Taste in Music

Isanghan laughed, lounging in one of Primrose’s chairs. He refused to sit in it properly, favouring to dangle his legs over the side of the armrest. He scrolled on his phone while they talked, checking the numbers on his various social media accounts. At this point, this was a menial task, and he was well able to keep up conversation while he did this. He had just released a new single– and, of course, it was well-received.

“I insist,” Primrose said.

“Then just send me a donation,” he replied. “I promise. You would not like my music– or my dancing. Or my Bunsta, or… anything I do.”

“If you do it for a living, it must be of some value.”

“Oh, I never said it had no value!” Isanghan turned his gaze up, and turned off his phone. “No, what I put out is great. You wouldn’t like it.”

“Hm.”

Primrose went quiet for a moment. Isanghan let out a small, triumphant laugh through his nose, and went back to scrolling on his phone.

When he turned his gaze back up, he saw Primrose hovering over his shoulder, staring at his phone screen.

“What’s up, creep?” Isanghan asked, once again turning it off.

“I’m not a creep.”

“You’re creeping on my phone.”

Primrose sighed. “Look, I’m not a child. I understand what sells in Burrowgatory. I can’t stand it, but I can handle it. I know how hard you work in order to make a living, and it would be at best impolite of me not to support you.”

Isanghan paused. He hated that he was so close to giving in. But, really, his music was so good, and he mostly got positive feedback. He had to try one more time to get Primrose to drop it. “Like I said, you can just donate to me if you really want. That’s more or less what the end goal is, anyways– to make carats.”

“If you are telling me I can’t listen to your music, I will respect that,” he said, “but you have not given me a clear no. Are you telling me no?”

“I- well, no. It’s all free online. You can do whatever you want. I’m just warning you that you specifically will be offended.”

“Very well; I will look it up for myself. May I please borrow your phone?”

They have a small staring contest; a battle of wills. It’s a battle they both know will end with Isanghan’s loss, because he just said that Primrose could look it up. He just… really didn’t want to be there when he did. He liked Primrose and all, but he was so uptight.

Isanghan rolled his eyes and handed his dear eager friend the phone.

Primrose took the task of finding a song to listen to very seriously. He typed Isanghan’s name into the search bar. He scrolled past a few songs that he would cede were likely not going to be to his taste (“Litul Plaything” and “Choke Me Out” specifically; though, funnily enough, the latter was actually a break in Isanghan’s usual thematic styling and was about a special frustration with the limits and demands of the music industry– maybe the only thing that actually might be suitable for Primrose), before arriving at an official music video that was uploaded two days prior– a song called “Dreams”.

Hm, this could be wholesome, Primrose thought. He kinda knew better, given the tone of the rest of Isanghan’s discography– but he had faith. Unshakeable faith that this kind-hearted individual wasn’t as depraved as the rest of the society he was raised in.

The song started with a low, thumping bass, and a half-whined, “Haaaa-aaaah,” rising in pitch.

“Wait, seriously, Prim-” Isanghan reached out suddenly towards him in a panic. Primrose jumped back in surprise, and Isanghan fell on the floor. “Seriously, not this one. Pick a different song– any other song.”

“You said I could do what I want; that they’re all free online, anyways.” He loomed over him with a smug smirk.

Shit, shit, shit.

The video he had filmed wasn’t porn. Well, not technically. Not at first, anyways. Well, not for the first thirty or so seconds. It’s- it was supposed to be artistic. Well, no– not really, mostly just hot– but the validity of art shouldn't dissipate when the emotion conveyed is “horny”. The- the cinematography; the lighting; the emotion– it was probably some of Isanghan’s most driven work. But holy shit. 

Fuck me; he’s going to develop laser vision and beam me off the face of the planet for this, Isanghan thought. Or… maybe… what if I awaken something in him? He turned his gaze up, hopeful. He should be realistic– but come on. It was a really good video.

All of this happened before the first verse, whereupon Isanghan’s hopes were thoroughly shattered.

“Mm, I love the look of you on your knees,
Not touchin’ nothin’ that doesn’t appease
Oh, baby, you’ll love the taste of my seed
Give me what I want; I’ll give you what you need
Look at you all but bursting outta your seams
You can’t deny I’m the boy of your dreams.”

RIGHT. Right. These were the first words one would hear when playing the music. Were they ever going to be able to make eye contact again? Shit.

Primrose was deadly silent while the song played. Could someone be both sickly pale and furiously red at once? Or maybe he was just pale to begin with… What if this killed him??? What if this was too shocking for his poor little cherubun heart???? Isanghan’s mind raced.

The song ended with some more barely-not-whined harmonies in a mimicry of an obscene display. This was a thoroughly humbling and humiliating experience, Isanghan thought.

A few moments passed in silence before autoplay started the next song, which Primrose was extremely quick (desperate) to stop before the lyrics started.

“So… what’d you think?” Isanghan asked, keeping the tone lighthearted despite how awkward he felt.

“That was…” Primrose seethed, trying to think about how he wanted to articulate what he wanted to say.

“Don’t hold back,” he said.

“That was absolutely vile,” he said. “It was disgusting! Obscene! This is what you do for a living?! I thought you were better than this!”

“One, we took some extra liberties in this song,” Isanghan said. “My videos aren’t usually so graphic. Two, there’s nothing wrong with this. There’s nothing wrong with sex-”

“These topics are private and sacred,” Primrose hissed, “not a carnival show to display for- for- for all the world to see! Do you have no self-respect?!”

“I warned you!” Isanghan exclaimed. “I warned you! I told you that you wouldn’t like my music, and you said you could handle it. I told you to pick a different song, and you played it anyway! How is that my fault?”

“You shouldn’t be making this kind of content! No one should! It violates every rule of etiquette-”

“Oh, yeah, the very clearly laid-out rules of etiquette. Must’ve misplaced my handbook.”

“What a good idea! You can borrow mine,” Primrose said. He turned to his bookshelf, and procured a not-insignificant tome. “I’ll just have to educate you on proper manners. That will put this matter to bed.”

“To bed, you say?”

“What- no!” Primrose’s face was contorted in an awful frown. Isanghan mostly found it funny, relieved to know that Primrose was not too delicate for his work– just too uptight to enjoy it. “This is what I’m talking about! Turn to chapter three; it’s all about appropriate and inappropriate sexual conduct.”

“There’s appropriate sexual conduct?”

“You’ll just have to wait and see, won’t you?” Primrose adopted a more neutral expression as he continued. There was such a thing-- but he liked to save exceptions to rules for the ends of his lessons. It was crucial to understand the rules in order to understand how to break them (or gently bend them to one's will).

“Is it hand stuff?” Isanghan asked.

Primrose glared at him, but otherwise let it slide.

“Ohh, it’s probably over-the-clothes,” Isanghan said, nodding his head as if he just figured something out.

“How would that wor-? No, wait; I don’t want to know. I don’t want to know.” He cleared his throat. “Now, the first thing to discuss is the topic of consent.”

Isanghan couldn’t help but laugh. 

“Please take this seriously.”

“I’m sorry, go on.”

“Right, well…” 

Primrose launched into a long speech about the intricacies of consent; different scenarios where it might be blurry; how hearing one's partner say yes could be the best thing in the world to hear; the sort of damage that could be done by forgetting to ask. It was a very informative and very earnest monologue; unfortunately, it was also very boring. Also, in some cases, somewhat untrue. 

“Uh, Primrose?” Isanghan interrupted. “Sorry, but I’ve gotta go soon.”

“I see.” 

“If you want to teach me something, you should skip to a part that’s not about consent. Believe it or not, I do understand that already,” he said. “I’m really curious, though– what is, in your mind, appropriate sexual conduct?”

“Of course you’ve fixated on that.” Primrose rolled his eyes. “Well, to start, it should only be done between two individuals that share a strong, personal connection.”

“Right,” Isanghan said. “So, like, in the video, I developed a strong personal connection with that girl after we did all sorts of stuff.”

“No.” Primrose sighed. “Shared history is crucial; as is the intention to share a future.”

“Don’t cherubuns only live, like, ten years?” Isanghan asked. “If I only had ten years to live, no one would be able to stop me.”

“It seems as though no one is able to stop you now.”

Isanghan laughed. “True! I just mean, like– I’m surprised those are the rules, all considered. Wouldn’t you want to have as many experiences as you could before, you know, the end?”

“Perhaps, but maybe that only goes to further exemplify why it’s so special to save yourself for your partner.”

“Huh. Could be, I guess.”

“Furthermore, sex should only be had for reasons of procreation-”

“What?!” Isanghan suddenly sat up in the chair. “That’s insane! First you have to find someone, and get to know them, and develop a quote-unquote special relationship, and then you can only fuck one month outta the year?!”

Primrose nodded. “I’m glad you understand. Watch your language.”

“That’s-!” Isanghan cut himself off. That’s so stupid, he thought, but didn’t want to say. He let out an exhale. “Are there any other criteria?”

“You have to choose one partner at a time– honestly, that’s been one of the biggest surprises about Burrowgatory. I would have thought loyalty in a relationship would be a given.”

Isanghan wasn’t sure how to begin processing this information. He looked at Primrose up and down– maybe this explained why he was the way he was. He kind of couldn’t imagine Primrose had ever had a long-term partner; not because he was that undesirable, but, well… people that have had long-term partners largely didn’t act like that. He felt almost sad that cherubuns had such specific rules about something so fun and so, ultimately, harmless.

“You must be so pent up,” he said, in the same tone one might use to console another following the death of their pet.

Primrose blushed a bright red. “I am not. I am happy living by the rules of etiquette as they are understood in the Heavenly Meadow.”

Isanghan nodded. Yeah, that sounded like a thing someone like Primrose would say; and he was sure he was happy. Just… he could be happier, was all.

“Well, that’s all good to know,” he said, nodding slowly. “I still have to get going. I have a photoshoot tomorrow, and I need my beauty sleep. Could I take this with me, though? You know how into the whole cherubun thing I am.”

“Of course; gladly. It’s not my only copy.” Primrose managed a small smile. “Please don’t bastardise it for your music.”

“Whaaaaat? Who would do that…?”