I listened to the recording over again, editing the volume of the খাদ line. The song was average, in my musically cultured opinion, but it was the most liked one on my ফেসবুক page so I was obliged to cover it. I'd tried to do a little fanservice (not like that, jeez) দ্বারা posting three জনপ্রিয় songs on my page and asking everyone to like which one they wanted me to cover. I was collecting আরো and আরো followers every day, and it's been great to see how much my পরিলেখ is growing. Might not even need a label in the end. অথবা if I do, they'll be the ones calling me.

There was an issue with the bridge. Y'know, the Christina Aguilera bit where she's telling Adam Levine exactly how she likes it. I hadn't recorded it (Too high and sort of overly elaborate), and filled in with a গিটার instrumental mimicking her notes. It didn't sound right though. আপনি needed the female voice to complete the song. It only worked as a duet.
I sighed and pulled my headphone down around my neck, leaning back in my chair. I don't know any female singers, and I ain't trying to pull myself into a duo অথবা end up being one of those crappy artists who only ever features. I'd been solo from the very start and I intended to stay that way for a while.
Well, musically at least.

I could smell the spices from whatever Fionna was cooking wafting into the room, and it actually স্মেল্ট pretty damn good. Baby girl practically lived on cup রামেন before she met me, and I've been doing my best to help her appreciate a finer palate.
I went through a stage when I was younger where I wouldn't eat anything that wasn't red. It fucked my mom off so much, so it lasted a lot longer than it otherwise would've if she hadn't cared. But when I finally got bored with that, holy shit. I fell in প্রণয় with food. It's sort of miraculous I don't weigh as much as small horse with all the আবর্জনা I consume.

I got up and trotted casually over to the door, stretching my arms at the same time. I could see her standing at the stove, quickly stirring something. Her gorgeous blonde hair was tied back into a messy bun, strands falling out in some places.
I just stood and watched her for a moment. She looked fantastic whatever she put on, because she has a nice little framework under those clothes, but I've always been particularly partial to that one pair of jeans. Calves, thighs, ass, the whole lot. Showed her off to perfection. It's a kind of a shame I've never gotten to see all of the aforementioned framework sans clothing (just the শীর্ষ half, and it was a beautiful sight), but it isn't like I haven't had my hands all over her anyways. She'll let me in when she's ready. I just... don't want to wait forever.

As I watched her, I noticed that she was humming under her breath. I couldn't quite make out what she was singing, but I wanted to. She'd never sung in front of me, although I've tried to coax her into it a couple of times. I was sure, just from that slight rasp in her voice when she talked and her addictive, sexy laughter that she'd sound like the lovechild of পরাকাষ্ঠা and Amy Winehouse if she did sing. But she always told me that I was the singer, and she just liked to listen. That অথবা she'd do something distracting, manipulative little minx.

' I don't even try to control you
Look into my eyes and I'll own you
With the moves.. Hmm-Hm hm,
I got the Moves Like Jagger,
I got the la-la-la-la-la da-da da da da...'

Hey, she wasn't bad. Obviously she wasn't trying very hard right now, but she sounded pretty good from where I was standing, moving her hips from side to side. And she was criticizing me for shaking my ass. Though I'm definitely not complaining. Woo.
' What's cookin', good lookin'?' I asked her casually, and she jumped. She obviously hadn't heard me coming up behind her. Apparently being sneaky is something of a talent (talent?) of mine. My old bandmates used to complain I was so silent it was like I was invisible, completely at odds with my voice.
' Jeez, Marshall! Way to scare the crap outta me.' She scowled, absentmindedly patting her chest once before going back to stirring. ' And also, really? You're such a cheeseball.'
' Excuse me? Cute, cheeseball, আপনি come up with the worst adjectives. Why not try, I don't know, sexy, অথবা charming, অথবা 'Oh Marshall-lee, take me now!'
The look I got from her in reply to that told me exactly how likely it was she'd ever say those things about/to me. A man can only dream.
' You're a dork. Say ah.'
' Wha?'
' Not wha. Ah.' She told me, holding up the wooden spoon she was using to stir the sauce on the stove. She had her other hand cupped underneath it, wary of any drips. I opened my mouth and she watched my face expectantly, waiting to see if I liked what she had made.

' It's gross.' The shock on her face made me laugh and I raised a hand in apology when she hit me on the back of the head as payback.
' Nah, it's pretty good. Can we eat it now?' She sniffed at me, still annoyed that she had fallen for the joke.
' No, it needs to reduce. And the ধান needs to cook too.' I pouted at her.
' But I'm hungry!'
' Shame, আপনি have to wait.' She told me with a hint of faux-contempt, sweeping away from me and putting the ধান in the microwave with such an air of grandiosity that I started laughing again. She joined in good naturedly for a moment then ran herself a glass of water. I leaned on the edge of the bench, waiting for her to finish swallowing.
' So, I heard আপনি গান গাওয়া my song.' She eyed me suspiciously, folding one arm around her tummy and tilting the glass towards me accusingly.
' That's not your song, it's... Maroon 5's.' I shrugged as she took another sip of water.
' True, but beside the point. আপনি really ain't terrible, Fi. So how come you've never sung for me before?' She looked down into her glass, which was now nearly empty, then tipped it out into the sink and put it on the windowsill above it. It always kind of bugged me when she did that, because I always leave it in the sink, but it's such a minor annoyance that I'd never say anything 'cause that'd just be petty.
' Mar, I've ব্যক্ত it countless times, you're the singer. I can't compare.' I crossed the few steps between us and put my hands on her hips, looking down at her. I fucking প্রণয় that I'm so much taller than her, what with her being the older one.
' Bunny, of course আপনি can't compare. Opposite sexes, my voice is totally different than yours. Have some confidence.' She looked away from me.
' Just.. eeehhh. No. গান গাওয়া isn't my thing.'
' I disagree.'
' You've only heard once.'
' Still disagree.'
' Stubborn.'
' I prefer tenacious.' She rolled her eyes at me and I took the opportunity to চুম্বন her again.
She was no master, but she took well to being led. Again, something I didn't mind, and actually kinda liked. Sure, an experienced girl can be great fun, but you've also got that moment where আপনি have to wonder how many other guy's tongues have been in her mouth. Bunny hadn't told me exactly how innocent she was, but she can't have done much judging দ্বারা how she learned from me rather than the other way around. Either she was something of a natural and I was first (*fistpump*) অথবা she'd been with a couple of guys and she was just getting used to the way I like it. I don't really care either way, though.

' Mm.. go away. I'm busy, I wanna get this right.' She told me, pushing me away from her. I managed to sneak a couple আরো kisses before she got me off, batting at me. The microwave beeped as I walked over to the fridge and retrieved two bottles of ice cold alcohol.
' ধান is done. And don't worry babe, I have complete faith in your culinary skills.'
' I'm not sure if that was sarcasm, but if it was I'll spank আপনি into পরবর্তি week with a wooden spoon.'
' I'd be okay with that.' She pulled a face at me as she got the ধান out of the microwave.
' Haha. Kinky.'
' I'm totally serious.'
' Yeah, right.' She shook her head at me as she brought two steaming hot bowls of খাবার over to the couch. I traded her one of the bowls for a বিয়ার and waited while she went back for cutlery. When she got back, she plopped down onto her pile of cushions on the sofa and handed me the bottle opener, before using a ছুরি to open her own.
' How do আপনি do that?' I asked, watching her. That was a pretty badass way to pop open a cold one. Imagine if আপনি just whipped out a massive hunting ছুরি in a bar and everyone was like 'Oh shit' and then আপনি just casually opened your drink like a fucking mercenary. Instant রাস্তা cred. Fionna shrugged as she took a drink, shifting on her বালিশ pile.
' Eh, my foster dad was pretty cool, he showed me.'

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

' There's nothing good on tonight. Just nuclear fallout and catastrophes and depressing bullshit.' I complained, channel surfing once I'd established that there weren't any shows Fi wanted to watch. Her satay whatever had been pretty good. Both bowls were now piled up empty on the side table, along with the first bottles of beer. I was about halfway through my second, with which I had tried and failed to open using Fionna's ছুরি trick. It was a lot harder than it looked. She had snuggled into my side, as per usual, and now looked up at me from পরবর্তি to my armpit.
' Okay... So what? I thought আপনি didn't mind crappy T.V.'
' Most nights, it's nice to have a little background but this is just all too sad. Like jeez. ' I felt one of her hands সরানো onto my stomach and she shifted slightly higher up on me.
' So what do আপনি think we should do instead, hm?' She whispered sexily, before স্নেহ চুম্বন the side of my neck. Tempting. But that could wait, she wouldn't have to leave for another ঘন্টা and a half. Plenty of time.

' আপনি make an interesting proposition, babe. But actually, I wanna hear আপনি sing.' She groaned and pushed off of me, before collapsing dramatically onto the arm of the sofa and throwing me a glare.
' Ugh, really Mar? Now you're turning down tail because আপনি want to hear my crappy singing?'
Wait, what?
' Hold up, what exactly are আপনি offering?'
' No! Not- That isn't what I meant.' She quickly corrected herself, blushing bright red. So cute. I mean, sad face and all that, but she made it so hard to be disappointed when she looked so precious.
' Well then, yes. I've kissed আপনি many times, not that I don't appreciate it. On the other hand, I've heard আপনি sing once, and আপনি weren't even trying.' I moved out of my আসন and leaned over her where she was still sprawled on শীর্ষ of the arm rest, supporting myself with one hand দ্বারা her waist.
' C'mon doll. It's all I'm askin' for. I can play along with আপনি if আপনি want, অথবা আপনি can go look through my iPod. I'll even do আপনি a trade. Say yes. Go on, y'know আপনি will eventually.' She looked up at me for a few moments, judging the sincerity of the request. Curiosity killed the cat is a phrase I never took to heart. I really wanted to know.

'... Fine. If you'll shut up about it.' She groaned after a few moments, tugging one of her pillows out from underneath her and whacking me in the side of the head. I grinned at her then kissed her nose.
' That's my girl.'
' But I want the trade.'
' Whatever আপনি want. I'm at your mercy.' She picked up on the innuendo but didn't react beyond rolling her eyes, before she slid out from underneath me and onto her knees পরবর্তি to the sofa. She was pretty damn athletic, something I'd figured out from how she moved and how she looked. She admitted that she liked to run sometimes and that she and Cake walked around a lot. Beyond that, I have to assume that she was just naturally flexible too.
I'm so damn lucky.
' So what're আপনি gonna sing?' I asked, probably slightly obnoxiously as I leaned over the back of the পালঙ্ক on my front, hands hanging down. But she was walking away দ্বারা then, so she didn't really notice.
' I don't know, I'll look in your iPod. আপনি know I actually never have?' She said, going over to where it was jacked into the speaker system পরবর্তি to my old guitars.
' I haven't looked in yours.'
' Yeah, I know.' Then she sighed as she started flicking through the list. 'This is stupid.'
' No it's not.'
' It is.'
' Isn't.'
' Don't do that.'
' I'm not doing anything.'
' Marshall!' She threw another look at me, glancing up from the iPod for a second. I rolled onto my back and tipped my head down, প্রদর্শিত হচ্ছে her exactly how bored I was. She still looked hot upside down though.
' Well, then get that fine গাধা of yours moving. I'm impatient.' Suddenly she stopped and smiled at the iPod, before looking up at me.

'Fine, I'll sing for you, but in trade আপনি have to dance and sing with me.' I frowned at her. I can't dance. I can do many things, I have a sense of rhythm but I'm not the guy busting moves that reels in the women. Dancing doesn't come naturally to me.
'.. Can আপনি pick something else? For the sake of my dignity? I want আপনি to think I'm cool for a least another week.'
' No dice, I already know you're secretly a dork. Dance অথবা I'm not singing.' I sighed and stood up, mentally cringing at the fact I was actually agreeing to this. I hope this woman appreciates what I do for her sake.
' Can I ask what brought this on?' Fionna beamed at me and then pressed play on her song. As soon as it started, I immediately understood exactly why this had clicked for her and I couldn't stop myself from grinning. This girl had the best sense of humour.

Author's note: Prepare for massive amounts of cuddly cotton-candy fluff, 'cause it's coming down in droves in the পরবর্তি chapter. Seriously, আপনি might wanna find a teddy ভালুক অথবা something to ward off the cuteness.
Oh, and I'll be linking the song she picked in the পরবর্তি chapter, and I highly recommend আপনি listen to it on repeat while reading. The whole thing just comes right together. See আপনি then, bunnies :3