#bandmate!colin

[a-a-a-anon]

the chemistry between sally and vim in bad news - so black cat (sally) and golden retriever (vim) coded btw - is so strong that it has me creating headcanons between two characters who's interaction runtime is probably like 15 minutes or less

vim is preoccupied with fame/heavy metal and is a genuine fan of the music scene in bad news tour so i think he was already familiar with sally/her work before they met, like read her interviews or something

so there's that cut in bad news tour where den starts saying "i was sitting over there..." in the last shot so they all have to rearrange. vim had moved seats to sit next to sally and was inwardly pissed that den made him move back

vim's type is definitely someone who's smarter than him even if he doesn't understand what theyre saying, he definitely wasn't into the enthusiastic-without-substance wannabe groupie type. and sally is EXACTLY his type like she always asked questions he didnt even understand and he was into it. she's also the only one who'll listen to him go off about nothing ("we're more than heavy metal" and she was nodding her head while everyone was disagreeing but inside even she was going this man doesnt actually know what he's talking about /affectionate)

vim got into the spiritual/supernatural weird talking to dead people stuff in more bad news because sally kind of had a gothy aesthetic in bad news tour. that's why he was so excited to tell her. he also thought that having connections to famous muscians (in the afterlife) would impress her, bc she met way more famous musicians than him as an interviewer

in my head sally is genuinely successful as a heavy metal journalist so why agree to go back to interview and spend days with an absolutely trash band no one really cares about in more bad news? subconsciously it was partly to see vim again

during the word association game in more bad news the only band member she uses as a word is vim… she's Thinking of him

i think after she and vim reunited in more bad news they started being friends with benefits while the documentary was filming lmao (i think he still had some maturing to do before they got together for real, but we know they do end up married ofc)

so to me colin's parents (or connections from his parents) must've bailed colin (and den and spider) out in more bad news when they're arrested but colin was probably so pissed at vim he was calling his mummy to tell her to sue vim's ass not bail him out. two possibilities i'm entertaining: either sally bailed vim out (again, she's a successful journalist so she has some funds) or she talked to colin/colin's mummy/the police or something to help get vim out (she's obviously a good speaker and could convince them to ease up)

sally is an intelligent feminist and a good journalist which is why she grilled vim on warriors of genghis khan but she was also slightly... i don't wanna exactly say jealous, maybe like disappointed... that there was some random hot blonde to stand over vim in the music video/for the guys including vim to ogle at, which also motivated her to humble him in that moment

not really a hc but he's trying so hard to impress her with imogen/his "studio" in more bad news its adorable he's so dumb

vim definitely thought his record collection (despite being thrown around haphazardly) was gonna impress her when she came over in more bad news

[sling-b]

bandmates

[couldawouldashoulda50]

The Distance and the Time Between Us

A/N: So this is my attempt at writing my very first series involving William Nylander.

Overall, it is more or less a “right place, right person, wrong time” type of storyline.  The fem reader grew up outside of Toronto and is gifted in all things music.  She’s had world-wide success as part of a band as well as a stellar solo career.  She’s been bestowed with absolute (perfect) pitch and has been categorized as one of the best singers/musician/songwriters of recent time.

Where it was suitable, I have tried to be accurate with various facts but I will at certain points be changing reality around to aid in the story.  I guess that’s the beauty of fiction; you can snap your fingers and make it so, no matter what it is.

Not to sound like I’m accepting an Ocscar, but I wanted to thank @leafs-lover and @spine-buster for interacting so kindly with me as a newcomer to this space, and for reading through the first iterations of my thoughts blurted out onto the page.   

Not to beat this to death, but I’m still figuring out Tumblr so hopefully I won’t make a giant mess of things as I post each new segment.  

Warnings - allusions to sex, swearing, end of a relationship, I think that’s it

Word Count - 3.8k

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

September, 2021

The end of the evening hits differently than you thought it would.  

A few hours ago, up on the bandshell stage with your bandmates, Brandon (the guitarist, alongside you, and vocals), announced to the audience that you and the band were taking a step back from performing, recording and touring.  For the past decade (give or take), the band that you co-founded with Brandon had achieved remarkable success along with fame and fortune.  You all had far exceeded the low expectations that many had when you began your music careers together. 

And it was time….in fact, it was very much overdue.  

Personal lives are albeit neglected in order to reach this pinnacle of stardom and for once, you all mutually agreed that it was time to give up the rigours of a touring band and enjoy life. After all, for all that’s been sacrificed, you all deserved it.  

The other members, Maebh (bass, vocals) and Colin (drum, vocals), together had their blossoming family to look forward to.  Brandon and his partner wanted to pursue other musical interests.  There was a sense of excitement, and relief, leaving behind the pressure-cooker lifestyle that your lives had become. 

And then there was you.

In one sense, you had been dreaming of this moment for years.  Almost complete freedom from all the commitments from both your explosive solo career, and the band from which you emerged.  Until now, it had always been one more appearance, one more record, one more song, one more tour, one more interview, one more movie - year after year after year.  On the surface, you were one of the most successful and sought-after musical artists of the past 10 years.  Coupled with your band’s success, your individual success had been nothing short of magical.  The drive and determination you possessed, alongside a bit of luck and (mostly) sensibility propelled you up to and through the insanity of stardom.  You always made sure you kept grounded and were full of gratitude, always keeping your humility intact. You had become, in the eyes of the entertainment world, the epitome of grace and etiquette under such scrutiny and pressure.  

On the flipside, you have been grappling with an overwhelming sense of despair and an ache deep within that you can almost taste since the moment the band made its decision.  

Now that this last performance was in the books (and it was an incredibly successful one at that), you sit in the backseat with your sullen thoughts as your driver navigates the SUV towards your Toronto home.  You glance over to your manager, Evelyn, and choke back a sob - your throat constricts and you bite your lip to try and will back the tears that threaten to fall.  

Evelyn's typical stoic demeanour softens for a moment, and she grabs your hand; she's well aware of what has gotten you in this state.  

You return to staring out the window; your mind replaying what you’ve sacrificed for your career and the fear of the unknown with your future.

The reality is that it's not what you've sacrificed, but whom.

It was when you saw William in the crowd tonight, surrounded by peers, teammates and countless beautiful women, the pit in your stomach formed.  You weren't prepared to see him and God, he looked better than anyone should ever be allowed to.

The pit grew as you saw him singing along to the songs sung by your voice.

It grew even more as you saw his eyes fixed on you perform alongside some NHL players and other hockey notables in attendance who came up on stage to sing their favourite songs with you - clearly fueled by the liquid courage that was in abundance at the event.

The pit became virtually unbearable as you saw him laughing and dancing with a beautiful girl that was not looking like anything plutonic.  At least not in the way she was clinging onto him.

It was no small feat to get through the rest of the night, performing and interacting with the crowd as effortlessly as you did.  Trying not to focus on the thought of him being close enough to breathe the same air as you.  If you glanced his way, you forced yourself to dismiss the idea that he was often stealing glances back at you, or the notion that perhaps he might still want you as much as you clearly still wanted him. You became a master at suppressing your feelings in the past and tonight was no exception.

It had been almost two years since you last saw or heard from William.  

At the start of September of 2019, you and William found yourselves yet again in a familiar place in life; William beginning another hockey season, single, after he and his girlfriend had parted ways during the summer and you returning to your home town of Toronto to visit loved-ones after a summer of festival performances and travelling.  

Your calendar was full with invitations to many high profile events in the city and your attendance always drew quite a crowd. As usual, you were attending all of the events alone which seemed to be mercilessly pointed out by every entertainment news correspondent that lined the red carpet.  William would catch a glimpse of you on TV as they showed you arriving at a film festival party or an exclusive restaurant, and soon thereafter, you'd receive a notification from him on your phone.

That is how it always started; a few sweet and flirty text messages, then a couple of phone calls and not long after, you and William would be tangled in the sheets of either your luxurious Toronto home or at his hi-rise condo that boasted an incredible view of the city.  It was such a natural and easy existence when you were together.  As overly sugary as it might sound to most, your insides felt like there were beams of sunshine that would radiate through your body from the sheer sight of him.  Somehow, you always felt calm and at peace in his presence.

Simply put, it always felt incredible spending time with him and it always brought out the best of you.  You felt happy and it was very apparent William felt that way too.

However, true to the pattern of the past few years, you would need to leave again, having to depart mid-way through October for an unknown period of time.  You had several performances booked throughout Europe, Asia, and Australia followed by more exclusive appearances for royalty and dignitaries around the world.  Leaving William throughout the years under these same circumstances only became increasingly difficult, leaving you both heart-sick for a time afterward.  Eventually you both would bounce back and resume life without too many broken-hearted thoughts about each other swirling around in your heads.  

You and he had often discussed trying a long-distance relationship, only for you to hold firm on your initial refusal.  You had always maintained it was not fair to him to have no say or input on when you could see one another.  You felt it was too much to ask someone as young as him to have to stand by and watch everyone around him celebrate with their significant others, or be consoled by them, while he has to go it alone.  He deserved to be in a relationship where both people were utterly devoted to one another; you desperately wanted to be that person but your contract obligations just kept stacking up against you and those circumstances were out of your control.

Once you had returned to London, sitting alone in the new opulent townhome you had just bought in Knightsbridge, you had made the decision on a dreary November evening in 2019, that it was time you fought for what you wanted; the man you had fallen in love with.  

Calculating the time difference, it was nearing dinner time in Toronto on William’s day off.  Barely able to contain your excitement, you sent William a text asking him to call you.  It wasn't long before your phone rang and the familiar picture of his jersey appeared on the screen.  Your excitement quickly dissipated once you answered; it was clear from his low, soft tone that this call was not going to be a happy one.  

Before even getting to your reason for wanting to talk, you had asked if he was ok.  He paused for a torturously long period of time and said he was not.  He explained that it had become too much for him after these past few years to be on this rollercoaster of being lovers (mostly secret lovers at that), for such short moments in time, only to have to watch you leave again and again and never being certain when you’d return.  He wanted to be able to give all of himself to another and up until that point, he had quietly kept a part of his heart solely for you.  To pour salt into an open wound, he finally added that the level of celebrity you had reached was not something he felt he could handle as the pressure of being inevitably thrust into an even bigger spotlight is not what he wanted in a relationship. 

An extreme ache travelled through your body.  You felt blindsided.  Perhaps it wasn't for the reasons that William rhymed off for wanting to essentially sever ties with you, but more that you had finally succumbed to your deep feelings of love for him and now it was too late.  Your heart completely shattered from his words as the visions of your future with him disintegrated into nothingness. 

William quietly apologized, his voice barely above a whisper. He said he had to go and hung up, never giving your brain a chance to catch up or for your voice to speak.

Once the call ended, the friendship you had with him ended.  In your mind, he became an apparition - nothing more than a figment of your imagination.  

The many memories that you had of the two of you together became too much to bear and with that, you clicked into total self-preservation mode.  You no longer followed him or his siblings on any social platform.  Aside from a select few, you limited your interactions with the Maple Leafs, many of whom you had become friends with over the years along with their significant others.  You wouldn’t watch game highlights or check scores - you untethered yourself from anything to do with William.

It was not long after that painful conversation that you heard William and a previous on-again/off-again girlfriend were back together.  It was exactly what you expected, which was of little comfort.  The heartache you felt was profound and rather than giving yourself time to grieve or heal or whatever you needed to do, you allowed the loss of his existence in your life to harden you.  Save from your close friendships and your family, you no longer cared about the love aspect of a normal human life.  

Between rehearsals for your tour, you threw yourself into writing music; sitting for hours on end in your state of the art recording studio on the lower level of your home. Up until that point, you had a massive catalogue of songs that, at the very least, uplifted people.  The message of your songs had now transitioned to loss.  The record execs salivated with each song you presented - dollar bills in their eyes  given the huge music market for words rife with longing and regret.  Even the accompanying music you created held the same vibe; music that would make the hardest person want to weep.  As time went on, your songs were released under the guise of other popular singers.  The releases were wildly successful which further catapulted your reputation into the stratosphere, being deemed as one of the most talented songwriters in current time.  With all the notoriety, you found it difficult to embrace the new heights in popularity and monetary gain, given that it was all based on the inner turmoil of someone that felt as broken as you did.

There was a domino effect with shutting down the pleasure side of life; your once effervescent personality was replaced with forced smiles and you were noticeably disengaged in conversation.  The change in your demeanour didn’t go unnoticed with your circle of friends. Forever begging you to come out before you departed on the first leg of your tour, your friends tried to rally around you, nearly breaking down the double doors to your home to let them in.  

Even the rare times you relented and allowed them to drag you to all the exclusive clubs that dotted London’s Soho and other districts close by, you ended up drinking little and leaving early.  

Despite how you felt, you always looked exquisite, dressing in elegant attire that perfectly accentuated your shapely figure, and hair and makeup that were magazine worthy.  Other than writing and recording music, dressing up was one of the few things that surprisingly made you feel better, even if it was for a fleeting moment.  

The good feelings were often chased away as a result of the jeers and catcalling which inevitably started from the snobby and ill-mannered men that occupied space at each club.  What these men had in money, from their aristocratic lineage or otherwise, they lacked in every trait you valued.  If it didn’t make you feel ill first, it made you seethe with rage with their greasy, vulgar, drunken comments about what they would do to you if they got you alone.  After berating them for their tastelessness, and saying apologetic goodbyes to your friends, you would leave to go home.  The rage that coursed through your body would then dial down to frustration which would then lead to a pit of sadness.  

Washing the night off in your oversized bathtub, you started to sob.  Tears streamed down your face forming tributaries along your cheeks to your jawline before dissolving in the hot bath water.  You missed William totally and completely.  His friendship.  His laugh.  His face.  His touch. The way he felt under you or on top of you.  The way he looked so disheveled when he’d first wake up.  The taste of his tongue against yours. When he teased you of how badly you suck at every video game you tried.  The list of things you missed about William felt endless.  You were certain, more than ever now, if you were to ever try to love again, you would have to settle for someone that was a distant second to him.  That thought broke you even more.   

As the days leading to the end of 2019 grew shorter, and weather more miserable, your mood and thoughts about William changed, seemingly adopting the climate that surrounded you.  You started to convince yourself that perhaps the feelings you and he shared weren’t really real; perhaps he had been wheeling you since you met.  Your thoughts continued to darken when you realized you were likely nothing more to him than just a convenience when he was in between relationships; he used you like a disposable girlfriend…once you would leave for your next project, he was totally free to move on to someone else.  For all you knew, maybe you were amongst a string of girls he was wheeling.  It would not be unheard of.

More and more you pieced the puzzle of your own design together. He couldn’t have loved you -  even though he admitted that he did when you were in his arms last.  Once you had whispered the same to him, it was like floodgates opening with the words “I love you” that flowed effortlessly between you.  You told each other every chance you had during that last blip of time together.  

You resumed the previous thought.  He couldn’t have loved you to only turn around and cut you off the way he did, a mere month later.  

Once the tour began, the moment came when you all but discarded the loving feelings you once had for William and forced out the amazing memories.  You continued to captivate audiences around the world with your powerful songs and incredible voice. Images and videos of you being celebrated for your beauty and elegance were in continuous rotation on every social media platform.  Leading up to award season, your name was on repeat for several music award nominations. You graced a number of red carpet events and attended after parties, always looking ravishing as you engaged in chats with interviewers and stopped to take pictures with other celebrities and onlookers.

Your mind snapped back to reality as the SUV pulled up to and through the security gate of your sprawling Toronto home.  You thanked the driver and Evelyn politely asked him to wait for her, and you and Evelyn disappeared into the house.

You stood in the front foyer for a moment, soaking in the fact that this is where you’ll be hanging your hat, both literally and figuratively, until you decide where you truly want to be.  As beautiful of a house as you had here in this city, you knew it would take a lot more than an exquisite interior to make it feel like a home.  All you wanted was for your home to be filled with love and laughter and family and friends.  

“Why don’t you just head straight to bed…you look like you’re ready to collapse” Evelyn said, picking up your small suitcase and walking toward your master bedroom on the main floor.  

You ran your hands gently over your face, trying to stimulate enough alertness to respond.

“Very good idea…God, I’m just beyond.  I think I may end up sleeping for 2 days straight” you said. 

The adrenaline that surges through your body during your performances is a feeling like no other, but you knew the downside to that was utter exhaustion after the fact. 

The welcome sight of your large California King bed took hold, and you immediately stripped down to your bra and panties, and slipped between the crisp cotton sheets, pulling the overstuffed duvet up over your shoulders.  Evelyn continued bringing in a few more of your belongings into the bedroom, all the while, you could already feel yourself sinking into the mattress and the urge to sleep was taking hold.

“Thank you Evelyn…for everything.  I don’t know what it’s going to be like not to see you almost every day”.  Your eyes welled up with tears, your throat tight with emotion.  

“I’m going to LA, not Mars…all you need to do is call.  You just remember - we made an incredible team, and that was just as much you as it was me.  Evelyn paused.  “You have been such a gift to my life.”  and she leaned over to kiss the top of your head.    

“Call me soon and let me know how it’s going with your new act” you yawned, and started to drift off.

“Do you want me to turn your phone off?” Knowing the answer already, she didn’t wait for a response….you had fallen asleep already anyway.

Evelyn grabs your phone from the charger and sees text notifications on the lock screen.

Knowing your passcode, she bypasses the biometric prompt and the home screen appears.

Evelyn realized your phone had been on do not disturb for quite some time.  She taps the message icon and sees a familiar name as the sender.

The first text is short, sent earlier that night.

Hey - it’s William Hoping to get a chance to talk when you have a min

Then there’s a second text sent a little while after the first:

Are you still here?

Then lastly:

K - well.  I hope you’re staying in TO for a bit.  Would like to see you.

Evelyn looks over at you, sound asleep, and considers the options.

Ignore the messages, turn off your phone and leave it for you to decide on how to handle it once you’ve got some rest.

Text William back on your behalf to at least let him know you’re home and to try back in a day or two

Wake you up to show you the messages.

Given your current peaceful resting state, and knowing you like virtually no other, Evelyn is aware that waking you up now would only unleash a rabid and maniacal beast - and she wanted no part in that.

Just as she considers shutting the phone off, the words “Incoming Call” appear with “Ny88” underneath.

Evelyn stares at the caller for a moment and then picks up.  

“Hello, Y/N’s phone”

“Um - Hi…this is William, a friend of Y/N.  I was trying to get a hold of her for a couple of hours…I was just, uh…worried”.  William’s voice trails off

“Hi William, it’s Evelyn…not sure if you remember me; we met a few years ago.  Y/N’s back home now - sorry, she had her phone on do not disturb. Not sure why.” Evelyn confesses.  “But she was knackered and is asleep now….I think you know the drill with her after she comes off after a concert” Evelyn laughs.

“Oh, right - yes…hey Evelyn.  Yeah - I remember…she’s down for the count afterwards” William chuckles.  “Well, I was hoping to bump into her tonight after the show but it seems like she was surrounded the entire time.” 

Evelyn paused, unsure of exactly how much she should convey to William.

“I know it’s been awhile; she would have liked to have seen you, I’m sure.”

There was further silence, and remembering she had a flight to catch, Evelyn tried to speed up the conversation.  “Do you want me to leave her a message for her to call you when she wakes up?

“Fuck…that'll be days” William muttered under his breath, suddenly realizing Evelyn may have heard.  “Sorry…shit…scratch that, '' he said nervously.  "I…I just really was hoping to see her or talk with her tonight, but I guess that's not possible" he said, defeated.

Evelyn looks down at you sleeping.  She recalls the car ride home, you flushed and wrought with emotion as the memories you suppressed of William came flooding back.  She watched you during the intermissions of tonight's performance hiding away in the dressing area, trying to keep your shit together after seeing William in the crowd.  She had seen you at your highest highs over the years when you and William were able to spend time together and at your lowest low after he ended it. 

You finally have the time now, she thought - so it's go time…now or fucking never.

"I've got to catch a flight, so I'm leaving straight away.  If I give you the security codes to get in, I can trust you that she'll be in good hands, right William?" Evelyn paused before finishing with "Because so help me God William, if I hear of anything to the contrary, you do not want to see my other side."

“I’m leaving now” William says with a rushed tone and hangs up before Evelyn has a chance to respond.

[greensparty]

Concert Review: Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band

Wed. 9/18/24 @ Chevalier Theatre (Medford, MA)

Sir Ringo (center) and his All-Starr Band

What more can you say about Sir Ringo Starr? At 84, he is still an active musician and performer in his own right and not just the drummer for The Beatles who occasionally sang on select songs. I have been fortunate enough to cover not only The Beatles (most recently with the reissue of the Red and Blue albums late last year), but also Sir Ringo's solo output including 2019's What's My Name, 2022's EP3, 2023's Rewind Forward, and this year's Crooked Boy. I was lucky enough to see him live in 2010 on his 70th birthday where his old bandmate Paul McCartney came out for the encore and performed "Birthday" with him. For my second time seeing him in 2022 he was at the Boch Center and it blew me away to see someone in his 80s singing and drumming like he was in his 20s. At the very last minute, I got to cover Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band's only MA show on a Fall tour in the same week I got to see Jane's Addiction and Pearl Jam. What a week!

All-Starr Band with their starry background

Over time it has become cool to poke fun at Sir Ringo, but his solo career is criminally underrated. As a member of The Beatles, he gets loads of respect, but as a solo artist he doesn’t get the recognition he deserves. He has to live up to the Fab Four and each of their solo careers, but he has actually made some great solo albums. In 1989, Starr toured with a supergroup Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band. Each of the band members takes turns doing some of their hits in addition to backing Starr as he does his solo and Beatle hits. The line-up of the All-Starr Band has changed over the years, but the group is still going strong. This lineup features Toto's Steve Lukather (an All-Starr since 2012), Men at Work's Colin Hay (an All-Starr in 2003, 2008 and since 2018), Average White Band and Paul McCartney's band (in the late 80s/early 90s) Hamish Stuart (an All-Starr 2006-2008 and since 2018), David Lee Roth alum Gregg Bissonette (an All-Starr since 2008), Kansas and Toto alum Warren Ham (an All-Starr since 2014) and Aerosmith touring member Buck Johnson (newest All-Starr). The only difference in this lineup since I saw them in 2022 is that Edgar Winter wasn't there, Buck Johnson was filling in. Ringo did his solo hits "It Don't Come Easy", "I'm the Greatest", "Back Off Boogaloo", and "Photograph" as well as Beatle hits "Yellow Submarine", "Octopus's Garden", "I Wanna Be Your Man" and "With a Little Help From My Friends". He also did cover songs he's closely affiliated with like Carl Perkins' "Matchbox" (which The Beatles did in 1964), and The Shirelles' "Boys" (which The Beatles covered in 1963). Each member got their chance to shine too with Lukather singing Toto hits, Stuart doing Average White Band hits, and Hay doing Men at Work hits. Of all the non-Ringo / Beatle songs, I found the Men at Work hits to be the strongest.

Sir Ringo singing

Sir Ringo drumming

I don't know how much longer Sir Ringo is going to be touring and performing for, so any chance to see him is exciting. He sings lead and sometimes plays drums and he's a born entertainer! There is an element of a Vegas show vibe to this, but what's wrong with that? I do wish they'd incorporate some of Ringo's output since the 70s into set, but he's giving the audience what they want. This was my third time seeing the All-Starr Band and it was a blast. The first time is among my most legendary concert moments ever to get to see two Beatles onstage together. The second show I got to see in the same week as a Sir Paul concert. Bottom line: it's hard to compare to both of those concert experiences, but this was quite a show!

For info on Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band

[asteria-argo]

Do any of the Greyhounds play D&D in TATBP? And, if so, will they ever get to play with the Cool Kids (the teachers)?

Hey so I hope you don't mind but I have decided to use this ask as an excuse to talk my nerd shit.

First and Foremost to answer the question: Do I think any of the greyhounds play dnd? absolutely yes. Specifically I think Bumbercatch, Jan Maas and Colin play dnd.

Colin got into it when he was a little kid and a massive nerd before he grew up and started desperately trying to be cool. He was really embarrassed about how much he liked it for a long ass time but he's come to embrace it over the years as he's gotten older and stopped giving a fuck! He hasn't played much since he was a kid, but if he's ever given the chance too again I think he'd take it.

Jan Maas and Bumbercatch were both Weird Kids and found deep enjoyment in the game as a result that they carried into adulthood for entirely different reasons. Bumbercatch liked the choas of dnd and all the shenanigans you could get into, whereas Jan Maas was a big fan of the mathematics and rules of it all. Jan Maas is a rules lawyer but in the Siobhan Thompson from D20 way where he fucks DM's over by reminding PC's of cool shit their characters can do that the DM was banking on them having forgotten about.

Despite the fact all three of them like dnd, none of them actually realise this and have never played a campaign together, which might be for the best. There would be tears.

As for if The Cool Kids and playing with them? Maybe! I might write a one shot about it or mention it vaguely in the actual story but I'm pretty mindful about not putting too many of my nicher headcanons into an already very niche fic.

Now this isn't a question that you asked but I'm going to answer it anyway! How did Jamie himself get into dnd? easy! Skye dragged him into it kicking and screaming. Which is sort of a joke but not really.

When they were in university Skye really wanted to go to some board game club but she didn't want to go alone so she took Jamie with her. Jamie was just there to be a good friend, but when Skye made some new friends that wanted to play a campaign with her, she once again made Jamie come along because she wanted to have someone she knew better than these three randos from a board game club she'd been too once with her. And because Jamie while he was in university was on a journey of self discovery trying to figure out who he was without football, he said yes and ended up enjoying the game quite a bit.

He and Skye have been playing half elf siblings in the same campaign for years. Their names are Pin and Misty. Jamie's character is a Bard, Skye's is a ranger. When they started working at Clarence Hill and met Kareem, who was also a nerd, they learnt that he was a forever DM so they invited him to join them and their uni friends for the campaign where he could be a PC. The rest was nerdy ass history.

Jamie doesn't think or care about it half as much as Skye or Kareem do, but he enjoys watching them argue about it. He's mostly just there for the vibes.

Also fun fact; the rest of The Cool Kids dnd group is actually comprised of Skye's bandmates, because I have decided that she is indeed in a band. It has a name and a logo and everything. I'm committed to this being a thing.

[guessimdumb]

Colin Moulding - The Hardest Battle (2021)

It's Colin Moulding's birthday today (mine too) so I thought I'd see what he'd been up to in the last few years. Turns out that he's recorded a fine EP a few years back. The evidence also suggests that he's in much better place than his XTC bandmate Andy Partridge, who seemed very bitter in the interview I read recently.

Strange little bird sing your own fair song

[dd-is-my-guiltypleasure]

While fans may know him best for his screen work (The X-Files, Californication), musician-actor-author David Duchovny has carved out a larger creative role over the years, authoring six books and releasing three albums while earning rave reviews (and a dedicated fanbase) for his live shows.

His latest album, Gestureland, was released in 2021 during the pandemic. While the feelings on Gestureland are intimate, the music is expansive – it evokes ’70s California pop, alternative rock, folk and country. In its own right, it is timeless music.

‘I wouldn’t go about imitating anyone,’ says Duchovny. ‘But for me it’s about classic rock, the British Invasion, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Aimee Mann — you fall in love with certain sounds.’

With his two earlier releases (2015’s Hell or Highwater and 2017’s Every Third Thought) Duchovny earned critical acclaim; Allmusic called his music ‘eloquent, alt-rock-kissed country-folk in the vein of Wilco and the Wallflowers’ while the Boston Globe praised Duchovny’s voice, noting ‘he sings with a parched resonance and just a hint of rasp. He is rather heartfelt’.

Helping achieve all these sounds: Colin Lee, Mitch Stewart and Pat McCusker, three former college friends from the Berklee College of Music and longtime studio musicians who have worked with Duchovny on all of his records. ‘David is so joyful about making music, and his lyrical approach and his way of looking at songs is like poetry,’ says Lee. ‘He creates stuff that excites us as musicians.’

Since the release of Gestureland, Duchovny released a new novel, Truly Like Lightning, a novella, The Reservoir, and co-authored (with illustrator Phillip Sevy) the graphic novel Kepler. He has also adapted his own novel, Bucky F*cking Dent, to film, premiering it at the Tribeca Film Festival.

But like all good musicians, he’s anxious to get back on the road and perform these new songs live. ‘David has so much energy and charisma, it’s easy for him to carry the show,’ says his bandmate Stewart. ‘I always get such a kick playing live,’ adds the singer. ‘We make our show into a whole evening and take people on a journey. I can’t wait to do a version of this album for a tour.’

[multifandomrandomgirl]

Nowhere To Go PART ONE - Carl Wilson x Female!reader

Masterlist:

A/N: Wrote a little something as it would be Carl's 77th birthday today! Part two will be up by next week.

Trigger warning: mentions of abuse

----

Y/N sighed as she brought her hand to the door, getting ready to knock. She didn’t want to come here, and she definitely didn’t want to see the occupant of the house either but she almost had no choice.

After a few minutes of debating the pros and cons in her mind, she finally knocked on the door, she stepped back slightly. She fiddled with her fingers anxiously. After a few minutes of waiting, she heard footsteps approach the door. Then, she came face to face with him.

“What are you doing here?” Carl hissed at Y/N. Carl was the bandmate of Bruce, Y/N’s older brother. Y/N and Carl had never really got on and more often than not, Dennis and Bruce had to sit in between them.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know where to go.” Y/N whispered, she blinked rapidly in an attempt to hold back the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes as she looked at the guitarist. 

“You didn’t know where to go? Y/N, you have an older brother, you should know where to go.” Carl rolled his eyes and began to shut the door on her.

“Carl, please. I know I have Bruce, but I really can’t go to Bruce for this.” The door reopened.

“What you mean you can’t go to Bruce? Y/N, what’s happened?” Carl’s face changed as the tears started to fall out of Y/N’s eyes. Carl grabbed her arm gently and pulled her into his house.

“Y/N, talk to me.” Carl said. Truth be told, he was a little annoyed by the fact she had shown up on his doorstep out of nowhere, disturbing his Thursday evening, but he was a little worried. He despised the woman, but he had never seen anyone this upset, and she chose to go to him over her brother which made Carl worry more. He knew that Y/N and Bruce were practically inseparable so the fact she hadn’t gone straight to him was concerning.

“H-he hurt me again. I can’t tell Bruce because you know what he’s like.” Y/N sobbed, Carl handed her some tissues from his coffee table after he helped her sit down.

“Your boyfriend hurt you?” This was news to Carl. He knew she’d been in a relationship with a guy called Colin, but he didn’t know a lot about him He’d overheard Bruce complaining to Al and Dennis about the guy a fair few times, Bruce seemed to hate him.

Y/N nodded and looked down at her knees.

“Y/N, hey. I know we’re not friends or anything but I’m here if you want to talk about it.” Carl offered, his tone softer than earlier. He decided to not further question why she came to him instead of her brother.

“Thank you.” She sniffed. “Carl, I am so sorry that I came here. I panicked. I left him, I broke up with him and I was too scared to go straight to Bruce because I know how angry he’s going to be.” 

Carl stayed quiet as she explained, giving her sympathetic nods every now and then to signal that he was listening to her.

“He’s been violent the whole time we’ve been together, he hits me, he kicks, he’s verbally abusive too. He’s horrible. Bruce hates him, he always tells me how I need to leave him, how he’s no good for me, but I never listened because I was so in love with Colin that I was foolish enough to believe he loved me despite everything he was doing. I’m honestly too embarrassed to go to Bruce, I should have listened to him.” Y/N cried heavier, Carl awkwardly moved an arm around her and he pulled her into his side in an attempt to comfort her.

Carl found that he was angry, he wasn’t sure why. What Colin had done to the girl who was sitting broken in his arms was awful, but why Carl felt like this, he wasn’t sure. He hated Y/N, he really did. He hated it when she would come with Bruce to the studio or a Beach Boys hang out, he hated it when she laughed and joked with his brothers and the other band members. Carl hated her, but right now, he felt this overwhelming urge to help her and keep her safe.

“Shit, Y/N. I’m sorry. I can’t believe someone would treat you like that. You did the right thing in walking out, and don’t worry about telling Bruce, you don’t have to straight away, we can figure out a way to tell him without him going insane. Can I just ask, you don’t have any open cuts or bruises, do you? I can get some plasters and antiseptic.” 

Y/N showed Carl a few small cuts hidden behind some hair and some that were hidden behind her jumper as well as some bruises. Carl grabbed some medical supplies and some ice and set to work on cleaning the girl up.

“Thank you.” Y/N whispered as Carl finished up.

“It’s not a problem Y/N. How are you feeling?” 

“Better, thank you.”

Carl smiled at her and the two sat back on the sofa in silence, every now and then, Carl kept sneaking glances at his bandmate’s sister as her eyes started to flutter shut. He watched her as she fell asleep and draped a blanket over her.

“Goodnight Y/N.” 

______

When Y/N woke up a few hours later, she felt a panic rise up in her, it was dark, she was alone, and she was confused as to where she was. She began to cry again as she remembered what had happened earlier and then she remembered, the last time she walked out on Colin, he rang Bruce to demand she return to him. This made her panic more as Bruce had no clue as to where she was, and she had no idea if Colin had rang her older brother.

The door to the room slowly opened and a figure moved into the room, Y/N began to panic more. 

“Please don’t, Colin please don’t touch me.” Y/N croaked out, still half asleep and confused as to where she was.

“Hey, hey. Look at me, it’s okay. It’s Carl. I’m here, I’ve got you, okay?” The figure got closer, it was Carl. He rushed over to her and sat next to her, he pulled her into his side and rubbed circles on her back, trying to get her to calm down.

“I-I’m sorry Carl. I woke up confused and panicked and then got scared because I thought you were him. I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you up and-”

Carl cut her off.

“It’s okay, Y/N. I don’t mind. I’d rather make sure you’re okay. I shouldn’t have left you alone. Look, this is a bit of a weird question, but can I take you to my bedroom? We can um, share my bed? Just so I know you’re okay. I apologise if that’s uncomfortable for you, I just, never mind, I’ll stay with you here.” Carl mumbled.

“I don’t mind, I just don’t want to be alone.” Y/N smiled up at the guitarist.

“I think my bed may be comfier than the sofa” He helped her to her feet and guided her up the stairs. Carl pulled back the duvet and they both got in the bed, Carl moved as close to the edge as he could to give her space, and he hated her so he didn’t want to be too close.

“Carl? Um, this is a bit of an awkward question, but could you move a bit closer, please? I’d um, feel a bit safer if maybe I could hug you?” Y/N asked shyly. 

Carl internally sighed but agreed and moved closer to her, she rested her head on his chest and he wrapped an arm around her. She let out a sigh of relief before closing her eyes again.

“Thank you Carl. Good night.”

“Night Y/N.”

Hours later when the pair awoke again, Y/N shot up and started apologising non-stop to Carl for having slept on him and having gone to his house in the first place.

“I’m sorry, I really am. I definitely overstepped last night, in general, not just with the hugging. I shouldn’t have come here knowing how much you hate me, I should have been less of a coward and gone to Bruce’s house straight away. I’m so sorry Carl, I’ll leave now. I completely overstepped your boundaries.” Y/N crawled out of Carl’s bed, found her shoes and ran out of the man’s house before he was able to get a single word in.

Carl frowned, the night had been unexpected and confusing, but he knew he’d changed his mind about Y/N Johnston and he needed to go after her.

[fritextramole]

Gossip Girl Mamma Mia au bc it got long I didn't wanna take over @vanderwoodlings beautifully thought out greek mythology post any more than i had. but i still have ideas to share with her, @strideofpride and @blairwaldcrf (who first suggested this)

Lily as Donna with a wild child past that she's a little ashamed of but also definitely misses - but she doesn't want her daughter going down the same path. The movies are inconsistent but it seems like Donna's mom stopped supporting her when she got pregnant (which could mean no Scott but this is Mamma Mia so maybe he just shows up in a fun twist - after all, Cece would probably be less forgiving the second time)

Serena as Sophie. raised by a single mom. they clearly love each other but also have their differences. Impulsive. wonders what her life would be like if she had her dad around

she has an impending wedding to Carter Baizen. Independent from his parents while she's tied to her mom. doesn't want the big white wedding and would rather use that money to travel, but he's doing it for her. where Carter differs from Sky The Film Fiance is that he knows she wants to find her dad and is helping

which leaves Eric her younger (half) brother to fill the role of supportive, but distinctly aware of how ridiculous this is. he understands that Serena wants to find her dad, but figured out that he doesn't need a father to feel whole and thinks throwing a giant wedding just so she can invite three men she's never met is a terrible idea

things get fuzzier with the other adults bc gossip girl just doesn't have that many, but I'll do what I can

the easiest is Rufus as Sam, the only potential father that Donna loved. things went south. he married someone else and had 2 kids shortly after. that marriage didn't work out and he always wondered about what could have been so when he gets an invite to her daughter's wedding he figures why not attend

William van der Woodsen works better as Bill (impulsive, kinda smarmy) than Harry (timid but wishes he wasn't) so we'll call him Will (which doubles as the average of their names and a portmanteau of Worse Bill,) say he attended for the hell of it, and move on to his love interest

Carol as Rosie. Lily's bandmate / close friend / sister. pushed her to free herself from Cece and spread her wings. never married - takes pride in being a lone wolf. had a thing for Will when they briefly knew each other 20 years ago. she never lived on Kalokari in the movie so we could say that she slept with Will shortly after Lily and that's when Charlie was conceived (and kept secret from Lily)

Tanya and Harry are even harder. the flashback episode had them hanging out with Carol's coworker Owen, who's enough of a blank slate to be either one. We could blur canon even more and stick Eleanor Waldorf in as Tanya (rich. vain. divorced once or thrice) but that doesn't really work

Harry had a Johnny Rotten t shirt (and Colin Firth looked like a rocker in the iconic flashback moment before Mamma Mia (the song)) so we'll say he's some other rockstar Lily slept with and Tanya is another groupie and leave it at that

Nate and Blair as Sophie's bridesmaids (Ally and Lisa) who get caught up in her scheme. they had their cute little rhyme and i think it would be fun! "we're Sophie, Ally Lisa! We're the greatest bestest mates! I'm tough! (N) I'm tall! (S) I'm tiny! (B) and we're gonna rock this place!"

Sky's best man Pepper is not a super important part of the movie but he is a fun ball of chaos so we could file off the more problematic aspects of Chuck or Georgina and stick them in here to hit on The Nameless Former Groupie

the original plays out in a hotel on a Greek island. which feels very Serena (and is a fun nod to her time on Santorini with Carter) so we'll keep it. Lily Rhodes graduated from Brown with a degree in classics and an interest in photography. before settling down in either New York or Montecito she took a trip to Greece with her wayward sister Carol and their friend, singing for fun and for money, bc their mom refused to pay for this trip as long as Carol was involved

Lily has a short fling with Rufus while they're both on Kalokari, but uh oh! he has a fiance back home. she finds out. he disappears into the night. she falls in bed with Will and Some Other Guy to drown her sorrows. He returns, having broken things off with Alison, but it's that rom com trope where he sees her on a date through the window and figures she's moved on, so he goes home and begs Alison to marry him

Lily never really got over Rufus but she manages to build a home on Kalokari. Her heartache is the least of her worries when she discovers that she's pregnant. she opens a hotel bc singing and photography aren't enough to support her daughter, and besides, the island is beautiful and people should visit

20ish years later the plot plays out more or less the same, with Serena finding a diary (or for Lily, a photo album) from the year her mom was pregnant with her and deciding she wants a big wedding so she can find her dad (and hopefully figure herself out in the process.) she invites the men, miraculously they all attend. Lily's already stressed from wedding planning and from her daughter growing up (and potentially leaving with her new husband) and having 3(!!) exes around is NOT helping

the men independently figure out that "oh! I must be Serena's dad! that's why I was invited! I'm gonna do the right thing and walk her down the aisle! :)" Serena's overwhelmed by her lies and ends up picking a fight with her mom and brother the morning of her wedding but they patch it up while Lily and Eric help her get ready

Rufus is trying to get back together with Lily. He sees his opportunity when Serena decides at the altar that actually Carter and Eric are right! she doesn't want a big wedding! she calls it off in the middle and she and Carter decide to use the money to travel and get married some other time. the truth finally comes out and all three men agree to each be 1/3 Serena's father (they offer for Eric but he politely declines.) Rufus takes this opportunity to propose to Lily and the two of them get married bc we're all here anyway (except for his two children but that's a story for Mamma Mia 3 I guess)

speaking of which! sequel plots for this au include

it turns out Lily and Rufus already knew other before that European tour and much to Rufus' surprise have a son together

Rufus' other children track down their dad in Greece and go hey dad what the fuck but decide they like Kalokari and stick around part time

Blair almost marries the visiting prince of Monaco but decides she likes Rufus' mildly pretentious curly haired son better

Surprise! Will and Carol have a child together! No one is pleased!

Lily has a health scare and everyone is prompted to decide who will get the hotel. They decide Scott, who's both the oldest, and needs a stronger connection to his family

The hotel had been closed for renovations and Cece arrives (uninvited! how gauche) to the reopening party to see what her daughter has built

this list had convinced me we need a Mamma Mia Gossip Girl sitcom bc I'm having a lot of fun with this

[my-chaos-radio]

Release: January 1, 1987

Lyrics:

You don't believe me

I can tell it by your eyes

There's a kind of magic to be had from your lies

I used to say that today is like tomorrow

Don't sell it short for truth

I should have known

I should have known

Should have known how

I should have known

I should have known by now

But now

Everything is coming up roses

Everything is coming up roses

You don't understand it

I can tell it by your smile

Don't sell it short for truth

There's a kind of freedom to be had from your lies

I always said that today is like tomorrow

I should have known

I should have known

Should have known how

Everything is coming up roses

Everything is coming up roses

Everything is coming up

Coming up

Everything is coming up roses

Everything is coming up roses

Everything is coming up roses

Everything is coming up roses

Everything is coming up

Coming up

Songwriter:

Jule Styne / Stephen Sondheim

BandFact:

The formation "Black" was founded by Colin Vearncombe with Dave "Dix" Dickie and Jimmy Sangster in 1980 in Liverpool (GBR) as a trio. Vearncombe explained the choice of the name Black by saying that he found his name too difficult for people to remember. From June 1982 the band consisted only of Vearncombe and Dickie. Black was the band's name until 1985, after which Vearncombe continued soloing under the same name, without his fellow bandmates, with various studio musicians.

[chorusfm]

The Decemberists – As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again

The ninth studio album from The Decemberists, titled As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again, is a thrilling walk through the woods of indie-folk lore that firmly highlights the strengths of the band. The Decemberists recently wrapped a tour that acted as a teaser to the songs that would be on this LP, and the music found on this record translated extremely well to the live setting. The band has never been shy of expanding upon the roots of folk music by adding in rich context to their songs, creating unique characters, and telling vivid stories through their music. Truly the band’s first double album, this particular record puts all of their assets on full display in a marvelous accomplishment of artistic achievement, and it just may be the band’s finest, and most complete work of music to date. The record launches right into their first single released from the set, “Burial Ground,” that is a fairly straight-forward indie-folk rock song that has a memorable refrain and feels very much enriched in the legacy of The Decemberists. “Oh No!” follows the opener with a Latin-infused anthem that features some well-placed horns paired with some unique percussion to keep interest at a fever pitch for the new material. The vivid storytelling found on “The Reapers” finds lead vocalist Colin Meloy setting the scene in the first verse of, “Early in the evening, when the working is through / And the field’s all in furrows, and there ain’t much to do / Me and my lady, all a-riding did go / As we wait for the reapers to mow,” and the song unfolds with strategic precision as new elements are added into the mix at just the right moments. Another early standout, “Long White Veil,” is a catchy folk tune that would’ve fit well on any of The Decemberists’ other albums, as it feels authentic to the style that they have perfected over their career. The chorus of, “I married her, I carried her / On the very same day I buried her / In the cemetery plot by her mother / Though she never gave a thought to her mother / But she looked so pale / In that long white veil,” is well-crafted and invites the listener to sing along. The campfire, acoustic bliss of “William Fitzwilliam” features several great harmonies from Meloy and his bandmates to round out the song, while things slow-build to one of the more important tracks on the LP with “Don’t Go to the Woods.” The overall aesthetic of the album packaging is based around this mysterious landscape of the woods, and this track works extremely well in the middle of sequencing to set the right tone for the rest of the record. ”The Black Maria” works as a nice contrast to earlier song of “Long White Veil,” while the tender “All I Want Is You” is a gushing ballad of falling in love with the person you want to spend all of your days with. Late standouts like “Born to the Morning” rock like a late-Beatles catalog track, especially with its experimental sounds added in, and the bouncy “America Made Me” adds in more well-placed horns and instruments much like The Format did so brilliantly on their Dog Problems record. The bass-heavy “Tell Me What’s On Your Mind” is a jazz-infused track that continues to explore The Decemberists’ endless creativity, while “Never Satisfied” unfolds cautiously, bleeding into the 19-minute plus opus of “Joan in the Garden.” After a few minutes of quiet in the sprawling closer, The Decemberists kick into a new gear and rock out in a way that would make Pink Floyd proud. There is so much to love and enjoy on As It Ever Was, So It Will Be Again, and hopefully this alludes to the idea that The Decemberists truly can take their music into the most exciting paths forward. The fans who have been with them since the beginning days, as well as many of the fans they have collected along the way, will surely be ready for the next journey. --- Please consider becoming a member so we can keep bringing you stories like this one. ◎ https://chorus.fm/reviews/the-decemberists-as-it-ever-was-so-it-will-be-again/

[newsper]

Train Bassist Charlie Colin Remembered: Fans Mourn Legacy

[krispyweiss]

Train Co-founder Charlie Colin Dies at 58

Charlie Colin, the bassist who co-founded Train and played on the band’s first three albums, has died at 58.

Colin died after falling in the shower while housesitting for friends in Belgium, TMZ reported. The date of his death is unclear.

Train vocalist Pat Monahan remembered his former bandmate as “the sweetest guy” who was instrumental in the group’s early success.

“His unique bass playing a beautiful guitar work helped get folks to notice us in (San Francisco) and beyond,” Monahan said of Colin. “I’ll always have a warm place for him in my heart. I always tried to pull him closer, but he had a vision of his own.”

Colin departed Train in 2003 after it scored such hits as “Drops of Jupiter,” “Meet Virginia” and “Hey, Soul Sister.” He later played with Flamingo Twin, the Side Deal and Painbirds.

“He is/was a beautiful human and amazingly kind person,” Painbirds said of Colin. “He loved in a way that not everyone can. … His many friends in this world must feel a deep loss, also. Charlie, we love you. We love you.”

5/22/24

[independentartistbuzz]

Andrew Bishop (Alex Little & the Suspicious Minds, Twin River, White Ash Falls) Debuts as WAASH with Self-Titled EP on Light Organ Records

Over the past decade, Andrew Bishop has carved out his spot as one of Vancouver’s go-to pop polymaths. He’s concocted catchy garage anthems as the guitarist of Alex Little & the Suspicious Minds, acted as the sideman in the pop-noir combo Twin River, and made country-tinged solo tunes as White Ash Falls. Along the way, he’s built up an ever-growing resume as a producer.

Now, he’s channeled all of it into the new project WAASH, which combines Andrew’s prolific songwriting talents with his love of towering shoegaze soundscapes. It’s both a culmination and an entirely new beginning. The five songs that make up WAASH’s self-titled EP were written slowly but steadily as Andrew took plenty of time to tinker with demos and build intricate arrangements from the ground up.

Andrew’s meticulous approach can be heard in the way EP opener “I Want to Be Good” ascends from the echoing strums of its intro towards a cloud-parting widescreen crescendo. 

The sonic foundations for these tracks were laid during an initial session with Andrew’s Suspicious Minds bandmates Cody Hiles (drums) and Mike Rosen (bass) at Afterlife Studios with Erik Nielsen. Followed by a 10-day session at the Hive studio on Vancouver Island with co-producer/co-mixer Colin Stewart (Destroyer, the New Pornographers, Black Mountain), Andrew took the songs home for even more fine- tuning. At his home in East Vancouver, he added swaths of heavenly keyboards, recruited producer/songwriter Louise Burns to sing harmonies, and perfected the EP’s swooning, reverb-draped atmosphere. Despite WAASH’s solo origins, the project has now blossomed into a full live band, with Andrew joined by an arsenal of his closest long-time collaborators.

[eva-knits12]

Colin's Halloween Emergency

Trigger warning: Halloween, puking, ER visit, appendectomy, fluff

Summary: Colin and Eva celebrate Halloween as a couple. Unfortunately, Colin has to go the ER and gets emergency surgery.

I wake up, only to see the bathroom light on, and Colin's head in the toilet. I go next to him, rubbing soothing circles on his back.

"Colin, why didn't tell me you've been sick?" I ask.

"Eva, my sweet honey, it's just the stomach-BLARGH!" Colin throws up again. I feel his forehead.

"Colin, you're burning up. Call in sick. I'll work from home. You're in no condition to be around the kids," I say.

Colin looks pale, he has a gig tonight at his favorite dive bar, and he is not going. After a while, I help him brush his teeth, and get him back to bed. I cover him, and then I go to make him some dry toast and some peppermint tea to help settle his stomach.

I'll have to go to the supermarket later, and get some crackers, chicken soup, ginger ale, and some Pepto-Bismol. I text his bandmates and explain the situation. Even they agreed that Colin was too sick to play tonight, and he loved music.

Colin looks so peaceful when he's sleeping. He has a smile on his face, and he looks almost boyish. I leave his phone on in case someone calls. We were also supposed to go my brother's Halloween Party, but there's no way we're going to that.

I text my brother's girlfriend, and she comes over. I'm working from home, and I while I go run this errand, she can cover for me.

My brother's girlfriend arrives, and I go to the supermarket, and get the saltines, the ginger ale, the Pepto Bismol, and some 7Up. She's sitting on the couch, reading her book.

I come back, and check on Colin. He's throwing up again, and I feel so bad for him.

"Oooohhhhhhhhhhh, it hurts!" says Colin. He's doubled over in pain, so I knew this was bad. Colin's never this sick, and we've only been dating for over a year and I had just moved in with Colin, and the last time he was sick, he had a bad cold. I spent the weekend taking care of him.

"NATALIE!" I scream. Natalie runs to the bathroom, and sees Colin doubled over in pain, and I'm trying to sit him up.

"Where does it hurt, Colin?" says Natalie. My brother's girlfriend is a nurse, and she has the day off today.

"Oooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhh, it hurts!" repeats Colin.

Colin is clutching the lower right side of his stomach, and he looks even more pale. I grab the thermometer, and place it under his tongue.

When the thermometer is done, I look at his temperature.

"Colin, you're 104! We're getting you to the ER!" I say.

'NATALIE! NATALIE!" I scream.

"OH MY GOD!" screams Natalie.

I show Natalie Colin's temperature on the thermometer, and she agrees that we are getting Colin to the ER. Natalie pulls the car around, I grab my purse and my knitting bag, and I leave my laptop at home. I call work and explain that an emergency has come up, and that I need to get Colin to the ER. My boss agrees, and tells me not to worry about right now, someone else needs me right now.

Natalie helps me get Colin into the car, and I sit in back with him. Colin's head is on my lap, and Colin throws up in the bucket that I remembered to grab. The ride to the ER seems to last for hours.

When we finally arrive at the ER, the security guard grabs a wheel chair. Colin is sitting in the wheel chair, and he's wheeled in. Natalie grabs a seat in the waiting area, and I meet Zach's girlfriend, Maggie. I get him into the triage area, and the nurse triages him. Maggie grabs a stretcher, and we help get Colin on the stretcher. Maggie then takes him to an exam room.

I tell Natalie that I'm going to be in the exam room with Colin. I'm waiting for the emergency room doc, stroking his forehead, and he looks even worse. Colin starts to throw up again, and I grab the garbage can. I ask the nurse for a barf bin, and she gets maintenance to clean up the puke. Maintenance comes in, and cleans up. I'm stroking Colin's forehead, and trying to soothe him.

"Colin, I just wish you weren't this sick right now." I say.

Eva, baby doll, where are you?" says Colin.

"Colin, I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere, okay, honey? The doctor will be here soon," I say.

The doctor comes in, and takes one look, and performs his exam.

"Well, Mr. Shea, you have appendicitis. We'll need to do an emergency appendectomy," says the doctor.

The doctor says to me that I did the right thing by getting him to the ER, thanks to my quick thinking. I grab Colin's hand, and tell him that it's going to be okay, he'll be better once they do this.

Colin is wheeled off to the operating room, thanks to the doctor's insistence. An OR has been cleared, when they were all booked. Once it's been explained that there was a patient in the ER who needed surgery immediately, an OR became available. The doctor tore the surgeon a new one.

I tell Natalie to go home, there's really nothing else that she can do right now. I'll call her, my brother, or even Esther if I need anything.

I go up to the operating floor, and I grab my knitting bag and my purse, and sit there, focusing on my project. I'm trying to maintain a sense of calm, when I am anything but right now. I'm anxious, and I'm waiting for Colin.

I ask the nurse where the cafeteria is, my stomach is growling. He directs me to the cafeteria, and I go in the direction he showed me. I grab a turkey and cheese sandwich and a bowl of soup. I grab a bottle of water, and try to concentrate on eating my meal. I was going to need the energy.

I go back to the OR floor after I've finished my meal and bussed my tray. I stacked everything neatly, and place the bowl in the and the silver wear in the bin, and I place the tray in the tray area.

The doctor comes out, and tells me that the surgery was a success. An appendectomy isn't too complicated, but the surgeon was looking at the hat that I was knitting, and looked at it in awe.

"Knitting? That looks complicated," the surgeon says.

"It's not, this is just a basic hat. I make chemo hats for cancer patients, and then I donate them to the local cancer center," I say.

The surgeon and I banter a bit, and the surgeon and the nurse give me some after care instructions. They even give me a sheet with after care instructions, but they are keeping Colin overnight. They are just waiting for his fever to go down some more. It went down a little bit, but not as much they'd like.

"My advice? Go home, get something to eat, and get some rest. Colin will be ready to go in the morning," says the surgeon.

"Can I visit him for a while?" I ask.

"Sure, I'll take you to the recovery room," says the nurse. He leads me to the recovery room. I see Colin lying on the hospital bed. He still looks pale, and has and IV drip attached to him.

"He's been asking for you," says the nurse.

"Okay. I'll stay with him for a while," I say.

Colin is still sleeping, but he is begging for me.

"Shh. Shh. Colin, I'm here. I'll be here tomorrow, in the morning. I've called Esther. she's on her way, okay? She'll stay with you for the night," I say.

"You need to be here overnight, your fever hasn't gone down, okay?" I tell Colin.

Eva, baby doll, sweetie, I need you to stay," Colin.

"I wish I could. Esther is coming. I'll be back, okay. I'm going to go home, and get some sleep, and shower," I say. I kiss him on his forehead, his forehead is covered with sweat.

I tell the nurse that I've contacted his mother, Esther, and when she gets here, I'll go home, get some rest, and shower. I'll be back later to bring him some clothes.

Ester arrives forty-five minutes later, and she arrives with her crocheting, and with some clothes.

"You've done everything, dear. Go home. Get some rest. You'll feel better once you've slept in a proper bed, and have a nice, hot shower in the morning," says Esther.

Natalie takes me back home, and helps me pack some clothes for Colin, and an overnight bag for me. Natalie takes me back to my brother's and hers apartment. I'll stay with my brother, and his party is winding down by now. I yawn, and Natalie helps me. I get my pajamas on, while Natalie turns down the bed. Natalie makes me some dinner, and after I eat, I brush my teeth, wash my face, and get in bed.

I try to sleep, but I can't. I just can't. I toss and turn for most of the night.

I wake up the next day, and drag myself to the bathroom to brush my teeth, wash my face, and relieve myself. I shower, and get dressed, even if it's just my favorite jeans and my my favorite hoodie. I throw on my gold necklace that has the Polish emblem on it, and a gold chain that I've had since high school.

I get in my brother's car, and he takes me to the hospital, ready to pick up Colin. He's still sleeping, so I grab my knitting bag. I'll have to wait a bit for Colin, and the nurse directs me to the waiting room. They'll have to do some more tests for him to be released. I decide to kill some time, and get some coffee, and I grab my knitting bag. I ask where the coffee shop is. The nurse directs me to the hospital cafe, where I get three coffees and some donuts.

I pay for my purchase, and then go to Colin's hospital room. I see Esther, who is feeding Colin some oatmeal and some toast. My brother is waiting outside,

"I brought you some coffee and some donuts," I say.

"Good morning, Eva. Thanks for the breakfast," says Esther.

"Poor Colin. He's been begging for you all night," says Esther.

"I know. I feel so bad for him. I would have stayed, but I only wanted to follow the hospital rules," I say.

"I know, dear. it's not your fault. You were just following the rules, you don't make them," says Esther.

"You look tired, dear," says Esther.

"I didn't sleep very well last night. I was worried about Colin," I say.

My brother is waiting in the waiting room, so I go tell my brother it shouldn't be too much longer. The nurse enters the room, removes the food tray, and takes Colin's vitals.

"The doctor will be in shortly. He's just finishing up with another patient," says the nurse.

I have a look of worry on my face, and the nurse feels my pain.

"Don't worry. Colin will be ready to go after the doctor is done. Why don't you go sit and relax for a bit, it really won't be much longer," says the nurse.

I wait with my brother, but it feels like hours.

"Karl, why does this feel like hours?" I say.

"Eva, I know. Colin will be out shortly. Remember when you had the flu when you were twelve?" says Karl.

"Yeah, you came home, and spent the rest of the day with me. We played Gin Rummy and Go Fish until we both went to sleep. Mom brought me some soup, and some Vernors," I say.

"I spent the night in my sleeping bag on the floor of your bedroom," says Karl.

"I spent the entire weekend with you, helping mom and dad care for you," says Karl.

"This is different. I'm taking care of a full grown adult man," I say.

"Yes, and remember when I got my tonsils taken out? You returned the favor, and you even made sure to feed me ice chips," says Karl.

"Yeah, all you wanted was ice chips," I say.

"I spent the night on the floor in your bedroom, and we even played Monopoly, Sorry, Scrabble, and Gin Rummy," I say.

Esther comes out, pushing Colin in a wheel chair. I greet him with a loving kiss.

Colin is looking much better, and he has on his favorite sweat pants, along with his favorite hoodie.

"Good morning, rock star," I say.

"Good morning, sweetheart," says Colin.

"I love you so much, Colin," I say.

Colin grabs my hand and kisses it, and I take the wheelchair. My brother brings the car around, and Esther and I load Colin in the backseat. Esther gets into the front seat, and I'm in the backseat, making sure Colin is comfortable.

The rest of the day is spent with me working from home so I can help care for Colin, help him to the bathroom, etc. I know recovery from an appendectomy takes time, depending on the procedure. He had an open procedure, which will leave a scar, and I know he can handle this. Colin is just worried that our lovemaking will fall by the wayside.

"Colin, don't worry about that right now. Right now, just focus on recovering from this, okay?" I say.

"Okay, sweetheart. I love you, I love you so much," says Colin, giving me a loving kiss.

Esther fixes us some lunch, while I help Colin undress and get him into the shower. I turn on the hot water, and Colin has other ideas in mind.

"Sweetheart, baby cakes, there's room for two in here," says Colin, kissing me seductively.

Colin undresses me, and I get into the shower with him. This feels nice, comforting, romantic and intimate. We hold each other and we kiss in the shower. We suds up, wash our hair, and rinse off. We get out of the shower, and kiss lovingly.

"Eva, sweetheart, I love you. Thanks for taking care of me," says Colin, giving me another loving kiss.

"I have to take good care of my boyfriend, and the father of my future children," I say.

"Sweetheart, I would love to have a baby with you. One day, it will happen," says Colin.

"I think you're going to be beautiful, and amazing, and so sexy carrying our baby. I can't wait to see you all round with our baby, you glowing with love, you holding our child in your arms for the first time," says Colin, almost tearing up at this glimpse of our future.

"We'll discuss this later," I say.

'Hmmm, I just love you so much, Eva, my sweet baby doll," says Colin.

I spend the next few weeks working from home, and taking care of Colin. Esther comes over every day so that I can take a break for a bit so that I can take a nap, get something to eat, take care of some chores. Colin's job is just to veg and focus on recovery until he feels strong enough to start doing things.

I help Colin with things like helping him to the bathroom, walking, sitting and laying comfortably, making sure he was comfortable. Every morning and every night, I kiss his scar. I tell Colin how beautiful his scar makes him. Colin tears up at this.

He never had anyone who told him all of these before, who took care of him when it counted. He never had anyone who supported him mentally and emotionally, who would go to hell and back for him. Colin would do the same for me.

Colin and I go for a nice walk a few days later, which is my birthday. On our walk, we see an old couple walking, and holding hands. We also see a mom and dad walking their dog and their toddler.

"Eva, sweetheart, those will be us one day," says Colin.

I tear up at the sweet glimpse of our future. I can't wait to see what the next few months bring. On the walk, we see an abandoned dog, who looks like he's cold and starving. I look for a collar and a tag, and there is none. I call animal control on my phone, and animal control takes him to the Humane Society so the dog can get a health exam, and undergo some tests.

A few days later, we take our new rescue, Dickens home. Colin and I start looking at houses, and it will take us a while to find the perfect house.

A few weeks Colin is ready for some adult fun time. We have fun, and can't wait for a little one of our own. The dog, Dickens, makes everything feel complete, for now.

Several months later, Colin and I conceive our beautiful Harper.