#sinatra select

[jack-is-king]

Sinatra Select pays tribute to Jack’s biggest fan: Frank Sinatra. Made with our unique “Sinatra Barrels” that have deep grooves specially carved into their staves to expose the whiskey to extra layers of toasted oak. This added exposure imparts a rich amber color, bold character, and pleasant smokiness, punctuated by an incredibly smooth vanilla finish. Much like Frank, this Tennessee Whiskey is one of a kind.

Sinatra Select™ is a trademark of Frank Sinatra Enterprises, LLC, used under license to Jack Daniel's™. © 2018 Jack Daniel's. All rights reserved.

- SMOOTH AS SINATRA

- MATURED IN SPECIAL BARRELS

- PLEASANT SMOKINESS AND VANILLA

[born-to-run]

🎵 music tag game 🎶

13 songs i've been listening to lately in no particular order

tagged by the lovely @boasamishipper and @bornforastorm! thanks!! sorry it took me a while!

1. Fire and Rain - James Taylor 2. 52 - The Royston Club 3. I've Got You Under My Skin - Frank Sinatra 4. The Way I Feel Inside - The Zombies 5. 9 to 5 - Dolly Parton 6. Living Room Floor - Sammy Rae & The Friends 7. Give Up Your Guns - The Buoys 8. Streets of Philadelphia - Bruce Springsteen 9. White Rabbit - Jefferson Airplane 10. A Good Song Never Dies - Saint Motel 11. Chicago - Sufjan Stevens 12. It's hard to get around the wind - Alex Turner 13. Modern Love - David Bowie

most of my friends already got tagged, so i won't tag them again, but anyone who wants to do this, please join in!

[season39]

ROUND 7

DAIKI VS TALLIS

( Please select your preferred contestant . )

SONG :

DAIKI & TALLIS : My Way Of Life

[diminuel]

Oh im hooked on the idea now that wani’s transition was preceded/spurred by a stunning sinatra-esq drag king performance. Normally so plain and practical and reserved. Loosened up with a couple drinks and Ivankov being pushy (its a one time thing! For fun! Live a little!)

And ivankov gets to watch this little flower of his bloom on stage (there you are darling… well ill be damed…)

And dragon is halfway to blackout drunk and absolutely losing it. He wasn’t even sure he liked men, but he’s scrambling not to fall to actual pieces in the audience. He didn’t realize how dehydrated he was all his life until he saw that tall drink of water. Oh fuck he’s looking at him oh fuck oh fuck

And Wani is slowly but continuously finding more and more unrealized confidence. They were never a performer, but everyone *likes* feeling attractive, the approving gaze of the crowd that slowly builds to deep hunger and fascination. The song selection increasingly sultry. She agreed to ONE song but does a full set. She feels *expensive* like a luxury silk garment or gold plated watch. Sophisticated. Like if she stepped into any room all eyes would be on her and would be hanging onto her every word. Important. Strong.

By the end Wani is pantsless (gotta show off those mens sock garters) and their shirt is fully unbuttoned (much to the crowd’s delight) and dragon has managed to accidentally pull himself *over* the table in his attempts to hold himself upright

Haha, nice!

I love that Dragon's a) still relaxed enough at this point to watch Iva's shows and get drunk and b) that he's absolutely delirious with lust over Wani's performance!

This clearly was an aha! moment (or the beginning of one in Wani's case) for both of them *lol*

[esmedelacroix]

Coffee Shop Love Pt.4

pairing: miguel o'hara x f!reader

summary: He's as stern and cold as the snow falling from the sky blanketing the bustling streets of Nueva York, Miguel O'Hara stumbles upon a hidden gem of a coffee shop just around the corner from Alchemax. Only problem is the annoying-as-shit smiley-ass barista.

contents: slow burn, no use of y/n, fluffmania, implied age gap, suggestive, forced proximity

author's note: Hi lovies, :( this part is coming to you very late >.< ! The semester is ending soon and I'm an academic weapon so I've been writing papers and studying, here's the fourth chapter for y'all :) ! I suggest you read this chapter while listening to "Strangers In The Night" by Frank Sinatra on repeat it sets the perfect tone for this chapter, enjoy...

word count: 1.6k

Pt.1, Pt.2, Pt.3, Pt.4, Pt. 5, Pt.6, Pt.7, Sequel: Sweet Tooth

You both looked down at your phones in disbelief. Your thoughts raced like a thousand wild stallions, galloping through your mind at breakneck speed What do we do? Will he have to stay over? How will he react when I tell him I have one bed? He couldn't fit on the couch to save his life. You thought to yourself trying to figure out what could be done.

"So a whole day here?" Miguel asked as the shock slowly dissipated from his face.

"Yeah, well I better lock up and turn the heaters on," you said as you got up the locked the doors.

"So uh, I live upstairs," you said awkwardly.

"Okay, I live several blocks down," He joked eliciting a chuckle from you as laughter danced lightly upon Miguel's chest.

"You know what I mean, I'm inviting you into my apartment," you said pointing at the stairs as a flush crept onto your cheeks.

"I'm just pulling your leg chula," he chuckled. You both walked up the stairs to your apartment. A melange of peppermint, gingerbread, and vanilla, like Santa's North Pole workshop in an aromatic form.

The fireplace crackled merrily, festive blankets were strewn across the couch, and a tray of gingerbread cookies patiently awaited their turn in the oven. Your apartment was the epitome of Holiday cheer and warmth. The exact opposite of Miguel's place. Which was currently dark cold and empty. Not a trace of color other than the black and dark blue that his interior designer had insisted on. But was the point of a home that didn't feel like anyone was living in it? Your house was all color. Your house had memories scattered over the wall just like in the shop. Your house had lights all around, messy blankets and pillows, dishes in the sink, and baked goods sprinkled all over the dining table.

"So sorry it's a little messy," you murmured timidly.

"That's fine, it's nice," he mumbled.

You both looked at each other awkwardly before turning away. "So, I only have one bed, and there's no way you're fitting on the couch so, I could take the couch," you thought aloud.

"Well I'm not going to make you sleep on your couch," he said.

"I'm fine with sharing the bed, as long as you don't make it weird," you said.

"Well you just made it weird by thinking that I was gonna make it weird," he quipped.

"Well, well, ditto," you rebutted.

"Ditto? Double ditto," he chuckled.

"Double double ditto times a million trillion gazillion," you giggled.

You both burst into a fit of laughter. You both agreed to take turns in the shower. You lent him your brother's old clothes that he had left the last time he visited. That was how Miguel ended up sitting on your couch with a generic pair of black and red plaid pj pants. With the ugliest ugly sweater on. You plopped down next to him, straight out of the shower.

Your hair smelled like fresh candy canes. He could smell it every time it would whip around when you cracked your neck. Your skin smelled faintly like sweet gingerbread and vallina. You had an interesting selection of Christmas-themed self-care. What's the use of 'sugar cookie' lip balm? I kind of want to taste it..., ew Miguel, he thought to himself.

"So since you have to spend all night and a whole day with me, you have to understand why I love Christmas so much. We're going to watch only the best holiday movie series ever, 'A Christmas Prince,'" you said excitedly as you got up and got some holiday treats and put them on the coffee table.

"This better not be some sappy romance," he groaned.

"Oh hunny, it's all the sap, all drama, and all stupidity and miscommunication. But that's what makes them so good," you explained.

Although Miguel was sure he would hate the movie, he was more invested in it than you were. Every time you would try to talk he would shush you, "I need to see what happens next," he would whisper as he strangled you squish mellow from anticipation.

You started messing with him by talking during the movie which got him so frustrated he threw a pillow at your face playfully. But you had taken this as a declaration of battle and started a pillow fight. It was full-on warfare and giggles all around. You could tell Miguel was holding back all of his strength because he could probably actually hurt you.

You pounced on Miguel, knocking him backward onto the couch. Pillows flew in the air around you as you both tumbled, your laughter turning into shared, breathless excitement.

You found yourself on top of him, faces inches apart, heartbeats racing. Your warm breaths hit each other's face, and you both lay there, staring into each other's eyes.

Miguel's playful smile slowly softened into something deeper, something more intimate. His eyes locked with yours, and for a moment, the world outside the room ceased to exist. It was just the two of you, lost in that brief moment of connection.

Your breath caught as the intensity of the moment enveloped you. You felt a magnetic pull towards Miguel, an unspoken attraction that had been simmering beneath the surface for far too long. The air between you crackled with unspoken words, and as your eyes locked, they shared a moment of understanding, a silent promise of what could be.

But just as quickly as it had come, the moment was broken by the sound of the timer on the oven going off, signifying to the two of you that the gingerbread was ready. The laughter returned, but now it held an extra layer of tension, a newfound awareness of the connection you had just shared.

You both get up, brush yourselves off, and head to the kitchen to take the baked goods out. "Why bake more when you have a million variants of baked goods everywhere?" Miguel inquired as he helped you put the slabs of gingerbread into your fridge to cool.

"I have to test and create the entire seasonal menu before I serve it," you explain.

"That sounds tiring..." he starts.

"No! It's actually really fun! Here try this red velvet cake," she said excitedly. Miguel was waiting for another opportunity to have your baking without having to outright ask you for some, and you knew that.

He took a bite and to no one's surprise, he loved it. But he wouldn't tell you that and tried not to let it show either. The rest of the night went on without a hitch until you were both exhausted. You took a look at the clock, [2:23 am]. Your eyelids felt heavier, and you could see Miguel start to blink for a little too long while trying to watch the third Christmas Prince movie. You used all the energy left in your body to get up. "C'mon big guy, we should get to bed," you said tapping his shoulder. All you got from him was a small smirk and picked up a pillow and whipped it at his face.

"You nasty!" you started before stopping and stomping into your room. Miguel followed you into your room chuckling lowly.

The moon cast a soft glow through the bedroom window, painting the room in muted silver hues as you and Miguel settled into bed. There was an unspoken tension between you two, a tangible distance that lingered in the cool air. The bed, once a refuge for dreams, now seemed an expanse to navigate cautiously. As the night unfolded, lost in the realm of dreams, you began to shiver subtly. Miguel noticed your discomfort, remembering you telling him that you were always cold.

With hesitancy, he inched closer, the space between you shrinking with each careful movement. The distance that had felt overwhelming moments ago now seemed trivial, as if the gravitational pull of shared warmth was irresistible. Miguel's arms encircled your body, a gentle cradle against the night's chill. His body heat became a lifeline, a silent promise to ward off the cold. Nuzzling his face into the curve of your neck, he couldn't help but marvel at the vulnerability of sleep and the unspoken connection that drew them closer.

You, amid a dream, sighed with the blissful surrender of someone finding solace. As Miguel held you close, your shivers ceased, replaced by a quiet tranquility. The once-distinct boundary between them dissolved into the shared warmth of the moment. In the hushed stillness, you emitted a soft, contented snore, a sound that resonated with an endearing charm. Miguel couldn't help but smile, finding the delicate symphony of her sleep both heartwarming and irresistibly cute.

Cuddling in bed wasn’t a part of the plan but you weren’t complaining. Your sweet scent invaded Miguel's senses. You smelled just as good as the cookies you had baked. Your skin was as soft as the velvety stockings you had hanging over your fireplace. He could stay like this forever. He never made wishes but he hoped and prayed that Medusa would come to him and turn him to stone so that he would never be able to let you go. He let fatigue carry him to dreamland, your snores acting as a fleeting melody in the silent serenade of the night.

Next... Pt.5

taglist:

@iite-cool@jewelz-teehe@br0-please@amber-content@thesilenthill@d1lf-loverrr@corpsebridenightamare@laysmt@bitchystrawberrystudent

[averagewriter-inthedark]

Time of Our Lives | Dancer!Jake Seresin x dancer!reader | Dirty Dancing AU

TGM masterlist

Characters & pairings: dancer!Jake Seresin x dancer!reader (romantic)

Content warnings: fluff, light profanity, pop culture references | Female!reader (she/her) | WC: 8.8k

Requested 📨 yes/no (for @eternalsams 🩶🥹)

Premise: what happens when two childhood best friends from well off families reunite at a country club leading into a summer that would impact their careers for eternity while dancing around a decades worth of brewing feelings and recreating an iconic dance for the country clubs annual showcase? Here’s a hit, it’s gonna be like that one song Baby and Johnny fell in love to.

Note: I am alive and just know I (quite literally) had the time of my life writing this piece. It brought me back to my 80s movies/dirty dancing hyperfixation 😭 @eternalsams thank you so much for your patience and requesting this gem. I hope I did you Justice and dancer Jake has my heart and soul. Thank you for trusting me with your vision 🩶

————————

“You could at least act like you’re having fun, Y/n,” came the scolding words of her mother when she noticed the unamused expression Y/n possessed.

A natural state she would describe since they arrived at the resort. And what Y/n could not depart from no matter how hard she tried.

Summertime. The best time of year for some folks who are eager to get away from the stress and drama of work and school to relax and have fun. Whether it be a week or two whole months. For high school dance teacher Y/n L/n, her ideal summer vacation would be in the comfort of her own home with a book or chilling at her favorite resultant sipping on Margaritas while enjoying live music. Going out with her small select group of friends to dance was also on her list of summer necessities…but her family had other plans.

To kick off her 2023 summer break—which is to last nearly three weeks if she manages to survive—Y/n and her family were at an upscale Catskills resort located in the Appalachian Mountains not too far from New York, the place she currently called home. A snazzy estate one may add, for it was filled with alumni from the top Ivy League schools in the country.

And Y/n’s personal hell.

Of course she loved spending time with her parents and siblings….to an extent. But, when they’re constantly berating her life choices by becoming a dance instructor—on top of displeased opinions of her love life—-Y/n felt suffocated by them.

It was like she could never live up to the expectation they had of her no matter how much she proved herself and her talent. Not only were her parents highly respected doctors in their community, but her sister graduated Summa Cum Laude at Yale Law School, marrying her college sweetheart before taking a job at one of the city’s top firms. Then there was her brother. He went on to become a naval fighter pilot, distinguished and respected with his place at number one in his class during his year at Top Gun. His wife was a trauma nurse who worked at the same hospital as her parents.

Yet here she was—mind you, a former member of the New York City Ballet Company, Juilliard Alumni, performed at the Super Bowl, toured with Rihanna in the mid early 2010s, appeared in several music videos, and teaches at the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts—unable to adhere to their standards.

Parents…they want what’s best for their children. Right?

Yeah she found that hard to believe.

If only they saw her in the Ballroom. And no, not talking about the kind you see on Dancing With The Stars. She’s talking about the Ballroom that calls New York its home.

But also ballroom dancing. Her sister would have a heart attack if she discovered Y/n danced Bachata with Prince Royce at a New York latin club.

“Fun?” Y/n scoffed, sipping at her glass of champagne resulting in a light cringe at the taste. For rich people one would think they’d have the best there was. What just hit her tastebuds was something out of a box container imposing as fancy liquor. “I don’t see how anyone could find this type of rendezvous fun, mother.” She received a scolding glare.

“Keep your voice down,” the older woman kept looking around to see if anyone heard, “these are our friends.”

“Your friends,” Y/n corrected. There was no way in hell she’d consider any of the fake people in front of her friends. No matter how long their families have been acquainted. None of them liked each other, and were always trying to one up whenever someone voiced an accomplishment.

Instead of answering, Y/n’s mother simply walked away with an annoyed huff. No longer in the mood to argue. Rolling her eyes, Y/n downed the last of her champagne before making way out the french doors of the lounge and into one of the many patios. The sunshine greeted her with its vibrant and warm rays. Chatter from the guests sitting under umbrellas and beside the pool filled her ears. Y/n placed her sunglasses and booked it across until she was on the pathway leading to the guesthouse she and her family were staying.

“Y/n!” Had it been anyone else the woman would’ve mentally signed, but the voice behind the greeting was none other than her childhood best friend growing up, Natasha. A genuine smile appeared on her face as she turned around.

“Hey, Nat!” the two embraced in a hug, “Been a while, huh?” In truth the two hadn’t seen each other face to face since 2019 when Natasha moved to California to base her talent agency. Despite this, Natasha still traveled every year to Caskilles around this time to see her family, whereas Y/n remained in New York due to shows and gigs.

“More like four years,” a playful nudge was sent her way, “girl you left me here to fend for myself. I should feel betrayed,” Nat smirked, “but I can’t blame you. The only reason I keep coming to this place is to please my mom. It’s the only time all of us siblings are under the same roof.”

Natasha was the oldest of four and the only daughter to three sons. Her father had been the Mayor of New York City while her mother was the former District Attorney. All of her brothers had achieved prospective careers. Antonio, the second oldest, had been drafted by the MLB and currently played for the Washington Nationals. Dominic, the middle brother, was a nuclear engineer who rarely ever got time off but always managed to get a week in the summer. Lastly the youngest of the bunch, Victor, was a professional photographer who went on tour with artists like Journey, Lionel Richie, Daddy Yankee, and Stevie Nicks.

For Natasha, she had fallen in love with the fashion industry at a young age. After graduating from the Fashion Institute of Technology Natasha received an intern position at Vogue Magazine before becoming a product and brand marketing manager at Louis Vuitton, for which she got the opportunity to live in Paris, France for four years. There she got to work closely with Virgil Abloh, who unfortunately passed away in 2021, and Nicolas Ghesquiere.

As of 2022 Nat relocated to San Francisco and developed her own talent agency for aspiring models and fashion photographers who come from low-income backgrounds, LGBTQIA+, people of color and disabilities. With its success Nat’s had several clients on the face of Vogue and walking runways at every fashion week.

“I’m sorry,” Y/n said, the two beginning to walk down the path together, “Life’s been hectic. During the pandemic there were little to no gigs so I had no idea what to do.” Unfortunately being in the dance industry meant competitive opportunities with a maybe 10% success rate if lucky. Y/n’s last big break was dancing with Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande in their ‘Rain on Me’ music video. Y/n occasionally attended the Balls in New York, but hadn’t walked a category in ages.

She did have a following on social media, which bought in a reasonable amount of income. Over 100k on YoutTube and roughly 2 half a million on TikTok. Instagram had close to 3 million since it had been the primary platform in the 2010s and several of her dance videos went viral.

“I understand,” Nat nodded solemnly, “It was like that for me too. It’s nice the world is slowly going back to normal. Although,” she paused to chuckle, “the amount of damage control getting bookings back to their normal pace was probably the most stressful point in my career.”

“Has it been easier now?” They stopped at a little bench overlooking the lake, “I saw you were at fashion week.”

Nat instantly brightened. “Much better than before I will say. We’ve got a great wave of new clientele—I just landed this fella a cover with GQ so I’m pleased with that.” Y/n congratulated her before the agent changed the subject, “But enough about me, what about you?”

The woman scoffed, “Well my last big thing was the Lady Gaga music video—and that was going on three years now,” the thought made her frown. It wasn’t like her to go so long without a gig. “I auditioned for a spot on Beyoncé’s tour.”

“The Renaissance tour,” Nat nearly gagged. It was all anyone could talk about since tickets went on sale earlier that year. Nat managed to snag two for her and her boyfriend for the Los Angeles show. “And?”

“I’ll know in about a month or so if I book it.”

“You so got it,” Nat assured with a tap on her shoulder, “You’re one of the best dancers in the world. You danced with Madonna at the Super Bowl,” her gaze became pointed, “and toured with Rihanna. You have nothing to worry about.”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself, Nat,” Y/n laughed, though deep down she felt the hope in her rise.

Rolling her eyes, Natasha leaned back against the bench and was about to comment when someone in the distance caught her eye. “Is that who I think it is?”

Peeking over her shoulder, Y/n suddenly straightened her posture upon seeing the blonde man grinning from ear to ear as they made eye contact. Jake Seresin certainly landed on the right side of the puberty coin. With his tan, muscular frame, gorgeous green eyes, blonde hair and smile that belonged on the cover of a magazine, he was a sight for sore eyes.

“Ladies, fancy seeing you two here on this beautiful afternoon.”

A wave of butterflies simmered in Y/n’s tummy, a shy smile forming as he approached the bench. It’d been several years since the two saw each other despite being friends since childhood. “Jake,” she greeted, moving to accept his hug when he opened his arms. Natasha followed before the two sat back down, “It’s good to see you. Is your mom with you?”

Like Natasha and her family, Jake’s were part of the same circuit in terms of highly respected, sometimes influential people. His mother, a doctor, was a colleague of Y/n’s parents, and his late father was one of Texas’ Congressmen during the 2000-2010s. Jake’s only sibling, his sister Krista, was a young adult novelist with over ten publications.

Jake on the other hand was like Y/n: a professional dancer and known in the industry as a real life Ken Doll. He had a massive following online, choreographed music videos and tours—even went on tour with Bruno Mars, Justin Bieber, & Ariana Grande—and was a guest judge on ‘So You Think You Can Dance,”. During the pandemic a lot of his dance sequences went viral and became trends, Y/n even posted on to which he reposted with the caption, “you know I had to shine the spotlight on my favorite dance partner. Miss you Y/n/n.”

You can bet Y/n experienced internal fireworks.

There was no denying she had a crush on Jake growing up. The two were inseparable whenever their families stayed at the resort. They’d even make trips out to each other during winter break, eventually attended Juilliard at the same time, and collaborated early in their careers. Jake and Y/n used to sneak out of the country club when they were younger to dance on the dock while blasting music from the boom box they’d stolen from the lounge. They learned ballroom together, competing in competition without Y/n’s family having knowledge of it.

Unlike Y/n’s parents, Jake’s mom and dad approved of his career choice. Though skeptical in the beginning, they grew to be very supportive and attended his showcases at school, the concert he was performing in and kept up with what he was doing.

Because of their disapproval of her pursuing dance, Y/n believes their learning of Jake’s endeavors resulted in them no longer coming to the country club if he and his family were there. They also never asked about him or worked with his mother despite being in the same field. It’s like they blamed Jake for Y/n not becoming what they wanted her to be: a doctor or a lawyer.

“She and my sis are settling in,” he gestured down the path he came, where several cabins were located. “We just got in about an hour ago.”

“How long are you guys here for?” The question came from Nat, who threw a look at Y/n.

Jake didn’t notice, “a couple weeks. Needed a break from the world—and Mr. Collins asked me to help him with this showcase he’s putting together.” Y/n raised her brow.

“Showcase?”

“It’s more for the youngins,” Jake explained. “He asked if I could help teach some dance lessons for those interested.” Though it physically hurt not to react, Y/n somehow managed to remain neutral. Even putting a semi-fake smile.

How come Mr. Collins didn’t ask her?

“Stop it,” the voice in her head said, “it’s not a competition and you know Jake would never be upset if the roles were reversed.”

“Wow, Jake, that's great!” She was happy for him. And scolded herself mentally for the childish thought she had. Jake was an exceptional dancer and a great teacher. Y/n had watched some of his YouTube videos in passing and had no doubt he could get the job done.

“Say if you have the time I’d be happy to have you join in,” he flashes a smile that would have any girl weak in the knees. “I’d say you’re more of an expert in certain areas that I’m not really well acquainted with.” Warmth fills her chest.

“I’d love to. Thank you, Jake.”

The second he departed Natasha was on Y/n. “Girl, if you do not hop on that—.”

“Natasha!”

“What?” She whispers shouts after being hushed, “you’re into him, he’s so into you,” Y/n’s expression is that of, ‘You’re delusional’. “Skip the previews and start the movie.” Now that was a metaphor Y/n had not heard before, but clever nonetheless.

“Jake and I have been friends for years,” Y/n brushed her off. “I am not going to risk ruining what we have because of some middle school crush.” The brunette rolls her eyes.

“But it’s not, ‘some middle school crush.’ You’ve had feelings for him for over decades now—which is a conversation for another day,” Y/n makes a sound of offense, but does not deny the woman. “It’s time to put on your big girl panties and get your man.”

She’s quiet for a moment, glancing to her feet, “What if it’s not meant to be. My family would never approve—.”

“Like you’ve let them dictate what you do in life.”

“My point is—,” Y/n cuts back, “I’ve already disappointed them with my career path. Call me naive or delusional, but I don’t want to have to deal with constantly being berated for my choice of partner. Jake is wonderful in every aspect, but what he does will just set my parents off again for another twenty years if by some miracle we start something up.”

Natasha sighs, placing a comforting hand on her friend’s shoulder, “Sometimes you have to accept that parents are always going to have their opinions that are unchangeable. And you have to let go of the hope they’ll come around. Y/n, you’ve dealt with this since you were seventeen, maybe it’s time to distance yourself from it.”

“And if it all backfires and I end up alone?”

“You’ll never be alone,” she nudges her, “I’m here. And even if it all blows to hell, then at least you can say you tried.”

The next day Y/n found Jake at the little studio room the club used to teach waltz lessons. She was met with his gorgeous smile and an army of preteens in the middle of showing off who could do the best tik tok dance. “I see I’ve interrupted a very important matter.”

“None wanted to do the one I created,” he dramatically pouts, “saying it was too complicated.”

She laughed, “Well they’re not wrong.”

“Hey!”

For the next week, Y/n and Jake spent four hours a day--two in the morning and two in the afternoon--with the kids teaching them different styles of dance. Of course the crowd favored breakdancing, hip hop, modern, and vogue, but would request to watch Jake and Y/n perform routines they used to do back in the day. Swing was a popular one, as was quickstep and jive because of its upbeat and face paced. One day Jake busted out his tap dancing skills while Y/n displayed some ballet.

“How can a person do that?” a kid commented as she stood on revelé. Jake leaned down, whispering, “she’s secretly an alien from another planet.”

“C’mon I wanna show you something,” Jake grabs her hand one night after dinner. He leads her to a cabin not too far from the main resort where members of the staff have started a party. On the speakers were some 2000s hits that summed up the millennial crowd. Jake waved to some of the guys who ran group activities in the corner, Y/n spotted the culinary department at the food table. And if she were to glance at the door on the opposite end of the cabin, she’d see the housekeeping passing around an object containing a certain plant.

“What’s this?”

“The only place where the workers get to catch a break after spending all day with those uptight rich folks. They call it ‘Dirty Dancing’,” Y/n’s expression becomes amused, letting out a soft laugh.

“Like the 80s movie with Patrick Swayze?” Jake beams.

“The one and only,” taking her hand once more, he leads her to the makeshift dance floor. “Let’s show them how it’s done.”

To say the two became the life of the party was an understatement. Jake spun Y/n to the sound of her laughter and Elvis ‘Jailhouse Rock���. Jumping up and down with a crowd around them to Pitbull’s “Give Me Everything.”

“Tonight, I want all of you tonight,” They pointed to each other, “Give me everything tonight.” Y/n pointed to the girl beside her, “For all we know we might not get tomorrow. Let’s do it tonight.” Jake fist pumped with some guys around him, “Don’t care what they say, or what games they play. Nothing is enough, ‘til they handle love.” people in the back shouted “let’s do it tonight.”

“I want you tonight, I want you to stay,” Jake gave Y/n a look, “I want you tonight,” she squealed upon him pulling her toward him, “Grab somebody sexy tell ‘em hey.” the entire house exploded into the chorus. Everyone having the time of their lives, it felt like a scene from a movie.

Y/n pulled girls into the middle during Beyonce’s ‘Single Ladies.’ Then they carried the party when ‘Year 3000’ by the Jonas Brothers came on. “He said, ‘I've been to the year 3000. Not much has changed, but they lived underwater. And your great-great-great-granddaughter is doing fine!”

Some staff who happened to be part of the New York Ballscene recognized Y/n, leading to a vogue battle to commence. “This is what I wanna see!”

Let’s just say….that was the moment Jake knew he was in love.

“‘Cause we are living in a material world. And I am a material girl,” The next morning Y/n was rudely awoken by her ringtone. “Hello,” her groggy voice answered, hearing Jake on the opposite end sounding equally as tired.

“Are you busy this afternoon in between lessons?”

“Not that I know of. What’s up?”

“I just got off the phone with Collin,” his tone shifted to one she couldn’t decipher, “He’s asking if you and I would be interested in performing at the showcase.” Jolting from the bed, Y/n was fully awake.

“Come again.”

“You and me. Me and you,” Jake repeated, “we put on a little number for the finale.”

Fiddling with her pajama top, Y/n suddenly became nervous. The night before she was on Cloud 9 with the way Jake was looking at her. They danced the night away and those feelings she desperately tried to hide were slowly becoming difficult to keep down. “What did you have in mind?”

“Time of My Life, really?” The two were at the studio dressed in comfy attire they usually danced in. “Don’t you think that’s a little cliche.”

“I thought it was fitting,” the blonde rebutted. Jake suggested the two perform the iconic dance sequence at the end of the 80s classic. “What, you got something against it?”

She rolled her eyes, “Only that my parents blame my childhood obsession with it as the reason I didn’t follow their dreams for me.” Jake made a face.

“They’re still not over that?”

“Nope,” She popped the ‘p’. “In fact they still remind me every chance they get about it.”

Jake finished setting up the song loop, standing from his crouching position, “Well, let’s prove just how wrong they were when you blow their mind with your talent at the showcase.”

Between the giggles and constantly finding any moment to procrastinate, it was a miracle the two managed to choreograph a routine. It wasn’t an exact copy of the iconic dance Baby and Johnny performed, but they kept some elements in.

Including the lift.

“Jake, I don’t know about this,” Y/n shivered when her body hit the cold water, following him until their waists were submerged. The whole idea made her nervous. It was an intimidating maneuver.

Jake, however, did not show any sign of hesitation. “Worried I’d drop you?” he teased, “I thought you trusted me? We used to do this all the time as kids.”

“Exactly. I do trust you, but we’re not fifteen anymore. I’m not--,” he cut her off gently.

“Don’t say what I think you’re about to say,” his look was soft but serious at the same time. “You have nothing to worry about. And besides, we’re out here taking precautions instead of being in the studio where if something did go wrong, we’re not as likely to end up in the ER.”

Sighing, Y/n rubbed her eyes. “Fine, let’s just get this over with, before I drown in embarrassment..”

About two and half hours of non-stop repetition of Jake lifting Y/n in the air passed. Sometimes he purposely lost footing so they both planted into the freezing lake water and other times he genuinely faltered. “Jake!”

“I’m sorry!” Thankfully at least one out of every ten attempts were a success. By that we’re talking they were able to hold the position for more than four seconds. “Okay, we’re done for the day.”

As the sun started to set, Jake climbed onto the dock before pulling Y/n up. “Thanks,” she took the towel he handed her, immediately squeezing the excess water from her hair. “Well that was fun.”

“Yeah,” he chuckled, grabbing his towel. “I think we made some great progress. We’ll go through the whole routine tomorrow and see what needs adjustments.” The showcase was in just over a week, meaning they were crunching down on time.

“Sounds like a plan.” Stars painted the sky, the two eventually sitting on the dock with their towels wrapped around them. Soft music played from Jake’s speaker.

“How’s it been for you?” Jake was the one to break the silence, “thinking about it, we haven’t really got the chance to catch up. New York still treating you well?”

“Oh uh,” Y/n swallowed, unsure of how to answer without sounding too pessimistic. “It’s been alright. I’ve been teaching for the last two years.”

“A teacher you say? Where at?”

“Frank Sinatra School of Arts.” Jake’s smile grew.

“That’s amazing!” Butterflies erupted at his praise. “I’m happy for you, Y/n, really. You’re inspiring the next generation.”

“Thanks,” she looked away, unable to keep eye contact when her heart was beating so fast. ‘Geez, why am I like this? He’s making me feel like I’m fourteen again.’ “I’ve enjoyed it. My students were amazing.” Jake raised a curious brow.

“Are you not teaching anymore?”

Y/n bit her lip, “well, I haven’t renewed my contract for the upcoming school year yet,” she paused before adding, “I’m waiting to find out if I got a spot on this tour I auditioned for.” Now Jake was super curious. Lots of artists were touring that summer. The Jonas Brothers, Big Time Rush, Kesha, SZA, and of course the much anticipated Era’s and Renaissance tours of Taylor Swift and Beyonce.

And Jake was going to be involved in one.

“Is it okay if I ask which one?” his tone had an underlying hint of excitement at the thought the two might work together. Traveling across the country in what would be one of the best experiences in their lives.

Her eyes narrowed with suspicion, “something tells me you have a secret, Jake Seresin. Would you like to share with the class what’s on your mind?”

Scratching his head, Jake answered, “I’m not really supposed to say…..but,” she held her breath, releasing with a low gasp, “I’ll be touring with Taylor Swift.”

“Wow,” the woman was speechless, breaking into a massive grin. “I-uh, wow, Jake that’s incredible! Congratulations!”

“Thank you,” he accepted her hug, not caring that their clothes were still damp. “I honestly didn’t believe I’d get it.” a playful slap landed on his arm.

“Please,” came her scoff, “You really thought Miss Americana herself would not see the talent in front of her?” Y/n mentally cheered in victory at the sight of his blush. “She’d be foolish to not have you as part of her time.”

“Okay okay,” he swatted her hands away with a chuckle. “Now answer my question.”

Once revealing who’s tour Y/n auditioned for, the two embarked on an hour long conversation about their careers and life. Jake mentioned how he had been in a relationship but it didn’t work out. Y/n vented on the ongoing emotional feud with her family--to which Jake told her, “It’s their loss for not seeing you the way the rest of the world does.”

Yeah, that made her melt.

By the end of the night there was a shift in the atmosphere. Both felt it, glancing away when they held eye contact longer than usually without a word passing by. They had suddenly become quiet, only the crickets singing through the trees.

“It’s getting late,” Y/n rushed out, moving to stand. “Same time tomorrow?”

“Yeah,” Jake mirrored her movements. “Same time.” Heading back to the cabins their families were staying at, they arrived at Y/n’s first.

Opening her mouth to say goodnight and avoid an awkward moment, Y/n’s words paused upon seeing Jake’s expression, “You look troubled.”

“I--,” he began before stopping, causing Y/n’s nerves to rise. “It’s nothing.”

The dancer wasn’t having it, “No, no no,” she playfully raised a hand, “you can’t leave me hanging like that, Jake. I thought we were friends.” Suddenly it became quiet again. Next thing Y/n knew was Jake softly grabbing her hand.

“You know I adore you right?”

Her heart skipped, “Not really, but I do now,” the light chuckle was obviously embedded with nerves. “I adore you too.”

“And we’ve been….rather close for a long time.”

“Yes,” the word trailed off her tongue, somehow managing to hold the eye contact Jake was giving her. She was practically pinned where she stood.

“I realize this isn’t the best time or way to say this,” his cheeks become rosy, “but I’ve really enjoyed these past couple weeks catching up and being able to dance again like we used to. And I’d be lying if I said it didn’t bring back some feelings I tried to ignore for fear it would ruin what we have.”

Y/n couldn’t believe what was happening, “Bring back?” Did the man she secretly longed for since they were teenagers want her too? After all this time? She nearly pinched herself.

Jake looked away, bringing his other hand to scratch his neck. “Yeah. Look, I understand if you don’t feel the same and I’m sorry for dropping this on you but after the party I felt like my world was finally on its axis. You…” he struggles finding the right words, “I can’t stop thinking about you and what we could be. You’re my best friend, Y/n. And I view you as someone I wanna dance with till we’re old and gray.”

“Jake,” his name was the softest it had ever been coming out of her mouth. Here was the moment she had been dreaming about. “You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting to hear you say that.”

His reaction was immediate, “You--you feel the same?” The tone was that of disbelief and hope. Heart pounding beneath his skin.

Y/n cupped his face in her hands, grinning ear to ear, “There is no one else in this world I’d rather dance with than you, Jake. I’ve felt this way about you for as long as I can remember.”

Not wasting a second longer, Jake leaned down and captured her lips in a sweet kiss. Fireworks exploded between the two, the butterflies escaping their stomachs to swarm around them. Jake's lips were soft against hers, moving slowly as though to commit them to memory. When they pulled away, he kept his forehead against hers, “wow.”

She giggled, repeating, “wow.”

“Is this what Could 9 is supposed to feel like? Because I’m getting those vibes.”

Y/n threw her head back, laughing before covering her mouth when she remembered her family was asleep on the other side of the door, “You’re not the only one, hot shot. If this is what cloud 9 feels like then I never want to lose it.”

In the days following that magical night, the two continued their practice session. Perfecting the dance to where they didn’t even hear the music to be able to hit the steps right. When it came to the lift, however, Y/n was still worried of a disaster. Thankfully after several successful attempts at the studio she was able to let go of her doubt.

Plus she was tired of hearing Jake’s teasing.

Each night after parting ways that afternoon the two would meet up at the docks. Spending hours laying on the wood to watch the stars twinkle and talk about life. Then Jake would walk her back to the cabin, saying goodbye with a sweet kiss. With every minute they spent together, every dance, every kiss, both Jake and Y/n were falling more and more for each other.

One could go as far as to say it was love.

One could say they were having the time of their lives.

But of course what is life without a little drama? Y/n silently prayed drama would be avoided. Once in her life could things just be great? Without the everlying feeling of something going wrong?

Yeah, it was too good to be true.

“Jake!” a voice interrupted the peaceful morning, ripping the two apart from their kiss. They had gone for a jog together that morning around the lake, stopping at their usual spot of the docks before heading to the studio to practice for the night's event. Turning to the direction of the voice, Y/n’s eyes landed on a fiery redhead storming up the path. Her attention was on the man beside her, not hiding the obvious fact she was furious. “Who the hell is that?”

“Tatiana?” Jake’s tone was of shock and confusion. He let go of Y/n’s face he had been cradling, but kept a firm touch on her arm. “W-what are you--.”

“Is it so much to ask for you to answer your phone?” stopping in front of the two, her blazing hazel eyes locked on Y/n. “Who are you? And why the fuck were you making out with my boyfriend.”

“Excuse me?” she stammered, glacing at Jake who now looked pissed off. ‘He’s had a girlfriend this whole time?”

“I haven’t been your boyfriend since December, Tatiana,” he raised a pointed finger, casting a look to Y/n with pleading eyes that he was telling the truth. “We’ve been broken up for a while now.” he turned back to his ex, “You made that clear to me when you had me choose between the career I’ve spent decades building and you.”

There was anger in his tone, not pleased with her claims. Y/n didn’t know what to believe, all she could feel was a weight clamping down on her shoulder.

“Oh really,” removing her phone from her back pocket, Tatiana tapped the screen a few times before pushing it in Y/n’s face, “Does that seem like it to you.” Leaning forward, Y/n gulped at the sight of text messages indicating Jake and Tatianna had been in contact a few months prior. From the looks of it, Tatiana was hoping the two could pick up where they left off and Jake replying, ‘I’ll think about it,’ then it was silent until this past week where Tatiana sent texts asking when they could meet up. Jake, however, responded it wasn’t a good time and believed the two should stay friends.

“Y/n,” Jake started, glancing back between her and Tatiana, which only made her more perplexed. Unable to decipher what he was thinking. “Just please, wait right here.” He gently squeezed her arm, brushing their fingers together as he let go. Then before she could say anything, Y/n watched Jake gently escort Tatiana away from the docks. They went a good distance away to where Y/n was unable to hear the two. With Jake’s back to her, Y/n’s view was of the red head’s angry expression as she pushed her finger into Jake’s chest.

She saw him gently raise his hands, stepping away to escalate the situation. Y/n’s head spun, feeling a wave of nausea and the woman grabbed her water bottle from the ground. In a fast pace, Y/n stepped off the dock and onto the path leading back to the clubhouse. Once a distance away she broke out into a run, unaware if Jake saw her leave considering his back was to her. This was confirmed when she didn’t hear him call out for her.

Sprinting past the clubhouse, Y/n made a beeline for her cabin. Throwing the door open she moved past the living room not caring if anyone was there and straight to her bedroom where she locked the door behind her, pressing her back against it and sliding down to the floor to finally catch her breath.

Her water bottle had been drained, sweat coating her forehead and tears threatening to spill. Covering her mouth, Y/n refused to let the sob forming in her throat to release. There was no time to let her heartbreak. Not when the showcase was fast approaching.

The showcase.

“Fuck,” she sniffed, kicking off her shoes in the process. Of course it had to be that day all blows to hell. The perfect world she thought she finally obtained crashing down.

Of course she was being dramatic. Her life was shy from perfect, and this was another dent in the walls she tried to build.

She kept thinking of Jake. Willing herself to not jump to conclusions. He was clearly taken aback by Tatiana’s appearance. Even more when she called herself his girlfriend. Jake appeared rather offended by the accusation they were still together. Bottom line of the story: there was tension--especially animosity--between them, unfinished business if Y/n had to guess.

Whatever it was, she couldn’t bear to witness it. Right now she needs to think with a blank mind. And with Jake already spamming her phone, the solution for peace and quiet was to turn off her phone. Going as far as to power off her apple watch and not have music play while she showered.

The tears slowly cascaded while Y/n stood beneath the water. It was eerie with the silence, but it assisted with the clearing of her thoughts. Once clean Y/n dressed in comfy clothes and decided to nap for the remainder of the day. The morning had drained her, and until it came time to get ready for her dance with Jake--which she already dreaded--Y/n willed herself to sleep imagining what the day had been if his ex had never stepped foot on the docks.

“Need some help?” Y/n jumped, the hair clip falling from her hand. In the mirror she found Nat staring back at her with a sympathetic smile. “You look like you could use a hand.”

“Thanks,” she picked up the clip, holding up for Nat, who took it in her hand and stood behind Y/n. Gathering her hair up, Nat styled it in a messy but pretty updo.

“You seem tense for someone so used to the spotlight by now.”

A frown appeared, “It’s always nerve racking going on stage in front of people no matter how long you’ve done it.” Nat wasn’t buying it.

“Wanna talk about it? I know it’s more than a few nerves rustling your feathers, Y/n.”

Biting her lip, the dancer shrugged. “It wasn’t meant to be, Nat. Simple as that.” Sadness washed over her for the millionth time since that morning. She hasn’t seen Jake since, only replying to his several texts after a dozen unanswered calls to confirm she would still do the showcase.

Although part of her thought about backing out.

“What exactly happened?” Nat softly asked, moving to now help Y/n on her makeup. She was going for a simple look so she lightly concealed, blushed, highlighted and added some minimal eye makeup.

“Everything felt so amazing” she started, looking up as Nat dabbed the beauty blender under her eyes. “After we did the lift at the lake, we talked for hours on the dock and when he walked me back to the cabin….he told me how he felt about me,” Y/n could still feel the tingles on her lips, “and we kissed.”

Nat withheld squealing, knowing it was a bad moment considering it didn’t end the way she hoped for her best friend. Now she was conspiring on how to get payback on Jake. Filled with sudden disdain.

“The next few days went by--like I was walking on cloud 9. The way he looked at me, Nat,” Y/n connected their eyes, “It was magical.” Nat brushed powder onto her cheeks, followed by light blush and highlighter.

“And then what happened.”

Y/n’s shoulders dropped, making her slouch, “Jake’s ex showed up this morning.” Nat’s hand froze, a second passing before continuing its movement. “They broke up last year, but I guess they were in the works of getting back together. Because she was very vocal about it--not shy of asking who the fuck I was and why was I with her boyfriend.”

“And what was Jake’s reaction?”

Y/n waited until after Nat finished sweeping a thin coat of eyeliner to answer, “He denied it--was very shocked when she showed up out of the blue. Said that she ended things because he refused to choose her over his career. Then she went on about how they were talking things out--that a few months ago he said he’d think about it.” Y/n thought back to the texts, “She showed me the messages from this week. He rejected her invite to meet up and said that they should remain friends. Then he pulled her aside to talk where I couldn’t hear. I sorta left after that.”

Nat grabbed the mascara, “You didn’t wait for him to explain?”

“Could you blame me?” Y/n rebutted, a little on the defense but not saying it in a mean tone. “I was dealing with a hundred emotions. Confusion, embarrassment, shame, sadness, anger. I wanted to cry, I wanted to yell. But the only thing I could do was shut down and walk away.”

Nat said nothing, spraying Y/n’s face with a setting mist before handing her the tube of her favorite lipstick.

“I know,” Y/n groans, “I should’ve stayed--to at least hear him out. But I didn’t want to face the humiliation if it were true.”

“And if it’s not true?” Nat suggested, “What if he was genuine and they really are done? Where does that leave you two?”

Blotting the color onto her lips, Y/n capped the tube and threw it into her makeup bag with a shug, “I don’t know, Nat. We’ll find out tonight I guess.” Taking one last glance in the mirror, she added, “That’s if he shows up--which I doubt he won’t. He wouldn’t want to let Collins down.” leaning back in the char, Y/n turns to her friend. “Thanks for the hair and makeup.”

Nat patted her shoulder, “anytime. You look beautiful. That dress was made for you.” Y/n bore a light pink dress with a flowy skirt and corset styled top. It was similar to the one Baby wore in Dirty Dancing, ironically enough, but unique in its own way. She paired it with simple dance shoes.

“Thank you, Nat.”

A thought suddenly came to the brunette, “Hey, did you ever hear back from that audition?”

There was no hiding her grin, Y/n looked like a child having just received a gift from Santa, “I got a call back. They’re having me fly to L.A. next week to dance for them again.” Nat jumped from her seat, squealing and pulling the woman into a hug.

“Ah that’s amazing! Congratulations--I’m so so happy for you!!”

“Thank you,” Nat’s happiness was contagious, making Y/n giggle as they swayed side to side. “I can’t believe I’m so close.”

“I knew you’d get it,” Nat maveled, playfully pinching Y/n’s side making her swat at her hand.

The happy moment was interrupted right on cue as Mr. Collins rushed in. “There you are!” He was frantic, clipboard in hand. “I’ve been looking all over for you. Have you seen Mr. Seresin?” Y/n’s heart dropped.

“No,” was her response, heat coating her skin. “I thought he was here already.” Collins took a peek at his watch, groaning in annoyance.

“You guys are the last ones so that gives me hope he’s just running late,” Motioning for Y/n to follow him, the man leads the two out of the makeshift dressing room. “You’ll wait by the end of the side stage while the other performers have their turn. Then I’ll announce--hopefully both of you--and we’ll call this showcase a success. Which by the way,” he spins around, stopping Y/n in her tracks, “Do you happen to have a backup plan by any chance if our friend decides to be a no-show?”

Y/n stuttered lightly, hands up in a ‘Not really?’ She goes, “I mean I can whip something up--Not to toot my own horn but I’m pretty good at what I do and will dance to any music you give me.”

“Fantastic,” Collins snaps his finger, “We’ll work with that.” Spinning back again, Collins high tails it to the stage, Y/n taking claim to a chair a few paces from the steps. She spotted Nat seated with her family, Y/n’s own folks at a table in the far back. Almost like they were hiding from the rest of the guests, causing her heart to sink further.

Collins opened the showcase with an animated greeting to the audience. After some announcements and thanks to staff and sponsors who helped put the showcase together, he introduced the first of 10 performers on the list. Nearly all were the teens and children Y/n taught with Jake, the woman standing from her chair to cheer them on. At the eighth performance she froze at the sight of the blonde man behind the curtain. He hadn’t seen her yet, so Y/n ducked back to her chair, peeking slightly to find him conversing with Collins.

‘Well looks like I’m not getting out of this one,’ she thought to herself.

When the second to last performer appeared, Y/n found Nat in the audience. The two shared a look, Nat able to see the unease seeping off Y/n, and throwing her thumbs up in hopes to relieve some of it. The (y/h/c) shook her head slightly, but appreciated the gesture nonetheless with a small smile.

Mr. Collins glides to the stage one final time, “And now,” a quick glance to his clipboard, then to the side of the stage opposite of Y/n, a smile curling on his lips. “We have a very special presentation from two people who were kind enough to help me put this whole shabang together,” raising a hand out he announces, “Please welcome the beautiful and ever so talented, here to bring you the time of your life, Jake Seresin and Y/n L/n!!”

There was a light applause from the adults overshadowed by the children, teens, staff members, and Natasha. Y/n’s parents were unreactive, glancing at her siblings wondering if they knew to which they received shrugs.

Still sitting in a chair just off the stage, not moving despite the lights flashing on her, Y/n’s head was down. The door was not far. She could easily make an escape. But she felt eyes on from those within view and felt trapped. To run now would be a lifetime of embarrassment and shame.

“C’mon, Y/n,” she scolded under her breath. “It’s just one dance.” "Then you can go back to New York and pray this whole thing never happened.”

As the thought left her mind, footsteps came toward her, and Y/n glanced up to find Jake, dressed in black slacks and buttoned down enough to make a girl weak in the knees, staring down at her with an expression that took her breath away. It was as though they were the only two in the room, much like in the studio. Everyone else simply disappeared. Leaving two people who danced around feelings for years only to come together at that very moment.

Whatever hostility Y/n had for Jake was gone. She saw the pure love in his eyes. Pleading with her to give him a chance.

Simply holding his hand out to her, Jake held her gaze and spoke clearly for everyone to hear, “Nobody puts Y/n in a corner.” Had her heart not been beating at 100 miles per second, Y/n would’ve laughed at the reference. Considering how fitting it was to their situation.

The beginning lyrics of the song echoed as Jake led her to the middle of the stage. Already igniting applause from the audience who recognized it. “Now I’ve had the time of my life.” An arm snaked around her waist, pulling her to him. Never once straying eye contact “No, I’ve never felt this way before.” Y/n dipped back, Jake keeping her from falling to the floor until she was upright, “Yes I swear, It’s the truth. And I owe it all to you.”

“‘Cause I’ve,” Jake came around to her left, Y/n bringing up a hand which his own followed the trail of her arm. She caressed the side of his face. His group of friends hooting and hollering, “had the time of my life. And I owe it all to you.” A gentle kiss was placed on her nose.

Cheers from their students erupted when Jake spun Y/n, bringing a smile to both their faces as they began their routine. “I’ve been waiting for so long. Now I’ve finally found someone to stand by me.” Natasha whistled from her seat, “Yeah!”

“We saw the writing on the wall. As we felt this magical fantasy.”

All through the dance Y/n never once stopped grinning. Jake’s aura, the nostalgia of the song, and the love she had for dance were contagious. “Now with passion in our eyes, there’s no way we could disguise it secretly.” Unbeknownst to the woman, her parents and siblings were watching in awe. Having been the first time they truly watched her perform. “So we take each other’s hands,” Jake spun her again, Y/n throwing her arms in the air, head swaying back and forth. “‘Cause we seem to understand the urgency.”

“Just remember,” the pace picked up. “You’re the one thing. I can’t get enough of. So I’ll tell you something,” Y/n was lifted, dress flowing as Jake twirled them in circles. The audience applauded with glee.

“I’ve had the time of my life. No, I never felt this way before.” The cheers heightened when the two pressed against each other, the sight very intimate. “Yes, I swear, it’s the truth. And I owe it all to you.” Jake snuck a kiss to her cheek, moving away to leap off the stage. “Hey, baby!” Y/n tilted her head back in laughter, fingers on the hem of her dress skirt and swaying to the beat.

“With my body and soul, I want you more than you’ll ever know. So we’ll just let it go, don’t be afraid to lose control, no.” It was Jake’s moment to shine. He fed off the energy of the crowd, winking at his boys in the back hyping him up. Y/n caught Natasha’s thumbs up, the two sharing a silent victory. “Yes I know what’s on your mind. When you say, ‘Stay with me tonight’.”

“Stay with me. Just remember,” Jake danced up and down the aisle, “You’re the one thing. I can’t get enough of. So I’ll tell you something,” locking eyes, they gave each other a nod. “This could be love,” staff helped Y/n off the stage, the woman bolting toward Jake, “because--.” Squeezing every muscle in her body, Y/n exhaled in relief as she was successfully lifted in the air.

“I’ve had the time of my life. No, I’ve never felt this way before.” It was a spectacular scene around them with everyone jumping from their seats, in awe of what they were witnessing. “Yes, I swear (yes I swear), it’s the truth. And I owe it all to you.”

Y/n giggled the whole way down, arms sliding over Jake’s shoulder who shared her happiness. “‘Cause I’ve had the time of my life. And I’ve searched through every open door,” Several people joined in the celebration. Spouses dancing together, children off beat but having the time of their life like the song called for. “‘Til I found the truth. And I owe it all to you.” Even Y/n’s parents managed to get on their feet.

Finally seeing their daughter for who she was.

“Are you okay?” he asked her, the first words spoken between the two. It made her heart skip, filled with an overwhelming surge of happiness.

“I feel like I’m on cloud 9,” the response had Jake chuckle, pulling her closer to him as he voiced, “me too, doll.”

They kept their gaze on one another, swaying chest to chest, the tune became softer, “Now I’ve had the time of my life. No I never felt this way before (never felt this way),” Jake’s hand caressed her cheek, Y/n leaning into it. “Yes, I swear, It’s the truth (It’s the truth),” the two leaned in at the same time, Bill Medley’s voice belting the final lyric of the bridge, “And I owe it all to you!”

The kiss set off a million fireworks. Just like it did the first time. They didn’t know if the cheers around them were intended for the two, but they didn’t stop the kiss to find out. Y/n’s hand covering Jake’s on her face, brushing her fingers over his knuckles, “I’ve had the time of my life. No, I never felt this way before (never felt this way). Yes, I swear, it’s the truth (it’s the truth). And I owe it all to you.” Pulling away, Jake’s touch remained.

“Be my dance partner,” were his words, pushing through the ending chorus. ‘Be mine,’ “Forever.”

“‘Cause I’ve had the time of my life. And I’ve searched through every open door.”

Y/n brushed her lips against his. Uttering nothing more than a simple, “Yes.”

“‘Til I found the truth. And I owe it all to you…”

…………..

TGM tag list: @avaleineandafryingpan @caitsymichelle13 @poppyalice2001 @cutelittlepotatofry @luckyladycreator2 @americaarse @elenavampire21 @back-tooo-black @wildellaa @artemissunn @pinkpantheris @kmc1989

[drakulana]

what kind of music do yall think the one piece boys listen to?

i feel like some of it is a given, like zoro obviously listens to rock music, specifically numetal. you cannot tell me that this man is not listening to korn, and slipknot, while training. he MIGHT even fall into some more deathcore esc music as well. like 2006-2008 bring me the horizon. the heavy drums and screaming motivate him and help keep his adrenaline pumping. when he's relaxing he probably listens to deftones.

i feel like law also likes rock music too, but he also listens to jazz. you cannot tell me this man is not up in his office listening to some kenny g, maybe some sinatra. i don't think he is a fan of pop music. he probably finds it shallow, and not worth listening to. he'll endure it, however i don't think he ever actually enjoys listening to pop music. as for the rock music, i think he probably listens to bands like evanescence, deftones, and superhaven.

i am honestly at a loss for luffy and sanji. luffy probably like synth wave, or hyper pop music. something experimental with a high beat. he might even like alternative hiphop. maybe some artists like tommy richman, or trevor spitta. (if you haven't listened to them, go do it omg) y'all will have to tell me what y'all think luffy listens to.

sanji likes r&b. ain't no way he don't. he also listens to jazz while he's cooking. sanji is a lover, and man does he love some music that has passion and emotion behind it. i think he's very selective on what he likes to listen to as well. he probably also likes the smiths LOL

let's be real guys, franky listens to jimmy buffet.

kid listens to rock music, but has a guilty pleasure for dad rock. when he's alone he listens to hootie and the blowfish LMAO, and of course some nickelback. however, he obviously likes most subgenres of rock. i think he listens to a lot of post-hardcore, but i do think that his music taste extends to deathcore as well. maybe some attila, or suicide silence.

please lmk what y'all think these guys listen to.

[turvi]

Hey girlie! I hope you're doing well. I wanted to know if I could request a sweet and wholesome fluffy fic with husband Severus. Post-war/adult him in general. 🤭🖤 I liked your idea of him trying to do something for his s/o, but after something like running out of time, he's irritated with the results. I do love the humor in your fics, so please some of that. 🙏🏼🖤 Either in him presenting his gift with hearts just fuming, or his s/o making him laugh to cheer him up. Sorry for this jumbled up ask ksks. Whatever comes from your heart is greatly appreciated.⚗️📖🦇

Pingu vibes, for sure. X)

Thanks for the request babe

Severus woke up with a grunt as an old muggle classic music was playing on the radio in his kitchen, indicating you were in the kitchen. He hated waking up in the cold bed now that he had experienced the warmth of his lover.

He dreaded the day of his marriage anniversary was closing in. As much as he honoured the day he was finally yours, he didn't know how to give gifts to you. As soon as the month had started, he was thinking of ways to let you know how thankful he was that you loved him.

He was getting more irritated and grumpy when he couldn't find ways to celebrate the anniversary. Meanwhile, you were in the kitchen humming along to the tunes of Frank Sinatra's voice and making breakfast.

Severus slowly made his way to the kitchen, his eyes barely opening. His feet automatically led him towards you as he heard you hum. He always thought you had a better voice than any singer in the world. Yet he grumbled when he finally wrapped himself around you.

"Morning"

He melted when he felt your hand in his hair. Severus is a man who is always ready with a sarcastic comment but turns speechless under your touch.

Severus frowned when he remembered he had only two days to figure out what to gift you. Today he couldn't even concentrate when you read the newspaper to him.

When the couple reached Hogwarts, he thought Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore would be of some help. They did give him advice, but it wasn't special enough for his girl.

So he finally decided to make a dress for her. He went to the Hogsmeade, taking Minerva with him to help him select the materials for her dress.

Severus started making the dress in between his classes as the day of their anniversary was closing in. He made sure you were busy while he was stitching your dress. He decorates it with your favourite flowers and glitter. Grunting how the glitter was getting everywhere.

A night before the anniversary, his hands were trembling as he carefully wrapped your gift. The sound of his heartbeat made him more nervous, hoping you liked the gift.

With the sunrise, Severus was fiddling with his fingers as he watched you gently unwrapping the gift. He saw the tears filling your eyes when he told you he made it for you. Fearing you hate it, he was about to apologise when he felt your soft lips against his.

"Severus, thank you so much. Oh, this is so lovely...Severus," Y/n peppered kisses all over his face. Severus chuckled as he felt his cheeks warming up.

Severus opened his gift to find an antique watch he had once spotted as a teenager during his trip to Hogsmeade but couldn't buy it at the time since it was so costly. Y/n smiled as Severus handled the watch with care and love.

"Y/n..how did you find it?"

Y/n merely shrugged, "I searched for it for 12 months and 18 days and found it."

Severus hugs her tightly. "Thank you so much. I love it. I love you so much." He was at a loss for words. His smile widened, and his heart was filled with love as he kissed her passionately. Until the only thing she could think about was him.

Y/n giggled and hugged him back tightly, causing the couple to fall on their bed as they laughed and kissed each other.

A/N: I hope you like this. REBLOGS AND COMMENTS ARE APPRECIATED.

[innervoiceart]

"Nature Boy" was Nat King Cole's first big hit, since then it has been covered over 1223 times! The story behind the song is even more sensational

Joe Moondad has the strange story of eden ahbez:

"In the late 40s, there was a rumor that there was a "hermit," disenchanted and disillusioned with the world, supposedly "out-of-sync" with society, living in California in a cave under one of the L’s in the Hollywood sign.

No one really cared about this strange man, until one night in 1947, when someone tried to enter backstage at the Lincoln Theater in Los Angeles. Nat King Cole was playing there, and the man said he had something for Cole. Of course, the employees didn't let the strange man see Cole, so he gave whatever he had with Cole's manager.

What he had was a song sheet, which Cole would later take a look at. Cole liked the song and wanted to record it, but he had to find the strange man. When asked, the people who saw the man said he was strange, indeed, with shoulder-length hair and beard, wearing sandals and a white robe.

Cole finally tracked him down in New York City. When Cole asked him where he was staying, the strange man declared he was staying at the best hotel in New York - outside, literally, in Central Park. He said his name was eden ahbez (spelled all in lower-case letters). The song he gave Cole was titled, "Nature Boy." It became Cole's first big hit, and was soon covered by other artists through the years, from Frank Sinatra and Sarah Vaughan to Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga, most recently.

Of course, the media went crazy about the strange, mysterious man who handed Nat King Cole, one of the biggest hits during that time. Everyone went out to try to find out more about him.

What little they found was that he was once an orphan, who never stayed at one place very long, living in various foster homes. He explained he just never fit in and was always searching, for something.

["They say he wandered very far...

Very far, over land and sea..."

They found out he would hop freight trains and walked across country several times, subsisting solely on raw fruits and vegetables, then one day he completely vanished.

["A little shy and sad of eye...

But very wise was he..."]

He finally showed up again in the Hollywood hills. When a policeman stopped the strange, long-haired man with beard, sandals, and robe, ahbez simply replied, "I look crazy but I'm not. And the funny thing is that other people don't look crazy but they are."

["And then one day...

One magic day he passed my way..."]

He then showed up backstage at Nat King Cole's concert in Los Angeles, to present him with the song, "Nature Boy." No one seems to really know why he selected Cole, there were some rumors that he came out of hiding when he began to hear about the racism going on and trouble throughout the world, and he thought "King" was the best person at that time to pass his message along.

["While we spoke of many things...

Fools and Kings..."]

When he was asked about racism, he replied, "Some white people hate black people, and some white people love black people, some black people hate white people, and some black people love white people. So you see it's not an issue of black and white, it's an issue of Lovers and Haters."

It was that theme of love that he continued to talk about, what was missing in the world, and what would be needed in the future if we are to survive.

ahbez would eventually get his message out, especially after the counter-culture finally caught up with him and the hippie movement began, when other artists such as Donovan, Grace Slick, and the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson sought him out. He also wrote songs for Eartha Kitt and had another song recorded by Sam Cooke.

In 2009, Congressman Bill Aswad recited the last lyrics of the song before the Vermont House of Representatives at the passing of his state's same-sex marriage bill in '09.

Author Raymond Knapp described the track as a "mystically charged vagabond song" whose lyrics evoked an intense sense of loss and haplessness, with the final line delivering a universal truth, described by Knapp as "indestructible" and "salvaged somehow from the perilous journey of life."

["This he said to me...

The greatest thing you'll ever learn...

Is just to love and be loved in return."]

"George Alexander Aberle (April 15, 1908 – March 4, 1995), known as eden ahbez, was an American songwriter and recording artist of the 1940s to 1960s, whose lifestyle in California was influential in the hippie movement.

He was known to friends simply as ahbe.

Ahbez composed the song "Nature Boy", which became a No. 1 hit for eight weeks in 1948 for Nat "King" Cole.

Living a bucolic life from at least the 1940s, he traveled in sandals and wore shoulder-length hair and beard, and white robes. He camped out below the first L in the Hollywood Sign above Los Angeles and studied Oriental mysticism. He slept outdoors with his family and ate vegetables, fruits, and nuts. He claimed to live on three dollars per week.

In the mid-1950s, he wrote songs for Eartha Kitt, Frankie Laine, and others, as well as writing some rock-and-roll novelty songs. In 1957, his song "Lonely Island" was recorded by Sam Cooke, becoming the second and final Ahbez composition to hit the Top 40.

In 1959, he began recording instrumental music, which combined his signature somber tones with exotic arrangements and (according to the record sleeve) "primitive rhythms". He often performed bongo, flute, and poetry gigs at beat coffeehouses in the Los Angeles area. In 1960, he recorded his only solo LP, Eden's Island, for Del-Fi Records.

This mixed beatnik poetry with exotica arrangements. Ahbez promoted the album through a coast-to-coast walking tour making personal appearances, but it sold poorly.

During the 1960s, ahbez released five singles. Grace Slick's band, the Great Society, recorded a version of "Nature Boy" in 1966 and ahbez was photographed in the studio with Brian Wilson during a session for the Smile album in early 1967. Later that year, British singer Donovan sought out ahbez in Palm Springs, and the two wanderers shared a reportedly "near-telepathic" conversation. In the 1970s, Big Star's Alex Chilton recorded a version of "Nature Boy" with the photographer William Eggleston on piano. The song was finally released as a bonus track on the 1992 Rykodisc re-release of the album Third/Sister Lovers.

In 1974, ahbez was reported to be living in the Los Angeles suburb of Sunland, and he owned a record label named Sunland Records, for which he was recording under the name "Eden Abba." From the late 1980s until his death, ahbez worked closely with Joe Romersa, an engineer/drummer in Los Angeles. The master tapes, photos, and final works of eden ahbez are in Romersa's possession.

Ahbez died on March 4, 1995, of injuries sustained in a car accident, at the age of 86. Another album, Echoes from Nature Boy, was released posthumously."

[jack-is-king]

[leoizus]

the singing knight who creates melody

twelfth night by shakespeare | adonis, beginnings of the body, ends of the sea, selected poems (trans. khaled mattawa) | leo tsukinaga feature scout 2: a heartfelt round of applause (trans. royalquintet) | john cage's letter to helen wolff | fly me to the moon by frank sinatra | music by juhan liiv | constellations: leo by garry wilkinson | birhday of music by leo tsukinaga (trans: royalquintet)

[memphisnovels]

Evermore

Chapter 29. You make me feel like dancing

Previous chapter

Masterlist

This is a little treat xx

pairing: Pietro Maximoff x OFC

warnings: Sweet Pietro, flirty flirty bants, Pietro and Nadia being Pietro and Nadia, PTSD, Nadia be remembering

The cool surface beneath my palms allowed me to remain present in this moment, that and the sound of Anna guiding me.

“Alright, now turn around and walk toward me.”

I took a deep breath, pushing off the wall and ignoring my aching muscles as I walked feeling the smooth floorboard beneath my feet, creaks echoing through the room on certain steps.

It was February, that, I knew, things had been getting better recently. I’d been more conscious than previous and even able to force myself out of bed. The memories would sometimes come over me like a tidal wave, rendering me powerless to their fervor, though most of the time I could surface on the other side of them mostly unscathed. Dr. Norris had been monitoring me closely, alternating now between showing me the ballerinas and images that he expected might trigger a response. I had learned that his expertise was dismantling the conditioning done to sleeper agents, hence, why Ross had selected him for me.

He wasn’t cruel like I’d expected and most of the time he seemed almost displeased at the toll remembering had on me.

I took the stairs slowly, reveling in the sunshine that warmed my skin and the cool breeze tousling my hair. The doctor was seated at the small table before me, skimming the pages of his notebook. When he noticed my presence, he gestured to me to take the seat before him. “How are you feeling, Nadia?”

I shrugged slightly. “Better than before.”

He nodded, making a note of something. “You’re making good progress. From what I can tell it seems your memories are becoming clearer, more linear as well.” Norris tapped his pen against the paper, glancing over at me. “I’d like to try and delve deeper into the memories you see most often, flesh out more details. The plan I’ve drawn up is to categorize each memory to a room, then perhaps recognizing the room with trigger more associated recollections.” I nodded, glancing down at my hands. “How do you feel about that?”

“Does it matter?”

He raised an eyebrow at me. “Well, this will work a lot better if you’re a willing participant.”

“Sure. Categorizing my past into rooms, why not.”

“You appear tense.”

I swallowed heavily, taking a deep breath to settle myself. “Just going a little stir-crazy. Your plan makes sense, I want to try it.”

Dr Norris nodded slowly, placing a small device onto the table between us. When he pressed the button on the side music began playing from it, a tune very familiar to me. I closed my eyes as it filled my ears.

“I want you to focus on the sound of the music, and let your mind go back to the memory.” I did as he said, recalling the room, the record player, the dancing. “Where are you?”

“I don’t know. I don’t recognize this place.”

The faint sound of a pen scribbling on paper filled my ears. “What does the room look like?”

With a heavy exhale I let the music wash over me fully, focusing on the memories that flooded my mind, holding onto them tightly. “It’s dark.”

“What is making it dark? Are the lights out? Curtains drawn?”

“No…” I hesitated. “I don’t know, it’s nighttime I think.”

‘You’ve got a cute way of talking

You got the better of me

Just snap your fingers and I’m walking…

Like a dog hangin’ on a leash’

I pushed two large wooden doors open to enter a room that was warm, dimly lit, and most notably, silent. The record player sat in the corner beside a stack of old vinyls that were kept in perfect condition. I ran my fingers across the plastic pockets, skimming the labels to find one I wanted to listen to.

Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles, the doors, I sat the discarded records beside myself carefully, sitting cross-legged on the dark grey rug. I hummed as I continued to search, not quite sure if I knew what I was looking for or not. Yet I paused the moment I reached the last album in the stack, bright blue with clouds on it and a man jumping. I felt a giddiness in my chest that suggested perhaps I had known this album was there all along. Moving to kneel beside the record player I ever so carefully slipped the vinyl onto the deck and maneuvered the needle to where I wanted it; Side A, track 2.

The hum of music filled the room, a bouncy and vibrant song, one that I knew. I swayed as I moved to my feet, tapping my feet to the beat that echoed into the room. When I turned around, I spotted the yellow glow of flames, a fireplace. The warmth pressed into my skin, the main source of light in the room. I smiled as I danced, but it all changed when the crashing came, a culmination of sounds, the shattering of glass the most prevalent.

I tried to open my eyes, but I couldn’t, it was as if I was no longer holding onto the memory, but it was holding onto me.

The music was drowned out by voices, all fighting for dominance in my psyche.

“I’m going now!”

“You’re a child.”

Then the door was thrown open and light blinded me, but this time I fought to see. I paid attention as I ran, I saw photo-lined walls and décor scattered around the rooms. When the hands grabbed me, I kicked and threw my body around to slip from their hold, my foot caught the glass vase of carnations and roses. I managed to get away only to trip on something that I’d knocked down in my fervor.

I never saw their faces but there were two men.

Anna looked tired when I saw her, dark circles pressed into the flesh beneath her eyes. Though for the first time in weeks, I saw more than just exhaustion and remorse, now there was something like hope reflected in them.

Dr Norris told me that the hard part was over, that we’d made it past the block that was in my mind and now it would be much easier to sort through my memories, not completely frictionless but less taxing overall.

“Try to picture the men in your mind.”

“I didn’t see them.”

The music was still echoing through my mind. “You must have seen something, hair color? Scars?”

I’d fought like hell. Even though they were bigger than me, even though I was a child I used every fiber of strength in my body to resist. I reached behind myself to push at the man who attempted to pin me to the hardwood floor, presumably to better his grip and restrain my wriggling limbs. I hit and pushed at any part of him I could reach but it was futile as he wrenched my arm down to hold it at my side. Everything was blurry and my face was against the floor. I never saw anything notable about the man behind me, but then the second one approached, it was his boots I saw first, black and scuffed but clean, nonetheless. They were professionals, never giving me the chance to catch a glimpse of their faces, though in their rushed movements, they missed something, I could see it clearly now the tattoo on his forearm as he shoved a black bag over my head. Within moments a sharp stinging sensation pricked my neck and everything slow and groggy.

My mind was whirring as the tattoo flashed in my mind, distinct, thick black lines. A mark I’d seen before, more than once. The skull and tentacles. The mark of Hydra.

I decided against mentioning that to Norris.

I’d be able to bear it; remembering. Most importantly, I’d be able to function without losing it. This was the basis of the contract I’d signed had Ross’ name on it, though I was certain it had taken a copious amount of convincing. It detailed the conditions of my return to the compound. Dr Norris would sign off on my reinstatement with the expectation that, upon my return, I do not lead any assignments nor participate solo until it was agreed by both Ross and Norris that I was fit, after an evaluation that I suspected would be grueling. Dr Norris would also be continuing his work with me to fix my mind back at the compound. There would be an extensive amount of supervision from Steve to ensure I was both following these rules and not reverting.

I re-read the paper again and again, almost unconvinced that this was really happening, the thought of being so close to freedom, or a semblance of it, was almost unimaginable.

The documents were given to me on the first day of March, 2 weeks later I was staring at the doors that I’d snuck out of 3 months ago. Anna stood a few paces behind me talking to someone on the phone. Norris was finalizing his reports for Ross, he’d arrive at the compound 2 days from now. I was sure Anna had already told the others that I was coming back, the same way I was sure they were attempting to give me some space to breathe. My hands were unsteady, I realized as I reached for the door handle.

“What are you nervous about?” Anna asked, shoving her phone into her pocket and coming to stand beside me.

I shrugged, swallowing over the lump in my throat. “I-It’s just weird, I guess. Being back here.”

She nodded slowly. “It would be, but you should feel proud of yourself, you did what you had to do, you got through it and you’re doing much better.”

“Am I?” She was silenced by my question. I turned my head to look at her then. I thought of the days, weeks when I was barely conscious, barely even there. The suffocating heat, the sweat that clung to me like a second skin, the phantom pains that were only just beginning to fade. “I don’t ever want to go through that again.”

She closed her eyes for a long moment, shoulders sagging slightly. “You won’t.” She spoke with conviction. “I know it was awful, but you came out the other side of it, you always do. You won’t have to do that again, no matter what. We’ll figure it out.” I stared at her, unmoving and completely silent at her words. “Nadia.” She urged me.

I nodded then, looking back toward the door. She stepped behind me, pulling the hair back off my shoulders before placing her hands there and ever so gently nudging me toward the door. “Oh, for fucks sake.” I pulled the door open and forced myself to walk over the threshold in one fluid motion.

“That’s my girl.” I heard Anna murmur, encouragingly. She parted from me returning to typing on her phone. The shattering of glass filled my ears as I stepped into the kitchen. Natasha looked between the broken glass and me, panic evident in her gaze. A combination of shock at seeing me back and on some level concern that the noise might trigger me into an episode. I clenched my hands into fists at my side, part of me felt sickened by the thought, the other part was just as worried that my mind would betray me again. My body stiffened, every muscle strung tightly as I looked at the puddle of water on the floor, when the moment passed and nothing happened, I let my eyes move up to hers, before noting Steve, Sam and Wanda all looking at me from their seats at the table. I let my fists loosen and exhaled a shaky breath.

“That was exactly the warm welcome I was hoping for.” A teasing lilt was evident in my voice. When the corners of Nat’s lips curved upward the tension in my shoulders eased slightly.

“Nads.” She breathed, relieved. She walked toward me but stopped short clasping her hands together as if to control herself. There was a strange moment of silence before she spoke. “Can I hug you?”

I bit back a smile, pretending to think about it. “If you must.” The words were barely out of my mouth before she was yanking me into her arms. Embracing me tightly. I let her hold onto me for dear life, even wrapping my arms around her in response. When she pulled away, I saw the others smiling up at me. I rolled my eyes at them all. “Don’t think that means it’s a free-for-all all now.”

Steve stood, a gentle smile on his lips. “It’s good to have you back, Nads.”

I nodded, looking at my feet momentarily. “It’s good to be back, Cap.”

“Thank god, Pietro was seriously driving me up the wall.” Sam groaned walking by me with a teasing grin, but I could see his sincerity beneath the taunts. Anna gave me a knowing look then.

“Oh, don’t worry, you’ll find someone to put up with you one day, Samuel.” A familiar voice spoke from behind me. The rest of the tension in my shoulders fizzled out as the voice washed over me. I waited a few beats before turning back to look at him, as if steadying myself for the feeling of getting to be with him again, while fully conscious this time. The look on his face almost knocked me over, just as I’d suspected it would. It was tender, almost a smile but there were so many other emotions present in his expression at the same time. He had on a baggy dark green T-shirt with light grey sweatpants and his hair was a little messy, I thought maybe he’d been in the training room. “You look… better.”

Wanda’s snicker echoed behind me. “How romantic.”

Pietro sent a glacial look to his twin sister, groaning in pure frustration, the last thing I heard before I was enveloped in a blur of silver and green. When the world slowed down Pietro was shutting the door of his bedroom and turning to face me. “I feel better.” I finally answered.

“Really?” He sounded so genuinely relieved at my words that I almost didn’t have the heart to tell him that there was more to it than that. However, not talking had never worked out very well for me before so I tried something new.

I shrugged slightly. “Mostly, better.” His eyes seemed to glitter as he watched me, nodding gently as I spoke. “It’s hard… I’m really tired and the things I’m remembering…” I swallowed heavily for what felt like the millionth time. Sitting down on the edge of his bed. “It changes so many things for me and that is really terrifying.”

He moved to stand before me, tucking a few strands of hair behind my ear and tilting my face up to look at him. “Thank you for telling me.”

I nodded, staying where I was and just gazing up at him for a long while. There was nothing more I wanted than to just stay here in this moment. It had been over 2 months of round the clock torment and complete powerlessness and I was utterly drained. For the first time in my life, I was willing to admit that I just wanted to be reassured by someone else that everything was going to be okay. I wanted to be reassured by him but by some stroke of luck, I didn’t need to ask him to do anything. He just knew. Today seemed to be a day of acting uncharacteristically I thought as I stood before him and threw my arms around his neck, embracing him tightly. His arms wrapped around me instantly, as if it was a thoughtless act to him, I realized then that I envied his ability to give affection so freely. I took a deep breath and held onto him tighter, feeling the stinging begin to form in my eyes. If I were a different person, and if I were more like him maybe I would be able to say back to him what he had told me when he came to see me in January. Those words I was barely conscious to hear, that I couldn’t be certain he’d really said.

But I was me, so I didn’t. Instead, I let the embrace linger. I stayed like that because this, now, is what I could give him.

“I just want you to be okay.” He murmured against the flesh of my neck.

“I will be.”

Sleeping at the compound, in my bed with Pietro’s deep, calm breathing beside me was the most at ease I had been in months. When I slept that night, it was a restorative sleep, one that allowed me to actually begin to work away the weary exhaustion that had made its home within me.

…

It was a week before they let me begin training again and I was itching to use my muscles. I had attempted to contain my excitement, but I’d just about raced Natasha to the training room. Exhilaration shot through my veins as I stretched on the mat. I sat down with one leg extended outward and the other folded in toward my body, turning to crack my back before reaching for my pointed foot and bending my upper body over the limb. I repeated this on both sides before moving to extend both legs in a wide ‘v’ shape and laying my elbows on the floor to fold my body over.

“I’m just not sure how good of an idea it is to go full throttle into training after such a long break.”

I shook my head. “That break is exactly why I need to train again, Natasha.”

“These last few months couldn’t have been easy on you, Nads. Maybe we should take a beat.”

“They weren’t easy. It was two and a half months of barely being conscious, barely being alive. I was confined to the walls of a tiny little cabin in the middle of the forest and not allowed to do anything other than remember.” Her eyes softened as she regarded me. “I am going to lose my mind if I have to be idle for much longer.”

Natasha let out a dramatic exhale that had a smile breaking out across my face because I knew I’d convinced her. I adjusted my ponytail waiting for her to say the magic words. “You are such a pain in the ass, seriously.” She groaned, tossing the roll of hand wrap at me whilst she stretched.

I snorted, wrapping my hands in record time before hopping back and forth between my feet, shaking my jittery anticipation out. “You’re going soft.” I taunted bringing my fists up in a defensive motion.

She sparred with me, as agreed. However, her jabs were weak, and she barely fended off any of my attacks. It was evident that she was coddling me, and it was driving me mad. I pulled back from her, dragging a hand over my face with a frustrated exhale. Steve’s voice calling out to her cut me off before I had the chance to question her. I rolled my eyes as she shrugged at me with feigned innocence.

I tilted my head back, rolling my neck on my shoulders.

“You know I’m a little offended.” Pietro’s voice had my eyes popping open again, I felt warmth radiate from him as he moved behind me.

I sent him a glance over my shoulder, a little smile playing at my lips. “Pray tell?”

He circled me, coming to stand only a few paces from me. “You didn’t ask me to train with you. I thought you were supposed to be my sparring partner.”

I raised an eyebrow at him, lips curving up at his words, and feigned look of hurt. My hands fell to my hips, his eyes following the movement. “No, because you would’ve gone too easy on me.”

“You’ve been out of action for over 2 months, there’s no reason to rush back into training.”

I rolled my eyes heavily at that. “Jesus, what, did you and Natasha rehearse that?”

Pietro flashed me an amused grin. “We didn’t need to because it’s the truth.”

“That’s exactly why I didn’t ask you to spar with me.”

In an instant he was directly before me, so close his chest would likely graze mine if I inhaled deeply enough. “I still would have sparred with you, Prinţesă.” He caressed my cheek with an affection so intense it had my cheeks heating slightly. “I just would have been gentle.”

“Pietro, will you please spar with me?” I spoke with a teasing tone, though, there was sincerity beneath my words that I knew he heard.

“I’d love nothing more, Nadia.”

His chest brushed mine as he moved to stand behind me causing a little smile to spread across my lips. I turned to face him, swiftly jabbing with my left hand but he dodged it smoothly, blocking the next hit just as easily. He attempted to circle me, but I stepped out of it, elbowing him in the back as I went. He groaned but a little smirk played at his lips.

“Are you going to do something or just keep standing around?”

Amusement seemed his only reaction to my playful quip. “What would you like me to do?”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “Surprise me.”

Within an instant he had me, dropping down and grabbing around the backs of my thighs before pivoting to throw off my balance and take me down to the mat. I awaited the impact but all that came was the gentle cradling of arms lowering me to the ground. Pietro half-heartedly pinned me down, smiling sweetly above me when I opened my eyes. “Stop being so gentle, fight me properly.”

“But I much prefer doing other things with you.” His eyes danced across my face as he spoke, mapping an invisible path between my eyes and then each freckle. I shoved him slightly with my hand that he’d barely been restraining.

“You are so annoying.”

His smile only widened at my harsh words. “Did you like my move?”

As hard as I tried, I could not fully fight the smile fighting to make a home on my lips. I hummed. “I didn’t teach you that.”

“You didn’t.” He bumped his nose with mine. “You wanted me to surprise you, so...” His lips descended onto mine, but the moment was short-lived before I turned my face away causing him to kiss the flesh of my cheek instead. He raised an eyebrow at me.

“I’ll kiss you when you spar properly.”

The way his lips curved at my words was nothing if not utterly tempting.

“You’re very cruel.” He pressed another kiss to my cheek before moving down to my jaw. I held my breath in order to focus my mind which was quickly descending into the haze of his cologne and the feeling on his lips on me.

“Not cruel, just a quid pro quo,” I responded amusement no doubt shining in my gaze. He huffed at me as I turned my face from him again when he attempted to steal another kiss.

“Fine. I’ll spar you with you properly… If, and only if, you promise to take a break when you need it and not force yourself to keep going.”

I nodded up at him, struck by the startling beauty of his face from this position. It was peculiar and a little silly to me that even after seeing it so many times I’d still be so taken aback by his bright blue gaze and heavy, dark eyelashes. I could always throw our deal out the window and just kiss him, but then again, I was far too competitive for that and anyway he’d already agreed.

I hummed, moving swiftly to lock my leg around his hip and throw him off of me. Pietro laughed breathily and he returned to his feet at lightning speed. It was a relief to my body to be moving again, using the muscle memory I’d spent my life perfecting. The warmth of my limbs as I ducked and weaved was a strange comfort to me and it had the added benefit of allowing me to clear my head completely for the first time in months. Pietro was still being extra gentle but at least he was actually giving me a little more to work with now.

I swept Pietro’s leg from beneath him, pulling him to the ground and pinning him with a light-hearted laugh. The smile that spread over my lips had my cheeks pinching from its fervor. We both breathed heavily as we momentarily rested. Pietro watched me intently, a soft smile tugging at his expression, eyes just a little brighter than normal. He leaned up on his elbows and I let him, moving back slightly to straddle lower on his waist. I planted my hand on the mat beneath us, now only a breath away from him. His eyes danced between my own and my lips. I leaned down a little further, before diverting and moving to whisper in his ear. “Break time is over.” With that, I moved from him swiftly. He dropped down to lay flat on his back, groaning dramatically.

“This is some bullshit.” I turned to him with a hand on my hip, eyebrow raised. “He didn’t back down, lifting himself to sit upright and face me. “I held up my end of the deal.”

I snorted. “Barely.”

He rolled his eyes at my words, putting his hands behind his to lean back a little with an exceptionally glum look. “I don’t want you to overexert yourself, is that so wrong of me?” I crossed my arms over my chest, biting back a smile at his theatrics over being denied one kiss. “Is this really what I get for being a caring boyfriend?”

I laughed heartily, shaking my head in disbelief. “You are such a drama queen.” I grabbed ahold of his hand, helping him up. When he was on his feet, I placed both of my hands over his cheeks, tugging him downwards to plant a kiss on his lips. He made a slight sound of surprise, but I felt him smiling against me.

“You are so soft for me.” He mumbled when I pulled away. It was my turn to huff, shoving him away before gesturing for him to get back into a defensive position. I turned away from him momentarily to tug the hooded sweatshirt from my body as I felt sweat a thin layer of sweat begin to form over my flesh. When I met his eyes again his eyebrows were knitted together, and he’d crossed his arms over his chest.

“What?” I asked, confusion evident in my tone.

“Are you being serious?” He nodded toward the dark blue sports bra that covered my chest. I looked between his and my top, still baffled by what he’d gotten his back up about. “You are not really acting like that’s a coincidence.”

I let out a quiet laugh, narrowing my eyes at him. “Pietro, I have no idea what the hell you are talking about?”

“This is very distracting!” He gestured at my body, before throwing his hands up.

Silence sat heavy in the air for a long few moments, it was me who broke it when I burst out into a fit of laughter. Complete shock was running through my body at the realization of what he was referring to. The man before me did not look amused in the slightest. “You are being completely ridiculous.” I managed through my laughter.

He tilted his head slightly to the side. “Okay, Nadia.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Let’s spar.” He took a step toward me, pausing for a moment to grab the back of his shirt and yank it over his head, tossing it aside. I snorted at his antics. “What? It’s hot.” His tone nearly sent me into another fit of laughter, but I swallowed it down, moving to circle him for a second. I jabbed at him, but he dodged effectively. His swift movements on the mat nearly tripped me but even in this new state of hyper-awareness that he was demonstrating, I still had the skill advantage, having had much longer to hone my abilities. I ducked beneath his arm when it shot toward me slipping beneath and attempting to strike from behind but in a blur of silver, he’d caught my wrist and moved to face me. I yanked backwards to free myself, but he tightened his grasp, twirling my arm over my head and pulling back in one exceedingly fast maneuver, my back colliding with his chest. I could feel his breath hitting my ear, making my heart thud harder against my chest.

“What have I told you about relying on your enhancement.” I breathed out, words far harder to spit out than I’d expected. His bare skin was warm against mine.

“Not relying, just utilizing.” His words were a murmur in my ear, tone low, challenging.

I felt the corner of my lip curve upward at his snark. His nose grazed the skin of my neck, lips following shortly after. It wasn’t a kiss; he just wanted me to know he was there. He thought he was winning and maybe he was, my eyes fluttered for just a second but then who would I be if I allowed him to win so easily? I let my body lean back into his, letting him think he was melting me. One of his hands still held mine behind my back, the other moved to squeeze my hip slightly. I leaned my head back onto his shoulder, meeting his eyes, nose bumping his. In his belief that he was in control, he loosened his grip on me, chasing my lips just slightly. With practiced precision I side-stepped and yanked my hand from his grip, ducking his attempt to grab me once more and instead grabbing ahold of his upper body and pulling him backward to trip him over my leg. When he looked at me with disbelief I only smiled. “I thought I taught you better than that.” I rolled my shoulders, watching his puff on his back.

When his eyes met mine and they had a softness to them that was almost indescribable I felt something deep within my chest that was unfamiliar and a little concerning. He held his hand toward me, pouting like a wounded animal and there was no part of me that wanted to leave him there and that was the moment I officially realized that I had absolutely gone soft for him. Shit.

I extended my arm to him to help him up, however, the second he’d locked on I noticed that familiar glint in his eye, but he was yanking me down to the floor with him before I had time to properly register it. He caught me in his arms easily, grinning cheekily in the face of my feigned glare.

[arkanah]

I DON'T NEED NO GOOD ADVICE ; I'M ALREADY WASTED !!

TAROT are a five member boy group formed by VALENTINE RECORDS. Consisting of members Kwon AHIN, Yoon YONGGUK, Tachikawa TETSUO, Zhang JUNJIE and JORDEN Kim, the group made their debut in the summer of 2019, with the track SUPERLOVE, however they'd breakthrough with their critically acclaimed first mini album, BEST NEW BAND. Personally selected, trained and mentored by legendary hip-hop artist LUKE, who also acts as their creative director, TAROT have become known for their eclectic, experimental style, their fans affectionately nicknaming their concept 'genre-roulette.' The majority of TAROT's songs are written and produced by members AHIN and JUNJIE, the latter of whom is especially criticised for favouring the best parts of the song for himself.

Despite being critical darlings, TAROT's public image has been shaky from the start, thanks to rumours of infighting, sharp differences in popularity between members, and certain members' outspoken ways. Often wheeled out as damage control when the headlines get nasty for their labelmates; TAROT are easily the most overworked act under VALENTINE, and when they're not on tour or preparing for a comeback, they're split up for solo schedules.

KWON AHIN. leader, lead vocalist; wheel of fortune. YOON YONGGUK. vocalist, sub-rapper; the magician. TACHIKAWA TETSUO. main vocalist; the emperor. ZHANG JUNJIE. main vocalist, main dancer, face of the group; the lovers. JORDEN KIM. rapper, lead dancer, maknae; the devil.

SUPERLOVE. (Digital Single, 2019) Title: SUPERLOVE. BEST NEW BAND. (Mini Album, 2019) Title: POTENTIAL BREAKUP SONG. BRAIN CHEMISTRY. (Mini Album, 2020) Title: 95 DEGREES IN THE SHADE. ROCKET SCIENCE. ('Brain Chemistry' Repackage, 2020) Title: BUBBLE BATH. SORE EYES. (Mini Album, 2021 - Tetsuo Solo) Title: ROVER. ROTA. (Mini Album, 2021) Title: ROUND ROUND. HELLBOY. (Digital Single, 2021 - Junjie Solo) Title: HELLBOY. WHAT WILL THE NEIGHBOURS SAY? (Album, 2022) Title: ANTAGONIST, SINATRA. WWW.TAROT.COM. (Mini Album, 2023) Title: SOUND OF THE UNDERGROUND.

[we-are-alive-and-deviant]

Music Selections for Hank Anderson

Hank likes dark heavy metal music and jazz music, right? Well, from what I listen to, which is basically everything, I'll make a small list of what I think Hank would like. Maybe he would like grunge music as well, but only in his home.

Some bands I think he would like would probably be some famous ones like Metallica, Iron Maiden, and Black Sabbath, but he would also like King Diamond, Avenged Sevenfold, Fozzy, Machine Head, Slayer, and of course Ozzy Osbourne.

For jazz music, I think it would be Nat King Cole, Billie Holliday, Ella Fitzgerald, Julie London, Louis Armstrong, Michael Buble, Dinah Washington, and Frank Sinatra. Can't go wrong with them.

For other music, I think he would like a few Queen songs, The Cure, Nine Inch Nails, Def Leppard, Krokus, and Nazareth. Though I think he would listen to 'Hair Of The Dog' the most from that band. He'd probably also like Rush too.

If there's any other band or jazz musician he might like, let me know!

[gay-impressionist]

Hello!! I’m trying to expand my music selection and was wondering if you could recommend a few French artists that you like?

This was so hard 😫 I almost sent you a list with like, 30 names, but realized it would be overwhelming lol

I added some song recs from these artists, to give you a starting point

Feu! Chatterton : La Malinche, J'ai tout mon temps

Claude François : Soudain il ne reste qu'une chanson, Magnolias for Ever, Comme d'habitude (original song that Sinatra turned into "My Way"!)

Gaël Faye : Irruption, Paris métèque, Petit Pays

Téléphone : Un autre monde, Ça s'est vraiment toi

Clara Luciani : Respire encore, Nue

Charles Aznavour : Emmenez-moi, For me formidable

La femme : Si un jour, Sacatela, Paradigmes

Christine & The Queens : Christine, Saint-Claude

Niagara : J'ai vu, Je dois m'en aller, L'amour à la plage

Hoshi : Et même après je t'aimerai, Pleurs de fumoir

Eddy de Pretto : Kid, Mamere

Minuit : Flash

[carchaseonacarchase]

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚜𝚎 & 𝙲𝚊𝚛𝚖𝚎𝚗 𝙸𝚗𝚜𝚙𝚒𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝙿𝚕𝚊𝚢𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚝. 🤎

╰┈➤ this is a list of songs that i think fit very well with carmen and chase, the selection of songs is pretty personal cause it's based on my own music tastes, i appreciate you to recommend me songs and other suggestions to expand it :3 this playlist is full of 60's/90's songs to keep it classic but there's also pop/rock/indie songs on there. enjoy ;)

˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗

⚘ the world we knew (over and over) frank sinatra ❛❛ and the sun and the moon seemed to be ours, each road that we took turned into gold. but the dream was too much for you to hold ❞

⚘ under attack abba ❛❛ under attack, i'm taking cover, he's on my track, my chasing lover ❞

⚘ atomic blondie ❛❛ make me tonight, tonight make it right ❞

⚘ stop the world cause' i wanna get off with you arctic monkeys ❛❛ when you want to escape, say the word. well i know that getting you alone isn't easy to do. get the sense that you're on the move, and you'll probably be leaving soon ❞

⚘ i need a disguise belinda carlisle ❛❛ i need a disguise, to hide my love, i need a disguise, you've seen too much ❞

⚘ waterloo abba ❛❛ and how could i ever refuse? i feel like i win when i lose. couldn't escape if i wanted to, waterloo, knowing my fate is to be with you ❞

⚘ the louvre lorde ❛❛ our days and nights are perfumed with obsession. but we're the greatest, they'll hang us in the louvre down the back, but who cares - still the louvre ❞

⚘ it's no good depeche mode ❛❛ i'm gonna take my time, i have all the time in the world to make you mine, it is written in the stars above ❞

⚘ you know that i'm not good amy winehouse ❛❛ i cheated myself. like i knew i would. i told you i was trouble, you know that i'm no good❞

⚘ some unholy war amy winehouse ❛❛ he can't lose with me in tow, i refuse to let him go, at his side and drunk on pride, we wait for the blow ❞

⚘ useless depeche mode ❛❛ all your stupid ideals, you've got your head in the clouds, you should see how it feels, with your feet on the ground ❞

⚘ rebel yell billy idol ❛❛ what set you free and brought you to me, babe? what set you free? i need you here by me ❞

⚘ diet mountain dew lana del rey ❛❛ you're no good for me, baby, you're no good for me, you're no good for me, but, baby, i want you, i want you ❞

⚘ tainted love soft cell ❛❛ once i ran to you, now i'll run from you. the love we share seems to go nowhere ❞

⚘ love is a battlefield pat benatar ❛❛ but i'm trapped by your love, and i'm chained to your side. both of us knowing, love is a battlefield ❞

⚘ out of touch hall & oates ❛❛ the shades all around aren't the colors we used to see, broken ice still melts in the sun, and ties that are broken can often be one again, we're soul alone, and soul really matters to me ❞

⚘ he can only hold her amy winehouse ❛❛ now, how can he have her heart, when it got stole? so he tries to pacify her 'cause what's inside her never dies ❞

⚘ can't take my eyes of you the four seasons ❛❛ now that i've found you, stay, and let me love you, baby, let me love you ❞

⚘ careless whisper george michael ❛❛ as the music dies, something in your eyes, calls to mind a silver screen, and all its sad goodbyes ❞

⚘ les feuilles mortes duo gadjo and their hot friends ❛❛ oh! je voudrais tant que tu te souviennes, des jours heureux où nous étions amis, en ce temps-là, la vie était plus belle, et le soleil plus brûlant qu'aujourd'hui ❞

⚘ summer wine nancy sinatra ❛❛ she took my silver spurs a dollar and a dime, and left me cravin' for more summer wine❞

⚘ imagination foster the people ❛❛ we can't change the things we can't control, it's summer somewhere, do you shouldn't be so cold. if you want me to stay, don't keep me waiting for it ❞

⚘ why must we wait until tonight? tina turner ❛❛ take your lips and make them mine, tell me why, why must we wait until tonight, why when i've waited all my life ❞

⚘ the lady in red chris de burgh ❛❛ and when you turned to me and smiled, it took my breath away. it's just you and me, it's where i wanna be ❞

⚘ white teeth teens lorde ❛❛ i know you love it when the hairpins start to drop, i like your reckoning, but we got our methods ❞

⚘ heroes david bowie ❛❛ though nothing, nothing will keep us together, we can beat them, forever and ever. we can be us, just for one day ❞

⚘ knowing me, knowing you abba ❛❛ memories, good days, bad days, they'll be with me always. breaking up is never easy i know, but i have to go, knowing me, knowing you it's the best i can do ❞

⚘ suck it and see arctic monkeys ❛❛ how i often wonder where you are, you have got that face that just says 'baby, i was made to break your heart' ❞

⚘ as the world falls down david bowie ❛❛ as the pain sweeps through, makes no sense for you, every thrill has gone, wasn't too much fun at all. but i'll be there for you as the world falls down ❞

˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗