#They have my heart in a chokehold I hope they had a good Reunion

[ethanzlittleplayhouze]

i missed you

[realtagwhywrites]

You Were Never Gone

@sianobis merry christmas!!! im your secret santa!!! @adashigiftexchange2019

i wrote the reunion fic that Adam and Shiro deserved :’) 

it’s on ao3 here and if you have an ao3 lmk so i can gift it to you!!

Shiro’s grip on Keith’s chair is firm and steady as the Lions moves closer to Earth, their descent begins slowly and steady towards the little orb of blue and green.

He hasn’t seen Adam in well over six years… a lot has to have changed in six years, he can still remember, as if it was yesterday their fight about the Kerberos mission, a pang fills his chest, he hopes that Adam is ready to forgive him, he can’t imagine what it would be like without him.

“You good?” Keith asks, eyebrows raised in a silent question.

“Just… nervous, to see Adam.” He clarifies.

“You know, I’m certain he’ll forgive you.” Keith says. “I still remember the way he looked at you, and he used to make you blueberry pancakes even though he was on a ‘strictly no sugar’ diet. If that ain’t love, then I don’t know what love is.”

Did he just…

“Keith, did you just quote Cupid’s Chokehold to me?” Shiro says in disbelief.

The little demon’s lips twitch into a grin, even as he can hear Lance screech behind them. “Lance has been growing on me.”

“I bet.” He says with a knowing grin, Keith blushes and turns away.

“Anyway, Adam will forgive you and I will leave you two alone for the whole night so you can have the apartment to yourself.”

“Oh I know what this is.” Shiro huffs a laugh. “You’re avoiding him.”

“I did leave without telling him.” Keith shifts, there’s something else that he isn’t telling him.

Shiro sighs, “What else.”

“What do you mean?” Keith feigns ignorance but Shiro knows.

“What did you do? What did you do that upset Adam?”

“Uhh, I might have gotten kicked out of the Garrison…” Keith mumbles and Shiro presses his hand to his eye, heaving out a sigh. “Look, you were gone, and Iverson was saying it was a pilot fault or whatever, but I knew there was no way you’d made a mistake.”

“It’s okay… I left for that damn mission, against everyone’s wishes… I just hope he can forgive me.” Shiro whispers.

Keith places a consoling hand on Shiro’s shoulder, something aged in his expression, “You two were disgustingly sweet together, if he can’t forgive you… then Lance and I will destroy him.”

“Keith, I know that’s supposed to be supportive but that is horrifying and I would certainly hope you wouldn’t, if Adam has moved on… then that’s in his own right.” Shiro says.

“Nah, I think Keith’s plan works best.” Lance adds with a wink.

“Yeah of course it is.” Pidge says. “We’ll make sure to put tuna in all of his curtain rods… melted cheese wiped underneath the bottom of his car seats… replacing all of his family photos with Nicholas Cage…”

They stare in silence… “Yeah, the prank war was hell.” Hunk agrees. “Never piss off Pidge.”

Shiro stores that horrifying information away for later use…

“We will not be doing any of that.” He resolutely ignores the groans and cries of ‘shame!’.

The frequency falls back into silence, a tad uneasy.  

“We’ll be within calling frequency in about a vagra.” Coran calls out through the intercoms.

A vagra passes quite slowly when there’s little to do in space, so all Shiro can do is pace nervously in the hull of the black lion and think and rethink new situations of how Adam will react to him being back on planet earth.

There’s so much Shiro has to tell him, and it feels like there’s so little time, Sam should have prepared the Earth’s defences by now, and Shiro can only hope that it will be enough, he’s sure that some-one will attempt to attack such a hapless planet.

So how exactly can he condense the 7 years into one conversation?

Hi honey, I was captured by the Galra, where I fought battles and became ‘the champion’, lost an arm, landed back on earth, learnt how to pilot a mystical lion that transforms into Voltron-

His head spins thinking about it, there’s so much that he has to tell Adam, but that’s only if he forgives him…

There’s a little worm in the back of his mind reminding him that maybe Adam’s moved on, maybe he’s found love again.

Shiro sighs, they should be in calling frequency soon.

The comms crackle into life again and Coran calls out, “We’re in calling frequency, Pidge, if you’ll do us the honours.”

“Dad, it’s Pidge, we’re back in the Earth’s solar system.”

Shiro feels his stomach twist into knots as the seconds tick by, what if something has-

“Katie! It’s so good to hear your voice!” Sam’s voice comes through, albeit crackling, but still there.

“We’re within range of earth, we’re going to touch down with the next day or so.” Pidge says, and Shiro can imagine that her eyes are glistening with emotion, much like his are, because they’re finally arriving home.

They’re finally coming home.

Something aches and pines in his chest, love blossoming, blooming and twisting beneath the imminent anxiety itching at his skin, he’s never considered himself a romantic per se, but he’s struck by how much he misses Adam.

It’s like some-one physically reached inside his chest and ripped out his heart, leaving nothing behind aside from a gaping chasm.

Comparatively to the last vagra, time seems to slip through his fingers, speeding up until earth is bearing down upon their arrival, the anxiety resonating through his chest flares up again, haggardly, he beats it down, if Adam has moved on, then he’s moved on.

The lions begin their descent through the atmosphere. “Alright, if you will all kindly land in the vicinity of the Garrison, we will send out a landing party for you.” Sam tells them through the radio. “I’ve explained the situation the best to my abilities, but they are certainly waiting for visual confirmation.”

“Alright, we’ll see you soon dad.” Pidge says, Shiro can imagine the tears swimming in their eyes from the way their voice chokes up.

The ground comes into focus with sharp clarity and Shiro can spy the group of garrison members surrounded by soldiers, all heavily armed.

Carefully, Keith eases Black onto the ground and opens the cockpit, “Alright, let’s do this.”

Shiro strides with courage and purpose that he isn’t sure he feels, every single garrison leader has gathered to witness the spectacle of the flying lions, “Commander Iverson.” Shiro says respectfully, saluting him.

There’s a gasp from the crowd and a surge of people rushes forward as one desperately pushes through the officers, “Shiro!”

He feels tears well up in his eyes because he would know that voice anywhere, a shock of brown hair bursts through and rushes him, pausing a moment in front of him to view the changes been made to Shiro before strong arms are encircling him tightly.

“I thought you were dead!” Shiro hugs Adam tightly back.

“No, I’ll tell you all about it I swear… Adam, I’m so sorry, I should’ve listened to you.” Shiro sobs out, distantly, he’s aware of Allura and Keith catching the commanders up to speed with their situation, of everyone staring.

Adam pulls back from the hug, touches still lingering, as if he’s afraid Shiro will disappear, quickly, his face drops as he looks at Shiro’s arm, or, lack there of.

“It’s okay.”

“It’s not.”

Shiro hesitates, “But it will be.”

Keith approaches the two, “Uh, hi Adam.”

“Keith.” Adam says cordially, eyes narrowing. “I heard you got kicked from the garrison.”

“I heard you were still a grumpy old man.” Keith replies, crossing his arms.

The two stand a ways apart before Adam grabs the gremlin and bearhugs him, “Alright space cowboy, thanks for looking after him.” He tussles his hair and despite Keith’s scowl, Shiro can see the notes of pleasure of the hug.

“I missed you too Adam.” Keith says, winding his arms around the pair before withdrawing, “Uh, anyway, we’re heading for the base for a proper debriefing, we’ll leave the lions here though.”

“I can’t believe this is real.” Adam murmurs, looking back to Shiro, eyes twinkling with unshed tears, he links their hands and squeezes tightly.

“I always hoped that I would find you again.” Shiro says. “I was so scared that something had happened, or that you had moved-”

“I found your ring.” Adam interrupts. “Uh- they called me and told me about the pilot fault, so I went to your apartment and I found it.”

“Oh.”

Adam shakes his head fondly, “You were always the romantic, and yes.”

“Really?”

“Of course, I love you. I don’t know what I would do without you.”

“Probably something dumb.”

Adam laughs and the ball of anxiety that seemed to have settled in Shiro’s chest begins to melt away…

“Well, we have to have a spring wedding when this is all done.” Shiro smiles.

Adam’s face falls a little, “Yeah, I’ll stick with you until the end you dolt. Some-one’s gotta look after you.”

“And I’ll look out for you.” Shiro replies, squeezing Adam’s hand again.

Zarkon’s threat may be persistent, but with the two of them together again, Shiro thinks he might just make it through.

[raywritesthings]

Raisa’s Secret

My Writing Fandom: Arrow Characters: Raisa, Oliver Queen, Laurel Lance, Moira Queen, Quentin Lance, Thea Queen Pairing: Laurel Lance/Oliver Queen Summary: Oliver learns that the woman he considers a second mother has a past of her own, and her advice causes him to make a different choice regarding his secrets. *Can be read on my AO3 or FFN, links are in bio*

Oliver’s eyes squeezed shut as the door slammed behind Laurel. He wasn’t even sure she had heard his pitiful plea to stay, torn as he had been to even utter it. Laurel needed to stay away from him so that she was safe, but he couldn’t help wanting her near. Especially now, after the kiss, after he knew Laurel’s feelings still existed…

Or did they? Not hating him wasn’t necessarily the same as still loving him, and he was lucky enough not to be hated by her. She seemed scared and unsure of herself in the moment she had pulled away, as if reality had come crashing back down on her after one, blissful moment of reconnection between them. 

There had to be a million thoughts racing through her head, and he couldn’t blame her for it. Had he been faithful, had he not treated her love for him so carelessly in his past, things would be different than they were now. As it was, she had an angry father, a dead sister and her own reputation to think about. Any one of these barriers was enough to keep two people apart despite any feelings they might share, but all three? And his own secrets, the mission he had to carry out, that too lurked on the edges of what might otherwise have been the happy reunion of two lovers after his time as a castaway.

It couldn’t be. He had known that, yet his heart aches as he slowly turned at the sound of a knock on his door.

“Mr. Queen, if you're entertaining guests upstairs, should I have some drinks sent up?”

Oliver went to answer, startled to discover this so-called wait staff was carrying a gun under his tray. He barely knocked it aside before the first shot could hit him, then was knocked back onto the floor.

A million thoughts flashed across his conscious in a moment. Who wanted him dead, how to solve this, how not to give his skills and his identity away — but then, just as he reached for the tray to use as a blunt object to break the anklet monitoring device, his assailant cried out in pain and reared back, reached for the kitchen knife now embedded in his shoulder blade.

Oliver had witnessed many shocking, unbelievable things in his time away on the island and otherwise. But none had left him so shaken as what followed next.

Raisa, her eyes flashing in cold fury, moved forward from the doorway and hauled the hitman up by his shirt, spinning and slamming him into the wall. She knocked his head against it once, then jerked him back into the curve of her elbow to execute a perfect chokehold. The would-be assassin barely got his hands up to circle around her arm before slumping, unconscious. She let him fall.

Oliver remained where he was, frozen with the discarded drink tray poised to strike his anklet, as Raisa panted for breath. She took a step back and tucked some loose strands of hair out of her forehead, back into the low bun she wore.

Yet her look was the same motherly warmth he had known all his life when she at last turned to him. “Mr. Oliver, are you alright?”

“I… I don’t know,” he admitted in a daze. “Who are you?”

---

Raisa had always feared this day might come. The day when another learned her secret. And one so dear to her as Mr. Oliver!

She hung her head. “I am not some imposter. You’ve known me your whole life. But… there are things about me you do not know. Things in my past.”

She watched the young man scramble to his feet, the tray clutched in one hand. A shield of sorts, perhaps. “Is he…?” He gestures vaguely at the man near her feet.

“Sleeping. I… I have not taken a life in decades. I never wished to harm anyone again, but when I noticed him — I did not hire him for your party. And I could tell he was armed.”

“Yeah, and I’d love to ask how you could tell, but we need to make sure the authorities pick him up. Ask the staff to end the party as calmly as possible. No reason to panic anyone just yet.”

She could feel his eyes on her as she turned and went to do just that. Raisa had no doubts that once the partygoers had left and the police had been informed of the unwanted intruder, Mr. Oliver would ask the questions he wanted. And she had no lie to hide behind. She could only hope that, with his own secrets, he just might understand hers.

Mrs. Queen was most distressed when she informed her of the attack, and contacted Detective Lance right away. It seemed he had received confirmation of a sighting of the Hood, so Mr. Oliver’s freedom would be restored to him.

Except that the detective hesitated, his eyes on the fallen hitman now in handcuffs. “What exactly happened here to this guy?”

Oliver’s lips pressed together, clearly trying to come up with something.

Raisa stepped forward. “I’m afraid it was me, Detective.”

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Mrs. Queen and Mr. Steele’s widened eyes and Miss Thea’s gaping mouth.

“You?” The detective eyed her doubtfully.

“I was making my rounds upstairs when I noticed this man entering Mr. Oliver’s room with a gun. I panicked and threw what was in my hand.”

“Which was a kitchen knife.”

“I misplace items often. I’m coming and going from the kitchen to the upstairs, you see. I think the loud music particularly mixed me up tonight,” she lied. “But this man fell and hit his head on the dresser.”

Detective Lance glowered at them all — and Raisa could not help wondering how a man so predisposed towards mistrust and judgement could produce such a sweet girl as Miss Laurel — before hitting down her statement. “We’ll question him when he comes to at the station, but for now just don’t go anywhere.”

“I assure you she won’t be,” Mrs. Queen said. “Raisa has been with our family for thirty years. She’s completely innocent in the matter, and I for one would rather you question this man as to just why he was attempting to kill my son? Other than your ridiculous framing of him.”

The detective soon left under Mrs. Queen’s narrowed gaze, taking the assailant with him. Raisa’s shoulders relaxed, but only slightly.

“Wow, who knew Raisa was awesome?” Miss Thea asked before coming up to her and hugging her. It was hardly what she deserved; she was not innocent despite what Mrs. Queen had said. If anything, tonight’s incident showed that her long ago training still remained part of her deep down, no matter how far she’d gone to hide it.

The look she was met with from Mr. Oliver over Miss Thea’s shoulder certainly said he hadn’t forgotten, either.

Mrs. Queen ordered everyone to bed after the ordeal they had suffered, but Raisa was not surprised when her employer’s son slipped into the kitchen as she finished wiping the counters down.

“So, care to explain what you meant about not having taken a life in decades?”

She dried her hands on her apron, not quite looking at him. Instead, her eyes fixed on the knife lock missing one of its set; the detectives had taken the one she had thrown for their evidence. “It was different in the old country. You did not choose a career. You were chosen. And it was a great honor to be chosen.”

“Who chose you?”

Raisa’s eyes closed. “Komitet Gosudarstvennoy Bezopasnosti.”

“The KGB.” It was hard to detect any emotion from Mr. Oliver as he walked around the kitchen island toward her. “My parents never knew this, did they?” She shook her head. “What made you get out?”

So he was not intending to turn her in? “Time,” Raisa answered past her shock. “The assignments I was given, they wore on me. I realized, what we were doing was not protecting our home, but hurting our people.” She risked looking up at him, then. “You must hurt people to protect our home, too. But never lose sight of the path you walk.”

His eyes widened momentarily. “How long have you known?”

Raisa couldn’t stop a smile. “I told you, you are a good boy. You have only learned to harness that goodness in you. But,” she added, “I didn’t know for certain until the Hood asked Miss Laurel for help in saving that man.”

He ducked his head. “I’ve been too obvious. And Laurel… I think I have to let her go.”

“No.” Raisa lifted his chin with a hand to his cheek so he would look at her. “You will lose sight of yourself the more you push your loved ones away. Believe me.”

Mr. Oliver’s brow furrowed, concern as he gazed at her. “Was there someone you loved and lost, Raisa?”

She nodded, a lump rising in her throat. It had been so long since she had thought of Ivan. Another good man like the one stood before her, who was good enough to not ask further.

“Do not mistake being alone for being strong,” she advised him. “Everyone needs a foundation.”

“I scared Laurel, at Iron Heights. What the Hood is, it…”

“She was afraid of a stranger. She could not know what you were thinking inside.” Her hand dropped to rest over his heart. “Unless you tell her.”

Mr. Oliver was silent for a long moment. Then quietly he said, “Okay.” His lips turned up at the corner. “You really always know what to say, don’t you?”

“It is hard-earned wisdom,” she told him. Raisa walked away to hang up her apron. “Wisdom you and Mr. Diggle are free to borrow from when you need it.”

“Thank you, Raisa. And thank you for helping me tonight.” Mr. Oliver took another step closer. “And whatever else you’ve done in your past, you should know you are a good person. I learned that from you.”

Raisa looked down, not quite able to suppress the swell of pride at his words. “You should sleep. Get rest while you can.”

“Okay, I’m going.” He grinned and left, and Raisa felt the remaining tension ease out of her. Her secret was safe with Mr. Oliver, and she was free now to help his efforts openly. Raisa had felt something evil had been stealing over Starling the last several years. It was up to the man she still thought of as her young charge to steer them out of it, whether that was fair to him or not. He would need all the help from his loved ones that he could get, as much as he would allow them.

---

Laurel sat in her car outside the Queen Manor, making no move to get out as she debated with herself.

She had been up through most of the night, trying to reconcile the kiss she and Oliver had shared. The kiss that, for a single moment, had let her forget all her troubles and hurts and just be again. Be alive in some way that she hadn’t for years.

But even if she had admitted that she didn’t hate Oliver anymore, could she really open herself back up that way to him?

Her worries over that issue had been pushed aside that morning when she’d received the polygraph tests back from her father. Oliver had passed, but on the question regarding Iron Heights had caused a slight waver. Her assumption that he’d simply forgotten about their eighth grade field trip suddenly seemed suspect. And if he had lied about never being to Iron Heights… why? Was it somehow possible that he really was the Hood, and had tricked her father and the rest of the SCPD into declaring him innocent?

She had to know, so Laurel let herself out of the car and knocked on the front door. It was Raisa who answered with a pleased smile. “Miss Laurel.”

“Hi, Raisa.”

“Mr. Oliver is in his room,” Raisa said.

“Um, thanks,” she replied, a little embarrassed that the woman knew who she was here for. But she supposed it would have been obvious. Laurel headed upstairs and down the hall, knocking softly before entering Oliver’s bedroom.

He was tense as she explained her reasoning about the polygraph test, even questioned her as to why she’d changed her mind on him being the vigilante.

“Oliver, I saw your scars!”

He stared at her long and hard before speaking. “Do you want to know why I don't talk about what happened to me there? Because if people knew. If you knew... You'd see me differently.” He swallowed and said, “You already have.”

Laurel drew in a breath. “Oliver—”

“It was me at the prison, Laurel. I’m the one you’re afraid of.”

She could see him now, exactly as he was. The man who had come home to apologize to her, the man who had stood in her darkened apartment and asked for her help, the man who had gone nearly to the furthest extreme to protect her in Iron Heights. Her breath hitched, and she shook her head.

“I’m not scared of you, Ollie.” At his shocked look, she knew she had to elaborate. “I know what you’ve been through now, at least a little. What that must have done… and you just wanted to save me. I can’t blame you for what you did. That man, he would have killed me if you hadn’t been there.” She stepped forward, slowly, giving him plenty of time to move or distance himself, and wrapped her arms around him.

Laurel tucked her head under his chin. As much as she was feeling right now, it wasn’t the time to kiss him again. Not until they’d each had time to process this new reality between them. And she thought he needed the comfort far more anyway.

He folded her into his embrace, and Laurel could feel his heart thudding in his chest, gradually slowing as they stood there together. “Thank you,” he murmured into her hair.

“I think I should be the one saying that,” she pointed out. “You told me the truth.”

“I almost didn’t,” he confessed. “But… I couldn’t lose you again.”

Laurel pulled back a little to look at him, licking her lips. “I think we need to have a couple serious talks. About us, about what this all means… but I’m not going anywhere if you’re not. Promise.”

“Promise.” He kissed her forehead, and Laurel’s eyes closed for the briefest moment. “Have you had breakfast?”

She shook her head.

“Me neither. We can talk in the kitchen.” He took her hand to lead her towards the door.

Laurel raised an eyebrow. “What about Raisa?”

He smirked. “Not much gets by her. But, I know I can trust her like I trust Diggle. And you.”

Laurel matched his smile with one of her own before heading back down the steps with him. If nothing else, this new phase of their relationship to one another promised a lot of good food.

[chloes-yellow-cup]

Nowish - Part 7

Bechloe. Staubrey. Bellas Squared/Stechlobree.

A story in which I convinced myself by accident that this could work. Let me try and convince you too.

Nowish Master Post  - Everything on one page.

A Shared Lifetime - All my fics

Recommended Mood Music on Spotify. Artistic license taken with song release years.

Note on the links: The ones about music lead to YouTube vids for fun. Rest are GIFs or links to whatever gift idea I have.

Bella Reunion 2017

~B~

Saturday, June 24th, 2017

Beca settled heavily into a chair. “Oh god, I don’t think I can dance anymore.” She had never been more thankful she’d decided to go with her sneakers for the reunion.

“What’s the matter, Shawshank? Married life making you slow?” Amy frowned and eyed her as Beca laid her head on the table for a second. “I’d have thought it would have taken a few more years for that to happen.”

“Unlike some people, I have been dancing for the last three hours.” Beca sat up and flagged down one of the wait staff and ordered a beer. “It’s now time to drink.”

Amy nodded sadly. “And turned you into an alcoholic. As expected.”

“What do you mea—Never mind.” Beca shook her head. “I know how this goes. You make weird statements and confuse me and I end up confessing something embarrassing by accident.”

“Aw, but that’s the fun part.” Amy sighed. “And without Bumper here, you know I need to keep distracted until I can get back to the hotel and-“

“Do not finish that sentence if you don’t want to wear my beer, Amy.”

“You don’t have your beer yet.”

“Damnit.”

“But I’ll take it easy on you. Don’t want you to get all worked up thinking about my sexy ass.”

Beca rolled her eyes to the ceiling. “Thank you, Amy.”

Amy slammed back the rest of her drink and pushed up out of her seat. “Time to see a man about a horse.”

Beca watched her walk away then looked back out at the dance floor, smiling at the rest of her Bellas. They were the biggest knot of people on the dance floor, though, surprisingly, not the loudest. The reunion this year was back at Barden, so there was a bigger than normal turnout, with many former members jumping at the chance to see their old stomping grounds.

Beca smiled as Legacy’s mom showed off her signature move which shifted to laughter when she noticed Emily standing to the side with a slightly horrified and embarrassed expression on her face when Chloe jumped next to her and copied it exactly. Katherine Junk was probably one of the coolest parents she had ever met, though Beca never wanted to make her mad after she’d heard about the chokehold over George Michael.

It was weird, being back on campus and not having to run off to class. Or rehearsal, she thought idly as Stacie and Aubrey swung past her line of sight. She had to admit, she sort of missed the radio station. Not the CD stacking part, but when Luke had finally let her DJ regularly her sophomore year. That she missed. She even, sort of but not really, missed Jesse and his movie chatter. They didn’t get to talk nearly often enough.

“Penny for your thoughts.” Cynthia Rose dropped down on her left and Beca smiled.

“Hey. Nothing, really. Just thinking of what it’s like being here and not having to…” her fingers waved through the air. “Rush anywhere. Do anything. Be…”

“Responsible? So tired you can’t see straight?” Cynthia Rose paused. “Not like that last was a problem for me, exactly.”

Beca nodded and laughed. “Exactly. Adulting is weird.” Her beer arrived and she dropped enough money on the tray to cover a generous tip. “They just… turn you loose. Like you’re just… ready. Done baking. Go forth into the world, young student.” She shook her head. “I so wasn’t ready.”

“You seemed to have landed on your feet.”

Beca smiled again, softer this time. “I got lucky.” Cynthia Rose snorted. “Not like that, perv.” But she grinned with her. “I knew I had you guys if I stumbled. Even if I’d had to do it without those 3 lunatics I drove across the country with. I knew I had support, even from my dad, there at the end.”

“Married life mellowed you, Becs.” Cynthia Rose told her. “This is the longest, most positive thing I have ever heard you say.”  Her expression turned sly. “Except when Stacie recited that speech you made to Aubrey on her birthday.” She laughed when Beca pushed on her shoulder.

 Beca picked at the label on her beer, but continued. “I also got lucky with my job. This could have been a lot harder than it was.” She sipped from her bottle. “Should have been harder. So, I’m grateful to all you aca-bitches for not kicking me to the curb when I was an insufferable…”

“Smart ass? Cynthia Rose raised an eyebrow. “Tiny dictator who made us all run laps when she was in a bad mood?”

“That all works.” Beca tipped her bottle at her. “Legacy always said her mom told her that kind of stuff all the time. ‘The Bellas will be your family.’ I was so glad that she wasn’t wrong. And that my… fear? That seems to fit my main emotion our senior year… didn’t cause us to lose the chance for upcoming generations to be Bellas.”

“Well, most of that was Muffgate, but… I get what you mean, though I didn’t think of that until we were at Worlds.” Cynthia Rose sat back in her chair. “I thought I knew. But it took seeing all the other Bellas there, ready to give their all for us, who almost lost it all over a stupid mistake, before I realized, really realized, what we had become.”

Beca said it with her. “Family.”

“That’s beautiful.”

Cynthia Rose and Beca both jumped at the new voice and looked to their left. Cynthia Rose put her hand on her heart. “Lilly! Jesus! Where did you come from, girl?!”

Beca tried to stop her own pulse from racing. “I’ve given up asking. She just kind of… appears.” It was also usually the only time Lilly’s voice was audible without leaning closer than you really wanted to. Lilly smiled, like she knew what Beca was thinking. ‘Oh god, have you been a mind reader all this time? I’m so sorry for all the dirty thoughts I have ever had about Chloe when you’re around!’

Lilly just stared at her before she looked away, saying something Beca couldn’t hear this time. She looked over at Cynthia Rose who was closer.

“She asked about TWA™ and if she showed up this year.” Her eyes cut right and looked back at Beca. “And then something about having plastic sheeting stashed in the basement at the Bella house if we need it.”

Beca swallowed hysterical laughter. “No, she’s not here. Stacie says it’s because she’s afraid of me. Apparently my rant that first year was noticed.”

Cynthia Rose cocked her head and gave Beca a Look. “It was in the middle of the bar, at full volume, after your fifth drink. You jumped on your chair and yelled - I’m going to paraphrase here – ‘Where is That Whore Alice™? Bitch is a hoor’ – which you totally pronounced that way, Becs – ‘and I’m going to punch her in the tits for being mean to my best friends for three years.’”

Beca smirked. “Yeah that. Stacie heard from Aubrey that it got around, and may have scared her off.”

“Good. Though, if you need some help.” Cynthia Rose leaned forward. “I know people.”

Beca growled. “To take out the trash? Psh, nah.”

“Trash?”

Beca looked up as Jessica and Ashley took seats across the table, Jessica smiling after her question. Before she could answer, arms wrapped around her neck. She wondered what it meant that she knew it was Stacie by the size of the boobs against the back of her head as a chin rested on the top of it. “If Beca’s talking about trash at a Bellas reunion, we’re talking about That Whore Alice™.”

Flo walked past Stacie and sat down at the table. “In my country, the man that bought her would be trying to get his goat back.”

Beca laughed then patted the arms looped in front of her. “Aw, Stace. You do get me.”

“Stop sweet talking me when our wives are out of earshot.” Beca felt Stacie jump after a sharp smacking sound. ”Oops.”

“Sweetie, stop sweet talking Beca when your wife walks into earshot.” Aubrey took the seat on Beca’s right. “You know it makes Beca adorably flustered.”

Stacie shrugged around Beca’s head. “She is cute when she’s flustered.”

Beca just grinned and watched as the rest of her Bellas found spots at the table, dragging over chairs as necessary. Amy came back with a half empty bottle of tequila and a stack of red Solo cups.

“Oh god, no. Amy. Not…” Beca trailed off as the rest of them cheered. “I mean. Yay.”

Stacie kissed her cheek. “C’mon Becs, it’ll be like old times.” She let Beca go and pulled a chair over beside Aubrey.

“If I puke in the bushes ‘like old times’ someone is going to pay.”  Beca noticed a look flash between Legacy and Cynthia Rose, whose eyebrow went up just a fraction. She hoped she’d remember to ask Legacy about it later but the outlook wasn’t good now that Amy was pouring ‘shots’ into the cups. They looked overly generous to be legitimately called ‘shots’.

“Don’t worry; I’ll hold your hair.” Chloe’s voice whispered in her ear before she settled herself on Beca’s lap, who immediately wound an arm around Chloe’s hip to hold her in place. “Again.”

“Thanks babe.”

As Amy passed out the drinks, Mrs. Junk (because really, Beca couldn’t call her anything else) came up. “Ooooh, tequila!” When Amy passed her a cup, she gave it to Legacy who gaped. “What? Don’t be shocked. You turn 21 soon enough. One won’t kill you.” The rest of the Bellas cheered as Amy poured another one for her. “I know this isn’t your first drop of alcohol, Em. I’m your mother, not blind.”

“It’s my first tequila?” Emily squeaked out. “If it helps?”

Once everyone had their cups, they all looked at Beca. She raised her glass, feeling love rising over her like a wave from all directions.

“Bellas for life!”

“BELLAS FOR LIFE!”

Beca shook her head and tossed the shot back, thinking that she almost didn’t have this in her life.

How stupid she’d been.

“Gross!” Emily stuck out her tongue. “Why would you ever…” She gulped the water her mother handed her.

How very lucky.

[theworstbob]

yellin’ at songs, week thirty-four

in this post WITH A TWIST YOU’LL NEVER SEE COMING, we review the songs which debuted on the billboard chart the weeks of 8.30.1997, 9.1.2007, and 9.2.2017

8.30.1997

40) "All Cired Out," by Allure ft./112

Imagine how dope this would have been a capella. Like, you have a girl group and a boy group. That's at least six singers good enough to sustain their own groups. Why you gotta give this song all the production? Why not let the cavalcade of singers carry this one home? Curse that we're a good 15 years away from Pentatonix making a capella commercially viable! This song could have been something.

46) "Backyard Boogie," by Mack 10

/clears throat /tugs at collar Eh, now this mack should not have returned. /bows to thunderous applause /leaves the stage /audience still applauding /walks back onto stage /tugs at throat /clears collar Eh, now... /audience falls into rapturous, expectant silence This mack? /everyone in the audience is waiting for the words i speak to deliver their salvation /i hold them for a thousand years Should not have returned. /i am anointed Wonderful Comedy Boy /god himself weeps

62) "What About Us," by Total ft./Missy Elliott

Never gonna complain about Missy in YAS, except for the time she cropped up in 2017 and I wasn't into it. I complained about it then, if memory serves. But I only complained about it because it was a Missy song that didn't sound like this, because this song is smooth and fresh and several other outdated descriptors! Also, I haven't made enough a big deal about The Double Decade Dance Club, but, as far as I'm willing to go back through the archives, the folks who've had songs chart in '97, '07, and '17 are Missy Elliott, Jay-Z, Tim McGraw, and Faith Hill. Special consideration is given to Mariah Carey, who doesn't qualify for Decade Dance with no songs charting in '07 but DID have songs debut later in '97 and earlier in '17! Congratulations to those five people on this fake accolade in a blog read by an indeterminate but likely single-digit number!

68) "Around the World," by Daft Punk

Have I had my complaints about electronic music in the 1997 list? Yes. Have I wished for dance music that sounds like something I could dance to? Several times! Does this mean I like Daft Punk? I... I mean, y'all knew I wasn't cool. Like, this sounds fine, I don't disagree with every single thing happening in this song, which is a step up from all the other electronic music, but I connect to this about as much as I do a well-composed track in a video game. I admire how it does its thing, but I'm not attached to this song in any meaningful way, I'm not having any sort of emotional reaction to it. It just sort of exists while I'm hitting buttons. Wait and this is HOW MANY minutes long? Y'all, I'm behind on every single obligation, no thank you.

69) "My Love Is the Shhh!" by Somethin' for the People ft./Trina & Tamara

This is like a staler version of the Missy track we had earlier, and I already opted not to pay attention to the Missy track so I could blather about YAS mythology, I don't know how I'm supposed to come to this song and find something else to say about it. What kind of name is Somethin' for the People, anyway? How do you settle on that as a name? Did literally every other combination of words in the English language fail to please you? I have to access the Iowa Land Records website sometimes, and the captchas they use on that website are delightful words that are almost English but not quite. Today I had to enter Simbang Carrer. I don't understand how you could be given a set of letters and rules which can create Simbang Carrer and think, "No. Somethin' for the People. That is how we identify." I hope they had a rivalry with Nice Songs For Enjoyment.

72) "Don't Say," by Jon B

milquetoast (adj) - a word used by people looking for a synonym for 'bored' that happened to open the thesaurus while they were hungry

73) "As We Lay," by Daha

"I'll be fine," Bob said as he decided to put off writing the entirety of YAS to Wednesday evening. "I know 1997 has 11 songs, but there's no way all of them are going to be '90s R&B! I won't get burnt out by the fifth R&B jam because there will only be five, with enough variety between R&B jams to keep these songs fresh1" Friends, I can admit when I have erred. In my defense: have you listened to Bad Cop/Bad Cop's Warriors? I feel I should be forgiven for making Bad Cop/Bad Cop's Warriors the only thing I've listened to the last five days. This song is pretty okay. I think the beat isn't quite sure what song it belongs to, but it gives this song a unique sound, which, hey, you probably didn't listen to all these songs. You probably don't get how much I treasure something that sounds unique, even if it's a not especially great kind of unique.

78) "Happy with You," by Samantha Cole

HELL YEAH I LOVE THAT SEINFELD-ASS BASS. You know what, song of the year, right here. I feel like this song is the reward for sloughing through Slow R&B Mire, and now I have this upbeat song about the joy of finding another soul in this world and being in that moment with them, and I just, thank you, thank you everyone for creating this moment, for giving me just like a nice song about how good an emotion love is. Yeah, girl, you try to hit that high note! A for effort! A for good song! A+ to your bassist, what a pleasant song!

80) "No Tengo Dinero," by Los Umbrellos

"Los Umbrellos was a Latin pop dance group formed in Denmark" Um "It was led by the rapper Al Agami, the exiled crown prince of the small African enclave of Africa" UMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM DID SOMEONE SEE THAT NO ONE HAD WRITTEN AN ARTICLE ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR GROUP AND JUST SAID "I'LL TAKE TO WIKIPEDIA!" AND JUST MADE SHIT UP? DANISH LATIN POP GROUP "The song hit #1 in Austria" OK, that I'll believe, knowing what I know about Austrian music that absolutely tracks, this is the trash they love in Austria. But no seriously DANISH. LATIN. POP. GROUP.

86) "Piece of My Heart," by Shaggy ft./Marsha

Oh hell yeah. This is everything the "I Shot the Sherrif" cover wasn't. Like, that was a song that wasn't quite sure what it wanted to do with the song, but you know what this does? You know what made me laugh in my apartment? It took the Janis Joplin cover, it gave it the reggae backing, it did the "COME ON! COME ON! COME ON! COME ON!" thing, and that led RIGHT INTO A GODDAMNED SHAGGY VERSE. LIKE HELL YEAH. That's the music version of the hidden blocks in Kaizo Mario. Just get dunked on. "COME ON, COME ON, COME ON, COME ON," and then it turns out we were building up to Shaggy. That was beautiful. Like, this kinda garbages up a standard, but I don't care, it's hella fun.

88) "I Care 'Bout You," by Milestone

Yep. Yeah, there's about only one way 1997 could end. "Sometimes I feel so alone/I call your heart but there's no one at home." Oh absoLUTEly fuck off.

9.1.2007

38) "You Are the Music in Me," Zac Efron & Vanessa Hudgens 60) "Gotta Go My Own Way," Zac Efron & Vanessa Hudgens 66) "Bet on It," Zac Efron 74) "I Don't Dance," Corbin Bleu & Lucas Grabeel 90) "Everyday," Zac Efron & Vanessa Hudgens 92) "All for One," High School Musical 2

Even in 2007, I was already too old, as well as a tad bit too straight, to have any opinion on the High School Musical series. But! While I have gotten approximately 10 years older in the intervening ten years, I like to think I've become substantially gayer, so HERE WE GO. Honestly, HSM as a franchise is inoffensive fun. I enjoyed the first movie when I was of an appropriate age to have watched it, I enjoyed the clips from the second film as a 28-year-old alone in an apartment, and "Bet on It" is a classic piece of American filmmaking that should be taught in schools. I’m not afraid to say it: High School Musical is great, and we are going to be so grateful if the world lasts long enough for the ‘00s nostalgia wave to hit and create the 20-year High School Musical reunion and/or reboot movies.

46) "Clothes Off!" Gym Class Heroes ft./Patrick Stump

So this song is breezy fun, almost certainly the song of the week were it not for the fact "Bet on It" belongs in every museum, but it does sort of foretell the disappointing direction in which Travis McCoy would venture, dunnit? "Cupid's Chokehold" is this equally fun song about a neurotic, emokiddy person finding love in this crazy world, and it's not the most sophisticated thing in the world, but it's a nice song with a distinct feel, and then there's this party jam about gettin' naked, and it's like, alright, I dig this party jam, but you're gonna go back to, y'know, the emo stuff, right? But they never did. They made one really dope song and then just made this forever.

98) "So Small," Carrie Underwood

Finally: an inspirational ballad from a female country singer. Don't think I've heard one of those yet from 2007. Great times.

9.2.2017

42) "Silence," by Marshmello ft./Khalid

This is a sensitive EDM jam like all the other sensitive EDM jams. I'm still lukewarm on Khalid as a whole, like I think he does a fine job on this song but I don't understand why he's this whole thing, don't really get what he brought to this song that no one else could, but honestly that doesn't matter when I probably couldn't discern this from a Chainsmokers joint. Y'all have fun with this one, teens. Y'all do you.

88) "More Girls Like You," by Kip Moore

Hold up. Hold up. Can we talk about the amazing mixed similie in the first verse? "I've been livin' like a wild old Mustang out in Montana fields" A mustang is a horse. He is comparing himself to a wild horse. Understandable, and hey -- interesting spin on the usual back road cliche! Montana is the state equivalent of a back road. Quality shitty songwriting! "Mighta earned me a bad reputation, but never stopped these wheels" A mustang is a car. So he's a Ford Mustang in Montana? I mean I guess? Always good to compare yourself to an American-made automobile in country music. "I'm like a Camry runnin' with a full tank!" said no country star ever. "From rollin' and goin' too far/From runnin' and gunnin' too hard" OK, so he's a car, I recognize these as car terms, you gun engines, I get that, I remember the word rollin' playing a starring role in the Chamillionaire standard "Ridin'," I guess I got that part wrong at the start. Definitely a car. "So unreigned, so untamed" WHAT A HECKIN' TWIST HE WAS HORSE THIS WHOLE TIME?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?!?!? Man, this song is trash.

92) "Something New," by Wiz Khalifa ft./Ty Dolla $ign

"Girl, you look just like something out a magazine/You smell great, know your body clean" ...Di, um, excuse me, but did Wiz Khalifa just compare his girl to the perfume samples that sometimes come in magazines? Anyway, this song sure existed for three minutes.

95) "Untouchable," by YoungBoy Never Broke Again

Various other videos call this man NBA YoungBoy, and with respect to the choices he has made, I am going to refer to him as that from here on out, assuming we hear from him again, which, hey, he's not the worst of the mumble-rap cohort! I kinda feel bad calling him mumble-rap, because this song actually goes more than one place, and that's at least him mumbling! No auto-tune over a trap beat, an actual human being mumbling over a fairly compelling track. Beat's really good, this might be the first song that actually held my attention for all three minutes. Don't know who produced this, but I hope that person goes just a bit farther than NBA YoungBoy.

97) "I Could Use a Love Song," by Maren Morris

I really wish the first six seconds of "Sugar" could be a single. The rest of the song is good, too, but those first six seconds are goddamned flames. I think it's important for you to know that Maren Morris is way more compelling than this song. It's fine, but like we had "Every Little Thing" two weeks ago, y'know? Like, the music video talks through the song, and I don't... blame it? It's OK! Just slight.

98) "Fix a Drink," by Chris Janson

OH FUCK THIS DUDE AND HIS "ROCKABYE"-ASS SPOKEN WORD NONSENSE. This is stupid. This is stupid, and I'm stupid for ever complaining about the preponderance of '90s R&B I've foisted upon myself. It has a sense of humor decidedly sub-Toby Keith. Congratulations on being able to make beer.

100) "Woke Up Like This," by Playboy Carti ft./Lil Uzi Vert

Billboard didn't classify any songs as either debuts or re-entries, songs that weren't on the chart last week simply didn't have an arrow next to the name and I had to guess if they were actually new or retreads of previously released songs. Like, I could have sworn I had to deal with Kip Moore, but that's prolly just 'cuz it sounds like the rest of bro country's nonsense. So I can't tell if this is a new song because they restyled the title or if this is an actual new version of "Woke Up Like This," but I'ma just go ahead and assume my initial assessment of this dude being boring still holds. I can’t believe an entity called NBA YoungBoy won the 2017 Song of the Week title. I can’t... I... Oh. Hold up.

Who won the week?

Did High School Musical 2 just win this one for 2007. Did 2007 really produce the best songs because this was the week High School Musical 2 dropped. It’s not 2017 because the highest grade I’m willing to give “Untouchable” is C+. It’s not 1997 because there was “Happy with You” and a lot of interchangeable nothings. Holy cats. 2007 won High School Musical 2 Week. I can’t believe it. I can’t believe I’m going to say, of the three years, 2007, BASED SOLELY ON THE STRENGTH OF HIGH SCHOOL GODS DAMNED MUSICAL 2, WON THIS FAKE ACCOLADE ON THIS LITTLE-READ BLOG. I forgot “Clothes Off!” dropped this week. This is all HSM2. Wow. What a week this turned out to be. When I was makin’ these lists, when I saw all the High School Musical 2 droppin’, I said, “2007 is dead in the water.” BUTCHA KNOW WHAT HAPPENED?!

2017: 12 1997: 11 2007: 11

2007 has won three of the last four weeks. Don’t call it a comeback, because 2007 never left. History is permanent, it would be weird if the entirety of 2007 disappeared even for a second. And next week, the last selection remaining from HSM2, “Fabulous,” will team up with 50 Cent to take on “Barbie Girl” and what appears to be /sigh/ an Avicii tune. Will the dream die? FIND OUT!