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hairklipz · 2 months

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Review 01: LTJ Bukem - Producer 01

Released: 0?/01/00AV

Genre: Electronic / Subgenre: Jungle DnB a/o Intelligent DnB & Downtempo

Watford native LTJ Bukem had heavy influence on what would become known as "Intelligent DnB". Intel. DnB is characterized by clear jazz influence alongside the break beats that make Jungle so addictive. Bukem navigates the sound with expertise, flaunting complex but catchy jazz loops into the mix from his classically trained background as well as hard hitting basslines that rock your ears. As the record runs, you lose track of time as the songs are paced very well despite being on the longer side by today's standards. If someone is looking for an introduction to the UK Jungle scene, Producer 01 is a gentle yet proper means to do so. It starts you off by getting you used to the sounds you will hear through the project and then eases you into the heavier aspects later on. Let's listen.

Track One is a seven minute interlude titled appropriately 'Cosmic Interlude'. As the song begins I can already feel myself enjoying it from the bass loop alone. This loop is reminiscent of the "Meep City Night Theme" from Roblox (obscure reference but that song is a 10/10 for me). The tone of this interlude is also set quickly with the accents heard echoing over the bass until the drums come knocking in. The structure of this song seems to focus it's attention on the tone switches. Moments of minor tension broken up with soft electric keys and more accenting. Just as the song is starting to become repetitive, Bukem (as if he is mixing this with you in mind) switches direction, giving us a break from the loop before heading into the final minute of the track. Although the loop has only been gone for less than a minute, when it makes it's return with new partners, you cease to remember the repetitive feeling from minutes before. An amazing start to the album.

Track Two instantly takes a dip in tone. Titled Constellation, this track is the sole song on the record that features vocals. The lyrics of this song seem to focus on music transporting you elsewhere. The style of the rap is consistent with the English Scene with flow influence from New York contemporaries of the same time and genre. I think this track is a great listen especially if you are listening intently. Noticing details like the whispers that DSR layers over his verse pulls the listener away from where they are grounded much like the song intended. As far as the production, a favorite for me is the strings within in the loops. I am an absolute sucker for strings especially the strings consistent with the late 90's and early 2000's. When the beat rides for the keys solo before the last verse, you get a chance to really hear those strings before the song fades off. I really enjoyed this song despite it being almost an outlier from the rest of the album.

Track Three is where we start to inch closer to the traditional jungle sound although I use 'inch' very literally. Unlike later tracks, this one remains subtle in its label. My first thought is downtempo but maybe not a specific sub-genre within it. The BPM sits at around 104 or 105 as opposed to the average BPM of 158 over the six songs that follow it. The chords feel very house-y which I love and I think suits the track immensely. While listening to the first two minutes of this song, the sub-bass will creep in for just moments at time preparing you for second-quarter of the track. The sub-bass hits hard and rounded, you can almost see the shape of it while listening. The echoing horns throughout the song are trance-like, it feels like I'm being hypnotized, snapped awake and instantly re-instated as the horns return. This cycle continues until you fully awaken only due to the volume lowering as the song fades out.

Track Four begins with what I can only describe as someone taking the term jungle literally. Partnered in the background with percussion are various chirps but closer to the foreground is what seems to be (in my opinion) a bit-crushed roar of some kind that starts anew every eight measures. I really love the idea of Bukem sitting down and deciding to center a jungle song around jungle sounds (even if I am not 100% on his intention or even that these sounds came from the jungle in the first place). The drums in this song are one of my favorite from the entire record despite this not being a favorite song as a whole. I think this song serves well as a transitionary track into the higher tempo theme of the rest of the album and prepares you for track five which I consider to be the second strongest, second most interesting and my overall second favorite on the album.

Track Five is titled 'Demon Theme'. As the track sets the tone for you, chirps are carried on from the previous track until the break begins. The drums are instantly weaker than the last song but this is not where 'Demon Theme' shines. Two minutes into the track, an echoing lead catches an unbelievable groove that immediately takes over. This section of the song is interrupted by a sampled singing voice that eases us into a new section of chaos. Many freshly introduced sounds start to swirl around your head at 145 BPM causing a hurricane circling your brain. Soon after, the 'calm' within this 'storm' appears in the form of flutes that end up blending the rest of the sounds into one. Once again, this off-key vocal sample serves as the start of the next section where we are met with warm synths and those familiar chirps from earlier. It feels like an off-color sun is breaking through the clouds of earlier. As the song enters it's final stretch, the chaos is gone and that catchy lead comes back to wrap everything up into a neat package. This new tone becomes the standard for the song, wiping your memory of the chaos the ensued minutes before. Switching between minute three and minute six feel like distant sonic cousins rather than two parts of the same track and I think this is absolutely a positive but also a theme of this album. It is dynamic and it shows track-to-track.

Track Six is our longest track on the records at just under nine minutes. The loop here has some sort of a filter which almost detunes it at times and I love that effect. The synths that work with this loop are slow and drone-like which leaves you wondering where this song will end up knowing that Bukem is both unpredictable and extremely talented at it too. 'Music' sits at the higher side with 155 BPM but somehow the song feels slow and paced. It is an amazing feeling. By minute four, I had found myself feeling like the song just began but we were already half way finished. The track is quick yet slow. It is heavy yet soft. It is both liquid and solid. Throughout this one, a sampled voice comes echoing both in and out like something out of Silent Hill until thick undistinguishable chords creep in to set the tone completely. 'Music' isn't one of my favorites as a song but the experience itself makes it. I think it is rare to find a track paced so perfectly.

Track Seven (my overall favorite) continues the long run time with the the last two songs totaling over seventeen minutes all by themselves. This song has a slow build but already starts to set the groove. The echo and melody used for this flute sample is one of the catchiest on the entire record. The bass on this track is definitely more subtle than the former songs but it is still rounded and impactful. As you hit the halfway point of 'Twilight Voyage' you get a closer listen to the sounds present in the song and this is one of my favorite sections. I don't have the proper words to describe the feeling they give me but it is like every sound is picked perfectly. Every soundwave is the exact one that I would specifically want. I find myself getting lost in this section just appreciating said sounds until the DnB returns for the final two minutes of the track. This song is one of the least dynamic of the record but somehow it doesn't feel repetitive, every second of those eight minutes is paced just as well as the previous track and that blows me away.

Track Eight begins unlike any of the other songs. 'Orchestral Jam' has an strong start as opposed to the soft build-ups we've been used to for the past seven tracks. The drums are glitchy and fast which the track gives us plenty of time in the first minute to appreciate until the melodies begin to slip in. Of course, this song is focused on strings but these strings aren't my favorite. I mentioned earlier in the review that the strings of this era are one of my biggest weaknesses but the ones present in this track just don't do it for me. Even when the bass is introduced about halfway through the song, I do not find myself getting the same feeling the record has produced so far. My favorite thing about this song are definitely the accenting done here and there. That being said, this song is on the weaker side for me and would be at best an 'okay' track. I do believe that this song is greater than 'okay' but might have the unfortunate task of following the almost perfect first seven tracks.

Track Nine is the where this amazing record comes to an end and from what I understand is Bukem's most popular track. Off-the-bat, this song has a chopped vocal sample (from which part of the title is taken) that is absolutely lovely. I think that the beginning of this song sets an amazing tone that gets me excited for the ending of this album. The keys, which are almost clav-like, are catchy and funky until they are cut-off. I think that I would've liked those keys to continue and carry the rest of the track with them in a different direction. They make their return alongside that vocal sample in the final minute of the record but without enough time to bring the song to a place I'd like to hear. I think this song reveals one of my worst habits which is gaining expectations in a track to only feel disappointed if it doesn't go where my head was thinking or somewhere better. This song set a tone that I got attached to and changed it. I believe that the song is still great but I am just a picky and pretentious brat who acts like he could've even made something this good.

Producer 01 is labeled by some as a compilation record rather than an actual album. I believe that without lyrics it can sometimes be difficult to keep an album coherent but Bukem did it masterfully. This project feel cohesive and paced beautifully. Sitting at 1hour and 13 minutes, each song works its runtime properly and keeps you engaged both mentally and physically. This record has plenty of moments where you cannot help but have a physical reaction to what is occurring even if you are not listening with full intent. This record is not abrasive but does have moments that wake you up and cause those reactions. With a slower, seemingly unsure start, the first three songs carry layers of influence that leave you guessing on the exact genre is would be considered. As you hit the middle four tracks, you feel entranced in the project unable to step out of it without effort. as you ease into the last two tracks which are the weakest in my opinion, you find yourself wondering what direction he will go and I love that feeling. Consistency is not bad but an artist who can leave you guessing is even better. As one of the first albums released in the new millennium I would say this record perfectly encapsulates the era and sets a great standard for the years to come.

8.3/10

-Hairklipz 28/02/24AV

#ltjbukem #jungle #dnb #downtempo #music #musichistory #musicreview #y2k #2000's #review #writing #blogging #blog #trance

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randomvarious · 8 months

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Today's mix:

Global Underground 016: Cape Town by Dave Seaman 2000 Progressive House / Progressive Trance

Back on my Global Underground grind this week to check out this turn-of-the-millennium double-disc mix from the one and only Dave Seaman, the guy who, among other things, managed to transform UK publication Mixmag from a DJ newsletter into a biblical monthly electronic music magazine, while also becoming one of the world's most revered DJs. Simply put, you can credit a significant portion of electronic dance music's growth and spread to him.

But, just like with Seaman's Buenos Aires set, I think that I might have an unpopular opinion about this one too, which represents Global Underground's first ever dispatch from Africa. See, something that I seem to keep running into with these showcases of super popular DJs (which is a corny concept on its face, to be honest 🙄) is overall inconsistency. One disc will range from pretty great to excellent, and the other will be pretty lackluster, in comparison. But to me, Seaman's discs serve as exceptions; they are neither pretty great, nor are they lackluster; they're just steadily good. And most of the reviews I've read for both this Cape Town release and the Buenos Aires one don't happen to express that opinion; the majority of them seem to think that Buenos Aires is fantastic, and this one is a tick or two below it.

Now, while, overall, I think the darker disc 1 is the stronger affair here, this release's greatest moments still seem to come in the second disc, with a totally sublime three-song run on its back half, starting with short-lived trio Nerva's "Modo VII (Santo Nerva de Mercia Mix)," followed by back-to-back tracks from duo Way Out West, of which the great Nick Warren—who himself put out the most spellbinding GU disc I've ever heard: the second one from his Brazil installment—is a member. First, Way Out West deliver "The Fall," which, personally, hit me *really* hard, because it samples the vocals that were used in one of my most favorite ambient tunes of all time, Mixmaster Morris' pretty legendary remix of Coldcut's "Autumn Leaves;" and then Seaman follows that up with a terrific Way Out West remix of James Holden's "Horizons." I'm basically an enormous sucker for a trance tune that incorporates rich and classy piano stabs, and a song like that one serves as a prime example of it (Max Graham's "Bar None" is another one that immediately comes to mind too, by the way, although it's not on this mix 😌).

And there's some great songs on the first disc too, but none of them really beat Bill Hamel's "Quadrant Dub" remix of Inertia's "Vellum." That one makes for a pretty transcendent, densely-packed climber in its first half. Plus, the "Futureshock Instrumental" of Moby's "Porcelain" is really cool too, as the duo takes the original's iconic strings and chops off their ends in order to meld them with a chugging mid-90s-type of house drumbeat 😎.

So, not fully bowled over by either of these discs, but definitely not disappointed with them either. Not the best GU mix I've ever come across, but also definitely not the worst. Just a steady-Eddie stream of good dance tunes, pretty much the whole way through.

Listen to CD1 here. Listen to CD2 here.

Highlights:

CD1:

Rui Da Silva Presents The Four Elements - "Earth" Moby - "Porcelain (Futureshock Instrumental)" Ian Wilkie - "Guten Morgen" The Ananda Project - "Cascades of Colour (Saffron Mix)" Inertia - "Vellum (Hamel's Quadrant Dub)" Gloat - "Wuarp" Above - "New Day Dawning (Above's Dub)" Breeder - "Tyrantanic (Slacker's Kingdom Come Mix)"

CD2:

Nerva - "Modo VII (Santo Nerva de Mercia Mix)" Way Out West - "The Fall" James Holden - "Horizons (Way Out West Remix)"

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dankalbumart · 8 months

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One Minute in Heaven by Sunbeam Kontor Records 2001 Hard Trance / Trance

#hard trance #trance #dance #dance music #electronic #electronic music #music #2000s #2000s music #2000's #2000's music #00s #00s music #00's #00's music

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im-ooli · 1 year

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Forgot to post the audio :')

#Trance #Rave #Dance #2000's #90's #nostalgia

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shawtuzi · 1 year

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eren being a guest at the playboy mansion, and spending an *eventful* night with a particular chubby bunny.

idk i think its a cool idea :)

OUUUU UR MIND!!!! this just made me so excited omg (i listened to cozy and summer renaissance while writing this heh AND this is set in the early 2000’s!!!!)

this is 18+ mdni obvi///cw include: chubby black fem!reader, little mention of drug use, oral f receiving, mating press, choking, spitting, a little titty sucking, kinda rushed :((

i did a little research and it seems like a lot of actors were guests at the playboy mansion so let’s say eren is a new upcoming actor. he was the main star in a new film that had been doing numbers!!! with the way he can effortlessly display emotions and act his ass off—plus the fact that he has a face that looked like it was carved from the gods it wasn’t hard for him to book jobs.

it didn’t take long for him to get an invite to a party at the infamous playboy mansion and lucky for him he had the privilege to be in the presence of playboys most famous playboy bunny—you ofc!!!

you were playboys first and only plus sized bunny and boy did the public love you. the way you confidently flaunted your curves and gorgeous assets had men wanting you and with your entire career surrounding around body positivity and the way you strived to get plus sized women more involved in the fashion world women absolutely adored you!!!

now these typically weren’t black tie events ppl usually dressed casual so eren decided to pop out in just a plain oversized white t-shirt, jeans that were a little too baggy on him, and a pair of fila high tops. his hair that went just a little past his shoulders was tied half up half down and he made sure to wear his most expensive diamond stud earrings.

upon arriving people were already chatting him up, the most asked question being if he had a lil boo thing to which he replied no. and it was true! sure he’d had a few hookups with people in the business but he wasn’t quite sure he was ready for someone to hold him down. well yk he thought that until he laid eyes on the drop dead gorgeous woman sitting in a gigantic champagne filled glass. you and two other women were the centerpieces of the whole event as you all sat oh so prettily in the glasses—yours being the tallest. after taking a closer look he recognized your face immediately and suddenly lost all interest in the conversation he was having.

eren slowly trailed over to you, his eyes wide with wonder. your legs slowly swung back and forth over the glass as you scoped out the scene when suddenly your eyes landed on the man that looked as if he was in a trance. a smile made it way onto your lips as you beckoned him close with your fingers. you pulled your legs in the glass and slowly moved to sit on your knees and leant ever so gently on the rim of the glass. the faux champagne had your brown skin glistening in the blue hues that shone from the lights above you.

eren was about two feet shorter than the eight foot champagne glass and if he was any closer he might’ve asked you if he could taste the gloss on your plump lips. “you look awfully familiar have i seen you on tv before?” you giggled tilting your head to the side. it took eren a minute to regain his composure before he nodded, “uh yeah i was in this action movie that came out a couple months ago.” you gasped bringing a hand to your mouth, the slightest bit of champagne splashing out of the glass. “that’s where i know you from! i loved that movie i went to see it like three times in theaters! i’m a total sucker for spy movies,” you ran your pierced tongue over your bottom lip before nibbling on it.

“it’s your first time here correct? i’d remember a pretty face like yours,” you sat up straighter and brought your hands to your breasts, squeezing them together, letting the champagne wet them and make them glisten even more. even though you were in a semi engaging conversation with eren you were still on the clock and had to entertain the guests by showing off your goods which eren didn’t mind at all except it did get him a little distracted. “yeah…it’s my first time,” he mumbled bringing his eyes to your breasts before snapping them back to your eyes.

you could see it in eren’s eyes how enamored he was with you and you loooved it. the way he couldn’t keep his pretty jade eyes off you made you wanna jump his bones and that’s exactly what you set out to do. “how about i get down from here and we talk some more hm?” eren didn’t say a word instead he just nodded dumbly.

once you had gotten down from the champagne glass one of your many assistants brought you a pair of heels and a robe, you put the robe on but didn’t tie it up, leaving your body on display. although the heels were a nightmare to walk in bc your feet were wet with faux champagne you still walked like you owned the room, eren trailing behind you like a lost puppy. you abruptly turned around, eren’s chest bumping into your naked one, “let’s talk somewhere quiet this music is a bother.” your smaller hand grabbed onto his larger one and led him through the crowd until you were at the part of the mansion where your room and the other girls’ rooms were.

“holy shit…” eren mumbled as he stepped into your very large room. it was almost as big as the room the two of you were previously partying in and it was very very pink! you kicked off your heels and walked over to eren, you pulled him close by the belt loops in his pants and gave him a sweet smile. your eyes were low and red due to the two blunts you had smoked before the party started. “you know i didn’t invite you in here to actually ‘talk’ right?” as you said those words eren mumbled out a thank god before smashing his lips into yours. ‘strawberry lipgloss’ he thought to himself as he ran his tongue over your glossed up bottom lip.

eren has slipped your robe off your shoulders leaving you in only a pastel pink thong that was practically getting swallowed by your pussy. eren leant down and wrapped his lips around your pierced nipple, moaning around the bud. you were so wrapped in the pleasure you hadn’t even noticed eren had carried you to your california king bed, setting you down ever so gently. in a flash he had yanked your thong off and attached his lips to your soaked pussy.

eren had made you cum two times on his skillful tongue before you were yanking him up by his hair much to his dismay. “we can eat my pussy another time, i need your dick now,” you brought your pedicured foot to the bulge in his jeans and pressed down on it making him groan. “fuck okay you got a condom?” he asked undoing the button and zipper on his pants. you reached under your pillow and pulled a condom, a sly smile on your face.

eren plucked the condom from your hand letting out a tiny chuckle, “oh so you knew you were getting laid tonight?” you giggled giving him a quick nod. “i just didn’t know it was gonna be by my new favorite actor!” you giggled which turned into a squeak when you felt eren’s fat tip tap against your puffy clit. eren ran his dick between your folds before slowly sliding in, “fuuuck,” he groaned, his hand finding purchase on your pretty neck that was decorated w diamond necklaces. after adjusting to his size eren began to move, “m’your new favorite actor huh?” he chuckled throwing your thighs over his shoulders.

you let out a tiny ‘mhm!’ as you grasped onto his shoulders for dear life. eren captured your lips in a nasty kiss, moaning at the way your pretty little pussy gripped him like a vice. “hmm maybe i’ll bring you to my next movie premiere yeah? you can be my cute lil date?” eren pulled out until only the tip was in before slamming his hips back down nearly knocking the breath out of you. “yesss please w-wanna be your date so—ah! bad,” tears were now brimming your pretty brown eyes and it only encouraged eren to pick up the pace of his thrusts.

“s-shit open your mouth,” before you could even comprehend what he said eren brought his thumb to your lips and forced them apart before spitting in your mouth. you swallowed it happily and even stuck your tongue out to show eren—now that had his hips stuttering and his arms feeling wobbly. “m’gonna cum you close bunny?” you nodded your head feverishly your back arching up.

you and eren came together in a fit of groans from him and high pitched moans from yourself. while you were still trying to recover from you earth shattering orgasm eren was eyeing the pretty pink bunny ears that were on your bed side dresser. he reached over to grab them and unintentionally pushed his dick further into your weeping pussy causing you to let out a tiny whimper. “why didn’t you wear these bunny?” he asked holding the bunny ears in front of your fucked out face.

“i didn’t want them to get wet while i was in the champagne glass,” you laughed plucking them from his fingers, “but….i can wear them for you.” you both felt eren’s dick twitch at your words and that’s when you knew you had your answer. “you got anymore condoms?” he asked pulling out to remove the one he was wearing. you gave him a devilish grin and reached under your pillow to pull out yet another condom, “i always keep a second one under because no man can ever go just one round with me and there’s even more in my drawer.” fuck you were gonna be the death of him.

to make a long story short you and eren fucked till the sun came up and you had to postpone your photo shoot the next day bc you could barely even stand on your legs. eren made sure to leave you his number when he left and it didn’t take you long to text him and ask when you could see him again <333

#eren smut #eren yeager smut #eren jaeger smut #aot smut #attack on titan smut #eren yeager #snk eren #snk smut #aot imagine

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writtenontheport · 9 months

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Just an Afternoon at Portland Row

Pt. 1: Just a Morning at Portland Row

Finale: Just a Night at Portland Row

Anthony Lockwood x (gn) reader

Warnings/Tags: Idiots in love (again), mentions of death and loss, Still a romcom though, major tropes, a bit of bittersweet angst, Lucy and Reader friendship, Old Man with advice, Lockwood’s a silly guy and I stand by this, George and Lockwood friendship, Norrie is mentioned indirectly, please tell me if you catch any more, Imagine that moment where character a dumps on a random elderly stranger and has an epiphany about character b

Notes: I wrote this all under a trance, I will be 100% honest with you, I only lightly read it over after 😭 I will make a part 3, but who knows when it’ll be!! This fic is what happens when you’re forced to binge classic romcom 2000’s movies and then treat yourself to Lockwood and co LAWL.

Summary: Lockwood wants to return the favour for once, and gets a bit of advice from an old-timer along the way. You have a lovely chat with Lucy, and George is too close to pulling his hair out over everything happening.

Word count: 2k+

The jingle of a bell has Lockwood turning up to find it hanging over the door, his lips pressed thin. The shop is empty as he walks in, sunlight pouring from the windows lining the walls and splaying over the flowers tucked in every corner and on every surface. The whole place smelled refreshingly sweet; cool despite the heat. Teal walls hide behind endless arrays of every other colour, tables strewn and pots haphazard.

An old man comes out from a door behind what must be the counter, small pots lined along the top. He hobbles over and squints his eyes at Lockwood, a dopey smile on his wrinkly face.

“Would you like to come in?” He asks kindly, his voice like a croak. Lockwood sends him a small smile as he steps out of the doorway and shuts softly behind him. “Do you have anything specific you’re here for, or are you just looking around?”

He runs a hand along the edge of the nearest table, basking in the openness of each and every bud and bloom. “I’m here to return a favour. Someone I… know gave me a bouquet recently and I…“

“My,” the old man laughs when Lockwood’s words fail to come through, “You sound awfully shy! Someone you fancy?”

“Well—“ he thinks about it for a second, and the weight of his words lies like a dam in his throat “—I don’t… know?”

“Are you asking, or telling me?” The old man (who Lockwood doesn’t really know what else to call but The Old Man, which is starting to get repetitive) says, rounding the counter to make his way opposite of where Lockwood is lingering. There, a whole shelf of red flowers sits like a still parade, and the old man looks back at Lockwood curiously when he catches him caught on one bouquet.

“Those- um, the red carnations,” He says, making his way over, and gently picking up the red bouquet. The flowers shake and settle in his hands.

The elderly man hums, giving him a terse nod with his eyebrows lifted. He doesn’t say anything as Lockwood fumbles for words, and waits with an amused smirk as he picks up a watering can from the corner and starts on some of the pots.

“…What does it mean when someone gives you red carnations?” Lockwood finally asks, his voice small and his eyes focused on the flowers twirling between his hands.

“My better half used to tell me that they meant pure adoration or true love. Not much different from a red rose then, that lot,” He chuckles, and Lockwood is surprised dust doesn’t burst out of the cough that follows. He sounds worn but content, the old gardener. Lockwood wonders if he still misses them, and aches.

The thought of losing someone after so long frightens him. He doesn’t want to be someone people lose and he doesn’t want to lose anybody else, but there’s just so much love hanging around him. It chokes him sometimes; scares him when he realizes he can lose something— some people. He wonders how any one, even the gardener, can handle it at all.

“Are they not here now?” Lockwood blurts out before he can catch himself, but the elderly gentleman just shrugs.

“No, but it’s not like that’s surprising,” He chuckles, “I’ll be with them soon, anyhow. These old bones won’t be running around for much longer I tell ya’. No use in waiting to just join them, though. The shop still needs tending, and there are people to love, still.”

Thoughts of Portland Row call to him, an echo of all the people he’s loved and still loves. The house still stands whether or not the people in its walls are still the same, like how this old shop still stands, whether or not how many flowers pass in it. His hands tighten lightly around the pot of the carnations, and in his peripheral he can feel the man watching him patiently.

“When someone gives them to you—” Lockwood says instead, because what can you say to that? “—say, a friend of mine received a bouquet of these from someone they… fancied, what does that mean?”

“I think it means they really like you enough to give you flowers,” The shopkeeper laughs, deepening the wrinkles on his temples. Lockwood hides his smile at that, giddy even if it might not be the answer he had exactly been fishing for.

It takes him another half an hour before he’s found a bouquet fitting to give you. He gets the bouquet for free (the shopkeeper insists), but in return he has to come back after and tell the old shopkeep what happens.

“Good luck on you,” The old man smiles on his way out, “Don’t let those flowers go to waste, you hear me?”

The door to 35 Portland Row clicks open with ease, and you carefully step around the line of shoes near the front to slip yours off. A breeze ruffles you from behind as the door falls shut, and you hang your coat up on the stand. Surprisingly, only Lucy’s coat seems to hang up by yours.

“Lucy?” you call out, feeling your voice echoing about the walls. The main hall of the house is spotlessly clean (all thanks to George) yet the walls feel lived in and old. You can feel the history of the house rumbling in your bones; a welcome wave of nostalgia washing over you.

“In here!” Lucy calls from what sounds like the kitchen, “I’ll come out to meet you in a second! Don’t come in!”

You quickly find a seat in a stray chair out in the hall, and settle down to wait. Lucy pops out not a moment too late, quickly shutting the door behind her. Something about the way she doesn’t look away from you as she shuts the door makes you raise your brow in suspicion.

“Thought you would come by a bit later,” She says, pulling you up from your chair with a guiding hand on your arm.

“Did I stop by too early? I can go, if…” You ask worriedly, checking her over in case she was hurt. She’s dressed casually business-like, and it makes you wonder if you’d interrupted her from something important instead. She shakes her head quickly, a sincere smile finding its way onto her cheeks.

“Just— some gadgets in the kitchen that we’re trying out.” She takes you both up the stairs to the library, going on about some new salt bomb as she wildly gestures with her other hand. You eye her suspiciously; she never does that unless she’s nervous.

“Uhuh… and George and Anthony?” You ask playfully, stopping by the doorway of the library. She teeters on the balls of her feet in front of the bookshelf.

“At Satchell’s,” She says easily. Too easily. “How are you and Lockwood?”

Ah, you finally get it. “Did he get himself into trouble again? You don’t have to cover for Anthony, Luce.”

When she quickly shakes her head, you feel a little more confused and suspicious. She pulls an old book out of the shelves, and throws it open, pretending to read it.

“Just… wondering. Can’t a girl just ask her friend how they and their other friend who they’re totally not in love with, are doing?” She hums, flipping a page as she glances at you from the corner of her eye. Her words hit you with a resounding strike, but you manage to keep steady.

“We’re… fine.” You look away from her, which was a mistake because she catches the way you tuck your lips in, and her grin grows teasing.

“Fine? You gave him flowers!” She says, incredulously. When you snap your head her way to protest, she holds a hand up and starts listing all the things you and Lockwood do together that just don’t make sense for ‘fine’.

“…I’m pretty sure you guys pretend to be mad at each other just so you can stare at each other and call it glaring— which, the only thing glaring thing there is the glaringly obvious fact you are ogling each other—“ She takes a breath, all but dumping herself onto a chair, and you take it as a chance to interrupt her.

“Who even says ogling anymore—“

“You are ogling at each other. Face it.” She levels with you, glaring at you through her lashes.

You shuffle your feet for a second under where you’re sat across from her, and you huff in something close to defeat. You bury your head in your hands and refuse to look up. She softly whispers your name and reaches out to pat your shoulder.

“What if… he doesn’t like me back though? I don’t want to ruin all that just for my silly feelings, Luce. I can’t lose him like that.” You meant for it to be playful, but it comes out self-deprecating and quiet. Lucy hums thoughtfully, and you hear the note of it turn a bit sombre.

“Gross as you guys are, I think it’s sweet that you have each other— that you’ve always had each other. It can be easy to lose something like that, and it hurts like hell when you do, but… I don’t think that would happen so easily to you two. I mean, with how long you’ve both been dealing with each other, it’d be mental to let this be the end of it.” Her eyes are glazed over when you peek up; her hand still on your shoulder. You pull her hand into yours and give it a squeeze.

“You’ll be ok, no matter what happens,” she whispers like a secret. You wonder if it is one; if it’s a secret like the cassette tapes she sends home and the flowers you give to Lockwood. You wonder if they were really that much different at all.

“Thanks, Luce,” is all you can say, as you pull each other into a hug that squeezes at the doubts and the fears and the worries.

“You know, George, this makes me think you actually care about me,” Lockwood chirps, walking backwards as George scowls at him from behind a big hefty bag of supplies.

Curfew’s soon to set in, and George is not keen on wasting anything they could save for a case by being tardy of all things. So he scowls at Lockwood, even though he’s endlessly amused.

“Did you hit your head hard enough to finally start hallucinating?” Is all he replies, huffing as he bounces the bag in his arms. Lockwood’s got one full bag, too, but he’s strutting along like it doesn’t bug him. He should have made him take the heavier bag, George thinks.

“You came to fetch me when I took too long—“

“Cause you were taking too long, dickhead!” George feels a smile slip onto his face, and Lockwood beams. They’ve rounded the corner before they spot the house’s porch lights, the route familiar to George.

“I was already at the door when you opened it!” Lockwood argues, spinning forward and slinging the bag about.

“With flowers, Lockwood. You went out to get supplies and came back with flowers—“ George froze as they came up to the house. In one of the higher windows of the townhouse, he can spot two silhouettes in the window laughing about. “Lockwood.”

“It slipped my mind! Besides, we ended up getting the supplies anyway and having a nice little adventure, yeah?” Lockwood goes on, still walking up to the house without a clue in the world.

“Lockwood, stop walking,” George hisses a bit louder, trying to catch up.

“It’s been a while since we’ve had an adventure with us two, if I remember correctly. Last time was… that case, with Ms. Whittle? Luckily Lucy’s still there to make sure they haven’t seen the flowers yet just in case they stop by early,” Lockwood says, still completely unaware.

“Yes, but— Lockwood,” George whisper-yells, finally catching his attention, “They’re already here!”

Now, George Karim is a sensible and (in his very right opinion) incredibly patient person, but it still took everything in his power not to strangle Lockwood when he begins to panic-walk to the front door, rambling the whole way. Sometimes it helps to have had siblings, just so they can train you for moments like these and your head doesn’t go flying at how frustrating people can just be.

The things George does for his friends, he’s glad someone can tolerate Lockwood’s scatter- brained attitude enough like you can. He finds it endearing how much you both go stupid about one another, and just hopes one day you both level out, or else he’s going to go absolutely mental.

A/N: There’s an almost completely written version of this where Lockwood was 100x sillier and miscommunication ensues, but my instinct just told me not to post it. Instead, I got sappy, and you all get this. I wrote the other version mind you, and almost completed it, the same night I started and finished my George x reader fic, so I was honestly a little proud of it. Took a bit to the ego when I realised I could absolutely go about it in a more satisfying manner, but I’m glad I went and took the plunge

Also @tangledinlove asked me to tag her in case I wrote a part 2 so here you go!! Hope it isn’t too bad of a sequel!! Though I did write this mostly sleepy…

#anthony lockwood x reader #lockwood x reader #lockwood and co x reader #anthony lockwood x you #lockwood x you #Portie writes fanfic

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