#cheap lion king tickets

[spotsandsocks]

Ok so no one asked but I was thinking about musicals and what I’ve been able to see over the years so I made a list. So this has taken over thirty years and most organised by other people and pretty much always in the cheap seats which are never actually that cheap anyway. I do live close enough to a big city and some big local theatres too so I’m a lucky spot and there’s more than I expected. Under the cut for anyone whose vaguely interested.

Professional Productions

Joseph and his amazing technical raincoat when I was ten - first musical I listened to the cassette (I know!!what’s that?) over and over for years I know pretty much every word

Les Miserables good songs - but like it says miserable

The Lion King it’s was ok but too much like the film to be exciting (sorry)

Frozen missed the first 20 minutes cos got the time wrong - the sets and the dress change are magnificent! Not too much like the film

Hairspray one of my favourites

Waitress had no idea what it was about but I loved it

Hamilton the most expensive tickets I’ve ever bought - took my daughter and her friend because they were obsessed

Chicago (on Broadway for 30th birthday trip)

Blood Brothers made me jump at end and then cry

The King and I with Trixi from call the midwife- amazing production. Cried again

9-5 in the underground theatre of the Savoy which was cool

Bugsy Malone a favourite film from my childhood took my kids

Bombay Dreams had to Google the name cos I’d forgotten seen in early 2000s but it was fantastic

The Rocky Horror Picture Show -dressed up for it when I was at uni very fun. Some people left at intermission not sure what they we’re expecting!

Anything goes or possibly Crazy for you- no memory of it really

Miss Saigon seen it twice, once from ‘the gods’ and couldn’t really see anything.

Guys and Dolls- had Ewan MacGregor in it which is why I went

Wicked reasonably good seats for this one excellent

Local amateur productions

Hairspray

Calamity Jane

Shrek - the strangest thing I’ve ever seen

Oklahoma

Little Shop Of Horrors

Singin in the rain was great and it rained on stage in my local theatre

West side story more than once

Local School Productions

The sound of music

West side story

My fair lady

Grease

Wizard of Oz

And finally Would Like to see

Six

Moulin Rouge booked for sept

Book of Morman

Mamma Mia

Everyone’s talking about Jamie

[autumntouched]

Day 15 of Ode to Phoenix Pt. 2

What? Two Ode to Phoenix posts in one day? Yes indeed. Bringing this Valentine's Day fic over from AO3. In honor of Phoenix's disdain for Valentine's Day, I am posting it the day after...

Summary: It’s irrational that Natasha hates the entire month of February, but for two weeks, the bombardment of saccharine promotional emails, constant red and pink hearts and roses, and the chocolates is enough to make her want to scream or puke or both. She’d even broken up with a guy for daring to send her a bouquet on the day. Well, there were other reasons, but a gag worthy card and flowers for a stupid made up holiday for a fake, hollow, unoriginal performative symbol of love seemed like a good enough reason to end things.

Pairings: Natasha "Phoenix" Trace x Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw x Jake "Hangman" Seresin

Warnings: PG-13 implied sex (f/m/m)

A/N: AO3 Unk365's prompt: Phoenix hates valentine's Day. She doesn't do sappy shit.

Love in the Small Things

It’s irrational that Natasha hates the entire month of February, but for two weeks, the bombardment of saccharine promotional emails, constant red and pink hearts and roses, and the chocolates is enough to make her want to scream or puke or both. She’d even broken up with a guy for daring to send her a bouquet on the day. Well, there were other reasons, but a gag worthy card and flowers for a stupid made up holiday for a fake, hollow, unoriginal performative symbol of love seemed like a good enough reason to end things.

Her disdain for Valentine’s Day makes her popular among her squad and the recipient of more gifts of alcohol than she can responsibly consume this side of thirty. She always signs up for the flight duties that day, takes any shift trades, so the guys can get home to the partners who would break up with them if they didn’t make a big deal about a bullshit holiday that turns hospitals into a November hellscape of people dropping babies left and right.  

So she doesn’t even think about what it means for her to put her name down for February 14th, until she comes into the office one morning in late January to find Bob staring forlornly at the board. 

“I forgot you hate Valentine’s Day,” he says sadly when she stops beside him, cheap coffee with powdered creamer in hand.

Natasha braces herself for the questions and comments about what made her so bitter and disdainful about love. Who hurt her like that? But she’s too pretty to hate Valentine’s Day. 

But this is Bob, who never questions any of the things most people find unfathomable about her. She doesn’t want to hold your baby? He will. She shudders at pickles? He swoops them off the plate before she notices they’re there or swaps their meals if the waiter made a mistake. She knows every line of Miss Congeniality and The Lion King by heart? He only talks through the parts she doesn’t mind. She has to see a Marvel movie on its Thursday night premiere so the internet doesn’t spoil it? He wakes up early the day tickets are released to get them seats. Well, she’s not all that alone on that one. 

She’d put their names up as soon as the schedule opened in January. Not that it’s predictable. If anything comes up, the Navy gives as much of a fuck about Valentine’s Day plans as she does. This is why Natasha loves her job. 

“I didn’t think you had plans?” Not that she’d explicitly asked but she and Bob practically share a calendar at this point and she’s pretty sure that day was open. A blush creeps up Bob’s neck and he gulps. Natasha sets her coffee down on the filing cabinets to put her hands on her hips.

“Unless these ones are recent?” she probes. “Or secret .”

“I’ve never had a reason to do anything before,” he says quietly. “It’s okay though. I’ll figure something out.” He hitches on a smile to reassure her and scurries to his desk. She’ll get more out of him later when they don’t have to worry about anyone in the squad overhearing. 

While Bob’s old squad hadn’t even bothered to come up with a call sign for him—something that still makes her angry when she thinks about it too long—Natasha’s popularity in the Black Aces immediately rubbed off on him. Unfortunately, though, that means they want to know about who he’s dating as badly as they want to know how a guy who doesn’t root for a football team has been dominating their fantasy football league. 

Natasha feels like shit. Last she’d badgered him just yesterday, Bob had been evasive and noncommittal about where things were with Fanboy. While she avoids dating because it is always only a matter of time before she gets bored or annoyed and finds a reason to blow things up, Bob’s relationship slate’s emptiness isn’t all his doing. In high school, no one wanted to date the kid people either bullied or couldn’t remember existed. He’d hidden away in art rooms sketching, painting, and sculpting the incredible art pieces that decorate his parents’ and sisters’ houses. She’d even commissioned a piece to give to her mom for her birthday. 

He’s gained a little more confidence since then but spending most of his life ignored or forgotten means he doesn’t notice people noticing him unless the Dagger squad takes it upon themselves to intervene. She, Hangman, Rooster, and Payback have spent hours on chaotic FaceTime calls figuring out what Bob’s feelings are and how to keep Fanboy’s hopes up. Most of the chaos comes from Hangman who googles every question that comes up and reads aloud the articles or subreddits he finds. Some are helpful, most are absurd. 

Natasha grabs her coffee and ducks out of the building to consult one of her co-conspirators. Shut in her car, she calls Payback.

“What up?” he answers.

“Are you alone?” It’s their code to let one another know that they want to discuss Mission FanBob SquarePants, as Hangman dubbed it. Another chaotic call of him solely contributing portmanteaus. 

“For like maybe ten minutes. Shoot.”

“Bob mentioned having a reason to celebrate Valentine’s Day,” she blurts. “Do you know anything about that?”

“Uhhhh…ohhhhhh! Oh shiiiiiit.” Payback cracks up on the other end. 

“Want to let me in on it? Because right now I have us slated to work.”

“Yo, Phoenix. You better fix that. Fanboy hasn’t said anything, but we did just get approved for leave that weekend. His request.”

This is huge! And Payback’s right. She has almost just fucked it up.

“Did he give any specifics?” she presses.

“Nah, but I assume if Bob wasn’t planning leave but has plans, Fanboy’s going there.”

“I hate Valentine’s Day,” she grumbles, banging her head against the headrest. “It makes everyone stupid and shallow and sappy.”

“You’re a guy’s dream, Phoenix. But for real, we’ve been trying to make this happen for over a year so you need to get your shit together.”

Payback’s right. This is about Bob. “Fine. Don’t say anything to Fanboy for now. I think I can get us out of it.” 

“Copy that. Gotta go. Bye.” He hangs up. 

Natasha frowns at her windshield, absently tapping her phone as she mentally puts together a list of people willing to trade with her. It’s short. Pagemaster and Sherlock. She’ll start with Sherlock. 

Sherlock’s new to the squad and, as far as she knows, single. At least he hadn’t mentioned dating anyone in the first ten minutes of their conversation, which most guys find a way to do if they’re attached. Neither Hangman nor Rooster believes that rule so she wonders if it’s just a thing guys do with women or if they don’t remember to notice. 

Natasha texts him about getting lunch before she goes back in. Sherlock responds almost immediately with a “yes.” She doesn’t envy being the newest arrival.  

Bob is waiting for her when she gets back to her desk. “Where’d you go?” 

“Period,” she lies easily. He winces sympathetically. It’s nice flying with someone who grew up around girls. 

“They just called a meeting in Building 64. Want to head over together?”

“Yeah, let’s go.”  She waits until they’re outside, among the distant bustle of airplane maintenance and refueling, to return to their earlier conversation. “You didn’t answer my question about these plans. Are they new or a secret?”

He dips his chin and slips his hands in his pockets. “I don’t want to jinx anything,” he says with a shrug of his shoulders.

“Well this guy has another thing coming if he thinks he can fuck with your heart like that.” She deliberately bumps his arm as they pass through the row of hangars. 

“He’s well aware I have a bunch of knights in shining armor ready to deliver his head on a platter if I ask,” Bob jokes. But he’s admitting that whatever is going on has some kind of foundation. That’s something new. 

“Okay, Solome.”

“What?”

“Sunday school joke. She asked for John the Baptist’s head.” 

Bob nods thoughtfully but she can tell he’s only half listening. His mouth is turned down in a frown and he’s hunching in on himself. Natasha moves in closer. Not that anyone is likely to overhear them, but she knows he wants to keep things as quiet as possible. He’s never dealt with dating and she can see that even her gentle teasing overwhelms him sometimes. 

“Look, I’m happy for you if things work out with Fanboy. But I’m your back seater on this one and I go wherever you go, okay?”

“Well,” he grimaces, “that’s kind of the problem. I don’t really know what I’m doing here. What if I mess it up?”

“Then I’m still your person because I possibly have more experience with that than getting it right,” she reassures him. “So I can say this with confidence. You’ve probably got a good thing when the other person makes it extremely hard for you to completely mess up. Might not always work, but it’s a good thing.”

Relief washes over him, and some of the lightness returns to his stride. Bob glances over at her, and she gets her own sense of relief from his adorably shy, crooked smile. “I can never tell if your relationship advice is terrible or too honest.”

Natasha tilts her head. “Me neither but I’m glad you have a healthy sense of skepticism. It’s probably for your own good.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” he chuckles, and she gets the urge to pull him into a hug. Sometimes when she looks over at him, she’s surprised to realize they’ve known one another for a few months shy of a year and a half instead of their whole lives. 

She has her own group chat with his sisters, shows him pictures of his nephews and nieces that he hasn’t seen yet, and knows his cousins on both sides. She is his plus one to every wedding they can make, the one he waltzes onto the floor during the couples dance or sneaks out with to drink from a flask in the car at the dry or cash bar receptions. He was the first person she told when she got the news that her grandmother died three days before she was supposed to fly home to say goodbye. Bob was holding her less than ten minutes after she sent the message. He’d forgotten to switch his shoes at the bowling alley. When they went on vacation together and she didn’t listen about trying street food, he’d sat outside the bathroom door with gatorade while she made horrific noises emptying out her stomach and intestines in both directions. 

That’s just not the kind of love you can sum up in a pink-drenched Hallmark holiday. But fuck, she better get them off the schedule. 

Sherlock is waiting for her at a table in the NEX food court. He waves as if she could miss him. The pilot looks like a freaking model with smooth brown skin, long-lashed almond shaped gold eyes, and high, sharp cheekbones. She’s watched men straight as rulers lose their stride on the treadmill when he walks into the gym. 

He gives her a nervous, dazzling white smile. That and his reserved kindness are the only hints that he didn’t walk the halls of high school as a god among mortals. “Appreciate the invite, Phoenix.” 

“Well, I have a favor to ask so maybe wait until you hear it before you thank me,” she laughs. “Lunch is on me. Pick a place yet?” 

“You good with Five Guys?” 

“Sure.” 

As they wind their way through the cramped rows of tables, he tells her, “You know, it’s funny. When I was a kid the best you could hope for in these in the states was a Sbarro or a Subway until Quiznos came along. Oh, and Baskin Robbins.” 

“You were a military kid?” she realizes. 

“My dad was in the CEC.” 

They join the Five Guys line. It’s on the earlier side so they’ve beat the rush. Otherwise, they would be waiting at least half an hour for their food. “So your dad is an engineer but you ended up a pilot?” 

His face lights up, and she starts to wonder if she made a mistake thinking he’s single. “When I was four, my best friend’s mom was a pilot. She used to take us up for her hours. Then one of the parents at our kindergarten invited–well, he was Colonel Bolden then, now he’s the former head of NASA–to speak to our class. Pretty much replaced all my Legos with planes after that and here I am.” 

“Tell me they’re paying you to make recruitment videos with a story like that.” She’s only half joking. It’s better than the dramatic video game type ads they’ve been running. 

“I’ve heard the Navy only gives out one paycheck and assumes that covers everything. But I’m all ears if you’ve got the scoop.”

“I’ll let you know when I hear,” Natasha agrees with a smile. “So, how was the PCS?” 

“Just got back from sea duty so most of my stuff was waiting in storage.” That sounds promising. No use of “our” or “we.” They place their orders then snag a table within calling distance. 

“So what’s this favor?” he wants to know, folding his hands and resting his elbows on the table. “I don’t remember that in your text.” 

“Not exactly living up to your call sign there.” 

He hangs his head. “I’m going to tell you a secret and if I hear it from anyone else, I’ll know who told our squad.” Sherlock looks up at her, waiting for her agreement.  

Curious, Natasha nods. 

Sherlock takes in a dramatic breath. “I made the mistake of stating something very obvious during a training exercise. Our instructor responded with ‘no shit, Sherlock’ over comms and that was it. I was ‘Sherlock.’ But usually I just say it’s because of how much I like the RDJ Sherlock movies.” 

She’s glad their names are called then and he gets up to grab their food so he doesn’t have to see her laugh in his face. Making a mistake in the early days of training is one of most pilots’ worst fears for that very reason–it will stick with them for the rest of their career. At least he escaped being named for his mistake. 

He grins sheepishly when he gets back, well aware she had a laugh at his expense. Parsing her fries from her burger, she lays out the favor without going into detail about why she needs it. “I know it’s a little late to ask…” she trails off. 

Sherlock chews over his grilled cheese and her offer. “What’s in it for me?” 

Natasha was expecting this. “Do you drink? I have a cabinet of expensive liquors you can choose from.” 

“And if I don’t? Drink.” 

She flashes him a smile. “That’s my offer until I know whether it’s one you’re willing to accept.” 

His eyes widen slightly, and he takes another bite of his sandwich. She didn’t grow up with a brother who became a lawyer with a corner office in San Francisco to not protect her interests in a negotiation. 

“And if I say no?” he tests. 

Natasha pretends to think through her options while she selects a fry and douses it in ketchup. “I’d probably ask why to see if it’s because you can’t or won’t.” 

“The guys warned me not to underestimate you.” 

“I think they meant in the air.” 

Sherlock’s mouth quirks. “They didn’t qualify. For a bottle of alcohol, I’ll think about it.”

Crap. She wants an answer before they head back to work. “So you do drink. Also I didn’t say how many. And I have some pretty expensive stuff.” 

“I heard you love working Valentine’s Day. Why the sudden change of plans this year?” 

“A friend asked me to help them out with some special plans, and they’re someone who doesn’t ask for a lot but is always there for me. So I want to try to be there for them.” For the most part, true. Bob doesn’t ask for a lot. Even when she’s his plus one, he insists on paying for everything no matter how much she protests. 

“Can I let you know by the end of today? I have some stuff I have to see if I can move around first.”

Inside, she lets out a little breath of relief. Not a yes, but close enough. “Definitely,” she agrees. “Thank you.” 

“Maybe wait until I’ve given you an answer before you thank me.” 

Natasha smiles at his call back. “I really appreciate you even considering it.” 

Sherlock doesn’t wait until the end of the day. He stops by her desk at three o’clock. “Four bottles, any pick and I’m in.” 

She tries not to grin too hard or fast. “Deal. Thanks!” 

“You got it, Phoenix.” He knocks his knuckles on her desk and goes back to his spot. Maybe one of those bottles she’s giving him will lead to some answers she wants about his dating life or—even better—his singledom. 

When he’s sure Sherlock is out of hearing distance, Bob swivels around and leans low over the arm of his chair. “What was that about?” he whispers. 

“I’ll tell you later,” she promises, excited to see the look on his face when she gives him the news. Catching herself having any anticipation about Valentine’s Day whatsoever, she wipes the smile off her face. The things she’s willing to do for her sweet back seater. 

Natasha’s barely through the door that night when Jake looks up from the couch. Sports Center is on, covering the lead up to the Super Bowl. “What’s this I hear? The woman whose heart is two sizes too small turning into an adorable little Valentine’s Day cupid?” 

“You’ve got your holidays mixed up, dickhead,” she retorts, kicking off her shoes and hanging up her keys and purse. “But yes, I saved Mission FanBob SquarePants and got Valentine’s Day off. As long as the Navy doesn’t fuck it up.” She glares at him. “And don’t you dare make any plans now or come up with any stupid surprises because I have a free evening.” 

“I checked. All the good restaurants are already all out of reservations anyway, my gorgeous little grinch.” She knows he’s teasing, but she’s still not happy about it. 

Jake sighs and pushes himself off the couch as she heads into the kitchen to sort out dinner. Natasha jerks the refrigerator open before she registers the smell of roasting brussels sprouts then notices the container of couscous on the counter and pot of water. 

“I was waiting until you got home to put the salmon on the grill in case you got caught up at work,” he says from the doorway. “Also picked up your favorite sauvignon blanc because I know what even thinking about that atrocious day of love does to you. I’m sorry you have to suffer the indignity of a free evening alone with me to very much not do anything romantic, unless it’s sex because…” Natasha strides over and shuts him up with a kiss on the mouth. Jake wraps his arms around her and squeezes her close. 

When she pulls back, he smooths her hair behind her ear and gives her that little smirk he keeps just for her. “Please tell me sex isn’t off the table on February 14th because everyone else is doing it.” 

“As long as it doesn’t include roses, rose petals, chocolate, anything heart shaped or pink…” she ticks off.

He laughs and kisses her forehead. “You can text me your very specific list of don’ts, Birdy, and I promise to follow every one of them.” Jake slaps her ass. “But right now let me serve you hand and foot and finish making your dinner while you recover from spreading love on the couch.” 

“I hate you,” Natasha grumbles when he releases her.

“I’ll pour you a glass of wine and hopefully you change your mind.” 

Natasha heads to their room to change out of her uniform. By the time she gets to the living room in leggings and one of Jake’s former Longhorns sweatshirts that became hers when it shrunk in the wash (he may have once let slip how much he likes the way the horns curve over her chest), he has the promised glass of wine waiting for her on the coffee table and she can smell the salmon grilling on the balcony. 

Neither of them was particularly keen to find themselves in a relationship and had insisted it was just a hookup for months until one day Jake went to get his favorite pair of sneakers from his closet and realized all the things he preferred were at her place. In the early fall, he made O-4 and now he’s waiting to hear from NPS to get his masters in Monterey. But Natasha can’t really worry about that bridge until she gets to it. And who knows, this could all be over by then. For now, she cradles her glass of wine while she admires his backside through the glass.  

He notices her posting when he slides the door open to bring the salmon in. “I’d have put on a little show if I knew you were there.” 

“You can save it for later, Bagman,” she shakes her head. “Right now, I’m hungry.” 

Jake salutes her and hurries back to the kitchen. She watches him go and lets her smile fall. His parents had invited her to spend New Year’s with them in Texas. He’d insisted that they just wanted to meet his friends, that there was no pressure to go as his girlfriend. That had led to a fight because what parents invited the person in the background of all their son’s FaceTimes to their home thinking they were just friends? But she agreed to go because she could tell it was something he really wanted. 

Sure enough, his mother started showing her all of his and his sister’s baby clothes that she’d saved for his children to have. By the time Beth Seresin pulled out his well-loved bear and a quilt his grandmother made for him, Natasha was having a full blown panic attack in the Seresin attic. She had ribbons and medals for the missions she flew in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the uranium enrichment plant mission last year, but just the hint of carrying a child nearly made her pass out. 

Jake came home to find her curled up in his bed with the family’s Rhodesian Ridgeback, Lilah, after a frantic, tearful call to Rooster and stormed off. She wishes she could forget the awful dinner that night where Jake and his dad, Gerry, barely said two words to one another while Beth kept up a constant, overly cheerful chatter at everyone that couldn’t hide how red and swollen her eyes were from crying. Natasha prayed the whole meal for the floor to open up and swallow her. 

She lets the wine ease the sharp jab of that memory. Jake has been on his best behavior since then, tripping over himself to keep her from even a thought of irritation, careful not to push too far with his teasing. No, he wouldn’t dare spring a Valentine’s Day surprise on her because he knows that might be the end of whatever this is. 

Jake’s cooking goes a long way toward putting her in a better mood and by the time they’re getting ready for bed, her heart’s grown three sizes and she’s all too happy to let him show her some very convincing suggestions for her list of do’s for her evening off. 

Natasha wakes to Jake’s voice in the darkness. “It’s three in the morning here, Fanboy. She’s asleep.” He shifts away from her and lowers his voice. “I guarantee this can wait a few hours, but I’ll tell her you called. Yeah, I know. It’s important. Yeah. Fine. Bye.”

“What does he want?” she groans. 

She feels Jake jump slightly. He turns and hands over her phone. “I don’t know. Something about Bob. I thought your phone was on sleep mode, Birdy.”  

Natasha returns it to its charging pad on her nightstand and curls back into her pillow. “He’s in my favorites,” she yawns. 

“Mmm,” he hums, settling around her again. “Take him off tomorrow.” 

“Mhmm,” she agrees, but she’s forgotten even before she falls back to sleep.

It turns out Fanboy wants her suggestions for what to do with Bob for Valentine’s Day and suddenly she remembers her promise to Jake to remove him from her favorites. It feels like she’s been duped and trapped into playing cupid. For Bob, she grits her teeth and reminds herself before promising to send Fanboy a list of things to do within a reasonable driving distance. 

Natasha looks forward to the Super Bowl providing at least some distraction from the Valentine’s Day fury, but nearly every woman who talks to her at Commander Lazarescu’s Super Bowl party wants to know about her plans. She’s glad that, for the most part, not many people outside of her squadron know that her relationship with Jake is official, if they know about it at all. Bob gets a few prompts but nowhere near what she endures. Natasha starts to avoid everyone with a stone on their left ring finger and eventually stays tucked in between Jake and Bob who gamely go to get her food and drinks so she can avoid the questions and, weirdly, concern. 

“Should I get him something?” Bob worries during one of their flights. Natasha’s glad he can’t see her scowl. “My sisters sent me some ideas but they don’t seem right.” 

“What about one of your drawings?” she offers. “That feels more personal. And there’s always a bottle of Veuve Clicquot to take the edge off your nerves.” 

“You’re better at this than you give yourself credit for, Phoenix,” he tells her. 

She just grunts. One week left until everyone regains their sanity. 

If Jake feels any type of way about doing nothing to celebrate their first Valentine’s Day together–Natasha mentally cringes at even having that thought–he doesn’t let on. Or maybe he does because he spends extra time cleaning the apartment and goes to the commissary so she doesn’t have to walk through the red and pink crepe draped aisles. When she pulls out her basket in the bathroom, she finds he’s even restocked her supply of tampons. There’s a folded sticky note on top. She opens it up and sees his scrawl:

Since you hate the color red so much thought you might need more of these . xoxo your dickhead 

She touches his hugs and kisses. There have been times that he’s half jokingly told her that he loves her. When they’re several shots deep into their own raging dance party with a disco ball light Natasha still has from a classmate’s Bat Mitzvah. When her fantasy football team outranked his or when she surprised him with trips to San Francisco to see any Texas team play the Warriors. 

Those three words she has yet to say in any meaningful way seem to make their way into all the things he does for her and puts up with from her. Natasha slams the basket away. God, she hates Valentine’s Day. 

Another wonderful thing she loves about her job. When she walks into the office on February 14th, the only sign of Valentine’s Day is a sign taped onto the door instead of a rush of flower deliveries throughout the day that her sister tells her happens at her job. “Did you wish them Happy Valentine’s Day before you left home?” 

She laughs to herself and wonders who learned the hard way. Natasha leaves the reusable bag filled with her payment to Sherlock on his desk. He gives her a thumbs up when he finds it. Bob gets quieter and quieter throughout the day, and by four, he’s given up on work and sits flipping his pen through his fingers.

“I can’t concentrate with you worrying so loud over there,” Natasha complains, looking up from the latest manual update. 

Bob goes ramrod straight. “Sorry about that.” 

She sighs and closes her reading. “Half the guys in here are still scrambling to find a florist to order flowers from. No one’s doing any work anyway. Want to go for a walk?” 

He calms down slightly after they stroll around the planes. They’re only back at their desks for another fifteen minutes before Commander Lazarescu pops his head out of his office. 

“For those of you who don’t need to stick around, why don’t you head on home and stop distracting the people trying to work?”

Usually, Natasha watches as almost everyone snatches up their briefcases or backpacks and sprints out before the commander can change his mind. It’s not until Bob puts a hand on her chair that she realizes she’s still sitting. “That’s us,” he says gently, as if he’s worried that she’ll startle. 

With a heavy sense of dread in her stomach, Natasha shoulders her backpack. She gives a small wave to Sherlock who lifts his hand in acknowledgment. 

“I’m headed home to freshen up before meeting up with Fanboy,” Bob tells her in the parking lot. “Text you later?” 

Natasha gives him a playful shove. “You better! It’s not like I’m doing anything.” 

His eyebrows shoot up, and he hacks a laugh. “According to you or according to Hangman?” 

She flips him off then throws her arms around him. “Tell Fanboy hey for me.” 

Bob’s face is scarlet when she lets go. “Yeah, will do.” He swallows and flexes his shaking hands in and out of fists. 

“Hey!” she tells him. “It’s a Valentine’s Day date, not a haunted house.” 

He lets out a slow breath but finds it in him to smile. “Says the woman who’s been acting like she got sentenced to the gallows for the last two weeks.”

“I’m making an exception for you.” Becoming more serious, she squeezes his forearm reassuringly. “It’s Fanboy. I’m pretty sure he’s just going to be really glad to see you.” 

“Thanks.” He rubs the side of his nose awkwardly. “And, I didn’t think I’d ever say this but–try not to give Hangman too hard of a time? He’s really trying.” 

Bob says it nicely, but she still feels chastised because he’s right. “I’ll let him know to thank you for my good behavior.” 

And as much as she hates with a capital ‘H’ Valentine’s Day, Natasha can’t resist calling after him to take pictures of his date. 

The apartment feels extra empty when she gets home. It will probably be at least an hour or two before Jake gets off from work. That should be enough time to run to the commissary to get the specific ingredients she needs for the King Ranch chicken casserole recipe Beth gave her and have it in the oven.

But Natasha is halfway across the living room when the bedroom door opens. So much for her surprise. “I thought you were–.” She freezes, trying to make sense of what she’s seeing. 

Because it’s not Jake who’s walking toward her in jeans and a snugly fitted, long sleeve gray shirt she picked out for him to wear instead of his hideous print shirts. 

“Bradley?”

“Yeah,” he says, lips quirked beneath his mustache. “Thought I’d surprise you.” 

And then she shrieks and launches herself at him. Rooster scoops her up easily and clutches her as they kiss, the months they’ve been apart slowly receding as she’s reminded of the taste of his mouth, the thickness of his arms, and of course, the soft tickle of his mustache. He’s trying to kiss her, hold her, and wipe her tears all at once. 

“I missed you so much,” she sobs, burying her face in his neck and gripping the back of his shirt. 

“Well, I guess we know who she loves more now,” Jake laughs as he joins them. He kisses her forehead and rubs her back as Rooster rocks her. She didn’t realize how much of her heart had been missing when Bradshaw wasn’t with them. 

“For someone who hates Valentine’s Day as much as you,” Jake starts. 

“Shut up, Jake,” she and Bradley say in unison. 

“I’m assuming you were going to change out of this?” Rooster asks, plucking her bra strap through her khaki shirt. 

She closes her eyes and soaks in the rumble of his voice in his chest. “Just hold me,” Natasha hums, hugging him even tighter. 

“Come on.” He turns around and carries her back to the bedroom. She remembers something and lifts her head, leaving her chin to rest on his shoulder. 

Jake follows them, and she meets his eyes so he knows how much this means to her. “This goes on my list of dos.”  

He beams with such relief and elation that her heart thumps so hard it feels like a kick in her chest. When they fall into bed, she makes sure to pull Jake in first while Bradley unbuttons her shirt. She massages his scalp, just above the nape of his neck, the way she knows he likes. His eyes are heavy-lidded watching her shirt fall open to reveal the dark green bra she wore knowing it’s his favorite.  

“I might not tell you enough how good you are to me,” she says barely above a whisper so it’s only for him. His gaze jumps back to her face. “But I want you to know that I see it. I know it. Every single day. Not just today.” 

Shyly, she kisses the corner of his mouth. It’s the closest she’s come to telling him that she loves him. Jake cups her face, stroking his thumb over her cheek. He stares at her intently, unwaveringly focused as he is whenever she finally gets around to opening up to him. “Don’t worry, Birdy. I get you.”  

And for a brief flash, she’s terrified of a future without these two to hold onto. Instinctively, she reaches up to grab his hand and wrist. Maybe Jake sees it or feels it too because he kisses her like he’s afraid of what will happen if he lets go. 

Natasha realizes Bradley has stilled, fingers hooked into the button above her belt while he watches them. He gives them a goofy smile when they notice him. “My two commitment phobes are so cute together.” 

She threatens to kick him in the head. 

Later, Jake disappears to the kitchen while Natasha stays curled up against Bradley with the blankets pulled haphazardly over them. He winds his legs around and through hers and from time to time drops light kisses along her bare shoulder and neck. 

“I’ve missed holding you, Sash,” he tells her. 

“Me too. How long are you here?” 

“Til Sunday. The CO needed someone to go to Washington with him, and I volunteered. Maybe do something with that Poli Sci major I spent four years on.” 

She rubs the arms wrapped tightly around her middle and tries not to think about how short that is. He’s here now and it’s more time than she was expecting just a few hours ago.

Jake returns with a bowl of grapes, complaining that Rooster is too messy of an eater to be trusted with anything else. She ducks while they tussle over the bowl before Bradley settles the fight by pulling Jake in for a kiss. These fools are making this stupid holiday bearable. 

Natasha wakes up to an empty bed and growling stomach the next morning. Beneath the mouthwatering aroma of French toast and bacon, their room is musky with the smell of sex. She takes a quick shower and opts for one of Jake’s sweatshirts. 

Her guys are in the kitchen, apparently cooking up a storm. Bradley’s whisking what looks like two cartons worth of eggs while Jake carves an entire cantaloupe for a platter already lined with strawberries. There’s a half cut loaf of challah for the French toast and what looks like waffle or pancake mix. 

“Did I miss something?” she asks.

Jake looks up and grins. “We have about thirty minutes to enjoy the fact you’re not wearing underwear before it gets awkward.”

“Bob and Fanboy are coming over for breakfast,” Bradley clarifies.

“Oh!” She should have guessed. “Can I help?” 

Bradley glances at Jake. “Not in that. He’s already distracted. We’ve got this while you get dressed.” 

Natasha giggles at Jake’s scowl but heeds Bradley’s request. She dries her hair and returns in jeans and a crew neck sweater just as the doorbell rings. 

“I got it!” she calls. 

“Phoenix!” Fanboy raises the bottles of champagne he’s holding in each hand when she opens the door. She immediately looks to his neck for any lovebites, but there’s no hint there of last night went for him and Bob who cradles two more bottles of champagne. “So were you surprised?” Fanboy asks, giving her a one armed hug on his way in. 

“Bob told me you were coming,” she laughs. “Many times.” Bob goes bright red and narrows his eyes at her. “But it’s good to see you.

Fanboy bumps her arm with his elbow. “No, I meant about Rooster.” 

“Ohhh. I–.” 

But Rooster and Jake pop out of the kitchen then and there’s a commotion while they all say hello and Fanboy presents them with the bottles of champagne. Fanboy knew Rooster was coming? 

“Let me get those so you can make yourself at home,” Jake offers, collecting the alcohol from Fanboy and Bob. He ushers everyone toward the living room while Rooster and Fanboy clap one another on the shoulder. 

Bob lingers by her in the entryway. “Did you know Rooster was coming?” she checks. 

He rubs the sides of his thighs, which means he’s thinking of a way to tell the truth without lying. “I might have heard something. But I guess I, uh, was a little distracted.” 

The doorbell rings again. “Can you get that, Birdy?” Hangman calls. 

“I should help with the mimosas.” Bob hurries after everyone else 

Becoming increasingly suspicious, Natasha opens the door and she’s less surprised than she should be to see Payback on her doorstep. 

“Are you serious?” she demands. 

“Hey, Phoenix.” He hugs her then steps inside and Natasha’s mouth falls open. 

“Holy shit motherfucker!” The din behind her goes quiet. 

Mel, Payback’s very much pregnant fiancée, looks torn between being annoyed and amused. “I guess we should have given you a heads up,” she says heavily, tucking her long locs behind her ear. Even pregnant, she’s effortlessly beautiful and stylish in bold purple lipstick, an oversized marigold cardigan, and a flowing cream dress that bring out the rich darkness of her skin. 

“Heads up about–you motherfucker,” crows Jake. “Congratulations!” 

“What’s happening?” Rooster yells from the kitchen while Mel embraces Natasha around her baby bump and the others offer their congratulations. 

“Looks like Payback’s been busy, Pecan,” Jake calls back. Natasha elbows him in the stomach under the guise of making space for Mel to come in. He grunts and wraps his arms around her from behind. 

“When’s Maverick getting here?” she guesses. 

He kisses her neck. “They hit traffic but should be here soon. Apparently with Amelia’s boyfriend.” She looks back at him with a raised brow and he lifts his own and gives her a wicked smile. Jake kisses her on the mouth. “Bradley’s going to be stressed now that almost everyone’s here so I better get back to work. Can you make sure everyone behaves?” 

“As long as you’re busy, I don’t have to worry about that.” 

“That’s my girl,” he grins. He pats her butt as they part ways, and she notices Payback watching. 

“That looked cozy,” he leads with an impish smirk. 

“Considering how cozy it looks like you got, I think you ought to spare me,” she warns amiably. “And when were you going to say something?” 

“We just did, didn’t we?” He becomes more serious. “It was a bit of a rough start so we figured it was better to wait.” 

Natasha makes a note to check in with him later when Fanboy isn’t swooping in with a wine glass of mimosa. “Glad we got to find out in person,” she says for now. 

Payback nods appreciatively. 

Mel is already badgering Fanboy about his evening with Bob, and since Bob slipped away before she could ask, Natasha happily teams up with her to get the details from the two of them. Fanboy, normally the more talkative of the two, remains as mum as her back seater beyond the vague details of dinner on the coast. 

“We went stargazing,” Bob finally offers shyly after Natasha warns him that she won’t stop Jake from extracting the information by any obnoxious means necessary if he holds out on her. Fanboy blushes and looks down into his drink. That might not sound like an eventful date to anyone who doesn’t know that he can read the night sky like it’s an epic adventure, his knowledge of the constellations and the myths and folklore that inspired their names is practically encyclopedic. Tentatively, Bob rubs Fanboy’s shoulder and the bashful look they share melts Natasha’s Valentine’s Day hardened heart. A little. 

She’s glad now that she suggested Bob draw something for him so they each had a personal gift to exchange. 

“I hear California’s a perfect place for that,” Mel says, as if she did her own share of orchestrating the night. 

“Very perfect,” Bob agrees happily and so sweetly that Natasha doesn’t have the heart to embarrass him with questions about how or where the night ended. 

They’re all helping to set out breakfast on the table when Maverick arrives with Penny, Amelia, and her boyfriend, Devin, who manages not to cringe at walking into a room full of adults. He hangs back on the edge of the enthusiastic circle Maverick, Penny, and Amelia form around Rooster and then Payback and Mel. 

Maverick shakes everyone’s hands but reserves hugs for her and Jake. “Were you surprised?” he asks her, eyes dancing. 

Natasha wrinkles her nose. “Did everyone know except me?” 

“I can only speak for myself,” he says, patting her on the shoulder, but it’s clear he knows more than he’s letting on. 

“Please eat before the food gets cold!” Jake announces. “Rooster came all this way to wake up early and feed you all.” 

Everyone crowds around, complimenting him on how delicious everything looks while Jake brags about the fruit he sliced and teasingly apologizes for the lack of red, pink, and hearts because we all know how much Phoenix hates Valentine’s Day. Fortunately, Bradley knocks him upside the head and stuffs a piece of bacon in his mouth to shut him up. 

She knows she should share him, but Natasha selfishly enjoys cuddling up under Bradley’s arm on the sofa while they eat. Maverick lounges on the other side of Bradley, peppering him with questions about his deployment and making him wince at a video of Amelia learning to drive his Bronco. Payback fills one of the living room chairs with his long legs stretched out in front of him and Fanboy and Bob squeeze into the other, shyly bumping arms while they eat and trying to pretend that they’re not looking at one another as much as they are. Across the room, Amelia and Devin crowd onto Rooster’s piano bench but are careful to leave some space between them, close to Penny and Mel who sit at a clear corner of the table talking animatedly. Jake bounces around, playing host but also claiming the center of attention. Sometimes he settles at Rooster’s feet, only to bounce up again. The room feels so full, in the best way possible, with their friends who have come from near and far to be together for just a few days. 

Some time after breakfast, Maverick proposes a game of dogfight football. Mel insists on playing even though Payback complains it’s not fair because no one’s going to tackle the pregnant woman. Rather than take her down though, Jake eventually picks her up and runs her and the ball in the opposite direction. 

“How’d you do it?” Natasha asks that night after the house has cleared. Their friends’ presence lingers in the warmth of the air, their chatter echoes in her ears. 

“It was mostly Jake’s idea,” Bradley tells her while she unloads the dishwasher, once again wearing only Jake’s sweatshirt now that it doesn’t matter whether they get distracted. “I just wanted to surprise you and he did the rest.” 

Jake’s making their bed even though she argued they were going to change the sheets tomorrow anyway. 

“What was the rest?” 

Bradley takes a platter from her and reaches over her to put it on the shelf beyond her arm span, pressing their bodies together. “Convincing you to take Valentine’s Day off since you were so adamant about him not being allowed to do anything. We knew Bob was our best bet, but it was Payback’s idea to kill two birds with one stone and suggest that Fanboy make Valentine’s Day plans here.”

He continues to help her put away the dishes. “Jake invited Payback and Mel to come out since he had leave anyway and then invited Maverick. Once you switched shifts, it was smooth sailing from there.” 

“Was Jake upset that I wouldn’t let him plan anything?” 

Bradley looks over at her, surprised. “Well he planned something, didn’t he?” 

“I mean before you knew you were coming home?”

He stacks plates on the counter while he thinks about his answer. “I think he wanted something special, yes. But that’s our dickhead, he likes to put on a show.”

There’s a heavy weight in Natasha’s stomach while they finish cleaning up the kitchen. Jake did so much to make Bradley’s visit special for her and because she’s been so intractable about acknowledging a certain day, he’s had to do it all by himself. 

The only things he got in return were a bunch of threats and worry that even for such a wonderful surprise, she’d be angry with him. Natasha can’t stand Valentine’s Day but she also can’t stand the thought of Jake worrying that one more thing he wants could make everything fall apart. 

Because he and Bradley never bring up the want they agreed not to ask her to give them, if this lasts that long. It’s what led to Jake’s argument with his parents in Texas and why the two of them spent all afternoon hovering over Mel jockeying for the role of favorite uncle. They wouldn’t give Amelia a hard time about dating but, like the dads they wanted to be, they did make a point of pulling her aside within listening distance of Devin to be sure he knew they would know if he didn’t respect her. 

“This is not what I expected to find when it got quiet in here,” Jake drawls as he strolls into the kitchen. He massages Bradley’s shoulders and places a kiss between his shoulder blades. “Or were you two desperately waiting for me?”

“We were just talking,” Bradley says easily. 

Natasha tugs the cuffs of his sweater over her fists. “I’m sorry I made such a big deal about Valentine’s Day, Jake.” 

Jake looks taken aback. His hands drop from Bradley’s shoulder, and he gives him a sharp look. “I don’t mind that you hate it. I mean, yes, people gave me shit for not having plans but that’s their problem, not ours.”

“But we—I didn’t do anything for you .” 

A soft blush spreads across his cheeks, and he takes out his phone. After a few taps, the strum of her ukulele and the notes of Rooster’s piano fill the kitchen. It’s the cover of Jason Mraz’s “I’m Yours” that they recorded for his birthday. “It’s my most played song,” he admits. “Whenever I’m missing one or both of you or sometimes just because.”

Jake teased them for weeks after they sent it to him, so much so that Natasha started to feel embarrassed she’d done something so sappy. Knowing that it means so much to him makes her want to give him the finger for giving them such a hard time and elated that they came up with something he holds onto so dearly. 

Bradley touches her shoulder. “We like that you get more excited about all the small things we do for you every day, that you text your mom to tell her that Jake vacuumed or put your clothes away or that I called right when you needed me.”

“Or that the easiest way to make your day is to iron your uniform,” Jake adds. “You’d think we’d bought you every diamond in the world.” 

Feeling self-conscious, Natasha hugs herself. Their earnest expressions while they try to sooth her without saying the words they know scare her make her heart swell large enough to make her dizzy. Somewhere along the way, maybe while she watched her parents’ marriage fall apart, cliché as that sounds, she stopped believing people mean the things they say about love. Or maybe it was high school when guys wanted to date her until they found out she went to community college for her math and science courses. It was possibly something wrong with her, she thought sometimes, when her college girlfriend broke up with her for refusing to put anyone before her career. All the grand gestures and words could add up to nothing but hollow promises, regrets, distance, and heartbreak. 

She knows that months ago, Jake and Bradley told one another they love each other. Jake, although he pretends not to, needs the affirmation and Bradley doesn’t have many people to say it to him. In all of this, they have made sure to creep along at her own pace. 

It’s not on Valentine’s Day that she feels particularly loved or loving, but in these mundane, normal moments when it occurs to her that Bradley and Jake are the only two people she might not mind giving up space to be on her own for. 

Her heart is in her throat when she realizes what she is about to do. 

Seeing her expression, Jake steps toward her and opens his arms. “Hey, it’s okay, Sash.” 

“I love you,” she blurts. “Both of you, I guess. I love both of you.” 

Bradley chokes. 

“Did you say what I think you did?” Jake asks, mouth hung wide open in disbelief. 

She rushes to get Bradley a glass of water because Jake is too stunned to move or help. Then Jake lets out a whoop and tries to hug her and clap Bradley on the back at the same time, which only leads to her spilling half the water down their shirts while Bradley spirals into a laughing coughing fit. By the time he can breathe again, she’s crushed into the circle of their arms with kisses raining down on her like her plane caught in a hailstorm. 

“I love you, Natasha Elena Trace,” Jake says into her hair. Turning his cheek to the top of her head, he adds, “And you, too, Bradley Nicholas Bradshaw. Just to make it official.”

“I know, Honkytonk. And it feels good to finally hear you say it, Sash,” Bradley admits. “I love you.” 

Jake walks around for the rest of the night like an incandescent light bulb. Every time he looks at her, his face melts into a dopey, dazed smile.

In the morning, they’ll drive Rooster to Point Mugu to meet his CO but Natasha already feels the hole he’ll leave behind when he’s gone. Huddled together on the sofa going through Bradley’s pictures of his deployment in the Pacific and Indian Ocean, they put off going to bed until Jake breaks and kisses Bradley like he’ll lose him forever. Bradley clings to him, and Natasha regrets not spending every moment of his brief leave telling them how much she loves them. 

The playfulness of their lovemaking the night before is gone, replaced with deep longing and a fierce determination to wring everything they can from the time they’ve been granted. Over Bradley’s shoulder, Natasha watches Jake’s composure shatter with ecstasy and grief and her chest explodes knowing that he shows her the many layers he keeps so carefully guarded from everyone else. 

In the darkness, Natasha runs her fingers through Bradley’s waves. Jake sprawls across him, head cradled to his chest. They murmur promises that she can’t resist tying her hopes to until they fall asleep in one another’s arms. 

Everyone comes by again for one final parting in the morning. Payback and Mel promise them they’ll be among the first to know when she goes into labor. Natasha tells a blushing Fanboy that he better treat Bob well or she’ll fly to Virginia herself to set him straight, prompting Fanboy to ask Payback whose side he’s on because he didn’t threaten to do the same thing to Bob for him.   

Once Payback, Mel, Fanboy, and Bob head off to San Francisco, Bradley, Jake, and Natasha have to say their real goodbyes. H e kisses Jake first. “Thanks for making this the best weekend, Honkytonk. Love you.” 

“Love you too, Pecan. Keep giving ‘em hell,” Jake says thickly. He clears his throat as he steps back and busies himself with Bradley’s suitcase. 

“Sash?” Bradley opens his arms to her and she flings herself into them. 

“For the record,” she says hoarsely, trying not to cry, “I still hate Valentine’s Day, but I’m happy you came, Roo.” 

“I love you, sweetheart.” The words envelop her like a hug she’ll be able to carry with her long after the shape of him fades from her arms. 

“I love you back.” He lifts her chin and kisses her, and when he finally pulls away she rises onto her toes to hold him as long as possible. 

“I love hearing you say it.” Bradley kisses her on the forehead. 

Outside, Maverick, Penny, Amelia, and Devin are waiting for them. Maverick drives Natasha’s SUV with Amelia up front so that Natasha, Bradley, and Jake can sit in the backseat together. And even though it’s a squeeze and slightly uncomfortable, the ride still goes by too fast. 

All three of them put on their sunglasses when they climb out of the car at the Mugu airstrip. They give Bradley one last round of hugs before his CO arrives. 

“Didn’t realize you had such an entourage, Rooster,” Captain Brewer calls as he approaches. “Good to see you, Maverick.”

Maverick shakes his hand. “Pacman.” He introduces Penny, Amelia, and Devin. 

Pacman seems unsurprised to see Natasha and Jake there but if he has any thoughts or suspicions, he keeps them to himself. He congratulates Jake on his promotion then gives Bradley five minutes to board. There’s another rush of hugs and then Bradley is hurrying away. 

Jake and Natasha say their goodbyes to Maverick, Penny, Amelia, and Devin and promise to visit when they can get away. Finally, it’s just the two of them waiting against the car until Rooster takes off and the plane climbs beyond their sight.

“Ready?” Jake asks. 

“No,” she admits. It’s weird but as wonderful as it is to see Bradley for a few days, the reminder of what she’s missing aches more now than it has in any of the months since she’d last seen him. At least she still has Jake, she reminds herself. Bradley is all on his own. 

The tears come when she gets behind the wheel, and Jake rubs her back until the sobs fade sniffles. “Here,” he reaches for something on the door and hands her a thin square of red tissue paper. “It’s from Bob,” he protests when she gives him a wet glare. 

It’s a watercolor of the three of them on a sofa. Jake kisses a blushing Bradley’s cheek while reaching for her on one end while an angry Natasha sits with her arms and legs crossed on the other. There are little hearts above the kiss and Natasha’s head. Across the bottom he simply wrote, Valentine’s Day. 

She laughs and shows it to Jake. He takes the painting, holding it carefully as if it’s made of glass. “Will you let me frame this?” 

“Of course,” Natasha agrees, starting the car and adjusting the seat. She looks over at him and her heart double beats at the soft expression on his face while he stares at Bob’s artwork. “It’s a good reminder.” 

“Happy Valentine’s Day, Birdy.” 

“Fuck you. No.” 

He grins. “What if I try again next year?” 

“I’ll hate it then too.” 

“Okay. What if I call it the anniversary of you saying I love you. Can I celebrate that ?” 

“I’ll think about it,” she says finally, slowing for a red light. Natasha looks over at him and holds up a finger. “But if–and it’s no guarantee–I say yes, there are no flowers, no hearts, no chocolate, no pink, no red, no diamonds, no candlelight dinners, no couples massages, nothing sappy and stupid and if you ever fucking propose on Valentine’s Day I will say no.” 

He nods brightly, and it’s both annoying and endearing how hard it is to deter him. “You have a whole year to work on your list of don’ts, and I’ll follow every one of them. Cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle in my eye.” Jake’s mouth turns up in a mischievous grin. “But also, you’ve thought about us proposing?” 

“No!” Natasha shouts, pressing the accelerator a little too hard on the light switching to green. But she has, even if she’s not ready to admit that . “It was–hypothetical.” 

“Okay,” he lets it go and carefully rewraps Bob’s gift. 

Natasha hates Valentine’s Day but for Jake and Bradley, she’d be willing to go through so much worse.

Tag list: @melodiousoblivionao3

Ode to Phoenix Masterlist

[southernvangard]

Episode 390 - Southern Vangard Radio!!!

BANG! @southernvangard #radio Ep390! We’re a mere TEN episodes away from Episode 400 - if our rudimentary math calculations are correct, we’re hitting four hundo around mid-April. Spring time will be a fun time here at the best underground rap show on the planet. Come on - what show do you know wraps up with one of it’s co-hosts rocking out to the J Geils Band? The answer - NO ONE. YOU WAAAAALCOME!!!!! #SmithsonianGrade #WeAreTheGard #YouWaaaaalcome // southernvangard.com // @southernvangard on all platforms #undergroundhiphop #boombap #DJ #mixshow #interview #podcast #ATL #WORLDWIDE #RIPCOMBATJACK

Recorded live February 5, 2024 @ Dirty Blanket Studios, Marietta, GA

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Pre-Game Beats - Selections from Boom Bap Crew Vol. 1

Talk Break Inst. - "Finger Tips" - Kuartz

"The Lesson" - Emskee x MiLKCRATE ft. DJ Jon Doe

"Pedal To The Floor" - Tha God Fahim & Cookin Soul

"More Of The Raw" - Da Flyy Hooligan (prod. DJ Rhettmatic)

"Move " - Crotona P x Sinamatik ft. Rico Blox

"Hero" - Masta Ace & Marco Polo ft. Inspectah Deck

Talk Break Inst. - "Forget About Me" - Kuartz

"Murderers' Row" - Reef The Lost Cauze ft. Dillon, Miggs Sonny, Saleem Oxygeen & DJ Skipmode

"Late 90's (DK Remix)" - PR Dean ft. Copywrite, Heleos, King Nova & Messiah Kaine

"Molly" - Tame One & Parallel Thought ft. Aesop Rock & Breeze Brewin

"Man Down" - Napsndreds

"Talk Is Cheap" - Crisis ft. Eto

Talk Break Inst. - "Stay" - Kuartz

"Macys Lo Section" - Jay Royale  feat. Nym Lo (prod. Crown, cuts DJ Eclipse)

"Must Don't Know" - IamGAWD & Clypto ft. Rufus Sims

"Blood In Blood Out" - Bozack Morris ft. Asun Eastwood & Lex Talionis

"Mystery Science Theater" - HiDEF x Estee Nack ft. Raz Fresco

"Washed Ashore" - Waterr X Wavy Da Ghawd

"Dwayne Johnson" - Chuck Chan x Squeegie Oblong

"Lion Vs. Panther" - Crimeapple & Preservation 

"Whats Today Math?" - Al.Divino

"1 Way Ticket" - Forever Pavot & XP The Marxman

Talk Break Inst. - "Ain't No Way" - Kuartz

"Love Stinks" - The J. Geils Band

"Big Beat" - Billy Squier

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Experience Disney’s The Lion King - ElmQuill1617

Currently, over at the Lyceum Theatre in London’s West End, you will find Disney’s The Lion King. This musical has been there since 1999 and is one of the longest-running West End shows. Somehow, despite me being an avid theatregoer, The Lion King had passed me by, so I decided to go along and see what I’d been missing.

To be completely honest, despite it being a popular long-running show, I was sceptical about how much I would enjoy The Lion King. In the past, I have seen other Disney West End productions, which I haven’t connected to. I felt that, in some ways, they were making a show which pleased the audience, rather than choosing to take the essence of the film and take it above and beyond for the stage adaptation. This is one of the things I loved about The Lion King – it seemed to really utilise the art of live theatre and make not just a show to watch, but, rather, a show to experience.

The ambience is set as soon as you enter the auditorium, with the sounds of animals subtly in the background. The actors can be seen both on-stage and in the auditorium at points during the show, which makes for an immersive and exciting atmosphere and even as I sat up in the Grand Circle, I felt fully involved in the action. The cast was phenomenal, with every performer contributing equally as an ensemble, though I have to give a special mention to Gary Jordan, who plays the role of Zazu. The combination of the brilliant blue and white costume to represent the sky, the incredible Zazu puppet and Gary’s performance, bringing the character to life, really left a big impression on me. I hadn’t anticipated leaving the theatre feeling so fond of such a sarcastic African red-billed hornbill, but here we are!

One of the reasons that I hadn’t liked previous Disney West End productions was due to audience behaviour. In particular, I had gone to see Aladdin a few years back with my mum as a birthday present and the tickets were not cheap. Neither of us were really into the show as a whole and we found that there were problems with the sound, which meant that we often couldn’t hear the lyrics certain actors were singing. Aside from that, though, the two of us were almost surrounded by a large group of school children. They, and many other audience members, spent much of the performance singing along, chatting, leaving the auditorium, coming back in, leaving again and coming back in again. The teachers had decided to sit next to each other, rather than spreading out to watch the children and the fact that they were singing along and chatting, too, suggests that they would have done nothing about it, even if they had been sat apart. Thankfully, at The Lion King, I didn’t have any problems at all.

It’s great for people to visit the theatre, especially when they’ve never been before - it opens up a whole new world and can inspire people in many, many positive ways. The more people who go to the theatre, the more audience members are buying tickets, merchandise, drinks from the bar and ultimately, keeping shows running and theatres open. The trouble, is that when people haven’t been to the theatre before, they may not be familiar with theatre etiquette, which is ultimately to be respectful of everyone else in the theatre. When theatre-goers have paid around £50 of their hard-earned money to go and support the arts, they don’t expect to be sitting next to someone screaming song lyrics in their ear or lighting up the room, as they check their phone every three minutes (the latter of which happened to me at both Hamilton and In the Heights – sorry, Lin-Manuel Miranda).

Of course, many people would love to go to the West End, but they might be thinking that tickets are out of their price range. Have no fear, there are many ways that you can get tickets at a reasonable price and here’s how:

Ticket lotteries are available for shows such as Hamilton, which are free to enter and if you win, you get one or two heavily discounted tickets, depending on how many you requested.

If you are interested in seeing The Book of Mormon, they have a ticket lottery in-person at The Prince of Wales Theatre, London. If successful, you win either one or two tickets for the best seats in the stalls section, paying only £20 each.

A limited number of tickets for same-day theatre performances are available, mostly from the TodayTix app. Those will come at a discounted price, but sell out fast, so get in there quick!

Also on TodayTix, there is the option to search for theatre tickets which cost £20 or less.

Seat Plan is a website where members of the public can leave reviews of the theatre seat which they sat in, stating what the view was like from the seat, along with an accompanying photo. When you have reached a certain number of seat reviews, you get rewarded with either a Seat Plan gift card, to get theatre tickets from their website, or a Theatre Tokens gift card.

I would recommend considering buying theatre tickets which say that they are ���restricted view.” If you search for those seats on Seat Plan, you will be able to see a photo of what the view is like and read what people thought about sitting there. In my experience, restricted view seats often aren’t that restricted at all and are worth paying the £25 less than the person who will be sitting in the seat next to you!

Treat yourself to a trip to the theatre and have a great day!

[londontheatreboxoffice]

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[unsaintlike]

Exactly. Although, I readily admit I'm cheap, so anything that lets me save a few bucks is good in my book. 'Specially since tickets and snacks are so damn expensive at a theater, and who wants to spend that kinda money if you don't even know if you'll like the movie? I took my niece to see The Lion King when it re-released for its anniversary last month, so there are definitely times where exceptions are made. All that said, however, I will add that superhero movies are usually fun to see in theaters -- and I'm considerin' Deadpool to be a "superhero" type movie, since he's part of the Marvel gang. 'Specially now that 4D's a thing, imagine that makes the movie experience kinda cool.

[honestlyandrogynoustiger]

Sports Ticket Depot is online ticket booking platform where you can book all types tickets which includes sports match tickets, culture event tickets, festival tickets, any celebrity event tickets and many more. This organization is based out in India and provides their services in entire world.

[sportsticketdepot07]

Are you want to buy cheap tickets to watch lion king? Explre Sportsticketdepot. Those looking to get discounted Lion King tickets can use promo codes in checkout to get 10% off their order. For more details, visit the site.

[not-now-noah]

Me: as soon as I get home from classes I'm going straight to slee-

Friend: so I've found these super cheap flights for London GO LOOK UP ALL THE HOSTELS CONSULT ALL THE MAPS READ ALL THE REVIEWS WE'RE GOING ON HOLIDAY BITCH

[sportsticketdepotnyc-blog]

Sports Ticket Depot is the reliable and assured platform that is providing sports tickets and theater events tickets at discounted prices. No matter, which sport you like to watch and play, getting tickets from here is not an issue and they will get delivered before the event happens.

[sportsticketdepot-blog]

Cheap Lion King Broadway Tickets: You must have heard a lot of things about Disney’s production of the Lion King with single tickets are easily available at a really cheap price.

[ohtheseboysilove]

Winter/Christmas prompt: 36 with Joe. Fluff. I thought something like this: you're dating for a few months and this is your first christmas together and you're the one knitting for him. Thank you, dear! You're awesome! 💞

36. you knit me a sweater for christmas and i realize i am in love with you

1258 words. Cheesy fluff.

"My fingers are sore" You complained, wiggling them in Joe’s face with a pout.

"Too much knitting today ?" He asked with this adorable smile you loved so much.

"Yep, Christmas is always the busiest period with the orders" You covered your mouth to yawn politely.

You had a little knitting online shop to earn some more money aside your 9 to 5 job and you really enjoyed it. You were especially popular with dogs and babies clothes. Or fluffy socks, everyone loved some warm and comfy socks. You mostly accepted only small jobs, it was quicker and easier than jumper or vest.

"My poor little Christmas elf" Joe cooed and brought your tired fingers to his mouth, covered them in loud pecks. "You probably gonna have more order after today" He raised one of his feet, warmly resting inside a fluffy sock covered in little snowmen. Joe’s favourite creation of yours. "I showed them to everyone on set, bragging about how my beautiful girlfriend was so talented" He wiggled his brows funnily and you giggled, cheeks flushing at the compliments.

"They probably think you’re dating a grandma now" You snorted and gently cupped his face to press a little kiss on his lips. "But thank you very much, baby" You smiled wider when he rubbed his nose against yours, the cheesiness of the gesture making your heart fluttered stupidly.

"What a sexy grandma then” The American cheekily squeezed your ass, making laughed even more.

You couldn’t believe you and Joe were dating for only five little months. It felt like forever. In a good way. And when he told he wanted to spend Christmas with you and only you...it took you days to stop smiling so stupidly. You were already head over heel for the man.

**

You were a bit panicking. Okay, maybe more than a bit. It was the morning of Christmas and soon enough, you and Joe would exchanged present. For now he was still sleeping, snoring lightly in his bedroom. You, in the other hand, were downstairs, wrapping your present in a Christmas wrapping, wondering if it was a good idea. You weren’t the best at gift, especially for boyfriends, it was still new and you weren’t sure what you were supposed to offer him. Nothing too much or expensive but neither a cheap or lame present.

That was why you opted for an original one, made by you and your little hands. A Christmas jumper. It took you weeks of work, you rarely did such big piece of clothing and you remembered why : it was exhausting and bloody complicated. Especially after you picked a really hard pattern and motifs to knit but you loves the result. You weren’t sure if Joe would like it tough. It was funny but maybe he would find it boring or stupid. Maybe the baseball ball signed by his favourite player that you saw on amazon the other day was a better idea. You were overthinking once again.

"Hi, sweet" You quickly hid the wrapped present behind your back and smiled to a half awake Joe. "Already up ?" He put a butterfly kiss on your cheekbone and lazily made his way to the kitchen.

"Yeah, was too excited to sleep” You explained and followed him as he let out a yawn, making hot chocolate for the both of you. "Sleep well ?" You sat on the counter, watching him added tiny marshmallows inside your cups.

"Always when you’re here" He winked and you rolled your eyes at his cheesiness, secretly loving it. "Should we have breakfast then open our presents ?" He asked and you nodded eagerly, dying to see what he brought you.

You grabbed the plate of Christmas cookie you both cooked yesterday and sat on the living-room table, soft Christmas songs playing on the back. You watched fondly the snow falling quietly by the window, one of Joe’s hand resting sweetly on your knee. It was a simple but yet perfect morning for you.

"Alright, open mine first !" Joe tugged on your hand as soon as you finished your drink, quickly wiping the Chantilly cream around your mouth.

You both kneeled on the carpet right under the Christmas tree, his eyes shinning with pure childish excitement. You smiled timidly and took the present from his hands, unwrapping it carefully. There were a white envelope with two tickets for the Broadway musical The Lion King inside and another small jewellery box, inside was resting a beautiful emerald ring. Absolutely stunning.

"Oh my god, Joe !" You squealed happily, immediately sliding the ring on your finger, admiring it again and again. "It’s so beautiful ! And the lion king, I wanted to see it since forever ! Thank you so much !" You giggled and cupped his face for messy kiss, feeling incredibly lucky to have this man in your life.

"You’re very welcome, sweet" He grinned, relieved that you liked his present. "My turn now” He winked at you and grabbed your present, looking at it curiously.

You pinched your lips nervously and watched him unwrapping the present with eagerness. He took out the brown fluffy jumper and a large smile appeared on his face.

"No you didn’t !" He chuckled heartily, taking a closer look of the jumper. It was a little green dinosaur wearing a tiny Santa hat, ´Merry Christmas’ knitted under it in a bright red colour. "Sweet, I love it ! It’s so cool honestly" He let out a giggle and immediately slid it on, giving your lips a long kiss.

"You really like it ? Because I had some doubts this morning, it’s a bit lame, I mean a jumper for Christm—" He cut you with another kiss, gently stroking your face.

"Shush. It’s perfect. I really love it, I’m serious !" Joe wrapped your in a tight hug and kissed loudly your exposed neck. "It must take you forever to knit it, sweet"

"Few weeks" You shrugged, face burning under the sweet words coming from your adorable boyfriend.

"You’re the best. I can’t wait to show it to everyone. My girl made this awesome jumper by herself, who can say that except me ?" You giggled quietly and gladly accepted the kiss he pressed on your mouth, hands caressing gently your hips. "I wish I could have offered you something I made myself but except a noodle necklace...my competences stop here" You both snorted at his silliness before sharing another kiss, deeper than any of the previous one this morning.

He barely let you enough time to breath before kissed you again, his tongue meeting your for a hot and loving kiss. It made your heart beat heavily and your head dizzy. When he finally let go of your mouth, you were both panting slightly, lips swollen from the intense kiss.

"What’s that for ?" You murmured with a giddy smile, the butterflies inside your belly going crazy.

"I love you" Joe replied with a find smile, his warm palm cradling your face so gently it made you melt. "I’m totally in love with you" You were sure your heart clearly stopped for few seconds at his words before beating quicker than never, your mouth opened like a goldfish. "You don’t have to say ba—"

"I love you too" You breathed quietly, looking at each other with this stupid ‘in love’ smile. "Merry Christmas Joe" You wrapped your arms around his waist, head resting peacefully against his chest.

"Merry Christmas my love"

**

[honestlyandrogynoustiger]

Sports Ticket Depot is an online ticket booking platform where you can book all types of tickets which includes sports match tickets, culture event tickets, festival tickets, celebrity event tickets, and many more. This organization is based out in India and provides its services to the entire world.

[imatheatergeek]

This is the first big musical (with the exception of Beetlejuice which was supposed to close in June anyway) that has announced it won’t be returning post-pandemic shut down.

The first, probably not the only. And I am incredibly sad thinking about that. 

But I am not shocked, or even a little surprised, that Frozen was one of the first shows to announce a permanent closing...I actually hadn’t expected this show to make it through the Jan/Feb slump months that already passed.

All through the fall, I had been receiving emails with extreme discounts for weeknight performances. The times I checked Ticketmaster for family or friends, Sat & Sun matinee tickets weren’t cheap, but they also weren’t impossible to get last minute. This is in contrast to The Lion King and Aladdin where the only discounts I ever see are during Broadway Week’s 2 for 1 deal or Kids Night on Broadway, and those tickets sell out very quickly.

Why was this the case? In my opinion, and it may be controversial, Disney Theatrical’s other two ‘currently running’ productions are much better shows.

I am a HUGE fan of the Disney Princess franchise but, for whatever reason, with the exception of Beauty & The Beast, I have found the Broadway adaptations of these fantastic movies to be fantastically lazy. The Lion King was handed over to Julie Taymor who came up with a creative masterpiece. For The Little Mermaid we got heelys and a beauty/singing contest. 

Frozen had a few moments of creative genius, but overall it was a drawn out, not as good version of the movie. The production was hoping to appeal to the 8-12 year old (and older) range but was more successful with 3-6 year olds. Unfortunately, most kids in this age group aren’t able to stay awake until 10pm for an evening performance. And $150+ is a LOT of money to spend on a ticket for a 3 year old who probably won’t be able to sit through a full 2.5 hour show.

Please note that I can’t post this rant without the caveat that I took my niece to see Frozen on Broadway when she was 5 and she loved it. That was my second time attending, and I enjoyed it much more when she was with me then when I went with my Disney-loving group of adult friends. 

Perhaps Frozen on Broadway would have seen a significant boost in sales this spring with the release of Frozen II had Coronavirus not hit NYC so hard. Even if this were the case, though, I think the show would have struggled again come next January. There just wasn’t enough adult appeal in this production to sustainably fill a theatre on weeknights- and this is coming from an adult who goes to Disney World every year!

There is good news, though, for all of the toddler moms on my facebook feed  lamenting that they won’t be able to take their kids to see the live musical version of Frozen... 

There is a National Tour planned! 

If all goes well, the first stop will be in Boston early September. https://frozenthemusical.com/tickets/

[kumkaniudaku]

The Love Tonight (1)

A/N: A request by @queenbutterfly2018. Thank you for keeping my creative juices flowing. Even if it does take me 7000 years to finish things. 

Summary: The family bonds over Beyonce and a classic movie. 

The Love Tonight (2)

"And I just can't waaaiit...to be KING!"

CoCo silently bopped her head from side to side in the kitchen as she split her attention between washing the dishes and her kids enjoying the third showing of The Lion King in as many weeks. 

Noah let out a small squeal of excitement followed by a laugh that caught Micah's attention. 

"No, Noey! We don't laugh during this part. It's really serious!" When the youngest of the pair responded with a gurgling babble, Micah let out an agitated groan before continuing her explanation. "Simba could get hurt. He didn't listen to his daddy, and now the heenas are looking for him. That's why we have to listen to Mommy and Daddy."

"Good lesson, baby girl," Tasha called from the kitchen, adding a wink to her praise when Micah turned around to acknowledge her mother. 

From the moment she could focus on moving images, Micah became enamored with Simba's timeless tale. Her big eyes would sparkle when she would hear the movie's main theme, the song often doubling as the only sound to keep her quiet when she was restless. 

When she was three, Micah insisted that she would not participate in Halloween festivities if she could not dress as Nala. Her first eating utensil set, big girl underwear, and bed set featured the beloved characters. Even as she found other interests, The Lion King was her first love. 

"Mommy, your favorite song is coming! You gotta sing it!"

Micah wiggled around in her seat while Tasha took a break from cleaning to join her on the couch. Pulling the little one into her lap, CoCo cleared her throat to mimic Scar. 

"I know that your powers of retention are as wet as a warthog's backside. But thick as you are–pay attention! My words are a matter of pride."

Noah perked up as Micah joined the song, becoming the third voice in a chorus of off-key voices. Together they fumbled over lyrics and laughed until their stomachs were sore and the song was over. 

After a moment of silence to catch their breath, Micah broke the silence. "I wish Daddy was here to sing too. He likes to sing the Simba and Nala song with you."

"I know, baby, I know. But Daddy has to be at work."

"Work is mean! Tell him to come home and play!"

"Dadadada." Noah's chanted, adding his two cents in the conversation to make both ladies giggle. 

"How about we call Daddy so you two can say all of this to his face. How does that sound, Pookie Butt?" 

Cheering and made up songs bounced off of the living room walls before echoing on the other side of the phone when Chadwick finally answered. 

"Sounds like I'm missing out on a party back home," he laughed. 

Across the country, the sun had long allowed the moon to have its place in the sky. Chadwick sat in his dimly lit bedroom clad in worn lounge clothes with sleep forcing his eyes half-closed. 

"You sure are. We're watching your favorite movie. Wanna take a guess?"

"Whaaat? Where's my girl? She wouldn't watch The Lion King without me, would she?"

"I only watched a little! Not even the pig song!" 

"You didn't get to...should I sing it," he questioned, already knowing the answer. 

"Yes! Sing it!" 

"Nah, it's time for bed. Mama wouldn't be happy if I did." 

Chadwick put on an award-winning acting performance to sway Micah's opinion before she turned to make a case for why she deserved a song from her favorite singing partner. 

"Please, Mama? Please, please, please, please, puh-LEASE!" 

"Sure, sing the song, Dad." 

While Micah squealed in pleasure, CoCo made sure to give her husband the finger as discreetly as possible. 

"You can do that for as long as you like when I get back, love," he assured with a wink. 

"Sing it, Daddy! One, two, three!"

Straighten in his seat, Chadwick took a deep breath and comically poked his chest out. "WHEN I WAS A YOUNG WARTHOOOG!"

Before her daddy could finish the most boisterous line in the entire film, Micah doubled over and laughed until her whole body vibrated with joy. Even Noah joined in on the laughter despite nodding in and out of sleep in his walker. 

"Sing it again," Micah requested between gasps for air. "Sing it again!" 

"Nuh-uh. It's time for you and another cub to get to bed. Maybe we can sing it in the morning when you're on the way to camp. How's that sound?" 

"You promise?" 

"Double pinky promise, baby girl. First thing in the morning." 

Though visibly upset, Micah accepted the terms of the deal. "Okay. Goodnight, Daddy. I wish you could come home tomorrow." 

"I wish I could too, little one. See you in a few weeks. Be good for your Mama and be nice to your brother." 

Another round of goodnights sealed the deal, sending Micah off to her room to wait on Tasha to tuck her into bed. Chadwick followed her movements as far he could until she was out of camera view. His sad eyes betrayed the smile on his face and caught his wife's attention. 

"I know it's tough, baby, but she understands why you're away. She's just missing you tonight." 

"Doesn't stop me from feeling like the worst dad ever. Now I have to make it up to her." 

"Please, do not send another doll to this house or I will burn it. Send a Birkin instead!" The line on Chadwick's end went silent as he froze and stared. "Hello? Can you hear me? Is this thing frozen?" 

"It ain't frozen. I'm just givin' you a minute to hear what craziness you just said to me." 

"So I don't deserve a bag?"

"You deserve a bag so much that you have a shelf in the closet to stock with as many as you can buy." 

Tasha opened her mouth to respond but found herself interrupted by the sound of toys hitting the hardwood floors close to her. After quickly assessing the situation, neither of them could withhold their laughter. Noah sat slumped in walker with thumb in his mouth to self soothe, deep into a dream that had him smiling with his eyes closed. 

Finally calming down, Chadwick allowed a yawn to slip past his lips. "Alright, baby, I have to be on set early tomorrow." 

"Goodnight, handsome. Sleep well, and don't send any more gifts to this house." 

"You don't tell me what to do, T. Bye!" 

There was no time for Tasha to protest any of her husband's statements as he ended the call abruptly. In the weeks that followed, he would vaguely hint at a surprise when talking to or about Micah. When pressed for further intel, Chadwick would smirk as if he were hiding the most interesting secret in the world, the twinkle in his eye brighter than any star in the sky. 

CoCo began to suspect the true nature of the surprise when she received confirmations for two booked nail appointments and a separate dress fitting. Questioning the keeper of secrets proved to be futile until he returned from work at the tail end of a busy weekday night. 

Micah met him at the edge of the driveway with unbridled excitement, waiting for him to step out of the car and scoop her body into his arms. Once the house was calm and sharing a meal around the dinner table, Chadwick pulled an envelope out of his pocket and quietly sat it on the table. 

Taking a look up while chewing her food, Tasha eyed the package. "Is that a check for me?" 

"No." 

"Plane tickets?" 

"Tickets, but not for a plane." 

"Is it a letter from the Tooth Fairy," Micah inquired. "Because I lost my front teeths. Mommy found them and said the Tooth Fairy would give me monies, but that was a long time ago. I think she forgot."

"She spent the money on dance lessons," Tasha mumbled.

Chadwick cut his eyes at CoCo who mouthed 'what' in response. "Anyway...remember when we told you there was gonna be a new Lion King, Mikey?" 

"Yeah! You said we could see it if I read a whole book by myself. Are we gonna see it?"

"We're gonna do more than see it, baby girl. We are going to…" Chadwick paused for dramatic effect, waiting for a drumroll that Tasha reluctantly provided. 

He listened to her rapidly tap her fingers against the glossy wood grain tabletop. Soon, Micah joined the spectacle, leading the charge for Noah to slam his hands against the tray of his high chair. Chadwick's grin spread across his face as the tension and noise in the room built to deafening levels. 

"Aaron! Spit it out, darn it," Tasha hollered, careful to censor her language. 

"Okay, okay! We're going to...the premiere!" 

For weeks, Chadwick had played this moment in his head countless times, and each encounter ended with the members of his family singing his praises and running around the house in excitement. Instead, they met him with two blank stares and senseless babbling. 

"What's a...a...premiere? I want popcorn." 

"Chad, she's six. Explain why a premiere is better than just going to the theater on Cheap Tuesday. I would also like an explanation." 

As Micah looked between her mother's sarcastic smile and her father's eye roll, she found herself still very confused. She'd only been on a few red carpets in her short lifetime, and none of them involved a brand new movie. It was unreasonable to expect a child to enjoy the bright lights associated with such an event, much less an entire movie without any outbursts or excessive moving. Chadwick hoped that an introduction through the Lion King would be an adequate test run for future instances. 

"A premiere," he started as he lifted Micah out of her chair and into his lap. "Is when special people get all dressed up to see a movie before everyone else. All the people that are in the movie are there too." 

"So I get to see the movie with Timon and Pumbaa?" 

"Well, kind of. You'll meet the actors that play them." 

Micah thought for a moment. "Are these big people that play dress up like you?" 

"Sure... let's go with that." 

"Is Mommy and Noah gonna come with us?" 

"Just Mom. Noah's still too little. But we'll get the DVD when it comes out, and then he can see it at home." From the corner of his eye, Chadwick could see Tasha giving him a thumbs up for his attempt at explaining such a complicated matter to a child. Micah, however, still had questions. 

"I guess I'll go," she shrugged. "Do I get a new dress?" 

"My girl asks the important questions! That's what I'm talking about!" 

Laughing, he shooed his wife away to answer the question. "You drive a hard bargain, Princess. Yes, you and Mommy get new dresses." 

"Yay! I want sparkles on my dress! Wait, I want it to look like mommy's dress. What is your dress gonna look like Mommy? Big and poofy like a princess?"

"Girl, I think we should-" CoCo halted her rand and dramatically covered her mouth to whisper-speak to Micah. "I think we should go to another room because somebody is a little too nosey. Meet me in your room." 

Her dramatic wink was excitedly returned before Micah focused her attention on dashing out of the dining room and up the stairs. When she was out of earshot, Chadwick turned to his wife and smiled. 

"Make sure you go easy on my pockets." 

Standing, Tasha quickly adjusted Noah on her hip and pretended to flip her hair. "Sparkles are expensive, baby. We'll try our best. You just make sure you can keep up." 

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[rentahomeinmalaysia]

Should I buy cheap Lion King tickets to see the Lion King musical?

I've heard great things about the Disney production of The Lion King. I read rave reviews for Time and Newsweek, and it took the Tony Awards by storm for a year. Nominated for 11 awards, he took home the highest award for Best Choreography, Best Stage Design, Best Lighting Design, Best Costume Design, Best Director in a Musical (Julie Taymor) and Best Musical. Hearing all these positive comments, I decided to see for myself.

Getting cheap tickets for the lion king.

But how hard is it to get tickets? I heard you had to order tickets for the Lion King a year earlier, and I only have three months left in the city. Also, I knew there was no hope of having partial value TKTS website entries for the musical The Lion King; the theater had its own waiting line for the ticket day for the lion king, with no performances for the patient and / or fanatic. Later I found out that you could only have a few standing spaces for people willing to stand in line for a few hours.

I found out that I could get a ticket online for a selected show, as long as I was prepared to sit in the back of the auditorium. Tickets for the Lion King for Broadway are much more available than the pairs of seats together.

Examine your purposes for wanting to see this play and plan ahead before buying The Lion King tickets, and an improved technique will be needed for those planning to attend, particularly in case they go as a group of 2 or more and want to drink seat lion king on broadway .

I have to go?

Lion King Broadway's production follows a similar village line. If you like the show of a Broadway show and you love Phantom of the Opera's flavor performances that choose plays instead of natural theater and good music, by all means you have the option to try The Lion King, especially if you like village history. If you notice the parade at Disney and you like it, then you'll probably like this, and you should go ahead and get cheap tickets to the Lion King.

As you can also bet on the Tony Awards, this piece of Disney's lion king is quite a show. Disney had enough knowledge to allow Julie Taymor the ingenious license to direct the Disney musical The Lion King as she saw fit. Taymor, who grew up loving movie managers Fellini and Kurosawa, is best identified with movie buffs because he was the director of Titus in 1999. Hence, his ideas in translating the film model of The Lion King into a play. it's based on a really perfect treatment of visible stimulation, and they're largely abstract. The show begins with a big bang with the "Circle of Life" exit sequence that really fueled Lion King's ticket sales. As the other animals slowly make their way to the stage, each attract rounds of applause with their recognizable but summary design. Antelopes leap gracefully like a herd to the degree with upright people running full-size horizontal "puppets", giraffes having walkers on human stilts impressively passing the stage, a superbly designed cheetah that has each of its mechanical limbs controlled by a skilled skillful puppeteer who walks upright with him, and a large elephant strides down the center aisle toward the grade with each leg handled by a single person.