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baldwin-montclair · 4 years

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Baldwin’s Nightingale (Part 14)

Characters: Baldwin Montclair/OC

Timeframe: After the S1 Finale, TV Show canon MOSTLY with some S2, Shadow of Night and Book of Life.

Summary: With just one day until the wedding, Alisha grapples with sceptical sisters-in-law, procedure and a deepening mystery.

Tag requests: @christi14 @poemfreak306 @pookie-cleary @hofficoffi @stormyheart326 @theshiningc @wonderlander594 @madamquacklemore

The Story So Far

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“She’s very pretty,” Stasia interrupted Verin’s focus on the doe she had in her sights, “pretty and sweet, like a little piece of cake!”

Verin knew when she was being baited and her sister had been prodding her since they saddled up their horses for the morning hunt.

The previous night’s dinner had been tense yet uneventful, filled with inane pleasantries between the myriad creatures taking residence in their family estate.

“It’s none of our business.” Verin shrugged instead, feigning disinterest.

“Quite right, and I think Ernst approves.”

“He loves music, he found an old violin piece online and she happened to be able to imitate it well enough.”

“More than well, she was very good I thought.”

“She is a daemon.” Verin practically spat the word like it left a bad taste in her mouth.

“That she is, and I believe father forbade us from straying from the Covenant, I doubt he’d be too please with one of his children mating with a daemon...or a witch.”

“If you are going to talk this whole time we should abandon the hunt and return the horses!” Verin snapped and Stasia simply gave her a wide-eyed look of innocence.

“My apologies, I have not seen my sister in so long, I was excited at the prospect of some conversation.”

Verin sighed, doubting her previous assumption and blaming it on her preoccupation with the state of the family.

“You’re right, I am sorry I snapped.”

“Understandable, Baldwin did choose Freyja, of all of us, to house-train the stray.” Stasia grinned.

Verin allowed herself a smile at their sister-in-law’s expense before regaining her propriety.

“You must not let him, or anyone, hear you speak about her in such terms. Whether we like it or not, she is still Madame de Clermont, God help us!”

“Baldwin is not here, it is just you and I.”

“In that case,” Verin shook her head, “I must confess that I believe our brother has contracted whatever madness took the she-wolf’s mongrel.”

“Matthew was never exactly stable Verin, you know that.”

“Then what is Baldwin’s excuse?” Verin asked.

“Love?”

Verin snorted in derision.

“Our brother loves nothing. He appreciates a vanquished battle field, a brutal merger, a good vintage. But, he will do anything he can to protect our family, for whatever reason, it’s why father chose him.”

“Bound by-” Gallowglass started reading the embroidered letters on the piece of light blue ribbon Alisha was working before she turned it over and placed her hands over the words.

“Gallowglass,” she greeted, hoping her face was not as red as it felt, “I thought you were going hunting?”

“With Verin and Stasia?” He asked with incredulity as he took a seat opposite the daemon at the table of the small sitting room.

“They seem nice.”

“They’re not but they’re family.” He corrected.

“And Marcus-“

“He left this morning,” Gallowglass noted her troubled expression, “he’ll be back for the wedding tomorrow.”

“Good,” she nodded with relief, “need all the friendly faces I can get.”

“What is that anyway?”

“My motto.” She shrugged nonchalantly.

“We already have one and that is not it.”

“No, it’s mine.”

“Oh, okay, they’re usually in Latin, or French.”

“I cant read or write Latin, or French.”

“I could translate for you if you want?”

She realised that he was honestly trying to help, not poke fun, he’d clearly not managed to read the whole thing.

“No, thank you,” she covered, “I’m almost done and will not have time to make another.”

The last thing she wanted was for her nephew, regardless of his age, to translate words into latin for a wedding night surprise from his aunt to his uncle.

“Shouldn’t you be helping with wedding preparations?” He asked.

“I was,” she shrugged, “Ysabeau banished me for not making decisions quickly enough.” She smiled.

“Best leave her to it.”

“I’m getting that,” she agreed, “oh, and you’re being drafted in tonight, waltzing lessons.”

“I’d love to but if I so much as touch you there’s a good chance Baldwin will actually kill me tomorrow, which would put a dampener on the whole thing.”

“Don’t worry, demonstration purposes only. Nathaniel’s also being subjected to it.”

A beep alert went off on Gallowglass’ phone and he checked it before placing it back in his pocket.

“The groom has arrived.” He smiled.

“Baldwin, he’s here?” She jumped from her chair with excitement.

“Literally have never seen anyone so happy about the prospect of him entering a room!”

“Gallowglass!”

“Of course he’s not at Sept-Tours, he’s twenty miles away at one of his many properties. I told you, you can’t see him until the wedding.”

“Right.” She nodded and sat back down.

“Oh hell,” he swore, “have you talked to him?”

“No!”

“Auntie, you need to know that lying to a vampire is pointless at the best of times but you are one god awful liar, a human could tell.”

“Fine, yes, I spoke to him once, last night.”

“Who gave you his number?”

“Nobody, Nathaniel gave me the new phone and Baldwin called me.”

“He called,” Gallowglass stared at her in disbelief, “Baldwin called you?”

“Fuck,” it was her turn to swear, “I should not have told you that, should I?”

“Relax, my lips are sealed.”

“Thanks but, why is it so surprising?”

“He makes rules but he also follows them, it’s too easy to hold oneself to a different standard, he doesn’t, usually.”

“Usually,” she smiled teasingly, “oh you mean by marrying a daemon”

Gallowglass shook his head in frantic disagreement.

“Wait, no, that’s no what I mean, I-“

“Gallowglass, I’m messing with you!” She assured him.

“And I though Stasia was the family jester.”

Knowing that Baldwin was relatively close-by, twenty miles was not so far as before, somehow made her feel slightly more secure and able to enjoy the more jovial atmosphere of Ysabeau’s waltzing lessons.

Both Verin and Stasia had declined to attend, the former having left the estate and the latter choosing instead to remain in her tower.

The remaining residents had been trying for around an hour, getting progressively less serious and more giddy as the time wore on. Sarah and Em were easily garnering the most praise from Ysabeau, followed closely by Gallowglass and Sophie.

“Hamish,” Gallowglass exclaimed as a Daemon entered the main hall.

“If I’d known there was a party I would have come here first!” He commented, Alisha noting the accent to be Scottish.

“Believe me,” Ysabeau started with pained irritation, “this is pretty far from what I would call a party.”

“Nope,” Hamish gestured to the thickly bound leather folder in his hands, “lot of paperwork, much farther from a party than this.”

His eyes sought out Alisha and gave her a smile as he approached, offering his hand which she shook.

“Hamish Osborne, I come bearing gifts of signature related carpal tunnel.”

“You’re a daemon too,” she stated with surprise, “I’m sorry, it’s just, I’ve literally never met so many daemons in my life.”

“Hamish has been dealing with our legal requirements of late.” Ysabeau explained.

“Might I borrow the bride?”

“I suppose.” Ysabeau agreed, giving him an indulgent smile, she clearly liked this daemon.

“What even is all this?” Alisha asked as Hamish sat opposite her in the sitting room, the table between them and a pen beside the open folder.

“Most of it? Transfer of deeds, property, stock, patent of nobility-“

“Wait, what?”

“Both yourself and Ysabeau hold the title of Madame de Clermont but also Marchioness de Clermont.”

“I don’t know what that is.”

“Purely ceremonial, it’s the rank of a Marquis’ wife and the de Clermont head is automatically granted the rank of Marquis and those under them Chevalier.”

“I’m no history expert but I thought that France had that whole thing where they like, killed all of the nobility?”

“It’s not French, it’s Papal.”

“They were given the title by the Pope?” ”Yes, for service to the church the de Clermont’s were granted this hereditary title to always be able to defend it. Pretty sure the actual land is in Tuscany, we’ll get to it.”

“Okay, let’s get this started.” She picked up the pen and Hamish opened the page to the signature line. She noticed Baldwin’s name was signed on the line just above.

Hamish picked up on her pause.

“Everything okay?”

“Mm-hm,” she glanced up before signing her name underneath.

Hamish was well organised, having small stickers on the pages that needed to be signed, he made quick work of getting through them all.

“I didn’t know Baldwin had any daemon friends.” Alisha commented after the last signature was complete and balled her fist a few times to stave off hand cramp.

“Baldwin? Hell no! I am a family friend but through Matthew.”

“Oh, that makes more sense.”

“Sorry, that was unnecessary,” he shook his head, “I’m sure he’s very kind to you.”

“But?”

“Matthew’s my best friend and your fiancé is not exactly kind to him.”

“I understand.”

“You do?” He asked doubtfully

“Not about their relationship, he doesn’t really talk about his family. But, I get to see a different side of him than you do, than Matthew does, or his enemies. I know he’s killed and that he can be cold, cruel, violent, he wouldn’t still be alive if he wasn’t.”

Hamish said nothing but the look he gave her was one of understanding. Knowing Matthew’s history and loving him anyway was something he knew not many people would understand.

“I’m not excusing the hurt he’s caused Matthew or anyone else, either in defence or malice, and they have no obligation to believe in a side of him they have never seen or think he is anything other than what he’s shown them he is. But, for the record, he is kind, and attentive, funny and incredibly sweet, surprisingly affectionate and very generous. He’s a good man, I believe that.”

Hamish shook his head with a sigh.

“It’s not easy to love a vampire, even less so a de Clermont I think, and I love Matthew like he’s my own blood...” he trailed off thoughtfully, “despite what he’s done, either in defence or Malice.”

She smiled a little at his repetition of her words.

“More than a few of our kind have shared their opinion on our friendship over the years.” He admitted.

“So you understand?”

“Unfortunately I think I do.”

“How...is he?”

“Baldwin?” Hamish asked and received a nod.

“Honestly, distracted. I don’t know him well, I’ve met him a handful of times but he definitely has something on his mind.”

“About time brother!” Verin called from her place on the reception room sofa as Baldwin returned from his post-hunt shower.

“What do you want Verin?” He asked wearily as he watched her get up from the chair.

“Freyja, really? You don’t say as much as three words to one another one year to the next and you trust her?”

“Her methods are more appropriate for the situation, Alisha is not a vampire!”

“No, she’s a daemon, she-“ she stopped, looking around, “is she here?”

“She’s not here Verin, you just left her at Sept-Tours!”

Verin looked around and located the source of the scent, a small box on the table.

She opened the box and went to touch the silk ribbon inside when Baldwin caught her wrist.

“Do not touch that!” he replaced the lid and stood resolutely in her path until she broke off to retake her seat.

“So that’s how you’ve managed to stay away. I was worried,” she stopped herself, “hoping rather, that the whole mating thing was a mistake, that you could be separated because she’s not your mate.”

Baldwin watched her before taking his own chair.

“She is-“

“A daemon, what would father say?”

“Verin-“ he warned.

“You’ve lived by his rules all your life, why now, why her?”

“A human, you mated with a human, Matthew with a witch,” he shook his head, “why is a daemon the line in the sand?”

“This is about her.”

“Of course it’s about her, it’s who we’re discussing.”

“Not ‘Alisha’, whatever manner of name that is-“

“Verin,” he cut off her meandering, “who are you referring to?”

“Oh, I see how mentioning a daemon musician might give you pause, should I narrow it down for you?”

Baldwin always had a soldier’s posture straight and solid, even seated, but her words made this even more inflexible and she questioned her decision.

“What is it you think you know?” He asked, his voice low and foreboding.

“The little Venetian spy, you were fond of her, I saw you both disappear together before the poor scribe was found dead. What did I hear you call her,” she made a performance of thinking, “Oscine, that’s it!”

“Fond,” he shook his head dismissively, “I had never met her before that night.”

“Oh, I know, but you wanted her, and would have had her, had the crime not been discovered. I would say that she wanted you too but, you know, Venetians, of course she did. Remember who found you both, brother.”

“You prevented nothing more than my hunt for some sport, you know how tedious those treaty negotiations could be!”

“I agree, they were infinitely tedious. For me! You loved them, which is why it was a surprise that you would miss the last one, to dally with a daemon.”

He didn’t respond, simply kept his breath and heartbeat steady, a very effective tactic in back footing an opponent.

“I was also surprised when I found you both in that store room, you left the party some time before I thought you would at least be caught in some kind of compromising position, but you hadn’t even persuaded her to take off that mask yet.”

“Given your particular skill set, sister, surely you would understand the value in taking one’s time.”

The barb was well executed and Verin felt her hackles rise before forcing herself to calm upon seeing the flicker of amusement in his eyes.

“To be fair,” Verin continued, “she was just about to take the mask off when I interrupted. I wish I’d been a bit later, so curious about what she looked like, weren’t you?”

Again, no answer.

“Two outcomes. Either she wore the mask because she was unbearably ugly, in which case, brother, you were taking a risk-“

“Sister-“

“Or, and much more likely, she was beautiful and the mask was to protect her from the attentions of unscrupulous admirers, like yourself!”

“Does this have a point?” He asked steadily, giving nothing.

“Yes, I told father about where I found you, and with who.”

“I guessed as much.” He shrugged.

“You’re not angry at being sent away?”

“No, had I not been sent away I would not have found Miyako, nor would I have a daughter, besides, I was distracted by my desire and I deserved my exile.”

“Punishment, that’s why you think you were sent away?”

“Speak plainly sister, my patience is not infinite!”

“Father thought you were developing the mating instinct, for beautiful Oscine.”

“That’s ridiculous, she was-“

“A daemon?”

“Someone I met in person once!”

“In person yes, what about all those letters before that when she was just a spy reporting to you.”

He knew she was fishing, she had nothing and he wasn’t about to confirm anything.

“Alisha is my mate, not some long dead spy whose face I never saw!”

“She was bitten, by Guillermo?”

“Yes.”

“Is that why you won’t drink from her heart vein or is there some other reason?”

Baldwin’s eyes darkened and his nostrils flared, giving him the appearance of a bull about to charge.

Verin knew she had pushed too far. The joining in blood was a more intimate act for a vampire than sex could be for a human. Vampires, however, only shared this with their mate and it was not a matter to be discussed with other vampires.

“Go back to Sept-Tours,” he spoke through gritted teeth, “and never, on pain of exile, bring up the spy to me or anyone else ever again, am I clear?”

“Yes Sieur!” She answered with the faintest him of sarcasm before leaving him with her words.

Rest well, it will be a long day tomorrow, and an even longer night!

Alisha, alone in Baldwin’s tower at the time of the message, smiled at his text and punched in a reply.

I look forward to the second more than the first. Can’t wait to kiss you again. Xx.

She realised just how excited she was to see her husband, after just a couple of nights apart. He was definitely mistaken about the effects of the mate bond.

“Alisha,” the knock and voice belonged to Freyja, “can I come in?”

“Uh, yeah,” she quickly slid the phone under her pillow, “come in.”

Freyja opened the door and looked her up and down.

“You‘ve spoken to him again, haven’t you?”

“I have not spoken to Baldwin today.” She answered truthfully.

“Hmm,” the vampire considered the reply, “well I know he doesn’t text...”

The tiniest inhale of breath from Alisha gave her away.

“We really have to teach you to lie better.”

“What, now?”

“No, I’m here to escort you to your ladies in waiting.”

“My-“

“The witches and the daemon, it’s customary for you to be chaperoned the night before the wedding, prevents any romantic rivals from stealing the bride.”

“Okay, besides maybe Count Dracula, who’s going to scale the outside of this fortress, full of creatures, by the way, and essentially kidnap me?”

“Obviously it’s not a problem the de Clermont’s have but it’s tradition, and I believe the group have devised some ‘fun’ activities.”

“You’re coming too, surely?” She asked Freyja.

“If you wish me to?” She sighed with a roll of her eyes.

“Of course. Should we invite your sisters?”

“Stasia has declined the invitation and I have no idea where Verin is.

“Okay, lets go!”

Alisha made it to the door.

“Wait,” Freyja called after Alisha, “I wasn’t snooping but I managed to see a letter on the desk, in father’s writing.”

“You can read it if you want, I don’t mind.”

Alisha wasn’t about to deprive Freyja of unread words from a deceased father as she was sure the daughter had read everything the father had written, probably more than once.

“Thank you but, it’s not that, I wanted to ask if you would like me to translate it for you.”

“What?” Alisha’s brow furrowed in confusion.

Freyja picked up the paper and carried it over to Alisha.

“Latin, but I’m sure you’ve probably translated it yourself using an online translation service already. I doubt it could convey the proper nuance Far intended.”

Alisha shook her head absently and looked at the words.

Not in English, just as Freyja said. The letters she initially studied as though deciphering hand-writing were actually written in an unfamiliar alphabet. However, with concentration she found the meaning became clear although the words themselves did not.

“Yes, I um-“ she started, thinking, “I used Google translate when I got the phone, I know what it says but, thanks.” She managed a smile.

“Alisha, what’s wrong?”

“Hmm,” she shrugged and took the letter, “just tired, distracted probably.”

It wasn’t a lie, she’d barely managed more than a few hours since Baldwin left and she could think of little else. Her sudden ability to read Latin was a mystery that could wait.

___

PART 15

#a discovery of witches #adow #baldwin de clermont #adow fic #adow baldwin fic #baldwin montclair #baldwin’s nightingale

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fromparishwithlove · 7 years

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RENT’S 20TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR: In Memorium

IT’S BEEN OVER A WHOLE WEEK SINCE I SAW RENT AND I need to remember everything about that show because OH MY GOD it was the most perfect thing I have ever witnessed and I’m so upset I can’t go and see it a BILLION more times so I’m writing down everything so I don’t forget. I need to relive it. I’m not sorry. AND THIS IS ONLY ACT 1 HAHAHAHAHAHA

Also dedicated to my boo @itsbeaconhillsbaby because I know her memory fades so quick and we need this to LIVE ok.

· Before it even begins, the curtain is up so you can see the stage and the set up and Ross e.g the guy portraying Roger is just wandering about on stage so you just kinda feel like you’ve walked into the apartment. You’re immediately transported from your seat in the theatre to their flat in New York

· Mark being that typical friend who shoves a camera in your face and asks you to do something cool and you’re literally like please go away but you can’t say that to him because he’s too fucking cute

· EVERY SINGLE PHONE CALL FROM MARK’S MUM. AND IN FACT ALL THE PARENTS. THEY ARE GOLDEN. And they give the show a sense of realism because yes they’re all bursting into song every five seconds but guess what, they still have parents who won’t leave them alone

· Tom Collins being that friend everyone loves to bits, he has a heart of gold and a voice to match

· Collins being shocked when he thinks it’s Roger that picked up the phone. Even though he’s been away for 7 months he knows his friends so well

· Joanne not being a theatre person when she literally sings two of the most theatrical songs in the entire production

· You Okay Honey is the sweetest frigging song in the entirety of the world and I cannot believe they cut it from the film.

· Every single word Collins sings ever but especially the “Well you missed a sleeve” and “Angel indeed” and “Nice tree”

· ANGEL. TELLING. COLLINS. HE. LOOKS. CUTE. WHEN. HE. BLUSHES.

· That hesitation before Collins takes Angels hand. Y’all know his life just got 68796847292190465 times better after they run offstage together

· MARK ACTUALLY EXPLAINING WHAT HAPPENED TO APRIL. The film kinda glosses over it. You learn she died and she and Roger had AIDs but other than that you’re like huh?

· Roger being 100% relatable when he’s like “Zoom in on my empty wallet!”

· Ross Hunter singing One SOng Glory because really does life get better than this?

· Philippa’s portrayal of Mimi is on point! She made it very obvious that Mimi was not only coping with AIDs but also a drug addiction. She was shaking and fidgeting and tapping and yes, just yes. She did a damn good job

· Her laugh when she steals her drugs back from Roger and runs off stage

· “WHO RAN NAKED THROUGH THE PARTHENON!” Now why has no one made a show about that?

· Collins throwing Mark and Roger food and drink and firewood. HOW LONG DID THEY HAVE TO REHEARSE THAT?!? 10 out of 10 was waiting for one of them to miss something

· “’Oh hi’ after 7 months?!”

· “Struck gold at MIT” That line... god I’m drowning

· Roger not leaving the house and telling Collins that’s because he was waiting for him to get back.

· ANGEL DUMOTT SCHUNARD SWINGING DOWN FROM THAT LADDER IN THAT OUTFIT AND FLINGING OFF THAT COAT AND THROWING THAT MONEY BEFORE COMMENCING T H A T DANCE.

· Layton WIlliams is a certified Queen of Dance.

· THAT FUCKING LEG KICK AND THOSE SPLITS. BOY HOW YOU EVEN DOING THAT?!

· And then when she’s done, she just goes and sits down with Collins and starts drinking vodka and fanning herself. IF THAT AIN’T ME!

· Benny spreading out the blueprints for his cyber-arts facility and Angel pretending to be interested

· “That boy could use some prosac! Or heavy drugs! Or group hugs!” Tag yourself.

· The little reprise to You’ll See and Roger’s “Let it be boys.”

· COLLINS SINGING I LIKE BOYS. I SWEAR MY HEART COMBUSTED

· Mark being overdramatic af as he enters the lot. I also appreciate the fact he turns the camera on himself just in case he dies at the hands of Joanne and the others never see him again

· TANGO MAUREEN. A S D F G H J K L

· The film does not have a patch on Billy and Shanay. OH MY GOD. Their dancing. The little bum wiggle Billy does and the stamping and the fucking length of time they took to take off their coats. It was intense af

· MARK AND JOANNE’S UNDERAPPRECIATED SEXUAL TENSION

· Mark squealing when Joanne stood on his toe.

· “fUCKING CHEATED!”

· Joanne answering the phone to tell Maureen they’re patched and she calls her Pookie and Mark laughed so fucking hard I was dying

· Angel and Collins introducing themselves at the life support meeting like asdffghjkl you guys talk about married

· MArk interrupting and being awkward af and kinda insensitive before just blurting his name in Paul’s face. That’s me. I’ve literally done that. Just shouted my name in someone’s face by way of introducing myself

· Lets talk about the fade from Steve to ROger singing about how he should’ve died. WOw. Thanks. My hearts not broken

· AND THEN WAM BAM THANK YOU MAM STRAIGHT INTO OUT TONIGHT

· HOW FAST DID SHE WHIP HER HAIR ROUND THOUGH OMFG AND THERE WERE SO MANY TIMES SHE WAS JUST HANGING ONTO THAT SCAFFOLDING BY HER LEGS ALONE. B A D A S S

· And then she just hops off the little platform into Roger’s apartment and does that lil face nuzzle. Mimi is my kinda girl I swear to god.

· Another Day... WHo doesn’t love everything about that song?

· HOW BEAUTIFUL DID THE ENTIRE CAST SOUND HARMONISING WILL I? God it was gorgeous.

· ANd you could see Roger realising that he doesn’t want to die alone and that maybe he can have another shot at love and he puts on his coat and leaves the house. Talk about character development!

· “THIS LOT IS FULL OF MOTHERFUCKING ARTISTS!”

· That lady coming at Angel after she’s all like “Easy sugar easy” This is after Angel holds COllins back from saying something?! ANd Angel is having none of it she just backs the hell up like mmm no honey

· SANTA FE. SANTA FE. SANTA FE. THE MOST UNDER APPRECIATED SONG IN THE HISTORY OF THE THEATRE?!?

· RYAN O’GORMAN SAVED MY LIFE?

· “Sang it girl!”

· The bass line is to die for

· Mark third wheeling to hell and filming the whole thing

· There was a moment in one show when Angel got the spliff the wrong way round and then when it eventually got passed to MArk he just sat there with it like ??? before pasisng it back to Collins. WHAT A FUCKING INNOCENT

· Collins hitting Angels boot and doing that spin and swinging round the ladder and imitating Angel playing the drums when he says “You can drum a gentle drum”

· When they all sit on the bench and pretend to be driving a car to Santa Fe and then Collins pushes Mark’s camera round to film the horizon as he sings “Do you know the way to Santa Fe?”

· “YOU KNOW... TUMBLE WEED... PRAIRIE DOGS. YEAAAAAAAAH.”

· Dead. I’m dead at this point.

· ANd then I get hit with the intro to I’ll Cover You and I think I’m going to survive but y’all know I’m not.

· Anyway... Mark FINALLLLLLLY leaving!!! And Angel being like thank the gods and Collins is like “He’ll be back I can guarantee”

· With that in mind Angel is like shit better tell him I love him immediately before Mark crashes that party

· “I’ve been hearing violins all night,”

“ANything to do with me? Are we a thing?”

“Darling... We’re everything.”

CAN WE JUST !!! THEY’VE KNOWN EACH OTHER FOR LIKE A DAY AND A HALF?!? nOT EVEN THAT IDK. BUT THEY BOTH LOVE EACH OTHER SO MUCH IM CRYING TEARS OF BLOOOOOOD

· They just sit on the bench and sing to each other and then Collins kneels down in front of ANgel when his verse comes on

· RYAN PULLING OPEN HIS SHIRT TO INDICATE “I ain’t got much baggage”

· Then they fucking dance and look at each other from across the stage and it’s so soft you want to die but then you realise you already have and you’re in heaven

· AND THEN THE KISS AT THE END. HOLY MOTHER.

· We’re Okay - again UNDER APPRECIATED. ALSO DISAPPOINTED IT WAS CUT FROM THE FILM.

· YASS YASS YASS CHRISTMAS BELLS AND ALL THE VENDORS ARE ON THE STREET AND ANGEL AND COLLINS APPEAR SHOPPING FOR A NEW COAT

· Collins being a sweetheart and telling Angel she doesn’t have to do this for him and Angel’s little “Hush your mouth its Christmas”

· The look Layton gives the vendor when she offers Angel that ugly ass coat... Stunning. Hilarious. I’m choking.

· KISS ME IT’S BEGINNING TO SNOW.

· Mark retelling the past half hour of the production as he suddenly appears with Roger and is trying to get to grips with the whole Mimi/Roger thing

· Roger spotting MImi and being like there she is and Mark and his one track mind is like MAUREEN?! And Roger’s voice literally sounds like an eyeroll as he says “MIMI!!!”

· Mark’s “WHoa?!” Like ummm how did you get her interested in you Roger?

· Then the whole thing descends into chaos and its brilliant and everyone’s shouting and singing and Collins sees his old coat and he’s like fuck you but Angel wants to buy him one so she’s there haggling and Mark is filming them both again as they hug in the snow and it’s so fucking cute

· “WHich way to the stage!”

· LUCIE JONES DESERVES A TONY AWARD, AN OSCAR AND A NOBEL PEACE PRIZE. I CAN’T EVEN BEGIN TO DESCRIBE HER PERFORMANCE. IT IS OUT OF THE PARK. WE ARE SOMEWHERE IN THE STRATOSPHERE OF BRILLIANCE AND PURE TALENT. THE NOTE SHE HOLDS FOR HALF A MINUTE, THE MOOING, THE ECHO, THE DEPTH OF HER VOICE, THE FUCKING MILK DRINKING, THE AUDIENCE REACTION. I LIVE FOR IT. And I used to think that song was weird af and now… I’d dance to it at my wedding

· WHEN MAUREEN IS PRETENDING TO DRINK THE MILK FROM ELSIE’S UDDER AND COLLINS TURNED TO MARK AND SAID “Hey Mark, d’you remember this?!” AND ON THE LAST NIGHT WE WERE THERE IT WAS SO LOUD AND I FUCKING CHOKED AND THEY WERE JUST ON THE VERY EDGE OF COMING OUT OF CHARACTER. BILLY WAS JUST GLARING AT RYAN AND HE WAS GRINNING AWAY TO HIMSELF AND GOD BLESS THE WRITERS FOR ADDING THAT IN BECAUSE IT’S NOT IN THE ORIGINAL SCRIPT OR THE FILM EITHER AND IT IS T H E BEST THING THAT EVER COULD’VE HAPPENED IN MY ENTIRE LIFE. SERIOUSLY.

· Watching everyone else through Maureen’s performance is also the cutest thing. Angel and Collins were clicking along and Mimi was trying to teach Roger the Over The Moon dance

· Also Joanne had me giggling the whole way through. She was stood in the background holding the boombox and whenever Maureen sings the chorus she holds it up so the backing track sounds louder. But she was wearing this beige/brown roll neck under her coat and as she lifted the boombox her coat would come open and I swear I thought I was seeing skin and I was like JOANNE!?? Where are your clothes woman!

· Anyway… That whole song was legendary and I can’t believe I’m so blessed to have seen it.

· Then we head straight into La Vie Boheme which is a personal favourite anyway but it was just to die for. All the movement of the tables, the hand clapping, the kissing, seeing Lucie Jones’ bum three times, everyone basically pretending to bang and masturbate and Mark riding Collins like a motorbike and Mimi and Angel’s friendship and just the purity of believing in something and being something that other people can’t understand. It’s a beautiful song.

· And we take a break from it to watch Roger and Mimi sing their lil duet an that’s really cute and sweet and HOW HAS IT TAKEN THEM THIS LONG I SWEAR TO ALL THE GODS

· Ok so during I Should Tell You everyone else is frozen in the background sitting round a table but on the Friday night, Ryan was just standing and then one of the swings came in and he just beckoned her over and they hugged and he gave her a lil kiss on the forehead and that was the cutest thing ever

· And on the Saturday night they’d been having issues with the tables and then Maureen’s chair was too close to another bit of the stage so she couldn’t pull it out to sit down so she was just in the background wrestling with it and it was just so funny

· And then we come crashing back into La Vie Boheme B which I’m currently trying to learn all the words too because it’s brilliant and beautiful and it’s for everyone, everyone should be accepted and loved an-THE RIOT CONITUES

· Yeah… One minute you’re all singing and then BAM Mark’s there shouting about a riot and the Christmas tree is burning down and Mimi and Roger are kissing in the rafters

· “The snow dances”

· Seriously everything Mark says is poetic af

· VIVA. LA VIE. BOHEME.

· Crash. Bang. End act. Sit and scream internally for 20 minutes while you wait for imminent death to occur.

#rent #rent the musical #rent on stage #rent20 #jonathan larson #billy cullum #mark cohen #ross hunter #roger davis #ryan o'gorman #tom collins #layton williams #angel dumott schunard #shanay holmes #joanne jefferson #lucie jones #maureen johnson #philippa stefanie #mimi marquez

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