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daisyblog · 22 days

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Zane Lowe

Our Story Masterlist Summary: YN is mentioned in Harry’s interview with Zane Lowe.

Based on this request.

“Nice nails” Zane compliments Harry who’s sitting in the seat opposite.

“Thanks” Harry politely replies as he glances down at his turquoise nails sitting on his lap. “Thanks for having me”.

After discussing Pleasing and he loved the idea of It, Zane asked “What made you want to do that?”.

“I think for me like…a big part of it is…like I really like making stuff and I really like..kind of coming up with ideas and collaborating with other…especially YN who again is very creative…I feel like I’m really lucky with people around me both personally and professionally that I get to work with are really fun to work with and…you know working’s like my favourite thing to do so..based on the fact that I think obviously it begins as a hobby so then like getting to make stuff for work I feel like is a real gift. I think if I didn’t think about it too much I would be making music and putting out music constantly…but I’m also aware that I’m a total control freak and I want everything to be perfect..so the idea of like oh I made these four songs I’m just going to put out an EP…It’s just not how I think of it”.

---

“You're faced with a time when you can’t do that…and the great leveller of like it doesn’t matter how much money you have, doesn’t matter where you live, doesn’t matter this doesn’t matter that…you can’t travel you can’t do this, you can’t go outside your house..It’s like suddenly you’re forced to not be this musician guy, you’re forced to be like a boyfriend, brother and a son…and all of those things..and actually I feel like I..you know kind of had a little bit of a chance to focus on that at least for a moment..umm and just stop and kind of take in a lot of stuff and…remember things, you’re kind of gifted this stolen time” Harry explained his view on the world pandemic.

“You mentioned being all these roles…you mentioned being a boyfriend, what was it like during these times?” Zane quizzed. “Because I imagine you got a taste of what it’s like being a “normal” couple”.

Twisting and playing with his rings on his fingers, Harry explains “Umm…YN has always been my comfort you know and I’d like to think I’m hers too…she’s been a big part of my life and…we’ve been through so much tougher…that it was kind of nice to just stop and take that in.” Zane nodded, an indication for Harry to continue “So when the pandemic hit..we isolated in LA for a while..I saw it as a time for us to be just us…but YN did find it hard because she has such a big family…and umm she just wanted to be closer to them…especially her grandparents and siblings”.

“Yeah I can imagine that being hard..being so far away” Zane sympathised “I don’t mean to pry into your personal life but what do you mean by time for just you two?”

“Like..we’ve never known anything other than travelling..or just being surrounded by other people and just having to plan everything in so much detail..to like not be seen you know…so we kind of got to see what a normal like would be like, whatever a normal life is..if that makes sense?”.

“Yeah it makes total sense”. Zane agreed and could see that Harry craved a little normality in his personal life.

“I suppose..I’m just like really lucky..because YN just gets it. She got put into the limelight the same as us..you know..so yeah she just gets it and I’m just so lucky” Harry continued with a slight giggle as he repeated how lucky he was. “I think what I’m trying to say is…I hit gold when it came to YN…she really is my best friend too and yeah…it was nice to be just a couple without the added pressures.”.

---

“We have to acknowledge this because..you know we at one point we were going to this in the United Kingdom”. Harry nodded in agreement “But there’s something wonderful about being in this afterglow of Palm Springs..which is I'm sure is how you feel a little bit after these two amazing headline shows…you seem so chilled you know” Zane laughed but continue “There must have been a relief that you did it?”.

“I just..you know I knew I was going to put something out…whether it’s a show or an album or a song I want it to be perfect..and umm…I think like that’s why I take so much stress on I think around something like Coachella..cause I feel like I want it to be good..like if it’s not going to be good I’d rather not do it..so you know in that kind of setting, no matter what it is kind of…you know the dust or the wind or however many things, it's like so many things can go wrong in that situation..and it's not your show and it's my first festival so…you know I’m kind of going out to the crowd and I like knowing what I’m stepping out to” Harry rambled with a nervous chuckle at the end.

Harry continued “and that was really terrifying”.

“What was your instinct when they asked you to do it?” Zane interrupted.

“That’s too scary and I’m gonna say no” Harry laughed “But..uh YN was like you need to say yes and was just so encouraging and supportive..you know…plus she’s like my biggest fan so of course she wanted me to do it!”.

“So..would you say YN helps with the nerves?” Zane asked curiously.

“I was so nervous..like so nervous..and I remember YN being on facetime to Louis before the show..and them both saying just to be myself and to enjoy…and when I was out there I just focused on being me and nothing else”. Harry spoke freely. “Their advice definitely helped…’cause I had the best time!”.

“Late Night Talking?” Zane stated.

Harry let out a shy chuckle “Uhh…yeah” Harry leans his head on his hand to try and hide is cheeky smile “It’s about YN…well I don’t think it’s a shock to anyone”.

“So…would you say the whole album is about YN?” Zane asked confidently.

“Uhh..most of it..yeah pretty much” Harry smiled “She’s just been a constant in my life..since like we were what..sixteen or seventeen..you know..she’s my life..and I don’t have to pretend to be anyone other than myself around her you know…it’s just easy and I love that about our relationship.” Harry explained.

---

“Matilda really shows emotional intelligence and how you were thinking about someone at that time.”. Zane begins to talk about the middle song on Harry’s album.

“Uh…yeah…I actually didn’t write Matilda”. Harry revealed, causing Zane to looked shocked. “YN had this conversation with someone…and she was getting to know them…and they opened up to her and she was like that’s not normal…so she was almost like writing down what she wanted to say to them…and I was like how many people could relate to this you know…and we agreed that it would make a beautiful song for those who needed to hear it”.

“Waw! It holds a real powerful message and I think even if people don’t feel those things…I think it definitely makes them feel something.”. Zane spoke with passion in his voice.

“It definitely does….and it was just about saying I was listening….that was YN’s purpose to it”.

---

“Boyfriends” Zane began “It is a great song..It’s from a male perspective, it’s a very knowing song..and It’s a very self-aware song..you have to have some self-awareness to write from that perspective surely”.

Harry answered immediately “Yeah for sure…Boyfriends was written right at the end of Fine Line” Harry explained “Boyfriends is about like…we’re all flawed you know..and I think pretending like we’re not, I just don’t get it..It’s acknowledging my own behaviour, it’s looking at the behaviour I’ve witnessed..I grew up with a sister so it’s like watching her date people and watching friends…but at the same time admitting I’ve not been a perfect boyfriend either”.

---

“Love of My Life..I’d always wanted to write a song about like home and loving England…and all of that kind of stuff..and it’s kind of hard to do that you know”

“So Love of Love My Life is about home and England?” Zane asked with a slight smirk on his face.

“As I started making them album…I realised it wasn’t about the kind of geographical location…it was more of an internal thing” Harry tried to hide his bashful smile by rubbing his finger under his nose.

“Do I see Harry Styles blushing?” Zane began to tease Harry.

Harry lets out a loud chuckle and tries to hide his face in his hands “You know..I’ll admit that I blush sometimes…especially when it comes to YN!”.

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eddiemunsons80sbaby · 11 months

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Nobody's Fool: Chapter 1

Summary: You have bartended for years after you were forced to drop out of college due to family circumstances. You have dated your fair share of musicians, had your heart broken by one particular one, and have learned they are not be trusted. You have sworn off of them for the rest of your life. Then, one night, a new band plays at the bar, and against your better judgement, you can't help noticing the lead singer and guitar player. Could he possibly be different from the ones who came before him?

Warnings: 18+ Only due to eventual smut and language. There is also a toxic family relationship if that is triggering for you.

So, this is an EddiexOC that I have on my Wattpad and AO3. @mmunson86 recommended that I share some of my longer fics on here too. I know most people don't prefer that so I decided to edit it into a reader fic for here. I would love to know what everyone thinks and if this is something you'd be interested in reading more of. If so, I have quite a few other books I could do this with down the road. If not, I'll just stick to my one shots. 😂😂😂

MasterList

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28

“Joey, we need more vodka from the back!” you called out from behind the bar.

“I’ll get you that vodka, sweetheart, when you finally let me have that date,” Joey countered, leaning across the bar, flashing you a smile and wiggling his eyebrows up and down.

“In your dreams,” you chortled.

“You got that right. Every single night.”

“Ugh, you’re so disgusting,” you gagged. “Just go get the damn vodka. We have three bands playing tonight and John says we’re going to have quite the crowd. We need to make sure the bar is fully stocked.”

“Okay, okay,” Joey sighed, throwing his hands up in defeat. “You can’t blame a guy for trying.”

“You can when it’s the 100th time and he still fails,” you called over your shoulder as you checked the rest of the liquor. John had been adamant that you be as ready as possible before those doors opened for customers tonight.

The first of the three bands had just finished sound check and the second was about to come on stage. They'd been alright but not enough to really catch your attention, just your average, mediocre local band. You came out from behind the bar to check all the condiments on the table and top them off if needed.

“Your vodka, my queen,” Joey announced, making a big show of bowing and presenting two large bottles to you, one mid shelf, one low shelf. “Do you want me to grab the expensive shit or will these work for the night?”

“Those should be fine,” you replied. “I don’t see us getting high end clientele for a bunch of townie bands. Can you fill the condiments on the tables so we don’t have people asking for ketchup all night?”

Joey saluted you before heading off. You headed back behind the bar to clear the beer lines, pouring out a few ounces from each tap. There was nothing worse than having the taps malfunction when you had a bar full of drunks demanding more beer. Things got real rowdy, real fast when that shit happened and you were not in the mood for a bunch of belligerent drunks yelling at you because they couldn't drink until they couldn't see straight.

This job was supposed to be temporary, a stepping stone to something else. It was supposed to be a job that helped pay your way through college, but that's not what happened. Life happened and college fell by the wayside and here you were, four years later, still slinging drinks in this place.

It wasn’t a bad gig. The tips were great and the regulars loved you. You got to hear some amazing bands play. Free live music was definitely a perk of your job. There was nothing that could turn your mood around faster than good, live music. You never had to rise before the sun, which worked for you because you had always been a creature of the night. Still, you felt a bit like a loser, still tending bar at twenty-five instead of moving on to a real career, as your mother always liked to remind you.

“Everything set?” John asked as he came striding out of his office.

“As ready as we’re going to be,” you answered.

The second band had just begun sound check. You weren't paying much attention, not expecting anything special, as you did a last wipe down of the bar and tables. Then you heard the voice come over the mic and you paused mid-swipe, your bar duties abandoned. That voice was incredible, excellent range and pitch. It had this sultry, raspy quality that made you think about sweaty bodies tangled up in one another amid the sheets. But it also had this soothing, pleasant tone that felt like being curled up in your bed on a cold day, the comforter cocooned around you.

Forgetting all about the tables that needed cleaning, you turned to look at the stage because you had to see who that voice belonged to. Jesus Christ, what metalhead erotica novel did this man step out of? You head tilted, your hand coming up to your chest as your eyes raked over every inch of the beautiful man holding the guitar and singing into the mic. It should be a fucking crime to be that gorgeous.

He was tall, close to six feet with shoulders that filled out his tee quite nicely. He was lean but strong looking. As he shifted, the Iron Maiden tee rose up, revealing a bit of skin along his waist, just enough for you to glimpse the happy trail just above his button on those gloriously fitted ripped jeans and you couldn't help imagining where that trail might lead. Long, beautiful brown waves cascaded past his shoulders, moving around like the choppy waves of a stormy sea as his head rocked along to the strums of his guitar.

You were completely lost in the vision that was this man. You had seen endless musicians take this stage. You couldn’t even give someone a number if you wanted to, far too many to count. You had seen some beautiful men perform, men that could knock your senses loose with a look, but you had never seen anything like him. You didn’t know who he was, but you knew you were going to have to steer clear of him if you were going to stick to your promise to yourself. That one was trouble with a capital ‘T’.

“Hey John,” you said, walking back over to the bar, forcing yourself to turn away from the vision under the stage lights. “Who is the band that’s on stage right now? I’ve never seen them before.”

“Oh, that’s Corroded Coffin,” he said with a chuckle. “I was a bit hesitant when I saw their name. It sounded a bit cheesy, you know? But damn if they aren’t pretty good.”

“Yeah they are,” you agreed. “Why haven’t they ever played here before?”

“They usually play at the Hideout, and a buddy of mine saw them there the other week. He told me I needed to get them to come here because they were being wasted over there. They only gave them the Tuesday night slot, not much of a crowd. Even with a name like that, he swore they were one of the best bands he’s seen around town. So, I figured why the hell not? I like to give people a shot, especially the young ones just trying to find their place. Judging by what I’m hearing, they’ll be invited back.”

“Yeah…” you said, thinking you couldn’t possibly want anything less. It was going to be very hard to behave and avoid him if that guy was here on the regular.

“Uh-oh,” Joey teased, finished with the condiments. “I know that look. You falling for another rockstar?”

“Shut up,” you snapped. “No, I am definitely not. In case you forgot, I have sworn off all musicians for the rest of my life. They’re all a bunch of douchebags, anyway.”

“Yeah…because I haven’t heard that song and dance before,” he snorted with a chuckle. “I’ve been trying to get you to give me a shot for years now but, sadly for me, I have not a musical bone in my body and you have a thing for musicians, particularly long haired guys who can play guitar.”

He gestured to your shirt and you looked down. You were wearing your Van Halen tee and yes, you did have a thing for Eddie Van Halen, but like, who didn’t? The man was a gorgeous rock god.

“Actually,” Joey said, looking from your shirt to the stage, “I can see a resemblance there.”

“Oh shut up, there is not,” you scoffed, rolling your eyes. “Eddie Van Halen is rock royalty. He is a guitar prodigy. No one can compare to him.”

“If you say so,” he said with a shrug. “I don’t think I’m exactly the authority on hot rock gods.”

You tossed a rag at him, telling him to finish the tables. You hadn’t noticed that the music had stopped, so focused on trying to think of anything but the one thing you really shouldn’t be thinking about. You absolutely could not let yourself go there again, especially after the last time. You went back behind the bar and bent over to stock beer mugs on the shelf when you heard a whistle from behind you.

“Well, that’s a lovely view. Hello there sweetheart. Can I get a beer?”

Standing, you spun around to come face to face with that ridiculously gorgeous man who had you paralyzed mere moments ago. If it was possible, he was even more beautiful up close. Those eyes, fuck, they were like melted chocolate, the kind that ran down your fingers on a hot summer day as you tried to eat your s'more as fast as you could. And his lips were so full and luscious, you just wanted to come across the bar, grab onto that shirt, yank him to her and find out what they felt like against hers. Your tongue ran over your bottom lip just imagining how they would taste.

You quickly shook it off. No, you absolutely were not going there again. This guy may have the face of an angel, but you knew better. All these damn rock stars were the same. You grabbed a mug, filled it from the tap and slid it over to him before turning away to resume your job.

“Damn, that’s quite the cold shoulder,” he said, taking a sip of his beer. “I don’t believe we’ve had the pleasure. Trust me, I would remember. So, what could I possibly have done to deserve that?”

“Oh, I’m sure you have a laundry list of offenses that could warrant that. I’m guessing you can handle a little chill. I can’t imagine I’m the first lady who’s given you the same treatment,” you said, keeping your back to him.

“That’s quite an assumption,” he said, sitting down on the stool, drumming his fingers on top of the bar. “You don’t even know me.”

“I know you,” you huffed with a harsh laugh. “I have known dozens of men just like you.”

“And what kind of man is that, exactly?”

“You think you’re a rock star even though you’re only part of a small townie band that plays for the local drunks each week and it makes you think you’re untouchable. Your guitar is just a metaphor for your dick. You have a complex about it and you treat it better than you’ve ever treated any woman. It was probably the only reason you got girls in high school. Hell, it's probably the only reason you get girls now. You play shows and look for some piece of ass to play around with and then the next show you look for a new one. Love them and leave them wanting more, right? If you do keep a girl around, you probably have another already lined up or one you’re already screwing on the side. You can’t stick with just one because it’s not how you’re built. You’re always looking for something more interesting or entertaining. Am I close?”

“Sweetheart, you couldn’t be farther away if you were on the moon,” he said.

“Sure, of course,” you said, winking at him. “You’re that rare good guy musician.”

“I don’t know if I’d go that far,” he chuckled. “But how about we start with names? I’m Eddie.”

Fuck, this had to be a joke. His name could not be Eddie. You glanced down at your shirt and then back up at him and he smirked.

“Yeah, like the guy on your shirt, but not named for him,” he said. “I mean, I would be honored as he is one of the sickest guitarists to ever live but he would have been a kid when I was born.” You just stared at him so he raised his eyebrows, holding his hand out. “And this is the part where you tell me your name.”

“Y/N,” you answered flatly.

“Y/N, beautiful name for a beautiful girl,” Eddie smiled, winking at you.

Your body was having a fierce internal battle between your brain and your desire. This guy was not only beautiful, but there was something about him, something that was pulling you in like a magnetic field and you were trying hard to repel it. You were telling yourself not to be fooled, but damn if you didn’t want to take your chances and see where this went. Joey was right. You had a problem with long haired guitar players, but this one was something else entirely. What was it about him?

“So, Y/N, what do you say you let me take you out sometime?” he asked, lifting one eyebrow at you and you gripped the edge of the bar as your legs turned to jelly.

“No, I don’t think so,” you answered, determined to stay strong no matter what your body desired. And oh, it desired, you could feel it's desire pulsing between your legs.

“Why not?”

“”I already told you,” you stated. “I know your type. I’ve dated your type, and I’m not interested.”

“Well, that’s not fair. You don’t even know me. I promise you, I’m not like any guy who’s taken you out before. Sweetheart, I know for a fact you’ve never known anyone like me.”

Oh, you had no doubt of that but he was still a musician. You'd walked this path before and it only ended in heartbreak. You weren't doing it again.

“Maybe not, but my answer is still no,” you told him firmly. “I am sure you will have your pick of ladies tonight after the show. Your band is really good. Clearly, you know you’re good looking. The girls will be lining up for you boys later. You’ll have no problem finding some fun.”

“What if I don’t want just any lady? What if I want the one standing in front of me?” he asked, leaning on the bar. Did he have any idea what his gaze did to you? He probably did. Guys like him always knew what they were doing and they enjoyed it.

“Sorry, this one is not available. Now, if you don’t mind, I have to make sure we’re ready for the crowd tonight and don’t you need to get ready for your show?”

“You are going to go out with me,” Eddie said confidently as he rose from the stool.

“Points for positivity,” you teased, heading to the back. You closed the door to the stockroom, sucking in great gulps of air. Damn, that boy was going to test all your resolve.

So, I am not a fan of writing the Y/N. I had to here because they were just meeting but I am going to try to keep the pet names from here on out.

#eddie munson #eddie the banished #stranger things eddie #eddie munson smut #eddie munson fic #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson x you #eddie munson fanfic #eddie munson fandom #corroded coffin #eddie munson stranger things #eddie munson x y/n

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minx-scribbles · 1 year

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all apologies (part two)

warning: nsfw 18+, suggestive language, drug use, alcohol use

pairing: rock band au! college au! armin arlet x fem!reader

synopsis: Y/N meets the band and enjoys a little pregame with Sasha and Connie. But that blondie keeps looking at you...

tags: tequila...

notes: pregaming losers, we love it. i think the next part will be my absolute favorite. tehe

word count: 2.3k

part one | part two | part three coming soon

The drive to The Rocks seemed like it went by in less than a minute when in reality, the drive was fifteen, plus having to stop at the gas station to get Jean his energy drink. Sasha ushered you in, and you picked out a snack to chew on so you wouldn’t get bored at the bar since it was so early and no one would be there for another hour.

The high was still messing with your brain and you didn’t want the panic to rise while you were in public so you didn’t make any eye contact with the cashier, even though your brain was telling you that they one hundred percent know you are higher than a kite right now. Sasha was pretty good at being a trip-sitter, which is a good thing since you are a lightweight with anything.

Once all four of you arrive in the back parking lot of the bar, you all launch yourselves out of the crowded vehicle. You were excited about the fact that you were going to be seeing a live show, and from what Jean and Connie were saying, they all got special back-stage passes. But you knew that they were being sarcastic.

Connie wraps his arm around you and Sasha’s shoulders while Jean leads the way into the back door. The alleyway was surprisingly clean with only a few weeds peeking out from the foundation of the other buildings. The large black door that read, “Employees Only!” in red sent a warning to solicitors.

Jean opens the door and holds it for the three of you and with the dim lighting. The backroom that you were led into is what you guessed was the breakroom for employees. It was lit up softly with multicolored LED lights and decorated with comfy leather seating that you could literally sink into. There were three different doors with different signs that read, “Stage”, “Dressing Rooms”, and “Exit to Club”. Actually being in the building was giving you butterflies; you were nervous to meet the rest of the group. Will they like me? Will they think I am weird? You felt yourself rubbing your hands together nervously.

Sasha knocks you out of it, “Hey, do you need something to drink.” Her golden gaze looked worrisome, “Connie, I knew you letting her take a hit was going to make her sick.” Her eyes stare daggers into the tall man between you two.

Connie doesn’t respond but does roll his eyes at her and leads the group over to one of the inviting couches. You all plop onto the couch with Connie’s arm still wrapped around the both of you; and to be honest, it was grounding you.

Now that you were seated and not as overwhelmed with the new environment, you could hear some music coming from the door that read “Stage”. You notice Jean was on the phone pacing around the room, chattering to someone about how they are late or something. He sighs as he puts his phone in his pocket, “Well that was Floch and he said he won’t be here for another 40 minutes since he has to do something with his girlfriend.”

You finally had the balls - probably the weed - to ask Jean who this person was, “Who’s this Floch dude?”

Connie speaks up this time with an annoyed look, “He’s a douche that doesn’t care about this band. He always puts his wants before the band’s needs and I’ll give it to him, he’s fucking killer as a DJ and a producer so they can’t really risk losing him at all.”

All you can think about is how can they risk losing him if they go to a university full of talented musicians and artists. Like hell, you’d do it if you knew what the hell all those buttons meant.

Jean continues Connie’s explanation, “Floch is amazing, and we have tried to see what other producers go to MIA but not many have the same vision as us. They like their own things and so do we, and Floch seems to genuinely enjoy our music. That’s the main reason why we haven’t thrown him to the side. Plus, we get more people to come when they see that Floch is the DJ while we play.” Makes sense.

Sasha joins in, “Yea, I mean, if he wouldn’t slack all the time I really feel like he would get somewhere with producing. But he’s always with his numerous girlfriends being a man-whore.” Numerous? Damn.

Jean shrugs and walks over to the stage door, “Whatever, he will only be a couple minutes late so it’s better than most times.” He almost leaves all the way before pushing his head back in, “if you guys wanna come watch, you definitely can.”

That makes you perk up and you look at Connie and Sasha with excited eyes. Connie notices and stands up, taking you with him by the hand, “Sure, let’s go see.” The three of you that were on the couch follow the tall man through the door.

Stepping into a small dark entryway - you assume the wing - that leads two ways, you almost trip from something on the ground. You look down to see long black cords connected to the large machines to your sides leading out to the stage to your right. The left led to backstage. You tried your hardest to not step on any of the big black cords laying everywhere. Jean continues to the right towards the stage.

The dance floor inside the club was massive. Two bars sit on opposite sides of the room with the stage sitting in between them in the back of the building. The stage wasn’t disappointing either. It was huge, big enough to hold all of the scattered band equipment that was littering the floor. The band equipment looked picturesque and it was impressive to see such expensive machines owned by university students. But with how Jean bragged about his band, it seems like a reasonable investment.

The musicians on the stage left you breathless. How come this school has such attractive students? The four of them all notice the group and put down their instruments to greet Jean, Sasha, and Connie.

The tallest one with dark, almost black, brown hair and light brown eyes seems to brighten up when he sees Jean. He softly smiles at Jean as they give each other an intimate hug. After they pull away, you notice that the boy has style. He was wearing a mesh jacket that left the eyes wandering over his exposed tan skin. His black ripped jeans were held up with a black belt with silver accents, with black combat boots to complete the look. He had silver wire bracelets and a chain that laid nicely on his chest. His chest was also painted with multiple freckles, along with his face. Noticing his face, you saw he put on the prettiest shimmering highlight and a smokey eye. Jean’s boyfriend was so beautiful, it made you jealous of him.

The other person who had the perfect smokey eye was a girl that was originally at the microphone at the head of the stage. Her black pixie-cut hair was styled to look like a mess but it looked too good on her. Her pale skin had no blemishes other than a cool scar that illustrates her left cheekbone and pretty dark eyes. Her petite, but jacked, figure was emphasized by the sheer thigh-highs and short lace-decorated skirt. Her tall leather-buckled boots fit perfectly with her leather jacket. Black leather garters hook onto the thigh-highs, making her thighs look even better. She seemed shy but nice, giving you a small smile.

The man who had his arm around her shoulder fit her whole aesthetic. He had a longer leather jacket on, and like Jean’s boyfriend, that left little to the imagination from having no shirt on. His lightly tanned skin was a portrait. Tattoos that were so close together, there seemed to be barely any room for more tattoos. A silver chain dusted his broad chest along with one singular black bracelet and black nail polish to pull it all together. His baggy jeans covered his pointed leather boots. He had multiple ear piercings, including a bar on his right. He also had a cool black septum piercing, making his light green eyes pronounced. He seemed cool, but a little smug. The smirk that he was wearing kind of wanted to make you slap him, but he was too pretty for that.

The last one looked the prettiest to you. With layered blonde hair with brown roots and a matching scruff on his jaw. His bright blue eyes looked shaded, but his pink lips spread to give you a kind, bright smile. He didn’t have any piercing other than a pair of silver diamonds. His pretty pale skin was covered by a tight-fitted black tank top that stretched on his broad shoulders. His loose fitted, worn-out jeans hug low on his narrow hips. His hands had small tattoos with multiple silver and black rings. Black combat boots peek from the hem of the jeans. This man stood out among the other darker-aesthetic people in the room.

Sasha took the liberty of introducing you to all of her friends, “Guys this is Y/N, be nice or I’ll beat the shit out all of you.” Everyone smiles but the tall boy holding onto the pretty girl rolls his eyes. Sasha continues her introductions, “the one that is loving up on Jean is his boyfriend Marco, and that couple is Mikasa and her douchebag boyfriend Eren. This blondie is Armin.”

Everyone crowds around you like you're a new puppy, asking you questions about what your major is and where you originally lived. You don’t mind too much, everyone was just too attractive, oops. “Well I used to live in a smaller sized city, it isn’t too far from here. I realized I wanted to do something bigger with my art so I decided to come here to study.”

Marco asks if you have liked MIA, “So far, I’ve loved it. Seeing all these creative ass people helps me let loose and destress.”

Eren quips, “Plus you will be letting loose in a few minutes when we start playing. Trust, it’ll help, especially since we have the best singers at MIA.” His arm pulls Mikasa in closer and a light pink blush dusts her face. Marco also gives Eren a small smile.

From what you have seen, you wouldn’t doubt it. Their set-up just looked veteran level and their outfits look so effortlessly perfect on the group. The black drum set, although it had the best shine you've ever seen, had white paint splattered on the sides and black lettering with the band name Embers and Stones on the front. The guitars and bass were similar but had different phrases and stickers littered all over them. Even their large speakers in the corners had multiple stickers on them; some of them with memes and some with band names.

Armin speaks up, “Speaking of playing, we should probably start preparing for a crowd. The bar opens in like 20 minutes.” All the members agree and they give their goodbyes to you, Connie, and Sasha. Connie leads the three of you off stage to the bar to start off with the pregaming.

Once at one of the bars with three bartenders who seem to be preparing for a large party, Sasha orders shots, “A round of three tequila shots, please.” The bartender gives a nod and walks away to start cutting limes.

Your stomach churns at the thought of tequila, “Damn Sasha, tequila this early? It’s only like 8:45.” You internally shed a small tear.

Connie and Sasha give each other a look and smirk at you. “Oh, this is just the beginning sweetheart,” Connie says to you while putting his hand on your shoulder. “Sasha and I know how to start a party, and end a party.” He pulls away to grab his phone from his pocket, getting a text.

Sasha nods, “Yea, once it starts it doesn’t end until one of us blacks out.” That was hopefully sarcastic, but we’ll see.

In three minutes of Sasha and you talking about the best types of liquor to take shots of and Connie stressfully texting, the bartender arrives with three blue translucent shot glasses full with salt and lime hanging onto the rim.

Sasha gets so excited that it reminds you of a toddler seeing its favorite toy. But Sasha quickly turns over to Connie and grabs onto his phone, “Stop texting her, she’s obviously still being a bitch and treating you like shit. Let loose man.”

Connie looks at his empty hands and back at Sasha with a mock-shocked look, “Sasha it’s not like that anymore. She’s just… going through it right now.” You just sit there witnessing the confusing argument.

“Since when have you had a night where you weren’t there to comfort her while you were OUT. Like at a PARTY. With your FRIENDS. She doesn’t let you do shit with your friends ever. She just wants you to be obsessed with her 24/7,” Sasha states back while holding out his shot. “Take the shot and I’m holding onto your phone for the night. Hitch can come later.”

Connie looks defeated as he takes the small glass, “Fine but if she goes berserk, that’s not on me.”

Sasha shrugs and puts his phone in her tiny purse that barely holds her necessities. She grabs the remaining two shots and hands one to you, “To a stellar night!”

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averagewriter-inthedark · 1 year

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Daughter of Rock N Roll 🎸| Pete Mitchell Imagine/TGM Imagine

Takes place after the events of TGM

TGM Masterlist | Read ‘It’s A Long Way To The Top’ & ‘The Rockstar, Her Husband, & Their Dagger Ducklings’ first!

Characters & Pairings: Captain Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell x 80s Rockstar!reader (romantic), Bradley Bradshaw x reader (mother/son-type relationship), Dagger Squad (platonic) Hondo (platonic)

Content Warnings: Fluff, slight profanity, flirtatious banter | female!reader (she/her) | wc: 3.3k

Requested 📨 yes/no (rules for requests)

Premise: when the squad discovered their former Captain was married to one of the most recognizable voices of rock n roll music, one could imagine the many questions they had. There’s always something new to learn about Y/n L/n-Mitchell. Or, how most of the world would know her by, the Daughter of Rock ‘N’ Roll.

Note: Y’all I can not say enough how happy it makes me you guys love me famous!reader x dagger squad pairing works! The rockstar one was my first one and since then I’ve had so many requests to do more! I have I think four in my inbox with Rooster, Coyote & Fanboy so I’m so excited to get started on those. Again I just as you be patient with me if you sent in a request! I’m approaching my last quarter of school so finals are around the corner and I am focused on passing you know 😅 but once summer hits I should be posting more frequently! 🤍

————————————

“So you met Elvis?”

The question sounded the same as it always did when asked. Awe. Wonder. Amazement. All the words that were similar. Always was it met with a smile from Y/n, the memory surfacing in her mind as clear as though it had taken place yesterday.

“I did,” she thanks Pete as he hands her a beer, scooching on the couch to allow him space beside her. Scattered around the bonfire were the daggers either in chairs or couches, nursing their own drinks as the sun descended on the horizon. The dogs were with them too. Ice laid beside Y/n and Mav’s feet, Bella found a cozy spot within Javy’s lap, and Goose took claim to the spot beside Bradley.

“Long time ago. It was 1976–I was twelve years old and my parents had gotten all of us tickets to see him perform in Atlanta. It was a great show,” she smiled fondly at the memory, “then afterwards we left the venue and happened to run into him. I was starstruck as you can imagine. There he was dressed in his red outfit. Hair slicked back and dazzling smile. And I don’t remember asking him to sign my program but I guess I did. All I can remember is him asking what I wanted to be when I grew up—to which I said, “I wanna be a rockstar.’”

Chuckles echo around, the pilots all leaning in their seats with eyes full of fascination. Y/n brought a finger to her chin, deep in thought, “he laughed and handed me back the program saying, ‘Don’t lose that dream, little one.’ Like my mom I was devastated the next year when he died….but I always remembered those words. To never lose my dream.”

Fanboy gestured inside the house, “how’d you get his guitar?” He was referring to the one mounted on the wall of guitars with the icons signature. It was the only one on what the dagger squad liked to call the ‘Guitars of Fame’ to be either once owned by a renowned musician or signed by one. Y/n had one from Prince in her collection as well as a Stratocaster signed by all the members of Queen.

“Charity auction. Back in the late 90s I wanna say it was,” she looked to Pete to see if he could confirm if she was right. At his nod she added, “The reason I wanted it was because it was the one he used at the concert I went to. So when I look at it, it brings me back to that moment of meeting him and as a reminder I achieved that dream he told me never to let go of.”

Javy whistles, causing Bella to perk up in his lap. “That’s so cool.” Murmurs of agreement sound with him, Phoenix crossing her legs in her lap as she asks, “is there anyone you’ve met or worked with who’s been a mentor to you and the band?”

“Diana Ross and Dolly Parton,” the woman doesn’t hesitate. “Gosh I love those women. Not only were they some of our biggest inspirations but they pretty much took us under their wing when we first started out. Even though we were in a completely different genre than both of them, they were like our ‘moms’ in the industry.” She put quotes around the word mom. “You have to remember we were all 14-15 when we were discovered. Being that young made us very vulnerable. Producers would try to take advantage of us—by not giving us the proper cuts or working us like dogs. Artists who’d been in the game longer were envious of the recognition we were getting.”

“You must never forget who you are,” Dolly’s voice echoed, wiping away the lone tear that had fallen from a young Y/n’s eyes. “The media are always going to try to put out the worst image of you. And you must never give them that satisfaction of bringing you down. As long as you know who you are here—,’ she points to her heart, “then they can never take it away from you.”

Y/n paused to sip her beer before continuing, “Dolly and Diana, were and still to this day, the best supporters of our career and always made sure we knew they were there to help if we ever needed them. Whether it be confronting an executive for unfair treatment or if we were at parties or award shows and felt uncomfortable. Saints they are. Absolute saints.”

A few more minutes passed of Y/n praising the two legends of music before they ventured off into discussing moments of Y/n’s career. Rooster of course knew everything so he didn’t ask anything, but would offer insight from time to time. “C’mon Y/n/n,” he waved a hand dramatically, “y’all’s Super Bowl performance is considered one of the best halftime shows and you think it was lackluster? I beg to differ.”

“I have to agree on Rooster with this one, honey,” Pete leans back into the sofa, arm going round her back. The rockstar scoffs, playfully rolling her eyes.

“It was raining the whole time!”

Rooster nearly stands from his seat, “That’s what makes it so iconic! You guys did that shit while it was raining down on you.”

“Yeah and I was shitting my pants the whole time thinking one of us was going to get electrocuted,” Y/n had to laugh. “And when I saw the same thing happen to Prince at his Super Bowl I thought, ‘Oh God I’m getting deja vu.’”

Payback shakes his head with a laugh, “Man I remember watching that live. I wanted to be there so bad—be in that crowd. You guys were phenomenal—and like Roo said, it really was the best performance of all time.”

Y/n gives a shy smile when they all agree, “You know one thing, I was really grateful I chose a black outfit to perform in. I was not going to have a repeat of 1992 with the whole white tank top scandal. Like it was even a scandal,” she makes a face, thinking back to that God awful interview with Diane Sawyer. “My goodness it’s not like I planned for the rain that night. And my tits were covered—,” she laughs at the wide-eyed expressions of some of the guys, “it wasn’t like I was letting them out free. But anyways you know how the media is when shit like that happens.” Y/n turns slightly to look at Pete, “You didn’t care, did you?”

He immediately shakes his head. “No. And even if you wanted to go topless it was your choice. Not my place to stop you.” His answer makes her let out a sigh of content.

“You’re just so perfect you know,” she pats his cheek before kissing it. The others watch on fondly, though Rooster makes a playful gag sound.

“Disgusting.”

“I’ll send you to timeout, Bradley.”

Eventually after some time the topic of Y/n’s name in the industry was brought up. The Daughter of Rock N Roll. All through her career people told Y/n how when she sang she sounded what an angel rebelling from God to be a rockstar would sound like. The epiphany of rock n roll, Y/n was dubbed it’s daughter by Rolling Stone magazine at the brink of the 90s after dominating the 80s.

“How’d you find out?” Bob’s eyes were wide with curiosity. They all were, leaning forward in their seats to hear better as the woman began to explain.

“We had just won our fifth Grammy,” she sets the picture, “the next day was the kickoff to the American leg of our world tour so we were barely paying attention to the press, tabloids, media, you know. I was running late that morning—can’t remember exactly why but when I got to the venue Ronnie was running at me with a magazine in her hand…”

“Oh my God, have you seen the news?!” Ronnie’s high pitched yell had the singer wince.

“Girlfriend, I woke up not even twenty minutes ago. What happened—who died?” Suddenly Y/n serious, fearful that someone they knew had passed. Being in the industry for over ten years made them face the loss of many friends they had accumulated along the way.

The face Ronnie makes sends relief, “no one died. But look—!” She pushes the magazine towards her friend’s face, Y/n scrambling to not drop her Walkman and coffee she was holding as she tried to grasp the object. “Look at what Rolling Stones have named you!”

Removing the sunglasses off her face lightening fast, no longer caring she spilled an entire cup of coffee she’d just purchased, Y/n let out a audible, “no fucking way,’ when her eyes read over the big letters on the cover of Rolling Stones Magazine.

“Y/n L/n is the Daughter of Rock ‘N’ Roll—like Micheal Jackson as the King of Pop and Aretha Franklin crowned the Queen of Soul, the powerhouse and voice behind Y/n & The Romantics from Atlanta, Georgia has become widely associated among critics and fans across the globe as the Daughter of Rock ‘N’ Roll right behind Elvis as its King.

“Did you ever think that would happen?” Payback’s question brought Y/n out of the memory.

“Never,” briefly she look into the house where the framed Rolling Stones magazine hung on the wall, “I was very shocked when I heard the news. Never did it occur to me I would have a title and I would say it’s the biggest honor I have as an artist in this industry. And nowadays you see titles being thrown around all the time, but back then it happened once in a blue moon. So when I heard the news I was like, ‘no fucking way,’.”

“See what I don’t understand is,” Jake cuts in with an odd expression. “How come they waited this long to induct you and the band into the Hall of Fame? To be honest y’all should’ve been in it ages ago.”

“Agreed,” Fanboy tips his beer.

Rooster raises his own, “amen to that.”

Y/n hesitates to answer, conflicted in her eyes that when she turns to look at her husband he could see she was unsure to answer. Pete gives her an encouraging nod causing her to exhale deeply.

“To, how do folks put it…spilling the tea?” Rooster snorted at the phrase, earning a scolding look from Y/n. “Don’t tease me. The whole thing with the Hall of Fame wanting this long is because they at one point—I think ten years ago—wanted to induct just me because of all the solo work I had done since we split up. But I wasn’t on board with that. If they were gonna induct me, they were gonna induct me as part of Y/n & The Romantics. All of us,” she emphasized. “We were a group for thirty years when we split. They have been my best friends since childhood—my ride or die. There was no way in hell I was going to accept an induction to the Hall of Fame without them.”

After a while of digressing that shocking news Javy decides to ask, “What was it like doing the USA for Africa? All those legends together—I still get chills everytime I watch the music video.”

Y/n lights up at the mention of ‘We Are The World’, “it was amazing. Nothing could really put into words what that day was like. When our manager approached us about it we were like, ‘Quincy Jones, Micheal Jackson and Lionel Ritchie want us on their song?’ We didn’t believe it. Then we got to the studio and oh my God,” she makes a gesture with her hands, “I was at a loss for words. Micheal was the first to greet us—it wasn’t the first time we’d met him but still, it was Micheal fucking Jackson. I met a lot of my close friends that day, Micheal included. Cyndi Laupher, Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, Tina Turner, Steve Perry, Kenny Loggins, Diana Ross.” Y/n lists off more of the artists featured on the track, each one making the daggers jaws drop even more. “They had paired me with Cyndi and I’ll never forget us hitting that note together. We both high fived afterward just absolutely in awe of the other.”

“Weren’t you also in the one they did in 2010 for Haiti?” Bob adjusts his glasses when the thought pops into his head.

The woman nods, “I was. Jaime Foxx had reached out to me personally about it and I immediately agreed. It was hard—especially with it only being a year since we lost Micheal and then of course the reason we were doing it. But it was just as amazing as it was twenty-five years earlier.”

“Do you still keep in touch with a lot of them?” Fanboy asks.

“Here and there,” she answers truthfully. “Whenever I run into them at events we briefly catch up. Of course nowadays with social media it’s more accessible to send a direct message if you don’t have their number. Most of the time I’m in contact with old friends and colleagues when we collaborate or plan to meet up at shows.”

“Who are the people you talk with the most?” Jake pitches in.

“Oh, Cyndi, Janet, Kenny, Lionel,” she lists off. “Bono from U2 and I have been friends for ages so I talk with him a lot. Lenny Kravitz is also someone I try to see often—as well as Chili and Tboz from TLC. We bonded with them since they are also from Atlanta. ”

Phoenix tilts her head, curiosity in her eyes, “Are you and the band collaborating with anyone for your next album?” Instantly Y/n perks up, a smile threatening to form and give herself away. Nat catches it and teases, “I swear to secrecy if you tell us.”

“It’s not you I’m worried about,” Y/n laughs when Rooster pouts, throwing his hands out as he whines, “C’mon. When have I ever leaked your songs or upcoming projects? I think I’ve done pretty good—my track record is going on thirty years, you know.”

Pete laughs with his wife as the daggers begin to tease their fellow aviator. “Better to be safe than sorry, Bradley.” This earns the Captain a light slap on the chest.

“Oh stop,” she playfully scolds. “I’m only teasing.” She returns her attention back to Nat. “I can’t say much because a lot is still in the works….but, I can confirm we’ll be doing a feature with Lenny Kravitz.” Gasps and ‘holy shit’ fill the patio, Javy and Danny on the brink of losing their minds.

“Lenny fucking Kravits!”

“Oh it’s gonna be a hit. Number one on Billboard I’m telling ya.”

By now it was getting cooler outside. The sky was dark with stars twinkling above. Instead of having someone go inside to grab drinks for everyone the group decided to migrate into the living room. Pete distinguishes the fire, Y/n hauls the dogs in with Nat and soon the couches and chairs are occupied.

Jake rubs his jaw, “what would you say is the best advice someone has given you? And who,” he adds, “if you’re open to saying.” Y/n takes a moment to think about her answer. To be honest, she’d received lots of great advice in the 40 plus years of being in the industry from an array of people. There of course was Dolly and Diana who always gave a second opinion whenever needed. There was Michael, who told her to always have fun no matter what life threw at her.

“A long time ago,” she humed, tilting her head back to stare at the ceiling while caressing the bottom of her chin. “I wanna say early 90s, I met Tony Bennett at an award show. Probably Grammy’s or Billboard, but he had approached me just before the show ended and we got to talking. I can’t remember exactly what was said in the conversation but I this always stuck with me,” pausing Y/n places her hand back in her lap. “He said, ‘Cherish the big moments—the milestones, the accomplishments, the things that will leave a legacy long after you’re gone..but also cherish the small moments. The ones you will look back on and remember fondly. As a time you were living your life as if the day was your last.’”

The words hit each of the officers. All taking it in as though Y/n was the one offering them the advice. Something about it resonated with each of them—thinking about their lives and careers. Where often they forgot to cherish little moments because they were overshadowed by big ones. An example for Natasha would be the one time her father gifted her flowers for when she made Lieutenant. Or when Javy’s brother surprised him for his college graduation. The big milestones were the reason the little things even happened.

Then you had all those times the squad would meet up at the beach for dogfight football. Or when a late night drive turns into carpool karaoke. Those small specks of time where you’re truly living in the present.

As Midnight approached the daggers took their leave. Most of them were staying on base or had nearby hotels so they waited a few hours after their last drink to leave. Though Bob was DD so he took most of them home.

Goodbyes were said with promises to meet up again soon. A few of the pilots were expected to report for an upcoming mission that week so they were all on high alert. Y/n of course was worried and gave a pep talk to each of them as they left.

When the house was finally cleared with only the couple and their dogs remaining, Y/n discarded the empty cans and water bottles before rinsing off the dishes. A yawn escaped her, leaning into Pete when he came up behind her, arms going to her waist.

“You know that can wait until morning,” he kissed her cheek, making her smile.

“I know, but I like waking up to see it’s already done. That way I can relax by sleeping in.”

Pete chuckled against her ear, “I leave you to it then. I’ll get the dogs settled and meet you in the room.” With a kiss to her lips, Pete removed himself and whistled for the hounds to follow him down the corridor. Their patter got lighter and lighter, silence filling the room once they were gone.

There wasn’t much to do in the kitchen or living room. Y/n hummed the tone of ‘Don’t You Forget About Me’ as she rinsed the plates and cups to put them in the dishwasher.

“I’ll be alone, dancing, you know it, baby,” she sang under her breath, nodding her head to the beat even though no music was playing. “Going to take you apart. I’ll put us back together at heart baby.”

“Don’t you, forget about me.”

After that was done Y/n took out the trash and placed it by the garage door to remind them in the morning. Next she wiped down the countertops and fixed the couch cushions. Finally the last thing to do was lock the doors and close the curtains.

Moving past the living room to head toward her bedroom, Y/n paused when she came to the wall displaying many photographs from her career milestones. “Don’t lose that dream, little one,” she could hear Elvis say to her as her eyes met the framed Rolling Stones cover in the center. The lighting of the image made it appear of just her silhouette, Y/n’s head tilted up with the echo of a smile on her lips. The microphone right beside her with Danny’s drums in the background.

“Y/n L/n is the Daughter of Rock ‘N’ Roll.”

Dated February 1992. Thirty years since the issue was released. And boy had it been a wild ride for the rockstar.

Brushing her finger over the image and then lightly tapping her knuckles against the glass, Y/n grinned as Elvis' words to 12-year-old self repeated in her head.

“Hope I made you proud, King.”

……………….

TGM Tag List: @avaleineandafryingpan , @caitsymichelle13 , @poppyalice2001 , @cutelittlepotatofry , @luckyladycreator2 , @americaarse , @elenavampire21 , @back-tooo-black , @wildellaa , @artemissunn , @pinkpantheris

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triflesandparsnips · 3 months

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So yesterday, I learned about the Seikilos epitaph.

Per Wikipedia and this much longer article from Antigone Journal, the Seikilos epitaph is a complete four-line Greek lyric poem. It was carved into a short marble stele sometime in maybe the 1st century CE, maybe the 2nd. The stele was then set, and later discovered, near the city of Tralles (close to modern-day Aydin, in Turkey).

Before the poem is a two-line couplet that can be translated as:

I am an image and a stone; Seikilos sets me up here As a long-lasting sign of undying memory.

--and then following the poem the name of the artist/author, either "Seikilos to Euterpe" or "Seikilos, son of Euterpres". In between those two points, though, is the poem itself, which I fucking love. A translation of it might read:

While you live, shine! Have no grief at all. Life exists only for a short while and Time demands his due.

--which tbh would be fabulous enough, but...

carved above the words

is musical notation.

The Seikilos epitaph is the record of a two-thousand-year-old song.

And like anything that's That Old, there's of course a fair bit of academic infighting regarding:

whether the stele is really a gravemarker or just the work of a silly lil guy going big with publishing his masterpiece;

whether it was really written as early (or as late) as people think, based on what seems to be Ye Olde Handwriting Analysis;

and even what the actual song would have actually sounded like, because the notation only tells us the pitch, duration, and movement of the sung line, and not, like, what's emphasized/stressed, the rhythm, the modulations, the scale--

But.

Unlike a lot of ancient music... we do have all the melody. And we have all the words. And so there are people out there who have come up with reconstructions and interpretations-- many of them sad, most of them sweet, all of them fitting for a tombstone...

And then there's this one. A live performance by YK Band, sung as a duet and played on a Tartessian lyre and frame drum. It starts with the simple melody as written on the stele, and then transitions to their version of how the song could, with just as much evidence as any other interpretation, have been sung...

And it's joyous.

I love this. It reminds me that history is amazing. People are amazing. Two thousand years later, and because of the time someone put in to writing these words, the craft of the worker who made the stele, the historians and the musicians and the linguists and the teachers who constantly search and test and try to understand what came before so that we can understand where we came from, who we once were and who we might be again, and put what they learn back out into the world--

Because of all of them, I can sit here, alone and quiet at my computer, and hear someone very, very far away call out a laughing reminder to the dark unknown:

while you live, shine!

#history #music #linguistics #the unbearable beauty of humanity #seikilos #seikilos epitaph #song of seikilos #while you live-- shine!

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lemoncrushh · 12 days

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The Entertainer - Track 08 - I Don't Wanna Be Alone

Summary: Set in the 70s, Sky Jones, a young woman from L.A., meets Harry Styles, an up-and-coming musician and frontman for the band Wildfire. Told in first person from Sky’s point of view, she shares her journey and what it’s like to fall for a rockstar.

STORY PAGE

Track 08 Word Count: 5.4k+

After the show in Sacramento, Halo and I drove back home while the band headed north. When we reached our neighborhood, I stopped at the drugstore to drop off my film. I was anxious to see the pictures I’d taken of Harry, but more importantly the ones he had taken.

Two days later, I picked up my photos on the way home from work. Unlocking my door, I was relieved to find that Halo wasn’t home yet. I wanted some privacy as I opened the envelope.

The first roll of film had some pictures I’d taken at another band’s show that I’d completely forgotten about, before I’d ever seen Wildfire. I smiled when I reached the first picture of Harry. It was their second or third show I’d seen. He looked amazing, so tall and larger than life up on the stage. The next few photos were more of him until I got to a couple that were blurry. I laughed, remembering Halo grabbing my camera from me to get a few shots of Mitch. I think she had been too excited to get a clear picture.

I got to a handful of photos next that I’d taken outside one day just for fun. Then I stopped when I reached something familiar, yet I knew I hadn’t taken. It was a view of my kitchen table, most likely taken from the living room. Mitch and Halo were sitting there, their heads together, not quite kissing. But I could tell they were not the focal point. I was standing in the background, in my tiny kitchen, the refrigerator door open, the light casting a glow on my face. I was wearing a t-shirt and a pair of cut-off shorts, my hair long and falling past my shoulders. If anyone had asked me at that moment, I would not have said I was pretty. But somehow in this photo, it seemed in the eyes of the photographer, I was.

I felt a flutter in my chest as I recalled that day I’d taken those photos outside before Mitch and Harry had come over for the evening. I had set my camera down on my dresser next to the photo of Comet. Harry must have gone into my room and spotted it, snapping the photo from my bedroom doorway.

Setting the picture aside, I then came to more photos not taken by me. It was a series of pictures in a green-tinted room. The Holiday Inn. I giggled at the arbitrary concept - the television, the curtains, the lamp on the bedside table, Harry’s foot sticking out from beneath the sheets.

The next two photos, however, were different. One was taken in the mirror, a reflection of Harry with the camera to his eye. I liked that one a lot, and set it aside with the other one I’d already separated. The last photo was of me. I wasn’t exactly sure how he’d taken it without my noticing. But it appeared I had just returned from the bathroom, and I suppose I had paused to look in the mirror. My back was to Harry, but the mirror showed his reflection behind me. I was naked, my rear bare though my hair covered my breasts. I couldn’t believe I had been too focused on myself to notice he had my camera in his hands. I wondered what I would have said if I had. Nevertheless, I actually liked the picture. It was a bit taboo, yet romantic, very intimate.

Leaving the remaining photos in the envelope, I gathered up the three personal ones as well as the four others that Harry had taken in the motel room and took them to my room. Not sure yet what exactly I wanted to do with them, I placed them in the drawer of my nightstand for safe keeping.

I tried my best to slide back into my normal schedule, working my job at a local boutique and spending my free time practicing guitar and learning new songs.

But my mind always drifted to Harry. I wondered how he was and if the crowds were getting bigger, if they appreciated him like they should. I thought of his smile a lot and his laugh. I thought of his soft lips and the way his body felt against mine. Sometimes I would play Wildfire’s album and just lie in bed staring at the ceiling or at the pictures Harry had taken. It was the only way I knew to feel connected to him with him being so far away.

He called me one night from Seattle. Actually, it was four o’clock in the morning and the ringing of the phone woke me.

“Sky!” he yelled into the phone. He sounded out of breath.

“Harry?” I rubbed my eyes. “What time is it?”

“Oh…shit. I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”

“It’s okay,” I yawned. “How are you?”

“I’m bloody fantastic, Sky! We just went gold!”

“What?”

“The album! It went gold, babe! Can you believe it?”

“Really? That’s so great, Harry! I’m so happy for you.”

“We just had the best show tonight, too. And guess what?”

“What?”

“When we get back to L.A., we’re going on tour with the Eagles!”

“Are you kidding? Far out! I hope I get to go to some of those shows.”

“Oh you will. You definitely will.”

I smiled at the idea that he wanted me to join him on the road again.

“I miss you,” he said.

“I miss you, too. How is everything else?”

“Not too bad. Just wish you were here, that’s all.”

My breath caught in my throat. “You do?”

“Of course. You should be enjoying all of this with me.”

“I wish I was.”

“You will be soon, yeah?”

“Yeah. With bells on.”

“Sky?”

“Hmm?”

“You’re the first…mmm never mind.”

“No,” I snickered, “don’t do that. I’m the first what?”

I heard him laugh nervously before gulping.

“I was just gonna say…you’re the first girl I’ve met who…who understands. I mean, you get it. You know how important this is to me. To all of us.”

“Of course I do, Harry,” I said, rubbing my eyes.

“I want you to know how much that means to me. That’s why I called you first. As soon as Irving told us we went gold. I couldn’t wait to tell you.”

“That’s really sweet,” I choked.

“I think about you a lot,” he admitted softly.

“Me too,” I grinned. “I got the pictures developed.”

“Oh?” I heard him chuckle low. “So you saw them finally.”

“Mhmm.”

“Kinda wish I had them. But…I’ll just have to remember how beautiful you looked.”

“Harry…”

“Hmm…I should go. Let you sleep.”

“Oh. Okay.”

“Goodnight.”

“Night, Harry.”

Hanging up the phone, I reached into my nightstand and pulled out the photos. I stared at the one from the motel room, our reflections in the mirror. We’d just made love and my lips were swollen, my body still on fire from his touch. I zoned in on Harry, his eyes peeking above the camera as he watched me. He’d thought I was beautiful.

“Think Mitch will like this?” Halo asked me as she held up a see-through negligee.

“Definitely, except for the fact that he won’t get to see it,” I retorted.

“Who says?”

“Uh…Lee and Deacon? Aren’t we supposed to stay in our own room?”

“Oh screw them and they’re primitive rules! I’m getting laid on this tour.”

I threw my head back laughing. “Good luck with that.”

“I’m serious. Don’t let them push you around either, Sky. I don’t know what their deal is, but I can only take so much of their stupid agreement. I say we do what we want.”

I nodded. Although I wanted to respect the band and their wishes, I had to agree with Halo. It was bad enough being around Harry with the rules before. Now it had been almost three weeks since we’d seen the guys, and just the thought of being alone with Harry was driving me insane.

Once again, we packed up Lovely Rita and headed out onto the freeway. This time we were meeting the band in Santa Barbara before they made their way back to L.A. The album was still going strong and word was a second single would be dropping soon. They actually had a free day since the concert wasn’t until the next evening, so I was hoping to spend some time with Harry.

As we neared the beach, Halo and I rolled down the windows and turned up the radio, letting the salt air fill our senses.

“So, c'mon baby let’s go Don’t you hear the rock ‘n’ roll Playin’ on the radio Sounds so right…”

Halo had told Mitch we were staying at the Holiday Inn, and we were barely in our room ten minutes when he called.

“We’re here!” Halo sang into the phone, her hand on her hip. “What? You’re kidding!”

Then she turned to me.

“Sky! They’re staying at this fancy five star hotel! We have to go check it out!”

I watched as she finished her conversation with Mitch, a huge smile on her face.

“C’mon, let’s go!” she exclaimed when she hung up.

“Wait, what’s going on?” I asked, still confused.

“Wildfire is apparently rolling in the dough now. Or somebody is. They’ve been set up for two days at some luxury hotel on the beach.”

“Wow!”

“Let’s…oh, hang on…” I smirked as Halo unzipped her suitcase and grabbed her negligee, shoving it in her shoulder bag. “Okay, let’s go.”

“This is so fantastic!” I beamed as I gazed around the enormous hotel room.

“It’s pretty cool, yeah,” grinned Harry. He sat on the bed strumming his guitar.

“You even have your own balcony,” I commented, stepping out onto it. “Look at this view!”

“Yeah.”

I turned back to look at Harry who although was nodding and smiling, seemed to have a sullen expression behind the eyes.

“Everything okay?” I asked.

“Yeah,” he exhaled, laying his guitar on the bed. “You know, this has never really been my thing. I mean, it’s nice, I’m not denying that. I’m just…you know.”

“I know,” I nodded, walking towards him. I touched his guitar neck, dragging my finger across the strings. “Maybe now you can get that guitar you wanted.”

A genuine smile spread across his face at my comment.

“I’ve been waiting so you can come with me.”

“Really?”

Reaching his hand out to me, he pulled me to him so I stood between his knees. He rubbed the backs of my hands with his thumbs as he looked up at me.

“I’m glad you’re here.”

“Me too.”

“Let’s do something tonight. Go to dinner or take a walk on the beach. Have some fun, just you and me.”

“I’d like that.”

He pulled me closer and kissed me, a kiss that said he’d missed me and was anticipating our reunion.

Just then a knock sounded on the door and Harry groaned against my lips. Rising from the bed, he swung the door open, revealing Lee and Deacon.

“Hey mate, band meeting in ten minutes,” said Deacon.

“Where?”

“Downstairs in the bar. Azoff’s already there.”

With a sigh, Harry eyed me. “Sorry, love.”

I shrugged. “It’s fine. I can meet you later.”

“You sure?”

“Of course. I’ll go to my room and shower and meet you back here. Seven o’clock?”

“Sounds good,” he grinned.

“Bye,” I said before giving him a kiss on the cheek. Then I walked between Deacon and Lee with a wink. “Hi, boys.”

“Hi, Sky,” they greeted in unison, though neither of them sounded too thrilled about it.

I showered and lathered myself with delicious smelling lotion. Then I slipped into one of my favorite dresses. Although it was November, it was still fairly warm in California with a nice breeze.

“Man, I had my sexy lingerie and didn’t even get to use it yet,” pouted Halo as she fixed her face in front of the mirror.

“Don’t worry,” I laughed. “I’m sure you’ll get the chance. This way you get more time to prepare.”

“True. It’ll be worth it.”

I giggled and rolled my eyes at my best friend just as Jennifer Warnes began singing through the radio, her warm voice confirming Halo’s words.

“Sun goes on a silky day Quarter moon walking through the milky way Oh you and me, baby We could think of something to do…”

Grabbing my guitar, I played the simple chords as I sang along. I had to admit, my own senses were tingling as I thought about the evening I was about to share with Harry. I was with Halo. Fuck the rules. It had been long enough.

“It’s the right time of the night For making love…”

Mitch was sitting in the lobby when we returned. With the biggest smile I’d ever seen, Halo gave him a hug and followed him up to his room. Thinking it might be inappropriate to just go up to Harry’s room alone, I rang his room first, but he didn’t answer. I suspected he might be sleeping, or perhaps had left the room for a little while, but when I decided to go ahead and take the elevator up to his floor and knock on the door, I still got no response. I wondered where he’d gone, and I hoped he hadn’t changed his mind about being with me. I decided to check the bar, but found it nearly empty. I considered calling Mitch’s room to ask him and Halo if they’d seen Harry, but I figured they were already well on their way to a night of passion, and I was certainly not going to disturb them.

I ended up finding him by the pool. As soon as I pushed the doors open that lead to the veranda, I could smell the ocean air and I let it fill my lungs. Prepared to spend the evening alone, I strolled between the lounge chairs until I spotted a pair of familiar bell-bottom denims, the hems frayed, the feet beneath bare. He sat on the end of a yellow cushion, staring out at the beach, the slight breeze blowing through his hair.

“Hi,” I said hesitantly.

He lifted his head, his eyes wide when he noticed me.

“Oh! Shit. I forgot, didn’t I?”

“I…don’t know. Did you?”

“No. No, I didn’t,” he shook his head as he rose from the chair. “Not really. I…just lost track of time.”

“Okay.”

“I’m sorry.” He wiped his eyes hastily and blinked. When he looked at me again, I noticed the redness in his eyes. He’d been crying.

“Are you okay?” I asked softly.

“What? Yeah, yeah, I’m fine.” He sniffed and cleared his throat. “C’mon, let’s…get something to…shoes. I need shoes.”

We both looked around the deck.

“Did you wear them out here?”

“Um…I guess I didn’t. I’ll have to go to the room.”

This time, I caught a stray tear trickle down his cheek just as Harry wiped it with the back of his sleeve.

“Harry.”

“Mind coming with me?”

“Harry,” I said louder.

“Yeah?”

“What’s wrong?”

His shoulders fell as he realized I wasn’t letting it go. Staring at his hands, he began to fidget with his rings.

“Simon died two years ago today.”

I wanted to embrace him, give him the biggest hug I possibly could. But instead, I reached for the cross hanging from his neck and rubbed it between my finger and thumb.

“Do you wanna talk about it?”

Swallowing hard, Harry shrugged. “I suppose so.”

“Sometimes it helps,” I encouraged.

Harry turned from me, but I knew he wasn’t dismissing my suggestion. He walked to the edge of the veranda, stopping at the railing. I followed him, standing next to him as we gazed out at the beach. I breathed in, the salt air calming me as I hoped it was doing the same for Harry.

“He would’ve loved this,” he finally spoke.

“Loved what?”

“This hotel. This beach. The tour. The gold record. This is what he wanted. Even more than me.”

“Tell me about him,” I urged, placing my hand on his arm.

I watched Harry’s chest rise and fall as he took a deep breath. His eyes remained on the waves that crashed against the shore as he spoke softly.

“We grew up together,” he began. “In a small village in Manchester. He was the only kid I knew that liked the same things as me. Most lads would have one thing they were into, one hobby they liked best. But Simon and me…we liked everything. Sports, drawing, books…girls.” I caught the smirk when he paused. “And of course, music. We took piano lessons and were in the glee club because we wanted to be, not because our mums forced us to.”

“And not because of girls?” I quirked a brow.

Harry’s smirk grew into a grin. “Maybe a little.”

I smiled, leaning against the railing with my elbows.

“Anyway, we formed this little band. A garage band called The Pioneers, though we were far from it. We only had a few gigs, school dances where we played mostly Beatles and Dave Clark Five covers until later into the evening when we’d throw in something like the Kinks or the Who. After school we wanted to move to London, hoping we could make it as a band. The other guys weren’t as serious about it as we were, so they stayed behind. We both got jobs. Odd jobs really, nothing great, but they were enough. I think we lived on beans and toast for three months.”

When I made a face, he chuckled.

“Music was the only thing that mattered. And we were determined to find others with the same mindset. One night at a pub, we saw this God awful band. But the drummer, he was cool. We could tell he had something. So after their set, Simon and I introduced ourselves. We invited him to come jam with us, and he joined our band right away.”

“Deacon,” I confirmed.

“Yeah. Deacon knew this guy who played guitar, and he wanted Simon and me to check out his band. They were really good, but we didn’t need another lead guitarist. We needed a bass player. While we were chatting with the lad after the show, their bassist came up and introduced himself. He was American and said he’d only been living in London for a bit. I found it odd because the band seemed really tight, like they’d already been playing together for years. A few months later, after we’d already gotten a bass player, we ran into him again and he said he’d really like to join our band. So that’s when we got Lee, and Wildfire was officially formed.”

“And history was made,” I added.

Harry grinned at me, but his smile quickly faltered as he gazed back out at the water.

“We recorded this four song demo,” he said quietly. “We’d already played gigs all around London by this point. We had a following. It was wicked to see some of the same faces at one show that we’d just seen a couple nights before at another. And they’d sing our songs. Songs I’d written! My own words were being sung back to me, and it was such a great feeling. That was when I knew this was what I wanted to do the rest of my life.

“We passed out our demo at shows, hoping someone would take notice, but also for our fans. Because we knew already, that’s what they were. And girls. Lots of girls would come to our shows, sometimes with boys, but sometimes with each other or even alone. They started to line up around the block, and some had to be turned away.”

“Sounds like Halo and me,” I commented.

Harry nodded. “Simon met this girl. Pippa. She would come to all our shows. Seriously, every single one, she was right there, front and center. I kinda thought at first she was into me, but one night I looked over at Simon while he was playing a solo, and he was just staring at her and she was watching his every move. From then on, she was his. And she followed us everywhere. Sometimes she’d bring a friend or two with her and…”

When his eyes met mine, he swallowed hard. “Well…not important.”

I pursed my lips and rolled my eyes, but let him continue his story.

“Anyway, we’d kind of become a big thing in the London music scene. We weren’t on the radio or anything, but people knew us. And our shows were always packed. We even had a manager, Leon.”

“Wow, you’d known Leon that long?”

“Yeah. He kept telling us about California, saying we needed to come out here; we could be massive in America. He was thinking of buying a condo out here and suggested we book a club tour. So, that’s exactly what happened.”

“So…this really isn’t your first west coast tour, then,” I remarked.

“In a way…yes.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, we weren’t playing places like this. They were seedy bars and honky tonks, like the one in Chula Vista. We stayed at Holiday Inns, or worse. We never got booked at the Troubadour. Nobody knew us here; they didn’t give a shit how popular we were in London.”

“I see.”

“Pippa came with us,” said Harry, sighing through his nose. I knew then this was the build-up of the rest of the story. I braced myself for what I knew had to be difficult for him to tell.

“None of the other lads really thought that was a good idea, but she insisted, and so did Simon. He was in love with her, I knew. He confided in me, told me how she drove him mad, but he couldn’t live without her either. I never told anybody else because I reckoned he didn’t want that information shared. So I think the other guys just thought of her as a tag-along, a groupie.”

I watched as Harry swallowed hard again and blinked his eyes rapidly. I wanted to take his hand, assure him that I was willing to listen, but instead I stayed in my spot, my hands folded in front of me.

“Leon bought his condo, and sometimes we would all crash there if we weren’t on the road. I think we were all starting to feel disheartened, worried that maybe we should just pack it in and go back to London. I think Simon took it the hardest. He really wanted to make it. And he should have. He was a rockstar.”

I waited for a minute or two in silence for him to continue. Just when I thought maybe he wasn’t going to, he spoke softly, his voice strained.

“I knew he was doing drugs. I didn’t do anything about it at first. It was just cocaine mostly. It gave him energy and didn’t affect his guitar playing at all. Then he started experimenting with other drugs, some I’d never even heard of. I’d walk into the motel room, and he and Pippa would be passed out.

"One night after a gig, we couldn’t find him. None of us, not even Pippa knew where he’d gone. The next day, he showed up to the gig like nothing was wrong. Then he did it again. Only this time, he was too fucked up to focus on his playing. I was so angry, I almost pulled him off the stage, but I decided to wait and talk to him in private afterwards. I didn’t get to though, because he went AWOL again. He was gone for three days. I don’t think I’ve ever been so fucking worried and pissed off in my life. I knew what was happening. And not only was he fucking up our band, but he was leaving Pippa alone.”

I saw Harry’s jaw clench as the memories came back to him, the anger and resentment he no doubt had felt towards Simon, still with him.

“I confronted him when he finally showed up that time. I told him he could ruin his life if he wanted, but he had a girl who loved him. He just laughed at me and pushed me against the wall. He got right in my face and told me Pippa could do whatever the fuck she wanted, because she wanted me anyway.”

“What?” I exclaimed with wide eyes.

“I reckoned he didn’t know what he was saying. He was so fucking high on some shit. But that night, once again, he disappeared after the gig and I was left to console Pippa who was a bloody mess. I sat with her in her motel room, telling her if she loved him, she needed to help him. But…what I should’ve done was go look for him myself.”

Harry dropped his head then, staring at his hands.

“She told me she missed how he used to be. She didn’t like him like this, and she wasn’t sure she even loved him anymore. She started crying and I held her, told her we’d get through it together and try to help him. She tried to kiss me. I didn’t stop her at first. But then I pushed her away and told her no, which only made her cry more. I suspected she felt ashamed until she confessed she’d always liked me. I told her it was late and she needed sleep, and we’d talk to Simon tomorrow. But there was no tomorrow.”

His breaths were shaky, and I noticed the tears running down his cheeks.

“Harry…” I whispered, covering his hand with mine.

“Six in the morning, there was a banging on my door. It was Leon with the cops. They’d found Simon in an abandoned building in L.A., dead on an old stained mattress. He’d overdosed on heroin.”

“Oh my God.”

Taking a deep breath, Harry finally looked at me.

“He was my best friend. And I did nothing to help him.”

“Harry, you can’t blame yourself.”

“How can I not? I knew what he was doing to himself. But I was too bloody pissed off, making it about me and what I wanted. I was with his girlfriend when he died.”

The tears were coming down fast then, and I lifted a hand to wipe one away.

“But nothing happened. You did the honorable thing.”

“Did I? The honorable thing might’ve been to go find my friend and save his life.”

“You didn’t know, Harry. There might not’ve been any saving to be done. It wasn’t your responsibility. It was an accident.”

Bowing his head again, his shoulders shook with sobs. Pulling him to me, I wrapped my arms around him, pressed my head to his chest and let him cry. I rubbed his back to soothe him, letting him know I was there, but I remained silent until he was ready to speak again.

When his crying subsided, he lifted his head and I lifted mine. Our eyes met, his bloodshot. I touched his cheek, wiping the last of his stray tears.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered.

“What for?”

“I…I haven’t cried like this…since that morning.”

I tilted my head, giving him a gentle look of sincerity.

“Maybe it was time.”

Brushing the back of one hand against my cheek, Harry wound the other around my neck, pulling me closer until our lips collided. He kissed me hard and deep, like the source of all life and existence was in my mouth. I knew he needed me, needed the moment to simultaneously feel alive and calm.

“Sky,” he murmured against my lips. The wind had picked up and whipped our hair around us like a cocoon.

“Yes?”

“Stay with me tonight. Please. I don’t wanna be alone.”

“Yes.”

The sun awoke us through the thin curtains that covered the balcony doors. Harry rolled over and watched me for a few minutes as I yawned and rubbed my eyes.

“What?” I giggled when I caught him staring.

When he didn’t answer, my expression softened, knowing what he was thinking. He had the same look in his eyes as he did in the picture. Blinking, I smiled gently as I let my fingers travel up his chest.

He kissed me then, and without a word, I opened up to him as we made love once more.

We laid together in the afterglow, our lips threatening each other to be the better kissers. Suddenly, Harry lifted himself up on his elbow and looked me in the eye.

“What’s your name?”

“Huh?”

His hand grazed the side of my waist, giving me goosebumps. He was as close to me as he could possibly be without being on top of me. His body heat kept me warm despite the absence of bedcovers and the chill from the ceiling fan.

“Your real name,” he said. “What is it?”

His fingertips continued their little sonnet on my skin, back and forth, up and down, and I began to giggle.

“That tickles,” I tried to wiggle away, but his close proximity wouldn’t allow it. Harry seemed to be pleased, so he deliberately tickled me more.

“Stop it.”

“Not until you tell me.”

“My name is Sky.”

“No, it’s not.”

I grabbed his hand, forcing him to stop tickling me, only to have him pin me down, his frame now on top of mine, our ankles knocking. His voice remained calm and easy, however, albeit demanding.

“Tell me your real name.”

I stared into his eyes, the green almost blinding.

“Why does it matter?” I asked.

“Because I wanna know.”

I sighed and turned my head to the pillow.

“I know who Sky is,” Harry continued. “She’s a rebel. She’s a stubborn, no-nonsense girl. She gets what she wants, and she’s sexy as all hell.”

I smiled and bit my lip, but didn’t look at him.

“But there’s another girl underneath. She’s sweet and maybe a little innocent and gets her heart broken. She’s a fan of music and has posters on her walls and cries at movies and keeps a picture of her brother in a locket. Who is she? What’s her name?”

I blinked hard before finally lifting my eyes to lock with his again. I took a deep breath, my hands still pinned underneath Harry’s as he waited for my answer.

“It’s a dumb name,” I muttered.

“Yeah?” Harry raised a brow. “Mildred? Bertha?”

“No,” I chuckled.

“Hortence?”

I laughed harder. “No. It’s not ugly. Just…plain. Kinda homely.”

His body relaxing, Harry released his grip on me and kissed my forehead.

“Please, tell me,” he whispered.

I took one more breath and released it through my nostrils.

“My real name is Mary Lou Jones.”

Harry’s lips spread into a smile, his eyes twinkling.

“That’s cute.”

“It’s corny.”

“I like it.”

“I hate it.”

“Did you go by Mary or Mary Lou?”

I shut my eyes, completely embarrassed.

“It was Mary Lou throughout my childhood. But in my teens I demanded that I be called Mary, just Mary.”

“Why?”

“Because Mary Lou sounds like a simple girl. I hate it. When I gave Halo her nickname, she said I needed one too, so she came up with Sky. I like it. I think it fits me.”

“‘Like a cloudy sky just before the rain’,” Harry quoted.

“Yes.”

“Sounds like you’ve had an identity crisis, Mary Lou Jones.”

I bit my lip again as his accent rang in my ears.

“How come it sounds better when you say it?”

He smiled his million dollar smile before lowering his head to nuzzle my neck.

“I dunno,” he said, kissing my ear. “But thanks for telling me.”

I watched him sit up and stretch, then walk to the bathroom. I sat up too, searching for my clothes. When I was dressed and Harry came back, I took my turn. Combing my fingers through my hair, I heard the sound of guitar chords being strummed and I grinned. Opening the door, I leaned against the frame and watched Harry sitting on the edge of the bed, a guitar in his lap as he sang.

“I knew Mary Lou We’d never part So hello Mary Lou Goodbye heart…”

I chuckled as I strolled into the room and stood next to him. He strummed one last chord and looked up at me.

“I never really liked that song anyway,” I remarked.

“Why not?”

“Because the Mary Lou he’s singing about had brown eyes.”

“Oh.”

I shrugged. “See? Told you. I’m Sky.”

Songs mentioned:

Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers - Anything That's Rock 'n' Roll

Jennifer Warnes - Right Time of the Night

Ricky Nelson - Hello, Mary Lou

This was a bit emotional, but I hope you enjoyed xx.

FEEDBACK IS LOVE!!

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gerogerigaogaigar · 11 months

Text

Aaliyah - One In A Million

The beats are fantastic and the way Aaliyah dances around them with her voice is amazing, but the album goes on a bit too long. Four to five minutes songs for over an hour was definitely a problem in 90s R&B. If there were more punchy energetic songs to break it up I would be fine with it, but it's kinda the same thing over and over. Not to say that Aaliyah and Timbaland aren't a great match for each other, but I think that this could have been cut down significantly and been a great album instead of just a good one.

PJ Harvey - Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea

This is both so much louder and aggressive, but also a lot happier and less gothic than all previous PJ Harvey records. The desperate melancholy is replaced with a tough edge that suits her well. The guitars are loud and rich and her voice is full of an aggressive sensuality. If other PJ Harvey albums are threatening to drown you in a swimming pool then this album is going to hit you with a truck.

Solange - A Seat At The Table

Does talent run in the family or does money make talent? No matter because this album finally sees Solange Knowles stepping out of her older sister's shadow. While 90s neo soul sometimes falls flat for me 10s neo soul really does it for me. The beats are so simple but punchy and let Solange's voice sit front and center without getting boring. And the lyrics of course are the centerpiece. The whole album is very focused on the intersection of fighting for representation as a black woman in America and the amount of self care that is required as a part of that journey. I'm not a black woman, but I am a trans woman so I can sort of connect to the struggle to be recognized and the struggle to just try to live your life in the meantime. It's pretty relatable to almost anyone living as anything other than the 1% these days.

Neil Young - On The Beach

I know I'm in the minority with this opinion but this album is... fine. Sorry it just isn't one of his best. It lacks the edge of Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere and After The Gold Rush, but it isn't as lush as Harvest. I don't think it's a worthy follow up to those albums and so it's just... fine. It's not bad at all. Neil Young is an amazing musician and there is something great to be found at nearly every stage of his career, so it's fine that this album is just... fine. Tonight's The Night is better anyway, just skip over this one.

#500 album gauntlet #aaliyah #pj harvey #solange #neil young

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dailytomlinson · 2 years

Conversation

B104's Mike and Steph

Steph: Louis Tomlinson, welcome to the show!

Louis: Hello, thanks for having me!

Steph: Indeed.You know him, you love him, his song, Bigger Than Me, has been a big hit in our station and if we can get right into it, I understand that the video of the song was shot in Iceland and... Tell us about that experience, how did you decide?

Louis: It was amazing! I've been luck enough to be, been to Iceland before. The song, in my opinion, it carries a certain level of ambitious, kinda big song and chorus so I wanted something that kinda matched that vision, visually ambitious and Iceland, as a place, is just beautiful, every way you look, so kinda was the most appropriate place to create a video like that.

Mike: So, Steph, you were possibly thinking about taking your husband to Iceland?

Steph: He has always wanted to see the Northern Lights and yeah, I can only imagine you've seen them--

Louis: I haven't, I wish, I wish I had. No, I had, I've been, I wanna say three times? Two times? Three times now to Iceland and every time we've been...

Steph: It [lights] have just not shown up!

Louis: It's just, yeah, haven't been a good time to see 'em, unfortunately, yeah, but amazing, amazing place, it do look amazing. Are you gonna go?

Steph: Yeah, we're planning for our anniversary coming up, so probably the next two or three years.

Louis: Nice, nice! Big anniversary, is it? Is it big anniversary?

Steph: Well, next year is our 19th [anniversary], so it's been a while--

Louis: OHHHHH, OKAY OKAY!! Love that, love that! Congrats!!

Three: [laugh]

Steph: So BTM is the first song, of course, on FITF which comes out in November 11th and, can you describe your inspiration for the album? Maybe give us as a hint on the musicians you've collaborated with you...

Louis: Yeah, I was lucky enough on this album to work more artists than like professional songwriters, and you get a different kinda of duty of care with every single song, it's so important and has it's own importance whereas sometimes you go in with professional songwriters and it's not the case of everyone but people are kinda looking the singles and that sometimes the creation of the creative process and I find that really really fulfilling working with more artists in general across this record, and in the sense of inspiration, this whole album was written with the next tour in mind and by far the most excitement I've had as an artist is in those moments and I'm lucky enough to have an incredible energy and atmosphere with the fans at the shows so is just about trying to meet them [fans] in the middle, really, and create as much excitement through the music coz I know they're gonna deliver it as a crowd.

Mike: Will you turn the mic to the crowd?

Louis: [very excited] YEAH

Mike: Is that because you forgot the lyrics?

Louis: [laughs] Is funny you should say that because I'd say maybe one in four gigs I normally forget one of my lyrics, one of the One Directions one but hm, sometimes, I'm : take a breath, man... These days, I'm not used to sharing the stage with me own like, you get a little bit knackered so every now and then you be like 'alright, you can sing it'. That's why I'm blessed, because they [fans] always singing back to me, it'd be pretty awkward holding the mic out there and getting nothing in return! I'm, I'm lucky like that, man!

Mike: OMGosh, that'd be the worseeee

Louis: It would be horrible, man!

Mike: You hold the mic and they go, 'I don't know what you're talking about'

Louis: Exactly!

Mike: That's when you know the crew is going in the wrong direction

Louis: Yes! Maybe time to hang your boots then!

Mike: Hey, talking about something you do with the fans, this Away From Home Festival you do, which is pretty incredible, tell us more about that.

Louis: So the first year was, last year was the first year we did it, and I had the idea for a while, it's always been a dream of mine to put out a festival, an event, of that size. The first gig we made was free, was basically just a thank you to the fans for how incredible they've been but also me and meself at the time, at lockdown was missing live music massively so was kinda a celebration of like music being back as well and hm, I mean, was a dream of mine, to do it every year but I didn't know how it was gonna go the first year and first year was a success. We just done the second year, which was in Spain, and the, the level of growth from first year to where we are at now already feel pretty drastic, so, something I'm really really proud of, it allows me to be able to a) give a platform to, you know, up and coming bands to, maybe wouldn't have access to that kinda of opportunity at that time in their career but also [b] this has been really exciting and really enjoyable for me, I get a real opportunity to say to my fans 'This is what I love listening to', and I actually find it really fulfilling now that the festival just gone this year, watching the reaction from the fans, loving the music that I also love, that obviously fills me with pride. Definitely.

Steph: We're following our twitter feed and all the fans from various countries that were putting hat like a committee 'Come to our country'--

Louis: [laughing] Yeah, yeah, yeah!! Exactly!

Steph: So, do you have an idea of where you'd like to do the next AFHF?

Louis: I... I've got a couple of ideas, but all depends on specifically what direction we wanna take next, for example, I'd love to do it over 2, 2 days as oppose to one day next year, so it might be where the most appropriate place to pull off something like that is, I'd like to to bring it here, to America, but I don't know about next year, might be a year after but at some point, definitely. Be a shame not to bring it here.

Mike: I think you just pick the place you wanna vacation in, and go there!

Louis: That's a smart idea, maybe I'd start with that. I'd like to that, I like that! Yeah!

Mike: How do you find the bands that you bring in... It can be a very though start, [Louis: nods in agreement] its a though business, you know it is [...] How do you find the bands that you bring to these festivals? To give them a little leg, a little start up?

Louis: Lot's of different ways, really, something I'm, something that's always been really important to me is bands on the up and kinda helping in whatever way I can in the development stage of these people's career but also lots of different ways that land them a lap. It might be a banda I'm a fan of and maybe supporting that band kinda peak my interest, or there's loads of like in the UK, there's this thing called BBC Introducing, they have a massive support for like up and coming bands so its just, its just, I have my own ways now and every now and then and is a choice, you kinda have to go out and find these bands but if you spend one hour a week, you'll definitely find some great, great, stuff and sometimes it just lands on your lap

Steph: Now, we were talking about having the fans sing back to you when you hold the mic but do you think is the most beautiful thing that your fans do, or have done, for you?

Louis: Do you know what? I, I, I, do get asked this every now and then but it's hard to put it into one thing, really, wow. I feel immensely lucky, is any opportunity that my fans have to kinda show me their love and dedication, they come in tenfold every single time! So, for me, it's just the consistency of like from the start of my career, right now through to me doing my solo stuff, just the level of passion, that I see from the fans at the shows, around release times, wherever it might be, it still blows my mind. It really does.

Mike: It's a pretty crazy idea and this is such a... I don't know how people handle it. You went for a song contest--

Louis: Yeah, the XFactor

Mike: And the next thing you know, your career was skyrocketing like a roller coaster and everything's happened and now you're on your own, I mean, how do you handle that at such young age?

Louis: Well I-- No, go on

Mike: Coz what age you discovered that?

Louis: 18

Mike: 18??

Louis: And I was the oldest in the band as well

Mike: I've a son who's 18 and I have a daughter who's 17 and 18, crazy age, everyone asking 'what are you gonna do with your life?' and suddenly you have this coming rash. How do you handle that?

Louis: I will say where we were lucky and obviously it was very quick rise for us in the band, but where we were lucky, is that we had each other and we often used to speculate when we were younger, what it would be like going from this experience on your own. Now, we're all obviously going through it now on our own but with the experience we've had with the band, and also, a little bit older now, it was just having for all the like minded people going through the same experience, people that you could actually talk to about what was going on your life. That helped massively, and I think if you were kinda tacking it on your own, I've had a lot of ?? for every solo artist, especially young ones, because it does, it can be challenging at times and that's why it was good to have the lads to kinda lean on when you needed to

Steph: We're talking to Louis Tomlinson, his album FITF is coming out on Nov 11th, the single BTM you can hear on the station and the beautiful video shot in Iceland, and I'm doing that because we have a lot of questions from fans. Who is your favorite football player at the moment?

Louis: Uh, good question, ehh, I would say lets go with Jude Bellingham, plays over in Germany at the moment, English lad, great prospect, so will go with Jude.

Steph: Ok. And [...] what's the best topping-ice cream combination? That you enjoy the most, perhaps.

Louis: Now, topping or flavour? Coz... I don't really do toppings but mint chocolate ice-cream. That's the one. That's the one.

Steph: And you can't never have just one little cup, it has to be like a tube.

Louis: Massively, yeah, yeah.

Steph: Performing live gets a little bit less nerve wrecking as time goes on? What do you tell yourself before performance to keep your nerves from getting to you?

Louis: I'd [sigh] It's a difficult question because you definitely still get nervous before every single gig. I'd say live TV is kinda like 10x more nerve wrecking than actually a gig, but I do think that as time goes on you become more comfortable and once you build up a consistency where I've been lucky enough to do my tour routine 80 times, on the last show I was still really nervous, but you got the muscle memory of 79 shows before that and you know you're going to be able to get through and you can do it to a good level so I think that consistency in time has a way in the nerves a little bit. In terms of what I say to meself before I go on stage not a lot, really, I normally just have a deep breathe and get like 10 seconds to meself in me head just before I walk out and then... Coz, the thing is: there's nothing you can thing in your head, it's not very human, really, to be out there and have that kinda level of attention and hear the screams, so you kinda just gotta cross your fingers

Mike: You still get nervous? I think, in a way, is kinda good?

Louis: Oh yeah, man but yeah, definitely, definitely. My vocal coach always says there's not really a big difference in terms of feeling nervous and excitement and I think if you didn't get nervous before those situations, I think it would make it all feel a little bit more dull. Part of the pay off, is part of the pay off!

Mike: DO you feel the energy from the crowd?

Louis: Massively. I've done a lotta shows this year and and 90% of the show is where it tells you where it's going. Shows you're tired, or a little hangover, or whatever it might be, and what is incredible is when you feel you're not really ready for the show and you walk out there and you're hit around the face with that incredible adrenaline and reaction from the crowd is undeniable. You really do feed of their energy, specially in those moments where you really need it. You really feel it.

Mike: Do you ever sneak into a bar and do a little karaoke?

Louis: Do you know what the funny thing is? About karaoke is? I really do NOT like karaoke. Not gonna lie, the thing is, Im tryina think of a decent analogy, but can't think of one at the top of me head, but when I spend all me life singing, to go in socially and sing, on me down time, it's a little bit excessive. I enjoy watching everyone else, definitely, but singing meself? Nah! Do enough of that in my life.

Steph: Are you planning going on tour?

Louis: Yeah, definitely, it's my favorite part of the job, I'll do as many tours as the fans allowed me for to be fair, so yeah, definitely, at some point next year, I think we're just finalising all that

Steph: Can we play Charlotte [a fan]'s question? No, so I'm going to pretend to be Charlotte from Arizona

Louis: Have you got the accent? [laughs]

Steph: What color do you think I should paint my nails?

Louis: Great question. Hm... What color do I think you should use? Sounds like a question to yourself, really, whatever you think you should. Never painted me nails, so I don't know.

Steph, impersonating the fan: What's your favorite color? Maybe I will paint that color?

Louis: Let's go red. [To Steph] Very nice, very nice!

Steph: Some of the more ?? questions fans have asked you? Can you even share?

Louis: There's, there's... What did I get asked the other day in an interview and I was like ?????? I don't know if it was a fan question or not, but who's the nicest smelling person you've ever met, that's what I was asked the other day and I don't go around smelling people, you know? So I have't got an idea, man! [laughs] Yeah, there's often some more random questions. Me least favorite question is when people ask me if I was a super hero, what super power I'd have [laughs] [Steph: that's one of Mike's go to] YEAH YEAH HAHAHA HAHAHA HAHAHA HAHAHA

Mike: Got some quick questions for you. Cat or dog?

Louis: Dog

Mike: Do you have dogs at home?

Louis: I have two dogs. I'm not a big fan of cats. Don't trust them.

Mike: The other one slipped me mind...

Steph: It didn't, it was the superhero question!

Louis: EXACTLY, EXCTLY! [laughs] YEAH YEAH, at least we know! [laugh]

Mike: What do you do on your down time?

Louis: Hm, just really normal things, really. The other night [???] we went out to the bar to watch boxing. I mean, just really obvious social things really. When I'm back home I like to spend time with me mates, maybe go for a drink, maybe watch the football, just pretty normal. I watch a lot of rubbish TV

Mike: Any reality show?

Louis: I ain't got much time for any reality show. Ironically, I came through one, TXF, other than that, I got no time for that. I like a lot of crime stuff, there's a lot of stuff on Netflix. A lot of mysteries.

Steph: How do would you like to be remembered in the future?

Louis: Hm, that's a big question, as an honest person, I suppose I kinda fit both: I'd like people to remember me by doing the right by people and 9 times out 10 I always try to, so yeah, that would be nice.

Mike: I think it's a nice birthday gift to release the album on your [Steph's] birthday.

Louis: Is a nice gift, isn't it? [laugh] You're welcome, you're welcome!

#b10422 #louis tomlinson #200922 #FINALLY FINISHED IM SO LATE FOR WOOOOOKRRRRR #long post

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