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tessisawriter · 3 years

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Invisible String, Part 1 (Colton Parayko)

Request: Can you write an imagine where the reader is John Krasinski’s [niece] but she’s dating Colton Parayko and like she has to breaks the news and John acts mad or something and scares them but then he says he’s joking and he’s fine with it? Thanks

***NOTE***: I changed some details in the last scene b/c I moved the timeline up from October 7 to September 14.

A/N: I’m back! The protagonist is an OC but I decided to call her Y/N instead of giving her an actual name b/c John Krasinski has nieces and/or nephews irl. I already planned the entire plot but idk whether the series will be 2 or 3 parts—I’ll post an update when I know more. This series takes place from March 2018 to June 2019 and is loosely based on Taylor Swift’s “Invisible String.” Here is the playlist.

Warnings: Six swear words, rough breakup, alcohol, loneliness & homesickness

Word Count: 3.4k

March 21, 2018

You were impervious to the mix of pitying and derisive glances from passersby as you sat on the curb. You knew you looked like a cliché, crying in front of a restaurant because your boyfriend broke up with you on your 22nd birthday, but you didn’t care. One question gnawed at you: how had six words upended your seemingly perfect day and relationship?

Your brain was buzzing with activity, wondering if Max had given you any clues that something was amiss. This morning, you woke up in his Cambridge apartment to him singing “Happy Birthday” while kneeling at the side of the bed. As soon as Max finished singing, he kissed you before grabbing his backpack and hurrying out of the room. That didn’t mean anything, though: Max was one of the only seniors to have the misfortune of taking all morning classes because his major was Theater, Dance, and Media. He was also (as usual) running late.

The rest of the day unfolded like any other Wednesday as you followed your schedule of lounging in bed, studying for an hour, going to the sandwich shop across the street for lunch, and heading to campus at 1PM for your classes. Afterwards, you went back to the apartment to find Max waiting there, already dressed for dinner. You quickly showered, curled your long (Y/HC) hair, and changed into a dark green dress and black booties before taking his hand and going to an Italian restaurant in Boston’s North End.

There were no warning signs at dinner, either. In fact, everything was perfect until you were waiting for the check and Max said with a detached look in his eyes, “I think we should break up.”

You didn’t want to relive what happened next, but the images of you acting like Elle Woods when Warner broke up with her in Legally Blonde popped into your head unbidden. You closed your eyes in humiliation and shame as you remembered Max, the man you dated for three years, abandoning you at the table and fleeing the restaurant. The other customers stared at you, some sympathetic, others scandalized, and the rest in pure shock.

You snapped out of the flashback when you felt a large hand rest on your shoulder. You whipped your head around to find a young man with blonde hair and black rimmed glasses squatting next to you on the curb.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

The panic faded as you took in the man’s features. He was definitely in his 20s, probably a few years older than you, and his blue eyes were filled with concern. Something about that concern, though, made you snap.

“Do I look like I’m okay? I mean, come on, look at me!” you demanded while pointing at your face, which you (correctly) assumed had giant black streaks of mascara on it.

You fully expected the man to walk away and leave you be, but he sat down on the curb instead and said, “My bad, that was a stupid question. I’ve got some tissues if you want them?”

That made your attitude soften. He was only trying to help, so you nodded and he handed you a pack of tissues from his pocket. You smiled at him, took the tissues, and wiped your eyes and face. As soon as you were satisfied that they were clean, you broke the silence. “Thank you…?”

“Colton, and it’s no problem. What’s your name?”

“Y/N.” You held out your hand for him to shake, which he did. After a pause, you asked: “Why did you stop? Surely you have somewhere better to be tonight.”

He chuckled, and the sound of it made your heart flutter. “I was just heading back to my hotel when I saw you, and I figured I’d stop and make sure you get home safe. That is, assuming you live here?”

“Yeah, I live in Cambridge.” As soon as the words left your mouth, you realized they were no longer true, so you amended your statement. “Well, I lived in Cambridge until about 15 minutes ago when my now ex-boyfriend dumped me. On my fucking birthday.”

“Shit, that sucks. I’m really sorry.” He paused before adding, “I’m assuming he isn’t here.”

“Nope. He hightailed it out of the restaurant as soon as he got his credit card back.”

Colton shook his head. “What a jackass.”

“I know, right? I wasted three whole years with someone who not only broke up with me in a very public setting on my birthday, but also couldn’t be bothered to ask where I would go! He probably assumed I’d go to my parents’ house, but still.”

“Your parents live here?” Colton asked as he fished his phone out of his pocket and unlocked it.

“Yeah, right by Boston Common, why?”

“I’ll get an Uber and drop you off before going back to the hotel.”

“Oh no, you don’t have to do that,” you protested while going through your bag for your phone. “We just met! I’ll pay.”

“Nonsense. You’ve been through a lot tonight. Let me take care of it.”

You stared into Colton’s eyes and realized he wasn’t going to back down. It took everything in you to suppress your pride, thank him, and provide the address. Colton typed it into his phone, waited for a moment, and said, “The closest one is around the block.”

“That’s good.” Your burst of energy dissipated as quickly as it came, and you fell silent. From the corner of your eye, you saw Colton open his mouth as if to say something before the headlights of a car momentarily blinded you.

“That’s the Uber.” Colton stood up and offered his hand, and you took it. You couldn’t help but notice how well they fit together as he pulled you up and off the curb, but after regaining your balance, something else grabbed your attention: his height.

“Gee, how tall are you? No one’s ever made me feel like a dwarf before,” you joked as he led you to the car, your hands still intertwined.

He chuckled and opened the door for you. You let go of his hand and slid into the car. After Colton slid in next to you and shut the door, he replied, “I’m 6’6” and no one’s ever made me feel like I’m not a giant before. You’re what, 5’10”?”

“6 feet, actually,” you corrected him. “So, where are you from, Colton?”

“St. Albert; it’s just outside Edmonton in Canada, but I’ve been in the States for a while. I went to the University of Alaska in Fairbanks before moving to, uh, St. Louis.”

You noticed Colton’s hesitancy and the fact that he lowered his voice when saying “St. Louis,” and you were about to ask why when you thought better of it. You were protective of your privacy, too, especially whenever people commented about how funny it was that you shared the same last name as John Krasinski. It wasn’t a coincidence—he was your uncle, and the two of you were extremely close—but you went along with it and never corrected them because it wasn’t their business. So, you let it go. “And what brings you to Boston?”

“Work,” he said before changing the subject. “What do you do? Are you still in school or—”

“I’m a senior at Harvard,” you cut him off. You generally didn’t drop the “H-bomb,” as you and your friends called it, with people you didn’t know well, but this was a special case. Colton just confirmed he was hiding something, and after looking at him in better lighting, his face seemed familiar, which weirded you out. You had to get back on equal footing, and the H-bomb almost always unsettled people.

“Wow, you must be really smart,” Colton said, seeming impressed but unphased. You couldn’t help yourself from raising an eyebrow as he asked, “What’s your major?”

“Government. What was yours?”

“Business administration.”

“Ah.” You fell silent again, this time on purpose, as you racked your brain for where you might have crossed paths with Colton. He wasn’t from Boston, not even close, but you couldn’t shake the feeling that you’d seen him before, and recently.

Colton didn’t let you ruminate for long before reviving the conversation. “What do you want to do when you graduate?”

“I’ll be a lawyer one day, but I have to be a paralegal first. I’m looking for jobs right now.”

Before Colton could reply, the car came to a stop. You looked out the window and saw your parents’ townhouse and your childhood home.Your time in the car had flown by, a sensation you rarely, if ever, experienced. And there was something between you and Colton, a connection you couldn’t quite describe, that made you want to spend more time with him. But your time was up. “This is me. It was nice to meet you, Colton, and thanks again for the ride—I really appreciate it.”

“It’s no problem,” he replied. “I’m glad I found you.”

You were overwhelmed by an intense desire to ask for his number. If only he lived in Boston or somewhere in the Northeast. But he lived in St. Louis, so you moved to open the door, only to feel Colton’s hand wrap around yours and hear him say: “Y/N?”

“Yeah?” You turned around and locked eyes with him. It was like being in a trance, and your heartbeat thundered in your ears.

It felt like years, but it was more like a few moments before Colton let go of your hand. “Good luck with the search. I’m sure you’ll find a good job.”

You wanted to let out a sigh of disappointment, but you just said, “Thanks,” and smiled at him before getting out of the car.

***************

The smell of bacon finally lured you out of your bed at noon the next day.

It had been a rough night. The reality of the breakup hit you like a ton of bricks when you rang the doorbell and all but collapsed in your mom’s arms when she answered the door. She brought you over to the couch, where your dad was waiting anxiously. As soon as you sat down, you grabbed your mom and cried for an hour straight as she held you and stroked your hair. You knew Max wasn’t worth your tears, but it had more to do with you. Despite his major, he wasn’t that good of an actor, and yet, he fooled you into thinking he could be your person. You took immense pride in your instincts, but they failed you with Max. How could you have possibly fallen in love with such a heartless person? More terrifying, would you have ended up marrying him a few years down the road if he hadn’t broken up with you?

You didn’t know the answer to either question, so you stopped crying and began venting about how the breakup went down. Your dad almost hit the ceiling after hearing that Max left you at the restaurant, and you had to talk him out of driving to Cambridge to “give that little shit a piece of my mind!” That wasn’t to say you weren’t thinking about revenge, but your dad potentially getting arrested was not helpful. After that, you started crying again, only this time out of frustration, and didn’t stop until you practically passed out on the couch. The last thing you remembered was your parents guiding you up the stairs to your bed.

Thankfully, you had no classes on Thursdays, so you were able to sleep in and be, if nothing else, well-rested. Your stomach rumbled when you smelled the bacon, so you got out of bed and made your way down the stairs to the kitchen, where your parents were sitting at the table and watching the television.

“Ugh, why are you watching the news?” you said as a way of greeting while making a beeline for the bacon.

“Good morning to you, too, sweetheart,” your dad replied. “I’m waiting for the sports report. I missed the game last night and Uncle John wouldn’t tell me the score. He said he’s sorry about, I quote, ‘the scumbag’ and he’ll call you tonight.”

“God, I miss him. And you,” you addressed your mom as you shoveled a load of bacon onto your plate, “are the best.”

“See, honey? I knew bacon would cheer her up,” she said to your dad.

“I didn’t doubt it. Y/N, we have to figure out a time to get your stuff from that piece of shit’s apartment. I’m not letting you go by yourself, but do you want to let him know ahead of time or just show up?”

“Who did the B’s play?” you sat down at the table and changed the subject immediately. You didn’t care about sports, but your dad and Uncle John were major Bruins fans and the mere mention of Max gave you a headache.

“The Blues.”

“Where do they play again?” you asked as you ate your bacon. It had to be a team from the Western Conference, but the only teams you knew there were the Canucks and Blackhawks because they were on your dad’s shit list.

“St. Louis.”

You almost choked on your food. “What?”

“St. Louis, sweetie. You know, the Gateway Arch—”

“Yeah, I know, Mom,” you recovered. “That’s the team Jenna likes, right, Dad?”

“Yes. Shh, here it is!” He didn’t need to tell you twice; you doubted Colton was a professional hockey player, but your curiosity won out as you intently watched the television.

The score flashed on the screen—an OT loss for the Bruins—and your dad groaned. “Ugh, I’ve got to turn this garbage off.”

And suddenly, a few Blues players, including one that looked awfully similar to Colton (albeit without glasses), flashed onto the screen. You didn’t get a good enough look at him to be sure, though, because your dad changed the channel. You let out a noise of frustration.

“What’s wrong, sweetie?” your mom asked, and your dad looked like he had the same question when he turned away from the television.

“I’ll text the scumbag and tell him I’m coming this afternoon, if that’s okay with you, Dad,” you said. “I want to get it over with and besides, I need my laptop and textbooks.”

“That’s perfect, sweetheart. The office doesn’t need me today, anyway.”

“Okay, I’ll be right back; my phone’s upstairs,” you called out behind you as you raced back up the stairs. You did not want to text Max, but it was better than telling your dad that the man he praised for making sure you got home last night was potentially part of the team responsible for his beloved Bruins’ loss.

You locked your bedroom door and grabbed your phone to pull up Google and the St. Louis Blues roster. Part of you thought there was no way a professional hockey player actually cared enough to bring you home, but the Blues being in town and one of its members resembling Colton were too many coincidences for your liking. You tapped your foot impatiently as the phone loaded the roster, and you scrolled through the list until you found a name of interest.

“C. Parayko, 55, R, 6’6’’…”

It cut off after that, so you scrolled sideways to see the other information. It left you without a shadow of doubt, but you clicked on the name anyway to view a picture. Colton’s headshot and full first name stared back at you as if they were looking into your soul.

It really was him. You had to have seen him on the little television at the sandwich shop’s register yesterday.

But what did this information mean for you, really, besides discovering his identity? It was nice to know his full name because it confirmed that he was a real person instead of a delusion your reeling mind made up, but it didn’t change one important fact: you lived in Boston and he lived in St. Louis. Barring a radical change in one of your lives, which you didn’t see happening, that was the reality of the situation. It was time to stop dreaming and confront your immediate future.

You pulled up Max’s number and began composing the text which, after several drafts, read: “I’ll be at the apartment today from 3 to 5. My dad’s coming with me, so make yourself scarce. I want my shit back.”

***************

6 months later: September 14, 2018

You were miserable only two weeks after relocating to St. Louis.

It was funny how one phone call could completely change someone’s life. In your case, said phone call involved an extremely attractive job offer with a clear path for advancement within one year. The offers you had received from legal firms in Boston, New York, D.C., and Philadelphia were underwhelming, to say the least, and you were only a week away from graduation. You had already endured a lot of change this year, so why not one more?

After nearly giving your parents a heart attack but ultimately receiving their blessing, you accepted the offer and moved to St. Louis on September 1st. Uncle John had been especially supportive, enlisting Jenna (known by the rest of the world as Pam from The Office) to fly out from L.A. and show you around the city last week. She made sure you knew the ins and outs of the city, which you really appreciated. You also loved your job. You were doing important work every day, and your boss was already hinting at giving you the promotion you wanted.

So, why were you unhappy? It was your social life, or rather, lack of one. You didn’t know anyone in St. Louis, and while your coworkers weren’t mean, they didn’t make you feel welcome, either.

That seemed to have changed earlier today when two of your desk neighbors who were around your age, Harper and Ellie, invited you out for drinks after work. You couldn’t have been happier. You went home after work, did your hair and makeup, put on your favorite royal blue mini dress, and met them at the dive bar you recommended. You were so excited on the way over that you could barely sit still; maybe you’d make friends with these girls and finally feel like you fit in in this city.

Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. Harper and Ellie abandoned you within less than five minutes after two guys came over and asked them to dance. You were now sitting at the bar alone, nursing a cocktail and despairing over your situation.

It was times like these when you thought about Colton. It had been six months since you’d met him in Boston, and you didn’t want to risk looking like a lunatic by slipping into his DMs on Instagram, but you were getting desperate. It was bad enough that being from the Northeast made you stick out like a sore thumb, but the loneliness was eating you alive, and the combination made you feel unmoored. Maybe a familiar and friendly face could change that.

As if God had answered your prayers, you heard a commotion near the entrance. You swiveled your stool in that direction and saw a group of tall, good-looking men in their 20s entering the bar. The tallest one had blonde hair and black rimmed glasses.

It was Colton.

Your brain screamed at you to look away and approach him after he settled in, but you couldn’t take your eyes off of him as he laughed at something one of his friends said. It was as if he felt your stare because he suddenly looked in your direction and appeared to gasp.

It was only then that you turned away and faced the bar, drinking the rest of your cocktail in a few gulps. You were so embarrassed; he probably thought you were a stalker or something. You were about to flag down the bartender for another drink when you felt that familiar large hand rest on your shoulder.

You turned your head and found Colton staring at you, his blue eyes full of incredulity and…happiness?

“Y/N. It’s really you,” he breathed.

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jcmorrigan · 3 years

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Consider, blakeworther dealing with children. Whether they adopted a child or are babysitting for some reason

Oh. Okay. So I haven’t even thought about this but this prompt is so entertaining that I’m gonna do this off the top of my head right now.

What I will say is I can’t see them adopting kids. You know what I can see? I’m kinda hopping on the bandwagon for Draco/Vanora (not like super OTP, but it’s cute, I can get behind it, love all the art/fic of it, I don’t see any reason not to). So even though I’m SURE this story is not going to resolve in such a way that everyone is alive and friends at the end, we’re going to pretend it will and Dranora have two children, who I’m calling Kiddo (an elementary schooler) and Moody (a teenager). Anyway there’s some emergency that requires Draco to put his children in the hands of his brother/cyborg clone (reveal pending) and Vanora’s like “Are you sure about this” and Draco’s just “No. No I am not. But I’m desperate.”

AND HERE’S HOW IT GOES

-First things first, Kiddo and Moody aren’t allowed to do a damn thing until their schoolwork is done.

-Albert: “Because being the smartest person in your class will offer you unlimited power.” Vincent: “Because some asshole is going to beat you to being smartest in the class and you need to catch up. Don’t be like me.”

-Victor is trying to convince them to let the kids have some fun but NO! ACADEMICS!

-Victor ends up sneaking them some cookies under the table so it’s not all boring.

-Kiddo reveals they have a hard time with math and you can hear a pin drop as we shift into OH NO mode

-Albert: “I can help with - “ Vincent: “YOU PUT THOSE FLASHCARDS AWAY. WE’RE NOT DOING THIS”

-Homework finally finishes. Vincent then puts Kiddo in front of the television and Moody in front of their computer and calls it DONE.

-(It’s not done.)

-Albert ends up watching marathon-length kids’ programming with Kiddo and getting more into it than Kiddo is. And then being creepy. For example: “What do you think Big Bird would taste like flambé?” “Clifford the Big Red Dog would make an excellent tool to overthrow the state if properly weaponized.” “You know, all this Cliff Hanger nonsense in that lion show would be easily resolved if somebody just stomped on his hand so he would fall off the cliff.”

-At some point Victor has to come barging in to kick over the Solo cups that he’s setting up because WE’RE NOT DOING THIS

-Meanwhile, Moody swears at their computer. Vincent sighs; “If I ask you what’s wrong, will you be quiet?”

-Moody: “There’s this bitch in my class who keeps making fun of me online and it really hurts my feelings.”

-Vincent: “...Hang on.”

-An hour later and Vincent has set up five different sockpuppet accounts on an AI script to doxx Moody’s bully. Because if anybody knows how to commit REVENGE, it’s Vincent

-While he’s plugging away at Moody’s social accounts, Victor pulls Moody aside into the bar. “So. If you’re curious about liquor or smoking, you can try ANYTHING in this room and I won’t tell your parents”

-Moody is sixteen and comes out of that room drunk as a skunk. Possibly also high.

-But it gets them sleepy so that’s ONE KID IN BED; ONE TO GO

-Albert: “I can get the small one sleepy if you just let me use dream - “ Vincent and Victor: “NO”

-Meanwhile Kiddo is on Albert’s desk playing with his red phone because let’s face it, that thing looks like a toy. They accidentally manage to call some Eldritch dimension before Vincent comes running in “PUT THAT DOWN”

-So cue all three guys sitting around going...what are you supposed to do to make a kid sleepy? Aren’t there rules about this?

-Oh yeah, you’re supposed to read bedtime stories to a small child

-Cue Vincent ending up sitting on the side of kiddo’s bed and trying to read them The Count of Monte Cristo. It isn’t received well.

-Lullabies are a thing, right?

-Victor goes in to softly sing kiddo to sleep and it works! He’s actually got a nice voice; he just doesn’t really enjoy singing in public that much.

-Vincent is all mumbly, “You sing well”

-Both offspring are asleep! Finally! Three tired temporary dads slump down on the couch downstairs.

-The peace only lasts so long. Kiddo comes hurtling down the stairs bawling. “I HAD A REALLY BAD NIGHTMARE ABOUT THE SKINNY BLACK CREATURES WITH WHITE SKULL FACES”

-Slloooowwwwwly Vincent and Victor turn to look at Albert. Albert is smiling very nervously.

-“Before you make any accusations, I want you to know this one wasn’t my - “ “ALBERT GERALD KRUEGER WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO”

-Kiddo’s mood is improved because they’ve never heard THAT word before

-So now you have a small child running around the manor yelling “FUCK! FUCK! FUCK!”

-Albert: “Okay, but you two did THAT”

-Now all three of them have to watch even more television with Kiddo until they get sleepy again...which...Kiddo doesn’t

-Kiddo suddenly notices that Victor’s arms are metal. “How did you lose your real arms?”

-Victor is just broken by this point so he goes “The creatures you saw in your nightmares ripped them off when I was your age because I didn’t go to sleep and also I said bad words”

-Kiddo ZOOMS upstairs, locks themself in their room, doesn’t come out

-VICTORY!

-Draco and Vanora come back to the house to find their eldest having a hangover and their youngest screaming “I COULDN’T SLEEP ALL NIGHT! THE BAD THINGS WILL RIP OFF MY ARMS! FUCK!” and Draco realizes they probably would’ve been better off dropping the kids in the Myers front lawn and letting them clean random stuff with Dino for the last twelve hours

#vincent edgeworth #victor blake #albert krueger #blakeworther #vincent the secret of myers #vtsom #therapy with dr. albert krueger #twdak #this one was so fun nonnie #i was laughing at myself writing the whole thing up #thank you for giving me this hypothetical

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randomly-a-fan · 3 years

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How Can “IT” Love a Human? Finale

Pt. 1

Pt. 2

Pt. 3

At the private airport, Scarlet got out of the taxi and walked into the waiting room for her private jet plane to land. Scarlet took out her family photo from when Kandy was being held by her big brother. Scarlet never have forgotten when Pennywise shouted ‘Fat Chubbies’. When she made a chuckle, she started to cough worse than before. “Ma’am, are you feeling alright?” asked the attendant. Scarlet nodded as she’s saying that she’s fine. “I’ll be fine... What time is it?” Scarlet asked. “It is... 9:49 pm,” the attendant answered.

***

Meanwhile, Cassandra was driving Pennywise and the kids to the airport after giving her some threaten-like persuasion. “If what you’re telling me is true, I really hope we make it...” Cassandra said to Pennywise as she was concentrating on the road. Just then, the train came by and had no choice but to stop. “What the hell are you doing?” Pennywise asked. “There’s a train you dope! I can’t past a train.” Cassandra scolded.

It was 9:55, and he knew that by the time the train leaves, they won’t make it in time. “Give me the wheel, I can get us to the airport.” Pennywise offered. “No freakin’ way... I don’t trust you.” Cassandra argued. “If you care so much about your cousin, you’d obey my request and give me the freakin’ WHEEL.” Pennywise said with red in his eyes. Cassandra had no choice but to let Pennywise drive. “Hang on kids, daddy’s driving...” Pennywise adjusted the mirrors and put on his nighttime shades and floored the speed pedal and drove off the road to beat the train. Cassandra was freaking out as she was regretting for letting Pennywise drive. Archie too was petrified, except for Kandy who was sleeping the whole time.

Pennywise drove neck to neck with the train and spotted the perfect spot to use as a ramp, but he had to drive past the train, so he adjusted the nozzle and hit the speed that was impossible for a corvette to handle but succeeded. As Cassandra and Archie screamed in fear with Kandy screaming with excitement after waking up from a commotion, Pennywise speeded up and made the leap before the train could crush them all. Pennywise looked back to see if his kids are alright. “You kids okay? When this whole nightmare is over, I’ll take you kids to McDonalds for a Kids Meal.” Pennywise said while patting Archie’s leg. Then he turned to Cassandra. “You want a Big Mac later, cuz-in-law?” Pennywise chuckled. Cassandra stared angrily at Pennywise as she was fixing her hair and adjusting her glasses.

***

When they finally made it to the private airport, Pennywise noticed a private jet was about to fly, so he leaped out of the car and ran after it, thinking that it was Scarlet’s plane flying away.

“NOOO... STAR...” Pennywise shouted as the private jet flew away. Pennywise collapsed to the ground in grief.

Cassandra and the kids rushed over towards Pennywise as the kids wanted to comfort him. Cassandra noticed another private jet landed, so she checked the time on her watch. “Pennywise, that was the wrong plane; that was a 9:55 pm plane. Scarlet’s plane just landed.” Cassandra told Pennywise with excitement. Pennywise looked over and saw Scarlet walking over to the pilot.

Albert the pilot escorted Scarlet onto the plane, until she stopped, she couldn’t feel her pulses and is starting to lose clear vision. “Ms. Jones are you alright?” Scarlet then started to weaken and began to lose her balance. “STAR...” Pennywise rushed over to Aquarius at an impossible speed to catch her before she hits her head hard to the ground. Scarlet couldn’t see very well, but she can recognize the white face. “...Penny... What are you doing here?” Scarlet asked weakly.

“What do you think? I have Cassandra drive me and the kids to the airport to fetch you--”

“You never loved me though--”

“Just shut up and listen!!!” Pennywise said in a stern tone. Scarlet decided to stop talking so she can let Pennywise speak. “To you you’re Scarlet... To me, you’re still Aquarius the Singing Clown, and you don’t have to be a clown to receive my affection... I know I said I can’t ever love you as a human, but that’s only because I don’t want to hurt you...” Scarlet started to cough hard before Pennywise could finish. “I still love you Penny... Both you and the kids... But I don’t think I can make it...” Scarlet said. “Yes you can; the only thing that can keep you alive is being with your family, and me and the kids are here for you... I love you Star.” Pennywise said as he saw Scarlet smiling weakly with tears in her eyes.

Pennywise gently kissed her by the lips for a long while. He thought that Aquarius will be alright after that... apparently... Star gave up her last breath after the kiss ended. “Star... STAR?” Pennywise said in shock. Cassandra crouched down to feel her pulse on her arm. “She’s... she’s gone...” Cassandra said as she teared up. Pennywise’s eyes were wide open after hearing the fact that Aquarius actually died. Pennywise screamed to the heavens and hell with a mix of ferocious animal noises. Pennywise held Aquarius against his chest while crying with his face pasted to her head. “Star... I’m so sorry... I’m so very sorry...” Pennywise whispered. normally his tears would float up, but this time, his tears dripped down onto her cheek.

After a while, Pennywise walked away with grief with Cassandra following him, leaving Archie and Kandy behind. Archie cling towards his mom while Kandy crawls out of her big brother’s backpack and crawled towards her mommy. “Momma...” Kandy said, as it was her very first word. With Kandy’s word being heard by Archie, they also heard another voice. “Did... Did Kandy just said her first word...” “MOMMY,” Kandy squealed with excitement. Not only did Scarlet came back to life, but she regained her clown form. Archie also cling to his mom with happy tears, as she was hugging both her kids with happy tears.

Aquarius noticed Pennywise standing back facing her while Cassandra tries to comfort him, as both of them were unaware of Aquarius being revived. She walked over to her husband and laid a hand on her husband’s shoulder. “Penny...” Pennywise turned quickly and saw the part-human and part demon clown girl he loved. Pennywise immediately grabbed hold of her and lifted her up in the air before kissing her hard. “I thought I lost you... How is that possible?” Pennywise asked while tearing up. “I don’t know... I was blackened out, until I’ve heard Kandy’s first word.” Aquarius answered. Pennywise turned towards his daughter and walked over and picked her up. “Didja just said your first word, Kandy?” Pennywise asked in a cute cooing sort of way. “Momma...” Kandy said as she extended her arms towards her mommy. Aquarius took her daughter into her arms and kissed her by the head while Archie was being picked up by his dad. “Dad, I think Kandy has discovered her secret power; the power of reviving...” Archie said. Pennywise chuckled before he hugged his son. “Kandy is still a baby, son; I think your mom coming back to life was a lucky coincidence.” Pennywise said to his son.

When Archie looked over at his baby sister, he could have sworn that he just saw Kandy smile with little fangs and made a wink at him. Archie realized that Kandy is a lot smarter than he thinks; however, no one is going to believe him, so he decided to leave it at that... Until next time perhaps.

***

The next morning, Aquarius was sleeping peacefully until she smelled something good. Pennywise came in, wearing his comical black waitress costume. “Penny, what the hell are you wearing!” Aquarius laughed. “I thought I just try on a new look. So I thought I make you Bacon and Legs-- uh I mean-- Bacon and Eggs...” Pennywise chuckled awkwardly. Aquarius laughed at Pennywise’s performance and his word error; known to the fact that she usually cooks Pennywise some bacon and legs, which explains his word error. Pennywise’s eggs and bacon are a little imperfection, with the bacon kind of burnt and the eggs had a broken yoke... Just the way she likes them. “What made you want to do this for me?” Aquarius asked while eating her breakfast. Pennywise sat next to his wife while lying down in a sexy pose; exposing his garter. “You’ve been through a lot; ever since we’ve started a family, you do most of the house work... Since the other day when you were human because of The Dream Demon, I have to raise the kids myself... It was hard, and I really missed you. So you deserve some time off...” Pennywise got on top of Aquarius with his legs spread apart and gently removed her plate. “I took the liberty to send the kids to the Voorhees place for the day... so you and I can have the time for ourselves... You deserve some nice pampering... What do you say... Scarlet?” Pennywise asked with a wink.

Aquarius smiled in fondness since she knew that he was doing this because he was feeling guilty for the way he acted. It made her feel so loved. So she placed her hands on his cheeks. “From all the trouble you’ve been putting yourself into just for me, made me realize that I’ve been more loved than ever before... I’m glad that I became your mate...” Aquarius said before they kissed. Pennywise broke the kiss to ask Aquarius a question. “Can I remove this outfit now? it’s making me feel itchy and my garter is starting to block the bloodstream.” Pennywise asked with a little whine. Aquarius laughed as she agreed; since he had to remove it anyway for... Well, you get the drift.

[In Hell]

While the Satin Clown was distracted, Freddy was getting close into breaking free from the chains, even if he had to cut off his own hand to do so; after all, he is a The Nightmare Demon and his limbs will grow back. So Freddy Krueger escaped the carnie hell and back to his lair.

So at night, you can almost hear his maniacal laughter.

The End?

#IT #IT Chapter 2 #Fandom #Fan Fiction #Aquarius #Aquarius the Singing Clown #Archie #Kandy #A Nightmare on Elm Street #Freddy Krueger

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shefanispeculator · 3 years

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Blake Shelton has 28 career No. 1 songs on the Billboard Country Airplay chart, and another seven that have reached the Top 10. It'd be easy just to stick with the singles in making a list of his best songs, but who likes easy?

Find plenty of deep cuts on this list of Shelton's 50 best songs, including his spiritual songs. Those are sprinkled all over the playlist — The Voice coach is a rare singer who can sing about drinking and heartache with as much conviction as his relationship with God. Fans will find a new one called "Bible Verses" on his Body Language album. It does well on this staff and reader partnership.

Songs with ex-wife Miranda Lambert and fiancee Gwen Stefani make the list as well, but the Top 10 Blake Shelton songs are all solo efforts ... with one exception. Is it strange that his most convincing bedroom ballad was a collaboration with a different "Gwen"? Cover songs by George Jones and Conway Twitty, collaborations with RaeLynn and Trace Adkins, and a co-write with Earl Thomas Conley all make this list of Shelton's top songs. Which is your No. 1?

Top Blake Songs: His Greatest Hits + Best Deep Cuts

Taste of Country staff opinion, and the commercial success of tracks from Shelton's 12 studio albums were certainly considered in making this list of the top songs. More than anything, we sought fan input, via sales and direct input. What's your favorite Blake Shelton song, and does it agree with our No. 1?

Below are the The Voice coach's 50 best songs. Lyrical integrity and production were also considered in this ranking. Really it's hard to argue against any of the Top 5, but we understand if there's a debate about placement. Heck, we encourage it!

Warner Music Nashville

No. 50: "She's Got a Way With Words"

Songwriters Andy Albert, Marc Beeson and Wyatt Earp wrote a clever country lyric, but the problem is, it felt too personal from Blake Shelton in 2016. This is the song that stopped Shelton's impressive streak of No. 1 singles. Sonically, very few songs from this era stand apart from one another.

No. 49: "Gonna"

" isn't a bad song — a strong case could be made that it's better than some of the singles ranked ahead of it on this list of the top 50 Blake Shelton songs, actually — the love story from 2014 just isn't memorable in any way. Think about it: At best you said, "I remember that song" but more likely thought, "which one is that?"

No. 48: "The Wave"

" is a unique metaphor for how a good love can wash away all of your troubles. Blake Shelton's song from Texoma Shore is another fan favorite. The mid-tempo track displays his voice nicely.

No. 47: "When the Wine Wears Off"

," an album track from Texoma Shore that could have been a single. The song's structure and flow is very similar to so many hits from this era of Blake Shelton.

No. 46: "Anyone Else"

When asked which deep cut they like most, Blake Shelton fans chose "

," an album cut from Bringing Back the Sunshine. This ballad shows a bitterness that's rare across the singer's discography, and certainly this list of 50 songs. It's packaged in a fairly unoffensive arrangement, but his lyrics really sting.

No. 45: "Over"

Blake Shelton gives a great vocal performance of a fairly ordinary song during "

," his fourth straight No. 1 single from the Red River Blue album.

No. 44: "I'll Just Hold On"

Shelton relied on a sitar to make this song stand out. It only worked to get him a Top 10 hit. The remainder of "

" is arranged more conventionally, making the outsider instrument something of a gimmick.

No. 43: "All Over Me"

" will always hold a special place for Shelton, as he co-wrote it with an idol, Earl Thomas Conley. The piano-led ballad finds the singer doing something truly unique: Showcasing a timid falsetto during the chorus of this poignant, pure country single. Lyrically it's difficult to keep up with, but sonically it's bold, like so many of his early hits.

No. 42: "Every Time I Hear That Song"

In retrospect, very few songs from Shelton's post-divorce album stack up against his earliest and most recent singles and deep cuts. "

" relies on a vocal hook, but the performance lacks urgency. Still, it hit No. 1 easily.

No. 41: "Sure Be Cool If You Did"

Shelton's Based on a True Story ... album started with "

," but every single that followed is far better and more engaging. This love ballad doesn't hurt for warmth, but the arrangement is milquetoast at best.

Rick Diamond, Getty Images

No. 40: "Drink on It"

Real life couple Jessi Alexander and Jon Randall joined Rodney Clawson for this track from Shelton's Red River Blue album. While still a No. 1 hit, "

" gets a little lost among other more dynamic performances and arrangements on this list of his 50 best songs.

No. 39: "I'll Name the Dogs"

" cast Blake Shelton as a husband in waiting, something his fans and the world in general were hoping for in his real life. The No. 1 hit from 2017 went Platinum on the strength of a pop-rock chorus and a charming lyrical hook.

No. 38: "Happy Anywhere"

" — the second of two straight single collaborations with Gwen Stefani — hit No. 1 and is a total earworm. It's hard to criticize the feel-good jam, but we'll say "Nobody But You" is a superior duet for the country couple.

No. 37: "Neon Light"

In a vacuum, "Neon Light" — a No. 1 hit, released in 2014 — is a funky, country and hip fusion that works. Across Blake Shelton's full catalog of hits and album cuts, however, it tries to do too many things that this singer does better elsewhere. For that reason, this track rates a bit low on this list of Shelton's best songs.

No. 36: "Granddaddy's Gun"

Aaron Lewis' version of this same song was more convincing, but Blake Shelton's "

" wasn't trying to act tough. The more sensitive singer's rendition was more sensitive and polished. The two men were targeting different country audiences.

No. 35: "A Guy With a Girl"

Blake Shelton celebrates his woman during "

" a No. 1 hit from If I'm Honest. The song is a sweet gesture, made atop a radio-ready arrangement.

No. 34: "Nobody But You"

The first of two straight, Gwen Stefani duets to country radio finds the couple trading lines as they tell a love story that can only be described as genuine. The No. 1 hit reached a very pleasing one million downloads quickly. "

" should not be confused with another song on this list. It's a progressive, pop-friendly ballad that truly simmers.

No. 33: "When Somebody Knows You That Well"

Of all of Blake Shelton's official singles, "

" faired the worst. It barely cracked the Top 40, possibly due to an outdated, string heavy arrangement. But it's not a bad little song. Harley Allen co-wrote this ballad and Shelton does OK in finding the right perspective. 'A' for effort, big fella.

No. 32: "Doin' What She Likes"

This charming No. 1 hit is best remembered for a music video in which a bumbling Blake Shelton burns the house down trying to cook a romantic dinner for Miranda Lambert, who makes a vocal cameo early. Sans video, "

" is a warm love song that's fit for a squeeze.

No. 31: "Just South of Heaven"

Another fan favorite from deep in Shelton's catalog, "

" finds the singer relying on a familiar mood over a welcome acoustic guitar and fiddle combination.

No. 30: "Came Here to Forget"

If you expected Blake Shelton's post-divorce album to include some heartache, you were right. "

is a dark country lyric atop an R&B-infused guitar line. His twang keeps it country, but the song is among his most progressive No. 1 hits. Often when he stretches the genre, it's done with a wink — not this time.

No. 29: "Sangria"

Few songs on this list of Blake Shelton's best smolder like "

." The love song rides a warm melody that covers for a barely-there hook. This 2015 hit was one in a string of No. 1 hits for Shelton, most of which went Gold or Platinum.

No. 28: "Jesus Got a Tight Grip"

When Blake Shelton does sit down to write, what comes out is often spiritual. Deep love songs and reflections on a higher power make up his short songwriting catalog. Jessi Alexander helped him with "

," a plucky country-rocker from 2019.

No. 27 Draggin' the River

" tells a dark story of two lovers escaping together, and in that way, it's very Miranda. Shelton's polished vocals and a sweetened production make this track from the All About Tonight EP very Blake, however. While not a single, it was a fan favorite back when they were a couple. We still dig it.

No. 26: "Minimum Wage"

Blake Shelton's blue-collar love song is no "Friends in Low Places" but the spirit of this song still hits today. There's not a lot of love-conquers-all messaging across his catalog, at least not as much as that of storytellers like

" is a mainstream effort that did its job of introducing a new album, but it's hard to put it high on this list of Shelton's 50 best at this point.

No. 25: "Footloose"

Blake Shelton didn't deviate much from Kenny Loggins' original version. The country "

" wasn't a radio hit, but it went Gold and introduced the country singer to an all-genre audience that was just beginning to learn of him via The Voice.

No. 24: "Some Beach"

One could make a case for "

" as Shelton's most important song, as it saved a career that was spiraling after a trio of Top 40 country airplay hits. This is the first time fans got to witness his sense of humor and sarcasm — remember, there was no Twitter in 2004. A pre

Rory Feek co-wrote "Some Beach," showing how wide the singer reached for great songs early in his career.

No. 23: "Bible Verses"

" is the faith song on Blake Shelton's 2021 album Body Language, and it's truly a highlight on the project. The singer approaches the topic with genuine humility that feels as honest as any love or drinking song he has recorded. A great play on a phrase pushes the song higher up on this Top 50 list.

No. 22: "Hillbilly Bone" with Trace Adkins

Blake Shelton proved he's a dynamic duet partner with this partnership with Trace

" is among his most well-known songs, even if it's not a Top 10 song on our list. Amid a catalog of songs with sexy, delicate women, this rocker with tough guy Adkins stands up and demands you pay attention. Even the haters have to smile!

No. 21: "Nobody But Me"

Did you even know that Shelton has a hit song called "Nobody But You" and "

"? The former is his most recent hit with Gwen Stefani, but the 2005 love ballad is the one that deserves a celebration. A jazzy piano carries the country singer atop this pleading love song. It's both memorable and effective.

No. 20: "Savior's Shadow"

Jessi Alexander returns to this list of the best Blake Shelton songs to offer a gentle message about faith and peace. "

" is Shelton's only Hot Christian Songs hit, reaching No. 14 in 2016. He's rarely, if ever, performs the song live.

No. 19: "The More I Drink"

," a Top 10 hit for Blake Shelton in 2007. The singer's early rompers are unmistakably genuine. In his later years, a certain polish would change the raw messaging, but that doesn't exist in this Brent Rowan production.

No. 18: "Playboys of the Southwestern World"

This is a song about best friends. "

" is a critic's pick for this list because we can recall him playing it live. The song is largely shelved now, but it still cooks. As a storyteller, few artists do better than Shelton, as some of the highest ranked songs on this list will prove. Playboys (No. 24 in 2003) is a different kind of story.

No. 17: "Lonely Tonight"

Give Shelton credit: At a time when few solo females could break in country music, he was doing what he could to celebrate talent.

is just one example of the hitmaker looking past stars who would have furthered his career to support Nashville's best. This dark ballad about a one night stand is a provocative conversation that just burned in 2014, a time where Blake Shelton was king. During "

No. 16: "Turnin' Me On"

Blake Shelton hasn't written very many of the songs found on this list of his 50 best. "

" is a rare case where he set out to write a song that became a hit, albeit a minor one. The simmering love song only reached the Top 10 after its 2018 release, but charts aren't everything. Years later it really stands apart from the rest of the songs he released to radio. You can feel his passion as he sings a song that he clearly had girlfriend Gwen Stefani in mind for.

No. 15: "I Lived It"

This Top 5 hit for Blake Shelton seemed to come and go, but we wish it would have stuck around as a catalog cut for the singer. "

" is among his best late model songs as it treads into new, nostalgic territory for a singer who is so often singing of love and love lost.

No. 14: "The Baby"

Blake Shelton cemented himself as one of country music's most promising young storytellers with three of his first four singles, including "

." The heartbreaking mother-son story is a gut punch for older country music fans. Melodically, the chorus gives it wings. This song from The Dreamer would become his second No. 1 hit.

No. 13: "All About Tonight"

" for Blake Shelton, and it's a song that will forever hold a place in his live show. It's kind of the theme song for any country concert, isn't it? In truth, Shelton hasn't released too many all-out jams like this one in the last decade, so it stands out a decade later.

No. 12: "Boys 'Round Here" With Pistol Annies and RaeLynn

Every once in awhile Blake Shelton drops a song that reminds you he doesn't take himself too seriously. It's critical to his artistry and an integral part of his longevity. "

" was his early 2010s version of that song. It's a sort of hip-hop-inspired redneck stomp with callback lyrics and his then-wife's supergroup supporting him. The song is just so much fun to bop along with, even a decade later.

No. 11: "God Gave Me You"

Blake Shelton took Dave Barnes' "

God Gave Me You

" and turned it into a Grammy-nominated, chart-topping country song. But that's just part of the story. The emotive love ballad is also what gave the singer the kick in the pants he needed to propose marriage to then-girlfriend Miranda Lambert. This is a tremendous vocal performance and certainly worthy of a high placement on the singer's best songs list.

No. 10: "My Eyes"

Blake Shelton and

Gwen Sebastian

kept a brother-sister kind of relationship after her time on The Voice. She even joined his band. That changed with "

," a true bed burner that beckons, "Come a little closer, come a little closer / Come a little closer, love the way you look tonight / My eyes are the only thing I don't wanna take off of you."

"My Eyes" was the last of a trio of great male/female collaborations that truly put new female artists on a pedestal. RaeLynn and Pistol Annies joined him for "Boys 'Round Here," Ashley Monroe jumped in for "Lonely Tonight" and Sebastian for "My Eyes." This was a time when women struggled mightily at country radio, but the singer did what he could to help introduce new talent.

Warner Music Nashville

No. 9: "Home"

You see a real change in Blake Shelton's commercial success beginning with his cover of "

" in 2008. One could argue this is his most important radio release, and his vocals stand up to anything else he's put out. Prior to his version of the Michel Bublé song, Top 20 was where he lived. After that, he rattled off a string of No. 1 hits as long as anyone ever: Nineteen of Shelton's next 20 singles hit No. 1.

Warner Music Nashville

No. 8: "Goodbye Time"

There is more than one famous cover among Blake Shelton's 50 best songs. "

" was a

Conway Twitty

hit in 1988, and the younger singer did it justice with a piano-led arrangement that showcased him as a premier vocalist. This song also exemplifies why he was hit-and-miss at radio in the mid 2000s. It followed the chart-topping "Some Beach," which followed a Top 40 song called "When Somebody Knows You That Well." It's good to go back and forth between good times and heartache, but with Shelton, the pendulum swung too far every time. It was hard to figure out who he was for most of a decade.

No. 7: "Ol' Red"

" is not Blake Shelton's best song, but it's his signature song. He can't play a live show without telling this story of a prisoner, a dog and a warden who gets fooled. Early in his career, Shelton wasn't shy about covering other artists, including Conway Twitty and (in this case) George Jones. His tie to the past has loosened in recent years, which is a bummer because songs like this are far more interesting than anything on the radio today.

Warner Music Nashville

No. 6: "Honey Bee"

There's not an easier song in Blake Shelton's catalog to enjoy than "

," his slightly saccharine, but still grinning love song from 2011. The track went triple-Platinum and is perhaps his most recognizable song worldwide today.

No. 5: "Who Are You When I'm Not Looking"

Joe Nichols

cut this song several years before Shelton would make it his best love song. Both versions are exemplary. It starts with the songwriting. Lyrically, "

" is more sensitive and poetic than anything else on this list. Each line is phrased as a question, and each question is one any woman can relate to. The magic is in this hitmaker's personal delivery. His range isn't needed for a subtle romancer that the greats would be proud of. Few country women will resist a warm smile when this No. 1 hit begins.

Warner Music Nashville

No. 4: "God's Country"

God's Country

" rejuvenated Blake Shelton's career. The country-rock song paints a vivid picture but it works so well because everyone who touched the song went for it 100 percent. The chart-topping hit is arguably his best of the last half-decade and an easy pick for Top 10 on this list of his greatest songs.

No. 3: "She Wouldn't Be Gone"

There's no song in Blake Shelton's catalog that paints a breathtaking picture with the same ease of "

She Wouldn't Be Gone

," his No. 1 song from 2008. He begins with, "Red roadside wild flower if I'd only picked you / Took you home set you on the counter" before his second metered stanza that goes, "Yellow sunset slowly dipping down in the rear view / Oh, how she'd love to sit and watch you / I could have done that a whole lot more."

The chorus of this song is where the tension lies, however. Shelton has told great stories before and delivered strong vocal performances plenty of times, but few songs find him so recklessly emotional as this ballad. It's almost unnerving to listen to.

No. 2: "Mine Would Be You"

" is a Top 5 Blake Shelton song because of the twist at the end that just crushes your heart. It's a love song, until suddenly it isn't. Jessi Alexander and company wrote it, but it's the singer's energy that makes the song special. As with "She Wouldn't Be Gone," there's a sense of panic so rare on the radio today. Shelton seems like such a cool character most of the time, but moments like this remind us of his gifts.

No. 1: "Austin"

Fans have, and will continue to, make a case for "

" as Blake Shelton's best song. It's certainly an all-time great debut single — one that would work in any era of country music. Early in his career, the Oklahoma native relied on veteran songwriters and producers like Bobby Braddock to shape his sound. These days everything comes with a little more polish, which is fine and probably even necessary.

You can't compare 20-year-old tracks like "Austin" with modern songs like "I'll Name the Dogs." Lyrically, his newest material lacks depth when held up against the rich tapestry of these early hits. So many songs from Shelton's first two albums make the Top 10 or even Top 20 of this list for this reason. "Austin" at No. 1? It's tempting to select another for the sake of being bold, but doing so would just be dishonest.

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chaoticgremlinwholikescheese · 3 years

Text

The Dare

A/N: I am so sorry I am so bad at slowburn. Also Katharine is kind of a jerk in this one.

JACK’S POV:

“Race, truth or dare?” He considers for a moment. “Truth.” Davey searches his brain for a good dare. “Favorite flavor of ice cream?” Everyone at the table groans. “They’re supposed to be scandalous questions, Davey!” Albert laughs. “I don’t know what to ask! Um. Are you a top or a bottom?”

“That’s more like it. And for your information, I am a switch.” He winks at his boyfriend Spot. Spot rolls his eyes with a smirk. “Jack’s turn. Jack, truth or dare?” I immediately say dare. These boys already know pretty much everything about me. I’d like to keep the few secrets I have secret.

Race glances around the room. He gets a mischievous glint in his eye. “Ask her out on a date.” He points to a girl across the room. She’s reading a book titled ‘The rise and Fall of Germany, ww1 and ww2′. It looks like it weighs as much as Spot.

“That’s Alex Kaminski. Every single guy who’s asked her on a date has been rejected. If you can get her to say yes, I’ll pay for your lunch.” I look down at my empty plate. “I already ate it.”

“I’ll pay for your next lunch.”

Satisfied with the bet, I get up. Asking out a girl is no problem. I’m the flirting extraordinarie. I make my way over to her table and sit across from her. I put on my flirtiest smile. “Hey.” She peeks over her book. “Can I help you?”

“Yeah. I lost my phone number, so I was hoping I could get yours.” She blinks slowly. “That was one of the worst pick up lines I have ever heard.” She closes her book. I finally get a good look at her face. She’s actually really cute.

She has brown hair tied back in a bun. Her green eyes are bright, staring at me with an emotion I can’t quite identify. Freckles dot her nose. I half expected her to be the stereotypical nerd, braces, zits, that kind of thing. I was very wrong.

“You’re Jack Kelly, right?” I nod my head. “How can I help you, Jack Kelly? Do you need a report written? Or a tutor to help bring up your grades?”

“As tempting as those offers are, I’m actually here to ask you out on a date.”

She raises an eyebrow. “A date?”

“Mhm. I’ll pick you up at eight-”

“Hold on, Romeo. I didn’t say yes.”

“Are you going to say no?”

She thinks for a moment. “Usually I would. But something about you intrigues me. Pick me up at eight. Here’s my phone number.”

She slides a piece of paper across the table. Then she goes right back to her book. I take the hint and get up, walking back to my table. They all look at me expectantly. I place the number on the table. Race’s eyes widen. “She actually said yes? I was counting on her embarrassing you in front of everyone!”

“Thanks, Race. And she did in fact say yes. I’m picking her up at eight.”

“Don’t you guys think this is kind of mean?” Davey chimes in.

“Aw, it’s just a date. Not like it’ll get serious or anything.”

Alex is waiting out front when I arrive. I wave. She climbs into the passenger seat. “Good afternoon, milady.” I look at the clock. “Or good night? I don’t know. Anyways, hello.”

“Hi. So, where are we going on this date?”

“I was thinking we could grab some pizza at Jacobis.”

She nods in approval and switches on the radio. An up beat pop song comes on, and she starts to sing along. She has a good voice. I hum along under my breath. She starts swaying to the music, and I join her. Soon the two of us are full on rocking out. The song ends and we both start laughing.

We pull up to Jacobi’s and park. I hold the door for her like a gentleman. We grab a table in the corner. A waiter comes over for our orders. “I’ll take a slice of pineapple and an orange soda, please.” Alex raises an eyebrow. “Pineapple?”

“Before you say anything, it’s delicious.”

“I’m not judging. I was actually going to get the same thing. Make that two slices of pineapple, an orange soda, and a lemonade.”

The waiter scribbles it down and rushes off. Alex crosses her arms on the table. “So. You like pineapple too.”

“Yup. And Race says that makes me the spawn of satan. Honestly, I take that as a compliment.”

“Fun fact, Hawaiian pizza was actually created in Canada.”

“My whole life is a lie.” I dramatically place a hand to my forehead.

The conversation flows easily, like tomato sauce. Not the best analogy. You know what I mean though. We actually have a lot in common. We both like art, we’re both bi, and we’re both failing math. She’s actually a really nice girl. I find myself enjoying the date.

We talk for hours. I only notice how much time has passed when Jacobi’s starts to close. We’re the last people in the restaurant. We quickly pay the check and leave. I drive her home, and we talk the whole way. When we get to her house, I realize that I don’t want the date to end.

“Thanks for tonight. I had fun.” She smiles. God, her smile is beautiful.

“D-do you maybe want to do it again? A second date?”

“I’d like that.”

“So? Was she crazy? Is she a serial killer? Or is she actually a secret spy for the FBI?” Race hounds me with questions. “I bet it wasn’t that nice. She’s not even cute.” Katharine mutters. “Actually, I had a really good night with her. We’re going on a second date.” Everyone’s eyes widen. “Now you have to tell me everything!” Race squeals.

“There’s not much to tell. We got pizza at Jacobi’s and had fun. She’s kind of awesome.” I blush when I admit that. “Jack’s got a crush! I told you I was an expert matchmaker, Davey!”

“What? You- but it was all a joke, right? You aren’t actually planning to date her, right?” I sense a tone of jealousy in her words. “I really like her.” I run a nervous hand through my hair. Davey pats me on the shoulder. “She’s a nice girl. You chose well.” Katharine scoffs under her breath. I choose to ignore it.

We all head into the cafeteria. I see Alex at her normal table, head buried in her book. I walk over and invite her to sit with us. She hesitates, but then she says yes. She takes a seat next to me at the table. The boys stare at her like with interest. She awkwardly waves.

“Everyone, this is Alex. Alex, this is. Well. Everyone.” I gesture widely around the table. They all give various greetings. “So, what are you reading?” Davey asks. She shows him the cover. “I read that a while ago! It was super interesting.”

“Look at the two nerds bonding,” Finch chuckles. “You’re Katharine Pulitzer, right? We have english together.” Katharine pastes on a fake smile and nods. When lunch ends, we all split up. Katharine and I head to Science together. “What’s your deal with Alex?”

“She’s nice. I just don’t like her vibe.”

“Her vibe?”

“She’s not really your type. I don’t really get what you see in her.”

“Once you get to know her, you’ll like her as much as I do. She’s great, I promise.”

ALEX’S POV:

I offer to pay for the movie tickets, but Jack insists on paying. We buy tickets to see a new comedy with Jack Black. We get some popcorn and candy. We have seats near the back. While we wait for the movie to start, Jack throws some popcorn and catches in his mouth.

I try but miss. He laughs and catches another piece. The two of us go back and forth, trying to see who can catch the most. By the time the trailers start, we’ve dropped almost half the popcorn.

About halfway through the movie, Jack places his arm around my shoulders. The classic date move. I don’t mind though. I lean against him, and I see his big dopey smile. I probably have one of my own.

Jack drives me home, and we chat the whole way. I feel like I’ve known him for ages. He walks me to my front door. We stare at each other for a moment. The air is tense, electricity zapping between us. My heart starts to beat faster. Blood rushes to my cheeks.

“Can-can I kiss you?” Jack chokes out. I don’t give him an answer. I just press my lips to his. He places a hand on my cheek. His lips are gentle, loving. When we pull away, both of us are breathing heavily.

“Wow.” Jack whispers.

I blush and avert my eyes.

“You’re going to take me out on a third date, right?”

ALEX’S POV:

Katharine is waiting for me outside our english class. “Hey, Kath!” She doesn’t say hi back. She ushers for me to follow her. She leads me to an empty hallway. “What’s with the secrecy?”

“I have something to tell you. And I’m only doing this because I consider you a friend.” I can see straight through her acting. She’s as fake as Regina George. “What is it?”

“I know you really like Jack. And that’s why I’m really sorry to have to tell you this. But the date he asked you out on? It was a dare. From Race.” I force a laugh. “You’re kidding right?”

She shakes her head. “Do you have any proof?” Katharine pulls out her phone. She scrolls for a few second before handing it to me. It’s a group chat between the gang.

RACE: I still can’t believe she said yes

JACK: I told you, I’m the dare master

ALBERT: that’s a terrible name

JACK: whatever, I still won

RACE: you can’t win truth or dare

FINCH: what are you going to do for the date?

JACK: Take her out for a cheap date, say it’s not working out, win the game

RACE: there’s no winning in truth or dare dude

I fight the tears gathering in my eyes. I hand Katharine her phone back. She stares at me with fake pity. “I’m-I’m going to go.” I rush out of the room. I head to the nearest bathroom and sit in the stall. I let the tears fall. I thought he loved me. I loved him. I was just a joke. He just used me to look cool.

For once I felt loved. Like someone liked me for me. I’m the weird kid, the one people ignore and make fun of. I should have known that he didn’t actually love me. I’m the oddity. All I’m good for is a joke.

I spend the rest of the period in the bathroom. I finally run out of tears. I splash some water on my face. My reflection stares back at me. I look like a ghost. I guess I am in a way. No one really sees me.

I walk to Jack’s science classroom. I wait outside. The bell finally wrings and people start to exit. I see Jack come out. He smiles and walks towards me.

“Hey, hon-”

“Don’t.”

JACK’S POV:

I think I’m in love. That may sound crazy, but it’s true. I’ve only been dating Alex for a month. Best month of my life. I’ve never connected with someone like this. The whole gang likes her too. Except for Katharine. She has something against Alex, I don’t know what.

The bell finally rings. I walk outside and see Alex leaning against the wall. “Hey, hon-”

“Don’t.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Was I just a dare to you?”

My face goes white. “Alex, it’s not like that! It started as a dare, but I really like you. I was going to tell you, but I didn’t want to mess it up-”

“You messed it up when you used me to win a fucking game, dare master. You’re a dick, Kelly. I thought someone finally saw me as something other than the school freak. I guess that’s all I am. A freak people use for their own gain.”

“Please. I love you.”

“Just stop. No more lies.”

She turns her back and walks away. I start to run after her, but the crowd of students pushes me back. I force my way through the crowd. I run into Katharine. Before she can get a word out I ask if she’s seen Alex.

“I haven’t. Is everything alright?”

“No. She found out about the dare. She broke up with me.”

“That’s terrible. I’m so sorry.”

“I don’t care about being dare master, I care about her.” I pause. How did Alex know about the whole dare master conversation? She couldn’t have. Unless someone showed her the texts. And she has her first period with Katharine.

“You told Alex.”

“So what if I did? She wasn’t the right girl for you. You need a girl like me.”

“You don’t get to make that decision! I loved her, and you took that away! Did you really think breaking me up with Alex would make me love you? I don’t love you, Katharine. I never will.”

Katharine tries to defend herself, but I run off. I need to find Alex. I search everywhere, but I can’t find her. Then I look out the window. She’s sitting under a tree. Her knees are pulled to her chest. Her arms are wrapped around her body like they’re the only thing holding her together.

I race outside. She looks up when she hears me coming. “What do you want?” She hisses. “To talk. Please.” She bites her lip. “Fine.” I take a seat next to her. I can see the tear stains on her shirt. My heart breaks. I did this to her. I hurt the woman I love.

“You have five minutes.”

“Alex, it started out as a dare. And I was stupid to take it. I didn’t think about how it would affect you. And I am so, so sorry. And what I said about loving you? That wasn’t a lie. I really do love you.”

“How can I believe you?”

“You can’t. And I don’t expect you to forgive me. I understand if you never want to talk to me again. And I’ll respect that. Whatever you want, I’ll do.”

“God damn it, Jack. You make it so hard to hate you.” Alex tearfully laughs. “What you did, it hurt. I’m willing to give you a second chance because I love you. Don’t make me regret it.”

I gently hold her hand. She leans her head on my shoulder. We’re not perfect. We probably never will be. But all that matters is that we love each other. That’s more than enough.

#jalex #jack x alex #newsies #newsies oneshot #I had so much fun writing this

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offspring-of-calliope · 4 years

Text

Oneshot #3: Jojo’s prayers

Description: Jojo's been acting strange lately and Elmer wants to find out what's wrong. (Pairing: Jelmer; canon era)

words: 1727

warnings: internalized homophobia, paired with homophobia triggered by religion - I am not religious myself, so I hope I got nothing too wrong and I offended no one (if I did, I'm sorry and feel free to tell me)

A/N: I don't really know what to say to this but I got this idea and I couldn't help but write it down because I haven't really seen any fics about the Jojo/Elmer pairing. If you have wishes or complaints or opinions on this, feel free to comment (a comment would actually be really nice because I'm still in the process of figuring out how to write in English).

I hope you enjoy,

Sincerely, me,

Lélodie

-----

Usually, Elmer slept at home with his brothers but since two of them had caught a cold, he was staying at the lodging house to prevent getting sick as well. Right now, he was sharing a bed with Albert. The redhead normally shared his bed with Race but Race had been planning to stay over at Brooklyn for a few days anyway.

The only problem was that Albert really liked to touch while sleeping. Not that Elmer hated touches but he found it hard to fall asleep when Al's arm was nearly suffocating his chest. He contemplated waking the redhead up, however, he didn't want to disturb him while he was peacefully sleeping.

Elmer sighed and tried to turn around a bit so that he could breathe better. In the dark, he could recognize the outlines of Jojo's bed that was right beside the one he shared with Al. Jojo was an unusual guest as well. He was staying with the nun's that raised him most of the time but lately he simply didn't seem to want to return to them. He had become strangely quiet in general, Elmer had noticed.

Now, however, Elmer could hear him talk. He nearly missed it, because it was more of a murmur but after he concentrated really hard, he noticed that Jojo was talking to himself in Spanish. Was he sleep talking? In this moment, Elmer wished to be able to understand Spanish. But with his brain half asleep he even had hard times understanding English.

Curiosity was growing inside him. What would Jojo say if he wasn't able to control his brain-to-mouth filter? Elmer nearly groaned. He should stop thinking about Jojo as much as he did the last few months he had realized that maybe – just maybe – he felt more for the boy than he had originally intended to. But it wasn't his fault that Jojo's smile was addictive and his unpredictable bluntness nothing less than charming.

A few moments passed and Elmer tried to come up with the courage to softly call out to Jojo. On the one hand, he didn't know if Jojo was truly asleep and on the other hand, he wasn't even sure what he wanted to say.

But he hadn't gotten the chance to raise his voice before Henry was calling from the opposite wall. “Quiet! Some people's tryin' ta sleep.” A dump noise – he had even thrown a pillow in Jojo's direction.

“Perdón,” Jojo whispered back. So he had been awake then.

The next night, Elmer had trouble sleeping again but that wasn't Albert's fault. Instead, his head was spinning because he was thinking about the question if he should follow Jojo or not. He had heard the other boy getting up a few minutes ago and was worried. Jojo had seemed very pensive all day and hadn't even cracked a smile at Race and Albert's shenanigans at the circulation gate. Elmer missed his smile. But he didn't want to risk invading Jojo's privacy by kind-of-stalking him.

Once again, he didn't even get the chance to do anything any more. Albert was turning around in his sleep, throwing his arm over Elmer's chest, his leg over Elmer's and rested his head on his shoulder. Elmer laughed a little at the snoring noise that Al let out. Then he decided to just ask Jojo what was wrong in the morning.

According to Jojo, everything was alright. That didn't mean that Elmer believed him. And so he tried to untangle himself from Albert as gently as possible when Jojo once again snuck out at night. He found him kneeling next to the door outside, cradling something in his hands that looked oddly like a cross.

“What's you doing here?” Jojo looked at him with an indescribable expression on his face. Was he angry? Confused? Surprised? Elmer couldn't really decipher it.

A blush spread over his face. “I was worried an' wanted to see if ya were in trouble.”

“I's not in trouble, thanks. Ya can go back -”

“Why's you praying? I mean, I know that's not so strange but I's never seen you pray before.” At least, Elmer suspected that Jojo was praying, considering his kneeling position and the cross between his fingers.

“I -”, Jojo began, not quite sure what to say. Silence. Elmer didn't dare to put pressure on his friend and so he simply sat down next to him, kicking around a little stone with his feet. After a while, Jojo asked: “Can I be honest with you?”

Elmer didn't know if he should be surprised or hurt. “Of course ya can. You can trust me. I thought ya knew that.”

“I do,” Jojo exclaimed and for a moment it seemed as if he wanted to grab Elmer's hand but eventually, he decided against it. “It's just... I haven't talked ta anyone 'bout this. Not even Jack.”

“It's alright. Ya don't have ta tell me if you's not ready, Jojo.” Elmer smiled at him and his heart fluttered when he saw Jojo cracking a small smile as well.

“You's always so patient, it's annoying. I mean, not annoying annoying but cute annoying.” Jojo sighed. Then, the small smile was gone. “I have ta tell anyone 'bout this before I explode. So. Here it goes. Ya know, next to the convent, there's a house an' there was living a man who died a while ago. An' some day, I heard the nuns talkin' an' they was sayin' that the man was... a queer. An' they seemed so disappointed an' so I talked to another nun 'bout it an' she told me that it's not really bad if you's likin' boys if you's a boy. But actin' on it's sinning.” Jojo fiddled with the cross in his hands. “I don't wanna disappoint God, ya know? He has given me so much – all of you boys an' I know that there's people who have it better than we does but... I wouldn't wanna loose what I have now.”

Elmer wanted to punch himself in the stomach so that the fluttering would end.

“So I apologized and I prayed for His forgiveness. Like I's said, I don't wanna disappoint Him. But...” A deep breath. “I can't not act on it any more. Ya know what I wanna say?” Jojo didn't even dare looking Elmer in the eyes, instead fixating the street with his gaze.

Elmer felt like the breath was knocked out of his body. Had Jojo really just told him what he thought he did? “Would ya say that Racer's a disappointment?”

Confused, Jojo looked up at him, still not quite meeting his eyes. “Why would I...? Race's a bit of a danger to himself most of the time but no, he's not a disappointment. But did ya realize what I just -”

“Why do ya think Spot's letting a 'Hattan newsie stay over this long?”

It took a while but soon, realisation dawned on Jojo's face. He still seemed to be at a loss of words, though, so Elmer kept on talking: “You's not alone, Jojo. Many of the other boys fancy another boy but that doesn't make them any less worth of God's love, does it? They don't hurt anyone. They's spreading love and acceptance. That's a good thing, don't ya think?” Hesitantly, Elmer reached over and began to rub Jojo's back. Carefully, as if the other boy would break under his touch. And indeed – Jojo didn't break but Elmer could feel him slightly trembling.

As he was looking more closely, he could even see tears glistening in the corners of Jojo's eyes. “Oh, Jojo,” Elmer sighed and moved to wrap his arms fully around the other boy but Jojo suddenly leaned away from his touch.

“I's not... You's right but that doesn't mean that it's alright if I... Ya know?” Jojo stuttered a bit, more and more tears forming in his eyes.

“It's only a hug, Jojo. A hug's not a crime and it's not actin' on somethin' an' sinning,” Elmer said but he leaned a little bit away from Jojo to give him the space he needed.

“I know. But with you... it wouldn't be only a hug with you, Elmer. You understand?”

Elmer did understand. It took everything in his power not to stand up, run around, sing and hug the world. Jojo liked him back! Maybe it wouldn't be easy in the beginning but maybe... just maybe they could make it work. “I understand,” he answered, a little out of breath and smiling once again. “Just so ya know... For me, it also wouldn't be only a hug. But it's alright. I'll just sit here. Take all the time you need.”

“Thank you.” The light of the stars that were hiding behind a cloud until now was illuminating Jojo's face, framing his smile and dancing over his head, making him look like either an angel or a saint. Elmer couldn't have been more happy than in this moment.

The next night, a small voice startled him. “Elmer?”

Elmer turned around, glad that Albert hadn't already begun to cuddle him. He was met with Jojo's face, only centimetres away from his. “Yes?”

“Can ya... Can ya hold me while I's sleeping?” Jojo seemed so unusually unsure although he had been his smiley self all day again.

Elmer couldn't help but ask cautiously. “What does God say to this?”

Only now did Elmer realize that Jojo was fiddling with the cross from the day before in his hands. “I... asked him to tell me what's right in my situation. An'... An' then the stars were shinin' down on you an'... I think that's a sign. That maybe he isn't mad at me.”

Elmer chuckled. “Nobody could stay mad at ya for long, Jojo.”

“I knows, I's a real sunshine, ain't I?” Jojo laughed.

From the opposite wall, they could hear Henry murmur: “What's a boy gotta do to make you shut up?”

“Sorry, Henry. We'll be more quiet now,” Elmer apologised. Then, he turned back to Jojo. “Go on, I'll be with ya in a second.”

“Elmer?”

“Yes?”

“I's glad I got ya.”

“I's glad I got ya, too.”

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bobdylanrevisited · 3 years

Text

John Wesley Harding

Released: 27 December 1967

Rating: 9/10

Following a very severe motorcycle accident in 1966, Dylan disappeared for the public eye and settled down with his new family in Woodstock. By vanishing at the height of his fame, some newspapers even questioned if he had died. Whilst in his self-imposed exile, he once again reinvented himself into a much more mellow and americana artist, recording basement tapes with The Band (not to be released for 8 more years) and this strange, stripped down album that comes completely out of left field and had very little fanfare surrounding it’s release. His voice has once again transformed, no longer is it the nasal, youthful angst of the previous records, but a combination of touring fatigue and quitting smoking meant it was turning into a much more countrified crooner style. His writing also evolved yet again, he was now focused on saying less and meaning more, each lyric steeped in mythology and, as a theme for the whole album, the presence and influence of scripture.

1) John Wesley Harding - Unfortunately, the title track is not only a misspelling of the outlaws name, it is the worst song on the album and even Dylan acknowledged that it isn’t very good. That being said, it is a nice introduction to how his style and voice have changed, gone are the electric guitar solos and loud drum kits which caused such controversy, this is a return to his roots with all the musicians being much more restrained and ‘folky’. However, it is still a simple throwaway song that I usually skip when I often revisit the album.

2) As I Went Out One Morning - The bass on this song is brilliant, as are the haunting lyrics, which talk of Tom Paine, saving a damsel, and heading south. It is a difficult song to make sense of, some have suggested it is referring to the history of America, but to be honest I don’t care what the meaning is, I’m happy to just get swept up in the track. The vocals are very understated and effortless, and the music creates an atmosphere of uncertainty that is very different from anything that Dylan has done before.

3) I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine - From the titles it’s obvious this is full of religious imagery, and putting the saint to death with whom Bob now identifies. Augustine was killed when Rome was overrun and Bob imagines himself both listening and learning from him, but also joining in with the mob as they execute him. Although the song has much fewer words than anything on Blonde On Blonde, it is full of incredibly provocative and intelligent language, showing just how much his penmanship had altered to be more concise. Every live version of this song is brilliant also, as it gives Dylan a chance to show off his incredible pipes.

4) All Along The Watchtower - I may be alone in this, and even Dylan disagrees with me, but I prefer this version to Hendrix’s. Don’t get me wrong, Jimi’s version is fantastic, but I think the original is more fitting with the subject matter. Another biblically influenced song, the harmonica and wistful singing are perfect, and it’s no wonder this track garnered so much attention upon the albums release. This is, unsurprisingly, one of Bob’s best songs, and is also the one he has played live the most, although he does play Jimi’s version which is fair enough for the stadiums. The album version is very intimate, and feels as though he is sat next to you telling you a story, and the whole arrangement provokes a reaction within you of wonder, and it’s just Dylan doing what he does best.

5) The Ballad Of Frankie Lee & Judas Priest - The only other song I don’t like, a 5:35 fable about morals. It feels a bit preachy, and although it may be tongue in cheek, the track is actually fairly boring with the words being spoken rather than sung. Whilst there are some brilliantly written lyrics within, this is another song I skip as it feels like a complete misstep compared to the 3 songs proceeding it.

6) Drifter’s Escape - Following the last track’s slowing down of the album, this brilliant tune helps you quickly forget it, as Bob weaves another fascinating story about a drifter in court for charges he does not understand, and being freed by a lightning bolt hitting the court house and those inside praying as he slips out. The drifter may have been saved by god or the devil, but it makes much more sense that the drifter is actually Dylan. He was on trial for going electric, and his saved by his motorcycle accident allowing him to disappear. Regardless of the protagonists identity, this is a great song which again has much more stripped back instrumentation and some fantastic singing.

7) Dear Landlord - The main thing about this track is the haunting piano, and Bob pleading for equal rights. It may be that this track is about Bob’s manager Albert Grossman, the two had fallen out and there were arguments surrounding money. It could also be once again about god and religion, though this would make the song much less interesting. I feel like a broken record saying this again, but how anyone can say that Bob can’t sing only need listen to this track to be proven very wrong.

8) I Am A Lonesome Hobo - Another song regarding morals, though this one is more gripping, as the hobo advises the listener to live by their own code and not make the same mistakes he has. A big part of this album is the high pitched harmonica, which can be grating to begin with, but I found that it really adds to the overall feel of the record and the best example of that is on this song. The mellow instruments are punctuated by Bob’s mouth organ, creating a unique sound that is both exciting and alerts you to the importance of the words.

9) I Pity The Poor Immigrant - In all honesty, I have no idea what this song is about. I doubt the literal interpretation of Bob hating on immigrants is correct, considering his political views and his protest years, so there must be a deeper layer I’m missing. However, this is a slow number, which is relaxing and almost dreamlike. I like the song, and the Isle of Wight 1969 live version is very good, but I’ll just assume that the immigrant in question is a metaphor for something I don’t believe in, luckily it doesn’t change my enjoyment of the song.

10) The Wicked Messenger - It’s clear that Bob was obsessed with scripture during this period, though he would not be ‘born again’ for another 12 years, as this is another biblical tale told in Bob’s unique style. I think his interest in the bible comes from seeing himself in many of the stories, this being a key one where he views himself as a ‘wicked messenger’, someone who speaks the truth and is chastised for it. Once again, the bass, vocals, harmonica, and storytelling ability are perfect here, and it’s a quicker number which is wholly enjoyable even if, like me, you don’t understand all the bible references.

11) Down Along The Cove - This is a very minimalist love song, with some lovely piano, and some brilliant singing. No hidden meaning, just a lovely little track that’s sure to put a smile on your face.

12) I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight - The closing track is a huge clue as to what Dylan’s next venture would sound like. This country tune seems almost out of place compared to the rest of the album, but it is a great song, with Dylan’s Nashville-style crooning in full force. Again, the Isle of Wight 1969 live version is fantastic, and it is a nice closing number which is more uplifting and fun than many of the more ‘spiritual’ tracks.

Verdict: I really wish I could give this album a 10, it pains me that I can’t, but with two songs I actively dislike and some difficult themes for my atheist brain to respond to, I have to knock a point off the score. That being said, this is one of my most listened to Dylan albums, it’s so relaxing and interesting as a body of work, and I thoroughly recommend it to anyone with working ears. The ability to reinvent himself is once again astonishing, this sounds like a completely different human following on from three intense electric albums, and this was only released the following year. Leaving the sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll behind was good for Dylan, family life suited him and he was already sounding a little less jaded. He seemed to be able to deal with the anger that plagued his last few albums in a more spiritual and emotional manner. His next record would show his maturity and, oddly enough, that he was capable of genuine happiness, as his voice, guitar, and songwriting would delve even deeper into the country style.

#bob dylan #john wesley harding

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ohtomatotome · 4 years

Text

Awakening the Commander

Game - Character: Midnight Cinderella - Albert Burckhardt

Female MC

Genre: Smut. NSFW. Dom/sub kink exploration.

1750 words

-----

“Are you close?” His question was followed by a thrust of his hips, sweet and slow.

You and your boyfriend Al had slept together five times before. Not once were you able to reach orgasm.

Tonight seemed doomed to be the sixth time.

The first time it happened, he was very thoughtful and eager to help you get off afterwards with amazing oral. But every time since, he had worked hard to get you to cum during foreplay so you could at least have one orgasm just in case it didn’t happen during sex. Which it hadn’t.

He was your first lover. Was this sort of thing normal? You didn’t know. Who could you even ask that sort of question to? The internet was no help. You knew that you could peak when you masturbated alone -- no problem there! It wasn’t his size; he was well-endowed and had tremendous stamina.

The two of you had tried all sorts of positions. He had your body singing each and every time. But there was a point that the pleasure would plateau and hold steady without going over the tipping point. The small part of you that was a masochist secretly delighted in that exquisite sensation of your own body denying itself release.

But the greater part of you was frustrated beyond belief.

And that’s where you were tonight.

He was nestled above, making love to you, gentle and tender as always.

“No.” You answered quietly, and you found yourself continuing after a short pause. “But … I might get there if you, um, get a little rougher and … and call me a g-good girl…”

No answer.

In the dim light, you could make out a foreign expression cross his features. You blushed furiously and looked away as his gentle thrusts slowed down. You were sure he would think you’re a freak now. You should have never let your submissive kink show! Did you totally turn him off with that suggestion? You held your breath.

Feeling him shift his weight, he took your hands from their grasp on his shoulders and started to lower them.

“If I hold you down, would that help, too?” His voice sounded naturally curious, as if testing a theory.

Was he --? Was he going to get into this and do it for real? Your breath caught in your throat. You gave an affirmative “Mm-hm” and a tiny nod, afraid that if you moved anymore than that it might disrupt this dream.

He pinned your wrists above your head to the mattress. Heat trickled through your veins. You marveled at the rush of euphoria that came from such a simple gesture!

“I can definitely be rough with you.” He paused and gave you a smile you had never seen on his lips before. “If you say ‘please’.”

“Uh...”

Your mind blanked. He really, actually, truly was going through with this! It was like one of your fantasies!

You gasped audibly as he tightened his grip and gave a single thrust just to remind you he was still rock hard and buried inside you.

“You can say ‘please’, can’t you?” A teasing tone entered his voice.

Oh! He never teased you! You swallowed thickly, scarcely able to believe this was happening.

“...please. Please be rough with me.” Your voice sounded so small.

He bent down and looked closely at your face. Without his glasses on, he couldn’t see you that clearly. You figured he was trying to get a better read of your expressions.

“But I don’t think I can call you a good girl…”

You tried not to let your disappointment seep into your voice or show on your face.

“Oh.”

What should you say to that? You opened your mouth ready to say that it was okay, but then he leaned closer and whispered in your ear. “...Because good girls cum on their master’s cock.”

Your heart stopped. You were SURE it stopped. Oh, nope. Not stopped. It was simply thudding so rapidly that it felt as if it wasn't beating at all. Blood rushing made your ears pound.

This was it. He was pinning your wrists down, teasing you, and using all the right words and tone. Oh God, this was exactly what you were craving! You knew you should be looking obedient like a demure sub, but you couldn’t help the triumphant glow in your eyes and the exuberant grin splitting your face.

You let out a squeak as he bit your earlobe before pulling away from you. He switched his hold on your wrists with one hand, and used the other to hoist your hips higher. Then the most mind-numbing fucking in your life began. You squealed and moaned over and over. The way he mercilessly slammed into your pussy was blissful. You closed your eyes.

“Look at me.”

Your eyes popped open the instant you heard his command.

“You like getting fucked hard by your master, don’t you?” That deep voice sent jolts of pleasure straight to your loins.

“Yes!” The answer was immediate. You didn’t even think before opening your mouth.

“Yes, what?” He prompted, each word punctuated with a deep thrust.

“Yes, master!” It was practically a scream.

Could this night get any better?!? You were floating on cloud nine, being pounded into rapture. You moaned as you concentrated on the feeling in your core. The snapping of his hips was the perfect rhythm. Wrists fidgeted a teensy weensy bit, just to feel his grip on them to remind you that you were being held down. His grunts turned into low hungry groans as his gaze bore into yours with ferocity.

“You want to be a good girl don’t you? You better cum before I do.” He never talked dirty like this in bed before. Your heart was doing triple flips of joy.

You could feel your center give a little spasm; it filled you with hope. Finally! He must have felt it, too, because he growled through clenched teeth.

“That’s right. I want to feel your pussy squeezing down on me when you orgasm.”

His thrusts started to get erratic. You were so close to ecstasy. That tightening coil in your belly was about to spring undone. Just a little more … just a bit … you just wanted something to push you over...

“Come on. Be a good girl and cum for me. Cum for your master.”

Your brain silently screamed YES SIR. That was it! His encouraging command was EXACTLY what you needed! Your channel clenched down hard on his length, and you let out a guttural shout at the overwhelming release. He fucked you slower through your waves, grunting out the words “Such -- hnnngh -- a good girl … ahhh.”

His own orgasm followed in a moment. When he was finished, he let go of your wrists and rubbed your arms up and down as he looked down at you with loving eyes. “My good girl.” His deep-voiced praise was the cherry on top of this sexy sundae. A contented sigh left your lips and eyes fluttered closed at the delicious feeling enveloping your chest at those words you longed to hear.

-----

After cleaning yourselves up in comfortable silence and snuggling together under the sheet, you traced patterns in his chest hair with your fingertips, finding the proper way to start talking about what just happened. You gently cleared your throat.

He reached out an arm to his bed stand for his glasses, putting them on and looking at you expectantly.

“I was hoping you’d be… um, into... that sort of thing, but you never gave any indication.”

He let out a gentle scoff in reply. “Neither did you. Until tonight.” The inquisitive look he gave you spurred you on to keep talking.

“You’re so commanding with the troops. You always take charge in any situation, and you have this dominating presence everywhere you go. You constantly encourage me to improve my self-discipline…” You paused a moment, grasping for the right words. “So… I thought you’d naturally be like that in bed, too. I was a little, eh... disappointed when every time we had sex it was so …. Nice. And gentle. And sweet.” You gave a short sheepish giggle at how shameful and silly that sounded out loud.

A thoughtful pause followed. “Hm. Disappointment? Is that what was keeping you from reaching orgasm, then?”

You had never made that connection, but it seemed plausible. “Maybe it was, I guess? Subconsciously anyway.”

You wanted to explore a different vein of this topic, though. Your cheeks turned a little pink as you stammered. “Um … so that stuff you said and did -- it... it was all really really great. Um, exactly the sort of things I was hoping for. Did you … er, were you hiding that all this time?”

Thankfully, he didn’t laugh at your flustered state and took your question seriously. “You mean, was I holding back by being gentle? Doubtful. I genuinely wanted to treat you lovingly as the woman I treasure. I tried to show that in my love-making.”

His honest response simultaneously gave you warm fuzzies and made you cringe abashedly at your own selfishness.

He pushed up his glasses and continued “I surmise I was channeling the material I had seen in porn. But now that you mention it, most of what I watch tends to have that domination theme to it. When you asked me to call you a good girl, something switched on inside me, like an electrical circuit was suddenly activated. As if I was hardwired for it, but never had a chance to put it to use before. Perhaps I’m more into being a Dom that than I thought?”

Your brain buzzed at this surprising disclosure. An exciting idea popped into your head. You gave him a coy look. “Maybe we could watch that porn together, and try out some of the things in it…?”

A reddish hue began to creep over his cheeks. He coughed dryly into his fist. “Ahem. You, ah, wanting to watch porn with me is an arousing thought all by itself, but using it as a tutorial? That is second-level hot.”

You discovered his firmness brush against your thigh as you cuddled closer. Your hand traveled down his chest until it wrapped around his dick. He bit his lip as you stroked him a couple times. A devilish grin wreathed your face as you brought your lips close to his ear to whisper in a sensual tone.

“Mm, seems like this particular conversation has got you ready to go again, Commander… And this time we can take it sweet and slow the way you like it.”

#midnight cinderella #midcin #midcin albert #midnight cinderella albert #albert burckhardt #midcin fanfic #my fanfic #ohtomatotome #midnight cinderella fanfic #d/s

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nerianasims · 4 years

Text

Billboard #1s 1971

Under the cut.

Tony Orlando & Dawn – “Knock Three Times” -- January 23, 1971

Lounge lizard smarm. Coming on to a neighbor who doesn't even know you is not going to end well, especially when you're bugging her by note in her own home.

The Osmonds – “One Bad Apple” -- February 13, 1971

Gah, another little kid singing a love song. And one that would be sleazy if it were sung by an adult. "I can tell you been hurt/ By that look on your face, girl/ Some guy brought a sad evening/ To your happy world." Or maybe she has indigestion. Or maybe that look on her face is because you're being a total creep at her. Go away, shut up, and grow up. This song is terrible.

Janis Joplin – “Me And Bobby McGee” -- March 20, 1971

Janis Joplin finished recording this song three days before she died. Always the good ones. In this case, a great one. This is one of my favorite songs.

The Temptations – “Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)” -- April 3, 1971

The narrator is in love with a woman he doesn't know. Whether the woman even exists is an open question. He's dreaming of finding a love to have a nice life with, "a little home in the country." The background strings give the song a fitting dreamy quality. Brilliant and moving.

Three Dog Night – “Joy To The World” -- April 17, 1971

I've loved this song since I was a little kid, and it's easy to see why. "Jeremiah was a bullfrog! Was a good friend of mine!" My favorite part now is "If I were the king of the world/ Tell you what I'd do/ I'd throw away the cars and the bars and the wars/ Make sweet love to you." It's a song I have to dance to (while sitting nowadays), and is another of my favorite songs.

The Rolling Stones – “Brown Sugar” -- May 29, 1971

Whoo boy. Okay so. I didn't know what the lyrics were to any part of this song but the chorus until a couple years ago. Mick Jagger was capable of singing clearly, but he chose to pull the marbles in the mouth technique on this one, and you can see why. If people had had the internet to look up the lyrics easily in 1971, would this have been a hit? I'm not qualified to say anything else about it.

The Honey Cone – “Want Ads” -- June 12, 1971

Her husband is cheating on her, so she plans to advertise for a replacement, specifically a "young and single and free" one. It's Motown, but not the best type. The chorus is memorable, and the song is fun, but it's nothing too special.

Carole King – “It’s Too Late” -- June 19, 1971

Carole King, with her husband Gerry Goffin, was one of the biggest songwriters of the 60s. By 1971, she'd divorced her husband and released one of the most successful albums ever, Tapestry. I've got the CD. It's a song about a breakup, but not heartbreak. They tried to make it, but it's over now. It's a resigned, adult song about some very tired people. It's not my favorite song on Tapestry; that's "I Feel the Earth Move." But it's a really good song.

Paul Revere & The Raiders – “Indian Reservation (The Lament Of The Cherokee Reservation Indian)” -- July 24, 1971

Well, it's progress since "Running Bear" and "Custer" anyway. It's well-meaning, probably. And that's the only good thing I have to say about it. Moving on, as quickly as possible.

James Taylor – “You’ve Got A Friend” -- July 31, 1971

This is another Carole King song, and her version's on Tapestry. I prefer hers. It's a little faster, and I don't like James Taylor's voice.

The Bee Gees – “How Can You Mend A Broken Heart” -- August 7, 1971

Speaking of voices I don't like. This is before the Bee Gees got into disco. I think the song itself is probably pretty okay. But the way the Bee Gees sing it is too slow and overly mannered. At least there’s no falsetto.

Paul & Linda McCartney – “Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey” -- September 4, 1971

Um... what? I think this is Paul apologizing to what the Baby Boomers would later decree was the "Greatest Generation." Sort of. There's a bit of "sorry not sorry" about it too. It hardly feels like an intentional song at all though. More like Linda and Paul were screwing around in the studio.

Donny Osmond – “Go Away Little Girl” -- September 11, 1971

Seriously? Okay, Donny Osmond is a little boy, and a little boy telling a "little girl" to go away is more odd than creepy. But also, he's already in a committed relationship and so doesn't want to be tempted to cheat when he's what, twelve at most? Sheesh. People's taste is a mystery to me.

Rod Stewart – “Maggie May” -- October 2, 1971

UM. An older woman lured a young man away from home. A really young man. A really, really young man. Not a man, but a boy. He's obviously supposed to be under 18 -- I'd guess 16 at most. The lyrics are very much about grooming. It's musically good. And the lyrics don't excuse Maggie or anything. But it's not a song I want to listen to a lot either, considering the subject matter.

Cher – “Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves” -- November 6, 1971

I had no idea "gypsy" was a slur until a few years ago, or even that it was connected with the Romani people. I think most Americans probably still don't know. And they really didn't know in 1971. The narrator probably is not Romani, but who knows. The point of the song is that she's part of an underclass that's insulted and abused, but then "every night, all the men would come around and lay their money down." A 21 year old man seduces her when she's 16 and now she's pregnant, and he's nowhere to be found. What else is an underclass for, after all? Cher sings the hell out of it. So that's two songs in a row about an adult sexually exploiting a teenager.

Isaac Hayes – “Theme From Shaft“ -- November 20, 1971

Some levity is welcome. Especially when it's this good. Damn right.

Sly & The Family Stone – “Family Affair” -- December 4, 1971

This song has a slow funk beat. Slow for funk. It's also kinda repetitive. As for the lyrics, I don't know what's going on. It starts seeming like it's going to be about how kids in a family can turn out different, but they're still family so everyone's gonna love each other any way. Then it veers off into newlyweds who are still checking each other out. I think. And then... I don't get it. The song sounds good though, whatever it's about.

Melanie – “Brand New Key” -- December 25, 1971

Roller skates used to have keys. My mom liked Melanie, so she had an album with this on it, and so this song is how I learned about that. Also, I'm pretty sure this song is about sex. "I've got a brand new pair of rollerskates/ You've got a brand new key/ I think we should get together/ And try them out you see." It's a bouncy, fun little song.

BEST OF 1971: "Me And Bobby McGee" by Janis Joplin WORST OF 1971: "One Bad Apple" by The Osmonds

#billboard number ones

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beautifulletdownfics · 5 years

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‘someday, someday’ :: tumblr edition, #21

I woke up to Harry.

"What are you—

"Shhh," He interrupted my sleepy confusion, his arms were digging under my body and pulling me out from the back of the sofa I had been sleeping on, "Just hang on a minute ..."

He leaned over me slowly and lodged himself between the back of the sofa and my body, his arms tightly holding around the duvet I was burritoed in. I very much felt like I was about to fall onto the floor and an involuntary yelp escaped me to express the thought. The jolting movement caused an unpleasant rush through my head pointing to the hangover brewing.

"I've got you," Harry reassured me, straightening up and pulling me even closer against his chest. He wiggled his legs slightly to sandwich mine and help us both to sit snuggly. Flashes of our intimate moments the night before rose in my mind as Harry’s cologne triggered a vivid memory. His hands now were soft and gentle but my mind remembered them searching my body lustfully and I couldn’t stop the way my heart started racing from the memory.

"Your hair is wet," I told him dumbly, feeling the cold wetness from a stray lock stick to my cheek.

"I had a shower." "Here?" I frowned, Harry hadn't been here when the girls and I had arrived back at my house sometime around four in the morning.

"No," I could feel him smiling as he pressed his lips to my forehead, "I showered at home and came straight here to make sure you survived the night.”

I turned my head up to meet his, grinning back at him when he seemed surprised by the movement. I went straight for his lips, wanting to feel the same sensation of glorious mindlessness that I had kissing him last night. Harry hummed against me and quickly deepened the kiss, dragging a hand up my back to hold the back on my head. The material of the knitted jumper he was wearing scratched my cheek and I smiled against him when he flipped one of his legs over both of mine to trap me further. Just when my body was starting to get into the rhythm of the kiss Harry slowly pulled back from it. His lips found my chin and my nose and then the side of my mouth before he stopped completely and just looked at me.

He didn’t say anything for a few beats, "That was very nice. How was the rest of your night last night? What did I miss?”

I pressed my pointer finger to his chin, inspecting the way his lips were pinker from having kissed me, “I think I have a bruise on my leg from a bar stool.”

Harry’s laugh exploded out of him before even he could contain it and I lowered my hands back between us against his warm chest to snuggle down in the cuddle, “What on earth did you get up to with a bar stool? Should I be jealous?”

“We ended up at a karaoke bar and Bel needed a boost up onto a stool but she fell off and it crashed into my leg. She has an egg on her head.”

“Jesus Christ, is she okay?” Harry’s chest was shaking with laughter.

“She’s mad she messed up the lyrics to Life for Rent.”

Harry nearly snorted when a deeper laugh overtook him and he settled into a long, deep laugh, “She picked a Dido song?”

I was grinning at the way Harry could hardly get the words out. I wasn’t sure how I’d managed to be the one causing this bubbling of joy from him but I loved every second of it. I closed my eyes and settled into the feeling of being held and tried to forget the headache swirling around my head.

“Life for Rent is actually a beautiful song,” I defended quietly.

“It it,” Harry agreed, “It’s just so left of centre. I was surprised ... I needed that laugh, thank you.”

"My pleasure, but if my leg needs to be amputated, boy, are you going to be sorry your initial reaction was laughter."

"Didn't think I'd ever see a day I could say Nina Lawrence was being over-dramatic," Harry said dryly.

"You've unleashed a monster."

“Sounds like you had a fun night?" He asked quietly, his lips moving against my check, "What time did you get in?"

My mind was running at a million miles from Harry being so close and stumbled on my answer, "I did. Somewhere around four I think."

"And you're a good host so you've let them take your bed?" He asked, referring to the girls.

Yes, but I wish I’d taken you up on the offer to stay in yours last night.

"Four in the bed was a bit too much." I confirmed.

"You looked very cosy out here, I wasn't going to join you but I found I couldn't resist."

"I wasn't expecting you this morning," I said, broaching the topic of why Harry was at my house.

He'd surprised me last night when he stayed with my family after my performance at Royal Albert Hall until midnight. Eventually he’d whispered in my ear he needed to leave if he was going to be able to sing properly today. In the excitement of my performance I had forgotten he had his own to think about.

Soon after I ended up going out with the girls, who were keen to have one last dance in London before going back home up North. I wasn’t complaining about him being here this morning, but I thought we had our Christmas farewell the night before.

Up against Harry’s car. For about twenty minutes.

"I'm here to sneak you out for a quick breakfast before the others wake up,” He said, and I felt myself blush at what I had been remembering from the night before, “I was thinking about it last night after I got home and I just kind of decided I wasn’t particularly happy with not seeing you this morning when if I was organised I definitely could.”

Harry’s fingers were drawing distracting circles on my back and feeling the vibrations from his voice as he spoke from having my head pressed against his chest only made it all feel a special kind of intimate.

A lovely warm feeling filled me at his words. If seeing him hold his own with my family and friends last night wasn't already enough to reassure me of Harry fitting in my world surely seeing the effort he put into getting to spend time with me was convincing enough. If only the dirty voices of doubt in me could see that.

I hadn't said anything, Harry squeezed me slightly, "Can I have one more date before you leave?"

"'Course you can," I mumbled back, dragging my hands up and tugging at the neck of his jumper.

"A true gentlemen would have come over and cooked breakfast for all of you ... My compromise is that we bring breakfast back for the girls, what time do you think they'll wake up?."

"They won't surface before midday. The train we’re getting is at 1:30.”

"Great, we have plenty of time then ... On a scale of one to ten how much does <i>your</i> head hurt right now?"

"A four but growing."

"You need some food. And fresh air," Harry said decisively, "A green juice and some breakfast and you'll be good as new."

At the thought of getting up a heavy weariness fell over me, "Or we could just stay like this all day."

Harry hummed into my hairline and squeezed his arms around me again, "Very tempting. But I'm actually extremely hungry, I went for a run earlier."

"Earlier?" I groaned, "What could be earlier than this?"

Harry laughed and without any warning sat up, keeping his hold on me and forcing me upright as well.

"Wait," I protested meekly, needing a moment to take stock of exactly how bad I was feeling.

"Are you going to vomit? Should I be worried about alcohol poisoning?"

I hit his arm lightly, "No, just give me some warning next time."

Harry gave me ten minutes to creep around upstairs and get myself decent for breakfast. It required sneaking into my room for a change of clothes, the three lumps that were Isobel, Sam, and Georgie taking up all of my bed didn't make a sound or movement while I did so. Still, I scrawled out a note for them at left it on top of Sam's phone where it was charging.

Harry had waited for me on the sofa, and when he heard me coming down the stairs he met me at the bottom of them, all rugged up in this coat and a scarf. I followed him out the door, sneaking a look at his bum in the trendy, loose blue jeans he was wearing. He looked fantastic.

Harry grabbed for my hand when outside I started walking towards his car, "Nope, this way," he corrected, tugging me towards him and starting to walk in the opposite direction down my street, "I Googled, there's a nice looking place just around the corner. I thought we could just walk there?"

"You're a man with a plan," I commented, swinging our joined hands between us.

"I'd hate you to think I don't have my shit together," Harry quipped back, "Besides which, I take you and breakfast very seriously."

Oh boy.

"My brain can't decide yet if food sounds good or bad," I groaned, pulling my sunglasses down from the top of my head. The wintery London chill was in the air but we were being graced with an uncharacteristic sunny morning.

The cafe Harry had in mind was a little busy, but Harry walked in with purpose, asking for a table for two of us. We ended up tucked into a corner, Harry sat with his back to the window and immediately opened the menu reminding me not for the first time just how hungry he was.

I didn’t spend a lot of time looking at the menu, the third thing on the breakfast list was ricotta pancakes with strawberries. I didn’t need to see any further options.

Harry deliberated over two or three options however, looking crestfallen when the waitress came over and he had to make a final decision. He was trying to avoid dairy for the day to help with his voice.

Once I ordered food with a coffee he pointed to the menu and said “I’ll have this one. With bacon,” a small frown, “And mushrooms.”

He also ordered two green juices, promising me it would help with the thudding in my head.

“Is an OJ not good enough?” I lamented after the waitress left.

Harry grinned at me, “You’re a precious drunk.”

“I am not still drunk,” I defended quickly, taking my sunglasses off my head and putting them on top of my phone on the table.

“Precious hungover then,” He edited warmly. "I really like your family and friends. Last night was great.”

“I thought so to. Although they’re all a bit mad too,” I cringed remembering Bel and Georgie singing a very, very old One Direction song at Harry last night at the hotel. Tequila shots made them quite musical.

As if he knew the moment I was thinking of, Harry spoke up, ”I liked it, it was fun. If I was a plumber they’d have made sewerage jokes all night. It’s okay. I can take it.”

"They all went easy on us, trust me,” I was thinking of all the times my mum made eyes at me throughout the night when she’d caught Harry watching me or being sweet in some way.

"I'm looking forward to getting to the stage where they don't. Hopefully."

He was fishing for reassurance, I smiled and squinted at him, knowing he knew what I was going to say but it was important I said it anyway, "They all love you, don't worry."

Harry's smile brightened and his eyes locked on mine, “I like this ... You never used to make eye contact, it would drive me mad.”

My friends forgotten, suddenly I felt I was under his scrutiny, his attention wafting from one line of conversation to another without warning, "What?"

"You'd look at my chin or my nose, and if we made eye contact you'd look away so quickly it was as though it never happened. It drove me crazy."

I winced, "I can't imagine why you bothered persisting. Sorry."

“I could tell you, but I’m not sure your hangover can weather how sappy I’d get,” Harry said, saved by the bell that was our drinks being brought over to the table.

I was sure the waitress had heard the last of the conversation though, and felt her looking between us knowingly. I felt my face heat and when I chanced a glance across to Harry he looked like the cat that ate the canary.

“Are you still buzzing from last night?” Harry asked when we were alone again.

“Yeah,” I smiled at him, “But the better question is are you excited for your performance tonight?”

“I am” Harry provided carefully, adding a perfectly measured spoonful of sugar to his black coffee and stirring it through.

“But?” I prompted

“I’m a little nervous,” He admitted. “I always am when it’s a telly thing, they’re always a bit awkward. Singing to a camera and then an audience that’s not really into it … It feels like work where proper live shows don’t really. But it will be nice to be back up on stage with the lads.”

I nodded at him diplomatically, “A healthy dose of nerves is a good thing I’ve been told, means you don’t take it for granted.”

“You’re telling me even Protégés even get nervous?”

“Are you ever going to drop that?” I groaned.

“Nope.” He said easily.

“I was shitting myself before last night … I’ve never been good at the ‘healthy dose’ part of that,” I said with a slow smile.

Harry’s face dropped just a touch, but I hadn’t meant to berate him in any way. It had served as a reminder of something to him though and I watched him struggle with what to say next. I decided to rescue him.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Of course,” He answered immediately, looking painfully earnest.

“You were so kind to me, right from before I even realised you knew I existed …” I paused, not know how to ask the actual question part, Harry watched me carefully, “Why?”

Some part of him relaxed slightly, “I’d like to think I’m kind to pretty much everyone. It’s the default, my mum would always tell us that when we were kids: Being kind should be your default setting.”

“And what about if someone is a jerk?”

Harry’s smile returned, “Kill them with kindness.”

“What about if someone is kind of standoffish and disinterested in even a pleasant, casual social interaction? What if they barely give you the time of day to be kind?”

“Are you referring to yourself?”

“Maybe.”

“Wear them down until they date you.”

Now I was left without knowing what to say, and my shock evidently played out in my expression because Harry watched me carefully but smiled at whatever he saw. He’d won that discussion by being honest and I could see Harry knew he had me.

“Nina it was never about polite kindness with you.”

Our food had arrived and the smell of sweet, warm pancakes made my stomach rumble with delight, “What does that mean?” I asked, waiting a moment before taking my first bite. It was delicious.

“I’d heard Rodger and Max talk about you well before I met you. They’re nuts about you and the way Rodger would speak about you used to annoy me, if I’m honest. Early on he corrected my assumption he had a thing for you, I think I told him to just hurry up and marry you already,” Harry shook his head at himself, “I used to think ‘if she’s so bloody great how come she never comes to anything’. I started joking that you didn’t really exist, that everyone had invented you as a wind up.”

“You did?”

Harry was laughing at the memory, “I did. Then I left my hat at your place and Rodger told me you would be home to give it to me.” “I’d forgotten about that,” I said, “I always think Rodger’s party was the first time we met.”

“That hurts,” Harry feigns a pain over his heard, “Standing outside your house feeling as though I’d been stabbed in the heart or I was about to throw up is one of my most memorable moments.”

I winced, “What a memory.”

“The second I saw you I was done for, Nina." He said slowly, his expression sincere but cautious as though he was treading carefully with his words, "I’d had all this build up from everyone about about how incredible you were that as soon as I saw you I got a crush ten feet tall and as wide as the sea ... Everyone had failed to mention you were gorgeous too.”

I knew I was bright red, but I could see Harry wasn’t going to save me from my embarrassment, he held eye contact and waited for me to stop internally protesting what he had said. Hearing that Harry's attraction had been so instantaneous both reassured me and had me feeling guilty, it had taken me weeks to get to that point.

"I should really start paying Rodger for whatever he's saying about me."

Harry laughed and nodded, "You really should ... I wasn't just being nice for the sake of it, Nina. I wanted you to like me as much as I liked you. I had that fun but soul destroying feeling where you're so into someone it's addictive and you just want to see them again. It was so annoying not get enough time with you on your own—I’m sounding like a maniac right now, I know,” He hurried, “But I’d find myself so pissed off at Rodger speaking over you or Max jumping in to save you from having to answer. I knew if I just had the time with you alone you’d open up more. I hated that every time I saw you it was coincidental, I just wanted to get to the point where I could plan when I'd get to see you next on my own. I’d make plans with Rodger or Max not knowing if they'd bring you along as well.”

"Harry," I said gently, waiting his remembered frustration play out in his features.

"I'd be crushed every time you didn't appear," He continued slowly, "And after the Regina show, you disappeared for weeks and I never felt like it was my place to reach out directly. I was pretty sure you hated me. "

"I'm sorry, I never hated you."

"I know," Harry smiled, "I can be a romantic dramatist."

"I think I thought I'd embarrassed myself to Kingdom Come and you'd want nothing to do with my drama anyway."

He deflated a little, "I'm not going to be like him, Nina," Harry paused to make sure I knew who he was referring to, "If you're going through something I want to know."

I sighed and dropped my chin into my hand, propped up on the table, "You're pretty lovely, know that?"

"I'd really like this to work for us, Nina, and I don't want to push you but at the same time I don't want to allow there to be any room for you to doubt it. Or me."

We were both finished eating and I watched Harry for a moment. He never seem phased by anything, so having him reveal his feelings when I was hesitant to assume them was pleasant in an unexpected way. Usually the thought of someone noticing me in a social setting made my skin crawl, but knowing Harry had been watching and wanting to know me better was settling somehow. To also have him acknowledge what I had told him about my last relationship and the dynamic there was also reassuring, if not scary. It was always a heavily guarded secret inside me, and I wasn’t used to having him privy to it yet.

"This means I'm going to have to add you to my Christmas list, doesn't it?" I asked playfully, delighted when Harry's face lit up in response.

"You sure do.”

“I think an M&S voucher should suffice,” I teased, trying to look thoughtful.

Harry raised his eyebrows at me, “That would be lovely actually, I could use some new underwear.”

Harry looked proud of his quickness, and he took his time taking a long sip of his coffee, watching me over the cup. I simply smiled back and tried a little of the juice he had ordered for me, scrunching my nose up at what I could only describe as a green flavour.

“Oh god,” I coughed, “That tastes like a garden.” Harry beamed at me, “It’ll put five years back on your life.”

+++

“Bye Harry!” “Bye Harry, we’ll be texting our review after tonight!”

“Harry,” Bel leaned forward between Harry’s front seats, looking as though she was tossing up between multiple things to say, finally settling on, “Don’t trip.”

Harry barked out a laugh at that, promising her he wouldn’t, “It would probably make great TV though,” he added, “I’m sure there are lots of people that would love to see me land on my arse.”

Bel seemed to consider that for a moment, then seemed to shrug it off, “We’ll see you when we see you, Harry. Thanks for the ride.”

I turned in my seat to watch her slip out onto the footpath outside Farringdon station. Harry had made good of his promise to take breakfast back to my house for everyone. We left the cafe with arms of pastries and coffees, and then he insisted on saving us the Uber fare by driving us to the train up North himself. Harry popped the boot for them and looked in the rearview mirror to make sure it had opened.

“Have a great Christmas,” He said quietly, pulling me back, Harry’s eyes flicked back to the mirror as I registered that we wouldn’t have much time to do this goodbye.

“You too,” I said, turning to face him in my seat.

“Have fun and be safe and miss me loads,” He added, shifting around and leaning on the middle console towards me, he curled his index finger at me, “C’mere.”

I smiled and leaned in towards him, Harry’s thumb and pointer finger met my chin and he gently pulled it up to the right angle for him to lower in for a kiss. Harry pulled back after one chaste attempt, giving me only enough time to lick my lips before we were pressed back together, his tongue giving only the shortest tease. He dropped his fingers from chin and sat back in his seat.

“I’ll see you on the 28th,” He confirmed, turning his head to me, “But I’ll talk to you before then.”

“Yep,” I nodded, “Break a leg tonight. And save me some of that croissant bread and butter pudding your mum makes.”

Harry laughed, “I will. She’s going to adore that you’re so keen for it.”

Georgie’s face appeared next to my window, “I need to go.”

“You do,” He agreed, reaching for the side of my face and pulling himself over the console again to give me one last kiss, “Be good.”

I screwed up my nose at him as I opened my door, “I’m always good.”

“You still need to sign the program from last night for me," He said quickly, just as I was about to shut the door, "I’m getting it framed.”

I rolled my eyes at him, "Bye Harry,"

"Merry Christmas, Protégé!"

"I fucking hate you.”

I did. I really did. But my face cracked into a grin and I walked back into Bel’s family lounge room carrying a tray of teas. Georgie was modelling a One Direction t-shirt she had pulled from God knows where and Bel was busy pinning a Liam badge to her pyjama top.

“Where did you even get those!”

“It was a two for one deal online,” Georgie told me happily, “Sam didn’t think it was a good idea for us to keep teasing you, but if you ask me she’s being unsupportive.”

“Oh, fuck off,” Sam said, moving over on the two-seater she was on to make room for me. I linked my arm through hers when I sat.

Bel’s parents were away visiting with her sister and brother-in-law in Glasgow, not returning until the following morning. Her dad had the TV sound system to shame all sound systems which apparently meant we had to watch Harry on the telly there. The empty house was enough to sell me on the idea, mine was full of cousins and family who would delight in teasing me about Harry. But this would be the first time I would properly witness him singing and I didn’t think I could handle it if I couldn’t just focus on him and what I was seeing.

We were making an old school sleepover of it, which we had decided upon on the train back earlier today. We all had gone to our respective family homes and then repacked for a night at Bel’s. The food had been ordered in and it was about half an hour until the program started. While we waited for Indian to arrive we chatted our way through numerous pieces of gossip from our wider friendship group in Blackpool, and back to our family Christmases.

It was tradition that we met at the pub on Boxing day where it seemed everyone we knew under thirty five who was home for the holiday season all went to debrief after surviving spending an extended period of time with their families. The same thing happened on New Years Day before everyone headed back to London or Manchester to their regular lives.

"How's that bruise on your leg?" Bel asked suddenly, looking across at me and nodding at my covered legs.

"It's okay, how's your hea—

"—You should’ve gotten Harry to kiss it better,” Georgie cut me off.

“Yeah,” Bel agreed, a devilish smile on her face, “I bet he’s really good at that kind of thing.”

“What!” I squawked, watching Sam stand up when the doorbell rang. She waved off any help in collecting the food and I was left to Bel and Georgie’s inappropriate giggling.

“Harry’s fit, take it graciously.” Bel said.

“He is!” I defended, “But I don’t need to bloody hear it from you.”

“If I had a guy like Harry I’d be snug as shit about it,” Georgie exclaimed, standing up to help Sam unpack the food onto the coffee table. “I could use some new relationship sex. It’s always so delightful.”

“Oh my god,” I groaned.

“Here we go,” Bel rolled her eyes, “Horny Georgie.”

Georgie had the audacity to look wounded, “Sorry, what year is it? I won’t be shamed for liking sex!”

“Nobody was shaming you, George,” Sam said calmly, “But next time take a breath before you mention Nina’s new boyfriend and then sex, mmm?” “I wasn’t saying I wanted to bang Harry!” Georgie said to me quickly.

“I know,” I smiled, wanting to get as far as I could from this conversation as quickly as possible, “Pass me a plate.”

We already had plates and cutlery ready. I watched as the containers were popped open. Bel moved to kneel at the table and started to serve herself bits of all the different curries we had ordered. Sam gave Georgie one last look, and I wished I knew how to save them from each other’s strong opinions. Really I just wanted to move the conversation away from my sex life. I didn’t have the energy to explain why Harry and I hadn’t slept together yet.

Food was just the distraction needed to reset the conversation.

We spent the next hour talking and eating our way through the first part of the Charity Gala on the telly. There was an all-star line up with all the usual suspects in the London music and comedy scene. We gossiped our way through who was who, who was good and who wasn’t really actually funny.

I felt like by the time it was One Direction being introduced that I had lived half a life time in nervous anticipation. I had been preparing myself for a shift, or for at least seeing a side of Harry that I hadn’t before which had the potential to make me feel uncomfortable.

I knew that the band hadn’t performed together very much in the last twelve months. Harry had said that much himself, and it was a fact that was getting played up all night in the lead up to them performing. The world had missed them, the presenter kept saying, as the moment they were on stage was built up—it was clear they were being presented as the big act of the night.

Finally they were announced to be after the ad break. Which gave me enough time to refill my glass of wine and chew my way through a handful of Dairy Milk buttons.

“Don’t eat your hand, Nina,” Bel joked from her spot across the room.

“Shut up,” I mumbled, “It’s this or projectile vomit on your mum’s good rug.”

"Why are you freaking out so much about this?"

"I haven't seen him perform before," I provided quietly, trying to hide the quiver to my voice.

Sam's arm came around me and she held me in a side hug, "This shouldn't change your opinion of him," she said just to me, sensing there was more going on than I was letting on.

"I just haven't seen it before," I reiterated, wondering what 'it' was and why something about the whole concept of seeing Harry perform made me feel uneasy.

The ad break came to a close and there was no introduction to the act or the song, a thumping drum beat started and panning shots of the audience facing the stage took over the screen. The girls quietened around me but Sam kept her arm around me, giving my shoulder a slight squeeze.

The introduction to the song went too long. I kept anticipating the start but the drums kept going and the intro rolled on. Eventually I heard what was distinctly Harry's laugh through a microphone and then he started singing.

The camera panned on him first. He was grinning and a little red but he stood where he was and sang beautifully in an impeccable upper lower register. He swayed slightly to the beat, the silky material of the shirt that was poorly tucked into his jeans moving softly with his hips.

"That's your man, Nina," Georgie clapped towards the TV when Harry stopped singing and someone else took over.

The camera panned over all the members of the band, holding on the drummer for a little while and then going back to get the shot of the audience with the four members of One Direction facing them.

Harry had lovely tone to his voice. It rumbled out of his chest smoothly and his harmonies cut through the melody perfectly. He looked like he belonged exactly where he was on stage. Each time he was on the screen he was interacting the the camera, the audience or a bandmate. Harry made it all look fun and when the song came to and end he joined the others in happily greeting the people in the room with them, thanking the crowd for having them.

"And all of you at home too," A voice off screen said, I wasn't sure which member.

Harry appeared on screen again, screwing the lid back onto a water bottle, and then leaving it to walk back to his mic stand, "Thank you for having us," He said simply, "This is Story of My Life."

They played through the slower song and I stared at Harry's spot on the stage the whole time, only noticing his bandmates when the camera left him and I was forced to. The girls were making observations around me but I wasn't really listening. It was so strange to be looking at Harry in that setting.

He had slowly become such a strong force in my life and I was finding it hard to come to terms with the fact that there was such a huge part of him, of his life, that I'd not experienced at all. We hardly spoke about his job and I was left wondering why. He was clearly so good at it and I was concerned by the fact he hadn't shared much with me.

The next song started and I turned to Sam beside me, "Harry never talks to me about his job. Is that odd?"

She craned her neck to look at me properly, her brows drawn like she didn't understand where my question was coming from, her features then rose into surprise, "Nina, I ... No, I don't think so. Don't ... Don't psyche yourself out. Harry's so into you, you'd have to be an idiot to miss that."

I looked back to the screen, watching Harry sing his heart out on live National television, "We don't talk about who he is. I mean, look," I waved my hand at the television, "He's fucking Harry Styles ... Why is that only just hitting me?"

"Because he's not that to you, babe," Georgie added gently from across the room, her eyes understanding, "He's just a lad. He's just your Harry. And I know we give you both shit ... Well, mostly me," She half shrugged, "We give you shit about him but if he was some famous fuckwit we wouldn't act like we do." "He's set the tone," Bel jumped in, "He didn't walk in and throw his name around, and now he's sharing it with you. It's probably awkward for him to bring it up with people."

"I think it's my fault," I said. "I've been so bad at asking him about himself, I alway feel so awkward and I didn't want him to think I was digging for that, you know?"

"Don't overthink this," Sam hugged my side, "He's mad about you, and I bet he appreciated not feeling like was a factor with you.."

The only real window into Harry's job and the status that came with it had been my attending the dinner earlier in the year where I'd met some of his friends. Friends, who as it turned out, had sent a photograph of the night to someone working at a media corporation. I'd been distracted by the fact Harry had lied about how we knew each other, and I hadn't focused really on the fact that was what his life was like sometimes, and why.

The 'why' was this, what I was watching, Harry being on stage and a part of this universally known and loved band.

"Nina," Sam pulled me out of my thoughts, "He's really bloody good. Appreciate his job for that, don't get stuck on the rest of it ... You've got music in common, let that be something wonderful."

She was right. Having music in common with Harry was wonderful.

"He's so cool," I said without thinking.

"Right," Georgie huffed, "How do you think we all bloody felt watching you last night?"

"His voice is really lovely," I could feel a blush rising.

"Now we're talking!" Sam said, jamming her fingers into my ribs, "That rockstar is yours."

“He’s not my boyfriend,” I replied softly, hoping nobody would elaborate on the matter. I regretted saying it as soon as it came out of my mouth. I hadn't felt any pressure with Harry on the topic, so why it fell out of my mouth in that moment I couldn't say.

“Ah,” Georgie waved off my comment easily, “You’re whatever the step before boyfriend is.”

I hope so.

#fic #hina #fic: someday someday #1dff #harry styles fic #update #harry styles #one direction fanfiction

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what-stop-the-presses-rly-means · 5 years

Text

Bye, Bye, Sugar Blue Eyes part 5

Race x female reader modern au

Part 1, 2, 3, 4, x, 6

Warnings: Swearing and mention of death

A/N: I know I’m horrible for making you guys wait so long. So here’s a longer chapter to make up for it!

————————

Race paid the cab driver and wheeled his luggage up to the front steps. It was fairly peaceful this early in the morning. He just stood there and admired the building for a moment, breathing it in. After a long, hard, emotionally draining three months, he was home.

He took a deep breath and walked in. It was quiet and unnaturally clean, but the place was as familiar and inviting as always. Smiling a little to himself, Race carried his bags upstairs.

Once he reached the landing, something felt off. It should be dead quiet this early in the morning, but he could hear soft singing down the hall and people shuffling about in the boys’ rooms. He quietly opened the door to the younger boys’ room and peeked his head in.

“Race!” one of them shouted, only to immediately be shushed by a couple others. Race only had enough time to close the door before they all ran up to hug him.

“What’s goin’ on, fellas?” he laughed.

“We’re so happy you’re back!”

“Never leave again!”

They all whisper-shouted at him. He furrowed his brow in confusion.

“Why are we being so quiet? Not wanting to wake the others?”

“No,” Peter said quietly, “We’re listening to Miss (Y/N) sing.”

Just then the door behind them opened and one of the teens, Henri, walked in. “What the hell are you guys doing? You need to be qui- Race!”

“Hey, Frenchie!” The boy gave him a tight hug. “Why are we being quiet? Are there a bunch of new rules or somethin’? They’re runnin’ a tight ship around here.” Frenchie gave him a sheepish look.

“No, we choose to do this. (Y/N) wakes up really early and we all like to listen to her sing…”

Peter grabbed his attention again. “I like her singing. It’s like having a mom.”

“It’s something nice to wake up to. She has a nice voice,” another young boy, Gus, adds. Race paused, trying to listen. Her quiet voice could be heard from down the hall. She was singing some cheery, upbeat song. It did sound nice, he decided.

“Do you guys do this every morning?”

“On weekdays usually,” Frenchie mumbled, obviously embarrassed. Race nodded.

“Okay, well I’m gonna go say hi. If you’ll excuse me.”

“Don’t tell her!”

“I won’t, don’t worry. I’m just gonna introduce myself.” He stood up and quietly walked out into the hallway. The sound of her voice was much clearer and Race found himself leaning on the wall, just listening for a moment. He’d been back less than thirty minutes and this place already had a new, homier feel to it. Of course it wasn’t a complete surprise. He had kept in touch with his friends while he was away. He’d agreed that they needed some extra help and Jack had informed him that they had hired a nanny. But he didn’t know much about her. From the brief texts, he gathered that she was young, really nice, great at her job, and the boys adored her. Jack had said that he knew right away that she would fit in with them. Well, Jack had always been a good judge of character, so Race believed him. But that’s all he knew. So why was his heart pounding at the thought of finally meeting her?

He was about to turn around and walk into his room, opting to delay the official meeting until he had something worthwhile to say, when the door across from his opened.

POV Change

For the life of me, I couldn’t get that damned song out of my head. It’s a good thing it was catchy. No one wants to start their day with a tear-jerker clouding their every thought. Regardless, it felt like it was going to be a good day. The sun was rising, casting everything in its golden glow, I was looking particularly good this morning, and I had the day all planned out. And it wasn’t just me feeling this way. It’s been almost a week since the breakthrough with Rider. Since then, he seems more… I don’t know- carefree? Unburdened? He doesn’t shy away as much. Quite the opposite. He helps out more around the house and plays with the younger boys. It’s like he’s a totally different person. So with the resident gloominess uplifted, and having the boys on a stable schedule, things have been running pretty smoothly. I may not be Mary Poppins, and this may not be a spoonful-of-sugar scenario for any of us, but things were definitely looking up. I was finally in a comfortable routine that I’d grown accustomed to. Nothing could change that.

…Or so I thought.

I finished getting ready for the day, about to wake the boys, when I turned around and came face to face with someone I’d only seen in pictures. We both stood there, frozen, in the hallway, staring at each other. It was almost as if we thought if we didn’t move, the other couldn’t see us. Well, I guess if we were both pretending, this would be a good opportunity to take him all in.

His hair was a little longer than it was in the pictures; blond, wispy stands of hair curling around his face. His skin looked soft, tan from being outdoors all the time, no doubt. He dressed simply: jeans, button-up shirt, and sneakers. He wore a shocked expression. In all the photos I’ve seen, he either had a giant grin or a mischievous smirk. I found myself longing to see them instead. And his eyes…

“Wow, they’re even bluer in person.”

He blinked out of his reverie.

“What?”

I realized I had said that out loud. “Nothing. Hi, Race!”

He blinked again. “Do we know each other?”

My sudden smile faded. I had come on too strong. I already blew it. “Oh, uh, no we don’t. But I’m embarrassed to admit that I know all about you. Your friends have some pretty extraordinary stories to tell. I’m (Y/N), by the way.” I stuck my hand out. He shook it, finally seeming like he was warming up to the crazy lady that stood in front of him.

“Race. But you knew that.”

I chuckled awkwardly. “Sorry, I tend to come off as frazzled and ditzy when I’m nervous.”

“Why are you nervous?”

“Well…it-it’s you! You’re kind of a legend around here. It’s hard not to be.”

He gave me a half smirk, half genuine smile. “Well, thanks but-“

My phone beeped, making me jump. I looked down. “Sorry! I have to get the boys up and ready for the day. Oh, jeez, they’re already so difficult to get around, it’s gonna be twice as hard, once they see you’re back.” I paused, eyes wide. “Not that that’s your fault! They’ll be thrilled to see you! I just meant-“

“It’s okay, I get it. Go do your thing, you never saw me.” He winked and quickly disappeared into his room. I stood there, dumbfounded. What just happened?

I turned around to see both of the boys’ doors cracked open, a dozen pairs of eyes peeking through.

“You all saw that.” The doors opened more and the boys revealed themselves, some of them nodding.

“If none of you make fun of the huge fool I made of myself just now, I’ll see to it that you all get extra dessert this week.” They all laughed. “Now, I know you all want to talk to Race, but we are on a schedule. Think of it this way: the faster you get ready, the more time you’ll have with him before you go to school.” With that, everyone rushed inside to get dressed. I glanced back at the door Race fled behind and considered knocking so we could start over. But I knew that I’d just embarrass myself again so I left it alone.

Downstairs, the other guys greeted me like normal. It seemed as if they didn’t know about Race’s return. I was about to ask them when the boys came rumbling down the stairs, taking their seats at the table. They all seemed excited, but said nothing. I was very confused when Rider discreetly held a finger to his lips, signaling that I shouldn’t say anything.

Albert came in with the trays of food as normal and everyone started filling their plates. I sat there, bewildered.

“You not hungry, (Y/N)?”

“Oh, uh, not really. But thanks, Al.” He gave me a suspicious look before dropping a few pieces of fruit on a plate and handing it to me. “At least try to eat something. You know how I get when people don’t eat.” I gave him a tight-lipped smile and nodded. I looked around. Some of the younger boys were trying to hold back their giggles and I noticed that there was an extra chair at the table that the guys hadn’t noticed. What’s going on?

Everyone was so engaged in conversation that we didn’t notice the kitchen door opening. Race plopped himself down into the extra chair, nonchalantly chewing on a piece of bacon.

“What’s up, guys?”

I looked over at the three men that had just been discussing the plans for the day. They all froze, food halfway to their mouths. All of the boys burst out laughing.

“Race!” They jumped out of their seats. Race had just enough time to stand up before Albert tackled him into a hug, making him let out a soft, “Oof!” Jack came over and clapped him on the back. “Hey, buddy! You’re a day early!” Davey and Albert look over to him.

“Wait, you knew he was coming?”

“Yeah, he called me last week.” Albert punched him in the shoulder. From the looks of it, he was not gentle.

“You asshole! Why didn’t you tell me?”

“It was supposed to be a surprise,” Jack said, rubbing his shoulder. “But it looks like he wanted to surprise all of us. Oh! By the way,” he led Race over to me, “This is (Y/N). The woman I was telling you about.”

Race smirked. “We meet again.”

Jack looked confused. “Again?”

“Yeah, she complimented me on my eyes and then got all flustered about it. It was adorable, really.” I felt my face burn up. So he had heard me.

“And when you went downstairs,” Peter said, “He got us all together and planned his big reveal! It was so funny!” Race looked a little surprised.

“Woah, is Peter actually talking in front of everybody?”

“Yeah, once (Y/N), here, took over, we’ve seen big changes in everyone. This little guy is such a social butterfly now.” I blushed and Peter beamed with pride.

“I can’t take all the credit. The boys have been doing their part to adjust to the changes around here and I’m really grateful for that.”

Race smiled at me. “I’m glad.” When his eyes didn’t leave mine for quite some time I cleared my throat.

“Um, we should all finish breakfast so I can get these boys to school.” They all agreed and we sat back down.

It had taken a lot of coaxing and promising that Race would still be here when they got back to get the boys out the door and on the buses. Once they had all left I slowly made my way back, steadying myself. It seemed that I couldn’t control my nerves around Race and that had to change now that he was back. I walked inside and found the room to be empty. I could hear laughter coming from the office and figured they were all in there, catching up, so I thought it best not to disturb them. I went about my daily routine, as normal, even though everything was far from it.

A couple hours later I found myself sneaking up to the roof. I’d made it a habit to come up here to relax. There was something freeing about being so high up and looking down at New York below. Of course ours wasn’t the tallest building in the city, far from it. But I still felt like I was on top of the world. I closed my eyes and took in deep breaths, calming myself. And it would’ve worked had I not heard someone clear their throat behind me, making me jump out of my skin. I turned around and saw Race leaning on the doorframe.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare ya. But I figured I’d better announce my presence before walking up behind you. We’re pretty high up and I can’t have another tragic death on my hands.” My eyes widened and he laughed. “I’m joking. Can I join you?”

“Of course. This was your turf first, after all. I’m merely a visitor.”

He walked over to the wall, next to where I was standing, and rested his arms on the ledge.

“Do you really think of yourself that way?”

I blinked a couple times. “Sometimes. It’s hard not to feel small when you hear all of these amazing stories about someone. Are they true?

“You said you knew all about me.”

“Just what your friends have to say. And I get the feeling that they like to… embellish the stories they tell. So? Who is the real Race Higgins? I wanna know straight from the man, himself.”

Race shuffled his feet a bit and made a point to not look me in the eye, it seemed. He fiddled with his hands, playing with a bracelet on his left wrist. I noticed it matched the one Albert wore.

“I know a person ain’t their background. I know your past doesn’t have to define you. But I feel like that’s the place I have to start if I wanna tell you my story.” I nodded and waited for him to continue. “I grew up not far from here, couple blocks over, in fact. Wasn’t a great neighborhood, but it was home. Skipping over the gory details, I’ll just say that my birth parents were into some shady stuff. And one night it came back to bite them in the ass in the form of two bullets.” I let out a small gasp but he continued. “I never knew who did it and as I got older I realized it’s best I don’t know. But that night I was so scared I just ran. I ran and ran. And a year later I was still runnin’. From the people who killed my parents, from any and all dangers that lurk in the New York shadows, ready to jump out and do even more harm to an unsuspecting eight year old boy… from going down the same path my parents chose. And I refused to stop.” He took a deep breath.

“That was, until I finally dared to wander back toward my old home. I found this place. It looked so big and warm and inviting. I saw a bunch of young boys coming and going. I eventually found out what it was and I took a chance. The rest is history. As the years went on, we got more and more boys coming in, and today I call them my best friends. We’ve all got sordid backstories- Al and I even have an inside joke where we say I’m like Batman because of what happened with my parents- but I think that brought us all closer. And now we’re all back here.“

I stood there, taking it all in. I hadn’t expected that.

“Don’t take this the wrong way, but if I had experienced half of the horrors that you faced and finally got away from it… I don’t think I’d be able to go back to the birthplace of my nightmares. I mean, you finally have a family and new, happier memories. I guess I just don’t understand.”

He smiled, knowingly. “You know when you go away for a while – for school or somethin’ – and you have a good time. You love it there and you appreciate the people you’ve met and the life you’ve built. But… but you don’t really feel like you’re home until you go back home. Ya know what I mean?”

I blushed and nodded silently. He continued.

“And anyway, this ain’t the birthplace of my nightmares. No, that would be the streets of Manhattan: my home before this place. This rundown old gal may not seem like much, but compared to the cold, unforgiving alleyways I was used to, this is paradise. And I’ve made it my mission to not let any other kid go through what I went through. This is our safe haven.”

I smiled a little, remembering when Jack described the home as paradise as well. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to insinuate-“

He laid a gentle hand on my shoulder. “Don’t worry ‘bout it. From what I heard, you wouldn’t insult Adolf Hitler, himself, if he was standin’ right in front of ya.”

I furrowed my brow. “Well, thanks, but I’m not that innocent. I got a tough way about me. I have to, keeping track of fifteen boys with mouths like sailors and attitudes like kings.”

Race chuckled at that. “Yeah, they’re alright. Me and my boys raised a lot more hell when we were in their positions.”

I watched a group of birds fly overhead and sighed contently. “I’ve heard some of the stories, shorthand. I guess you guys really do have a special bond, with each other and with this building. Albert said it might be fate that you’re all back here. Do you believe in fate?”

He paused for a moment, staring out over the city. “Ask me again after something remarkable happens.” I stared at him, confused. He continued. “It usually takes something grand or divine to make people believe in that kinda stuff. What we’re doin’ is not remarkable. It’s just the right thing to do. Fate didn’t bring us all back here. Our compassion and empathy for those who are living the lives we once had brought us together again.”

I stared at him a little longer before turning back to the view in front of us, letting out a surprised chuckle.

“You know, ever since I got here people have been telling me all about you. The boys adore you and your friends hold you in such high regard. I guess I’ve built up this version of you in my head. It was almost like some saint or superhero; someone who could do no wrong and expect nothing in return. And I kept telling myself to quit it because there was no way that you would compare to this fictitious version of yourself. I was afraid I was gonna be let down with such high expectations. But now…” I glanced over at him and met his eye. “Now I’m starting to think you really are that person.”

He scoffed. “Psh! I’m clearly no saint. And, I mean, I haven’t tested it out or anything, but I’m pretty sure I don’t have super powers. I’m just a guy trying to pay the universe back for finally giving me a good life.”

“Modesty. That seems to be the theme around here. A girl can’t pay someone a compliment without them immediately deflecting it. And frankly, it’s getting kind of annoying. So here I am, standing in front of you, telling you that you are an amazing person, a great role model to those boys… and someone who doesn’t owe the universe shit because you’ve paid your dues. Now take the compliment with no backtalk.”

Race blinked a couple times before a wide smile spread across his face. “Okay, I take it back, maybe you would insult Hitler,” he laughed. I rolled my eyes and smiled. “But seriously, if that’s how you handle situations, you must be doin’ great with the boys.”

My smile faltered. “I don’t know… I mean, we’ve all gotten into a rhythm and routine around here. And some of them really seem to be comfortable with me…”

“But?”

“But I honestly don’t think I’m doing that great. I could never match up to you. And I know that we aren’t interchangeable. Jack’s made sure to drill that into everyone’s heads, including my own. It’s just- how do I put this? It’s like when they take an actor who plays a certain character, and replace them with someone else for the sequel. It doesn’t matter how great of an actor the new person is, everyone hates them because they aren’t the original person. And you are so loved and well-known, it would be like replacing Robert Downey Jr. with some no-name, thinking no one would notice. It just doesn’t work and it makes everyone confused and angry.” I looked over at him. His eyebrows were raised and he looked very amused.

“Are you saying I’m like Robert Downey Jr.?”

“It was a metaphor.”

“Either way, I’ll take it.” I sighed and rubbed my face in annoyance. When he spoke again, his voice was more gentle. “You know they listen to you sing every mornin’?”

My head snapped up. “What?”

“Yeah, every morning they wake up extra early to listen to you sing while you get ready. They say it’s like havin’ a mother. And I’m no expert, but I don’t think I can compete with that. I’m not a mother. I just play one on TV.” He smirked at me.

“Wait, so you’re Robert Downey Jr. and you play a mother?”

“Hey, he could play anything he sets his mind to.” We both laughed. “Anyway, don’t tell the boys I told you. They were pretty embarrassed.”

I mimed zipping my lips and throwing the imaginary key over the ledge. We shared a smile. I couldn’t help but feel self-conscious around Race, but he also had this way about him that was so reassuring. Maybe we could do this. Together.

Tag list:

@bencookisagod

@technically-whizzy

@werkwerkelizaaa

#newsies #race higgins #race higgins x reader #mine #look! I wrote something!#bye bye sugar blue eyes

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