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theresneverenoughfandoms · 5 years

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Roses

Aww, thank you! Have a wonderful day/night, my dear!

From what I remember, the one-word prompts were like, 3 sentences but I hate doing that because it’s very limiting so here have this

A big big thank you to @obsessedfanofmanythings for helping me by coming up with some amazing ideas for this and @quoth-the-sparrow for being willing to read and support this gay ass fic. You’re both amazing

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Virgil had a lot of roses. Like, a lot of them. But in his defence, it was entirely Roman’s fault.

It had started with a bouquet of exactly 15 yellow roses that he found sitting outside his door. For a moment he assumed that there had been some sort of mistake, but then he saw the small card attached to the bound stems. In the most ridiculously exaggerated cursive he had ever seen were the words “For Virgil”, under which was a large, looping R. He had no idea why Roman was leaving him roses, but he really didn’t want to damage their tentative new...friendship? Alliance? In any case, he couldn’t risk offending Princey, not when he and the others could easily cast him out again. Cautiously, he had picked up the flowers and brought them into his room before heading downstairs, determined to not mention his confusion to Roman.

Next came the peach roses. 20 of them, once again placed outside his bedroom door. This time, however, the note was scrawled on a card propped up next to the blooms. “A sign of my appreciation. Thank you for spurring Thomas to create. R”. Virgil glanced down the hallway at the prince’s door, a strange, warm feeling settling in his gut. Ever since their conversation in Patton’s room, Roman had begun to be more open with him and Virgil was almost tempted to do the same. Almost. Still, the gesture was appreciated and the anxious side gathered the flowers and placed them on his bedside table next to the yellow ones which were miraculously still alive. Clearly, Roman had done something to them. But he had to admit, seeing the burst of colour every time he entered his room wasn’t the worst thing in the world.

A few weeks passed before Virgil received more roses, but evidently Roman had decided to enhance his presentation because this bouquet wasn’t lying on the floor. No, this bouquet was on the kitchen table, a ribbon tied around the delicate glass vase it was in. At first, Virgil had no reason to think that the 13 bright blue roses were for him until he saw the notecard attached to the ribbon. “For Virgil, because you are endlessly mysterious. R.” The anxious side blinked a few times and glanced around the empty kitchen as if expecting Roman to jump out of a cupboard and explain what the hell that even meant. This, of course, did not happen and Virgil quickly took the roses up to his room before anyone else could see them. Not because he was embarrassed, obviously, but because...they were special. They were for him. Before the first roses, he had never received a gift from anyone. So maybe it was a little selfish, but was it so wrong that he wanted to keep them to himself? He was so busy trying to justify this to himself that he missed the faint sound of Roman asking if Patton or Logan had happened to have moved the vase from the table.

A few days after that, Virgil was presented with more roses. But this time, they were actually handed to him. It had thrown him off wildly when Patton approached with a brilliant smile on his face and held out a bouquet of orange roses. This one was smaller than the others, only 7 blossoms, but beautiful nonetheless. Before the anxious side could ask what was happening, Patton explained that the flowers were from Roman. Baffled, Virgil accepted the offering and watched as the fatherly figure made his way to the kitchen. He stared down at the blooms for a long moment before once again bringing them upstairs to his bedroom. Across the hall, Roman paced in his own room, waiting for a knock that never came.

Virgil nearly fell out of the armchair he was sitting in when a clearly exasperated Logan dropped a gigantic collection of pink roses onto his lap. He would count them later and find out that there were 33 in total, but at the time he had been too stunned to even try. Logan nodded primly at the flower-covered side before stalking out of the room, muttering about how Roman could do his own damn work next time. A bit overwhelmed, Virgil gathered the roses into his arms and sunk into his room, unable to walk there without dropping some. He glanced helplessly at the assortment of seemingly eternal flowers that had taken over his bedside table and gently propped the new ones against it. Yeah, this wasn’t going to work. He began to rearrange some furniture to make room for the newest additions, unaware of the dejected Roman standing outside his door, waiting for him to come up the stairs.

Virgil was a bit unsettled when Deceit approached him in the commons carrying a bunch of roses, but when the exasperated man said that he definitely hadn't been sent by Roman, how could Virgil even consider such a thing, the anxious side couldn't help but snicker. The sight of 19 bright white blossoms in the gloved hands of an entirely unamused Deceit was almost too comical to be taken seriously. (Which, ironically, was a complete lie. It was entirely too comical to be taken seriously). With a sarcastic thank-you, Virgil took the flowers. Raising an eyebrow, Deceit rolled his eyes and sank out without another word. Once again Virgil brought the flowers to his room, the brilliance of their white petals an admittedly appealing contrast to the darkness of his typical decorations. Elsewhere, Deceit informed Roman of Virgil’s lacklustre reaction to the gift, and the prince felt a heavy sensation of disappointment settle in his gut. But he squared his shoulders and shoved the feeling aside. It was time to face reality.

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Months passed. Virgil would deny the pang of disappointment he felt when he entered his room and saw the old bouquets decorating nearly every spare surface he had. He would deny the glances that he gave Roman when the prince wasn’t looking. He would deny that he had fallen for the dramatic, extra, infuriatingly charming creative side. No amount of denial, however, could cover up the truth. Each time he saw the roses, still as vibrant and full of life as the day he received them, a hollow ache consumed his insides. In the back of his mind, a voice much bolder than he was used to hearing spoke up. It told him to confront Roman. To finally ask about the roses. What were they for? Why did he give them to him?

Why did he stop?

These questions swirled around his head, plaguing his days and, unfortunately, his nights. The darkness of his room as he lay in his bed could not obscure the image of the roses practically engraved behind his eyelids. He knew they were there, all around him. Beautiful symbols of a gesture he did not understand, but that he could not bear to let go of. Sleep evaded the anxious side for days as he ruminated until he couldn’t handle it anymore. His own nervousness about the confrontation was affecting Thomas and by extension the rest of the sides. A feeling of dread swept through the mindscape like a thick fog, filling their lungs and causing their breathing to become shallow, anxiety settling beneath their skin. Virgil watched guiltily as Patton’s smiles grew a little less bright and the worry lines in Logan’s forehead grew a little more pronounced. Roman seemed the most affected of all, withdrawing into his realm for days at a time. The anxious side couldn’t even remember the last time he heard the prince sing. Seeing his family friends like this, Virgil made his decision. He couldn’t keep hurting them just because he was scared of his feelings.

It was time to talk to Roman.

Which, he quickly discovered, was easier said than done. The normally boisterous and excitable man was nowhere to be found. There was no response from his room, the imagination was dark and empty, and the sounds of a Disney movie were absent from the living room. Irritated, Virgil made his way back towards his room. As he approached, a jolt of fear raced down his spine at the sight of his door, wide open. Quickening his steps, he rushed inside to see the very person he had been looking for.

Roman was standing in the middle of the anxious side’s room, a bouquet of 15 pitch black roses locked tightly in his grip. His eyes, however, were travelling around the room in awe, taking in the sight of all the bouquets, lovingly arranged in plain sight. The first one from so many months ago--still a brilliant yellow hue--and the following peach blooms were placed on Virgil’s nightstand, a bright beacon of colour against the purple of his bed. Atop his dresser, a smattering of fiery orange flowers practically glowed against the backdrop of the rich blue petals behind them. And across the room on his desk, pink and white intertwined in a delicate cloud of pale blossoms. The stunned prince turned to face Virgil, his eyes shining with too many emotions to name. Before the anxious side could even begin to explain, Roman took a shaky breath.

“You kept them.” His voice was soft, incredulous, as if he couldn’t quite believe what he was seeing. Virgil shrugged and glanced away from the prince’s intense gaze, his face flushing with warmth. A flash of colour caught the corner of his eye and when he looked back at Roman, the flowers in his hands had shifted hues. Instead of the inky black that they once were, 9 of the roses had become a majestic royal purple while the other 6 were a vibrant shade of red. Sheepishly, Roman offered the blossoms to Virgil, whose cheeks were nearly as red as the roses. A moment passed before the anxious side reached to accept the bouquet.

For the first time, their fingers brushed as flowers were passed between them. This was a feeling the two of them would become very familiar with, but of course neither of them knew that quite yet. All they knew in that moment was that looking into each other’s eyes was the only thing they wanted to be doing.

Virgil had a lot of roses. Like, a lot of them. But since they came from Roman, he really didn’t mind.

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“So, why roses?”

“Why roses? My love, is there any flower more romantic than a rose? I think not.”

“God, you’re such a sap.”

“Ah, but I’m your sa-Virgil! My hair!”

“What? The grass brings out the colour of your eyes.”

“Your wonderful laugh won’t distract me from the fact that you are truly insufferable.”

“Bold words coming from the man who dragged me out of my room and into a flower field in the middle of the night.”

“I could remove you from the imagination right now if I so chose.”

“Yeah, but you won’t.”

“You’re right, but you shouldn’t say it.”

“Oh my god you dork.”

“...Virgil?”

“Hm?”

“Here, a gift.”

“Another rose, huh. Roman, do you have any chill?”

“Not when it comes to you, mi amor.”

“...Well, I guess...just, here.”

“Oh! Virgil, it’s gorgeous!”

“Like you?”

“....”

“You’re lookin’ a little red there, Princey.”

“Oh hush Briar Rose”

“Sleeping Beauty?”

“It suits you.”

“I wish I was sleeping right now.”

“How rude!”

“You know it, babe.”

“...I love you Virgil.”

“Yeah. I love you too, Roman.”

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Rose Bouquet Meanings:

15 Yellow - Requesting forgiveness and friendship

20 Peach - Sincerity and gratitude

13 Blue - Secret admirer, mystery

7 Orange - Infatuation, passion, enthusiasm

33 Pink - Affection, admiration, joy

19 White - “I will wait for you”, peace

15 Black - Forgive me, goodbye

9 Purple + 6 Red - Eternal love, enchantment, “I want to be yours”, romantic love

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General Taglist:

@virgil-my-diamond

@ajdraws0430

@ambersky0319

@imtherealjose

@gaylotusthatexists

@iloveeverytjing123

@kanejandkruge

@max-is-tired

@jemthebookworm

@nico-ksanders

@evilmuffin

#prinxiety #roman sanders #virgil sanders #thomas sanders #sanders sides #sanders sides fic #theresneverenoughwriting

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roxtrospective · 7 years

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2016: It’s A Wrap!

Ugh, 2016 was a rough year. Little did we know how rough it would be with the passing of one too many of music’s greatest artists. We were barely into the second week of the new year when the mother of all gut punches felt around the world was delivered – David Bowie was dead at 69. It was and still is a loss that defies explanation. His loss felt more profound to me perhaps because it came on the heels of having just seen the Bowie Is exhibit last year. That exhibit was such a celebration of his genius and it certainly helped forge a much deeper connection to the man as an iconic artist for our generation. I’m so grateful that we have his music to remember him by.

This year the plan was to enjoy more music more often. First up for 2016 was AC/DC (Yes, them!!). The band rolled into the United Center on February 17th on their Rock or Bust Tour. The boys from Oz have played together since 1973. With Angus on guitar and Brian on vocals – their sound is as legendary as are their legions of fans. Amid the sea of humanity in the audience this particular evening was the flickering of red devil horns (see Highway to Hell cover art). The guys took us through their music catalog spanning their entire career. They played like a well-oiled machine, never missing a beat. There wasn’t a number that the crowd didn’t know or love, especially when Angus did his guitar stomp all over the stage. Playing everything from Hells Bells to Thunderstruck and Black in Black to Shoot to Thrill, on this night in this town AC/DC were every bit the rock and roll monsters of this midway.

Fast forward to June, the month that would mark the start of my ultimate 2016 summer playlist. First up was yet another Aussie act, Tame Impala, on the 9th at UIC Pavilion. The psychedelic pop/rock band hails from Perth and true to form, the band’s performance was nothing short of electrifying. Granted, it may have been in part to a killer light show accompanying the music – in any case, their mix of sound and vision was the cocktail that had everyone up on our collectively feet and dancing the night away. It was a super energetic and fun set – quite the party atmosphere and there was no escaping it. You either succumbed to this celebration or…yeah, there was no other option, really.

A few days later, it was back to UIC Pavilion on June 11th, for The Cure. Yep, the alt-rock band that ushered in the eighties with their unique sound hit Chicago for two sold out shows. From the moment the band took the stage at UIC Pavilion and played their first note, it was like hearing them for the first time (I think The Love Cats may have been my introduction to them) in their heyday. With an extensive catalog of tunes to choose from, their set included many familiar hits and Smith’s voice sounded as fresh as ever.

The following evening, on June 12th, it was off to the Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre for Florence and the Machine and opening band, Of Monsters and Men. I was equally excited to catch both acts. Both artists have a very distinctive sound – and was surprise that their sound translated so well via their live performances. The opener, Monsters, are from Iceland. There must be something in the water in that country, because that island has churned out a litany of fantastic artists in recent years. What a great sound – the blend of the band’s voices was beautiful and their music was infectious. The headliner was no slouch either -- Florence was every bit the ethereal creature we’ve come to expect. Her performance against the backdrop of a suburban outdoor theatre was surreal and she totally made every effort to connect with her audience. Florence left her band on stage at one point venturing out into the crowd and simply danced/sang her way through the aisles. She was completely committed to serving up one heavenly note after another – an incredible voice.

And who doesn’t like a little humor served up with a side of music? Headed to the Jay Pritzker Pavilion (a truly beautiful venue) for the Flight of the Conchords on June 19th. Oh yes, a double dose of Kiwi goodness courtesy of Jemaine and Bret under the auspices of the exquisite Chicago skyline was a refreshing treat on a steamy summer night. The duo that is synonymous with high jink brought their storytelling shenanigans to the Windy City and boy did they deliver the goods. My favorite number of the set? It had to be You Don’t Have to be a Prostitute / Roxanne – all in good fun.

Okay, truth be told, the band up next on my calendar has been on my must-see bucket list since 1989. There’s never been a time that I did not love them madly – and I still do. The band holding that distinct honor is none other than Manchester darlings The Stone Roses. The band first split up in 1996 and first reformed in 2011 playing sporadic gigs here and there. Their only US appearance for 2016 was going to be at Madison Square Garden on June 30th and nothing was going to stop me from seeing them. So off to New York I flew to catch Manchester’s (and my) favorite sons. From the opening notes of I Want to be Adored through the closing ones on I Am the Resurrection, the evening’s set was full of goosebump moments for me. Props to Mani, John, Reni who were in exceptional form. They did not miss a beat – what a night!

July would turn out to be a month-long music extravaganza. First up on the calendar (July 10th) were Sting & Peter Gabriel at the Marcus Amphitheater. Both these artists are extremely successful songwriters in their own right with any number of hits to their credit. As promoted prior to the start of the Rock, Scissor, Paper Tour, what made this show so different was that the set alternated between artist/song with each artist supporting the other. And whether it was Sting backing Gabriel on Digging in the Dirt or Gabriel backing Sting on Invisible Sun, the entire evening’ was a memorable show by these legends – sounding better than ever with material that clearly stands the test of time.

Next up, the Alabama Shakes in support of their Sound & Color album. I caught them on July 19th at the Civic Opera House (the following night they played the Aragon Ballroom). No surprise that Britney A. Howard and her marvelous pipes absolutely SHOOK the O-house. Howard’s voice is distinct, like no other – powerful and passionate, it’s an absolutely beautiful instrument that completely captivates an audience. And wow – did this band ever deliver a musical performance to remember at the Opera House! Do not miss an opportunity to catch this band en vivo.

When Coldplay was scheduled to play on the July 24th at Soldier Field Stadium – the venue choice didn’t exactly thrill me. The last time I attended a concert at Soldier Field was for U2’s PopMart Tour in 1997 – was not at all impressed with the acoustics or vantage point. Nonetheless – made my way to the stadium on an extremely stormy summer evening which was marked by a torrential downpour that blew in right before the opening act was scheduled take the stage. The storm was so menacing that the plug was pulled on the first set and all concertgoers were directed to find shelter in the stadium. Miraculously, the storm managed to clear and it was on with show. Our seats were decent – upper deck of the stadium – to the right of the stage. Chris Martin opened the show with A Head Full of Dreams. The band has a massive song library and they certainly played several of their hits through-out the evening. The band sounded terrific and they put on a great show – no small feat in that venue, but mission accomplished.

Every year when Lollapolooza caravans into town, it’s not unusual for bands to play aftershows in and around the city. That was the case when The Arcs played the Park West on July 27th (only this aftershow happened before Lolla – go figure). The Arcs is a side-project by Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys. Auerbach and the band were touring in support of the Yours, Dreamily album. As for their show, these guys blew the doors off the place – their set was THAT crazy good. Hard to pick just one highlight, but if I had to single out any one stand-out aspect of the show it had to be the addition of the all-female mariachi band Mariachi Flor de Toloache to the line-up. Toloache did the backing vocals for some of the tracks on Dreamily. With their unique sound, these ladies made quite an impression with the audience to be sure – heard they rocked Lolla as well!

In October, we caught Nick Waterhouse at the Bottom Lounge on the 4th. Love that venue for live music – intimate is the best way to describe it. As for Waterhouse, when it comes to rhythm and blues there is no doubt that he knows his stuff. On tour in support of his Never Twice album, this is definitely one of the coolest cats to get you groovin’ to the music. Katchi, featuring Leon Bridges, was my introduction to this talented musician. That song was love at first vibe (Now, It’s Time is actually my favorite song). The groovy vibe is a definitive facet of Waterhouse’s music – his set at the Bottom Lounge was an absolute blast. Waterhouse is a brilliant artist, if ever you have a chance to see him live – don’t miss it!

A few days later on October 6th, we headed up to Milwaukee’s Turner Hall Ballroom to see The Record Company (TRC). You can’t help but notice what an incredibly beautiful venue Turner Hall is – it’s also perfect for live music. These blues rockers may have originated in L.A., but their lead singer (Chris Vos) clearly has local fans based on the great reception the band received. As for the show, this band was meant to be heard live. TRC’s music sounds great on the radio, but the guys shine in front of an audience. Vos’s voice is phenomenal, powerful and the guys on back-up really crank out amazing sounds in support of the vocals. These guys were well worth the road trip from Chicago to see them at Turner Hall – to be sure, they’ll be playing larger venues in no time.

The final act for an eventful year (see January 2016 and then, there’s November) was none other than the godmother of punk, Ms. Patti Smith on December 30th at the Riviera Theatre. Patti was another artist who had been on my must see list forever. It became an obsession after reading Just Kids. Her memoir was an especially vivid firsthand account of the punk movement in the 70s. As she chronicled her life in New York during a pivotal time in music history, the cast of characters who were a part of her life experience is mind-blowing. This particular concert happened to fall on her birthday and the show was a celebration of Horses, Smith’s debut studio album. The show was exceptional. Right place, right time – she was serving up a little extra attitude on this evening – like a much needed rallying cry. I’ll treasure her performance as the master class in artistry that it was.

As if Patti Smith wasn’t THE perfect way to close out the year, on New Years Eve we said goodbye to 2016 with a performance by Houndmouth at Thalia Hall. Truthfully, the trio from Indiana were the perfect hosts for the final night of 2016. Houndmouth turned out to be a bit of a surprise for me because they’re categorized as an alternative country band and country music is usually a no-fly zone for me. But hey, these kids were alright. Clearly, there’s a new generation of artists who are rewriting industry rules – and I am totally cool with that. After all, bands like this are what the adventure of music discovery is all about. And on wrapping up 2016, it would appear that discovery reigned supreme this year – every single artist I caught in 2016 (with the exception of Peter Gabriel & Sting in July) was completely new to my see live list of music experiences. Mission accomplished – already eagerly anticipating the new sights, sounds and experiences that 2017 will bring.

#artist #music #acdc #tame impala #the cure #florence + the machine #of monsters and men #flight of the conchords #the stone roses #peter gabriel #sting #alabama shakes #coldplay #the arcs #nick waterhouse #the record company #patti smith #houndmouth #2016

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