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pomp-and-circumstance · 3 years

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Fuck. Here we go. Episode 106. The flight. I have so many thoughts about the flight.

(I have a lot of thoughts about things, who am I kidding. Maybe I can wrangle them all together here to make some sense.)

I feel like the first thing is that... I don’t know how much credit Marisha gets for how she’s handled everything, but I’ve heard these rumblings that people felt like this ship came out of nowhere, and while I can see what they’re saying to a degree, I think that statement ultimately belittles Marisha as a player. She’s said she was going to make Beau a fuckboi and sleep her way through the campaign until Ashley introduced Yasha, but the most important detail here has nothing to do with their characters and everything to do with Ashley’s schedule.

These guys are all friends. They love each other. Marisha isn’t going to require Matt or someone else put words in Ashley’s mouth to RP some kind of romance from the beginning. The biggest thing when RP’ing romance is to have the consent of both parties and who knows? Maybe Ashley would have changed her mind in the middle of being gone? My guess is they probably talked about it and decided to put in some hints, play with the chemistry a little, but not do anything major until Ashley came back. That said, it’s on Marisha to play the subtlety card for several weeks. If you think about it, it’s a clever “does she or doesn’t she” in terms of how Beau feels for Yasha, because what better time to try and settle possible conflicted feelings than when your interest is under mind control and can’t break free? Was she playing us the whole time? What does that mean about my feelings? I can brush those aside if she’s evil... but what if she isn’t?

Bottom line, Marisha isn’t going to try and do something that’s going to make Ashley uncomfortable upon returning, and it really showed in a lot of ways. If you think this ship came out of nowhere, that’s fine, but I think it’s far more a testament to the respect Marisha has for Ashley. After all, listening for thunder can be platonic or romantic. Did things really take off after Ashley came back and Yasha was free from mind control? Hell yeah it did - because there’s no schedule limitations holding them back. Who’s to say this wouldn’t have been how it started? We won’t know.

I won’t stand for Marisha Ray slander on my here Tumblr. She’s exactly the type of person I’d want to play with. I love her friendship with everyone, and I love her patiently and gently guiding Ashley through something she’s stated to be nervous about doing in the first place. The respect cannot be understated.

Now... the flight.

It’s Ashley’s choice when exactly the wings come out, but you gotta have a little fun with everyone at the table too, yanno? Of everyone in the party to take a hit from a falling body and not take a lot of damage, it’s the tank. The flirting hasn’t exactly been subtle, but Beau has the right idea asking Yasha to catch her. (Could she have asked Caleb to do something? Sure, but where’s the fun in that?) Besides, you gotta think Yasha wants a moment to check if those wings are real and see what they can do, and it’s not like she went super high to catch Beau anyway.

But the moment she catches Beau... oh, the moment she catches Beau.

This play-it-cool fuckboi who didn’t think twice about sleeping with Keg and made the immediate first step to grab and kiss Reani is a flustered, babbling, incoherent mess, and that, my friends, is the difference. She could have said any number of cool or suave things Beau has in her arsenal to charm any woman she wants, but Yasha is an actual angel and she has no idea what to do with that. She’s also been able to tell - every time - when someone else is interested in her, but here it’s a moment of stammering and flustered noises, holy shit this woman is so much more than she or I knew and those giddy butterflies you get in your stomach when you realize you like someone and they probably like you back. Beau and Yasha both are reduced to stammering disasters who shared a pivotal moment together that will change them forever.

Which brings me to Yasha. Granted, the wings could have come out at any point - a battle, a moment of privacy, etc - but I think it’s so symbolic that Ashley took that chance to use them to catch Beau the session immediately following Yasha putting her past behind her. She fell in love with Beau in Kamordah, sure, but I feel like this is when Yasha starts believing it’s okay to fall in love again. This is when she lets herself do that. Looking back on it by herself, she probably realized it had been a thing since Kamordah, but there’s a difference between realizing you’re in love and acting on it. Beau has witnessed a handful of moments that have to do with Zuala, including when Yasha pulled the image Caleb made of them to fall asleep to, but those feel far more like Yasha becoming comfortable with letting her go than they are yearning. (Which Beau could easily misinterpret.) If Yasha fell in love in Kamordah, she has to come to terms with her grief and move on, and it shows in her dream where she hears Zuala. It wasn’t an agonizing reunion of regrets and wishes and pondering if things could have been different. “I have to go.” I have to move on. There’s something here, and I have to let you go to find out what it is. I’m in love again. It was the final piece to releasing her past and stepping into her future.

So where are we now?

Two people who are seeing themselves in a different light, for the first time, together.

Mutual admiration in full swing, set on a path to something more.

Ashley’s courage to try something different in D&D.

Marisha’s delight and guidance into something she’s familiar with.

A love story with all of it’s twists and turns and yearning, as well as trust and faith and admiration.

It’s beautiful.

The real MVPs of all this are Laura and Travis, who have got to be the biggest Beauyasha shippers out there, let’s just be real. It’s almost more fun to watch them than anybody else, lol.

#critical role #critical role spoilers #s2ep106 #beauyasha #marisha ray #ashley johnson #yasha nydoorin #beauregard lionett #i'm beginning to flood the beauyasha tag i'm so sorry #ive just got a lot of feelings about these two and no place to put them #so i put them here #where people can read them #instead of being semi private?#it doesn't make sense to me either #i'm just so happy i decided to go back and watch this campaign from the beginning #everything means so much more now #which only makes me more excited for the date later #it's gonna be a THING I'm sure

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human-trash-fire · 4 years

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Shot Through The Heart: Chapter 7 (part 3)

Okay my loves, thank you all for bearing with my shitty/ non-existent publishing schedule. I know I’m trash but please don’t hate meeeeeee. The following takes place both during brunch (the next day) as well as the night before. It’s, as usual HELLA NSFW so prepare yourself for that. In addition I wanna shoutout @starseternalnighttriumphant and @highqueenofelfhame for always accepting my random messages that are riddled with smut and being so motivational. Y’all the real MVP’s.

Alright babes, let’s do this! @sjmsstuff I truly hope you aren’t in public again when you read this

Elide:

Elide sat at the table, sunglasses on, wearing her black silk robe and old Uggs. Her sex-wild hair was something reminiscent of the 70’s, flowing with a life of its own down her back. Dorian looked up to her as she sat down and smirked, the bastard. By now they all knew about the trio’s “little game” and Elide was pretty sure he had money on her; though she didn’t know what for. She smirked back as she reached for an empty coffee mug… It was much too far for her reach so she simply rolled her head to the left. To Lorcan, sitting close, eyes wide and expectant.

“Salvaterre, be a dear and,” she waved to the mug, “I need caffeine, I’m worn out.”

Lorcan’s dark eyes narrowed a fraction, but he grabbed the glass from the space between them and stood, a small, proud smile finding its way onto his face.

“Sugar… or would you prefer just cream inside?” He asked with a smirk. Dorian made a thinly veiled snort from his end of the table, and Elide looked up in time to see his eyes flick to Manon, before punching a single character onto his phone. Ahh.. So this is the bet. Elide thought.

She could be charitable.

“Oh, I’ve just remembered. My trainer has me adding this new supplement for my next role. It’s so far away…” she whined. “Salvaterre, is there any way I could convince you to grab that instead? It’s in my bag, back in my suite?” Her smile dripped sugar. Her tongue darted out, wetting her bottom lip before capturing it between her teeth.

“Not a problem, I left my phone in there anyways. I’ll be right back.” And he scuttled away.

Dorian >> Your new puppy is such a good boy

Elide << You have no idea, so many new tricks already. He sits, begs, and now retrieves.

<< You’re welcome by the way

<< You owe me a massage when I make you rich..er today

>> You keep this up and I’ll give you anything you want

*******************************************************************************

She was tired of playing, Lorcan had grown to confident as the evening progressed and it was time for Elide to let him know where he stood. “Salvaterre, follow me” she whispered into his ear, one had pressed firmly against his chest. She was so close she could feel the shiver run through his body at her words, she smiled knowingly then turned on her heel and began walking towards her own room down the hall… away from prying ears.

As soon as the door closed behind him he spun to her, pinning her against the wall. Already half hard in his sweatpants, Elide simply laughed and turned her head. His lips meeting the side of her head.

“Ah, Ah, Ahh,” she tisked and pushed him back off of her. The growl he loosed was practically comical. She walked slowly to the chair in the living area and sat, eyes locked with his. “Do you want to kiss me Lorcan?”

He nodded his head slowly, tongue darting out to wet his lips.

“Then you need to earn it.” She slowly spread her legs, reaching her right hand out in a point, then flicking the finger down. “On your knees soldier, don’t make me ask twice.”

The thump of knees on carpet echoed in the small room, instantly followed by large hands sliding from her ankles to her thighs. He looked back up to her, eyes so dark they were practically black. She quirked a brow, a signal to continue.

The scratch of his face along her inner thigh sent chills through her spine. He kissed her, just outside her lips, wet and languid, before moving his mouth to hover just above her slit. He blew cold air, and she struggled to remain still. He sensed her movement and immediately placed a sinewy forearm across her stomach locking her to the chair.

His tongue slid slowly up, parting her folds and dancing along the bundle of nerves at the top. The moan she released was low and breathy, He bit down there, no warning and then sucked the hurt away. Elide could feel her orgasm already brewing but didn’t feel he needed the satisfaction. Working her in varying strokes she was shaking before his long fingers ever slid into her.

The moment he reached that spot she rolled her head back and screamed, his fingers drumming a rhythm deep within and his tongue and lips sucking pleasure from her clit. It didn’t take long for him to bring her to her first climax. She was shuddering around him, fingers threaded in her hair, his name on her lips.

When her breathing finally evened out, his strokes slowing to a stop she finally spoke.

“Do you think you’ve earned it?”

*****************************************************************

Back from the room, phone and powder in hand, Lorcan had reclaimed his seat and began dishing up a very Bacon-heavy meal. Elide, momentarily lost trying to read Lysandra's mind, was startled by her own plate, now piled with eggs, fruit, and bacon being set in-front of her with a clink. She smiled, and looked back to Lorcan. He held his phone with his left hand, engrossed in an article while slowly sipping his own coffee. The sun played off his tan skin beautifully, the sharp lines of his jaw standing in stark contrast. He was, exquisite. She-

Dorian >> As much as I’m LIVING for you and Dr. Dark and Sexy’s game of eye fuck at brunch... I AM LOSING TO ASTERIN.

>> She is KILLING us rn

>> Fix this. Please.

>> also delete these texts, no evidence

<< *middle finger emoji*

<< make it a massage and a bottle of Johnny Walker and I will

Elide reached over to rest her hand on Lorcan’s knee, while sipping her own coffee. As she slid her hand slowly up his thigh, under his shorts, she felt his whole body go taught. Her pinky drawing a small ark right beside his member, she smiled into her coffee and leaned over slightly.

“Wanna play a game?”

His inhale was audible.

*******************************************************************

Lorcan crashed into her from his position between her legs, his chin and lip still slick with her, she relished the taste. His mouth was hungry, lips near bruising and hands threading through her hair. She arched into the movement, moaning slightly as he slid his tongue against hers.

His hands travelled from her hair, down her back, and under her thighs, as he bodily lifted her from the chair to carry her to the bed. She whimpered slightly, Elide loved this. Loved feeling like she could be absolutely wrecked and taking back that control. She gave him a moment to think this was his game now. She loved his power.

He tossed her on the bed and made to crawl on top of her, but she waggled her finger back and forth before he could join.

“Lay down.” She commanded.

He did. Elide half expected a salute, and was 10% sad she wasn’t given one.

As he lowered his body to the mattress beside her, she slid up his body to straddle him. She removed the rest of her clothing as he watched her. His large hands lightly caressing her sides, underneath her breasts, down her stomach, and finally coming to rest at her hips. His eyes crawled back up to meet hers, and in a night soft voice he murmured “Beautiful.”

The moment was terrifyingly soft. Elide grabbed his wrists and brought them above his head, eyes locked on hers. With one arm she held them there, and with the other she worked his cock free of his pants. He sighed against her neck. Elide bent forward to kiss him, slow and languid, still holding his arms aloft, her right hand brushing his head back and forth against her entrance.

He growled and canted his hips slightly. She clicked her tongue and pulled back from him.

“What do you want?” Her voice was raspy, breathless.

“Everything.”

She slammed down onto him, and they moaned in unison. Rolling her hips forward, she worked him, each movement rubbing just the right spot inside her. Elide threw her head back, releasing his arms to place her hands on his chest, wracking her nails down it and flipping her hair in the same motion.

Lorcan grabbed her hips immediately, grip firm as he used his legs to begin fully thrusting inside of her. His rhythm: relentless.

“That’s it baby.” He growled from beneath her. “Come all over me.”

Elide’s orgasm crested, eyes locked, hands bruising. She screamed.

******************************************************************

Lorcan nodded and leaned closer, “What did you have in mind Lochan?”

“Remember our first game?” She whispered into her coffee mug. Lorcan’s eyes shot to her hand still on his thigh, then to her eyes. He looked wild. She felt his cock twitch through his gym shorts. The sound he choked down was positively strangled.

“Scared?” She asked, beginning to withdraw her hand.

“Never.” His hand shot out to grab her wrist. She smirked.

“Good. Don’t move,” she purred. “And don’t make a fucking sound.”

Godsdamnit did Elide love brunch.

********************************************************************

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#elorcan #stth au #ao3fic #elorcan smut #tog fic

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seedergoal32 · 3 years

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let-it-raines · 5 years

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Catch Me If You Can (11/?)

298 days. That’s how long Killian Jones was away from a baseball field. It’s less than a year, only part of a season for him, but it might as well have lasted a decade as he alternated between physical therapy and spending an excessive amount of time sitting on his couch.

But then he came back and won the World Series.

It’s something no one saw coming, and it’s certainly not something anyone who knows about his arm would predict. Now it’s a new season with new possibilities, and anything could happen. On-field reporter Emma Swan will be there to cover it all even if she is not his biggest fan right now.

Asking her out live on-air will do that.

Rating: Mature

A/N: I’ve been really working on this behind the scenes and have about 80% of the story finished now. With that being said, if I start posting twice a week (hopefully), do you guys prefer a posting schedule or my usual surprise?

Anyways, this chapter picks up where the last one took off! Thanks for reading, pals ❤️ @resident-of-storybrooke you’re the real MVP ❤️

Found on AO3: Beginning | Current

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-/-

Warmth radiates over Emma as her body starts to wake up, her senses slowly coming back to her while she thinks about how comfortable this bed is.

This bed.

That’s not her bed.

It’s a hotel bed.

And not her hotel bed either.

She tries to keep her body from going stiff, tries to keep herself from jumping and running away, but with the way that her heart is beating, it may very well power her into the hallway and up the elevator to her bedroom all on its own. Is she anxious or excited or every single feeling in the world all at once?

Probably that last one. Maybe exclude anger and grief and all of the emotions in whatever sector that is.

Right now, she’s got Killian’s body pressed into hers, cradling her really. She’s never known for people to actually sleep like this, most of them drifting apart to their own sides of the bed, but it seems like they’ve somehow drifted together.

(Her life is kind of resembling a romantic comedy right now, and she’s not sure how she feels about that continuously happening when she’s never been one to be a main character in her own story. Until these past few years, at least.)

A solid chest is molded into her back, a strong arm is wrapped around her stomach with its hand sitting under her sweater against the bare skin of her belly, and a leg that is very much not hers is stuck in between her thighs. That would be nothing if she couldn’t feel Killian’s erection pressing into the crease of her ass, and she can’t decide if that feels good or if she’s ready to get the hell out of Dodge.

(It feels really good.)

Woah. When did she start quoting things about Western movies? Has she ever even seen a Western movie? That’s probably completely beside the point. Her life is apparently a romantic comedy, not a Western.

And maybe a bit of a drama and horror film wrapped all up in one. A new genre altogether.

Killian’s breathing is so steady behind her, the warmth of his breath coming out onto her neck and making a shiver run down her spine, that she knows that he’s still asleep, that he doesn’t know what’s happening. It’s comfortable even if she’s still freaking out a bit, but she’s kind of coming into the idea of letting someone hold her, if only for a little while.

She likes him. They’re…dating, right? Sleeping over and spooning and sharing emotional backstories before making out is totally something that’s normal for people who are dating.

Emotional backstories.

Killian had an awful day yesterday. She thought maybe it was just his pitching, that he was simply having an off day out on the field, and while that was true, she had no idea he was harboring all of that about his parents, his father specifically. For as much information as there is out there on Killian, his family isn’t something many people know about. She didn’t. All she knew was that he had an older brother and these two adorable little nieces.

A dead mom and a deadbeat dad weren’t something she ever really considered.

She doesn’t…she doesn’t have parents, never had that support system, never knew what it was like to be loved by the two people who were supposed to love her more than anything, and as angry and upset and saddened as that makes her, at least she never had any other expectations other than to be let down by them.

With everything they failed at, they’ve always excelled in that particular category.

Suddenly, there’s movement behind her, fingers moving across her stomach and lips moving across her neck in such a soft way that she melts back into Killian so that she can be as physically close to him as possible. All of that fear and anxiousness dissipates, if only for a moment.

“I can practically hear you thinking,” he mumbles into her skin, his voice dark and gravely as heat curls between her thighs. “Do you always wake up and stiffen like a board?”

Do not make a morning wood joke, Emma. Do not.

“I am not stiff,” she weakly protests, trying to let some of the tenseness in her body release as she sinks down against Killian so that her foot runs over his calf. His hand is really warm. “I didn’t know that we fell asleep here last night.”

It’s Killian’s turn to stiffen, but only for a second, before he’s pulling back from her and encouraging her to roll over to face him with a tug of his hand on her stomach. She does, trying not to elbow him or do something else painful, and really hoping that her mascara didn’t run. Oh shit. She still has on her makeup from yesterday. Her skin is going to murder her.

Killian, of course, is unfairly attractive and sleep-rumpled, his hair sticking in several unnatural directions and his beard a little scruffier than usual, red pillow creases marking his face as he smiles at her, a soft little thing that doesn’t quite reach his squinted eyes.

Oh boy is she in trouble with this one.

“Judging by the fact that I didn’t wake up alone, I’m guessing you’re okay with that?”

“I mean, I don’t think I could have gotten out of the strangle hold you put me in without waking you up so…”

She trails off, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth and trying to decide what to say. She’s never been good at this morning after stuff. Neal didn’t care for showing affection outside of sex, and with Walsh it always felt…unnatural. And it doesn’t help that the little red mark on Killian’s cheek makes her want to spill her own secrets about her not-so-great family life.

“Swan, what’s going on in that mind of yours this morning?”

“I was,” she starts, her heart practically a jackhammer in her chest at this point. Killian can probably feel it. “I was thinking about how honored I was to have you share your past with me last night, and I was thinking maybe I should tell you about mine too.”

“You don’t have to do that. I didn’t share for you to feel like you have to as well.”

“I know, I know. I just – I want to.”

He nods his head at the same time that his hand flexes against her hip, his thumb rubbing soothing circles into the skin above her leggings. “If you want to, love.”

“Yeah, yeah, I do.” She takes a deep breath, knowing that it’s not enough and starts. “Well, I told you about Ruth and David and how I love them, but they’re not my biological family or anything. That shouldn’t give me any hang ups, but it does because…because I have trouble thinking of Ruth as my mom when I spent my entire childhood thinking of someone woman I don’t even know that way, which is really fucked up because I do think of David as being my brother and Leo my nephew.”

His brow quirks, “What do you mean?”

“I – I never imagined having any siblings, but when I was in foster care, I always thought about my parents and what they were doing or what they were like. I used to have these crazy dreams about them, you know?”

“Yeah?” Killian reaches over and tucks her hair behind her ear, his fingers light to the touch as her eyes close for one second simply to give herself some time. “Like what?”

“I don’t know. It’s just…I would make up stories for why they had to give me up. Maybe they were superheroes saving the world, so they gave me up for the greater good. Maybe they were doctors or lawyers or something else, and it just wouldn’t work out for them to have a baby. I just don’t know. It’s hard to think of now because in reality, I probably know that they were teenagers who couldn’t raise a baby or maybe a mom in a bad situation that wouldn’t let her keep me. So, it’s probably stupid to have ever thought that they were heroes when all they’ve done is break my heart.”

“Hey,” he soothes, his brows furrowed together, before wiping away the tear that’s fallen onto her cheek. Great. Now she’s crying. She probably looks really sane right now, especially if her mascara is already messed up. “That wasn’t stupid. I would have done the exact same thing. Emma, darling, I can’t pretend to know how it was for you growing up just like you can’t do the same for me, but, if I may be so bold, it’s our parents’ loss for not being in our lives the way they should. I know that I struggle with accepting this myself, but it had nothing to do with us. It had nothing to do with you.”

“Yeah, because I’m a real catch all the time.”

She sniffles, blinking away the new tears that she’s refusing to let fall. This is not at all how this was supposed to go, but she couldn’t not tell him when he’d already shared. She has so much baggage, so many things that she’s going to have to tell him if they keep doing this, and her issues with her parents and the foster system in general are only scratching the surface.

How in the world do people do this? How do they trust someone else to carefully protect the intimacies of their heart and their life, every scar mapped out on a piece of paper handed over in a fragile glass case that is already filled with cracks?

How is she doing some of that right now when sometimes she can’t even talk to David or Ruby, the two people who have been there for her more than anyone else?

What a piece of work.

Or Ruth. The woman who helped change everything for her and who she still sometimes treats like a stranger.

Killian smiles at her, his thumb still tracing her cheekbone so that every touch electrifies her. The soft cocoon that they were in last night, the darkness and blankets surrounding them, has extended until this morning with sunlight filtering through the window, and maybe it can last a little bit longer.

“I know I may be a little biased because you are in my bed and all.” He stops here to waggle his eyebrows across his forehead as she gently pushes him, the smallest of chuckles escaping her. “But I think you are quite the catch. I like that you’re real, that you’re messy. It makes me feel a hell of a lot more normal.”

She scoffs, her chest heaving the slightest bit. “I don’t think you’ll ever be normal.”

“Good. Life is boring that way.” And then he’s leaning forward and slowly, softly, reverently gliding his lips over hers in a caress of a kiss that sends the butterflies in her stomach on a migration path all the way down to her toes. How can she keep doing that for the rest of the day? She’d sign up in a minute No, a second. “We make quite the team, don’t we, love?”

“A couple of real winners, twenty-nine.” All of the sudden, Killian groans, rolling away from her and onto his back as his arm stretches up so that he can pinch the bridge of his nose. “What?” she laughs, propping herself up on her elbow to look down at him as her other hand traces his biceps. She really likes his biceps.

“Don’t get me wrong. I’m really rather fond of the whole number nickname thing, but it just reminded me that we have to get our asses out of bed and go to work today.”

Work. She has work today. Killian has work today. Of course they do.

“Why you gotta bring me down like that?”

“Because the world sucks, and I’m evil.” His eyes flutter open, light blue contrasted against tan skin, and a smile stretches from the left side of his lips to the right. Here come those butterflies again. “But I do feel like we have a little bit of time left before I have to go meet the trainer and be at the fields.”

“I have less time than you do.”

“Pity that.”

In a swift movement, Killian twists to the side and moves around the bed until his knees are planted on either side of her thighs and his palms are splayed out next to her head. Every bit of their bodies are close to each other, heat still radiating off of Killian, and she tugs her bottom lip between her teeth, anticipation at what this position usually means humming through her body.

She definitely needs to get laid, but she’s not quite ready for that yet. It’s been a long damn time since sex for her involved feelings, and feelings would no doubt be involved here.

A lot of them.

So, making out like teenagers will have to do.

What a tragic life that she lives.

(And she’s definitely feeling a bit of whiplash for how quickly this situation flipped on its head.)

Killian drops his head down, his nose brushing against the dip in her collarbone before he’s biting down, hard, and then soothing his mark with his tongue all the while his scruff scratches against her skin. It took a while to get used to that, to not be irritated by the scratch of a beard instead of the smoothness of bare skin, but she can’t say she minds. Not at all.

What she does mind is that as her hips are arching up into Killian’s, he pulls back and removes his lips from her body.

(She also doesn’t love the whine that just passed through her lips, but that was feeling really damn good.)

“What are you doing?” she groans, looping her hands around the back of his neck and threading her fingers through his hair to pull his lips down closer to hers. “I was enjoying that.”

“As was I.” His voice is hoarse, a little darker than usual, and it reminds her so much of how it was when he woke up that heat curls between her thighs. But no, not ready. “I was simply thinking that maybe we should get breakfast.”

“I’m fine doing this.” Her stomach growls, rather loudly, and she wants to melt into the mattress, especially when Killian’s brow perks up. “Okay, maybe I’m a little hungry. I should probably also brush my teeth.”

“It is the most important meal of the day, and I do appreciate dental hygiene.”

“So, how can we get breakfast if it’s all a secret?”

“Room service, Swan.” He says it like it’s the most obvious statement in the world, and maybe it is, but then he’s lowering his head to briefly kiss her once more and thoughts fly out of her head. “Or we can get some more of your vending machine treats since Ariel pilfered some of them last night.”

“The thief.”

“Shameful.”

“I think I’m okay with room service.”

“Good.”

-/-

“Smile.” Emma holds up the camera to Will Scarlet’s face, a little alien covering his features even as he scowls. “Come on, you’ve got to smile. You guys are crushing it today, and we’re probably only going to be out here for another thirty minutes.”

“What filter do you have on me?”

“It’s an alien.” She snaps a picture and turns the phone around to show him. “See. It’s supposed to be fun, Scarlet. You’re twenty-seven, and you don’t use snapchat or Instagram filters? Are you secretly a grandpa? Come on. I know that Belle uses them.”

He raises a brow, and somehow, she swears it’s even more prominent than when Killian does it. “You follow Belle on Instagram?”

She shrugs her shoulders as there’s a ding of bat against ball and Forester hits a foul into the stands. That’s his third for the day. She should probably be focusing on that, but it’s the top of the ninth and 7-1. There likely aren’t going to be any big developments, and she’s currently trying to get some more fun behind the scenes stuff for her social media by hounding all of the guys in the dugout. Funny filters are a surprisingly big hit, especially when she can get the bigger names like Will and Robin or Eric to do it.

Robin made an adorable dog while Eric’s head went all twisty and his voice got high as she asked him questions about the game and how today differs from yesterday.

(The short answer: every day is different. The real answer: Robin was their starting pitcher instead of Killian.)

“Part of my job. I have to know what’s going on in your lives. Also, she followed me after that night we all hung out in California, and sometimes we comment on each other’s pictures. It’s obviously a true friendship in the making.”

“Obviously. What’s all this stuff for? I thought you just interviewed us and were, like, the super tough Emma Swan who doesn’t take shit from any of us.”

“Well, I am that,” she corrects, swiping through the filters with Will as several people walk by to get their cups of water. It smells horrible in here, and as much as she doesn’t want to admit it, she’s probably contributed to that with how much she’s sweating today. New York’s summer weather can be just awful (and the smell makes it so much worse), but they’re not quite there yet. Down here, though, May might as well be August. “Which is why I’m currently bugging you, but I’ve also been asked to do some of this stuff. You know, fun. You’re literally the funniest person on this team. I figured you’d be all for this. Come on. I’ll find Jones in the locker room afterwards and give him the most unflattering filter there is.”

Will smiles at that as a small bit of laughter passes through his lips. “Okay, but I want you to do the one that turns him into a baby.”

“Deal.”

-/-

“There is an entire plane full of people, and yet I find you sitting in the corner next to the bathroom all by yourself.”

She looks up from where she’s typing out all of her travel expenses (at least the ones she can charge to work anyways) in the form she fills out after every road series, only to see Killian standing above her with a cap pulled low on his forehead like that’s somehow going to disguise the fact that he’s over here talking to her. These guys see him wearing a hat more often than they see him without one, and they’re on a plane. There’s really no hiding away. She would know. That’s what she was trying to do to get some work done, and she’s been found.

“I had to fill out my travel expenses and then get some work done. They’re letting me help out with some of the intro clips for the next few home games.”

“Really? That’s great, love.”

“I know. I’m excited for it.”

He nods his head to the empty seat next to her. “Can I sit?”

Worry circles around in her stomach as she presses up in her seat to look around them. There’s no one for at least four rows, and most everyone seems to be sleeping or watching a movie.

Still. This likely isn’t the best idea. Sneaking away to his hotel room seems simple and innocent enough, but they almost got caught there when behind closed doors. This is right out in the open even if the lights are dimmed to almost blackness.

How in the world do people in all of those books and movies do this secret dating thing? It’s complicated.

Then again, when isn’t it? Ugh, she feels so much like Avril Lavigne right now.

“Is that a good idea?” she worries.

Killian raises his hands. “Just to sit and talk. There will be no funny business.”

“Well, that would require you to be funny to begin with.”

He rolls his eyes, but he’s smiling that million-dollar smile all at the same time. “I’ll have you know that I’m hysterical. Just today I did an entire interview with a filter on my face that made me look like I had a giant forehead and sound like an animated rodent.”

(She couldn’t find the baby filter Will wanted.)

“Just sit down, you weirdo.”

He does, picking up her carry-on bag and placing it in the empty row next to them, before settling down next to her and stretching his seatbelt across his stomach even though the light isn’t on. She bets he’s an insane stickler for rules. It would fit right in with everything she knows about him.

“So,” he murmurs, not-so-slyly looping his calf under hers so that she can feel the warmth of his calf against hers, “is work the only reason you’re hanging out back here alone?”

Does she hate that he already knows him so well, or does she secretly appreciate it?

Is there even an answer to that question?

“I just needed…I needed some time to do some work stuff and decompress. It’s been kind of a heavy few days, and believe it or not, I do have to spend a little time away from people every now and then.”

“What? No? You?” He taps his shoulder into hers, and she closes her laptop, knowing for a fact that she’s not going to get any work done like this. “I thought you were always a people person who always needed to be around others.”

“Ha ha,” she huffs, stretching her feet out as much as she can, “you’re so funny.”

“I thought you just said that I wasn’t funny.”

“Obviously that was sarcasm.”

“So I am funny?”

“No. Wait, what? How did I lose track of this conversation in so little words?”

“I find that my handsome face tends to make people lose their train of thought.”

She twists to the side and pinches the skin of his forearm, leaving it red and angry. The height of maturity. Always. Killian doesn’t even flinch.

“Honesty time?” she asks, leaning her head back and twisting it to the side so that she can look into Killian’s eyes. This is such a familiar sight, so similar to last night and this morning, but it’s all different now. Everything seems to be outside of the safe comfort of a hotel room.

“I like honesty. We seem to be very good at that.”

“Our track record is pretty good in the last twenty-four hours.”

“So,” he nudges, moving his foot underneath hers to move them the slightest bit closer to each other. Her hand itches to reach out for his, but she holds back. “Let’s talk about what’s on your mind.”

Why does the sound of his voice make her want to spill her secrets every single time? He’s like a freaking snake charmer, and she’s fully convinced that snakes should never be charmed. Everyone should stay far, far away from any and all snakes.

But not the charmers.

Not when they seem so genuine.

Her life doesn’t make sense anymore, but she doesn’t really care. Well, no, she does care. She cares a lot, and it’s why she’s about to spurt out some words that she would have never dared say in any other relationship. She never really had to.

“I, um,” she stutters, blinking at him several times as no features on Killian’s face change, his leg a heavy presence against hers, “what are we doing?”

“Talking, I think,” he laughs as a brow raises on his forehead and a smile stretches across his lips. “But I’m guessing you don’t mean at this current moment.”

“Perceptive.” “You’re an open book.”

“I’ve heard that one before. From you, actually.”

“It’s true. You’re a very fascinating book, though.”

“A regular Harry Potter.”

“Most definitely.” His hand finds hers, something she wanted to do earlier but didn’t, and her eyes do another scan around the plane to make sure no one is paying attention to them under the dimmed lights. She’d honestly be surprised if anyone could even see them, but she doesn’t want to take a lot of chances. “So, tell me, love. I’m all ears.”

“Yeah, little pointed ones.” His lips scowl at that, but she carries on with a sigh. “Okay, okay. I, um, I want to know what we’re doing relationship-wise. I know that seems dumb but I – ”

“It’s not dumb.”

“Can I just sprout all of this information out without you interrupting me because I am going to lose my courage?”

“Yeah, Swan, go.”

“I’m…I like you, okay? You obviously know that because I’ve said it before and I flirt with you and we have some pretty heavy make-out sessions, which are nice, by the way.” Killian nods his head in agreement, his lips twitching in the corners, but he doesn’t say anything. A man of his word. Or…non-word. “But there’s obviously an emotional connection too. We’re dating without anyone knowing, testing the waters or whatever, and we shared…a lot last night and this morning. A lot of stuff that I don’t talk about that often, and I have so much more shit in my life. I just – ”

How the hell does she say this?

“You want to know if we’re dating other people.”

“What a time to interrupt me.”

“You didn’t say anything for forty-seven seconds. And that’s only after I started counting.”

She chuckles, unable to help herself, and leans down to bury her face in his shoulder, breathing in the strong scent of his cologne and whatever detergent it is that he uses.

“I…trust you. I do, but I have to ask. I’ve been burned pretty badly in the past by other guys, and I know that you kind of have a…history of dating several women at once.”

She is an asshole for even bringing that up, but she had to. And he didn’t flinch away from her or untangle their fingers, so that has to be a good sign, right?

“I’m not that guy anymore, and I promise one day I’m going to explain it all to you. I need some time, though. As much as I love sharing all of this with you, we’re in the early stages of a relationship. I think we have all of the time in the world to get into the lives we’ve lived when all I’m really interested in is making you laugh or getting you on the big screen while you’re eating a hot dog.”

“No,” she groans, laughter bubbling up in her stomach. “Stop that. It’s not even funny. You’ve seen me eat. I’m not an attractive eater.”

“I think you’re pretty attractive when you’re eating a hot dog, if you catch my drift.”

“I hate you for making that joke.”

“Oh, come on, you don’t hate me for it. You’re probably hoping that my bedroom humor is a little bit better than that though.”

“Wasn’t even going to go there.”

“How could you not?”

“Good point,” she laughs, leaning her head against his shoulder and closing her eyes, the fatigue of the trip and the day finally starting to hit her. “I didn’t eat dinner, and a hot dog is actually sounding really good right now.”

“So many jokes I could make about that sentence.”

“I know. That’s why I said it.”

“I knew I liked you for a reason.” Killian sighs, and she can feel it in the movement of his chest. “I’ve got to move back to my spot up with the guys and Ariel, but I’ll talk to you later, okay?”

“Sounds good to me.”

There’s some shuffling around, the click of Killian’s seatbelt, and then warm lips against her temple as he gets up and she tries to calm the quick beat of her heart to fall asleep for the rest of the plane ride home.

-/-

It’s far past midnight when she gets back to her apartment, the wind howling and the rain coming down outside, and she very quietly tries to get inside so as not to wake up Graham and Ruby only to find Ruby sitting on the floor of their kitchen painting her toenails. What else would someone be doing on Sunday night…or really, Monday morning?

“Rubes? Why are you up?”

“I was waiting for you.”

“I’m a big girl. I can get home on my own.”

“I know, I know,” she sighs, twisting the cap on her red polish and standing up from the floor so that she can wrap her arms around Emma and completely and totally smothering her with her hug. “I have missed you. Do you know what it’s like to only live with a man?”

“Do you mean your boyfriend?”

“Yes,” Ruby groans, squeezing her more. “I love him so much and will probably marry him one day, but he does not enjoy my trashy TV shows or how much my period sucks.”

“You know for a fact that Graham loves your trashy TV shows. He always knows the latest gossip.”

“This is true. I’ve mostly just been bored at work.”

“There it is,” Emma laughs, pulling back from the hug and taking a step back so that she can breathe. “You want to catch me up on everything tonight or wait until we’re on the clock tomorrow?”

“Oh, on the clock. Who are you even kidding? Why talk for free when we can get paid for it?”

“My entire life philosophy.”

“So,” Ruby nudges, bending down to pick up her nail polish bottle, “anything interesting happen in Florida?”

Heat immediately rises to Emma’s cheeks, the red only hidden by the dim lighting in their kitchen (how was Ruby painting her nails in this?), and she has to get better at this whole blushing thing when Ruby doesn’t mean anything by her question. This is simply what they do when they’ve been apart. Texts can’t cover everything, not the way that an in-person conversation can.

“Nope. Not a thing.”

Everything, actually.

#catch me if you can #cs fic #cs ff #captain swan fic #captain swan

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sunshine--temptress · 5 years

Text

Here's some Narry inspired by a conversation I was having with @prettyinsoulpunk about Shawn wearing Harry's old clothes and accidentally outing them and this happened...

Enjoy 😄

°•°•°•°

"I fucked up"

Niall yawned and rubbed his face with his hands before dropping his phone on the nightstand. Whatever Shawn had done he could deal with it when it wasn't five in the morning. He turned around and wrapped his arms around Harry's warm body and pressed his face against the naked skin of his back. Harry moved and Niall tightened his arms around him. They were both so busy at the moment Niall wanted to enjoy the few days he had with Harry before he had to leave again to film his new music video. Niall also needed to go back to Ireland for a golf event so they would be apart again and Niall was dreading the moment Harry would pack his bags. He knew he would be back. Long gone were the days when Harry disappeared and Niall didn't know the next time he would see or even hear from Harry but he couldn't help but think about it whenever he and Harry had to go separate ways.

Niall was about to fall back asleep when his phone dinged again and again

"What 's it?" Mumbled Harry sleepily and Niall sighed.

"Dunno, Shawn's havin' a crisis or somethin."

"Turn off the sound of your phone."

Niall reluctantly let go of Harry's body and reached for his phone when it dinged again. There were three notifications from Shawn and Niall noticed his Twitter mentions were also blowing up. Oh this meant no good. He suddenly felt very awake and against his better judgement he decided to open Shawn's messages.

"I'm so sorry"

"Please don't hate me"

"It wasn't on purpose"

Niall read each texts a few times and only leaving him more confused. Niall debated for a second if opening Twitter was really a good idea at five am but Niall pressed on the notification and it brought him directly to his mentions page. Niall immediately regretted his decision and suddenly Shawn's messages were making much more sense even if Niall still had no idea what happened.

Narry is real @clarahoran2

Thank you @ShawnMendes for confirming what we knew all along @NiallOfficial @Harry_Styles

ASDFGHJKL IT'S REAL @CarolinaESNY

I FUCKDKING JNEW IT!!!!! @NiallOfficial @Harry_Styles

Shawn is the real MVP @NarryHoranStyles

@NiallOfficial @Harry_Styles ASFDHFKFLLJFJHSHAAS!!!?!??!!! IS IT TRUUUUUE????!????? PLS NIALL ANSWER ME!!!!!

Niall's mentions were going on like that forever, there were hundreds if not thousands of mentions asking about him and Harry and as much as it was a daily occurrence it was never like that and almost every Tweets also mentioned Shawn. What the hell has he done? Niall closed his eyes and took a deep breath. No matter what Shawn had said or done it looked like it was too late anyway. Niall turned his head and looked at Harry who was still sleeping peacefully next to him completely unaware about the shit show he would wake up to later.

Niall and Harry had both agreed to keep their relationship on the down low for now, feeling that a coming out would eclipse the news of their new albums coming out soon. They wanted to release their new albums and then announce each of their tour and then they wanted to come out. Everything was planned, they had interviews scheduled, Niall with James on the Late Late show and Harry with Grimmy. It was supposed to be perfect until Shawn did...something?

Niall turned his attention back to his mobile in his hand, he closed Twitter and opened Google and searched his name. Bad idea probably but he needed to know. Every headline looked the same.

Former One Direction members Niall Horan and Harry Styles together? The news confirmed by a close friend of the couple. Click here to know everything.

Shawn Mendes spills the tea on what's really going on between Niall Horan and Harry Styles after they were spotted together at a concert.

Shawn Mendes is wearing Harry Styles' old clothes, he reveals where he got them and confirm what we already knew. Exclusive video.

Niall rolled his eyes. Every headlines were more ridiculous than the previous but this time they were all real. Headlines about him and Harry usually mentioned a band reunion or why the band had broken up not this. Niall knew Shawn wouldn't betray them, he knew he could trust him. Or at least he hoped because sadly in this business Niall had learned the harsh way you couldn't always trust people even close friends. Niall clicked on the link for the article claiming they had an exclusive video and Niall scrolled until he found it at the bottom of the page. He didn't bother reading what the article said. Niall pressed play and waited for the video to load.

The image was frozen on Shawn, he was wearing one of Harry's old shirts. The black Saint Laurent one with white little flowers embroidered on it, it was one of Shawn's favourite pieces from Harry's closet. Harry had a closet full of old clothes that he didn't wear anymore since they did not fit his actual style and Shawn had found it in Niall's LA house. Harry told him he was welcome to wear whatever he liked as long as he was careful with them and put them back in the closet since even if he didn't wear them anymore he still loved these pieces a lot.

The video started, it was Shawn getting out of a club. He was with Brian and Justin and there were a few girls obviously waiting for him. Shawn was smiling widely, clearly drunk, he was talking to the girls and taking pictures with them while one of their friends was filming.

"I like your shirt," one of the girls said, "it looks like something Harry would wear."

Shawn was grinning from ear to ear when he answered excitedly "it is Harry's shirt, got it from Niall actually."

At the second the words escaped Shawn's mouth his smile fell off his face. Niall could see the moment Shawn realised what he had just said. It was obviously an accident. A very unfortunate accident but Niall knew he had been right and Shawn had not betrayed their trust. Niall closed the video and turned off the sound of his phone. He placed the phone back on the nightstand and closed his eyes. He knew he wouldn't sleep for the rest of the night, Niall could hear the bird slowly waking up and Harry would be next. It was getting close to six and Harry usually woke up at 6:30 for his morning run or yoga. If Niall fell back asleep Harry would wake up to hundreds of notification on his phone too and he would get confused or angry so it was for the best if Niall stayed awake so he could announce the news to Harry himself. For a short moment Niall was tempted to just erase the notifications from Harry's phone and pretend like nothing had happened but he couldn't do that.

Niall stayed on his back, his hands crossed on his stomach and his eyes wide open. He fixed ceiling fan the ceiling until he felt almost dizzy and Harry starting to stir in his sleep. Niall knew Harry would be awake in a few minutes and he had absolutely no idea how he would tell him. How do you tell your boyfriend one of your close friends had accidentally outed you and your relationship? Harry surely would not be happy about this. He cherished his privacy and liked to do things on his own terms.

The moment Harry woke up and realised he did not have Niall's arms wrapped around himself he turned around, his eyes still half closed.

"Niall, everything fine?"

"No," sighed Niall, "we're gonna need to cancel some plans."

"What plans? What do you mean?" yawned Harry, confused.

"Our coming out plan," replied Niall avoiding to look at Harry.

"What? Why? Are you breaking up with me?" Harry asked, panicked and Niall should really have thought a little bit longer about how he was gonna tell Harry.

Niall turned on his side to look at Harry and tried to smile, he couldn't let Harry think that.

"No love, no. Sorry I didn't want to scare you but I did not sleep much. Let me start again."

Harry didn't look convinced but he didn't pull away when Niall reached for his hands. Niall leaned in and pressed a kiss on Harry's knuckles before speaking again.

"Do you remember a few hours ago when Shawn texted me?"

"You said something about a crisis?"

Niall nodded nervously, his eyes fixing the wall behind Harry instead of his eyes.

"He fucked up and he," Niall stopped himself to think about his next words but there was no easy way to say this," he accidentally outed us."

"He what?!" Shouted Harry, "How could he do that to us?"

Niall calmed down Harry and explained everything, he took his phone and showed him the video so he could see for himself that it really was an accident. When Niall dropped his phone between them on the bed Harry sighed and ran his hand through his hair a few times.

"Are you mad?" Harry asked.

"No, can't stay mad at the kid. Wish he had been more careful but m'not mad. Are you?"

"Not really, maybe a little I don't know."

"So, what do we do now?"

"I think we have two options," said Harry and Niall hummed for Harry to continue, "we can speak to his manager and with our respective team to shut the story down but it will look suspicious and people will be mad when we come out in a few months or we tell the truth now and deal with it. We wanted to come out anyway now or in a few months," sighed Harry.

Harry was right and Niall smiled. It was not ideal and they both knew it but it was better than lying to their fans. Harry was amazing and Niall loved him so much. Harry squeezed Niall's hands and pressed a quick kiss to Niall's lips.

"I'll do whatever you decide pet."

"Let's deal with it now then."

Niall nodded and smiled again. Harry turned his body to reach for his phone and opened the camera. He snapped a selfie without warning Niall of what he was doing. He showed the selfie to Niall and it was perfect. Niall was smiling and looking at Harry who was looking directly at the camera a small smile on his lips. Harry sent it to Niall and they decided they would both post it at the same time on their respective social media account. Their team would be mad at them for doing this but they could deal with the consequences later.

As soon as the picture was posted their phone started blowing up again and Niall remembered he had never replied to Shawn's messages. Poor kid was probably panicking and thinking Niall and Harry were hating him. Niall typed a quick and simple "That was stupid but I don't hate you" and hit send. Niall turned his attention back to Harry and pushed him on his back and straddled his hips.

Harry arched an eyebrow and smirked.

"I don't think going out for a run is a good idea this morning but I know another way to keep you in shape," said Niall.

"I like the way you think," replied Harry before grabbing Niall by the back of his head to kiss him.

#Narry #Narry fanfiction #Niall Horan #Harry Styles #my writing

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dustedmagazine · 5 years

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Dust Volume 5, Number 9

Tropical Fuck Storm

Just like that, summer’s over and we face a growing pile of late 2019 records. But before that, before we drag ourselves like kids to school into the second half, a moment to appreciate what’s accumulated. This month’s Dust touches on groovy jazz tuba, punishing hardcore, a bracing industrial reissue, altered percussion and an OG Tuareg guitarist. Contributors this time around include Isaac Olson, Ian Mathers, Jennifer Kelly, Jonathan Shaw, Bill Meyer and Andrew Forell.

Joseph Allred — O Meadowlark (Feeding Tube)

O, Meadowlark by Joseph Allred

Plenty of people get the tag American Primitive Guitarist stuck on their rump these days. It’s not always appropriate and it’s not always welcome, but it adheres to Joseph Allred with the fastness of the truth. Allred, a Tennessean who currently pursues higher learning at Boston College, understands that whether you use mountain music or raga-derived form as your framework (and he uses a bit of both, alternating between skeletal banjo figures and rushing guitar fantasias), the music has to project something beyond the notes. O Meadowlark not only evokes a cascade of emotions, some explicit and others allowed and bent until they’re beyond name, but he exerts an opposite pull. Like Robbie Basho or Steffen Basho Junghans, he draws the listener through the sound hole and into the tones and overtones that carom about the insides of his guitar. Climb inside; like a Tardis, it has room for all.

Bill Meyer

Caterina Barbieri — Ecstatic Computation (Editions Mego)

Ecstatic Computation by Caterina Barbieri

The title of Caterina Barbieri’s third LP suggests a congress of emotional states and cognitive processes; total neural action, you might say. The sound of the thing suggests another, maybe more personal integration. She favors massive, echo-haloed electronic sounds, the sort that would set off all manner of madness in the disco if only she’d subordinate them to a sufficiently clubby beat. But instead she juxtaposes them with wordless female vocals (not her own) and switched-on harpsichord sounds which lock together with a structural logic that probably comes natural to a person who grew up studying classical guitar. And while the sounds promise abandon, the way they lock together requires submission to a Bach-like allegiance to order. Promise delivered.

Bill Meyer

Theon Cross — Fyah (Gearbox Records)

Fyah by Theon Cross

Tuba player Theon Cross was the secret weapon of last year’s excellent Your Queen is a Reptile, by The Sons of Kemet. Fyah is Cross’s debut as a band leader, and if the melodies occasionally sag, Cross and company generate more than enough energy to keep you, if not intently listening, grooving. Like many in the London jazz scene, Cross has no qualms about pulling in sounds from everywhere, and while not every experiment works (the synths and trap beats on “Panda Village” don’t add much), it keeps Fyah feeling fleet and admirably populist. Cross’s commitment to bring the tuba back to our attention and good graces is admirable, and he’s certainly the right guy for the job, but for better or for worse, he suffers the fate of all lower register players: disappearing when played back at anything less than high volume. As such, the real MVP on Fyah is tenor saxophonist and fellow London hotshot, Nubya Garcia. Fyah is a good record. It gets better the louder you play it.

Isaac Olson

Drugs of Faith — Decay (Selfmadegod Records)

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Drugs of Faith have been making records like Decay, their new EP, for quite a while now. The record is full of crossover hardcore that pushes on the pressure points of crust and sludge. It’s grimy, gritty, sweaty stuff and it’s really good. The focused truculence of a song like “Anonymity” sharpens rather than overwhelms the tune’s tendencies toward melody, and what a frigging breakdown. The whole 7” — all ten minutes of it — is terrifically punishing. Or maybe it’s punishingly terrific. Whatever it is, it goes by quick. But that’s cool, you’ll just flip it and play it again. And like a live hardcore set, music this intense is best enjoyed in small, gut-thumping doses. Toward the end of the excellent track “Nihilists,” singer Richard Johnson (who also plays guitar) growls, “If I go down, I’m taking you all with me.” Sure sounds like he means it.

Jonathan Shaw

Help — Help (Self Released)

Help by Help

One advantage to keeping songs short and lyrics anthemic is that you can throw a whole lot of sludge into the works and still end up with tunes that folks will remember the next day. Portland noise-punk band does this six times on their quite good debut EP, Help. No surprises here, just grimy, coruscating punk that sounds amazing when you’re reading the latest update on our slide into oligarchy/kleptocracy/kakistocracy/planet death/what have you. Best of all is their theme song, which softens up a traditionally macho genre with some very welcome, very 2019 vulnerability (Complete lyrics: “Help!/I fucking need it!/You know I’ve battled but it’s all I can take!”) and the closer, “Class War Now” which is about… well, you know.

Isaac Olson

HTRK – Nostalgia (Fire Records)

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Nostalgia is the self-released 2004 debut EP by Australian experimental trio HTRK (Hate Rock Trio). Nigel Yang (guitar, programming, electronics), Jonnine Standish (voice, percussion, samples) and Sean Stewart (bass, programming, samples) produce seven tracks of heavy, noise intensive electronica with echoes of Throbbing Gristle, Pan Sonic and Suicide. Physically and psychically crushing, the tracks move at a funereal pace with waves of static and feedback crashing against bottom end bass, percussion and drum machines as Standish’s voice intones from a cave, a cross between Lydia Lunch and Alan Vega. Instrumental opener “Hate Rock Trio” begins quietly with the ticking of a clock, a time bomb with crashes of distorted percussion. Thereafter the song titles tell the story of the EP. Run together they form both a record of, and a demand to acknowledge, damage inflicted: “Look What’s Been Done/Look Down the Line/Look At That Girl/Look At Her/You Injured Me/I’m All Broke Up.” The intensity builds with each track as feedback and samples scratch atop thickening layers of black sludge. Re-released by Fire Records, Nostalgia is a bracing experience with a palpable sense of menace.

Andrew Forell

Max Jaffe — Giant Beat (Ramp Local)

Giant Beat by Max Jaffe

If a curious listener was told Max Jaffe only used one instrument to make Giant Beat, they’d be forgiven for guessing something like a modular synth. Instead, it’s drums, but in a way that makes the question maybe a little bit of a cheat; Jaffe, drummer for JOBS, Elder Ones and others, was also a beta tester for something called Sensory Percussion that allows percussionists to use their instruments to trigger sounds and samples in a way that feels analogous to the chromatic, sometimes abrasive playing Ian Crause and Disco Inferno did with sampling. Of course, with a drum kit and that kind of setup, Jaffe can generate a whole album just by himself in a different way than you might get with, say, a singer and an acoustic guitar. Giant Beat dips its toes into various experimental waters, jazz here, electronics there, noise and musique concrete there, but always with the steady pulse of Jaffe’s one-take percussive playing behind it. The result feels like anything but a product demo; if anything, it feels like a new type of voice articulating itself.

Ian Mathers

Ocean Fanfare — First Nature (Barefoot)

First Nature by Ocean Fanfare

Whether you take the words First Nature as a prescription of priorities or a stern reminder of who is best equipped to play the long game in the battle between humankind and its environment, this is a record with a message. But since that message is being relayed via horns, bass, and drums, which play melodies that wind and ascend, one must exercise one’s emotional antennae to decode the vibe. Both trumpeter Tomsz Dabrowski and alto saxophonist Sven Dam Meinild are equally facile with post-bop tunes and extended technique explorations, and the shuttles between these poles gives the music a questing quality. They’re methodically seeking, not giving up hope, and the inventive ways they maintain balance on the fly suggests that they’re conscious of what tools will come in handy if people are going to survive.

Bill Meyer

Abdallah Ag Oumbadougou — Anou Malane (Sahel Sounds)

Anou Malane by Abdallah Ag Oumbadougou

One of the original Tuareg guitar heroes, Abdallah Oumbadougou recorded these dreaming, droning, melancholic-with-a-swagger tunes in Benin in 1995 with the West African producer Nel Oliver. It was a step up for Oumbadougou, who had previously recorded mostly on boom boxes in encampments during breaks in the Tuareg rebellion, but the songs, even embellished with electronics and studio effects, have a raw, lonely power to them. “Thingalene” drifts towards funky pop in its syncopated drum machines and squealing synths, but Oumbadougou’s voice carries over time and distance with a bracing authenticity. Other tracks, like “Tenere” splice the echoing snap of gate-reverbed drums to a beat that sways like camel caravans; the guitar work here is particularly fine. On its original release, Anou Malane introduced the world to the Tuareg’s keening, ambling desert blues; now it reminds us that artists like Tinariwen and Terekaft and Mdou Moctar are interpreting and extending — not inventing — a vibrant art form.

Jennifer Kelly

Savage Republic —Gods & Guns (Mobilization)

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Savage Republic doesn’t pack the band schedule very tightly nowadays. The band, currently a quartet (Thom Fuhrmann, Ethan Port, Alan Waddington, Kerry Dowling), took the whole of the 1990s off and has made just two albums in this century. But when they do make a record, it hits hard. In days gone by they sounded like Rhys Chatham fronting the Ventures on an album of Aegean surfer themes, but now they sound just a bit like Michael Gira fronting Echo & the Bunnymen in some Bladerunner-like hell of a dark hole. “God & Guns,” sung in dire and reverb-swaddled tones by Fuhrmann, articulates understandable dismay at the twin lumps of stinky meat that are being held in front of the vast heard of fascism-embracing Americans. The instrumental on the flip is named “Tranquilo,” but you won’t rest while they’re charging you, driven by chain-gang shouts, oil drum lashes, and epically massive bass. Heavy shit for heavy times.

Bill Meyer

Sleeping Ancient — There Is No Truth But Death (Viridian Flame)

There Is No Truth But Death by Sleeping Ancient

In any number of ways, black metal and the horror fiction of H.P. Lovecraft are a good match. The overweening interest in darkness and unnamably horrific, indecipherably complex forms; the highly abstruse mysticism; the tinge of troubling racism and anti-Semitism — it’s sort of uncanny. Sleeping Ancient aren’t the first black metal band to express a deep appreciation for Lovecraft’s weird fictions. Heck, they probably aren’t even the tenth or the fiftieth. But if they’re not breaking any new ground, thematically or musically, at least they’re making good songs. Check out the grand dirge of “Akeru,” or the slow but assured drift, from frigidly delicate melody to batshit intensity, that forms “Taphephobic Hallucinations” (taphephobia, by the way, is crippling fear of the grave—not death so much as the gravesite itself). The songs are typical of Sleeping Ancient’s mannered but powerful playing, which the band sustains across the whole of There Is No Truth But Death. It’s a good record to play as we wait for Cthulu. Judging by current conditions, we won’t have long to wait.

Jonathan Shaw

Sore Points — Not Alright (Slovenly)

SORE POINTS "Not Alright" EP by Sore Points

If you miss the Marked Men, how ‘bout some hard, fast punk rock from Vancouver? This four-song 7 inch, following a 2018 self-titled on Deranged, snarls and stomps with feverish fury, making the most of its double drummed, guitar stabbed, bass whomped basics. You’d infer a few battered Ramones records in the rec room, but also punks both harder core and more melodic—Black Flag on one end and the Buzzcocks on the other. “Not Alright” rampages at blur speed. The drummer, whoever he is (Sore Points are not big on self-promotion), gets a monster workout here, but really everybody is pushing about as hard as it goes. “Not Coming Back,” is likewise accelerated, but in an anthemic, memorable way. As a non-professional, you’d kill yourself trying to keep up playing these songs, but you can sing along, no problem, after just one or two spins.

Jennifer Kelly

Tropical Fuck Storm — Braindrops (Joyful Noise)

Braindrops by Tropical Fuck Storm

“Braindrops,” the title track from this second Tropical Fuck Storm album, slinks and rattles and backpedals, its rhythm complicated and syncopated, its stream-of-consciousness lyrics about dreams and waking (“But you gotta get up because time is nagging like a dog humping your leg”) as tangled as the polyrhythmic beat. There’s a slant of ska in the bass, a dissolute hint of post-punk in the cracked vocals and a baroque inclination to stuff things to the gills in the overload of just about everything. Tropical Fuck Storm tilts recognizable forms so far over that they always seem to be careening into chaos. A hip friendly bump of bass and drums is just a landing pad for guitar noises that crash, still burning, to the ground. Even the ballads (“Paradise” both “Marias”) teem with noise and dissonance. Braindrops is never an easy listen. It verges, fairly often, on the unpleasant. But in a world where everything spins down to a grey Spotified entropy, it’s a prickly, fascinating, mess of bright colored wires; go ahead cut one and see if it explodes.

Jennifer Kelly

Various Artists — Greys (Anachronisme)

Greys by Field Guides

In this day and age, if one even wanted to put together a new “We Are the World,” where would one start? Leverage Models’ return to music last year with the phenomenal Whites was partly so that previously-shelved record could raise money for the Southern Poverty Law Center, and here the band and Anachronisme Records are at it again. Raising money for the Mohawk Valley Resource Center for Refugees this time, instead of trying to rope everyone they know into one big aesthetically-dubious singalong, they’ve put together with any number of friends a smorgasbord of 21 tracks all somehow ‘in conversation’ with the music on Whites. There are plenty of intriguing covers, remixes, and other deconstructions, from Field Guides’ glowing, pastoral version of “If I Let You Stay” to the menacing buzz of DOV’s remix of “Dark Pools,” to Concierge Records and The Working Elite’s “transatlantic meditation” on the feeling of the first song on Whites with “Day Two,” as well as two unreleased tracks from Leverage Models. Then there are the contributions that just engage with the emotions and stories of the original album, like Courtship Ritual’s haunting “Uncle Incision” and William Tyler’s gorgeous “She Swims in Hidden Water.” There’s a lot here to absorb, but even if you’re not familiar with the source material it all stands on its own, even as it’s still one of the most intriguing expansions of an album in recent memory. Not to mention hopefully a more effective way to help a good cause.

Ian Mathers

avery r. young—Tubman (FPE)

tubman. by avery r. young

avery r. young brings the sizzle in this paean to African-American musical traditions from skanky funk to body-moving R&B to soul-on-fire gospel, complete with a full choir. The multi-talented Chicagoan took inspiration from his own book—Neckbone: Visual Verses—from Nina Simone and from the singer Jamila Woods, whose superlative pipes provide the uplift of many of these cuts. “Maasai” slouches so far into a smouldery blacksploitation groove as to be nearly horizontal, all evil wah-wah’d twitch and rumbling bass and slashing lightning bolts of disco strings, while “go'head mary & weep” takes things to the church with a massive harmonized swell. young himself has a fine, fluttery, emotionally nimble tenor, shades of the Reverend Al Green in his supple phrasing, but his songs take flight when they’re sung by a crowd, as on the spiritually stirring “lead in da wattah” and especially, the monster highlight “get to know a nina simone song” which rolls on like a doo-wopping, gospel-quarteting freight train right on to Mississippi. God damn, indeed.

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laceandhockeyskates · 5 years

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What the hell I’ve been up to?!

I don’t even know how to make an introduction for this hot mess but I guess we’ll go month to month more or less because let me tell you 2018.... really fucked me up. Both in good ways, but also in terrible ways? I don’t know... I feel like it’s all worked out in the end but damn was it a mess to get to this point.

January- lovely, lovely January. Aka the last time I’ve posted anything of real value on this blog. I had my first trip out of the country!! Other than that uneventful?!

February and March (since nothing happened)- I turned 25. I don’t remember anything besides grabbing lunch with my grandma for it... so clearly it was a huge deal. Besides that though.... nothing.

April.... this is when things got.... interesting- we found out in April that the retail company I worked for was going out of business. Which was absolutely terrifying. I had no idea what I was going to do, how long it was going to take to find a new job... I knew nothing. That very day that we were told I put in 25 job applications. Within a week I had 4 job interviews lined up for one day that I had off of work, and at the end of that day I had a new job.

May- and it gets worse. May 4th was my last day at the store before I started my new job on May 5th. It was somewhere that I had applied to several times and never got a call back from, and it was only a three minute drive from my house so I thought everything was going to work out. Right? Wrong. I HATED it. With every fiber of my being it was the worst. I sat in my car on my lunch breaks crying more often than I wasn’t. It was honestly awful, and some greater power that be must have recognized how miserable I was because I was only there for less than 2 weeks. I started on the 5th and I worked my last day there on the 17th. I was scheduled to have that Friday, Saturday, and Sunday off already which I was thankful for and had all these plans. So since about November-December I had these back pains that started right between my shoulder blades and wrapped around my stomach every few weeks. At first I thought I had a strange strand of the flu, and then I thought I was just sleeping on my back wrong.... well neither was accurate. That Friday night I was sitting on the couch watching tv when the pain hit me again and at that point it was more of an annoyance thing because like seriously?? So I just did what I always did and took pain meds and prepared myself for a night of no sleep and taking a hot bath every two hours to pour steaming hot water over my back (aka the only thing that really helped), by Saturday I wasn’t any better and my dad offered to take me to the ER. I thought he was just tired of listening to me whine about the pain and not really worried but I did let him drive me to Walmart to get a heating pad and more pain killers. Which again... helped.... but only for so long. I actually got to sleep that night and woke up at 3 am in literally the worst pain of my entire life. I quickly got in the tub hoping that the hot water would work or the heating pad or really anything. By 5 am though I knew that something was terribly, terribly wrong and that’s when I asked my dad to take me to the ER. Which I don’t think he took me seriously until 7 when my mom woke up and I asked her to go. It took less than 5 minutes at the ER to be told I have pancreatitis and gallstones and I’m basically screwed. By the time I came back from chest x rays I was being admitted. And let me tell you... that shit sucked. My Er nurse asked me how I was feeling and I literally laughed and told her I was just happy that it wasn’t all in my head. Which she very much assured me that it wasn’t. And that I actually have a high pain tolerance considering anyone else would be screaming in pain, and that if I had waited another few days I’d be going in with a raptured gallbladder. That first day... sucked to put it kindly. Because I had a gallstone blocking my pancreas I wasn’t allowed food (I ended up going from 5 pm Saturday to 2 pm Monday without food) or water (4 am Sunday to 2 pm Monday). Do you know it’s like to go that long? I was the biggest asshole because all I truly wanted was applesauce and water. To top it off though they couldn’t figure out a pain med that actually worked for me. Morphine lasted about as long as it took to get to my toes (a few seconds at best) so I was miserably in pain the entire time. Monday wasn’t too bad. My mom came and visited me, and for the most part I was left alone with the occasional check in minus my surgery consult. Tuesday.... was a day. I’ve never had surgery before and to say I was anxious would be an understatement. I had been waking up around 5-6 am anyways and was just watching the news when I realized there were two people standing outside my door.... I had originally been told my surgery was the 3rd of the day and I wouldn’t be going until about 11 am which gave my parents enough time to get my brother off to school and to be back in time to see me off... that’s not what happened. They had bumped me up to #1. Which meant my labs hadn’t been put in as needed ASAP and had to be run again but as soon as that was done? I was being wheeled away. What I didn’t know was that my mom had a nightmare that I had been taken to surgery early and that I died on the table... so you can imagine her reaction when I texted them that I was actually going to surgery early... needless to say my dad sped all the way to the hospital. Actual surgery though? I don’t remember a ton. I remember going to the holding room and being introduced to a bunch of people that I knew for all of five seconds before going into the OR. I remember moving from my bed to the table and then being wrapped up in a bunch of warm blankets and given the mask. I wasn’t told to count down or anything but within seconds I was out. I remember vaguely waking up to be moved from the table to my bed and I THOUGHT I had only fallen back asleep for the ride to recovery... apparently it was a lot longer than that. I woke up once in recovery and could have sworn they cut me open side to side but nope. It was a successful surgery with only four tiny incisions that hurt like a goddamn bitch let me tell you and then I passed back out... when I finally woke back up again I was awake long enough I was allowed to go to my room where my parents were relieved to see me. I was up walking within an hour (I was told I wasn’t allowed food unless I moved around and got the gas out of myself and had bowl movements. They recommended walking. I wanted food.) and that day was spent between doing laps and sleeping. The next day? The day I was suppose to go home? My labs came back with a high white blood count... and I lost it. Despite my parents visiting me every day I was tired of feeling alone. Luckily though Thursday I was finally released.... in time for my baby brother to graduate high school. Which was a fun ceremony when you’re hopped up on pain meds.

June- was a hot mess of dealing with medical leave at the job I hated, but mostly? It was spent enjoying the summer. Once I was cleared for activity I was swimming nearly every day and soaking in the summer with my two baby cousins who turn 12 soon. Despite the physical pain I had to deal with and the stress of work I wouldn’t have traded that in for anything. It gave me so many fun memories to look back on and enjoy.

July- I was suppose to go back about the 8th but medical leave was... a mess. And tbh at that point it wasn’t worth the stress to keep that job when for the time being I was making enough by doing side jobs for my family to pay my bills. I did start applying for new jobs though while I spent more time enjoying my summer with my kiddos. By the 27th though I was starting my new job, which is where I’m currently at while I type this long ass post but we’ll get into that a little farther down. Two days later though as I was about to start my first full day at my new job I got the text message I never wanted to get. I had to call my cousin/best friend. Long story short her mother had passed away meaning that she had lost both of her parents in seven years. Something I can’t even imagine. But not only that but it meant that my grandma had also lost her sister and best friend, and my great grandmother had to do the one thing no parent should ever go through.

August- was honestly a really intense blur. Between two weeks of dealing with the fall out of losing my aunt and starting my new job I didn’t have a life. In late July/early August though I knew something was up with my car but I honestly thought it was just a tie rod going bad... no. Apparently my entire undercarriage was more or less rusting out and I was screwed. I didn’t have any money saved up for a down payment, I had no idea if I could even afford a car payment yet (despite working a better paying job with more hours but I was use to basically barely making ends meet with maybe $20 left over). Luckily my parents who are the real mvps of my life stepped up and helped me figure everything out and I had a new car within a week of starting to search (she’s my baby girl. I’m obsessed. She’s literally everything I wanted minus the fact that she’s white and my previous car was white and I wanted to avoid that: but besides that... I’m happy with her and she’s worth the pretty penny I pay every month).

September- was a goddamn mess work wise. It’s all I did. Work.

October- I took my first major road trip on my own (driving 2 and a half hours by myself on the interstate. It was a big deal.) and saw FOB in concert which was... life changing. I completely recommend seeing them if you ever have a chance (also machine gun kelly was there and despite the fact that I don’t care for rap.... he was pretty good.). Other than that though October was more work craziness.

And now for November, and if you guessed work was insane... you’d be right. When I was hired in July it was all “oh it’ll only be busy until like October” and now my boss is like “maybe by March we can get our sanity back for two months?” Which don’t get me wrong I’m grateful. I’m making a $1 more an hour, actually working full time, and I don’t hate a majority of my coworkers (there’s still a handful though that if I had a shopping cart at work I’d run of their bare toes but that’s more because they make my life unnecessarily stressful) but I’m actually happy???? Like as stressed out as I am basically 24/7 I’m doing alright. I have a majority of my Christmas shopping done and wrapped which like?? And idk... I’m just.... I’m in a good place. And I won’t lie I still check myself once and awhile going “okay something is bound to go wrong.” But also maybe all the good is outweighing all the bad that I had to deal with. Anyways so that’s the life update. If you actually read that... bless your soul. Message me. We’re now best friends. And hopefully in the coming weeks I figure out what the hell im doing with this blog.

December update I wanna die lol! We had two people quit in three weeks leaving us with four people to cover 24 hours 7 days a week....it’s a great time.

#if you read all of this hi message me you're my new best friend

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kallura-icedcoffee · 6 years

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kind of random but could please you write a prompt about Kallura in Paris? i feel like that would be really cute! and i could totally see keith on a vespa with allura or allura eating macarons/shopping 💖

A/N: You got it anon! Also shout out to google translate. You’re the real MVP as my ass clearly did not retain a damn thing from 3 semesters of French in school.

KNOCK KNOCK

“Come in.”

“Good morning Princess I have your schedule for the d-”

The rest of the sentence died in Keith’s throat as heentered the princess’ bedroom to find her sitting cross-legged on her bed innothing but the button down dress shirt she wore the day before, sipping coffeeand reading from her tablet. Her hair was still tousled from sleep.

“When you said ‘come in’ I assumed you were decent.” Heblushed as he turned around.

“I am decent.” She smiled as she took another drink from hermug.

“Your lack of pants say otherwise.”

“Oh did I forget those?” she asked with a feigned innocence.

“Can you please get dressed? Your father is waiting on you.”

He could hear her getting up from the bed, but kept his backturned out of respect. There was some rustling followed by sudden darkness asher shirt flew through the air and landed over his head. Heat rose in hischeeks as he snatched it off.

“Allura!”

“Sorry, sorry…getting dressed.” He heard her giggle beforeshe disappeared into the bathroom and shut the door.

Keith waited in the living room of her suite, leaningagainst the couch until she finally emerged, showered and dressed and done up.

“Happy now?” She spun around in the doorway letting herblush tulle skirt twirl.

“Very. Let’s go, you’re already late.”

As they walked down the hallway of the hotel she ran up andhooked her arm around his, eliciting another blush.

“Princess, your father wouldn’t approve of this kind ofcontact.”

“Then my father should have picked an older less attractivebodyguard.”

“Allura…” he hissed in a whispered tone.

Keith opened the door to King Alfor’s suite and Alluraimmediately removed her arm while putting on her best smile.

“Morning father!” She placed a hand on his shoulder andkissed his cheek.

“You’re late.”

“So I’ve been told. My apologies.”

She sat down at the table and joined her father forbreakfast.

“I’ll be blunt, some meetings have come up and I cannot takeyou out today like I promised.”

“But father…” She pouted.

“These things cannot be helped my little flower but don’tlet that stop you from enjoying your day. It’s your first time in Paris, youshould have fun.”

“Alone?”

“You wouldn’t be alone, your bodyguard would be with you” hestated, spreading jam on his bread. “Keith has joined me on diplomatic tripsbefore, he’s somewhat familiar with the city.”

Allura was disappointed to be missing quality time with herfather, but exploring Paris with her handsome protector wasn’t exactly aterrible alternative. She finished her breakfast without further protest.

“What is this?” Allura stepped out of the hotel entranceslipping on her sunglasses.

“I figured this might be a nice way to go sightseeinginstead of cooped up in a town car.” Keith smiled as he sat perched on a creamcolored Vespa scooter.

“It’s absolutely darling I love it!” she exclaimed, skippingtoward it.

Allura pulled a scarf from her purse and tied it around herhead, securing it under her chin so her hair wouldn’t budge. She climbed onback.

“I’m sorry your father couldn’t come with you todayPrincess.”

“It’s all right,” she slipped her arms around his waist andheld tight with a satisfied grin, “I’ll manage.”

He took off, zooming through the city with his princess intow. They would occasionally stop to shop (she loved teasing him by asking howshe looked in very tight fitting dresses) or grab a bite. A bakery with brightcolor confections in the window immediately caught her eye and she dragged himinside.

“I’m not really big on sweets.” Keith crossed his arms.

“Nonsense,” Allura scoffed before turning to the woman atthe counter. “Une douzaine de macarons s'il vous plait.”

“You speak French?” He raised an eyebrow.

“I’m required to speak lots of things,” she smirked, “andknow the distinction between three different forks at the dinner table as wellas the American, International English and Viennese Waltz.”

“Wow, being a princess is boring” he quipped.

“Terribly, now say ahhh.” She pulled a macaron from the bagof recently purchased treats and held one out.

“Allura…”

“Ahhhh.” She opened her own mouth in example, persistent asever.

He sighed and did as he was told, letting her feed him. Hechewed thoughtfully.

“They’re ok” he muttered.

Lies. They were delicious.

She shook her head with a chuckle and wiped the crumbs fromhis mouth.

“Vous deux faites un couple charmant” the cashier said witha warm smile as she watched them.

“What did she say?” he asked then pursed his lips.

“She said we look good together.”

Keith immediately became flustered.

“We’re not…I mean um…I’m not her boyfri-”

“Merci!” Allura replied to the woman while cutting him off,taking him by the hand and pulling him from the shop.

“You love to frustrate me don’t you?” he asked once theywere outside.

“A little.” She grinned proudly as they walked down thesidewalk toward the Vespa.

“You realize your flirting with me is highly inappropriateright?”

“Mhm.”

“And we could both get in a lot of trouble if your fatherwas aware of even half of the things you say and do in front of me.”

“Yes of course.”

“And whatever my personal feelings may or may not be, asyour bodyguard it is my job to protect you, nothing more.”

“Uh huh.”

He stopped walking and turned to her.

“Are you even listening to me Princess?”

“I am, and I’d love to take you seriously, but you’re stillholding my hand.”

He looked down and sure enough he hadn’t let go when theyleft the shop, in fact their fingers were now intertwined and had been theentire two blocks back to the scooter.

“…Shit…” he grumbled before looking back up at hersheepishly, still not releasing his grip.

“So,” she beamed, giving his hand a squeeze, “where tonext?”

#kallura #juniblade #ficsbyKIC #drabbles

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mobileapplicationupdates · 3 years

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How much it will cost to make an app like zomato?

The online food delivery market in India is estimated to grow 18% to reach USD 17.02 billion in 2023. From the figures, we can well understand the demand for more and more food delivery applications. A food delivery app like Zomato is a very popular example that we might come across.

So, are you planning to go big in today's competitive digital world? If so, you can take the opportunity and build your on-demand food ordering app.

This is a guide you can follow to learn about the entire development process, the cost of developing applications like Zomato, the technology stack, features, and more.

Once you feel confident enough, you can move on to the next step of using the services of an Android application development company in India to get started.

Features in Best Food Delivery App: -

a) Push notifications in the food ordering app on demand b) Refund / Rewards, Refund and Loyalty Programs ... c) Real-time GPS tracking of food delivery d) Easy payment options

A best application development companies Bangalore like zomato has payment functions through various payment options like Google Pay, PayPal, net banking, payment cards and cash on delivery etc.

They are accessible 24 hours every day, 7 days per week.

It's pretty easy to reorder food as it can be scheduled for a later date.

Coupons and discount codes can be applied quite easily and a nice cash back can be won.

With the right filters, delivery menu items can be easily found. Using good filters makes it easy to explore food delivery options in restaurants.

These also allow you to order food and dishes in advance.

Key factors determining cost:

There are different factors in determining the expense and cost of creating an app like Zomato. They are as follows:

App size:

Here is the number of features you include in your application. The more functions, the greater your application. To avoid incorporating a lot of unnecessary elements, it is a good idea to start with a minimum viable product. An MVP has some features that will allow you to add more features later based on user preferences after the app is released.

Application design:

The Zomato and Swiggy applications have an easy-to-use and friendly design with an attractive interface. This allows them to attract and retain more users. It is good to choose a good application development company that uses advanced tools and helps you create great application designs.

Application platform:

Structure an application for several stages for maximum utilization of your application. Since most customers depend on Android and iOS application development company India devices, your application should exceptionally focus on these stages as the top priority. The cost of developing an application like Zomato varies between different platforms; Android generally costs more than the platforms of the iOS app development company in India because it has some devices that it can be tested with. (Between other reasons). So Android food ordering app and iPhone food ordering app, expenses fluctuate for each platform.

Factors on which the cost of apps like Zomato depends

If the design is complex or custom, the application will take longer than a normal application. Typically these 5 factors affect the cost of an application like Eat24:

a) Project requirements b) User interface complexity c) Project concept d) User interface design c) Application test

The application of budget and prices for food orders; -

It doesn't matter who you are, whether you are an entrepreneur or a businessman, what matters most to you is your budget. Price is the factor that we all attach great importance to when deciding on any transaction. So keeping a big budget to get this app is our top priority.

The functions that you want to provide to the users give them a great experience.

The type of application, whether you choose Android or iOS, is important. Android application development companies Bangalore is cheaper than iOS.

The server backend seems to be expensive, but it's better in the long run, while third-party jobs are good if you're on a tight budget right now, but in the long run, it comes with huge recurring costs.

The integration of social media in your application is also a deciding factor and if you plan to maintain an administration panel in the application.

whether you want to develop a cross-platform application or not, your cost will be less than developing a native application.

The more you want to offer a better UI / UX experience to your audience, the more it will cost you.

After launching this application, you should focus on its maintenance.

After deciding all the factors and features you want in your app, you can predict the approximate cost from the list of Indian Mobile app development company India to order food with apps like Zomato. The whole process is a bit complicated, although we make it easy for you. It consists of a series of processes from the initial phase to the development of the administration panel, the incorporation of functionalities, application tests, etc.

When it comes to developing a food delivery app like Zomato, you need an expert app development team, a food delivery app developer to get your back. FuGenx is the leading supplier of with more than 10 years of experience. We develop custom, fast and easy-to-use applications that provide a wonderful user experience. We will not only help you develop an application, but we will also advise you to grow your business. Please send all your inquiries to our top 10 mobile application development company India who are app development experts.

For an accurate cost estimate and the best support service with FuGenx… Call us now at +91 9154181592, we are all available for your service.Fugenx.com and let us know what you are doing. Don't worry if you've started or just have an idea, we'll provide personalized results just for you. Join our happy customer community! To get the most out of a pinch of experience and creativity, contact us at info@fugenx

#Mobile app development companies India #Mobile application development company India #apps development company India #list of application development company Bangalore #list of mobile apps development companies Bangalore #top 10 mobile app development companies Bangalore #Mobile apps development companies Bangalore #Mobile apps development company Bangalore #best mobile app development companies Bangalore

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aksbrillmindz · 3 years

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How to reduce the app development cost without compromising the quality?

Like all useful, the best app comes with elevated prices. And experts suggest that in order to get something worthwhile, you must invest

But, in order to reduce the cost of your app, this is for those who compromise on efficiency. There are productive ways to control the software development costs while you are quality aware.

So lets start on how to reduce the cost of the app without reducing the quality

Planning

Management of something requires extensive preparation. Comprehensive research on the target audience, their likes, etc., is involved in planning an app creation. Ultimately, consumers can evaluate your app's performance, so they are the first thing to remember when you create an app.

Often, study your rivals. Who's building similar applications? What have they included in their features, and what are the obstacles they face? This will help you decide if anything separate is provided by you. You can create the app only if you can carry something new to the app stores; otherwise, without RoI, you can incur costs.

Once you are assured that something special is provided by your app, you need to start preparing how and what is being created. Successful scheduling depends on how well you have recorded your app specifications.

If you've prepared well, the trial-and-error costs may be minimised. Right from the planning stage, you should also concentrate on quality problems to avoid losses later on.

Planning can contribute to a budget that helps reduce excessive spending. Furthermore, estimate the time required for app creation

Interactive Porotoype

An app fails much of the time as it does not fulfil the client's standards. This is a huge loss for the company that has spent significant time and resources on the development of the app development company. And, the time and expenses of adjustment or correction are also accompanied by this. App developers are now creating immersive prototypes of their applications in order to reduce certain costs before they begin designing the app. These prototypes offer a pretty clear idea of the app's functionality, navigation, and UI/UX architecture.

For both the developer and the customer, the prototype serves as a blueprint to assess whether they are on the same page! The prototype is checked by the client, who may recommend changes at this level.

While it has its costs to make an interactive prototype, it will later decrease software development costs. Without a prototype, after a lot of time and money are already spent on the creation of the software, the customer will request amendments to the final app

It is not very difficult to construct real-like prototypes with tools to develop interactive prototypes like Adobe XD, Atomic, Figma, etc. So, before app creation, never stop prototyping.

Cross Platform apps

It's expensive to create applications for two separate platforms. But, when the customers are distributed around the platforms, you don't want to risk any of the platforms' business opportunities.

Building cross-platform software is the perfect way to minimise app development costs as the app is already launched for both iOS and Android. Cross-platform construction is just the correct use of technology and experience. It is now a popular and preferred practise. It is expensive to create applications for two different platforms. But, when the customers are distributed around the platforms, you don't want to risk any of the platforms' business opportunities.

While some developers claim it is expensive to create cross-platform applications, the costs are lower than targeting two different platforms with separate apps.

The top cross-platform app development tools, such as Xamarin, PhoneGap, Unity3D or Appcelerator, will make it easy for you if you are interested in cross-platform app development.

Minimum Viable products

If the app you have built after investing so much time and money fails in the market, you have to suffer tremendous losses. So, why not initially launch a simple app?

The idea of releasing a minimally viable application helps evaluate the response without wasting large sums on creating a complicated app in a real market environment. And, even after releasing your MVP app, you will continue to add features in updates,

You will rely on in-app reviews to determine the user reaction to your app when your app goes to the app stores and people start using it. The additional updates, which are more extensive, are then published. So, after each stage of live testing, MVP is also a quality management technique that saves considerable costs and adds quality to the product.

It is a critical decision to launch an MVP as you only have to choose the most useful features that will help you engage more users. This involves listing the features as desirable or mandatory and then in the first release developing the latter. The initial time and costs of app development are saved by MVP. In addition, since you have tested the MVP on the real market, you are almost certain that the updated product's costs will be worthwhile.

Outsourcing

In mobile app development, experienced app developers are well versed in cost reduction techniques. So, if you don't have the correct expertise to develop the app, outsource it better.

There are many benefits to outsourcing. As an app development business, with any new project needing expertise in a specialised domain, you can't go to recruit new developers. And the preparation of current developers is both time-consuming and expensive.

Outsourcing is a great way of delegating what is hard for you to accomplish. This gives you time and resources to concentrate on your key skills.

So, pick a partner in app development who has the technical and functional expertise to develop the app you want. For instance, select an outsourcing partner who is experienced in AR app development if you want an AR-empowered app. And don't forget to check their reviews and get input from their past customers.

Conclusion

We have mentioned on how you can reduce the cost of the app without reducing the quality of the app and we brillmindz one of the best mobile app development companies in dubai make sure that the apps are made with the less cost with out compromising on the quality of the app

#mobileAppDevelopment

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