SIX WEEKS LATER

MID-JULY 2025

Molly looked at her reflection in the mirror, running her hand over the bump reflected back at her. She'd gone for a fitted black sleeveless dress that hugged her new curves tightly. After her twenty-week appointment two weeks prior, she'd finally given up trying to squeeze into her jeans and browsed several maternity boutiques in the city. She'd been pleasantly surprised to find quite a few outfits that she could wear to work and court without looking like a balloon. This dress in particular was perfect for the warmer summer months and could be paired with flat sandals or high heels. It was also one of Andrew's favorites. A knock at the door drew her attention. 

Andrew stuck his head into the spare dressing room and grinned at her. He had dark circles under his eyes from the chaotic schedule he'd been on for the last three weeks, but the light in his eyes was still there. Since they'd gotten back from Connecticut after Oscar's father's funeral, his focus had been press and rehearsals for the final three shows. Molly had been worried about him running himself ragged, but Andrew didn't seem to mind. 

"Fuck me, you look amazing," he smiled, closing the distance between them and kissing her softly. "When Rory told me you were here, I thought he was taking the piss. I didn't think you were coming tonight."

Molly shrugged and rested her hands on his chest. "It felt like I should be here. Its the end of an era, no?"

It was. He'd decided to take several years off from recording and touring after these shows so he could be present for the baby. He didn't want to miss anything. 

"Are you staying backstage, then?" he asked.

She nodded. "I'm staying with your parents. I think if I go out there looking like this, it'll only cause a bigger stir."

He looked down at her stomach and sighed. He'd missed the last appointment because of a photo shoot and he was still angry with himself. His only consolation was that he knew he wasn't going to miss anything else. Once this show was over, he was a free man. He couldn't wait. 

"You know, I thought this place would be bigger," Oscar's voice came from the bathroom as the toilet flushed. "It looks a hell of a lot bigger from the outside."

Andrew sighed and rolled his eyes, though he was grateful to see his friend. They hadn't really seen or spoken to one another since the funeral. Still, he was happy to see that the other man seemed to be doing well - at least outwardly. Oscar had thinned down slightly and his normally-bouncy curls had been shorn close to the sides of his head whilst the top of his hair was still slightly long. He wore an old Nirvana T-shirt and a pair of fitted jeans and looked relaxed enough. 

"Good to see you again," Andrew smirked, hugging the other man. "Should I assume you're in a guest room at the house?" 

Oscar tucked his hands into his pockets. "Actually, no. I'm in the Presidential Suite at the Shelbourne," he said casually, tossing the five-star hotel's name out like he was listing grocery stores in the area. 

"Right, of course. How silly of me," Andrew joked. 

"I'm waiting on the sale to go through on a house in Monkstown," Oscar continued. "Once its done, I'm moving in."

"How long do you think that'll take?" Molly asked, sliding her arm around Andrew's midsection.

"It closes by the end of the month, I think," he replied proudly.

"That fast? It took me six months to get things to go through on the house," Andrew remarked in surprise. 

"Money talks, Andy," Oscar quipped. "I can see I interrupted a private moment. I'll wait outside. Have a good show." He clapped Andrew on the shoulder and walked away.

Andrew gave him a nod of acknowledgement as he left the room. The second the door shut, he turned back to Molly, nuzzling his nose into the top of her hair, inhaling the orange and honey scent he'd come to associate with her. 

"I'll be home later tonight," he told her.

"Really?" she asked in surprise. "Isn't there some sort of end-of-tour wrap party or something?"

He shrugged. "I invited everyone over tomorrow for a barbecue and pool party. We'll say our goodbyes then." His hands slid down her sides and stopped low on her hips. "Besides, after seeing you look like this, how the fuck could I stay away so late?" he growled softly, his ego jumping slightly when he saw the blush on her cheeks. 

"Should I wait, then?" she asked. "After the show?"

He nodded. "Might be a couple hours, but if you don't mind. We could drive back together. I'm making the announcement after the show."

Molly stifled a yawn. "Sure. Sounds good."

"Jesus, are you going to yawn the whole show? I'll try not to bore you," he teased.

She shoved his chest playfully. "You know I was in court all day today. And the heartburn has been killer so I'm hardly sleeping."

His hand slid over her belly and he looked down at it. "Should you be here? I mean, will it be too loud?" he asked nervously. 

She slid her hand over his. "No. It'll be fine." She felt a flutter across her stomach, like butterflies, and smiled. "Did you feel that?" she asked. 

He moved his hand and felt the flutter underneath Molly's skin, the tiniest movement. He smiled slowly. It was a new development this week and he'd been fortunate enough to catch it. Molly had shaken him awake from a deep sleep and terrified him. She was convinced that something was wrong because she'd never felt anything like it, but after a bit of calm breathing (on both their parts), she realized she was feeling the first movements. Joy replaced sleepiness and they spent the next hour trying to get the baby to move again, discovering that when he played anything on the guitar, it sent the kid into overdrive. It reminded him that he was making the right choice to step back for a couple years. 

"Still don't want to find out what it is?" he asked with a leading smile. 

Molly shook her head emphatically. "No. I want to wait."

"Andy, we're - Oh, sorry," one of the crew said, sticking his head into the room. 

"What is it?" Andrew asked, looking over. 

"Fifteen minutes to stage," the other man said. 

Andrew nodded. "I'll be right there." The man left the room and he turned back to Molly. "Is it a bad thing that I'm actually looking forward to ending the tour?" he asked, taking her hands in his.

She shook her head again. "No. You're right to take time off. You'd hate yourself if you missed out on anything."

Satisfied, he sighed and adjusted the wires leading to his in-ear monitors, tugging them up from underneath the back of his shirt. "Guess I'd better get going. Give the people what they want, and all that," he smirked. 

Molly watched him go and ran her hand over her stomach again. It still didn't seem real that they were expecting a baby. When she thought back to when they'd reconnected several years beforehand, she would have never thought they'd be in this situation. 

The energy backstage became electric as the minutes ticked by. The opening act had finished up ten minutes prior and the crew was just making sure the stage was set for Andrew. She navigated her way through the backstage chaos and found John and Raine standing next to Lindsay. Oscar was deep in conversation with Jon, oblivious to her arrival.

"Molly! I didn't realize you were here!" her soon-to-be-sister-in-law said, embracing her. "I figured you'd be at home with your feet up."

Molly smiled and hugged her back, her stomach pushing into the other woman's abdomen. "I couldn't let him end the tour by himself. Its kind of a tradition for us now that I'm at the last show. Besides, its the last chance I'll see him live for a while, probably until this one is two or three years old," she said, resting her hand on her belly. 

"I think its a good thing," Raine interjected. "I don't think Andy'd be able to manage being away from you two whilst touring. He'd be miserable."

"He'll have to adjust eventually. I won't let him stop completely," Molly remarked with a laugh. "I didn't let him stop after the attack and I'm not letting him stop after this. A couple years is fine. But that's it. He'll probably drive me insane, being home all the time."

"I don't think he'd know what to do if he wasn't writing or performing," Lindsay said.

Just then, the band started emerging from the dressing room area. Alex gave her a waggle of his eyebrows when he spotted her and Rory stuck out his tongue as he passed by. She didn't really remember the rest of the band, but they all smiled at her. They congregated a couple steps from the curtain hanging on the side of the stage, chatting amongst themselves. Molly could hear the crowd chattering in the audience and she felt her own heart rate increase as the energy backstage got more charged. 

Andrew appeared, combing his fingers through his hair. He'd added his signature black sport coat over his t-shirt. He joined his bandmates and had a quick conversation with them in a lowered voice. Molly tilted her head and watched, intrigued by the pre-show ritual. It always amazed her how vastly different 'Hozier' was from 'Andrew'. Seeing him in this mode instantly made her knees weak and her heart race.

The group parted and began taking their places on stage, picking up instruments and standing behind microphones. The audience erupted into noise. Andrew gave his parents and small wave and pulled her two steps away from them. He kissed her quickly and laid a hand on her stomach, gazing into her eyes.

"We'll be fine. Go have fun," she said, looking up at him with a grin. 

He winked at her and kissed her cheek before stepping out onto the stage. Molly felt the butterflies in her stomach begin as the crowd roared to life. She moved to the side of the stage and looked out past the amps. A sea of people cheered wildly, waving and whistling, as Andrew picked up his guitar and approached the microphone. 

"Before we begin, I just wanted to say how much of an absolute pleasure and joy it has been for me to have the privilege of playing for you," he said, his voice echoing slightly across the stadium. "Ehm, I never in my wildest dreams thought that I'd be at this level, nor did I ever think that I'd be playing stadiums," he chuckled. "There are so, so many people I have to thank - and I'll do that later on at the end. But for right now, I wanted to thank each and every one of you for your love and support over the years. It's been one of the biggest honors of my life to share this journey with all of you."

Molly knew why he was saying this. They'd agreed on announcing his hiatus from music in one of his recent interviews with Irish Tatler Man. He'd mentioned the pregnancy and hiatus plans on the agreement that the article wouldn't run until after the last show. Come tomorrow morning, everyone and their mother in Ireland - and presumably abroad - would know. It was going to come out eventually, but this way they controlled the narrative. Molly's run-in with the woman she thought was a reporter at the funeral had added urgency to the situation. 

Andrew's guitar jumped to life and the stage lights flickered. "Without further ado, let's get this thing started, shall we?" he smirked to the crowd. 

And he was off. Hozier took over Andrew and Molly leaned against the scaffolding on the side of the stage, crossing her arms over her chest. The baby kicked several times in a row when Andrew sang and she relished these last few hours where their secret was truly their own. 

R/HOZIERFANS

U/PETERPANSLUTE45 POSTED: The show tonight was incredible! I just saw some photos on IG. Andy looks phenomenal. He sounded great, too.

U/FROMEDEN1990 POSTED: Anyone else notice that his speech in the beginning seemed a little...weird? Sort of like he was saying goodbye, maybe? I don't know. It just felt like something you'd say to people when you're planning to be gone for a while.

U/DANCINGBEARS POSTED: YOU GUYS. Look at this photo a fan posted from tonight. She got a backstage view from her seat. Doesn't it look like Molly's pregnant?!?! I'm not one to try to guess things about women's' bodies, but I swear to God that this looks like a clear pregnancy bump.

U/FROMEDEN1990 POSTED: Oh my God, you're right. I had heard those rumors about her looking pregnant at the funeral, but just figured it was people trying to create drama. She's clearly pregnant here. 

U/HOZIERSSHOES POSTED: I can't believe they're having a baby. I wonder when Molly's due? 

U/DANCINGBEARS POSTED: She doesn't look super far along, maybe the second trimester. So, I'd guess the baby is due in the fall. Do we think Andy will make any type of announcement?

U/PETERPANSLUTE45 POSTED: He might say something about it if he's asked, but I don't see him doing a whole magazine cover spread over it like he's trying to show it off. He didn't make a big announcement when he got married to Molly. Why would he do it when he has a kid?

***

When the show was over, Molly hung around backstage. Andrew spent at least an hour thanking everyone and when the crowd had definitely cleared out, he invited everyone back on stage with him. She stood off to the side alone. Oscar had left earlier, heading out with Jon and Lindsay. Raine and John left before the finale to try to beat traffic out. 

"If I could have your attention, please," Andrew said into a microphone. He looked out at the tour crew - most of whom had been with him from the beginning of the album cycle. The dull roar of conversations stopped and all eyes were on him. "I wanted to first start off by saying thank you to each and every one of you for all the hard work you put into this album cycle and tour." A cheer went through the stage and he smiled. "I especially want to thank my manager Caroline Downey, the tour manager Donna, and our stage manager Eric. We could not have done any of this without you."

A round of applause filled the area around the stage. Molly caught Caroline's eye and grinned at her. She already knew what Andrew was about to announce and she'd worked with them to sort out how exactly they wanted to handle it. 

"Each and every one of you was an integral cog in this insane machine and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything," he continued. "You made this tour the adventure it was and you made my job feel like so much fun. I am so insanely grateful to all of you. Many of you have been with me from the very beginning, way back in 2013, which is why I'm making this announcement." He took a deep breath and caught Molly's eye. 

"I'm taking a step back for the foreseeable future - at least the next two-to-three years," he sighed. "Molly and I are expecting our first child and I don't plan on touring for some time. This was probably the last time I'll be on stage for a long time." She could see him getting a little emotional. "And I just really wanted to thank you all again for making it such a memorable and special experience."

The group clapped and exclaimed in excitement, shouting congratulations. He reached for her hand and she closed the distance between them, taking his hand in hers. 

"The official announcement is out tomorrow in an interview, but I just wanted to tell you guys in person because I didn't want you to hear about it that way," he explained. Molly felt his arm go around her waist and hold her to his side. "Its been an incredible journey for me and its largely because of the work you all have put in. I will be eternally grateful to all of you, no matter what happens next."

Caroline stepped up to take the microphone from him with a beaming smile. When the cheers and applause died down, she spoke. "I think I speak for everyone here when I say congratulations," she started. "We are all thrilled for you, I'm sure." She turned and looked at him. "I can remember you, exactly as you were, all those years ago. The tall, skinny lad my daughter raved about up on the stage at St. Gerard's singing and playing your heart out." Andrew laughed. "I knew then and there that you'd be a talent that shouldn't be missed, and I was right."

Molly saw Andrew's eyes get misty and he blinked rapidly to clear them. The emotion he was displaying wasn't what she'd expected and her hormones were driving her to cry in solidarity. 

"Through all of the changes your life has gone through - the fame, the money, the attention - you have remained the same person, the same lad I first saw on that stage," Caroline continued. "You are genuinely a good person, patient, kind, generous, caring. You are the one person I'd want on my side during a storm. I count myself eternally grateful to you, Andrew. Not only have you changed my life forever, but you've given me a friendship I cherish dearly." She sniffled slightly and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, smiling down at her.

"I can't think of two more deserving and lovely people to have a child and I know he or she will be greatly loved and protected," she said. "You two will make amazing parents and I am so elated for you."

Andrew gave her a peck on the cheek and a hug before releasing her. She wiped tears from her eyes and hugged Molly tightly, laughing. 

"Thank you so much," Molly said, hugging her back. "That was so sweet of you to say. I'm fucking terrified, if I'm honest," she laughed. 

"Oh, you'll be fine. I did it three times. All three of them turned out fantastic," Caroline said. "Please tell me you don't have anyone planning your baby shower."

"We weren't going to have one," Molly replied. "It just seems like an excuse to get stuff from people that were can already afford to buy ourselves."

Caroline's face fell. "First the wedding, now this? What do you both have against celebrating on a larger scale?" she asked teasingly. 

"I'll talk to Andrew," Molly said, looking past the older woman to see her husband involved in a conversation with several people. "Maybe we could do something small, just family and close friends." This seemed to appease Caroline. "You may have to share hosting and planning duties with Oscar though. He'll kill me if I let you do it after I told him no already."

They spent another thirty minutes receiving congratulations from the crew and band before one of the arena staff came by to ask them to leave. The stage needed to come down and security needed to go home. After a final goodbye, the group dissipated. Andrew led Molly to his car parked in the back stage area of the stadium at the mouth of a long tunnel. The security guard waved them past and they were soon driving into the darkness toward home. 

Molly had barely taken off her shoes before Andrew was on her, pulling her toward him and kissing her deeply. The adrenaline from the show still hadn't worn off and she felt the fire that had started whilst watching him on stage reignite. She tugged his sport coat off and let it fall to the floor. He sighed heavily against her mouth and began undoing buttons on his shirt. 

Her heart pounded in her ears as he kissed her deeply and shrugged off his shirt. It hit the floor somewhere near the sofa and coffee table. She backed into the railing to the spiral staircase and let out a noise of surprise. Andrew steered her around it and led her up the stairs carefully. At the top, he began pulling the zipper at her back down as she scraped her nails across his chest and abdomen. He jumped slightly and inhaled sharply, jerking his skin from her touch. 

The dress came off easily, landing in the hallway to their room. Molly walked backward, allowing Andrew to guide her as he kissed her deeply. Her fingers manipulated his belt buckle and he groaned loudly as she tugged his black jeans over his hips. She shoved him back onto their bed, not bothering to turn on the lights. She stood between his legs and kissed him while he slid her underwear down. 

He grazed his teeth against her chest as he ran his fingers up her back and unhooked her bra. The calluses on his hands drew shivers up her spine. In the near-darkness, she could still see his eyes gleaming up at her, reflecting the moonlight shining in from outside. He ran his hands over her shoulders, sliding the straps down as he went.

Andrew drank her in, taking in every curve and valley of her body. His breath was ragged in his chest and he sighed happily as Molly pushed him down on the bed. She bent over, tugging his jeans and boxers down to his knees. He saved her the effort and kicked them to the floor completely. 

"Fuck, you're so beautiful, Mol," he sighed as she straddled his hips. He let out a growl as she settled herself over his cock, sliding down slowly. "Shit, yes," he moaned. 

She steadied herself with her hands on his chest, rising slowly. He dug his fingers into her hips, his nails leaving small half-moon marks in her skin. She ground her pelvis against his, letting her head fall back as a soft moan escaped her lips. Andrew ran his hands up her body, settling them on her breasts. 

They were easily his favorite part of her changing body. Well, that and her extreme libido. Just as with her first pregnancy, Molly seemed to have an insatiable appetite for sex once they were assured things were safe. Before she'd started to show, they'd enjoyed trying several new positions. But now that she was well into her second trimester, their go-to had been this one, with him on his back and her on top. Not that he was complaining. It gave him an excellent view and Molly really seemed to enjoy being in control of things. He just sat back and enjoyed the ride, literally and figuratively. 

The moonlight came through the window, illuminating her as she moved. The angles of her face were exaggerated as she moved, up and down, up and down. He could lay there and watch her for hours. His breath caught in his throat and he groaned loudly as she clenched around him, falling forward slightly. A string of curses in Romani fell from her lips and her hair fell across her face. He swept it away and pushed himself up onto an elbow. She allowed him to pull her face toward his for another hungry kiss before pushing him back down on the mattress.

Molly loved having this much control over him. Aside from the obvious logistical problems, being on top made her feel more confident, almost as if she were queen of the world. Andrew never argued about his position and she was happy to keep it that way. She supposed as her pregnancy progressed, they'd need to make more changes, but for the moment, just then, she couldn't have been happier. 

He brought his thumb to her clit and she yelped in surprise. His free hand came up to clasp hers, entwining their fingers tightly as he brought her to another orgasm. Andrew smirked mischievously.

"Come on, baby," he growled quietly. "Cum for me."

He hissed as her nails dug into his skin, leaving marks that would still be there in the morning. But he didn't care. He pushed her further, enjoying the bite and electric shock from his nerve endings. At least Molly let out a small cry and her head fell forward, her hair blocking her face once again. He sighed and lifted his hips up to deepen her orgasm, enjoying the way she felt as she closed around him. 

Andrew cursed as he felt the tug in his balls and he groaned loudly, thrusting up into her. She arched her back and he felt his cock slide against her public bone. He gripped her thighs tightly and moved faster, a new layer of sweat forming on top of the one from the show. Suddenly he didn't care that he wasn't going to see a stage or live audience again for years. He didn't care that he was staring down the barrel of several years of inactivity. He didn't care that he'd given up what he loved for Molly or their baby.

All that mattered in that moment was her and her body against his and the wave of ecstasy rolling over him as he emptied himself into her with a shout. His nerve endings were fried and every neuron in his brain was on end. He closed his eyes and lost track of time as his ears rang. His breath came in ragged gasps and it took several seconds for his eyes to focus on Molly's form hovering over him. 

She was gasping for air as well, shaking in the chilly night air. It felt like hours before Andrew regained his faculties and helped her off of him. He tugged the blanket up over their sweaty forms, not caring that they'd have to change the sheets in the morning. They lay there, their bodies completely spent, until they both drifted off to sleep. 

***

Andrew swished his tea in his mouth several times before swallowing it. He picked up the advance copy of Irish Tatler Man that the editor was kind enough to send over. His face looked back at him underneath the headline Hozier: Ireland's Proud Son Steps Back. He flipped to the place that was marked with a yellow sticky note and surveyed the article. After a second, there it was, in bold black letters taken from the middle of the article.

MY WIFE IS EXPECTING OUR FIRST CHILD AND I PLAN TO TAKE SEVERAL YEARS OFF TO BE HOME.

It was out in the world now, official. No turning back. His labels had been supportive, but hesitant initially. Caroline was his biggest defender, reminding them of how much time and energy he'd given to touring and how successful his albums had been over the years. They came around pretty quickly once he told them he had no intention of creating new material. 

He hoped the fans would be as accepting. In the past, it had been several years between albums because he spent a good chunk of the time touring and doing promotional work. He was still active and visible. It made the lulls between that activity more manageable. But this, this would be a near-total blackout. He planned to be slightly active for the remainder of Molly's pregnancy, but once the baby came, he'd jump into full-time Dad Mode. Molly hoped to return to work soon after delivery, so it would fall to him to fill in the gaps. 

He could remember the uphill climb he'd undertaken way back when his career first saw the light. Caroline had told him that if he could make it big in the American market, he'd have a good chance of success. But she also said that he should say 'yes' to as many opportunities as possible in the beginning. The result was a whirlwind that lasted two solid years, and part of a third, and left him feeling depleted in the worst way possible. The second time around was easier, and he didn't necessarily care about reaching the extreme highs from the first album. 

Now he'd been around the world more times than he could count and played so many shows he'd lost track of when one ended and a new one began. They had all sort of blended together into one big experience for him. In the beginning, he savored every single show, not knowing if it would be his last. But now, over a decade on from those first performances, he had become somewhat numb to the adrenaline rush that playing to a huge crowd gave him. It paled in comparison to the next chapter he was about to embark on: fatherhood. 

A noise behind him on the stairs told him Molly was awake. He turned to face her, waving the magazine slightly. "Morning," he said, kissing her temple as she passed by. 

She grunted a response and headed straight for the decaf coffee he'd brewed when he got up. After fixing herself a cup, she leaned against the edge of the benchtop while she drank. 

"Its out," he said, walking around the island to present the magazine to her. 

"How are you feeling?" she asked, looking up at him and bringing one hand to his arm. 

He sighed. "Relieved," he said initially. "But also terrified. I keep wondering what will happen if I can't come back, you know? Like what happens if I take the time off and then I just become irrelevant."

She burst into laughter. "I never thought I'd see the day when you - you of all people - would be worried about staying relevant."

He shrugged. "Why shouldn't I worry a little, at least?" he asked. "My relevancy is what's paying for this house and everything in it, and everything the baby needs. If I have to go back to being irrelevant, we'll have to move in with my parents," he chuckled.

"Ooooh, could we stay in your old room and pretend you're back in high school?" she asked with a sultry smirk. 

He smiled down at her. "I feel like the screaming baby might put the mood off." His hand settled on her belly. "Everything good? Sleep okay?"

Molly stifled a yawn. "Uh-huh," she managed. A glance at the clock on the microwave told her it was ten-thirty already. They'd gotten home late and stayed up even later. "When is everyone supposed to get here?" she asked, refilling her mug.

"I told them three," he answered, walking back to the island. 

"Good. I've got a brief to prep," she said with another yawn. 

He watched her go, debating if he should check the damage on social media. He'd gotten no new messages from his friends and he didn't expect to. The closest ones, he told face-to-face. Alex had been the first, after Caroline, and the one he was most nervous about. Here was the man who had been with him from the first dregs of his debut album and stood by his side at every single stage performance, rain or shine, sick or healthy, and Andrew was about to tell him that he wasn't sure if he'd ever step back on stage again. He took it much better than Andrew thought he would, to his credit. Alex had been very congratulatory, happy even. Still, Andrew felt like he was hanging his best friend out to dry. 

No. Social media and the news could wait. What was the point in taking a hiatus if he spent all his time obsessing over what people were saying about him? He turned his phone onto Do Not Disturb and went into his study to read. He had a new Katie Mack book that he'd been dying to crack open. 

***

R/HOZIERFANS

U/FROMEDEN1990 POSTED: Please tell me this isn't true. 

U/PIEDPYPER45 POSTED: Well, we were right about Molly being pregnant. I'm happy for them. I just wish it didn't mean he was stepping away on purpose for a long time.

U/FROMEDEN1990 POSTED: I know why he's doing it, but it doesn't mean I like it. 

U/HOZIERSSHOES POSTED: I knew that speech he gave at the beginning of last night's show was weird. He was saying goodbye before the article came out. 

In a way, I'm glad he's doing it on his terms. But like he said in the article, its not forever. And maybe being a parent will influence the music he makes in the future.

U/SIANNERS007 POSTED: I have to say, I was particularly struck by this section in the article: 

Of course I'm worried that I might not be able to come back when I'm ready to again, that my fans will move on and I'll lose the ability to connect with them. But that fear pales in comparison to the idea that I might miss an important event in my child's life... I've given so much of myself to the music, put so much of myself into every single song I've released and performed. One of my favorite songs - Shrike - was written for my wife and I perform it every time I'm on stage. It is very much so a major part of my life and the idea that I won't be doing it for a while stings. But I've the best fans in the world and anytime I'm in front of them, I feel like I'm getting the biggest, warmest hug possible.

I had no idea Shrike was written for Molly.

U/LEPRECHAUNFARTS91 POSTED: Hold up - if Shrike was released in 2018 on Nina Cried Power, then how could he have written it for her if they weren't even seen together until 2021? When exactly did they actually meet? How long did they actually know each other for?!

U/SIANNERS007 POSTED: Molly did study at Trinity for a semester in 2016. So maybe they met when he got back from tour? But then...that would mean they'd stayed in touch for literal years before getting back together again. And if he wrote Shrike about her way back in 2018 (likely earlier), then fuck me, the man was in love with this woman for literal years before anything happened. 

U/FROMEDEN1990 POSTED: So at first I was crying because Andy is disappearing for a while. But now I'm crying because its obvious he and Molly are meant for each other. I swear to God I can't handle these emotions.

U/LEPRECHAUNFARTS91 POSTED: The lyrics are so, so haunting. "I couldn't utter my love when it counted". Ugh. Dude. 

Molly is his thorn bush. She's his home. 

BRB. Need to go sob uncontrollably for the next six years.