#title inspired by when we are together by the 1975

[horrorslvt]

Hii i just finished watching orphan first kill and i‘m OBSESSED with gunnar!!! Could you please write an x fem reader where the reader is a bookworm and when she visits him she has a book with her and they’re both lying on the bed and she’s reading while he’s laying on top of her and he’s like admiring her and asking himself how he got so lucky while she’s like stroking his hair and shit I’M SORRY IF THIS IS KINDA WEIRD IT’S MY FIRST REQUEST AND HE’S JUST SO NSKDBEKDBSJ😭😭

When we are together.

Pairing: Gunnar Albright x fem! reader.

Summary: Gunnar likes to (lighthearteadly) tease you a lot for reading, but he also likes to listen and spend quality time with you.

Trigger warnings: –

A/N: HIIII, it's been a long time coming, huh. I really hope you like this and am sorry for making you wait so long. Genuinely love this request and how cute and fluff it is. Also, thank you so much for your patience and for checking on me while I was gone 💕 (୨୧ ˶ˆ꒳ˆ˵)

It wasn't rare for you and Gunnar to spend a lot of time together. You were both in your last year at school and were in the same class, so you saw each other all the time at school.

On top of that, you two also had the same friendgroup, so you also saw each other all the time when hanging out with friends. But it's not the same as spending time alone together.

When you two are surrounded by friends, usually Gunnar is next to you, either holding your hand or with an arm around your shoulders or a hand on your thigh, but he doesn't get too lovey dovey in front of other people. Which you understand.

However, in private, he's different. He also touches you a lot and such, but he feels way more free to tease you, kiss you, and compliment you, too.

That was what was happening today. His parents had some random work meeting (as usual), so of course, Gunnar wanted to spend time with his favorite girl.

As you knocked on the door, he opened it with a bright smile, one only you got to see for the most part.

It wasn't the usual cocky smirk he had when teasing one of your friends, or the proud smile he had when he won a fencing match, or the forced smile he gave his parents in awkward moments when he actually wanted to roll his eyes and walk away. The smiles he had for you were different. They were genuine and had no second intention behind them.

"Hey, pretty girl." He said and wrapped his hand around your wrist, pulling you closer to him. Once you were close enough he kissed you while closing the door.

You kissed back, smiling slightly into the kiss. As you two parted, you didn't move your wrist away from his grasp.

"Hi." You said smiling softly up at him. "What's the plan for the day?" You added a bit more playfully.

He looked at you, raising an eyebrow and smirking slightly. "It's spending time with me not a good enough plan?" He asked teasingly, making you roll your eyes and chuckle.

"Yeah, I can settle for that, I guess." You answered playfully, making him roll his eyes now and pull you softly by the wrist.

He walked through the expensive big house, pulling you along, your eyes on his back and arm as you two walked to his room.

As you two reached his bedroom, he sat on his bed and gave you a small curious look. "What's in your bag?" He asked.

You chuckled and opened the totebag you had, taking out a book, which made him chuckle and roll his eyes playfully.

"I thought you were reading another one." He said, leaning back on his hands on the bed.

Your eyes looked him up and down quickly as he sat that way before answering him. "I was, but I finished it. I started this one yesterday, it's a mystery one, you would like it." You said with a smile, walking closer to him.

He looked up at you with a faint smirk and nodded slightly before talking, his tone slightly teasing. "You think so? Why don't you read a couple of chapters to me and I tell you what I think?" He said.

A smile appeared on your face before you moved to sit next to him. As you did that, though, he moved his hand and placed it on your stomach, making you lay down.

After you did, he moved and laid down on top of you, making sure not to crush. His head rested on your chest as you opened the book.

When you started reading out loud, he stayed still and let you read peacefully, his hand resting on your waist and caressing it softly. Being honest, he wasn't listening.

He wanted to listen to you and pay attention to what you were reading, but he couldn't. The words were going in one ear and out the other. His eyes and mind were too fixated on your face instead.

His brown eyes kept looking over your whole face, looking at your eyes as they scanned the pages and then at your lips as they moved. God, you were so beautiful.

Gunnar's brain disconnected, and he wasn't sure how long he spent just looking at you admiring all the details on your face, from the lines inside your iris, the scars and faint freckles on your cheeks, the shape of your nose, the color of your lips.

It all looked so beautifully put together, as if you were a sculpture and someone had taken all the time in the world to make you perfect. All your features seemed not only beautiful on their own but also made your face look harmonious.

"That's two chapters. Do you know if you like it already or want me to read more?" Your voice suddenly snapped him out his trance.

"More." He answered. Don't ask me about the book, don't ask me about the book, don't ask me about the book, he thought, since he wouldn't have an answer.

"Okay." You said with a soft smile and went back to reading. Thank God.

As you went back to reading, he looked at your face and then at the book. He decided to move his hand up from your waist and held the book for you.

You smiled softly at that, and as your eyes went to him for a second to silently thank him, he nudged your chest with his head softly, silently asking for you to caress him.

A small chuckle escaped your lips before your now free hand went to caress his hair while you read, and he looked at you lovingly. Hours went by like that, finishing the book without him paying attention to much of it. He had better things to think about, like you for example.

[celestie0]

does anyone wanna be on taglist for this choso x reader fic? 🧚‍♀️✨

edit: hellooo if you're seeing this now, i already uploaded the first chapter here!! you can comment under the chapter post if you would like to be added to the taglist :)

HI BABES i’m starting a new choso fic series :””) here’s a bit of info about it:

ᰔ title. in another life

ᰔ pairing. rock band au - punk rock!choso x fem!reader ft. fiancé!nanami

ᰔ genres. smut, fluff, angst, second chance romance, time skips, love triangle, bad boy choso, slight age gap (five yrs), longterm pining, messy decisions, jealousy, etc.

ᰔ summary. you and choso were lovers in college when him and his rock band were just nobodies with nothing but a dream, but when his band strikes a deal with an up-and-coming record label in tokyo, you make the tough decision to break up with him since you couldn’t go with him to the city. flash forward seven years, his band is the biggest rock band in the world, n you move from the countryside to tokyo with your fiancé nanami to start your new life together. but in the heart of the city, home to many, there’s one person there that still has the power to turn your whole life upside down. and when you run into him again after all those years, feelings you didn’t know were still haunting you come crashing back all at once, and you’re not sure what it is you want from your life anymore.

inspired by a lot of things lol but mostly the anime nana, the movie past lives, the book before we were strangers, and the song about you by the 1975 (aka angst galore)

here is a little teaser:

lol i literally couldn’t choose which part to tease but i feel like this part kinda fits the vibe

the first chapter is already done! it’s 11k words and will be posted tomorrow apr 4th @ 2pm PST :)) very exciteeeddd for it hehe

but anyway, if you’d like to be on taglist for it, please leave a comment under this post!!

thank u to anyone who supports the fic 🥺💕

[enn-jay]

Can u share your list with us so we can know what to expect

Always happy to talk about my writing! 😁

So this is the list I'm working on atm. I have no idea what order they will come in as I just work on whatever takes my fancy and sometimes a new idea comes in and takes over - which is what happened with Treacherous and Is It Over Now? As I've said before, I get very little time for writing, sometimes as little as 2 hours a week, so I do what I can. Luckily, I have the amazingly supportive @emmainldn cheering me on constantly, otherwise I'd probably never get anything written!

Haylor fics currently in the pipeline:

The Very First Night - about the first time they got together in March/April 2012. I started this before Treacherous but it's got similar vibes, so might end up taking a backseat for a while as I used a lot of my ideas for it in Treacherous. I do have other ideas for it though so it will probably happen eventually. It's a bit more angsty than Treacherous as it goes a bit "rust that grew between telephones-y" later on.

Just A Little Bit of Your Heart - Sequel to Midnight, late 2014ish. Harry wants to be with Taylor properly but she's keeping him at arms length and he's not very good at communicating. Angst and possibly no/little smut which is weird for me! This is almost complete and will probably be posted first.

Cruel Summer (working title) - Summer 2016 (possibly, not 100% decided on the timeline). This one will be open/ongoing episodes/hook ups and is literally just an excuse to write smut whenever I want without having to think of a proper storyline.

A Million Little Times - this is the big boy. Long series fic where Taylor is with John when they meet but Harry falls for her anyway. Over the years they hurt each other a million little times but they can't seem to stay away from each other. This will be split into two halves and I'm not posting until the first half is nearly done, so don't expect it any time soon, but if I go quiet, I'm probably working on this. I'm pretty sure it will be worth the wait.

Passports in Footwells - Break up fic Dec 2012/Jan 2013 - Chronicals the little mistakes and misunderstandings that leads to them breaking up even though they still love each other. Heated arguments, full angst, almost definitely some smut too. This one is only a couple of sentences long atm but I can see it zooming past the others cuz I'm really excited for it. I like writing pain.

Vigilante Shit - Current Harry watching a TikTok of Taylor performing Vigilante Shit at Eras. Very short but about finished, I've only not posted this because it's so short and I'm wondering if I need to add something else or make it part of a series or something.

5 Reasons Matty Healy Hates Harry Styles and 1 Reason He Doesn't - haylor from an outsiders perspective looking in. A very jealous outsiders perspective. Inspired by an incredibly interesting 1 hour video essay I watched about Matty having one-sided beef with Harry Styles. And Robbers by The 1975. I'm well aware noone asked for this fic but the idea came to me practically half-formed one day. 😂

I Can See You - Vmas hook up! - Someone suggested this the other day, but there is a scene in A Million Little Times which I think is set at the vmas so might include it in that...if not though I will write this at some point because 🔥🔥🔥.

[5sosfanfictioncatalogue]

House Party Masterlist

Always By Your Side (ao3) - adamadterdark Michael/Luke, Calum/Ashton T, 800 Words

Summary: Michael didn't like the idea of someone choosing his soulmate.

can't find the sound under my tongue (ao3) - lifewasradical Luke/Ashton M, 13k

Summary: One year, nine months, eighteen days. Luke and Ashton have been attached at the hip for one year, nine months, and eighteen days. Six hundred, fifty six days. Almost twenty two months. One could argue that no, it’s actually been months and years longer than that; but officially, their time together is bound by a date, one solid time where they said yeah, this is it. Despite being this far into a relationship, one punctuated by extended time on the road, living so intertwined, they still don’t live together.

Or, Ashton refuses to move in with Luke. Alternately, a fic inspired by black butterflies and deja vu

He Loves Me Not, He Love Me (ao3) - CliffordAffliction Calum/Ashton E, 13k

Summary: Calum confesses his love to Ashton after years of deep feelings for him and it doesn’t go well; two days later Ashton gets in a car accident and it changes everything.

I don't wanna be your friend, I wanna kiss your neck (ao3) - hemmingskfc N/R, 2k

Summary: The title is from The 1975’s “fallingforyou”. Michael and Ashton move in a house next to Luke’s. They turn the house, along with dozen other boys and girls. The loud music and the partying drives Luke’s parents crazy, and they send him to their house to tell them to “keep it down”, because teenagers listen to teenagers, right?

Or the one where Michael and Luke meet a party and end up fucking loudly.

Lightweight (ao3) - cornflowerblue (@daydadahlias) T, 5k

Summary: Rule #1 of a night out; you don’t turn your back on drunk Luke Hemmings. You don’t do it.

Ashton swears he only turned his back for a second.

Tempest (ao3) - merlypops Michael/Luke, Luke/Ashton E, 314k

Summary: You’ve got me feeling strange, ‘Cause I love to hate you so damn much, But I can’t think of leaving, ‘Cause you’re what keeps me breathing.

'Calum pointedly didn’t look at Michael’s emerald green eyes or the soft curve of his cherry-coloured lips. He didn’t think about how looking at Michael these days made his heart clench in his chest because, if Calum did let himself consider that, everything that he’d fought so hard to believe would crumble around him.'

Calum's best friends are falling apart, Mali is gone, and Calum just wants to be perfect.

The Party Scene (ao3) - AhoyFaytho Michael/Luke T, 2k

Summary: Luke gets fucked up at a party.

we all look for heaven and we put our love first (ao3) - merlypops Luke/Ashton, Michael/Calum E, 9k

Summary: ‘Ashton held Luke tighter, like he couldn’t get enough of him... like maybe Luke’s presence was addictive too, like a drug that Ashton couldn’t live without anymore. Luke liked that thought – and it was the same when he was going down on Ashton really. He loved being able to carefully and methodically tear apart the older boy’s self-control, loved that quiet sense of power it gave him. He wanted more of it.'

A drunken kiss at a party sends Luke’s life spiralling out of control and Ashton is powerless to stop it.

Based on “This Is What Makes Us Girls” by Lana Del Rey.

White Noise (ao3) - merlypops Luke/Ashton E, 7k

Summary: 'Luke had high expectations for the evening and, somehow, he kind of knew Ashton wasn't going to disappoint him. Then again, the older boy could give Luke the world's worst hand job and he'd probably still love it. Crushes were the worst. Except when you got to have sex with your crush. Then they were pretty damn great.'

Luke and Ashton have massive crushes on each other, Ashton throws a party, and all of Luke's dreams come true. (Maybe they're a tiny bit in love too. Maybe.)

you call me up (but you got my number wrong) (ao3) - FayeHunter, lifewasradical Luke/Calum T, 16k

Summary: Calum (12:00pm) Hi. I got this number from a friend. I wanted to know if you were still offering tutoring services for Biology

Unknown number (12:08pm) Sorry, who is this?

Or, Calum accidentally texts the wrong number.

[betweenthings2]

love love love your writing! the first thing of yours I read was Second Letter From St Julien and I’ve reread it multiple times. sending you colossal amounts of love, appreciation, applause, gratitude, warmth, flowers, confetti hearts… and a request for prompt 19 (for luck) please? <3

Thank you!! I'm so glad you liked St. Julien! I wrote it at the beginning of my semester abroad (also when I saw The 1975 for the first time) and I was lonely and super anxious and listening to a lot of Sorority Noise which is partly why it's so sad, but it was inspired in part by a piece of writing I found on Pinterest of all places rather along with the Sorority Noise song I took the title from.

Anyway, here's A Kiss...for luck.

Matty isn't entirely sure what to do with himself. They're about to be back on stage for the first time in almost a year, for the first time since he fucked it all up, and he is painfully, upsettingly sober. There's no weed, no wine, no nothing, just nicotine, but nicotine feels a whole lot like oxygen for him a this point, and his hands are shaking, and he's going to make a fool of himself, again, he's going to make fools out of all of them, again, if he can't get it together, because shaking hands fumble chords and oh, god, this is about to be a disaster.

Matty is aware that he's spiraling. He's been spiraling a lot more lately, forced to always be in his own head. Just one, he thinks. Just one hit, one drink, one pill and he'd be fine. He doesn't want to relapse--he's done that and the guilt and misery is just about more than he can handle--he just wants, needs, something to make this easier. He hasn't been on stage in almost a year, but prior to that, he hadn't been on stage sober in years. He knows everyone around him knows that, but he knows it too much now and why had he told everyone he needed a few minutes on his own? He doesn't know how to dig himself out of these spirals on his own.

It would be easy to ask for someone to come be with him. It would be easy because he knows that someone, everyone, is on the other side of the dressing room door, because everyone had taken one look at his restless pacing and shaking hands and decided that if he really needed his alone time, he could have it in a dressing room with someone on the other side of the door in case. In case. Matty hates that phrase, hates that it gets applied to him, hates that everyone thinks he needs a fucking babysitter in case.

Finally, finally, finally, when Matty thinks he's actually about to go crazy, George knocks on the door and come in. Thank god for George. His gaze lands on Matty, in his frantic, spiraling, pacing and he softens and closes the door softly behind him.

Gently, he says, "Matty."

"I'm ok," Matty chokes out. "I'm fine, I'm sober, we're gonna play a show. I'm ok."

"C'mere," George says.

Matty does as George asks, practically collapsing against his chest and letting out a very long breath when George hugs him.

"There ya go," George murmurs. "Everything's ok."

"It's not ok. I'm not ok. We haven't been on stage in, like, a year and I haven't been on stage sober in actual years and my hands won't stop shaking and you had someone standing outside the door in case I decide to take off and I don't need a fucking babysitter, except that maybe I kind of do, and-"

"Matty," George cuts in shifting so he can look Matty in the eye, "you're spiraling."

"I know that," Matty mutters, gaze falling to the floor. Still, someone else having said it takes some of the wind from his sails and he manages another deep breath. "I can't help it."

"How can I help?" George asks.

Matty shrugs and repeats, "I haven't been on stage sober in years."

George nods, leaving space for Matty to continue.

"What if I'm shit? What if everything falls apart?"

"We kept things together when you were high out of your mind. I've got faith in you. Have some faith in me, too. Have some faith in Ross and Hann."

Matty takes a hitched breath, like he might start crying, and says, "I don't know how to do it like this."

"You know the songs. You wrote those songs. We made those songs, you and me. You know them."

"That's not what I mean. I mean that I don't know how to be on stage sober. I don't know how to have all those people looking at me." Matty pauses, then continues, "When I was using, they were looking at me, but they weren't looking at me, they were looking at a fucking mess. Now it's just me and if I fuck it up it's because I'm a fuck up."

"You're not a fuck up, Matty. How many times have I made mistakes on stage? Ross? Hann?"

Matty shrugs, petulant. Part of him wants to hide here, feeling sorry for himself.

"We all make mistakes all the time," George continues. "No one notices. I promise you no one notices."

Matty doesn't say anything. George is right.

"It's gonna be ok. You're gonna be great. You are great."

"'s just," Matty pauses. "I'm supposed to be better now. I'm supposed to be all better and just fine, but I don't really feel all better." There's another pause, then, "I'm afraid I can't do this anymore."

"You're the only person who doesn't believe you can do this," George tries. "I know you can do this, but if it turns out you need more time or something needs to change, then we'll make it happen, but you don't know until you try, right?"

Matty nods and echoes, "Right."

And George smiles, brilliant, and asks, "You ready then?"

Matty nods, so George guides him towards the door of the dressing room, pausing just before he opens it to lean down and kiss Matty hard.

"You're gonna be great," George promises when they separate slightly.

Matty nods slightly again, so they head out of the dressing room and towards the stage. Just before they go on, Matty pulls George in for one more kiss, and explains, "For luck," when they separate.

It's a good show.

[allylikethecat]

hi! im new to your blog and discovered you through your Matty/Taylor fake dating fic and I just loved it. I hope you update it soon because the fic is perfect. I'm fairly new to caring about Matty (and by extension Matty/Taylor) because TTPD made me so fascinated by how messy they seemed. TTPD got me to read fanfic about them which previously only happened with Haylor (my beloved) and Tayvis. I think Matty has joined my list of Taylor's muses that I actually am interested in.

Following from that, do you have any recommendations for the 1975 songs? I'm not sure where to start.

Also, very excited to see Fictional!George meet Fictional!Taylor.

Hello and welcome! Thank you so much for reading 😊 I'm so happy to hear that you're enjoying You Know Where the City Is! Unfortunately, I'm not entirely sure when or if I'm going to be updating YKWTCI again. I've been having a lot of complicated feelings about Taylor lately and am currently not a huge fan of hers anymore- more power to the people that are, and I think she's incredibly talented, she's just not really for me anymore at the moment. I'm not saying inspiration won't strike and that I won't update it again, I just don't really have any kind of time line for it at the moment.

I also feel like I need to add a disclaimer that I really, really, really dislike Kelce and have for a very, very long time. (He's a fucking glorified oversized wide receiver and should not be part of the tight end conversations because he doesn't play the position fully- you will not be changing my mind on this I have the stats to back me up. Gronk is the greatest tight end of all time because he PLAYED THE POSITION FULLY and also Kelce only has success when runs the routes that are literally referred to as GRONK ROUTES because they where created for / popularized BY GRONK) I am a sports girlie at heart, I love football, and I hate the Chiefs so much.

In terms of The 1975 songs - WOW this feels like being asked to pick my favorite child lol I'd say start with their first self titled album and then move through the discography in chronological order. That's how I did it back in the dark ages (I didn't have a choice their self titled album was their only album when I started listening to them lol) BUT in terms of my favorites at this particular moment - it's always changing:

The 1975 - The City, Robbers, Menswear, Me, You

ILIWYS - Change of Heart, The Ballad of Me and my Brain, Lostmyhead, The Sound

A Brief Inquiry - Sincerity Is Scary, Love It If We Made It, It's Not Living, Inside Your Mind

Notes on a Conditional Form (Justice for Notes) - People, Frail State of Mind, The Birthday party, Road Kill, Me & You Together Song, I Think There's Something You Should Know, Tonight (I Wish I Was Your Boy), Nothing Revealed / Everything Denied, Guys

Being Funny In a Foreign Language - Happiness, Part of the Band, All I Need to Hear, About You, When We Are Together

Honorable mention because they're not technically on the albums: Medicine and Milk

Thank you SO MUCH for reading and for sending this ask my way! I hope you have a chance to check out some of my other fics and that you enjoy them as well. I also apologize if this isn't the answer you're looking for, and hopefully I will eventually get back to YKWTCI. If you ever want to chat about the boys, don't hesitate to reach out, they are one of my favorite topics of discussion lol I hope you are having a lovely Tuesday and that you have a fantastic rest of your week!

❤️Ally

[crescenthoax]

I will never love again 1: What inspired you to write the fic this way? 2: Which scene did you put on first? 3: What is your favorite plot? 4: What's your favorite line of dialogue? 5: Which part was hardest to write? 6: What is your fic special or different from all your other fics? 7: Where did the title come from? 8: Did any real person or event inspire any part of this? 9: Was there an alternate version of this fic? 10: Why did you choose this pairing for this particular story? 11: What do you like most about this fic? 12: What do you like least about this fic? 13: What song did you hear that made you want to write this story? Or if you haven't heard anything yet, what do you think readers should hear to keep us reading? 14: Is there anything you would like readers to learn from reading this fic? 15: What did you learn from writing this fic?

Oh jesus christ. Okay let’s see, I’ll try to be as brief as possible.

1. I guess I just wrote what I would like to read. Back in october, there weren't any Aegon fics (mostly Aemond x niece/sister), and I thought I would be happy writing for us Aegon enthusiasts since there was too much hate around.

2. The first scene I wrote was teenage Aegon meeting teenage Annika (with some Rhys foreshadowing as well), but at the last minute I decided I didn’t want them to be familiar with each other or have any preconceptions when they got married, so I went for the original prologue.

3. Annika in Rhaenyra’s court, 100%. I adore her entire internal struggle and the person she’s becoming.

4. Ughh either the “your love is a curse” “then you must be a curse breaker” bit or the “hair grows back, your dead children don’t”.

5. You know what, I have the hardest time writing happy/fluffy moments, like grief comes naturally but the entire love plot I tend to overthink it a lot because I don't want to make it cheesy, and to be honest, I don't think I'm very good at it. Lately, though, it's the entire war plot that's getting on my last nerve.

6. Definitely the fact that I've never gotten this far with any of my other works. I'm so committed to it and to the characters that I don't know what I'm going to do once it's finished.

7. I think it was that the 1975 song happiness one of my friends kept singing and it stuck with me for WEEKS, then I had an epiphany while listening to cowboy like me by taylor swift and here we are.

8. There’s a lot of me in Annika and there’s a lot of my trauma and my love and my friends and my life but no one is inspired in no one.

9. Never. A drama queen with intimacy issues and a pathetic wimpy mess full of rage were my ride or die since day one.

10. I wanted to write something real and raw, someone who unapologetically made mistakes, and my boy failure Aegon was a perfect match for it. Besides I feel like all of you just… Get it in the way I wanted you to get it. It wouldn’t work if Annika was paired with Aemond for example. It had to be them.

11. The family dynamics. I love the fact that the green brothers found not just love but a real family with the girls. They might have their differences, but at the end of the day, they're all they have.

12. That I put on a lot of detail and made it too complicated and sometimes it’s hard to keep up.

13. I don’t think is just one in particular but a bunch of sad indie songs glued together. I’m gonna make a playlist someday.

14. Oh it actually terrifies me that someone might learn something from this flawed story but I guess that’s a good point, that you’re valid and deserving of love no matter how much you believe otherwise.

15. Yeah that I am insane lol.

[lunios28]

Jollibee & Facebook Pandemic Advertisement

Jollibee, the most prominent Filipino fast-food chain, was founded by Dr. Tony Tan Caktiong in 1975. It first began as a two-branch ice cream store and subsequently expanded to serving hot meals. Today, Jollibee has been expanding to other parts of the world and has been grabbing milestones ever since it was first established.

Furthermore, the fast-food chain is also known to release heart-whelming advertisements. On November 21, 2020, they released an ad about how a child sees joy even during the times of the pandemic. The video is entitled "Jollibee, Sarap Kasama ang Pamilya." At first, the ad starts sadly, and a boy expresses how he questions how long life will remain this way, with people's smiles gone, how people stay indoors to keep safe from the virus, and how he can not play outside on the playground. Then the video shifts to a more lively vibe, and the boy expresses his happiness. He questions when life will remain this way, where he gets to spend time and bond daily with his family. Then by the end of the video, the ad displays that 2020's Christmas may be different; the gift of being with your family is still the best. Even though the intended audience was the general public, the ad couldn't be applied to everyone because there are broken families, overseas Filipino workers restricted from visiting their families in the Philippines, and unhappy families due to personal issues. Despite this, the advertisement had solely intended to show the audience how some children see the world during the epidemic.

Through this video, Jollibee also promotes its food. With the affordable and high-quality products of Jollibee, their food can undoubtedly benefit those who are trying to save up or those who just want to eat great-tasting food.

Overall, this Jollibee advertisement has shown no media manipulation, as it only wanted to deliver the importance of family and how the pandemic has given everyone new challenges to face. Jollibee employed strategic promotion of the brand, leading it to success.

One of the most popular social media applications or sites worldwide is Facebook. In 2004, in a dorm room at Harvard University, Facebook was created by Mark Zuckerberg along with Andrew McCollum, Dustin Moskovitz, Chris Hughes, and Eduardo Saverin. Zuckerberg was a self-taught computer programmer and dropped out of college to focus on his social networking site.

On April 1, 2020, almost a month after the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide, Mark Zuckerberg and Meta (formerly known as Facebook) launched a film advertisement about the world during the pandemic. Throughout the duration of the video, we can hear the spoken word poetry of the British poet, Kate Tempest. The ad also showcases clips of how empty the environment looks because human activity is lacking. It reveals the challenges individuals face, from front liners risking their lives, to people crying probably because of a loss due to the virus or because they are separated from their loved ones. It shows how everyone is affected by the epidemic, but despite that, people are still reunited, and there is still peace. We can see in the advertisement that people come together to encourage one another through video calls or from the balcony of their homes. By the film's end, Facebook portrays a message, which is also the video's title: "We're never lost if we can find each other." This film ad is meant for everyone worldwide, as we all face the Coronavirus simultaneously. This inspired thousands of people since we were reminded that we are not alone in the process of overcoming the global pandemic.

The product advertised by Facebook in this short advertisement was a support hub meant for everyone. The community help platform allows users to volunteer or seek help from others for services such as grocery delivery or food distribution. They can also donate to or organize their own fundraisers to help with relief efforts.

All in all, no media manipulation has been used in the film advertisement as Facebook relayed its genuine message that we can get through the pandemic together. It has only shown real content of clips of the events that went down during the proliferation of the virus and has encouraged many people.

References:

Angeles-Agdeppa, I., Javier, C. A., Duante, C. A., & Maniego, Ma. L. V. (2022). Impacts of COVID-19 Pandemic on Household Food Security and Access to Social Protection Programs in the Philippines: Findings From a Telephone Rapid Nutrition Assessment Survey. Food and Nutrition Bulletin, 037957212210783. https://doi.org/10.1177/03795721221078363

Downey, L. (2021, September 16). Mark Zuckerberg Definition. Investopedia. https://www.investopedia.com/terms/m/mark-zuckerberg.asp

Facebook. (2020). We’re never lost if we can find each other. [YouTube Video]. In YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWwVFywBCeY

Facebook: What is Facebook? (n.d.). GCFGlobal.org. https://edu.gcfglobal.org/en/facebook101/what-is-facebook/1/#

Jollibee. (2021). History and Milestones. Jollibee Foods Corporation - Jollibee Group. https://jollibeegroup.com/history-milestones/

Jollibee Studios. (2020). Jollibee, Sarap Kasama ang Pamilya [YouTube Video]. In YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-kdKPPCjfk

[highnoteblog]

The 1975’s “About You” is a shoegaze masterpiece that is sure to make its way to the strings of your broken heart

By Kenzie Sy

“About You” serves as a lyrical masterpiece as it is a continuation of their 2013 Single titled “Robbers”. A long-awaited, but unexpected, sequel to their previous hit. The 1975 heavily emphasizes the self-referential aspect of “About You”, which makes the song even more interesting after knowing the history and inspiration behind it. 

The narrator of the song talks about the nostalgia and grief of a previous relationship. The singer, Healy, emphasizes the lines “Do you think I have forgotten? About you?” multiple times throughout the course of the song. It talks about how, despite the time that has passed, he still remembers the connection he had with this certain person and reassures them that he has not forgotten anything about them. 

The song spans over a good 5 minutes and 26 seconds, with one of the greatest instrumental pieces of the band that leads the listener to experience the emotions in a heightened state. This song also features Carly Holt, the wife of The 1975’s lead guitarist Adam Hann.

In the first verse of the song, Healy sings about “a place” that he goes to when he needs to remember his ex-lover’s face. Indicating that even if he has forgotten certain things about the person, he still remembers them as a lover. Meanwhile, the chorus highlights his feelings of uncertainty and his thoughts of whether this person has faded away completely. 

It all comes down to the bridge, which is one of the best parts of the song. As Holt sings “And there was something about you that now I can't remember. It's the same damn thing that made my heart surrender,” it underscores how, in a sense, he has forgotten about his ex-lover; that he can no longer recall why he was in love in the first place. Ultimately, the song calls attention to his desire to keep his ex-lover in his mind even if the memories have faded. Through this song, he reminds that person that he is able to miss them even without the emotions they have shared. 

During the coda of the song, the words fade out to a long instrumental that captures the emotions of the song. It includes a fuzzed-out guitar and a very unique saxophone sound. 

In the song, Healy sounds very comfortable in the song as he harmonizes with Holt. Although they are singing two very different melodies, their voices fit together perfectly as it creates a harmony that The 1975 has never been able to create before. 

“About You” does its job of serving as one of the best songs in the entire album. I believe it also encompasses the album title “Being Funny in a Foreign Language” perfectly. The song, like the album title, is saying something that only Healy can understand, and though his listeners can associate his lyrics with their own experiences, in the end, he is expressing himself in ways the audience cannot fully understand — like being funny in a foreign language. 

To me, one of the most important parts of understanding the lyricism of “About You” starts in the bridge. When Holt sings it, it evokes a certain emotion from the listener that creates a memory of nostalgia and heartbreak altogether. “I never know what to think about, I think about you,” this lyric, for me, expresses how Healy thinks about this certain person when he no longer knows what to do as if this person gave him a certain direction and drive in his life. As if to say, when I am lost, I think about you. 

I believe that “About You” does a great job in moving the audience, even the way the Y in “You” is capitalized makes the audience understand that this is for a very specific certain someone, the “someone” that we all have in our lives.

I would highly recommend this song to those who appreciate the previous sound of The 1975 as well as those who are inclined to listen to sad songs. The nostalgia and emotion it provokes is simply one that is unique to this song only. Even the instrumental, without the lyrics, can bring out an emotion that you did not know you had in you. 

[realcrocodiletears]

music i love - Being Funny in a Foreign Language (2022)

I believe The 1975 has consistently delivered stellar records throughout their career, and Being Funny in a Foreign Language is certainly no exception. While it may embrace certain clichés, predictability, and silly moments, The 1975 have concocted an album that exudes pure joy and love, making it an "almost-no-skip" delight. Drawing inspiration from the album's predecessor and seamlessly blending complementary elements, the band has fashioned an album that caters to devoted longtime fans and newcomers alike. As they continue to push the boundaries of the alternative genre, The 1975 has once again managed to captivate and enthrall listeners with a sound that continuously finds innovative and intriguing avenues to explore.

The 1975 has built a reputation for crafting lengthy albums, often featuring tracks that don't necessarily enhance the overall experience. However, with Being Funny in a Foreign Language, they have opted for a departure from this tendency, prioritizing quality over quantity while maintaining a consistent sonic journey. Following the lukewarm reception of their previous record, NOACF, the band took a step back to refocus their creative energies. The result is arguably their finest work to date.

One of the album's standout qualities is its duality. It effortlessly shifts between uplifting, melancholic, mellow, and experimental moods. Tracks like Looking for Somebody (To Love) and I'm in Love with You infuse a sense of vitality, while songs such as Human Too and When We Are Together offer heartfelt compositions that add a layer to the band's artistry. About You deserves a special mention; it's an emotionally charged exploration of falling in love, with Matty Healy diving into the vivid sensations and thoughts that accompany this unique experience. The haunting line, "Do you think I have forgotten About you?" lingers, evoking a sense of nostalgia and optimism that can be interpreted in many ways. This track, in particular, has the power to conjure butterflies and provide comfort to the listener, making it a beautiful ballad in the name of love.

Contrary to their evolving sound with each release, The 1975 on Being Funny in a Foreign Language don't venture into entirely new territory. Instead, they revisit and refine concepts from their previous albums and tracks. While some may view it as a recycling of material, it is rather a mastery of their established sound. Elements reminiscent of I love it when you sleep… can be heard in Looking for Somebody (To Love), while About You echoes their self-titled record. Oh Caroline draws from A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships, and Happiness reflects the sound of Notes on a Conditional Form. This love letter to their discography allows for a cohesive yet diverse tracklist that manages to encapsulate the essence of a 1975 song while granting each track its own unique identity.

On Being Funny in a Foreign Language, The 1975 have defeated their own demons, creating a piece that encapsulates a superlative tone, skillful songwriting, and meticulous composition. This album undoubtedly represents the band's journey to date, leveraging an assortment of prior ideas and innovations, and refining them into a record that bridges their past and future endeavors.

8.5/10

~ will

[brn1029]

On this day in music….

September 13th

2019 - Eddie Money

American singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Eddie Money died of cancer age 70. He released over ten albums and had a string of hits in the late Seventies including 'Baby Hold On', 'Two Tickets to Paradise' and 'Take Me Home Tonight'.

2015 - Gary Richrath

Gary Richrath, lead guitarist and songwriter for REO Speedwagon died at the age of 65. Richrath recorded 12 albums with the band before leaving in 1989 and released his own solo album in 1992.

2000 - Elton John

Elton John threw a tantrum when he was set to appear at a sell-out show at the Estoril Casino near Lisbon. Elton was unhappy after the audience were slow in leaving a VIP dinner before the concert, Elton left the building and flew home on his private jet without playing a note.

1985 - MTV Video Music Awards

'We Are The World' won Best Group Video and the Viewer's Choice at the MTV Video Music Awards in New York. Don Henley's 'The Boys Of Summer' video won four trophies, including Best Video. Bruce Springsteen's 'I'm On Fire' gets the nod for Best Male Video and Tina Turner won Best Female Video for 'What's Love Got To Do With It'.

1975 - Janis Ian

Janis Ian's ‘At Seventeen,’ a song about dealing with unrealistic standards of beauty (not typical hit song material at the time), peaked at No.3 on the US chart for the first of two weeks.

1969 - John Lennon

John Lennon & Yoko Ono flew to Canada to perform at the Rock & Roll Revival Show in Toronto, Canada. The band members Eric Clapton, Klaus Voormann and drummer Alan White were put together so late that they had to rehearse on the plane from England. Also making an appearance at the concert were Chuck Berry, Gene Vincent, Bo Diddley, The Doors and Alice Cooper. Lennon later released his performance as the Live Peace in Toronto 1969 album.

1967 - The Beatles

The Beatles formed an electronics company called Fiftyshapes, Ltd. appointing John Alexis Mardas (Magic Alex) to be the company's director. Alex claimed he could build a 72-track tape machine, instead of the 4-track at Abbey Road (this never materialised). One of his more outrageous plans was to replace the acoustic baffles around Ringo Starr's drums with an invisible sonic force field. George Harrison later said that employing Mardas was "the biggest disaster of all time."

1965 - Paul McCartney

The Paul McCartney song 'Yesterday' was released as a Beatles single in the US. McCartney's vocal and acoustic guitar together with a string quartet essentially made for the first solo performance of the band. The final recording was so different from other works by The Beatles that the band members vetoed the release of the song as a single in the United Kingdom. (However, it was issued as a single there in 1976.)

1964 - The Rolling Stones

During a UK tour two dozen rugby players were hired as 'a human crash barrier' at a Rolling Stones gig at the Liverpool Empire. The 'human chain' disappeared under a wave of 5,000 fans as the Stones took to the stage.

1960 - Payola

The Federal Communications act in the USA was amended to outlaw payments of cash or gifts in exchange for airplay of records.

1960 - Ray Peterson

A campaign was started in the UK to ban the American hit 'Tell Laura I Love Her' by Ray Peterson. The song was being denounced in the press as likely to inspire a teen-age "glorious death cult." The story told of a lovesick youngster who drives in a stock car race to win the hand of his sweetheart. He crashes and just before dying, groans out the words of the title.

1958 - Cliff Richard

Cliff Richard made his British TV debut on Jack good's 'Oh Boy', performing 'Move It'. Before he was allowed to appear on the show, Richard was ordered to remove his sideburns.

[celebblogspot]

Sushmita Sen: Queen of Hearts and a Trendsetter In and Out of Bollywood

There are stars who dazzle us with their performances, and then there are stars who shine with their attitude towards life. Sushmita Sen falls neatly into both categories. An enigmatic beauty queen, a doting mother, a gifted actress, and a woman of substance - Sushmita Sen is all this and much more. Let's journey together into the life of this remarkable woman - from the crowning glory of Miss Universe to making a mark in Bollywood and adopting and raising two daughters single-handedly.

Breaking Barriers, One Crown at a Time Born on November 19, 1975, in Hyderabad, India, Sushmita Sen was destined for greatness. At the tender age of 18, she did India proud by becoming the first woman from the country to win the Miss Universe title in 1994. It wasn't just a victory for Sushmita; it was a triumphant moment for every Indian woman, signaling that they too could dream as big as they wanted to.

Captivating the Silver Screen Post her pageant victory, Sushmita stepped into the world of Bollywood, earning her stripes as a versatile actress capable of donning any cap. From her debut movie "Dastak" (1996) to films like "Sirf Tum" (1999), "Biwi No.1" (1999), "Main Hoon Na" (2004), and the recent web series "Aarya" (2020), Sushmita's bravura performances have left indelible imprints on the hearts of audiences.

Redefining Motherhood and Singlehood Motherhood, they say, is a choice you make every day to put someone else's happiness and well-being ahead of your own. Sushmita Sen made this choice not once, but twice, when she decided to adopt Renee in 2000, and Alisah in 2010. She didn't just break social norms; she rewrote them and became the epitome of modern motherhood, tackling societal pressures and raising two beautiful daughters single-handedly with grace, strength, and unconditional love.

The Unwavering Advocate Outside the spotlight marking her successful career, Sushmita has always been an advocate for social causes. The actor is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and avidly participates in initiatives to raise awareness about public health and social injustices, including HIV/AIDS protection and fighting against female foeticide and child trafficking.

Standing Tall, Taking Strides Sushmita's ability to traverse career paths while balancing parenthood and her advocacy work makes her a standout figure in a world where celebrities often struggle to maintain their individuality. Her story, though set on a path lined with Roses and shining with the sheen of the silver screen, stands testament of one woman's courage to chart her own course and stand tall - making her a much-loved and respected personality both on and off screen.

Let’s remember that the Sushmita Sen we know today hasn't been molded by her circumstances but by her decisions. Celebrating this powerhouse woman, we look forward to what the future holds for her - more impactful roles, more power to her causes, and more love for her daughters. As she continues to inspire millions across the globe, in her own words, let us remember to "celebrate life in all its hues."

[icarusthelunarguard]

This Week’s Horrible-Scopes

It’s time for this week’s Horrible-Scopes! So for those of you that know your Astrological Signs, cool! If not, just pick one, roll a D12, or just make it up as you go along. It really doesn’t matter. Better yet! Check out “Heart of the Game, Fredonia” and see if they can sell you those D12’s with the symbols on them. Tell them “Shujin Tribble” sentcha. And “Hail, Hail, Fredonia!” Home of the Blue Devil!

This week… It’s time for a POST-DISCO kick in the music feels. So brush off your calf-wrap wedges and let’s BOOGIE!.

Aries 

Comin’ in STRONG! K.C. and the Sunshine Band’s mega-hit “That’s the Way I Like It” from 1975! No, it’s not POST-Disco - it is very much totally Disco! With the simple four drum pattern and the swelling horn section behind the funky bass playin’. This week, this is your new workout song. If you strut to it down the street people will know you’re a bad muthuh! 

Taurus 

A lot of Disco, a lot of R&B, a whole LOT of funk… Three words will pull you into the mood: Earth… Wind… Fire! Another massive hit from 1979 this time is “Boogie Wonderland”. Put that song on and just groove to the bass player again, because it’s the kind of sound that just deserves to be appreciated for a change. This week put on that track, pop in your ear buds, close your eyes, and just immerse yourself in that track.

Gemini  

Continuing to move up the years you’re getting a great one-hit wonder from 1982. The group is Indeed and the song is “Last Night a DJ Saved My Life”. We’re making this one nice and quick for you; go find and watch some episodes of WKRP in Cincinnati, specifically the pilot episode, and weep for the days when live on-air DJ’s brought people together to enjoy music. OH, and the magic word of the day? “BOOGER!”

Cancer Moon-Child 

Somethin’ Kool in the night for you, Cancer. Once upon a time ago this song title spurred a drinking slogan and it’s still in use today. 1979’s “Ladies’ Night” by Kool & The Gang. Another great bass performance you should catch, but it’s slips by super fast: That sliding bass note JUST as the song starts just makes the mood. This week surprise folks with something fun just before an inter-office meeting; like coffee and donuts… or a suggestion to cut the meeting at 7 minutes, finished or not.   

Leo 

Bouncing up to 1983 here’s a great synth-heavy beat from Denice Williams; “Let’s Hear It For The Boy” doesn’t use bass guitar the same way so many of these other songs do, but the lick is still pretty special. This week go watch the video for this song and get an appreciation for the background dancers’ skill! You could still dance like that too if you’d just get over yourself. 

Virgo 

Slipping back one year to 1982 brings us to one of the Grand Poobahs of funk and soul and R&B and greatness on a level hard to over appreciate. The singer-songwriter this time is Stevie Wonder… and honestly we could just stop right there and you’d be smiling ear to ear, right? But we promised a single song, so for you go back and listen to “Do I Do”, and enjoy all the happy brain juices you’ll be getting from it.

Libra 

Switching gears in a BIG way takes us to 1979 and one fabulous group that’s re-gained attention years after their hay-day. “Shine a Little Love” from the Electric Light Orchestra isn’t their biggest hit by any stretch, but holy smokes the engineering mix on that song is great! Just listen to that drum kit and the high hat! Seriously if you aren’t air-drumming to this thing by the second verse there’s something wrong. 

Scorpio 

You’re getting something a lot cooler, calmer, smoother, and it rounds out 1979 in a way that smooth brandy might do. It’s “The Second Time Around” by Shalamar. Seriously, it’s just slick and groovy and just relaxes in a special way that’s still inspiring. This week, enjoy something more in that range… smooooooth!

Sagittarius 

OHHHH! Now dig THIS! You’re getting The S.O.S. Band’s 1980 slammer, “Take Your Time, Do It Right”. Dig that bass line! “Boo BAUW boo BEE boop… bap. Boo BAUW boo BEE boop.” It’s on a synth instead of a bass guitar, but DAMN that line just sings! This week, shave your chest hair, open two extra buttons on your shirt, and just strut the week away.. But PLEASE, two buttons from the top!

Capricorn 

Look, we were going to give this one to Aquarius, but they’re always thinking we’ve got it out for them, so… Sorry-not-sorry. You’re getting the 1981… erm… “hit” isn’t the right word for it. Uhm… “Musical Release”? The name is “Walking on Thin Ice” by.. And PLEASE don’t hurt us… Yoko Ono. I KNOW! I KNOW! Just… C’mon. Just be a bro for Aquarius this one time, ok? I mean, Hey! How bad could it be, right?

Aquarius 

Never let it be said we don’t pull strings for you! Because not ONLY did we shift that song off you, but you’re getting MAHRVIN! That’s right, your song from Marvin Gaye is “Sexual Healing” from 1982. Yeah, it got a lot of attention for what his voice did to people across the FM Dial back in the day, and it was worth it! He did a lot of music before his untimely passing… so go down that rabbit hole and enjoy his catalog.

Pisces  

You know this song, even if you don’t know this song. Also released in 1982 you’re getting Patrice Rushen’s “Forget Me Nots”. Those of you that already know, don’t give away the experience to those that don’t know already. Trust us, you're gunna think you know the song, but you’ll be wrong. This week… re-think your preconceived notions and enjoy the experience.

And THOSE are your Horrible-Scopes for this week! Remember if you liked what you got, we’re obviously not working hard enough at these. BUT! If you want a better or nastier one for your own sign or someone else’s, all you need to do to bribe me is just Let Me Know! These will be posted online at the end of each week via Tumblr, Twitter, Facebook and Discord.

[x--daughters-of-darkness--x]

SPIRITBOX's COURTNEY LAPLANTE Picks TINA TURNER As Her 'Rock God'

SPIRITBOX vocalist Courtney LaPlante was the featured guest on BBC's "The Rock Show With Johnnie Walker" during the "Rock God" segment. Courtney picked Tina Turner and stated about her choice (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I think she's one of the most influential artists that ever lived. Anyone can look through her career, and even if you remove the incredible music that she created and performed, even if you were just to take that away, her career was so inspiring to anybody that wants to be an artist. She kind of had two lives — there's the Tina Turner that we think of with Ike Turner and the whole band, 'Proud Mary'. And then there's this rebirth that she had in the '80s. When Tina was, I believe, 44 years old, she put out her album 'Private Dancer', which I think is just the epitome of that '80s rock sound. And she had this second life of this incredible career. What is more rock and roll than that?"

Tina passed away on May 24 after a long illness. The pioneering rock singer was 83 years old.

Turner had battled several health issues in recent years, including being diagnosed with intestinal cancer in 2016 and having a kidney transplant in 2017.

With a career spanning more than half a century, the legendary singer, dancer, actress and author was not only one of the world's most popular and successful entertainers, but the beloved global icon widely regarded as the "Queen Of Rock 'N' Roll".

Among her many accomplishments, the revered singer had received 12 Grammy Awards, was the first black artist and the first female artist to feature on the cover of Rolling Stone and was awarded the Légion D'honneur by the French government. One of the world's best-selling artists of all time, her live performances have been seen by millions. First inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame as half of IKE & TINA TURNER, she was inducted in her own right as a solo artist in a ceremony in October 2021.

Born as Anna Mae Bullock in Nutbush, Tennessee, Turner first rose to fame in the 1960s, partnering with then-husband Ike Turner, as the lead singer of the IKE & TINA TURNER REVUE, acclaimed for her live performances and catalog of hits, including "River Deep - Mountain High" and "Proud Mary". Turner's well-publicized divorce and hardships ultimately forced her to virtually all but disappear from the music scene. By the 1970s, she began practicing Buddhism and rebuilt her life by tapping into her spiritual strength.

She celebrated her newfound freedom in 1975 with the role of the Acid Queen in the film version of THE WHO's "Tommy", delivering an outrageous, but all-too-brief performance.

She continued to release several albums during the late 1970s, but it was in 1984 that her career went stratospheric with 1984's "Private Dancer" going five times platinum in the U.S. and selling 10 million copies worldwide, spawning megahits, including "What's Love Got To Do With It", "Better Be Good To Me", the title track and a cover of Al Green's "Let's Stay Together". The album would earn her widespread recognition and numerous awards, including three Grammys.

A string of hit albums followed, including "Break Every Rule", "Foreign Affair" and "What's Love Got To Do With It". Hit singles included "Typical Male", "The Best", "I Don't Wanna Lose You", "I Don't Wanna Fight" and "Goldeneye". Successful duets with David Bowie and Mick Jagger showed her ability to perform on an equal footing with the greats of rock 'n' roll.

With another movie role in 1985, "Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome", she found another hit in its theme song, "We Don't Need Another Hero", establishing her high-profile status well into the '90s.

As an author, her bestselling memoir, "I, Tina", became the 1993 Academy Award-nominated film "What's Love Got To Do With It", while her follow-up book, "My Love Story", was a global success in 2018. Additionally, Turner's eventful life has been immortalized in at least three documentaries including HBO's 2021 production "Tina", while her story has recently been staged as the biographical musical "Tina: The Tina Turner Musical" — becoming one of the most successful stage shows on Broadway and London and was honored by a Tony award and an Olivier award.

[hyuckmov]

haechan — be my birthday

ex!haechan x reader, (feat. best friend jaehyun, mark and renjun being besties) 4k, angst for the most part, but then fluff, ends happy. a/n: when i said i was thinking of writing something else it was not this... but i just suddenly had the idea for it because i was thinking of birthdays i guess. oh and because i am unoriginal and running out of ideas this is inspired by a few songs too. the title is a song featured in the drama my liberation notes which i absolutely love! anyway i'm sorry if the ending is kind of bad, i wanted to flesh it out but also i wanted to leave it at that. additionally the flashbacks were HELL for my tenses so i apologise for any inconsistencies in grammar. thank you for reading my past two works, and do send me an ask if you enjoyed any of them, or this, or if you would just like to say hi! loosely includes sequences based on 21 by gracie abrams, and me and you together song by the 1975 so i recommend listening to those!

“we forgot the candles.” 

“who’s we. you’re in charge of the cake for the night!” 

“yeah but that doesn’t include candles.” 

“mark!” 

mark looked sheepishly up at renjun, who glared at him fiercely, a look that mark could see even in the dim light of the pantry. outside, the party raged on, and if mark and renjun had to hazard a guess, haechan should probably still be on the pool table, doing a dance as the crowd cheered him on. it was his birthday, so everyone gave him a free pass that meant he could do whatever he wanted. to be precise, it was his birthday week – a week which gave him a free pass to prank, to bicker, and to take the last piece of whatever food was in the fridge. 

but really, it was a lot more than a birthday week. birthdays always reminded haechan of you, and this was his first birthday without you by his side. that was enough for his friends to be gracious, to let him be as obnoxious as he wanted, if only to distract himself from the fact that he wasn’t bothering you about his gift, and you wouldn’t be there to smear cream on his cheeks. 

“renjun, what if we asked y/n to bring some candles over. i know she always keeps some birthday candles in her kitchen drawer.” 

“are you insane?” renjun hissed, and even though they were the only ones in the pantry, he looked around to make sure haechan hadn’t materialized at the sound of your name. “no way. she wouldn’t show up, and i doubt seeing her here, not as his girlfriend, would do haechan any good.” 

mark mumbles to himself about how it was just an idea. “who else do you think has candles at this hour?” 

“i could run back and check. but you’ll have to tell everyone to wait-” 

“what are you guys doing in my pantry?” 

mark and renjun both jumped at that. haechan was standing at the entrance, his brows furrowed in suspicion. slowly, he frowned and asked:

“are you two fucking?” 

“what? no! haechan what the fuck!” flustered, mark ran his hands through his hair and renjun made a gagging noise, distracted from their relief that he hadn’t noticed the party hadn’t brought out a cake yet. 

“it’s just a little suspicious, but okay i believe you.” haechan leaned against the entrance. “i was just coming to tell you guys that i’m a little tired. could you guys keep the party going? i just wanna take a break.” he smiled, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. 

renjun looked at his friend in concern. most people believed haechan loved being at the center of attention all the time — loved being the loudest and brightest presence in the room. and he was good at that: was good at making everyone feel comfortable in the room, somehow magically easing any awkward tensions or filling the silence easily and casually. but it would be too much for anyone to take on that role at all times. you had always been there to sit with him when he wanted to be quiet, pulling him away from the party when you noticed his smiles faltering and his eyes glazing over. and now, without you by his side……

“of course.” he settles. “do you want one of us to keep you company?” 

“nah.” giving his head a shake, he bounced on his toes, ready to go. “thanks guys. you two keep making out.” 

and with that, he disappeared up to his room.  

x

leaning against his bedroom door, haechan closed his eyes and let out a breath he didn’t know he had been holding. the party should have been fun: they played his favorite songs, all his favorite games, mark was pushed into a pool…and yet it really didn’t feel the same. he hated himself a little in that moment, for letting you become such an irreplaceable part of his birthday, something he couldn’t avoid or escape from. he wondered how many birthdays he would have to go without you to finally be able to forget. 

and although he had been trying to avoid it the entire night, he thought about his 18th birthday, the day he confessed to you. 

it was a party not unlike this one. he remembered sitting next to you for most of the night, your cheeks flushed as you leaned in close to him to ask “are you having fun?” for his birthday wish, the one you insisted he couldn’t say out loud because it wouldn’t come true, he had wished that you would like him back. 

after the cake-cutting, mark had spilled punch all over your shirt, and that was everyone’s cue to go home after the party. he remembered sitting in the bath-tub, you in your camisole washing your shirt in the sink, complaining about mark and whoever had let him anywhere near the punch bowl. and he just couldn’t help himself: the warm bathroom lights framing your face, something so domestic about the way things were. this is how i want it to be for the rest of my life, he thought to himself, giddily.

“-next time we have to mark-proof our things so mark can’t get his hands on them, -” 

“y/n?” 

“-one more time i swear, haechan-?” you had turned to look at him, his serious tone taking you by surprise. 

“will you go out with me?” 

“oh.” you swallowed.  

haechan grimaced, because this was as good as a rejection, wasn’t it? stupid birthday wishes he thought. it’s all the same, whether i say it out loud or not. never wishing for anything ever again. you’re looking at him, really looking at him, as if you’ve never seen him before in your life. you hasten to say, “not in a bad way! it’s just…” 

we’re best friends. it doesn’t feel right. i don’t like you like that. 

“it’s fine.” haechan pushed himself out of the bathtub, everything felt too cramped, the bathroom suddenly too small for the both of you. you were looking at him with confusion and conflict written all over your face, so he put on his easy smile. “i was just messing.” he forced out a laugh, the hollow sound bouncing off the tiles. “it’s fine, i swear. i didn’t mean it.” 

he had no idea why, but he seemed to have made it worse. your face flared red, and you turned back to the sink, scrubbing at your shirt even though it was practically clean already. “that’s okay.” 

worst birthday ever. that’s the last thing he thought before dozing off on his bed, you having rushed home immediately. but suddenly, not even 10 minutes later, he was being woken up, the doorbell ringing frantic and loud. realizing you had forgotten your shirt in the bathroom, which he was having trouble looking at, he wrung it dry and ambled over to the door, hoping you would just take it and go. 

but the moment he opened the door, he immediately had his arms full of you. you had jumped into his arms, legs wrapping around his waist, his hands supporting you reflexively. you had pressed your forehead to his, and you were so warm. i’ve liked you for years, you idiot. he couldn’t believe his ears. it’s you, it’s always been you.

in present day, haechan shook his head to rid himself of the memory. he could still remember every moment of that night clearly: the look on your face. how it felt to hold you for the first time, in a different way than he had ever hugged you before. waking up next to you, in his shirt. it was all too much. he wished you were right there, with him, that very moment. he wished he said something when you were walking out of his life. he wished he had held on to you when you came back. 

x

“are you sure you don’t want to go over? we can still make it. they’re probably stalling because they forgot the candles or something.” 

“it’s okay.” you say, in a small voice. you’re staring up at the ceiling, your mind wandering to the gifts in the back of your closet that you had bought for haechan in the months leading up to his birthday. before you broke up with him. and before he wouldn’t take you back. 

jaehyun sighs and comes over to you, sitting down at the edge of your bed. “y/n, today means something to the both of you. are you sure you don’t want to go?” 

“he doesn’t want to see me anymore,” you insist. “i don’t want to ruin his birthday.”

because those were the exact words he had said to you when you showed up for jeno’s birthday dinner, sitting diagonally across the table from him. your heart was beating out of your chest the entire time, especially when he joined you as you leaned against the wall, asking you how have you been. 

“i’ve been…” you trailed off. admittedly, not very well without him. unsure if he wanted to talk  about the breakup, you went with “i got a promotion at work.” 

“that’s great.” he smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. as if he wasn’t there with you as you were finishing up presentations to get this promotion. as if he hadn’t made you coffee in the dead of night when you had to take a call from an overseas client. 

“how about you?” 

“i can’t do this y/n.” haechan exhaled, and you felt like a child who had been caught red-handed: in that moment you knew he saw right through you. 

“can’t do what?” 

“the small talk. the pretending we don’t know each other, the pretending that i haven’t been falling asleep next to you and waking up next to you every day for the past few years.” 

you felt a pull at your heart. surely, he was willing to forgive you if this was how he felt? surely he still wanted to hold on to you? the words came out in a rush. “haechan, i’m here to say i’m sorry. i am really, really sorry. i was scared we were moving too fast, you’re the first person i’ve ever loved and put so much of myself into.” haechan closed his eyes, and you hated that. you hated that you couldn’t tell what he was thinking anymore. talking faster, you tried to get through to him. “i got scared. but these past few weeks have shown me that no matter how scared i am it is 10 times better, no, a 100 times better if i’m spending it with you. i love you haechan, -” he winced at that, and you wanted to disappear. “i love you. please say you’ll be with me again.” 

haechan took his time, and you hoped he was listening. you hoped he understood exactly how you were feeling. but a part of you saw it coming when he said no. 

“you don’t get to do that, y/n.” he opened his eyes, and you immediately wished he hadn’t because there was so much hurt inside them. “you don’t get to end things when you’re scared, and come back when you realise you need me.” 

“i know that.” you plead with him, the guilt stabbing at your chest. “i’ll never do it again, haechan. please believe me. ” 

“that’s just not good enough y/n.” he lowered his head. he was sorry too. “i just…don’t want to see you anymore.” 

you felt like you had been struck. but you knew somewhere, that you deserved some part of this. and so you gave jeno your present, hugged him goodbye, and left. and you hadn’t seen haechan since. 

today, you been unable to take your mind off him. you wish you could fall asleep, but something about it being haechan’s birthday kept you awake. after hours and hours of spiralling, you called jaehyun hoping he would help you go through things so at least you could stop feeling so helpless. 

in the first hour, jaehyun scoured his social media for you, finding photos of haechan at the party and zooming in on them as the two of you debated whether he was happy or still upset about the breakup. 

photo of him sitting poolside with another girl? “she’s dating jaemin”, jaehyun clarified quickly, before the hurt could sink in.

photo of him bent over his mug? “he looks so sad.” jaehyun insisted. “he definitely misses you.” 

“he has bad posture, we all knew that.” you scowled. 

jaehyun glared back. “do you need a photo of him bawling his eyes out?” 

“if only he didn’t look so undeniably like he was having the time of his life!” 

“that is so untrue.” jaehyun swiped to refresh his stories, and hurriedly clicked on one uploaded by jeno. haechan, doing the liam payne dance on a table, throwing a wink at the camera. the screen went dark as jaehyun threw his phone against the wall. “oh no, my phone is dead. let’s do something else.” 

“jaehyun…” you whined. “i just want to know how he’s doing.” 

“we need to disconnect from social media, y/n.” he insisted. “it’s ruining our brains.” 

eventually the verdict, made with the web version of instagram on your laptop, was that haechan was perfectly fine — and although jaehyun pulled up a blurry photo where haechan was making his way to his room as counter-evidence, you dismissed it because he might have just been on his way to the bathroom. 

“if you just go see for yourself-”

“no!” you sit up. “if you go about this logically, i broke up with him. that was my move. and despite that, i went back to him, then he rejected me. i can’t go back again. i can’t take another turn.” jaehyun looks at you sympathetically, because if you put it like that, you’re truly not allowed to go back. 

“so that’s what we’re going to do? we’re going to wait for him to come to you?” 

“but he’s not going to, that’s the thing.” jaehyun bit his lip. he didn’t want to give you false hope, because the way you put it: when you told him the whole story, it was highly possible that you and haechan had just been right for each other at the wrong time. 

you were distracted with the ceiling again. as casually as he could, he retrieved his phone, and decided to text mark. 

jaehyun: mark? u there?  mark: yea mark: bruh this party is not going well jaehyun: REALLY mark: we forgot the candles

jaehyun: oh  jaehyun: how's haechan doing mark: ngl he’s not doing too well i think mark: he misses y/n  jaehyun: what???? i thought he rejected her mark: yeah but he lowkey wishes he didn’t. actually idk or something along those lines

jaehyun: should she go to the party  mark: i have no idea. does she want to? jaehyun: she’s scared he doesn’t want her anymore mark: :(  mark: i genuinely don’t think that’s true

“who are you texting?” you look up at jaehyun, and he flushes with guilt. 

“no one. look, y/n,” he turns around to face you completely. “what if haechan regrets rejecting you, and he really misses you. would you go to the party?” 

you screwed up your face in thought. “no.” at jaehyun’s sound of protest, you repeated yourself, “no i wouldn’t. if he regrets something he has to come over and tell me. like how i went over and took back my breakup.” 

jaehyun groaned. you had a point and you were being stubborn about it. 

jaehyun: well she won’t go over. he has to come over and apologise if he wants her back

mark: really? 

several minutes pass. you’re drawing random shapes on your duvet, and jaehyun stares at his phone. and then- 

mark: asked haechan what he would do if hypothetically she was willing to make up  jaehyun: what’d he say  mark: does she really?  jaehyun: what’d you say 

mark: jaehyun this is haechan 

mark: does she really? 

x

“we need more snacks if we’re going to start a movie marathon now.” jaehyun put on his sweater, and grabbed your keys. “i’ll run to the store and get some. don’t fall asleep okay?” 

you nodded. you had finally come up with a viable solution, which was to distract yourself with as many movies it would take until you fell asleep, enough soju to knock yourself out, and a lavender scented candle. jaehyun had been surprisingly supportive, but you knew you had been difficult to comfort today and he was just glad to agree on something that wasn’t mindless guessing and guilty rants. walking to the kitchen to get out a bottle of soju, the sound of your doorbell suddenly pierced the quiet. was jaehyun back already? padding over to the door, you called out “already? also, didn’t you bring the keys-” 

the door opens, and you think you’re hallucinating, because haechan is standing there. no, he’s not just standing there, he’s moving towards you, and suddenly his arms are wrapped around your waist, and he’s buried his face in your neck. 

“haechan.” what are you supposed to do if you’re not sure if this is reality or not? you dig your fingernails into your palms and it hurts. you bite your cheek, and it stings. 

“i’m sorry.” he mumbles into your skin, and you’ve missed this: his lips moving against your neck, the low rasp of his voice when the hours drag past midnight. he pushes himself away from you, and through his bangs you can see his eyes. you haven’t seen them up close in a while. “i thought, if the feelings went away, if i could just stop thinking about you…” incoherent, stammering, and absolutely the picture of the boy you were sure you were going to love your whole life, he pressed on. “but i couldn’t. i can’t. i miss you all the time. you’re sorry for walking out on me, and i’m sorry for acting like i never knew you. i mean, it’s you-” he puts his hands on your cheeks, and his eyes shine like he has his whole world in his palms. “leave all you like. get scared, and run away. i’ll be waiting. i know you’ll come back to me. i love you.” 

you can feel yourself start to cry. “i was so sure you weren’t going to come over today.” 

“i was so sure too.” he lets out a breath. “so, so sure. i didn’t think you’d want me after what i said.” 

“oh haechan.” you hold him against you. “who wouldn’t want you?” 

x

instead of the movie marathon, the soju, and the lavender, you and haechan opened the presents you were going to give him. jaehyun had disappeared for the night: you would thank him some other day, but not now — today was for haechan and haechan alone. 

“you left your own birthday party?” 

“it’s okay, they don’t miss me.” haechan yawned a little, as he followed you in, his hand firmly in yours. neither of you wanted to let go: and so he clung to you as you went to get a glass of water, stumbling back to your bedroom, giddy at the feeling of having the other by your side again. 

crossing over to your closet, your hand still in his, you rooted around in it. “i have so many presents for you, you should open them right now.” you begin tossing them out onto the bed as haechan sat on the edge, playing with your fingers. 

“it’s not even my birthday anymore.” haechan’s head was reeling, as he realised he was sitting on your bed, in your room. he missed it too much. he hadn’t been here in months. but still, he pointed at the clock, which read 1:11 am. 

“i don’t care.” dragging out the last of the parcels, you looked at him tenderly, the both of you basking in the light of the relationship just healed. you felt like you were falling in love for the first time again, feeling inexplicably shy when he took your hand, as if he had never done so before. had he always looked at you so fondly? was his hair always this mussed up and lovely in the dim light of your room? was it too soon to kiss him? “i’ve really, really missed you haechan.”

your eyes flickering all over him were driving him insane. groaning, he swept the gifts to the side of the bed and clambered over to you in one swift motion, and before you knew it, his lips were slotted against yours. eagerly, you pushed your body against his, and once again felt his arms come up to hold you against him. the feeling of everything being new and exciting buzzed through your veins, as he ran his hands up and down your sides, your eyes closed and savoring every touch. 

coming up for air, you leaned back to look at him. his lips were swollen and his hair a mess, but the look in his eyes, his pupils dilated and his gaze unwavering, stirred something inside you. “someone’s hungry today.” 

he let out a laugh, and you felt like you wanted to press your ear against his chest to hear it vibrate against you. “i didn’t even get to have cake. stupid mark and his candles.” 

suddenly, you gasped. “haechan!” 

pulling away from you reluctantly, he blinked. “baby? what’s wrong?” 

“i haven’t said happy birthday to you.” sadly, you press your face against his, just like you had all those years ago when you told him you liked him. “happy belated birthday haechan,” you said, softly. 

he smiled, and the look lit up his whole face. it was that look that told you things were going to be okay. 

x

'you are cordially invited to haechan’s second 22nd birthday party. '

mark read out-loud off his phone to renjun the next day. renjun was nursing a terrible hangover, and moping around the kitchen trying to find the coffee machine (which mark could’ve sworn he saw chenle steal last night). mark and renjun were the only two who stayed over last night to watch haechan’s house while he left to do god-knows-what. 

“again? another birthday party? but his birthday’s over!” 

“that wasn’t a real party. i’m having a do-over.” haechan sauntered into the kitchen, hopping up onto the counter. he was really only here to pick up the toast you liked to eat for breakfast, and he wanted to get back to you immediately. 

“why?” renjun complained, giving up on the coffee and peering in the fridge. “it certainly felt like one.” 

“y/n wasn’t there.” haechan says confidently, and way too brightly for mark and renjun’s taste. “and plus, you guys forgot the candles to my birthday cake and just didn't bring it out. what’s a birthday without a cake?” 

“you were the one who left. also, ignoring that. ” renjun straightened, looking at haechan. “did you get back together with y/n?” 

haechan smiles, and it’s a dead giveaway. “yeah.”

mark let out a sigh of relief. “thank god. someone will bring the candles this time.”

[harringroveheart]

No— it’s that I found your playlist YEARS ago when I was first getting into these shenanigans and looking for inspiration and NEVER put two and two together. (I found MTIAB much later, thank god I did) But subsequently adopted some (most) of your exquisite taste into my own playlist, which I aptly titled “B+S”. And THEN (bless you) getting to read about our boi Bills carving a wish into the picnic table and (oh god) if/when we get the scene where Steve completes that lonesome little “B” with an “S” I will simply pass away from the serendipity of it all. I can’t remember when the playlist wasn’t a part of my musical rotation. I have been living with them for too long. But because of you they remain alive and well. Thank you for your contribution and for expanding my musical horizons lol. <3 u. Hope you’re well.

Ahhhh thank you so much!!! I don't really remember how I got into the fandom/pairing but Somebody Else by The 1975 was definitely a formative part of it, and the playlist grew from there. So glad you dig!!! (And I think I found your playlist <3 )