#they sing around the piano and they write her a review and they teach her to camp

[natjennie]

IM SORRY YOU LOST THE SISTER YOU NEVER HAD YOURE THE SISTER I NEVER HAD

[yazzberry]

any excuse to make moodboards...

I just thought I'd share with you my personal visions for this story and the characters I'm going to be writing (honestly, I'll take any excuse to make a mood board), including their birthdays, interests, visual muses, aesthetics, etc. 

If you agree with any of my visions, please let me know in the comments. I'd love to hear all your opinions and head-canons!

—୨୧—

Note: I gave all the characters the same last names as their voice actors (except for Alejandro, since they give us his last name in the show haha).

— ❥ —

Name: Courtney Lucille Barlow Birthday: October 17 (16 years old) (Libra) Interests/Hobbies: speech & debate, volleyball, reading, watching Gilmore Girls and The Vampire Diaries (guilty pleasures), student council, singing (but refuses to join the school choir), playing the piano, watching college vlogs and other youtube videos about college (her dream school is Yale) Visual Muse: (Cindy Kimberly)

— ꕥ —

Name: Bridgette Isobel Fairlie Birthday: June 25 (16 years old) (Cancer) Interests/Hobbies: surfing, swimming, marine biology, cooking vegetarian dishes, baking, crocheting (even though she's really bad at it), roller skating, riding on her bike, watching romcoms (she always cries at the happy endings), making candles, leading environmental club Visual Muse: (Sasha Pieterse)

— ❈ —

Name: Gwendolyn (Gwen) Ingrid Fahlenbock Birthday: February 8 (16 years old) (Aquarius) Interests/Hobbies: drawing in her sketchbook, painting, listening to Deftones, making playlists, binging reality TV shows (secretly loves the petty drama), painting her nails twice a week, helps make sets for school plays and stage manages, loves rainy days, smoking weed, messing with her cello, feeding stray cats Visual Muse: (Krysten Ritter)

— ♔ —

Name: Heather Saeko Wilson Birthday: January 11 (16 years old) (Capricorn) Interests/Hobbies: cheerleading, dancing ballet, keeping a following on social media, photography (she'd never admit it but she likes taking more than just selfies), watching sad romance movies and Gossip Girl, shopping, fashion, likes history (it's all just gossip), being around people (doesn't do too well alone, but would never admit it) Visual Muse: (Sandy Diana Bang)

— ✪ —

Name: Duncan Wilder Nelson Birthday: March 30 (16 years old) (Aries) Interests/Hobbies: skating, soccer, tagging graffiti everywhere (especially abandoned buildings), smoking weed, teaching his dog (Petey) tricks, loves late-night drives, listening to grunge rock, watching old movies, playing the drums, secretly likes going to vintage bookstores and record stores, loves a good Oreo McFlurry, secretly really good at math Visual Muse: (Zario Bolanos)

— ༄ —

Name: Geoff Bartol Petronijevic Birthday: December 3 (16 years old) (Sagittarius) Interests/Hobbies: surfing, swimming, wakeboarding, water polo, lacrosse (and is actually really good at it), partying, comedy movies, listening to house music and international music (especially eastern European), cooking for friends, is determined to throw a Project X-level party someday, actually really likes pottery and clay-making Visual Muse: (Brad Pitt)

— ✼ —

Name: Trent Theodore McCord Birthday: April 26 (16 years old) (Taurus) Interests/Hobbies: playing the guitar, listening to all genres of music, watching and reviewing great films (loves Letterbox'd), reading, writing songs and poems, surfing the internet, taking care of his little sisters when his mom isn't home, driving to scenic spots for song inspiration and some peace of mind, working a shift at the local daycare center Visual Muse: (Logan Lerman)

—    ҉    —

Name: Alejandro Matías Burromuerto Birthday: August 13 (16 years old) (Leo) Interests/Hobbies: soccer, beach volleyball, singing, student council, theater and drama, posting on social media, flirting with random girls (but never seeing it through), partying, watching black & white films, always seeks to outshine his brother (often doesn't succeed), tutoring others (is really strong in all subjects) Visual Muse: (Xavier Serrano)

friendly reminder that this is all for my story now posted on wattpad and fanfiction.net, ENDGAME.

[thosesixyears]

Hiatus - Parklands review

Parklands was released in 2013 by British-Iranian producer Cyrus Shahrad, aka Hiatus. Seven tracks were co-written by British-Russian producer Alexandra Lilah Denton, aka Shura, who also performed vocals for the tracks in question. The title track “Parklands” was a collaboration with the Indian group Kirtaniyas.

Parklands was released after Shura and Hiatus had collaborated prior as “Hiatus & Shura”, releasing the tracks “River” and “Fortune’s Fool”, which were later included on this album.

From my very first listen to Parklands, I was immediately captivated by it. I listened to the whole album and was hit with an intense wave of emotions as each track played through to completion. Then I listened to it again, and again, and it quickly became my top listened-to album in October leading me to order a signed CD and eventually write this review. 

The album opens with "We Can Be Ghosts Now", where warm and welcoming instrumentation is juxtaposed by lyrics describing war making its way to London. 

“Bury everything you own On a hill in Peckham Rye Say a prayer for those you've known As tracer fire scars the sky”

The destruction is framed through the protagonist's desire to be with their lover in death, "Meet me in the dust cloud" "As the towers topple all around", so that they can "be ghosts now", finally being free in death.

With the public consciousness over these past months being so focused on the destruction in Gaza, I can't help but feel sad when I listen to this. The story it tells, despite describing a fictional war coming to London, feels relevant and frighteningly real.

"Cloud City" poignantly describes the protagonist losing a loved one "somewhere overseas". "As I held on to the sleeve of your coat" makes me think the protagonist was only a child when this happened, being forced to leave their parent or guardian behind as they then travelled overseas to their new home, possibly as a refugee.

Furthermore, “Something moved when I moved and you…” seems to describe the separation, as the protagonist’s grip on their guardian’s coat was lost, trailing off into the other repeating lines of the song.

“How did I ever lose you?” can also be heard throughout, speaking to the regret of the events.

As with “We Can Be Ghosts Now”, “Cloud City” follows the trend of songs with warm and comforting arrangements, beautifully blending organic and inorganic sounds, combined with melancholy lyrics.

"A Silver Exit" in comparison, being instrumental, is a welcome relief from the rawness of the previous two tracks' lyrics. Warm synth pads, slow percussion and reversed piano notes feel delicate and soothing. Before fading away and leaving the listener refreshed and primed for the next track.

"River", shares the same warm instrumentation as the rest of the album so far, but the lyrics are cryptic. Shura sings "Still you were so" over and over through the first half of the track. Sometimes the vocals include harmony and sometimes they are sung delicately solo. Occasionally "You took me down" and "to the river" are heard.

However, near the end of the track, the tone changes as Shura sings "You took me down, and drowned me" before staying silent. At the end, as the song fades, she can be heard again singing "You took me down" but the song ends before the rest of the verse can be finished. The mystery of "River" is intriguing. It sounds as if it could be the testimony of a murder victim, calling out the actions of their murderer from beyond the grave. Or, given she continues to sing as the song ends, it could be metaphorical. 

A YouTube user commented another possible interpretation, stating:

“Once again Hiatus and Shura teach us something about love, life, death, and peace.  After all he's done to her, she still loves him. Her 'soul' belongs to him.  The River may not be as literal or as metaphorical as one may think. It speaks of her becoming lost in him - 'drowned' as it were, in the swift currents of the river that is him.  And in the embrace of the river that she's been drowned in, she's found peace.” (Clauser)

This is possibly backed up by the original iteration of this song, written by Shura before “Parklands”. In Shura’s version, there is a line, “Come with me there I’ll marry you, darling, I’ll take you and make you my wife” (Denton), which does not appear in the later version that appears on “Parklands”. Shura’s version also does not include the line “You took me down and drowned me”, which implies the intent may not have been my own darker interpretation of the song.

Either way, Hiatus and Shura have not said what their intent was, and in my opinion, not knowing makes me feel uneasy. That said, the mystery only improves the song in my opinion. Alastair James Dickie’s review of “Parklands” closes on a similar note, stating that “The album treats me like a grown up capable of coming to my own conclusions. I really love that.” (Dickie)

"Fortune's Fool" is exemplary of the bittersweet feeling “Parklands” has as an album. It seems to imply, through its title “Fortune’s Fool”; a reference to Romeo and Juliet, and through its lyrics, the foolishness brought on by love. To me, it seems to be sung reflectively, looking back at the events that lead up to the present of the song.

There is a lot to unpack here, from the reference to Romeo and Juliet to the line “And I Am Kissing You”, likely a reference to Des'ree’s “Kissing You”, a song written for the 1996 film adaptation of Romeo and Juliet.

The music video is also interesting, showing a couple played by Hiatus and Shura, cutting their bed in half with a chainsaw, then taking the pieces, using them to build a raft with a white flag and setting out to sea on it (“Hiatus - Fortune’s Fool”). It speaks to the possible failures of their relationship and their eventual surrender to each other, literally setting off towards new horizons.

It’s a song that I think deserves further analysis, one which I would like to return to examine more here. For now, I’ll say that I appreciate all the symbolism, and the combination of the lyrics and beautiful instrumental backing track makes me feel a particular sadness, much like the rest of the album.

The title track "Parklands" has a beautiful, slow and deliberate build, before leading into the midsection with performances and vocals from the Indian group Kirtaniyas (credited here as Kirtanayas). The best translation I could find is that they are singing "Glory to Ram(a) and Sita" in Hindi. I do not speak Hindi but Google Translate does give me a transliteration that contains the words of what is sung (albeit perhaps in the incorrect order).

"Parklands" appears to be a remix of "Sita Rama" by Kirtaniyas, presented on the album "Parklands" as a collaboration. What Hiatus does with it is utterly transformative, retaining the original atmosphere but changing the genre completely.

"Parklands", like the album, is beautiful, and despite not being Hindu or speaking Hindi, I find the vocals and their backing soundscape mesmerising and comforting. The simplicity of it is refreshing, especially after the lyrically and symbolically dense tracks preceding it.

"Iran Air", one of my favourites on the album, opens with an LFO-filtered synth lead playing darker notes, which are then underscored by a deep reece bass. Shimmering pads and delicate piano notes then lead into the vocals. 

“Iran Air” is a fictionalised retelling of what people like Hiatus’ own father went through as refugees fleeing Iran, as he described in an interview.

“Obviously, it’s ultimately a tribute to my father. I wanted it to express the feeling of living in a country that isn’t your home. You can become acclimatised to living somewhere like London but you’ll never completely let go of that other life that you lived.” (King)

He goes on to describe his familial and personal connection to Iran, saying, 

“I’m half Iranian, my Mum’s English. I spent my first year and a half there, then the revolution happened and my family moved to the UK. We went back once in ’82 and then while we were there the war with Iraq kicked off. Saddam Hussein started bombing Tehran. After that my Dad washed his hands of it, assuming that we’d never go back. But when I reached my twenties I felt like there was this whole part of my life that I knew nothing about, and I wanted so desperately to reconnect with it. So in 2005 I went back to work as a journalist, covering the elections for The Sunday Times. That was the most seminal, formative experience of my life. I started obsessing over Iranian music and sampling loads of my Dad’s old records which were still in the house I was staying in. Lots of those samples appear on Ghost Notes.” (King)

This personal connection can absolutely be felt in “Iran Air”, which beautifully describes the trauma of leaving one’s home behind to start a new life, while never forgetting your origins.

As an Ojibwe person living on Turtle Island, I may not have any personal experience to draw on in comparison to living as a refugee, but I fully understand the connection we as individuals have to the lands we are Indigenous to, and “Iran Air” speaks to me in this way on a personal level.

“Iran Air” closes with the verse,

“Living for a secret sign Living for a secret sign and Dreaming Iran Air Looking up at every passing flight Every one a prayer”.

The verse describes the protagonist's desire to eventually return home to Iran on a returning flight. It is poignant and heartfelt, and the way “Iran Air” beautifully connects “Parklands” to Hiatus’ own past and heritage is really what makes the album stand out to me, more than it already did for the quality of its production and vocals. 

"Returning", along with the rest of the tracks on the album, is mostly instrumental aside from a few sampled vocals and non-lexical vocals sung by Shura on the final track.

“Returning” is a more upbeat and optimistic-sounding arrangement. It contains many of the same elements as “Iran Air” as well as the occasional vocal sample in a language I don’t recognize (perhaps Farsi vocals sampled from Hiatus’ father’s records?). The name “Returning” leads me to believe the track is an impression of Hiatus’ own experiences returning to Iran in his twenties. It is a beautiful track and a heartwarming follow-up to “Iran Air”, especially if my interpretation is correct.

"As Close to Me as You Are Now", opens with the distinctive sound of an orchestra tuning, which is then looped and backed by a steady four on the floor beat. Delayed and reversed notes play with a soothing bassline and gentle piano notes interspersed. A vocal sample saying something resembling “then we shall” is played occasionally before a mid-section with classical-sounding choral samples. 

Like many others on the album, the track is warm and soothing. Through the delicate and masterful arrangement of digitally manipulated audio and subtle synth and beats, “As Close to Me as You Are Now” is a track that beautifully fades into the background, lulling the listener into a pleasant trance.

"Call off Your Storm" is another beautiful instrumental. This time making use of a lot of what sounded like reversed guitar notes and a delicate solo performance on what I’m assuming is violin. It has more samples that I again assume are from Hiatus’ father’s record collection, including some vocals and a wind instrument I do not recognize. There are many small crescendos along with the reversed guitar notes which makes it sound like the composition is breathing before it eventually ends and leads to the final track.

"Tiny Doors”, the album’s closer, forgoes beats, large arrangements or lyrics, opting for a piano arrangement performed by Hiatus with the sounds of people muttering on a public street in the background. Shura’s vocals are distorted and manipulated into sounding like a wind instrument of some form, creating a beautiful, unique and emotional texture. It calmly ends with no grand fanfare or statement. The album ends before you even realise it was going to, simultaneously leaving you yearning for more and satisfied at the same time. If there was a more perfect way to close such a beautiful album, I don’t know what it is.

Overall the “Parklands” sounds very warm and laid back, putting the listener's guard down so the contrast with the comparably dark lyrics leaves them with an intense sense of melancholy and sadness. Music rarely provokes such an intense emotional reaction from me, so Parklands was an immediate standout and will likely remain one of my favourite albums going forward. I wish I’d heard it earlier, but I’m happy I discovered it nonetheless.

Parklands can be listened to on most major streaming platforms and purchased on Hiatus’ Bandcamp, where he also sells signed CDs.

Works Cited

Clauser, Ian, [@Darkhunter190able]. “Once Again Hiatus and Shura Teach Us Something About Love, Life, Death, and Peace...” Hiatus - River, 12 July 2013. Youtube, youtube.com/watch?v=Wlz-F5O27Gc&lc=Ugw-U5yTU4aPMYad_hp4AaABAg.

Denton, Alexandra Lilah, (Shura). “Shura ‘River.’” YouTube, uploaded by Villette2011, 15 Sept. 2011, youtube.com/watch?v=EiFm54h-vu8.

Dickie, Alastair James. “Album Review: ‘Parklands’ by Hiatus.” Soft Concrete, 24 May 2013, softconcrete.net/2013/05/08/album-review-parklands-by-hiatus.

“Hiatus - Fortune’s Fool.” YouTube, directed by Dan Susman, uploaded by Cyrus Shahrad [djhiatus], 15 Aug. 2011, youtube.com/watch?v=vMYvICifzCk. King, Alex. “Hiatus Interview - Cyrus Shahrad Talks Iran Air and Parklands.” Huck, 7 Dec. 2023, huckmag.com/article/hiatus.

[okay-what-if-rumir]

What if Porridge learned to talk? What if Porridge learned to SING?

While The Two Princes Discord was on the topic of languages...

Rupert learning dragon from Porridge by randomly repeating sounds Porridge makes while Porridge gets more excited and starts teaching Rupert.

Rupert and Porridge having growling fits while Amir is just: insert concerned mom face

Rupert, to Amir: Turns out our dragon child can talk and we just haven't been listening right.

But like the reverse too, so that at some point Porridge just casually goes "Hi Mom" to Amir one day.

Rupert: He told me some things you've told him, btw. Just so you know I heard it from him.

Amir: When did Porridge learn English? Rupert: W h a t

They have to be very careful what they say around him because he's like a toddler who's just learned how to mimic adults…

Porridge: @#%*!

Rumir, looking at each other in horror: Cecily! (Because KCS said Cecily would be the most likely to swear)

Gasps Porridge singing

Well that's something I didn't know I needed until today.

Omg. Somewhere Out There by Porridge

Porridge has a really gravely voice

Proud of Your Boy by Porridge though despite the gravel

Surprising big range, maybe a little breathy but definitely has the gravel.

Yes

And his low notes make you vibe

Could impersonate a didgeridoo

Or a vuvuzela

Oh my god he sounds like a didgeridoo

Instead of a rooster crowing, it's Porridge imitating a didgeridoo

Such a beautiful sound to wake up to

I need a fic on this now.

(art by @spoopdeedoop​)

Morning Mood by Grieg but it's interrupted by Porridge and his didgeridoo noise

What if he played the Theremin while he sang as a didgeridoo?

Goosebumps Theme by Porridge

Porridge singing alongside an actual didgeridoo

Yes

Definitely

Absolutely

They use Porridge to tune the didgeridoo

Do you tune didgeridoos?

I… don't think so?

They use the didgeridoo to tune Porridge

Ride of the Valkyries but it's Porridge in a Viking helmet

(Which is just a regular helmet with holes for his horns)

Porridge playing the piano with his tail spikes

Porridge is MVP honestly

Rupert and Amir can finally resign as parents; Porridge has reached the peak of talent.

Atossa grills them on how they've been training him for battle etc, but they're like "No! We're letting him follow his passions."

Yes

A one dragon band but with obscure instruments.

Porridge with a Theremin at his left claw, bongos at his right claw, a piano at his tail ready to impersonate a didgeridoo: "This one goes out to my moms. I love you!"

Yes. They're absolutely his Mamas and no one can convince me otherwise.

Rupert and Amir are recording with tears rolling down their faces.

Amir is the one behind the oversized camcorder.

Rupert is the one unconsciously mimicking the dance moves from the audience.

Rupert is that one teacher orchestrating a first grade dance, except he didn't teach the moves

Jamila makes an interpretive dance to it

Porridge: Up on stage with all his instruments, looking out nervously at the audience, his fear is palpable. He looks out at the audience and sees his mamas. Mama Rupert is smiling and giving him the thumbs up. He takes a breath and starts to play. It's warbly at first, but evens out, his confidence grows and… The audience is stunned, it's incredible. Then from stage left: Jamila tumbles out and begins her dance.

With ribbons

The audience gasps. It's the most awe-inspiring piece of art the Heartland has seen.

Percy Jr writes the review in the papers, and it has people talking for months.

It gets nominated for all awards ever and wins.

Porridge and Jamila up on stage getting their medals. Porridge is just stunned and crying and Jamila directs the applause to him.

Porridge becomes an international pop star

NOW Rupert and Amir can officially resign as parents because Porridge has reached the peak of talent.

What do you y'all think is the extent of Porridge's English? Do you think he knows as much as a three year old would?

Yus.

I mean it'd make sense

That'd be so cute

Porridge speaks fluent uwu language

 @oftheflamingheart​ @chinesetakeout16​ @spoopdeedoop​ @dailydoseofrumir​ @fwufferson​ @cloudcover23​

[brokenbuttonsmusic]

Laura Cantrell: Nashville-born, New York-based, Acclaimed Country Singer-Songwriter & DJ (& Kitty Wells Fanatic)

This post is a near- transcript of the Broken Buttons: Buried Treasure Music podcast (episode 2, side B). Here you’ll find the narration from the segment featuring the pioneering rock band Fanny, along with links, videos, photos and references for the episode.

Listen to the full episode on Spotify, Anchor or Mixcloud.

Music blog Stereogum used to have a running feature called “Quit Your Day Job” where they interviewed indie musicians about their current or former jobs. There was one with Marty and Drew from the band Blitzen Trapper. The two discussed being torn about walking away from teaching as their third album, Wild Mountain Nation, was starting to blow up. There was another where the lead singer of War on Drugs detailed some of the disgusting things he had to clean up while working as an apartment property manager. Mostly dead rats and clogged toilet stuff, but he did walk into an apartment that had been converted into a porno set. I remembered this discontinued “musician day job” feature while reading up on my next featured artist and it got me thinking. 

How many professional musicians do you think have a full time day job? How many juggle multiple side gigs and still manage to tour and put out records regularly? How many have really successful careers all while trying to make it as a musician? 

I don’t actually know. I did some research and there aren’t any reliable stats that I could find. There is a lot of anecdotal discussion on the topic. The consensus seems to be that most musicians are not getting by with music as their only, or even their primary source of income. I don’t think anyone is surprised by that. 

One Reddit user said less than 5% of musicians derive all or most of their income from music. He didn’t offer a source or anything, but he seemed very authoritative in his post. And then after a few more Google searches I lost interest and listened to more Laura Cantrell. 

Laura Cantrell’s story is what got me pondering how indie musicians go about juggling making art with the necessity of, you know, making a living to survive. In 2003, after two critically acclaimed albums, including a tour opening for Elvis Costello all across the United States and Europe, Cantrell was at a similar crossroads. Laura had risen to the position of Vice President of Equity Research at Bank of America in New York. Yes, you heard me right. Laura Cantrell was working as a corporate executive and touring with Elvis Costello at the same time. She actively worked on the road during the day and then performed for thousands of people each night.

Before we get further into what led up to this point and what came after, let’s hear a song from Laura Cantrell’s debut album, Not the Tremblin’ Kind. Here’s the title track.

That was Not the Tremblin’ Kind from Laura Cantrell’s first album back in the year 2000.

Laura grew up in Nashville. She played a little bit of piano and sang in the church choir, but did not get into performing music and playing out until her college years. As a teenager she worked at the Country Music Hall of Fame as a tour guide. This job, in addition to the influence of the diverse musical tastes of her parents, sparked an interest in traditional music, particularly classic country. She also became somewhat of an aficionado in this area. 

This love and knowledge of the early days of country music would help differentiate Laura as she honed her sound and selected her songs while developing as a performer down the road. Before that, however, it would make her an excellent college radio DJ and later an even more excellent DJ at WFMU, one of the best and longest running free-form radio stations in the country. Out of the New Jersey/New York area, WFMU is awesome to this day, with a wide array of programming where DJs still get to play whatever they want. 

Laura is my favorite kind of DJ, and the kind that has been dwindling in numbers since the rise of music downloads, which then gave way to streaming and endless algorithms. First off, she’s knows her stuff. She carefully curates each shows, and thoughtfully sequences each set within every episode. She packs in history, context and story to create something that transcends your typical weekend-afternoon-background-radio-soundtrack. I know this show is about under appreciated bands and artists, but Laura Cantrell’s contributions to radio deserve to be heard by more people. You can find her past WFMU shows, called The Radio Thrift Shop, archived on the WFMU website. You can hear her present day on her “States of Country” radio show on the Gimmie Country radio app, or on her SiriusXM George Harrison themed show “Dark House Radio,” on The Beatles station.

This concludes the part of the show where I babble my enthusiastic endorsement of Laura Cantrell’s past and present radio career.

Laura began playing music with others in college at Columbia University. Her jam pals included Andrew Webster, future member of Tsunami Bomb and Mac McCaughan, who would go on to form Superchunk and Portastatic + found Merge Records. The friends would call their band Bricks. A lo-fi, mostly apartment recording projects that played sporadic gigs over the years. 

Here’s the Brick’s song, The Girl with the Carrot Skin.

Living in New York, Laura began playing guitar and writing her own songs. She also plucked some choice classic country finds and incorporated them into her own performance catalog. One day she met a guy named John who asked her to sing on a song that would appear on his band’s next major label release for Elektra. 

That’s The Guitar from They Might Be Giant’s 1992 album, Apollo 18. John Flansburgh asked Laura to sing on that recording. It was the first time Laura recorded in a professional studio. John Flansburgh became a fan of Laura’s music and released her first recorded material as part of his Hello CD of the Month Club, an EP called The Hello Recordings in 1996. 

Let’s hear another Laura Cantrell song. This time one that she wrote with Amy Allison. From Laura Cantrell’s 2014 album, No Way There From Here, this is All the Girls are Complicated. 

That was Laura Cantrell with All the Girls Are Complicated from her last full length release, No Way There From Here. Actually, that was her last full album of new material, but Laura did release an album a few years back of her BBC recordings on John Peel’s radio show. That album is called At the BBC: On Air Performances and Recordings 2000-2005. 

I mentioned earlier that Peel was a big fan. Again, here’s John Peel’s full quote about Laura’s first album, Not the Tremblin’ Kind: "[It is] my favourite record of the last ten years and possibly my life.” Having the endorsement of the legendary English disc jockey was enough to give Cantrell wider exposer throughout the UK. She developed a loyal fanbase through regular appearances on Peel’s show, as well as US and European tours, including the opening slot for Elvis Costello. Which brings us back to Laura’s fork in the road. Before her third album, Laura decided to walk away from the corporate gig. She was excited to focus on music full time, but a little worried about walking away from the security of a successful career she liked and position she was good at.

From a spotlight CNN Business did on Cantrell in 2004:

“For several months until she finally quit, Cantrell balanced her day job with a growing schedule of rehearsals, gigs, recordings and publicity. On the day she appeared on the Conan O'Brien show she was at her desk until lunchtime.”

“And while life as a professional musician is a dream come true, Cantrell still looks back with fondness on more than a decade on Wall Street.”

“‘I came into Wall Street with a very typical kind of stereotype that it was all going to be people just obsessed with money. What I found was that there were just loads of interesting people who were a lot like myself, just doing it as a job and who had lives that were full of other things.’

‘So I miss some of the contact with people I met. Ironically it was a very supportive environment for me as an artist.’”

Laura’s first two albums were released on the the indie label Diesel Only, which was founded by her husband, Jeremey Tepper. Her third album was released by Matador Records, also an indie label, but with an impressive roster that included Liz Phair, Modest Mouse, Pavement and Sleater-Kinney. Released in 2005, Humming By the Flowered Vine continues Cantrell’s classic country sound, but with some evolved production and arrangements. Laura’s mastery as a song selector gets more and more impressive. This album includes a cover of a rare, unreleased Lucinda Williams song form 1975 called, “Letters.” 

In fact, Lucinda Williams herself was thoroughly impressed with Laura’s cover of “Letters.” She attributes the cover to bolstering her confidence to go back through her earlier material and look for her own buried treasures. 

From Blurt Magazine: 

“The inspiration for her journey through the past struck when she heard Laura Cantrell’s version of her song ‘Letters,’ which Williams wrote around 1975 and recorded on a demo but never officially released. Explains Williams, ‘She got a copy from a mutual friend and did a beautiful, really sweet version of it that made me think wow, she brought this early song back to life, maybe I should go back and review some of my old stuff. I’ve got all these tapes of old little songs, but I never thought they were good enough to do anything with.’”

You know you’re an ace at finding under appreciated gems when you surprise Lucinda Williams by helping her discover one of her own songs. Let’s hear Laura Cantrell’s version of Letters.

That was Laura Cantrell with Letters from her 2005 release Humming by the Flowered Vine.

In 2008, Laura returned with an EP called, Trains and Boats and Planes with 9 songs about… trains, and boats and planes. It’s very good and it includes a fun cover of New Order’s Love Vigilantes. 

Throughout this time, Laura continued her radio show. She also started a family and became co-owner and co-operator of Diesel Only Records. 

In this clip from an interview with Face Culture, you can really hear Laura’s passion for country music and its roots. She talks about the importance of country’s influence on rock n’ roll, and how each artist is inspired by something great that came before. 

And Laura continuously pays tribute to the greats that came before through her radio show and on her own records. In 2011, Laura released a tribute to Kitty Wells called “Kitty Wells Dresses: Songs of the Queen of Country Music.” The collection includes nine Kitty Wells covers and one original, the title track, Kitty Wells Dresses.

From the Washington Post:

Here’s Laura talking about the inspiration for the album. 

“Kitty wore very typical stage clothes for women who performed at barn dances and in early country music shows,” says Cantrell, a Nashville-born, New York-based country singer and host of an old-time music show on the legendary radio station WFMU.

“They were these frilly gingham dresses, non-threatening and cutesy. It became this uniform that all the women of the era wore, and I always thought it was a great metaphor for how you can underestimate the strength of the person or the value of the artist underneath.”

That was the song Kitty Wells Dresses from Laura Cantrell’s tribute album of the same name, released in 2011. Wells was the oldest living member of the Country Music Hall of Fame upon its release. She was also the first woman inducted into the hall. Cantrell met and talked to Kitty about her album. She said that Kitty asked which songs were selected and as Laura began calling them out, Kitty would sing each one. 

I’ve mentioned all of Laura’s past and present DJ efforts, all of which I’ll link to on my website, brokenbuttons.com. Laura also continues to release music. She had planned a host of special activities for the 20th anniversary of Not the Tremblin’ Kind, which had to be put on hold due to all things 2020. 

You can contribute to Laura’s IndigGoGo campaign to help fund her new digital singles collection that she’s already started releasing. The plan is to release six singles with an A and a B side, all working with different musicians and producers. I’d recommend the $50 Kitty Wells Dresses Pack, which gets you access to the digital singles as their released, a signed CD copy of both the singles collection and the Kitty Wells Dresses album, as well as a copy of Laura's essay on Kitty and Patsy Cline from the book "Rock and Roll Cage Match: Music's Greatest Rivalries"

Laura Cantrell is the rare performer whose work is deeply rooted in its original source material while still feeling fresh and exciting. Laura’s radio shows can be described the same way. A buried treasure unearthing buried treasure and taking the old and classic and making it new and lasting and so much sweeter. Laura Cantrell.

References and other stuff to check out:

Laura’s Indiegogo campaign for her digital singles series

The Radio Thrift Shop - Laura’s prior radio show. You can stream past episodes and check out her playlists

Gimmie Country, where Laura hosts her current show States of Country. New episodes air 3:00 Monday EST. Laura chats during the show with listeners in the app.

Darkhorse Radio on Sirius XM. Laura’s other show dedicated to George Harrison. New episodes air Thursday at 3:00.

John Peel wiki entry about Laura

TMBG wiki entry about Laura

A Wall Street journal feature on Laura

An NPR feature on Laura

A CNN Business Week feature on Laura

Stereogum archive of the Quit Your Day Job feature

[lonelypond]

A Coffeeshop Christmas Carol, Ch. 4

NicoMaki, Love Live, 3.1K, 4/6

Summary: Maki and Nico struggle with their working relationship, Eli continues overthinking, and Umi saves the afternoon.

Read The Darn Script

Nico enjoyed working on sets. A ever changing group of students keeping up a steady bustle. And progress. Every action made a show one step closer to opening night. Right now, Nico thought, sitting in the back row, staring at the half built unpainted framework of the Christmas Carol backdrop, it could be any show, any era, anywhere, just waiting for actors to step onstage, the lights to come up and the audience to be brought into a world created from imagination. Amazing.

“Umi said you’d be here. You weren’t answering texts.” Maki’s voice announced as the door slammed against the wall.

So much for the theatre being a hushed, hallowed space. Nico giggled, refusing to look at the redhead who slumped into a seat one away from Nico and held out several pages. “Here’s your duet.”

“Duet?” The play was full of them. Nico thought it had been a clever touch. Scrooge gets a solo at the start, then duets, then a finale full of everyone’s voices.

“Marley-Scrooge. Didn’t you say it was the heart of the play?”

Had Nico said that? Probably. “What did you think of Nico’s play?”

“Haven’t read it.”

Nico spun in her seat, “Haven’t read it?”

Maki shrugged, “Not in the mood.”

Nico didn’t know she could grind her teeth, “How can you write music without knowing anything about the play?”

“Scrooge hates people, loves money, ghosts scare the love of money out of him so he reconsiders loving people. It’s the basic Dickens one, right?” The arched eyebrow had enough attitude to out diva a theatre full of leads. Nico had been enjoying the quiet, but she wasn’t going to back down.

“There” and Nico drew out every word, “are character nuances specific to Nico’s script.”

Maki blinked, “You do know composing is different from writing an essay about your writing choices. Just take a look.” Maki poked Nico’s nose with the score sheets.

Nico batted them away, “Play it for Nico..”

“I’m busy.”

“Nico is also busy.”

“I’m doing you a favor.”

That was too much for Nico, “You’re doing your job. Composer in residence. Assigned to provide music for Nico’s lyrics so that Nico can showcase her A Christmas Carol adaptation during the Christmas pageant.” Nico stood, stepping into the gap between them, “Nico spent years working on this. Show some respect.” Nico ripped the pages out of Maki’s hand, turned and stormed out of the theatre.

That hadn’t gone any of the ways Maki had anticipated.

###

Eli shuffled the cards, sitting cross legged on the floor of her studio. Let them pick? Would random be fairer? Was she overthinking? Why had Nozomi perked up so much when Nico had mentioned Umi singing? Shaking herself, Eli glanced at herself in the mirror, took out the scrunchie holding her ponytail together and let her hair fall. She was doing her students no favors getting so distracted. It had been so nice to flirt, to have someone NOTICING her. It had also been nice having someone concerned about simple things like if she was eating. It was too easy to get into the dance masochist mindset, pushing everything aside to spend all available time and energy on art. Eli had grown up in that environment, scrambling for attention and parts, obsessing over form and appearance, seeing every other dancer as a rival. It had brought out all her worst traits and when the opportunity to teach at an advanced level here had opened up, Eli had packed up her life as soon as she opened the job offer email. But it had still been lonely. The students were respectful, but responded to Eli’s professionalism by stepping back. And while there had been a whirl of introducing the faculty events, Eli’s commitment to the barre didn’t allow for much socializing.

And if she didn’t decide which students got which dances soon, she would have even less time for socializing.

###

Maki was in the undecorated, anti holiday booth, now labelled Professor Scrooge’s corner, facing the side wall, perpendicular to the entrance. In front of her, Nico’s script, a seemingly innocuous pile of paper. Her coffee was cold. It was obviously a slow afternoon because Nozomi had seemingly limitless time to stare at her. And was now approaching with a cup of fresh coffee. Nozomi sat down, dipped a finger in Maki’s old cup, and winced, “Missed opportunity there. Was a good pot. Brought you new.”

Maki sighed. “Thanks.”

Nozomi pushed the script with a finger, “Want me to read it to ya? We could make it a bedtime story kinda thing.”

Maki actually recoiled, her chair colliding with the wall, her face pale. Nozomi giggled.

Nozomi picked up a couple of pages, scanning them, “Hey, this is cute.”

Maki frowned. Cutesy Christmas had been her ongoing nightmare for the past two years.

“You’re going to hate it.” Nozomi winked, “There’s decorations everywhere.”

“Scrooge wouldn’t.”

“No, but Cratchitt does. A little oasis of merry. And then there’s Fred.”

Maki found herself willing an influx of student customers, noisy and boisterous and thirsty. Freds. They refused to appear on cue.

“What did Christmas do to you?” Nozomi wondered, this time out loud.

This had been a mistake, Maki realized. Too public. But if Maki had tried reading in her studio with the piano right there, the script would have had no chance at all. Maybe she could sneak into an empty classroom or the back of the theatre when Nico was finished with today’s building activity.

“Thank you for the coffee.” Maki put the script back in her bag, stood, picked up the coffee and fled. It was in a ceramic mug.

Nozomi leaned back, thoughtful. She wasn’t having much recent success with keeping an audience.

###

Nico sat at the rehearsal piano, the music Maki had written propped up. Inhale. Find the keys, play through once slowly to make sure she remembered which keys...there were a lot, this would be slow going. After a tangle mid keyboard over a question of chording, Nico closed her eyes, groaned, inhaled, and began again…

“Nico?” Umi Sonoda’s voice rolled in from the back of the theatre Nico had reclaimed after a quick walk along the Riverside trail to vent some anger.

“Hi, Umi. Nico will be with you in a minute. Or an hour.”

Umi had quickly reached the piano at her usual pace and now leaned over Nico’s shoulder. “Would you like me to play for you?”

“Do you have your violin?”

Umi shook her head, “Not with me and I won’t do it justice with my skill on the piano, but if you’ll forgive me sightreading, I can play it for you. If that would help.”

“Nico could have managed, but if you really want to do Nico a favor.”

Umi smiled as Nico vacated the bench at high speed, “If that is your wish.”

“Nico’s wish was for Maki to play it when she dropped it off and to have read Nico’s play but at least now Nico has something to audition actors with so Nico…

“Is Maki a problem?” Umi read through the pages once, returned them to the stand and began the sprightly lament.

Nico had one hand on Umi’s shoulder and was tapping along on the piano, shook her head, “Nico’s got it. Nothing a little more communication can’t fix. Nico likes to let artists find their stride.”

“Wise. Maki is dedicated, but new to collaborations.”

“Nico could tell.”

“How is she doing with the choreographer, Ms. Ayase?” Umi continued the conversation without interfering with the smooth flow of music. “I heard there was some friction over Maki’s decision to highlight the works of Duke Ellington.”

“Something which Nico supports. And I’ve been talking to Eli. She’s nervous about trusting her students so Nico’s been encouraging her. Newbie teacher nerves.”

“Ah.” Umi had played through twice, “You really do have things under control.”

“Of course, Nico is always on top.” Nico’s casual tone matched her lean against the piano, half paying attention, half planning duet combinations for the students who’d signed up to audition.

Umi choked on saliva.

That caught Nico’s attention and she quickly reviewed what she’d said, then grinned. “Nico is always on top of any…situation, Professor Sonoda. The Conservatory is a family institution, what else could Nico mean?”

Umi could feel the wink in the air and knew she deserved it.

“We will be avoiding the works of Cole Porter at the next gathering.”

Nico giggled, “Play the song again, please. Nico wants to sing.”

“Scrooge or Marley? I’ll take the other part.”

This was going to be a memorable afternoon. The prim Umi Sonoda in an almost playful mood, willing to duet with Nico on a Yazawa-Nishikino original.

“Marley.” The trickier part, especially as Nishikino had written it, surprising Nico who thought the lead would be the obvious stronger part. But no, Marley had a much wider range and so many emotional layers.

“Bah Humbug.” Umi declared in a ringing, stentorian tone that Nico would have never let pass from an actor on stage and the duet began.

###

A single dorm room had seemed like an ideal sanctuary for an only child like Shizuku, but right now, a passel of roommates would have been a welcome distraction from worrying about tomorrow’s audition for Professor Yazawa. Shizuku’s phone went off, she grabbed it like a lariat around the neck of a bucking bronco. Text. Kasumi.

K: Kasumin has dessert, let me up.

S: Trying to fatten me up before auditions.

K: ; )

S: I’ll be right down.

###

Maki had been staring at the text for half of Yo Yo Ma’s Bach Cello concerto, so an hour. Send or erase. But do it now. Closing her eyes, she pictured Nico storming out of the theatre, anger in her ruby eyes. As she kept reviewing the scene in her head, Maki realized she’d recognized hurt too. Auditions were tomorrow. Maki didn’t know much about the practicalities of theatre, but the day before anything was usually stressful. Biting the inside of her lip, Maki sent the message.

M: Christmas is still hard, but your script deserves my full attention. I’m sorry. I have another song ready for you. Are you still on campus? I can run it over.

Instant ping.

N: Nico is at home, could you please bring it by? A second song for auditions would be a big help to Nico.

Drop and run. Maki could do that. She didn’t want to spend another night in her studio, falling asleep at the piano. She could pick up a pizza to take home and then read the rest of Nico’s script.

M: Sure.

N: Nico appreciates it. My apartment is the upper floor of 2525 Cherry Blossom Lane.

N: if you haven’t eaten, Nico has leftovers.

M: I was going to pick up a pizza.

N: Save it for another night. Home cooked is better.

Maki grabbed her long coat, pulling a black beanie over her hair. Couldn’t hurt to be polite, could it?

###

Nico opened the door. There was warmth. And no holiday decorations, which was a relief. Maki had walked over, taking her time, which was a more than leisurely enough journey to be chilled. Nico still looked professorial, with a pink, wool cowl neck sweater and a ruffle skirt. Maki felt like an undergrad in her jeans and t-shirt, although her long gray cashmere coat could crash Carnegie Hall and fit into an opening night crowd.

“Hi, Maki! Thanks for running the music over.”

Maki nodded, glancing around the small apartment. The decorating scheme leaned cozy cute and pink, with pictures of Nico and people who looked a lot like Nico artfully placed around the room. A red framed black and white print was over the fireplace. A cute, gamine woman in black capri pants, a white turtleneck, and a wide belt with a star in the center, slinking playfully forward.

“Who’s that?” Maki asked.

“You don’t know?” Nico clucked as she shut the door, “Rita Moreno, Nico’s hero.”

Maki tilted her head, “Why?”

“EGOT.”

“Egret?”

Nico sighed, “Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony...only 15 people have won all of them.”

“Impressive.”

Nico shrugged, not really interested in things she already knew. “Sit on the couch, Nico will cook food, if you feel like playing what you’ve composed for Nico, the keyboard’s right there. Nico was working on the duet.”

“Do you want to win awards?” Maki was curious.

“Well, the Pulitzer will look nice in front of that print. They’ll probably give us each one.”

Such confidence. Maki had no response to it so continued the find out more about Nico quest.

“Have you always wanted to be a playwright?”

Maki heard Nico turn something and then Nico was standing in the archway of the kitchen. She’d added an apron with patchwork pink hearts scattered over it and was holding a whisk, “If you’re interviewing Nico, can it wait ‘til after the cooking? Nico is a master chef but omelettes take concentration.”

“Sorry.” Maki grabbed a pink pillow, also ruffled, and propped her chin on it.

###

Not an omelette, but omurice.

“Itadakimasu. Nico said and Maki muttered the same, pleasantly surprised by the Japanese custom.

“Childhood comfort food.” Nico smiled as Maki dug into her serving ravenously, “It reminded my mom of Tokyo.”

“When did she move here?”

“She and my dad did when I was a baby, before my siblings were born. Her job transferred her.”

“My family goes back and forth. My Dad is still on the board of the hospital we own there, but actually practices medicine here. I was born in Chicago though, he teaches at Northwestern.”

“Chicago is a great theatre town. Nico has visited once or twice.”

“Yeah, I always tried to see what the Goodman was staging, when I wasn’t studying.” Medical school and the accelerated undergrad program that had gotten her into medical school had left Maki almost no free time.

“Nico applied to Northwestern’s theatre department but got the job here instead.”

Natural pause in the conversation, both women eating and remembering separate experiences in Chicago.

Before things got awkward again, Maki decided to brave the thing she needed to address. Scraping her fork over the plate, she dove. “I didn’t mean to disrespect the work you put into A Christmas Carol.”

A pause. Nico leaned back on her couch, her legs underneath her, observing the woman fidgeting three feet down the couch from her, “Nico is listening.”

Maki scrubbed her hands through her hair in a manic burst, then sped through her next sentences, “I’ve just been trying so hard to avoid anything Christmas related and that’s nearly impossible this time of year and every time I open up your script, there’s Scrooge feeling the same way that I do about decorations and Fred being impossibly cheerful and…”

“You want Scrooge to take his cane and tear through decorations.”

Maki nodded, looking a little sheepish.

“Read the script. Maybe he does.” Nico grabbed both their plates and hustled to the kitchen, scraping them off. Maki heard the sound of the sink being filled. Nico wasn’t coming back right away. Maki decided to lean in the kitchen doorway and watch as Nico filled the dishwasher.

“Always stay ahead of chores.” Nico said in her best NPR announcer voice.

“Not looking for life advice.”

Nico chuckled, “That’s the polite way to say ‘you’re not my mother.’”

Maki laughed.

“Nico needs to get ahead before auditions. There’s a freezer full of meals, two months worth of instant coffee, every kind of medicinal tea Nico might need, and emergency brownie batter.”

“Are shows that complicated?”

Nico turned, eyes narrowed, “Have you never been part of a play or opera or…”

Maki shook her head.

Nico grimaced, “Oh, this will be fun for Nico.”

Maki was surprised by the sarcasm, and hastened to reassure Nico. “I’ll be fine. I’m very flexible.”

Nico raised an eyebrow. “Nico doesn’t need flexible; Nico needs prepared.”

Maki couldn’t imagine a situation involving music she couldn’t resolve, prepared or not. “Like I said, I’ll be fine. It’s a small ensemble.”

“Students are relying on us.” Suddenly Nico was right under Maki’s nose, eyes glowing like laser sights, “Nico doesn’t need “fine” or emo Christmas pity parties, Nico needs polished and professional. We have to put together a show over four weeks that contain several holidays. Fine is not what Nico wants to hear.”

“Don’t worry.” Maki stepped away from Nico.

Nico turned back to the sink, “Nico will worry less when you’ve read the script and finished the songs.”

###

Maki finished the song with a flourish. Nico had been unable to fight off a smile while listening so Maki thought she might have earned some points back.

“That was funnier than Nico expected.”

“Scrooge creeping up the stairs afraid of the dark should be funny.” Maki put the keyboard back on the low table and flopped back on Nico’s couch. “Plus, it’s a perfect moment for Scrooge’s charm to show through.”

“Scrooge isn’t charming. Scrooge is snarling.”

“And charming.”

“You’re going to make this gay again.”

“I didn’t see a song for the 20 questions type game at Fred’s party.”

“That’s because that scene gets the fun, flirty Blindman’s bluff song, which you would know if…”

“Maki read Nico’s script.”They said in unison. And laughed. Maki relaxed, just slightly.

Nico flopped back, turning her head and meeting Maki’s gaze. “I know it’s a lot and I appreciate what you’ve done so far.”

“It’s my job.” A soft, calm light in brilliant amethyst eyes, a satisfied private smile..

“It is.” A peaceful moment, quiet enough to hear the wall clock ticking, and then Nico’s face became a mask of horror, “And Nico’s job starts extra early tomorrow.” Nico stood, “C’mon, Nico will drive you home.”

Maki glanced at the time, past midnight. “I can walk home.”

“No one walks home alone on Nico’s watch, especially not in that neighborhood you live in.” As quickly as she said that, Nico had her coat on, keys in hand. “And the faster you get home, the faster songs get written.”

“It doesn’t work like that.” Maki grabbed her coat, feeling an odd flutter as Nico held the door open.

“If you finish the Christmas Present duet by breakfast, Nico will give you a 24 hour pass about the script thing.”

“Don’t I get to sleep?”

“Nico will sleep for you.”

“You’re a tyrant, aren’t you.”

There was a wink and an arm slipped through hers and Maki was being skillfully guided down the stairs.

“Nico is a winner.”

Maki was beginning to believe it.

A/N: It's been a week. Or three. But I finished a chapter. Hope your Spring has something bright in it.

[flying-elliska]

Portrait of a Lady on Fire !!!!!!!! A review pt 1/?

Honestly this is the kind of movie where watching any other movie after it for a while feels superfluous. It's like...an Experience and honestly it feels like it rearranged my way of Looking at Things. While watching it parts of it were just extremely known and relatable, a sort of ah yes I have been there. At the same time I had this very strange feeling of "I didn't know it could be like this for real" and "oh wow so it can be like this !!!!!". So hmmm I really loved it.

It's funny because my fave movies are usually not this slow or quiet. There is a lot of empty space in this movie and it's slow to start but once you're inside it's such an incredible breath of fresh air. This fits the story as in the beginning the situation is uncomfortable and the heroines are evaluating each other, but as they create this bubble for themselves, you get drawn into this feeling of warmth, intimacy and liberation.

For a movie between two women it is remarkably unsentimental and that's very enjoyable, if a bit disorienting. The women move in stark, empty spaces, and they are not trying to fill it with pleasantries. Heloise is too angry and she is a little wild, no doubt both having to get used to the world outside the convent and brutalized by grief. Marianne is unsure of how to deal with her and made uneasy by the secret she has ro carry. The movie is honest about basic facts of life in those times without dramatizing : abortions, forced marriages, true love not getting its way. It has an almost stoic core. It's very interesting. The facts of the story are heartbreaking but it never wallows in that sadness. Instead, it gives space to the things that truly matter, that it turns its artist gaze on ; the bond between these women and alm that flows from that, in precisely choreographed brushstrokes of glances and breaths. It feels like an extremely disciplined way of telling story. The vibe is sparse and airy, the dialogue minimalistic, its use of timing impeccable. Each frame looks like a painting and yet is brimming with tension ; I feel like a lot of that has to do with how characters - Heloise especially - are often filmed in movement, half disappearing, turning around. It's slow but never boring. That strict frame gives an incredible space for deep, real feelings to develop, the kind that take you by surprise and turn you upside down like a thunderclap.

It's been called a Female Gaze manifesto by the realisator so it's not surprising that I am in love with its gender optics, as much for what it does as what it doesn't. The intimate scenes for example manage to be remarkably erotic while completely eschewing male gaze typical objectification most often used in wlw s*x scenes. There are no lingering shots of naked bodies. The only glimpse of genitals is in a totally non sexual context. At the same time it's remarkably frank about what is happening, via the use of a metaphor-shot that made me giggle with glee. The focus remains on the tension and later complicity between the characters. They look so into each other in a way that feels almost intrusive to watch, soooo rarely shown by actresses playing wlw on screen. Also, kudos to the period appropriate body hair. It's so well done.

The absence of men from most of the movie is just great. Too many wlw movies still center the question "but what will men think ?" and even though that question can be relevant in real life we also deserve stories where it doesn't matter one bit. And the solidarity between women just has something magical about it and also incredibly true to life. I don't like clichés but I grew up mostly surrounded by women and there was this naturalness of helping each other out and forming family around that, even if temporary. It's not rah-rah girl power, it's a very grounded mutual aid guys don't help out or aren't worth shit so we have to rely on each other sort of thing. The subplot centered around helping Sophie, the maid, get an abortion, was just so well done because it breaks down the boundaries of class between all of them. They act like caring big sisters towards Sophie, they play card games and read books together...It's also a great way to bring the two lovers to be together.

And from there there is a centering of female creativity that happens that is incredible. The painting of course, but escaping the bonds of assigned purpose when Heloise starts participating in the elaboration of the painting. Heloise directing Marianne to paint a recreation of the abortion scene, a part of women's lives mostly untold. Marianne playing piano for Heloise, bringing new life and passion into her isolated life. The village women singing in this eerie, powerful way all together around the fire. Them reading and discussing classical stories. One very interesting piece of symbolism is the piece of embroidery abandoned by Heloise's sister, before her death, and then Sophie starting to embroider again, a bouquet of flowers we see decaying slowly. It's that female soldarity and liberation of creativity that allows the love story to blossom, or more exactly it happens at the same time as if creating a world in which queer love can exist or vice versa, queer attraction powering the development of such a world. You can so obviously see that women being together is good for them, on any level.

This also ties back into the stoïcism of the story. Because their love story doesn't have a happy ending, but the movie expressedly tells us that that's not what matters. Of course, it's heartbreaking. But it wants us to pay attention to the joy of creativity, not the sadness. That's the point of the Orphée myth retelling and making the "poet's choice". They won't see each other again but what they experienced together has changed them fundamentally and will power their creativity for the rest of their lives. We can see it as Marianne teaching younger girls to paint by being the model herself, or painting the myth. Heloise commissioning that painting with the book, inserting a reference to their love in her very wifely painting. And her enjoying the music Marianne first played for her fully and live and having so much joy in her life through art. It's so refreshing to have a movie going beyond "period homophobia was tragic ://" because despite often awful circumstances queer love has often brought such bright joy, creativity and perspective to the lives of the people experiencing it. Even if they weren't allowed a "happy ending", there is so much more to love than that. And it feels so liberating this idea that those bright moments are worth living for themselves beyond where they will lead. It's a difficult but fundamental perspective on life, I think.

Anyway I have lots more to say but let's not write a book just yet. All in all this is definitely one of my favorite love stories of all times and I am hard to please so like...yeah.

[goldenmusicmoments]

Shawn Mendes - Wonder (Album Review):

Intro - The album starts with a piano opening on this short intro that sets the scene and mood for the rest of the album. There are a few lyrics here that Shawn sings as he introduces us to this new chapter. Near the closing the production picks up and heads into chaos providing an interesting transition to the next track.

Wonder - This title track served as the lead single to the album and it really allowed the build of anticipation for the album. Giving a taster of the growth in the music Shawn was about to release, allowing everyone to see that he intended on delivering something more refined and artistic. The opening to the track has a vibe that seems to be inspired by the type of production and sounds heard on Kanye West’s album ‘My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy’. The track starts on a chaotic note, but immediately finds calmness just as the vocal kicks in. The pulsating baseline compliments the vocal delivery of the lyrics in the verses. The build in the chorus is smooth till it reaches its peak in which that chaos at the start re-emerges. The lyrics are beautiful as they not only have you wondering those things alongside him, however they also speak to many of our questions when it comes to insecurities or sense of self. The bridge really encapsulates you in which you seem to get lost in. The final chorus hits you giving you this feeling of standing in the sea when the waves are raging. The sense of urgency behind his wonder is really heightened by his vocal in the final chorus. Then the track comes to an abrupt end.

Higher - Here there is an immediate start to the track in which the vocal begins as soon as the track starts. It also changes the tone and mood from the previous tracks, Shawn gives a more fun, sensual and upbeat energy to us here. Not only through the production, but also the vocal delivery which gives off some Justin Timberlake vibes. Instrumentation wise it flows from the previous, although not used in the same way. He sings about getting higher, however that being in the since that the person who he’s with seems to elevate everything when she is around. There is a very short outro and then its over. You are left wanting more once you’ve got into the groove and then the track comes to an end sooner than you’d hope.

24 Hours - This track has a very vintage feel highlighted through the production and it heightens the albums cinematic vibe. Here things are taken down a notch and there is a calmness that flows throughout the song. The production is more minimal and the prominent part to it is the two piano keys that are played spaced out from start to finish. There is an intimate feel to it particularly through his vocals and the lyrical content. He sings about his love, the strength and extent of it. He is certain that she is all he wants and that he’d do anything for it to be. There is choir that comes in on the final chorus which elevates the songs feel. Then the track ends on the play of a few piano notes which were heard at the start of the track, which provide the track with a full circle moment.

Teach Me How To Love - You are immediately drawn into this groove inspired track. This is a song that will get you moving your body to its beat and vocal delivery of the lyrics. He sings about wanting the person of interest to teach him how to love them. However you might be a little thrown off, as you may have gone into the track thinking of something else about what he may have wanted to learn about when it comes to loving someone.  The chorus is an instant singalong type. You get completely lost in its funky groove. It hooks itself in your mind with its catchy nature.  Although he may seem to feel a little under studied on how to love, his delivery of the lyrics exude confidence.

Call My Friends - This songs starts on a very sombre note, here he sings about his relationship with his friends. He sings about how his career has altered his life which then in turn has impacted his connection with his friends. He is in one place whilst they are in another. His friendships aren’t strained, but he wishes he could be more close to be able to experience life a little more with his friends, however touring and all that being in the industry brings with it has limited those interactions. Him saying he should call his friends, is him wanting to put in an effort to keep that connection in whatever way he can given his circumstances. A beautiful moment on the album that really makes you not want to take the things we often take for granted, for granted. The track follows a common formula in terms of the calm verse and then the hard hitting chorus that you are totally encapsulated by. His vocal give this sense of reflection and showcases his vocal growth.

Dream - This track starts with a dreamy opening. The song is about his longing for his lover and that when they are apart his way of feeling closer to her is dreaming of her. The moment where he sings ‘I just need to breathe’ after which the track halts and then starts back with him taking a breath is a great detail in the tracks creation. Another moment on the album where you get lost in its vibe. His vocals are stunning on this track and seem effortless. The production brings the feelings of the lyrics alive in such a magical way. 

Song For No One - This guitar led track provides the album with its most stripped back and intimate moment. However you are taken by surprise when the climatic moment of the track hits, due to the pick up in its production. The bridge gives you this feeling of vastness, he seems to be getting something off his chest here but it isn’t clear as to what. Lyrically he sings about writing this song for no one, he is unsure as to why he did so. Although he maybe claiming that this song is for no one, we definitely know that it is for someone. It seems to have this longing for someone, as it focus on a moment spent alone.

Monster (Ft. Justin Bieber) -  There were rumours floating about these two collaborating on a track on the album, however I was still to an extent surprised that they actually did. I was a little hesitant, and wasn’t completely excited by Bieber’s placement on the album. The song has this reflective feel to it, lyrically its about how people build those in the spotlight up only to then tear them down. How they are attacked for their doings no matter what it is, and held accountable to a degree where it seems unfair. We all make mistakes and we should give others the opportunity to learn from their mistakes and grow to be better. However instead people seem too quick to try and ‘cancel’ a celebrity rather than give them a chance to change for the better. It also plays to the way those under the spotlight are often seen as something other than human, whereas putting all that aside they are just like the rest of us. The track has a moody feel to it, with a dark under tone and the production is slick complimenting the lyrics and vocals really well. Even though Justin’s verse in terms of lyrics lacks any sense of genuineness, as time and time again we’ve seen him do the same stuff and then claim he is sorry (all of which to this point has become very exhausted and judging by the performance of his latest single ‘Lonely’ the general public to an extent have as well). So although I don’t feel empathetic to what he sings about, the opening vocal to his verse is rather laid back, however just before the chorus hits the build in his vocals depict a sense of urgency to get the listeners to understand his struggle. It does seem like a cry for help, or for understanding. The concept is rather intriguing, however looking through Justin’s history his feature in a way takes away from the authenticity of the lyrics.

305 - This breezy track has a 80s/90s feel to it, it is about him not wanting to lose the person he is in love with. He fears that maybe the person could end up feeling differently. The layered vocals during the opening of the track and during the chorus seem to be coated by the production, whereas for the verses the vocals are placed more at the front. The track has a funky groove to it, making you feel like you are at a dance. You feel like clicking your fingers or clapping along to the track. The bridge features vocals masked behind the production, making you pay closer attention in order to pick up on the lyrics.

Always Been You - This track starts off with a very cinematic opening. Then once the vocal on the verse begins the production dies down. The pre-chorus build where he starts off with ‘You’re the only one’ sounds very similar to that in the track ‘Wonder’. Then what seems to be a prominent style on some of the tracks, the chorus is where the track has its grand moment. Here he sings about the person of interest having always been the one. Normally a chorus with just a repetition of the tracks title and that being spaced out would make a track seem like its lacking, here it does the opposite and works really well in depicting what he is trying to put forward. You get lost in the grandness of the chorus and bridge.

Piece Of You - This JT inspired track is pulled of effortlessly by Shawn, this funky moment on the album revolves around the girl being someone who everyone is drawn to. Here he sings about how his insecurities come to life in regards to his relationship, when he sees all the attention she gets from everyone when they are with others. The vocals go from being laid back in the verses to more energetic in the chorus. A well produced track that gets you vibing to its mesmerising nature.

Look Up At The Stars - This reflective track provides the album with the such a full circle moment. The intro introduced us to this wonderland and now we seem to be in that place. He seems to finally reach the place he was hoping for, he’s dreamt of being with her for a moment now and they are together now. His vocal delivery showcases his emotions really well, making you the listener get a sense of how he must feel at this point. The dynamic between the feel of the verses and chorus on this track in particular stands out. The verses feeling a little more on the emotional side, then the chorus has a more more upbeat feel.

Can’t Imagine -  Now we get to the closing moment on the album with this rather stripped back guitar driven track. Both in terms of production on the track and vocals. Here he sings about not being able to imagine a world without his lover. He sees it being very lonely and dull with her. A simple end that closes on a point of where he is at right now. 

A solid effort from Shawn Mendes, that seems to be thematic and cohesive. His main focus on the album lyrically is his relationship with Camila and his feelings for her. It is personal and is very true to his journey, his life and who he is as both a person and artist. Some of the tracks do a feel a little to short though. I still do feel that Shawn has a lot more to offer as an artist and I look forward to his next album.

[thehighestmountains]

evermore review and ranking:

overall, i found this album to have more skippable songs than folklore and the middle of my ranking definitely feels like the middle whereas in my folklore ranking, #14 was still a fav. folklore was a true anomaly where i was just adding the whole album to my playlist. evermore really feels like folklore’s little sister getting the hand-me-downs, who just doesnt know who she is or what shes doing with her life, what is the theme exactly. 

tis the damn season. i fell in love in the first five seconds. i love the moody mature guitar strums and drum beats amping up the entire song. the story of coming back to an old love in your hometown reminds me of the show ‘the normal people’. im a real sucker for sagas, timeless loves that pull you in time and time again, familiar feelings that just feel right because you experienced them at such a young age.  this song gets me.

There's an ache in you, put there by the ache in me But if it's all the same to you It's the same to me

So we could call it even You could call me "babe" for the weekend ​'Tis the damn season, write this down

Sleep in half the day just for old times' sake I won't ask you to wait if you don't ask me to stay So I'll go back to L.A. and the so-called friends

long story short. this is such a banger r u joking. i feel every single one of my blood cells pumping as soon as this song starts. i even love the post-chorus, a great break from the chorus and the verses. i could post the whole song as my favorite lines.

And you passed right by I was in the alley, surrounded on all sides The knife cuts both ways If the shoe fits, walk in it 'til your high heels breakAnd I fell from the pedestal Right down the rabbit hole Long story short, it was a bad time When I dropped my sword I threw it in the bushes and knocked on your door And we live in peace But if someone comes at us, this time, I'm ready

ivy. hard not to compare this to illicit affairs, but this is like an upbeat version. if i didnt even pay attention to the lyrics, i would think this is so fun and catchy, it sounds good. there is no anger, there is a joy. and i just like it.

Oh, goddamn My pain fits in the palm of your freezing hand Taking mine, but it's been promised to another Oh, I can't Stop you putting roots in my dreamland My house of stone, your ivy grows And now I'm covered in you So yeah, it's a fire It's a goddamn blaze in the dark And you started it

willow. im really glad this was the leading single because this is a beautiful stringy piece with a great melody. when i was reading the lyrics before listening to the song, it sounded extremely cheesy with “thats my man”, “i come back stronger than a 90s trend”, but in the song, i love it. theres a lot of heart and oompf to this.

And if it was an open-shut case I never would've known from that look on your face Lost in your current like a priceless wine

The more that you say, the less I know Wherever you stray, I follow

coney island. i wonder why she picked coney island, a very summery location with the bright lines and merry go, when the whole album is supposed to be a winterscape. i barely understand what this song is about but i enjoy the sounds.

Did I close my fist around something delicate? Did I shatter you?

evermore. i love when justin vernon starts singing with that beautiful falsetto “cant not think of all the cost and the things that will be lost”.

Or the violence of the dog days I'm on waves, out being tossed

champagne problems. before i get into this, i like this song, im impressed with the bridge and the chorus, i enjoy the story. just a small thing: title phrase. i just dont vibe with it, the rest of the lyrics couldve been more connected with champagne, i dont believe champagne to be any alcoholic’s choice of drink. and one more nitpick, who likes that random piano mash at the end, anyone?

Your mom's ring in your pocket My picture in your wallet Your heart was glass, I dropped it

One for the money, two for the show I never was ready so I watch you go Sometimes you just don't know the answer 'Til someone's on their knees and asks you

tolerate it - this is a good mellow song, i can relate to the deep sadness of feeling ignored, every thing you do is just dropped. i feel this could grow on me, especially because at the end we really get that jolt of energy, i can leave, i can do it.

I wait by the door like I'm just a kid Use my best colors for your portrait

gold rush. this song is a little too sweet for me, specifically “i dont need a gold rush gold rush”. its just an upbeat and repetitive pop song. i also find this specific high school energy of really wanting someone but also despising their appeal to just not relate to the headspace im currently in.

no body no crime. whoooa that blast of country. it kind of feels weird in this album. i think the chorus is incredibly boring, “i think he did it but i just cant prove it” over and over.

No, no body, no crime But I ain't lettin' up until the day I die

closure. i cant get over the constant banging of industrial pots and pans throughout this whole song lol. i really went back and forth between do i like this, no i hate it, ok i could get used to it, no no it doesnt fit with the lyrics and how shes singing. i also dont care for “yes i got your letter, yes im doing better”.

we have a large pile of songs at the bottom, they all mush together in a sad corner. these could maybe grow on me but i also would be fine never listening to them again. with folklore’s sad songs, like epiphany or my tears ricochet, there was still something that appealed to me. most of these, there just isnt anything.

happiness - similar to tolerate it, i think the lyrics carry and convey a specific feeling very well, i have definitely felt this way, but i dont feel like the instrumentals match her emotional singing. i think she really carries this song and the instruments just let me down.

No one teaches you what to do  When a good man hurts you And you know you hurt him too

marjorie - i feel like a song about her grandmother could have been so great instead we get “what died didnt stay dead” over and over and a bridge that is mostly about herself. “shouldve kept every grocery store receipt cause every scrap of you would be taken from me” is the worst of the lines, thats what you want to keep? grocery receipts? the song should be about her grandmother leaving all her “backlogged dreams” to her, and im not getting much of that.

cowboy like me - takes one... to... know... one...... this song does not embody  the type of cowboy shes talking about, perhaps a 80 year old woman singing about her tendencies to run away. im not convinced taylor is singing from a place she understands enough about. my least favorite line in the album goes to “the tennis court was covered up with some tent-like thing”. tent like thing? lol ok. although i will say one of my favorite lines is “forever is the sweetest con”, but that gem cannot save this song.

dorothea - this is the worst version of seven from folklore. its about ten times less interesting, very bare bones, hardly any story or background information. i dont particularly like the name dorothea. giving me major grandma vibes, these last three songs are major grandma vibes. 

[grasscorpse]

The Starry Sky and Leslie’s List: Chapter 3

*From Ynntranslations

The next day, when they had finished cleaning up after lunch, Isabella and Leslie met in the music room. “Is this the song you were talking about, Leslie?”

Isabella reached into the bookshelf and took out one of the old books of sheet music lined up there.

“Yeah.”

Leslie took the sheet music from her. He brought a music stand over, and set the score on top of it.

“It’s actually arranged for piano, so I’m not sure how playing it on a violin will work out…”

He carried one of the cases containing musical instruments over to the table, set it on top, and opened the lid. Inside, it held an old but well-maintained violin. 

Leslie removed the violin, the glossy brown surface reflecting the light, and set it against his shoulder, resting his chin against it.

Positioning the bow, he tried playing the first note.

A gentle sound echoed inside the music room.

Leslie gave a small sigh and glanced over at Isabella. He then took a deep breath, trying to dispel his anxiety, and began to play.

A calm melody filled the music room.

Isabella sat in a nearby chair and listened to his performance, clearly enjoying herself.

Dropping his gaze to the strings that he was sliding the bow over, Leslie followed the notes. The gentle music strangely reminded Isabella of Leslie’s singing voice, even though the song and sounds were so different.

When Leslie was finished, Isabella applauded.

“What a beautiful song!”

“Yeah, I love this one… But it’s so difficult. I’ve been practicing it for so long, but I still can’t play it perfectly.”

“Really? It sounded fine to me, though?”

She had thought that his performance just now had fulfilled the first item on his list. Isabella tilted her head quizzically.

“No, that wasn’t good enough. See where it gets complicated, right here? I always mess that up.”

Bow still in his hand, Leslie pointed at the score, making a face. Beside him, Isabella peered at the score, but she couldn’t understand anything other than that there was a string of notes that were connected to each other.

“Hmm.” Isabella thought for a bit, then raised her head away from the sheet music.

“I’ve got it. Why don’t you write down a copy of the part that’s giving you trouble, and then practice that by itself?”

Leslie’s eyes widened when he heard Isabella’s advice, and she smiled back at him.

“I don’t know much about music, but I can help you try to figure out what you can do to stop making mistakes.”

Leslie had honestly wondered if he was boring Isabella by making her come with him to practice, but Isabella had turned around and tried to help him in her own way. Leslie smiled.

“Thank you…”

Leslie played the part that he wasn’t good at over and over, then at the end, he played the entire song from the start one more time.

“Aww, you almost had it!”

By that point, Isabella had also figured out the part Leslie was having trouble with. Inwardly, Leslie marveled at how quickly Isabella could figure out literally anything.

Leslie put down the violin, and muttered, “To be honest, I do even worse when there’s someone watching, because I get nervous…”

“Oh? I didn’t know.”

Isabella pointed to the door and asked if he wanted her to go outside, but Leslie hurriedly waved his hands in denial.

“No! That’s not it… I meant, even though that’s usually true, I can play better if you’re here when I’m practicing,” Leslie said, averting his eyes.

Isabella looked puzzled for a moment, then said, “I’m glad,” with a smile of relief.

“Hey, can you play this one, too?”

“Huh?

When he heard the song that Isabella hummed, he couldn’t help laughing. It was the one he had composed, and Isabella was humming as a substitute for a title.

“Okay…”

Leslie picked the violin back up and positioned it, then began playing the melody while Isabella sang along. Partway through, Leslie decided to go with a different arrangement and increased the tempo a bit. Isabella laughed aloud at how cheerful it suddenly sounded.

“Okay, I need to get back to practicing, now.”

Leslie reviewed the section of the music that he hadn’t been able to play. Isabella glanced at the clock hung in the music room. Their free time only lasted until 5 pm.

“Hey, Leslie, why don’t you save the violin for tomorrow, and go ahead and move on to the next thing on your list?”

Before Leslie himself could remember which one that was, Isabella provided the answer. “‘Get a full score on my tests!’”

Isabella and Leslie sat side-by-side at a large table in the library.

“So when they ask for the surface area in this kind of problem, first you have to use , and that will give you object A’s…”

“Could… could you repeat that?”

With the notebook containing his homework open in front of him, Leslie was clutching his head trying to follow Isabella’s fast-moving explanation. She was kind enough to teach him how to do the parts he didn’t understand, but her explanations were so complicated that he could barely understand anything she was saying.

With a sigh, Leslie did a faceplant into his open notebook.

“There’s no way I can get a perfect score on the test tomorrow…”

“That’s not true! Once you’ve learned how to solve a problem, you just have to apply that,” Isabella told him—which was easy for her to say, as the one teaching him. Leslie wanted to say that it might be easy for her to do, but he resisted the urge.

“Hey, Isabella, Leslie, come play with us!”

“Soon we won’t get to play with Leslie anymore!”

A group of the younger children had come into the library, and were now standing on their toes and peering over the edge of the table. After noticing that the two had disappeared during their free time, the group had searched for them the whole time. Isabella and Leslie glanced at one another.

He hadn’t made any progress in his studies, but they couldn’t just say no to their little brothers and sisters. Leslie nodded, forcing a slight smile, and Isabella announced in a loud voice, “In that case, let’s try the next one, ‘be the last one left when we play tag’!”

Their little brothers and sisters cheered as Isabella stood up.

“W-wait for me, Isabella!”

Isabella and the others had immediately dashed out of the library, leaving Leslie to hurriedly gather his notebooks and papers and run after them with his arms full.

The child chosen to be “it” began counting, the sound of his voice echoing through the woods.

“This way, Leslie!”

Leslie was already breathing heavily. “Isabella, wait.”

Nimbly leaping over obstacles like rocks and bushes, Isabella made swift progress running into the depths of the forest. Leslie tried to follow her, but even a little bit of running left him out of breath. It took everything he had just to keep her in sight, and since he was looking straight ahead, he kept stumbling over rocks and tree roots.

Isabella glanced behind her, and when Leslie caught up to her, she pointed up and said, “Hurry and climb it before he gets here.”

“What?!”

Isabella was pointing to an enormous tree, thick with branches. Leslie was gasping for breath, doubled over, and he looked up at the tree and shook his head.

“I can’t climb a tree that tall!”

As Leslie tried to tell her that it was impossible, a look of sudden inspiration lit Isabella’s face.

“Then this is your chance to do number 5 on the list! ‘Learn to climb trees’!”

“What?”

“This way, we can take care of number 3, ‘be the last one left when we play tag,’ and number 5, ‘tree climbing,’ at the same time! Ooh, and I bet we can do number 8, too, if we keep going through the woods! That’s three at once!”

Isabella’s face shone as she spoke, certain that she had the perfect idea, and Leslie was struck speechless.

Isabella thought about things the same way that she played chess, always thinking about how to accomplish as many things as possible with a single move. Listening to her, she made it sound like it might really be possible for him to do everything on the list before leaving the House.

Unfortunately, whether her plans were good was an entirely different question from whether Leslie would realistically have any chance of carrying them out.

“I can’t reach.”

“It’s okay, just let go with one hand and try reaching over here.”

Isabella, atop a branch, extended her hand to him. Leslie was hanging onto a branch for dear life, kicking his feet uselessly in the air, unable to find a foothold.

“I don’t… think I can… AAHH!”

Leslie fell from the tree with a thud. Fortunately (or unfortunately), he hadn’t made it very far up the tree, so he wasn’t in danger of being hurt.

“Oww…”

“Leslie, what are you doing?”

Their little brother who was “it” emerged from a nearby thicket, having heard the noise, and he looked with astonishment at Leslie lying on the ground.

“Got you!”

“Ugh…”

Leslie slumped his shoulders at having been caught so easily by his little brother.

In the branches above, Isabella folded her arms and began considering her next move in this “chess game.”

“Number 4, ‘read all the books in the library’.”

“No, Isabella, there’s no way I can do that!” Leslie cried, looking at the mountain of books that Isabella had just dumped in front of him with a heavy thunk.

Leslie had been doing homework and studying on his bed before lights-out, when Isabella came in with as many books as she could possibly hold. Leslie’s eyes widened. After Isabella set the books down, she seated herself on the edge of his bed.

“Don’t worry! I’ll read them, too.”

“I’m… not sure that counts…”

Leslie took one of the books and opened it, but he wasn’t sure that he could finish reading even the one. It was a thick, difficult book titled “Mechanical Engineering and Human History.” Who would read a book like that in the first place?

He had only put that item on his list because he thought that if he could increase his base of knowledge, he might be able to become as smart as Isabella. As his eyes followed the words on the page, he scratched his cheek. He liked reading well enough, but when reading difficult books, it took him a long time to figure out each part.

“Isabella, it’s time for lights out.”

“Okay.”

Isabella was sitting on the edge of the bed, absorbed in reading the book on her lap. Even when replying to him, she never ceased turning the pages. Her speed left him wondering how she could possibly read that much in an instant, but she just kept turning the pages one after another.

One by one, their other siblings in the room fell asleep. Leslie could hear the sound of them breathing in their sleep.

Since they had to turn out the light in the room, he fetched a lamp, and the two of them furtively read by its light. Even so, they wouldn’t be able to keep doing this until Mama came to check on them.

“Hey, Isabella, you need to go back to your room.” Leslie said, worried, but Isabella, concentrating on her reading, never lifted her face.

The faint sound of footsteps emanated from the hallway.

“Isabella? Are you listening to me?”

“Leslie, pretend you’re asleep.”

“Huh?”

Isabella suddenly got up from the bed, where she had been sitting, and lay face-down on the floor, clutching her book. Leslie tried to ask her what she was doing, but in that instant, the door to the room opened.

Mama, who had come to make sure that they had the lights off, frowned at Leslie, who was obviously still awake.

“What are you doing, Leslie? Hurry up and go to sleep.”

“Y-yes, Mama.”

Leslie hurriedly shut his book and dived under the covers.

Geez, Isabella… If you knew Mama was coming, you could have told me.

His face half-hidden by the covers, Leslie watched Mama turn around to leave. Number 7 on his list popped into his head. “Get Mama to praise me for something other than music”—forget getting praise, he’d gotten a scolding instead.

After the door to the room closed and the sound of footsteps grew distant, Isabella stood up.

“Is Mama gone?”

“She is, but… you really need to go back now, Isabella.”

Isabella gave a small sigh, and set down the book she had just begun reading. Pushing her braid back behind her, she grumbled to herself, “I only got through ten books…” Leslie realized that beside her was an entire stack of books that she had finished.

Leslie glanced down at his first book, sitting on his lap, and sighed.

“Isabella… I don’t think I’m going to be able to do any of them,” Leslie said in a quiet voice, so as not to awaken the other children. Putting down the book, he opened up the notebook, which he had beside him.

“I just can’t do it.”

He had worked so hard for so long, by himself, in secret.

He had thought that maybe, if he could do all the things on his list, he would be able to change, to become someone different, but before he knew it, lost in his dreams, the day when he would leave the House had been set.

When he had been sorting through his things the day before, Leslie had already given up on trying to fulfill the items on his list. He was out of time, and it was over now, he thought.

But in a way he had never imagined happening, Isabella decided to help him out.

I never thought I’d end up working on the list with Isabella.

He had wanted to quit, thinking of it as an impossible challenge, but every time he did, he remembered Isabella smiling and saying “Why not? This is the last time you’ll be here.” That was the reason he had decided to work as hard as he could at in in the two days left until his departure.

He thought that maybe it could be possible, if he could tackle it with Isabella.

But the result was a disaster.

“Come on, you knew it would be that way from the start,” Leslie thought, slumping. Even if Isabella helped, that wouldn’t suddenly make him more capable.

Even after spending an entire day working at it, he hadn’t accomplished a single one.

“… And it’s not like I could do anything about a shooting star, either.”

Even aside from that one, he had very little hope for any of them. Doing all of them would be utterly impossible. Isabella leaned over toward Leslie, who had his face lowered.

“There’s still time, right? It’s too soon to give up.”

Isabella had wasted no time trying to cheer him up, and he smiled back at her—a smile full of self-loathing and loneliness.

“You’re incredible, Isabella… You can keep going and never give up, no matter what happens.”

Shadows from the lamp, turned down low, fell on Leslie’s face.

Leslie looked down at the list he had written.

“I wonder if my new father and mother will be disappointed when a useless guy like me shows up to be their foster child,” he whispered.

It had been weighing on his mind the whole time.

Leslie closed the notebook, and listlessly placed his hand on the cover.

“I’m think going to ask Mama tomorrow… if I can decline to go to that foster family.”

This was how Leslie had felt ever since hearing that they had found a foster family for him.

Even though there were other children who deserved it more than him.

Leslie looked at Isabella sitting right in front of him.

He wondered what he would do if, when he met his “parents” for the first time, they said “I don’t want a kid like this.” Maybe, even if they didn’t say anything, they would be disappointed and think “I wish we’d gotten a different kid.” His anxieties had done nothing but grow since the moment he was told about the foster family.

That was why fear had won out over hope regarding his new life that would begin soon.

Everyone would eventually leave the House. He had always known that his time would come, too, but once everything had been decided, he found himself frightened of going to live with a new family.

He wanted to stay in the House, now and forever.

He wanted to live here always, with Isabella, and Mama, and his siblings.

Which wasn’t to say that Leslie didn’t also long to see the outside world. It must be overflowing with so much music that they didn’t have in the House. He wanted to listen to an orchestra. He wanted to try playing music he didn’t already know.

He wanted as many people as possible to hear the music he had composed.

He had sometimes dreamed of the outside world like that, but Leslie continued to feel that, as long as he could be with Isabella in the House, he didn’t really want to go be with a new family.

If he left for the outside and a new family, they would be split up, and they would no longer be able to spend time together like this.

Laughing and talking about nothing in particular, struggling to keep up with her wild and unpredictable behavior, being encouraged by her kind words.

Singing together.

Just thinking about it made him feel so lonely he couldn’t stand it.

Leslie sighed. Isabella had silently listened to him, and he was about to tell her to go back to her room, for real this time. At that moment, Isabella, her head hung, opened her mouth and spoke.

“How can you say that, Leslie?”

“What…?”

Leslie started in surprise at the look Isabella was shooting him.

She was furious. The face that was always smiling so happily at him was now, in the lamplight, harsher than he’d ever seen. Shocked, Leslie found himself unable to say anything.

Isabella fixed her intense gaze on Leslie.

“They said they wanted you for a foster child. They chose you. Not me, or any other child in the House. So how can you say that?!” Isabella said, and pursed her lips.

“I-I’m sorry, Isabella… I didn’t mean—”

Flustered, Leslie voiced an apology and tried to reach out to her, but Isabella avoided it, too fast for him.

“… Forget it, Leslie. I don’t care anymore.”

Isabella spit out the words and ran from the room. The door shut, cutting Leslie off as he tried to call out to her.

Mama, who was there to inspect the rooms, was standing in front of the door to her room, but Isabella walked toward the room anyway.

On seeing Isabella appear from behind her, Mama slid her pocket watch back into her pocket.

“Isabella, where were you? It’s time for lights out.”

“I’m sorry, Mama.”

Walking around her, Isabella crawled into her own bed. For a little while, Mama watched her, but finally she said, “Good night, Isabella” and closed the door.

Now that the lights in the room were off, the faint blue light of the stars shone in through the window.

All around her, Isabella could hear the quiet breathing of her siblings who had already fallen asleep.

Her face buried in her pillow, the words she had spoken only a short time ago came back to her, and she felt a pain deep in her chest.

“…”

Why did I say that?

This was the first time she’d ever had a fight with Leslie.

She wrapped herself in the cool sheets, and her mind slowly calmed down from its overemotional state. The things she had said suddenly seemed so thoughtless and embarrassing.

It’s not Leslie’s fault…

“It’s mine.”

Isabella bit her lip.

When she had heard Leslie say that he wanted to turn down his foster family, her darker emotions had come surging out, and she hadn’t been able to hold them back.

Every time Isabella saw off another sibling, older or younger, she would always think to herself, deep down, “They didn’t pick me this time, either.”

Of course, she kept it to herself, and even within her own mind, she tried to extinguish those thoughts. They were all her precious, irreplaceable siblings. How could she not be happy for them when they could have a new life with a new family on the outside? She knew she should be happy for them.

But as other children kept being chosen, Isabella began to experience the first twinges of unease and a sense of inferiority.

She thought that there must be some reason she wasn’t being chosen, something lacking in her.

So she poured all her effort into improving at her studies and everything else. She was always a top scorer, volunteered to do chores, and even looked after the younger children. Isabella knew that Mama held her in high regard.

Yet no matter how hard she tried, other kids were always chosen.

If anything, it seemed like her siblings with lower scores were more likely to be chosen for foster families.

Isabella sighed, tossing and turning in her bed. She realized that her hair was still braided, and used her fingers to undo it. She laid her head back on the pillow, but she didn’t feel like she could sleep.

Leslie was so kind and gentle, and she had hurt him.

His face, struck speechless when he heard what she had said, appeared in her mind. It was the first time Leslie had made that kind of face because of her.

What do I do if Leslie hates me…?

Tears began to well up in her eyes, but Isabella held them back. She castigated herself, asking why, of all times, she had done this when they only had one day left—tomorrow—together.

Leslie’s song began to play in her mind, as she lay unable to sleep.

“…”

Isabella tried singing it, in a small voice, and gradually, a feeling of warmth filled her heart. Isabella kept on singing, in a voice so soft that only she could hear.

This song sounds like a lullaby.

Just listening to it made her feel at peace, and the worry and sadness she had felt until them vanished like smoke.

Leslie would leave the House tomorrow night.

Tomorrow would be the last day she could spend with Leslie.

I need to apologize him, and get him to forgive me…

As she thought about that, Isabella slipped into a deep sleep.

[multimetaverse]

Andi Mack 3x19 Review

A Moving Day was a lovely episode though one that had too much filler for such a late episode. Let’s dig in!

Positives:

Despite the cut ep and the re-shoots they were able to give Bex and Bowie a lovely wedding. Bex and Bowie have really been one of the core story lines for the show and it’s nice to see them get such a happy ending. There was a lot of history packed into Bex thanking Bowie for sticking it out and boy was the pay off ever worth it.

This smaller wedding works much better for their dynamic than the big farm wedding did and having it just be a main character affair makes the show more equal. And the snow and the trees and mountains and gazebo made for one of the most visually stunning eps of the show. Almost like a farewell to filming on location in Utah.

Asher’s performance of You Girl was awesome, glad they played what seemed like the whole song. 

Like Celia, I’m also glad no one said ‘um’!

It was nice to see Celia again. I’m glad they were able to give her ample screen time this ep to somewhat make up for what she’s lost. It makes so much sense that she’d be so into puzzles. And really showcases her personality that she climbs a mountain in heels. 

This really was a nice send off for the whole Mack family. Andi gets the nuclear family she’s always wanted, Bex and Bowie get the happy ending they’ve waited 14 years for, and Celia gets to see her wayward daughter take charge of her life. 

It took until the penultimate episode but we finally met Jonah’s mom, Judy Beck née Bartholomew (Terri really does like her Biblical names). That she ended up marrying one of her background helpers is a love story for the ages. 

I’m glad they gave Jonah a happy ending and we can end the series knowing that his family is in a better place and on track to recover from bankruptcy. 

I’ll have more to say about the filler in the negatives section but I did like Buffy’s deconstructed toast line, Cyrus not being self deprecating about his strength, and Asher almost breaking character while doing his mom’s dance. 

Nice that they snuck in one more Buffy picking up Cyrus moment. Truly those two have the best friendship on this show. 

I’m almost certain that Bowie scaring Celia was a nod to Trent scaring people on set, he has a whole instagram story dedicated to him spooking his co-workers. 

They brought in one of their casting directors, Steven O’Connor, to play the officiant which was a nice gesture and of course we got one last family cameo with Coco Angel playing Judy. 

Re-Shoots:

Bringing in this section since most of this ep were re-shoots. I’m not going to nit pick the plot holes that arose because of them: like how did Jonah learn You Girl without Bowie teaching him, how did he write the extended version, how Jonah and Cyrus and Buffy got to the Gazebo, why Cyrus and Buffy were dressed as waiters and didn’t actually do any waitering. Obviously whatever the original Gazebo event was would have had differences and production had limited time and budget to turn it into a new wedding as smoothly as possible. 

Not much actually happened in this ep and that was a sad side effect of the re-shoots. Scenes like the Macks in the car and the Macks hiking dragged on so long because they were easy to film fairly quickly, just like the party scenes in A Good Hair Day were quite long. 

I’m actually glad that they didn’t bother giving a reason for Bex suddenly deciding to get married. I don’t think it would have made all that much sense in otl anyway but without Ham I don’t think they could have come up with a good enough justification. At least with Ham it would have made some sense that he could have mended the rifts between Bex and Bowie and Bex and Celia since he was always the peacemaker and reasonable authority figure as well as a surrogate father and best man for Bowie. 

It seems that every story line except for Tyrus was damaged in some way by the cuts and re-shoots but definitely Celia suffered the most, which is such a shame.

Negatives:

I can’t believe the show decided to waste precious time on a toast making competition in the second to last ep of the entire series. It might have been fine in 3a but to have that filler for a cold open so late in the game is awful.

I gasped when Judy asked Jonah if she could finally meet his friends. He’s been friends with the GHC for like 14 months at this point and they still know nothing about his family? They’ve always kept Jonah apart from the GHC in a lot of ways which hasn’t been to the show’s credit. And while I’m glad that we finally met Jonah’s mom, it shouldn’t have taken this long. 

I’m not surprised but I was disappointed that we never heard that Jonah told his parents about his panic attacks. I get that in America’s horrifying healthcare system that they probably wouldn’t have been able to afford treatment but at least if they knew they could support him and try to help.

Looking Ahead:

Terri must love Winnie the Pooh if she’s having Cyrus quote him as shown in the most recent finale promo. The way Disney cuts the quote with clips from the ep is very clever: we have Tyrus being brave enough to confess their feelings, Muffy strong enough to be vulnerable and get together, and Jandi smart enough to know that now is not a good time for them go get back together. 

Looks like Terri was able to get ample screen time for TJ and Marty so Tyrus and Muffy won’t feel rushed. 

Very glad that Cyrus is the one who approaches TJ at the bench. I’m very interested to see how we go from delusion to confession on Cyrus’ part. Certainly they look happy when Cyrus asks if he can sit and Cyrus is obviously there because he wants to confess.

I assume the bench scene will come late in the ep. Cyrus seeing TJ talk to Kira must be what causes him to feel like he was deluding himself but what spurs him to decide it’s worth the risk to confess to TJ I don’t know. If the music performance is after Kira’s appearance than maybe Cyrus is feeling forlorn and then TJ appears to perform with him, in a way making up for costume day, and that gives Cyrus hope. Or if the performance is before Kira than maybe it’s what gets Cyrus’ hopes up only to have them crushed before someone or something gives him hope. Regardless of which scene is when, I do think that Cyrus and Buffy both give each other the final push to go seek out TJ and Marty and lay it all on the line. 

I’m trying to keep my expectations low since it’s still Disney but I do think we get hand holding based on their bench scene positioning and the fact that Ciris got to hold hands. I think it’s likely they’ll use the word boyfriend and I do think they have some brief post canon scene inside before the party clears out and that’s likely where Tyrus and Muffy have an interaction. I would also like Andi at least to congratulate them but I’m not holding my breath. Having TJ use the word gay would be amazing but seems unlikely and Luke will be able to confirm it on social media anyways. Having Cyrus compliment TJ’s outfit and say it brings out his eyes would be a nice little moment if Terri could swing it. Josh has heavily hinted that we’d see some pay off to Cyrus calling TJ oblivious back in 3x07 and it would be great if we could see Cyrus using a mashup name for him and TJ like was able to with Iris. 

Nice to see them make use of Luke’s piano skills and that means we’ll learn something new about TJ as well as learning his name and of course for most of the audience, the reveal that TJ is gay and likes Cyrus. 

Seems like Cyrus, TJ, Buffy, Bex, Bowie, Amber, Jonah, and Andi are involved in the song, not sure where Marty is. Buffy compliments Marty and says he was funny and I wonder if he did some solo performance beforehand or after. 

If they sing the theme song that’s cheesy af but I can’t see what else they’d have the rights to. 

Muffy confession is outside which makes sense since they’d want some privacy for the Muffy kiss. Very smart to have them canon in the place they first met and once again I’m so glad they got Marty back, a Wuffy endgame just wouldn’t have been anywhere near as good. 

I think the scene of Cyrus and Buffy standing inside in their jackets watching Bex and Bowie dance in their dress and tux is likely after they come in from confessing to their boyfriends and near the very end of the ep. I think Andi showing the mains that she’s cleared out Andi Shack because she got into SAVA is probably at the very end and one of the last scenes.  I don’t know if the show is gonna pretend she’s starting at SAVA immediately because the finale is in December and she would’t be starting high school for 9 months which takes away a lot of the emotional impact of her moving. Or maybe she gets to start early or has to transfer to some new art middle school to finish up 8th grade in order to beef up her skills before starting at SAVA. 

No sign of Kira in any of the promo clips and TJ arrives at the party alone which fits with her appearance meant to be a surprise twist as well as brief since Raquel was only on set for one day and that was the day all the other main and recurring kids were on set and her screen time comes out of TJ’s screen time. I think her 30-60 seconds of screen time will be by far the worst part of the finale. She’s been the most poorly written character on the show; her motvation going from trying to hurt Buffy to trying to date a guy she knows is gay and I’m sure her apology will probably introduce a new motivation, she just wanted a friend or some crap like that. On the plus side it doesn’t look like she sticks around so we don’t have to see TJ befriend her for no justifiable reason though I do think that ‘’sometimes there’s a nice person inside trying to get out’’ line is said to her by TJ or about her by TJ which is awful. I do think that she encourages TJ to talk to or hang out with Cyrus or something and that begins the ‘redemption’ we’ll luckily never have to see. 

We’ll see such growth on Amber’s part from her behaviour at the first party to now.

Jonah gives Andi the bracelet maybe? I don’t think they canon but I do think they leave the door open to get back together in the future. 

I wonder if Celia is coming back to Shadyside or if she’s leaving for good and I wonder if we’ll get a hint for a Bexie baby.

I’ve been hard on Terri but I do trust that the vast majority of the finale will be great and that she got the best ending possible for the show and I’m glad she fought as hard as I’m sure she did for the wonderful Tyrus ending we’re getting. 

It’s going to be bittersweet getting that payoff while also saying goodbye to the show but at least with the longer length we’ll get to see pretty much all of what they filmed. 

We’re on the cusp of watching history being made as Tyrus becomes the first gay couple on Disney Channel. With that in mind, I’d like to remind everyone that Tyrus week starts Monday July 22nd at 4pm eastern standard time and I hope everyone reading this will participate in whatever way they can so we can get Tyrus to number 1 on fandometrics. 

Can’t believe I only have one more review to write. It’s gonna be a great week and a great ep and I can’t wait for us all to see it!

[lifeoftheparty74]

Cas and Izzy

A/N: This is short and probably shitty... I wanted to write some Dad!Shawn, but I wasn’t as inspired for this as I expected. Edited kinda quickly and shitty. Hope you like it tho!

Pairing(s): ShawnxReader

Word count: 766

Warnings: None! Pure flufff

"Wait, but, dad, there aren't enough letters for all of the keys!"

"I know, bud, that's why one row of letters comes back. Look, it starts with C here, and then you go from D to E, F, G, A, B, and start again. I always remember that D is this one here, between two black keys."

"But what are the black keys?"

"... You know what? We'll get on that later, let's start with just the white ones."

Soft sounds of the piano being played by my husband filled the house. He was teaching our eldest, Castor, how to play piano. The boy has been begging his father for ages to teach him, but Shawn has never gotten around to doing it. Today, on one of his rare days off lately, I forced him to spend time with his son and give the little guy some lessons.

"Iz, can you get my phone?"

"Of course mummy!" The little girl bounces up from get chair. When she returns, I pull up my camera, filming my two boys behind the instrument.

"Mum?"

"Yes baby?"

"Why won't daddy teach me to make music?"

I crouch down on my knees next to her, wiping away the little wrinkle between her full brows. "I think it's because you haven't asked him, pretty. I'm sure if you asked him, he'd want to teach to how to play. Which instrument do you like?"

"Guitar!"

"Then, when dad is done teaching Cas, you can ask him, yeah?"

"Okay mummy! Can I show you the drawing I made now?"

"Of course, hun, just let me finish this up." I tell her, typing the last bit of my work review, and make sure to save it before exiting the program.

Ismene all but pulls me along to her room, fishing the paper out from between the thousands of others she'd make daily. This one is a drawing of what seems to be her, in the middle of the page, standing on a black platform and a lot of little yellow and white spots around her.

"Is that you looking at the sky? It's very pretty, baby."

"No, mama, look! It's me singing for a hundred people, just like daddy does!"

I realize what she meant to accomplish with this: she has this little black stick that's supposed to be a mic in her hand, and the spots are fans with their flashlights on. It's beautiful, even if she painted it a little messily. That might've made it even better.

"Do you wanna do the same thing as daddy then? Sing for a lot of people?"

"Yes! That's why I want him to teach me!"

"Why don't you show him this then? I'm sure he'll love it. And if you ask him, I know dad won't mind teaching both you and Cas to play piano."

"But I don't want to play piano, mom. I wanna play guitar."

"Hey, I'm sure he will teach you, but you can't keep on asking me again and again. Go downstairs and ask dad, okay?"

She nods, curls bouncing on top of her head, and dances down the staircase. "Daddy!!" I walk after her without a rush, listening to the conversation unfolding in the music room.

"Yes baby?" Shawn asks, turning around, half listening to Cas playing Little Star and half focused on his little daughter.

"Can you teach me to play guitar?"

"Of course I can!"

"I have an idea!" Our son chimes in, just as I reach the bottom of the stairs. "Can you teach us the same song, and we can play it together!"

"Sure bud, sounds good! Can you continue practicing with this song, then I will get a guitar with Izzy, and I'll be right back, yeah?"

Yes, Shawn has so many guitars he has one room filled with them. Only his favourite guitars and the ones he needs daily are in the music room.

"Hmmm." The boy nodded, turning away from his father and placing his fingers back on the keys. Izzy squealed in delight, and latched onto her fathers' arm as he carried her across the hall.

"Hey Shawn, I've got to go grocery shopping. Can you handle these two for a while?"

"Sure hun, go ahead. Love you," he muttered, placing a quick kiss on top of my head.

"Love you too," Was my response, and just before I left, while I put on my shoes, I heard their voices, the piano and guitar on the background, and I couldn't help but feel extremely happy and content with my children, my husband, and my life in general.

[stratus-skye07]

Thanks | Jonghyun

Description: With the debut of your solo album, you begin to reminisce on how you became such a great singer everyone has been labeling you since you’ve only been known as a rapper in your group. It wouldn’t have been possible hadn’t it been for your boyfriend, Jonghyun. A lot things you’re not thankful for until you need it and grateful you are for his help.

Genre: Fluff / Boyfriend AU / Idol AU

Word Count: 2.2k

I haven’t been this nervous since debuting with the girls. This time I was debuting as a solo artist. My group has been doing well since debuting and it was never decided whether or not any of us would do solos until our boss thought it would be a good idea if I do it since I was already writing music for the group.

The music video for the title track along with the album as already been released and so far the reaction has been positive. It placed number one on the Gaon Music Charts, something I never thought would happen.

Now I’m doing promotions by myself. It's very stressful since I’m technically representing not only myself but also my group so everything will be reflected on them whether it’s good or bad.

I continue to hold my smile as I carry on with my first interview since releasing everything.

“Y/N, this is your debut as a solo artist. How does it feel?” The female interviewer asks.

I clap from the excitement, “It was definitely a new world for me. I had always been so used to recording and practicing choreography with my members but this time I was all alone in the whole process which was kind of scary but also very exciting.”

“I’m sure it was a whole different experience for you.” She looks at her cue card to ask the next question, “Being a part of such a well known group, you are mostly know as a rapper but you do a great amount of singing in this album. A lot of people were surprised as how amazing your voice sounds, how long have you been hiding it?”

I blush at the comment that I’ve been receiving more times than I can count ever since I released the album, “I don’t wanna say I’ve been hiding it but it was more of an unnecessary thing to reveal since my position, as the only rapper within the group, was to rap. Being that the album is centered around me, I wanted to show more of me than most fans see when I’m in my group.”

“I can already tell you that a majority of the comments are of how your voice sounds. You’ve also already had your first win recently with the title track, what was going on in your mind once you received the win?”

My heart begins to race from excitement, “I never expected to even be in the top 5 this week so winning was something that really wasn’t in my mind at the time. I just wanted the album to do well and winning first in music shows were beyond expectation.”

“It’s certainly achieving what it deserves.”

Three stressful weeks go by of music shows and promoting. It’s been extremely busy but also rewarding since I managed to win multiple music show awards along the way. Now that I have some off time, I can spend it with the man I love.

A soon as the apartment door opens and I see him in front of me. I pounce on him to embrace him like a baby. He’s shocked at first but starts chuckling before squeezing me.

“Jonghyun oppa,” I call out to him in a baby voice, “I’ve missed you.”

He closes the door and continue to walk with me clung onto him like a koala, “I can feel it. I’ve missed you too.”

Jonghyun was one of the first people I met after debuting. At first, he became like an older brother to me which led to us dating. It was intimidating at first since he, along with SHINee, are considered to be legends in the Korean music industry and being with a rookie wouldn’t sound good to Shawols. We still haven’t come out to the media that we’re together but we figured there was no rush in doing so since we were never bothered about it.

Reaching the kitchen, he set me down on the counter as he approached the stove, “I see that your promotions have been going well.” He’s tossing ingredients in a pot, “So tonight I’m cooking for you and there’s a cake in the fridge to celebrate the success of your new album. Have you been eating well?”

I shrug my shoulders, “Maybe.”

He stops what he’s doing to look at me with a stern gaze, “Jagi, you’re doing a lot more work than you normally would in a group. The girls aren’t there to carry some of the burden. If you don’t take care of yourself, you’re gonna crash.”

I smile, “I know, oppa. I just like it when you’re overly concerned.”

He points the spoon at me, “You just like worrying me, is that it?”

I nod, “Yes.”

He chuckles as he carries on with the cooking at hand. I watch him as thoughts of when we started dating come to mind. I noticed how worrisome he was of me. Considering he has a good ten years of experience in the music industry, he wanted me to succeed since the very beginning. The truth was, Jonghyun taught me how to sing. He was very strict as a teacher but it was the kind of strict that showed that he cared.

I remember when he first started teaching me how to sing...

I sneak into the SM building to see Jonghyun like I’d done multiple times before since we started dating. Today, I was going to see him but I didn’t tell him I was coming. Things with the girls have been stressful, our recent album flopped.

I also couldn’t keep myself from reading all the hateful comments about me. It hasn’t been long since we debuted so I wouldn’t expect a rave review for every album but the disappointment really hurt.

I wipe my eyes to make sure there weren’t any evidence of crying that had occurred an hour ago. I didn’t want to cause Jonghyun to worry about something that I’m sure every artist goes through as rookies. Plus, we’ve been dating a short amount of time and I don’t want to burden him. I shake off the nerves before opening the door to the music room.

Once I open the door, my ears are filled with music coming from the piano along with Jonghyun’s angelic voice reverberating off the walls of the room. He’s deep in singing that he doesn’t notice that I’m here.

Slowly, I slide in to sit on the other half of the bench and place my head on his shoulder. He suddenly stops playing once he feels my presence.

I groan, “Don’t stop playing, It sounds nice.”

“Jagi, what are you doing here?” He asks trying to get a better look at my face.

I sit up straight to answer but I don’t look directly at him, “I just missed you.”

Jonghyun is silent until he pulls the strands of hair I had covering part of my face behind my ear, “Have you been crying?”

Finally looking at him, “Just a little.” I answer honestly.

“Why? What’s wrong?” He pulls me in to his warm embrace as the tears began to come out again.

“It’s nothing. You know how dramatic I can be.”

Jonghyun pulls away to look at my face. He tilts his head as he keeps his gaze on me, “You’re stressing about the new album, aren’t you?” He asks wiping the wet streaks from my cheeks.

“I know I shouldn’t worry about it so much but I really want our group to do well. A lot of the comments are hateful ones.”

“Jagi,” He cups my cheeks so that I’m looking up at him, his eyes are soft, “you’ve worked hard to get to this point and I know that you will continue to work hard. You can’t give in to those comments. It’s the challenging part of working in this industry. I promise you that if you keep pushing through them, you’ll be smiling for sure next time.”

I smile at his endearing words, “Do you think our group will do well?”

Jonghyun grins before placing a tender kiss on my forehead, “Every group will go through their downs. Without the downs, we can’t appreciate the highs.” He gives me a peck on the lips, “I believe you’ll do better than you think.”

I managed to calm down after a cryfest with Jonghyun. The tension I was feeling before had gone away soon after. Jonghyun wanted to soothe me so he started singing and playing the piano for me. I had my head on his shoulder as he played. The vibration from his singing relaxed me as his voice went high and low.

“Oppa, you have such a beautiful voice. It gives me goosebumps every time I hear you sing.”

He continues to play the piano as he talks, “Have you ever tried singing instead of rapping?”

“When I was a trainee, I started out singing but once the group was formed I was assigned to be the sole rapper. Once that was decided I didn’t really have a reason to practice singing.”

“Do you want learn?”

“Learn what?”

“Learn to sing. I’ll teach you if you want. I’m sure you have just as great of voice as I do.”

At first, I only wanted to learn because it was an excuse to get to spend more time with Jonghyun. After a few lessons, I wanted to stop but he wouldn’t let it go until I continued the lessons with him. At times he would get frustrated with me like an actual teacher and it was almost the breaking point for us but as time progressed, I was able to hit every note he had given me. Until the last day of our lessons.

“What do you mean no more lessons?” I ask.

Jonghyun looks at me with a smile, “I mean I have nothing more to teach you. We’ve reached the point to where I am now.”

“Where you are now?”

“Yes, I’ve taught you everything I know up until what I know now. So consider us at the same grade level.” He taps on the keys of the piano before pointing at it, ”Do you wanna learn the piano next?”

I sit beside him on the bench still processing the facts, “So am I good enough?”

He scoffs, “Didn’t oppa teach you well?”

I shake my head, “It’s not that. You are a great teacher but I’m just wondering if my voice is even worth it to sing.”

“Trust me, it’s worth it. You should have more confidence in yourself. I don’t wanna hear anymore ifs. You sing so amazingly that you should go on King of the Masked Singers just to blow everyone away.”

I laugh at his extreme belief in me, “Oppa,” He hums in response, “why did you try so hard to teach me how to sing?”

“One day you’ll want to pursue a solo career. With this in mind, people will want to bring you down by saying that you’re not talented enough and knowing you, you would refuse to do it, thinking that you have nothing to show but your rapping. I want you to be able to sing confidently in front of the people that say you can’t. The day you came to me crying. My heart hurt seeing you so sad and discouraged. I didn’t like seeing you that way. Teaching you how to sing was important to me because I don’t ever want to see you like that again nor do I want you to feel like you’re not the best you can be. I can rest easy knowing that you can sing amazingly enough to shut up the people that want talk negatively about you. I love everything about you and it’s time you should start too.”

Ever since that day, I fell more in love with Jonghyun. His diehard support kept me going until our group got our first win. I never doubted myself again. Every time I think about doing something I’m not sure of, I always ask him and he gives me the most support to do whatever I want. Ever since we started dating, I’d consider that one of my most precious memories.

Jonghyun had finished cooking and we sat across from each other at the dinner table as we ate. I ate to my hearts content until I recalled something that I wanted to say to Jonghyun before moving on with the celebration.

“Oppa, I have some good news to tell you.”

He wipes his mouth before asking, “I love good news from you. What is it?”

“I’m gonna be on King of the Mask Singers next week as a mystery singer.”

His eyes grow wide along with his precious smile that I love to see, “Really?” I nod, “That’s amazing. I already know that you’re gonna kill it. That’s my girl.”

I watch as he continues to eat. Keeping my gaze on him, Jonghyun notices me gawking and looks up at me, “What? Why are you staring at me? Do I have something on my face?”

I smile emotionally big, “No, I just want to tell you that I love you and thank you, Jonghyun oppa.”

[ezra-blue]

FFXV Band AU Test Drive - A Favor

So here’s an AU idea I’ve been kicking around, and I thought I’d give writing the opening scene a try. 

Tentative Title: Sky Kings 1: A Favor...

The practice rooms in Highwind Hall were already full up, and Prompto cursed that he’d dared sleep in past seven when he knew he had an original composition due in three days. He hiked his bag straps up his shoulder as he bolted down the hall one more time, hoping someone might step out. He thought he’d finally spotted an open door, but just as he got there, he saw a familiar-looking dark-haired guy shutting it. Prompto swore as the door clicked shut, and debated for ten seconds knocking and asking if they could team up. He really needed the practice, and having someone to practice with wouldn’t hurt.

He knew that guy from his Advanced Guitar lecture halls: Noctis, the quiet bassist who seemed to sleep through the lectures but still walked away with high grades. He looked familiar for some other reason, but Prompto couldn’t place it. Either way, he had been meaning to get up the nerve to talk to him. 

Today wasn’t the day. He’d played alone up until now, what was another few sessions? Besides, he had a lot of work to do. Prompto turned from the door and started to shuffle away, until he heard a whistle and stood to attention in a snap. “Argentum.” Prompto didn’t move as Professor Leonis strode down the hall towards him. Professor Leonis was ex-military, and every student who’d had him for even a semester ended up as his soldier. Prompto’d had him three times, and he was only in his third semester. Professor Leonis stopped and stood in front of him. “Late finding a practice room, boy?”

“Yes, sir.” He smiled sheepishly despite himself. “Bad luck on my part.”

“Hmph. This close to midterms, it’s damn near impossible sometimes, and some fools hog the things.” Professor Leonis motioned. “Come with me.”

“Yessir!” For some reason, Professor Leonis liked Prompto. Maybe it was because he was exactly scared enough of the man, but he’d also worked harder than anyone he’d seen to impress him because he was scared of the man.

Professor Leonis unlocked the door to one of the larger demonstration rooms, set up with risers surrounding a pit, usually used for class practice sessions. “The acoustics in here are a little different from the smaller rooms, but you’re the kind of natural showman who can fill it.” He gestured to the amps at the front of the room, the covered drums and a grand piano, a few rows of empty chairs. “There are no reservations in here until eleven. You have three hours.”

“Thanks, Professor!” Prompto saluted him again, grinning, then swept his hair back and set his guitar case down against the blackboard and put his laptop bag down on a chair. He got his guitar out next, a black Concert-level acoustic-electric Fender, and tested it first, finger-picking an adaptation of Mozart’s Sonata No. 16 he’d come up with for a final during his first semester and tuning it as he went until it sounded just right. Then, he plugged it into the amp and gave her a good hard strum with his index and thumb pressing down a C. The chord filled the room with a sonorous thrum, and Prompto smiled with satisfaction. 

He took a breath, took a little solace in knowing he wasn’t a voice major, and began to pound out the beat on his guitar as he launched into a warm-up, a cover of one of his favorite, and sang at the top of his lungs: 

“When Rome’s in ruins, we are the lions, freed of the Coliseum!” 

He kept up the beat by tapping his foot on the chair, balancing his guitar on his bent knee as he strummed out the chords. “In poisoned places, we are anti-venom, we’re the beginning of the end...”

There was a noise at the door, but Prompto was already way into the song. Music was his life, absolutely one of his favorite things, third in line behind sightseeing (especially when he got to take some good photos!) and video games. When he was playing and singing, he felt like a different person, someone more confident than he was, someone people could like. As it was, he’d kind of had to get himself as far as he had. He’d been shy most of his life, and was only barely starting to come out of his shell now. However, he’d worked his way into a full-ride scholarship at his dream college and things only seemed to be getting better.

When he was here, he was more him than he’d ever been. He didn’t even mind that someone was watching him at the door now. He didn’t even mind that the someone in particular was Noctis. 

Instead, his natural showmanship took over as he fingerpicked out the piano accompaniment to the second verse: “C’mon, make it easy, say I never mattered, run it up the flagpole...” He winked at Noctis. “We will teach you how to make boys next do-or out of assholes!” He laughed naturally at his own joke, and strummed on into the bridge, even though he could feel Noctis watching him now. “Tonight, the foxes hunt the hounds, it’s all over now, before it has begun, we’ve already won!”

He kicked hard at the chorus, but he heard another voice join his: “WE AAAAAAAARE WILD, We are like young volcanoes!” Prompto had never heard that voice before singing the harmony like a moon reflecting his sunlight, and it startled him into dropping his pick. He yelped and tried to snatch it, which resulted in him nearly dropping the guitar, and he barely managed to keep himself together long enough to prevent a feedback squeal. When he looked around to the door again, Noctis was gone.

“Oh.” Prompto wondered if he’d imagined him being there at all. Well, that was enough warm-up, anyway. Instead, he opened up his laptop and the composition program, and his last set of critiques from TA Ulric’s review of his draft recording, and got down to work testing out a few new riffs.

When his time was up, Prompto left with his laptop and guitar strapped around his shoulders, but when he emerged into the hall, there was Noctis again, but he wasn’t alone. There were two other men in the hall, each looking a little older: one huge guy with an undercut hawk and tattoos all down his muscled arms, and a slight, tall man with glasses dressed like he belonged in an office, hair sleek and slicked back and trendy glasses perched on his nose. Oh, man, they must have been waiting on him. Prompto ducked his head down a little as if they might not notice him if he sank low enough. Both of the unfamiliar men seemed to be staring Prompto down as he walked past, but he noticed each of them subtly observe him as he loped down the hallway. However, when he passed Noctis, he realized they were both looking at him, and just as he passed Noctis, Noctis cleared his throat.

“Hey.” Prompto turned, just as Noctis extended a hand. “A favor...”

“Oh, hi! What’s up?” Prompto grinned and extended his hand. “Name’s Prompto, what can I do for ya?” 

Noctis actually smiled back and shook Prompto’s hand. “Noctis.” Then, he looked down, dragging the words out. “I wanted to ask... A Favor... House Atlantic.”

Prompto started. “Oh, Coheed and Cambria?”

“Yeah.” Noctis’ face lit up. “You know it? You got some time?” He motioned to the other two. “We’ve been looking for a really strong lead guitar and another vocalist. I’d like to test you out. Would you mind jamming with us a little?” 

Prompto started for a second, then grinned with glee. “Gimme ten minutes while you guys get warmed up. I’m down.”

[voraciousreadersblog]

Orgina Synopsis: Mia Kelly thinks she has it all figured out. She’s an Ivy League graduate, a classically trained pianist, and the beloved daughter of a sensible mother and offbeat father. Yet Mia has been stalling since graduation, torn between putting her business degree to use and exploring music, her true love. 

When her father unexpectedly dies, she decides to pick up the threads of his life while she figures out her own. Uprooting herself from Ann Arbor to New York City, Mia takes over her father’s café, a treasured neighbor­hood institution that plays host to undiscovered musicians and artists. She’s denied herself the thrilling and unpredictable life of a musician, but a chance encounter with Will, a sweet, gorgeous, and charming guitar­ist, offers her a glimpse of what could be. When Will becomes her friend and then her roommate, she does everything in her power to suppress her passions—for him, for music—but her father’s legacy slowly opens her heart to the possibility of something more.

REVIEW:-

This book doesn't only mess around with the protagonists but also surrounds with family and friends. It's a great romance book to read.This book will make you shed tears, laugh, feel joy and happiness and remind you that you need to teach your heart and mind to keep singing together

The author also took turns to explain almost every character's past and on going life. Her writing was good and super fast and easy to read. The novel was irresistible, it had family moments, strong friendship and love.

Will's character is almost impossible not to love, he was so much fun, affectionate and knew what he was doing while Mia, who thought her life was all figured out until her father died and she moved to New York. She went clueless after her father's death. She was a total bitch sometimes but her actions were understandable in the book.

I thought Jenny (Mia's friend in New York) was badass, calm and who always had solutions for Mia's problems. She was a great friend and she always knew the right thing to do.

This book also has musical elements in it, Will is a starving artist who plays guitar and Mia played piano. This is a book with music in it.

I personally felt it was an amazing read and anyone who loves music and cute romance novels should surely give it a try. Definitely recommended. ;)

[betsonbetty-blog]

Now What? Pt. 7

Hey I'm back. Let me start off with I am so sorry it has taken me so long to upload this chapter. I have been in the middle of a bunch of exams as well as double shifting at my job. I would have posted it sooner, however, I absolutely hated what I had written. I literally threw everything away multiple times. Only one of those old drafts is still on my computer. Also, reviews make me really happy and motivated to write so if you could do that it would be awesome! Anyways, hope you enjoy!

Beginning | Previous | Next

FF.net | AO3.org

Part 7

"You will not believe what some of these college students in at that university do!" Alya recounted her experience during her study abroad semester. "They have this weird ritual when they get their class ring. So, the ring is a big deal over there. Once they receive it they drop it in a pitcher of beer and then chug as fast as they can. So many people throw up. It was insane." Adrien and Nino came back in with all the stuff Nino needed, calling the attention of the three girls sitting down.

"Alright, that should be it. I should have it ready in an hour, but remember it still has to sit for 24hrs." Nino began setting up first grabbing what looked like a jar filled with cinnamon sticks.

Marinette worried over Adrien. Their friends didn't want to say what had happened to Gabriel, but they assured him he is well. Chloe stood up after glancing at her phone. "I need to head out. I promised Madeline to help her finish fixing up the nursery today. Sasha is almost here, and we want to be ready," Chloe glowed as she spoke. Alya's hand went over her heart with a soft face. "I will be back tomorrow morning. Adieu," Chloe blew a kiss at the group and walked out.

Alya stood up shortly after, "I need to go too. I have deadlines to meet. Thankfully, Nora was free to watch the boys. This school break couldn't've come at a worse timing. I will see you later. Alya hugged Marinette, "Au revoir."

"This is going to smell really strong. You might want to go to a different room. Can I open the windows?" Nino looked up from what seemed a cauldron.

"Yeah, whatever you need. I guess we'll be around if you need anything let Amanda know," Marinette grabbed Adrien's hand and walked outside their office.

Once out of earshot of Amanda, Marinette turned to Adrien smiling "how about we explore more of the house?" The hallway filled with Adrien's laughter from looking at his bug bouncing from excitement. Nodding he began to follow her. The hallway led to the living room with a grand piano off to the side. "This is amazing!" Marinette quickly went to touch the quilted couches.

Adrien's eyes didn't leave the piano as he felt himself gravitate towards it. Immediately he went to the left corner and there it was. E.A. in elegant font. He felt his mouth dry and throat tightened as his eyes began to sting. He felt Marinette's arms slip around him. Adrien took a deep breath and cleared his throat, "E.A. Emilie Agreste. The piano belonged to my mother. I hadn't seen this piano since my mother's disappearance. Father had it in her study. A study he kept under lock and key. I never thought I would see it ever again." There was fondness in his voice as he spoke, "Have I ever mentioned the reason I love the piano?" Marinette shook her head as a nostalgic smile formed on Adrien. "My mother used to play the piano with me every day. She taught me piano. I would always change the melody," tears began streaming down his face unable to contain themselves anymore. "Honestly, if it wasn't for my father I would still enjoy the piano tenfold," Adrien grabbed the notes on the piano, "Fur Elise. I wonder why this still here after so many years."

"Daddy are you going to play right now?!" Emma's voice rang through the room from where they had just come from. "Daddy why are you crying?" Emma looked up at Adrien with wide blue eyes and smiled, "I know, I'll sit next to you and play just like you used to with mamie. That always makes you happy when you're sad," Emma caught him by surprise. Marinette couldn't help to smile as she saw the warmness in his eyes. Adrien nodded and removed his glasses to wipe his eyes. Emma lit up and sat on the bench as Adrien sat to her right. The notes were familiar. His chest filled with a warm sensation. Lucky for Adrien had been practicing this song for a while now. Emma began playing the simpler notes on her end, however, she changed some of the notes. This caught Adrien of guard and caused a knot to re-form in his throat. Marinette leaned on the piano as she stared at the love of her life with their future daughter. The sight of them would have stopped her fourteen-year-old heart, but as an eighteen-year-old she simply felt love. Love towards the boy she fell for twice and love for her daughter.

The song ended as Louis walked in holding a device, "mommy I want to play with you." Marinette smiled as the boy walked over. However, internally she couldn't stop her mind racing. She didn't know how to play the piano. The kids were going to find that they weren't their parents. Well they were, but not at the moment. What was she going to do? Her eyes flickered at Adrien for a second, but it wasn't enough for him to notice. Emma had his full undivided attention. Louis handed her the device in his hands while he beamed as he looked up at her. She felt herself relax. Video games, of course. "Oh, can we connect it to the big tv this time?" She could practically see stars in his eyes, his father's eyes, with his hands clenched in front of him.

"Of course, minou," Adrien's heart fluttered as she spoke. This was his future. Louis ran to the tv at the other side of the room.

A brunette woman entered the room, "Mr. and Mrs. Agreste, I have finished packing lunch for later. Mrs. Amanda informed me you have plans with the children later. I will be back around 5 o'clock to watch over the kids tonight."

Adrien ransacked his brain for her name. "Thank you, Camille," Marinette smiled sweetly at her. Adrien was glad one of them had remembered her name. The woman nodded and left. "Alright, think you can teach me how to play again," Marinette sat next to their son and ruffled his hair reminding her of Chat Noir's hair.

Louis lit up, "silly mommy, you always forget," he excitedly began explaining to Marinette. The game was a simple platformer and the duo began to play together.

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

It was a beautiful sunny day out. Adrien was finishing up strapping in Louis on the booster seat as Marinette was putting the picnic basket in the back of the car. Marinette had made sure to pack extra cookies and Adrien asked her to pack camembert. They had decided on having Marinette drive since she had a lot more experience. Gabriel had only recently and reluctantly allowed Adrien to learn to drive. They set the GPS to the park Nino had recommended before he left. A man in a suit knocked on the window and Marinette lowered the window, "Marinette Adrien, Claude and Faye are ready to go. Are you positive you don't wish Eric to drive?"

Marinette smiled lightly laughing, "Alexander I am positive." Alexander fidgeted slightly clearly uncomfortable. Safety was his number one priority. Every time Adrien or Marinette chose to drive themselves it made him uneasy. However, he knew they were more than capable of staying safe. All members of security knew their secret, but never spoke of it to them. Marinette and Adrien weren't the sneakiest of people. Sometimes it caused all of them to laugh when they would see them 'sneaking out' or the ridiculous excuses they give. One thing they were good at, nevertheless, was hiding how they become superheroes. Being the best bosses they have ever had and at this point practically family, they always worried about them. "Relax Alexander," Marinette petted his arm.

Alexander sighed in defeat and smiled, "very well. Enjoy your afternoon." Alexander walked back into the house closing the doors behind him.

The afternoon past by in a blur. Claude and Faye stayed near by enough to notice them, but not enough to eavesdrop. Adrien and Marinette spent the time talking and laughing as the twins played. Plagg and Tikki imputing every once in while from the picnic basket. They remembered all the signs that they were Ladybug and Chat Noir. "Every day it was Ladybug this Ladybug that. It got even worse when he realized he had fallen for your civilian self. 'Plagg what do I do? I am in love with two different girls. Am I a horrible person? I don't deserve either'," Plagg teased his holder. "So many times after your fight against Dark Owl I wanted to say something, but couldn't because of the damn spell," Plagg grumbled and grabbed another piece of cheese. At some point, Marinette lightly punched Adrien in the arm for all the times he made her worry as Chat. The drive back was a quiet peaceful one. The twins had fallen asleep in the back. Adrien looked at them and smiled. Two wonderful kids and one on the way, he took Marinette's hand and placed a kiss on her knuckles. She smiled as she turned slightly pink.

When they arrived at the house one of the maids, Liliane, was already waiting for them. Quickly she rushed to assist with unloading the car. Marinette handed the keys to Eric. Without waking the twins up, Adrien and Marinette managed to carry them inside and put them in bed for a little longer. Adrien walked downstairs to let Alexander know Eric would be driving Marinette and him to dinner. He was so excited he almost didn't notice Camille, "oh perfect. Camille, would you mind waking the twins up in twenty minutes? They fell asleep in the car after the park. I want them to be able to sleep at night."

"No problem, Mr. Agreste," Camille continued walking.

Amanda had told Marinette she picked up her dress from the dry cleaners for tonight and was hanging in the closet. She walked in the shower and began singing. Hearing Marinette singing made Adrien feel like the luckiest man alive. As soon as she was done she got out to allow Adrien to shower. Adrien was finishing up laying out his outfit, a blue suit with black tie, when she walked out. It hadn't occurred to either one of them that Marinette would have only a towel on. The moment they realized it, both turned completely red. "Sorry," Adrien looked away while he put his hand on his neck. Marinette quickly scampered into the closet. Adrien swallowed hard. A cold shower that's what I need. A very cold shower. He stripped and went in. As he began to shower he noticed the products. Strawberry scented shampoo. He smiled. He was helplessly in love with a girl who made him fall twice.

Marinette was still blushing when she saw the dress. It was a dusty pink cocktail dress with an empire waistline and strap halter neckline. She quickly started on working on her hair and makeup. The dress was thankfully easy to zip up. Adrien knocked letting her know he would be downstairs waiting on her. She found gorgeous gold heels and clutch and was ready to go. Adrien was in the middle of a conversation with Eric when he saw her walking down the stairs. Absolutely sublime. "You never fail to look amazed at her. I hope one day to find someone to look at the way you look at her," Eric's voice brought him back to earth. They told the twins goodnight and headed off. For the rest of the night Adrien couldn't keep his eyes off her.

Adrien kissed Marinette for the millionth time that night. Adrien straighten up as Marinette removed her makeup and a wide grin appeared on his face, "hey, what do you think on going out for a run?" Marinette nodded smiling and rushed to finish up. Once done they held hands with their kwamis floating above them. They nodded at each other, "Plagg" "Tikki" "transforme moi!"

They didn't have to say where to go they already knew. The Eiffel Tower was lit as always. Once they reached the top they sat in their usual spot. "So, new Ladybug outfit. I like it. The black really makes the red pop."

Ladybug tapped his bell. "Ever the charmer, chaton," Ladybug laid her head on her husband's shoulder as he wrapped an arm around her and they stared off into the night in the city of lights.