#music from the northeast

[eriong]

i absolutely LOVED listening to this when it aired live!! if you missed it, you can check out the entire show here.

This mix showcases the music from a small tribe living in the foothills of the Himalayas. Their genesis begins from a great boulder called Sinlung, possibly in the present Tailing or Silung of Yunan Province of today’s China. Starting off as a semi nomadic group of hunter/cultivators moving through Myanmar, and various pockets of the northeast India and a majority of the settlers in Tuithaphai, Manipur- The Hmar tribe is a group whose entire history has been a constant state of diaspora. Their music is heavily dictated by the lack of a script- passing down their stories through oral sounds. Almost every circumstance within the community has a story in songs to back it up. The mix starts off with the hunters call- a special song given to each Hunter, a victory hymn (Sikpui Hla) and some snippets of the melodious intonations of our spoken language. Throughout the mix- we see the contrasts between pre and post colonial Hmar Tribe, and how the eventual conversion into Christianity brings change in their sounds with nods to hymnody, protest folk, gospel, rockabilly, new wave, and 90's pop. Songs from the Hmar/Mizo heartlands that people from almost every generation can recall, despite its diminished stature in context of mainland India the musical prowess stands ingenously tall. Presently with the civil war that has been brewing in Manipur since May 2023 which almost all media outlets have refused to cover or amplify. I hope this mix serves as a vessel to remind us of a more peaceful time for the tribals before the threat of uprootment and forced displacement from the one place we thought we could call our home. Mixed by: Ruhail Qaisar @iakksakkath Mastered by: Julien Racine @racine.corporation

[bijoumikhawal]

does anyone have any papers that discuss the idea that the Greek oracle tradition came from Egypt, specifically the trance-possession oracles like Pythia or analyzing Herotodus's claims in Euterpe 55

[wavernot4love]

gloomtown tour coming to not one, but two venues in my immediate area ..... the idkhow Tour De Upstate Ny has been a running gag since... 2018? '19? and i am very stoked 2 see said gag remains ongoing

[disgustingtwitches]

MDNI

141 as your drug dealer boyfriend

Ghost- Let's be real with ourselves, Ghost is not a good man. He doesn't care who he hurts, as long as he gets his. He will do anything to get what he wants and there is no stopping him. It's what made him a great soldier, and it's what makes him a great kingpin. He moves weight to put it lightly. There isn't a moment where an uncut key is unmoving; from a warehouse, to a plane (or car, or train), to a distributor, to a pusher, to up someone's nose. He'll try to do some damage control, make sure things aren't cut with fent, but that's only to make sure customers keep coming back. He likes to keep his hands clean, in the sense that he'll never be the one to pull the trigger on anyone that's out of line. Living up to his name, no one knows what he looks like. Hell, a lot of people don't even think he's real.

But when it comes to you, Simon's a different man. No talk about work, just you and him. Other than the multiple hidden guns around the house and Glock he sleeps with, life is normal with you. Holiday homes in the French countryside and Bahamas. Designer everything. Sports cars in all your favorite colors. You want for nothing. It's the life he wanted for you. After all those years of crying and hurt when he was away for weeks or months, you deserved the world. Want the new Hermès bag? You got it. Can't choose between the black or white louboutins? Get both. Stop eating you out because you can't feel your toes anymore? Sorry love, only thing he can't do for you.

Soap- Johnny is a small business owner. Weighs everything out by his own hand. Presses his own pills. Let's you help baggie everything up. A social butterfly, this man is at every concert, rave, or music festival. Sometimes he has a friend help push his stuff when he just wants to stay home with you, but for the most part he's his own salesman. And a damn good one. Never has overstock. No matter how much he brings with him, he'll always sellout.

Has a supernatural sense of being shorted. Can tell if a bag is even a few grams off just by holding it.

"Ye'r an idiot if ye think ye kin short me."

And when the other party denies, he always keeps a pocket scale on him, setting the parcel on it. And sure enough, he's always right.

He'll come home with a few grand, the only job you have is to sit there and look pretty. And roll his spliffs. Sitting in his lap, tucking the rolling paper into itself and licking it closed while he counts out a fat wad of cash. He hands you a fat stack,

"A've never bin good wi' money. Ye know how to spend it better than me."

He never touches the stuff he sells, no need to when all the dopamine he needs is right between your legs.

"Ten times better than any o tha' shite, anyways."

He pants in your ear while folding you in half, firm grip on your throat.

Gaz- When it comes to psychedelics, Kyle is your go-to man. He's a fucking genius, synthesizes his own DMT and LSD in a lab. It's a state of the art facility, clean with the latest and greatest equipment available. He supplies the whole Northeast. If it's a hallucinogen, it's most likely Gaz's product. And if it's good, it's definitely his. He has a cozy set up with some "organization" that he cooks for. Steers clear of actually selling to people, no need to when his clients line his pockets so well. Never brings work home, he even wears different clothes when he's in the lab.

He has a set schedule he has to adhere to but sometimes he's able to take vacations with you. And that's how you ended up bent over a balcony watching the sunset in Punta Cana,

"I work so hard to make you happy, now it's my turn yeah?"

A breeze sends a shiver up your spine while he kisses your shoulder,

"I know a private beach where you can even out those tan lines,"

Of course he doesn't give a shit about that, he just wants to fuck you silly on the seaside (and show off to anyone who might be watching.)

Price- Caring and nurturing, the man naturally has a green thumb. And alongside his prized heirloom tomatoes, he grows really, really good weed. Has a whole growroom in his basement, decked out with proper ventilation, ACs, UV lights, the works. The man grows medical grade weed that private clinics buy from him. He's legit. And of course he serves the public as well under the table, sells only to people he knows and established clients can refer others to him. He treats his plants like his babies, even going as far as to play music for them (according to him classical music helps them grow better???). You don't know where he finds the time, but he also made you rose garden for your anniversary. He brings up the idea of a family every so often. He'll finish as deep inside of you as possible,

"Let's replace that plant nursery for a real one, yeah love?"

Gonna write actual stories for each one if y'all like this ( . * 3 * . )/`

[eliorabunny]

bags

clairo boy no further explanation needed thank u! friend!matt x fem!reader

𐀔⋆✩*｡‧“can you see me / i’m waiting for the right time” ⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪

𖦹 genre: fluff, friends to lovers ʚ♡ɞ

𖦹 warnings: mentions of alcohol, some swearing, suggestive at the end

𖦹 word count: 769 𖧧

𖦹 a/n: c l a i r o ! b o y ! ur telling me that first pic isn’t him. don’t play ‼️ i may do a continuation of this and get a little nsfw but only if u beg💋 ily xoxo🐇 ᵕ̈ ̤̮

﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌❀°✩⋆ʚ♡ɞ⋆✩°❀﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌

“i don’t wanna watch tv anymore,” she mumbled.

matt looked over, a confused expression drawing his eyebrows together as he reached for the remote. ���is everything okay?”

the two had been enjoying dinner and sitcom reruns, but she was growing tired of the unresolved tension. for the past few months, they would get together and share innocent cozy nights. she had reached out to matt after reconnecting at a high school reunion, and they discovered they had much more in common (mainly, a love of red wine and music on vinyl).

“yeah, i just wanna sit for a sec,” she responded idly, her mind in a rose-colored trance. her goal tonight was to confess her blossoming feelings, but nerves were getting the best of her. “maybe some wine?” matt nodded and smiled sweetly at her. fuck, that smile. her shoulders relaxed slightly and she watched as he grabbed the bottle of cabernet and two glasses.

she pulled a pillow to her stomach and brought her foot onto the couch cushion, resting her cheek on her knee and taking in the sight of matt’s fingers curled around the bottle. he pushed up the sleeves of his cream-colored cable knit sweater, and his forearms flexed as he poured their drinks. something in her stomach flipped. she turned her head away, trying to hide the slight blush forming across her cheeks. matt’s rings clinked softly against the bowls of the glasses, and he took care not to grip too harshly.

“do you want me to put on an album?” matt suggested, placing the drinks down gingerly on the coffee table. she inhaled deeply and nodded. “could you get Blue?”

“good pick,” matt murmured as he skimmed through the record crate. he found the classic indigo cover and pulled the vinyl out of its sleeve, setting it carefully on the turntable.

⋆

joni mitchell’s velvety voice skimmed across the room and covered the two in a haze, a reflection of the snowy blanket resting on the streets outside. the radiator worked overtime as the bitter northeast cold snuck in through a cracked window. a biting breeze slid along the stripe of skin between her henley and pajama pants, and she shuddered. matt’s eyes widened as she absentmindedly moved closer to him on the couch.

perhaps it was the multiple refills of wine, or the proximity, but he suddenly felt bolder. he had been avoiding his own burgeoning feelings for her, afraid to taint a healthy friendship. tonight felt different somehow. they had fallen asleep together on the couch many a time, dozing off mid-conversation, but this was more delicate. an unnamed purity shattered; some sort of barrier between them had fallen this time around.

wrapping an arm around her shoulders, matt pulled her towards him and grabbed the throw blanket that was draped along the seat back. “are you cold?” he asked pointlessly, taking her fingers in his. “let me warm you up.”

her heart rate quickened at his words. did he mean to say it like that? she giggled nervously, turning to look him in the eyes, and found a sincerity the color of denim. “c’mere,” he hummed, tugging at her shirt childishly and leaning back so his head rested on the arm of the couch. she obliged, blushing from the wine (or so she’d say), and settled on top of him, resting her ear over his heart. he hoped it wasn’t beating too loudly, and she hoped he couldn’t feel her second heartbeat against his thigh.

one by one, matt removed his rings and placed them on the coffee table next to the empty glasses. she could have sworn he let out a quiet hiss when he leaned over, and she adjusted her hips subconsciously. his hands found their way around her waist, fingertips exploring the bottom hem of her shirt. “is this okay?” he whispered as he slid long fingers beneath the fabric, the contact sending tingles across her lower back. she sighed shakily and managed to breathe out a quiet “yes.”

a relieved smile spread across matt’s face, and he was grateful she couldn’t see him in that moment. he pressed gently on her back, pulling her flush to him and creating a treacherous friction. his other hand squeezed the pillowy flesh above her hip, as if kneading dough.

“what was the name you were talking about the other day?” his question caught her off guard. just yesterday, someone had brought up pet names in conversation, and she’d mentioned that her favorite was “bunny.” he pretended to forget it a little longer, before speaking down into her hair.

“you feel so soft, bunny.”

﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌❀°✩⋆ʚ♡ɞ⋆✩°❀﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌

[01zfan]

SERIEZ MASTERLIST: ROCK THE HOUSE!

riize and the trials and tribulations of being in a band and/or being attached to one.

common themes: loss of innocence, toxic relationships, and drug use. specific content warnings will be tagged on each writing.

🎧: the type of music their band makes

FEATURING . . . . . .

SHOTARO OSAKI as the BASSIST of THE KNOTCUTIES

🎧: Punk Girls by The Headcoatees

you have been told you're not cute your whole life. too confrontational, too crass, too scary. on the other side there's shotaro, who has been told he's cute one too many times. maybe opposites do attract . . . . . .

bassist!shotaro x bad girl!reader |

SONG EUNSEOK as the DRUMMER of DOVE KILLERS

🎧: Point blank by Nailbomb

when you find yourself talking to the law you're forced to reminisce how you got there and if you have any innocence left to get you out . . . . . .

drummer!eunseok x good girl!reader |

JUNG SUNGCHAN as the RAPPER of BAMBI

🎧: Nowhere (feat. The Kickdrums) by DUCKWRTH

innocent and non-assuming, sungchan’s cardinal sin was letting people in too quickly. what will he do when he’s face to face with someone who knows him too well . . . . . .

rapper!sungchan x stalker!reader | 10k words

PARK WONBIN as the GUITARIST of HALYCON

🎧: Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino by Arctic Monkeys

an up and coming indie duo are interviewed for what seems like the last time. even though they’re shrouded in mystery their complicated history and rise to fame becomes more and more exposed . . . . . .

guitarist!wonbin x bassist!reader | 13k words

LEE SOHEE as the VOCALIST of DRAGON TEETH

🎧: Welcome Interstate Managers by Fountains of Wayne

dingy dive bars in the abysmal northeast is one place to get discovered or make a quick buck. sohee ends up finding out you can get something else there as well . . . . . .

vocalist!sohee x bartender!reader | 13.8k words

LEE ANTON as the PRODUCER of VENUSIAN

🎧: Nobody Is Listening by ZAYN

a musical prodigy without a creative bone in his body. at the risk of becoming a one hit wonder anton looks up to venus as a last ditch resort. as if on cue inspiration falls from the sky . . . . . .

musician!anton x alien!reader |

[qui-gg]

Happy 1st Anniversary, 30th Music Fest!!!

This concert was probably the happiest day of my life, and it’s far too special to me not to show a little love on the anniversary!

Sappy stuff under the cut ⬇️

I remember the anticipation I had felt for months after the event was announced, wondering and speculating what could possibly happen in this concert! I was by far looking forward to music from Star Allies the most, since I’d listened to the 25th Concert/Memorial Arrangements album for years and imagining what songs from that game could sound like in a concert. So i screamed my head off when they opened “Beyond the 25th Anniversary” with the Star Allies theme, and cried my eyes out during the STAR CONQUERING TRAVELER 7 MINUTE LONG SUITE?? It was mind blowing. There were way too many moments I burst into tears and/or screamed actually. I’m pretty sure a lot of us did. Hearing songs like Northeast Frost Street, Candy Mountain, Iceberg, the Knight’s themes, City Trial, Fly Kirby, Soul of Sectonia, Green Tree Memories, WELCOME TO THE NEW WORLD?? WITH THE NEICHEL REVEAL?? It’s still just as amazing to me as the first time I watched it and I’ll keep watching forever probably

What song/moment was your favorite??

[thenaughtyhippie]

[outofangband]

Brief Fëanorians and animal thoughts, updated however some of the original format remains so I apologize for that

Flora, fauna, geography and environment of Arda Masterlist

Environment and Geography of the realms of the Fëanorians

I’m actually planning a longer post about this though so I limited it to creatures that were also personally important to them

As always I love environmental world building and questions like this and relationships with animals both on a personal and society or level is really important to me so please feel free to ask more

Maedhros (Himring and the March of Maedhros, Northeast Beleriand)

I’ve spoken about snow leopards of the March multiple times and these elusive creatures endear themselves to Maedhros over time. They are, rugged, adaptable and vicious, their beauty stark, utilitarian and violent.

Horses are the primary domestic animal in northeastern Beleriand down to Estolad and some are sired from those brought from Valinor while some were tamed from wild horses in Beleriand. Horses of Eastern Beleriand retain their winter coat for more of the year than their kin and this is especially true of the March. Maedhros grows a strong bond with several of the horses

Personally, I enjoy associating Maedhros with foxes as the name Russandol is related to the word for fox.

Maglor (Maglor’s Gap, Northeast Beleriand, South of the March)

Maglor does not take much inspiration from the songs of animals however he does enjoy their music; songbirds especially larks, crickets and tree frogs in Valinor.

Later on he will grow to dislike songbirds altogether. Their voices feel mocking.

In the Gap, he is amused by the long earred hedgehogs that can be seen in the plains

Celegorm and Curufin (Himlad, East Beleriand, Northeast of Doriath)

During prosperous years horses and hounds are both abundant in Himlad. Wolfhounds and thick coated mountain dogs (similar to St. Bernard’s and Burmese Mountain dogs of today) are favorites of Celegorm

Celegorm is fond of many creatures. Hounds and hunting hawks of course, elk and bears.

He also loves the large monitor like lizards he saw in the warmer areas of Western Beleriand.

Curufin is very fond of his own horse. He likes insects with delicate wings. Lacewings and dragonflies for example. These are not as common in Himlad however

I have some ideas about diversity in dogs and horses of Valinor and Beleriand that are probably best left for another day but in short I think there is selective breeding and some diversity in breeds though nowhere near as much as today here.

Caranthir (Thargelion, Northeast Beleriand, slightly South of the March and the Gap, North of Ossiriand)

Caranthir if asked would frequently say he was not a lover of animals. He does develop a fondness for the wading birds of Lake Helevorn as well as the gray wolves he occasionally sees closer to the montane forests. They do not bother him and in turn he leaves them be.

Amras and Amrod (Estolad, East Beleriand, East of Doriath and West of Thargelion and Ossiriand) Both twins have a love of birds of prey that dates back to their first explorations of hunting in Valinor. Falconry is practiced among them and their people. Golden eagles are most valued for this but are rare. Saker falcons and merlins are more common.

As always please feel free to ask more!

[senditcolton]

So Tragic and Rare

"Meet in the Middle" (pt. 13)

a/n: hello again! another fic added to the universe. this one is not as wild and crazy as the last but a nice little look in at where Andrei and Keely's relationship might go.

word count: 5.2k warnings: none! previous part 🧡 next part masterlist

When Andrei’s phone buzzes, he is in the middle of untying his skates after practice, the laces tight in his hands. His eyes glance over, the text message preview shining brightly on the screen and Andrei’s movements stop when he registers the name of his agent. And his heartrate increases when he reads the three-word message.

Mark Call me asap.

Andrei can’t stop his mind from spiraling. There was absolutely no reason his agent should be texting him, especially not with that cryptic message that conveyed a dire sense of urgency. He wasn’t in danger of being traded or put on waivers or anything else that would prompt this text from Mark. Unless, it was something else; an outside source implicating Andrei in something that could be damaging to his career.

The confusion and small hint of fear coursing through him causes Andrei to finish his post-practice routine in record time, racing back to his car before calling Mark back. The nerves do not settle when his agents voice comes through the speakers of his phone.

“What have you gotten yourself into, Andrei?”

The question catches him off-guard even more that his agent’s previous text, something that Andrei expresses with a vocal bewildered ‘what?’

“I received a very interesting phone call today from one Heather Griffith,” Mark explains. “Do you know she is?”

“No,” Andrei answers, the name not pulling any image into his mind, the hesitancy painting the single syllable response.

“She is a publicist, known in music circles. And today, she reached out to our office on behalf of Keely Halloran. Do you know her? She performed at the All-Star Game last month.”

As if Andrei could forget about Keely Halloran. As if he hadn’t spent the last month gathering every scrap of information that he could about the rockstar that had crashed into his life that weekend in Toronto. As if he still didn’t see her face and hear her voice in his dreams and feel her touch in his dreams.

Of course, he doesn’t say any of that to his agent. Instead, he just responds with a small affirmative hum, enough for Mark to continue.

“Well, apparently Halloran was wondering if there was a time that the two of you could get together during the Canes upcoming northeast road trip.”

“The New Jersey, New York, Boston trip?”

“Yep, that’s the one,” Mark responds. Through the speakers, Andrei can hear him flipping through some papers before he speaks again. “She says that she could either have you meet her at her recording studio in New York City or at her apartment in Boston; whatever works best for your schedule.”

There is a beat of silence as Andrei takes in the information. In the month after Toronto and he hadn’t heard anything from Keely. Her social media hadn’t even updated and any news stories that she was involved in had either been rumors or old new. There were moments when he wasn’t even sure that she would ever reach out to him. He had been – still was – willing to wait for her, just like he promised. But the complete radio silence had him wondering how long he was supposed to wait. A month? Six? A year?

That question was clearly irrelevant, now that his agent was telling him that she wanted to see him.

“Andrei, you still there?”

Mark’s voice breaks him out of his reverie and he clears his throat before responding.

“Yeah. Yeah, I’m here. Um, New York would be better since the travel between Jersey and the city isn’t as much as New York to Boston. I mean, I could do Boston also but I’m not sure.”

“Let’s just stick with New York. I’ll reach out to her publicist to confirm and we’ll work out details from there.”

Andrei continues to sit in stunned silence, listening to the clack of a keyboard and more flipping pages until Mark sighs again.

“What have you gotten yourself into, Andrei?” he asks, his voice haggard as he repeats the question posed at the very beginning of their phone call.

“What do you mean?”

“Why do I have a rockstar’s publicist on my answering machine? How did this even happen?”

Andrei can understand both his agent’s confusion and his concern. He knows that he should tell Mark everything, give him all the information he could because that was Mark’s job. His agent didn’t only help Andrei navigate contracts but also navigate the world as someone with a spotlight on him. And news like this, his connection with an insanely popular musician, would just draw more eyes to him.

But something stops him from telling Mark exactly what happened – what was happening – between him and Keely. Perhaps he wanted to keep Keely safe, protect her as much as he could. Maybe it was the fact that he wasn’t exactly sure what he and Keely shared.

“I don’t know,” Andrei replies, choosing to give Mark an abridged version that still had glimmers of the truth. “We connected at the All-Star game and I asked to keep in touch. Now, this.”

“Fine,” Mark says, a defeated sound coming from his chest and Andrei can picture the shake of his head. “Just, whenever you know, please tell me. Might need to high more PR or at least a crisis consultant.”

The last sentence is more muttered than spoken but Andrei hears it all the same before the line goes dead. Mark’s concern digs into Andrei, making him think deeper about his agent’s questions.

He didn’t really know where this – whatever he shared with Keely Halloran – was going. He initially thought it might have ended a month ago. He didn’t know if it would last past this next week. It was tenuous, delicate. And he knew that fragility wouldn’t disappear even if their bond strengthened.

That was just what happened, considering who she was. Who he was.

But he tries to let those concerns roll off him, like water off a duck wing. There was no point worrying about a future when that wasn’t even certain. That mindset made him a good hockey player and he knew that mindset would make him good for Keely.

If she wanted him.

~*~*~*~*~

~*~*~*~*~

The electronic voice of Andrei’s Google Maps directs him to turn off 17th, down Greenwich Ave. His legs may have been a little sore from the morning skate plus the 30-minutes he had been walking but Andrei could easily count the positives.

Like the fact that no one had stopped him since leaving the hotel, or that it was a pleasantly warm day, or that he had almost arrived at the studio, or that he was about to see Keely again.

His app tells him the Electric Lady Studios is coming up on his left and Andrei takes out his headphones. He looks ahead on the sidewalk for a sign or anything other identifiers. He doesn’t expect for his identifier to be the small group of men with cameras lingering outside but Keely did warn him about the possibility.

The sight of them gives Andrei pause, his steps slowing. He’s sure that he is unworthy of getting a phot taken, the men most likely looking for higher list celebrities. But just to be safe, Andrei adjusts his sunglasses and pulls his baseball cap a little lower. With a deep breath, he walks up to the front door and pulls it open with as much casualness as he can muster, hoping that the paparazzi thought he was just another worker or security guard.

The sound clicking camera shutters do not hit his ears and a sigh of relief flows through him. Quickly taking off his meager disguise, smoothing his hair with his hands, he walks up to the front desk where serious woman sits, typing on a computer.

“Hello,” he says, causing the woman’s eyes to look up at him over her horn-rimmed glasses, her eyebrows raising. Andrei tries not to let himself falter under her stare, taking a deep breath before continuing. “I’m here to see Keely Halloran.”

“Name.”

“Andrei Svechnikov,” he replies, waiting to see if any form of recognition crosses over her face. But the receptionist, unfazed, simply picks up the landline, tapping a few numbers before murmuring Andrei’s information to the person on the other end. Andrei watches the small nod of her head before she is placing the phone back down and fixing her eyes on him once again.

“Studio D. Down the hall to the left.”

Andrei leaves her with a polite thank you, receiving only a hum in response. He walks across the plush carpet, following the receptionist’s directions as well the signs hanging on the walls until he arrives at the recording studio labeled with the letter D. After another slow deep breath, he pulls open the door.

It is nearly silent when he steps into the room but he can hear the soft somewhat muffled sound of Keely’s singing. The room is on the smaller size, the main attraction being the giant switchboard facing a huge window. Two men were standing in front of the board, giant headphones on their ears and he could see their fingers moving. Andrei looks past them, through the window, and sees Keely.

After a month of only seeing her through a phone or computer screen, the sight of her in front of him takes his breath away. She was beautiful – no photos could compare seeing her in person. Photographs could never capture the beauty of her entire essence: sitting in the live studio, her own headphones perched on her head as she sings into a microphone, her eyes almost closed, her hands emoting with every word.

Andrei just stands back, not wanting to disturb the moment, content to watch Keely in her element. She pauses, looking back towards the window and it is then do her eyes flit up to Andrei. The skip of his heart is noticeable when her smile grows exponentially at the sight of him. She sends a soft wave in his direction as a silent hello, before her fingers curl to indicate ‘one moment.’ He just nods, patiently waiting as she does a few more takes before she takes off her headphones.

Keely gets up from the chair she was perched in and walks through the connecting door, smiling at Andrei before turning her attention to her producers.

It is fascinating, watching her work. He assumes that this is how people felt watching him skate.

Keely looked so in her element, leaning over the switchboard, her hands holding her headphones in place, her head moving with the beat. He watches how she talks to her producers, humming and singing, brainstorming ideas about the music and lyrics. Her smile never leaves her face, not even when a soft thank you fall from her lips. Her producers get up from their seats, receiving a warm hug from Keely before they depart. And then, finally, she turns her attention to Andrei.

“Hi,” she says, the lingering happiness painting her words.

“Hey.”

It’s one of the only words Andrei can say, still in shock that he was able to see her again. Still surprised that she reached out to him after a month of silence.

“Sorry again about the whole fiasco of setting this up,” Keely laughs, pushing the door open to the other side of the recording studio, holding it in a silent invitation for Andrei to follow behind. “I hope you were able to get here okay.”

“It was fine. New York is beautiful so it’s nice to walk around.”

Andrei’s words slightly trail off as he walks into the live room. He wasn’t able to see the entirety of it until now. It is cozy; the warm paneling, a myriad of couches and chairs, and even plants sitting on many surfaces. But it is also so obviously a recording studio with every different type of instrument placed along almost every wall. He watches Keely sink down onto one of the couches, her blue eyes looking up at him, the excitement of seeing him and having him here, in her world, evident. Andrei returns her smile as he sinks into the cushions opposite her before continuing.

“And don’t apologize. I’m honestly just happy you reached out,” he continues, letting his smile widen ever so slightly. “Never thought I’d see you again.”

“Grow tired of waiting for me?”

“Never,” he responds immediately with a sharp sincerity. “Although, if I got your number back in Toronto, it might have been easier to remind you that I was here.”

Keely laughs, her head tilt indicating he made a good point but her laughter fades as she looks back at him with that genuine expression that made the temperature of his body increase.

“I wouldn’t need a reminder,” she softly says. “I never forgot about you.”

This woman. A part of Andrei wondered if she’d ever stop making his heart do flips in his chest.

“Really?” he asks, the question lifted with an air of uncertainty. His shock is once again noticed by Keely who only laughs that bright laugh in response.

“Of course. You think I let any random guy I met once into my recording studio?”

Andrei shares in her laughter, never ceasing to love how confident and carefree she was.

“It is a beautiful studio.”

“Thank you,” Keely replies, looking around the space before training her blue eyes back to Andrei. “I hope this isn’t too weird but I was wondering if you’d be comfortable having lunch with me in here? There’s a mini fridge that I keep stocked with food or we could order in.”

“You have a fully stocked mini-fridge?”

“Never know how long I’ll be working. Don’t want to interrupt the creative process by having to walk outside and grab a bite to eat, y’know?”

Andrei replies with a soft chuckle of understand because he did get it. There were moments in practice where he did not want to leave the ice until he perfected a specific technique or a specific play and then repeated it until it became muscle memory. He could imagine writing a song might operate the same way.

“I’m fine with whatever,” he says, his shoulder shrugging, leaving the decision entirely up to her.

“Cool. I think I’ll order some food then. There’s this Italian place a few blocks away that to die for,” Keely replies, lifting herself up and grabbing her cell-phone before turning to Andrei. “Chicken and pasta, right?”

“Yeah,” Andrei confirms, his smile growing on his face. “How’d you remember?”

“Like I said, it was hard to forget about you.”

Andrei leans back and lets Keely type their order into her phone (although he does offer his own card to pay but she shoos his request away, saying she invited him). She settles back down on the couch and while they wait for the delivery, they talk, catching each other up on what had been happening in their lives.

It was surface level stuff at first: how the season was going for Carolina, how many times Keely had been in the studio. When their food arrives, their conversation turns more intimate, talking about smaller, non-headline items. Keely shows him videos of her dog Gigi and some other photos of Boston from her point of view. Andrei recounts the absolute freak-out that Seth Jarvis had when Andrei sent him the video they shot up in Toronto. He can’t contain his laughter, even going to show the all-capital multi exclamation point text messages that he received, causing Keely to laugh as well.

“Well, if that’s how he reacts to a video, I can only imagine what he’d be like if I ever meet him.”

“Do you want to meet him?”

“Maybe. You think I will?” Keely says, responding with her own question and Andrei can see both the gentle tease in her eyes as well as the sincere hope. The hope that maybe meeting each other’s friends was were this could be heading, growing from a chance meeting to something real.  

“I guess we’ll find out,” he replies, his own eyes surely sparkling with that same hope.  

“Guess we will.”

“You look great by the way. I’m not sure if I’d told you that yet.”

“If you did, I wouldn’t be opposed to hearing it again.”

“Well, you do,” Andrei compliments, his gaze darting down her body.

She always did look fantastic but this felt different. Her outfit matched her demeanor: casual and relaxed. Another monochrome outfit of a tank top, pants, boots, her hair in two braids, that made her seem so effortlessly cool. His eyes trace the lines of her necklaces and down to the bracelets adorning her wrists before noticing the ring on her middle finger. He recognizes it as the same one from her jewelry tray in her hotel bathroom.

“I like your ring,” he says, gesturing. “I saw it… well, that night. It’s very unique.”

Keely’s eyes follow his gesture, her right hand lifting as she takes in the jewelry, a small chuckle falling from her lips.

“It’s actually one of the most common rings you’ll see in Boston. Especially South Boston.”

“Really? What is it?”

“It’s called a Claddagh ring. Old Irish tradition,” she explains.

She holds her hand out and Andrei doesn’t hesitate to take a hold of it. There is a notable shiver that runs through Keely at his touch, a smile appearing on her face – one that Andrei matches, his thumb running over her knuckles. She lets out a small shaky breath before continuing.

“The heart represents love, the crown loyalty, and the hands friendship,” Keely says, pointing to each element of the ring. “Most girls get one when they turn seventeen or eighteen. It’s actually a way to show relationship status. When it’s on the right hand – like mine – and the bottom of the heart is pointing out – like mine – it means that your heart is open to love. If the heart is pointed towards the wearer, it means they’re in a relationship. And then on the left hand, pointed out means engaged, pointed in means married.”

“Sounds complicated,” Andrei laughs, making sure his voice stays light as to not offend.  

“Only if you don’t know the traditions,” she teases back, taking his jest in stride.

“You wore it the other way for a while,” he comments. There is a silence that falls and Andrei’s eyes dart up to see Keely staring at her ring, her eyebrows furrowed.

“Tan line is still there,” Andrei explains, his thumb running over the ring, pulling it slightly to the side to show the – albeit very faint – tan line. Keely’s hand slips from his as she brings it closer to her own eyes, taking in the lighter skin.

“You think it would’ve faded by now,” she sighs, rubbing the finger, the ring twisting as she looks away, her eyes distant.

Andrei just sits there, taking in the sight of the vulnerable woman sitting in front of him. It still hurt him, how much pain that she had obviously gone through. But it also made his heart soft that she was this open and trusting with him after only a few interactions.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“I’m sure you know the story,” she says with a humorless chuckle, her eyes darting over to him.

He didn’t want to tell her that yes, he did. After he left Toronto, he looked up as much as he could about her, trying to understand who Keely Halloran was. There was a lot of noise to dig through: internet trolls, overly critical journalists, people who had nothing to say but still said it as loud as possible. But he did know the story of her recent breakup and the fallout that followed.

“I haven’t heard it from you.”

Her blue eyes dart up to him and he hopes she understands that he wanted to hear about what happened from her perspective; the perspective of the person who lived through it all. Not to satiate some sick hunger to get information from superstar Keely Halloran but because he cared about her.

It seems as if his expression conveys enough because that self-deprecating smile softens. She lets out a small sigh before speaking.

“The short of it… is that he cheated on me. The long of it is that he cheated on me multiple times, in multiple places, in the five years we were together. Told me everything after we broke up. I wrote a song about it, got crucified for writing said song, disappeared for a few months, and now – here I am.”

“Multiple times in multiple places?” he repeats, shocked that there was a guy out there that was just plain stupid. Keely just shrugs.

“The danger of dating someone who travels for their job. It’s pretty easy to hide infidelity when you’re in different cities.”

“But he told you?”

“Yeah,” Keely chuckles, her eyes rolling. “Wrote me a letter, in fact.”

“The Late-Night performance,” Andrei whispers, remembering the messy scrawl that was projected across the soundstage.

“Yep. I don’t know if he was asking for forgiveness or wanted to cleanse his soul or some other bullshit,” she scoffs, shaking her head. “The funny thing is, him doing that is what caused everything else to happen. He could’ve gotten off scot-free if he just kept his mouth shut. But then again, I suppose I didn’t have to write a song attacking him.”

“No,” Andrei says. Keely glances back over at him, her eyebrows furrowed in a silent question. “If he didn’t want you – a singer – to write a song about how he hurt you, he shouldn’t have hurt you.”

 He can see Keely blink a few times, her body shifting, leaning back in surprise at his words and the conviction in his voice. Another sly smile tugs at her lips, her blue eyes fixed on him.

“Where were you a year ago?” she asks, her voice lilting in a gentle tease.

Andrei responds with a chuckle of his own, blushing as his head ducks down, scratching the back of his neck. He glances back up at Keely, her gaze taking him in, that cool casual demeanor thrown over her again like a security blanket.

“What about you, Andrei? Any past relationship drama I should know about?”

“No, not really,” he replies, gently laughing off her question.

“Really? No gossip that I can dig up on social media or through Google,” she says, relaxing him by gently poking fun at herself and her fishbowl life.

“Nah, there’s not much to say. My job and all… it – it keeps me busy. I only have summer really to date. But then hockey starts again and I’m travelling and… yeah,” he explains with a shrug. “Most of my problems have been physical: injuries. Missed last year’s playoffs because of my knee.”

“I’m sorry. I mean, that’s gotta suck.”

“It’s fine. Well, it wasn’t but… I’m all good now.”

“Back and better than ever?” she muses, that bright smile returning to her face.

“Yeah, I guess so.”

“Something we both can relate to.”

Andrei matches her grin as the two of them sit in that comfortable silence of a deeper understanding. Their worlds, while slightly different, were oddly similar as well. They had outside eyes on them, unsolicited opinions on their careers coming from every direction. But they both loved what they did. It was an intrinsic part of them, something that they couldn’t suppress even if it might be easier for them if they did.

“What were you working on? When I showed up?” Andrei asks, moving the conversation to what he hoped was lighter subject matter. His heart flips when he sees Keely’s eyes light up, the expression so like the joy he expressed on the ice.

“Just a new song. I’m not sure what I’m gonna do with it yet. Might be scrapped, might be on the next album. We’ll see,” she explains.

“Can I hear it?”

“For you? Of course.”

Keely jumps up from the couch, careful not to knock over any of their empty takeout containers. She tells him to wait as she disappears into the control room. Andrei can still see her from the other side of the window fiddling with the control board. The instrumental somewhat startles him when it starts playing through the speakers. He can tell that it is a work in progress, not as completed as the songs that he hears on the radio. But he sits and listens to the snippet played.

Tuck a knife with my heart up my sleeve and fuck like a demon. Do it like nothing, I am disgusting, I’ve been corrupted and by now I don’t need no help to be destructive. I’ve been gone. Yeah, I’ve been on this road too long.

The track stops and Andrei looks back at Keely through the window. She smiles, giving him a questioning thumbs up to which he responds to with one of his own. He watches as she practically bounds back in and sits down in her previous spot.

“Yeah, no idea what it’s going to turn into, if it’s going to be anything. One idea that I had that I’m really attached to is adding this cool skip effect to the word ‘corrupted’ just to emphasize that meaning. But any way… what do you think? Honest opinion.”

“I, um, I don’t know a lot about music. I don’t want to offend,” Andrei slowly replies. Keely just playfully scoffs at his explanation, rolling her eyes in a teasing jest.   

“Please, you know my life. It’ll take a lot to offend me,” she laughs. Andrei replies with a tilt of his head, silently telling her that she made an excellent point.  

“I like the music. I’m not sure about the lyrics. They’re a little… dark?”

“Dark?”

“Yeah. Doesn’t seem like you. But maybe I’m seeing a different side of you that makes me feel like that,” Andrei explains, looking up at Keely with shy brown eyes. This time, it’s Keely that tilts her head in agreement to his statement.

“You might be right. Well, maybe you’ll like these lyrics a little better.”

Keely once again pops up from her sitting position, walking swiftly over to the wall of guitars, and grabs one without hesitation. He watches as she gently sets it down on the couch across from him, before taking one of the smaller amps and bringing it up. With a practiced ease, she connects the instrument, pulling it into her lap and tuning it.

She strums a few notes, making sure everything was correct before she starts playing an upbeat chord progression, her foot tapping to the beat. The melody of the guitar already makes a smile appear on Andrei’s face, one that only widens when she starts singing.

“You should take it as a compliment that I got drunk and made fun of the way you talk. You should think about the consequence of your magnetic field being a little too strong. And I had a boyfriend who’s older than us. I haven’t seen him in a couple of months. I go through phases when it comes to love. I’m nothing that you want but I must say:

You’re so gorgeous, and I ain’t just talking about your face but look at your face. (ah-huh-ah) And I’m so curious. Your mind got me feeling some type of way. What can I say? You’re gorgeous. (huh, huh, ah-huh-ah)”

If there was one thing that was for certain, it was that Keely Halloran would never cease to surprise him. That was the thought repeating in Andrei’s mind as he watched her sing. She was so at ease, the weight that had been so evident on her shoulders seemingly vanished and all that was left was the music. The soft smile on his face remains even as she stops playing, her bright blue eyes looking up at him.

“I’m still not sure how I feel about that one,” she says, shrugging her shoulders as she rests the guitar against the couch cushions. “I think if I figure out the lyrics, I might send it off to another artist.”

“I like that one,” Andrei says, his voice painted with soft admiration.

“Well, I hope so. It’s about you after all.”

Those electric blue eyes seem to sparkle with the intensity of a million stars at the quiet confession. Andrei was slightly taken aback, not fully realizing how much he impacted this woman’s life until now. They only interacted with each other a minimum of three separate times, not including this one. What did she see in him? How had he not messed this up already?

“Well, I love it,” he says.

“I wrote another song about you,” Keely says, dropping the information so casually as if discussing the weather. Andrei wasn’t sure if she was emboldened by his sincerity or just liked to see him flail but whatever the reason, Andrei loved the way that it looked on her.

“Really?”

“Yeah. But I already sent it off to my friend Damiano. The moment I wrote it I knew it would fit perfectly on his band’s new album.”

“Can I still hear it?”

“You’ll have to wait for it to come out, just like everybody else. Besides, you already got enough of a sneak peek.”

The comfortable silence falls again as Andrei watches Keely return the guitar and amp to their homes. It’s almost perfect, a glimpse into what a potential future with her would look like. That is, until the sound of an alert shatters the peace. Andrei recognizes it as his alarm tone and he fishes out his cellphone from his pocket. The alert on his screen makes his heart slightly drop that it was that time already.

“Sorry, it’s an alarm I set,” he explains gently, turning off the noise and shoving the phone back in his pocket before lifting himself off the couch cushions. “I’ve gotta head back to the hotel.”

“Hey, I understand,” Keely says, walking with him out of the recording room, back into the control room and the door to the studio. Andrei stops, turning back to Keely, his hat and sunglasses in his hands.

“Are you coming to the game tomorrow?”

“No. I planned on staying in the city for the rest of the night, have some dinner with my friends, before heading back to Boston. Plus, me, at a Rangers game? Can you imagine?”

“Well, the Bruins game, then.”

“So confident,” she smiles, the words a glimmer of those exchanged in Toronto. “I think that is a definite possibility. I’m planning on going to TD Garden for a friend’s concert the night before the game anyway so, I’ll be in the area.”

“Would you be rooting for me?” he asks, a playful tease painting his words, one that makes Keely’s lips twist in her own mischievous grin.

“I don’t know, Svechnikov. You’ve gotta be pretty amazing for me to forsake a lifetime of hockey loyalty.”

“I’ll make sure to play my best game just for you.”

“Just for me?”

“You’ve written two songs about me. I’ve gotta catch up.”

taglist: @fallinallincurls @laureniray @comphy-and-cozy @smileysvech @pyotrkochetkov @thewintersoldierdisaster @svexhenthusiast

let me know if you want to be tagged in this story or if you want to add yourself to my general taglist, click here!!

[nohkalikai]

@batphobique speaking of manik raitong!!

[cityofmeliora]

Ghost and Southern California

i'm from California, so a lot of the locations in the Ghost lore are familiar to me! i wanna use this post to show / explain Ghost being set in the Los Angeles area.

though it hadn't been explicitly stated yet then, there are actually hints that Ghost is based in Southern California as early as Chapter 4: The Accident. when Sister Imperator is driving, you can see palm trees on the hills along the road. of course, lots of places have palm trees, but the specific combination of palm trees with the rocky cliffs and sparse vegetation feels distinctly Californian to me.

the Dance Macabre music video shows Nihil met Sister Imperator at a mansion in LA (as explained by the intro). don't know the exact location, but if i had to guess, i'd place it maybe somewhere in Beverly Hills, which has a lot of mansions like this.

the Kiss The Go-Goat music video again confirms that they're in Los Angeles. it features the Whisky a Go Go, a real music venue in West Hollywood. the Mary On A Cross animated music video accurately places it on a corner along the Sunset Strip.

the Mary On A Cross lyric video shows Sister Imperator walking through the Ministry building before leaving to see the show at the Whisky a Go Go. this is another indicator the Ministry building is in the LA area since it's within driving distance of the venue. scenes in the Ministry building are filmed at a real mausoleum northeast of LA, but i'm not going to name the location because the Ministry is supposed to be a fictional building. interestingly, the lyric video also gives us the exact time of the concert.

after the events of Kiss The Go-Goat, the Mary On A Cross animated music video starts with Sister Imperator driving to her house, which is in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood near the Hollywood Sign. you can see from the road that they're in the hills looking over the city.

then Sister Imperator and Papa Nihil run from their house to the Hollywood Sign. there are hiking trails that go from the surrounding neighborhoods up to the Hollywood Sign. you can go behind it just like they do in the video.

Sister Imperator and Papa Nihil cross a body of water that is most likely the Hollywood Reservoir, although the video places the Hollywood Sign west of the lake instead of east, as in real life.

Sister Imperator and Papa Nihil make out in a cemetery (which i did not attempt to locate) and then end up at a motel. this is not a real motel, though. it's the Bates Motel movie set at Universal Studios Hollywood. i laughed so hard because recognized it instantly in Rite Here Rite now. (i've been on the same tour that the Nameless Ghouls were on.) Universal Studios Hollywood is both a theme park and an actual film studio. there are people filming when Nihil calls Mr. Psaltarian to come pick him up in the The Future Is A Foreign Land music video.

so to summarize some of the locations in those videos: the Whisky a Go Go, Hollywood Sign, and Universal Studios are highlighted in yellow. the red outline on the map shows the boundary of the Hollywood Hills neighborhood. the Hollywood Reservoir is the body of water in the middle of it.

The Future Is A Foreign Land music video and Chapter 13: The Beach Life feature Mr. Psaltarian's beach house, which is on the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu. though there are beach houses all along the SoCal coast, Malibu is closest to LA, and is pretty much the only place where houses are that close to the water without some kind of barrier. it's a real house and i've driven past it. i know the exact location but i'm not sharing it, for obvious reasons.

here is Malibu on a map relative to Los Angeles:

as a side note, it appears Cardi now drives Mr. Psaltarian's old car, a 1968 Buick LeSabre convertible. it has California license plates, of course, but the plates must have been replaced at some point, since that California license plate design wasn't in use until 1988.

lastly, Rite Here Rite Now is set at The Forum (now called KIA Forum), which is in Inglewood near the LAX airport. Inglewood is technically its own city, but it's completely surrounded by LA.

when Rite Here Rite Now released, TF said in an interview that it's "common knowledge" that Ghost is based in LA. i found it a bit funny because i've read very few Ghost fanfics that are actually set in LA, so i don't know how 'common' that knowledge really is, LOL. but i hope this post helps!

WHAT WAS BEHIND THE DECISION TO SHOOT THE FILM AT THE FORUM IN L.A.? TOBIAS FORGE: [...] There’s this common knowledge that the HQ of the band seems to be in L.A. So the Forum is not only a classic venue, but it’s sort of their home turf. Had we placed the story someplace else, we would’ve had to justify: Why are they there? Why is this show special? Revolver (June 2024)

[hide-your-bugs-away]

HE IS SO SO SO SO NEAT!!!!!!! 🙏

It makes me sooooo so so happy to know ya love the guy, he really is the whole package, isn't he?? Incredibly charismatic, too... perfectly balancing wit and cynicism with many thoughtful comments about musical genres and social movements and the like. 🙏

AGGGHGHHH "House of the Rising Sun"....... if there was ever a song that's considered "overrated" that I will defend with my life until the end of time, it's the Animals' rendition of that song. So powerful... all done in one take at like 4 am... those lads are absolutely mad!! Eric's voice absolutely makes the song, of course, as well as Alan's keyboard and Hilton's iconic guitar... aGGgh, you really get the sense that they all *know* and can feel the blues deep in their souls, Eric especially so, despite living an ocean away from where that music originated.

Also, if you haven't seen the performance of "Rising Sun" the Animals did on the Ed Sullivan Show, I definitely recommend that one as well!! Since it's performed live, and live Animals sound incredible!

An interest in Eric Burdon, you say? 👀🐾 I just have to warn ya, he's entangled in his own homoerotic-songwriting-duo situation with Alan Price... so tread carefully. 🤭

In all seriousness, so glad to know that you like him!! Especially since, like John, I've seen him subject to a whole lot of body shaming (in articles from the 60's and now) so it makes me happy to see others who legitimately love him for everything - mind, body, and voice!! Just like Alan does 😏

- @hide-your-bugs-away

(thanks, Alan 🙏🏳️‍🌈)

Ma'am I finally gave in an watched the music video for House of the Rising Sun, and woo boy if nobody has given it the time of day

That and considering how important this song and many others by The Animals are to us Americans and our culture, I was shocked to learn this band is British! That these boys are British. Shocked.

Eric Burdon's voice got your girl all shades of fucked up. Like, this young man? Singing like that? 🥴 Y'all.

Oh I love everything about him. I adore his body type, so masculine and stocky and I think he's got a very handsome face... An' his voice is sex, just to be honest.

I just think he's neat 🥔

[rescuebabiesau]

GOTP AU BIT

Mr. Pettypaws lives to be an incredible 20 years old before he finally passes away, but shortly following his death, Mrs. Neederlander vanishes. She is not at her home, nor in her cabin, but a note lies on the door of her cabin when the Burnses go to investigate, telling them not to worry and she'll be fine.

Many whispers and rumors rose up from this event. Some said she wandered off into the woods like an old cat herself to die where nobody would find her, some said she simply moved away from Griffin Rock to be with her remaining living relatives.

Sigma Seventeen, however, knows the truth. For every full moon, they can hear the soft music and singing of the fairies in the deep woods to the northeast of the island, and if you peek through the ferns you will see Mrs. Neederlander, a young girl again, dancing with them before following them back into their own realm by dawn.

'Do not worry about her,' they will tell you, 'she is with friends.'