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caroline18mars · 5 years ago

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A Man On Fire - Chapter 64

Harper had just sat down when the roomservice trolley was rolled into the room, Jared closed the door and put the tray on the coffee table, handing her a steaming cup of coffee “Latte just the way you like it, lots of caramel”. He had taken off his dinner jacket and pulled open the bow tie, undoing the top buttons of his shirt in one go, even though she knew he was tired he still looked amazing, Jared couldn't keep his eyes off the stunning beauty in the middle of a blood red, puffed up million layers tulle skirt that slowly sipped her piping hot coffee. “A white Christmas, it's been a while since I've seen one” a light topic was the perfect starter for a long conversation that hopefully lasted all night long, “really? I can't imagine a christmas in the sun, it's just not the same..I don't think I could live in LA, I like the change of the seasons, not every day has to be filled with sunshine and heat for me, and LA is just a bit too artificial..that being said, thanks for the lift and the temporary roof over my head” she quickly added, maybe she was being a little too harsh. “You're welcome, you would have frozen to death if I let you walk home by yourself, and I'll admit that I thought about walking you home but then I was pretty sure you would've not invited me up to your apartment and you would gladly let me die on the street” the sarcasm in his voice was real, so was her discomfort. “I miss you, Harper” he immediately changed the subject, he was done with the small talk and the verbal venomous stings, “I'm right here” she tried to laugh it off, why though? It wasn't funny, not funny at all. “You're never gonna forgive me, are you?” he put his cup down and leaned back staring at her, right now he didn't care how uncomfortable he made her feel “Jared..don't..” she stammered and nervously started shuffling in her seat, it was all so sudden, she couldn't prepare for this and it was doing her head in. He grabbed her wrist to get her attention, he was done with her trying to avoid eyecontact “don't what? Don't apologize? Don't tell you I'm actually kicking myself every hour of every day for what I did? Don't tell you I'm struggling without you? Don't..you miss me?”. Harper stared at his hand that was tightly clasped around her wrist and yanked it free, “I miss the Jared that didn't betray me, if there ever was such a Jared..I miss..” he watched her choke up, “what? What else do you miss?” did he care if he was maybe pushing things? No, because everything between them was fucked up anyway, if anything this was their ultimate chance to get all the frustrations out of their system. “I miss us” now there was something he hadn't expected, let her talk, “I miss trusting you, I miss being the other part of your brain, the other part of your heart” she blurted it out, it was true and she needed to get it off her chest. “You still are, Coco..the reason I'm so..fucked up is because that's exactly what you are, you are my other half” he breathed.

”I miss..” she hesitated for a second, was she blushing? “I miss sex” his heart skipped a beat hearing how open she was, “so do I..I miss 'our' sex” he locked eyes with her, “that's what I mean..we were good at it, weren't we?” she did hide the rest of her blush behind her cup “I never thought anything or anyone could ever come between that..I was so bloody naïve thinking that no matter what happened, we could argue, we could have the biggest fight ever, but I kept believing that our bodies would always find their way to each other”. Her words hit him like a ton of bricks “I had the impression you thought the same way but then booze and dope blew all my hopes to smithereens”. Jared swallowed hard “it was a stupid mistake, I don't want to minimize what happened but I'm here and we can prove to each other that we still have and will always have that sexual magic, there's a bed there right there, there's us right here..” it was merely a suggestion but she just shook her head. “It's that easy for you, isn't it?” she kept sipping her coffee “and please I don't need anymore apologies, if you tell me one more time how sorry you are, I think I will puke” she put down her cup again with a sigh, if it only were that simple..how many times a day did she dream that this right here would happen? they would talk, it would all come down to misunderstandings, he would just sweep her off her feet again and she would no longer suffer or be alone? Roughly around a 100 times or so and now that the moment was here she completely backed down because there were no misunderstandings, everything he had done was completely real and horrific enough. “I don't want to minimize what I've done..apologies are all I can offer, I have no extended explanation for it, I made the biggest mistake of my life and I'll do whatever it takes to get you back so a guy can merely try” there was so much dissapointment in his voice. “Do you think you can ever forgive me?” his question made her shuffle in her seat again, “that's an impossible question, Jared..I'm a faithful puppy, if I'm in a relationship I don't even look at anyone else, sober or drunk I don't fuck around” she frowned at him “I just have a line that I'll never cross, call it morals or whatever you like..so I just don't know if I can ever trust you again, and what's the point of a relationship if there's no trust, I'm not gonna spend my time constantly looking over my shoulder, getting paranoid..nope, not gonna happen, Charles was kind enough to give me a chance so I'm gonna put everything I have on my career, something I should have been doing months ago instead of losing myself in this bubble of lies and deceit while galavanting around Europe”. That was the minute he knew that it was over between them, there was nothing more he could do, she just dealt the final blow to their relationship “so you'll put everything on your career and on that guy you danced with all night, what's his name again, Nathan or something?”. Don't do this Jared, it's not fair, your feelings are hurt, be a man about it come on, “I might..I might not..either way, I don't think it's any of your business, and can you stop selling me short here, I really don't need a man in my life to be happy or succesful” stay calm Harper, don't give him the satisfaction.

Fuck! Just the thought of her and that smooth hipster together made his stomach churn, of course she was gonna go out with him, he had played the game for long enough to know that this was retaliation pure and simple. “So..plans for today and tomorrow? Guess you'll be flying back to LA tomorr..or better today, it's christmas already” Harper saw that he was dwelling on her words, he sat there staring at her without actually seeing her. “Have you seen the weather? I don't think there's a plane that will leave from JFK the coming days” he got up, he just couldn't take it anymore seeing that beauty sit here in front of him and there was no way he could touch her anymore. “Want some more coffee?” he poured himself another cup and walked towards the window to give himself a little more space to breathe, “no, I won't be able to sleep, too much alcohol and coffee tonight already, so what about your birthday?” Harper stared at his back, god you look so damn fine in those tux pants and that white shirt, I think I've never dated a more fine and exquisite male. Just reconsider and work it out together, you've never been more in love than with him, watching him turn with that genuine sad look on his face broke her heart “we'll just have to postpone it I guess”. He wasn't the man to sulk so it obviously cut deep for him “you can always celebrate with your friends here in NY, I remember you saying you have so many of them here” she tried, “I just don't feel like celebrating this year” he sipped his coffee, oh Harper don't you ever feel lonely in a crowd? Like when you go out with your friends and you only want to be with just that one person?. “If you want, we can go do something for your birthday? I mean you don't have to and I know it won't be as much fun as you planned on having in LA with all your friends..just think about it alright?” she softly said. “I don't have to think about it Harper, I gladly accept..why are you so kind to me?” his heart jumped in joy, the situation wasn't completely lost just yet, “because I still..care about you Jared, you've been the biggest part of my life so far despite all that you've done, so please don't see this is anything more than friendship, ok? This is just because we're snowed in, you could do with some company and so could I, nothing more, nothing less”

A few short bleeps had both their heads turning in the direction of her phone, it was 5AM, who was texting her at this time of night? “Booty call?” he got up, he couldn't deal with this, the light of her screen illuminated her little smile “says the man who's speaking from experience”. Stop rubbing it in Harper, “not funny, Harper! Anyone who gets a text in the middle of the night knows that the topic is not gonna be the weather, or the stock exchange” he huffed as he started unbuttoning his shirt and let if fall on the floor. For the second time tonight, his body was getting her all hot and bothered, had he gained some muscle? Definitely! She quickly put the phone down again, somehow it didn't interest her right now, “was I right?” he came walking up to her, why was her mouth so dry? “uhm, no you weren't, it's just Nathan checking if I got home alright and if I have plans for Christmas”. Jared kept smiling at her “and do you?..have plans for later on today?” little did she know that he was secretly holding his breath, “I don't know..I was hoping to get some work done, but with all this snow I'll see where the day takes me”. Diplomatic answer, being raised in a diplomate's family sure paid off, “but first let's see where the night or what's left of it takes me, is that another bedroom?” she pointed at one of the doors. “Uhm no..there's only 1 bed I'm afraid” he was done with the chivalrous act, he wasn't gonna sleep on the couch and neither was she, “Oh” there was that cute little nosescrunch again “I'll take the couch then” she sighed. “No you're not, and neither am I, you said it yourself, we're friends and friends can sleep in the same bed, so I'm not taking any drama about that” he rummaged through his suitcase and threw her one of his band T-shirts and pajama pants “here, put these on, bathroom's right there..there should be a toothbrush and everything you need” thank god she didn't protest. “Uhm Jay..” her calling him that again sent a shiver down his spine “could you..?” she turned her back to him, “oh..yeah sure” he walked up to her and ever so slowly he pulled down the zipper, revealing her beautiful skin inch by inch made his breath hitch in his throat. Feeling his fingers brush against her skin had her blood pumping, don't turn around so he doesn't see you blushing “thanks” she stepped away from him and beelined it to the bathroom. Calm down, relax..it's only natural that you're still physically attracted to him even if you don't want to..she put her hands on the marble counter and hung her head to stop her head from spinning. Text Nathan back, he'll take your mind off things, distraction was really crucial right now to stop her from falling again for the man who had ripped her heart out and chopped it in a million little pieces. Slowly she stepped out of her dress and let it pool around her feet, the pajama pants were way oversized so she stropped the cords together as much as she could, his signature scent wafted in her nose as soon as she pulled the t-shirt over her head. He turned on his side to hide the evidence of arousal seeing her walk back in the room brushing her long, long hair “when I first met you, I remember thinking you had the most beautiful long brown hair I had ever seen”. Harper stopped brushing “says the man with the most envied hair by all women and men this side of the hemisphere” and sat down on the bed with her back turned to him, if she kept looking at how he laid there, casually turned to her on his side with every muscle in his arm and chest outlined, she would get herself into a lot of trouble with these raging hormones.

#jared leto #jared leto fanfic #jared leto fanfiction #fanfic #fic #fanfiction #a man on fire #chapter 64 #30 Seconds To Mars #30 seconds to mars fanfic #Harper and Jared #Harper Coco #caroline18mars

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keyofjetwolf · 6 years ago

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The Chosen: All the notes and answers to shit you wondered about for years

Hey. Hi there. How are you? I’m good, thanks for asking.

So, you remember when, at the beginning of the year, I said I was officially retiring my Buffy the Vampire Slayer continuation, The Chosen? If this is the first you’re hearing of it, a) SORRY TO DROP THAT ON YOU, and b) you may want to read this post first.

All caught up? Awesome.

I told you guys I’d share my stuff. This right here is that. I’ve searched through countless backups, terabytes of data, the remnants of three computers, AND MY SOUL (not really my soul; it doesn’t have a convenient find option), and I think this is everything. If there’s anything left of The Chosen that isn’t contained here, then it’s almost certainly lost to time and I wave it a fond farewell.

But don’t worry. There’s a lot here.

What I have for you are all the notes, plans, and ideas that I had written during the time when The Chosen was pretty much my entire world. From late 2003 to mid 2005, I was on my Buffy creative shit, and OH THE PLACES I WANTED TO GO. I’m not sure I’ll ever not be sad that, in the end, I couldn’t do it the way I wanted. Still, I’m glad to finally be showing you where we were heading.

I’ll try to give this as much order as I can, but my notes were strewn across a mass of files, and in some cases, I straight up can’t remember what the fuck I even meant any more. Feel free to ask if you have questions! Just be prepared that the answer may have to be an apologetic shrug.

I’m not sure what to wish for you all in the reading here. Closure, of some kind, I suppose is what we’re really all after. So closure it is! Happy closing, friends.

Thank you so much for allowing me to have captured your interest and attention, and for accompanying me and these characters I loved on the journey toward the ending I hoped for them.

** Any comments from present-me will be marked in this format. Otherwise, everything is untouched from how I wrote it whenever-the-fuck ago. Section headers are either as I named them at the time, or taken from the file name.

S8 Ideas

General Ideas

Rogue Slayer girl ' 'Full Circle'; Faith-centric.

Possessing demons ' personification of control ' W&K breakup episode.

Xander gets powers, but in exchange for his humanity. Comes to realize that his humanity is what his friends need, and he gives up the power.

Dawn's key powers are reawakened ' ability to unlock and enter doorways to parallel dimensions/realities and back again. Episode where this happens and she visits a parallel world (where she is the Slayer?). Possibly triggered by Doc, seeking to reawaken Glory?

Monster that eats body parts to rejuvenate them.

Emotion sucker.

Incubus that tries to seduce Buffy in her dreams.

Siren/rock group ' playing in club.

Faith/Buffy/other Slayers hunted for sport.

Super Slayer, enhanced by the DC. Big Bad? Guinea pig.

Legion of Super Slayers, created from life force of girls who reject the offer to join the DC.

Things to Name and Figure Out

The name of the new town.

New town is in center of three-Hellmouth triangle, consisting of Cleveland, Ohio, Syracuse, NY, and Washington DC. The gang is settled in a fictitious town in Pennsylvania, not far from Williamsport.

Name derived from three? Trinity, Trillium, etc.

The name of the Bronze replacement. (The Vortex?)

The name (and personality) of Kennedy's new Watcher.

The name (and personality) of the turncoat (the girl Giles talks to in Ep #1)

The name (and personality) of the girl Faith recruits (future cannon fodder)

Better name for the Dark Council.

Better name for the Dark Coven.

Assorted Ideas and Quotes

Scene: Someone shopping at a local bulk warehouse place. How much to Slayers eat? A LOT.

Possible use for the drug from "Helpless" that neutralizes Slayer powers?

Scene: Junior Slayers fighting monster. One says "You ARE the weakest link... Goodbye!" The others make fun of her for using such an outdated pop culture reference. She pouts that they should add a class about banter to the Slayer curriculum.

QUOTE: "D'you ever think sometime we should, you know, run AWAY from the blood curdling screams?"

QUOTE: Buffy doubts Tara's return. Willow: "What, you hold exclusive resurrection rights?"

QUOTE: Tara and Dark Coven guy. Tara: "She'll kill me. After I do this...Buffy will kill me." DC: "After you do this, will you care?"

QUOTE: "Excessive? I think you and excessive have already met in a head-on collision and exchanged insurance information."

QUOTE: Tara talking about doing stuff with Dawn: "You know, shopping, getting our hair done ... girl things." Willow: "I like your girl things."

QUOTE: Someone's sick, but denying it. They cough, get an accusing glance. "I just have something stuck in my throat." "Yeah, it's called ILLNESS."

QUOTE: Faith to somebody, possibly a young Slayer, who goes on at length about what they're going to do to a bad guy or deal with some serious challenge or something similar. "You're full of crap, you've got no idea what you're talking about. (beat) But you mean what you say, so that's gotta count for something."

Notes

1st ep

fate of SS's

Dawn's powers

X taking Watcher's courses

G distancing

W going to grad school

B/T going back to school

prophecy bits

G gets ring

Buffy bit - blood

Ante released

Season 9 Ideas

based on 7 samurai - group of people want to come in and hire the seven to clean something out

something happens where buffy or dawn disappears and the other goes to find them

core four have notoriety as evil forces (four horsemen) with some other community

sdhs reunion episode

"Demon that draws strength from guilt, hate, love, etc. Especially bad if it gets hold of Faith..."

---

I had a really cool thought about Buffy and relationships while I was in there though, which I think I'll have to work into The Chosen.

A common thread in each of her big relationships (Angel, Riley, Spike) is that when she tells them she loves them, they don't believe her.

Well Angel does, but he doesn't think she loves him enough. When he leaves, it's despite her telling him over and over that she loves him enough that him being a vampire and them not being able to do "normal" things doesn't matter. He doesn't believe her, and so leaves.

Riley tells Buffy during their big pre-him-leaving fight, that when she says she loves him, he "doesn't feel it". His disbelief in her and her words causes him to leave.

Then there's Spike. Final episode, Buffy finally tells him that she loves him. "No you don't. But thanks for saying it." And then he dies.

At this point in Buffy's life, there are a lot of reasons why Buffy wouldn't want a relationship in my opinion. But not the least of which is the fact that she MUST be able to answer the question of why none of these guys she loves ever believe her? (Even if you don't think she did love Spike, to Buffy I doubt that would matter -- HE didn't believe her EITHER [and how dare he not believe me, by the way!]).

It's a concept I just managed to sort out (in the shower, of course), and I don't think it's an "obvious" connection, but I do think it's an extremely valid one. I think before I'm done, I'll have to work this into the story somehow. And not resolve it, because I don't think it's easily resolved, and I think it's an issue outside the scope of what I'm trying to do, but I think the issue should be raised.

Season 9 Episode Ideas

Episode where everybody speaks in rhymes. Possible reintroduction for Faerie character?

De-aging episode, Giles' 50th birthday. Courtesy of Ethan Rayne. ("Many Happy Returns"?) Zaps Giles, Willow, Buffy and Xander back to four or five or so, leaving Tara, Faith and Dawn to look after them.

Episode dealing with the murderers in the group: Faith, Willow and Giles. Finch's son/daughter hunts down Faith to (confront? get revenge?) for his death. Sub-plots for Willow/Warren and Giles/Ben. Interesting to note that Faith is the only one who has ever shown any regret for her murder.

Herculean labors parallel. Xander? ("Labor Day"?)

Seven deadly sins with each main character embodying one of the sins? The one least like themselves?

Buffy: Greed

Willow: Sloth

Xander: Pride

Giles: Envy

Tara: Wrath

Dawn: Lust

Faith: Gluttony

Some other Slayer in the past, fighting an enemy that arises today. The gang have to read through the old Watcher's diaries to learn about him and how she defeated it. Shows this old Slayer and her Watcher via flashback. Maybe our Big Bads?

The characters get sent into Faerie Tales where they're forced to sort of act out the tales they're in.

Inanimate creation of some sort (puppet like) who makes other inanimate objects come to life. Specifically mannequins, by switching them out for real people. Some Scoobies, of course, fall victim to this.

Xander getting set up on blind dates. Amusing segment where Xander explains to date after date about what happened to his eye, each reason becoming more and more outlandish. Finally he just gives up and tells the truth - "It was gouged out by a crazy preacher man." The date laughs: "You're so funny!" Could end with Xander getting fixed up with the girl we introduced in S8 and possibly have seen a few times since then - Xander's love interest.

Revisit ideas: nameless, faceless army for the good guys, what are we doing with our army?

Tara dealing with family issues. Why am I back? Madrigan as new father.

Banan the collector

Alt world where Core4 seen like 4 horsemen (Title: "The Four"?)

Conversation where some characters are guessing who would've been the next successor to the Slayer line.

"Other side" episode with dead characters

Buffy/Dawn ep about Buffy's role in Dawn's life. Seeing the others intreract with her, wondering what her place is in Dawn's life. Parallel with flashbacks about VS and her sister. Starts with Buffy finding Grip and Dawn making out, leads to Buffy giving Dawn "the talk" and failing miserably. ("Sometimes, after you and a guy ...... they CHANGE.") Dawn learns nothing, goes to Tara from there, who knows nothing about having sex with a guy, but is supportive and encouraging. Buffy overhears and then begins to try to find how she fits into Dawn's life. We learn at the end that although B/D are vastly different from the VS and her sis, the bond is still just as strong.

Willow (and Tara) meeting up with Willow's parents again.

Big Bads

Vampires, return to the simpler times a bit. Not apocalyptic, but personal. Female vamp with a real mad-on for Buffy. Pissed because Buffy failed to save her? Also possibly some sort of vampire army. Fem is a modern-day Sun Tzu, right hand to this guy in charge of everything.

Addition (3Jul04): After some discussion, we're leaning toward making the femvamp a Slayer who was turned waaaay the heck back when. Possibly held or captured by some other vampire later on in life, and she was released by the head of the army, thus earning her allegiance. Maybe she's Japanese and thus very honourable? If we take her from 1600 or 1700's Japan, that might work out well. Might also give added weight to why her soul has no bearing on halting her quest for vengeance - honor demands that her sister's death be avenged. Possible imagery: maybe she was tortured by whoever held her? The mental image of big ol' cross scar over her eye is intriguing.

Season 9 Episode Chart

Notes

Need to work out (soon!) everybody's hell stuff so it can be incorporated into earlier episodes.

Willow versus hacker vamp idea. Why? What's at stake? Possible fill for humour ep at 9x16?

Corollary: Replot Willow's arc through S9 and possibly into S10.

Get new prophecy for Giles.

Work in at least one other prophecy stanza this season. Important to figure out soon. Who, when, how?

** This was a chart which doesn’t translate well to Tumblr, so I’ll break the cells apart and show column separation with ||

Updated - 22 June 2005

Ep # || Monster/Conflict || Plot Developments || Focus

9x01 || Vamps || Buffy kills Hitakno || Group

9x02 || Dante || Faith comes home || Faith

9x03 || Slone || Sunnydale HS reunion in LA || Group

9x04 || Vamps/Demons || Yuugana arrives in Trillium, Xander quits the Council || Xander

9x05 || Belastung || Tara goes home. || Tara

9x06 || Ethan || Giles birthday, Scoobies regressed || Giles

----------------- NOT YET AIRED -----------------

9x07 || Slayer || Demon girl on run from Slayer. Buffy and Slayer at moral odds. Dawn key powers awaken fully. || Buffy/Dawn

9x08 || Amy || Amy cashes in on Willow's debt. (Fake) Buffy accompanies. || Willow

9x09 || D'Hoffryn || Xander makes a wish that Anya hadn't died. || Xander

9x10 || The Furies || The Furies drive Finch's child to revenge. While they're here, they decide to spread the love. || Faith/Giles

9x11 || ??? || Funny episode - Camping trip? || Group(??)

9x12 || Yuugana || Faith visits Hazel's parents (Xander accompanies). Upon return to Trillium, is attacked and nearly killed by Yuugana. || Faith/Xander

9x13 || Yuugana/General || Sister's parallel. Buffy and Dawn, Yuugana and Hitanko. Yuu's backstory. General arrives, drains Willow and Dawn. || Yuugana/Buffy

9x14 || Yuugana/General || Buffy insists that the gang re-ensoul Yuugana. They do so; it makes no difference. Buffy attacked, put in coma. || Buffy/Group

9x15 || Antediluvian || In an effort to save Buffy, Tara, Xander, Dawn and Kennedy go in search of Ruth, and the Antediluvian. || Tara/Group

9x16 || ??? || Funny episode - ??? || Willow(??)

9x17 || The General || The General's plans come to fruition. || Group

9x18 || Giles' Demon || A demon Giles thought defeated years ago comes back to continue their arrangement. || Giles

9x19 || 7 Sins || The Seven Sins are unleashed on the Scoobies. || Group

9x20 || The General/Yuugana || The General releases Yuugana and they formulate a new plan involving Dawn. Yuugana kills the General and takes Dawn as bait. || Group(?)

9x21 || Yuugana || Part 1. Yuugana takes Dawn into the Private Hell place where she was recently kept. The Scoobies must follow. || Group

9x22 || Yuugana || Part 2. The Scoobies fight their way through their personal hell. Buffy vs Yuugana. || Group

Original Chart

** “VS” stands for “vampiric slayer”, so Yuugana before she had a name.

Ep # || Monster/Conflict || Plot Developments || Focus

9x01 || Vamps || Buffy kills the VS's sister || Group

9x02 || Serial killer || Faith comes home??

9x03 || ?? || Sunnydale HS reunion in LA || ??/Group(?)

9x04 || ?? (vamps?) || VS arrives in Trillium || ??/Group(?)

9x05 || ?? || Tara goes home. VS denied immediate revenge. || Tara

9x06 || Amy || Amy collects on debt. Wants Will to help her get a book. || Willow/Buffy

9x07 || Ethan Rayne || Giles birthday/regression || Giles

9x08 || Doc || Dawn & Doc - Key powers fully awoken || Dawn

9x09 || Finch's child (furies?) || Murderers haunted by past || Faith (lesser: W, G)

9x10 || D'Hoffryn || Xander's wish (Anya) || Xander

9x11 || VS/?? || Sister's parallel episode || Buffy/Dawn

9x12 || Monster in woods || Camping trip (Tara and blade of grass) || Group

9x13 || VS || Buffy vs. VS -- VS ensouled, Buffy drained || Buffy

9x14 || VS minions(?) || Buffy injured. Group goes after Antediluvian || Tara/Group

9x15 || ?? || "Labor Day" (Kenn still around) || Xander

9x16 || artifact || 7 Deadly Sins || Group

9x17 || Computer Program || Willow and the computer program || Willow

9x18 || ?? || Faith visits Hazel's parents || Faith/Xander

9x19 || Demon || Demon that's possessed Giles. Comes every 10(?) years. || Giles

9x20 || General || Fight with General - General loses || Group

9x21 || Demon Dimension || Four Horsemen ("Four"?) [Abortive attempt by VS to separate Buffy from her strongest allies?] || B/W/X/G

9x22 || VS || Big battle -- Buffy vs. VS || Buffy/Group

Yuugana

need: how does Buffy come to believe what she does about Yuu? Conversation beforehand? Difficult. Why doesn't Yuu just kill her? Could make threat, but then Buffy is gambling with everyone, and makes no sense why Yuu nearly kills Buffy later. (Especially as threat will come when Buffy falls unconscious.)

Buffy must be able to draw conclusions ahead of time. Paint picture of Yuu that Buffy will be privvy to. Draw parallels b/w Buffy's life and Yuugana's life. Buffy will internalize.

NEED: When/How will gang find out that she is Yuugana? When will this name be dropped? How? May be good if we can draw General as being very, very powerful. They're afraid of him. Getting Yuu on their side would be huge in fighting him.

Idea: General nearly kills Dawn, draining key powers. Yuu saves her. Buffy thinks it is because Yuu knows what it's like to lose a sister. In truth, Yuu isn't ready for Dawn to die yet - that will be the most painful blow of all.

buffy believes -- utterly believes -- that Yuugana will be good if given her soul. Spike was good, Angel was good ... maybe all vampires can do good if given the chance? Who is she to be judge, jury and executioner?

Internalized: this could be me. What would I do if someone killed Dawn?

** I found two sets of Season 9 character arc notes. The first set are what I think what I was mainly working from, but I’m not 100%.

Character Emotional/Plot Arcs – Season 9

Season Theme: Consequences

Buffy

Will be target of the Big Bad’s wrath as a consequence of killing the BB’s sister early in the season. Buffy’s primary emotional arc will be in the realization that every action, even the most seemingly natural or inconsequential, has far-reaching repercussions, that affect not just Buffy but those she loves.

Willow

Willow’s emotional arc returns to one that was never resolved or given enough attention (or mangled thanks to magic=crack) – control issues. Throughout Willow’s history on BtVS, she’s exhibited time and again a deep NEED to control the things around her. Her need for this never changed, save for her becoming so paranoid she was afraid to breath for fear of killing everyone in S7. Her catalyst for these deep-seeded emotional problems re-emerging stem from a few basic changes. 1) Tara’s back, and Willow doesn’t think she can take losing her again. 2) The Big Bad has made things very, very personal. And Willow remembers only too well what happened last time a Big Bad vampire took things personal. 3) This Big Bad is smart. Really smart. In some ways, even smarter than Willow. And for all the enemies they’ve faced, Will’s never had to go against someone who’s been able to out think her before. And she freaks.

We’re going to have to be careful with this one, though, because we don’t want a return to “Willow Uses Way Too Much Magick” again. We’re therefore going to have to find others ways in which Willow exercises that control trigger finger. Her computer skills could certainly help out to a degree, as well as her smarts, but we’re going to have to be careful. We definitely don’t want a rehash of S6’s problems. Willow is – or very much should be – wiser than that now. And while Will has sort of always had a bad case of “the ends justify the means”, we don’t want a rehash. So care is needed.

We could help to show this by maybe having Willow do something like casting a really powerful protection spell that somehow backfires. What will be vitally important here is taking care to make it very clear that Willow isn’t relying on magick for every little thing (no spells for decoration or closing curtains) … the magick is simply her most powerful tool for keeping everyone safe. This should NOT be about black magick, but about a need for control.

NOTE (4Jul04): After discussions, will probably meld Will's character arc with the fact that Buffy and others (Tara and Giles probably excepted) don't fully appreciate or realize the pressures they put on Willow to come up with the answers and be the big gun, while simultaneously not wanting her to go too far. Magick is bad, except when they need it. They don't accept their own consequences for the actions they push her toward. This still feeds into Willow's character flaws above - her need to protect everyone, to be the best, to keep the nasty stuff at bay.

Xander

Xander, being the human element, will have the root of his emotional arc derive from one of the most basic of human desires: to live forever. Not in the biologically immortal sense, but by wanting to live on long after he’s died. Xander realizes that of all his friends, he is the one that history is least likely to remember. The odds on him being studied in school centuries from now are next to nothing. Buffy will be recalled as the world’s most successful Slayer. Willow as the witch whose spell changed the world. Giles as the founder of the new Watcher’s Council (and new world order?) Any history mentioning Willow is almost guaranteed to include Tara as well. Dawn and her Key potential is fascinating and going to be mentioned … but Xander? There’s nothing so remarkable about Xander, he feels, and thus begins his quest to somehow ensure his own immortality to history.

This might somehow be triggered by the emergence of a new sort of threat. With Slayers all over the world, there’s absolutely no way that NOBODY is going to notice them. Even if people in the Buffyverse have shown time and again that they’ll simply ignore what they either can’t or are unwilling to understand (gang related, PCP), not everybody is so willing to pull down the veil. Thus begins the emergence of a conspiracy theorist, someone who somehow has managed to trace his story to Slayer Central. In doing so, he somehow manages to put a level of importance on each of the Scoobies … except Xander. Which stings.

Xander would eventually come to realize that while history may not remember him, those he loves certainly will, and when all’s said and done, that’s enough for him.

Giles

Giles’ arc will come out of an inevitability – his age. One of the earliest episodes will be reflecting on the fact that Giles is now 50. He’s done such a good job with the Council that much of the bureaucracy continues without his direct involvement. He’s not really keen on that side of things anyway, so he’s not sorry to see it go. But what he does want to do instead is get into the thick of things physically. But, unfortunately, he simply can’t anymore, and it’s a lesson he very much doesn’t want to learn. Giles will ultimately come to realize, however, that while he can’t swing a sword to match the Slayer, what he DOES have is his incredible mind, which will certainly be put to great use in the confrontations with the Sun Tzu-like Big Bad. The fight could not be won without Giles’ intellectual input.

Tara

Tara will spend much of her arc wondering about her place. When she was alive, she had some difficulty in fitting in. And it wasn’t until just before her death that she really started to come into her own. A year and a half has passed now, however, and things and people have changed. Tara aspires to be more than just an extension of Willow, and as voiced in “Family”, she wants very much to feel useful to the Scoobies.

But Tara’s need to find where she fits extends beyond simply within the Scoobs. Tara has a very definite sense of nature and balance, and her being brought back from the dead is something of an abhorrence to her. She can’t quite shake the feeling that in order for her to have been brought back, something had to go out in her place to keep the balance. What that may have been disturbs her beyond words.

How exactly these issues become resolved is currently unclear. Tara should certainly remain the moral and emotional center of the Scoobies. She has more power now, but power was always Willow’s contribution, not Tara’s. On the death thing, perhaps something mystical helps her? Maybe the big Wicca chick we bring in at the end of S8 can help somehow? Show that Tara’s coming back was, in its own way, as natural as her passing was UNnatural. Her return is, in and of itself, a righting of the scales.

Dawn

This is a big year for Dawn. She’s a senior in high school. She’s turning 18. She’s becoming an adult. Oh, yeah, and she’ll finally figure out that she’s got all those Key powers still. Dawn’s story will be about transitions. From childhood to adulthood, from being just a normal (as normal as she could be) girl to having all those powers as the Key and whatever that implies for her. We will also need to decide this year where Dawn’s going to college (her awakening Key powers could be a good excuse to keep her local).

Faith

Faith’s story is going to be about guilt. Hazel’s death at the end of the previous season happened right before we ended the whole thing, so at that point we will have gotten to see precious little carryover. This is the time to dwell on that. Faith would feel tremendous guilt over Hazel’s death – Faith is the one who recruited Hazel, who brought her there. She was Hazel’s mentor, and Hazel sacrificed herself for Faith. We don’t want to retread over the “do I belong here?” line, since we’re dealing with that in S8, but Faith should certainly be questioning whether or not she should be leading little girls into dangerous battles. It’s one thing for Faith to risk her life night after night, but another entirely to be responsible for the lives and deaths of others. Unsure how this will resolve, but it seems the logical arc for Faith given the closing of the previous season.

Big Bad

NOTE: We’re going to have to come up with a really good reason why Willow just doesn’t ensoul the vamp chick … or she does and it makes no difference at all. Could be an interesting commentary about vampires and souls. Hm.

The more we’re discussing this, the more we’re liking this idea. The notion of souls in the Buffyverse has always been sort of hazy at best. Loosely, they seemed to be of the opinion that getting a soul somehow made you good … but there are countless number of humans in the world (and the Buffyverse – look at Warren) who are human and, one therefore assumes, have a soul. Yet they are still capable of great evil. Even more so than some demons that they encounter. So despite however neat and pat Buffy likes to make it sometimes, a soul does NOT automatically mean that someone is going to be good. And maybe that throws her for a hell of a loop. Willow ensouls the BB, but it doesn’t make one bit of difference. Vengeance is, after all, as much a human emotion as anything else, and the BB still wants Buffy to suffer horribly for what she’s done. At most, the BB may feel some measure of guilt for the people that she’s had to kill over the past 300 or 400 years (however long she’s been vamped), but as it turns out, she doesn’t. She looks at it with the detached, cold impracticality possessed by Slayers – she did what she had to in order to survive. Maybe she wasn’t a fan of torture (we’re painting her very logical and such, so this should work okay), and simply did what she needed to. The Slayer in and of itself is very predatorial and most definitely a survivor – there’s not necessarily much difference between them, and this will further demonstrate that fact.

This could also further add to Willow’s continued feeling of being out of control. This SHOULD have worked and didn’t.

Season 9 Character Arcs

Buffy:

Buffy's arc will deal with a continuing gray area between what is good and what is evil. What is a soul really? Does having a soul make you good by default? The vampiric Slayer will prove that's not necessarily the case. Additionally, Buffy will be trying to sort out a few things about her life. What does she ultimately want to do? She could very well be the first Slayer in history to die of old age. Does she want to be involved with that all her life, or does she want more? Would Buffy maybe like to return to school? (Might be fun to have her and Tara going back to school together.) Around midway point, Buffy is nearly drained to death by vamp Slayer, she must rely on others to take care of her - doesn't always have to be the strong one.

Willow:

Willow will come to the realization that her magick is of no use against the Big Bad this year. What is Willow without her magick? What else can she contribute? Progressively, other things may fail as well, so that Willow is systematically deconstructed and having to find her true purpose and how she can contribute outside of her raw power.

Xander:

Xander will explore his roles this season. He's said that he won't be forgotten or shoved aside, so then the question becomes, how will he contribute? It's up to Xander to answer this question. He tries his hand at a variety of roles - maybe a Watcher, maybe a husband (though he's already "failed" at that one). Come the end, he realizes that his role is support, and it's the role he's always fallen into naturally.

Giles:

Giles is pulling away from the others. He's beginning to see the Slayers as nameless, faceless people. He realizes that he'll have to sacrifice them - and some part of himself - again at some point in the future, so he's subconsciously distancing himself from the pain. He's slowly becoming the Old Council. Comes to realize that while he may have to distance himself from the body as a whole, it doesn't mean he shouldn't have any attachments at all. And that he can be those two people - the one that can love them, but still sacrifice them for the greater good if necessary (which will work, as Giles will ultimately sacrifice himself, NOT for the greater good but because he doesn't want them to die). ** Which may be a good time to point out that I was going to kill Giles next season, kisses.

Tara:

Tara's quest this year will be for her place. She's died and come back, but this isn't "right". There is a balance in things, and she feels she's upset that balance. She'll explore her past and her family to find out why, in a grander sense, she's back and how she fits in now.

Tara and Willow:

Tara discovers that Willow has somewhat enshrined her as a result of her death and return. Willow caves to Tara almost constantly, and it's beginning to affect them both, but Willow can't bring herself to fight with Tara as a result of what happens every time they fight. She doesn't want Tara to go away again. They must fight, they have to learn that it's okay. Tara pushes it with Willow and makes it happen. Maybe when Tara goes to visit her family, that's the catalyst.

Dawn:

Dawn becomes victim of the time-old adage, "be careful what you wish for". She's always wanted to be a Scooby, but now that's beginning to conflict with her other desire to be a regular teenaged girl and her other big desire: to be an adult. All these worlds are colliding and Dawn's not sure which is more important. Blows off Scooby things for friend-things sometimes. Blows off friend-things for Scooby-things.

Re Grip: They're getting closer, but she keeps having to put off things with him due to Scooby situations. Grip notices and (kindly) confronts her, wondering if she really just doesn't want to see him anymore but doesn't know how to tell him. When he finds out about the baddies, he'll back away, needing time to process. Poor Dawnie.

Faith:

Faith will spend the season getting back onto the redemptive path she's been on for years. She doesn't feel bad that she killed Judith and is wondering what the means (somewhat like when her mother died). She'll learn that just because she's stumbled doesn't mean she's fallen. She begins in England, hiding out from Trillium. Thinking she should go solo, it was easier when she didn't have anyone else to worry about. Doesn't want to go back, but Kennedy pushes her. Once back, Faith avoids everyone. Should Giles maybe get Faith into therapy?

Buffy agitated that Faith isn't really being punished. Faith points out that a lot of people around Buffy are killers and they've never been punished either. Buffy needs things black and white, Faith is another shade of grey and it's getting harder and harder for her to do her job.

Xander gets to the heart of things too much, and Faith doesn't want to deal with that. Finally it's Willow who lets Faith know that there's someone who DOES understand. It's the first step in getting Faith back into things, but she still doesn't want to teach.

Maybe at some point in the season, Faith takes off? If so, Xander should probably pursue. (Might tie in nicely to Xander's "what's my role?" arc. Perhaps he has a job interview or something that he can't miss out on that will further define him, but he misses it because he has to help Faith, and that's the choice he makes) Could be where Hazel's death gets resolved. Goes to Hazel's house and parents for that?

Faith's murder issue will probably come to a head when she's face-to-face with Finch's child. Kid wants revenge, and Faith understands that. States how it won't make anything better, but gives up and says that if s/he wants it so bad, just take it. S/he doesn't, of course, which would probably disappoint Faith to a degree.

Maybe show Faith just starting to teach again at the end of the season, rather than some big culmination. Maybe she's forced into it when the VS keeps the other Slayers occupied? Buffy would be elsewhere at the time.

The Big Bad

** These are some of my earliest notes, as reflected in how I’m using my placeholder names like “Dark Coven”. A lot of it deals with what happened in S8, but it outlines the larger arc, which would have come to a head in S10.

What the Bad Guys Want

The Dark Coven is seeking to reawaken The Old Ones. As per Giles in “Welcome to the Hellmouth", the Old Ones were driven out when the lost their "purchase" on this reality. The last vestiges of the Old Ones fed on a human, mixed their blood, and created the first vampire. This proves that humans were around during the time of the Old Ones. He also states that vamps, demons and some magicks are leftovers from the time of the Old Ones.

The Dark Coven is a group that has been around since the time of the Old Ones. They are in allegiance with them, and are currently seeking to free them. In their current incarnation, they are very, very close (comparatively speaking). The Old Ones are sealed away somewhere by a series of extremely intricate locks, well nigh impenetrable. But they actually are already well on their way to opening them.

More than anything else, the DC is a master of manipulation with OODLES of patience. They've been working on freeing the Old Ones since their imprisonment. As is eventually revealed, they have been twisting events with the Scoobies for years, bringing them to the point where the Old Ones are ready to be freed.

When the Old Ones Roamed

They were, quite simply, lords of their domain. They are few in number, but unfathomably powerful. As with many nigh-omnipotent beings, however, they became bored and complacent. They began to tinker with things and began creating demons, unleashing them on the world. The demons, however, were little more than slaves, and no matter how evil, nothing much likes being enslaved. The demons, together with humans (quite possibly including the Shadow Men from "Get it Done") were able to ensnare the Old Ones -- you can't kill them, but they were imprisoned. Once the Old Ones were gone, their power slowly vanished, diminishing their partners/lackies/etc. (like the DC), and leaving the created demons and humans to fight over the rest of the land.

Season 6 Manipulation

The DC, although powerful, are themselves, collectively, unable to open the remaining locks (if they could ever open any at all). However they soon discovered one girl, Willow Rosenberg, who had the innate ability to channel the energies necessary to set things into motion. She just needed the right motivation to get the power.

Exactly how far their manipulation into these events goes, we don't know. What is for certain is that they fixed it so that Tara would be shot and killed by Warren's stray bullet. (The reasoning for this idea: there's absolutely no way the bullet could have possibly killed Tara in the way it did. Warren was in the backyard, running away and shooting upwards. Tara was standing by the bedroom window on the second story. The bullet shot through the glass, and through her, at no angle at all. Obviously in-show this was done for dramatic purposes, but they left a door open for outside creative interpretation and I’m going through it.)

As they knew it would, this prompts Willow to become hell-bent on revenge and absorb enough power to destroy the world. She goes to Kingman's Bluff, raises the effigy of Proserpexa, and begins to funnel her energies into it. Had she done this enough, she would have raised one of the Old Ones herself (or Proserpexa could have take the next step in unlocking one of the doors), however Xander interceded and saved Willow before this could happen.

NOTE: Perhaps Xander's interception is what was actually needed here? I always found it interesting that he completely blocked and seemingly absorbed all that power Willow was throwing at the effigy without even blinking. Was this maybe super-charging him for something? Could this maybe be key to what they will need to save him from later on? (S10 stuff.)

The Proserpexa angle maybe have been removed, but the DC didn't mind -- Willow had now unlocked enough of the power within herself to open another lock.

Season 7 Manipulation

This stems from a whole lot of S7 never really standing up to much scrutiny. Take, for example, the scythe. Caleb and the First spend SO much time and energy in uncovering the scythe, claiming to know how very important it was to NOT allow Buffy & Co. to get it -- when if they hadn't even been trying to get it, Buffy wouldn't have ever known it was there. This in and of itself seems to make ZERO sense, particularly since it never seemed to be that the First could use the scythe himself -- it was all about keeping it from the Slayer. So, very stupid to not only sit on the darned thing, but to ACTIVELY BRING YOUR ENEMIES TO IT (the "trap" in "Dirty Girls" leads Buffy and the Slayers to the vineyard, They never would have bothered going there otherwise).

My reasoning: The First is also an Old One. And he set his plan up specifically to fail. He himself is immortal, he cannot die. And he doesn't really give a crap about ubervamps and Bringers. Their plan all along was to make the Scoobies unleash the scythe to awaken all the Slayers.

Why? As mentioned in "Get it Done", there is a well of Slayer power. That well is usually filled nearly to capacity. It was, after all, only being used by Buffy, and then Faith. The fact that the emergence of a second Slayer did nothing to diminish either's power indicates that it's not shared on that kind of level. In addition, the awakening of all the Slayers at the end of "Chosen" didn't seem to cause any sort of power drain. Instead, we theorize that the well is deep, but has a finite capacity. When Willow did the spell, she in essence pulled the stopper on the well and drained it dry. This well, however, happens to be one of the keys to freeing the Old Ones, and once it drops to a certain level, the "door" that it locks is open.

Moving on -- The Chosen

When Slayers die now, one is not called in their place. There is a finite number of Slayers in the world now. When they die, their Slayerness returns to the well. Only once it reaches a certain level (presumably it's "default" state, pre-spell) will the "natural" process resume. The DC obviously don't want this to happen, as once it "refills" to a certain point, the door will close again. Hence their working with the Assemblage of Merodoch (previously, "Dark Council"); by harnessing and funneling the Slayerness into an already existing Slayer, it does not return to the well, hence no refill.

But that isn't the only reason the DC are working with the Assemblage. The AoM also has another key: an angel that they're keeping chained up in the deepest sublevel of their headquarters. This angel has, perhaps, been around as long as the Old Ones themselves. Perhaps he even aided in imprisoning them. He was captured shortly thereafter, however, and has remained that way ever since (we're talking pretty close to pre-recorded history here, as long as the Slayer line has been in existence, possibly longer).

Idea: The angel can only be freed by a descendant of one who imprisoned him in the first place. Maybe a Giles?

He is a key -- maybe something he says? His true name, perhaps? The DC want him, but the AoM have him and won't give him up. They have said, however, that once Order is restored to the world, they will provide the DC with the means to do whatever they need to do with him. The DC is okay with this -- they're currently getting something from the Council (someone to alert them to the need to funnel Slayer energy and someone to keep all that tiresome business together while they focus on the really important stuff).

Like good ol' Willow Rosenberg.

They call Willow "The Sangerand" ("the bloody"), and they should absolutely not be done with her yet. Willow's independent further role, we don't yet know, but she commands their greatest amount of attention. Her, and Tara. ("The Curat", or "the pure"?)

When they resurrect Tara, it is ostensibly under the guise of killing Willow. However the true reason is to fulfill Tara's part of this prophecy (which includes her death, resurrection and making the choice to not kill Willow), possibly including the sharing of power that Willow will need to do to save them.

Thinking on it, it would be cool to have each Scooby play an important role somehow in all of this. Sort of like their being together in this way was a fated thing. "The Chosen" indeed.

**ADDENDUM** I really like this idea of each Scooby playing a particular role. This could still lead up to the eventual death of Giles, which in and of itself will provide the beginnings of the Coven's downfall. They do whatever they're doing to Xander, which will kill him - but that won't matter because his role in unlocking the door will be done. Will is going to be doing the spell to save him, which will kill her in turn, but that's okay too because her part is also played in releasing the Old Ones. Giles, however, has NOT yet done his part, and he completely surprises everyone when he takes Willow's place, thereby saving both Will and Xander. This totally throws the Coven for a loop, though obviously they must still be able to do what they need to without Giles, else their plans are over with right then and there. It's crucial that his sacrifice NOT be part of the DC's plans, else it takes away from its poignancy.

Will need some sort of prophecy-type thing detailing what is needed to be done to release the Old Ones. Should be nice and vague, but with meaning once you figure it out.

Scooby Designations

Willow: The Sangerand ("the bloody")

Tara: The Curat ("the pure")

Xander: The Vedere ("the sight"), The Asar ("all-seeing eye") -- "The Baani" ("The Architect" - Urdu)

Buffy: The Kusari ("the chain"), The Revenire ("the returned"), The Gula or The Bau ("Lady Who the Dead Bring Back to Life")

Giles: The Verhaal ("the history"), The Shoukin/The Infria, ("redemption"), The Shin'ar ("Land of the Watchers")

Faith: ("the dark"), ("the restrained"), ("the wild")

Dawn: ("the cherished"), ("the gateway"), ("the portal"), ("the key")

The Prophecy

Opening Quatrain

Buffy :: The Trimarga :: Three Path A heartbeat thrice begun A death mark thrice given All roads lead to the town of three When her spilled blood shall spill again

Willow :: The Sangerand :: The Bloody Blood flowing, blood taken Forces awoken, decline and ascent Blood given, life exchanged Freely, she will fall

Xander :: The Baani :: The Builder Grief and rage, life's destruction Mind and body, life's cohesion Heart and spirit, life's devotion Melding, merging; essence anew

Giles :: The Tezan :: The Way Forger of paths, the first and his kin The demon wields the plague of black Summoner, banisher Pierce the barrier, paths renewed

Tara :: The Curat :: The Pure Birth and rebirth, the cycle complete Connected to evil, untainted Power innate and power borrowed Through the light she will free the ancient one

Dawn :: The Amelatu :: The Gatekeeper Living energy made flesh and form Younger in life, older than death Truth altered, life shed And the walls will fall

The Slayer Well Solitary hunter, night's enemy She alone will stand When the well is drained and strength is shared One becomes Many

Closing Quatrain And so it is written Seven locks hold fast The masters expelled, the world cleansed Until the Chosen play their part

Seven keys for seven locks From the first to fall, five score and one If all locks turn, the door lay open And the Old Ones shall reclaim the Earth

Buffy: The Trimarga ("three path" :: the triple path of Knowledge [jnanayoga], Devotion [bhaktiyoga] and Action [karmayoga]). Three times her heart has started beating, three times she's been marked by a vampire (Angel, Dracula and the Vamp Slayer [yet to happen) and in town of threes(??). Something to do with blood - some of it needed to open the lock. Blood of a Slayer is already potent, and Buffy's was obviously enough to close the portal in place of Dawn.

Willow: The Sangerand ("the bloody"). Willow will cast a blood-sacrifice spell, that will enable her to willingly exchange her life for another. It has to be this spell based upon how Mads and the others are killing Xander. Very, very powerful, only she can do it. The flow of the energies will open the lock.

Xander: The Baani ('the builder"). Xander is the "incuabator" for two very powerful magicks. They don't impact him directly, but it is his nature - his very self - that will enable them to merge within him to create something new. The first blast came from Willow on Kingman's Bluff. The second, from the orb destroyed in "Win, Lose or Draw". Madrigan will take Xander around the mid-point of S10 to extract the magicks from him. It will kill him in the process, but that's of little concern.

Giles: The Tezan ("the way"). Giles' role is to obtain a ring that has been in his family for generations upon generations. Unknown to those recently, the jewel of the ring actually contains a demon - a demon that was the original cause of the Black Plague in the 1330's. Giles' ancestor, a powerful warlock for the Council, was the first human to pierce the barrier between this dimension and a demon dimension where he summoned a demon and bound it to his service. The demon was sent to China, where it was supposed to take out a group of other demonic creatures trying to open a Hellmouth there. It did indeed do that, but not before starting the plague. The Council, rather than destroy the ring and banish the creature, said "We'll control it better next time." The ring's purpose was eventually lost,. Giles is supposed to release and then banish the demon, again piercing the dimensional barrier and opening that lock. ** He dies instead, sacrificing himself to save both Willow and Xander. Oops.

Tara: The Curat ("the pure"). Tara's lock will open upon her freeing the Antediluvian. The Antediluvian is an angelic creature that was captured by Robespierre's ancestors. Its imprisonment means the lock is sealed - its freedom opens it. Tara is able to free it due to her lineage as a witch, her purity of spirit, her completed cycle of birth and rebirth, and (by binding with Willow) her immense white magick power creating the necessary conditions. Ruth, Tara's grandmother or great-grandmother, was also thought at one time to have been the Curat, but was not. However she does recognize the qualities within Tara. (Perhaps the Antediluvian, despite its imprisonment being a good thing, can do great good if it's released?) ** Later in S9, Tara and Co. would have freed the Antediluvian to save Buffy after Yuugana’s attack.

Dawn: The Amelatu ("the gatekeeper"). Dawn herself is able to open the lock. Not a lot of detail here. We'll need to sort out somehow or another that Dawn will do this ... or perhaps she already has? There seems to be little better time for Dawn to have opened the necessary lock than when all the dimensional walls were coming down.

Additional Lock: The well of Slayer power being drained. This was done by Willow in S7, but is not Willow's specific key.

Additional Info: Once any lock falls, there is a "timer" of 100 years for the rest to fall, or they all lock again.

** It may not escape notice that Faith is not part of this prophecy. That became by design, not oversight. I loved how this idea of “The Chosen” worked into the larger series theme, but I also hate the ideas of fate and destiny being controlling factors. Faith was going to be my argument against all that. When all the prophecy pieces were revealed, Faith would (rather defeatedly in her Faith way) note that she had no part to play. But she is the embodiment of being Chosen, as the characters choose to have Faith by their side and fuck prophecy anyway. Their unreserved acceptance of Faith, and Faith’s acceptance of THAT, would have been the culmination of her character arc in S10 (and my series).

S10 Ideas

Something to do with tarot cards, with each member maybe being a particular card?

Several characters get thrown back in time to an earlier season. Dawn especially should go, as she wasn't around then.

stained glass idea. couples. Buffy left free. Valentine's day ep.

"The Impossible Dream" - Man of La Mancha lyrics

Faith having conversation with Kendra -- result of illness, injury, or prophetic dream

** An episode I was definitely going to do, but frustratingly can’t find any notes for (making me feel there must be SOMETHING else out there somewhere but fuck me if I know where) had Willow and Tara going to Los Angels and visiting Lorne’s bar, Caritas.

S10 Ending

Everyone ends on a thematic note, their actions in the final battle bringing together 10 years of development:

Giles's sacrifice makes victory possible - by finally following his heart rather than his duty he saves the world.

Xander, by virtue (and surprise) of simply being Xander, strikes the final blow.

Willow succeeds only by keeping herself in check, refusing to break and believing that she can win.

Buffy's victories come from not only sharing herself (mentally to Willow and physically to Faith and Kennedy) but truly, finally, accepting that she's not in this alone.

Dawn makes the sacrifice she was destined to make from the moment she was created.

Tara is the touchstone, giving the strength and support to everyone else and the lifeline that ultimately saves Dawn.

Faith has no greater role handed to her by fate -- but she's here and kicking ass so screw you, fate.

(work on Kennedy, she ends up fighting w/ Buff and Faith, but does she start there? maybe she and Faith start with Tara and Dawn?)

IDEAS

Seneca final battle. He's winning. Standing over Buffy, gloating smile. Then he finally speaks. Something like, "I've waited a long time to--" Then he gets skewered (Faith or Kennedy, maybe both.) He can't say anything else, just gurgle. He dies, and the Slayers stand over him.

Buffy: "Blah blah blah. You know, just once I'd like to meet a bad guy who knows how to keep his mouth shut."

Kennedy: "No lie. Still, I wonder what he was going to say?"

Faith: "Who the hell cares?"

Buffy HAS to be part of final Madrigan fight. She goes initially with Xander and Willow. Xander gets struck down by Mads, seemingly dead. Buffy gets nailed too. Willow needs Buffy to get through this though, and Buff gives Will her strength (flashback to "Same Time Same Place" as well as early Chosen w/ Willow and Buffy being so attuned -- see, not a throw-away plot point! Planned all along!) Leads to good "final" conversation/bonding with them as they search for Madrigan in the mental plane.

Earlier in the season, Madrigan extracting the magick from Xander. Very painful for Xander. Madrigan talking to him though, very chatty, very casual. Xander trying to dig for info, Madrigan clearly seeing through it. He likes the cliche though (exposition while acknowledging how clunky and stupid it is to have exposition here). Mads being real bastard (passively though) to Xander this whole time, noting how Xander isn't even really important in and of himself, it's only what others do with him that counts (maybe include little side wink-nudge point, it's what's inside Xander that matters). Mads ends the conversation by apologizing. "Sorry dude, this has gotta suck for you. Hey, you know what I like to do when I'm down? TV! You like 'Murphy Brown'? I've been Netflixing it." He and Seneca proceed to sit down and watch while Xander is essentially tortured behind them. Mads just turns up the volume.

Season 10 Final Fight

Buffy, Kennedy and Faith will go after Seneca.

Willow and Tara will be walking along in the facility when they're attacked. Tara is thrown away from Willow, who is then going to be caught behind an impenetrable shield with Madrigan. He wants to face her alone on an astral plane of sorts. Tara can't join her. Willow is depowered somewhat as a result of the spell she was casting to save Xander. Madrigan wants to fight her, however. Will surprises him - she thought like him and figured he would do this. As a result, Xander is piggy-backing with her, and she's not alone. Madrigan says that he knows Xander, and Xander won't kill him. He's wrong. X: "He don't know me very well, do he?"

Meanwhile, the door to release the Old Ones is opening and they can't stop it. Or they think they can't. Dawn realizes that she, being the Key, can. She begins to do so, but it's taking so much power, it's essentially killing her. Dawn is reverting to pure energy form. Buffy screams at her, tells her not to, but Dawn says she's spent the past five years wondering - feeling, even - that she should've died on that tower. Now she knows that she wasn't supposed to die, she was supposed to live to do this. "This is the job that I have to do." Buffy can't stop her. Tara fights though, won't let Dawn go. Tara eventually passes out and Dawn disappears. The energy is gone and so is Dawn, but the door is closed and locked again.

Not long after, Buffy goes home. Willow and Xander are with Tara at the hospital (she’s drained but okay). Buffy seems to be alone. She's completely dispirited - Dawn is dead. She enters her room, only to find Dawn there. B: "What are you doing here?" Shades of Dawn's first appearance. Turns out (as we'll learn in the final episode) that Dawn has given up all of her Key powers - for real this time. She is now, completely and utterly, a very real, very normal girl.

** And finally, I give you all with this. It’s a rough sketch of the scene after Giles has died, so would have come about 2/3rd of the way through Season 10. I wrote this in 2004, about a week after the death of my grandfather. I like to think that, if I’d gotten that far, this would have been one of those moments that would have stuck with you. I certainly would’ve tried.

Giles Death Reactions

These are a sequence of silent scenes.

We first see Faith in a darkened training room. She's punching a punching bag.

We're in Giles loft, the lights all dark. The door opens, and Hannah's standing there, on the threshold. She doesn’t enter.

We're in a hospital, private room. There are two beds. The one on the far left contains Xander. He looks gaunt, pale, near death. But breathing. His heart monitor gives a steady readout. Dawn sits next to him, inbetween the two beds. Tears are streaming down her cheeks – simply falling, she's not sobbing. She watches Xander with a fearful, worried expression, then turns to the next bed. There's Willow, also pale and drawn. She doesn't look well either, though not quite as bad as Xander. Tara sits on the other side of the bed, as close to it as she can possibly get. One of Willow's hands is held up in both of hers, Willow's fingers resting on Tara's lips. Tara's eyes are red – she's obviously been crying too. She meets Dawn's gaze. Neither smile.

We're in Giles' office. Buffy is standing in the doorway. Her face is blank.

We're back in the loft, Hannah's position mirroring Buffy's. She walks inside and finds herself drawn toward Giles' stereo system. She runs her hands over the CD collection, full of albums and songs from their past.

Faith's punching of the bag increases. She's venting, her jabs more vicious, more focused. Over her shoulder, we see Kennedy watching.

The hospital. Dawn runs a hand through her hair and wipes her eyes after watching Xander intently. She turns to Willow and watches as Willow opens her eyes and blinks. Dawn watches in surprise, and Willow seems to sense the scrutiny. She turns to Dawn and smiles – just a small smile, a pained one, but it's something. Dawn's face breaks into an expression of pure joy and relief, and she says something. Tara has either been locked in thought or asleep, Willow's hand clutched to her forehead, but her head jerks up at Dawn's words. She focuses on Dawn for the briefest of moments before her eyes go back to Willow. Willow is already looking at her, and she smiles again, a bit stronger this time. Willow says something too, and it causes Tara to laugh. The laugh turns into a sob of relief though, and Tara kisses Willow's hand several times then leans over and kisses her forehead. Will is weak, but is able to give Tara a one-armed hug, kissing her on the cheek, then turning to Dawn and extending her other arm. Dawn is there in a heartbeat, also crying in relief.

Giles' office. Almost trancelike, Buffy moves further into the darkened office, which is lit only by the lamp on the desk. As she walks, her eyes are drawn to things. The rows and rows of books that Giles surrounded himself with. The bookcases that Xander built, not only filled with books but also decorated with knickknacks – various small statues and effigies and an Owl plushie. She looks to the opposite wall, where hangs a variety of pictures, but dominating them all, easily the biggest and with the proudest placement, is a picture of Giles, snapped at a moment none of them were expecting. He was obviously the victim of a random group hug attack – Buffy, Willow, Xander, Tara and Dawn, all hugging him fiercely. Giles has that look on his face where he's trying hard to be annoyed with them, but is secretly loving every moment. Buffy's movement into the office hasn't halted, hasn't slowed from its already snail's pace. She's at the desk now. Bathed in the warm glow of the lamp, she sees a cup of tea, only half-drunk, as though Giles will be returning any moment to finish it. Most prominent, however, are the sealed envelopes on the desk, several of them, each bearing a name. We see Buffy's name on the top one, and can see hints of other's beneath: Willow, Xander, etc. Giles' glasses rest nearby.

Faith is almost in a frenzy of kicks and punches now. Her teeth are clenched and she looks like she wants nothing more than to have the bag turn into the Grim Reaper himself so she can pound the crap out of him. A hand rests on her shoulder, and Faith whirls around to see Kennedy there. Faith looks like she might just start beating the shit out of Kennedy as well, but then Kennedy takes Faith's hand and puts a stake in it. Faith looks down at it questioningly, then looks to Kennedy. Kennedy holds up her own stake. Faith's eyes narrow and she nods, just slightly.

Hannah's by the window in Giles' loft, simply looking out, looking at nothing in particular. She hugs herself and her head drops as she starts to softly cry.

In the hospital room, Willow casts an anxious look at Xander still motionless in his bed. She looks first to Dawn, then Tara, who says something that causes Willow to relax considerably. She smiles, but soon realizes her smiles aren't being returned. She again looks questioningly from one to the other, but neither speak. She's getting really worked up now, scared, and Dawn starts to say something. She doesn't get far, though, before she can't speak any more. Willow turns immediately to Tara, who picks up where Dawn left off. Willow watches, still afraid. Then the fear turns to disbelief. She's starting to cry now and she shakes her head in denial. She looks to Dawn, looking for someone to tell her that what she's heard isn't true, but Dawn can only cry. Willow looks back to Tara again and says something, begging for it not to be true. Tara can only look at her with sympathy and matching pain as Willow dissolves into tears.

Giles office. Buffy is sitting in the corner, her back against the wall, curled in on herself. We can't see her face, but her shaking shoulders tell us all we need to know. She's hugging the Owl plushie for dear life.

CUT TO BLACK

** And that, my friends, is that.

#jw writes stuff #btvs: the chosen #IT TOOK ME LONGER THAN I THOUGHT #and now i'm officially drained and exhausted goodnight

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sunshinechii-scenarios · 7 years ago

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Foodies

✿ Day6′s YoungK x Female!Reader ✿ Fluff ✿ 1.5k words ✿ Not requested ✿ Written by Sunni

WOWOW, I’m still in existence?! No, but really, I’m actually so sorry for not posting in so long but I have more scenarios coming, I promise! I was quite hungry when I typed this but for those that are not familiar, the congee that is referenced in the story is like a Chinese rice porridge dish! -Sunni

YoungK tapped his foot to no beat in particular, antsy to get off the train and finally enjoy a meal. He hadn’t eaten all day and it didn’t help that he was going through your food blog yet again. You had updated just yesterday; the buddae jiggae looked delicious. YoungK was a sucker for a runny yolk on top of any jiggae and he promised himself he would try this place in the future.

Like many times before, YoungK had left a comment on this post as well.

YoungFoodieK: Runny yolk! Makes me crave thousand year old egg and Chinese food!

So here YoungK was, on the train to enjoy some congee at a place he’d been going to for years. The elderly woman who ran the small restaurant always gave him an extra thousand year old egg in his congee. He was also planning to order some turnip cake and shrimp dumplings.

YoungK wondered when you’d post next. Your posts tended to be quite sporadic. Sometimes, they would be one day a part and other times, nearly four weeks would go by without a single post.

On occasion, you would actually reply to YoungK’s comments. This time was not one of the times but you did like the comment. YoungK and you had exchanged opinions on the rainbow food trend (the two of you agreed it was blown out of proportion and completely unnecessary) and even discussed whether Korean or Chinese style jjajangmyeon was better. Your conversations would never venture further from the topic of food but YoungK didn’t mind.

Not only did all of your posts have great pictures of the food but also tips on transportation to get there and even warnings about rude staff or primitive bathrooms. To YoungK, you were more than a foodie. You were like a tour guide for all the places worth trying. He appreciated the honesty in your critiques and it wasn’t like you were any other person who just truly enjoyed food. You were quite the chef yourself and had even graduated culinary school.

The biggest mystery of all, however, was what you looked like. The most YoungK has seen of you was your hand holding an ice cream cone. But he was convinced you were a cutie. You were so consistently kind in your comments. YoungK couldn’t help but be infatuated. He’d drawn an image of you in his mind several times. Each time, however, you looked different. In the end, your appearance remained a mystery.

YoungK sighed in relief as the train finally approached his stop. He enjoyed the sunshine on the short walk to the restaurant. YoungK even knew that this type of weather was your favorite. You mentioned it in one of your many posts of ice cream. YoungK hoped in the back of his mind that this weather wouldn’t mean the restaurant was busy. He didn’t think he’d last one minute longer before eating something.

The place was mostly full but YoungK was immediately greeted by the owner who recognized him as the “Pretty Guitar Boy” even though YoungK wasn’t even a professional. He’d stupidly brought his guitar with him once after practice and the old lady just wouldn’t let him live it down. YoungK had to admit, though, t was quite a flattering nickname. YoungK gave her a bright smile and ordered his usual plus the shrimp dumplings. She gave him a cup of tea in the meantime. Then, she disappeared to put the order in and seat more people. One girl that looked around his age was sat two tables down from him. YoungK only took interest in her because she ordered the same congee as him. Thousand year old egg congee wasn’t very popular and it certainly couldn’t be selling well in this type of weather.

Soon enough, a steaming bowl of the porridge was placed in front of YoungK and he wished he’d asked for it to be room temperature so that he could dig in right away. In the meantime, YoungK ate his dumplings and observed the girl near him as her bowl of congee was placed in front of her.

She took out her phone before even taking a bite and took a picture.

YoungK was intrigued. But there was no way. No way YoungK would be so lucky as to just randomly meet his favorite food blogger in person. Much less at a restaurant he’d practically become a regular at but you were only just now discovering.

Next thing he knew, YoungK received a notification that you had made a new post. YoungK’s jaw dropped as the girl not too far away was now putting away her phone and picking up her spoon to try the congee. He scrambled to open the notification.

There it was. The same dish, the same bowl, the same table. It was you. Right there. YoungK craned his neck to get a better look at you but realized how strange he must look. He realized, however, that you were cuter than he had ever imagined. YoungK debated whether or not to approach you. Every part of him wanted to. But how weird would that look? Or would it not be weird at all? He could introduce himself first then if anything, he’d take the rest of his food to go and jet out of there.

YoungK tripped on his own feet as he slid out of his chair. This was already not going well. He took a deep breath and reminded himself that he’d performed in front of thousands of people. One girl shouldn’t frighten him. YoungK took careful steps and the distance between the two of you was shortened very quickly.

“Excuse me,” YoungK began. He kept his voice down, as to not call attention to himself but said it with enough confidence that he wouldn’t have to repeat himself.

You looked up, obviously surprised that someone was speaking to you. You put down your spoon and YoungK tried not to be awe-struck. “I’m sorry,” YoungK started again, “I just recognize you. From you blog. I’m quite the fan,” he laughed. He held out his phone so that you could see the post you’d just made.

Peering over the phone, you began to laugh, as well. You looked up at YoungK and gave him a shy smile.

“Thank you, you’re the first person to ever tell me that,” you replied.

“Well I’m sure I won’t be the last,” YoungK said smoothly. He hesitated to continue when he was only met with silence. “I’m, uh, YoungFoodieK,” he admitted.

You looked up, slightly in shock. “Oh,” you said, your voice going up an octave. “You are a fan,” you said. YoungK couldn’t help but laugh at loud.

“Did you think I was lying, then?” he asked, still laughing.

Now you were laughing along with him. “No, no, it’s just that I always wondered what that person was like in real life,” you explained. The two of you maintained eye contact for a few seconds until the owner came over and hit YoungK lightly on the head.

“What are you doing?! Eat your food before it gets cold,” she nagged. “And stop bothering my customers!”

YoungK held the back of his head dramatically. “Grandma! This is...my friend?” You shrugged at the word and then took over.

“Don’t worry, we know each other.” The elderly woman accepted your answer and moved on, waiting on other tables. “Would you like to eat together?” you proposed. YoungK gave you a bright smile. He felt blessed to be eating with such a food expert.

The meal continued with a lot of getting to know each other. YoungK was finally able to ask you all the questions he had about your culinary school experience and how you became interested in all this to begin with. The two of you discussed what foods you could never live without and which ones you hated. He discovered that you had an allergy to cranberries but assured you that you weren’t missing out on much. By the end of the meal, YoungK was sad to admit he still had so much to talk about with you. He tried to stretch his last few bites of congee but it simply didn’t taste nearly as good when it was cold. He wished he had saved his dumplings or something.

You checked your watch and realized the time. You explained to YoungK that you had plans to attend a friend’s birthday party not too long from now. “Should we ask for the check now?” you asked, gingerly.

YoungK saw his opportunity. “Oh, don’t worry. It’s on me.” You immediately began to protest but YoungK made a shushing motion. “You can treat me next time,” he hinted. “Okay?”

A small smile spread over your lips. “Okay.”

The two of you exchanged phone numbers and you made YoungK promise to text you whenever he was craving something. YoungK felt his heart swell a bit at the thought of going on an actual date with you. He felt like the luckiest person alive.

...I am literally so incredibly sad that Day6 finally goes on a world tour and doesn’t come to NY...New York City is THE city. Like?? And I didn’t get to see them last year when they came because I was literally taking a final at the exact same time as the concert. I hate hate hate school. -Sunni

Please don’t claim this as your own and please don’t do anything with it without my permission. If you don’t want it happening to you, don’t do it to others.

#day6 #youngk #younghyun #day6 scenarios #youngk scenarios #day6 fluff #youngk fluff #day6 x you #day6 x reader #youngk x you #youngk x reader #jyp #sunni #fluff

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quarantineroulette · 6 years ago

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Minor Disappointments’ Least Disappointing Releases of 2018

Preamble: I had a bit of a low (not Low, although that would’ve been preferable) period in 2018 that went on for several months. I didn’t really listen to music during that time, and so I missed out on a lot of things. I’m kind of too scatterbrained from holiday hysteria to really take in anything new. So these lists probably don’t designate “the best”, but they’re decent documents of what I wasn’t too distracted or down to take serious notice of.

Secondly, my own band released an album this year, and that occupied a large amount of time normally reserved for listening to other bands. I won’t rank it because I don’t want to be that conceited...but if you want to check it out for yourself, the highlights for me are “For the Rest to Rest”; “Open Up the Ways”; “Screen Test”; and “Suspend Disbelief”. One of my favorite reviews of it described our sound as being a “unique blend of post-punk, brit-pop, indie, and a little post-rock too.” and said we’re “one of the smartest bands to come out of Brooklyn in a very long time.” This is both why people should listen to it and also why they might not.

Thirdly, one of the things I listened to the most this year was Protomartyr’s Consolation EP, but I’m refraining from listing it as it’s not a full-length. That said, I think it’s as good as nearly anything I’ve heard this year, Protomartyr are the best and both of their live sets I caught were my favorite gigs of 2018. TLDR: Protomartyr = good. Most other things on this list = equally good but not Protomartyr. Let’s get started shall we?

10 Songs That Were Good:

10) Neko Case & Mark Lanegan - Cures of the I-5 Corridor. How has a Neko Case / Mark Lanegan duet not existed until 2018?? No matter the year, something this gorgeous and heartbreaking is always worthy of making the cut.

9) Lana Del Rey - Mariners Apartment Complex . I remember Spencer Krug tweeting something kind of snarky about “Venice Bitch” a few months back, then deleting it, and damn well he should’ve because both that and “Mariners Apartment Complex” are blinders. “Venice” may be the most low-key epic ever, but the way “Mariners” takes hints of Leonard Cohen and Lee Hazlewood / Nancy Sinatra and places them in a pop context is perhaps even more admirable. It’s truly inspiring to hear mainstream music this nuanced.

8) Parquet Courts - Tenderness . I love the jaunty piano, and how Andrew Savage’s vocal take is simultaneously forceful and lax. But most of all I love how all its elements converge to create a sense of hard-won optimism.

7) Iceage - Thieves Like Us . Iceage do a swamp cabaret song and I just can’t love it enough.

6) MGMT - Me and Michael . Yes, it’s ridiculously ‘80s, but you would have to be a very dour person to not smile whenever that opening synth riff kicks in.

5) Shame - One Rizla . Riff of the year. Hands down.

4) Bodega - Jack in Titanic . One of the great things about 2018 was witnessing Bodega’s success. To me, they’ve always been one of the few up-and-coming indie bands with the charisma to be actual stars, and it’s been a joy seeing the rest of the world take note of this. From the moment I heard “Jack in Titanic”, I just knew it was destined to show up on a BBC Radio 6 A-or-B list at some point in the near future (and it did!). And yeah, they’re my good friends, but even if they were strangers I’d appreciate the smartness, melodic hooks, and sexiness all the same:

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3) Preoccupations - Disarray . Click on that link because the song is really good, but be warned -- the vocal melody is never, ever going to leave you.

2) Protomartyr - Wheel of Fortune . This song has everything: a nerve-wracking stop and start guitar part, an at-once badass and terrifying refrain, Kelly Deal, and the exact sense of urgency that’s needed right now. Powerful, timely, and a rare example of a song that puts its guest star to highly effective use.

1) Janelle Monae - Make Me Feel . This song combines about five different Prince songs but Janelle Monae’s personality is so strong that the end result is something wholly her own. And if the song weren’t a blast on its own, the technicolor video is almost lethally fun:

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10 Albums That I Loved A Lot:

10) Arctic Monkeys - Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino . I really loved this album but I’m ranking it as 10 just because it’s the Arctic Monkeys and I can’t believe I enjoyed anything they’ve produced *this* much -- especially a lounge album about a casino on the moon. I find Alex Turner overrated as a lyricist and cosplaying a Bad Seed isn’t endearing to me, but he obviously loves Scott Walker a lot so I guess he gets some sort of pass.

9) Moonface - This One’s of the Dancer and This One’s for the Dancer’s Bouquet . The only reason this isn’t ranked higher is because I haven’t been able to give it the attention it deserves. This is a concept album where some songs are sung from the pov of the Minotaur and others from Spencer Krug, and both these creatures are enigmatic are too enigmatic to be given mere surface reads. This all said, I’ve listened enough to glean that, as always, Spencer’s lyrics are awe-inspiring, the marimba is implemented well, the alternate version of “Heartbreaking Bravery” is excellent, and comparing and contrasting its themes with those found on Wolf Parade’s 2017 release Cry Cry Cry is a fun past time if you’re me or seven other people. Looking forward to delving deeper in 2019.

8) Janelle Monae - Dirty Computer . To be honest, I *was* a little disappointed in this. It’s not as cinematic or stylistically adventurous as Monae’s previous full-lengths, but I think Monae herself is extremely talented and I wish she was a much bigger star. Furthermore, when considered against the drek of the general pop landscape, this is still a bold, unpredictable, and intelligent pop record from a true enigma.

7) Luke Haines - I Sometimes Dream of Glue . Like “Kubla Khan” if it had been written after huffing a river full of glue, but instead of Xanadu it’s an English village full of miniature people having a orgy:

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6) Parquet Courts - Wide Awake! . No other song better captures the frustrations and anxieties of living in NY in 2018 than “Almost Had to Start a Fight / In and Out of Patience”, and for that alone this album would make the year-end cut. But it also happens to be brilliant start to finish, with the two closing statements, in the form of “Death Will Bring Change” and “Tenderness” respectively, being among PC’s best.

5) Low - Double Negative . Mimi Parker’s voice emerging from a sonic cocoon on “Fly” is one of the most gripping moments of Low’s fantastic career. This album challenged me the most in 2018, but it’s also one I frequently returned to, determined to crack its code.

4) Preoccupations - New Material . I suppose some would dismiss this as too trad. post-punk, but holy hell - these trad. post-punk songs have got some hooks! And there isn’t quite another singer like Matt Flegel, who somehow manages to channel Bowie and Mark Lanegan at the same time. I’ve listened to this so much that New Material already feels like a well-loved classic.

3) Gazelle Twin - Pastoral . I would argue that Pastoral is the closest anyone’s come to making something comparable to PJ Harvey’s Let England Shake. An electro-pagan examination of Britain’s heritage and history (and the whole Brexit thing) that manages to feel thorough despite only being 37 minutes long, Pastoral moves beyond being just “a record” and becomes something closer to contemporary art. Elizabeth Bernholz’s vocals, whether warped or unconstrained by processing, are remarkable throughout. A mash-up of folk traditions and modern beats that somehow works shockingly well:

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2) Idles - Joy as an Act of Resistance . Boyfriend / bandmate James and I have discussed this album more than any other this year, and it’s been a pleasure hearing his love for it and forming my own appreciation of it in the process. What sealed it for me was James’ description of “Idles” as pagan, and how the band’s use of repetition and simple melodies (as well as their bacchanalian stage presence) created an air of ritualism. In their primalness, they even remind me of The Birthday Party - a “woke” Birthday Party, but a Birthday Party all the same. My favorite musical moment of the year may very well be Joe Talbot’s first shout of “UNITY!” in “Danny Nedelko”, primordial, raw, unpretentious, and completely punk. We *need* these guys right now:

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1) Suede - The Blue Hour . There is a joke in the TV show 30 Rock in which Jack Donaghy -- Alec Baldwin’s network head character -- says he attended Harvard Business School, where he was voted “Most”. The Blue Hour could be considered “Most” -- it’s meant to be taken as one piece, it’s insanely grandiose and, like its predecessor Night Thoughts, listening to it makes everything in my life seem 18 times more dramatic and tragic. I don’t know how, but this bizarre mashup of Kate Bush, Jacques Brel, Pink Floyd, Scott Walk, Gregorian chanting, classic Suede, spell books and (of course) David Bowie somehow seems bizarrely in step with 2018. Seeing as this top three consists of albums that are arguably “pagan”, and folk horror’s representation in popular 2018 films like Hereditary, The Blue Hour feels accidentally on trend. It’s crazy to think that a band whose first release happened 25 years ago could still be relevant in 2018, but Suede somehow are so please give these dads a hand and then listen to The Blue Hour’s glorious closing trio of songs a lot, because boy are they “Most”.

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astralgloss · 6 years ago

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im a curious meanie so 1-134 muhahaha you get to relive the hell i just went through

etab i haTE U

1: Name

my name is marit lol but please just keep it mar

2: Age

i am 17 but i’ll b 18 in 2 months!!!!

3: 3 Fears

the dark, complete and utter loneliness, and clowns

4: 3 things I love

books, forest fruit tea, the sound of rain

5: 4 turns on

a nice smile that reaches the eyes, a nice smell, having a dog ngl, a soft touch

6: 4 turns off

extreme arrogance, insisting to pay for my meal if i want to pay bc its “what a man should do”, forcing lifestyles on me, not caring about my interests

7: My best friend

she does have tumblr but idk it but hey demi if u ever see this ur the bomb.com

8: Sexual orientation

im bi fam

9: My best first date

my bf and i went to amsterdam to go shopping and he followed me everywhere (even the bookshop even though he hates books) and idk i just love him it was a nice day

10: How tall am I

im 1,65m or 5′4″ but i can and will kick ur ass

11: What do I miss

nothing really??

12: What time was I born

ok so i asked my mom and she said i was born on a tuesday at exactly 12pm but i bet she’s lying

13: Favorite color

yellow!! im basic!!

14: Do I have a crush

well i sure hope so @ boyfriend

15: Favorite quote

to the stars who listen, and the dreams that are answered

16: Favorite place

my bf’s house tbh, specifically his bed

17: Favorite food

pizza, specifically the hot chicken one from ny pizza

18: Do I use sarcasm

nah fam (ofc i do im a little shit)

19: What am I listening to right now

god is a woman by ariana grande

20: First thing I notice in new person

how they look at other people when those people don’t notice it

21: Shoe size

38/39 idk the other size lol sorry

22: Eye color

its blue but it changes with my mood (oh my god im so sorry im kidding please don’t hate me)

23: Hair color

im a blondie

24: Favorite style of clothing

sth casual but also a bit towards the punkish style, but i also rlly love looking tiny and soft and cute lol

25: Ever done a prank call?

ok so there’s this hotline for kids who have troubles with their parents and families but it was a shit hotline tbh so once i called it up with my friends pretending i was crying and the man on the phone asked me what was wrong so i told him that all my friends had fire type pokemon and i only had grass type pokemon and they kept beating me and i didnt know what to do and then man was so confused it was funny af

27: Meaning behind my URL

idk man i wanted a name that could b easy to remember and i was inspired by ridgeport tbh

28: Favorite movie

the perks of being a wallflower

29: Favorite song

Fav song atm is anything from p!atd's newest album and my fav song of all time is probably train of consequences by megadeth

30: Favorite band

megadeth lol

31: How I feel right now

pretty good but also annoyed bc i have to go to work in half an hour :(

32: Someone I love

my bf

33: My current relationship status

if u guys havent noticed by now im taken

34: My relationship with my parents

p ok

35: Favorite holiday

halloween/christmas

36: Tattoos and piercing i have

I have my ears pierced and thats it lol

37: Tattoos and piercing i want

i rlly want a few bookish related tattoos, like a tiny raven, a little lightning bolt, and the city of velaris and then i also rlly want a sleeve tbh but imma be a teacher and idk if i can :/ about piercings: i rlly want a helix or tragus and maybe get second holes in my hearlobes

38: The reason I joined Tumblr

ok so ive been on tumblr for about 5 years and initially it was bc i was Depressed™ and then about a year ago i found out about simblr and i was hooked

39: Do I and my last ex hate each other?

tbh i dont even talk to him anymore i dont rlly care about him in any way

40: Do I ever get “good morning” or “good night ” texts?

yes bih

41: Have I ever kissed the last person you texted?

hes my bf so yea lol

42: When did I last hold hands?

wednesday

43: How long does it take me to get ready in the morning?

about 45 minutes bc im lazy and i keep getting distracted

44: Have You shaved your legs in the past three days?

nope

45: Where am I right now?

in bed lol

46: If I were drunk & can’t stand, who’s taking care of me?

either my bf or my best friend

47: Do I like my music loud or at a reasonable level?

depends on where i am

48: Do I live with my Mom and Dad?

mom

49: Am I excited for anything?

tbh moving out but thats gonna take a few more years

50: Do I have someone of the opposite sex I can tell everything to?

*insert bf here*

51: How often do I wear a fake smile?

every time im at work lol

52: When was the last time I hugged someone?

wednesday

53: What if the last person I kissed was kissing someone else right in front of me?

lol bye

54: Is there anyone I trust even though I should not?

nope

55: What is something I disliked about today?

the fact that i have to work a day shift instead of an evening shift

56: If I could meet anyone on this earth, who would it be?

my internet friends tbh it’d be cool to meet all the people from my bookish discord or from @booptherat‘s discord

57: What do I think about most?

what book i should read next

58: What’s my strangest talent?

i can finish a book in about 4 hours

59: Do I have any strange phobias?

not rlly? i hate the whole asmr thing tho ew

60: Do I prefer to be behind the camera or in front of it?

behind lol

61: What was the last lie I told?

i dont remember tbh

62: Do I prefer talking on the phone or video chatting online?

neither lol

63: Do I believe in ghosts? How about aliens?

look im not saying that believing that we’re the only living species in the entire universe is narcissistic, but it is. also dont fuck with ghosts

64: Do I believe in magic?

hell yes

65: Do I believe in luck?

hell yes

66: What’s the weather like right now?

idk probably cloudy and windy

67: What was the last book I’ve read?

fahrenheit 451 by ray bradbury

68: Do I like the smell of gasoline?

nah not rlly

69: Do I have any nicknames?

i guess mar?

70: What was the worst injury I’ve ever had?

when i was 2 i fell from sth and slammed the corner of my eye onto the corner of a table and i couldve been blind but thank god im not

71: Do I spend money or save it?

both

72: Can I touch my nose with a tongue?

yup

73: Is there anything pink in 10 feet from me?

post it notes

74: Favorite animal?

doggg

75: What was I doing last night at 12 AM?

reading lol

76: What do I think is Satan’s last name is?

idk man

77: What’s a song that always makes me happy when I hear it?

i gotta feeling by the black eyed peas lol

78: How can you win my heart?

give me a samoyed and a 1000 books

79: What would I want to be written on my tombstone?

“a boss ass bitch”

80: What is my favorite word?

fuck?

81: My top 5 blogs on tumblr

@cubersims @imvikai @ridgeport @cowplant-pizza @bloomlet @tiptoptab

82: If the whole world were listening to me right now, what would I say?

spend fiddies, pet kitties, hold tiddies

83: Do I have any relatives in jail?

not that i know of lol

84: I accidentally eat some radioactive vegetables. They were good, and what’s even cooler is that they endow me with the super-power of my choice! What is that power?

the power to choose whatever power i want at any moment

85: What would be a question I’d be afraid to tell the truth on?

“do you like working here?”

86: What is my current desktop picture?

its an august background from @emmastudies

87: Had sex?

yes

88: Bought condoms?

89: Gotten pregnant?

90: Failed a class?

yes

91: Kissed a boy?

yup, i’ve been kissing my bf for about 2,5 years now lol

92: Kissed a girl?

yup, i’m living the bisexual dream lol

93: Have I ever kissed somebody in the rain?

yes

94: Had job?

yes, im working at a movie theater right now!!

95: Left the house without my wallet?

tbh all the time now that i can pay with my phone

96: Bullied someone on the internet?

yea i used to but that was when i was 12 and i’d like to say that i’ve grown a lot in the past 5 years

97: Had sex in public?

nope

98: Played on a sports team?

yes

99: Smoked weed?

nope, even though i live like 20 minutes away from amsterdam lol

100: Did drugs?

nope

101: Smoked cigarettes?

nope

102: Drank alcohol?

yupppp, i love me some raspberry cider

103: Am I a vegetarian/vegan?

nope

104: Been overweight?

nope

105: Been underweight?

nope

106: Been to a wedding?

yup

107: Been on the computer for 5 hours straight?

lol all the time tbh

108: Watched TV for 5 hours straight?

yup

109: Been outside my home country?

yup, however never outside of europe tho

110: Gotten my heart broken?

a few times

111: Been to a professional sports game?

yess, i saw the dutch female volleyball team once!

112: Broken a bone?

nope

113: Cut myself?

yes

114: Been to prom?

we dont do prom in the netherlands lol

115: Been in airplane?

yes

116: Fly by helicopter?

nope

117: What concerts have I been to?

k3 (only dutchies and belgians remember this), one direction, megadeth, and ed sheeran

118: Had a crush on someone of the same sex?

yupp

119: Learned another language?

i mean im from the netherlands and im fluent in english thanks to myself

120: Wore make up?

yuppp

121: Lost my virginity before I was 18?

yes

122: Had oral sex?

lol yes

123: Dyed my hair?

nope

124: Voted in a presidential election?

not old enough to vote :(

125: Rode in an ambulance?

nope

126: Had a surgery?

nope

127: Met someone famous?

nope

128: Stalked someone on a social network?

nope

129: Peed outside?

a few times lol

130: Been fishing?

nope

131: Helped with charity?

yep

132: Been rejected by a crush?

a few times

133: Broken a mirror?

lol yes

134: What do I want for birthday?

some books, money, cake, more books, makeup

#this was A LOT #im done now #no more questions #about me #asks #tiptoptab

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rainbowglittr · 3 years ago

Text

Love and Marriage - Chapter 14 (Mature, Minors DNI)

Description:

After a loss in the family uncovers a family secret, Jaleia and her husband Jesse are forced to balance one family crisis after another along with their budding careers and their plans to expand their family. Will the pressure to keep everyone else together ruin their own relationship? Can ruined relationships be fixed before it’s too late?

Chapter 14:

I stared at the closet. Which shoes, the rose gold pumps or the beige heels? I looked back at the mirror. My dress was a peachy color and both pairs could go with it. I could ask Jesse but he probably doesn't care. If I wrote the rose gold I would have to sit most of the time or my feet would kill me, but the beige ones where a little more busted up. I couldn't make up my mind.

"Di!" I yelled. She was probably in her room. Sure enough, two seconds later she appeared. Grabbing both pairs of shoes. I turned and faced her.

"Which ones?" I said. She looked at both, circled me once and said,

"The beige, rose gold ones are nice but they are too fancy and clash with your jacket."

"Thanks, beige heels it is." I said. I sat down on the edge of the bed and started putting the beige ones on.

"Where are you going?" Di asked.

"I'm going to my friend Monique's birthday brunch. It's in the city, I don't feel like using public transpo, so your bro is going to drive. Did you want to spend the day in the city?" I looked up at her.

"No thanks mom said she was going to take me to see our potential next house."

"That's nice. The one around the block?"

"Yeah."

"I hope you like it. How are you feeling about selling the house?" I asked as I checked to make sure I had all my things.

"I wish we didn't have to but now all I can think about when I go there is dad dying."

"I'm sorry Di, but you're going to make a lot of new happy memories in the new house. And maybe it will help you remember all of the good ones."

"Yeah I guess." She said. Seeing that I was done she started to walk downstairs with me right behind her.

"Alright Jess, I'm ready!" I yelled. He walked over to me putting his hands on my waist.

"You look beautiful." He said. He took my hand to spin me around. Being in heels I was almost his height. I stood on my toes and kissed his nose.

"You're so cute." He said. He picked up his his keys.

"Di, you going to be alright? We won't be back until like eight." He said as we walked towards the door.

"I'll be with mom, stupid." She said laying on the couch.

"Oh, guess what? We've definitely had sex there. Right where your head is. See you later!" Jesse said. Diana jumped up and screamed while we rushed out the door. I slapped his arm.

"Would you stop terrorizing your sister?" I said as he opened the car door for me. Funnily enough it was a good sign that they were both doing better. If they weren't constantly bothering each other, like all siblings do, it would be extremely concerning.

The car was so hot that I started sweating immediately and was suddenly grateful that Jesse had covers on his leather seats or ny legs would've been on fire.

"She called me stupid."He said sitting down in the driver's seat. I rolled my eyes. I was so glad Jesse didn't mind driving to the City today. I am NOT a New York driver. I can drive just over the border but once you get to Manhattan, that is a completely different beast. But Jesse, having attended NYU for four years, could drive comfortably around the city while I freaked out. He pulled out of the driveway and his hand slipped into mine. We enjoyed the silence for a while, as the air conditioning brought the car to a livable temperature.

Once I got bored of looking out the window, I looked at Jesse. J. Cole blasted through the speakers of the car. He way he would mouth the words to his favorite J. Cole song made me giggle. His face would get serious, his eyebrows crinkling, as he bounced to the beat.

"Stop laughing, this my shit." He said not missing a beat. I laughed harder.

"You rapping is the funniest thing ever!" I said.

"Not as funny as your singing." He said. I gasped.

"Rude! Not everyone was born with an amazing voice. It's not my fault I can't sing. " I said. I crossed my arms.

"I like when you sing."

"Yeah sure."

"I do. "

"You like the sound of animals fighting?"

"That's not what you sound like. "

"Whatever. You should sing more. You used to sing all the time but now I barely ever hear you sing."

"Just haven't been in the mood lately." He said. He looked at little uncomfortable.

"Didn't your dad sing?"

"Yeah, he loved music, I got that from him." A sad smile spread across his face.

"Is that why you haven't felt like singing?" I asked.

"I don't know, Jay, damn!" He snapped, causing me to jump. He sighed and we sat in the awkward silence for a moment, before he took my hand and kissed it.

"I'm sorry, love. I didn't mean to snap at you." He said, squeezing my hand. He glanced at me and then back at the road. I reached across the armrest and kissed his shoulder.

"I know. I know you're still dealing with a lot."

"I still shouldn't snap at you." He said.

"Well, if you wanna make it up to me, there's something you can do."

"What's that?"

"Let's do something crazy tonight, we're in new york, we're young, lets have a little fun."

"Like what?"

"Let's go somewhere after you get out the studio." I said. He chuckled.

"Ugh, really, why don't we just go partying with the twenty-one year olds?"

"What's wrong with a Karaoke bar? It's fun, it's the city that never sleeps, come on lets do it."

"Ugh, there's noting else in this city that you would rather do?"

"Look you're the one that went here for college, what do you think we should do tonight?"

"Go home."

"You are so boring, how is it that you are soo boring sometimes. This is my favorite city and you want to go home? There's so many things we can do. And I know what I want to do, I want to go to a karaoke bar in New York City. Plus you owe me."

"How do I owe you?"

"Oh Imani" I moaned. Making sure I burned a hole in the side of his head. He suddenly shifted in his seat, and after taking a quick, uncomfortable glance at me, said

"You know what? Maybe a Karaoke bar isn't the worst idea."

"Oh, all of a sudden? But I'm serious I want to do something fun. We never do anything spontaneous. Let's go to a karaoke bar after you're done at the studio. You don't have to sing I promise."

"Fine. Are you ever going to let that go?"

"Not even after we're both dead. It's going to be fun, Jess. where's your sense of adventure?"

"You're all the adventure I need."

"Oh Really?"

"Jay, just one day with you is an adveture."

"Well I tire quickly of the same old stuff."

"I know, I love that about you."

"I'm glad, cause I am who I am and I ain't gonna change."

"Well if we're going to a bar, we should just get hella drunk tonight, in the spirit of spotineitity."

"You know I can't drink right now while we're trying to get pregant."

"I'm trying to get you pregnant, I'm not trying to get pregnant."

"Shut up, dumbass."

"You can't drink for just one night?"

"Well, I didn't want to tell you yet but,"

"But what?" He said looking at me. We were in the tunnel and even on a Sunday, the traffic was still bumper to bumper. It wouldn't stay like that for long. I hope.

"But I took a pregnancy test about a week ago and, it was positive, so I took another one, and another one, and another one. And they were all positive and I didn't want to tell you yet cause I didn't want to get you all excited and I didn't want to get too excited because, well you know what happened last time and I just-" Jesse kissed me quickly, he was quiet for a second with a dumbfounded look on his face. I really wasn't going to tell him about it until I had confirmed with the doctor that I was pregnant. I wanted to make sure that I was definitely pregnant before I told him. I also didn't want to get excited and it didn't work out. I just looked at Jesse but I didn't know how to judge his reaction. Finally he turned to face me and took my hand.

"How the HELL did you keep this a secret fom me! You usually cave within in three days!"

"I just really didn't want to get you all excited for nothing."

"Baby, I don't know which is more shocking, you being pregnant or you keeping that from me for a week."

"Well still don't get too excited, I haven't been to the doctor yet to confirm, so it could be a false alarm."

"I don't even care Jay, this is great!" He pulled me close to him and kissed me. I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him back.

"This is fun and all babe but you better pull up before someone's road rage kicks in. Also, this is the one time I'm not late and I don't want to fuck that up." I said agaisnt his lips. The cars in front of us were pulling off.

"I can't believe you're pregnant." He said, shaking his head, a goofy smile on his face.

"I know. I'm sorry for not telling you but I just wanted to be sure."

"I'm not mad at you for that. I love you!"

"Love you too."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>

"Do you need me to pick you up after your brunch?" Jeese asked me as he helped me out the car.

"No, I'm going to need a new outit for tonight."

"Oh God, pease go easy on your credit card." He rolled his eyes. He was leaning against the side of the car as I stood in front of him.

"I will geez, you think after one little out of control shopping incident I don't know how to be responsible with money?" I grabbed my purse from him and put my hand on my hip.

Giving me a look he said, "One, you spent over a thousand dollars in two hours. And two, just ONE incident?"

"Can you let me live, Jess?"

"Fine, are you meeting me at the studio?"

"Yeah, and don't come out looking like a bum, I want to have a fun evening.."

"Baby, it's a Sunday night. How wild can this night get? And what's wrong with what I'm wearing? I look fly as hell. "

"Okay. A Sunday in New York City! Did you even freaking live here Jess? Or maybe you spent too many college years in a buzz to remember."

"I wasn't a big pot smoker." He said. I pretended to take shots.

"Okay, that's enough. You good?" He said.

"Yeah, I'll see you later, love you." I kissed him before walking through the door of the restuarant. I looked aroung the room, searching for the girls. Mo's birthday brunch was at a cute spot, just a few blocks away from Times Square. The restaurant was crazy busy. But I could see in the back corner of the restuarant a group of fabulous chocolate women in pastel. Her theme for her birthday brunch was summer pastels. I didn't know why at the time but looking around, it started to make more sense.

The restaurant itself was beautiful, it had a lot of wooden tables and chairs with gold trim, giving it a very sophisticated yet earthy vibe. All of the napkins and silverware were pastel colors along with the walls. I walked over to the long table where Monique, Mariah, Kiara, Daija, and another one of Mo's friends, Tyra sat. I mentally threw a fit because I was determined not to be the last one to get here. I got halfway to the table before I suddenly realized that I left her birthday present in the car. I didn't think that anybody saw me yet so I turned around, hopefully I could catch Jesse before he was too far away. I was almost at the door when he came rushing in with the gft bag in his hand.

"Jess! Thanks, I forgot."

"Yeah, I was just about to pull off when I saw it in the backseat."

"You are so amazing." I said kissing him on the lips. I took the bag from him.

"See you later."

"See you later, Love." he said walking out the door.

This time I walked straight to the table.

"Happy Birthday Mo" I said. I gave her a hug and handed her the present.

"Thanks, girl!" she said. I went around the table greeting everyone until I took my place next to Kiara. The cool thing about this particular place was that they did brunch family style. Huge bowls of fluffy and cheesy eggs, grits, bacon, waffles, pancakes, fruit and just about every other breakfast food you can think of was placed on the table. A huge pan of fried to perfection chicken was placed in front of us. The waitress walked up to our table to take our drink orders. Everybody except me and Mo ordered some sort of mojito or mimosa drink.

"Wait, girl it's your birthday, you not tryin get a lil' buzz going?" Tyra asked Mo.

"Well, I was waiting for the best time to tell y'all this but," she paused looking around the table as we all got quiet. "I'm pregnant."

"What?"

"Congrats!" we all screamed.

"You know I just wanted to wait a while in case anything happened. We weren't even planning though, I wasn't really thinking about becoming a mom but I guess I got blessed. But I'm two months today. And you know since my mom passed, I really just have you ladies, cause I don't have any siblings and my dad wasn't in my life so it's nice to be able to share with you girls, cause you all are literally all I got. You my fam, I don't have no one else." she said as tears formed in her eyes.

"Aww, we love you, Mo. But absolutely no crying on your birthday" I said, handing her a tissue.

After a few hugs, we started to eat and talk.

"So after this little brunch what's the plan, girl." Daija asked Mo.

"Well me and bae will being doin something later but I don't know what cause he said it was a surprise. But after that Imma just chill I guess"

"Okay, she bouta have some one on one wit her man."

"It aint even like that, though we had to chill out with the freaky deaky stuff."

"Oooooooooh, girl!"

"Oh stop. What's been going on with y'all? and pass them pancakes yo girl eating for two now." Mo said.

"Well, that crazy divorce case I told you about?" Kiara said.

"They finally settled?" Mariah asked.

"No, they need criminal laywers now, they started leaking each others nudes on the internet. They are forty-five years old. " Kiara said.

"Damn. Bitter."

"But real talk he cute or nah?" Daija asked.

"Nah, trust me, I will never unsee that."

"How's it been going with you, Jay?" Mo asked.

"Well I just found out that my monster in law may actually be moving like around the block from us cause she's not keeping the house and she has to have the one that's like five minutes away from us. So." I said.

"Damn she is always going to be at your house." Kiara said.

"I know I can't deal with the amount that I see her now much less when she's going to be a few minutes away from us."

"I've seen a lot of mother in laws with difficult relationships but she hates you."

"Why?"

"I don't know, the day she met me she really didn't like me but to be fair I didn't give off the best impression cause I was so tired from like med school. But everytime after that she really didn't say much to me. It really wasn't until we were engaged that she actually showed me how much she didn't like me."

"That's rough, I would've smacked her by now."

The converstion shifted to Eva and I started thinking. I could not believe that me and Mo were pregnant at the same time. I wanted to say something but because not only did I want her to have her moment, but I wasn't so sure about whether or not this pregnancy would last. But I was excited to have someone going through it with me even though she didn't know it yet.

"Jay, JAY!" Kiara said snapping me back to realtity.

"Oh, sorry what did I miss?" I said.

"We're doing the gifts now, you gonna join us?" Mariah said.

"Sorry, how we doing this?" I asked, I'm sure I did not even hear the last two minutes of conversation.

>>>>>>>>>>>>

After the gift exchange we danced to the live band that had been setting up while we were talking. It was great seeing everyone and just having a good time. It was a really great black owned restaurant that we all agreed we would be coming back to real soon.

"I'll see you girl!" I said to everyone's they left. It was only Mo, and Kiara left at the table now. We were helping Mo take all of her new birthday gifts to her car once her husband got here.

"Did you have a good birthday? I think this one went much better than last year's" I said.

"Yeah just this part alone was great. Last year we really tried to stick it out at that concert but it was horrible. The torrential rain? My hair has never been the same. That is why I chose something INDOORS this year." Mo said, we laughed.

"That was a mess, but we stuck it out. Looking back it wasn't that bad." Kiara said.

"Yeah looking back, but would you want to do that agin?" I said

"Hell no." They both said.

Mo's phone rang. and she answered me and Kiara started talking.

"So, sis what you doing after this?"

"Me and Jess are going to go out after this, so of course I'm going to go shopping. I finally convinced him to go to a karaoke bar. What you getting into?"

"That sounds fun, I gotta head back but I wish I could stay. I know better to leave you shopping by yourself."

"Will no one let that go, it was one time! You should stay, it would be fun for you and Mike to come to the karaoke bar with us."

"It would be fun to make him go...but his mom has babysat the entire week for us, she deserves a break."

"Why does everyone else have normal mother in laws but I have to have the one from hell?"

She laughed.

"He's here guys, thanks for helping me and coming." Mo said, giving us both a hug as best she could with all of the things in our hands.

"Sis, it is no problem at all. And congrats! You going to be the best mama ever."

"Thanks, I'm so nervous about it. I never really wanted kids, I wasn't against it, I just never considered it, really. This was such a surprise, a good one but a real surprise." She said as we walked out the door.

"You're going to be fabulous, girl. Now explain to me how in the world did Jamal manage to find parking in NYC?"

"He didn't, so we kind of have to hurry up." She said.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I walked around Forever21 in Times Square. I had walked here from the brunch place which was only a couple of blocks away. Jesse's studio wasn't far from here either. I had a short black dress in my hand and a longer blue dress and was trying to decide between the two. I went with the blue one and went to the shoe section to find some pumps that would match. I knew it was a little ridiculous to buy a whole new outfit just to go to a bar but I wasnt going to walk around New York at night in peachy colors looking a damn fool. So here I was trying to find something cheap and cute.

It was about six in the evening at this point as I walked around the store. I promised Jesse that I wouldn't go overboard with shopping. I grabbed a few more things and a few for Jesse and I headed to the checkout.

Everytime I came to the city I stopped by the spot where in the middle of Times Square Jesse proposed to me. I loved this city before that, the busy-ness of it all, hustle and bustle, the lights. It was always exciting and there's always something going on in this city. I loved that. Everytime I passed that spot I couldn't help but smile at the memory of him getting down on one knee in the middle of the craziness of the city. So many people find peace in the quiet and in stillness but I've never been that way. I find peace in the loud, the busy, movement, I find peace in the noise. Luckily I married someone who for the most part could understand that.

I sat at one of the little red tables, that I was actually lucky to get in the middle of Times Square. Breathing in all of the fumes, I looked around at all of the lights and people. I loved it here. My phone suddenly started buzzing. Jesse's face lit up the screen.

"Hey Jess," I answered.

"Hey, when you coming by the studio? Do you need me to come pick you up?" He said.

"Nah, These heels are comfortable. I'll just walk."

"No baby don't walk, I'll just come and pick you up."

"It's fine Jess, I'm in Times Square now, it's just like what, 3 blocks aways if I remember correctly."

"Try thirteen blocks away, Love, thirteen."

"Ooohh, I think you might wanna pick me up." I said.

"I think you're thinking of the other studio I used to be at Jay. You've probably only been to this one a few times. I switch between them sometines." I could hear a song playing loudly in the background.

"I really wouldve went to the wrong place. When you coming?"

"I'll leave now, I need a break, are you done shopping?"

"Yeah, I'm just sitting at the place where you proposed to me."

He laughed, I could tell even over the phone that he was smiling. "Okay, what's the damage?"

"I didn't do that bad, Jess I only bought one outfit."

"Annddd?"

"And a couple of other things but seriously its not that bad, you're lucky I only stayed in Sephora for like ten minutes."

"I know what kind of damage you can do in ten minutes Jaleia, and we're talking hundreds of dollars worth. Especially in that store."

"That was one time, Jess, let it go." I could tell he was smirking.

"Whatever, I guess stay there, I'll text you when I'm close but you know the traffic is going to be awful so it'll take me a while, you might want to get something to eat. I'll be at the studio for a while."

"Kay, you want me to get you somehing?"

"Do you have to ask?"

"I know, that was more of a what are you in the mood for question than a do you want something question."

"I could go for chinese."

"We're in New York and all you can think of to eat is chienese food? I dont believe you."

"Well you asked what I wanted. You're acting like I'm not here every day. There's not much I haven't eaten."

"Well your taste is trash."

"Can you just get something to eat? I'm hungry."

"Fine."

"I have a surprise for you."

"What's the surprise?"

"I told you it wouldn't be a surprise. Get the food, I'll pick you up and then we'll talk about the surprise, love you."

"Love you too Jess, even if you're such a tease."

"I'm a tease?" He said sarcastically.

"You're the one who decided it was a great idea to start sexting me during a very important meeting you knew I was in."

"Yeah, that was one of my finest moments."

"Bye."

I hung up the phone. As much as I loved this city the one thing I didn't know was good chinese food here, time to go to google.

>>>>>>>>

"How the hell are baby back ribs, chinese food?"

"You said you wanted it, I didn't say I was going to get it. That's not even your food."

"Let me guess you went to like eight different places and ordered from each place."

"Yeah, I tried not to but it just smelled so good." I said. Jesse gave me a blank look.

"I don't blame you so much for doing it as I blame myself for not preventing it." He said.

I was sitting on the sofa in Jesse's studio. We were eating a combination of everything I managed to order in one hour, which was a lot, we'll have leftovers for the next week for sure. Everything just smelled so good I couldn't make up my mind so I just got everything.

It was now night time and Jesse was finishing up a few tracks that he needed to submit to the label. They didn't have a designated artist at this point. It was just us, because Dre had just left. Jesse hadn't made any mention of the surprise he talked about so I just sat patiently as I could. Which really didn't mean much.

"So Jess, what's the surprise? I've been waiting, you've said nothing, and I can't take it." I said, he turned around his chair and took off his headphones.

"Well in about two weeks I'm going to have a meeting with some of the execs from the label about making my own album."

"What?" I said in disbelief.

"I wanted to know what you think about that."

"Babe are you serious? Of course you should do it, I always thought you should be in front of the mic instead of behind the soundboard or whatever you call it. I thought you weren't in to that sort of thing, did you change your mind?" I said.

"Well it just happened that our conversation in the car did. One of my dad's biggest regrets was never chasing his dreams in music, I was always more comfortable being behind the scenes, you know I don't really like that kind of attention on me. But I thought about it, and I think I'm ready to take the next step to something bigger, like my dad always wanted to but never got the chance."

"I'm excited for you, Jess. They would be crazy not to choose you. I'll support you 100% if this is really what you want to do. If this is your dream I want you to chase it. I told you how many times that you should be on the stage."

"Thanks, but nothing is set in stone yet. and I just want you to know that if I do this I'll be away in L.A. a lot more, I'll be traveling to other places a lot more. I won't be home as much. Are you cool with that?"

"Jess is this something you really want to do?"

"Yeah." He said looking at me.

"Are you sure? Is this something you're willing to do whatever it takes for? Is this something you really want or is it something you just want to try?"

"This is what I really want Jay, it's my time." He said.

I put down my food on the coffee table in front of me. I walked over to Jesse and sat in his lap, facing him, my thighs on top of his. I held his face with my hands.

"Then I want or expect you to go for it. Whatever happens, we'll figure it out. When I went to med school and residency and even now, you never tried to stop me or convince me to do something else with my career because you knew this was my dream. You gave up a lot for our relationship to work while I was in training and I'll never take that for granted. It meant so much to me that you were willing to give up so much for me so that I could succeed. Now it's your turn to shine, and I want you to whatever it takes to make your dreams to come true, even if that means we have to spend a lot more time apart, that's temporary. Do what you need to do, I'll be here. If this is going to make you happy, you better do it. You'll regret the for the rest of your life if you don't." I said.

"I love you." He said, moving his hands behind my back. We kissed and I moved my arms around his neck. I didn't know how sturdy this chair was but I guess were about to find out. I felt his tongue swipe against my lips, I opened my mouth, getting lost in the feeling of our bodies being pressed together, our tongues dancing with each other. Taking a second to breathe in each others mouth I said,

"You taste like chinese food."

"I swear, only you."

"You know who you married." I said as I kissed him again, he leaned back but he must have leaned back a little too far in the chair because we went tumbling out of the chair in a loud crash. I landed on top of him and not even understanding the physics of what just happened, we just laughed.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

We didn't end up going to a karaoke bar that night, by the time Jesse was done with what he was working on we were too tired to go, well he was but I wasn't. It was entirely too late and we had to head back to Jersey. We got home at three in the morning and for some unknown reason, Jesse's mom was waiting in OUR house for us. We walked through the door and saw her alseep on the couch. She woke up as soon as we closed the door.

"Oh, there you guys are." She said as she rubbed her eyes.

"Mom what are you doing here?" Jesse said.

"I was waiting for you guys to get back."

"Why? I think diana could've stayed alone tonight she's sixteen, she's old enough." I said.

"That's not it, Stupid. I wanted to tell you, I'll be your neightbor! That house that I was looking at that was around the corner, rejected my offer for someone who offered more money. But the unlisted house that's just as nice, across the street and down a couple houses was perfect, and they accepted my offer. I'm your new neighbor!"

#love and marriage #original story #original writing #writers on tumblr #black writers #black characters

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secretradiobrooklyn · 4 years ago

Text

SECRET RADIO | 10.3.20 & 10.10.20 Combo

Secret Radio | 10.3 & 10.10 | Hear it here.

Liner notes by Evan except *, artwork by Paige

1. The Modern Lovers - “Roadrunner”

Can there be, can there ever be, a better hittin’ the road song than this? Not to me, not to us. “I’m in love with modern moonlight… I’m in love with the radio on” This song brings everything that makes rock so fundamentally exciting: the straightforward beat, electric guitars, electric keys, that sense of complete freedom with your gang in the backseat singing the chorus.

2. Swell Maps - “Full Moon In My Pocket”

It pains me to admit that I cannot remember the name of the pasteup guy at the Rocket who used to tell me about the bands he loved, and that he thought I’d dig. I was so, SO into Pavement at the time, head over heels, and he did a great job of acquainting me with some of their precedents, handing off tape comps with songs from Young Marble Giants, Au Pairs, Swell Maps, and so much more. One of the tapes had this song, in two versions actually: this one, and an a cappella version, which sounds very poncey except it was the same take as this, bouncing with reverb and attitude. On our long drive from the woods to the city, a full moon hung in front of us like a carrot on a stick, and I started singing this song before I even realized it. Whatever the name of that super-awesome pasteup guy (Tom? I feel like it was Tom), I just want to tell him: I’m sorry, I’ve always been bad at remembering names, but I’ve never forgotten those tapes. Thank you.

3. Assa Cica - “Yokpo Wa Non Kpo Hami”

When we were first getting into Beninese rock, it was Antoine Dougbé who pulled us down the rabbit hole. I figured we couldn’t be alone — his songs are the standouts on “Legends of Benin.” But there’s practically nothing to be found. I eventually found myself at Discogs, marveling at the sheer number of names that T.P. Orchestre Poly-Rythmo went by and sifting through music looking for signs of Dougbé. I eventually found this album, and not just the voice but the whole style of the band convinced me that Assa-Cica was somehow another name Dougbé went by. After some discussion, Paige and I bought our first Beninese record. In the weeks that it took to arrive, we learned a lot more about Dougbé, including the fact that he’s not actually the singer on those songs! But also I don’t think Assa-Cica is the singer on this song either! We did turn out to love every song on this record, but this one is my personal favorite, just a barnburner with disco roots. Every time I listen to it I try to imagine the cultural and personal forces that brought it into being, and it only gets more absorbing.

4. Eko Roosevelt - “Me To A De Try My Own”

T.P. Orchestre research also brought me to an album they did with Betti-Betti (or Beti-Beti), a Cameroonian singer whose tracks eventually led to Eko Roosevelt. I don’t get down with all of the music of his that I’ve heard, but this one just brings a smile to my face every time. I love the patois he sings in, where recognizable words rise suddenly out of the bubbling disco bass and the good-natured horn sections. I would never have guessed that hunting for African voodoo funk would eventually reveal a path to appreciating disco… but I’m glad that it has. I mean, I spent whole years of my life thinking that horns had no place in rock music, so what the hell do I know?

5. Jacqueline Taïeb - “Le coeur au bout des doigts”

6. T.P. Orchestre Poly-Rythmo - “Non Gbeto Do Mahu Tche”

This 7” is from that rich early period of T.P. Orchestre (this one is I think from ’72) where the arrangements are hand-drum heavy but the organ and guitar are funk. The vocal is — I don’t know what it is, it’s a genre I hadn’t heard until I heard this band in this period.

7. Los Wembler’s de Iquitos - “Llanto en la Selva”

8. Iggy Pop “The Passenger”*

I’ve always thought this was one of Iggy Pop’s finest outside of his work with Stooges. I think I also always liked it because I am most often the passenger. I really really don’t like driving. I really avoid it. I have a driver’s license but boy do I not like to use it. There aren’t really a lot of songs about riding in the passenger seat that are positive or cool that I can think of besides this one and Art Brut’s “I Love Public Transportation”.

This album also makes me think of Shena’s old place on Damen Ave. in Wicker Park Chicago. This record and of course Bowie’s “Let’s Dance”.

Hope you had a great birthday Shena!

9. Jacques Dutronc - “Les Gens Sont Flous”

The things that gets me about the song are: that single bass note that plunges every time in the verse, the shaker in the chorus, and that freakin triangle hit that happens on the coolest possible beat throughout the entire song. I fully intend to lift that idea into another song if I can find the right spot for it.

10. Jimi Hendrix - “Third Stone From The Sun”

This goes down as one of the greatest rock recordings in history. Every time I swoon at the guitar phrases, the bass line, the drums, the weird low chaos of his slowed down vocals. Truly a masterpiece, capped off by the final minute of beautiful noise that sounds like planets in motion.

11. Björk Gu∂mundsdóttir and tríó Guðmundar Ingólfssonar - Gling-Gló - “Bella Simamaer”

12. Ayalew Mesfin - “Gedawo (The Hero)”

The first 20 seconds of this song are crucial, because it establishes the 4/4 rhythm that’s coursing under the 3/4 handclap. That is such a killer rhythmic feel I can hardly stand it. I only wish they’d pull out the handclap in the middle, just for a handful of measures, and then bring em in again. Meanwhile, Mesfin’s vocal approach is so intense!

Entr’Acte - “Phantom of the Opera Entr’Acte”*

We figured we needed an Entr’Acte to denote the change in vibe from trying to stay alert and amped on the turnpike to being back home in Brooklyn. Half of this broadcast was made in the front seat of the van on our drive back to NY after our recent visit to the Midwest where we stayed in the woods the majority of the time with a couple of runs to St. Louis to pick up Banh Mi So and tofu Laap.

Evan and I have this thing we call “Disney Reptile Brain” but before that I should explain, Evan and I have this other thing we call “different high schools.” We have an age difference that we mostly don’t notice but every now and then there will be some cultural touchstone and one of us is like “What!? You don’t remember that!?” and we’re like “Ahh, different high schools!” So something like, the year 1994, Evan might remember it as when Kurt Cobain died, and I’ll remember it as the year “The Lion King” came out.

So, Evan missed all the of the major releases by Disney from that time – Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Lion King, etc. – and thus he can see how ridiculously bad these remakes are in a way that I can’t. He says that you have to “Disney Reptile brain” to fully see the movie, that you have to have the animated version playing in your mind’s eye at the same time you're watching these “live action” remakes or they don’t make any sense. And it’s true, for me and lots of other people I know born between 1984 and 1990 we experience this when watching these films, like you already know it so well and know what’s going to happen it’s more like some sort of ritual, incantation, or reenactment of a feeling.

So, that’s Disney Reptile Brain. And if you’re like, wait, but this is Phantom of the Opera and that’s not Disney. You’re right, but it turns out Reptile Brain is a thing that can happen with musicals and ALW stuff is perfect for it. (Evita! Evita!) I am helpless when I hear this music which I got into around the same time that I was devouring Disney VHS, even though I hear it now and it’s SO. SILLY. But when I hear this melody, I’m like right there, on the boat with Christine and the Phantom. I’m like a cat picked up by the scruff and I’m just completely engrossed and I can’t unlearn that feeling. If you’ve seen Phantom at all recently, it is straight up hilarious kid stuff, like how it starts with an auction of lot #666, and the phantom is like this super moody broody guy who writes passive aggressive notes to everyone. I now can hear it as so funny and so square, but what you’re hearing on this track is my reptile brain in full effect.

Next time this music comes around, we’ll get into how Christine is Professor X and Magnito is the Phantom...

14. Sunny Blacks Band - “Holonon Die”

Ha! I said plenty about this song on air. Suffice it to say I’ve been getting obsessed with Meloclém and his performances. It’s really hard to find out anything about him, so this early track makes me really happy. I think this is sung in Fon.

15. Yo La Tengo - “False Alarm”

Alongside “Third Stone from the Sun,” another of my all-time favorite recordings ever. Yo La Tengo was a key protein in learning about rock music, starting with the album “Painful” and hitting a peak not just on this album but specifically this song. Alongside a vivid memory of Sean N., I helplessly air-keyboard to it, air-drum to it, dance my face off. By that final phrase I’m all worn out.

16. Meas Samon & So Savoeun - Hits Collection

We don’t really know anything about this song, including its title. It’s from a cassette called “Hits Collection.” We know Meas Samon from other sources, but I have no idea what they’re talking about and what is happening in this song, though I will say the tape warping on the entire fabric of the track is absolutely delicious.

17. Syna So Pro - “Fengyang Song”

I feel so proud of Syna So Pro and St. Louis introducing this track. The first time we saw her perform this song was live at El Leñador, and it was a knockout. She (they?) used a looping pedal situation to build this huge harmonic structure in real time. I believe she may be studying Chinese, but I know she’s studying Chinese music. There’s this and one other amazing Chinese song in addition to her many songs in English on her album “Vox.”

Nino Rota

18. Fela Kuti - “Open & Close”

I would listen to this whole song just for the Tony Allen solo in the early middle — but I also love how the song is so long that even a solo as particular as that one gets swallowed back up into the totality of the track (though he has many amazing passages throughout). The emotional equilibrium of the horns is cautiously optimistic. And I find myself thinking about the passage that goes “Let me tell you a story: open and close,” and how “open and close” is a narrative in action right there in three words. What was open has closed. It’s clearly a big change, a serious shift. Once open, now closed. Why? What changes as a result? Did anyone get hurt in the closing?

19. France Gall - “Celui Que J’aime”*

In the theme of “songs that got away” (see “Muxima”) this is one that I was thrilled to find again! I heard it on Jeff Hess’s show on KDHX many years ago. It set me on a France Gall odyssey. I bought albums and collections, and none of them had this song. I think her tone is probably my favorite female vocal tone, and she’s also one of my favorite singers in her delivery. This one is very different than some of the other stuff I associate with her but I think it’s still my favorite of hers.

20. Ely - “As Turbinas Estao Ligadas”

Now Again Records put out a collection called “Brazilian Guitar Fuzz Bananas” and it’s got as much tone as the title boasts. Credit due to “vinyl archaeologist” Joel Stones for tracking down songs like these and putting them within reach. This is one among several favorites and a true hit.

21. Tulia - “Pali się (Fire of Love)”

Speaking of true hits: welcome to the world of EuroVision, where music is a medium for international competition. This song is Poland’s entry for 2019. We spent an amazing week with our friends Phil and Archie driving between Cambridgeshire and London singing along with all of the finalists of that year’s competition. It’s a fascinating idea, this vote-based international struggle turning into a final victor that somehow expresses the zeitgeist of ALL OF THOSE COUNTRIES TOGETHER — because it’s not just Europe, it’s Israel and Australia. Also amazing is that this isn’t just some scheme cooked up in the reality TV era: this has been going on for decades. In fact, France Gall was the EuroVision winner in 1965 — for Luxembourg!

22. Luigi Tenco - “Ciao Amore Ciao”

Likewise, this song was in international competition. It was sung by Egyptian-born French superstar Dalida. We saw an eponymous movie about her at the St. Louis International Film Festival in 2017 and she was a completely engrossing character. I’m not totally sold on this song as she sings it — but I love Luigi Tenco’s version. And man what a looker! He died young by his own hand, and she died too young by her own hand, and that is about as French as it gets.

23. Marijata - “I Walk Alone”

“This Is Marijata” is the sound of Ghana in 1976. I was talking about Marijata with Josh Weinstein recently, and he reminded me of this song and how much I dig it. It’s got that slow burn organ in the background, the slightly clumsy percussion in the foreground, those freighted vocals �� but when it gets to the chorus, as the organ hook gives way to the horn hook, that’s when it truly hits its stride. And by the time we disappear into the fadeout, it has become fully epic.

24. Lijadu Sisters - “Life’s Gone Down Low”

To my ears it really feels like this song could have been released this year, rather than in 1976. What the hell was going on in West Africa that year? I feel like we could put together a great mix of songs just from that single year from Nigeria, Ghana, Benin and Ivory Coast. The Lijadu Sisters (Taiwo and Kehinde, actual identical twins) put out their first album in 1969; by their third album, “Danger,” the source of this song, they were huge stars in Nigeria and played with Ginger Baker, Art Blakey, and so on. They eventually moved to Harlem and lived together their whole lives, until Kehinde passed a little less than a year ago.

25. Os Kiezos - “Muxima”*

As mentioned, I heard this song in a video work by Alfredo Jaar at the Art Institute of Chicago. You can read about the piece here. I learned that “Muxima” is an Angolan folk song and in the video of the same title there are, I believe, 5 different versions of the song. One particular one – the one that pulled me into the room where the video was playing on loop – was a gorgeous vocal arrangement. I even tried shazaming it. No dice. So I wrote it down and started looking for the song, the particular arrangement. I bought a collection of Angolan music because I saw the song on it. That’s the one you heard on this broadcast and it is a recording that I now really love. I periodically keep looking for other versions of the song, hoping I’ll come across that missing version though. I thought I got close this week when I found Duo Ouro Negro’s version. (Worth checking out!) That one from the video though, still haunts me! It’s been 9 years now, I wonder if I would recognize it but I think I would. I guess the next thing I can try is a shot in the dark email to Alfredo Jaar. This is and one other song share the top spot of “songs that got away” the other one is some beautiful song that was coming from a small radio from a group of old Puerto Rican guys who were playing cards on the sidewalk on South 3rd street in Williamsburg. We were touring through and staying with our friend in that neighborhood and as we were moving the van I heard this beautiful song coming off the sidewalk. Those guys had great taste.

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danganronpa-imagines · 7 years ago

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Ultimate Forensics Doctor

Hello, ravenrainy! I deeply apologize for the very extended delay. I hope you are doing well and are taking care of yourself! Thank you so very much for your submission! Raven Black is so incredibly intriguing, and her qualities really set her apart! I am aware that you requested a stream of characters to react/respond to her, but I only offer my own original character, Yoite’s response. Please accept my sincerest apologies for miscommunicating! Thank you so much once again for this submission! I appreciate it with all of my heart! (I hope my response is not too underwhelming.)

Please do not copy or reuse Raven Black! She belongs to ravenrainy and them alone! Please do not copy or reuse Yoite Inoue! She belongs to me and myself alone! Thank you!

“Raven is rather mysterious, though I believe she is benign at heart.”

Because of her tendency to deceive others, Yoite is not certain how to feel about her, though she believes Raven must have her own reasons for doing so. Yoite deeply respects her dedication to the sciences and studying, a trait that is difficult to cultivate and habits that are even more difficult to maintain. Occasionally, the Ultimate Teacher would approach the Ultimate Forensics Doctor to try and learn more about her and help her out if she should need it.

She hopes to understand and grow close to Raven, simply because Yoite does not want her to be alone and be misunderstood by the others. Together, they enjoy discussing recent scientific discoveries and innovations.

Name:Raven Black Aliases:Doctor R. Title:Ultimate Forensics Doctor Age:17 years old

Gender:Female ♀️

Height:163cm (JP) 5'3" (ENG)

Weight:45 Kg

Birth Date:January 3rd♑

Chest Size:75cm

Blood Type:O,RH-

Execution available:Anatomical model

Likes:Autopsies,Anatomy,Animals,Video Games,Movies,Travelling,Aesthetics,Sarcasm,Science Jokes

Dislikes:Bugs,Condescending people,Physical effort,Doing sports

– Appearence —- Raven is quite a short girl with a slim figure, medium blue hair and dark eyes. Her uniform is a Navy Blue Tshirt,with a black skirt,black knee socks,black boots and a white lab coat. Her trademarks are her lab coat,a scalpel on her ear and her ‘K’ necklace. She carries drugs and basics First Aid gear in her pockets,just in case emergency strikes. Her hands are bandaged,due to various possible wounds she could receive during a problematic surgery,but she is no less skilled with a scalpel. She wears a ‘K’ necklace at all times.It was given to her by her older brother,Kyousuke,before she left to learn at Hope’s Peak Academy. In a Free Time event,she states that most people mistake that cursive ‘K’ letter with 'R’. Her brother gifted her his first katana on her 13th birthday,when she left to study and work abroad as a Forensics Doctor.

— Personality —

Raven is a calm and collected person who loves harmlessly deceiving people for the sake of Hope. Having a fascination with Sciences since very little,she started studying as much as she could,having a strong will to succeed and an ambition to be the very best and have her brother praise her. Despite her cold and logical façade,she loves subtly mocking people,saying harmless lies and faking her emotions. She never experienced any strong emotion until Hope’s Peak Academy/Killing Game took place,where her emotions finally became too comflicting and forgot her morals,letting her feelings take over her ration,potentially putting everyone in danger,in a Class trial.

– Backstory —

Being a sickly child,she was born with a leg-problem that made her have occasional difficulties in moving or running on long distances. Due to this condition,her parents had her home-schooled,then sent abroad,under better medical care and study conditions,where she legally changed her name to a Western one,so she won’t be embarrassed when people can’t pronounce her name,which she hides. When she was young,her brother had already started school and was barely home,and with her being alone all the time,she often wished to live a normal life.This,however,made her have strong beliefs in HOPE,and her brother became her ultimate HOPE symbol,which is why she would often jest and lie,especially to Monokuma,which greatly irks him.

— Trivia —

She chose her name by herself,due to a long-term fascination with death and Edgar Allan Poe. Her favourite book genres are fantasy,adventure,mystery and horror. Her favourite music genre is rock,but often listens to alternative stuff.

She loves aesthetics,so she tries as much as possible to look perfect to her own aeathetic,and whenever she travels,she takes multiple pictures and edits them,posting them on various social media platforms.

Staying inside for so long,her love for computers took the better of her,and she soon became a computer wizz and addicted to video games and the internet,with all its social networks. The occasions where she’s seen without her phone are extremely rare (she becomes highly irritated and nervous,as it was a great way to cope with anxiety).

Her most obvious quirks are biting her lip on aggressively ruffling her hair while thinking,or tapping her fingers and leg when nervous,waiting,or bored.

— Lab –

In her Lab,you can find all the new state-of-the-art medical technology,anatomical models,research inventions and a large variety of medicine. She often spends her time in her Lab as it became her safe Haven,and she can practice her passion with no restrictions,in peace,and nobody can bother her. As a downside,she often forgets to sleep or eat,which makes her weaker,without realizing.

“Hey~!Name’s Raven Black,I hope we can get along well!If you feel ill,please come to me.I’m a doctor,y'know~?”

“You can all escape if you just kill me…?Then just go ahead and kill me!I have no interesting or helpful talent,and my life spawn is below sea level,so I’m basically dead beat for you.”

“This is a school of Despair,so until I can bring Hope to everyone,I won’t give up!”

“My brother is my Ultimate Hope!I can’t give up,not now!Not ever!

“Fukawa might not be a hydrophobe,but she’s definitely not the Hydrophobic end of a lipidic membrane…”

“You…You killed her…why not me…?Why couldn’t you just execute us together…?I…I…am going to have a panic attack,please excuse me”

“*hysterical laughter*Oh,Monokuma,but this motive is rather hilarious!Do you really expect us to kill for such a pueril reason?Bullshit!”

“Your cortex must be rather…lean…neat…with no indentation…How dull.”

“Have your synapses stopped working?Cause you seem to be even more stupid than usual.”

“There are no words in this world that can discribe my complete disappointment.”

“Yes,yes,dangerous amd scary…But did you die?”

“I lie?Why yes,I do,what gave it away?My unphazed face,or my sarcastic tone?”

“*aggravated sigh*Get this OVER it!This Class Trial is so boring and uneventful!The culprit is obvious,the clues are obvious,the crime is obvious…So stop acting dumb on purpose!”

“Hope…Despair…Hope…Despair….Despair…Despair…Des…pair….Fuck!Brother…Brother I…No!Hope!I fight for the Hope!Hope!!”

“Ah I see…I’m a survivor…I’m Destiny’s Child…Then I guess ny talent was not useless after all.More or less.”

“BITCH,I CUT UP PEOPLE!DO YOU WANT TK END UP NEXT ON MY TABLE?”

“I’m calm…yes,I’m calm…don’t worry,I won’t kill anyone.”

“I just saved your life,so better stop acting like a horny schoolgirl and thank me!You owe me your life,so better start licking my shoes!…Of course,I’m only jesting,but you really pissed me off.”

“The plans was neatly planned,but you chose your allies terribly.I could have helped you escape from here…but no matter.As long as a detective is here,nobody has a chance to get away with murder.”

“I don’t know what love is…but what I do know,is that I care for you,and I will do anything in my power to keep you safe.”

“You useless cancerous cell!Sod off!”

“With Despair eradicated,we can start our new era of hope!”

“You think I’m lying?And so what if I am?Is it affecting you in any way?If not,then seal your mandibula shut and run away.”

“You’re lowering the IQ of the whole School,please,shut up,for everyone’s sake”.

“If I were to kill myself,I’d climb up your ego and jump down to your IQ.Instant death.”

If it’s okay,may I have the opinion from: You,Korekiyo,Kokichi,Byakuya,Nagito,Gundham,Chiaki,Kaede,Sonia,Celestia and Rantarou? (I forgot to ask the characyer limit,so just choose who you like from these ones ^^“ Sorryyyyyy) BUT H E Y Have some flowers :3 🌸🌹💐

#ravenrainy #original character #oc #danganronpa #submission

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mirkwoodshewolf · 7 years ago

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Chapter 2; My tragedy

Okay guys now we’re gonna get serious here. Here is where we get to the tragedy of our story, the mass slaughter of a tribe by the EVIL HYDRA. Now I do NOT SUPPORT MASS SLAUGHTER OR MURDERING IN ANY KIND OF WAY. Especially after what has happened here in America for the past few months with Vegas and the Halloween attack in NY. My prayers go out to all the victims and family members who have lost someone in either of those things. So if you don’t want to read this chapter, that’s fine you can skip it, you won’t really miss much and just read the next chapter. I do NOT on the picture I found it off of goggle, it belongs to it’s rightful owner.

Warnings: detailed murdering, mass slaughter, blood, violence, death, protective!wolf.

__________________________________________

Two years later just shortly after my 8th birthday was a day that would forever change my life and my fate forever. Some believe maybe even you must believe that fate gives us a purpose in life and sometimes bad things have to happen in order for us to fully make our place in the world. Whether it be for a job, career, a duty, whatever bad things must happen and we must strive on through our hardships in order to obtain our place in the world and fully come out into the light before the world.

It started off as any ordinary day in the village, mom and dad taking photos of the wildlife, I decided to stay behind and take care some of the chores around the village like brush the horses, sew the clothes and of course read up for a test that I had with Chief Waya in three days. My parents came back and we all soon gathered around for a special festival. Every year mid-summer when the moon is bright and full, we all gather around and listen as the wolves’ bay at the moon and give us a chance to hear their voices sing in the dark and tell us stories of their philosophies and their desires.

There would also be a few people chosen to beat softly on the drums as the wolves would howl at the moon in order to sync with them and maybe even understand what it was the wolves shared with the moon and tonight I was given that honor to beat on the drums.

As I beat the drums softly, I could swear that in some weird way I could understand what the wolves were saying and what secrets they shared with the moon and the stars. It may sound crazy but that’s what I believed happen that very moment.

But the festival wasn’t meant to last very long.

*Below is where the slaughter begins so if you don’t want to read it, I’ll signal you for when it’s safe okay?*

Suddenly the dogs and the horses all became alert of something bad that was coming this way. Before any of us could even have a chance to find out what it was, a gunshot was sound off and the next thing I knew, Chief Waya was lying down with two gunshot wounds in his chest.

The women screamed and I crawled up to Chief Waya and took his dying hand in mine and he only looked at me with his last dying breath, gently placing his bloody hand on my check before dropping his hand dead.

Soon more gunshots were heard and soon men wearing armor came out from the darkness shooting everything in sight. As the villagers screamed in fear, these men in black with their guns tearing down the entire village from the ground up spreading their fire and their death, my mind just shut all of that out because the man whom I looked up to as a grandfather figure was gone forever.

I was so zoned out that I didn’t even see one of the men in black coming right towards me with a gun in hand aimed at me this time.

Lucky for me, my dad had taken a long knife and cut the man’s arm that was holding the gun and then stabbed the man until he fell to the ground.

“(M/n) take our baby and run!”

“No not without you (F/n)!”

“Just go! I’ll hold them off for as long as I can. I promise, I will find you!” As I felt my mom pick me up little did I know that that was the last time I would ever see my dad.

My mom ran from the burning village as fast as she could with me in her arms. Deep in the woods my mother ran unaware that she was being followed by more men in black hiding on top of the cliffs like hawks eyeing their prey. Suddenly a shot was fired at my mom’s leg. She cried out in pain and fell to the ground dropping me in the process.

“Mama! Mama! Please get up” I cried out as I shook her shoulder. And by a miracle she did and she took me back in her arms and limped off but it wasn’t long before she was shot again this time in the shoulder. “Mama!” I cried out as blood was beginning to slip into my clothes as well.

It was then my mama cautiously slid down a steep ledge that lead to a small cave big enough for me to hide. But due to her shot leg, she cried in pain as she didn’t land so softly.

“Okay baby, in here”. She then hid me in the cave and moved some of the bushes and grass to hide me. “Listen to me baby, you have to stay here, I’m going to draw them away, don’t move from this spot no matter what happens”.

“No, no, no mama I don’t want you to go! You can’t leave me they’ll kill you!”

“(Y/n) no matter what you hear! No matter what happens, do not leave this spot! Can you do that for me sweetheart, can you do that?” Tears were falling down both our faces but I soon nodded and then she kissed my forehead and hugged me as tight as she could before she finally left me and headed back up. Bang!

Bang! Bang! Bang! That was all that I heard. I had a sickening feeling that my mom was dead.

*End of detailed slaughter*

I curled myself into a ball and began sobbing softly but when I heard rustling coming from above me like someone was walking towards me, I froze and held my hand over my nose and mouth trying not to make a sound. It was then I heard several voices speaking in another language before I heard their footsteps running off but I had a feeling one of them was still nearby.

I don’t know how long I had stayed there but I slowly began to get out of the cave and I cautiously walked straight ahead. The forest was dead silent and completely dark, so dark that I could barely see the end of my hand if I held it out in front of my face. I guided myself by touching and tree trunks nearby and feeling the ground with my feet so that I wouldn’t trip over anything that would draw attention to myself.

Suddenly I felt something shock me and I fell down to the ground and when I looked up I had seen someone right in front of me with a gun pointing it at me. I froze like a deer and just mentally screamed at myself to move but I was too scared to even blink, I tried to call out for help but I knew that no one would come in time to save me. My body shook violently, sweat was running down my face and tears were blocking my vision, I closed my eyes when I felt something leap from behind me and tackle the man with the gun.

I heard screaming and snarling until the guy fell dead. I took notice of hat had tackled him and saw that it was a wolf, but not just any wolf.

It was Little Grey, all grown up.

He came up to me and snarled at my arm as he reared back for a second but then he gripped onto whatever it was that was attached to my arm and snapped it in his jaws breaking it and freeing me.

“Thank Grey”. I said as I tried to stand up but I fell back down to the ground. Thankfully Little Grey was there as he caught me with his body and nudged me back to me feet.

Grey and I then walked off as I gripped onto his fur and allowed him to lead the way through the darkness when suddenly Grey’s ears perked and he turned West and snarled. I knew then he had picked up more of those poacher’s scent.

“Do it Grey” he then charged head first and leaped towards one of the rocks and all I heard was screaming. Grey then leaped towards another guy who had tried to run and tackled him down to the ground and proceeded to rip his leg clean off. “Good Little Grey” I muttered as he then came back towards me and I stroked and scratched the top of his head.

But it wasn’t until Grey turned his attention North and just saw someone standing there no weapons on him he was just simply standing there but he wasn’t wearing any armor like the other men were. Little Grey charged towards this man head on but I knew something bad was going to happen to my wolf pup and how right I was.

The man lifted his hand and just before Little Grey could bite him at the throat, Little Grey was shocked with something then sent flying back. Whimpering and growling as he tried to stand back up the man walked back towards him saying.

“Tough luck Snoopy,” it was then I finally had the strength to leap at the guy and beat him with a large rock I managed to find. I continued to beat the man when I felt pain hit my shoulder and I was knocked off the man feeling something ooze down my shoulder and the familiar smell of blood hit my nose. Suddenly my body began to shut down and soon blackness consumed my vision.

As Little Grey and I were both knocked out unconscious the man in the suit stood up and adjusted himself as more men in black with their guns surrounded us and one of the men said.

“Do we end their lives Mr. Karpov?”

“No, take the girl and the wolf, I think we’ve found our newest weapon that could even make our Winter Soldier quake in fear”. It was then Little Grey and I were caged up and placed into helicopter and we were taken somewhere far away and down below, one could see that my entire village was burned to the ground and everyone had been massacred.

#avengers fanfiction #avengers fandom #avengers age of ultron #avengers x reader #bad wolf #pietro maximoff x reader #wanda maximoff x reader

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khunvegas · 8 years ago

Text

Saphael Fanfic Rec 2.0

A Saphael Fest.

More writing goodies from amazing writers.

As always, if you know any of the authors and tag them, that would be very much appreciated

A Daisy instead of a glass shoe by @soft-saphael

Tumblr prompt: runaway prince!simon and commoner!rapahel

Two weeks from his coronation and three from his wedding to Princess Isabelle of Idris, the Prince of New York found himself on a park bench in Brooklyn. His face buried in the palms of his hand as his phone continued to ring. Deep breaths. Deep breathes. Deep- the phone is laying in pieces on the concrete walkway in shattered fragments.

“You’re a little far from the palace” A slightly accented voice said, from out of the corner of his eyes Simon saw black leather.

“Excuse me?”

“Oh I’m sorry your highness, I apologize for not bowing” The boy snorted.

“Please, just leave me alone” Simon huffed tiredly.

A First Date (Kind of. Almost.) by SnogboxesAndChips

Simon is always looking for excuses to be near Raphael. When he finally finds a suitable excuse, he walks in on Raphael doing something that Simon would have never thought Raphael would do. He was cooking.

And every road you take (will always lead you home) by @woodenhallslikecaskets

For Raphael's 55th birthday Magnus gifts him a portal that leads to 1956.

Brooklyn, NY 1956: he meets a beautiful boy by the name of Simon Lewis. They've never met before but Raphael feels like he could love him. They could fall in love.

Break of the light by @makehomesofhumans

Simon's eyes sparked to life as he was being dangled over the edge of a building. He sighed, because that was just his luck.

But who would love a monster, anyway? By @spendeonswithyou

As he learns later, loving Simon hurts. It’s making his dead heart want to beat again, destroying the remaining bits and pieces of his soul.

Or the Soulmate AU in which you can feel your soulmate's pain.

Customer Satisfaction by kuro1neko2kun

'You’re the customer and you get back at me for all the times I’ve spelt your name wrong by mispronouncing my name in increasingly horrible ways’ AU

Darling, you're all I need by @anjawritingsx

Simon and Raphael are happy together, that is until Simon forgets their 8th year anniversary. Raphael is left heartbroken and Magnus and Alec try to pick up the pieces.

Does that mean you've a really bad crush on me too? By milleniumlint

Simon wants Raphael to understand he has feelings for him but he's not so obvious like he thinks he is.

Dreaming of You (endlessly) by Nubian_Reese

Corazón—His heart. He loves Simon so much it hurts. His beauty, his optimism, it’s a sea of good and Raphael does nothing but dive right in. And he is not ashamed, because Simon is a gift. God’s gift, and sometimes Raphael can’t believe what they have together is real, but when Simon leans down and kisses him, hands running through each other's hair skimming down backs, and gripping hips, Raphael lives in every sense and knows that this is real.

Flirting 101 by TrickyVicky3

Raphael sighs, shaking his head more to himself than anything else as he reaches down for Simon and pulls the other boy up again. “That will be all for today” he pulls the bottom of his tank top up, using the material to wipe away sweat, unaware of Simon’s gaze tracking over his abdomen. “You did good but not good enough, even if you pinning me down was kind of hot”

For Simon by @sirknightmordred

It's Simon's birthday and Raphael has the perfect gift. {Part of my Malec AU ask blog.}

His Beauty by christinawithav

He is so sensual without even realizing it, Simon muses about Raphael.

Home by @anjawritingsx

Set after 1x13.

A week after his betrayal Simon has nightmares. Jace, Alec, Magnus and Isabelle want to bring him back to Raphael but Clary refuses. Surely she could be the one to help her friend.

I Don't Want You To Get It On (With Nobody Else But Me) by lizards

Simon and Raphael drunk hook up, Raphael is a ass about it because he's an emotionally constipated adult. Simon is eternally frustrated and sucks at not-thinking about it.

I'm a tiny heart that's falling fast by @woodenhallslikecaskets

Before Camille and DuMort, Simon's search history usually brought up games, cheat codes, guitar chords.

And after, it evolves into:

"Does pansexuality include crushing on vampires?" and "How to kiss a vampire."

It's quite revealing.

In other words (I love you) by @woodenhallslikecaskets

In a perfect world, he would take Simon apart with his hands and teeth as sunlight streamed through an open window. The radio would play Buddy Holly and Raphael would hum along.

He would try very hard not to laugh every time Simon tripped over his own feet as they danced.

In stillness, in sorrow (softly sighing lament) by owilde

"Hey," the boy said abruptly. He looked up from his coffee cup, giving Raphael a hesitant smile. Or at least Raphael thought it was meant to be a smile – it mostly resembled a badly carved Halloween pumpkin with social anxiety.

The boy kept looking at him, expecting a greeting in return. Raphael took a leap of faith and bowed down to social expectations. His therapist was going to be so proud.

"Um. Hi," he replied.

Interrupt my sleep, You're in my dreams anyway by PoetryMistress

Simon keeps waking Raphael up over trivial things. At first it's because he needs to get something off his mind. Slowly the reason turns more into the way Raphael looked when he woke up, how he let Simon stay, how he listened even though he pretended to find Simon's talking insufferable.

Kiss me with adventure 'til I forget my name by @woodenhallslikecaskets

Simon's life is fairly predictable and he's comfortable with the quiet routine. Once a week he practices with the band, in his free time he binge watches Jessica Jones on Netflix and has dinner with his mother 'lest she send a police squad to his apartment after he misses two of her calls.

He doesn't care for change, not one bit.

Enter a boxing instructor who belongs on the pages of GQ.

Kiss of light (and all my mirrors are windows) by @woodenhallslikecaskets

Simon falls in love and manages to completely screw it up. Sometimes in order to fix the damage, you have to fix yourself.

Who says an ending can't be a beginning?

Like a love song on the radio by @eversall

Simon could be reading into the tiny glimpses of Raphael’s personality he gets a little too much. But he doesn’t think he is, and it honestly doesn’t matter; when the other man looks at him, he wants to know what it would feel like to be Raphael’s happily ever after. . Simon's a bartender, Raphael plays the piano, and somehow they manage to communicate to each other that yeah, they both want this.

Like what you see? By wvlfqveen

Simon was working through his second rum and coke when he realized he was being watched.

Match Made in Brooklyn by @soft-saphael

Raphael wasn't a fan of blind dating or dating period.

He was content with his life, he had his family, his best friend and his job, he thought that was more than enough but they thought otherwise.

The boy, Simon, he was a friend of Magnus' boyfriend’s sister’s girlfriend, it could have been simpler but Alec refused to say Clary was his friend too.

It was on a chilly October afternoon when Raphael found himself walking down a Brooklyn street lined with small stores and boutiques, several family owned restaurants and bakeries. His destination was a small cafe called biscuits.

Raphael could smell the spend of freshly baked cakes, and hints of overly sweetened coffee. Raphael was a greeted by wide grin that was quickly replaced by a frown when he pulled out the chair in front of Simon Lewis.

Me - Kiss - What? By @bigbisexual

Isabelle laughed for what seemed like the fifth time that minute, and said, “Simon, truth or dare?” with a light, dazzling slur, grabbing her glass from the table yet again arousing a clink, and putting it to her lips.

“Die-” Said Simon, choking, then quickly corrected, “I mean dare, sorry- tongue twister.”

Suddenly a dark expression appeared on her face. All this time she had kept one dare in her mind for Simon alone, but waited until it was her chance to ask the questions, “I dare you…” She began, took a graceful pause to garner his reaction, “to kiss Raphael on the cheek, or whatever, when you get back to the hotel.”

“…. Is it too late to pick die?” Simon asked, begging.

Not About Angels by @abluelightinthedark

He remembered crashing down onto snow, his refracted wings spread around his cold body, a bloody taste on his lips. He remembered coughing and then… then breathing. He remembered his first breath, he remembered his first heartbeat, he remembered everything.

Raphael Santiago had been an angel. He had been an angel and then he fell, banished from heaven by his own blood.

Raphael Santiago was a fallen angel, because angels are not supposed to fall in love with humans, but that’s exactly what he did.

One More Memory by @soft-saphael

Java Jace had become their place. Raphael had kissed Simon there for the first time, his lips had tasted of caffeine and caramel.

Simon had asked Raphael to be his boyfriend there, as they huddled together trying to find warmth from the blistering cold of winter.

Their first ‘I love you’ was spoke with bright smiles as spring blossomed through the windows.

One more offkey anthem by @niifflers

Loving raphael was a new experience for simon.

Only Fools Fall For You by @dauntless-sansa

Simon is tired of being kept in this house all day. But he's not tired of Raphael. He never could be.

Por silencio by hoywfiction

Simon won’t shut up and Raphael is running out of ideas.

Red gerbera by @fangtasticsaphael

"Looks like you got yourself a secret admirer," the clan leader commented with a shrug and just turned around without another word to leave the room. Simon watched the other go, feeling even more confused by the slightly weird behaviour of the older vampire.

"Hey, what's up with his sour face?" Stan's voice caused him to flinch again and Simon groaned softly.

"Could you guys stop popping up out of nowhere? You will give me a heart attack someday," the fledgeling complained and Stan laughed with a dismissive gesture.

"Good thing you're already dead, then--"

"Undead."

"--and, what, do you expect us to deliberately stomp around the hotel just so your poor hearing might pick it up? Maybe you should start taking your training more serious," the older vampire teased with a grin that widened a little more when Simon muttered a "You sound like Rapha" in return.

I deserve love by WritenStuff

Raphael reaches breaking point and finally opens up about his feelings for Simon. Will Simon feel the same?

Somebody out there by @fangtasticsaphael

He was curled up on the seat, headphones caressing his ears with the tunes of another song by American Authors because he had really enjoyed Best day of my life and didn't actually know any other songs from them. Raphael wasn't aware of humming along until he finally felt Magnus staring at him with wide but amused eyes.

"What is it, Bane?" He asked and deliberately used the other's last name to show annoyance even though both of them knew it was just an act he kept up for whatever reasons. Habit, maybe.

"Nothing. Just...you seem happy," his best friend replied with a shrug and a genuine smile tugging at the corners of his lips. Raphael paused with a frown, his eyes narrowing before he realised that Magnus was actually right. He felt relaxed and...happy. It was weird that he hadn't even noticed it himself, considering the tension he had carried around ever since the breakup. But here he was, feeling comfortable and relaxed in a van with his best friend and a not-so-stranger, humming along to some good music with a smile on his face.

The aftermath by izzyasavestheday (stilessexual)

These are the days following the battle against Valentine.This is Simon breaking down and picking up the pieces.

“It’s killing her,” Simon whispered. “We tried. We tried so hard to be together –to be happy, to forget about you and R-Raphael. But we couldn’t and we couldn’t turn off our feelings. So, yeah. We broke up.”

The conceptual art of brooding by @eversall

Simon comes home to Raphael sulking. Or, he’s sure Raphael doesn’t consider it sulking, but the older vampire is reclined across the ridiculous amount of throw pillows decorating his bed, a book in his hand that he’s glaring ferociously at. . Simon Lewis faces off against his boyfriend's fantastic dramatics.

The perfect height by @fangtasticsaphael

Five times Raphael notices their height difference and thinks about Simon kissing him (forehead, nose, lips) + one time Simon notices it as well and acts on it.

“I’m sorry?” Simon offered with a small voice and obediently took a few sips of his blood to show he was listening to the clan leader now, that he was going to be healed in no time and there was nothing really to worry about. The fledgeling put down the glass after drinking half of its content and walked up to Raphael, tentatively stopping right in front of him.

Under the screen of night by @fangtasticsaphael

The boy sat up and scrambled to his feet after tugging his beanie back in place and when he glanced up at Simon - cheeks red from the cold just like the tip of his small nose that peaked out of the top of his scarf, big and round brown eyes framed by long lashes and a few curls of dark hair tumbling into his forehead - the vampire couldn't help but think that this kid was absolutely adorable. He resisted the urge to reach out and pinch the child's round cheeks because this gesture might not be very appreciated, especially from a total stranger.

"I'm sorry, Mister, I didn't mean to run you over," the boy mumbled into his scarf and one gloved hand tugged nervously at the partly torn fabric of the other glove. His jacket seemed a little too wide, kind of dirty and also littered with several tears in the material. Simon doubted that the clothes did a very good job at keeping the boy warm in these temperatures.

Walked into the flames by @joanthangroff

A desperate Raphael takes up the offer of a warlock to grant him a second chance to live as a human in exchange for his voice.

We're no strangers to love by @taylorcoley

The vampire clan switches over to email, and Simon seriously overestimates Raphael's knowledge of contemporary memes.

You can get used to a certain kind of sadness by @woodenhallslikecaskets

"How do you move on?" He adds, not entirely wanting to get over Simon.

(Don't make me)

Jace makes a small broken noise that goes straight to Raphael's heart. Here are two men from different worlds who cannot seem to win at life or love. For all their sins and triumphs, they are the same where it counts.

"You don't."

(Raphael is shrouded in the oppressive shadows and this is how I die, he thinks. Watching him watching her. Loving her. History repeats itself)

You put the stars in the sky by @malecxdreams

Simon goes out with the clan and things happen with stars and stuff

You’re enough (I promise you’re enough) by @woodenhallslikecaskets

Simon needs advice. More specifically: he needs to know how to romance Raphael or at least spit out his feelings already.

Enter Magnus and Jace.

This can't possibly go wrong.

Your left hand man by @madroxed

“Okay,” Simon says, shoving a shirt back into the overly ornate closet that takes up half his room, “this isn’t a nineties movie. There’s not going to be a shopping montage to indie rock chick music, and even though tiny backpacks are probably cool again, please don’t ever buy one.”

Raphael looks at him like he’s a moron. “Do you even understand half the stuff that comes out of your mouth?”

#here i am again #i can't get enough of this two #saphael #maybe they won't be canon in the show but i'm still hoping #writing goodies #saphael fanfic rec #saphael fanfic rec 2.0 #they are my weakness tbh #and if the fic it's good good good like these ones i'm very much sold #since jimon we are running low but this OTP is still here #there could be more but there are authors who are still finding their muses #i'm waititng for them really #it's impressive how many incomplete saphael fics are out there #saphael fic #reccing because it's life #if you write saphael fics you are probably here and if not then you'll be in the next one #raphael santiago #simon lewis #yeah there it's gonna be a next one #i'm hopeful that the fics that are in hiatus come back to life #if you don't like being tagged in this let me know #long post #god this is too long #E N J O Y Y Y ! ! !#my fanfic recs

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notarelationship · 8 years ago

Text

Clinging to This Hating Game 2/?

For the @prompt-a-klainefic blog’s 2017 Reverse Bang

Link to the art by @datshitrandom

the prompt:

Kurt and Blaine couldn’t stand each other in high school, maybe one was a jock/cheerleader and the other a nerd/glee clubber. Or they were bitter rivals for competition solos if they were both in glee club. Now they both live in NY and their friends set them up on a blind date, not knowing they went to the same high school.

High School AU, Cheerio!Kurt, Jock!Blaine Rating: Explicit Warnings: some bullying and homophobic language, teenage sex Word Count: ~4500 (this chapter)

Happy Birthday!! and thanks to my superbeta @mshoneysucklepink. I think I rewrote this chapter 3 times so she had her work cut out for her.

Everything wonky is my fault.

AO3 link chapter 2

tumblr chapter 1

Chapter 2

Kurt almost didn’t think about it at all.

Senior year started in less than a week, and Cheerios practice had started the week before and he had plenty of things to think about instead. He did. He didn’t have time to waste on thoughts of fumbling hands and pretty eyes and orgasms shared with anyone. He didn’t.

“Ready for your final year of academic domination?” Quinn asked slipping her arm through his as they walked through the parking lot, Santana and Brittany stepped right in line with them. Kurt grinned.

“As long as Harriet Gomez doesn’t pull off enough extra credit to make up for tanking her Chemistry final last year, I think I’ve got it nailed down.”

“Just so you don’t forget -”

“That I wouldn’t be in this position if you hadn’t blown your sophomore year. Of course Quinn, you’d never let me.”

That first morning went more or less as usual, with syllabi and class behavior requirements handed out and gone over with little attention paid by the students. By the time Kurt’s lunch period arrived his book bag was weighed down by an advanced Calculus textbook, a copy of The Invisible Man, an exam schedule for AP World History and a request to bring a box of tissues from each teacher.

Kurt loaded his tray with the few healthy items he could find and then sat at his regular table in the cafeteria, where Quinn, Santana and Brittany were already seated.

“Anyone see the new kid yet?”

“There’s a new kid?” Kurt wasn’t really that interested in new students at this point. No one was going to challenge his status in the Cheerios, not this year, and it was highly doubtful that someone could transfer in now and upset his run at valedictorian. In a year he’d be out of McKinley and out of Ohio and wouldn’t have to think about any of these people ever again.

“Yeah, apparently some brainy rich-kid.”

“New guy?” Quinn looked interested.

“Focus Quinn.” Kurt pointed his spoon at her. “You are better than all of these losers.” Kurt held up a curled pinky finger and Quinn hooked her own around it in solidarity. He pulled the top off his yogurt and turned back to Santana. “How brainy?”

Santana clicked her tongue. “Valedictorian-level brainy, Elf-Lord.”

“I thought transfer students couldn’t qualify for valedictorian at this point?”

“Britt says that she heard Coach Sylvester fighting about it with Figgins and Coach Beiste in the office. Apparently he used to be at some snooty private school and his parents are insisting he be given consideration for the top spot or they are going to send him somewhere else, so they’re considering it.”

“And he’s a football star,” Brittany said. “They think college scouts will come to see him play and maybe some of the other boys will get offered spots too.”

Quinn rolled her eyes. “That explains it.”

“I don’t see anyone new.” Kurt looked around the cafeteria, landing on the football table. “Do we know what his name is?”

“Blaine something.” Brittany said. They all looked at her. “What? I was filing student arrest reports in the office when they were talking about him.”

Kurt looked at his yogurt. It wasn’t possible, was it? He steadied himself and turned to look at Brittany. “Blaine?”

“Someone you know?” Quinn asked.

“No.” Kurt schooled his face back into his everyday indifference and shrugged. It was a coincidence. It had to be. Party-Blaine had said he was an OSU sophomore. And he was way too small to be a football player, if the goons at McKinley were an accurate example of the type. He popped a spoonful of yogurt into his mouth. “I thought Blaine was a girls name.”

Apparently the new kid’s parents got what they wanted from the school administration, because when Kurt walked into glee club for his final period of the day there was a new kid standing at the front of the class listening to Rachel Berry suggest that there was no possible way he could keep up with her on Broadway standards and proposition him for duets in nearly the same breath.

Kurt did a double take, then looked deliberately at his regular seat at the back of the risers and marched there. His hair was curlier, and he was wearing loose jeans, a McKinley high football t-shirt that still had the fold lines running down the sides, and worn sneakers - but Kurt was sure. It was the same Blaine from the summer. Blaine who was apparently not an OSU sophomore. Blaine who had seen him with his pants down. Blaine who had jerked him off until he came. The first, and only, boy to ever touch him like that.

They couldn’t know each other, and Kurt definitely did not want to have to explain to anyone how they did. Maybe Blaine wouldn’t recognize him and he wouldn’t even have to acknowledge it. Kurt calmly took his seat near the back with Quinn and the girls as everyone got ready to watch the new recruits, but his stomach was twisting into knots.

There were a half dozen new kids there to audition, including Blaine, and Mr. Schuester had them all sitting in the front row. They went down the line, and the first three weren’t bad. Kurt wouldn’t throw too much of a fit if they were added to the group. Clearly none of them were going to challenge him for competition solos. He knew he wouldn’t be the main soloist, Mr. Schuester would probably pick Finn for that, but now that he was a senior he was definitely going to get more opportunities to sing in competition.

Then Blaine got up in front of the class. Kurt had to admit that in the light of day he was still cute. He had a sweet, enthusiastic smile, and while Kurt thought the more gelled look he’d sported over the summer gave off a more sophisticated image, his short hair was neat enough.

Then Blaine opened his mouth.

His audition song was “Put on a Happy Face,” and he killed it. The minute he started singing he was fully into the song, performing, flirting, charming everyone in the room, even Brad - their piano player, and he hated everyone. He even pulled a very willing Rachel out of her seat and danced around her as he finished the song.

Kurt deflated. There was no way he could compete with that, even with his unique vocal talents. Blaine was exactly the lead male vocal they never quite had. Finn and Puck could hold their own, and his own vocals always turned heads and ears in competition, but even in the tiny McKinley High choir room Kurt could tell. Blaine was an expert showman.

“Blaine that was fantastic!” Mr. Schuester gushed as everyone applauded. “I think your addition will really open up a lot of possibilities for the group this year.”

Blaine smiled at Mr. Schuester, clearly soaking up the praise from the teacher as well as the other members of the glee club, who were all gathered around him slapping him on the back and touching him. Kurt sat back in his chair and scowled, Quinn and Santana flanking him on either side.

“No love for the new kid, Hummel?” Santana asked.

“He’s a showboat. And he’s going to steal all my parts.”

The next day Kurt arrived late to calculus to find Blaine already filling one of the extra seats - thankfully across the room from where Kurt sat. Blaine was also in his English class and his gym class, and in his afternoon biology class as well as glee club. He never so much as glanced at Kurt, so maybe Blaine really didn’t recognize him. Kurt supposed he did look different; he wore his Cheerios uniform and his hair was styled differently.

That was probably a good thing. Kurt really didn’t want anyone to know what had happened. He hadn’t even told Quinn.

Later, in the locker room after Cheerios practice, any hope that Blaine hadn’t recognized him disappeared.

“So I guess you meant you’re going to be at NYU next year?”

Kurt grimaced and turned to look at Blaine.

“This isn’t exactly your sophomore year at OSU,” Kurt snapped. “We both lied. So? It’s not like it matters to anyone.” Blaine nodded once, but looked at the lockers instead of Kurt’s face. Kurt could only imagine one thing Blaine would be worried about. He went back to dressing himself. “Don’t worry, I won’t out you.”

Blaine shrugged and looked surprised. “My teammates know I’m gay. It’s not a secret.”

Kurt turned to look at Blaine, who was looking at him too, now. “The football team knows you’re gay?”

“Sure.”

“And they didn’t beat the crap out of you and throw you in a dumpster?”

Blaine’s face darkened, but he shook his head. “No, should they have?”

“Well lucky you.” Kurt said sourly, and turned back to his locker. He really didn’t feel like having to explain to Blaine how things were at McKinley. He’d figure out what neanderthals he was playing with soon enough. Blaine stood there, not really watching as Kurt pulled on his shirt - post practice he could wear his own clothes - but he didn’t say anything. “Did you need something else?” Kurt asked. He wanted out of this conversation.

Blaine looked like he was about to say something, but the rest of the football team started to stagger in from practice, and he snapped his mouth shut. Kurt grabbed his assortment of hair product out of his locker.

“Excuse me, I have places to be.” Blaine stepped aside so Kurt could get to the communal mirrors. As he did his hair he watched Blaine’s interactions with the rest of the team. They didn’t flinch, didn’t call him names, didn’t insist he leave the locker room before they would get into the shower.

Instead they joked around, talked about football and what they were doing on the weekend. Kurt wasn’t trying to listen.

“So I bet gay dudes get a lot of dick in an all boys school, huh?” It was Puck. Kurt rushed out of the locker room without waiting to hear the answer to that question.

“I don’t know, I think he’s kinda cute,” Quinn said a few days later at lunch.

“Keep it in your pants Quincy, word on the street is that he’d prefer Little Miss Hummel here,” Santana answered.

“Really? Kurt you should get to know him,” Quinn suggested. “Maybe he can help you with your goal of actually having sex before you leave high school.”

Kurt’s insides chilled. If only she knew. Somehow he managed to convince his outsides to make a disgusted face. “Absolutely not. Not my type.”

“Don't be ridiculous Hummel, given your options in this high school hell pit your type should be gay and breathing,” Santana said. “Beggars can’t be picky assholes.”

“I don’t think that’s how it goes, Santana,” Brittany whispered.

“No, I think it is, sweetie,” Santana squeezed Brittany’s arm and smiled.

Kurt glared at Santana. “You're disgusting.”

“I'm just saying Kurt. Even I can tell that's a fine piece of man ass.” Santana turned her body around as if trying to catch a glimpse of said ass. “Well, boy ass.”

Kurt rolled his eyes. “I'll stick with no thanks.”

“This is why unicorns are extinct,” Brittany observed.

For the next week Kurt managed to avoid most interactions with Blaine. He went about his day without having to speak to him, despite their numerous shared classes, and Mr. Schuester hadn’t managed to pair them up for any insane weekly lesson yet (of course the fact that Rachel would barely let Blaine out of her sight probably helped Kurt in this area). They were occasionally in the locker room at the same time, but since most of the guys tolerated rather than accepted Kurt in that space he easily avoided any interaction there.

They even managed to avoid each other after the first football game, since it was at Lima Central and the Cheerios traveled separate from the football team - Coach Sue preferred as little fraternization between the two groups as possible. Luckily the novelty of dating football players seemed to wear off for most Cheerios after only a couple of months of knowing them. Kurt didn’t exactly have first hand experience in that area.

But their second game was at McKinley, and Kurt couldn't avoid being in the locker room with the football team entirely.

Sue had kept them on the sideline after the game to chew them out about a mistake no one could have noticed, so Kurt was late getting into the shower and was just getting out, a towel wrapped around his waist, when the football team came in.

“What are you doing here princess? You're supposed to be dressed by the time we get in here.” It was Dave Karofsky.

“Hoping you’ll get a peek?” Kurt drawled and walked away in the direction of his locker.

“You wish.”

“Is that really the best you can do?” Kurt taunted. He went about his usual routine, but dressing quickly and keeping one ear open for trouble anyway. “Maybe you hit your head harder than you thought tonight.”

“Shut up, fruitcake.” It was Karofsky’s lackey, Azimio.

“What did you say?” Blaine had come from around the other side of the bank of lockers opposite where Kurt was standing. He was obviously talking to Azimio.

Kurt frowned. He didn’t need Blaine to get involved.

“Whatever,” Kurt said, turning back to his locker. He just wanted Blaine to go away. “Between the two of them they're about as clever as a post-it note and about as dangerous.” Kurt shouldered his bag and shut his locker.

“Apologize.” Blaine was still talking to Azimio, but a few guys had come over to see what the noise was about.

Now Kurt was annoyed. “I don't need your help,” he said to Blaine. Blaine just stared at him, his mouth a tight line. “I've been dealing with this for years. You just have to ignore them. They’re like gnats.”

“No one should have to deal with it.” Blaine looked pained. Kurt felt a flash of sympathy for the boy, but he let it pass.

“I'm sure your fancy prep school had all sorts of progressive policies,” Kurt said with disdain. “None of that applies here.” They were starting to draw a crowd and Kurt wanted to get out of there before he said something he’d regret.

“What's that supposed to mean?” Blaine turned and was facing Kurt now, the other boys’ insults apparently forgotten.

Kurt tried not to let his eyes wander. Blaine still had on his pads and pants, but was offensively shirtless. There was more hair on his chest than Kurt remembered.

“It means that out here no one is going to be nice to you just because some school administrator told them they have to - and, newsflash, no administrator in this school is even going to go that far. And that Azimio is an animal.” Kurt started to walk away, but turned back to Blaine. “And I've been dealing with this forever,” he added. “I don't need your help.” Kurt stormed out of the locker room, leaving Blaine standing with his mouth open, gawking with the rest of the football team.

After their near-altercation in the locker room Blaine seemed to be taking just as much care to avoid Kurt as Kurt did avoiding Blaine. They didn’t have to interact at all outside of glee club and they didn’t. Even football games provided enough other distractions that they could simply avoid talking to each other.

Kurt did notice that Blaine had become friends with Tina Cohen-Chang from glee club and her boyfriend Mike Chang. They were nice enough people, Kurt supposed, but he didn’t really know them outside of glee. They were kind of nerdy.

They all spent time with another kid named Beckham Lee, another senior Kurt had in a few classes over the years. Kurt didn’t know Beckham that well though, since he wasn’t in glee club or a Cheerio, or on the football team, but Kurt had always had a sneaking suspicion he might be gay too. The fact that Beckham was hanging out with Blaine so much just confirmed it in Kurt’s mind. And that was fine, if he wanted to put up with Blaine he was welcome to him. Kurt did have to give Beckham’s parent’s props though for being bold enough to name their son after a Spice Girl.

One afternoon in glee Mr. Schuester tried to pair everyone up by pulling names out of a bag, Project Runway style. Kurt was not at all shocked that his name was pulled to pair with Blaine, that was just how his year was going. He could be a team player, though. He needed as many things on his transcript as possible if he wanted to get into NYADA and move to New York, and the more they all worked together the better they would be and the better chance they’d have to move past Regionals.. . But he didn’t need to make it easy on Blaine, so he didn’t hide his irritation at the announcement.

“Mr. Schue can I sing with someone else?” It was Blaine.

Mr. Schue looked around at the class. “Everyone’s already paired up Blaine. Is there some reason you don’t want to sing with Kurt?” Blaine hadn’t turned around from his seat in the front to look at Kurt, but Kurt had frozen in his spot on the riser.

“I really don’t think our voices work that well together,” Blaine answered. Kurt knew that was a lie, the few times they’d had to sing together in group numbers they had sounded great. He crossed his arms over his chest and stared daggers at the back of Blaine’s head.

“I can sing with anyone, Mr. Schue,” Kurt said. Blaine ignored him.

“I would be happy to work with Blaine, Mr. Schue,” Rachel piped up, raising her hand as she spoke. “After all, it’s very likely we’ll be paired together at Sectionals which is just a month away, so we should take some extra time and learn each other’s strengths and weaknesses.” She threw on a perky grin almost as an afterthought and Kurt shook his head.

“Mr. Schue, I can sing with Kurt.” Mercedes had been paired with Rachel, and Kurt knew she could barely tolerate Rachel’s drama on a good day. “We sound great together.” She turned and winked at Kurt.

Kurt always liked Mercedes, even though they didn’t spend much time together outside of glee club. He was too busy with the Cheerios and keeping his grade point above a 4.1 for much extra socializing. But Mercedes could bring the vocal skills.

Mr. Schuester looked at the class with his usual vaguely confused expression, and clapped his hands together. “Okay great! Now that’s settled everyone get with your partner and we’ll start in ten minutes.”

Along with preparing for Sectionals, October brought on homecoming activities for the school, and the pending announcement for the school musical.

Somehow, the addition of Blaine to the football team had actually made the team better, which lead to them winning more games than they lost for the first time in years. Everyone in the school and most of the residents of Lima were all of a sudden excited about the homecoming festivities. That meant more football practice, more cheerleading practice, every club and team making floats for the parade, and generally excited mayhem throughout the school. Kurt had to admit that every once in awhile he even felt a little something that might have been fondness for his school. And maybe his classmates. Maybe.

In the middle of this fresh wave of school spirit, Kurt was eagerly awaiting Mr. Schuester’s announcement of which musical they were going to put on this year. Auditions were open to the entire school, but Kurt was sure that this year - being a senior, he would finally have a decent chance at a lead part.

It was the Monday of homecoming week and they were all gathered in the choir room waiting for Mr. Schuester to come in and break the news.

“Maybe it will be Funny Girl,” Rachel sighed.

“You always think it’s going to be Funny Girl, Rachel,” Tina reminded her.

“You never know Tina. It always pays to have a positive outlook.” Rachel wiggled primly in her seat.

“Little Shop of Horrors could be fun,” Mike suggested. “Or Anything Goes?”

Finn looked uncomfortable. “Isn’t there a lot of dancing in that?”

“Everybody ready?” Mr. Schuester came into the class, rubbing his hands together. Everyone was ready. “I had a bunch of great suggestions for the musical this year, and as you know we have to get the selection approved by the school board now.”

“Really? Why?” Blaine asked from his spot in the front row. The whole class moaned.

“Four words,” said Puck. He raised his hands in front of him, punctuating every word. “Rocky. Horror. Picture. Show.”

“Again I ask, really? You guys did Rocky Horror in a high school? In this high school?” Blaine’s mouth hung open just a bit in astonishment.

“All right, all right, enough of that everyone.” Mr. Schuester interrupted. “I would actually like to thank Blaine for suggesting this year’s musical.”

Kurt held his breath. He may have no time for the boy, but he had to grudgingly admit that he had decent taste in music, at least from what Kurt had seen in school.

“You all remember that Blaine auditioned with a song from Bye Bye Birdie, and I thought that would be a great one for us to try, so I put it on the short list that was submitted to the board, and they approved it! Isn’t that great?”

Everyone murmured, more or less happy with the selection. Kurt could feel his stomach tense up as he counted the members of the glee club against the list in his head of the major parts in the musical. There weren’t enough parts.

“Mr. Schue, if I may?” Kurt raised his hand, getting his teacher’s attention. “There aren’t enough parts in that for all of us.” He swallowed hard. There were probably enough girls parts, but not nearly enough guy parts. And only one Kurt thought he could shine in.

“I think we can make it work. Maybe we’ll double up if it makes sense.” No one liked that idea, if the rumble of random complaints that bubbled through the room meant anything.

Kurt didn’t want to double up, he wanted to play Albert. He glared at the back of Blaine’s head, hoping he might break a leg at the homecoming game.

The rest of the week was a blur. Between Cheerios practice (which had been doubled for Homecoming) and picking and rehearsing a song for his Bye Bye Birdie audition Kurt was exhausted almost to hallucination. To top it off two of his teachers insisted on assigning homework projects, and Kurt was not giving up his shot at Valedictorian for anything.

So he gave up sleep instead. He took all his meals in his room, which his dad wasn’t happy about, although between Kurt’s and Finn’s various obligations Burt had adjusted to the erratic nature of meal times so he left Kurt alone. Kurt contemplated giving up eating altogether, but between all the various things he had going on he didn’t want to collapse on the field on Friday. So he grudgingly stuck to his meal plan.

Blaine ran for seven touchdowns and caught another three in the end zone in the kind of blowout that only ever happened in high school football games in the Midwest.

“Fuck yeah Anderson!”

“WOOO MCKINLEY!”

“TI-TANS! TI-TANS! TI-TANS”

The locker room after the game was an orgy of sweaty football players and bubbly contraband. Tragically, as far as Kurt was concerned, that did not mean champagne - not even the cheap bubbles from the Rite-Aid that were really only good for pouring over your teammate’s head. Coach Beiste had let them have a case of beer so long as they promised to spray it all over each other and not drink it. Kurt often wondered if he were the only sane person in Ohio.

“Hey man, I couldn't have done it without the great blocks,” Blaine protested through the congratulations of his teammates. “And Finn!” Blaine slapped Finn on the arm as everyone tried to crowd into Blaine's space to congratulate him and themselves. “Great play-calling man.”

Kurt rolled his eyes at his locker, rows away from the celebration. The jerk scored 60 points and he wouldn't even take credit for it. Kurt didn't understand that at all. He'd kill for that kind of recognition from anyone, even his peers.

Mike’s parents were conveniently out of town visiting relatives for a week, so the afterparty was going to be at his house. Kurt showered quickly and dressed in a pair of yoga pants and a tank top. He’d brought a change of clothes with him for the party, and was meeting Quinn, Santana and Brittany in the girls bathroom outside of the choir room so they could all get ready together.

He had nearly escaped the boy’s locker room when Finn stopped him with a large paw on his shoulder.

“You coming to the party little brother?”

Kurt rolled his eyes. “I am not your little brother Finn. And of course I’ll be at the party. Just going to get ready.”

“You can’t get ready in the locker room like the rest of us?” Blaine snarked as he walked past them both.

“Is this any of your business?” Kurt clapped back.

Blaine held his hands up in front of him and backed away without answering. He was really starting to get on Kurt’s nerves.

“Are you going to need a ride home later?” Kurt turned and asked Finn. “I’m the designated driver tonight so I don’t want to leave without you if you need a lift.”

“Yeah thanks bro, don’t leave without me.” Kurt nodded and left the locker room.

Standing in the half darkened hallway, leaning against the wall of lockers was Beckham Lee, the kid who’d been hanging out with Blaine. He was staring at his phone and startled when the locker room door slammed behind Kurt.

“Hi Beck,” Kurt said. He tried not to smirk.

“Hey Kurt. Are you going to the party?”

Kurt nodded. He had a pretty good idea what Beckham was doing there. “Are you waiting for someone?”

Beckham blushed. “Yeah, um, Blaine said I could get a lift with him.”

“Closet getting a little stifling?” It was out of Kurt’s mouth before he could stop it.

Beckham turned even redder, but he didn’t say anything.

Kurt looked at the other boy for a long moment, and a wave of sympathy rushed through him forcing him to bite back the next snarky thing that wanted to escape.

“Well I hope he’s worth it,” he said instead, then turned to walk away.

Kurt went off to find his girls, regretting volunteering to stay sober tonight. All of a sudden he could really use a drink.

#clinging to this hating game #prompt-a-klaine-fic #prompt-a-klaine-fic reverse bang #artist: datshitrandom #klaine fic

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