#the van’s named daisy series

[rhinestoneskye]

Kick It Off Right

Word Count; 5.7k

Warnings; brief sex jokes, mention of alcohol, slight discussion of religion and mention of disbelief, Josh being Josh.

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A whole month off. Tour had finished, a new album released, their record company had the ball in their court. The final decision? Let the professionals plan while the band took a break.

“I don’t know what I’m gonna do.”

Josh had a mini crisis in the middle of the living room three nights after they got the news.

“I can’t do anything. I can’t perform, there’s nothing to record.. I have no inspiration to write… the guys are all doing their own thing-“

I sat on the couch and tried my best to listen without seeming too excited. I already had ideas of ways to keep him busy, but I’d been waiting to suggest any until I knew for a fact he was at a loss for plans.

“Let’s go on a road trip.”

“That’ll never work…” he drew in a breath to continue before pausing. Josh’s arms folded across his chest, brow furrowing in question as he looked down at me. “A road trip?”

“I’ve always wanted to visit the state parks. Let’s go do something with nature.”

“A road trip?” This time he asked to make sure he was hearing me correct.

“Yes, Josh.” I folded my own arms across my chest. “We have a few months to do our own thing. Let’s escape.”

“What if they need me?”

“The label said they wouldn’t, and if they do, that’s the beauty of phone calls and FaceTime.”

“What if my band needs me?”

“They’re doing stuff too. And if your brothers really need something, they’ll have Danny. And Danny will have them.”

“What if-“

“Just pack your shit and go on a road trip with me, Kiszka.” I couldn’t listen to his endless worries any longer. He just needed to get out of his house in a way that wasn’t involved with work. Josh let out a sigh. He pursed his lips, a sign I knew all too well. He was ready to argue. To tell me no. To say I should go with the girls. I looked right back at him with a stern gaze. “You need it.” I pressed on.

There was a beat before his shoulders fell, and a sigh escaped his lips.

“Just a week.” He tried to compromise. I decided it was best to give in and not test further limits.

“We’ll start with a week.”

“Can we leave on Friday? So I can tell everybody and- and just be prepared?”

“Yeah. We’ll have to get a rental anyway.”

“A rental?”

“Absolutely. I’m not road tripping in an uncomfortable car.” Josh bit his bottom lip in consideration. “Let me handle it. Okay?” I offered.

“Yeah.. that’s fine.” He gave in easily. Josh seemed to be so stressed and yet so carefree at the same time. I could rent a van if it meant he wouldn’t have to worry about it. I’d already called a few companies anyway when I came up with the idea of road tripping. Id stumbled upon a perfect vehicle when I visited a place with an old Volkswagen camper van. Josh had talked about them before, and how much he loved them.

I already knew where I was renting from, so it made the task so much easier.

The week came and went. Josh became more and more comfortable with the idea of a road trip as the days passed. We purchased a few maps and planned our route together during quiet evenings on the couch. His excitement began to radiate as he talked about all the places he wanted to go. And of course he asked about my stops as well. Our compromise on one week immediately turned into the full month once he was fully on board with the idea. Josh and I settled on a few different bottles of alcohol to take, as well as snacks. We packed our bags according to the locations and the projected weather. Mostly shorts and tank tops. A few pairs of jeans and a sweatshirt or jacket in case of emergencies. A first aid kit was set out by our things, and a few blankets. Josh insisted on bringing his favorite pillow. Our pile was by no means big, considering the space we’d have to fit our things in, but we had certainly covered everything.

I thought we’d finished packing until I stepped out of the shower one night to see Josh sat on the floor by his nightstand, gently placing a camera into an old black bag I hadn’t seen in ages.

“You’re taking your camera?” I smiled, a laugh bubbling from my lips when he jolted at the sound of my voice.

“Uh.. yeah. I thought maybe it would be fun.. to film a little.”

“Oh yeah?” I prompted him to go on.

“I’ve always wanted to make a traveling documentary.” His cheeks flushed, embarrassed by the confession. But I found it endearing. If he hadn’t been so artistic and passionate, I never would have fallen as hard as I had.

“Only if I’m in it.” I teased, watching the way his eyes lit up.

“Of course.”

By Friday, Josh and I were practically sprinting out of the house to get to the rental company. He quizzed me the whole way there on the car I’d rented, but I didn’t let up until we got inside the building.

We spoke with the woman at the desk before we found a place to sit.

“What color is it?”

“White and blue.” I placed my hand on his knee, a gentle reminder to relax.

“Are you sure you got a good one?” He didn’t doubt me, he simply wanted to double check.

“I got the best one on the market.” I perked up at the sight of the man I spoke with when I visited, approaching with a pair of keys in his hand. I quickly stood, and Josh took it as a signal for himself to stand as well.

“Kiszka?” He asked, and we both nodded. “You two are going to love this piece of history. The company we bought it from spent quite a bit fixing it up to make it road safe and comfortable.”

“History?” Josh whispered in my direction. I grabbed his hand and squeezed it.

“It’s right outside. You can leave your car in the lot, and if you’d like to hand your keys over somebody will move it for you.”

“Thank you so much.” I held my free hand out to Josh, who fished his car keys from his pocket and rested them in my hand. I passed them to the man in an exchange for the van keys.

“Babe.” Josh whispered the moment the man turned to lead us outside.

“What’s up?” I asked, barely able to contain my smile.

“Can I see those?” I gave him the keys, allowing him to do his inspection, furthering his theories.

“No way-“ I had to assume Josh caught on the second he saw the logo on the key fob. “No fucking way.” I laughed quietly. The moment we got outside, Josh’s last theory became a reality. “Oh my god. It’s breathtaking.”

I released Josh’s hand to let him explore, giving a grateful nod to the man who stood by the front door. My lover looked nothing short of a kid in a candy store.

“If there’s any issue you encounter or if there’s information you need, you can give me a call. Ma’am you should have my number, and if you lose it, there’s always a backup in the car’s information package in the glovebox.”

“Thank you so much.” I flashed the man a smile. “We just have to get our things out of the car, then we’ll be out of your hair.” He nodded in understanding before turning to go back inside.

“Josh.” I caught his attention and tried to stifle my laughter when his wild expression caught my eyes. “Let’s go get our things.”

We decided to kick off our trip at Fall Creek State Park. It wasn’t a long drive, and it gave Josh and I a chance to get used to the van and all its glory. He loved it. Driving was a little different, the wheel turned a bit more stiffly, and the gear shift was a whole different style, but overall he adapted well. I sent a few pictures in the group chat with the band, most of which earned replies of excitement and playful jealousy. The three hour drive to the park was full of conversation. I’d never seen Josh so talkative, which said a lot. We stopped in between the second and third hour for dinner in an old diner, sharing quiet conversation over a stack of homemade pancakes and blueberry syrup. Then we got back on the road. Once we got to the park, it was a struggle to find a campground to settle in. The help of a ranger though, got us going in the right direction.

“I told you.” I pointed to the sign we’d passed a few minutes ago.

“You didn’t tell me shit.” Josh sassed with a playful grin.

“You better watch it.”

Josh pulled into the first empty lot, and we’d crawled out of the van with speed, pulling open the sliding door to step into the vehicle. It was a cramped space, and I had to shove Josh multiple times to get his backside out of my face, but we knew we wouldn’t be in it much other than sleep and driving. The space was sufficient for the things we’d need it for.

“We can’t change at the same time.” I informed him as I sat on the bed, watching his head turn to look at me.

“Sure we can!” I rolled my eyes when Josh pulled the door shut and tossed my bathing suit in my direction. “You just change there, and I’ll change here.” He gestured wildly to the small area, and I merely rolled my eyes at his persistence. I made sure the blinds in front of the windows were closed, and asked Josh to hold a blanket up between the back part of the vehicle and the windshield so nobody could see me. He was happy to do so. He was just as happy to stare at me while I changed too. But I let it slide.

Once I got my bathing suit on, I slid back into my shorts and t-shirt. Then Josh and I switched positions. I held the blanket while he changed into a pair of swim trunks, though I would say, I didn’t stare as much as he did. Only a little.

“Let me grab a few things to throw in a book bag, then I’ll be ready.” I informed him as he slid the van door open again. Josh gave a nod and snagged the strap of his camera bag to haul out with himself. It didn’t take me long to pack a bag. Two water bottles, a few bandages, a couple granola bars. I grabbed a towel too, stuffing that into the bag before I stepped out of the van, an immediate blush spreading across my cheeks when I caught sight of the camera in Josh’s hands.

“Josh.” I scolded in a whined tone, holding a hand up toward the lens, but I didn’t dare touch it.

“It’s okay, just smile. I want a couple pictures.” He was videoing, but I was none the wiser. So I gave in, lowering my hand and standing awkwardly for him. His smile was bright as day while his face lowered to look through the lens once again. “You look beautiful, hun.” He certainly knew how to make me open up. “Absolutely stunning.”

“Are you done yet?” I grew impatient and suspicious quickly, placing my hands on my hips.

“Yeah, yeah. Okay.” He waved a hand dismissively before finally lowering his camera, the item hanging from his neck by a brown leather strap embroidered with a white flower pattern.

“Can we go now? I wanna find those waterfalls.” I asked, hopeful to officially begin our trip.

“Yes, we can go.” Josh held his hand out, and I was swift to interlock our fingers. Work was long forgotten. Miles away back in the heart of Nashville. I had Josh all to myself.

We found a map of the walking trials and tourist spots. I helped Josh locate one of the beautiful waterfalls, and we spent some time trying to find the trail we were supposed to be on. Once we found it, our journey began.

Sometimes we shared a few words, but overall it was a quiet journey. A few stops were taken for photos, some I made Josh take, others he made me stop so he could take. We didn’t have to talk or pay much attention to one another to feel together. Doing this side by side was enough. I was certain Josh was at peace. Feeling a type of serenity he hadn’t felt in a long time. His silence was as comforting as it was off putting. I wondered what he thought. What was going through his head.

“Do you have a paper?” His voice tore through the silence at one point, tentative and distracted. Clearly still enveloped in his thoughts.

“Other than the map? No.”

“Do you have a pen?”

“Yeah. We needed one to write on the map.”

“Can I have it?”

My brow furrowed in amusement, but I turned my back to Josh for him to get the pen nonetheless.

“Side pocket.” He looked in the right one first, inconvenienced to find it wasn’t there. He quickly pulled the pen from the left pocket before unzipping the bag and grabbing our map.

“Hold still.. okay?”

“What?” I craned my neck to peek over my shoulder.

“Just hold still, please. I need to write something.”

“Okay.” I tapped my feet a few times, glancing down at the dirt while I waited for him. When the pen stopped against my back, and I heard it click, I finally turned toward him. Josh had to stretch over me to stick the map back into the book bag, flashing me a quick and lighthearted glare. I chuckled and turned back around so he could zip the bag.

“Can I know what that was?”

“Not yet.”

“Don’t make me wait years.” I groaned dramatically. Josh slipped his hand back into my own and gave a gentle tug to get me walking again. I fell into step beside him.

“You’ll be the first to hear whatever it is I’ve come up with. Okay? I promise.”

“You said that the last time.” I gently swung our hands between us.

“Well.. I mean it this time.”

“Mhm,” I smirked, glancing at him to catch the smirk on his lips.

“Can you at least tell me what’s on your mind then? Clue me in a little.” I bumped my shoulder against his own. Josh’s silence after such a question was normal. He liked to formulate his sentences in his mind before he spoke. At least when it was meaningful. When it wasn’t meaningful, he never gave a single thought to the words that came out of his mouth.

“How beautiful it all is.”

“The forest?”

“Creation.”

I should have known it was deeper than just the surface level things.

“As in.. the entire world?”

“No.” He didn’t elaborate, but I caught on.

Creation as in, the biblical creation. The creation that took seven days. Six if you don’t count the day God rested. The creation that quite literally marked the beginning of the universe.

The creation Josh wasn’t even sure he believed in.

“Somebody made it.” He paused. “Or something made it.”

His family had been raised religious. And while Josh always struggled between believing in the existence of a god or not, he did believe in something. He just didn’t know what.

“Everything has a purpose, you know?” Josh’s eyes fell to the ground. “It all fits together so perfectly. Every thing assists some other thing when it comes to living. It really hits you when you’re in the middle of it all. They used to tell us in Sunday school, that God made everything with a purpose. Sure as hell, everything has a purpose.. it’s just.. you know, there’s no real physical proof of anything.” He glanced at me, and I gave a nod for him to continue.

“There’s never an answer for any of it. You don’t know where it comes from, and even scientists can’t tell you for sure how each atom came together. I’d love to know how something so beautiful came into existence. It’s not fair we don’t get to know everything.” I chuckled softly at the almost childish expression.

“If you knew everything, you’d be unstoppable, rockstar.” I couldn’t stop him from thinking, nor did I want to, but I could try to bring him back from the existential cliff he stood on the edge of.

“Maybe.” Josh delved back into his thoughts at the end of our conversation, eyes trailing back to the forest around us.

I was thankful Josh had as much time on stage as he did, running about and simply being on his feet for hours at a time. He was certainly fit, but his short legs did him no favors when it came to physical activity. So to have the extra strength, it certainly helped. The hour walk went by fairly well, other than the occasional whine about his feet being sore or a groan about his back. Mostly just for attention.

When we came through the clearing in the forest, Josh and I finally came face to face with the beautiful waterfall we’d been on the search for.

“I’m so hot.” I mumbled, the sight of a body of water quickly making me realize my own temperature. I dropped our book bag by a tree and stripped out of my shirt and shorts, tossing both articles haphazardly into the grass before I took off toward the water. I heard Josh’s giggly laughter behind me. “Josh!” I called for him, a shiver wracking my spine the moment my feet hit the water and the droplets splashed up my body.

“I’m coming!” The water slowed my steps the deeper I got, and eventually my feet got caught so deep that I had to stop. I turned just in time to spot Josh running full speed ahead into the body of water, picking his knees up higher as it got deeper. A gasp escaped my lips the moment his body jerked forward, tumbling right beneath the water with a wild yell that sounded incredibly similar to any yell he’s ever let out for an album. I knew before he even surfaced that he had a mouth full of water. Josh’s once wild hair was completely soaked. His head whipped out from beneath the water along with most of his upper body, a scrape on one of his shoulders and one along the left side of his chest. He coughed and coughed, and my concern quickly dissipated. If he could cough he could breathe. He’d be fine.

“This is why we don’t run like idiots into shallow bodies of water.” I scolded as I leaned forward, brushing my fingers along the scrape on his shoulder. I tried my hardest not to laugh. Josh flashed me a distasteful glare and flinched away from my touch. His frown, no matter how real, couldn’t last long. His eyes met my own, and in a flash his lips turned upward in a smile to match my own. Though mischief was masked in his gaze. In my own, pure love and adoration.

That damned camera was recording again. Somewhere set up in the clearing. I caught one glimpse of it when Josh jumped upright and wrapped his arms around my midsection, lifting me up and promptly dropping me right into the water. I tensed in anticipation, prepared to scrape my own body on something, but no pain ever came other than a slight pressure when my back rested against a few rocks. I came up gasping for air, teetering on my feet and moving my hair out of my face. I caught my breath before I shoved Josh’s chest.

“You ass!” I yelled. He laughed.

“Let’s do it again!” His arms reached for me once again, but I immediately backed away.

“No!” His jovial giggles were contagious. The lighthearted nature of the entire ordeal had me laughing along with him. We looked like kids. We felt like kids. Josh always knew how to make anybody feel young.

“Josh I’m soaking wet!” I shouted through laughter as I tried to keep away from him. Though it became harder to move as he backed me deeper into the little lake.

“I am too! Just come here!” He reached for me again, but I swatted his hand away. Josh let out a rather pathetic gasp, cradling his hand to his chest in a flash.

“That didn’t hurt.” I immediately glared at him. But he merely responded with wide sad eyes and a pouting lip. “Josh, fuck off. That didn’t hurt.” I scolded him for his antics. We both knew that if he kept it up long enough, I’d give in. “Joshua.” I glared. He sniffed. I glared harder. “I swear to god, if you start crying in the middle of this place I’m gonna abandon you here.” I’d never dream of it, but we both had a rather aggressive sense of humor. Josh knew I didn’t mean it either, because the second I gave him the idea, he started acting like he was tearing up, drawing in a deep breath and readying for a long wail. Curse his family for supporting his theatre kid dreams. Since when did the the oldest children become so needy for attention?

“Okay! Okay!” I swiftly waded through the water to get to him, forcing my hand over his mouth, dangerously close to being a second too late. Josh’s arms immediately wrapped around me. I tensed, but relaxed when his hands rested on my back. A cheeky grin on his lips.

“That’s all I needed.” He confessed, content to stand there with the sun beating off our backs, wet and chilled, looking like a pair of rats. I rested my hands on his shoulders.

“You stress me out sometimes.�� I teased with a quiet laugh somewhere between a sigh and a groan.

“But you love me.” He clarified. I had no choice but to agree with a nod. “May I have a kiss?” He asked, feigning a posh accent.

“You may.” I granted with a curt nod, gasping when he leaned forward and dipped me, the initial shock making my muscles tighten. Then our lips locked. I moaned in delight at the feeling, eyes closed while my hands struggled for a mere moment to slip around Josh’s shoulders. Every kiss with Josh was meaningful, but I saved the word passionate for the ones that felt truly magical. The kisses that made sparks fly. Kisses like these. He pulled away first, careful to help me up onto my feet before he pulled me by my sides into his chest.

“Will you take a few pictures underneath the waterfall for me?” He dipped a finger beneath one of the straps of my swimsuit top. Innocent, but fidgety.

“Yeah, of course. Anything for our documentary.”

“Our?” Josh acted outraged, pulling back with a bewildered look.

“If I’m your star, then yeah, it’s ours.”

“Fine. We split the credit 60/40.” He held his hand out to me.

“50/50 or you can find another star.” I argued. Josh pretended to consider it before he gave in.

“Fine.” We shook hands before trekking out of the water together. I fished the towel from our book bag and helped Josh dry off before he grabbed his camera. Ending the video I was oblivious to him taking.

“Come on.” Josh surprised me by grabbing ahold of my hand, pulling me in the direction of the water fall before I had even dropped the towel. I had to leave it in the grass a few feet from our bag, but with nobody around I assumed it would be fine. He guided me down into the water behind the water fall, holding onto my hand until I was off the slippery rocks.

“I just want a few of you behind the water.” He said, walking a little ways away, occasionally checking the lens to see what the camera would capture. Each area he wrinkled his nose at, until he stepped down into the water and found what he was looking for. What that was, I didn’t know. He gave me a thumbs up and told me to pose. I wasn’t sure what that meant, but I’d been a teenage girl once, so I recalled the old dramatic bathroom photo shoots and mirror selfies, and pulled a few poses out of the old memories.

“Can you cross your wrists above your head?” I raised my brow at Josh’s words, but did so nonetheless. “Stand sideways and arch your back.” I couldn’t help but chuckle as I did so. I felt silly. “Look up.” He paused. “Beautiful.” He complimented, per usual, before taking a few more pictures. “Look over at me.” I turned my head to look at Josh.

“My back is starting to hurt, twinkletones.” I called, just barely hearing the faint click of a few photos being snapped.

“Twinkletones.” Josh laughed. “I like that one.” His head finally lifted. “I’m good now.” He stepped out of the water and came to my aid, pulling me out with a delighted expression. Josh loved music. He loved performing. But there was always a look on his face I could never describe when he was behind a camera. It was his first true love. His first dream before everything else.

“What’s next?” I asked, resting my hand on his shoulder as I stepped up the bank and onto the dry grass.

“I don’t know.. what time is it?” I checked my watch when he asked.

“Seven thirty.”

“The sun sets soon. We can go back to the van? Try to catch it before we shut in for the night?”

“That sounds like a wonderful idea.” I slid my hand into his own as we walked back to our things, grabbing the towel on the way. Josh helped me pack our bag once again, and he slipped his shirt on after.

“We’ll wash off those scrapes too.” I made note of it, and he nodded in understanding.

The walk back to the campground was full of more conversation. Josh showed me the photos he took, and though I insisted he show me the videos, he refused, saying he’d show me when he had the ‘film’ all put together.

“Water?” Josh asked near the end of the trail. I slipped the book bag off my back and unzipped it, retrieving our waters. I passed one to him and asked him to zip the bag for me. “Yeah I got it.” Josh had mumbled before sealing the bag. With the van just in sight, we had stopped to take a few sips of water. I took note of the frizz in his half dried hair, a holy mess I knew I’d have to get used to during the month we’d be out. After we closed the distance between ourselves and the van, Josh dropped down by the sliding door of the vehicle, a long sigh tumbling from his lips as his head fell back against the siding door. I laughed, gently nudging his thigh with my foot as a signal for him to move over. As he did, I slid the door open. I dropped the book bag on the floor and stepped in to gather something for us to sleep in.

“What do you wanna wear?” I called, met with silence. “Josh?” Nothing. I swiftly turned and peeked out of the vehicle. I wasn’t sure if he wasn’t listening, or if he was asleep, but his eyes were closed. I crouched down and leaned forward to pinch his shoulder.

“Ow. Fuck- what?” His eyes quickly opened, looking up at me in irritation. I chuckled.

“What do you wanna sleep in?”

“Got my sweatpants?”

“If you packed them.” I answered swiftly. His expression shifted into consideration, uncertainty, then annoyance again. He slowly stood up, groaning all the while. I slipped back into the van and sat down on the bed, making space for Josh to go through his own bag while I rested my own legs.

“Got ‘em.” He held them up triumphantly, almost slamming his fist against the top of the van.

“Perfect.” I leaned forward to grab the clothes I’d laid out on the small countertop. One of Josh’s t-shirts and a pair of silk shorts. Josh shut the van door and reached for the blanket again. He considered holding it up before he lost interest in the idea, opting out for a new one. He draped the blanket over the headrests of the van, concealing us from the windshield and front window view. There was only a sliver of light coming through, and if one looked in, all they’d see was the tops of our heads.

“Come over.” I patted the empty space on the bed, and Josh quickly sat down next to me. He leaned into my side, sliding his shoulder past my own in such a slow fashion that I knew he was testing the waters. Trying to get away with laying down. “Not yet, troublemaker.” I laughed, pushing him upright. “Pull your shirt off.”

“For sex purposes… or?” I slapped his shoulder.

“For the scrapes on you. Behave.”

“Fine.” He pulled his shirt off and tossed it onto the floor. I began to change while he slipped his shorts off and got into his sweatpants. Once we were both re-dressed, I moved Josh to the floor of the van and opened one of the cupboards below the counter. I grabbed a washcloth and the bottle of hand soap we had, using one of the bottles of water to wet the cloth.

“Tomorrow morning we are finding a place to shower.” I spoke as I prepped the cloth.

“You think there’s shower-houses around here?”

“Probably.” I answered as I put a few pumps of the soap on the cloth, lathering it before I carefully pressed the cloth to his shoulder. I let him hiss through the initial burn before I gently rubbed the raw skin. “But the sun will have set by the time we even find them and that’s not safe.” Like the many true crime documentaries and podcasts we listened to.

“That makes sense.” Josh watched as I worked, using the dry half of the towel to wipe the water and soap from his shoulder before I repeated the process with the scrape on his chest.

“Thanks, beautiful.” Josh whispered as I dried the last scrape, tossing the towel into the sink while I put the soap back.

“Anytime, songbird.” I pushed his frizzy curls back from his forehead, laughing softly at the state of his hair.

“If we open the windows we can catch the sunset from the bed.” Josh slowly stood, walking maybe two steps before he collapsed into the surprisingly comfortable mattress. He reached upward to open the blinds opposite of the pillows. A perfect view.

“I can’t believe I ever ripped on van life.” I whispered as I followed him into bed. I waited for Josh to get properly situated before I laid down beside him.

“I can’t believe you had to talk me into this.”

“You seemed like you needed it. And I know road tripping is something you’ve always been interested in.”

“I couldn’t be happier right now. With you, and this beautiful van, and the wilderness. And I get to capture it all on camera.”

“You should teach me how to take some of those beautiful photos sometime.” If it meant getting a glimpse into his creative world, I would have loved to learn. I shimmied into Josh’s side, resting my head on his chest. I pressed a kiss to his skin, enjoying the warmth he radiated.

“I’d be delighted to.” He shifted his upper body away from my own only for a moment, moving his arm up to wrap beneath my shoulders, pulling me further into his body. I rolled onto my side and draped a leg over his own, placing my head on his chest again.

“How about a normal one though?” I suggested, glancing back toward the counter to grab my phone. I had to stretch to reach it, but once I had it, I opened the camera and raised the device above us. “Smile, J.” I spoke in a sing-song tone, laughing at the over exaggerated smile he gave me. I snapped a few photos with the flash unexpectedly on, but I had no interest in taking more. They didn’t need to look good, I simply wanted a few.

“Oh, oh,” Josh reached for my phone. I quickly handed it over. “Let’s get one of the sunset.” He turned the phone sideways and flipped the camera around. How he found the straightest angle, I’d never know, but he snapped a few photos and looked through them all before handing the phone back. “Okay.. now we can relax.” I set my phone on the mattress beside us.

“Thanks for your permission, sarge.” I teased softly, relishing in the way his chest rose and fell with his sporadic laughter. As the silence settled, I closed my eyes. It had been a great first day. An easygoing one, but a perfect opener to a month full of travel and sightseeing.

“I can’t wait to see the world with you.” I whispered as I rested a hand on his chest by my head. I felt his own hand come down on top of my own.

“The whole month is ours, baby.” I smiled, comforted by the feeling of his lips pressing a kiss to my head.

The whole month was ours.

#danny wagner #greta van fic #greta van fleet #greta van fluff #jake kiszka #josh kiszka #greta van angst #josh kiszka x reader #sam kiszka #josh kiszka fic #the van’s named daisy series

[jobesbabe]

Summer Baby / Dominik Szoboszlai

dominik szoboszlai x reader PART 1

It’s July, 2024. A few of the Liverpool boys are looking for a getaway before and between the summer series and stumble upon your mom’s vacation home in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. There, they spend their time enjoying the sun and one in particular, enjoying the company. You find yourself falling for a charming Hungarian- Domi.

Part 1- vacation spot

warnings- none in this first part

a/n- thinking of making this a series and being more active 🫡 also, lets pretend theres not like the EUROS 😭 Let my story work 😭😭

The whole thing was Harvey’s idea. He wanted the team to have a getaway. Those without kids and wives he wanted to rope into his beach trip.

“Cmonnn’” Harvey said to Trent and Dominik, “This will be fun, you know. We need to relax for a few minutes instead of always being go, go, go!”

After letting the twenty-one year old rant for a few minutes, Trent sighed.

“I don’t think it’s happenin’ for me at least. I got summer plans. Maybe try the youngsters?” He said to Harvey who looked at Dominik with hope.

Dominik shook his head in return, showing Harvey he was on his own with this one. Harvey slapped his knee, and blurted out to nobody in particular,

“I’m booking it anyway!”

Two weeks later, he had convinced Caoimhin, Conor and Bobby, along with Curtis.

Harvey just about had his car packed for the airport when his phone rang. The name ‘Dominik Szoboszlai’ lit up the screen and forced Harvey to think about work on his first day to himself.

“Ya, whats up man,” Harvey groaned into his phone.

“Have you gone to America yet?” Dominik’s voice sounded firm on the phone.

“No, I’m just about on my way though, plane leaves in 3 hours.”

“Got room for one more?” The Hungarian asked.

“I- Uh, Always.” Harvey said to the man.

And Hours later they were at your front doorstep.

Your mother never shared the renter’s information with you, but even if she had, you would not be prepared for what you opened the door to.

You had been a Liverpool fan since childhood, but she never got into it as much as you did and always got the players confused. Her most recent one was Virgil van Dijk. Though he had been playing for years, she always got him confused with a newer signing like Szoboszlai or Gravenberch. She wasn’t great with names, so the name Harvey Elliott was just like John Smith or Jane Doe.

When the renters knocked at your door you rushed to greet them as you always did when your mother was out.

“I’m so sorry, I’ll be there in a second!” You shouted from in the house when they knocked a second time.

You opened the door to Harvey Elliott and his ragtag group of Liverpool players.

“I- Uh- what? Harvey Elliott?” You asked, confused and starstruck, but mostly confused. “Yep that’s me, I’m Harvey and this is-”

You interrupted him. “Curtis Jones, Bobby Clark, Caoimhin Kelleher and Conor Bradley.”

Your wide eyed expression was met with a warm smile.

“Lads, she’s a fan.” Harvey said, earning a nod from Bobby and a chuckle from Caoimhin.

“Yeah, I am. Sorry,” You apologized but you weren’t sure what for. recognizing him? interrupting him?

“What’re you sorry for? It’s nice to know the ladies in America know who I am,” Curtis said in his scouse accent.

That comment earned a chuckle from the five of you and you noticed another man at one of the two Jeeps you assumed the rented.

“Is that, Szoboszlai?” You asked rhetorically. The perfect hair and tattoos belonged to only one player on the squad and you knew without a doubt.

Harvey chuckled.

“May we come in?” He asked.

You opened the door and asked if they needed any help with any luggage or things of that matter.

when they said they were all set, You brought them to the kitchen and showed them their keys.

“The beach house has a few doors, so you’ll each have a set of 3 keys,” You said to your captive audience of six football players.

“Red is for the front door, daisies is for the back door and green is for the car park. They have initials on them if you forget.”

You glanced up, meeting Dominik’s eyes as he licked his top lip and then smiled. You blushed and turned away from him embarrassed. He chuckled to himself and hoped nobody would notice.

“Thank you for the keys, now, can we have a tour?” The flirty Hungarian asked you and you shook your head yes.

“What kind of a host would I be if I said no,” you replied smacking your hand against your chest in a playful way. The boys laughed and followed you as you led them to the living rooms and family room.

“This is where most watch movies and hang out after a long beach day.” You said and Conor sunk into the couch with a sigh.

“C’mon. The tours not done yet Mr.Bradley!” Harvey mocked him.

Curtis smacked the top of Conor’s head urging him to get up.

“Alright! Im up!” Conor sighed, getting up.

You showed them the bathrooms and the rest of the house until you got to the long hallway where they would be staying.

“Here’s the bedrooms, take your pick,” you said to them.

Being just big little boys, 5 out of the 6 of them ran to find the biggest room.

Dominik stayed behind and looked at you. You returned his longing look with a smile.

“What’s on your mind Szoboszlai?” you asked.

He let out a ‘hm’.

“Can you show me the beach. I want to go outside by the beach,” He said in his charming Hungarian accent.

“Of course.” You said.

You guided him out the back door and to the porch steps that led straight on to your portion of the beach.

“Here she is, the beautiful sea.” You said.

A smile appeared on Dominik’s face.

“Will you walk with me, so I wont get lost?” He asked, sheepishly, like he was embarrassed to ask.

You nodded and walked with him, making simple conversation, asking about Liverpool, his experiences there and how he was. He asked about you, noting your favorite seashells by the fact that you stopped to pick them up and shove them in the pockets of your shorts before jogging to catch up with him. The fourth or fifth time a Olive shell appeared, He stopped himself, picked it up, and placed it in your hand.

“Thank you,” You said looking up to meet his eyes.

He smiled his million dollar smile. “you’re welcome.”

As you returned to the beach house, you giggled.

“What?” Dominik asked confused and grinning.

“Nothing,” You smiled noticing his hair was no longer as proper as he usually had it. It was fluffy and curly from the beach air and you loved the way it looked. “You have beach hair. It looks good Szoboszlai,” You said.

“You can call me Domi,” He said.

Caoimhin and Curtis looked out the window of the living room to see the two of you having fun on the beach and chuckled.

“Domi, your hair looks good.” You repeated, in a flirty tone.

“Thank you,” He smiled.

and all of a sudden, you were enamored.

a/n- AHHH i hope this is good. Im gonna make a pt 2 if this gets some likes/comments/ reposts. Also Anon requests back on!! pls request

#footballer x reader #footballer imagine #football #dominik szoboszlai #szoboszlai dominik #dominik szoboszlai x reader

[themculibrary]

Daniel Sousa/Daisy Johnson Masterlist

all we do is drive. (ao3) - romantashas M, 30k

Summary: Daisy has missed the open road. She used to always love taking her van out and just driving. Los Angeles was where she liked to stick around, but she would always go on these road trips just because she wanted to explore somewhere new.

She's always liked running away from things.

It was different, having someone with her.

-

In which Daisy Johnson helps Daniel Sousa explore the modern world by taking him on a cross-country road trip in a van. Post-Finale road trip AU with MCU tie-ins.

A Miracle Starts With a Beat of a Heart (ao3) - samanthaswishes T, 202k

Summary: The team's trip to space and the almost end of the world changed their lives in more ways than they could count. However, no one expected the change that was going to happen in Daisy's life. What if Kasius had planned on using Daisy to breed more inhumans? The team comes together to help her while Daisy finds a new kind of love. One she never could have imagined happening, but turned out to be a miracle.

Takes place from post-season 5/pre-season 6 to post-series finale.

A Week After Death (ao3) - manoutoftimeandquake T, 15k

Summary: An explosion in an alien junkyard sends Daisy, Sousa and Kora back in time to meet some people from Sousa's past.

Edge of Tonight (ao3) - Letmebecomeataboo G, 38k

Summary:  1946, New York City

Daniel Sousa is an agent, working for the SSR in New York. When the search for wanted fugitive Howard Stark comes to a stand still, a new agent named Daisy Johnson is sent from the Los Angeles office to help. Now, on top of trying to figure out where Stark is, Daniel suddenly has to fight with his feelings for the mysterious and beautiful new agent.

Field Test (ao3) - Luckyfishy E, 7k

Summary: After 7X09 in the Lighthouse but before all hell breaks loose so before the events of 7x10. Daisy and Sousa get in a workout but also work each other up ... leading to the inevitable smutty goodness.

One Year Later (ao3) - marvelsquake T, 64k

Summary: Set right after the series finale's 'one year later' part where Daisy stares into space with Sousa and Kora.

Inspired by the 'anatomy analysis' bit Jemma says to Daisy.

Orchestrating History (ao3) - TheSovereigntyofReality G, 11k

Summary: In 1955, Daniel Sousa allegedly died at HYDRA's hands and became the first fallen S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent.

In truth, Coulson's team saved him and faked his death.

Due to S.H.I.E.L.D.'s policy with enhanced, they may come to regret that decision.

Reclaim (ao3) - StillTryingToWrite T, 232k

Summary: It is an instinctual reaction, at this point, wanting them to like her, to want her. It is the same feeling she used to get when she was younger, before she knew better. So if she shows the parts of herself she thinks they will like and keeps the rest buried, it is just easier for everyone that way. But she tries not to think about any of this yet. For now, she just gazes out the window, and enjoys the view, looking out at her future adventures.

-Daisy’s story following the course of the entire series. A collection of missing scenes during and between episodes, flashbacks to pre-series, and Daisy’s perspective on canon events.

religion's in your lips, the altar is my hips (ao3) - mssimmonsfitz E, 17k

Summary: Daisy and Daniel decide to...experiment.

stars that have people names (ao3) - rianparker (orphan_account) G, 1k

Summary: Stargazing isn't normally Daisy's idea of a fun date night, but there's no doubt in Daniel's mind she'll love it tonight.

Stay (ao3) - SteeleHoltingOn E, 150k

Summary: Not everyone knew she could feel heartbeats. Sousa’s sped up every time he looked her way.

His reaction wasn’t particularly unusual, and Daisy was an expert at fending off unwanted advances. But that was just it: Sousa hadn’t actually made any advances, and if he did, Daisy wasn’t sure she’d ward them off.

Her heartbeat, it seemed, liked to match tempo with his.

want you (to unravel me) (ao3) - IzzieBee M, 21k

Summary: Daisy never wanted to be rescued, by anyone. She never wanted to owe someone that debt, but especially not to a handsome WWII Vet, traveling through time. Daniel, who was brave and decent, and kind of funny, and who she could easily depend on, which was way too dangerous to consider.

OR

Daisy really wasn't ready for Daniel Sousa.

Where I Need To Be (ao3) - JennaGreen T, 180k

Summary: This is set from Episode 7x03 onwards and follows the story of Daisy Johnson and Daniel Sousa, and how their relationship has been developing throughout this amazing season of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.! This story mostly follows canon but is interspersed with missing moments between Daisy and Sousa that I imagine could have happened off-screen.

Your Heartbeat On The Highline(Once In Twenty Lifetimes) (ao3) - doctorsimmonswilson T, 40k

Summary: He’s a man out of time and she’s an orphaned superhero. They’ve just got to figure out what to do next, after the mission is over.

[aka Daisy and Daniel’s story post finale]

you've got that power (over me). (ao3) - romantashas M, 71k

Summary: "It's you," Daniel whispers. He's in awe, looking at Quake. She steps back away from him. "Let me help you," he says, reaching out toward her injured arm slowly.

Daniel only gets a moment more to admire her glowing eyes and her purple hair before she turns and runs away, her hand slipping out of his.

-

In which the superheroes of the Marvelverse actually try to keep their identities a secret and Daniel Sousa is determined to figure out who is behind the mysterious Quake mask. Superhero AU with MCU tie-ins.

#themuclibrary #mcu #marvel #masterlists #daniel sousa #daisy johnson #dousy #dousy masterlist #f/m

[theputterer]

Good Things In 2023

It’s that time of year again! Time to remember all the good things that happened in 2023. I’ve done this since 2017, and highly recommend doing this as a fun way to reflect (and to have something for future reference when you are feeling Down.)

woof ok here we go

PERSONAL

I visited two countries I haven't been to before: the Netherlands and Iceland!

The Netherlands: mostly Amsterdam but did also pop down to The Hague for a day. Did the Van Gogh Museum, the Anne Frank House, the Rijksmuseum, the Bloemenmarkt, a canal boat tour, the Royal Palace, the Mauritshuis.

Iceland: I was there for less than 48 hours but I saw THE NORTHERN LIGHTS!!!! they were subtler than I expected but so cool. also did the Perlan Museum and a Lava Show, which ruled.

Related: I turned 30 this year!

My dear friend Sam came to visit me in Dublin in June! The highlight of her visit was going with her to see Hozier at Malahide Castle.

Speaking of which, Hozier dropped UNREAL UNEARTH which isn't personal, per se, but is very personal to me

My sister visited me in November! We squeezed a lot in her time here, but highlights were Glendalough, the Hill of Tara, and the Galway Christmas Market.

A few aunts went on a trip to Ireland this fall and I joined them for a bit up in Donegal, as well as a day trip to Derry, which I'd not been to before.

Completely fucking forgot about this but I did write a 158k word long ROGUE ONE / FRINGE AU, ENDLESS FORMS MOST BEAUTIFUL. it was a real fuckin bitch to finish, let me tell you that

I got really into MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE over the summer (don't ask) and wrote a couple short pieces inspired by the most recent movie, DEAD RECKONING - PART ONE: LADY LAZARUS and WORTHY THE NAME OF SIR KNIGHT.

I jumped back on my bullshit in October and wrote a long, extended epilogue to my BINARY STAR SYSTEMS trilogy: TWO DESERTS. the way the series ended was always correct and good but it was fun to write this extended epilogue focusing on the fallout, the question of what it's like to live past the end of your myth.

Anything bolded below is something I particularly enjoyed and recommend. 

MOVIES

2023 movies I saw and liked:

M3GAN

KNOCK AT THE CABIN

65

BONO AND THE EDGE, A SORT OF HOMECOMING WITH DAVID LETTERMAN

DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS: HONOR AMONG THIEVES

RENFIELD

THREE MUSKETEERS: D'ARTAGNAN

JOHN MULANEY: BABY J

SISU

THE LITTLE MERMAID

SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER VERSE

ASTEROID CITY

INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE: DEAD RECKONING - PART ONE

BARBIE

OPPENHEIMER

PAST LIVES

ELEMENTAL

A HAUNTING IN VENICE

CHEVALIER

KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON

BOTTOMS

THE ROYAL HOTEL

DREAM SCENARIO

ANATOMY OF A FALL

THE HUNGER GAMES: THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS AND SNAKES

EILEEN

NAPOLEON

GODZILLA MINUS ONE

FERRARI

2022 movies I saw and liked:

TAR

THE LOST CITY

WOMEN TALKING

TV

THE LAST OF US

PEAKY BLINDERS

BOOKS

super embarrassing how few books I read this year:

"Survival of the Richest: Escape Fantasies of the Tech Billionaires" by Douglas Rushkoff

"Donegal Folk Tales" by Joe Brennan

"Listen to the Land Speak: A Journey into the Wisdom of What Lies Beneath Us" by Manchan Magan

"Hell Bent" by Leigh Bardugo

"The Book of M" by Peng Shepherd

"The World We Make" by NK Jemisin

"The Echo Wife" by Sarah Gailey

"Daisy Jones and the Six" by Taylor Jenkins Reid

"White Cat, Black Dog: Stories" by Kelly Link

"Yellowface" by RF Kuang

"Ithaca" by Claire North

"Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI" by David Grann

"A Heart That Works" by Rob Delaney

"Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier

"The Crying Book" by Heather Christie

"In the Dream House" by Carmen Maria Machado

"Rogues: True Stories of Grifters, Killers, Rebels, and Crooks" by Patrick Radden Keefe

"Fleabag" by Phoebe Waller-Bridge

"The Hurricane Wars" by Thea Guanzon

OTHER GOOD THINGS

*some of these things are Good as in well-written or well-made, but maybe not Good in topic.

"Eurydice" by Adrienne Su

"What Happens to a School Shooter's Sister?" by Jennifer Gonnerman for The New Yorker. A high school student murders his parents and several students at his school, and his sister is left to pick up the pieces. really powerful story on unconditional love.

"A Friend Died, Her Novel Unfinished. Could I Realize Her Vision?" by Leslie Jamison for The New Yorker. the grief of losing not only a dear friend but her art as well.

"Fuck you, I don't know?"

Werner Herzog pronounces Eeyore.

George Washington's Dream for America, an SNL sketch.

Judi Dench performs Shakespeare.

"Walking Brittany Home" by Devin Faraci for Washington Post. a really beautiful piece on death and love.

This thread on the struggle of trying to be fashionable in Ireland.

"The Return of the Marriage Plot: Why everyone is so eager for men and women to get hitched" by Rebecca Traister for The Cut.

"We Were Never Supposed to See Our Own Faces This Much" by Lola Christina Alao for Dazed Digital. on social media and personal reflection.

sunwoof

this story about Jimmy Buffett I loved

"She Wasn't Able to Get an Abortion. Now She's A Mom. Soon She'll Start Seventh Grade" by Charlotte Alter for Time. the cruelty is the point.

had a pilot named Ken yesterday and he introduced himself by saying his job is plane

"Cillian Murphy might be the star of a massive movie atm but to me he will always be the guy that showed up in the rain to our abortion rights marches"

"The 'Troubling Reverberations' at the End of OPPENHEIMER, Explained" by Bilge Ebiri for Vulture. it's an absolutely devastating ending, but the fact remains: there was no other way to end it.

this obituary for the great Sinéad O'Connor.

Kiké Hernandez returned to the Dodgers!

this behind the scenes video from the filming of MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE: DEAD RECKONING - PART ONE where Tom Cruise's co-stars watch him drive a motorcycle off a cliff.

"How Christopher Nolan Learned to Stop Worrying and Love AI" by Maria Streshinsky for Wired. good interview with Nolan, one of my favorite filmmakers / artists. (anyone who's ever read anything I've written is probably like yes, this is very obvious.)

"The Perils and Promises of Penis-Enlargement Surgery" by Ava Kofman for The New Yorker. an absolutely BONKERS but super important piece!

a new ending to RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, lmao

"The Return of Ryan Gosling" by Zach Baron for GQ. really great profile writing going on here!

"LOST Illusions: The Untold Story of the Hit Show's Poisonous Culture" by Maureen Ryan for Vanity Fair. LOST is one of my favorite shows and has been super influential on my work. (again, this is probably very obvious). this piece is devastating in how it reveals the terrible racism and sexism behind the scenes of a show I have loved. important.

Henry Kissinger died this year (GOOD THINGS BABYYY) and this piece by Nick Turse, which came out in May, is a good explainer on why that's such good news: "Kissinger's Killing Fields".

"Talking With 'Swiftie Dads' at a Taylor Swift Concert" by Eileen Cartter for GQ. I thought this was very sweet.

The New York Times had an interactive feature about Connie Chung and her impact on young Chinese-American women, particularly the ones named after her. I love this video of her meeting some of them.

"Will A.I. Become the New McKinsey?" by Ted Chiang for The New Yorker. Chiang is best known as the writer of STORY OF YOUR LIFE which was adapted into ARRIVAL, so it's wise to listen to him when it comes to tech and science.

Loved this speech Mark Hamill gave about Carrie Fisher at her Hollywood Walk of Fame induction ceremony.

Accents white people can still do.

this absolutely incredible slapstick esque unintentional comedy scene.

As always, tagging anyone who’d like to do this!

@magalis @callioope @earnestfeeling @illuminahsti @fortysevenswrites @vaderkat @leaiorganas @garethsedwards @rifle-yes @buffyrat @alittlemomentum @i-am-slain @rogue-rook

#personal #about me #good things

[falloutcaldera]

“Welcome to the neighborhood!”

Fallout: Caldera is a theoretical post-apocalyptic role-playing fan game inspired by & expanding upon the setting associated with Obsidian Entertainment and published by Bethesda Softworks. While Caldera is neither a direct sequel nor prequel to any of the games, it references many of the events surrounding the era, including cut or outright canceled content & concepts. While the theoretical game would likely make use of a modified Fallout 4 or Fallout 76 engine, its overall tone & themes would likely be more typical of Fallout: New Vegas or earlier titles. The theoretical game is set primarily in a post-apocalyptic Montana, specifically Yellowstone National Park, a Postgame ‘Add-on’ facility, and The Grand Teton 'Add-on' Area.

Setting

The game takes place in 2256, 179 years after the Great War. The events of Fallout: Caldera occur 154 years after Fallout: 76, 95 years after Fallout 1, 59 years after Fallout: Tactics, 48 years after Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel, 15 years after Fallout 2, and 3 years after the canceled Van Buren, which it considers as semi-canon. 

This means it is also 21 years before the events of Fallout 3, 25 years before Fallout: New Vegas, and 31 years before Fallout: 4. Chronologically it is the fifth game in the series after Fallout 2 (though sixth if counting Van Buren).

The game takes place in The Caldera, which is composed of the former Grand Loop of Yellowstone National Park. Much of the main game takes place across various ‘Domesticons’ - planned condominium communities reliant on android ‘Securiunits’ to keep them safe & maintained, along with various campground-based shanty communities, ranger stations, and firewatch towers.

Famous local landmarks like the the Grand Prismatic Spring, Old Faithful Inn, and Fort Yellowstone are included in the game world, though Caldera takes a semi-’procedural’ approach akin to earlier games like Fallout 1 & Fallout 2 - with the majority of the actual mapping focusing on points of interest & landmarks while otherwise pulling from a series of random encounter map tiles designed to fit that area, such as Mountain, Forest, Lake, Road, Ect.

Story

The Homemaker, the player character, arrives in Yellowstone to join a new kind of planned community in Madison, a 'Domestic Condominium', or 'Domesticon', created by an expanding medical company called REGENT. After leaving their bus & interacting with various neighbors or protesters, they meet their assigned 'Securispouse' - a cutting-edge comfort & service android. 

Although the player can decide both the Homemaker & their Securispouses name, gender, and appearance, they are commonly referred to as 'Mx. Nazerov' & 'Daisy Belle' due to these being the names given as default both in-game & in expanded media. Fallout: Caldera briefly begins on October 23, 2077 (the day of the Great War), showing the player arriving at their new home and interacting with their Securispouse before being rushed inside as the bombs drop. After a series of events, they emerge after the Great War to a largely decrepit Madison Domesticon.

The story of Fallout: Caldera guides the player into its world, discovering a series of different factions with varying ideals & conflicts with others, albeit generally being introduced as paired groups.

These include the grungy and patch-job’d Outskirts, continuingly pushing-and-pulling with the large, pristine, and repressive Stepford Domesticon, whose citizens live in a perfect simulacrum of pre-war americana at cost of their sanity & deepening guilt while their Outskirts neighbors grow increasingly disruptive to their illusionary way of life.

Out in the campgrounds, a group of ghoulified tourists and their descendants now known as Caldera Runners chafe against the rules and regulations still-enforced by the Caldera’s Ranger Corps, having ample reason to utilize what many in the Ranger Corps think should be pristine wilderness and virgin pools.

Then there is the Ranger’s sister group, the Firemen, who have grown their own new brand of social structure thanks to the Caldera-strain Super Mutants withins constant fight against both the natural wildfires of the Caldera, and the arsonist tendencies of the flame-worshiping raider group known as the Char - who speak of great calamity, past sins, and strange visions from their psyker oracles and triad of ‘Sears’.

Meanwhile a group known as the Bison Riders has had the differences amongst their two subfactions come to nearly a head, with the Bison Ranchers summer lives differing so much from the Bison Nomads winter movings that both groups can barely recognize the other as the same. Though the player cannot change their minds on the subject, they might be able to influence their hearts. 

All the while, two groups connected-yet-disconnected from the rest of the Caldera are about to be forced to find where they stand, with the strange neolithic Mammoth Men reinventing the wheel when it comes to culture, and the Golden Eagles scouting out if they are fit to be part of everyone's life again properly or not.

Fallout: Caldera has four main endings, one for each reaction to the end event sequence, with variations regarding the choices made involving each of the ten distinct political factions, along with separate ending slides for Recruited Companions.

Add-Ons

REGENTs Crown is a post-game Add-On similar in concept to Fallout 3’s ‘Broken Steel’, split between a winterized post-ending Caldera and the REGENT Headquarters facility, which is designed as a Survival-Exploration-Horror Add-on with puzzle elements. 

Broken prototypes & creeping-flesh mutations roam the halls as you descend into the depths of the still-sealed ruins in an attempt to either reactivate or destroy the almost-eldritch AI construct below, guided by a production master-prototype ‘E.V.E.’ Securiunit named Earth.

Grand Teton is a (canonically post-game spring of 2257) anytime playable Add-on intended for high-level characters still in development, featuring new enemies, in-depth environmental hazards, and ambush gameplay.

#Fallout #Fallout Meta #Fallout AU #Fallout Fangame #Fallout Original Setting #Fallout Caldera #REGENT Files - Organization #meta #Writing #This is written with the tone of a wiki-page on purpose #There will be more posts talking about the gameplay changes we would make and the systems we want in play

[goldencherriess]

The one that got away || chapter four.

Pairing: Eddie Munson x Fem! Reader

Word count: 1.9k

Summary: She's his tutor, but he also teaches her something.

Warnings: angst if you squint, I guess? Some fluff and an Arctic Monkeys reference (can you spy it?) and Eddie Munson being totally in love

Previous part || Series masterlist

Y/N took a step back and analyzed her work. The freshly painted sunflowers and daisies shone on her locker, the smell of paint raising into the air.

"That's cute."

His voice didn't startle her. It brought her warmth and comfort. Just like his usual cigarette scent, even if she wasn't one to smoke.

She smirked and without meeting his eyes she replied. "You mean it suits me, right?"

"Now who's fishing for compliments?"

Y/N chuckled, finally turning to face him. His brown eyes bore into hers, a small smile playing on his lips. "Well, hello to you too."

Eddie let out a breathy chuckle. "Hi."

For awhile, neither of them said anything, the chattering on the hallway echoing around them. "Tutoring session tonight?" voiced Y/N eventually.

Eddie nodded, crossing his arms and leaning against the locker next to him. "I'm beginning to think you're actually enjoying this."

Her chest fluttered and she almost blushed. "Ah, you just keep me entertained."

His lips curled. "Happy to do it, sweetheart. I'll pick you up after school. My place this time."

And he was winking and leaving her all flustered in the middle of the hallway with her chest full of something she couldn't name.

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

"Nance, you know I love you, right?"

Usually, Nancy would reply with a "I know, I love you too" but the quivering smile on Y/N's face announced her that maybe this wasn't an actual best friends bonding moment, more of a "I need a favour" moment. She arched an eyebrow, but nodded nonetheless.

"And you love me, right?"

"Y/N, where's this coming from?" sighed Nancy.

A cringe painted Y/N's features. "I need a favour. Publish this anonymously for me. Please?" Her eyes rounded, harbouring a look of a lost puppy, as she handed the brunette a few pages of an article. "Pretty please?

Nancy read over the text, skipping parts, but stopping at others, arching an eyebrow. "Corroded Coffin is the perfect balance of a lost valentine and a new found passion, as their music transcends you into wild and undiscovered lands." she quoted. "Y/N, this is beautiful, but Corroded Coffin? Isn't that Eddie Munson's band?"

Y/N slowly nodded her head, not meeting Nancy's gaze. "It is. They're really talented, they just need a push in the right direction."

"And you want me to publish this review about them? I- how did you even listen to them? I thought you weren't a metal fan?"

"You're the journalist, you tell me." Y/N smirked.

Taken aback, Nancy's eyebrows pinched together. "What?"

"Nothing, nothing. Just do this one thing for me?"

Nancy sighed, letting a small smile take over her features. "Anything for you. But you owe me a movie marathon night! No more skipping, okay?"

Y/N grinned, hugging her tightly. "You got it."

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

It was safe to say that Eddie Munson was feeling the nerves. His legs bounced up and down and he was running his hands through his curls every two minutes. He sighed and looked at his watch. Ten more minutes until the last bell rang and classes ended. He skipped the last period, but can you blame him? History was one of the most boring subjects. Good thing he wasn't failing it. Or was he?

He puffed out and looked inside his van, wiping the board and cleaning the seats as much as he could. There were a few crumbs left from the cookies he just had.

Did Y/N like cookies? He had a feeling she liked raspberries. Or any kind of fruit, for that matter. She always smelled fruity, like summer. He only wanted to take a taste out of her strawberry lace.

He turned back around and he was met with her sweet, doe eyes. They were sparkling and he had to take a step back just so he could breath. He found some courage in himself and spoke up. "Tutor girl."

Her lipgloss shone when she smiled. "Eddie."

Eddie. Not Munson. Just Eddie.

He motioned her to the van, while doing a bow. Y/N shook her head but giggled. Music to his ears.

She was wearing a green skirt that rode up her thigh when she sat down. He turned his gaze away, gulping.

Eddie felt watched when he went around the van to the driver side, a pink dusting his cheeks. He thanked the God above that it was sunny and hot today. He could blame the weather for the blushes. He got inside, the van already smelling like summer. Like raspberries. Like her.

"Music?" he asked as usually, before driving away.

"You still ask? You can put Metallica on, if you want."

"Neah, I'm feeling Iron Maiden for a change."

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

Y/N had never been to the trailer park before then. It obviously stood out against the rest of Hawkins, houses on wheels scattered everywhere. But she liked it. It might not had been the most luxurious place you could live in, but it sure looked like the cosiest. And she liked cozy.

Eddie pulled in the driveway, in front of a rusty looking trailer. He was averting his gaze from her, clearing his throat. "This is, uh, my castle."

A small smile, that looked threateningly close to a smirk, curled itself on her lips. "Are you the prince?"

He almost choked on air, but played it off by chuckling. "Only if you're the princess."

"Nuh-uh, I'm a queen. See, you're wrong again."

"That's why I've got you to tutor me."

His eyes were smiling at her, soft and warm. Almost making her drown herself in them. She smiled and got out of the van, feeling giddy. Her red Converse scrapped the dirty road, leading her to his front door. Eddie ran up to her and opened the door, gesturing her inside. "Sorry for the, uh, mess."

"It's quite alright." she answered. Because it really was. Besides some chips bags, beer bottles and aimlessly thrown t-shirts, the whole place was clean. A smell of cigarettes lingered everywhere. Cigarettes and musk. That was definitely Eddie. "I like it" she concluded after doing a 360 degrees look around. "The mugs are really interesting" she added, smirking.

"Ah, those are my uncle's. I just have one mug. If I still have it."

"He sounds very sweet."

"He is." nodded Eddie.

"Just like his nephew?"

Eddie was sure he was blushing red. His whole face burnt and his chest contracted. He wanted to reply something charming, something that'll sweep her off of her feet, just like she did him. "Probably less annoying." he replied instead, going for the safest option. He was no charmer.

She simply smiled, following him to his bedroom.

If Y/N were to describe Eddie's room into one word, she would say that it was electric. Despite the crowdedness of it (way too many posters and records laying around), she found herself admiring the little details of it. The way his bed was mostly undone, but still looked inviting, the two books found in three different copies, an ashtray and the most eye catching thing of it all: an electric guitar. One she recognised instantly. "Oh, you played this one in that concert!"

Eddie's eyebrows hid under his bangs. "You still remember that?"

"I do. It was fun." she admitted, starry eyed. Her mind drifted off to the article she wrote. It was about to be published, the newspaper coming out in a few days and she wondered what would Eddie think of it.

He cleared his throat. "Want to try it out?"

Y/N met his gaze bewildered. "What?"

"The guitar. Want to try playing it?"

"Oh. I'd rather not. Me and music, we don't really get along. One's too daft to even sing, the other's too talented." She smiled sheepishly.

Eddie took a step closer to her. "I'd help you out."

She shook her head. "No, no, it's fine-"

But he was already taking the guitar off of the mirror and touching her hand, his skin alighting hers on fire. "C'mon, sit down."

His bed whined, just like hers did, the mattress almost swallowing her whole. His arm hugged her, bringing her closer as he handed her the guitar. "So, we'll start easy. Just some tunes."

"I thought I was the tutor."

"We learn from each other." And he was gently gliding her hand across the chords, pinching them slightly. A few notes encircled them in a gentle tune. "Lovely." stated Eddie in a soft voice.

Then her hand slipped and a sharp sound broke the serenity. "Sorry." she cringed. Eddie let out a small laugh. "It's fine. We're still learning."

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

Some record was playing in the corner of the room and Eddie was watching her pack up her things. Her skirt was flying around as she picked up her discarded Converse and books. "The final exam's in a month." she finally said.

Eddie didn't say anything, his gaze moving to his old carpet.

"I think you've been doing great." Y/N added, watching him carefully.

His face broke into a smile, lifting his eyes. "You really think so?"

She nodded her head. "Yeah, you're a fast learner. Can't understand why you haven't done it sooner. Studying, I mean."

"I just needed the right teacher." he winked. And to Eddie's disappointment, she rolled her eyes. "You don't need anyone to do anything. You're very much capable to do it by yourself. You're clever enough to do it. So, why didn't you?"

Eddie fell silent. Why didn't he do it? He couldn't say he didn't try. Because he did, this was his third attempt. Maybe it was because he wasn't ready to let go of Gareth and Jeff and Hellfire Club. Maybe, he wasn't ready to actually move on and become an adult. He shrugged, feigning nonchalance. "I don't know."

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

The ride to her home was quiet. There wasn't any music on, just the hum of the van and some far away crickets songs. Y/N was watching the stars through the window, hyperaware of the fleeting gazes Eddie was throwing at her very five minutes. "Do you believe we get reborn as stars in our next lives?" she asked, just so she could cut some of the tension.

Eddie briefly looked at her. "What?"

"The stars. Do you think they were someone before they were just some dust and light?"

This was the first time Eddie was being asked something of this heaviness and depth, the question pondering between them. Not even mrs. O'Donnell asked him these type of questions in English class. He was usually ignored or overly picked. No in-between. "Science wouldn't agree, would it?" he answered.

"Well, I'm no scientist. I'm just a writer." she replied, finally looking at him. The moon was caressing his cheeks in a silver glow. Stardust.

"And what do you believe as a writer?" Eddie replied, meeting her gaze for a moment.

"I think some stars get reborn on Earth too." she smiled softly.

"Like Ozzy Osbourne and Stevie Nicks?"

"Yeah, like them..." she replied evenly.

The van was slowly approaching her driveway, the red door being illuminated by some harsh light. "Thank you for the ride." said Y/N.

"Yeah, of course. Can't let you to roam around Hawkins at night. Who knows what could happen?"

"Who would be tutoring you then, right?" she laughed, a twinkle in her eye.

He laughed quietly, the air between crackling with something he couldn't figure out. His arm rested on the console between them. He shouldn't be doing it, but his fingers slowly inched toward hers, resting on them lazily. Her eyes travelled between them, at their laced fingers, his cold rings touching her skin in smooth kisses. She lifted her head and she was met with the most warm and softest gaze. He was just drinking her in, eyes sparkling and never wavering from hers. She swallowed thickly. "Goodnight, Eddie."

"G'night."

And then she was leaving, disappearing through the front, red door.

⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

A/N: well, this was interesting! I wanted them to bond over something more meaningful and deeper, hence the last two conversations they had. Please, let me know what you thought of it, any kind of feedback is highly appreciated :)

And if you'd like to be added to my main tag list or the series tag list, just send me an ask or comment under this chapter xx

Main tag list: @bohemianrhapsody86

Series tag list: @gnnnne @black-kitten-imagines @sarcasm-is-my-form-of-attack @m-rae23 @i-will-duckyou-up @navs-bhat

#eddie munson x female reader #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson #stranger things x reader #stranger things x fem!reader #stranger things #laura writes #masterlist #my writing

[ducklooney]

I posted 4,512 times in 2022

That's 447 more posts than 2021!

94 posts created (2%)

4,418 posts reblogged (98%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@klavande

@frc-ambaradan

@ducktoonsfanart

@jenkyblep-sketch-hoard

@you-big-palooka

I tagged 4,460 of my posts in 2022

Only 1% of my posts had no tags

#disney duckverse - 3,590 posts

#disney ducks - 1,947 posts

#duckverse - 1,842 posts

#donald duck - 1,682 posts

#comics - 1,648 posts

#disney duck comics - 1,588 posts

#disney comics - 1,579 posts

#good artwork - 1,391 posts

#disney duck - 1,377 posts

#nice - 1,233 posts

Longest Tag: 139 characters

#i think daisy is ok like phantom wing in mickey’s mixed up adventures but why official disney denies the existence of super daisy in comics

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Happy women Day! But with classic Disney characters.

Although it may be too late, I wish everyone a happy Women's Day, which is celebrated on March 8! 

Yes, this post will be aimed at all known and unknown female characters from the classic Disney universe (Mouseverse, Duckverse and Goofyverse) through various images (as I always post) through cartoons, movies, series, comics, various merchandise, video games and others things. It will be from famous and unknown characters and I apologize that this will be a longer post. Yes, there are no girls here, it is mostly intended for all female characters older than 18 years. I wish all women a happy Women's Day!

And you feel free, if you like some of those females, feel free to like and reblog this.

See the full post

118 notes - Posted March 9, 2022

#4

Happy 75th anniversary of Scrooge McDuck!

On November 14, 1947, a comic called Christmas on Bear Mountain was released and although it was a Christmas comic, Donald’s uncle named Scrooge McDuck will appear for the first time. At the beginning a big grumpy and bastard man, and at the end a happy man and an adventurer who only loves money. And yes, that comic was invented by Carl Barks, a genius comic artist and writer. Barks is also credited with creating the character Scrooge McDuck. So thanks Barks.

Scrooge was modeled on Ebenezer Scrooge in a Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens and was a real antagonist at first and cruel to his nephew Donald. However, he will later change and become a great legend not only for his great wealth, but also for his adventures, which he will later write about the making of the Indiana Jones movies. In addition, although he appeared as a forerunner in Donald’s classic propaganda short “The Spirit of ‘43” as Donald’s Good Spirit, he will have a real role in an educational classic short called “Scrooge McDuck and the Money” (1967), to become 20 years later the main character for the legendary Ducktales series (1987). 

Apart from Barks, there were other writers and artists who worked for Donald Duck comics. Especially Don Rosa, who wrote and drew, around his collector’s comic, related to Scrooge’s life “The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck”. Of course there are other authors who have worked a lot on Scrooge comics such as William Van Horn, Marco Rota, Romano Scarpa, Giovanni Carpi, Guido Martina, Giovanni Cavazano, Arild Mildthun, Kari Korhonen and others. 

Of course, Scrooge McDuck will also appear in other cartoons, comics, video games and other Disney franchises. He becomes the first richest duck in the world, having over a trillion dollars and becoming a hilarious legend and thus together with Donald and Daffy Duck, he becomes one of the most famous and best fictional duck characters ever. 

Now there are pictures of the richest duck in the world, together with his friends and enemies and his family from the beginning until today, in its various versions. And sorry that this is going to be a long post and that not everyone will be able to stop at this post.

Yes, much of it is copy-pasted from my Scrooge post from last year which you can see here: https://ducklooney.tumblr.com/post/671249232279355393/happy-late-birthday-scrooge-mcduck

If you like the richest character in the world, feel free to like and reblog this! Happy birthday to you, Scrooge McDuck! And sorry for the delay! And happy 75th anniversary of his appearance! Although Scrooge is over 100 years old.

See the full post

128 notes - Posted November 15, 2022

#3

See the full post

136 notes - Posted January 27, 2022

#2

Disney Afternoon characters on the poster as a video game commercial at the end of the movie Chip and Dale Rescue Rangers movie (cameo roles). Also at the end of the movie Darkwing Duck appeared to say that people want Darkwing and I agree with him. It's time for the Darkwing Duck reboot! Let's get dangerous!

291 notes - Posted May 23, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Although I know it's not something, but still to make a new meme, but this time united all around a common fandom and that Donald Duck fandom and Disney Duckverse in general. All Duckverse fans, regardless of video games, comics, cartoons and other things, regardless of the differences we don't like and quarrel with each other, let's unite around one, and that is that Donald Duck is the best character and that thanks to him we have Duckverse as a special separate universe in which we can enjoy various characters and various things. Of course, everyone has the right to their opinion.

All Donald and Duckverse fans, ASSEMBLE!

Source of this meme (Knights of the Round Table): https://imgflip.com/memegenerator/156913933/Swords-united

If you agree with this meme, feel free to like or reblog this!

518 notes - Posted March 26, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

Although the end of the year is approaching, here are the results of this year's review. Yes, I was absent in certain periods because of my problems and that there were problems, but all in all it was a good year. I hope that next year will be even better and yes, I will also start franchising as soon as I have more free time. But yes, I will open some new pages as well.

In any case, thank you all for following me and don't worry, there will be more surprises and bigger ones than this year. I'm hoping to get up to 15,000 posts this year and 20,000 posts next year and I'll be able to get 500 followers. Thanks everyone for following me and keep following my blog.Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and Happy Holidays!

#tumblr2022 #year in review #my 2022 tumblr year in review #your tumblr year in review #my blog #duckverse #donald duck #darkwing duck #duck comics #ducktales

[gellavonhamster]

monthly media recap: may 2023

the lusty month of May! this one is gonna be long

read:

The Terror by Arthur Machen - a properly unsettling short novel about strange murders happening in England and Wales during World War II. I gotta say, I think the narrator is wrong :D as in, based on the story, I have a slightly different opinion on the cause of what happened

The Great Return by Arthur Machen - a novella about the reappearance of the Holy Grail in a small Welsh village; short, but beautiful

The Empty House and Other Ghost Stories by Algernon Blackwood - not bad apart from, as usual, certain period-typical yikes, but after Machen and M.R. James it just doesn't seem as good, and the endings to many stories felt too abrupt to me. However, I am a big fan of the character whose rooms were haunted by his friend's ghost, so he went to his other friend's place to study because "there's no hallucination about that exam; I must pass that whatever happens."

Issues No. 1-3 of the Hellebore zine - yep, still reading this, still in an absolutely random order. Witch trials, poison plants, the cult of Pan and other good shit; I've bookmarked the names of some books I might give a try later. I feel like the articles in earlier issues were more, uh, informal and essay-like and became more scientific as the zine continued to be released, which I think is a good change tbh

Temeraire series, Books 4-7 (Empire of Ivory, Victory of Eagles, Tongues of Serpents, and Crucible of Gold) by Naomi Novik - hell yeah! I started this series in 2019 (I believe?), read the first three books, loved them, but then kind of forgot to continue. Catching up on it now and greatly enjoying the alternate history (in very broad strokes: Napoleonic wars with sentient DRAGONS in the air force), constant adventures, anti-colonialist themes, and the extremely likeable cast.

+ progress on Lancelot-Grail: done with The Quest for the Holy Grail, The Death of Arthur, and the first part of Post-Vulgate (The Merlin Continuation). Currently reading the Post-Vulgate version of the Grail quest and Book 8 of of Temeraire - Blood of Tyrants

watched:

Daisy Jones & The Six (2023) - there were changes in comparison to the book that I liked (loved Simone's storyline in the show, for example) and that I disliked. I think the novel and the adaptation work together best. The soundtrack is amazing, and the original songs are very good even out of context

Valkoinen peura / The White Reindeer (1952) - older horror films often are more haunting than the newer ones despite limited special effects and mostly relying on things like lighting and music - or maybe because of that - and this Finnish film is a good example of that. God forbid women do anything (turn into a murderous reindeer)

November (2017) - fascinating folk horror set in 19th century Estonia - mundane magic, deals with the devil, and the unrequited love no spells can fix. Beautiful and sad and very well-made

Yellowjackets (season 2, 2021-?) - AAAAAAA!!! I know many people found this season much worse than s1, but I honestly enjoyed it, even if I didn't agree with all decisions (they better do something unexpected about Van's cancer, or I'll be mad). The finale is devastating, but I kinda expected that to happen :( it was one of the most likely character deaths. Alas, the only one of these women I'd be ready to let go is the one who's certainly not dying unless they all die in the end (which is not that unlikely, I guess). Anyway, this is one of my favourite shows at the moment, and I'm really excited for season 3 (and the mysterious bonus episode?..)

#talk talk talk #monthly media recap

[joshfuckingkiszka]

『end up here - 2 - after a while』

oopsie daisy, I was on a plane yesterday, almost passed out and forgot to post. my thoughts about bna are absolutely true btw, that airports a Mess. go smashville, though!

chapter warnings: angst, fear of flying (may or may not stem from personal experience who knows), mentions of cheating, also mentions of josh’s nasty feet (love him tho)

» series masterlist

☼

For a while after your phone call, you felt like the walls were closing in on you. June’s babbling drug you out of it, and you picked her up, holding her firmly on your hip. Cradling her head against your shoulder, you decided you would simply leave it up to fate.

Fate made time move quickly, apparently. Because of your acceptance, your company had given your name to Nashville real estate agents, who were quick to call you in droves. They sent listing after listing and all of them seemed to be way too close to Sam. Finally a house that you deemed far enough away from him was put on the market. It was a quaint, three bedroom with that southern architecture you remembered so well. There were magnolia trees in the front yard and a backyard with a playset that the owners' children were too old for. Of course, June was too young, but the baby swing would do her for now.

Two weeks later, your house was completely packed up - not that it took very long - and a moving van was sitting in your driveway. Your relocation costs were completely covered, and you took advantage of the flight they’d offered, since you weren’t sure how Junebug would handle being in the car for that long. The movers were set to take off that night, and you and your daughter’s flight was early the next morning, leaving with only the barest of essentials. You decided to leave the crib in the house, opting for the bassinet your parents bought you to make the trip.

An air mattress that had been in a linen closet way before you moved in would be your bed for the night, and you dreaded it. With the pump working at a snail’s pace to fill the mattress, you ordered a pizza, eating it straight from the box because of your lack of plates. June sat on the floor of the kitchen, alongside you, and had to be stopped from eating dust bunnies one too many times. She smiled when you scolded her, and she’d never looked more like Sam. Although, Sam had never tried to eat dust - that you knew of.

Cradling her in your arms, your phone was playing Light My Love. Her smile was radiant throughout the song, and she nestled further into your chest.

“The singing, that’s your Uncle Josh, but I think you knew that already,” you told her and she giggled, “you’d love his curls, especially to pull on. That guitar player’s your Uncle Jake, he tried to teach me once, but mommy’s never been a good listener. On drums is your Uncle Danny, he’s the sweetest guy you’ll ever meet. And the bass, well sweet girl, you know that’s your daddy.”

You couldn’t think of anything to say about Sam that wouldn’t bring tears, or that gut churning feeling of guilt. It didn’t really matter, because when you looked down, she was sound asleep. Snores escaped her, courtesy of the Kiszka septum. You remembered always turning Sam on his side to try stopping the obnoxious noise. The one time you’d slept on the bus with all of them, you thought you would go crazy.

The absence of a pillow and the thin blanket covering your body make an uncomfortable fit of tossing and turning. You were lucky your neighbor - who was sad to see you leave - had offered to take the two of you to the airport. It was a bit of a drive, so your early alarm clock set your unhappy mood for the day. The night before, you’d opted to simply sleep in your “airport clothes”, saving you one less thing to worry about. After applying some deodorant and making sure all of your bags were by the front door, you gently placed June in her carseat. She stirred but never woke up, just like Sam.

You’d done everything to ensure that there was no possibility of fans recognizing you. Over the last 17 months, you’d changed your hair and your style, which you didn’t hate, but didn’t enjoy either. The hoodie you wore was even dual purpose, shielding you from the cold and a potential shitstorm. It was a good decision overall, as you felt the chill of the airport, and a group of girls wearing all too familiar t-shirts. The logo was nearly blinding, whether from guilt or sadness, you weren’t sure. Still, you clutched the handle of June’s carseat a bit tighter, and she curiously looked around the new area.

The window seat was a good choice for you, and you hoped your daughter wouldn’t cause too much of a disturbance on the flight. You easily remembered the first time you flew with Sam, relaying your fears to him and he’d rubbed your knuckles and held you tightly to his side. A new chord of annoyance was struck within you when one of the girls from before sat on the other side of June. It wasn’t her fault, you knew that, but it still bothered you that she might happen to be a fan of Sam’s in particular, and recognize you.

“Oh my goodness, she’s so cute!” She gushed over the baby.

You weren’t going to be rude, so you replied with an earnest, “Thank you! It’s her first flight so I hope she won’t annoy you too much.”

“Never! I actually work with babies, so I totally get it.” You nodded and smiled, and then she asked, “So, what’s taking you to Nashville?”

“Well, the plane, I think,” you joked, and she choked with laughter. “But I got a new job. You?”

She congratulated you, explaining, “My friends and I are going to see Greta Van Fleet at this, like, one night only show they’re doing. I’m really excited!” You could tell, she was practically ready to burst.

“That sounds like fun,” you paused, “I don’t think I’ve ever listened to them.”

Her mouth gaped. “You’ve got to! Their music is, like, ethereal.” Yeah, you know.

“I mean, I’ve heard of them, sure, just never really got around to it, I guess.” You shrugged cooly, attempting your best to keep up with the lie. Sammy always said you were a terrible liar, and you hoped that wouldn’t show.

She smiled at you, “Well, there’s a first time for everything!” Oh god. She handed you one of her earbuds, and it stretched awkwardly over the carseat.

The beginning notes of ‘Heat Above’ entered your right ear, and you hoped she didn’t hear your breath hitch. She’d downloaded the music to her phone to keep up with the lack of service she would be required to keep, you learned. As ‘Lover, Leaver’ started, you instantly felt guilty. Guilty for lying to this poor girl, guilty for leaving Sam, guilty for everything. It wasn’t about you, you’d heard it live from the barricade the first time they performed it, but you imagined Sam hated playing it now.

“Me, personally, I’m a Danny girl - he’s the drummer,” she told you, as the plane slowly moved to the runway. You nodded, listening to her - frankly, precious - ramblings about your wild haired friend. Having always believed that Danny didn’t get enough recognition, you adored hearing the sweet things she had to say about him.

As she explained that her best friend was a Sammy girl, you hoped she wouldn’t notice the similarities between the baby - who seemed to be listening intently to this girl - and the bassist.

“She seems to think that his girlfriend - or maybe ex? We’re really not sure - cheated on him, but she seemed really sweet, so I don’t think so - you probably don’t care, I just realized that.” She blushed intensely, embarrassed by her gossip rantings about people you weren’t supposed to know of.

You shook your head, “No, I don’t mind. Planes make me nervous, and you’re actually helping. It’s distracting.” You were telling the truth, though, you really didn’t want to hear accusations made about you. She smiled at you again.

“I’m glad. Hey, I think we’re about to take off, do you want me to keep talking? I know most people get really nervous about take off and landing.”

“Yeah, that’d be great, actually. Thank you.”

It was clear that the band’s message of peace, love, and unity rang true in this girl. She was truly an angel in your eyes. As the plane ascended into the sky, she babbled about how successful the band had become, and while that pleased her, it also disheartened her to see so many people hating on them. You knew that feeling well, seeing how heartbroken Sam had been about people basically bullying him online.

When the aircraft reached a certain point in the sky, June began to fuss. You knew the pressure difference would bother her, and you took her out of her carseat, popping her pacifier in her mouth so she could gain some relief. The Greta fan played peek-a-boo with her in an attempt to distract her and you smiled at the giggles that came from her. Her laugh was just like her father’s, absolutely infectious. Sure, babies were all cute, but you believed your baby was far ahead of the race in that regard. Not that there was a race, but if there was, June would win.

After a two hour flight, you were forced to wait at a layover in Chicago. Luckily, that angel of a woman and her friends waited right there with you. They were all charmed by your baby, especially the one she’d pointed out as her best friend. The other two adored June, but the best friend was especially enamored with her, and you knew exactly why.

The hour passed by quickly, and soon you were all on the flight to Nashville. You and the Danny girl were sitting exactly as you had been before, and you thanked whatever higher power in the universe for it.

BNA was exactly as you remembered it, loud, crowded, and a shitty pick-up situation. You waited outside for twenty long minutes for your Uber to arrive, and said a goodbye to your newfound friends. They had given you their social media - even though you’d stopped using yours - so that you could remain in touch, and a sorrowful part of you knew that wouldn’t really happen. You knew too much about the men they fawned over, even if you claimed no knowledge of them.

Knowing that Sam left socks everywhere because he hated the sensation of anything at all on his feet, and that Josh almost never washed his feet after shows, and that Jake once almost killed Josh because he’d been joking around and broke a string on his twin’s acoustic was too much for you to pretend you had absolutely no idea about. They didn’t know enough, and you knew everything, and that wasn’t a very fair relationship.

When you arrived at your new house, the first thing you noticed was the smell of smoke. You smiled at the countless memories of Josh setting anything he could on fire, and you worrying that he might eventually become an arsonist. The fourth of July always stuck out to you, because of how excited they had all been to legally set off fireworks, although that excitement also came around New Year’s Eve.

Stepping into the house, you admired all the natural light shining through the large windows. You set June’s carseat down, immediately working to make a bottle for her. The one she’d had during the layover had knocked her out, but you knew she’d wake up soon, hungry again. When you finished, and she was still sound asleep, you began unpacking some of the boxes with a ‘Kitchen’ label.

Of course, the sound of rattling plates jolted her awake, and she began to cry for you. You shushed her and held her as you fed her. Once she’d finished, you set her back down in her carseat, not bothering to buckle it. A knock on the door pulled your attention away from the dishes you were putting in the cupboards.

Neighbors. You knew it was neighbors coming to introduce themselves, so you picked up Junebug, tossing her on your hip and walking happily to the door. When your eyes met a familiar dark brown, your stomach sank.

Jake and Josh Kiszka were standing at your door, their happy faces diluting into confusion, then realizing expressions. When they noticed the baby on your hip, they seemed to panic just as much as you.

In a moment you didn’t quite remember, you blurted out, “Don’t tell your brother!”

〚taglist〛

gvf: @doodle417​ @brokenbellz​ @gretavanfleas​ @pyrojoshy​ @greta-van-chaos​ @xserenax-13​ @hayley1623​ @kdarling1​ @autumns30 @keighoe​ @chalametpwk​ @sammysvanfeet​ @shawnsthighs​ @gretavanbitches​ 

#sam kiskza #sam kiszka gvf #sammy gvf #sam kiszka fanfic #josh kiszka #josh gvf #jake kiszka #jake gvf #danny wagner #danny wagner gvf #danny gvf #GVF #gvf fic #gvf x reader #greta van fleet fan fiction #Greta Van Fleet #greta van fic #gvf fanfiction

[cinematicnomad]

i watched the first 3 eps of daisy jones and the six. my thoughts are, i’ll probably watch the rest of the series bc i am always a sucker for the fake-documentary conceit and getting to see these characters several years removed from the events of the story, able to comment on their flaws and extrapolate about the mistakes they made etc etc. i know it’s based on a book so i’m tempted to go in search of that to just read but for now, here’s what i think of the show: 

the first three eps felt a little thin, especially since you spent the whole time just WAITING for them all to finally connect. despite daisy having less Plot™ to get through, i think riley keough is pretty great in this steve nicks-type character (not perfect, but definitely compelling) and the vibes are so strong that i enjoyed her scenes soooo much more than anything going on with the dunne brothers and their v obvious story beats. sam claflin as billy specifically is...fine? but the character feels v shallow and he seems miscast age-wise—i know they’re all having to play older in the interview scenes but he is not believable as a young-20 something musician, especially when surrounded by so many other baby faced actors. hopefully as the episodes progress his age starts to match the scenes better? the best thing he has going for him in this role is definitely his voice, which does sound good with riley’s and i’m eager to hear more of their songs together, but performance-wise...eh. he’s a little forgettable—case in point, i literally finished the 3rd episode like 15 minutes ago and i already had to use google to figure out his character’s name while typing this up. 

as for the other characters, eddie seems v two-dimensional. i hope he gets some added depth beyond just being the jealous would-be lead singer—i’m getting strong jason lee in almost famous vibes, except jason lee was actually funny in that role and contributed more that just barely hidden resentment. i will admit i’m onboard for the karen/graham will they/won’t they, so i’m intrigued to see where that goes, though when they’re separate from each other they’re a little less distinct. i DID enjoy karen’s reaction to daisy in the recording studio so i’m eager to see how that relationship develops. warren is, unfortunately, the after thought comic relief who doesn’t seem to contribute much other than sight gags about mustaches and 70s drug references. camila, unfortunately, bears the brunt of being intimately tied to the character i care least about in the show, but i do enjoy the spark they’ve managed to highlight in her—the scene of her standing up for herself after finding billy in the van was solid. she’s definitely playing a v specific trope—the first wife in the musician biopic, the ginnifer goodwin as vivian cash in walk the line—and seems to be somewhat inspired by linda mccartney (the photographer to paul’s singer/songwriter), so i’ll wait to see what they do with her. 

my favorite two characters though, by far, have to be simone and teddy, who both feel more real and lived in than any of the others. they have the benefit of also having storylines and interior lives removed from daisy or billy (had to google his name again, yikes)—the scene of simone coming home from that horrifying recording day to find daisy sitting on the floor and finding herself unable to explain just what happened, what made her skin crawl, how she’s feeling...damn that was good. also, her stunned reaction to the bold woman at the party being so direct—the scene was so charged and i’m hoping we get to see that nyc club owner return. and teddy as a music producer who’s had a bad run of failed records trying to get his colleagues to put faith in his gut instincts instead of saddling him with christmas albums of old timers is especially poignant. his physicality does a great job showing the physicality of the stress he feels professionally, especially when he finds himself starting to care for these two young singers, separately, and then, eventually, deciding to bring them together is really lovely—i’m hoping they take some time to explore WHY exactly he felt compelled to introduce them, what drove him to do that, but i won’t be surprised if it’s left unsaid. i’m hoping simone and teddy continue to shine and don’t get sidelined now that daisy and sam claflin have finally met, but we’ll definitely have to wait and see. 

anyway, don’t know why i felt the need to type this up but tada ✌️

#sometimes i just want to get my thoughts down #i have no idea what other people think of this show #but i will assume it's unpopular bc that seems safer so #kat has unpopular opinions #daisy jones and the six

[rhinestoneskye]

The Van’s Named Daisy

A summer mini series

Josh x Fem!reader

Summary; With one tour ending, a new album released, and the record company making final plans for the next tour, the boys have a month off. Josh and the reader decide to spend it road tripping.

I will accept requests for this series. Places you’d suggest the two can go, or things they can do. I’ll take angsty, slightly spicy or fluffy requests. Anything, just as long as they stay focused, appropriate, and make sense with the central idea :)

————————༒————————

Part 1, Kick It Off Right

#danny wagner #greta van fic #greta van fleet #greta van fluff #jake kiszka #josh kiszka #greta van angst #josh kiszka x reader #sam kiszka #the van’s named daisy series

[polar-stars]

Tagged by @meiyanaalexia ! Thank you ❤️

Rules: bold what you prefer and tag 10 people.

coffee or tea | early bird or night owl | chocolate or vanilla | spring or fall | silver or gold | pop or alternative (honestly don’t mind either, it’s just that I think I listen to pop the most?) | freckles or dimples | snakes or SHARKS (I am afraid of snakes...Sharks are cool though) | mountains or fields | thunderstorm or lightning | Egyptian or Greek mythology (I just know a little bit more about Greek myth) | ivory or scarlet | flute or lyre | eyes or lips | witch or fairy | opal or diamond | butterflies or honeybees | MACARONS or eclairs | typewritten or handwritten letters | secret garden or secret library | rooftop or balcony | spicy or mild | opera or ballet | London or Paris | Vincent van Gogh or Claude Monet | denim or leather | potions or spells | OCEAN or desert | mermaid or siren | masquerade ball or cocktail party

Rules: Name your top ten favourite characters from ten different fandoms.

Zenji Marui (”Shokugeki no Soma”)

Leia Organa (”Star Wars”)

Blair Waldorf (”Gossip Girl”)

Marie (”Splatoon”)

Mercury (”Shining Nikki”)

Azul Ashengrotto (”Twisted Wonderland”)

Hermione Granger (”Harry Potter”)

Princess Daisy (”Mario”-Series)

Kang Tae-Moo (”Business Proposal”)

Hotaru Tomoe/Sailor Saturn (”Sailor Moon”)

Rules: Bold the statements that apply to you

AIR: I have small hands • I love the night sky • I watch small animals and birds when I pass them by • I drink herbal tea • I wake to see dawn • The smell of dust is comforting • I’m valued for being wise • I prefer books to music • I meditate • I find joy in learning new truths from the world around me

FIRE: I don’t have straight hair • I like to wear ripped jeans and overalls pants & leggings • I play an organised sport • I love cats • I am not afraid of adventure • I love to talk to strangers • I always try new foods • I enjoy road trips • Summer is my favourite season • My radio is always playing

WATER: I wear bracelets on my wrists • I love the bustle of the city • I have more than one set of piercings • I read poetry • I love the sound of a thunderstorm • I want to travel the world • I sleep past midnight most days • I love dimly lit diners and fluorescent signs • I rewatch kids’ shows out of nostalgia • I see emotions in colours not words

EARTH: I wear glasses • I enjoy doing the laundry • I am a vegetarian or vegan • I have an excellent sense of time • My humour is very cheerful • I am a valued adviser to my friends • I believe in true love • I love the chill of mountain air • I’m always listening to music • I am highly trusted by the people in my life (I think?)

AETHER: I go without makeup in my daily life • I make my own artwork • I keep on track of my tasks and time • I always know true north • I see beauty in everything • I can always smell flowers • I smile at everyone I pass by • I always fear history repeating itself • I have recovered from a mental disorder • I can love unconditionally

I tag whoever wants <3

#Tag games

[veenvss]

mortal lands

the family , 8/8

7 , winter

I was originally only going to do the courts but the mortal lands are such an important part of the series so I couldn't just ignore them. These mortal lands will just be the one on Prythian because I am a student and I do not have as much time as I want.

We don't know much about the mortal lands. We only know a handful of people:

Elain- "fawn" Welsh

Feyre- I literally have nothing I think Sarah made this up ngl sounds cool tho

Graysen- "son of the steward" English

Isaac- "he will laugh, he will rejoice" Hebrew

Nesta- "chaste" Welsh diminutive of Agnes

Nolan- "famous, loud" English? originally an Irish surname

Tomas- "twin" Swedish variant this is without any accents

So who we do know is quite varied. Doesn't matter to me, I'm gonna pull something out of my ass and use it because I do not care. Graysen is an English name, Isaac and Thomas are used in England and Nolan is about a quarter of the way there so I'm gonna use English names for this. But Medieval English just to be interesting. So this is just gonna be biblical names with unusual nicknames, I can already feel it.

FIRMIN ARCHERON- "firm" The dad. Canonically, I don't really like him, I know he's disabled and all but it's not my fault he was just really boring. I like to think that before everything happened, he was a good dad. He cared a lot, and he liked to take walks with his daughters. He would gladly sit down and listen to Elain ramble about some rare flower in this book he had found the last time he actually went with his ships. He would comfort Nesta when she was upset, in their own private way.

AMPHELISE ARCHERON- meaning unknown She was strict, rude and uptight. She was incredibly snobby and she cared a lot about appearances, more than her own family. I don't understand how a woman can birth three daughters and not care about any of them. She lacked all emotion until a servant spilt some wine on her dress. That was the only time her daughters ever saw anything other than disgust on her face.

ETHELDRED YOXALL- "noble strength" Amphelise had to get it from somewhere. You could never say that one was worse than the other, they were both as bad as each other. Despite their relations, they constantly tried to one-up each other. Who was richer? Who was wearing the nicer dress? No one got an answer, but she ensured her nails were as sharp as possible before another ball.

Now, I just missed the bus to get to college so I'm going to quickly do Jurian and his family before I do more revision and stroke my dogs.

With yet another quick google search, Jurian is a 'medieval' Low German variant of George. Now, we already have German (Autumn) and I am not one for repetition but I still wanna have it be Germanic because I want it that way, which is why I went with Dutch as the Netherlands speaks Low German and my name website says that it has some variant of Jurian and I'm lazy.

LIEVIN VAN DALEN- "dear friend" "from the valley" Like his name suggests, Jurian's father was a dear friend to many. It was impossible to hate him unless, of course, you were a slave owner with an inbuilt incapacity to appreciate humans and their livelihoods.

MADELEIF VAN DALEN- "daisy" "from the valley" Despite their situation, his parents gave Jurian a brilliant example of love. It's a such shame how he was forced to use it to be able to let their descendants live freely. He knew that no matter what, his mother would be proud of all he sacrificed.

CORINE VAN DALEN- "maiden" "from the valley" Jurian's sweet younger sister, she was one of the first people to give birth after the war, starting the new generation of free humans. Unfortunately, over 500 years, her line of the family have slowly forgotten their connection to their glorified ancestor, but their defiance still remains.

#acotar #acowar #feyre acotar #nesta acotar #elain acotar #papa archeron #jurian acotar #hybern #mortal lands

[ducktoonsfanart]

Quack Pack Friends and Birthday Party (Bonus - Zé Carioca)

Although I published this when it was New Year and April Fool's Day, again I am posting these two pictures, or two of my drawings, for one reason. Today is my birthday. Yes, if you ask me, I celebrate April 5 every year, so for my jubilee I will announce this, as well as an additional bonus. An added bonus is the third drawing I drew recently and it is related to Ze Carioca comics. Yes, Ze Carioca and Jose Carioca, a famous parrot from Brazil and Donald's best friend van Duckburg have a very good foothold in Brazil where he has a number of fans and several writers and artists write and draw comics about him, his friends and his family. Unfortunately, there is not so much in English as far as his comics are concerned and I hope they will be translated into English soon. Yes, during the 1990s Ze Carioca changed his usual clothes and became a cool guy. He is wearing a backwards baseball cap, a yellow T-shirt with the letter Z (Z is the first letter of his name Zé Carioca) and please do not confuse it with anything else because it has nothing to do with current topics plus today's politics is banned on this topic. He is wearing blue jeans and partly red sneakers. Still, in comics he is usually a jerk and cheats people, but still his friends guide him on the right path. Also, he is a bad uncle, but he still tries to be good to his nephews Zico and Zeca. Certainly, Jose Carioca in that kind of clothes from the 1990s, where he is usually like that, still reminds me of Louie Duck from Quack Pack in some comics, only he is a good triplet. Yes, it has links to Jose and Louie from Ducktales 2017, which makes sense, especially if we associate his personalities with Louie from Ducktales reboot. Still, I connected Zé Carioca with Louie from Quack Pack because of the 1990s era and somehow I would love for Zé Carioca to be a mentor for Louie in terms of how to make Louie better in company and how to find himself a girlfriend. Zé Carioca has experience with this.

As for the previous two drawings, yes I love Quack Pack, but I wish that series turned out better so I will do in the future what the Quack Pack AU will look like so I added friends of Donald’s nephews along the way. Yes, in addition to Huey, Dewey and Louie Duck, there are Daisy's nieces, April, May and June Duck, Webby Vanderquack, Gosalyn Mallard and Honker Muddlefoot from Darkwing Duck, Phooey Duck (fourth nephew), Zico and Zeca Carioca (Jose's nephews) and dog Bolivar and cat Trixie (Donald and Daisy's pet). Except for the dog and the cat, of course, all of them (duck boys and girls, goose (Honker is half goose and half chicken) and parrots) are shown as teenagers and that's how I imagine them in my Quack Pack version. I hope you like this and apologize for the long text.

Also, happy birthday to me, even though I don't celebrate my birthday that much.

#my fanart #my birthday #ducktales #disney duck comics #Zé Carioca #huey dewey and louie #quack pack #darkwing duck #the legend of the three caballeros #april may and june #ze carioca comics #three caballeros #jose carioca #louie duck #phooey duck #gosalyn mallard #honker muddlefoot #zico and zeca #zico and zeca carioca #zico e zeca #webby vanderquack #other characters #fanart #disney duckverse #duckverse #disney cartoons #disney comics #comics #cartoons #1990s outfits

[havethetimeofyourstyles]

Chapter Two.

SERIES MASTERLIST | word count: 10.7k

come talk to me about wtsgd! i’d love to know your thoughts!

March 12, 2017 

It had been a week and a day since her move to New York, and Luci had never felt lonelier. Don’t get her wrong, she knew it’d only been a week when she had several more weeks to come to make friends and memories, but as she began to settle down into her new home, she felt very alone. 

Luci had called her parents approximately eight times within the past week—some of them were twice in one day—and all those calls were due to her loneliness. Ren and Beatrice were starting to get worried, and a bit annoyed despite being glad that their daughter hadn’t forgotten about them, but the calls were getting a little too much. And not much to their surprise, their Lulu always had something to talk about, which she mostly ranted about being a bit nervous and excited about rehearsals. 

Currently, Luci was headed to rehearsals as she walked to the Metropolitan Avenue Station, a two minute walk from her apartment in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Knowing her directions and the subway quite well, she got on the G train and got off in Court Square in Queens. She walked five minutes to take the F train towards Manhattan, getting off on 7th Avenue before walking down the street where Broadway Theatre appeared in her sight. 

Sighing, she thought about all the people she’d passed by. Seven train stops in total—people walking in and out of the train—less than ten minutes of walking, and despite the amount of people that rode with her on that train, she still felt like she was the loneliest person. 

She understood the big city quite well; no one really paid any attention or cared as they just proceeded with their life while simply being someone she passed by and possibly would never see again. Luci would only hope that her new job would help her make friendships and change her view on relationships a bit better; she’s had a few bad relationships in the past, romantic and non-romantic that had messed with her mind throughout the years, but she’d rather not think about the traumatic events that impactfully took a toll on her mental health as she was walking into rehearsals for the first time. 

Opening the door, she felt nerves rush through her body as she stepped into the Broadway Theatre where Miss Saigon would be in production for eight months. The theatre would be her home for the rest of the year. She’d work tirelessly, and devote her entire being to the role to be the best actress she could ever be. 

All at once as she walked through backstage, it began to hit Luci. This was what she’d been dreaming of, and the realization had hit her hard once she walked through the doors and into the dark hallway that led backstage and the dressing rooms. There was commotion in the direction of the main stage and a few of her fellow cast members that were singing, could easily be heard as she was walking through the halls. 

The behind the scenes action came to light once she walked through another doorway. Bright lights from the vanity illuminated the room, there were cast members reading from the script, and a few chatting on the couch. It was everything that she imagined and expected.

Luciana Suki was printed behind a black director’s chair next to the person who was playing the main role of Kim, Daisy Beck. Luci was a bit nervous to introduce herself to Daisy because she was one of the most iconic women on Broadway. She’d been acting on Broadway ever since she was a little girl; her mother was the head of the wardrobe crew and her father was part of the sound crew, so she practically bled and was born into the Broadway Theatre. It was easy for her to get her foot in the door because as her parents were busy, they would take her to the theatre and make her sit front row because they couldn’t afford a babysitter. And when the stage director needed a child to step in, they would have Daisy be in the show, and she would play the part effortlessly. She would stand center stage as the protagonist would sing to them while the bright light would shine upon them. Daisy Beck was a professional in all senses—she was the Meryl Streep of Broadway, and that intimidated Luci even more. 

“Hi, Daisy.” Luci greeted, making Daisy turn her head from the mirror to her. “I’m Luci, the second Kim.” She added with a soft chuckle. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Luci put her arm out as Daisy stood up from her chair, meeting face to face with her. 

Daisy’s expression held such power and confidence, and although Luci thought of herself as a confident person, Daisy was the different kind of confident; she was a different definition, a better use of a synonym that people most frequently use. She exuded the brilliance of self-assurance and certainty, like it was known to be that she had power. But then Daisy smiled brightly, making some of Luci’s worries wash away, but they were only stored nearby because the smile Daisy had on her face was more of an evil smirk. 

“Daisy Beck.” She introduced herself, quickly shaking Luci’s hand before pulling away just as quickly as the shake. Daisy sat back down at her vanity and placed her Airpods in her ears before her new cast member got another word out. 

Luci gulped, hanging her tote bag on the back of her chair before sitting down. She took a deep breath, easing her quiet nerves that were running around in her body. There was a bit of doubt in her mind about her career and the path she was on, but she quickly flicked it away, concentrating on the positive and the gratitude it took to get where she was, where she was sitting. 

After a few moments of relaxing, easing into the loudness, everyone began to file out the door and head to the stage. 

“Hi, Luci, right?” A brown-haired woman with hazel eyes beamed at Luci, and she couldn’t ignore such a friendly face. 

Luci smiled, shaking her hand. “Yeah, that’s me.” 

“I’m Nina. I play Gigi.” Gigi Van Trahn was a stripper in Miss Saigon at a club called Dreamland, hoping and dreaming for a better life in the States. “Is this your first Broadway show?” She asked curiously. 

Luci shook her head. “I’ve done some shows off-broadway, if you can count that.” She smiled bashfully. She knew that she shouldn’t be embarrassed by being part of the off-broadway community because she had worked her way up, but she hated the weird eyes pointed at her and the whispered judgement everytime she said that she’d been on off-broadway, even though nothing was wrong with it, but for some reason, people had a certain distaste towards it. 

“Yeah, that definitely counts! You should be proud of your upcoming; it’ll be historic once you move your way up.” Nina raised her brows and smirked. Luci smiled, breathing out a giggle. She loved when people were so hopeful of her climbing the ladder of success and dreams, and it made Luci giddy, if she was being honest. 

Everyone made a distorted line across the stage, facing the thousands of red velvet cushioned chairs that would be the cast’s audience. The stage director, Tal, was standing downstage with a clipboard in her hand as she was talking to her assistant and pointing to the clipboard with a pen; the taps of her pen to the wooden clipboard echoed in the silent theatre. Tal was in her mid-forties; she had slick black hair, wore black framed glasses, and had a certain look of sternness that was made for scolding and confronting. Luci made a mental note to not get on her bad side because if looks could kill, then she’d see the light. 

A minute later, they concluded their discussion before looking up. “Good morning, everyone! And we’re back here…again.” A coordinated laugh spread through the cast. “For the people returning: hope you all didn’t forget about me.” A small chuckle erupted. “But we have a couple new faces, so I’ll make this introduction brief and quick; I’m Tal, your stage director. I’ve been working in this business for a long time, so I know what I’m doing. This is my assistant Melanie, she’s just as educated and devoted to this play as I am, so if I’m unavailable, don’t hesitate to take things  up with her.” Everyone nodded understandingly. “This is going to be a wild, stressful ride, but it’s gonna be a hell of a lot of fun, I can promise you that.” 

A few ‘Hell yeah and ‘Period’s flew across the stage as people praised her words. Luci immediately felt comfortable with the space and energy that came from her fellow castmates. She was worried that she would have a constant feeling of being uncomfortable or as if she didn’t belong. But with Nina being so friendly, Tal and the cast uplifting and motivating the room, and minus Daisy’s weird and short attitude, she couldn’t help but feel like she did belong and that this was where she was meant to be. 

Tal told everyone to get into a large circle to do a role call because there were a few new additions to the cast as the original cast before this day had departed from the production because there was either a better opportunity or it was time to say goodbye to this show. 

After Tal individually called each name, the person was to introduce themselves, say what part they were playing, and a hobby they indulged in when they were not on stage. Usually, people didn’t pay attention to icebreakers and introductions because many found them boring, but Luci made sure to be attentive and memorize everyone’s names and faces since she was one of the few who was new to the cast and production. She also tried remembering their hobbies because she figured it would be a great conversation starter while trying to make friends. 

It took quite a while to get to everyone, especially Luci since she was towards the bottom of the list because of her last name. 

“Luciana,” Tal called out. Luci raised her hand, presenting herself with a smile. “Welcome to Miss Saigon.” 

Luci stepped forwards a few inches inside of the circle. “Thank you, Tal and Melanie. Uh, my name is Luciana Suki, you could call me Luci, if you’d like. I’m playing Kim, alongside Miss Daisy Beck.” She looked at Daisy when she said her name, but Daisy had an unamused look on her face, but Luci ignored it. “A hobby of mine when I’m not constantly thinking about my job is knitting—I like to knit. Hats and scarves are my specialty and I have way too many in my closet for my own good, but I’m currently working on a cardigan and will do it for an hour if I have time.” Everyone clapped when she was done, and she stepped back out of the circle and into the line. 

Next on the role call list was Samuel Talum, who had been making serious eye contact with Luci, but she avoided them, looking elsewhere. 

“Hi, I’m Samuel. I play the second Chris. My hobbies include swimming on the roof of Soho.” Everyone laughed, but Luci didn’t seem to see what was so amusing about that, but she figured that was his personality since everyone found that hilarious. 

Samuel looked at Luci as he stepped back into line, and this time, she reciprocated the eye contact. Her arms were crossed, face expressionless, which only made him smirk. 

After introductions, Melanie suggested getting into groups to have a normal conversation to get to know one another and get more comfortable. The circle was concaving as the opposite sides were met. The theatre increased in volume and was filled with chatter and excited squeals; people hugged one another and jumped in circles, hopeful for another great season on Broadway. 

Luci and Nina talked with some of the extras as they mostly asked Luci about her life and where she was from since everyone already knew each other. 

“Hello, ladies.” Samuel walked up to the four women with a charming smile. The three immediately swooned for him as their eyes lit up as if he was the actual Oscar award himself. “Luci, it’s a pleasure to officially meet you.” He gave his full attention to her, taking his hand out. She politely shook his, not expecting him to kiss the back of her hand, locking eyes with her. She hated to admit it, but the action made her heart pound a little harder. Luci pulled away quickly, linking her hands behind her back. 

“Good to meet you as well.” She gave him a small toothless smile. Avoiding his eyes, she looked back at the girls who were blushing and giving Luci a knowing look. They knew Samuel well enough to know when he had a crush, and they could definitely tell that he had a crush on her, to which Luci had a clear vision of it. 

When the first day of ‘rehearsals’ were over, Tal announced that it was the same time tomorrow, and Luci was glad that she was finally had a routine again—waking up at eight in the morning to get her day started and leaving her apartment by nine to get to the theatre just before ten, which was when rehearsals started. Tomorrow’s rehearsals were going to be exciting since it would focus more on the play itself; Luci was itching for tomorrow to come. 

Once Luci walked out of the theatre, saying her goodbyes to Tal and Melanie, and some of the cast that she made friends with, she was met by a fresh, chilly breeze, making goosebumps rise. It was the complete opposite of what she felt like inside the theatre: warm and flushed because there were so many people surrounding her, plus her nerves helped her stay warm; it didn’t help that they cranked up the heat inside the building as well. 

As she was walking, passing by strangers that she’d never see again, she heard her name being called out from the distance. She thought she was hearing things, but she turned around to be met with Samuel who was jogging in her direction. 

“Damn, you left quickly.” He smiled, which Luci had to admit that he was quite attractive—really attractive. A head of soft blonde hair sat perfectly on his head that if she were to mess with it, his hair would only get effortlessly better. His arms were so big and toned that she could see the outline of his muscles through his shirt (or she thinks that he purposely bought a small shirt to make up for the lack of muscles). He was tall, almost a foot taller than her that she had to look up when he spoke, but she didn’t let his height intimidate her. In fact, nothing about Samuel intimidated Luci, although she knew that that was his ultimate goal whenever he met someone new.

“Uh, yeah.” 

“I was thinking…we should hang out sometime.” The suggestion made Luci raise her brows. “You know, since we’re gonna be seeing each other a lot, be co-stars, play the love interest together.” 

Chris Scott, the role Samuel was playing, was a G.I sergeant who is making a return to America from Vietnam. Unexpectedly, he falls in love with Kim, who is a shy, young girl who also works as a stripper at Dreamland because of the fall of her city and the loss of her family from war. The club is run by the Engineer and caters to American soldiers. Kim and Chris have an affair, leading to feelings that are more than lust. Their affair leads to Kim getting pregnant and giving birth to their son, Tam. Eventually, Chris leaves and goes back home without the knowledge that Kim is pregnant. Kim and Chris are separated for years until he learns about his son, so he goes back to Vietnam to find Kim and Tam—the only difference is that he’s married to an American woman named Ellen. Kim urges Ellen that Tam should have a better life in America, rather than living on the streets, but Ellen is wary and refuses because she doesn’t want to lose Chris. Conflict, heartbreak, and unexpected endings flow throughout the plot of the story, making it a hit on Broadway. 

Luci debated in her mind. She figured she could use some friends, some company, and she thinks it worked out perfectly since she was going to be seeing Samuel almost everyday. He got the impression that she wanted nothing to do with him outside of the theatre because of the polite but dismissive attitude towards him, but the look on her face when he proposed the idea was the opposite of what he had seen inside of the building. 

To much consideration, Luci answered, “Sure, why not.” 

Samuel sneered, walking alongside with her to wherever their route took them. It wasn’t like he was up to no good—purposely, at least. So, the two walked side by side, oblivious to what this might cause them. 

April 21, 2017 

Opening night. 

The anxieties were crawling up everyone’s skin as they got into hair, makeup, and costume—specifically in that order. Everything felt rushed, like they were riding in a sports car, waiting to cross the black and white checkered line. But in reality, they were going the speed limit in a residential area. 

Tal and Melanie made sure everyone got to the theatre at least two hours before the red curtain rose because she didn’t want everything to feel like they’re in a high-speed car chase, anticipating a crash. 

The past five weeks had been an exhausting and intense thrill that Luci had never experienced before. The constant movement, the strain of her voice from singing too much, the tears from messing up a line, and the overwhelming fear of screwing up on stage had been her life for the past five weeks. 

The day after introductions and icebreakers, the cast were to do a read through of the play, just to get an idea and feel of the script when rehearsing it with the cast. Since there were two rotations of the cast, the second cast—which was the one Luci was in—were to still attend readings and rehearsals when it was not their day to rehearse. They were to observe and learn the different techniques and acting that the first rotation provided so it would be easier to run through rehearsals without constantly stopping. 

After the read through, which took two days, the rest of the week was followed by table work and blocking. Table work deeply goes into the script; it focuses on analyzing and getting to know your character—basically what purpose a character has. Blocking included roughly running through a scene organically, and seeing what works for both actors and what looks and feels better. 

When the notes have been written down, the actors will stumble through the play without a script in reach. This process had slashed a bit of hope in everyone because of the difficulty in remembering the notes from blocking. Luci was properly beating herself up over it, and Samuel had reassured her that it was fine to make a few mistake since it was new and added in during blocking.

“Hey,” Samuel would call out after hearing another groan come out of her mouth. Luci would look at him with a frown, and he would comfortingly pat her shoulder. “Don’t beat yourself up over it, okay? You got this.” He would then walk away, giving her a wink that made Luci’s insides turn. 

After three days of roughly stumbling through the play, working rehearsals were next. Everyone knew their lines, stage directions, the plot and depth of the characters, and the extra notes from blocking were implied to everyone’s brain. During working rehearsals, the cast needed to find a way to best tell the story to the audience. They worked in a large room that was a few blocks away from the theatre, and it had white tape all over the floor indicating where the character needed to stand. There was no mirror, just a blank wall that was painted black, so it was like they were in the actual theatre. The process was exhausting because the cast would run the entire play back for two more times for three days. So, when Luci got home, it would be five in the evening, and she would be ready to crash and call it a day. 

In between working and dress rehearsals, the tech-crew, stage directors, stage managers, and designers would have their own rehearsals without the cast. They do this to make sure the lighting, music, and set were in motion and work smoothly for the play and audience. During these days, the cast would get a few days off, but they were to not brush the play aside just because they weren’t in rehearsals. They were told to do fittings with the costume crew so they could make their final adjustments for their character’s costumes. It was a more fun and light process where they could just stand on the elevated step and answer ‘yes’ or ‘no’ when they’re being asked if it was comfortable or too tight. 

After technical rehearsals, there would be two or three days for Q2Q rehearsals, which meant Cue-to-Cue, and the technical crew and the cast would get together and rehearse the bits where sound and lights were needed, which is almost every scene since it’s a musical and the characters seem to sing as they’re arguing. These rehearsals were very technical and necessary, and it needed to be executed with precision, so the cast and sound crew would be on the same page and in sync. 

Dress rehearsals were more of a sigh in relief. It showcased everyone’s hard work and talent, but it was also a surreal moment because even though they worked and rehearsed every single day for this production, it still didn’t seem real. The few days of dress rehearsals hit the actors in the face because everything was coming together. Tal had let a few groups of people into the theatre to watch and give them a preview of the show so the cast had an audience to perform to during dress rehearsals. 

And the moment everyone had been waiting for: Opening Night. 

The audience was filling the theatre in as security ushered them to their seats. Some took a picture in front of the stage, the influencers held the Playbill program out in front of them, capturing the renaissance theme of the Broadway theatre to post on their Instagram story, and couples who were there for date night. Not to forget, the important journalists, who hyped this play up way before opening night, that were going to critique and judge all throughout the show; they were sitting in the mezzanine, only the best seats in the house as it provided a panoramic view of the entire stage, so they didn’t miss a thing. Broadway critics could be the most hurtful writers, and they have a way of letting people down in the most elegant and sophisticated way that made it seem like their words aren’t so bad. 

Backstage was twice as chaotic as it was on the outside. Although everyone was quiet, humming and whispering the songs, the inside of their minds were driving them crazy. If someone outside of the production who didn't have anything to do with the play, walked into the room, they would immediately feel the tension bouncing off the walls and breaking the mirrors of the vanities. 

Even though it was the first rotation that would be performing today, Luci still felt incredibly nervous because anything could happen. Daisy could get sick or not want to perform, so it would be Luci who would have to step in, unless Tal tells the understudy to. Aside from the nerves, she felt incredibly proud of everyone and her own hard work. Rehearsing for about five hours—sometimes she would stay longer just to get extra help—had tired her out, but she knew that once it was her turn to step on stage, the exhaustion and stress would be completely worth it, and that would be when she knew she made it. 

Luci was in one of the dressing rooms, and she heard a knock as she was buttoning her shirt that was just for show when there was a zipper on the back of her top so it was easier to change when she was in a hurry. She opened the door, revealing Samuel. 

“Hi,” he greeted, getting in the dressing room with her before he closed it behind him. The space was small, so the two were pressed up against one another. He placed a hand on her waist as the other rested against the wall behind her, leaning down to kiss her lips. “How are you?” 

Luci smiled when he pulled away. “Good. You?” She wrapped her arms around his shoulders. 

“Better, now.” He kissed the top of her head and Luci softly smiled, not used to the amount of PDA, even though they were somewhat in private. 

Luci’s just as confused on how she was able to pull Samuel. After the first day of rehearsals when he caught up to her on the sidewalk and asked her to hangout, she found out that he was actually a really outgoing guy; she didn’t expect herself to laugh or actually enjoy herself when she said yes to his invitation. 

After the first week of rehearsals, Tal had directed them to be more connected to their characters—to really feel what they’re feeling. This only enhanced their chemistry as love interests, making them closer. And on Wednesday evening, Samuel invited her over to his apartment. He knew what he wanted when he asked Luci to his place, and he really didn’t want to mess with her feelings, so he decided to be honest. 

“Luci, listen. I just really want to fuck you,” he confessed straightforwardly, making Luci gulp. No one’s ever really admitted that fact to her, so it was quite surprising to hear as well as hot, if she was being honest. “I mean, I like you, of course I do. But I really don’t want a relationship right now, and we’re both stressed with rehearsals, so wanna fuck?” 

He was right, she thought. She was stressed with rehearsals and the move, which she hadn’t even gotten the chance to buy proper furniture because she’s been so busy and also broke, so she could use a good fuck. 

And she told him the same thing when she accepted his offer to hangout; she said, “Sure, why not.” 

So, they’d been messing around ever since then—for the past five weeks. They had kept it on the downlow as he respected Luci’s wishes for not wanting to risk losing her first job on Broadway and have this ‘affair’ affect getting more roles. Samuel reassured her that people date and mess around off stage all the time—Luci raised her brows in suspicion since it was not his first rodeo—but he still kept the affection to a minimum when they were around people, no matter how difficult it was for him. 

He leaned down to kiss her neck, leaving small kisses. “Hmm. Can’t wait to take you back to mine after tonight.” Samuel toyed with the zipper that was stitched on the back of her top. 

“Yeah?” She smirked when he felt him nod against her. 

He lightly nibbled her skin, making her softly gasp. “Gonna make you feel so good.” As lovely as that sounded, she couldn’t risk getting caught in the dressing room, so she pushed him away, earning a small groan that came out of his mouth. 

“How about you save that for next week when it’s our actual opening night?” She said seductively, biting her lip as she refrained from laughing at his eager state. 

“Fine, if you say so. Just know that you’re missing out tonight.” He teased, giving her a peck to her lips before quickly slipping out of the dressing room before anyone saw him. 

Luci looked in the mirror, fixing her hair and taking a deep breath to rid the warmth of her cheeks that Samuel caused. Once she was presentable, smoothing out the creases of her costume, she headed out and heard that there was ten minutes until showtime. 

Everyone was running around with a small flashlight that guided them through the dark backstage. The cast were getting last minute adjustments to their costume and makeup, a last minute run-through with their lines, and warming their vocals up as some of the technical crew were taping a small microphone to the side of their cheek. 

The second rotation cast stayed back, hanging out for moral support for the main cast as it was a huge night for them. Luci was somewhat glad that she wasn’t part of the first cast because she felt like she could still use a lot of work in some scenes, so she had at least a week to get those scenes perfect. 

As the crew walked back, Luci could hear the crew talk to one another through their headset, asking one another if things were set and if everyone was ready to go; the seats were mostly filled, just a few empty seats that were waiting to be filled by the people who were running late. 

“Ready.”

“All set.” 

“Alright, everyone, it’s showtime.” 

The lights went down for a brief minute and a half, making sure the theatre was quiet from people being excited and startled when the room had gone dark, and then the red velvet curtains were pulled to the sides of the stage and the sheer screen was lifted. The orchestra began to play a soft melody as the opening scene started in Dreamland Bar. 

Despite having seen the play multiple times during rehearsals and rehearsing it herself, she was in awe as she watched her cast members in action—true action with an audience in front of them and a very bright light that was shining directly on them. Luci had seen many Broadway productions, but getting to watch it from the side of the stage and actually being part of the production was just something so surreal to her. 

The final scene was coming to an end; the orchestra intensified their music, the lights dimmed, the curtain closed, and the audience clapped—most of the room had given Miss Saigon a standing ovation. The curtain opened once more and the cast ran out to wave and blow kisses at the audience as the volume increased once it had gotten to Daisy Beck, the icon herself. 

And just like that, five weeks of rehearsals and devotion, opening night was over. Luci couldn’t wait until next week because she could practically see the thrill and adrenaline that radiated off of her co-worker’s face, and that was a feeling she had been anticipating for. 

Luci hugged the cast, congratulating them on their special, opening night. Everyone took pictures and videos with one another as they held bouquets of flowers. 

“Daisy!” Luci called out once she approached her. Daisy turned around to be met with Luci’s arms wide open. She gave an emotionless smile, half-hugging Luci shortly as she only leaned her upper body against her but pulled away very quickly. “You did such an amazing job. I was so in awe of you on stage!” Luci exclaimed excitedly. 

“Thank you.” Just like any other actor, no matter how much someone despised a person, they always took the compliment no matter what; it helped their egos grow in size, especially if it was from someone they couldn’t stand. 

“You’re truly so magnificent up there…” As Luci was talking, Daisy’s eyes averted towards the corner where Samuel was standing; he was talking with some of the girls that played strippers at the club in the show. His eyes looked up, meeting Daisy’s eyes before he smirked and brought his attention back to the girls. The corner of her lip turned up, smirking as she felt herself blush from Samuel’s look. 

Daisy and Samuel had some history together in the past. They go way back, all the way back to five years ago when they had roles in Chicago on Broadway. Just like any other cast members, they took a liking towards each other, and eventually got quite close. They both thought that their feelings were plain lust, but it was more of an emotional connection, so they tried being together and it lasted for a while until there were scandals and rumors going around that Daisy had been taking drugs just because she was seen partying with Samuel. The rumors eventually caught up to her, making her skin crawl and blood boil. So, she needed to be selfish and called it quits with him because her career was her pride and joy, and it was the most important thing to her at the time when she was just twenty-two. 

When Daisy found out that Samuel was on board as the cast in Miss Saigon, she was absolutely thrilled because her feelings for him had never dissolved. And the main reason why she was annoyed with Luci on her first day was because she knew that Samuel was going to take a liking towards Luci, which he did; and now, Daisy was aggravated because she wanted her man back but he was too busy occupying himself with Luci. 

Daisy looked back at Luci, pretending to pay attention to what she was saying. Luckily, someone had politely interrupted them, asking Daisy to do an interview with one of the journalists that critiqued the show, which she was ecstatic about. 

When the theatre was empty, everyone left to go to an after party, which was at a posh cocktail lounge—a ten minute walk from the theatre and quite close to Central Park South—so everyone decided to walk; the adrenaline they still had kept them warm in the thirty six degree weather. It was quite late since they left the theatre at around eleven, so Luci decided that she wouldn’t stay long since her commute back home was still further than some of her co-workers. 

The lounge was on the seventh floor of the W Hotel, and it screamed chic and expensive. It was separated into two open rooms, giving complete opposite vibes from each other. The more sophisticated and chic section of the room was filled with grey suede, cushioned sofa chairs with clean glass coffee tables placed in between those chairs. A black grand piano sat in the corner of the room with a large vase of fresh pink lilies and a few vanilla scented candles that were spread across the top of the piano. On one side of the wall were three semi-private booths with cushioned walls and a hexagon-shaped booth with LED lights surrounding the shape. 

The second room, however, was where the full bar was. Something that caught Luci’s, and most people’s, attention was the bright sign that covered the entire wall behind the bar top and the bottles of alcohol. The light blue and red colored lights illuminated the entire section of the room. The bar room had the same type of sofas and tables with a chill-beat type of music that played through the speakers. 

Peter, who played the first ‘Chris,’ had ordered everyone tequila shots; which naturally, made everyone happy as they cheered. Luci couldn’t remember the last time she went to the bar with some friends and completely enjoyed herself; all that had been on her mind before the move was the move itself, auditioning for the play, and her anxieties that came with moving to a city where she knew no one. So, a shot of tequila was very rewarding for her first proper night out in New York City. 

“To a successful opening night! We’re gonna be back here when the second rotation gets their spotlight.” Peter saluted as everyone clinked their shot glasses together; Nina took a video of her and Luci to post on her Instagram story with Luci’s username and the longue tagged in the corner before downing the toxic liquid down their throats.  

Everyone talked amongst themselves when Samuel placed his hand on Luci’s thigh. She quickly turned her head towards him, subtly pushing his hand off of it. He met her eyes, smirking and tilted his head as if he was saying that they should go into the bathroom, but Luci shook her head no, denying his silent request. Samuel rolled his eyes, averting his attention on the rest of the group, and Luci didn’t miss the way he shifted farther from her on the couch. 

Luci was four shots in and she felt a slight buzz run through her head. The waiters were placing more drinks down on their table, but Luci knew she needed to get home, so she decided to call it a night and say her goodbyes to the group. She knew everyone lived relatively close to the theatre and the longue, so she didn’t expect anyone to take the subway with her so late in the night. What she did expect was for Samuel to offer her to spend the night or even walk her to the train station, but he simply waved at her, no private hug or kiss goodbye. So, she left without another word and walked over to the 57th Street Station and took the F Train down to Rockefeller Center where she had to get off and transfer over to the M Train that would take her towards Middle Village-Metropolitan Avenue, and eventually, home. 

On the train, Luci busied herself with a word search that was downloaded on her phone, afraid that she might end up falling asleep on the subway, until the subway stopped at the station she needed to get off at and walked home. 

The click of her heeled boots were quite loud against the wooden floor in the hallway that led to her front door. She lugged her tote bag on her shoulder, fumbling with her keys until she got to her doorstep. Briefly glancing at the neighbor’s door right across from her before turning her back towards it and opening her own, the door behind her suddenly opened. 

Luci quickly turned around, expecting her cute and attractive neighbor, but instead, revealed a woman with red hair, hurriedly putting her coat on. The woman smiled at her, and for a moment, Luci thought she was on the wrong floor, but behind the woman was Harry in a black long sleeve sweater and khaki flared pants. His chocolate brown hair had looked like he ran his fingers through it so many times that it sat effortlessly messy, but Luci didn’t know that the red-haired lady had done it for him. 

She was quite in shock to see him, even though she’d known he lived right across from her. For the time she had been living in New York, she’d barely even gotten a glimpse of him; either their schedules weren't aligned or he was avoiding her. It wasn’t like she was trying to catch him when he walked out of his apartment or in the elevator—maybe she was—but a few neighborly chats were all that she wanted. 

“Hi,” Luci greeted once the woman rounded the corner and away from both of their attentions. 

“Hey, Luci.” Harry softly smiled. 

They both stood in their entryways, awkwardly staring at one another as they didn’t know what else to say. The neighborly chats had gone so much better in her head, and she was mentally rolling her eyes at herself for freezing up so suddenly. 

But luckily, Harry broke the silence. 

“Long night?” 

Luci smiled. “Yeah, kind of. Just came from an afterparty.” 

“Hmm, what was the party for?” Harry raised his chin, puckering his lips slightly. Luci glanced down at his lips, observing how naturally pink they were, or if the lady’s lipstick had transferred over to his. 

She was quite surprised that he was still carrying the conversation, or maybe he was just as nosy as she was. 

“It was for Miss Saigon, the play on Broadway. Today was our official opening night.” She fiddled with her fingers, completely leaning her side against the doorframe. 

Harry slightly nodded. “I’d have to watch it sometime.” 

Now, that brightened Luci up, almost sobering her. She beamed at him, and Harry couldn’t deny the slight blush that appeared on his face once she so stunningly smiled at him. He pursed his lips, refraining from smiling so widely just from the mere sight of her grin. 

“Yes, please do!” He smiled at her excitement before nodding his head. 

A few awkward seconds passed, and Luci had the need to lie down after the day that she had. So, she sat straight up from her leaning position, placing her hand where she was resting to balance herself. “Well, I should get some rest.” 

“Yeah, yeah, of course.” He stood up straight as well, taking a step back into his apartment as his hand held the door handle. “Sleep well, Luci.” 

“You too, Harry. Goodnight.” A yawn took over her and she covered her mouth instantly. “Oh, Harry?” She called out, catching him before he closed the door. He raised his brows, her voice stopped him from shutting the door. “Maybe we could hang out sometime? I could use some friends and you seem really nice,” she suggested. 

Maybe it was the slightest buzz that was wearing off, making her have the need to use up all the rest of the confidence she could gather up in her body and spew out the suggestion. 

But whatever it was, she was glad that she did because Harry answered, “I’d like that.” She gave him a lazy smile, eyes drooping, and Harry knew that she needed to sleep. 

After another bid goodnight, the neighbors both closed their doors for a night’s rest, but not before they both smiled into their pillow and replayed their conversation over and over in their head. 

April 29, 2017 

It was Saturday evening when Luci walked into the Broadway Theatre with the biggest smile she’d ever made in her life. Ignoring the nerves, she was back in the chaos and nervous tension the large theatre held for her very first Broadway show. 

She spent the entire day preparing herself just so everything went smoothly. Her alarm woke her up at 7:30 a.m so she could take a walk around the neighborhood for a fresh start to her day. The sky started out as gloomy while the sun was just waking up as well; and the parts of the neighborhoods that she passed were quiet—the only thing that was heard were the honking cars over the birds flapping their wings above her—since it was the weekend and everyone loved sleeping in on the weekend. 

Luci was still discovering new things, such as stores, dining, and secret passageways while her Nike running shoes padded against the cement of the sidewalk; that's what she loved about New York—there was always something new she’d discover in this city, and it was a never ending journey that never failed to make her gasp and giddy. 

She stopped at a smoothie place before walking back to her apartment; and when she got to her front door, she looked at Harry’s, which she seemed to make a habit out of every time she walked in and out of her apartment, and she wondered if he was awake at this time—he seemed like a morning person, she thought. She debated knocking on his door before she left to go to the theatre to tell her that she was finally performing tonight, but she decided against it, wanting to hang out with him at some place else rather than her workplace. 

After making herself a breakfast to go along with her drink, she took a shower and made sure to take extra care of her skin and body since today was such an important day for her; she wanted to feel good so she could look good, especially for tonight. 

In between brunch hours, her mother called, making her squeal. 

“Hello, mother!” She couldn’t contain her excitement over the phone. 

“Oh, hi, My Lucky! How are you?” Luci could hear the bustling street through the phone as they walked through the city. Ren and Beatrice had flown into New York to watch her on stage as promised; Nathan was planning to fly into the city after work as well. Luci offered to pick them up at the airport, which required a car that she didn’t have, but they decided against it, knowing that she had a specific routine before a show and they didn’t want to interfere with that pattern. 

“Oh, y’know, just doing nothing. Boring, plain, old me,” she joked, making Beatrice chuckle. 

“How’re you handling your nerves?” 

Beatrice always knew that inside the confident exterior that Luci had always presented herself with, there was still a shy and nervous girl that was always so hard on herself. 

“I’m okay, Ma. More excited than nervous, I think, but y’know, once it’s minutes away from showtime, I’m gonna be a nervous mess,” Luci stated honestly, nibbling on the corner of her lip. She got herself comfortable on her forest green sofa that turned into a bed, and draped the tan, soft plush blanket over her legs. Her apartment was finally coming together, and she was thankful for her few days off of work so she could make her apartment feel like home. 

“I know you’ll do great. Plus, all of us are gonna be in the crowd supporting you.” Beatrice encouraged her. “Anyways, I can’t walk and talk at the same time, especially when we’re walking through people, but I just wanted to check up on you. So, I’ll let you go and we’ll see you later! Oh, your father says hi and that he loves you. Bye, my star. Shine your heart.” 

Her mother always talked like she was in a hurry, but it never failed to make Luci smile—it was as if Luci was listening to a voicemail, or remembered a fond memory, or looking at a photograph; Beatrice was a timeless treasure, Ren would say. 

The rest of the day went by smoothly; Luci mostly watched some television on her iPad since she didn’t have a TV yet, caught up on some reading, and lightly went through her lines and quietly sang the songs. Once it hit 3:30, she was out the door and on the subway by 3:45. 

When she walked into the dressing room where everyone was getting ready, her cast members looked at her warily with sympathetic eyes. Luci was confused, but she figured that everyone was just nervous, so she sat down at her vanity and was surprised to see Daisy sitting next to her. She thought that Daisy wouldn’t be here for Luci’s opening night and she was more surprised to see that Daisy was getting ready as she didn’t just want to stand on the sidelines, waiting for Luci to screw up to step right in. 

“Hey,” Luci greeted with a smile, but Daisy simply ignored her, going back to do her makeup. Luci slightly frowned but shrugged it off before she sat down. 

A few moments later, Tal came into the dressing room. 

“Luci,” she called out, making her look up into the mirror, meeting Tal’s eyes. “Can we talk for a minute?” Luci nodded, eyes slightly widening like she was a deer in headlights. She followed Tal out of the dressing room and into a more private room down the hall. 

She crossed her arms as a breeze passed by, sending a chill down Luci’s skin and she wished she had grabbed her jacket on the way out. “What’s up?” 

Tal took a deep breath, not knowing how to break the news to her newest cast member. “So, there’s been a change for tonight,” she started, and Luci wondered if Samuel wasn’t going to play Chris tonight but instead, Peter or the understudy, Michael. Tal looked up, thinking about her words carefully and how to say her words as gently as possible. “Daisy is gonna perform tonight.” 

She wished she hadn’t spoken so soon on how smoothly her day was going. 

Luci stared at her mindlessly, blinking a few times. She felt like she was hearing things or dreaming, like her words hadn’t processed correctly in her brain. But when Tal was giving her a certain look of guilt, that was when Luci knew that her mind wasn’t making anything up. 

“W-What?” 

“I know it was supposed to be your night to perform, but Daisy said that she wanted to perform tonight…” Luci could tell that Tal was holding back on more information. “She said that she doesn’t feel like she needed to rest, so she’s gonna perform every night until she says so.” 

Tears were forming over Luci’s eyes and it suddenly became difficult for her to see or hear. She curled her lips into her mouth, refraining a sob that was settling in the base of her throat. 

“She knows, right? That it’s my night to perform?” 

Tal nodded. “Yeah, she knows quite clearly. I even reminded her, and we got into this argument; she basically told me to choose between her and you, and-” 

“It’s okay,” Luci interrupted, not wanting to hear the rest of that sentence because she knew that Tal had chosen Daisy, which she didn’t blame Tal for doing because why would anyone choose between the face of Broadway and some actress that no one even knows about? Tal knew that she didn’t have any power over Daisy even though it was Tal’s show and she was the stage director. 

“Luci, I’m sorry. You’re free to go home though, if anyone is gonna step in, then it’ll be Wendy.” Daisy told Tal that she’d rather have the understudy step into her place if anything happened, and who was Tal to say no to her?

Luci nodded sadly, putting her head down for a moment before she looked up. Tal had the same look Luci had on her face because Tal genuinely felt bad that this had to happen. Luci walked away and back into the dressing room to once again, meet everyone’s dreadful stare. She grabbed her belongings, and Daisy pretended to not notice that Luci was there. 

She felt a surge of anger running through her body as she looked at Daisy, and she was not one to let things happen to her without defending herself. What she was going to do could possibly cause Luci her job and maybe any role that she comes across her path because that’s how much power Daisy had, but the power Daisy exposed and portrayed didn’t make her any more powerful than she thought it did. 

“If you’re the reason that’s depriving me of my job, then how about you tell me that. Don’t have people doing that for you because if you really wanted me out of the show, then you would’ve told that to my face right when you met me.” Daisy continued looking into the mirror, but she was alert to Luci’s words. Everyone in the room was silent, listening to the confrontation happening right in front of them. “Just sitting there and not having the urge to look me in the eye and tell me yourself is just downright cowardness.” 

Without another word, Luci left the room, passing by Nina on the way out, asking if she was okay and Luci muttered ‘Yeah, fine’ before huffing out a sarcastic laugh and walking out of the theatre. She felt bad for giving her friend such a cold and short attitude, and she only hoped Nina understood why she was acting that way.

Suddenly, everything felt very…loud. On the outside, there were honking cars, people shouting at those road ragers, and the harsh wind that blew through her ears. All of that contributed to the loud thoughts running through her head, the disappointment of her hopes had made her feel dizzy, and the heartache of her crushed dreams had made her heart sink. Everything had gone smoothly up until now, and she hated herself for thinking this was all too good to be true. 

Luci clutched at her chest as if she was holding her heart in the palm of her hand, signaling it to slow down its erratic beating because she couldn’t keep up. If she had felt heartbreak in the past by dumb boys who didn’t know how to treat her right, the pain that she felt did not compare to having her dream being crushed and ripped away from her in the split of a second. 

Sure, she may be dramatic in that moment, but it was everything that she was feeling and it was a valid feeling. She felt like the world was against her and she was perplexed on how to operate this minor section of her life. 

“Luci?” Through the midst of her chaotic and saddened mind, the voice that called her sounded quite familiar. She turned around, finding Harry standing a distance away from her before he walked forward. 

“Harry…” Her tone was calm as she breathed out a sigh of relief, but her exhale was staggered. Tears glossed over her eyes, making her neighbor and the bright lights blurry, only seeing colored spots until she blinked and her vision cleared up as the tears streamed down her face. 

“I thought it was you. Aren’t you—oh.” Harry was interrupted by the collision of her body as she wrapped her arms around his waist, loudly sobbing in his chest. Usually, she wasn’t like this; she wasn’t one to cry in front of people or show any emotion that she was truly hurt—it just wasn’t her. But she could no longer pretend like the events that happened prior didn't happen, and she really needed some comfort, a hug, anything. 

Luci felt his hesitancy when his arms wrapped around her body, and she felt bad for hugging him without permission, but her comfort had taken priority. When he eventually did take her fragile and shaking body in his arms, it did everything she was looking for justice. The embrace was warm, even when it was cold and windy out; the hug seemed to have warmed both of them up. A sense of safety, and a complete sigh of relief came to mind where Luci felt like she could take a breather for a slight moment. His strong, muscular arms wrapped so perfectly around her that Harry felt like it was him who needed this hug instead of her, but he wouldn’t admit that because she was clearly being vulnerable in front of him, despite just talking less than a handful of times. 

She pulled away, and he suddenly missed the warmth of her body for a split second before his attention turned to her wiping her tears away. 

“Hey, are you okay?” He asked concerningly. 

“Yeah. I’m sorry for just hugging you out of nowhere, I-I should’ve asked.” Harry stared deeply in her eyes, and even in the state that she was in, her eyes were still bright; the lucidity of the bright lights outside of the theatre sparkled in her eyes, and it made him smile at how beautiful she looked even when she was crying. 

He snapped out of his thoughts, realizing that he hadn't answered her yet. “No, it’s okay, don’t worry about it. Just…are you okay?” His concern for her made her feel slightly better. 

“I’m good now. Uh, thank you for the hug,” she said bashfully; he gave her a soft smile, nodding his head. “W-What are you up to tonight?” 

“Oh, uh,” he chuckled, scratching the back of his head. “I actually came to watch the play. You mentioned you were in it right?”

Luci’s expression softened. “You came to see me?” She felt like she could cry all over again at the fact that he was at Broadway Theatre to see her perform; her heart flipped instantly. Harry nodded, placing his hands in his black pinstripe trousers. “Well, it’s a good thing you caught me out here before you went in because you’d be disappointed to not see me when the show starts.” He furrowed his brows in confusion, tilting his head to the side like a lost puppy. “It’s a long story…if you have time?” 

Immediately, Luci knew she wanted to keep spending time with him, and she hoped he felt the same. Plus, she was in a vulnerable state, and she needed someone to be with her. 

Harry was hesitant at first, but he realized that she probably needed to vent to someone, so he responded, “Yeah, sure.” 

She smiled softly, wiping the excess tears off her face before walking further away from the theatre; Luci texted her parents and brother in the family group chat saying: not performing tonight :( so I won't be at the theatre. I'll explain later. Seconds later, they blew up her phone with a thread of ‘WHAT?!’ and naturally, Nathan sent a series of curses, making Beatrice scold him in the chat for his language.  

Harry and Luci walked until they landed on a Burger & Fry joint near Times Square. The sound of food made her mouth water, especially after crying; she needed to replenish and hydrate herself. 

The two sat in a pink leather booth; the restaurant had a decent amount of people for a Friday night because the volume of chatter was heard over the music blaring through the speaker. It was a somewhat retro-themed diner with checkered flooring, a jukebox in the corner for show, and the wardrobe the employees were wearing; it was a fun and cool vibe. 

Harry and Luci felt a bit awkward; they both weren’t expecting to end up in a diner together when they were supposed to be inside the theatre. They both avoided eye contact, looking around the very pink restaurant before a waitress arrived at their table and took their order. 

From what Luci could tell, Harry was a quiet and shy guy, but that was just an observable trait, which was half-correct. But the only reason why he was shy was because Harry was closed off and didn’t let too many people in, so sitting down with Luci at a diner—someone he'd only spoken with a couple of times—was very new to him. 

He fiddled with his rings—her personal favorite was the square Ruby gemstone with a gold band—and she knew that she needed to say something quick before he'd never talk to her again. 

“So, Harry, can I ask what you do for a living?” His head propped up from looking at the bubbles from his soda in his Coca Cola glass cup. 

He nodded. “Yeah, I’m a middle school teacher. I teach Language Arts.” 

“Fun! How long have you been teaching?” Luci placed her elbows on the table, interlocking her fingers as she rested her chin on her hands, giving him her full attention. 

“For about eight months.” He told her the basics of his life, not voluntarily, but because Luci asked an abundance of questions and was genuinely interested in his life. 

She learned that he was from Manchester where his sister and mother live and his father lived in Birmingham. He has a cat, which his mom had been taking care of ever since he left to go to college in America. He went to UCLA, becoming a double major in English and Education, which led him to wanting to become a teacher in the midst of essays and research. He decided to stay in America, ending up in New York for the change of scenery (Luci could tell there was more to that story than he led on), and was fortunate enough to get a job at East Side Middle School in Manhattan. 

Harry also mentioned that the four stacks of grading piles had gone down to one, finally being able to have a Friday night free, so he wanted to watch the play. Luci’s lips twitched up, but she curled her lips into her mouth, suppressing a large smile into a small one as she thanked him for wanting to spend his free time watching the show. 

He’d never talked that much, Harry thought. In between his stories and facts about himself, the food had arrived and Luci was still asking him questions. It wasn’t like he minded; he appreciated Luci being so attentive and interested in his life as a way to make small talk and make friends, but those were just the basics that he would tell anyone if they asked. 

Harry then asked how long she’d been acting for and on Broadway. Luci told him that her career started when she was six and had been acting ever since. She shared her aspirations and dreams; becoming part of Broadway was her first dream, which she somewhat achieved, and Hollywood was her next stop whenever the time was right. Harry poured the same energy she did, asking questions and interacting with her answers to those questions. 

Her mood seemed to decline as she explained why she was outside of the theatre crying. 

“It just felt like she ripped my dream from me and ripped it apart. I-I don’t even know when I’m gonna get my chance to perform.” Her lips turned downwards as she felt a new set of tears glaze her eyes, but she pushed them back, not wanting to cry again. 

“I’m sorry that happened to you. I’m sure it’ll be soon, and whenever that happens, I’ll be there to see you perform on your opening night,” Harry said genuinely; and Luci felt like she could cry all over again, not because of the destruction of her dream that happened in two minutes, but because Harry was possibly one of the sweetest guys she’s ever met. 

He surprised himself with his words, but he meant them. Throughout their conversations and getting to know one another, he felt himself relax a bit more, shoulders slumping. He realized that Luci was a very ambitious and motivated woman, making him admire her quality traits; she was also very easy to talk to, slightly chuckling at a joke that she made because he appreciated badly-made jokes since he made them himself. But maybe he’ll bring out the jokes another time when they hang out again. 

After an hour of staying at the diner and chatting with their table completely cleaned off besides the last-minute decision to order milkshakes, they finally decided to head home. They split the bill—only because it was fair and this unexpected night wasn’t a date—before they got on the subway towards home. They sat on opposite sides of each other, which Luci wasn’t expecting, but when Luci got on the subway cart and took her seat, Harry sat right across from her. 

Once they both reached their respective doors, they gave each other a small smile before mimicking each other’s actions as they turned the key and opened their doors at the same time. Taking one step in, they turned around, standing in their doorways just like all the other times they’d bid their goodbyes to one another. 

“Thank you for tonight, Harry. I really appreciate you being there for me, even if you didn’t have to.” Luci said, leaning against the doorframe. 

He nodded. “You’re welcome. Thank you for a great night as well. I had fun.” His statement made her face lighten up. “Well, goodnight, Luci.” He walked further into his apartment as did she, and she softly waved at him before they closed their doors. 

Despite not performing tonight, her night with Harry wouldn’t have happened if the unfortunate events were fortunate. 

And that was the most positive thing that came out of tonight, and she was really focusing on the positives now. 

come talk to me about your feelings, thoughts, and favorite moments! thank you for reading <3 next chapter will be posted next saturday!

#harry styles fanfiction #harry styles angst #harry styles fluff #harry styles writing #harry styles series #harry styles x ofc #harry styles au #harry styles ff #harry styles fic #harry styles x reader #harry styles smut #harry styles story #boyfriend!harry #actress!oc #harry styles #harry styles solo #hs au

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MLQC Mini Garden Series: MC

A character-study-headcannon series where I diagnose MLQC characters with plants and a bit of poetry. Part five.

Other parts of the series: Lucien / Gavin / Kiro / Victor

Magnolia

"With my heart singing to the stars, I shall love all things that are dying. And I must walk the road that has been given to me. Tonight, again, the stars are brushed by the wind." - Yun Dong-Ju

A little pretty fact about magnolia flowers: It is a symbolic flower in many different cultures all around the world, and is believed to have existed since the beginning of time. There are over 200 species of magnolia flowers, with many new species being developed all the time.

In China, magnolia flowers are called 玉兰花 in Chinese. They symbolise the yin, or the feminine side of life. It also once symbolised purity during the Tang Dynasty, and was planted all around the palace.

Magnolias also typically symbolise everlasting bonds, longevity, perseverance, sweetness, and beauty. All very fitting descriptions of MC :)

Apple blossoms

"Because the sunset, like survival, exists only on the verge of its own disappearing. To be gorgeous, you must first be seen, but to be seen allows you to be hunted." - Ocean Vuong

Apple blossoms, or the Malus pumila, are chos n for the list due to its meaning - these flowers represent the concept of life continuing, to carry on living, and eternal life. It is also symbolic of a long life, describing how we'll all have to continue living even after we've endured a rough winter in our lives.

This flower reminds me of MC very much - from her determination to keep taking the right step forward for the betterment of the world. It also reminds me of Spring Day from BTS, or Arthur Rimbaud's poem, L'eternité (Previously mentioned in Lucien's post if I remember correctly).

Almond blossom

"Every life is in many days, day after day. We walk through ourselves, meeting robbers, ghosts, giants, old men, young men, wives, widows, brothers-in-love, but always meeting ourselves." - James Joyce

Almond blossoms are symbolic of an eternal love unconquerable by death, and it's because of the Queen of Thrace from Greek mythology. The queen, Phyllis, was in a hopeless despair as she believed her true love wouldn't ever return, so she commited suicide and thus gained sympathy from the Gods, who turned her into an almond tree. When her lover returned, he embraced the almond tree, who blossomed beautiful. Thus the almond blossoms also represent eternal hope.

They also symbolise courage, blessings, the coming of spring, good fortunes, and purity.

A little side tangent here, but almond blossoms were also featured in a series of Van Gogh's flower paintings. "Almond Blossoms" was described by the artist to represent awakening and hope, and one might also notice a change of his style in the painting - it was due to the fact that Van Gogh was inspired by the Japanese style of printing art, Ukiyo-e (浮世絵), or the floating world. It's my favourite painting of Van Gogh's!

Ambrosia

"It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves." - William Shakespeare

Ambrosia in Greek mythology is the liquid or food which the Gods and Goddesses drink, or a liquid given to mortals to make them immortal. It represents immortality (-am for not, and -mbrotos for mortal in Greek), and there are thousands of years of history behind these common yellow flowers.

Another fun fact is that the ambrosia flowers also belong in the Asteraceae family, which means it is related to daisies, among other flowers!

Other than immortality, ambrosia flowers also represents love and devotion, or a love being reciprocated.

Not to mention, the ambrosia flowers also symbolise care and support - it's told that a nymph by the name of Ambrosia, who was one of the nymphs to nurse the Greek God of Wine, Dionysus, back to health.

Dandelions

"And once the storm is over, you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure, whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what this storm’s all about." - Haruki Murakami

Dandelions! Weeds for many, but a meaningful blossom for those who know its meaning. In Chinese, they are called 蒲公英 (pü gōng yīng). They are found all around the world, and are valuable sources of nectar for the pollinators. They come in two 'forms', a sunny yellow blossom, and the white cotton-ball-like flower we're all familiar with. Both have very pretty meanings.

The flower in general symbolises hope, happiness, optimism and wishes - it's told that if you gather the seeds of a dandelion and blow it towards the winds while making a wish, your wish will be granted.

The yellow blossoms of a dandelion flower only strengthens its joyful meanings, particularly in Japan. They are also symbols of hope and love, the yellow petals like the sun shining on all the beautiful things in your life. Lastly, they symbolise resilience - dandelions can thrive even in the harshest weathers, and are a thus a little symbol of courage.

This flower reflects MC's personality - innocent, but courageous and determined. Hopeful, lovely, and her optimism is contagious to anyone who meets her. Like dandelions thriving between cracks of concrete, she is able to rise above any obstacles life throws at her, and strive to be the best person she can be.

The first character of MC's Chinese name, 悠然 (yōurán), also means carefree, which reminds me of the nature of dandelions, flowing and letting the winds bring them wherever they need to be.

[END]

Hello again! I do realise I've been procrasinating on this post for the past week.. I totally wasn't building random houses in the Sims 4.

Anyways, I do hope you enjoyed the post! If you notice that the "karma" wasn't credited to anyone, it's because I made it. I was disappointed there was not a single good karma where MC is alone so I made one. Though the quality is obviously not even comparable to your average MLQC's CG, I tried my best :P

Have a wondrous weekend! Stay safe and stay hydrated. How about you take a shot of water for every time the word 'symbolise' appeared in this post?

- Shio

#恋与制作人 #mlqc #mlqc mc #mr love queens choice #mlqc analysis #evol x love #mini garden series