#i am a relentless singer it's true

[talentforlying]

never escaping the broadway bops i fear.

#( ooc. ) OUT OF CIGS. #i am a relentless singer it's true #mitski we meet again. my beloved. my devil #this well has been poisoned by my summer depression bops i fear. where is pongo! sammy rae! doechii! my ladies!!

[nomacam]

Seungmin: The Heartfelt Voice of K-pop

In the kaleidoscopic world of K-pop, there shines a beacon of melodic magic, none other than Stray Kids' vocal virtuoso, Seungmin. With his celestial vocals, boundless charisma, and unwavering dedication to his craft, Seungmin has carved a special place in the hearts of fans worldwide, captivating audiences with his soul-stirring performances and heartfelt sincerity. As an ardent admirer of Seungmin, I am thrilled to pay tribute to his extraordinary talent and the profound impact he has had on the world of K-pop and the lives of fans everywhere.

From the moment he graced the stage as a trainee to his current role as an indispensable member of Stray Kids, Seungmin has enchanted audiences with his ethereal vocals and magnetic stage presence. His journey is a testament to his boundless talent, relentless work ethic, and unwavering passion for music, inspiring fans to pursue their dreams with courage and determination.

As a vocalist, Seungmin possesses a voice that transcends the realms of the ordinary, weaving tales of love, longing, and hope with each soul-stirring note. Whether he's delivering haunting ballads or electrifying anthems, Seungmin's vocals never fail to leave a lasting impression, touching the hearts of fans and earning him praise as one of the industry's most captivating vocalists.

Beyond his vocal prowess, Seungmin is also celebrated for his warm personality, genuine humility, and deep connection with fans. Through his heartfelt interactions on social media, sincere messages, and genuine appreciation for fans, he has fostered a strong sense of camaraderie and support within the fandom, creating a welcoming and inclusive community where fans feel valued, heard, and understood.

In addition to his musical talents, Seungmin is also admired for his versatility and dedication to his craft. Whether he's dazzling audiences with his dynamic dance moves, showcasing his acting skills in music videos, or honing his craft as a songwriter, Seungmin approaches each challenge with enthusiasm and determination, continually pushing the boundaries of his artistry and inspiring fans to do the same.

As a fan, Seungmin has left an indelible mark on my life, inspiring me to embrace my passions, pursue my dreams with determination, and never lose sight of my true self. His melodic magic, unwavering positivity, and genuine love for his craft serve as a constant source of inspiration and motivation, reminding me to persevere in the face of adversity and never give up on my aspirations.

In the vibrant world of K-pop, there are few artists who can capture hearts with their voice and charm quite like Seungmin. As a member of Stray Kids, Seungmin has carved out a special place for himself, not just as a talented singer and dancer, but also as a beloved personality with a heartwarming presence.

One of the first things that fans notice about Seungmin is his voice. Often described as honey-like, his vocals have a soothing quality that can instantly uplift your mood. Whether he's hitting high notes with ease or delivering emotional ballads, Seungmin's voice has a way of resonating with listeners, making them feel a deep connection to the music.

But Seungmin's talents extend far beyond his vocals. As a skilled dancer, he brings energy and precision to every performance, adding an extra layer of excitement to Stray Kids' dynamic choreography. His stage presence is undeniable, commanding attention with his charisma and natural grace.

Offstage, Seungmin is known for his warm and caring personality. Fans often describe him as the "mom" of the group, thanks to his nurturing nature and his ability to take care of others. Whether he's offering words of encouragement to his fellow members or interacting with fans, Seungmin always leaves a lasting impression with his kindness and sincerity.

Another aspect of Seungmin that fans appreciate is his versatility. Not only is he a talented singer and dancer, but he's also a skilled musician. Seungmin plays the guitar and piano, adding a personal touch to his performances and showcasing his musical prowess.

In addition to his musical talents, Seungmin is also known for his sense of humor and playful personality. He's often seen joking around with his fellow members, showing off his comedic timing and ability to lighten the mood. His infectious laughter is enough to bring a smile to anyone's face.

But perhaps what makes Seungmin truly special is his dedication to his craft and his fans. Despite his young age, he approaches his work with a level of maturity and professionalism that is truly admirable. Whether he's practicing for a performance or interacting with fans on social media, Seungmin always gives his all, showing just how much he values and appreciates the love and support of his fans.

In conclusion, Seungmin is not just a talented artist, but a shining example of kindness, humility, and passion. His voice is a beacon of warmth in the world of K-pop, and his presence is a reminder of the power of music to connect people from all walks of life. As he continues to grow and evolve as an artist, there's no doubt that Seungmin will continue to capture hearts and inspire others with his talent and spirit.

#kpop #skz #skz stay #stray kids #skz seungmin #seungmin #appreciation post

[absolutebl]

Ocean Likes Me - Noodles & Mismatched Dreams

quick pitch 

Ocean Likes Me 

Korea, May 2022 on Viki

 8/10  

Main Tropes: opposites attract, grumpy/sunshine, impossible dreams, gay chef 

Stars Kpop’s best known out gay singer, Holland, and Han Gi Chan (Where Your Eyes Linger). Noodle shop! Broken dreams! 

This is a solid little KBL, with a good premise and cast. Manic pixie dream boy can get old fast but when contrasted with awkward grumpy chef? It’s a tasty combo that elevates both ingredients. Holland is a charming screen presence - baby boy is HYPNotiC. And while I wasn’t entirely sold on the chemistry, these two did give us some very good kisses and sweet domesticity. I grinned through most episodes and I didn’t even mind the standard KBL 1 year separation at the end because it felt so true to the characters. 

It was Tommy’s wardrobe that really clued me in as to what was going on with this show. His jumpers are full of rough shaggy textures (mohair, faux fur, chunky knits) and stormy-beach colors: sandy browns, blues, and grays. Not necessarily colors you normally associate with an ocean, but the colors that really are there on a cold northern beach in particular. 

We are left wondering if Tommy is meant to be an actual boy or if he is instead a representation of the ocean. Is this actually about Ba Da learning to love himself? (Since bada means ocean).

The title of the show, Ocean LikeS Me (BaDa - the ocean - falling in love with Tommy) versus the title of the song Tommy writes, Ocean Like Me (I am the ocean). Is this contrast intentional, I wonder? Or am I reading too much into that one S?

Tommy is like a piece of beautiful driftwood that has been tossed upon the shore, soon to be swept away again on the next tide. We aren’t surprised when he leaves, we aren’t surprised that he is both capricious and consistent. He may or may not be the spirit of the sea, but either way he embodies both its relentlessness and its transience.

The sparse coldness permeating this show in contrast to the cozy domesticity it depicts when the boys are together reminded me of something out of Scandinavian film. This whole series is permeated by a sense of winter. The lighting and style is exactly the opposite to the warm atmospheric feel we got from Cherry Blossoms After Winter. These are, in a way, two different ends of the spectrum of BL that Korea produces yet they both embody the precision and in the stiffness of KBL.

Watchers of KBL are often left with this persistent idea that we are missing something all the time, something the characters are doing just off screen, or in between episodes. We missed it but Korea also didn’t WANT to show it to us because they find it too painfully intimate to portray.

This absence colors all KBL with a certain wistfulness. There’s so much left unsaid. But also un-filmed. All the scenes that would be considered key in Thai BL, are left out. 

But, for me, Oceans Likes Me managed to justify this aspect of itself in a way other recent BLs have not (I’m looking at you: Love Class). We never see Tommy and Ba Da actually become boyfriends, they just... suddenly... are. It’s as inevitable as the ocean. There is no confession scene, there’s no first time, there’s just THEM. 

And then, just as quickly Tommy is swept away and there is no them at all.

Or perhaps I’ve been in too many relationships with artists?

I understand the premise of this ending (unlike most of the arbitrary Kdrama 11th hour separations) which is: sometimes you can’t just support someone else’s dreams, you must part in order to pursue your own dream. It’s not a lack of love that ends the relationship, it’s conflicting life goals. (This hit me pretty hard, actually, since one of the great loves of my life is a sunshine person whom I had to leave behind: not for lack of love, but conflicting ambition.)

I was happy (and a little surprised, frankly) that they brought it back around and ended with the boys together again. We actually didn’t have the right to expect and HEA from this kind of narrative, I’m so glad they knuckled under the BL yoke and gave it to us. 

RECOMMENDED

(source)

#bl review #holland #Han Gi Chan #Where Your Eyes Linger #korean bl #kbl #k-bl #recommended bl #ocean likes me #ocean like me #Kdrama #viki #Rakutan Viki

[fyexo]

221101 INTERVIEW: What’s Next For Lay Zhang? – West, Infinite Lands, and the Next 10 Years

When he made his debut as a member of K-Pop boy group EXO, the next ten years felt far away for 20-year-old Lay Zhang who had spent the previous four years studying and training nonstop in order to compete in SM Entertainment’s fierce debut group competition.

But, after a decade, the now 31-year-old global superstar emerged as one of the most successful musicians of his generation, breaking record after record, adding achievement after achievement, and establishing himself as the multi-talented Lay Zhang of China.

Despite all of his achievements, the multi-hyphenate refuses to be described as “successful.” “I don’t think I am very successful,” he said.

In an interview with the Philippine media in support of his most recent album, West, he said, “For me, [being] successful is a moment.”

These remarks are no longer surprising to those who have followed his career and development; Lay Zhang never stops. He has a relentless zeal for improvement and a strong sense of duty to his community, profession, and nation.

“We have to keep our mind to look ahead. Dream big and never give up. Always try your best —that will make great things happen.”

True to his words, he accomplished great things, and his most recent album, West, is proof of his unshakable dedication and hard work.

Lay Zhang gave his fans a five-track album, West, with the single “Veil” in September to commemorate the 10th anniversary of his debut. The album is a follow-up to his album East from 2021.

While East plunges into the world’s Eastern side and transports listeners on a fanciful eastward voyage, West transports listeners on a westward journey and lifts the curtain on the world’s mysteries.

Through the inventive use of oriental musical instruments, symbols, and expressions as well as the fusion of traditional and contemporary components, it creatively tells the story of the difficulties we confront and the path we travel in everyday life.

As someone who is proud of his Chinese heritage, it is also significant for him to include his culture.

“I am a Chinese person first before an artist. I want to share the good things about my culture. I hope to inspire others to do the same.”

Lay Zhang brought out his producer side to create an astounding album in West – now one of his “children”, together with Lose Control, Winter Special Gift, Sheep, Namanana, Honey, Lit, Producer, and East, among other releases.

The album’s songs “Veil” and “Understand,” which encourage listeners to lose their masks and reveal their true selves, are among Lay Zhang’s favorites. Notably, the international superstar added an English version of the album’s lead track, “Veil,” in an effort to connect with his global fanbase. “As a Chinese person, Chinese comes easier to me. I also want more people to know what I am singing about, so [I came out with an] English version as well,” he explained.

Given his busy schedule, many are curious about how he balances his roles as a brand ambassador, producer, actor, singer, songwriter, and more.

“It’s not difficult. Every day, I try to do something. Everybody can create something new.”

Nonetheless, he acknowledged the challenges he has as a solo musician. “Being a solo artist is a little bit though because you have to do all things by yourself,” he admitted. But being a solo artist also offers him the independence and flexibility to experiment around with ideas.

Lay Zhang made his solo debut in 2016 with Lose Control, his first extended play. The EP landed at number one on the Gaon Album Chart and is the ninth best-selling album of 2016. Following the release of his debut solo album, he had a string of extremely popular albums that broke sales records and furthered established his unshakeable position as one of China’s and the world’s most loved and acclaimed stars.

And, for him, the greatest achievement of all is the adoration of his supporters.

“My achievement is that I have lots of fans who support me. I can see the fans’ love and support. I have a lot of motivation to do a lot of things and keep doing what I want to do.”

Fueled by this love, and in true Lay Zhang way, the singer-songwriter will continue to refine himself in order to improve and uncover his sound with each record. More than perfection, the “Veil” singer seeks progress—-constant growth and steps toward the fulfillment of a dream, such as his Grandline 2: Infinite Lands concert tour.

As part of the Grandline 2: Infinite Lands tour, the multi-hyphenate completed three concerts in three Asian cities. On October 17, he began his concert tour in Malaysia, his first offline performance since the pandemic, followed by Singapore on October 19, and Bangkok on October 22. He intended to unite his audience through the concert tour, inspiring them to think bigger, dream bigger, and just keep moving forward, hence the concert’s title, “Infinite Lands.”

Lay Zhang also promised to bring the breathtaking views of Infinite Lands to his Xbacks in the Philippines. “My Philippine Xbacks, thanks for your support and love. I hope we can meet soon and immediately,” he remarked.

In the last 10 years, Lay Zhang has made a name for himself, solidified his position in the industry, and paved the way for other young musicians. With his extremely outstanding career and all of his accomplishments, we came to ask: what’s next for Lay Zhang? And, as always, the singer-songwriter strives to give his all every day.

“The next ten years are so far and yet so close. When I was 17 years old, I did not [think] it’s very quick to be 31 years old. Time goes by. [But] for me, I don’t want to waste time, so every day, [I] just do my best [in] whatever I can do.”

When Lay Zhang first took the stage as a member of EXO ten years ago, the next ten years seemed so far away. But years later, the singer-songwriter is still here — never quitting and continuing to lead an industry for the next generation of musicians who will look up to him.

Are you ready for the next decade with Lay Zhang?

The group interview was attended virtually by Danica Lacson.

Words by Danica Lacson | Edited by: abbyinhallyuland

source: hellokpop

#exo #lay #t: interview #hello kpop

[tyunwrites]

“let’s talk about music!”🎸

the tiny desk video came out, was it yesterday? i feel like i have stated this before but i have always loved and enjoyed doing content of this nature. you know, something similar to lee mujin’s service and you heeyul’s sketchbook. a platform where i can proudly showcase my live performance. it is.. a bit riskier, granted, for mistakes might end up in the final cut but i does not bother me in the slightest! as pushing boundaries like this contributes to my growth as a singer. whilst it is true that i have come a long way since my debut, i still lack a lot. and it is in these kind of contents that i find some much needed headspace, a realm where i can continue to explore and evolve as an artist.

anyways, we finally performed 𝖲͟𝗄͟𝗂͟𝗉͟𝗉͟𝗂͟𝗇͟𝗀͟ 𝖲͟𝗍͟𝗈͟𝗇͟𝖾͟𝗌 live on tiny desk korea! it is the one performance you all have been waiting for, am i correct? how was it, did you enjoy it? and, well, while we are on the topic of Skipping Stones, it just dawned on me that i, not so long ago, promised to guide you through singing the 네 호수를 part of the song. the trick to nail it is: imagine singing it as if you are softly crying. it feels more natural and the comfort in that emotion helps in hitting those high notes, offering a momentary relief to your nerves. i recall shedding a tear during a live performance of 𝖧͟𝗂͟𝗍͟𝗈͟𝗋͟𝗂͟ 𝗇͟𝗈͟ 𝖸͟𝗈͟𝗋͟𝗎 once, being too engrossed in the song. you have to sing it as if you are pouring your heart out, that raw emotion is the heart of a live performance. i have an absolute faith that each one of you can tackle both songs just as effortlessly, so do not hesitate to give it a try! 𐙚

𓋭

it is quite astonishing to think that we have entered the month of november already. the relentless pace of which time flies just never fail to amaze me. this month so far has been quite chilly, a quiet reminder of the approaching winter. and i heard it is going to rain soon here? well, another tmi, but whenever the raindrops grace november, my go-to song to play is the timeless tune 𝖭͟𝗈͟𝗏͟𝖾͟𝗆͟𝖻͟𝖾͟𝗋͟ 𝖱͟𝖺͟𝗂͟𝗇 by the legendary Guns N’ Roses.. 🌹🎧

indulging myself in english music.. well, i am 100% sure i have also mentioned this a few times before but 𝗂 𝗇𝗈𝗐 𝗈𝖿𝗍𝖾𝗇 𝖿𝗂𝗇𝖽 𝗆𝗒𝗌𝖾𝗅𝖿 𝖽𝗋𝖺𝗐𝗇 𝗍𝗈 𝖺𝗋𝗍𝗂𝗌𝗍𝗌 𝗅𝗂𝗄𝖾 𝖿𝗋𝖺𝗇𝗄 𝗈𝖼𝖾𝖺𝗇, 𝗐𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗅𝗒𝗋𝗂𝖼𝖺𝗅 𝖽𝖾𝗉𝗍𝗁 𝗉𝗅𝖺𝗒𝗌 𝖺 𝖼𝗋𝗎𝖼𝗂𝖺𝗅 𝗋𝗈𝗅𝖾. although, being a non native english speaker that i am, there surely is a certain frustration in not fully grasping the nuances within the lyrics. even when relying on interpretations and translations, subtle linguistic elements or unique expressions specific to english may elude me. it is a tad disheartening, but will not stop me from enjoying the beauty of such music.

talking about frank ocean got me feeling nostalgic. the company told us to study R&B when we were trainees, leading me to this talented artist. it was 𝖫͟𝗈͟𝗌͟𝗍 that got me hooked. it has been awhile since his last release, if i am not mistaken, i will continue to eagerly await for the day he decides to grace us with new music. my patience in waiting remains steadfast, so frank, if you read this, take your time (not too long, though, the world needs you)!

[iiyah]

enigma.

what sets apart the painter from the one who wields the brush? what marks the distinction between the singer and the voice that simply sings? and how does one proudly declare themselves a lover, while another merely cherishes the act of love? it's a woeful journey of illusions and convoluted paths, spinning cycles of uncertainty, leaving one ultimately empty-handed if these words permeate the mind.

within the cynical and grand scheme that envelops me, the rhetoric that ensnared my existence for years reveals itself as a foolish and nameless narrative, a fabrication of who i am, who i was. to attain mastery over hues and rhythms seemed forever out of reach, concealed amidst the dust and cracks that marred those exquisite facades—an ephemeral illusion concocted to please myself, maybe, all. with lips murmuring flattering words, i find hollow consonants entangled in a web of false hope.

i am an enchanted mirror, my majestic balcony bathed in regal hues of royal purple, standing defiantly on a mountainous plateau. echoing screams and yearning cries that i fail to fathom reside within crumpled sheets confined to this fragile vessel. yet, within the misery-filled cavern, where the wicked amygdala dwells within the temple of my cerebrum, lies an oddly fascinating entity.

lost on sidetracked rails, neutral blows cloak the windows of my eyes, leaving only the relentless winds to consume me day after day. i carry a weighty bag, filled to the brim with darkness and light, a paradox of haunting beauty and repulsive horror. perhaps, the power it holds is a terrifying force i dare not confront.

there exists a painter, pitifully splashing pools of paint onto a tainted canvas, releasing torrents and cascades of suppressed emotions onto a blissfully ignorant thing. yet, there sits another, calmly and unaware, meticulously stroking the paper in parallel directions, devoid of passion or spark in their gaze. the observer can only perceive stupidity, a pitiable foolishness. but perhaps it is the envy that devours them, as they do not bear the same weight when engaging in such trivial pursuits—one consumed by fiery red wrath, the other touched by the pale aqua blue, painting indifference.

the same analogy applies to the sentimental singer and the joyful soul who sings without care. then there is the tender lover, seeking fulfillment and unwavering commitment, contrasting with the empty vessel that knows only how to love. what defines these disparities, setting them apart? i cannot discern. is it passion? anger? hatred? it remains a bewildering notion, how something so captivating and addictive can intoxicate us in the long run. passion and hatred were never meant to intertwine within the same sentence.

alas, i am well-versed in love alone, not the embodiment of a lover. i approach all endeavors with fervor and anticipation, cherishing every passing second, every resounding tick of the clock. yet, mastery over such craft eludes me. now, i am left with a bittersweet afterglow, where the treasures hidden within me remain true to themselves—concealed, locked away, with no means of escape, hidden.

perhaps, it has always been this way.

#121403

[cyarskj52]

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid0282rcVGfJc3oxiHpfepE3NVhYEJ5mmjtzXGkf4RxoE6CopRMtQ2F9GQLRFatfCj7ml&id=26423400230&mibextid=ncKXMAHOMELATESTCULTUREENTERTAINMENTBEAUTY/STYLEAWARDS SEASON 2023

TELEVISION

Can The Weeknd Rebound From The Idol’s Failure?

The ‘Earned It’ singer’s HBO drama is ending early after airing only five episodes.

By

Stephanie Holland

Published55 minutes ago

We may earn a commission from links on this page.

Our long national nightmare is finally over.

After five episodes, an avalanche of criticism, and countless tweets wondering “What the hell am I watching?,” Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye’s HBO drama, The Idol, is ending. Though the series was originally supposed to be six episodes long, this Sunday’s fifth episode, “Jocelyn Forever” is being called the season finale. Sources are saying that it was always supposed to be five episodes, according to TV Line. That may be true, but it’s hard not to think that the relentless scrutiny the series was under didn’t play a role in its early exit.

Watch

Deon Cole Talks Average Joe, Black-ish, and What He'd Do With A Small Fortune

3:01 / 4:45

Deon Cole Talks Average Joe, Black-ish, and What He'd Do With A Small Fortune

Gabrielle Union & The Cast of The Perfect Find Define Black Love

Friday 6:36PM

Idris Elba In AppleTV+'s Hijack Is What's Black On TV This Week

Friday 5:13PM

The Idol stars Lily-Rose Depp as embattled pop star Jocelyn, who finds herself wrapped up in a cult with mysterious club owner Tedros, played by Tesfaye. On the surface, that sounds like a somewhat interesting premise, but the series has totally failed in its execution of anything remotely resembling an entertaining TV show. The dialogue is jaw-droppingly bad, while nothing in the story seems to make any kind of sense.

Related Content

The Weeknd’s HBO Series The Idol Undergoes Major Changes

The Weeknd Is the Most Popular Artist in the World, Here’s Why

Related Products

Shop All Television on Amazon

ADVERTISEMENT

Honestly, this is probably one of those shows that never should have been made in the first place. It had a weird, uncomfortable vibe around it right from the start. Once it underwent multiple creative changes, with cast and crew exiting the project and Sam Levinson (Euphoria) taking over as director, that should’ve signaled to everyone involved that this project was dead in the water.

Then, before its premiere, stories began to circulate about the explicit, bordering on exploitative, sexual aspects of Depp’s character. Once the series actually hit the air, the reaction didn’t get much better, as reviews ranged from loathing it, to straight-up ignoring it. It currently stands at 24 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. After the second episode featured a particularly cringeyscene, where Tedros directs Jocelyn through a series of sexual poses and situations, viewers seemed completely done with this nonsense. While Tesfaye says they were trying to make the viewer feel uncomfortable, it just came off as gratuitous and gross.

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

The Weeknd is one of the most uniquely creative artists in the industry. He probably already has 10 wildly different projects lined up and is ready for the next challenge. I hope he learns from this experience and realizes that it’s great to push the envelope, but he also has to learn that those shocking, jaw-dropping moments have to be earned. And when the audience is telling you something is deeply uncomfortable and has crossed a line they won’t follow you over, it’s OK to listen to them. He also needs to know that as an artist your credibility will only buy you one, maybe two, of these high-profile failures. We encourage our favorites to take risks, but be smart about it.Start

Sent from my iPhone

#The idol #lily rose melody depp #the weeknd #sam levinson #jennie ruby jane #the idol hbo

[bigwhispersbluebird]

BTS realizing that they love you (Maknae Line)

Warnings: None

Jimin

Anyone who knows Jimin also knows that he pours love into others like he harvests it inside himself. He would pay extra attention to every tiny detail, every lift of lips, every gaze, every inaudible sigh; and make sure that he breaks apart another tiny piece of his soul and and give it away just to fix the other person.

You had been around him for a year now and you could not help but feel like the universe owed him for it, like the balance of the earth was tattered because Park Jimin gave way more than he was prepared to receive.

So, despite being difficult with touch, you would often initiate it with him. You would make sure he was looked after on days he wanted and had space when he would seek his own company. Your actions were often silent but Jimin noticed.

He noticed when after a night of relentless practice, he crashed on the couch; legs unable to carry him to the bedroom that had seemed too far away then- and heard you enter the house.

He noticed when your cold palm laid softly against his forehead, checking if he was alright; your scent enveloping him like a warm hug. And when you pulled back and suddenly he felt your hands move to his feet, taking off his shoes and socks. Then, how you traced the calluses on his feet, from all the dancing and how you hitched your breath noticing the fresh new blisters. He also felt when you left him there as you adjusted the temperature of the room and covered his body with a blanket and returned with your hands now oiling his feet- fingers running along each contour, putting pressure at all the right places, pausing on the fresh marks.

And maybe it was the tiredness of the day or the fact that this simple action was so intimate that he felt tears fall down his cheeks as he finally opened his eyes and looked at you still focused on massaging his feet and in that moment he just knew- all the love he had given had come back to him.

Taehyung

After a day of touring around the city of Stockholm, visiting all the museums, galleries and castles you and Taehyung had marked, you both were now drunk off the beauty you had witnessed. It was rare for the two of you to be able to do something like that in public- just be a couple.

If somebody asked him, Taehyung would stop time right then and there, knowing completely well that you both will be travelling back to Korea the next day and everything will once again fall into the routine of stealing glances and begging for more time. He liked this moment right now, he thought as he looked at you as you held onto his arm pointing to something in the distance.

Taehyung often wondered why you were putting up with his baggage. You were smart, beautiful, kind and successful- you could have a normal relationship with anyone you wanted, someone who would not be busy for 350 days out of 365, someone who could give you more of such days as that.

His thoughts were still all over the place when a camera flash broke them and he saw you lowering the polaroid, smiling fondly at the result, and he smiled. He would not let his mind ruin this for now. So he looped his hand into yours and dragged you towards a group of musicians playing on the streets.

You immediately recognized the song and your eyes locked with your boyfriend's and he knew what you were thinking. "Not here, Y/N", he said unconvincingly and it did not even reach you because you were already deep into the song.

"You're just too good to be true

Can't take my eyes off of you..."

You continued singing loudly alongside the musicians, your hands acting like a mic. The singer in the relationship was standing right there, showing off his beautiful boxy smile watching you.

As the song picked up its tempo, he joined you, pulling you close- you both over exaggerating every line, every move, every hand gesture as you sang

"I love you, baby

And if it's quite alright

I need you, baby..."

As the song finished, everyone around cheered loudly, making you blush. Taehyung noticed it and pulled you flush against his body, gesturing towards the audience with his hand as if saying thank you. Your gazes locked and he dipped down to your ears, whispering like a lover from the 80s, "I am in love with you, baby" and you swore to yourself that you could wait 364 days more just to hear him say those words again on the 365th.

Jungkook

For Jungkook, love was grand. Love was picking up your lover and kissing them in the rain, it was understanding each other without words, it was flowers, stars and red lipstick. It was moments that poets talked about for years, and what all love songs described it as.

The first time he met you, he didn't feel anything. You did not make his heart race or any gravity that pulled him towards you, neither did he hear any stupid bell. But after being engulfed by your presence for 7 months and finding you gone one day, he had an intense hunger for your eyes on him. He turned the world upside down to find you and had never let go since.

Like all his preconceptions about love, Jungkook had thought that the moment he realized that he was in love with you, it would be surreal and almost movie like. But there he was in the elevator, his hands scrolling through his conversation with you trying to find a specific song he remembered you had sent him. As he read through the messages, noticing the gentle and slow growth of the relationship you both now had, his mind played all the moments like a flashback of his life. How you would tiptoe in his room at night and spoon his big body with your smaller one, gently grazing his arms as if soothing a child. Or how you had travelled miles to hold his hand as he finally released his first mixtape. And when you had planned a birthday surprise for him but had fallen asleep waiting for his shoot to be over yet never complained or how you kissed his forehead telling him that everything will be okay.

And Jeon Jungkook knew, he loved you- he had loved you since the moment he could not even talk to you but had to ask you the name of your perfume because it felt like home to him.

As soon as the elevator doors opened, Jungkook ran through the parking, his large bag on his back. He looked at his driver waiting for him with Jimin already in the back of the car but he grabbed the keys for another car knowing well he had to look into your eyes and tell you what he had just realized.

"Where are you going, Jungkook-ah?", Jimin called out to him.

"Home".

#bts #v #bangtan #fluff #jimin #jeon jungkook #jeon jungguk #jungkook #kim taehyung #taehyung #taetate #park jimin #imagine #canon #oc x canon

[maandarinee]

what are all the podcasts you listen to?

anon I'm so glad you asked

Since it is a pretty long list including synopses (stolen from the podcast feed or website because I'm Bad at summaries and in some cases it's been a while since I listened) I'm going to put it under a cut.

I've separated the list into "Complete" (either finished or cancelled) and "Ongoing" podcasts. Some have additional comments by me. Current favorites are marked orange. My eternal beloved are Our Fair City and Wolf 359.

Complete

ars PARADOXICA: "When an experiment in a time much like our own goes horribly awry, Dr. Sally Grissom finds herself stranded in the past and entrenched in the activities of a clandestine branch of the US government. Grissom and her team quickly learn that there's no safety net when toying with the fundamental logic of the universe."

Blackwood: "Five years ago, Molly Weaver, Bryan Anderson, and Nathan Howell started a podcast focused on the local legend of a monster called The Blackwood Bugman. Quickly, the investigation grew out of their control, as they discovered that, not only are the legends seemingly true, many people in Blackwood have turned up dead or disappeared without a trace." --> [this feels like the Blair With Project, but as a podcast. Didn't get a second season due to no funding, but it works as a standalone]

Dreamboy: "Dane, a spun-out musician spending the winter in Cleveland, Ohio, has two main goals: keeping his job at the Pepper Heights Zoo and trying not to waste all his time on Grindr. What he doesn’t expect is to get swept into a story about dreams, about forevers, about flickering lights, about unexplained deaths, about relentless change, and about the parts of ourselves that we wish other people knew to look for. Oh, and also a murderous zebra." --> [very NSFW; does cool things with music! Didn't get a second season due to no funding, but it works as a standalone]

King Fall AM: "...centers on a lonely little mountain town's late-night AM talk radio show and its paranormal, peculiar happenings and inhabitants." --> [cancelled after 100 episodes, ends on a huge cliffhanger]

Our Fair City: "A campy, post-apocalyptic audio drama." --> [I know the description sounds like nothing but just trust me, I love it so much]

Steal the Stars: "...is a gripping noir science fiction thriller in 14 episodes: Forbidden love, a crashed UFO, an alien body, and an impossible heist unlike any ever attempted."

Stellar Firma: "...a weekly Science Fiction, Comedy podcast following the misadventures of Stellar Firma Ltd.'s highest born but lowest achieving planetary designer Trexel Geistman and his bewildered clone assistant David 7. Join them each episode as they attempt to take listener submissions and craft them into the galaxy's most luxurious, most expensive and most questionably designed bespoke planets. However, with Trexel's corporate shark of a line manager Hartro Piltz breathing down their necks and I.M.O.G.E.N., the station's omnipresent and omniinvasive stationwide A.I. monitoring those necks to within 3 decimal places, they'll be lucky to make it a week before being slurried and recycled into raw human resources." --> [semi-improvised, I thought I'd have a problem with the improv bit because that's not usually my thing, but no, I absolutely devoured this]

TANIS: "...is a serialized docudrama about a fascinating and surprising mystery: the myth of Tanis. Tanis is an exploration of the nature of truth, conspiracy, and information. Tanis is what happens when the lines of science and fiction start to blur." [+ spinoff The Last Movie] --> [I have no clue what the hell is going on here]

The Black Tapes: "...is a serialized docudrama about one journalist's searc for truth, her enigmatic subject's mysterious past, and the literal and figurative ghosts that haunt them both."

The Magnus Archives: "...is a weekly horror fiction anthology podcast examining what lurks in the archives of the Magnus Institute, an organisation dedicated to researching the esoteric and the weird. Join new head archivist Jonathan Sims as he attempts to bring a seemingly neglected collection of supernatural statements up to date, converting them to audio and supplementing them with follow-up work from his small but dedicated team. Individually, they are unsettling. Together they begin to form a picture that is truly horrifying because as they look into the depths of the archives, something starts to look back…"

Time:Bombs: "...a new audio drama podcast about the hilarious world of bomb disposal. Ride along with EOD technician Simon Teller on the busiest night of the year for him and his team - when business is, quite literally, booming."

Wolf 359: "Life's not easy for Doug Eiffel, the communications officer for the U.S.S. Hephaestus Research Station, currently on Day 448 of its orbit around red dwarf star Wolf 359. He's stuck on a scientific survey mission of indeterminate length, 7.8 light years from Earth. His only company on board the station are stern mission chief Minkowski, insane science officer Hilbert, and Hephaestus Station's sentient, often malfunctioning operating system Hera. He doesn't have much to do for his job other than monitoring static and intercepting the occasional decades-old radio broadcast from Earth, so he spends most of his time creating extensive audio logs about the ordinary, day-to-day happenings within the station. But the Hephaestus is an odd place, and life in extremely isolated, zero gravity conditions has a way of doing funny things to people's minds. Even the simplest of tasks can turn into a gargantuan struggle, and the most ordinary-seeming things have a way of turning into anything but that." --> [starts funny, turns very intense]

Ongoing

Alba Salix, Roya Physician (+ The Axe & Crown): "A witch, her apprentice, and her fairy herbalist treat the ills of a fairy-tale kingdom." + "Gubbin the troll tavernkeeper deals with his clueless new landlord, his shady niece, and some new competition."

Archive 81: "A found footage horror podcast about ritual, stories, and sound."

Arden: "A (fictional) true crime podcast about cold cases and the reporter and detective who try to solve them."

Brimstone Valley Mall: "The year is 1999. Lurking somewhere between Hot Topic and the food court, five misfit demons from Hell kill time inciting sin in a suburban shopping mall. When the lead singer of their band goes mysteriously missing, the demons only have two weeks to find him before they play the biggest gig of the millennium - or face the wrath of Satan herself."

CARAVAN: "First rule of Wound Canyon: No one who gets in, ever gets out. So when a brilliant, ghostly specter flies through the sky amid the rain and lightning, Samir stumbles off a steep cliff and into a hidden world, one in which demons, vampires, and all other manner of paranormal creatures take sanctuary." --> [also pretty NSFW and horny in general]

Death by Dying: "The Obituary Writer of Crestfall, Idaho finds himself deeply in over his head as he investigates a series of strange and mysterious deaths… when he is supposed to simply be writing obituaries. Along the way he encounters murderous farmers, man-eating cats, haunted bicycles, and a healthy dose of ominous shadows." --> [I had to stop listening to this in public because it kept making me undignified laugh and snort noises]

Desperado: "Blood magic, Voodoo magic, old gods, new gods: We've got it all! Follow the story of misfits from all over the world, as they try to survive and protect their heritage from modern-day crusaders."

EOS 10: "Doctors in space, a deposed alien prince, a super gay space pirate and a fiery nurse who'll help you win your bar fight."

Girl In Space: "Abandoned on a dying ship in the farthest reaches of known space, a young scientist fights for survival (and patience with the on-board A.I.). Who is she? No one knows. But a lot of dangerous entities really want to find out. Listen as the story unfolds for science, guns, trust, anti-matter, truth, beauty, inner turmoil, and delicious cheeses. It’s all here. In space."

Janus Descending: "...follows the arrival of two xenoarcheologists on a small world orbiting a binary star. But what starts off as an expedition to survey the planet and the remains of a lost alien civilization, turns into a monstrous game of cat and mouse, as the two scientists are left to face the creatures that killed the planet in the first place. Told from two alternating perspectives, Janus Descending is an experience of crossing timelines, as one character describes the nightmare from end to beginning, and the other, from beginning to the end." --> [absolutely harrowing horror]

Love and Luck: "...is a fictional radio play podcast, told via voicemails and set in present day Melbourne, Australia. A slice of life queer romance story with a touch of magic, it follows the relationship between two men, Jason and Kane, as their love grows both for each other and their community." --> [soft and gay, feels like a warm hug]

Potterless: "Join Mike Schubert, a grown man reading the Harry Potter series for the first time, as he sits down with HP fanatics to poke fun at plot holes, make painfully incorrect predictions, and bask in the sassiness of the characters." --> [the only non-fiction podcast on the list]

Primordial Deep: "When a long extinct sea creature washes up on the shores of Coney Island, marine biologist Dr. Marella Morgan is contacted by a secret organization to investigate the origins of the creature’s sudden and unnatural resurgence. Soon, she and a team of experts find themselves living on the research station The Tiamat, traveling along the abyssal plains as they search for answers far below the waves. But there are dangers in these ancient waters. Reawakened, prehistoric monsters are rising from the deep -- jaws wide and waiting, and in the darkness, something is stirring."

Red Valley: "No one at Overhead Industries wants to talk about defunct research station Red Valley, and account man Warren Godby is out of his depth. When he meets Gordon Porlock, a disgruntled archivist with a bag of tapes from the station’s last known occupant, they will begin a journey to the limits of experimental science, confront horror and trauma from the past, present and future, and try to remember the cheat codes from Sonic the Hedgehog 2."

Rusty Quill Gaming: "An actual play podcast following a mixed ability group of comedians, improvisers, gamers, and writers as they play through the extended, tabletop roleplaying campaign Erasing the Line, an original game world of the GM’s crafting." --> [took me a while to get into because I have trouble focusing on non-scripted things, but eventually I got really hooked on the plot and attached to the characters. This podcast is really fucked up at times if you think about it]

SAYER: "A narrative fiction podcast set on Earth’s man-made second moon, Typhon. The eponymous SAYER is a highly advanced, self-aware AI created to help acclimate new residents to their new lives, and their new employment with Ærolith Dynamics." --> [feels like Welcome to Night Vale but narrated by GLaDOS from Portal]

StarTripper!!: "Join Feston Pyxis on a road-trip through the cosmos, as he leaves behind his old life in search of the best and wildest experiences the galaxy has to offer!"

The Amelia Project: "...is a secret agency that fakes its clients' deaths, then lets them reappear with a brand new identity! A black comedy full of secrets, twists... and cocoa."

The Big Loop: "...a biweekly anthology series. Each episode is a self-contained narrative exploring the strange, the wonderful, the terrifying, and the heartbreaking. Stories of finite beings in an infinite universe." --> [I don't like anthologies, except this one]

The Bright Sessions: "Dr. Bright provides therapy for the strange and unusual; their sessions have been recorded for research purposes." --> [think X-Men, but with therapy instead of a school]

The Deca Tapes: "Recordings have surfaced of ten people that are locked into the same space together. We don’t know where they are, or if they'll get out. But the answers must be somewhere on these tapes."

The Silt Verses: "Carpenter and Faulkner, two worshippers of an outlawed god, travel up the length of their deity’s great black river, searching for holy revelations. As their pilgrimage lengthens and the river’s mysteries deepen, the two acolytes find themselves under threat from a police manhunt, but also come into conflict with the weirder gods that have flourished in these forgotten rural territories."

The White Vault: "Follow the collected records of a repair team sent to Outpost Fristed in the vast white wastes of Svalbard and unravel what lies waiting in the ice below."

Tides: "...is the story of Dr. Winifred Eurus, a xenobiologist trapped on an unfamiliar planet with hostile tidal forces. She must use her wits, sarcasm and intellectual curiosity to survive long enough to be rescued. But there might be more to life on this planet than she expected." --> [think The Martian, but on a water planet]

Unwell, a Midwestern Gothic Mystery: "Lillian Harper moves to the small town of Mt. Absalom, Ohio, to care for her estranged mother Dorothy after an injury. Living in the town's boarding house which has been run by her family for generations, she discovers conspiracies, ghosts, and a new family in the house's strange assortment of residents."

VAST Horizon: "Nolira is an agronomist tasked with establishing agriculture in a new solar system, but when she wakes up on a now- empty colony ship, the whole of her plan disappears. The ship has been set adrift, with numerous mission-critical problems requiring immediate attendance outside of her area of expertise. Nolira is aided by the ship’s malfunctioning AI, which acts as her confidant and companion during the fight for survival."

Victoriocity: "Even Greater London, 1887. In this vast metropolis, Inspector Archibald Fleet and journalist Clara Entwhistle investigate a murder, only to find themselves at the centre of a conspiracy of impossible proportions."

We Fix Space Junk: "...follows seasoned smuggler Kilner and reluctant fugitive Samantha as they travel the galaxy, dodging bullets and meeting strange and wonderful beings as they carry out odd jobs on the fringes of the law."

Welcome to Night Vale: "Twice-monthly community updates for the small desert town of Night Vale, where every conspiracy theory is true. Turn on your radio and hide."

Within the Wires: "Stories told through found audio from an alternate universe."

Wooden Overcoats: "Rudyard Funn and his equally miserable sister Antigone run their family's failing funeral parlour, where they get the body in the coffin in the ground on time. But one day they find everyone enjoying themselves at the funerals of a new competitor - the impossibly perfect Eric Chapman! With their dogsbody Georgie, and a mouse called Madeleine, the Funns are taking drastic steps to stay in the business…" --> [one of THE funniest podcasts I have ever listened to]

#ask #anon #please talk to me about podcasts at all times #podcasts #podcast recommendations

[nautiscarader]

Yumalia - romantic gesture

(Ao3)

- Auch! - So, Yugo... - Ow-ow-ow! - What did we learn today? - That-that-I shouldn't-ow!

Amalia sighed. For all his bravery, one of the heroes of the World of Twelve was surprisingly easy to defeat with just a few prickles. Amalia picked them, as gently as she could, tending to his swollen arm and side of his body that took most most of the damage.

And though she sympathised with him in his pain, she still could not understand why would he venture into the forest to tackle that particular enemy.

With a loud clattering sound, she dropped the last of the thick thorns into the bowl, freeing Yugo from his afflictions.

- There, that should be all. - she spoke, giving him a half-exasperated look - Next time you are going to fight a herd of rhinoce-roses for fun, just give me a heads-up... - I didn't do it for fun - he protested, finally being able to breathe without yelping - I... I wanted to give you something...

Amalia noticed the crimson that covered his face, for once not from the toxins, as he pointed to his large backpack Amalia recovered with him.

And when she opened it, her eyes widened at the plethora of fruits inside. And on top of the pile, laid a few flowers, ones Amalia instantly recognised.

- I-I wanted to invite you to this dance tonight, you know, we have it in Emelka every once in a while. - he admitted - And then maybe I could cook you a romantic dinner... I mean, it's still long while until Ballotwine's day, but I guess...

Amalia looked at her boyfriend, shying away from hers, as he confessed. Her lips curled into a polite smile, but as she looked through his belongings he gathered, the smile turned into a smirk

- "Romantic" dinner, you say...?

She asked, her voice suddenly dropping just a little, making Yugo nervous. Amalia walked around the bed he lied on, watching his face, waiting for him to spill the beans.

- Y-Yeah. I thought maybe I could make something savoury first, and bake you something sweet... - Oh, Yugo, bless your soul for trying...

His eyes widened when Amalia unceremoniously hopped onto his bed, and straddled him, carefully navigating her legs around the inflamed parts of his body. And just like before, she pressed her hands gently against his naked chest, this time, without any balsam or medicine to spread.

A sly smile appeared on her face as she traced his muscles, while she got more and comfortable against his crotch.

- I appreciate your efforts, Yugo, but you were not very subtle here...

Her voice became lecherous, as she gently moved her body against his, coating his crotch in her juices, causing a sudden tightness in his pants, as his erection grew.

When she was done caressing his chest, she moved to her own, undoing her top and bra in a single move, exposing her supple breasts to the Eliatrope's eyes.

She giggled. His reaction didn't change, almost as if it was still their first time... And while she could count their sexual moments on fingers of just two hands, she was still mesmerised how his child-like wonder contrasted with what she knew her man was capable of...

- I mean, roses is one thing...

She took one of the flower she cleaned off his body and spread its petals with her finger, sliding it up and down, while the red, delicate folds parted away.

- ...but peaches? Come on, Yugo...

She took the fruit from his bag and slid her finger alongside its ridge, watching as guilt sweeps through his face.

- N-No, Ami! There-there's this dessert you lick, and... - Good idea...

She lifted her wide hips, undoing her skirt with similar ease to her upper garments, and with almost ravenous strength, she disrobed her boyfriend, gasping as his cock sprung into her fingers.

- We should start with appetisers, though...

And with his cock just inches away from her overflowing pussy, Amalia lifted herself and carefully crawled over his face, until his lips were pressed against her folds.

- Well, you can tell me all about that "dessert" you were going to make...

She threw her head back when his tongue slipped inside her, causing her body to shiver, while her boyfriend's mouth made some noises, seemingly coming up with a recipe on the fly. Something about ice creams, and how the whole dish was named after a singer...

But all Amalia could think about was his lips, tongue and fingers caressing her soaking folds. She thought she would be blessed with only one of his thumbs, as his right side was swollen just a bit too much, but she was swiftly reminded of the powers of portals, and soon her clit and lower lips were massaged with the same tenderness he would knead the dough, or decorate pastries...

Amalia let out a moan, digging her fingers underneath his hat, as if she was afraid her boyfriend could escape anywhere. The long steps he was muttering turned into incoherent moans, harmonising with hers, until her hips buckled and with a sharp cry of his name, Yugo's face was covered in her juices, he swiftly lapped, thirsty for more.

- Now it's turn for the main dish...

Amalia returned to her previous spot, her thighs shivering slightly, not only from her previous climax, but also anticipation of his cock she's been neglecting for the past few minutes.

Once more she however above him, cupping his testicles in her other hand, as her fingers gently stimulated them.

- So, what was left in that bag of yours? Ah, right, aubergine and nuts... - N-No, Ami, I-I was going to make them stuffed-! - Oh, I'm sure you did...

And without waiting, she dropped her body onto him, crying his name as she impaled herself onto his cock. Yugo might still have been a head smaller than her, but the rest of his body reminded her was certainly not a boy anymore.

She welcomed his hand on her thigh, though she still did most of the work, with her hips rolling and bouncing up and down, generating moan after moan from the Eliatrope underneath her.

With each slam, she felt as if he was growing, reaching deeper inside her, and with his alien nature, she wouldn't exactly be surprised if it was true. All she knew was that there was one last part of the "meal" he was supposed to prepare for her, and she shivered at the mere thought of how bold he was about it...

- Y-yugo... now... with the pumpkin... - W-What? - he suddenly asked, moving his head up, bewildered that she was still talking about it. - P-Pumpkin? What? - We-We all know what happens when you slice it open... - she moaned, without stopping her relentless moves

She leaned forward, pressing her hands against his chest, as she whispered her last words, her mouth inches away from his ear.

- You get an... avalanche of seed.

She watched as his eyes widen once more, his plan finally discovered.

- Cum inside me, Yugo! Seed me!

She cried, and slammed her crotch against his, seeing him throwing his head in defeat, unable to speak anything than her name. Amalia's body collapsed and thrashed against his with each pulse of his warm cum flooding her sex, for the very first time without the artificial, rubber protection...

For a solid minute, her Eliatrope boyfriend supplied her with his virility, while their erratic breaths slowly synchronised from their shared peaks, until the two young lovers could speak again.

- I bet... I bet you wanted to say you were going to bake a pie for me... - Y-yeah, a-actually. - Yugo babbled, until his senses came back - But, Ami, I-I-did it- - A very creamy pie, I bet?

She gently lifted herself, parting their joined, tired bodies, and watched with him as leftovers of his seed that didn't make it into her womb leaked out, coating his cock with a long, creamy strand.

- Well, I am glad you thought about the flower, though. - F-Flower? - The lewd lilly - she confirmed - It will make great contraceptive potion.

She leaned and kissed him, as she fished the pink flower out of his bag.

- I mean, I should have taken it the night before, but... with all the risk you took to get it, I might play a bit reckless too...

She winked and stood up, careful not to spill more of his gift onto the ground. She gave her flabbergasted, but considerate boyfriend a kiss, and she headed to the doors.

- I will be back in the evening with more... "medicine", for the "swelling". Maybe you will tell me then what were you planning for our supper?

And with that, she left Yugo staring at the ceiling, still breathing heavily, as he tried to comprehend what the heck just happened, and how complicated cooking will be from now on.

#yumalia #lemon #smutember #day 12 #nautiscaraderfics #aged-up characters and all that #smutember 2021 #smutember2021

[dailyexo]

[INTERVIEW] Lay - 200819 Rolling Stone India: “How Lay Zhang Claimed The Throne of M-pop”

"The singer-songwriter and producer offers an in-depth look into his latest record ‘Lit,’ his evolution as an artist and finding the balance between East and West

When I last spoke to Lay Zhang in 2018, he was embarking on an ambitious but daunting journey to bring Mandarin pop aka M-pop to the world. “I hope they think, ‘This artist isn’t bad,’” he had said with some trepidation in his voice. “I hope that they find my music special and maybe… they’ll want to learn more about me and Chinese music.” The singer-songwriter and producer aspired to create a true hybrid of traditional and modern music, a sound that defines our generation’s ability to package the past for the future.

Zhang, more commonly known by his stage name LAY, first debuted in 2012 as a member of world-famous K-pop group, EXO. Although he remains a member of the group, he’s spent the last couple of years in China to focus on a solo career and spotlight his own country’s burgeoning pop scene. It’s a process he kicked off with his second studio album Namanana in 2018, but he was still some time away from realizing his dream of pushing Chinese pop to a global stage.

It’s been nearly two years since our conversation for Rolling Stone India’s November 2018 cover feature, and any signs of trepidation are a thing of the past for LAY. We could chalk it up to him being two years older and wiser, but I’d like to think it’s because he kept his promise to bring M-pop to the world. If Namanana was just a dip in the pool of fusion experimentation, his latest studio album Lit is the deep dive.

“It is the evolution of M-pop for me,” LAY explains. “I wanted to take it to another level. When you hear the Chinese instruments, you know it is a different sound and vibe. The style is more pop, R&B, and hip-hop influenced with the Chinese instruments thoughtfully mixed in.” Comprising a total of 12 songs (all written and co-produced by LAY) Lit was released as two EPs instead of one LP; the first dropped in June while the second made its appearance in July. Nearly every track presents a fresh blend of traditional Chinese instruments like the hulusi, guzheng, flutes and gong with modern genres like trap, R&B, soul, hip-hop, future bass, dubstep and more. It’s a complex, refined and intricate record, utilizing production techniques that clearly outline LAY’s growth as an artist over the past two years. In retrospect, Namanana comes across a slightly more naive record–innocent and optimistic with a hope that international audiences would embrace both M-pop and LAY. Lit however seeks to take a different path and carves out the future LAY envisions with cool confidence and fearless production.

The tracks seesaw smoothly from Mandarin to English and back, with LAY showcasing both his vocal and rap skills. It’s an extremely powerful and expansive album, hair-raising at some moments due to the sheer surprises the artist packs in (at one point I hear what sounds like the tabla on “Call My Name” and it catches me totally off-guard.) Some of the collaborators on the record include big names like hip-hop hitmaker Murda Beatz, Grammy Award-winning producer Scott Storch, composer and producer Mitchell Owens and Grammy-nominated songwriter Mike Daley to name a few. For the title track “Lit,” LAY recruited China-native Anti-General who created a vicious and chilling trap/dubstep beat to complement lyrics that decimate LAY’s haters, gossip-mongers and the media, challenging them to come forward and take him down if they dare. The track sees the singer-songwriter rightfully crown himself a ‘king’ and leader in the music industry.

If that wasn’t enough, the music video for “Lit” is without a doubt one of the best released in 2020. With hundreds of extras, dancers, impeccable CGI and a compelling storyline, it’s more movie than music video, portraying LAY as a warrior king who refuses to be defeated. As executive producer, music director and co-choreographer on the project, LAY pays homage to China’s rich history and culture with tons of historical references and traditional symbolism. I tell him I particularly loved the symbolism of a white lotus emerging untouched and pure from the black ink–representing LAY’s rise in the industry–and he shares that the magnificent dragon that appears at the end was his personal favorite. “It was super important that we added it in,” he says. “It represents my wishes, aspirations and my relentless desire to always pursue perfection in the works that I create. I want my dancing, visuals, and music to be the very best it possibly can be.”

Lit is also thematically more complex and layered than any of LAY’s previous works, exploring concepts that revolve around confidence, love, fame, the media, success and more. “The album continues to explore chasing your dream,” the singer explains. “This time it’s about more personal things in my life. Like hometown, family and self-doubt.” A phonetic play on the word for lotus (莲 / lian) in Mandarin, ‘lit’ is a clever pun used to describe LAY’s similarity to a lotus and his prowess as a musician. He named the album after the lotus because of the symbolism of it growing and blossoming from dirt or mud. The lotus also continues the theme of duality with Lit’s two-part release, and, according to LAY’s team, “represents a new birth plus a new sound in the midst of all his past achievements.”

The album’s success more than speaks for itself– when the pre-order for Lit went live on China’s QQ Music streaming platform, nine certification records were instantly broken as it surpassed 1.5 million pre-orders within seven minutes and 19 seconds. This immediately pushed the EP to Number One on QQ Music’s daily and weekly album sales charts. Lit has also made LAY the best-selling artist in China in 2020, with a whopping 2.5 million records sold. It’s a testament to his drive and determination as an artist, the attention to detail and refusal to back down. The record’s international success was no less, hitting top 10 positions on iTunes charts across 32 countries, bagging 21 Number One spots and firmly cementing LAY’s position as the global megastar that he is.

Some things however, never change; brand deals, TV shows, multiple singles, EPs and collaborations keep his schedule completely booked and– just like back in 2018– it’s extremely tough to pin him down for a conversation. He’s currently in the middle of filming a reality show and has several other projects in the pipeline, but still makes the time to catch up and answer a few questions for Rolling Stone India. In this exclusive interview, LAY details his most successful record yet, the journey of finding the balance between East and West, dealing with the dark side of media attention and why the relationship between an artist and their fans needs to be a two-way street.

Congratulations on the release and tremendous success of Lit! It is an absolutely phenomenal record and I was thrilled to see you explore so many new streams of production. Can you tell me a little bit about the process of making this album and do you feel you met your own expectations for it?

For this album I wanted to mix in Chinese traditional instruments and tell Chinese stories. It is the evolution of M-pop for me. I wanted to take it to another level. When you hear the Chinese instruments you know it is a different sound and vibe. It is hard to say if I met my own expectations. As an artist you never ever feel your work is perfect. You can always find spots where you can improve. But I think what I was able to do with my team in the time we had was great.

You dove deeper into the fusion of tradition and modernity on this album than Namanana—there was a larger variety of Chinese instruments used as well as bilingual wordplay with language in the lyrics. In what ways do you feel you’ve evolved as a producer and songwriter since that album to Lit?

I am still trying to find the right style and combination to share my music and Chinese culture with the world. Lit was an example of my growth. I had this desire to include traditional stories and instruments from Chinese culture. Trying to find the balance with the Western music was challenging. I had to think and spend a lot of time arranging the chords around and fitting everything together. Also with this album I am talking about things in a more personal level and taking time to explain with more of an artistic style. I feel like I am growing up on this journey.

Lit is the first part of a series of EPs which will make a whole LP—why did you want to release it in this format and when did you begin working on the record?

I split it into two parts to give time to people to listen to it. I feel like if I released 12 songs at once, people may not give enough time to listen to each track. But when there are just six tracks each time, then it gives people time to listen more carefully. I started this project maybe early 2019.

The title track “Lit” is about your battle with the media, hateful netizens and malicious comments/rumors. Does it get easier over time to deal with this obsessive analysis of your life or does it never really ebb away?

It will always bother you, but over time you learn to deal with it. You focus on it less and less and back on what you love doing. When I make my music or learn dance or do anything I love, I kind of forget about it. Just focus on your goals and dreams and everything else becomes background noise.

The music for “Lit” is, in my opinion, the best of 2020 so far. Can you tell me a little about your role as the executive producer and music director on this project? How did the concept come about?

I was very involved in the project. I oversaw a lot of things that happened and discussed with almost everyone on the team on how to achieve my vision. When I was making the song I was thinking about how do we share Chinese culture. I thought filming in an ancient palace would catch people’s attention. It took off from there when discussing with the director. We started adding more and more elements of Chinese culture. We were trying to tell the story of Xiang Yu, a warlord who rebelled against the mighty Qin Dynasty but wasn’t able to conquer China. I’m Xiang Yu, but I’m trying to change my fate and succeed in my goal.

You incorporated Chinese Peking Opera in the music video version of the track and visual elements of Peking Opera in the album art for “Jade”–What was the motivation behind that decision and is there a particular story that the opera section references?

I wanted to bring people back in time to ancient China. I reference the traditional Chinese story of Xiang Yu and his love, Concubine Yu, so then I added in select passages from the Peking Opera Farewell My Concubine which tells their tragic story.

You displayed your incredible skills in dancing in this music video and you recently talked about how dancing was a way for you to show the audience who you are. Did you feel a sense of relief that the audience can see you or understand you a bit better after the release of “Lit”? Can the audience ever truly understand an artist?

It feels good to know people can see me and understand me more. I don’t think people can ever understand an artist completely. But they can relate to many things. I think that is a challenge for an artist to see how they can use their music to connect with people. It is a worthy challenge.

How do you hope that the artist you are today crafts the Lay Zhang of tomorrow?

I always believe in working hard and improving. I hope that the Lay Zhang of tomorrow continues to keep looking for ways to improve his art. I hope he never gives up his dreams.

Last time we spoke, we talked about Asian traditions represented in global mainstream pop culture. Now as you’ve grown as a megastar, you are one of the leading names in pop filling that space, bringing your heritage to the stage. Why is it important for our generation to see ourselves and our histories represented on these platforms by artists?

It is important for people to remember where they come from. They should know their own history and how their culture came to be. Also, it lets other people know another culture and have a deeper understanding. It can stop miscommunication and it helps people be closer to each other.

Why do fans need to see themselves in an artist? Does it work the same on the other side, do you as an artist see yourself in your fans?

I want fans to be able to relate with an artist. It is important for a fan to see themselves in artist and an artist to see themselves in a fan. When you can see each other you are able to understand each other better. You can connect with each other and really feel things.

I absolutely love the ‘Re-Reaction’ videos you have been doing for years and it means a lot to your fans that you take the time to do it. Why did you want to do this series and what does it mean to you to be able to connect with your fans like this and see them react to your work?

I am curious to know what fans and people think of my work. I want to know where I can improve. I want to keep growing as an artist. But also I want to let my fans know that I am reading their comments and I see everything they say.

Other than releasing more music, what are the rest of your plans for 2020? Do you have any film projects that you’re looking at taking up or are you planning on doing something completely different?

I am busy filming a TV drama and a few reality TV shows for the rest of 2020. A very busy schedule.”

Photo links: 1, 2, 3, 4

Credit: Rolling Stone India.

#EXO #EXO M #Lay #200819 #exo im #exo m im #lay im #p:news #t:news #fs:rolling stone india #comeback:Obsession

[nastasyafilippovnas]

2 prompts. he / she will never be you, and I would rather do difficult with you than easy with someone else. For santhony

Thanks for the prompts! I chose to do the second, hope you like it! <3

santhony + “I would rather do difficult with you than easy with someone else”, set during 1.08, after Siena agrees to go with the ball with Anthony, wc. 1.9k (ao3)

She checked the time on Anthony’s pocket watch on the bedside table and groaned. Siena swore the damned thing moved faster than any normal watch. By this rate, she was going to be terribly late and wouldn't have any time for a quick warm-up before her performance tonight. 

The man to blame for her lateness stirred behind her and proceeded to place light kisses on her shoulder, his hands around her waist pulling their bodies closer, his front against her back. 

“I am not done with you yet.” He said, his mouth moving up, trailing kisses from her shoulder up to her neck and sucking on the spot just below her ear that he knew drove her crazy.

Siena couldn’t help the moan that escaped her lips. 

“We can’t.” Her protest came out weaker than she would’ve liked. They had spent most of the afternoon in bed, and she still felt hunger for his touch, his warmth next to her. She had tried giving him up, but the time apart hadn’t helped at all. She wondered if there would ever be a time where she would be immune to him. It seemed unlikely. “I must get ready for my performance.”

His kisses stopped immediately, though his mouth still hovered on her neck and she could feel his breath caressing her skin as he spoke. “I thought you would get someone to cover for you. How will you be performing if we’re going to the ball?”

Siena bit her lip. He got her there. 

“Well, I thought I would do my show and meet you at the ball later.” 

Anthony frowned, though she couldn’t see it. What she proposed wasn’t unheard of. The ton’s parties were known for extending well into the evening and many people in fact attended the opera or the theater first before arriving fashionably late at whatever ball they had also be invited to. But it wasn’t what Anthony had in mind when he invited her to go with him. He was planning to meet her at her door, with the prettiest bouquet of flowers he could find - he had never given her flowers before, not even to congratulate her on her performances, and he knew she would understand the importance of the gesture. They would ride on his carriage (during which he would have to contain himself to not kiss her and ruin her dress) and enter the ball together, arm in arm, so there wouldn’t be any mistakes about the current status of relationship. Then proceed to dance the night away. Just the two of them. In no part of his scenario, he expected to spend spend half of his evening sulking in a corner and waiting for her to finish her performance. And there was the way she had said it…

“But you’re still coming, right?”

“Of course!” Her voice was too high and her answer came too quickly. She realized it at the same time Anthony turned her around so he could see her face.

“Siena…” 

She tried turning back and getting out of the bed, but Anthony was faster, his hand on her chin, keeping her in place and their eyes locked. “No, don’t do that. Don’t turn away from me, Siena. Tell me…what’s going on?”

She hated when Anthony went soft on her. It made it so much harder to be logical and practical. But she knew she had to.

“Maybe going to the ball wouldn’t be the best idea.” 

“I told you, no one will say a thing.” He answered confidently, smiling at her.

Siena sat properly in the bed, his hands falling from her face to her thigh as she started speaking. 

“And I said, not to you. Not directly. But are you ready for all the gossip and the whispers? For the men commenting about how they had me, with my legs open in my dressing room?” Before Anthony could even think of defending her honor, she added, “And it will be true! In some cases at least. Are you ready for that? And the women, your mother and your sisters…maybe they won’t say anything to you. But they will say it to me.” 

Anthony sighed. Siena had always been the most pragmatical out of the two of them, his brave soprano who still didn’t call him by his first name despite sharing his bed for the last two years. And, as always, she wasn’t wrong to have concerns. He wanted them to have their happy ending. It wouldn’t be as easy, or as painless, as he had initially told her, but it would be worth it. Of that, he was certain.

“Is that what you’re worried about? The gossip?"

She bit her lip. It wasn’t. Not exactly. Being the talk of the ton would be nothing new - she was the most notorious opera singer in London, after all -, and it would have been worth it. If she had been certain of the outcome, that is. 

She wasn’t.  

“You can change your mind, my lord. At anytime.” Before Anthony could contest, she continued, “You did it already! You promised you would always take care of me! And you changed your mind.” Regret quickly crossed his face and Siena could feel the tears forming in her eyes at the reminder of that morning, when he had tossed her aside as if she had been nothing more than an inconvenience. It wouldn’t do to start crying now. She was stronger than that.

“Right now, you’re happy we’re back together and you think we can overcome anything. What’s going to happen when everyone you know and respects turns against us?” 

“You're right.” Anthony answered quickly and Siena couldn’t hide her surprise. She had wanted him to come to his senses and agree with her, of course she did. His idea had been utter foolishness after all, born out of the high of being in each other’s arms once more. But she had expected him to at least put up a fight. It was okay, though. It only confirmed she had been right all along. She wasn’t disappointed. She wasn’t.

“Of course I am. So we can forget ever going public…”

“You're right that it won’t be as easy as I said.” He interrupted her. “Me being a viscount…my sister being a duchess…none of that will stop the talk of the ton. In fact, my mother might be the one to most strongly oppose us being together.” Anthony couldn’t hide his grimace. His mother’s reaction to his choice was the one thing he had tried to avoid thinking about at all costs. Violet Bridgerton wouldn’t give up just because he and Siena went to the Hastings’ ball together. As a matter of fact, it might only serve as further motivation on her relentless pursuit of a suitable bride for her first-born. He could count on Benedict to be on his side (his brother was pursuing Siena’s closest friend, after all) and Eloise’s curious nature would endear Siena to her, he hoped. But what about Colin? Would his brother be accepting of their relationship, when Anthony had so adamantly opposed his engagement to Miss Thompson? And Daphne and Simon, would they come to his aid as he expected, or would they worry about their own status first? Simon only referred to Siena as his mistress and Daphne wanted nothing more than to be a proper lady of the ton. Maybe neither of them wouldn’t be willing drag the Hastings' name into another scandal just for Anthony’s sake. His own family might not offer the support he craved, though he hoped they would come to understand his decision. He couldn’t keep hurting his own heart in the name of duty and honor. “It won’t be easy. But, Siena, I would rather do difficult with you than easy with someone else.” 

She shook her head. “You don’t mean that, my lord. You can’t mean that.”

Anthony let out a small laugh of incredulity, “Can’t I? And may I ask, why not?”

Siena opened and closed her mouth, at loss for words. Before she could come up with an answer, though, Anthony's hands enveloped her waist and he pulled her back to the bed and on top of him, kissing her quickly in the mouth. Surprised, it took her a moment to respond, but he was already pulling away, though his arms remained around her, his hands positioned low on her back.

“I know what this is.” He said, smiling at her. “You're scared. Scared I’m going to leave again, break things off once more and let you deal with these people’s snide comments on your own. That I’m going to see you the same way they do and I’ll turn away.” Her brown eyes looked at him with surprise and she wondered if she was indeed so transparent or if he just knew her that well. Sometimes she dreamed of the life she and Anthony could have together. More often than not, these dreams turned sour as the Anthony in them realized she would never be more than a lowly opera singer, only good for entertaining him at night between the sheets. 

“One day you will.” She murmured softly against his chest.

“No, no, never.” He protested, holding her face up, and hoping she could see the truth in his eyes and in his voice. “Siena, I wish you could see yourself as I do. The most talent, incredible, funny, smart woman I’ve ever met. There’s no one but you. Not for me. I’m sorry that I hurt you and made you ever doubt that.”

She closed her eyes for a moment and Anthony saw a single tear escape as she sighed, her hands on his chest shaking for a moment. “You make it so hard for me to do the right thing.” 

He kissed her cheek where the tear had dried before turning towards her mouth and kissing her again, hard and desperate. 

“I want you to do the right thing for us. For us and no one else.” His hand was in her hair, their heads as close together as they could without touching. “Choose us, Siena.” 

It sounded so simple when he said it. He made her believe anything was possible. But she knew this thing between them was fragile, powerful and uncontainable, yes, but fragile. It had been broken and mended together by sheer force of will, and any strong push could shatter it for good. If they wanted it survive and flourish, then they first had to protect it. 

“I can’t go to the ball with you. Not tonight.” She saw the disappointment flash through his eyes and be replaced by a mask of cold indifference as he nodded in understanding, already starting to pull away from her. 

“But I am not going to the opera either”, she quickly added and Anthony looked at her in confusion.

“I thought…maybe we could stay in tonight? We can have dinner with your brother and Genevieve later.” 

Siena looked at him expectantly.

A compromise, that’s what she proposed. Maybe they weren’t ready for the harsh light of day and the deep cutting remarks of society, but it didn’t mean they would never be. In the mean time, they could allow a little light in as they grew stronger in the dark.

“I suppose…Benedict and Madame Delacroix shall make for a decent conversation.” He answered and the smile Siena gave him was so bright it was almost blinding. “As long as you’re by my side, my lady.” 

And, because he knew she would, Anthony kissed her before she could voice her protest over his choice of endearment.

#anonymous #answered asks #bridgerton #anthony x siena #santhony #anthony bridgerton #siena rosso #my fics

[tuffduff]

Idyllic Daybreak (Axl Rose x Reader)

Pairing: Axl x Reader (fluff)

Words: 1,346

Request: from @axlsslut “hi!! been dying for some good axl fics :)) something sweet and cute maybe?”

A/N: this is inspired by those mornings (coming our way soon !) where it’s not yet the middle of a hot ass brutal summer, but it’s not cold either, the air is just crisp and the sun is just out, also inspired by “Tiny Dancer!” Thanks for requesting love! 💕

Blinking open your eyes to the world, the first thing that hit your senses was the gentle trill of piano keys coming from the front room of the large house you still had not yet gotten used to. It wasn’t entirely new, per se, but waking up to so much space was taking you longer than you thought it would to adjust; Axl used to make fun of you for getting lost when the two of you first moved in. Having him back home again definitely helped fill what once had felt missing.

You smiled knowingly then, looking at the empty linen sheets next to you. This wasn’t uncommon. Even when you woke without him right next to you, there was no such thing as a bad morning when Axl was home and not away touring, no matter how early you started your day. In fact, the earlier the better. You pulled his t-shirt from the day before on over your head and quietly padded down the cool tiled hallway that led you to him sat at the grand ivory piano, facing away from you.

The view in front of him was a picturesque scene of your backyard through the ceiling-to-floor windows, the green blades of grass sparkling from early morning dew as the first amber rays of sunlight touched down. It turned his hair into a brilliant blaze where it rested against his bare shoulders. You chuckled fondly; Axl always seemed to wear as little as possible.

Approaching now as quietly as you could, you smoothed your hands gently along his shoulders, ridding them off the tension he held before you wrapped your arms around his neck to lean into an embrace. He didn’t jump at your presence, but merely gave you a smile, as if to say he knew you were there all along.

“Good morning, sugar.” He drawled deeply, not pausing his playing. You sat down on the bench beside him silently, glowing with pride at his talent. He watched you instead of the keys, a bigger smile beginning to grow on his face when he saw you swaying to the music. He was playing Elton, of course, “Tiny Dancer.” Axl was the one who had gotten you into Elton John. Sometimes when he wrote you letters while away on tour, he would address you as his “tiny dancer.” Needless to say, it was your favorite song of his.

“Go on,” Axl encouraged while he played, knowing you were seconds away from breaking into song. For a second, you turned shy, but Axl nudged you again, offering a supportive nod. That was the thing with him, he would’ve supported you doing absolutely anything. As much as you were his cheerleader, he gave you just as much in return, if not more. If you woke up and told him you wanted to train as a figure skater for the next Olympics, he’d probably have an ice rink built so you could practice. It was never a question of “if” but “when?”

He thought everything you did was done with perfection and grace, and your singing was one of his favorite things in the world, a solace to him, a comfort. It took a long time for you to be convinced—after all, he was Axl Rose. But Axl never wasted his time saying something he didn’t believe with every fiber of his being. And he had asked you to sing to him enough over the phone while he was on tour that you started to believe it; no one would subject themselves to something that often if they didn’t find some pleasure in it. Along with his relentless support, he always allowed you the comfort and space to be yourself, so singing around a man who was labeled one of the greatest of all time had become a pretty casual thing.

You leaned into him as you sang, “but oh, how it feels so real, lying here, with no one near.” At first, you couldn’t look at him, but when you did, he was beaming. It was that big, full teeth, glowing grin he only had for you, and you laughed at the burst of warmth and affection that filled your chest. “Only you, and you can hear me. When I say softly, slowly!” He joined you now, the two of you singing the chorus together, his voice supporting yours effortlessly in harmony.

“Pull me closer, tiny dancer. Count the headlights on the highway, lay me down in sheets of linen—” you giggled more when Axl’s fingers left the keys to tickle you instead and pull you closer to him. His lips pressed against your temple and then, as if he couldn’t help himself, he immediately went for your lips, using his pointer finger to turn your head to face him.

“C’mon, darlin’; it’s a beautiful morning. I’ve been waiting for you to get up.”

“Axl, it’s barely 6 AM!”

“Yeah, but why would I sleep when I could be spending it with you?” With that, you couldn’t argue.

He opened the sliding glass back doors while you cut watermelon and oranges. The two of you sat together on your patio feeding one another sweet pieces of fruit, dancing to the radio playing from the living room, and giggling about everything under the sun. You did cartwheels in the grass while he tried writing new material for Guns’ next project, an ambitious double album. However, he found himself predictably sidetracked by you and soon found himself attempting to do cartwheels too. He grew annoyed when he couldn’t, but fell back to doing jumps and leaps in the air, satisfied that he could at least do those better than you.

“I just have so many ideas,” he ranted to you while the both of you rested in the grass like two tired children. Your head was in his lap and as you stared up at him, you wondered how a man so hardened from the world could still be so willing to just try. To be vulnerable. To let his heart be gentle and exposed and allow it to live on his sleeve. He blinked a few times quickly, eyelashes fluttering as though he were overwhelmed with all the thoughts jumbling his head. “The guys think I’m just being excessive when I tell them about adding the horn section and backup singers and all the ideas for the next two music videos. But they don’t get it sometimes. I don’t want to be limited. The sky’s the limit, you know, as far as I’m concerned. I’m not gonna stop aiming higher.” You smiled, reaching your hand up to caress the soft skin of your cheek. His fiery rant instantly cooled as he smiled at your touch, looking down at you and placing his hand over yours.

“You are so incredibly gifted. I’m so proud of you, you know.” You told him. He sat for a moment, staring at you, maybe taking in your praise, maybe trying to convince himself what you were saying was true. Finally, he leaned his head down to kiss your lips.

“Thank you.” He whispered, lips touching yours. “You don’t know how much peace of mind you give me.” Another kiss. “How happy you make me. I couldn’t go through this life without you by my side.” You locked your arms behind his head, smiling. “And I can’t wait one more goddamn second,” you gasped and started laughing when he stood up and leaned down to scoop you up and throw you over his shoulder, his hand landing prominently on your ass with a rough slap.

“Axl!” You laughed more as he carried you back into your house.

“What, you think you can just walk around here like that and expect me to keep my hands off you?”

“I’m just existing!” You protested back playfully as he dropped you onto your bed. He crawled on top of you, smirking and smoothing a piece of your hair back.

“Exactly, baby. You’re just you, and I’ve been a goner since day one.”

#axl rose #guns n roses #axl rose x reader #axl rose imagine #guns n roses imagine #gnr

[fyexo]

200819 How Lay Zhang Claimed The Throne of M-pop

When I last spoke to Lay Zhang in 2018, he was embarking on an ambitious but daunting journey to bring Mandarin pop aka M-pop to the world. “I hope they think, ‘This artist isn’t bad,’” he had said with some trepidation in his voice. “I hope that they find my music special and maybe… they’ll want to learn more about me and Chinese music.” The singer-songwriter and producer aspired to create a true hybrid of traditional and modern music, a sound that defines our generation’s ability to package the past for the future.

Zhang, more commonly known by his stage name LAY, first debuted in 2012 as a member of world-famous K-pop group, EXO. Although he remains a member of the group, he’s spent the last couple of years in China to focus on a solo career and spotlight his own country’s burgeoning pop scene. It’s a process he kicked off with his second studio album Namanana in 2018, but he was still some time away from realizing his dream of pushing Chinese pop to a global stage.

It’s been nearly two years since our conversation for Rolling Stone India’s November 2018 cover feature, and any signs of trepidation are a thing of the past for LAY. We could chalk it up to him being two years older and wiser, but I’d like to think it’s because he kept his promise to bring M-pop to the world. If Namanana was just a dip in the pool of fusion experimentation, his latest studio album Lit is the deep dive.

“It is the evolution of M-pop for me,” LAY explains. “I wanted to take it to another level. When you hear the Chinese instruments, you know it is a different sound and vibe. The style is more pop, R&B, and hip-hop influenced with the Chinese instruments thoughtfully mixed in.” Comprising a total of 12 songs (all written and co-produced by LAY) Lit was released as two EPs instead of one LP; the first dropped in June while the second made its appearance in July. Nearly every track presents a fresh blend of traditional Chinese instruments like the hulusi, guzheng, flutes and gong with modern genres like trap, R&B, soul, hip-hop, future bass, dubstep and more. It’s a complex, refined and intricate record, utilizing production techniques that clearly outline LAY’s growth as an artist over the past two years. In retrospect, Namanana comes across a slightly more naive record–innocent and optimistic with a hope that international audiences would embrace both M-pop and LAY. Lit however seeks to take a different path and carves out the future LAY envisions with cool confidence and fearless production.

“’Lit’ continues to explore chasing your dream. This time it’s about more personal things in my life. Like hometown, family and self-doubt.” Photo: Courtesy of Zhang Yixing Studio

The tracks seesaw smoothly from Mandarin to English and back, with LAY showcasing both his vocal and rap skills. It’s an extremely powerful and expansive album, hair-raising at some moments due to the sheer surprises the artist packs in (at one point I hear what sounds like the tabla on “Call My Name” and it catches me totally off-guard.) Some of the collaborators on the record include big names like hip-hop hitmaker Murda Beatz, Grammy Award-winning producer Scott Storch, composer and producer Mitchell Owens and Grammy-nominated songwriter Mike Daley to name a few. For the title track “Lit,” LAY recruited China-native Anti-General who created a vicious and chilling trap/dubstep beat to complement lyrics that decimate LAY’s haters, gossip-mongers and the media, challenging them to come forward and take him down if they dare. The track sees the singer-songwriter rightfully crown himself a ‘king’ and leader in the music industry.

If that wasn’t enough, the music video for “Lit” is without a doubt one of the best released in 2020. With hundreds of extras, dancers, impeccable CGI and a compelling storyline, it’s more movie than music video, portraying LAY as a warrior king who refuses to be defeated. As executive producer, music director and co-choreographer on the project, LAY pays homage to China’s rich history and culture with tons of historical references and traditional symbolism. I tell him I particularly loved the symbolism of a white lotus emerging untouched and pure from the black ink–representing LAY’s rise in the industry–and he shares that the magnificent dragon that appears at the end was his personal favorite. “It was super important that we added it in,” he says. “It represents my wishes, aspirations and my relentless desire to always pursue perfection in the works that I create. I want my dancing, visuals, and music to be the very best it possibly can be.”

Lit is also thematically more complex and layered than any of LAY’s previous works, exploring concepts that revolve around confidence, love, fame, the media, success and more. “The album continues to explore chasing your dream,” the singer explains. “This time it’s about more personal things in my life. Like hometown, family and self-doubt.” A phonetic play on the word for lotus (莲 / lian) in Mandarin, ‘lit’ is a clever pun used to describe LAY’s similarity to a lotus and his prowess as a musician. He named the album after the lotus because of the symbolism of it growing and blossoming from dirt or mud. The lotus also continues the theme of duality with Lit’s two-part release, and, according to LAY’s team, “represents a new birth plus a new sound in the midst of all his past achievements.”

The album’s success more than speaks for itself– when the pre-order for Lit went live on China’s QQ Music streaming platform, nine certification records were instantly broken as it surpassed 1.5 million pre-orders within seven minutes and 19 seconds. This immediately pushed the EP to Number One on QQ Music’s daily and weekly album sales charts. Lit has also made LAY the best-selling artist in China in 2020, with a whopping 2.5 million records sold. It’s a testament to his drive and determination as an artist, the attention to detail and refusal to back down. The record’s international success was no less, hitting top 10 positions on iTunes charts across 32 countries, bagging 21 Number One spots and firmly cementing LAY’s position as the global megastar that he is.

“I don’t think people can ever understand an artist completely. But they can relate to many things. I think that is a challenge for an artist to see how they can use their music to connect with people. It is a worthy challenge.” Photo: Courtesy of Zhang Yixing Studio

Some things however, never change; brand deals, TV shows, multiple singles, EPs and collaborations keep his schedule completely booked and– just like back in 2018– it’s extremely tough to pin him down for a conversation. He’s currently in the middle of filming a reality show and has several other projects in the pipeline, but still makes the time to catch up and answer a few questions for Rolling Stone India. In this exclusive interview, LAY details his most successful record yet, the journey of finding the balance between East and West, dealing with the dark side of media attention and why the relationship between an artist and their fans needs to be a two-way street.

Congratulations on the release and tremendous success of Lit! It is an absolutely phenomenal record and I was thrilled to see you explore so many new streams of production. Can you tell me a little bit about the process of making this album and do you feel you met your own expectations for it?

For this album I wanted to mix in Chinese traditional instruments and tell Chinese stories. It is the evolution of M-pop for me. I wanted to take it to another level. When you hear the Chinese instruments you know it is a different sound and vibe. It is hard to say if I met my own expectations. As an artist you never ever feel your work is perfect. You can always find spots where you can improve. But I think what I was able to do with my team in the time we had was great.  

You dove deeper into the fusion of tradition and modernity on this album than Namanana—there was a larger variety of Chinese instruments used as well as bilingual wordplay with language in the lyrics. In what ways do you feel you’ve evolved as a producer and songwriter since that album to Lit?

I am still trying to find the right style and combination to share my music and Chinese culture with the world. Lit was an example of my growth. I had this desire to include traditional stories and instruments from Chinese culture. Trying to find the balance with the Western music was challenging. I had to think and spend a lot of time arranging the chords around and fitting everything together. Also with this album I am talking about things in a more personal level and taking time to explain with more of an artistic style. I feel like I am growing up on this journey.

Lit is the first part of a series of EPs which will make a whole LP—why did you want to release it in this format and when did you begin working on the record?

I split it into two parts to give time to people to listen to it. I feel like if I released 12 songs at once, people may not give enough time to listen to each track. But when there are just six tracks each time, then it gives people time to listen more carefully. I started this project maybe early 2019.

The title track “Lit” is about your battle with the media, hateful netizens and malicious comments/rumors. Does it get easier over time to deal with this obsessive analysis of your life or does it never really ebb away?

It will always bother you, but over time you learn to deal with it. You focus on it less and less and back on what you love doing. When I make my music or learn dance or do anything I love, I kind of forget about it. Just focus on your goals and dreams and everything else becomes background noise.

The music for “Lit” is, in my opinion, the best of 2020 so far. Can you tell me a little about your role as the executive producer and music director on this project? How did the concept come about?

I was very involved in the project. I oversaw a lot of things that happened and discussed with almost everyone on the team on how to achieve my vision. When I was making the song I was thinking about how do we share Chinese culture. I thought filming in an ancient palace would catch people’s attention. It took off from there when discussing with the director. We started adding more and more elements of Chinese culture. We were trying to tell the story of Xiang Yu, a warlord who rebelled against the mighty Qin Dynasty but wasn’t able to conquer China. I’m Xiang Yu, but I’m trying to change my fate and succeed in my goal.

You incorporated Chinese Peking Opera in the music video version of the track and visual elements of Peking Opera in the album art for “Jade”–What was the motivation behind that decision and is there a particular story that the opera section references?

I wanted to bring people back in time to ancient China. I reference the traditional Chinese story of Xiang Yu and his love, Concubine Yu, so then I added in select passages from the Peking Opera Farewell My Concubine which tells their tragic story.

You displayed your incredible skills in dancing in this music video and you recently talked about how dancing was a way for you to show the audience who you are. Did you feel a sense of relief that the audience can see you or understand you a bit better after the release of “Lit”? Can the audience ever truly understand an artist?

It feels good to know people can see me and understand me more. I don’t think people can ever understand an artist completely. But they can relate to many things. I think that is a challenge for an artist to see how they can use their music to connect with people. It is a worthy challenge.

How do you hope that the artist you are today crafts the Lay Zhang of tomorrow?

I always believe in working hard and improving. I hope that the Lay Zhang of tomorrow continues to keep looking for ways to improve his art. I hope he never gives up his dreams.

Last time we spoke, we talked about Asian traditions represented in global mainstream pop culture. Now as you’ve grown as a megastar, you are one of the leading names in pop filling that space, bringing your heritage to the stage. Why is it important for our generation to see ourselves and our histories represented on these platforms by artists?

It is important for people to remember where they come from. They should know their own history and how their culture came to be. Also, it lets other people know another culture and have a deeper understanding. It can stop miscommunication and it helps people be closer to each other.  

“I want to keep growing as an artist. But also I want to let my fans know that I am reading their comments and I see everything they say.” Photo: Courtesy of Zhang Yixing Studio

Why do fans need to see themselves in an artist? Does it work the same on the other side, do you as an artist see yourself in your fans?

I want fans to be able to relate with an artist. It is important for a fan to see themselves in artist and an artist to see themselves in a fan. When you can see each other you are able to understand each other better. You can connect with each other and really feel things.

I absolutely love the ‘Re-Reaction’ videos you have been doing for years and it means a lot to your fans that you take the time to do it. Why did you want to do this series and what does it mean to you to be able to connect with your fans like this and see them react to your work?

I am curious to know what fans and people think of my work. I want to know where I can improve. I want to keep growing as an artist. But also I want to let my fans know that I am reading their comments and I see everything they say.

Other than releasing more music, what are the rest of your plans for 2020? Do you have any film projects that you’re looking at taking up or are you planning on doing something completely different?

I am busy filming a TV drama and a few reality TV shows for the rest of 2020. A very busy schedule.

Riddhi Chakraborty @ Rolling Stone India

#exo #lay #t: interview #album: lit

[holylulusworld]

The queen of Lebanon - Part 10 – The queen of Lebanon

Summary: Your father died years ago, all men in the business believed you are too weak to take over his Empire – they were wrong. Anyone trying to get into your hair will feel your wrath. What happens when a cocky mobster tries not only to steal your empire but your heart too?

Pairing: Mobster!Dean x Mobster!Reader, Mobster!Sam, Arthur Ketch, Cole Trenton

Warnings: angst, ‘the family business’, torture, violence, blood, betrayal, love-hate relationship, smut, unprotected sex, comforting, fluff

The queen of Lebanon Masterlist

“First things first.” Clearing his throat Dean smirks. “I finally made her see I am the man for her, so Y/N agreed to become my wife. This means she will be not only my queen; she will become the queen of Lebanon.”

While Sam and Jimmy eye you warily, waiting for the shoe to drop the others congratulate you and Dean. Your face is stoic, not what anyone would expect from a soon to be bride.

“You sure about this?” Sam is the one to ask you the question swirling in your mind since you made the deal with Dean. “We will fight back together, either way, Y/N. There is no need to agree to an arranged marriage.”

“Sam.” Giving your friend a cracked smile you hold back the tears. “We need to show anyone that Dean Winchester rules Lebanon and that I am his queen. No one will dare to set a foot into our town again.”

“True but…” Leaning closer Sam searches your face. “At what cost?”

“Sammy, I love you like a brother but don’t talk low about my soon to be husband. Dean is…” Laughing you watch Dean exclaim you are his Sweetheart. “An annoying son of a bitch but…”

“I know, Y/N. Just don’t get your heart broken again.” Smiling up at Sam you can’t see his brother's features darken or the way he clenches his jaw.

“Let me tame your brother before he tells anyone I will carry his heir soon or shit like that.” Smirking you walk toward Dean, grasping for his hand to lead him toward the back of the room.

“Dean, it’s time…”

“Sweetheart, you don’t have to watch. Let Ketch and me do this.” Glancing at your ringless finger Dean swallows his pride and kneels in front of you. “I know this is not the time or place to do it, but I always loved you and the thought of becoming your husband fills me with pride and joy.”

“Dude, are you going to cry.” Chuckling you glance at the ring Dean gets out of his jacket and your breath hitches in your throat. “That’s the ring I liked…”

“I…I bought it back then. I swear I wanted to run away with you and forget about the business and dad. Sammy was at Stanford, wanted a new life and I…I wanted you.” Dean’s fingers shake as he puts the ring on your finger.

“Dad, he threatened you and your family, told me he will rather kill all of you then watching me marry you…”

“Dean…” For the first time in ages, you see the young and loving boy in Dean. “We…we lost so many years…”

“Baby Girl, please let me show you I am still the man you fell in love with.” Nodding you wipe away a few tears. “I will come with you, Dean. I need answers and only Cole can give them to me.”

You got used to blood, death and the smell of gunpowder but seeing your ‘brother’ restrained to a chair while Ketch cuts into his flesh make your stomach churn.

If not for your father and Jody, you would run out of the room and let Ketch do his job, but you need to make sure everyone knows it was you making Cole pays for his crime against your family.

“I will ask you this one last time. Where is Dick Roman? What is his endgame and is Crowley still alive?” Dean circles Cole while you try to focus on asking questions. “You can make this easier for you…”

“Easier…” Spitting blood into your face Cole laughs at your words. “You will make sure I suffer for killing your parents. I know you can be unforgiving; Y/N. Killing John Winchester is one of the best examples. You hunted him like a deer…”

“You could’ve stopped me anytime, Cole. You knew it wasn’t John killing dad and Jody. He killed my mother and Michael still…” Wiping the blood away you look at Dean. “Maybe I wouldn’t have killed John if only I knew he didn’t kill my whole family.”

“Lies! Only knowing it was him killing your beloved blood-related brother made you forget about morals and living a normal life, Y/N. I was right about you and me not being able to live the apple-pie life.” Cole scoffs, not seeing his fault.

“I was ready to live a normal life, Cole. Only my parent’s death made me come back. Without you letting Dick Roman ruining my life, I could have a husband, a family and maybe even children…”

“Just lie to yourself, sister…” Backhanding Cole your features harden. “Never call me like that again, worthless scum. Bobby Singer, my father took you in, loved you like a son and you killed him!”

Dean needs to hold you back, needs all your strength to keep you under control. “Sweetheart let Ketch handle this. You know he will get all the answers we will need to bring Roman down. Just come with me…”

“I need to…he killed my parents, Dean.” Furious you fight Dean’s hold on you, ready to kill Cole with your hands. “Cole will pay for betraying the queen of Lebanon…”

While Dean uses force to drag you out of the room he nods at Ketch who smirks. “Well, Cole. You are all mine now, I guess.”

The door closes behind you and Cole knows the last moments of his life will be painful and full of regret…

“It’s done…” While Ketch places a little box onto Dean’s desk he waits for your orders. “I let him suffer, boss. I swear, no other man ever suffered like Cole Trenton. Your father was a good friend of mine, always treated me with respect.”

“Ketch…” Clearing your throat you shake the thought away you let someone kill the last remnant of family you had left. “Thank you for your determination, Arthur. My father always appreciated your help.”

“Did you make him talk?” Arthur scoffs, tossing his phone onto Dean’s desk. “I recorded every word he said. Between groaning, screaming and begging me to stop he told me everything we need to know, Dean.”

“Is Crowley alive?”

“According to Cole, and believe me, he wasn’t able to lie to me any longer, Crowley is alive but held by one of his man, Azazel in his favorite house,” Ketch explains Dick Roman wants to force Crowley to agree to a bond between their clans as you glance at the phone.

“Means we need to strike and get Crowley out before that short bastard agrees to save his ass,” Dean grumbles glancing at the box on his desk. “What’s that?”

“A finger…” Smirking Ketch leans closer. “I thought we could send it to Dick Roman after we freed Crowley. We should make sure that bastard knows we won’t hold back either.”

“Do it…” Choking out the words you nod at Dean before you leave the room to take deep breaths.

Days ago, you trusted Cole with your life, believed he is on your side no matter what and now he’s a traitor...

“You okay…?” Watching you step out of the bathroom, only wearing one of his button-ups Dean searches your face. “Stupid question,” Dean mumbles, glancing at you walking toward him.

Your hand slides over his chest up to his neck to bring him down for a messy kiss. “Y/N…”

Ignoring Dean’s question, your screaming mind or your aching heart you slip your tongue into his mouth. “Fuck me, Dean…”

“We should talk…” Biting his lip, trapping it between your teeth you fist his hair. “Baby Girl.”

“Fuck me, Dean and make me forget everything else than you inside of me…”

Pressed into his mattress, your legs slung around his waist you cling to Dean’s body. He’s relentless thrusting into you, making your body jolt with every snap of his hips.

Your mind clouded with lust, you lock eyes with Dean, make sure he can’t look away as you cry out his name every time he hits the sweet spot he got to know so well.

“Baby Girl…” Voice hoarse, lower than ever he hisses when you scratch your nails down his back.

There will be angry red lines, but Dean doesn’t mind, instead, he bites your neck hard enough to leave another mark and you clench harder around him.

“Harder…make me forget…” Desperate to cut out the memories of Cole’s betrayal you get lost in Dean, in his scent and the way he fills you with every thrust.

When you buck against him, cry out in pleasure Dean buries his face into your neck, kissing it softly this time as his cum fills you. “I am sorry, Sweetheart. I know this is…”

“Dean…” Meeting your eyes Dean smiles as you caress his cheek. “Thank you for making me forget everything else and…” Laughing you lick your lips. “The hot sex…”

“Winchester at your service, my queen.” Pecking your lips Dean moans as you slide your fingers through his hair. “I’ll do anything for you, Y/N.”

Humming you move your hands over his back, let him hide his face in your neck, still not able to part from you. “I love you, Y/N. Always have…”

Tensing Dean forgets how to breathe for a moment when you whisper something in his ear. “I love you too, Dean…”

The queen of Lebanon

@alyssaforever2671, @xcastielbabyangelface​​, @bitchwhytho​​, @rosiehayes​​

SPN Forever Tags

@donnaintx, @screechingartisancashbailiff, @fallen-wolf22, @sister-winchesters99, @mogaruke, @the-is13, @helloitsmeamie203, @sandlee44, @strayrosesbloom, @notyourtypicalrose, @thewinchesterco, @marvelfansworld @hobby27, @gh0stgurl, @flamencodiva, @jay-and-dean, @voltage-my2dlove, @spnhollis, @chonisberonica, @wittysunflower, @supernaturalenchanted, @shikshinkwon, @yolobloggers, @hhiggs, @laxe-from-outer-space, @ilovefanfic86, @linki-locks11, @eggingamazinglove, @trumpettay, @fandom-imagines1, @thenamelesschibi, @waywardbaby, @straycuties9, @drakelover78, @stuckys-whore, @zxph-yr, @i-love-superhero, @unlikelysamwinchesteronahunt, @deepmuffinspymaker, @katsav17, @heyitscam99, @fandom-princess-forevermore, @neii3n, @exo-nova, @cocklesbelli, @echoesofpassion, @lauravic, @shatteredabby, @deanmonandnegansbitch, @sea040561, @lemondropirwin, @lonewolf471, @wronglanemendes, @juniorhuntersam, @helpmeluci, @goodgodimaweirdperson, @shadowkat-83, @alltimesamantha, @officialmarvelwhore, @meganywinchester, @miraclesoflove, @maniacproffesor, @hollymac79, @kayla-2000, @gracefultrenchcoat494, @babygirls-fav, @spnwoman, @amiquette, @alexoloughlinlover32, @geekofmanyforms, @jessica-marsh09, @spnficgirl, @shut-themoonscone, @thequeenreaders, @countrygal17a, @atomicfandombomb, @kteelou, @soryuwifeyxx, @kricketc28, @defenderrosetyler, @shortwinchester, @maybesomedaygayyyy, @tmiships4life, @sabascio, @that-place-called-middle-earth, @the-broken-angel-13, @bunnybaby89, @pandabiiissh, @maddiedott, @lilulo-12, @theoneandonlymelol, @mblaqgi, @clawsandshotguns, @justsomedreaming, @cassiopeia-barrow, @its-the-timey-wimey-winchesters, @mscarter213, @jo-like-josette, @mep6811, @prettydeaneyes, @rvgrsbrns, @deanwanddamons, @tearsforhan, @skittlebittz @certaindeanwinchesterforcastiel

Dean/Jensen Forever Tags   

@spnfamily-j2, @supernatural-bellawinchester, @negans-lucille-tblr, @deans-baby-momma, @thefaithfulwriter, @squirrelnotsam, @roonyxx, @neerness, @deansgirl-1968, @spn-dean-and-sam-winchester, @butifulsoul125, @lyinginthegingerlocks, @20gayneen, @janicho88, @woodworthti666, @thevelvetseries, @dreaminemz, @akshi8278, @midnightsilver16830, @mrspeacem1nusone, @ria132love, @caligraphee, @the-witch-in-silence, @justanotherwinchester, @multisuperfandom, @jason-todd-squad, @jadesupernatural, @psychicforest, @luciathewinchestergirl, @magssteenkamp, @palefiregiver, @tranquility-or-chaos, @jxackles, @michellemxndes, @addictedtofictionalcharacters, @gabifernandessn​

#The queen of Lebanon Masterlist #dean winchester #MOBSTER!AU #mobster au #mobsterdean #mobster!dean x reader #dean winchester SPN #dean winchester x you #dean winchester fanfic #dean winchester fanfiction #dean winchester x reader #dean x reader #dean x you #mobster!dean x you #mobster!dean #mobster!dean winchester x reader #mobster!dean x mobster!reader #dean winchester series #angst #Smut #spn smut

[dumbkiri]

Fate Changes Three

Parts: [1, 2, Here, 4, 5 ]

Summary: [Name] and Barbara’s lives are on the line. Batman has a difficult choice to make and while he abandons the only person that keeps Jason alive in memories, [Name] is content with his decision. This is her chance. 

Pairing: Jason Todd x Female! Reader

Genre: Action, Slight Angst

Word Count: 3.1k //  7 pages

Warnings: Guns, Suicide, Blood, Death

"Because like you, Juliet, Romeo never died."

 His words haunted her like her nightmares. His modified voice still echoing in her head. His Arkham symbol planted in her memories. Everything about him, threw her off her tracks. It was bothersome that she couldn't find out who he was. Then [Name] thought about the star-crossed lovers.

Romeo died in the story. What did the Arkham Knight mean that Romeo never died? Juliet was under the influence of a sleeping potion which gave Romeo the impression that she died. He mourns for her like a true lover and voluntarily drinks poison because he believed she was dead. Juliet not even a moment before wakes up from her sleep and finds Romeo dead. Juliet then stabs herself in the heart. 

......

“Because like you, Juliet-”

Juliet, she was still alive. She was only sleeping. 

“Romeo never died.” 

Romeo was tricked.

“I fear too early, for my mind misgives-”

The Arkham Knight wasn’t going to let her kill herself. 

“Some consequences, yet hanging in the stars-”

If Juliet had woken up earlier, she wouldn’t have allowed Romeo to drink the poison. Because she was alive.

“Shall bitterly begin.”

The roles...they switched. 

......

 "Where's Barbara?" [Name] asked sitting in the middle between two armed guards. Her eyes trained on the Arkham Knight sitting casually in the passenger seat. His fingers drumming to the song playing on the radio. She recognized the singer's voice: Frank Sinatra. The man who sang the famous song in her dreams. 

"Hey," She addressed the Arkham Knight, "I asked you a question." 

Her attitude earned a hit from the guard on her right. He slammed the butt of his gun on her chest. She reacted with a strangled gasp. Her wounds hadn't fully healed. She was surprised she was still alive. 

"Barbara Gordon is in another car. Away from you." The guard on her left gave her an answer.

 She nodded her head and weakly said, "Thanks."

 Her head hung low and she was very exhausted. [Name] hated showing her weakness, but tonight was like no other night. Tonight she was going to experience fear and that scared her to no end. The rest of the car ride, [Name] had slept. The guards, of course, kept a close eye on her. Even the Knight would look over his shoulder to see what she was doing. Every time, he would see [Name] twitch in her sleep. It was either her fingers or her legs that often twitched. Sometimes she would flinch so hard that the guards would point their guns at her only to see that she was still sleeping. 

"Man, Batgirl has some weird habits," The guy on her right said. He set his gun down and looked at his partner.

 The left man replied back, "She flinched so much in only five minutes." 

The Arkham Knight scoffed and turned the radio higher before saying, "She's having a nightmare." The two guards looked at each other and shrugged. The Knight knew more about Batgirl than they did. They weren't going to question his knowledge. They weren't that stupid.

 [Name] heard what the Knight said and cringed. Only one person knew why she flinched in her sleep. Not even Batman, Alfred, Barbara or Tim knew.

 ……

“Jason, do you ever think that we could live outside of Gotham?” [Name] asked sitting in the backyard of Wayne Manor.

 Jason was casually laying next to her with his arms behind his head. The blanket beneath them providing sanction from the damp green grass it was placed on. Jason’s blue eyes traveled from the stars to [Name]’s back then to the stars again. “Not really?” He said with an unsure tone in his voice. The teen didn’t quite understand what she was trying to say.

 [Name] rested her chin on top of her palm and watched as the stars twinkled happily above them. Her [e.color] eyes reflecting the beautiful night sky. She bit her lip and finally got the courage to say what she wanted, “I think that in order for me to be happy, I need to live somewhere else. Gotham reminds me too much of-" She paused and rephrased her sentence, "Gotham isn’t a place for me to be.”

 Jason sat up at her words, “You’re not serious, are you? Gotham is your home." He watched her as she stayed quiet. Jason continued with a nervous stare. His heart racing faster than when she confessed to him. "It’s where Bruce taught us how to fight. Where Alfred comforts us in the time we need it. It’s where you help me come back to Earth.” He was not happy with her at the moment and [Name] knew that.

 “Jason,” She softly said, her eyes no longer on the night sky. Instead, they were staring straight into deep ocean blue eyes. She wanted him to understand why she wanted to move away from Gotham. “I need this. I need time away from Gotham. From crime fighting. Bruce offered to help me move to Metropolis. It’s not too far from here and I’ll still visit you guys. It’s not like-”

“You don’t get it, [Name]. I need you here with me.” Jason said and scooted closer to her. He placed his hands on her arms and brought her closer to him. “You...I like you, a lot. And you telling me that you want to move away from Gotham makes me feel like I did something wrong. Tell me, what did I do?” 

[Name] smiled at him and felt that he was calming down. That he was willing to listen to her reasons. “Jason, you did nothing wrong. If you did, I would tell you. But you,” She removed one arm away from his grasp and used that hand to reach his head. She brushed her fingers through his hair and then traced his jawline, “You will always be my home, Romeo. Don’t you ever forget that.”

He sighed and rested his forehead on her shoulder, “When will you move?”She resumed combing her fingers through his hair. Her eyes went back to the stars, “I move next week.”

Jason picked his head up from her shoulder and pressed his lips on her cheek. He then spoke up, his voice frail and soft, “At least write to me, okay?”This earned a giggle from the [h.color] haired teen. She covered her mouth and gave him an incredulous look. “Write letters? What century are we in?” [Name] laughed and laughed while Jason crossed his arms over his chest.

 He was currently pouting where he sat. “Writing letters is more personal than sending emails or messaging through technology, alright?”

[Name] couldn’t stop her laughing and Jason had about enough with her teasing. He grumbled under his breath and stood up off the ground. He began walking away, but [Name] grabbed his hand gently in hers. He turned back and saw her hair dancing with the light breeze. Her eyes reflecting the moonlight. 

“Of course, I’ll write to you, Jaybird,” She promised. 

Jason smiled and pulled her into his arms.

 They sealed the promise with a sweet kiss.

……

"[Name]."

It was someone familiar calling out to her. She knew that soft voice. That caring voice. 

"[Name], please, wake up." 

She felt someone tap her foot and she flinched in her sleep. Her eyes begged for her to open up and she begrudgingly agreed. [Name] blinked her eyes open slowly and her focus was absolutely trashed. It took her at least a minute to see who was sitting in front of her. "B-barbara?" [Name] asked sitting up in her position which caused a groan to escape her lips.

 "I wouldn't move too much if I were you. You put up quite a fight tonight. Not only that, but you been shot, survived a car crash and earned bruises from those military guys." Barbara let her head rest against the crate behind her. Her arms were also bound behind her back. She didn't look as bad as [Name] did, but it was evident that she endured just as much.

 "Before you ask, the Arkham Knight stuffed us back here. It looks like a large storage room." [Name] nodded her head, "You can see more than I can." She blinked her eyes again and the darkness around her was starting to get lighter. Her eyes were adjusting.

 "Barbara, do you have any idea of who could be the Arkham Knight?" Barbara shook her head, "No." Then she brought her green eyes to the beaten Batgirl in front of her. "Y-you have an idea, don't you?" "I am not sure," [Name] looked down at her legs, "he gives me these vibes. His actions...they remind me of him."

 Barbara squinted her eyes, "What do you mean 'him'?"

 [Name] sucked in a breath. It took her exactly two minutes to spit the sentence out. "They remind me of Jason." 

Barbara shook her head. Denying [Name]'s words of truth. Jason was dead and her friend needed to get over that fact. "He died," Barbara reminded [Name].

 [Name] involuntarily cringed at her words, "I know, just listen-"

 "The Joker killed him. We all saw the tape. We all saw him murdered in cold blood." Barbara was once again, relentless with her words. "He died, [Name]. He died being Robin." 

"I know!" [Name] yelled at her friend fighting back her tears. Why does everyone have to remind her that Jason was dead? "All I'm saying is that his actions were close to Jason's. I was hinting that maybe the Arkham Knight knew Jason. A childhood friend-" Not possible. "Or a classmate," Wrong. "Someone who knew him." Never.

 You know what you're saying is wrong. You know deep inside that- 

"How do we know it can be one of those options?" 

"Because it's someone who has a large target on Batman. Someone who knows Batman himself possibly even his true identity." Barbara finished. 

The door to the storage room opened. "I assume you two know Batman's true identity." Scarecrow popped out of nowhere scaring the girls for a quick second only for that fear to turn into anger. They weren’t going to answer an obvious question. Scarecrow knew for a fact that they knew who was under the mask. He walked closer to them and his feet stopped to stand in between them. Scarecrow looked at Barbara and then to [Name]. His sinister eyes boring into her fear stricken ones.

"Batman is here as we speak," Scarecrow informed them, "It's time for him to choose which Batgirl he wants to save." 

"What do you mean?" [Name] asked the tall man. He gave her a smile; a creepy and sinister one. Then she looked at Barbara, but her green eyes were trained on the floor. The commander's daughter knew what was going to happen, but she was still drawing a blank. "You'll see, Batgirl."

 The Arkham Knight walked in silently and picked up Barbara. He carried her over her shoulder and ordered his men to help [Name] up. They followed his order and lifted her off the floor. She gasped out loud and the Arkham Knight whisked his head in her direction. He watched as she hunched over in pain. Her face contorted and her arms wishing to hold herself together. Her face was decorated with more scratches and bruises. He wondered what her suit was hiding beneath. Broken bones? More bruises, but much more darker, yellow? 

 "Enough with the dramatics, Batgirl," Scarecrow chastised, "the real show has yet to begin." The Arkham Knight followed after his men. Barbara silent as ever and [Name] wincing every time his men lifted her off the floor. She was too tired and weak to fully stand, so they resorted to dragging her body to the cell she was going to be stuck in. Fear gas would soon be in her system screwing up her already screwed up mind.

 ……

[Name] was carelessly thrown into her bulletproof glass cell. Her body roughly colliding with the floor. Her neck aching in pulses that matched her heart rate. She coughed up and spat blood on the floor. In so much pain, she curled up into a ball and cried out from it all. 

"Batgirl." She heard Batman call out to her and she weakly looked up from the floor. "Bat...man," She groaned and pushed herself off the floor only to stumble against the nightstand next to her. Something clinked against the floor and she brought her full attention to it. There mockingly laying in front of her was a loaded pistol. 

She then looked in front of her to see her mentor. "Batman, I tried to stop them. But I ended up crashing into a tank and the car- we could have died on impact. I could have, but the Arkham Knight...he sav-" 

"Save your breath, Batgirl," Scarecrow popped up on the screens behind her. The background dark and the light on him. "Batman, the task is grueling ahead of you. Standing before you is your current Batgirl, the one you held dear to your heart." [Name]'s heart raced. "And in the other cell is your former sidekick, Barbara Gordon." The Scarecrow chuckled. "You have one choice to make tonight. Save your current Batgirl or the crippled one. You have two minutes to decide. Every ten seconds you wait, a light dose of fear toxin will be injected in their system via the collar they wear." 

[Name]'s hand flew to the collar around her neck. She didn't even know when they put this on her. Why couldn't she have felt it earlier? Her eyes were then directed to her right where she saw Barbara sitting down in her wheelchair. "Your time starts now." Scarecrow finished and [Name] ran up to the front of the cell. She placed her hands on the glass and called out to her mentor, "Batman, you have to save Barbara!" She felt a sharp prick at her neck and her vision slowly changed on her. 

"No, no," Barbara yelled out holding her hands to her head. "Leave me alone!" 

Batman looked between the girls. [Name] banged her hands on the glass to get his attention, "Listen to me, this may be the last time I get to speak to you," another dosage of fear toxin entered her system, "I don't blame you for anything. Not even Jason’s death for which you blame yourself. It wasn’t your fault that the Joker got to him before we could.”

She closed her eyes, so she won't see the horrors in front of her anymore. But that didn't stop the voices.

 "You left me alone to die, now look where you ended up. Alone.” Jason taunted.

 "Not true, you aren't him," [Name] responded with heavy breathing. Her lungs working at a fast rate due to her panicking. She took a deep breath in and stumbled away from the cell to see Jason’s dead body lying helplessly on the floor. Batman was no longer the center of her attention because the fear toxin was clouding her vision. 

The Joker’s laugh echoed in her head and she slapped her hands over her ears. But she could still hear his demented cackle; one of pure evil. Then she heard Jason screaming and yelling as Joker tortured him over and over. Her knees buckled and hit the floor with a pop. 

"I c-can't," [Name] cried and looked behind her to see the gun laying on the floor. She crawled over to the weapon and felt the familiar cold kiss her fingers. 

"What will you do, Batman? It seems both of them are willing to kill themselves." Scarecrow watched amused by what was happening. 

Both Batgirls reached for their weapons. Batman wasn't going to let either one of them to pull the trigger. But he had to think fast. With a heavy heart, he gave [Name] one last good look at her. This is not how he wanted to remember her. She was always so bright. So loving. Yet [Name] gave him permission to save Barbara before her. So he worked on opening Barbara’s cell before the redhead could reach the gun on the nightstand.

 ……

[Name] wasn't going to deny that her heart ached when Batman chose Barbara over herself. Who was she kidding? Barbara will always hold a special place in Bruce Wayne's heart while [Name] wasn't even sure he saved a spot for her.

[Name]’s mind drifted to the pistol. Her fingers wrapped around the cold gun and she stared at it helplessly. She could end it all right here. Pull the trigger and let her brains splatter against the wall behind her. She could let her body fall limp into Death's arms and have him take her away to wherever God deemed her soul to rest. But suicide isn't welcomed in Heaven. Taking your life was an insult to God who gave you the ability to live. At least that's what the nuns at the orphanage told her. 

"You can be with me."

 [Name] flinched at how cool and calm Jason's voice was. She knew he was standing right behind her in his Robin costume. She knew the fear toxin was still being applied in her body. Running its course and digging a deeper hole, a place where should would fall in and never come back to the surface.Her fear was coming to life. But she had to look at him again. Just this once. 

Slowly, she turned her body around and her eyes widened. Standing before her was Jason, but he looked better. He was wearing casual clothing which consisted of a red tee and jeans. The outfit she last saw him in. 

"Don't you want to be with me, [Name]?" 

BANG!

 She jumped up at the sound of a gun going off and she went to turn around to see what Batman was doing, but Jason stopped her. 

"You don't want to look over there, it's not pretty." He warned her and placed a hand under her chin to keep her eyes on him.

 [Name] closed her eyes and her hand gripped tighter on the weapon. Batman didn't save Barbara in time and he won't save her either. Because she was going to be with Jason. No one was going to stop her anymore. No Batman. No Arkham Knight. 

"All you have to do is pull the trigger. Then I can hold you in my arms forever." He cooed and removed his hand off her face.

 [Name] opened her eyes and looked at the gun one last time. The metallic black color shining in a different light. The weight of it light as a feather. She cocked it and lifted the barrel toward her. It touched her chin and she smiled.

 This was it.

#jason todd #jason todd imagine #jason todd x reader #arkham knight #arkham knight imagine #batman #batman imagine #imagine #slight angst #dc imagine #reader insert #x reader #red hood #red hood imagine #red hood x reader