#xperi writes

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

HALESTORM's LZZY HALE Discusses Her Songwriting Process In New Episode Of 'How I Wrote That Song'

BMI (Broadcast Music Inc.),Beasley Media Group and Xperi's HD Radio Technology recently announced the launch of the third season of BMI's signature series "How I Wrote That Song", featuring acclaimed songwriters from country and rock/pop. Each episode of the six-part series will give audiences an insider's look into the creative process of writing and producing hit songs as well as the stories behind them.

In the latest installment of "How I Wrote That Song", Radio Sara of WMMR asks Lzzy Hale of HALESTORM about her biggest hits, going back to when the band came out swinging in 2009 with the single "I Get Off". Despite the saucy title, the song's first draft was actually about how the band won over a few hardened record executives in the audience at a live showcase. Lzzy developed the lyrics further with a writing collective called The Girls, explaining: "I was telling them this story [about the show] and one of them — and this is why I love writing with women, because our sense of humor is the same — was like, 'Oh, so you got off on them enjoying what you do'… and we took over this piano, in the lobby of this hotel, and were singing 'I get off on you, getting off on me,' just totally annoying everybody around us."

She adds with a laugh: "It originally didn't start from sex, but it definitely grew its own legs!"

Sara and Lzzy also discuss the Grammy-nominated song "Uncomfortable" and a new track called "Terrible Things". Along the way, they touch on her unexpected radio hit with DAUGHTRY this year, swapping gender perspectives in song lyrics, and how activism plays a role in her writing process.

Additional award-winning music creators included in the series include heavy hitters Ann Wilson (HEART),Tyler Hubbard (May 30),Luke Spiller of THE STRUTS (June 13) and Clint Black (June 27).

"BMI is thrilled to announce a stellar lineup for Season 3 of 'How I Wrote That Song'," said BMI's AVP, creative, Nashville, Mason Hunter. "It is such a great way to highlight the vast talent that BMI has the pleasure to represent, and it gives our songwriters a way to connect with fans as they tell the stories behind their biggest hits. Thanks to our wonderful longstanding partners at Xperi's HD Radio Technology and Beasley Media Group for pushing this compelling content out to their listeners."

"After two consecutive, highly successful campaigns with our partners at BMI and Xperi/HD Radio, we are excited to bring back 'How I Wrote That Song' to celebrate some of the biggest hit songwriters heard on our radio brands," said Beasley Media Group's chief content officer Justin Chase. "Our listeners and digital audience love to hear the story behind their favorite songs!"

"The 'How I Wrote That Song' series has been a great success, and Xperi is excited to continue working with BMI and Beasley Media Group to highlight the songwriters who create the songs we know and love," said Xperi's senior vice president, radio, Joe D'Angelo. "This is especially meaningful to us as we continue to build on 20 years of broadcast radio innovation, both through our HD Radio Technology, which delivers superior audio quality and a wealth of content choices for music fans around the world, and our DTS AutoStage in-vehicle media platform, which now supports lyrics, further bringing the songwriter into the radio experience."

[xperiwrites]

Am very tired that I do not have the urge to do any writing at the moment. 

HOWEVER I do still have ideas, and some even In Progress with a very patient @doodled93, though a lot of them are Witcher themed rather than working on my original fic. 

Might be the general Everything and the Public but not really feeling the sexy thoughts atm. 

However read a thing that said if you have ideas, sometimes putting them out in the universe will help you with motivation, so, in no order, things that are in my WIP document:

 - Modern Geraskier : Jaskier does an episode with Marie Kondo, it’s assumed in the beginning that he lives on his own except that there are drawers with oddly plain clothing that he won’t get rid of, a huge dresser that’s revealed to be full of weaponry before Jaskier tells everyone that it’s off limits, and at some point Doodle and I agree Jaskier has to hop up on a returned-from-a-job Geralt’s steel toed boots to plant a kiss to the only non-gorey part of his face and also has to take off his socks afterwards to avoid tracking in monster viscera throughout the house.

 - Jaskier gets home very late, very drunk/high, and tries to sneak around the house to make a very late night snack, not wanting to wake up Geralt or bother him-- but he’s starving. Doesn’t turn on the lights while he creeps about on tip-toe, slo-o-owly opening cupboards, freezing after the tiniest of noises... Geralt watches all of this, interrupted from cleaning his equipment by his Bard creeping about, having clearly forgotten the fact that he was wearing sunglasses. 

 - short fic: Geralt goes to a funeral with a somber faced Jaskier, a mildly confused Ciri, and ignores the distinctly flat look from Yennefer. Jaskier: “We gather here today in memory of the life cut tragically short--” (Ciri, to Yennefer: “Cut tragically short? Didn’t Jaskier smash his lute over that mans head?”  Yennefer, not lowering her voice: “Yes, and now we’re at a funeral for said lute.”)

 - Witcher’verse fic where Geralt has to get used to the fact that Jaskier, at some point, decided it’s not only ok but actually necessary to drape himself or otherwise lean against Geralt at any point of resting. 

There are a few other ideas percolating,  but these are the ones that have more than a page dedicated to them. 

Writing has been slow going, my work hours have gotten VERY inconsistent (though I have hopes that it’ll even out soonish), but it feels like things in my life are starting to make a turn in a vaguely upward fashion, so I may have the time and energy to participate in some internet socializing :) 

Thanks be to the people who’ve sent me messages, and I’m happy that people are still enjoying what I’ve written even while I’ve been away. 

Much appreciated my dudes <3

[xperiwrites]

I wonder what it’s like to live your life as your own cryptid, waiting for a sighting to report of yourself

[redcarpetview]

ACADEMY KICKS OFF THIRD YEAR OF ‘GOLD’ PROGRAM WITH 28 ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY PARTNERS

   LOS ANGELES, CA – The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is proud to announce commitments from 28 partner companies in its third year of Academy Gold, an entertainment industry internship enhancement and mentorship program for students and young professionals from underrepresented communities.

    Participating partners include AMC Networks, Annapurna Pictures, Circle of Confusion, Creative Artists Agency (CAA), The Walt Disney Company, Dolby Laboratories,DTS (part of Xperi Corporation), Evolve Entertainment Fund (Mayor’s Office), FotoKem, FremantleMedia NA, HBO, ICM Partners, Illumination, IMAX, Moving Picture Institute, Overbrook Entertainment, Panavision, Paramount Pictures, Participant Media, Sony Pictures, Technicolor, Telsey + Company, Twentieth Century Fox Film, Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, Univision, United Talent Agency (UTA), Warner Bros. and John Wells Productions.

   Each of the partners will sponsor up to three of their interns for the program, which kicks off today (6/20) with a two-day orientation that includes industry speakers, studio and technology-based company tours and visits to the Academy’s Film Archive and Margaret Herrick Library.

   This summer,118 students (including 25 interns placed within the Academy) from across the United States and abroad will participate in Academy Gold.  The seven-week program, which concludes on August 10, offers participants networking opportunities with Academy members and industry professionals, screenings, studio tours and educational workshops.

    The Production Track program, added to Academy Gold last year to offer technical workshops to students interested in cinematography, production design and film editing, will also include costume design this summer.  Participants include students from Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti's Evolve Entertainment Fund, Los Angeles Trade-Technical College, West Los Angeles College, Los Angeles Film School, Exceptional Minds and the Ruderman Family Foundation, among others.  These students will have the opportunity to get hands-on experience shooting scenes on a soundstage and spend one week on the set of an active production shadowing various departments.

    “Thanks to the support of our industry partners, who share the Academy’s tireless commitment to talent development and inclusion, the Gold program and its Production Track continue to grow in size and scope,” said Academy governor Nancy Utley, Education Committee chair and chairman of Fox Searchlight Pictures.  “It’s incredibly fulfilling to work alongside my fellow members as a mentor to these enthusiastic and determined young people.  Our goal, and the Academy’s, is to create meaningful opportunities for new voices to emerge and be heard.”

                    Highlights from this summer’s Gold programs include:

  Demystifying the Unions and Guilds Representatives from various unions and guilds explain their role in working with filmmakers.

Inside the Executive Suite – Creative Development and Distribution Studio executives discuss their roles and responsibilities in getting a film made and distributed.

Pre-Production and Production Overview Understanding a script from multiple creative perspectives: writing, directing, casting, cinematography, costume and production design.

Post-Production Overview The relationships between studio executives, producers, directors and the creative team during post-production.

The Dream Team Defining the roles of the agent, manager, publicist and entertainment attorney.

Special Effects and VFX Exploring the increasing role of visual effects and digital imagery in motion pictures.

Film Financing Filmmakers, producers, distributors, financiers and executives discuss what it takes to get your film made.

   Upon completion of the program, all Gold interns will be paired with Academy members for an eight-month mentorship.

    Academy Gold affords top film entertainment, technology, production services and digital media companies an opportunity to recruit and educate a nationwide pool of diverse talent. Well over half of past Academy Gold interns have moved into positions within the industry.

    Academy Gold is supported in part by a grant from the Swarovski Foundation. The Academy Gold Production Track is made possible in part by founding support from the JPMorgan Chase Foundation. Additional support is provided by The Walt Disney Company, Warner Bros., Dwight Stuart Youth Fund, Jack Oakie and Victoria Horne Oakie Charitable Foundation, Ruderman Family Foundation, Leon Silverman, and Charles de Limur.

   For more information about the Academy Gold program, visit www.oscars.org/AcademyGoldProgram.

                                                                                                                  # # #

[xperiwrites]

You know I got tagged not once but 3 times on that whole Ray Ban sale thing but aside from thinking “Nah, I have sunglasses but also this seems like a scam” I did not think at any one time that it was a virus or whatever-- I just assumed that three separate people saw I was connected to @doodled93​ who herself is connected to eye health and thought

You know who needs cheap sunglasses now?

YOU DO

[xperiwrites]

(For @the-dot who wanted something with Geralt being Soft with (for?) Animals. Here’s hoping this delivers)

There isn’t always an available room at the inn.

There is, usually, a space in a barn for Roach, and near her a dry patch of wall to lean against… sometimes Geralt could say he even prefers it, far from the press of humanity, surrounded by the smell of horse and, by that point in the evening, clean hay.

Jaskier does not agree, not in the least, and Geralt is unsurprised that instead of turning in early, the bard is looking to earn a bit of coin from the overfull tavern.

This left Geralt leaning back against the divide in the stall, legs crossed and weapons at hand, Roach in front of him, settling in for some meditation. There wasn’t any point in trying to sleep, not when he’d likely have a noisy bard stumbling in at some point before morning.

It was almost an annoyance how not irritating this fact was—when exactly Geralt had shifted Jaskier from being firmly an annoyance to… whatever he now was, he didn’t know. Perhaps between monsters, travelling, his endless anecdotes and singing… Maybe it was how Jaskier would likely buy something for Roach before they took to the road. Maybe it was the clear enthusiasm Jaskier had for learning about the monsters Geralt faced—maybe it was the fact that he was clearly listening, his songs not muddled with  falsehoods as they once were. Maybe that made his never-ending chatter less… irritating. Didn’t make the songs about Geralt less of an embarrassment, but at least the songs, while dramatic, were still factually correct.

Roach shifted in front of him letting out a big sigh that Geralt echoed when he hears, even form this distance, a sudden burst of laughter coming from the tavern.

Geralt still smiled lightly, thinking Roach would likely be getting something sweet for the morning. Settled back again and focused on his meditation rather than his travel companion.

His eyes opened when he felt a touch, soft in his lap.

Yellow eyes stared back for a brief moment in the dark before dismissing his attention, the barn cat instead turning and tucking its paws underneath itself. It paid Geralt no more mind as it finished settling into his lap.

Geralts eyebrows quirked up. Speaking of presumptuous, fastidious little creatures, the bard wasn’t back yet, though there wasn’t quite so much noise from the tavern. The night was coming to a close, soon. He closed his eyes and went back to meditating.

He cracked one eye open briefly when the barn cat started cleaning itself, the rasp of its tongue on its paw different amongst horse sounds, and closed again when it was clearly not something to worry about.

Geralt almost doesn’t open his eyes at the next sound, so used to hearing a drunken Jaskier attempt being quiet, except the cat in his lap makes a small burbling noise at the bard.

“Oh—oh,” he can see Jaskier’s hand come up to cover his own mouth, not moving when he, slightly teetering, crouches down, head tilting to peer at the cat.

“Oh,” he whispers again, “I see. Very well then.”

Jaskier must either be truly drunk or entirely distracted by the presence of the cat to not see Geralt plainly watching him while he crept to their stowed bags, pulling a blanket to lay out next to Geralt—

Geralt thinks he may be drunker than he smells when Jaskier curls up very close to Geralt, his head nearly in his lap save for where he was propping his head up on one fist, offering his other hand to the cat in his lap to sniff.  When it was accepted, the bard’s fingers went to work and soon there was the sound of purring.

While the cat was nice and warm across his thighs, it felt like Jaskier was radiating heat so close to his side, and soon the cat wasn’t the only one making low noises.

“You, my fine feline friend, must be the bravest cat of the continent to be accepted for Witcher cuddles,” Jaskier was murmuring to the cat, his arm gently pressing into his knee where he had it propped to pet the cat. “I shall sing your story, hmm? Battled any rodents of unusual size, hey? Perhaps warn of a barn fire?”

Geralt could feel Jaskier wiggle against the ground, and it seemed quite suddenly he had pressure against his hip, and the weight of the bards head leaning against his stomach and ribs to get his face closer. “Or perhaps,” Jaskier mused, nuzzling himself in closer now with one shoulder firmly pressed to Geralts hip, cheek to his stomach—

“Perhaps,” Jaskier says, “you were simply very clever and very cute and didn’t let him say no, hmm?”

The cat very obviously didn’t reply but did curl up to press its face to Jaskier’s, purring all the while when that made the bard shift his hand to stroke those clever fingers on the fur of its chest and belly. Geralt felt almost like he should speak up now, but he could hear his breathing even out, could feel the weight of it when tension left his neck and shoulders…

Geralt stared down at the bard, lifting his own arm to better see how Jaskier had draped himself against his side, one arm fully in his lap—before sighing to himself and setting his arm back down, this time tucking his fingers around the back of his bards shirt instead of back on his knee. The back of his neck was warm against his fingers… Geralt let his other hand drift to his lap, touching gently to the soft fur of the cats back.

Closed his eyes and returned to meditation.

---

Hope some Cuddling works too!

[xperiwrites]

@doodled93​ you’re writing a semi-social media fic for the umbrella academy yeah?

Something about this sounds like a very 4-ish response :P 

[xperiwrites]

can you do some soft!geralt? 🥺🥺🥺 pretty please

This feels a tad like a cheat as I co-wrote this with @doodled93 for @geraskierweek buuut…..

TITLE: Conduction

SUMMARY: There’s a snowstorm, and Bards don’t hold heat the same way Witchers do.There is a (cuddly) solution.

WORD COUNT: 1801

(Netflix’s The Witcher) 

Day #3: Protection

Rating: G

Triggers/Warnings: None, just some cuddling and sharing body heat

Ao3 Link

The storm as it comes is not a surprise—it had been threatening and picking up since yesterday. Geralt had known from the start they wouldn’t make it to the next town in time. Jaskier had known, too—he could tell by the fact that the bard kept hypothesizing that, with a frankly unlikely amount of luck, they may yet beat the storm.

“The next town is four, five days you said? If we make it four, and maybe find an as yet unknown shortcut, that may cut it down to three.”

Geralt had hummed, watching Jaskier squint at the grey clouds, hands on his hips.

“Maybe if the wind stays at our backs we may travel at speed, cut it down to a further two and a half days…”

“The wind would have to push us off this mountain.”

“Why yes, Geralt, that is one way to look at it. Now then, two and a half days, well, two and a half days is nothing. The storm may not be that bad, you know? Despite all the,” he gestures, and he could mean the grey sky, the cold wind, the chill in the air, the darkness in the distance. “Well, you know all this. Could push through this grey and, ah, wind, and I bet at a good speed we could be only two days away from the next town… in fact,” Jaskier strode forward, arms sweeping ahead with flair, “in fact this wind is nothing! One might imagine that there might not be—ah, fuck!”

The wind picked up, then, and Geralt is smirking when Jaskier is shuffling back to Roach, arms tucked back to his sides, hands under his armpits.

“Well then,” Jaskier nudges into Geralts leg. “Four or five days to a town when there’s a storm like this brewing isn’t as impossible as one might expect, you know. I mean, it’s not entirely impossible we might encounter a… portal, of some sort. One we could reasonably and reliably assume would bring us, say, even a days’ ride away from the next town, and we’d certainly beat the storm with that sort of time on our hands.”

“And I’m sure you could recognize one such a portal, as well as the location it would bring us to?”

“Ah,” the man looks off to the side of the path, humming in a considering manner. “I… I do have many skills, as you well know. While that is not one of them—that I know of—it’s not unreasonable to assume that there are some skills I do not yet know of, but am perhaps born with. Perhaps I’m also a man with the skills to unconsciously put off very bad storms until after four or five days?”

“I suppose we’ll see.”

It would perhaps be annoying, all this hypothesizing, if the bard didn’t come up with consistently different ridiculous ways they might escape the inevitable. He’s been writing an ongoing maybe-it-would song for the past three years now, with familiar verses repeated with every bit of bad weather they encounter, the tune catchy even without an instrument. A quick beat to walk to, steps naturally falling in quick-time.

It’s not something Geralt has heard at a tavern, yet, so it likely hadn’t reached some milestone of completion Jaskier had set in that fool head of his—some of his songs were done in days or weeks, fine tuned to an audience well oiled with alcohol.

Then some of his songs, like this one, were worked over the course of months and years; Geralt could admit that the one about the nightwraith was both factually correct and catchy, but if he got it stuck in his head one more time…

The sky got steadily darker as more verse was added to the song, Jaskier repeating the established bits he’d gotten down the last time they’d been caught out in an awful rain storm. Geralt had caught two rabbits and a grouse in the meantime, hanging them from his saddle.

It could be the wind will come sweep us ahead

Skip days of this trudge—off some cliff, and we’re dead!

The clouds are so dark who’s to say night or noon

To be out in this cold must be truly a l-loon!

The d-damp it sinks in, soaking deep in my cl-lothing

So s-soggy I ssay, soon a Drowner be roaming—

“No,” Jaskier interrupted himself, shaking his head and following to where Geralt was leading off the edge of the path, only barely visible in the snow. “N-no, it’s no longer happy maybe’s, I’m afraid this bit of lyric has gotten away from me.”

Geralt got off Roach and led the two further off the path, listening to the faint whistling of the wind against an opening.

“You know, I don’t suppose it’d be very, ah, good to put the thought of a drowner d-down ones pants either, so—ah! A c-cave! Are we certain that it’s an unoc-c-cupied one?”

Geralt led Roach into the protection the cave’s narrow opening offered, checking the ground just beyond there for any recent markings. Theirs were the only tracks leading in or out of the cave, and that meant exactly nothing with this type of wind.

He checks deeper into the cave and finds nothing but dried brush blown in form years past and old, old bones. He comes back to a shivering bard and the beginnings of a puddle from where Roach shook off snow.

“Hmm.”

“Oh th-thank f-fuck.”

Geralt humms again and heads back out into the blistering cold and wind, heading further into the scrub and trees in a hunt for wood that should still be fairly dry—there was snow, yes, but with the sudden cold snap he’s hoping there’ll be enough just encrusted with snow that they can get a decent fire started.

He brings back what he finds that’s dry, nodding when he finds that Jaskier’s already looked after Roach, her things laid out over one of the rocks, her coat tended to, and sets his pile down next to where Jaskier is setting up rocks for a pit. Heads back out for more wood to put in a pile to dry out.

By the time he’s done Jaskier is still shivering, but has managed to coax a fire into existence; Geralt sees a pile of the dry brush from further in the cave in a heap to the side, more tinder should the fire get low.

They divide preparing the rabbits and cooking in relative silence, Jaskier’s shivering abating to a fine tremor. It’s never completely silent around Jaskier; even now the bard was peering at where he had set his lute, case protecting the instrument form the cold and damp. He’s humming, low and melodious, and every time he glances to his lute he’s flexing his too-pale fingers, and then putting them closer to the fire. Geralt doesn’t recognize the tune. They eat in that same relative silence, colour returning to the bards cheeks… the shivering doesn’t go away.

“Take off your jacket.”

“T-that—oh.”

Jaskier had looked up with a frown that cleared at the sight of Geralt pulling open his own jacket, undoing the ties. Jaskiers hands are still stiff even after the warm meal and the fire, so in the time it takes him to wrestle off his jacket Geralt has his open and has moved to open his bedroll close to the fire. Has pulled both their blankets nearby.

When Jaskier finally frees his last arm from the damp clutch of his sleeve, he seems surprised when Geralt plucks it from his hands, draping it over one of the rocks near the fire.

“D-d-damn it Geralt h-humans need a b-bit more than th-that… w-what are you d-doing?”

It takes very little effort to pull the shivering bard down into his lap and arranging stiff limbs to his satisfaction—tucking his arms into the warm cocoon within his jacket, and using one hand to pull that hunched back into his chest. Geralt arranged the blankets around them and over Jaskiers legs until just his feet were out, propped next to the fire, and pulled the rest around them into a barrier against the cold.

Having access to warmth seems to make Jaskiers shivering worse, chattering teeth just a mess of sound rather than any words Geralt could actually pick out. He hummed in response anyway, and that seemed to satisfy the bard that he was heard enough to settle down in Geralts lap.

That didn’t stop the humming from coming back—Geralts sigh at the sound only has Jaskier wiggling back even further, tilting and turning his head until it was pressed back to Geralts shoulder, and Jaskier was pressing a cold nose to his jaw. The humming was clearer, louder, and Geralt could feel a smile pressed against his neck.

He adjusts how Jaskier is sitting and happens to give him a squeeze, coincidentally pushing all the air from him and halting the noise, if only temporarily—when it starts up again it sounds distinctly fond pressed up against his skin.

The things he does for his bard.

X

Geralt has slipped into a meditative state by the time he realizes that the humming has petered out into even breathing, Jaskier having curled further in his embrace, face tucked into the hollow of his throat.

He’s been adding to the fire as needed, an ear to the howl of the wind—listening for the howl of anything else on the wind.

He’s not looking forward to hearing about a cricked neck from Jaskier however, and makes the decision to shift him; using one arm to prop him and the other to swing his legs first to the side, and then further manoeuvring him around…

Once the hard part is done, Jaskier adjusts himself well enough, tucking his face back into Geralts neck with a sigh, arms going around him and hands up his shirt to press against his warm back. It takes a bit of shuffling but the Bard settles more into his lap, seemingly happy enough to wrap his legs around behind him. Geralt readjusts the blankets to be sure that Jaskier is entirely covered in this new position straddling his lap, and settles back down to monitor the fire.

This new position means that along with not kinking Jaskiers neck, with them belly to belly like this it should keep Jaskiers neck, belly, and groin warm enough to not be damaged by the cold. In the morning he’d leave him on the bedroll to see if he couldn’t find more wood and possibly hunt something else to tide them through until the storm has fully passed. Until then he’d enjoy the rare quiet, arms holding his bard close.

[xperiwrites]

Geraskier Week 2020 Day 4: Hurt/Comfort

Title: Hair of the dog (That Bit You)

AO3 Link  @geraskierweek

Authors: Xperimental ( @xperiwrites ), Doodled93 ( @doodled93 )

Rated G

The Witcher (Netflix)

No Warnings/Triggers

Geraskier Day 4: Hurt/Comfort

Summary: Some days Geralt comes home when Jaskier is still asleep. Sometimes Geralt slips into bed the way he does now.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - 

Some days Geralt comes home when Jaskier is still asleep—while going to sleep alone isn’t his favourite thing, unexpectedly waking up in his Witchers arms is lovely.

Sometimes, however, Geralt slips into bed the way he does now.

He doesn’t slip under the covers so much as crawl beneath them, his skin a sudden chill against his own... Geralts face not going to his neck, but pressing lower, under the covers, to Jaskiers chest.

Jaskier feels muddled with sleep, eyes not quite willing to open even at the shockingly cold nose pressing to his breastbone, but wraps his arms around him anyway. Lets one arm curl underneath until Geralts cheek is rough and warming against his bicep, curls about Geralt with his arms until he’s just about hugging his head; makes a noise when Geralt burrows in closer, the muscles in his shoulders tense and hard in contrast to his rough palms sliding oh so gently over his belly, his ribs.

Cat, he thinks, muzzy. Probably mixed with something else.

It was usually Cat that made Geralt keep his head under the covers—even with his eyes the way they were, going from dark to light could be distracting, overwhelming when Geralt used another potion to enhance it. Jaskier knew he especially disliked travelling through cities when he was like that, the blinking and flashing lights and colours a drain on his concentration. It didn’t mean he couldn’t do his Witcher work in a city, it simply meant he didn’t like it.

Read More

[xperiwrites]

Horsepower

When they were told that Jaskier was moving their meeting to another location and that he was ‘sending a ride’ they didn’t think that ride would be the Witcher.

“I... can take the bus?” they offered, shuffling further from the curb—further from the sleek metallic grey Porche idling there, and the eerie yellow eyes of the Witcher inside.

His face didn’t change, looking at them through the open passenger window.

The doors audibly unlocked. They flinched.

“O-or I could, yeah, I’ll just...” Words died under the Witcher’s glare, their mouth unaccountably dry.

They got into the car.

“Hmm.”

The Witcher waited long enough for them to buckle in before pulling seamlessly back into traffic, the engine nearly silent—the sound of the window seamlessly sliding back up into place almost seemed loud in comparison. There was no music playing. They held their bag to their chest, phone in hand, and glanced at their deeply, deeply intimidating driver—when something in the back caught their eye. A slight—shine.

Suspended in what were clearly specially made straps across the back two seats were a pair of swords.

Actual, death dealing swords, of the sort that a Witcher would (of course) have at hand and not at all like the props one sees on television. The aura about them promised death and dismemberment; there was a weight to their existence, like years of having to be sluiced free of blood and other vital fluids had given them malevolent life.

It felt much like suddenly realizing you were in a car with a barely restrained Barghest.

A creature, one might note, that they only knew about due to the song Jaskier made detailing their utter defeat at the hands of his Witcher.

A hard knot caught somewhere in their throat as they looked at the rather distinctive silver and steel swords very clearly suspended for easy access... and they very slowly turned back to the front, clearing their throat. They fingered at the little fluffy charm hanging from their phone; tried to think hard on the fact that this was the same Witcher who sent pictures of cute things to Jaskier. Sent smiley faces with a colon-parentheses like a grandparent who’d soon ask what the eggplant emoji was for. Tried very hard not to think about the follow up pictures.

dead now. smiley face.

Stop thinking about it.

“So,” they shook their head to banish the though, “Um... Nice car?” Their voice was startlingly loud in the quiet car.

“Hmm.”

Well that sounded... a bit like agreement. Maybe? It also sounded like shut up, kind of, but the next words were already out of their mouth.

“It’s a... uh, Porsche? A rather nice one, too, one of the newer models? Kind of, um...” They swallowed again, didn’t know how to finish saying kind of not what I imagined you driving, as it was a tad impolite. It also didn’t actually get across that they could only barely get past the idea that the Witcher traveled any other way than by horse by conceding that perhaps,

Sometimes,

The man travelled by bear. Maybe. Or maybe by way of a cart pulled by an arrangement of monsters—well, perhaps a Porsche isn’t so hard to imagine anyway—

“I know horses.” Their eyes snapped to the Witcher’s face, rambling thoughts interrupted. “This is a car.”

The man really did have a voice like an avalanche, didn’t he?

It took a moment for the words to break through the brief terror of having the man actually speak to them, and a moment longer for the two separate statements to connect.

So... the Witcher didn’t know about cars? Had a fancy car like this one and didn’t... their thought trailed into nothing, eyes drifting down to the rather hard-worn grey hooded sweatshirt and perhaps equally hard worn jeans.

The grey of the sweatshirt hinted in a somewhat terrible way that it might have at one point been white. The jeans bluntly showed off a history of blood-and-other splatter that over the years refused to be washed out.

They remembered Jaskier complaining that the Witcher wouldn’t wear anything other than black steel toed boots, and would wear said boots until they could not be worn any longer.

He had a rather plain black shirt on, too, one that made the shining silver of his Witcher Medallion stand out all the more. He certainly didn’t dress like he’d buy a Porsche, and they knew Jaskier had little to no interest in cars.

“Ah. Right.”

They nodded once and faced forward once more, face settling somewhat grimly.

So the Witcher has stolen a car. They knew laws bent in all sorts of ways for monster hunters, Witchers in particular. They still ran through what to do should the media try to come at Jaskier for his felonious paramour, what a PR nightmare—

Mmnh

They—they hadn’t heard... what? Wait.

Mmnh

It came again over the cars speakers, breathless and moaning and just at the cusp of guttural and—

Mmnh

And very obviously Jaskiers voice.

They kept their (very wide) eyes forward, face heating when, after another minute, another notification came through the cars speakers. Mmnh

They dared a glance, and saw a very small uptick at the corner of the Witchers mouth.

What the fuck.

The car came to a stop, was turned off, and the doors unlocked. They barely reacted to having those swords in the back coming very close don’tkillme when the Witcher clicked something from the harness and pulled them between the seats, hauling himself out of the car while they were still fumbling with the door handle.

Their face still felt very hot as they followed the Witcher into a surprisingly packed cafe, the people crowding at the door making way for the Witcher—as anyone would, they think, trying not to stare at the twin swords strapped to his back. He just... carries them around... all the time?

The reason for the crowd soon became obvious—Jaskier was at centre stage at the back of the cafe surrounded by a group of people with instruments. His hands are moving, animated, as he discussed something with them. Hanging above the low stage was a rather small sign:

OPEN MIC MONDAYS

(And Sundays)

All Welcome

BYOM

Of course.

There was something else printed below it but they were too far to read it—they hurried forward, squeezing around a couple who had moved back into the space the Witcher had left through the crowd, rushing to catch up.

They could see Jaskier’s head turn as the Witcher got closer, as if he could somehow sense his presence—saw the way his whole face lit up at the sight of him, eyes yet again impossibly fond for this large, gruff... man.

“Ah, Geralt! Ah, you’ve found my unfailing manager! Did you get my texts?”

Their face flushed anew at the reminder when they saw the Witcher’s head tilt, and the people surrounding the singer all took a small step back. Jaskier’s smile took a teasing edge to it as he strolled forward, hopping off the short stage (more of a step, really) to sidle close enough to hook his arm around the Witchers waist.

“Oh, none of that, darling, you know you can’t bring Roach around with you everywhere. Besides,” Jaskier’s other hand trailed up the Witchers chest to cup the back of his neck. “She would have been bored to tears waiting for us here, unable to hear my dulcet tones, and you know I couldn’t resist bring your own music—this is practically my origin story!”

They looked again at the sign now that they were closer and saw that the smaller text was that exactly—and, despite Jaskier’s rising fame, they hadn’t yet managed to convince their attention hungry singer that he didn’t need to participate in every ‘open mic’ that he found.

A quick glance around saw quite a few people sporting various articles of autographed clothing, clutching autographed napkins. They saw one person proudly showing off the black ink of their autographed clavicle; it was loud in the cafe, but they were almost certain they’d heard the word tattoo thrown around, which, really.

They shook their head and cleared their throat, grabbing attention from where the two were gazing intensely (the Witcher) and adoringly (Jaskier) at each other. It was easier to be relaxed around the Witcher with Jaskier around.

“So this is why we can’t have a meeting at a nice, quiet venue?”

Jaskier smiled winningly, what they internally named his ‘won’t I look lovely on a poster’ smile, and leaned further into the Witchers chest. The other man didn’t so much as sway.

“Well, the fine operators of this lovely cafe have so graciously allowed us use of one of their private rooms—ordinarily,” he said, leaning in closer, “only allowed for special occasions and for those pre-paying for a business lunch! Well, if a meeting with my manager isn’t both a special occasion and a business lunch, then what do I know?”

“Hmm.”

“Ohoho, now, now,” Jaskier’s head snapped back toward the Witcher, grinning widely and stroking the back of his fingers against the other mans stubble. The other man leaned into the caress, and Jaskier shifted to cupping his face oh so gently. “I’m sure there’s no need for any of that, dearest. They were also lovely enough to allow us use of the room for as long as we’d like today at no charge...” Jaskier turned back to them and winked. “...With lunch.”

They expected it was likely due to the increased patronage brought in by having Jaskier singing at their cafe, and the possibility of yet more after their meeting was done, but decided to keep this observation private.

Jaskier turned back to the Witcher, head tilted, and they were struck by the fact that there wasn’t actually a large height difference between the two; it only seemed that way due to the Witcher’s rather large, hulking presence. Muscles like that could make anyone seem small.

It was interesting seeing how gently he rested those brutal hands against his singer’s slight waist, trailing up and down his ribs, fingers soft against the fabric of his shirt.

“Now as for you, my dear, would you like to stay for my meeting or head out? Ah,” Jaskier tilted his head, and they couldn’t see what changed in the Witchers expression but it made Jaskier look smug. “See, I thought as much, so I had the foresight to ask for something made to go.”

And, see, this was why they were certain right from when they first met that Jaskier was destined for the limelight—because the man made a grand gesture, unwrapping himself from the Witcher, and a woman wearing an apron with the cafe’s logo on it appeared with a steaming to-go cup and a small paper bag. The man had an impeccable sense of dramatic flair and excellent timing.

“Why thank you, Lee,” he nodded with a short, courtly bow and a wink that had her smiling, before handing off the two to the stone-faced Witcher. They thought that was that, but then Jaskier was slipping his fingers through his belt loops, and tugging him closer—that the Witcher went, and easily, was what had their eyebrows rising.

“Now, I’ve fed and caffeinated you now give me a kiss and be on your way.”

They flushed when the Witcher grinned and leaned down so slowly to do just that, earning some hooting from those about the room and some drum pounding from those still on the stage, and had to look away when the kiss went on a little longer than perhaps necessary—

They finally parted, a small smile on the Witchers face surprisingly soft when he leaned down to press one, two more small kisses that had Jaskier leaning in to give one more of his own.

It was a flushed and beaming Jaskier who linked arms with them, glancing after the Witcher as he left, calling farewell to those who protested when it was clear the man wasn’t going onstage for another set...

Because that’s what they’d witnessed the man do again and again, singing and playing and then circling the crowd for a break before going up, again and again until either the venue was closing or, in places with alcohol, until he’d had enough to drink to keep him from making it back to the stage again.

But then, they’d also witnessed in such a situation that Jaskier would simply continue to sing or play from wherever he had landed, be it bar, barstool, table, or floor, and go on further still.

The room that they went to was bright and welcoming, the seats comfortable, and admittedly a nicer place for their meeting than where they’d initially planned. They’d been in contact with a few agents with a variety of contracts and shows that they think would be of interest for Jaskier.

They managed to get through quite a few of them, some of the staff from the cafe bringing in pre-cut artisanal sandwiches, hand sized quiches, a display of fruit cut bite-sized, and finishing with a small bowl each of something chilled and creamy with a drizzle of maple syrup. They’d each gotten through two drinks, too—Jaskier having apparently already given their order before their meeting—before sticking to water.

Hmm

“Ah,” Jaskier held up one finger, phone no longer face down on the table, “one moment.”

“You know,” they can’t keep from saying, watching Jaskier beam at his phone and type through what looks like a novel’s worth of emoji’s. “The Witcher... he didn’t... read your texts in the car...”

“Oh, d’you like the car?” Jaskier finished typing and settled his elbow on the table, chin set against his fist. “His rust bucket of a car got crushed when he was going after some Royal Wyvern—he was grumbling about it since even he’s aware that he can’t just bring Roach about with him everywhere, despite what he said earlier—

They frowned, head tilting. Despite what he said...?

“...And he was going to pick out any car without doing any research as to how dependable it is, and really, imagine if he’s out and about and his car breaks down and there’s no Roach to be found and then where will he be? So I looked up ‘reliable cars 2019’—”

“Reliable cars 2019?? You—”

“Well of course I’m not going to look up ‘reliable cars 2020’ it’s hardly been any time at all, they could go to shit after six months and we wouldn’t know it, so it was lucky that there were results with that search since we got the first one that popped up!”

“You... you chose to buy the first car when searching reliable cars 2019?” The conversation had gotten away from them

“Of course!” Jaskier lounged back in his chair and popped a grape in his mouth. “I’m not going to choose the second, right? He still has another car for when he needs to go off-roading, obviously, but we call this his ‘city car’ and it’s a, uh, oh shoot what’s it called...”

They couldn’t do more than stare while their singer scrolled through something in his phone, top lip caught between his teeth. “Just give me a moment, I just e-mailed the dealers to have one ready for Geralt, and he insisted on paying in cash, so...

“Ah, here it is, so It’s a 9-1-1 Carrera, um, por-shee—oh! Porsche! Well, well, well,” he looked up from his phone looking mightily impressed with himself. “I accidentally chose a fancy car, huh? You know, there are some words you only ever read and then don’t know how to say aloud until you google it or have someone correct you, but no one ever thinks about the words you’ve heard and said aloud but haven’t seen written out and—oh,” he cut himself off, “ooh!”

His eyes had gone wide, white visible all the way around those marketable blue eyes and mouth forming a perfect O.

“Oooh,” he said again, “I see, the texts, he never checks his texts in the car and complains about it because he can check his texts with Roach since she drives but you,” he says, one hand flat on the table and the other now pointed and being shaken in their direction, “you wanted to say—his ringtone! Oh, no, and it’s, and it’s connected to the car—oh I’m, pff, I’m sorry, you—

Jaskier broke off laughing, one hand raking back through his hair and somehow they are unsurprised to not see a lick of shame or embarrassment on his face. Well, they thought, wry, at least he knows about it.

“You know,” Jaskier manages to get out when his laughter finally dwindles, “this is probably why he told me not to text, but, you know when I changed his ringtone I didn’t quite expect that you’d have to listen to my sex voice with surround sound speakers?” He gave a shrug, smile still curling about his mouth, what can you do?

“Well,” they said, “I guess it’s alright if you didn’t expect it, hmm?” And at least they hadn’t ridden in a stolen car...

They shook their head, then paused. Asked,

“So... you were the one who changed the ringtone?”

Jaskier smiled and leaned back, satisfaction in every line of his body.

“Oh, yes.”

--

(part 2 of @doodled93 and my Witcher short series (p1: Get A Text From Your Witcher ao3 link)

[xperiwrites]

@geraskierweek

AUTHOR: Xperimental @xperiwrites

PROMPT DAY #2: Monster Hunt

SUMMARY: ....What if Jaskier was a dragon? Well it would make dragon hunting awkward, for sure. 

WORD COUNT: 944+ (more chapters to come)

SET FOR NETFLIX SHOW

TRIGGERS/WARNINGS: None

RATING: Teen and Up

[xperiwrites]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types, The Witcher (TV) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion Characters: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Jaskier | Dandelion, The Manager Additional Tags: Established Relationship, Geraskier, Public Display of Affection, Geralt being Softe, Jaskier likes Attention, Open Mic Night, Geralt will begrudgingly use a car, Jaskier the Singer, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Roach is mentioned but not featured unforunately, Modern Monsterhunting, Manager pov Series: Part 2 of Modern Monster Hunting Summary:

When they were told that Jaskier was moving their meeting to another location and that he was ‘sending a ride’ they didn’t think that ride would be the Witcher. --- Geralt doesn't mind giving Jaskiers jumpy manager a ride. No. Really. He doesn't.

[xperiwrites]

With my very limited internet access for the moment: To the few Anons who are making comments about my fanfiction/original fiction

Here’s hoping this posts eventually, and please excuse typos as I’m working on my phone. 

I have an AO3 account (Xperimental) where I write original fiction and, now, also fanfiction. I started by writing explicit, experimental (haha u get the name huh), original fiction. One of my first was also a semi-fanfiction of the explicitly sexual game Corruption of Champions. 

Recently I’ve gotten involved in The Witcher fandom, and have started writing fanfiction for it. As of today, I have exactly one explicit story for the fandom posted. I’ve now gotten 2 anonymous comments on tumblr asking if I’ve Abandoned my original stories for fanfiction. The short answer to that is no. One I need to finish the last chapters before posting as I’m daring to include a plot twist to porn, and one I need to be in the mood to write it’s final, semi unnecessary chapter. I also have other stories in the works. Non-fanfiction stories ;)

I’ve gotten 1 anonymous comment asking if they should be “worried” I’ll bring my “Kink” to my fanfiction. I’m assuming they haven’t read the consensual mind control sex fic I posted a little while ago. Or, if they did, they did not read the tags before jumping in.

Yes you should be worried, and thanks EVER so much for making me feel self conscious about what I post. 

I have made a series on ao3 for ~just~ my fanfiction that people can subscribe to if they don’t want notifications for non-fanfiction. TO BE CLEAR: This is not to cast judgement.  11/11 original works by XPerimental are rated explicit and sure as heck are. If that’s not your jam, I take no offence. I tag to the best of my ability because I ~know~ what I write isn’t for everyone. So, anon, read the tags before you read the fic. Police and cultivate your own experience. 

Now, I feel like perhaps this shouldn’t bother me the way it has, but there is a bit of mental dissonance I feel between writing fanfiction and original fiction, and on top of work stress and other stress, getting targeted anxiety about writing from an anonymous person is just, y’know, it’s GREAT. THANKS. 

TL;DR: I tag all my fiction, original and fan, so read the tags and you won’t be surprised by themes you dislike. Also I’m still working on my original fiction. I write both original fiction and fanfiction now, and will not stop writing either.

Thank you to all the people sending in prompts anonymously! I know I haven’t posted them, but mostly because geraskier week is coming up ;) getting everything ready to start posting on Feb 14th/2020. Feel free to send in more prompts if you’d like

[xperiwrites]

the feeling of getting back from work and wanting to write but also being so fucking tired is just. Ah.

Thank you to the anonymous peoples who decided to send me prompts. Thank.

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

THE PRETTY RECKLESS's TAYLOR MOMSEN And BEN PHILLIPS Kick Off Rock Installment Of 'How I Wrote That Song'

BMI (Broadcast Music Inc.), Beasley Media Group and Xperi's HD Radio Technology have launched the fourth installment of BMI's signature series "How I Wrote That Song", featuring Taylor Momsen and Ben Phillips of the notable rock band THE PRETTY RECKLESS.

Each episode of the 12-part series will give audiences an insider's look into the creative process of writing and producing hit songs as well as the stories behind them. This episode features the writing process behind some of THE PRETTY RECKLESS's biggest hits like "Heaven Knows", "Messed Up World", "Follow Me Down" and many more.

A new Brian Ives-hosted episode will air every two weeks on Beasley Media Group radio stations across the country, with the video component posted on bbgi.com.

THE PRETTY RECKLESS's latest album, "Death By Rock And Roll", was made available in February via Fearless Records in the U.S. and Century Media Records in the rest of the world.

Upon release, "Death By Rock And Roll" topped multiple sales charts — including Billboard's Top Albums, Rock, Hard Music, and Digital Charts. The record also yielded two back-to-back No. 1 singles — "Death By Rock And Roll" and "And So It Went" (featuring Tom Morello). The band has tallied six No. 1 singles at the rock format throughout its career.

"Death By Rock And Roll" is THE PRETTY RECKLESS's first album to be made without longtime producer Kato Khandwala, who died in April 2018 from injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident.