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merriammusicinc · 2 years

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Benefits of Music and Movement Activities for Preschoolers & Toddlers | How You Can Implement Them at Home

As parents, we are constantly worrying about making the best decisions for our children. We want them to grow up to be healthy, happy, confident, kind... the list is endless.

Thinking of how to accomplish all this can be overwhelming, but I have good news!

As a music educator specializing in early childhood education, I know that there is one simple thing you can do to help your child grow in all areas of their development, and it’s actually fun!

Of course, it’s music.

Over my career, I’ve had the fortune of being able to lead music classes at Merriam School of Music for hundreds of young children, and I’m happy to share some of my favourite activities that are simple, fun, and have some amazing developmental benefits too.

I use all of these at home with my two young boys, so I know they work well both inside and outside the classroom.

Early Childhood Music Education

Music plays an important role in childhood. Can you remember a song from when you were young? Maybe it was a song you learned in school or a song a family member sang to you. Music has an incredible way of staying in our memories.

Who can forget this emotional scene from the movie Coco?

Combining music and movement does more than just create memories; it can be a tool for almost all aspects of child development. Social-emotional development, language development, fine and gross motor skill development, and cognitive development are all nurtured with music.

Benefits of Music and Movement Activities for Preschoolers

Here are some of the benefits of adding music and movement activities to your young child’s routine, and some ideas and resources to get you started.

Keep in mind that many of the links lead to Youtube, but I’m not recommending your child watch the videos. Instead, I suggest using them as a reference for yourself to learn the songs and actions, or you can turn the screen off and just listen to the music together.

Social-emotional development Turn-taking

Songs that use call-and-response help develop social skills like waiting and turn-taking. Use songs where one person sings one line and the other echoes it back.

Down By The Bay. This classic includes an echo on each line and the chance for your child to make up their own silly rhymes. Going on a Picnic. This requires a slightly different response. Instead of a pure echo, the caller asks a question and the responder answers. “Did you bring the juice box?” “Yes, I brought the juice box!”

Self-Regulation

Music games that feature changes in tempo help young children practice emotional control and energy regulation, as they repeatedly need to bring their energy levels up then down, calming their bodies, voices and feelings.

You’ll be surprised how long their attention span lasts when they can use both their exuberant and calm energies.

Freeze Dance. Control the starting and stopping of the music yourself, or use a freeze dance song like Jack Hartmann’s Monster Freeze Dance Sleeping Bunnies. This classic preschool game requires your child to alternate between laying down and sleeping and hopping around. We Are the Dinosaurs by The Laurie Berkner Band. This fun song gets your child to alternate between stomping, eating, resting, and roaring! Building empathy and recognizing emotions

Songs about emotions can help children identify their own feelings and the emotional cues of others. Songs with a narrative can help a child understand how someone else might feel in a situation, and in turn, help them recognize another’s point of view and build empathy.

If You’re Happy and You Know It. This is a standard song of circle time for good reason. It helps a child name their own emotions, and see what emotions can look like on the faces of others. Puff the Magic Dragon. This beautiful song about growing up tells the story of a boy and his imaginary dragon friend. The boy soon grows up and stops visiting his dragon, who retreats back into his cave out of sadness. Listen to the song (or sing through the storybook) and talk about how the boy and Puff feel throughout the story. Going a Bear Hunt. This is an exuberant adventure tale of a family who walks through forests, rivers, snowstorms and caves and boasts about how brave they are. When they finally come face to face with a bear, that all changes. As well as having a steady beat and fun sound effects, this action song allows a child to act out being brave, scared, and eventually relieved. Watch this video by the Wiggles to learn the song and actions. Strengthening self-esteem

Music and movement activities are a wonderful way to build a child’s self-esteem. The opportunity to be creative and express their feelings, especially in a group, can strengthen their feelings of confidence and autonomy.

Give them opportunities to engage in free-play musical activities and comment and copy what they are doing.

Free Dance. While parents may be reluctant to let loose, preschool teachers know the magic of a dance party. Make a playlist of favourite songs and allow your child to move to the music however they feel. Commenting and copying “I see you’re twisting your hips - I want to try!” gives your child a sense of accomplishment and the confidence to try new things Free musical instrument play. Again, let your child choose their favourite kids songs and bring out some real or homemade instruments. Play along however you like - fast, slow, loudly, quietly. This allows your child the freedom to try new ways of doing things. Follow-the-leader games. Using movement or instrument play, put on a song and take turns being the leader or the follower. The leader chooses how to play or move and the follower must copy what they do.

Language Development Vocabulary Building

Many songs use words we don’t use in everyday conversation. When combined with pictures or actions, children can build connections between the lyrics and everyday life. There are songs that teach names of animals, vehicles, foods, feelings and more.

When playing an instrument or moving to music, your child can practice positional words like over, under, around, and beside. “Shake above your head. Scratch in the middle of the drum.”

Tap Your Sticks by Hap Palmer. Grab some sticks and follow the positional directions like tapping in the air, on the floor, to the left and right, and behind you. Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes. This classic nursery rhyme and action song is a wonderful way to teach young children the names of body parts. This version by Super Simple Songs also speeds up, adding a repetitive and fun component. The Hokey Pokey. One of the most popular children’s songs, this circle dance helps children learn the parts of their body as well as positional words like right, left, in, out, and around. A warning if you are going to watch a video of this song (like the attached version from The Learning Station) - most children will mirror what they see, meaning they’ll be using their right hand instead of left hand. Auditory Discrimination

Music and movement games often require attentive listening for sound cues. The ability to pick out distinct sounds is not just a musical skill - it is correlated to literacy skills and a child’s ability to isolate sounds in words.

To develop active listening skills, listen to music with sound cues or music with sounds that need identifying.

Jim Gill’s Hammer and Saw. In this fun song about tools, children learn the sounds of various tools and either do an action or play the corresponding musical instrument when they hear the sound cue. For example, when they hear the sound of sandpaper, they can either rub their hands together or play sandblocks. They need to focus and listen carefully to identify each sound being played. What Do You Hear? The team at Super Simple Songs created this musical game that asks children to name the animal sounds they hear throughout the song. Pre-Ks who could use a more difficult challenge could be asked to name sound effects from common items, like clocks, firetrucks, or faucets.

Physical Development Gross Motor Skills

Structured and free movement activities help children with their budding strength, balance and muscle control. Preschoolers are still working on their ability to run, jump, stand on one foot, throw, and catch.

You can practice these skills by adding props like silk scarves, balloons, ribbons, or balls to your free dances.

For free movement activities, I prefer classical music so that children focus on the music as opposed to the words.

Use soft balls or scarves to have an indoor snowball fight along with Trepak from the Nutcracker. For an additional listening challenge, try to time your throws to the swells in the music. Pretend to buzz around the house to The Flight of the Bumblebees. Cut out some flowers and hide them around the room, then see how fast you can fly around to each one, collecting nectar.

Fine Motor SkillsYoung children are still developing their fine muscle control. Playing musical instruments like drumsticks, bells, and shakers can help a child with their grasping and controlled release of objects.

Fingerplay songs help preschoolers isolate their fingers muscles, an emerging skill that will eventually allow them to hold a pencil, tie their shoes and play the piano.

Finger-naming songs, such as Where is Thumbkin. Encourage your child to hold up each individual finger as they sing this classic 5-finger nursery rhyme. Be warned - the ring finger can be very hard for a young child to isolate so that one might be frustrating for 2 to 3-year-olds. Countdown songs like 5 Little Ducks require children to bring individual fingers down instead of up. For an extra challenge, try bringing down the fingers in different orders to strengthen the weaker middle, ring and pinky fingers.

Cognitive Development

Representation

Pretend play allows a child to better understand the world around them. Storytelling through music can be a wonderful way for children to act out a scene, take on a character, and represent their feelings.

Many pieces of classical music were written to tell a story, which you can listen to and act out with your child. Using the changes in the music as cues for what is happening in each tale.

Vivaldi’s Spring was written to represent a story of birds. First, pretend to be birds flying around the sunny sky, then bathing in the stream. When the music changes, you must hide away from the thundering storm until it clears again. Greig’s In the Hall of the Mountain King tells the tale of Peer Gynt, who sneaks into a hidden mountain lair, then must run away from the troll king and his henchman, slamming the doors behind him as he runs to safety. Keep in mind, this one can be too scary for some! Classifying and Seriating

Listening to a variety of sounds and instruments can be a wonderful way to practice grouping and organizing, which are important early math skills.

Classifying sounds: Find objects around the house and group them into items that make sounds and those that don’t. For an extra challenge, take the objects that make sound and together put them in order from loudest to quietest. Learning instrument families: Learn about the instruments of the orchestra and how to classify them into families like woodwinds, percussion, and brass. John Lithgow's storybook Never Play Music Right Next to the Zoo is a wonderful introduction to the instruments of the orchestra Identifying Patterns

Music often follows a pattern of verses and choruses, and structured dances often follow a pattern called a form. Children can learn to identify these patterns and predict what comes next.

Singing and dancing along to a repetitive movement song, like The Laurie Berkner Band’s The Goldfish, helps a child predict what words, actions, and music changes are coming up. Have fun predicting when it’s time to say “Wait a minute…we’re fish!” Create your own structured partner dance at home. Use a song with a distinct pattern and come up with a movement to use every time. For example, if you use the song Happy by Pharrel Williams, on the verses you can hold hands and turn around in a circle, then on the verses (“Because I’m happy”) dance away from each other and clap, then return to holding hands on the next verse.

There are many benefits of music and movement activities for your child, including strengthening their social skills, self-esteem, and physical and cognitive development, but maybe the most important is the positive memories you’ll make together.

About the author: Christa Richards is a music education specialist, early childhood educator, and mom of two energetic (and musical!) boys. She holds a bachelor's degree in Musical Theatre, has performed for young children across Canada, and has been leading the preschool music program at Merriam School of Music since 2010.

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literaphobe · 3 years

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people who think the only good dream-quackity dynamic is them fighting for george's attention just say you never watched the therapy stream or the roblox stream without telling us you never watched those streams.

u think quackity doesn’t love dream??? he spent over an hour stalling Live as he waited for dream to download GTA V to the point where they could literally only play 5 minutes because dream cannot function on any game that isn’t minecraft n quackity STILL decided to make a GTA V stream w dream AGAIN called GTA V manhunt only for dream to not be available… one time on sapnap’s stream dream whined when quackity left without saying goodbye so quackity stayed for two more hours and only left when dream left and they vibed and joked around n had fun. quackity heard one offhand thing dream said (went to a denny’s n had to hide under a table) once n based a whole stream off it?

u think dream doesn’t love quackity??? every time quackity does a silly little competition where he offers money or gifted subs as a prize dream hops into the contestant pool for some reason n wins. only to tell quackity he can keep the money. when dream left sapnap’s stream quackity jokingly asked if it was because he was scared of him n dream said ‘i’m not scared of you quackity i love you :)’ in that same stream even when quackity did a dumb rap that was basically your mom jokes directed at dream dream still hyped him up to support him. when quackity sang dream wholeheartedly kept complimenting him n it made quackity crack n admit that he thinks dream’s singing voice is beautiful too

im sorry like. did u not watch the therapy stream? did u not watch the roblox stream, specifically the part where they did impressions of dream smp members n also each other? have u not heard of mexican dream? girl dream? were u not there when quackity ended dream’s career w where r the askers song?? did u forget who quackity was doing a diss track on?? god there’s so many things i could list. bottom line is we have gotten SO MANY good things because of their dynamic. their friendship is riveting please put some respect on their names their dynamic exists outside of their association w george

#ask #every day i yearn n ask. where is the next qwt stream #quackity #dreamwastaken #georgenotfound #mcyt #qwt #big BIG kisses for qwt today #askplus

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mrsalwayswrite · 4 years

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Singing in the Shower (Ragnarssons x Reader)

This is just a silly little one-shot that came to mind that I could not stop thinking about. It got a bit deeper than I planned but oops?

Also my first time writing a Ragnarssons x reader! Please let me know if I did all the brothers justice. Except Bjorn isn’t in here. So its just the sons of Aslaug. Sorry, Bjorn.

Warnings: some brief mentions of abusive/unhealthy past relationships, reader has some insecurities, the brothers being the best roomies ever but also creepers, like one or two swear words, FLUFFY GOODNESS!!!

Words: 3700

Tag List: @youbloodymadgenius

(picture is from Pinterest. Not mine.)

The sound of laughter echoed around you even before leaving your bedroom. It was a Sunday night so that meant the Lothbrok brothers were all over. A tradition Ubbe started some months ago to make sure the four brothers stayed connected in each other's lives. Every Sunday evening, all of them would congregate in the three bedroom flat you shared with Ubbe and Hvitserk. They would order a stack of pizzas and enough beer to put a pub crawl to shame, and watch movies or play video games until the early morning hours. Only twice had fist fights broken out between Sigurd and Ivar with just a table and a lamp damaged in the process, so Ubbe called it a win.

It had only been about a year that you lived with Ubbe and Hvitserk. Sigurd chose to move in with a couple members of the band he played in. Aslaug vehemently refused to let Ivar move out due to his many medical needs that she claimed he could only receive proper attention for at home. In equal parts rebellion and to escape his mother’s suffocating attention, Ivar spent the majority of his free time and nights crashing on the couch at your shared flat.

At first, you were hesitant about living with the two brothers, having only known them through friends, but you decided to give it a chance. Within a couple of months, you found the strange dynamics of your shared space and your vastly different relationships with each of the brothers to feel eerily familiar….like being home.

Standing at your door, you listened to the brothers for a few moments, smiling broadly as you heard Hvitserk taunting Sigurd about how he was going to beat his ass if he threw another blue shell at him. Meanwhile Ivar was yelling something about the undeniable magic of Yoshi and his winning streak. They must be playing Mario Kart again.

It was nice to hear them all getting along. Normally Sunday nights you hung out with your boyfriend to give the brothers privacy, even though all of them repeatedly told you it was unnecessary. That was until last week. You had taken a selfie on your boyfriend's phone and went to set it as his background to surprise him….and found nude pictures of other girls and the dick pics he sent them back. Before you stormed out of his flat, you may have thrown his phone against the wall, pleased when the screen shattered just like your trust. Then you came home and cried to Hvitserk about how you were swearing off men and just wanted to be a spinster for the rest of your life.

Word must have spread between the brothers. For the rest of the week, they all offered their support in various ways. Sigurd texted you a few times to check on you and remind you that clearly you were better off without your ex. Ubbe gave you long hugs as if trying to soak the pain out of you, and made sure you were eating and getting out of bed. Hvitserk surprised you with a new sugary treat every day ranging from Oreos to ice cream to chocolate muffins; then you two would cuddle on the couch indulging yourselves while watching movies. Ivar threatened to beat up your now ex-boyfriend for making you cry and take pictures to send to those girls your ex had been texting. You made sure to shut Ivar's idea down quickly but pressed a quick kiss to his cheek and thanked him for offering. You hated your ex, that did not mean you wanted him dead.

You pushed away from your door and down the hallway. Popping your head around the corner, you saw the brothers in various positions in the living room, eyes all glued to the TV and the race happening on-screen.

"I'm gonna shower." You announced, receiving grunts of affirmations as they were too focused to fully acknowledge you. Smiling at their antics, you headed into the bathroom, shutting the door and starting the shower up. Once the water was at the perfect temperature, you stripped and jumped in. Of course, once the mixture of hot water and steam helped you relax, you started singing to yourself, letting the worries of the day fade away for just a moment as the words flowed from your lips and echoed off the shower stall walls like your own little stage.

Unbeknownst to you, as soon as the bathroom door shut and the sound of water running could be heard, the volume on the TV was muted.

Ivar, surprisingly, was the first one to overhear your singing. He had come over to crash for a few hours after his latest doctor appointment and to work on an assignment for a University class. The bathroom door somehow had not fully latched when you closed it, cracking open while you were in the shower….and you started singing. Ivar sat stunned on the couch at the voice slipping out of the bathroom like a siren's song. He remained there, transfixed as you sang some song he had never heard but he could feel in his chest. Once you stopped singing and the shower turned off, he quickly jumped up and hobbled over to silently shut the door, slightly embarrassed by the idea of you catching him listening in to your shower singing.

Later that day after you headed out to work, Ivar asked Ubbe and Hvitserk if they had heard you sing yet. Both of them denied ever hearing you sing. When asked if he knew anything, Sigurd was upset, having asked you on multiple nights to go to a karaoke bar with him and some friends. You always refused by saying you sounded Iike a beached whale.

Ubbe was next to overhear. He was walking by the bathroom on the way to the kitchen when he heard your voice drifting from underneath the bathroom door. Feeling like a creeper but curiosity winning out, he pressed his ear to the bathroom door to listen better. To say he had been shocked was an understatement. Sure, he had heard Ivar praise your voice, but he figured his youngest brother was exaggerating. It made him wonder why you never sang in front of others.

A silent pact was made between the brothers that they would never share the information of your singing with anyone outside the four of them….and whenever you jumped in the shower, whoever was the closest would go and crack the bathroom door open so they could hear you better.

This time was no different.

Sigurd was closest, so after Ubbe paused the game, he jumped up and silently cracked open the door so your beautiful voice could flow out. The game picked back up but remained on mute so they could hear you. The first song you serenaded them with was Walk Me Home by Pink. Apparently, one of your new favorites since you sang it so often. Next was Someone Like You by Adele. By the third song, the brothers had abandoned the game and were solely focused on you and the raw emotion bleeding from your voice. This time you started to sing Someone You Loved by Lewis Capaldi.

Ubbe spoke up, keeping his voice quiet just in case you could hear them, however unlikely. "Has she said anything about her ex lately?"

"Not to me." Hvitserk answered first. "I thought she was doing fine."

"Just because she's not crying all the time doesn't mean she's fine." Ivar retorted harshly, never removing his eyes from the direction of the bathroom. After a moment, he got up and hobbled towards the bathroom.

"Ivar…. Ivar, what are you doing?" Ubbe hissed but was ignored.

As quiet as possible, Ivar walked into the bathroom and sat on the toilet lid; your singing managed to cover the sounds of his movement. As he rolled his head to the side, it was to find his brothers had followed him with varying expressions ranging from concern to amusement.

Normally you did not spend so long in the shower but today you decided to spoil yourself. You had been doing well all week but this morning you were scrolling through your Instagram and happened to stumble upon a picture of your ex with a new girl, smiling happily and kissing at a restaurant…. the day after you broke up. And seeing them together felt like it ripped a tear into the slowly healing pieces of your heart.

Instead of going out like you planned to do, you laid in bed all-day binge-watching movies and feeling like an idiot. So in the shower you took extra time pampering yourself, using a deep conditioner in your hair, shaving everywhere and just letting the hot water cascade down your skin and loosen the tense muscles.

At this point you were feeling a little better and decided it was best not to waste any more water. You turned the water off, running your hands down your body to get as much excess water off, before you reached for your towel. Grabbing the plush towel hanging on the rack, you quickly dried your hair and wrapped the towel around your body before pulling the curtain back….

Only to shriek as you realized you were not alone in the bathroom.

"What? What are you guys doing?" You demanded, eyes frantically darting between the four brothers.

Ivar sat on the toilet lid; head tilted as he watched you with a peculiar expression on his face. Hvitserk leaned against the sink, eyes darting from your towel-clad body to the floor then back up. Ubbe and Sigurd stood in the doorway, both looking the least comfortable but still not moving.

"We, ah, we were…. well, we are concerned for you." Ubbe said, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Concerned?" You asked incredulously.

Ivar ignored your question. "Is this about your ex? Want me to pay him a visit?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Your singing. They were sad songs." Sigurd answered, leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed.

Heat flooded your face. You dropped your head, staring at the bathroom floor as you clutched the towel closer to your body. Honestly, the idea of them hearing your singing was far more humiliating than them seeing you naked at this point. "You…. you heard me…. singing?"

"Y/n, are you OK? You know you can tell us anything." Hvitserk said, trying to meet your eye.

"Um, can…. can we talk about this when…. when I'm not naked?"

"Of course. Come on, brothers." Ubbe quickly agreed, tapping the door as if to signal. He and Sigurd walked away first. Only when you finally met Hvitserk's eye did he push off the sink and head out but not before giving you a flirty wink.

"Ivar…."

He slouched back, folding his hands behind his head. "I'm quite comfortable here."

"Oh gods, please, Ivar." You begged, almost on the verge of tears.

He stared at you a long moment before pushing himself to his feet. "Don't think you're getting out of this."

"Ok."

Appeased, he made his way out of the bathroom, closing the door behind him.

Once alone, you stepped out of the shower only to drop onto the toilet lid and place your head in your hands. Your chest heaved and your eyes stung as you fought back the tears that threatened to fall. Today was bad enough and now this. It had to be something out of a nightmare. Your own personal hell.

When you finally composed yourself, you quickly changed into your comfiest sweats and tank top. You wished you could make a run for your room, anything to avoid the impending conversation but you knew the brothers would follow, they were all stubborn and persistent when they wanted to be.

With a deep breath, you stepped out of the bathroom and towards the living room. What hushed disagreement the brothers were clearly having abruptly ended when they noticed you. Awkwardly you remained standing, unsure where to sit. The only open spots were on the couch between Hvitserk and Ivar or one of the recliners as Ubbe sat in the other one. Sigurd reclined on the rocker gaming chair on the floor.

Averting your eyes, you started towards the open recliner only to have a strong arm snake around your waist as you passed by and pulled you onto the couch. You squeaked as you suddenly found yourself perched on Ivar's lap. Somewhere you had certainly never been before.

"Where do you think you're going?" He asked, a cocky grin spread across his face.

"Um, over there." You nodded your head towards the other open spot.

"No, you're sitting here now."

"Stop hogging her, brother." Hvitserk reached over and dragged you off Ivar. Somehow you ended up with your back against Hvitserk's side, his arm slung around you and your legs across Ivar's lap, him slowly running his hand up and down them.

Ubbe raised an eyebrow at the three of you. "Are you done yet?"

"I thought we were just fine but I guess Hvitty had other plans." Ivar snarked, rolling his eyes.

"We're good now." Hvitserk said with a cheesy smile, making you giggle.

"So how are you really doing, y/n?" Ubbe asked, staring at you with those knowing blue eyes.

"Um, I'm alright. Today was just…. rough." At the four questioning looks, you quickly explained about what you found this morning on Instagram.

Ivar slapped the armrest of the couch. "I'm beating his ass now and nothing you say can stop me."

You snagged his other hand that was still on your leg and clasped it, as if that alone could diminish his deadly intent. "Please don't. He's not worth it. I just…. I just want to move on. Ok?"

He grumbled, but eventually gripped your hand and gave it a single squeeze in acknowledgement.

Now here was the part that petrified you; but you needed to know.

"Um, how…. how long have…. was this your first time?" Your words stumbled out, making you cringe at how ineloquent it was.

"What are you talking about?" Sigurd drawled; one foot propped up so he slowly rocked in the gaming chair.

You licked your lips, your mouth suddenly dry. You dropped your gaze, as you whispered your answer. "My….my singing."

"What? You sound bloody brilliant! The others have heard you more than me but you always sound amazing!" Sigurd exclaimed, a beaming smile on his face. "I don't know why you haven't gone out with me before! Oh! I'd love for you to try and sing in my band, we could use an amazing vocalist like you! Gods, we could get way more gigs with a beautiful woman like you upfront singing."

Soon as Sigurd started talking, you covered your face with your hands. The tears you managed to repress earlier flooded back. Your shoulders hunched over, cowering into yourself at the revelation. They had all heard you. Apparently more than just this one time. It was mortifying. Long ago you stopped singing in front of others, no longer able to face the ridicule, the degrading comments always thrown your way. And now, these brothers that you had become so close to…. if they said anything negative towards you right now, you were sure your heart would fully break and no lyric would ever pass your lips again.

Hvitserk shifted behind you, turning you so he could wrap both arms around your waist and place his cheek against the side of your head. "Y/n, talk to us."

You shook your head, the barely suppressed tears and poisoned words clogging your throat.

Abruptly, a pair of calloused hands grabbed yours, forcing them away from your face. You were immediately met by a pair of piercing blue eyes, only inches from your face.

"Whose ass am I killing now? Huh?" Ivar demanded in a low, menacing tone. Between his tone and the fury burning in his eyes, you knew he meant his question, and that sent a nervous chill down your spine.

"It's not…. it’s nothing."

"Bullshit." Ivar spat.

Hvitserk nuzzled your temple, his voice lighter but still with an edge of steel in it. "I agree with Ivar. Something happened."

Biting your bottom lip, you closed your eyes. There were a few things that were just too painful to talk about and this one, they had unknowingly stumbled upon.

"Was it your mother?"

Your eyes flew open, your head snapped over to stare at Ubbe in shock. He met your gaze unflinchingly, and somehow you knew he already figured at least part of it out. He accidentally overheard a phone conversation between you and your mother one time and once you got off the phone, he immediately pulled you into a bone-crushing hug and promised you never had to see her again if you never wanted to, that they would take care of you. Of course, you cried all over him after he promised that.

Ubbe leaned forward in the recliner, placing his elbows on his knees, gaze still intent on you. "What did she do?"

"She…. she hated when I sang. Said I was just desperate for attention. That I needed to just shut up. That no one would want to listen to me anyway. If she ever caught me singing…. once she duct-taped my mouth shut."

You could hear the gasps at your confession, followed by a round of curses. Hvitserk pressed a kiss to your temple, tightening his hold on you. Ivar squeezed your hands, still holding them within his own.

Ubbe nodded as if not surprised. He ran a hand down his face and sighed before stealing your gaze once again. "I have a feeling she wasn't the only one to hurt you."

At this point, a silent tear trekked down your cheek. You sniffled, dropping your gaze down. "I had an ex who used to make fun of my singing. He used to say 'at least you're pretty'. When we would ride together listening to music, he would tell me to stop singing and 'leave it to the professionals'. At some point, it just….it was better to not sing in front of anyone. So I only sang in the shower cause I thought no one would hear me."

Hvitserk turned your head, looking into your eyes. "Baby, listen to me. Your singing is incredible. We all love listening to you sing. Please don't be embarrassed about this with us."

"I'd love for you to walk around the house singing, I could happily listen to that all day." Ubbe said, a tender smile on his lips.

"I second that!"

"Sig, you're only here on Sundays." Ubbe glanced over at his brother.

Sigurd shrugged. "So? I could listen to her sing all day. Maybe she should move in with me and actually be appreciated."

"No! You're not stealing her from us!" Hvitserk said, practically cradling you against him, like a puppy afraid to lose its favorite toy.

"It's not stealing if she wants to go!"

Ivar butted in. "I am more interested in this other shitty ex and mother...can I find them?"

"No, Ivar. You have to stop threatening people."

"Why?" He whined at you, tugged on your hands, your legs still across his lap. "You won't let me teach them a lesson so all I can do is threaten."

"Also sounds like you have terrible taste in guys. Anymore shitty exes we should know about?" Sigurd asked, rocking his chair.

You figured at this point you were spilling all your dirty secrets so what was one more. "Um, I was talking to this one guy but when he found out I moved in here, he called me a whore for moving in with two brothers and told me I was a waste of his time." You softly admitted, having made sure none of them ever heard about that after it happened.

For a moment there was dead silence then….

"I'm going to need his name right now." Ubbe said, malice dripping off every word.

"Yeah! Let's cut his tongue out! See what he says about that!" Ivar cheered.

You could not stop the laughter that came out. The idea that these brothers got so worked up over anyone that ever insulted or hurt you was both sweet and slightly infuriating, but mostly sweet. No one had ever cared about you as strongly as these four brothers.

"It's fine now. How about this? Next guy to hurt me, I promise I'll give you his name."

"No! I want to cut this asshole's tongue out. Maybe slap him with it after!" Ivar smiled with a pure predatory look.

"I think you should just date one of us." Sigurd shrugged, watching everyone with a smirk. "Then you know he'd treat you right."

"I like this idea." Hvitserk smiled, squeezing you lightly. "We would romance the hell out of you."

"You guys are being silly. I don't even know what romance would look like." You giggled at the absurd idea. All the brothers were gorgeous in their own ways and could pick up any girl they wanted, why would they want you? Besides, your relationships were just platonic. "Is the interrogation over now? Want me to leave so you can get back to your game?"

"Nope, you're stuck here." Ivar said, leaning on you now so you were sandwiched between the two brothers.

Ubbe chuckled. "We've told you before, you are welcome to hang out with us. Why don't we put in a movie?"

After many arguments and some mild threats, a movie was finally chosen. You settled against Hvitserk, facing the TV, as you played with Ivar's hair, his head now in your lap.

As you watched the movie, you missed the silent conversation between the brothers happening around you. It was decided that your next boyfriend would certainly be one of them and in the meantime, they were all going to romance the hell out of you and make sure you understood how important and incredible you are.

Starting with making sure you sang whenever you wanted.

#vikings #vikings fandom #vikings fanfic #vikings fanfiction #ivars heathen army #ivar the boneless #ivar imagine #ubbe #ubbe ragnarsson #ivar ragnarsson #sigurd #sigurd ragnarsson #hvitserk #hvitserk ragnarsson #vikings imagine #modern vikings #roommates #mzwrites

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bbysamu · 4 years

Text

Bandaid

Like I need U series

⭑ part II ⭑

part I ; part III

⭑ Song: Bandaid by Keshi

⭑ Warning: Minor angst

⭑ Pairing: Oikawa x f!reader (slight Tsukishima mention)

Tag list (by request - thank you all for your support): @nachotrash; @whateverfeelz

Oikawa Toru, renowned pretty boy of Aoba Johsai, captain of the volleyball team is known for several things: his fluffy brown hair, charming smile, charismatic personality and killer volleyball skills.

Less known for his hard work ethic, love for aliens, and crush on one of the Karasuno’s volleyball manager.

It was a Tuesday, Iwaizumi had texted the captain reminding him of a practice match with Karasuno, where Tobio Kageyama was currently setter. All day Oikawa had been looking forward to this practice match, where he could see Kageyama again to see if Oikawa is still the better setter. After all, he’s been working so hard to make sure he can beat Kageyama. So despite being placed on a break by his coach, Oikawa was sure nothing could stop him from at least playing a little bit in the match.

When Oikawa arrived, he stood at the door, watching the match, in which Karasuno was currently leading. Annoyed, he did a quick survey of the team. Sure, Karasuno got some tall players and their raven-haired and blonde managers are just as beautiful as rumors but thats it. Karasuno was just another volleyball team.

Oikawa suddenly felt a tap on his shoulder. He whirled around to find a black-haired girl politely smile up at him. Oikawa’s breath caught in his throat.

“Excuse me, do you mind letting me through? I’m one of Karasuno’s manager and I’m running a little late” (Y/N) smiled apologetically at tall boy blocking the door.

“Oh yes, of course of course, sorry about that” Oikawa quickly moved out the way, watching the beautiful manager make her way over to her team. He didn’t miss the way she first glanced around her team before shyly blowing a kiss at the tall blond middle blocker, who pretended to catch it, making her giggle.

Oikawa was surprised by the disappointment he felt in his heart. He was constantly surrounded by his fan girls, many of whom are pretty, so what was this new feeling? Why was he disappointed to see this beautiful girl, a stranger no less, have a boyfriend?

The match went by quickly, though still playing at his best, Oikawa’s silly self rivalry with Kageyama took a backseat, as he kept glancing over at her. He saw the way she bit her lips in anticipation when it was Karasuno’s turn to attack, the worry in her eyes when Tsukishima held his fingers, re-adjusting the tape on them, and the smile of relief when he reassured her he was fine.

After the game, as all were cleaning up, he felt his eyes being drawn over to her again and couldn’t help but listen in on their conversation. He saw how Tsukishima came over to (Y/N), one hand slightly ruffling her hair, the other clutching his waterbottle, asking “hey (Y/n) why were you late today hm?”

“Sorry babe, Hinata forgot something in class so I had to go back to get it for him”, (Y/N) answered, standing on her tiptoes to kiss him.

Tsukishima playfully yelled out to Hinata, “hey tangerine head, stop forgetting things and making my girlfriend late to watch me”.

Oikawa watched as (Y/N) giggled, before playfully hitting her boyfriend, asking him not to be mean to Hinata, as the tiny middle blocker jumped around apologizing to (Y/N).

Oikawa watched as Tsukishima tenderly pick up (Y/N)’s hand and led her out of the gym, following the rest of the Karasuno.

“Crappykawa if you keep looking your eyes might fall out”, the familiar sound of his best friend’s voice called out, followed by the snickers of the other Seijoh four.

Suddenly an eruption of “Oikawa senpai!!!” rang out as girly giggles echoed throughout the gym. Oikawa turned his attention to his fan girls, trying to stop his thoughts from wandering back to Karasuno’s manager, who is clearly in a happy relationship.

A Few Weeks Later

“Oikawa please stop bouncing around, why the heck are you so twitchy today” Makki called out, trying to get his captain to stop moving around so much.

“I heard we have a new manager and she used to be from Karasuno” Oikawa sang out loud, “i’m just glad we have a manager after Sana-chan had to leave, or else the team would be a mess!”

Makki pouted “no need to remind me about Sana, I’m happy for a new manager too”, who’s ex-girlfriend is the previous manager.

The door suddenly opened and there (Y/N) stood, as beautiful, if not more, as Oikawa remembered. The gym suddenly fell silent, as the rest of the team stood gaping at their new manager.

A slow blush rose to her cheeks, her eyes shyly cast down for a slight second, before clearing her throat. “Hi boys! My name is (Y/N) and i’ll be your new manager!” She smiled brightly and suddenly everyone was encouraged to approach her.

Kindaichi bounced up excitedly to her “Hi (Y/N) senpai, thanks for being our manager!” The other boys nodded in agreement.

The captain stepped forward and couldn’t help the blush rising to his cheeks as Y/N focused her eyes on him. “Has her eyes always been this big, her lashes so long? She’s cute, she’s super cute, oh but she has a boyfriend argh” Oikawa thought to himself, before clearing his throat realizing he stepped forward without saying anything for the past ten seconds.

After introducing her to the team and making sure she’s settled in, the captain returned to the team for practice, glancing over at her frequently to make sure she’s okay.

While the other players only noticed her beauty and friendly personality, Oikawa saw a lot more, the way she stared off into space for the tiniest of moments, eyes suddenly glassy before blinking and taking a deep breath or the way she seemed to force herself to smile at nothing. Oikawa frowned, wondering what was going on.

A few weeks passed, Y/N became more and more comfortable with the team and the team more comfortable with her. Oikawa and Y/N also became much closer friends. It was easy for the two of them to get along, both of them with easy going and optimistic personalities.

♫ You should have told me I don't know what to say Why are you sorry How did it get this way ♫

Oikawa found it weird that Y/N never mentioned Tsukishima, until one day after school. Y/N, Oikawa and the rest of the Seijoh four decided to stop by Starbucks after school for a quick pick-me-up after a long, tiring day before heading back for practice.

Oikawa watched Y/N furrowed her brows in frustration.

“Argh I don’t know what to choose! Mattsun what would you rather have ? matcha latte or strawberry frapp?” Y/N asked

Matsukawa wrinkled his nose in disgust “ew neither”.

The rest of the boys laughed as Y/N hit Mattsun out of frustration, laughters quickly drowning out Mattsun’s protest “Y/N why are you hitting me for your inability to choose!!”

As sudden as the laughter began, it died as the boys looked at the clear look of shock on your face. Oikawa following your eyes saw the tall blonde middle blocker hand-in-hand with another girl (who was wayyy not as cute as Y/N ,Oikawa thought to himself).

He saw the way Tsukishima’s shock mirrored Y/N’s, before his girlfriend, with a slight smirk, pulled the tall player down to herself to give him a quick kiss.

Oikawa whipped his head to look at Y/N’s, who now with slight tears around her eyes, quickly wiped them and said to the captain “just get me a matcha latte please, i’ll..um...wait for you guys outside”. Putting on a brave smile, Y/N walked past Tsukishima and Yuki before heading outside.

Oikawa looked at the rest of his friends in shock, before running out after Y/N, leaving the rest of the Seijoh boys to throw nasty looks at Tsukishima and Yuki.

The pretty setter found Y/N in the alley outside the coffee shop wiping tears from her eyes. As soon as Y/N sees Oikawa, she threw him a feeble smile, nose red from crying. Without thinking, Oikawa threw his arms around her and drew her close.

“He cheated on me, I don’t know why. I’m sorry” Y/N whispered against his chest.

“Why didn’t you tell me? Why are you sorry? It’s not your fault” Oikawa replied.

The two stood there in a tight embrace, one heart broken, one heart breaking for the one broken.

♫ I'm afraid That bandaids Are no good For heartache ♫

“I like you Y/N” Oikawa murmured, unable to stop himself from confessing.

Y/N stiffened at his confession, trying to pull away but the setter pulled her tighter.

“It’s okay, I’m not expecting anything. I just want you to know”.

Y/N looked up at him, eyes wet with tears. “I’m sorry Toru, but i’m afraid.”

Oikawa smiled “Don’t worry I’m here for you, I’ll wait for you for as long as you need”.

Bandaids are no good for heartache, but Oikawa Toru doesn’t want to be your bandaid, he wants to be your heart.

#haikyuu imagines #oikawa x y/n #haikyuu scenarios #oikawa x you #oikawa x reader #hq imagines #hq tsukishima #tsukishima angst #hq scenarios #haikyuu fluff #haikyuu angst #hq fluff

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bbrandy2002 · 4 years

Text

Happy Birthday Burnsy!

The Country AU -- I'm Gonna Live Where The Green Grass Grows

Pairing: Drake x Alyssa, Liam x Riley, and a whole host of other TRR characters.

A/N: This was a silly little idea I had months ago for an AU built around the places and people where I grew up. I never had plans to actually write it, but I mentioned it to Burns, and well ... she wanted it lol so here we are. And she’s already read half of this and is the one who made the mood board for it and the song inspo hahaha. Thank you to @mskaneko for the edits of our OTP’s, and @charlotteg234 for pre-reading the first half of this.

Trigger warning: Gun usage, hunting, mild language ... I think that’s it

@burnsoslow

My dearest friend, when I think back at where we were one year ago, I can’t help but be reminded of the vastly different world we live in now. On February 5, 2020, there was no covid keeping us sheltered and fearful, families were complete, jobs were stable, and so many of the things we worried about then simply pale in comparison to now, Life wasn’t so bad. But here we are with all these new changes and mindsets. Through it all, one thing remained consistent: YOU. You have been my strength, my rock, the anchor that grounded me. We have cried together, laughed a lot together, worried for each other, and celebrated those small victories that were important to each other. And I get so happy when someone comments about how much they love the friendship between Riley and Alyssa because it's the most real part of Fearless. If anyone ever wanted to know what we’re like, it's all written out in that story. I’ve got your back, and you have mine. You’re my best friend and I just love the hell out of ya! I hope your birthday is amazing and that this fic is everything you wanted for this AU.

------------------------------------

On Sunday mornings in southern Georgia, you did one of two things: You woke up early for church services or woke up late to watch NFL football.

Some people figured out a long time ago how to do both.

Sitting in the back pew of the First Cordonian Church of Everlasting Peace, Alyssa Walker sat quietly with the sweetest southern belle smile, nodding her head along to the beautiful words spoken during Pastor Hakim’s sermon and hiding a pair of earbuds lodged in each ear.

She and her husband, Drake, had laid claim to the pew when they were teens trying to sneak a kiss or two during prayers. After ten years of marriage, they no longer needed to sneak kisses but stayed in that same seat, believing the biggest sinners should stay as far away from the minister as possible. Why be the barrier that may prevent the spirit from reaching the rest of the congregation? The couple felt it was the least they could do.

They were actually pretty good folks and well respected in their community. Alyssa had taught first grade for eight years at the local elementary school, where her two children, nine-year-old Audrey and six-year-old Patrick, also attended. Her best friend since third grade, Riley, was the art teacher there.

Drake worked nearby as the lead mechanic at Rys and Sons Chevrolet out on North Ramsford Avenue. Constantine had owned the auto dealership for 35 years before passing it down to his sons, Leo and Liam, when he ran for and became the town's mayor. Leo peaced out, heading to South Florida, while Liam took on the sole responsibility of ownership himself.

And while most people in this sleepy little town of Cordonia were Falcons fanatics, Alyssa grew up rooting for the team where her parents were born and raised before settling in Georgia as newlywed lawyers: The Chicago Bears.

With the game against the Packers blaring into her ear, she kept a keen eye on the rest of her fellow parishioners. When they clapped, she clapped. When they sang, she sang. She raised her hands in hallelujahs when they did. She had learned to read lips and could “Amen” and “Praise God” right on cue with the rest of them. All the while, she sat in contentment, listening to her weekly football games.

“The score with 14 seconds left in the second quarter is Chicago -- 14, Green Bay -- 17. The Bears have the ball on the 5-yard line. It’s third and goal. If Trubisky can score here, they’ll go into the locker room at halftime with a lead for the first time in this game, or possibly tie it all up with a field goal after this down. This is a huge, HUGE play, Jim ...”

Alyssa twined her fingers together and lowered her forehead onto them as she waited with bated breath for the announcer to call the play-by-play. As far as anyone else knew, she was praying fervently for the Hebrews crossing the parted Red Sea away from Pharoah's army that the pastor was chronicling.

“And here comes the snap. Trubisky backs up. He tosses to Robinson in the end zone. OHHH! So close… batted away by Alexender …”

“JESUS!” Alyssa yelled out in anger. With earbuds in, she didn’t realize how loudly that just came out of her mouth. Drake nudged her in the thigh. She glanced over at him for a second before he nodded to the 123 pairs of eyes that had all turned at once in her direction. It instantly dawned on her that everyone in the congregation heard the outburst.

Feeling the color drain from her face, Alyssa placed a hand over her chest and addressed, “I am soooo into this sermon, Hakim. Woohoo! Go, Jesus, go!” She pumped her fist in the air like she was rooting him on.

Drake dropped his face onto Patrick’s shoulder, who was sitting on his lap, to cover the incessant laughter that threatened to spill out of him. He was doing a terrible job of it, as a momentary burst of muffled snickers could be heard through the sound of the game playing in Alyssa’s ear. Her husband was nothing but a big kid himself -- she wouldn’t change that for anything.

“Mommy,” Audrey whispered next to her. “It’s about Moses. Not Jesus.”

Alyssa smiled, patting her daughter’s knee. “Same thing, baby. They both performed miracles.” She cut her eyes to the phone hidden under the cardigan draped across her thighs. “And the Bears need a miracle right now, guys,” she muttered, “Part those shithead Packer’s defensive line, Lord. It’s time to help my Bears get to the promised land.”

“Going for it on fourth down, Trubisky drops back. The Packer defense is putting a lot of pressure on the Bear’s offensive line. Every man is covered in the end zone. He has no one to throw to, Jim. They’re running out of time. Four seconds left. And, NOOO, they sack Trubisky on the 10-yard line … WAIT THE BALL IS LOOSE … THE BALL IS LOOSE ... he fumbled the ball. The Packers are scrambling to get it. There are green and white jerseys all over that ball. BUT LOOK … Green Bay’s Klark picks it up. He’s running the other way … and he just slipped … he just slipped, and the football fell right into the hands of Chicago’s Robinson --”

Alyssa grabbed Drake’s thigh, her fingers digging deeply with hope and panic. “Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck,” her stressed words weren’t audible to the crowd, but they were speaking volumes in her heart.

“--Robinson’s on the 20, now 15, he’s sweeping past the defense to the 10 -- 5 -- TOUCHDOWN, CHICAGO!!!”

"FUCK YES!" Alyssa jumped up, her arms outstretched in a V shape. “Hallelujah. Holy shit. Thank ya, Jesus.” She let out a huge sigh of relief, feeling nothing short of elated, not concerned in the slightest by the heads that twisted around again.

Hakim stood slack-jawed from the raised platform for a moment, his tallish physique slouching on the pulpit, before adjusting the microphone and clearing his throat deeply. "I'm certainly glad, Sister Alyssa is ... feeling the spirit this morning."

"I am feeling it, Brother Hakim," She shook her head profusely. "I. Am. Feeling it." She shot him a dimpled grin.

Drake snorted loudly, covering his face with one hand and grabbing the side of her dress to pull her back down with the other.

They turned to each other, neither one able to control the snickering and shaking of their bodies. Drake lifted a sleeping Patrick over his shoulder while Alyssa grabbed Audrey's hand; the Walker couple decided they were too immature for church this morning.

They laughed all the way to the parking lot.

"It's never a dull moment with you, baby girl," Drake chuckled, turning over the ignition.

"You know me …” She blew on her nails before rubbing them against her chest. “... just doing the Lord's work."

--------------

It was customary in Cordonia for families to gather together each week for a big supper after church.

The Walkers traditionally took turns hosting with Liam and Riley, and Constantine and Regina. This week's meal was at the elder Ryses.

Sitting down at the dining room table, everyone licked their chops, hungry and ready to dig into all the made-from-scratch southern goodness Mrs. Regina had prepared: Fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, coleslaw, macaroni and cheese, green beans with hamhock, corn-on-the-cob, deviled eggs, biscuits, sweet tea, and coffee. It was all accompanied by two containers of broccoli salad, Alyssa picked up from the Piggly Wiggly deli after church, and Riley's lopsided carrot cake.

There was always a lot of food, a lot of love, and what would it be in a small town without a little gossip here and there.

"Regina, you've outdone yourself on this meal," Liam raved while placing his five-month-old son in a high chair and fastening the clasps. "If it tastes as good as it smells, we're all in for a big treat."

Everyone agreed as she sat down, Constantine pushing her chair in with a peck to the top of her head. "Thank you, Liam." She looked up at her husband with a sincere smile, rubbing his arm. "Only the best for our family."

She meant every word of that as she and Constantine glanced around the table at all the cheerful faces of the people they loved most — that included Drake and his family.

Drake's father had been the sheriff for many years before his untimely death, while the younger Walker was a teen. Connie had never met a braver, more hard-working man than Jackson; the now mayor stepped in after that death to be the father figure in Drake's life. Drake was already best friends with Liam, and over time, the family just considered him one of their own. Drake and Alyssa's children referred to them as Mamaw and Papaw Rys.

As everyone settled in and passed the food around the table, the doorbell rang; 7-year-old Ellie -- Liam and Riley's oldest -- jumped up to answer it. With everyone focused on getting their helpings, Riley leaned over and whispered to Alyssa, "Any more scoop on Savannah?"

Alyssa passed the potatoes to her and answered in a hushed tone, "I drove past her house yesterday ... Chuck was there. His big rig was backed right up into the driveway. They're not even trying to hide it anymore."

"I knew it." Riley slapped a scoop of potatoes onto her plate, passing them across to Liam. "When does Bertrand get back from that Bankers Convention in Atlanta?"

"I think Max said on Tuesday. And I guarn-damn-tee, Chuck will be there until then."

"Of course he will. Have you told Drake yet?"

Alyssa shook her head, peeking over at her husband, who was in hog heaven, dousing everything on his plate with white gravy, blissfully unaware of their idle chitchat. She turned back to Riley. "Not yet. You know how protective he is. I'll need to hide the gun cabinet keys when he finds out ... if he finds out. You remember how upset he got when Bianca got caught at the Love's Truck Stop with Landon Ebrim over the summer. His mama can do what she wants, but not with a married man."

Riley agreed with a nod before taking a sip and swallowing her sweet tea. "Ya know, I've never seen sweet Emmaline that angry."

"Yeah, me neither. She sure whopped ass that day." They both giggled lightly. "Landon's dentures flew clean across that truck lot."

"I saw her the other day at the Food Lion, grinnin' like a baked possum. Got that ol' dog for everything he had."

Alyssa huffed, "Cept' his nuts."

Ellie ran back in and hopped in her chair. "Miss Olivia is here!"

Alyssa stiffened, clutching her fork a little tighter before letting out a faint groan. Not that she didn't like the Assistant Principal of Cordonia Elementary -- she was her boss, after all, and they grew up together -- she could just be a little off-putting, sometimes with her treatment of Drake. In light of Olivia's recent divorce, she had, however, started directing most of her scorn on her ex-husband, Anton.

Everyone greeted Olivia as she strolled in behind the youngster, shrugging her jacket off and tossing it on a counter with her purse. "I smelled your chicken and taters all the way from Lythikos Drive, Regina. You know how I love a good rib stickin' meal."

"Is Travis and Waylon here?" Patrick piped up eagerly from the children's table, hoping to have some boys to play with rather than the three little girls who kept ganging up on him.

Olivia pulled out a chair and started loading her plate down. "They're with their daddy this weekend, sugar. I'll tell them you asked about them."

Drake lifted his coffee mug, not making eye contact with anyone. "Speaking of ... I saw Anton yesterday at the Dollar Tree ... with someone." He smirked into his drink. While everyone else knew who and was trying to avoid the elephant in the room, he owed her for years of squabble.

"Who? Madeleine?" Olivia spat, adding heaping spoonfuls of sugar to her already overly sweetened tea. "Bless her rotten heart, he was seeing her before our break up. Moved in with her right after the divorce was final, so I hope she's enjoyed cookin' and cleanin' after my youngins' all weekend, cause she's gonna be doin it a hell of a lot more now that she got herself fired."

Madeleine was a bank teller in the drive-thru at First Cordonia and also Leo's ex-fiancee.

"Madeleine got fired?" Alyssa asked in surprise. "She's been there for years."

The redhead swirled the sugar around in her tea with a spoon before licking it off and continuing, "Mmm-hmm. Bertrand caught her on video, stuffing her gaudy drawers into the vacuum tubes at the bank and sending them to that bastard when he drove through to make a deposit. He was making deposits alright. Right between her scrawny, cankled ass --"

"Olivia!" Liam quickly interjected, knowing once she got going, it would likely turn R-rated with several little ears listening. "I'm dying to hear how the Christmas Festival for next Saturday is coming along." He shot a look across the table at Drake for getting her worked up. Drake simply grinned.

By late afternoon, supper had been eaten, dishes cleaned, and pants unbuttoned. After a couple of hours of chatting on the back porch and watching the kids play, the two younger couples packed up leftovers Regina insisted they take home and were ready to hit the road.

Liam and Riley lived next door and walked out with the Walkers who were making their way to the Tahoe parked on the street.

Alyssa bounced and cooed over baby Jacob before handing him back to Riley and getting into the vehicle's passenger seat.

Liam was leaning into the driver's side window, having a casual discussion with Drake about the opening day of deer season next Saturday and asking what time he wanted to head out.

Alyssa was half-listening and half-working the stereo when an idea popped into her head. "You know what would be fun?” Both men stopped talking and glanced over at her. “We should all go?”

Drake knit his brows. “Go where?

“Hunting. We can make it a double date. You and me, Riley and Liam. The great outdoors. Some quality time together. I’ll even make snacks for everyone. It’ll be fun,” her voice was chipper. She was excited about it.

She was also deadly serious.

So were the dubious looks Drake and Liam gave each other over the thought of taking their wives on the most important hunting event of their year. Not that either didn't enjoy spending time with their significant others, but hunting was a whole different world. It was a one-person sport where you spent the day away from reality and responsibilities and just enjoying the great outdoors —a place to be alone and experience the thrill of a good hunt.

“Guys, I’m serious. We go fishing together, and I’ve shot targets plenty of times. I really wanna go hunting with you. Riley wants to go too, don't you?” She cast an inquisitive glance out her window at Riley, who glared back with the biggest what-the-fuck look she'd ever made. “See, she wants to go too.”

“Baby,” Drake began softly, giving her knee light squeezes. “I don’t mind taking you, but this is opening day. We’ll be in the woods for hours, in the cold. It’s not really what someone would consider a ‘date.’ And we’re going to the Festival that night … we’ll get a chance to spend time together there.”

She held his gaze as her lips began to quiver. “I understand. You .. you need time to be away from me, and it was a dumb idea anyway --”

“No,” Drake cut in. His heart plummeted from the sadness in her voice and eyes. “That’s not it at all. I love spending time with you. And if you really want to do this, then … let’s do this.”

“Really? We can go together?” Drake nodded with a smile before she squealed in his ear and pulled him into a tight hug. “I can’t wait! Thank you!”

Stuffing his hands in his pockets, Liam let out a heavy breath as he looked over at Riley -- The woman he knew would not be a fun hunting partner next week -- still standing on the sidewalk, appearing like she might faint. “Yeah ... I can’t wait either.”

---------------------

Saturday. 5:15 a.m. The cellphone alarm on Drake’s bedside table let off a series of rhythmic beeping sounds and vibrations.

The alarm wasn’t needed. The man had been awake for hours, listening to his wife's gentle snores; the anticipation of bringing home at least a 12-pointer keeping him from falling back asleep.

Letting out a ferocious yawn and a hearty stretch, he picked up his phone to dismiss the alarm and rolled over to wake Alyssa.

With her ass perfectly curled into the space between his stomach and thighs, his hands settled on her curvy hip, jostling her slightly. “Time to get up, my little peach. We gotta get crackin’ before all the good deer are gone.”

“I just need one more hour, okay? Thanks,” she protested with a drowsy murmur, pulling the pillow over her head.

Drake chuckled, rubbing soothing circles over her back. “No. We have to get up now. We’re wasting time, sleepyhead. Unless … you don’t want to go.”

Alyssa’s heavy eyes stung as she tried to peel them open one at a time. “No, I wanna … go ...” she trailed. Her eyes slowly shut again, and she was out.

On a day like today, Drake was usually up and ready in ten minutes. Once he could finally get his wife out of bed, dressed, and back awake again from where she fell asleep on the toilet, it was close to 45 minutes.

Maxwell, who was also a childhood friend and the music teacher where Alyssa taught, rented the room over their garage. He agreed to come down that morning and watch the kids while the pair spent their morning in the woods. Bianca used to help out in that regard, but the kids complained she slept the whole time, and Alyssa was pretty sure her mother-in-law smoked pot around them.

Drake loaded up the truck, placing his rifle and a smaller .22 caliber for Alyssa behind the seat. Dragging herself slowly to the vehicle, the night sky still pitch black and her breath turning to thick vapors in the frigid air, she listlessly tossed a Taylor Swift tote bag on the floorboard and climbed in.

Drake looked at his phone after everything was packed up to see if Liam had sent a message about being late. It was unusual for him not to be there already. Typically, his best friend was up and at his house before Drake was even ready. He sent off a quick text to check.

Drake: Where you at, man?

Liam: Running late. Riley had to put makeup on and do her hair.

Liam: I’m having so much fun already 😑

Liam: snark

Drake: Lyss couldn’t decide which gloves looked the best with her orange vest. I guess she wants to impress the deer before she kills them.

Liam: We’re not catching deer today. We’ll be lucky if we catch a cold. Be there in 10.

Twenty minutes later, Liam’s gray Silverado pulled onto the Walker’s gravel drive. Riley had wanted biscuits and gravy from McDonald's, and she had to run back inside to pee, so that set them back. But, with everyone now there, they were finally ready to head out.

Just down the rural road from where Drake and Alyssa lived, the current sheriff of Cordonia, Bastien, owned several acres of unoccupied land that he used for recreation. He had been a close friend of Drake’s dad and agreed to let Drake and Liam hunt and fish on his property whenever they wanted.

Turning onto the dirt road and opening the gate, the four friends arrived at their spot just as dawn was breaking.

No one spoke much as they trekked through the mud, sticks, and brittle fall leaves that littered the path to the deer stands. Riley and Alyssa were too exhausted to say anything. Drake and Liam just weren’t used to talking at all.

"Riley, love,” Liam whispered softly. “Can you watch how you’re walking? The noise is going to scare the deer away.”

“I can’t help it if … " She reacted loudly in frustration before Liam placed a finger over his lips, and she resumed speaking more quietly. “I can’t help it if there're leaves everywhere. I’m walking on them as delicately as possible.”

“How much further? I think my toes are frozen and I need coffee.” Alyssa bemoaned while walking on the balls of her heels. Drake was basically dragging her sluggish body by the hand. Her eyes were still drooping from exhaustion with every careful step.

“Just over yonder of that fence row is our stand.” He pointed out.

Alyssa aimed her flashlight around the woods in several spots. "And where do we pee at?"

Liam lightly snorted as Drake answered matter-of-factly. "Just over yonder of that fence row below our stand."

"Oh ... " her tone was small and apprehensive, "... I guess that's ... okay." She glanced back timidly at Liam, who was following close behind.

He shielded his eyes from the beam of her flashlight in his face and frowned. "I'm not going to watch you pee, Alyssa."

Riley gasped, "Eww! I don't want Drake watching me pee either."

"Shhhhh." Liam was quick to remind her again of the volume of her voice.

"Stop, shushing me, Liam! Those deer don't know I'm out here."

Drake grunted, then whipped around to face the three of them. "Would you keep your voices down? No one's watching anybody take a piss," he whisper-yelled. "Lyssa and I will be at least a hundred yards away from ya'll. Riley, I promise you can piss your little heart out, and I won't see it."

"We're separating?" Alyssa asked wistfully. "What if I need to ask Riley something, and she can't hear me yelling across to her?"

"You'll just have to ask her when we're done, baby girl. And ... please don't yell questions to her while we're out here. Low voices."

They continued on with their noisy hike.

"Having so much fun," Liam grumbled to himself.

-------------------

Liam and Riley headed to their tree stand as Drake helped Alyssa climb up the ladder to theirs.

The stand and ladder were made of plywood -- chipped and faded from years of exposure to the elements -- and were attached at the apex to an oak tree about twenty feet off the ground. At the top it had enough room to take a step onto, with a wooden seat just wide enough to accommodate them. One plank rail came out on both sides.

Alyssa plopped down onto the seat, clutching her tote bag of goodies on her lap. She lifted the brim of the orange beanie she borrowed from Drake -- that smelled of animal carcass and gun powder -- above her eyes and peered out to the wilderness spread monumentally below. She closed her eyes and slowly inhaled the fresh, dewy air, taking in the sounds of twittering birds, branches clashing from the nearby squirrel frolicking on them, and the rippling of a bubbling brook streaming down the hill.

A pleasant warmth overcame her as Drake's much larger body sat down next to her and protected her from the frosty wind blowing in from his side.

Alyssa wrapped her arms around his waist, snuggling into him. "I can see why you like this so much. It's so quiet and peaceful ... look how purty it is out here, Drake. It's just real purty, isn't it?"

Working diligently on getting their gear together, he stopped briefly to look out; affection glowed in his eyes. “It sure is, darlin’. Almost as purty as you ... and notice I said 'almost.'” He winked, and Alyssa blushed, feeling that same love trickling up inside her she'd had since they were teenagers. Drake could charm the pants off a chipmunk, but she was thankful he only used that gift on her.

"Sooo ... " She drawled in her thick Southern accent. "How long will it be before the deer start coming out?"

Drake drew the barrel of her gun back after loading it with shells and explained, "Don't know. It could be minutes. It could be a few hours. Just whenever they head this way, I reckon."

Perplexed, Alyssa nodded slowly. "A few hours? I s'pose that's okay. What do you do while you're waiting?"

He shrugged, passing a gun to her. "You just ... sit here."

"You just sit here and do what?"

Drake leaned over to kiss into her orange cap and replied, "Wait."

"Wait." She acknowledged. "I can do that. I'll just sit here ... and wait."

Several minutes had passed, and Alyssa was already bored with listening to nature, Drake's gurgling stomach, and sitting quietly with nothing to do. Every so often, a shotgun blast was heard in the distance, signifying either someone out there had gotten their prize or Riley had driven Liam insane. It was the only break from the monotony that came with the boredom of sitting in a tree for who knew how many hours.

Letting out a giant exhale that caught Drake's attention, she propped her rifle against the railing and pulled the cloth tote that was sitting between her boots into her lap. Rummaging through the bag, she pulled out her phone and began thumbing out a message.

Drake furrowed his brows and asked, "What're you doin'?"

"Just texting Riley,' she answered dismissively. He shook his head and leaned it back against the tree while she formulated her message.

Alyssa: You still alive over there? How's it going?

Riley: This is boring as shit.

Riley: And now my texting is apparently scaring away the deer. F the deer Liam. F all the damn deer!!!! What were you thinking, Lyss?

Alyssa: I was thinking we could spend quality time with our husbands. The men we love and cherish with all of our hearts. I’m having a great time with Drake so far 😍😘

Alyssa: And no one twisted your arm to come bitch.

Riley: Liam's just staring through binoculars. He hasn’t spoken in 20 minutes except to tell me to point the gun away from him or to quit moving. Let’s go get our hair did at Adelaide's.”

Alyssa: OHHH Yes! And get Chinese food ... CRAB RANGOONS!! I'll have Drake drive us back. Girls Day Out. Love you!

Drake let out a belch and blew it away when Alyssa turned to him with a dazzling smile and a sparkle in her blues. "Can you drive Riley and me back to the house?"

"What? Right now?" he shrieked. She answered him with a cheerful nod. "What happened to all that talk about wanting to spend quality time with me?"

"I still do. But ... we're just sitting here, not really doing anything. I could be getting my hair done for tonight's festival. I also have a ton of laundry to do, some papers to grade, and I’m supposed to be making the Devereaux’s famous peach cobbler for the raffle. If I leave now, I’ll have time to do all of it.” Alyssa knew she probably wouldn’t do half of that, and Audrey would likely make the cobbler, but it made the situation sound more urgent.

"It's opening day, baby. I'm not leaving this spot." He reached into the pocket of his overalls and pulled out his keys. "If you and Riley wanna take my truck, I'll ride back with Liam."

She gave him an exasperated look. "I don't know my way back to the truck. And I sure as hell know Riley doesn't."

He smirked, stuffing his keys back. "Then you're stuck."

The next hour was brutal. Alyssa texted Riley to alleviate the boredom for several minutes, but there had been no responses in a long while. She wasn't aware that Liam tossed her friend's phone over the hill when she started making TikTok videos of her plight -- Liam took his deer hunting seriously: No noise meant no noise.

Drake wasn't much better; he was quieter than his usual self. It wouldn't have been so bad if she could at least talk. An occasional whispered word was not going to cut it.

Alyssa sighed heavily. She wiggled around for comfort. She unwrapped a Nutty Bar. She crunched. She opened a can of pop. She tapped her fingers. She flipped the pages of a magazine. Each one got that look from Drake that let her know it was too loud. If she ever made it out of there, she planned to jabber and stir until she couldn't do it anymore.

After another half-hour of stewing quietly in her thoughts without a sign of a deer anywhere, Alyssa decided now was the time to finally just talk.

"Do you ever think about having another baby?" It was a topic that had been on her mind for a while. To her surprise, Drake didn't give her a look or even freak out the way she anticipated. Despite his own rule of silence, he even responded in kind.

"Yeah. Kind of a lot."

Her right brow darted up. "Really?"

Drake took a breath and shifted the gun across his lap. "I mean, of course. It's always been my dream to settle down and have a bunch of youngin's with the woman I love." He studied her lit-up face; he'd swore she'd gotten more beautiful with age. That's why he hesitated when he added, "But ... "

Her shoulders slumped at his words, and a deflated look impressed upon her face. "But ... " The word barely made it past her lips.

Drake reached for her hand and gripped it tightly. "Lyssa, we have so much going on right now. You're working on National Boards, Audrey has piano recitals and basketball, Patrick has peewee football and Boy Scouts. We barely have time -- except for right now -- for just ... us. I'm not saying,"never"... just that right now ... isn't a good time."

"I understand that, but ... we've always made it work. And don't you miss those tiny little fingers wrapped around yours? And the way they smell fresh out of the bath? And those chubby little cheeks pressed up against yours?" she goaded.

“Of course I do. I remember the first time I held Audrey and PJ in my arms -- there’s just no better feeling in the world than ...to look down ... " Drake paused as his voice cracked, and his brown eyes glistened like glass. " ... and to see someone so small ..." When she sniffled, it made it that much harder for him to speak. "... that you created with the woman you've loved since you were 16 years old. But I like who they are now, and watching them grow, and doing things with them ... And, well ... there’s no shit clean up.”

“You obviously haven’t washed Patrick's clothes in a while,” Alyssa retorted with a chuckle that brought out one in her husband.

"I’ll have to talk to him about that." He gazed deeper into her eyes. "But I do love you ... more than all the peaches in Georgia, Lyssa Claire.”

Alyssa smiled.“That’s what you said to me when you promised to marry me when we were teens.”

Drake returned his own smile. “I did. I remember like it was yesterday too. Sitting in your parent’s basement, watching Friends reruns, eating pizza, making out. And hell, it’s still as true today as it was then. Somehow, even more."

Their cold lips parted and joined halfway for a fervent kiss, with Drake's hand meandering around the subtle groove at the junction of her waist. Just as it became more intense and desirous, a rustling of twigs off in a nearby thicket caught Drake's ear, and he broke away, his eyes scoping the perimeter. Alyssa wasn't offended, she heard it too, and her heart raced with excitement.

Lifting the binoculars hanging from his neck, he spotted two deer eating from a blackberry patch some thirty yards away. He pointed in their direction; Alyssa gave a quick thumbs up, letting him know she saw them too.

Drake carefully lifted the rifle resting in his lap as Alyssa leaned forward and squinted to get a better visual. "Is that a buck and a doe?" she whispered, not moving an inch.

"Sure as fuck is." He mounted the stock of his .30 caliber, Winchester, just beneath his collarbone; the rush of this moment coursed ravenously through his body. He lined up the scope and placed a steady finger on the trigger -- his thumb pulling the hammer back.

“Wait.” Alyssa loudly whispered. “You can’t shoot him.”

"I'm gonna. Better cover your ears."

"No, Drake. There's a doe with him. What if that's his wife? You can't just leave her all alone without him."

"Lyss, this is the whole reason we're out here."

"So you can make a widow out of her?"

"No ... so I can make deer chili out of him."

Alyssa's mouth flew open. "No. No. RUUUUUUUUN! RUUUUUUN!"

Drake pulled his face away from the scope and fired her a look. "What the hell are you doing? They're getting away!"

She tilted her chin boldly. "I don't care. That was her husband, and they're in love, and you can't take that away from them. I would be so sad if we were just out eating berries and someone came up and shot you, ALL SO THEY COULD EAT DRAKE CHILI!".

Drake dropped his head. He knew there was no point in arguing with her. As long as he’d known her, she was stubborn, and at that moment, she was dead set in believing those two deer were living out the greatest romance of all time. Nothing he said or did would change her mind on that.

A thought emerged while he attempted to comprehend the logic of the situation. Those deer ran off in the direction where Liam was set up. Maybe if he could give his friend a heads up, it was still possible at least someone would leave those woods with the prized buck.

Turning his back from Alyssa so that she couldn't stop him, he pulled a small walkie-talkie from his pocket and radioed Liam. Alyssa knew what was up and jumped to her feet, thrusting her arms around him in an attempt to stop the travesty.

"You can't do this, Drake," she hollered, "That’s her soulmate. And why don't I have a walkie-talkie? I want a walkie-talkie!"

While seated next to Liam, Riley was swinging her legs, purposefully making the soles of her boots scrape against the platform. Liam tried to ignore her; maybe he had been a little too uptight about every little noise and utterance she made. But this was playing a whole different ballgame now: she was now making it her mission to piss him off.

Prepared to pound his head against the tree, Liam gritted his teeth, skimming his eyes in her direction. "Love, do you have to do that?"

"Did you have to throw my phone in the woods?" She spat back.

Liam rubbed his hand over his face. "No, and I am sorry that. I apologize for all of eternity. I promise I will get you another one as soon as we get back, okay?”

Riley huffed. "Fine, but that phone had all of my contacts on it. It had our babies' pictures and videos on it ... our vacation photos. I can't get those memories back ever, and I have to find it, and God only knows where it landed. It could be ..." She stopped rattling on when she caught sight of the distressed look Liam was giving her. Knitting her brows, Riley asked, "What?"

"Nothing ... just ... can you lower your voice a little? You're gonna scare the deer away,"

He regretted it as soon as it came out.

“LIAAAAM!”

He saw the steam gushing out of her ears. There was no time to answer the incoming call on his walkie-talkie from Drake.

Belting out a furious screech, Riley jumped up and tried to jerk the gun from his hands. There was no question she wouldn't shoot him, but she'd sure as hell shred his favorite gun apart piece-by-piece and toss them all the way to Portavira Lake on the other side of town.

Riley tugged with all of her might. "I have HAD IT with being quiet for those damn deer, Liam. HAD IT!"

"Sweetheart, you need to calm down ..." He stood up in front of her, pulling back on the rifle even harder, surprised -- and not pleasantly so -- his considerably smaller wife had this much struggle in her.

"Don't you sweetheart me. You have shushed me for the last time, Liam Preston Rys!"

“Okay, I’m sorry! But can you at least admit us fighting over a gun is dangerous? Somebody is going to get seriously hurt, and I don’t want it to be you, Riley. Please. I won’t shush you anymore, I promise.” His face softened, eventually adorning a loving smile at his wife, who, with a sigh, was unable to resist that handsome face and relaxed her grip.

Riley gave him a half-smile in return. “I’m sorry, too. I’ve ruined your hunting trip.”

“Yes ... you did.” Liam agreed, dodging the playful slap she nearly made to his upper arm. “But I don’t want to fight anymore.”

With the War of the Ryses finally over, they went in for a makeup kiss until Drake’s voice called out to Liam again through his walkie talkie. Liam set the gun down on the bench and leaned it against the tree before he started digging into his pocket to answer the device. Riley dropped down onto the seat, her elbow brushed against the rifle and caused it to slide away until the barrel end hit the railing and set off a powerful blast.

When the ringing in both of their ears subsided, and the smoke had cleared, Liam and Riley collected themselves from the sudden spine-gripping explosion that shook them both. While Riley explained to Liam what happened, a hysterical sounding Drake came back over the walkie-talkie, wailing, “Alyssa’s been shot! Alyssa’s been shot! Help me!”

__________________

Later that evening, in the courthouse square, the street was lit up with zig-zagged rows of red, green, and white lights. Strands of garland were wound around every lamppost in perfect spiraled loops, and red bows hung and waved with the wintry breeze.

With traffic rerouted away from the area, vendors lined sidewalks selling local goods to put the town's citizens in the festive spirit. What would this small town in Georgia have been without boiled peanuts, low country boil, fried green tomatoes, barbecue, and peach everything?

Once Constantine had lit the 30-foot spruce, surrounded by hundreds of merry people from all walks of life that made up this small community, the festival was officially kicked-off.

In a large tent set up on the square, Liam and Riley laid out styrofoam containers and drinks they’d purchased from a barbeque vendor on one of several picnic tables inside. With their two young daughters munching away on their meal, and the stroller with their sleeping son beside them, they both sat down with heavy hearts and restless minds.

Liam bit into his barbecue sandwich, noticing Riley only prodding at her mac-and-cheese while staring off into the distance. He didn’t have to ask what was wrong; he knew what happened that morning was bothering her with guilt and worry. It wasn’t every day she accidentally shot someone.

“Are you going to be okay?”

Riley shook her head slightly with a sad look. “No. It’s just not the same without Alyssa here. You know how much she loves Christmas and the festival. She was so looking forward to it too, until --”

“You shot her.”

“Yeeeeeesssss,” she cried out. Liam reached across the table and gave her hand a comforting squeeze, his thumb caressing her smooth skin. Riley continued to sniffle as she grabbed a handful of napkins and wiped the barbecue sauce off Liam’s sticky fingers that were now smeared all over hers. “I didn’t mean to, I swear it. And the way … and the way Drake cried. It broke my heart. Now he has her on bed rest AND house arrest. He won’t let her take calls. I’ll never see or hear from my bestie agaaaain.” The tears continued to flow in steady streams.

Liam stiffened, feeling the eyes of everyone in that tent, gawking at his overly-dramatic wife breaking down. He started to tell her to lower her voice, but after the gun battle in the woods, he thought better of it. “Riley, darlin’, you know Drake is really overprotective of Alyssa. And as scary as what happened was, she only needed the one stitch and band-aid for her graze wound. Something tells me Drake won’t be able to keep her down long.”

---------------------------

Liam was right. As much as Drake tried to keep her in bed so he could wait on her hand and foot, protect her from the careless friends of the world who could inadvertently do his baby girl harm, and check to see if she needed a new band-aid every few minutes, he could not keep her down. She had been far too excited to hang out with the people she loved so much and celebrate at one of her favorite festivals.

Maxwell had left for the events with Audrey and Patrick an hour ago; they were part of the children’s caroling group and needed to be there early. Against Drake’s wishes, Alyssa showered, got dressed, and made sure he knew in no uncertain terms would he be able to prevent her from going. The only thing he knew to do was to go, follow her around the entire night, and make sure she wouldn’t get shot again.

They circled the block where everything was held several times, but spaces to park were impossible to find. Three blocks away was the church where they attended, and the parking lot was completely empty. Drake didn’t like the fact that Alyssa would have to walk so far in her debilitated condition and was prepared to haul her piggyback style if he had to, but this was the best spot he could find.

Drake moved the gearshift into park and reached over to grab Alyssa’s arm, who was already bounding out the door. He pulled Alyssa back inside, the chilly air blowing through her open door swept her straighten hair this way and that way.

She cocked her head to the side and exhaled, “Drake, I can open my own door. I’m not broken. It’s just a scratch. I’m fine.”

“I know.” He smiled that tenderhearted smile only Alyssa had ever seen. The same one sending a shudder through her already chilled body. “I changed my mind,” he replied simply

Alyssa slammed her eyes shut and groaned. “I just told you I was fine --”

“No, no,” He shook his head. “About having another baby. I want to start trying.”

Saddled with curiosity, she slid back into the truck and shut the door. “But, I thought you said we didn’t have time for that --”

“Yeah, I did say that. I still believe it. But … today made me realize that yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today …”

Alyssa’s hand flew to her mouth as she laughed out loud. Drake gave her a confused look before chuckling awkwardly to himself, “What’s so funny?”

She lowered her hand, still laughing. “You got that saying from a quote on a poster in my classroom. You’re the one who hung it up for me.”

The memory dawned on him, and he lowered his head, attempting to cover the guilty grin that spread over it. “Well, hell. Here I was trying to make you think I was all insightful and smart and stuff.”

Alyssa’s hand splayed across his rugged chest as she leaned over to kiss him.“You are very insightful and smart. You know I never settle for anything less than the best.”

“I s’pose.” he said, forking his fingers through his hair. “But … I guess what I wanted to say was … I know that bullet missed you, barely … but what if it hadn’t? What if I’d left those woods without you today? Just like you were afraid that doe might. Time wouldn’t matter anymore. There will NEVER be enough time with you. You’re my life, Alyssa Claire. You’re my lover, my friend, my heart, my confidante, my soul, my everything … my little peach. I want to experience all that life has given me with you as my wife … and forever make time with you.”

“DRAAAKEY!” she bawled, spreading her tiny arms wide around his bulky body. Alyssa drew him into her so hard it nearly crushed the wind right out of his lungs. “I -- love -- you -- so muuuch!” Drake patted her back and kissed into her hair as she sniveled into his shirt. He hated when she cried, but damn if this didn’t feel good to him. Anytime she was happy made him that way too.

They took a moment to kiss and pet each other a little before Alyssa sat up and asked, “So … when do you want to start trying for a new baby Walker?”

He shrugged. “Whenever you want, baby.”

Alyssa looked through the back window of the truck and scanned the parking lot. She bit her lip and looked back at him impishly. “What about … now?”

Drake’s eyes flew open wide. “In the church parking lot?”

Pursing her lips, she affirmed, “Yes. We’ve done it behind the Piggly Wiggly plenty of times. And let's not forget the ‘Great Ass Blow-out of 2019’ in the Atlanta Convention Center parking garage.”

“I will never forget that.” Drake shook his head as that momentous sexual experience replayed in his mind. “Mmmm, you performed magic that day, woman.”

She raised a brow and coaxed him on, “So? What’dya say?”

Drake took a tentative look around at the dark, empty lot, then back at her. “We’re so going to hell, but I’m in.”

“Eeeeeee,” she squealed, jerking his arm around in excitement. “Try to keep your ass out of the window this time, okay?”

Thirty minutes later, Pastor Hakim pulled into the church parking lot with Mara, the game warden, following behind in her truck. There had been several reports from passerby’s of loud animals howling and screeching behind the church. The stray cat population was out of control in that area, and several cats had burrowed their way inside the church on occasion.

Hakim parked his car, with Mara pulling in beside him. They both got out simultaneously and listened quietly to see if they could decipher where the commotion was coming from.

Within seconds, a load moan roared out, followed by several consecutive whimpers that were hard to make out by the duo.

Mara listened intently, then gestured with her flashlight to an area near the back of the lot where clusters of shrubs and dry brush bordered. Hakim ambled behind her, the noise getting closer and closer until the pastor's brow furrowed at the shaking of a nearby truck.

“Damn, teenagers,” he grumbled as they tipped toed discreetly.

Mara crouched down by the truck's tailgate, Hakim bending over while she duck-walked toward the driver's side door.

The game warden turned to the pastor and instructed, “On my three. 1 -- 2 -- 3.” They both jumped up at the same time, flashing the light inside the cab. “HAHA Caught ya! OH MY GOD!”

Alyssa, who was on top of Drake, completely naked except for the band-aid on her left arm, looked up in utter humiliation and shock. She crossed her arms over her chest to cover her breast, feeling like she might faint. Not knowing what to say at that moment to rectify their actions or why those two were still staring inside the truck, Alyssa smiled sheepishly. “I’m still feeling the spirit, Hakim.”

---------------------------------

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#drake x alyssa #Liam x Riley #gun usage #hunting

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thoughts-on-bangtan · 4 years

Text

BTS at Golden Disc Awards 2021

by Admin 1

On the 9th and 10th of January 2021 BTS attended the Golden Disc Awards, and performed on the second day as well. Being there they won the Digital Bonsang for Dynamite on the 9th and the Bonsang, as well as the Album Daesang for Map of the Soul : 7, on the 10th. Amazing achievements which I sincerely congratulate them on.

When it comes to the performance, it was, most certainly, another amazing collection of stages bringing something new once more, even if they presented songs we’ve already seen at previous award shows this season. The opening came in form of Black Swan, though they didn’t sing any of it. It was more an intro showcasing the entrance of the members and highlighted Yoongi’s return to the stage, at least partially.

The stage featured big metal winds, low lighting, and the members clad in black and white clothing including leather elbow length gloves for Namjoon and Yoongi, and pretty chockers for Taehyung and Jimin. The highlight though was Jungkook’s hair which isn’t dark anymore, but instead has been bleached and dyed a pretty blond. Personally I think it suits him pretty well.

More below the cut since this is shaping up to be pretty long:

Next up was ON, which was powerful and fierce, though still missing Yoongi, which is all too understandable. Even though he can stand on stage again and hold his mic in his left hand (his surgery was on the left shoulder), it will still be a while until he’ll be able to dance with the members. ON has certainly grown a lot on me and I enjoy their performances of it immensely, and it was much the case this time as well.

The transition from ON to Life Goes On came in form of the stage being made to look like their individual rooms from BE which appeared on the digital walls around them. Their clothes were mostly comfy, though Jimin’s resembled their outfits from all the way back during I NEED U/RUN era. The transition/VCR like moment ended with the instrumental to We Are Bulletproof : The Eternal and the stage looking much the way the MV did with the whale swimming around them in an ocean of shades of purple, blue and pink.

For Life Goes On they had miniature versions of some of their most iconic MV sets on pedestals. It was a really cute idea and I enjoyed the execution a lot. The members seemed relaxed and enjoying themselves, Jimin and Taehyung even having their little moment of looking at each other twice, these moments certainly having become something I always kind of look forward to when it comes to LGO stages.

Another tiny Jimin and Taehyung detail was Jimin sending a brief, barely noticeable (by the viewer) finger heart which I hadn’t even noticed until my fourth rewatch. It definitely fits with all these other small gestures we’ve seen from these two in recent months, like the finger hearts and kissy faces during their Lotte Family Concert performance of Boy with Luv or hugging each other on day 1 and doing a fun handshake and dance on day 2 during Dionysus at the MOTS ON:E concert visible only on one of the side cameras, not the main one.

The grand finale was the Slow Jam remix of Dynamite which worked perfectly with the chill out lounge/bar atmosphere created on stage fitting with the Great Gatsby theme. The members wore mostly suits in white, blue in Namjoon’s case, and a bright yellow when it comes to Taehyung, as well as Hoseok who had a white button down which Tae did not. While a normal person would look ridiculous in it, Taehyung looked absolutely stunning and made it more than work. After so many energetic performances of Dynamite since its release, seeing such a calm version was really nice and refreshing, showing how versatile BTS and their music are, how they can captivate an audience with fast songs made for big choreographies and stage productions, but also these slow, more chill types of tracks. A marvelous idea, truly.

There was also an encore stage where they sang ON again but this time along with Yoongi on stage which had some hilarious moments, especially Namjoon and Seokjin being silly waving their arms around while kneeling opposite each other on stage during Jungkook’s bridge. Cute.

Afterward the members were at something like a red carpet after interview where they took pictures with their awards (Jungkook and Taehyung even making their Bonsang and Daesang awards kiss much the way film director Bong Joon Ho made his two Oscars kiss last year) and were asked to do a relay of saying something to each other.

All translations of their words are taken from Vernal_Bom on twitter.

J-hope to Jimin

“I didn’t feel lonely in 2020 thanks to Jimin. Thank you for making me laugh. Give me happiness and laugh in 2021 as well.” Jimin (turning to Namjoon): “It seems he can never live without me”

Honestly the bond between Jimin and Hoseok is so cute and wonderful and you can see, and hear in their words, how important they are to each other, and how grateful Hobi is. We know the members were having a really hard time in 2020 so it doesn’t surprise me that Hobi would highlight the other members, or in this case Jimin, as one of the main reasons why he made it through it. After all we also know that those two made a song together which unfortunately didn’t make it onto BE. Hopefully we might get it one day at least as SoundCloud release, or perhaps on the next album instead.

Jimin to RM

It was you who made us pull ourselves together to go through 2020. I am always grateful, and it’d be nice if you share you height a little with me in 2021, be healthy and happy. RM: Okay thank you

I love how Jimin used this (public) opportunity to tell/remind Namjoon of how important he was for them especially in 2020, as leader and surely also as friend, yet still also made a little joke to still keep the atmosphere light. After he was done speaking Jimin also hugged Namjoon, which showed once more how tiny he is in comparison.

RM to JK

It’s finally today, Jungkook-si, in 10 years! You are Golden Maknae! The day that you will prove your nickname! You are proving it right now with your hair color, but in 2021, I hope the year will be filled with gold, like your nickname. Stay healthy. Let’s ‘Jje-kkit-up’ together this year too! (check it up.. the usual Namjoon saying lol)

It’s quite something to think about and realize, isn’t it, this year 10 years pass since Jungkook became a BigHit trainee and moved into their first dorm with Namjoon, Hoseok, Yoongi and Seokjin. I’m curious if Bangtan, as well as BigHit, have some kind of plan for JK specifically for this year that Namjoon chose to highlight his Golden Maknae nickname in such a way, or if it was more of a reminder to JK, that he’s so worthy despite how he doubts himself, and despite how he himself said he’s been going through tough times in 2020.

JK to V

V hyung, when we were trainees we were getting along so well, (V: We are not now???) No!!! i didn’t mean it. You are becoming so much of an stand-up (reliable, I assume in this context) guy. Thank you for doing all the schedules with us. jhope: who’s hyung here?

The bond these two share might just be one of the biggest mysteries and causes for conflicts and fights within the fandom, or particular parts of it. After their conversation In The SOOP, I’d like to believe they’ve figured out whatever issue might've arisen between them in the past, found a way to solve and move past it slowly, and rekindled their friendship once more. Seeing at how well they’ve been getting along (on camera) these past few months, I think it might've been so. It’s curious to me though that JK chose to say this instead of something more akin to what Jimin said to Namjoon, or Hoseok to Jimin.

V to Jin

V: (turns to Jin) Jin: This is too close V: I listened to Abyss and that makes my heart ache too... Jin: Thank you V: hyung, your song is so good. Make more songs in 2021, let Army and us listen to your song more. Jin: Okayokay V: and I play game with you to relieve stress.... sorry for talking in ban-mal (informal form). —(also speaking in informal way) Jin: No no it was so fun V: I love you Jin: I love you too

I absolutely adore the bond these two share and I love that Tae chose to say what he did. We know Seokjin has been going through a hard time in 2020, that he dealt with something I’d call imposter syndrome, so I’m glad we got to know even more about how Tae was there for him, something we otherwise would’ve never known. Certain people try to portray Tae as the one member that is almost estranged from his other members, who barely has anything to do with the group outside of schedules, and yet it’s moments like this--as well as Seokjin telling us in his birthday vlive that Tae organized for everyone including his non-BTS friends to send Seokjin birthday wishes in video form to show him how loved and appreciated he is--are the proof that those people are wrong. Tae is very close with his members, and he’s the ambassador of OT7 or nothing, the members his closest friends and brothers, his found and chosen family.

Jin to Suga

Jin: Yoongi ya, do it well. Suga: Okay.... Jin: Do well on your rehab, and...uh... let’s do well going forward. Suga: Okay.. I will...

These two are so close yet due to their introverted nature their interactions such as this one are just so hilarious and adorable at the same time. Their dynamic is wonderful and this just seems like peak Yoongi-Jin behavior.

Suga to j-hope

SG: (unable to look into hobi’s eyes) Our hobi JH: Suga! SG: You did work hard in 2020 (evading eye contact) JH: hahhahahah and? SG: Let’s not fall sick in 2021, and hwaiting... JH: “Hwaiting hyung, and take good care of your health!”

The saga of Yoongi being unable to look Hoseok in the eye continues and it’s just as precious as ever. They stood so close, and while Yoongi wasn’t able to look into Hoseok’s eyes, it’s funny how he was the one who initiated the whole “them standing so close together” thing. I love the difference between how Seokjin didn’t even try to make eye-contact while Hoseok playfully challenged Yoongi and tried to coax him into it anyway knowing it’ll make Yoongi laugh and smile. It’s such a Yoongi-Hoseok thing, I love it.

And with that, the award was over and now also my post. I hope you enjoyed reading it! :3

#bts #bangtan seonyandan #golden disk awards #golden disc awards 2021 #jimin #taehyung #jungkook #namjoon #seokjin #yoongi #hoseok #vmin #namjin #life goes on #performance commentary #Vmin cute moments #Namjin being silly together #Yoongi is back!#bts gif

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kirishimaskousin · 4 years

Text

Finding Out His S/O Can Sing

Please enjoy these fluffy head cannon/one shots for Bakugou, Kirishima, and Denki. I linked all the songs, and 100% recommend them.

Warnings: none

A/N: I don’t think each student has their own bathroom in the AU dorms,,,,but I’ve taken creative liberties. fight me. Also, I tried not to be too specific about gender or race, but Kirishima’s is about wash day sooooo. (my blackness is showin....not sorry)

Bakugou Katsuki

Song: Kiss You Right Now by Duckworth

It was Saturday evening. You had come to Bakugou’s dorm earlier that morning to study for a big test.

Bakugou sat at his desk and you sat cross legged on his bed, surrounded by notes and books.The studying was going well...

Until you fell asleep.

“(Y/N) Do you have notes from chapter–”

He turned around to see you sprawled out on his bed. If it was anyone else, he’d be mad that they were wasting his time. Instead, he just looked over your frame. He studied the rise and fall of your chest, the slight twitch in your lips, and the small sliver of torso that peeked from under your tousled shirt.

He picked up the notes you were laying on so that you didn’t crumple them any further and left you to go train.

When he returned, he expected you to still be asleep or to be gone to study on your own.

So, when he heard a muffled voice coming from his room, he stood listening for a moment.

The voice was mellow and effortlessly enchanting. He’d never admit it, but he wanted to stay there listening forever.

He cracked open the door just enough to see you sitting at his desk and wearing one of his large hoodies with your headphones in. You were facing away from him, doing more singing than studying, so he stepped inside to watch you dance around in your seat.

You fell silent for a moment, and Bakugou opened his mouth to speak. Before he could call you out though, you began to sing in a more sensual tone.

“I think I wanna kiss you, right here in front of everybody, right now.”

A blush crept up bakugou’s neck, and a crooked smile played on his lips. He rubbed the hairs on the back of his neck as he tried to make a decision.

“I think I wanna miss you, purposely leave so I can come back to you, right now.”

Part of him wanted to keep listening, drinking in your buttery voice.

The other part of him wanted to wrap his arms around you from behind and give you the kisses you sang about.

And a teeny tiny part of him just wanted to scare you.

“That's some holy matrimony, how we joining our lips. Holy moly the one and only to grip on yo hips.”

With those exciting words, your dark voice, and the languid motion of your head, he made up his mind.

With two large strides, he crossed the room and spun you around in his chair.

The sudden movement made you jump and clutch your chest, but you barely got the chance to scold your smirking boyfriend before he planted a harsh kiss on your lips.

One of your headphones laid on the desk, still playing as Bakugou kissed your breath away.

“When I kiss you, Right her in front of everybody, right now.”

As if he could hear your lungs screaming for air, Bakugou pulled away and walked towards his shower.

“If you wanted to kiss me, you could have just said it.” And he shut the bathroom door behind him.

Denki Kaminari

Song: Electricity by: Sam Pinkerton

Class 1-A was still riding the high from the school festival. Everyone had worked so well together and had so much fun showing off their talents that they decided to have their very own class talent show.

Chatter and giggles filled the common room as everyone piled onto the plush couches. You were running a bit behind, so all the seats were filled when you got there.

You scanned the group, looking for a seat on the floor with the best view of the “stage”. Before you could find your seat, Denki called out to you.

“I saved you a seat right here.” He patted his lap and you chuckled a little.

Kaminari never really cared about PDA. He was so proud to call you his girlfriend and he took every chance to show the world that you were together. He’d hold your hand in the market, pull you close when you shared a booth at a restaurant, and even stole kisses on your strolls.

For the most part, you were okay with his affections, but you rarely let him do such things around your classmates. You knew they’d tease you relentlessly, and mineta would definitely be a perv about it.

But, everyone was focused on their conversations, so you took your seat in Denki’s lap.

“What’s cracking cutie?” He laughed, nuzzling his face into your neck. “Excited to show off your talent?”

“Um, not really.” You held up your hand to show your trembling fingers. “I’m a bit nervous.” You’d been a part of the technical team for the school festival, so no one had to see you, but today there'd be so many pairs of eyes on you. and Shoji’s quirk didn’t help

Denki grabbed your hand and brought it to his cheek. “Don’t worry babe, I know you’re gonna be great”

“You don’t even know what my talent is.”

“That is true,” he let out giggle “but everything you do is amazing. I believe in you.” He gave you a quick peck on your cheek. You weren’t sure if it was your nerves, your heart, or Denki’s quirk, but you felt a spark where his lips had been. Denki pulled you in tight, as everyone began to perform.

The talent show was almost over, and it was your turn. You looked to Jiro, who was plugging her guitar into an amp. She nodded to you once you were ready, and you took the stage.

Looking at all your classmates made your stomach flip, so you looked to your boyfriend instead. He sat there in his pikachu onesie I couldn’t help myself clapping his hands with the biggest smile on his face.

A smile that eased your nerves.

Jiro began to play, you closed your eyes, and let the words fall from your lips.

“I remember the first time that I ever looked you in the eye”

The smile on Denki’s face slowly melted into an amazed gasp. He’d call you an angel before, but he was starting to think there was more truth to that pet name than he originally thought.

The lyrics dripped off your tongue like syrup, and your voice wrapped him in a warm embrace.

‘I love you like I never stopped. I need you not to break my heart”

You opened your eyes, staring into Denki’s. Everyone was leaning forward in their seats, but you only noticed Denki.

“The electricity between you and me”

A blush dusted the tip of his nose as you shared sickeningly sweet stares. His proud gaze filled you with confidence to sing harder. As long as you were singing to him, everything would be fine.

Before you knew, the song ended and Denki was released from his trance.

“WOOOOOOOHH!! THAT’S MY GIRLFRIEND EVERYONE!” Denki ran up to you, pulling you into a suffocating hug and jumping up and down. Heat rose in your cheeks. His praise meant the world to you.

Eijiro Kirishima

Song: If I Was Your Woman cover by: Alicia Keys

Kirishima had heard you sing many times before. You two would sit down to play a video game or watch funny videos, and end up singing silly made up songs until Mr. Aizawa came to yell at you about breaking curfew.

Kirishima hadn’t heard your real voice though. Whenever you sang together, your notes were broken up by fits of giggles and silly dance moves.

He didn’t know how well you could sing until the day you brought all your hair and skin care products to his room. It was one of your few days off from hero training, and you were in desperate need of a wash day, but you also wanted to spend time with Kiri, so you decided to compromise.

Wash day in Kirishima’s room!!

He just sat back as you connected to his speaker, played your washday playlist and disappeared into his bathroom.

The songs on the playlist were all soulful and rhythmic, something Kiri wasn’t used to.

This guy def listens to EDM and rap 25/8

He just sprawls out on his back and savors the domestic symphony. The sweet melodies, the sound of your shower, and your light hums all wash over him.

Kirishima is at peace, and nearly falls asleep. But, his ears perk up as he hears your voice spilling under the bathroom door. You weren’t humming anymore. You were actually singing, and it was heavenly.

“If I was your woman and you were my man”

He had definitely underestimated your talent. Your voice was soft but textured, like you were pulling the lyrics from your very core. He turned the speaker down to hear you better.

“You're a part of me but you don't even know it. I’m what you need but I'm too afraid to show it.”

You were filling the song with passion and heartache, but it came so easily. Your voice was so strong and clear, unlike anything he’d ever heard from you.

Kirishima, captivated by the song, got up to stand by the bathroom door. You hit every note, rode every riff, and blew him away. Your voice reverberated through the walls as he anticipated the song’s climactic bridge.

“If I were your woman. If I were your woman, here's what I'd do. I'd never, never, stop loving you.”

The words rang in his chest, and tears welled in his eyes. He wanted to suck the tears back up, but even Crimson Riot, the manliest man, would cry at your performance. So he let the droplets fall.

The song ended, and the water turned off. He could hear you padding around the bathroom as you continued to hum to yourself, but He was stuck there, replaying your song over and over in his mind.

You stepped out of the bathroom, steam pooling at your feet. “Why are you standing at the door, Kiri?”

He didn’t answer. He just took in your smaller frame, clad in fuzzy shorts, one of his band tees, and a towel wrapped around your head. How could you be so casual after singing your heart out?

“I- I’m just glad to be your man.” He pulled you into a hug that nearly crushed your ribs.

It took a moment to click, but when it did, you let out an airy chuckle. “Oh you heard me? Oops.”

“Don’t apologize, you sounded so beautiful.”

“Thanks Kiri. I’m glad to be your woman.” You left a soft kiss on his lips then pulled two packages from behind your back. “Now,” you said, excitement bubbling inside of you, “Time for face masks!”

#mha bakugou #mha #mha kirishima #mha kaminari #mha x reader #mha headcanons #bakugou x reader #kirishima x reader #kaminari x reader #anime #anime blog #kirishima x poc!reader #mha x poc!reader

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thequibblah · 3 years

Note

⭐️ would love some commentary on that dancing scene (or really any commentary on the various parties thrown by the marauders) from the party happening next to the Potions Club party ⭐️

WELL WELL WELL

"This is...a lot of trouble to go to." "It's the Marauders. They love trouble."

i love writing party scenes (as i'm sure you all know lol) and one of the best/worst things w the marauders parties is striking a balance between their, uh, audacious plans, and what's realistically possible at hogwarts without getting caught. (aka literally why i made up the dodgy lodgings). i went back and forth so long on whether or not they could plausibly have managed that with slughorn's dinner next door, but then was like ah whatever the party has to happen for plot reasons so.... plot ex machina??

anyway, i love using parties to establish character — what a brilliant stage of teenage performance they provide. i love contrasting the hogwarts parties to, say, evan wronecki's — for instance, how lily and co. are more at ease in the former, as seventh years, with their classmates hosting, than they were at evan's nye bash

i also love that it gives me space to establish who is and isn't popular, so to speak, but also who acts or doesn't act the way we presume popular kids will act

doe, for instance, who is by all accounts a level-headed and non-wild person, has a more exciting time on net at marauders' parties than mary (drinking game, kissing remus), though she's not a big drinker and isn't really into parties. but she's comfortable in her own little social circle at a bigger event (like with michael at evan's) and so isn't bothered at all by the marauders' do, because...

She did, in fact, trust the Marauders. Her general belief in the inherent goodness of people notwithstanding, she didn't think they would do anything to harm their friends. Intentionally.

this bit always makes me laugh

as with many things, i feel very saddened that i didn't get to make more out of the fools' olympics (although one could argue that The Dance was a pro) — as in, i wish i'd been able to squeeze more of it into the story itself. i could probably come up with a list of tasks and who completed them LOL

WAIT OH MY GOD I TOTALLY FORGOT ABOUT THIS it just might be my favourite part of this chapter

"How did you do that?" Gillian said, glancing between the other two girls. "Just — drink it without a second thought?" "Practice," said Mary. "Scottish — constitution," David said hoarsely. "I once drank some of Mrs. Skower's All-Purpose Magical Mass Remover," said Priya.

priya is all i aspire to be

can i say, too, it's hilarious to me how many people worried niamh would be a james love interest? i feel like you will not rest easy on that count until he and lily are together... but that is not where the danger lies babes

circling back to popularity/unpopularity, another fun outlier. gillian is first established, in 33, as someone with friends (we see her around sara and in the seventh-year ravenclaws' compartment) but she's not exactly at ease at the party either — recall how she hesitates when mary invites her. only later, in 38, do we realise that our opinion of her has been skewed by the narration (from doe, who naturally assumes any friendly, nice person must have a wealth of friends and be floating through life; and mary, who naturally assumes anyone she isn't bored by must have the social skills of a medieval noblewoman at court), and she's a bit of a pariah in her own house

david, on the other hand, is just flat-out not in his element. and not because of the drinking or the, er, general revelry (see: summer with mary!), even though he doesn't partake much in either. unlike doe, the company breaks rather than makes his enjoyment — he's acutely aware, the whole time, that his cooler, more liked brother is around:

"Not your scene?" "What gave it away?" said David drily. As one they looked at Chris...

...and mary has intuited as much too, even though she has a lot more in common, superficially speaking, with chris than david

so, i think while i was writing this chapter i made a post complaining about how, as much as i love juggling the constraints of historical fiction, i hate that music from the 70s limits me in terms of tracklists. i.e., when i say a certain record is playing i can't just hit shuffle and go somewhere entirely different to set the mood shortly thereafter

this problem was because i wanted, NAY, NEEDED, to have "martha my dear" playing in the aftermath of that mary and david interaction. of course, time passes in that section break, but since "come and get it," which they talk about it, is a sirius song (though it could be a mary song), and i feel too strongly about needle drops to let that conversation go without a soundtrack. germaine even correctly guesses the white album is on because of mary:

Apparently Mary got fonder of the White Album the drunker she was.

...and of course the song itself makes me squeal with how very mary it is — not that it is something she would listen to, necessarily, or identify with (it would hold up too close of a mirror, ha), but it sounds like it could've been written about her ("hold your head up, you silly girl/look what you've done/when you find yourself in the thick of it/help yourself to a bit of what is all around you," which really sums up the entirety of her portree holiday, lol)

BUT! if "martha my dear" is to play here, then i have some Serious Chronology Concerns. i knew germeline had to kiss and jily had to dance and ideally in that order. but what would those scenes be soundtracked by!!!! i was limited to side two of the white album!!!

so i did the healthy thing and panic-listened to the white album. "don't pass me by" was, right away, an easy lock for the dance, because it's danceable, but not in a way that would've scared lily off. lyrically, it feels GREAT for jily in this moment, on the cusp of lily's realisation ("waiting for your knock, dear [...] i don't hear it, does it mean you don't love me anymore?" vs OF COURSE "don't pass me by [...] 'cause you know darling, i love only you"). i feel about "don't pass me by" the same way as NYT critic nik cohn: it's "straight ahead and clumsy and greatly enjoyable, backed by a beautiful hurdy-gurdy organ," which, if that isn't everything i wanted to evoke with the dance itself!!!!!!

ok we'll circle back to this, but onward with the musical discussion

thus i had four songs to choose from, between "martha my dear" and "don't pass me by," for the germeline scene — "piggies," "blackbird," "i'm so tired," and "rocky raccoon." the latter is on my sirius playlist, so auto-no; "piggies" is, well, like that, so also a no. "blackbird" is a certified germaine classic that was written personally by paul mccartney for germaine, but it seemed too introspective for the moment. i don't think i'd ever listened to "i'm so tired" before this panicked searching, and honestly it must be some wild luck that it is. just SO RIGHT!!!! it's so lethargic and tortured and angsty and, well, a bit of a stoner song, so.... it's THERE

AND NOW for the dance! true story, i initially wanted jily to have a real conversation, after the party. i had the dance in there and then james would catch up with lily after to be like, "hey i was wrong actually, you should write to petunia." but then i realised i wanted james and sirius to have a conversation about the bike/money, and i wanted it to strike a different chord, tonally, than the jily conversation. then i realised it would be too much to have both and i'd need to condense that conversation into the dance. VERY nearly cut the dance in favour of the conversation but wow i am glad i didn't

The tinkling piano signalled the start of the next song; she extended a hand, very matter-of-factly, to James, "Come on, this is a good one."

not pictured: james having a fucking breakdown

obviously, i could have gone the route of a genuine dramatic dance, but as previously mentioned lily would have chickened out, and i wanted to have this be an experience she could look back on and pine about because of how fun it was and james totally doesn't like her back

Loath as she was to admit it, this most indelicate of waltzes suited the plodding chords of "Don't Pass Me By." And worst of all, once they had stopped stepping on each other's feet James started to sing, in the poorest possible Ringo imitation she had ever heard in her life.

by the way, attentive readers of blink three times will recall:

He finally starts to lead — thank goodness, because she’s not the one who was forced into formal dance lessons as a child...

so in 36, this is james being drunk, but it is also james being silly on purpose because not only is he JAMES and so he must take the mick, he also knows it will put lily at ease

okay, and this bit:

"Don't pass me by, don't make me cry, don't make me blue," they both shouted rather than sang, "'Cause you know darling—" Lily broke off, laughing, dimly aware that she had done so to avoid saying I love only you while staring right at him.

from the FIRST MOMENT i picked out "don't pass me by," i knew i knew I KNEW that lily would have thoughts about this line. at this point in the story if someone questioned her about it she would probably have a full-scale breakdown about her male friends vs her female friends ("but no... i suppose i wouldn't mind saying it to remus.... but that's different!" how is it different, lily? "it's different!")

anyway, the bottom line is she could NOT abide saying it. i enjoyed writing that because 1. same girl and 2. it felt like a nice bit of close foreshadowing for her realisation, which i knew was coming soon. so that's a really circular way of saying, i knew what it meant but ideally to readers it was just oh this will mean something far-off in the future!!! which is usually true for me but SURPRISE babey it was just two chapters away!!!

note btw that lily "falls for james"

Lily spun faster than she’d intended to. The room was a brief, kaleidoscope blur. Then there was James. “Jesus, Evans,” he said, steadying her as the next track began.

>:)

and after i thought tracklists would fuck me up, i turned them into my WEAPON!!

Huffing, she stepped out of his arms. (There were some songs you could sing along to with your mates, and “Why Don’t We Do It In The Road?” was not one of them.)

(so, you know, keep in mind that for the rest of this conversation, paul is in the background howling "no one will be watching us/why don't we do it in the road?")

also:

"...I’m not drinking tonight, but I’d better get the royal treatment after we win on Saturday."

and then what happened <3

wait jesus oh my god i really went hard on this huh

She only saw its result: the easy grin had given way to an expression so serious it was almost sweet.

LILY??????

and hey, remember when:

...because in chapter 26:

Dex’s measured opinions about the wizarding world seemed more the result of upbringing and inexperience than ill will, but Lily had not expected a radical change of heart.

...but then in 36:

He was right, damn it. And a part of her had known all along, had sought him out expressly so that he would say the opposite thing to her. He’d gone and proven her wrong. She broke the staring match first [...] “What brought on the change of heart?” “It’s a long story, and I expect it’ll have an unsatisfying end if I told it to you.” Lily scoffed, but James had on that maddening grin that meant he would not budge. “Oh, all right.” Softer, she added, “Thank you.” He began to back away, towards the bar. “It’s give and take, Evans.”

in conclusion, i never forget, besties

#i literally had to retype this entire fucking response #i hate tumblr #but anyway #be warned i talk about the beatles :/// in here #ask me #anon #director's cuts #36

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julemmaes · 4 years

Note

Prompt: person A comes home to Person B singing,dancing and just being really happy/laugh-y in the empty house and Person A is just all 🥰🥰😍😍

My Everything - October 5th

Feyre Archeron x Rhysand

THANK YOU GUYS SO SO SO MUCH FOR 500 FOLLOWERS, I LOVE YOU ALL SO FREAKING MUCH IT’S UNBELIEVABLE

A/N: I changed things a little cause it was way too similar to what I wrote for Fenrys/Asterin today and I couldn’t stand to do two things just the same, also, I’m sorry if I’m posting so late but I’ve traveled all day and I couldn’t find any plugs to charge my pc, really hope you guys like this.

One more thing, sorry. I added many of you to my acotar tag list because of the post/au I made about the IC being mean to Nesta and lots of the comments said that Rhys and the rest of their group aren’t your favs and bla bla bla, what I ask you is, if you are one of those who really cannot even read about Feysand cause *gag*, please refrain from leaving a “bad” comment on the characters.

Word count: 1,475

Rhysand was still in the shower sitting on the ground, taking the soap out of his hair, when he heard the door of the house open and the lively and amused laughter of his daughter and wife. He smiled instinctively when he heard Adelaide calling him from the other room.

"Honey, I'm in the bathroom," he screamed loud enough so she could hear it. He heard Feyre say something to the little girl, but he couldn't distinguish the words under the jet of water.

He heard someone running, laughing excitedly and slamming on the door. He laughed, knowing exaclty what had just happened. He was used to lock the bathroom door, although he hadn't lived with Cassian and Azriel for many years he was always afraid that they might come in and disturb his lazy showers.

And once their daughter was born, this habit seemed to have returned to him, as Adelaide had absolutely no idea what privacy meant.

Feyre let her into the bathroom with her as much as she wanted, Rhysand was more hesitant about the invasion of his personal space.

"Dada! The door is closed," said Adelaide in an annoyed voice. Rhysand chuckled again, standing up. His mood was already improving dramatically since he returned from work just thirty minutes ago.

"Of course it's closed, honey, I didn't want your mother to ambush me while I was showering," he joked, finishing off. He waited for his daughter to answer and when no joke came he wrinkled his forehead. He heard the door move again and then fingers popped out from under the door. He smiled, walking to the door and bent over on the floor, touching his daughter's fingers. She immediately took her hand away, screaming amusedly. They played that silly game for a little while longer, before Feyre yelled, "Ade leave your dad alone and go pack your backpack for tomorrow!"

Rhysand laughed when he heard Adelaide complainin. Feyre just told her that if she didn't pack her schoolbag at that time, the next day she wouldn't have the toys she wanted at kindergarten and Rhysand heard her gasp. And then Adelaide's hand popped out again under the door, her fingers moving upwards, "Bye daddy, I have to go do something important," he squeezed her fingers, smiling and looking up at the ceiling, shaking his head, "Sure, see you later."

He heard her running down the corridor and imagined her black ponytails flying behind her.

He returned to the sink, looking in the mirror and deciding at that moment he needed to shave. He turned on the electric razor and heard someone knocking at the door. He closed his eyes sighing, "What's wrong?"

"I just wanted to know if everything was alright."

It was Feyre.

Rhysand leaned against the sink, nodding and convincing himself more than his wife, "Yes, alright. I'll tell you later."

He heard Feyre move against the door, "If you have something to tell me, it means it's not alright." a pause and then the handle moved, "Come on, let me in."

"No, really, nothing serious." he reassured her, "And besides, if I let you in, we have to let Ade in too, and I don't feel like talking about work in front of her."

"Yeah, I know." she sounded down, but Rhysand knew it wasn't because he wasn't letting her in, more because she couldn't comfort him now. "I see you made dinner, thank you." she added.

"No need to thank me Feyre, you do it every night." he chuckled.

He heard her yawn, "And you thank me every night, so I can thank you too."

Their quarrel ended there, as Adelaide was calling her mother loudly, unable to find her favorite toy car.

Rhysand allowed himself to stay in the bathroom for a few more minutes, enjoying the steam from the shower and letting his hair dry without the need for a hair dryer. It was hot enough that he wouldn't risk catching a cold if he didn't.

He came out of the bathroom and headed into his room, trying not to make any noise and attract his daughter's attention. He managed to get dressed quickly and tiptoed to the kitchen, where his intention was to scare his girls, but once he got to the door he froze. Heart in his throat.

Feyre was holding Adelaide in her arms and they were dancing hugging. His daughter's head bent back in a carefree laugh. His wife was moving her hands on her sides as Ade tried in every way to free herself. As soon as Feyre stopped tickling her, she turned to Rhysand and screamed excitedly, throwing herself at her father.

He took her mid-air when she jumped up, clutching both hands to his arms and flew her into the air, covering her with kisses and continuing the torture that Feyre had begun.

He couldn't remember the title of the song, but he knew the words by heart, and when the chorus arrived, Feyre joined them, hugging his daughter from behind and leaning forward to kiss Rhysand on the lips. They looked into each other's eyes and those of her shone with emotion when they both sang, shifting their attention to Adelaide.

I'll give you everything I have

I'll teach you everything I know

I promise I'll do better

Adelaide stopped squirming, bending over backwards and placing her chubby little hands on her mother's cheeks. Feyre smiled at her and made funny grimaces that made their child laugh. Rhysand held her tightly on his chest. She could feel Feyre's warmth so close to hers that it merged with Adelaide's.

They sang at the top of their lungs and at a certain point they were joined by the little one, taking Rhysand's ears in their hands and squeezing them.

Cause you are loved

You are loved more than you know

It almost made him cry when towards the end of the song, Feyre put her arms around his hips and began to swing, moving slowly. He looked at her again, leaning forward and leaving a kiss on those rosy, perfect lips.

"Dada I want a kiss too!" shouted Adelaide, taking his face in her hands and making him turn towards her. Feyre laughed, shaking her head and squeezing his side, "I don't think so. He is all mine." Rhysand laughed with her and whitened immediately afterwards as he heard Feyre's words, "You must find your beautiful man to make children with, I have worked so hard to win your father's heart."

Adelaide sulked and squeezed her father's cheeks. Before she could speak, Rhysand had covered her mouth with one hand, a hand that was big enough to cover most of her nose and neck. He looked her straight in the eyes and with a very serious expression, "You don't have to find anything at all. You are all mine," he said to her, kissing her forehead, "Don't listen to your mother," he specified, "and she didn't have to do anything at all, this slacker here, I had to fight to make your mother marry me."

Feyre giggled, taking Adelaide from his arms, "And yet, the day will come when you will find someone as beautiful as your father and marry him and give us many beautiful grandchildren." she looked at him with an amused expression, making fun of him.

"Ade, don't you dare listen to her."

Their daughter seemed unaware of that little bickering between her parents, but she didn't mind being passed from the arms of one to the other, receiving many loving kisses.

Feyre looked at him shaking her head, "Is everything alright?" she asked him, worrying that he wasn't getting any better. Rhysand nodded, "Are you sure?" she asked, just in case he was lying. He approached her, rubbing his nose against hers, "Sure. You are my everything, and you both seem more than alright."

Feyre snorted, "That was so lame."

"But you like me all the same." she nodded, despite herself.

They ate on the couch that evening, hugging each other, then put on a cartoon. One of those cartoons that Feyre hated so much, full of useless and morbid songs. Songs that seemed to drive her daughter and especially her husband crazy, who never complained about how many times Adelaide wanted to see a movie over and over again.

Feyre had parted from the other two for a moment to clean up the kitchen and when she returned she found them both lying on the floor on the carpet. Adelaide was lying entirely on her father's chest, who wrapped her with his arms. She decided not to wake her family up, both of them looking more than at peace with themselves, and she lay down on the sofa next to them, placing one hand on her daughter's back and falling asleep shortly afterwards.

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literaphobe · 3 years

Note

I don’t think I can pick between the horse, parrot, or axolotl one of which is my favorite. They’re all so good.

the ‘minecraft, but my friend is a _______’ series rated according to how much i like them:

minecraft, but my friend is a dog:

dog!dream flip flopped between :D and >:( every 5 seconds n it was beautiful to watch

one second he’s cuddling w a minecraft puppy and going ‘baby 🥺’ the next moment he is viciously attacking george n attempting to murder him in frustration from how much damage he took because of george’s accidental hits. next moment he is sheepishly apologizing because george made him sit down and won’t let him back up until he behaved. and in the moment after that he tells george if i were ur actual dog i would have bitten you by now :/ (??????????)

i love the game mechanics of george being able to freeze dream so that dream can’t move n the ability to teleport dream to george when he’s too far away. v cute. fun balance of dream needing george to save him but also him being able to help him and also be so silly and goofy.

shoutout to the ‘RIP dog Dream :(‘ subtitle when they failed the challenge. 10/10

minecraft, but my friend is a parrot:

dream going BAKAWK n repeating everything george said my beloved. my minecraft youtuber is so annoying 😍

him going ‘my strategy to survive? well im a parrot so :) if anyone comes i can just go BLRRRRRRR’ stole my entire heart

him pretending he needed to eat and letting george feed him only to go JK xD and fly away. so many things about dream were so endearing n funny in this video

i am a big fan of him calling a wolf a ‘woof’ and also his harry potter messenger owl bit. when he sang that i will lead the way parody about being a parrot…. that changed the landscape as we know it :( he is a silly little birdie :( my little wackadoodle :(

also funnily enough this is the only friend is a mob video where they actually beat the game LMAO 12/10

minecraft, but my friend is a horse:

i love the running bit of dream badly mimicking the animals he’s meant to play. also a big enjoyer of him seeing another mob and going omg MY BROTHER…. MY UNCLE…. MY FAMILY….. and like giving names to all the other horses. he is so adorable

dream riding a boat as a horse and singing about it….. he is a disney animal princess. i love him. he is Silly. he is Whimsical. he sang so much more and even reprised songs from the last video. he Galloped. he Yelled. he made Incomprehensible Noises

‘the skeleton could Not touch this 😌’ proceeding him singing can’t touch this as he juked mobs was truly something

‘it’s dinner time and ur papa bird give me the worms! BLURPBLURBLURPBLURVBLURPVLUR’ changed me as a person

shoutout to ‘🎶we’re going on a trip my enderman friend, we’re going to the end, me and my enderman friend :D🎶’ my little parody song writer <3

idk why dream was so quotable but big love for him saying ‘i’m not a communist it’s not OUR food :/ sharing is caring but i don’t CARE >:(‘

george hitting an mlg horse on dream n them joking about how dream experienced what the horse in manhunt experienced n how much his back hurt was. JDJSJDJDJ

when they did risky horse parkour as part of their ‘victory lap’ and george told dream ‘i want you to get the last hit 🥺’ only for horse!dream to DIE trying and george stared in disbelief before killing the dragon w one axe hit….. a masterpiece. 15/10

minecraft, but my friend is an axolotl:

im sorry but george using facecam in this video really boosts the experience. they r getting SO many points for this alone

dream popping up going AHHH :D is SO cute but george thinking dream was green is fucking HILARIOUS. the fact that he didn’t even KNOW throughout the whole editing process because he BEGGED dream to edit it but he said no. so neither of them knew until the video was posted

dream finding other axolotls and going my brothers 🥺 my sisters 🥺 my uncle 🥺 why does he always find his uncle. why is he so cute

‘you’ll never find me >:) [gets found instantly] STOP :(‘ hits so hard

‘you need to Protect me :)’ completely destroyed me :( im trying so hard not to quote the whole video. im very in love w this video

every time they found a glow squid…. dream’s excitement…. him not wanting to kill it at first…. ‘it INKED 🥺’

dream’s whole ‘omg there’s DIAMONDS… oh nvm that’s not diamonds. it’s the glow thingy. There’s Iron!! there’s a creeper. get the creeper. i need food. im on one heart. i need food!!’ journey that led to george calling him Bad and him saying Take It Back :( was everything to me

the clown music playing. them finding actual diamonds and dream falling into the water and getting attacked and crying for george to save him as he escaped into a tiny Hole was so incredibly BABY :( why was he so baby this whole video :( everything he said was chock full of 🥺🥺🥺

him finding out he could only eat fish and not meat :( him going no 🥺 yeah 🥺 yum 🥺

his silly AXOLOTL SONG :( followed by him taking damage from lack of water n them SCREAMING DJDJS every time george scolded him for hitting mobs and had to save him and dream was all thank you… THANK YOU :( please why did i think it was a good idea to watch this. why is it so endearing

george nagging dream to be careful in the fortress as he went ‘im exploring! im exploring! :D HOOHOOHOOHOOHOOHOOHOO’

dream being a silly little navigator who very clearly didn’t know where he was going as george complained n he insisted repeatedly that george follow him…. <3333

‘look just tell me that i’m good :( tell me i did a good job :(‘ —> them going back to the overworld n him saying ‘just give it to me raw’ —> ‘what’d you say you said u were gonna say something :/‘ ‘you… you did good dream’ ‘yay :D’ i am on the floor. please i cannot take this anymore

dream going im stuck in a pool 😔 and george teasing him about needing help before saving him… them racing w george in a boat and dream swimming as an axolotl…

dream punching him into the end and being so excited to beat the game only for the video to end super abruptly because dream fell 😍 JDJSJDJ 48283828372737/10

#ask #dreamwastaken #georgenotfound #mcyt #this is so long im sorry #welcome to me test running a concept that i was gonna use for a post about manhunt #where i rate all the manhunts out of 10 too #askplus

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bastardtetsu · 4 years

Text

{day 13} falling slowly | semi x reader

pairing: semi eita x gn!musician!reader

genre: angst, mutual pining or unrequited love depending on how you look at it

wc: 1.8k

warnings: a little swearing, reader who plays piano/sings, mention of a previous relationship, unresolved feelings, just a lot of pain

⍋⋆*❅｡. 25 days of fic-mas mlist .｡❅*⋆⍋

falling slowly eyes that know me and i can’t go back

—falling slowly; once (music & lyrics by glen hansard & marketa irglova, book by enda walsh)

“that song you just played— did you write that?”

you stood there, wide-eyed, staring him down as he turned to walk away from the spot where he had just been busking on the sidewalk. semi wanted to ignore you, but your resolute gaze already had a vice grip on him.

“yeah,” he grunted reluctantly.

“it’s very good.”

“thanks.”

despite his gruffness, you were still staring at him like your life depended on it. it was kinda unnerving.

“why’d you leave your guitar?” you questioned him with a sense of urgency, gesturing to the guitar semi had left in its case on the sidewalk. his expression hardened.

“i don’t want it anymore,” he muttered, casting his eyes downward.

“you should take it. those things are expensive, you know.”

“fine,” he grumbled, shooting you a glare as he stooped to grab the case by the handle, “i’ll sell it if it makes you feel better.”

“i know a shop!” you blurted out, “a music shop. where you can sell your guitar. i was just on my way there, actually!”

“…seriously?”

“it must be fate!”

those words made him cringe back then.

as the two of you entered the store, a cozy place packed with various instruments, you wasted no time making a beeline for the back of the store, dragging a confused semi along with you.

“where are we going? i thought we were here to sell my guitar,” he questioned.

“just follow me,” you insist. the determination in your voice told him there was no point in resisting.

you continued leading him through the shop, all the way to an old upright piano that sat towards the back. “the owner lets me play this whenever i come in,” you explained, your merciless gaze now fixed on the instrument, “it’s a beautiful piano. if i ever win the lottery, this is the first thing i’m buying.”

semi just watched you quietly as you stood there, marveling at it. he was able to appreciate the intensity of your stare more now that he wasn’t the subject of it - the way your eyes glimmered was actually kind of entrancing.

“so what would you like to hear?” you questioned, suddenly turning your gaze back on him as you sat yourself on the bench, “bach? mozart? something of my own?”

“oh, uh— whatever you want,” he muttered. there was clearly no use stopping you at this point, so he might as well comply.

you positioned yourself and began playing. it was a somber melody, gentle but distinctly melancholic. your concentration remained unbroken as your fingers danced gracefully across the keys, until the final mournful note echoed through the empty store.

“did you write that?” semi asked, a bit awestruck by your talent.

“no. felix mendelssohn did.”

“ah.”

“now you play me one,” you demand, eyes aglow.

“wh—no,” semi faltered.

“please,” you begged.

“no,” he stated firmly, his expression hardening again, “i just came here to get rid of my guitar.”

“what do you mean?” you protested, “your music is good, why are you giving up on it?” semi cringed at the sting of your question.

“there’s no point anymore,” he snapped, “it’s gotten me nowhere.”

“what, so you’re quitting ‘cause you’re not famous?”

“i’m not—“ he scoffed defensively, “you wanna play your songs for people who want to listen.”

“well i’m people,” you stated, your gaze on him more unyielding than ever, “and i want to listen. now play me a song.”

the rigidity of your stare was almost enough to convince him.

“no.”

however, just as semi turned to leave, as if by some sort of drama-induced miracle, a sheet of folded paper fell from his coat pocket, which you wasted no time snatching up before he could even grab at it.

“hey—“ he protested, “give it back, come on.”

“music is dead to you, right?” you taunted, “so isn’t this trash?”

“you know what,” he huffed, his patience at its limit, “fuck it—yeah, keep it. it was nice meeting you.”

“hey!” you barked right as he was turning to leave. his head spun around to find your eyes staring him down with the most intensity and desperation he’d seen from you all day. “you won’t die if you play this song with me,” you spoke to him sincerely, “please.”

he didn’t answer, but remained frozen where he stood, unwilling to break from your acute gaze as you lowered yourself onto the bench and placed your fingers on the keys.

you perused the slightly crumpled page while semi waited with nervous anticipation, reminding himself to breathe as you began to play the notes he had scrawled onto the staff.

as your fingers began to recreate the familiar motif with impressive precision, he gingerly picked up his guitar from its case by the piano, looping the strap over his head as he started to sing,

“i don’t know you but i want you all the more for that”

he sang tentatively at first, the words and notes like scratches upon an unhealed scab, until your voiced chimed in with a harmony,

“and words fall through me and always fool me and i can’t react”

semi began to strum at his guitar, more self-assured as the gentle tune continued, your voices and instruments moulding together as the music swelled into chorus after chorus. his reluctant voice became more and more powerful with each changing chord, each strum of his guitar more intentional as the sounds intermingled with yours, creating new discoveries within a painfully familiar refrain.

as the tempo slowed to a quiet halt, your eyes met with his again until you played the final chord in unison. you both stood there in silence for a moment, as if you were waiting for the final sound waves to finish reverberating, dissolving into the air.

“so where is she?” your question broke the silence.

“where’s who?”

“the girl in the song,” you clarified, “is she dead??”

“what—no, jesus,” semi sputtered, caught off guard for what must be the 75th time today.

“so where is she?” your gaze is on him again, adamant as ever.

“she left,” he uttered, his dejection covered by his brusque tone, “about six months ago. there was nothing else for her here, so—”

“so you still love her?”

semi’s face twitched, feeling his chest tighten at the question.

“no. we’re finished,” he stated shortly.

“no one who writes a song like that is finished,” you enunciated firmly, causing his breath to catch. “if you sing this to her, i bet she’ll take you back.”

“huh?” the ash blond’s face twisted into a confused scowl.

“i’m serious.” the gleam in your eye only affirmed your statement.

“no way,” he replied, “i’m not running after some woman who’s doing fine without me just so i can sing her some stupid—“

“it’s not stupid!” you nearly yelled at him before softening a bit, maintaining your resolute stare. “your songs are good,” you stated emphatically. semi felt his breath catch again, this time accompanied by a rush of warmth to his face. “do you have more??”

your heart nearly stops when you see it, breath catching in your throat as the sting of tears begins to prick your eyes.

the old upright piano you had spotted one day in a music store now sits in your living room, a large, bright red ribbon adorning its shiny wooden surface. there is no note, but you need no indication to know who it’s from.

he must be long gone now. he got a call from his ex practically begging him to come back, so of course he went. it doesn’t matter how many longing glances you caught as you helped him rehearse, or how much electricity you felt surge through your body every time you so much as brushed his hand while reaching for some sheet music.

he has unfinished business. you’ve both always known that, it’s why you tried so hard to keep your distance, even as you helped him produce a studio album, relentlessly encouraging him not only to keep pursuing music, but to keep pursuing her. it’s what he deserves. it’s not your place.

it doesn’t matter how much your heart wanted to leap out of your chest when his stern grey eyes stared into yours, uncharacteristically earnest, as he squeezed your hands in his and thanked you for changing his life. he was talking about the music. you’ve only ever talked about the music.

it doesn’t matter that no matter how hard you tried to maintain your distance - god, you really tried - his songs always pulled you back in. those songs aren’t about you. he wrote those for someone else, someone who he is destined to go back to.

it doesn’t matter that every time he played one he felt a shift, like discovering a new harmony, each lyric twisting into a different meaning. that somewhere along the way, he started singing them about you — you can’t think about that. it can’t be about that.

it doesn’t even matter that he said you were a part of his new life, starry-eyed and nearly breathless, imploring you with to run away with him and start a band together, make an album, just the two of you and all your beautiful music. it was just a silly fantasy. one can only entertain such a delusion for so long before you have to move on with your real life again.

as you lower yourself onto the piano bench, you imagine yourself back in the shop on that day, the ash-blonde musician you had just met scowling dubiously as you began to play the opening of one of his songs. you can almost hear the delicate strains of his guitar as he plucked the accompaniment on the strings, his voice growing stronger as he sang.

“and games that never amount to more than they’re meant will play themselves out”

you recall sitting with him at the top of a hill just outside of town one night, looking down at the warm lights of the city twinkling in the distant. he told you about the first time he ever felt scared. you told him you only saw him as a friend. could he tell you were lying?

“take this sinking boat and point it home we’ve still got time“

tears begin to well in your eyes, blurring your vision as you play. but you don’t even need to see the keys, because you know this song too well. it’s engraved in your muscle memory. no matter how hard you try, your body will remember.

“raise your hopeful voice you have a choice you’ve made it now”

“call your girl tonight,” you reminded him as you left the recording studio for the last time. he asked you to come over to his place later, but you’re not going. you know better than that.

“falling slowly sing your melody i’ll sing it loud”

the tears are falling freely now, wetting your hands and the keys, but you continue playing as if semi were right there singing along with you, creating sweet harmonies and stirring chords together, losing yourselves in the music.

you allow the song to engulf you, the melody washing over you like a wave of pure feeling as you bid goodbye to the man you fell unwillingly, irreparably in love with.

a/n: i’m not normally an angst person, or a huge semi simp really, but i still ended up hurting my own feelings with this lmao. i’d probably let semi ruin my life as much as he wants too, let’s be real. the songs linked at the top are definitely required listening for this one (the first link is them together in the music shop, the second one is the reprise at the end) and if you really wanna experience pain, find a bootleg of the show & watch the whole thing bc i truly struggled trying not to shove the entire musical into this one fic (once again if u need help finding it i may or may not have a link if u dm me)

taglist: @izagraceee @musicgetsmeoutofbed @azo-musxas @tsumurai @ghostlydiamond135 @animeboysimppp @starshaped-raindrops

#haikyuu!!#semi eita #semi eita x reader #semi x reader #haikyuu x reader #25 days of ficmas #.txt #e writes

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antihero-writings · 4 years

Text

Map to Nowhere

Fandom: The Promised Neverland (Anime)

Character Focus: Ray (and Emma)

Summary: Emma and Ray stargaze outside the base, and think about many things.

Notes: I couple weeks ago Tale Foundry's prompt of the week was "Map to Nowhere." I started thinking then that that would be a great prompt for Promised Neverland.

After watching S2 ep3--(and, if it isn't already clear, there's some minor spoilers for that here! And major spoilers if you haven't finished S1!)--when I saw the stars outside the base I thought they were absolutely gorgeous, and I was like "Oh I am absolutely writing a stargazing fic for that prompt" haha!

Also just wanted to quick say that I know nothing about the manga, and I wrote this with the current-anime-knowledge I have!

I've been wanting to write a fic for the Promised Neverland for a while, so I had a lot of fun with this! If you're interested in reading more tpn fics from me, don't hesitate to send me prompts!

If you enjoy this fic, please please consider reblogging and/or leaving a comment!!

Map to Nowhere

Emma, Ray, and Norman lay in a circle—(well more like a triangle)—on their roof. Today they enacted their plan: they had snuck out at midnight, (shushing each other all the way), to watch the stars. And, well, if they were already sneaking around, might as well pick the roof as their location. It was closer, after all.

“Ooh, I know this one!” Emma pointed to a collection of stars. “It’s a house!” She said with utmost confidence.

“That’s Cephus!” Norman corrected her.

“It can’t see us, silly!”

“No, Cephus.”

“He was a Greek king,” Ray explained.

“A Greek king?”

“Yes.” Norman said. “He was the wife of Cassiopiea.”

“Cassi-who-peea?”

“Spare her the details.” Ray glanced at Norman. “That story’s a…little sad for her liking.”

“You’re probably right.”

She pouted, but quickly recovered. “You guys sure know a lot about stars!”

“Not really.” Norman smiled. “We just read a lot.”

“You sayin’ I don’t read?!”

“Not as much,” Ray replied flatly.

Another pause. Apparently she couldn’t deny that.

“Do you think we could ever go there some day?”

“Well…it’d take a lot of hard work and luck…but potentially!” Norman replied.

“Do you think we’d need some sort of...map?”

Norman laughed. “A map would be good, yeah.”

Ray said nothing, returning his gaze to the sky. They were always undeniably far, but, as Emma and Norman puzzled out how to reach them, to him, they seemed to slink away as they spoke.

******

The stars unfurled above Ray. And endless expanse of spackled blue.

He’d stargazed before. He, Norman, and Emma had snuck out of bed to lie on their backs in the grass, or even on the roof to watch the sunrise, asking each other what games they’d like to play, and if they could go there one day. All the while Ray knew they wouldn’t so much as leave the farm; the stars as real as glow-in-the-dark stickers on the ceiling, as untouchable as freedom itself.

Now, laying on the dirt above the base, reaching out his hand, he swore he felt his fingers graze them.

No fences, or trees, or walls to block his view. No imprisonment, or impending promise of death. Well, death was still both inevitable and probable, but it was nice there wasn’t an exact date, at least. Or maybe…well, he spent so much of his life planning and, in a way, hoping for his own death…the idea that he ought to live for the future, without a deadline in mind was…oddly foreign.

The world was open, and inviting. There was beauty in that, yes, but freedom, the expansive Earth, was as alien as another planet. The instability of numberless days was, well...unstable. Not insurmountable, but certainly unpredictable.

His mind drifted back to Mom and the others back at the farm. He wondered briefly how and what they were doing. It was likely their escape had made life worse for those that remained, and/or for themselves. Scratch that, he knew they’d made life for themselves worse, because Emma was determined to return and save everyone.

Ray had never had much difficulty valuing his own self preservation above everything else. The thought of everyone else in the orphanage didn’t plague him too often. His own survival was enough of a burden to trouble himself with the woes of everyone else. He didn’t know how Emma did it. It was almost impressive just how many people she was able to worry about at any single given time.

Still when he thought of mom…She wasn’t particularly kind, or lovable. He’d known from the very beginning this was nothing but a game, and she was nothing but a player. But he remembered perfectly the look in her eyes as she watched them leaving—(like he remembered everything else). He expected anger, betrayal…but that sadness was unexpected. He didn’t make the mistake of thinking it real yet…if he knew it wasn’t, why did it haunt him?

Today, was she taking it out on the kids that remained? Did any of that sadness stay within her? Or was it replaced with scorn for even the innocents left?

Or else was she herself punished for their transgressions? Imprisoned, tortured, or staked in the heart with a flower?

And if she was, what would that mean for the kids at the farm?

“Ray? How do you know that song?”

She wasn’t kind or lovable…but she was his mother. Something none of the other kids could say: his mother. His real one.

Did he actually—?

“There you are!” A voice broke through his musings. The hatch opened to reveal a head of red hair. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you!”

“Well you can either sit there crying about it, or you can join me!” Ray threw to her casually.

“Maybe I will!” She harrumphed.

Emma scooched out of the hatch, closing it, but, instead of laying down to watch the stars, she knelt over his head so her face was blocking his view.

“Whaatcha thinkin’ about?” She sang.

Ray flicked her forehead.

“Hey!” She rubbed her forehead, pouting as he smirked.

After she had sufficiently stared him down, (or else knew she was fighting a losing battle), she flopped on the ground with her head on the opposite side of his.

For a moment they just stared up at the stars in silence, basking in their glow.

“They seem so much closer out here!” Emma reached out her hand and made a grabbing motion.

“Mm.”

“What do you think’s up there?”

“A lot of hydrogen gas and—”

“You know that's not what I meant! Would it kill you to have an imagination?!”

Ray scoffed.

“Aliens?” Emma offered.

He was about to shoot down the idea, but paused and replied instead, “I suppose that isn’t too far off from demons.”

“How do you think we’d get there? A starship maybe? Ooh! Like a literal pirate ship in space! That'd be so cool!" She held up her arms, then let them fall out to her sides.

He laughed. “And you have the wildest imagination.”

“It’s not my fault yours just doesn’t work properly.”

“I have an imagination; it’s just grounded in reality.”

“But reality’s so boooring. I mean…” She paused, saying more seriously, “Do you think it’d be better up there? Than here, I mean?”

“If ‘better’ means easier to survive in, then no.”

She groaned, and seemed to decide he wasn’t the best stargazing buddy, because for a minute or two, she actually stayed silent—(shocking indeed).

”Reality’s not so bad, you know." Ray spoke after a bit. "I mean...it’s just a lot of hydrogen gas, yeah, but have you seen pictures of nebulas? Or supernovas? I've seen them in books. They’re some of the most beautiful sights in the universe. To me, that’s much cooler than fantasizing about unicorns in the sky.”

“Hey! I didn’t say anything about unicorns!”

He laughed.

“But... yeah! I guess you’re right!”

The next question was a murmur, soft and serious as ever:

“…Do you think Norman’s up there?”

Breath was cold and sharp on the back of Ray’s throat, eyes widening in shock.

“I…I don’t know.” He exhaled the breath.

“Wherever he is…I hope he’s doing alright. You know, having fun and all,” she said with the air of a lover saying they hoped their ex was happy, when really they wished to get back together.

The wind blew past them, and they had to shut their eyes against the dust. Once it passed she murmured:

“I miss him…A lot. It’d be so much more fun if he was here with us.”

“You sayin’ I’m not fun?” Ray tried to joke.

Emma’s laugh was taut. He wondered if she was trying not to cry.

Ray looked back at the stars. They were so close a second ago, but in that moment they began to drift away.

“I miss him too.”

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dangerouslysmartslime · 3 years

Text

My Little Pony The New Generation

Seems like the things that remembering of what happened in Generation 4 waws the olden times where the pony kinds were friends and didn’t use magic against each other. IE Generation 4 of the Friendship Pope. That the main character is a girl obsessed with the era of Generation. A lighthouse and Sunny will know, you stand up for what you believe in. Show everypony that we’re friends. That maybe today is that day! A father that loves his daughter with all his heart~! And the two colts that she was playing with, one of them she will see as an adult on her adventures as shown by the trailers and the other had the depressing note of wanting to be Sheriff, and everyone knows that Police Officers are reviled for keeping people in line, especially colored by their own bigotry, so insert the “Lois and Clark” Yikes. Sunny and her father write a letter to the unicorns and pegasi only to tell the story of Generation 4 to Sunny. A friend to fly around or float things, why can’t we be friends anymore? That is a great question, but we’ll figure it out together. And the drawings that she has as well as all the things she has of Generation 4 is so adorable!! Only to flash to when she’s an adult and the movie actually starts~! Sunny gets herself dressed with the same sort of pins I use on my hat. She gets ready her bag and she looks at pictures of her father in a way that mean it seems like he’s dead… And the movie goes into the first musical number. “Canter Logic” She goes on a ice cream run for a job, only for that colt who said he’s be a Sheriff to chase after her… And steal somepony’s milkshake and cookies… She gives a balloon to someone who wanted one, only for that one colt to continue being the worst pony in the movie so far in terms of douchbaggery. She is going and showing her enthusiasm for life while the colt continues to chase after her cleaning up all the kindness she wishes to do and come to University. A squad of critters like Fluttershy only he doesn’t actually like it. Annual presentation at Canterlot. Hey, come on! Sprout was actually just doing his job when Hitch was giving him orders. “Every year you sneak in and every year you try” As a friend not as a Sheriff, don’t? Someone litters and Sprout is continuing to be an asshole so I was right. So Sunny is mischevious only to find that this is a factory much like the memed on Rainbow Factory… Canter Logic is Phyllis Clovery, the mother of Sprout, and the actual biggest asshole. Oh wait, she actually is the main antagonist because she’s a bigot. Yep, markets her products for bigotry and wha… Ant-mind reading? And keeping eye on the sky doesn’t make sense… The earth pony balloon escape pack doesn’t work. Only for Sunny to try to protest it and she does it in a dumb way and her friend who is the Sheriff stops it by pulling the plug. “Aren’t you tired of being scared all the time? The truth is, we’re not in danger! We don’t need any of this Canter Logic junk!” Just imagine if you had a friend who could fly or do magic. That everything you hear is wrong when they could be friends and still could be! And “Phyllis is still a bigot.” To uphold it? Everypony includes Pegasi and Unicorns, “Then prove it” means she’s going to be go on an adventure. And the one friend that she has is an asshole to her because due to propaganda he says that it’s just an old filly story concocted by her father. She then looks to the sky and mourns her father once again, wishing he was here. Only for… Izzy Moonbow the Unocnr meets Sunny and all the bigots (IE everyone except Sunny) panics as the bigots… Really? That seems a little harsh. Well yeah, they’re bigots, what do you expect Izzy! Izzy plays it like a game of hopscotch only to get trapped by a trap because she was looking at Terminator Judgment Day. Hitch then lectures her. So, you’re named Sunny? Bye! Nice to meet you now! Hitch acts like he’s the only sane man, but in reality Izzy is just as enthusiastic as Sunny as being a silly dork. Nooo, I can’t make it float but I can open cans! Tada! No magic… So the bigots keep being bigots and they flee. No magic? But we did have magic and that was many moons ago and everyone is racist because the magic leaves. Unicorn with no magic and everyone is a bigot. Earth ponies have a lot of bigoted stories while only 3 stories unicorns. What if they don’t! And then there’s the musical number 2. Neat… Two folks becoming friends who are looking out for each other like Sunny is friggin friendship pope with Pinkie Pie. So they get an apple to have a snack and continue trotting along to try to get to the land of Pegasi. Hitch is the “perfect guy” in terms of taking care of himself and Sprout is now the Interim Sheriff. Still think Phyllis is the villain. Only to find that yes, everyone is bigoted against each other because they think everyone else did something bad. And… Can Pegasi not fly? No, the butch pegasus is here “there’s no way we could, there’s no way we could!” The shield is.. Can you fly to the moon? Well I do like sneakers. And then modern Americana appears in Zephyr Heights… Royal bash for Queen Haven and Princess Pip the influencer. Of course… Pip Pip Hooray? Pegasi do have a Castle, and it even looks like they stole Canterlot and renamed it. And… Both of the Pegasi are royalty. Earth Pony and Unicorn in Zephyr Heights, and no, not an attack ya silly. And Hitch goes after them and… Sprout is here but people are revolting? Wait, no they aren’t. “We need a real Sheriff!” Only for him to get all fearmongerin. I see… Whispering danger danger.. Generation 1 is shown… “Follow me mindlessly!” Angry Mob ANGRY ANGRY. Influencer advertisments and… “We haven’t seen a single pony flying except the royal family. Only for a princess to.. Just call me Zip.Izzy Moonbow. Important about magic? How does your work? The unicorns lost theirs. No magic. “Well, that changes things. Her father’s journal, and that star is actually like Twilight Sparkle’s journal. “Only royals can fly because for some reason they have magic. Nicorn hair and Pegasi! Hitch is looking for them only to find that the Pegasi captured them. When unicorns and Earth Ponies visited Zephyr Heights and the Wonderbolts were seen in a picture. The truth is they can’t fly either but just faking by… Wires and good lighting… A “ridiculous lie.” To… Soar using a fan. A bright sparkle, says Izzy. Canterlot’s old Stained Glass. It’s seen right there and now each one is placed in order, fitting. The Crystals go together united. So if they put them back together magic would return… The unicorn crystal Bridlewood is had. The Queen never takes her crown off… Swap real crown with decoy. Stealthy and stealing the crown. Paying a guest a visit and Pip is told. No one can fly, it is just a stage show… Because of course, Pip is just an influencer using a stage show and of course aother song… While Sunny and Moonbow are doing the plot~… But the dog happens, where the small dog is like a guard dog. And Hitch is also finding them, then the recording staff is like “Prisoners have escaped!” And Hitch is put on stage… “What is happening. The Royals are revealed to not be able to fly either, and they accidentally drop the Crystal… “Arresting you and saving you.” The Queen’s daughter, oh the Sheriff just became detective. The models of the characters look so much like the toys, Pip and Hitch join the party! Meanwhile… Canter Logic creates war machines complete with Sprout sounding like Vader when he’s really just drinking a milkshake. “Just make it work, okay!” “My town mommy” And that he is “Now Emperor” From Defense to Offense. “All thanks to encouragement” Hitch and Pip whining about being in the party. Look, once everyone gets magic back they’ll be heroes! Crystal clear and he deodorant have his badge. Between you an d me, the badge was creating an unhealthy power dynamic. Fair point. And they start giving up at a bridge being broken, only for Izzy opening the entrance because she knows the way. Breaking open a tree using her horn. They make a fire only for Hitch to be a whiny man lighting a fire “come on, don’t be a hero dude, just come here by the fire.” And they’re good to be a team, just like the Mane 6 of Generation 4. Only for Izzy to look down that the idea of being together is the best thing to happen, that getting friends is better than just getting magic. From Sunny there was that friends in Maritime Bay. That someday they’d prove that all ponies are meant to be friends. That Hitch wants to do his part, “what do we have to lose, right!” Not far from all the SIGNS OF DEATH LIKE THIS IS THE EVERFREE FOREST. “The Villa Izzy~” And all the silly things that she made like Izzy’s friendship bracelets and a tea set… Only for Izzy to be sad for not having a tea party and… A glow up? Although they’re difference races they should unite like the ancient politics of the Friendship Pope~! Comes another song. And it was a fun song so I sang along. Unicorns are very superstitious as to have magic, feather, wing, and mayonnaises. No forbidden words like Mayonnaise. The Unicorn Crystal is owned by Alphabettle, and he can smell fear. “Tea” Hold, the milk, quite the game player I see, why, do you play? I don’t play I win?” Just Dance! Both ponies agree, best out of three! Only need to win one out three for Sunny. Round 3… Here that sunny, feel the Rhythm take you over! I’m feeling it, go Sunny! And she wins with some hype from Pip! Only for the horn to fall off! And a Unicorn! Which you knew already! No, stop… No, don’t. It’s time to run… No pony has magic, but we’re here to bring it back! It can sound unbelievable, but trying is best. But nooo she needs the 2 out of 3. SHE NEEDS THE 2 out of 3!!! Ye, they don’t have to fight! Sprout makes a tank and he cackles menacingly. That they can be separated by gear and distrust, or there can be friendship and love between the races, like her father. Like her loving father. SO they unite and the reincarnation of the Friendship Pope. The reincarnation of the Friendship Pope has brought the Magic of Friendship to Equestria again.

#my little pony

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