4. things you said over the phone
15. things you said with too many miles between us
From the things you said prompt list.
Send me a pairing and number and I’ll write a mini fic!
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Miles Apart
Ethan was sat in his private office late one summer’s evening. The sky was a starless ebony, the air around him free of calamity. It was just him, his thoughts and the dwindling pile of paperwork; an otherwise peaceful and uneventful night.
That was until his phone rang.
He picked it up with mild hesitation; “Hello?”
He could hear the heavy breaths of the person on the other line. They took two deep inhales before finally speaking;
“Ethan, hi.”
Her voice. It had been months since he last heard her voice.
“It’s Bec- Rebecca Lao,” she enlightened. As if he could ever bring himself to delete her number or forget the sound of the perfectly unique way she strung her words together.
Though this wasn’t the Rebecca he once knew. Her words were lacking a confidence that had once become synonymous with her. The formality stung him deep to his core.
The truth was she didn’t anticipate him actually answering her call. Becca had spent the better part of her day planning what she was going to say, settling on a short script for his voicemail. She waited and bought herself time - picking the most perfect hour where she figured he’d be working through his evening routine and too settled to answer an unknown number.
“What can I do for you, Dr. Lao?”
“I um, just wanted to tell you...” she stuttered through, seemingly distant. Ethan assumed she was playing with the edges of her clothes; a simple distraction to keep her feelings from betraying her. “My research is being published.”
Last week she received a formal offer for publication for the research she left Edenbrook to pursue. She left Boston nearly three years ago, 20 months before she and Ethan broke up for the very last time.
“That’s wonderful. Congratulations.”
“Thank you. I’m really excited,” her lips twitched upwards at his sincere tone. And for a second she let herself fall back into old habits. For a brief moment she was his mentee again, “I didn’t think... Is it too early?”
She didn’t need to elaborate. Ethan knew exactly what she was asking.
“You’re the brightest doctor of your generation, Becca. Don’t doubt yourself because I sure as hell don’t doubt your capabilities. Neither do those publishers. If they didn’t believe in your work they wouldn’t have signed you.”
He could hear her let out the breath she was holding in; “How do you always know what to say?”
“Years of trial and error.”
Ethan thought back to the last time they had one of these moments. Back when he visited her in California. Instead of having a romantic week away, he spent it in the lab with her batting around theories.
After a brief pause he added, “When it’s ready, please send me a copy.”
“I’ve got a signed copy with your name on it.”
He could hear the smile in her voice. After all this time the image of her radiant smile still gave him butterflies. Hearing it tightened his chest.
They hung in silence; miles apart and with too much history and distance between them.
The vip thing is happening to me too it’s been 1 week since my subscription ended but I still have the perks and it hasn’t charged my account because I ended it
24,26,34 for Raleigh x MC 👀👀👀 I think it’s a good mix
24. things you said when we were alone
26. things you said in writing
34. things you whispered in my ear
From the things you said prompt list.
Send me a pairing and number and I’ll write a mini fic!
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Nobody Knows The Whole Truth
Everyone knew Cadence Dorian, the midwestern sweetheart, had a way with words. Not only did her debut album go certified platinum, but all the songs she ghostwrote topped the charts.
Everyone knew of Raleigh Carrera. They knew his image, his voice, his affinity for danger and property damage. To the world, Raleigh Carrera was a certified bad boy.
Everything everyone knew was only half of the truth.
Nobody knew who Raleigh and Cadence were when they were together. When all they wanted is to share a peaceful dinner, hold hands, and have Raleigh carry her at the end of the night when her heels got too painful.
In public, they were the poster couple for on-and-off, toxic lovers. Raleigh is the flirt; sizing up opportunity after opportunity, and drinking a little too much. Cadence is the goody-two-shoes keeping him on a leash, and severing it once he gets too rowdy.
Every public encounter between them has a layer of tension implied.
After weeks apart, they ran into one another at the MoDA Gala. Their very public breakup stunt still very fresh in the public psyche.
They bumped into one another on the red carpet - literally. Raleigh turned to avoid a few reporters and knocked into Cadence posing for photos. It had the potential to be a PR nightmare.
The crowd gasped.
The pair just looked at one another as Raleigh went to steady her. His hands firmly on her body and thousands of pairs of eyes watching their every move as he leaned over;
“You look beautiful,” he whispered in her ear.
Cadence bit the inside of her lip, schooling her features from the bright smile threatening to oust them. Raleigh pulled away all too soon for her liking. But not soon enough for them to not get throngs of questions thrown at them;
“Are you getting back together?”
“Have you worked through your issues?”
“Will you be making music together in the future?”
“How do you really feel about the break up?”
“Can we get a picture together for the fans.”
The evening droned on and on and became more about business than the charity they’re here to support. There were only so many networking and industry conversations Cadence could take. And none of them were quite as endurable without Raleigh by her side.
The worst part of the evening by far was their publicists making sure they weren’t seated at the same table, keeping them apart for appearances sake.
Eventually Cadence needed a breather, a healthy dose of reality. So she made a sneaky decision. As no phones were allowed at the gala, she wrote on a napkin and whisked across the room to slip it under his champagne flute.
Then she waited in the shadows of a roped off area.
“Fancy seeing you here,” she said with a flirty smirk as Raleigh rounded the corner.
“This is bold,” he commented with his signature smirk. “What’re you gonna do with me now that you have me alone?”
“Murder sounds good. But be a dear and please keep your blood to yourself. This is a Zadie Couture original.”
He let out a laugh and crossed the distance. His hands reaching out to wrap around her waist before kissing her lightly, yet with the force of all their bottled up feelings.
“How was the rest of tour?” he asked when they broke apart.
Her face lit up and Raleigh’s heart skipped a beat. “Amazing! I can’t believe I sold out Troubadour!” Her fingers trailed to tangle in the strands at the back of his neck, “Missed you though.”
“Knew you could do it, kid.” He pressed a sweet peck to the tip of her nose.
Cadence smiled then leaned into him so that their lips met once more.
When they pulled away they gave a knowing look.
“Let’s go home.”
They slipped out of the event one at a time. Hank drove Cadence home and Raleigh called an Uber. They entered their building through separate entrances - her through the front door and him through the parking garage.
They met back up in the elevator where no one but building security could see them together.
Once they were safely home, Raleigh wasted no time in freeing Cadence from the confines of her corset.
“Oh sweet oxygen!” she sung as the dress fell to the floor and she could finally take long, deep breaths. All she wanted was the sweet comforts of home. “Where’s my onesie?”
“Under the pillows where you left it,” he said matter-of-factly as he began stripping off his suit.
“You didn’t wash it!?”
“No,” Raleigh shrugged, “Why would I?”
She looked at him, dumbfounded, “I’ve been gone for three weeks.”
How did he not think to wash the dirty clothes? She thought to herself.
Their eyes met as he told her, “It smells like you.”
From the things you said prompt list.
Send me a pairing and number and I’ll write a mini fic!
---
Master of None
“Just sell your song,” Raleigh insisted, not for the first time that day.
He and Cadence were finally back at her apartment. Raleigh had spent an hour of their afternoon corralling after her rage-fueled tantrum. She had stormed out of the studio once they received news that the label would not be footing the bill for more than 12 masters. Cadence and her team had currently recorded 14 tracks with three more slated this week. The plug being pulled meant that the other two masters will belong to the producer unless Cadence comes up with the money to buy the rights back.
“It’s my life! My entire story,” she yelled back. “These songs are who I am!”
She couldn’t part with her work. Her entire heart was tied up in those songs. Where would she get the money to pay for them?
“And you’ll write another one,” he said flatly from the kitchen where he was making a snack.
Raleigh had suggested on selling one of the songs to another artist. In true Cadence Dorian fashion she was vehemently against the idea, even if it would give her the cash flow to buy a few of her tracks back. He even offered to loan her the money; of course she scoffed at that. Frankly, Raleigh was tired of hearing her complain and rejecting simple solutions. It wasn’t a hard decision for him.
“You’ll still be on the copyright, who cares if it’s someone else that records it? Sell the song and you’ll have the opportunity to write others.”
“You don’t get it, Raleigh,” she shook her head and folded her arms across her chest. “You don’t write your music.”
He looked up from his sandwich and at her, dumbfounded; “I write my songs.”
“With topliners, composers and ten other people in the room,” she scoffed.
“Since when is collaboration fraud?”
“I write 100% of my music. You wouldn’t understand.”
For Cadence Dorian having complete ownership of and controlling creative liberties of her IP were of upmost importance. She just couldn’t fathom not having her work publicly tied to her name. Yes, Cadence Dorian’s a snob when it comes to craft.
“You’re living in a delusion,” Raleigh shook his head more to himself than anything as he took another large bite.
He knew Cadence was new to the business and had a fantastical view of how things worked. He knew she thought that getting signed was a saving grace, a lifeline that let her pursue any and all of her creative endeavors. He realized she, never in her wildest dreams, would have imagined the nightmare that comes with the coveted deal. She was naïve to the bone Ellis dangled over her head; of the suits and 360-contracts and how every single thing she does for the next decade will be in service to the label and maximizing their profits.
Unfortunately, the glass ceiling shattered today.
Maybe Raleigh Carrera wasn’t the most prolific songwriter, but he sure as hell was a fantastic musician and entertainer. His team is composed of amazing composers and lyricists who preferred to not be in the spotlight. They were the A Team. The industry was full of this type of partnership. Raleigh wished she understood that even the most indie of singer-songwriter’s collaborate. Collabing doesn’t diminish the creative integrity, it enhances it.
His small words fueled the fires already tormenting her hazel eyes;
“If you spent more time worrying about your career than your ridiculous image, maybe you could empathize an inkling. But no,” she spat.
“You don’t mean that.”
Her arms flailed wildly as she stomped around the living room; “’I’m Raleigh Carrera and I’d rather destroy things and party than write one goddamn good song. I care more about my ‘bad boy’ image than being respected in the community’,” she mocked in her best, deep voiced Raleigh impression. Hands firmly on her hips she added her most damning assessment of his character, “There’s only so much songs about booze and rebelling can do for you. Such hollow and shitty subjects. Write something real, Raleigh.”
Oh fuck no. Raleigh could handle a slew of shit thrown his way. What he drew the line was his girlfriend calling him a fraud.
“Say that again when you go double diamond and sell out a worldwide arena tour,” he volleyed right back just as spiteful. The forest fire in his eyes were dangerously close to overtaking hers. “Which you won’t ever get the chance to do if you don’t sell this song. Get your head out of your ass, Cadence.”
She expelled a high pitched huff in frustration.
Neither sad a word.
Cadence paced over to the expansive windows overlooking the hustle and bustle of New York City. Raleigh watched her every step, waiting for the heat between them to die down enough to cross the distance.
Moments passed and he came to stand beside her, his calloused hand testing the waters at the small of her back. When she didn’t react his thumb began drawing calming circles.
Ever so softly he broke the harsh silence, “You know I’m right.”
Cadence stepped from his grasp and turned to look him straight in the eye. “What you are is a thorn in my side,” she huffed out with a breath of air.
Raleigh’s brows knitted together. Sure she’s mad at the world right now, but what’d this have to do with him?
“Have you even written a thing in the last six months?” She rose an all-knowing, accusatory brow. “No. You haven’t. Your tour ended last year. Sort out your own damn career before you come after mine.”
The way she said it - with absolutely no feeling and heaps of bitter indifference - struck him to the core. Raleigh Carrera thought Cadence Dorian could be the one he’s be delighted to move mountains for. She was the one that had him falling madly, quickly, deeply in love ever since she materialized in his life. Never would he have guessed she regarded him with contempt.
“If I’m such a waste why are you with me, huh?” he threw his hands in the air and tried to keep from yelling. “Actually - don’t answer that. I’ll do you one better, Cadence. We’re done.” Raleigh moved through the living space, grabbing his things that were scattered around and shoving them in his leather backpack.
He was moving too quickly for Cadence to rebuke. She wasn’t fully cognizant with what was happening; her mind was still stuffed with the grief and torment of losing her songs.
Raleigh was standing at the door when it all clicked together.
Shit.
“Lucky for us the world thinks we broke up months ago,” he called before slamming the door.
Cadence regretted the words the moment the reverberated rattling forced her to realize he had taken her heated rant to heart. Raleigh had been nothing but a wonderful friend and a sweet clandestine lover in the months they’ve been intertwined. She didn’t mean it. She was just pissed that things always seem to work out for him and now she’s stuck.
But pride would get the best of her and she’d let him walk away for good.
i am so thankful to my amazing mutuals and tumblr friends who have just immediately jumped to respond & help me in various ways when i accidentally deleted my main and am now in the process of starting over (my new choices blog is @homeformyheart NOT peaceinmidstofchaos). these people are so wonderful and i am soooooo grateful they are in my life: kelseaaa, raleigh-edward, angela8754, aylaramseycarrera, thequeenchoices, tayab12, romewritingshop, anotherbeingsworld, eleanorbloom, lorircreates
If you get this, answer with 3 random facts about yourself and send it to the last 7 blogs in your notifications, anonymous or not! Let's get to know the person behind the blog!
I asked hubs for some random facts about myself and this is what he came back with:
Can’t hoover or clean.
Can’t touch raw chicken.
Can’t have anyone in the kitchen because otherwise you’ll throw a fit and storm out.
Also can’t take suggestions while cooking.
Complete inability to leave bed before 11am.
Can’t do gardening because you don’t like dirt stains on your hands.
If asked to clean anything it will take you approximately 2 years to do.
You refuse to clean the bathroom. Why does your wet hair in the drain make you want to vomit?
The king bed turns into a queen sized bed with little addition on the side for your ever loving husband.
You only seem to fart in your sleep and when you do it rattles the entire house.
The only lights you like in the house are blinding white with the brightness of the sun that will burn your retinas at lowest setting.
Sometimes you eat more chocolate than you drink water in a day. And that’s saying something, you fucking camel.
As he was dictating this I was dying of laughter. I love this asshole so much 😅
