she could manage, doing anything to break the severe edge from her frustration.

  "UGH! WHY ARE YOU EVEN HERE? WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT FROM ME?!" She tore off her work smock and threw her hat on the floor to stomp on it, "I'M JUST A SHORT, ROUND, NOBODY WHO SHOVELS SLOP ONTO PLATES SIX HOURS A DAY. I'VE NEVER EVEN BEEN IN A REAL FIGHT! I'M NOTHING! WHY ARE YOU WATCHING ME? WHAT THE FUCK COULD BE SO INTERESTING ABOUT ME?! STOP WATCHING ME, YOU ASSHOLE!"

  Then, spitefully, she sang her favorite song, watching the misty puffs of her breath dissipate as her heart pounded.

  Now, she felt cold and her throat hurt from belting out her very favorite lyrics so harshly. It wasn't fair, she shouldn't have to be reminded of that night every afternoon on her shift. It sucked, and somehow she felt guilty for being angry even though none of this was her fault and she knew she had every right to be angry. So Heather curled up and cried in the cooler for a half-hour at the helplessness she felt. It felt gross, and she knew by now there had to be a never-ending line of pissed off customers outside. She was afraid of confrontation and couldn't ever imagine herself actually standing up to anyone. She could already tell that she'd be crying in her apartment after work too. Whob wouldn't after the verbal abuse she'd no doubt suffer at the service counter from customers tired of waiting.

  Miserably, Heather stood and steeled her resolve to go back out there. With a deep, shaky breath, put her smock back on and fixed her hat.

  "I'll get through it because I'm good at getting through it," she told herself to make it easier to reach for that door.

  Chur-clunk. Chur-clunk. It was jammed. Oh no the cooler door was stuck. Heather put her weight into her next push, then her entire being into the push after that.

  "Oh GODS I'm going to freeze to death!" she wailed, pushing at the door again with everything she had.

  Frustration, anger, helplessness, now panic. She didn't want to die alone of hypothermia at work.

  There was a bang and a great dent had appeared in the thick door. Before she could figure what was happening, the door was torn completely from the reinforced hinges. Heather shrieked and fell squarely on her bottom.

  There he was again, who else would it be coming to her rescue and staring coldly down at her through the dead lenses of that helmet.

  In one swift motion he lifted his left arm and clicked away at the keys of his gauntlet computer with those claws. The hologram display showed Heather a collection of files marked with icons she recognized. They were just cropped, slightly fuzzy pictures of her name tag for work. With a few more taps of his claw, all of the icons dissolved. He deleted them. He'd deleted all of his recordings which pertained to her.

  "Oh, shit, you heard all of that," Heather whimpered, clutching her head with both hands in mortification. He must have heard what Yagon said earlier too.

  He said nothing, made no noise. He just stood there like an imposing statue for a few tense seconds before turning to stride away.

  She wasn't fired for the broken door and spoiled food. Before she could even collect herself from the floor in the cooler, her boss was wired a credit transfer for "damages".

  Later as she heard of his generosity, it also explained the mysterious funds appearing in her account after the hip procedure. That had been Him too.

  Her "admirer" didn't come back after that, which was a relief for the first week or two. After a while she found herself over thinking the whole thing. Yautja were notorious for being socially incomprehensible. Heather wondered if he just pitied her so much after one of his own kind damn-near destroyed her that he felt responsible for her continued safety. Or, maybe he was just a stalking sleeze-ball. She tended to flounder between the two conclusions, but one thing was certain, he was respecting her boundaries now and she appreciated that.

  After nearly a month, she decided that the best closure she'd get was accepting that the entire ordeal was some bizarre misunderstanding, totally on his part, and he did a few nice things but that didn't make up for the weeks and weeks of discomfort he'd inflicted.

  More time passed, Heather became more comfortable with her new job, and she very nearly forgot about that Yautja. The only time she remembered him were on cold days when her hip would ache, but it was pleasantly warm out on the afternoon she came in for her shift and found Yagon agitated with his antennae twitching so fast one might expect them to fly off his head. Heather looked around, hoping that the cleaning she couldn't finish the night before hadn't upset him. What she found was... Unusual, and she certainly hadn't left the thing there last night.

  It was a skull, from what she wasn't sure, sitting there on the counter by the check out scanner.

  "The Creep is back. This time he left a name with that." Yagon's translator couldn't read the inflections in his speech, but Heather could tell where the translator omitted expletives.

  "W-hat was it? His name?"

  "Stone Fist was the direct translation. I can't get the translator to say the correct pronunciation in his language and he made a scene about it until I threatened to call security. You know what that thing means, don't you?"

  Heather nodded, she knew what it meant. Everyone did. She couldn't tear her eyes away from the empty sockets of the skull. It was as if it were staring through her being.

  "I can still file that report, Heather," Yagon offered again.

  "Don't, I mean... As long as I don't take it, then nothing happens. Right?"

  "As far as I'm aware? I think that's how it works."

  If Heather didn't touch it, he wouldn't come back. If she took it home, he'd follow her home because accepting an offering like that was an act of giving permission to pursue courtship.

  Working with that lifeless skull watching her was eerie to say the least. She covered it with her hat midway through her shift so she didn't have to look at it. At the end of her shift as she fiddled with the patterned key to lock up before she left, she considered the skull one last time. No, She wasn't taking it, but she'd leave a note. Two notes actually, one to ask Stone Fist if he would consider an actual conversation before anything else, and a second note to apologize to Yagon for asking him to speak with Stone Fist again.

To Be Continued?

[officialleotolstoy]

Oh Dolokhov/Hélène Brainrot We’re Really In It Now, aka Dolokhov/Hélène playlist annotations!

I stole several songs from a playlist my friends have and I’m not gonna put those on this list, I won’t pretend I came up with those

The ship playlists (since they aren’t for canon couples) are very much based on my headcanons. We don’t get to see them interact literally ever so I’ve just extrapolated what I can. Several of these songs are at least alluding to sex, I don’t really think they actually slept together for various reasons I can enumerate if someone asks, but it’s more about the vibes of the song.

Casual Affair - Panic! At The Disco

It’s literally in the title. Bestie how much more explanation do you need? I don’t even like this song but it’s got the right energy

Those Nights - Bastille

“Aren’t we all just looking for a little bit of hope these days? Looking for somebody you can wake up with?”

Being drawn to each other because of mutual loneliness is a Thing in my interpretation of their relationship, and this hits the nail on the head.

But It’s Better If You Do - Panic! At The Disco

“Praying for love and paying in naïveté”

Again, mutual loneliness and desperation for anything resembling love. Also the “isn’t this exactly where you like me” bit fits because they won’t admit to liking each other outside of their weird intimate moments.

Hurricane - Panic! At The Disco

“Drop our anchors in a storm”

The circumstances of their lives arent super fun at the moment so they find refuge in each other but in a very weird kind of unhealthy way! “We are a hurricane” sort of alludes to knowing that you’re causing problems/your relationship isn’t great.

Almost (Sweet Music) - Hozier

“I’m almost me again, she’s almost you”

It’s about not really being In Love but kind of convincing yourself you are because it makes you feel better in the circumstances. I don’t think either of them were fully into their relationship for various reasons. Not as in they didn’t want the other, more that they were both too aware it would never work for long.

Hall & Oates - Satchmode

“I want to be in love again, with you”

This one’s about wanting the idea of love and companionship more than you actually like the other person, which I feel like kind of fits. This song is framed as one person in love with the other and one hesitating, but i think this works for both of them to hesitate.

Feel Something - Jaymes Young

“Touch me, someone, I’m too young to feel so numb”

The I have tried like six times and I can’t word why I think this song works. I don’t even like it, I skip it every time, but I think it’s got something to do with loneliness and desperation for love driving them to look for it in places they wouldn’t normally? Who knows. Send me an ask if u do.

Another Place - Bastille

“Don’t make promises to me that you’re gonna break”

They could never actually be together for SO many reasons and I think they’re both pretty aware of that. They have no desire to pretend that their relationship is anything other than what it is (“we only ever wanted one thing from this”).

When You Were Young - The Killers

“You sit there in your heartache, waiting on some beautiful boy to save you”

I do not think Hélène expected Dolokhkov to save her from anything except maybe monotony and loneliness, but this song slaps and if I can stretch the lyrics to work, I will

broken - lovelytheband

“I could be lonely with you”

Almost every song on here (including this one) is just. We’re messed up and I know we won’t really find love in each other but we might find solace for a while and be less lonely so uhhhhh wanna kiss me or what

Bleed Magic - I DONT KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME

“You stand up, stand up, before I drag you down”

They are NOT good for each other! Toxic relationships uwu

Sweater Weather - The Neighbourhood

I believe in bi4bi Hélène/Dolokhov

Enemy Fire - Bea Miller

“Sweet words from a serpent’s tongue”

This song is kinda complicated and parts of it don’t fit but the energy of “everything sucks including you but at least we can hide from the suckiness together” is sorta there. Originally I just added it for the soldier vibes because I was testing out songs but I realized i can fit some of the lyrics so on the playlist it goes

Angel of the Small Death and the Codeine Scene - Hozier

“Her sweetened breath and her tongue so mean”

They are horrible and cold to each other as a love language. This song is essentially just “Wow my evil scary gf is so hot” and you’re right Fyodor. She is.

Shut Up and Dance - WALK THE MOON

I won’t lie this one’s mostly a joke, I just think the vibes of telling someone to shut up as (maybe because) you’re falling in love with them is Dolokhov/Hélène energy. Ignore all the parts about wanting to be with her forever and her being his destiny that is not why I added it.

Lone Ranger - Rachel Platten

“I’m just gonna leave, ‘cause baby I’m a lone ranger”

I do not think Dolokhov was intending to stay with her forever at all. Very rude of him. However, she probably also knew it wouldn’t last forever, she’s not stupid.

House of Memories - Panic! At The Disco

“Promise me a place in your house of memories”

This is very much post-duel, their relationship has fizzled out but it was pretty important (do I mean emotionally or to the plot? I’ll never tell) and deserves to be remembered.

American Beauty/American Psycho - Fall Out Boy

“I’m the best worst thing that hasn’t happened to you yet”

SO MANY of these lyrics are so good for them like. Hélène’s beautiful Dolokhov’s a psycho... “you take the full truth and you pour some out” can you imagine them being open and honest with each other? Yeah, me neither. “We were pity sex” They were just sad and lonely! That was what allowed anything to happen at all in my head (not sex but bear with me it’s not my fault those are the lyrics). “All those dirty thoughts of me, they were never yours to keep” because Hélène is married to someone else, they really have no right to think of each other that way.

Sk8er Boi - Avril Lavigne

“He wasn’t good enough for her”

UNIRONICALLY THIS SONG. Hélène’s complaints about Dolokhov staying with them are just the quoted lyric. “They had a problem with his baggy clothes” yeah Dolokhov’s not as rich and bougie and the rest of them and he’s certainly rough around the edges. And then the skater boy ending with a successful music career vs Dolokhov ending with a successful military career and a great reputation and both the women in the songs having sad endings...I’m not wrong.

Headfirst Slide Into Cooperstown On A Bad Bet - Fall Out Boy

“Does your husband know the way that the sunshine gleams from your wedding band?”

The affair vibes. The AFFAIR VIBES. And the concept of “I will never end up like him [the husband]/ behind my back I already am” in reference to using Hélène and deciding he hates her right after deciding she’s hot...okay! I see you kinning Pierre, Dolokhov. You ARE being just like her husband :/

You Give Love A Bad Name - Bon Jovi

“Shot through the heart and you’re to blame”

This is just Dolokhov’s massive I Hate Women monologue condensed. Stop blaming beautiful women for YOUR attraction to them maybe 🔫

Death Valley - Fall Out Boy

“Don’t take love off the table yet”

This is not a table sex joke this is not a table sex joke this is not a table sex joke this is n-

I didnt add it for that reason it was about a vibe but then. I realized. Now the original reason doesn’t even matter.

Nobody Puts Baby In The Corner - Fall Out Boy

“I’ll be your best kept secret and your biggest mistake”

Tell me the quoted lyric does not SCREAM Hélène/Dolokhov. You can’t. Also “I’ll weigh you down I’ll watch you choke/You look so good in blue” really captures hatred as a love language.

This is Love - Air Traffic Controller

Ok I stole this from my friends’ playlist but I did want to explain it because it’s not JUST Dolokhov and Hélène in my mind. The whole jealous fool second verse gives me Pierre around the duel energy as well

Bad Boy - Cascada

“Be my weekend lover but don’t be my friend”

Bernie Sanders voice I am once again asking you to hear me out about the unironic meme songs on my War and Peace character playlists. It’s got the refusal to admit that she actually likes hanging out with him down. The line “after some time you just pushed me aside” referring to Dolokhov teasing Pierre about their affair because he got bored. “I dont need you in my life again”...YEAH I’m fairly sure they dont interact in canon again after that.

Hayloft - Mother Mother

“My daddy’s got a gun”

This song started playing on accident once when I was listening to this playlist and I was like huh. It fits though. The gun thing is twofold: 1) Though he is not her father, Pierre does have a gun in the duel and 2) I think Vassily would happily shoot Dolokhov for his relationships with Vassily’s kids. It’s also just the general forbidden love vibes mixed with the violence vibes.

affection - BETWEEN FRIENDS

“I’m looking for affection in all the wrong places and we’ll keep falling on each other to fill the empty spaces”

Have I been clear enough about my thesis that their relationship is based in mutual loneliness? Also, I like the acknowledgment that this is in fact the wrong place. I think they’re both very aware of that.

Walk Away - Franz Ferdinand

“Yes I’m cold but not as cold as you are”

This song is for them post-duel. Especially the “I cannot stand to see those eyes as apologies may rise/I must be strong, stay an unbeliever” because 1) I hear the word eyes, I think of Dolokhov and 2) I think she’s too smart to believe any apology he would give her, she knows he doesn’t really mean it. The song kinda reads as someone trying to convince themselves they’re happy that the relationship is over, which I think is definitely what happens for both of them.

Van Horn - Saint Motel

“Tell me do you hate me? Or do you wanna date me?”

Obsessed with the dynamic of “I like you but that’s embarrassing for both of us I’m gonna act like I hate you instead”

[ask-the-crimson-king]

Music Shill of the Day: "JUDAS" by Lord of the Lost

PART 2 of 2: "SALVATION"

Welcome back to part 2 of me shilling the fuck out of Judas and telling you, the lucky reader, of why it's so great. If you didn't see part 1, here's a link. Beware, it's long as fuck. LINKS TO ALL SONGS WILL BE PROVIDED. All songs will be rated on a scale of 1-10; 1 - garbage. Horrible. Why did you let this leave the studio. 5 - average. Meh. Not horrible, but not impressive. 10 - fantastic. Thank you for this existing. I love this too much. I will make a final post about my overall thoughts separately as well as give the top 5 songs of the album. BUT FOR NOW, we venture ever onwards. STARTING WITH--

13. "The Gospel of Judas" - 9/10

Starting off EXTREMELY strong with a very excellent piece with a brilliant message.

These lads said "happy last day of Pride, please take this video and this song" and I say thank you because. Watch the video. Careful with some people malding over them becoming "political" by adding a pride flag in the comments (but there are plenty of responses shutting them down since LOTL has regularly been supportive of the LGBT+ community and very vocal about that support).

This song is meant for those who are outcasts in society for being who they are, whether it be from gender-based, sexuality-based, race-based, whatever. Great intention and a great message.

The song itself, I find myself liking the choruses more than the verses. I'm not a huge fan of the "Judas, Judas" parts, but it works well enough for the song. Not quite an absolute banger of a song, but still really fucking good.

14. "Viva Vendetta" - 9/10

This song is fascinating for two reasons. The first; it features a full 386 person choir. The second; its instrumental was given to 32 different artists, with no title attached, to see what they'd do with it. That's really fucking cool.

As for the actual piece, it has a very nice, flowy, bouncy beat all throughout. I like it. It's something to vibe to, most certainly. It has almost a bit of an 80s feel to it.

The instrumentals are very neat, with the guitars making a very nice sounding bassy groove. Though there does seem to be acoustics used throughout as well, and the occasional synth. Overall? Dope as fuck song. It's genuinely awesome. It slaps.

But. As much as it slaps. A challenger approaches. A song I had been anticipating for over 3 weeks since I heard the "Track by Track" 30s preview.

15. "Argent" - 11/10

Okay. Okay. I know. Priest? Slaps. Born with a Broken Heart? Beautiful. Death is Just a Kiss Away? Love the strings. But.

But, dear reader. Allow me to enlighten you as to why this is, in my humble opinion, the best song on the album.

Let us start with the wonderful, Arabian-sounding vocals to open it. And then the introduction of the piano, it begins to build. And build. And then the guitars and the drums kick in, along with that industrial sound in the back.

It keeps growing and growing, then it begins to cool for the verse. Everything is still there, just waiting. Slowly, everything keeps growing in intensity. It builds and builds along with the vocals of the first verse.

Then we transition to a pre-chorus for a small calm...

Are you out there? Are you out there? I suffer... Your thirteenth suffers!

And then...

IT GOES OFF!

ARE YOU OUT THERE? I'M CLINGING TO THE DARK! ARE YOU OUT THERE? MY FALLEN COUNTERPART! BETRAYAL BURNS, LIKE THE SILVER IN MY HEART! ARE YOU OUT THERE? THE ERROR OF THE STARS!

The best chorus of the album. Without a doubt. There is so much raw emotion here barely simmering at the surface. As my friend @hoholupercal-adopts said;

"It captures ethereal rage, suppressing emotions, sorrow, bliss, and a love and need for hope."

And he is so spot on with that. It is beautiful. It is intense. It's amazing.

And then we come right back to a verse. And we start again, and after the second chorus we enter a small break of calm.

As the bridge starts up, the vocals from the beginning return, along with Chris' wonderful and soft yet gravelly voice with the slowly building instrumentals behind him...

The error of the stars... The error of the stars... A searing oath on the circles of the heart, Are you out there?

The error of the stars...

A brief pause, and then it smashes itself right back into that insane chorus.

This entire song is so powerful. Its so... so raw. So full of just a mix of emotions that it almost feels overwhelming. I just. I love this song so much.

If there is any song you listen to off "Judas", please make it be this. I cannot stress enough how fantastic this piece of incredible artistry is. It is, apparently, "Globalization in practice" according to Chris Harms himself. It is so beautiful. Please listen to it. Do yourself a favor.

16. "The Heartbeat of the Devil" - 8/10

This song has a great groove to it. I like the choice for using electronic drums. It has a very 80s feel about it. Very nice opening, with very open sounding verses and then a very nice chorus.

The piano also works as a nice accompaniment, as per usual at this point. The song is a fine song indeed, it really is grand. However its missing a few things that keep it from a 9/10 or a 10/10. Not entirely sure how to pinpoint what they are, but they're there.

Overall, a grand song, as most of these songs have been. Also this is a song for the Emperor of Mankind and it's funny cause it's number 16, which is Horus' number. But you wanna know what else else? It isn't the only ironic incident of this happening.

17. "And it Was Night" - 10/10

This song took me a bit. Off its intro with the synths, I wasn't vibing with it too much. With the introduction of the guitar and drums, I started to get into it. For the verse, I was still uncertain. That kinda odd synth was back. But it still sounded fine, I supposed.

However. The chorus is, ironically enough, where it shines the most.

It sounds beautiful. There, everything reconverges after the break in the verse, along with the backing choir, and it is simply...

It sounds ethereal. It sounds dreamlike. It sounds perfect for a song entitled "And it Was Night".

Everything afterward sounds great. The elements used in the intro and the chorus are used a bit more in the following verse, and the chorus just hard carries this song to a 10/10. It is fucking fantastic. It has some raw emotion within it, similar to Argent, but instead on a more... dreamlike, hopeful level. Kind of like childlike hope and wonder.

Also I've had 2 people tell me it's a Lorgar song and I agree wholeheartedly. Plus its #17. So ha.

18. "My Constellation" - 6/10

The vocals are fine, and they remind me of a song I can't really put my finger on. But this song just doesn't really do it for me. It has plenty of nice emotion and power with it, but the instrumentals feel kind of... weird. They fit, somehow, but they feel like they shouldn't.

It's still a very above-average song for the musicality of it alone, and the very pretty lyrics. Plus the vocals of the chorus are also nice. But it's still just missing things. It's not that great, but it's definitely an above-average song. One of the weaker entries on this album, but that's not saying a lot since this album is still fucking amazing as a whole.

19. "The Ashes of Flowers" - 8/10

The synths in the back of the intro with the piano sounded kind of odd at first. This is a song that doesn't have much buildup, it just goes along for about a minute and then BAM, intense instrumentals.

I do appreciate such songs as much as I do those that build. Those that slap you in the face will usually, indeed, slap. And this song does, for the most part. There are some bits that sound a bit janky to me, but it is a good song. Very strong entry on the list. At times it shares in that "these don't feel like they should fit together" vibes as its predecessor, but it only happens twice at most. Very gospel-sounding song, especially with how it sounds around the 3:30 mark, with the choir and Chris singing.

20. "Iskarioth" - 9/10

Now we got that more classic sounding heavy metal on the album. I grew up listening to stuff with this sort of style. But of course, the song has some newer elements added in. I love the riffs, though. They sound great. Love that classic sounding over-overdrive on the guitars. Love how it carries into the second verse. The beat and rhythm have that classic metal feel to them as well.

The chorus is, as most on the album thus far, very powerful and clean. The heavy riffs from the intro and breaks between chorus and verse are absent, leaving room for Chris and the backing choir to shine alongside the beautiful piano.

The break for the bridge that slowly builds to the final chorus is very nicely done, and I like how the guitars were added back in. An extremely strong song. Very well done. Love it.

21. "A War Within" - 9/10

Strings are back. I'm a bitch for strings. I love them when they're used in metal. I love them when combined with an organ and piano. I love them also when combined with great vocals. The opening verse leading to the pre-chorus, the repetition, the build to that powerful chorus, it's wonderful. The piano, as always, twining beautifully with the vocals.

The fucking cello solo with the leitmotif is fucking amazing. Favorite part of the song. It's so beautiful.

Very, very excellent piece of music. This song is a 9 for sure. Not quite a 10 since, while the chorus is nice, it could've used a bit more intensity. The pre-choruses where the rhythm picks up and everything feels more urgent is where the song shines for sure. Without a doubt.

22. "A World where We Belong" - 8/10

An interesting somber song that blends the heavier and intense pieces with this overall feeling of melancholy, yet hope. This song doesn't have an instrumental intro. Instead, Chris just starts right off singing. This song definitely feels like a sort of cheesy church song. But it does have a nice message to be found within the lyrics, and it's a nice and slow song too.

Good pacing. Good vocals. A good song.

23. "Apokatastasis" - 10/10

So. Um.

This song is an instrumental that's basically entirely strings.

The name means "the restoration of equilibrium after the apocalypse", and it serves as a respite for the album. A breath of fresh air, similar to Be Still and Know.

However, where Be Still and Know had the various members of the band show up, this one has them quieting down. It features the leitmotif once more, and it definitely has that feeling of peace and quiet. The album, until now, has been a bit chaotic. There's been a lot of emotion, power, and just... feeling.

This is a beautiful piece. It truly is.

10/10, easily.

Now let's wrap up the album.

24. "Work of Salvation" - 9/10

Soft, gravelly vocals greet the listener after that beautiful respite, paired with a lovely choir and piano as well.

Slowly, we get that buildup again. The organ comes back. The song feels very much like "The Death of All Colours", only this time with instrumentals backing instead of just vocals. A nice callback after this long journey.

This song works as a great ending to the album, a very nice catharsis. It isn't overbearingly powerful, but it isn't too soft either. It matches the mood of its predecessor and of that of the album wonderfully.

I'll talk about that in the post after this, but wonderful song.

It even ends with a beautiful, and almost sad rendition of that leitmotif on piano. As if lamenting that the journey is over. A beautiful end to a wonderfully amazing album.