I listened to the recording over again, editing the volume of the बास line. The song was average, in my musically cultured opinion, but it was the most liked one on my फेसबुक page so I was obliged to cover it. I'd tried to do a little fanservice (not like that, jeez) द्वारा posting three लोकप्रिय songs on my page and asking everyone to like which one they wanted me to cover. I was collecting और and और followers every day, and it's been great to see how much my प्रोफ़ाइल is growing. Might not even need a label in the end. या 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 गिटार instrumental mimicking her notes. It didn't sound right though. आप 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 या 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 गलाना, पिघलता pretty damn good. Baby girl practically lived on cup ramen, रामन 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 प्यार with food. It's sort of miraculous I don't weigh as much as small horse with all the कचरा, जंक, रद्दी 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 चोटी, शीर्ष 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 गुलाबी and Amy Winehouse if she did sing. But she always told me that I was the singer, and she just liked to listen. That या 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, आप come up with the worst adjectives. Why not try, I don't know, sexy, या charming, या '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 चावल needs to cook too.' I pouted at her.
' But I'm hungry!'
' Shame, आप have to wait.' She told me with a hint of faux-contempt, sweeping away from me and putting the चावल 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 आप गाना 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. आप 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 कहा 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 प्यार that I'm so much taller than her, what with her being the older one.
' Bunny, of course आप can't compare. Opposite sexes, my voice is totally different than yours. Have some confidence.' She looked away from me.
' Just.. eeehhh. No. गाना 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 किस 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 आप 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 द्वारा how she learned from me rather than the other way around. Either she was something of a natural and I was first (*fistpump*) या 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 और 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.
' चावल 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 आप into अगला week with a wooden spoon.'
' I'd be okay with that.' She pulled a face at me as she got the चावल 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 खाना over to the couch. I traded her one of the bowls for a बीयर, बियर 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 चाकू to open her own.
' How do आप do that?' I asked, watching her. That was a pretty badass way to pop open a cold one. Imagine if आप just whipped out a massive hunting चाकू in a bar and everyone was like 'Oh shit' and then आप just casually opened your drink like a fucking mercenary. Instant सड़क, स्ट्रीट cred. Fionna shrugged as she took a drink, shifting on her तकिया 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 चाकू 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 अगला to my armpit.
' Okay... So what? I thought आप 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 हटाइए onto my stomach and she shifted slightly higher up on me.
' So what do आप think we should do instead, hm?' She whispered sexily, before चुंबन the side of my neck. Tempting. But that could wait, she wouldn't have to leave for another घंटा and a half. Plenty of time.

' आप make an interesting proposition, babe. But actually, I wanna hear आप 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 आप want to hear my crappy singing?'
Wait, what?
' Hold up, what exactly are आप 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 आप many times, not that I don't appreciate it. On the other hand, I've heard आप sing once, and आप weren't even trying.' I moved out of my सीट and leaned over her where she was still sprawled on चोटी, शीर्ष of the arm rest, supporting myself with one hand द्वारा her waist.
' C'mon doll. It's all I'm askin' for. I can play along with आप if आप want, या आप can go look through my iPod. I'll even do आप a trade. Say yes. Go on, y'know आप 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 आप 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 अगला 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 आप gonna sing?' I asked, probably slightly obnoxiously as I leaned over the back of the सोफ़ा, सोफे on my front, hands hanging down. But she was walking away द्वारा then, so she didn't really notice.
' I don't know, I'll look in your iPod. आप know I actually never have?' She said, going over to where it was jacked into the speaker system अगला 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, दिखा रहा है her exactly how bored I was. She still looked hot upside down though.
' Well, then get that fine नितंब, गधा 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 आप 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 आप pick something else? For the sake of my dignity? I want आप to think I'm cool for a least another week.'
' No dice, I already know you're secretly a dork. Dance या 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 अगला chapter. Seriously, आप might wanna find a teddy भालू या something to ward off the cuteness.
Oh, and I'll be linking the song she picked in the अगला chapter, and I highly recommend आप listen to it on repeat while reading. The whole thing just comes right together. See आप then, bunnies :3