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onceuponaloonatic · 3 years

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just a little something i meant to post days ago oops

Sana should be happy Nico was in such a good mood. The girl had been feeling all the bad vibes her parents had for the past few weeks and it had definitely been putting a damper on her mood. And while Sana had been worried about her, there was too much going on otherwise that she was sort of distracted. But now that her parents had been out for a month with no attempt to contact her, she was starting to feel a bit more comfortable. And now she was just feeling bad for missing out on time with her favorite little girl.

Admittedly, her last few weeks hadn’t been great. Every time she went out she was paranoid she would run into her parents. She would obsessively lock all of the doors every time she was at home, and she had even bought better home security for them. She couldn’t help it, she was so paranoid about everything. Mina and Jihyo had been absolute angels in helping her. Jihyo drove her to therapy and always made sure she was eating enough and doing well. Mina would check in on her every night and hold her when she wasn’t feeling great. Even if Mina was still recovering from her depressive episode, she was still looking after Sana the best she could, and Sana had been so thankful for that. Thankful for her. And thankful to Jihyo too. But during all that paranoia and restlessness she hadn’t been able to spend much time with her daughter.

Sana would admit, at first Nico being in a great mood had been amazing. She missed spending time with her daughter like this where both of them are able to enjoy it without their minds on something else, but she did get tired eventually.

“Mommy!” When Sana came to pick Nico up from school, her daughter had jumped on her. Literally. “Oof hi baby.” Sana giggled, instantly moving to hug Nico and pick her up. “How was your day?” “I got jellies mommy!” Nico said excitedly, practically bouncing in Sana’s arms. “Oh yeah? That’s great. Let’s go say bye bye to your teacher, okay?” Sana asked, moving towards Nico’s teacher. “Hello, thanks for all your hard work today.” Sana always said that to Nico’s teacher. Her daughter’s teacher worked hard, and Sana was always sure to thank her for it. “Of course. Nico did great today. During recess we played candyland and then during class Nico won our addition competition. She got every question correct.” Nico’s teacher smiled at how much Nico was squirming around. “Uh-hum! I got jellies!” Nico smiled. “Yeah you did.” The teacher giggled. “Well it seems like today was a great day. Nico we need to get home, auntie Momo is making us dinner.” “Really?!” Nico asked excitedly. “Uh-hum. Mama and Ka-san are both going to be working late and Auntie Nayeon is with your cousins at their grandmother's house.” “Yay!” Nico giggled. “Yup, it’ll be fine. Say thank you and goodbye to Miss Kim, okay Nico?”

“Bye bye Miss Kim!” Nico said excitedly. “Bye Nico-ya. See you tomorrow.” The teacher waved as Sana carried them out of the classroom. Nico cuddled closer to Sana, wrapping her arms around Sana’s neck. “I missed you mommy.” Nico smiled. “Baby you saw me this morning.” Sana giggled, carefully fishing her keys out of her pocket to unlock her car. “I know. Still missed you.” Nico smiled. “Wel I missed you too princess. Let’s hurry home and maybe Auntie Momo will let us watch Totoro with her after dinner.” Sana tapped Nico’s nose. “Yes! Totoro!” xx

Momo made them yakisoba for dinner, and Nico loved eating it. Sana was just thankful Momo was able to come over and cook, she hated relying on take out as much as she did when Jihyo and Mina weren’t home. Plus, Sana liked the company. Even if she was feeling better, there was still that paranoia from her parents. So having company really helped lighten her mood. “I heard you got some jellies today kiddo.” Momo mentioned over dinner. “Uh-hum. I got every question right.” Nico smiled, taking another bite of her noodles. “That’s great Nic! Your mommy has always been bad at math, do you like it?” “I teach physics Momo.” Sana rolled her eyes. “I’m great at math.”

“I love math Auntie. Miss Kim says I’m the best at it.” Nico giggled. “That's amazing kiddo.” Momo smiled. “You’ll probably have your mom beaten soon.” “Really?” “Sorry baby. I went to college and learned a lot of math. But if you ever decide you like physics, mommy can teach you it in the future.” Sana giggled, reaching for a napkin to clean off Nico’s face. Nico smiled at her and resumed eating messily. Since Nico was so picky, Momo had made her special yaki soba with just chicken, noodles, sauce, and mushrooms. Nico had recently discovered she loved mushrooms, after finally relenting to trying them when Kazumi convinced her they were going to make her tall. She fell in love and now asked for them in almost everything they made, even if there were times it seemed a bit odd.

“Mommy said we could watch Totoro.” Nico said after a bit. “Oh yeah? Well I would love to watch Totoro with you.” Momo smiled. “We could get some popcorn, and some jellies.” “Yes!” Nico was practically bouncing in her chair. “Only if you eat all of your food though okay?” Momo prompted. “Okay!” “Momo we don’t have any popcorn or candy, Mina doesn’t like it when we keep that stuff in the house.” Sana pointed out. “It’s okay, we can walk to the convenience store. I’ll pay.” Momo offered. “You really don’t have to-”

“Nonsense. It was my idea.” Momo nodded. “Anyway, Nico be sure to eat all your food so you can have more jellies.” “Okay!”

Nico was practically skipping the whole way to the convenience store. Sana made sure to keep a tighter grip on her than usual, just to be sure she didn’t run off. After buying Nico’s favorite candy and some microwave popcorn. Momo goes to set up the movie while Sana and Nico make the popcorn. “How come Ka-san doesn’t like popcorn?” Nico asked as Sana put the popcorn in the microwave. Nico pulled on her hand, holding her arms out to be picked up so she could see the popcorn in the microwave.

“Ka-san doesn’t dislike popcorn, it’s just not good for us. Popcorn is like candy, it’s a special treat.” Sana explained. “Oh. I like popcorn.” Nico mentioned, looking closer at the popcorn. “Yeah me too.” Sana smiled, kissing Nico’s cheek. She didn’t know why, but seeing Nico excitedly watch the popcorn was just making her melt. It was just so cute, she couldn’t help it.

“Pop!” Nico smiled when the popcorn started going off.

“Pop.” Sana repeated with a smile. Once it was ready Sana put it in a bowl and brought it over to Momo, who immediately held up a candy for Nico. “Jelly!” Nico smiled. “Thank you Auntie Momo.” “Of course Nico.” Momo smiled. “Now come cuddle with Auntie.” Nico excitedly climbed into Momo’s lap, Momo wrapping her arms around her. Sana knew what Momo was doing. She and Nayeon had both been looking into adopting another baby recently. From what she understood, they were looking for a kid slightly older than Nico, but Momo was still using Nico as a bit of practice. Their kids hadn’t been little in a while, and Momo had always been self conscious about spending time around kids. Momo always talked about how perfect Nayeon was with kids, and how much she doubted herself. Sana always tried to reassure her that she was great, but even after raising three kids, she was still unsure of herself sometimes. After the movie, Momo has to leave to facetime Nayeon and her kids.

“Auntie Momo has to go?” Nico asked, hugging Momo tighter. “Sorry kiddo, I need to go talk to Nayeon and your cousins.” Momo explained. “Okay…” Nico nodded. “Here, give the jellies to Neul Unnie, Jae Oppa, and Zumi Unnie.” Nico handed Momo the rest of her bag of candy Momo had bought her. “Oh Nico this is your candy-”

“It’s for Unnies and Oppa.” Nico nodded.

“Okay.” Momo sighed, accepting it. “I’ll see you tomorrow Sana?” Sana nodded, kissing Momo’s cheek. “See you tomorrow Momo.” Sana smiled. “Bye bye Auntie Momo!” Nico waved, giving Momo a tighter hug before letting go and moving back to Sana’s side. “Let’s go take a bath, yeah?” Sana offered. Nico nodded, practically buzzing from all the sugar she had just consumed with the popcorn.

This is where things started to go wrong. Nico was on a sugar high, a bad one. And Sana was just trying to give her a bath.

“And and during class Somi was telling me that she’s going to be Elsa tomorrow! We can wear whatever we want tomorrow!” “Oh yeah?” Sana hummed, trying to get Nico’s strawberry body wash onto her, however she kept squirming, which was making it difficult. “Uh-hum! Can I be Elsa too?” Nico asked. “No no wait, I want to be Totoro!” “You don’t want to be a princess?” Sana asked.

“No totoro!” Nico insisted. “Totoro has big hugs and I want big hugs like Totoro! Or mommy!” “Aw thanks sweetie.” Sana sighed. SHe was running out of energy fast. She wasn’t normally like this around Nico, normally she had an almost endless amount of mom energy. But today, she was just tired. She had been emotionally exhausted for the past few weeks and she had given two three hour lectures today before going to get Nico. And right now, she was just starting to get tired fast. And Nico’s fidgeting was not making it any easier. “And-and I want totoro lunch! With mush-mush, chickin, and rice.” Nico explained. It was adorable how she said mushroom, but Sana was fading too fast to do her normal cooing over her baby. “Okay. We can tell Ka-san when she gets home.” Sana hummed, still trying to get Nico still enough to put her body wash on.

“Hu-um. And I also want strawberries and watermelon. And and can we see Auntie Chaeng and Auntie Tzuyu tomorrow? I drew a picture of Auntie Chaeyoung’s body drawings! And I want to see Emi Unnie. She lets me draw body art on her!” Sana was happy to see Nico this animated. She was just tired. “I can see if we can go see them.” Sana nodded, finally getting Nico still enough to put body wash on her. Nico was still talking and Sana was just half listening. She knew that was awful, and that’s not how she normally was with Nico. She just wasn’t in the right headspace. Not yet.

“Having fun?” Sana nearly started crying when she heard Mina’s voice. She looked up, seeing her wife leaning against the doorframe to Nico’s bathroom. “Ka-san is home!” “Yeah, I can see someone had a little sugar.” Nico giggled.

“I got lots of jellies.” Nico informed.

“Lots huh? Sounds fun.” Mina smiled. “Now let mommy finish off your bath.” Mina giggled at Sana’s struggle. Nico finally was still enough for Snaa to finish, and once she was done Sana wrapped her up in a towel hug. By this point, Nico’s energy was fading, fast. “Sleepy?” Sana asked, dressing Nico up in her favorite pink pajamas. “Nu-uh.” Nico nodded. “Let’s go see Ka-san, okay?” Nico nodded, following Sana out of the bathroom and towards their bedroom. Mina was on the bed, scrolling through her phone. “Ka-san!” Nico hugged Mina. “Hey baby.” Mina smiled, kissing Nico’s head. “I got this. Go take a rest.” Mina mouthed to Sana. Sana smiled at her, watching Nico cuddle closer to Mina. She nodded, moving to Mina’s other side to cuddle her. “Ka-san, story?” “Sure. I’ll go get one.” Mina hummed. “Be right back.” Nico fell asleep in the middle of the story, cuddling as close to two of her moms as possible. Mina and Sana both smiled, kissing Nico before tucking her into their big bed. “Thanks Mitang.” Sana sighed once they were in the living room.

“Of course.” Mina smiled. “Wine?” “Sure.” Sana nodded. “Still, I love her so much but I’m just- a little tired.” “You haven’t been on mom duty for a while now, it’s okay.” Mina smiled, moving to prepare two glasses of wine. “She’s not too bad though.” “No, just when Momo and I give her candy.” Sana smiled.

“That's why she doesn’t get candy.” Mina reached out for Sana’s hand. Sana held Mina’s hand tightly, giving her a small smile. “She has been doing better lately. She even started eating mushrooms.” “I know. I’m so proud of her.” Sana smiled. “When is Hyo going to be home?” “She said less than an hour.” Mina mentioned. “I can’t wait.” Sana moved to cuddle Mina. Mina wrapped her arms around Sana, holding her tight. “I missed mommy Nico time, but you know what I missed just as much?” “What?” “Misana time.” Sana smiled. “And once Hyo gets here it will be perfect.” “I can’t wait.”

#twice #misahyo #misahyo au #minatozaki sana #park jihyo #myoui mina #nico #namo

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strangeinternetwasteland · 3 years

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Shattered Reality - Chapter 3

A/N: I decided to add some text convos in this chapter.

WARNINGS: Alcohol, Swearing, Violence,

Word Count: 2.5k

You awoke to the shrill scream on your alarm at 4 am. You really wish that you didn’t need to work for a living. The memories of yesterday felt so distant. You pulled yourself out of bed and got ready for your morning shift at the coffee shop. You groaned inwardly to yourself. The heat of the sun, lack of hydration, and the two nights worth of alcohol all came down on you. You weren’t normally a drinker, but Kioko always had that effect, not just on you, but on everybody. You slowly made your way around your small apartment to gather your uniform. You brushed your hair and put it up in a messy bun, quickly coated your lashes, and headed out the door.

Your walk to work was quiet as usual, but you felt as if someone were watching you the whole way to work. You tried not to panic, but couldn’t ever shake the feeling. As you walked into work, the feeling faded. You shift was over quickly, it had flown by. You still felt tired, but the group of people you worked with always made it better.

The walk back home you didn’t have the same feelings from earlier. You decided it was probably just the early morning jitters. You walk into your apartment and spot a business card on the night stand. You pick it up and look it over. You smile when you realized it was the same card Gojo had given you yesterday. You take the card and place it in your wallet for ‘safe keeping’. At least that is what you told yourself. You checked your phone for any text messages, and realized that it was too early for anyone to be awake.

You rummaged through your fridge to eat something quick before starting your next job, which was babysitting. The family you babysat for was pretty well off, and always paid well. The kids weren’t brats which was amazing. You loved the twins, they were so adorable to you. The family needed you for the first night as they usually did every summer break. They always took their eldest daughter out to celebrate a job well done with school. You decided that you’d try to grab a quick nap before having to play with the rambunctious six year old twins.

As you laid down, your mind wandered to the last conversation you had with Geto. You dreamt of blue eyes, abs, and flashes of an angry Geto. You awoke a few hours later feeling more tired than you did when you went to sleep. You glanced at your phone and saw a missed phone call from an unknown number that left a voicemail. ‘Probably a scam.’ You thought. There was a text from Kioko and another from a different unknown number.

You smiled a bit. You decided that you’d definitely forgive Kioko, and maybe you should tease Gojo a bit, but that could be done after babysitting. You got ready for your next job and called a ride. Within an hour you had arrived. The twins came running with exuberant expressions on their faces “Y/N!” They chimed together. “We missed you! Mom and dad said that you’ll be here until after we go to bed!” Emi, one of the twins said.

The twins were identical in their looks with black hair, and green eyes. Emi was sweet, kind, and loving. Her favorite color was pink, and she loved kitties. Eito was loud, rough, and standoffish. His favorite color was green, and he loved foxes. While the two were opposites in so many ways, you knew they loved each other.

“Y/N. Here is the restaurant we’ll be at tonight. If you need us feel free to call my phone. We’ll be home later than usual today, since you know, Aki has finished her final year in high school.” The twin’s mother, Chika said to you.

“Oh, it’s not a problem. I love these two, please enjoy your night with Aki. Tell her congratulations for me!” You replied. Chika nodded and walked out the door. You settled down on the couch as the twins were playing with their favorite toys. You watched them for a few minutes, before deciding on figuring out what to make them for dinner.

As you looked through the fridge and freezer, you heard the kids playing roughly with each other. Knowing Eito started whatever tiff the two were having, you walked back to the living room and saw them fighting. You imagined what it would’ve been like growing up with a sibling. Would you fight? Would you get along? Would you be like Geto and Gojo?

As you separated the two, your mind wandered back to the text from Gojo and you grew giddy. The next few hours were filled with cooking dinner for the twins, playing a few games of hide and seek, and bathing the twins before bed. You decided to text Gojo and Kioko back after you had put the two into bed.

You felt lighter than air after your text exchange with Gojo. Sure you didn’t really want to admit to Kioko that you liked him, but how could you not when those beautiful eyes that you’d never be able to look away from. You could barely stop staring at the picture he’d sent. You felt the urge to text Gojo back. You really wanted to get to know him better.

Kioko was enraged to learn Gojo had lied to get Kioko’s number. She also knew that if he’d ask straight out, she would’ve said no. She went straight to texting Gojo.

Back at the house, you kept yourself busy from texting Gojo. You decided to clean up the mess the twins had made. You hand washed the dishes from dinner, dried and put them away. You even tried to watch a few episodes of your favorite show, but nothing could take your mind off of Gojo. Eventually, you fell asleep on the couch. After a few hours, you were awoken by Chika and Aik coming back from the night out.

Chika was red-faced and laughing so loudly you thought she’d awaken the twins. Aki gave you a sympathetic look. Following them was Shun, Chika’s husband. You didn’t see much of him, since he was usually working.

“Hey, Y/N. How was everything? Were the twins good for you?” Shun asked you.

“They’re always great. Two of the sweetest kids.” You replied.

“That is great to hear. Sorry about Chika, she got a little excited and celebrated a little too much. I didn’t realize we’d be home so late. Do you need a ride home? I could take you, or if you’d rather, you can just sleep in the guest room. It’s your call.” He replied looking a little embarrassed about his wife. You glanced at your phone. It was 2 am. You groaned internally you’d have to be awake for work in two hours, and you didn’t have your work uniform.

“Oh, Mr. Lin it’s fine. I’ll just go. Don’t worry about a ride. I can just walk. It’s not that far.” You replied not wanting to impose on the family.

“Oh, okay, well. Here’s the money for watching the twins.” He handed you your cash. You gathered your things and walked out the door. You weren’t more than a block away when you decided that maybe if you had to walk home you could enjoy the walk a little bit.

Within five minutes a black SUV stopped next to you.

“Can I give you a ride home?” The driver said as he was rolling his window down. You honestly, weren’t sure who would be pulling up, but whoever it was it couldn’t have been good.

“Uh. No I am okay.” You said sternly. You heard a familiar chuckle.

“Okay, but it’s going to look really weird when I am driving slow next to you while you walk home.” Gojo said. You laughed at the image.

“Oh! Sorry Gojo, I thought you were some creep.” You replied to him. His smile faded rather quickly.

“Has there been a problem around here? Shun should be on top of it.” He told you. You just kind of stared at him.

“What the hell are you even talking about? Are you sure you’re not drunk? Are you even allowed to be driving?” You asked.

“Oh, nothing. Come on, don’t make me wait for you.” He told you.

“Oh what happened to the ‘I’ll gladly wait for you’?” You shot at him. He just laughed.

“You’re something.” He gave you an easy smile. Your stomach fluttered at the sight of it. You walked to the passenger’s side and slid into the seat.

“Thank you for the ride. I would’ve walked you know.” You said without knowing what else to say.

“It is very late, and this city is dangerous. I couldn’t allow a beautiful woman like you, walk around by yourself. Even Kioko isn’t allowed.” He admitted to you. Your face grew warm at his compliment. You tried to look everywhere but at him

“So, Y/N, if you put your address in the GPS, I can take you home. Unless, you’d like to go out and get some breakfast?” Gojo offered you. The moment he mentioned food your stomach grumbled. “I guess food it is. I’ll take you to this diner I go to all the time.” He continued and he started the car. The ride to the diner was quiet, but comforting. A few blocks later, Gojo stopped the SUV outside the 24 hour diner. It was definitely a popular spot for all those who were out late in the evening drinking or teenagers who didn’t want to be home. You weren’t even sure if you’d be able to find a table at all.

Walking in behind Gojo was a sight, not just for the obvious reasons, but when he walked into the diner, he was greeted by almost everyone. The man sure was well known. Even some of the younger patrons recognized him. Everyone seemed genuinely happy or excited to see him. He waved hello and smiled to everyone while heading to a booth in the corner.

You felt a little bit jealous of the attention he was getting. When you both arrived at the booth you slid into the right hand side, and he in the left hand side.

“Hello, Gojo, sweetie. Here’s your coffee, can I get you anything else?” The waitress asked him, ignoring you.

“Thank you, ma’am. I’ll have my usual. As for my date here, Whatever her pretty heart chooses would be fine.” Gojo definetly was charming. The waitress gave you an annoyed look.

“I will have some pancakes, please, and I’ll also have a coffee, with extra cream and sugar. Thank you.” You tried to give your best forced smile. The waitress just rolled her eyes and walked away.

“I don’t think she likes me very much, but she seems to adore you.” You teased him. He smiled while taking a drink of his coffee, keeping and eye out around the diner. You noticed that he always seemed to be on guard. You saw him straighten up slightly and his eyes narrowed as he watched the person walk through the door.

As you turned your head and you saw Geto walking toward you two. He slid in the booth sitting right next to you.

“Hello, Y/N. I didn’t see you at the club tonight. What are you doing here with Gojo?” You didn’t miss the jealousy in his voice or the way his eyes narrowed when he spoke Gojo’s name.

“Oh, I was just walking home after babysitting, Gojo was in the neighborhood and saw me I guess.” You told him wearily. You couldn’t help but feel like there was something really off about the two of them tonight.

“You were walking home alone at this time of night?” Geto interrogated you. You felt yourself shrinking. “How irresponsible of you! Do you know what could’ve happened if the wrong person saw you? Do you have no care for yourself? I can’t believe this.” He started chastising you, just as if you were Kioko. The waitress came and placed food down before you and Gojo.

“I am sorry, but I don’t know if you noticed. I am not weak. I am not a little girl, and I can take care of myself. I am not afraid to fight if I have to, and I sure as hell do not need some annoying man looking over my shoulder telling me what to do!” You shouted at Geto poking him in his chest so he’d back up. You stormed out of the diner. ‘Who the fuck did Geto think he was acting like he was my father’ you thought.

Geto and Gojo just looked at one another as you left. Gojo was not sure how to approach you, and Geto felt like a fool, and a little intrigued by your actions.

“I better go apologize to her. We will discuss this later.” Geto told Gojo with a stern warning in his voice.

“Y/N, wait!” Geto called from behind you. Honestly, you didn’t want to hear anything he said. You didn’t care not at all about an apology.

“No!” You shouted back at him.

“Y/N! Don’t move another muscle!” Geto shouted more angrily than before. You were so upset, and angry. All you could see was red. You were ready to explode, you weren’t sure if it was for Kioko or for yourself. You were starting to see who Geto really was as a person. All the interactions you had with him, he had all his walls up. He made sure he got his way no matter what. He had caught up to where you were standing. He grabbed your wrist and spun you around.

“You don’t get to walk away from me.” He hissed, the anger dripping from his voice. His face scrunched up with agony, his demeanor changed completely. You were absolutely terrified. All color drained from your face. He took his other hand and wrapped it around your throat, choking you. You tried clawing at his arms to let you free. You tried kicking and hitting him anyway you could. ‘Why isn't anyone doing anything? Why didn’t anyone care?’ You thought. You felt your world fading. Out of your darkening eyes, you saw a blur running toward you. The last thing you heard before blacking out was the smack of skin against bone.

“What the FUCK?!?” Geto seethed at the person who punched him. He didn’t think twice and swung back in the direction of the punch.

“WHO THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?” Geto continued to yell.

“The only person who can stop you in this rage.” Gojo said in the coldest, most calm voice Geto had ever heard. Chills ran down Geto’s spine. Geto had only heard Gojo speak in this manner one other time, and then it was paired with a death glare.

“Now, I am taking Y/N somewhere you can’t lay a hand on her. If you so much as look at her wrong, I will not hesitate to slit your throat while you’re sleeping. Are we clear?” Gojo stated with his calm and even tone. Gojo lifted you up and gingerly placed you in the back seat, trying to make you as comfortable as possible. He peeled out of the parking lot not looking back at his ‘Best Friend’.

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#Gojo x reader #mafia au #modern au #jjk

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medea10 · 3 years

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My Review of Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni GOU

(a.k.a. When They Cry Gou)

I know what you’re thinking. Why the heck am I reviewing this anime again? I’ve already written a review in 2009 and re-polished it in 2016. (Here it is BTW) I’ve made my point on who I like, hate, what ships are worthy, and poked fun at all the deaths that happened throughout the series. I think some time has passed that I should say some thoughts on this…um, story. After all, Higurashi is one of my favorite animes.

STORY: Ah shit, here we go again!

Higurashi or When They Cry is about a boy named Keiichi Maebara who recently moved to a place called Hinamizawa. And ever since moving to this town, he’s found his days are filled with fun mischief with fellow friends Rena Ryuuguu, Satoko Hojo, Mion Sonozaki, and Rika Furude. But little does Keiichi know that there’s a little murder mystery that surrounds the town. During a town festival known as Watanagashi (or Cotton Drifting), there’s usually one or two people that go missing or turn up dead. And this year, Keiichi is next. So let’s relive the horrors that plague the town of Hinamizawa and…

One episode later.

Wait, what the…?! It’s episode 2, why are we seeing Hanyuu? I don’t remember that in the manga. The visual! THE VISUAL! WHAT THE FUCK?! ISN’T THIS SUPPOSED TO BE A REBOOT? WHAT THE FUCK?! WHAT THE FUCK?! WHY IS THERE AN ADULT RIKA?! WAIT, IS THAT ADULT RIKA OR BERN? IS THIS GOING TO BE THE PARALLEL UNIVERSE TO THE WITCHES OF UMINEKO?! THE SHADOWS IN THE OPENING ARE TOO FAMILIAR FROM OTHER WORKS! Ryukishi07, you magnificent, fucking troll master for keeping this hidden until the second episode’s air date!

Many of us did not see this coming. When they announced a new Higurashi series that was going to be done by a different studio, many of us speculated whether this was going to be a reboot or a sequel. But then we got the PV trailers and it looked like we were going to get a reboot to correct the mistakes Studio Deen made years ago. Rika’s head doesn’t look like its gonna snap off because her body is so small in comparison. Improvements! I mean, they showed everything we were already used to like the yandere girls, the original soundtrack, the original freakin’ cast, and death by baseball bat. Hell, the first episode ended with an Eiko Shimamiya song! It was on track to being a reboot! A better looking reboot!

Here in lies the sequel aspect! After episode one, we get a scene that isn’t usually seen until the Kai part of Higurashi (a good 4-5 arcs away). And they give away the secret that Rika Furude is repeating the timeline of June 1983 over and over because she keeps dying. And as the series progresses, you notice little things different from the original series. Many of the well-known storylines end much differently than what you remember. Instead of Keiichi killing Rena and Mion with a baseball bat, you’ve got Rena going psycho on Keiichi. And Rika’s fate is somehow worse than the stories of the original series. So let’s head back to Hinamizawa to hear the cicadas cry and watch a murder mystery unfold.

THE SUB: All the original voice actors have returned to voice their respected roles. Perfection in a nutshell!

LICENSING: You’ve gotta be shitting me!

As I’ve mentioned years ago in my review, the original Higurashi anime went through a turbulent time being licensed in the states. It was originally licensed and dubbed by Geneon. But once Geneon collapsed, FUNimation licensed it and did absolutely fuck all with it. Geneon could only manage to squeak out one season. At this point, FUNimation was picking up titles that Geneon used to have before it fell under including Familiar of Zero, Kyou Kara Maou, and yes, Higurashi. All of these titles mentioned here were done absolutely nothing with despite having cult followings, second seasons, and OVA’s.

A year or two after licensing it, the license expired for Higurashi. For nearly six years, the only copies you could get were out of print and estimating at $500 at the very least for a full collection. Single DVD’s could be found in rare shops, but it would take like 13 years to complete the fucking collection if you did it that way. And that was only for the first season. Second season, the best all of us could do was bootleg DVD’s from Japan Town or fansubs with glaring errors for the best season to Higurashi. We had to deal with this shit until Sentai Filmworks licensed and released the first 2 seasons and the Rei OVA’s.

AND NOW YOU’RE TELLING ME FUNIMATION IS CLAIMING HIGURASHI ALL FOR THEMSELVES?!

Where the shit was this love 10 years ago when we were asking politely to release Kai? People ignorantly blew Higurashi off for years because season two was never released in the states until 2016 because they thought the damn anime ended after Rena held up the school. I’m already irritated with FUNimation after the Interspecies Reviewers debacle and I’m still quite butt-hurt over them re-releasing Nichijou with a dub to make a quick buck. Licensing Higurashi just brings back old anger. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy Higurashi is legally licensed and can be seen on at the very least Hulu. It’s just that I hold grudges and this was a big one.

THE DUB: Holy…um, okay! This is a rather big gulp to take in. As I’ve repeatedly mentioned in past reviews, the Higurashi dub was a mixed bag of okay, bad, and oh gasperts kill it with fire. So, not great! The good folks at Geneon (before bankrupting in America) dubbed the first season with a good chunk of folks that put their fake names to the credits. Again, not great! To me, there were some aspects of Megan Hollingshed, Mela Lee, and Grant George’s performances of Mion, Rena, and Keiichi that were okay. SOME! John Snyder and Karen Strassmen as Ooishi and Takano were the best out of that dub. Everything else was just irredeemable! It needed a redub, an overhaul, and a spit-shine. For years, I’ve wondered who would be the dream cast. Sentai Filmworks unfortunately never dubbed the remaining seasons when they released them. Would Luci Christian be the heavenly voice to do Rika Furude? Could we get Hilary Haag to do Satoko? Okay, that never came to pass.

This dub is a breath of fresh air. Rika doesn’t sound like Mihoshi. Satoko doesn’t sound fake, Keiichi doesn’t sound like a weird Sonic the Hedgehog. It’s perfect. ESPECIALLY BRITTANY LAUDA AS SATOKO! I knew the second she was cast as Satoko that she was going to excel the fuck out of this role. And I was not disappointed! The only voice I’m still not quite used to is Michelle Rojas as the Sonozaki twins. Probably because I was somewhat okay with Megan Hollingshed’s voice in the 2006 version that it’ll take some time! And we FINALLY got a voice for Hanyuu. I am super excited that Xanthe Huynh is the voice and I know she’ll do great with this role! With all of that said, here’s what you might recognize these folks from.

*Keiichi is now played by Khoi Dao (known for Kiriyama on March Comes in Like a Lion, Murata on Demon Slayer, Chaka on Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure Pt. 3, and Iskhan on SAO: Alicization)

*Rena is now played by Emi Lo

*Mion/Shion is now played by Michelle Rojas (known for Shizu Delta on Overlord, Touka on Assassination Classroom, Minase on Psycho Pass, Kanan on Love Live Sunshine, and Kusakai on Keijo!!!!!!!!)

*Rika is now played by Apphia Yu (known for Rio on Assassination Classroom, Marie on Black Clover, You on Love Live Sunshine, Victorique on Gosick, Natsumi on Danganronpa 3, and Laki on Fairy Tail)

*Satoko is now played by Brittany Lauda (known for Riko on Made in Abyss, Meidri on Interspecies Reviewers, Lessar on Index III, and Ichigo on Darling in the FranXX)

*Hanyuu is played by Xanthe Huynh (known for Menma on Anohana, Haru on Persona 5, Hanayo on Love Live, Hidomi on FLCL: Progressive, PallaPalla on Sailor Moon Super S [redub], and Sachi on SAO)

ANY CHANGES IN YOUR HATE-O-RADE:

Okay Medea, let-a-rip!

*inhales and exhales*

Teppei Hojo is trash. He is ultimate trash. This fucker needs to be murdered in every timeline. He is a turd in a Glenn Quagmire shirt. Him and his wife are trash. And when this pile of trash is cheating on that pile of trash, he sleeps with peak trash named Ritsuko. Teppei Hojo needs to die in every timeline. Whenever Keiichi bashes this cum-burger’s head in with a blunt instrument, I scream at the top of my lungs, “DIE SCUM, DIE”! And nothing, I repeat, NOTHING will change my opinion of Teppei Hojo.

Episode 23.

Oh, fuck you Higurashi Gou!

MUSIC: Okay, thank you for proving me wrong. I did not despise the opening theme. Having Higurashi with no Eiko Shimamiya is like having Pokemon with no Rika Matsumoto. Or Rozen Maiden with no ALI PROJECT. But this new opening is fine by my standards.

That’s right, get the niceness of the review before I get angry down below.

THESE TIMELOOPS: Rika tries to find solutions to end her time-loop in June 1983. Much like the original series, we follow stories from the Onikakushi-hen, Watanagashi-hen, and Tatarigoroshi-hen arcs (the first three stories to Higurashi, although now these have different names). However, all of these arcs have different endings. And after a positive turnaround with Satoko escaping from her abusive uncle, shit goes south when Detective Ooishi, who up to this point has never suffered under the Hinamizawa Syndrome or died a painful death goes on a murderous rampage. Higurashi style! That means, he’s after Rika Furude, will slaughter anyone in his way, and scratching his neck because he sees maggots (part of the hallucination effect).

What the shit? Ooishi for the most part has been a great guy. With the exception of the Tatarigoroshi-hen storyline, he was a nice guy! In the limbo with Hanyuu, Rika now remembers who has killed her. Every time Rika dies up to this point, she never remembers who was the cause of her demise. Hanyuu implanted that power to remember the deaths and a clue for Rika to use and then she disappears.

Now seriously, imagine Rika’s plight here. She has been repeating the month of June 1983 for over a hundred years. And each of these times she repeats, she’s horribly murdered. Rika got the shit-end of the deal in the murder department in the original series, including being dissected on while alive. Then, leaving her bloody, naked corpse out in the open of the Oyashiro altar! She’s tired of this shit! She wants to live a happy life away from Hinamizawa. She wants to grow older, become a teenager, and have fun. And this series made it worse by having her die four times in one episode. Not just that, but murdered by the most unexpected people including Akasaka, Chief Kimiyoshi, Mion’s mother Akane, and Keiichi. Keiichi has never killed Rika in any of the timelines up to this point. He has killed Mion and Rena, but never Rika. Keiichi loves Rika! Welcome back to A Million Ways to Die in Hinamizawa.

I’ll just add decapitation, drowning in a lake, set on fire, drowning in a sewage pipe, and death by…um…

Alexa, play Chandelier by Sia.

ENDING: We all know by now that in the original series, Miyo Takano is the betrayer and the reason behind all the murders during the Cotton Drifting Festival. This time, it’s someone closer to Rika that’s causing Rika so much pain. After we watched the worst kinds of murders happen to Rika, the episode after gave us our answer. Satoko, Rika’s friend and confidant is not happy that Rika is turning her back on Oyashiro and Hinamizawa. All the while pulling out her intestines!

Oh Higurashi, don’t stop being gory!

Yes, Satoko is aware of past timelines much like Rika and is almost on a god-like state. So what the hell happened to her? I know Satoko’s past has been a cluster-fuck of horror with her brother disappearing, her parents dying, and every form of abuse from her uncle. But she was able to prevail after all that. After surviving 1983, a lot has changed in Hinamizawa. The three big families of Hinamizawa put an end to the Cotton Drifting Festival and claiming there is no curse of Oyashiro. Mion and Shion moved on and are going to high school. And Rika decides she wants to move away from this village. By attending St. Lucia! And she wants to do this with Satoko.

Oh, if you don’t recall St. Lucia, Shion attended this academy until she escaped during the Meakashi-hen arc. It was also the same school that Ange from Umineko attended. But of course Ange attended it in the 90’s and we are clearly in the 80’s. Moving on!

Rika and Satoko studied their butts off for years and their hard work paid off as both were admitted into St. Lucia. Now Rika was able to prevail and fit in with everyone. Satoko on the other hand couldn’t do the same as her grades took a dip, her manners are atrocious, and she doesn’t seem to fit in with anyone. And this caused a drift between Rika and Satoko! And so during a trip to Hinamizawa, Satoko went to the old shrine where she ended up getting sent to that limbo place Rika and Hanyuu were at many times before. There, she meets Eua (God, I hope that really isn’t her name). She’s much like Hanyuu except a lot more condescending. Oh, and she’s that mysterious shadow during the opening theme. She bestows the power to Satoko of reviving on death and returning to a certain point in time. In the hopes that Satoko is able to stop Rika from going to St. Lucia! But Rika is not going to budge. She wants out of Hinamizawa no matter what. And Satoko just wants to be with her friend no matter what. Satoko is even shown Rika’s past and still no dent in…Okay, this is bugging the fuck outta me. Pause the Ending portion!

MY GRIPES WITH SATOKO: Satoko, girl, the fuck is wrong with you?! I know Rika is like your main chick and everything, but for fuck’s sake loosen the grip you have with Rika. This season has changed you and not for the better. You made a connection with ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS from Hinamizawa. Big connections! At least in the original series you did. Look at your moments with Keiichi and Shion. Are you just going to shove them off? And what really sets me off is that Satoko literally had the opportunity to learn about Rika’s hundred year’s loop of death. And feels nothing about it! Only that it’s a challenge to break her herself! God damn, at the end of season one, Keiichi learned the truth and he was remorseful. This bitch doesn’t care that her friends were murdered in such a way. And Rika’s been shot in the head, had a live dissection performed on her, and other forms of torture…AND IT DOESN’T FAZE SATOKO!

I know in my original Higurashi review, I felt sorry for Satoko as she did seem to get the short-end of the stick living in Hinamizawa. I mean, her parents died right in front of her, she suffered abuse from her uncle, abuse from her aunt, ostrisized by the town for years, and a myriad of all types of shit to befall her. But Higurashi Gou has ruined this character. Rika didn’t really do anything wrong to Satoko. She didn’t snitch on her when Satoko got in trouble. She offered help to Satoko when she thought her grades were slipping. Satoko just held onto this petty vendetta. Satoko acted like Rika sexually assaulted her and have two other people gang rape her while drugging her. Okay, that’s a call for revenge, not your petty shit.

YOU SEE WHERE I’M AT WITH YOU SATOKO?! Your actions are so bad that you have me siding with the protagonist from Redo of Healer.

REDO.

OF.

HEALER!!!

I’m done with you! Girl, bye! We now return you to my talk about the ending already in progress.

BACK TO THE ENDING: Sorry, had to get that off my chest. Yeah, Satoko is leaving a bad impression on many of us who have been following the Higurashi story for years. And it just gets worse as she uses her new power for petty shit and abusing it at that. I mean, we saw Rika use her power in order to find a way to live past June 1983. Satoko is just using that shit to win some games and have things go her way. What else could this series bless us with? How about an epiphany from Teppei Hojo?

What?!

Teppei changes for the better.

What?!

Look, I admit that these moments with Teppei and Satoko were tame compared to the shit she’s pulled in the last several episodes. But this is Teppei Hojo! The same guy that used Satoko as his personal punching bag! The same guy who fleeced Rena’s father! The same guy many of us who cheer every time we see him on a moped because we know someone’s going to bash his head in with a baseball bat. Even my best friend knows how I am with this guy. When she gave me Higurashi free swag, I took everything except for Teppei. I don’t take trash. So seeing him so remorseful makes me…conflicted.

So now Satoko’s got things turned around for her. Her uncle has…changed?! Add to that, her God-like power. Satoko decides to change the past for her own advantage. This includes changing one of the biggest stories in Higurashi Kai with the kids vs. Miyo Takano. If Rika doesn’t experience the pain in those timelines, she won’t think about leaving Hinamizawa. And if she doesn’t leave Hinamizawa, she’ll stay with Satoko forever.

Oh what a tangled web of crazy Higurashi Gou was! I gotta tell you, Higurashi got me excited all the way up until we learn it was Satoko. And then it went straight to Hell. They turned Satoko into a straight-up selfish monster. Totally unlike the Satoko we’ve all grown to love in the original series. Yes, Satoko had those moments where, yeah, you would want to throw a chair at her and beat her ass with it. But that was only temporary! You would always see the good in Satoko despite that mischievous laugh and those episodes in Higurashi Rei. And God help me, I was a shipper of Rika x Satoko 10 years ago. Not a big one, but a supporter of it. Now, I would rather support Amourshipping from Pokemon than root for this. And I despise the living fuck out of Amourshipping. That should tell you something!

If original Satoko were bestowed the powers from Eua, I think things would be different. Satoko would probably use her powers to prevent all the bad stuff from happening to her friends and to her brother Satoshi. I mean, my goodness, not once did I see her think, hey maybe I should find a way to help my ailing brother. Change a few timelines, make him all better! And of course, feel sympathy for Rika’s plight. Do it for Rika’s sake, not your own selfish desires! Rika has died horrificly for hundreds of years. And I seriously just can’t get over Satoko’s reaction to that when she learned the truth. Instead, she wants to treat Rika like a caged bird. Best friend my ass!

Now can Higurashi SOTSU fix the hot mess of Satoko? Time will only tell! And good on them for having Higurashi air in the summertime. Summertime is for Higurashi! Autum is for Umineko. Speaking of, it’s been since 2009. Any chance you want to give Umineko the old reboot or sequel it sorely needs? Oh forget it! My likeness for this season is conflicted. I was annoyed by it, but I didn’t fully hate it. It’s just that last arc with Satoko really burned my beans. And I’m sure a lot of you all feel the same way.

Guys, if you want to watch Higurashi Gou, do yourselves a favor and watch the original series first. Let that swirl around your heads for a while. I know the creator tricked us at the beginning of this series thinking it was going to be an honest-to-God retelling. It is not! It is a sequel. And a sequel that isn’t based off a game or manga of all things. So fans are jumping into this with eyes closed! And if you’re a fan of Satoko Hojo, I’m sorry. I’m just sorry.

If you want to check out Higurashi Gou, it is available to watch on FUNimation and Hulu. But please, if you haven’t watched the original series, go to HI-DIVE now and watch “When They Cry” and “When They Cry Kai”. I think you can manage without watching any of the OVA’s.

I’d rather watch that Kira OVA where the fanservice is thin, you can practically lick off the whipped cream from the Sonozaki’s tit.

That should tell you something if I’m starting to say something nice about Higurashi Kira.

See you in a few months when Higurashi SOTSU comes out.

#anime review #Higurashi no Naku Koro ni #higurashi no naku koro ni gou #When they cry #when they cry gou #Rika Furude #satoko hojo #mion sonozaki #keiichi maebara #hanyuu #rena ryuugu #miyo takano #eua #teppei hojo

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brianc521 · 4 years

Text

Stressed | Nap Date 4

He’s stressed. That’s the only thing she can see from her side of the facetime call. Shawn’s stressed. Shawn’s stressed because not only is he supposed to be on break from tour but now he’s being told he needs to make a music video for a song he recorded long before he met Ember. He’s stressed because he didn’t think the song was gonna get released, and because of that he’s stressed because he’s yet to play it for Ember.

Most importantly, he’s stressed because he’s been trying to plan a trip back to her for his break, that way he can see her at some point. Not just leave her hanging like a bad boyfriend does.

“No that doesn’t work.” He tugs at his long curls that are dying for a haircut. “I have a stupid rehearsal for the video. I don’t want to do it. I don’t even want to do it.” He beats himself up. "And I can’t do dinner because I’ve got to go to the studio to rerecord the chorus.”

“It’s okay Shawn.” She shrugs, trying to show him that she understands. She knew it was going to be a long shot for him to be able to visit on his break. He’s working and she understands that. This was a last minute idea that he’s stressing himself to see through.

“No it’s not.” He shakes his head. “I promised I wouldn’t let this happen. I promised I wouldn’t let my work come in between us.”

“It’s not.” She shakes her head. Gasping a bit at his words. “It’s not coming between us Shawn.”

“It is! I never see you.” He works himself up even more, and she’s worried that if he keeps going he’ll work himself into panic. “And don’t you dare say that we’re seeing each other right now. Because this doesn’t count. I want to hold you, I want you to tell me about your day while I play with your hair. I want you in front of me, physically.”

She smiles, taking a few deep breaths, willing him to copy her actions. He does, he always picks up on her silent clues. She’s the best thing that’s ever happened to him, she makes big things feel small and that he can conquer them.

“I just need to see you. Everything's too much lately, and I can’t function anymore. I feel like I can’t breathe properly, and that my thoughts are crazy, and I just need to hold you.”

She nods, “Okay. So what day do you have off? Completely?”

“Tomorrow.” He groans, scrubbing a hand across his face, cursing Andrew and Cez for their awful planning.

She grins, biting her lip, giggling a little before she goes. “All it’d take is one flight. We’d be in the same timezone.”

Shawn laughs, a small, breathy laugh. He looks up through red glossy eyes and smiles at her. She shrugs in response. “Are you serious?”

“I got an idea. And I know it sounds crazy oh I just wanna see ya.” She continues.

“Do you got plans tonight?” He asks, reaching for his laptop.

“I’m a couple hundred miles from you, and I was thinking you could fly to my apartment tonight.”

Shawn laughs, hearty this time. Throwing his head back and putting a hand to his chest. “I’ll see you in four hours, be ready.” He grins.

She wakes when her alarm goes off, quickly turning it off, looking over to Shawn to make sure he’s still asleep. She doesn’t know why she’s so worried to wake him, he’s completely dead to the world. Has been since he got home last night.

He landed at about 11 pm, rushed to her apartment and didn’t say a word other than ‘cuddles’ before picking her up and hauling her to the bedroom where he promptly threw her on the bed and landed on top of her. She swears he was already snoring by the time he fell on her.

She steps out of the room to call her boss and call out sick. She knows he needs her, and if she’s being honest with herself, she needs the time with him too. He’s not wrong, it does feel like she doesn’t breathe the same when he’s not around. It’s like her heartbeat is a step off, but when he’s in her vicinity its finally in tune.

Once called out, she goes about her morning by making a cup of coffee and starting on his favorite breakfast. Waffles.

She takes her time, humming ‘Lost in Japan’ and smiling at the fact that he really caught a flight just to spend the day with her. It’s crazy, completely and totally crazy. She has a hint of guilt, that festers when she thinks about the fact that he has to fly back at 5 in the morning tomorrow. It spiraled when she noticed the bags under his eyes when she traced his features last night after he passed out.

He’s too thin, and his hair is too long. He’s just tired, and a little unhealthy for her liking, and she just wants to take care of him. So she makes him 6 waffles, herself 2, and has enough batter to make him four more if he asks.

“What are you doing?” His hoarse voice asks. She jumps at the sound, lost in her thoughts. “Sorry Emi, I didn’t mean to scare you.” He slinks behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist, tugging her back into his body.

“I’m making you breakfast. Coffee?” She asks looking up at him, head rested on his chest.

“Tea?” He raises an eyebrow. “I can make it, I’m sorry that was rude.” He turns away from her embrace.

“No.” She pouts, taking hold of his arm and turning him back to her. He looks at her, bleary eyes blinking slowly down at her. “Go sit.” She pushes him to the table.

“No I can-”

“No I got it.” She shakes her head.

“Babe I can make it. I don’t need you to-”

“Shawn Manuel.” She puts her hands on her hips. His lips shut immediately, and he looks at her like he’s being grounded. “I want to take care of you, go sit your cute butt down and let me make you some tea.”

He smiles softly, nodding and kissing the top of her head before going to sit down like he was told. “I appreciate it honey, but you need to get ready for work.”

She cringes lightly, knowing he’s not going to like what she has to say.

“What’s that face?” He raises an eyebrow.

“I called out?” She reaches for her herbal grey.

“You what?” He sits forward.

“I called out, so I’m here with you all day.”

“No call back, you don’t-”

“Shawn.” She turns and looks at him. “Did you really think that I wouldn’t? I mean fuck, you flew all the way here to see me. Did you really think that I would just leave you here? You think that I don’t want to spend time with you too? You think that I don’t miss you like crazy? You think that I’m functioning without you?”

“Hey.” He reaches for her hand, tugging her closer to him. “I’m sorry.” He whispers looking up at her through his somehow perfect lashes. “I just don’t want you risking your career to spend the day here with me.”

“I’m not. I’m so far ahead it’s not even funny. I’ve got sick time out the ass.” She curls her hand into his hair at the back of his head.

“Okay.” He nods smiling up at her. “Why are you so hellbent on taking care of me?” He tilts his head to the side.

“Because you’re thin, and tired, and alone for so long. You need to be spoiled too. You need someone to make you tea, and waffles with chocolate chips and whip cream.”

His eyes light up when she says that. “You didn’t.”

“I did.” She points to the massive stack of waffles on his plate.

“Why so many?” He laughs, standing to grab both plates, setting them on the table turning back for his cup of tea and her cup of coffee.

“Hey! I’m-”

“I’m allowed to spoil you too.” He pulls her chair out, kissing her lips softly before taking the seat next to her.

Shawn ended up eating all six pancakes, and proceeded to politely ask for four more. He’s so full he swears he won’t ever eat again, and every time he says that she rolls her eyes. Currently they’re sprawled across her small couch, laying on each other in what looks to be the most uncomfortable position but finding themselves rather cozy.

His head is on her chest, her fingers in his hair. He sighs in contentment when she kisses the top of his head, pulling him as close as she can.

“Do you want another glass of tea?” She asks softly, as the episode of Grey’s they’re watching goes to a commercial break.

He looks up with puppy dog eyes, now starting to feel really bad considering this would be glass number three she’s made for him.

“Don’t give me that look. I told you this morning-”

“I wanna take care of you too though.” He mumbles, holding her tight so she can’t leave him quite yet.

“You do.” She traces a finger down his nose.

He gives her a dead look, not buying her statement. “I haven’t. Not in the way that you take care of me, and I want to so bad. You just don’t let me.”

“Excuse me?” She laughs, standing up and going to the kitchen to make him more tea. “I don’t let you? Says the man that sends me food so I don’t have to make dinner. Or notices that my sweatshirt doesn’t look as cozy as it used to so he sends five of his??” She peeks her head out of the kitchen.

He doesn’t deny anything, just blushes and looks down into his lap.

“You take care of me Shawn, you take care of me when you’re not even here. I don’t get to do that. I can’t take care of you unless you are here. So please, would you relax and allow me to make you simple glass of tea?” She asks handing him the cup. He takes a long sip, closing his eyes and groaning when he tastes it.

“You’re tea is always so good.” He whines. “I don’t ever want to drink anyone else’s. Like at my interview yesterday, they offered so I had some. I kid you not I almost spit it out because it was awful.”

“Shawn!” She laughs, pushing his shoulder playfully.

“Nothing compares to my Emi.” He looks up at her with a cheeky grin.

The day has been the best day Shawn or Emi’s had in a long time. To be wrapped in each other and not have to worry about anything other than clicking yes to the ‘are you still watching’ pop up on Netflix is so freeing.

Shawn’s got his head in Emi’s lap as she plays with his hair. He can’t help but feel this overwhelming happiness wash over him every time she laughs along with the show they’re watching. Hearing her happy, knowing she’s happy, makes his heart feel lighter. It’s almost as if it’s his reaction to knowing that the most important thing in his life is content.

“Feeling any better?” She asks softly, looking down as he shifts to look up at her.

“Yeah, you always make me feel better.” He answers truthfully.

She blushes, biting her lip as she nods, “Good.”

“I’m so happy right now, I don’t think it’s possible for me to be happier.”

“I’m happy too.” She caresses his face.

And he says it without even realizing it at first. It just floats out of his mouth, “God I love you.”

Her eyes go wide for a moment, but quickly she grins and giggles, “I love you too.”

They take a moment to smile at each other, just soaking in the moment. That is until Shawn realizes what’s been said. When he does, he’s sitting up quickly, looking to her with wide eyes and pink cheeks.

“We’ve never said that before.”

“No I haven’t.” She shakes her head. “You, my Love, talk in your sleep.”

He nods, but then does another double take towards her. “I what?”

“You talk in your sleep.” She rubs her thumb over his ear, knowing that he subconsciously folds into her when she does that. “You told me you loved me the last time you were home. Just, while you were dreaming.”

“Why didn’t you tell me that!” He whines, flopping back against the couch.

“Because I didn’t want to rush you. I knew that when you were ready you’d tell me.” She shrugs, crawling closer to him now that he’s flopped away from her.

“I’m ready.” He nods, looking at her.

“Baby I know you’re ready, was just waiting.” She sings out, giggling afterward.

“You just love to change the lyrics to my songs huh?” He lunges forward to tickle her side. She shrieks, pulling away. As he chases after her they go running throughout her apartment. It’s not until Shawn grabs a hold of her waist that his normal clumsiness takes over. His fuzzy socked foot hits the hardwood of the hall and before he knows it he’s taking her and himself down to the ground in a hard thud.

“Oh Baby.” He worries, reaching for Ember. “Are you okay? Are you hurt?”

All the while she’s just laughing up a storm, caught up in the emotions and actions to feel any pain. Not that she has any, he totally broke her fall by pulling her on top of him. “I’m okay.” She takes hold of his face. “You’re so clumsy.”

“That wasn’t my smoothest moment.” He looks away embarrassed.

“Have you ever been smooth?” She raises an eyebrow at him.

“Yes!” He protests. “You told me so. On the night we met.”

“Oh yes, Cinderella.” She nods, climbing onto his lap.

“Who knew Cinderella wore a short blue dress, the tallest heels I’ve ever seen, and ended the night in my boots?” He grins.

“You remember what I wore that night?” She asks, leaning back in shock.

“Are you kidding? I remember everything about that night.”

“Like what?”

“Like how you joked that I was Raul when you first walked up to me and Juniper.” He shrugs. “Or that you had a really important presentation the next day and set an alarm for when you needed to leave, but didn’t get home but 4 hours after your alarm.”

“And who’s fault was that.” She gives him a pointed look.

“I still have Doris’ note.” He pipes up, eyes sparkling.

“What note?”

“Doris wrote me a note on the back of the receipt from our midnight snack.” He explains while reaching back into his jean pocket, pulling his wallet out. He opens the expensive leather and pulls out a worn flimsy piece of receipt paper. “The order is worn off by now, but her note still stands, clear as day.”

Ember takes the receipt into her hand and reads the note. “I was really hoping that you wouldn’t break my heart because I knew I was gonna fall in love with you after that night.”

“I won’t break your heart. I promise.” He says softly, nudging her nose with his own. “Can I have my receipt back now?” He holds his hand out for it.

“Why do you still have it?”

“I like to keep it with me. It’s a nice reminder of one of the best nights of my life when I need some inspiration.” He tucks it away safely into his wallet.

“You do know how to make a girl’s heart melt.” She whispers, causing him to look up with his big brown puppy dog eyes.

“I love you.”

“I love you.” She responds, leaning forward to capture his lips in a much needed soft sweet kiss.

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crystalmemoria · 4 years

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A Vanguard If rant sort of, I guess

SPOILERS FOR VANGUARD IF 13 ONWARD BELOW

Anyone else really scared Aichi’s just going to be doing all of this for some stupid reason that makes no sense, and will have just said he hates Vanguard, will have dropped Blaster Blade on the ground, and will have done all of this with no manipulation of any kind whatsoever?

Because like... I can’t really see him being a jerk of his own will, even in another timeline where this stuff got all screwed up. I keep feeling like something should be causing this, but there’s still no sign of any kind of reason.

And I can’t stand that. I can’t stand that he’s a jerk for no apparent reason. There’s legit no reason for it established at all. Why does he hate Vanguard? Are they going to bother to explain it? Ever?

I’m enjoying the show, but everything involving Aichi is hanging over my head and is haunting me to absurd degrees. I just want Aichi to be explained and dealt with.

We probably only have 9 episodes left, guys. That’s not much time to explain everything, I don’t think. I’m really scared.

Aichi is the most precious character to me ever, and I feel like they’re going to damage his character by the time they’re done with this. I don’t know what to do at all. I’m legitimately feeling anxiety and fear every single time a new episode runs because Aichi isn’t really getting much info revealed about him at all.

If they manage to surprise me and reveal all sorts of good stuff then forget I said anything. Honestly, If might end up being one of my favorite seasons if Aichi is explained and dealt with in a good manner.

But if they don’t? I’ll be heartbroken. It just feels OOC if Aichi just is a jerk because he can be or if it turned out he lied about hating Vanguard or something (with how the show’s going I can’t even predict anything going on). I can’t even see him lying about hating Vanguard. That’s how against his core it is. I get hating Vanguard due to weird timeline stuff, but like... why??? I don’t understand, there’s been nothing establishing WHY he hates Vanguard in this timeline at all! Surely something caused this?

And where did he get these powers? Where did any of them BESIDES Emi get her powers?! Emi gets hers from Shuka! We know that! But what about Aichi and SK4? Where are they getting their powers?!

But I’m losing hope in that getting revealed. I just don’t know anymore.

I know I’m just ranting and raving, but I just... I don’t know. I’m scared for Aichi. I get that he’s just a fictional character and I shouldn’t be scared, but he means a lot to me.

#cardfight vanguard #cardfight!! vanguard #cfv #vanguard if #aichi sendou

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haribojelee · 5 years

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Episode 13 of Season 2 has finally convinced me: Mob Psycho has cemented its place as my favorite anime of all time, and Mob, as my favorite anime protagonist.

I was iffy about starting it in the beginning, because I was one of the people who were put off by its art style. I’d only seen still images of the anime, and the drawings looked simple and were not at all what I was used to seeing in anime shows. On a whim, while searching for a new show to watch after I was done binging MHA, I watched the first two episodes a couple weeks ago.

I would like to say that it hooked me in right away, but that wasn’t the case. Rather, it was more of a slow pull; nothing about the show immediately caught my attention (other than the gorgeous scenes of Mob exorcising spirits, the colors and movement of the camera were incredible), but I kept coming back to it. I grew to appreciate the art style and came to realize how incredible the animation of this show really was. The simple designs of the characters didn’t detract from their expressions and personalities, but rather added to them; the animators could stretch the characters’ facial expressions to ridiculous levels to convey the most extreme of emotions and it still didn’t seem out of place because it was fitting for the art style. The characters could take up more interesting and dynamic poses and have a variety of body languages because the animators could focus more on the details of bodily expression rather than on complex character design. You could see that evidently in the way that a character like Reigen moves: his fluid stride, his expressive gestures. The character that seemed most immune to this, though, was Mob, the main character, the one that I should have been getting attached to the most... and though I liked Mob a lot, he wasn’t my favorite character of the show by the end of Season 1. The moments where I really did appreciate his character were during his rare displays of emotions: things like his emotional breakdown after his fight with Hanazawa and his guttural cry of “Riiitsuuuuu!!!” when Koyama attempted to take his brother. Most of the time, though, he was as stiff as a board, even during fight scenes, and it’s hard to get attached to a character who so rarely shows emotions (at least for me), because a part of following a character throughout their journey is seeing how outside events affect them and how they learn to grow from them. But that was also a part of his characterization and I understand that. Besides, that all built up to Season 2.

So, I finished Season 1, and I really wanted to have an out of body experience and dropkick myself in the face because how the hell did I let my biases against what I construed as “rudimentary art styles” keep me from enjoying a show this good for so long? And man, Season 2—

From the first episode, we get the sense that this season will be about Mob’s growth as a person. The first thing we see in this season is how he defeats an evil spirit by learning from it, rather than passively exorcising it. The scene where he gets teary-eyed while picking up the scraps of Emi’s notebook, saying, “I made the decision to consider my feelings more. And you need to pick up things you feel are important,” hits me like a tidal wave every time (and might I add how phenomenal Itou Setsuo’s voice acting is and how fitting it is for Mob’s character?). Throughout the beginning of this season, Mob starts to assert and question more things: who am I to exorcise a family of ghosts who are only living peacefully? Who’s going to stop me if I’m overcome with power? Won’t even a fake curse still have some effect on how the client thinks about the situation? He asserts that he doesn’t want to exorcise the ghosts. He questions whether Reigen was right in simply waving off the client with a fake curse. He decides that he wants to save Minori and is determined to. He’s adamant in his belief that rather than hurting people who are in the wrong, the best route of solution is to help them change. That’s why he forgives Minori for her shitty actions. He’s upset at Reigen for dismissing him and ignoring his growth so he decides to let it be shown. He forgives Reigen because he knows that Reigen is a good person, even though sometimes he can be inconsiderate toward him. His growth is most outrightly shown when he says he wants to confess to Tsubomi after getting in the top 10 at the school marathon. He has goals. He’s determined. Whereas in the beginning of Season 1, he wasn’t even able to decide by himself whether he wanted to join an extracurricular club or not.

When Mogami wants to get rid of Minegishi, Mob so firmly believes that he can change and, though he can’t completely trust Minegishi to follow through, he has to have faith that he will. Mogami reluctantly lets Minegishi go, while instilling that Mob’s kindness will not always be the answer and that it’ll be necessary to be hard on people. And Mob takes this to heart, too, as we can see when he tells Reigen and the other espers that they’ll only get in the way in his battle with Touichirou. On his way, he encounters Serizawa who, much like himself from the beginning, was isolated and in dissonance with his psychic abilities. He conveys to him all of the things that he learned through his journey and helps him change; he recognizes that the relationships he built throughout the story has made him grow as a person, and that Serizawa too can grow from it if he just has the right people surrounding him. He offers to be just that, a friend, a person who can understand the things that Serizawa is going through, because that’s what helped him out of his isolated state.

And finally, episode 13, what a fucking trip. Mob goes through so many emotions in just this one episode than we’ve seen from him over the course of two seasons. For the first time, we see him in pure ecstasy, because for the first time, he can truly unleash his powers, untethered by the fear of hurting those around him. We don’t expect to see him smile like that after Touichirou bombards him with fallen building blocks and laser beams and when we see it as the camera zooms in on his face, it’s chilling, almost scary. We’ve never seen Mob like that before. But as he catches a glimpse of Ritsu, he’s lurched back into reality and we see his shame as he’s hunched over on a piece of falling rock. Touichirou’s powers turn him into a bestial, otherwordly being while Mob keeps his form as he goes through multiple emotions at 100%. I’m glad that he never reaches ???% during this fight, because having a subconscious part of him that he has no control over take part in this fight would defeat the purpose of showing his growth; feeling his emotions at 100% without letting them get loose is a result of, I think, the things that tether Mob to his reality. Things like the Body Improvement Club (”Body improvement!!! Fight on!!!!!” omg that had me in pieces), Tsubomi (”I also have someone I need to express my feelings to!”), his brother, Hanazawa, Reigen, all keep him grounded. We see his ideal that he’s kept from the beginning (♫ I keep my ideals sorezore ♫—oh wrong anime) when he says to Touichirou, as he sits in a barrier within a coming explosion: “Just having powers doesn’t mean everything will work out for you.” And something he’s learned along the way: “That’s perfectly fine, as long as you make the important choices yourself.”

And that’s the line that made me completely fall in love with Mob’s character. Here’s the awkward kid who, in the beginning, had to call Reigen to ask if he should join a club, was fooled so easily into attending a cult by a woman who guessed his worries wrong three times, was torn between using his powers against Claw because he couldn’t decide whether he should listen to Reigen or his brother and Hanazawa, was too easily convinced to run for student council president and ended up making a fool of himself. He learns to make his own important choices and we see that so clearly. He makes the choice to run the marathon with his own physical abilities instead of listening to Mezato. He makes the choice to go after Touichirou alone. He makes the choice to stay with Touichirou and help him. And the scene of Mob trying to absorb Touichirou’s explosion, even with the pain of it, is a frightening yet heart-wrenching moment exactly because this is where all of his growth has led him to; he’s determined, empathetic, self-sacrificial, and yes, it’s painful to be in the presence of such a powerful explosion but it’s less painful than letting this man suffer through it by himself.

And when I look back at who Mob was in the beginning, that emotionally stifled 14-year-old boy, it makes this kind of development so much more meaningful because it shows just how far he’s come as a character. Mob’s character development is by far my favorite in any show I’ve watched so far. I think a lot of shounen anime tends to focus on the “power of friendship!” “teamwork!” and overall the idea that all is better than one, and Mob Psycho focuses on that, too, of course, because we see how people like Reigen, Hanazawa, Ritsu, and the Body Improvement Club have changed him. But the most significant thing about Mob’s change is his recognition of the importance of independence and autonomy, too; the ability to make his own decisions, to weigh his own consequences, to balance and prioritize what’s important to him. Maybe that’s a simple, self-explanatory thing, something so small that we tend to forget, but in Mob, the realization of it made the biggest difference.

(I may have had to write this because I have no irl friends watching this show and I needed to put all of these pent-up emotions somewhere. It turned out too long lol.)

#mob psycho 100 #mp100 #mp100 spoilers #i'll miss you #the only reason i looked forward to mondays #ignore me this is just my 4am rant after the emotional roller coaster that was episode 13 #please help me i have classes tomorrow #im waiting for animetubers to discuss season 2

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recentanimenews · 5 years

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How Witches Cast a Spell on Magical Girl Anime

Witches are an essential member of the Halloween rogues' gallery. Though if you're an anime fan, your image of witches may be a little different. Maybe you think of Gekidan Inu Curry's surreal monster designs in Puella Magi Madoka Magica. Maybe your mind goes straight to the magical hopefuls of Little Witch Academia. Either way, we know that witches in one form or another are a mainstay of anime.

But did you know that they're an essential part of the history of magical girl anime in particular? The genre that brought us Sailor Moon didn't start with crime-fighting heroines. Rather, it started with a mischievous witch girl, herself based on another well-known TV magic user. For Halloween, it seems appropriate to revisit that history, and explore how the witches of years past made the transforming heroines we love possible!

Magical girls nowadays come in all shapes and sizes. Back in the 1960s, though, there was a grand total of two... one of which was, well, a witch.

The Bewitching World of Sally

The U.S. TV sitcom Bewitched ran from 1964-1972, and was a hit among viewers. Even those of us born after it aired have seen it in reruns, and know the story of Darrin Stevens (both versions of him!) and his magical wife Samantha. The series was beloved all around the world, and was dubbed into multiple languages, including Japanese.

In Japan, the series was released as Okusama wa Majo (My Wife Is a Witch) and became a mainstay of TV. It's so popular that it received a Japanese remake in 2004. Though the second-best indication of its popularity may well be voice actor Mamoru Miyano's one-man recreation of a typical episode, complete with "dubbing":

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Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, however, and that's what Mitsuteru Yokoyama had in mind. The manga artist, who also created Tetsujin-28 and Giant Robo, decided to give Japan its own version of Bewitched in the form of Mahou Tsukai Sally (Sally the Witch). The manga began in July 1966, following a princess from the Kingdom of Magic who comes to the mortal realm for fun. Her stories follow similar beats to those of Bewitched, with her use of magic both causing and solving problems for her friends.

In December of 1966, Sally the Witch would be adapted into an anime, which originally ran for two years. Sally wasn't alone in her field, though: fellow magical girl series Himitsu no Akko-chan premiered as a manga in 1964, but wouldn't get animated until 1969 (1967's Princess Knight, a precursor to Revolutionary Girl Utena, was more on the fringes on the burgeoning genre than either of these titles). So the title of "first magical girl" really depends on whether you're looking to anime or manga; either way, Sally was there at the start.

Witch Switch

For the first few decades, magical girl anime stuck largely to the Bewitched concept: seemingly normal girl with magical powers makes trouble or solves problems (or a combination of the two). Shows like Majokko Megu-chan and Majokko Tickle played with variants on the concept. Like Sally, the heroines were often princesses from magical kingdoms who came to Earth to finish their education or relieve boredom.

Around the same time, there were a few series that leaned more toward the transformation-centric aspect of Himitsu no Akko-chan. Cutie Honey (technically a seinen series but with magical girl elements) and Minky Momo went this route, along with Studio Pierrot's lineup of heroines like Creamy Mami and Magical Emi. The trope even made it into the 90s with shows like Magical Angel Sweet Mint, about a witch who came to earth to help run a knick-knack shop.

Then a show came along that upended everything it meant to be a magical girl.

Sailor Moon was a game-changer for magical girl anime, tying its heroines' magical powers to their transformations rather than sticking to more casual tricks. The blend of shoujo and tokusatsu was, as we remember even 25 years later, a massive hit. By the mid-90s, everyone was trying to make the next Sailor Moon, with shows like Wedding Peach, Akazukin Cha-Cha, and a shoujo retooling of Cutie Honey as major contenders.

Nowadays, this is what comes to mind when we think of magical girl anime: teenagers with mystical items that transform them into cute and colorful battle forms. Does that mean the witch girls of anime are gone forever? Not necessarily!

The Modern Witch

For better or for worse, the era of Bewitched-style magical girls appears to be behind us for good. But that doesn't mean witch girls are no longer with us!

In modern magical girl anime, witches are more a theme or style within transforming heroine shows. Series like Ojamajo Doremi (which turns 20 this year), Maho Girls PreCure, and the well-loved Little Witch Academia are still carrying the torch for the concept. Also, where witch girls of the past were much more plainclothes, the modern witch dresses the part—in fact, the costume is a major part of the appeal!

While the witchy elements of magical girl anime have changed over the years, it's fun to look back on where it all began. Our favorite magical girls have grown so much since they first arrived in the 1960s!

Which witch is your favorite? Do you have any witch-themed or vintage magical girl series you enjoy? Tell us about them in the comments!

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Kara Dennison is a writer, editor, and interviewer with bylines at VRV, We Are Cult, Fanbyte, and many more. She is also the co-founder of Altrix Books and co-creator of the OEL light novel series Owl's Flower. Kara blogs at karadennison.com and tweets @RubyCosmos.

By: [email protected]

#Anime #News #Latest in Anime News by Crunchyroll!

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acehotel · 6 years

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INTERVIEW: Justin Strauss with Róisín Murphy

Irish-born chanteuse Róisín Murphy has spent the past two decades letting her muse call the shots — her career hopscotching between high art and the pop charts. In this episode of Just/Talk, renowned New York City DJ and music producer Justin Strauss chats with the headstrong icon about the past, the present and the high points in between.

Justin Strauss: I found out about Moloko and that was the first time I've heard your name. What were you doing before that? How did joining Moloko come about?

Róisín Murphy: I didn't really have a proper job before that. I was 19 when I started in Moloko. So I just tried a few things out.

JS: Were you interested in music at that point? What were you listening to?

RM: I started going out when I was 14 — there was never any issue getting into gigs when you were a little kid... they always let you go in. Sonic Youth, Butthole Surfers, Jesus and Mary Chain, Sub Pop stuff, Spacemen 3, My Bloody Valentine... they all came through Manchester. I used to go to mad places for a kid. Just mad. If my daughter... I don't want to know if she does what I did. But nothing bad ever happened to me.

JS: So this is post-Haçienda?

RM: I went to Haçienda as well. It was still going and I went. A lot of the time Haçienda wasn't me favorite club, though.

JS: Oh really? I never got to go.

RM: For me it didn't sound right in Haçienda. Anyway...

JS: And so had you done any of your own music? Were you writing?

RM: No. I had no idea I was going to do music. I thought I was going to do visual art. I went to Sheffield and did a foundation course in art. I never finished, 'cause I got a record contract at the end of that year with Moloko.

JS: And how did you get involved in Moloko?

RM: When I went to Sheffield I got into the sort of underground party scene. I got a whole different perspective on dance music and a bit more of the fusion, I guess — a sense of where things were connecting. Where electro was connecting with house, and reggae, with hardcore sort of stuff mixed in. And it had that pop-Sheffield vibe to it as well. It was a great education.

I met [Moloko's] Mark Brydon in a party in Sheffield. He liked my tight sweater and I said yeah. I recorded that song that night.

JS: When “Sing it Back” became a big hit were you prepared for that kind of success? You couldn’t walk into a club, probably anywhere in the world, without it being played and everyone going crazy.

RM: In a way, we were always fighting it. That was a remix and you know it was all compromised in a way. I mean Mark used to call it housewives music. "I'm stuck with the fucking housewife music." It didn't really fit with the rest of Moloko.

The first Moloko album was like a reaction against house and four-on-the-floor. I suppose trip hop was part of the reaction. Not that we thought we were making trip hop because it didn't exist. But I knew that song needed to be in a club, so I said to the label, "Let's get a remix done." As soon as I heard it, I knew it was a hit.

JS: Todd Terry did a remix?

RM: Yeah, just after his mix of Everything But The Girl’s “Missing,” and the label was like "Yeah, let's get Todd Terry." Very imaginative of them. It cost a fortune. Then Boris Dlugosh sent his incredible version on spec.

JS: Right.

RM: I had to have this massive row with the label. They wanted to put Todd Terry mix as the A side. I mean literally tears, crying like in the street, "This is Going to be huge. I can see myself on Top of the Pops!" And they weren't having it! And they put out the Todd Terry thing as the A side first.

JS: And you got to perform it on Top of the Pops?

RM: Yes. It was amazing. The day before Top of the Pops aired, I went to Harrods to buy myself a diamond ring. I found the ring I wanted to buy, and before I did, I went outside to have a cigarette. These two little Irish traveler girls outside and they said to me, "What are you doing?" I said "Would you believe I'm buying a diamond ring?" "You're not buying a diamond ring!" I said "I am. I'm buying a diamond ring."One said "Are you Irish?" I said "Yeah, yeah, I'm Mickey Murphy's daughter." "Oh, Mickey Murphy! We might know Mickey Murphy." Honestly, right?

JS: Right.

RM: Then they were like, "We don't believe that you're buying this diamond ring." So I brought them in with me into Harrods and I said to the woman at the counter, “I want to try it on." She thought we were going to run off with it or something 'cause of the two little scamps with me. "Honest to God, I’m buying the ring.” When I bought it, they were just like "Wow! How'd you get that money?" I said, “I'm Mickey Murphy's daughter, and I'm a pop star. Watch Top of the Pops tomorrow. I'm on." Can you imagine them watching in their fucking mobile home wherever?

JS: So after all that, then what happens? So you're a pop star now?

RM: I wasn't.

JS: Well, you're on Top of the Pops. The whole country see's you and everyone's watching.

RM: But I just wasn't. I just never became a pop star for whatever reason.

JS: And was that disappointing?

RM: No. I think what I wanted always was for people to respect what I do. Always.

JS: So after a decade, the Moloko breaks up. What happens next?

RM: I had spoken to Matthew Herbert years before about working together, and he kind of wouldn't let it go. He just wouldn't let up. So I said "Alright." I was scared, you know. But he was a perfect person to do it with. Perfect.

JS: Why were you scared?

RM: I'd only done it with my boyfriends before, and I didn't know the alchemy of how I'd done it. I didn't know that I was able to do it.

JS: But it turned out to be —

RM: ...perfect. It was more than me singing on somebody's record. Much, much more. I was the subject of the sound. In a situation where I was unsure of myself, to be going in to work with a producer who found beauty in everything I fucking did. And so it was very liberating in that way, you know.

I was always a singer who wasn’t really interested in being a singer, you know. I also wanted to be more like a bassline or a rhythm when I sang. Matthew was instrumental in me gathering myself—just me bringing him my things and making sound out of them and out of my body. There was something very mending about it, and nobody else would've been able to bring that. It was perfect.

Then of course, when we gave it to the record company, it wasn't perfect.

JS: They didn't like it?

RM: It wasn't a perfect record. It was the wrong record, they thought. It was the label who'd been with me since I was 19, so it was disappointing.

JS: And what happened?

RM: They dropped me! But after that I signed to EMI, and they spent a fortune on Overpowered.

JS: There wasn't one single producer on that record, right?

RM: No, but I was definitely the boss of that record, right across the whole spectrum of millions of different people who worked on it. It was really amazing, but very expensive.

JS: I bet. Your relationship with producers has always interested me.

RM: Always men. They've always been men so far.

JS: You've never went for a big pop producer. You always go for someone more left field.

RM: When I did Overpowered, that was the big argument with EMI — the only producer they suggested was Calvin Harris. He was just starting out on EMI. And he's fucking good, you know what I mean? So I was like "Yeah, alright. Let's have a go of it."

It was a session with him and Cathy Dennis — the three of us. And we did two tracks. And everyone in the label convinced that one track was a hit and I hated all of it. I knew I wanted to write with Cathy Dennis because I wanted to do a song like “Can't Get You Out of My Head.” But it was total cheese what we did. It wasn't about it being too pop. It just wasn't that good. You know? And it was a massive, big argument.

JS: But you know what you want.

RM: If you're aiming for "Can’t Get You Out of My Head” and you don't quite hit it, it’s just average. So let's not go with something a bit average. Anyway... he is talented, but he bitched after I didn't use that.

JS: Calvin Harris?

RM: Yeah, like, "she's so stupid, why does she want to destroy her own career?" I don't want to destroy my own career!" You know the shit I always get from people. Believe me, I was sweating balls over this record. I was arguing with people like fucking Jimmy Douglass. Like, he produced Odyssey! He discovered Timbaland!

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JS: And how did your relationship with EMI go after that?

RM: They dropped me. In honesty, they had a massive big shake up right after I put out a record. They fired like 75% of the staff—everyone I worked with. So it was not as simple as I was dropped, but … I moved on.

JS: So what did you make next?

RM: A baby's nest, mainly. I met my partner Sebastiano [Properzi]... did a few bits and pieces here and there.

JS: You made a record of Italian songs?

RM: Yeah, Mi Senti. For that, I brought in Eddie Stevens, who had been my musical director since Moloko, so I've toured all over the world with him. And we always put together the live shows, Me and him. In the meantime, when I've had the babies and everything, he'd gone off and become a producer and produced quite a few really great records. And so I asked him to work on the Mi Senti project as a co-producer, co-writer.

After that I thought “Jesus! Eddie's fucking great, isn't he?” Then I did two albums back to back with him. That was a nice full circle.

JS: ...and they're great. No two tracks sound the same, but they all totally capture your vibe.

RM: We were always albums in the old days, weren't we? I mean, that's how we were brought up when we started making music. It was always albums. You make a story.

JS: Tell me about the Block9 project you were involved in.

RM: Well, I went to do this creative retreat in the West Bank. Brian Eno, The Black Madonna and others contributed to the project. We stayed at The Walled Off, Banksy’s hotel project there.

JS: So how was that experience?

RM: It was pretty intense — it was a lot of information over the three days. We had a professor come in to teach us about Arabic music and we went to Jerusalem. We toured Bethlehem and Jerusalem, and a former refugee camp that’s now all kind of apartments built on top of each other.

JS: Had you been to that region before?

RM: I'd been in Israel once. I performed in Tel Aviv, which was great. The culture and the music and the warmth of the people... and the amazingness of The Walled Off itself as well. It was all mind-blowing.

JS: And now you've done a record with Maurice Fulton?

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RM: Yeah. It's eight original tracks, coming out on Vinyl Factory as a set of four 12 inches.

JS: And how was working with him?

RM: Maurice is totally uncompromising. It’s the same for me, but I accepted everything he told me. "Okay, no worries. Do it your way."

If I said to him "Maurice, will you change this and that" and he's already played it out in clubs, I've got no chance at getting anything changed whatsoever. He just goes "No. I've played it last week. And it’s fucking great. You don't know what you're talking about. Shut up." I go "Alright then."

I've tried to be true to what it is. In that how I put it through to the world. It’s the message. Stay on the message.

#yes #justin strauss #ace hotel #róisín murphy #interview #just talk #moloko #dj

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rapturerecords · 6 years

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This has been a rather quiet year. There’s been a couple of revisits with the release of the BioShock Collection, as well as Virtual Reality support for Fallout 4 and L.A. Noire. Not to mention that Cuphead delves into the genre as well.

As always, we’ll take this time to remember Patti Page, singer of “Doggie in the Window” who also passed away on New Year’s Day.

Whether it’s Happy Tenth Anniversary of BioShock or Happy Eclipse, I’ll still be here to kick off a tune.

See if your favorite record (or wax cylinder) was featured this year:

BioShock

"Bei Mir Bist du Schön" - Andrews Sisters - Decca Records 1562

"Bei Mir Bist du Schön" - Andrews Sisters - Decca Records 23605 (reissue)

"It's Bad for Me" - Rosemary Clooney and Benny Goodman - Columbia Records 40616

"Papa Loves Mambo" - Perry Como - RCA Victor Records 20-5857

"20th Century Blues" - Noël Coward - Columbia Records ML 5163

"The Party's Over Now" (1959) - Noël Coward - Columbia Records ML 5163

"Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams" - Bing Crosby - Victor Records 22701

"Beyond the Sea" - Bobby Darin - ATCO Records 45-6158

"Night and Day" - Billie Holiday - Columbia Records 3044 (reissue)

“The Best Things in Life are Free” - Ink Spots - Decca Records 24327

"If I Didn't Care" - Ink Spots - Decca Records 2286

"Danny Boy" - Mario Lanza - The Magic of Mario Lanza - Heartland Music HL 1046/50

“Danny Boy” anniversary revisit

“(How Much is That) Doggie in the Window” (1966) - Patti Page - Columbia Records CS 9326 (in-game version)

"The Doggie in the Window" (1953) - Patti Page - Mercury Records 70070 (original version)

"You're the Top" (1934) - Cole Porter - Victor Records 24766 (original version)

"La Mer" - Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli - Djangology RCA RGP-1186 (reissue)

Cohen’s Quadtych: “Academy Award” vs. “The Ballroom Waltz”

"Academy Award" - Stanley Black - Music De Wolfe DW/LP 2977

“Too Young” - Nat King Cole - Capitol Records 1449

"Just Walking in the Rain" - Johnnie Ray - Columbia Records 40729

"Waltz of the Flowers"

Looking for BioShock’s Django Reinhardt

BioShock 2

"Ten Cents a Dance" - Ruth Etting - Columbia Records 2146D

"Dawn of a New Day" - Horace Heidt and his Musical Knights - Brunswick Records 8313

"It's Only a Paper Moon" - Ella Fitzgerald - Decca Records 23425

BioShock 10th Anniversary Revisit and Eclipse

"Someone's Rocking My Dream Boat" - Ink Spots - Decca Records 4045

"We Three (My Echo, My Shadow and Me)" - Ink Spots - Decca Records 3379

"I'm Making Believe" - Ink Spots with Ella Fitzgerald - Decca Records 23356

"Bei Mir Bist du Schon" - Benny Goodman with Martha Tilton - The Famous 1938 Carnegie Hall Jazz Concert Columbia Records ML 4359

“Hush, Hush, Hush, Here Comes the Bogey Man“ - Henry Hall and his Orchestra with Val Rosing - Columbia Records FB 2816

"Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition" - Kay Kyser - Columbia Records 36640

“You Always Hurt the One You Love” - Mills Brothers - Decca Records 18599

"Paper Doll" - Mills Brothers - Decca Records 18318

"Dream" - The Pied Pipers - Capitol Records 185

"Chasing Shadows" - Quintette du Hot Club de France - Royale Records 1798

"Nightmare" (1938) - Artie Shaw - Bluebird Records B-7875 (in-game version)

“Nightmare” (1937) - Art Shaw and his New Music - Vocalion Records 4306 (re-recording)

"Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out" - Bessie Smith - Parlophone Records R2481

Father’s Day in Rapture

"Daddy Won't You Please Come Home" - Annette Hanshaw - Velvet Tone Records 1940V

"My Heart Belongs to Daddy" - Mary Martin - Brunswick Records 8282

"Daddy's Little Girl" (1976) - Mills Brothers - Ranwood Records R-8152 (in-game version)

"Daddy's Little Girl" (1950) - Mills Brothers - Decca Records 24872 (original version)

BioShock Infinite

"Ain't She Sweet" - Ben Bernie - Brunswick Records 3444

"Button Up Your Overcoat" - Helen Kane - Victor Records 21863

"(What Do We Do on a) Dew-Dew-Dewey Day" - Charles Kaley - Columbia Records 1055D

"Indian Love Call" - Sigmund Krumgold - Okeh Records 40904

"Me and My Shadow" - Sam Lanin - Lincoln Records 2628

"Black Gal" - Ed Lewis with unidentified prisoners (recorded by Alan Lomax)

"I'm Wild About That Thing" - Bessie Smith - Columbia Records 14427D

"Makin' Whoopee!" - Rudy Vallée - Harmony Records 825-H

The Cylinders of BioShock Infinite

"Shine On, Harvest Moon" - Ada Jones and Billy Murray - Edison Standard Record 10134

"The Bonnie Blue Flag" - Polk Miller - Edison Blue Amberol Record 2175

"After You've Gone"

"The Easy Winners"

"Solace - A Mexican Serenade"

“Just a Closer Walk with Thee” - Elizabeth’s version

“Just a Closer Walk with Thee” - Selah Jubilee Singers - Decca Records 7872

“The Grand Old Rag” - Billy Murray - Victor Records 4634

Albert Fink's Magical Melodies Presents: "God Only Knows"

“Ah! La femme il n’y que ça“ - Mon. A. Fertinel - Improved Berliner Gramophone Record 1148

“God Only Knows” - The Beach Boys - Capitol Records 5706

"Fortunate Son" - Creedence Clearwater Revival - Fantasy Records 634

Burial at Sea

Episode 1

The Complete Records Behind the Music

"Midnight, The Stars and You" - Al Bowlly - Victor Records 24700

"She's Got You" - Patsy Cline - Decca Records 31354

"Wonderful! Wonderful!" - Johnny Mathis - Columbia Records 40784

"The Lady is a Tramp" - Mel Tormé - London American Recordings HL N.8305

"Tonight for Sure!" - Ruth Wallis - Wallis Original Record Corp. 2001

"Stranger in Paradise"

Episode 2

The Complete Records Behind the Music

"Back in Baby's Arms" - Patsy Cline - Decca Records 31483

"Easy to Love" - Sammy Davis Jr. - Starring Sammy Davis Jr. Decca Records DL 8118

"Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree" - Glenn Miller - Bluebird Records B-11474

"La Vie en Rose" - Édith Piaf - Columbia Records 4004-F

“La Vie en Rose” (English version) - Édith Piaf - Columbia Records 38948

“La Vie en Rose” in 2007′s BioShock

"The Great Pretender" - The Platters - Mercury Records 70753

"You Belong to Me"

Fallout 2

"A Kiss to Build a Dream On" - Louis Armstrong - Decca Records 27720

Fallout 3 (Galaxy News Radio)

"Civilization" - Andrews Sisters and Danny Kaye - Decca Records 23940

“Butcher Pete (Part 1)” - Roy Brown - De-Luxe Records 3301

“Crazy He Calls Me” - Billie Holiday - Decca Records 24796

"I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire" - Ink Spots - Decca Records 3987

"Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall" - Ink Spots and Ella Fitzgerald - Decca Records 23356

Fallout: New Vegas (Radio New Vegas, Mojave Music Radio, Black Mountain Radio)

"It's a Sin" - Eddy Arnold - RCA Victor Records 10-2241

“Why Don’t You Do Right” (1950) - Peggy Lee with the Dave Barbour Quartet- Peggy Lee’s Greatest - Camay Records CA 3003 (in-game version)

“Why Don’t You Do Right (Get Me Some Money Too)” (1947) - Peggy Lee - Rendezvous with Peggy Lee - Capitol Records 10118 (re-recording)

“Why Don’t You Do Right” (1942) - Peggy Lee with Benny Goodman and his Orchestra - Columbia Records 36652 (re-recording)

"Jingle Jangle Jingle" - Kay Kyser - Columbia Records 36604

"Big Iron" - Marty Robbins - Columbia Records 4-41589

“Blue Moon” - Frank Sinatra - Sinatra’s Swingin’ Session! - Capitol Records W1491

“Orange Colored Sky” - Nat King Cole - Capitol Records 1184

Fallout 4 (Diamond City Radio)

“Butcher Pete (Part 2)” - Roy Brown - De-Luxe Records 3301

“Orange Colored Sky” - Nat King Cole - Capitol Records 1184

“Pistol-Packin’ Mama - Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters - Decca Records 23277

“The Wanderer” - Dion - Laurie Records 3115

“Sixty-Minute Man - The Dominoes - Federal Records 12022

“Atom Bomb Baby” - The Five Stars - Kernel Records A002

“It’s All Over But the Crying” - Ink Spots - Decca Records 24286

“Grandma Plays the Numbers” - Wynonie Harris - King Records 4276

“Personality” - Johnny Mercer - Capitol Records 230

"The End of the World” - Patti Page - Say Wonderful Things - Columbia Records CS 8849

Guardians of the Galaxy

"I'm Not in Love" - 10cc - Mercury Records (Phonogram) 73678 (abridged)

"Fooled Around and Fell in Love" - Elvin Bishop - Capricorn Records CPS 0252 (abridged)

“Spirit in the Sky” - Norman Greenbaum - Reprise Records 0885

“Escape (The Piña Colada Song) - Rupert Holmes - Infinity Records INF 50.035

"Hooked on a Feeling" - Blue Swede - EMI Records 3627

"I Want You Back" - The Jackson 5 - Motown Records M 1157

"Go All the Way" - Raspberries - Capitol Records 3348

"Come and Get Your Love" - Redbone - Epic Records 5-11035

L.A. Noire (KTI Radio)

“Pistol-Packin’ Mama” - Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters - Decca Records 23277

“Stone Cold Dead in the Market” - Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Jordan - Decca Records 23546

"Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall" - Ink Spots and Ella Fitzgerald - Decca Records 23356

"Manteca" - Dizzy Gillespie - RCA Victor Records 20-3023

"Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens" - Louis Jordan - Decca Records 23741

"Red Silk Stockings and Green Perfume" - Sammy Kaye - RCA Victor Records 20-2251

“Black and Blue” - Frankie Laine - Mercury Records A-1026

"'Murder', He Says" - Dinah Shore - RCA Victor Records 20-1525

"Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette) - Tex Williams - Capitol Records Americana Series 40001

“Hey! Ba-Ba-Re-Bop” - Lionel Hampton - Decca Records 18754

Mafia II (Empire Central Radio, Delta Radio)

“Why Don’t You Do Right” (1950) - Peggy Lee with the Dave Barbour Quartet- Peggy Lee’s Greatest - Camay Records CA 3003 (re-recording)

“Why Don’t You Do Right” (1942) - Peggy Lee with Benny Goodman and his Orchestra - Columbia Records 36652 (re-recording)

"A Guy is a Guy” - Doris Day - Columbia Records 39673

XCOM The Bureau Declassified (KNOV Radio)

“Runaway” - Del Shannon - Big Top Records 45-3067

“Who’s Sorry Now” - Connie Francis - MGM Records 975 (57-S-622)

"Smack Dab in the Middle" - Mills Brothers - Decca Records 29511

“Riders in the Sky” - Vaughn Monroe - RCA Victor 20-3411

"Man of Mystery" - The Shadows - Columbia Records 45-DB 4530

“I’ll Never Get Out of this World Alive” - Hank Williams - MGM Records 11366

See the previous years’ lists here:

2014

2015

2016

#video game music #bioshock music #fallout music #la noire music #mafia music #bioshock #bioshock 2 #bioshock infinite #burial at sea #fallout 2 #fallout new vegas #la noire #fallout 3 #fallout 4 #The Bureau: XCOM Declassified #Mafia II #save the date

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trulymadlysydney · 7 years

Text

You Bring Me Home- Part Two

“Dunno. If I recall correctly, you’re a bit of a pest when you’re drunk.”

Emily’s mouth falls open at that. “I am NOT!”

“No no, you definitely are. Can’t keep your hands to yourself, love.” Of course he’s teasing her. Sure there had been the few times in their relationship where they’d gotten drunk and handsy with one another, but it was never anything over the top and certainly never something they didn’t enjoy. “What if you viscously attack me tonight with those lips of yours? Hm? How’s a man to handle that?”

Emily narrows her eyes at him and smirks. “You wish I would.”

Read Part One HERE

***PLEASE DO NOT REPOST WITHOUT PERMISSION***

The previous day feels entirely like a dream, which stands to reason considering how little sleep Emily actually got. After the episode with Alex, she hadn’t been able to fall asleep again for quite a while. And it was a restless sleep. The kind of sleep where she kept rolling over to check if Alex was still beside her. He never was, and her heart sank each time.

She’d considered getting up to check on him quite a few times as well. To see if he was sleeping on her couch. If he needed anything. But truthfully she didn’t want to anger him any more than she had– if she had. She actually didn’t know if it was her he was angry at or not, and the thought was one of the reasons she wasn’t sleeping.

Why wouldn’t he let her help him? Why was he so embarrassed of what was going on? He should know by now that the last person to judge him would be her.

It’s 8:30am when Emily finally rolls out of bed. She holds her breath when she turns the corner, even though she knows it’s silly. Of course he isn’t going to be there, sleeping on her couch or sitting at her kitchen table drinking coffee. Making himself comfortable in her home. The home that she wants so badly to share with him– but she’s getting ahead of herself.

Still, despite knowing he isn’t going to be there, her heart drops when he isn’t. She glances around the kitchen and in the living room both to see if maybe he’s left her another heart-wrenching note like the last time, but there’s nothing. She doesn’t know if that makes her relieved or sad.

With a sigh, Emily goes to make coffee and wills the tears in her eyes not to spill down her cheeks. Why does she care so much? She shouldn’t. He doesn’t.

But there is that little bit of hope that he does, and it eats her alive.

She feels guilty, really, because it isn’t about her. It’s about something so much bigger than her, and she knows this. But she cares about him and doesn’t know if she’s ever wanted anything more than to help him. If only he would let her.

She reaches up to wipe at a tear that’s escaped and thinks back to the first time he’d ever seen her cry.

“Emily, s’just a costume. What do you think he’s going to do?” He was laughing at her. Of course he was. But she was terrified, honest to God, and he wasn’t helping.

It was Halloween, 1938. Their second or third date, and Alex had decided to take her to a spooky corn maze in town. It was all done by locals and, looking back, Emily reckons it was fairly stupid of her to be afraid. But it wasn’t stupid at the time, and she remembers wondering why on earth she’d agreed to it in the first place.

“Alex, he’s looking at me…”

“So? M’lookin’ at you, too. S’that mean I’m gonna hurt you?”

The man in the vampire costume took a step forward and Emily shrieked, stepping back behind Alex and grabbing his arm. “Alex!”

Alex let out a booming laugh at that, which Emily didn’t quite appreciate. He didn’t budge, but he didn’t push her to step out from behind him. Emily frowned, slapping his arm. “Can we go? Please?”

“You sure you don’t want to stay and talk to our new friend here?” Alex thought this whole thing was a hoot, and honestly did not understand her genuine fear. Emily, however, wanted to melt into the floor right there and disappear.

“Please?” she hissed through her teeth.

Alex scoffed, reaching down to interlace his fingers with hers. “Alright. Let’s go.”

They pressed on through the maze and Emily hadn’t realized how sweaty her hands were until now. She opened her mouth to apologize, when someone in costume jumped out directly in front of them. Alex let out another laugh, but Emily hardly had time to react to him. Instead, she let his hand drop and ran.

“Wait– Emily woah, wait!” She could faintly hear him calling behind her but she didn’t care. Pure adrenaline was carrying her, faster than she’d ever run in her life. She didn’t know where she was going, she just knew she had to get out of here.

“Emily!” She knew he was running after her, and somewhere in her she wanted to stop and run towards him instead of away. But her fight-or-flight instinct was strong, and she was terrified.

Until she hit a wall in the maze and could turn neither left nor right. So she did what any sensible girl would do in this situation– she started crying.

It didn’t take long for Alex to catch up to her, his big hands on her shoulders gently coaxing her around. “Hey, what’s happening?”

“I don’t like that!” she said softly. “I don’t like being scared.”

Alex let out a noise almost like a scoff, although Emily knew he wasn’t making fun of her. “Well Christ, you could’ve told me!”

Her eyes were hot and brimming over, and she looked up at him with sadness. “I knew you wanted to come here.”

“I wouldn’t have if I’d known you were going to hate it!” His voice was somewhat loud, and his hands never once loosened their grip on her shoulders.

They weren’t fighting. Not at all. But he’d never seen her cry before, and she’d never been this vulnerable in front of– well, anyone. It was overwhelming on both ends.

“You have to tell me these things, Emy.”

He’d never called her Emy before, and the way it sounded coming out of his mouth made her tear stained cheeks quirk up a bit. “I wanted to make you happy.” Her voice was soft coming out of her mouth, and it made her feel small.

“By making yourself miserable?!” When she nodded her head, this time Alex did laugh. He reached up to cup her face and wipe the tears away with his thumbs. “You’re a piece of work, you know that?”

She giggled through her tears, enjoying the way his hands felt against her skin. “I just really care about you.”

“Well I care about you, too! S’why you should’ve told me. I would’ve never taken you here in the first bloody place.” His hands dropped and he brushed his pinky finger against hers. Whether consciously or subconsciously, she didn’t know. She was just happy to have the contact.

His voice dropped lower then. “Go on. Be honest with me now. If you hate it, tell me.”

“I hate it.”

“You hate it?”

“I hate it!”

“Say it louder.”

“I hate it!!”

“Tell him that.”

Emily turned to look at the man in the costume, who was busying himself scaring another family. “I hate you,” she said, her voice raising ever so slightly.

“He’s a bastard, isn’t he?”

Emily looked at Alex, eyes wide. “Well, he’s just doing his job.”

“Hey, bastard!” Alex ignored Emily, his voice raising. “How about you pick on someone your own size next time!”

“Alex!” Emily scolded through her giggles.

Alex ignored her, reaching down to pick up a pebble from the dirt road and toss it in the direction of the man. It was a weak excuse for a toss, but it made Emily giggle. She tugged on his arm. “Alex, stop that.”

He turns to her, preparing to throw another pebble. “If we’re going to continue… whatever this is, we need to be honest, yeah?”

It was Emily’s turn to scoff. “Well, yeah, but–”

“Well, full disclosure, I think he’s a dickhead.”

“You don’t have to tell him that!”

“Why not?” Alex tossed another pebble that landed a little closer to the costumed man. This time, he turned and shot Alex a confused look.

Emily laughed, turning quickly so that the man couldn’t see her face. She grabbed his arms and hid her face in his chest. “Aleeex.”

He smirked down at her, wiggling a bit so he had a clear view of her face. “Kiss me.”

He could see her cheeks were red, and she bit her lip. “Alex.”

He leaned down to catch the corner of her jaw between his lips, and she leaned into him a bit. He chuckled against her skin. “You say my name a lot.” He turned his head to kiss her lips, and she kissed him back.

They’d kissed before, but not like this. This one felt more than just a kiss. This one felt soft and warm and had undertones of feelings that neither were quite ready to experience yet.

It was exhilarating.

When Emily pulled away, her cheeks were hot. Alex still had that smirk on his face, and it made her giggly. “Gosh, since when do you get all mushy and honest?”

Alex’s nose wrinkled, but he smiled. “I know. S’gross, innit?”

“No actually it’s a good look for you.” Emily reached up to wipe at her nose. “I’m sorry for crying.”

Alex only waved her apology away with his hand. “Don’t. Don’t worry about it. Just don’t ever lie to me about a date again and we’ll be fine.”

“I didn’t lie, I just–”

“Argumentative little thing, aren’t you?” He drapped an arm around her shoulder, eyes scanning the maze for a way out. Before giving her a chance to respond, he nodded his head towards a path. “Think we can go this way and it’ll get us out of here.”

Emily’s heart dropped at the thought of having to walk back through the maze. Alex sensed her shift in mood and gave her a little squeeze. “Hey. S’alright. Not gonna let these wankers touch you, yeah?”

She giggled as they started walking. “You’re so vulgar.”

“You love it, right?”

Looking back now, Emily knows she did love it. She still loves it.

She loves him.

Thirty minutes later, Emily is seated on the sofa, legs tucked up underneath her. In one hand she holds her coffee mug, and in the other, a paperback book. The Great Gatsby, her all time favorite, which she’s reading again for probably the tenth time. She remembers loaning it to Alex back before they’d ever dated, but he’d never given her feedback. She’s convinced he’d never even read it.

And then she’s upset with herself for even thinking about him. The whole reason she’d started reading was to get her mind off of him, and even then she couldn’t.

She huffs out a sigh, shaking her head as if to shake the thoughts of him away. She wonders what she’s going to do with her day, because she can’t just keep sitting here and reading– as much as she would like to. She knows that if she does that, she’ll just keep thinking of Alex.

She considers calling up her best friend Meredith and asking her to go out for a bit, but she knows that the entire time she’ll have to listen to her talk about her “soon-to-be” fiance, Michael. Michael would be proposing any day now, according to Meredith. And it wasn’t that Emily wasn’t happy for her, of course, but it got tiring when Meredith had Michael and Emily only had… well, this book. Because she certainly didn’t have Alex. At least not anymore.

A jiggling at her front door snaps Emily from her thoughts and startles her. She sits up a bit taller, legs instinctively untucking themselves from under her just in case she needs to get up and run. The door knob continues to jiggle, and Emily hears someone curse a soft “fuck” on the other side. She knows she should say something, threaten to call the police– or at least look outside to see who it is. But she can’t even move. No one has ever tried to break into her house before.

She’s about to shout when the door finally swings open. The minute it does, Emily has never been more relieved to see anyone in her life.

Alex stands there, in the clothes she’d given him yesterday, holding a brown paper bag in his hand and the key to her house in the other. He looks at her, confused when he sees how anxious she looks. She instantly softens, but her confusion is evident. “Alex?”

He shuffles in, kicking the door shut behind him. “Hi,” he says softly. “Your key sucks.”

Emily lets out a soft little giggle, still a bit confused. “Yeah, I’ve been meaning to get that fixed.” She hesitates for a moment, knowing that she should tread lightly around him. But then she can’t help it, and she’s off like a bullet. Running to him, throwing her arms around his middle, and pressing her head flush against his chest. She wants to cry a little, but she reckons that’s silly. So she just gives him a squeeze. “Thank goodness,” she says quietly. “I’m so sorry. So so sorry. I didn’t want you to go. I’m sorry. I’m sorry if I embarrassed you. I’m just really sorry. Oh my god.”

Alex is stiff in her arms, but he wraps an arm around her and gives her an awkward little hug. He furrows his eyebrows as he toes off his boots. “What, you thought I was going to completely leave?” When she doesn’t answer, he halts. “Did you… want me to leave?”

“No!” she can’t speak quick enough. “Not at all. I just… I mean I figured… last night and all–”

Alex shakes his head and that silences her. “Forget last night” he says pointedly, and she knows he doesn’t want to talk about it. “Everything is fine.” He’s now completely out of his boots, and his socked feet look big and awkward and… god, cute, if feet could ever be considered cute. She smiles, enjoying the sight of his big boots beside her small saddle shoes. She wants to apologize more and at least discuss what happened, but he doesn’t seem to be on the same page. So she bites her tongue.

“Did you eat?” he asks.

She looks at him and shakes her head, and he offers the paper bag to her. “Good. Saw these and thought they looked good. Dunno.”

Emily opens the bag and peeks inside to see two powdered donuts. She recognizes where he’d gotten them from. It’s a little donut shop not too far from her house, and she’d only ever been there once. Everyone in town knew that the best place to get donuts was a town a few miles north of here, but Alex didn’t. Alex just saw donuts he thought looked good and wanted to share with Emily. The thought is so endearing to her she wants to cry.

She smiles, turning on her heels to head into the kitchen. “I’ll get us plates,” she calls over her shoulder. “Do you want coffee?”

“M’alright, thanks.” She can hear him plop down on the couch, and it makes her smile how comfortable he seems to be here. Although, she admits, it is strange. After everything that had happened last night, he’s here acting like they’d never fought a day in their lives.

When she comes back, she finds he’s sitting in the same exact spot she was sitting moments before, thumbing through the pages of her book. She sets the plates and the bag of donuts on the table and takes a seat next to him. “Still reading this?” he asks.

She nods. “It’s my favorite.”

“I remember,” he says with a chuckle. “I remember when I read it.”

“You didn’t actually read it, did you?” Emily pulls the donuts out of the bag and sets them on the plates.

Alex’s eyebrows furrow. “’Course I did! I wouldn’t lie to you.” He flips the book over and scans over the summary on the back. “Think I should read it again though. Refresh my memory and all that.” He smiles when she hands him the plate. “Thanks.”

He sets the book down and they both bite into their donuts, powdered sugar going everywhere. Alex chuckles, licking at a bit thats escaped to his lip, and she smiles. He’s so bloody wonderful and so hard to figure out and she can’t stand how in love with him she is.

She clears at her throat and wipes the powdered sugar off of her lips with the back of her hand. “I’m really glad you came back this morning.”

Alex tenses just the slightest bit, but he knows she isn’t going to let this go. So he nods his head. “Yeah, well. Don’t have anywhere else to go, and I guess I like your company.” He shoots her a wink and she giggles.

“Can I ask you one more thing? One more thing and then we’ll never talk about this ever again.”

Alex takes another bite and sighs, speaking with his mouth full. “Suppose you’re probably going to anyway.”

“Where did you go? Like, last night. Did you go back to sleep?”

He won’t look directly at her, but he doesn’t seem any more uncomfortable than usual, so she feels a little less guilty for asking. “I tried. I went into the living room and laid down on the couch for about an hour. Maybe a little bit more. Couch wasn’t very comfortable. Realized I wasn’t going back to sleep so I got up. Went for a walk. And now we’re here.”

She smiles, hardly daring to look at him. “And you came back.”

Now, he does look at her. “You sound so surprised when you say that.”

“i just didn’t think you would.”

“Why not?”

She considers her answer carefully, but truthfully she doesn’t really have one. “I don’t know.”

He shakes his head but continues to eat and speak with his mouth full. “Well that’s silly.”

“I just thought maybe you were mad at me. I don’t know. I wanted to help you, but I–”

“Emily, I know you care. And I appreciate it tremendously. But I am begging… please don’t bring last night, or the nightmare, or any of that up again. Not right now. I don’t want to talk about it.” The silence that looms over them makes him instantly feel guilty and he sighs. “I am shit at apologies. You know that. But I am… sorry.” He hesitates, as if struggling to say the word. “I am. M’sorry that I snapped. It wasn’t your fault. M’sorry that I broke your picture. M’sorry that I yelled at you and hurt your feelings but please, please don’t make me relive it again.”

Emily realizes she hasn’t chewed, or moved at all for that matter. So she finishes chewing and swallows, and it feels like she’s swallowing a brick. She wants to tell him she’s sorry too, that she feels like she pushed him into something he may not have been ready for, and that she loves him. But he looks sad, and vulnerable, and she knows it took a lot of out of him to apologize. So she takes a deep breath. “Okay. I’m sorry, too.”

He offers her an apologetic little smile. “You said that already.” He chuckles, reaching over to give her knee a little squeeze. “Gonna work on this, yeah? Gonna get better.”

She believes him. She does. But the trouble with Alex– the number one thing that she’s always noticed about him and worried about– is that he pushes his feelings down so deep that even he can’t reach them. He doesn’t acknowledge them. And she wants him to. Especially now.

She shakes her head. “You have nothing to work on.”

He chuckles at that, a bit of powdered sugar falling from his lips and down on to his pants. “Ah. Well. Too early in the day to be talkin’ about this and figuring everything out now. Do you like the donut?”

She nods, happy that he’s changing the subject. “Mm. It’s so good.”

“You’ve got powdered sugar on your nose.”

Emily reddens, reaching up to wipe at her nose and causing Alex to let out a soft little laugh. He looks down and subconsciously wipes at his own nose. And suddenly its quiet.

It isn’t an awkward silence by any means but Emily does want to say something-anything- because she fears that if she doesn’t he’ll leave again.

As if reading her mind, Alex clears his throat. “So I was thinking. I need more clothes.”

“Yeah?” Emily doesn’t mean to speak with her mouth full, but she does and Alex is so endeared.

He smiles. “Yeah. Think you could take me somewhere to get some?”

The way her eyes light up makes his stomach flutter. “YES! Of course I could!” She wiggles a bit so that she’s facing him head on now. “Like, today?”

Alex chuckles. “I mean, yes. Unless you want me to go around in these clothes for the next few days.”

She laughs and shakes her head. “No, no. My gosh, no.” She doesn’t know why she’s so enthusiastic about the prospect of going shopping with Alex, but she is. Especially because of the fact that he trusts her enough to take him somewhere.

He smiles. “Good. M’a bit nervous to see where you take me, but I am trusting you.”

“You won’t regret it,” she says with a wink that makes him chuckle.

The rest of breakfast is spent happily discussing things like how Emily has been, what she’s been up to since he’s been away, how her family has been. There is no mention of the night before, and Alex is so thankful for that. He knows he was awful, but he doesn’t quite know how else to apologize. And Emily, the little angel, is granting him pardon. He doesn’t deserve her, he knows it. And he hopes he’s able to make all of this up to her someday.

The day goes on in much the same way. Cheerful, casual, pleasant. As they walk from shop to shop and Emily hands Alex several things to try on, he has to continue to remind himself that they aren’t dating anymore. Too many times does he reach down and nudge her hand with his only to realize that her hand isn’t his to hold. That smile on her face isn’t his to kiss. And he wants it to be, but he also feels a pain in his chest when he thinks about them actually being together.

She deserves better, and Alex of all people knows that. He can try as hard as he wants, but he knows these memories will never leave him. What if the dreams never leave him either? What if he stays empty, bitter, mad forever? That certainly isn’t the man Emily deserves.

And then he looks at her now, sitting across from him, reading over the menu at this little cafe she’s taken him to because it’s “her favorite,” and he feels any and all anxiety wash away. She’s so beautiful. So lovely. When he looks at her, he feels at home. Even if just for the tiniest second. So that has to count for something.

Emily looks up at him with a dimpled smile then. “Think I’m going to get the french onion soup. What about you?”

He glances down at the menu, attempting to hide the redness of his cheeks and hoping she didn’t catch him staring. “Dunno. What’s good here?”

Her eyes widen. “Everything. Everything is good here.”

He chuckles. “Think maybe I’ll try the soup, too. Sounds good.”

She smirks. “You copycat.”

“M’not very good at decisions, Emy. You know that.”

“Speaking of,” she says, folding up her menu and leaning across the table, “You want to get drunk tonight?”

He snorts at the suddenness of her question. “That was a terrible transition into that question.”

“You said you were bad at making decisions, so I gave you a simple one! Let’s get drunk tonight. Yes or no?”

Alex thinks about it for a moment, but everything in him is saying yes. Why shouldn’t he? He hasn’t been proper drunk just for the sake of being drunk in quite some time, and he knows Emily is the person to do it with. She’s smiling at him with big eyes, and he smirks. “Dunno. If I recall correctly, you’re a bit of a pest when you’re drunk.”

Emily’s mouth falls open at that. “I am NOT!”

Emily narrows her eyes at him and smirks. “You wish I would.”

Alex laughs, raising his water glass to his lips. It’s so easy to rile her up and he adores it. “M’only joking. No need to get touchy.” He takes a few sips but he can still feel her eyes burning holes into his head, and it makes him laugh again. “Alright alright. I’d love to get drunk with you tonight.”

It’s Emily’s turn to be a little shit. “I’m not sure I want to now!”

“Sure you do!! Look at me, m’irresistible.” He wiggles his eyebrows and she snorts.

“You’re a pain in my neck is what you are.”

He nods. “Glad we’re on the same page then.” He folds up his menu and moves it out of the way so he can lean closer to her. “So what’s our poison then, hm? Whisky? Vodka?”

Emily’s nose wrinkles up. “God no. Jeez. One sip of that and I’d be gone.”

“Lightweight,” Alex scoffs, and Emily rolls her eyes.

“Can’t we just drink wine? Do you still like wine or has the army made you too manly for that?”

Alex narrows his eyes. “’Course I still like wine. Only real men drink it.”

She nods her head. “Good. So wine then?”

Alex raises his water glass once more and holds it towards her, signaling for her to ‘cheers’ him. “I’ll drink to that.”

—-

“You wanker!” Emily says through giggles, and Alex chuckles into his wine glass. He and Emily are on their third and fourth glasses, respectively, and they’re both feeling it quite a bit. Especially Emily, which Alex adores.

“Oi,” he says. “S’not a very nice word for such a pretty girl.”

Emily rolls her eyes, slapping his knee lightly. “Shut up. You’re the one who taught me that word.”

“Was I?” Alex has no recollection of that, but it doesn’t surprise him. He licks at his lips, which are numb and a bit buzzy because of the alcohol. “Doesn’t sound like something I would do.”

“You did! You called that man a wanker that night we went out and he made a comment about my dress!”

And now Alex remembers. He’d taken Emily out for her birthday, and she’d worn the most incredible dress that Alex had loved. Apparently, another man at the bar had loved it as well. So Alex nods. “Ah, you’re right. That does sound like me.”

Emily giggles again, pulling her legs up and sitting cross-legged on the couch. “Don’t know why you don’t believe me when I tell you things! I remember everything.”

Alex smiles fondly at this. “You do, you little menace. Makes me look bad when I don’t remember.”

Emily rolls her eyes. “Not at all. I just have lots of fond memories.”

Alex has fond memories too, though they seem to buried under all the pain he’s experienced. Memories of her laying her head on his chest when she fell asleep. Memories of the first time she’d ever gotten drunk in front of him. Memories of her speaking in that voice she had reserved only for children, or her telling him stories of her childhood, or her talking about her little brother and how close they always were. Alex remembers a lot of things, too. They’re just harder for him to reach now.

Emily has already moved on to the next topic, rubbing lazily at her eye and seemingly unbothered by the bit of mascara she’s smearing. “What’s your favorite color?”

Alex is taken aback by that question, and he snorts. “What?”

“Yeah like… is it green? I always thought it was green.”

“Where’s this question comin’ from, hm?”

She seems irritated by his questions and she shrugs. “I don’t know! We’ve never talked about it–” She’s cut off by a hiccups that jolts her entire body. “Do you ever think about that? S’like… you can know so much about a person and not know their favorite color! Just because it’s such a simple question. No one ever thinks to ask it.”

Alex can’t stop himself from smirking while listening to her talk. She’s so bloody cute and he can’t stand it. He nods his head towards her. “Well what’s your favorite color?”

“Mmm…” She seems to think hard on this question, a lot harder than necessary, and it makes Alex laugh. “I think I like blue. But not like a dark blue. A bright blue. Like the sky kind of, you know?”

He nods his head, but he’s hardly even listening because he’s just watching her wine-stained lips and thinking about how badly he wants to taste them again. “Yeah. I know.”

“You never answered me!” She jabs a finger into his arm and he laughs again.

“I think mine would have to be blue as well. But blue like your eyes. Not like the sky.”

Emily rolls her eyes but her cheeks instantly redden. “You’re gross.”

“Hey!” His eyebrows furrow in mock offense. “I am not! You asked a question and I answered it!”

“S’a dumb answer,” she mumbles, trying to hide the fact that her cheeks are now crimson.

He shakes his head. “Not dumb,” he says, taking another sip of his wine. He’s almost out now, and he wants to pour himself another. “I mean it. Your eyes are pretty.”

They sit there then, just looking at one another with dopey, stupid grins on their faces. Their tongues are thick with wine and Alex can’t stop thinking about how badly he wants to taste her mouth He licks his lips, allowing his eyes to dart down to hers, and sighs. “I mean it,” he says again, quietly.

She lets out yet another impossibly adorable giggle. “Your eyes are pretty too.” She hiccups again, and he laughs.

It’s then that he realizes the record has stopped. He doesn’t know how long there hasn’t been music, but it suddenly feels strange not to have any background noise. So he clears his throat and looks down at his wine glass. “The music stopped.”

Emily, who is mid-sip, gasps. “Oh my goodness, when did that happen?!” She puts her wine glass on the table a little roughly and the liquid sloshes a bit. “I know exactly what to play next!”

She rises to her feet and wobbles a bit before sitting back down with a loud belly laugh. “That’s embarrassing,” she says, when Alex reaches over to steady her.

“You okay?” He’s smiling like an idiot, and he knows it’s mainly because the wine has hit them both like a truck.

She stands again, slower this time. “I am good!!!” She says, balancing herself for a moment. When she finally stops wobbling, she nods her head.

“Now THIS… THIS ONE is my favorite!” She stumbles over to the record player with wobbly knees, and Alex snorts. She’s said that the last four have been her favorite. He swears he hears her mumble a quick, “shut up” but he brushes it aside as he watches her fiddle with her records. She’s got an impressive collection, he will admit. He reckons he could spend hours, maybe even days, listening to every single one with her. Hearing her talk about her favorites, watching her eyes light up when she hears a lyric she loves, listening to the stories behind why she loves the songs.

She stumbles a bit again and giggles at herself, and Alex is about to tease her when the music starts.

It takes him a minute to recognize the song, but he does recognize it. It feels like he hasn’t listened to it in quite a while, but he does remember it playing occasionally in the barracks whenever they were able to listen to the radio. He’d never actually listened to the lyrics until now, though, and it makes his heart achey.

Do I want to be with you As the years come and go? Only forever If you care to know

Alex nods in approval. “Bing Crosby. Very nice.”

Emily sways over to him with another giggle, wiggling her hips a bit. “Do you want to dance?” She extends her hand out, and Alex takes a moment to just take all of this in.

He smirks, looking at her long fingers reaching out to him. At her smile, tinged purple with wine, and her eyes that are a little bit droopy. Her hair thats messy and a little bit frizzy. She’s never looked more beautiful.

“You’re a little sap, aren’t you?” He doesn’t budge quite yet, but of course he’s going to dance with her.

She pouts, stomping her foot a bit. “Come onnnnn. Please? I haven’t had a proper slow dance in ages. Neither have you.”

The smirk never leaves his lips. “You don’t know that. You don’t know what we did in the barracks.”

Emily laughs so hard her eyes close. Alex knows it wasn’t that funny, but he’s got her laughing, and he’s so happy about that. So he takes her hand and pulls himself to his feet.

It comes so naturally to him. Dancing with her is easy. It always has been, so it comes as no surprise that it all comes right back to him. Even if she is right, and he hasn’t danced in ages.

Would I grant all your wishes And be proud of the task Only forever If someone should ask

He interlaces his fingers with hers and uses his free hand to pull her in by the small of her back. Her head rests on his chest, and he feels her instantly relax against him. She may be a bit drunk, and probably using him for balance, but he loves this. She lets out a sigh, as if she’d been holding it in all night.

As they sway, Alex realizes how good he feels. How he hasn’t felt this good in a long, long time. He inhales the scent of her hair, and presses his lips softly against her head. This doesn’t fix him. It doesn’t take away the pain he’s felt, and the memories he has. It doesn’t change how mean he was to her last night, and how sad he is. But right now, as she’s pressed up against him and humming softly along to the song, it is enough.

“Do you know this song?” Her voice is so quiet it takes him a moment to realize she’s even speaking.

He listens to the words a bit more.

How long would it take me To be near if you beckon? Off hand I would figure Less than a second

“Think I’ve heard it before. Don’t know the words though.”

Emily giggles, and Alex feels her body jolt against him when she hiccups again. “I don’t really either. But it’s pretty.”

She’s right, it is pretty. He smiles to himself and closes his eyes softly. He allows himself to relax, to be here with her. To be drunk, not because it helps him numb the pain, but because it’s fun. Because they’re happy, and because maybe they belong together. Maybe they’re in love.

“Is it still too early to talk about it?”

Alex lifts his head a bit to look down at her. “Hm?”

“About…” She trails off, seemingly at a loss for words, and then sighs. “I dunno. I just really care about you Alex.”

And he knows then what’s on her mind. He swallows the lump that he can feel rising in his throat and pulls her a little bit closer to him. “I care about you, too, Emy.”

“No but I really care about you.” He knows what she’s trying to say. He wants to say it too. But they’d never said it before, and they certainly couldn’t say it now. She shakes her head against his chest. “I just… don’t wan’t you to think you need to be something you aren’t around me. I don’t want you to feel like you have to have this guard up. Like I’m not going to be here to help you when–” She catches herself and chews on her bottom lip before continuing. “IF you need it.”

On any other occasion, Alex would have told her to stop. He would’ve gotten angry at her and told her she’d ruined the moment. But now with the wine in his system and her body pressed against his, he knows she hasn’t ruined it at all. She’s made it better.

His voice is quiet when he speaks. “I just want to be a good man for you.”

She laughs through her nose at that and gives him a little squeeze. “You are, Alex. You’re the best, strongest, most wonderful man I’ve ever known.”

Do you think I’ll remember How you looked when you smile? Only forever That’s puttin’ it mild

He swallows again, the lump in his throat now threatening to rise higher and higher. “Emily, I’m not.”

His voice vibrates in his chest against her ear, and it makes her smile. “But you are! You don’t give yourself enough credit, Alex. My god, I can’t imagine the things you’ve seen and what you’ve been through. It hurts me to know that you’re still in any kind of pain because of it. But I’m always, always going to be here. To listen. To let you hurt. To let you cry even, if that’s you need.”

Alex wants to cry now, but he wills himself not to. He’d already done enough crying to last him a lifetime yesterday in the tub, and he doesn’t want to relive that. So he stays silent while Emily continues her speech.

“I am not asking you to tell me everything. I am not asking you to work on anything about yourself. You have nothing to work on, because you’re just Alex. You’re still Alex. The same one as before. The same one I fell in love…” She catches the slip up and cuts herself off, and his heart pounds through his chest.

Of course they’re in love. He’s always known they’re in love. For him, it has always, always been her. And now to hear her say that, it both terrifies and excites him.

She lets out a breath, trying to brush off what she just said. “You’re still Alex. And whatever it is that you’re feeling, I want to be here. I want to know.” She looks up at him and smiles when their eyes meet. She cups his face in her hands. “You are a good man, Alex.”

He closes his eyes, melting into her touch, before turning his head to kiss the inside of her wrist. “I do not deserve you, Emily.”

She smiles bringing her hands down to wrap him in a hug. “I just… want you to know that. Okay?” She tilts her head to press a kiss into his chest and then covers the spot with her cheek once more.

He doesn’t say anything back at first, letting her words sink in. He feels dizzy with the wine and with everything she’s just said and with her intoxicating scent filling his nose. He holds on to her as if she’s going to steady him, and he allows his eyes to close.

Is he going to remember this tomorrow? Is she? Does it matter? All that matters is that right now, the bad thoughts are gone. Right now, he’s Alex from London. With a pretty girl drunk in his arms and a belly full of wine. France doesn’t matter. Dunkirk doesn’t matter. Because right now he’s safe.

She yawns and then giggles at herself softly. “I’m sorry for that. Hope it didn’t ruin the moment.”

Alex smiles, pulling away ever so slightly just so that he can look at her. Her smile tugs on his heartstrings, and he loves it. “We should go to bed, yeah?”

“Yeah. You’re sleeping in my bed with me, right?”

“No actually, I thought I’d take the couch. More comfy.” He smirks, obviously joking, and she whines.

“You will do no such thing, Alexander.”

He raises his eyebrows. “Oooh, using the full name on me, are we? Alright Emily Grace.”

She sticks out her bottom lip in a pout, and he pokes at it. “Put that lip away. Of course m’gonna sleep with you tonight.”

She gives him a smile that takes up her whole face. “REALLY?!”

He nods. “Yeah. Who else is going to protect me?” He wraps an arm around her and begins walking them to her bedroom, while she giggles and mutters nonsense.

Ten minutes later they are in bed. Her legs are tangled up in his and her head is on his chest. It feels so good. Beyond good, in fact, to have her in his arms. He feels just as safe as he’s making her feel.

She traces little circles into his chest and he can feel her eyelashes fluttering closed against his bare skin. She won’t be awake much longer now, but selfishly he wants her to stay awake so they can live in this moment, this night, forever.

“No more nightmares tonight,” she half-whispers, and he smiles up at the ceiling.

“Okay.”

She speaks though a loud yawn. “But that doesn’t mean I’m not going to be here if there is one.”

He chuckles. “I know. I appreciate it.”

She snuggles closer to him. “You’re not going to leave me, right?”

It hurts his heart, but he knows its a valid question. It’s a question even he doesn’t know the answer to. He doesn’t want to leave here ever again. But living the way he lives is exhausting, and despite her heartfelt speech tonight, he doesn’t want her to have to live that way.

He kisses her head gently. “I’ll stay with you for as long as you want me to.”

He is given a soft little snore in response, and he knows she’s asleep. It makes him smile to know that she feels safe enough to sleep in his arms like this, and he wants to fall asleep this way every night.

He feels sleep coming on fast, so he gives her one more kiss before closing his eyes and letting himself drift. And just before unconsciousness washes over him like a wave, he whispers, “I’m in love with you, too, by the way.”

That night, there are no nightmares.

#alex AU #AU #Dunkirk #Harry styles #Harry styles AU

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