#tawny los

[xxspellbloxedxx]

Tawny after the Fall of Beacon

#rwby #fun #rwby oc #rwby original character #blake belladonna #weiss schnee #yang xiao long #ruby rose #rwby oc art #rwby original character design #my rwby oc #rwby original character art #rwby original design #rwby original characters #volt tawny #tawny los #rwby tawny los

[da-ill-spot]

Music Video: Murderdatt- Outta Sight

Vibe out to the new heat from Murderdatt on “Outta Sight.” The track was produced by Solowedo and Chef Keyz.

The video was shot by Tawny One Love, Hollow Visions and Caaturday.

#hiphop #music videos #rap #west coast #Los Angeles #Maywood #Murderdatt #vibes #SELA #Youtube #Solowedo #Chef Keyz #Caaturday #Hollow Visionz #Tawny One Love #ladies of Hiphop

[sopebubbles]

Chapter One

Summary: How many men will it take to save you? To be honest, you've gotten pretty used to saving yourself. Even though you're far from a delicate thing, Los Angeles is a dangerous place you can't seem to escape no matter how hard you try. The top 7 members of Bangtan should never have crossed your path, but they soon find they'd do just about anything to help you escape your past and make it safe for you to stay. But will you?

Genre: mafia au, poly ot7, angst, some smut, honestly a lot more fluff than i expected, POC reader/oc

A/N [very important please read]: This story takes place in LA. Reader (AKA Val) is a Mexican national. The members are part of a Korean gang operating in LA known as Bangtan. There's some Spanish thrown in here or there but I think context explains most of it. Dialogue in italics indicates that the speaker is using either Spanish or Korean in order to exclude some of those present while talking to others. Another important thing to note about the reader is that although I typically try to describe the character's body as little as possible to be inclusive, this character has very specific physical traits related to her biography, so just be aware of that. I reall hope you enjoy reading it. I LOVE interacting with the readers so please let me know what you think about the characters, theories, my use of commas, whatever. 💜

Chapter warnings: cursing (as always, but this time in Spanish, too!), mentions of sex, jimin's a hoe, both Tae and reader are orphans so yeah, alcohol

Word count: 6.6k

Masterlist | next->

Taehyung left Namjoon's office feeling rather satisfied. Tonight had been an easy night, smooth and according to plan. He received the shipment at the docks, everything in order and two grand to pad his pockets. After reporting to his boss,  the rest of the summer night was wide open and hot with possibilities. 

There wasn't a thing Taehyung didn't love about his life. And why should he? He had it all. Incredible good looks, money, and power. And if he had to commit a few crimes to keep it that way, what did he care? It was the only life he'd ever known or wanted, to be part of the Bangtan gang that ran LA's Koreatown, among other things. 

Taehyung walked away from the back office, out to the public space on the second floor. Jimin was waiting for him, but they'd both agreed they were looking for something—or someone—else tonight, though a threesome didn't sound like a bad idea, if they agreed on someone. Taehyung met him at the edge of the second story that only extended through half of the club, giving him a view of the large dance floor in the main room below. He gripped the railing and scanned the space below, waiting for something unknown to catch his eye.

And that something was you. 

In the center of the dance floor you were almost impossible to miss. The light beige of your dress contrasted beautifully where it clung against your warm tawny skin. The fringe of your short skirt danced in time with your long black hair as you moved your body to the loud club music. Even from far away, Taehyung could tell your body was fit, but curvy in all the best ways, giving you a beautiful figure. The thought of what you might feel like, how you would fit in his hands transfixed him for an immeasurable amount of time. The only thing that jogged him from his fantasies was your eyes when they looked up and met his. An intoxicating smile spread across your lips before you looked down shyly and giggled. He needed to know what that sounded like.

The song you were dancing to ended and he watched your friend grab you by the hand, pulling you off the dance floor. If you were planning to leave, Taehyung needed to talk to you first, and that instinct got his feet moving quickly. He bumped into a few people on his way down the stairs because his eyes refused to leave you, and he only slowed when he realized you were just going to the bar and not out of Club Seoul. With Jimin following, an amused laugh on his lips, Taehyung made a beeline for the bar. 

"Hello," he greeted with a smile when he sidled up beside you at the bar. 

Your dark chocolate eyes flashed wide for a moment before you returned his smile. "Hi."

"I saw you dancing." Taehyung leaned his elbow on the bar in front of you. 

"I saw you see me," you replied. You turned to your friend, and cringed, but if you were awkward he didn't notice, desperate just to have you looking at him again. Taehyung was used to having girls be shy in front of him, frequently stunned into spontaneous mutism by his uncommon good looks, but right now all he was thinking about was you. 

"Can I get you a drink?" He asked when you looked back up at his face.

You pointed to the bar, where a bartender was pouring out two shots for you and the other girl. "We already have some."

"Two more, please, Doyun. And leave the bottle." The man behind the bar did as Taehyung instructed and then went to get the waters you had asked for.

"You come here a lot?" You asked, noticing the familiar way he spoke with Doyun.

"I practically live here," Taehyung replied as he passed one of the tequila shots to Jimin. He leaned in closer as the music seemed to get louder. "Maybe you'd like to come up to our VIP room." His eyes shifted from you up to the second floor and you felt your cheeks heat. You hadn't even taken your shot yet. 

"I don't even know your name!" You yelled back over the music. 

"I'm Tae!" He flashed you his beautiful smile. "It's nice to meet you-?"

"Val!"

Taehyung clinked his shot glass against yours. "Cheers, Val!" He lifted the glass to his lips and the three of you did the same.

"So, Val, what do you say?" His offer still hung in the air around you.

You looked nervously between Tae and your friend, but she nudged your back. "Can I bring my friend?"

Taehyung nodded happily. "Of course! Follow Jimin!" He pointed to the smaller man beside him, and he led the way toward the stairs while Taehyung grabbed the bottle of tequila off the counter and walked behind you. He shamelessly kept his eyes glued to your round ass as you walked up the stairs behind your two friends. 

Jimin led you into a comfortably furnished room with glass tables and soft red couches. You were taller than Jimin with your wedges on, but your smaller friend looked just the right size beside him when they sat together on one of the couches, leaving you to sit next to Taehyung.

Jimin smiled at her and then looked over at Taehyung. "They're pretty. Good choice."

"I'm not sharing." Taehyung scowled at Jimin as you shared a confused look with your friend, neither of you understanding their Korean. "That's Jimin. He speaks English. He just forgot his manners," the taller man explained with a pointed look.

Jimin chuckled beautifully, a stunning smile lighting up his face. "I'm sorry."

Taehyung turned his eyes from the other man to study your face. "So, Val, where are you from?"

Jimin's accent was thicker than Taehyung's, which was barely there. It was little more than something slightly off about the way his mouth wrapped around certain sounds, the sort of accent one gained when learning a second language as a young child. Jimin's was more like your own, one gained in adolescence.

You looked around as if you were cautious about speaking, but decided it was okay. "I'm from Mexico."

"That's cool!" Taehyung responded with an enthusiastic smile and threw his arm over the back of the couch, moving a few inches closer to you. "I went to Cancun last year with my boss. Have you been?"

You shook your head, holding back a smile. "I bet it's beautiful."

"It is. You'd look even more beautiful there," Taehyung mused, making Jimin's chest bubble with his musical laughter.

"I think we need more shots if we're going to listen to this…"

"Mariana," the girl by Jimin's side told him.

"Mariana," Jimin repeated with a playful tap of his finger under her chin, then he turned to pour out four more shots. You all took them before Taehyung drew your attention back to him, firing off another question before you had the chance.

"Are you just visiting?"

Mariana answered for you, but she was clearly talking to Jimin while the two of them eye fucked each other. "No, we live close by." Jimin hummed as she touched his arm. You rolled your eyes and looked back at Tae.

"You live in Koreatown?"

"Yeah, we both work at Little Bar." You looked over at your roommate but she was fully ignoring the two of you now, talking in whispers with Jimin before he poured them each another shot. 

"That little hole in the wall?" You nodded. "Damn. You should get a job here. You'd get much better tips." He winked and you giggled, a happy sound to his ears. 

"We do alright. It's lowkey but we don't get that many tourists. The pay is alright and the hours aren't bad." 

Taehyung nodded. "Are you a student?" He asked, thinking you couldn't be much more than twenty-one. 

You hummed and continued answering Taehyung's barrage of questions while Jimin and Mariana got closer and closer. Less than fifteen minutes later, the two of them were making out on the couch, and you and Tae were trying your best to ignore them. 

"So, you live close?" Jimin asked when he broke apart for air, perhaps a bit louder than he really intended.

"Yeah, let's get out of here. Val?" Mariana stood and looked down at you.

"Yeah, sure," you agreed a little reluctantly. "Tae, it was–"

"I can drive you," he offered hopefully. 

"Oh it's really not that far, just a few blocks."

"That's okay. It will save me the walk back." He beamed his smile down at you.

It seemed to take you a moment to respond and Taehyung wondered if it was the shots or his smile that dazed you. "Um, you've been drinking."

"Just what I had with you. I'll be fine. And it's not far right?" He pushed. 

"Aish. Just let him show you his car," Jimin smirked and began walking from the room, putting the conversation to rest. 

Taehyung had gone home after finishing his job for the night to get Jimin and switch his company car for his personal one, a sleek 1966 red mustang convertible in perfect condition. He was thrilled to see that you looked at least somewhat impressed when he led you to see his prized possession. 

"Hop in," he encouraged you. You glanced back at the other couple, already clinging to each other. "Let them take the back seat and ignore them," he shrugged. 

You smiled and slipped into the passenger seat while Jimin helped Mariana into the back by lifting her over the side of the car, making her squeal gleefully before he jumped in with her. Once everyone was settled, Tae pulled out of his spot right in front of the club and followed your directions to your apartment complex. It really was so close you didn't have time for any more conversation than that, but you could hear kissing sounds from behind you and it made you a little red. Taehyung had barely come to a stop before Jimin was jumping out of the car and bringing Mariana with him. 

"Quédate, Valentina," your roommate said firmly just as you were reaching for the door handle. You stopped your movement and tried not to sigh. 

"I'll call you to come get me later," Jimin told Tae at the same time, sending him a wink. Then the two rushed toward the gate to the courtyard. 

"What did she say?" Taehyung asked as you fidgeted in your seat while you watched them go up the stairs to your apartment. 

"She told me to stay, but don't worry once they get inside I'll just go sit in the courtyard."

"Or you can stay with me," he offered, just as shyly as you had spoken. He wasn't sure why you made him nervous, maybe he was just feeding off the energy you were giving him. He wasn't usually this shy and awkward with women. 

"Oh, you don't have to entertain me."

He blew you off, pushing air through his teeth. "It would be my pleasure. Besides, they're gonna be a while."

"How do you know?" You followed his gaze up to your apartment door where they were finally walking in.

"Because Jimin makes it last forever."

"How do you know?" You repeated innocently. 

"Jimin and I are kind of together. I mean, we sleep together. Sometimes," he admitted but wished he'd kept his mouth shut, in case it freaked you out. 

You sputtered for a moment, not quite sure how to respond to that information. "But he—are you upset?" You finally asked, brown cheeks turning red, although it was hard to tell in the darkness. 

"No. I mean, it's not a big deal. We're both bi and we're open. We agreed to look for other partners tonight, and he only found Mariana because I picked you so…" he trailed off as your eyes went wide.

"You picked me?" Your voice rose an octave.

"I–no–I…wait!" He stumbled frantically over his thoughts trying to find the right thing to say.

"I'm not-" you were clearly equally at a loss for words.

"I didn't mean like that. Just, I noticed you first and it just so happened that Jimin is the one getting laid but-"

"I'm not gonna fuck you!" You interrupted. 

Taehyung chuckled. "You sure? The back seat is very spacious."

You stared at him for a moment before laughing genuinely and he sighed in relief that you knew he was joking. 

"I'm sorry. I'm just not that…casual," you said timidly. "I know it's weird but…"

"No. It's fine. Honestly. I shouldn't have assumed." His voice is gentler than it had been earlier in the evening, soft and deep now that he wasn't trying to talk over music. It allowed him to feel more open.

Letting the information sink in, Taehyung found he liked your innocence, how soft and shy you were. It was a change from the women he usually met, and the men too. Maybe it was just a corruption kink but he wanted to know what it would be like to break you out of that shell and make you his.

"Are you a virgin?" He asked abruptly. You choked on your spit, too surprised by the question to be able to give an answer before Taehyung tried to fix things. "I'm sorry. That was a stupid question. Forget that I asked! Forget I said anything. Um…are you hungry?"

You took a deep breath before answering. "I am a little. But you don't–"

"Do you like arcades?" 

"I- I've never been to one," you shrugged. 

Taehyung smiled and shifted into drive, pulling away from the curb. "I know just the place. I think you'll like it."

He turned up the radio and you leaned on your elbow against the car door, letting the wind flow through your hair as he drove you through familiar streets. He looked over at you frequently, catching glimpses of your face when you passed under street lights. He couldn't tell at all what you were thinking, and that only made him want to know more. 

Taehyung parked outside a pub with arcade games inside. He didn't make it to your side in time to open your car door but he held the door of the restaurant open for you like a gentleman. 

"You like burgers?" He asked when you were both inside. And you nodded quietly. "This place has the best. Go pick a table and I'll order for us. You want a beer?" You nodded again, watching his smile grow boxy before he turned to step up to the counter and then you went to find a table near the back wall.

Taehyung placed your order and found you once he had your beers. He sat at a ninety degree angle to you at the four top table and sipped his beer in a comfortable silence while he tried to think of something to say. He'd been carrying the conversation for most of the night and you were both starting to feel a little self-conscious about it.

"Are you from LA?" You finally asked, after a couple of minutes had passed.

"I've lived here most of my life. But I was born in Singapore."

"Like crazy rich Asians," you blurted out before you slapped a hand over your mouth and mumbled 'sorry.'

Taehyung laughed loudly. "Yeah, just like that. My parents were Korean, though," Tae explained.

"Were?" You repeated softly, and he nodded.

"They died when I was five, so I moved here to live with my godfather."

You gave him a weak smile under your wide sympathetic eyes and touched your fingertips gently to the back of his hand on the table. "I– I lost my parents when I was young too. I don't remember my mother. And my dad died when I was fifteen."

"Before or after you came here?" He wondered. 

"Before."

"Then you came all alone, just like me?" You nodded. A heavy silence hung in the air for a moment while you both drank.  "Your roommate called you Valentina?"

"Yeah."

"That's pretty. Sweet. It suits you." Your cheeks darkened at his compliment and your eyes flashed with a strange emotion, something close to satisfaction before it disappeared. 

"Is Tae short for something?"

He licked the beer off his lip before he answered with a smile. "Taehyung." He kept smiling as you did your best to get your mouth the syllables. He broke it down for you bit by bit, but the nuance eluded you. "I like Tae just fine," he assured you.

You continued to share mundane details about your lives until the food came, taking a little less once you started eating. Taehyung watched each of your features shift as you talked, trying to parse out the signature of each emotion as they crossed your face. He listened patiently, trying to decipher some of your words or waiting for you to find the right one, amused even when your Spanish slipped into a phrase uninvited. 

"Do you know how to drive?" Taehyung asked once you'd both finished eating. 

"No," you admitted, and he noted the little bit of terror in your eyes.

"That's okay. Let's see how much stuff you can hit," he suggested cheekily, pointing to the game in the arcade room next door. You agreed eagerly and followed him.

It turned out you could hit a lot of stuff. But those games were always much harder than actual driving and in your second race you beat Taehyung by a hair. He got more and more excited as the competitive nature he shared with you came out of you more and more with each game you played. You were both good sports about it though, evenly matched, both winning and losing until you'd played every game in the arcade and it was closing time. Just as you were leaving the bar with light heads and lighter hearts, Taehyung's phone rang. 

"Come get me!" Jimin started before Taehyung even said hello. 

"Yah! I'll be there in a little bit," he replied and hung up. "Let's get you home," he said to you, opening the door this time. 

He knew Jimin would be annoyed if he took a long time, but he could walk to Club Seoul and get a ride from someone there if he was really in a rush. Taehyung wasn't in a hurry for his night with you to end and he drove deliberately slowly back to your part of town. Halfway there, he got the courage to reach one long arm over, just brushing his thin fingers against yours where they rested on the bench before yours twiched toward him, and he laced them with a blissful smile. When he finally pulled up in front of your building, Jimin was standing with his arms crossed, tapping his foot in annoyance. You placed your hand on the handle, but Taehyung tugged on the one he still held. 

"Wait. Um–" You looked at him with your big eyes and he almost lost his words. "Are you free tomorrow? I'd like to take you out again."

You frowned at him. "I work every night this week. Maybe next week," you added when his face fell. 

"What time do you work tomorrow?" He pushed. 

"I start at 5."

"Then I'll pick you up at noon, and we'll go have some fun. Dress comfortably," he instructed without bothering to wait for your response.  

"Okay," you smiled, and he finally released you. You left the door open so that Jimin could take your spot, and Taehyung waited until you were inside the gate to pull away. 

"Was she good? What do you have that dopey grin on your face for?" Jimin teased.

"No. We didn't have sex," Taehyung admitted.

Jimin let out a disbelieving laugh. "What?"

"Jimin, I think I'm falling in love."

Jimin wove his fingers into the hair at the back of Taehyung's head and tugged gently. "Aish, Taehyung-ah. Just drive." No sooner had Taehyung pulled away from the curb than Jimin's phone began to ring. "It's Namjoon hyung," Jimin informed the driver after fishing his phone out of his pocket. "Bet you twenty bucks he needs us to drive him home," Jimin quipped just before answering and putting the phone on speaker. "Hey, boss."

"Are you with Taehyung?"

"Yeah, we're just-"

"Come pick me up at the club." Namjoon's voice was firm, an angry edge in his tone, not a drunken lilt like they had expected. 

"What's going on?" Taehyung asked as he sped up. 

"There was a break-in at the warehouse."

"We're right around the corner," Tae told him as he made the turn. He didn't even have time to put the car in park before Namjoon got in and they were driving again.

"A bit ostentatious for business, Taehyung," Namjoon commented as he settled into the back seat. 

"Sorry, hyung. I thought I was off the clock."

Namjoon made a deep, dissatisfied sound in his chest. "It's fine. Just drive carefully. Don't need to draw any attention to ourselves."

"Triads?" Jimin asked, turning over his shoulder. The boss hummed an affirmation.

"Getting pretty fucking bold," Taehyung grumbled as he scanned the streets, making sure he wasn't breaking any traffic laws.

Namjoon's jaw flexed as he ran his thumb over the cool steel of his handgun. "We'll just have to teach them a lesson they'll remember."

Normally your mind was empty while you worked out, lifting weights in an almost meditative state, but today your mind was filled with Taehyung. His perfect dark hair you were sure would be angel soft if you ran your fingers through it. His goofy, boxy grin you would try anything just to see. It was just a shame that practically everything you told him was a lie.

It wasn't him. You lied to everyone. It was just second nature now, the way the name Valentina rolled off your tongue as if it had always been yours and not just for the last two years. There were three Valentinas in your class in elementary school. You thought it sounded like the name of someone who nice things happened to. Not someone like you.

Someone like Taehyung, or so you thought. Maybe it was the fact that you were so wrapped up in your own little lies that you missed the obvious signs of who he really was. But those would come later. Today he was just the cute boy you'd met yesterday, who was going to pick you up in—oh shit you were going to be late.

You rushed home from the gym to shower and clean your body of sweat, to make sure you smelled fresh and perfect, the way Taehyung should see you. When you got out of the shower you dried off and dressed quickly in a pair of jean shorts and a loose t-shirt. You stuck your head out the front door to see him leaning against his car in light slacks and thin, silky, flower patterned shirt, sunglasses covering his eyes. You tiptoes onto the landing to call out to him.

"Tae!" He looked up at you from whatever thoughts he was lost in. "I'm sorry, I'm running a little late. Give me five minutes?" 

You couldn't see his eyes, but his lips spread into a giddy smile. "Take your time, baby. I'll wait all day."

You smiled back at him and skipped back into the apartment. You would invite him in, but the place you shared with Mariana was really a one bedroom apartment she had shared with her ex and was desperately seeking a roommate for when you showed up, equally desperate for a place to live, so you'd accepted the living room that served as your bedroom. You changed your t-shirt to one that was a little nicer and tried to get as much water as possible from your hair with a towel since the blow dryer would just make you hot on an already hot day. After dragging a brush through your damp strands and slipping into sandals you were ready to go.

"I'm so sorry," you apologized as you skipped down the metal steps toward the gate. "I was at the gym and I completely lost track of time."

Taehyung smiled as he scanned your body up and down. "That's okay. You're worth the wait." Your cheeks darkened as you waited for him to move away from the car so you could get in, but he was still admiring your body. Although you were slightly more covered than the night before, he was taking advantage of the daylight to get a good look at your body. After a moment you cleared your throat to get his attention.

"Shit." Some mixture of a cough and a laugh came through his throat as he realized he was caught. "Sorry, you just look so good." He got off the car and opened your door. 

You whispered a thank you as you sat in the passenger seat and waited for him to walk to his side. "When are we going?" You asked after he started the engine. 

"Santa Monica pier. I wanna see what other games I can beat you at." He smirked as he pulled into the street. 

"In your dreams," you laughed as he drove away too fast. 

"As long as you're there, it will be," he grinned and you both laughed at his cheesiness.

At the pier, Taehyung bought you both wristbands so you could go on every ride after you assured him you weren't scared. In between, you stopped at practically every carnival game, trying to best each other as much as you tried to win the prizes. Taehyung was better than you at shooting games, but you beat him at darts. You could both throw balls and bean bags equally well, but neither of you were good at basketball, and you agreed no one could win ring toss games. Between the two of you, you won too many prizes for you to carry, and when you insisted to Tae that you couldn’t take them all home, you watched with a warm heart as he handed out your smaller toys to little kids as you walked up and down the pier. You only kept the large teddy bear that he won for you and held it close to your chest. 

You saved the ferris wheel for last, and as you stood in line to get on, you knew exactly what you liked best about Taehyung. His carefree spirit brought out your inner child, one you would've sworn you didn't have, since you'd barely had a childhood at all. He allowed her to walk in the golden sunlight that danced in his tan skin and feel the breeze that whipped up his thick, dark hair. Taehyung made you feel what you'd always wanted: an unquestionable freedom.

As you first approached the top you both sat quietly, though Taehyung slipped his hand into yours as he had grown more and more comfortable doing throughout the afternoon. He watched your face as you looked out at the ocean. 

"Qué hermosa," you whispered and he didn't need to know what you said to know what you meant. He brushed back the strands of hair that the wind whipped across your face and left his hand cupping your cheek. 

"It's prettier in the evening, but I think it's still pretty romantic now," he murmured, his thumb stroking across your cheek. You watched his eyes flicker to your lips and found yourself doing the same. Closing your eyes as he leaned in, you waited for his kiss. It was chaste, soft and gentle, everything Taehyung was to you. It only lasted a moment but your heart swelled so much you couldn't help feeling satisfied, with the hope you'd do it many more times. He kissed you a couple more times before you settled into his side and rested your head against his shoulder until your ride ended. 

"Oh, I guess we better go," he sighed when he looked at his phone. You'd be cutting it close for work. 

"It's alright, just take me straight to the bar," you told him as he took your hand and hurried you to the car. 

You couldn't seem to get the smile off your face as he drove too fast through the city streets, arriving outside your bar with a couple minutes to spare—minutes he would fill with more kisses after he dragged you closer to him on the bench. He started off softly at first before his teeth gently pulled at your bottom lip, prying them apart so he could slip between your lips, catching just the tip of your tongue with his own. You gripped the back of his neck with both hands and kissed him deeper, pushing your tongue against his as you melted into his arms. 

"I could kiss you all night," he mumbled against your mouth. You smiled as you pulled away. 

"Not this night," you reminded him, trying to create a little distance between you, but he just tightened his arms around your waist and pecked your lips again before he released you. 

"What about your new friend?" He asked, tilting his head toward the oversized bear in the back seat. 

"Maybe you can keep him for a little while, and give him back to me later."

"I'll bring him back to you tonight, when I come pick you up. What time do you get off?"

"Two a.m., but…" You looked at him dubiously and he shook his head.

"I'm not trying to sleep with you. But he should. I just want to make sure you get home safe." After a moment of thought, you nodded. It wasn't like you could stop him from showing up if he wanted to anyway. You pecked his lips one more time before getting out of the car. "One last thing," he pleaded, leaning dramatically over the front seat. 

"What?"

"Give me your number," he asked, handing you his phone. You put your number in quickly before tossing it back to him. 

"I gotta go!" You called before you disappeared inside the bar.

"How was Prince Charming?" Mariana asked sarcastically as you slipped behind the counter, hurrying into the back room to put away your purse and change into the tank top you wore for work. You adjusted your bra to push up your breasts so they showed better in the low cut top. You slid on some lip gloss and put your hair up before checking yourself out in the mirror to go out. 

You'd give you a tip if you had any cash to spare. 

You did your best to avoid your friend's gaze as you started moving around behind the bar. But of course she wouldn't let you off that easily. There weren't very many people in right now, just a few tables and one regular sitting at the bar. 

"You let him fuck you yet?" Mariana grinned. 

"Oh my god, no!" You hissed back.

"Why not?"

"Because maybe he doesn't just want me to warm his cock."

Mariana scoffed. "Why would I want a man to do anything other than warm his cock in me? What else would I need him for."

"Tae just isn't like that, okay?"

She made another dismissive sound. "If he's anything like his friend Jimin, I doubt it."

"Well, then maybe I'm just not like that. And maybe he's being respectful." 

Mariana looked at you doubtfully and clicked her tongue. "You need to lighten up and live a little. It's just sex."

You snatched a towel from her to dry the glasses you'd just rinsed. "I had the time of my life today, so I think I'm doing just fine." And the easy smile you wore was hard to argue with.

It wasn't as if you were intentionally lying about being a virgin. You hadn't actually answered Taehyung's question before he walked it back. And any assumptions Mariana made based on the fact that you hadn't slept with anyone since you'd known her were made up in her own head. But just because you weren't a virgin didn't mean it wasn't a delicate issue for you. One that you didn't have to explain to anyone. At least that's how you justified it to yourself. 

Taehyung knew that, to some extent, what he was doing with you was dangerous. A man in his position would put anyone in danger if others saw his affection. But he couldn't stay away from you, so his only choice was to make sure you were safe himself. That's why, after he dropped you off at work, he went to pick up Jungkook and took him back to your building to case the place—see what weaknesses and dangers he could find, if any of your neighbors were suspicious. After looking around your block for a little while he seemed satisfied enough. 

Next was meeting you after work, when you found him much the same way you had in the afternoon, although he had changed his clothes. When he saw you this time his expression tightened. You hadn't bothered to change since your shirt needed to be washed after having beer spilled in you earlier. He made a disgruntled noise when he saw the way your tits pushed out of your shirt and he could see a sliver of your tummy.

Tae didn't know he had a possessive streak. He never had before with any other partners, not even really with Jimin, who was his most serious relationship. But it was different with you. The idea that other men had been looking at you like that all night unsettled something in his stomach. He groaned as he hooked a finger into your belt loop and pulled you between his legs. 

"Do you have to dress like that for work?" He pouted before kissing your lips softly. 

You giggled, and it was almost enough to make him smile. Almost. "Yes. Gotta get those tips somehow." He groaned. "Shh. At least I'm not taking anything off."

"Don't even think about it." He squeezed your hips in his hands. 

"Oh. You wouldn't like that?" You teased. 

He pushed you away an inch. "I am trying to be a gentleman here. Please don't test me."

You smiled as you put a piece of his hair back in place off his forehead and then kissed his lips. "Okay, gentleman. Take me home then?"

Taehyung smiled and swept you off your feet to set you inside the car, appreciating your squeal when he did so. Your apartment was even closer to the bar than it was to the club, but in the opposite direction. On other nights, Taehyung would park at your apartment and walk you home, holding your hand. One way or another, a night never passed where you walked home alone again. 

When he parked in front of your apartment that night he followed you to the gate, where he pressed you against the bars and kissed you breathless. He rested his hands on your hips, and it took all his self control not to let them slip any lower. But he couldn't stop himself from exploring the little patch of skin between your shorts and your tank top with his thumbs. You moaned into his mouth at the feeling of just a little skin on yours, and your body felt alert and gooey all at once. Your free hand twisted into the front of his shirt, pulling him against you while your other held the bear he had won for you. After a few minutes he pushed your hips away, against the gate, making the metal clang. 

"You should go before I lose my self control," he breathes, only an inch away from your face.

"Okay," you responded in a daze. He stood in front of you a minute longer, making it impossible for you to move, even if you wanted to. Then finally he sighed and took a step back so that you could unlock the gate and get inside. He didn't follow you in, even though you half hoped he would. You took a few steps toward the stairs before you turned back and put your face between the bars, gripping one like your life depended on it. "Tae?"

He hadn't moved until you called his name and then he stepped forward until he was standing right in front of you again, but didn't say a word.

"I had a really good time today. Thank you for everything. It felt really…nice to be with you." Your eyes started on his face but slowly drifted to the ground as you got shy. 

Taehyung lifted your chin with his hand so he could look into your eyes. 

"We can have so many more days like that," he promised. 

"Yeah?"

"Of course. I loved it, too." Then he bent his face to yours and kissed you through the bars. This time you didn't let it linger so long, and you pulled away before he could get lost in you again. 

"Goodnight," you whispered before you turned away and hurried noisily up the steps. Taehyung watched you go with his face pressed against the bars, until you gave him one last smile over your shoulder and entered your apartment.

Permanent taglist: @halesandy @burningupp-replies @lilacdreams-00 @minclangyyy @yoongiofmine @yonkimint @wholockian1 @cbgdoll @babycoffeefire @theatren3rd @bri-mal @armytwist @hwayne2294 @crish-mac @kazufuyusluv @dis-tru6tion @hey-itsmina @jikooksgirl19 @jaiuneamesolitaiire @agustpark @svgahigh @marvelfamily3000 @borahae-reads @shadowyjellyfishfest

Masterlist | next->

Thank you for reading. When you reblog a random member of bts has an orgasm, probably.

Fighter taglist [open, send an ask to be added]: @valhallawhispers @ot7nem @welconme-notreally @leowiebi @caffeineandreveries

#bts series #bts fic #bts mafia au #bts ot7 #bts poly #bts x reader #mafia namjoon #namjoon x reader #mafia jin #jin x reader #mafia yoongi #yoongi x reader #mafia hoseok #hoseok x reader #mafia jimin #jimin x reader #mafia taehyung #taehyung x reader #mafia jungkook #jungkook x reader #bts angst #bts fluff #bts smut #reader of color #bts scenarios #bts imagines #bts fan fiction

[rockislandadultreads]

Happy National Hispanic Heritage Month!

Mango, Mambo, and Murder by Raquel V. Reyes

Food anthropologist Miriam Quiñones-Smith's move from New York to Coral Shores, Miami, puts her academic career on hold to stay at home with her young son. Adding to her funk is an opinionated mother-in-law and a husband rekindling a friendship with his ex. Gracias to her best friend, Alma, she gets a short-term job as a Caribbean cooking expert on a Spanish-language morning TV show. But when the newly minted star attends a Women's Club luncheon, a socialite sitting at her table suddenly falls face-first into the chicken salad, never to nibble again.

When a second woman dies soon after, suspicions coalesce around a controversial Cuban herbalist, Dr. Fuentes - especially after the morning show's host collapses while interviewing him. Detective Pullman is not happy to find Miriam at every turn. After he catches her breaking into the doctor's apothecary, he enlists her help as eyes and ears to the places he can't access, namely the Spanish-speaking community and the tawny Coral Shores social scene.

As the ingredients to the deadly scheme begin blending together, Miriam is on the verge of learning how and why the women died. But her snooping may turn out to be a recipe for her own murder.

This is the first volume of the "A Caribbean Kitchen Mystery" series.

Our Share of Night by Mariana Enríquez

A young father and son set out on a road trip, devastated by the death of the wife and mother they both loved. United in grief, the pair travel to her ancestral home, where they must confront the terrifying legacy she has bequeathed: a family called the Order that commits unspeakable acts in search of immortality.

For Gaspar, the son, this maniacal cult is his destiny. As the Order tries to pull him into their evil, he and his father take flight, attempting to outrun a powerful clan that will do anything to ensure its own survival. But how far will Gaspar’s father go to protect his child? And can anyone escape their fate?

Moving back and forth in time, from London in the swinging 1960s to the brutal years of Argentina’s military dictatorship and its turbulent aftermath, Our Share of Night is a novel like no other: a family story, a ghost story, a story of the occult and the supernatural, a book about the complexities of love and longing with queer subplots and themes.

The Haunting of Alejandra by V. Castro

Alejandra no longer knows who she is. To her husband, she is a wife, and to her children, a mother. To her own adoptive mother, she is a daughter. But they cannot see who Alejandra has become: a woman struggling with a darkness that threatens to consume her. Nor can they see what Alejandra sees. In times of despair, a ghostly vision appears to her, the apparition of a crying woman in a ragged white gown.

When Alejandra visits a therapist, she begins exploring her family’s history, starting with the biological mother she never knew. As she goes deeper into the lives of the women in her family, she learns that heartbreak and tragedy are not the only things she has in common with her ancestors.

Because the crying woman was with them, too. She is La Llorona, the vengeful and murderous mother of Mexican legend. And she will not leave until Alejandra follows her mother, her grandmother, and all the women who came before her into the darkness. But Alejandra has inherited more than just pain. She has inherited the strength and the courage of her foremothers—and she will have to summon everything they have given her to banish La Llorona forever.

Vanishing Maps by Cristina García

Celia del Pino, the matriarch of a far-flung Cuban family, has watched her descendants spread out across the globe, struggling to make sense of their transnational identities and strained relationships with one another. In Berlin, the charismatic yet troubled Ivanito performs on stage as his drag queen persona, while being haunted by the ghost of his mother. Pilar Puente, adrift in Los Angeles, is a struggling sculptor and the single mother of a young son. In Moscow, Ivanito’s cousin Irina has become the wealthy owner of a lingerie company, but she remains deeply lonely in the wake of her parents’ deaths and her estrangement from her Cuban heritage. Meanwhile, in Havana, Celia prepares to reunite with her lost lover, Gustavo, and wonders whether age and the decades spent apart have altered their bond.

Cut off from their Cuban roots, yet still feeling the island’s ineluctable pull, Ivanito and his extended family try to reimagine where - and with whom - they belong. Over the course of a momentous year, each will grapple with their histories as they are pulled to Berlin for a final, explosive reunion.

#hispanic heritage month #fiction books #reading recommendations #reading recs #book recommendations #book recs #library books #tbr #tbr pile #to read #booklr #book tumblr #book blog #library blog #readers advisory

[ratritz]

Winter Wonderland

Icing sugar twilight Dust sparkled ground Dawn chorus debuts Blackbird, Robin, Wren sound

Reynard lopes along Flaming fleet in dark Frosty footpads declare Too cold for this lark

No flittermice afloat Home hanging safe, snug Hibernal hiding, frozen Awaiting Winters shrug

Yet lo!

Old owlish awe drifts down Glides dreamlike into sight Great feathered flake alights Bursts me with delight!

Hoots to me a warning ‘Freeze! Statue-like, alright’ Flight swift, snowy, silent Tawny melts once more to night

Sol floods horizon Beams of cool wrath Bejewelled trees tinselled Twinkling grass and path

Nutkin brisk bright eyed Bushy bounds iced blades Bobs silver shivered greeting Skates away to shades

Blue Tit, Thrush, Sparrow Frenzy! Flurry! Alarm! Felix! Felix! Flee! Fly! Klaxons end the calm

Engines set a-growl Crystal solitude shattered Crisp voices biting chill Wild friends scattered

Nature’s show sublime Performers disengage Players surrender spotlight Humans invade stage

Thankful once again Private privilege I’ve found Perfect Winter Wonderland When other humans aren’t around

#wildlife #original poem #winter

[thethistlegirlwrites]

Name: Sierra Aguirre (legally changed her name to Aguirre-Stoker when she found out who her birth father was) Species: Human Age: 24 Powers: None, but she's agile and good with a variety of weapons, as well as being a highly skilled pursuit driver. Physical description: She's 5'7, petite but not fragile. She's got dark brown hair, usually braided or pulled back in a bun, and at the time of the story has one side shaved and growing back from where she had to have stitches put in after a fight with a vampire. She has dark brown eyes and tawny skin, and a thick rippled scar on the outside of one forearm where she burned it on an engine block working on a car. Her nails are always cut short and her fingers have permanently ground in grease and oil. Personality: Snarky, aggressive, and driven. She's got a chip on her shoulder and a family name to live up to. Background: Sierra grew up in Amarillo, Texas with a single mom who was an underground street racer in her spare time, and has been working on cars since she was old enough to hold a wrench, and driving them since she could reach the pedals. She was going to her local community college to become a mechanic when she found some of her father's journals, and learned that he wasn't killed in a car accident like her mother always told her, but had been part of a vampire hunter agency and was killed on an operation. After learning the truth about her father, Sierra started researching the secret underworld of vampires and hunters and eventually joined a rogue vigilante hunter group, looking to rid the world of what she felt were the monsters that took her father from her. After she was captured by the members of a real, legal hunter agency, Sierra was offered a choice, help them bring down the vigilantes and get a second chance, and an offer to join the agency and do things the right way, or get sent to an off the books prison. She chose to help, and joined her father's old agency in the aftermath, although after initial training she transferred to the Los Angeles "Chimera" agency, where her uncle John Stoker was working with a team. After her training probationary period, she was partnered with Pete Jemison, a forensic accountant, and they work together taking down a variety of vampire-related illegal businesses. Other: She has a 1967 Chevy Camaro retrofitted as a hunter patrol car. It's got a holding compartment in the back seats to transport a vampire prisoner (which isn't a great fit for Shane but he's going to have to deal) and it's painted silver with dark blue pinstripe details that make the front look like a stylized wolf's head. She's nicknamed it 'Lobo'.

Taglist:

@nade2308 @catwingsathena @the-one-and-only-valkyrie @telltaleclerk @floh673

#compass #sierra aguirre-stoker #character introduction #hunter #vampire hunters

[untilthenextencore]

Of Hopes & High Grace Pt. 1: Clearly: Up in the Canyons~...

~

~

Laurel Canyon, 1965~

Walking up the driveway into the house, from his tour around the grounds by the house's owner, Jimmy let his eyes scan the room. Turning left, he saw his date for the evening Jackie sitting in the pit - a sunken floor & seating area - chatting with one of their friends. He had come to the party with her that day. Jackie had been something of a regular or semi-regular presence in his life. They'd been on & off for a few months since working together both on her music, songs for others like Marianne Faithfull, or even his own attempts at solo work. Though the less said about that single, the better he figured now.

Turning right & taking a sip of his drink as he tried to clear that from his mind, he saw a bunch of kids dancing in the center of the living room. They weren't really kids, actually. Most looked about his age from what he could tell. They twisted & moved in front of large double glass doors that looked out on quite a view of the city below. The setting sun streamed in through the windows, starbursting over the dancing kids. One in particular caught his eye.

She was in a slim fitting sheath dress with a scoop neckline & a mottled shimmery watery blue & lagoon green print. The dress skimmed what he could surmise was a very alluring figure. Long dark hair flowing loose around her shoulders, tawny skin, a hint of cat's eye eyeliner framing two deep brown eyes. Full rosy cheeks. Even fuller berry rose lips. She laughed & clapped & spun about with an older male friend as the guitar in the song trilled.

Try as he might, Jimmy couldn't tear his eyes from her. She was lively. Spirited. Drop dead gorgeous. He simply had to get her name.

Nudging his host for the evening, he motioned to the dark sylph dressed in siren's blue & asked. "Who's she, mate?"

His host Tony turned to peer in her direction before smiling. "Ah, her? That's Mariella. She lives up here. Bought a house on Appian Way not too long ago. Made a few papers. Rather young for being a homeowner, she. Teenage homeowner. You know how papers eat that stuff up."

Jimmy nodded at that. He knew all too well. So she was a teenager, was she?

Tony explained further. "But she's more known for her music."

"Sings, does she?" Jimmy asked with a sip of his drink.

"Like an angel!" Tony nodded. "Though she sings mostly in Spanish. Mexican music & the like. Her father is a singer, too. A famous one in his field. Carlos Ignacio Alamilla. She sometimes used to tour with him. Now she goes between performances with him & her own local club gigs."

"I see..." Jimmy nodded, mulling over the many ways their similar lines of work might give him an in with her. "Mind introducing me then?"

To his surprise, Tony laughed.

"What's so funny?" Jimmy asked, half annoyed, half confused.

"Nothing. Except I feel I must warn you. You being new here & all you probably don't know. She's not too forthcoming with new people. Her father is extremely protective of her, with her being his only daughter. And even if you get past him, there's no promise you'll get anywhere with her. The running joke is that while most everyone's first word was "mama," hers was likely "no."

Jimmy snorted.

"It's true. Not to say she's mean. Just very careful in meeting new people. Wary even. Once you get to know her... If you get to know her... Once you get close... If you get close... You'll find she's a delight... Sweet girl... Just very shy I guess... Impossible not to love her, that one..."

"I see..." Jimmy breathed those words in a dragon's puff of cigarette smoke.

A delight...

Sweet girl...

Shy girl...

Indeed...

What's not to love?...

Jimmy contemplated everything he was told with another puff of his cigarette before asking it & announcing with a wry grin in yet another dragon's puff. "Well, now I have to meet her now don't I?"

"Alright." Tony drawled, placing a hand on Jimmy's shoulder. Don't say I didn't warn you. And don't be surprised if she's not as forthcoming with you. It takes her awhile to warm up." With that he led the way as he & Jimmy weaved their way through the crowd.

Each undulating body seemed to serve as a fluttering curtain. A momentary eclipse. All of it making it so as they neared Jimmy saw her move in sections. In snapshots. Rotoscope images that burned & swirled in his brain, searing themselves into the grey matter. Each fleeting glimpse only serving to intrigue & tantalize him more. The time it took for them to cross the few feet's distance they had to traverse, feeling like one long scene in slow motion. The music falling into silence. The silence cut only by the sound of his blood thumping in his temples. His heartbeat pounding like a drum of war.

Jimmy's mouth went suddenly dry. He swallowed hard. He could be wrong but he swore that lump he felt in his throat, if it wasn't his Adam's apple, might've been heart-shaped.

Just then, Tony's voice cut into his train of thought, slicing through the thumping silence. "Hey, Mariella."

Black hair fanned out as she whirled to face them cutting her dance short, before coming to rest framing her face as she turned.

Lovely face, Jimmy thought.

A look of confusion crossed her features before her eyes lit up in recognition. "Tony! There you are! I was wondering where you had gone off to!" She spoke in a bright voice colored with an indeterminate accent. "I knew you were here but I didn't see you. How are you?" She asked with a hug.

Perhaps, this would be easier than Tony said it would.

"Just fine, doll. And clearly you seem to be enjoying yourself too. Great mix of songs you brought this time as always!" Tony smiled & returned the hug warmly. "I've been looking for you too by the way. I have someone I want to introduce to you. He's a friend of mine."

"Oh?" She looked up at him with a curious pout.

"Mariella Alamilla may I introduce one of the latest English imports to hit our shores, A Mister James Patrick Page." Tony motioned to Jimmy, snickering at his own overly florid introduction.

She, Mariella, turned to face Jimmy, regarding him with the same curious pout. Indeed there was a touch of wariness edging those eyes as they scanned him guardedly. The young girl stayed close to Tony, anchoring herself to him amidst this stranger before her.

Now was the time.

Jimmy gave her his best disarming smile & extended a hand. "Pleasure to meet you. Call me Jimmy. And may I say you have a phenomenal taste in music. What's the name of the song if I may ask?"

"Pleasure's all mine I'm sure." Her voice was cool & soft as she placed her smaller hand in his lightly. Feathersoft. Fleeting, hesitant contact. None of that brightness & effusiveness that had been so evident in her chat with Tony. "And thank you. It's one of my favorites. It's called "El Boogie de la Guitarra" by Los Crazy Boys. Mexican Rock. Tony likes me to bring some music by artists he and the gang might not have heard of." She explained in a polite yet matter of fact tone.

Mariella had undergone a sudden transition. She went from alive & incandescent to hushed & removed. Her light still shone but now it flickered like a candle in a breeze. A light in the window of a tower, or at a high altar. Still burning. Still present. Still bright. Yet just out of reach. So near & yet so far.

So Tony was right after all! He WAS gonna have to work with this one. Interesting...

Bringing her hand to his lips he kissed the back, eliciting a jolt, soft gasp & the slight widening of eyes.

At least he could get some kind of reaction out of her. A delicious one at that.

Fighting a grin at the sight of her trying to reel in her reactions so & giving a soft curtsy in semi-formal / semi-playful response to his florid actions, he continued. "I hear from Tony you're in the music game too."

"Yes." She replied, still soft yet pointed. "I sing with my father at times & at other times do my own thing."

"Which is?..." Jimmy asked, maintaining his hold on her hand despite the momentary soft pull he felt. She attempted to retract her hand after the kiss, clearly expecting that to be it. Clearly, it wasn't though. And so her hand remained in his, his thumb rubbing the kiss-printed back as the rest of his hand swallowed hers whole & kept it there. Jimmy meanwhile did his best to distract her from this fact by adding. "Tony told me you sing Mexican music?"

"Yes." She nodded, swallowing hard herself. Clearly she was trying to ignore her nerves. Trying to ignore or quell the tremble in her hand that was locked in his. A fact he clearly reveled in. "I sing Mexicana with my older brother, father and his band. Banda. Boleros. Mariachi. That sort of thing. When on my own I sort of mix that with an indie kick. Maybe a little jazz. Maybe a little rock. Maybe something else. It all depends on my mood." Lifting her gaze from her hand in his & pinning him with a look that was at once both curious & cutting, she asked. "Do you sing too, Jimmy?"

He & Tony shared a knowing laugh. "Not really I'm afraid. I plan to stick to the guitar & maybe my art otherwise."

Tony nodded, explaining simply. "Jimmy went to art school before things really kicked off for him. He's now one of the most in demand session guitarists there is, doll!"

Jimmy did his best not to blush at the compliment. He didn't want to be too conspicuous. Though he had been content to remain silent up to this point, Jimmy saw that Tony's eyes had volleyed from Jimmy himself to Mariella and back like he were witness to the most captivating tennis match ever.

"Really now?" Jimmy heard the first lilt in her voice in what had been quite awhile. The light in her eyes flickered anew. The corner of her sweet mouth lifted as she asked. "That seems to be quite a frequent occurrence. Tell me, Mr. Page, do all you Englishmen flock to art school before you hit the music scene?"

Both he & Tony laughed again. "Boy if it don't seem like that sometimes, huh?" Tony nudged Jimmy, grazing him with an elbow to the ribs.

"Yeah it does. A lot of us sure seem to but it's not like a dead set rule or anything." Jimmy smiled as he met her gaze. His laughter crinkled eyes were met with a gaze that was still just as inscrutable as it was penetrating even as little flames of mirth danced in her eyes & in the corners of her soft, wry smile.

Where had he seen such a look before?

He couldn't put a finger on it.

Shaking out of that thought, he added with a soft pat to her hand, still locked in his, with his free one. "In any case I do hope I'll get the honor and pleasure to hear you sing while I'm here."

"Maybe you will." Tony smiled.

Though Jimmy's gaze hardly left Mariella, Jimmy could still catch the barest glimpse of him signaling to someone off to the side.

Another soft curtsy by the young lovely in the blue dress followed, recapturing Jimmy's full attention. "I hope you still find it such a pleasure afterwards if you do."

Jimmy was sure he'd indeed find her such a pleasure.

In more ways than one.

Just then Jimmy found his attentions pulled to his side as a certain familiar blonde, curled her way around him, linking arms with him.

It was Jackie.

"Jimmy..." She drawled, snapping her gum sharply. "Where've you been. I've been looking everywhere for you. And who's this?" He saw her eyes scan Mariella warily.

Mariella for her part barely flinched. Her features hardly changed. One eyebrow lifted in the barest perk as her head tilted slightly. "Nice to see you again, Jackie. How've you been? Haven't seen you since the last music show we did together. Hope you've been well." Her voice was as ever cool, controlled & polite. Where some would fight fire with fire, she clearly preferred to ice out the flames entirely. And rather aptly at that. Smooth.

"Oh hi, Jackie. Tony was just showing me around & introducing me to people." Jimmy explained as coolly as possible.

"I see..." She cast a nonplussed look his way before turning to regard the dusky brunette once more. "Ah, Marie-Ella..." Jackie cooed, breaking her name up in some sort of southern double name special like her own government name was. "I'm so sorry. I didn't realize it was you!" Her voice was super sweet as she laid it on as thick as honey. Though try as she might she still came off as something a little short of genuine in her apology & attempts to ingratiate.

Had she always been this cloying?, Jimmy thought.

"Long time no see indeed!" Jackie giggled. "How's the eighth grade? Or is it ninth now? It's been such a long time I just can't keep track."

It was then that Jimmy & Mariella's hold on each other broke.

Eighth grade?

Ninth?

What was that in terms of forms again?

Jimmy cast a stunned look at Mariella who just shrugged.

"Actually I'm in high school now, thanks for asking." She replied matter of factly. Calm. Cool. Collected. Sweet & smooth. "How's the school of life treating you, Jackie? Well, I hope." There went that soft yet inscrutable stare.

Jackie just scoffed & smacked her gum again. "Well enough thanks." Then tugging on Jimmy's arm, she announced. "Jimmy let's go. I have some people I want you to meet."

Before he could think to respond with more than a mere. "Wait, Jackie. Wait..." Mariella gave him a playful salute with two fingers to her temple.

"See you around then. Bye you two."

And with that, she & Tony disappeared into the crowd as Jackie pulled him away.

~

As ever this is forever under construction~!

Hope you guys enjoy~!

#untilthenextencore #led zeppelin fanfic #led zeppelin fanfiction #led zeppelin fan fic #led zeppelin fan fiction #jimmy page fanfic #jimmy page fanfiction #jimmy page fan fic #jimmy page fan fiction #yardbirds fanfic #yardbirds fan fic #yardbirds fanfiction #yardbirds fan fiction #Spotify

[encephalitis-on-sundays]

Chapter 1

The way if War

An Avatar fanfiction featuring most if not all of the characters and more. Taking place around 8 months after the second movie.

Perplexed and unusual were the only set of bound emotions that came rippling through the crowds, a whispering of Navi and hushed wonders filled the once playful and easygoing atmosphere. Tonowari alongside Ajake swam effortlessly out against the reefs to investigate the floating Navi body in the swells.

"It's a girl!" Tonowari called over his broad shoulder as Ajake helped pick her up out of the bubbling sea,"Not Metkayina... human in Navi skin, perhaps we should get our guys to interact?" Ajake spoke low and cautious, he knew far too well the damage that could be done by saving this girl, nonetheless he held her close to his chest, cradling her as he stalked his way out onto the sandy beaches.

"Kiri! Lo-Ak! " He whistled and called for his two eldest to come to his side.

"Get Warr-Ak and meet at the bungalow" He commanded softly now turning to Tonowari whom seemed as pale as a ghost fish. "not too worry... yet, we need to wake her up slowly as if not to put her into shock" he added, turning after the other nodded in approval and carrying her weightless body back to his temporary home.

Warrick was amongst the waves on the farther side of the islands, and with it came peace in the freshness of the water and air. Sighing he dipped his head back into the water to cool off from the relentless sun waves piercing down at his blue skin. It started off as a slight distortion through the boundless sea water, but began to become a louder and more crude muffled cry. Warrick snapped his head back up and quickly made out the voices of the Sully's kids in the close distance with hands over mouths as they hollered for him to return, and that he did.

They filled him in on what had presided on the southern side just nearly an hour ago, "Was she injured? any dog tags or ID of any kind?" he drilled the two as they all made their way back to Ajake and the girl. "Nor have I seen Spider.. sorry, Kiri, your dad must have sent him to gather the scientists" He explained as she inquired of her assumed lovers whereabouts.

Once they all had arrived back to 'base', Warrick immediately found Ajake and two human scientists checking on the almost lifeless beauty washed ashore. He whispered quietly of her profound allure before nuzzling in to get a closer glimpse. Her long dark hair fell cascading over her tawny shoulders and wrapped together near her right wrist.

"Have you ever heard the story of sleeping beauty?" He questioned and got a playful hit behind his head from Ajake whom simply muttered for the other to shut up. "Geez, okay- but did she come with any identification? " He raised a brow while watching one scientist hook up a small machine to her head and heart.

"don't you worry, sleeping beauty; were gonna figure this whole thing out" he mumbled and leaned in to evaluate the numbers processing her vitals.

Spider sat back with Kiri and Lo AK watching and whispering amongst themselves about who Warr- aks mystery sleeping beauty was, laughing at the hopeless romantics' antics. Lo- Ak jabbed Spider in the side before mumbling about Tuks new boy friend who stood by the entrance soaked and with prying eyes; curious in the Sully's newest adopt.

"That's enough" Ajake spoke up and turned back towards the forming group of bystanders and stood up showcasing his dominance in his towering semblance.

"Spider, take the bucket and fill it with fresh water from the stream, keep eyes on the sky, and be back within the hour, comm me if the mission changes in any way" He ordered, and gave the young man a nod of appreciation as Spider gave a " Yes Sir!" and scrambled out of the home.

"Everyone else can find work to do otherwise I will gladly give you something productive to waste time with" He announced sternly and shooed his other kids away.

"Stay with her, I need to talk to Tonowari once more" Ajake told warr-ak before pushing the curtains aside and stepping out of the home he's grown to have a fondness for.

Warrick nodded absently as the scientists began to explain she was in fact human, but using a navi's consciousness. For what reason they had no clue, yet something about this girl seemed magical. Once everyone had left the two alone he crouched close by her side and put his nose to her cheek; breathing in her sea filled scent with a small huff before sitting back again with a lopsided grin. 'This is the closest I've ever been to a female' He thought slightly embarrassed by his obvious adoration for his mystery sleeping beauty.

Spider didnt drag heels as he carried himself easily past the other Navi; grabbing a hefty wooden bucket along his way. Holding with both arms he found himself thinking yet again of their former home back within the forests' caves. Grunting when he leaped clumsily over a broken tree and almost dropped the empty jug once landing amongst the sandy dirt on the other side. Spider clutched the water container with more might before slinging it under his right arm pit with a hushed huff.

"Damn it" He cursed, remembering another more difficult memory of the sudden past he would of rather left burried in the sea. His thoughts were cut short when the sound of trickling water found its way into the air's stiff silence.

'Its too quiet, somethings up' He found thoughts slamming the alarm bells in his head as he ducked and crawled under a broken tree to get to the rivers soft flow. This way he was well hidden from sight, or so he would have given to hope to be true, but the alarms only grew to a wailing pitch.

"shit shit shit" Muttering quickly and hushed by the rivers null, Spider hurriedly sank the bowl into the water and watched as the liquid filled to the top. His eyes wandering over the landscape as he sat ready and camouflaged to the best of his ability. A soft call caught him off guard and he fell sideways into the slow moving river with an audible splash. As soon as he hit the waters cold surface hands were on him and securing him in place.

"Just the kid ive been looking for" A voice grumbled out not but inches away, Spider hissed loudly and tried to free himself before being ushered back to land.

"now now, no reason to kick and scream, I aint here to cause any harm, call it more of a.. curiosity " Quaritch reasoned with his son, letting him go and holding up his hands to hopefully change the intensity of their second or now third introduction.

"You tried to kill Kiri!" Spider yelled and balled his hands into tight fists, "i shouldve let you drown!" He hissed, amusement flickering on the olders features.

Quaritch felt his chest drop to his stomach over bearing the weight of being 'the bad guy', and now even dubbed so by his only kin.

"I didnt though-how about we put the past behind us and go from there, eh kiddo?" He hoped that maybe this would bond them close enough to not keep 'secrets', and Quaritch would no doubt find all of the Sullys' Gossip if his son would fall into his plan. 'if'

Spider shook his head fast and with panic knocking on the door to his inner mind and he bit his lip trying to compute what the other was saying, and how to react. He reached up to grab at his head and dug fingers into his scalp while with elbows up turned in a complete circle before crouching down to hear the other out. "Butthole" he speaks out in Navi so the other might feel double the attack.

"What do you want?!" Spider yelled in frustration, taking to standing and swaying his balance in preparation to get the hell outta there and that situation. 'call it in' He fought back the urge feeling sorry once again for the colonel.

The sudden show of emotion ran its course within the youngers body and soul although he was still very on edge, and that the colonel understood.

"Anyways!" He calls to him with a shrug and momentarily puts his hand on his gun before releasing his grip. "I just wanted to thank you for what you did yesterday.... That was very brave of you so- Spider. you couldve let me drown" He meets the others gaze. "but you didnt " he finished with a frown.

"Why are you doing this?" Spiders voice harsh and yet wavering. "why are you telling me this? !" His voice raised in strength and octave as he gripped the strap to his small duffel bag in any attempt to cool his head, "I don't know you, so leave me alone, dumbass!" He shouted the last insult and stood his ground, glancing back behind him every few seconds.

Quaritch knew he had hit the jugular in the kids way of expressing his 'energy', though with the insult the man furrowed his brow.

"careful now, I didn't say I couldn't bite..." He warns before clearing his throat and crouching down to the boys level. "Miles, you don't belong here with 'them'... boy, you belong with other men and woman of your kind... aren't you at least curious as the world you've been taught to hate?"

Spider flinched when his birth name was used but continued to hold his stance ready for a fight if it were to ensue. "No! I hate them!" He declared loudly as if trying to scare the man away before anything escalated. "Just go, I have to go, I'm not going with you, 'Sir'" He mocked, making an effort to contort his face in the look of disgust.

Spiders comm went off indicating he had been gone much longer than him or any other had foreseen. He pressed the button to halt the timers alarm and turned back annoyed now with the other and less afraid.

"Mr. Sully... " He looked at the other as he slowly began to gather his jug of water and used wound vine to tie it to his side.

"See ya, loser!" He yelled before giving a loud and dramatic hiss towards the man, and fleeing as fast as he could go back towards the village. He looped around the south side of the island to check if the colonel had been tracking him, which he found no evidence of such and with a heavy defeated sigh carried on with a heavy heart and complex situation.

The light from the day seemed to fade as easy as an ink smudge, the clouds shifting and turning dark against the purple skies. Ajake heard the commotion of his kids calling out to their very late companion, sighing in annoyance he flipped the curtains back and frowned while stepping out from where the girl slept.

"Do I not recall giving you a stressed time approval... Two hours ago" Sully raised a brow down at the human boy, his hands on hips, and with a stare that could freeze molten lava.

Spider felt uncomfortable being stood so small next to someone so fierce that he nearly refused to meet the man's eyes.

"sorry, Sir" He spoke and quickly offered the jug over with a glance towards Kiri who stood back but stayed alert in their conversation. It sucked being disappointing to anyone, and Spider was going to make sure not to slip up again.

"Recheck your comms, dismissed" Ajake spoke now a bit softer as he did not want to take his frustrations out on the kid before him. He took the water and returned to where Warwick and the odd Avatar we're inside.

"Dude, are you going to cry?" Lo Ak teased once his father was away, getting a harsh elbow jab from Spider in return.

"you wish" the boy taunted back with a scrunched-up face to show his displease.

"It's not funny, some of us were worried... I thought they'd taken you again" Kiri said through a cracking voice and eyes focused only on her soul mate.

"Kiri..." He looked her up and down before pulling her slowly into a tight hug, body to body.

"I'm right here" He added comfort to his words by tapping right where her heart would be and chuckling as Lo ak made fake vomiting noises.

"Lame, bro" Lo ak laughed out and shook his head. "im right here~" he continued to mock fun of the other as the three each headed towards the other side of the bungalow home.

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

#Avatar #kiri avatar #avatar loak #avatar jake #avatar james cameron #avatar tuk #avatar spider #avatar quaritch #avatar fanfiction

[demanshii]

"A continuación, por la espaciosa calzada que flanqueaban ambas columnas, apareció a largos pasos una figura solitaria, alta y esbelta cuyos núbiles rasgos evocaban a los faraones de tiempos remotos, ataviado con festivas telas prismáticas y coronado con un pschent dorado, que resplandecía con la luz inherente. Hasta Carter se acercó la regia figura, de porte orgullosos atezadas facciones que le conferían la fascinación de un dios oscuro o un arcángel caído, con una lánguida chispa de humor caprichoso, larvada en sus ojos. Cuando habló, en su meliflua entonación ondulada la arrulladora balada de las aguas leteas."

-Rndolph Carter...

Nyarlathotep, (en su forma humana). H P Lovecraft.

-------------------- 0 ---------------------

"Next, down the spacious causeway flanked by both columns, appeared at long strides a solitary figure, tall and slender whose nubile features evoked the pharaohs of ancient times, attired in festive prismatic drapery and crowned with a golden pschent, glowing with inherent light. Even Carter approached the regal figure, with a proud carriage and awned features that gave him the fascination of a dark god or a fallen archangel, with a languid spark of whimsical humor lurking in his eyes. When he spoke, in his mellifluous intonation rippled the lulling ballad of the tawny waters."

-Rndolph Carter...

Nyarlathotep, (in his human form). H P Lovecraft.

style: Sergey Kolesov

#nyarlathotep #hp lovecraft #lovecraft #h.p. lovecraft #literature #necronomicon #cthulhu mythos #egypt #my artwork #gothic #goth literature #horror #dagon and other early stories #digital illustration #digitalart #digital drawing

[violettesiren]

No winter twilight chills us now, but rather The night is waning, and the day is near; For to the northern distance, and yet farther Fades the unheeded splendor of the year. No flower, in truth, may cheer the eager sight, No lonely bird is calling for its mate; We have the sense of earth’s forthcoming light, Spring broods above the hills, and we can wait.

The meadow does not heed the warmth returning, The starry coltsfoot still withholds her buds, The wishful eye, far-sighted and discerning, Can choose no spot of green amid the woods; There is no winsome odor in the winds, But with a pulse of living strength they blow, Though in some hollow still the traveler finds Half-sheltered from the sun, the lingering snow.

The Spring reveals herself in secret only, Thro’ hidden signs we guess her mystic power, The fields are bare, the woodlands wild and lonely, But lo! beneath the earth she hides the flower. The willows quicken at the river’s brim, The eager alder breaks her tawny buds, The upland hills are wrapt in hazes dim, And sweet, impulsive life has stirred the woods.

March by Dora Read Goodale

#dora read goodale

[i-meticulous4life]

I-meticulous4life Cemetery sign 1937

Painted sign for the LA. Pet cemetery, located at 2500 N. Highland Avenue. Advertising that the cemetery includes a crematory and mausoleum and that visitors are welcome

AKA LOS Angeles pet memorial park.

The LOS Angeles pet memorial park was founded by celebrity veterinarian Dr. Eugene jones on September 4th, 1928, and became the final rating place for such animals stars as Tawny, one of the MGM lions jiggs- “Cheetah’’ from Tarzan, Pete the pup from our gang and Topper- the trusty steed of hopalong Cassidy.

Not only celebrities animals, but the Animal of celebrities Rest In Peace at these enduring , revered ground.

[xxspellbloxedxx]

Here is Tawny in a more casual look! This is a mannequin piece so I will be using this a lot just to doodle some cute clothes on her! There’s more but some are NSFW-

#rwby #fun #rwby oc #rwby original character #ruby rose #weiss schnee #blake belladonna #yang xiao long #rwby oc art #rwby original character design #rwby original design #rwby original character art #rwby original characters #volt tawny #tawny los #rwby tawny los #rwby tawny

[deathleadsarc]

The  mystique  of  the  Mountain  Alchemist-Witch  Qistina  Leota  is  well  known  within  a  town  situated  just  north  of  the  Harz  mountains,  in  the  district  of  Harz  in  the  west  of  Saxony-Anhalt,  Germany.  Just  several  miles  within  Quedlinburg's  surrounding  forestry  lay  the  home  of  a  Witch    ―    legend  goes  that  nearly  five  hundred  and  fifty  years  prior,  is  a  quaint  village  hidden  within  those  woods  with  what  would  be  known  as  one  of  the  most  bizarre  mass  murder  mysteries  of  the  world.  On  the  morning  of  late  December  of  1507,  the  King's  Court  made  the  grizzly  discovery  that  the  entirety  of  the  village  had  been  massacred.  Hundreds  dead  and  mutilated,  blood  coating  the  roads  as  if  the  sky  itself  had  been  flayed  open  ―  thus  leading  the  King  to  believe  that  the  deed  had  been  done  by  a  Witch.  

Signs  within  the  village  had  led  to  such  a  conclusion  ―  as  a  pyre  had  shown  embers  of  use.  Long  strands  of  purely  white  hair  speckled  with  blood  had  mixed  with  the  tawny  hue  of  the  hay  at  the  pyre's  foot,  along  with  tufts  of  thick  animal  fur    (    a  tuft  which  sits  preserved  in  the  Louvre  with  what  is  believed  to  be  an  original  notebook  from  the  witch  herself  ).  One  side  of  history  believes  that  this  witch  and  her  familiar  were  simply.  .  .  hunted.  Hunted  by  the  people  of  the  village,  for practicing  medicines  far  beyond  even  the  modern  medical  world  ―  while  the  other  side  stands  firm  at  the  evidence  at  hand  ;  a  wicked  and  evil  witch  with  her  massive  familiar  who  slaughtered  the  village  mercilessly.

One  could  claim  to  hear  her,  even  by  the  forest  edge.  Lo  there  do  you  see  her  shining  in  the  daylight?  Gleaming  in  the  moonlight?  The  curtain  of  a  silvery  river  that  wafts  gently  without  breeze?  Her  howls  of  pain,  her  shrieks  of  delight?  The  song  of  her  companion?  

For  several  hundred  years,  many  have  ventured  to  the  village  itself    (    stood  to  this  day  exactly  as  the  day  it  was  found,  a  reminder  of  humans  tragedies    )  with  a  memorial  in  sight  to  guide  their  way.  Headstones  which  depict  each  and  every  victim  of  the  alchemist  witch's  powers  sit  made  of  concrete  at  the  base  of  the  pyre  where  the  hay  once  burned,  while  the  name  of  the  only  missing  villager  was  etched  into  a  plaque  on  the  wooden  pyre  itself,  as  originally  written  by  one  of  the  King's  Court  members,  translated  by  historians  for  all  the  world  to  know.  

            Rise  from  the  Ashes,  O'  Beloved  Witch.  Returneth  to  thine  Lord,  Returneth  to  the  Earth  thine  Mercy.  Seek  not  further  Retribution.  Praise  her  name!  Praise  her  name!  1487  ―  1507

Visitors  of  her  woods  have  taken  to  etch  their  own  praises  to  the  witch  within  the  very  stake  that  once  held  her.  

'praise  her'  'praise  her'  'praise  her'    'praise  her'    'praise  her'    'praise  her'  

#half and half on making this the prelude to the novel....

[heartofspells]

Ehhh just one???? Ugh okayyy (I do realise at least 2 of these WIPS are partly my fault.... yaiks)

Anyway! Tell me more about Uber please? Sending lots of love ❤️❤️❤️

Only two? Are you sure? I feel like it should be more. can i blame them on you anyhow?

Oh, Uber (not the title, just need to make that clear)! Such a curious little thing. It came to me in the manor of a mysterious little prompt. Wonder where that came from...?

Essentially, to those not in the know, someone orders an Uber to take them to a bridge, but the driver they receive refuses to take them. And look! There's a snippet! (but I'll admit, I haven't written much more for this since the last we talked about it. i've been a bit distracted. but there's still plenty you haven't seen yet)

Sirius pulls his car over to the side of the road where a lanky looking man is standing on the pavement. The dusk of the day gleams off the polished black of the paint, and Sirius sighs, shifting in his seat a little. Not for the first time does he wish Uber allowed for motorbikes. He could make good fun out of that. But at least this way has music, though he doesn't always get to control it. Tips and ratings make the world spin round, after all.

He's only a little surprised when the man slips silently into the back instead of the front. It's wholly uncommon, except men seem to be a little more comfortable up front with him while women favor the back. It makes sense, he can't deny that. Never know what will happen.

"'Lo," greets Sirius when the man doesn't immediately speak. He watches him through the rearview mirror, his tawny head bowed down low, never looking up at the word. Sirius only receives a small, unintelligible mumble in return. "Bit of a drive to where you're going. Might take a while. Anything you'd like to listen to?"

Another mumble comes in response, and Sirius withholds a huff of irritation. Great. One of those, he thinks to himself. Driving around the city, making constant loops and dizzying turns, isn't bad, not really. Sirius likes driving, he always has. He doesn't even need the money. He just likes being able to move constantly however he can accomplish it. But it does get boring after a while, the people he sometimes totes with him adding that spark of entertainment. It's the ones like this man, who don't speak, or have any interest in speaking, who do nothing but sit and brood, that make it miserable sometimes.

But whenever he asks the question about music and gets no answer, or a vague one in return, he makes the most of it, choosing something he likes instead of tailoring for others. Sirius swipes over his phone, clearing off the Uber page, scrolling for something before they depart. He smiles when he finds the perfect thing, then brings up the map again as he pulls back into traffic, the lyrics and music streaming through the speakers at a reasonable volume.

#wolfstar #sort of #sirius black #remus lupin #wip tagging game #wip ask #ask #answer #britt and her prompts #my death is coming #and i'm super exicted #snippet #my writing #holli writes

[therappundit]

*The Best of the Bestest!: The Rap Pundit’s Picks For The Finest Rap Projects of 2022

*Just a list of MY favorite favorites from a year filled with a lot of damn good music.  

What else needs to be said at this point?  You have probably seen at least a dozen “Best of” lists by now, with many of the same albums cluttered near the top....but this is THE Rap Pundit’s list, so you know you’re bound to find more gems than chalk.

In a historically deep year for rap music (a topic worth profiling in the future), the headline story was probably the numerous side stories.  Be it the explosion of great music coming from areas that had a previously under-reported wealth of talent (especially Wisconsin and Florida), the underground scene getting more high profile exposure than it has in years (artists like billy woods, Fatboi Sharif and Lungs/Lonesword being shouted-out by numerous mainstream outlets!?), sample-driven drill officially becoming the preferred drill-flavor (at least on the east coast, shout-out Shawny Binladen, Four50, Big YaYa and the YTB), and of course the simply inescapable rise of club music’s influence on rap right now (Bandmanrill is clearly the master of this lane, but this style isn’t going away anytime soon)….if you couldn’t find something you loved in 2022, you might not actually like rap music.

But the proof is in the pudding, let’s get into it.  Here are my personal picks for the most impressive albums/mixtapes/EPs/projects/whatever of 2022…

***High Honors***:  Beware of the Monkey by MIKE, Motion Not Emotion by DB.Boutabag, Playing With Fire by ShooterGang Kony, Crack Music 2 by Skilla Baby, Beyond Belief by 38 Spesh & Harry Fraud, Gold Bricks by ElCamino, and Formal Intro by dp0mmy [+about 100 more that I plan to shout-out on future posts!]

100. VACABULAREE by Valee

99. The DogFather by Paco Panama

98. u be ight by QThree

97. Traumazine by Megan Thee Stallion

96. Metatron’s Cube by Aj Suede & Televangel

95. Spaceships on the Blade by Larry June

94. Scorpion Eyes by BandGang Lonnie Band$

93. Raw Extractions by Lukah

92. Marlowe 3 by Marlowe (L’Orange & Solemn Brigham)

91. SNOFALL by Jeezy & DJ Drama

90. Tales Of A Yung Son by Four50

89. Ima Island Boy by Pros AP

88. WHERE ARE THE BUGS!? by Cise Greeny, Phiik & Lungs/LoneSword

87. Let’s Do A Drill by Asian Doll

86. GRIPTAPE by the grittiest, Raz Fresco, Eric Right

85. Triple Black Diamonds 2 by al.divino & Estee Nack

84. Where The Shooters Be by SleazyWorld Go

83. As Above So Below by VIP Skylark

82. ONLY BUILT 4 DIAMOND LINKS by Peezy

81. Deutsche Marks 3 by Willie The Kid & V Don

80. THE LIZ 2 by Armani Caesar

79. Wordly Ways by Archibald Slim

78. I NEVER LIKED YOU (Deluxe) by Future

77. MARTINELLI MAC-ELEV by Willyynova

76. Jungle Life by DCG BROTHERS (DCG Shun, DCG Bsavv)

75. FACE (Deluxe Edition) by Babyface Ray

74. What They Hittin 4 by Jay Worthy & DJ Muggs

73. Sedale Threat by Wrecking Crew (Zilla Rocca, Curly Castro & PremRock)

72. Dollar Menu 4 by Mach-Hommy & Tha God Fahim

71. On High Alert, Vol. 4 by Real Bad Man

70. EA Monster by Young Nudy

69. Back For Everything by Kodak Black

68. raja’s sun by iblss

67. BussaBrick Vol. 2: BussOne 101 by Chicken P

66. 2 Headed Goat by 1100 Himself & Mitchell

65. The I&I by Teller Bank$ & Ed Glorious

64. COTI 2:  The Course of the Inevitable 2 by Lloyd Banks

63. The Broadcast by Fil Jackson

62. The 13 Tape 2 by Jugg Harden

61. HTR Vol. 1: The Legend of Tawny Tone by Koncept Jack$on

60. MEMPHIS MASSACRE III *or* CRUNKSTAR [I still can’t make up my mind!?] by Duke Deuce

59. BEFORE SHIT GOT WEIRD by The Cool Kids

58. ENDLESS by evrymN

57. 25 Features, Vol. 2 by Los & Nutty

56. SLANG CASINO by YUNGMORPHEUS & Obijuan

55. Before The Winner Comes The Fall by Grunge Gallardo

54. Valley of Dry Bones by Stik Figa & Conductor Williams

53. Paint the City (Gangsta Grillz) by Icewear Vezzo & DJ Drama

52. Lost In Austin by kingdoughmane.

51. Gold by DJ Muggs & Rigz

50. Black Vladimir by Meyhem Lauren & Daringer

49. Dog$hit & Ammunition by WTM Milt

48. Laughing so Hard, it Hurts by Mavi

47. Metal Lung by Shrapknel (Curly Castro & Premrock)

46. Da Under Dog by MarijuanaXO

45. The Forever Story by JID

44. SHADOWSELF by Sleep Sinatra & Ohbliv

43. CHAINLINK by Phiik & Duro

42. $oul $old $eparately by Freddie Gibbs

41. Church by billy woods & Messiah Musik

40. RAMONA PARK BROKE MY HEART by Vince Staples

39. SOGW2: Estee Nack & The Order of the Golden Fleece by Estee Nack & Sadhugold

38. Blame Kansas by T.F, Roc Marciano & Mephux

37. Joe Fog by Errol Holden

36. ill be right back! by amani & robalu

35. LIVE FROM THE OTHER SIDE by Mikem Nahmir & The Fades Formation

34. The Elephant Man’s Bones by Roc Marciano & The Alchemist

33. Her Loss by Drake & 21 Savage

32. Frank by Fly Anakin

31. SOUTH CENTRAL by G Perico

30. Sewaside II by Mike Shabb

29. King’s Disease III by Nas & Hit-Boy

28. Cold Cuts by Wiki & Subjxct 5

27. Melt My Eyez See Your Future (The Extended Edition) by Denzel Curry

26. Intros, Outros & Interludes by Domo Genesis & Evidence

25. Few Good Things by Saba

24. BABYST5XNE GORILLAS by Baby Stone Gorillas

23. Fair Exchange No Robbery by Boldy James & Nicholas Craven

22. Continuous Improvement by Papo2oo4, DJ Lucas & Subjxct 5

21. Kiss The Ring by Rome Streetz

20. MOB by Babyface Ray

19. I Love Y.O.U. cuz Y.O.U. Ugle Vol.1 by Mr. Muthafuckin’ eXquire

18. It’s Almost Dry by Pusha T

17. Smoke Detector by Rich Jones

16. The Soufside Villain by Marco Plus

15. Tana Talk 4 by Benny The Butcher

14. Continuance by Curren$y & Alchemist

13. Cheat Codes by Black Thought & Danger Mouse

12. Languish Arts and Woeful Studies by Ka

11. Spirit Roaming by AKAI SOLO

Aaaaaaaaand now, my top ten...

10.  I Told Bessie by ELUCID

[A well-oiled machine of an album, I Told Bessie lurches along from one ear-grabbing soundscape to another, each gifted contributor putting their stamp on some precious reflection from ELUCID (all producers were in top form here, but Child Actor, Messiah Musik and Sebb were especially potent).  As one half of Armand Hammer, ELUCID has no trouble being a tour guide through his own stroll down memory lane.  He is a superior narrator that knows his way around a vast array of different styles of instrumentals, which means that Bessie never gets too dark or too bright, adding easy replay value to even the heavier moments of the album.]

9. Component System with the Auto Reverse by Open Mike Eagle

[Open Mike Eagle has circled around the epicenter of the underground rap scene for some time now, always a worthy contributor, albeit not one to necessarily be recognized during award season. That should change with his latest effort, a brilliant piece of nostalgia, personal reflection, and an earnest love for hip-hop.  Also, great writing aside, the beats on here are simply phenomenal.]

8. SICK! by Earl Sweatshirt

[Forgot that this dropped in 2022?  The first AOTY contender to drop is all too often the album ending up with the short end of the stick come December, and that seems to be the case with SICK!.  Less sonically aggressive than much of his previous work, Earl still manages to cram so much thoughtful writing into quick, fun-size doses.  The most effective music isn’t always the music that begs for our attention, and this feels like an album where the listener is fortunate just to catch Earl’s thoughts before they float away, to make room for more poignant passing thoughts.  Perhaps Earl’s best gift as an artist is his ability to leave fans wanting more.]

7. Bokleen World by Mike Shabb

[By now the buzz is just starting to nip at Mike Shabb's heels. The Montreal MC/producer was not on my radar before this year, but hot damn has he made an impact in 2022.  If it wasn’t his TWO great solo albums that he dropped, it was the acclaim from tastemakers like Westside Gunn, who got his production skills the attention they deserve.  More importantly, Shabb is coming out of Montreal, Canada, making him a representative of a scene that is starting to make waves well outside of the Canadian border.  I loved his release from earlier this year, but for me it was Bokleen World that showcased all of the many dimensions of an exciting young artist.]

6.  MOOR CHORES by Lord Kayso

[Another artist that I was completely unfamiliar with at this time last year, Brooklyn’s Lord Kayso is closing out this year as one of my favorite artists.  There’s something about his delivery and the way that he colors in his world that feels simultaneously intimate but distant, much like how a young Nas was portrayed as a writer’s-writer, watching events in his community unfold from a project window.  Kayso reflects on his world with a casual delivery that doesn’t seem to be emotionally affected in the moment, but the fact that he’s sharing these personal stories at all confirms that he’s a man with a great deal on his mind.]

5. For All Debts Public and Private by Defcee & Boathouse

[Last year Defcee & Messiah Musik really surprised some folks (myself included) by dropping Trapdoor, one of the best albums of 2021, in December...so let that be a lesson to anyone that thinks they can finalize their annual Best Of lists by the time Thanksgiving wraps up.  That's a tough act to follow, but Defcee & Boathouse managed to strike in 2022 with another fantastic project in For All Debts Public and Private. An impressive list of some of the underground's finest join forces with Boathouses impactful backdrops and Defcee's revealing bars, all to create an album that is as thoughtful as it is prone to high levels of replay value.  When it comes to dissecting one's life and perspectives, I don't know if any MC's pen is touching Defcee at the moment.]

4. Deathfame by Quelle Chris

[Detroit's uber-talented virtuoso Quelle Chris has been accumulating one of the deepest catalogues in music for some time now, but Deathfame is truly one of his finest works top to bottom. An under-reported trend for Quelle is that he somehow finds a way to become more and more versatile as a producer with every album.  Never allowing his sense of humor to drown out his messages, and never being so devoid of humor that his messages come off as bitter, a great Quelle Chris album has become a most welcome tradition over these past few years....and I hope it continues!]

3.  Aethiopes by billy woods & Preservation

[Gonna keep it moving here…billy woods is just flat out the most prolific writer in rap music right now, Preservation is a genius and their chemistry is off the charts.  Add a handful of standout guest verses - EL-P, Boldy, Breeze and hot damn, Despot!? - and you have an AOTY worthy album.  Too many memorable quotes and verse of the year contenders to list, but for some reason there’s a special place in my heart for “trying to pay rent - but that’s not black empowerment, that’s you trying to pay rent”.]

2. 10 (a.k.a. HWH10) by Westside Gunn

[Maybe my favorite Westside Gunn project since FLYGOD, which for me (as a bit of a Griselda stan since 2015), is saying a lot.  Reminiscent of Kanye’s “anyone around, come to the studio right now!” energy during better times - his MBDTF G.O.O.D. Friday roll out - for the latest (last??) installment of his controversially titled music series, Gunn managed to pull together a somewhat surprising list of features for a mixtape of loose and FUN bar-fests over the most varied, ear-grabbing production that we have heard from the Griselda collective in a minute.  I’m not actually sure who was in the studio and who wasn’t, but when the outcome puts Run The Jewels, A$AP Rocky, Doe Boy, Black Star, Busta and Rae & Ghost together on the same project, you get a straight-up dope tape that reminds me of why I fell in love with underground rap music in the first place.  Classic Soundbombing vibes, for me.]

1.  Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers by Kendrick Lamar

[When it comes down to releasing new albums, no other rap artist needs to check as many boxes as Kendrick Lamar.  JAY-Z, J.Coke, Drake, you name it - none of them have to incorporate mainstream bangers, nuanced “conscious rap”, alternative choices, catchy lyrics, superior production, clear expression of ideas, and manage to touch the bar set by fans with incredibly high expectations for an artist that doesn’t release new music as often as his peers…but such is the life of anyone who is considered to have the highest ceiling in their field.  Yet with Mr. Morale, Kendrick unleashed the album that *he* wanted to release: a sprawling conversation piece that stumbles through dozens of sticky topics without digging his heels into any one stance for too long. 

 It’s the perfect expression of ideas from anyone that came out of the last few years of isolation with a creeping sense of doubt, mistrust for the information circling around him, and a general awkwardness for how to interact with the world once again.  I’m not sorry that many of the thoughts he shared on this album weren’t met as “correct” based on our expectations of what many of us want him to represent, but more importantly, Kendrick shouldn’t be sorry either.  Much like other prominent people of influence in the world today, we should be discussing the nuance of everything we’re told, and the great points often come from those exchanges - way moreso than the regurgitation of curated policy that is deemed acceptable by the loudest of audiences.  So yes, I believe Kendrick Lamar’s Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers to be hands-down the best rap album of 2022.  All messages aside, how anyone could miss the well-crafted delivery and high quality production that is easily the most engaging of any mainstream rap album in 2022, is still pretty surprising to me….but I suppose conflicted opinions are exactly what should come from a talented artist stewing in his own conflicted opinions in recent years.   Oh well, I guess even the best in their field can’t please everybody.]

Next stop....best songs. 👀

#Best of 2022 #best albums #Kendrick Lamar #Griselda #TDE #Quelle Chris #Earl Sweatshirt #underground hip-hop #Open Mike Eagle #AKAI SOLO #Armand Hammer #billy woods #ELUCID #Mike Shabb #Marco Plus #Drake #21 Savage #Lord Kayso #Ka #The Alchemist #Curren$y #Westside Gunn #PunditPlayList

[kmjcngins]

@tcemint​

Happy Anniversary, my love. Sometimes I pinch myself knowing that I get to spend the rest of my life loving you, cherishing you and letting you know just how much you mean to me. Plus, the sex is definitely another bonus. 

Like I always tell you, you truly changed my life for the better and now I can’t imagine how it would be without you by my side. You really make me want to be a better dancer, singer, husband, uncle and overall..better everything. I genuinely cannot begin to describe the joy and happiness you’ve brought into my life since I met you. But maybe throughout our lives together, I can try to explain it. 

You get me in ways nobody else on the planet does -- not even my own parents! You know me better than I know myself, and you always will too so you better be giving yourself a pat on the back for that, mister. Thank you for always being my biggest supporter and always being there for me when I need you the most. You have no idea how much you just being there means to me, and I dunno if I’ll ever be able to find the words to tell you.

I love you so much, Taemin.

Yours eternally,

Nini.

Since I know how much you love this scent, I decided to get you a gift box for it.

It includes: 3 OZ. EAU DE PARFUM SPRAY, A 0.33 OZ. TRAVEL SPRAY, & A 1.6 OZ. BODY LOTION

Next, Taylor Fladgate Single Harvest 1896 Tawny Port, all the way from Portugal. I was recommended this the last time I was in France so..I had to get it! Don’t kill me for how much it is, okay? I also got a wine gift basket, with all the goodies you could want to make up for it.

The magical quality of this wine is unique, hard to compare even with the few other wines of similar age that have survived to the present day. Its depth and density is astonishing, even taking into account the wine’s concentration over a century and a quarter of aging in wood.

At first, a rich and seductive redolence of black coffee and liquorice takes center stage but a host of other scents and nuances soon emerge, creating an intricate display of complex aromas. Notes of sawn cedarwood blend with hints of dried rose petal, fennel and eucalyptus. Notes of black pepper and vanilla add a warm spicy dimension. On the palate the wine is dense, round and velvety with impressive volume and concentration, the sweetness is balanced by a fresh acidity. Mellow flavors of coffee and butterscotch combine with vibrant notes of orange peel and citrus. The finish is endless, the dense mellow flavors remaining on the palate long after the wine has been tasted.

About the bottle: Each decanter designed and produced exclusively for Taylor Fladgate 1896 Single Harvest Port was individually hand blown and finished by skilled craftmen, making it unique.

A ring from Spinelli Kilcollin, personally designed and made for you.

The Cancer emphasizes fluidity of motion and balance with a multi-gauged design of full and half round bands. Featuring mixtures of 18k yellow and rose gold, sterling silver and pavé white diamonds, the Cancer can be worn stacked or across multiple fingers for a magnificent display of interlocked bands. Each Cancer is individually handmade to order in Los Angeles.

Bands: 18k yellow gold, 18k rose gold, .925 sterling silver

Diamonds: Pavé white diamonds (approx. 0.7 tcw)

Connectors: 18k yellow gold

2.3mm gauge .925 sterling silver band

2.7mm gauge 18k rose gold ½ round band

2.3mm gauge .925 sterling silver band

2.8mm gauge 18k yellow gold band

Finally, an Ivory Peony dome of flowers.

#( anniversary tag tbd. ) #( gifts. ) #( gifts; taemin. )