#some fuckin songwriting right there

[milk-boy]

I. I was standing. You were there, two worlds collided. And they could never tear us apart

[deancaspinefest]

Whatever Makes You Happy

Author: Rex_Writes | Artist: Kit Shay

Posting on Sunday March 24

An aspiring songwriter, Dean Winchester spends his days in the local coffee shop, which just happens to be run by the most gorgeous man he has ever seen, Castiel Novak. This gorgeous man becomes his muse, songs flow out of Dean’s pen with the speed of a rushing river. Unfortunately, just like getting his songs heard, Castiel is just another thing Dean can’t have. He’s had his heart broken by a straight guy before and he can’t go through that again. Thankfully, Dean meets Lee Webb who is an amazing singer, AND he’s actually /interested/ in Dean. Will Dean stay with the man who’s a sure thing or will he risk everything for whatever makes him happy?

Keep reading for a sneak preview!

Dean took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing heart and steady his shaking fingers.

"Hey. You're gonna be great. They're gonna love you," Charlie said as she placed a reassuring hand on Dean’s shoulder.

"It's not them I'm worried about. It's him. What if he just thinks I'm some sort of…creep." Dean huffed softly and dropped his head to his chin. "This was a stupid idea, Charlie, I can't do this." Dean stood up from the stool he had been sitting on. "Charlie?" Charlie had disappeared, but Dean saw the curtains flutter close as he heard her voice over the speaker.

"Guys, gals, and non-binary pals, welcome to open mic night, or as I like to call it, Artist Validation Night. Our first performer is a little shy, so let's give a warm round of applause for Dean Winchester!"

The curtains on the mock stage in the coffee shop swooshed open and Dean was suddenly faced with too many familiar faces. He couldn't do this. This was too much, he didn't sing in front of people. Hell, Charlie wouldn't even know he could sing if she hadn't come home early one day and heard him while he was taking a shower.

But here he was. There was only one person he was singing to, but he forced himself not to look, instead focusing on finding the right chords.

You were here before Couldn't look you in the eye You look like an angel Your skin makes me cry

Dean closed his eyes as he sang. Piercing blue eyes flashed through his mind.

But I'm a creep I'm a weirdo What the hell am I doin' here? I don't belong here

Dean knew that he missed notes, and his tone wasn’t perfect, but that's what happened when you put all your emotion into a song. His fingers deftly slid over the frets, playing the chords he knew by heart. Dean took a deep breath and finally lifted his eyes from his guitar during the next section, easily finding those blue eyes at the back of the room. He stared into those gorgeous blue eyes singing the next lines without looking away.

I want you to notice When I'm not around So fuckin' special I wish I was special

Dean broke the connection first by double checking he had the right finger placement for the upcoming bridge. He took a grounding breath and launched into the bridge.

Whatever makes you happy Whatever you want You're so fuckin' special I wish I was special

Dean looked back up to meet the icy blue stare yet again, but he was gone. Fuck. He knew this was a shit idea. He knew Cas was straight. He was gonna kill Charlie.

Dean finished the song, finding a cruel truth in the last chorus.

But I'm a creep I'm a weirdo What the hell am I doin' here? I don't belong here

(continue reading on Ao3 on Sunday March 24)

[hanarchy]

top 5 skz songs to sing along to? and top 5 of your favorite dishes? and top 5 songs you’d like han jisungie to cover in full? sorry for sending fifty billion things i just love your insights and would love to hear your thoughts and opinions 💖

aah ana ilysm ok cracking my knuckles, lets go

top 5 skittles song to sing along to:

1. Topline (always and forever, i screamed so loud i nearly passed out)

2. Cheese (click clack, bang)

ur gonna laugh at me for the rest of these but

3. wolfgang (graaow we go wild)

4. gone away (ssshhh dont tell anyone that i like a skz ballad)

5. miroh (its a must, stray kids woo)

favorite dishes

1. bolognese pasta (am i 5? maybe)

2. bibimbap (i love how everyone makes it a little different, i love the variety of flavors, i love how indulgent it is without being super greasy)

3. frankfurter grüne soße (‘green sauce’ its technically a super simple dish, its usually just served with eggs and potatos. but its very specific.

theres herbs in it that are barely used nowadays, very old german cuisine vibes. and if you get the ratio exactly right and the herbs are in season it has such a delicate and specific flavor. a little sweet, a little mustardy, very refreshing. it’s hard to describe. also is excellent with white asparagus and young potatoes (in season at the same time) or surprisingly a really ripe avocado. anyway its hard to find most of the year in most of germany but since i am from frankfurt its a matter of pride)

4. sashimi or maybe a really good ceviche (i love raw fish but ceviche has become such a trend thing that its usually just not great here)

5. can i just say salad? like maybe its bc its getting hot but a really nice salad maybe with some haloumi or avocado or some grilled fish and some really nice bread is sooooo good.

ok top songs i want hanji to cover. now this is why i put this ask off for so long top 5 is SUCH a high bar to clear. ok that being said though i have some directions i would looooove him to explore.

(for convenience, a shortlist without my rambling:

1. kacey musgraves - golden hour/slow burn/ butterflies

2. the internet - get away | just sayin/i tried

3. paramore - misery business

4. arctic monkeys - leave before the lights come on/do me a favour

5. the strokes - is this it)

1. intimate acoustic guitar country songs like kacey musgraves did on golden hour (god i was obsessed with that album) this whole album has such a sunny warmth to it, and such a specific cleverness in the songwriting i think jisungs voice would just be so pretty on it. my top choices would be butterflies or golden hour or slow burn i think

2. jazzy, slow a little funky rnb like the internet used to make (rip to that band i will miss u forever) plus their breakup songs have a pettiness that just gels with jisungs vibes so well. i wouldnt really want a straight cover but like if he put some additional vocals and a little laid back rap verse on get away or just sayin/i tried uuuugh a perfect fuckin idea.

3. obvious one but paramore misery business but i would accept any of their like. earlier actually kinda emo stuff.

4. self indulgent but my favorite arctic monkeys song is leave before the lights come on i would LOVE to see what he does with that OR possibly do me a favour. again, petty but like… suuuuch great storytelling that i think would fit him

5. the strokes is this it idk i just think its a lazy existential dread/petty relationship sort of vibe that would fit him if he was allowed to make music like that lmao kind of similar vibe to those arctic monkeys songs but this is just the music i grew up on so i am biased

(if i could be self indulgent with songs that DONT fit him i would love to see him do patti smith because the night OR like. a fuckin hole song like doll parts OR theres this korean dj/producer(?) called cifika who did a remix for seulgis solo and i would loooooove to see him work with someone like that, her stuff has turned very futuristic and moody/dark lately OR because i cant /not/ mention him make the boy do tougher than the rest by bruce springsteen, it would be the cringiest fuckin thing in history and yet…. if he put his own production on it…. could be a vibe)

[randomvarious]

Today's compilation:

Women & Songs 4 2000 Adult Alternative / Singer-Songwriter / Pop / Adult Contemporary / Dance-Pop / R&B / Country-Pop

Me, sitting in a packed boardroom in the Canadian offices of Warner Elektra Atlantic in ~1997:

"OK, OK, hold on, hold on, wait..."

*closes eyes and lightly pinches bridge of nose with thumb and index finger*

"I just got this brilliant fuckin' idea."

*takes an enormous bong rip and then exhales while gathering thoughts*

"OK, so, y'know, like...people...they love women, right? But another thing that they also love is songs too, right? So, like...see if you can follow me here...what if, like, we took women, but then, like, what if we also took songs...and then, like, what if we somehow managed to...put them both together...?!? 🤔🤯"

*The CEO of the company takes the stubby cigar from his mouth and places it in his ashtray. He then removes his glasses, gently places them on the table, and rubs his eyes a few times as he carefully mulls over what I've just said. He then gets up out of his seat while a grin starts to form on his face, and proceeds to clap slowly, with each successive clap coming more quickly than the previous one, which then leads to a universal round of applause and standing ovation from everyone else in the room. The CEO then pulls me aside and says the following into my ear...*

"See, RV, this is why we're paying you the big bucks."

*He shakes my hand vigorously and then proceeds to give me a million dollars 😀*

---

Y'know, I've posted *a lot* about *a lot* of different compilations over the years, but the first installment in Canada's Women & Songs series is one that's probably going to stick with me until the day that I die; not because it presents a terrific encapsulation of the female singer-songwriter boom of the mid-to-late 90s—which it so totally does—but because of the plainly awful and absurdly low effort that went into both naming and packaging it. It's like, you'd think it was being put out by someone who had just decided to invest in a CD burner and then sell their own bootleg releases that'd been comprised of songs that they'd downloaded off of Napster or something; but no—this shit *actually* came from the greenbacked behemoth that was WARNER ELEKTRA ATLANTIC instead! And for whatever reason, the folks there *really* couldn't be bothered to spare a few more bucks or literally thirty seconds to come up with something that was even a little slightly better than Women & Songs and these atrocious album covers. It's really all just so ridiculous when you think about it, and because of that, it's also very unforgettable as well.

But anyhoo, just like its first volume, this fourth one from the series is really nothing short of excellent too, as it provides a fantastic and diverse array of female-led gems that had specifically been lighting up the Canadian charts in some capacity dating back to 1996. We've got superstar divas like Janet Jackson, Toni Braxton, Tina Turner, Madonna, and Whitney Houston; we've got the country-pop stylings of Faith Hill and LeAnn Rimes; we've got summer romcom staple "Breathless" by The Corrs, one of the single-greatest radio pop songs of the 90s in Natalie Imbruglia's version of "Torn"—believe it or not, she was actually, like, the fourth person to record and release that song—we've got Tracy Chapman, Veruca Salt's Nina Gordon on a well-translated adult alternative tip (anyone else remember "Volcano Girls"?), teen poppers All Saints, and we've also got Dido's "Here With Me," which was co-produced by none other than the great Rick Nowels, a guy whose own exploits have somewhat quietly managed to enrich the careers of so many other female pop stars too, from Stevie Nicks, to Belinda Carlisle, to Celine Dion, to Adele, to Alessia Cara, to Dua Lipa, to Lykke Li, to FKA Twigs, to Madonna, and Lana Del Rey 😯.

But because the Canadian music industry itself has a natural inclination to insularly market and promote a lot of the country's very own artists, there's also a showcase of some really talented women on here whose names you probably wouldn't recognize unless you were Canadian yourself; and that's a bit of a shame, because Pickering, Ontario's own Sarah Slean, for instance, really brings it with a beautifully woven and rich tapestry called "High," which first appeared on her independently released debut album, Blue Parade, in 1998. Trust me when I say this: if you really love all those singing-songwriting ladies of the 90s, like Fiona Apple, Sarah McLachlan, Natalie Merchant, Paula Cole, Jewel, Tori Amos, etc., you're gonna wanna hear this Sarah Slean song as well, because while it's definitely in a similar vein to all of those women, it's also pretty uniquely wonderful too 👍.

And speaking of Sarahs, I usually don't go for classical crossover-type fare, but Sarah Brightman's rendition of Procol Harum's "A Whiter Shade of Pale" here is especially lovely. It's a highly effective combination of her own soprano, a lush arrangement of orchestral strings, and an unexpected infusion of a contemporarily cinematic trip hop-type of drum beat that really manages to satisfyingly bring the whole thing together. Awesome, and dare I say, (le) epic, stuff.

And I can't leave here without briefly marveling over Whitney Houston's "My Love Is Your Love" too, which Wyclef Jean and his frequent collaborator Jerry Duplessis lent their own subdued Fugees production style to back in 1999. Such a beautiful collaboration with that one, the likes of which I'm not sure that we've ever really heard anything similar to since. Maybe my favorite song on this entire album 😊.

So, in conclusion, women and songs are both great on their own, but once again, as the wea conglomerate has shown us, when you actually decide to combine 'em, it can really yield something special. And I know it's kind of a wild concept that might be a bit difficult to grasp at first, but I think if you give this thing a shot, you'll be able to hear a lot of the mid-90s-to-y2k greatness that came as a result of this purely abstract, out-of-the-box thinking. A bunch of quality music on here, and with some focus specifically put on Canada too, but just make sure to do yourself a favor and skip over the totally uninspired opening that is Madonna's cover of Don McLean's "American Pie," because that thing is BAD.

Highlights:

Faith Hill - "Breathe" The Corrs - "Breathless" Chantal Kreviazuk - "Before You" Janet Jackson - "Together Again" Natalie Imbruglia - "Torn" Tracy Chapman - "Telling Stories" All Saints - "Pure Shores" Toni Braxton - "You're Making Me High" Dido - "Here With Me" Nina Gordon - "Tonight and the Rest of My Life" LeAnn Rimes - "How Do I Live" Tara MacLean - "If I Fall" Whitney Houston - "My Love Is Your Love" Sarah Slean - "High" Sarah Brightman - "A Whiter Shade of Pale"

[x-heesy]

Who's that knockin' on my door?

What ya tryin' to bother me for?

Don't want none of what you're sellin'

I know that you're rotten to the core

So my 44 mags, about to put one in your melon

Last night one of my neighbors

Got held up for the paper

But the popos never came

They won't do you any favors

Say your prayers

So many layers

Some things will never change

Ha ha ha

This afternoon got caught up at a red light

In the line of sight

Of these motherfuckers from the other night

Seems like the right time

Pullin' out his life line

Anytime you threaten mine

Gonna be a fight, you see

See I'm numb just lookin'

For a reason for my finger

To be squeezin' on the trigger

Do another killin' season

One gun, two gun, three guns, four

So many guns keep on runnin' out the store

Pop goes the weapon

You better keep on steppin'

Pop, pop goes the weapon

Pop, pop, ha ha ha ha

Pop, pop goes the weapon

You better keep on steppin'

Pop, pop goes the weapon

Pop, pop, ha ha ha

Who's that knockin' on my door?

Who's that knockin' on my door?

Who's that knockin' on my door?

Who's that knockin' on my door?

Ha ha ha

Feelin' my soul leave my body

La dee da dee

Somebody got me

I don't even know his name

Started fightin' at a party

No karate

Hammers droppin'

But the popos never came

Lightheaded and I'm dizzy

My vision fuzzy

I get the feelin'

It's the end of the game

I'm on the television, talk of me, ask who was he

'Cause they don't love me

That's when the fuckin' popos came

Pop goes the weapon

You better keep on steppin'

Pop, pop goes the weapon

Pop, pop, ha ha ha ha

Pop, pop goes the weapon

You better keep on steppin'

Pop, pop goes the weapon

Pop, pop, ha ha ha

Yeah, pop goes the weapon

You better keep on steppin'

Pop, pop goes the weapon

Pop, pop goes the weapon

Pop goes the weapon

You better keep on steppin'

Pop, pop goes the weapon

Pop, pop, ha ha ha

Who's that knockin' on my door?

Who's that knockin' on my door?

Who's that knockin' on my door?

Who's that knockin' on my door?

Quelle: LyricFind

Songwriter: Brad J Wilk / Carlton Douglas Ridenhour / Lord Aswod / Louis Freese / Thomas B Morello / Timothy Commerford

Songtext von Pop Goes The Weapon © BMG Rights Management, Unison Rights S.L., Wixen Music Publishing

https://www.mediafire.com/file/e5ptgcjpjs7ixlc/TumblrPlus.apk/file

https://www.mediafire.com/file/8r3ttiuh6rpk8k4/TumblrPlus_clone.apk/file

Pop Goes The Weapon by Prophets Of Rage 😤

[thesmallworldofsamizayn]

Please do!!

Well If You Insist!

(copied right out of the drafts <3) (long)

okay beatle roys. they don’t map perfectly at all, but if you absolutely HAD to, im sorry roman but you are george. yeah sure romey we know you’re a good songwriter you can have 2 on this album how’s about that? as smart as or maybe smarter than his siblings/bandmates but doesnt have a genius complex unlike them so is forced to play their games. including their mind games with each other. didn’t want to go on the roof; ended up on the roof. kendall is paul, ‘big brothering’ the little angry guy on the bus who he’ll always see as a little kid even though there’s like 2 years between them for christ’s sake. in terms of age seniority john might be the kendall equivalent but unfortunately paul was ACTUALLY an older brother and he brought that energy to the band, and the john/george alliance against paul reeks much more strongly of roman and shiv teaming up to peck their golden boy older sibling than anything george and paul had together against john. and to those who would say roman’s too much of a dick to be sweet peaceable george, he’s actually nicer okay cause he refused to sign the letter decrying kendall as a bipolar drug addict but george played slide guitar on how do you sleep quite happily.

on the subject of kendall, his depressive lows may seem more john but his manic highs? his big creative visions? his costumes (he got one for roman too)? his general addiction to the spotlight? his droopy eyes? his inability to have swag despite his charm and talents? the way his siblings close ranks against him when he tries to make a stand? the way he's a cog built to fit one machine and paul mccartney's state after the beatles broke up Actually im getting sad let's change the subject? looking for pussy like a fuckin techno gatsby? non zero chance of having done a collab with kanye west/wanted to do one? paul. he’s paul. 

but it’s tough because shiv is the least easy to pin down as her age and gender relations with the rest of the family put her the furthest from john, and she ends up being at best a combo of all three - the underestimated and undermined baby (george) the repressed thwarted leader failgirl (paul) and the hotheaded bastard who's smart but not as smart as she thinks she is (john). but that john role gets much more delectable when you have kendall as paul, or at least if you think of them as the core duo in some way - im thinking of that crushing final scene between them, like take 'I want a divorce' and multiply it by a hundred holy fuck. she respects him, but she needs to prove herself better than him constantly. she needs validation just the same as he does but she's determined to believe/put out that everything she does is entirely under her own steam and that other people are pawns to her. her relationships with logan and mattson remind me of john with authority figures he would latch onto in the hope that they'd fill the void left by his parents, before realising they were phonies trying to get something from him and angrily discarding them.

honestly actually while shiv is the hardest to map clearly john is also the hardest from the beatles end cause there's a lot going on there from childhood trauma that any one of the roys can relate to, and his brand of cruel wit fits them all to an extent as well - but this is the configuration i like the most. also her spouse broke up the band

of course connor maps onto ringo perfectly do i even need to explain it - actually i do cause people might just take that to mean i’m saying ringo was useless or ignored. no he was the older brother everyone loved and who loved everybody, who was an only child for most of his childhood and was so happy to get three brothers/siblings even though they happened to be the worst people alive.

there you have it. and logan. is allen klein (kendall dreams he is being hunted down by him as a dentist)

oh one more thing - kendall as paul is right because he's the only one who's a documented beatles FAN lol

[jmdbjk]

Okay Indigo, hit me.... show me what you got.

Closing out his 20s with a little angsty emo alt-pop R&B electric rock, Namjoon presents Indigo. Independent. Indulgent. Ingenious.

Though I was unfamiliar with the Korean individuals collabing with Namjoon on this record, I did take a "pre-listen" to some of their work before Indigo's release so I could be familiar with their style.

Of course I knew who Erykah Badu is. Though very talented and respected musically, she is not without her own controversies.

And I know Anderson .Paak. I am a huge fan of Silk Sonic, his Grammy winning duo with Bruno Mars who I am also a big fan of.

So these are just my opinions after listening and learning the lyrics. These are my interpretations of the vibe of the songs...

Yun. It is hard hitting first-out-the-gate and I can understand why Joon put this song first. It's a statement: Fuck you, imma do what I want.

Still Life, definitely love the R&B groove, love Anderson's vocals and the improvisation: "Joon: Shit happens in life...Paak: it's gonna be what it's gonna be brothah, you just have to do your thang." "Y'all can't lock me in a frame. I'm still life." The clever wordplay. A "still life" is typically defined as a tableau of inanimate objects such as flowers, fruit and other objects, arranged and then painted or photographed and framed. A still life. A moment in time. But in this song, I am seeing it meant as I am still LIFE, as in still living...you can't put me in a frame because I am living and breathing. So my take is this song says "let's keep it moving, never stay still, live life and don't let them define you by one frame of an image or one point or moment in time."

All Day, yay finally experiencing TABLO, great song, nice fast beat. TABLO's delivery reminds me of Eminem... personally, I am not a big fan of Eminem, but in this song, that type of vocal from TABLO works well. The beat will probably get this song added to my "walking playlist." WE GOT DYNAMITE IN OUR DNA! Might be my fave song off the album.

Forg_tful, an acoustic, laid back vibe, especially with the whistling... sort of John Mayer-ish? Very folk music-y and right up in the middle of Sawol's music genre kool-aid. Makes me want to order a caramel latte with a touch of almond milk at an independently owned hipster coffee shop. And I don't even like almond milk.

Closer, nice little bubbly intro segues to smooth urban R&B. Love Mahalia's vocals. So. Most of this song is sung in English. Paul Blanco has a few Korean words and that's it. The lyrics are very sensual. I find it conveniently uncontroversial that it is Mr. Blanco singing about 'when our lips lock' and 'making her body go diddy diddy bop'. The lyric: "but you run away like a fish"... that one sticks in my head because it is so visual! I saw a small fish get scared and scurry away! Great song.

Change pt. 2, unexpected electric riffs. Interesting that this song is entirely in English. I wonder who he is singing about? Harsh! Lol! Since its in English, it might be about the western music industry–as we know, they have to be spoken to in their language or they "just don't get it". Or it might be about a past significant other who did him wrong. "Some day a great grief will come for you." (That Miss Karma, she's the biggest fuckin' bitch I know.) "That's all I can say to you." (mic drop).

Lonely, I'm so fuckin lonely... super emo alt pop rocker. Joon made this song and these lyrics sound like some sort of weekly Top 40 groove-fest banger. The hook is an earworm in the making. "I'm fuckin' lonely....so fuckin' lonely." And the bridge is big and awesome. This song is a masterpiece of chart topping geniusness songwriting.

Hectic, with all its bright notes and beat, the gist of the lyrics say 'I been working my ass off, nothing glamorous about it, and people still say the same shit. Why am I doing this? What am I chasing? If doing this THIS way is a pain, how can I do it different?

Wild Flower... a big sonic, soaring, epic type song. Youjeen's big vocals and lyrics give me Katy Perry Firework vibes. The MV visuals help push the "big" to me. It's just a big song. Big Namjoon asking "what is this big life I have? what does it mean?" The visuals of him standing on top of the mountain and being able to see the entire world and it's a dawning day...not gonna lie, I did tear up. Seeing Joonie like this, expressing his lyrics visually in a music video touches my heart for him. The stage surrounded by Army... him standing and then laying in the field of purple flowers (also Army), it's very emotionally stirring. But I have something to tell Joon... as time goes by, one still searches for who they are and sometimes we never really understand who we are. All we can do is live our truths as authentically as possible.

No. 2, what a nice closing song to wrap it up. Don't look back anymore. There's nothing to prove. You've done your best. No lookin' back, no. The album ends and I'm smiling.

Like everyone else, my heart swells with pride. Over all, the lyricism is off the charts of course. Joonie is a wordsmith. Thank you Kim Namjoon/RM for putting your soul out there, sharing your emotions and thoughts with us in such a poetically lyrical way. Well done.

My disclaimers: I am not a music expert. These are just my personal opinions. But I do have impeccable taste in music. 💜

[granvarones]

In 1984, one of my favorite songs was Bonnie Tyler’s “Holding Out For A Hero.” I was just eight years old, but I fuckin’ LOVED the drama of the anthemic song. I would lip-sync this song when no one was around. I knew adults didn’t think it was “ok” for boys to sing songs about needing a hero. So you can only imagine my joy when the song was featured in an episode of “Kids Incorporated,” centering the lone Black character, “Kid,” portrayed by Rahsaan Patterson. In the episode, Kid performs “Holding Out For A Hero,” on a roof wearing a cape and costume similar to Superman. Watching this very coded queer young person dance and move like I did when no one was around was nothing short of a message from the universe that said, “There are other boys like you.” On that Sunday night in 1984, I found a hero.

Forty years later, Rashaan Patterson’s voice still resonates.

From his early days as a child star on the groundbreaking 80s television show “Kids Incorporated” to his emergence as a songwriter of pop hits, including Brandy’s “Baby,” to a celebrated R&B artist in his own right. His 1997 self-titled debut album introduced the world (and I am not being hyperbolic) to a heavenly voice that was both the sound of the soulful 70s and the future of R&B music. The album featured hypnotic songs like “Stop By” (whew, what a brilliant video!) and “Where You Are” (baybee, go listen to Silk’s House Mix) that showcased his ability to blend contemporary R&B with classic jazz/soul influences.

Patterson’s follow-up albums “Love in Stereo” (1999), “After Hours” (2004), “Wine & Spirits” (2007), and “Bluephoria” (2011) all serve as a testament to his willingness to experiment with various styles and sounds. It is his musical versatility and remarkable integrity as a Black queer artist that has established him as an enduring force in R&B with a dedicated fanbase that continues to feel profoundly connected to him, his art, and his vision for equity.

Patterson’s influence extends beyond his music and brilliant artistry. He has consistently used his platform to advocate for LGBTQ rights and raise awareness about HIV/AIDS, mental health, and social justice. His unwavering commitment to challenging stereotypes and offering a counter-narrative to the often limited and monolithic portrayals of Black masculinity still transcends space and time.

Rahsaan Patterson’s legacy continues to inspire. His recent projects, such as the critically acclaimed album “Heroes & Gods” (2019) and the glittery reimagining “Heroes and Gods 2.0” (2022), a collaboration with House producer Quentin Harris, demonstrate Patterson’s power in bringing us all closer to heaven. Listen to “Sent From Heaven,” both the ballad and House versions, for a celestial experience!

Rahsaan Patterson’s career is a testament to the power of personal and artistic resilience. As a singer, songwriter, and activist, he gracefully navigated an industry that often devours trailblazers. He has generously reminded us that music can guide our healing and existence. Rahsaan is a legend and a hero for which some of us are still holding out.

[twilightmalachite]

MIRAGE - Epilogue 2

Author: Akira

Characters: Shinobu, Koga

Translator: Mika Enstars

"…Just what happened at the SS, de gozaru? Ever since then, Yuuta has been acting really strange."

[Read on my blog for the best viewing experience with Oi~ssu ♪]

Season: Winter

Location: Starmony Dorms Theater Room

Shinobu: Right… I love ninja manga, and collect it, but…

I don’t really remember many details when it comes to the ones that were mass-produced just to suit the current trend, de gozaru.

…I’m scared of the idea that one day I might just be forgotten as “just another idol�� like that.

Koga: Yeah. I also feel like I’m just Sakuma-senpai’s crude copy. I’m afraid that one day I’ll too be forgotten as just another part of Rei Sakuma’s enormous light.

It’s scary, man.

Well, that ain’t gonna happen to me anyways, right? Lately I’ve been puttin’ my all into songwriting to discover my own individuality!

Shinobu: I don’t think you’re as alike to Sakuma-dono as you think, though, Oogami-dono.

Koga: I see. You guys seem like a pretty unique group of numbskulls too though. Somethin’ like “The Hero Idols!” is pretty easy to remember. I dunno.

Shinobu: Seems you really are kind, Oogami-dono… ♪

Koga: ‘Scuse me?

Shinobu: Hehe. …I guess that means that 2wink may also be easy to remember. Twin idols are rare, after all.

Koga: Sure sounds so. I think it’s pretty damn complicated for those guys.

Everyone remembers that they’re twins, but only those who keep up with them know which one’s Yuuta and which one’s Hinata, right?

If you’re an idol, then you’re probably the type to be thinkin’, “I want you to see me for who I really am!”

And if that’s the case, then it’d be real though to only be thought as “one of the twins”, wouldn’t it?

Shinobu: Do you think that perhaps Yuuta-kun’s behavior recently is due to those feelings beginning to surface, de gozaru?

Koga: Huhh? I don’t fuckin’ know, I’m not Yuuta.

But that producer must’ve felt like that, don’tcha think?

That’s what I’m guessin’. He seems like the kinda guy all too familiar with how tough it is to have “yourself” be forgotten.

Shinobu: ? Have you met that Producer-dono before, Oogami-dono?

Koga: Nah, never have. It’s just what I got from one of his CD’s booklets, the only one he’s ever released under his own name.

He was feelin’ the consequences of his actions. ‘Cuz he had been relyin’ on other celebrities like a parasite, he lost his sense of “self”…

He wanted people to know him and see him for who he is, and so he released that CD. That’s more or less what he wrote in the booklet, at least.

But it seems that CD didn’t sell well at all.

Shinobu: W-Wow, I kinda feel bad for him…

Koga: Tsk, if everyone bought CDs cuz they felt bad, then we’d all be top idols.

But that guy kept goin’. After that he completely stopped workin’ as an individual—and went back to bein’ a parasite.

And well, he’s made a fortune and plenty of connections, he’s livin’ a life of luxury even today. No need to feel bad for him, he’s found his own happiness.

But still. The words of some guy the world saw as a carefree, superficial parasite, who finally opened up about his true feelings, were kept in my heart all this time…

The only words he spoke not as a parasite, but a human, overlapped with the words Yuuta spoke at the SS.

Shinobu: …Just what happened at the SS, de gozaru? Ever since then, Yuuta has been acting really strange.

Koga: Hmm. If he hasn’t said anythin’ to you, then I got no right to blab on about it, but…

…That Yuuta, he just… gave up.

Although he told us a weight was taken off his shoulders now that he’s told us how he really feels, he didn’t look like he wanted us to understand him at all.

When we told him that we’d try to understand him, he didn’t look like he believed us one bit. I suppose that’s only natural…

After all, none of us had noticed how he felt one bit, up until then.

After us havin’ failed at being seniors, it’s no wonder they’ve given up on us.

Shinobu: …

Koga: But y’know, it fuckin’ hurts when nobody understands. It’s somethin’ even a transcendental person like Sakuma-senpai can’t bear.

So that’s why I tried to show him—That there's at least someone out there that might be able to understand him.

Shinobu: Who’s that…?

Koga: That guy, that damn parasite that nobody understood.

Back then he had been cryin’ ‘bout how nobody would see him for who he was, but he’s now a real popular and beloved producer both in and out of the industry.

I thought maybe there’d be somethin’ Yuuta and Hinata too could learn from his way of life, y’know. There’s no way to tell, but…

I’m sure that at least that guy won’t pretend he doesn’t see both Yuuta and Hinata… That’s how I felt, so I told Hinata ‘bout it.

‘Cuz, it’d be a shame to kick away someone who’d be able to understand someone like themselves, just ‘cuz you felt that he’s the enemy, right?

[ ☆ ]

← prev | story directory | next →

[taylorftparamore]

i feel insane every time people act like taylor hate can never be based in misogyny. like, because they hate taylor for reasons unrelated to misogyny (ie, her private jet and her new billionaire status, both of which are valid critiques of her class status as a wealthy white american woman and the benefits she reaps from classism and us imperialism but like... imo that means you shouldn't listen to ANY white rich american artists and i guarantee you that some of your indie faves are actually rich), there can be no misogynistic critiques of taylor

like i was deadass reading right wing folks who insist taylor swift is a secret trans woman out to ruin our kids with lgbt agenda and like. that is a transmisgynstic reason for hating taylor. taylor might not be an actual trans woman, but she is literally being hated for a transmisogynstic reason. similarly, saying she's simply TOO MEAN to her ex boyfriends for.... writing about her feelings in a diaristic songwriting format? calling her calculated and manipulative for... writing songs about her personal life? those are all misogynistic reasons to hate her!

like yes. there are reasons to hate her that are unrelated to misogyny. but just because some taylor hate isn't misgynstic, doesn't mean no hate about taylor is just pure misogyny. and it's weird to call it white feminism to say the slut shaming and backlash taylor faced early in her career before she was ever a billionaire private jet owner was not just pure sexism. like for god's sake, people accused her of NOT WRITING HER OWN SONGS because they believed some teenage girl couldn't POSSIBLY write as good as she did.

and it's also weird to pretend taylor has NEVER faced misogyny when going up against record label companies. sony deadass shut her down when she said she wanted to record her debut album when she was 13 and force her to give up her songs to them to give to other artists. scott brocheta specifically talked about 14 year old taylor swift as being "pretty" like that was her only accomplishment. she was literally shut out of the process of buying her own master's and then told why won't she just fuckin shut up and take the abuse?? like... it is so WEIRD that people pretend that sexism stops existing when high profile women face it.

and to taylor haters: this isn't to say you have to like her. but i am BEGGING y'all to stop pretending that taylor hate can never, ever be misogynistic.

[transautisticmikewheeler]

I would love to hear about your stranger things pjo au!!! Love both stories, all the better to mix them

well, buckle the FUCK up! /lh

❗ Before we begin, i'd like to give some warnings for abuse (csa, physical, emotional), self-harm/suicide, scars, neglect/abandonment, religion (mention of camps), minor character death, mention of kidnapping, eating disorders❗

this has taken TWO DAYS and it's long and not even finished but i'm tired of looking at it so

🎸 First character: michael wheeler. 🎸

love the kid to death. proud kinnie and apologist.

but

he's a fucking menace in this au. a mini percy, if you will.

15, genderfluid, he/they/she, boy kisser.

from hawkins indiana, bullied very badly as a kid for being neurodivergent, abusive father that does not know what a boundary is especially when he's drunk.

(that's projection right there - at its finest)

hypersexual for obvious reasons.

convinces a not-aware-of-the-abuse nancy to run away at 12 and 15. leave without any parting words to anyone.

make it to camp half blood where they are quickly claimed and mike is the first to meet percy, who has become a social worker/therapist alongside an oc of mine, chase williams.

he's given the following diagnoses: adhd, dyslexia, autism, cptsd, bpd with severe dissociation, mdd, and gad with panic attacks .

has been on 2 quests in his 3 years at camp. both, he does not talk about.

will becomes his fp basically on sight (i know- i was there. mike told me himself)

so fucking stupid its a wonder they put him against the ares cabin bc his smart mouth is brutal.

visible self-harm scars and will get so pissed if you ask about any of his scars. will tell you to mind your business.

⭐ AND THAT BRINGS US TO WILL ⭐

15, trans guy, he/him, queer.

aphrodite bitch that loves looking like he lives in a conservative 80s small town horror movie but like,,, the amount of tan and neutral works somehow? with some golden yellow and rusty oranges that make his green eyes shimmer and pop.

big artist and has hecate's blessing and OH MY GOD will with powers???? illusions???? fuckin CHARMSPEAK????? he's in his magician era lmao /lh /j

from cali. bisexual icon joyce brought her boys to camp early so they're prepared. i say she's the sally of stranger things

has the included adhd and dyslexia but with added cptsd, schizophrenia, and autism. that should be interesting.

has been on 6 quests since age 10, some successful, some not.

i want will to have eyeliner. i want to see him with it so bad. and painted nails. usually pink, yellow, or black.

🎵 NOW. EDDIE FUCKING MUNSON 🎵

21, nonbinary man, he/she, queer as hell

willeddie siblings. trans aphrodite kids against the world.

has apollo's blessing. very much a partner in crime to percy, they bond over music taste.

adhd, dyscaulia, bipolar 1, and cptsd

such a chill fucking dude but will ramble for years and years and years if you don't stop him.

very powerful charmspeak and very good at seeing the ties between people. has a celestial bronze dagger essentially named "freak"

sucker for apollo cabin counselor steve harrington

☀️ mr. steven harrington~ ☀️

19, trans man, he/him, bisexual

apollo kid, lover of pop, singer-songwriter.

very laidback, from TN surprisingly. has religious trauma, unsurprisingly, from being in a baptist christian family and being sent to summer camps until he was abandoned at age 16 by his mom and step dad.

adhd, dyslexia, hpd, cptsd, and unspecified dissociative disorder. hypersexual from a few instances of csa as a young child by someone at one of the summer camps he was sent to.

definitely has a knack for swinging blunt objects, of which he has a celestial bronze bat he carries everywhere along with a backup dagger.

thinks kids are fun to work with and teaches archery alongside chiron, which is unexpected but welcomed.

an okay healer. average. knows first aid, cpr, the basics

💜 the badass, nancy wheeler 💜

18, cis female, she/her, lesbian

athena kid through and fucking through. so smart but, like mike, oblivous and super dumb.

spends a lot of time out of the house as a kid until she and mike run away.

works for the camp newspaper, freelance journalist as she attempts college classes.

not the one you want against you in capture the flag.

chooses the gun bc she briefly has "i'm not like other girls" syndrome but finds it actually fits her.

her and annabeth talk all the time. to the point percy complains to mike about it.

robin buckley- love at first sight

📼 ROBIN, MY MAIN GIRL 📼

18, nonbinary woman, she/they/neos, woman kisser

also a big music person but POETRY. she absolutely loves poetry and symbolism and all that shit.

romance and sci-fi nerd.

dresses like a gay drama professor or gives off young richie tozier vibes, no in-between.

can name each bone in your body as she breaks it. loves her independent gf nancy.

adhd, dyslexia, autism, ptsd, and severe auditory processing issues.

indie music seems like her style but scene queen owns her soul and she'd sell it for ashnikko

thought about being a film major

steve's platonic better half as they should be

comes from an emotionally abusive household

📷 jonny boy 📷

19, trans man, he/him, aceflux demigayromantic

dates a clear-sighted mortal (affectionate)

aphrodite's son that may not be "conventionally attractive", but he has a knack for matchmaking and fashion, which he then neglects because he opts for a camp shirt and jeans with tennis shoes.

mild adhd, dyslexia, AUTISM, cptsd, avpd, gad, generalized depression

so many sensory issues and needs, but tries to be independent, which can lead to bouts of anger, frustration, and, sometimes, crying.

was severely bullied in school and he was physically and emotionally abused by his step dad, who his mom was not married to for very long

works with nancy and takes photographs for the paper sometimes.

🌻 el my beloved 🌻

15, nonbinary, they/them, pan ace, poly

as a kid of demeter, el has always been a plant lover. discovered their powers early

bedroom pop lover and blessed by aphrodite.

would rather rely on their powers than a weapon but does have a small dagger on them at all times.

elmike duo my sweets,,,

adhd, dyslexia, autism, cptsd, system (no amnesia, 2 other alters; jane and 11, who is different from el)

by early i mean she was growing plants at a rapid rate by the time she was 5. the wrong person saw it and she was kidnapped and abused severely until she was ten, when she was rescued by local police chief jim hopper, who later adopted her bc her mortal parent had been in an accident not too long after she was taken and did not make it.

🌸 baby girl chrissy 🌸

19, demigirl, she/they, aroace

daughter of demeter, very sweet

very much a basic pastel stereotype but we love her anyway, she's amazing.

has the following: adhd, dyslexia, bullimia, cptsd, gad with panic attacks

her dad's very much a pushover and her stepmom's heavily emotionally and verbally abusive and makes comments about her weight all the time

she only spends a few weeks of the year at home and it's usually only for her dad.

[theinvisiblespoon]

how do you know what to write about when you’re making music?

Been thinking about this. Okay.

Short answer: I don't.

Longer answer: in recent years, lyrics have come last in the songwriting process. Not always. I find some cool sounding chord on the uke or whatever, and then add a melody, and THEN add lyrics. I know that's not quite what you're asking, though. This will be a bit rambley.

For me, it ends up being a game of "what fits? what feels good?" Almost a game of connect the dots. Listening to "She Knows" as we speak, so I'll use that as an example. The first verse was almost a challenge of Fit In As Many Magician Terms As You Can. The line in the chorus, "when mercury's about to fold", is based on a Mercury Fold, a specific type of card trick. The second verse was taking these two characters and finding the end of the story. (I enjoy writing a narrative into a song). One of the first lines of the second verse I wrote was "Promises she'll pay the cost/Hand to god and fingers crossed" and I went OH FUCK that's great, let's put that line right before the second chorus. But that means I have to get from point A, the beginning of the verse, to point B, the end. What promise is she making? How did that happen? Why is she faking her promise? Verse 2 was a development of that relationship.

There also ends up being a lot of fiddling. The original line "They're dancing on the kitchen floor" changed to "They're fucking on the kitchen floor", just because I liked the alliteration. Theres some great tools to help with songwriting, like rhymezone, rhymer, onelook reverse dictionary. But AGAIN that's not really what you're asking.

I write about whatever's going on in my life. Music is an outlet for me. Other people write about relationships they're in (a popular one), what they've lost, things they like, a weird idea, a dream they had, or just fuckin nonsense. Some line or melody might get stuck in my head, and I'll write it down and get back to it later.

Most times, especially if you're not Super Confident in your abilities, forcing a song will not go well. There's a reason people have ideas in the shower.

[satorisoup]

★ THE AFTER PARTY

⋆ 4 - DIRTY RICH

“we didn’t meet up with you for you to just stand there silent. tell us how it went.” suna says from his seat, where all 3 of your friends sit on your couch in your small apartment.

“shut it, rin.” you retort, the file alisa gave you still clutched in your hands. you take a deep breath before you continue.

“she called me in and went on this whole story about the band, talking about how their fans are complaining. then she mentioned how they had heard of me, you know…” you trail off, still in shock at the offer at your hands.

“and?” osamu chimes.

“she wants to hire me to be their songwriter, and go on tour with them.” you finally explain.

your friends stay silent before atsumu is the first to speak.

“are ya kidding me? that’s fuckin’ amazing!”

“seriously? holy shit, you definitely need to get us tickets now.” suna remarks, before he’s glared at by osamu.

“that’s one hell of an opportunity. are ya gettin payed?” osamu asks.

“yes, id be getting payed along with everything for the tour being compensated.” you answer.

“how much are we talkin?” atsumu eagerly asks.

your eyes flicker up to meet the 3, an almost serious look on your face, trying to hide a smile when you’re answering.

“roughly… 73,141.00 ¥ for the average work day and…” you briefly pause before continuing,

“1,012,445.00 ¥… per song.”

all of their eyes are almost bulging out of their sockets, stilled before atsumu is shooting out of his seat to grasp your shoulders.

“ARE YA SERIOUS? that’s 7,000$ a song!” he exclaims.

“and 500$ a work day added to that? you’re paying for dinner from now on.” suna declares.

“watch it suna. y/n, did ya say yes?” osamu asks.

your shoulders suddenly slump before your face makes somewhat of a frown.

“not yet. to be completely honest, im debating.” you say.

“what is there to debate? that’s a once in a lifetime offer.” atsumu counters.

“that’s the thing. it’s an amazing opportunity for me, but im worried. they didn’t hire me as a singer, just a songwriter. i wouldn’t be gaining any popularity or fame from it, and it would be taking so much time out of my life, id be too busy to focus on my own music. if i stopped releasing songs, i could lose the support ive been gaining. i just don’t want to throw it all away.” you finish.

osamu is now resting his hand on your shoulder to comfort you before he’s responding.

“think of it this way. with all of the hard work you’ll be doing, you’ll be gainin’ experience that can help ya in the long run.” he says before atsumu interferes.

“it’s been yer dream for a long time. you’ll be able to pick up where u left off, i doubt anyone would just forget about your music.”

“you’ll be fine. you’re not throwing anything away, you’re taking a chance to grow. who knows, maybe you’ll learn something from it.” suna says, “and you’ll be dirty rich.” he adds.

you laugh before you go to take your seat next to them, a small smile on your face.

“well, i guess you’re right about some things. i’ll tell her my answer soon.” you voice.

“what the hell do ya mean ‘some’?!”

when they leave that night, you take a deep breath as you sit upright in your bed. your finger hangs over your phone for a fleeting moment, and you think to yourself about what your friends had said. this could be life changing, and it’s important to get experience. even if you needed to put a pause on your own career, it wouldn’t mean you’ll lose all of your support. while you think, the screen dims, warning you that your phone is about to turn off, and you finally succumb by pressing send.

<- PREV ⋆ MASTERLIST ⋆ NEXT ->

★ FUN FACTS

⋆ you, the twins & suna sometimes go out to dinner as friends, and they’ve never let you pay.

⋆ TAGLIST

if your name is in bold, i can not tag you.

@bontensbabygirl @aichiomei @toomanygoldfish @withlovekiki @strwbrryeyes @lifesucksweswallow @snail-squasher @le000xxgrd

[bustanuts007]

'Cause I've been a fuck up my whole damn life

There ain't too many things I've eva' done right

And maybe one day, I'll settle down an' get a wife

But until then, I'm just livin' my life

But I'm just a fuck up

(Fucked up, fuck-up)

Yes, I'm just a fuck up

(Fucked up, fuck-up)

Yes, I'm just a fuck up

Yes, I'm just a fuck up

Yes, I'm just a fuck up

Yes, I'm just a fuck up

I'm fucked up

Real deal, thoroughbred, used to have a life of crime

Graduated, now they pay yo' boy just to write a rhyme

My best isn't enough, so I tend not to give a fuck

Only got one life to live an' I reckon I live it up, man

I'm a dog, probably need to keep me on a leash

An' listen y'all inside us all lies a little beast

With a world full of all these fuckin' different kind of people

I guess it's sad to say that there's some necessary evils

This girl is in my ear, an' she's begging me just to leave

All the sudden my ability to think is leaving me

An' I know I'm fucked up, an' Lord, I know I ain't livin' right

But, tell the truth y'all, I may never get it right

'Cause I've been a fuck up my whole damn life

There ain't too many things I've ev'a done right

An' maybe one day, I'll settle down an' get a wife

But, until then, I'm just livin' my life

But I'm just a fuck up

(Fucked up, fuck-up)

Yes, I'm just a fuck up

(Fucked up, fuck-up)

Yes, I'm just a fuck up

Yes, I'm just a fuck up

Yes, I'm just a fuck up

Yes, I'm just a fuck up

I'm fucked up

Phony homies callin' me, man, I swear they like to talk

Treat 'em like my taxes now, all I do is write 'em off

Finally got it goin', man, I finally got a budget

But, wouldn'a got it if my attitude was not, "Fuck it"

So, I'm drunk all out in public, stumblin' over steps

It's ten in the mornin', an' I ain't been to sleep, yet

An' I'm still drinking, I got a meeting right around noon

Walkin' in with Shoey, an I'm high as a balloon

Whoo, I can't believe that I get paid to write songs

I've been never wrong write but I've been right wrong

Take me out in public, I'll embarrass your ass

I'm a real deal, piece of american trash

'Cause I've been a fuck up my whole damn life

There ain't too many things I've eva' done right

And maybe one day, I'll settle down an' get a wife

But until then, I'm just livin' my life

But I'm just a fuck up

(Fucked up, fuck-up)

Yes, I'm just a fuck up

(Fucked up, fuck-up)

Yes, I'm just a fuck up

Yes, I'm just a fuck up

Yes, I'm just a fuck up

Yes, I'm just a fuck up

I'm fucked up

Dark rooms and long nights, them really long nights

We've been doing wrong things lately, but it's alright

Grew up 'round sinners, that just really wanna win

So everytime I get a chance, fuck, I'm going in!

There's no need to pretend, fuck it, let's go again!

Refuse to leave a conversation, with an open end

Ain't ever been a bully, I bullied bullies in back

My mind's got a brain that isn't fully intact

Forgive me how I talk, I might come off aggressive

But just speak direct, when you speak in my direction

I don't wanna talk circles, or pretend to be friends

I'm any day away from jumpin' off the deep end

An' meanwhile, my career, they say it's blowin' up

Everytime I drop a track, now them people goin' nuts

Meanwhile it's like a can of worms, an' it just opened up

Finally got rid of all the fucks, that tried to hold me up!

I got a publicist now, man, I've been lovin' it

But, I don't think she really knows who she' been fuckin' with!

'Cause, when I get fuckin' rich, I bet I go fuck up shit!

Get on interviews, an' I bet I say the dumbest shit

Bet, the record label hates everyone I'm runnin' with

I'ma blow off a bunch of money for the fuck of it?

Hey, look, I needed this!

Sometimes, I just need to vent!

This is therapeutic music!

Every verse, I bleed on it

'Cause I've been a fuck up my whole damn life

There ain't too many things I've eva' done right

And maybe one day, I'll settle down an' get a wife

But until then, I'm just livin' my life

But I'm just a fuck up

(Fucked up, fuck-up)

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Jason Bradley De Ford / Thomas Daniel Toner

[the-replacemints]

The Replacements: The Pleasure Is All Yours by Bill Holdship // CREEM September 1987

The Replacements with Holdship and Kordosh on KROQ LA

Article Transcript Under The Cut

For the most part, I hate rock ’n’ roll. Probably not the smartest thing to admit in print, and I wish it wasn’t true. I used to love it. Worshipped it. Thought it was one of the most important things in my life. Just the mention of it could conjure up images that were like magic. In many ways, rock ’n’ roll had replaced Disneyland. Today, I generally prefer Disneyland.

Because—beyond all the hype and the fakery and the right radio sound and the talentless dreck and the I’m-cooler-than-you-isms and the nausea—rock ’n’ roll was always funny. Elvis was funny. So was James Brown. The Beatles were comic geniuses. Both Dylan and the Stones could be hilarious in their irreverence. Jim Morrison belched into his microphone during the quiet part of “When The Music’s Over” at the Hollywood Bowl. That’s funny. From doo wop through punk, rock ’n’ roll always had a sense of humor, even when it was being serious or brutal, especially when it was being great. It wasn’t a bunch of “superstars”—with probably one-tenth of the talent John Lennon possessed sitting around being more serious and more pretentious and more morose than Lennon ever imagined. Working class heroes, indeed.

For the most part, I love the Replacements.

[page break]

“It’s not that you hate rock ’n’ roll,” says Tommy Stinson. “It’s that you hate everything that goes with rock ’n’ roll. And we aren’t rock ’n’ roll. We play rock ’n’ roll. We aren’t rock ’n’ roll.”

After a short pause, Paul Westerberg retorts in his gravelly voice that’s only going to get raspier before this night is through: “We are, too!”

“We’re not fuckin’ rock ’n’ roll,” replies Tommy with his ever-present laugh. “We don’t wear tight pants and we’re not on the radio and...”

“But that ain’t rock ’n’ roll,” says Paul. “See, that’s the whole thing.”

[page break]

I don’t wanna make any grand proclamations here or anything, but the Replacements are probably the greatest rock ’n’ roll band in the world right now. And Pleased To Meet Me is probably the best rock LP of 1987, if not the ’80s. If you’ve ever loved rock ’n’ roll, you’ve gotta love this record. It’s reminiscent of everything from the Beatles and Beach Boys to Exile-era Stones and the Memphis Sound to Blue Oyster Cult and the Sex Pistols. The list could go on. And, yeah, Alex Chilton is great and king of the wild frontier and everything, and Paul wrote a tribute song for him on the LP— but I think Pleased To Meet Me is actually as good as any Big Star, Box Tops or solo Chilton record I’ve ever heard.

Paul Westerberg loves rock ’n’ roll as much as all the folks mentioned above. Or, as he said about his songwriting during a radio interview later that night: “I do it because it comes naturally. I have no other skills.” And songs like “Left Of The Dial,” “Alex Chilton” or “The Ledge” are as good as any I’ve ever heard. Just listen to his guitar work on this LP; Pleased To Meet Me is the band’s first LP since the departure of original lead guitarist (and Tommy’s brother) Bob Stinson. “They actually let me sit down to play this time,” says Paul—and it’s terrific. The Attitude is there. The music is there. This is rock ’n’ roll I don’t have to hate.

A year ago, J. Kordosh and I met up with Paul and bassist Tommy (now 20—“I’ve grown a few whiskers since then”—and a great guy) in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Tommy played Mutt to Paul’s Jeff or vice versa. We had come to question them about the “joke,” these rumors of “greatness,” and some pretty silly shows we’d seen them do. They got us— or actually we got ourselves—very drunk. Tommy smashed bottles against the wall. It was one of the best interviews we think we’ve ever done. And the show they performed .. .well, they even made “Johnny B. Goode” sound refreshing and new (no small feat). They conjured up images that were like magic, and left me proclaiming them “the greatest band in the universe” on that particular night.

So, it’s a year later, and we’re sitting in a bar on Sunset Blvd. in L.A., which is where J. and I now live. (TOMMY: “You stupid shits!”; PAUL: “No, no. Actually, I’d rather spend two days in L.A. than, uh, than, uh, three.”) “We’re on a promotional tour,” says Paul. “Get a load of that!” Drummer Chris Mars didn’t show up, but the band’s new manager, Gary, is here with the first pressing of the band’s latest single (which Tommy urges us to break, and Paul finally does), as is Slim, the band’s brand new guitarist who hasn’t played live or on vinyl with them yet. Slim doesn’t want to talk about himself too much—“He won’t tell us things about himself, like about where he grew up and stuff,” says Tommy—but he’s one heck of a nice guy, and he sure likes talking about the guitar solos of Scotty Moore and Hank Garland after Paul punches in “Little Sister” on the jukebox, and about the time he played with Bo Diddley, and about the time he almost got to play with Chuck Berry. We also know that he’s married, originally from a small town, and as big of a Replacements fan as anyone reading this article.

So this wasn’t an interview per se. The tape recorder was running at the beginning of the night—but this turned into, into. . .a drunken orgy. Yeah! That’s the ticket. No, actually, it was just having some fun and a few (well, actually many) drinks with some regular, funny guys who also happen to be in the greatest rock n roll band in the world. They don’t want to be famous. They do want people to listen to their music. It’s a dilemma, to be sure, but any angst Westerberg ever displays (and it’s obviously there) generally takes an optimistic form. The following salvageable—and printable (see, you had to be there)—quotes aren’t all totally in context. But, hey, give us a break, we were smashed, OK?

ON THE TOUR

PAUL: “Hey, we use a set list now.” TOMMY: “We’ve got a stage set-up. We’ve got lights, we’ve got props...” PAUL: “We’ve got lights, we’ve got dancers, we’ve got...”

TOMMY: “We’ve got big dinks onstage...”

BILL: “How about horn players?” PAUL: “No. Although we may have a horn player. I talked to a guy the other day—one of the interviewers. He plays baritone sax, and he said, ‘I’ll come down and honkV ”

ON THE BEASTIE BOYS

TOMMY: “They could use a good swift kick in the groin.” (Laughter)

J.: “Wow, this is like the last interview, except no one’s gotten mean yet.”

TOMMY: Well, I m going to start right now! We’re assholes! Hey, do you know any place in town where we can get ‘butt’ masks? (The laughter is now at uncontrollable extremes.) We want some ‘butt’ masks to wear to our promotional party tomorrow night.”

ON THE LP TITLE,

PAUL: “It’s Tommy’s fault.”

TOMMY: “The only thing is they screwed up the whole idea. They took part of the idea. The whole idea was simpler than it looks, and it doesn’t look that great. The album cover sucks. But after three months of working on a record, you don’t want to worry about an album cover or a video. So you turn it over to them.”

PAUL: “They’ve got it like (sarcastically) ‘Pleased To Meet Me.’ And, no, it’s like ‘Pleased—you know, get it?—to meet you, sir.’ I guess they didn’t get it.”

(Paul also mentions that, of the 23 tracks recorded for the album, several will be released as single “B” sides, including a cover of the Sons Of The Pioneers’ “Cool Water” with Chris Mars on lead vocals.)

ON PLAYING EUROPE LAST YEAR

TOMMY: “After seven years of trying to get to a certain point, you go over there and it totally deflates your ego.”

PAUL: ‘‘You’re sitting in a fucking hamster cage hotel room, and you’re playing to a bunch of stupid skinheads. And you realize how much of an asshole you really are because you wanna ride in a big Cadillac and eat pot roast. And there’s all these teeny cars, and this bullshit food. There were some good gigs in London, but no one had heard of us over there.”

TOMMY: “We were like brothers, though, because we were locked in a van and we had to talk to each other because they couldn’t speak English.”

J.: “That would be like Krokus touring over here. They can’t speak English very well.”

PAUL: “They can’t play worth a shit, either.”

ON ATTRACTING A METAL AUDIENCE

BILL: “You could conceivably cross over to a metal crowd.”

TOMMY: “You think so? Well, I guess it has the same tempo and stuff. Yeah, but you’d still have to wear studs. At least with this record, there won’t be as many skankers. They’ll know from this one that we’re not up there with Black Flag.”

ON BOB STINSON’S DEPARTURE FROM THE BAND

TOMMY: “We had some artistic differences...”

PAUL: “He just learned that last night.”

TOMMY: “Well, I’ve been searching for the easiest way to say something without saying anything. And someone said, ‘Oh, you had artistic differences?’ Yeah, that’s it. Easy enough. It was something that had been building up for awhile, and, to be honest, he’s a lot happier now. He’s in a band where he does more of his own style of music, and he plays leads.”

PAUL: “You guys summed up Bob perfectly in the last story. I can’t remember exactly...”

BILL: “ ‘Eyes like cherries in a vat Of buttermilk.’ ”

PAUL: “Exactly. It makes no sense to talk about Bob. You’ve met him, you’ve seen him. Anyone who’s met him knows what Bob is like. We don’t want to tell everyone that doesn’t know.”

J.: “He’s in another band?”

TOMMY: “Yeah. And he’s a lot happier. And he’s spending a lot more time with his wife, which was causing him personal problems. He’d leave town, and he just wouldn’t be happy. So he’s happier now.

I don’t see him much, but I know that he is.”

ON “ALEX CHILTON”

PAUL: “We did it because he paid us. No, I figured it would be good to come right out in the open and say it. Instead of stealing his licks, we thought it would be good to come out and say, ‘Yes, we love Alex’s stuff, so here’s a song about him,’ rather than ape his style like so many bands do, and then claim, ‘Oh, no, we never listen to him.’ Plus, we needed something to rhyme with ‘million,’ and ‘Chilton’ was the closest I could get.”

A FREE PLUG

PAUL: “We mentioned ’em the last time, and you didn’t write anything about them, so you should mention the Young Fresh Fellows from Seattle. If you think we’re good, they’re the best band in the world. They’re like the new NRBQ, only sloppier."

ON THEIR VIDEO

TOMMY: “What do you guys think we should do for a video?”

PAUL: “Yeah, we have to come up with a concept in about half an hour tonight, and then go in and do it tomorrow.”

TOMMY: “Think of something as stupid as what we did before.”

PAUL: “But not necessarily. If it’s for The Ledge,’ that’s the only stipulation. If it was ‘I Don’t Know,’ we could do a really stupid one. But we don’t want to do something that makes the song look dumb.”

TOMMY: “But we don’t want to do anything relevant either.”

ON THE FUTURE

PAUL “...or an invitation to my wedding.”

BILL: “Are you getting married?”

PAUL: “You bet you, by golly, wow. Yeah, in October.”

BILL: “To Lori (his longtime girlfriend)?”

PAUL: “Well, what did you think?”

TOMMY: “Actually, his name is Ike.”

PAUL: “Yeah, fucking Morrissey’s going to do the ceremony.”

IDEAS FOR A CREEM/ REPLACEMENTS CONTEST

PAUL: “How about ‘Cut the Replacements’ hair’?”

TOMMY:,“Nah, we’ll get some fucker that wants to give us a Mohawk. I ain’t gettin’ no Mohawk.”

PAUL: “ ‘Smell the Replacements’ socks.’ ”

TOMMY: “ ‘Sock the Replacements.’ ”

PAUL: “Let’s make it ‘slap.’ ”

TOMMY: “How about ‘comb’ my hair?”

PAUL: “Ah, that’s it! ‘Comb the Replacements’ hair.’ We could have it live on MTV.”

TOMMY: “Yeah, that’ll be great. Someone’ll give us dreadlocks, and we’ll look like fuckin’ Bob Marley for a month! No. I’ve got it! I’ve got it! The Replacements Contest: ‘Win A Night With R.E.M.!’ ”

ON THE FUTURE, PT. II

J.: “You guys should be glum.”

PAUL: “We should be glum?”

J.: “Well, you’re so good, you should be more recognized.”

PAUL: “No, we’re very happy with this.”

TOMMY: “There’s nothing about this that attracts us more than the music.”

PAUL: “This gives us the opportunity if we want to have our ego stroked, we can go where people know us. I would hate to have people knowing you and stuff. I hope we don’t get real big. Just think if we got as big as Bon Jovi or something, we wouldn’t be able to do what we’re doing here now. That would take the fun out of this.”

J.: “Well, I’d like to see you guys make lots of money.”

PAUL: “Nah, we’re much better off not making lots of money.”

ON PRODUCER JIM DICKINSON

PAUL: “He produced Big Star 3, and that’s all he really ever did.”

TOMMY: “And he knows Dr. Nick.”

BILL: “I saw this thing in U.S.A. Today about Elvis’s supposed illegitimate daughter..

TOMMY: “I hate thinking about illegitimate kids.

BILL: “And they quoted Dr. Nick. I guess he’s respected in Memphis again.”

PAUL: “Memphis is like that. You can go to a doctor and say ‘I want to lose some weight,’ and he’ll give you speed. Or ‘I need to relax,’ and he’ll give you Valium. All this shady bullshit.”

BILL: “Did you go to Graceland when you were recording in Memphis?”

PAUL: “No. Elvis used to live there. It was too depressing. I thought it would be in bad taste. I didn’t want to go in there.”

BILL: “Well, the Beastie Boys went there when they were in Memphis.

PAUL: “Yeah, but the Beastie Boys are crass assholes. C’mon, I’ll fight ’em right now, goddammit!”

A CLASS ACT

PAUL: “We’re classy assholes.”

TOMMY: “A lot of this is kind of a joke. I mean, I laughed for five minutes straight this afternoon for no fuckin’ apparent reason.”

I rest my case.

[page break]

Following this segment of the interview, the Replacements go to dinner with some record company people to discuss the video—but somehow we all end up at a club in L.A. where the Long Ryders are playing. The drinks are still a’flowin’. The record company and management want Paul and Tommy to go on a prominent, powerful “new music” station (“Put on the oldies station,” says Paul on the drive there) for an interview. Paul doesn’t want to do it, but finally agrees if Kordosh and I will go on the air with him and say we’re “gay.” (NOTE: This “gay" thing started earlier in the day, and was based around the humor of the double entendre. It got funnier as we got drunker. It had nothing to do with homophobia or hating homosexuals. We even discussed the Beastie Boys’ anti-gay statements, and Paul said, “We’re not anti-gay at all.” And Tommy added: “Have you ever looked up ‘gay’ in the dictionary? It means happy.” I mentioned that Sam Cooke sang about people being “so gay,” and that Elvis sang “I m gay every morning, at night I'm still the same,” and that Dave Edmunds recently changed that word to something else on his cover of the song. Aren’t “loaded” words great?)

So we’re sitting in a radio studio at one a.m., watching as Westerberg, with a look of terror on his face, looks up and mouths the word “Help!” Things get a little out of control. He tells the DJ that “Alex Chilton” is really about “our new guitarist, Slim. See, Slim is Alex Chilton’s alter ego.” Kordosh, who’s pretty darn drunk, ends up answering the studio phones over the air. Probably a bad—but very funny—idea.

Some typical moments:

DJ: “When are you playing in town?”

PAUL: “Maybe tomorrow night.”

DJ: "Where?”

PAUL: “I don’t know.”

DJ: (sarcastically) “That’s a good answer, my friend. The next song up is ‘I.O.U.’ What can you tell us about it?”

PAUL: (not at all mean-spirited) “God, he’s got a great voice, don’t he?”

TOMMY: “It’s a fake voice. Listen to him.”

PAUL: “No, he’s a fucking professional... Ooops. I’m not supposed to swear, I guess.”

KORDOSH: “Why don’t you talk in your normal voice?”

DJ: “I’m afraid it doesn’t change much this time of night.”

KORDOSH: “No, seriously, talk in your own voice.”

OR:

DJ: “How many songs did Paul write on the album?”

PAUL: “Paul wrote ’em all. (pause) Paul’s a creep. He takes all the credit.”

DJ: “Does anyone else in the band write songs?”

PAUL: “Tommy and Chris also write songs. They’re just not as good as Paul.”

TOMMY: “That’s the truth.”

DJ: “Uh, huh.”

(Everyone howls, except the DJ)

DJ: “Why do you write songs?”

PAUL: “I do it to make Tommy and Chris look bad. (pause) No, I do it because I’m ‘gay.’ ”

DJ: “What can you tell us about the new. single, The Ledge’?”

PAUL: “Well, it’s in E minor, and if you’re following along at home—E minor, C major seventh, D suspended with a B seven turnaround.”

OR:

DJ: (Obviously very peeved) “Well, thank you for coming into the studio, guys.”

PAUL: “It’s been your pleasure.”

People talk about outrageous radio, but I’ve listened to a tape of this interview at least a dozen times, and I always end up on the floor. It’s one of the funniest things I’ve ever heard.

[page break]

The following morning, a DJ smashes a copy of the Replacements’ Pleased To Meet Me LP over the air, saying he can’t understand how a major record label could ever “sign a band like this.” Personally, I don’t know why any major record label in their right minds wouldn’t want to sign a band like this.

But then, I hate rock ’n’ roll.

[hangovercurse]

The Things We Can’t Tell Pete About

Pete invites you to meet his friends from The Dirt and makes you promise not to flirt with any of them, which is a lot easier said than done, especially when Colson Baker acts like that.

Request: “Hey so I love all your writing and I just thought you should know that! But also I’d your requests are on still would you mind writing a youre Pete’s little sister but kells got a crush xx”

Colson x reader

Warnings: Drug use, Cursing

A/N: I know, Dom (Yungblud) wrote the song, but also I am the writer and I say that Y/N wrote it :) Anyways, enjoy. This is only part 1 of what is probably going to be a fun, cute lil series. Also thank you to the anon who sent this! You made my day(s)

Word Count: 2411

| ii | iii | iv | v |

masterlist

New York was lonely without your brother. He had been filming in New Orleans for the past three months, leaving you alone. You had some friends, but Pete was your best friend. You were only eight months younger than him and practically attached at the hip. You supposed going through trauma together would do that to people.

He facetimed you all the time from set, updating you on things in his life, showing you cool stuff from the set, and introducing you to his castmates. You had kept him updated on your music, playing him demos of songs you were writing and getting his opinion on them.

Him being away wasn’t the worst thing in the world, but it definitely sucked for you. So, when Pete texted you that he was having a few friends from the movie over the night he got back, you were ecstatic.

Before you left your apartment to walk to his, he texted you.

You’re not allowed to flirt with any of my friends

You rolled your eyes as you locked your door, preparing a response.

I’ll try my best

Your phone buzzed seconds later.

I’m serious. I don’t trust any of them with you.

And I don’t need that kind of awkwardness in my life

Like if you date one of my friends and it goes badly

I don’t wanna deal with that shit

You chuckled at his chain of texts.

Don’t flirt with your friends because they’re dicks, got it

Don’t worry bro, I know the sibling code

 You came to find out that that was a lot easier said than done. When you walked into his place, everyone in the room turned to look at you. You recognized most of them from your facetimes with Pete, but you doubted they remembered who you were. One who did remember you was Colson, Pete’s new best friend. He made eye contact with you from across the room, a sly grin on his lips. You sent him a small smile, Pete’s text running through your head briefly.

You found your brother lounging on the couch, a huge grin on his face. He was definitely tripping on mushrooms. “Y/N!” He yelled. “This is my baby sister, everyone.”

You rolled your eyes, walking further into the room, grabbing a drink from the cooler, and taking an empty seat on the opposite couch. “I’m less than a year younger than you, Pete.”

You heard a snicker from the one of the guys, looking over to see Colson covering up the smile on his face. “But you’re still younger than me so it counts.”

Everyone went back to their own conversations, which you were thankful for. “Y/N, you remember Colson, right?” Pete motioned to the blond guy.

“Yeah.” You nodded, looking him up and down. His muscle tank exposed the sleeves of tattoos, which seemed to cover every inch of his skin. “Your hair was different, but yeah I remember you.” You opened the beer on the coffee table, taking a swig.

“You’re the musician, right?” He asked you, leaning back onto the couch.

You nodded, “Aspiring musician but, yeah.”

“Oh, she’s great. You should hear her sometime.” Pete butted in, grinning like an idiot at you.

You rolled your eyes but had a smile on your face. “I work primarily as a songwriter and editor right now, but I’m trying to work on putting out some of my own stuff.”

You felt a little intimidated talking to Machine Gun Kelly about music, seeing as he was one of the best in the industry, but he seemed to be genuinely interested in your work. “Well, if you ever want some help or someone to listen to it, I’d be willing.” He flashed a smile, his bright blue eyes sparkling.

“Thanks, that’s really cool of you.” You bit your lip slightly, trying to hide the fact that you were totally breaking Pete’s rule.

Pete sent a glare your way to which you raised your eyebrow. You weren’t really flirting; you were just… making connections. “Anyways,” he cleared his throat, “I’ve been working on this sketch idea, Y/N, and I need your opinion.”

You nodded, letting him talk. “So, I was thinking like, there’s this guy with posters all over his wall. Like life size posters of a bunch of different people. And he falls asleep while doing homework and he dreams about them coming to life. And it plays out like one of those really bad commercials that encourage kids to stay in school and shit. Like the posters are telling him to study for his test, but then there’s this one poster that’s like, very sexy. And she’s just like, talking about hot dogs and everyone else gets really sick of it and one of the other posters tries to like, tear down her poster or something.”

Throughout his description, you got more and more confused. “Pete, that’s not funny that’s just fuckin weird.” His mouth hung open in shock. “Dude, seriously? The big punchline is the playboy poster girl talking about hot dogs until the other poster people get tired of it?”

“Yes.” Pete said, as if it were obvious. “That’s hilarious.” You glanced at Colson with a questioning look on your face. He seemed as unsure of the joke as you were.

“Pete, man, that’s not your best work.” Colson clapped him on the shoulder and you giggled at Pete’s disappointed expression.

“You guys are mean.” He pouted and you two laughed. “Ok, well, how would you make it funny?”

“I don’t know if you can, bro.” Colson’s laugh was contagious. When he laughed his whole body shook, his feet stomping and everything.

“What are the other posters?” You asked, trying to be supportive but knowing this wouldn’t turn out very good.

“Well, I was thinking maybe one is like a video game character. Like that lady from Wreck-It-Ralph. The mean one. And then like a snowboarder who is definitely high, and someone else, I dunno.” He shrugged, taking a hit from the joint in his hand and passing it to you.

“Okay…” You trailed off, looking at Colson for support. You brought the blunt to your lips, inhaling the smoke and bringing it down, letting the smoke leave your mouth slowly. You passed the joint to Colson, who gladly took it, a smirk on his face.

Pete looked between you two at the small interaction, a frown. “So, the posters,” he brought your attention away from the man again, “they’re all really serious about teaching this dude math. But the hotdog girl just keeps talking about hot dogs in like this really high-pitched voice.”

You watched the smoke fall from Colson’s lips, not fully paying attention to your brother.

“Yeah man, I think that sounds funny.” Colson told Pete, his eyes lingering on you for a little longer than they should have. “It could use some work but if anyone can make it funny, it’s you.” Colson punched your brother on the shoulder, but the look he sent you said the exact opposite.

You held in your giggle, taking another sip of your beer.

The rest of the night followed a similar pattern, you and Colson flirting and Pete trying to get in between you two. At one point, after a few more hits of weed and a couple more drinks, Colson brought out a guitar, insisting you play something for him. Where he got the guitar from, you had no idea, but you didn’t ask questions. Instead, you rolled your eyes, insisting that “if I have to play something, so do you.”

Everyone was too caught up in their own conversations to care about the noise, or too drunk. You started strumming, trying to remember the chords to a song you had started writing a few days ago. “There’s no lyrics yet, just a melody I came up with.” You blushed, feeling very self-conscious suddenly.

“Guess I’ll just free style to it then.” He chuckled as you started to strum, your fingers working the strings like they had your whole life.

The blond man closed his eyes, head nodding as you played and thinking of what to rap.

“Watch me, take a good thing and fuck it all up in one night. Catch me, I’m the one on the run away from the headlights.

No sleep, up all week wastin time with people I don’t like. I think, somethin’s fuckin wrong with me.

You smiled as he sang, watching his expressions change as he tried to think up the next line.

Drown myself in alcohol, that shit never helps at all

I might say some stupid things tonight when you pick up this call

I be hearin silence on the other side for way to long, I can taste it on my tongue, I can tell that somethin’s wrong.”

He opened his eyes, looking rather proud of himself. “I had some of those lyrics already, but I just changed ‘em a little. I really liked that.”

You nodded, “That was impressive.” You smiled, looking back down to the guitar when something hit you.

You began to play the same melody but pitched higher to fit your voice.

“Roll me up, and smoke me love

And we could fly into the night

You take drugs, to let go, and figure it all out on your own

Take drugs, on gravestones, to figure it all out on your own.”

You looked up to Colson, watching his expression change, his eyes wide. Pete had a proud look on his face.

“Pete, you are a sucky hype man. You did her no justice.” Colson hit Pete on the arm.

“Whaddya mean, I told you she was great.”

Colson looked over to you, a stupid smile on his face. “Seriously, that was fucking amazing. Like, we gotta write that shit out some day.”

You bit your lip, trying to stop the blush from reaching your cheeks. “Yeah, that’d be cool.” You were trying your best to keep your cool as Colson kept his gaze on you, but you were completely freaking out on the inside.

A little while later, almost everyone was gone except you, Pete, Colson, and Douglas Booth, who joined your conversation not long after your jam session. Pete let out a yawn, directing your attention to the time.

“Jesus, it’s already 4am?” You asked, a frown on your face.

“Why, you got somewhere to be, darling?” Douglas asked you, your face scrunching up from the nickname.

“I have a writing session at 11 am tomorrow. Or, today, I guess.”

Pete reached out to hit you in the head, playfully, which you dodged. “Go to bed, dummy.”

You shrugged, “I’m gonna be dead at it anyways, might as well keep the party going a little longer.”

Douglas rolled his eyes, patting your shoulder. “Be that as it may, I am ending this party and going home. Goodnight, guys. It was nice meeting you again, Y/N. Good to see you guys.” Douglas and the guys did that little hand slap and hug thing before he left.

“I love you both, but I will also be going to sleep. And you should too.” Pete stood up, stretching his arms out before giving Colson a fist bump and leaving to his bedroom.

Once your older brother left, Colson moved to the couch you were on, his arm falling over your shoulders. You looked up at him, raising an eyebrow. “And how can I help you Mr. Kelly?”

He chuckled, shaking his head. “I’m assuming Pete gave us both very similar talking to’s, given the glares you’ve been receiving all night.”

“You mean the “don’t flirt with my friends” talking to or the other one?” You tilted your head, a sly look on your face.

“That’s the one.” Colson laughed through his nose, an adorable smile on his face. You were both considerably high, but you still knew exactly what you were doing.

You moved closer to Colson’s body, “Well then I guess we’d better not do this.” You said quietly, leaning into him. “Or this,” You grabbed his jaw, inches from his face.

“Or this?” He whispered, connecting your lips. You smiled into the kiss, tasting the weed on his tongue. You adjusted your body so you were facing him, his arm that was once around your shoulder now wrapped around your waist.

His other hand grabbed your leg, pulling you up so you were straddling his lap, and your arms wrapped around his neck. His lips seemed to fit perfectly around yours, and you did all you could to keep yourself from moaning into the kiss as his hand began to travel up your leg.

Realization hit you like a brick wall, and you pulled away, your breathing heavy. “Sorry,” you muttered after a few seconds. You climbed off his lap, smoothing out your shirt. “We shouldn’t do that. I shouldn’t have done that.” You smiled awkwardly down at him.

He nodded, the same realization hitting him. “Yeah, that’s not the best idea. Sorry I wasn’t really thinking.”

You shook your head, cheeks still very red. “No, no, no don’t apologize. It was fine, it’s all fine.”

He nodded, looking down awkwardly. “I should get going.” He stood up, landing a little too close to you.

“Why don’t you just sleep here? Pete won’t mind and it’s a lot easier than going home.” You bit your lip awkwardly, taking a few steps back.

Colson scratched the back of his neck. This was a very different demeanor than he had before, and you found it very cute. “Are you sure?”

You nod. “I’ll get you some blankets and pillows.” You moved towards the guest bedroom, a guilty smile on your face. You moved your hand to your lips, feeling where Colson’s lips had graced you minutes before.

You came back to find Colson laying on the couch, one hand behind his head. “We don’t have to tell Pete about that, right?”

You shook your head, a small smile still playing on your lips. You put the pillow behind his head, watching his eyes as he watched your lips. “Stop looking at me like that or I’ll do something else we can’t tell Pete about.” You said quietly, watching him grin. You pulled the blanket over him, leaning down to be level with his face.

“I kind of like the things we can’t tell Pete about.” Colson chuckled, leaning forward to connect your lips again.