The first two episodes of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour docu series have left me with the same feeling as reading Mary Earps’ autobiography - deeply in awe of someone’s hard work and achievements, but also deeply sorry for them because of the trauma they clearly suffered along the way.
Never show weakness, people look to you for reassurance, cry in silence but then perk up immediately to perform. The internalised homophobia and parental disapproval turned into a “must be perfect in every other way and never fail” mentality shone through both of these so much, it made me really sad. They must know that people would actually find it so much easier to relate to a person who’s not always perfect, who cries and breaks down and fails sometimes, and then picks themselves up and tries again. Gives themselves and others a second chance.
On a happier note, what joy to see Kam and his mom’s story, all the dancers and choreographers, and Florence and Ed, Taylor’s long term friends weigh in on this massive endeavour. Funny how Flo said she’d never seen Taylor on stage before and being in the tour was like ‘it’s fucking TAYLOR SWIFT!” Lol. I bet. What I wouldn’t give to know just Taylor and not TS. Seeing little glimpses of her in this always gives me whiplash how quickly she can go from a person to a persona. A lot of story covered in 90 minutes, interested to see what the next 180 will bring.
Hey, @thosehallowedhalls! Thank you for this ask from this list. I was going to do this in fic form, but it works out this way, too! I hope you enjoy the foolishness! lol
Book: Open Heart (Post Series)
Pairing: Tobias Carrick x F!MC
Category: Text Fic
Rating: Teen
Summary: They've been together too long...
another idsb confession: took a day off from work to see the rep tour, but my household didn't know about it. the whole day i pretended like i was at work, then called in before the show started to warn them i'd be coming home late because "i was going to eat out with co-workers." snuck back home at 2am (in my room, headlights passed, the window pane, i think of you) and no one had to know... literally. still a day i'd hold on to for the rest of my life.
omg this is incredible!!! im dying! you’re a ninja!! i love it !!!!!!!!!!!!
You can thank @genevievemd (or not thank her! lol) 4/19 is a big day for Swifties, and Casey is amongst them. When her mother-in-law Vivian realizes this is the day before her precious grandbaby's first birthday (and party), she needs to have a few words with her son... then he needs to have a couple chats himself. He reaches out to Bryce and Sienna for reassurance that all will be OK and Sienna may have a prescription to save the day.
Enjoy the silliness.
Book: Open Heart
Pairing: Tobias Carrick x Casey Carrick (F!MC)
Others: Vivian Carrick, Bryce Lahela, Sienna Trinh
Category: Text fics
Rating: Teen
@choicesaprilchallenge24 - teasing
Tobias assures his mother - but he's not about to let her know that the truth is - she's rattled him a bit. Now he's wondering if all IS OK, and he needs to go to the guy who set his mom off... enter Bryce.
While he's somewhat reassured, he's not totally there yet. He needs to to the most sensible Swiftie in the friend group before comfortably returning to his day. Enter, Sienna.
This is in response to this ask. How is Kaycee, a bonafide Swiftie, coping with the sad news? And how is Ethan coping with Kaycee?
Book: Open Heart Post Series
Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x MC (Kaycee)
Rating: Teen
Words: 1,200
Category: Fluff
A/N: Participating in @aprilchallenge Music, Hug, Love
I did this really quickly without a lot of time to check it, be kind. lol
It almost hit sixty today. For April in Boston? A virtual heatwave! So it made perfect sense that the Esplanade was packed with people, Ethan Ramsey being one of them.
Unlike most others, he jogged there daily, regardless of weather conditions. Because of that, he tended to be a bit territorial. But spring fever must have caught him, too. He had yet to utter a single curse, and he hadn’t once fantasized about frightening away the slowpokes who stepped in front of him. It was an unusual feeling, and only one thing would have made the day better… if Kaycee had joined him. But despite the beautiful weather, her mood didn’t seem as bright, so she chose to remain home.
She was shuffling into the living room when she heard his key in the door. Ethan could tell that her mood hadn’t improved with just a glance. Her hair was tied back in a messy bun, and her ratty old NYU sweats adorned her body. He knew her “comfort food look” and, boy, if this was ever it.
She barely glanced up at him as he stepped into the room, her eyes only shifting when he tossed a small paper bag onto the coffee table before her.
“What’s this?” she asked glumly.
But her fiance merely smirked and walked away, returning moments later with two spoons in hand.
“Cherry Garcia,” he replied, and the slightest of smiles began to show on the corners of her lips.
“Fro yo?”
“Nope,” he grinned. “Ice cream! The good stuff!”
He clanged his spoon against hers as if it were a toast, then ripped the lid off the pint. Both spoons dug into the frozen delight at once.
“Mmm,” Kaycee hummed as the chocolate and cherry flavors burst on her tongue. “This is just what the doctor ordered!”
“Well, I am a doctor,” Ethan deadpanned, “and I did order it, so….”
Finally, what his heart had hoped the ice cream would help accomplish... a smile.
“You’re such a cornball,” she snickered, plunging her spoon back into the container for another scoop. “How’d ya know what I need?” she asked with a full mouth.
“Wow! I almost understood that,” he smiled, bopping Kaycee on the nose with his spoon. “I’ve paid attention to you the past few years… I know when ice cream is required. And… I know when that ice cream needs to be Cherry Garcia.”
“It was go big or go home, I see?” Kaycee chuckled. “Good call.”
Ethan threw his arm around her shoulder, taking in the scent of her lavender shampoo as he pulled her in close. She was happy to be in his arms but even happier because she had the remaining ice cream in hers.
“So, when were you going to break it to me?” He asked as Kaycee looked up at him with questioning eyes. “Don’t give me that look. I already know.”
“How’d you find out?”
“It’s sort of all over the news,” Ethan replied, “Plus, I believe a group of young women on the Esplanade were holding a memorial service.”
“Shit!” She snapped. “I knew I should have gone along with you!”
“I take it you had a eulogy planned?”
“No,” she frowned. “I had a toast ready for the engagement party… not this.”
“Uhm, for their engagement party or ours, dear?”
“Ethan!” She shoved him gently. “It’s too early for jokes.”
“Fine,” he chuckled. “But seriously, why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I knew you’d think I was being ridiculous.”
“Slightly,” he agreed. “But you think I’m being ridiculous at least eighty percent of the time, and you still seem to love me?”
“It’s ninety.”
“What?”
“I think you’re being ridiculous about ninety percent of the time, but I love you one hundred percent.”
“That’s good to know… I think.”
“Ethan!” she whined. “I’m so sad! Taylor and Joe were the cutest couple. How do you go from an album like Midnights… to this!”
“I don’t know,” he scratched his head. “Although I think You’re on Your Own, Kid may have been an Easter Egg.”
Kaycee looked up at him with amusement. While she hadn’t decided if it was appropriate yet, given the solemn occasion, she allowed herself to burst into laughter.
“Ethan Jonah Ramsey! You know what an Easter Egg is?”
“Sure, you said you wanted to dye some later… it is Easter, after all.”
“You’re funny, but the song reference! You know, she wrote that one with Jack Antonoff. But it could still be a clue. I’m looking at things through different eyes now… was Midnight Rain telling us something? I don’t know, maybe it was, I just think....”
“Kaycee…” he interrupted.
“Yes?”
“You need to slow down. I gave you the one song reference I had…, and I overheard the term Easter Egg at the mourning service, and I wanted to impress you. But if it’s time for the deep dive into recent song lyrics… I think Sienna may be your go-to.”
“You’re right,” she nodded with a smile, “but you have no idea how much I appreciate your effort.”
Her face turned glum again, and her eyes fell toward the melting treat in her hands.
“It’s sad, though,” she whispered. “I hate seeing love end… how do we… no….”
Ethan caressed her cheek, lifting her chin to face him.
“What did you want to say?”
“How do we know that won’t happen to us? No one ever thinks it will happen to them. Most people in love… they think it will be forever, and the truth is, for most, it’s not.”
“Come here,” he whispered. He took the ice cream from Kaycee’s hands and placed it on the table, then pulled her onto his lap. “I don’t think we can choose who we fall in love with,” he smiled. “Sometimes pain in the ass interns just walk into our lives, and we can’t help but give them our hearts.”
“Don’t you hate it when that happens,” she teased.
“May I finish?”
“Of course.”
“I don’t think we can help who we fall in love with, but I believe we can choose to stay in love. Love, relationships… marriage… it’s like anything else. All I know is every morning when I wake up, I choose to be with you, and I will keep making that choice. I don’t think marriages are always easy; I’m sure there will be hard times ahead, but as long as we wake up every day and choose in our hearts to be together… I have no doubt we’ll be OK.”
Kayee ran her fingers through his hair, tears welling in her eyes.
“Ethan,” she muttered. “When did you become this sweet?”
“I think you had something to do with it,” he grinned. “You and probably all of Taylor’s lyrics that are swimming around in my brain now, whether I like it or not.”
“You like it!” she giggled.
“I like anything that comes along with you.”
She placed a quick peck on his lips and then another. The next few moments were spent silently reminding her just how loved she was. Then, when the last kiss broke, he looked into her eyes.
“I love you…. but you need to analyze every song on her last album now, don’t you?”
Kaycee eyed the clock and nodded. “I do. I absolutely do. Sienna is off shift in five minutes.”
“Invite her over,” Ethan said, gently nudging Casey off his lap. “I’ll start dinner for the three of us.”
“You… you don’t mind?”
“Not at all. I choose to be with you… this craziness and all.”
I'm going to give you a horrible, impossible Sophie's Choice kind of a task.... but RB or comment with your favorite song from each of her albums... (I just did this and feel like I've betrayed my children) ... and GO...
