#Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers

[confusedandchaotic]

[yourcoffeeguru]

GOODY GOODY 1936 Sheet Music Frankie Lymon and The Teenagers Printed in ENGLAND || AUtradingpost - ebay

[allthemusic]

Week ending: 25th April

We're getting to the era of teen pop idols, I think - both of our artists this week are youthful pop sensations, with a softer, cutesier energy than your Elvis and your Little Richard. While our rockers and rollers are all spiky edges and anarchic screaming, these guys channel the same sound and come off a lot cuddlier and friendlier. It's kind of sweet, really - the sort of thing you can really imagine teenage girls of the 1950s sighing and fawning over.

Baby, Baby - Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers (peaked at Number 4)

I really liked Frankie's last outing, and this song immediately has some the same doo-wip vibes, with the deep voice singing Baby, baby at the start contrasting with Frankie's falsetto. It works well, especaily because his voice is really something. Honestly, to have that kind of confidence and stage presence at Frankie's age is quite something.

The lyrics are cute and deliberately very innocent and sweet, lots of Baby, baby, how I want you / Baby, baby, how I need you. You could put it in a modern song and nobody would really notice, I don't reckon. There's something timeless about just how straightforward these lines are - the sort of thing that a teenager might still write and enjoy, none of that adult sophistication and nuance. I can't imagine a more mature voice pulling it off, but Frankie makes it work.

I think it helps that we've got a gimmick, with Frankie working in as much counting as he can into the lyrics, in vaguely punning ways. It starts with him telling his love how you're the only 1, 2, 3, 4, moves onto him imploring them to say you want me 2, 3, 4, 5, and continues throughout the song with varying degrees of wittiness, culminating in what's probably my favourite, where he tells his love how I appreciate, 9, 10, 11. It's good fun, and moderately clever, and it also low-key feels like its riffing on the counting in songs like Rock Around the Clock. At this point, gratuitous counting's just another thing that a rock song can do, so Frankie gives it a go, and yeah, it's cute.

We have a lot of the other obligatory rock and roll elements - most importantly, a brief sax solo, but also some tinkling piano bits and a set of hammering triplets to drive the point home at the end of the solo. Still, even with all of these, it's quite a gentle brand of rock and roll, none of the screaming and howling we've had from folks like Little Richard, and none of the more country-ish rockabilly elements you'd see from Elvis. It feels distinctly poppy, slick and clean-cut. It's not music that your parents would necessarily approve of, but it's not music that would scandalise them, you get the feeling.

I should also mention the cute little Go home / That's all, bye bye exchange that came in at the end of the version I listened to. Which was pointless but also kinda funny - you definitely didn't need it, but it's a sweet touch, in a song that's practically made of sweet touches.

Ninety-Nine Ways - Tab Hunter (5)

Tab Hunter feels like he's aiming for similar territory to Frankie. He's defintiely got a similarly youthful, wholesome image, though he's a little older, and isn't coming from quite the same doo-wop background. But c'mon, his last song was called Young Love, and just look at him. We're definitely at the point where youth was a bankable commodity, and artists are emphasising their youth in a way we haven't really seen at such a scale before. Which is definitely an interesting shift to see play out with Tab and with Frankie.

The song itself is fine. It's even got a bit of counting going on, or at least some numbers, as Tab sings about how there are ninety-nine ways of losing the blues that I got from loving you. As these lyrics would suggest, it's quite a bluesy song, both lyrically and musically, with a strummy guitar and - even better - some classic drunk barroom piano, later on in the song. And it's a song about how Tab's hung up on a special somebody, but has come off it the worse. There are loads of ways he might try and forget them, but none of them are working, Tab's still in love. Poor guy.

Lyrically, it's pretty simple, no suberted rhymes or unexpected poetry in here. We get a lot about how Baby I'm missin' / You huggin' and kissin' and how I'm lonely as can be. It's simple, and again, it kind of works, because Tab isn't trying to position himself as a sophisticated, skilled lyricist. With his straightforward lines, he comes off as wholesome, the innocent, all-American boy next door. It's a touch less convincing than it was with Frankie, just because Frankie obviously sounds way younger. But it still works pretty well.

I'm also noticing that both of this week's songs were really short. Like, wrapped in under two minutes short. I guess short and sweet was the fashion - not giving people time to get bored of the song, just a standard verse, chorus, verse, chrus, solo, chorus. It does the job fine, I guess, but I'm looking forward to middle 8s and bridges.

Both of these songs felt quite similar. Not musically, so much as in terms of the vibe. They both feel like a lighter, softer version of rock and roll, with its edge filed down a bit. Neither song was particularly heavy on substance, but both were well-made and had a good, catchy energy and a balance of verses, chorus and solo bits. And like I've said a bunch of times, both of them are showcasing their singers' innocence and romantic naivety in a way we've not really seen before. It's the Justin Bieber school of pop superstars, and I'm sure we'll see loads more before this project wraps!

Favourite song of the bunch: Baby, Baby

[covers-on-spotify]

“Why Do Fools Fall in Love”

Original by Frankie Lymon and The Teenagers

Covered by Bria Skonberg

[djevilninja]

Love is a losing game, And love can be a shame. I know of a fool, you see, For that fool is me! Tell me why, tell me why?

The Teenagers feat Frankie Lymon - Why Do Fools Fall in Love

[mydailyvintagephotos]

Remembering Frankie Lymon 🌹🕊️

On his Birthday 🎂

[retroactivosigue]

Recordando a / Remembering Frankie Lymon

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by RetroActivo (@retroactivosigue)

[radiophd]

frankie lymon and the teenagers -- i’m not a juvenile delinquent

[sbrown82]

I can hear the influence with The Ronettes every time I listen to Ronnie Spector sing!

Why do fools fall in love-Frankie Lymon and the teenagers

[nanite-city]

hey uh. remember my fallout au? its okay if you don't just know im still thinkin abt it This is "John Dory and the Fabulous BRO-TONES", often shortened to just "The BRO-TONES".

im still figuring out what Brozone's whole Deal is, but the shortened version of the convoluted thing thats in my head is that they were a singing group living in a vault, and eventually they split up, left said vault, and abandoned branch there as a baby, similar to canon except Brozone is moreso based on some of the Very First boybands, like The Ink Spots and Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers. Anyways this is them BEFORE the horrors. Read more if you're unfamiliar with Fallout and want a little more context !!

For those unfamiliar with the Fallout games, its more or less set in what America in the 1950s Thought the future would be (think robot butlers, flying cars, everything powered by nuclear fusion energy, etc), aaaand then that future had a nuclear fallout, hence the name. The "aesthetics" of the game are Very tongue-in-cheek 1930s-1950s "American Dream" with classic songs from the era, radio dramas and the general cultural "vibe" of that era, where everyone with power and money pretended everything was perfect and it was very much not. Anyways the entire world ended, some people got too irradiated and became what are known as "ghouls", the fauna and flora mutated in extreme ways, and its a desolate and hostile environment to survive in, but its all good bc we still have music by Billie Holiday. Bioshock on land. Well technically Fallout was first so Bioshock is Fallout underwater. Anyways its. its Skyrim with guns. whatever lmao.

[surra-de-bunda]

Gina Thompson photographed by Raymond Boyd (July 1999). 'Nobody Does It Better' was Gina Thompson's first album. Released in 1996, it featured production by Missy Elliott and Diddy, and featured appearances by Elliott, Diddy, and Craig Mack, among others. Her first single from the album, "The Things That You Do", was a success, peaking at number 41 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts, and number 12 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart. Her song, "You Bring the Sunshine", was produced by John jon and was included on the NBA @ 50 compilation album as the lead single. It peaked at number 53 on the Hot 100. Also in 1996, Thompson performed background vocals for the song "Cold Rock A Party" by MC Lyte featuring Missy Elliott and Puff Daddy. She also appeared on Lyte's 1998 album Seven & Seven, on the track 'It's All Yours". Later work included "Why Do Fools Fall in Love", a re-imagining of the 1955 Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers hit of the same name. Thompson's "Why Do Fools Fall in Love," featuring Missy Elliott and rapper Mocha, was featured in the 1998 Lymon biopic Why Do Fools Fall in Love and its soundtrack. The singer also appeared on Missy Elliott's second album, Da Real World. By the latter part of 1998, Thompson's debut was certified Platinum by the RIAA after an estimate of one million copies of the album were sold. Thompson's second album, If You Only Knew, was set to be released on September 21, 1999 on Elektra Records through Missy Elliott's The Goldmind Inc. imprint. Two singles were released in advance of the album's anticipated release date: "Ya Di Ya", featuring Elliott, peaked at number 38 on the R&B chart. The album was shelved, and Thompson asked to be released from her contract.

[allthemusic]

Week ending: 19th July

And we're off the dodgy comedy train - phew! Words cannot express how refreshing the first song here felt after last week's irritatingly not-funny comedy tunes. Some straightforward, youthful music - we love it!

Why Do Fools Fall in Love - Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers (peaked at Number 1)

Oh, man. This is maybe our most teenage song yet? Beyond the fact that the band are literally called the Teenagers, you've also just got the frivolity of it all, the endearingly earnest lyrics about being foolish and in love for the first time, and Frankie Lymon's voice as he sings his 14-year-old heart out. There's something amazingly energetic and innocent about it all, a real breezy breath of fresh air.

It's rock and roll, but a upbeat, chirpy doo-wop version of rock and roll, livened up immediately by the backing singers, with a deep ah dum wah, du-dum wah, dum wah, du-dum wah and a ooh-wah, ooh-wah response. Which looks silly, written out like that, but the effect is immediately iconic, making you want to sing along. It's great!

And then Frankie comes in, asking first Why do fools fall in love? then answering his own question with a series of other questions, asking among other things, Why do birds sing so gay? and Why does the rain fall from up above? Answer: it's nature. Fools fall in love, it's just what they do. There's an unpretentious poetry to this all, especially in the way that the answer isn't really ever explained. You have to kind of think about it to work out what Frankie means here.

There would be a sort of meanness to it, if Frankie didn't so clearly include himself in the fool category, singing about how Love is a losing game / And love can be a shame / I know of a fool you see, for that fool is me. In many ways this is the key joke of the song - Frankie, at only 14 years old, is already jaded and cynical about love, even as he can't escape it.

And to add another layer to it, the sound of the song and the energy that Frankie throws at it kind of undercuts this message, simply through its verve and joie de vivre - it's not the sound of heartbreak, even if the lyrics would suggest it. It's an undeniably fun song, and the overall effect is a sort of performative cynicism, Frankie shrugging and having a laugh at himself, recognising his own foolishness, but not letting it get him down.

And fresh off this bit, we're launched into a very fun bass, guitar and sax break, at which I genuinly found myself doing a little shoulder dance. It's just got a good energy, a kind of infectious enthusiasm, and it lasts just long enough that you feel like you've had a break once Frankie comes back in, which he does with aplomb for one final verse and then some ethereally high tell me why lines, in a well-earned ending.

Yeah, this is a classic for a reason. Simple but enjoyable lyrics, astellar performance, a catchy hook, some fun rock and roll backing and a slightly silly but immediately recognisable opening - it's got everything you need for a hit. Masterful song-craft right there.

Gogi Grant - The Wayward Wind (9)

I've not heard anything by Gogi Grant before, I don't think, so no idea what to expect here. I like the sound of the title, though - it's got a sort of mystique to it, somehow. So, let's give it a listen.

Okay, so this started with some upbeat strings and strummy guitar, it was all quite perky-sounding, very light. Except when Gogi's voice came in, it was much deeper than this would suggest, a sort of smoky, rich country-pop voice. I liked it, but it felt odd and far too modern a mix - and lo and behold, when I tried again, I realised that I had a weird version that had put Gogi's original vocals (I think?) against a completely different backing track. Oops.

Once I got the actual song up, it was much more what I expected, a very string-heavy country track. In it, Gogi first explains that the titular wayward wind is A restless wind that years to wander. And unfortunately, she's in love with a man who was born next of kin / The next of kind to the wayward wind. So he's prone to wandering, travelling about instead of staying with Gogi.

We get a bit of backstory about how this happened, learning, for example, about how In a lonely shack by a railroad track / He spent his younger days, where the sound of trains setting out for foreign parts Made him a slave to his wanderin' ways. We then get a sketch of how, in his wandering, he met Gogi in a border town, and how Though he tried his best to settle down / I'm now alone with a broken heart.

In all of this, the focus remains clearly on Gogi's man, and not on her heartbreak. She doesn't leave it out, she's clearly broken up about her man leaving, and performs the song as such, with all the emotion you'd expect. But there's a lot of sympathy towards her man, too, and a sense that he doesn't really have any control over if, either. He's simply at the whim of his wanderlust, however much he might want to settle down.

There's a sort of Wild West romanticism to all this. You could definitely see this being used in a Western, which often have that sort of wandering protagonist, ruggedly handsome, but unable to settle down or form permanent connections, compelled onwards for some reason or another. It's a powerful image, and honestly, I like it a lot. Good job, Gogi!

Also, her voice is still excellent in this version, I really ought to note that. It's smoky but not rough, and she soars up to the higher notes in the song almost effortlessly, adding in a sort of intensity that doesn't ever feel overdone. So yeah, doubly well done. I happen to know that we will see this song again, and honestly, I'm quite looking forward to it.

Hmmm, those were both kind of poetic, weren't they? Not in an overwritten way, but they've both got a certain nuance to them, and both are well worth checking out. The Wayward Wind, in particular, was an unknown to me, and I think it should get more airplay, it's great! And then Frankie and the Teenagers - talk about iconic! It's got a freshness and a catchiness that really feels like a template for pop to come, and I love it.

Favourite song of the bunch: Why Do Fools Falls in Love

[serpentinesheldonserpentine]

[doyourememberrocknrollradio]

Why Do Fools Fall in Love · Frankie Lymon · The Teenagers

[hrefna-the-raven]

Heart of Steel

Fallout masterlist - main masterlist

Chapter 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7

Song for this chapter:

Summary: Arthur finally reveals how he get his scar but despite you growing closer, it seems the Brotherhood is pulling you apart again

Warnings: cursing, feelings, alcohol, drunk Maxson

Notes: yes we're delving into Maxson's deathclaw incident ;) and yeah he's going through all the emotions^^

Chapter 8 - Why do fools fall in love?

You woke up to find Maxson's piercing blue eyes locked onto yours, a satisfied grin spreading across his face. The morning sunlight streamed through the cracked window, casting a golden glow on his rugged features.

"Good morning", his voice was husky as he whispered.

You mumbled a good morning back, rubbing the sleep from your eyes and leaned closer to him as you pressed your lips against the rough texture of his scar, leaving a trail of gentle kisses along its path. Maxson's breath caught, his voice trembling as he began to speak.

"I got it seven years ago, scavenging through some ruins with a Scribe when a deathclaw surprised us."

Your curiosity piqued, you propped yourself up on your elbow, your hand moving to his, squeezing it reassuringly.

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to", you spoke softly, pressing a gentle kiss to his forehead.

Arthur hesitated for a moment, his eyes clouded with memories and he felt tears forming. His voice dropped to a whisper, filled with both tension and vulnerability.

"Perhaps it's time I do share, I never told anyone the whole story", he began, "we were searching for an artifact in the ruins of that old town, it was supposed to be a safe area, aside from a few molerats and radroaches. Everything was going smoothly, we found the artifact when suddenly, a deathclaw stood within the same room of the collapsed house. I can't even recall how it got there, but I'll never forget how the creature mercilessly tore the scribe's body apart with its razor-sharp claws. Blood splattered everywhere - the walls, my clothes, my face - I could taste it on my lips."

He couldn't hold the tears back any longer, for seven years he tried to forget the details of the attack and for those same seven years, he would awaken every night, drenched in sweat with the metallic taste of blood in his mouth, haunted by the echoing roar of the creature. You held your breath, the words slowly sinking in as you realised how he must have felt.

"I sprinted out of the house, barely managing to find refuge within the remains of a dilapidated, rusty APC. I retreated as far back as possible, but the deathclaw was relentless. It thrust its arm inside, wildly thrashing around until one of its razor-sharp claws tore through the skin on my cheek. There was so much blood, I thought I'd die. My instincts took over, refusing to make it easy for the creature to get me, so I fought with everything I had. I shot all my ammo on that thing and just when I thought it was going to end me, a vertibird swooped in, distracting the creature long enough for me to ram my combat knife into its eye and it finally drop dead on the floor. I...I can't remember much after that...", his voice broke off.

Maxson's trembling hand reached out to cup your cheek, his eyes filled with tears and shame. 

"I'm sorry Arthur", you whispered, afraid to shatter the fragile moment if you spoke too loud, "during my times, an incident like this would have resulted in your removal from active duty and provided you with the necessary medical care to recover. Hell, you wouldn't have even been out there; you were just a child."

"But this is neither your time and nor your world", he muttered, wiping away the tears that stained his face, "it got me a promotion and finally gained the recognition of my brothers", a bitter laugh escaped his lips.

While this battle may have granted him the admiration of his brothers, but the cruel reality remained that it had fractured something deep within him, leaving indelible scars. 

"You were but a child."

"With the Maxson name and big shoes to fill."

"But a child nonetheless", you murmured, pulling him closer and embracing him tightly.

Arthur sobbed, burying his face in the side of your neck. After all these years he finally found someone to share the burden of this tragic moment. You didn't care about strength, about glory or his lineage, you only cared about him. Gently, you lifted his chin, making him meet your gaze, and tenderly kissed away the tears streaming down his cheeks.

"You've endured so much, it's okay, you're not alone", your eyes locked onto his and you saw something you didn't recognise before.

It was a vulnerability he had long kept hidden which now began to surface around you, revealing a truth he had never shown before. It made you wonder what would happen once you returned to the Prydwen. You've gotten a glimpse at what was buried beneath the soldier but he was still the leader of the Brotherhood of Steel, whatever he showed you would remain well hidden around them. Nervousness churned in your stomach as you pondered what awaited you upon stepping foot on the ship again. The anxious whispers in your head prevented you from asking, too afraid of the answer that might pass his lips.

Of course, upon your arrival there later that morning, a vertibird was already waiting for the two of you at the Cambridge police station. Arthur must have contacted them while you were leaving a message for MacCready. Of course he would have, you scolded yourself for forgetting that, despite all that happened between the two of you, he was still THE Elder Maxson. The flight was short and, for once, none of the raiders or mutants along the way tried to shoot at the aircraft. Maxson was sitting next to you, seemingly lost in thoughts. You felt the burning gaze of the armoured Knight standing in front of you as you shifted uncomfortably in your seat. Are they suspecting that you fucked their leader? Had Arthur even informed them of his decision to accompany you? Would he even need to? The fading sound of the rotors brought you back to reality, realising that you'd landed at the airport. Maxson guided you towards a tunnel near the helipad, leading you to a spot where a portion of the wall had crumbled away. With a gasp, you took in the sight of numerous soldiers gathered in the courtyard, eagerly awaiting the arrival of their leader.

"Brothers and sisters of the Brotherhood", he declared, taking a step forward, "we finally uncovered how the Institute uses their technology to travel undetected in the Commonwealth, all thanks to this Knight's commendable perseverance."

He held your arm up, allowing the soldiers to cheer for a brief moment. You tried your best to play along but it was hard to not let the confusion take over your expression.

"This Knight will be given the task of acquiring the necessary technology to infiltrate the Institute and with her dedication and aid, we will finally crush the Institute and their abominations and free the Commonwealth of their grasp! Ad Victoriam!"

He saluted, and everyone followed suit, pounding their fists against their chests while shouting the Brotherhood's battle cry before resuming their duties. Maxson's hand patted your shoulder, a triumphant smile adorning his lips, before he turned and walked away, leaving you standing there. Your mind was blank, unable to connect the man that cried in your arms to the one who delivered that speech. Had it all been an act? And if yes, which one? You rushed through the tunnel, up the stairs, eyes fixed on your steps as you made your way back to the ship. You didn't even notice brushing past Paladin Danse who had planned on congratulating you. No, you only wanted to lock yourself up in your quarters and be alone...

The hour was late and Arthur was pacing up and down his private quarters, his gaze shifting to the door every few steps. He wouldn't want to admit it but he waited for a knock, your knock. He'd spent the last nights with you, secretly hoping that you'd continue visiting him upon your return, granting him peaceful sleep and the reassuring love he grew so fond of. But no matter how long he waited, you wouldn't come to knock on his door, leaving him waiting and wanting until the first rays of sunlight marked the arrival of another day.

Meanwhile, you lay on your bed, burying your face in the pillow as frustration welled up inside you. The answer you longed for felt so close and yet eluded you. Every time you two were together, he would expose another layer of his soul, but his demeanor would change once you crossed the threshold of the airport, causing doubts to seep into your heart. You remembered the awkward conversation you had with Danse about the Brotherhood neither encouraging nor forbidding relationships. Perhaps whatever connection existed between the two of you was destined to exist outside the confines of the Brotherhood. Sharp persistent knocks on your door ripped you out of the slumber you didn't remember succumbing to. Before you could even get out of bed, the door swung open and Cade entered the room.

"Rise and shine, Knight! I must assess your condition and then you'll be scheduled for training alongside Paladin Danse", he spoke with authority, "the Elder has entrusted you with a vital mission, and it's imperative that you undergo proper preparations before venturing into the Glowing Sea."

The doctor just remained in the door frame, impatiently waiting as you dragged yourself out of bed and got into your uniform.

The rest of the day went as well as it started. Cade's check-up and the countless questions of which you deemed most too personal in regards to the mission at hand. While your attention should have been focused on the examination and the grueling training regimen imposed by Danse, your thoughts were remained on Maxson. In previous days, he would often be seen wandering about, observing, conversing, and issuing commands, whether aboard the ship or at the airfield. However, you had not caught sight of him today or in the days that followed. Although you didn't get a chance to worry about it any further on your final day of training because as soon as you returned to the Prydwen, Danse essentially whisked you away for one of his little get-togethers with a few others.

"You'll be heading into the danger zone soon, you deserve a little relaxation", he cheered, refilling up your glass.

"So that undercover mission with the big boss", Brandis winked, "how did it go?"

"Is that what he calls it?", you chuckled, "it was no undercover mission, I simply visited some friends who had information on the Institute and my son."

"Ah and the Elder just casually tags along?", Brandis raised a brow in doubt, "I find it hard to believe."

"Yeah it does sound suspicious, he rarely even goes down to the airport base", Teagan mumbled, "I already thought he'd grown roots within this ship."

The quartermaster had decided to join your little merry group about an hour ago, never denying a good excuse for some booze and gossip. You emptied your glass and rose to turn up the volume on the radio.

"How about less questioning and more dancing?", you suggested, swaying to the music.

One of the Neriah's younger scribes, who had joined the Brotherhood around the same you, got up, eagerly accepting your invitation as both of you danced together. The rhythm of the music swept you away, and for a brief moment, the weight of your worries around the Elder seemed to fade away. However, it didn't take long for a pang of sadness to hit you in the chest. The scribe was clearly a better dancer than Maxson but it felt wrong and you realised how much you actually missed the Elder. You stopped in your tracks, excusing yourself, running off through corridor, leaving everyone behind with a confused expression on their faces.

Meanwhile, in the solitude of his quarters, Maxson sat on his worn-out couch, a glass of whiskey in his hand. His eyes were closed as his mind kept replaying the image of you laughing and dancing with another. He had wandered the corridors of the Prydwen, hoping to clear his mind until he stumbled upon your little celebration. His curiosity got the better of him as he observed you conversing and sharing laughter, but he swiftly turned away the moment you began to dance with that scribe, not able to bear the sight. A mix of pain, love and guilt washed over him. Despite his resolve to uphold a more or less strict hierarchy within the Brotherhood, the connection with you had grown deeper during your little trip to Goodneighbor and the realisation of his own feelings conflicting with his duty became unbearably difficult. He emptied one glass after another, his hand trembling slightly as the slow buzz of alcohol finally began to numb his senses, lulling him into a deceptive state of calm. Confessions of love and regret filled his mind, yet the words remained unspoken, even within the solitary confines of his quarters. The weight of it all seemed to press heavily upon his shoulders, crushing him, as he wondered if he had lost his chance for happiness. A sudden knock startled him. He tried to jump up to rush towards the door, underestimating the power of the copious amounts of whiskey he had gulped down in the short time, causing him to trip and land flat on his face.

You heard a loud thud, followed by a groan and weird laughter from the other side of the door. Worried but hesitant you opened the door and stepped into the room. You scrunched your nose at the sudden smell of alcohol and a shocked gasp escaped you as your eyes landed on Maxson, sprawled out on the floor. Rushing to his side, you carefully turned him over, taken aback by how miserable he looked. The person before you bore no resemblance to the one who shared your bed or delivered that impassioned speech just a few days ago. As his eyes found yours, you witnessed the forlornness within them. His hand clumsily reached up, lightly poking and pinching your cheek, his eyes widened in shock.

"It's you", he slurred, struggling to get on his knees.

"Arthur what the fuck happened?", you asked, torn between shock, anger and concern.

"Why are you here?", he jabbed a finger at your chest with such force that it almost hurt you, "don't you...you...wanna dance with 'im?"

Confusion washed over your face at his question. Did he see you dancing? That would mean he was there...seeking you out? And, more importantly, it raised another question.

"Are you...jealous?", a smile crept onto your lips.

After days of not seeing him, you worried that he had distanced himself from you. However, it slowly dawned on you that his absence might have been due to his struggle to balance his emotional life with his responsibilities to the Brotherhood, given how deeply attached he was to them. He blew raspberries and playfully slapped your shoulder, nearly losing his balance and falling back.

"N-n-never", he hiccuped, the colour draining from his face, "I-I think I need to lie down."

You chuckled as you helped him to his feet, draping his arm over your shoulder for support as he stumbled towards the bed. He slumped down on the soft mattress, letting out a sigh of relief as you carefully placed his legs on the bed. While you had witnessed moments of vulnerability from him before, where he let his emotions spill out after years of holding them back, seeing him like this stirred something new within you. It was as if you were witnessing the truest version of the person who usually hid behind a stoic facade. His drunken mind seemed to be speaking sober thoughts, unfiltered and unrestrained, revealing his true essence.

"Try to get some rest", you said, leaning down to kiss his forehead.

"Nooooooooo", he slurred, his fingers gripping your wrist as he pulled you closer to him, "stay...I miiissed you yesterday and...before...and....staaaay."

You shifted, lying down beside him, gently tracing your fingers across his face as you observed him relax, his eyelids slowly becoming heavier. He murmured a few unintelligible words before finally drifting into sleep. You listened to the sound of his snoring for a brief moment before quietly rising, planting a final peck on his cheek. Tomorrow morning, you would inform the doctor to check on him, regardless of Cade's opinion or the potential resentment from the Elder, who would undoubtedly reappear as soon as Arthur left his quarters. But for now, all that mattered was the small smile that adorned your lips, enveloping yourself in the joy that came from knowing he loved you. It'd be hard if all would vanish again for the sake of duty but now you'd revel in it and succumb to sleep peacefully and content. Any doubts you had earlier were now replaced with absolute certainty: you were in love with each other and, one way or another, you'd both find out to balance it with everything life threw at you.

Chapter 9 - The morning-after-date

Feel free to reblog if you enjoyed the story :)

[mydailyvintagephotos]

Remembering Frankie Lymon 🌹🕊️

On his Birthday 🎂

September 30th 1942