#hohw

Friendly reminder to go read Hell or High Water by @mottlemoth if you haven’t already. It’s genuinely the best fic I’ve read in a long time, and I simply had to draw this scene when I got to it ❤️

Link to the fic:

https://archiveofourown.org/works/38102629

So a few years back I found a song that I absolutely loved, it really resonated with me and a story I was writing for my own world. It was called "Hell or High Water" by the Rescuers. It fit the storyline perfectly, and I was quick to slap it into a playlist for that story, liked it on youtube, all those usual things you do with a new song you like!

But I didn't buy it.

I never buy music, I listen to spotify and youtube and that's all I need. But it was a mistake not to buy this song, because out of the blue a few months ago, that band deleted and removed ALL their songs from the internet.

Gone. Scrubbed overnight and without a word to their social media.

Needless to say that was a little upsetting but after So. Much. Digging. I found an acoustic version of the song from when they'd performed at a small venue. It wasn't the same, didn't have the same resonance or weight, but it was the same tune and lyrics so it would do. I accepted that the song was gone and that I probably wouldn't listen to it in full again.

Until last night.

Last night I decided to google Hell or High Water. It had been on my mind a lot recently, and maybe it was a last ditch attempt to see if there was any news or updates from the band. It had been a few months, maybe there was a development, an explanation as to the lost music, or maybe there was nothing. I wasn't really holding out hope for any changes, but I thought I'd check their socials at least.

I didn't get that far, because the first result was a reddit page.

A group of users were ALSO asking the same question, wondering the same things, discussing the removal in preparation of a musical coming out. The Lost Boys Musical.

BUT a user had found a copy of my missing song, tucked away in the middle of a pirate themed playlist on youtube. It existed! It was real! I'd not dreamt the whole thing up! There was a copy and while it had rigging creaking and water sloshing overlaid, it was THERE!

Now remember it's midnight I'm in bed, with my phone's speaker pressed to my ear grinning like a lunatic. While I'd love to leave a comment there and then, I decided to leave it till morning.

I needn't have bothered.

Because all tucked up in bed, I decided to scroll down to read the comments and to see if any of the reddit users had commented, I found they had! In fact, one had specifically asked the maker of the playlist if they had heard of this songs removal, if they knew anything about the band. Or if they had a copy.

Not only did the playlist maker have a copy, they immediately slapped it into a google drive and posted a PUBLIC LINK!

I've never hit a download link so quickly or so recklessly in. my. life.

But I have it back! I have a copy on my phone and my laptop and now this atmospheric-slightly-too-much-sound-effect playlist, but you know what that is great! Its fantastic! This song was utterly lost and gone but now I have a copy and I'm SO SO HAPPY. I've been listening to it on repeat all morning because I've missed it so much.

BUT WAIT there's more!

The reason this song has been plaguing me so much recently, is because it's a perfect fit to one of my fic plans. The fic, which I intend to call "Hell or High Water", is named for the song. The lyrics fit perfectly to various scenes, the vibe of desperation and determination is a perfect fit. The fic is made for the song and the song is made for the fic, to the point where I couldn't write this without the song, and I'm legitimately considering sneaking the lyrics in here and there to the story. The acoustic version was okay, but it wasn't right, but now I have the original and everything is perfect.

So I'm taking this as a sign, and I'm going to start plotting this fic. And since I'm in such a great mood, I'm also going to share a big chunk of a scene I've already written for it.

I'm so happy.

No really, I can't do it justice so here's the actual quote, just look at this magnificent string of sentences. It's killing me.

Fuck. John Bryce still exists. He's still red-haired and bearded and built like a shire horse, and frankly there's no reason for it—how much the man is, in every possible way. He's too tall, too big. His hair is too red and his beard is too thick. It's apparently not enough for him to be fairly well-built with a touch of copper in his hair. He has to sit there, flaming like a bonfire, with enough beard for five other people and shoulders as broad as a stable door. It's just unnecessary. (Hell Or High Water by Mottlemoth, ch. 6)

1. I’ve been thinking about the scene at Anne and Mary’s where they make fun of Stede and Ed for not having had sex yet, and While Ed is defensive of their privacy, Stede seems more confused than anything

which got me thinking, like

if we get any inkling of a scenario that feels like my favorite scene in HoHW, where they spend the night together for the first time, I WILL TRANSCEND THIS PLANE OF EXISTENCE

also

2. I hope they talk it through more, I want Ed to know the extent of what Stede went through to get back to him.

3. Since Lucius proposed to Pete, everyone (including me ofc) is gunning for Stede and Ed to get wedding fever, and then I want Olu, Archie and Jim to go “oh, we want that, too. One for us, please.”

“You’re doing great. You’re nearly there. This is the last pain you’ll ever have to feel.”