#not too sour not too sweet and quenches your thirst

[hoots-the-owl]

Kwik Trip’s lemonade really is on a different level

[hetaologist]

World Meeting (pt. 1)

England: *Enters the meeting room* Right, I want to address a particular Tweet as today’s meeting topic…

*All Nations stop what they’re doing to look at England*

England: Just last week, I read a Tweet from a *specific* individual, talking shit about my food.

*All Nations groan, America snickers to himself*

England: *Narrows eyes at America*, I’ll have you know, my ‘Pie and Mash’ is a good, hardy meal and a British classic!

America: *Stands from his desk with a cheeky grin* Come on dude, don’t tell me you actually look forward to eating dry ass meat pies covered in nuclear green gravy and a side of wall paste~. *He laughs mischievously*

England: WHY YOU CHEEKY BAST-

France: *Clears his throat* Mon amie~, I’m forced to agree with America…unfortunately.”

England: *Snaps his head towards France* WHAT!? Says you, you snail sucker! Your food is overrated and overly complicated to make.

France: *Clutches pearls* Sacré bleu, you heathen! At least my food is desired for and doesn't make people fat, no~?!

*America and England both glare at France*

America: Excuse me bro...?

*Germany stands up and places hands on table*

Germany: Now's not the time to talk about frivolous topics as such. The three of you, sit down und shut up!

America: Hmph, says you. You think it's perfectly okay to eat boiled sausages with boiled potatoes and noodles with no seasonings.

*Germany gasps and gets taken a back*

Germany: DON'T TALK SCHEISSE ABOUT MY FOOD, YOU LARD COVERED ARSCHLOCH!

France: And no, covering everything in mustard or paprika doesn't count~.

*Germany is fuming like a hot baked potato*

England: Hehe~. Now you know how I feel in this situation, you bland Kraut!

America: HAHA! And your beer tastes terrible~.

*Everyone deadass looks at America*

America: What?

Russia: That's some bold words coming from you, Америка~. Germany's beer is pretty good, your beer tastes like man pissed into bottle before closing it.

America: HEY! At least my food is well seasoned and diverse...

China: Yeah right, your shit is just our stuff but with too much sugar and salt.

*All Nations nod their head in agreement*

America: No it isn't! I just like lots of flavor....

*England looks over at America's Stanley cup on his desk*

England: I bet that coffee cup is filled to the BRIM with pure sugar and syrups, you fat ass.

America: Nah dude, it's filled with my *:･ﾟ✧special sauce*:･ﾟ✧.

*America opens up his giant cup filled with sauce*

America: It's a combination of ranch, hot sauce, chicken tender sauce, tangy BBQ sauce, ketchup, mustard, mayo, bacon bits, chipotle, sour cream, sweet n' sour and chili sauce~.

*Everyone looks in horror at America's concoction*

England: What in the ACTUAL FUCK AMERICA ?! Why do you have a huge ass cup of JUST SAUCE?!

America: To quench my thirst, of course!

*Everyone's jaw drops in disgust, some start to gag*

Russia: I should have bombed you when I had chance...

America: Nah, I'm just playing! It's for my chicken tenders.

*America pulls out a box of fast food chicken tenders out of coat pocket*

Germany: WHY DO YOU HAVE THAT WITH YOU?!

America: It's my snackies :3c , this is the sauce I use for everything! Like tacos, burgers, pizza...

*North Italy faint after hearing 'pizza'. South Italy gasps and tends to his brother.*

South Italy: You sick fuck, you always fuck up our beloved pizza and pasta!

America: Wha- no I don't!

South Italy: You are the bastard that put pineapple on pizza and fucked it all-a up!

America: Actually, that's Canada's invention...

South Italy: WHAT?!

*Everyone looks at Canada*

Canada: ...damn it. It's really not that bad, honestly.

South Italy: You're just as bad as your brother!

Canada: Fair...

*America gets on the desk and stands on it*

America: How about we once and for all decide who has the best food in the world and that person can talk all the shit they want about other countries food!

*All Nations agrees to the motion, except for Germany*

Germany: Gott in Himmel... *facepalms*

(to be continued...)

[seventeenytiny]

What Their Kisses Taste Like

Authors note - made this just for fun, lots of fluff <3 Also, you could probably put down an iced americano for majority of the members but I wanted to make it more fun than that lol

Bang Chan

Fruit Smoothies - Sweet and refreshing, Chan generally likes to make his own drinks to help get some healthy energy throughout the day. Today, you decided to help him out and make him his post workout drink. Fresh from the shower, he greets you in the kitchen, towel around his waist and body still slightly damp. He takes a long drink from the glass you handed him, an appreciative smile appearing on his face. He leans down to kiss your lips, his way of saying thank you for taking care of him. His lips were just too sweet for you to let him get away with one kiss, you pull him back towards you, almost knocking the towel off his waist in your eagerness.

Lee Know

Iced Americano - The bitterness of coffee remains on his lips after he takes a sip of his drink. His hand that isn't holding onto his cup is holding yours, keeping it warm as he tucks your interlocked fingers into his jacket pocket. The walk from the coffee shop back to your apartment was short, but with weather so brutal it didn't take long for you get chilled. As you enter your apartment, he grabs you to pull you close, rubbing your back to help warm you up. He places a chaste kiss on your lips, that delightful flavor of his drink lingering.

Changbin

Chocolate Protein Powder - Slightly bitter yet also sweet, the taste of his current favorite protein shake took over your senses. While you used to never care for protein shakes before, Changbin's lips had you craving it. You had never associated a taste with a person before but you had also never met a man your him before. He picks you up and sets you on the counter, your eyes now level with each other. He smirks before placing a teasing kiss on your collarbone before moving to your lips. That faint taste lingers on your lips before you pull him back in for more.

Hyunjin

Dirty Chai - A Chai tea latte with a shot of expresso, so warm and inviting, just like his lips. The smell of warm spices swirl around your head as you sit in your boyfriend's lap, arms around his neck. His hair tickles your face as he leans down to continue your make out session. His plump and warm lips help clear your mind and melt away all your troubles. Moments like this make you wish you could stay in his arms forever.

Han

Mocha Frappuccino - Chocolatey yet rich with the flavor of coffee. The amount of caffeine and sugar from the drink he had been sipping on all day had turned him in a stage four clinger, he could not leave you alone. His arms wrapped around your waist as you attempted to do dishes, his cheek resting on your head as he pouted. It became clear that the dishes would have to wait, he needed attention and he needed it now. You turned around to him, cupping his face with your hands as you lightly pressed your lips to his, the sweet taste of mocha chocolate on his lips almost giving you a sugar rush as well.

Felix

Skittles - His kisses are so sugary sweet they could rot your teeth. You had your head resting in his lap as the two of you watched TV together. When you least expect it, he leans over to pepper kisses all over your face, causing you to giggle from how his hair tickled your face. His last kiss lands on your lips, leaving you with a sugary strawberry taste. Was it from Skittles? Sour Patch Kids? A lollipop? I guess you'll have to kiss him again to find out.

Seungmin

Lemonade - Tarte and sweet, the smell of citrus intoxicates you as he presses his lips against yours. After a long walk through the nature trail, an ice cold lemonade was the only thing that could quench his thirst. His kisses taste refreshing and bright, just like him.

I.N

Energy Drinks - Sugary yet tarte, that familiar taste of a Monster lingers on your lips after he kisses you. He practically chugged one after finishing practice before heading over to go see you. He had to make sure he had enough energy to stay awake for your movie date. You cuddled up in his arms as a movie plays on is a precious moment he has to savoir with you. You lick your lips after each kiss, enjoying the sweetness he leaves behind.

[airic-fenn]

Heh… Just like a kiss, strawberries are deceptive. They are pretty and round, enticing you with their plumpness. You think they will be so sweet, and people tell you that, too.

People will wax poetic, about how lovely the strawberry is. About its juices, quenching the thirst from your tongue

as you bite down and its flesh almost

melts in your mouth.

But they dont tell you how the seeds get caught in your teeth.

They dont tell you how for every sweet strawberry, you will find a bitter one, or one without flavor. They dont tell you that strawberries

can be sour.

Is it any wonder then, that my mother dips them in bowls of sugar first?

[l5rart]

The sweet and sour flavors in this Watermelon Pickled Plum Smoothie go well together. It's a great way to quench your thirst and enjoy the flavours of fresh watermelon and pickled plums.

Ingredients: 2 cups fresh watermelon chunks, seedless. 2 pickled plums, pitted. 1/2 cup Greek yogurt. 1/4 cup coconut water. 1 tablespoon honey adjust to taste. Ice cubes optional. Fresh mint leaves for garnish optional.

Instructions: Place the watermelon chunks, pickled plums, Greek yogurt, coconut water, and honey in a blender. Blend until smooth and creamy. If the mixture is too thick, you can add a few ice cubes and blend again until desired consistency is reached. Taste the smoothie and adjust the sweetness by adding more honey if needed. Pour the smoothie into glasses, garnish with fresh mint leaves if desired, and serve immediately. Enjoy your refreshing Watermelon Pickled Plum Smoothie!

Jenna S

[lindajenni]

feb 7

reignite your passion for Jesus

"nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love." rev 2:4

do you have a passion for God? in other words, is God your first love? having passion for God means that every molecule of our being is drawn to God and given up to Him. as water and air are essential for sustaining life, so God and His presence are for having wholeness in life. genuine believers will have an unprecedented hunger and thirst for God and His blessings, His graciousness and supernatural activities in their lives. when we stop having that hunger and thirst for God, there is a gradual spiritual debility. therefore we must protect our lives, so that nothing would diminish our love and passion for God.

psalm 42 begins with a verse that may be familiar to you, “as the deer pants for the water… so my soul pants for you.” for some reason, i always pictured that deer standing at the water. it has been thirsty, but now it’s about to drink. i even created my version of that once. but that’s not the image at all. the psalmist (and the deer) are still far from water. that’s why the spiritual throat is parched. the psalmist cries out, “when shall i come and appear before God?” God seems far away and there seems no soon-coming satisfaction for a parched soul.

scripture often describes our longing for God as a deep hunger or thirst. hunger and thirst are basic drives in our bodies, and there is also a hunger and thirst of the soul. this fallen world, with its fallen people, can never satisfy our fallen selves. but we keep going back to it, as if it can. we set our sights on the objects of a thousand different desires, none of which give us the lasting pleasure we long for.

we long for God’s Word, that truth which is an extension of Himself that clarifies and explains, and shows us life as it really is, not as it is constantly misperceived. the world, with its sin and shallowness, leaves a sour taste in our mouths, but there is an eternal sweetness to God’s word.

like eating good food and exercising regularly, if we develop the holy habit of daily meditating on scripture, we will deeply appreciate it, realize our need for it, and miss it acutely whenever we’re away from it too long. if you’re not craving God’s Word, you’ve forgotten what you’re missing — or perhaps you’ve never known.

that is why God may allow deficiency, disease, or depression to come into our lives; to drive us to crave a closer relationship to Him. for example, when satisfaction and purpose are missing from our lives and we are deficient in these qualities it is God’s way of helping us crave Him. God is what we really need! when something in our life is out of place, when our relationships are hurting, or when there is a sense of dis-ease in our heart, it is God showing us that He is what we need. and when we are discouraged or depressed, when life has let us down, it is God showing us that He is the only one who can truly satisfy. He wants us to crave Him more than anything else in life!

we sinners who would have been consumed by the burning holiness of God will be transformed into righteous people with the moral character of Christ, so that we can see God face to face, gazing upon Him with sheer delight. never again will we withdraw from Him, nor He from us.

when we see Him with our resurrected eyes, we will realize that all our lives, as we went down every dead end street pursuing what we thought we wanted, it was really Him we were searching for, longing for. and Him alone that could ever satisfy us.

let your tears be your food day and night, saying all day long, “where is the Lord God of elijah?” 2 kings 2:14 "as for me, i will see Your face in righteousness; i shall be satisfied when i awake in Your likeness." psa 17:15 then and only then will my needs be quenched.

[allyorganicme]

Kitchen Alchemy: Transforming Dishes with C.O. Citric Acid Powder

Cooking is an art, and every artist needs their palette. One such magical ingredient that can elevate your culinary creations is C.O. Citric Acid Powder. Beyond its traditional role as a flavor enhancer, this crystalline powder has the power to transform dishes, adding a burst of acidity and enhancing overall taste profiles. In this exploration, we will uncover the culinary alchemy that happens when C.O. Citric Acid Powder takes center stage in the kitchen.

The Culinary Chemistry of C.O. Citric Acid Powder

1. Flavor Booster:

C.O. Citric Acid Powder is a secret weapon for chefs seeking to intensify and brighten flavors in their dishes. Its tangy notes act as a natural flavor booster, making it a versatile addition to both savory and sweet recipes. Just a pinch can add a zing that wakes up the taste buds.

2. Balancing Act:

Achieving the perfect balance of flavors is an art form in cooking. C.O. Citric Acid Powder excels in this area by providing a controlled acidity that can counteract excessive sweetness, cut through richness, and enhance the overall harmony of a dish. It's a culinary tightrope walker, bringing equilibrium to the flavors on your plate.

3. Preserving Freshness:

In addition to its role in enhancing taste, C.O. Citric Acid Powder functions as a natural preservative. It inhibits the oxidation of fruits and vegetables, preventing browning and preserving their freshness. This makes it an invaluable tool for preserving the visual appeal and nutritional content of your culinary creations.

Applications in Culinary Creativity

1. Marinades and Sauces:

C.O. Citric Acid Powder is a game-changer in marinades and sauces. Its acidic punch not only adds depth to the flavors but also helps tenderize meat. Whether you're preparing a tangy barbecue sauce or a zesty citrus marinade, this powder can take your savory dishes to new heights.

2. Baked Goods and Desserts:

Elevate your baked goods and desserts with a dash of C.O. Citric Acid Powder. Its ability to enhance fruit flavors makes it a standout in pies, tarts, and fruit-based desserts. It can also be the secret ingredient in your frostings and glazes, providing a delightful contrast to sweetness.

3. Refreshing Beverages:

Quench your thirst with beverages that sparkle. C.O. Citric Acid Powder is a key player in crafting refreshing drinks, from homemade lemonades to inventive cocktails. Its ability to mimic the tartness of citrus fruits makes it a go-to choice for mixologists and home bartenders alike.

Culinary Benefits and Considerations

1. Consistent Acidity:

Unlike fresh citrus fruits that can vary in acidity, C.O. Citric Acid Powder offers consistency. This precision allows chefs to have greater control over the acidity levels in their dishes, ensuring a reliable and reproducible outcome.

2. Extended Shelf Life:

The preservative properties of C.O. Citric Acid Powder not only maintain the freshness of ingredients but also contribute to the extended shelf life of certain products. This can be particularly advantageous in the context of food preservation and storage.

3. Caution with Quantity:

While C.O. Citric Acid Powder can work wonders in small amounts, its potency requires careful measurement. Adding too much can overpower the dish, leading to an unpleasant sourness. Chefs should exercise restraint and experiment judiciously to find the perfect balance.

Culinary Creativity Unleashed

In the realm of culinary creativity, C.O. Citric Acid Powder emerges as a transformative force. Its ability to enhance flavors, balance tastes, and preserve freshness opens up a world of possibilities for chefs and home cooks alike. From savory main courses to sweet indulgences, this crystalline powder invites experimentation and innovation in the kitchen.

Conclusion: Elevating Culinary Artistry

In the art of cooking, every ingredient plays a crucial role, and C.O. Citric Acid Powder is no exception. Its transformative power, from intensifying flavors to preserving freshness, makes it a prized possession in the kitchen. As chefs continue to explore innovative ways to tantalize taste buds, the inclusion of C.O. Citric Acid Powder marks a significant step towards unlocking new dimensions of culinary alchemy. With a careful balance of creativity and precision, this magical powder has the potential to turn ordinary dishes into extraordinary masterpieces, proving that in the kitchen, alchemy is indeed at play.

[pazodetrasalba]

Beverages

Dear Caroline:

I found the list of your youthful beverages interesting -especially the part about you never drinking much water, which I find extremely weird when compared with my habits. I've drunk and drink a lot of stuff, but my personal devotion to cold water is unparalleled, and it is the only drink that can really quench my thirst.

Perhaps there is a cultural factor here. A text that comes to mind is a 16th century letter from a Spanish missionary in Japan to our King Philip II in which the writer expresses astonishment at the fact that the Japanese only drink boiled and warm water (which was actually an incredibly hygienic practice, even if germs hadn't been discovered yet...).

In the rural place I come from, children were mostly expected to drink water and milk; sodas in the eighties were a treat that wasn't to be had on a day-to-day basis, and the choices were rather limited, too. Consumption of small quantities of alcohol by children was quite common too - anisette, sweet quinine wine (it was actually marketed for kids!), apple cider and ponche, a type of eggnog that was supposed to cure colds.

In the pre-adolescent years I spent in a much more cosmopolitan UK I developed a taste for milk (which tends to be rather bland and tasteless in Spain; I could still gulp down pint after pint of the British versions if they were available), horlicks (malted milk) and for sugarless tea, with just a tiny cloud of milk in it. It's my main drinking vice (I usually drink between 3-4 mugs of the stuff a day. As for alcohol, I am practically a teetotaller). More recently, I have developed a taste for sweet drinks with a tinge of the sour/bitter like tonic water and homemade lemonade/lime juice/grapefruit juice. Last Spring, while I was taking a course in Oslo, I made the discovery of an incredibly toothsome soda-like concoction made from rhubarb.

Quote:

Water is the only drink for a wise man.

Henry David Thoreau

[yunhowhoitiss]

𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭 '𝐧 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫

𝐟𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞!𝐲𝐞𝐨𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐱 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 (𝐟𝐞𝐦)

𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 1.4k+ words

𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: misc, fluff, a lil suggestive

𝐬𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬: you’ve only just moved into your new house with the help of your fiancé’s friends, and it’s already utter chaos.

𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: swearing, ateez are dorks wbk, yeosang gets handsy, reader is embarrassed but takes revenge asap (let me know if I've missed anything ^^)

𝐚/𝐧: hey everyone! it’s been a while, I know, but I really wanted to post something for valentine’s day so here I am :) I hope you all have a gorgeous day, you’ve earned it <3

masterlist

"Boys, the lemonade's almost ready!"

The tingle of lemons tickled at your nose as you inhaled the odour of the sour fruit. You squeezed the last of the lemons into the glass jug on the counter in front of you.

Your fiancé's friends we're at your house to help you paint the walls of your newly-bought house, and you'd all been busy since the early morning.

Pouring a generous amount of sugar into the jug, you stir the soon-to-be lemonade with a long spoon. (Last summer when you made lemonade for the boys, San whined that it wasn't sweet enough, so you remembered to put in just a little more this time.)

Although you had called for the others already, there was no sign of them coming upstairs.

"Hey, dipshits, come get your lemonade!" You yelled at the top of your lungs. Again, no answer. At this point, you knew they were teasing you, as they always did. You sighed heavily, knowing you'd regret what you were about to do.

"Oh," you feigned wistfulness, "I wonder where those handsome, striking men are. I guess they don't want any lemonade. My heart longs for them to quench their thirst!" Your impression of a damsel in distress was audibly half-assed.

As if on cue, Mingi and Wooyoung ran up the stairs, followed by the other six men coming up the steps as well. San, Hongjoong, Seonghwa, and Jongho situated themselves on the ground in the living room area, still devoid of furniture. You had yet to buy any for the house.

"Is that seriously what it takes for me to get your guys' attention? Calling you handsome?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Wooyoung grinned mischievously, obviously proud of himself. He hopped up on the counter while Mingi stood next to you, looking innocently over your shoulder. Yunho joined in on the conversation, searching the kitchen cabinets for any cups.

"Well we are handsome, aren't we?" He chuckled cockily, reaching for a pack of paper cups on a shelf.

"Right?" Mingi chimed in, looking at you to see if you'd agree.

You look at them with your mouth agape; you couldn't believe the audacity they had. Before you could say anything, Yeosang finally came up the stairs, having overheard your conversation from afar.

"Hey, stop trying to squeeze compliments out of my wife, your egos are big enough as they are," he chastised playfully.

"She's technically not your wife, though," Wooyoung contested. Having known him for years, Yeosang knew Wooyoung didn't mean anything by it, but he threw him a cold glare nevertheless.

"Yet. Not my wife yet."

"So she can only compliment you, is that it?"

"Exactly."

The other men snickered at the both of them, clearly used to seeing them bicker all the time. Yunho filled nine paper cups with lemonade, giving everyone their drinks. Ignoring the immature conversation at hand, Seonghwa craned his neck to see you from where he sat.

"Y/n, could we get lunch soon? I think I speak for everyone when I say that I would kill for a burger right now." Upon hearing the word 'burger' most of the boys hummed and groaned in longing, almost drooling at the thought of it.

"Of course! I'll help Yeo out in the office to finish up what painting there is left to do, and you guys can get cleaned up and ready to go in the meantime. Sound good?" They all nodded yes at your proposal, some already making their way to the bathroom to get cleaned up.

Gulping down the rest of your lemonade, you threw the cup away and headed towards the office. Yeosang held a paint roller in both hands, finishing the last wall that needed to be painted. The thick paint dripped down his wrist, creating a long grey streak along his forearm.

"Messy as always, Yeoyeo," you sighed, taking one of his paint rollers. You dipped your finger in the paint on his wrist and booped his nose, painting the tip of his nose grey.

"Hey! That stuff's hard to clean off!" Yeosang tried to see the paint on his face, obliviously crossing his eyes. You giggled fondly at his cuteness; you could never understand how someone so witty could be so dorky. Yeosang's face fell upon hearing you laugh at him, a mischievous grin tugging at his lips. Your attention turned to the wall in front of you; you worked hard to paint as much of the surface as possible, unaware of Yeosang's actions. He painted both his hands grey, making sure the wet layer covered his whole hand.

"Y/n..." He whispered calmly. He made his way to stand behind you, tucking his face in your neck. He kept his painted hands behind him, hoping that you wouldn't notice.

"Yeosang, what are you doing? Help me paint."

He ignored you in favour of pressing gentle kisses into the crook of your neck, tracing his lips up to your ear. Your focus was drifting from the wall, all too distracted by Yeosangs lips so close to your ear. Before you could question him, his teeth nipped at your ear suggestively, catching you off guard. You turned to face him, only to be met with your fiancé's goofy smile.

"C'mon, we need to keep painting, love," you sighed exasperatedly.

"But baby..." Yeosang was proud of himself for the facade he was putting up, briefly wondering if he should've just become an actor. His lips met your forehead with an affectionate kiss as he brought his hands out from behind his back. His arms snaked around your waist, hands casually resting on your ass. This was something he did often, so you didn't think to question it. Following a playful squeeze, Yeosang took a step back, careful not to let his suspicious behaviour show. He stuck his painted hands in the pockets of the paint-stained overalls he wore, careful not to let you see.

"Why are you smiling like that? It's weird." You squint cheekily.

"I'm not smiling."

"Yeah, you are."

"No, I'm not."

"Y'know what, we can paint later. I'm hungry."

On that note, you peeked out from the doorway, checking to see if the boys were ready. Yeosang was trying his very best not to laugh, but you were too preoccupied to notice.

You exited the office room, Yeosang following your lead, and walked past the kitchen to reach the bathroom. "Just a minute, guys, I'm gonna go get cleaned up and then we'll be out of here," you assured the boys. They were crowded around the kitchen counter, finishing every last drop of lemonade. Out of the corner of your eye, you saw Seonghwa's hand fly to his mouth. Hongjoong and Jongho were red with what seemed to be embarrassment; the others pursed their lips in futile attempts to stifle their boyish giggles. Yunho probably made another dick joke, you told yourself, rolling your eyes.

Just as you passed a mirror that Yoesang had unboxed the day before, two shapes on your shorts caught your eye.

Grey patches? No. Grey... handprints.

"Kang Yeosang!"

The boys finally broke down in peals of laughter. Having known them for years, you weren’t all too embarrassed, you were even tempted to laugh along with them. Instead, you opted to throw a threatening glare at your fiancé , who raised his hands before saying "It wasn't me!"

"What do you mean it wasn't you— your hands are literally grey!" You stomped toward him, reaching for his sides. "Woo, hold his arms back!"

"Yes, ma'am!"

Your fingers tickled at Yeosang's sides as Wooyoung held his arms behind his back; San pulled out his phone to record him. Upon deciding that you'd done enough, you went to change into another pair of bottoms, leaving Yeosang panting on the ground and his friends teasing him. When you came back, Yeosang crouched on the floor, tieing his laces. The other boys had already gotten their shoes on and headed out the door.

"You're paying for the food, hyung!" Jongho chirped as he stepped out the door. As Yeosang stood up, you cheekily jumped on his back, letting him give you a piggyback ride to the car. You kissed his cheek from over his shoulder, wrapping your arms around his front.

"I'll get you back for that, Yeo. Watch your back," you feigned menace.

"Mhmm, of course baby."

"And you owe me a new pair of shorts."

The silver ring on your left hand sparkled in the corner of his eye, and although you couldn't see, an enamoured smile spread across his face. He pressed a loving kiss to your hands crossed over his chest.

"Anything for you, love."

[saranghanuuu]

PERKS OF DATING A YOUNGER GUY I LEARNED AFTER WATCHING CHINESE DRAMA FIND YOURSELF + REVIEW!

1. He has less baggage

This means that he has more time to attend to your needs and wants unlike an older guy with a demanding schedule and lots of responsibilities at hand.

2. He's more open-minded and adventurous

They are open to having new experiences and won't judge you for veering off the path you should stay on.

3. He's infectiously energetic *ehem*

Need I say more? A younger guy's youthful sense will surely find unimaginable ways to impress you!

4. He puts you on a pedestal

A younger man will appreciate your maturity and experiences and will admire you for it. They're also most likely take advice from you without letting it bruise their ego.

5. He'll make you feel young

Be prepared to relive the fun parts of your younger years with him.

It's not so wrong to say that the May-December relationship is taboo, especially among Asians. Most people I know had this inkling that when a younger guy hooks up with a woman way older than him, it could prolly mean one of two things — the guy's a paramour or she's a sugar momma. I'm honestly not a fan of it either on the premise that women mature faster than men. Let's be real, an immature relationship is a disaster. But now that I'm in my late 20s, and a hopeless romantic single at that, I kinda pondered over this. It suddenly occurred to me, what if one day I’m caught up in the position of being pursued by a younger man? Will I let the stigma affect me emotionally? Or will I take the risk ‘coz all is fair in love? I still don’t have a definite answer to this question. However, watching Find Yourself served as an eye-opener for me to look at things from a different perspective.

Find Yourself is a 2020 Chinese drama starring Song Wei Long and Victoria Song. It tells the story of a 32-year old Executive Director who never *even once* experienced dating. Given her age and career stability, she receives constant pressure from the people around her to find someone to marry and has since frequented blind dates arranged by her family, friends, or colleagues. But this girl is just someone who swears by the "spark" - no spark, then no point to the relationship. She may be old for fantasizing over first love and such, but she still yearns that it'll naturally come to find her someday. Until her thirst for real romance is quenched by a 22-year-old guy who started working as an intern in her company at his brother’s request.

Although hesitant at first due to their huge age difference and the societal views, she went out with him on the condition that they'll keep it a secret for the first 3 months. If everything went well, she agrees to publicize her relationship with him.

Let’s start off with the good things...

I just can't with this drama...! This so beautiful, cute, relatable - especially for a woman in late 20s like me. 

Plot-wise, it was well-imparted and makes perfect sense, touching a looooooot of relationship aspects in 41 episodes. Not only did I enjoy the happenings between our main couple, but our side couples' stories are very interesting too.

This drama pretty much straightened out my prejudice about age-gap relationships.

Light-hearted, just the way I like it! Every episode will make you smile and/or laugh hard.

Sexual tensions overload and superb kissing scenes! Let those hormones rush in. Not awkward to watch 'coz They. Did. Not. Hold. Back. Ack! If you're single, be prepared to feel MORE SINGLE watching this drama.

Well-written lines that will make you feel real emotions. The words will shoot you straight to the heart.

Acting-wise, the casts, from the mains down to the sides, did a super fine job in conveying the sentiments of their characters. My highest admiration goes to male lead Yuan Song, not (only) because he’s young, hot, and handsome, but because his youthful vibe made me reminisce the paradox of my early 20s awww. Anyways, in the beginning, I am sort of confused why (of all girls) he fell head over heels with our female lead He Fanxing who's obviously out of his league. I even suspected him of taking advantage of her naivety in matters of the heart. But as the drama went along, our dude proved himself genuine... That he's sincerely just a guy who's deeply in love with a woman... That indeed, true love can exist in this kind of relationship. Both Yuan Song and Fanxing emotionally benefited from each other and it's so lovely seeing that.

⚠️ AND SORRY BUT THIS IS A SPOILER ALERT⚠️

Halfway through the drama, our main couple called it quits. I'm somewhat grateful that it happened. Their break-up scene is just so powerful I had to rewind it many times. Not because I liked seeing them suffer from the consequences of their incompatibility. Rather, I loved it 'coz it became the turning point of their relationship.

Their love is premature, to begin with — trust isn't mutual, commitment is one-way, only showing each other's good sides in fear of the relationship turning sour, one is willing to compromise while the other wants to avoid responsibility, filled with doubts and insecurities. During this break-up phase, we were shown the difference between how kids and adults behave and decide in a dilemma. I suddenly remembered this one line delivered in the drama which I agree with — "Only kids would choose one or the other. Adults find solutions". The break-up also served as our main couple's period of contemplation about who and what they want in life. It taught them how to fully embrace their offbeat romance against the norms. Fortunately, things wrapped up into a sweet end.

And of course the bad...

Hmmm... Maybe I'm just not used to it but am I the only one who thinks that this drama is quite lengthy? Yes, I enjoyed it but it's not a good one to binge-watch. It took me almost a month to finish this I nearly drowned haha. Honestly, there were parts they could've just compressed instead of dragging it for too long. One example is Ye Luming and He Fanxing's relationship trial. Ooohhh I hate this part it brought shivers down my spine ugh. Well truth be told, Luming and Fanxing are compatible and better off as friends. They jive so well, and I give it to them that they're both adults who can only understand adult things.

But when Luming all of a sudden became a sneaky character to an intolerable point... Ah, I don't know anymore! Seeing how compelled Fanxing is to being Luming's girlfriend got under my skin. Although these ugly parts eventually became a good contributory factor to Fanxing's realization of her true feelings towards Yuan Song, but still...! I also hated Fanxing at one point for being so gullible in love. But yeah, I had to swallow it because that's her character setup in the first place. It should be expected of her to be hasty and dubious about it.

On the other hand, I wished they've been generous in showing us more about how Yuan Song and Fanxing's relationship is going after the public reveal. I've been waiting for this the entire time (they could've done so much more in 41 episodes' length!) so I'm quite disappointed.

After watching the second season of Well-Intended Love, I admit I lost interest in Chinese dramas. So watching this restored my faith in them. I even have a list of C-dramas lined up now! But I have to move on from this one first before I start another. It's not as easy as I thought ㅠㅠ

What do you think about this drama? Are we on the same frequency? ❤️

If you haven't watched this yet, watch it now. As in 지금부터 RIGHT NOW. Highly-recommended!

[syllvaiin]

Oh i have a halloween request! How about some headcanons for vampire dimitri and vampire felix (separate pls🥺) × a f!reader thats their girlfriend? And she has like, a really rare blood that is also the most delicious? And so they always try to restrain themselves from sucking her blood? But one day they kinda snap and just bite her neck? Thank you! You are really amazing at writing and i really like all your works! (I literally spent all night reading them👉👈🤍)

(This is right up my alley, thank you, pumpkin! And that is way too sweet of you to say!!! 💕💕 It really made my entire day, so I want you to know that, my special anon! 💖 This was fun to write, and I went a little overboard with Dimitri’s, but I hope you enjoy!)

Vampire Dimitri

Because the Blaiyddid bloodline is known for their immense strength, those who have become vampires also boast heightened abilities beyond the realm of an average vampire; such as, better hearing, improved night vision, and a keener sense of smell. All of these abilities give them a natural advantage over other creatures of the night, which extends into their well-known leadership roles as the heads of a prominent vampire clan

These heightened senses can have a downside however, as their natural desire to feed is much higher than normal, prompting them to require more frequent feedings, and it can also lead to going overboard when drawing blood from a victim — though Dimitri is a vampire, he loathes killing his victims; instead, he opts to drain as much blood as he can before he withdraws himself, but mistakes do happen more often than he would prefer, especially when he encounters such a strong, enticing scent, such as the one belonging to his partner

He tried, although fruitlessly, many times to distance himself from you, and was extremely tentative to the idea of starting a relationship with you, as his worse fear is that he would accidentally kill you. No matter how hard he tried, he just kept coming back to you — your blood was the most inviting that he had ever come across, and your warm, welcoming demeanor would have drawn him to you otherwise, vampire or not. So he was always so careful with you, taking extra precautions to keep himself from succumbing to his nocturnal instincts

Dimitri almost always tries to satiate his innate cravings by draining from other victims, seldom from you, but one evening, his lust was sickeningly high, and you kindly offered up your neck with a small turn of your head, and he could not find it in himself to refuse you. Like a moth to a flame, he latched himself to your exposed neck, punctured your unmarked skin and experienced a euphoria he has yet to find elsewhere. He tried so hard to hold you as gingerly as possible; your subtle gasp of pain at the initial bite pained him, but it failed to deter him. Your blood was far too sweet and smooth and much too warm — flowing like honey down his frigid throat — that he could only continue to indulge himself further, until!

In the back of his mind, he heard a voice urging him to stop, and it wasn’t until he felt a force attempting to push him away, that he realized the voice was that of his lover. Your weakening cries grew in volume, ringing in his ears and bringing him back to reality. When he finally retreated, he was afraid that he was too late.

Your complexion had fallen ashen and appeared an unhealthy pale color, your skin grew clammy and cold to the touch, and you had collapsed, unconscious, in his arms. Every bone in his body was yelling at him to act! Save you! There still might be a chance! But a haunting thought crept forward and taunted him, ‘Too late! You shouldn’t have done that! Boar! Boar!’ it said, roaring in a threatening tone.

With a ferocious growl, he demanded a healer to come, and when you were removed from his arms to be examined, he fell to his knees and wailed an ugly, thundering cry that sent the night birds that perched atop the castle a flutter in a cacophony of cawing and flapping wings. He cradled his head in his hands, and when he examined his open palms, they were wet with tears and stained red from your blood. ‘Too late!’ the voice laughed. ‘Too late!’

“It’s not too late! Your highness, please, it’s not too late!” This voice was prompt and loud, but it was not the same teasing voice in his head. Dimitri looks up and he meets the hopeful eyes of the healer who has you lying across their lap, the soft glow of healing magic radiating from their palm; and it may be subtle, but the beating of your heart is nonetheless present, and he feels a heavy weight lift off of his chest. While the healer works their magic, he does not leave your side

Vampire Felix

Unlike Dimitri, Felix does not share the same qualms about completely draining his victims of their life force; but do not be fooled, it isn’t something he takes particular pleasure in either! He does face some trepidation when drinking your blood at first, but he has far better self-control than Dimitri — it just isn’t something he does all the time, maybe two or three times a month, as he wants to give you ample time to recover properly from each feeding.

He is someone who enjoys the thrill of the hunt, and he likes the sensation of adrenaline that he gets when he stalks a victim and he finally subdues them, piercing their skin and ingesting their blood — it makes it much more rewarding for him.

But, his absolute favorite way to feed is by steadying you in his arms and indulging himself in the divine taste of your sweet, intoxicating blood. He is not always the most romantic person, yet this act is more intimate than nearly any mortal one. There is complete and utter trust between you two; if he truly wanted, he could kill you. It’s extremely special to him to know that you would allow yourself to put your life in his hands and is the ultimate act of your love and devotion to him.

Although, there was one instance where he may have gone too far — you had been ill the previous day, but had insisted that you fully recovered from your short bout of illness. Felix did deny you, insisting that you must rest and that he can find another source to quench his thirst, and yet, he ended up drinking from your neck despite his objections. There was something a little off in terms of the taste of your blood, a sour aftertaste, but it wasn’t until he had pulled away and assessed you that he realized you were still sick! His first reaction was to scold you for being so careless, but he thought better of it and instead focused his efforts on getting you comfortable and fetching you some water

He did tell you that the next time you were fighting an illness, to remind him not to drink your blood for at least a week because it was too sour, but you knew it was just his way of saying that he gets worried about you

[babbushka]

Hi this is my first time asking like anything on Tumblr so I hope this makes sense but can you do either pale or flip (your choice) just eating you out viciously like slobber and all. Thank you! 🥰 Also I love your writing your literatly the best writer on tumbler. I truly believe that 😩😩😍

He wakes up desperate for you, desperate in that almost frantic kind of way. His dreams had been teasing him all night, dreams of your hot body around his, your gasps and moans filling his ears. He’s so horny for you that grinds his hard cock against your thigh, wakes himself up with it. It’s dark outside still, nothing, no one awake. He doesn’t bother to spare a glance at the clock to see what time it is, he has to have you, he wants you so badly.

“Ketsl,” He whispers before he can stop himself, shuffling up the bed to kiss your face, his breath sleep-sour. He knows you won’t care, you’ll be a little grouchy but he’ll make it up to you, he will. Fuck he’s so hard for you, his hips still rutting against your leg in little thrusts that have his voice deep deep deep when he tries again with, “Sweetheart wake up.”

You groan and pinch your eyes even tighter, clinging to sleep. He’s unrelenting though, having buried his face under your chin to kiss and suck at your neck, his hands growing sweaty from need, from how fucking sexy you are all the time, even cranky like this.

“Philly honey it’s Sunday, go back to bed.” You mumble, hands searching for him in the dark.

Your arms wind around his shoulders and you hold him close, encourage him to lay his head down onto your tits the way you know he loves to sleep in an effort to get him to calm down. But he’s too wound up, his dick is leaking pre-come already, already and it hasn’t been barely ten minutes since he almost came in his sleep.

“Please?” He presses his face into your cleavage anyway, kisses at your sternum and noses at your nipples until they’re stiff from the friction, “Please.”

You hum out a little laugh and he feels so victorious as you stretch the sleep from your limbs, sighing and huffing, hands cupping his cheeks and pulling him up by his ears to meet your mouths in a morning kiss.

“Alright, okay, I’m up.” You say, a sleepy smile on your face as you blink your eyes open and settle into the mattress nicely, settle under him as he covers your whole body with his. “I’m awake, is everything okay?”

He nods, and licks his lips, heart beating fast now that he can finally get what he wants.

“I’m hungry.” He says, and you know, you know exactly what he means.

He’s like this every morning for you, desperate in this way, almost angry with it, angry that he’ll have to leave you and go to the station. He won’t get out of bed until he comes – until he makes you come first – but it’s fun to make him work for it, at least for a little while.

One of your hands finds its way into his hair, and he shudders fully against you, some great lethal cat when you scratch at his scalp with your nails.

“Hmm, for what?” You ask and though it’s dark, though the sun won’t be coming up for a while yet, you can see the glitter in his eyes, pupils blown wide and edges soft, blurred in anticipation of,

“You.”

You stretch some more, raise your hands over your head and pop the joints in your back, in your neck, your hips. Flip knows you can feel how hard his cock is against you, he knows you can. It’s thick and heavy and long and he wants to ease it into you, wants to thrust into you the way he had in his dreams, wants to feel your tight cunt around his cock, milking him for all he’s worth, until his come has filled you up to the brim and it drips out when he pulls away.

But more than that, even more than that, he wants to taste you. He wants his tongue shoved deep into your cunt, he wants to lap you up like you’re the only thing that can quench this thirst – because you are, you are.

And you know it.

“Ask me properly.” You say, your legs spreading underneath him, knees flattening against the mattress slowly slowly slowly.

He wants to look, wants to watch you open yourself up for him, but he knows he can’t until you give him permission, permission he’s aching for.

“Can I?” He asks, kisses you again because he’s addicted to your tongue, to the taste of the sweat that’s starting to shine on your skin just from how hot he is and how he’s draped over you like a blanket.

“Can you what?” You hum, and he holds your jaw with one of his hands, pries it open.

He suckles on your lip and worries it between his teeth in that way that makes you melt, his other hand drifting down down down your body, teasing at your folds.

He nearly blacks out when he feels the slick there, feels how wet you are. It’s all he can do to not push you up the bed and dive in right then and there, it takes all of his strength to just stroke your folds with the pads of his fingers, spreading the slick that’s all for him. Blood pounds in his ears, and he wonders how it all hasn’tgone straight to his cock yet, before he can’t really be bothered to wonder anything else, too fucking hungry for you.

“Can I eat your pussy, please?” He asks, and he could almost cry when you nod, when you push on his shoulder, nudging him down. “Thank you, fuck ketsl, thank you.”

He’s so grateful that he thanks you as he shuffles down the bed, taking the blanket and the sheets with him. He wants you exposed for him, your gorgeous naked body glowing in the moonlight. He can see the outline of you, soft and fuzzy in the early morning purple. He’s got time, time to really drag this out, time to fuck you properly before the babies wake up and demand your attention, he’s got time to get you coming so hard you can go back to sleep for a bit.  

He’s got time, and he doesn’t waste any of it.

The moment he’s level with your pussy, he’s all hands and lips and tongue. He spreads your folds and rubs his lips against it, tongue thick and hot as he makes out with your cunt. And he does, make out with it, his tongue stroking and licking up all your wetness as his hands keep a tight grip on your thighs. He’s got to be tight with you, because your hips are so inclined to press up into his face and grind against him, against his nose and suffocate him.

And while he could die a happy man, buried inside your pussy, if he were dead he wouldn’t get this every morning – and evening and afternoon and and and – and he can’t have that. So he presses your hips back down and holds onto your thighs as your knees squeeze his head, when his lips latch themselves to your clit and he sucks.

 “Mm, Flip – honey!” Your back arches for him as he pays his attention to your clit, knows how you like it, knows that you’re so sensitive here, draws out little babbles from you, “Oh, yes, yesyesyes.”

He slicks up two of his fingers and slides them into you. He knows sometimes you like being fingered properly but this time he wants you drunk off the feeling of him, the same way he is for you, so he goes straight for your gspot instead. He knows he’s found it when you jolt against him, when your toes curl into the mattress and your pussy drips so prettily for him.

“Yes!” You moan, body shaking and so wet for him, head tossed to one side when you beg for more, “Phil please, please please.”

He knows if he gives it to you right now though, you’ll come, and he hasn’t had his fill of you yet. So he takes a break from your clit to lick up broad stripes up your folds, around his hand, sucking up all your juices there. He pays some attention to the crease of your inner thigh where your legs shake for him. He sucks dark marks there, marks that he’ll be proud of, among the ones that he littered across your body the night before. There’s the crooked crescents of his teeth that have bruised, and he smears his soaking wet chin against your skin, his facial hair scratching and scraping up your sensitive skin in the best way.

He can’t help but feel smug from the way you’re gasping, the way you have to muffle your face with your hand or your pillow so you’re not too loud to wake the kids, and he can hear your breathing speed up for him. He goes back to kissing your hips, fits his whole mouth over the curve of your pelvis and sucks hard, his finger massaging your gspot through it all.

He loves you so fucking much, loves how sloppy you let him get. He’s drooling for you, doesn’t bother sucking it up and swallowing it, not when you’re so delicious, when the squelch of his fingers moving inside you drives him crazy. His cock is almost blindingly hard, and he has to reach down with his other hand to jerk himself off just so he can focus more on your pleasure, can focus more on getting you off.

It isn’t easy, jerking himself off and pressing little rubbed circles to your cunt, but he manages it, manages it as fire blazes through his veins and spit and slobber strings down from his chin, his goatee soaked.

“This cunt’s so sweet, you know that? Know how sweet you are for me?” He asks, voice husky and deep, shaking only a little from the how good it feels to jack off. He wants to fuck you, and that’ll come soon, that’ll come after you do. You shimmy down the bed a little, eager to replace his hand with your own, but he only presses down on your gspot hard to stop you, “My good girl, mmm where the fuck do you think you’re going?”

“Flip!” You shudder and clench around his fingers, and he abandons his cock to go back to eating you out because fuck how can he stay away when you say his name like that?

He eats you like a champ, sucking and licking at your clit with the flat of his tongue, your knees tight around his head, caging him in. He almost forgets to breathe, and he goes to pull away for a moment but your hands fly down to his hair and you push him right back down. He would chuckle, but he’s got a mouthful of your pussy and you don’t want him to stop, not for anything.

So he doesn’t, he keeps up the pace, wet and hot and so so so good, until you’re hiccupping out your moans, until your throat clicks from your own drool that you’re trying not to choke on as you pinch at your nipple. He lets the hand that was gripping your thigh shoot up to cup your other breast, and roll the nipple between his thumb until you’re crying openly from the pleasure, stimulated all over.

“I’m – fuck – I’m gonna come.” You warn him, and he doubles his efforts.

He loves the feeling of your orgasm ripping through him, loves the way it makes you go so so so tense before you melt into a puddle of come and pleasure. He fucks you through it with his tongue, until you begin to shake and tremble. He licks up all your come, all of it, and presses soft kisses to your inner thigh so he doesn’t push you into being too overstimulated to the point where you’re uncomfortable.

Your knees goes limp for him, and the shocks of your orgasm have you laughing, a pleasure weak hand covering your face and your big blissed out smile for a moment, before you coax him up from between your legs.

You’re giggly and so pleased, and you reach over to the nightstand with a shaky for a cigarette. You stick it between your lips long enough to light it, and then give it to Flip who accepts it gratefully, his own lust still thrumming through him, his own orgasm still yet to blow through him.

You tug on his ear for a moment, and the first few birds of dawn begin to chirp, the sky outside your bedroom window still a dark inky purple.

“What?” He asks fondly, sucking in a lungful of the nicotine and whatever else they put in these fucking things these days.

“Good morning.” You grin, and he could roll his eyes because yeah sure, now you’re all smiley and happy at being up early.

“Oh ketsl,” He exhales, regarding your naked body and grasping his cock in his hand, “We’re only getting started.”

[deadcactuswalking]

REVIEWING THE CHARTS: 03/04/2021 (Lil Nas X’s “MONTERO”, Mimi Webb, Russ Millions & Tion Wayne)

So, we have a #1 debut, and that’s pretty much the only story here in the UK Top 75 as we get a filler week before Demi Lovato, Olivia Rodrigo and Lil Tjay run in and cause havoc. As for now, “Wellerman” is replaced at the top by Lil Nas X’s controversial “MONTERO (Call Me by Your Name)”, spending its first week at #1 after making pretty sudden gains assisted by the video and alternate versions – the mid-week projection had this at #15. Elsewhere, we just see the fall-out from Bieber. Welcome back to REVIEWING THE CHARTS.

Rundown

It’s a quiet week – only seven new entries, and none from Rod Wave, 24kGoldn or AJR as I had predicted. That doesn’t mean there isn’t some stuff to talk about within the chart, or particularly off of the chart, as we have a fair few drop-outs switching their places with returning entries. In particular, we have Justin Bieber’s “As I Am” featuring Khalid being swapped out for “Anyone” at #25, as well as drop-outs for “Arcade” by Duncan Laurence – slightly premature, I’d think – and all of Lana Del Rey’s songs from last week. We also “Anxious” by AJ Tracey, “Heat” by Paul Woodford and Amber Mark and “Toxic” by Digga D exit the chart, but the only real notable loss was “34+35” by Ariana Grande ending its 21-week run on the chart. Returning to the Top 75 in its place – which I cover – we have “Mr. Brightside” by the Killers of course at #73, as well as “Midnight Sky” by Miley Cyrus at #72, “You’ve Done Enough” by Gorgon City and DRAMA at #70 (really hope this one becomes a hit) and “Don’t You Worry About Me” by Bad Boy Chiller Crew at #66. In terms of climbers and fallers, we do have some notable gains and losses. For songs travelling down the chart, we have “Patience” by KSI featuring YUNGBLUD and Polo G tanking a sharp drop in its third week to #18, “Streets” by Doja Cat shaking off the video gains at #22, “drivers license” by Olivia Rodrigo continuing to collapse at #27, another sharp drop for HVME’s remix of Travis Scott’s “Goosebumps” down to #34 probably due to ACR, which was probably the fate for “Get Out My Head” by Shane Codd at #46. The same probably can’t be said for Drake’s losses, as “What’s Next” is at #40, “Lemon Pepper Freestyle” featuring Rick Ross is at #41 and “Wants and Needs” featuring Lil Baby stalls at #55. We also see falls for “Money Talks” by Fredo and Dave at #50, “Bringing it Back” by Digga D and AJ Tracey at #51, “Sweet Melody” by Little Mix on its way out at #57, “Headshot” by Lil Tjay featuring Polo G and Fivio Foreign down to #61 off the debut (although it’ll rebound thanks to the album as soon as the next week rolls around), “Ready” by Fredo featuring Summer Walker at #62, “You’re Mines Still” by Yung Bleu featuring Drake at #63 and “Day in the Life” by Central Cee at #69. Where it gets interesting are our gains, such as outside the top 40 with “What Other People Say” by Demi Lovato and Sam Fischer which could very well get even higher next week thanks to the album. We also have “Track Star” by Mooski at #53 off of the debut and a couple of tracks entering the top 40 for the first time, those being “Heartbreak Anniversary” by Giveon at #39 and Majestic’s remix of “Rasputin” by Boney M. at #38. Elsewhere in the top 40, we have “Let’s Go Home Together” by Ella Henderson and Tom Grennan at #13 and two songs marking their first week in the top 10, those being “Little Bit of Love” by Tom Grennan at #10, a song continuing to sour on me, and “Your Love (9PM)” by ATB, Topic and A7S, an EDM song at #8 that I initially mocked for its soulless repackaging but has honestly got me pretty hooked since. I’m excited to see how this one does. For now, however, let’s get on with our new arrivals.

NEW ARRIVALS

#64 – “Cloud 9” – Beach Bunny

Produced by Joe Reinhart

Beach Bunny is a power pop band who last year released their album Honeymoon on Mom+Pop and it’s basically a modern r/indieheads staple in that it’s an accessible, airy pop-rock record fronted by a woman. It’s not anything unique, really, or different if you look further into it but that’s fine because there’s a lot of vaguely “indie” or music snob releases pushed out every year that miss the charts entirely. It’s a different story, however, when a year later, it gets viral on TikTok and streams its way onto the chart. In that case, we have “Cloud 9” by Beach Bunny, a pretty simple but sweet love song about a guy who just makes her feel a lot better about herself in times where she can’t pick herself up from the rut she’s in. Again, it’s a simple track but enhanced by the wonderful and unique vocal performance from front-woman Lili Trifilo and some pretty great production making sure no guitar lick is missed in this mix, especially in that chorus which is such an ethereal blend of the electric guitar dubs. I would argue that this actually should end at that second chorus even if it ends feeling abrupt as the transition to the final chorus feels a lot less cathartic than it does awkward, especially if the bridge is going to be a simplistic, quirky instrumental meander that doesn’t go far enough to be a guitar solo and hence feels kind of like a worthless addition. As is, this is a pretty great song still, just not the most fully realised once it loses that initial tight surf groove, though I’ll let it pass if we’re going to get rock this good on the charts again. I know this won’t really get more traction for Beach Bunny – or power pop for that matter – but more of this, please.

#52 – “You All Over Me” (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault) (Remix) (feat. DaBaby) (Part 2) (Radio Edit) – Taylor Swift featuring Maren Morris

Produced by Taylor Swift and Aaron Dessner

Sadly, this does not feature DaBaby and is not the remix, radio edit or sequel to any previously released song. Jokes aside, I guess brackets are the next big comeback for pop music, which goes hand-in-hands with remixes and re-releases, hence why Taylor Swift is dusting off this leaked Fearless-era cut for a new recording with country singer Maren Morris, who you probably know from her contributions to Zedd’s “The Middle”. Now whilst Swift is a great songwriter, I do often find myself frustrated by how she treads common ground all too frequently without establishing much different with how a song is structured or how it emotionally connects. This is true not just lyrically but especially sonically as of recent, as despite being written in 2008, it has too much in common with the less interesting cuts off of folklore for me to really care that much. That’s especially if Taylor’s going to undercut the clean acoustic guitars with flourishes of harmonica and crow sound effects, showing some genuine intrigue here before refusing to let any of that develop past a couple stray melodies or notes further back in the mix. I’m trying really hard to be compelled by these re-recordings and re-releases of her back catalogue as I do consider myself a fan, but it’s tough to pay attention when any new compositions we get sound like folklore leftovers with Maren Morris only put to use as decoration, much like HAIM on “no body, no crime” – and we already got an album full of folklore leftovers. I’m not a fan of this, sorry – I can see the appeal, and I do think this has enough of a country tinge to it to make it at least somewhat interesting – but this goes in one ear and immediately out of the other.

#48 – “Tonight” – Ghost Killer Track featuring OBOY and D-Block Europe

Produced by Ghost Killer Track and Kenzy

Screw the formalities and screw the analysis because D-Block Europe are back to add another D-Block to their EU collection – and since they’re Londoners, their only – and that’s Paris, and contrary to the British nature, we’ve let French rap chart in the top 50 out of the fact that they collaborated with two of the most comical rappers in British history. They’ve also linked up with producer Ghost Killer Track, also from France, as this is ostensibly his song even if he intends not to prove himself with this dull piano-based beat and oddly-mastered bass and percussion, which are really just DBE staples. Unfortunately, past the initial comedy of that first line in the chorus, neither Young Adz or Dirtbike LB deliver any stupid lyrics or funny inflections, instead just resorting to being as boring as they can in their constant flexing as possible. I guess the French guy here, OBOY, commands a higher energy in his verse if only through his comical “no, no, no” ad-libs, but he’s the only French speaker in an otherwise basic British trap song that I just cannot see the appeal in when we’ve had song after song from these guys for three years now. This won’t be the last we see of cookie-cutter UK rap this week though so brace yourselves for that.

#47 – “Last Time” – Becky Hill

Produced by LOSTBOY

It’s almost as if the charts are trying to send me off to sleep as here we have Becky Hill, a singer hedging the line between a non-presence and mildly annoying, which is arguably more frustrating than downright infuriating as her slightly smokier voice does not sound bad, just lacking in texture in every way, especially if the multi-tracking is going to be this minimal on a royalty-free deep-house beat produced by Getty Images with a pretty worthless drop, a generic and simple melody of piano stabs for major chords, and a whole bunch of reverb on the vocal take... but it still ends up feeling dry as there’s nothing here to quench that thirst for a tighter, bass-heavy house banger or even a more ethereal, dreamy trance track, deciding to stick to a healthy medium of boring and utter garbage. Yes, that was a singular sentence. I’m not awake enough to form a cohesive sentence less than 40 words long, and this new Becky Hill track is just worsening that if anything. Speaking of...

#21 – “Body” – Russ Millions and Tion Wayne

Produced by Gotcha Bxtch

Who’s Russ Millions? He’s Russ. No, not that Russ. British Russ – or Russ Splash, stylised as Russ splash on Spotify and nowhere else. This confusingly-named fellow appeared on the charts a couple times and possibly most famously with “Keisha & Becky”, a song also featuring Tion Wayne that is referenced on this very track. Sigh, I usually like Tion Wayne but even he can’t be bothered to delivery his usual brand of suave charm or sinister menace, instead opting for a more growling but ultimately completely monotone cadence that doesn’t flatter him or Russ, who one of my friends described as sounding like one of the aliens from Toy Story. This is a pretty by-the-numbers drill beat too, and it’s pretty safe to say that neither Russ or Tion Wayne here are going to bother with wordplay, even when they start pretty smoothly trading bars and Tion Wayne goes for a more unique chopper flow in the second verse. This is just not of any note. Once again, speaking of...

#17 – “Good Without” – Mimi Webb                        

Produced by Freedo

I assumed Mimi Webb debuted this high because of a talent show she won or something because I’d never heard her name but instead, she just happened to have a major label deal before her unreleased song just happened to go viral on TikTok and just happened to be supported by one of the women who just happened to be the biggest creator on the platform. Yeah, and this song just happened to be garbage, suffering from every possible millennial pop trope and then some, from the mix dressed rather too overtly in reverb, the ugly guitar pluck, a generic indie-girl voice that you swear you’ve heard before in one of those dreadful piano covers of popular songs they use in adverts, as well as this ballad being undercut by badly-programmed trap percussion. I can tell this label is trying to create somewhat of an Olivia Rodrigo phenomenon from this and I for one am terrified of the Poundland knock-offs to come. Screw this.

#1 – “MONTERO (Call Me by Your Name)” – Lil Nas X

Produced by Roy Lenzo, Omar Fedi and Take a Daytrip

At least Lil Nas X will bring some passion into this chart week? Well, not really, as when I hear this I recall that Pitchfork review of his EP, a much-maligned critique that featured the ever-so pretentious questioning if Lil Nas X really enjoyed making and listening to music. It reminds me because I think I now fully get it – at least when Lil Nas X was making slap-dash pop rock with Travis Barker or meme-worthy country rap with Billy Ray Cyrus for less than two minutes apiece, there was something invigorating in the execution or at least in concept. That 7 EP is still not a bad debut at all, but this new single “MONTERO”, a long-anticipated record that went from constantly-teased demo to Super Bowl commercial to Satanic-panicked videos of Lil Nas giving Satan a lap-dance to own the conservatives, has the same remote dreariness to it as “HOLIDAY” did late last year. The acoustic, Latin-flavoured guitar loop reminds me of his much better track “Rodeo” from that aforementioned EP that used its energy for similarly lighthearted subject matter but with some genuine energy, a Cardi B feature and a lot less subtle moombahton creeping in. With that said, I can’t say Lil Nas X didn’t try, as his vocal performance, whilst largely insufferable and strained, gives some energy to an otherwise aggravatingly stunted beat, and makes it a lot more infectious than it has any right to be. Content-wise, the song is essentially about a full circle where Lil Nas X becomes increasingly desperate for a man who starts off lonely and in a bad place, and the irony is that Lil Nas gets more explicitly sexual and crazed due to a combination of the LA life-style surrounding him and the fact that he’s simply, for lack of a better term, “down bad”, despite the fact that this guy doesn’t seem particularly desirable. Lil Nas knows this, though, and acknowledges it in the pre-chorus where he outright says that this guy is living the cocaine-addled celebrity life, but not living it right without Mr. Bullriding and Boobies in his life. I’m happy about the video and the outrage it seems to cause not just within conservative spaces but also amongst the hip-hop community, particularly Joyner Lucas, and I’m pretty happy with how out and proud Lil Nas X is about his sexuality, even if it leads to lines like “Shoot a child in your mouth while I’m ridin’”. I’m just really not a fan of this song past its content, which could really be interesting but falls flat with this plucking production that wastes time in barely two minutes with humming interludes. It’s not bad at all, just not for me.

Conclusion

And that concludes our week, and wow, what a bad week this was for new arrivals. Admittedly, it’s a filler week so only “MONTERO (Call Me by Your Name)” will probably last – or at least we can hope as even if I don’t like the song, I still have to give out an Honourable Mention to someone, and it may as well be Lil Nas X trying to put the effort in. Best of the Week easily goes to Beach Bunny for “Cloud 9”, far and away the only good song here, with Worst of the Week also going out pretty easily to Mimi Webb’s “Good Without”, which is the type of soulless, unmemorable garbage that makes pop music look uninspired, and as a person who writes about the charts constantly, it’s a misconception I don’t want proven or revisited. Dishonourable Mention is a toss-up but I guess I’ll give it to Russ Millions and Tion Wayne for that sprinkle of drill disappointment that is “Body”, and that’ll be it for this week. I predict some impact from Demi Lovato, Lil Tjay and especially Olivia Rodrigo next week, but for now, here’s our top 10:

Thank you for reading – sorry for the grouchiness on this one – and I’ll see you next week!

[maladaptive-ninja-returns]

Without Question (Epilogue)

Steve Rogers x fem!Reader

Content: fluffy conclusion and maybe...mayyyyybe a future fic idea

Warnings: …none? Um...except for that one lady in there.

Word Count: Hot water does not quench my thirst no matter how good it might be for my body...which in itself is such a disaster of a thing.

MASTERLIST & Taglist in bio, my love

The life of a parasite is not that complex of an affair. It is born to live inside a host, gather its nutrients from the said host- more than often at the host's expense- live till it can breed more or find a better host. Its entire life is based on the expense of another creature; its survival in the flesh of someone who can contain it. Therefore, it is no wonder she does not like it when someone calls her a parasite. For she is not one. Her kind lives in codependency, finding a host it is compatible with and helping it flourish in return for nourishment.

Her species was known to have always gone for the living, looking for hosts they could control, be the dominant party of the two sitting in the conference room inside the mind of the body they inhabited, the foreboding controllers that they were. However, inhabiting a dead host- or someone near to it- was never talked about for carcasses were beneath them and their Titan-like ego.

But she isn't like them. She wants to be different. To finally have the freedom she has craved for her entire existence; she wants to live it. And so, she has decided to throw all the laws of the dead empire outside the window and try her theory of inhabiting a body nearly at its deathbed.

The woman- strolled into the emergency room with fatal blows to her body in some accident- is covered in blood and bruises when the doctors try to rush into the process of saving her, measuring her heart rate, blood pressure and respiration rate. It is pure chaos for her to watch it all from the ceiling. Humans. Such soft creatures. She can sense that woman's vitals weakening with every passing moment, something the machines tell the medical professionals by a few seconds' delay. No amount of effort is going to repair that internal bleeding and shock accelerating that human's chances of death slithering right by the corner. And just at that second, she knows that flesh is no longer the resident to the soul it has been harbouring since the beginning of its time, she jumps discreetly into the body when the doctors are focusing at the screen that shows the patient is flatlining. One shock to through the defibrillator is enough for her to let the chemicals be catalysed to become one with neurons; her presence gradually gelling with the body to become one with it. And before any other human in the room can debate on it being a medical miracle, a sign of higher power or simply the inadequacy of the machines, she opens her eyes in her new form, seeing the world through an independent pair of windows for the first time.

Free.

.

"You know, when we both silently agreed on staying together, I wasn't really expecting you to spoil my life like this."

Steve's chuckle reverberates through the kitchen and dining hall. His honey-laced laugh reaches you in the living room to make you smile as you gather the whiteboard, a few markers, the portable speaker, and a couple of other knick-knacks for the small gathering you are about to have.

"If making breakfast every day is spoiling you then I am not even halfway to showing you how much more I can spoil your life, doll," he announces over the sound of something sizzling over the stove.

You bite your lips to stop the overflow of these gushing emotions all inside you. "Oh, let's not forget giving Stace the freedom to do whatever she wants, okay?" You state, getting up and moving towards the hall, "And you making that entire front yard-"

"That's our back yard."

Our back yard.

...Fuck. Why is he like this?

"Making our entire back yard into this freaking perfect garden with all those fancy fairy lights and a freaking gazebo!"

"You liked it," he stresses. You peak in from the entrance of the kitchen, watching him carefully place the omelettes in two plates along with the toasts- yours extra crispy with thinly spread butter on them- before pouring orange juice in two glasses.

"That doesn't matter," you retort, watching him being caught off guard, your heart instantly melting when his eyes light up on seeing you stand there. "I'm not gonna maintain that luxurious green patch when the time comes."

He stands facing you, his hands on his hips and oh heavens! that customised blue apron with chibi Captain America blessing its front gives you all the right feels in your stomach. "No problem," he affirms, picking the plates and moving them to the tiny breakfast table by the French window before coming back for the juice, "I'll take care of it. I'm pretty sure all of these are positive spoil-"

"Oh I'm not done yet," you interject, sauntering towards a slightly confused and faintly excited Steve, "you have me utterly spoiled-" you move your hands around his waist, earning an arched brow from him- "with all-" your hands go beyond his back, moving lower till they land over his butt cheeks- "of that-" and give them a tight squeeze, forcing a delightful hum out of Steve as you push him closer to you- "sex!"

"Hmm," Steve growls, planting his one hand on your waist under your t-shirt, while the other goes up to tease your lower lip with his thumb. "If you don't like being spoiled," he whispers, bringing his lips closer to you but never close enough for you to get a taste of him, "we can always stop."

"Or," you begin to propose through a moan by letting your hands run along the hem of his track pants, creating a wave of disturbance wherever your fingers touch him before stopping at the trail of hair going down, "we could make it a healthy habit so it doesn't seem like I'm being spoiled." 

Your fingers run down that soft golden trail, stirring something inside the Captain, his light eyes feeling a dark edge of mischief being added to them. His finger traces a path down from your lips to your neck, going further down your chest. "Everyone'll arrive in an hour," Steve sighs, giving a light shrug.

"Oh," you turn to look at the clock and realise he's not wrong, letting go of the waistband of his track pants, "then we should-"

Your sentence ends up a light shriek from Steve lifting you by your ass, making your reflexes wrap your legs around him. "That means," he grunts, balancing you effortlessly in those buff arms while his lust-filled eyes have yours locked in place, his voice a shade huskier as he starts moving to the bedroom, "I have a lot of time to make you question all that I do for you. And to you. And more."

Oooh yes!

.

"How do I use this thing?"

Wasn't working with a human vessel not enough? Did they really have to invent these cheap electronic devices?

She looks down at the device that seems to keep buzzing with different messages for some reason as she tries to find her way through the street.

Getting out of the hospital had been easy (and so was getting a fresh set of clothes). Give the docs and nurses another pile of flesh and bones to worry about and they run like scared animals to help their flock. Now, she is out exploring, trying to work with this new suit, find out the perks and non-perks, questioning her idea of travelling solo when having another conscience to talk to and gnaw at would have been easier. Now it's just her with her voice speaking from some uncharted void walking down into a farmer's market, already having discovered how much of gross unwanted attention this sex of the human species is given on the street.

There is a huge variety of delectables lines up that the humans seemingly prefer. Different shapes, colours and sizes. Some smell sweet, some sour, and some smell like they would sting your tongue before leaving a sweetness behind. Strange edibles. She watches another human- a man as far as the scent of the hormones off him goes- politely asking for some fresh oranges while telling the man behind the counter the ones he is trying to pack do not smell fresh. The sweet nectar of curiosity seems to send a reaction to her brain, making her step towards the box of citrus fruits displayed for the customers. Quickly picking half a dozen from down the different boxes, she brings them forward to the man who is nearly losing his patience. "These are fresh."

The man turns to see her. And she gets a good look at him for the first time. Hypnotising blue eyes look at her in a flurry of confusion and gratuitous delight, the beard hiding pink lips and flushed cheeks.

After a short considerable second, he takes the oranges from her. "Thank you," he mentions without blinking, taking a little time to turn back to make the payment. And in that turn is a microscopic moment, he watches, from the corner of his eye, a stranger try to touch her ass for barely a second.

She, of course, feels it too well. The man turns to get hold of that pervert and kick some respect into him only to find her punching the daylights out of him.

And he just stands there, full body in pause, mind in awe of the woman who has knocked that excuse of a man out in one blow, looking at her once again- this time from his heart. She looks back at him too; though with visible shades of uncertainty before looking down at the guy.

"Was I not supposed to do that?" She asks the man who by now has his mouth agape, still looking at her.

He blinks. "Huh?" Looks down at the man and raises his brows and chuckles. "What? No. I mean yes. You are absolutely supposed to do that."

"Oh-" she nods, and he watches her beam and be proud of herself, "okay."

"Um," he tries to catch her attention.  "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

She looks down at the hand she used, feeling nothing more than minute tickles. "Yeah, I think I'm good." She turns her gaze back to him with a smile.

He melts inside.

"Do you know where is this place?" She asks him, taking out a card she found in her- the dead woman's- pocket.

"This," he hums, reading the card, "was a few blocks down the road the last I saw it."

"Oh," she scrunches her nose and feels a tired groan come out of her, "how far?"

"I can drop you there if you want," he blurts out, "I'm going that way myself."

She looks at him again. Watching him run his hands through his long lush hair, wondering if she'd seen him somewhere before shaking that thought off, knowing full well that she would remember a pretty face like this. "Yes, I'd like that."

"Great," he chirps. "Oh, I'm James," he addresses, drawing forward his hand, "my friends call me Bucky."

"Bucky," she tastes the name on her tongue and feels all the black mush inside her do a little dance for some unknown reason.

"And you are?"

She licks her lips and feels them stretch involuntary, drawing her own hand forward to meet his, saying her name to bring herself- her true self- into existence, letting the air carry her name for whatever future it is to bring for her.

[nwbeerguide]

Rhu Awakening, the latest limited-edition kettle sour from Perrin Brewing Company

Press Release

Comstock Park, Mich. ... Perrin Brewing Company introduces Rhu Awakening, a limited release kettle sour. Rhu Awakening will be available on draft and in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans at the Perrin Pub (see current taproom operations here), with Michigan-wide distribution to follow.

Celebrate the end of summer with a timeless flavor combination. Sweet, juicy strawberry tangles with tart rhubarb for a thirst-quenching wake-up call. Think outside the pie and reach for a cold can of Rhu Awakening to get your strawberry rhubarb fix - it’s too hot to bake, anyway.

The brewing team’s desire to make a true kettle sour aligned with four-foot-tall rhubarb plants growing in the backyard of Director of Brewing Operations Connor Klopcic, inspiring Rhu Awakening as the latest release in Perrin’s Side Hustle Series.

“​I enjoy both the creative freedom and challenge of the Side Hustle Series,” said Klopcic. “Our brewers start with an idea, and then jump into the challenge of finding new ways to brew and cellar the beer, to come out with a finished product that matches what was in our heads. It's so cool that an idea in our heads can turn into a pint in your hand.”

A new Side Hustle Series beer is released every other month for statewide distribution. The series allows Perrin’s brewers to creatively explore new ingredients and techniques, and provide Michigan’s craft beer lovers with innovative new flavors.

To make Rhu Awakening, Klopcic and his crew used a traditional kettle souring process, brewing the beer and then letting it sour in the kettle for up to 36 hours.

Follow along with Side Hustle Series details on the Facebook page here and direct questions to Lindsey VanDenBoom at lindsey@perrinbrewing.com.

About Perrin Brewing Company

Established in 2012, Perrin Brewing Company is a young and rapidly growing craft brewery based out of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Perrin is committed to crafting high-quality and consistent brews and has garnered a loyal local following and a strong reputation for its unique beers. The brewery has won numerous awards including “The World’s Top New Beer Release of 2015” by RateBeer for its No Rules Vietnamese Porter. Through the 2015 partnership with CANarchy, Perrin has experienced exponential growth among package offerings, out-of-state distribution and an increase to over 25,000 barrels of production.

[seongnamkrp]

//  LOADING STUDENT INFORMATION  ▪  ▪  ▪

NAME  ›  nam jiyeon ALIAS  ›  the imperious AGE  ›  09 / 08 / 1999 YEAR  ›  sophomore

//  LOADING STUDENT RECORDS  ▪  ▪  ▪

MAJOR  ›  marketing MINOR  ›  public relations HOUSING  ›  lim village, hyang hall, 3 w/ miao miao miao CLUBS  ›  dahlia, seongnam tribune SPORTS  ›  soccer

//  LOADING STUDENT ANALYSIS ▪  ▪  ▪

›  ›  ›  nam jiyeon?

nam jiyeon is usually found on campus, always moving around. she floats from place to place, navigates through people and tasks with a thirst that can’t seem to be quenches. anyone can find her anywhere, but no one can guess where she is. she’s a busybody, social butterfly, workaholic. she talks like she’s seen the world but laughs like her whole life lays ahead of her.

nam jiyeon has a soft twang to her speech, sweet and spicy and sour, grazing past a lopsided smile and plush lips. it’s endearing to watch her poorly cover her dialect, the weird mix of north jeolla and seoul in her words almost always eliciting more attention than allowing her to blend in. it’s not a very valiant effort to cover her roots in the countryside, if only because she seems to revel in the memories of home instead of finding distance from them. sometimes, she’ll still go wide eyed and excitable over the differences between her hometown and the metropolitan landscape.

nam jiyeon is everyone’s friend. she cocks her head and smiles an easy, gentle smile, and then she puts her hand on your shoulder when she’s talking to you like you’ve known each other forever. she can make you feel like you’re allowed into her life just like that, no motives or strings attached. she’ll remember you when you see her down the hall weeks from now, too, and she’ll hug you in the club’s bathroom when your mascara is running thin and the floor’s crumbling beneath your legs. soon you’ll realize she’s also part of your life. words come effortlessly around her, everything is fun and uncomplicated when she’s there. it’s nearly too good to be true.

nam jiyeon is too good to be true. wouldn’t a country bumpkin be bound to grow a little tougher? her father may have run a big business back home, but he had his girls learn how to work the soil since they were little. they knew where each grain loaded into those huge trucks traveling all over the country came from. her hands are calloused, like her accent. she knows nothing is given, but planted, grown and harvested. she knows better than to trust sweet talk, but she can’t help it if not everyone learned this lesson.