#Eminem-Training
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hit-song-showdown · 2 years ago
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Year-End Poll #61: 2010
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[Image description: a collage of photos of the 10 musicians and musical groups featured in this poll. In order from left to right, top to bottom: Kesha, Lady Antebellum, Train, Katy Perry and Snoop Dogg, Usher, B.o.B and Hayley Williams, Eminem and Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Taio Cruz. End description]
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Now in the 2010s, electropop and dance are dominating the charts. In the early 2000's, we saw a rise of rap fusing with R&B, with R&B singers providing the chorus to a rap song or rappers adding a guest verse to an R&B song. We're seeing a similar trend now, but with pop instead of R&B.
By this point, digital music platforms such as iTunes have taken over how people listen to music. But much like how we watched digital music and the MP3 file take over physical media in the previous decade, the reign of digital storefronts for music won't survive to the end of this one. But we'll get to that eventually.
In addition to the storefronts, the internet was also starting to play a major role in artist exposure. For many, YouTube was the first place they watched these music videos instead of on TV like previous years. Eventually, we'll see artists reach these levels of exposure almost entirely through YouTube and internet virality. But, again, we'll get to that later in the decade.
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tiny-gay-satan · 5 months ago
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An actual conversation i just had with my sister:
Me (pointing at a picture of proof): This is Eminems friend that got shot-
Her: Whats his name?
Me:Proof
Her: BARACK OBAMA?!?!
Me: NO?!?
Her: (cant stop laughing) wait did they actually shoot him?
Me: YES!?
Her: NO OBAMA?
Me: NO!! (also cannot stop laughing)
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nostalgiagirlie · 1 year ago
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Nostalgic albums from 2010:
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● Katy Perry ~ Teenage Dream ● Rihanna ~ Loud ● Taylor Swift ~ Speak Now ● Kesha ~ Animal ● Justin Bieber ~ My World 2.0 ● Bruno Mars ~ Doo-wops And Hooligans ● My Chemical Romance ~ Danger Days ● Taio Cruz ~ Rokstarr ● Nicki Minaj ~ Pink Friday ● Ellie Goulding ~ Lights ● Eminem ~ Recovery ● Robyn ~ Body Talk ● Miley Cyrus ~ Can't Be Tamed ● Train ~ Save Me San Francisco ● Lady A ~ Need You Now ● The Band Perry ~ The Band Perry ● Fefe Dobson ~ Joy ● Maroon 5 ~ Hands All Over ● Selena Gomez & The Scene ~ A Year Without Rain ● Sugarland ~ The Incredible Machine ● Keri Hilson ~ No Boys Allowed ● Sara Bareilles ~ Kaleidoscope Heart ● Usher ~ Raymond V Raymond ● Tinie Tempah ~ Disc-overy ● Miranda Cosgrove ~ Sparks Fly ● Emily Osment ~ Fight Or Flight ● CeeLo Green ~ The Lady Killer ● Drake ~ Thank Me Later ● Mike Posner ~ 31 Minutes To Takeoff ● The Saturdays ~ Headlines ●
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lovelesslittleloser · 10 months ago
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Ah, the year-old question: to listen to Devil’s Train by The Lab Rats, or to listen to What The Hell by Avril Lavigne
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wen-ning · 1 year ago
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do u guys think eminem asks his friends to call him marshall. what would be worse, calling him eminem all the time or fuckin. Marshall. or maybe some other bastardized version of either one. hey marsh how’s it going. oh you should join us for drinks sometime emmy.
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shehzadi · 2 years ago
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hip hop is in a state of nine one one ‼️‼️‼️‼️
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parme-san · 5 months ago
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you can't choose what you click on on tiktok???
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valiwrites · 2 months ago
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incorrect quotes with f1 drivers & y/n
part 2
: ̗̀➛ including: today's drivers & formal/retired drivers : ̗̀➛ warnings: strong language, ooc drivers (i tried to make it as much accurate as i could), lestappen mentioned
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Lando: Wanna see how bad ass i am?
Lando: *punches the wall*
Lando: ...could someone take me to the hospital
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FIA: swear words are illegal now. If you say one, you'll be fined
Max: Heck
FIA: You're on thin fucking ice
Max: Oh no
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Charles: *narrator voice* Monaco. I'ts a rough burrow but hey, it's home
Y/N: You aren't supposed to say narrator voice Charles-
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Michael: Gues what number i'm thinking of
Niki: Four-twenty?
Michael: No, that's really immature of you. Someone else guess and please take this seriously.
Ayrton: Is it sixty-nine?
Michael: Yeah, it was sixty-nine
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Y/N: I don't get why we need racing training. Racing is just like mario kart except you can't throw shells at people.
Sebastian:
Lewis:
Sebastian: Alright, so you're never racing again.
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Charles: Who knew getting in trouble would be so hard
Carlos: I gotta give you credit, Max. You make it look easy.
Max: Years of practice.
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Lewis: Think you can answer some questions without the usual level of sarcasm?
Y/N: If you can ask the questions without the usual level of stupid.
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Daniel, walking up to a dead body: First of all, big mood.
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Max: If we lose, you’re out of the will.
Sergio: I was in the will?
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Ayrton: I have the sharpest memory here - name one time I forgot something!
Y/N: You left me, Michael, and Alain in a Walmart parking lot at 2am a day ago.
Ayrton: I did that on purpose, try again.
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Lando: We got a free day now. What do you wanna do? Eat? Sleep? Nap? Snack?
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Y/N: There's a mental illness among us...
Carlos: Is it imposter syndrome?
Y/N:
Carlos: That was the funniest joke I have ever made in my life, and I feel like you don't appreciate me enough.
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Y/N: Max, no.
Max: Max, yes.
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Y/N: What’s your name?
Ayrton, whispering to Alain: Can I tell them my real name?
Alain: No!
Ayrton: I’m…Alain.
Alain, whispering to himself: The ONE TIME he gets my name right…
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Oscar: Nice rock.
Charles: Thanks, Max gave it to me.
Max: I threw it at you!
Charles: Isn't he the sweetest?
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Y/N: Helpful grammar tip: “farther” is for physical distance, “further” is for methaphorical distance, and “father” is for emotional distance!
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Lando: *closes a cabinet*
*a crash is heard behind the cabinet door*
Charles: What was that?
Lando: The sound of Oscar's problem.
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Carlos: I really like Eminem.
Lando: I prefer skittles.
Y/N: He's are talking about the rapper.
Lando: Why would he eat the wrapper?
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Max: Come on, I wasn't that drunk last night.
Sebastian: You were flirting with Charles.
Max: So what? He's my boyfriend.
Sebastian: You asked him if he's single.
Max:
Sebastian: And then you cried when he said he isn't.
☆ ★ ✮ ★ ☆
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album-tourney · 8 months ago
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Okay so here are the current 32 songs that will be entered into the 2000s music tourney, the next 32 will be determined via submissions
Pokerface by Lady Gaga
Welcome to the Black Parade by My Chemical Romance
Toxic by Britney Spears
Sk8ter Boi by Avril Lavigne
All my Life by Foo Fighters
American Idiot by Green Day
1985 by Bowling for Soup
Take Me Out by Franz Ferdinand
Somebody Told Me by the Killers
Hey There Delilah by Plain White Tees
Feel Good Inc by the Gorillaz
Sugar we're goin down by Fallout Boy
Brave as a noun by AJJ
Hot N Cold by Katy Perry
Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It) by Beyonce
The Dog Days are Over by Florence + the Machine
Seven Nation Army by White Stripes
Kryptonite by 3 Doors Down
She Hates Me by Puddle Of Mudd
Stacy's Mom by Fountains for Wayne
All the Small Things By Blink 182
Since U Been Gone by Kelly Clarkson
Hurt by Johnny Cash
Hey Ya by Outkast
Rehab by Amy Winehouse
Stan by Eminem
Do you realize by The Flaming Lips
Sexyback by Justin Timberlake
Party in the USA by Miley Cyrus
Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me) by Train
Californication by the Red Hot Chili Peppers
Fireflies by Owl city
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awhoreintheory · 6 months ago
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In Eminem's Album "The Eminem Show" he has a song called Business that directly references Batman. He also has repeated references to Robin and Batman's dynamic throughout many of his songs right right are you following my thought train??
So it is logical to assume Eminem either doesn't exist in Peter's home universe or Marvel, or he has entirely different songs with more Marvel based super hero references. (The easier option is he doesn't exist tho)
I just think it'd be neat for Peter to discover Eminem in DC and I have literally no reason other than I love Eminem
Peter, running past Tim at neckbreaking speeds while rapping Rap God: youassumingthatimhumanwhatigottafotogetitthroughtoyouimsuperhuman—
Tim: dear god, Stephanie got to him
Jason, exiting with flair: yeah, good luck with that
Bruce, with a long suffering sigh:
Stephanie, wiping away a single tear: he's glorious
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theclassiccherry · 9 months ago
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class 2-a misc. headcanons
hey, I'm cherry. welcome. recs are open if you're interested. much love, drink some water, and take care babe. (also, a lot of this turned into their music tastes, so??)
tw: language, but that’s expected w me
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-Todoroki and Momo are both well traveled, having been to multiple countries, and at one point or another becomes something the two share about with one another.
-Deku absolutely had a fnaf phase.
-It's canon Bakugou likes romance novels; however, sharks I present to you: Bakugou watches Bridgerton. Send tweet.
-Mina has a fake and has used it to buy alcohol; however, this doesn't work so well after the sports festival after she's disclosed as a first year.
-I saw someone posted that Bakugou is a Kendrick Lamar fan, so whoever originally posted that, full credit to you (if you know, please comment and I'll tag them) -- I'd like to add he's a Future, Metro, 21 Savage, and The Weeknd fan as well, and you bet your ass he's training to The Hills, 10 Freaky Girls, and Mask Off.
-Bakugou has a skin care routine.
-Kirishima knows 'Unwritten' by Natasha Bedingfield by heart. If it gets played, he gets into that shit.
-There's a speaker system in Gym Gamma, and everyone takes turns on aux whenever there's a class practice. Songs that get played most are as follows:
Surround Sound by JID, 21 Savage, and Baby Tate
Without Me by Eminem
Literally anything that's by Rihanna, Pitbull, Nicki Minaj, Cardi B, or Blackpink
m.A.A.d city by Kendrick Lamar
10 Freaky Girls by 21 Savage and Metro Boomin
Not Like Us by Kendrick Lamar
(idk I feel like rap goes hard when you're training to kick ass, yk)
Livin' on a Prayer by Bon Jovi (one of kiri's favorite songs)
yk Smooth Operator by Sade too 😭
-After the drake disses, no one is allowed to play drake, it gets vetoed almost immediately. however when not like us comes on, everyone holds the 'A MINORRR' and it's fucking gold
-Bakugou, Mina, Jirou, and Kirishima are primarily in control of the music cause the class tends to like whatever they play, but if enough people yell skip, the song gets vetoed.
-Deku could roast the shit out of someone if he chose to, like if you put him in Wild'n'Out he'd gut bitches, he's just too nice and keeps his mouth shut 99.9% of the time. Considering he knows so much about people, their habits, and quirks, he's also unintentionally got dirt on people. All of saying is, Deku could 1000% pull a Kendrick Lamar and end someone's career if he just decided to.
-Inko Midoriya brings food over to the class dorms for those who choose to remain in the dorms. She's the emergency contact for like, half of the class, and is essentially everyone's mom. If something's wrong, Momma Midoriya is already in the mom van and on the way.
-Mitsuki is a wine mom. Tell me I'm wrong. I'll wait.
-Kirishima has like, 50 flavors of protein powder. it's all stacked neatly on a shelf in his dorm.
-Kaminari has been banned from the kitchen, he's too much of a liability once he starts 'cooking'.
-Sato keeps a cookie jar, and bakes fresh cookies every couple days - it lives in the kitchen off to the side. He's also just really laid back, and if you're on your cycle and have a specific pastry you're craving, if you ask, he'll make it for you fresh if he has the time.
-Kirishima is a hugger and if you've had a bad day, and need a hug, just hug him. He'll sit there and hold you as long as you need, stating it's, "manly to hug it out!"
-Deku also gives amazing hugs, but is too shy to do so with people he's not close with.
-Mina and Hagakure host dance parties every Friday night for the girlies. No boys are allowed, but Aoyama is invited because he's fabulous.
-Bakugou, Kirishima, Kaminari, and Sero play Fortnite and COD together. Kirishima called them the 'Baku-squad' once and that's when that term was first coined by the group (in my headcanons). Bakugou secretly likes that it's named after him.
-Deku, Tsu, Uraraka, Todoroki and Ilda have a Minecraft server together. Deku built a massive All Might and proceeded to live in it, Tsu has a hut by the mangroves, Uraraka lives in the cherry biome, and then Todoroki and Ilda have this really organized massive house in a spruce forrest. When everyone saw it for the first time, they all went, "holy shit...". Lest to say it soon becomes the HQ of the server when they suit up for the ender dragon fight.
-Speaking of Minecraft, Deku builds the most elaborate red stone you've ever seen, but cannot explain how and what he built to save his life. He also owns all of the Minecraft books that came out in like, 2016.
-Aizawa lives on Melatonin gummies, black coffee, and shear force of will. I also feel like at one point in his early 20s he smoked cigarettes then quit.
-Sero's hammock is something he keeps as a privilege after Bakugou broke it.
-Bakugou just happens to 'make too much' food and happens to make sure his friends have eaten properly.
-Present Mic is a die hard Mitsuki fan.
-Aizawa genuinely loves his students and does little things for them. Like at graduation, there's a small note from him to each student in their diplomas for them to find later. It's personalized for each of them, but he gives his personal contact to all in case they ever need anything (he would drop everything and help but he won't say that out loud).
-If Bakugou or Midoriya ever got ahold of Thor's hammer, they'd both be worthy. Bakugou more-so at the end of the series than the beginning. Kirishima could also lift it depending on the situation.
-Mineta's been sent to detention multiple times for looking up things he should NOT be googling on the school WiFi. Aizawa is really sick of his shit, he refuses to even look at the links anymore cause it's bad, and so he just lectures him like a hopeless parent and then gives the Chromebook back lmao
-Aizawa uses his body wash as face wash and has flawless skin.
-If Denki was a vine, he’d be the *calling roll call* “Uh, Shithead?” “It’s pronounced shi-thead”
copyright © @theclassiccherry
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therealcocoshady · 8 months ago
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Meeting Marshall Mathers
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Author’s Note : Hi guys 💕. I’ve been thinking about ways a potential Reader might meet the one and only Marshall Mathers. Maybe for future one shots. Enjoy these little prompts ! 😉 If you’re a writer yourself and decide to use one of these, tag me !
Meet cute
* The two of you live in the same neighborhood. You meet while walking your dogs, and the two of them absolutely adore each other !
* You go to an Eminem meet and greet and he recognizes you from some viral TikTok you did of one of his songs.
* You’re a model and you end up booking a job for a music video. You find out on the day of that it’s Eminem… and that he’s the one who personally chose you !
* You’re a vendor for the wedding of one of his daughters.
* You’re an interior designer and you are hired for the renovation of one room. He ends up hiring you so to the whole house. Not because it needs it. But because he needs an excuse to see you.
* One of his friends follows you on Instagram. Marshall sees you on his friend’s phone and asks them to set up a blind date.
* You’re rapping one of Marshall’s song in your car… before noticing that he’s in the car next to yours.
Meet Ugly
* Marshall adopted a dog he attempts to train, but the « beast » attacks you.
* Your husband cheats on you with his girlfriend. You meet when you both have the same plan to follow your partner to the hotel room they booked.
* Your daughter is in the same class as one of his. You meet when you’re called into the principal’s office because the girls had a fight.
* The two of you are set up on a blind date. Marshall shows up late and you berate him for it.
* You have a fender bender and you insult him and his gaudy, ridiculous luxury car.
* You’re at a party with friends and he overhears you bashing one of his tracks or albums.
* You’re dating a rapper he has beef with, who name-dropped Hailie in a song. So Marshall name-dropped you.
* It’s 2007 and you’re a nurse at the rehab center Marshall enters after his overdose.
* Someone breaks into your new house and you run to your neighbor’s for help in nothing but a towel. Turns out… Marshall’s your neighbor.
* It’s in the early 2000s. Marshall is wasted and gets in a bar fight. He throws a punch to someone but accidentally knocks you out.
* You meet at a football game. He supports the Lions. You’re cheering for the 49ers.
* You work at a venue he performs at and his bodyguard mistakes you for a fan who broke in and attempts to throw you out.
* Stuck in an elevator and you have a panic attack.
* There is some mix up at a hotel you’re staying at and he’s given a key to your suite instead of his. You meet when he walks in on you in your underwear.
* Some luggage confusion happens at the airport. You end up with each others suitcase and have to meet to do the exchange.
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hikari-kaitou · 2 years ago
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This is Phoenix and Edgeworth's profiles as imagined by character designer Ms. Suekane. We got quite different answers from her compared to Takumi and the others!!
Phoenix's profile
Birthday: Maybe a Virgo? I kinda get the feeling he was born in September.
Blood type: O type. His attitude towards Maya and his fairly easygoing nature give me that impression.
Birthplace: Saitama, maybe? It's close to Tokyo but not on the same level because it's more rural. Maybe Saitama or Chiba or Ibaraki? But Takumi-san is from Saitama? Well, let's go with Saitama, then.
Non-work clothes: A hoodie. I want Phoenix to like wearing hoodies (lol). I can't think of anything else that would suit him. On the bottom, he'd wear cargo pants.
Living situation: He lives at his office. He's got a locker there where he keeps blankets and stuff to sleep on.
On his days off: He does nothing. He kinda just spaces out in the morning, then when noon comes he eats lunch and watches TV. When evening comes, he eats dinner, watches more TV, bathes, and sleeps. But if someone invites him out then he'll go.
Hobbies: Video games and stuff. Like fighting games (lol). I can see him with his controller going "tap tap tap tap" and smashing out combos. He might also play Dragon Quest or Final Fantasy or those types of games.
Favorite food: He's omnivorous. He'll eat whatever but he's kinda happy when there's meat in it. He loves meat.
Luxury foods: Diet cola. Beef jerky would be fine too (lol). He drinks alcohol but it doesn't show on his face much. Not beer, but like Japanese hot sake (lol)
Sports: Swimming. In general he's useless at sports but he'd be like "swimming is the only thing I'm good at." He seems like he'd get a little excited while talking about swimming.
Music: He doesn't listen to music. He'll go to karaoke if someone brings him, though.
Cellphone: He updates it fairly regularly, but because he always waits for the price to go down, he always ends up with one that's two models behind (lol).
His part time job in college: Something loose, because he doesn't commit himself to things… Like maybe he worked at a convenience store.
His type: I feel like he dreams about someone with abstract qualities like being "kind" or "domestic". Just thinking about those words gets him all starry-eyed and sighing (lol).
Edgeworth's profile
Birthday: He's an Aries, which means he was born on April 2nd or later. Let's go with April 2nd (lol).
Blood type: Type AB, because I feel like his emotions kinda have peaks and valleys.
Birthplace: Chiba. At first I thought Ace Attorney took place in Soga (a city in Chiba Prefecture).
Non-work clothes: A jacket, but not like a suit jacket, more like a casual one. Like from Paul Smith or something.
Living situation: A normal apartment. A lot of his furniture is Japanese handicraft stuff, and I feel like he'd put a lot of money into making his place feel Japanese.
On his days off: He goes shopping or on walks and has an elegant lunch. If he drives a car, it would be a silver one (lol).
Hobbies: Collecting western antiques and Japanese handicrafts.
Favorite food: Taro and meat soup (imoni). He has a favorite deli in his neighborhood that makes it.
Luxury foods: Whiskey. He enjoys it on the rocks.
Sports: He used to play soccer, but now he does weight training. He's got a defined six-pack.
Music: jazz. He listens to it while drinking his whiskey. Eminem fills him with rage.
Cellphone: A normal one. He uses his computer to send emails so he really only uses it to talk.
His part time job in college: Administrative assistant. He'd help with paperwork only when the office was really busy.
His type: Someone who doesn't lie to him. I have nothing in particular to add to that.
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sonnyaavce · 8 months ago
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DP x DC Prompt # 9
Mockingbird - Eminem
Damian remembers the hugs; the secrets escapades to his al'akh side, when he would secretly sneak up to his older brother alcove to sleep in the cold nights back at the compound. Once he managed to disarm all the traps, his brother would open up his cover to invite him in, Damian would gladly do it, without a doubt, nuzzle into his al'akh warm embraces and sleep soundly and peacefully for the night.
“Hush little borealis, go rest now, everything’s gonna be alright” 
His bother would them hum a rhythm and run his finger through his hair, mumbling promises to him about giving Damian the childhood he didn’t have, about how he was going to free the both of them from the twisted clutches of his Grandfather and to never worry as he was always going to be there for him to protect him. In all honesty at that time, Damian didn’t fully understood it, what those words meant. What their purpose was.
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“Where’s Danyal?” He would ask his mother one afternoon after training under the scorching sun, finally asking as it has been too long since he came back from the mission and his al'akh hasn’t returned yet “where is he?” 
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“Now rest, little borealis, don't you cry everything's gonna be alright don’t break up yet, lil soldier, I told ya I’m here to hold ya through the night”
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“He’s not here habibi …” Talía answer him stoically, her words coldly apathetic to his increasing panic. So, Damian knew his older brother had made a mess in the final explosion and the escape route but that wasn’t a plausible excuse; so he pressed on, demanding an legitimate answer if not from mother then from grandfather.
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“ I know big brother not here right now, and you might don't know why Sorry for making it feel like how we feel inside It may seem a little crazy, baby bother  But I promise akhi gon' be alright”
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“He perished while endangering the  reconnaissance” Ra’ Al Ghul would finally said, after receiving beat down from him one morning while ‘training the heir’. 
Shakingly; later Damian would remember how his arms and legs were tingling with an unknown emotion, walking out with haste out of the training room into the heirs alcoves, frenzied and in a panic. Hoping that what Grandfather said was a jest; or even a cruel test but his hopes crushes when he was meet by an empty room and some dusted out crates full of Danyal stuff. 
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“… And even if you don’t you ask me to Akhi gonna get you a mockingbird I'ma give you the whole world Dami
I’ll do anything for you to see you smile”
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“N-no… al'akh…. Danny?”
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masterpost [prev]
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ohsohoney · 5 months ago
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When it comes to love you're just as blinded.
Part Fourteen
Eminem x Musician
Summary: It starts with a drunk embarrassing video, it spirals into something a whole lot more.
Note: Been a little while but the next updates here! Lots to unpack, hope you enjoy it:)
| Set in 2014, just after the release of LP 2
taglist: @thelastemzy @helloitsme1223 @geekchic48
Masterlist
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Things after that seemingly did a 360.
Not that I was given much of a chance to catch up with it all though, having been left standing in the studio hours earlier, back to the wall whilst the door hinges had slowly creaked to a close. 
No, because that would have been far too much to ask for.
Marshall had relaxed in a way that was more like a steel trap being reset; ready and waiting to be crossed again. It had me on edge. I couldn’t deny that, seeing as I knew what could be lying in wait for me if I did dare to trample any closer, but there was also an ominous instinct that had my back up. Something that kept me from lingering too long. 
“What’s goin’ on in there?” The man himself asked, tapping my forehead as he slid back into the driver's seat. 
We’d gone out, as promised, not long after ‘The Change’ had occurred (something I’d taken to dubbing the whole situation as inside my head). Rosie hadn’t forgotten about her idea of dinner and a movie– and really… Of all the things we could have possibly done after a kiss like that, it just had to be this.
Honestly, I had to keep biting the inside of my cheek to stop that particular train of thought each time I found my mind wandering back to it.
“Yoo-hoo…” Marshall dragged out, his brow arching as he glanced over at me again. 
Z was in the back typing away, having become completely unaware of our shared awkward existence ever since her sister had first called whilst we’d been eating dinner. The girl had taken to texting throughout, telling Ayla all about the heroics Marshall had performed that same morning in the principal's office, as well as the movie we were now headed to see. I had to smile at their closeness, thinking back to my own siblings and wondering how Em struggled to see just how much the two girls loved one another.
I glanced over at him, head rolling against the headrest. He was watching me with those familiar baby blues, but each time I caught sight of them, I was instantly reminded of the way they’d clouded over in the studio earlier.
“Thinking ‘bout getting a cat.”
His brow furrowed. 
“A cat?” He deadpanned, obviously perplexed by my answer.
I wasn’t actually thinking about it, but now that I’d gone and said it… it wasn’t half a bad idea.
So I ultimately shrugged, if only in an attempt to tear my eyes away from his. “Cats are cool.” 
At his scoff of disagreement, I nudged his arm off of the adjoining console with my elbow, “They are.” I defended, “They don’t need me to walk them or play fetch. They’re cute and fluffy, can definitely keep me warm at night.” I hummed, that eyebrow of his quirked up higher. “And besides, I reckon it could keep me company when I’m back in London, you know. Figure I’ll have a hard time with that after having you two around for so long– even with Lotts there to keep me from going insane.”
Marshall kept quiet at the acknowledgement, but did start up the car, its engine rumbling to life beneath us not a second later. 
It was just when I heard his faint intake of breath and caught the way he opened his mouth to speak, that Rosie shoved her phone in my face, her beaming grin peeking out over my shoulder. “Ayla, meet El!”
I blinked at the sudden invasion I’d been confronted with but couldn’t help my warm laughter, even as Em gently scolded his daughter for the intrusion. “Z, what I keep tellin’ you?”
“But Dad, it’s important!”
My gaze flickered between the two of them and it was only when I drew my eyes back down to where the screen sat between us that I saw the fondness which had since swarmed my expression. I tried to dampen it slightly without being too obvious, but the girl waiting seemed to be watching the whole scene rather intently. She smiled though when she saw she’d finally captured my attention. All soft like.
My breath caught a little in truth, never really having thought about getting to meet Marshall’s eldest this early on, or through a screen either. Rosie didn’t seem to care much though, elbowing her way between the two front seats to get as much as she could  of us into the frame. 
“Layly, baby!” Marshall’s greeting cut in before I could spit out a hello, his little nickname for his girls sparking that same fondness I’d felt earlier. “How you doin’, Trailer? Behavin’, I hope.”
I blew out a small snort at the next nickname he used, turning an amused smile Marshall’s way, but his focus was wholly on the girl currency rolling her eyes at him through a digital frame. “You know I am.” Ayla huffed around a faint chuckle, leaning in closer to the lens, “School keeps me way too busy to get up to anything stupid.”
“What I love to hear.” Marshall replied with a sarky sort of smile, a new one that I could add to my growing collection, I quietly deemed. “You been good though?” He prompted further, “Don’t have to stop by and talk to any hanger-ons, do I? ‘Cause you know I will.”
“Yes, I know.” Ayla shook her head, exasperated, but her sweet smile was still so prominent. “Besides, I think you guys have had enough drama going on lately.”
Marshall’s eyes traitorously jumped over to meet mine in that split second, something I thought only I caught until I witnessed the assessing look Ayla took on. So I was quick to clear my throat, internally cursing his name, “I don’t know what Z’s told you, but the two of us? We’re innocent! This is all on your Dad.”
That seemed to earn me a lighthearted laugh, one that trickled out of the speaker and appeared to loosen Marshall’s tense set of shoulders. The man in turn levelled Rosie and I with an aggrieved look before he turned to speak to Ayla once more, “It’s like I’m a one man army here, AB. Didn’t think I’d ever lose Z, but she’s gone darkside.”
“Dad!” Rosie admonished around another giggle, whilst Ayla gasped theatrically, “Oh how the tables have turned. What will the papers say?”
“Hilarious.” Marshall said in a manner that was deliberately impassive. But he still cracked a smile though when Ayla’s chuckles trickled through.
“Good to see you guys,” She commented soon after and I got the chance to look at her a little closer, taking in the college dorm she had sitting behind her, as well as the blue of her eyes. They were more almond shaped, sure, but somehow the colour still managed to match Marshall’s toe for toe. “And to finally meet you, El. I’ve heard a lot about you these last few weeks.”
A sharp breath hitched my chest. “Only good things, I hope.” I found myself retorting around a rosy smile, knocking my head lightly against Z’s when the girl crowded in further to my side, her chin settling on my shoulder, “But it’s also really nice to put a face to all the stories I’ve been told, too.”
Ayla gifted me a bright grin at that, her gaze drifting between Rosie and I, “No hope in praying that it’s nothing too embarrassing then?”
I couldn’t stop the way I instinctively turned to share a secretive grin with the girl beside me, pleased when Rosie mimicked me to do the same. “I don’t know about that, I’ve heard all about the grocery store you see.”
The gasp that the comment drew from the older girl was all too real that time, “I was seven!”
“Seven don’t mean nothin’,” Em swiftly cut in, narrowing his eyes ever so as he directed a finger at the phone and his eldest, “You’d been potty trained since you were two.”
Rosie and I snickered between ourselves, but Marshall caught onto it all too quickly, moving to shift that finger towards the pair of us, “Aye, you two ain’t no better. Ms Bedwetter and Pillow-drewler.”
“Hey!” Rosie immediately spat, thumping the man’s shoulder hard enough to have the corners of his mouth twitching even as his brows rose, “That was years ago! And you said you wouldn’t tell nobody!”
Marshall’s hands flew up in a gesture of surrender when his daughter narrowed her eyes in further scrutiny, but I could tell that Z wasn’t as embarrassed as she was letting on to be, knew it to be true when she added, “You also said it was natural! That you didn’t stop doin’ it ‘til you were fourteen!”
Em’s chin jerked up before he softened his reaction, though his eyes were a tad bit too wide to have not been entirely caught off guard by the secret his daughter had just spilled, “Jus’ said that to make you feel better.”
His shrug wasn’t all that uncaring as he hoped for it to be. 
“Liar!” Rosie laughed, poking her dad’s side before she turned to peer back over at her sister and me, “He really did, promised he wouldn’t tell on me if I didn’t tell on him either. But he’s a big fat liar.”
“Name of your next single.” I quipped thoughtlessly, the comment going straight over Rosie’s head. Em shot me a steely glare and faked a silent laugh though, his lips softening into a small smile. 
It was after that in which Marshall’s palm pressed against Rosie’s forehead, jokingly coaxing her into the backseat once again, waving off her protests as she slumped into the middle. “Yeah, yeah, keep complainin’ and we’ll miss this damn movie, won’t we.”
“Dollar!” Two voices called out and I peered into the back to see Z snicker into the phone, the screen Ayla was still on illuminating her face. 
Marshall scoffed at the two girls but I could see how he was grinning happily to himself as we pulled out of the lot and onto the main road. 
It continued to surprise me how easily he could move throughout the city without looking at a map or using the GPS he had installed in the flashy monster-truck he was so fond of. I kept finding myself getting lost in the way he drove, in truth, stare caught on how the streetlights flashed over his stubbled cheek and the fluid way he switched gears as though the stick was an extension of his arm. 
It was only when Rosie popped up with another question that I found myself startling, looking back to immediately avoid the knowing smile Marshall had plastered over his face. Shit.
“What’s the movie called again? Ayla wants to know if it’s the same one she’s watching this weekend.”
I had to think for a second before I could answer her, my mind still honed in on the image of Em’s profile, “Love, Rosie.”
Z’s face split into a wide grin, her eyes squinting with the strength of it as she repeated the answer back to her sister, talking a mile a minute about how we were only going to see that film over The Book of Life because it had her name in the title. 
I settled back into my seat easily enough and fiddled with the radio to keep myself from acknowledging my previous leering, hoping that the drive would be over all too quickly. Only, things never typically tended to go my way.
Jerking ever so, my straying gaze snapped back over to where Em was still watching the road, as though all of his attention was stuck there, and that wasn’t his hand on my upper thigh. 
It was less than a second later that I let my eyes shift up into the rearview mirror, a breath of relief escaping me when I realised Rosie hadn’t caught the exchange, or see the lines her Dad was crossing. 
I licked the back of the teeth and willed myself to relax at the touch, taking a small breath before I looked back over at the man in question. When I did, I found myself narrowing my stare at the slight smirk Marshall wore, apparently rather pleased with the reaction he’d garnered. 
Still, my mind was warring with my want. I couldn’t wrap my head around the hot and cold, the way he’d push me away and then pull me in, how I’d thought about leaving to escape the icy shift and then been backed into a wall– literally.
I didn’t push his hand away though, and that in itself spoke volumes. 
I couldn’t tell how he meant the touch, was he trying to be teasing? Or was it just a show of reassurance for the unexpected conversation started with Ayla? Had it been something he’d been wanting to do for a while now, or was this all just a game?
He squeezed, ever so slightly. 
My eyes slipped closed.
His thumb brushed over the bump of my knee and I let myself melt into the firm hold.
It felt unnatural not to.
The hand didn’t travel, only moved away and then back each time it jumped up to the gearstick. I found myself, once again, wanting the journey to be over, whilst simultaneously hoping that it would never end.
The touch grounded me.
But it pulled away when the theatre came into view.
“Can't believe The Marshall Mathers is planning on watching a chick-flick.” I taunted playfully as we made our way up onto the pavement outside the red and gold doors, the joke only made to keep me from wanting to reach out and slide his hand into mine. Because I didn’t do that, I didn’t like all that sappy shit. I didn’t want to be holding his fucking hand, or have him drape his arm around me. It was just the moment, just that kiss fucking with my head.
Marshall feigned a put upon sigh, that hand of his coming up by his brow in an attempt to swoon. “Lord strike me down.”
I laughed outwardly, Rosie glancing back over her shoulder at us as she tugged at the heavy handle. “You’re not looking forward to it, Daddy?”
Shooting me a semi-sour look, Marshall let a lazy smirk crawl over his face just as he reached out to steady the door above Z’s head, “Nah I am, baby. Lia’s jus’ makin’ fun of the big manly guy.”
“Who?” Rosie asked in utter sincerity, enough that it had me cackling outright on the pavement outside. Em shook his head at the two of us, attempting to remain unamused but failing as reaching out to take my hand, tugging me through the open doors. 
Z was still looking confused by it all when I managed to calm slightly, but her smile was soft as ever as her eyes lingered over the pair of us. It was then I realised Marshall’s hand was still in mine. He must have realised it too, because he let it go and coughed quietly into his arm before gesturing his chin out towards the concession stands. “So we gettin’ some popcorn or what?”
And with that, Rosie’s sole focus was on getting exactly that.
I ended up trailing after her whilst Marshall went and grabbed us some tickets, keeping an eye on her shorter frame as she weaved around a tall shelf to get a look at the array of sweets. There weren’t too many people about, but I still found myself glancing back over towards Em to see if anyone had sussed him out yet.
“What’re you gonna get?”
My head snapped back at Rosie’s ask, eyes dancing over the grin she bore before flickering between her own. I glanced over the collection the theatre had to offer, surprised by the obvious differences I could see.
“Me and my sister had this thing,” I started to answer, reaching out to pluck a familiar bag from off the hook, “Where each time we would go to the cinema we’d just end up getting a big bucket of popcorn to share and dump a whole load of M&M’s or Magicstars inside. If the popcorn’s still warm the chocolate tends to melt a little.”
Rosie scrunched her nose, either in distaste or just thought. “Sweet or salted?” Was the next question she posed and it hastily reminded me of the same one Marshall had asked that very first night I’d spent with them.
“Salted.” Smirking slightly at the way her eyes lit up.
“You made the right choice.” Z claimed with a nod and wiggled her brows before she spun around the heel of her foot to make her way over to the short line.
We ended up getting a large popcorn to share. At first, I figured it wouldn’t be enough for the three of us until I saw the container we were handed, then I was just beyond baffled at how different the portion sizes were in The States compared to back in London. 
Once we’d paid, Rosie and I wandered over to a corner to dump the contents of the chocolate I’d picked up into it, Z having so much fun with it that a good couple dozen of M&M’s rolled over the ugly patterned floor. When Marshall strolled back over, he was wearing a questionable expression but holding onto three tickets.
“Should I even ask?” He quizzed, peering into the overloaded bucket. The look he wore turned somewhat appraising once Z explained and he was quick to steal a taste of our concoction, earning a tap to the arm in rebuke.
“Hey, hands off, bright eyes. Popcorn’s for the trailers, not here.”
“Bright eyes?” Marshall questioned, the left corner of his mouth lifting, but his ask was drowned out by Z’s, “The trailers? Dad always makes us wait ‘til the movie starts!” 
I snorted and held out the bucket so that Rosie could take a great big handful, “We’ve long since discovered your Dad’s a little neurotic, lovely. We just gotta love him for it.”
Rosie’s laugh was warm as she peered up at Marshall. But his eyes were caught on me and he almost appeared frozen before Z leaned into his side, “Can we head in now?” She wondered, chewing away.
“Uh, yeah.” Em seemed to stumble, before he blinked and leaned down to press his lips to the top of her head, “Think we made it just in time.”
..
Love, Rosie was a film I could have lived without watching, I wouldn’t lie. It was like every other Romcom I’d seen a thousand times before. And yet, I loved every single second of it. 
We were stationed in the far back, on the side closest to the stairs, Rosie perched between Marshall and I, her legs swinging back and forth. Throughout the whole film her attention remained captured, never wavering as her big doe eyes stayed locked on the screen with such reverence that it warmed my entire being. 
Marshall wasn’t much better either, in truth. Something which humoured me to no end. Whenever he wasn’t glancing at me from over the top of Z’s head or stealing the popcorn from out of my hand each time I reached into the bucket, his eyes didn’t stray from the heartfelt scenes as they played out. 
It was a strange conclusion to come to, that Marshall loved a good old fashioned Romcom as much as his daughter did, but it was a fact that went and nestled itself in between my ribs, where all the other little quirks the man had went to stay. 
It was only as we were leaving, Rosie talking a mile a minute about the ending and how she thought it sucked, that he reached out again in the dimly lit corridor that led us back to the main lobby, only this time he didn’t have the excuse of stealing any popcorn from me when his fingers slipped into mine.
I tried not to show how surprised I was by the action as I looked over at him, grateful that we were the last ones to filter out of the screening room so that no one else noticed when I let my feet slide closer to his so that our shoulders could brush.
They were such simple actions, ones that would be second nature to most people, but that meant a great deal to me. Because see, I’d never really been the type to be overly affectionate, having hated hugs or anything of the sort once Danny had grown too old for them. Well, up until Lottie had come along. And most of the people I’d been with over the years had seemed to struggle with that, even when I’d pushed myself into reciprocating, when I’d forced myself out of my comfort zone to make them happy. But here and now, it felt natural.
Most things with Marshall did, I deemed. Even us arguing.
Our hands parted just before we could step through the end doors, his thumb brushing over my wrist as our eyes adjusted to the vast change in light.
Rosie was rubbing at hers when I glanced over, her too large drink squashed in the crook of her arm. Marshall seemed to follow my gaze because he reached out to loop her into his side not a second later, peering down at her. “I want you takin’ notes, you hear?” He mentioned in reference to the film, his smile now sly, “None of that’s gone be happenin’ in your future, girlie. You wanna get married? I better be dead. And don’t even think ‘bout havin’ no babies ‘til you start gettin’ grey hairs, okay?”
Z rolled her eyes in response to her father's shakedown, shaking her head up at me in silent camaraderie. “You just don't want people to see you cry.” She poked fun, her grin turning evil, “But we all saw the tears when she started her speech, Dad!”
“Lies.” Em scoffed back at her, pushing her away and out of his hold. Rosie didn’t much care though as she laughed her way into mine, head coming to rest on my upper arm.
“Me? I always tell the truth. Even when I lie.” Was the retort she gave him, one that had me snorting on a laugh when Marshall raised a brow and turned towards me.
“Think we left Z inside,” He said, “seems Tony Montana here figures he’s comin’ home with us.” 
I couldn’t help the giggles that escaped me at all the references, especially when Rosie pursed her lips and drooped her eyes slightly, holding her arms out wide like Al Picino did in the famous movie, “Last time you gonna see a bad guy like me.”
Even Em couldn’t hold back the large snort he made at the little act she’d put on for us, shaking his head at her antics before he pointed a finger at her, “Last time you watch a movie with me, I swear.”
Rosie’s jaw dropped just a tad, “But it’s Scarface!”
“Exactly.” Was the only reply Marshall gave. 
I lifted a hand to give Z’s shoulder a squeeze, smiling stupidly when she wrapped an arm around my waist to pull me into a lazy hug. The pair of them continued with their little face-off though until I was promptly reminded of the thing that had been bugging me throughout the end of the film, “Go and head out to the car, Tony. Those petrol cans you lot call drinks had me needing to pee like yesterday.”
Amused, Marshall shook his head at the comment, though his eyes were fond when he reached out to steer Rosie back over to him, “You need us to hang about, or?”
Rolling my eyes at his protective streak, I smiled and simply waved him off. “I’m sure I’ll survive a trip to the loo��s. I’ll try to make it quick.”
His lips thinned slightly but he acquiesced easily enough, navigating Z over towards the exit whilst I slipped into the nearest corridor dotted with bathroom signs. I was beyond grateful when I found the line not to be too long, just an older woman waiting for the end stall to free as well as a mother and her baby stood by the sink.
It was only once I’d dried my hands and fixed my hat in the mirror that I felt a slight prickle on the back of my neck. I looked up as the bathroom door swung shut behind the young mother to find a new face stood off to the right just behind me. I caught their eye in the reflection and felt my own snap back down rather quickly, pretending to not notice their sudden fixation as I casually wiped down the front of my hoodie and turned to leave.
It was a cough and then a light ‘Excuse me’ that had me glancing back on instinct, only to find the same girl suddenly right there. I blinked in shock at her sudden proximity and rocked back on my foot to put a bit of space between us, but the smile I gave her wasn’t unkind.
“Sorry,” She apologised, seeming to realise, though she didn’t look all that sheepish, even with having accosted me in the theatre’s tiny bathroom, “Just, can I get a picture and like, an autograph maybe? I spotted you by the register earlier, but lost you in the crowd.”
I never minded the odd signature and a picture was done easily enough too, but Detroit was currently supposed to be my best kept secret and knowing that this girl had already spotted me, likely with Em, didn’t do much to ease the sudden anxiety I started to feel. 
Still, I grinned, unable to turn her down, “Sure thing, maybe we can grab it outside though? I doubt you’d want a selfie in the loo’s.” I tried for a light chuckle and was pleased when she laughed around an excited nod, exhaling slowly.
So we headed out of the bathroom and I posed for a picture against the white wall there, smile drooping a little the longer she kept snapping away, having gathered a little under thirty or so different photo variations. I ended up signing her phone case for her afterwards though and was thankful when nobody else seemed to crop up and spot me. 
It was just as I’d done dotting the i in my name that she shifted ever so. 
“I never thought I’d get to meet you, but really, you’re like one of my favourite artists. I think I know your whole album off by heart.”
My anxiety eased at her sweet words and my smile was sincere when I handed her phone back to her. “That’s really lovely to hear. I know getting to see some of you guys here in The States is always a little up and down because of touring, so I’m just glad we got to meet.” I assured her kindly before lightly teasing, “Never had someone say hello to me in the toilets of a cinema though. Guess there’s a first time for everything.”
She laughed loudly and gave me a light shrug, “I’d say I was sorry again but I really didn’t wanna miss you, especially when I saw you out there with your boyfriend.”
My mouth went dry at her words, but the girl didn’t seem to notice, continuing to ramble on.
“Was that his sister with you guys, or yours? I know you have one, right? People say she’s a lot younger than you, but then they also claim she’s your kid too. The internet is so crazy sometimes. Still, he’s real cute from what I saw! Are you telling people about you guys soon or keeping it lowkey?”
I was grasping at straws trying to find words. To simply recall my media training and the lengthy speeches Mila had given me. But nothing sprung to mind. It was like a cesspit full of disease that ate each and every thought that attempted to grow. 
“I don’t mind not saying anything to anyone if you don’t want me to.” The girl tacked on shortly after and I would have figured that she had quickly gathered that she’d caught me by total surprise there, but she was looking at me so closely that I could easily tell it wasn’t anything of the sort. It was like an eagle scoping out their prey.
“Um,” I swallowed, before finally plastering on something like a smile, “No, it’s– He’s not my boyfriend, just a– a family friend. But yeah, I’d prefer it if you didn’t mention it. At all. Please.”
Her eyes were wide when she nodded back at me, but her lips were curled into an insincere sort of grin that plucked my anxiety straight back up out of the cage I’d wrangled it into. 
“Of course, you can count on me.” It was with that in which she tugged me into a hug that had her hand settling on my waist, before I forced myself to step back.
I knew my smile had to have been less than flattering by that point, but I nodded anyway and waved at her as I backed down the hallway and crossed the lobby in a light jog, pulling my hat down lower over my face. It was only once I’d made it through the exit doors that I hurried to swallow the cold air that immediately hit me, throwing a startled glance back over my shoulder when the doors opened again, grateful to note that it wasn’t the same girl.
My eyes scanned the parking lot and it was a second later that I saw Marshall step out of the car parked across the street, his face furrowed under the shadow of his cap as he waved me over. I went, but something must have shown on my own face because he moved to meet me halfway, extending a hand out towards my arm the second he could.
He dipped his chin to catch my eye when we came to a stop and I wondered why he suddenly looked so uneasy. “What happened?”
My eyes snapped up to meet his and I blinked, still somewhat startled, “Nothing, it’s fine.”
“It’s ain’t.” He insisted, “You look like you’re gone be sick.”
I blew out another heavy breath and forced myself to calm the fuck down, “Honest, it was nothing. Just me overreacting.”
Marshall levelled me with a look before he sighed, “I know you. You don’t over-fucking-react like this. What went on?”
“Marsh, please. It was just a weird, I don’t know, encounter.” I tried, attempting to look past him to the car, “A fan that said was a bit too friendly, you know?”
I watched his jaw twitch. “What, in the bathroom?”
I sighed and lifted a hand up to rub at my cheek, “Just, can we leave it? Please. I just wanna go home. I’ll tell you then.”
Marshall watched me for a long second and for a moment I really thought he was going to argue, that he’d push, but instead he just gave a minute nod and wrapped an arm around me to lead us back to the car.
Surprisingly, Em didn’t head straight for the passenger side door and so I was greeted by the bright grin of a lovely little face when he ushered me into the backseat, seemingly knowing I needed a friendly face right then.
“What took you so long!” Rosie exclaimed the second she saw me, already shuffling over to make room whilst Marshall helped me inside, lingering a second longer to make sure that I really was fine before shutting the door and moving towards the drivers side.
“There was a long line,” I dragged out with a teasing smile whilst Em started the engine, “Think someone had a bad batch of nachos or something.”
Rosie’s face wrinkled into a grimace at my words and so when I met Marshall’s heavy stare in the rearview mirror the anxiety I felt was already starting to ebb. He gifted me a soft smile and it was then that I knew how well and truly fucked I was, because my heart stuttered.
The peace didn’t seem to last long though.
Not when I woke up the next morning to a thousand different notifications and my face plastered all over TMZ.
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marshallsgirl · 29 days ago
Text
Hidden Harmony
Pairing: Eminem x Fem¡Reader
Warnings: 🔞 MATURE READ AT YOUR OWN RISK
Recommended song: The Slim Shady LP Album
Author's note: Hey, guys! I missed you so much. A lot has happened. Last year, I graduated from college with honors! And now I'm studying again. Yes. Sometimes I just ask myself: Why are you doing this to yourself? More study? Really? But yes, here I go again. And guess what...I watched the whole Peaky Blinders series for the first time! I loved it. Also, I read Dean Koontz's Frankenstein books for the first time and I fell in love with his writting style. Anyways, I've been working real hard on this story that takes place back in 2001. I got inspired by this: Could we get single dad Eminem who's lowkey broke living with Hailie and he goes to drop her off at school and bumps into single mom reader dropping off her son? I feel like that would be really cute! (Sorry for the anon I'm just shy lol)
Hope you all enjoy it. I love you guys so much! Sending all of you a warm hug🤍✨️
⚝ 𖤐 ✶ ✷ ⛥ ✴ ☆ ⍟ ✦ 𖥔 ✰ ★ ☆⚝ 𖤐 ✶ ✷ ⛥
Chapter 1
The aroma of burnt toast hung in the air, a familiar battle flag in the war against morning. Y/N, her dark hair pulled back in a severe ponytail, scraped the blackened edges with a butter knife.
"Almost edible," she muttered, placing the salvaged slice on a plate beside a perfectly round fried egg.
"Mom, can I have the funny-shaped one?" Six-year-old John, a miniature dynamo with a shock of unruly brown hair, pointed at the toast.
Y/N smiled, the hard lines of her face softening.
"Always the artist, aren't you, John boy?" She handed him the misshapen piece. "Eat up, we're running late."
Her house, a modest brick ranch in a quiet Clinton Township neighborhood, was a testament to efficiency. Every surface was clean, every object in its place. The remnants of her late husband, a firefighter named Kyle, were subtly woven into the decor: a framed photograph on the mantle, a worn leather armchair in the corner, a collection of vintage fire department patches displayed on the wall.
Y/N’s movements were precise, almost mechanical. She checked John's backpack, ensuring his homework was tucked inside, then grabbed her own keys and purse. Her Glock 19, holstered at her hip, was a constant presence, a silent promise of protection. It was a tool, like the wrenches she used to fix her truck, or the chalk she used to demonstrate proper grip at the firing range. She was a firearms instructor, a profession that demanded discipline and control. She taught others how to handle the weight of responsibility, the power held in their hands. It was a job that fit her, a job that suited the strength she had been forced to cultivate.
As they walked to the car, John chattered about his upcoming dinosaur project, his words a comforting rhythm against the quiet morning. Y/N listened, her gaze scanning the street, a habit ingrained from years of training. She’d learned to see the world with a heightened sense of awareness, a skill that served her well as a single mother.
Sometimes, in the quiet solitude of her bedroom, she’d feel a pang of loneliness, a ghost of Kyle’s presence beside her. He’d told her, in the last days, that it was alright to find happiness again. “Don’t live in my shadow, Y/N” he’d whispered, his voice weak. “You deserve love.” But the idea felt foreign, like trying to fit into a suit that no longer belonged.
At John’s school, the air buzzed with the chaotic energy of children and parents.
Y/N knelt to give John a hug. "Be good, listen to Mrs. Changretta, and I'll see you this afternoon."
As John turned to join the other children, his eyes widened. He pointed at a man standing near the entrance, a tall figure dressed in a dark hoodie and jeans.
"Mom, look! I like his shoes."
The man, his face partially obscured by the hood, glanced down at his feet, then back at John. Y/N’s gaze followed her son’s, and she took in the man’s features, a flicker of recognition sparking in her mind. He looked familiar, but she couldn't place him. She decided to walk towards the entrance with John, using the guise of a final goodbye to get a closer look, to try and decipher the elusive sense of connection.
As they approached, Y/N subtly studied the man’s features, a sense of intrigue tightening in her chest. The hood obscured the contours of his face, casting him in a shadow that seemed to hold a secret. Even at close range, she couldn't pinpoint where she might have seen him before, yet the feeling persisted, a gentle tug on her memory. It was like trying to recall a melody, a faint tune that resonated with something deep within her. She also noticed a little girl, near the man, and felt a warm feeling.
"Those are cool shoes," John said to the man, his voice ringing with childlike enthusiasm.
The man smiled, a brief, almost shy expression. "Thanks, lil man"
Y/N stood, her hand instinctively moving to her hip, where the weight of her Glock provided a sense of grounding. She watched the man, her eyes narrowed, trying to decipher the reason for that spark of familiarity. The smile, though fleeting, left a lingering sense of intrigue. It was a glimpse, Y/N thought, a fleeting moment that hinted at something deeper, something unknown, yet strangely familiar. And as the man’s voice faded into the ambient noise of the schoolyard, Y/N was left with a sense of anticipation, a feeling that this encounter was more than just a chance meeting.
Chapter 2
The kid's voice, a high-pitched declaration of admiration, echoed in the sterile air of the schoolyard. Shoes, he thought, a simple, mundane object. But the way the kid had looked at him, with that unadulterated curiosity, it felt… unsettling. The woman, the mother, her eyes were different. Sharp, assessing. Like she was trying to dissect him, to see through the carefully constructed facade. He felt a prickle of unease, a familiar sensation that had become his constant companion. They know, a voice whispered in the back of his mind, a phantom echo of paranoia. He glanced around, scanning the faces in the crowd, searching for… what? He wasn't sure. A threat? A familiar face? Or just someone that did not look like they were judging him. He wanted to be a good father. He wanted to give his daughter the world. But the world, it seemed, was always watching.
He knelt down to his daughter, Hailie, who was eager to join her friends.
"Hey, beautiful," he said, his voice softening. "Mom's picking you up today, okay? Daddy's got a long day at the film set."
"Okay, Daddy," Hailie said, her bright eyes filled with adoration. "Will you come see me later?"
"Of course, baby. I wouldn't miss it." He gave her a quick hug, his heart aching with a mix of love and guilt. "Be good for your mom, and I'll see you tonight."
He watched her run off, her laughter a fleeting melody in the schoolyard's din. Then, he rose, his gaze lingering on the spot where she had been. He gave a final gaze to the woman and her son. Familiar, he thought again, the word echoing in his mind. He couldn't place her, but something about her intensity, the way she held herself, felt like a warning. He was about to turn away completely when he heard a voice, sharp and clear, cutting through the schoolyard noise.
"Excuse me?"
He turned back. The woman, the mother, was standing a few feet away, her arms relaxed, but her eyes still holding that sharp intensity. Her son was gone, already mingling with the other children.
"Yes?" he asked, his voice low.
"I just wanted to apologize if my son interrupted your moment with your daughter," Y/N said, her tone softer than he expected. "He's very social, always making friends."
"It's no problem at all," He replied, a flicker of a smile touching his lips.
"He's a great kid" Y/N said, a hint of pride in her voice. She paused, a small, almost rueful smile playing on her lips. "But, crazy sometimes. Just yesterday, at the park, he told an old man, 'Hey, old man, I'm your son Pinocchio!'"
A genuine laugh escaped him. It was a sound he hadn't heard from himself in a long time. "That's… something," he managed, still chuckling.
"Tell me about it," Y/N said, shaking her head. "My name's Y/N, btw"
"Marshall," he replied, extending a hand. "Nice to meet you."
"You too, Marshall," she said, shaking his hand. "Well," she continued, glancing at her watch. "I should be going. Have a good day."
"You too, Y/N," he said, watching her walk away. He stood there for a moment, the brief interaction lingering in the air. Y/N, he thought. It was a simple name, but it felt… significant. He shook his head, a wry smile playing on his lips. Get a grip man, he thought. You've got a million things to worry about, and this is not one of them.
He turned and began to walk away from the school, each step measured, each movement deliberate. He needed to work. The film set, the studio, the constant pressure to create, to prove himself. It was a relentless cycle, a treadmill he couldn’t seem to step off. He felt the phantom applause of his recent success, a sound that was already fading, replaced by the gnawing fear that it was all a fluke, a fleeting moment of attention. He thought of the divorce, the constant battles, the feeling that his life was a car crash he couldn't escape. He just wanted a normal life. He just wanted to be a good dad. Just one hit wonder? he thought to himself. "No, I will not let that happen."
He turned and got his mind already shifting to the day ahead. The the film set, the constant pressure to perform. But the image of Y/N, her sharp eyes and firm handshake, and the image of her son, his social skills, stayed with him, a small, unexpected intrusion into his carefully constructed world. Now he was on his way to the film set. It was time to become someone else.
The set was buzzing, a hive of activity as they prepared for the scene with Brittany Murphy. Marshall stood off to the side, trying to shake off the lingering weariness from the long hours. He watched as Brittany, warm and approachable, went over her lines with Curtis. He knew this scene was pivotal, a moment where B-Rabbit starts to connect with Alex, her character. Marshall tried to focus, to immerse himself in the character, but his mind kept drifting back to the schoolyard, to the woman with the sharp eyes and the kid who liked his shoes. Y/N, he thought, the name a soft echo in his mind. He felt a sense of displacement, a feeling that he was living in two worlds, neither of which felt entirely real.
"Alright, Em, you ready?" Curtis called out, his voice cutting through the noise.
Marshall nodded, taking his place. The cameras rolled, and Brittany stepped into the scene, her energy infectious.
"Heard you're a dope rapper," she said, delivering the line with a playful smile.
"Who said I was a dope rapper?" M replied, his voice a touch guarded, just as Jimmy would be.
As they ran through the scene, a strange sense of detachment washed over Marshall. He was present, he was delivering his lines, but his mind kept drifting. He saw Y/N's face, a fleeting image, a whisper in the back of his mind. He couldn't quite place the feeling, but it was a mix of longing and a deep, underlying anxiety.
The scene continued, but Marshall's focus was fractured. He was Jimmy, he was Marshall, and he was someone else entirely, someone haunted by a connection he couldn't fully comprehend.
After the take, Curtis gave him a nod of approval. "Good stuff, Em. You nailed it."
But Marshall barely registered the praise. He was still lost in his own thoughts, the image of Y/N lingering like a ghost. He retreated to his trailer, he stared at his reflection in the mirror, searching for a flicker of recognition. The questions echoing in his mind: Who am I? he wondered. The rapper? The actor? The father? He felt like a collection of masks, each one hiding a deeper, more vulnerable self. He picked up his phone, his fingers hovering over the keypad. He wanted to call Hailie, to hear her voice, to remind himself that he was still a father, that he was still real. But he hesitated, afraid of interrupting her time with her mother. He put the phone down, feeling a wave of loneliness wash over him. He was surrounded by people, but he felt utterly alone. The applause, the attention, it was all a fleeting illusion. He longed for something real, something genuine... And there she was again. Why now? Why is Y/N so present in my thoughts, when I need to be focused?
Marshall didn't even know Y/N, not really. They'd barely spoken. He didn't understand why this was happening, why this person, this almost-stranger, was occupying so much space in his mind. It felt like a phantom limb, a connection that existed without explanation.
⚝ 𖤐 ✶ ✷ ⛥ ✴ ☆ ⍟ ✦ 𖥔 ✰ ★ ☆⚝ 𖤐 ✶ ✷ ⛥
Spoiler of the next chapters: Y/N turned, and her breath caught in her throat. Standing before her was the man from the school, the man with the familiar eyes.
"Yes, I am," she replied, her voice steady despite the sudden rush of recognition. "You're… Marshall, from the school."
"Yeah, that's me," Marshall said, a hint of a smile playing on his lips, a smile that seemed more genuine than the one he had given at the school. "Y/N, right?"
"Yes," she confirmed, a slight frown creasing her brow. "So, you're in this film?"
"Yeah, it's my first one," he said, his tone casual.
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