#series: burning love verison 2

[roadtogracelandx45]

Burning Love: the rewrite|1| Austin Butler!Elvis

So I decided that I was going to redo all the chapters I have written and change quite a few things with Sylvie and her storyline. I should have chapters every couple of days hopefully. As long as I feel well enough and school and work isn't stressing me out too much.

@ohnoitsthebat @prettyinpayne @thatbanditqueen

masterlist

1952

Mentions of abuse and SA

“I know it’s been rough, baby. '' Elvis Presley’s handwriting was smudged on a piece of lined paper that Sylvie had gotten in the mail the day before. She was thankful that she had checked the mail and seen the series of letters from Elvis and his family in it and was able to hide them in her school bag before taking the rest of the mail into the house.

 “One day, I will come up there with Scotty and Bill and break you free.”

 In one of her past letters, she had mentioned what had been going on with her stepfather  at home and how she had to miss a full school year due to health issues.  “Sylvie?” Dickie Robert Jr.’s voice came from behind her and she quickly moved her textbook over the letter so he wouldn’t see it. She had been forbidden to talk to anyone from Tupelo, especially the Presleys. Elanie wanted to forget everything about that period of her life. 

“What’s up?” She returned twisting to look up at him. “Dad wants you home.” He answered. ‘Why? Mama is home with the two kiddos.” She returned. “He wants you out of school completely.’ The pen slipped from her fingers and onto her lap, “What? Why?” “He wants you to take care of the kids.” The unfamiliar feeling of anger rushed up, “What about Mama, isn’t that her job?” 

“Your Mama is in the hospital.” 

“For what?” 

“Don’t question it Sylvia.” 

The younger sibling crossed her arms under her chest and glared at him, she was sick and tired of being told that she couldn’t feel things and she couldn’t be herself and the rights. Hadn’t there been a woman’s movement for this exact reason?  

“Tell me why my mother is in the hospital and then I will go.” She returned. 

Dickie took a deep steadying breath trying not to unleash his anger at his father and step mother on her, he had talked to his grandfather recently and he had told him to take it easy on Sylvie that she had a rough start and even worse when Elanie decided to marry his father and move them to Atlanta. He knew how he treated her was wrong and that the abuse she had suffered was enough. 

“She has alcohol posioning.” He finally answered. 

The girl blinked her eyes a couple of times quickly, “I didn’t know that mama drank.” 

“She hides it very well.” 

Sylvie shook her head and started gathering up her notebooks, “I guess I really don’t know her at all.” 

 Biting his tongue Dickie nodded his head, he had heard alot more about Elanie then he ever wanted to know. And Sylvie didn’t know about the things her mother did at least not now. 

He heard a sniffle from her as she stood up holding the remaining book close to her chest and it felt like a punch to the heart. 

The last time he had see her cry was when they left Tupelo and she had be dragged away from that boy and shoved into the back of the car. 

‘Have you ever thought of runnin’ away?” He knew that he shouldn’t be putting the idea in her head but there was an unfamiliar guilt and wanting to help her that was overwhelming. 

“What?” She returned, her brown eyes going wide, “No, your father would kill me.” 

“I know but Sylvie listen to me.” She clenched the books tighter to her chest, something he had noticed she had done in the pass when she thought it was going to get dangerous, which alot of the time it did.  “If he finds you.” 

“What are you talking about?”

 ‘I am saying, get your stuff together, take all the money from my sock drawer. And then go into Dad’s office and get your papers. Anything with your name on it, get it.”  “Why are you helpin’ me?” ‘Lets just say that I have change of heart. And hurry home before Dad gets home from the hosptial.’ “What about Davey and Andie?” “I will take care of them.” He returned, they both knew that there was no way in hell she would get away with taking at least Davey with her. 

Sylvie started towards the door and paused before she got through it, “Hey Dick?” “Yeah.’ “Thank you.”  He nodded his head and waved her off. 

**

The house was empty when she got to it and she breathed a sigh of relief. All the way home she wasn’t sure that she was going to make it but it seemed luck was on her side, she took the stairs two at time and went into her bedroom. There wasn’t much in it, Dick Sr, never wanted a step daughter so he gave her less then his sons and younger daughter. The first few holidays in Atlanta was hard. 

Sylvie knew that they didn’t have much and there wouldn’t be presents or anything but her daddy made sure they each at least had one present each. Dick didn’t even do that, the first holidays and birthdays, Sylvie had cried her eyes out. But then she just started staying in her room, staying away from the whole family including Dick Sr’s parents. Glancing back at the door, straining to hear if her step father was back with Davey and Andie, not hearing anything she went to her bed and pulled the ratty suitcase that she had when they moved that had a cover of one of Elvis’s Captain Marvel Jr. comic tapped onto it. It had faded and was torn in some places but still it was there. Within minutes she had her clothes thrown into the suitcase as well as one of the baby blankets that had been left in her bed. She snapped the buckles closed and threw what else she could into her school bag. 

This was like a rush she never had before, she almost liked it. It was something so different for her. She tried to behave as much as she possible could to prevent any more abuse that she had coming.  

***

Half an hour later, she was at the train station getting ready to board a train to Memphis, she had a scarf that she lifted from her mothers collection wrapped around her dark hair and pair of dark sunglasses covering her eyes in attempt to hide herself.

 The last thing she needed was for one of the officers who wandered around the train station to see her and take her back to her step father.  One reared her as the train pulled to a stop in front of them and she released a shaky breath and started saying a silent prayer that this would work and she could be free. “Excuse me miss?” The officer had came to a stop next to her, she turned quickly to him lowering her sunglasses lowered down enough to see over the top. “Can I help you with getting on board.” Sylvie took a shallow breath and nodded her head,  “Yes, thank you.” He offered her a smile in return before picking up the suitcase and carrying it a board the train. “I am right there.” She offered up from where she had climbed up the stairs after him. He nodded his head and put the suitcase in the overhead rack. 

“Safe travels Ms. Adams.” 

[roadtogracelandx45]

Thanks to @thatbanditqueen for the tag this is a part of the upcoming one shot- Little White Church that may or may not be what actually happens with Sylvie and Elvis:

“Elvis?” He sputtered surprised, he was just a skinny little boy when he ripped Sylvie away from her grandmother and the Presleys. “You need to leave now.” He skipped over the politeness that he was always taught. His first and only concern at this point was the terrified 16 year old girl who was sitting curled up between DJ and Billy while Petey took a protective stance in front of them. In the short time that she had been there with them, she had wormed her way into their hearts and has learned parts of the story that Elvis told them.  “Get my daughter and I will leave.”  The teen’s eyes flashed angrily as he gripped the doorknob in his hand, ‘Not gonna happen.” “Sylvia!” Dick shouted trying to push past him only to be pushed back 

anyone who really want to do this

A little challenge: Pick out your favorite sentence that you've written recently. One sentence. No context. Tag some friends.

Thank you for tagging me @blurredcolour!

This is from a Queen Maeve x Reader fic that is literally only two paragraphs at this point.

Catching a glimpse of you leaving the employee, non-supe gym in your yoga pants and sports bra made Maeve feel like that little girl sitting in her mom’s living room, staring at Jane Fonda in spandex all over again.

I tag @crash-and-cure @its-monster-mash @raccoonspooky @ventiswampwater @emmymaehereeeeee and whoever else wants to do this!

🦇 Battie

[popculturebuffet]

Final Space Reviewcaps: The Hidden Light or Beelzbub’s Dad and Death Himself

Welcome back all you happy people! My regular coverage of final space continues as our Team Squad continues to be split up. Team Gary heads to the ruins of France and while HUE lives the dream, Gary finds the architect of his misery might also be the archtetcht of hope when he meets KVN’s creator.  Meanwhile Team Avacato find some friends of some friends... and an old enemy horrifically reborn and just as pants crappingly terrifying as before. Find out whose back, whose just been introduced, and whose resting under the cut!

So once again i’ts time for roll call, as our Team Squad has been split into three groups so Team Gary: Gary, Quinn, KVN, HUE Team Avacato: Avacato, Little Cato, Ash, Fox, Sheryl.  Team Bollo: Bollo, Mooncake

Same as last time and if your wondering why some names are missing from Avacato’s team, we will get to that. And since our three plots are entirely seperated from the start this time...

Team Gary: The Father of Beelzbub is A Moderaltey Tolerable Guy Picking up where we left off, Gary and Quinn gaze at earth though we do find out, naturally, the other half of the team is okay when Avacato buzzes in, confirming he’s alive at least. So with half the team stranded in the depths of final space, Gary’s next idea is naturally to plummet to earth and pick up a ship to pick them up. HUE has some flaws in the plan, i.e. the earth’s gravity field but KVN proves useful for once and helps carry them down to earth, our heroes ending up in Paris. 

We get a fun subplot of HUE thoroughly enjoying his dream of visiting Paris in a body.. even though Paris itself is pretty fucking horrific, littered with floating corpses and with a smokey, unnerving atmosphere. But the contrast works.. what dosen’t is the ships our heroes fine, which are junked, likely due to months of having no mainteince coupled with the destruction brought on by the titans. 

Gary does find something.. his worst nightmare.. a bunker FULL of KVN’s “I always thought i’d die like this”. They thankfully don’t want to kill him, and he finds a dwarf ventrixian whose a fan of his as are the KVN’s. As it turns out they somehow watched all his video logs to Quinn, and the little guy saying Quinn is even more beautful than he imagined lets him live when Quinn shows up. Gary is naturally puzzled why someone would create his worst nightmare, an army of kvns who know his personal details... until we find out who created the bunker: Kevin, the genius scientest who created the KVN’s. 

Naturally Gary has as mature, sensible and calm reaction as you’d expect and he goes to see Kevin’s dad without innocent....

Had you there for zero seconds. No he has a fairly fluid and incredibly well voiced freakout ending in him wanting to burn the place to the ground in cleansing fire. It’s.. actually a very good thing Quinn’s the one who went with him as everyone on the other team except MAYBE Avacato would’ve gone with operation BURN THEM, BURN ALLL OF THEM. 

So while Gary can’t burn them he does go to shoot Kevin’s creator in the head after finding out he’s alive and still in the bunker. And.. he actually is alive. It’s a nice change of pace as in most sci fi stories where we find the robot first the creator is long dead. But no Kevin.. is alive. It takes a bit for him to accept this is really happening due to a combination of Gary’s transmissions..and Nightfall having contacted him to make a ship. I’ts only when he tries throwing something at Quinn does he realize that nope these are real peoples and gladly welcome them for some rest so theyc an go find the ship he made for Nightfall. Relately the one major flaw I have with this episode.. is that it takes Gary and Quinn an embarassingly long time to put two and two together. Gary I get, he’s kind of distracted being caught in a waking nightmare and finding out he needs to rely on the man who ruined 5 years of his life. He’s also Gary. It’s okay. Quinn though, even with months of trauma stuck in a hell dimension.. is still the resonable one and still should’ve figured “Hey maybe the alternate future verison of me who was around back then did this”. The reveal is well done towards the end when it happens.. it’s just very weird it didn’t happen sooner. 

So the couple are FINALLY alone.. for about 5 seconds because Kevin gets into bed with them. And while part of his loopiness is probably the horrifying isolation for the last few months, after all Gary wasn’t exactly the most coherent after his stint in prison, I do feel that at least part of it is just him. It just makes the most sense: the infinity guard massed produced the guys and Kevin was one of their top scientests. He likely didn’t half ass a project of this size or importance.. so it’d make sense that instead the KVN’s suck at their job because the person who made them really dosen’t get humans, or personal space and the KVN’s are simply degraded copies of him. 

We do get a sweet moment with Quinn and Gary before Kevin decides they’ve rested enough time to go. They use the KVN’s to head to belgium, where the ship is, but have to fight Landfish, horrifying monsters that feast on the remains of dead worlds. So we get a fun and tense action sequence as our heroes sorta zipline through the monsters and KVN suprisingly turns out ot be useful twice in one episode. Our heroes make it to the ship, though HUE is down two arms and his self esteem, with Kevin asking why an AI would WANT to put themselves in a garbage bot. HUE admits he just wanted to experince life but it comes at a cost.. which granted the loss of arms seems rushed.. but it’s not like pre-AVA most of his life as a robot was that happy or fufilling so it dosen’t come out of nowhere and the person who MADE it better... is now dead and gone. He has no real reason to stay in the body anymore: He’s tasted life, he’s loved, and he’s lost. 

So naturally he goes back to being the AI on their new ship, which Quinn Dubs the Galaxy 2 because naturally Gary’s name tries too hard and Kevin’s is nonsensical.. though really Galaxy 2 itself just.. isn’t a great name. Seriously call it the purple rain or something. Still it’s a cool looking ship and while i’ll BADLY miss the crimson light as Olan designed a really fucking cool ship there, the Galaxy 2 is none too shabby. So our heroes have there ship, HUE has his old Job back, and we get a sobering scene as Quinn and Gary finallyg et the nightfall thing, and Kevin leaves to go get the portal up and running and he’ll call them.. they don’t have his number but he’ll be in england where the project is so it’s not like they can’t find the crazy man when the time comes. So we end with Team Gary heading off to a huge energy signture to hopefully find someone. Who it is, if it’s even one of our groups, is unknown.. but given the stinger it’s probably Bollo and Mooncake.. but we’llg et to that. First

Team Avacato: FUCK

So on their astroid Sheryl wonders if the plan is to just stand around and wait for Gary. Tribore however.. wants to leave again. Despite being in an edltrich space nightmare, he decides to take some paternety leave and cuts off part of the asteroid to go bond with his son leaving us with five heroes who all quickly get abducted by teleportation. 

Their abductors.. are Arachnitects, the last ones left in final space who intially confuse them as part of of Invictus unholy horde before Little Cato brings up Jeremy, and thus they free them and explain what’s up: as said their the last ones left in final space, the only ones who weren’t slaughtered or escape and try to offer our heroes hope and shelter.. before brutally being slaughtered by telekensisis... and it’s with that... HE has returned. While the trailers made no attempt to hide it and it was blatant from the start of last season he woudl return.. it dosent’ make his return any less chilling or impactful or David Tennant’s performance any less terrifying after being gone for a bit: Lord Commander HAS RETURNED

And make no mistake, hopefully, this is OUR Lord Commander, as he comments on the new additions.. and is GLEEFUL to have new toys to play with. Avacato is naturally horrifed he’s back and tries to just shoot him but that’s as effective as it’s always been, and he simply force lifts all of them, and naturally, being a sadsitic bastard, brings LIttle Cato forward as he wants to know where Mooncake is, though Little Cato makes a valid point: he dosen’t know where Mooncake is and even if he DID he wouldn’t tell him. And.. that’s where this part of the plot ends till next week. I”m fucking terrified. Nice to have David back though. Especially with Ducktales over. And as a side note... it’s notable Ash doesn’t try triggering her powers. Either she can’t and Lord Commander’s even stronger than her, or she just hasn’t yet. Or third horrifying option i’m going with thier powers come from the same source. 

Team Bollo:The Forge

So with Gary hopefully coming to the rescue and the rest of our heroes trapped by a sadistic bastard who will likely gleefully kill at least one of them.. we find out where Bolo went after getting his ass kicked. He surivived.. but clearly needs a leg up.. so naturally for a charcter voiced by Keith David he goes about it in the most badass way imaginable: he has mooncake do the thing on a dwarf star so he can FORGE IT INTO A FUCKING BADASS SPACE SWORD TO SLAY THE TITANS WITH. My.. my body is ready for next week. 

Final Thoughts:

This episode was excellent. The premire while not BAD had some issues with pacing and tone, where as this one found the perfect places to inject the series humor.. while keeping the stakes incredibly high and having the chilling return of it’s most terrifying antagonist. and yes tha’t swith the people posseing murder face out there. This episode returned Season 3 to the right track. It also continues to be seralized like season 1.. but I feel at least so far they’ve learned their lesson from Seasons 1 and 2 and combined the two better, having basically one big story, but having the pacing be more on par with Season 2 where things move along at a nice clip and we get more character stuff peppered in. It’s a nice combo. if it’ll hold out I do not know, especaillly with a longer runtime but we’ll see as we go won’t we. For now.. this episode was fucking awesome. 

If you liked this review join my patreon, my current stretch goal is for a darkwing duck episode a month and i’ll be putting up a patreon exclusive review soon for 5 dollar or more patreons so check that out, follow me for more and if there’s any episodes of the show from seasons 1 or 2 you’d like me to cover we can discuss that in my ask box and dm,s only 5 bucks an episode. See you at the next rainbow. 

[mrlnsfrt]

Lessons I'm Learning

As I am writing this I am currently transitioning from pastoring a church in Valdosta, Georgia to pastoring a church in Boise, Idaho. I have been studying John 14 with my church here in Valdosta and reflecting on Jesus’ words of comfort and encouragement that He shared with His disciples. Even though I am sure that God is leading in this move, it has not been easy. I am tired and have often felt overwhelmed. But I keep turning to the words of Jesus recorded in John 14. I have also been reflecting on the big lessons I have learned in ministry and life so far.

Quick Review of John 14:19-31

Jesus’ life is connected to our hope of eternal life. Because Jesus lives we can secure in the assurance that we also will live.

Having and keeping the commandments and the word of Jesus is deeply connected to loving Jesus and witnessing His revelation.

The Father will send the Helper, the Holy Spirit to teach and remind Jesus’ followers what He taught them.

Jesus gives us His peace and we should not let our hearts be troubled or afraid.

Jesus tells us what is going to happen before it does so that when it does happen we may believe in Him.

Because Jesus loves the Father He obeys the commandments of the Father.

Takeaway

What I take away from John 14:19-31 is that Jesus never abandons His followers. When Jesus left He left us His word and his commandments (I believe these two are essentially the same) and the Father sent the Holy Spirit to teach and remind Jesus’ disciples of the things Jesus said. I believe the same promise holds true to us today.

I am convinced that the Holy Spirit is available to us today to teach us all things and to bring to our remembrance all thing things that Jesus said.

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. - John 14:26 NKJV

To me, it is clear that the secret to our spiritual success lies in receiving the Holy Spirit. Only then can we better understand Jesus and remember His words and keep his commandments. All the things we must do we can only do with the power of the Holy Spirit.

Studying this brought to mind what seem to be two essential lessons I am learning.

Lesson 1: Pray, especially for the Holy Spirit.

Never stop praying. - 1 Thessalonians 5:17 New Living Translation

One lesson that I began to learn early in life is that prayer is important. This is the one lesson I keep re-learning in life, and I believe it is one of the most important things I do. If I am not careful, become discouraged because of my feelings of weakness and powerlessness. I often wish I had more money, I wish I had more knowledge, I wish I had more power, more strength, or whatever it is I need to be able to solve the problems of those around me. Then I remember that it is not my job to solve everyone’s problem. I can’t even solve my own problems.

I do not mean this as an excuse not to help those we are able to help. I say this to prevent you from burning out trying to accomplish something that’s not for you to accomplish. Jesus is the One who saves. God has all the power, not us. We are not Jr. Holy Spirit. We should pray, we should pray for people, we should pray with people, we should point them to Jesus. Jesus is the answer. We are His hand and feet (1 Corinthians 12 we are the body of Christ) and we should be a blessing in the lives of those around us, but we are also humans and have our limitations. Our limitations should not keep us from doing anything. We can all at least pray, and through prayer, we can do more than we could ever possibly hope to accomplish by our own strength.

Pray especially for the Holy Spirit

If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” -Luke 11:13 NKJV

Jesus essentially tells us to ask for the Holy Spirit. Jesus tells us that the Father is willing to give the Holy Spirit to those who ask, so ask! Ask every day! Ask multiple times a day. I take this promise to heart and I pray this prayer often. I pray it because I feel a desperate need for more strength, for more wisdom and understanding, for more power to preach and teach and help and do all that I can to point others to Jesus and to reveal the character of Jesus in my own life.

I strongly believe that all the success I experienced with the Park Avenue Seventh-day Adventist Church in Valdosta, Georgia, is because of our prayer meetings and the prayers we have around the table with all the members of the church board every time we have a board meeting. I believe in prayer and we have a church board that believes in prayer.

I have enjoyed God’s blessings because I have a church and friends and family who continually pray for me and pray for God to fill me with the Holy Spirit. I don’t deserve it, but God does not bless us according to what we deserve, but rather according to His grace and His mercies and His power and His will.

It is not because of any restriction on the part of God that the riches of His grace do not flow earthward to men. If the fulfillment of the promise is not seen as it might be, it is because the promise is not appreciated as it should be. If all were willing, all would be filled with the Spirit. - Acts of the Apostles p50

Pray for wisdom

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. - James 1:5 NKJV

Another promise that I claim regularly is this one. God tells us to pray for wisdom. We are told we will receive liberally, without reproach. Why not ask? I ask all the time.

Lesson 2: Persevere

The Bible has a lot to say about perseverance.

And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. -Galatians 6:9 NKJV

Show Up!

One of the ways that I understand perseverance is simply showing up. So many seem to believe that change happens in a big flashy event. It has been my experience that the biggest changes happen gradually over time.

Spiritual growth, like many other things in life, does not take place overnight. Sure, the high events are a great blessing. Many times we experience it when we first give our hearts to Jesus or the day we are baptized. Other times it happens at the conclusion of revival meetings or a week or prayer or an evangelistic series. But life is not made up of high moments. Going to a concert of your favorite Christian musician is a great experience but it does not generate lasting change and growth by itself.

Lasting change, continual growth, comes from showing up daily. Show up for prayer. By this I mean when your eyes pop open in the morning, the first thing you should do is pray. Thank God for another day of life. Ask God to fill you with the Holy Spirit. Ask God for wisdom. Talk to God about your day, what are you excited about? What are you worried about? Tell God all about your day.

Show up for Bible study. You should be studying the Bible every day. You may call this your daily devotional. This is when you allow the word of God to challenge you, to fill your thoughts, to shape your decisions. Reading the Bible reminds you that you have bigger goals than worldly wealth and power. You have greater values than just physical pleasure. You remind yourself that you serve a mighty and powerful God, you remind yourself that eternal life is yours in Jesus. From there you go to live a life that reflects the character of the God you serve.

You show up for worship, to be spiritually fed, to be challenged, to serve, to teach, to bless. We come to church for all those reasons. In serving, in teaching, in helping, we grow. Also when we make God and worship a priority, we remind ourselves that this is important. We tell ourselves that we value God and His will for our lives when we stop everything and come together to worship and study. Christianity is meant to be experienced as a community. It is important to belong, to be involved, to contribute, to volunteer. Because that is how we grow.

Show up, be responsible, be reliable, have clear priorities, and make God your top priority. Now live like it. Determine in your heart to show up for God. Do it at church, but also at home, at school, and even in your downtime.

Show up for God regularly and you will grow spiritually.

Don not wait for a big opportunity to do something amazing, rather do your best each day with every small opportunity that presents itself to you.

The key is to yield ourselves daily to God, so that He may make us vessels fit for His use. Every day we should be improving the opportunities for service that lie within our reach. Daily we ought to be witnessing for the Master wherever we may be, whether in some humble sphere of influence in the home or in a public field of usefulness.

Don’t give up

in the hope rejoicing; in the tribulation enduring; in the prayer persevering; - Romans 12:12 Literal Standard Version

I really appreciate the Literal Standard Verison of Romans 12:12. It is a simple reminder of how we ought to live our lives. We rejoice in our hope, we endure tribulations, and we pray continually.

Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face continually. - 1 Chronicles 16:11 NASB

Don’t stop seeking God and His strength. We are not able to do it on our own. We are not meant to do it on our own. We are to seek God and His strength. He is the One who gives us the victories.

Finally, my favorite Bible passage that I often turn to and the one that keeps me from giving up.

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36��As it is written:

“For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”

37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. - Romans 8:31-38 NKJV

This passage keeps me from giving up because it reminds me that nothing can separate me from the love of God. The way I see it, the only way I lose is if I give up. I know for sure that God won’t give up on me. So I just have to live one day at a time, take one step at a time, just keep showing up, because I know I can count on God to show up.

[roadtogracelandx45]

Burnin' Love Masterlist| Austin Butler!Elvis

this is going to be the updated masterlist for the new version of Burnin Love. I am going to leave the others up just because I love them too. f

@ohnoitsthebat @prettyinpayne @thatbanditqueen

Playlist

Pinterest

mood boards 1 (you call it madness) 2 (Halloween) 3, (what if Sylvie went to Coachella)

On This Day

Sylvie Adams Presley

Roberta Samuels

Burning Love

Volume one 1952-1955

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Ten

Dream Maker

part one

Volume 2- 1955-1958

Baby, I Do

part one

Jailbird

From Paris With Love

part one

part two

updated 8-21-23

[roadtogracelandx45]

Burning Love The Rewrite|2| Austin Butler! Elvis

masterlist

part one

@thatbanditqueen @shelbygeek

02: Welcome To Memphis

The sheer amount of terror that went through Sylvie caused her knees to buckle. “Don’t worry Miss, we aren’t going to tell your stepfather where you are going.” The officer said as he caught her arm and helped her seat down. “We know how the chief is outside of work.” Sylvie’s brown eyes searched his face.  “And your stepbrother gave us a heads up that you would be coming here so we can make sure you weren’t followed.” “Huh. Well,  thank you, and if you see my brother tell him the same.”  The officer nodded his head before he moved to exit the train, he cast one more final look to the girl who offered him a smile before exiting the train. 

With shaking fingers Sylvie reached up and undid the knot that was under her chin and pulled the scarf off of her head, she was so close to being free. All the train had to do was start moving and she would be free. 

***

“Sylvie!” Andie Roberts called once her brother put her down on her feet, “Sylvie!”  Dickie released the breath that he didn’t know he was holding, she had taken his words seriously and left. It was going to mean hell for the rest of them but it was worth it for Sylvie to be free of the abuse and hatred she got. His father stomped into the house and stormed up the stairs. “Where in the hell is that god forsaken girl?” “Last time I saw her dad was at school and I gave her that message from you. I didn’t stick around to find out if she left or not.” “That’s exactly what you are suppose to do!” Dick Sr. shouted as he opened the bedroom door and started cussing since it empty and a disater area. 

**

“Can I help you darlin’?” Elvis questioned, later the next day as he climbed the stairs to his apartment, there was a girl standing in front of it trembling.  This was the first time one of the girls in the complex had actually came up to their door. “I hope so.” The girl turned around and lowered the scarf that covered her head. Elvis sqiunted his eyes at the girl, she looked familiar but he couldn’t place it. “I knew I should have tried calling before I showed up. But I just didn’t want to be out in the open.” The small tang of the Mississippi accent made him smile and then he realized who it was. “Well I’ll be damned Sylvie.” He took steps forward and pulled her into his arms hugging her tightly. “Hi El.” She laughed softly, feeling for the first time in years relaxed. 

“Well come on in sweetheart. Mama and Daddy will be bowled over to see you. They have been worrying about especially after that last letter you sent.” Sylvie swallowed the laughter she had bubbling up, there were only a handful of people that could make Elvis go on like this and she was one of them.

 “Mama! Daddy!” He shouted as he pushed open the door, “Look at who’s here!”  He thrust Sylvie into the room in front him and she shrank back into his chest quickly, there were more people in the apartment then she had thought and only Grandma Dodger she knew from memory. 

Trying not to laugh at her sudden shyness, he held her up in front of him, his hands going up and down her arms trying to ease the stiffness out of her arms and the goosebumps that covered them, “You know Grandma Dodger.”  Dodger had gotten up out of her chair and had made her way over to them. She grasped Sylvie’s cheeks in her hands, “We have missed you little girl.”

 “Missed you too Grandma.” Sylvie returned softly. Dodger raised her eyes to meet Elvis’, she had told him time and time again to go get her especially after the phone call they got from Aaron’s mother saying that she had seen Slyvie breifly at the hospital and she was worried about her.  ‘What is it Elvis?” Gladys commented as she came out of the kitchen, a full glass of whiskey in one hand and a dish towel in the other. “Oh my word! Sylvie!’ 

The girl took a step back into Elvis. Mostly for comfort. She knew that Gladys and Vernon had been like family before she was forced to leave but after years of neglect from her own mother she found it hard to let Gladys in close. 

“What in the world happened to you?” Gladys’s now free hand reached out to touch her cheek much like Dodger had done but the girl shrank back into her son again. “It’s a long story Mrs. Presley.” “No, no honey, I am either Gladys or mama.’ She said causing Dixie, Elvis’s girlfriend for just under a year to scoff. That wasn’t fair, this girl was there for all 5 minutes and she was already getting told to call her by her first name. “Vernon!” Gladys called again going towards their bedroom to get her husband. “Who is that?” The smaller girl whispered to Elvis who had steered her to the couch to sit down after shooing his cousin away. “You remember Petey.” “I meant her.” She inclined her head to Dixie who bristled. “That is Dixie. She is.’ “I am his girl.” “Oh okay.’ She returned, an unfamiliar pang in her heart. Dixie gave Elvis an expected look waiting for him to come sit by her but he didn’t, instead he took a seat next to Sylvie. Normally she would be okay with this but the way that Elvis wasn’t leaving Sylvie’s side made it hard. 

“Sylvie! Honey! It’s good to see you.” Vernon said crossing the room quickly to where his son and goddaughter who curled even further into Elvis’ side when she saw him. “Darlin’, what happened?” He asked, “Where is your mama?” “Atlanta still, I didn’t know where else to go.” “What happened?” Vernon was sitting on the coffee table in front of the couch, his hands clenching and unclenching from fists. Sylvie’s eyes flicked from Vernon’s to Dixie and back and shook her head. Sensing that something bad had happened to the girl, Dixie stood up and made her exit after saying a quick goodbye to Elvis. “ Sylvie played with her fingers before looking up, “It’s a long story.”  

[roadtogracelandx45]

For anyone reading my Burning Love series, do you want the whole story of what happened to Sylvie right away or gradually?

[roadtogracelandx45]

I am writing the next chapter of Among Angels and Burning Love instead of during my humanities homework and I looked at the time its almost time to get ready to log on for work. And it's the last thing I want to do.

[roadtogracelandx45]

when are you gonna update the burning love series?

I am working on an update now, it should be up in the next few days.

[roadtogracelandx45]

Oh My, My Love Part 1 of 2| Elvis

masterlist

@thatbanditqueen

word count 1.5k

Oh My,  My Love

Summary: Sylvie realizes that she is in love with Elvis and there is nothing she can do about it. And then after he sees her go off with Jimmy Rogers Snow, he realizes those feelings weren’t just platonic but something so much more. 

Apart of the Burnin’ Love series 

Rated M for adult content 

Set during the time that they were doing the Snow Shows

2 shot. 

Elvis stopped once he got to the door of the small trailer he used to change in for the shows and looked back at Sylvie who was sitting on the raggedy armchair with a worn copy of Gone With the Wind open on her lap. 

“Come on Mama.” He held his hand out to her.

 “El, you know I can’t do big crowds.” She returned looking up from the yellowing pages, her stepfather had tried to grab her the one time that they had to the carnival when they first started doing the shows.  If it hadn’t been for Elvis and his friends she would have been lost forever. And since then she avoided them as much as possible. Always watching his performance from the side with the Colonel never from the crowd like she has in the past.

Elvis just smiled and motioned for her to come again. “Do you really want to be held down with me? When there’s all these other girls around?” “Sylvia.” He wiggled his index finger at her. “That doesn’t work on me.” She returned lifting the book back up, there was a small smirk playing on her lips.

 “Syl.” 

“El, ” 

“Don’t be a brat darlin’.’  

The smirk grew as she stuck her tongue out at him and raised the book back up again. Wearing a smirk of his own, he went over to the chair and picked her up and threw her over his shoulder causing her to squeal and clutch at the back of her skirt so it wouldn’t ride up. 

“Elvis!’  He laughed and used his free hand to swat at her bottom playfully. Unable to help herself she started laughing, she knew that saying no to him and trying to distance herself from him because of lingering feelings that his mother and her grandmother pointed out to her wasn’t going to do any good. When it came to her, the answer no was never good enough. 

He wanted her by his side all the time and had all but stake claim to her and scared off every boy that showed any sort of interest in her. No boy was ever going to be good enough for his Sylvie expect for maybe him.  

“Looky at what Elvis found, boys. It’s a rogue Sylvie.” DJ teased once Elvis came into sight carrying the younger girl over his shoulder.

 “And here we thought she was a made-up story.’ One of the girls that was hanging on Billy’s arm said. Sylvie rolled her eyes, “Trust me, honey, I’m very real.”

 Elvis sat her on her feet but kept his arm around her waist. “From her pretty head to the tiny little toes.”  

“Are you two together?” the girl asked again. “No honey.” Bill started his eyes on Sylvia who had turned her head to listen to what Elvis was saying to her. “She is basically our road Mama. She takes care of us.” 

Roberta, the girl who had proclaimed herself to be Elvis’ that night, looked at Sylvie who didn’t look very well put together. Not like her and her friends who had their hair and make-up done, and wearing nice clothes. The mysterious Sylvie had on a button shirt that looked like it had seen better days and a blue skirt that was wrinkled. Elvis needed someone who took better care of herself and just stepped out looking like Sylvie. 

 “So she is a prostitute?” Elvis pulled his head back quickly and looked at the girl, his dark blue eyes on fire. 

“No.” 

 Sylvie slid her own arm around his waist to hold him to her, he was dangerously close to losing his cool and picking a fight, she was going to do the same thing that she always did. She was going to step in and use her words.  And if she had to, she would use her fists. 

 “I may  not be a lady of the night.” DJ and Scotty both froze, they knew that tone of voice and had been on the receiving end of it after one of the pills they had given her to perk up wore off. 

She had started hitting them both with her book cursing them to high heaven. 

 “But I,” Her dark eyes looked Roberta up and down, cold distaste on her face clear, she was haughty like her mother was before her, she wasn’t the little girl who grew up with Elvis in Mississippi, she was the scared girl who used her Scarlett O’Hara upbringing for evil. 

This was the side of her that drove them all crazy. It wasn’t her. 

“Do know one when I see one.” Her eyes flicked to the golden cross that hung around her neck to the pleated plaid skirt she had on, then she tilted her head to the side, “Let me guess, Daddy makes you go to a private catholic school and thinks listening to rock and roll music is bad.” 

Elvis squeezed her hip, lately he had been away when Slyvie got like this and he kind of missed seeing it, missed seeing the Sylvie that he had fallen for when she first came back into his life. 

 “And you are coming here to break all the rules he set up. What would your poor mother think?” she brought her free hand up and covered her heart, “She will probably die of a broken heart, her precious little girl was out all night with a bunch of hooligans.” 

He squeezed her hip again and pulled her in closer to him.

 “And oh what would the pastor think, a member of his church out all night, trying to ride one of these men like a bronco.’ All the boys turned their heads so they wouldn’t  get caught laughing, “ Let me tell you something, Roberta.’ 

She glanced at Scotty to make sure she had the name right and he nodded. He had a habit of telling her who the girls were so she could make them leave if they were still there in the morning. 

“You can’t handle what they have to offer. Not many girls can”  She pulled herself away from Elvis and started walking towards the line of booths.  He waited for several heartbeats before following her. “I am not.’ Roberta started angrily. “Let it go, sweetheart, there is no way he is going to be with you after you insulted her.” Scotty commented, “Sylvie is always gonna be the one, they just don’t both know it yet.”  

*** 

“You could have stayed,” Sylvie commented once Elvis was next to her, his arm going back around her waist. “Eh.” His return came, “I would rather be with you.” 

“You know it’s not the first time that this has happened. Those words.”  He steered her towards the Ferris Wheel, “are said all the time. Mostly by the boys in the audience.” 

He turned to look at her, anger bubbling up in him again. He wanted to fix anything he could for her. And if he would have known, he would have stepped in sooner. “You don’t need to be worryin’ about me.” 

“I do though.” They had gotten into the cart and he pulled her next to him instead of letting her sit across from him. “You should only have to worry about yourself. The rest of my worries are my job.” Elvis settled his arm over her shoulder as the ride started to move, she shifted closer to him. She was terrified of the Ferris wheel and had been since that one day when her father grabbed her, he had joined her in the chair and proceeded to make it swing dangerously. She screamed and cried begging him to stop. 

But he didn’t. 

It had been Elvis that had saved her, it had been him who offered her comfort and offered her protection. He and along with several of his friends had been waiting at the bottom of the Ferris Wheel and Elvis, with guitar in hand, threatened to kill the man himself. 

He wasn’t going to let her go, not after just getting her back. 

Elvis’s hand covered the one that was resting on her lap, their fingers twining together.  And those butterflies that she had been fighting for days, mostly since she had been picked back up from her grandparent's house in Tupelo came back in with a vengeance and she knew, she knew that her grandmother and Gladys were right. She was in love with Elvis and there was nothing she could do to stop it.