#yes i was bopping to mamma mia while writing this

[googleitlol]

After Wukong rejoins the group, things between him and Dove get a lot better. Sure, it's more awkward at first, but a whole less violent. They can actually be… friendly with each other? Even though the others get used to it, the change in dynamic is almost unnerving at first. I like to imagine whenever two of them, maybe Pigsy and Sandy have a moment to talk on their own, they make sure what they're seeing isn't some hallucination. Kind of a, 'You see this too, right?' moment.

Anyway, Wukong is having a blast now. Not only is he back, but he also lets himself indulge in teasing/getting payback on Pigsy for the Bone Demon incident. One great example is when he goads Pigsy into patrolling a potentially dangerous mountain. When the pig demon goes to take a nap instead, Wukong makes sure Tripitaka knows just how much effort he put into slacking off before he returns.

And then… well, that's where the trouble begins.

Dove Masterlist:

Landscaping

“Wukong really is in a meddling mood today.” Wujing remarks from where he sits next to you, the two of you basking in the midday sun with Tripitaka and Ao Lie. Your group is stationed by a large tree at the base of a wide mountain, waiting the return of two of the monk’s older disciples. After being warned of the danger posed by the area you all were meant to trek through next, Zhu Bajie was sent to go and patrol the area.

Unfortunately for the pig, Sun Wukong decided to tag along. “It has been some time that we’ve been travelling since our last encounter with a demon. I think the lack of serious threat has left him bored.” You shrug in response to the river demon’s observations. “If anything that old woodcutter told us was true, his boredom may be coming to an end.” He hums, looking out towards where his brothers took off.

“I hope for the sake of my heart, it doesn’t.” Tripitaka shudders, his tired gaze turned skywards. “I have had my fair share of demons trying to eat me, this never happened back home. I just want to get past one mountain without being caught by any monsters or upsetting anyone we shouldn’t.”

You can’t help but feel sorry for the monk. In the time you’ve been in travel with him, the sheer amount of demons that have looked to make him their meal has been problematic. With how much farther you have to go, you feel like saying it won’t happen anymore would be a lie. “If you want, Tripitaka, I can use my gift for a bit while we wait for Sun Wukong and Zhu Bajie to return.” You offer, getting up to offer him a hand.

The monk shakes his head, swatting at a fly too close to his face. “Thank you, I think I should be able to manage for now.”

You offer a polite smile, mimicking his actions when you hear buzzing by your ear. “Alright, just let me know if–” The insect grows bolder, fluttering about your face. “Ugh! This annoying little…”

You notice the tiny monkey’s tail before the fly lands on your nose.

Sandy’s head tilts to the side when you go silent. “What is it?”

“…Sun Wukong?” You blink, and in an instant, the monkey returns to his form with a jump into the air. The shock of the action is enough for you to shout, falling back as the demon lands.

The Monkey King cackles, crouching down when you sit up. “You caught on faster than Pigsy!” He smiles, and you can’t help but roll your eyes. Maybe Sandy was wrong in calling him meddling. At the moment, ‘rowdy’ fit him better.

“Where is he?” You use your finger to push him out of your face by his forehead, the King cooperating and stepping back to let you up.

“Still rehearsing what to say.” He answers while you dust yourself off. “He decided to take a quick nap instead of scouting, like I knew he would. I left him once he finished practising what to say in case any of us ask what he found.”

The monkey shifts into his younger brother, muckrake and all. “‘There was a rocky cave, with three sections!” He imitates, albeit dramatically. “There are wretched monsters and wild animals at every turn! We better turn back and return home, I’m sure my wife and father-in-law have been missing me.’” Sandy chuckles a little under his breath while you cross your arms. “That’s a bit dramatic of him, don’t you think?” Monkey King shifts back, seemingly still struggling to regain his composure.

It’s only made worse when Pigsy returns, spouting about the very same words Sun Wukong had already shared. He seems quite confident in himself as he prattles on. “There are wretched monsters and wild animals at every turn! We better turn back and–”

“–return home, I’m sure my wife and father-in-law have been missing me.” Wukong finishes in unison with his brother, the pig frowning when he does. The Monkey King scoffs. “Practise really did make those lines perfect, didn’t they?”

“Wha–?! But how did you…”

“Lying about going on patrol?” Wukong crosses his arms, giving Pigsy a pointed look. “I’d say that’s worth three strokes of my trusted staff. What do you say, Pigsy?” The pig demon looks at him wide wide eyes, almost shaking when he mentions his staff.

Luckily enough for him, Tripitaka intervenes. “There will be no beating anyone today.” He looks between his disciples, Wukong looking a bit disappointed while Pigsy sighs in relief. “Bajie, please go out and scout properly this time?”

“Ugh, fine.” The pig snorts, grumbling before he turns to leave back towards the mountain. The disappointment on the Monkey King’s face melts into a smug grin as he watches his brother march back to do his job properly this time.

While he scouts, the rest of you find yourselves waiting by the base of the mountain. You admit, being able to sit for a while instead of marching through trails of wilderness for hours is a nice change of pace. However, it quickly becomes old the longer you have to wait. Sitting with the horse, then leaning against the tree for shade, to the idle conversations that would occur between you and the others, you were getting bored.

An hour drags by, and then another. One can only admire the clouds in the sky for so long before becoming restless. Taking the horse to graze helps alleviate the itch to keep going somewhat, but it doesn’t help for long. You half-wonder if Bajie decided to take another nap somewhere else, but would he really risk getting caught like that a second time? Maybe something worse might have happened?

After a third hour passes, Tripitaka begins to voice your concerns. “Bajie has been gone for a while now. You don’t think something could have happened to him, do you?”

Sun Wukong gives out a hearty laugh from his spot in the tree you sit by with Sandy, resting on a low-hanging branch. “That pig is such a coward, he’d run at the first sign of danger.” He falls back, his tail hooking around the branch to face his master. “If he’s been gone for this long, he must be taking his time patrolling the mountain.”

“Still… something doesn’t feel right.” The monk frowns, his eyes fixed on the mountain. You frown, understanding the uneasiness in your friend. If Pigsy really was fine, would he be taking all this extra time to comb through the path? You half-expected him to return with some haste after being exposed by Wukong, to make up for slacking off.

You look over to Wukong, the monkey quickly catching your eye as you nod towards Tripitaka. “What?”

“Maybe one of us could check on Bajie?” Your brows raise a bit as your suggestion is made.

The Monkey King rolls his eyes, looking back at the worried expression from Tripitaka and quickly letting out a sigh. “How about this? Pigsy likes to move at a snail’s pace on his own anyway, why don’t we all just go and catch up with him?” He suggests, though the annoyance in his voice is far from well-hidden.

Tripitaka hums, glancing at you. “With Wukong’s logic, whatever Pigsy has covered so far should be safe.” You shrug. Even if the path isn’t safe, if something happened to Bajie, Tripitaka still has Wujing and Wukong to protect him. Between the lot of you, whatever potential trouble the pig demon might find himself in can be dealt with swiftly.

The monk frowns, deep in thought, likely thinking over the situation just as you were doing. After a few moments, he relents. “We might as well, it will be better than sitting around doing nothing.” With his word, your group gets to their feet. With the monk mounting the horse and Sandy taking the lead, you set off to begin hiking up the mountain.

A tense silence fills the space between the group as you journey up the mountain. Everyone is on alert, watching for any movements in the shadows of shrubs, listening for footsteps. Each of you prepare yourselves for some sign of your friend, some sign you aren’t alone.

A shudder from Tripitaka makes you glance back at the monk. His eyes look from one side to the next, shuddering again with a worried frown. Sometimes you forget how on edge he can get, especially when told of nearby danger.

You make eye contact with Sun Wukong, nodding over to the monk. He looks back at his master while you shift into your dove form to rest on the man’s shoulder. You do your work, using your gift to put his mind more at ease.

He notices rather quickly, cracking a small smile before Wukong clears his throat. “Master, you needn’t be so worried. You know I will not let anything happen to you while I am here.” He jumps in front of the horse while he speaks, walking backwards so as to not stop the group.

“If any demons dare to show their wretched faces, it will only take a swing of my staff to send them down to the ten kings!” He boasts, taking his staff from his ear and extending it to spin the weapon in his hands. Facing forward, he scoops up a few rocks to throw into the air and uses his staff to bat them all into a tree further ahead. When he runs out of ammo, he throws the staff itself, impaling the tree through completely.

The monk blinks a few times as his disciple retrieves his signature weapon. “I really am fortunate to have him as my disciple, and not an enemy.”

“Take it from someone who has fought him, you are lucky to have never felt the pain from that staff.” Sandy laughs, and you find yourself amused as Wukong returns, flipping through the air.

He shows off a bit more as you continue on the path, showing off kicks and punching the air. At one point, he shatters a boulder you pass by with only his head. Is it a little over the top? Absolutely, but it does wonders to lift Tripitaka’s spirits. 

By the time Wukong is finished with his demonstration, the air is considerably lighter. He takes his place beside Tripitaka and the horse, looking up at you with a smirk. You give a quiet coo in response, thankful for his help in reassuring the monk of their safety. You have to say, with the jabs between you two being less frequent and of a more playful nature, working with the Monkey King is becoming easier than you ever thought it would be. Dare you say, sometimes it was even fun.

It isn’t as though you were unaware of his cleverness before– his more impulsive actions sometimes made it difficult to remember– but you find it easy for the two of you to bounce off each other’s ideas. Sure, there are times where his plans baffle you, but you found that trusting his plots usually works out well. Whether it’s in battle or in the midst of a ruse, even with something as simple as how you worked to help Tripitaka, the two of you are surprisingly good at coordinating together.

For some time, the hike is uneventful. There is still no sign of Pigsy, but before you can worry yourself with his whereabouts, you hear a distant cry further ahead on the path. Cries for help.

“That sounds like a man…” Wujing frowns, your group quickening their pace to find the source of the voice.

Up ahead, you spot a bush, an elderly man just behind it. “Someone, please! Save me!” He shouts, groaning in pain as he keeps a tight grip around his leg. The closer Tripitaka rides, the more you can see of him. He’s on his side, his clothing scratched and torn. His grey– almost silver– hair is a bushy mess. His leg looks mangled, twisted in the wrong direction and dressed in blood. “Please, you must help me! I cannot move!”

Tripitaka wastes no time in dismounting, crouching down to the man while you return to your human form. Sun Wukong is quick to join his master’s side. “What happened to you?” The monk frowns, inspecting the elder for any other concealed injuries.

“I am a daoist from the temple just west of here. I was travelling with my disciple before he and I were attacked by a tiger.” He explains, his breathing heavy from the pain of his wounds and spent energy. “It killed him and dragged him away. It left me for dead, but I am afraid it may return. I beg of you, please help me return to my temple, and I will be in your debt!”

“Of course we will help you.” Tripitaka offers the elder a kind smile, turning to call one of his disciples. “Sha Wujing, bring my horse here for this man to ride. We can accompany him to his temple together.”

The man hisses through his teeth, clutching onto his injured leg. “I cannot ride.” He is able to shift over enough to show a gaping wound on his inner thigh, a deep cut that runs down his leg and already looks to be infected.

Looking closer, you take a step to the man. “Here, let me have a look at it.” You move past Tripitaka to crouch down, but a hand grabs you by the arm before you can.

You look back to find Sun Wukong, his glare making you freeze. However, his eyes focus not on you, but the elderly man. He pulls you closer, leaning over to whisper. “The last time you healed anything physical, you were unconscious for hours.”

“You mean when you were blind?” You match his volume, the reminder getting him to actually look you in the eyes for a moment, just to give you an annoyed look. “Why are we whispering?” His eyes narrow at the question, though he turns his attention back to the injured daoist before you can get an answer.

“Don’t waste your talents, Dove.” Is all you get before he crouches down in front of the old man himself. “If he is not fit to ride, let me carry him.”

A chill runs down your spine from his tone alone. His previously relaxed posture is now rigid, hostile. His smile to the man feels more like a threat than an invitation. You, Tripitaka, and Sandy look to each other from the sides of your eyes, even the horse looks concerned.

If the man notices the clear aggression in the offer, he does not show it.  “How kind of you, hairy-one.” Despite how uneasy you feel, you hold in a snort of laughter at the man’s words and Wukong’s look of offence.

“Hairy-one?” He frowns, the old man smiling.

“Yes, please. I would greatly appreciate it if you were to carry me.” He responds, and the monkey demon lets out a short huff.

He reaches down, getting the daoist up and onto his back while Tripitaka gives you a look. You quickly put a hand on his shoulder. “I’ll keep watch. If he’s acting like this, something must have tipped him off about this man.” You keep your voice low, the monk nodding in response.

“Thank you, I just didn’t want to leave him on the side of the road. Do you think he might be…” He trails off, looking back at the disciple and daoist.

“You just stay close to Sandy, I’ll call out if anything happens. If I do, ride off as fast as you can and hide.” You instruct, following his sight to the two before Tripitaka gets back onto the horse. You and Sandy were talking about how quiet these last few days have been, maybe some monster overheard you and decided to keep you on your toes.

It’s silent as you continue westward, unease wrapping around the group as you go. You make sure to glance over to the old man every now and then, keeping him and Wukong in your sights. Even when they begin to slow a bit to readjust every now and then, you stay by their side. Tripitaka and Wujing begin to get farther ahead, which is honestly a good thing if this man isn’t who he says he is.

You catch his eyes a few times, giving you a strange look. It gives you bumps along your arms, and you tell yourself not to reach for any of your weapons. He hasn’t done anything yet. You see him give the same look to Tripitaka, making you feel even better the further he and Sandy get from the stranger.

After some time, the monk and his disciple are so far off, they are no longer in your line of sight. Wukong pauses again to adjust his grip on the daoist before humming. “Dove, would it be alright if I bugged you for something?”

“What is it?” You frown, a little put off by his cautious words. It would be more normal if he just told you to do whatever it is he wants.

He matches your pace but keeps his distance. “Sandy is with Master, and they are already so far ahead of us… I don’t want to slow us down any further but I would really appreciate something to snack on right now.”

…Is this some ploy? A show for whoever this man is on his back? “Seriously? I am not your servant–”

“Please, Dove.” You look down as his tail wraps around your arm, looking back up to find a pleading look in his eye. “I think I saw some berries a little further back.” Alright, this is definitely an act. Some reason to be alone with the daoist, perhaps. Why else would he wait for Sandy and Tripitaka to be out of sight before asking? It’s clear that he knows more about the elder on his back than he’s letting on, but you trust that whatever Monkey knows, he can handle it.

“Alright, I will be back soon. Shout if you need me.” You nod, the monkey mirroring your action before you transform into a dove and begin your flight back. All you can do is hope the Great Sage knows what he’s doing.

Surprisingly enough, you do find the bush of berries Wukong mentioned. Maybe part of him really does want something to eat quickly. You start picking the berries, your thoughts drawing back to the strange daoist, the odd way in which he was looking at you and Tripitaka. Usually, it is your friend’s demon disciples that draw the eyes of strangers, not their human travel companions.

There has to be something wrong with that man. You’re embarrassed you didn’t catch it yourself, that it took Sun Wukong stepping in to tip you off. Part of you wonders how he can pick up on these things so quickly. He wasted no time in killing the bone demon when she was disguised. His ability to recognise danger on a whim is quite helpful, but you wish you knew how he did it.

You wonder how long you should take picking these berries, it’s obvious Wukongs wants time to deal with that daoist on his own. Just when you decide to head back, a thunderous boom sounds from the distance. The ground beneath your feet shakes and you stumble back, only just catching yourself. You barely have any time to regain your bearings as a second deafening crash echoes through the land, tremors shaking the earth beneath your feet even more violently than the first.

A tree crashes down to the ground, nearly crushing you in the process before you jump out of the way. What is going on?! What was that, two earthquakes under the span of a minute? Your head immediately swivels to the west, certain that whatever just happened is the result of a certain simian. That’s when you take a moment to blink, the sight before you confusing to look at. You see two mountains where the horizon used to be.

“What the…?” Did they just appear? How?! You could have sworn they weren’t there before, over where you left Wukong and the old man… There is no way this could mean anything good.

To add to your horror, a third mountain materialises before your very eyes, creating a third explosive boom. The ground shakes again, even more forcibly than before. It’s enough to knock you off your feet entirely. Once the earthquake stops, you’re able to sit up again. What the hell is happening back there?! Is Tripitaka okay? Is Sun Wukong fighting the old man now? Why are mountains appearing before your eyes?!

Your questions are put on hold when you hear his scream.

So loud, he’s yelling at the top of his lungs. Dropping whatever berries you had picked, you transform to fly back to where you left the Monkey King. He has to be in trouble, he would never shout like that if he wasn’t.

The closer you get to the spot where you left him, the closer you get to the mountains. The three are practically stacked onto one another in a cluster. They start to tremble, a flock of birds taking off from the trees on one of them when they do. Once the trembling stops, you hear his voice again, a furious howl coming from below.

Following his voice, you dive down. It takes a little while before you’re able to spot him, just his head. You land, rushing to his side before a gasp escapes your lips. Your eyes widen at the sight of him, or… what you can see of him. The Monkey King lays against the ground, his body pinned down by the newly-arrived mountains. Only his head and a forearm are visible. He’s bloodied and bruised, his head whipping around wildly and his breathing erratic.

He grunts, straining as the mountains once again shake. His hand digs into the ground for support, but his efforts are shown to be fruitless when the mountains remain, and he slumps back in exhaustion.

“Sun Wukong!” You call, rushing to his side and kneeling down. If he can hear your voice, he ignores it, his eyes darting frantically to and fro. They’re unfocused, panicked. His breaths are mercurial as he tries again to free himself, each attempt as successful as the last. He’s barely taking anything in. “Wukong– hey.”

You take hold of his swivelling head, working your gift into his mind. “Wukong… breathe.” It takes him time, each breath working to ground himself amidst his panic. He starts to slow, blinking a bit as he looks up at you. His head falls a bit, leaning into your hold as you continue using your gift. “It’s alright, I’m here.”

“Dove?” He frowns, coming back to his senses.

“Sun Wukong, what happened? Where is that old daoist?” You question, looking back behind you to make sure you are really alone, that this isn’t some trap.

Wukong growls at the mention of the man. “That was no daoist, it was a demon. I wanted to get him alone so I could deal with him myself when the coward summoned these cursed mountains!” His fist slams into the ground, the earth quivering beneath it.

You frown a bit, hoping he doesn’t cause the ground to open up under you from unbridled anger. “Why not say anything before?”

“And risk another incident like with the bone demon?” He brings up a fair point, grunting as he plants his palm into the ground and attempts to free himself once more. He grits his teeth, straining with his eyes trained to the ground as he puts his all into lifting the mountains.

You quickly turn his head to look at you again. “Stop, you’re hurt.”

“I have to get out!”

“And we will get you out, but it’s clear that these mountains aren’t moving. All you are doing is wasting your energy.” You point out the obvious, making him groan with frustration. You can’t say you blame him in the slightest. Wukong already spent five centuries under a mountain, you can’t even begin to imagine how much dread and trepidation saturate every bone in his body in this moment, having to relive it all again.

“That demon must have Master by now, and I am stuck under here!” He shouts, clenching his fist.

“Sandy is with him.” You remind the sage, standing up as you begin to rack your brain for your next steps. “I am sure he won’t let anything happen to him. Just breathe, we have to get you out of here first before we can help Tripitaka.”

You try to think of what to do, but what can you do? If the Monkey King is unable to move the mountains, what can your mortal strength do to help him? With Sandy occupied with Tripitaka and the demon on his way to steal the monk away– not to mention the fact that Pigsy is still nowhere to be found– you can’t count on them to assist. You might have to go out and find someone that could help. If this demon summoned these mountains, surely there is a way to send them away, right?

Looking back down at the monkey demon, you notice his breaths becoming irregular and crouch down to once again hold his head. “Monkey, hey. Look at me.” He does as you ask, unable to hide the anxiety in his eyes. You can’t remember a time you have ever seen him like this. You’ve seen him concerned, for Tripitaka, for you, but this is different. This is fear.

You remember a time you thought the Great Sage, Equal to Heaven, held no fear in his heart. How wrong you were, then. In his state, how could you go find help and leave him here on his own? “I’m right here. We’re going to figure this out together, okay? I’m not leaving you here, not even for a moment.”

Your words seem to help, his eyes softening. He reaches up to your hand holding the side of his face, taking hold of it with a securing grip. For now, it seems the best you can do is comfort the monkey demon, despite your own worries starting to eat away at you. There is no way you can just leave him here with his anxieties to eat away at him, but how else are you meant to find a way to help him?

[calethelettuce]

The Sides As ABBA Songs, Because ABBA Slays

I'm on an ABBA kick guys, bear with me- I thought this would be a cool thing to do, plus you get reasons why :3 If you disagree, lmk!

✨Roman✨

Honey, Honey

- Look, it’s as cheesy as ABBA can get. It’s totally up Roman’s alley

- Probably daydreams about Thomas’ crushes to this song specifically

- Knows almost all of the Mamma Mia! lore (Context: A lot of ABBA music was used in Mamma Mia!, a concert-style musical made specifically with ABBA in mind)

- Puts him in the mood to write some kind of romance novel

- Bro is probably obsessed with ABBA an unhealthy amount, to the point C!Thomas starts having dreams about the group members

⭐Logan⭐

The Name Of The Game

- I was originally going to put S.O.S for Lo-gay, but I feel like this one fits better

- Totally jams out to some of ABBA’s chiller songs while reading or while working

- ‘And you make me feel, and you make me show, what I’m trying to conceal’ sounds like somebody is having some funny lil issues hiding something HMMMM???? MAYBE SOME EMOTIONS?????

- Likes to research the members, just to familiarize himself with the artists to better understand

- Probably analyzes every little lyric, but likes this song just a tad more than the others because.. well, he relates in a way.

🌩️Virgil🌩️

Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!

- The purp man, listening to something OTHER THAN ROCK????!?? Holy shit it’s a miracle

- The most emo song made by ABBA by far

- ‘Won’t somebody help me chase the shadows away?’ C’MON NOW

- Really likes the instrumentals, that’s for sure

- Listens to it kinda often, although it’s kinda just shoved in his 12 hour playlist

- For some reason it calms him down a little when he’s really anxious

- Probably makes up scenarios in his head based on the lyrics

- Not a huge ABBA fan, but tolerates their music a good amount

- Would totally go to a concert tho

💙Patton💙

Slipping Through My Fingers

- I ACTUALLY ALMOST CRIED THINKING ABOUT THIS ONE :(

- It’s just- *sniff* PARENT OVERLOOKING THEIR KID WHO’S FINALLY ALL GROWN UP :((((

- ‘Sometimes I wish that I could freeze the picture, And save it from the funny tricks of time’ I CHOKED AND DIED :(

- Pat probably listens to this song sparingly, because he might relate just a lil too much

- He does like it, it’s just he’s a very emotional guy

- Honestly, he probably listens to ABBA just because it’s ABBA

- Jams to Dancing Queen tho

⚜️Janus⚜️

Voulez-Vous

- Come on now. The phrase ‘Nothing promised, no regrets’? Literally Janus in a nutshell.

- Not really his taste, but sometimes puts it on as a boost of some sort (Probably in the morning)

- I mean, this song is just a bop

- DEFINITELY plays the Just Dance version with Remus or one of the other sides

- I lied he likes playing all the ABBA songs on JD okay he just does

- Probably quotes the french in this song (Only Roman gets it, and 85% of the time he just doesn’t remember what it means)

🟩Remus⬛

Does Your Mother Know?

- Do I need to explain? 

- This song is just- yes

- Would definitely tease someone interested in him exactly like this song does

- He’s just so silly

- Probably headbangs to ABBA’s more “explicit” songs

- This one though, he likes because of its funny lil’ indications

- Likes Mamma Mia! like Roman, but only because of the dirty jokes and the “funny” content

- Is pissed it’s not on Just Dance

- Most likely changes the lyrics sometimes to whatever weird things pop into his head that works

- Blasts ABBA music in the background when smashing things with his morningstar (need I explain? we all know he smashes things outta nowhere)

BONUS!!!

💤Sleep💤

Money, Money, Money

- You know this dude is about to spend all his money on starbucks

- It’s just- his aesthetic

- Would definitely marry a wealthy man/woman just for the money

- Hardcore ABBA fan, shut up you cannot change my freaking mind

- Knows all the words

- (Begrudgingly) Geeks out with Roman about it every once in a while

- Causes C!Thomas to lose sleep over this fact (Sleep literally just disappears)

- His personal playlist is half ABBA

- Scored Megastar on Just Dance on every ABBA song (Janus and Remus r jealous of his talent)

💗Emile💗

Chiquitita

- The song reminds me of the therapist friend, so ofc the boi himself deserves it

- Prefers to listen to cartoon soundtracks, though will make an exception every once and a while

- He’s such a sweetheart omg

- If C!Thomas and Emile met in some multiverse I feel like this song describes how a later interaction would go

- I forget that Sleep and Emile aren’t sides lolol

- Also really enjoys Super Trouper for some reason even he can’t explain, he just likes it lol

🌈C!Thomas🌈

Angeleyes

- Nico where u at bby gurl :0

- It’s one of those correlations you can’t explain in a simple way

- ‘Sometimes, when I’m lonely, I sit and think about him’ LIKE AWH ik the song is actually about a breakup BUT SHHHH LET ME BE DELUSIONAL

- Probably enjoys ABBA a moderate amount, he doesn’t really have a cohesive opinion

- Is tired of Roman’s bs tho lol

- There is a breakup mentioned in SaSi somewhere, so this song does kinda make sense in a way

- Vibes with Patton to Dancing Queen 100%

[ragnarachael]

Hi! Are you still taking requests for Peter? Your Parker!Reader verse is ssooooo Good!! Can I request one where before Morgan is born, Tony sees Reader taking care of Peter who's Idk sick or something? And he finds it really cute and fluffy cause you're cuddling cause Peter is a cuddle bear and then Tony's like lEt's hAvE kIdS. You don't have to tbh 💙💙

CHIQUITITA, TELL ME WHAT’S WRONG

Pairing: Peter Parker x Sister!Reader, Tony Stark x Parker!Reader

Word Count: 1,508

Summary: Peter's sick and barely singing along to Mamma Mia. You take it upon yourself as Peter's sister to try and make him feel better. Tony helps the best he can before he’s off to a meeting. Later in the day, he accidentally brings up a topic you've yet to discuss in your relationship.

Author’s Ramblings: i went a little wild with this so... whoops. i really should put this series in order, but i’m far too lazy to even think about that at the moment. after this i’m posting the last 3 wip guessing game asks and then going back to work on THE fic! (also i’m trying out this new formatting for when i write whole oneshots instead of drabbles, don’t mind me)

Peter was sick. Peter Benjamin Parker, who proclaimed that he never got sick—which was frankly a lie, due to your family’s history of shitty immune systems—was sick and whining as he lounged around on the couch of the Avenger’s Compound.

He was leaning on Thor’s shoulder while he kept two separate tissues up both sides of his nose, Mamma Mia blaring on the flat screen in front of them. Thor seemed to be enjoying himself, his head moving along with the rhythm of the song that had been playing. You observed them both as you sipped on your coffee. Peter was quietly mumbling the lyrics to the song that was currently playing, sounding like he was in some weird state of delirium.

That’s what worried you. When you watch Mamma Mia with your brother, he’s electric. Usually, he’s up on his feet, doing most of the choreography, singing the male vocals almost perfectly; he’s never not sitting and barely bopping to the music.

“Hey Pete,” you said gently from where you stood near the kitchen island, moving a bit to let Tony get by you to grab a mug, “you okay?”

All Peter did in response was hold a thumbs up over the edge of the couch.

You sighed, placing your coffee mug down on the countertop before slipping past Tony and dodging Steve as you headed to where Peter and Thor were sitting.

There was no hesitation in your laughter when you saw how Peter solved his nose dripping problem. It’s exactly what you do and you completely get what May meant when she said the two of you were almost the same person.

“Peter,” you started, squatting down to meet his eyes, “did you take some medicine?”

“Yeah,” he huffed out, feeling around to his left to grab his bottle of water he had with him. “I took some.”

“How long ago?” You asked, reaching a hand up to press it against his forehead. You clicked your tongue. He had a fever for sure and with his luck, it’s probably rising.

Peter shrugged as he kept watching the TV screen, resting his chin on the top of his bottle.

You glanced over at Thor with a questioning look. Thor returned it just as the music to the scene that was playing stopped.

“What?”

“Were you awake with him when he took the medicine, Thor?”

“No. Loki and I returned from Asgard just over an hour ago.”

You nodded and gave him a smile, turning your gaze back to your baby brother. Emphasis on the baby.

“How’s about I take you to your room and I’ll make some soup for you? That sound good, bubba?”

Peter didn’t even have to say yes or no because you were gently pulling him up from the couch with little struggle, slinging his arm around your shoulders so you could guide him back to his room. 

He was groaning quietly the whole way, mumbling stuff about Mamma Mia and Thor being comfortable. Just before you could get into the hallway with Peter, you nudged your head into the hall in Tony’s direction to get his help.

You continued trying to hold all of Peter’s weight yourself before Tony was coming to your rescue, throwing the other arm over his shoulders.

“Don’t worry champ, we’ve got ya,” he said reassuringly, a hand splayed in between his shoulders.

Eventually, you got Peter in bed and instructed Tony to get all of his things he brought out to the couch while you got on making the soup you mentioned earlier.

Part of you wished May was back in town so you didn’t have to care for Peter like this, since you couldn’t always handle how whiny your brother gets when he’s sick, but another part of you didn’t care that much. You weirdly enjoyed doing this as of late, and you couldn’t place it.

Once the soup was done, you got a bowl and spoon together for Peter and carefully navigated your way back to Peter’s room, telling whoever you passed that there’s soup, if they wanted any.

Tony was lounging in Peter’s bed, staring at one of the walls that seemed to have Star Wars projecting on it.

Your heart skipped a beat when you saw how soft Tony looked with Peter in this moment. Even though Tony was still dressed up for a meeting he had within the next hour, he looked so cozy.

“Hey,” you said, kicking the door open wider with your foot, “I got the soup. You’re free to go.”

Tony’s eyes were still on the projection of the movie as he replied with a grunt.

You couldn’t hide your chuckle as you placed the bowl of soup down and gently tug his rolled up sleeve. “Mr. Stark, you’re needed elsewhere.”

Tony immediately looked at you thanks to that title and gave you a pout.

“It’s the best part!”

“It’s literally the opening credits. You’ve got a meeting,” you replied sternly, trying not to let the way Peter looked when you started to gently peel him from Tony’s chest pull on your heart strings.

“Fine, fine! I won’t have Pepper call it off,” Tony relented as you kept trying to get him to leave as he dramatically resisted to get Peter to laugh. You could hear your brother laughing the same time as you when you finally got Tony to the doorway.

“Behave, Tony.”

“What’s in it for me if I do?” He asked, raising a brow as he lowered his vocal register. You knew what he was doing, and you weren’t going to let it work.

“Go, Tony.” You pressed your lips to his and pulled away before he could grab you and pull you closer. “Or I’m going to break some of your tech again.”

“Can you take this away from me?” Peter asked loudly, with a bit of energy. You turned to look at him, raising a brow.

“You’re supposed to be sick, y’know.”

“I am,” Peter heaved, starting to reach for the soup you left on the nightstand, “doesn’t mean I can’t talk. Now can I please have someone watch Star Wars with me?”

You sighed and rubbed a hand over your face, giving Tony one last look for him to get lost before turning back around and quickly passing Peter the bowl of soup he’s still reaching for. 

Tony stayed in the doorway for a moment, watching you walk away before letting a dramatic sigh out, starting to slink down the hall back to the main living space.

Peter actually ate all of the soup, to your surprise. Although he did sip at the broth during the first Star Wars movie before actually eating the noodles and extra things you put in that you knew he’d eat. But he still ate it, and that’s all that mattered.

When Tony came back to check on the two of you after his meeting, he caught the both of you dozed off as the third movie started to play. Peter’s head was resting on your shoulder, his face smushed into your collarbone while your head was resting against the pillows. Your arms were wrapped around him protectively while it looked like Peter was trying to make his body morph into yours.

He had his legs tangled with yours, almost like you were playing twister. It was then Tony remembered that Peter liked sleeping in weird positions like that.

The kid was weird, but he loved him anyway.

Tony couldn’t place why his mind was going haywire over the fact of you cuddling with your brother, it might just be because it was so cute. Both of you were adorable in your own rights, and it was tugging some thought from the crevices of his mind.

“Tony?” You questioned with your sleep filled tone, sitting up slightly, only stopping when Peter shifted his face on your shoulder.

Tony didn’t hold back the smile he had for you and carefully walked farther into the room, leaning down to press a kiss to your forehead. “Hey, dear.”

“How’d the meeting go?”

“It went,” Tony replied, not at all thinking before speaking, “you’re great with kids.”

You tilted your head in confusion, pulling one of your arms from Peter to rub at your eye. “Kids?”

Tony shook his head instantly, not wanting to get on that topic right now. With Peter in the room? It’s a dangerous shot to take.

“Forget I said anything, you’re dreaming, this is a dream,” Tony recovered quickly, which caused you to let out a quiet laugh.

“We’re talking about that later, Stark.”

“What? Talking about kids? What’re kids?”

“Babe—”

Tony cut you off again, continuing to pretend you weren’t asking questions about what he said, gently moving to sit on the emptiest edge of the bed possible as you tried to smother your laughter.

Finally, you decided to play along, just so he could join you and Peter in bed for a nap. However, you’re definitely pressing on the whole “kids” topic later.

[kpophours]

a very necessary guide to SF9

so. let’s talk about these underrated kings. be prepared for rambling. I just love them too much. my favorite boys, 10/10 would recommend stanning them.

some basic information

9 members (5 vocals, 4 rappers, 9 dancers and 9 visuals just stating the facts)

SF9 stands for Sensational Feeling 9

debuted on October 5, 2016 with Fanfare (still a BOP)

currently under FNC Entertainment and actually their first male dance group

their official fandom name is Fantasy (such a good name, honestly) and the official color is Fantasia Hologram (aka the  p r e t t i e s t).

debuted after winning a survival show called Dance or Band (they participated as the dance team; the band team debuted as Honeyst in 2017)

7 mini albums so far with RPM being their latest comeback 

... now onto the members (buckle up)!

Youngbin

Kim Youngbin, born on November 23, 1993

LeaderBin aka the Dad™

very charismatic, be prepared for some really intense eye contact (two words: stage presence)

rapper (highest rapping voice out of the four of them)

D A N C E R (a former 1MILLION dance studio trainee), so he‘s obviously 1/3 of sf9′s extremely talented dance line

also 1/3 of hyung line

cutest eye-smile (so soft) + cutest giggle™

rocked his red hair and looks amazing with slightly curled hair (do not fight me on this)

is tattooed (very  p r e t t y)

threatens everyone’s bias at least once

gives amazing (and unnecessary long) pep talks together with Jaeyoon (just let the other boys sleep, please)

gazes so, so fondly at all his members in pretty much every video (no, I will NOT cry)

Jaeyoon is his roommate and secret wife.

Inseong

Kim Inseong, born on July 12, 1993

the oldest (not mentally) aka the Grandpa™

main vocal (those HIGH NOTES, damn). extremely steady voice.

unique beauty. looks a bit like a desert fox (according to himself and everyone with a pair of functioning eyes).

1/3 of extra line (see and hear three loud idiots in all their videos? yep, that’s him ft. Jaeyoon and Dawon)

also 2/3 of hyung line

v e r y intelligent and educated (holds a degree in Journalism and Communication) but also stupid

owner of an extremely cute smile 

t h i g h s  i am not weak or biased at all

SF9’s designated English speaker (used to live in London for a year)

amazing winking-ability, 10/10 will leave you weak-kneed

King of Lies. he’ll probably never pass a lie detector test. but it’s okay we still love him.

is left-handed and really good at drawing

married to Jaeyoon (it‘s complicated).

Jaeyoon

Lee Jaeyoon, born on August 9, 1994

3/3 of hyung line

honey voice (aka OST King)

d i m p l e s.

blindingly white teeth. the most beautiful smile (canines!).

very proud of his hips and butt (as he should be).

his actual name is Ethan

likes to work out and is  f i t (he ended all Fantasies during rpm promotions, so thanks for that)

King of girl group dances and in charge of sexy (Zumba) dances

a  fuc ki ng  tease (again, rip all Fantasies during the UNIXERSE rpm stage)

2/3 of extra line (shares one brain cell with Inseong and Dawon. they don’t use it very often.)

had a pink undercut during the Mamma Mia era and probably made people cry with his outstanding beauty. again, i’m not biased at all

seems a bit shy and quiet at first. don’t be fooled. he is loud and will come for you.

married to both Inseong and Youngbin.

Dawon

Lee Sanghyuk, born on July 24, 1995

oh boy... such a bundle of utter chaos.

e x t r a (3/3 of extra line and probably their President™)

hear something loud and annoying in the background? it’s probably (most definitely) Dawon (helped by the other 2/3 of extra line)

a unique and beautiful voice (he needs more lines or else I’ll throw hands) - rapping, singing, screaming, he can do it all.

a fucking tease 2.0 (seriously, he and Jaeyoon need to be stopped)

Bruce Lee impressions on point

has tattoos

such a meme-face but also so handsome, like H O W

looks amazing and so soft with curly hair must protect

had so many different hair styles during their Mamma Mia promotions, rip his hair (and rip to all new Fantasies trying to keep track lol)

actually very soft. cried when Inseong surprised them during their UNIXERSE concert (which our Grandpa couldn’t participate in due to an injury)

likes to bully Taeyang.

Zuho

Baek Juho, born on July 4, 1996

Mr. Deep Ass Voice™

“my nose is my swag“

such a good dancer, definitely underappreciated. 

looks intimidating at first, but is actually the softest (d u a l i t y)

the best cat dad (Huru has yet to accept his undying love for him though)

composes/produces own songs (@FNC: please, I’m b e g g i n g you to finally put Champagne on an album) and writes lyrics for a lot of sf9′s songs

didn‘t participate in most of their Enough promotions due to his (still ongoing) back problems (#FNCletZuhoRestChallenge2019)

a dork and meme and honestly just so, so cute and lovable

social butterfly (seriously, he‘s friends with literally e v e r y idol out there)

composed a (love) letter to Fantasy while driving a car with Hwiyoung, Taeyang and Dawon sleeping in the passenger and backseat yes I cried

a scaredy cat (ran away and left his members behind when he got scared by a staff member during their Trip with Fantasy)

Rowoon

Kim Seokwoo, born on August 7, 1996

yes he‘s a Tree™. is made up of 90% unnecessary long legs.

main vocal 2.0

1/2 of actor line

very handsome, I know (but he‘s so much more than just his good looks)

a devoted mom of 8

loves all Chanis and not-Chanis equally

almost had a mental breakdown because he managed to hit Chani’s face with a football which resulted in his precious maknae getting a nosebleed

always hugging and kissing and generally just smothering all members with his endless love and affection (especially Chani)

(t) h o t  and knows it (very shy with fanboys though)

has literally only one selfie angle he uses rigorously  

his One True Talent™ is staring sexily into the camera and doing nothing else because yes, he’s just that handsome

tries to be funny and fails most of the time, but he‘s cute so it’s okay.

Taeyang

Yoo Taeyang, born on February 28, 1997

undercover main vocal (has almost as many lines as Inseong and Rowoon)

best dancer, period. his entire body is probably made out of water. such. fluid. moves. - 2/3 of dance line, often in charge of choreographies.

also 1/3 of maknae line

speaks in ᵀᴵᴺʸ ᶠᴼᴺᵀ 

the literal Sun™, his smile has healing properties.

has great hair and pushes it back a lot during his dance moves

a flower boy (literally. wanted to become a florist before debuting as an idol)

looks a bit like Lee Dongwook aka The Reaper from Goblin

you think he‘s soft? uh, sure, yeah. but is also s a v a g e (the personification of that then perish meme)

has a... unique way of drying his hair (ask Dawon, he‘ll show you. even if you don’t want him to, Dawon will show you)

gets bullied by Dawon. bullies him back. very spot-on impressions of Mr. Extraness (as seen on their Weekly Idol episode)

soulmates and married to Hwiyoung, I don’t make the rules.

Hwiyoung

Kim Youngkyun, born May 11, 1999

rapper and Mr. Charismatic™

yes he is that guy from their Now or Never mv 

looks bad-ass but is a certified baby boy (2/3 of maknae line)

cute without trying and is actually a cat

has literally the best gummy smile which he used to hide behind his hands (but his hyungs encouraged him so much and now he smiles openly, I am not crying, you are)

grew up so suddenly and had long hair out of nowhere and left everyone sh o ok (should definitely be in a shampoo commercial)

composes songs. put one on SoundCloud just very recently. writes lyrics for a lot of sf9′s songs.

cried during their survival show when he got scolded for continuing to mess up the choreography and had to be hugged by Youngbin (who really is the best dad™)

King of the Cleopatra game thanks to his dolphin screams should probably be part of vocal line

pretended to not recognize his soulmate and roommate aka Taeyang when he had to guess his members from their hands while wearing a blindfold. Taeyang will probably never recover from this betrayal and is most definitely still whining about it.

Chani

Kang Chanhee, born on January 17, 2000

deep ass voice 2.0

d a n c e r (his little solo dance in Now or Never will forever be superior), 3/3 of dance line

Evil Maknae™ (3/3 of maknae line)

2/2 of actor line (yes he‘s that boy from Sky Castle)

speaks fluent duck

Taemin‘s Nº fanboy (literally knows his blood type, like... wow okay)

can‘t remember any of the members birthdays (he actually thought Youngbin was born in August when his birthday is literally in the middle of Winter. Leaderbin was hurt).

always looks like a smol bean, but everyone else is just ridiculously tall

had bright orange hair once only for about one second though lol

constantly smothered with love and hugs from Rowoon and pretends to hates it

has all his hyungs wrapped around his finger and knows it (they‘re all whipped for him, especially when he’s doing aegyo)

has a lot of hair aka (my favorite) coconut head (#freehisforehead2019)

looks expressionless and tired 24/7 (a whole mood and true gen z)

some videos to watch

all of their mv’s of course

literally every comeback stage

the suit versions of Now or Never and RPM

the ghost prank/horror version of Now or Never (I cried laughing) 

this really cute Dingo Music version of Enough 

basically all their dance practices, but especially K.O. (we all know they should have gone viral with that choreography)

their adorable pajama version of Different

them performing RPM on a treadmill (Chani is a mood™ and Inseong’s grandpa waddle is so cute)

these stunning acoustic versions of their songs brought to you by 2/3 of extra line + The Tree™

their kcon New York 2019 performance (+ their cover of Love Shot)

their reality show Trip with Fantasy 

them dancing to O Sole Mio ft. Ostriches

their episodes on Weekly Idol and Idol Room

their girl group cover dance battle on Weekly Idol (ft. Cross Gene)

Rowoon and Inseong on Masked Singer

Dawon on Weekly Idol as part of the Masked Idol segment

the Now or Never choreography ft. dance line and the 1MILLION dance crew

them covering BTS’ Boy in Luv + EXO’s Call Me Baby

the Idol Dance Cover Challenge of Love Shot (ft. Astro, The Boyz and CIX)

this interview (I mean, that title alone... lol)

those are just a few of my favorite videos - there’s so much more content out there, so you’ll definitely never starve, lol.

I could literally ramble on about these nine incredible men for hours on end. 

But this will be the end of my guide (it’s long enough already, lol).

Stan SF9 for (clear skin and good grades) nine hard-working and so, so talented individuals with amazing voices, incredible dance moves, outstanding visuals, chaotic energies and a lot of meme-worthiness.

You won’t regret it, I promise.

(Don’t worry, Rowoon(’s face) is okay).

[masterlist] | [requests] 

[badchoicesposts]

Don’t Dream It’s Over Chapter 12

Series Summary: Liam and Ali thought that their relationship was perfect, but their whole world came crashing down when Constantine called him back to Cordonia. Four years later they meet again at Liam’s bachelor party, determined to make things between them work even if it isn’t always easy.

In this AU, Liam and MC (Ali Moonessar) dated for a year in New York while Leo was still crown prince. They broke up when Constantine asked Liam to come back to Cordonia, but they meet again at Liam’s bachelor party before the social season. The story will contain flashbacks, which will be italicized, of their relationship and follow them as they try to navigate the season with Ali as a suitor. I’ve messed around with the timeline a bit so that it fits the story better. I’ve also added in a few OCs of my own.

Pairing: Liam x MC (Ali Moonessar) Platonic! Drake x MC

DISCLAIMER: I’ve changed up the timeline of the social season a bit to fit my story better. I’ve based it off of some research I did on the British Social Season.

Taglist: @flowerpowell, @ao719, @kingliam2019, @emceesynonymroll, @hopefulmoonobject, @dcbbw, @qammh-blog​, @liamxs-world​, @drakesensworld​, @i-only-signed-up-for-fanfiction​, @lauradowning29​, @texaskitten30​, @senseofduties​

A/N: The flashback of this chapter picks up right after the flashback from the one in chapter 11 and was one of my favorites to write! I also really channeled my inner Gossip Girl for the article lol. This is my first time ever posting a fic. Please let me know if you enjoyed it and would like to read more. I thrive on validation, lol. Thanks for reading!

Catch Up: Masterlist

Liam approached the door to his and Drake’s apartment with Bastien trailing closely behind him. He had worked through the morning and was able to get back to the apartment in time for lunch. Bastien, who had been with Leo for the past few months, had managed to get himself switched over onto Liam’s guard for a few days so he could check in on Drake. 

Liam, who had expected to have to drag Drake out of bed and hide all of the alcohol in the apartment for the rest of the day, was surprised to hear loud music playing from somewhere in the apartment. He furrowed his brows when he recognized the song to be Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! from the Mamma Mia soundtrack. It was something he only knew because Ali liked the movie so much. 

Liam and Bastien both approached the kitchen cautiously, neither one of them sure what to expect, and were met with the sight of Ali and Drake, both bent over the stove. They each had their faces inches away from a frying pan, where they seemed to be studying a cooking pancake very closely. 

“It’s time to flip it,” Drake said, his brow furrowed in concentration.

“Not yet,” Ali responded. “It’s too soon.”

“No, it’s bubbling. I’m going to flip it.”

“Hold on! Just a few more seconds,” she responded, grabbing his arm to keep it at his side. “Okay, now!” 

Liam and Bastien watched as Drake slowly lifted a spatula and placed it under the pancake. Both he and Ali still had their faces as close to the pan as they could get without getting burned. 

“Careful. Careful! CAREFUL!” Ali repeated the word more intensely each time as Drake slowly lifted the pancake and flipped it over to reveal that it was perfectly browned on the other side. 

“YES!” they both screamed at the same time, jumping up from their spot and pulling each other into a hug. 

Liam held back a smile and cleared his throat. The both pulled away and Ali smiled even wider when she saw him.

“Liam!” she said happily.

She was about to launch herself into his arms when she caught sight of Bastien beside him and straightened her posture. 

“I, uh, mean, Prince Liam,” she said, trying to make her voice sound casual and nodding in his direction. 

“It’s okay. That’s just Bastien,” Drake said. 

“Hi, Bastien. It’s nice to meet you. I’m Ali!” she said, smiling happily again.

“It’s nice to meet you too,” Bastien said, holding back a confused smile himself as he took in the scene before him.

“What are the two of you doing,” Liam asked.

“I wanted pancakes. This is the first one we haven’t burned yet,” Ali said, pointing at a stack of burnt pancakes on the counter, as Drake hummed along to the music. 

“Are you drunk,” Liam asked, placing his hands on her waist and bringing his face close to hers so he could smell her breath. 

“No,” Ali tried to say with her mouth closed, her eyes going wide to attempt a look of innocence. 

Liam raised his brows, giving her a knowing look. 

“Maybe a little,” she said, bringing her hand up and placing her thumb and forefinger together to symbolize “a little”. “But, it’s all Drake’s fault. He was all sad, and he got me sad, so we played that game to feel better.” 

“Game?” Liam asked.

“Yeah. That game. Drake, what was the name of the game?” she said, her face scrunched up in concentration as she tried to remember the name of it. 

Drake, who had been previously bopping his head to the song and mumbling “Is there a man out there? Someone to hear my prayer” under his breath, jumped out of his reverie. 

“Never Have I Ever,” he said. 

Liam was about to respond when the smell of burnt pancakes filled the air. He immediately turned to shut the burner off and remove the burnt pancake from the stove before looking back over to the two of them. He sighed, realizing that at least this was better than Drake being completely depressed. 

“Why don’t you two go sit on the couch while I finish the pancakes,” Liam said to the two of them. 

Ali looked over at Drake hesitantly.

“Do you want to remind him that he can’t cook or should I?” she dropped her voice into what she thought was a whisper but was actually just her regular voice in a higher octave.

“You do it. He likes you more than me,” Drake responded in the same tone. 

Liam looked over to Bastien, who was now desperately trying to hold in his laughter, and rolled his eyes. 

“I think I can manage. You go,” he said corralling them into the living room. 

He returned to the kitchen to the sound of their giggles coming from the living room and smiled at the thought of the two most important people in his life getting along. 

~~~~~~

Lady Alison Moonessar and Drake Walker’s Hidden Romance

Lady Alison Moonessar of House Beaumont is the newest lady on the social scene vying for Prince Liam’s hand in marriage. We first saw Lady Alison the night of (and the morning after!) Prince Liam’s bachelor party in New York. She claims that she and the Prince are “just two old friends who have managed to find their way back into each other’s lives”, and we’ve all been trying to figure out just how “friendly” they are with each other since. I mean, “old friends” don’t kiss each other like that! But, what we didn’t see coming was her relationship with the Prince’s best friend, the tall, dark, and handsome Drake Walker. You know, the guy in the denim shirt that’s always by his side? 

Remember how we were all wondering why she wasn’t watching The Derby with all of the other suitors? Well, it turns out that she was a little too busy getting up close and personal with Drake Walker to worry about making small talk with the rest of the ladies. (We can’t really blame her. Look at those abs!)

And it seems the two have a thing for horses. Our sources caught them taking a ride across the palace grounds this afternoon before stopping for an impromptu snuggle in the grass. Talk about romantic! Just look at the way she looks up at him, total heart eyes. 

But, what does this mean for her relationship with the Prince?! We assumed she was his favorite suitor (for obvious reasons), and we thought that she was the forerunner in the competition for his hand in marriage. And when did her relationship with his broody best friend start? Did she start seeing them both at the same time? Looks like Ali’s been a bad girl! But, we totally love her for it! And don’t worry, Prince Liam. Even if things don’t work out her, you’ll always have us to keep you warm at night. 

“What did you do?” Bertrand yelled angrily, as he paced back and forth in front of her. 

Ali cringed as she looked at the pictures in the article again. There were photos of her on Drake’s back at the derby and him leaning against her with her arms wrapped around his bare shoulders after he finished his push-ups. The press had conveniently cropped Liam out of the pictures, so no one knew that he was literally standing about two feet away from them. 

They had also somehow managed to get pictures of her and Drake today on the palace grounds. He had his arm around her as they sat in the grass, and she was smiling up at him as he spoke. He was kissing her forehead, and she was relaxing in his embrace. The pictures made the two of them look terrible. There was no way around that fact. 

She wrapped her arms around herself nervously biting her lip as she sat on her bed next to a silent Maxwell. She had screwed up big time, and now she wasn’t sure what was going to happen. 

“I… I didn’t mean to. Liam was with us when the pictures from The Derby were taken, and Drake and I were just taking a break from riding earlier. I didn’t know that anyone was watching us,” she stammered out, shrinking back into herself. 

She didn’t handle arguments or yelling very well. It made her nervous. 

“What is your relationship with Drake Walker?” Bertrand turned to her, his tone accusatory. 

Ali immediately got defensive. She was here because she was in love with Liam, and Bertrand knew that. His accusation only seemed to make the situation worse.

“Drake is a friend! We met five years ago when he and Liam were living in New York,” she said, her jaw clenched. 

“And there are no romantic feelings between the two of you? No indiscretions that could come to light?” Bertrand prompted.

“No! I love Liam. Drake is just a friend!”

“Well, it doesn’t look like that,” Bertrand returned to pacing in front of her. “We need to do damage control. Half of the country is calling you a whore.”

Ali scoffed at his words, a few stray tears falling down her face. 

“Of course they are. Don’t reporters have anything more important to talk about?” she said sarcastically. “Why can’t they just stay out of my love life?” 

“The site that published the article is the biggest gossip blog in Cordonia. It’s job is literally to report stuff like this about nobles,” Maxwell piped up. 

“And, it’s not just your love life anymore. Prince Liam is the future king of this country. His business, and the business of anyone of the suitors, will always be public knowledge,” Bertrand said. 

“Who are their sources?” she asked. 

“The blog has a few reporters, but it relies mostly on tips from ‘anonymous sources’,” Maxwell responded. 

“So, anyone can just send in information?” 

Maxwell nodded.

“What do I do?” she asked, wiping away her tears. 

“I need to make a few calls. We’ll make a statement, and then you need to focus on showing the press and the people that the article hasn’t negatively affected your relationship with the Prince,” Bertrand said, taking out his phone and exiting Ali’s room. 

“I have to talk to Liam. Do you know where he is?” she asked Maxwell, taking out her phone and pulling up his contact information. 

“I haven’t seen him all day,” Maxwell said, as she brought the phone up to her ear. 

“Straight to voicemail. He can’t really believe this can he?” she asked frantically. “I mean he knows what Drake and I are like together. We’re just friends. Give me your phone.”

Maxwell handed it over, a confused look on his face. She dialed Liam’s number and was both relieved and anxious to hear him pick up.

“Liam! It’s me. Please, let me explain!” she practically shouted through the phone.

All she heard was silence on the other end for a moment, before Liam sighed. 

��Meet me in my office,” he responded.

“I’ll be there,” Ali sighed in relief. 

She handed the phone back to Maxwell before asking him to show her where Liam’s office was. She followed him through the palace halls, nervously tugging at her shirt sleeve. Maxwell gave her a quick thumbs up when they stopped in front of his door, and Ali fully prepared herself to have the argument she knew was coming. 

Liam’s office was a massive. There was a large mahogany desk in the middle of the room, and the wall behind it was made up entirely of bookshelves. The large bay window on the wall to the left of the desk was wide open, allowing a light breeze to blow through the room, and Ali looked over to the small sofa on the opposite wall to see Liam and Drake both sitting comfortably, each clutching a glass of whiskey. 

“Um, hi,” she said hesitantly, taking in the sight of the two of them.

They seemed to have been having a serious conversation, but they both smiled at her when she came in. 

“Drake, can you give us a moment?” Liam asked, standing and walking over to his desk. 

Drake patted her shoulder good-naturedly as he walked by, and she could feel Liam’s gaze on the two of them. 

“If you’re here to tell me that I shouldn’t listen to the article then you don’t have to bother,” Liam said, leaning against his desk casually.

“I don’t?” 

“No, Drake already has. He came running in here quite frantically if I’m honest,” he said, his voice laced with amusement.

“So, you’re not mad at me?” she asked, still surprised. 

She knew Liam was a reasonable man, but she still expected some type of argument. His eyes softened as he took in her bloodshot eyes and obvious upset. 

“No, I’m not mad. At least, not anymore,” he said with a sigh. 

He pulled her into a hug, allowing her to relax her body, before guiding her over to the sofa. 

“I wasn’t exactly happy when I first saw the article. The pictures of the two of you together coupled with the insinuations made in the article don’t look very good. I know the two of you were good friends back in New York, and if I’m being honest, I always wondered why it was so easy for Drake to open up to you,” Liam said, an edge of anger in his voice. 

Ali reached over and grabbed his hand in hers, squeezing gently. 

“My first instinct was to find Drake and… well, let’s just say it’s a good thing I didn’t act on it,” he said, his cheeks beginning to turn red from embarrassment. “But, then he spent about twenty minutes rambling about how the article wasn’t true and talking about how much you loved me. It was rather convincing, but…I just have to make sure. Are you sure you have no feelings for him, that there’s nothing between the two of you?” 

There was an edge of hesitation in Liam’s voice as he asked the question. 

“No! Liam, I love you and only you. Drake is a good friend. That’s all,” she said, cupping his cheek in her hand and looking pleadingly into his eyes.

“I love you too.”

Liam placed his hand on top of hers and turned his head to kiss her palm. Ali smiled at him and threw herself into his arms, relieved to hear that he wasn't upset. However, she noticed that he only halfheartedly returned her embrace. 

“What is it?” she asked, pulling herself out of his arms. 

“This isn’t good, Ali. Regardless of my feelings, the way the press views a person has a direct impact on the way people do, and right now they’re not very happy with you.”

“I know. Bertrand said that have of the country is calling me a whore,” she said with a humorless laugh. “I tried not to look at the things they were saying, but I couldn’t help myself.”

“Are you okay?” he asked, wiping away the single tear that fell down her cheek.

“Not really, but I have a feeling that things are only going to get worse.”

“Ali, I-,” Liam trailed off as her phone went off, signaling that she had a text message. 

“It’s Bertrand. He has an interview set up in half an hour. He wants to know if you’d be okay with us telling people that you were with Drake and I at The Derby,” she said, scrolling through his messages. “He says it’s important for people to see that you’re okay with the two of us being friends, and that our relationship hasn’t been affected by the article.”

“Of course. Whatever you need.”

“Thank you, Liam,” she said, hastily wiping away the last of her tears and standing up. “I should get going.” 

“We’ll figure this out,” he reassured her. “Everything will be okay.”

“I know. Now that my meltdown is over I feel like I can handle anything,” she attempted to joke. 

It was true that she felt better now that she had been able to properly get all of her feelings out. She felt stronger than he had just minutes before, but she knew things wouldn’t just magically fix themselves. She would have to do that herself.

“You look like you’ve been crying,” Bertrand said with a scowl as she met him in one of the unused offices in the palace. 

“I have been,” she said with a glare in his direction. 

Bertrand sighed, and began to fiddle with her hair and straighten out her clothes. 

“How did you manage to set this up so fast?”

“The article was published today, and even though there are pictures, so far everything is still speculation. Every reporter wants the true story and a direct statement. It wasn’t very difficult.” 

Ali nodded and grabbed onto Bertrand’s arm to keep him from moving away from her.

“Bertrand, will you stay with me during the interview,” she asked, hating how vulnerable she sounded. 

She knew she could do this. Well, even if she didn’t feel like she could, she would have to anyway. But, it still felt better to have someone who was looking out for her there. Regardless of how pushy or annoying Bertrand could be, she knew that he still had her best interests at heart, and even if he refused to admit it, he did care for her in his own way.

Bertrand looked as if he were about to scold her for asking, but his eyes softened as he took in her broken appearance..

“Of course,” he responded. “Ana de Luca will be here any minute. Just remember that you want to emphasize that you and Drake Walker are just friends, and Prince Liam has no problem with that.” 

Ali nodded, and sure enough, there was a knock on the door about a minute later. Ana de Luca entered the room and shook hands with both Ali and Bertrand before they all took a seat. She pulled her phone, a pen, and notebook out of her bag before turning back to the two of them.

“Do you mind if I record audio of this conversation?” she asked. 

“Of course not,” Ali said, trying to place a convincing smile on her face. 

“So, Lady Alison, what do you have to say in regards to the rumors going around about your relationship with Drake Walker?” she asked. 

Ali took a breath before she began to speak, psyching herself up for what she was about to do.

“I can understand why those photos may be taken out of context, but Drake Walker and I have known each other for years, and the two of us are just good friends.”

“You say that you’ve known each other for years,” she began, clicking her pen, “How did the two of you meet?”

“We actually met through Prince Liam. As most people already know, he and Drake Walker have been friends for most of their lives, and Liam was actually the one to introduce the two of us. In fact, even though the pictures in the article only depict Drake and I, all three of us were together during The Derby,” she said calmly.

So far so good. She was innocent. All she had to do was tell the truth. 

“Just out of curiosity, what was happening in the pictures from that day?” 

“Prince Liam and Drake were placing friendly bets on the horses, and the loser was supposed to do push-ups with me on their back. Drake lost. It was as simple as that.”

“What about today?” 

This was starting to feel more and more like an interrogation, and it was making Ali uneasy. 

“I don’t have much experience riding horses, so Drake offered to spend the afternoon helping me get accustomed to them,” she answered honestly, hoping that she wasn’t making a fool of herself for admitting that she wasn’t good at riding. “After a while, we decided to take a break.”

“And you thought it was appropriate to so physically affectionate with him? To lean on him and let him kiss you?” she asked casually, a hint of something slightly sinister in her voice. 

Ali tensed at the woman’s veiled accusation. 

“I’m an affectionate person, and when I’m comfortable with someone, I don’t hesitate to show that. Drake is like a brother to me and him kissing me on the forehead was completely innocent.”

“What does Prince Liam have to say about all of this?” Ana de Luca asked.

“Prince Liam knows that my relationship with Drake is purely platonic, and he is completely okay with that,” she said, trying to refrain from sounding too defensive.

Bertrand could sense her growing agitation and nodded at Ana de Luca, signalling for her to turn off the recording.

“Thank you for your time, Ms. de Luca, but that is all we will be saying for now,” he said.

“Of course, thank you,” she said, standing up and gathering her things. “This interview should be out by tomorrow.” 

Bertrand and Ali watched with bated breath as she exited the room.

“What do we do now?” Ali asked, finally feeling as if she could relax.

“We wait,” Bertrand said. 

[oswaldsirius]

Experiments

Pairing: Leonardo/Arabella

Word Count: 1621

Summary: Curious minds need to explore and learn to grow. But Leonardo realises a little too late that lunch time might not be the best time for it.

A/N: Wanted to write babies so I wrote babies being babies. Takes place far, far later in the Once in a Lifetime AUverse.

-

           Hearing a ping, Leonardo turned curiously to look over his shoulder. Two pairs of bright eyes looked back at him, shiny gold and stormy grey, and two little rosebud mouths perked up into smiles when they realised he was looking at them. "What did you do?" he murmured.

           A stream of happy babble came out of both of them and he smiled himself.

           "Is that so?" he asked. "Tell me more?"

           They were more than happy to, babbling one at a time as if picking up where the other had left off before doing it at the same time. It was adorable and he was sad that Arabella was missing it. He had the stray thought to record it so she could see it, but he was also sure they'd stop as soon as he lifted his phone. So he settled for nodding as he listened along.

           He watched them, watched as they looked at each other and waving their chubby fists while they babbled. Which was why he saw when Angelo picked up his spoon and tossed it at the floor. "What is that about?" he asked, noticing the other spoon. Was that what he'd heard at first?

           Crossing to the spoons, he picked them up and carefully wiped them off on his shirt hem before placing them on their highchairs. "You're going to need those," he told them casually, reaching out to tweak both of their noses.

           They giggled, reaching for his hands and he didn't resist as they grabbed him. He let them play with his fingers, tugging and pulling on them.

           "Ah, no," Leonardo said as they both tried to put his fingers in their mouths. "Lunch is almost ready."

           Loud, protesting noises came from them as he pulled away. Little, lower lips quivered and they stared at him with big eyes.

           "That only works for your mamma," he told them, bopping their noses.

           They still pouted at him and held out their hands to him. It was hard to walk away from them and back to the counter. But he knew Arabella would be more upset with him if he didn't feed them so he stuck to it. "Just a little longer," he promised them before he heard it again.

           The gentle ping of a spoon hitting the kitchen floor.

           Leonardo looked back and saw that both Angelo and Bianca were watching him expectantly. "Oh, is that the way this is going to be?" he asked. He could clearly see the spoon in Angelo's little hand as well.

           He lifted a brow and waited, watching the pair of them as they watched him back. None of them moved, Angelo still holding the spoon.

           Even though he knew what was going to happen, he still turned his back on them and waited. Sure enough, only a few seconds went by before the ping of Angelo's spoon rang through the kitchen as it hit the floor as well. Looking back, he saw both of them staring at him, big eyes wide as they waited.

           He studied them both and went to pick up the spoons. He cleaned them again and set them back on their trays. "Is that what we're doing?" he asked curiously.

           Little hands immediately grabbed the spoons, waving them through the air. More babble filled the kitchen as they waved them at him.

           He knew exactly what they were doing and he knew he should stop it. But they seemed so curious and he wasn't sure he had the heart to stop their experiment. Even if it was proving that he was wrapped around their little fingers. It wasn't anything new to him of course, but he wasn't sure he liked the thought of two six month olds figuring it out now.

           But the spoons pinged off the floor two more times to the sound of delighted giggles before he finally brought an end to it.

           "Alright," he said, dragging a chair in front of theirs and sitting down. "Experimenting on Papa is done for now."

           They both babbled at him, chubby hands patting at the tables looking for their spoons. Which he had decided he wasn't giving back. Empty spoons were one thing, but Arabella would murder him if he let them throw their lunch on the floor. But feeding them turned into an all new adventure as they both tried to take the single spoon for themselves.

           Leonardo couldn't help laughing as Angelo put his fingers into his food instead and his small face wrinkled in distaste. "You like it just fine," he said, taking the small hand to carefully wipe it clean. "Don't give me that."

           He pursed his lips, blowing through them before giggling at the noise he made.

           Shaking his head, Leonardo reached for the spoon before a feeling of unease washed through him. He barely had a chance to look over before Bianca squealed in delight and he heard the spoon bounce off the floor.

           He looked at the mess on the floor that spread out from the spoon before looking at her. Her head was cocked to the side, clearly waiting for him to pick it up again and he sighed. "You can't do that," he said, keeping his voice firm. "You have to eat not throw them on the floor."

           She looked at him in confusion, still waiting for him to do what he had before.

           Leonardo leaned back in his chair and looked at them both. He was all for experiments, was glad they were trying one when they were still so little, but he’d apparently let this one go too far. His problem was he wasn’t sure how to correct it. Did he just keep all their cutlery away from them until they forgot about it? Or let them throw the spoon and not pick it up? Both situations would probably end in tears if he was being honest with himself. “Bianca,” he said quietly.

           He hadn’t said his name but he saw Angelo freeze as well at his tone. They both looked at him and he could hear each quivering breath they took.

           “You can’t throw your spoons on the floor,” Leonardo said, keeping himself firm in the face of their faces. “Not anymore.”

           Little lower lips trembled and he nearly cracked.

           How did Bella stay so strong in the face of this?! “Spoons are used for eating, not throwing.”

           They stared at him before holding out their hands.

           He wanted to pick them up, to cuddle them and soothe the worry off their small faces. But he was the parent here and he knew he’d let it go too far. “No more throwing.”

           Their hands didn’t drop and he finally cracked. Reaching out, he let them grab his hands again and hold on tightly.

           “Alright,” Leonardo murmured, leaning in toward them to kiss the top of their heads. “It’s okay. You’re okay.”

           Their eyes were a little brighter as he leaned back and he sighed before smiling ruefully.

           “Play me as well as your mamma,” he muttered, shaking his head. “What am I to do with you two?”

           Curious babble came back at him and eased his heart a little more. But he gently pulled his hands away from them after a few more moments. He had a mess to deal with before said mamma got home.

           Bending down, he picked up the spoon and rose from his chair. He walked to the sink and washed it, grabbing a cloth to wet it. He came back to them and stooped down to clean the floor, sighing. He only had himself to blame, for letting them do it earlier and leaving the spoon unattended. Hopefully they understood now but he’d have to hold off on letting them experiment for a while like this.

           He felt a sudden warmth ripple over his skin, settling just under it and setting his heart to pounding. He looked up toward the door even as the twins both gasped and cried out happily, clearly sensing the same presence he had. It wasn't long before Arabella stepped into the doorway, a smile on her face as she saw them. "Cara mia," he breathed, smiling back.

           Delighted squeals left the twins and they held out their hands to her. Obviously their earlier sadness was forgotten in light of their mother’s arrival.

           "What's going on?" she asked, walking into the room.

           Leonardo pressed his lips together. Did he admit what he had let them do? It wasn't as if it was actually bad but maybe it was if they were going to toss their dinner on the floor.

           When he didn't answer, she glanced between him and the twins. A slow smile bloomed on her face and his heart shrank a little. "Oh," she said slowly, "did they get you with the spoons?"

           He blinked before frowning at her. "What?"

           "They tried this the other day with me," she said, tickling the curve of Bianca's cheek to make her giggle. "I took the spoons away because I knew this would happen. They weren’t happy, but they got over it. Or at least I thought they had."

           Leonardo pursed his lips before sighing as he stood up. "Well, they got me. But experiments are good for the mind, yes?"

           She ran her fingers through Angelo's hair before looking at him. "They're half a year old," she reminded him, "and more likely to throw their food on the floor."

           He sighed and leaned over her to give her a kiss. Of course, she knew what had happened. "Alright, cara mia. No more experiments at lunch," he agreed.

           "Until they're at least a year old."

           Leonardo snorted and gave her another kiss as she laughed.

[whatevertheywant]

My Bisexual Opinion: ABBA Edition

I saw where another blogger had discussed several different ABBA songs, and given the general happiness the announcement today has given me,I’m gonna discuss some favorites of mine as well

1. Super Trouper- My favorite ABBA song! There’s something uniquely intimate yet still still fun and upbeat about it. I love Anni-Frid’s voice so much and how well she and Agnetha harmonize <3 <3 <3 My favorite lyrics are “I’ll be there when you arrive// the sight of you will prove to me I’m still alive//And when you take me in your arms and hold me tight// I know it’s gonna mean so much tonight” Everything from the backing vocals to the composition to the ladies’ always flawless voices is just so on point! Also, I totally want Anni-Frid’s jumper from the music video

2. The Winner Takes It All- A close second favorite. Oh my sweet lord! This song doesn’t get the love it deserves by a long shot. Like...sweet mother of emotional vulnerability! I know Bjorn says that he didn’t write this song about his and Agnetha’s divorce, but there had to at least be a touch of those feelings that went into it. I can’t imagine how hard that must have been, at least initially for Agnetha to know Bjorn wrote the words she was singing. You can definitely feel the raw emotion she put into it. I know the divorce was particularly hard on her. (The Meryl Streep version really puts my heart through the ringer, but I digress). There are too many examples of amazing, heart-wrenching lyrics to list them all, but the biggest gut punch is probably “And I understand...//You’ve come to shake my hand// I apologize if it makes you feel bad// Seeing me so tense// No self-confidence” then the last chorus. I just want to hug her and tell her it will all be okay.

3. Dancing Queen- An absolute bop! I don’t want to say it’s overrated because it is definitely deserving of its popularity, but I hate that the U.S. kind of slept on ABBA because they were thought to be purely a disco band because of it. Anyway, I actually sang this song for karaoke at an event a couple days ago. It’s so fun and easy to sing along to! You can’t help but feel at least a little better after you listen to it. I’m disappointed that no one sent me this song or sang it to me when I turned 17 tbh. I also associate this song with a disco tape my fourth grade teacher played for us all day every day (Yes, in the year 2005 A.D., the year of our lord. Someone always had to go flip it at least once a day.) Benny coming through with the piano! Everyone is obviously enjoying themselves.

4. Lay All Your Love On Me- Yaaaaas Angetha! Also an absolute bop! I have this song on a spotify playlist for my fiancee. I love the beat as well as the lyrics! It’s very much a mood when you’re falling fast for someone but haven’t quite made things exclusive with them yet. The subject is familiar enough for everyone to relate, but the lyrics are unique that they don’t fall through the cracks as just another vintage pop love song. “And I’m possessive. It isn’t nice// You heard me saying that smoking was my only vice// But now it isn’t true// Now, everything is you//”. Like, hell yes, intensity and love while acknowledging jealousy isn’t a cutesy part of a relationship but still natural! 

5. Mamma Mia!- Here I go again! Another fun crowd song. That piano and guitar intro/outro is just so I C O N I C. Usually,I focus more on lyrics than music as a writer, but the music is what makes this song unique and great to me. The arrangement is just. so. GOOD. The boys really brought their game to this one on all fronts. I do also love the lyrics. Very solid song, very easy to relate to. I also like the ambiguity that the song ends on. Did she go back to the guy or not? That’s the lack of resolution makes it all the more addictive imo.

6. Does Your Mother Know?- LET BJORN ULVAEUS SING LEAD MORE. I love,love, love the girls, but I need more Bjorn lead vocals! He’s a great singer, and this is such a fun, flirty song.  I like that it doesn’t take itself too seriously, and there’s something amusing about the mental image of young Bjorn at a bar trying to have this conversation with a barely legal fan that’s probably throwing herself at him.

7. Thank You For The Music- I love the simplistic style of this one. It’s possibly the sweetest songs the band has ever released. At some point, everyone has thought or said, “No, ABBA, thank YOU for the music!” It really was the perfect way to say goodbye (thank fuck they came back though!). It leaves you with a sadness that is still warm and fuzzy, like watching a friend or relative graduate. It would be a good song for a grad slideshow for a music major. And for added cuteness, imagine the home videos there likely are of tiny ABBA members singing and dancing! 

8. I’m a Marionette- My best friend’s favorite ABBA song. It is a grossly underrated one! It can be a little difficult to listen to because both the music and lyrics give off an anxious or frantic feeling, much like one would probably feel being a marionette (Ghost does a good cover of this one.). The music industry is often guilty of meddling with and stifling the creative process, which can make artists feel like puppets more than people. This is another song where the music stands out to me more than the lyrics. Anyone who hears it can see why.

9.  Fernando- I am a sucker for softer sounds. I also love the Spanish influence of the song as a whole. There’s a fond sense of nostalgia. The entire chorus is so sweet and makes you feel like you’re taken back in time along with the singer. Whether you take the song as being about two former lovers remembering being young revolutionaries or the war being metaphorical, it feels like the sweeter side of a bittersweet ending. “Though we never thought that we could lose// There’s no regret// If I had to do the same again// I would, my friend” makes me think of the split between Anni-Frida and Benny (just speculation) and their split possibly being more amicable than Bjorn and Agnetha (given that The Winner Takes It All has any inspiration from their divorce). Very haunting.

10.  Slipping Through My Fingers- (the Mamma Mia! version chokes me up sometimes because I must protect Meryl Streep at all costs) The song can be emotional enough without the creator context,but knowing why Bjorn wrote it makes it more visceral for me. If you don’t know, he wrote it because he  was feeling sad about missing out on so much of his daughter’s life because of how fast she was growing up and how frequently the band was touring. Agnetha sings vocals on this one, which adds to the emotion here. Ouch, right? They both did such a great job on this one! It feels so poignant and authentic. It can tug at the heartstrings of both parents and their daughters. It’s hard to not just post all the lyrics, but here are some of my personal picks from this song: “What happened to the wonderful adventures//The places I had planned for us to go// Well, some of that we did, but most we didn't // And why, I just don't know” and “Sometimes I wish that I could freeze the picture//And save it from the funny tricks of time (Slipping through my fingers)”

That’s definitely not a complete list of the songs I most enjoy by them, but I figure I rambled enough for a bit. I’m just super excited! I may post more at some point, but if you actually read the whole thing, bless you.