#hearing the news and knowing that the last song he ever sang was raining in Georgia is so sad

[prettyyyathieee]

✧˖°.Michael Kaiser is your second love.✧˖°.

A/n : you know what? I think second loves are so underrated. I like second loves more than first loves. What they learned during the first will reflect on the next.

Warnings ⚠️: Curse words and uhhh...let's call it a detailed "hug" ...yea.

Just like most boys were, he wasn’t quite like the first one. 

·˚ ༘₊· ͟͟͞͞꒰➳Unlike your first love, he didn’t have to hide anything. 

There were no secret places nor subtle smiles directed at each other. He was loud in proclaiming his love for you, both in real life and online. He was gentle, gentle in the way he held you in his arms in front of his and your friends. Gentle in the way he holds your hand, swaying it back and forth, in public with no consequences.

·˚ ༘₊· ͟͟͞͞꒰➳Unlike your first love, He didn’t write you poems or sang songs about how passionately in love he was with you.

He was athletically-inclined. You had a special place in your closet for the jerseys he gave you. Every soccer game he had, he dedicated each point he scored to you. He was no lyricist but you swore, the way his eyes focused on you after every score, the way his lips turned into a cocky grin, the way his body automatically walks to you after the game, it was all the poetry you needed.

·˚ ༘₊· ͟͟͞͞꒰➳Unlike your first love, he was careful.

From the first bouquet of flowers to every bottle of wine he gave to your parents after a visit, he made sure to make time for you and give you reassurance whenever he came a little aggravated from soccer practice. He was careful with his words, careful with his gestures. He didn’t let you overthink about the girl in his dm’s nor did he let you worry about any other person who wanted his heart. He made sure to set a boundary that only you could ever cross.

·˚ ༘₊· ͟͟͞͞꒰➳Unlike your first love, he had much more to offer.

You didn’t have to share popsicles or just look around every store. You had to physically stop him from getting every piece of jewelry your eyes caught, being a rising student–athlete had its perks. He took you to gallant dates, spontaneous trips and brought you a little something new from his away games. He bought you “just because” flowers, “I thought it would look pretty on you” dresses and “you always told me you wanted something like this” knick-knacks. You let him comfort you after a bad grade, you let him convince you to stay the night during a pouring rain and make you meet his parents.

·˚ ༘₊· ͟͟͞͞꒰➳Unlike your first love, he knew what to do.

He didn’t leave you alone whenever you two had a heated argument. Didn’t let you walk out the door whenever he snapped because of his stress. His friends knew you as if they’ve known you forever after hearing Kaiser talk about you at every given opportunity. 

Moreover, he knew to love you. How to give you kisses that leave you begging for more with a smile on your face. How to tease your tomato-flushed face after the teasing his or your friends gave. How to touch you like it was the last thing he’d do on earth. He knew how to appreciate every single detail about you, even the flaws.

·˚ ༘₊· ͟͟͞͞꒰➳Unlike your first love, you were no longer as innocent.

The touch– his touch that you were able to feel sent you zaps of electricity that sometimes hurt. The ghost of his hand on your hips, waist, shoulder– every body part he usually placed his hands on. You were greedy for his kisses, wanting to feel his warm lips on yours, wanting to swallow every single breath he puffed. There was nothing quite like roaming your hands over his upper body, watching him squirm and gulp looking a bit troubled, like a caged tiger trying to hold himself from pouncing. You loved that he felt the same as you or at least almost. You love watching his fangirls that were hiding in the bushes or in the stairwells clench their teeth in jealousy. You love how only you could make him feel this way.

·˚ ༘₊· ͟͟͞͞꒰➳Unlike your first love, you were more guarded.

You didn’t believe in his “Didn’t even hurt”, “It’s no big deal” or even “I just need to get used to it.” Whenever you both had a problem you would lock yourselves in a room, forcing each other to talk it out. When you see his lips wobble, that was your cue to hide him in your chest or neck. Acting like you can’t see or hear him let a few tears out.  You knew when to talk to him or just let him bring all his emotions out. Whenever he acted too much of a jerk you knew how to make him listen or see reason. Being a fairly difficult person, you made sure to keep misunderstandings at a low. You took extra steps to make him know he was the only one for you.  

·˚ ༘₊· ͟͟͞͞꒰➳Unlike your first love, you were more willing to try.

Foregoing your studies to hangout with him. Sneaking out of your bedroom window watching him catch you with ease. Staying in his room after sunsets and waiting for him at his practices. Ditching everything you were doing because he sent an “I miss you” text, after he did the same when you did. Sharing everything together. While he wasn’t your first love, he was surely a lot of your firsts.

·˚ ༘₊· ͟͟͞͞꒰➳Unlike your first love, you knew where you stood and when to do something.

You knew he had a life to get back to when he was with you. You knew as much as he did when he said “I want to stay like this forever” he meant it. And the feeling was mutual. Being late to things was always something he did on purpose, but now it was just because of unawareness. 

·˚ ༘₊· ͟͟͞͞꒰➳Unlike your first love, you were deeply in love.

It wasn’t for the thrill or even the bragging rights. You fell in love with his flaws. How every single flaw of him makes him– well him. No matter how awful they were to experience or how much he hid them, you appreciated the way he rants about what angered him throughout the day. How he snubs every person that gets on his short and little nerves. How he didn’t have the patience for anything. You fell in love with the way he wasn’t afraid to show his bad side to anyone and did the same to you. It felt genuine, human even. 

His flaws made you accept yours. His flaws allowed you to love him in every way. You didn’t fall for his heartwarming smiles, his random gentlemen acts or simply, his good looks. You fell in love with Michael Kaiser as a whole…

“Over there! It’s Michael Kaiser!” A crowd of younger students formed at the entrance of your cafeteria.

You looked on, curious but not wanting to join the stampede. Thanks to his height however, you managed to see him. His blonde hair dyed with streaks of blue, his eyes matching the color of his color and his ever-smooth smile. That was your first encounter with him. 

It would have been the last as well, if only he didn’t catch your mesmerized stare. His face showed no reaction. But you’ve already been in love once to recognize that kind of stare. And you would be an idiot to pass it up.

You stood, bawling your clammy hands, walking towards the commotion. His gaze was locked on yours before moving to gently push the female students in his way until they cleared the path. 

Towards you.

Finally, only space was in between both of you.

A hand was confidently reached out to you as a velvety voice interrupted the silence you were suddenly made aware of. 

“...Hi. I’m Michael. Michael Kaiser…”

A smile crept before it turned to tip further on one side.

“Michael Kaiser…would you like a picture with me?” You asked, watching as his smile turned further and further up as if he was flirting.

“How about your number instead?”

#blue lock #bllk #bllk x y/n #bllk x reader #bllk x you #bllk fluff #blue lock x reader #blue lock x you #blue lock x y/n #blue lock x female reader #kaiser x reader #kaiser x you #kaiser x y/n #michael kaiser #michael kaiser x reader #michael kaiser x you #michael kaiser x y/n #athyathye♡

[broadsidemagazine]

"Birth of a Broadside", written by Josh Dunson

Broadside's home is a small little room that's got chairs and a sofa with a tape recorder finishing off the bottom wall space. First people Sis Cunningham welcomed in after me was two-thirds of the New World Singers. Gil Turner took out his 12-stringer, borrowed a flat pick, Sis took out the mike for the tape recorder, and out came a talking blues Gil just wrote about the newspaper strike that had us all quietly laughing. We didn’t want to laugh louder than quietly because that might get on the tape.

Before the song’s over, in walks Bob Dylan and Suzy [Suze Rotolo], who sometimes illustrate's Bob's songs. The last verse that Gil was singing had how he was going to see his friend, Bob Dylan, who is a walking newspaper and will give him the lowdown on what's happening in the world. Bob thought it was a great song just from hearing the last verse.

Then, Gil took out his 6-string Gibson, handed it over to Bob Dylan saying how Bob’s new song “Masters Of War” was a powerful and a great one, one of the best Bob had ever written. I kept on thinking he had written a lot of good ones, some that had real lyric poetry like “Blowin’ In The Wind” and “Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall” (which makes you think right away of Lorca), and I waited for the images of rain, and thunder, and lightning to come out in great spectacles.

But no, this time there was a different kind of poetry, one of great anger, accusation, just saying what the masters of war are, straight forward and without compromising one inch in its short sharp direct intensity. I got a hunch this is the most difficult Dylan song for others to sing right, 'cause it can so easily be over sung, made a melodrama. But when Bob sings it, it rings honest and true. I hope a record is made of Bob singing this song and that a lot of people will listen to the quiet voice that Bob sings this song in because there is a dignity in the words that comes from when they have been thought about for a long, long time.

And right after that, not waiting for a chance to get two breaths, Bob came along with “Playboys & Playgirls Ain't Gonna Run My World," a group song that like Pete Seeger said later in the evening "is going to be sung by a million people in the next year.” Its tune catches whole crowds easy, and the words come right along from the feeling, Hell man, I was born here and I live here, but I’m not goin’ to let rats knock things down where I was born, where I live.

In the meantime, Phil Ochs, his sidekick, and the third third of the New World Singers, Happy Traum, came in. Boy, this room was so jammed packed with people that there was real foot and banjo and guitar shifting necessary to get Phil Ochs close enough to the mike to record his three new songs. Phil Ochs. What a guy! Quiet, soft spoken, but there with his guitar he spun some of the most real verses that's goin' to be written about the death of N.Y. Youth Board worker Louis C. Marsh and the miners striking in Hazard, Kentucky. There was an immediateness about those two songs Phil did. I got a strong feeling that his song on Hazard is going to be remembered past this strike, and be resung in many strikes to come.

Phil’s last song, a fine one of hope with a great group chorus had the last half of it heard by Pete Seeger who later that night was going to sing at the Hazard strikers rally at Community Church. After hearing the tape of the songs, smiling all the way through, Pete sang a number of new songs sent him recently.

We were all out of breath without breathing hard, that feeling you get when a lot of good things happen all at once. Pete expressed it, leaning back in his chair, saying slowly in dreamy tones: “You know, in the past five months I haven't heard as many good songs and as much good music as I heard here tonight.”

That’s what makes Broadside, all that good singing and all that good writing, plus a lot of hard work, labor pains. In the sheets of paper there are many smiles and many glances of anger, and even more the strong hope that these songs just won’t stay on the mimeograph pages, but will live and be sung.

(Broadside #20, February 1963)

#broadside magazine #broadside ballads #broadside #sing out #sing out! #folk music #folk #music #sis cunningham #new world singers #the new world singers #bob dylan #suze rotolo #phil ochs #pete seeger #gil turner

[vampiremarz]

Split The Heavens

"We're closed" The Demon said flatly, pushing his glasses up so they would stay propped up on his forehead(that corner of the bookshop was way too dark to wear sunglasses, And read something) "I thought Muriel was running the Bookshop?" the customer said, their oh so familiar voice rang in Crowley's ears. His skin crawled, as he looked over his shoulder. "Aziraphale." he monotoned. "

or

Something wet and warm ran down the demon's cheek, it burned like holy water, but worse. it didn't kill him, but the burn wouldn't go away. He didn't know demon's could cry.

cross posted on ao3

The Demon had watched The Angel step into the elevator with a smile on his face. It broke his heart. He felt it slowly crack and shatter into a million pieces. his dark glasses covered his eyes welling up with tears. As music began to play on the radio as he turned the key in the Bentley, instantly he turned it off, not wanting to wallow in his emotions.  He slammed his foot down onto the gas pedal, going as fast as the Bentley would let him. oddly slow compared to their usual 90 in Central London. "oh for fucks sake" He groaned. His glasses had slipped down his nose so he pushed them up with his middle finger.

His plants seemed to wilt behind him like he could hear them crying for help. "stop your whining, I watered you last night" He said through his teeth. He shuffled through the stack of CDs and tapes stashed in the glove compartment, frustrated he slammed it shut, turning the radio on and switching a few channels.

His original plan was to go back to his flat, but now that Shax had returned to hell his "home" was his once again, instead of slowing down and parking the Bentley in his parking spot, the brakes seemed to falter, the steering wheel turned on its own and Crowley was on the road once again. "FOR FUCKS SAKE" He slams his fist down on the dashboard, and the radio sputters.

"Love of my life, can't you see?

(Please bring it back)

Bring it back, bring it back, don't

take it away from me

Because you don't know what it

means to me (means to me)"

Love of my life by Queen had started playing on the radio, or the Bentley's mind of its own had decided to force Crowley to face his own emotions, the emotions he had felt for the first time ever

"You will remember when this is blown over

And everything's all by the way

(ooh, yeah)"

The radio continues. Crowley took his hands off of the steering wheel, looking ahead of him at the road as the Bentley seemed to drive itself.

"When I grow older, I will be there at your side" He sang along to the song. "To remind you how I still love you- Dammit Angel" He cursed under his breath before removing his glasses. In 1974 they had seen Queen play that song live, together. Aziraphale had apparently traded one of his books to get them "VIP" tickets, whatever that meant. ( And coincidentally, Crowley got to meet the band) He saw them 8 more times before Queen's last album was released.

He vividly remembered how during the bridge of the song Aziraphale's hand had brushed up against his, of course, they were sitting next to each other, they had gone together. Not like it was a date or anything(it was)

Lost in his thoughts the next thing he knew he was back in front of the bookshop. A.Z. Fell and Co. the oh so familiar sign read.

the bells above the door rang as he stepped inside "Welcome!" Muriel shouted from behind a pile of books almost twice their size, poor thing had just discovered what books were and now they were practically swimming in the mess the demons had made the night before. "oh! it's you, the demon" They said, straightening their posture "The Metatron put you in charge of the shop?" He said through his teeth again, straightening his glasses. "yes! I'm very excited" They replied "If Aziraphale finds out you're actually selling them or you damaged them in any way, the new Supreme Archangel will have you punished I'm sure" His fingers brushed against the dust of a book, despite Aziraphale only leaving about a half an hour ago it seemed to take a toll on the bookshop. "oh… are you just trying to scare me? it won't work on me Mr. Crowley, I'm an angel and you're a demon"

"blah blah blah doesn't matter, I know the bookshop better than you"

Muriel sighed "I suppose you're right"

Crowley sighed. The bookshop felt so empty now. "I'll help you get situated, He liked things a certain way" He stepped towards the angel, and Muriel stepped back. "Relax, I'm not gonna hurt you or anything, despite demonic appearances"

Muriel picked up one of the books from the large stack, an older and relatively smaller one. One Aziraphale had carried around with him when he had first gotten his hands on it, back in 1957. "Now, are you gonna read that or put it back?"

"put it back"

"Angel always organized them by author first name and genre, I have no idea how he didn't blow a fuse when Gabriel-" he corrects himself "Jim started organizing them by the first letter of the first sentence" He scoffed "Are all of these "authors" humans?" Muriel asked, using air quotes. "uh, I suppose so? never really thought about that" Crowley shrugged his shoulders, picking up a book and reading the author's name to reshelve it "Mr. Crowley?" They asked again. "hu?" he looked up from the book. "Once you're done teaching me about books, can you teach me about humans?"

He raised an eyebrow "You what now?"

"teach me about humans!" They said with a smile "You and Mr. Aziraphale had been here for 6,000 years, right? surely you know more than I could learn from observing"

"well… you're right I do know more. I'll consider it. You start organizing the best you can. I'm gonna go get a pick me up, hopefully, something alcoholic and a chat with someone" he pushed his hair back and walked out of the bookshop. The truth was he didn't mind Muriel, they were too clueless for their own good but also curious. The questions they asked reminded him of himself before the fall. He wanted to be nice to them, but they reminded him too much of himself, and too much of Aziraphale at the same time. Halfway to Nina's he realized he didn't really want to talk about what happened, just needed to get away from the bookshop, it was an instinct to meet Aziraphale there. Crowley groaned. His next option was to go back to his flat, pick up the mail shax had left at his door. He sauntered over to the Bentley and turned the car on, of course a sappy love song that reminded him of Aziraphale was playing, he decided to drive in silence instead.

splash! suddenly the demon was soaked, He shot up, his head throbbing and the room spinning "Crowley, where's Aziraphale?" Maggie said, her hands on her hips. Nina was next to her, holding an empty coffee cup, she must've been the one to wake him up "It's been weeks since we've seen either of you, very very unusual "

"fuck both of you" The demon groaned, rolling to the other side of the couch he was comfortably lounged on "I assume it didn't go well?" Nina asked, picking up a few empty wine bottles "Jesus Crowley how much can you drink? Are you planning on drinking your life away?"

"I'm not drinking my life away, just drinking the next decade away, till Aziraphale comes back or , till it doesn't hurt anymore" he muttered, reaching for the half-drunk bottle of wine next to him. Nina quickly grabbed it before he could, causing Crowley to fall off of the comfortable couch. "I'll go find the other one" Maggie said, giving Nina a kind pat on the shoulder. Nina gave her a nod as she headed up the spiral staircase. "What happened?" Nina sat on the couch, the demon still on the floor. "He left," Crowley said, his face squished into the floor. "oh! I wasn't expecting that, you two were absolutely made for eachother"

"I doubt that" He rolled over onto his back, staring at the ceiling. "He went back to heaven, wanted me to join him again, but we went through this ages ago, we're not on heaven or hell's side. we're on our own, but he picked heaven over me" His voice faltered slightly. "Oh Crowley, that's horrible" He simply just shrugged in response.

"I'm glad you came back. Aziraphale wasn't just the bookshop owner he was the landlord too, someone has to run it who knows the ropes already" Crowley sighed, looked like he couldn't abandon the bookshop even if he wanted to.

Crowley sat up. He blindly fumbled for some sort of drink, and begrudgingly, Nina handed him the bottle of wine she had snatched up. "the Metatron, that old fuckin idiot placed Muriel in charge, I have nothing against them but they don't have a clue what's going on at all" Crowley talked with his hands, almost knocking the bottle against the coffee table and breaking it.

"the Metatron? what type of a stupid name is that?"

"He's an old guy, balding, and smells like moldy cheese, but I'm probably exaggerating. He was in here earlier and gave Angel a coffee. I think it was a latte thing with almond syrup"

"I remember him! he was the first customer in that morning and asked a weird question, he asked if anyone ever asked for death"

"do they?"

"no," She said plainly, almost side-eyeing him.

"Muriel said they saw you drunkenly praying last night. You're a demon, who were you praying to? Satan?" Maggie said, heading down the stairs.

"I was asking God to take care of Aziraphale" he muttered under his breath, Looking down and away so he could remove his glasses and wipe off the lenses, covered in lukewarm tea. Maggie sighed "Crowley…"

"Yes, stupid human I know. I know"

The empty coffee cup is tossed at his head "You've been camping out here for weeks, you gave your flat to Beelzebub and Jim and haven't even unpacked the boxes of your shit!" Maggie pointed towards the stack of boxes by the door labeled "Krowly" the handwriting absolute chicken scratch, obviously written by Beelzebub. "You got all this from Muriel?" Crowley raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, and your plants died," Maggie added. With a wave of his hands, the plants were luscious and green again "No they're not"

"you can't miracle everything to be better" Nina pulls over a chair and one for Maggie, sitting down in front of Crowley. "Muriel wants me to teach them about humans. Guess I'll be staying around longer than I wanted to, I'll run the bookshop I guess"

“Don't be a horrible influence on that poor kid”

“I won't, Aziraphale will probably come back in the next few days, he’ll realize how boring it is in heaven”

“What are you going to tell people if they ask where he is?”

“Probably in America or somewhere stupid” Crowley shrugged. "He'll come back"

"you're very nice for a demon, I know I don't have much of a reference to base it on but you're a really nice guy" Maggie said. "Look uh, I told Miss sandwich already, I'm not either. I'm not nice" he said through his teeth. "Have fun lying to yourself then" Nina said before Maggie could, like she could read her mind. "we should go, we have to open our shops, we'll be back after closing to make sure you're not drunk again"

The demon was nice, As much as he hated to admit it he wasn't evil, he was far from it. The last mean thing he ment and actually remembered saying was telling Jim- Gabriel to step out of the window and face plant onto the sidewalk of Soho London. As much as he hated Gabriel, he still regretted it.

The demon who lived in his car after he lost his flat, never thought to ask his angel for a place to stay, he thought it would make Aziraphale uncomfortable. The same demon who felt comfortable enough with said angel to show his eyes around him, the eyes he could have miracled into normal human eyes at any moment. The demon who would do anything to kiss Aziraphale again, despite how horrible the situation was or how painful of a memory it was, how much it hurt seeing the look on Aziraphale's face. He would still do it all over again.

His Bentley turned a familiar shade of yellow, shortly before malfunctioning and becoming undriveable. Crowley could've easily miracled it, fixed. After everything the car had been through with him, after 90 years of Aziraphale sitting in the passenger seat. He couldn't dare look at it again, his most prized possession was left in an empty lot, yellow instead of black. The Demon knew the Bentley reflected his own emotions.

Life without Aziraphale moved ever so slowly. Crowley was used to life moving slowly, he had been on slow-moving earth with slow-moving humans for six thousand years, but this was painfully slow. Time should've been flying by, but it wasn't. But from Inspector Constable turned bookseller's perspective, he seemed to be doing better than he was the day Aziraphale left.

Crowley sat lounged over the fancy chair pushed up against Aziraphale's old desk, shuffling through a box of records, the cardboard around the packaging edges fraying slightly "Muriel? What should we listen to together? Queen or?...." He held up an autographed version of A Day At The Races and started shuffling through the box again, looking for a second option. "the queen of what? Why are we listening to a queen?"

"What did you just say?" He gritted his teeth, spinning around in the chair and dropping the box onto the floor "I don't understand who's the queen?" They asked. Crowley simply strutted towards the record player "Muriel Muriel Muriel you are about to have your mind blown- sorry human expression" He corrected himself, avoiding a question. The record slid out of its sleeve and into his hand, very very cautiously placing the pristine record (despite being 47 years old and still in mint condition) onto the turntable.

As the first song started playing and he slumped back into his chair "Take a seat and enjoy the music little angel" He said, lifting the to-go coffee cup to his lips, "was six shots right? Nina knows your usual but I wanted to try and remember it"

He nodded, closing his eyes to enjoy the music "Do you-" They continued, being interrupted by Crowley's finger behind, held up to shush them "Listen to the music" Crowley said, side-eyeing them. "this one's called Tie Your Mother Down" Muriel sat down in their chair, a simple blue metal chair opposite next to Crowey's fancy deep red and gold throne-like chair. Crowley couldn't bring himself to sit in the chair that had been next to the desk before. It was Aziraphale's chair, not Crowley's. He had brought his chair from his flat, and stolen Muriel's from Nina's. Aziraphale's worn-down chair sat nicely in the corner as if he was sitting there with them. His gaze shifted towards the record player, then towards the chair as the songs switched.  "I can dim the li-" the record sings, quickly Crowley jumps to his feet, the needle quickly skipping "Why'd you do that?" They tilt their head to the side "I uh…. I just don't like the song" He responded. His demeanor had changed drastically. "Mr. Crowley, are you ok?" They asked. "I'm fine! just that's enough of this album for today, pick one from the box. I'm gonna organize the books' ' He stormed off to the other side of the bookshop. a nice old lady had come by to sell a box full of her husband's old books, he had to inventory them and shelve them, a boring task he had no idea how Aziraphale dealt with it. "I think I'll get a new one!" They stood up. Crowley shuffled through his pockets, he sauntered back over to them and placed about 15 pounds into their hand "Maggie will probably let you just take a record because she doesn't have to pay us- Aziraphale, rent anymore but pay her anyway"

"That's very nice of you for a demon" They respond, putting the pounds in their pocket. "Eh, not really, I just don't hate Humans. Gray zone, remember?"

"Mr. Crowley?"  Muriel asked, standing by the door. "Yeah little angel?" he responded

"I'm going to miss you when you go back to hell"

"You've got a day, just gotta tie up some more loose ends" Crowley shrugged his shoulders "you'll be fine without me, I've waited for Aziraphale long enough" Crowley fixed his glasses as a customer came through the door. "I'm still going to miss you" Muriel said with a smile "be careful, saying stuff like that is gonna get you pushed outta heaven" He whispered to them, patting them on the shoulder. "Go pick out a record kid," he sauntered back over to the books that needed to be shelved.

Muriel skipped their way over towards Maggie's record shop, the bells above the door rang and she turned her attention towards the door "Muriel! It's nice to see you" she smiled. "Mr. Crowley said I could get a new record" They smiled, walking over towards one of the shelves, sorting through the newer records, still in the plastic. Then towards the older ones till they found a pretty blue one. "Can you play this one for me? I wanna know what it sounds like" They handed her the record "Ohhhhh this is a nice one" Maggie smiled "Voulez - Vous by Abba, Aziraphale used to like this one he would always listen to it here while looking for other records but never bought it" She slipped the record onto the turntable and let it run. The first few songs grew a smile on Muriel's face. "I'll take it!" They said, taking the record from Maggie the second it was back in the casing. They drop the money given to them on the counter and skip back to the bookshop "Wait! Muriel the record was only 3£ not 15!" She shouted but they were already too far gone to hear her, she simply sighed and placed it in the cash register.

Crowley, now swimming in books, refused to turn around and greet the customer as the doors opened "We're closed"  He said flatly, pushing his glasses up so they would stay propped up on his forehead(that corner of the bookshop was way too dark to wear sunglasses, And read something)  "I thought Muriel was running the Bookshop?" the customer said, their oh so familiar voice rang in Crowley's ears. His skin crawled, as he looked over his shoulder. "Aziraphale." he monotoned. "I came to check on Muriel but I guess you ended up taking over"

" teachin' them, I'll be out of here soon enough" He stood up, dusting his clothes off. "Crowley… I-"  He took a step towards him,  his attention being stolen from Crowley to the wilting plants under the window. "Don't. you told me how you felt and made your priorities clear"

"Oh Crowley, don't be like that. I brought you coffee?" His brows furrowed, but he held the coffee cup full of espresso in front of him. "Muriel brought me one already, and of fucking course in going to be that way you chose your side" He put his glasses back on. "You look good, Are those new glasses?"  Aziraphale asked, most likely trying to make conversation "No" Crowley responded, Flatley. "same old glasses, same old me, different you" He picks up the box of books once more and moves to a different section of the bookshop. Aziraphale cautiously stepped towards his old desk, placing the cup of coffee next to the other cup Muriel had brought Crowley earlier.

Aziraphale wished the world would just stop, he could stop it but he doubted that it would get Crowley to talk to him. He wanted those damn glasses off and Crowley, he wanted Crowley.

"Crowley." Aziraphale reached forward to grab his wrist, but Crowley pulled away quickly.

too distracted to pay attention to the door Crowley missed Muriel coming back in, attempting to sneak past the two. He caught them in the corner of his eye, and despite being blocked by the edge of his glasses, he'd gotten used to it obviously. "what record did you get?" He turned his attention towards them "I'll show you after" they said, heading up the staircase.

"You seem to like them now" The angel fidgeted with his hands. "Well, it's been a year, Aziraphale. I know the time in heaven works differently but I hope you're doing well"

"I missed the bookshop" the Angel stepped towards the desk, eyeing the new chairs and his that had been moved "I missed the books, my records, I missed the weather. Heaven is awfully boring compared to Earth"

"take your records with you then" The demon muttered.

"you seem closer with them than you were with me" Aziraphale looked down "For Satan's fucking sake they're like my kid now it gets annoying sometimes. you- you were. Oh fuck off"

"Please, I want to apologize"

"Are you gonna do the dance again?" He laughed slightly, humoring himself. "Do you want me to?" he responded, tilting his head to the side. Crowley dropped the box, his hands were shoved in his front pockets and he turned to face his old friend "listen. I understand you coming to check on Muriel, you're both angels. But I'm a demon. I'm the enemy now" He pulled his glasses off, like an instinct to do in front of Aziraphale. realizing what he had done he quickly puts his hand over his eyes. "Crowley look at me…" He asked, so gently. Slowly Crowley moved his hand, revealing his eyes. The angel's face sank, instead of his favorite shade of yellow staring back at him, Crowley's eyes were a normal shade of brown, with normal human irises. "Crowley what? you?"

"don't like my eyes anymore" He put his glasses back on, sniffling he continued speaking "and I know I fucked up by kissing you-"

"Oh, Heaven Crowley I thought you were trying to tempt me!" Aziraphale interrupted. Crowey's posture stiffened "You think I would tempt you? I never have!? don't be an idiot Ang- Aziraphale '' He corrected himself "I would've never done anything to hurt you. and you assumed?"

"you're a demon! And I'm an angel, an Archangel! you could've been trying to tempt me into staying"

"I USED TO BE A FUCKING ARCHANGEL!" The demon snapped, practically shaking.

Aziraphale stepped back, not expecting Crowley to raise his voice at him, it had never happened before. "what?" he questioned. "Archangel Raphael, He asked too many questions and hung around the wrong crowd. then God punished him"

Aziraphale put his hand up to his mouth, his eyes widening "I asked too many questions" Crowley said, trying to compose himself "Crowley I'm so sorry I never knew-"

"I never wanted you to know"

Aziraphale stayed silent, the look of pity on his face made Crowley want to burst into flames.

"They wiped my memory, Everyone in heaven forgot Raphael eventually, of their own doing or I was wiped from their memory too. I only remember a handful of things. I know exactly how Gabriel was feeling. I can't have that same thing happening to you"

"It won't, I can change heaven. you can-"

"I should've been enough for you to want to stay, what happened to us? shades of gray remember? they tried to burn you alive Aziraphale!" He knocked a few books off the shelf, causing Aziraphale to back up. Quickly he bent back down to put them back on the shelf. "Crowley, I'm so so sorry. I really am" he reached down to place his hand on his shoulder "Did you really want me to be an angel with you?" Crowley had moved before Aziraphale could've touched him.

"Yes of course I did! I know you must've been happier as an angel, and we can be together in heaven. The last thing I want is to be away from you. You can still take my offer"

" You weren't there when we switched. You didn't see how your stupid angels treated you"

"I'm in charge now Crowley. they won't-"

Crowley interrupted him "They wiped Gabriel's mind because he didn't want another Armageddon. Threatened to wipe him from the Book of Life because he fell in love with Beelzebub. You- mmmhhh" he stopped himself "Do you understand what they'll do to you?"

"They won't do anything to me, because I'm in charge" the archangel stated. "Join me, please. Nina told me you accepted hell's offer, take mine instead."

"Fuck Heaven, fuck Michael, fuck Uriel, and all the other angels. fuck god and fuck you. As you said, Like it's always been Aziraphale,  I'm a demon, nothing ever gonna change that."

"It wasn't always that way, you were Raphael, you can be him again. It can change! Let me help you"

"YOU STUPID FUCKING ANGEL!" Despite it being almost a perfect day a strike of lightning came crashing down just outside the bookshop, singeing the concrete ground. "You can't help me! I am a demon. I enjoy being a demon." He said through gritted teeth, a deep growl coming from his throat. "I'm like a walking bomb of death and destruction. Just leave, please. I could kill anyone with a snap of my fingers, I could kill you"

Aziraphale stood back, those last words stung "Anthony J Crowley! I'm not leaving you, not again"

"For Satan's sake! why won't you understand?! I don't want to be a damn angel! I wasn't happy as one, all I did was get in trouble for asking honest questions! I- All I wanted was you. I was happy with you" He said, furrowing his brows "Angel I loved you" he wanted to kick himself for letting the term of endearment slip. Aziraphale's eyes softened "You what?"

"Forget it, I'm going upstairs. If you want to you can take some of your shit back to heaven" Crowley fixed his glasses, turning around to head upstairs the spiral staircase. Aziraphale quickly responded. "Loved?"

"Love doesn't matter, you chose to be enemies again" He looked down at Aziraphale's hands, dangerously close to his own "Do you still love me?"

Crowley sighed "It doesn't matter" he rolled his eyes, "humor me" Aziraphale sighed "Oh you think this is funny?"

"It's a human expression, you know this!" His voice got all high-pitched and whining, one of the mannerisms Crowley had thought was cute. Crowley's gaze traveled back toward Aziraphale's eyes.

Something wet and warm ran down the demon's cheek, it burned like holy water, but worse. it didn't kill him, but the burn wouldn't go away. He didn't know demon's could cry.

"Crowley-'' Aziraphale reached forward to wipe the tear off his cheek. "No. I don't love you anymore" his voice shook.

The angel’s hand drifted down to grab his wrist. The demon watched as his fingers trail down further, intertwining their fingers. He realized Aziraphale was also looking down at their hands, his fingers tightly gripping Crowley's limp hand.

The Demon exhaled, his breath faltering "Aziraphale…" The Angel looked back up at him, and suddenly his eyes widened. Crowley had been using a miracle this whole time to make him seem… alright. His comment about Crowley "looking good" now felt out of place and almost like an insult had spilled from his lips. His hair was longer and messy, he could smell the alcohol on his breath, and could practically sense the tired eyes behind his glasses. stubble shaped his face, making him look more disheveled. A single freckle sat above his lips, an angel kiss as some would call them.

Tired eyes was an understatement, Crowley couldn't sleep anymore. Some night were by choice, he didn't want to relive the horrors that were the nightmares that followed the day Aziraphale left, some nights he would lay awake contemplating different ways that morning could've gone.

Aziraphale understood why his plants were wilted now. "Crowley… you look…" he brushed his hand up his arm, against the soft fabric of his sweater. "yeah I know. Maggie and Nina tried to get me to put myself together again. Too hard when I feel so damn empty. so I miracled myself" The angel's hands came up to gently take the glasses off of the demon's face, and quickly Crowley squeezed his eyes shut, deep eye bags under his eyes confirmed the tired gaze Aziraphale suspected. "Don't do that again" He quickly grabbed his glasses back from the angel.

"But Crowley, I… we… Oh" He struggled to find the words "Was this why I couldn't find you? I checked on you through heaven but you had gone missing. You miracled yourself to seem human. Crowley, I'm so sorry."

"you can take your apology and shove it up your feathered ass"

"Crowley, my dear…"

"don't" He turned away from Aziraphale. "Fuck you, Angel, if you wanna talk to Muriel I'll tell them to come back down but I don't want to see you again. and don't look up my file, leave me alone" He pulled his hand from his grasp and continued up the spiral staircase. Aziraphale could hear the heartbreak in his voice.

Crowley stormed past the open door to Muriel's room, the record spinning on their turntable

"Look into his angel eyes, One look and You're hypnotized" the new record they had just bought sang. With a wave of his hand the record started spinning backwards "Listen to another one Muriel, I can't stand this song anymore" He said with a deep growl in his voice. "Mr. Crowley, are you okay? I wasn't expecting to see Aziraphale- Or the traitor" Muriel stood up, following him to his room. "it's fine, he's just coming to get some of his books to take back to heaven" He responded, opening the door to his bedroom, the room across the hall from the dusty and locked door that was Aziraphale's room. "Mr. Crowley" Muriel stood up straight, speaking louder than usual "I have a confession to make"

The demon raised an eyebrow before uncorking a bottle of wine in his room and leaning against the doorway. "As you probably know angels can sense Love" they stated "and last year before Mr. Aziraphale left, I might have sensed it between you two, very heavily. and I also might've accidentally been watching through the window when I felt that love was the strongest" They watched as an almost disappointed look grew on Crowley's face "I saw you kiss him and I could sense the heartbreak"

"Muriel…" Crowley sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"And I still sense that love and heartbreak in you, but it's even stronger in him I think he meant the apology"

"Even if he meant it… Aziraphale is too holier than thou to leave heaven again. And I'm going back to hell, there isn't time for an us anymore"

"You two were happy when you were still with heaven and hell before you left, right?"

"This is different now, he's an Archangel, and I'm going to be the new prince of hell, just like Gabriel and Beelzebub. We cant- shit" He looked down at the ground, adjusting his footing and bringing the bottle of wine up to his lips "fuck… I'm gonna regret this again" He shuffled past them, and back down the staircase. He was met with an empty bookshop, not an angel in sight. "FUCK!" He shouted, tossing the bottle to the ground, the glass shattering. Quickly he threw the doors open and scanned his surroundings, searching for that familiar face he longed for. "Aziraphale!?" He shouted, hoping it would get his attention if he hadn't already returned to heaven.

"Aziraphale! Where are you!" He stepped out from the awning over the doorway, the cold rain drenching him instantly. He turned left, towards Maggie's shop and raced through the sidewalk. "FOR SATAN'S SAKE WHERE ARE YOU!?" He sputtered, his voice being overpowered by the loud rain hitting the concrete sidewalk and the cars zooming by. Suddenly his attention was grasped by a man in a tan trench coat with a pristine white umbrella, across the street by Nina's. Dodging cars he sprinted over "Aziraphale!" He shouted, finally getting the Angel's attention. He turned around to face the demon "Crowley?" Very out of breath, he came to a screeching halt in front of him "Aziraphale…" He swallowed harshly "Oh you're soaked" He responded with a slight laugh "I love you" Crowley responded, his voice filled with emotion, not his typical rage, almost filled with urgency and affection. "I know I said I didn't, I'm a demon we lie"

"for a demon" Aziraphale breathed out "You've always been a terrible liar"

"I never wanted to lie to you, angel"

"I know, my dear I know"

"Don't go back to heaven, they can appoint Michael as supreme Archangel or some other idiot with a stick up their ass. please. I'm choosing you over hell. choose me over heaven this time"

A slight smile formed on his face. "I told you I wouldn't leave again" he hesitated when stepping towards him "I don't know why I told you I forgave you, I- I guess it's because I was scared and I thought you were tempting me, I knew you would never, Crowley you're the kindest demon ever. I wanted, I wanted to tell you I love you" He said quickly, all in one breath. Crowley let him catch his breath before he placed his hands on his cheeks, so gently, like he could make a mistake at any moment. Aziraphale reached forward, pinching the earpieces of his glasses and pulling them off his face "There you are, so pretty. I thought you had changed them for good" he said with a smile, placing Crowley's glasses in the pocket of his waistcoat. "Angel I-" The umbrella clattered to the ground as the angel leaned forward and his hand swept through the demon's hair. Crowley backed up, his hands on Aziraphale's shoulders, pulling him along with him under the awning. They looked into each other's eyes, longing for each other. slowly they pulled closer till their lips brushed against each other. A wave of relief washed over Crowley. His hands-on Aziraphale's shoulders glided down to his waist to pull him closer.

their lips parted slightly, just enough for Crowley to tell Aziraphale was smiling, probably the largest he had ever seen him smile. "This kiss was better than the last one," the Angel said, backing up more, reaching to grab the umbrella, now upside down and filled with water. "This kiss was reciprocated," Crowley muttered, his arms still around the angel's waist. "Oh don't be like that, dear" Aziraphale playfully punched his shoulder "We're both soaked now, back to your bookshop to dry off then dinner at the Ritz, Angel? it can be our first official date" Crowley asked. "our bookshop you mean? They can kick me out of heaven a second time. I'm staying" He leaned forward once again, their foreheads touching. Crowley placed a soft kiss onto his lips before stepping back and holding out his hand for his angel to take, and gladly he did. "I'm sorry, I really am," The angel said once more "I know angel, I'm expecting the dance sooner than later" The demon responded "Once I'm in dry clothes, my dear.  you're growing out your hair again, I love it" with his free hand he brushes a strand of hair soaked and stuck to his face behind his ear.  "ah oh I almost forgot" he took Crowley's glasses out of his pocket and placed them back onto his demon's face "thank you, Angel" He responded, absolutely smitten.

"Did I ever tell you who this song was based on?" Crowley said, swirling the wine left in his glass around, the two comfortably lounged on the floor in front of the fireplace, the record player going.

"Dining at the Ritz, we'll meet at nine

(One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine o'clock)

precisely. I will pay the bill, you taste the wine

Driving back in style, in my saloon,

will do quite nicely

Just take me back to yours, that will be fine"

Aziraphale shook his head, Busy sitting behind Crowley, braiding his longer hair.

"Come on and get it

Ooh, love (there he goes again)

Ooh, lover boy (he's my good

old-fashioned lover boy, ooh)"

"It's about you, Good- Old fashioned Lover Boy," Crowley said with a wink. Aziraphale leaned forward, his face pink with blushing "I'm trying to focus my dear I'm a bit out of practice" The elastic tying the braid together snapped as Aziraphale let go of Crowley's hair and smiled at his work, "done!" He smiled, leaning forward to set his head on Crowley's shoulder. "Angel I don't mean to kill the mood, but I need to know, why did you come back now? why not sooner?" Crowley turned around to face his angel.

Aziraphale was at a loss for words, not really, just didn't know how to explain "It's a long story, it can wait for another day"

"Angel, I'm not going to be mad at you I just need to know"

the angel sighed "They… the other angels, they weren't you. I couldn't see you from heaven and it honestly scared me, I was worried about you. I felt so alone there, a week in heaven and I was already ready to come back to the bookshop- to you, I came down to earth once, I saw you here, with Muriel, and Maggie and Nina"

"And you didn't say anything?"

"You looked happy. I didn't want to ruin anything for you"

"you know I used a miracle to disguise myself, angel"

"I know I know my dear but I didn't know that then. but, I returned to heaven and was sternly reprimanded for coming to earth, the other Archangels noticed I was acting differently, so when I returned to my office you were there"

"what? I've been here this entire time" Crowley questioned "I know I know, but I was- and you were an angel! you seemed just as happy as you were before the fall. You said that Metatron offered you the same position, but you wouldn't show me what it was it was very out of character of you "

"Angel, I love you but I'm not following anymore"

"They made a deal with hell and made a puppet of you!" Aziraphale whined, his voice all pitched. He covered his face with his hands, almost like he was embarrassed "I was so happy to see you- or the puppet that I kissed you. Heaven wasn't expecting that, they weren't expecting me to have feelings for a demon, because angels don't express emotions that way usually, and-and affection is a human thing. You looked like you, but I should've known something was off. You didn't call me angel anymore, your eyes weren't that beautiful, beautiful yellow anymore" The angel's thumb brushes against the demon's cheek. His eyes seemed to glow in the darkness of the bookshop.

Crowley rubbed his hand up and down Aziraphale's back, reassuringly "I didn't figure out it wasn't you till it was too late. I should've known"

"Too late for what?"

"We were in my office, I was doing paperwork, I was practically swimming in paperwork up there. I don't know how Gabriel dealt with it. I leaned in to kiss you and the puppet stopped me, and-" Aziraphale leaned forward, hiding his face from Crowley. "I can't even repeat what it said to me! it was horrible Crowley I ran away from heaven and came right back to the bookshop, when I saw you here I knew the you in heaven was just the other angels tormenting me"

"That's why you were so adamant about asking if I wanted to be an angel"

"I thought you were! but I don't even know if, if-"

"Angel, Angel calm down, it's ok. I'm me, I'm me" Crowley pushed Aziraphale's hands off his own face, replacing them with his own "Are you sure?" he responded, finding comfort in Crowley's touch "Yes angel, I'm sure, I've always known I'm me," he said with a chuckle "you wanna hear something that only I would know or something?"

"yes please"

Crowley sat up straight "The only thing I remember from before the fall, when I was still Raphael. God appointed me to design a section of the stars and set up the whole damn universe. I was almost done. All I had to do was crank up the engine and you showed up. You held the scroll for me while I turned the thingy. You introduced yourself, and I was too focused on my creation to tell you mine"

"oh my dear that was you?"

"didn't expect something that highly of me hu angel?" he said, almost teasingly "Believe me now? I'm me"

"Yes my dear, you're you" Aziraphale leaned forward to plant a kiss on his lips. Crowley brushed his hand up Aziraphale's back, leaning closer towards him. "Crowley?" Aziraphale said with a hum, leaning away from his demon. "mhh?" he responded, leaning in once more, craving more of Aziraphale. "Let's watch the stars together?"

Crowley's gaze softened, he smiled as the mention of stars left Aziraphale's lips "we'd have to miracle away the London smog?"

"Easy task, to the roof?" Aziraphale stood, holding his hand out for Crowley. "Angel, I'd like an apology first" he said with a mischievous smile.

Aziraphale took a breath and held up his right hand and swayed his right hip forward and in a sing-song voice said, “You were right.” A hop in place. “You were right.” A slow twirl followed. “I was wrong.” then a gracious bow. “You were right.”

"I was right about what" Crowley grinned, pulling his angel close by his hips "mhhh not sure " Aziraphale teasingly looked away "Angel" The demon said through gritted teeth "you were right about being us, I love you Crowley"

"to the roof, I want to see how my work has aged. I never had the heart to look on my own" Crowley planted a soft kiss on Aziraphale's cheek before taking his hand and guiding him up the stairs towards the roof. 

#good omens #azicrow #good morning im sad #not a fix it #buttttttttttt #azi's gotta do the apology dance again #crowley accidently adopted muriel #crowley #aziraphale #crowley and aziraphale #crowley used to be raphael #Spotify

[writerchickmarie]

John Lloyd Young At The Italian Heritage Festival - Sicilian Swag, Jersey Style

The rain falling from the sky couldn’t stop John Lloyd Young from shining his brightest at the Italian Heritage Festival.

He had been scheduled to play the well-known festival last September, but due to the pandemic his performance got moved to this year.  JLY proved that you can’t keep a good man down - or a good group of people down either.

There was a slight delay as equipment was moved around to safe spaces from the weather, but once Tommy and the local West Virginia band took the stage and JLY began to sing, the entire town of Clarksburg was rocking.

He got things started with the one and only “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You”, followed by a high energy “Oh What A Night” as he had all of us sing along with him.  He kept the crowd involved throughout the show in various ways, with fans of all ages. And he also explained that even though his last name is not Italian, his mother’s family is Sicilian...which is why he was so happy to have the chance to play here. 

JLY was determined not to let the rain stop him from connecting with everyone, so he came down the front steps of the stage to sing “Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me” as he made his way around the audience, making the weather seem much less formidable as he delighted both old and new friends.  

He also impressed this crowd, the majority of which were new faces, with the strength of his voice and the complexity of his vocal range on songs like “In The Still Of The Night”, “Only The Lonely”, and “Ooh Baby Baby”, which all use a variety of skills within each song. 

He took a short break to let Tommy Faragher shine as well on his solo, “Bring It On Home”, which also brought massive cheers from the audience.

When JLY came back on stage, he invited some of the very young Italian dancers who were nearby to come up and “Walk Like A Man” with him.  He followed that up with just the female dancers with “Big Girls Don’t Cry”, inviting them to sing along at times.  You could tell that everyone was having a blast!  

He continued the Jersey Boys theme with “My Eyes Adored You”, then dedicated the next song to all of the Italian mamas - the beautiful “My Mother’s Eyes”.  It was so good to hear it included again in this set.

In honor of the festival and his own Italian heritage, JLY thrilled everyone with his passionate performance of “Parla Piu Piano (theme from The Godfather)”.  He continued with the emotions as he sang “Unchained Melody” - another song that it’s good to hear again in his set.

He invited all of us to sing along again on “Who Loves You?”, then came around the audience again (with the sky starting to clear up) to perform “Cara Mia”. The afternoon ended with all of us on our feet for “Working My Way Back To You” and “Sherry”...and left the crowd in awe of the magic they just experienced.

After the set was done, so many people sitting around us already wanted to know if he could come back again next year.  I also heard people talking as I walked around the festival, about how JLY is the best guest performer they’ve ever had.  I would love to see him come back here as well, to continue to celebrate his heritage with both old and new friends and fans...and to bring the sunshine to Clarksburg, no matter the weather.  It’s a gift - and JLY has it in spades!

#john lloyd young #concert review #john lloyd young friends #wvihf #italian heritage festival

[whileiamdying]

Africa

I hear the drums echoing tonight But she hears only whispers of some quiet conversation She's coming in, 12:30 flight The moonlit wings reflect the stars that guide me towards salvation I stopped an old man along the way Hoping to find some old forgotten words or ancient melodies He turned to me as if to say "Hurry boy, it's waiting there for you" It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do I bless the rains down in Africa Gonna take some time to do the things we never had (ooh, ooh) The wild dogs cry out in the night As they grow restless, longing for some solitary company I know that I must do what's right As sure as Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus above the Serengeti I seek to cure what's deep inside, frightened of this thing that I've become It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do I bless the rains down in Africa Gonna take some time to do the things we never had (ooh, ooh) Hurry boy, she's waiting there for you It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do I bless the rains down in Africa I bless the rains down in Africa (I bless the rain) I bless the rains down in Africa I bless the rains down in Africa I bless the rains down in Africa (Gonna take the time) Gonna take some time to do the things we never had (ooh, ooh) Source: LyricFindSongwriters: David F Paich / Jeffrey T Porcaro Africa lyrics © Spirit Music Group, Universal Music Publishing Group

...is a song by American rock band Toto, the tenth and final track on their fourth studio album Toto IV (1982). It was released as a single in the US through Columbia Records in October 1982, the album's third single overall and second in Europe. The song was written by band members David Paich and Jeff Porcaro, produced by the band, and mixed by Grammy-winning engineer Elliot Scheiner.

Critics praised its composition and Toto's performances. The song reached number one on the United States' Billboard Hot 100 chart, the band's only Billboard number one, and number one on the Canadian charts. It also peaked in the top ten in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand, and Switzerland.

The song was accompanied by a music video, which premiered in 1983, and was directed by Steve Barron, who collaborated previously with the group for Rosanna. The video features Toto in a library, as they perform and showcase various aspects of African culture. While popular in the 1980s and 1990s, with the song being certified gold by the RIAA in 1991, "Africa" saw a resurgence in popularity via social media during the mid- to late 2010s, including a fan-requested cover by American rock band Weezer which peaked at number 51 on the Billboard Hot 100. It has since been certified six times platinum.

Background

The initial idea and lyrics for the song came from David Paich. Paich was playing around with a new keyboard, the CS-80, and found the brassy sound that became the opening riff. He completed the melody and lyrics for the chorus in about ten minutes, much to Paich's surprise. "I sang the chorus out as you hear it. It was like God channeling it. I thought, 'I'm talented, but I'm not that talented. Something just happened here!'" Paich reckons that he refined the lyrics for six months before showing the song to the rest of the band.

In 2015, Paich explained that the song is about a man's love of a continent, Africa, rather than just a personal romance. He based the lyrics on a late night documentary with depictions of African plight and suffering. The viewing experience made a lasting impact on Paich: "It both moved and appalled me, and the pictures just wouldn't leave my head. I tried to imagine how I'd feel about it if I was there and what I'd do." Jeff Porcaro elaborates further, explaining: "A white boy is trying to write a song on Africa, but since he's never been there, he can only tell what he's seen on TV or remembers in the past."

Some additional lyrics relate to a person flying in to meet a lonely missionary, as Paich described in 2018. As a child, Paich attended a Catholic school; several of his teachers had done missionary work in Africa. Their missionary work became the inspiration behind the line: "I bless the rains down in Africa." Paich, who at the time had never set foot in Africa, based the song's landscape descriptions from an article in National Geographic.

During an appearance on the radio station KROQ-FM, Steve Porcaro and Steve Lukather described the song as "dumb" and "an experiment" and some of the lyrics as "goofy" that were just placeholders, particularly the line about the Serengeti. Engineer Al Schmitt stated that "Africa" was the second song written for Toto IV and had been worked on extensively in the studio. According to Steve Porcaro, it was the last song they recorded and barely made the cut. At one point, Jeff Porcaro considered saving "Africa" for a solo album because some members did not think the song sounded like Toto. The band was more focused on the album's lead single "Rosanna".

Composition

Musically, the song took some time to assemble. Steve Porcaro, the band's synth player, introduced Paich to the Yamaha CS-80, a polyphonic analog synthesizer, and instructed him to write a song specifically with the keyboard in mind. Paich gravitated towards a brassy flute sound, which he found to be a unique alternative to the piano. Porcaro programmed six tracks of a Yamaha GS 1 digital piano to emulate the sound of a kalimba. Each track featured a one-three note gamelan phrase with different musical parameters. Steve Porcaro's brother, Jeff, played his parts live without a click track.

So when we were doing "Africa" I set up a bass drum, snare drum and a hi-hat, and Lenny Castro set up right in front of me with a conga. We looked at each other and just started playing the basic groove. [...] The backbeat is on 3, so it's a half-time feel, and it's 16th notes on the hi-hat. [...] We played for five minutes on tape, no click, no nothing. We just played. And I was singing the bass line for 'Africa' in my mind, so we had a relative tempo. Lenny and I went into the booth and listened back to the five minutes of that same boring pattern. We picked out the best two bars that we thought were grooving, and we marked those two bars on tape. [...] Maybe it would have taken two minutes to program that in the Linn, and it took about half an hour to do this. But a Linn machine doesn't feel like that!

Jeff Porcaro also acknowledged that he was influenced by the sounds created by fellow Los Angeles session musicians Milt Holland and Emil Richards. He also described the significance of the African pavilion drummers at the 1964 New York World's Fair and a National Geographic Special. To recreate those sounds, he and his father Joe Porcaro made percussion loops on bottle caps and marimba respectively.

I was about 11 when the New York World's Fair took place, and I went to the African pavilion with my family. I saw the real thing ... It was the first time I witnessed somebody playing one beat and not straying from it, like a religious experience, where it gets loud, and everyone goes into a trance.

Music Video

The music video used the radio edit and was directed by Steve Barron. It features Mike Porcaro on bass, replacing David Hungate, who had already left the band before the video was made. Lenny Castro is also featured in the video on percussion. As of December 2021, the music video has over 773 million views on YouTube.

In the video, a researcher in a library (portrayed by band member David Paich) tries to match a scrap of a picture of a shield to the book from which it was torn out. As he continues his search, a female librarian working at a nearby desk takes occasional notice of him, while a native carrying a shield that matches the picture begins to close in on the library from the surrounding jungle. When the researcher finds a book titled Africa, the native throws a spear at a bookshelf, toppling stacks of books. Africa falls open to the page from which the scrap was torn, but a lantern lands on it and sets it on fire, after which the librarian's eyeglasses are shown falling to the floor. The scenes are intercut with shots of a spinning globe and the band performing atop a stack of giant hardcover books, in which Africa is the topmost.

Legacy

The song was popular upon its release, hitting number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in February 1983, and the song has continued to be a popular soft-rock classic up to the 21st century. The song has been utilized in many internet memes, has appeared in television shows, such as Stranger Things, Family Guy, Chuck, and South Park, and was used by CBS during their 2013 coverage of the funeral of former South African President Nelson Mandela, albeit not without controversy. It was also included in the 2002 video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City as part of the fictional Emotion 98.3 radio station.

In 2012, Africa was listed by music magazine NME in 32nd place on its list of "50 Most Explosive Choruses." In January 2019, a sound installation was set up in an undisclosed location in the Namib Desert to play the song on a constant loop. The installation is powered by solar batteries, allowing the song to be played indefinitely. Two years later, the song reached 1 billion plays on the streaming site Spotify.

Personnel

David Paich – lead and backing vocals, synthesizer, piano

Bobby Kimball – lead and backing vocals, percussion

Steve Lukather – electric guitar, backing vocals

Steve Porcaro – synthesizers

David Hungate – bass guitar

Jeff Porcaro – drums, cowbell, gong, additional percussion

Guest Musicians

Lenny Castro – congas, shakers, additional percussion

Timothy B. Schmit – 12-string acoustic guitar, backing vocals

Joe Porcaro – percussion, marimba

Jim Horn – recorder

— Wikipeadia; retrieved June 29, 2022 at 12:55am.

#Toto #David Paich #lead and backing vocals #synthesizer #piano #Bobby Kimball #percussion #Steve Lukather #electric guitar #backing vocals #Steve Porcaro #synthesizers #David Hungate #bass guitar #Jeff Porcaro #drums #cowbell #gong #additional percussion #Lenny Castro #congas #shakers #Timothy B. Schmit #12-string acoustic guitar #Joe Porcaro #marimba #Jim Horn #Van Nuys #Los Angeles #California

[kittrrrr]

Rain Girl

Hello! Merry [late] Christmas, if you celebrate it! Happy holidays and a happy new year! I wanted to just tell y'all that. I'm sorry that I was late, but I was on a trip with my family, and we celebrated today. I wrote a one-shot for Ao3 a while ago, so here's to finally posting it here. === The first time I met her, she was skipping along without an umbrella, singing to herself. I got closer, entranced by the little figure I saw before me. Her yellow raincoat flared out as she spun.

"Hey? Uh, who are you?"

"-Part of where I'm going is knowing where I'm coming from." She sang sweetly, completely ignoring me. 

"Um, can I have your name?" I asked, shuffling closer, gripping my umbrella tighter. 

"Oh, none of us have names in this sorta world." The girl, who I now realize must have been my own age of seventeen, stopped mid turn to face me. 

"Well, my name is Arnold."

"Keep your name, mister. I've got more important things to be doing." The girl skipped away, pausing a few times to twirl. I heard her pick up where she left off singing. 

"I don't wanna be anything other than what I've been trying to be lately...:" Strangely enough, it wasn't the last time I saw her. The next time, it was simply misty instead. She was wearing a red spotted dress when I met her next.

"Ah, mister, it seems that we have both felt the pull of the god of water." She smiled out at the grey sea. 

"No? But it is awfully pretty. I'm here to take photos. Maybe I'll get something good enough to frame." Taking photographs was a hobby that was quickly becoming an obsession.

"No, no, no!" She turned to me with that same smile. "The sea is not captured with a fancy gadget! You sing to it, and if you're lucky, you'll hear it singing back. That memory you must treasure, for the sea only sings to those he knows will listen."

"You're a strange girl, you know that?" I asked, her smile mirroring on my own face. She giggled, throwing her arms into the air and spinning. I had the urge to join, but I resisted the childish notion. 

"You are not the first to tell me that, and you will not be the last! Sing! Move along, move along, like I know you do! And even when your hope is gone, move along, move along, just to make it through." 

"Where's that from?" I stall. I was a horrid singer. 

"Oh, don't worry, I'm sure you can sing!" I shook my head. It was almost like she read my mind.

"I'm sorry but I have to be going now."

"Silly useless attachments."

"Is it okay if I photograph you before I go?" The girl considers for a long second. I'm worried that I overstepped, since this is only the second time that I've ever talked to her. 

"Things must be caught with time and passion, not a quick snap of a photo. Only if you will me let paint it later." I was startled at the time, but looking back it wasn't such a surprise. 

"Alright. Just keeping looking at the sea." It was the only way I ever caught her in photos. It didn't seem right otherwise. In photos where she was looking at the camera... Those weren't really her, just a shell that she sometimes adopted. I took a photo with my phone. The colors seemed much brighter than they should have been. The red and white dress and the knotted strands of black hair somehow made the grey sea look... It was impossible to describe. I'd definitely got what I had wanted when I went down to the sea that day: A photo worth framing. 

Still, I encounter the girl again. It was raining again. Her raincoat was blue this time, and she was sitting at the edge of the bridge. She was humming the song that she'd been singing the first time I'd met her. 

"Hey?"

"Oh, it's you again, mister." She seemed off. I hopped up next to her. It eerie, because my city always gets a lot of fog in the ditches when it rains. It was like we sitting above a cloud. There was no indication of how long it would be to fall. 

"What's up?" She sighed. 

"Mister-"

"My name's Arnold."

"Arnold... No one wants me."

"There must be some one."

"The gods maybe. But no one to hold, or to love."

"Why?" For some reason, although I'd already just dismissed her as simply strange, I could not even begin to fathom someone hating the girl in front of me, or even ignoring her. She was just... Too... Her to be hated. She blinked and smiled. 

"Maybe someone should know my name... Most may be nameless faces, but when one finds someone that really pays attention, everyone should know their name." I didn't know wether she was talking about herself or me. 

"So let's try this again, yes? My name's Arnold."

"Cassia. It's nice to meet you." We shared a long moment of quiet. "Would you like to dance? The rain has given us a nice beat. It would be a shame to waste it." She swings her legs and jumps onto the sidewalk. I took her hand, and we danced to the beat of the rain, drumming monotonously on the pavement. She made it fun, and we wandered up and down the bridge, letting the rain pour. I now understood why she hadn't been with an umbrella the first time that I saw. It was impossible to keep up with the rain with something so cumbersome. It would've been quite the sight to anyone walking down the street when we danced, like what I saw when I first met Cassia. 

But somehow I didn't care. It wasn't like there was anyone around. The next time I met Cassia, it was far from the dreamy, quiet, lonesome scenes where I was used to seeing her. I met her at my school. She was picking up her books from where she'd spilled them. When she looked up, for the first time I saw an expression other than dreaminess. Happiness. It had been so long that someone had reacted to seeing me with happiness that I didn't know how to feel. When I went home, the expression I usually saw on parent's faces was 'You're still here? When will you be gone?'.

"Thank you..." She said, standing up. 

"I don't recall seeing you at school before." I said, somewhat guilty.

"Oh, no one really ever sees me until they know my name." Cassia said softly. She was speaking much more softly now then what she normally spoke at. It only served to make me feel worse. I gave her the photo that I'd taken that day at the sea. I'd printed it out. 

"Thanks. This looks like it will be fun to paint." We parted ways. I saw her many months later. We were at the seaside, and it was raining. It'd been raining more then normal for our area. And a long time had passed since that last chance meeting in the fall. It was spring now, and the rain was warm. I nodded to her; we didn't need greetings anymore. The sea was churning, greyish-green. Mist stopped me from looking far out into the bay. 

"I think, now that I'm done with highschool, that I'd like to fly free." She pointed out through the mist to the sea we could see. "What will you do? Follow your dreams, or become another cog in the unjust machine of the world?"

"I... Don't know what I'll do?" This wasn't the answer she was looking for, though. She sighed. "Cassia? What are you thinking about?"

"I've got a world to see, my dear, and there was only one person that I wanted to see it with." Too late I realized who she was talking about. She planted a kiss on my lips- my first- and ran into the sea, disappearing quickly as the first that we had met. That was the last I saw of her. For ten years. I found love again, but could not stay with it. The girl with the strange way of seeing the world was forever stuck in my head. As well as the lines she was singing the first day that I met her. What song was that too? I could not rest until I found my answers, although I doubted that the world held any for me. 

But then I saw the the photograph that I'd given her, painted, and standing in a gallery with another, of herself and me sitting on that bridge, looking down into the mist. I'd found her. She had become quite famous, though no one knew anything about her. They could only give me the city where she lived. That was enough. I knew how to find her. It was raining. I was waiting at a bridge. 

"I don't wanna be-" Her voice rang clear out. She nearly whirled past me.

"Hey? Cassia?" My voice was enough for her to stop whirling. 

"Arnold?" She faced me. 

"I'm sorry." The words come tumbling out before I can stop them.

"Oh, Arnold, why you would you ever need to be?" She asked. 

"You- You just left and- and I wasn't sure what to do- to think!" 

"I thought you would have know me better by now." She smiled.

"I don't think I'll ever figure you out." 

"Well, I've finally figured myself out. Do you know yourself?"

"That feels like it takes a lifetime." She hopped onto the bridge's railing. I join without hesitation. 

"Yeah, it sure does..." She leaned her head on my shoulder. After a while, I had to tell her.

"Do you wanna know how I found you?" She says nothing. "I asked about a painting in the gallery near me."

"Which painting was it?" 

"The one you said that you'd paint from the photo I took of you at the seaside."

"I knew it..." 

"What?! How did you know?!"

"There are somethings that take a lifetime. Getting to know me is one of those!" She smiled. 

"You and your cryptic answers!" Cassia seemed so much more carefree now, and I tell her so.

"The feeling of being loved... It does a lot for a person." I knew. I kissed her. It didn't even seem like we sitting on the edge of life, in the rain. 

I guess I just like mysteries. She's certainly a big one. I'll have the rest of my life to figure her out. 

But I never did ask what song she liked to sing so much.

The End

#strange little rain girl

[713-4th-ward-g]

.

#awh i just heard one Johnydee passed away #it is some old man who would sing and cover songs it didnt matter what song he did a lot of genres #i subscribed to them 2 years ago and it was always such wholesome content #he was passed 70 though for sure #hearing the news and knowing that the last song he ever sang was raining in Georgia is so sad #rest in peace Johny Dee #he was like an internet grandpa to all his subscribers everyone in this Livestream is spamming rip its so sad

[witch-hazels-musings]

could i request some (separate) platonic hcs for kaeya, venti, and childe ? 🥺 like if you were best friends what would it be like :')

Friendship!

Warning -> SFW! Fluff :) 

Character X GN Reader | Anthology

Includes: Venti, Kaeya, Childe

Venti 

He is an incredible friend - just an absolute joy to have around 

He’s super fun, giddy, kind, and unexpected  - he’d make every day a new experience 

Just don’t be too worried if you don’t see him for a while - he is free like the wind and will drift to places that call him, eventually he always comes back 

Early Friendship

He is always happy to see you - like he just has this goofy smile on his face, this lightness in his voice and joy in his eyes 

There is a high likelihood he will have requests of you - maybe something to help him partake in his wild fantasies or ideas that seem to be fleeting and ever changing - he might drag you all around and see just how far you’ll go before you find out he was pulling your leg all along - he just likes to have a good time and your such a good sport 

His presence is kind and joyful. He lifts people up, he makes people laugh, he is silly and unexpected and while sometimes you might feel completely drained by the time you get home, you are always left with fond memories 

Best Friends

He would start to show more of himself to you - his joy would shift from surface level to unbound, he’d let you into his pain, his loneliness - you’d learn more about him and hear stories which seemed way to personal to be from the storybooks he says they are from 

You might catch him being more reserved and quiet. He’d ask you to visit the places that hold great meaning to him and as you sit there, watching him, you’d notice there was so much sadness and thoughtfulness to him - he’d be able to let himself rest near you and for a restless bard who cannot keep his energy together, it’s nice to have someone to rest his head near 

He’d teach you songs and would be so excited if you start to make some up with him - the two of you would often be found sitting near one another laughing and coming up with silly, confusing lyrics which only made sense to the two of you - it didn’t matter if you sounded good or not, he just like having someone to sing with 

Venti had asked you to join him under the large tree in Windrise, near the Statue of the Seven. It was one of his favorite places to go, he once explained to you how the air there seemed to be rejuvenating, refreshing and clear. When you made your way down the path and saw him sitting on one of the large roots of the tree he waved at you with gusto. 

The two of you sat there for some time, talking about your day and sharing funny stories or strange anecdotes. He may look like he was laughing and having a grand time, but you knew him well enough to know there was something strange about the way he laughed, about the smile that seemed much too sad. 

“Y/N?” He asked, his face looking upward into the large branches of the tree. 

“Yeah?” You let the grass fall from your hands, the thin blades floating in the soft wind. 

“Do you think friendships last beyond a single lifetime?” 

You looked up at him but he continued to look up toward the blocked sky. You thought for a bit, considering his question and wondering why he would ask something like this. 

“I think the connections we make in our lives last for as long as they need to. People come and go, drifting between in and out like grass on the wind until they come to rest. For how long, I don’t know, and until the wind decides to pick them up again we have to enjoy the time spent there.” 

“That’s a lovely thought.” Venti hummed, his eyes shining and the corner of his mouth slightly pulled back. 

“Hey,” You called out to him and he looked down at you, “I don’t know what will happen in the future, but I am stronger than grass on the wind, and I plan on being your friend for eternity if you’ll let me.” You stick out your pinky finger and he returns the gesture, your two fingers wrapping around the other in this solemn promise. 

“It’s a deal then.” 

Kaeya

He is pretty busy, so he might not hear from him from time to time - but don’t worry, he isn’t like this because he doesn’t enjoy your friendship, he just has a lot on his plate - it keeps him busy 

He’s totally down to hang out in the evenings whether thats in a bar, in the popular places people tend to gather, or wandering about the town - it’s an excellent excuse to see you, maybe get something nice to drink, and gather information all at the same time

Early Friendship

Kaeya always has something up his sleeve - he may seem kind, just keep and eye on him - he’s tricky

He is inviting and would listen to you, he’d offer you solutions to your problems - just be aware they might not always be the most … ethical of solutions … they might also be difficult to accomplish, his ideas can often be quiet intricate 

He’d take a moment to chat with you when he sees you around - waving at you with quick flick of the hand and calling out your name 

He’d even offer to assist you on commissions or any adventure you are heading out for - please take him, he’s dying to get out from behind the castle walls and he finds your company very entertaining 

Best Friends

He’d find you just to hang out with you - maybe using his breaks to go to the places you usually hang out (maybe your work or favorite spots in the city) and when he finds you he’d be okay to just talk about nothing in particular, even on his days off you’d find yourself surrounded by Kaeya - the two of you share in a lot of great conversations and laughter 

He digs that you joke back with him and don’t take him all that serious - it’s nice to just let loose and have someone to be himself without all the extra masks he finds himself wearing - with you he can just exist, no expectations, no push to go one way or the other, he can just be 

Honestly, it doesn't matter what the two of you do, it’s just fun to hang out with one another, to spend time together, to laugh with each other, about each other, for each other 

Kaeya hasn’t felt this close to someone in such a long time - it’s a feeling he never wants to loose, he values this friendship more than you’ll ever know 

The two of you sat on the upper floor of the bar enjoying the evening of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Kaeya had started long before you had even gotten there and was already having a fun time. 

“Hey! Glad you could join the fun.” He sang, his arms spread wide to greet you. He had already said this to you a few times but you just laughed it off. 

“I told you I'd be here and I wouldn’t want to be a liar. I know you’ll never let me live it down.” 

“Ah, you know me so well.” He took another drink from his glass and set it back onto the table before looking at you. He was so thankful to have you in his life, you made the days fun and you brought something he was missing, a person who he could just be around, a person he could rely on, a person who valued him for him. 

You looked at him, a half-cocked smile spreading across your face. “What, you’re looking at me funny.” 

“I’d like to make a toast.” He shouted, lifting his glass up high and inviting the whole room to join in. “A toast to friendship, may ours last until the snow on Dragonspine melts.” 

“And even then, you won't be able to get rid of me!” You shout back, adding your glass to the cheer. 

“Hah, I wouldn’t have it any other way.” 

The bar explodes into chanting and cheers and the two of you spend the rest of the evening laughing away. 

Childe

He’s such a wild friend 

Like be aware that you may never know what is coming when it comes to Childe - one minute things will be normal and chill and the next, tables are flying, people are cheering and mora is falling from the sky 

He’s super cocky and sure of himself, this personality of his comes across in his action on a regular basis

Like a torrential rain or unexpected storm - Childe’s friendship is a sight to behold 

Early Friendship

He’d be nice enough, saying hi to you and giving you parts of his day - if he had the time - it was hard to make connections with people since he moved around so much, if he did make any connection with a person they were usually short lived - like a burning match or a downpour in the rain 

While you may be more open, he’d let you do most of the talking - he’d keep his work to himself and wouldn’t share much with you unless it was necessary. You’d never notice either, he’s very good at getting people to open up without expelling much energy 

Best Friends

He recently started brining you small gifts, trinkets or items that you’d like - he’d learned so much about you and even as sporadic as his contact with you was, you were always excited to see him, always happy to share with him things going on and even brave enough to ask him about his own - never pushing him past the level of comfort he was used to 

Since he considers you an very close friend, he started to be more open about his own life with you - sharing with you about this family and being vulnerable enough to let you know how much he missed them - he’d make jokes about not using this information against him later and while you laugh, he hopes you take him seriously -- he’s giving you a lot about himself and he can’t bare to see you betray him 

He’d also start to be involved more in your life - he’d want to join you on your outings, ask you if there was anything he could do to lift your burdens, often taking care of any issues you bring to him in whatever way was quickest, or most efficient (please don’t kill anyone, Childe…) 

The two of you laid out underneath the stars. You found this activity pleasant and after inviting him out once, he’d asked you to take him again and again. He was incredibly curious about the stars in the sky and you did you best to answer him - you weren’t necessarily an expert in the whole thing, but it was something you found a lot of joy in, so you managed to give him a lot of new information. 

“You know, I’ve only ever focused on one or two stars my whole life.” He said, looking up at the vastness of the night, his hands extended as if he was trying to capture the little lights in his hands. 

“Most people don’t even look up. They're so busy looking at the now or thinking about their next step.” 

“Well, I looked at them only out of necessity, nothing more … and now …” He dropped his hands back onto the blanket and you stopped looking at your notebook. The small lantern flicking across the pages, fluttering across his face and in his ginger hair. 

“Now, what?” You asked, curious as to what he was going to share with you next. 

“Now I’m able to see there are so many possibilities other than one or two. You helped me see that, so thank you comrade.” 

“Any time, that’s what friends are for.” You chuckled, looking up at the stars. A bright light flashed across the sky and your heart fluttered. You tapped him on the arm, “Look, a shooting star, make a wish!” 

He looked out over the fast, never ending, glittering darkness and wished for this friendship to last until the last star faded.

#genshin impact #genshin impact X reader #genshin impact headcanons #genshin impact musings #genshin impact fiction #venti x reader #genshin venti #venti #childe X reader #childe #genshin childe #kaeya #kaeya x reader #genshin kaeya #genshin impact kaeya #kaeya alberich

[ticketstomydaydreams]

HOME

(All We Have: Part One)

Part Two

Colson x Female Reader

Summary: You and Colson are close friends and he invites you to move in to his house while you work on his record together

Word count: 1,580

Feels: Friendship Fluff for now

Warnings: Alcohol consumption, cursing, mentions of feeling depressed

Companion playlist:

Machine Gun Kelly - Home

Sia - Dressed in Black 

The Beatles - With a Little Help from My Friends

A/N: Throughout the series there will be changes to the timing of real life events like the pandemic, the release of certain songs etc. There's certain things I want to incorporate into the series, like particular events in MGKs life and lyrics from songs, so some stuff will get moved around to fit in to the story ✌️

______

It had been a long evening working in Colson’s home studio, The Boulevard, with him and the gang on the upcoming Tickets to my Downfall album. To say your schedule was busy was an understatement, but Colson had insisted you get involved with the new material after the success of your work together on Hotel Diablo.

Composing music was your main gig, you had an ear for melody and your passion for writing meant you always had lyrics swirling around your head. You had a penchant for dark and melancholy lyrics, finding music to be a source of therapy for you. It was something you and Colson had instantly bonded over. He'd bugged you to list some of the stuff you'd written that he'd know and you had gained his professional respect immediately.

He always kept a close eye on your work, ever the supportive friend and had laid claim to your piece ‘Glass House’ as soon as he'd heard it.

______

2019

You were sitting crossed legged on the sofa in your lounge, gently strumming your guitar and gazing off into space and mumbling to yourself, as you worked out some lyrics in your head. Colson was lying on the floor by your feet, scrolling through his phone with earphones in, a blunt in his hand that he occasionally passed up to you. This was a common set up, you found it easier to write in the peace and quiet and Colson has gradually started hanging out at your place more when he needed to focus on his own writing.

"All alone in the glass house, lie awake til the sun's out, pink sky when you come down…"

"Throw me in the damn flames, Bury me in gold chains, throw me in the damn flames…"

You'd started singing out loud, occasionally stopping to scribble down lyrics and make adjustments, not noticing that Colson had removed his earbuds to listen to you

" Dude, that's hard, like, beautiful… " His comment made you jump slightly, you hadn't seen him propping himself up on his elbows, watching you intently "Sing that last bit again"

You blushed slightly, his opinion was always important to you, and started singing. He muttered to himself as you did, then pointed at you "Again!"

Letting out a little laugh and rolling your eyes, you sang again

"Throw me in the damn flames, bury me in gold chains, throw me in the damn flames"

Colson's voice met yours at the end of the line, rapping softly "I'm waiting on the rain to come and wash it all away"

You locked eyes, smiling and he sat upright. "Dude, Im'a need that hook! That spoke to me right there, I've think got something for it that I've been stuck on"

He looked so excited, your heart did a little flip. You'd seen that writing this album had taken it out of him, he'd been digging deep and really going through it emotionally. You could tell it was going to be raw and special from what you'd heard already.

He sat forward and moved the guitar from your lap so he could lean his arms on your knees and looked up at you shooting you puppy dog eyes with those baby blues "Pretty please Y/N"

You laughed and ruffled his hair, "Anything for you Col" Honestly, it'd be an honour to be part of such a personal project, you thought

He wrapped his arms round you and squeezed,

"You're a legend, kid. Get a sample recorded and send it to me!" He grabbed your guitar off the sofa and whipped back around, strumming a few chords as he carried on talking with his back to you, leaning against the sofa "This is gonna be fire, you always just hit the nail on the head, I swear it's like you're in my head sometimes"

You smiled, seeing the wave of motivation that had struck your friend. You felt so lucky to have a friend who was not only so inspiring, but one who 'got it', who understood that music was a form of release. Someone who recognised that it was important to feel these things, rather than encourage you to push dark thoughts away with toxic positivity.

He’d pushed to use your original samples on his record, but as much as you loved writing and singing, you were a behind the scenes kind of gal which had always suited you just fine. Naomi, a mutual friend of you both, came onboard to record them with him. A decision that turned out to be golden… 'Death in my Pocket' would be born not long after, with Naomi doing your lyrics such beautiful justice yet again, perfectly pairing with Colson's emotional rapping.

______

From then on Colson had kept you close to his recording. You'd been helping here and there with composition and notation, but your production skills were what was taking centre stage during the most recent sessions. You had a long list of projects you were working through, leaving you chained to your equipment most days and nights anyway so throwing more music into your workload didn't seem like much of a big deal. In all honesty, the chaos of Colson’s studio and the revolving door of personalities that were in and out constantly, made it one of the most fun places to be. You loved what you did for a living and it never really felt like work Even though the guys were a real handful at times, you kind of enjoyed being the studio 'Mami' as they often affectionately referred to you

Everything had wrapped up for the evening and the guys had migrated back into the house. You could hear from the raucous that the drinks must have started flowing freely. You were saving your work and packing up your stuff when Colson bursts back into the studio and throws himself in a chair, spinning it around with his arms in the air.

"You staying for drinks Y/N?" he grins at you, clearly hyper and in party mode

You let out a big sigh "Urgh, I'd love to but I have an early start tomorrow. I finally managed to get an apartment viewing. I swear I've looked at a hundred places now, they get snapped up so quickly.. I've only got a few weeks left on my lease as well"

“Ah, that sucks kid” Colson empathises, spinning his chair again before an idea strikes him “Wait! Why don’t you move in here for a bit until you find a place? The guest room is pretty much your room anyway, the amount you crash here”

You laugh “This is true, that mattress is so much better than mine! Aw Col, that would honestly be so helpful, the stress of finding a place when I’m this busy is killing me. I don't know… You sure the guys won’t mind?”

Colson scoffs “Why would they mind? You practically live here anyway” he teases “I’m sure they’ll be just as stoked as I am at the thought of you joining the madhouse for a while”

Before you have a chance to respond, he stands up and throws his arms around you, squashing you into him tightly “That’s it decided Roomie. Another song in the bag and a new housemate, plenty to celebrate tonight!”

Wriggling out of his tight grasp, you laugh and in a deep voice shout “let’s goooooo” mocking his signature catchphrase. He flips you his middle finger and says “Kitchen, now”

Once you’re in the kitchen, Colson heads to get you a drink and grabs one himself. Appearing back at your side, he passes you your beer and then shouts out to the rest of the group,

“YO, meet our latest housemate, Y/N is moving in. LET’S FUCKING GOOOOO”

Everyone in the kitchen lets out a big cheer, clearly pleased as he said they would be. Colson bends down and picks you up, swinging you around in a circle, spilling your drinks all over the both of you as you shout his name in mock annoyance, between giggles.

“I hope you know what you’re letting yourself in for” Rook laughs, clinking his drink against your now empty beer bottle once your feet are back on the floor

“It’ll be good to have another pair of hands around here, looking after you lot” Ashleigh chimes in, laughing and slapping Slim away as he pulls her hood up over her head, covering her eyes

It had been 5 years since you'd made the decision to move to LA, barely knowing a soul. You'd worked several jobs, jumped from place to place, worked your ass off to catch your break in the music business, sometimes feeling like the grind would never get you anywhere.

There had been times where you felt like you couldn't carry on, aching from trying to keep pace. The dream had felt like it was turning into a nightmare, as you tried to make ends meet, feeling so lonely in this enormous city.. but eventually you'd made these amazing friends who made you feel so safe and loved.

Now, there were times you had to pinch yourself just to make sure it was all real.

As you shake off some of the beer that's dripping from your hands, you look around the kitchen. Taking in the crazy, loveable bunch before you, your new housemates, you are filled with gratitude. You finally felt like you were exactly where you were supposed to be…

Home.

______

❌❌ Lace up!

#mgk fluff #colson baker x reader #mgk imagine #mgk x reader #machine gun kelly imagine #colson baker imagine #machine gun kelly x reader #colson x reader #mgk fic #machine gun kelly #fandom #fanfic #fanfiction #mgk fanfiction #colson baker

[issaxcharlie]

Something so right

Pairing: Alive! Luke x Fem reader

Summary: A date with the golden boy of the school reveals Y/N’s and Luke's true feelings for each other and they have no choice but to face what they feel. Who will take the first step?

(The fragments of the song are from Sparks Fly by Taylor Swift)

Luke Patterson was more impatient than usual. 7:30 pm and no sign of his best friend, the one who had never missed a Sunset Curve rehearsal in these two years that they had been playing together.

“Am I the only one worried about Y/N? She is not usually late."

Reggie slaps his forehead, a memory snapping back into his head. "I forgot to tell you she won't be here today, she said something about a date."

The guitarist feels a punch in the stomach, he tries to hide how bitter the news fell on him, but his friends know him better than that.

“A date? With who?” Alex asks, genuinely curious.

“Austin Grayson.”

“Ugh, really Y/N?” But of course it had to be the school's golden boy. Luke can't help not feeling insecure. Austin Grayson is everything Luke Patterson isn't, and that scares him. What if that's what she's really looking for in a partner? He just wouldn’t stand a chance.

“Nice, he really has to like her to invited her despite what everyone says." Bobby responds as he takes advantage of the short break to rest his hands. Reggie and Alex nodding in agreement.

“What do they say?” Luke asks, completely lost.

“Oh please, most of the school thinks you guys are dating. There isn't a day that I don't hear someone call her Patterson’s girl." Alex replies, and Luke looks even more lost.

He can somehow understand why they would think that, he always enjoys having her and feeling her close. Usually touching her hand or arm in some way, hugging her whenever he sees fit. Carrying her books in the hallways or supporting her at her basketball games, just like she accompanies them to all the band's rehearsals and performances, or how she sometimes wears to school the clothes that he 'accidentally' leaves at her home when her mom invites him to dinner. On second thought, it’s easy to understand the confusion.

You don’t know what is happening. Austin is sweet, handsome, smart, and yet you feel nothing. Forced yourself to laugh falsely all night, and couldn't help but think that it would have been more fun to join the boys in rehearsal, especially when they were only a few days away from Sunset Curve's first performance at school.

When you finally get home, you walk with your head on the floor, trying not to make eye contact with your date. Austin gently grabs your chin so you turn to see him.

A fake cough from behind causes you both to jump away from each other. You don't even have to turn to find out who owns that perfect timed cough.

“What are you doing here?” You refuse to turn around, but you know he's smirking anyway.

“It’s movie night, love.” You force one more smile towards Austin as you curse Luke under your breath, who emphasized the last word in that seductive deep voice he sometimes does when he sings and that secretly melts your legs.

“Patterson." Austin tries to get past the awkward moment by participating in the conversation, and Luke responds by approaching and placing his arm on your shoulder.

"Grayson. Thank you for bringing her safe and sound." He sounds sincere, and that makes you smile for real for the first time of the night.

“It was nothing... I should go. Goodnight Y/N, I had a great time.”

Luke lowers his arm from your shoulder and leans back, ashamed of his rare moment of insecurity and letting you say goodbye to the boy.

As soon as he leaves, you turn to see your best friend, who looks sadly at the ground, and you hug him tightly.

Luke has been through very difficult months, and it is easy for someone who is vulnerable to feel insecure, especially in situations new to them. Not to mention that you are definitely not going to fight with the person you love for putting his arm on your shoulder or calling you in an affectionate way, which are things that he usually does, guy in your doorstep or not. You decide that he showing a little jealousy for once is not the end of the world.

“I missed you so much, rockstar.” You murmur still against his chest, your statement only makes him hold you tighter. You can't help but think about how just hugging him for a few seconds makes you so much happier than the whole date you just had.

“I’m sorry for making a scene. No wonder everyone thinks we are dating.“

“I don’t mind. I couldn't wear your cool flannels or your necklaces if I was dating someone. Plus it would take away valuable time that I can use as the president of the Sunset Curve fan club.” He chuckles. You can feel his body relax and his heartbeat begins to calm down. He gives you a sweet kiss in your hair before letting you go.

Best friends walk into the house, and as Y/N goes to change into something more comfortable Luke sits at the kitchen counter to chat with his second female best friend.

"You have to do something quick, I don't want to have you here crying and eating ice cream while she's on some date with some graceless snob.”

The guitarist can't help but laugh. Y/N's mom has always been a music lover and one of his greatest inspirations. She gave him his first guitar and taught him how to play, always supporting him in each of his steps as a musician. She has always loved him like a son, believing in him with all her might and always blindly entrusting him with what she loves most in the world, her daughter Y/N.

“I know, I will I promise. What I felt today when I saw Grayson touch her face and so close to her lips... I never want to experience that again. I was thinking maybe at homecoming? Sunset Curve is going to perform.”

She wrinkles her nose in response and Luke laughs again.

"Yeah too much information, I’m sorry. And I know, but we have to start somewhere. As soon as we get booked at a good enough club you'll be the first guest.”

They both make a pinky promise and smile.

“I’ll make you proud someday. I swear.”

“I’m always proud of you, my sweet boy. I know you’ll do amazing things, just take good care of my princess during tours.”

“You know I will.” They pinky promise again and reunite with Y/N in the living room to watch movies til the teens fall asleep cuddling.

Homecoming day arrived and you don’t have a partner. It is not hard to imagine why, being surrounded by at least one of the Sunset Curve members 24/7, especially Luke who tries to be close to you as much as possible, as if he is afraid that you will forget him if you spend too much time separated. Which is actually something you like, if you are honest with yourself. Is not something you would tell him but feeling him close and having his attention devoted to you most of the time feels quite special.

The date with Austin didn’t feel right and only confirmed what you've been trying to deny yourself for months. You are in love with freakin Luke Patterson. And you are in really deep, loving the good, bad, fun, boring, charming, and annoying parts, absolutely every side of him. And now is the time to finally do something about it.

After the guys show tonight, even more girls will be raining down on them than usual and things could get really messy, it's best to make your move first. Inside your heart you know that he feels the same, and if he doesn't have the courage to act on it then you will.

The first and most important thing you need to do to get the operation going is to kidnap Reggie, Alex and Bobby.

After a little threatening session everyone sang about Luke's idea for tonight, which made you grin like an idiot and feel more confident about your plan. The surprise that he will get when he sees how you sabotaged his plan.

Convincing Luke that it was best for you to come on your own so that they would have more time to prepare was not easy, but in the end you succeeded.

He's not a suit kinda person, but you went along with him to get a dark blue one that looked unreal on him just a few weeks ago, and you knew he would find a way to wear it sleeveless so he will look even more irresistible. You opted for a black dress that fades beautifully to blue towards the bottom of the skirt and in which you really look pretty good If you can say it yourself.

Sunset Curve finishes singing the first song, Now or never. It's time for the song Luke wrote for you, but he turns to see his friends scared when he still can't find you in the crowd. They smile at him and start to play the song they practiced with you just a few hours before.

“The way you move is like a full on rainstorm, and I'm a house of cards. You're the kind of reckless that should send me running, but I kinda know that I won't get far.”

You walk onto the stage as you start the first verse, Luke is shocked for a few seconds but then grins from ear to ear.

“And you stood there in front of me just... close enough to touch.” He recovers much faster than expected and pulls you by the waist towards him, just the microphone separating you two while he looks at you with the most seductive face you’ve ever seen.

“'Cause I see, sparks fly, whenever you smile... Get me with those green eyes, baby as the lights go down.” He blushes a little and smiles while his eyes are locked on your lips, capturing every move.

After what seems like an eternity, the song ends and before you can even say thank you, Luke's lips crash against yours, and it’s even better than what you’ve dreamed plenty of times. All the people start screaming, but you especially hear Reggie and Alex a few steps away who sound pretty happy for you.

“Reggie, an issue occurred, I have to go, sing home is where my horse is if you want to.” Luke whispers to his friend, before effortlessly carrying you off the stage.

“Admit it, you just want to touch my legs.” You joke while he walks with you on his shoulder.

“I’m in love with a really smart girl.” You stay quiet, your heart wants to jump out of your chest and you don’t even want to imagine how red your face is right now.

The guitarist finally brings you down when you leave the building, and you both walk to the park next door, where you met when you were just kids.

"Do you remember exactly how we met?" He asks while taking your hand.

“Reggie and Alex teamed up to destroy you in a game they invented and I was the only one in the park, so you invited me to join your team. And when we managed to win you said that we were the best duo on the face of the earth, that we had to be best friends forever."

“I sound very intense.”

“You are.”

They both laugh at the memory.

"You were still right."

“When did you finally realize that you loved me?” Luke asks, smirking playfully.

“I've known for a long time, but I didn't dare to admit it until recently.”

He completely accepts my answer and sincerity and smiles at me.

“I always knew that we would end up together, you eat me with your eyes when I'm not wearing a shirt.”

His teasing takes effect and you blush just remembering him in that situation.

He smiles cheekily and then takes mercy on you and changes the subject.

“So, we are the best duo on the face of the earth, best friends forever, and now an official couple?”

“That’s right, handsome and smart. Nice.”

Both approach until their lips touch, the kiss begins calm but quickly becomes more passionate, his tongue claiming every inch of your mouth, his arms strong on your hips. You let this amazing sensations envelop you and you lose yourself in him, happier than you've ever been.

When you are with the right person, everything feels just right.

Thank you for reading!

Taglist:

@siennanoelle01 , @totomoshi , @kiss-themoongoodbye , @writerinlearning

#luke patterson fanfiction #luke x reader #luke patterson oneshot #luke patterson imagine #luke patterson x y/n #luke patterson x reader #luke patterson imagines #charlie gillespie imagines #charlie gillespie x y/n #charlie gillespie one shot #charlie gillespie x reader #charlie gillespie imagine #jatp fanfiction #jatp fanfic #jatp imagine #jatp one shot

[jaskierisbi]

lines and verses from every amazing devil song that hit

King

But our voices collide with each howl of the tide || Singing all hell and its fire waits for us

All that matters || Is that you’re here

Pruning Shears

My entire life it's running away too fast || Watching everyone I've ever loved walk past || Never really quite getting the knack of || Knowing no one will not || Ever come back for you

Shower Day

Would have stayed if you'd had asked || But instead you just walk past

You're the one who told me my hair looked better black || You're the one who told me to never look back || You're the one who asked me if I'm feeling ok || I said I'm fine || It's just a sitting down in the shower day

Leave the room but you get caught in the rain || Know you should love him but it's such a pain || Would have stayed if you'd had asked || But instead you just walk away

Elsa’s Song

I can hear the cannons calling || As though across a dream || And I can smell the smoke of hell || In every stitch and seam || And like flowers, the bodies tumble || Around this muddied lot || I cannot hear them scream || ‘Forget me not.’

Pray

Pray for me, I'll run until I begin to understand || What holy men really mean || When they speak of sin

God made all man in his image || Honey I'm I'm I'm no man || I'm what’s left when children go to war

Run from you, I'll run until I begin to understand || What holy men really mean when they speak of sand and sons and seams and symphonies and sweat and sex and sin

Why you cannot sleep for sighing || Why womanhood is more than crying || I'm stronger now than you have ever known

The cracks you made I fill with mortar || A broken pot can still hold water || Symphonies and sweat and sex mean nothing when you are obsessed || With sin and soil and strength and song and all the words that came out wrong and him

Little Miss Why So

Did you tell them about the time we met little miss || You'll love the way I tell it || And I'll yell it from the rooftops for you || He says

He says || You're going too fast || You'll burn up soon

I don't know how to reach you when you get like this || I've been waiting for you to come home || I don't know how to reach you when you get like this || I've been waiting for you to come home

Why won't you just tell them all to fuck off love and be mine

He says || Why so sad || I'm here and I'm alive || Stop making up death wishes and take my lifeline

Why won't you believe I love you if I'm not hurting you, he says || Can't you see that I'm enough for you but you don't want me to be || 'Cause that means you'll actually have to be content

Why so why so sad || Stop asking why I'm sad just know it's enough to know I'm sad

New York Torch Song

But your blood does not bleed red no more || It's whiter than the sun burns, bright with every hum || From within this gaping wound of ours || A new us has begun. A new us has begun. A new us has begun

Tear me up and burn me up and rip me up and leave your || Hand on the wall as you go

Are you god or devil, ghost dishevelled || Childhood friend or drunken revel

I cannot find the words to keep you || I cannot find the words to keep you

Two Minutes

It's like all the wallpaper inside my heart || Is slowly slowly peeling off || And I'm showing || All the stains and things || They wrote on the wall before

These hands are growing cold ||They're running out of things to hold || Give me two damn minutes and I'll be fine

If I'm good will you come back || If I'm good will you come back || If I'm good will you come back || To us

Not Yet/Love Run

Sing me awake with a song about pirates || And I will try to harmonise || And sip the sunlight from your eyes || Oh sing me awake || With all the things we’ll do today || But instead we’ll build a den || Out of pillows and get drunk again

If my old mum could see me now || Oh how she’d howl she’d howl

Love run, love run || For all the things you’ve done || Run for all the things that drum || Run for all those pages thumbed

Love run, love run || For all the things we wished we’d done || Run from all you know that’s coming || Run to show that love’s worth running to

All that matters || Is that you're here ||All that matters

- - - - - - - - - -

The Rockrose and the Thistle

n/a sorry y’all

The Horror and the Wild

You are that space that’s in between every page, every chord and every screen || You are the driftwood and the rift, you’re the words that I promise I don’t mean

We’re drunk but drinking (sunk but sinking) || They thought us blind (we were just blinking)

Remember me I ask, remember me I sing || Give me back my heart you wingless thing

Think of all the horrors that I || Promised you I’d bring || I promise you, they’ll sing of every || Time you passed your fingers through my hair and called me child || Witness me, old man, I am the Wild

Wild Blue Yonder

So one last time, love, come and rip my clothes || Get a grip, we're grownups

Come and rip off my socks like you’re blasting the locks off of a bank vault. Halt! || This time we’re done for

Let’s hide under the covers || We don’t know what’s out there || Could be wolves || So hold me, lover, like you used to || So tight I’d bruise you || I’d bruise you, I’d bruise you too

Every stone you threw, I stood on to better see the view

Don't you ever wonder, what could have been? || All those wonders sit in wait for us, we tried

Every brick you hurled, I’ll use to build this world || This world, this world, this world

Welly Boots

And I love you, don’t you know || That I’ll be with you all along, as long as you are kind

And when you scream that it’s not fair || It’s like I’ve gone off to the coast || Left you behind just standing there || Pretending not to see your ghost || If only you could hear my voice || But you are screaming far too loud to hear me swear || Just because I left doesn’t mean that I’m not still there

'Cause you were always strong || When you were young, you’d kick things just to see if they would fall || They said ‘That girl, she’s wrong’ || But I’ll stick up for you, even though you haven’t got a clue, you haven't got a fucking clue

Farewell Wanderlust

He said ‘Hey darling hey, hey darling hey’ || I’m the hardest goodbye that you’ll ever have to say

I promise you I’ll be better || I promise you I’ll try || But like rubbing wine stains into rugs it’s my curse || To try and make it right, but by trying make it worse

I promise you I’m not broken || I promise you there’s more || More to come, more to reach for, more to hurl at the door

Goodbye to all my darkness, there’s nothing here but light || Adieu to all the faceless things that sleep with me at night || This here is not make up, it’s a porcelain tomb || And this here is not singing, I’m just screaming in tune

Fair

It’s what my heart just yearns to say || In ways that can’t be said || It’s what my rotting bones will sing || When the rest of me is dead || It’s what’s engraved upon my heart || In letters deeply worn || Today I somehow understand the reason I was born

She laughs as though she’s not heard the joke ten thousand times before || And he adores her, he watches her get dressed as though she’s hurtling through time

And she brushes her hand through his hair, he’s got so much fucking hair

And he holds her close just to keep the world at bay

"It’s not fair, it’s not fair how much I love you || It’s not fair, 'cause you make me laugh when I’m actually really fucking cross at you for something," || And he’ll say || "Oh how, oh how unreasonable || How unreasonably in love I am with everything you do || I spend my days so close to you 'cause if I’m standing here, maybe everyone will think I’m alright,"

'Cause darling I was born to press my head between your shoulder blades

And calm throughout his melodrama, she will turn and say || "Dear heart, it’s me, it's me || You don’t need to pretend to be someone you’re not || 'Cause it’s not like I’ve never heard you fart and snore || And for some godforsaken reason || I’m still here, love, like I’ve always been before,"

Burying her head into his chest and clinging to the moment || "Where have you been?" she’ll whisper || "I’ve waited oh so long for you to come" || And as the stars above them hum and hear them || He’ll turn to her and say, "That’s what she said"

That Unwanted Animal

You try so loud to love me || I cannot seem to hear || ‘Be good to me,’ I whisper || And you say ‘What?’ || And I say ‘Nothing dear’

I’m the paper cut that kills you || I’m the priest that you ignored || I’m the touch you crave, I’m the plans that you made, but fuck all your plans I’m bored

And you rip my ribcage open || And devour what’s truly yours

'Cause if we join our hands in prayer enough || To God I imagine it all starts to sound like applause

Marbles

And I chipped my teeth on every joke you cracked

You stole the best years of my life || I’ll give them back

'Cause I will wait and hope || Your eyes aren’t rivers there to weep || But a place for crows to rest their feet || And I will wait and hope || And rest my head at night content || Knowing where my marbles went

She sang, ‘Do you think I’m sexy?’ and oh god I really did

Oh, if one more guy calls me darling then I || Swear to you and to god I will murder them all

All the bastards applaud when I show that I’m flawed || You’re not flawed darling, you’re just a little under-rehearsed

I’ve loved you, for a hundred years || Certainly fucking feels like it

The minute I met you, the colours of my life began to pour

And now, even though you’re mad and these memories won’t stay || That's okay || 'Cause then I get to meet you for the first time every single day

Battle Cries

Tell the truth to me, love, does my hair look as nice || As it did when you once tangled up in your eyes? || Look at me as you say this, don’t look at your phone

‘Cause these plates they smash like waves || And the wine stains hide the tears || But that breathing you hear, don't mistake it for sighs || Don’t you realise? They’re just battle cries, dear

And these lines aren’t wrinkles, dear heart || They’re just dollops of paint on a new work of art

And as I walk away, I know I’ve been through the wars || But that creaking you hear in my bones is not pain, it’s applause

This isn’t a break up, dear heart, it’s a season finale

#the amazing devil #the amazing devil lyrics #joey batey #jaskier #the witcher #not yet/love run #the horror and the wild #wild blue yonder #battle cries #two minutes #pray #marbles #king #pruning shears #shower day #elsa’s song #little miss why so #new york torch song #welly boots #farewell wanderlust #fair #that unwanted animal #mine #lyrics

[wildflower-daydreamer]

Historic - november drabbles - day 9

Day 9 of @creativepromptsforwriting November prompt list.

A retelling of the Greek myth of Andromeda and Perseus (Jonsa-fied, of course).

Sansa stared out at the rough waters that stretched before her, stoically serene in her monstrous fate. Her legs were weary as they stood, unable to move, on the tiny wooden platform. Her arms were outstretched, heavy metal chained her to the rock. It was getting much colder now, and the tide would make the waves lick at her feet soon. However, it didn’t matter, it would all be over soon – the kraken was coming for her.

Ever since Sansa had been brought to King’s Landing as Prince Joffrey’s betrothed, the commonfolk talked of her stunning beauty. Queen Cersei, in all her jealous furor, had begun to declare she herself was the most beautiful woman in Westeros instead, even claiming she was tenfold more beautiful than the goddess of the wind. Well, that certainly angered the sea god, beloved husband of the goddess of the wind. Relentless storms battered King’s Landing, the Red Keep getting the brunt of it as it sat against the bay. They were unceasing and causing more damage as each day passed. A remedy was found – a sacrifice would need to be made to the sea god’s monster in order to appease and ask for forgiveness. It should have been Cersei, the arrogant boaster who caused this mess. But no, her advisor Qyburn created an alternative solution – offer up the one who people sang of her beauty, Sansa. Cersei ran to her husband, King Robert, to ask permission to use the girl. The king, his mind occupied with the expected invasion of the dragon riders from the east, waved her off with a brusque nod. Her son had a bit of a fit when given the news. Joffrey didn’t like giving up his toys. After being promised with a better match, the prince simply shrugged and moved on with his day. Sansa was whisked away in the dark of night. Not daring to offer up the innocent girl to the kraken in Blackwater Bay for all the commonfolk to see, she was secretly taken to Storm’s End and cruelly chained to the rocks.

Cold water splashed at her feet, sending a racking chill throughout Sansa’s body. No one else knew where she was, Storm’s End was abandoned, no heroic knights in shining armor would know where to look. Acceptance filled her, she closed her eyes and sang songs she favored as the naïve girl she had once been. Through her closed lids, she could sense the daylight fading away and knew the darkness would bring the monster.

Strong gusts of wind blew, her hair swirling about, the meager dress she was wearing fluttered wildly. It was much different than the coastal winds that had been assaulting her all day long. Her eyes shot open, expecting to see tentacles reaching for her. What greeted her instead was a massive, winged beast. Its great wings beat strongly to hover over the water in front of her. Sansa had no more fear left to give, she just stared and marveled at the warmth that emanated from its mouth.

“Can I offer assistance, my lady?” a voice shouted. It was then that Sansa realized a man was sitting atop the scaly beast.

“That would certainly be kind of you,” Sansa shouted back at the stranger. She thought she could see a warm smile upon his face right before the dragon lifted up and over her, coming to a landing on the cliff above. But as it did so, a terrifying sound came from the waters.

Enormous tentacles sprouted from the waves. The dragon and its rider took to the air again. Sansa watched as they flew out to meet the kraken. Streams of fire rained down upon the watery beast while the dragon tried to dodge its flailing limbs. Finally, with one last awful screech, the sea god’s pet disappeared beneath the water with charred tentacles.

After landing on the cliff above her, she could hear him climb down the jagged wall of rocks. When he reached her, he unsheathed his great sword, the telltale glint of Valyrian steel catching Sansa’s eye. With a striking slash at each, the chains fell away from the rock. He grasped her hand and easily lifted her from her perch. Aiding her all the way up, they finally reached the top where the dark dragon awaited, deep scratches along its scales from the kraken’s barbed arms.

“Can I bring you anywhere, my lady? Home?”

“I no longer have a home. The king and queen murdered my family one by one. They gave our ancestral home to our enemies.”

“Can I bring you to my own?”

“Yes. Anywhere that Queen Cersei can’t reach me.”

With a courtly bow of his head, he helped her climb atop the dragon and situated himself in front of her. Turning toward her, there was no mistaking the warmth and kindness in his smile. “May I ask your name?”

“Sansa.”

“Beautiful name. I’m Aegon. This here is Rhaegal,” he said, patting the side of the beast. “And you may want to hold on tight, Sansa.” With that, wings unfolded and they rose higher with each beat. Sansa’s arms circled tightly around the Targaryen king.

In the years that followed, the Targaryens took back Westeros, Sansa and Aegon married, and they brought forth many loving children. The two had lived one of the greatest love stories ever known. Even the gods had admired it - the Maiden, cherishing their story the most, wanted to honor Sansa’s innocence and Aegon’s bravery. Upon their deaths, the goddess turned them into stars, placing them next to each other in the dark sky, together forever as they should be.

#jonsa #jon x sansa #drabble #november prompts #historic

[alldayangst]

drivers lisence (Harry Styles)

All of my fics are LGBT and PoC friendly. This isnspired by drivers license by Olivia Rodrigo because it’s pulling heart strings lately and there’s nothing I love more. Trigger warning for depictions of panic attacks: heart racing, shortness of breath.

Harry said that he needed you at the studio. He said he’d written another song about you. He said he needed you to hear it. He said you made him feel golden inside, and there hadn’t been a dull day in the recording booth since the moment he met you.

“Alright.” you entered his location into the Uber app.

“How are you getting here?” Unbeknownst to you, Harry stood next to the sound systems with his fingers crossed, eyes screwed shut and bottom lip in a vice grip between his teeth. Praying for you.

You had your driving test that day. You didn’t pass.

Harry told everyone at work that day that this is what you’d been working up to, that he’d be proud of you no matter the outcome. Jeff and Mitch stood on either side of him, wishing upon a star that the lover Harry spent his days and nights speaking of was able to fulfil their own dreams in the way you did his.

“Uber.” You mumbled disappointedly as you fumbled for your keys and walked into your apartment’s garage. Low and behold in yours and Harry’s parking spaces, a dark as night Range Rover and a big, red bow that sat on it. You held your face in your hands, bowing your head in shame - “For fuck’s sake, Harry.”

You couldn’t take your test again until another ten days passed. Half-way into your cooling off period, you and Harry drove on a damn near empty road; the only place Harry could blast his own music without fear of leaks. It was the only place where you felt eyes were off you for a change, an alternative paradise where you no longer had to clutch pearls and the panicked voice in your head was at bay.

“It’s the only thing I’ll ever do, it’s the only thing I’ll ever do, it’s the only thing I’ll ever do, it’s the only thing I’ll ever do.” Harry sang along to the harmonies. He swore adoring you was the only thing he’d ever do. And you believed him, because that was the philosophy you lived by.

Harry was a cave you could run and hide in. Harry was your shelter from stormy skies. Harry was the count from 1 to 10 that regulated your breathing again. In simple terms, Harry was your safe place. Your refuge from the bombs that dropped from the sky as if they were rain.

“Can’t believe they’d fail my baby. You’re perfect, you’re a natural.” You felt comfortable enough with Harry to take your eye off the road and just stare at your love for just one second. 

He didn’t know that without him around, your limbs would tense up, your heart would go 100 beats per minute (and not in the good way) and your instructor’s steering wheel was often so clammy from all of your sweating. The idea of facing your fear to fulfil some overrated arc, such as the simple act of driving, felt as dumb as it felt terrifying as it felt something you so badly wanted to do.

Harry kissed your forehead tenderly as the road ahead shrunk under the wheels of your new car. “Mm, I adore you.”

Two months later and Fall had come around. You finally then got your driver’s license. You and Harry were starting to feel like a puzzle with a few missing pieces, like Fall leaves hanging onto a tree that just wanted to shake them off. It was hard to believe you were in the place that you were just ten weeks ago.

And it was all because of Harry’s career. The thing that uplifted you just two months ago was the same thing bringing you down, down, down.

Press junkets replaced the times of your quiet car rides and it seemed Harry felt the GQs and Vogues of the world deserved his attention more than you did.

Harry had a CD protected in clear plastic perched pristinely on his lap. He said he was gonna give his car a paint-job, make it bright. He said he’d been listening to Frank Ocean, something along the lines of a White Ferrari was what he wanted.

“Are you not gonna play the CD for me?”

Harry separated his legs ever so slightly to hide the disc in between his thighs. “No. You know I don’t like to play my unreleased music.”

Your breakup a week later was nothing formal. You just drifted apart, like two crossroads diverting into parallel lanes.

You found yourself driving through the suburbs of Bel Air on your way back home to Manchester Square, favouring its quieter roads and the memories you and Harry shared.

You turned on the radio.

Ah-ah-aah. Each next voice higher than the last. Every chord progression sounding like the opening of the gates of Heaven. “Walk through fire for you, just let me adore you.” You stumbled into the world of your ex-lover again without even meaning to.

“So, this one, Harry, it’s a single off the second record.” You feel your hands stiffen against the steering wheel, and your face go stale like old bread and it takes everything in you to tell the butterflies in your stomach to stop flying and the panic button in your brain to stop sounding the alarm and breathe. Breathe, breathe, breathe, breathe.

“Yes, yes it is.” Harry’s voice is like a low growl, unmistakable. You feel your heart pounding in your chest. Baboom, baboom - it’s quicker than business as usual. “And you’ve been seen out with Phoenix Smith lately. Gorgeous, blonde, for those who don’t know them.” Roman Kemp describes your self-esteem’s biggest adversary to a T, putting you to great shame. You always felt insecure stumbling around Los Angeles streets with Phoenix and Harry, both their model legs dwarfed yours; and theirs and Harry’s Gucci and Burberry jackets belittled you. “Is this song about them by any chance?”

“My lips are sealed.” Harry replies as the song continues to play. The suspense builds like bricks because no. Harry wrote this song for you, right?

“Was that Harry?” Time had yet to heal. Your friend, Jordan, cringed as you sat in the passenger’s seat. You saw Harry in every face you glimpsed on a Bel Air suburb street. Jordan didn’t want you driving in such a heart-ached state. Jordan didn’t want to see you crash and burn. They were worried about their friend, staring through the window for a man who was just one of thousands who lived in this neighbourhood. So how was it that you believed that Harry was the only one for you in this whole world?

Harry never found out that you got your driver’s license, even when you drove alone past his street.

Credit for the gif goes to: /beststyles

Taglist: @swiftingday​

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#harry styles imagines #harry styles imagine #harry styles fanfiction #harry styles angst #harry styles fluff #h: i'm not crying #h: alldayangst

[1ddiscourseoftheday]

Thurs 4 Feb ‘21

Confirmation is here at last of Harry’s role in the film adaptation of My Policeman, brought to us by queer fave Greg Berlanti (and his husband). Harry will costar with Emma Corrin, who you may remember from the at the time inexplicable seeming Harry/Emma cross promo last August-- given the pains they took then to emphasize that the relationship was platonic, one assumes this film will go for a different promo tactic than the current one! They share a stylist though, so they’ll no doubt be beautifully coordinated. Harry will play Tom, which some people object to on the grounds that Harry is the wrong person to play the role of a closeted man which is certainly… one opinion. Aaaaand there’s plenty more of that discourse (and about him playing a policeman) to come over the coming months so I’ll just leave it there for now! Anyway and as for that current project, we got more DWD set pics today, featuring Harry in various costume outfits! There’s ones where his character looks bloodied, and ones where his character looks clean but absolutely terrifying, grown up frat boy from hell looks to give you CHILLS, plus some of Harry as Harry in a bright orange hoodie designed by his friend Kunichi Nomura.There was also {moustache spoilers} some weird facial hair on display. Okay then!

Project Defenseless has been launched to push Defenseless up in the streaming charts and push for radio play! The fan single project offers resources and organized pushes to get people streaming and promoting on all the platforms and reaching out to radio, and has fans making lots of very cool edits besides! “I see what you’re doing with defenseless! You are all incredible!” said Louis. That song is such a fitting choice for this kind of project! Its journey has been all about the fan response from back when Louis played it for us for the very first time in 2019 (it was the one everyone was screaming about from soundcheck clips for the few hours between that and hearing the songs for real even) and afterwards he told us about how although he’d always liked the song it clicked for him in a new way after getting the fan reaction, saying “something happened to it when I performed it live, and ever since then it really kind of got me,” and “the fans make everything sound amazing, they made it sound so good,” and “the fans for whatever reason really took to this song, so now it has a special place in me heart definitely”. Plus of course there was the long saga of fan stress when it seemed like it might not be on the album and rejoicing when Louis finally definitively confirmed that it would be, after what seemed like might have been a reversal on his part due to the outcry about it. And now she’s climbing all kinds of charts like a the star she is! The song shot up on itunes (#3 worldwide, #1 in 16 countries) just for starters and the project has only just got going. Louis commented on the stats-- “An album track off an album that’s a year old. You lot blow my fucking mind! Thank you so much!”

Louis also commented on a Jack Saunders (BBC indie music DJ) tweet and followed guitarist Johnny Took of the DMAs on twitter which is weird only in that he didn’t already.

There’s news about Zayn’s Zach Sang interview, and it’s not the most surprising news but it is very sad; Zach says “hi beautiful humans, this convo was scheduled for last week but we got a rain check from his team. this conversation can still happen, it ain’t over yet! we’ll keep ya in the loop. I listened to this album 7 times! we’re determined” Well... damn. However Zayn DID pop up with some spon-content but like… the WEIRDEST ad content?? It’s for Coors Light and, well I’ll let Zayn tell you about it! “They’re gonna see if they can put a commercial inside your dreams... which is kind of messed up.” HAHAHAHA I have nothing to add! What Zayn said!!! “So we’re gonna give that a go and uh see if it works,” he says, sounding appropriately skeptical, followed by “wish me luck”. Does this kind of sponcon count as malicious compliance? Technically he DID say the stuff he was supposed to- and he’s doing an instagram live for them Sat, supposedly. I can’t wait to see how that goes! Wish him luck! The latest installment of the NIL comic book video series is also out today, but just one this time instead of a pair. This week’s song is Connexion and the new comic shows us that the figure pursuing our hero is, drumroll-- himself! The call is coming from inside the house!

Unlike interview shy Zayn, however, Gigi is out there ready to overshare, as long as it’s to Vogue. She has plenty to say about giving birth to zaby Khai (newly revealed nickname: Khaiba) at home at the Pennsylvania farm. The article says that they decided to have the birth at home due to COVID placing restrictions on hospital births that would have prevented Bella and Zayn and Yolanda all being present, and after she and Zayn watched the documentary The Business of Being Born. “They placed a blow-up bath in their bedroom and sent their three cats and border collie away when the midwife expressed concern that the sphynx and Maine coon felines might puncture the tub with their claws,” the interviewer learns while horseback riding with Gigi. The article also says Zayn “caught the baby” but it isn’t a direct quote from Gigi and I’m thinking a bit of an exaggeration perhaps. Gigi had the baby at the Hadid family farm but she and Zayn have since relocated to live at his farm, which is nearby, where they say they will be raising the child, with Z’s mom Trisha coming to stay to help out for the first month, that Khai sleeps with them, and that Zayn said his experience of the whole thing reminded him of the birth in a lion documentary they’d watched. Neither mentioned it but it has been spotted that Gigi and Zayn each now have tattoos of the name, Khai, in Arabic.

Meanwhile, Niall surfaced only in golf guy mode- a Modest Golf announcement and a podcast appearance to promote the new Modest initiative to get young people into playing golf. He says they want to “get rid of that thing that’s been holding golf back for a long time, that it’s a boring sport…” and I know he means he’s trying to combat that idea but when I tell you I LAUGHED!

#Harry styles #louis tomlinson #zayn #niall horan #a week before Louis confirmed that Defenseless would be on Walls he said in an interview that the rock version of Just Hold On was on the al #album #it seemed like that got bumped in favor of defenseless due to fan rallying #there had been things he’d said that made us think defenseless wasn’t on the album #which UNFORTUNATELY I COULD NOT FIND which is very annoying but I remember that there was a reason we thought that #he had said some things #Barry McGee #the degrees of separation between Harry and myself get thinner every day but will I ever meet him? NO :( #tbh do I even want to in some weird awkward way maybe also no but still sigh #4 feb 21 #greg berlanti #the zaby #Kunichi Nomura #emma corrin #jack saunders #johnny took #zach sang #project defenseless #zigi #gigi hadid #me: just peacefully trying to crank out a huge post about the history of defenseless and fans #stuff: KEEPS HAPPENING all DAY

[creativeashproductions]

Magician Behind the Music // Owen Joyner

sagSummary: Being in a studio recording songs is an intimidating experience for anyone regardless of age. Wanting the best in the business for his soundtrack Kenny Ortega brings his cast to the best in the business. Heading the production is no ever than Y/N with a certain sparkle when it comes to the tall blonde.

Warning: Swearing, insecurity, oblivious!reader and fluff

Words: 2.1k

A/N: I know nothing about producing songs so I ended up winging it. About time I make a fic for Owen

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Masterlist

The studio had the sound of music as a group of people walk down the hall of the building that housed world-renowned recording studio. The office chair was leaning back as a figure sat listening to the nearly finished album. Forest green Sanuk slip-on shoes on the feet of the individual the door opening wasn’t heard.

“Girls you wanna hear the finished product?” You questioned from your seat behind the large control panel. The four girls on the video chat excited responded enthusiastic band members.

Not needing anymore push the song replaced the one that had been playing as background noise. Sliding the volume up the music, you had both produced and featured played through the speakers. As the pre-chorus and the chorus came, you couldn’t help but start singing.

 I find peace in every story you told

 I think of you, I’ll never be alone

 It’s true, true, true

 You know I do, do, do

 Oh, I need you more than words can say

 Oh, you save me in ways that I can’t explain

 Always been there for me, now I’ll do the same

 Oh, I need you more than words can say

All five that poured themselves on the song couldn’t help but bop along with the catchy words and beat. By far, one of your most favourite songs you ever co-wrote, feature and produce. You and little Mix had been desiring to co-work on something for years now.

“That pre-chorus and chorus are the favourites of my career!” You excitedly announced glancing up the glass separating the booth from the control room. Your face found a handful of young adults and Kenny in the reflection.

“It’s gonna be a bop to sing!” Perrie agreed with her hair in messy space buns sitting at her computer desk in comfy clothes.

Jesy, Leigh-Anne and Jade wore similar loungewear in the safety of their homes after travelling out of LA back to England. An entire week spent solely on writing music and recording with a few sleepover nostalgic of the teen years.

“I gotta go. My next clients are here.” You told the excited British girl group before your cursor ended the video chat.

Pushing off with your toe on the floor, you faced the group seated taking in the awed expressions from the song. Part of you is annoyed at the blatant disregard of professionalism and the potential of the song being leaked.

“Charlie, Owen, Jeremy, and Madison this is my friend Y/N. She’s a musician, songwriter and a producer.” Kenny spoke, waving towards your seat position at the forefront of the control panel.

Your eyes gleamed brighter with the teal blue cable knit sweater paired with a pair of fitted blue jeans. The pros of being a producer in a recording studio meant the work attire was relaxed compared to desk jobs. It appeared this group was similar.

“Hello.” You spoke standing up to be closer to the group, “I believe you have a soundtrack needed? I’m Y/N Y/L/N. I’d like to ask that the song you overheard not be spoken about again.”

“I’m Charlie.” The brunette with a white hat put on backwards immediately shook your hand. Even with the hat, you could tell his hair was a gorgeous brown that contrasted his pretty eyes hazel green eyes.

“Hi Charlie.” You smiled at the male before stepping around him to the other three people in the room. The only other girl in the room was most definitely the lead of whatever show Kenny was currently doing.

“You’re Madison.” You spoke, taking in her youthful appearance and the quiet wisdom flowing within her eyes, the colour of dark coffee grounds. Her hair was down in her natural texture, resting on the shoulders of her muted olive green shirt.

“Jeremy.” Came from the shorter boy with startling rich dark brown almost black hair and eyes you couldn’t discern between blue or green. His cheeks a permanent pink flush but an infectious grin, “How are you?”

“My collaborators for a song liked it, and I’m not going to explain what you’ll be doing in the booth.” You replied gesturing to the enclosed space with the microphone and a stand of instruments.

Brushing off any other details you finally came to the only nameless individual in the room with the only blonde head of hair.

“Owen.” The blonde spoke softly with his eyes nearly begging to leave your expression with the anxiety building. This was so new for Owen, and unlike anything, he had ever experienced before in his life.

“Take a seat.” You motioned towards the long couch against the wall opposite the recording booth. It was a plus that extended couch perfect for a short nap after a near all-nighter. Your studio was the only one with such a good sofa.

“I’ve worked with Kenny on his Descendants series with the cast along with strictly only musicians. I say this with respect with Kenny, but if you don’t respect me or my process, I won’t hesitate to end this. It’s in the contract.” You sternly told the young individuals, “That being said. Your voice is an instrument that needs to be cared for. You need to be careful with it.”

The vocal coach dove into a more detailed list of the items not to be ingested by actors. The same thing happened with every new client you met after the horror film of a massacre a few years previous. As they went over, you looked over the schedule.

The binder was thick with the different songs in the series with jot notes in the margins. Kenny sat in the other chair, looking at them.

“So, Jeremy is the only one with experience?” You questioned glancing up at your elder with a look of curiosity. Kenny nodded with a fond smile, “Okay so let’s get his vocals for the first song recorded. That way, the others have a first-hand look at how it happens.”

Jeremy was quick to rid himself of his jacket to slide into the booth with the headphones resting on only one ear. In two hours, you had guided Madison and Charlie through their parts of this session. Your mouth opened to invite Owen into the booth but his demeanour concerned you.

“Kenny, how about we take a break for lunch?” You subtly guided Kenny to look at Owen before he quickly agreed.

Charlie was practically skipping out of the recording studio with his hands nudging Jeremy on his way out. Madison, led by her father, left right after leaving Owen to just about exit the room.

“Hey Owen?” You spoke, bringing the tensed young man’s attention, “Can you give me a moment?”

His head of thick blonde hair hesitantly nodded as Kenny followed the other cast members out of the room. Gently nudging the door closed you guided him to sit on the couch with you stationed in the office chair.

“First time recording is a bitch of pressure. I completely understand because I’ve guided people and been guided in the booth.” You began leaning forward to meet his eyes, “I know as someone with anxiety it’s intimidating. Let me know. Whatever you tell me will stay between us.”

Owen was quiet, “I’ve done other projects. I’ve never had the opportunity to have a role as a drummer. I guess this is overwhelming.”

“How about you hop into the room, and we mess around with a song?” You questioned, “I can show you how I produce if you’d like.”

“I’d like that.” Owen’s lips curved just a fraction into a ghost of a smile with the tension in his shoulders melting.

For the next two hours, you spent time in the booth explaining the equipment’s role in the recording. After he gave a short lyric, you invited him to sit by the soundboard with you to walk him through it. All the while, you shared the pizza you had ordered for both of you.

 “I started in the business as background vocals for a few bands before I delved into my own career as a musician. I believe I was about seventeen when I got to be part of people getting the songs ready for fans. I fell in love and find it more fun behind the soundboard.” You informed the blonde listening to a recent song you had finished.

“This is insanely cool. I think I’m ready to record my parts.” Owen admitted playing with his fingers. In response, you typed out a quick message to Kenny, bringing the other people back after a long break.

As much as you would have loved creating the soundtrack, it wasn’t possible with your other commitments. Leaving the work in Alana’s capable hands, you had been packing for your visit to the UK for performing the song with Little Mix. Owen, having the day off, had found himself in your apartment as he had for the last few weeks.

“Do you really have to go?” Owen whined, staring at with his head tilted back on the couch. Lips pursed in a pout and blue eyes shining sadly.

“As much as I would adore falling for that look, we both know I have to.” You admitted dropping packing to snuggle into his side, “What’s up with you lately?”

“What do you mean?” He questioned, rolling his head on the back of the couch you look at you. From the position, he couldn’t see your face, but that didn’t stop him from staring.

“It’s hard to describe, but you get flustered when certain songs come on. You’ve been ditching the cast to spend time with me.” You listed off, staring off into the distance, “You got Charlie to drive in the opposite direction of your work to pick me up.”

“What kind of songs?” Owen inquired with one arched eyebrow high. You shifted to stare up at the soft look in his pretty blue eyes.

“It was some duet from that tv series about the High School Musical films…” Your sentence trailed off as everything clicked, “You have feelings for me.”

“Thought it was blatantly obvious. I danced with you in the rain at midnight while I sang to you. I think that’s the most obvious action.” Owen chuckled brushing a strand of hair behind your ear as he took in the startled expression

Owen had walked you home after a late recording session with the cast talking each other’s ear off with different subjects. His hand had slid into yours as he tugged you into the ice cream shop on the way; a scoop each. His eyes glued to every move you made with passion behind every single word.

“-they came to me about a song. It’s a surprise for Kenny, I suppose.” Your one holding the ice cream cone nearly went flying with the motion you made. Your other clasped in Owen’s without even realizing it.

“So, it’s the last song you’ll be helping us on, right?” Owen asked halting to toss the napkin from his cone in the closest bin. You followed suit while intertwining your fingers back together.

“The girls want to do a short little radio tour to promote the single. It would be a month most likely to brainstorm new ideas for songs. We’ve all agreed to collaborate in the future.” You informed the nineteen-year-old. He was a year and a half younger than you.

“When-”

Your sudden squeal cut him off as the sky opened up to a sudden pouring of rain on the two of you. Had you not been so focused on the conversation you would have seen the cloudy sky and the light drizzle of rain.

“Whoa!” Owen laughed, tugging you into his arms in a complete act of spontaneity. His voice softly singing one of your favourite songs.

As he twirled you around in the rain, he serenaded you with Edwin McCain’s song ‘I’ll Be’ unapologetically sharing a piece of himself. It seemed the universe took pity on the male by allowing him to dance smoothly with his friend.

“This is my favourite song.” You giggled as he dipped you with one of your legs in the air. The joy in your features melting the actor’s heart.

“You’ve been playing it every day for the last week.” Owen beamed, leaning his forehead on yours as he trailed off the end of the song, “I’ve memorized every lyric in it.”

With rainwater dripping down your nose the words settled in your mind cementing something you had been only slightly aware of. Playing that song often meant one thing: you had deep feelings for someone.

The someone being Owen Joyner.

“I’m kind of stupid.” You snorted turning to wrap your arms around his neck, “I’ve got no doubts I fell in love with you in that dance.”

Owen’s grin preceded a toe-curling kiss that was the first of many that would happen.

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#owen joyner imagines #owen joyner x reader #owen patrick joyner #julie and the phantoms imagines #jatp fanfic #owen joyner #jatp #julie and the phantoms #caitsy and ash productions

[macrolit]

“Heritage” by Countee Cullen

What is Africa to me: Copper sun or scarlet sea, Jungle star or jungle track, Strong bronzed men, or regal black Women from whose loins I sprang When the birds of Eden sang? One three centuries removed From the scenes his fathers loved, Spicy grove, cinnamon tree, What is Africa to me? So I lie, who all day long Want no sound except the song Sung by wild barbaric birds Goading massive jungle herds, Juggernauts of flesh that pass Trampling tall defiant grass Where young forest lovers lie, Plighting troth beneath the sky. So I lie, who always hear, Though I cram against my ear Both my thumbs, and keep them there, Great drums throbbing through the air. So I lie, whose fount of pride, Dear distress, and joy allied, Is my somber flesh and skin, With the dark blood dammed within Like great pulsing tides of wine That, I fear, must burst the fine Channels of the chafing net Where they surge and foam and fret. Africa? A book one thumbs Listlessly, till slumber comes. Unremembered are her bats Circling through the night, her cats Crouching in the river reeds, Stalking gentle flesh that feeds By the river brink; no more Does the bugle-throated roar Cry that monarch claws have leapt From the scabbards where they slept. Silver snakes that once a year Doff the lovely coats you wear, Seek no covert in your fear Lest a mortal eye should see What's your nakedness to me? Here no leprous flowers rear Fierce corollas in the air; Here no bodies sleek and wet, Dripping mingled rain and sweat, Tread the savage measures of Jungle boys and girls in love. What is last year's snow to me, Last year's anything? The tree Budding yearly must forget How its past arose or set— Bough and blossom, flower, fruit, Even what shy bird with mute Wonder at her travail there, Meekly labored in its hair. One three centuries removed From the scenes his fathers loved, Spicy grove, cinnamon tree, What is Africa to me? So I lie, who find no peace Night or day, no slight release From the unremittent beat Made by cruel padded feet Walking through my body's street. Up and down they go, and back, Treading out a jungle track. So I lie, who never quite Safely sleep from rain at night— I can never rest at all When the rain begins to fall; Like a soul gone mad with pain I must match its weird refrain; Ever must I twist and squirm, Writhing like a baited worm, While its primal measures drip Through my body, crying, "Strip! Doff this new exuberance. Come and dance the Lover's Dance!" In an old remembered way Rain works on me night and day. Quaint, outlandish heathen gods Black men fashion out of rods, Clay, and brittle bits of stone, In a likeness like their own, My conversion came high-priced; I belong to Jesus Christ, Preacher of Humility; Heathen gods are naught to me. Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, So I make an idle boast; Jesus of the twice-turned cheek, Lamb of God, although I speak With my mouth thus, in my heart Do I play a double part. Ever at Thy glowing altar Must my heart grow sick and falter, Wishing He I served were black, Thinking then it would not lack Precedent of pain to guide it, Let who would or might deride it; Surely then this flesh would know Yours had borne a kindred woe. Lord, I fashion dark gods, too, Daring even to give You Dark despairing features where, Crowned with dark rebellious hair, Patience wavers just so much as Mortal grief compels, while touches Quick and hot, of anger, rise To smitten cheek and weary eyes. Lord, forgive me if my need Sometimes shapes a human creed. All day long and all night through, One thing only must I do: Quench my pride and cool my blood, Lest I perish in the flood, Lest a hidden ember set Timber that I thought was wet Burning like the dryest flax, Melting like the merest wax, Lest the grave restore its dead. Not yet has my heart or head In the least way realized They and I are civilized.

#countee cullen #heritage #poet #poetry #harlem renaissance #black #american #1920s #literature