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#i feel like throwing up. audiences didn't cheer and shout as much as they should during that scene
missholloween · 3 months
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I'm still not over the fact that when Paul re-enters in NPMD after If I Loved You, Inevitable stars playing. The leitmotif of Paul Matthews The Guy who didn't like musicals, it's his final solo, the song of his defeat. His leitmotif is a love song that ended up with his soulmate's life. His leitmotif is of the song where he's happier in the musical, but he's also dead.
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skepsiss · 18 days
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Oh you don’t say? Ok, fluffy one shot idea for you. Steve, backstage, when Eddie comes back from his First Ever Packed Show! “They really loved me Stevie!! 🥹🥹” excited and exhilarated and exhausted??
I saw this JUST before I was going to bed xD But I'll reply to it now. (other people feel free to send me things, not just my pal void! Also, go check out their writing). First ever packed show; Eddie was like a firework. His explosion of energy was evident, and the colour that came off of him was like catching wind in a sail. It just urged you forward. It was impossible not to be compelled by Eddie, and that was more than obvious as the roar of a full stadium reached Steve backstage. This wasn't Eddie's first show, but it was the first big league one. The stadium was sold out, and everyone here was screaming for Corroded Coffin. It was wild to think that the four men out there on the stage had come from little-town-nowhere and were now adored by hundreds. It was impossible not to adore Eddie. He knew how to put on a performance, and he knew how to engage the audience in a way that only a true showman could. Steve could never do something like that. He never wanted that much attention on him. He was proud of Eddie though, more proud than he could put into words. The band ran off-stage as the crowd continued to yell, the lights around them dimming as Steve already heard shouts for an encore. It didn't seem to matter how much the people adored Eddie though, because Steve could see that as soon as Eddie reached the wings he was looking around wildly for him. "Steve!" Eddie yelled, spying him against one of the back walls. He had chosen that spot to stay out of the Grips' way but hadn't wanted to go too far and miss the performance. "Present," Steve said, raising a hand and then opening his arms as he saw Eddie beelining it for him. Eddie was in his arms in a flash, throwing all of his weight on Steve as he latched on around his neck and hugged him tightly. He was damp with sweat and Steve couldn't help the involuntary 'ouph' that escaped him from the impact.
"Steve!" Eddie shouted again, pulling back to hold Steve's face in his hands. "Sold out, baby! Sold out! Did you see that? They love us--they freaking love us!" Eddie's smile was so brilliant that Steve was certain he could have lit up the whole solar system if he tried. His eyes were twinkling, and despite how exhausted he looked, there was an unbridled energy that hummed behind his expression. "I saw, I saw---" Steve chuckled, letting himself be manhandled. Eddie was like this after every show. His adrenaline was high, and his lust for life was like nothing else. He loved being famous. He loved performing, and Steve knew that he was meant to do it. Eddie was supposed to wow crowds and put on one of the best shows on the planet. "They're asking for an encore," Eddie said, nose to nose with Steve. His smile hadn't faded at all, and Steve felt the infectiousness of it as he grinned back. "Can't blame 'em," Steve replied with a laugh, holding Eddie around the waist. "You should get out there." "Don't go anywhere," Eddie said quickly, looking over his shoulder at the guys who were already standing in the wings, ready to head back out there. "I'll be right back. I'll---I'll be right back." Eddie kissed him hard on the mouth, and Steve hardly got the chance to kiss back before Eddie was rushing back toward the stage. It was hilarious to watch him stumble over himself and then try to look composed as he walked back out to a cheering crowd. Steve just smiled affectionately and wiped away the flecks of sweat and makeup that Eddie had gotten on his cheeks. This was par for the course, and Steve had to admit that he loved every second of being in Eddie's glow.
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doeilovr · 3 years
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《 a fool for you 》
ROCKCT AU
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Pairing: Drummer Doyoung x Reader
Genre: fluff, a bit angst
Words: 1.8k words
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It wasn't your first concert - no. You've been to many, sitting in the audience countless times to admire whatever artist was pouring out his heart on stage. But this was different to the classical concerts you've been to in the past.
This was way out of your usual comfort zone. And funny enough you just now started wondering how your friend had even convinced you to come here in the first place.
Jaehyun was like a brother to you, he was your best friend, always supporting you and always spending his free time with you.
But unlike you he had other friends too, friends that had other interests. They were kind of the exact opposite from not only him but also you - or so you thought.
You held Jaehyun's hand tightly as he lead you through the crowd closer to the stage. Loud music was roaring in your ears, you fought the urge to hold your ears.
"They already started", Jaehyun shouted in your direction. "Just enjoy yourself, I'll be right back."
You stood right in front of the stage, the people around you cheering and shouting in excitement. The lights were still out, only a loud melody was heard.
Finally as the stage lights turned on you saw them - Jaehyun and his friends. Five guys that wore either a little too much leather or a little too few clothes for your taste.
You recognized Xiaojun, who was the second singer in the group next to Jaehyun. And you recognized Jungwoo, who Jaehyun hung out with very often and who was an absolute god on the bass.
Yuta, the guitarist was who most of your classmates - mostly girls - talked about. Actually, now you kind of understood their obsession.
And then there was the - wait did he look at you? Just when you thought your mind had played you a trick the drummer's eyes and yours met again.
You didn't know him at all, but he had black messy hair which hid his eyes a bit and what seemed like a smirk, playing on his lips.
He looked ridiculously good in his black jeans and white tank top.
You were intrigued, a strange feeling was building in the pit of your stomach and you quickly averted your gaze, looking at Jaehyun instead.
The concert went by fast, you could really feel the energy of all the boys and the lively crowd.
After the show as the regular music set in again and most of the people left, you still stood at the front of the stage, waiting for Jaehyun who went backstage to change.
You leaned against the stage, watching the people slowly making their way to the exit.
"You're a new face", a male voice spoke from behind. Almost startled you turned your head to find the drummer crouching down next to you on stage.
"It's not like I've seen your face before either", you shrugged, fingers fidgeting with the hem of your shirt. He let out an amused chuckle, silently watching you.
"True." His dark eyes were burning into you and you felt a bit trapped under his gaze. "Did someone force you to come here or was it your own decision?"
You chuckled, looking around the room, "No one forced me, but it's not my usual scene either." You smiled unconsciously, thinking back to the time Jaehyun asked you to come and see him and his band live.
"I wouldn't have guessed", he let out a deep chuckle. You turned your head to meet his eyes, letting out a sigh at his teasing comment.
"Kim Doyoung", a loud voice echoed through the room, making both of you turn your head.
Kim Doyoung.
Yuta walked over to the two of you, Jaehyun right next to him. "Did you enjoy the show", Yuta asked, smirking at you.
"Yes, I had a good time actually", you smiled, Jaehyun shooting you an 'I told you so' look.
Doyoung brushed his hair back, his eyes still lingering on you.
"Should we go out for drinks", Yuta excitedly suggested, throwing an arm around Jaehyun.
"Can't", Jaehyun countered, "I drove us here, so I'll drive us back", he added, grinning at you. You were glad to call Jaehyun your friend, since he always took care of you no matter what.
But nevertheless you felt like you were holding him back from having fun. "No, Jaehyun. You should go and hang out with everyone. It's fine, I'll take the bus."
Before Jaehyun could protest Doyoung spoke up next to you. "I'll take you home."
You looked at him, his piercing eyes quickly finding yours. Everyone around you seemed to stop talking, an awkward silence filling the room.
"Would that be okay?" Jaehyun put a hand on your shoulder, trying to get your attention. "Sure", you nodded, feeling uneasy at the thought of Doyoung taking you home.
There was something dangerous about him, something that told you to stay away.
After a while you found yourself in front of the building, the others having already left. You were waiting for Doyoung who had to grab his bag from the backstage room.
You leaned against the wall just staring out into the night. A few drunk people passed by, girls you recognized from the concert earlier.
A group of boys walked up to you, you could barely make out their faces in the dark.
"You got cigarettes?" One of the boys pointed at you, clearly tipsy. You quickly shook your head, hoping they'd quickly leave you alone.
Of course they didn't and stepped even closer. "Wanna come with us", another one of the boys spat out with an evil smirk. "We could have some fun together."
You swallowed, "no I'm good. Now would you please excuse me I'm waiting for my boyfriend." You lied and you were pretty sure they noticed, you just sucked at lying.
The boys chuckled dangerously, one of them stepping even closer. You tried to back up more, but your back already hit the wall.
"That's very rude", the boy countered, visibly annoyed.
"Are they bothering you?" A familiar voice came from your right and you turned your head to watch no other than Kim Doyoung step out of the dark.
"Can I help you", one of the boys barked, now all the attention on Doyoung.
Doyoung chuckled, making you wonder what the hell he thought was so funny. "Yes, do me the favor and leave. Now", he hissed. You could tell it was a threat solely from the choice of his words. On the outside Doyoung looked as calm as ever.
"And who are you to tell me to piss off", the boy spat back. Doyoung walked past him and stopped next to you, his arm quickly finding its way over your shoulders.
"I'm her boyfriend."
You shot your head to the side, looking at Doyoung in confusion. You wondered if he had heard you mentioning that before?
The boys didn't argue any longer and walked away, Doyoung's staying close to you until they were really out of sight.
"Are you okay?" Doyoung's expression had changed, his eyes looked a lot bigger and sparklier than before, for a moment it even seemed like he was pouting. Or maybe that was just your imagination.
"What? Yeah, I'm okay", you mumbled, stepping away from him.
Maybe it was because you were still nervous about the encounter with these rude boys, but maybe it was also just because of Doyoung. Whatever this strange feeling that spread in your stomach was, it made your heart race and your mind go blank.
"Should I take you home now?" Doyoung took off his jacket, putting it around you instead. "It's cold", he mumbled, "you shouldn't get sick."
You felt torn between these two sides of Doyoung. Was he cold or caring?
Doyoung lead you to his car, which was parked right across the road - he even held the door open for you.
The whole ride you were quiet, not even daring to talk. You felt oddly nervous in Doyoung's presence, your heart was beating fast.
The car came to a halt in front of your dorm, both of you not moving in your seat. "Thanks", you turned your head to look at Doyoung once again, only to find him looking at you already.
"You know, I've actually seen you before", Doyoung explained, immediately having your attention. "I've been to one of your concerts. It was actually a coincidence, but I was glad I took the wrong turn that evening."
The corner of Doyoung's mouth slightly rose as he thought back to the time he first saw you. You were playing the piano on stage, a piece by Chopin.
And although he didn't even enjoy classical music it seemed like the most beautiful thing he had ever heard at that moment. Especially with you playing it.
"I didn't know who you were back then, but as I hung out with Jaehyun I unconsciously learned about you everyday", he explained, "you know, he just can't shut up about you."
You let out a chuckle - that was just so Jaehyun.
"I didn't think I'd ever see you again. And I don't believe in fate, you know, but when I saw you tonight I doubted all my beliefs for a second."
You swallowed, eyes blankly staring in Doyoung's direction. "So?" You watched his smile slowly appear. "Are you telling me you suddenly believe in fate?"
Doyoung chuckled, as if he was amused by your question. "No, but I believe in coincidences, in seizing the opportunity. And I'd be a fool to not ask you to come and see us play again tomorrow."
You raised your eyebrows at him. Did he just ask you out? "Tomorrow", you repeated, "yes, id love to come."
"Good", Doyoung nodded with a soft smile, his gaze moving between your eyes and your lips. "I was hoping you'd say that."
"And maybe afterwards you can drive me home again", you suggested without thinking twice.
"I'd like that."
You looked at each other for another moment, before you finally snapped back to reality, waving goodbye to Doyoung and getting out of the car.
You watched Doyoung drive off, unable to hold back your smile. You felt like you were floating and you were already excited to see him again the next evening.
You didn't believe in fate either, but there was something about seeing Doyoung on stage, fully focused on playing the drums.
There was something about him falling for a stranger he saw from the distance one day and falling for the same stranger again some time later - that stranger being you.
There was something that made you almost believe in fate too.
And maybe it really was a coincidence, maybe it was even Jaehyun's work. But maybe, just maybe, there really was a little fate involved.
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a/n: check out the rest of the collab hosted by @johnsamericano :3 I'm super happy to be part of this collab! It's my first one too so it's even more exciting:)
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cheri-translates · 4 years
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[CN] Shaw’s Tide of Emotions Date (Eng Translation)
🍒Warning: This post contains detailed spoilers for a date which has not been released in English servers!🍒
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The entire date summarised in one picture:
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The date begins with MC feeling nervous about playing for the band’s upcoming performance.
Shaw: Didn’t you say you’d show me what you’re capable of? Are you sure you can do it?
I look at Shaw, who has already strapped on his bass, his ear stud reflecting the stage lights. Even his eyes are illuminated.
MC: …Of course I can!
Shaw neither agrees nor disagrees. He lets out a ‘hmph’. The lights suddenly change. He lowers his head and the low bass resounds.
Drum beats follow after, and I come to my senses, frantically pressing the keyboard, its clear notes following the rhythm.
As the performance goes on, MC gets increasingly nervous because her 20-second solo is coming up
Once she’s done with her solo, she notices that the initial excitement from the crowd has dulled considerably, and some of the audience members are even frowning and whispering among themselves
…D-did I mess it up? Was the mood wrong or did I make a mistake somewhere?
I have no idea what to do and find myself glancing at Shaw’s position on stage, only to realise that he is walking straight towards me.
MC: You…
Shaw: Don’t say anything.
He hands his bass to me and stands in front of the keyboard. Only now does the synthesizer reveal its true capabilities, and the magnificent and strange rhythm resounds loudly. The audience seem to be roused from a dream, and once again come alive.
Applause, whistling and cheering ensues. Fire jets spew flames at the front of the stage while a rain curtain descends at the back.
The keyboard gives off the feel of a bass, as though it is accompanying the sound of the water droplets, and yet also sounds like shouting.
The water droplets pelt down on us and onto Shaw’s face, tracing his sharp features as they slide off.
I hold onto the bass dumbfoundedly, my heart beating violently along with the notes he plays with his fingertips.
Only after walking off the stage, far from the lights and the crowd, that my heart rate finally slows down.
MC: That scared me…
Shaw casually leans his bass on a box. He glances at me, and his voice carries not a single shred of disdain.
Shaw: That’s enough to scare you? You really lack guts.
I look at him wordlessly. This person finds every opportunity to taunt me, doesn’t he? 
Then again, I would have been too embarrassed to do anything had he not stepped in to help just now. I suppress my rebuttal.
MC: … Thanks for helping me just now.
While I have yet to fully shake off my anxiety, Shaw looks somewhat indifferent. He leans on a pile of boxes with a relaxed posture.
Shaw: I didn’t help you.
MC: Eh?
Shaw: I only changed the final portions of the bass to the keyboard. That song was meant to have two solos anyway. No one told you?
Blinking blankly at him, I catch the corners of his lips turn up. With this realisation, I become even more flustered.
MC: No! One!
Shaw: Maybe it slipped my mind. Why are you glaring at me? Is there a problem?
I vigorously nod my head, at the same time increasing the intensity of my death glare.
The other members of the band prepare to go for supper. While MC excitedly prepares to enjoy a good feast, Shaw stops her just before she leaves.
Shaw: You don’t want your jacket?
With his reminder, I suddenly realise that I am dressed in a thin shirt. The evening wind blows and I hug my clothes together to myself. I can’t help but cast him a look of suspicion.
MC: Did you hide it again?
Shaw: I have nothing to do with the things you leave backstage.
Still harbouring doubt, I head backstage only to find my jacket on an empty bench.
MC: Turns out he can tell the truth sometimes…
When MC returns to the meeting spot, she realizes only Shaw is around, and the other members are gone. Shaw snatches her phone away before she can send a message to the other members.  
Shaw: Supper is too boring.
MC: It’s just a meal… How “boring” or “exciting” can it be?
Looking slightly disgruntled, he turns off her messaging app.
Shaw: Here.
He throws the phone to me, his voice cutting through the loud music.
Shaw: Come with me, let’s go somewhere else.
They walk around for a while until MC asks Shaw where exactly they’re going, to which Shaw replies:
Shaw: No idea.
Slightly frustrated because she missed out on supper for this walk, she asks Shaw to at least decide on which direction they are going.
Shaw: Sure, let’s try it.
I thought Shaw was just playing along, but he seriously considers it for a moment and points towards a path.
Shaw: Let’s go that way.
MC: …
MC unwillingly trudges along with him. As the path cuts through a forest, she is faced with a beautiful lake. The lake rests under a starry sky, and flowers of various colours are strewn across the grass.
As she peers into the river, she sees Shaw’s fragmented and distorted reflection and starts laughing.
Sensing that he was the cause for my laughter, the expression in the reflection becomes even more unreadable.
Shaw: What are you laughing at… You’re not allowed to laugh.
Seeing that he is about to “torture” my hair with his hand, I immediately dodge, laughing even more.
Shaw: Hey!
A flash of consternation flashes across Shaw’s eyes. Before he can finish his sentence, I slip and fall backwards onto the ground.
MC: Ah, it hurts…
After his eyes sweep over my form, they morph into a gloating expression. His tone follows suit.
Shaw: This is what happens when you laugh so exaggeratedly.
I angrily rub my back, about to accuse him of lacking empathy. He unexpectedly plops down beside me.
With a look of surprise, I turn towards him.
MC: It’s fine if you didn't offer to help me up… But why would you sit down too?
Shaw: It’s my pleasure.
I am unable to refute, so with a small ‘hmph’, I turn my head towards the lake.
The faintly distinguishable stars are strung high above. Darkness cloaks the sky and the distant lights flicker.
For a while, neither one of us speak. The air suddenly becomes very peaceful, as though the hustle and bustle from before was all just a hallucination.
MC: What do you think everyone is eating now?
Shaw: Are you hungry?
MC: A little.
Because of the nature of our band rehearsals, I had gotten used to the routine of pulling late nights. Having supper became a regular occurrence.
Thinking about this “indulgent lifestyle”, I sigh. I can’t help feeling hungry, and when one is hungry, one should eat.
MC: Do you know of any good places to eat nearby?
Shaw: Not in the vicinity.
MC: You replied so quickly… Are you just lying to me again?
Shaw: I’ve been here thrice. Of course I know.
MC asks whether this means that the band has been together for a long time. Shaw looks at her intently till she feels uncomfortable.
MC: What’s wrong?
Shaw: Nothing much. Just wondering if you interrogate everyone you meet.
MC: Of course not, do I look like I have that much free time…
Shaw doesn’t respond and returns to staring. It makes my heart feel fuzzy.
MC: It’s fine if you don’t want to answer. You’re always so secretive anyway… Ah! But when it comes to adjusting the music score, no matter whether or not you want to, you should tell me!
Just thinking of the live performance makes me feel slightly gloomy.
Shaw: Why are you still hung up over it?
MC: It’s because you always bully people…
I pause, stretching a hand in front of me and bending my fingers while counting his “guilty” moments.
MC: The other time, it was only after I reached Live House that you told me the location had changed, and the other time, you- ACHOO!
My list is interrupted by a sneeze. I rub my nose, pulling my jacket closer to myself.
A rustling sound makes me lift my head. A jacket which still retains a lingering warmth is placed around me.
MC: You…
As though he didn’t hear me, Shaw stands up. With a white shirt framing his back, he looks both familiar yet foreign. I hurriedly stand and follow after him, wanting to say something and yet not knowing what to.
MC: Thank you… But aren’t you cold?
Shaw turns around and surprisingly does not mock my vulnerability to the cold. He just arches his eyebrows and his eyes rest on my right hand. I follow his line of vision but can’t find anything wrong with it.
I quickly notice the hand that is stuffed into his pocket, thinking that he is once again going to give me something, just like the last time he took out the Dragonfly Eye Bead. [Note: MC is making reference to an earlier date].
What trick is he going to pull again… Even though I have a bad feeling in my chest, I still stretch my hand forward.
Before I can react, Shaw takes my hand in his.
He is not wearing gloves. His five fingers wrap themselves around my palm.
Warmth emerges from our point of contact and melts the coldness of my fingers… A surprising gentleness and warmth.
After this thought fills my mind, the warmth gradually travels up to my cheeks.
I move my lips, but before I can make a sound, Shaw’s laughs.
Shaw: Look at how obediently you gave me your hand - Are you a Chihuahua?
After several seconds, I regain my senses and glare at him.
MC: What…!
I try shaking off his hand in a huff, but he merely tightens his grip, even using this opportunity to interlace our fingers together.
The struggling of my fingers creates an even more scalding warmth, and I feel my face flushing redder than before.
MC: L-let me go!
Shaw: I don’t want to.
He raises an eyebrow, not giving me a chance to extricate my fingers from his grasp. He turns around and pulls me along as he moves forward.
MC: Wait! The jacket is falling off! The sleeve, the sleeve… Slow down…
I stumble to keep up, desperately holding Shaw’s jacket in place with one hand, while the other hand remains in Shaw’s firm grip.
Leaves sway in the wind, rustling in the air. There is a dim light on the horizon and a crisp scent. It looks as though it is about to rain.
By the time we return, it is already dawn.
I bought a few tidbits on the way back because I was starving. Wanting to share them with everyone, I discover that the place is completely empty. Cradling my big bag of snacks, I feel slightly worried.
MC: Didn’t you say everyone came back already? Why isn’t anybody around?
Shaw takes the bag of tidbits away from me and throws both our bags onto the table. He plops down on the sofa, crossing his legs and looking at me.
Shaw: I only said that they “should” be back, not “would” be.
MC: I wouldn’t have bought so much if I had known… Forget it, I’ll leave it for next time.
I sit next to Shaw, rifling through the bag.
MC: Oh right, this is for you.
Retrieving two cans of different flavoured soft drinks from the bag, I hand them to Shaw.
Shaw has a earpiece in his ear. The morning rays of sunlight penetrate through the glass, making his hair look slightly furry.
Shaw: For me?
Who else? Where in the world can you find another person who would mix two different soft drinks together?
I hide a grimace, too lazy to explain, and stuff the cans into his arms, turning my head back to rifle through my bag again.
MC: These too – fried chicken flavoured shrimp crackers and hotpot flavoured cake. They’re all for you. Don’t you like eating… hmmm, what do I call these?
Stopping myself from calling them “junk food”, I struggle to find a synonym.
With his arms full of different tidbits, he purses his lips with an unreadable expression.
Silence takes over for a few minutes. He frowns, placing all the tidbits on the table until the only thing remaining in his hands is a can of Coke.
I stop what I’m doing, my eyes shifting back and forth from the can of Coke on the table to the can of Coke in Shaw’s hands.
MC: You don’t want that can?
Shaw: I don’t. I don’t want the rest either.
He shakes the can of Coke but doesn’t drink it. Instead, he shifts his gaze to me.
Shaw: …Don’t think that you understand me very well.
MC: What… I bought these for you out of the kindness of my heart. If you don’t want them, then forget it!
Annoyed, I whip my head around and refuse to look at him.
This person is really… baffling, completely unfathomable.
Band performances are so loud but he finds no issue with them. Yet, he often complains that I’m noisy.
The word “boring” hangs on his lips all the time, yet he enjoys strolling around aimlessly; one moment this, one moment that, always having an opposing view to me.
Before I knew it, I already held a full length “Criticise Shaw Meeting” in my heart.
The more I think about it, the more upset I get. I snatch the hotpot flavoured cake off the table and rip off the packaging.
MC: Since you’re not eating it, I will, hmph.
I mumble softly. However, the way I ferociously ripped open the bag catches Shaw’s attention.
Shaw: Hey, are you angry?
MC: Nope.
I answer immediately, tearing the cake and grabbing cutlery on the table.
I hear a soft “tch” from him as well as the ruffling of clothes.
Shaw: What a bother… Give it to me.
MC: Didn’t you say you didn’t want it?
Shaw: I do now.
I mimic him, letting out a “tch” and “what a bother”.
He doesn’t seem to have heard me, and only looks at me.
MC: You’re not allowed to change your mind this time!
I hand him the cake and a spoon. He unwillingly puts the spoon into his mouth.
MC: How is it?
I studiously observe his face but am unable to find any hint of an answer, so I can only ask him directly. With my question, Shaw’s face returns to its usual expression - the corner of his lips turned up, his eyebrow arching upwards.
Shaw: You’ll know it yourself once you take a bite.
Hearing this, I unconsciously shirk backwards, waving my hands frantically.
Since he’s so adamant about making me eat it, it must taste weird…
Looking at my stubborn refusal, Shaw’s mood seems to gotten even better, shoving the spoon in my face, flashing me a smirk.
MC: I’m not eating…!
The taste of oil is mixed with sweet cream. The strange combination of these flavours makes me question my existence. Worried that this taste would linger in my mouth permanently, I immediately reach out for the lollipop I had just unwrapped, wanting to ease the taste.
Just as I grab the lollipop, a hand suddenly reaches out for mine.
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Shaw’s fingers wrap around my wrist. Exerting slight force, he pulls it over to him.
While he takes off his earpiece, he pulls my hand upwards until the lollipop is just about to touch his lips.
The morning sunlight outlines his facial features and illuminates the lollipop. His faint breaths fall onto my fingers. At this moment, my concentration is focused entirely on how my heart is beating like a drum.
I take a step back, but Shaw grips my wrist even more tightly.
Shaw: Why are you hiding?
Under the warm sunlight, it seems that even his voice has become softer and has taken on a tinge of laziness.
Light laughter enters my ears, and I blush, snapping out of my daze.
I push the lollipop towards Shaw, stuttering:
MC: You… If you want it, just take it. I don’t want it anymore…
Shaw looks down at the lollipop, but the corners of his lips turn into a frown.
Shaw: Then I don’t want it either, save it for yourself.
He finally loosens his grip on my wrist, returns to his original position, and decides to lie down. It’s as though he has marked this entire place as his territory, sitting wherever he wants to sit, and lying wherever he wants to lie. And he likes taking things…
I lower my head towards the lollipop, feeling my heart rate accelerate once more. I shake my head vigorously, wanting to forget about that earlier scene. Even so, my gaze unconsciously lands on the sofa.
Shaw is lying down on the sofa, holding on to an old MP4 player. I remember seeing him with this same MP4 when we first met too…
My curiosity is set ablaze.
MC: That MP4 player… were you listening to it that time on the bus?
He seems to have finally picked a song that he’s satisfied with and rests his head on his arm. He slowly closes his eyes and casually answers.
Shaw: Yeah. Someone gave it to me a long time ago.
His straightforward, honest answer is one that I did not expect.
Such an answer gives me the boldness to probe further, and I inch closer to him. The music from the earpieces isn’t very loud, but the quietness of the surroundings and the fact that he is only wearing one earbud results in the music from the other earbud flowing into my ears.
Surprisingly, what I hear are not fierce rhythms, but a very warm, low and pure music mixed with the sound of rain.
It sounds like a guitar, or is it a bass? Perhaps a mix of both. I can’t really tell, so I can only tread lightly and inch even closer.
MC: What are you listening to…
Shaw does not answer me, his breathing melding together with the music, steady and slow.
He’s asleep? That’s fast…
Because his eyes are closed, there is a lack of his usual sharpness. I can even make out a touch of softness on his features.
MC: Shaw?
I try calling out to him but receive no response. After a moment of hesitation, I slowly reach for the earpiece that rests on his clothes.
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At this moment, an irresistible force presses against the back of my head, followed by Shaw suddenly opening his eyes. His expression is slightly different from usual, as though stripped of all his pride, leaving behind only the purest, most inner part of himself.
Shaw: You’ve been curious about me the whole of today. You really want to know?
Our breaths are exceptionally close. Just a slight movement forward would suffice in breaking this paper-thin distance. Our tangled hair parallels my messy thoughts.
Time seems to stop and my heartbeat has lost its steady rhythm. I can’t tell whether I am looking at him, or looking at myself through the reflection in his eyes.
MC: I want to know… Can’t I?
There seems to be a flurry of emotions in his eyes. He frowns, and lifts his eyes to mine.
Shaw: Bring your ear a little closer.
My body reacts on its own accord, taking the earbud in my hand.
Shaw: I can tell you about myself.
I slowly nod before realizing that Shaw’s hand is still on the back of my head, with no intention of letting go. He even pulls me closer to him.
His scorching breath spreads across the rim of my ear, and it feels like all the blood in my body is rushing to that spot, setting me aflame. I tremble lightly, realizing why I am reacting this way, and my face heats up even more.
Shaw: In exchange…
…What?
Before my mind can comprehend the hidden meaning in his words, I feel the warm touch coming close once again. There is a light, stinging pain accompanied by a slightly moist sensation on my ear.
I shiver and close my eyes, the sensation becoming even clearer. Blood floods back into my heart, and even the apex of my heart feels tender.
The lollipop in my hand falls to the ground with a ‘thud’, but I don’t bother looking for it. In my ear, the muffed sound of the bass strums thrice, followed by the sound of rain.
Yet, Shaw’s voice is clear as day.
Shaw: Tell me everything about you.
🍭
Phone Calls: First Call // Second Call
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spicycreativity · 3 years
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Fanfic Appreciation Week Day 7: A Place Where I Can Breathe
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Yes, folks, I'm appreciating my own darn fanfic for the final day of Fanfic Appreciation Week because I worked really hard on it and it was a labor of love for/with one of my QPPs, my roommate, the man who got me into Sanders Sides: @\cadeorade-powercade (That's him in the aesthetic board)
Allow me to present the director's commentary for A Place Where I Can Breathe:
Content Warnings: All content warnings mentioned in the fic apply.
Chapter 1: I actually wrote this fairly late in the game. It's meant to serve as a prologue and orient the viewer in the universe, s opposed to staring on Chapter 2, which just throws the viewer in without context. I think it was a good choice, as it also allowed me to introduce the concept of the Sides having power focuses early on.
The Premise: Cade is a Virgil stan and he was getting frustrated looking for Virgil fic. He was finding a lot of stuff written without nuance by young authors, a sort of "by teenagers for teenagers" type deal. We are not teenagers, so we both have a hard time relating to that kind of teen angst fic, as we're not the target audience. So he asked me to write him a Virgil fic and we worked together to identify what plot he wanted, what the Mindscape looked like, and what quirks the Sides have. So a lot of this fic is quite gratuitous and self-indulgent
The Title: Lizzie McAlpine has a song called "Apple Pie" which includes the lyric "I've been running around trying to find a place where I can breathe." Apple Pie SCREAMS Moceit to me, and I had taken notice of the lyric and wanted to use it as the title for a Moceit fic. I didn't really have an idea beyond that, and when Cade asked me to write this fic, I realized it was actually perfect and summed up Virgil's inner struggle quite nicely. So cheers to "A Place Where I Can Breathe," the Moceit Fic That Wasn't
-Cade asked me specifically to include Virgil having a spider and I wrote nearly the whole fic without doing so, then had to go back and sprinkle some references in. I think I managed 2 total.
Chapter 2:
"Uh, how about I hold off on that until I actually see my room?" Virgil stared expectantly at Roman, who bounced on his toes. "Lead on, Macduff."
"That's not the line and you know it," Roman complained, but he turned to lead Virgil to his room. "It's ' lay on, Macduff,' and--"
-This fic was originally supposed to reach a climax with a confrontation between Remus and Roman, and "lay on, Macduff" would come back as a brick joke. Unfortunately, the original ending was a result of me getting tired and lazy, so I had to go back and fix it, and we lost the Roman-Remus confrontation.
It was hard for Virgil to not shudder at the sudden heat and weight on him. With his senses already open and taking in more information than his brain seemed to want to process, touch was an added stressor, more unwanted sensory input.
-Virgil being touch-averse is a direct shoutout to Cade, who is also touch-averse.
Roman had already transformed the living room: metallic streamers of purple and black stretched across the corners of the ceiling, and shiny balloons spelling out A-N-X-E-I-T-Y hovered above the TV.
-Upon first writing, Virgil had already given the upstairs crew his name, so the banner spelled out "VIRIGL" which is way funnier than "ANXEITY." But then his name reveal became a plot point so I had to go back and change it.
-Let! Virgil! Be! Mean!
-Virgil's line about hearing refrigerator noise when Roman talks is another shout-out to Cade, who has leveled that accusation at me
A small, cruel part of him protested at the idea that he would need special treatment and desperately wanted to throw it back in Patton's face. He wasn't a sweetheart, he wasn't a baby. He didn't need to crawl into a blanket fort with Dad just because he was a little stressed.
-Remus calls Janus "Janus Geminus" because I was tired and couldn't come up with a pun. "Geminus" is one of the Roman god Janus' epithets; another is "Pater" meaning "Father." That led to a conversation about Remus deliberately confusing Patton by calling Janus "Daddy," but I couldn't think of a clean way to fit the explanation into the narrative, so I stuck with "Geminus."
Chapter 3:
"There's nothing normal about that! " Roman stared in horror at the coffee massacre Virgil had orchestrated. What had once been a respectable (if not very tasty) cup of black coffee was now part of a 1:1 coffee to milk suspension, the liquid a tasteful shade of tan suitable for business casual trousers or a show-ready chihuahua.
-Cade is a certified Nightmare Man and came up with Virgil's horrifying coffee order after I asked him about it. Keep an eye out for Janus' equally horrifying coffee order later in the fic.
1) Shouts out the fact that Janus is canonically a Dostoevsky fan
Chapter 4:
Janus smiled at him. "Where reason fails, the Devil helps." He fussed with his gloves and straightened his capelet. "It's showtime."
-I fucking love Crime and Punishment. Look at me. Look at me. I fucking love Crime and Punishment. Janus' quoting Raskolnikov serves multiple purposes:
2) Lampshades the fact that Roman just conveniently happened to be alone in the living room, because I didn't want to waste time getting him there. That makes me, the author, the Devil
3) Foreshadows the impending disaster. When Raskolnikov says this line it is because he had planned to commit axe murder. The axe he was planning to steal had been moved, but he finds another, different axe to use. Raskolnikov messes up the murder and ends up killing an innocent witness in addition to his intended target. Janus messes up his manipulation attempt and ends up murdering Roman's self esteem
-I was going to include a reference to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead (Remus' line "debauchery and vomit" was originally going to be "blood, love, and rhetoric") but I didn't because... Uh... Hm. Why didn't I do that. Maybe I just forgot about it???
-Roman is too stubborn to manipulate for long and that is a fact.
"I was pretty much done anyway," Remus said. "There's only so much debauchery and vomit you can fit into one story."
-Cade specifically ask me that nobody cry in this fic, but after I had Janus eviscerate Roman I knew he couldn't not cry a little. I kept it to a minimum because there's already a billion fucking fics about [literally any Side] crying on the shoulder of [literally any other Side] and it's really just not interesting to either of us.
-It didn't come up because it doesn't matter, but Thomas dreamed he was participating in the exact Dionysian orgy that took place in The Secret History because it's my fic and I said so.
Chapter 5:
He just sat back and watched and tugged at his hair while Janus spooned mound after mound of crisp white sugar into his mug and Virgil poured his customary eight fluid ounces of milk into his own mug.
-Cade strikes again. Virgil's coffee order is equal amounts milk to coffee; Janus' is equal parts sugar to coffee. He had asked me to include a scene where Roman catches Janus massacring his coffee and is appropriately horrified, but I uhh... Didn't write it. I still might include it as an omake someday.
-I imagine that Roman feels really strongly about dragons vs wyverns, and Remus just pretends to give a shit because he thinks it's funny to wind Roman up. Fortunately for me but unfortunately for my sense of realism in writing, I can't relate because I adore my sister and we get along perfectly almost 100% of the time.
"You shut us down every chance you get!" Remus said, baring his teeth. "How would you like it if your pens never wrote, hm? What would you do with all those thoughts in your head?"
-I do wish I had developed the concept of power focuses a bit more, established rules and such. Basically, Patton is always on the prowl for wrongthink and actively represses it, which in turn breaks or sabotages the Dark Sides' power focus.
Chapter 6: This chapter really should have been Janus and Roman but I was really tired and didn't want to bother with it. Plus, you know, Moceit. This chapter was meant to demonstrate how the characters would get along without Virgil nannying them. There's friction, but everyone is making a conscious, deliberate effort to get along because they love Virgil, and love is a series of choices you make.
I chose "Leo" as the answer for the answer to the crossword clue instead of "Virgo," because my other QPP is a Leo. She'll never read this fic, but I did it anyway because I love her. (Trivia: My sign is Virgo, so it was really a choice between shouting her out and shouting me out, and the last chapter is self-indulgent enough, thank you).
Chapter 7: I was gonna write a fic where all the Sides watched Cats the Musical because I was going through a phase. Then Cade requested this so I combined the two ideas. By this point I was fucking exhausted, and that's the only thing that saved you and the rest of the world from me writing the Sides riffing on the movie scene-by-scene. I could come up with snarky commentary for almost every, if not every single song from the movie.
Most notably, I cut a Patton-Remus interaction where Remus declares his love for Grizabella and Patton gets all staryy-eyed about Remus connecting with the idea of rising above rejection and being loved and accepted only for Remus to shoot him down and explain that he just likes that she got to die in a tire fire.
Other cut scenes include Janus quietly pretending not to go feral over Mister Mistoffelees, Patton full-on fucking sobbing over Grizabella and the kittens, and Logan experiencing a deep, soulful kinship with Munkustrap during Of The Awefull Battle of the Pekes and the Pollices (and henceforth introducing the phrase "like herding cats" into his regular vocabulary
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daggerpawstudios · 4 years
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The next Great and Powerful Wizard of Oz: Oscar Pine( Part II)
So, after the battle of Haven, Team RWBY_ JNR_ Q Follow Ozpin advice and decides to Head to Atlas.
Oscar at this point is no longer the scared Farmboy that we saw him in Volume 4 and half of Volume 5. He has resolve himself to help stop salem and become the next Wizard. But Oscar is not sure how to help just yet....
The train that team RWBY_JNR_ Q are traveling to Argus suddenly becomes infested with Grimm. RWBY_ JNR_Q must separate the trains to keep all the passengers safe on board. So, the whole team decides to to derail their half of the train into the snow.
This where the Wizard secrets come to light.
As Oscar was training to become the next wizard. Ozpin's secrets were coming to light. Yang and Weiss had stayed with Raven and she had revealed to them knowledge that Ozpin was not as he seemed.
He secrets were coming to light. He had withheld information that relic of knowledge had a faint attraction of Grimm. He had also withheld information about how the academies were built and the truth about magic.
Ozpin's apparent lies and half-truths were catching up to him. Glaring of all, Ozpin apparent decision to claim that Lionheart had died defending his school, instead of saying that he had died by the hands of Salem had rubbed Team RWBY the wrong way.
Ozpin was fulfilling his fairytale as the False Wizard from the Wizard of Oz. Even Oscar was now demanding answers. The pervious season Ozpin had constantly gain control of Oscar's body. But this time Oscar was fighting back.
Oscar had learned to read Ozpin's thoughts just as Ozpin had read his in Volume 4.
Ozpin secrets were revealed during Chapter 3: The Lost Fable.
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This is where it is revealed to the audience that Ozpin, who was once named Ozma had accepted the task given to him. Ozma had once went along with Salem's plan and did not originally do his task. It is also revealed to the audience that Salem is immortal and can not be killed( or...can she... Lol...). They also learn that despite Ozma's countless lives, he has no real plan to stop Salem.
Qrow who was avid follower of the Wizard and was a TRUE follower had turned his back on the Wizard.
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As soon as Oscar had been sure of his purpose as the Wizard. He had lost it again...
Oscar was now convince that he will be nothing more than just another one of Ozma's lives. Ruby tries to convinces him that he is his own person.
The farmboy who had dreamed of being more than a just farmhand had felt completely cursed.
The fear of the merger had reveal itself to Oscar and he was now terrified of losing himself to Wizard. The reveal of Ozma secrets had drained the team's morale.
The Great and Powerful Wizard was no more.
He was nothing more than a liar. Soon Team RWBY_ Q_O regroup with JNR in Argus. Jaune had decided to stay at his sister's house, Saffron.
This where Team RWBY_Q_ O tell the truth to Team JNR.
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The truth hits the Team hard. As they placed all of their faith into Wizard, after all he was one the one with all of the answers.
Team RWBY_ JNR had lost Beacon, and their friends. They had hoped that Wizard would save them. But he didn't... Or at least they Wizard they think that would :).
The team was so wrapped up in anger that they have forgotten that Oscar was his own person. They were now using him as a surrogate for their anger. Qrow had punched him, WBY had shouted him and told him to send Ozpin out and Jaune had pinned him up against the wall.
Because everyone was so focused on having the Wizard save them from their situation and be a beacon of hope. Guiding them onto the right path towards victory.
"He's in your head isn't he? "
" Well how do we know! We haven't been talking to that liar the whole time!"
Oscar insecurity of being the next Wizard of Oz had comeback to him. He was backseated again but this time not by Ozpin but by everyone's else inability to see that Oscar was tricked just like rest of them.
Feeling like a burden, Oscar had decided to runaway. The task of being the Next Wizard had become a burden to him.
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This proceeds to the group looking for Oscar.
I'll admit I was not a big fan of him coming back as quickly as he did. I wish we got see what he thought about when he disappeared.
Maybe he thought that the world did indeed need the Wizard after all. Even despite the Great and Powerful Oz's misteps.
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Oscar had come to terms with the fact that he will join the Wizards of Oz and become a part of something bigger than himself. ( I have a theory about this... So I will go back to this soon.)
But Oscar is intent on helping Team RWBY_JNR as much as he can before he loses himself and fully becomes the Wizard of Oz.
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Oscar now left alone without the guidance of Ozpin. Has to now fill the role of the Wizard, but he is still a passive character as of now. He is not sure how to fulfill that role. So for now he is just a team player. He helps Team RWBY_ JNR_ Q get safely secure a ship that will het them safely to Atlas.
As the team Fights Cordovin, Oscar and Marie's plane is hit and starts to lose altitude. This causes Oscar to panic but he safely guided by Ozpin. Who does not take control of him and lands the plan, but GUIDES Oscar how to land the plane safely.
He confesses to team RWBY that it Ozpin that helped him.
"So, he has been watches us the whole time."
"Well, at least he was looking for us.."
This is important because I firmly believe that Oscar will mend the broken relationship between Team RWBY_ JNR_ Q and Ozpin.
Oscar still not sure of his role just yet, will soon prove himself in Volume 7.
Volume 7, turns the tide for Oscar character in the story. With the disappearance of Ozpin, the previous Wizard of Oz. Oscar now has to fill in the shoes of the Wizard.
In Volume 7, the Team had made it to Atlas. After getting arrested by Ironwood troops, they get chance to meet him. Where Ironwood reveals his plan to let the world know about Salem. Oscar admits that he is the next Wizard of Oz which brings cheer to Ironwood face because he nows has the answers he needs.
Only for Oscar to let him down and Ruby to confess/ Lie that Ozpin just disappeared during the train crash.
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Everyone agrees to lie to Ironwood since his behavior feels unstable and they are unsure to trust him. Due to how the situation looks in Mantle.
Despite the lack of trust and how Team RWBY_ JNR_ Q have decided to withhold information just like Ozpin. Oscar takes an active role to reaches out and talks to Ironwood.
Ironwood works closely with Oscar to try to retrieve Ozpin out of the shadows of Oscar's head. Ironwood even tells Oscar that soon Ozpin and Oscar will be the same. Ironwood does not see Oscar as the Next Wizard but only sees Ozpin as all of the Wizards. Instead of countless men who have work along side Ozma to get the job done.
The Team leisures tries to fit into Atlas life all while trying to keep secrets from Ironwood.
We even see Oscar focus more on his training and begin to train along side Team JNR. Jaune and Oscar begin to form a budding friendship as friends.
Which is a nice change of pace. It is also nice to see that Oscar still retains some of his snarky behavior when referring to Ironwood attending a party for Jacques Schnee victory.
This works to help Ironwood to tell the truth to everyone. This relationship that Oscar and Ironwood have works because Ironwood at the time was also wrapped up in the illusion of only following the Wizard's word. When Ironwood inquiries if Salem is so strong because she has no humanity and doesn't feel fear and he wonders if he should throw away his to stop her. Oscar tells him that it is wrong to do so and having humanity is what makes them different from Salem.
Even as Team RWBY takes a leisure break from events that go along with Salem and Ozpin. There is still this sense of uncertainty.
Interestingly enough, throughout Volume 7, Oscar is the one that guides Ironwood and gives him advice. He IS now inversely fulfilling his roles as the Wizard of Oz. When Ironwood is pushed into Corner in Chapter 9 by Jacques, The Council, and even Robyn Hill. Oscar gives him advice as Oscar to tell the truth and trust in others.
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Oscar ironically mirrors the previous relationship that Ironwood had with Ozpin before the fall of beacon. He is acting like a moral compass to the Tinman.
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After Ironwood battles with Watts and Team RWBY's apparent betrayal of Ironwood's trust. Ironwood no longer finds any reason to defend Mantle, trust Team RWBY and is ready to abandon Mantle.
Prior to Oscar confronting Ironwood, Team JNR_O battles Neo and lose the relic of knowledge to her. Oscar decides it is time to try on last time to be a moral compass to his friend.
- continues to part 3 lol.
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grapsandclaps · 6 years
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GRAPS AND CLAPS REVIEWS - PROGRESS WRESTLING CHAPTER 77 "PUMPKIN SPICE PROGRESS".
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Hello and welcome everyone to this edition of Graps and Claps, this time taking me to Camden for PROGRESS Wrestling's Chapter 77 'Pumpkin Spice Progress with the huge main event between PROGRESS champion Walter and the SSS16 Winner for 2018 - Zack Sabre Jr. which was a mouth watering prospect on paper and one I personally couldn't wait for as in a surprise I have never seen this match live or on the box which is rare as rocking horse shit in this day and age.
As ever with a trip to London it was a 9 am bus journey to Manchester to catch the 1035 am train to London Euston, thankfully unlike last week's journey to Leeds this went without a hitch and also the happiness of finding a stray £1 coin on a seat on the top deck of the bus - rich beyond my wildest dreams folks. A distinct lack of people from up north made the trip to London for this show, meaning I was drinking on my own in The Black Heart until London friend Steve came in, so I had a good chin wag about the action upcoming and what other stuff had been going on in the world in the past week. Only two pints in here for me both from Amundsen Brewery with the following - 6.5% Apocalyptic Thunder Juice IPA (£6.60) which was really juicy in taste, another winner in the book was a Lorita Pale Ale (£5.40), if you spot any drinks from this brewery make sure you check them out.
Drinks done, it was time to get into the Ballroom and take my position up on the raised perch with Athers for the first time (a great viewing spot if you can get up there early enough). The Ballroom in the time since I last came for the 1978 show has grown a big screen where the sound booth once resided, another happening is a change in the beer lines available with a Sharp's Brewery IPA, Spaten and Franziker Weissbier taking pride of place on the bar which is a welcome move away from the usual Camden Pale. So with that all said let's get into what went down on this cold Sunday afternoon!
First up we had pre-show action with the lesser seen Kyle Ashmore taking on JJ Lynch who I found out ply's his trade in Battle Pro Wrestling down south. Opening part of this contest was the audience shouting out that Ashmore had a resemblance for some reason to Uncle Albert of Only Fools and Horses fame, plus yes it was me who started the 'Baldy Baldy' chant to absolute silence as ever from the London crowd who don't do singing like they used to (Thanks to the Taffs for trying to join in). JJ Lynch impressed me in this first look at him as he hit a headbutt to Ashmore to stun him but Ashmore rolled out of the ring. Back in the ring Lynch hit a Superkick for a 2 count but that was as good as it got for Lynch as Ashmore hit a big JOHN WOO! and then a elevated back cracker to Lynch for the 3 count to end a tidy pre-show match and maybe the best Pre-show match in ages.
After the opening messages from Jim Smallman, we started off with the main card and a change to the advertised match up as Tyler Bate wasn't fit to compete after picking up an injury at Fight Club Pro at the weekend. Instead we had one half of the fearsome Ringkampf duo, Timothy Thatcher taking on a repackaged version of Pastor William Eaver who is now going by the name of 'Present' William Eaver - the basis of this character is that of a upmarket street preacher (A touch of the Bray Wyatt's here) coming out saying that 'Today is the Day' which I initially thought of a great song Eaver should come out to - go and check on Youtube for the Sean Maguire hit 'Today's the Day' which was a popular tune in the 90's.
Anyways on to the match, Timo hit a big T-Bone Suplex and followed up with a Judo throw slam for a 2 to Eaver. Eaver though eventually got the grasps of things as he beatdown Thatcher in the corner leading to Timo to hulk up by slapping the taste out of Eaver's mouth but Eaver retaliated with a Uranage Backbreaker to stun Tim. Tim though came back to hit an enziguri to the back of Eaver's head and then following up with an arm submission to get the tapout victory in around 10 minutes. Was what it was for an opener, even though it is early days Eaver's gimmick I can't say I was sold on it but time will tell for the Former PROGRESS Champion!
Second up was yes you guessed it PROGRESS Women's Division action with Isla Dawn taking on Millie McKenzie with the latter trying to build momentum after not being able to capture the title in the 3-way at Wembley, Even though this match was 6 minutes long, this was a really good match between two women who you will be certain to hear much more from in the future, Isla at one stage locked in a Dragon Sleeper to Millie that was until Millie managed to reach the ropes to break the hold, Millie though made a fightback hitting a couple of crazy back German suplexes to Dawn but as it looked like Millie was on her way to victory, Jinny and Laura Di Matteo made an unwelcome appearance to lay the boots to Dawn and Millie, that was until her Jinny's former House of Couture mates Nina Samuels and Charlie Morgan came down to fend them away making both Jinny and LDM to fall in the arms of Isla and Millie who hit stereo Germans to send them packing to the back.
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Sadly no explanation yet to why the House of Couture split up but it will at least be good to see both Nina and Charlie Morgan at least get some wrestling time in PROGRESS instead of mooching around on the ring apron watching Jinny.
Third match was a PROGRESS Atlas Title Open Challenge match with the Champion Trent Seven offering anyone in the back the opportunity to take him on in his first defence of his newly won belt when he defeated Doug Williams at Wembley Arena. The person to take this opportunity was none other than the MCW Heavyweight Champion - Gino " Mr. Juicy" Gambino. Gambino was on the upside of things early on as he hit a couple of running splashes in the corner to Trent, but all that running left Gino with no juice in the tank which led to Trent passing Gino an inhaler only for Gambino to spray this in Trent's eyes (a really good inventive spot).
This temporary blindness for Trent led to Gino being on top for the next couple of minutes but Trent managed to fight Gino off with knife edge chops and a DDT for the two count. At a vertical base Gino flattened Trent and followed up with a big splash to get a two count, as it looked like Trent's reign was in trouble Trent somehow managed to hit a massive suplex to Gino - Christ Almighty! The big spots didn't end there as Juicy hit a Piledriver for a 2 count but that only awoke Trent who managed of all things hit a Burning Hammer to the 330 pound monster from Australia to get the 3 count to retain the Atlas Title - Excellent big lads action that I didn't have much expectation for but this was a BIG thumbs up from me.
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Your first half Main Event was for the PROGRESS Tag Team titles with the first defence for Aussie Open (Mark Davis & Kyle Fletcher) taking on the Grizzled Young Veterans (James Drake & Zack Gibson) and also the 17:35pm 198 bus service from Cardiff to London in the form of 'Flash Morgan Webster' and Bill Bailey doppelganger Wild Boar. Lots of green material on show here as the action got underway in the early feeling out process as the match built to a great crescendo with all three teams coming close on a number of occasions to winning the match. 
The Aussies hit a fidget spinner at one stage only to be dragged out of the ring by Gibson, but as teamwork was much needed in this match Gibson who had grabbed a stray chair he accidentally hit his own tag team partner James Drake to possibly plant the seeds for a break up which was hinted at on the USA tour a month or two ago. With the GYV's out of the way Webster was in the ring to hit headbutts to Aussie Open but this had no effect on them as Davis hit the 'Close Your Eyes and Count To Fuck' Piledriver of Doom and then Fletcher joined hit to hit the fidget spinner with Davis t0 end the 198's hopes of winning to end an all action tag match and end a really fun first half of action.
Back from the break we had Eddie Dennis interrupting an entrance by one of the people who pledged money to the Progress Documentary. Eddie who has some valid points, was unhappy at being left off the card despite beating Mark Andrews at Wembley and that he would cash in his No.1 contenders opportunity when he see fit. The crowd even though Eddie in hindsight is supposed to be a baddie, cheered a lot of what he was saying and in a way can you blame them, out of the current No.1 contenders I am certainly more intrigued to see how Eddie's story ends.
Talking of people from Eddie's past we came to a match between two wrestlers who both ended up on the losing side at Wembley Arena with the terrifying Paul Robinson taking on what seems perennial loser at the moment and in need of a freshen up Mark Andrews. In what was a rematch from Chapter 10 and the first Natural Progression Series, we got off to a great start in this match with both Andrews and Robbo hitting dives to the outside with the fans scrambling out of the way whenever Robbo was in the vicinity.
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Back in the ring Andrews hit a reverse rana to Robinson for a two count, but as Andrews went up top to hit the Shooting Star Press he was unfortunately straddled by Robinson on the top rope leaving Robinson to hit a Huaracarana sending Andrews crashing to the mat leaving him prone for a Curb stomp from Robinson who duly pinned Andrews in around 10 minutes to get the win. Onwards and upwards for Robinson for now, for Andrews it is back to the drawing board once again to figure out - Who the real Mark Andrews is??
Semi Main time with a No.1 contenders match to the PROGRESS title with the usual faces in these No.1 contenders matches taking part in the form of Jimmy Havoc and Mark Haskins who both gained big wins at the Wembley Arena show, joining them in this three way was #CCK himself - Chris Brookes who last had an opportunity at the big belt at the turn of the year coming close to beating then Champion Chris Brookes (I'm not counting the 3 minutes Walter no contest in Hamburg). On reflection this was a good match, but for me a downgrade from what had followed before it, Jimmy Havoc was on his way to victory that was until Drew Parker came from out of nowhere to attack Jimmy from behind to take him out of the running by dragging his lifeless body up the ramp and through the curtain. With the odds drastically reduced for the remaining two folks in the ring, it was Mark Haskins who was the one get the victory on Brookes as he locked in the Sharpshooter Submission before leaning back to tap out Brookes in 14 minutes.
After the match Haskins got on the mic to proclaim that after all of the setbacks he was back on top of his game once again to hopefully take the PROGRESS World Title in the future, but I have a bad feeling that if he came up against Walter he would end up on the short end of things but we shall see if that materialises.
With the clock striking 7 p.m it was now time for your Main Event with the unstoppable force of WALTER taking on Zack Sabre Jr with the latter coming out to the Idles tune 'Mother' which was welcome relief away from the Casio Keyboard music which is around once again. My god what can be said about this match - duelling chants from the crowd with a 50/50 split in terms of who people wanted to win here, we had chop battles where at times Zack was trying to wind up Walter by saying that the chops were not having that great an effect on his body - at one stages ZSJ gave Walter the middle fingers which would be a death wish for anyone else but this is Zack Sabre Jr. we are talking about here.
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Reversals galore by both men, as Zack tried to grab any stray body parts when Walter was on the floor or at a vertical base - Zack is just smooth as silk in this situation. At one stage though as the match reached fever pitch it looked like Walter was ready to tap to another deadly submission from the Technical Wizard but alas the Austrian managed to escape Zack's clutches when at coming up to 30 minutes in the contest Walter hit the 'Fire Thunder Driver' to Zack to end a breathless and enthralling contest to retain the PROGRESS World Title to send the Camden faithful excited at what they had just seen. In closing though on this match, in terms of PROGRESS matches of the year I would put this slightly above Bate vs Walter at Wembley so make sure you go and check this out once it hits the On Demand service in 5-7 Working Days *Terms and Conditions apply.
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Wrestling done, it was time to get back on my way to Rochdale getting back in the 'Dale for Midnight to end another long weekend of japes on my travels. So with that said, I hope you have enjoyed reading this review and as ever any comments and feedback are welcome! Until then I will bid you farewell - BYE!!
@oggypart3
#grapsandclaps 
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