#unchained melody 'verse

[joonsytip]

Unchained Melody || Joshua [Teaser]

Pairing: Joshua X Fem!Reader

Genre: Angst, Fluff, Florist!Joshua, Professor!Reader, Multiple Reincarnations au, Soulmate au, Unrequited love au, Historical au, Hanahaki au, Fantasy au

Synopsis: You find Joshua, your soulmate in every lifetime and it takes only a sight of you for him to regain the memories of his past lives until you find him again in the current one but this time he doesn't recognise you at all.

Warnings: multiple reincarnations, heartbreak, major character death in some of the lifetimes, concept of soulmate and red string of fate, multiple vague verses and a whole lot of things through different lifetimes.

Dropping anyday, anytime.

[ SVT Masterlist ] [ SVT Flick - Fic Masterlist ]

Joshua waits. He observes you. But as time passes, the confusion in his eyes morphs into something somewhat you could term as agitation.

"Do you really not recognise me?", you ask with hesitance in case he's joking but the vague look in his eyes now is giving an unmistakable answer.

"I'm sorry but as I said, no. I really don't recollect meeting you before.", he says apologetically, "If you don't mind introducing yourself so that I can...", his voice trails off.

"This has never happened before", you mumble to yourself, "What's happening?"

You freeze when your gaze falls on the bouquet of red carnation, that he had kept on the counter.

The memories of your last life flashes in your mind. How you had coughed those red petals till you faced death because Joshua never reciprocated your feelings.

You get reminded of how once again, in one more lifetime he was your soulmate but you weren't his.

How the red string of fate tied to his pinky never linked him to you.

How your fate was always bound to him but the two of you never ended up together.

And how it was destined for you to find Joshua in every lifetime only to get effaced by another heartbreak.

→ Do not copy, re-post, translate, or share any of my works on other platforms! All stories are copyrighted, joonsytip. ©️

[that-ari-blogger]

No Thoughts, Head Empty, Evil (Hell Is Forever)

Hazbin Hotel doesn’t have time for subtlety, so it takes the most direct approach to any plot point. I want to stress that this is the fault of management insisting on an eight-episode runtime and not the writers and directors. Everyone who cared about this series put in a lot of effort and skill and that needs to be commended.

Notably, one rout taken to negate some of the pacing effects brought on by management was the first episode being as overt as possible. Here are two songs, one says what the hero thinks, one says what the villain thinks, they cannot coexist.

And Adam is a really good villain for this type of setup, because he isn’t particularly complicated. He’s a misogynist who has made narcissism his entire personality, and that’s about it. He doesn’t need to be complex, he needs to be bad.

Hell Is Forever then only needs to get across the most important parts of Adam’s character: Hypocrisy, bigotry, and unoriginality.

Let me explain.

CONTENT WARNING: Foul language.

SPOILERS AHEAD (Hazbin Hotel)

In this context, the unoriginality insult is levied at Adam as a person and not as a character. Adam is a really novel take on the biblical character, but also the archetype he is playing. There are some really cool details that I will go into in detail in a moment.

But as a guy, Adam is painfully uncreative. Case and point: his language style is so basic.

I mentioned in my previous post that Charlie is characterised as naïve, but I deliberately didn’t say anything about this as a youthful lack of knowledge. The series as a whole takes great care to not get the two misconstrued, and Charlie is always treated as the adult she is.

Adam, meanwhile, has the vocabulary of a twelve-year-old who just learned the word “fuck.” He has nothing else going on than dirty jokes and immaturity. He’s puerile.

Lexicon is a character tool. Every word has its place, and every situation has about a hundred ways of approaching it through language. If a character everything in the same exact way, it implies that they approach the rest of their life with the same brute force technique. One size fits all in this person’s mind.

Note that this does not apply to real people, a person can curse and swear as much as they like. Symbolism is not a force of nature.

Adam’s unoriginality actually does take an interesting form in his music. It’s rock, and it sounds cool, but it misses the heart of what rock is as a genre, at least to me.

Rock is transgressive. It’s about raw expression and emotion. It’s a genre about being free from constraints and letting loose. Take Wolf In Sheep’s Clothing by Set It Off, and The Hand That Feeds by the Crane Wives, for example.

The former is about betrayal and feels like a journey through the stages of grief at a broken relationship as it ricochets from unfettered anger in the verses to a more manic-depressive pleading in the chorus, until crashing into a form of acceptance that immediately subverts itself as the song returns to its chorus and the perspective character is unable to move on.

It twists fairy tales to show the corruption of what could have been a storybook romance and lays the blame entirely on the protagonist's ex-partner.

Meanwhile, The Hand That Feeds isn’t really a rock song until it abruptly is. It’s a slow, lilting melody about powerlessness in the face of capitalism and the danger of “the great American ruse.” It has a bit of venom to it as it speaks of loss like a survivor showing off their scars. Then it goes quiet for a moment as its protagonist starts talking about the present and future, before releasing that stored energy into a mantra that speaks of being unchained in the face of the horrors she is describing. It’s a statement of hope, a war cry to raise the morale the downtrodden and a threat to those who hold together institutional injustice.

“I may never be a rich man but the rich man will never have me, never have me I may never be a rich man but I can make sure that I am free”.

Compare that to Adam, who sings:

“The rules are black and white There’s no use to tryin’ to fight it. They’re burning for their lives Until we kill ‘em again.”

Are you picking up on the thematic dissonance here? Its appropriation of an aesthetic without any thought going into it. It’s Adam using a genre about freedom to say “no, the system is fine actually,” and that misuse plays into something else as well.

Adam's wings also allow him to manipulate the cinematography. As he flies, the audience takes the side of Charlie looking up at him as he regards us both with distain.

Music is a tool of expression being heard. That’s why Seraphine should be the most dangerous character in League Of Legends but isn’t because Riot is Riot. Music makes an idea palatable and easy to convey.

Adam’s use of the genre takes that tool and irons it out. It makes the meaning less special by mixing it with utter horseshit that effectively waters it down, therefore stripping those he oppresses of a key tool to band together and achieve their freedom.

He doesn’t even do this intentionally, he's not intelligent enough to do that; the meaning is a side effect of his greater motive.

In that way, Adam is like an AI image generator. He scrubs the source material for shallow things that people like and turns them into something that looks half decent but doesn’t actually mean anything. It’s a disregard for those who paved the way for the thing he likes because it doesn’t occur to him that any of them had any actual thoughts.

This carries over into the visuals, which are just token edginess without any of the punch to them that actually make edginess special. The black and white shot is cool visually, but it’s the most literal visualisation of what he is saying, same with the thing of the image of the pot a few seconds later. There were so many ways to get the idea across, but Adam is uncreative and went for the obvious because it was easier.

Here is what Adam thinks better is. It's just heaven. He thinks of himself and his people as inherently superior, so to go with a line about chances, he shows heaven. Its uncreative on his part, but really interesting storytelling being done by the writers.

On the other hand, the lyrics of this song pull double duty by undercutting Adam at every moment possible to display his hypocrisy. The man is a walking satire of himself, and the writers know it.

Why do I think this? You may ask. Context, I answer.

This song is one of those moments from media that I have heard misused a few times by people who agree with the guy who say it, and by a few people who disagree and think that the author shares the character’s views. I would put the “You Can’t Handle The Truth” speech from A Few Good Men in this category, as well as Feed The Machine by Poor Man’s Poison.

Feed The Machine is a song about political corruption and classism. It’s the idea of “what if we said the quiet part out loud” and is aggressively morbid. It is most definitely not a song about gamers not getting what they want. There are a ton of reasons to get upset with Microsoft, don’t get me wrong, but using this song to protest in that context just looks like Dudley complaining about only getting 36 birthday presents.

A Few Good Men is the most egregious example, because holy moly is it misconstrued. The speech declares that the army is necessary and therefore allowed to get away with whatever they want because the truth is too unpleasant. It talks about the sacrifices needed to win.

But you do realise he’s wrong, right? Jack Nickleson is charismatic, sure, but his character, Jessep, is the villain. The sacrifice in question was the assault and death of a recruit, and this is happening in peace time. The man is a prison guardian in Guantanamo Bay after the cold war and before the war on terror. What is he guarding against? He’s justifying manslaughter with the vague concept of an enemy. He’s overtly in the wrong.

This is the Alf Garnett problem. It doesn’t matter how bad you make a satire, there will always be someone who is actually worse and who doesn’t read the writing on the wall.

For the record, I would also put most of what Catra does in She-Ra and the Princesses of Power into this basket, but I have an entire other series exploring that, so check that out if you want to know more.

Adam is, like Jessep, the villain of the story, and his antagonism is based in his hypocrisy. He spends the entirety of the song claiming that the rules of heaven are set in stone, but are they? He declared that the extermination would be sped up because “fuck you, I do what I want,” and the rules are never actually stated.

Most notably, how does anyone actually get into heaven? We still don’t know that and season one has wrapped up and hinted at an answer. It’s all speculation at this point.

I mentioned in my previous post that this series is aimed at the internet and Tumblr specifically, and Adam actually factors into it, because for a satire set in the Judaeo-Christian afterlife, the series is weirdly averse to critiquing its setting.

Instead, the series uses it as a visualisation of the themes and relies on the version presented in the Devine Comedy rather than anything more specific to the source beliefs.

As such, Adam exemplified the idea of retributive justice. The idea that if you are good, you can make bad people suffer, which I personally disagree with as a concept.

Adam takes on a mournful affectation for this line, the dissonance of which makes me laugh so much. It's like "I have to do a murder, or I will be sad, and you wouldn't want me to be sad, would you?" He's such a shmuck.

“For those of us with divine ordainment, extermination is entertainment.”

It is fun to Adam to watch bad people get their just deserts. And putting aside for a moment the inherently dubious morality of “bad” being ambiguously defined, it also doesn’t take into account the complexity of individuals that cannot be generalised.

Perhaps a person made a mistake or genuinely didn’t take into account the consequences. Maybe a person needed to make the decision because they had no other choice, like stealing money to pay for a medical procedure. What if someone wasn’t thinking straight and made a rash decision because they were tired or inebriated.

Or how about this: A person knowingly and willingly did an abhorrent thing, like a murder, and then regretted it and devoted themselves to getting better as a person and atoning for it.

Your mileage may vary on the morality of all of these people, but if I was to ask you individually if each of them deserved death, what would you say?

The show's specific word choice here, "winners", is a representation of Adam's justification. He thinks that he has earned the right to do genocide and that the penalty for losing a game whose rules he is actively making up, is death.

Looping back to the ethics of this, what is defined as bad in this story?

Is stealing enough to get you into hell? How much would you have to steal? If you walked home from school with a pencil you borrowed from a friend and forgot to give back, that’s technically stealing, so are you going to hell?

Similarly, the series implies a Judaeo-Christian moral code, but that changes depending on the denomination and location. In some places, homosexuality is a sin, would that get someone in this universe damned for all time even if their particular church disagreed with that specific doctrine?

This is all compounded by the fact that, it doesn’t matter what you did to get to hell, the extermination aims to kill as many people as it can, one size fits all punishment.

Which leads to my critique of the internet, because say what you will about its benefits, the internet is awful at nuance, and it is awful at morality. Youtube and Twitter incentivise controversy through their algorithms, and while Tumblr doesn’t have that problem as bad, I have seen so many people in the media analysis side of this platform complain about how x character didn’t receive enough punishment for what they did, or y character’s redemption arc can’t work because they were too bad before.

And people act like Adam and Lute online, either shouting down others to drown them out or by speaking quickly to out debate people with arguments that don’t actually make sense when you think about them.

This is why the popular moral grey character these days is just either a fully good character who wears eyeliner or a fully bad character who’s blonde, but it also strays into how we view our own world.

The internet talks about the world with a black and white morality that just doesn’t fit. I live in a country where one politician being unapologetically terrible as a person means that everyone else is suddenly an angel and everything they do is forgiven, which is exhausting.

Yes, there are evil people out there, and there are good people, but the vast majority of humanity is somewhere in the middle.

People get really emotional online, and the desire to take revenge out on fictional characters is fine, they’re fictional. But take care to not let that stray into how you interact with real people. The internet has far too many horror stories of angry people hurting others because “its ok to hurt them, they hurt someone else, and this is payback”.

After I wrote this @comicaurora put out a post that made my point in a really succinct way, so go read that.

The most chilling example of this is that while writing this post, I was worried people would think I was generalising and assume I have accused them of being awful human beings for misconstruing characters. That’s not what I’m trying to do, I’m just saying that morality is complex and the internet as a whole isn’t very good at understanding that, so we should all try to work together and get better at nuanced thinking.

Be kind to people, essentially. Everyone has a story and some even have reasons for what they do.

Before I go, I despise the visual designs of the angels. I think in concept they are cool, but in practice I don’t quite buy them. However, the one thing that really works for me is that the exorcists all have one eye crossed out. An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind.

Final Thoughts

I want to focus on my thesis for this series. As in, I think the series is fundamentally about hope. Hope for a better future, hope that you can get better, hope against all odds. So it’s important to me that Adam as a villain goes out of his way to tell Charlie that her hope is misplaced and that it won’t go anywhere.

But that’s the thing about hope, if there was a reason to believe, hope wouldn’t be necessary. Hope exists when there is no proof, and it inspires. Adam’s attempts to tell Charlie that she’ doesn’t have a chance fall on deaf ears because she knows what he’s telling her, it’s all been said before.

The difference being, thanks to the extermination, Charlie and the crew as a whole have no choice but to hope. Adam has brought on his own destruction through his callousness. If he had just left hell alone, it would have got better over time, sure, but it wouldn’t have done so in battle.

In other words, oppressors can only bring about their own demise when they make resistance the only viable option.

Next week, I will be looking at Stayed Gone and Alastor’s introduction, but I also have a post planned for this Sunday in which I will go into Lavendertowne’s second batch of redesigns and explore how they tell their story. So, stick around if that interests you.

Previous - Next

[fyreflys]

I’ve been talking non stop about it on Twitter & in my discord servers but it hasn’t spewed over here yet which is honestly shocking BUT I watched the Elvis biopic movie like a week ago & now my brain is obsessed with Elvis Presley. This is one of those examples of “you don’t choose the hyperfixation, the hyperfixation chooses you”. Like I can’t stop thinking about Elvis Presley I’ve been listening to his hit songs on repeat for the past week. Like constantly. I’d be shocked if this guy isn’t in my Spotify wrapped at the end of the year. I’ve even started watching the movies he’s in. I just watched King Creole. I’m watching Flaming Star tomorrow. I have a SCHEDULE. GOD HELP ME

But also can we talk about how different his life & career success would have looked like without Colonel Parker- OK ILL STOP ILL STOP

Jk I won’t this is just gonna be my designated Elvis Brainrott Post so I don’t flood my page with Elvis nonsense. I’ll just keep editing & adding to this post instead 🙃

My Elvis playlist: (major [I’m biased on some] hits in order of when they were released - it runs perfectly at an hour long which is too satisfying so now I can’t add or remove songs I’m stuck at this 23 song set up)

That’s All Right \\ Baby, Let’s Play House \\ Blue Suede Shoes \\ Heartbreak Hotel \\ Hound Dog \\ Don’t Be Cruel \\ Love Me Tender \\ All Shook Up \\ Jailhouse Rock \\ Trouble \\ Fever \\ It’s Now or Never \\ I’m Coming Home \\ Can’t Help Falling in Love \\ (You’re The) Devil in Disguise \\ Viva Las Vegas \\ A Little Less Conversation \\ If I Can Dream \\ In the Ghetto \\ Suspicious Minds \\ Always On My Mind \\ Burning Love \\ Unchained Melody

Also a list of my favorite lines/verses in these songs (bc some of the lyrics are so funny &/or very good):

“Drink my liquor from an old-fruit jar” (Blue Suede Shoes)

“I'm itchin' like a man on a fuzzy tree // My friends say I'm actin' wild as a bug”, “Her lips are like a Volcano that’s hot” (All Shook Up)

“Spider Murphy played the tenor saxophone // Little Joe was blowin' on the slide trombone // The drummer boy from Illinois went crash, boom, bang // The whole rhythm section was a purple gang” , “The warden said, ‘Hey, buddy, don't you be no square //If you can't find a partner, use a wooden chair’” (Jailhouse Rock)

“But if you're gonna start a rumble, don't you try it all alone” (Trouble)

“Thou givest fever when we kisseth // fever with thy flaming youth” , “Cats were born to give chicks fever // Be it Fahrenheit or centigrade” (Fever)

“”(Viva Las Vegas)

TBC

[capt-traitor]

Quick question Cap! I'm tryin' to find music to listen to while I cook something here. You got any suggestions?

(Also, would you happen to know Commander Wolffe's fave dish? Or Captain Rex's? Or, at least, anything you think they'd like?)

Does listening to Fireball read off intercepted intel reports count as music? Sometimes I sing my own verses. 🎶 Those TK troopers are baaaaaaaaaaaaaaad at their job because of meeeeeee 🎶

If you're looking for an actual song, I'm a bit of a romantic. I've been caught humming Unchained Melody while stirring a pot on simmer and I'm not ashamed to say it.

As far as favorite dishes, Rex loves pasta. He's particularly fond of a good spaghetti Bolognese. Wolffe loves fruit pie. He will eat pie for any meal of the day including snacks. He says the fruit in the pie is basically a sweet vegetable and vegetables are good for you so it's healthy. Can't argue that logic!

[superfan44]

The 100 Favorite Movies Challege

As a huge movie buff, I thought I'd try something fun on here. I have decided to launch a new internet challenge: "The 100 Favorite Movies Challenge". The rules are pretty simple and straight forward. You create a list of 100 of your personal favorite movies in alphabetical order, post the list on your home page, then nominate other people/users of your choosing to do the challenge.

There is no limit to what movies can be included on your list. Films within any medium (live action or animated), genre, and decade are more than welcome. Whether it's longtime favorites you were introduced to when you were younger, favorites that you've picked up over the years, or recent discoveries or releases that quickly became your favorites, anything and everything is on the table here.

I'll start off by sharing my list. To be clear, I have way more than 100 favorite movies, but to have the number be anything past that may be a bit much for some people. Please don't judge me if it seems like there might be a few noteworthy titles missing on here. I mainly put this list together just for fun. Alright, here we go!

9 (2009)

Airplane! (1980)

American Graffiti (1973)

Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001)

The Avengers (2012)

Avengers: Endgame (2019)

Baby Driver (2017)

Batman Begins (2005)

Beetlejuice (1988)

Beverly Hills Cop (1984)

Big Hero 6 (2014)

Black Dynamite (2009)

The Blues Brothers (1980)

Broadway Melody of 1940 (1940)

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

Castle in the Sky (1986)

Chicago (2002)

Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (Knockin' on Heaven's Door) (2001)

Deadpool (2016)

Death Proof (2007)

Desperado (1994)

Die Hard (1988)

Django Unchained (2012)

Double Indemnity (1944)

Dragon Inn (1967)

Fantasia 2000 (2000)

Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)

Flash Gordon (1980)

Ghostbusters (1984)

The Godfather (1972)

Goodfellas (1990)

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

History of the World, Part 1 (1980)

Hot Fuzz (2007)

How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014)

The Incredibles (2004)

Independence Day (1996)

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)

Inglourious Basterds (2009)

The Italian Job (2003)

Jaws (1975)

John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum (2019)

Jurassic Park (1993)

Logan (2017)

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)

Lupin the 3rd: The Castle of Cagliostro (1980)

Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

Meatballs (1979)

Men in Black (1997)

Moana (2016)

Monsters vs. Aliens (2009)

Mr. and Mrs. Smith (2005)

The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)

National Lampoon's Animal House (1978)

Network (1976)

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

North by Northwest (1959)

Notorious (1946)

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019)

The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976)

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)

Porco Rosso (1992)

Princess Mononoke (1997)

Pulp Fiction (1994)

Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

Ready Player One (2018)

Rear Window (1954)

Rio Bravo (1959)

Robin Hood (1973)

The Rocketeer (1991)

Romeo and Juliet (1968)

Scream (1996)

Seven Samurai (1954)

Shaun of the Dead (2004)

Sherlock Holmes (2009)

Skyfall (2012)

Smokey and the Bandit (1977)

Spaceballs (1987)

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)

Spirited Away (2001)

Star Wars: A New Hope (1977)

Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1983)

The Suicide Squad (2021)

Surf's Up (2007)

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006)

The Thin Red Line (1998)

Tombstone (1993)

Top Gun: Maverick (2022)

Treasure Planet (2002)

Tremors (1990)

Tron: Legacy (2010)

Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007)

The Wind Rises (2013)

Wonder Woman (2017)

Yojimbo (1961)

Young Frankenstein (1974)

Zombieland (2009)

Now, before I wrap things up, I would like to nominate @skygent, @is0gild , @firecraker-j, @mrcowboytoyou, and @piglets-not-so-big-adventure to do this challenge. Hopefully we can get the ball rolling so more and more people can join in. I look forward to seeing what kind of lists you guys will put together. Good luck!

[jules-has-notes]

It Ain't Me — VoicePlay music video

The VoicePlay guys are fans of the Book of Mormon. So when an opportunity arose to collaborate with a singer who was about to join the national tour, they were pretty excited. They chose a brand new song, and created an arrangement that shifts the tone from the melancholy regret of the original to unapologetic liberation.

Details:

title: It Ain't Me (feat. John Pinto)

original performers: Kygo & Selena Gomez

written by: Kyrre "Kygo" Gørvell-Dahll, Brian Lee, Ali Tamposi, Selena Gomez, & Andrew Watt

arranged by: Layne Stein & Hannah Juliano

release date: 12 April 2017

My favorite bits:

that beautiful three-part harmony from John, Earl, and Eli with their coordinated breathy offsets

the resonant woodblock-y pops in Layne's percussion line

Geoff's little descending triplet at the end of the first verse

dropping out everything but John's melody and Geoff's bass line to create a feeling of emptiness

the driving rhythm of the choruses

the harmonized tone jump on ♫ "slee-EE-eep" ♫ in the second chorus

Geoff's long notes and slides contrasting against Layne's stacatto percussion in the breakdown section

the ♫ "no no no" ♫ bell chord and the descending run that follows

building the layers from the bottom up

John's soaring, nimble riffs

You don't need extra drums, silly!

ending on pure octaves

all the rehearsal footage and behind the scenes shenanigans

Trivia:

Bringing in John and his lovely countertenor gave the group a trial run at moving Eli into the vacant baritone spot and making a higher voice their permanent fifth member, which was an option they were considering.

This video was filmed at a new location for VoicePlay, Starke Lake Studios in Ocoee.

The YouTube description includes a parody verse: "I had a dream / you were eating something sweet / won't you please share that with me / 'cause I like ice cream. / Lieutenant Dan! Ice Cream!!!"

While John was in town, he made sure to stop by Disney World and take a dip in the Atlantic.

The guys met up again a few months later when the Book of Mormon tour spent three weeks in Salt Lake City, UT, and a week of shows took VoicePlay to nearby Park City.

After two years on the Book of Mormon tour, John joined the Broadway cast in 2019, where he has remained thus far.

John has returned to sing with VoicePlay twice to date, for the "Just Sing" mega-collaboration in 2020, and a gorgeous rendition of "Unchained Melody" the following year.

VoicePlay had included "Hello!" from The Book of Mormon in their "Aca Top 10 – Broadway" countdown, which they also performed in live shows, starting with the 2015 Sing-Off tour.

[byzcntine]

they had found themselves caught up in a tango of sorts. neither women truly leading the other on the dance floor, so it seemed, and yet, some how she felt like she had been in control the entire time... but perhaps that’s what the acting ceo wanted her to believe up until this point. either way, andrea genuinely liked spending time with the other, even if she never really spoke said feelings aloud. call her superstitious, but she had been not-so-patiently waiting for the other shoe to drop. for samantha to make notion towards having her fill and moving along. she wouldn’t blame her, honestly. the tech mogul was all sharp tongue and venom in the beginning of their dalliance. and if she were being completely honest, she was surprised they had actually gotten to where they were in that very moment.

while doubt and an existential dread had a tendency to loom about, making themselves comfortable in the darkest parts of her thoughts, she found herself clutching to every second she possibly could. because if this wasn’t going to last, she was going to do everything she could to soak up the other’s presence. samantha arias blew into her life in what could only be described as a shit storm. there was no way to sugar coat the way the two had interacted the first time they were forced to share a space with one another. and it didn’t exactly go any better for quite a bit of time. it wasn’t until one day, when andrea took a step back to actually look over everything that she realized the sparring the two generally found themselves entangled in was laced with something more. all either of them needed was a single confirmation, and once that happened, well ― the rest was history ( between the sheets. )

and there had been no turning back. what started out as physical slowly blossomed into something more; even if she refused to acknowledge it. one day they were hot and heavy, and the next, andrea couldn’t have scooted back any further to relish in the other woman’s warmth and security, after falling between sheets once more, without simply laying on top of her. a motion she had entertained for a minute or two. with all of her bad joke telling, novelty sock wearing, obliviously goofy personality having... sam had become one of the most important people in her life. and it was unnerving in the best way possible. it was no secret that there was a lack of kindness in her life growing up, and this woman ― dios, this woman ― had completely blown it out of the water. it was life altering and overall welcomed, which in turn was absolutely horrifying. 

feelings weren’t something she did. in fact, she had actively avoided them for quite some time. and yet, here she was. absolutely shook at the mere notion that @reignthem​ wanted something more. clearly she had been doing a terrible job of that one. “i dont want to go back to how we used to be. i want more. i want you.” the woman’s words slipped in one ear like an unchained melody, bouncing around a bit, before plummeting to her chest where her heart sped to a point where she was almost certain sam could hear it thumping wildly within. they had some how found themselves sitting with one another on the couch;; the sound of one of those home improvement shows drumming on in the background. blue hues shot to the other who had seemingly pulled her attention from the show in that moment. 

andrea some how wished the words falling from the woman’s lips had something to do with the fact that the home owner was being unreasonable or... honestly, anything would have been welcome in that moment. instead she was left sitting there, staring back as emotions swirled within. how was she supposed to say anything proper as they began to bubble up? causing her throat to feel ― there was no way she was going to be able to say anything without her voice cracking. for someone versed in multiple languages, she was sure left rather speechless in that moment if only to save face. moving to sit up a bit, her gaze never left sam. hot woman demoing someone’s house be damned ... when the hell she found herself getting comfortable enough to sit back and watch mundane television, she couldn’t tell you, but it made sense. they had been buying time before the inevitable happened. and she had shown up unannounced, after all. “ ―- que?” it fell from her lips before she could even think of anything coherent to say. perhaps it was a means to buy herself time, but a part of her knew that if she didn’t say something ― anything ― that this could potentially be where that hypothetical shoe dropped.

deft fingers moved to quickly wrap around those they had become quite familiar with over time, as if to anchor herself in the moment. solid, tangible proof that they were both really there and this wasn’t some sort of fever dream. “okay...” her voice was smaller than usual, questioning even, but why would she want something like that with her? sure, they had gotten closer, as previously mentioned, but sam deserved all the world had to offer ― happiness included. was that something that andrea actually helped bring along? she supposed the other woman wouldn’t have said such a thing, if that weren’t the case, but what if she had just been caught up in the moment? ( because hgtv was a moment, right? ) lacing their fingers together, her gaze dropped to the joint hands as she made note of the fact that they fit together perfectly. as though they had been made for one another. “okay.” it was said firmer this time. with the usual tone behind it. 

her gaze picked up to catch pools of chocolate in all of their welcoming warmth. “you can have me, then...” a gentle squeeze was offered between their hands as the corners of her mouth curled into a wide smile. “fully. but we’re going to have to teach you spanish. i don’t think i can survive the rest of our days on home improvement television unless you tell me that you have a welcoming neighbor that peeks over the fence and offers unsolicited advice.” bringing their hands up, she pressed a small kiss to the back of sam’s hand as if she didn’t just nonchalantly make notion towards the long haul of it all. “telenovelas. it may be a bit on the nose, but they really do help break up the day after dealing with the mierda we do day in and day out because no matter what ― our lives will never be that dramatic.” even if it did feel as though sometimes they could possibly all have their own hit show.

[pusha-t2024]

What Are the Best Romantic Karaoke Songs for Women?

Karaoke is not just about high-energy anthems and fun group performances—it can also be a moment to showcase emotion and tenderness through romantic ballads. Whether you're singing to your significant other, expressing love, or channeling the emotions of a heartfelt love song, romantic karaoke songs offer a beautiful way to connect with the audience and convey deep feelings. For women, romantic songs provide an opportunity to showcase vocal strength, control, and emotional expression.

From classic love ballads to modern love songs, the right romantic karaoke song can create a magical atmosphere and captivate listeners. In this article, we’ll explore the best romantic karaoke songs for women, why these Best Karaoke Songs For Women work so well, and tips for delivering an unforgettable performance.

1. Why Romantic Karaoke Songs Work So Well

Romantic songs create a special atmosphere in karaoke, bringing out deep emotions and helping the performer connect with the audience on a more personal level. Here’s why romantic karaoke songs work so well:

Emotional Expression: Romantic songs allow you to channel emotions such as love, longing, or heartbreak, giving your performance a genuine emotional depth that resonates with listeners.

Vocal Showcases: Many romantic songs are ballads that give you the opportunity to show off your vocal range and control. Whether you're singing softly or belting out powerful notes, romantic songs let you express your voice fully.

Connection with the Audience: Singing a romantic song allows you to create a connection with the audience, as many people relate to themes of love and relationships. These emotional connections make your performance more engaging.

Timeless Appeal: Love songs never go out of style. Whether it's a classic romantic ballad or a modern love song, romantic tracks are timeless and widely appreciated by audiences of all ages.

Top 10 Best Romantic Karaoke Songs for Women

Here are some of the best romantic karaoke songs for women, offering a mix of emotional ballads and heartfelt love songs that are perfect for connecting with your audience.

1. "I Will Always Love You" by Whitney Houston

Whitney Houston’s rendition of "I Will Always Love You," originally written by Dolly Parton, is one of the most iconic romantic ballads of all time. Released in 1992, this song is perfect for women who want to showcase their vocal strength and emotional depth. The song’s soft, intimate verses gradually build into a powerful, soaring chorus, allowing you to captivate the audience with your vocal control and emotion.

2. "At Last" by Etta James

Etta James’ "At Last," released in 1960, is a timeless romantic ballad that’s perfect for karaoke. The song’s soulful melody and heartfelt lyrics about finding true love make it an ideal choice for women who want to deliver a classic, romantic performance. The slow tempo and rich, emotional delivery allow you to showcase both your vocal ability and connection with the song.

3. "Make You Feel My Love" by Adele

Adele’s "Make You Feel My Love," released in 2008, is a beautiful romantic ballad that’s perfect for karaoke. The song’s tender lyrics and soft melody allow you to connect emotionally with the audience, while the slow, simple melody gives you room to focus on vocal control and expression. It’s a great choice for women who want to deliver a heartfelt, intimate performance.

4. "Unchained Melody" by The Righteous Brothers

"Unchained Melody," released in 1965 by The Righteous Brothers, is one of the most romantic and emotionally charged songs ever written. While it’s often associated with male singers, the song’s heartfelt lyrics and powerful melody make it a great choice for women as well. The song’s gradual build into a powerful, emotional chorus allows you to showcase your vocal strength and deliver a performance full of passion and emotion.

5. "Endless Love" by Diana Ross and Lionel Richie

"Endless Love," released in 1981, is a classic romantic duet that can also be performed solo. The song’s sweet lyrics about eternal love and devotion make it perfect for women who want to deliver a touching performance. The song’s soft, melodic verses and powerful chorus give you the opportunity to express both tenderness and vocal strength.

6. "Because You Loved Me" by Celine Dion

Celine Dion’s "Because You Loved Me," released in 1996, is a romantic ballad that celebrates love and gratitude. The song’s powerful lyrics and sweeping melody make it perfect for women who want to showcase their vocal ability and deliver an emotional performance. The gradual build into the soaring chorus allows you to express both vulnerability and strength, making it a great choice for a romantic karaoke moment.

7. "My Heart Will Go On" by Celine Dion

Another Celine Dion classic, "My Heart Will Go On," released in 1997, is the theme song for the movie Titanic and one of the most iconic love songs of all time. The song’s emotional depth and powerful melody make it perfect for women who want to deliver a dramatic, heartfelt performance. The song’s soft verses and soaring chorus allow you to showcase your vocal range and connect emotionally with the audience.

8. "Perfect" by Ed Sheeran

Ed Sheeran’s "Perfect," released in 2017, is a modern romantic ballad that’s become a popular karaoke choice for weddings and romantic occasions. The song’s tender lyrics and soft melody make it perfect for women who want to deliver a sweet, heartfelt performance. The song’s simplicity allows you to focus on emotional delivery and connect with the audience in an intimate way.

9. "Vision of Love" by Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey’s "Vision of Love," released in 1990, is a powerful ballad that showcases her incredible vocal range and emotional depth. The song’s heartfelt lyrics and dynamic melody make it perfect for women who want to deliver a dramatic and vocally impressive performance. The song’s combination of soft verses and powerful, belted chorus gives you the opportunity to show off your vocal abilities while delivering a romantic message.

10. "A Thousand Years" by Christina Perri

Christina Perri’s "A Thousand Years," released in 2011, is a modern love ballad that’s become a favorite for romantic karaoke performances. The song’s gentle melody and sweet lyrics about timeless love make it perfect for women who want to deliver a soft, emotional performance. The song’s simple structure allows you to focus on expressing the emotion behind the lyrics, making it a great choice for connecting with the audience.

Why These Songs Work So Well for Karaoke

These romantic karaoke songs are ideal for women because they offer a combination of emotional depth, vocal showcases, and audience engagement. Here’s why they work so well for karaoke:

Emotional Connection

Romantic songs often deal with themes of love, heartbreak, and devotion, which are emotions that resonate deeply with audiences. By performing a romantic song, you can connect with the audience on an emotional level, making your performance more impactful and memorable.

Vocal Showcases

Many romantic ballads are designed to showcase powerful vocals, allowing you to demonstrate your range, control, and emotional expression. Songs like "I Will Always Love You" and "Vision of Love" offer the opportunity to hit high notes and deliver a dramatic, show-stopping performance.

Timeless Appeal

Love songs are universally appreciated, and many of the songs on this list are timeless classics that have stood the test of time. Whether you’re singing a modern ballad like "Perfect" or a classic like "At Last," these songs are guaranteed to resonate with a wide range of listeners.

Tips for Singing Romantic Karaoke Songs

If you’re planning to sing a romantic karaoke song, here are some tips to help you deliver a standout performance:

Connect with the Lyrics

Romantic songs are all about emotion, so make sure to connect with the lyrics and convey the feelings behind the song. Whether it’s a song about love, longing, or heartbreak, expressing the emotion behind the lyrics will make your performance more authentic and engaging.

Focus on Vocal Control

Many romantic ballads feature soft verses followed by powerful, belted choruses. Focus on controlling your breath and delivering smooth, steady vocals throughout the song. This will help you build emotional intensity and deliver a more polished performance.

Engage with the Audience

While romantic songs are often intimate and personal, don’t forget to engage with the audience. Make eye contact, smile, and express the emotions of the song through your body language. This will help you connect with the audience and make your performance more memorable.

Pace Yourself

Many romantic songs build gradually, so take your time and let the song’s emotional arc unfold naturally. Start softly and let the intensity build as the song progresses. This will create a more dynamic and powerful performance.

Conclusion

Romantic karaoke songs for women offer a beautiful way to connect with the audience, showcase your vocal abilities, and express deep emotions through music. Whether you’re singing a timeless ballad like "I Will Always Love You" or a modern love song like "Perfect," these songs are guaranteed to create a magical atmosphere and leave a lasting impression.

The key to a great romantic karaoke performance is choosing a song that resonates with you personally and allows you to express yourself authentically. Whether you’re singing to a loved one or simply channeling the emotions of the song, these romantic tracks will help you deliver a heartfelt, memorable performance that touches the audience’s hearts.

[allthemusic]

Week ending: 2nd June

Three familiar songs, but all ones I do quite like - I suspect this entry will be an exercise in comparing different versions! I'm trying to think if anything similar could even happen today. I can only think of multiple versions of Wellerman trending a while back? And that was an unusual song for multiple reasons, at a particularly weird time anyway, mid-Covid.

Unchained Melody - Jimmy Young (peaked at Number 1)

The first version of this song to grace number 1, but not the last. Weirdly I only found other versions of the song at first - it took a bit of hunting to work out which "Jimmy Young" track was the real one.

Once I found it, I did appreciate it. It starts with some more vigorous strummy guitar than I expected, which makes it feel definitely different to Al Hibbler's version from the get-go. It's got the same thing that version did, too, where the rhythms just aren't quite what I expect. They catch me off guard on various lines, and I feel really stupid, because I've just realised why! It's in 4/4, whereas the later versions I know are largely in 3/4. Honestly, I don't know why I didn't work it out with the last version!

Apart from that, the voice and the guitar do give this one a slightly country vibe, which isn't hurt by the violin that is subtly assisting. And there are also some backing singers straight from a Western soundtrack. They kind of work, especially after Jimmy sings Wait for me and they chip in with a ghostly sort of Unchain me, unchain me.

The whole thing works nicely. Maybe a bit cheerier-sounding than the slower, more soulful version? Either way, sufficiently distinct as its own thing that I can't really complain. And the backing singers are a delight.

Stranger in Paradise - The Four Aces (6)

I'm interested in seeing where this goes, since the Four Aces is a vocal group, and the last two singers were very much from the "Easy listening crooner" tradition of solo men. I suspect the style will need to change.

Well, we start with some flutes and some familiar instruments and I wond if there will be any changes, especially as the iconic "ooooh" bits begin, but then they change the theme! It goes up at the end, and I don't think I like it. I know how the tune here goes, why would you change it?!

And then the modified theme ends and the vibe changes entirely, with a double bass coming in and the whole thing picking up a swung rhythm as the singing begins. I don't know if the pivot works, but it's striking, and it does feel like it fits better with the group singing.

What I do enjoy is the oboe countermelody snaking round in the background. It's pretty, and all the other little instrumental frills are equally lovely, even if they only pop in and out sporadically.

Oh, and we shift into a different, vaguely Latin sounding rhythm on the I see your face section, before slowing it down, and returning to the first rhythm finally for the verse's return. The overall effec is a bit jerky, and it' mostly just alarming when the whole group come back for the worlds biggest ending. This is a Big Old Ending on steroids: Take my haaaaaaaaaaaaaand!

Yeah, I don't think this one works, sorry Aces.

Unchained Melody - Les Baxter (10)

Oh, we're starting with the backing singers singing Unchain me this time, and strings playing the main rhythm. It's a very soft, gentle sound, and still a little bit country, like in Jimmy's version. It also repeats twice - at one point I even began to wonder if this was going to be an instrumental arrangement.

But no, we get what sounds like multiple male voices after a few repeats and a fade-out. I can't tell if this is Les and a friend or if he's really a bandleader or the leader of a vocal group, or something. The men, whoever they are, don't sing very much, though, just one verse and done, with the whole song over in a 2:33 take that honestly feels like less.

Yeah, a bit of googling tells me that Les Baxter was an American swing bandleader who branched out into easy listening and lounge music. And this is just that, it's easy to listen to and pleasant bur a bit nothing-y. I'd put it on in the background in a lounge or whatever, so it's doing its job, I guess. The idea of music that isn't designed for really listening to is interesting to me, since it's really not what I use music for. But I can appreciate it.

I do also like the big, cinematic ending, with the choir and the clanking tubular bells, or some such percussion. It retroactively does make the whole thing feel like the song you'd get at the end of a film, a sort of victorious "I've escaped prison and am going home" track. The pathos of it all is dulled down, leaving this big, soaring ending.

I don't think I loved any of those, but none were worth disliking. I kind of wonder how the alternate universe 1955 version of me would have found them, actually. Maybe I'd have been all aboard for lots of strings and backing singing?

Favourite song of the bunch: Unchained Melody - Jimmy Young

[weaversweek]

"The 'Unchained' melody" - Righteous Brothers

1965 Music: Alex North; lyric: Hy Zaret

Into the top twenty of Let's Do It, my part of a crowdsourced collection of singles from 1954-76. From here, I've thought carefully about the order.

Many films of the era have been completely forgotten, or are remembered only for their music. The 1954 prison flick Unchained lives on only through its theme tune, and the words set to it. Hy Zaret's lyric is written from the point of view of a prisoner, who hasn't seen his paramour in so very long.

Todd Duncan sang the song in the film: he was lying on a bed, plaintively calling as someone else strums their guitar. Nominated for the Best Movie Song at the oscars, and propelled to worldwide attention.

Back in the 1950s, the important thing was the song, not the particular performance. "The 'Unchained' melody" attracted lots of renditions, Harry Belafonte and Jimmy Young had excellent vocal versions, Liberace played all the right notes and lots of others on his piano, Les Baxter had his admirers, Reg Snipton's version is best forgotten.

A standard by 1965, the Righteous Brothers recorded their version in a bit of a hurry - it was going to be the B-side to "Hung on you". Bill Medley played a Wurlitzer piano while Bobby Hatfield sung and emoted. He took the song to new places, the soaring vocal in the final verse is all his work. Hatfield said he could do another take better; Medley replied, "No, you can't."

"The 'Unchained' melody" has become a standard: over 1500 recordings, from performers as talented as Perry Como, as young as Gareth Gates, as old as Elvis Presley, and as fivestar as Robson and Jerome. Modern-day impressario Simon Cowell loves the song, it is just the sort of emotion he can comprehend. But we cannot hold that against Medley and Hatfield's version.

(This song-and-performer combo is also eligible for #UncoolTwo50; the Righteous Brothers re-recorded the song in 1990 after it was used on the soundtrack to the movie Ghost. I won't be nominating it in the 1977-99 poll.)

[thetaylorfiles]

It’s been bugging me since yesterday when I heard Maroon first. And then today when I played it on repeat. The chorus of Maroon, the melody structure (hope it’s called that, I have no music background) of the chorus ‘I…. Chose you…. The one I was dancing with. In New York… No shoes…Looked up at the sky, and saw’ has sounded like an older song that I knew by heart well. But I could not call it to memory.

I FIGURED IT OUT! But again, I know zero about music.

Okay, so am I crazy, or does the chorus of Maroon, the part I wrote up there, does it share the same melody structure to the verses of Unchained Melody (especially the structure of his voice changes/vibrato?)

I could be crazy too. But if you know music at all or you just wanna check it out and give an opinion, please have a listen! x

[anklesalltheway]

The pain it caused was too much to live with, but not enough to cause to die...

Lonely rivers flow to the sea, to the sea. To the open arms of the sea...

The captain’s daughter  The Widow                                            & The great sailor  The Seawolf

[bottomskywalker-moved-blog]

Now, whenever he kisses him, Han remembers what it was like to kiss him on their wedding day last June. He remembers the tears on both of their cheeks, remembers Luke shaking to pieces in his arms, remembers the feeling of pure elation with a dash of anxiety and a breath of relief. He remembers the smile against his lips, the way Luke laughed into his mouth.

read it here! 

[asparklingdiamond]

“Dance with me.”

After a very long night at the restaurant, Amanda Gray was relieved when the last customers finally paid their tab and left, leaving the staff to clean up. The chef and the busboys were the first to leave, and shortly after, the waitresses departed, though Amanda hung back to refill ketchup bottles and fold napkins, so it was one thing she didn’t have to worry about the next afternoon. It was just her and the owner; the older woman was busy doing paperwork in the back office, leaving the front of the seafood restaurant all to the young waitress. She had her feet propped up as she worked, her phone softly playing music as she sang along, keeping her mind and her hands occupied. One hand, on occasion, would rub her belly; she’d smile to herself when she felt her rapidly growing baby kick and move around inside of her. Even though it was painful at times, she felt relief every kick or elbow she got in the ribs. It was as if they were reminding her that yes, they were still there, and they weren’t going anywhere for a while. After what she’d gone through when she’d told her husband about the baby, she needed the reminder. She wanted her baby kicking and screaming when they were finally ready to come into the world. 

She was lost in the idle work and the music playing, forgetting where she was, and was surprised when she suddenly felt someone approaching her. Her body immediately tensed, expecting to hear Andrew’s sickly sweet voice, telling her he’d found her, followed by a painful tug on her hair, or the feeling of his grip tightening around her wrist. But it never came; she sighed in relief when she realized it was Miles. “You scared me,” she managed to murmur, her voice shaking a little as she looked up at him. As the shock wore off, she began to laugh, holding her hand over her heart. “You’re sneaky. I didn’t even hear you come in.” 

“I’m sorry– I called out to you, but I think you were lost in your own world.” He leaned down, pressing his lips against hers softly for a brief moment, before he pulled away, his fingertips gently brushing her hair behind her ear. Even in the early days of her marriage, her husband had never handled her with such care. The way Miles touched her made her heart ache. She didn’t know what she did to deserve his kindness and gentleness. 

“I think I was. I was just finishing up some work, but I’m ready to go now. Thanks for picking me up. I hate walking home alone this late.” She set aside her finished work, and excused herself to grab her purse and say goodnight to her boss. “Okay, let’s go.” She started to grab her phone to turn off the music still playing, but he stopped her, grabbing her wrist, making her blood run cold for a moment as she thought of Andrew, but as quickly as the thought came, it was gone again. Miles wasn’t anything like him. His hand was soft around her wrist, holding her hand away from her phone, and his bright blue eyes were warm. Something in them made her heart leap up into her throat, and there was a flutter in her belly as he looked at her. Even the baby seemed to react to his touch and his look; they rolled around, pressing up against the inside of her belly, as if reaching out to get closer to him. She inhaled sharply, swallowing hard as she peered up at him. 

“Dance with me.” His voice was like velvet, practically making her toes curl at the sound. Maybe it was because she was incredibly hormonal, but she could listen to him talk for hours. Days, even. 

“Now? Right here?” She managed to reply, sighing as he released her wrist, but captured her hand in his, gently tugging her towards him. 

“Yes, right now.” He took her bag from her shoulder and set it down on the table beside her phone, and took her other hand in his, pulling her gently towards him, and she willingly followed, her heart racing. He moved one hand down to rest on the small of her back, pressing her closer to him, so there was almost no space between them. Even with the baby bump between them. 

Amanda was frozen in place at first, but slowly relaxed as Miles led them into a slow dance, her body melting against his, her head resting on his chest. The current song ended, and for the brief moment of silence, she could hear his heart beating, feel his chest rising and falling against her ear as he breathed. The new song began; Unchained Melody. She heard the low rumble in his chest as he began singing along; her heart leaped again, her breath catching in her throat as she lifted her head, looking up at him as he continued singing to her, his gaze locked on hers.

♪ Oh, my love, my darlingI’ve hungered, for your touchA long, lonely timeTime goes by so slowlyAnd time can do so muchAre you still mine?I need your loveI need your loveGod speed your love to me…. ♪

Sliding her hand from his shoulder to the nape of his neck, she raked her fingers through his hair, gently tugging and playing with his hair as the tips of their noses nuzzled against each other. Even as the song ended and they were left in silence, they continued to move slowly, arms wrapped around each other. Amanda had tried so hard to not feel the way she did for him; she was pregnant with another man’s baby, after all. She was married. She was running from that man, and hadn’t told a soul in this small town. Miles included. She’d tried to keep him at arm’s length, but he’d wormed his way into her heart, and she wanted to spend the rest of her days exactly like this. In his arms. She’d never felt more safe. 

Standing on her tiptoes, she pressed her lips against his again, sighing softly into his mouth as he tightened his hold on her waist, his hand firm on her back as she arched up against him. She kissed him until she began to feel her knees shake, and when she began to pull away, settling back on her feet, he leaned down, capturing her lips again, holding her up so she wouldn’t lose her balance. They only broke away when they heard the sound of someone clearing their throat, both turning to see her boss smirking in amusement. 

Blushing furiously, Amanda stammered an apology, quickly grabbing her belongings and tugging on Miles to follow her, letting out a loud laugh as soon as they were outside. She leaned against him, her chin on his chest as her arms wrapped around his waist. “Well, that was awkward.” 

“Mhm. But so worth it.” He leaned down to give her a sweet kiss that was over much too soon in Amanda’s opinion, but she took what she could get. “Let’s get you home and in the bath. You look like you need it.”

She sighed softly, wondering for the millionth time how she got so lucky for him to want her, and nodded silently. “I do. But only if you join me.” She gave him an innocent smile and leaned up, her lips pressing against his jaw, before taking his hand and tugging him towards his car, suddenly very eager to get home.

@youcancallmepookiebear

[creativeashproductions]

Songbird Shenanigans // Charlie Gillespie

IN WHICH: The reader will routinely sneak away from her band/hotel to continue her tour shenanigans in parking garages. A way for the young star to return to the stupid years where the concert venue was a car and the mic was the steering wheel. As each city comes and goes with the tour, one thing never changes, driving to parking garages to scream songs at the top of your lungs.

Warnings: Swearing, Mamma Mia songs (oops), and fluff

Words: 4.0k (with lyrics included)

A/N: There’s something endearing about Charlie randomly going a stranger in a duet and dance without a care. This was loosely inspired by the chaotic live they did when Jeremy and Charlie stayed at Owen’s place. I loved Charlie’s tropical shirt giving Animal Crossing vibes.

TO BE TAGGED SEND AN INBOX/ASK PLEASE!

Masterlist

A moment you had desired for a while finally came around in Oklahoma City during the free day between the two concerts. The pure quiet away from the interviews, photoshoots and demanding life of a musician. Yet despite wanting this time, you definitely felt bored, which only meant one thing.

A new video for your followers as you had done since the beginning of your successful career. Back before, you had the prominent following you had; now you would travel singing in your car, and then one video got viral. That elevated your following until you had signed a record deal with your brand new agent.

A series was then born of driving at night to the parking lots and garages in the city you temporarily visited. You'd park and sing any suggested songs from a previous video for an hour to see if a fan could find you. It was a fun game you had developed.

Y/N Y/L/N: Another installment of Songbird Shenanigans. From 9pm to 10:30pm, I'll be somewhere in Oklahoma City. Come find me for the prize!

Your agent both hated and loved the series as it brought attention to your career and songs but also was a hazard during the tour. The risk of losing your voice made your agent nervous, but the positives outweigh the negatives.

"What song are you doing?" Maddie asked from her chair in your hotel suite with a ratty book in her hand. Her rich dark hair pulled up in a high bun with a few pieces of bangs pulled down to hang free.

You didn't know if you could do what you do if you didn't have Maddie by your side as your singing partner and chief stylist. Maddie also always knew without looking on social media when you had a new installment coming.

"My most requested video is Train Wreck by-"

"James Arthur." Maddie snickered with her grey eyes pinned to the page she was reading faithfully. The book had seen better days, but it was her absolute favourite one by far and one of the only physical books she had.

"Somehow forgot you had it on repeat for a week straight." You snorted, shoving a hat on your head for warmth. A plain black coat pulled over your arms that matched the warm boots you had chosen, "I'll send you my location."

Maddie waved on hand in response, having known the routine since you first started this fun series. It allowed you a bit of your old life when the concerts you performed was solely in your car with the steering wheel as the microphone.

Judy, your agent, was sitting in the lobby with her binder surrounding her when she looked with a sigh. Without a word, she tossed the keys to the rented car she knew you'd need, so in each city, she rented one. A smile of gratitude shared before you were out the door with your hood up.

"Be careful!" Judy exclaimed just as the sliding doors closed behind you, sending you out in the cold night.

Almost instantly, your cheeks turned a light pink in the cold winter air, even if the walk to the war was short. As requested, the car was a newer model but one that would blend in with other city cars. It made finding you harder, but the windows couldn't be tinted.

"Here's to hoping I get a place with good acoustics." You muttered, starting the hatchback vehicle. Despite the cold winter weather, the road conditions were surprisingly okay, but then again, you were from a small town. Roads were shit in general.

You didn't bother playing music as you used the drive to find a parking garage and warm up your throat. Your vocal coach would have your head if you didn't warm-up, and then Judy would kill you even more.

You lucked out in a parking garage to a building that seemed to be a renovated warehouse with insanely cool windows. The metal was a dark shamrock green with a multitude of small rectangular glass between the metal. The panes swung open upwards in a fascinating design.

"Perfect." You muttered, signalling to turn into the parking garage that was easily accessed and without any trespassing signs. It was desolate, with cars parked here and there in the stalls.

A bright orange Subaru definitely took the cake as the most 'flashy' vehicle among the more nondescript ones. Not that it caught your attention when you lowered your windows marginally while simultaneously clipping the phone onto the dash. Immediately you double-checked for any apparent signs to your location before declaring it safe; with a tap of your finger, your Instagram live began.

"Welcome to another part of our Songbird Shenanigans. This time I'm in Oklahoma City for a two-day concert. The most requested song is Train Wreck by James Arthur."

Laying in the silence

Waiting for the sirens

Signs, any signs I'm alive still

I don't wanna lose it

I'm not getting through this

Hey, should I pray? should I pray

A natural instinct of closing your eyes as you got more into the music occurred. Your voice belted into the garage beautifully. Tons of comments appeared in the insta live chat of both supportive and haters.

username3: I suggested this song!!!

username88: Your voice goes perfectly with the song.

The song came to an end quicker than you would have liked since it was definitely one of your favourites to sing.

Unchain the reactions, I'm not ready to die, not yet

Pull me out of the train wreck

Pull me out, pull me out, pull me out

Pull me out, pull me out, pull me out

No action was helped back from taking a swig of water from the reusable bottle you had brought along. Your eyes scoured the comments for more suggestions or things that stuck out.

"Why don't you include hints in the Songbirds?” You read out from the comment section with a smile barely held back, "Why would I? You all know that my windows are often down, and even the most unoriginal locations have tells. There's been a few people that have found me."

Username13: I think I know where you are (insert heart emoji)

          ↳Username63: username13 where?! How do you know?

          ↳Username13: jatp is streaming all day and the guys are in a car. Same background

Your eyes read the short but interesting conversation between the two different accounts on something called jatp? Whatever that was.

"Any other requests?" You asked, scrolling through the suggestions, "Sing something from jatp? I'm sorry, guys, but I have no clue what that is? Is it a movie? OH! It's a show. My bad."

The comment section was flooded, "Okay! Let me look up the lyrics and the melody!"

Three males: a blonde and two brunettes, walked between the rows of both occupied and unoccupied parking spots. The blonde wearing a black t-shirt with BEANS written across the chest and the brunette with short slicked-back hair crowded the middle guy. All three pairs of eyes watched the iPhone stream the television series.

"I call shotgun!" Owen spoke as the car in question came into view, "We gotta Livestream in the car again!"

"Your neighbour sucks, man." Charlie groaned, nudging Jeremy to unlock the car when the older man hesitated.

"If we're going live in the car, we should cover your license plate," Jeremy suggested to a resounding agreement. 

Charlie drove an obscenely vibrant coloured car that could be picked out quickly, so he didn't need any help in broadcasting his location. Owen grabbed the book from the passenger seat to angle it to lean against the plate.

"Done!" Owen called, racing back to climb into the car with his friends. The blonde-haired man bounced in his seat as the owner of the vehicle set up the screen.

In seconds, the streaming went from the app on the phone to the car's built-in screen to the boys' delight. In a moment of what some may call brilliance and others stupidity Owen went live on Instagram with Charlie joining him swiftly.

"Do you rem-"

Username76: Songbird chose a shitty location.

           ↳Username 39: Or we just got a Hail Mary hint

"Who is Songbird?" Charlie questioned, leaning closer to his friends in the front, catching a few comments.

The comments were mixed among other unrelated ones, but all had Songbird, Shenanigans or both words. The mystery was so intriguing the boys turned down the show to scour the comments for tidbits.

"Wait? Do you hear that?" Jeremy questioned, scanning the parking garage with his blue, green eyes. Soon his head was sticking out the window, "Someone is singing here."

Jeremy's hand turned the key of the car, "Is that-"

"Oh, no." Owen groaned, seeing that specific light appear in Charlie's eyes just as it did each time one of the songs came on. His pink beanie slid around his long blonde locks.

The two guys watched as the second oldest in their group did some kind of shimmy after pushing his phone to Jeremy. Jeremy's hand scrambled to get a grip on the phone as Charlie delved into his love for these songs. Sharing a look, Jeremy and Owen followed the Canadian to a car with a girl singing in the open hatchback car.

(Italics is you! Italics and bold is Charlie and you! Just bold is Charlie!)

When you were lonely, you needed a man.

Someone to lean on, well I understand

It's only natural

But why did it have to be me?

Your eyes remained shut as you neared the middle of the first verse. You completely stopped when a voice joined. Your e/c eyes met the twinkling brown of a handsome guy with the best voice you'd heard in a long time.

Nights can be empty, and nights can be cold

So you were looking for someone to hold

That's only natural

But why did it have to be me?

Your lips parted in a grin as you grabbed the hand being offered to be pulled out of the car; on your way, your hand nudged your phone. Your phone was in a mount attached to the roof of the hatch. When you followed the stranger, the phone turned in perfect view. Your free hand turned to hover over your forehead, legs bending to feign a swoon.

I was so lonesome, I was blue

I couldn't help it, it had to be you and I

Always thought you knew the reason why

Charlie beamed playing being shot by the arrow you pretended to shoot with a grin planted on your own lips. Charlie's hand flirted with your hip as you sashayed around his body from his left to his right. Hand grabbing a first full of his white with light teal with light pink design to tug him chest to chest.

I only wanted a little love affair

Now I can see you are beginning to care

But baby, believe me

It's better to forget me

In turn, Charlie grabbed your wrist to twirl you into his arms straight into an impressive dip with the toe of your shoe pointed to the far wall. Your fingers just barely caressing the rough paved lot.

"I'm Charlie," Charlie murmured during the instrumental between the chorus and the second verse. Your eyes scanned his features with an expression you would later be glad was hidden from the lighting in the garage.

"Y/N." You breathed, clutching his shoulders still low in the dip, hoping subconsciously that your breath was still fresh.

"Wanna finish this?" Charlie spoke, searching your eyes with his own; up close, you could see his eyes were a mixture of colours. You only nodded before he continued singing to the music.

Men are the toys in the game that you play

When you get tired, you throw them away

That's only natural

But why did it have to be me?

"Are you seeing this?" Jeremy whispered to Owen as they watched Charlie literally sweep a stranger off her feet. Owen could only nod as Charlie went into the next verse, still dancing as if he was in Mamma Mia 2.

Falling in love with a woman like you

Happens so quickly, there's nothing to do

It's only natural

But why did it have to be me?

Charlie spun you back away from his body in a graceful twirl your choreographer would be incredibly proud of. The moves you made somehow made sense, with the movements matching the spontaneous duet-er.

I was so lonesome, I was blue

I couldn't help it, it had to be you and I

Always thought you knew the reason why

Once more in his arms dancing, he dipped you once more as you finished the end of the last chorus breathing heavily. The two strangers staring intensely into each other's eyes with an intense look that had tensions in the parking garage.

I only wanted a little love affair

Now I can see you are beginning to care

But baby, believe me

It's better to forget me

"Intense." Owen chuckled as Charlie raised you back onto your feet with a matching grin to yours, "Oh! Look at the comments!"

Username24: Holy shit! They ooze chemistry!!

           ↳Username9: lol, okay Alex. 

"You aren't a viewer, are you?" You breathlessly laughed, taking a step away from Charlie as the music faded away.

The equally breathless spontaneous performing partner laughed as well, "I heard the song and hoped for the best."

"Are you Songbird?" Came a voice from a few feet away. Behind the once upon a time stranger stood two males approaching slowly.

"Oh!" You gasped, turning on your heel to see where your phone was pointing, "Well, that's convenient! One moment."

Jeremy and Owen flanked Charlie as you repositioned the phone at the moment with practised precision. You kept the three people out of the shot for privacy reasons.

"There is about ten minutes away from the end of this installment being over. For the first time since we started this series, I had a duet." You playfully laughed, looking over at the trio, "It's completely up to my sudden partner, but would you like to meet your audience?"

Charlie simply shrugged, "Sure. They've seen you be serenaded by a stranger."

A short laugh came from the three individuals around Charlie as he moved into the camera frame with a large smile. As soon as he was in sight, the comment section went nuts, furthering when Owen and Jeremy came into view.

Username1: DREAM COME TRUE

           ↳Username4: omg jatp in Songbird Shenanigans?? Life accomplished.

You couldn't hold back the snort at the comments you could read quickly as they disappeared after new ones. The three guys couldn't help but chuckle as well.

"I've never seen these guys before. If you could introduce yourselves." You asked the three guests, to which each sent a reassuring smile to your hesitance.

"I'm Charlie Gillespie, and these are my friends Owen Joyner and Jeremy Shada." Charlie took the liberty of introducing both his friends and himself. His heart fluttered at the adorable smile that had appeared on your pretty face.

"I'm afraid this concludes this edition of Songbird." You apologized to the camera as the time passed the allotted hour and a half. The comments turned sad before most of them started sending questions, "I'll let you know when I do another edition! Bye for now!"

Your finger clicked the end button firstly before clicking the save button for when you would upload it to your account later.

"Thank you for doing that. I'm Y/N." You chuckled, shaking hands with Jeremy and Owen, who each grinned back, "So what brought you guys to the parking garage with three phones and a live-action Animal Crossing shirt?"

Amusement was found on all four young adults in the parking garage, pinning a gaze at the material. You had to admit you kinda adored the shirt, or maybe the person wearing it was the reason.

"We're trying to get Julie and the Phantoms to number one again." Owen offered as he displayed the live still going on his phone. 

"That's a tv series. That was the second song I did on the live before Charlie joined the little concert." You told the boys all the while aware that thousands of people watched from the phone still streaming.

"The phone's about to die." Owen piped up, catching the single decimal number broadcasting the percentage. Without any prompting, he ended the live to save it solely for the little performance Charlie did.

"Did you save it?" Jeremy asked, lifting on his tiptoes to check the phone Owen had commanded for the last half hour. Like Owen, Jeremy wanted to save it solely for the stellar performance.

"So, how'd this series start?" Charlie questioned, pushing his hands into his pockets, ignoring the subtle glances of his best friend.

"I needed an escape from touring so many cities. It's reminiscent of the days before I was discovered. When my audience was the dials in my car and my family." You half-smiled, recalling all the times you had simply driven around to sing.

"You're a musician?"

"I am. I'm currently on tour for my second album. Every second or third city I'm performing in, I take the rented car to parking lots or garages to sing. I always have a prize for the fans that find me."

"Could I get your number?" Charlie hesitantly questioned. His features twisting with the manipulation of nerves.

His palms had gone clammy enough to inconspicuously wipe them on his legs; this version of Charlie was unfamiliar. Owen and Jeremy had only ever seen him as this bundle of joy and energy, not to say he didn't have his low days, instead of nervous. Owen slipped his fingers behind his back to cross them. He hoped his Canadian friend would get it.

"You don't leak mine, and I won't leak yours." Your e/c eyes twinkled with the brush of Charlie's warm fingers on your own. The new contact waiting for his information, "Maybe we can meet up with each other?"

"I'd love that."

Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, Unspecified Date

The sounds of screams and heavy instruments blocked by the unique in-ears explicitly made for your ears alone. You'd heaved, catching a breath after such an energetic song you'd just performed for the sold-out venue. You just jogged to the side for a chug of water as your band switched instruments.

"Are you having fun tonight!" You asked the crowd who had fought tooth and nail for tickets. The crowd screamed back louder than before.

Selling out MSG for completely insane even after touring the country with your band three times. It was still a little jarring, going from a nobody with untapped potential to selling out concerts and very successful albums, in all honesty.

"That's what I like to hear!" You beamed, pushing a strand of your unruly hair away from your face. Your eyes momentarily cast to the side stage with the equipment hiding the crew, "I have a surprise for you. A couple years ago, I had a spontaneous duet partner during one of Songbird Shenanigans. I'd like to invite my fiance Charlie out here."

The crowd went nuts as Charlie wandered towards you from the side of the stage away from Owen, Jeremy and Madison. Charlie's hazel eyes scoured the oceans of your e/c eyes he got to wake up to each morning. Mostly when Julie and the Phantoms had been offered to open for you; to be frank, it was more of an unspoken co-headlining.

"Can we tell?" You asked, keeping the mic covered and away from your body. Your body bounced, waiting for the smile from him.

Charlie nodded, accepting the guitar from one of the crew members. It was a song you had written a few months back. Charlie had memorized the entire piece with the deep adoration he felt for it.

The couple perched on the bar stools brought to the middle of the stage with a secret smile. One that only they and their immediate family understood.

Three months ago, you had sat Charlie down in your home to play him a little song that changed everything.

Charlie placed the last bag of groceries on the counter when he felt arms wrap around his midsection. He immediately knew that it was you welcoming him home from a very short trip to the store. In a swift move, he had manoeuvred you to sit on the counter while he scooched himself between your legs.

"Hi." Charlie breathed, rising to press a kiss against the smooth skin of your cheek, leaving heat in its wake.

"I want your opinion on a song." You burst out, unable to refrain from showing him a song you had been secretly working on. The French Canadian was beyond intrigued by the sudden announcement from his fiance.

"Oh?"

"Come." You coaxed the man from the kitchen to the designated music room filled with instruments of all kinds—even a recent addition of a recording booth in the corner with high-end equipment.

You bypassed everything for the grand piano you didn't play as often as you wished to be able to. Your fingers brushed the ivory keys for a mere second before you began playing the melody.

I, I have known love before

I thought it would no more

Take on a new direction

Still, strange as it seems to be

It's truly new to me

That affection

The smile that grew across Charlie's expressive face was uncapturable from the best of the best; he adored your voice. He had a personal ringtone you had explicitly done for him a few months into the relationship.

I, I don't know what you do

You make me think that you

Will change my life forever

I, I'll always want you near

Give up on you, my dear

I will never

You thrill me, you delight me

You please me, you excite me

You're all that

I've been yearning for

I love you, I adore you

I lay my life before you

I only want you more and more

And finally it seems

My lonely days are through

I've been waiting for you

Charlie's frown, however, faltered as your face ever so slightly paled with trepidation coating your pretty irises. Your voice even quivered with nerves he'd never heard before, but it made sense from the third verse started.

I'll carry you all the way

And you will choose the day

When you're prepared to greet me

I'll be a good mum, I swear

You'll see how much I care

When you meet me

You finished the song with the last note drawn out ever so softly, freezing as the room went quiet once more. This song was definitely vulnerable and personal; you felt naked under Charlie's silent stare.

"You're really?" Charlie breathlessly chuckled, his wide eyes screaming disbelief.

After a few years together with an engagement ring on both of your fingers after you had both proposed to each other, with the relationship very serious, you two had decided to stop contraceptives and let everyone happen if it was too happen.

"Yeah." You laughed as he swept you off the bench into his arms, "We have little Birdie to prepare for."

"I love you so damn much." Charlie choked out, spinning the two of you around in his arms. The smile never fading as he drank in the special moment of learning you had created a life together.

PRESENT

"With the impending arrival of our child, I will be taking a break to prepare. Even though I wouldn't be performing, I will still do Songbird Shenanigans. I'll just have to up my game on staying as hidden as possible." You informed the audience as the song came to an end. 

Next thing you knew, you couldn't discern between the crowd and your friends now on stage screaming. You were able to feel Charlie's hand on your barely-there baby bump and his lips pressed against your temple.

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[hayffiebird]

Taste of Strawberries, chap. 28

Chapter 28 Shadows dancing Haymitch pulled out the padded stool in front of the piano, flexed his fingers and began with an old ballad he knew Effie loved. With the kids giving her such a hard time, she rested back in her own room but the door was ajar. She’d had no trouble hearing. “I knew you couldn’t keep away, boy,” Madam chuckled in his memory. That low, gruff sound you could hardly ever draw out of her. Yeah, life was full of surprises, that’s for sure. Right before he and Effie wound up in bed together he played just to ease her mind off things, the night after he played so she wouldn’t bring up again what had happened earlier and before he knew it, it had became a fixture to their evening routine. Save these past few days he poured them both some broth almost every night and played her a song or two. Or three. It was one of the few drink preferences they had in common. And since her first few visits to the Hob where Sae introduced her to the wide range of hot beverages Effie finally unchained him from those God-awful, postwar tea parties she insisted on throwing. Dead flowers drowning on hot, honey-water. The memory alone was enough to trigger his gag-reflex. Come to think of it he hadn’t seen Effie so much as touch the teapot ever since he moved in. It got her nauseous too now, he reckoned. What with the pregnancy and all.

A few places in the Capitol sold the stuff. Broth, that was. Though none of them nearly as tasty as Twelve’s. Sae was a wiz with her concoctions. She’d had enough practice and all – in bad times and worse – when they had little else. But even after things got better, broth was such an ingrained part of their culture it remained a steady dish on the Hob’s menu. Especially in the winter months and during the Harvest Festival. Great hangover food. Without those occasional cups brought in by Katniss or Peeta or even Sae at times he would have knelt over from malnourishment years ago. Warm milk with a pinch of spices that he stirred together when asked wasn’t so bad either but he still tended to burn the stuff. Broth was easier. “And it’s really good for the babies,” Effie said. The casting vote. She savored each and every sip; hands wrapped around her cup, much like Plutarch back in Thirteen when they finally broke out the coffee. As for the music. It unwound her. Relaxed her when nothing else could. And when she relaxed he relaxed. If that wasn’t a good enough reason he didn’t know what was. Anything to keep the babies in for as long as possible. To help them grow big and strong before taking on the bullshit of the world. Him for instance. He was rusty, without a doubt. Especially in the beginning. But as time wore on more and more melodies found their way out of his fingertips. It stunned him how accurately he remembered the ballads and lullabies and mountain airs of his childhood. A feat all the more impressive if you took into account he’d spent most of his inactive years marinating in hard liquor. Muscle memory, Effie would have called it. His heart had not forgotten the music of long ago. Simple verses with little variation from music assembly, the massively intricate melodies from Madam’s brittle, old music sheets that scattered to the wind if you weren’t careful. Even the occasional lullaby while ma rocked Amadeus in his cot or the joyful, playful tunes of father when he bounced his eldest on his knee. Effie never asked about the songs. If she had insisted on knowing the origins behind each piece he’d have a hard time keeping it up. Most of the time she just laid on her side, eyes closed and tapping her fingers to the music against her ever-expanding belly. “They love it,” she said. “I can feel it.” Such a sweet thought. Much unlikely but he hoped she was right. It was still hard. Gone were the days when he played simply for his own amusement or even escapism, the thrill of mastering a particularily difficult song. But if it brought them some joy he could better stand it. And yet, despite the painful memories interlaced with the music – of a different life, a different family – there were still moments. Not often, not long-lasting but just as strong, just as all-consuming as ever before. Times when a string of melodies, a song once loved, struck a chord in him. Reminded him of why he gravitated toward the piano in the first place. There would always be songs he couldn’t play. Not without having a complete nervous breakdown. Like “A rain of tears” or anything even remotely close to the hope song. But with or without them there were still plenty of melodies to go around. Once in a blue moon when the tremors weren’t as bad he even played freehand. One of his favorite pass-times as a boy. And being now an adult he could figure out bits and pieces of songs he once wrote but never finished. The evening sun made a star in the smooth wood. He was on the last verse of “Daydreaming” – as Effie had come to call it. The gentle note petered out. He scratched his nose and without even reflecting he played the somber introduction of “All the pretty little horses.” Brow crinkled at the sweet, sad sounds he paused. Where’d that come from? The song never even crossed his mind, not for several years now. He gave a slight shake of his head as if to clear it and then picked up where he left off. Why not? If nothing else it was a song he hadn’t already played her half a dozen times already. When ma needed to finish a big job and couldn’t afford having him running about the house papered with patterns and cutouts of fabric, she always left him in the safe ward of Greasy Sae. She was fond of singing. Some of the first lullabies he ever learned he learned in her kitchen. They weren’t songs written down on a piece of paper. They passed by mouth. From parents and grandparents, siblings, neighbors. Sae’s greatest source of music however came from Katniss’s grandmother. They were best friends growing up. The first time she sang him this particular piece he couldn’t have been older than three, three and a half. It was a sunny day, just like today. All of her kids were at school. He was tired and cranky, yet refused to stay down for his nap. Instead he sat cross-legged on the kitchen rug playing with the house cat. Now, Buster was a lot more docile than a certain flat-nosed, one-eared creature named after a yellow flower but even he had his limit. Sae was in the adjacent room making the bed but she rushed out at the sound of him. Fingers sprawled out like a sea star, he wailed at the top of his lungs. Buster glared at him from under a side table. Turned out he’d gone and pulled the cat’s tail and got a well-deserved scratch for it. Ma would have  given him a telling-to but Sae never got mad at him when he was little. She simply led his obnoxious self over to the sink where they washed the tiny cut on the back of his hand. It was so small he didn’t even need a band-aid. She merely kissed the top of it and lifted him up in her arms. He clung to her neck on the way to the bedroom. Cried for a few more moments just for good measure. Tucked in, his sobs had subsided to snivels but he didn’t kick off the blanket this time. She booped his nose, something that never failed to put a smile on his face and with her hand in his she sang him the song he was playing now – in a fair and surprisingly beautiful voice. Good old Sae. He should call her. Kind of her to think of us, he thought, remembering the P.S. on Peeta’s post card. Though he highly doubted Effie wanted to dress her kids up in someone else’s hand-me-downs. Without him here, hitting the brakes, she would have stockpiled little kiddie’s clothes sky-high. Sighing he willed himself to focus on nothing but the music. The next note, the next verse. But today was a day of distractions. More than anything else there was one thought that kept nagging at him. Like a rodent nibbling on the fingertips of a dying man in an alleyway, too powerless to evade it. If Effie wouldn’t move to Twelve or any of the other districts – and he’d be damned if Amy and Ian would spend the rest of their childhood being lugged back and forth across the country. What choices did that leave him? It took no genius to figure it out. I move here. He considered this a moment. This latter life. Take up housing with Effie and the kids. Become a roommate of sorts. Sell the geese off or hand them over to Katniss and Peeta. Visit Twelve only for Christmas and birthdays and a week here and there. Dealing with the likes of Quinlan and Plutarch Heavensbee for parent-teacher meetings and ice skating classes and whose turn it was to bring cupcakes to the playground. Being neighborly and keep the peace with people who would love nothing better than to take a wipe and erase his kids off the city’s slate. A life in the place where his nightmare first began. Bad memories lurking at every corner. Make the Capitol his home. Not a minute into this future, even an imagined one, he was wheezing for breath. His throat lazed up like when wearing those awful jumpsuits back in Thirteen. He wasn’t playing no more. Instead he tugged at the floppy collar of his undershirt, gasping for air and still not getting nearly enough oxygen. I can’t live here! Not for always! It was one thing visiting every once in a while because of Effie. Like a maddening side-effect you must learn how to cope with because the medicine was too important. But he couldn’t stay here indefinitely! He’d sooner jump off The Capitolium. But what other choices were there? No good ones, at any rate. Eyes squeezed shut, he pinched the bridge of his nose. Red darkness rolled in on him like waves. He may not know what he was doing half of the times but he knew one thing. He wanted to be in their lives. In a real way. With an almighty heave he pulled himself up. He would have played but his mind was all blank. Couldn’t remember a single song. Old or new. His legs felt like they were filled with led but by some miracle they carried him all the way to Effie’s room. He didn’t know where else to go. The bottles were dry. Not a drop left. He peeked at her through the crack in the door. She lay on her side, cooped up in the U-shaped pregnancy pillow - their latest find. He didn’t even know those were a thing. If anything it reminded him of Flavius’s boyfriend arm, only much bigger, hugging her on all sides. A ray of sunshine played in her hair, still damp from the bath. It was in moments like these that you could really appreciate how reddish her hair was. Wonder where she gets it from. She had told him once, one time or another. Her grandmother? Great grandmother? Maybe in a few weeks she’d surprise him with a couple of gingers. He pushed inside. Not even sure if he wanted the door to creak her awake or not. What was he even doing here? He should let her rest. Effie mumbled something in her sleep. Always a talker, even when she was out cold. Her eyes fluttered behind closed eyelids. He plucked the empty cup off the nightstand, like it’d been his motive for going here all along. He lingered at her side, indecisive, chest aching for more than one reason. Finally, he leaned in and brushed his lips against her tummy. The usual double kiss. “I’m sorry I yelled at your mama, little ‘uns,” he murmured. “Shouldn’t have done that, I know.” He waited for the kick in response but this time there was nothing. He sniffed, his nose suddenly congested. He kissed them again and turned away, taking the cup with him. Should’ve known it was all a nightmare, he thought back in the kitchen, washing it under a jet of hot water. No way Effie could’ve made hot cocoa without causing a colossal mess. He knew something else too. Even with the air so baking hot you melted away like an ice cream he would not stand as second more in this picture-perfect house in this picture-perfect neighborhood. Not now. Effie’s purse still sat on the hall table where he left it. He opened it and got out the shopping list. Might as well get her those boogie bulbs and what not. He found the wallet in his jacket and peeked inside, frowning. Reached for Effie’s wallet too and emptied the interest of Trinket money mishmashed with his own Games winnings. After a moment’s pause, he shouldered in to a relatively clean shirt and buttoned up. He already changed the soaked sweatpants but if he showed up wearing this flimsy undershirt, yellowed from overuse and so threadbare it was practically see-through they wouldn’t let him in. For a fleeting second his gaze fell on the bread crate but then he swept it from his mind. I’ll take care of that later. Wallet bumping against his thigh and with Mrs. Bitch’s eyes following him behind the curtain, no doubt, he left the house far behind. He was in luck too. Further down the neighborhood he had no sooner turned a corner before the bus rolled up. He waved at it, jogging toward the stop. The driver accelerated and hit the brakes, then accelerated again, as if unsure whether to pick him up or not. Finally it halted to a stop with a whooshing sound. The man eyed him suspiciously but Haymitch swung himself up through the door and the monster of a vehicle resumed its course, heading for town. Slouched in a warm seat Haymitch stared out the dust-speckled window as the rose bushes and lollipop trees rolled by, giving way for bicycle racks and dragon-shaped fire hydrants. Forgetful of the fact he never left Effie a note.