So I wrote in a previous chapter that I'd make a playlist of the songs I listened to while writing this story. I guess I'm going to, not list every song for every chapter, but list songs that really brought on inspiration for this whole story and even how some of the lyrics brought more of this story to life. They're not in any particular order. Here goes nothing!

1. Heart of Stone by Iko This song just caught me from the moment I heard it. My brain like opened up when I first heard it and all I could picture was this random moment of Minseok and Wu Fan sitting in a room together. They were in this really drab and gray atmosphere and there was so much tension and longing at the same time. A lot of unsaid things were like floating in between them. The lyrics say basically someone has a heart of stone, yet they can breath water. At first I didn't understand what this meant or how to interpret it but when I asked a friend she replied that simply, “Well it seems like someone's heart was broken, and the way they felt was that when they were with that person they felt perfect and powerful. Almost as if they could breath water.” and like it all clicked.

   So the moment in particular that was written with this song is a moment after Minseok realizes that Wu Fan never sent the letter like he should have, and he's upset and heart broken. This man who he felt perfect with, and they'd gone through so much together, had basically betrayed him. In simple symbolism Wu Fan is the river, and when he's with Minseok, Minseok feels like they are perfect together and they can do anything (like breath water get it?) but Wu Fan messed up, he dried up the river with his heart of stone (his betrayal). I'm sure the song has over meanings but this is just how it inspired me and so forth.

2. Warm Shadow by Fink Yes for those of you who have heard this I first heard it while watching The Walking Dead. I loved the song, and I downloaded it. So while listening to this song, I felt a lot of different things. Someone once told me that a great song will mean different things to each individual, and I think for this song that much is true. When listening to this song, I couldn't help but thing of the 'warm shadow' as like..fate or destiny. And fate or destiny could be anything from impending doom, soon to be death, or coming love. I think of the 'warm shadow' as fate because one you accept your fate, it can be looked at as a friend who you greet warmly. And then so your fate becomes a permanent part of you, as a shadow is and always follows you around. It is your shadow and no one else's. I listened to this song when I first started writing, but I attached it to the chapter where Ani dies because I feel like Ani knew that was the end for her. In a way I feel like Ani always wanted to die after her baby died as well. And this was just her fate, to die for her adopted sons in a sense. This was her warm shadow, to die for something and to protect what she couldn't when she was younger. Yeah...yup.

3. Let It Burn by Red I've loved this song since it first came out, I've had it on my ipod for some time now. I was actually listening to it while on my way to class and I got in touch with Wu Fan's character. For me this song is his inner debate during the where Baekhyun dies and they take Jongin hostage and Wu Fan almost gives Tao away. He really hates himself after he tried to sacrifice Tao, and he feels the intense guilt that he is the one at fault for all of the bad happening around him. I mean it comes to the point where he's standing outside of his home and everything he loves is in danger because he went against Minseok and didn't send the letter. And in front of him he's watching his whole life burn down, so he makes a rash decision because he's very afraid and then Minseok ends up taking life. The whole thing I feel describes Wu Fan's confused and painful thoughts. Even though the chapter is written in Minseok's point of view, and the whole time we hear Minseok's inner debate, I feel like really this song is about Wu Fan's thoughts and what he feels.

4. Dead Hearts by Stars Now this beautiful piece. I actually legit thought this song was talking about the zombie apocalypse when I first heard it! Ha! But when I was trying to write and get thoughts out I suddenly pictured like all of Exo K as these monsters with sinister smiles and evil intentions. And that was when the plot moved forward, when they all showed up at Wu Fan's door to collect Tao. The only lyric that really doesn't fit is 'they were kids that I once knew' cuz...yeah no one knew anyone lo. But other than that this song is dedicated to Exo K being maniacs and causing Wu Fan and his family to go bonkers. Exo K are the dead hearts who stand and watch them like creeps, Wu Fan can't believe that they're actually here, they cause their lives to fall down and its so real and so close Minseok knows these men will be the end of them. And that's basically what I got from it.

5. Mirrors by Justin Timberlake /sigh/ First off can I just say I absolutely love this song? It makes me feel things like UGH. You know? The whole chorus just speaks Wu Fan and Minseok's relationship to me. They are eachother's halves and they are perfect for eachother. 'I see truth somewhere in your eyes' is how Minseok feels when he first sees Wu Fan for the first time. 'The vacancy that sat in my heart, is a space that now you hold' When Minseok was closed off and alone when he first arrived in Hawaii, and later on Wu Fan owns his husband's heart completely. Just...this song is their marriage I feel like. All together. I absolutely love this song. I attached it to the chapter where Wu Fan calls himself a monster and begs Minseok to never tall Rui what he did, because I saw this movie where a father kills another man who he thinks and killed his daughter. All the facts seemed to line up so he goes out and kills the man. Later its revealed that the man was innocent. And there's this amazing scene where the father is sitting still in his bedroom and staring off in to space and you just know for a second he feels guilty for killing an innocent man. But then his wife comes in and she kisses him and she holds him and says, “You know what I told your daughters?” (cuz they have other kids) “I told them their daddy loves them so much. That they have a daddy who does what he has to do for this family no matter” and in relation to Minseok and Wu Fan, they are husbands, spouses and partners for life. Minseok reminds Wu Fan that he loves him no matter what, that he can understand why Wu Fan did it because he did it out of love for their son. Yeah. Okay done with this song lol.

6. The Duchess OST Playlist This playlist was first created because when I watched this movie I could see Wu Fan and Minseok having to part and I felt sad so yeah. Um this movie is amazing so if you haven't seen it, ya need to bro its so beautiful I love Knightly in it the scenes the colors and the music HELLO okay but moving in. The songs for me, always give off a feel of desperation and despair. I mean one of the titles of the pieces is 'Awakening' and that just made me think of Jongdae crying in Yixing's arms when he realizes and regrets that he should have accepted Yixing's love sooner. Um one of the more depressing songs was definitely targeted at the exact moment that Wu Fan promises to return to Minseok as the cart is pulling away. And then the one titled 'Gee and Grey make love' is all about the longing and want for another person to be yours. And that was targeted for when Wu Fan is packing up their things and Minseok just wants to stay with him no matter what. I loved the music and I think I mentioned in the author's note for this particular chapter that usually I don't get too emotional while writing, but for once I felt my heart racing as Wu Fan was pushing Minseok away and that felt so real for me. Yeah.

Other songs that inspired me through out this story and are just as important but I got lazy don't blame me:

-Dreams by The Cranberries

-Come On, Get Higher by Matt Nathanson

-Sunday Morning by Maroon 5

-Stab My Back by The All American Rejects

-Eyes on Fire by Blue Foundation

-Bittersweet by Ellie Goulding

-Slide by The Goo Goo Dolls

-Demons by Imagine Dragons

Your Body Is A Wonderland by John Mayer

-Nobody Puts Baby In The Corner by Fall Out Boy

And there it is! I think all the following songs are really great and can really bring anyone some inspiration like they did me! I know I haven't replied to some of your comments, I've been busy with school and trying update my other stories. But I have read them and teared up with some and smiled with others. Thank you all for the kind messages!

Quick announcement!

If you aren't already subscribed or didn't know I am already currently working on another XiuRis fic!

It's called The Devil's Paramour and I hope you'll check it out! If not, oh well~

Will there be a sequel? I'm not sure about it yet. I'm still busy working on two other stories right now that are posted, and two others that are stuck on my laptop currently so we'll see. I've honestly entertained the idea of telling Jongdae and Yixing's love story, but I can't make promises.

Anywho I'd just like to say one final thank you to everyone who showed support and read this thang I sincerely appreciate all of it and I'll do my best in the future to not disappoint. Thank you again!

-Porter