#sun-el musician

[groovesnjams]

gRooVES 'n JaMs S. O. T. Y. 2024

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"Amazwe" by Simmy ft. Nkosazana Daughter

DV:

In our capitalist hellscape, one of the greatest and dumbest frustrations I have is my inability to pay for things I really want. Like, I cannot purchase even a bare-bones DVD copy of the Wachowskis' Sense8, part of my personal queer canon and a series that was incredibly expensive for Netflix to make, but that has never gotten a physical release (even internationally!) No matter what, I can't buy a new washer that doesn't have some sort of fancy touch-sensitive buttons that will die long before the rest of the machine. And worst of all, six years after "Sonini" Simmy can drop yet another in a long line of stunning collaborations with Sun-El Musician and there's no chance I can import even a CD-Single from South Africa, even if I was willing to pay $30 shipping, which I would. "Amazwe" is an embrace of a song, gloriously warm and tender, a comforting revelation. Sun-El Musician's production washes over you; Simmy is soft and precise as ever, her voice swirling and swooping. "I’ve been around the world, but none compares to you," the chorus says. The sentiment is simple and direct, sweet without being saccharine. I want to be able to play it on a turntable and drop the needle back at the beginning every time it ends, but I'd settle for a cheap cassette if that was an option too. Spotify won't last forever and who knows how long Soundcloud has left. Where will some of this era's greatest love songs live once those places are gone?

MG:

You most certainly can purchase a washing machine with zero digital features! it's a Speed Queen, I bought one last year. It's probably the best purchase I've ever made. Whenever I scroll past the end of my Instagram timeline I get posts of people cleaning things, especially front load washing machines. My Speed Queen replaced a front load washer -- those things are nasty. By design they manufacture and breed mold and that mold will spread all over. In a dark, unventilated space like a basement? Fucking horror! Anyway, I got a solution for your Simmy problem, too. You gotta Lomax it, DV! Spend that $30 to ship yourself to South Africa instead. Track down Simmy and Sun-El Musician and get them to sign off on a pressing of "Amazwe." Film the whole trip and post it to YouTube -- the curse will be passed on to whomever is unlucky enough to watch your video.

[xhosabits]

Corona Sunsets Festival World Tour Line-Up Announced

The best of local and international dance acts including Louie Vega, Sun-El Musician, Musa Keys and Ndlovu Youth Choir

[imathers]

2022 Loosies: Miči & Sun-EL Musician — “Respond”

There’s a lotta great electronic music coming out of Africa recently! I don’t know a lot about it, just that most things I do get exposed to by Sun-EL Musician and tagged “amapiano” (can’t even remember if this is considered in that genre offhand, tbh) I love pretty immediately and severely. There’s something about the closely-packed, grainy buzz of the synths he uses sometimes that I just feel is warm and comforting (I’ve been tempted to describe the slow, gentle build in a bunch of them as feeling like the sun is coming up). In addition to loving the vocals here, I’m particularly tickled by one of the sound here that reminds me a lot of a sound on an Underworld song that I can’t quite place but also adore; they’re definitely different sounds (different textures, or something), but otherwise they kinda do the same thing.

[comatosebunny09]

I can’t get this montage out of my head.

Of you and Sylus, bathed in the afterglow of sex, tucked away in some island far away where his “family” resides.

Cuddling, your cheek pressed to his chest, hands splayed at his back, a smile rounding your lips. And he runs lazy fingers up and down your spine, kissing the crown of your head and murmuring the sweetest things there. You’re both watching the sunset as waves crash onto the shore beyond the safety of your beach bungalow; the air is thick with fondness.

Fast forward a bit, and you’re bounding around your bungalow tidying up, Sylus’s shirt sliding off your shoulders, and you’re oblivious to everything outside your earphones. Don’t notice Sylus watching you over crossed arms, leaning against the kitchen island. He’s smiling because you’re adorable, and your cute ass cheeks are spilling out of the bottom of his shirt. And he can’t help himself as he embraces you from behind, exhaling into your hair.

“What are you listening to?” he says all low, swaying your bodies to an unheard song. Snags one of your earphones, and a woman’s melodious, husky croon fills his ear.

Cue the montage of said song transitioning from a dull buzz in the earphone to something full-blown. It plays as Sylus sweeps you away in a souped-up El Dorado, and you’re sitting on the headrest, the breeze blowing over your skin as you dance to your favorite song. And Sylus reaches over to squeeze your knee from the driver's side, the content flicker in his eye hidden behind his shades.

Next, you’re doing a little jig at a restaurant by the window because you’re eating something delicious. And you’re wearing a beautiful, simple dress that boasts your curves, and Sylus can’t keep his eyes off you. Chuckles as he reaches across the table to swipe some sauce off your chin. You lock eyes like magnets drawn to each other, and the air grows thick with passion as the musicians playing at the restaurant shift tempo.

And then, you’re on a shopping spree. In a fancy boutique, doing a little twirl for him in a dress he couldn’t live without you having. And he’s all smiles and lowered defenses, motioning for you to sit in his lap so he can hold you to him and kiss you silly.

Then, you’re at the beach as the sun sets. At a local market, being surrounded by kids begging you to buy their seashell necklaces. And you’re laughing all pretty because they’re all adorable, and you somehow end up roped into a game of soccer with them, playing along the surf.

And Sylus just sits back like, damn, I think I’m in love. And he’s happy for moments like this when you both can steal away, falling off the grid for a little while. He likes it when he has you to himself.

[a-araiguma-a]

He loved only her

No one in particular, just an elf from the universe of J. R. R. Tolkien. Elf x f!reader

In the ancient forests of Middle-earth, where tall trees concealed the sky, there lived an elf. His people were as eternal as the forest itself, and their hearts were rarely clouded by mortal emotions. But one day, he met a woman—a simple, human, mortal woman. There was something about her that made his heart beat faster: her beauty, which could neither be captured by the finest poets nor sung by the greatest musicians, her mind, so unlike that of other humans, filled with thoughts, ideas, and philosophy, or her eyes, in which one could drown if they gazed too long. It was something he could not understand, but this only made his love grow deeper.

"Cormamin lindua ele lle"—he always wanted to tell her that his heart sang at the sight of her, but it was not the right time, not yet. From the moment of their first meeting, he sought her out and waited for her in this forest every day when the sun's rays gently touched the ground, filtering through the thick foliage.

She told him about her world, about the brief lives of humans, about how they lived and died, dreaming and suffering.

"Lle naa vanima,"—he blurted out one day, not even realizing when he had said it: "You are beautiful." "What did you say?"—fortunately, she didn't understand his words, and that saddened him. It was not enough for him to meet her in the evenings; he longed to extend their conversations, to stretch them out for an hour, two, or forever. He listened to her stories, captivated not by the words themselves but by how her voice filled the emptiness in his soul. Without her, he would never have known the need to fill it.

"Tua amin!"—But did he need help? Did he need to be saved from her? Honestly, no, he was ready to drown in her eyes, ready to die if only to meet her once more. He was ready for anything...

But the Elf did not know how to tell her about his feelings. He understood that the time she gave him was limited, and each moment with her was precious. But how could he explain this? How could he tell her that his heart, which had always been eternal and free, now belonged to her? "The more you love someone," he thought, "the harder it is to tell them." "Nin lithiach, Meleth nín"—she truly enchanted him every time he saw her, even in his thoughts. His beloved. "Guren mil gaim lín"—his heart was in her hands—"Tessa sina ten’ amin"—he asked her to keep it, but in truth, she was free to do with it as she wished, as long as it was her.

And she accepted him. She had loved him too, ever since then, but she understood that it would be difficult for him; her life was short, and what would happen afterward, when she left him? She was ready to weep over such a truth. "Amin uuma malia, Arwen en amin"—it didn't concern him. Being with her and having her even for a moment was already enough. The chance to call her his—that was his happiness. His Lady, who ruled his heart and mind.

As the years passed, she began to talk more often about parting, though it pained the elf to hear it, he couldn't disagree. "When the day comes that we part," she said quietly, "if my last words aren't 'Amin mela lle,' you'll know it's because I didn't have time." In those moments, he remained silent, lost in thought, unable to find the words to express that his love knew no bounds of time. "Meleth e-guilen, my love is selfish. I can't breathe without you,"—she was the love of his life. How could she speak of them parting, not seeing her, not inhaling her scent in the mornings, no more afternoon conversations about books, about how Ellen had messed up her work again, no more seeing her smile, or those gentle eyes full of love for him... "Aa’ lasser en he coia orn n' omenta gurtha!"—Let the leaves of her tree of life never wither, he prayed. Just a little longer, he wasn't ready yet, but how could he stretch this time?

But when the fog enveloped the forest, and the cold wind brought with it a premonition of farewell, the elf finally spoke what was in his heart. He took her hand and said: "I was destined to live a thousand years, and I belong only to you for all those years. If we were to live a thousand lives, I would want you to be mine in every one of them." She looked at him, and a tear glistened in her eye. She knew their time was running out, but these were the words she believed in more than anything in the world.

For the elf's love was as eternal as the forest itself, and he continued to love, despite their parting, carrying his feelings for her through the years and ages of his life.

"Cormamin niuve tenna’ ta elea lle au’"—My heart will wait until it sees you again. "Le me ithon anuir"—I will love you forever. "Quel kaima"—Rest well.

[quitealotofsodapop]

Ahora hbalemos de los talentos artisticos de los hijos de Wukong, Todos sabemos que Luzhen es musico, que Yuebei es buena bailarina sobretodo en la danza con lazo (Que aun hace en su tiempo libre incluso siendo tan corpulenta baila con la misma gracia) y que los mellizos son actores de teatro.

De hecho Jidu interpreto a su padre en JTTW 1986.

Mientras que Luohou tambien interpreto a su padre en las operas de JTTW.

Ahora ¿cual seria el talento artistico de Paramita? Pues el le gusta la trabajar con las manos en realizar manualidades sobretodo en la alfareria, el es tan bueno en hacer porcelanas finas que incluso un jarron fino que posea una persona rica lo ha hecho Paramita.

Tambien hablamos que de todos los hijos de Wukong solo Paramita heredo su panico escenico, se sentiria bastante inferior por eso, sobretodo de haber arruinado un discurso de apertura de un festival importante Wukong tuvo que calmarlo sabiendo que su bebe suele sobreexigirse a si mismo, y tambien le revela que tambien tiene el mismo miedo.

Paramita puede pasar de estar perfectamente preparada en la batalla a "estar frente a una audiencia en una obra escolar" y quedarse quieto en cuestión de segundos.

Wukong: Inhala profundamente, reten el aire por 5 segundos y expulsado lentamente *sostiene sus manitos*

Y un boceto sucio de paramita sin su lazo Se parece a Raditz

translation via google:

"Now let's talk about the artistic talents of Wukong's children. We all know that Luzhen is a musician, that Yuebei is a good dancer, especially in the rope dance (which she still does in her free time, even though she is so corpulent she dances with the same grace) and that the twins are theater actors. In fact Jidu played their father in JTTW 1986." While Luohou also played his father in JTTW's operas Now, what would Paramita's artistic talent be? Well, he likes to work with his hands, making crafts, especially pottery. He is so good at making fine porcelain that even a fine vase owned by a rich person was made by Paramita. We also talked about how out of all of Wukong's children, only Paramita inherited his stage fright, he would feel quite inferior because of that, especially having ruined an opening speech at an important festival. Wukong had to calm him down knowing that his baby tends to overexert himself, and he also reveals to him that he also has the same fear. Paramita can go from being perfectly prepared in battle to "being in front of an audience in a school play" and staying still in a matter of seconds. Wukong: Inhale deeply, hold the air for 5 seconds and exhale slowly holds his little hands And a dirty sketch of Paramita without his bow. He looks like Raditz.

Poor Paramita, having the messiest hair XD

Paramita was made from clay so carefully, he feels a kinship with it. XD

Meanwhile, Jidu and Luohuo inherited Macaque's love for theatre, albeit in different directions. Jidu is a comedian, while Luohuo is an opera actor.

Yuebei is, as in other AUs, is more of a paleontologist but does Ribbon Dancing for recreation.

Luzhen is a musician by trade, and is currently acting as the lead in Monkey Cop - his resemblance to Sun Wukong is uncanny. He also composed the theme song.

Paramita on the other hand...

He takes after his poor papa XD

He's happy with his pottery.

[saintwrld]

Akulaleki

Akulaleki - there's no sleep/ I've got no sleep

summary: in which reader takes Shuri to groove in South Africa, for Shuri to better understand reader's love for music and randomly dancing around the lab.

mood of the one shot: fun, comedic

warnings: party girl!reader, confused but excited!shuri, cussing (in both english and zulu), just super fun vibes and a lot of brand names bc i'm a fashion gyal and i like things 🤚🏽, (rich le$bean things 🥂)

translations: haibo - literally can’t explain this one, it’s like a sound of shock, bathong - another sound of shock (it’s got different meanings), ngiyeza - i’m coming, voetsek- fuck off (in afrikaans), nawe- you too, wavula icircle - she opened a dance circle, mntanasekhaya - sibling (not direct meaning), majivane - dancer (in a celebratory way), hawema! waletha undlukulu - oh my goodness! she brought royalty!, yoh - damn (kinda), chommie- friend (in afrikaans), ugirl uyakuthanda - the girl loves you.

inspired by: akulaleki - sun-el musician, samthing soweto ft. shasha

taglist: @pinkwright @zayswriting @inmyheadimobsessed @verachii @quintessencewrites @axailslink @shurismainbxtch @laurensmabel1 @heejayy @generallysapphic @vixentheplanet @abenomeiiii

(major love for you guys!)

a/n: this is for my party people!!! this is dedicated to all of you amazing people who are reading this. basically this one shot is gonna show you what it's like to party with South Africans. Groove is like the club but more fun 🕺🏽. reader will be South African (hope you don't mind!) and i'm excited to write as a sa party gyal myself 😝🫡. you'll also see a lot of south african celebs mentioned btw.

side note: are there a lot of translations? yes but the more you know 🫶🏽

-

With your ugg boots barely making a sound on the lab floors, you approach your girlfriend with her back turned away from you and the soft sounds of rnb playing in the background. It was quite a peaceful scene playing out in front of you. Scientists were working together on new projects and Shuri was sitting down, that's what shocked you most.

You stood behind her trying to peak at what she was busy with and it seemed as if she hadn't noticed you yet. "I can practically hear your heartbeat from here, my love." She remarked, making you groan as she turned around to face you. Her outfit was simple, a plain figure hugging sweatsuit with sneakers and because the outfit is on your girlfriend, it made you swoon.

"What if I wanted to surprise you?" You raised your eyebrow at her and she chuckled. "You'd obviously have to try harder, duh." Shuri rolled her eyes jokingly as you lightly shoved her.

"How's your day going? Can't watch the housewives without you." You asked, sitting on the empty seat next to Shuri. She lightly sighed and pointed to the formulae in her lab notebook. "First off, you watch two episodes every week and leave me behind so, shh. Second, these formulas are coming together and I'll start these projects in a week or two." Shuri said, closing the notebook and holding your hand that was situated on your lap.

"Oh so what? There's a real housewives of biochemistry that you're probably watching without me, huh?" You mocked, acting offended by her first comment. "Wouldn't you like to know?" She replied sarcastically, causing you to roll your eyes with a smile on your face.

Shuri looked at the table and grabbed a few loose kimoyo beads before beginning to work on them. "Now there has to be a reason for my lovely girlfriend to visit me on a Monday." She mentioned, causing you to fake gasp. "Haibo! Can I not visit my girl in her lab?" You asked, placing your hands on your hips and tapping your foot.

She ignored your antics and stood up to her sand table with you following close behind. "Just to talk about housewives? There's no way you drove all the way here just for that. What's on your mind, sthandwa sam'?" She snickered, seeing you drop your shoulders in defeat.

"I drove the Cullinan so it was a leisurely ride." You muttered, looking anywhere but your girlfriend's eyes. She gently grabbed your chin to focus your attention on her. Her eyes were warm, looking at you as if you held her entire world in your hands. Gaining up the courage to even ask this was eating at you and she could clearly see.

"It's going to sound bad but I wanna go home." Your sentence made Shuri confused. "But you just came from there-" "No, I mean my home country. Just for a few days." You cut her off, holding both her hands. On Shuri's side, her heart broke a little because that meant you were leaving her side for a few days.

"No no no, don't be sad! I wasn't done. I want you to come with me. Last time we were there, it was just a quick visit but this time, we're gonna have fun." You smiled at her and she looked at you in surprise. You and Shuri have different meanings for the word 'fun'. Hers would be driving around the city with you or relaxing with you on vacation, just listening to soft music and just loving each other.

You, on the hand, loved fun which included not chilling on a beach in Turks and Caicos. Back home, it was party time all the time, mainly because of the genre 'Amapiano' taking over the country and the world. Because of your love for dancing and your country's music, you would go to groove with your friends regularly, resulting in you becoming famous just for having fun and that's when you made friends with all of the South African artists. Being famous along with your many artist friends came with perks such as travelling, getting into anywhere free and a lot of love from your fellow south africans.

Whilst travelling to Chicago just for funsies, that's where you met Shuri. She was leaning against a cool car and saw you from afar, dancing with your friends to a song she couldn't exactly recognise. When Riri had eventually come out of the pizza shop, she was curious to what had gotten Shuri's attention. Riri recognised you from instagram on multiple people's stories. Riri being Riri, helped Shuri get over her anxiety of talking to you and went over to one of your friends, immediately gaining your attention.

Your curious eyes fell on Shuri, which you couldn't fully recognise because of her shades, and you went up to her only to be shyly greeted by the princess of Wakanda. You initiated the conversation and it formed a new friendship. After a few dates, she was no longer shy and asked you to be her girlfriend. After a few soft launch posts, you finally went public with her, gaining even more fame for dating a royal. For the past few months, you've been living in Wakanda and enjoying your peace but lately, you've missed your partying and your friends.

"If I say yes, will we just spend a week there?" She questioned, already making you smile bright. You nodded. "You already packed your bags, haven't you?" She sighed, removing her hands from yours and placing them on her hips. You back away from her, ready to make your exit before she says anything.

"We leave at 2 pm and I need to get a new suitcase for clothes for when we're shopping that side. Love you, bye!" You exclaimed, making a run for it while Shuri looked at you lovingly as you ran into the elevator. The other scientists looked at you two in adoration but truth be told, it was an everyday experience for them.

You hopped into your car after getting to the secret parking lot, feeling your phone buzz with a text.

panther bae

I love you too

-

y_n

liked by ririwiliams, champagnepapi and 694,637 others

y_n home 💫

view comments

uncle_waffles you are the moment

↳ y_n love you loads 🥹

user pls tell me you're coming back to sa

↳ y_n yup!

anok.yai you're so beautiful

↳ y_n guys, she called me beautiful 😝

kehlani is it party time??

↳ y_n it's party timeeeee!!

coachella_randy majivane is coming back? 🥹

↳ y_n literally just to dance with you my love

ayrastarr my moms are so pretty

↳ y_n Ayra, my child 🫂 (literally a year older than her)

flolikethis you are very much missed this side ma'am 🤨

↳ y_n i miss the three musketeers too

user i wonder if she's coming back with shuri

user my crush ( i told my village about us )

user pls we have so many new dances now. are you ready?

↳ y_n already learned them. i'm always ready for a good time 🫡

user ARE WE PARTYING WITH THE PANTHER?!

↳ y_n bathong 😭

kekepalmer and WHEN am I seeing you and partying with you again, Mrs Udaku?

↳ y_n now Keke 😭

-

After an hour long flight, it landed in the yard of your previous home before moving to Wakanda. Using the Royal Talon jet was a much better option in terms of safety for Shuri. With Aneka grabbing your suitcases and Ayo grabbing Shuri's, they placed them on the doorstep, waiting for you to open up.

The door clicked and it opened wide, taking in the sight of the home and all its memories. The many nights of Shuri always surprising you at your doorstep, showering her with love and affection that you missed over the times you hadn't seen her. When finished with her missions, she would often go straight to your house just to be in your presence. You had fallen in love with her and she had completely fallen for you. Uttering the words "my heart is yours and it will be yours till the end of time" during one of your cuddle sessions.

Seeing the house clean hadn't surprised you much as Shuri had programmed nanotech into the walls and rooms to keep the house clean for however long you weren't there. You didn't question how she did it but you greatly appreciated it.

In your peripheral view, you could see her yawn. "You wanna take a nap before we get ready?" You asked her, making your way to hug her which she greatly returned. You could feel her settle her head onto your shoulder and stay there for a while. You shook her a little but she didn't move. Is she really sleeping while standing? Her breathing became a bit slower and that's when your suspicions were confirmed. Using all the strength you had, you lifted her up by her legs and resting her on your shoulder. As much as Shuri was lean and literally looked like she was floating while walking, the panther was heavy and you were struggling to carry her up the stairs. You heard her giggle as her head was facing your backside.

"Shuri, leave my ass alone." You warned. "Baby, it's literally in my face, what am I supposed to do?" She shrieked, barely speaking because she was laughing.

After a few seconds, she kept quiet and you were curious as you were still struggling to get to your room. Next thing you know, you felt a sting on your ass.

"Shuri!"

-

Standing at your mirror in your closet, you observed your outfit and you were having a struggle choosing which shoe matched. Walking out the closet to find Shuri and ask for her opinion, you halted and almost fell to your knees. You knew Shuri had style but you didn't expect for her to wear any outfits you bought her.

The outfit had showcased her in a new light for you and you never wanted this Shuri to leave. In the mirror, she observed herself, adjusting her black tight fitting crop top along with her black black cargo pants. She had on the green Louis Vuitton varsity jacket with green low dunks to keep up the theme of her outfit. Her midsection was not fully exposed, showing off her petite figure. Her Kimoyo beads and earrings stayed on but extra accessories were added, such as a diamond encrusted cuban link you gifted her, a cartier love bracelet (that you both wore) and prada sunglasses.

She acknowledged you through the mirror and gave you a smirk, seeing your reaction to her outfit. Eyes raking over your body, she beckoned you over to the mirror, taking a step back so that you could stand in front of her. Stepping in front of her, Shuri wrapped her arms around your waist, looking at you through the mirror. Feeling her breath fan over your neck gave you shivers down your spine, her hands slowly moving towards your hips and staying there, pulling your body against her.

"Sthandwa, you look so good. Can I please show you how much I appreciate your outfit?" She said through kisses gliding from your ear onto your neck, feeling the coldness of her grill as she landed an open mouthed kiss on your burning skin. Her right hand moving from your hip, inching closer to the hem of your skirt and grabbing the flesh of your thigh. She was clearly enjoying watching you unravel at the slightest touches from her. As much as you seemed to be the confident one in the relationship, when it came to pleasure, Shuri made sure to show you a good time.

Knowing that you two would be late to your own welcome back party, you held onto Shuri's wrist and giggled when she groaned out load. "After the party and many years after that, I'm all yours. But for tonight, I wanna show you what it's like here and I promise. We can do that thing you like when we come back." You turned around to face her and tried your best to convince her by flashing a smile at her.

She looked at you a little while longer before eventually letting up, making you give her a quick hug and run to the closet to get your shoes. Looking back at her, you noticed her flashing the grill to herself in the mirror, clearly feeling herself.

What a night it's going to be.

-

Stepping out of the car to which Shuri kindly opened your door for you, you greeted by the small crowd of photographers of the club and fans who were waiting for you to show. They just had no idea that the Princess of Wakanda would also show up. Greeting everyone on your way to the entrance of the club, you held Shuri's  ring clad hand and literally felt the ground vibrate because of the music from inside.

Hearing your favourite genre of music brought warmth to heart, especially when the people were celebrating you, You were buzzing at the thought of being back in your element, dancing with your close friends, being by the dance floor and showing off choreography on the dance floor and usually you did all this without a drop of alcohol in your body.

The security had been tightened tonight because of the amount of status within the club. The capacity was apparently at its maximum tonight which was a little off putting to you but Shuri assured you of your safety, reminding of you of the Dora that had eyes everywhere plus she was literally the Black Panther.

The bodyguards at the entrance were alerted of your arrival and immediately opened the doors for you two, hearing the dj announce you and Shuri's arrival which made club goers cheer, eventually turning into screams at the sight of you two.

Shuri had definitely undermined your fame in your home country. She always knew that you were well known across the world but to see people cheering as if Beyoncé just showed up. Shuri herself hadn't really acknowledged her fame as she's always busy but to be up front with it was a different experience.

A sparkle girl came up to you two, completely starstruck and she led you two to the vip section, a large upstairs section over looking the huge club. You greeted the crowd from the balcony who excitedly greeted you back, phones pointed at you as you blew kisses to them.

Walking back to your booth, you sat next to Shuri who looked at a kid in a candy store. "You always give the best surprises, my love." She said. "What do you mean?" You looked at her confused. Placing her hand on top of yours, "Just how you seem introverted in Wakanda but the minute you stepped foot in here, you were a different person." She commented.

Leaning closer to her as the music became louder, "Looks like we both have superpowers." You smiled which she reciprocated. You two stare at each other a little longer until you were interrupted by the sound of your friends entering the vip section as well. The first one to spot you was your best long distance friend, Lihle, better known as Uncle Waffles.

"My favourite couple ever!" She shouted, walking closer to you two. Her pink hair matching with the strobe lights of the club as her distressed denim set made a statement. You two stood up to greet her with open arms. Shuri had only met Waffles so she was familiar towards her however she would be meeting your other friends today.

"You don't mind if I sit here? It's a bit hectic down there."  She gestured to the crowd beginning to fill up the capacity.

"No, you're okay." Shuri answered for the both of you. After a few minutes of catching up with Waffles, a few more of your friends came to greet the two of you. Shuri's social battery was fueling up, making her more excited for the night ahead of her. Seeing her like this, all comfortable and chatty with your friends, made you really happy.

"Y/n! It's almost time for my set. Do you wanna be by the dj booth with me?" Waffles called to you. She could see you were itching to be on the dance floor, fucking shit up. A larger smile beamed across your face as you nodded. "As if I would ever say no." You expressed, grabbing her awaiting hand.

Looking at Shuri, she was in deep chats with your other friends, laughing her ass off at their terrible jokes. She was okay. Seeing the wide smile on her face made you smile. Feeling yourself being dragged by Waffles made you laugh. "Okay, ngiyeza!"

Dancing to your friend's set behind the dj booth was too fun, especially because it was like you two were synced. The crowd went crazy when you two went onto the mini stage in front of the dj booth to show the choreo for the particular song playing. As the djs switched, your friend Daliwonga (and apparently Shuri’s new best friend besides Riri) came up to perform. “Ah mntanasekhaya!” He greeted you warmly as you were still behind the dj booth. “How are things going? Just to let you know, I’m besties with your wife. You didn’t tell me she was this funny, funnier than me even.” He smiled, getting his mic ready.

“Please, everyone’s funnier than you, Dali.” You rolled your eyes to which he deadpanned. “Voetsek.” He kissed his teeth making you laugh. “Nawe. Please don’t fall from the stage.” You walked down from the stage with him giving you the finger.

An hour later, you're still cutting it up with Waffles on the dance floor with your other friend, Randy, joining in on the fun. "Hawema! Waletha undlukulu!" Randy exclaimed once you pointed out that you were here with Shuri.

"We're so happy that you're back, chommie. Life was beginning to be boring so when I heard that majivane was visiting, you know I had to show up for my girl." Randy smiled, making you hug him just for his words. "Yoh, ugirl uyakuthanda." Your friend Kamo Mphela commented with a smile on your face as some of your friends stood by you on the dance floor.

You looked up to the balcony only to see Shuri peering down at you with the most loving eyes. You send back an innocent wink at the woman but she doesn't react. She knows how you get when you tease her in public.

The dj's had switched and now all your favourite Amapiano songs were playing. Some of the songs were oldies while a few were brand new. Immediately running to the dance floor, you barely realised that a large crowd formed around you in the shape of a circle. People filming you from all different directions, chanting ‘wa vula icircle!’ which you were sure was going to trend the next day. After dancing with a few supporters of yours, you smelt Shuri's scent next to you, with her surprising the people around her.

"Come, let's dance." She smirked, causing you to look at her otherwise. You knew Shuri to be the swaying type of girl, if she wants to get a little wild, she'll add a whine to the mix. The dancing in Wakanda was extremely different to that of South Africa. Usually at groove, the aim is not to sweat but because you made this your living, you gotta give the people what they want.

"Are you sure? It's a fast song." You questioned, hearing the beat drop nearing closer and closer. "I've had my lessons." She smirked once again. The best finally drops and it was if Shuri had been dancing her whole life. She knew the choreos you would practice were hard but she didn't mind learning them for you.

The crowd was hyping you and Shuri up, eating up the dance moves. However the night was still young.

-

Hearing the birds chirp by your bedroom window, you picked your head up, slightly opening your eyes and feeling the heaviness of your eyelids. You looked to Shuri who was laying face down in the pillow, wearing the same outfit as last night and so were you.

Feeling for your phone on the nightstand, you grabbed it and stood up to stretch and open the curtains. The sudden light in the room caused you and Shuri to groan out. "Sthandwa, please come back to bed." Shuri's voice muffled because of the pillow as she felt for your body in the bed.

"I'm hungry and I'm craving iKota." You croaked out, clearing your throat. "You're craving what?" She questioned, sitting up slowly. "A kota. It's an uncut loaf of bread filled with chunky fries and sauce. They add other things as well." You explained, walking into the bathroom to get a proper look at yourself and what a sight. Your wig disheveled while your makeup tried its best to stick it out.

"Okay let's get ready to get that abomination because I'm also hungry." She got up from the bed to stretch as well.

"Not too much on my food now, babe." You joked.

[bijouxcarys]

𝐓𝐨 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐒𝐨 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲 (𝐑𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐭 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐅𝐚𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧)

Masterlist

Robert Plant x fem!OC

Description: Sometimes the pain of what should have never been, opens your eyes to what can be.

Tags: @celestial-dragoness @whothefuckisanja @callmethehunter @ourshadowstallerthanoursoul @strsmn @firethatgrewsolow @chromations @brownskinsugarplum76 @angrychicksposts (if you'd like to be added, just let me know!)

Elena practically flew forwards, her hand only just managing to stop the rest of her from slamming into the dashboard. She blinked once and slowly looked to her right.

“Are you joking?” she asked monotonously. “What the fuck was that?!”

“Don’t blame me, blame the fucking pigeon on the road!” John pointed ahead of him, one hand gripping onto the steering wheel. Elena followed his pointed finger and sighed.

“Bon…” she began. “That’s a fucking badger.”

“Huh?” He squinted, struggling to see a thing through the persistent sun. “Gah!” he grunted, waving his hand relatively in the same direction of the sun as he started the car up again, continuing their drive. “El, will you pass me my sunnies from my bag?”

Elena looked at John as if he was speaking an unfounded language. “You’re such a diva now,” she huffed, but smirked to let him know she wasn’t serious. Though she was certain he knew her enough to know she could never be snarky to him. 

With an exaggerated sigh, she turned and stretched over in between the two car seats, reaching for John’s bag. She pulled it over to her and got to unzipping it, just as he made quite a sharp turn, causing her to fall sideways into him.

“My God, get your arse out of my face.”

“Stop making stupid driving decisions, then!”

“Why don’t you bloody drive? You’re old enough now.”

“I’ll end up killing someone, mate.” Elena rummaged through his bag, looking for his sunglasses. She snorted when she came across handfuls upon handfuls of spare drumsticks. “You got enough sticks in here, Bon-Bon?” she asked rhetorically, finally finding his sunglasses and retrieving them.

“Here y’are,” she plopped back down into the passenger seat, holding the shades out for John. 

“Cheers,” he thanked her, clumsily putting them on his face with one hand, poking his eye in the process. “We’re almost there, by the way.”

Elena nodded, taking in the more urban character of their surroundings. It was a contrast to where she and John had grown up and spent most of their time. Sure, they weren’t all the way out in the countryside, but everything was within walking distance from each other. The closer into Birmingham you got, the more bus stops and taxi ports came into view, and the more reclusive passers-by seemed to be.

John had learned the ins and outs of Birmingham for the most part, ever since he started to pursue drumming full time and had to make these journeys in and out of the city. His recent endeavour, a band eccentrically named Crawling King Snakes, had inspired new confidence in him. The colourful landscape of musicians he had come across had never been more vibrant than the one he found himself in the middle of now. More than anything, hope was peeking over the horizon.

“So, what should I expect from your new bandmates?” Elena asked, resting her legs on the dashboard and tracing her finger across the grooves on her brown corduroy trousers.

“Nothing too crazy. Expect a lot of Welsh from Dave. Paul’s quiet… Dunno, they’re just chilled out guys.” He shrugged.

“Not really giving too much away, are you?”

“They’re hard to describe, to be honest with you. You just have to meet them,” John chuckled. 

Elena left it at that and sat back, enjoying the rest of the car ride. The radio had treated them nicely that day, feeding them with the slick tunes of Little Richard and The Drifters, to Elvis and The Everly Brothers. All music the two friends enjoyed throughout the years. Elena had taken a recent interest in The Rolling Stones, a sharp turn from what she was used to listening to. Growing up, she found her place in the Blues, and Soul. She could listen to the likes of Ella Fitzgerald and Nat King Cole for hours and never tire of their silky vocals; the pure emotion and heart that went into each stave and syllable rang deep within her, and she felt every word like kitten kisses upon her ears. 

Since John decided to become a full-time drummer, she’d been exposed to a wider variety of music that seeped from the essence of da blues to form a complete musical revolution that had quickly grown on her. The first time she heard the Stones was during her late night shift at work. Minimal pay for a 17-year-old, but the pub’s great company and tunes cancelled out the meesely wage. Satisfaction stuck with her all night. I can’t get no…neh neh neh nene neh neh… All. Night. 

The flood gates were swung open once she stepped foot into the record shop in search of more Stones. That’s when she first came across Bay City Rollers, Cream, The Yardbirds… it was a whole different world and Elena hoped with her entire being that there would be more of it to come—that it wasn’t a mere diversion in the chaotic lineage of music evolution.

Bag over his shoulder, John led Elena inside the building, where Crawling King Snakes had booked out a small space for a couple of hours in exchange for £100. Dave was somewhat peeved that they had to spend that much on a couple of hours, but was easily convinced nonetheless. 

“Ayy, there he is!” Paul exclaimed, raising his arms in the air as he spotted John at the door with his female companion.

“Ayy, y’alright, mate?” John greeted him with a manly hug, slapping each other’s backs in the process. It amused Elena greatly when she witnessed John in the presence of other guys; his entire demeanour toughened and he gave the facade of a sharp-tongued lad’s lad. Yes, he had it in him. But the correlation between that and his surroundings was too coincidental for it not to be causational.

The room really was small for a jamming session. Four yellow strip lights hung above, and the carpet was worn and colourless, as though waiting to be quenched by the kaleidoscopic symphonies of talented musicians. 

“Dave, get your arse over ‘ere,” Paul waved his hand over to the other male in the room, long-haired and lost in thought with a blue bass guitar slung over his shoulder. 

“El,” John began, slinging his arm around Elena and bringing her beside him. “This is Paul Martinez and Dave Edmunds—guitar and bass. They’re mental. Beware.”

Elena laughed and shook her head, holding out her hand to greet the two men politely. They reciprocated the greeting with friendly smiles, one accompanied by a cigarette hanging from his lips.

“This is Elena. She’s my best friend, partner in crime, and primary critic. If anyone knows what sounds good, it’s this girl, here,” he proudly introduced with a squeeze of her shoulders against him. 

“Good to meet you,” Paul said through the muffle of his cigarette. 

“Right, El, I need to set up properly, you’re alright just hanging about, yeah?” John checked, putting his bag down on a nearby chair. 

“Mhm,” Elena nodded with a smile. “I’ll be here.” She watched as John made his way over to the drum riser to get to work on tightening the drum skins and double checking placements.

With her arms folded comfortably, she took a small step backwards, only to collide with something, or someone, coming through the door behind her. She turned her head and moved out of the way immediately. “Oh, sorry…” she instinctively apologised before looking up at the person in question. 

“Nah, yer alright, luv, I was just gunna skim past you.”

Her chestnut eyes fell in line with two striking orbs of blue—expressive and welcoming. He had thick, curly hair that traced the fine line of dirty blonde. It looked like it could easily switch up in the glare of the sun, with how delicate it seemed. It fell into strong sideburns that stopped just short of his chin, framing a dimpled grin that dismissed her apology.

“Ah, Bobby!” Paul called in the midst of lighting a cigarette. The blonde grunted and looked over at him with a dissatisfied glare.

“Will you stop calling me that?”

“Bobby Bobby Bobby Bobbehhhh,” John joined in, in a crouched position by one of the snares. With a boisterous laugh, he popped his head up, gesturing a drumstick at Elena. “Elena, Robert, Robert, Elena.”

Robert’s brows lifted in realisation, a smile once again taking over his features as he turned back to Elena with his hand held out. “Ah, you’re the one he’s been talkin’ about, then.” Clasping his hand in hers, he leaned in to give her a welcoming peck on the cheek, as he did with all the women he came across.

“Great to know he’s been talking about me,” Elena responded loud enough for the drummer to hear, earning a distracted middle finger from him in retaliation.

“Oh, he’s mentioned you a fair bit, yeah,” Robert nodded.

“That’s disconcerting…”

“No, all good things, luv, don’t worry.” Robert waved his hand in dismissal. 

They naturally drifted further into the room as everyone hooked themselves up to the few amps they had lying around. Robert was itching to get started. He’d been looking for other strong musicians with a similar zest for life to jive with for a while, and hoped that Crawling King Snakes could at the very least lead to something magnificent. It made him all the more nervous to test out new material, though, now that he had an audience. Not just any audience, either. The presence of John’s female companion, who Robert wasn’t blind enough to recognise as physically stunning. 

Even though this was simply an opportunity to jam and test out different sounds, he knew he had to get it right. Whatever it was. Early on, he learned that leaving a not-so-impactful impression on the ladies was the last thing anyone should do when performing. It would be a notch on his ego, an ego he was subconsciously trying to craft around the slightly sensitive, yet lively, 18-year-old boy that he was.

Little did he know he had already made a lasting impression, simply by the way he greeted Elena at the door. There was something extremely European about his way of saying ‘hello,’ in a sense that it held the weight of a respectful, gallant gentleman. To Elena, that was extremely comforting and unique; exactly the kind of person she’d enjoy surrounding herself with.

The way he chose to dress himself… wow. She’d very rarely seen men adorn their bodies with such delicate material, bohemian and Eastern-inspired all at once. If there was one thing Robert was, it was remarkable, exceptional… abnormal—everything the world was missing but didn’t know it needed. And that was just by the way he dressed.

It was fair to say Elena’s interest in this eccentric boy was piqued.

Incidentally, the feeling was mutual. Robert was instantly caught up in the way her deep brown hair fell in natural waves down her back, tamed, yet allowed to sway freely with every movement she made. And her eyes, fuck, they were so big and captivating. He’d already picked up on her accent, always one to take note of such things. Alluring, unapologetically informal. So care-free. He only hoped that his first impressions of her were accurate. It would be a shame to see something so beautiful turn out to be the complete opposite.

“Bonzo’s a great drummer, isn’t he?”

Elena, leaning against the wall with her hands behind her back, cocked her head in Robert’s direction. “Bonzo?”

“John.” He nodded his head towards him.

“He’s a fantastic drummer. Always thought that of him.” Elena’s voice was soft as she admired him from afar. 

“How long have you two been together?”

The brunette had to steal a minute to confirm she had heard correctly. She had paused amid her smile in John’s direction. “Who?” she checked, glancing at Robert.

“You and John.”

“Oh God, no,” she was quick to shake her head, face falling flat. “No, no…”

Robert’s light smile fell slightly, and a soft shade of pink infiltrated his cheeks. “No?”

“Yeah, no.”

“No, what?”

“We aren’t together,” she insisted with a gesturing finger between herself and her best friend. “Hasn’t he told you he’s married?”

Robert’s eyebrows scrunched up, sending a curious glance over at John. “It’s never come up in conversation, I guess.”

“It was recent, to be fair.” Elena watched Robert’s analytical observation. “He’s got a one-month old son, as well.”

“Well, shit,” Robert breathed, running a hand over his face. “Sorry, I just assumed ‘cause of how close you two seem to be…” Behind the comfort of his hand, he scrunched up his face in embarrassment and shook his head. “Fuckin’ Bonzo…” he muttered. Crawling King Snakes hadn’t been together for longer than a couple of months, and none of the eight sessions they'd had thus far consisted of private-life talk. Each of them were too preoccupied with the music and forming a cohesive combination of personalities to delve into the lives of one another.

Elena’s swift dismissal may have translated as abrasive, and she became quickly aware of that as soon as Robert hid his face behind his hand, inaudibly scolding himself. She didn’t jump to reassure him, however. His sensitivity to the smallest misunderstanding was captivating. Rare. There was no need to maintain emphasis on something that clearly left him unwillingly flustered.

So, she changed the topic, focusing on the nickname Robert had used twice now.

“You call him Bonzo?” Elena smiled, not only at the name, but the way it sounded on a Black Country tongue. 

“Yeah, well,” Robert chuckled, showing an off-centre slant in his smile that emphasised the dimple on his right cheek. “He was insistent on calling me Bobby, so I thought I’d call him something that would piss him off even more, but…” He shook his head, watching his bandmate test out each drum to perfection. “He actually didn’t mind it, so it’s stuck.”

“Bonzo…” Elena tested the name in her own mouth, the cadence different in her Lancashire drawl. “It fits him, dunnit?” She said through a grin. “I’ve always called him Bon-Bon.”

“Like the sweet?” Robert looked down at her, resting his hand on the wall beside her head casually, the small blip in their conversation fading into obscurity.

She nodded, still looking at John. “Mhm. It was actually an accident,” she pointed out, glancing at Robert. “I guess I struggled to say ‘Bonham’ when I was 4.”

“Blimey, you’ve known him for that long?”

Elena turned her head to him fully, her mouth dropping open a bit. “Alright, calm down, how old do you think I am?”

“I-I didn’t mean it as in ‘you’re old’!” Robert laughed. “You can’t be much older than us!”

“I’m actually younger than John by a year, so…”

“Well, I’m younger than him by a few months.” 

“So, there you go, I’m not old.”

“Listen, luv, I was simply shocked by how long you’ve known him,” Robert incessantly defended himself, much to Elena’s amusement. She smiled at him, looking back at John.

“Nah, I bloody wish I was older.”

“And why’s that?”

“Can’t drink yet, can I?” She gave Robert a pointed look.

“That’s right, you can’t.” He feigned distress, letting out an exaggerated sigh. “The struggles of being 17 in England.”

“Oh, I know, it’s torture,” she played along, resting her head back against the wall.

He smirked. “So, you’re a drinker, then, eh?”

“Well…” she shrugged, “A bit, yeah. I work in a pub as a waitress, so sometimes I can have half a pint at the end of the shift if there aren’t that many people in. Which hardly ever happens.” She rolled her eyes.

“I’ve only recently turned 18, so I’m still trying to get used to buying alcohol in the shops without worrying about being caught,” Robert chided. “What pub d’you work in?”

“The George Inn. It’s like slam in between here and up in Walsall.”

“I see…” Robert nodded, chewing his lip in thought.

“That being said, I want to move a bit closer to here, eventually. Not entirely in the city centre, though, I like the countryside a bit too much.”

Robert just smiled as she spoke. He took in every piece of information, enjoying the way she’d speak in her hometown slang every now and then. She definitely spoke a lot, but Robert didn’t mind. He admired it.

“Like, closer to the city, but not completely in the city… d’ya get what I mean?” She looked up at Robert, completely unashamed of her rambling. 

“I get what you mean, luv,” he reassured.

“I know this might be weird, but I just love being surrounded by nature. It’s how I grew up—how both of us grew up,” she gestured between herself and John, who was almost done. “And I have a thing for plants. Being in the city doesn’t really reward you with that stuff, does it?”

Elena watched as Robert’s smile widened, seemingly proud of himself. She raised an eyebrow. “What’s that look for?”

“You have a thing for plants?” he asked.

“Alright, I know it’s a bit… nerdy, or whatever, but yeah, I do. I like the smell of them when you’ve just watered them, and the reflections they make when the sun hits them in the right spot. They brighten up a room. There’s just something… comforting about them.”

“You really don’t need to defend yourself, Elena.” She liked the way he said her name. It was almost like he was testing it out for the first time. “I’m a bit like that with nature. My parents used to take me over to Wales every year on holiday, and we’d stay right in the heart of nature. Right on the coast. It was great.” He folded his arms, glancing over at John. “Aren’t you bloody done, yet?”

“You’re the one yappin’ on over there ‘bout God knows what, don’t have a chomp at Bonz!” Dave scolded, punctuated with a funky run of notes from his bass.

“Oh, shit,” Robert snorted, his face flushing where his sideburns faded out into a light beard. “Guess that’s me cue,” he said to Elena, a small boost of confidence overtaking him in the dawn of stepping in front of a band. “Oh, by the way, my last name is Plant. And I’ve been known to brighten up any room,” he teased with a boyish wink.

Elena couldn’t help but grin, as much as she tried to resist looking silly, as she watched him walk up to the mic stand.

If Robert didn’t feel some kind of pressure before, he certainly did now. He’d just bigged himself up in the most pretentious way possible, in his mind, by using his name. His bloody name! If he could, he would have slapped himself, right in the face. As he stood there, right in between his bandmates and the inquisitive gaze of Elena, he felt it brewing in the pit of his stomach. A certain drive. A metaphorical shove to let go. To show off. To submerge himself in the euphoria he called music. To do everything he’d admired his idols for for so long now. 

In this moment, he finally caught the essence by a fleeting blink of an eye, and he grasped it as firmly as he did the microphone, determined to never let it go.

Unsure of what she was expecting from the seemingly delicate, unruly-haired, sapphire-eyed young man in front of her, Elena sat on the edge of her seat as Robert exorcised such visceral sounds from his mouth. Unlike anything she’d ever heard. She watched as he got completely lost in the rhythm, shaking his curls around in time with each riff. 

The perfect combination of what she’d grown up on and what she’d recently ventured into.

It left her speechless; a big deal for someone like Elena, who rarely managed to keep her mouth shut. She had to distract herself, keep herself from acting like a babbling idiot before Robert even thought about asking her for feedback. So, whilst Robert helped John with some wires at the end of their session, Elena struck up a conversation with Paul, eager to know about his influences. But as much as she tried to focus on what Paul was saying, her eyes betrayed her mind, and made brief but definite glances at the singer on the drum-riser.

Robert bit onto his tongue as he concentrated on winding up one of the wires that had previously been connected to his microphone. John was busy complaining about how they had to make sure they left the room the way they found it, despite the state they found it in. They’d be blamed for it either way. Young, aspiring musicians were blamed for everything these days.

He made sure to nod along, but stayed entirely fascinated by Elena, making hidden glances over at her as she chatted with Paul. Her hair that struck him upon impact now became an accomplice to the rest of her; the two hours he’d been in her presence was enough for him to know he wanted to see more. He wanted to know her, learn from her. 

“Uh, Bonz’,” he interrupted John’s rant. He took another moment to succumb to the temptation Elena unknowingly laid out for him, her own cheeks adorned with faint dimples when she laughed. Finally able to tear his eyes from her, he looked at John. “Is, uh…” He nodded his head in the relative direction of Elena. “Is Elena gunna be around a lot, d’you think?” He tried to make his inquisition as casual as possible, nonchalantly hanging the wire in his hands up on one of the hooks behind the drumset. 

Whilst John Bonham enjoyed his off-peak ramblings, he wasn’t naive, and he most certainly wasn’t an idiot. This wasn’t the first time another guy had come up to him with a question about his childhood best friend, wondering if she was single, if they were a couple, or anything of that nature. It wasn’t a common occurrence, but it happened enough for him to recognise that tone and look in the eye of any man who asked about a woman with an underlying interest in getting to know her. 

He stood from his seat, stretching his back out with an exaggerated groan to cover up the smirk on his face. “If she’s not working, I should imagine she’ll be around us a lot,” he responded, watching intently at Robert’s reaction. But Robert knew he was being watched, and tilted his head in an attempt to cover his expressions with the curls atop his head. This’d be fuckin’ easier if my hair was long…

“You don’t have an issue with her bein’ around, do you?”

“No,” Robert answered immediately, lifting his head up to meet amused eyes. “Just… it was just a question,” he sighed, giving up as Elena appeared at the bottom of the drum-riser, smiling at John.

“Yep, almost done, El,” he responded to a silent question he knew she was about to ask. “What time you s’pposed to start your shift?”

“Five,” she answered, folding her arms and sending a comfortable smile over to Robert.

“What’d’ya think?” Robert asked, jumping down from the riser.

Elena’s smile widened, but her response was cut off before she could even begin.

“What do you mean, ‘what’d’ya think’?” John chuckled. “El loves anything I do, isn’t that right?”

“‘Ar Bon-Bon is clearly very modest,” Elena teased, sending John a wry grin before turning her attention back to Robert. She considered him for a second, the earlier elation settled in her chest for now, and she was able to respond with a coherent elegance. “Not bad, Plant.”

Robert answered with an equally elegant nod of appreciation.

“Right, all done, love,” John huffed, joining them. “Ready to go?” he asked Elena. She nodded with a hum of approval. “Same time next week, yeah?” John turned to Robert, offering a manly hug once again, which consisted of a half-hug and a slap on the back. Receiving confirmation, John fished out his cigarettes in preparation for the ride to Elena’s work.

Before leaving, Robert made sure to give Elena another gallant kiss on the cheek, letting her know it was nice to meet her. She responded in kind, giving his arm a small squeeze in the process.

And as he watched the dynamic duo leave, Robert found himself already restless for next week’s session, where he’d hopefully get to see Elena again.

[axkirak]

Renegada♱

Taglist: @707otto @juxt4p0siti0n @arcticversed (If you want to be added in this fic, just tell me in reply )

Pairings:  Amado Carrillo Fuentes x f!reader(Latina Reader) x Walt Breslin  [From Narcos: Mexico TV Series]

Content Rating : Mature 18+  Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warning (AT YOUR OWN RISK)

Synopsis : Everything that was happening on Aruba Island wasn't right at all. You know damn well when Amado kissed you. And when you heard the sound of the gunshots behind you

AN : I was almost giving up on updating this fic until I found new comments. Thank you to those who still enjoy my work. I will try to update as long as there are people waiting to read.

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𝙍𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙜𝙖𝙙𝙖♱ 𝙈𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩

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[5]ᅳ 𝐕𝐞𝐫𝐢́𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐨 ✟

"Amado Carrillo Fuentes is more like a businessman than a drug lord. His background is clean compared to others in the same industry. This man is cautious and stays under the radar all the time. We need to know everything about him. Every detail matters.

That's a summary given by Bill Carter in the last meeting before you leave Mexico tonight.

And when the time comes, you have to leave everything about yourself behind. From now on, you'll have to breathe under the name of Camilla, a musician from Cuba. And it will be like this until you can safely return to Mexico again, if there are no mistakes during that time.

Amado's fascination with airplanes is more than what you imagined. You realize this when you're brought to his private airport. Lined up are all types and sizes of planes, totaling no less than a hundred. Every plane here belongs to Amado. Also, it's the same plane used to secretly smuggle tons of cocaine into America every year.

El Señor de los Cielos is the nickname drug dealers use to refer to Amado, the most powerful man both on land and in the sky. The man on top of the food chain

And this same man is waiting for you in front of a private jet. It's not difficult to notice him, with his flowing hair and the same old black shirt you first met him in, now covered with a bomber jacket. A satisfied smile passes through his sunglasses when you step out of the car. You briefly catch Amado's eye before flashing a smile back at him.

Starting the drama with a beautiful face and a survival instinct, just follow a few simple rules: just hold hands, just smile, and just turn a blind eye and pretend to fuck him a few times. Just run away before getting caught.

Throughout the time you step straight into him, you never know what you're really getting into.

Life can change suddenly and easily. One day you're still a CIA officer, and the next you become the partner of a criminal. And what will happen next? How many bombs will explode in front of you? How many people will die in your life? And when will death finally become yours?

You can't find answers to these questions.

Lately, you've often imagined the end of yourself, from the moment you closed your eyes to the moment you woke up—every pain you've ever experienced in the past, which still remains and continues to haunt you. It will never disappear until the end comes for you, just like it did for others before.

The end must come one day. And for the law enforcer who fights against the dark power all the time, there's no way this story will end well. Either with you or with Amado.

You know. You're prepared, unwaveringly. But it still turns out worse than expected.

------------------------------------------------------------ 

Aruba Island, Kingdom of the Netherlands

1600 (Military Time) *Three Hours Before the Incident*

Although it's approaching evening, the sunlight on Aruba Island is still bright and clear, no different from the afternoon. The scene in the travel magazine doesn't seem exaggerated at all when seen with your own eyes. The clean white sandy beaches, lush green coconut trees, and crystal-clear blue sea reflect the shimmering sun. It's breathtakingly beautiful here, and the atmosphere is just right—neither too quiet nor too bustling like the seas in Miami or Thailand.

This place is suitable for tourism, you think, and also suitable for opening a cocaine market for these tourists.

But Amado's purpose for coming to Aruba Island remains unclear, something you must urgently investigate while there's still a chance.

For you, every second is crucial and calculated, tension infiltrating every action.

But for Amado, it's the opposite. He seems completely at ease. You can tell from the relaxed smile on his face all the time.

You glance at Amado thoughtfully, not hiding your slight surprise as you see him change into a blue Hawaiian shirt, yellow shorts, and slip on sunglasses with a smile. He blends seamlessly with the other tourists. For you, this is quite a surprising and unexpected look compared to his usual all-black attire.

"What wrong, Mija?[1] You're staring at me too much, I'm starting to blush," he said, raising his eyebrows with a playful smile after handing you the Esquites[2] he bought from the nearby store. "Or am I so handsome that I'm stunning you?"

You chuckled and took the Esquites from his hand, then pretended to glance at him with a half-serious look. "It's not that much," you shrugged. "Just... average."

"Average? No, Mija. You should say, You look so handsome, Amado!"

You burst into laughter again, genuinely amused by this man's incredible sense of humor.

The dark stories you've heard about the drug wars in Mexico seem like distant memories here. There's no violence, no gunfire or explosions, and no cocaine. 

And your date, who was enjoying Esquites by the seaside with you at this moment, was hardly anything like a world-class drug dealer.

But beneath the seemingly ordinary and charming nature of Amado Carrillo Fuentes, you know what he's capable of and how dangerous he is.

Honey trapping [3] is another important method to access intelligence for secret agents worldwide. It's not your expertise compared to other spies, but you're confident that you can do it just as well. You intentionally charm him without going too far, being both a good speaker and listener, creating an atmosphere that's relaxed and friendly. Every conversation you have leads him to tell you what you want to know.

However, Amado's responses barely provide any significant information for the mission. It seems more like casual chit-chat. If it weren't for the fact that he is exceptionally clever and cautious, it would mean that he must be a very inane person.

Of course, you're damn sure he's not stupid. Amado is a true master of deception. What you can do is make him like you enough to let his guard down a bit, and that's the ultimate challenge of this mission.

There's still plenty of time. You think. And maybe...that was the first mistake that led to bad things in ways you never expected.

"I want you to answer truthfully, Mija."

That sounds like just another normal question from Amado, but not for you. You blinked slightly as you caught a hint of seriousness in his tone. Yet, you still pretended to smile as if everything were normal. "What do you mean?"

"You know what I do, right?"

For a moment, you hesitated. But you managed to maintain your composure, even though your heart was pounding with excitement and anxiety.

You couldn't predict why he asked you this question. You weren't sure if it was just one of Amado's tests, or worse, if he was starting to suspect you. But regardless, your answer would undoubtedly affect the entire mission, one way or another.

Because Amado was clear about wanting the truth. Ultimately, you chose to take the risk and answer as he desired. You softly reply, "i think I can figured as much."

"And aren't you afraid of me? Even when you know what I do?"

It could be either a threat or a challenge from the drug lord. You could feel Amado's piercing gaze, scrutinizing. However, this time, you handled it better than before. You turned to face him, inching closer without a hint of fear, even if just a little.

"Should I be afraid then?"

"Of course, you should be terrified, Mija," Amado's arms wrapped around your waist slowly, pulling your body closer until there was no space between you. The mingling sensation of his breath tickling your face, combined with the scent of cologne and cigarettes, made your heart race in a way different from before, clear and distinct.

It was too close—much closer than you thought. A slight flutter of nervousness crossed your mind, but you couldn't retreat, especially when you were under his tight arms.

Amado was too smart. He deliberately blocked off every escape route for you.

"My life has encountered many terrifying things,There's nothing left in this world that can make me scared anymore."

That was another truth you decided to reveal to him.

Certainly, you were afraid of the mission failing. But that didn't mean you were afraid of Amado. Years of CIA work exposed you to countless horrors. You had killed many and lost many. So, what reason did you have to fear someone like him?

It wasn't just Amado who tried to test or challenge you. You chose to do the same. It was a slight defiance and a steady gaze that showed your refusal to submit. That was enough to create even more surprise for the man known as the biggest in the drug trade, a man whom everyone else bowed to out of fear.

The sun had disappeared from the sky, gradually dimming Amado's face with shadows. However, his eyes still sparkled, no different from the streetlights. You tried hard to read his thoughts from his expression, but it was too difficult. You didn't know what he was thinking or what he would do next.

But his decision in the end surprised you.

His lips pressed against yours, catching you off guard. It was a brief  kiss, yet long enough to make you feel and remember every detail. the stubble of his beard, the bitter taste of cigarettes lingering on his tongue, the warm and humid heat in his mouth, intense with desire until your body trembled.

It felt as though your lips were being burned by an invisible flame, and the fire still smoldered deep within even after he pulled away. His hand lingered on your cheek, trailing slowly down to your chin, before using his thumb to touch your lower lip. Amado's eyes never left yours, and beneath those intense gazes, there was something dangerous and alluring hidden within.

"Will you dance with me?"

Even though you knew how dangerous he was, Amado was undeniably romantic. That was something you had to admit.

Nothing could be more romantic than dancing on the beach at night. And Amado knew it well. The moonlight shining brightly in the sky, the breeze blowing through your hair and skin, and the sweet melody of Latin music floating in the air. His large hand rested on the small of your back, and his arm wrapped comfortably around your waist, gently guiding your body to sway to the rhythm.

This time, there were no tests or challenge like before. "Just dancing with me" Amado said before pulling you back into his embrace. 

The dance proceeded quietly and calmly. The word 'calm' felt strangely out of place for a CIA like you. It was like a phrase that didn't exist in your life, But what was happening now might be the closest thing you could think of—a feeling of relaxation and comfort as you laid your head on his chest, and his thumb to massage your back.

This wasn't right at all.

Standing in a country where you hardly knew, in a street where you had forgotten the name, you felt safe next to a man you knew was dangerous. It wasn't something you should feel at a time like this with someone like him. You should say something, focus on the mission as you should, but at the same time, you didn't want to ruin what was happening. And Amado probably felt the same. He was silent, saying nothing, Everything between you and him was so quiet that you could hear the music, the laughter of other dancing couples nearby, the sound of the waves, and the sound of his breath blowing on your neck.

...Before the sound of the gunshots rang out.

------------------------------------------------------------ 

[1] Mija in Spanish means "daughter." However, in a slang context, it can mean "dear” or “honey"

[2]Esquites Another name for it is "elote en vaso" or "elote" (specifically in America). It's a well-known Mexican street food made with grilled corn, mayonnaise, spices, and cheese.

[3] Honey trapping is a method of investigation or espionage that has been used since World War II. It involves deception through the use of romantic or sexual relationships with a target individual who possesses important information or resources.

[sweet-s0rr0w]

You recs are lovely thank you so much for your effort

Oh, anon, thank you so much! I'm not sure if you're referring to my travel reclists (which badly need updating, wah) or because you saw my (ill advised and rapidly deleted) reply to the rude anon I got the other day who accused me of only reccing my friends' fics. The third ask like that I've had in two years, how delightful! But either way, thank you anon, what a lovely message and it made me feel all warm and appreciated <3

This whole 'you only rec your friends' stuff is especially funny to me because a lot of the fics I regularly rec are written by people I started chatting to because I specifically DMd them like a fangirl after loving something they wrote. So reccing my friends then becomes sort of a self-fulfilling prophecy, iyswim! So with exactly that in mind, and for you, lovely anon, here are a few 2023 recs of fics by friends who I made exactly like that AND the first of their fics that made me laugh, cry and jump into their DMs:

🌟Terrible People by @wolfpants and @getawayfox (E, 53k) I finished this a couple of days ago at ridiculous o'clock in the morning, and it was so worth the lost sleep! Cruise ship antics, very lush and vibrant, with a big travel component, truth or dare and some meddling (but endearing) friends!

😍First met Wolf because I loved The Hollow (E, 13k, Dremus)

🌟LA, Who Am I To Love You? by @epitomereally (E, 43k), an absolute favourite from this year's Wireless featuring impeccable California vibes, magical films, sex magic, and some brilliant OCs (eg. the unforgettable Eldritch Horror librarian).

😍First met El because I loved A Case of You (E, 97k)

🌟Rich Friend by @sorrybutblog (E, 19k), wealthy louche non-magic-using musician Dragon (Draco) brings Harry on tour. Banter and feelings and excellent smut ensue!

😍 First met iota because I loved Not Nineteen Forever (E, 6k)

🌟The Sun, Shining Above You by @oknowkiss (E, 15k), one of my faves from Dronarry fest, Drarry to Dronarry, with absolute chefskiss past one-night-stand Dron, plus a little bonus Charlie (who doesn't love bonus Charlie?!)

😍 First met Elaine because I loved any day now (E, 17k)

🌟Our Objective Remains Unchanged by @citrusses (M, chapter 3/9, currently 11k, WIP - but completed bar editing). Non-magical AU where Drarry are rivals competing for the final seat in the Oxford boat for the famous race against Cambridge. Brilliant slow-burn, and the characters feel really close to canon despite the obvious location difference. (and this one is the fic that had me DMing citrusses!)

Anyone else want to tell me about fics they read that were so good they couldn't help jumping into someone's DMs to make friends?

[urbestestwindgod]

elio's sat alone somewhere on aeolia, quietly playing a lyre he'd been given a while ago. he's humming some nonsensical tune as he plays, eyes closed. he's always enjoyed playing music. he doesn't know why. his parents were musicians, from what he remembers. they lived near one of lord apollo's temples. he thinks. he's not seen them in a while. he likes aeolia, though. it's pretty, and aeolus is nice.

@sun-cast-out (// dramatic irony,,,)

sounds good, el!

[loominggaia]

Elige a tu tribu, doy 6 opciones para elegir:

Nanatzcayan: viven en las minas del esté de natlan, por lo que son conocidos por ser forjadores y joyeros expertos. También tienen competencias de baile de braitdance. Se basa en las culturas nativas del sur de Estados Unidos y no se

Huitztlan: viviendo en una región inhóspita, los retoños arboreos son conocidos por su afán por los deportes extremos. Son excelentes mensajeros y carteros, capaces de ir de aquí y allá rápidamente. Se basan principalmente en los mayas

Meztli: conocidos por ser exploradores y conocedores natos de los caminos, la gente de los manantiales disfruta sus días jugando bajo el sol. Poseen fuentes termales, dónde se bañan con regularidad, a parte son excelentes músicos, perfectos para unas vacaciones. Se inspiran principalmente en la polinesia

Comunidad de la feracidad: aunque no se sabe mucho de esta, se sabe que tienen los mejores productos al vivir al lado de un volcán. Poseen una gran cultura en el físico culturismo, siendo los mejores guerreros

Mictlan: viviendo en los cañones del oeste, los augurios del viento nocturno son excéntricos, con un gran conocimiento del espiritismo. Pueden conjurar espíritus y purificarlos. Se basan principalmente en los aztecas y en el vudu

Tlalocan: (personalmente mí favorita) en un pasado fueron guerreros que protegían sus fronteras, pero actualmente prefieren hacer todo de forma más pacífica. Disfrutan el volar, tanto por las fuentes de aire o con los qucusaurios. Se basan principalmente en la del oeste de estados unidos, se nota por su inspiración vaquera

(Translated with Google Translator)

Choose your tribe, I give 6 options to choose from:

Nanatzcayan: they live in the mines of the east of Natlan, so they are known for being expert forgers and jewelers. They also have braitdance competitions. It is based on the native cultures of the southern United States and is not

Huitztlan: Living in an inhospitable region, tree saplings are known for their desire for extreme sports. They are excellent messengers and postmen, able to get here and there quickly. They are mainly based on the Mayans

Meztli: Known for being natural explorers and connoisseurs of the trails, the people of the springs enjoy their days playing in the sun. They have hot springs, where they bathe regularly, and they are also excellent musicians, perfect for a vacation. They are mainly inspired by Polynesia

Feracity Community: Although not much is known about it, it is known that they have the best products by living next to a volcano. They have a great culture in bodybuilding, being the best warriors

Mictlan: Living in the canyons of the west, the night wind omens are eccentric, with a great knowledge of spiritualism. They can conjure spirits and purify them. They are mainly based on the Aztecs and voodoo.

Tlalocan: (personally my favorite) in the past they were warriors who protected their borders, but currently they prefer to do everything in a more peaceful way. They enjoy flying, both through air sources or with qucusaurs. They are based mainly on that of the western United States, it is notable for its cowboy inspiration.

---

Cool! I'm curious to know if these tribes are specific to one species, such as humans, or if they have many different peoples among them. My inner goth is drawn to the Mictlan!

*

Questions/Comments?

Lore Masterpost

Read the Series

[alexaatla]

gothcleats as songs from each of the taylor swift (yes that one) album

im so sick in the head about them and i haven’t made a post about them in a while so here ya go

DEBUT-Our Song

starting out with a soft silly one first, also scarys a musician so this makes sense 😽

lyrics: “Our song is the slamming screen door

Sneakin' out late, tapping on your window

When we're on the phone, and you talk real slow

'Cause it's late, and your mama don't know

Our song is the way you laugh

The first date, "Man, I didn't kiss her, and I should have"”

FEARLESS- The Way I Loved You

i know this song is about missing an ex and all, but in the context of gothcleats i want to interpret it like gothcleats in the “betrayal arc”

lyrics: “But I miss screaming and fighting and kissing in the rain

And it's 2 a.m. and I'm cursing your name

So in love that you act insane

And that's the way I loved you”

SPEAK NOW- The Story of Us

imo this is one of the most gothcleats songs of all time, again during the “betrayal arc” and it gives very big “enemies closer” vibes with being so close to each other but not knowing what to say. it’s also very much scarys POV

lyrics: “Oh, I'm scared to see the ending

Why are we pretending this is nothing?

I'd tell you I miss you but I don't know how

I've never heard silence quite this loud

Now I'm standing alone in a crowded room

And we're not speaking and I'm dying to know

Is it killing you like it's killing me? Yeah

I don't know what to say since the twist of fate

When it all broke down

And the story of us looks a lot like a tragedy now”

RED- I Almost Do

ep 25 core and also after the betrayal el oh el

lyrics: “I bet

You think I either moved on or hate you

'Cause each time you reach out there's no reply

I bet

It never ever occurred to you

That I can't say "Hello" to you

And risk another goodbye

And I just wanna tell you

It takes everything in me not to call you

And I wish I could run to you

And I hope you know that every time I don't

I almost do

I almost do

Oh, we made quite a mess, babe

It's probably better off this way

And I confess, babe

In my dreams you're touching my face

And asking me if I wanna try again with you

And I almost do”

1989-Out Of The Woods

this song is being able to make it through something difficult together, which is what gothcleats had been doing this entire fucking time, they just want to be out of the woods

lyrics: “Looking at it now

Last December

(Last December)

We were built to fall apart

Then fall back together

(Back together)

Ooh, your necklace hanging from my neck

The night we couldn't quite forget

When we decided, we decided

To move the furniture so we could dance

Baby, like we stood a chance

Two paper airplanes flying, flying, flying

And I remember thinking

Are we out of the woods yet?”

AND

“Remember when you hit the brakes too soon?

Twenty stitches in a hospital room

When you started crying, baby, I did too

But when the sun came up, I was looking at you

Remember when we couldn't take the heat?

I walked out, I said "I'm setting you free"

But the monsters turned out to be just trees

When the sun came up you were looking at me”

(also “looking at it now/ last december/ we were built to fall apart/ and fall back together” december is i’m pretty sure around when ep 31 with the fireball/ “you can try to kill me but i wont hurt you” scenario would fall timeline wise)

REPUTATION- King Of My Heart

there’s not much reason to this song other than just the vibe reminds me of them and they deserve to be happy 🫶

lyrics: “Salute to me, I'm your American Queen

And you move to me like I'm a Motown beat

And we rule the kingdom inside my room

'Cause all the boys and their expensive cars

With their Range Rovers and their Jaguars

Never took me quite where you do

And all at once, you are the one I have been waiting for

King of my heart, body and soul, ooh whoa”

AND

“Is this the end of all the endings?

My broken bones are mending

With all these nights we're spending

Up on the roof with a school girl crush

Drinking beer out of plastic cups

Say you fancy me, not fancy stuff

Baby, all at once, this is enough”

(honestly another good choice for this would’ve been dress and it might’ve fit better but I LOVE KOMH OKAY)

LOVER-The Archer

while a lot of the songs in lover are very soft and nice, and gothcleats well, isnt, The Archer i think shows scarys hesitancy to become close to link and the other teens, because people have left her continuously in the past. she doesn’t believe people should want to stay with her.

lyrics: “I've been the archer

I've been the prey

Screaming, who could ever leave me, darling?

But who could stay?

(I see right through me, I see right through me)

'Cause they see right through me

They see right through me

They see right through

Can you see right through me?

They see right through

They see right through me

I see right through me

I see right through me

All the king's horses, all the king's men

Couldn't put me together again

'Cause all of my enemies started out friends

Help me hold onto you”

FOLKLORE- exile

link defended scary for a lot of the things she did, despite her telling and proving to him that he shouldn’t have, he did. this song to me is directly after the death of tony pepperoni and realizing what she’s left him with.

lyrics: “And it took you five whole minutes

To pack us up and leave me with it

Holdin' all this love out here in the hall

I think I've seen this film before

And I didn't like the ending

You're not my homeland anymore

So what am I defending now?

You were my town

Now I'm in exile, seein' you out

I think I've seen this film before”

AND

“I can see you starin', honey

Like he's just your understudy

Like you'd get your knuckles bloody for me

Second, third, and hundredth chances

Balancin' on breaking branches

Those eyes add insult to injury”

EVERMORE- right where you left me

wow gothcleats angst goes hard in evermore and folklore. this song shows the moment frozen in time of either link saying “get the fuck out of my house scary”

lyrics: “Help, I'm still at the restaurant

Still sitting in a corner I haunt

Cross-legged in the dim light

They say, "What a sad sight"

I, I swear you could hear a hair pin drop

Right when I felt the moment stop

Glass shattered on the white cloth

Everybody moved on

I, I stayed there

Dust collected on my pinned-up hair

They expected me to find somewhere

Some perspective, but I sat and stared”

AND

“Did you ever hear about the girl who got frozen?

Time went on for everybody else, she won't know it

She's still 23 inside her fantasy

How it was supposed to be

Did you hear about the girl who lives in delusion?

Break-ups happen every day, you don't have to lose it

She's still 23 inside her fantasy

And you're sitting in front of me”

MIDNIGHTS- Midnight Rain

something something scary growing up with a general lack of love in her life while link has felt nothing but something something

lyrics: “My boy was a montage

A slow-motion, love potion

Jumping off things in the ocean

I broke his heart 'cause he was nice

He was sunshine, I was midnight rain

He wanted it comfortable

I wanted that pain

He wanted a bride

I was making my own name

Chasing that fame

He stayed the same

All of me changed like midnight”

honorable mentions!

-dress

-back to december

-you belong with me

-the lucky one (hear me ou-)

in conclusion, i love them and taylor swift, thank you and goodnight

[paramedicabroad]

Medina of Marrakesh

Today, let’s wander through the vibrant heart of Marrakesh, Morocco—its legendary Medina, a UNESCO World Heritage site that pulses with history, culture, and endless charm. Known as the “Red City” because of its blush-colored walls, the Medina of Marrakesh is an intoxicating blend of ancient and modern that will transport you to another world the moment you step inside.

In 1985, the Medina of Marrakesh was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site, recognizing its exceptional cultural value and its role in shaping the history of North Africa and the wider Arab world. The medina’s architecture, artistic achievements, and lively traditions reflect the rich heritage of Morocco, making it one of the most significant urban sites in the Arab-Muslim world.

The Medina of Marrakesh was founded in 1070 by the Almoravid dynasty and has been a thriving cultural and economic center ever since. This historic walled city reflects centuries of Islamic architecture and North African influence, making it a truly unique place to explore. It’s a maze of narrow streets, colorful souks, grand palaces, and tranquil courtyards that hide behind modest doors, waiting to be discovered.

At the heart of the Medina is the world-famous Djemaa el-Fna, a square unlike any other. By day, it’s a bustling market where you can find everything from fresh orange juice to intricate handicrafts. As the sun sets, the square transforms into a lively stage of traditional Moroccan culture. Snake charmers, storytellers, musicians, and food vendors fill the space with life and energy, creating an unforgettable experience.

The Koutoubia Mosque is the most prominent structure in the Medina, with its towering minaret rising 77 meters above the city. Built in the 12th century, this mosque is a masterpiece of Almohad architecture and remains one of Marrakesh’s most recognizable symbols. Although non-Muslims are not allowed inside, the beauty of its exterior and the serenity of its surrounding gardens are enough to leave you mesmerized.

The souks (markets) of Marrakesh are legendary and offer one of the most immersive shopping experiences in the world. From spices and textiles to leather goods and metalwork, the souks are packed with vibrant colors, rich scents, and the constant hum of negotiation. Getting lost in this labyrinth of stalls is part of the fun—you never know what treasures you’ll find around the next corner.

Hidden within the Medina is the Bahia Palace, an opulent 19th-century residence that showcases the best of Moroccan craftsmanship. The intricate tile work, painted ceilings, and lush gardens of the palace were designed to impress, and they do just that. It’s a serene oasis of beauty and history, offering a peaceful contrast to the bustling streets outside.

Just outside the Bahia Palace, you’ll find the Saadian Tombs, a burial site dating back to the 16th century. These tombs were lost to time for centuries, only to be rediscovered in 1917. Today, they stand as a striking example of Islamic architecture, with intricate carvings, colorful tiles, and serene gardens surrounding the resting places of Saadian royalty.

What makes Marrakesh’s Medina truly special is that it’s not a museum frozen in time—it’s a living, breathing part of daily life in the city. People still live, work, and celebrate in the Medina, which makes every visit a vibrant and dynamic experience. From rooftop cafes with sweeping views to quiet riads (traditional homes) hidden behind elaborate doors, the Medina is full of contrasts that will captivate your heart and imagination.🕌🏙️🇲🇦

[iheartbathroom]

examples of each category ↓ below ↓ IGNORE year discrepancies im basing it off of the year the artist originally recorded the song. ok

new orleans jazz: king oliver's creole jazz band - dippermouth blues (1923) (this is the original jazz style & is also referred to as "early jazz" although its still extremely popular among new orleans musicians. go to the french quarter and you WILL hear this style of music. this song features a young louis armstrong as seen in the photo)

foxtrot: eva taylor - if i could be with you (1927) (this subgenre was intended for couple dancing and was the most universally popular type of jazz during the jazz age)

swing/big band: duke ellington - take the "a" train (1939) (prevailing jazz style from the mid 1930s.. until the end of time)

bebop: thelonious monk - evidence (1948) (swing but make it crazayyyyyyy. not to brag but this song was based on a song my great grandfather composed..so..)

latin jazz: joão gilberto - desafinado (1959) (jazz w flavorings of one of the various latin music genres. this song is a bossa nova which is a brazilian style that uses samba elements. it later became popular to arrange bossa nova for big bands)

tito puente - el cayuco (1957) (this one is a mambo which is a style that originated from cuba & popularity spread among latino artists, this specific artist being puerto rican-american. posting a second example for this category because its so varied and also as propaganda bc its my favorite)

lounge/elevator/muzak: les baxter - pyramid of the sun (1960) (that chill 1960s film score type shit.. vibraphone my beloved)

jazz fusion: herbie hancock - chameleon (1973) (jazz with usual elements of funk, rock, and r&b. this song is categorized as jazz-funk specifically. WATCH OUT the preview starts loud)

smooth jazz: grover washington jr - in the name of love (1980) (chill r&b oriented jazz. makes me feel like im watching a sitcom intro)

acid jazz: the brand new heavies - never stop (1991) (acid jazz originated as essentially acid house + jazz. like jazz fusion, tends to contain elements of house, disco, funk, soul, and hiphop)

nu jazz: stereolab - fuses (1999) (another fusion genre but this one tends to have a more experimental electronic approach.. no one is surprised i shoved stereolab in here)

electroswing: tape five - tango for a spy (2006) (genre known for using jazz samples with modern dance music styles. electroswing is largely a misnomer for a lot of the music that falls under it bc a lot of it samples jazz that predates swing. but thats just my semantic thing)

[fatehbaz]

Occupying an interstitial position between different continents [...], [t]his position as a space-between-spaces makes the Maghrib a hub [...]. [I]nvestigate the location of the Maghrib beyond the dominant binary of Arab vs. Francophone, the much-critiqued idea of the Sahara as a barrier, or the assumption of the Maghrib as an insular space. [...] [T]he Maghrib was a revolutionary concept [...]. [T]he idea of the Maghrib was rooted in anticolonial thought, one which the machinations of colonial power and exigencies of postcolonial state building and border disagreements have stalled ever since. [...]

Tamazgha -- as indigenous Amazigh activists have chosen to call North Africa since the 1990s -- was populated by Amazigh populations of Christian and Jewish faiths. [...] These dynamics, however, neither eliminated Amazigh language and culture nor drove out the sizable Jewish populations that shared this Judeo-Islamic space. Rather, it was nineteenth- and twentieth-century European colonialism [...]. Governments have either entirely silenced Amazigh language and culture, as was the case in Libya and Tunisia, or actively repressed them, as was the case in Algeria and Morocco.

Nevertheless, a vibrant Amazigh Cultural Movement (ACM) has struggled to re-Amazighize the Maghrib by inventing traditions and refiguring toponymies.

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Tamazgha, which this ACM defines as extending from the Siwa Oasis in Egypt to the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean, has replaced both “North Africa” and “the Maghrib” in activist nomenclature.

Activists have thus reinscribed this consciousness of “al-dath al-amazighiyya” (the Amazigh self/subjectivity) in public spaces as well as in the markers of Maghribi geographies.

Gone are the days when Amazigh people could be simply erased from the cartography of their native lands. Tamazight has acquired a constitutional status in Morocco and an official one in Algeria. Its speakers are working to have it recognized in Libya and Tunisia. [...]

The ubiquity of the Tifinagh alphabet (the Tamazight script) and the proliferation of Tamazight literary and audiovisual production has created a new cultural reality. Across short stories, novels, film, and music, Amazigh creators are reinventing the Maghrib and reconciling it with its indigenous past. [...]

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The rise of taskla Tamazight (Amazigh literature) and cultural production is the single most transformative literary development in the last thirty years of the Tamazghan intellectual movement. [...] Amazigh cultural producers are not just rehabilitating their mother tongue. They also rehabilitate an erased geography, a sense of indigeneity, and the relation-ship between space and people.

Shamal Iiriqiyya (North Africa in Arabic), Afrique du Nord (North Africa in French), or the Maghrib, are geographical and political appellations superimposed on the region [...]. Alternatively, Tamazgha is a politically conscious name that is from the same root as Tamazight.

Tamazgha means the land of the indigenous Imazighen, which reconfigures space, revisits history, and questions accepted toponymies. [...]

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The plurality of the Maghrib and its multilingualism will undoubtably acquire a different meaning when we read them from the perspective of indigenous authors in Amazigh languages. Immersion in the discourses of the ACM reveals [...] foundational ideas like le Maghrib pluriel (the plural Maghrib) [...]. These organizations seeded and then advocated the idea of “al-wahda fi al-tannawwu‘” (unity in diversity). [...]

Whether it is Algerian Kabyle musician Idir, the Moroccan band Izenzaren (Sun Rays), or Malian Tuareg band Tinariwin (Deserts), Amazigh melodies and poetry travel, cross boundaries, and reconnect Imazighen across the globe.

This “traveling Tamazgha” complicates the Maghrib’s location and invites a constant mapping and remapping of the space and its aesthetics.

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Text by: Brahim El Guabli. ”Where is the Maghreb? Theorizing a Liminal Space.” Arab Studies Journal Vol. XXIX, No. 2. Fall 2021. [Bold emphasis and some paragraph breaks/contractions added by me.]