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#LIVING TOGETHER FOR LIKE 70 YEARS OR WHATEVER RAISING THAT CHILD TOGETHER
dieangelo · 1 year
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I KNOW IT’S SELFISH, BUT I WANTED MY OWN LIFE
¹ the ti.tan’s curse, rick r.iordan   ² the bad beginning, lemony snicket   ³ the ti.tan’s curse, r.ick ri.ordan   ⁴ jane mersky leder   ⁵ the battle of the labyr.inth, ri.ck rio.rdan   ⁶ always gold, radical face
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sbrown82 · 8 months
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I just saw your post about Marsha and how Mick treated her and thought why don’t The Rolling Stones fandom not know about her except how he got her. They always talk about Marianne and how sorry they felt when she was put on drugs, had a miscarriage, almost committed suicide, and was suffering from deep depression. But never bring up Marsha and how much she suffered. They bring up how “amazing” Anita is and they things she did for The Stones or whatever thousands of times but never talk about how Marsha introduced a new band member, and a new manager for them and even gave Mick’s brother a job. They’ll even bring up the loads of groupies they had and all the things they supposedly did for them, but never bring up Marsha and how amazing she is, they just love to slander her name. They’ll acknowledge Bianca and say she was “THE QUEEN” ? Talking about how she controlled Mick and keep him in line, how “fabulous” she is. It’s irritating. The worst part of it all is that people only talk about how she was just Micks first babymomma and nothing really more than that. 🤦🏾‍♀️ She wasn’t a bitch, so I guess she gets slept on!
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Great question! Well, for one thing, Mick and Marsha’s relationship was very clandestine and private, which was quite different from Mick’s other relationships which were more high-profile. You always saw Mick and Marianne together, hand-in-hand at events, or splashed across newspapers from some scandal. And Bianca and Jerry were socialites who loved attention, too. Marsha is the only one who really minds her damn business to the point where she lived in nearly complete isolation in France for a while by herself. She loved Mick, but she never wanted to be famous or to be known as his ‘girlfriend’. She just wanted to make music and do her own thing, much like him!
Also…..she’s BLACK …and we all know how Black women are treated in mostly white fandoms. So i think she's just disregarded. But let’s be honest, people always talk about Anita Pallenberg as this fashion-forward, super metropolitan muse to the Rolling Stones who changed up their style in the late 60s, which in many ways she was. I mean, she was influential. But, she was also in a way, a glorified junkie who rattled cages. She was a damn mess from the start. She fucked Brian, then Keith and rumor has it, Mick, too. Many people have even said that she was a shit starter, and an instigator who brought out the absolute worst in people. Bill Wyman even called her an actual witch. Notice that Brian, Marianne, and Keith's drug addiction got worse (way worse) after they started being around her.  She even once messed with some 17 year old boy who shot himself in the head with Keith's gun in their house. A mess! Marianne is another overrated white girl who started fucking Mick when she knew he was with somebody else. In fact, he was dating R&B singer, P.P. Arnold (former Ikette), so I really don't understand why she was always crying and going on about Marsha Hunt and how she supposedly stole his ass from her. I mean, Mick and Marianne weren't married. Plus, Mick constantly complained to Marsha about Marianne’s drug addiction and how she was ALWAYS high and strung out so much so that their relationship had become pretty much platonic when he started talking to Marsha. The girl was just gone. Bianca is another over-glamorized chickenhead, I can't stand her ass either. She’s very nasty and mean. Another thing is, Marsha’s career never really took off after getting with Mick. The 70s and 80s were tough on her, she didn’t have a lot of opportunities and she was raising a child on her own with practically nothing (sis even resorted to getting food stamps and cleaning people’s houses for money), plus suing Mick ruined her reputation on top of all the lies and bullshit he was saying about her to the press.
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Like I mentioned in part 2 of the Mick Jagger & Marsha Hunt thread, when Mick met Marsha, the motherfucka literally showed up at her house unannounced, even after she turned him down the first time. And after they started dating, she listened to ALL his damn problems, sis got him a new guitarist after the Rolling Stones fired Brian Jones from the band, got him a new tour manager and a new secretary to handle ALL the Rolling Stones concerts and affairs, consoled him when Brian died, consoled him after his girlfriend tried to commit suicide, was there for his monkey ass after that shitshow at the Altamont Speedway where 4 people were killed during the Stones’ concert, she even hid him out and kept him safe after the Hell’s Angels security put a hit out on his ass and tried to murder him after he blamed them for what happened. Here's them talking about how they was gone kill his ass and why he had a price on his head:
Marsha even got his younger brother a job after he came back from India and was completely broke and damn near homeless. After he got married, Mick would even call Marsha up and complain to her about how Bianca was getting on his damn nerves. In her book, Marsha said she would’ve died for him if he asked her to…and he fucking played her. Even after all that, she never once bad-mouthed him, or called him names, none of that. She just wanted him to take responsibility. He completely deserted her and their child. It was horrible and he sounded like a complete lunatic talking about Karis wasn't his. Marsha has always been kind to his wife Bianca and Jerry and all of his children who love her too. But I find it really ironic how she always said never wanted to be known as Mick Jagger’s girlfriend and that’s exactly what happened. Ya'll need to show that woman some motherfucking respect because none of them hoes deserves it more than her. Give Marsha her damn flowers. She's a QUEEN!!!
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countrymusiclover · 9 months
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70 - Fighting the Magical Border
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Part 71
Gemini Runaway
Tag list ask to be added @icefrye19 @secretdreamlandmentality
3 years later
Sitting on my bed while the girls were off with Jacob to get ice cream. Placing my hands on my lap I calmed my mind waving my hand creating a crystal prism in my hands. "Finitus… invidium cala mactus." The crystal glowed in my hand when I got to my feet letting the sunlight bounce off it before creating a figure in front of me with its magic.
"Hello love." A figure of Klaus smiled back at me. He was wearing a gray sweatshirt with his black jacket thrown over it.
Holding the crystal to my chest I squealed like a child. "Holy crap it worked. Uh hi my subconscious version of you."
"How did you manage this, Raelyn?" He asked, crossing his arms behind his chest.
"Um basically I found a crystal similar to the moonstone. And I combined a subconscious and vision spell together so that I can talk to my subconscious version of you. Now that I say it out loud it sounds crazy." Running my fingers through my hair I sighed, feeling embarrassed.
Nik walked closer with our eyes meeting briefly. "It's not crazy, Rae. Rather impressive."
"You're lying." I snapped.
He shook his head at me. "Do you want me to lie to you?"
"No, never. But…" I didn't have a clue what to say.
Klaus steps closer where I spun around wishing that it was the real him. Not even magic could fix him physically being here. "Tell me what you want and I'll do whatever you want."
"I wish it were that way but you can't give me what I want, Nik." I sniffed feeling some tears falling down my face.
He tilted his head to the side with his baby blues focused on me alone. "Tell me what to do and I will fix it-"
"Nik, I miss you. And I stupidly thought that this would help me while we search for cures for your siblings but it doesn't!" Throwing my hands away from my sides I cried even more spinning around on my feet. "Because I can't live without you, not physically anymore but mentally. I want to tear Marcel apart for separating us like this. I….I miss everything about you and I will do anything to get you back…"
"Raelyn!" Someone else called my name before I saw Jo come into the apartment.
Waving the crystal over the sunshine in the window hologram Klaus disappeared. "Hey , uh hey Jo." I sniffed, wiping away tears as quickly as possible.
"Is everything okay here? Rae, what have you got there?" She sat down with a bag from her day at work with the hospital. Her gaze noticed me holding a crystal behind my back.
Kicking the carpet with my foot I avoided her gaze. "I may have made a magical prism so I could talk to my subconscious version of my husband because I am going crazy without him.."
“Oh Rae Rae.” She made a disappointed look.
Slumping down on the bed I put my face in my hands sighing heavily under my breath. “I know, I’m pathetically insane. But we’ve never been separated this long before. I …I don’t know how to deal with it. And I thought seeing him would give me hope. But I just miss the hell out of him!”
“Raelyn, you might be going through some sort of grief.”
“He’s not gone, Josette!” I snapped at her revealing my fangs with more tears coming down my face. “He’s alive with that monster and I can’t go save him until I find cures. I…I have never felt alone like this even though I have my daughters, friends, you and Jacob. Yet even with that I don’t feel better. I…”
She pulled me in for a hug running a hand through my hair letting me cry. “Sssh Raelyn. I’m here. How about this. I can tell you about my date with this hot teacher at the college. So we had fun but when we were back at the hospital he tried to compel me.”
“Compel as in a vampire?” I raised my head, sending her a questionable look.
She nodded, removing her hands from my shoulders. “Clearly a newbie vampire.”
“What does he look like cause I’d like to meet the guy who thinks he can compel witches.” I laughed at whoever thought they could beat a witch, actually an ex witch.
Jo rolled her shoulders thinking back. “Sandy brown hair and blue eyes. He said his name was Ric.”
“Ric?” I asked her sternly where she nodded her head, yes that I was right. Jumping up to my feet I shoved the door open, almost breaking it. “As in Alaric Saltzman!”
She got to her feet not understanding what was making me angry. “Rae, wait. What’s wrong and how do you know Ric?”
“He was sent to kill my husband by my husband’s crazy mother. He made me think the love of my life was dead. So now I am going to kill him!” Whipping my head around I smirked at her. “You can beg for his life if you want. But I am going to see him.”
Jo gasped, grabbing her car keys following me out the door. “I’ll drive there.” Jo and I entered the college standing outside his classroom but I was using the invisible spell waiting for the right moment.
He came out of his classroom clearly in a rush until we got there. “What's the rush? Occult studies emergency?” She asked him arms over her chest.
“Yeah, I have someplace I need to be so if you don't mind.” He tries to pass her but she blocks his way
Jo scoffed at him. “Why don't you just compel me out of the way.”
“Jo, I can explain - ah! What the hell” I cut him off, throwing him magically against the wall holding him there.
Opening my eyes I smirked up at him sticking to the wall. Clutching my right hand into a fist he winced when I revealed my fangs to him. “How about you tell her how you are a crazy murderous vampire who attempted to kill my lover. So she can understand why I am about to tear you limb from limb!”
“Rae, how do you have magic as a vampire?” Alaric grunted trying to break from the spell.
Smirking up at him I drop him onto the ground only to raise him in the air with magic again. “Ascendo! I’m a Gemini witch, yes. But I wasn’t born with magic, remember. So she. I turned now I’m your worst nightmare!”
“Look don't you think it's about time we level with each other.” Jo moved to stand beside me putting a hand on my shoulder. “My cousin has every right to be angry with you but I care about you so if you apologize then she agreed to not end you.”
Rolling my eyes at her I corrected her statement. “Technically he’s dead. But I can magic your ass over the anti border without blinking.”
“Ahhh! Okay I’m sorry…even though I wasn’t in control of myself, I’m sorry.” He gasped once I released him onto the wooden floor.
Jo offered him her hand, helping him to stand asking in a less stern tone. “Now what exactly was so important that you needed to get to?”
“Okay how's this, my best friend, he just came back from the dear but now I have to save him from a vampire hunter before he is driven across an antimagic border and killed again so here's some friendly advice.” Alairc explained moving around the two of us. “It's probably a good idea to stay as far away from me as possible.”
Watching him leave I crossed my arms over my chest. “He’s literally going to die permanently because of Damon Salvatore.”
“Wait Raelyn. We have to save him.” My cousin sent me a sympathetic glance. “I bet that you don’t like him but can you do it for me?”
Slumping my shoulders I caved knowing that I wouldn’t hurt her feelings ever. She was the only family member I cared about after all. “Huh alright let’s go save the former vampire hunter.”
“He was a vampire hunter before he turned.” She sounded interested as we rushed to the car.
“Seriously, after we save him please make him tell everything.” Pulling out my phone I dialed my brother. “Jacob, don’t go back to Jo’s place. I need you to bring the girls to the Mystic Falls border. We’re heeding their now.”
He asked through the phone. “What are you doing going there?”
“Off to save our cousin's romantic partner Alaric Saltzman. Just do what I say please.” I hung up the phone before Jo slammed on the gas and we rushed to the border. Slamming my door shut I gasped stopping at the edge. Two vehicles were knocked over and Alaric was laying on the grass bleeding out.
Jo grabbed her medical bag calling out to me over her shoulder bolting across the border with no problem. “What are you waiting for?”
“If I cross over it takes away the magic making me a vampire. I’ll die!” I shouted back hearing tires shriek on the road before I saw my brother get out of the car with Cami and the kids.
Hayley and three year old Andrea were driving back with one of the cures for the originals. But we had two more to go before we could get Klaus back. “Rae, what are we waiting for?” Cami asked about stepping over.
“You cross and you die.” Yanking the blonde back by her forearm I turned around to my daughters. “Girls, mommy and uncle J need your help.”
Alina, Missy and Hope ran forward. Alina had her hair up in a braid. Hope left her loose and Missy had it in a ponytail. Jacob looked at his six year old nieces then me. “So what do we do to help Alaric not die?”
Using my vampire hearing I watched Stefan limp over to the other truck that had his brother inside. But he was bleeding from where he died. “Jo’s helping him. We have to help Stefan get his brother across the border. We’ll briefly siphon the magic away so they don’t die.”
“Okay…uh like this?” Jacob placed his hands on the barrier and I followed his actions.
“Alina, Missy help us. Hope, cross over and help Jo.” I instructed my daughters so the two other siphons put their hands like ours and we watched their hands turn red. “Magia tollux de terras.”
“On it mom.” Hope crosses the border where she winced feeling it strike her magic but she keeps running towards Jo.
Alaric was couching up blood laying on his back. “You have to get me across the border. It's stripping away the magic. I'll die.”
Jo tore something from her medical bag. “You'll die if I move you. I have to stop the bleeding, you nicked your descending aorta.”
Alaric gasped. “I know, that's what killed me.”
Hope plopped down at her side seeing him bleeding. “Hey Jo, what can I do?”
“Hand me that pack.” She told her quickly.
Hope gave it to her watching her begin to tear it open with her mouth. “And you didn't have me back then did you and you didn't have hemostatic gauze.” She covered the wound with her hand and the gauze.
Cami gasped watching Jaocb and I keep chanting seeing Stefan limping towards the border with the spell still hurting them but they weren’t dead just yet. “Guys, you better hurry!” She hollers to the vampires on the other side.
“Ah crap!” I moaned seeing drops of blood staining my shoes meaning the spell was trying to kill us. “Jacob, let go!”
He shook his head coughing up some blood of his own. “No way…they’re coming.” Moving my gaze up, Stefan was still limping towards us. Damon and the other vampire collapsed onto our side gasping for air.
“Alaric? Hang on! Stay with me. Come on.” Jo starts pumping on his chest.” Gonna get that heart pumping. You don't get to have the last word with me. Alaric!”
Removing our hands from the barrier I gasped in relief feeling better until Missy tugged my arm pointing towards her sister and Jo. “Mommy!”
“God no.” Covering my mouth with my hands I heard Cami sob. Damon, still on the ground, rips his hands free from the chains and looks toward Mystic Falls, his eyes wide.
Jo continues pumping on Alaric's chest refusing to give up. “Stay with me! come on!” Suddenly Alaric's head snaps up, his eyes open and he gasps for air.
On the Ground, Alaric looks around confused and shaken. “So-so-something's wrong.”
“Don’t move, Ricky.” Hope warmed him by touching his cheek.
Alaric moved his hand to his chest still confused on how he wasn’t dead. “No, something's wrong. I'm not supposed to be alive.”
Jo put her hand to his face, calming the now human him down. “There's no reason you shouldn't be. I sealed the wound we just have to get you to the hospital.” The ambulance came and she waited before getting in the back.
“Go with him. We’re good from here.” I told her seeing she was waiting for me. “Just don’t be angry I’ve been hiding blood bags at your place.”
Alina came over to me once they drove off and I watched silently before she said something taking my attention away from them. “What happens to him now?”
“Now he gets to live his life as a human again. Come on, it's late. Let’s get you all to bed.” Picking her up in my arms she laid her head on my shoulder lifting her gaze up to the full moon in the sky.
Comments really appreciated ❤️
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themidnightramblers · 3 months
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Meet The Midnight Ramblers Band Members (& other important people)
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Mal Walker
The Ramblers’ founding member, original leader, and resident genius. Sometimes known to fans and bandmates as “Mad Mal,” he famously named the group by riffing on his favorite Muddy Waters song, “Ramblin’ Kid Blues.” Word on the street is Mal scribbled the lyrics to their first single on the newspaper wrapper for his fish ’n’ chips one lost drunken night in London. This peerless track, “Bought on the Never Never,” cribbed a sly bit of street slang, turning it into a youth anthem and the band’s debut hit. Mal was as renowned for his ability to metabolize a king’s ransom of drugs, as for his savant-like talent for mastering any instrument, from electric guitar and bass to sitar and the many esoteric percussion doo dads gathered during his frequent forays to faraway lands, including Morocco and Brazil. He was also celebrated for his stylish fitted trousers, which left little to the imagination, flared Byron-esque sleeves and dramatic headdresses — sometimes a velvet cap with a jaunty feather, sometimes a literal crown, made of flowers or gold. He will forever be equated with effortless “it boy” cool, as personified by actor Jude Law in his BAFTA-winning performance in the biopic Mad Mal. Devastatingly, Mal drowned in the swimming pool of the band’s Los Angeles rental house in August 1969, the night before the Ramblers’ celebrated free show at the Hollywood Bowl. Although the incident was ruled “death by misadventure” because of the epic mix of drugs in his blood at the time, his loyal fans have always considered it suspicious that he was left out of rehearsal that night. It has long been debated: Was he really alone in the water, and what secrets might be held in the vault by his then-wife, Anke Berben, who was also home? Such rumors were fueled by the torn-from-the-headlines book The Last Days of the Midnight Ramblers, written by the band’s American chauffeur, Syd Nelson, who published his tell-all in 1970, only to overdose on heroin that year. Whatever the truth, although Mal’s flame burned far too briefly, it has never dimmed in our hearts, where his transcendent music will live on forever.
Anke Berben
A beautiful phoenix, arising from the rubble of Europe’s darkest decade, she was born in Germany after World War II. Her father died from injuries incurred at the Battle of Berlin, leaving her mother to raise her, although Anke has long claimed her identity as a self-made lone wolf. Working as a shop girl — surely the coolest, most daring, fashionable young woman then on the street, she was discovered as a model at 16. While filling her portfolio with stunning shots, she became the first woman to pose topless on the cover of an international art magazine, making her the desirable date for artists and rockers alike, including Mal, who swept her up into his glittery entourage when she attended the Ramblers’ 1968 show in Berlin. For the next eight years, Anke would be like a sixth member of the band, feeding its fashion sense, exuding influence during rehearsals, shows, and a million backstage moments. Although Mal was seeing another young woman, who was pregnant at the time of his death, Anke was his wife, and she will always be his widow. But she never slept alone for long in her gilded youth and would soon go on to form a love square within the band. Drawn close by their raw grief over Mal’s passing, she and Dante fell together and had a son, Ody (named for Odin, the God of War). While Anke was candid about her struggles with heroin, she remained a timeless beauty and style setter, and had a five-year relationship with Ramblers frontman Jack Edwards, in the ’70s. Her legend grew when she left the raucousness of rock and ’n’ roll, taking up residence on a sailboat with Ody and her final love, Fritz, picking up inspiration in their many ports of call. Having lived more than her nine lives, as a love child of the world, she gathered her influences and experiences into her jewelry line, sought after for decades by rockers and fashionistas. Known for her effortless elegance, elevated Boho fashion, and dry wit, Anke remains a cultural force in her own right.   
Dante Ashcombe
There are musicians and then there are certifiable guitar gods, one with their instrument with a level of attunement that is almost mystical — think B.B. King and Lucille, Willie Nelson and Trigger, George Harrison and Lucy, and, of course, Dante Ashcombe and his Fender Telecaster, the Duchess. Known for his unique tuning style and his ability to embellish every Ramblers song with the perfect mix of grit and finesse, all he needed was the right alchemic conditions to ignite his genius, which he found when he caught a set by Jack’s first band, the Lads. The two bonded over their passion for American blues and gender-bending fashion, forging a friendship with enough one-upmanship for each to incite the other to write, practice, and perform with greater intention and intensity, pushing their style and sound to the limits of respectability and beyond. Dante’s potential for revealing aspects of this iconic relationship, as well as his previously unrevealed insights into what happened at the band’s rental house the night Mal met his terrible end, have made Dante’s memoir eagerly anticipated. A modern-day Renaissance rocker, he has quite a story to tell. While there is no Dante without Duchess, the instrument is really just one component of his total rock persona. With his effortless pirate-captain style, Cleopatra-esque black eyeliner, and an easy laugh for all he meets, like a schoolboy on holiday, Dante created the mold in which the next four generations of rockers would hope to be forged into a player and performer with an ounce of his verve. Perhaps no moment in his life better exemplifies his bohemian supremacy than the 18 months he and Anke were pop culture’s golden couple, deeply in love and perfectly matched, forming a family and inspiring Dante’s most heartfelt songwriting. How ever much Dante has always loved to perform, and never met a party he wouldn’t crash, in later years, he would go on to keep his home life a priority, becoming known as much for being a family man as a musical mythmaker. 
Jack Edwards
What does it take to front the world’s biggest, boldest rock band for more than five decades, and to keep the songwriting, stage show, and sex appeal as fresh and fraught as on day one? The kind of peacock-feathered charisma and purely radiant star power seen only once or twice each generation. We’re talking about an Oscar Wilde. A Little Richard. A Kurt Cobain. A true original. On top of a totally matchless creativity, add in a keen eye for trend setting fashion and a level head for business, not to mention the skills of a strong leader and an astute diplomat, and the wordsmithing genius of one of the greatest street poets of the rock ’n’ roll era. A hunger for experience has led Jack to form liaisons of the sexual, romantic, and creative stripe with a who’s who of fellow musicians, artists, designers, and more than his fair share of models — adding up to eight children with six different women (and that’s just the official count), plus whispers that he was the lover of several of his generation’s hottest male rock stars. A chameleon, an enigma, he is always perfectly put together and gracious, whether leaving the club at dawn or high tea at noon, and yet, he gives away little of his true thoughts and feelings. Perhaps he chooses to save his deepest musings for his songs, which continue to be as distinctive and potent as anything he wrote when he dropped out of university, taking up with Dante and Mal with little more than a second-hand guitar, a tambourine, and a daring new vision for the blues. While Jack has been wise enough to let his legacy speak for itself, shying away from addressing rumors of friction in his creative partnership with Dante or any other inner workings of the band, he is always eager to discuss his own artistic wellspring—which he notoriously feeds by reading poetry, traveling the world, and indulging in passionate love affairs.
Mal drowned at the Midnight Rambler’s Los Angeles rental house in 1969. He was found to have Quaaludes, alcohol, marijuana, and acid in his system so many have thought he just lived too hard and died too young. But then the band’s chauffeur, Syd, alleged that there may have been foul play. 
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queenrileyrose · 3 years
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Retrograde Epilogue: Love You Till the End Part Two
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Summary: Several years later, everyone gathers in Los Angeles.
TW: Multiple character deaths, heavy heavy emotional chapter. This is sad, but it ends mostly happy. I cannot stress the emotional heaviness enough.
A/N: I started writing these guys in late April of 2020. I found my original word document a few weeks ago and was shocked. I can’t believe it’s been a year.
These seven people will always have a special place in my heart. They’ve felt like my family, my best friends. Which is sweet or sad. I can’t decide.
I’ll miss checking in so much, having a weekly conversation with them. I finished editing for good on Saturday, and it already feels weird not to be putting together another chapter.
I was inspired by the general idea behind the finale of Six Feet Under. If you know what I’m talking about, consider yourself prepared. If not-this is a heavy emotional piece.
I’ve had these written since February. Never do this. I think I’ve established myself on here as a crier, but this made me ugly cry every time I had to edit. That’s how I decided it was the heavier of the two epilogues.
Huge thank yous to @alyssalauren and @burnsoslow for reading an earlier draft of this. Thank you so so much. You both have been such huge supports and I’m so incredibly grateful for you. 💛❤️
Thank you all my readers, for loving them as much as I do. I appreciate you so much.
Music Inspo: Retrograde-Maggie Rogers
Songbird -Fleetwood Mac
Love You Till the End-The Pogues
Several years later
Enzo Alexander Brooks Rys stood at the full length mirror, carefully looping his bright blue tie through the hole, leaving it loose.
It had been his father’s tie. The first time he’d worn it, it was because Enzo had forgotten to bring one. His father chuckled and tossed him the one he’d just knotted. Enzo kept it, feeling strange about wearing it to anything else.
Enzo wore it to all the funerals of his aunts and uncles.
Except one.
Megan had been first. She and his Uncle Liam were friends and nothing more, but she was still Aunt Megan. They raised Kenna together.
Enzo did not recall much about her. He remembered she hugged him when she saw him. She felt distant; he wasn’t sure why.
Megan died suddenly of an aneurysm when Kenna was 3. She was young, just 31. Enzo thought back to Liam calling his father in the middle of the night.
Megan’s friends from work and her boyfriend organized something with his mother’s help. After, Riley told Uncle Liam he could stay with them, with Kenna, as long as he needed.
His uncle refused, staying in New York with his daughter. He wouldn’t uproot her life, he said.
Kenna stayed in contact with Cassian, Megan’s boyfriend at the time. He’d gone on to marry a woman who operated a tech startup. They lived in San Diego and had a large family. Kenna said Cassian seemed to know the most about her mother’s life before she died. Riley knew Megan’s old life; Liam knew some of both. Between the three of them, Kenna was able to feel as though she knew who her mother had been.
The first time Enzo wore the royal blue swatch of silk was for his Uncle Max. A stroke took his perpetually happy uncle from all of them at 68. His funeral was a disco-themed celebration, planned years in advance by the man himself.
The day had his mother and Uncle Luca laughing until they cried, just as Maxwell would have wanted. There had been live peacocks, copious amounts of cronuts, and Kylie Minogue on repeat. His father had spun his mother around the dance floor. His Uncle Drake and Aunt Ari not far behind them. His Uncle Liam and Kenna sat and talked about Maxwell's antics.
Luca clutched a photo of Uncle Max. His eyes teared every so often. He told Enzo that Max was the great love of his life and that because of him, he was part of a family.
Later that night, Enzo had come downstairs to find his mother crying with Luca as they flipped through a scrapbook. It was Uncle Max’s, and the scrapbook was called “Blossom and Maxwell:  Adventures in Fun.”
Riley showed Enzo some of the photos. She explained the rollercoaster and the giant ball of yarn. Llamanade was featured. The llama who finally stopped spitting on his dad had lived to the ripe old age of 15.
Enzo asked about her favorite Uncle Max memory. Riley thought a moment, a smile crossing her tear stained face. She told him the story of her first Beaumont Bash.
Leo came down a few minutes later, followed by the twins and Rhea. The younger ones talked about their godfather and uncle, remembering him the way he wanted to be. Kind, protective. The life of the party.
Val came up behind him, straightening the tie and tightening it. “Are you ready, my love?”
“Almost, sweetheart,” Enzo frowned. “Just reminiscing. This tie has seen some things.”
“You sound like your mother, “ Val smiled, her kind brown eyes so like her father’s.
Enzo grinned back, his father’s trademark smirk. “That’s one of my favorite compliments.”
Val rubbed his back soothingly. “Take all the time you need. The others are downstairs. We will wait.”
Enzo loved Val since he was 13. Their parents’ close friendship had thrown them together often as children. They kissed for the first time just after Enzo passed his driver’s test. Enzo asked Val to be his girlfriend a week later, and they’d been together ever since.
Enzo smiled gratefully and kissed Val softly. He looked around the room he stood in. His parent’s old bedroom, in the home they’d brought him to after he was born. Enzo had grown up in the house in Joshua Tree, near Drake and Ari, but his parents never sold. They’d eventually moved back to this home as they got older, saying it was closer to the city.
Enzo and Val still lived in Ojai but kept the place. Riley and Leo left it to Enzo; he had lived here longest as a child. It was primarily untouched, his parent’s belongings still in their places. The last book his mother had been reading, one of her favorites, Human Contact, still lay on the end table downstairs. She’d known the author.
The last movie his father had watched, an old action flick, was on the coffee table; the DVD returned to its case but not moved back to the movie cabinet. Leo probably planned to do it the following day.
It wasn’t the healthiest thing, but he was grown now. Enzo could do whatever the fuck he wanted.
Enzo fingered the soft material of the tie, remembering the next event he’d been forced to sling it around the collar of his white button-down. Enzo looked at his hands, his fingers trembling, not not as much as the funeral running through his mind. That day, his mother had to fix the tie for him, Enzo unable to complete the task.
His father-in-law, his unofficial uncle had been honored that day. His mother had called him Uncle Dad after the wedding, much to Drake’s annoyance. Their family was a messy one, but they wouldn’t have it any other way.
Drake was diagnosed with kidney cancer; they caught it early. Drake completed treatment and had to have a kidney removed, only for the cancer to return with a vengeance a decade later.
Enzo could still hear his mother’s heartbroken sobs as Drake gently told her that he was dying. Drake pulled her into his lap and explained that those ten years had been the best of his life. That he hadn’t thought past 40, and making it to 70 was a gift. His mother had wailed that it still wasn’t fair and tried to donate a kidney. The cancer was too aggressive. Riley, so used to helping, couldn't do anything.
During the last several months of Drake’s life, his loved ones surrounded him. Riley and Leo barely stayed at their own home; Luca was rarely anywhere else but Drake and Ari’s. Liam came on extra visits that year, spending a few weeks here or there. All of the children and grandchildren came a few times a week and stayed the whole weekend.
Ari and Drake spent hours sitting in the same chair near the fire. Drake would wrap his arms around her and whisper things only she could hear. One night, Enzo and Val were sitting with them. Ari told Drake something was his fault; she was as soft as he was now. Drake laughed and told her he only had one regret: not having more time with her. Ari had replied that it would never have been enough, even if they lived to be one hundred.
A few nights before Drake took his last breath, Enzo overheard his mom thanking him. Drake had chuckled and asked what the hell for. Riley took his hand and said, “Everything. Every drink, every conversation. Every time you were there for me. Always having my back.  I hope I’ve been as good to you.”
Drake pulled her to him then. “You’ve been the best friend I could ever ask for. I love you, Brooks.”
His mom had managed to get the word marshmallow out before the sobs started. Leo had come out soon after and put his arms around both of them.
They’d all had time to prepare, but it didn’t make it easier.
His uncle’s funeral had been full of whiskey and plaid shirts at Drake’s request.
Riley delivered the eulogy, a farewell to her best friend. She spoke of Drake’s devotion, his heart. How she assumed he would never die, or at least outlive her, so she didn’t have to grieve him—her marshmallow.
Liam managed a few sentences. How lucky he had been to have such a lifelong friend. That he would miss him dearly, and the world without him didn’t seem possible.
Ari didn’t say one word during the funeral. She couldn’t form any. She sat frozen, her face blank. Leo sat next to her, tears escaping his eyes every so often. He couldn’t find the words either.
Enzo saw Liam touch an old suit of Drake’s at his home with Ari, rubbing the fabric between his fingers. Dark blue, dated, a pink tie looped around the hanger. Enzo asked Riley about it a few weeks later. She said Drake had worn it to a wedding once.
His mother and Aunt Ari got into Drake's stash, his bottles of whiskey he had been saving. They took the liquor to the fire pit behind Drake and Ari’s house and began drinking.
Liam stayed for a few hours, then left. Drake’s home without Drake was unbearable, he said.
Leo and Luca had stayed nearby Ari and Riley, making sure they ate and finally made them stop drinking.
Ari was different from then on. Harder. Enzo heard her tell his mother that Drake took her softness with him.
His Uncle Luca had been next. A rare form of hereditary emphysema slowed him down, eventually taking his life at 72.
The funeral was widely attended and reported on; his uncle had briefly been in politics in Los Angeles, serving several terms on the city council. It was classy and elegant, like Luca.
Luca banned eulogies. He knew Riley or Leo would want to but refused to put them through it. An old song drifted through the air instead. Enzo recognized it from the many times it played at his house when he was young.
For you, the sun will be shining And I feel that when I'm with you
Maxwell made sure Luca would spend forever next to him, purchasing the space beside his own years earlier. The plots overlooked the park Max and Luca loved so much, the scene of their first date; so many subsequent hours spent admiring the trees and talking.
Liam attended, sitting next to Ari, as her unofficial support since Drake died. He and Uncle Luca managed to form a friendship over the years. Liam told Enzo that Luca was still one of the kindest people he’d ever met. Liam was sure Riley and Luca were related somehow. Similar spirits.
His mother had taken Luca’s death almost as hard as Drake’s. She visited Luca and Max once a week, sitting between the graves and talking about new recipes or dance music. After, she poured a shot of whiskey into the pond behind Drake and Ari’s home, the place Drake’s ashes had been scattered. Leo always came with her, touching Luca and Maxwell’s headstones and swirling his hand in the water of the pond.
Ari followed Luca later that year, at 73. His father said she’d never recovered from losing Drake. Her heart failed, and she didn’t wake up. Enzo often wondered if it had simply been broken.
Ari didn’t want a funeral. Her instructions were a simple cremation. Riley and Leo scattered her ashes in the pond with Drake. Liam helped. He’d also brought fireworks. They set them off most of the night in Ari’s honor.
Riley and Leo went home the next day after Liam left for the airport, clinging more tightly to each other, somewhat unsure of what to do now.
Enzo and Val packed up the house at a request Ari made in her will for one of the children to live there.
They found thousands of love notes between Drake and Ari. They’d written them almost every day since their relationship was official, leaving them in lunchboxes and shoes and vehicles. They were scattered throughout the home. One in a drawer here, another in a cupboard in another room. A few in an old workboot. The bulk were in boxes that lined the floor of Drake’s closet.
They weren’t long or flowery, just simple declarations and thinking of you’s. Val split them with Tino, who moved into the home soon after, and Hope.
Val framed her favorites. Two notes that held simple vows about dreams and journeys.
The last two funerals had been the hardest for Enzo. The worst days of his life. It still didn’t feel real to him.
A few years after his Aunt Ari died, his father passed in his sleep at 80. Riley woke to him lying beside her, a small smile on his face, still clasping her hand in his.
Riley called 911, then Enzo, and finally Liam. He hopped on the first plane he could. Enzo brought him to the Silver Lake home. His mother sat, staring at nothing as she had for the past eight hours. Liam sat next to her and touched her shoulder. She fell apart then, burying her face in her hands.
The funeral was held, his mother delivered another eulogy, this time for the love of her life. She talked about how Leo saved her every day. How he was selfless and kind, the best person she’d known. How, if he could see her, how upset he would be that she was so sad.
She talked about the last night they shared. They watched an old movie he liked, looked at photos,  and sat on their bench. How she’d known he might be gone soon as he talked about the afterlife.
Riley said she could talk for days about this man. That she would talk about Leo every single day until she died. Riley said she would try her best to be brave for him but collapsed into sobs as she tried to say she didn’t know how. Enzo helped Riley to her seat, and whispered that Leo would be so proud of them for mostly holding it together. It had gotten a very weak smile from Riley.
Liam shared a few words about his big brother. He admired his heart, Liam said. Leo had been able to forgive him and form a strong relationship for the last 40 years. Liam would always cherish that and how Leo took care of everyone. Liam couldn’t speak anymore after that.
Leo’s bar was the setting for the wake. Enzo saw his mother glance at the empty pane that Leo refused to replace. Liam and Riley sat and talked for hours at a table. Riley cried most of the time. She laughed when Liam said something about Leo not getting a casket because she’d slap a boy band sticker on it.
Liam remained in Los Angeles to help Riley settle Leo’s estate and spend time with the kids and grandkids. He and Riley stayed up late talking a few nights, Riley on the bench, Liam in a chair across from her.
Riley didn’t lay in the bed she shared with Leo again. She began sleeping on the couch, her eyes closing in the middle of the night to old action movies. More than once, when Enzo came to check on her, Everlong was playing.
His father had arranged things sent to be sent to their home once a week after he died. The first, a large bouquet of red peonies and tuna sashimi.
His father wasn’t a man of many words. Leo was succinct, summing up feelings and events in just a few well thought out expressions. The note said he wasn’t trying to P.S. I Love You her. Leo just wanted to make her smile, and he thought remembering their first date would do that. Riley wiped a tear. Enzo heard her whisper a thank you as she smelled the flowers.
The second week, and Valentine’s Day, vodka and sandwiches were delivered. The few words on the card instructed her to eat food off her shirt. Riley shook her head and muttered that his dad was a dreamboat.
The third week, a farmer came by with a small blonde llama. He knew Riley from his father’s stories. They sat in the backyard all afternoon, the llama getting many pets from Riley before returning to the farm. The message for this occasion told her she should have taken him up on his offer to buy her all the llamas.
The fourth week, a framed canvas with insults his mother yelled during Call of Duty arrived. The words were painted in an elegant script. Spherical dumbass was in the center, surrounded by you have the map awareness of Christopher Columbus, this isn’t fucking Mario Kart, you dick jockey, and you’re fucking 007, zero kills, zero assists, seven deaths.
The note said: “Thanks for shooting so many people in the dick for me, baby.”
Riley had howled with laughter and made Enzo hang it in their old room, on the wall above the television. Riley hadn't been up there in a while; her eyes filled as she looked around. She curled up in Leo’s gaming chair for a few moments, trailing her fingers along the armrest.
Enzo would have wondered how his dad did it if Enzo hadn’t been the one who set it up, just after Drake died. His father knew somehow that Riley would outlive him. He’d given Enzo a list and a credit card; and instructed him to start from the top; the best things were first.
“I know your mom won’t move on,” Leo told him. “She probably won’t be far behind me, and I’m fucking sorry for that. I just want to make her days brighter.”
The next day, Liam went to Riley and Leo’s to say goodbye before he finally went back to New York. No one answered the door, so he circled to the backyard. Liam found Riley on the bench Drake made so many years ago. She was holding Leo’s watch in her hands, his wedding ring was on the chain around her neck. His urn sat beside her. There was no specific cause of death. Her body had just given out at 76.
Riley’s funeral was as packed as Leo’s had been. Friends from Cordonia, children, and relatives of friends attended. Along with many community leaders, familiar with his parents’ philanthropy.
Enzo gave the eulogy this time. Val had to step in when he was unable to continue halfway through. She rubbed his back as she read what he’d written about his mother. Her kindness, her bad jokes, her love of odd pets. How much she loved her children and her husband.
Liam gave a short speech. He said he knew Riley was happy, wherever she was because she was with Leo. He said it was a miracle her heart had lasted so long because she gave pieces of it to everyone she loved. Liam ran his fingers over the keychain in his pocket.
Liam said one last thing. Riley taught him to grab onto life with both hands, that timing wasn’t everything. It’s the only way it’ll work. He looked out across the audience and smiled at Kenna before leaving the podium.
The children all knew Riley and Liam were married before she and Leo were. They didn’t understand why it ended, just that they were better as friends. Riley told them not to focus on that, it was the past and not really their business.
Riley and Leo’s instructions were to be scattered together after they both passed. The children spread their ashes in several places dear to them. The beach in Santa Monica, the backyard of their first home, and Drake and Ari’s pond.
Enzo, Cassandra, Niko, and Rhea didn’t spread all their parent’s ashes. They kept the small amount they saved in an urn made of sea glass in the Silver Lake home. They knew their parents would approve.
Enzo missed his parents. Right up until their deaths, they’d spoken every single day. He’d still never met anyone as in love as they were, Ari and Drake coming in at a close second, tied with Max and Luca. Enzo tried to show Val every day how much he loved her.
Liam stayed a few days longer. Enzo sat outside on the bench at his parents’ home after the service, Liam still in a chair across from it.
Liam told him stories he hadn’t heard before. A game night that had almost ended all game nights, the day Liam and Riley got tattoos, how selfless Riley and Leo were. He suspected his uncle left the messy parts out, but he didn’t care. Enzo could never hear enough about his parents.
A plaque was placed on a bench outside LAX that simply said, “Leo and Riley. Where they first met.” Another gift from Leo to Riley, next on the list. Enzo liked to think his mom could see it.
It was the last gift Enzo completed. He framed the list his dad had handwritten. Every so often, he read it and smiled. It was probably good he hadn’t gotten all the way through it.
Enzo, Val, Tino, Hope, Niko, Cassandra, Kenna, and Rhea visited the bench after the plaque was placed on July 21st. They described their favorite memories of Leo and Riley.
Enzo’s was his college graduation. He majored in business and minored in literature. His mother, crying, as usual, had told him Enzo and his siblings were her best dreams come to life. He had fera somnia, wild dreams in Latin, tattooed on his rib cage soon after.
Leo took Enzo on long car drives most of his life. Leo said it started when he was a baby and couldn’t sleep; they just continued it every Sunday afternoon. Leo and Enzo would talk about everything. Enzo missed his father’s voice.
Val brought up the summer Riley and Drake built a pen for his mother’s Pygmy goat, Bey. They’d swore and drank, agreeing whoever thought this was a good idea was dumb. It had been both their ideas. Drake and Riley completed the pen. Drake had to go back and fix the less sturdy parts they'd built while drunk.
Enzo asked her why she’d named the animal Bey once; she’d shrugged and said Beyoncé was the GOAT. Not understanding old people's slang, he had to look it up. His mother’s puns were unmatched.
Val’s favorite remembrance of Leo was from the wedding. He’d told her he’d always seen her as another daughter, and now she really was one. He’d given her a bracelet that he and Riley chose, a beautiful sparkle of sapphires and diamonds.
Tino loved Riley’s baking most of all. She’d let him lick the bowl when he helped and always gave him extra. He remembered Leo’s playfulness, how he always listened.
Hope’s favorite memories were her dad and Uncle Leo arm wrestling. Drake usually won, and Leo always said he let him win. They were two big kids, and she loved them.
Riley and Hope were both voracious readers and swapped books as she got older. Riley made sure she always had a new book to read.
Cassandra spoke about the summer after middle school when they’d visited Cordonia. Riley showed them the palace, her portraits, her tiaras. Leo showed them all the ways he used to sneak out. Cassandra’s favorite had been the Valtotia duchy. She’d looked over the balcony with her father and asked him if he regretted abdicating. Leo’d smiled his lopsided grin and drawn her into a hug. He said no. He’d never have met her mother. Riley was worth infinite Cordonias.
Niko couldn’t pick just one. He remembered movie nights with just the family or walking into the kitchen to his parents dancing to an old song or his father helping his mom cook breakfast or dinner. The way they both dropped everything if anyone needed something, a pep talk or a life lesson.
Kenna repeated Riley’s puns. She also remembered Riley always making her feel at home. Leo taught her how to mix drinks the summer she turned 17, much to her father’s dismay. Kenna thought back to Leo’s sheepish shrug and how he’d told her father it was stuff everyone should know.
Liam had finally laughed and asked him to teach her to make a scotch and soda. They had a strong bond her whole life, and it had made Kenna thankful for every summer.
Rhea recalled going to work with each of her parents. They both taught her how to treat people, how everyone mattered. Their jobs were so different, but the lessons held up.
They held a more somber celebration for the day Drake had taken a bullet for Riley. They had every year as long as anyone could remember. It only felt fitting to continue it. They reminisced about Drake. How he took them all fishing, made them s’mores often. They all felt safe with him. His mother called him Marshmallow, and he truly was.
Liam sent a bottle of whiskey for Drake every year after Riley passed. He sent flowers to Maxwell and Luca’s graves every few weeks.
Enzo remembered asking Riley why Max and Luca didn’t have kids once. How would they have people to remember them when they were gone, their birthdays and accomplishments?
Riley told him they did have kids. Eight of them. That not everyone wanted their own. Some people just wanted to be awesome godfathers and uncles that it was okay and beautiful.
She asked if Enzo would remember Luca and Max forever. Enzo nodded. Riley had replied with “well, there you go.”
Enzo stood and shrugged his midnight blue blazer on, glancing one last time in the mirror. His hair darkened over the years, more light brown than blonde now. His brown eyes held flecks of aqua, a perfect combination of his parents.
He glanced at the watch on his wrist. An old watch that he made sure to keep working. The engraving on the back faded, still legible. A gift from his mom to his dad on their first anniversary.
They all carried pieces of their family. Enzo also had some of Uncle Luca’s cuff links; Niko had the rest. His Uncle Max’s massive music collection had been split equally among them all.
Rhea had a simple bracelet, with a date engraved of her mother’s, and her floral engagement ring. Val had her mother’s engagement ring on a necklace she always wore; Tino had his father’s wedding band in his breast pocket at all times. Hope had her mother’s wedding band.
Cassandra had her mother’s recipe binder, her wedding band, Niko had his dad’s secret drink recipes, his wedding band. The twins wore the rings on the second fingers of their right hands.
His cousin Kenna wore a ring with her grandmother’s diamonds. She kept a ruby apple on her dresser that her aunt Riley gave her on her 18th birthday. It had been an old present from her father. Riley wanted her to have a symbol of both her homelands. Liam had loved the idea.
Enzo adjusted the lapels and walked down the stairs.
He saw Kenna first. She was willowy and blonde. Liam used to say she could be his mother’s twin. Her pale blue eyes were red rimmed. Kenna visited her father last week. Something had told her to go, and she listened. They’d gone to the Statue of Liberty and Central Park.
Liam hugged her before she left for the airport and said she was the best part of him. That he’d spent years doing things the wrong way, and he had always tried to do right by her. Kenna held him tighter, telling him that he had more than done right. Liam had been there for every scrape, every important school event, every major moment of her life.
Her first heartbreak at 15, he brought her a tub of ice cream and told her that the boy just hadn’t been meant for her. That one day, she would find the one who was, and there was no rush.
Liam had initiated a video call with Riley and Ari; Emma was in Paris for work and joined the call. The women talked to Kenna, sharing their own stories of bad love. Liam was always there, and he brought backup if needed.
Kenna wasn’t sure how to get through the rest of her days without her father. But she had plenty of people to lean on, thanks to him. A family that also understood what she was going through.
They all looked up at Enzo as he entered. Val winked at him. Tino, tall and broad like Drake, passionate like his mother, had an arm around Kenna’s waist. A memory of their wedding ran through Enzo’s head, how proud Uncle Liam had been. His mother had danced with him later, Liam unable to control his tears. Riley had patted his back and winked at Leo, who’d taken his brother to get a drink.
His sister Cassandra was there with her wife, Juliet.
Next to them stood Niko and his wife, Chloe. Hana and Rashad passed several years ago. Hana served two terms as President, the most she could serve. Bertrand Beaumont won the next elections, followed by his son, Bartie. Cordonia was in good hands; Kiara’s granddaughter Elle held the current title.
Cassandra wore her dark hair like her mother, long and curly. Niko had her dark brown eyes. Rhea and Hope were holding hands. They’d gotten engaged a few weeks ago. They’d called them Riley and Drake Junior when they were small, the similarities startling.
Enzo tried to smile, though his heart hurt. “Ready, all?”
Val took his hand as Enzo slipped his other hand into his pocket.
The key chain Uncle Liam pressed into his hand at his mother’s funeral was almost entirely smooth, the object it represented difficult to determine unless you knew.
Liam told Enzo that Riley gifted it to him on one of the worst nights of both their lives, that he looked to it when he needed courage. Liam hadn’t always followed through. But he tried.
The others nodded in response to Enzo’s question, and they filed out to the limos.
The former king of Cordonia’s funeral was today in Los Angeles. Kenna would be giving the eulogy. Liam left her everything, leaving a footnote that he wished he could leave more. Liam called her his beloved daughter, the person that made his life complete. Kenna had to make a special trip to Cordonia to collect some of her father’s possessions. Her cousins and extended family would be joining her.
Liam died peacefully in his sleep at 78.
Liam left a letter in his will. He didn’t have a country, he wrote. But he had found himself a few times in Los Angeles. It was where his family lived. He wanted to be near them after a lifetime of living apart. His ashes were to be spread in the Pacific Ocean. Liam always appreciated the ocean's vastness. He was looking forward to spending eternity in it.
———
Much later that night, Val and Enzo sat on the bench Drake had made his parents for a wedding present. It was well preserved. Drake had given Riley instructions on his deathbed, and she’d followed them to the letter. The note she’d written was still on the refrigerator in her cramped penmanship, along with the number of the woodworker who helped keep the item pristine. Enzo’s job now.
“What do you think they’re all doing now?” Val said. “If there’s an afterlife?”
Enzo smiled. “My mom is yelling at Uncle Liam for dying.”
Val chuckled. “I can almost hear her.”
Enzo continued. “My father is laughing and kissing her to calm her down. He’s probably telling her that Liam didn’t do it on purpose. Your mom is giving Uncle Liam that look she used to give him like she tolerates him but secretly loves him. She’ll hug him as soon as no one is looking.”
Val nodded approvingly. “I know that look.”
“Uncle Drake is hugging Uncle Liam and calling my mom Brooks in that way he does when he’s exasperated. He’ll hug her next and say we’ve all got Kenna. That it was Liam’s time.”
Val’s eyes teared. “I miss them all.”
Enzo took her hand and brought it to his lips. “I know. I do too, Vallie.”
Enzo went on. “Uncle Max is handling the music; it’s probably Kylie Minogue. He’s saying something about Uncle Liam finally joining the party. Uncle Luca is helping with the cooking and making Uncle Liam and my mom taste test.” Enzo finished.
“Do you think they can see us, E?”
“I hope so.” Enzo’s smile faltered. “I hope they see all their grandchildren and us. How we remember them.”
“Do you think your mom has llamas?”
“Definitely, and chickens and goats.” Enzo grinned. “Uncle Max has peacocks too, and his tortoise.”
Val laughed. “We got really lucky with them all, didn’t we? I always felt like I had six parents.”
“Not Uncle Liam?” Enzo had never thought of Liam as a parent. He wasn’t around the way everyone else was. It wasn’t his fault, just how it was. His mom had called him complicated. It was an apt description.
Enzo thought of Liam as a close friend, one he only saw once a year for a few months.
“Kind of, he was more of a summer dad,” Val said. “He lived so far away, but he always spent so much time with us over the summers. He was such a kind man.”
Liam visited every single summer. He visited this past summer, what ended up being his last on Earth. He stayed at Kenna and Tino’s, formerly Drake and Ari’s. He said it still felt odd without Drake, but he managed.
Liam would sit around the firepit long after everyone else went to bed. Kenna said she heard him talking as if they were all there; Drake and Ari, Leo and Riley, Luca and Max. He let them know that everyone was doing just fine, in case they didn’t know.
Liam kept his promises to Riley, even when she was no longer there.
Enzo nodded. “He and my parents would talk for hours when he was here. On top of all the calls and video chats when he was in New York.”
“I always wondered what happened.” Val mused. “There are so many photos of him and us as babies. Then he moved to New York, and it wasn’t the same.”
“My mom said he got a job that was too good to pass up. Aunt Megan was pregnant and out there already.” Enzo answered. “I know there’s more. That was the summer my dad got shot.”
“The burglary.” Val nodded. “I can remember him coming home from the hospital; your mom was pregnant with the twins. It’s very blurry.”
“I was too little. I don’t remember.” Enzo glanced over at Val. “If they hid it, we're better off not knowing.”
Val nodded in agreement. “Uncle Liam did seem happy when we were growing up. Didn’t he?”
“Yes. Kenna was the center of his world. Emma made him so happy, too. He was with her for over thirty years.” Enzo smiled.
Emma had been a vibrant woman with a biting wit. She only visited a handful of times, having her own packed life in New York. Liam and Emma began dating soon after meeting; Emma moved in two years later. They never married, both had a divorce under their belts, but stayed together the rest of Emma’s life.
She died a few years before Liam had, a year before Riley and Leo, of lung cancer. They all went to New York to support him. All of them that were left.
Enzo dropped a kiss on Val’s head. “Have I told you today how beautiful you are?”
“Yes. Twice.” Val pressed her lips to his. “I hope our children remember us the way we remember our family.”
“They will. We had good teachers.” Enzo kissed her again. “So, the bar tomorrow night? Weekly dinner with everyone?”
“Yes,” Val said. “Kenna and Cassandra are cooking, so wear pants with a stretchy waist.”
Enzo chuckled. “The kids are coming, too?”
Val looked toward the house. All the children had come in for the funeral from New York City, where they all lived. Most were out of college, few still attended. All at NYU.
Like Liam and their parents, they’d come to every funeral of their grandparents, biological and adopted.
Enzo and Val had three children, Adrian Drake Rys, Dashiell Leo Rys, and Isla Riley Lucia Rys.
Santino and Kenna’s family included one of each, as Leo would say. Zara Ariadne Walker and Fabian Jackson Walker.
Cassandra and Juliet adopted two sons, Anthony Luca Rys and Maxwell Gregory Rys.
Niko and his wife Chloe had one child. Riley Rose Rys.
Their children’s closeness reminded Enzo of his own circle of friends and family, of the life constructed for him by his parents and their friends. They had raised them the same way.
“Yes,” Val said. “All of them.”
———
Later still, Enzo stared at the ceiling. They slept in his parent’s old room upstairs when they visited. The furniture had all been replaced over the years, except for two plush leather chairs that his parents had put a ridiculous amount of money into keeping pristine. They were old gaming chairs, obsolete now.
Enzo had a burst of memory, of sneaking in one morning. Before they’d moved nearer to Drake, to a bigger house, his parents were in pajamas and playing some game. He didn’t remember which one, but someone shot his dad in the game, and his mom was angry.
She’d growled “fuckbucket” and taken the guy out. His dad laughed and leaned over to kiss his mother.
His dad said, “Baby, remind me never to cross you.”
Enzo remembered thinking his mom's name was “baby” for a few months as a small child. His dad rarely called her anything else.
She’d beamed and replied. “You never have, and you never will. I’ll take down whoever tries to fuck with you.”
“As proved in the past.” His dad kissed her again. “Let’s grab Enzo and Double Trouble and get some cronuts.”
“No cooking today?”
“You're cooking right now.” Leo kissed the small bump at her midsection. “Let’s give it a rest.”
“It’s like one mind.” His mom grinned, then put her palm on her face. “No, don’t.”
His dad smiled broadly. “Intuitive as fuck, baby. Blessing and a curse. Only for you.”
His mom had half groaned, half laughed, and leaned in to kiss him; Leo put his arms around her waist and pulled her closer as their lips met.
Enzo had scampered back down the hall to his room, excited to be taken out for cronuts.
Enzo smiled, Val curled into him in her sleep.
Enzo pressed a kiss to her forehead and closed his eyes.
———
That night, not for the first time, Enzo saw his parents.
He usually dreamt of them when they stayed here. Sometimes it was memories spliced together. Other times it was conversations. Some they had before, some new.
Tonight, it was a new conversation.
“How did you do it, Mom?” Enzo sat on a bench that looked like the one in his backyard. “So much pain and loss. Every funeral is harder. At least this is the last one for another forty years.”
Riley smiled kindly at him. She looked the way he remembered her as a small child. Her wavy brown hair loose, her face unlined. Her smile was radiant.
“Here’s the thing, Enz. Everything ends. Life ends. We all had good ones. That’s what I clung to.”
“You died second to last, wasn’t that horrible?”
“Do you know what your dad said once?”
“No.”
“He said, ‘baby, they aren’t strong enough to go on without you. You are the strongest, and it’s why you have to go through more fire. But I will always be here walking through it with you.’
“He always was,” Riley smiled. “Even after he was gone, he took care of me.”
“Where is Dad?” Enzo looked around.
“He’s coming.” Riley laughed. “I’m faster. He is a little older than me.”
His dad walked up then, his handsome face creased in a smile, his blue eyes sparkling. “I heard that, baby.” Leo kissed Riley and addressed him. “Enzo!”
Enzo smiled as he stood and embraced his dad. Leo sat next to Riley, shifting her into his lap. Enzo sat beside them.
“Anything new?” Leo asked, kissing Riley’s temple.
“Uncle Liam’s funeral was today.”
Riley nodded. “I saw him. He’s with Eleanor now.”
“Do you see everyone?” Enzo asked. “Val and I were talking about it earlier, if there was an afterlife.”
“I see all of you. Val, Cassie and Nik, Rhea, Hope. Kenna. Tino. And all your aunts and uncles, of course.”
“We both do,” Leo added. “Do you see everyone in your dreams?”
Enzo nodded. “Sometimes. Not as much as I’d like.”
Riley frowned. “I wish we could be with you all the time.”
“Do you think this is really happening? Are we meeting somewhere in between?” Enzo wanted it to be real.
“Sweet boy, this is a dream,” Riley said as she smoothed his hair back from his forehead. “Is it real? I don’t know. It feels real. That’s all we can ask for.”
Leo’s face lit up with an idea. “I know! Ask us something only we would know, that you can wake up and prove.”
Riley shook her head and laughed, planting a kiss on Leo’s lips.
Enzo thought about this. “Oh, the mutually assured destruction bet. No one ever got the story.”
Riley beamed. “Max definitely knew. He hid that info.”
Leo nodded in agreement. “Go to the garage at the first house. There’s a box with a label that says old bags. It will tell you all you need to know about that.”
“What if it isn’t there?”
“We will always meet you here, Enzo. It doesn’t matter if it was real. Does it?” Riley held his hand.
Enzo missed his mom so profoundly then. She always knew how to help him. Make him see what she was trying to say. She wanted him to live, not fixate on who he might see when he dreamt. She’d always be here, but he needed to be out there.
“I guess not.” Enzo agreed. “But I am looking for the box.”
Riley smiled. “I love you so much, Enzo. We are so proud of you.” She stood, his dad standing with her.
“We are.” Leo agreed. “You’re the awesomest kid. Watch out for everyone.”
“I do.”
“I hope to see you in another dream soon,” Riley said softly, running a hand through his hair.
“Me too, Mom. I love you.” Enzo wanted to talk more. He would save it for next time.
“I love you, Enzo.”
“I love you, son.” Leo coughed. He never liked the leaving part.
“I love you too, Dad.”
They hugged him and slipped back inside the house. Enzo thought he saw his parents walk to all his aunts and uncles; Ari, Drake, Max, Luca, and Liam joined by a woman who was almost identical to Kenna in the split second before the door closed.
In the dream, he swore they all waved.
———
Enzo woke early the next morning. He got out of bed carefully so that he wouldn’t wake Val. He threw on a robe and slipped his flip-flops on.
The garage wasn’t as dusty as he thought it’d be. They used it for storage. He rushed toward the boxes, locating one that said old bags.
His heart raced as he opened it, his mouth hanging open in disbelief.
It was full of CDs and records. Lady Gaga and Katy Perry. Taylor Swift, Harry Styles, and Miley Cyrus.
A note on top listed the albums, which belonged to who. His mom liked Lady Gaga; his dad seemed more fond of Katy Perry.
“Mutually fucking assured destruction,” Enzo muttered.
A photo lay to the side of the note, a candid of his parents sitting on the bench outside their home. They were deep in conversation; his mother sat in his father’s lap. The smiles on their faces were bright, and Enzo knew she’d laughed after Uncle Max snapped the photo.
Enzo closed the box and put it back where he found it. The photo went into the pocket of his robe.
Enzo would keep their secret.
———
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Clockwise from top left: Val, Enzo, Santino, Cassandra, Niko, Kenna, Hope, and Rhea.
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lasquadrasfuckhouse · 3 years
Text
since i've been talking a lot about my hcs for la squadra's backgrounds i figured i would drop what i've thought of so far for risotto 👀
as a heads up there will be talk of ❗catholic trauma, familial death, and grief❗
prefacing this: so i saw an idea somewhere once that risotto and mariah are related b/c their stands both deal w/ magnetism and they both have white hair and then i made a mental exercise to play around with the idea of how that would actually Work but then the idea stuck lol
so they're half siblings and mariah is like, 5 or 6 years older? they have the same dad. he and mariah's mom separated on good terms and he eventually moved to sicily for work but went back n forth a lot to still be active in mariah's life
which is where he met risotto's mama. risotto was born and raised in siracusa but the family went to cairo a lot and likewise mariah and her mama would come visit too
so risotto's family life may have been unconventional (especially considering it was the 70s in a catholic country and his parents weren't married, nero is his mama's last name) but was very happy. he had good and loving parents, he and his sister loved each other a lot, their moms got along really well and mariah's mama was very nice to risotto too and vice versa, it was all pretty chill!!!!
maybe a few months (or a few years) later some wreckage washed ashore that could be identified as part of their vessel, but that's the most closure risotto had. he knows in his heart that they're dead because they were good parents, they would never have abandoned him and mariah. he doesn't blame the sea though and he's not afraid of it, it's just nature, and nature happens sometimes.
but when risotto was about 8 or 9, his parents were lost at sea. not sure if they were on a ferry and there was a freak storm and there were others that were lost too or they just liked to sail or what, but their boat pretty much vanished and they were never found.
so as presumably, probably, an orphan, he was taken in by his maternal grandparents in the sicilian countryside and lost contact with mariah and her mama. his grandparents had also taken in his older cousin prior to that too so it was the two of them being raised in the middle of bumfuck nowhere by their grandparents.
and their grandparents were, hm. Not Great. they were pretty hardcore catholics who ran a strict house, made ris and his cousin go to church whether they liked it or not, tried to instill them both with Catholic Guilt™️, were very conservative, kinda broadly fucked up and controlling etc. it was just, not an emotionally healthy environment.
risotto's mama probably moved away for a reason 😬 they were definitely aghast that their daughter had a child out of wedlock and it wouldn't surprise me if they had this notion of having to '''save''' risotto from '''sin'''. which probably made him feel like something was wrong with him, which he thankfully knew wasn't true because his early childhood was happy and healthy enough to give him that perspective, but it hurt nonetheless.
he and his cousin were each other's confidants and partners in crime, they loved each other so damn much and were always looking out for each other. often it was big cousin looking out for baby ris cause he was like ~5 years older but risotto wanted to be there for him too.
they got up to a lot of trouble as kids in small towns in the middle of nowhere do and it was stupid as hell but fun and freeing. authoritarian houses make good sneaks and good liars and the two of them definitely lived up to that. risotto also couldn't help but feel a sense of pride and love when he did what he pleased and tried his best to live freely because he felt like it brought him closer to his parents in spirit.
as soon as big cousin graduated the two of them hit the road and moved to palermo, against their grandparents' wishes. they shared a shitty cheap apartment that felt like a damn mansion to them cause they could do whatever they wanted and just live their lives.
they lived there for about a year before risotto's cousin was killed and he felt like the fucking world crumbled from beneath him. he viewed it very differently from his parents' deaths: one was nature, one was some asshole who couldn't be considerate to the people around him and now risotto's best friend is dead.
so he was back with his grandparents but without his cousin and he was pretty fucking miserable, but he refused to just be sad for himself, he was sad for his cousin first and foremost and couldn't stop thinking about him. and he was angry. big cousin had his whole life ahead of him that was cut short, he was a whole person with dreams who loved and was loved, and this guy only gets four years in prison and then could just go back to his life like nothing had happened when his cousin wasn't alive anymore? no. it wasn't right. risotto refused to let that go unresolved.
and that thought is what kept him going but he still ran away a lot, didn't bother with school unless he thought it could help him, etc. he became sort of numb to his grandparents and the irony of plotting revenge in his head while he was made to sit in church wasn't lost on him.
he probably dropped out and left his grandparents' place by the time he was 17 and he hasn't spoken with them since, went back to palermo, and went from there with his plotting. that's how he got involved with passione.
he got vengeance for his cousin at 18, and it was at least something, but yeah, he realized it would never be enough and the pain stayed. not that he regretted it in the slightest tho, he can still sleep a little easier and feels like he can do.... something aside from just being consumed by it.
but then he was indebted to passione for their help with getting risotto to the guy, risotto took it in stride cause again, he didn't regret it, and the rest is history.
not to say he's necessarily happy or satisfied being in passione tho, but he accepts it and works with it. he doesn't really think about what he'd like to do cause this is what he just.... does.
he tries to visit his cousin's grave in palermo every year for his birthday (and maybe throws some flowers into the ocean for his parents too, they left from the opposite coast but he figures the water will carry his intentions where they need to go). he would be perfectly happy to never see or hear from his grandparents again. once as an adult (and with gang connections) he realized he could try to track down his sister again, but decided against it. not only because he's not sure if she would accept him for who he became (he can't stand the thought of her rejecting or being afraid of him), but if he put her in harm's way, he would never forgive himself.
he doesn't know mariah is also a stand user, nor her involvement with dio or who the fuck dio even is or basically the whole mess of stardust crusaders. but she IS alive, she got very injured but is alive. maybe once giorno becomes boss, gets in touch w/ his joestar family and the speedwagon foundation etc all the little strings start coming together and risotto and mariah can find each other again. and she very much does love her big baby brother and wouldn't even dream of rejecting him. so they can be brother and sister again and it's really lovely and healing :')
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squeeneyart · 3 years
Text
Breathe in the Salt - Chapter 25
AO3
Beta reader as always is @thesnadger
Nothing to do but talk.
Martin and Jon settle in for a movie night.
The documentary, if it could be called that, was absolute bunk.
Littered throughout were vague interviews and wild assumptions on the part of the very on-screen director, all tied together with a final push for people to purchase a very specific brand of smoke detector. And the low quality of the video couldn’t be blamed solely on Martin’s internet.
They watched the thing from start to finish, though, and by the end of its 70-minute runtime (“I should’ve guessed by how short it was,” Jon had grumbled partway through) their viewing had turned primarily to Jon taking the piss out of it. Academically, of course.
On Martin’s end the film itself was bad in an enjoyable way, and while he didn’t have the context for all of Jon’s complaints it was easy for him to listen. He’d even made some jokes that got Jon to snort.
He did have to sit uncomfortably straight to keep from leaning against each other. Jon had turned it a bit so they could both see, but when viewed from too hard an angle the picture looked even worse. So, Martin did his best to give Jon space and not let the effort distract him from the screen.
All of this being true, Martin was grateful for the horrible film. Nothing filled silence better than movies and television, so the nights following they settled into a routine. Someone would make dinner (with no further… outbursts) and then they would find something to watch. Afterwards they would say goodnight and Martin would escape upstairs to decompress with his little notebook.
Jon’s original idea had been to find something related to their goals. However, after another let down on night two involving a very old retrospective on the mid-century fishing industry (“Wrong century,” Martin had said about five minutes in), Jon dropped the idea, thus opening up a whole new world of cable television and old vhs tapes on night three.
“You bought yourself a laptop but never had a dvd player?” Jon yawned, getting comfortable on his side of the couch. 
“We sort of… skipped it?” Martin dug through a box of tapes for something worth watching, sifting through sappier options and 80s action flicks alike. “Dunno how, but we never got one. The laptop ended up being the first thing I ever had to play dvds, but the telly is too old to be hooked up to it. S’fine, though. I like tapes.”
“And you never get bored of it? Flipping between tapes and whatever’s on at a given time?”
Martin rolled his eyes. “I have a phone for other stuff, obviously. To be honest I don’t watch a lot to begin with, nothing new anyway.”
“Hmph. Same for me,” Jon conceded, sinking further into the couch. “Feels like there are other things I could be doing.”
“Except for now?”
A wry smile. “Special case.”
Martin’s stomach did a flip. He didn’t feel guilty, per se, but he wished he had something for Jon to work on to stave off the boredom. Everything had been so quiet with Peter gone and Simon’s waiting that no new leads had popped up. It wasn’t fair that Jon had to sit around doing nothing after wandering about in the sea for weeks. The least he could do was provide some entertainment.
“Hm. Right, how about this one?” Martin looked back and waved a vhs set. It was some old fantasy series with a group of children on the cover standing in a hallway. “Haven’t watched it since I was a kid, but I remember liking it.”
“Two tapes’ worth?” Jon glanced up at the ceiling. “It’s in episodes, right?”
“Yeah, though if you’d rather find something else…?”
Jon waved his hand. "No, I can’t spend the whole evening making up my mind. If we don’t like it, then we can find something else.”
With that settled Martin popped the tape in and took up his seat. On the other end, Jon sat with the blanket pulled to his chest. He wore a new set of pyjamas Martin had picked up at the shop along with a few other things to save Jon from having to wear the same clothes day and night. 
The show was a simple series meant for children, easy enough to follow in plot that some side chatter didn’t interrupt things too much. Honestly, Martin was glad they weren’t paying a whole lot of attention. He hadn’t watched it in years and wasn’t looking to be embarrassed.
A few minutes in, the children from the cover were running up the stairs to explore a large house. “Safe to assume you don’t have siblings?” Jon asked.
“Hm? Oh, no, it’s just me. You?”
He snorted. “Even if my grandmother wanted another child running around, I was enough to deal with.”
Martin raised an eyebrow. “What, were you a terror?”
“I’d use the word ‘adventurous’, but she would’ve agreed with that description. If we’d been in that house,” Jon gestured toward the screen, “she would’ve been in trouble. Until it ate me or something.”
“I don’t think that’s how it goes?” 
Jon frowned. “That’s- No, I mean if it were real it would probably mean harm. Supernatural houses aren’t trustworthy entities outside of fiction. In fiction they’re mischievous at the least.”
“Can’t imagine that, a building that likes to mess with you,” Martin said, grimacing. He really didn’t remember much about this story. Maybe that was how it went? “I’m sure they’ll be fine. I wasn’t into spooky things back then.”
“I’ll take your word for it, but I’m not letting my guard down,” Jon said. He watched as the children walked up a spiral staircase. “Would you have wanted siblings?”
Martin considered this. “I can’t imagine having them? But an older sibling would’ve been nice. Someone to know better and help me with things.”
“I think any other child would’ve found me irritating, older or younger. Best to keep to myself,” Jon said dryly. “Anyway, what was I saying? Oh, yes, you can imagine the additional worry of raising a child who could explore the ocean like it was the woods. It’s not like she could follow me in.”
“I bet… She wasn’t like you, then?”
Turning back to the television, Jon said, “No. She was from my father’s side.”
“Oh.” He couldn’t tell if the question was wrong to ask, so looked back to the show. It was luck of the draw, then, whether someone was born with a selkie skin. Perhaps there was nothing to do with genetics in circumstances like this.
Back on the screen, one of the children had chosen to wander outside into the beginnings of a snowstorm with no thought to the cold. Outside the real world window it had begun to hail, and Martin realized how frigid it had become both outdoors and in.
“Well, at least this story is right for the season,” Martin said, standing up. “I’m gonna grab another blanket.”
With a start, Jon looked at him and held up the one he was under. “Do you want this one? I don’t-”
“N-no, that’s fine!” He walked briskly out of the room, feeling rude and stupid. All Jon had offered was for him to use the damned thing, not share it. And it wouldn’t have fit both of them even if he had meant it that way!
Opening the hall closet, he tried to calm down. He peered at the pile of folded sheets and blankets, lifting each layer to search for one he liked. There was a flannel one somewhere, deceptively warm for how thin it was-
Oh.
Tucked far down into the pile, far back enough so it was hidden if the one above wasn’t lifted, Martin saw something dappled and grey and out of place amongst the linen. Jon had left it to dry completely beforehand, so the surrounding fabric was unwrinkled. Considerate. And in a decent hiding place all things considered. It was a shame Martin had gone and ruined it.
He sighed, grabbing one of the blankets at the top that he’d initially passed on. Once he reached the doorway to the living room, he stopped and stared at Jon who was doing his best to seem unperturbed.
“So, I saw it,” he started, squeezing the blanket in his arms into his chest. “I use that closet a lot, if you want to put it somewhere else.”
Jon winced and stood. As Martin let him pass, he mumbled, “Right. I’ll just-” 
And then Martin was left to sit back on the couch and wait, pausing the tape out of courtesy. 
When the skin had disappeared from the shower that first morning he hadn’t considered anything but Jon hiding it, and there was an awful satisfaction in knowing he was right. He rubbed his arm and stared at the blanket in his lap, still neat and folded. 
After a couple of minutes, Jon returned empty handed and resumed his seat. Pulling his blanket back up, he said, “It’s nothing… personal.”
“I know.” He took a deep breath and pressed play on the old remote, letting the child continue their new solo adventure. “I figured you hid it.”
“I appreciate that you told me.” His voice was stilted and unsure. “That you found it.”
“Sure, whatever helps.” Unfolding the blanket, he pulled it up to his shoulders and leaned on the arm rest. He could feel Jon fidgeting in place, turning the blanket so it faced the right way and making it tuck under him in the right places. Martin kept his eyes ahead.
Finally giving up on any further adjustments, Jon slouched into place. “It does help. I know my caution can come off as distrust, but genuinely I just… I need to keep it hidden. I need to know where it is and to be the only one who does. For now.”
“You… don’t need to justify anything.” Martin sighed and had to fight back a yawn. “It’s your coat.”
A grunt of frustration. “No, you don’t- It’s not a rational thing. I trusted you enough to tell you the truth, and yet I was barely into my first night here before I panicked and stowed it away.” He sat upright and let the blanket fall to his lap, quiet distress written across the lines of his forehead.
Grasping for words, Martin said, “You still haven’t known me that long. It’s not wrong to be careful.”
“That’s not the point,” Jon replied quietly, resting elbows on knees. “It hasn’t been all that long in the grand scheme of things, but a lot has happened. I consider you a friend. And yet I can’t stop feeling like everything is about to go wrong if I’m not careful.”
The hail continued to slam against the window, almost overpowering the sound of the television and the faun describing the witch’s plans. On the far side of the couch, Jon remained hunched over his own knees with his face bent in irritation. 
A wave of shame broke against him, but there wasn’t time to dwell on it. Carefully, Martin scooted over just enough to reach out a hand. His trembling fingers hovered just an inch away, brushing against the fabric of Jon’s shirt before coming to rest on his shoulder.
“I’m sorry,” Jon whispered, massaging around his eyes with his fingers. He reached his free hand up to tentatively cover Martin’s, giving it a tiny squeeze. “Thank you for understanding.”
“Do you… want to keep watching?”
Jon nodded, shaking himself out a little. Martin released the gentle grip on his shoulder, though he didn’t move away. They both settled into the back of the couch and watched.
The child had gone back inside with the shivers, but no one was to be found. Around the halls she wandered, calling her siblings’ names with indignation that slowly turned to concern and then to fear. Eventually she was running, and it wasn’t until she was on the upper floor that one of her brothers popped out to scare the living daylights out of her. 
Deep down he remembered this part making him cry. Perhaps siblings weren’t worth it with how cruel children could be. 
Martin coughed. “You explored the sea as a kid, then?”
Jumping slightly, Jon said, “O-only a couple of times. And not far from the land. And it’s not as fun when you can only grab one thing at a time, with your mouth. I sorely missed my pockets and picking up sticks.” As he spoke, he resumed the more casual tone from before with modest success. 
“You thought checking out the sea with no real limits was too much of a hassle?”
With a roll of his eyes, Jon said, “It wasn’t entirely that. Eventually my grandmother warned me away from it. Told me about dangerous animals that absolutely weren’t native to the coast where we lived.” 
“Great white sharks?”
“Surrounding our seaside village on every watery side, ready to eat hapless little seal boys who didn’t listen to their nans.”
Martin chuckled, relaxing further into his seat and listening to Jon go on about all the ways his grandmother had tried and failed to reign him in. He could see it, a younger, scrappier version of the man next to him stomping around the woods and climbing fences. 
The instinct wasn’t all that relatable to someone like Martin who’d kept to the front porch on nice days, but it sounded like an adventure. Maybe it meant he was less likely to get eaten by an evil wardrobe out of the two of them. In his position he could only hope that was the case.
They called it for the night when, out of nowhere, a man suddenly appeared at half opacity screen and let out a screeching noise to close out an episode, making Jon laugh in a way that only could’ve been from exhaustion. 
Martin lingered downstairs for a while after they shut the television off. It was Friday, after all. For many reasons they couldn’t go out to a pub, but without the need to get up early he could afford to stay up a little longer and listen to a sleepy Jon talk over the tapping on the window panes.
--
Tim: not next weekend, but the one after i think. finally time to call it on preparation and get down to business, if this is something we can be prepared for
Martin: encouraging
Tim: look its been rough over here, alright? 
Martin: i know, sorry. itll be easier to talk once we’re all in one place 
Tim: yeah
Tim: things are ok over there, then? youre sounding better
Martin: ?
Tim: it was starting to get scary if im honest, how quiet you were
Martin: oh, sorry. things are fine, just didnt have a lot to say
Tim: yeah, i get it. its hard to fill the space. dont be a stranger though. in a few weeks we’ll be there to get you out of this mess
Martin: looking forward to it
Sighing, Martin looked from the private chat to Jon, who was ignoring his breakfast to type away at the laptop. “Sounds like the others are making plans to get here.”
Jon looked up briefly. “Good. It will be… nice to see them.”
“And show them you’re not dead?”
Ignoring this, Jon said, “How is Tim doing?”
He glanced back at his phone. “Worried. About a lot of things, I think.”
“Thinking of how he’s going to break my disappearance to you, no doubt,” he said, taking a sip of his tea. He avoided Martin’s eyes. “That’ll be resolved soon enough.”
Martin poked at the eggs on his plate. “He… lost someone, didn’t he?”
It was only for a moment, but Jon froze in the middle of setting his mug down. He seemed to struggle with an answer.
“It’s fine if you can’t say, but he implied as much,” Martin said gently.
With a frown, Jon shut the laptop. “Sasha knows more than I do, but yes. His brother, a few years ago.”
“Oh. That’s… really sad.” He leaned back in his chair. “He seems like he’d be a good brother.”
“I’m sure he was. He certainly looks out for us.” Jon took a bite of his toast.
“As best as he can,” Martin added sheepishly. 
“Once this is all finished he’s earned a vacation.”
Yes, they’d all given poor Tim their share of heart attacks. Martin had managed to several times in the last month. But at least when the time came Tim would see that both of them were alive and themselves and able to apologize for making his and Sasha’s lives just a bit harder than they needed to be.
Once it was all finished.
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skellebonez · 3 years
Note
70/75 with one of Spicynoodleshipping getting deaged and forming a little kid crush on the other?
I don't think I have seen a fandom have so much de-aging fancontent at once since... MCU? While I was happy to write the concept itself, writing stories focused on little kid crushes is not something I’m interested in (sorry anon). It's still there, though, just mentioned in passing so this is more Gen than anything. A short exploration of the concept itself and some little "what if" ideas that I personally don't hold as headcanons but I thought could be interesting.
But hey, this is also INCREDIBLY LONG. Why was I so inspired???
Mild warning: mentions of a character being ill. Nothing is described and it’s only mentioned in passing, but I know some people don’t like being hit with that with no warning.
Was this supposed to be a romantic gesture?/It might be a little silly, but I still like to believe in fairy tales.
"Well..." Tang said with a sigh of relief as he entered the kitchen of his shared apartment with Pigsy. "Xiaotian seems to be alright now. Red S-Red BOY insisted I let him watch over him and get myself something to eat."
Pigsy nodded, handing Tang a finished bowl of simple noodles. "He, uh, ain't exactly what I was expecting when you came running into the shop with them shouting 'they're babies help me'. ya know?" He turned back around, carefully mixing some medicine into another smaller bowl of mostly broth. He wasn't sure how well Xiaotian would take medicine without feeling sick again so this would be the easiest way to hopefully help him keep it down. "Kinda pictured him a lot louder. And angrier."
"I didn't picture Xiaotian so..." Tang trailed off, sitting down turned away from Pigsy so he could look out of the entrance to the kitchen to keep an eye on the two now-children covertly and frowning as he sipped his broth. "Did you know?"
Pigsy sort of knew, before all this.
Before Tang ran into his shop with Xiaotian and Red Son held under each arm screaming, both unconscious and shrunk down in equally shrunken outfits, which would have been adorable if it wasn't confusing and terrifying, to what Pigsy could only estimate as ages 5 and "whatever the super powerful demon equivalent of 5 is". That was the last thing Pigsy ever expected to happen but this was his life post Monkie Kid now. Weird shit happening. This weird shit just happened to be closing his store for the day to start taking care of two grown men de-aged into children as Sun Wukong went off with Xiaojiao and Sandy to find the offending demon and undo whatever magic they had worked to make this happen.
They weren't exactly their 5 year old selves, though, not directly. The magic had left them in some kind of semi-muddled limbo, physically and mentally 5 but with some of the knowledge and memories of their adult lives mixed in with their age appropriate memories. And this left both of them incredibly confused and scared when they woke in the apartment and Red Son insisting on being called by his old name Red Boy and Xiaotian...
Xiaotian had become so scared and worried he had made himself sick. Pigsy knew that as a kid Xiaotian wasn't the healthiest but he had never elaborated past “I got sick a lot”. He hoped that it was the anxiety he developed as he got older mixed with his weaker stomach as a child making him so ill so suddenly and not an indication of anything else, even though he also wished it wasn’t anxiety at all. Mostly he just wished he wasn’t sick at all.
Luckily, it seemed that just enough of Red and Xiaotian's friendship was mixed into their memories that the small fire demon child immediately took an insistence on making sure his friend was alright in that single minded determination only small children could possess, not leaving his side for a single second unless absolutely necessary.
"Sort of," he answered after a moment, ladling in another helping of soup into a second bowl for Red as well. "Didn't think it would be this bad. Hopefully that’s the worst of it.”
Tang hummed, drinking the last of his broth and smiling once again. “They seem to be settling down, at least enough that they’re not scared anymore.”
“Thank the heavens,” Pigsy muttered as he grabbed the bowls and made his way into their shared living room. “Alright you two, time f- what are you doing?”
He heard Tang laugh behind him, clearly finding amusement in being aware of what was happening while the pig was oblivious. Red Boy was sitting on the arm of the couch with his hands wrapped around Xiaotian’s forehead.
“He said he had a headache so I’m helping!” Red Boy exclaimed proudly, voice low for his usual volume and little bull tail swiping the air behind him in his pride. “Heat’s supposed to get rid of headaches, daddy told me so when I started growing in my horns and my head hurt all the time.” They were so used to hearing Red Son call DBK by the formal “father” that hearing him refer to him as anything else felt odd.
“Did he now?” Tang smiled, keeling in front of Xiaotian. “Is it working?”
“Yeah,” he answered softly, much softer than he would have as an adult, with a small smile on his face. “I still don’t feel good but I feel less bad now.” The simple answer seemed to bolster Red, the very tips of his hair sparking as his face lit up in clear delight and victory.
“Well, hopefully this’ll make you feel even more less bad,” Pigsy chuckled, holding out the bowl he had prepared. “There’s medicine in here that should help, shouldn’t even taste it.” As Xiaotian took his bowl from his hand carefully Pigsy held out the other one. “You are not eating on the arm of the couch, sit down please.”
Red Boy looked like he was about to protest with Xiaotian looked up at him with a nod and a smile, apparently being just enough to make him let him go and clamber over the back of the cough to flip down right next to him. Again, doing things in a way that only a kid would do.
The two thanked Pigsy for the food and ate their bowls slowly. The adults watched and noticed that Red seemed to gulp down his food and wait to watch his companion eat a few sips before returning to his own bowl and repeat the cycle, not finishing his bowl until Xiaotian’s was completely downed. Honestly, it was adorable. Much like most of this situation, if peppered with lots of worry and anxiety at the same time.
After they finished and Pigsy gathered their dishes he watched as Red and Xiaotian whispered about something and raised an eyebrow as Red jumped off the couch to ask Tang something before running off farther into the apartment.
When he returned the two were curled up on the couch again, this time with Red reading an old book of fairy tales Pigsy didn’t even know Tang owned softly under his breathe so Xiaotian would be the only one who could hear him.
“OK, Red’s never been this attentive to anyone before,” Pigsy muttered from behind Tang and hoping the demon was distracted enough that he wouldn’t hear. “What is-” He tensed as Red Boy sparked his hands on fire ever so slightly, relaxing and stopping from telling him to put them out only when Tang nudged him.
“Watch,” he said in explanation, and Pigsy did. He watched as tiny little figures started to form in the fire, presumably little people to act out whatever was happening in the book they were reading. Red was being so careful not to hold his hands close to the book or the couch or his friend. Xiaotian’s face was one of awe and delight, and When the figures dissipated he laughed and Pigsy watched as Red blushed and smiled wide as he returned to the book and scooted closer, his tail wrapping around his companion’s wrist and purring so loud they would be surprised if he wasn’t actually shaking a bit with the force of it.
“Oh,” he said softly in realization, piecing together Red’s behavior with some things he had noticed before this entire fiasco started. “Oooooh. Red has a crush on Xiaotian, doesn’t he? Was this supposed to be a romantic gesture? Does he even know what he’s doing or is this just kid logic runnin the show?”
“I’m not sure,” Tang replied. “But it’s sweet, the way he’s making sure Xiaotian feels better. If they remember anything when this magic is undone I hope this is something we can tease them fondly with.”
Pigsy couldn’t help but chuckle at that. “Watch out, you know Red’s gonna have his temper back. And what makes you think they’ll remember anything? They may forget all of it, you know, they only kind of remember little bits and pieces of everything past their age right now.”
“It might be a little silly,” Tang said with a shrug. “But I still like to believe in fairy tales. Like the ones they’re reading. Seems appropriate to think maybe something like one of them may happen I guess.”
“You’re a nerd,” Pigsy said with fondness in his voice as Tang wrapped his arm around Pigsy’s shoulders.
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cheershalo · 3 years
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By request, here are some of my favorite angsty fics in order longest to shortest. Some of these are angstier than others but I wanted to give a good range!
*note: make sure to read the tags because some of these deal with heavier topics! take care of yourself!
*also: most of these are b!L because that’s what i like to read! smut or no-smut is marked as well as the basic tags!
Remember to leave kudos and comment on all these lovely fics if you decide to read!!
💔 pray for some sweet simplicity by @eeveelou​ | E | 237k | abo | b!L - (motorcycles, racer louis, journalist harry, slow burn, a classic)
An AU where motorcycle racing is the biggest sport in a heavily divided world, Louis is trying to take control of his own destiny, and Harry is in for more than he bargained for.
💔 Collision by @tequiladimples​ | E | 225k | b!L - (mythology/fantasy, fairy louis, dark harry, enemies to lovers, slow burn, love love love)
Mythology/Fairytale!AU in which Louis is a dainty fairy with a temper who wants to be intimidating and Harry hurts people. Naturally, they hate each other.
💔 And I Wait for Paradise by You_Just_Mightx3 | NR | 209k | abo | b!L - (addiction, ptsd, pining, best friends to lovers, eventual mpreg, so heartbreaking and heart-wrenchingly beautiful)
The one where it’s not the Harry who touched Louis’ heart that comes home, but an addict thought to be hopeless. A paradise above addiction when Louis wins so does Harry.
💔 Don’t Let It (Me) Break by @falsegoodnight​ | E | 169k | b!L - (exes to lovers, slow burn, grief, panic attacks, healing/therapy, sad louis, def read tags, a fav of all time)
The one where Harry is oblivious, Louis is broken, Zayn and Liam are in love, Gemma and Lottie are lovely, and Niall is just waiting for everyone to get their shit together.
Oh, and it's all Malcolm's fault.
💔 Saving Symphony Hall by @helloamhere​ | E | 125k | abo | b!L - (touch depri, businessman louis, hurt/comfort, a fav)
“I think I have an idea,” Louis said. Slowly, and reluctantly, but with a growing sense of the inevitable. “God damnit, I think I have a really good idea.”
“Oh christ, that's the problem-solving face,” Babs said. “Last time we saw that face, he sold a company.”
“Wait, what?” Zayn asked.
“Right place, right time,” Louis said. “Also, fuck my life,”
“What?” Zayn repeated. Niall patted his hand.
“I usually just roll with whatever Louis is about to do,” he said. “It’s better for us all.”
“That’s the attitude,” said Louis, “I’ll tell you tomorrow. Tonight, I need to do some research. Zayn, give me your number. I’m gonna save our symphony.”
💔 The Dead of July by whimsicule | M | 117k | b!L - (avengers au, captain america harry, louis as bucky, ptsd, so fucking good)
Harry is Captain America, and Louis’ been dead for 70 years.
💔 Untangle Me by suicxne | E | 103k | np smut - (canon compliant, friends to lovers, first kiss, cute <3)
The one where Harry and Louis finally get it right.
💔 nothing worsens, nothing grows by @soldouthaz​ | E | 103k | b!L - (roadtrip au, college au, enemies to lovers, friends with benefits, ot5, a fav of all time)
Another roadtrip AU featuring Harry as the misunderstood hipster, Louis as the bitter psych major, Liam as the one with the secret boyfriend, and Niall as the one who just wants everyone to be happy.
💔 Here in the Afterglow by @harrybridgers​ | NR | 89k | b!L - (high school au, historical, 70s au, small town, slow burn, strangers to friends to lovers, soft soft soft)
1970’s AU. In a tiny town in Idaho, Louis’ life is changed forever by the arrival of a curious stranger.
💔 And down the long and silent street by whimsicule | M | 86k | b!L - (historical au, regency au, poverty, wealth difference, hurt/comfort, a masterpiece <3)
Wherein Louis and Harry are on the opposite ends of the social ladder, but their paths still cross on the filthy streets Louis calls his home. The odds are staked against them from the beginning, and even more when Louis' past finally catches up with him.
💔 Consequences by @allwaswell16​ | E | 79k | b!L - (amnesia au, exes to lovers, hurt/comfort, secrets, amazing amazing)
Two years ago Harry let his powerful family come between him and the love of his life, something he deeply regrets. Louis has tried to move on from their devastating break up. Sometimes, he even thinks he has. It only takes one moment to freeze them back in time.
💔 We’ll Cast Some Light (You’ll Be Alright) by @harrybridgers​ | NR | 74k | b!L - (enemies to lovers, sort of exes to lovers, demons, demon hunters, INCREDIBLE)
There’s a standard procedure for this. Scan, track, kill. But with a solar eclipse and a Greater Demon with unfinished business looming, the path to keeping England safe from harm becomes complicated and shadowed by mystery and secrets. For Harry and his team, times have never been harder, especially when a few old friends turned foes show up. Harry is left with just over forty days to overcome the hurdle of tension between them and reconcile their past, and figure out just what Louis is hiding from him before it’s too late.
💔 Latibule by @quelquesetoiles​ | E | 54k | b!L - (spirited away au - ish, mythology, fantasy, god harry, human louis, sad louis, jealousy, amazing)
A Spirited Away AU of sorts where Louis just wants to heal and be left alone, only for all his plans to be destroyed by the hands of an infuriating British God.
💔 7 Up by @cherrystreet​ | E | 52k | b!L - (friends to lovers, growing up together, will make you cry like a baby, a classic)
Very loosely based on the British TV show "The Up Series" and somewhat inspired by the song “Something I Need” by Onerepublic, we follow the lives of Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson in an interview setting every seven years. They fall apart and come together, their lives and emotions recorded. Harry calls it a time capsule. Louis calls it a pain in the arse.
💔 Strangers in Love by @darlou | E | 42k | b!L - (amnesia au, car accidents, light d/s, growing up together, enemies to lovers, a fav)
Louis wakes up to find himself in a marriage with the last man he thought he'd ever end up with.
💔 Ever Fixed by @eeveelou​ | E | 42k | b!L - (strangers to lovers, divorce, depression, child death, the plot twist GOT ME SO GOOD - i read this yesterday with ris and h o l y s h i t)
Three years ago, Harry was happily married, successfully heading the largest technology company in the world, and raising his young daughter. After he loses nearly everything in the aftermath of his daughter’s lost battle with a rare brain tumor, it may take three strange and yet very familiar visitors – and a man from the therapy group Harry keeps refusing to go to – to get him back on track.
💔 before we knew by @falsegoodnight​ | E | 40k | b!L - (soulmate au, lawyer harry, editor louis, stubborn harry, pining louis, literally one of the best fics ever written) 
Louis has been skeptical of soulmates for years so it seems like fate when he finally bumps into the owner of the obnoxiously large signature printed into his skin since age sixteen: Harry Styles, a human rights attorney who is firmly against soulmates.
💔 where the lights are beautiful by twoshipsdrifting | M | 31k | abo | b!L - (THE accidental bonding fic, mentions of mpreg, have reread many times and it still hurts so good)
Harry wasn’t wrong about that, not in a general sense. Lots of omegas did seek out rich alphas and betas, hoping or planning to go into heat at the right time. Plenty of omegas saw this as their duty, especially if their families weren’t well off. Worse, Louis couldn’t honestly say he’d never thought about it.
If that had been his life, his goal, Louis would feel pretty good about himself now.
As it is…Louis feels like shit.
💔 autumn leaves by @suspendrs​ | NR | 28k | b!L - (war au, soldier harry, waiter louis, french louis, friends to lovers, so so good)
Harry is an American soldier in France during World War II, and Louis is a French waiter that doesn't mean to fall in love with him.
💔 Cherry by littlebluetui | M | 25k | b!L - (exes to lovers, famous harry, non-famous louis, comfort sex, light d/s, really good & really underrated!)
Harry and Louis were soulmates, no one doubted that.
Sometimes one soulmates leaves the other to go on a world tour though.
Sometimes not having them at all is better than only a little.
💔 like a bastard on the burning sea by vashtaneradas | NR | 22k | implied b!L - (cheating/infidelity - i don’t read cheating fics as a principle but this one just... hurts so good, haven’t reread and i don’t think i ever will but i think about it often)
Harry breaks Louis, Louis breaks everything.
💔 all this delusion in our heads by buttfucklarry | E | 15k | b!L - (exes to lovers, sad louis, sad harry, mentions of mpreg, another underrated beaut <3) 
After Harry and Louis break up, they cope with it in very different ways. What will happen when Harry keeps calling his ex over when things go wrong in his life, but Louis just can't take it anymore?
💔 a grocery list pinned in blue by dangerbears | NR | 20k | b!L - (exes to lovers, divorce, a masterpiece truly)
After eight years, Louis finally has everything he's wanted. Except for Harry.
💔 Cupid’s Chokehold by bluelemur | E | 35k | b!L - (soulmate au, cupid louis, human harry, virgin louis, feel good but also a bit angsty) 
Louis is a Cupid who tries to match up Niall and Harry. It doesn't work out as planned.
💔 Love is like this; not a heartbeat, but a moan by @loveletterharry​​ | E | 13k | abo | b!L - (enemies to lovers, ex-childhood best friends, pining harry, beach house, lovely)
In which Harry loves Louis, but Louis has been cold to him ever since he presented as an omega at age fifteen.
Eight years later, Louis approaches Harry with a request, and who is Harry to deny him?
Remember again to leave kudos and comment on all these lovely masterpieces! And feel free to let me know if I made any errors!
Request another category here. 
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bolintheturtleduck · 3 years
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Song Ranking
So I did that song ranking thing and it took HOURS. literal HOURS. Don’t ever do it, I won’t even link it. I hated doing it. But here is my list. And dare I say my Top 130 is immaculate hjgkhg
Some of this is not really accurate though. Could be me or the generator. Like ‘Cold Hearted’ being 500 something???? Not in my house. 
Also don’t go looking for christmas songs. They are all somewhere down there lmao
Anyways! Let’s go!
1 Nasty / Rhythm Nation
1 Rumour Has It / Someone Like You
3 Be Okay
4 Love You Like A Love Song
4 Seasons Of Love
6 Mustang Sally
7 So Emotional
8 Tightrope
9 Barely Breathing
10 Cough Syrup
11 Shake It Out
11 The Boy Is Mine
13 Back To Black
14 Valerie
15 Paradise By The Dashboard Light
16 River Deep, Mountain High
17 Problem
18 Faithfully
19 Gloria
20 I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You
21 How Will I Know
22 We Are Young
23 How To Be A Heartbreaker
24 Hand In My Pocket / I Feel The Earth Move
25 If I Die Young
26 I Feel Pretty / Unpretty
27 Bust Your Windows
28 Candyman
29 American Boy
30 I Can't Go For That (No Can Do) / You Make My Dreams
31 If I Can't Have You
32 It's All Coming Back To Me Now
33 Crazy / U Drive Me Crazy
34 ABC
35 Bad Romance
36 It's Too Late
37 Hungry Like The Wolf / Rio
38 I Wish
39 Need You Now
40 Landslide
41 Start Me Up / Livin' On A Prayer
42 Thriller / Heads Will Roll
43 What Doesn't Kill You (Stronger)
44 There Are Worse Things I Could Do
45 Losing My Religion
46 The Edge Of Glory
47 Teenage Dream (Acoustic Version)
48 Make You Feel My Love
49 My Prerogative
50 Singing In The Rain / Umbrella
51 Songbird
52 Spotlight
53 Mine
54 Take Me Or Leave Me
55 Take Me To Church
56 No Surrender
57 Never Say Never
58 Constant Craving
59 Brave
60 Born This Way
61 Pumpin' Blood
62 Blame It (On The Alcohol)
63 Glad You Came
64 Give Your Heart A Break
65 It's All Over
66 It's Not Right, But It's Okay
67 Everybody Talks
68 Here Comes The Sun
69 Into The Groove
70 In Your Eyes
71 I Don't Want To Know
72 I Lived
73 I Kissed A Girl
74 Halo / Walking On Sunshine
75 You Can't Stop The Beat
76 She's Not There
77 Nutbush City Limits
78 True Colors
79 Can't Fight This Feeling
80 Breakaway
81 Dancing Queen
82 Don't Stop Me Now
83 And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going
84 Empire State Of Mind
85 Doo Wop (That Thing)
86 Arthur's Theme
87 Happy Days Are Here Again / Get Happy
88 Toxic
89 This Is The New Year
90 Last Name
91 3
92 A Change Would Do You Good
93 Got To Get You Into My Life
94 Tongue Tied
95 Smooth Criminal
96 Papa Don't Preach
97 Animal
97 Another One Bites The Dust
99 Don't Speak
100 Don't You Want Me
101 A Hard Day's Night
102 Some Nights
103 Somebody That I Used To Know
104 Superstition
105 Survivor / I Will Survive
106 My Life Would Suck Without You
107 The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
108 Misery
109 My Love Is Your Love
110 Somewhere Only We Know
111 Blow Me (One Last Kiss)
112 Me Against The Music
113 I Follow Rivers
114 Mean
115 Here's To Us
116 Stronger
117 Summer Nights
118 Make No Mistake, She's Mine
119 Love Song
120 Waiting For A Girl Like You
121 We Got The Beat
122 We Found Love
123 We've Got Tonite
124 Love Shack
125 The Scientist
126 Love Is A Battlefield
127 Run Joey Run
128 Wings
129 When I Get You Alone
130 Uptown Girl
131 Roots Before Branches
132 I'm The Only One
132 I've Gotta Be Me
134 Hopelessly Devoted To You
135 Hit Me With Your Best Shot / One Way Or Another
136 Dinosaur
137 Dog Days Are Over
138 Hung Up
139 Everytime
140 Go Your Own Way
141 Every Breath You Take
142 Fire And Rain
143 Fighter
144 Not While I'm Around
145 Not The Boy Next Door
146 Fly / I Believe I Can Fly
147 Girl On Fire
148 Oops!... I Did It Again
149 Stop! In The Name Of Love / Free Your Mind
150 Stereo Hearts
151 Bills, Bills, Bills
152 Somebody Loves You
153 Hold It Against Me
154 Turning Tables
155 Wide Awake
156 You May Be Right
157 Cell Block Tango
158 A Boy Like That
159 All Out Of Love
160 Alfie
161 Jessie's Girl
162 I'm A Slave 4 U
163 I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
164 I'll Stand By You (Amber)
165 I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)
166 Let Me Love You (Until You Learn To Love Yourself)
167 Lovefool
168 Just Can't Get Enough
169 Just Give Me A Reason
170 Keep Holding On
171 Like A Virgin
172 New York State Of Mind
173 My Dark Side
174 More Than A Feeling
174 My Cup
176 I Want To Hold Your Hand
177 I Want To Break Free
178 I Want To Know What Love Is
179 I Want You Back
180 Teenage Dream
181 Take My Breath Away
182 America
183 Glory Days
184 I Say A Little Prayer
184 I Wanna Sex You Up
186 I Will Always Love You
187 A Thousand Years
188 Like A Prayer
189 Don't Rain On My Parade
190 Disco Inferno
191 Don't Stop Believin' (Regionals)
192 Dream On
193 Get It Right
194 Gold Digger
195 Telephone
196 Without You
197 You're The One That I Want
198 Tell Him
199 Let Me Love You
200 Good Vibrations
200 Raise Your Glass
202 Run The World (Girls)
203 Gimme More
204 Hey Jude
204 How Deep Is Your Love
206 Higher Ground
207 Vogue
208 Something's Coming
209 Footloose
210 Forget You
211 Gives You Hell
212 Everybody Wants To Rule The World
213 Far From Over
214 Fat Bottomed Girls
215 Hair / Crazy In Love
216 Hall Of Fame
216 Hello
216 Hello, I Love You
216 Somebody To Love
216 Time Warp
216 To Love You More
222 Last Friday Night
223 Hate On Me
224 Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'
225 Locked Out Of Heaven
226 Rose's Turn
227 Everybody Hurts
227 Express Yourself
227 Loser
227 Shout It Out Loud
231 Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours
232 Pompeii
233 Party All The Time
234 Our Day Will Come
235 Perfect
236 Old Time Rock & Roll / Danger Zone
237 Greased Lightning
237 Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
237 Live While We're Young
240 Firework
240 Love Child
242 Fire
243 You're All I Need To Get By
244 The Scientist (Acapella)
245 Afternoon Delight
246 Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now)
247 Listen To Your Heart
248 Tik Tok
249 You Keep Me Hangin' On
250 The Rose
251 You Can't Always Get What You
Want
252 Let's Have A Kiki
252 Listen
254 Pretending
255 More Than A Woman
256 More Than Words
257 Hot For Teacher
257 No One Is Alone
257 Not The End
257 Nowadays / Hot Honey Rag 257 O Christmas Tree
257 One Hand, One Heart
257 One
257 Only Child
257 Proud Mary
266 Heroes
267 Hey Ya!
268 Getting Married Today
268 Happy
270 Hell To The No
271 Night Fever
271 Sgt. Pepper's Lonley Hearts Club
Band
273 The Music Of The Night
273 The Only Exception 273 The Rain In Spain 273 The Safety Dance 273 Thousand Miles 278 Billionaire
278 God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen 278 The Happening
278 The Lady Is A Tramp
282 Borderline / Open Your Heart 282 Born To Hand Jive
284 Control
284 The Longest Time
286 Give Up The Funk
287 Chasing Pavements
288 Man In The Mirror
288 Say
288 Sexy And I Know It 288 Shout
292 Marry The Night
293 Mamma Mia
294 Loser Like Me
295 Don't Stop Believin' (Season 1)
296 Colorblind
297 Diva
297 Don't Cry For Me Argentina
299 Don't Dream It's Over
300 Let It Be
301 Don't Stop
302 Highway To Hell
302 Hold On
302 Holding Out For A Hero 302 We Will Rock You
302 What I Did For Love
302 What It Feels Like For A Girl
308 Take On Me
309 For Once In My Life
309 Good Riddance (Time Of Your
Life)
309 Hello Goodbye
309 Hello Twelve, Hello Thirteen, Hello Love
309 Home
309 Homeward Bound / Home 309 Honesty
309 Human Nature
317 Drive My Car
317 For Good
317 I'll Remember
320 I'll Stand By You (Cory)
321 On My Own
321 Taking Chances
321 The Bitch Is Back / Dress You Up 321 Werewolves Of London
325 My Man
326 My Life
327 My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)
327 Never Going Back Again 327 No Scrubs
330 Creep
331 Come What May
332 Never Can Say Goodbye
333 Who Are You Now?
334 You Give Love A Bad Name
335 Womanizer
336 Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go
337 Come See About Me
337 P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) 337 People
337 Popular
337 River
337 Roar
337 Rolling In The Deep 337 Santa Baby
345 Boogie Shoes
346 At Last
347 I'm The Greatest Star
348 Jar Of Hearts
349 It's Time
350 It's My Life / Confessions Part II
351 It's Not Unusual
352 I'm So Excited
352 I'm Still Here
354 Don't Stop Believin' (Season 5) 354 Don't You (Forget About Me) 354 Dreams
354 Unchained Melody
354 Uptown Funk
359 Bohemian Rhapsody
359 Don't Stop Believin' (Rachel) 359 Lucky
362 Don't Stand So Close To Me /
Young Girl
363 Bridge Over Troubled Water
363 Bust A Move
365 Look At Me I'm Sandra Dee
366 Look At Me I'm Sandra Dee
(Reprise)
367 Longest Time
368 Applause
369 All Of Me
370 Any Way You Want It
370 Anything Could Happen
372 Red Solo Cup
372 Rock Lobster
372 Rockin' Around The Christmas
Tree 372 Rockstar
376 Saving All My Love For You
377 (I've Had) The Time Of My Life
377 Piano Man 377 Poison 377 Poker Face
381 A House Is Not A Home
382 4 Minutes
383 Black Or White
384 Blackbird
385 All By Myself
385 Smile
385 You Make Me Feel So Young
388 Wrecking Ball
389 (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural
Woman
389 (You're) Having My Baby
391 Superman
392 Ain't No Way
392 Stayin' Alive
394 Still Got Tonight
394 The Most Wonderful Day Of The
Year
394 The Way You Look Tonight / You're Never Fully Dressed Without A
Smile 394 This Time
394 Whatever Happened To Saturday Night?
399 They Long To Be Close To You
400 All About That Bass 400 Sing!
400 So Far Away
400 Some People
404 Addicted To Love
404 Moves Like Jagger / Jumpin' Jack Flash
404 Sing
404 Someday We'll Be Together 404 Somethin' Stupid
404 Something
404 Somewhere
404 Stand
412 Scream
413 Rather Be
414 Next To Me
414 No Air
414 Papa Can You Hear Me? 414 Physical
414 Piece Of My Heart
414 Pinball Wizard
414 Pony
414 Rehab
422 La Isla Bonita
422 Lean On Me
422 Let's Wait Awhile
422 Little Drummer Boy
422 Little Girls
427 Light Up The World
428 Science Fiction Double Feature
428 Silent Night 428 Silly Love Songs
431 Le Jazz Hot
432 Out Here On My Own
432 Pure Imagination
434 School's Out
435 Hey, Soul Sister
435 I Kissed A Girl (Season Six) 435 Sway
438 I Believe In A Thing Called Love
439 I Have Nothing
440 I Am Changing
441 I Saw Her Standing There
441 I Was Here
441 I Won't Give Up
441 I'll Be Home For Christmas 441 I'll Never Fall In Love Again 446 Funny Girl
446 I Look To You
446 I Only Have Eyes For You 446 I Still Believe / Super Bass 446 Story Of My Life
451 I Love New York / New York, New
York
452 What Makes You Beautiful
453 What The World Needs Now
454 An Innocent Man
454 Bad
454 Because You Loved Me
454 Bein' Green
454 ByeByeBye/IWantItThatWay 454 IfIWereABoy
454 Take A Bow
454 Take Me Home Tonight
462 Barracuda
463 Beauty School Drop Out
464 Chandelier
465 Baby It's You
466 It Must Have Been Love
467 At The Ballet
468 Baby One More Time
469 Beautiful
469 Being Alive
469 We Built This City
472 Being Good Isn't Good Enough 472 I Just Can't Stop Loving You 472 I Love It
472 Isn't She Lovely
476 All That Jazz
476 Blurred Lines
476 Bootylicious
476 Extraordinary Merry Christmas 476 Father Figure
476 Fight For Your Right (To Party)
476 Flashdance... What A Feeling
483 I Don't Know How To Love Him
484 Fix You
484 I Could Have Danced All Night 486 Push It
486 Rainbow Connection 486 Rise
489 Promises, Promises
490 Oh Chanukah
490 Ohio
490 One Love (People Get Ready) 490 Only The Good Die Young 494 Baby
494 Dancing With Myself
494 Defying Gravity
497 Baby, It's Cold Outside
498 Cherish / Cherish
498 Christmas Wrapping 498 Closer
498 Downtown
498 Endless Love
498 Forever Young
498 Friday I'm In Love 498 Friday
498 Gangnam Style
498 Get Back
498 Safety Dance
509 Cold Hearted
510 Clarity
511 Centerfold / Hot In Herre
511 Just The Way You Are 513 Jumpin', Jumpin'
513 Kiss
515 Juke Box Hero
515 L-O-V-E
517 Jolene
518 Jump
518 La Cucaracha
520 Dream A Little Dream
521 A Little Less Conversation
521 Beth
521 Bitch
521 Don't Sleep In The Subway 521 Girls Just Want To Have Fun 521 Have Yourself A Merry Little
Christmas 521 Help!
521 I Dreamed A Dream 521 I'm His Child
521 I'm Still Standing 521 Ice Ice Baby
521 Imagine
521 In My Life
521 It's A Man's Man's Man's World 521 Lose My Breath
521 Memory
521 Outcast
521 Over The Rainbow
521 Same Love
521 Santa Claus Is Coming To Town 521 Teach Your Children
521 Tell Me Something Good
521 The Final Countdown
521 Uptight (Everything's Alright) 545 Big Ass Heart
545 I Love L.A.
545 I Melt With You
548 Big Girls Don't Cry
548 Mary's Boy Child
548 O Holy Night
548 On Our Way
548 One Bourbon, One Scotch, One
Beer
548 One Less Bell To Answer
554 Maybe This Time 554 My Favourite Things 554 My Sharona
557 Marry You
558 Cool
559 Cool Kids
560 Celebrity Skin
560 Cheek To Cheek
560 Dance The Night Away
560 Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend / Material Girl
560 Don't Go Breaking My Heart 560 Don't Wanna Lose You
560 Feliz Navidad
560 Here Comes Santa Claus 560 I Know What Boys Like
560 I Know Where I've Been 560 Trouty Mouth
571 Total Eclipse Of The Heart
572 Don't Make Me Over
573 Call Me Maybe
574 We Are The Champions
575 Time After Time
576 Bring Him Home
576 Broadway Baby 576 Buenos Aires 576 Burning Up 576 Yesterday
581 Boys / Boyfriend
582 Mercy
582 You Get What You Give
582 You Have More Friends Than You
Know
582 You Learn / You've Got A Friend
582 You Should Be Dancing
582 You're All The World To Me 582 You're My Best Friend
582 You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' 590 Break Free
590 Jingle Bell Rock 590 Jingle Bells
590 Joy To The World 590 One Of Us
590 Tonight
590 You're The Top
590 You've Got To Hide Your Love
Away
590 Your Song
599 To Sir, With Love
600 Torn
601 Wake Me Up
601 Wannabe
601 Wedding Bell Blues
604 Touch A Touch A Touch A Touch Me
604 UpUpUp
606 All Or Nothing
606 Alone
606 Cry
606 Leaving On A Jet Plane
606 Let It Go
606 Mickey
606 Movin' Out (Anthony's Song) 606 Mr. Roboto / Counting Stars 606 Try A Little Tenderness
606 U Can't Touch This
606 Uninvited
606 Vacation
606 Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 606 What Kind Of Fool
606 Whistle
606 Will You Love Me Tomorrow /
Head Over Feet 606 Wishin' And Hoping
606 YouAndI/YouAndI
624 Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?
624 Do You Hear What I Hear? 624 Do You Wanna Touch Me (Oh
Yeah)
624 Lucky Star
624 Merry Christmas Darling 629 Damn It, Janet
629 Danny's Song
629 Daydream Believer
629 Deck The Rooftop
629 Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead 634 All I Want For Christmas Is You 634 Angels We Have Heard On High 634 Anything Goes / Anything You Can
Do
634 As If We Never Said Goodbye
634 As Long As You're There 634 Bamboleo / Hero
634 Bella Notte
634 Copacabana
634 Do They Know It's Christmas? 634 Last Christmas
634 Let It Snow
634 We Need A Little Christmas
634 Welcome Christmas
634 Whenever I Call You Friend
634 Whip It
634 You Are The Sunshine Of My Life
650 All You Need Is Love
651 Americano / Dance Again
652 Crush
653 Big Spender
653 Make 'Em Laugh
653 White Christmas
653 Yeah!
657 (Charlie Chaplin song)
657 (originally by Michael Bublé) 657 Away In A Manger
657 Baby Got Back
657 Christmas Eve With You 657 Come Sail Away
657 You Are Woman, I Am Man 657 You Spin Me Round (Like A
Record)
665 You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch
666 Starlight Express
666 The Trolley Song
666 The Winner Takes It All
666 There's A Light (Over At The
Frankenstein Place) 670 Take Care Of Yourself
671 Sweet Caroline
672 Ben
672 Best Day Of My Life 672 Blue Christmas
672 Candles
676 Starships
676 Suddenly Seymour 676 Sweet Transvestite
679 Thong Song
680 The Fox (What Does The Fox
Say?)
680 The Living Years
682 The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)
682 The First Noël
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OK so in the fic That’s 70s Show by zenmaster21 where Jackie and hyde are together since the start, in the chapter The Pill what do you think would have happened if Jackie was actually Pregnant, I know this is kinda of a weird question but it popped into my mind when I was reading it again
PS can't wait for Willow 😊
Okay, that's a tough scenario. Jackie and Hyde are literally so young to be parents, it's really hard to picture them having a baby at that age. Hyde didn't have a job, he still lived with Edna, and both he and Jackie were still in high school.
There are a lot of possibilities, but I'll narrow it down to two:
They'd get an abortion.
They'd keep the baby, but they'd have to sacrifice a lot of things.
The first option is honestly the wisest one, but I don't know if Jackie would be up to it.
Hyde wouldn't say anything, it's her body, her choice. He's not going to influence her to do something that she might regret later, she has to make that decision on her own, and whatever she decides, he'll be there for her.
Deep down, both of them know they're not ready to be parents yet, and I think that after a lot of thought, Jackie would probably decide to terminate the pregnancy.
The Jackie from this fic is far more realistic and less naive than the Jackie we see on the first few seasons of the show, and that's mainly because she's not with Kelso (a guy who literally brings the worse in her), but with Hyde (a guy who motivates her to do better), and I believe that's why she might be more inclined to end the pregnancy than to go forwards with it.
But, she might decide to keep the baby, and well, that would not be easy on her and Hyde.
Jackie's parents wouldn't be okay with their teenage daughter being pregnant at 15, especially when they dissapprove so much of her boyfriend. They would either kick her out, try to force her into having an abortion, or try to convince her to let them raise the baby as if it was their own (the baby would grow up as Jackie's sibling).
The last option is something Hyde would never be okay with it, so Jackie wouldn't go with their plan. The second option (of a forced abortion) is also something Jackie's not going to put up with, especially after she decided she wants to keep the baby. And that leaves the first option, they'd kick her out.
They'd both have to drop out of high school and find full-time jobs, but the thing is, they're both minors so they can't legally rent an apartment yet, so they'd either live in Hyde and Edna's trashed house (who at this point, would've probably abandoned him already) or with the Forman's. Considering how much money trouble the Forman's were in, I'm more inclined to believe that they'd have to stay at Hyde's house.
The Forman's would help the best way they could, and so would their friends, but things would still be pretty hard on Jackie and Hyde.
Jackie would be living in a totally different reality than the one she was raised into, and it was not going to be easy on her. She'd be sad and frustrated, combine that with pregnancy hormones and she'd be a total trainwreck.
Hyde would literally work his ass off, he'd try to make as much money as possible, because he'll be dammed if he's going to let his girlfriend and his child starve.
The first few years of the kid's life might be the hardest years of their lives, but still, I highly doubt they would raise their child the way their parents raised them. No matter how much trouble they're in, this child would be loved.
I like to think that once they get older, things would get better. But well, I really don't know, as I said, there are infinite possibilities.
Anyway, I think you're going to like Willow!! The scene where they first met in Willow is slightly inspired by how they met in That 70s Show (the fanfic), and it's cute as hell. The first chapter will be up tomorrow!!
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angelhummel · 3 years
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once again i spent hours of my life answering >5000 questions in order to sort almost all of the glee songs ever (there’s 683 songs in the sorter when there’s over 700 on the show) anyway if you wanna see my rankings for those then check it out <3 [also here’s the sorter!]
1 Being Alive 2 Rose's Turn 3 Baby, It's Cold Outside 4 Le Jazz Hot 5 Maybe This Time 6 And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going 7 Come What May 8 To Sir, With Love 9 As If We Never Said Goodbye 10 Valerie 11 Somewhere Only We Know 12 Cough Syrup 13 Teenage Dream 14 Not The Boy Next Door 15 It's Too Late 16 It's My Life / Confessions Part II 17 Start Me Up / Livin' On A Prayer 18 When I Get You Alone 19 The Happening 20 The Boy Is Mine 21 Home 22 Don't You Want Me 23 How Will I Know 24 Bad Romance 25 Not While I'm Around 26 Scream 27 Shake It Out 28 On My Own 29 Hate On Me 30 Bills, Bills, Bills 31 4 Minutes 32 True Colors 33 There Are Worse Things I Could Do 34 Go Your Own Way 35 Jessie's Girl 36 Proud Mary 37 Tongue Tied 38 Last Christmas 39 Somebody Loves You 40 Back To Black 41 Sweet Transvestite 42 For Good 43 At The Ballet 44 Gloria 45 Blame It (On The Alcohol) 46 Like A Prayer 47 So Emotional 48 Misery 49 Nasty / Rhythm Nation 50 Toxic 51 Don't Speak 52 Born This Way 53 Dog Days Are Over 54 Defying Gravity 55 Last Name 56 Womanizer 57 I Will Always Love You 58 Broadway Baby 59 The Lady Is A Tramp 60 I'm A Slave 4 U 61 Centerfold / Hot In Herre 62 Thriller / Heads Will Roll 63 Bust Your Windows 64 Candyman 65 Brave 66 Boys / Boyfriend 67 The Scientist 68 The Scientist (Acapella) 69 Dream On 70 Hey Jude 71 I Lived 72 I'm Still Here 73 I Believe In A Thing Called Love 74 Me Against The Music 75 Like A Virgin 76 My Man 77 Everybody Wants To Rule The World 78 I Have Nothing 79 Blackbird 80 Got To Get You Into My Life 81 Animal 82 3 83 I Follow Rivers 84 Just The Way You Are 85 Constant Craving 86 Don't Stop Me Now 87 Hung Up 88 Let's Have A Kiki 89 Love Shack 90 Marry The Night 91 Hit Me With Your Best Shot / One Way Or Another 92 It's Not Right, But It's Okay 93 I Want To Hold Your Hand 94 All You Need Is Love 95 Getting Married Today 96 Don't Rain On My Parade 97 Don't Stop Believin' (Regionals) 98 We've Got Tonite 99 Smooth Criminal 100 Uptown Girl 101 Sway 102 If I Die Young 103 No One Is Alone 104 Look At Me I'm Sandra Dee 105 No Scrubs 106 Mamma Mia 107 Papa Don't Preach 108 Teenage Dream (Acoustic Version) 109 Santa Baby 110 We Found Love 111 Roar 112 She's Not There 113 Spotlight 114 The Way You Look Tonight/You're Never Fully Dressed Without A Smile 115 Some Nights 116 Rumour Has It / Someone Like You 117 You Make Me Feel So Young 118 You Keep Me Hangin' On 119 I'll Stand By You (Amber) 120 Hand In My Pocket / I Feel The Earth Move 121 Crazy / U Drive Me Crazy 122 Funny Girl 123 Cold Hearted 124 Keep Holding On 125 Bye Bye Bye / I Want It That Way 126 I Know Where I've Been 127 I Kissed A Girl (Season Six) 128 Hopelessly Devoted To You 129 Homeward Bound / Home 130 Into The Groove 131 Hold On 132 Tell Him 133 Nutbush City Limits 134 Because You Loved Me 135 Perfect 136 Cherish / Cherish 137 Do You Wanna Touch Me (Oh Yeah) 138 Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead 139 You Are The Sunshine Of My Life 140 Tik Tok 141 The Safety Dance 142 Oops!... I Did It Again 143 Run Joey Run 144 Time Warp 145 Something's Coming 146 Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go 147 The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face 148 Vogue 149 Downtown 150 Diva 151 Dancing With Myself 152 Rockstar 153 Wrecking Ball 154 We Are Young 155 I Saw Her Standing There 156 Jumpin', Jumpin' 157 Just Can't Get Enough 158 Take Me To Church 159 Wannabe 160 It's All Over 161 Take Me Home Tonight 162 If I Were A Boy 163 Landslide 164 Pompeii 165 The Bitch Is Back / Dress You Up 166 Christmas Wrapping 167 Buenos Aires 168 Call Me Maybe 169 You Can't Stop The Beat 170 Seasons Of Love 171 Safety Dance 172 Dream A Little Dream 173 Alfie 174 I Want To Break Free 175 Baby One More Time 176 A House Is Not A Home 177 Daydream Believer 178 I Don't Know How To Love Him 179 Hungry Like The Wolf / Rio 180 Suddenly Seymour 181 People 182 Silly Love Songs 183 Love Song 184 Shout It Out Loud 185 Some People 186 One Of Us 187 Sing! 188 Up Up Up 189 Torn 190 Popular 191 This Is The New Year 192 Paradise By The Dashboard Light 193 Let It Snow 194 Let It Be 195 Never Can Say Goodbye 196 Touch A Touch A Touch A Touch Me 197 La Isla Bonita 198 Tightrope 199 My Love Is Your Love 200 Love Is A Battlefield 201 Losing My Religion 202 Total Eclipse Of The Heart 203 This Time 204 I Dreamed A Dream 205 Leaving On A Jet Plane 206 Locked Out Of Heaven 207 Chandelier 208 Girl On Fire 209 Telephone 210 Don't Cry For Me Argentina 211 Human Nature 212 Halo / Walking On Sunshine 213 Anything Goes / Anything You Can Do 214 Make You Feel My Love 215 Stronger 216 Nowadays / Hot Honey Rag 216 Pumpin' Blood 218 Papa Can You Hear Me? 219 Summer Nights 220 Sweet Caroline 221 Superstition 222 We Will Rock You 223 Alone 224 Hello, I Love You 225 Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now) 226 A Hard Day's Night 227 Mine 228 My Prerogative 229 Beauty School Drop Out 230 My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It) 231 Extraordinary Merry Christmas 232 Every Breath You Take 233 Express Yourself 234 Everybody Talks 235 Everytime 236 Marry You 237 Moves Like Jagger / Jumpin' Jack Flash 238 My Favorite Things 239 Santa Claus Is Coming To Town 240 River Deep, Mountain High 241 My Life Would Suck Without You 242 Be Okay 243 Applause 244 Cool 245 All I Want For Christmas Is You 246 American Boy 247 Cell Block Tango 248 Breakaway 249 Don't Dream It's Over 250 Let Me Love You (Until You Learn To Love Yourself) 251 Whatever Happened To Saturday Night? 252 Without You 253 Science Fiction Double Feature 254 Loser Like Me 255 I Kissed A Girl 256 I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You 257 I Can't Go For That (No Can Do) / You Make My Dreams 258 Don't Stop Believin' (Season 5) 259 Empire State Of Mind 260 Old Time Rock & Roll / Danger Zone 261 Take My Breath Away 262 You Get What You Give 263 Take On Me 264 Beautiful 265 It's Time 266 ABC 267 Afternoon Delight 268 Don't Stand So Close To Me / Young Girl 269 Don't Stop Believin' (Season 1) 270 Colorblind 271 Cool Kids 272 Dancing Queen 273 Songbird 274 Somebody That I Used To Know 275 Singing In The Rain / Umbrella 276 I Feel Pretty / Unpretty 277 Borderline / Open Your Heart 278 In My Life 279 I'm Still Standing 280 Blow Me (One Last Kiss) 281 Do Ya Think I'm Sexy? 282 Do They Know It's Christmas? 283 Mustang Sally 284 Pinball Wizard 285 Anything Could Happen 286 America 287 Any Way You Want It 288 Higher Ground 289 Flashdance... What A Feeling 290 My Life 291 Let It Go 292 If I Can't Have You 293 L-O-V-E 294 Closer 295 Addicted To Love 296 Heroes 297 A Boy Like That 298 Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend / Material Girl 299 Holding Out For A Hero 300 Dinosaur 301 Disco Inferno 302 Party All The Time 303 Raise Your Glass 304 Push It 305 Lean On Me 306 Pure Imagination 307 Lovefool 308 Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin' 309 Americano / Dance Again 310 All Of Me 311 At Last 312 Promises, Promises 313 Hair / Crazy In Love 314 Happy Xmas (War Is Over) 315 Chasing Pavements 316 Don't You (Forget About Me) 317 Love Child 318 School's Out 319 Poker Face 320 Boogie Shoes 321 Bootylicious 322 I Love New York / New York, New York 323 One Less Bell To Answer 324 Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours 325 Rehab 326 I Don't Want To Know 327 Shout 328 I'm The Greatest Star 329 I Love It 330 Never Say Never 331 Juke Box Hero 332 One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer 333 Glad You Came 334 For Once In My Life 335 Here Comes The Sun 336 Baby It's You 337 Drive My Car 338 Last Friday Night 339 Roots Before Branches 340 The Only Exception 341 Survivor / I Will Survive 342 All Or Nothing 343 Time After Time 344 You're The One That I Want 345 Yeah! 346 Starships 347 You've Got To Hide Your Love Away 348 Story Of My Life 349 Something 350 We Need A Little Christmas 351 Gold Digger 352 Beth 353 Fighter 354 Forget You 355 How To Be A Heartbreaker 356 Get Back 357 Love You Like A Love Song 358 There's A Light (Over At The Frankenstein Place) 359 We Got The Beat 360 Make 'Em Laugh 361 Sing 362 U Can't Touch This 363 Try A Little Tenderness 364 Pony 365 On Our Way 366 Lucky Star 367 Loser 368 Over The Rainbow 369 Outcast 370 Stop! In The Name Of Love / Free Your Mind 371 What Makes You Beautiful 372 Will You Love Me Tomorrow / Head Over Feet 373 Wide Awake 374 Wishin' And Hoping 375 Yesterday 376 Out Here On My Own 377 You're All The World To Me 378 Somethin' Stupid 379 Someday We'll Be Together 380 River 381 The Longest Time 382 Somebody To Love 383 The Edge Of Glory 384 The Most Wonderful Day Of The Year 385 Lucky 386 Memory 387 Mary's Boy Child 388 Longest Time 389 My Dark Side 390 Taking Chances 391 The First Noël 392 Smile 393 Celebrity Skin 394 All That Jazz 395 A Thousand Years 396 Big Girls Don't Cry 397 Ain't No Way 398 Don't Sleep In The Subway 399 Doo Wop (That Thing) 400 Don't Stop 401 Uptight (Everything's Alright) 402 New York State Of Mind 403 Turning Tables 404 Vacation 405 Fire 406 Hold It Against Me 407 I've Gotta Be Me 408 Endless Love 409 Run The World (Girls) 410 Saving All My Love For You 411 Give Up The Funk 412 I Am Changing 413 I Melt With You 414 I Could Have Danced All Night 415 Fat Bottomed Girls 416 Hot For Teacher 417 Never Going Back Again 418 Imagine 419 Jolene 420 Arthur's Theme 421 Damn It, Janet 422 Control 423 Barracuda 424 Copacabana 425 Barely Breathing 426 I Look To You 427 Come Sail Away 428 Jump 429 Clarity 430 Friday I'm In Love 431 Jar Of Hearts 432 It's Not Unusual 433 Footloose 434 Here Comes Santa Claus 435 Happy Days Are Here Again / Get Happy 436 Help! 437 Greased Lightning 438 Hell To The No 439 All Out Of Love 440 (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman 441 Candles 442 All By Myself 443 Hello Goodbye 444 It's A Man's Man's Man's World 445 I Say A Little Prayer 446 It Must Have Been Love 447 Just Give Me A Reason 448 Come See About Me 449 Born To Hand Jive 450 I Want To Know What Love Is 451 I Wish 452 I'll Remember 453 Get It Right 454 (I've Had) The Time Of My Life 455 I'll Stand By You (Cory) 456 Forever Young 457 A Change Would Do You Good 458 Smile (Charlie Chaplin song) 459 Best Day Of My Life 460 An Innocent Man 461 Dreams 462 All About That Bass 463 Home (originally by Michael Bublé) 464 Black Or White 465 Baby 466 Bad 467 Problem 468 Oh Chanukah 469 What Kind Of Fool 470 Wings 471 You're My Best Friend 472 You're All I Need To Get By 473 White Christmas 474 Whenever I Call You Friend 475 Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' 476 What Doesn't Kill You (Stronger) 477 Wedding Bell Blues 478 More Than A Feeling 479 More Than A Woman 480 Our Day Will Come 481 P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) 482 Here's To Us 483 Honesty 484 Hall Of Fame 485 It's All Coming Back To Me Now 486 Teach Your Children 487 Night Fever 488 What The World Needs Now 489 Listen 490 Let Me Love You 491 Live While We're Young 492 Light Up The World 493 Trouty Mouth 494 Werewolves Of London 495 Kiss 496 Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas 497 Movin' Out (Anthony's Song) 498 Mickey 499 Mean 500 Mercy 501 Merry Christmas Darling 502 Let's Wait Awhile 503 Man In The Mirror 504 Rather Be 505 Rise 506 Good Vibrations 507 Faithfully 508 Firework 509 How Deep Is Your Love 510 Fix You 511 Fire And Rain 512 Give Your Heart A Break 513 Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree 514 Little Girls 515 Cry 516 Bust A Move 517 Bridge Over Troubled Water 518 Bring Him Home 519 Cheek To Cheek 520 Break Free 521 As Long As You're There 522 Big Ass Heart 523 Bitch 524 Bamboleo / Hero 525 Away In A Manger 526 Deck The Rooftop 527 Christmas Eve With You 528 Angels We Have Heard On High 529 Creep 530 Crush 531 Make No Mistake, She's Mine 532 Lose My Breath 533 Look At Me I'm Sandra Dee (Reprise) 534 What I Did For Love 535 Wake Me Up 536 Thousand Miles 537 Take A Bow 538 Still Got Tonight 539 The Music Of The Night 540 Stereo Hearts 541 The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late) 542 Take Me Or Leave Me 543 I'm The Only One 544 Isn't She Lovely 545 I Just Can't Stop Loving You 546 I'll Never Fall In Love Again 547 Unchained Melody 548 You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch 549 You Have More Friends Than You Know 550 You Should Be Dancing 551 I'm His Child 552 You Learn / You've Got A Friend 553 Somewhere 554 So Far Away 555 Uptown Funk 556 The Winner Takes It All 557 They Long To Be Close To You 558 Tonight 559 Being Good Isn't Good Enough 560 You May Be Right 561 To Love You More 562 Don't Wanna Lose You 563 Do You Hear What I Hear? 564 Ice Ice Baby 565 Don't Go Breaking My Heart 566 Don't Make Me Over 567 I Won't Give Up 568 I'll Be Home For Christmas 569 I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For 570 I Still Believe / Super Bass 571 I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me) 572 I Want You Back 573 Father Figure 574 Everybody Hurts 574 Gangnam Style 576 We Are The Champions 577 Stayin' Alive 578 Superman 579 The Rose 580 Don't Stop Believin' (Rachel) 581 Fly / I Believe I Can Fly 582 Gives You Hell 583 I Love L.A. 584 Mr. Roboto / Counting Stars 585 O Holy Night 586 Only The Good Die Young 587 One 588 Silent Night 589 Piano Man 590 Sexy And I Know It 591 Sgt. Pepper's Lonley Hearts Club Band 592 Pretending 593 Physical 594 Danny's Song 595 Stand 596 The Final Countdown 597 You Can't Always Get What You Want 598 You Are Woman, I Am Man 599 You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' 600 Your Song 601 Say 602 No Air 603 Need You Now 604 No Surrender 605 Piece Of My Heart 606 Thong Song 607 Blurred Lines 608 Another One Bites The Dust 609 I Was Here 610 Bella Notte 611 I Know What Boys Like 612 God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen 613 Glory Days 614 Friday 615 More Than Words 616 Waiting For A Girl Like You 617 Welcome Christmas 618 You Spin Me Round (Like A Record) 619 You Give Love A Bad Name 620 We Built This City 621 Whistle 622 Who Are You Now? 623 You And I / You And I 624 Take Care Of Yourself 625 Tell Me Something Good 626 The Rain In Spain 627 Can't Fight This Feeling 628 Jingle Bell Rock 629 In Your Eyes 630 Hello 631 Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life) 632 I Only Have Eyes For You 633 Jingle Bells 634 Joy To The World 635 I Wanna Sex You Up 636 Fight For Your Right (To Party) 637 Feliz Navidad 638 I'm So Excited 639 Uninvited 640 The Living Years 641 The Fox (What Does The Fox Say?) 642 O Christmas Tree 643 One Love (People Get Ready) 644 Ohio 645 Only Child 646 Hello Twelve, Hello Thirteen, Hello Love 647 My Sharona 648 Dance The Night Away 649 Poison 650 My Cup 651 Not The End 652 What It Feels Like For A Girl 653 Listen To Your Heart 654 Little Drummer Boy 655 One Hand, One Heart 656 Bein' Green 657 Big Spender 658 Billionaire 659 Ben 660 Gimme More 661 Burning Up 662 Hey Ya! 663 Hey, Soul Sister 664 Baby Got Back 665 Blue Christmas 666 Bohemian Rhapsody 667 Far From Over 668 The Trolley Song 669 Starlight Express 670 Whip It 671 You're The Top 672 Red Solo Cup 673 Next To Me 674 Rolling In The Deep 675 Rainbow Connection 676 La Cucaracha 677 (You're) Having My Baby 678 A Little Less Conversation 679 Happy 680 Highway To Hell 681 Same Love 682 Rock Lobster 683 Girls Just Want To Have Fun
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nxcturne · 3 years
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⌜  ⁰⁰¹ satana hellstrom. megan fox. she/her. cis woman. ⌟ looks like SATANA HELLSTROM has joined the search for the missing mutants. the TWENTY-NINE YEAR OLD is known as THE DEVIL’S DAUGHTER and works alongside NO ONE. they were spotted recently in NYC, hopefully they’ll have some luck finding the missing mutants. ( may. 21. she/her. est. )
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐀𝐒𝐈𝐂𝐒
name: satana hellstrom alias(es): the devil's daughter, succubus, queen of hell age: 29 birthday & zodiac: october 29th, 1991 & scorpio sexuality: bisexual ( i checked and it’s no longer formatted like this :( but... the queen ) mbti: entj enneagram: 5w6 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
𝐀 𝐃𝐄𝐄𝐏𝐄𝐑 𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐊 affiliation: mostly no one. occasionally hell lords, avengers of the supernatural, thunderbolts, witches, legion of monsters, masters of evil west coast. sometimes an ally to the midnight sons. weapons: ------- basilisk: although he has since been exorcised, she was bonded with the powerful demon 'basilisk'. although it was largely parasitic, he proved useful in his ability to... basically kill anything when she released him. abilities: -------life-force absorption: as a succubus, she is able to devour the souls of men via a kiss <3 ------- superhuman strength ------- superhuman durability ------- levitation ------- astral projection ------- hellfire manipulation ------- mind control ------- magic
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐆𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃 𝐈𝐍𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍
triggers: murder, satanism, brief mention of sacrifices (including one animal) & cults, brief mention of sex work
satana was the product of a literal unholy union between human victoria hellstrom and secret literal satan marduk kurios, an alias the satan adopted. it had been a plan set in motion for years -- for a half-human, half-demon, child -- but none took until marduk found himself charmed by victoria.
but! satana was not their first half-demon, half-human, child. born three years after her older brother, daimon hellstrom (pls bring him!), she became the happy byproduct! and she became the only family member who saw who her father truly was... and, like, at an intensely young age??
nonetheless! she was deemed a daddy's girl... and what better bonding activity than performing an animal sacrifice as a young child? when her mother witnessed this, she finally put two-and-two together (took her long enough...) and was driven mad, sent to the asylum she would die in.
she was separated from daimon. he went to a new human home and she went with her father to literally be raised in hell. various demons who walked amongst them helped her train and sharpen her powers <3
so that said, all she ever longed to do was impress her father, so her exile to earth was one that was initially assumed as temporary -- and, when made longer term, assumed manipulated by a powerful group: the four. and with the exile came the attachment of the basilisk.
on earth, she found herself walking the streets. plenty of attempted assailants and johns soon found themselves void of life and soul. a kiss on the lips, she sucked the life force from them and their soul turned into nothing but a butterfly for consumption. she was cursed to be a succubus, to gain her power and send further power back to her father through the kisses of many men (and it _only_ worked on men... #girlboss)
around this time, satanism was booming. she found herself commonly in the presence of satanists who believed her a prophet due to her birthmark, 'the devilmark.' however, with fanatic satanism came fanatic christianity (y’all, her comics began in the 70s, so just go with it)
it wasn't long before she found herself a victim of a fanatic christian group attack, left in an alley. and, ironically, saved by an ex-priest -- michael heron <3 of all mortal, and some immortal, beings, he was the only one who had enough willpower to resist her when she found herself accidentally going in for the kill.
he was a good man. not all good men were spared, but not all good men were as good as michael heron -- not all made her feel as human <3 for that, and for the care he took, she set his soul free... much to the chagrin of daddy dearest <3
all humanity escaped her when she learned the truth of her exile: her father was the cause of it. for all she had dedicated - her life to him and his cause - she was met with a cruel 'goodbye.'
with her mother (whom she never truly cared about <3) dead and her father proving to be her greatest betrayer, all she had left was daimon... the priest. so obviously, she would continue to go it alone.
with time, she not only built her own hell dimension, but built it so that it was booming. so entertaining, so lively, that she questioned who would want to go to heaven when they could meet all of their favorite dead musicians, actors, novelists, and so much more in her hell dimension!!!
she began oscillating between the good and the bad. whatever was for her, was for her. whatever would benefit her...
a time would come that she would become as close to her brother as she could be, but the general concept of having chosen a life of priesthood, even if it was before he knew his truth? wild!
also i literally just copied and pasted all of this from a discord server i used to write an intro for her in a couple months ago so............ pls do forgive me if it ain’t its sharpest!! i thought it wld be!! quicker than rewriting it all and it’s already been!! so long!!
tl;dr: should’ve been considered for her father’s right hand, not daimon. (#gaslightgatekeep)#girlboss. i like to pretend witches didn’t happen. i’ve never watched helstrom before bc i don’t have hulu but if u have from the gifsets i’ve seen i think her portrayal is great. has jim morrison in her hell which we love for her bc my god the amount of references to the doors in her early comics......
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greatfay · 3 years
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since ur answering asks and shit can u explain what u meant by generational differences in communication
Damn it’s like 2015 tumblr when my inbox used to be WET. So if you’re talking about the controversial opinions post, YES, like I totally understand where people are coming from when they say that generational divides aren’t real (because they aren’t, they’re arbitrary) and distract us from real problems and yes they paint past generations as collectively bigoted when Civil Rights protestors in the 60s (who are in their 70s and 80s now) are mirrors to BLM protestors today, who could be of any age, but the most vocal and famous (at least online, especially irt to the founders, like Patrisse Cullors who is 37.
But how we communicate is sooooo different. I really point to the Internet and Social Media as a major influence in how younger millennials (more Tom Hollands and less Seth Rogans—see even there, I feel like there are two different types of Millennials) and Gen Zrs/Zoomers and even Generation Alpha behave and communicate. We live in a world where we grew up either knowing right out the gate or discovering the hard way that what we say and do has permanence, the kind of permanence that prior generations have never experienced until today. The dumb things kids have been saying since forever can now follow them... forever. We have an inherent understanding of how online spaces work. Compare that to, idk, let’s say you posted on your Facebook (for the first time in 18 months) “All these big and bad grown ass Senators going after actual child Greta Gerwig lol ok, you’re so brave for attacking a CHILD over climate change” and then your aunt, who’s turning “forty-fifteen” in May replies to your post with “So happy to see my passionate niece! Much love from us, hope you’re doing well. Paul is doing great, waiting on his screening results. Tell your mom I said we miss her, we need to get together, we forgive her for last Christmas.”
Like... ok there’s a lot going on there, but your hypothetical aunt is oversharing on a publicly accessible post. And even with the most strict of privacy settings, she’s oversharing where your other Facebook friends (which may include classmates, coworkers, etc.) can see. But she’s saying things that would only be appropriate in a 1-on-1 conversation. This Aunt doesn’t have an understanding of such boundaries, she’s not as technologically literate and hasn’t grown up in a world of Virtual Space, she still gets most of her news from TV, she trusts what a reporter on Channel 4 will read off a script more than what actual video footage of an incident might reveal on Twitter, and she has no clue that she’s been sharing her location data with every post she makes.
There’s such a huge difference. I think it even affects how we experience and express stress and frustration. I think growing up partially in online spaces has made me more accustomed to conflict and consequence-free arguing than someone who never had to worry about that. I’ve been exposed so much to harassment and bullying, triangulating and echo chambers in forums and threads, and vastly opposing point of views at such an early age that it’s had an effect on how I see the world. Compare this to a customer I helped two weeks ago who was looking for a specific type of supplement for children. I found it for her, I handed her exactly what she was looking for, even though her description of the product actually matched several different products; to make sure I’d done my job thoroughly and that she leaves happy and satisfied and doesn’t bother me again, I then show her more products that match her description so that she knows she has options. And she proceeds to freak out, saying “NO, NO, I’M LOOKING FOR [X] AND IT HAS TO BE [XYZ]” and when I say freak out, she looked stressed and PANICKED. And being a retail employee wears you down bit by bit, and add COVID on top of it and little shit like this makes you snap, sometimes. So I have to cut her off like “Why are you screaming and freaking out, jfc you’re holding what you said you wanted. It’s in your hands. I gave you what you wanted, I’m just showing you more things.”
That customer is not an exception, she’s not a unique case. She’s representative of a frightening percentage of her generation, the kids who watched Grease and The Breakfast Club and Ghost in theaters when they were originally released. This is how they communicate and process information. She could not, for some reason, register that her need had been fulfilled, and defaulted to an extreme emotional response when given new and different information.
I’ve yet to deal with someone younger than 35 act the same way, the exceptions being the kids of very wealthy people at my new job who reek of privilege I gag when they walk in—but even they are like *shrugs* “ok whatever” and understanding when there’s something I can’t do for them.
Me: “sorry, we are totally out of that one in your size, but I can order it for you, it’s 2-3 day shipping at no cost to you and we ship it straight to your house”
A rich, white, attractive 22-year-old who’s had access to organic food, a rigorous dermatologist, and financial security since she was born: “mmm... sure, I’ll order it”
A 47-year-old of any socioeconomic background, of any race, in the same situation: “AHHHHHHHHHHH”
I just think it’s crazy how three generations of kids and young adults raised in a world where everything moves so much faster, where knowledge and entertainment and communication can be gathered so much faster, are often so much more polite and patient and understanding. Yesterday I told an older man (mid-50s) whose native tongue is the same as mine, as clearly and succinct as possible, that what he’s looking for is “in aisle 4.” He proceeded to repeat back, “Aisle 7?” four time before I dropped everything to show him what he needed in aisle 4, despite his insistence that he didn’t need me to walk him there. 4 and 7 sound nothing alike in English. There’s just something going on up there 🧠 that’s different.
Oh, other generational divides!!! We have different approaches to labor and working. Totally different! I’m a “young” millennial where I’m almost Gen Z, and I’ve noticed an awful trend among my demographic where people actually brag about working 90 hour work weeks. Or brag about how they skip breaks and live on-call to get the job done for “the hustle” like this “hustle, become a millionaire by 30″ culture that’s dominated these kids, idk where tf that came from. Like why are you proud of being a wage slave, getting taken advantage of by your millionaire/billionaire overlords. Compare this to my mother’s generation (she’s a borderline Genius X’er, she and her best friend were a year too young to watch Grease when it came out and had a random older woman buy tickets for her; she went to Prince concerts, took photos of him, then sold the photos on buttons at school, that’s her culture and teenage experience), where she’s insistent on her rights and entitlements as an employee, and these things she instilled me: “whatchu mean they didn’t schedule a break for you and you’re working 12 hrs today? oh no, you’re off, don’t answer your phone cuz you are NOT available!” There are Gen X’ers who entered the workforce at a time that America was drifting toward this corporate world, with more strictly defined regulations, roles, and understandings of labor rights (and also, let’s talk about how the 80s there was so much more attention on workplace harassment, misogyny and gender divides in wage gaps, etc. etc... not that much has changed, but at least it was talked about!). There are young people today who are taken advantage of because they aren’t as informed or don’t feel as secure and valuable enough to claim what belongs to them.
At the same time, those generations (Gen X and older) have a different viewpoint of hierarchies in the workplace and respect irt our direct supervisors. That’s how you get this blurring of boundaries between Work Life and one’s Personal Life that leads to common tropes in media written by their generations, where oh no! I’m having my boss over for dinner and the roast beef is still defrosting :O is such a “relatable thing” for them... meanwhile us younger generations are like I don’t even like that you know where I live, and if I see your 2017 Honda Civic pass my place one day, we’re going to have a problem. I think older generations have a different relationship with the word “Respect” than we do. Like, my grandma, who’s turning 87 (?) this year, and the other seniors in my area, they have a different concept of honor and an expectation of professional boundaries that I, and my mom and her generation, just don’t see (so then there’s something in common with Gen X’ers and the rest of us.) My dad grew up in a world where talking and acting like George Bailey and knocking on someone’s door with a big smile could get you a job, a job that could pay for college and rent no problem. My mom grew up in a world that demanded more prestige, where cover letters and references could get you into some cushy jobs if you’re persistent and ballsy enough. And I grew up in a world where potential employers literally don’t see your face when you apply unless they lurk on any social media profiles you have publicly available and they hold all the cards, and you need all those CVs and reference letters just to make minimum wage... so I feel like I am powerless in the face of such employers.
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vtmb2s · 3 years
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@jennystahl​​ i had this filled out in my drafts for like 2 months now, sorry 😔 but here it is
4. What was the most common argument between them and whoever raised them?
There weren't really a lot of arguments until she got older. Despite her and her parents difficult relationship she usually obeyed and wasn't really allowed to say anything back, respect your elders and all that. Not that she ever really saw anything wrong with what her parents did, she never really questioned it and lamented the lack of freedom she had, but them forcing her to grow up too soon and get into the family business at an early age was perfectly normal for her -_-
8. What was their childhood/teenage bedroom like?
Her room in her old house in Frisco Fields was very, very pink surprisingly. She’s not very girly as an adult but she grew up in the fifties, thus her room had a pink wallpaper & bedsheets and all sorts of dolls her mom got her. I imagine it somewhat like this, as she got older she got rid of the childrens toys and replaced the stuff on the wall with posters of musicians. The beatles and beach boys as a teen :)
PRESENT
6. What is their current relationship with their family?
(this and number 7 were answered so im just copypasting it)
Complicated... the love is there and all that, it's more of a business relationship though rather than a parent-child thing, especially with her dad. It's nothing that she ever questions (until aforementioned therapy sessions with her friends), she grew up in an environment where affection isn't really something she sees often and almost all her friends have messed up relationships with their parents too so while there is some resentment she never really questions that the way they raised her might not be ideal :c
The relationship with her siblings is complicated as well, especially because they're both a LOT younger than her. She was an only-child until the age of 13 and moved out of her childhood home when they were eight and six years old so there's this weird disconnect but there's a relationship nonetheless, which is weird. Eldest daughter AND only child disease 😓Not to mention that her parents are looking to make her little brother head of the family because he's a boy or whatever.. drama!
7. Do they have a partner? How did they meet, and what’s their relationship like now?
Yes.. she and Ellis met on some random job in the Hollow in 1963 that her dad was taking her along with (he and Sammy did random deals together and were also good friends 😌) and Jenny was like wow how boring. What if I just talk to this this guy's sons instead.... she thought he was some annoying teenage guy and only really talked to him whenever necessary (when her dad's business trips to Sammy's got REALLY boring). She forced herself to hang out with him more after Lincoln went to Vietnam and realized he's not so bad so they became friends :)
In actual game canon nothing really happens because he dies, Jenny just becomes sad that her friends were killed (him, Danny, Sammy and maybe Michael too because of Juliet connection.. she doesn't give a fuck abt Giorgi anymore that little rat can die) and wonders if she liked that goofy little guy with the ugly shirts, but in any case it's too late now.
We're doing au's here though (also this is as of '68) so in the good timeline they get together in 1968.. sort of. It's not a friends with benefits thing, more that sort of relationship that you know will end sooner or later for various reasons, so you're kind of living in the moment and have fun while it lasts. It IS genuine and not just about hooking up from time to time of course, it's just not the kind of thing that was built to last because it's based off of a dumb 20 year olds friendship and one of them (Jenny) doesn't really plan on sticking around in New Bordeaux. But well, who knows what will happen 😏
FUTURE
5. Did they get married or have a family? Why? If otherwise, why not?
YES! Jenny + Ellis cringe wedding in the good timeline, when she returns from LA after her failed music career (it wasn't a complete failure, she just gives it up after landing one hit that plays on the radio over and over again). She has a daughter in 1972, miss Tracy :)
6. How do they react to the changing times? Are they adaptable or do they reject modernity?
She adapts somewhat to the changing times, starts wearing a 70s hairdo with feathered bangs and all that but she's still a 60's girl through and through 😌 the seventies are cool because a lot of things from the late sixties carry over (even if she misses the carefree vibe that decade had compared to the more depressing 70s), the eighties she kind of hates aesthetically. Not that she should complain, she's a milf around that time 🙄 Overall she’s adaptable but she keeps complainign about the 80s and later decades and talks about how much better the sixties were.
7. Are their friends still a part of their life? Are there people they are no longer in touch with, or newly important people?
YES... YES! 😤 she definitely still regularly meets with her old friend group, particularly juliet and gavin.. what we said about him and danny babysitting vinnie and tracy :-) Her family she would stay in touch with too but less so than her friends - she certainly keeps an eye on her younger siblings and tries to keep them out of the “family business”, probably unsuccessfully so 🙄 but she would try to be present for them, even if the large age gap kind of resulted in them becoming closer with each other rather than with Jenny :/
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yeojaa · 4 years
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TO THE MOON AND BACK - ft. ???
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You feel winded and you're not sure why.  Like you'd been walking on cloud nine and were now falling through the atmosphere, plummeting toward the ground at incredible speeds.  When you speak, it doesn't really sound like you.  "Yes."  Because he was exactly right - you were a hopeless romantic.  Always had been.  It was hard not to be when your parents were childhood sweethearts and love was the thing you'd been chasing your whole life.
alt summary.  You use your one brain cell for love.  It doesn’t always end well.
pairing.  who knows, honestly.  the obvious ones are kim taehyung and jeon jungkook, though.  
tags.  blind date, strangers, strangers to friends, strangers to lovers, getting to know each other, alternate universe, alternate universe - modern setting, romantic comedy.
rating.  general (for now?)
word count.  ~6000
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chapter 1.  
You weren't sure what you were doing here.
Sure, you'd signed the waiver, your favourite pen leaving a messy blue scrawl across the crisp weight.  You'd acknowledged all of the terms and dated the bottom left-hand corner, humming quietly to yourself as you'd done so.  You'd read the document once, then twice for good measure, politely asking for a copy of it when the petite assistant had come to take the pages off your hands.  
But you still weren't sure what had brought you here, to this exact place at this exact time.   
Standing in the spacious studio with a dozen hangers hung over your arms, ready to air your life for millions to see.  Were you really ready for this - whatever it was?
You shift your weight from one foot to the other, suddenly nervous.  Your fingers are experiencing a strange tingling sensation you only recognize from times of stress - waiting for your results after an exam, the minutes after a first date, any time your umma calls without messaging first.  It's descending down the tips of your fingers, shooting like electricity through the live wire of your bones.  Suddenly, every minute movement of your neck feels like it takes all the strength in the world and your chest feels like it might explode from the labour of your breaths.
"Ready?"  It's the assistant again, bouncing toward you in her Fila Disrupters.  Very stylish.  She's staring up at you expectantly, though that shifts quickly to concern when you don't immediately respond.  "... Are you okay?"
"Yes.  I'm sorry.  I'm fine."  To her relief, you answer her follow-up almost immediately, a chipper smile plastered across your face.  It's a touch forced, the edges pressing your cheeks a little too far into your eyes, the tension in your jaw almost making it look like you're grimacing.  Almost.
"Great!  Come with me."  
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Your fingers fumble with the button of your jeans, missing the hole twice before a groan of frustration fills the enclosed space.  You're so anxious you can feel the nervous energy filling you up like a balloon, dragging your poor body from the familiar weight of your bones.  Your hands won't stop shaking and they're so cold.  You can feel the chill through the denim of your pants when you rub your palms over your thighs in an effort to bring blood rushing back to them.
"Please come out when you're ready."  The voice speaks over the public address system wired into the ceiling.
You glance up from your little dressing room, noting the soft yellow that now illuminates your space.  It floods the walls you can barely make out over the top of your dressing stall.  You notice, with some amusement, that it matches the yellow of your socks that rise above your ankles and disappear into the hem of pants.
"Relax.  It'll be fun," you tell yourself before counting to three and trying your button again.  
It slots into its rightful home on your first go.  That must be a sign, right?
You exhale deeply, pushing all the air from your lungs as you face the mirror on the back of the door.  You blink at your reflection, smoothing your fringe until it falls just right over the rim of your glasses, barely grazing your line of vision.  You watch the way you chew your own lip, grateful you've got nothing but bubble-gum flavoured lip balm on, and nod.  It's reminiscent of a child on their first day of school.
Then you force yourself out of the stall before you can talk yourself out of it, peeking around the corner of the door.  
You're not sure what you'd been expecting but it definitely isn't this.
Because he's tall and broad, with shoulders that fall like a mountain range and a mop of dark hair.  It curls over his ears and looks unkept but purposefully so, pushed behind his ears.  The coat he wears fits across his back, hugging his silhouette as it falls to his knees.  Plaid trousers hold his legs, cut directly above his bare ankle.  He looks like a goddamn fashion model and you haven't even seen his face.
"Oh, hi."  His voice is warm and heavy, like a weighted blanket or hot cocoa on Christmas Day. 
It envelopes you in bass and makes your stomach flip in anticipation.  
He's right across from you now, sliding into the high director's chair that sits directly opposite from where you are, half-pulled into your seat.  He's as handsome as you would've imagined, the slope of his jaw and curve of his cheekbone seemingly carved by Michelangelo himself.  Thin gold frames - eerily similar to yours - sit on the high bridge of his nose and behind them, eyes crinkle from the force of his big, boxy smile. 
You find yourself at a loss for words for the second time in not very long, only managing a soft, "hello."
He seems to find that endearing, a soft laugh - one that very clearly echoes ha ha ha in the quiet room - drifting from where he sits.  You feel your face flush, shifting through the colour wheel before landing on an embarrassingly vivid shade of magenta.  You can see if in your reflection from behind his shoulder when you finally make yourself comfortable, only then meeting his open, curious stare.
"I like your pants."  He gestures toward you as if he could be talking to anyone else, the diffused golden glow catching against the thin rings he wears.
"Thank you."  You try not to mumble, offering a sweet albeit small smile in return.  You're pleased with your choice and in turn, his compliment.  You loved these jeans, had worn them for years since you'd bought them one summer in Tokyo.  They hug you just right, sitting close to your waist and through your hips before relaxing into a chic 70's inspired straight flare.  It doesn't matter that there's paint on the left knee - from that time you'd hosted a wine and paint night at your apartment - or that the frays on the hem are in dire need of trimming.   
"Should we get started?"  There he is, leading the conversation again.  You feel a little bad, though that flies out the proverbial window when he's leveling you with another one of his smiles.  It's hard to feel anything but child-like happiness when he looks like sunshine and middle school crushes. 
You nod, turning your attention to your phone. 
The screen reads START: PERCENT OF INTEREST FROM FIRST IMPRESSION.  You immediately want to enter 100, your fingers moving to tap the requisite numbers before you're hesitating, hovering over the "1" as it taunts you.  Was that too high?  What if they showed him?  Would he be turned off by how eager you were?
You're dragging your bottom lip through your teeth over and over again, stuck on a decision.  Was he experiencing the same turmoil?
You steal a peek at him, hoping to be as covert as possible.  He's staring straight at you, amusement written into the way his mouth twists, fighting back the laughter that sounds like music to your ears.  His phone rests loosely in his right hand.  Clearly, he's made his choice already. 
You huff and enter 85, still not entirely happy with your decision by the time the next question pops up.
BASED ON OUTFIT 1 (SCHOOL), YOUR NAME IS _____, YOU ARE _____ YEARS OLD, AND YOU LIVE IN _____.
You had to guess his name?  That was going to be impossible.
Or not, you think as his fingers glide across his screen, seemingly unfazed by the challenges currently presented.  Maybe that was for the better, though.  Maybe it would help you gain some sort of idea into who this stranger was, with his soft white tee shirt and expensive Hermès belt.  
Even as you're filling out the answers, you can feel his eyes boring into your head like two little laser beams.  You're sure that's why your cheeks are burning up and your have to retype your last answer three times, messing up the characters like you haven't spent your entire life writing them.  How could he be so comfortable?  His fingers aren't even twitching, instead leisurely curled between his legs as he studies you.  He looks like he has nothing to hide, blinking innocently at you when you drag your gaze from his hands, his brown leather watch strap.
"Your name is Kim Nari."  He's speaking seconds after you've pressed enter, alerted of the fact by the small chime of his phone.  If he notices the way your brow furrows, he doesn't react, reading his answers with easy reassurance.  "You're twenty-threeyears old and you live in Itaewon."
It brings you some sort of joy as you shake your head, hand raised with your thumb and forefinger curled in.  "Three strikes and you're out."  You laugh and then he's joining you, the sounds slotting easily together like a harmony.  "My name is Cho Jiyeon."  His words are forming the syllables silently, as if testing out the way it feels.  You can't help but smile at that, nose scrunching as he does it again, repeating it like it's the most fascinating thing in the world.  " I'm twenty-two and I live in Hongdae."  You don't acknowledge the fact that he's technically right - your actual birthday is in a few days.
"I see."  Your corrections are accepted as easily as he breathes.  "Nice to meet you, Cho Jiyeon."
"Really, Nari?"  You can't help but tease, manicured brow quirking curiously.
"You're pretty, so I thought you'd have a pretty name," he says plainly.  You can't help but snort, hiding the sound behind your palms as laughter shakes your shoulders.  Had he managed to compliment and insult you all at once?  "You still have a pretty name."
Now it's his turn to laugh, your reaction of wild head shaking and face covering causing him to stifle his own into the back of his hand. 
"It's your turn." 
So it is.  "Your name is Yun Taewoo and you're twenty-five?"  The first two come as questions more than answers but you're almost certain of your last one.  "You live in Cheongdam."
By his smirk, you're either terribly right or miserably wrong. 
When his head tilts, you're reminded of a golden retriever or a teddy bear, his dark eyes twinkling at you from behind his spectacles.  "My name is Kim Taehyung."  You're not sure how you ever thought it would've been anything else by how well it fits him. "You're right, I'm twenty-five."  Here comes the winner, you think.  "And I also live in Hongdae."
Dammit dammit dammit.
Taehyung can see the disappointment in your eyes and his own are waning into crescent moons, dragged into the shape by his all-encompassing grin.  "My parents live in Cheongdam, if that helps."  It doesn't really, but you appreciate the effort, visibly relaxing at his concession.  You've known each other for all of fifteen minutes and he's already worming his way into your silly little schoolgirl heart.
"It does.  Thanks."  You're giggling around your gratitude, allowing your eyes to trail pointedly at the timepiece on his wrist.  It cost more than one of your semesters.  "The Cartier was kind of a giveaway."
"But you recognized it," he teases back warmly.
"Touché."
"My turn again."  A soft cough to clear his throat before he repeats the next question.
YOUR MAJOR IS _____, YOUR GPA IS _____, AND AT SCHOOL YOU ARE _____. 
"Your major is art, your GPA is 3.1, and at school, you're an outsider."  
You're not sure whether to be offended that you're seemingly so easy to read, a hand flying to your throat.  "Are you following me?"  You're asking before you can help it, earning a hearty laugh from Taehyung.  He's shaking his head, awfully proud that he's just struck the nail on the head.  "I'm actually doing a double major, so I'll give you that.  My GPA is actually 3.9, though."  You can't help your own pride from sneaking in, colouring your words in shades of gold as you beam.  It only falters when you consider his last guess.  "What makes you think I'm an outsider?"
Not that he was wrong, per se, but you're a little surprised.  You'd never been unpopular but you just kept to yourself, drifting from different friend groups as you saw fit. 
"You don't want to forced into a box, so you're an outsider.  You choose to be."
You have no answer for that so you instead engage in a peculiar staring match until your eyes burn and you're blinking rapidly. 
"Your major was business, your GPA was 3.5, and you were a total insider."  Maybe it's the fact that he figured you out so easily that you feel uncertain about your own answers.  
He shakes his head, ever the gentleman.  "No, sorry.  I was a fashion major and my GPA was 3.0."  He pauses thoughtfully, considering the implications of being an inssa.  He supposes you're right, though he'd never really thought of himself as one.  Just someone that was well-liked and never turned away.  "Good try, though."  Again, encouragement.  It makes you like him for more than his charming smile and fashion-sense.
"I'll get you next time."
"I'm sure you will," he returns without even a hint of sarcasm.  "Next outfit?"
You nod, slipping from your seat and all but skipping into your dressing stall.  As you disappear back inside, you catch his smile in the reflection of your door and bite back your own.
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The nerves that had melted over the course of your conversation seem to have come back in full force, spreading warmth over your cheeks as you stare at yourself in the mirror.  You've smoothed your hands over the soft corduroy of your skirt at least ten times now, straightening the hem this way and that in the pursuit of getting it to sit just right over your thighs.  
"Just go back outside.  He's nice.  Stop freaking out."  The reprimands are filling the small space and you feel almost overwhelmed.  Outfit number two was supposed to be a date outfit and just the word had your hands clamming out, heat licking up the back of your neck.
It's not that you weren't used to dating - he was just really cute.  
Adjusting the collar of your turtleneck - soft, black, draped in all the right places and tucked neatly into the waist of your skirt - you nod again.  It's your little way of building yourself up before you're stepping back outside, arms sliding into the sleeves of your grey tartan blazer.  You look good.  Taehyung had even said so.  You could do this.
No, no, no.  You can't do this.  Not when he looks like that.
He's beat you to his seat, an Adonis in black.  Gone is the loose white shirt from earlier, replaced now by an inky top that sinks against his skin.  The collar is open, the top two buttons undone to reveal the honeyed expanse of his chest.  You're not sure whether you want to bury your face into it or his silky shirt and it takes you a moment to remind yourself that's terribly inappropriate. 
"I like this look," you offer, hardly able to tear your eyes away from him as you settle back into your chair.  You can't help but notice how he smiles, gloating like he's all too aware of his effect on you.  He even readjusts, opening his arms to you as if to urge you on, when you continue to inspect his clothes. 
The pants he wears are different now, an expensive textured fabric that hugs his thighs and drapes across his shins, falling just above his ankle like before. There's no visible sock line and his shoes - black calfskin loafers with little tassels across the tops - scream expensive.  You'd hazard a guess they're Saint Laurent or Prada.  The only thing carried over from his last outfit is his watch, now stacked with delicate silver chains and a single red yarn bracelet you'd noticed earlier.  Even his hair is different, effortlessly styled and sweeping across his brow in soft, easy waves that beg to be touched.
"I like yours, too," he coos, that smug expression never faltering.  You try not to blush beneath his stare, trapping your hands beneath your legs as you allow him the same courtesy. 
Your thigh high socks sit just beneath where your palms rest, black a stark contrast to your skin and the brown of your skirt.  Your toes wiggle experimentally in the boots you're wearing, the ever popular sock-style blending seamlessly with the material of your stockings.  You can feel the lines of your rings where your skin is exposed, the same silver resting at the small of your throat in layered necklaces and at your ears in intricate loops.
He can't help but linger when the light catches the metal of your jewelry or when you shift nervously, thighs pressing together.  More than a small part of him enjoys you squirming under his gaze.  It's coquettish, even if it isn't meant to be.
"Do you want to go first?"  The words break whatever spell you'd been under and you re-focus on the device in your lap.  You nod before you've read the question thoroughly, flushing once you've had a chance to do so.
BASED ON OUTFIT 2 (DATE), YOU'VE RECEIVED _____ ROMANTIC CONFESSIONS AND HAVE BEEN IN A RELATIONSHIP _____ TIMES.
They really didn't beat around the bush, did they?
You're tapping out your response, pushing forward when you stop to think.  It was just two numbers.  
When the familiar ding of your phones breaks the relative silence, you look back up.  Of course, he's already watching you, ever the active participant.  "You, Kim Taehyung, have received more than twenty romantic confessions and you've been in a relationship more than ten times." 
Something like surprises steals across his face, contorting his expression into one you hadn't seen yet.  
"Wrong."  There's no further elaboration and for a moment, you have the urge to apologize.  Had you offended him?  "I've received more than twenty romantic confessions but I've only been in a relationship twice."
Now it's your turn to be surprised, your eyebrows disappearing into your hairline.  How did someone look like that and not date?  It seemed like such a waste.  
"Shocking, right?"  Taehyung takes the words right out of your mouth but they feel wrong when uttered back at you.  "Both relationships were long-term.  Five and four years, respectively, so I never really had time to date anyone else."  A hand adorned in Gucci rings cards through his silky mop of hair, smoothing it away from his forehead before it falls back into place perfectly.  "Don't worry - I'm not offended you think I'm such a Casanova."
You can't help but scowl at his words.  He's right and you're being called out so hard.
"You've probably had more than ten confessions and..."  You're not sure whether he's really trying to remember what he'd written or if he's just drawing it out, teasing you mercilessly like its his newly discovered favourite pastime.  "Five boyfriends?"
"Ah - you got those right!"  You're not bothered by his accurate guesses this time.  In fact, you clap as if his success somehow belongs to both of you.  He finds that endearing.  He likes the idea of the two of you as a team.  
"Next one?  Go ahead."
You double check your next answer, trying not to laugh when you remember what you'd entered.
YOU FEEL ATTRACTED TO SOMEONE WHO IS _____.  YOU ARE ACTIVE/PASSIVE DURING THE DAY AND ACTIVE/PASSIVE AT NIGHT. 
"Kim Taehyung," you meet his eyes when you say his name and for a second, you lose your train of thought.  His lashes are so thick and dark and without his glasses on, you swear you can see the constellations in his irises.  "Um."  He snickers and you roll your eyes, rereading the small font on your device screen.  "You are attracted to someone who shares your confidence and who will rise to challenges with you.  You're active during the day and..."  You don't dare look up.  "You're also active during the night."
To your benefit, you both collapse into laughter, doubled over in your chairs as the double entendre sits salaciously between you.  
"You're not wrong," he drawls, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively at you.  If you were closer, you think you'd swat his arm or nudge his foot - anything to demonstrate that you think he's an absolute dork.  "I want someone who can be my partner in crime and I'm active all the time."  He leans heavily into the implication, dragging the "ah" in all out like he's trying to break it over his tongue.
"Okay, Casanova.  Your turn."
He hums, not even bothering to look at his screen as he studies you, eyes ticking from the way your long, dark hair cascades over your shoulder to the wine-stain you'd pressed into your full lips.  "You're attracted to someone who excites you and makes you feel wanted."  By the way he's drinking you in, you think he could be talking about himself.  "You're active in the day and passive at night."  
When he says passive, it almost feels wrong.  Dirty.  Like it should be whispered into the shell of your ear and not spoken so casually from three feet away.
You have to remind yourself you're sitting in a studio, surrounded by production staff.  
"I do like to sleep a lot."  You manage once the flutter in your chest has subsided, allowing you to find your breath again.  It still feels a little airy, a little like the wings of butterflies are tugging the words out of your chest.  "But I think everyone wants to be desired, don't you?  I don't think that's specific to me."
"Then why don't you tell me what kind of person you're attracted to?"  He doesn't say it but you hear it in his voice - the unspoken question.  Is it me?
You're not ready for that conversation, nor do you think this is the place to have it.  "I think we should change."
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The third time you exit your dressing stall, you're out before Taehyung is, giving you a moment's reprieve as you climb into your chair.
You're more comfortable than you have been, both mentally and physically, but it's nice to have these few extra moments of peace.  He was just so much - it was hard to focus when he caught your stare or he did that thing with his tongue, pink gliding across his bottom lip.  You were ready to take back some control.  Hopefully his daily outfit was as casual as yours.  You didn't think you could handle another peek of that chiseled frame.
God, when had you become so easy to please?
"That was quick."  He's popping his head out of his room and gliding into his seat in what feels like one fluid motion.  Well, he certainly seems spirited.
"What can I say?  I'm fast."  It's enough to make him chuckle because very clearly, you were not fast, but he wasn't about to call you on that.  Not when you two were getting along so swimmingly.  "Shall we get started?"
You don't even wait for his response before you're studying your phone again, considering the two latest questions.
BASED ON OUTFIT 3 (DAILY), WHAT YOU HEAR OFTEN FROM YOUR FRIENDS IS _____ AND WHAT YOU HEAR FROM YOUR PARENTS IS _____? 
That was easy enough, you think, free hand fiddling with the pocket on your thigh.  The cargo pants you wear sit easily on your hips, the beige material matching the seat.  You're back in sneakers - all-white Converse with a small platform - and your glasses are perched on the bridge of your nose.  You're aware of a draft on your shoulder, the soft wool of your camel and blush cardigan having drifted low across your shoulder. 
You fill out your answer with ease, sparing Taehyung a glance when you're finished and realizing, much to your surprise, he's still typing.  
"You can go first, when you're done." 
The only indication he's heard you is the bob of his head so you take his preoccupation as time to admire his latest fashion choices. 
Wide-legged trousers that look extremely comfortable, falling easily over backless Gucci loafers.  His shirt is French-tucked, the drape of his taupe top relaxed.  The watch remains where it has been, though the other jewelry that had previously accompanied it is gone.  He's got a chic black beret pulled over his ears, causing strands at the nape of his neck to curl adorably.  He looks every inch an off-duty model and you have to remind yourself to stop gawking when he begins speaking.
"What you hear most from your friends is 'don't forget' and what you hear most from your parents is 'did you eat?'"
You think his streak must be running out and he sees that reflected in your goofy smile, one of his own framing his face.  "Nope.  My friends say 'get some sleep' and my parents ask 'how is school?'  Good try."
He shrugs, mouthing something like 'you win some, you lose some' before sliding his phone back into his pocket.  "Go ahead."
"What Kim Taehyung hears the most from his friends is 'I can't believe it' and what he hears most from his parents is 'visit more often.'"  You'd been reading your screen, lifting the words verbatim, so when you look up and catch his expression, you're startled.  For the first time, Taehyung looks unsure, though it lasts only a fraction of a second before he's nodding, his sweet laughter sinking into your molars like honeycomb and cavities.
"Close enough.  My friends usually say something like 'you're kidding me' but you're right about my parents."
Maybe that's why he looked so sad, you realize with a little twinge of guilt.  You consider asking a follow-up but by the way he pulls his phone out, you know it's a conversation better left for another time.  Like perhaps a second date.
YOUR ALCOHOL LIMIT IS _____ AND YOU SMOKE _____ A DAY.
He's already reading his answer to the second question by the time you tune in fully.
"Cho Jiyeon, your alcohol limit is two bottes of soju and you don't smoke."  You wouldn't say he's exactly right but you relent, nodding in agreement. 
"Between two and four, depending on the day."  There's a story there and it intrigues him but he says nothing, instead waiting for your appraisal of his tolerance.  He's ready to completely blow your mind.  "Your limit is... four bottles?  You definitely don't smoke."
It's with pride that Taehyung shakes his head, chest puffed out and lips pursed.  "My tolerance is one - one shot."  He can't help but laugh when you level him with disbelief.  "I don't like the taste," he continues, completely unashamed.  He's dealt with enough teasing from his closest friends so he's used to the incredulous stare you're currently giving him, unfazed as he beams at you. 
"I never would've guessed," you quip, thoughtful.  
"I'm full of surprises."  
You think it's a promise, like the guarantee of buried treasure or calm in the eye of the storm.  "I'm sure you are."
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Your final change makes you feel like you're at home, despite the fact that you're nowhere close to it.  It's nice to be in your pyjamas in the middle of the day, even if you didn't normally wear the set that currently sits on your body.
"Last one," you say to yourself, peering closely at your hair, your lips, the way your shorts feel a little shorter than usual.
Then you pull yourself out for the last time and plop yourself into your chair, smiling brightly at Taehyung when he exits in the same instant as you.
He's in silk pyjama bottoms, the navy a stark contrast against his feet - which are slotted into soft shearling slippers.  The top looks oddly familiar, the white stirring a memory that you're not sure how to place.  "Hey - I recognize this," you state uncertainly, gesticulating at his broad chest.  He looks down and a smile so shy your heart could cry spreads across his face.  Maybe you're wrong but it looks like the tips of his ears are suddenly red beneath his crown of softly mused strands. 
"I don't normally sleep with a shirt on," he confesses, delicate fingers brushing the shoulder of his top.  He's not quite meeting your eyes, that seem dusting of rouge seeping over his hollowed cheeks and across his temples.  
"Oh," is all you can say, just as bashful.
As if to ease the unusual weight that's settled over the two of you, he speaks again, earnest.  "I like your sweater."   
You pick at the item in question, thumbing over the worn hem.  It's incredibly soft from years of wear, a gift from your father when he'd visited for business years ago.  The formerly vivid stitching on the first letter is starting to come undone, the remaining letters of HARVARD all in equal states of distress.  Still, it's comforting and oversized, drowning you in its shape and making you look more diminutive than your lissome stature already does.  
A leg draws up, about to pull to your chest, but then you think better of it.  You're in shorts - worn jersey ones taken from a matching pyjama set you'd once gotten as a birthday gift - and you're reminded of how little they'd covered when standing, so you settle for crossing your ankles.  The bears printed on your socks - three stacked at various levels across the top of your foot, your ankle, your calf - cross as well. 
"Thanks."
"Do you want to go first this time?"
It's nice that he's so considerate.  You nod, turning your attention to the last few questions.  You realize, with the smallest hint of disappointment, that there are only two left.
BASED ON OUTFIT 4 (PYJAMAS), YOU WANT TO LIVE UNTIL _____ YEARS OLD.  THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN YOUR LIFE IS _____.
You're not sure whether it's the fact that your time with him is coming to an end or the questions themselves but you feel odd, a lump forming in your stomach.  Whatever it is, you try to push it from your thoughts, ignoring the weight it carries in favour of giving further consideration to your answers.  
"I think you want to live until ninety years old."  That made sense, right?  Most people wanted to live out there lives as long as they could, watching the generations span after them and basking in the pride of a life-well lived.  "The most important thing in your life is growth."  Okay, so maybe that was a bit of a stretch.  Could you really know someone that well after only such a short period with them?
You think so, because after everything so far, you felt like you did.
"Ninety would be nice,"  he agrees after a moment, biting his bottom lip as he weighs his next words.  "The most important thing in my life is being true to myself."  So you were wrong - but that was also a really deep question.  You feel like it's not fair and he can clearly see that when he grins, gracious and giving.  "I think growth means staying honest to myself, though."
You think you could kiss him and absorb some of that sunny goodness.  
"You want to live until you're ninety, too."  A small part of you doubts he'd use the same age, that suspicion deepening when he doesn't even bother looking at his written answers.  "The most important thing in Cho Jiyeon's life is love.  Am I right?"
You feel winded and you're not sure why.  Like you'd been walking on cloud nine and were now falling through the atmosphere, plummeting toward the ground at incredible speeds.  When you speak, it doesn't really sound like you.  "Yes."  Because he was exactly right - you were a hopeless romantic.  Always had been.  It was hard not to be when your parents were childhood sweethearts and love was the thing you'd been chasing your whole life.
The reason you'd even agreed to appear on this silly video segment.
"What about age?"  He prompts, not skipping a beat.
"I don't know," you answer honestly.  "I don't think I'd mind when I died if I found love before that."
You're not sure whether the look Taehyung gives you is affectionate or pitying because you're not really looking at him, instead focused pointedly on the paint that coats your nails and the way your knuckles flex beneath your ministrations.
"Last one," he chirps, snapping you from your careful consideration of your own humanity.
You don't answer, instead rereading the last answer you'd filled out.  
IF WE WERE LOVERS WHO BROKE UP, WE WOULD HAVE DATED BECAUSE OF _____ AND BROKEN UP BECAUSE OF _____.
It felt a little too close to home and yet, you were in the home stretch.  You'd be held here in this little piece of forever until you answered. 
He begins before you get a chance to, impossibly softer than he'd been previously.  "If we were lovers who broke up, we would have dated because you felt like my other half."  You have to remind yourself that it's all hypothetical but his voice is so alluring, like a lullaby you'd like to slip into dreamland listening to.  Even the way he details your imaginary breakup is beguiling, low timbre hitting some chord in your heart you weren't aware existed.  "We would have broken up because you'd always be chasing a vision of me - and not the real me."
Emotion wells in your chest and in your throat and behind your eyes and you have to swallow thickly, forcing the onslaught down before you're crying in front of the cameras and making a fool of yourself. 
You'd written something silly but as you prepare to answer the same question, it feels far too inconsequential, like a child playing dress-up.  
"If we were lovers, we would have dated because I was your muse."  His mouth quirks at that, though you can't see from the way you're staring at your hands still and it's short-lived.  "We would have broken up because I couldn't keep up with you."  It's not what you'd originally opted for but it feels better.  Right.  Like it could be true, in some fantasy world where people like him ended up with people like you. 
Silence drags on once you've finished speaking.  You could hear a pin drop - and think you do.  It might just be someone's pen slipping from their hand.
Your eyes meet, like kismet, after what feels like forever.  He smiles and you can imagine that same, sad thing mirrored in your own expression. 
"Please give us your percent of interest based on your final impression."  The public address system again, tearing your little illusion to shreds.  He's a stranger again, someone you've only met for the purpose of this YouTube video.
You glance down at your phone and without thinking, press that frightful "1" followed by two 0's.  You see him enter his score.
And then the lights are fading from a rosy glow, replaced by the standard professional lighting.  The curtains have closed and the production assistants are milling over, thanking you for your time and advising of when you might expect to see the video up.  You're barely listening.
Because Taehyung's already gone.
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notes.   i've never written this much in one sitting.  i hope you enjoy it!  as always, feedback appreciated.
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