Tumgik
#this piece is very much showcasing happiness and excitement not only for working on passion projects but for revenge lol!
thebandcampdiaries · 11 months
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Allison Kane has released a new single: Meet Me.
A beautiful piano-driven ballad, which showcases the artist’s versatility and ability to share her more emotional side.
Allison Kane is a proudly independent recording artist who has accomplished so much even without the backing of a major label. She is en route to gain 60,000 followers, an impressive feat for an artist who has been working tirelessly to establish herself in the music industry. Allison has reached a huge amount of listeners through streaming platforms and social media, with many new fans discovering her on TikTok and Instagram. Her unique sound and raw talent have caught the attention of many, making her a force to be reckoned with in the music world.
One of the things that sets Allison apart from other artists is her ability to combine hip-hop with rock. Her music resonates with fans of both genres, creating a unique sound that is all her own. Allison's creativity and artistic vision have allowed her to experiment with different sounds, blending rock and rap in a way that is both fresh and exciting.
Rock and rap merge so well because both genres bring so much energy to the audience. Allison is a master at infusing her music with that energy, creating a sound that is both infectious and captivating. Her music is perfect for live performances, where she is able to connect with her audience on a deep level, creating an unforgettable experience for everyone in attendance.
Allison is able to create an impactful connection with her audience whether she is performing live or in the recording studio. Her most recent single "Meet Me" is a perfect example of the emotional depth and raw talent that she brings to every performance.
“Meet Me” is quite different from what she usually explores in her music. While she is known for her love of rock and rap, this track takes on a more emotional tone with an intimate feel. It's clear that she is exploring a new side of her artistry and it makes for a refreshing change of pace. The lyrics are raw and heartfelt, and the back-to-basics flavor of the piano melody perfectly captures the mood. This is definitely a song that will resonate with listeners who are looking for something deeper and more personal from their music. Not only is this release personable and edgy, but it also stands out because of its exceptional production quality. The mix is well-balanced and meticulous, resulting in a lively, edgy, and stark sonic experience.
 "Meet Me" is such a heartfelt and personal song that combines a lush and emotional piano melody with Allison's beautiful voice. The romantic tone of this track is undeniable, and it's clear that it was created with a lot of passion and emotion. “Meet Me” is a reminder that relationships can be complicated, and sometimes it's hard to fully understand what the other person wants. The line between friendship and love is often blurrier than it might seem, and it's not always easy to know where you stand. It's important to communicate openly and honestly with your partner to avoid misunderstandings and hurt feelings. Building a strong foundation of trust and respect can help you navigate the complexities of a relationship and find the happiness and fulfillment you both deserve.
This song is very expressive, and it creates a strong connection with the audience. This song shows that Allison’s ability to connect with her fans on a personal level is what sets her apart from other artists, making her a rising star in the music industry. With her unique sound and unwavering dedication to her craft, Allison Kane is a force to be reckoned with.
Ultimately, it is very important for artists in this day and age to showcase versatility. Allison excels at that, as this song, in contrast with the style of many other tracks in her growing discography, shows that she is actually very adaptable and knows how to create a piece of music that feels incredibly lush and beautiful, while embracing a minimalistic twist.
Find out more and listen to “Meet Me” on Spotify or other digital streaming services.
https://open.spotify.com/album/2vVbL4ooKCRRSOnpavLCXa?si=iwIfPNi2TxKAgFF3Y3F28w
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call-it-living · 1 year
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in contrast to my last post, I am having a moment of intense happiness right now!
I just wanted to document this to showcase the nonlinear experience of recovery. I have mood swings all thorughout the day, the week, and months. Sometimes they are intense. My therapist does not believe it is a bipolar disorder, as we have been working together for over 3 years. We believe it is a result of my recovery from my trauma and depression. Depression is a mood disorder, after all.
Anyway, earlier today I was experiencing some negative emotions about my past and wrote about them here to proceses them. Even though I wasn’t feeling particularly caught in a spiral when writing it, it will help me understand what I’m going through so that the next time I have a spiral maybe I’ll be able to navigate out of it easier. Understanding is power.
As for right now, I find myself alone in my room in the middle of the night. I’ve been working on my online college course and it has felt very rewarding, I didn’t expect to like online classes this much! I needed a break so I went to spotify and didn’t know what to listen to so I clicked my covers playlist. I have a lot of punk covers of pop songs, english covers of anime soundtrack songs, and just really beloved covers (Knocking On Heaven’s Door by RAIGN is a favorite). This led me to search for some new covers, which led me to explore some new cover artists. Twenty One Two are a group that do primarily punk rock covers of pop songs, though they definitely help reveal just how much rock and pop have in common already. Caleb Hyles does really fun covers of anime songs and just spirited covers of popular music. Screaming Females covered Shake It Off and it is so dynamic and just goes to places vocally that I think we all find fun but never really dare to venture into. I cannot wait to explore them more, as they have mostly original music!
All of this not only makes me super happy because of the dopamine rush of NEW NEW NEW!!! But it reminds me of the things I like! Anime is something I watch with my one friend, so it’s something I mostly experience independently. Whereas most of my other tastes are heavily shared with my sister and other family members. Knowing that I actually do have likes and loves and passions jsut ignites such happiness within me. It reminds me that I do understand pieces of myself and can find joy outside of others and my codependent family. Also, listening to lesser known artists (even if it *is* covers of the popular music i already listen to) makes me feel unique. Like, it just diversifies my music taste even more and sets me apart from codependent tastes. I also like exploring other genres through covers. It is such a fun exploration of music, because even though I usually herald the originals (aside from some exceptional renditions!!) it just satisfies a different part of my brain to hear a beloved song in a different genre and arrangement. Switching up harmonies, keys, instrumentation, and pacing all just bring new life to a song I’ve listened to death. And it just makes me super excited when a cover artist found a song to be worth covering that is a song that means a lot to me (Twenty Two One covers Wonderland by TSwift!! That seems like a rare song to cover of hers! Most cover Shake it off, blank space, love story, etc.)
tldr: recovery is not linear, and even over the course of a single day I experience the bad and good, the ugly and beautiful, the sad and the happy. The happiness is real and it get stronger and stronger each time! Just keep living, keep trying, even if you spiral and feel helpless, once you get through the spiral you will be ok. You will continue to live and have moments of bliss.
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vminity21 · 3 years
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hoax | jjk
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Pairing: friend!Jeongguk x female!reader, friendship to lovers!au
Word Count: 2,854
Genre: fluff/smut/angst
Warning(s): angst involving unrequited love, foul language use, smut, oral (m receiving), grinding, smutty kissing, unprotected sex, may or may not have happened in a restaurant,  slight fem!dom Rated: 18+
Summary: the hoax was that you assumed it was unrequited love, but being approached by Jeongguk’s potential love interest proved otherwise, and the determination of confessing your feelings had never been so strong.
Credit to: @suhdays​ for the cover! I’m obsessed with it!
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It’s crazy to think that just a certain way someone looks at you can spark a desire to dream about every and any scenario you can fester to make reality seem promising. Especially when it comes to a potential future with a suitor who’s gentle eyes meet yours now and again definitely trailing strings of hope in its wake. You imagine the way he would touch you in a dim, candlelit room where nervous breaths echo and wide eyes venture; you imagine the way he would tease you with silly banter if you could only muster enough bravery to sit next to him; you would envision moments of laughter even in the hours of the early morning before heading to work; you even ponder about how he would kiss you the very second you confess your love for him.
You wonder, you wonder, you wonder.
Palm clutching the metal doorknob from inside the bathroom, nerves tingle along your stomach when a fresh wave of nausea erupts. He is out there somewhere in the dining hall with his family as well as yours, and everyone assumes you are working late. Desperate to reveal what you have kept underneath for too long, your boss gave you the evening off, and here you are fully clothed in a glimmering dress, hair curled, and makeup dazzling your face. Mind drifting to all the events leading up to this moment has been what fueled your impulse of a decision.
When a friend of the past, LenLen, reached out to you last spring, you immediately took it considering it had been years since you had seen her including her four siblings: Maeve, Taehyung, Jimin, and Jeongguk. Unfortunately, your siblings, Monnie and Hoseok, happened to be busy that evening but you still went anyway, driving to what happens to be your favorite Italian restaurant. Seeing LenLen for the first time in four years was exciting, and you were happy to discover she had a boyfriend by the name of Kim Namjoon. His tall frame nearly overtowered LenLen and you were very appreciative of how social he was, and you found it quite adorable that they happened to meet on a popular dating app where many knew it to be for casual hookups.
It didn’t take long for the rest of the crew to show up, but you were amazed at how much everyone had grown- four years can make a world of difference, but you will never forget when your eyes landed on Jeongguk- your heart nearly leaped from your chest. Dark strands parted to showcase glimmering brown eyes and a thin lipped smile remained on his face nearly the entire evening. The attraction you felt was evident to you especially when everyone decided to continue the evening with mini golf. Anytime he was around you, it was like the feelings budded into a hope you weren’t sure how to control.
LenLen and Namjoon who you had carpooled with after dropping your car off at the apartment, decided to head home and LenLen’s siblings offered to drive you back to where you live. Jeongguk wouldn’t even drop you off where you claimed you would walk, parking in a handicap spot close enough to where the walk was easier to get to your door. He hadn’t gone with you but you were thankful he was kind enough to dismiss your original request. After a few days, you received a dm of a meme that he said made him think of you which ignited the excitement that he may be interested in you after all, but it was the most short lived four messages you had ever seen.
Moving on, nearly a year and a half passed when your roommate and best friend, Min Yoongi, decided to move into a new apartment ten minutes down the road, and your sister Monnie was preparing to move in to take Yoongi’s place. Maeve happens to be very fond of Monnie, and a month prior to the move, LenLen and Maeve invited you and Monnie to hangout at a Brewery not far down the road from your apartment. LenLen and Namjoon mentioned a guy named Seokjin who they were going to try setting you up with even though you already had a person in mind. When Monnie messaged you about the plans, you jokingly asked if Jeongguk was going to be there and at first he wasn’t, but when the day came, and he showed up at the table-
your hands went completely numb.
His presence was so overwhelming that you felt the need to consume enough alcohol to tipsy away the anxiety revolving around how shocked you were to see Jeongguk in all his glory sitting across from you. Taehyung took the seat to your left; Monnie had the biggest crush on Taehyung until Seokjin arrived and although the broad shoulders nearly caved you in, you knew Seokjin was your sister’s type and before you knew it, you caught Seokjin sneaking glimpses of Monnie every chance he got. And, after a few weeks, Seokjin and Monnie became the next couple aside from LenLen and Namjoon, cuddling at every bonfire.
As much as you hoped for Jeongguk’s attention, the most you scored was a teasing side eye while he planted his car keys into your hand where his fingers lingered a bit longer than you expected; also, the quick witted flirt of when you dropped your phone he offered to call it resulting in a deep blush flushing across your chest. Even admitting to him how he most definitely had muscles despite his insecurity of wanting his body to become more buff, and you may have spilled that he was attractive, because he is. The funny part is this all happened in front of Cadence- a girl Jeongguk had feelings for and the same girl who upset you enough that you are now hiding in the bathroom, trying to suppress the fuming anger boiling in your chest.
‘You think for one second he meant anything he said to you? I’m the one he wants and you know it.’
She was the first to see your arrival, and she immediately approached you with intense determination and resentment etched in her red lipped frown. She made it clear that she was aware of you and Jeongguk sharing a serious moment where you almost fully confessed, and he claimed how lucky any guy would be to have you. Your heart shattered for you knew he was stuck between a woman who couldn’t make up her mind and a woman that could. It was like he knew what the true answer was but he battled on not wanting to hurt anyone. When Cadence said what she said, you literally muttered, “What are we, in high school?” Offending the girl enough that you were able to stomp away, tears brimmed, yet you knew you couldn’t give up on Jeongguk just yet.
Bursting through the restroom door, the front of your gown clutched within both hands as you dash past the waiters and waitresses concentrating on balancing trays of food while the air reverberates with clinking glasses and scraping forks. The waft of savory meat and loaves of bread floods your nostrils, yet your eyes search the crowded tables for only one person. Frantically, you find his brother, Taehyung, fitted in a suit, chowing down on his dinner, “Hey, have you seen Guk?” You lean toward his ear trying to maintain your cool.
“Yeah, he’s over there,” Taehyung points toward his right where a few chairs away sat Jeongguk merrily conversing with his siblings though a sadness clouds his umber eyes. When you left earlier, he appeared visibly hurt that you couldn���t make it tonight, but here you are, rushing to him as if this would be the last time you would ever see him again.
“Guk!” You breathe, his wide eyes immediately turning to see you halting before him.
“Y/N? I thought-” He scoots his chair back to stand to his feet, overtowering you as his hair falls into his eyes. The sounds of the restaurant are loud enough to not make the scene unfolding as noticeable, but even if there was to be silence, you could care less.
“I worked it out with my boss, and I’m here now, and I don’t give two fucks what Cadence says-” you’re panting now as well as burning up with unwanted blushes.
“Cadence? She’s here?”
“Of course she is, when is she not with you?” Wetting his lips, his eyebrows furrow when he swallows slowly.
“I didn’t invite her.”
Shock is evident in your expression as the words died on your tongue, “You didn’t?”
“No, because it wasn’t her that I wanted to see tonight.”
When relief floods your limbs, you are hardly in a position to think straight for the man you’ve been hoping for all this time is finally seeing the light that has been shining this entire time: you. “Guk, I love you,” gasping, his lips collide with yours without any hesitation as his palms move to grip your waist. The tips of your thumbs find the corners of his lips while he kisses you slowly, taking in every moment that he never wants to lose any further for you are the missing puzzle piece that he has needed. He wants to show how sorry he is for letting you down prior to this moment; how blind he was to ever think he could let you walk away, and as stunning as you are, his heart pounds significantly.
“Awwww,” you hear Monnie coo as you giggle against his kiss. Jeongguk’s lips hardly leave yours before the pair of you find yourselves in a walkway where swinging doors meet at each end of the hall. Empty food carts are sporadic within the space and it’s so dim, your mind races with the feelings growing in all the right places. Moaning into his kiss when tongues meet, his arms latch underneath your ass before lifting you up to where your back hits the wall. Kisses growing so aggressive yet so passionate, you feel like you can’t catch a good breath and the last thing you ever want is to stop. Fingers tangling with the dark strands of his hair, your legs wrap tightly around his frame while you slide your teeth over his bottom lip, him hissing in response as he continues to bruise your mouth with the same hunger.
You are hoping not one individual happens to walk through here, and yet you don’t seem to mind this scandalous desperation of finally becoming one with the love of your life who happens to love you in return though it took a long time coming. Your dress has slid up to your thighs exposing your skin where you feel the material of his tuxedo and when the click of your heels meet the ground after a few more minutes of paradise, you feel his erection against your abdomen which arouses you to oblivion, and the sheet of your dress returns to sway against your shins.
Lost in the continuous motion of his kiss, you realize he plops into a chair that the back of his calves happened to discover. Breathless, you realize his attire has been disheveled while his hazy eyes sweep your figure, and with a lustful gaze you party a knowing smirk. Seductively you step forward to slowly swing each leg over his frame, set in a perfect straddle where your core grazes along his length. He hums pleasurably while you move your hips back and forth in a tease before pressing your lips to the corner of his jaw. Jeongguk struggles where to place his hands, sliding them along your back until he squeezes your thighs, letting you glide as much as you want while you pepper kisses on any visible skin you see.
Heat clenching, you can hardly take it anymore when you scramble to unbuckle his belt, unzipping his slacks, parting the slit in his underwear to reveal his being prompting your mouth to water at the sight. Jeongguk inhales sharply, you wanting to get down to business, sliding backward off his lap until your ajar mouth tickles along his shaft to build anticipation. “You don’t have to-”
“Shut up,” you take charge, fingers accepting his length carefully while the tip of your tongue dances from the base of his being to the tip in an agonizing pace. He places his hands within the curls of your hair, tightening his grip as he groans in ecstasy. Swirling your tongue along his tip, spreading his precum on his surface, you dip, sucking up and down- the feeling so satisfying, he can’t take his eyes off you. “Fuck,” his raspy voice sounds, “you feel so good.”
His words ignite the motivation to keep going, sashaying your tongue along his girth while you continue the bliss, but you didn’t want him to finish too soon. Releasing, you stand to bundle your dress up to expose a coral thong, shedding it down your legs prompting Guk to raise his hands in surrender. “Are you gonna at least let me pleasure-” Leaning forward with the sexiest menacing look you can muster, you fold your palm over the chair, inching as close to his face as you can to where your mouth barely brushes his panting lips. His words stop, eyes enlarging at the way you take the lead so effortlessly.
“I said shut. Up.” Deep down, you are willing to admit that you are truly showing Jeongguk what he will be missing if he ever decides to change his mind, and with the truth appearing at bay, there is nothing that you could ever do that will ever scare him away. He wants to make you feel good too. He wants to be with you. Reaching for his length, you position it beneath your core, letting the sloppy sound of your wetness cover his tip before taking him all in.
“Ooooh my-“ He grits his teeth trying to control himself and when you nod your permission, he begins his thrusting, your hands tangled in his hair while you moan against his ear. The way he moves sends you over the edge in the most erotic way, and with each stroke, he hits your g-spot, the strong feeling growing so intensely, you can feel the brink of a climax. “Keep going!” You gasp, “Keep going, Jeongguk, keep- ah!” Your toes curl against your heels as your thighs tighten, your high coming to its completion, as an orgasm overtakes your senses. Jeongguk spills within in you, arms wrapping around you tightly while he presses his mouth into your shoulder. Hugging him back, you have forgotten the existence of time, and how long you two hold each other, you are unsure.
“I’m so sorry that I-”
“Don’t.” You stop his whisper, eyes closed while you bury your face into the crook of his neck, taking in the crisp scent of his cologne. “I’m just glad you’re with me now.”
He tips his head enough to where you turn to face him, a seriousness overcomes his expression, his stare flitting to make contact with your own, “I love you, too.” Hearing the words become so real to the point that you almost want to cry tears of joy, but that doesn’t get to happen.
“Uh-” A male voice echoes, scrambling to your feet in pure terror, while the scrape of a turning chair holds Jeongguk fumbling to return his area back into his pants. Jimin stands frozen in place while you struggle to form any phrase.
“It’s not- it’s not what you think!” You squeak, your skin burning from embarrassment. As soon as the words left your mouth, Jimin’s ajar lips and wide eyes, look down at your crumpled thong that still rests proudly upon the floor. Shit, you shudder, and Jimin’s stiffened frame, shifts to exit the hallway, Jeongguk stifling laughter while you twirl to face him. Unbeknownst to you, Guk had reached to retrieve the damp garment, shaking his head. “You’re laughing? Your brother just caught us having sex in a restaurant!”
“An isolated part of a restaurant. And, I promise you he didn’t see too much of anything, I think he will be fine,” Guk chuckles, standing to his feet while you stare at him in calm disbelief.
“If this gets back to Monnie, I will never hear the end of it.”
“Is that a bad thing?”
“Not at all,” you reply, relaxing into his embrace.
“Good. Because I plan to be around every time she brings it up.” Tilting your chin, he kisses you once again. “And,” he pulls away swiftly, raising your thong to your peripheral vision, “I want plenty reasons to have to return these to where they rightfully belong.”
And just like that, your dreams come true, staring up at his wide smile that scrunches his nose, and the way he looks at you returning the same joy- the hoax of unrequited love almost made you give up, and Jeongguk is determined to never let you slip away ever again.
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chaoticpuff17 · 3 years
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Suga, We’re Going Down
part 2
masterlist
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Yoongi had grown up on the streets of Daegu. His father had abandoned his mother before he was even born. It was a struggle to survive, but he’d always been drawn to music. He’d bartered for piano lessons from a local music store in exchange for free labor knowing his mother, who was struggling to raise him on her own, wouldn’t be able to afford them. They had a restaurant to keep afloat, just like Y/N’s family.
In time, he’d moved on from piano turning to rap. He loved to create, to pour his soul into his music. He established himself in the world of underground rap, and from there he’d clawed his way up to the top. Driven by a need to create, a need to be the best, the need to provide for his family. His mother had never been particularly supportive of his career path. She wanted a stable life for him, and music wasn’t what she considered stable. But here he was, the king of rap. He was on top of the world.  
When the fire that had driven him his whole career began to fizzle, he was understandably frustrated. But then there was her. She relit that flame. He had been enthralled almost giddy when he was brought all the information his bodyguard had dug up on her. He looked through pictures of her playing the cello, watched recordings of her previous performances. With every piece of information he learned, he felt closer to her. She was from a broken home balancing work and school to help support herself and her grandmother not to mention the father that hung around the family’s neck like a dead weight. He’d sunk the family into debt. There was no mother to speak of. She hadn’t had an easy life, but neither had he. They were the same that way, kindred spirits.
Knowing that Y/N had come from a troubled family made him feel closer to her, protective of her. She was an angel, and he wanted to take her away from it all, away from the miserable life she’d been forced to live. To say he was furious when he had been delivered the news of her new occupation would be an understatement. His bodyguard had paled looking at his phone after it chimed, and then explaining that he’d just gotten new piece of information on her. She was planning to become a sugar baby. She had just made a profile on some app called sugarbebe. He knew the showcase was her last concert, but he thought it was because she was working, not this kind of work. She was giving up music, and she’s was placing herself into the hands of some disgusting old man in the name of supporting her family. It was a sentiment he could admire, but he couldn’t allow his muse to be in the hands of some disgusting pervert. He couldn’t allow her to give up music. He needed to protect her.
So he’d concocted a spur of the moment plan. He would be her sugar daddy. It would keep her by his side, keep the passion to create flowing, and it would keep her out of harms way. It was perfect.  He got her, and she got to help her family.
As soon as he had her profile on sugarbebe, he’d sent a message requesting to meet her, and then it was a waiting game. Would she be willing to meet him? Would she accept his proposal? If she didn’t he’d just have to make it an offer she couldn’t refuse. If she was willing to do this in addition to working two jobs and school, how could she refuse? He had every intention of being everything she needed. He would make it so that she didn’t need to work two jobs, so that she could keep playing the cello.
He’d been ecstatic when he’d gotten the message saying she would meet with him. He could barely contain his excitement. Friday couldn’t come soon enough.
Friday came all too soon. Classes flew by, and she had picked up Eun Jae from Halmeoni’s for the weekend. It would have been a normal day if not for the meeting looming over her head.  Every hour brought her closer to her meeting with MYG. He’d assured her that she would be allowed into the club and that she would be perfectly okay, but that didn’t do anything to calm her nerves. She didn’t even know what the man looked like, but at the very least she knew he wasn’t twice her age. Twenty-seven wasn’t too bad of an age gap, but it also brought about the question, why did someone so young need a sugar baby especially when they could afford to go to D-2?
Nina prodded and poked at her until she could barely recognize herself. The dress was tight against her body leaving very little to the imagination even though it didn’t expose her breasts and it covered her ass. But she had to admit, even begrudgingly, that it made her look good. It might not be as fancy as what the other girls in the club would be wearing, but at least she wouldn’t stick out. The dress was perfect. The earrings Nina had leant went well with it as well. They dangled down from her ears, and the sparkly black material would make them shimmer under the lights in the club. To make herself a little more comfortable in the outfit, she’d added a pair of semi-opaque black tights. The real problem was the heels. She wasn’t used to wearing heels that tall, and she was worried that she was going to break an ankle if she wasn’t careful. How Nina walked in them she would never know.
With one final look in the mirror she left the bathroom to find Eun Jae and Nina sitting in the one only other room in the apartment.
“What do you think?” She asked striking a silly pose to the delight of the little boy. “Eomma!” He shrieked running to attach himself to her legs. “You look bootful.”
“Thank you, baby.” She smiled crouching down so that she was on eye level with him. “Are you going to be good for Auntie Nina?” He nodded his head rapidly though his little face had a much more serious expression now. “You promise?”
“Pwomise.”
She held out her pinky linking it with his much smaller one before pulling him into a hug and showering him with kisses as he struggled to get out of her arms despite the peals of laughter that left him.
“I love you, buddy.” She cooed pressing her forehead against his before scooping him up in her arms and standing to face Nina. “It’s already past bedtime so…”
“Eomma.” The little boy whined pouting at the reminder that he should already be asleep.
“Bed time.” She told him sternly bouncing him slightly in her arms. If he didn’t get to bed soon, she’d have a very cranky toddler on her hands tomorrow. “He should go right down. His blankie and bambam the dinosaur are on the couch. He won’t go to sleep without the dinosaur.”
“I know.” Nina rolled her eyes fondly. “This isn’t my first rodeo.
“You know you’re welcome to anything in the fridge. You can use my laptop. I’ll text you when I get there.”
“You better.” Nina grumbled shooting her friend a playful glare. “Text me when you’re leaving too.”
“Of course.” She promised handing over her son with one last hug. “Thank you for doing this.”
Nina nodded accepting the little boy into her arms settling him on her hip even though his face was all scrunched up grumpily now that he was no longer in his mother’s arms. “Of course. I’m always happy to help. Be safe okay?”
“I will be.”
“Eomma!” Eun Jae whimpered reaching out for his mother upper lip wobbling and eyes round as saucers. It was all fun and games until it was time for mom to go, especially when it was near bedtime.
“I gotta go, baby.” She told him though it broke her heart to see him upset. She knew he was just tired, but it still broke her heart. “I’ll see you in the morning. Okay, buddy?”  She gave Nina a pained smile before picking up her clutch that only fit her keys, her card and her phone. “I’ll see you later!”
“Stay sexy. Don’t get murdered!” Nina called after her as she left the apartment rolling her eyes at her friend’s antics.
It pained her to splurge on the taxi to go to the club, and she knew it was silly, but she didn’t want MYG to see her coming from a bus stop on the off chance he was watching her when she arrived. She would take the late bus home, but she wanted to make a good impression arriving, just in case.
She was practically vibrating in anticipation the entire ride to D-2. She didn’t know what to expect from this. Would he be nice? Would he be sleazy? God, she hoped he wasn’t sleazy. She could put up with it, if he was, and she knew it was a long shot that he would be kind, but she still hoped that he was. It would make this so much easier if he was kind.
She couldn’t help the nerves. She had never done anything like this before. She’d never even considered doing anything like this before. Clubs, boyfriends, partying. She’d never gotten to do any of that stuff. She had had a family to take care of. By the time she’d reached the age where she could go out drinking, she’d had a kid to consider. She didn’t think she’d ever actually been to a club before. Tonight would be full of new experiences.
She was shocked when she arrived at D-2 that the bouncers were expecting her. One of the burly, intimidating men escorted her straight into the club and directly up to the VIP lounge stating that a Mr. Min would be with her shortly.
All she could do was nod her head mutely. She was dumb struck by the turn of events. She had thought that whoever she was meeting was rich, but she hadn’t expected to them to be VIP rich or so concerned with her making it in. Who had the kind of pull it took to get the bouncers to care for a patron like that. The man had even stated that if she needed anything, she just needed to ask which led her to believe that the rest of the staff knew who she was as well. It was highly disconcerting. Every moment she was inside the club made her more and more nervous. She had to keep reminding herself who she was doing this for, what was at stake. At least she knew his name now. Mr. Min.
She took a deep breath to steady herself. Waiting for her potential sugar daddy to arrive. The title made her cringe, a stark reminder of the position she was now in.
While Y/N was nearly sick with nerves, Yoongi was ecstatic. He watched as his bouncers led her into his club. She looked lovely. She always looked lovely, but she looked different than the photos of her he had seen, different than the demure lady he had seen at the showcase. While her outfit said, sexy, her face said nerves. Even there sitting under the lights of the club, she looked like an angel. The wide eyed way she watched everything made it clear she didn’t belong there. She was like a deer in the headlights. But Yoongi could fix that. He could help her adjust. She was meant to be in his world.
He took a moment to straighten out his shirt and smooth down his hair before approaching her. He wanted everything to be perfect.
“Kang Y/N.” He called stepping up to her watching in amusement as she practically jumped out of her seat out of shock as her eyes flew to his.
“Mr. Min.” She squeaked actually jumping up and stumbling it a bit in her heels, but Yoongi was there to catch her, gently lowering her back down to the couch again.
“You can call me Yoongi.” He flashed her a crooked grin, not quite a full smile, but enough of one to soften his intimidating features. He’d been told on more than one occasion that he had a resting face that looked like he wanted to kill everyone, and he didn’t want her to be scared of him. The wide eyed way she was staring at him told him it wasn’t working though.
She stared at the man next to her taking in all of his features. He certainly wasn’t old, and he certainly wasn’t ugly. He was pale, like he had never seen the sun before. The black shirt he wore highlighted that, but it worked for him. His dark eyes had an almost feline quality to them. They were intimidating as they took her in just as she was doing to him. She wanted to fade away and hide from those eyes. They were black as coal and far too intense for comfort, and it was with horror that she realized, she knew those eyes.
“You’re Agust D.” She breathed out her voice trembling in both shock and awe.
He grinned, a full gummy smile that looked so out of place on his intimidating face but at the same time so right. “I am, but you, Y/N, can call me Yoongi.”
“I…I think there’s been a mistake.” Her eyes darted around trying to find her clutch snatching it up when she found it and standing on shaking legs. Bobbing a hasty bow she tried to make a retreat only for her wrist to be caught in his hand, his long fingers completely encircling her wrist. Her eyes flew to his, wide, startled. “Mr. Min?”
“There’s no mistake.” His raspy voice sent shivers down her spine. It wasn’t every day that a girl met the king of rap. It wasn’t every day that the king of rap brought you to his club wanting to be your sugar daddy. It couldn’t be real.
She shook her head trying to wake herself up, to bring herself back to reality, but he was still sitting there staring at her with those dark eyes.
“Why don’t we go to my office to talk? Would that be better?” He offered, and she nodded dumbly in response letting him lead her away from the noise to an office nestled in the back of the club.
The door closed sealing them in, blocking out the noise. She couldn’t believe it. Yoongi thought it was adorable. The confused look on her face, the little line between her brows, it was all adorable.
“You’re MYG?” She slowly asked trying to confirm the impossible thing that was being proposed. There was no way that Agust D was looking for a sugar baby let alone looking for her to be his sugar baby. It was too absurd.
“Min Yoongi.” He confirmed taking a seat behind his desk as she took a seat across from him. “I’m sorry for the confusion. I needed a certain amount of anonymity on the app. You understand right?”
“Of course.” She quickly agreed frightened of making the wrong move. She had no idea what to do in this situation. There wasn’t exactly a handbook, ‘What to do when your potential sugar daddy turns out to be famous?’. She felt completely out of her depth. “That’s understandable.” She smiled nervously avoiding eye contact. “Can I… can I ask a question?” It was tentatively spoken, nervous like she was afraid he was going to bite her.
Yoongi had to hold back a coo. She was just so fucking adorable, so innocent sitting there trembling under his gaze like a kitten someone had brought in from the cold. “Ask away, princess.”
She had to hold back a cringe at the endearment. She was by no means a princess. “Why me?”
“Why not you?” He countered leaning across the desk. “Are you going to say no?”
Did she really have a choice? She needed the money. Her family needed the money. “I didn’t say that.”
He smirked knowing full well she couldn’t refuse him. She needed this. She needed him, and he wasn’t going to leave her out in the cold. “Four million won.” He offered watching as her eyes widened almost comically. They practically took up the whole of her face.
“What?” She whispered.
“Four million won for every meeting we have.” He offered watching her closely. She looked ready to bolt at any moment. He couldn’t have that, not when he was so close to having her in his arms.
“That’s… that’s very generous, but I…”
“But what? Is it not enough?” His head tilted to the side curiously.
“No! It’s more than enough, more than generous.” She stuttered rushing over her words in an attempt not to fuck this up.
“Then what’s the problem?”
“Mr. Min.”
“Yoongi.”
“Yoongi.” She corrected smiling nervously. “I’m not sure I’m what you’re looking for. I have work and school…”
He cut her off waving a hand dismissively. “We can work around that. I have a very busy schedule. I would want you to be free in the evenings at least twice a week.” She nodded slowly waiting for him to continue. “I’d have the right to call for you whenever I want, but you have the right to say no. I understand you have other obligations. School. Work.” He would give her the option, but under the circumstances she was in, he didn’t think she’d say no. She couldn’t afford to say no.
“What if I had to cancel a prearranged meeting?”
“We’d reschedule” He shrugged hiding his glee at seeing her warm up to the idea.
She hesitated taking a deep breath to steady herself. “What would… what would you expect from me?”
There it was, the crux of it all. He was slowly backing her into a corner, herding her towards agreement. “Your company. Your affection.” She shuddered as his eyes dragged down the length of her body. “We won’t do anything you’re not comfortable with. You have full control. We can have it written into the contract.” A lie. Yoongi wasn’t the type to give control to anyone else. But he could give her the illusion of control. “Four million won a meeting. More for overnight or late night meetings and public outings like parties or company events. I’ll provide the wardrobe for those.” He offered sweetening the deal. He knew it was a lot of money, but she was worth it. She was worth every penny.
He could see the conflict in her eyes, but he knew he had her. She knew it to. With how much he was offering she could get their heads back above water. They could fix the heating at the house. They could get a new winter coat for Eun Jae. He was outgrowing his. She could get him some new shoes too. She could pay for school. They could pay off the debt her father had landed them in. Halmeoni wouldn’t have to work so hard. “Okay.”
He grinned in triumph. “Okay.” He leaned back in his chair. “I’ll have the company draw up a contract. I can have it ready by Monday. That work for you?”
She nodded eyes fixed on her hands. “Yeah. That’s fine.” She whispered huffing in disbelief.
Yoongi stood up slinking over to her tilting her chin up to make her eyes meet his. He loved her eyes. They were so deep, so soulful. “Hey,” He murmured gently running a thumb over her bottom lip. “Don’t look so frightened. I’ll take good care of you.”
part 3
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cacoetheswriting · 3 years
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christmas alphabet - spencer reid
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a/n: request: this is just fluff, no warnings in place. enjoy!! 
A = After Dark (a date after dark? late night cuddles? surprise mistletoe?)
On cold winter evenings, when Spencer is not travelling for work, the two of you like to cuddle up on the coach under a fluffy blanket. A cup of hot chocolate in hand; with an even number of marshmallows each. The night is either spent discussing both of your days in detail or watching old Christmas classics, like Miracle on 34th Street for example. 
B = Baking (how does baking sweets go? for or with someone?)
The brunette doctor is skilled at literally anything he sets his mind to, but baking is not his forte. The kitchen always ends up a huge mess, and whatever concoction he was attempting is dangerous to eat. However, Spencer enjoys baking with you. Together you make a quite the team and the gingerbread cookies are a big hit with the rest of his team.
C = Cold (it’s cold out! how do they react to the freezing winter air? does someone else help with fighting the cold?)
Spencer enjoys the lower temperatures, they’re a nice contrast to sunny stuffy Las Vegas where he grew up. You on the other hand struggle with the crispy icy air and often find yourself stealing his scarf for extra warmth when you’re out and about. 
D = Date (christmas date! how is it asked? where do they go?)
You ask the brunette agent to go ice-skating with you. Spencer is reluctant at first but you hold onto him tight and any fears wash away. You whirl together around the rink in slow circles, simply enjoying the moment. 
E = Evening Dance (a night at a ball? or maybe just silly dancing in the kitchen?)
Spencer catches you one wintery morning humming along to Blue Christmas by Elvis Presley. He gently takes your hand in his and the two of you slowly sway around the living room.
F = Fireplace (how do they spend their time by the fire? hang stockings? fall asleep on each other?)
The two of you bought stockings with your initials, a lovely red pair with a fuzzy top. Since there is no fireplace at your place Spencer hung them underneath your mounted television. And whenever you feel like cozying up on the coach together you simply turn on a ten-hour fireplace video on YouTube.
G = Grateful (how grateful are they to spend time with others? enjoy being alone or with others?)
The hazel-eyed doctor is extremely grateful to spend time with you, not only over the holidays. While he likes the occasional meet-up with his team for after work drinks at their favourite bar, Spencer definitely prefers spending time with you alone. He's loves comfortable company more than anything.
H = Hosting Family (how does family work? are they invited to others, or stay with their s/o?)
While Spencer would love to spend Christmas with his mom, his unpredictable hours don’t usually allow him to make set plans. Therefore instead you decide that you will spend the holidays with your family, and if by chance he is free to join he will. 
I = Invitation (a sudden invitation comes up! what’s it for? how do they react?)
An invitation arrives for dinner with his team and their loved ones on a faithful Saturday in December. Of course Spencer asks you to accompany him; he wouldn't have it any other way. You’ve met his friends before so you shouldn't be nervous, but yet for some reason you were. This occasion felt different somehow. More intimate. 
J = Just In Time (the present arrives just barely in time! how do they rush up to hand it to them? do they wait for the perfect time?)
Spencer spent weeks trying to decide what to get you for Christmas. Nothing he thought of seemed right. You weren’t a material person, which is one of your many qualities he adored. He wanted your present to be thoughtful, he wanted something meaningful. About a week before the holidays, he came across a website that sold customisable star maps. He ordered one then and there - a map that showcased the stars the night you first met.  
K = Kiss (how do they react to a kiss? flustered? happy? surprised?)
When Spencer first kissed you it was gentle, almost timid. As if he was afraid to fully let himself go. Now when he kisses you he does so with all his might and immense passion. He cups your face with his hands and pulls you in as close as humanly possible. 
L = Lights (christmas lights are important! how do they hang them? around the house? on the tree? outside? what kind of shenanigans go on?)
The brunette agent had given you a key to his apartment. One night in late November he comes home after working a case to find you already there, tangled in a rope of lights. You tried to surprise him by slightly decorating his place for the holidays, but instead found yourself entwined. Spencer can’t help but chuckle at the sight. He sets off to help you; after taking a picture to commemorate this precious moment.
M = Mistletoe (how do they react to suddenly being placed under a mistletoe with their crush/lover?)
He gets flustered at first, mainly because you’re in public and everyone is watching. But the second your lips brush against his the whole world dissolves and he gets completely lost in you. 
N = Naughty or Nice? (how has your character been this past year? are they a trickster or a good of heart?)
Definitely good of heart. Spencer is one of the kindest people you have ever met. He’s caring, he always puts you first and stops at nothing to make you happy. The only time you could describe him as naughty would be in bed.
O = Opening Presents (how do they react to opening presents?)
Eagerly, although very neatly. Even though he is extremely excited to see what you got him, the hazel-eyed doctor rips off the wrapping paper so precisely that it is actually good to reuse.  
P = Packaging (wrapping presents is never easy. how do they fair?)
Packing presents with Spencer is just as organised. All the pieces of the festive wrapping paper are a perfect size for each gif and the ribbon is measured before cut to the correct length; so that there is no waste. 
Q = Question (how do they confess? is it the big question, or something smaller but just as intimate?)
“Y/N?” Spencer catches your attention. You look up from the book in your lap and meet his honey gaze. “Yes?” “How would you feel about spending next years holiday in a cabin somewhere? Just the two of us?” A smile spread across your facial features. “I thought you didn't like to plan that far ahead, especially around Christmas time.” You teased. He smiled back at you. “I don’t, but with you I can break a few of my rules.”  
R = Relaxing (how do they relax with their s/o? the best ways? the cutest?)
Watching Christmas movies, cooking, discussing various topics, or sitting in comfortable silence and reading. Simply enjoying each others company. 
S = Snow (how do they like the snow?)
Spencer likes to share uncommon facts about the snow; more than the weather phenomenon itself. “Snow is actually translucent, not white.” The brunette doctor chimed as the two of you looked out the window admiring the first snowfall of the season. “It’s the light reflected off a snowflake’s faceted surface that creates its white appearance.” 
T = Tree (how do they decorate their tree?)
Gold fairy lights intertwined with a simple white wreathe hung loosely around the Christmas tree at your apartment. Mixed between the more traditional-looking gold bobbles were various fancier ornaments that reminded both of you of your relationship, such as: a stack of books,  R2-D2, fast food items, gin bottle, a coffee cup. 
U = Undying Love (how did they fall in love? what was the real moment they found out?)
Your constant smile and positive outlook on life, not to mention your delicate beauty, lured Spencer in right from the start. He fell for you hard and pretty early into your relationship. And now not a day goes by where he doesn't tell you just how much he loves you.  
V = Villa (how is it in their house? festive? normal? candles?)
Apart from the decorations you had plopped around, the doctors apartment remains normal. The two of you have focused more of your time and energy decorating your place - from the living room to the kitchen and bedroom, there is even a miniature Santa in the bathroom. 
W = Wish (what is their biggest wish for the coming year? or in general?)
Spencers biggest wish for the coming year would be to keep evolving in this relationship with you. He hopes to grow even closer with you, learn more about you and explore the world with you (if he ever gets the time off work). 
X = eXcitement (general excitement about christmas? love it? hate it?)
He’s excited because you’re excited. Seeing you so happy around the holiday season warms his heart and he hopes he’ll get to cherish these moments with you for years to come. 
Y = You (how does their s/o react to them being beautiful? handsome? to them in general in the christmas season? how in love are they?)
The brunette doctor constantly reminds you how perfect you are. Whether you’re dressed up for an evening at the bar with friends or simply sitting on the sofa in a matching wintery pyjama set, Spencer will be sure to point out just how beautiful you look. You of course do the same. There is something about hearing you say how handsome he looks that makes his heart skip a beat. 
Z = Zzzz… (how do they sleep? lots of blankets? none? cuddled closely to their loved one?)
Wrapped up in a large duvet and blankets mainly because you get cold during the night. Spencer’s arm is placed gently yet firmly around you. He holds you close, quietly snoring into the crook of your neck. 
-
masterlist
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iplaymatchmaker · 3 years
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(2) my mbti is infp-t and the last time i did the pottermore test i got a ravenclaw, so there's that! oh and i'm also quite introverted so you won't find me in rowdy places like a party or concert. i don't do great with people who force me out of my comfort zone, people who aren't decisive and aren't the communicative type (i get anxious trying to guess what they mean and overthink). for the prompts i'd like bonding and fairytale au for cinderella! thank you so much! o(≧▽≦)o -juice
Hello, thanks again for requesting Juice! Once again, sorry for the delay. This is the ikerev part of your ask. I’m sorry in advance for the rushed ending of the second prompt, I didn’t want to take even longer writing an entire fic and thought this was a good place to leave it. I hope you like it!
I match you with
Sirius!
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When you first arrive in Cradle you are wary of the army officers, but the warm environment makes it easy to relax and be yourself. You quickly grow close with the Queen, Sirius. Your friendship begins when you catch him watering the flowers in the courtyard. You are surprised at first, considering your first impression of him, but that is quickly forgotten as he rambles to you about the importance of maintaining the garden, even with a war in the horizon.
Despite his busy schedule, the two of you spend a lot of time together, and it quickly becomes apparent that you are compatible. The black army headquarters has always been a lively place, curtsey of Fenrir and Seth, but Sirius is glad to have another cheerful voice around, especially when it’s paired with your friendly chatter.
While you dislike showcasing your worries and insecurities, Sirius is always quick to read you and tries his best to lift your spirits without pressuring you to talk when you’re not ready.
You spend a lot of time exploring each other’s interests, as he introduces you to the ways of Cradle and you teach about him about the Land Reason. At first he tries to blame this on simple curiosity, but the reality of it is, he enjoys listening to you talk about the things you’re passionate about, sometimes wishing he could make your eyes light up the same way they do when you discuss your favorite books, although he won’t tell you that.
You finally confess your feelings, moments before the full moon rises and the portal back to your world appears. Until that moment, when Sirius’ hand wrapped around your wrist, stopping you in your tracks, you thought he didn’t return your feelings. It wasn’t until then that he expressed to you how much he wanted you to stay. “I know it’s selfish, but I want you to stay by my side!” All the pieces fell into place as he wrapped his arms around you, your bodies so close you could feel his pounding heart, realizing he must’ve run to catch up with you. “I will.”
Prompt: Bonding
It was hard to contain your excitement as you walked the narrow streets of Cradle, your hand not leaving Sirius’ as you looked at the shop windows.
“Look at that dress!” You pulled him along, hearing him chuckle behind you, not daring to complain as you dragged him inside the store.
You had agreed on this shopping trip a few days ago, on one of the rare days Sirius was staying in your room instead of the opposite. Your attention had been solely focused on your book for about an hour when he spoke up.
“We should go out on Saturday.” While he was always thoughtful, he didn’t often suggest outings, considering his packed schedule.
“Aren’t you on patrol with Fenrir on Saturday?” you couldn’t deny your excitement at the prospect of spending time with Sirius, but you didn’t want to burden him,
“I have already spoken with him. With Amon gone, there isn’t too much work for us during patrol. He can handle it on his own. So what do you say?”
“Okay!” You nodded, pulling him closer as you set your book aside.
While you enjoyed your time trying new clothes and browsing the bookshelves around the shops, you couldn’t help but feel guilty that Sirius was spending his day off following you doing things you enjoyed, despite his reassuring words.
“Don’t worry about me, I can keep up.”
You decided to take a break at one of the nearby cafes for much needed rest. You tried your best to read him but you had difficulty guessing what he was thinking.
“So, are you having fun?” you were taken aback by his question, considering he was letting you take him around town to all the places you wanted to visit.
“Of course I am! The weather is wonderful today too.” You took a bite of your desert, hoping to successfully bury your worries where he couldn’t see them.
“I can tell when something is bothering you, you know.” It didn’t seem to fool him. You sighed before reaching out to cover his hand with yours.
“I just want you to enjoy today too. This is your day off, we should be doing something you enjoy.” He squeezed your hand, his smile not faltering.
“Seeing you having fun is more than enough joy for me.” You could tell there was something he wasn’t telling you but you decided to leave it alone, not wanting to ruin the day.
“Thanks Sirius.”
By the time you returned to headquarters the sun had set and both of you were exhausted. After a quick shower you found Sirius outside, carefully inspecting a batch of purple and white flowers in the garden.
“What’s that one?” You stand next to him, wrapping your overcoat tighter around yourself.
“Night Phlox. They’ve almost bloomed. They have a very strong but pleasant smell when you plant many of them near each other.” He smiled, wrapping his arms around you, shielding you from the cold.
“What do they mean?”
“They can mean all sorts of things, but the most widely accepted meaning is partnership, harmony and unity. Pretty spot on for the black army, don’t you think?’ you smiled, enjoying listening to him talk about something with such care.
“Yeah.” The sound of the wind against the leaves was the only thing breaking the silence until you spoke up.
“Hey Sirius, why were you so intent on making today all about me?” there was no accusation in your voice, a simple question spoken under the night sky, a time where people can be honest, without hiding their troubles.
“We spend a lot of time at headquarters because of my job, doing things that I’m comfortable with. I just wanted to spend a day bonding over something you enjoy doing.” He tightened your arms around him, placing a quick kiss on his lips.
“You know I love spending time with you, no matter what we’re doing.”
“And I love seeing you happy.” Your eyes locked and an overwhelming feeling of joy spread through you.
“I love you.”
“I love you too.”
Prompt: Cinderella AU
It was becoming increasingly difficult to mask your disdain as ambitious men reached out every few minutes, attempting to make conversation. You could offer them more than a smile and a kind word, knowing that everyone there had an ulterior motive.
“An organized ball where the goal is to woo me isn’t exactly a romantic story now isn’t it?” you didn’t want to deny your father’s wishes, knowing there was pressure as he grew older for you to find a husband, but it was still hard to accept that you would never have the chance to live a fairytale-love story, like those you read about in books.
“What you need is a secure future. This is for your own good.”
You knew that if you were to achieve that goal, you would need to interact with the men at the ball, but the context of the celebration made hard to relax, let alone do so in a room full of people.
“Daughter, this is a ball. Should you not be dancing?” your father’s voice was full of concern, despite his previous incitement.
“Yes, I will do that, father.” Not wanting to upset him, you smiled before setting off towards the middle of the room as the band started playing a quick valse. You looked around for a partner when you felt strong arms around, pulling you along with the other dancers.
“I’m sorry if that was out of line, you looked a little lost.” When you looked up to see the face of your partner, your words died in your throat. He stood quite a bit taller than you and his eyes were a deep shade of purple, unlike anything you had seen before.
“U-um, yeah.” You tried not to forget the steps as the two of you moved along, not wanting to make a fool of yourself, tripping over your skirts.
“So, how come the princess herself finds a moment alone during a ball in her honor?” despite his teasing words, you could tell he felt out of place in the crowded room.
“I’m not sure I’d consider this an honor… “ concern imideately painted his features but you didn’t want to bother a guest with your own issue.
“So, where are you from? I don’t believe we have met before.” You run a mental list of acquaintances from the local noble houses but you didn’t remember seeing him before.
“I’m… “ his voice trailed off, leaving you with many burning questions.
“I’m Sirius, Sirius Oswald.” He smiled, the uncertainty from moments before replaced with a warm smile.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you.” You smiled at him, deciding not to pressure him for answers he didn’t want to give.
“You never answered my question” he spun you as the music sped up, taking you by surprise.
“You didn’t answer mine either.” A playful smile played on your lips.
“I suppose I can’t deny that.” Through the bur around you, you could see that the rest of the couple had left the dance floor, placing the two of at the center of the attention.
“Everyone is looking at us.” A faint blush appeared on your cheeks a you danced together.
“They are looking at you.” He smiled at you, his grip on your waist tightening.
“Are you ready?”
“For what?”
Before you could question him further, you were in the air, your dress spinning around you. Time seemed to slow down, a feeling of freedom flowing through you. From your position you could see the faces of the party-goers but in that moment it didn’t matter. It was just you and him, a scene right out of a fairytale.
When he set you down, your cheeks were flushed, heart pounding in your chest. You barely registered the music slowly fading away as they switched to a softer sound.
“Thank you for the dance.” His hand left yours, while his warmth sill lingered.
“My lady.’ He bowed before turning to leave.
“Wait! Could I see you again?” you resisted the urge to grab his hand, not wanting to make a scene.
“I’m not sure that would be the best idea.” You tried to speak up but your voice was drowned out by the surrounding noise, so you could only watch as he moved further and further away, before eventually disappearing in the crowd, leaving you alone, with only a brief memory to look back to.
Rumors of the charming man who danced with the princess could be heard all around town during the next few days. You tried to keep your head low as you walked around the stalls, looks for the right shop.
When you opened the door, a bell sounded, announcing your arrival.
“Hello. How could I help you?” A tall man stood at the back of the room, watering a patch of white flowers. You looked around the room to ensure you were alone before removing your hood, still unsure of whether this was a good idea.
“P-princess.” He fell into a quick bow, not daring to look at you.
“Hello Mr. Oswald.” He hesitantly raised his head, looking over the cloak covering your dress.
“Just call me Sirius. How did you find me?” an awkward smile appeared on his lips.
“I told you I wanted to see you again. Plus, after you told me your name, it wasn't very hard to find you.” You stepped closer, looking at the assortment of flowers around you.
“So this is where you’re from.” You were only teasing, but he seemed to have misunderstood.
“I’m sorry to disappoint you. I wanted to keep up the illusion but the you came here and..” you were taken aback by his genuine apology.
“N-no, I’m not disappointed!.”
“You aren’t?” You nodded, trying to express your feelings as best you could.
“No, I’m not. Why would I be?’ he run a hand through his hair, messing it up more than before.
“I’m just a commoner. And you’re a princess. There is no reason for you to be interested…” you shook your head firmly.
“I didn’t want to meet you again because I thought you were a noble. I just... I want to feel what I felt when we danced together again.” You were expecting him to laugh at you, but he only looked back in awe.
“W-was that odd? I apologize, I just-“ he didn’t allow you to finish.
“No! It’d not off, I’m just… surprised. I don’t have much to offer to a princess.” he fidgeted with the hem of his apron, eyes glued to the ground.
“Could you perhaps offer me some of your time? I would like to get to know you better.” A smile slowly formed on his face.
“Alright then. Who am I to say no to the princess after all?”
“Thank you.” You smiled at each other, excited to see where this would lead you.
You spent a lot of time together after that, slowly getting to know more about each other. When you introduced him to your father, he was admittedly hesitant at the idea of you not marrying a noble, but when he saw how happy the two of you were together, he couldn’t deny you your wishes.
“You have my blessing. You better take care of my daughter young man.”
“Always, sir. I love your daughter more than anything.” He placed a kiss on you hand, a promise of greater things to come.
“And I you.” Happiness overflowed you as your lips met in a light kiss, sealing the truth of your words.
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yeocult · 4 years
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ateez film diary analysis
ok i am currently typing with tears in my eyes but that’s cool!!!! gonna talk about ateez diary film for a moment. btw if you’re here for theories, this might not be for you, my brain is not capable of that critical thinking lmao. although, i will be rambling/analyzing the cinematography and overall admiring the film!! under the cut because this happened to be 1.5k words oops.
man, first of all, 16 minutes?? thank you for the food kq!! i think their concept is super cool. it’s unpredictable, refreshing, and just gives me a lot of high hopes for this comeback. ateez never disappoints, they come back each time stronger and better.
“this is the story where their dimensions are split into eight pieces again.” that kinds hurt me. throughout the film we see clips of them being happy and joyful with each other, but we also see scenes where they’re all alone. they didn’t get separated by losing contacts or whatever, literally dimensions.
phew okay, when the man with the black fedora approaching hongjoong like that was soooo dskjdj ugh i love it when they have a bright light in the back, capturing the silhouette perfectly. sorry i’m such a sucker for those types of shoots!! now hongjoong’s dream. “the world inside a television cannot be reached. the world they live in and the world that i live in is blocked.” yea.. they’re separated from dimensions. isn’t that so heartbreaking?? separated by time and space. 
um this might be a huge stretch, plus i’m horrible at science. i’ve read a lot of articles on where, ‘if time stopped would gravity still apply?’ and i thought of this because of the items floating up around hongjoong. without time, gravity, acceleration, speed and force are simply meaningless, so i guess that’s why it’s floating? as if we’re going back in time. there’s a lot of consequences and weird things on going back in time/time travelling (most famously the ‘bootstrap paradox’) because time is not an object and cannot ‘go’ anywhere at all, not forward, not backward, nor can it stop. so i expected some not so happy events to occur.
anyways moving on to seonghwa’s memory. i loved this. “i thought i lacked in many areas and have much to learn.” then we see a bunch of to-do lists and i guess they’re kinda like goals to accomplish or things he wants to learn. the somewhat long shot of him sitting on this table and the camera moving away from him gave me a sense of isolation (i also don’t know why yeo in the smn box is on the tv but it could mean he’s trapped). we also see him walking straight, kinda like following a straightforward path with a lot of control, hence the to-do lists. then he hits stops. now the girl is the total opposite of seonghwa. she’s dancing, moving, and overall carefree i would say. everything seonghwa is lacking. she’s freedom. i don’t have much to say about this scene but i really like how when he was walking one step at a time, it was completely dark. but as soon as it hits stops and sees her, there were lights.
now my favourite, wooyoung’s choice. that transition to seonghwa’s little emo time to wooyoung’s hyped underground music and dancing was the serotonin boost i needed. let’s talk about his ponytail because it made me a whole simp for him. plus he’s so fucking cool?? if i become a wooyoung biased soon, you know why. he talks about stage fright and the scene where people were looking down at the camera was perfect, low camera shots show dominance or superiority. when you have stage fright, you’re worried and insecure about your abilities (at least that’s how i feel) and with people look down at you is almost like they’re judging and aren’t expecting much from you. ateez brings him courage and reassurance, they give him strength. the last scene with the rain and the flickering light so chilling. its almost like the rain washed away his everything.
yeosang’s time giving me slight dark academia vibes and i’m here for it!!! also bird metaphors?? yes please! “limited freedom. like a bird in a cage.” we see yeosang in a room surrounded by other musicians but he isn’t playing his instrument. almost like he doesn’t wanna be there or has no real passion for this field. hence him talking about ‘expanding his dreams’. we get a close shot at his face looking forward to the right, i feel as if he’s daydreaming or reaching out. taking back to say my name, we have yeosang trapped inside that box, almost like the birds with limited freedom. he drops his violin and suddenly the birds (they symbolize peace, transformation, freedom and power) are free, giving us a scene with his friends. he’s free.
san’s resolution might just be my favourite in terms of cinematography. can we just talk about the long amount of time san has the stay put for the timelapse to work?? the scene wins my heart. now we see the classroom in a mess, meaning school was never enjoyable to san. always moving and no friends. the way he’s moving seems like there’s not much he can do in his life. the escalator scenes kinda look like the one in wonderland. time is always moving, the escalator moving, and san runs back up despite it moving in the opposite direction. im not sure where i was going with this but i thought i was kinda cool, how he’s running back up to be with his friends.
next, we have yunho and his brother. in a matter of seconds, all the light in the studio flicker and turns off. this is quite similar to the flicker lights in wooyoung’s last scene. there’s a pattern here with flickering lights and how it means lost and loneliness. we don’t know what 5:07 mean, maybe its completely relevant but knowing kq and their team, almost everything seems intentional. also i saw on twt (not my analysis) but seonghwa’s to-do list includes a task of learning how to drive, then we get yunho getting hit by a car. not sure where i got from this but i thought i would include it.
actor jongho!!!! he’s so good i love him. ok so we get that basketball was his dreams but due to his broken leg, it seems impossible for him to pursue that dream. we him sitting at a distance, admiring the game and the people who are able to play. but when he’s in the court, he’s all alone (might just be because he can’t go in court when other people are playing but just let me be deep for a second oki). the burning basketball means he cannot play again. then the fight scene between him and mingi. i want to talk about the camera work for a second. it’s unstable, harsh and a little unfocused (because it’s handheld) and it makes it seem like another member’s pov, pushing the realism on us. hmm this might be kinda dumb but the loud bang when mingi got pushed was a little unexpected hence every scene with the boys was all very calm and had music in the back, no sounds. idk just a noticed. ohmygod another silhouette scene with beautiful lighting in the back!!!! the camera is moving away from him, moving away shows weakness. i loveee this so much along with the smoke. his dreams are burning up, literally.
last we have mingi’s diary. “earphones in my ears, the world is mine for now.” again, similar to seonghwa in the dark walking, mingi is isolating himself from the world. he’s using music to escape from reality. mingi looks trapped by the way its shot, cutting off his forehead and lips only showcasing his eyes and nose. this could be his facial features are more important than anything else right now. the camera angle is below mingi, again with the dominance and superiority… because he literally kicked someone. but still the same camera angle except this time mingi is looking up at the sky or forward, not looking down. with that, mingi no longer looks intimidating, he seems slightly vulnerable. and i think that’s really powerful how quickly he transitions despite the same angle. so we know mingi uses music as an escape, “i would rather be alone than encounter the world.” then we see yeosang (by his flannel) taking off his earphones. bringing him back to reality with the boys, and everything seems a lot more peaceful. its kinda like, without his friends, he would rather be isolated. now i want to point how the loud bang from jongho’s shot. it’s literally the same shot but the noise isn’t there indicating that mingi has earphones in (i think even when they’re not literally in, he still shuts out noise), shutting off the noise. i think the little details were so well done. we also get a match cut of mingi blinking, back to the darkness. i think it shows how quickly things can be taken away from you.
MAN THE SCENE WHERE THEY ALL GATHER TOWARDS HONGJOONG JAKJDSJKSDJKSD I CANNOT BREATHE IT GAVE ME SO MUCH CHILLS MYGODDOO !!!!!! like that scene in say my name. gotta love the build up of the song then it drops when the members all show up UGH I LOVED THAT SOO MUCH!! “the memories of short happiness. and dreams broken into pieces” brb gonna cry. the hourglass is finished,, what does this mean? ;o also i cant help but to notice the lighting on how one side is dark and the other has light. this could just be for aesthetics but idkkkk just another notice.
hehe sorry this made no sense,,, anyways that’s all i have to say, i’m so excited for their comeback <33
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zatanni · 5 years
Text
Lukanette September Day 6/7: First Kiss, Second Chance
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Their first kiss happens several years after they met.
They’d both loved and lost and grown and moved on, but by some twist of fate (or luck) Marinette found herself attending the same arts Université as her charming what-if. Broken hearts mended, conversations turned into playful banter, and soon Luka and Mari were exploring what could have–no, what should have been.
Z: Art and Songfic for Day 6 and 7. The song I used was May I by Trading Yesterday, which you can find here: https://open.spotify.com/track/72DAOl4TGmp48MvXsLbMR4
I hope you like it!
Fic below the cut!
“Hey, ‘Nette. Did you hear about the music festival next month?” asked Juleka, who together with the rest of Kitty Section, were attending Renommé University for the Arts.
Marinette warmly greeted her long time friend and favorite model. Juleka, after that photoshoot so long ago, had since gained a bit more confidence, and now wore her bangs to frame her face instead of hide it. The simple change did wonders for her modelling, especially on the runway.
“I haven’t, actually. Is Kitty Section joining?”
“'Course we are!” chirped Rose as she sidled up to her girlfriend. Marinette wondered why she even asked. Kitty Section was really gaining traction these days. They were set to release their sixth album this summer. Some days, the members couldn’t even walk across campus without being stopped for at least one picture.
Ivan joined the girls’ excitement, showing off the new platinum white drumsticks he was planning to use onstage.
“Actually…”
A smooth low voice accompanied the familiar arm that draped around her shoulders. Marinette felt the usual tug at her heartstrings and fought to keep her face from filling with red.
“We were hoping you could help us out with that, Ma-ma-marinette. You know, just like always,” Luka chuckled.
With her reply, the whole band cheered and ushered her to their own corner of the common grounds, a small picnic table where they could have lunch and discuss their ideas.
The junior kept his arm securely on her shoulder even as Marinette already agreed to the job. That she’d agree was a given. After all, they were such close friends. Besides, Kitty Section was a delight to work with, they’d always allow the designer creative freedom, much like their idol and producer Jagged Stone always did.
And…
And Luka would be there.
Marinette wasn’t sure how to define what she and Luka were. They were friends, of course, but…
Friends didn’t stay up til the wee hours of the morning having conversations about nothing and everything.
Friends didn’t sneak into your dorm to give you chicken soup, nor stay up all night to care for you when you were sick.
Friends didn’t fix a loose bra strap nor let their fingers linger for one second…two…three wishful seconds long.
No, Marinette thought, as she felt Luka’s piercing eyes look up from his guitar and fall on her as she sketched out new designs.
Friends didn’t do that at all.
“Stare any longer and you’ll burn a hole in her head,” Juleka teased, looking up with two gloves stained with hair dye.
Luka raised both his hands in defeat, scattering the band’s sheet music he was working on all over the floor.
“Hey, this is Rose’s place, ya can’t make a mess!” Juleka chided, helpless, as both her hands were filled with purple goo.
Luka grumbled and picked up the pages, making one messy stack on the corner of the coffee table.
“You sure you don’t want to dye your hair again?” She asked, turning back to the mirror.
“How do I ask her, Jule?” Luka sighed, the million-dollar question finally hanging in the air. Juleka would have laughed at her brother had he not been playing such a depressive tune on his guitar.
She followed his gaze back to Marinette, who was sketching happily in the next room while Rose, Ivan, and Mylene occasionally looked over her shoulder.
“You know I suck at words. I’ve been at this for years.”
Luka promptly gave himself a self-deprecating guitar diss and Juleka couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. Her brother must have really loved Marinette if he was having such a hard time finding the perfect way to ask her out.
It suddenly occurred to Juleka that the latter part of his sentence wasn’t and exaggeration. Luka really had been at it for years, back since before the whole disaster when Mari got with Adri-that guy. But now that they were attending university and there were no more barriers between them, Luka had gotten even more explicit with his affection.
A smile here, a touch there, a subtle moment where it seemed like Mari and Luka had their own little world stitched between daydreams. Juleka didn’t pretend she didn’t know where Luka would be when he snuck out at night, or when he’d leave practice early to catch her after class. She didn’t pretend to miss the way his eyes seem to drift to Marinette every time the girl smiled or laughed.
Her brother was in love. And he had been for such a long time.
Juleka shoved down the slight guilt from the fact that she’d chosen to support “Adrienette” all those years before when really she should have been supporting her brother, who made Marinette happy in the best of ways. 
“You’re overthinking it,” the girl advised, as she slid off the gloves shed used to dye her hair. “You should just do what you always do…you know, what you’re good at,” she encouraged.
“What, be emo?”
Juleka smacked him on the head. “No, silly!”
The girl picked up a discarded piece of crumpled paper, filled with the familiar scratchy handwriting belonging only to her brother. She smoothed it out and held it out to him.
“Ask her with a song.”
The night of Renomme’s Music Festival had finally come. Several bands had lined up to play one after the other but everyone knew that they were all really waiting for the final performance by Renomme’s very own celebrity band.
Even the members of all the other bands stayed after their performances to see what the cat-themed personalities would be playing for them today. Over the years, Kitty Section’s style had evolved, with them decking out hit after hit especially since the members all hit university.
The crowd roared to life as the band stepped onstage in black combat boots, sporting the edgiest outfits they had ever seen them wear. Dressed uniformly in leather jackets with their respective masks embroidered on the back in luminescent gold thread, the members took the time to show off their new clothes. For the first time, the members donned masks with black bases and uniform gold accents with their respective designs. 
Marinette took a risk with the darker color palette, but the monochrome  style change plus the gray-scale and silver recreation of their debut backdrop showcased exactly what Kitty Section was these days: different and evolved, but staying true to their roots. It seemed to have an even better reception than Marinette hoped.
Luka looked over to the side of the stage where Mari was watching. Ocean eyes met bluebell ones, and by the gods, did sparks fly.
He winked, and she smiled, sheepish, as he jumped right into an earth-shattering riff to kick off their performance. They started off with their first and still popular song, the one that that they played on Bob Roth’s segment. But with the skills and experience they’d built up over the years, what used to be the work of a cool garage band turned into a sick track on the same level of Jagged Stone.
The music hall screamed with the sounds of their fans, both students and outsiders alike cheering the all the words in unison, Rose’s once-chirpy-turned-husky voice leading them along. Juleka matched her girlfriends energy, melting the hearts of girls and boys alike with her guitar and back up voice. And who could forget Ivan, with his precise beats and crazy drum fills?
But Luka? Luka was living. The way he banged his head to the music had Marinette worried the mask would fly off, but his energy and passion had everyone screaming even harder as he led the band into their next song, and the next one after that. Watching him rock on with Kitty Section during practice was amazing enough, but it was nothing compared to what Luka was like on stage. He was a marvel. Everyone felt like they were seeing the makings of the next Jagged.
Kitty Section hit their last notes and let Rose's hard vocals ring throughout the gymnasium. There was a pause and then, a loud, thundering applause. Fans were losing their minds, demanding more, more more.
ENCORE! ENCORE! ENCORE!
Sweat was dripping down their faces as they reveled in the crowd's deafening cheers. Through it all, Juleka met her brother's eyes and nodded.
It's now or never.
Marinette's eyes widened as Rose stepped away from her microphone. In her place, was Luka, for the very first time in Kitty Section history.
The crowd was silent, confused, as they recognized the signature lightning bolt on the mask of the lead guitarist as Luka took center stage. He put a hand over his black mask and pulled it to the side, inciting collective gasps from those fans who didn't know him and one small gasp from Marinette.
Wait! This wasn't part of the plan! Marinette thought, almost panicking. She looked at the eyes of the members one by one, but the only one who met her eyes was Juleka. And she was smiling.
Luka’s voice pulled her attention back to him, and he was staring at her with deep ocean orbs so raw with emotion that she could melt.
"This song is for the most amazing person I have ever met. I’ve always wanted to tell you...all this time.”
The crowd exploded with hoots and cheers all curious to see just who the lead guitarist was looking at on stage left, but all Marinette could see was Luka. Luka, looking so vulnerable, so honest and true. Luka, who made her heart sing and dance every moment he was near. Luka, Luka, Luka.
The crowd went silent in anticipation as he closed his eyes and took his first breath to sing.
And there you stand opened heart, opened doors Full of life with the world that's wanting more But I can see when the lights start to fade The day is done and your smile has gone away
He turned to the side, fully facing his heartsong.
Let me raise you up Let me be your love
Marinette’s heart soared, and she stood frozen, entranced by his smooth baritone.
May I hold you As you fall to sleep When the world is closing in And you can't breathe May I love you May I be your shield When no one can be found May I lay you down
Tears welled up in her eyes at his confession. God it was so beautiful, so him.
All I want is to keep you safe from the cold To give you all that your heart needs the most
Luka raised his arm toward Marinette as Rose took his guitar. He was shaking so much he couldn’t play as well, but Juleka smoothly filled in.
Let me raise you up Let me be your love
But his voice delivered his conviction, and Marinette found herself walking onstage, closer to him, as he sang the chorus again.
May I hold you As you fall to sleep When the world is closing in And you can't breathe May I love you May I be your shield When no one can be found May I lay you down
The crowd went wild as he took both her hands in his. This was it. This was the moment.
All that's made me Is all worth trading Just to have one moment with you So I will let go With all that I know Knowing that you're here with me For your love is changing me
The instrumental died down, and Luka touched his forehead to hers, singing the lyrics in a gentle whisper. He was confessing. He was asking for a second chance.
May I hold you As you fall to sleep When the world is closing in And you can't breathe
Ivan hammered the bass pedal as Juleka ramped up her guitar for the key change.
May I love you May I be your shield When no one can be found May I lay you down 
Goosebumps appeared on her skin as he concluded the song with powerful vocables, and Marinette...Marinette had never been so sure.
 The instrumental faded out, the crowd was stunned silent, hearts so moved by emotion they couldn’t speak.
And Marinette, her heart filled with to the brim with love for him and him only, took the second chance he so freely gave her, and pulled his lips to hers.
_______________________________________________________________________
Z: So...did you guys like it? I decided to combine two days because I couldn’t ignore how well they fit together. So here’s an Art for First Kiss and a Songfic for Second Chance.
They’re all in university here, and yes, its implied that a certain blonde had her heart first. I hope you like it :)
For not the first time, I used the song May I by Trading yesterday/The Age of Information because it’s my ultimate Lukanette song.
Again, find the song here: https://open.spotify.com/track/72DAOl4TGmp48MvXsLbMR4
@lukanette-month
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nsheetee · 5 years
Note
fine arts major reader x art history major doyoung pls
Summary: when you are forced to take intro to art history, you are not the least bit happy about it- until you meet art history major doyoung. he changes your views on art history and takes you on a date trip to the museum (+ some bonus fluffy scenarios at the end!)
as a fine arts major, you spent a lot of time in the fine arts building
like
a LOT of time
whenever you aren’t taking classes to complete your gen eds in other buildings, you could be found in the one of the studios that the fine arts building offered
like the photography lab
you loved capturing art through photographs, even if you weren’t that good at it at first- a camera in your hand and an inquisitive eye felt right for you
or you could be found in one of the art studios
it was always quiet in there, only the sound of paint brushes sliding on canvases and the frustrated sighs of art students filling the empty space
whatever it was- you loved all the fine arts
you were a hands-on type of person, practically searching for something to get your hands dirty with
to just…
create something
you were never one that could be forced to sit in a chair for an hour and listen to people talk on and on
so when your academic advisor told you that taking intro to art history would “benefit your future” and “widen your knowledge of art”
you just cringed- 
art history means you have to sit
in one of those dumb plastic chairs
probably in one of the basement rooms of the fine arts building
where there was almost no air conditioning and even less natural light from outside
and no one in the class is actually interested in art history- they’re just there to get the fine arts credit they need to graduate but couldn’t get into music appreciation
your academic advisor was at their wits end when it came to convincing you, so you took the class 
(at least one of you is happy about this situation)
enter doyoung:
doyoung is an arts history major- it’s his passion
literally, he can barely talk about anything else
he’s overall artistically inclined
(you should hear his singing voice, sounds like an angel kissing your ears)
but art history is where his mind rests
so when one of his professors asked him to help TA an intro to art history class 
doyoung was excited !!
until he got to the class
there was maybe 20 people on the class roster, but only about 10 people showed up the first week
doyoung was deflated and a bit discouraged
why was intro to art history such an unpopular class??
art history was amazing, filled with amazing people who have created amazing pieces of art that have LITERALLY gone down in history and have changed the way art is today
WHY WERE THERE ONLY 10 PEOPLE IN THE CLASS??!!!?!?
you sat on the left side of the classroom through all the lectures, half dozing off and half doodling in your notebook, hoping that osmosis could help you retain all the material the professor was teaching
but to no avail- you failed your first quiz… and then your first test
and quickly you realized you needed help or else you could kiss your high GPA goodbye
since the professor’s office hours were inconvenient for you, you went to the TA’s office hours instead
doyoung’s “office” was the TA room, couches and wobbly tables filled the space and you were surprised that only doyoung was there
doyoung was surprised to see you too- you were the first person to come  visit him during his office hours
“are you here… for art history tutoring?” he asks
“yeah… I failed the first test and I can’t fail anymore” you explained simply, sitting down at the other edge of the couch he was at
that was all it took for doyoung to quickly help you with the information you missed and compile your notes so that you could study them later
you ended up meeting him during his office hours every week-
at first it was just for the notes, but soon you realized doyoung was fun to listen to
he was smart, in the kind of way that artists are smart
his way of speaking was captivating to you, his vocabulary and diction made you want to sit on that couch in the TA room and not move until you could memorize doyoung’s divine voice
(if this is what he did to you while talking, what would he do to you if he was singing??)
as for the actual content of the class, it was (s l o w l y) becoming interesting to you
the way the teacher taught it- bless their heart- just wasn’t captivating for you
but when doyoung sits back in his seat, his eyes sparkling as he looks at the ceiling -but his mind elsewhere- and fiddling with his pen in his nimble fingers
talking a mile a minute, somehow going from topic to topic from Monet to Grant Wood from cubism to impressionism
it was a whirlwind of knowledge that you ingested through these sessions  
you realized that your passion for creating pieces of art was the same kind of passion doyoung had for the history of art
you started to appreciate doyoung and all his hard work on a different level after realizing that
but doyoung was freaking out, man
he was only supposed to be helping you with intro to art history work
and he was! but somewhere in the messy middle he became.. comfortable
maybe it was the way you listened to his rants with your hand under your jaw and eyes wide, drinking in every word as you hastily scribble something on your notepad without even looking down
this kind of attention wasn’t something doyoung was used to
(he was definitely the center of a few jokes when he was younger)
but he welcomed your attention and he was glad your view on art history was changing
he had no clue what compelled him to ask you to go to the museum with him
“the m-museum?” you stuttered out “who else is going?” you asked, trying to not clutch your pen in your hand
your heart was fighting with your head already- one wanted this to be a date and the other was forcing you to not over react and just accept his invitation as a TA trying to help their student
a very, very helpful TA
“it would… just be us.” doyoung gulps and before he could suggest inviting more people, you started messily packing your things into your bag
“GREAT! I mean- not great, I mean that’s fine- well not fine, it’s… satisfactory.” you mentally slapped yourself at your choice of words and barely looked at doyoung when you ran out of the room, calling out that you would see him at the museum
the day of the museum “appointment” (that’s what doyoung called it in his head to keep himself from getting too excited) came and you and doyoung awkwardly met outside of the front doors, walking in together
but fear not:
art was a perfect ice-breaker for you two
the awkwardness and uncertainty melts away once you both lift your eyes and look at the art rather than looking at your feet
now walking shoulder to shoulder, your knuckles brush together and it seems like it’s only you, doyoung, and the paintings in the entire museum
sometimes you would lean over and whisper comments in doyoung’s ear and he hums absentmindedly- becoming more interested in looking at you than at the art in front of him
at one point, you both end up sitting on a bench in front of an enormous painting, chin tilted up to view it in all its beauty
you had been staring at it for a while and doyoung has been staring at you for a while, too
“it’s beautiful” you say and doyoung agrees, you finally turn to look at him
“what are you agreeing for? I don’t think you even looked at the painting” you laughed quietly
“I wasn’t talking about the painting” 
“I didn’t know you had a cheesy bone in your body, doie” you teased and doyoung leaned towards you
“there’s a lot you don’t know about me. how about we go to this cafe I know and you can learn some more?”
Bonus: some short, fluffy scenarios of what happens next
when doyoung walks into intro to art history the next day, he sees you already looking for him. the memories of the day before swims through both of your minds. doyoung feels as warm as the mocha he drank that same night when you went to a small cafe; you sat close enough that he could count the lashes on your eyes and he listened to you talk about how much you love creating art and how it’s your whole pride and joy. doyoung hopes the way he feels as he’s listening to you speak is how you feel when he goes on his tangents about art history
sitting on your bed, you edit pictures on your computer as doyoung reads a book, his lips moving as he processes the words and little breaths of air hit your collarbones as he keeps leaning into you. his fingers entangle and release with yours absentmindedly and once his book no longer entertained him, he hummed melodies into your shoulder and softly ran his nose up your neck, leaving a trail of kisses behind. from that point on, there was a lot less studying and editing happening on that couch
when the college allows you to showcase some of your art in a popular display hall, you and doyoung dress up and go to the showcase reveal. when your name is called and you are recognized as an artist, doyoung’s hands runs up and down your back and he pulls you closer, pride filling his chest like air filling a balloon. he leans in and presses a kiss to the side of your head, “im so proud of you, really” he mumbles, and you turn your head to give him an actual kiss, his warm hand on the back of your neck trying to keep you there as long as possible. he loves the type of happiness that’s etched on your face when you do pull away. he would do anything to see you this happy for the rest of your life.
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finetastrophe · 4 years
Text
indescribable | ten (nct)
pairing: ten (or aka chittaphon leechaiyapornkul) x reader
summary: in which ten remembers what it is like to dance again or ten feeling some kind of way from your dance
word count: 1773 words (3 more and it would’ve been the year of independence)
warnings: angst(?). 
note: i have been writing this for a week or so and it kind of sucks. i just wanted to finish this. uhm, i may or may not be working on another fic that probably would be up by the end of the month so (no promises). btw, this was inspired by an anime that i watched called given. it’s not a complete rip-off, just...inspired. anyways...i apologize for any grammatical errors. please do enjoy.
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Ten was quite bored to say the least. He had been teaching the same choreography for the past few weeks, and now he was evaluating each dancer. It was the same sight, and with that, he sighed. He would occasionally feel some sort of false hope when someone gave some sort of new stylistic touch to his choreo, but to no avail, it always fell short. He sighed once more as he stood from his seat turning off the stereo. He nodded to the students allowing them their leave. After every student had left, he began clearing up the area. 
The sound of the door opening did not distract him from his task and he tiredly said, “Did you forget something?”
A startled voice answered, “Oh, no uhm. It’s just that I have this practice room booked. I-I’ll wait until you’re done.”
Ten looked up from his task to see a figure slumped over. He couldn’t get a clear image of you other than the top of your head. He cleared his throat, “Yeah, sorry. I’ll be out of your way.”
You briefly lifted your head shaking your head to indicate that he didn’t have to rush for your sake. 
“No,” Ten locked with your nervous eyes. “It’s okay. Thanks.” 
Ten picked up his remaining articles that he had brought with him and quietly left the practice room. He closed the door behind him, looking over his left shoulder to see you warming up. Thinking nothing of it, he shrugged his shoulders leaving silently. 
“Hey Ten,” a voice greeted him. Ten looked up to see a fellow choreographer, Taeyong, and stopped.
“Hey hyung.” Ten responded. Ten stood still shifting his weight back and forth. “Are you going to prepare for the choreography showcase?”
Brightly Taeyong replied, “Yeah! I’ve been working on this new piece--I think you’ll like it. How are your dancers coming along? Good, yeah?”
“Yeah,” Ten said. “I guess things are going well. They know the choreo.”
“Wow,” Taeyong breathed. “You don’t sound all too excited.”
“Well,” Ten tried to justify, “When you see the same thing over and over again, it’s kind of hard to be excited.”
“I guess,” Taeyong reasoned. “But wouldn’t you feel excitement from the new elements that your dancers are bringing. That energy, that aura. Doesn’t that excite you one bit?”
Ten gave a smile in hopes to end the conversation, “Hopefully when the showcase comes, I’ll feel something.” 
Taeyong smiled widely, “I think that you will find that the talent this year is incredible.”
Ten nodded and left. He sure hoped that he would find inspiration this year. 
Ten had passed you a couple times throughout the hallways of the dance studio. He never paid much attention to you and when he did, he always saw you stretching or warming up. It was just when he left his practice room for a bit, he could hear faint music coming through the walls. It sounded like an original piece, and Ten was curious to see what choreography would fit with that type of music. The music sounded passionate, but it was portrayed in a subtle way kind of like a slow song that built up with different elements to create this strangely beautiful cacophony of sound. Curiously, he took a quick peek to see you seamlessly move through choreography with grace and passion. Shortly after, the choreography ended with you catching your breath. Ten had caught the tail end of your performance but it was enough for him to understand everything--so he thought. He turned away feeling quite disappointed once more. 
He knew you were a good performer based on what he saw. He could tell that you cared about your performance. However, for some reason, Ten could hardly feel anything anymore. It was like he was stuck in this hole wanting to get out. The only way he knew how to express himself was through dance--though, right now, there seemed no silver lining of inspiration. 
He went back to his practice room looking into the mirror and feeling quite frustrated with himself. He slumped his body on the floor still staring at himself. There were clear dark circles from overworking himself, and his lack of sleep edged through to his performance. He closed his eyes for a bit listening to the music from next door. The music from the other room had stopped, and he heard the faint sound of the door opening and closing. He took a deep breath, stood up, played his song and began. His eyes were trained on his own figure in the mirror. He moved his body to the music with his emotions scattered throughout the room as he executed his routine. Routine--that was a good word to describe his life right now. He landed on his last move with heavy breaths. His chest felt heavy somehow. 
---
It was the day of the showcase. Ten had been chatting idly with Taeyong about something--he wasn’t really paying attention to the words that hurriedly left Taeyong’s mouth. He focused his energy elsewhere while keeping an interested look on his face. You were in the background quietly going over the step of your routine. Ten couldn’t help but glance at you ever so often. Taeyong noticed and smiled just a bit. 
“You interested?” Taeyong teased.
Ten snapped out of it and refocused his attention onto Taeyong. “Who?”
“You know…” Taeyong pointed his head towards you subtly. “Y/N.”
“Y/N?” Ten tilted his head. 
Taeyong gasped. “Are you telling me that you’ve been staring at them this whole time and you didn’t even know their name? You do know they are a part of our dance company, right?”
Ten paused. “...right.”
Taeyong scoffed, “You so did not know. Did you even bother learning everyone’s names?” 
Ten’s silence explained everything. Taeyong shook his head, “You do know your student’s name, right?”
Annoyed, Ten defended himself, “Of course I know my students’ names.”
Taeyong raised both his hands in mock defeat. “I’m just saying. That’s all. By the way, you should get changed--your performance in ten minutes.”
Ten rushed out of there with Taeyong laughing behind. 
--
Ten breathed heavily as he finished his performance. The crowd's claps were ringing in his ears as he closed his eyes. He took a deep breath before getting off stage to hear the announcer call up the next group of dancers to the stage which were Ten’s very own. Taeyong was there on the side waiting to go on. Taeyong patted Ten’s shoulder as Ten walked past to make his way into the audience to observe his dancers. The music began to play, and his dancers moved effortlessly through the music. Despite Ten feeling uninspired from his dancers, they did an excellent job in executing his choreo which gained points in his books. When the performance was finished, Ten clapped. He was happy that the performance went off without a hitch, but there was still something missing. 
The dancers made their way off the stage with Ten giving them thumbs up for their efforts. Then he heard your name. He could see that you were nervous as you were shivering as you walked up onto the stage. You situated yourself at your starting position waiting for the music to begin. The music began. You began moving your body. There were intricate movements from the tips of your toes to the tips of your fingers. Your whole presence was in this performance. The moves were subtle as it reflected the music, but as the music began to build up, there was this fire that burned in Ten’s eyes. He was envious--envious that you were able to convey what he couldn’t. 
He bit his lip with his brow furrowed. His arms were crossed, but his whole body unfurrowed when the climax of your performance began. What the heck? He thought as he saw you dance. He didn’t think that the performance that he caught a glimpse of that one day was the same one that was in front of him. It was like that performance that he saw was jacked up to one hundred. Your moves were explosive but controlled and well-refined. It was an unknown feeling bubbling in Ten’s stomach. It wasn’t fair. It just wasn’t. 
---
Ten zoned out for the rest of the showcase even missing out on his buddy Taeyong’s performance. Ten knew that he had to confront you. He was backstage frantically looking for you. Taeyong had just come off stage being the last to perform. Taeyong noticed a change in Ten’s behavior. 
“Who are you looking for?” Taeyong spoke up from behind Ten. 
Ten was still looking for you. He answered, “Y/N.”
“So you enjoyed their performance, huh?” Taeyong smirked. 
Ten groaned, “I just need to talk to them.”
Nonchalantly, Taeyong said, “...Something about being in their dressing room.”
Ten took off. Taeyong laughed it off, “I knew he would be amazed by them.”
Ten dashed through the crowded backstage area before he saw your dressing room door. Ten barged in. 
“You!” Ten proclaimed. “Where have you been?”
You were surprised to say the least. You cleared your throat slightly scared at Ten’s erratic behavior, “I have been here…”
“No.” Ten shook his head. “I mean, how could you show up on stage, give that performance, and just walk off like nothing happened? Like you didn’t rip my heart out of my chest? Like you are unaware of how talented you are?”
You looked down, ashamed for some reason. “Is that supposed to be a compliment?”
“Yes,” exasperated, Ten kneeled in front of you with his head down. “Where have you been? Why...why? I don’t get it”
Feeling like you had to explain, you cleared your throat, but he didn’t look up, “I was never really good at words. I only knew how to express myself through movement when words failed. My parents noticed this and signed me up for dance. I fell in love with it learning to convey my emotions through my dance. Growing up, I never knew how to act or knew what to say so I resorted to what I know best: dance.” 
It was easier to talk to him when he wasn’t looking, but after your last word, Ten looked up with tears welling up in his eyes. Feeling awkward and shocked, you offered him a hug as it seemed like he needed it. Ten silently sobbed into your shoulder as you awkwardly patted his back. Ten looked up with teary eyes. 
Wiping his tears, “I want you to teach me.”
With a small nod, you accepted his request.
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nctinfo · 5 years
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[TRANS] WayV’s interview with Mens Uno June 2019 issue!
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Kun
Which three phrases would you use to describe yourself? Soft on the outside but tough on the inside, tenacious, understanding
What’s the most memorable moment since your official debut? When I’m waiting for the doors to our first stage to open, in my heart, I was like: “I’ve waited for this day for a long time.” When I was onstage, and I saw the fans off-stage, it was very memorable. 
Please say something to yourself in three years’ time. Please do not forget your dream, do it well, do it happily, and do what you like.
Which aspect would you be the most happy to be complimented for? It should be the piano, I didn’t learn it formally and I relied on myself to find my way around. Now, I can even help the members to compose a song, and I can play simple piano pieces, so when the fans compliment it for me, I feel quite a sense of achievement.
What’s your greatest hobby in life? When I was young my aspiration was to be a pilot, so I downloaded a pilot simulator on my computer, and I love to play it when I’m bored in the dorm.
Which dish from your hometown do you miss the most? My mom’s Szechuan boiled fish, and my grandmother’s sweet and sour fish, it’s all fish related dishes, haha!
If you could exchange bodies with another member, who would you choose? Yangyang, our youngest, he’s especially naive, and really gets doted on by us geges, the feeling of being doted on is actually quite good. 
Ten
What do you think is the most appealing thing about yourself? My performance skills onstage, my dancing, my singing, and what I look like when I’m happy.
What is the most memorable moment from your official debut till now? When our first teaser was released.
What is the most difficult thing you’ve encountered in learning mandarin? Mandarin has a lot of tones, and the pronunciation is a little difficult, but I think Mandarin is very interesting to learn, and I really wanted to learn it all along, so being a part of WayV is also a very good opportunity for me.
What’s your biggest hobby in life? Singing, dancing, and drawing, I like to use my pen to record what I’m feeling at the time.
If you can only bring three things when leaving home, what would they be? My phone, earphones and cologne. I like cologne very much, so I spray it every day, I like a neutral scent with a slight sweetness.
Which dish from your hometown do you miss the most? The food my mother makes, like Pad Thai (Thai stir fried noodles), Som Tam (Thai salad).
If you can switch bodies with one member, who would you choose? Yangyang, I want to experience what it is like to be the youngest brother in the team too. 
Winwin
Which three phrases would you use to describe yourself? Going with the flow, the sun, and the spring breeze.
What is the most memorable moment from your official debut till now? Our first showcase, when the enthusiastic fans beneath the stage were cheering for and encouraging us.
Please say something to yourself in three years’ time. Bravely march forth, many people are supporting you from behind, don’t be afraid, fighting!
What’s the biggest reward of attending “My Brilliant Master”? Us four “apprentices” all have different personalities, but after attending the show and getting familiar with everyone, we all got along and chatted together smoothly, and the three older brothers were also very considerate towards me. All the “masters” are also senior experts in each of their professions and special fields, so there can be a lot to learn from them about professional attitudes, which to me is something beneficial for life.
What’s your greatest hobby in life? Watching movies, listening to music, and recently I’ve been frequently sitting in the living room with my members watching TV.
Which dish from your hometown do you miss the most? I haven’t eaten home-cooked food made by my parents in a long time, so I miss even their simple stir-fried greens a lot.
If you could exchange bodies with another member, who would you choose? Yangyang, because he’s not afraid to watch horror movies. Even though he’s the maknae of the team, he dares to try anything and has a lot of guts.
Lucas
Which three phrases would you use to describe yourself? Flame, ocean, limitless.
Please say something to yourself in three years’ time. Wong Yukhei, are you healthy? Are you happy? Did you buy your parents a house yet?
From your first time attending “Running Man,” were there any interesting or unforgettable moments? The other hosts took very good care of me, so it was really fun during the shoots. My Mandarin is not every good, so I sometimes can’t Get their jokes, thus a lot of funny situations will occur.
What’s your greatest hobby in life? Exercising, listening to music. I get excited as soon as I hear music, and my youthful passion will jump out, totally immersing myself to enjoy the moment.
Who is the role model in your heart? Choi Yun-fat, because to me he is a good senior to learn from. (T/N: Choi Yun-fat is an iconic Hong Kong actor known for his tough and cool roles.)
Which dish from your hometown do you miss the most? My mom is Thai, so everything she cooks is delicious, and I also miss the pastries in Hong Kong.
If you could exchange bodies with another member, who would you choose? Kun, because his cooked meals are delicious, and I personally hope to own this skill of his so I can cook food for my family.
Xiaojun
Which three phrases would you use to describe yourself? Passion, sunshine, gentle.
What is the most memorable moment from your official debut till now? Before the curtains open on our debut stage, there is enough time for you to feel the atmosphere present, the waiting time backstage is very memorable.
Please say something to yourself in three years’ time. Remember all that you did in these three years, always let yourself reflect.
If you were praised for one of your skills, which skill being praised would make you the happiest? Probably singing, I spend 50% of my energy on singing.
Who is the role model in your heart? My older brother and my father.
Disregarding time and space, what would like to do, and with who? Do the most ordinary things with my family. 
Which dish from your hometown do you miss the most? Dried beancurd rolls, it’s a Hakka dish, it uses dried beancurds, which are wrapped around shrimp and vegetables.
Hendery
Which three phrases would you use to describe yourself? Modest, learn, eager to learn.
What is the most memorable moment from your official debut till now? The release of the dance practice version of Regular was extremely memorable, I will look at everyone’s comments, and I hope I’ll learn from everyone’s opinions.
If you were praised for one of your skills, which skill being praised would make you the happiest? I’m already very happy if someone praised me, if everyone recognizes my capabilities, I’ll feel very accomplished.
Who is the role model in your heart? He’s right beside me, it’s Li Yongqin gege, he’s one of my role models, his persistence, his readiness to face problems, and also his capabilities make him really great.
If you can only bring three things when leaving home, what would they be? The first one is a definite necessity, my phone, the second is prepared for my phone, a solar-powered power bank, the third is a hat.
Which dish from your hometown do you miss the most? I really like dimsum, but I miss steamed chicken feet with black bean sauce the most, I still drool when I think of it now.
If you could exchange bodies with another member, who would you choose? No need to think, it’s Lucas, because I have a smaller build, and I often only have to eat a little bit of food before I’m full, and was unable to try lots of food. Lucas likes food a lot too, and if I could become him, I’ll be able to try every dish on the table.
Yangyang
Which three phrases would you use to describe yourself? Cool and handsome at the same time, approachable, humorous.
Please say something to yourself in three years’ time. I hope that I can maintain my current attitude of treating it as both work and my interest.
As the team’s youngest, what are some benefits of interacting with your geges? In many aspects, the geges will just let me be/let me do what I want.
What are you obsessed with in your daily life? I really like to watch basketball and soccer competitions and watch racing competitions. In the past when I was overseas, I have driven a go-kart before, and I really like my feeling of speed
Who is the role model in your heart? Firstly it’s my parents, I want to become someone like them. And also every member of our team is my role model, as they all have different charms, and have aspects of which I can learn from.
If you could break through the limitations of time and space, what would you like to do and who would you do it with? I would like to go exploring by myself, and go to those places where people wouldn’t usually go to 
Which dish from your hometown do you miss the most? I miss any type of stir-fried food 
Translation: Jess, Angela, Seol @ FY! NCT (NCTINFO) | Source: Mens Uno Scan — Do not repost or take out without our permission!
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starfleet-wannabe · 5 years
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You’re my Best Friend- Joe Mazzello x Pregnant!Reader
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Summary: Pregnant!Reader reflects on her Pregnancy while sharing a lovely moment with Joe in their kitchen.
Word Count: 1739
Warnings: Fluff. Just pure unadulterated fluff
A/N: This story is written and dedicated @elliesmithy3  aka. @rogerina-yee-haw who inspired the idea, without you this wouldn’t have come into fruition. Ellie, you are my muse and you never fail to make my day! I have recently started writing again as a hobby and this is only my second posted piece. It was really fun to write, and I hope you all enjoy, it means a lot to me that you would take the time to read my story.
Parenthood used to scare you. The very idea of a helpless, defenseless creature needing your care and attention to survive used to shake you to the core, as you imagined every little possible scenario that could go wrong. It didn’t help that as a writer your mind was prone to overthinking these horrific scenarios as a single thought would refuse to leave until you focused on every little detail. However, this was all before you met Joe, all before he became the love of your life.
  You had been married for nearly two years before you both decided to try for a family of your own, and with luck on your side, you became pregnant only after a couple of months of trying. To say you were excited would be an understatement. To say Joe was excited would be an insult to the word itself. You practically had to teether Joe to your side as he was bouncing off the walls with his energy, every part of him oozing with excitement as he couldn’t wait to become a dad.
“That’s our baby in there Y/N,” Joe said almost every single time he put his hands on your bump, wanting to feel every movement the baby made. His smile, while bright on its own, appeared to shine at over a million watts since you told him the news, never leaving your side and never taking his hands off of you!
“You are just so beautiful,” Joe said as he watched you in the kitchen, while you were making a small meal you were craving. Your Spotify playlist set to a classic rock station, as you continue to stir your meal.
“I’m glad someone thinks so,” You said, having not felt that well recently about your appearance. You could no longer see your toes when looking down and needed help with getting off the couch. While Joe was more than happy to help with every little thing you needed, you hated feeling like a burden to others and having to be dependent on other people.
“Y/N, I mean it,” Joe said a determined look in his amber eyes. “You are doing something so spectacular right now, you’re creating a baby, our baby, and that is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.” Joe wrapped his arms from behind you, resting his hands on your bump and if, on cue, your little ball of joy decided to kick back.
“Well dear, she already likes you,” You said turning off the stove and turning to face Joe. “I swear every time you’re near me, even if it just your voice she decides it’s time to play hacky sack with my kidneys.” Joe laughed at your comment before kissing your cheek.
“What can I say Y/N, I guess she just daddy’s little girl,” Joe said his smile growing bigger than before, a feat you were sure had to be impossible at some point, while he continued to run circles on your bump. 
You still remember just how enamored he was when you learned you were having a daughter. When the technical asked if you wanted to know the gender, you both couldn’t say yes fast enough, however, Joe said his at breakneck speed making you wonder when he learned to talk even quicker than he normally did. With the cold gel on your belly, and your right hand holding Joe’s, you looked on screen as the technician moved the wand over your stomach. You have done many ultrasounds before, but each one was more spectacular than the last, as you watched over the months of your baby developing, enjoying watching them hiccup on screen, as you felt their movements within you, fascinated by the sheer fact that this baby was growing inside you.
“Congrats you two,” The technical stated breaking you out of your train of thought. “It’s a girl!”
You felt your heart stop at the news, as you tried to process the information. You were having a daughter and couldn’t help but to start tearing up as you thought about the little girl moving within you, feeling her squirm, and that’s this was a little girl you already loved with your whole heart without ever having held her in your arms. You were already so in love, and you wondered how you were going to have more love to give her. 
When you turned to Joe, with tears in your eyes, the first thing you noticed was the stream of tears running down his face, like a waterfall into a river. Joe looked at you with so much love in his eyes. You couldn't help but fall in love with him all over again. You have always adored how sensitive Joe could be, and this time was no different. He stared at you for a bit, before looking back at the monitor, new tears forming as his eyes lingered on the screen. 
��We’re having a baby girl, Y/N.” He said at a whisper, still processing the news before his grin grew into an even bigger smile. Before you realized it, he started showering you in kisses, starting at your cheeks before finishing with a long tender kiss on the lips, unlike anything you ever felt before. This man never kissed the same way twice.
“I’m glad your happy, dear,” You said letting your fingers trance a few of his tears away.
“Y/N, I’ve been happy since the day you said you would marry me. This is just perfect! Life is just perfect! You are just perfect! And our little girl is going to be just as perfect as her momma!” You could only smile back, as your husband asked for at least ten copies of the ultrasound wanting to have a keepsake of this moment forever, his mouth still moving at nearly a hundred words per second.
It was the next song that came on the station that broke you out of your train of thought and caused you to look into Joe’s brown eyes, the lights of the kitchen showcasing the red hue of his auburn hair. It was the grim on his face that let you know he was thinking the exact same thing. 
“Do you still remember how our dance went to this?” You asked putting your arms on his shoulders as you did nearly three years ago. While he might have had on a nice tux back then and you had on a white dress smaller than your current size, the feeling remained the same; this man was the love of your life. “I might not be able to do all the moves.” You said looking back at your bump, a lovely smile on your face as you watched Joe put his arms around your waist, his fingers lingering on your stomach.
“That’s not a problem at all babe,” Joe said as he started to lead into swaying back and forth in your kitchen. “You’re my Best Friend” becoming white noise as you just looked at him and caressed his cheek, examining all the features you hoped your daughter would process. You wanted her to be a mini copy of Joe with ginger hair and brown eyes running around the house. You found yourself longing for the days when Joe and her would be driving you crazy in the best way possible, as he no doubt would spoil her, giving her every little thing she would ever desire, showering her with so much affection. You looked at Joe and saw all the fears you ever had for the future go away, as you knew he already processed so much love, more than any man should be allowed to. When she started kicking up a storm again, you pulled Joe right hand from your waist and watched as his face lit up with every little kick. He kneeled before you and lifted your shirt to reveal a small sliver of skin, his hands laying on both sides of your stomach, and while there were days you felt as big as a house, you couldn’t help but feel like a goddess right now, as Joe’s attention was to the little life you created within you.
“Hi Baby Girl,” Joe said before placing a kiss above your navel. “We’re very excited to meet you, just a couple more weeks until we get to hold you in our arms.” His right thumb tranced the spot he kissed before your daughter decided to kick again. 
“Until then, please be kind to Mommy, she works so hard to provide so much for you, and you need to treat her with respect.” You could feel your eyes water up as you continued to watch as he bonded with your bump. 
“I love you so much and can’t wait to show you off to the world.” Joe got up from his knees and look at you as if he was looking into your soul. His features soften as his big brown eyes poured with love. Pulling you into a passionate kiss, you felt your breath hitched, as you leaned further into the embrace, closing the space in between as much as you could with your bump in the way.
  “You are going to be the greatest dad ever Joseph Francis Mazzello III.” You said after Joe broke the kiss, wrapping your arms around his broad shoulders. 
“Only because I have an amazing wife to share this journey with,” Joe said placing a kiss on your forehead. “I can’t thank you enough for this wonderful gift.” His hands found there way back to your stomach, lingering for a moment before returning to your waist.
“Right back at you darling.”
“Hey babe,” Joe said causing you to look up, as you saw his eyes wide opened, staring at the stove behind you before he started laughing to himself. “I think your food is getting cold.”
“Let it get cold. I have all the warmth I ever need right here.” You said looking at him with a grin on your face. “Plus I found a better craving to satisfy me.” You said as you leaned your head on his shoulder and taking in his scent. You have never been happier. Ever fear, and every anxiety you ever had about becoming a mom failed to exist, as you knew that as long as you had Joe by your side, you would be able to handle anything in your way.
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Interview: Infected Rain “Music, the stage, live shows, this is my therapy.”
Infected Rain have been steadily building a fan base for a few years now. Latest album Endorphin is getting some well deserved critical acclaim. They got a lot of UK fans excited recently when they payed their first visit to the country touring with Lacuna Coil and Eluveitie. Gary Trueman took the opportunity to have a chat with vocalist Lena about the new album, Moldovan roots and why singing on stage can be so cathartic.
It’s your first time in the UK so how have we been treating you?
“Very good actually. It’s sad that London is our last day in the UK, hopefully we will be able to come back next year because we’ve loved it.”
A lot of people won’t know that Infected Rain are over ten years old. Are you still as hungry musically now as when you first started?
“I think even more than before because we get to play bigger venues with bigger crowds and we are just eager for more. We will not stop. It’s like when you give candy to a kid and the kid will want the candy over and over again. Music is our candy.”
You’re from Moldova which for those who are wondering sits between the Ukraine and Romania. How has coming from there been in both good and bad terms when it comes to reaching people musically?
“I don’t know how it is for other bands who come from somewhere else. I do know that our ethnicity and background gave us a lot of passion because we come from such a small and poor country. We’re fighters who never give up. We just work, work, work because we know it’s the only way to get things done.  Coming from Moldova though, there aren’t that many bands hanging in there continuing to do what they love. Sooner or later they just give up, but we never did.”
We mentioned earlier that this is your first time in the UK but you have played all over Europe regularly. Were you afraid we bite?
“Haha, no not at all. Unfortunately we need visas to come and visit you guys.  It’s very expensive and very tricky to get a visa, especially when you are an independent band. We had to be signed and we had to have a lot of people on board that could help us. We still payed so much money to be here. Even then our guitar player lost his passport and now we are without one member of the band. He is joining us for the other shows (in Europe) but it was sad. What if my passport got lost? That’s the only reason we never visited the UK before.”
Your new album Endorphin is a bit of a beast, it’s brilliant. It’s a great showcase for the band as you are now and it’s also a very personal album theme wise and lyric wise. Do you sing mainly about your personal experiences?
“Yes, I am the one writing for Infected Rain so I’m writing about my personal experiences and my personal life and things that bother me or make me happy. Endorphin is very specific and very special for me because in the past year I’ve been through a lot of difficult moments and a lot of emotions that I wasn’t really ready to confront. It did give me good material for Endorphin and that’s why I think the album is very dark. It’s a catharsis listening to and finishing the album. I needed that, and I still do. I’m still fighting with a lot of anxiety and depression because of what I’ve been through, and my music helps me so so much.”
Is it also a cathartic thing to get up on stage and belt those lyrics out and give vent to your feelings?
“Definitely. I go through a roller coaster of emotions on stage and it makes me cry very often. I get goosebumps to feel all these emotions over and over again. But I need it because it’s like my therapy. Music, the stage, live shows, this is my therapy. It’s the only thing that helps me to go on and survive, and believe in myself and be confident.”
Do you find that you get fans saying that your lyrics mean so much to them because they’ve gone through similar things?
“I get that a lot. I know a lot of people can relate because I receive a lot of emails and a lot of messages regarding that. It makes me happy that people can relate to it and that people can find a cure through my words.”
You’ve recently signed to Napalm Records who are very well known and respected. How’s that working out?
“We are very happy about having professional people on board that love us and our music the way it is, and don’t want to change us. Their job is to bring us to a new level and to promote us and they’ve been doing such a great job.”
You’ve said that some years ago you hurt your voice and that you were helped by a vocal coach called Melissa Cross.
“I was self taught in the beginning and obviously just like learning to walk and run you will fall a few times and ruin your knees and bleed sometimes. That’s what happened to me and I know a lot of musicians that went through that. Thanks to hard work and Melissa Cross who is amazing I can control things a bit better and can go on tour for 40 or 50 shows and not care. It still happens sometimes that I get a hoarse voice but mainly because I try to talk to fans and scream over the loud music because I am very friendly with my fans. I have to save my voice after a show but they want to talk and I want to talk to them.”
For any singers reading this what did Melissa teach you specifically?
“Basically everything. She teaches all the technical things but most important she taught me to be more confident and to feel my voice instead of listening to my voice. I was always trying to listen to what was coming out of my mouth but that is a big mistake. She gave me the confidence to feel which is very important because I am a very emotional person and deliver so much emotion through my lyrics.”
In a way the voice is an acoustic instrument isn’t it?
“It is, absolutely.”
Do you think modern metal vocals are often misunderstood by the wider public and even wider music press?
“Yeah, but that was something that was always there. When Metallica started, and then Nirvana. Everything that is grungy and loud is always a little bit underground and not for everybody. Who the fuck cares? There’s a good audience for everybody.”
Has coming from Moldova shaped your music in any way?
“It hasn’t. We don’t have any folk parts to our music. We don’t sing about Moldova. We don’t add any local instruments. So it hasn’t really.”
Do you have any kind of an alternative scene in Moldova?
“Not really. We have a lot of talented musicians but we don’t really have any clubs to play.”
We know you front Infected Rain and that you also model but what other jobs have you done in the past and would you still go back to them at any point?
“I wouldn’t want to go back. I would like to get into publishing some books, maybe lyric books, maybe a biography. I used to be a hair and make up artist for almost 12 years both before the band and during the band. I do my own make up and hair for music videos and stage and things like that. Music has a very special place in my heart and I will do my best to continue doing that for as long as I can.”
If you could perform on stage with anyone living or dead who would you choose?
“If we were choosing living then I would go for The Deftones because I’m a huge fan of them. I’d loive to play on the same stage or maybe even do a song together. If we are talking about people who are no longer with us then Nirvana and Kurt Cobain.”
If you could go back in time and give a 16 year old Lena one piece of advice what would it be?
“It would be simply, believe in yourself.”
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muche007 · 5 years
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Rehearsal
The Article Magazine
Words_Trisha D'Hoker Photography_Ben Harries Location_The Dixon Hotel
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It’s been twelve years since Colin Morgan first shot to fame in the West End, as the awkward antihero of DBC Pierre’s black comedy Vernon God Little.
The roles he’s played since then, from a doomed soldier in Testament of Youth to the half-robot fugitive in Humans, have showcased his ability to inhabit diverse, complex characters. When we speak, he’s preparing to add another character to that list; Chris Keller in the Old Vic revival of Arthur Miller’s classic study of postwar American dysfunction, All My Sons.
Colin Morgan’s career began before he’d even finished his final year at drama school. To stage pieces they had prepared for their final evaluation, final year students were sent to London. There, Morgan was discovered by director Rufus Norris, with whom he made his West End debut in Vernon God Little. That same year, at the Old Vic, he starred opposite Diana Rigg in Pedro Almodovar’s All About My Mother. A year later, he landed the lead role in Merlin. And it feels as though he’s barely stopped working since then.
On the big screen, he’s been in Rupert Everett’s Wilde biopic The Happy Prince, British mystery drama Waiting For You, and the action adventure movie The Huntsman: Winter’s War. Benjamin, currently on release, sees him take on the role of a rising young filmmaker, full of anxieties as he navigates both a new romance and his film’s premiere; as the title character, Morgan is an absolute pleasure to watch.
His television resumé includes Channel 4 sci-fi series Humans, the BBC’s supernatural chiller The Living and the Dead, and a turn as a young gay man, constantly embarrassed by his unexpectedly accepting Belfast mother, in The Catherine Tate Show. Morgan balances this with demanding theatre work — although balance is not something he necessarily goes in for, as he will later explain.
In his most recent West End role, in Brian Friel’s Translations, he played Owen — the lrish boy who returns home with two British mapmakers, as they attempt to map out and rename his home village. When we speak, he’s just finished week one of rehearsals for All My Sons, alongside Sally Field, Bill Pullman and Jenna Coleman. If he’s tired, he doesn’t sound it at all.
TDH: You’ve just begun rehearsing for All My Sons. How is it going?
Colin Morgan: It’s been a whirlwind. The first week is always like that; so many thoughts, ideas, excitement, anticipation. We’ve been in the rehearsal room, meeting people who will be ‘family’ for the next few months — we will actually see them more than our own families. Particularly with this play, All My Sons, it’s all about being part of a family. So it’s an important time, developing those relationships as we develop our characters.
TDH: And your character has to face some big, life-defining issues. It’s quite an emotional journey.
CM: There’s a lot to get my head around! And the back story, there’s so much. I need to also work out how much is known, revealed on stage, how much only shows up through actions, who knows what. To start with, the time the characters exist in itself is a big influence. Just by going through things like the Depression, how that affected the characters. And WWII. Then layer on top of that the courtroom drama, the history of the family, the relationships between father and son, mother and son, business partners, intergenerational guilt…
TDH: Arthur Miller provides rich territory!
CM: You can picture him watching, laughing, as we try to untangle and distill what he created. But that’s also why it’s one of the best parts of the journey to the stage. This is where the imaginative work comes in, when you map out all the different alleyways that exist for this character. You try to identify them, lay them all out, then decide which of those alleyways you are going to explore more. And it’s challenging. Every time you read the play, a new story emerges, or you see something you didn’t see before. And how many alleyways will you go down before you feel lost? It’s like a spiderweb underpinning the play.
TDH: A luxury you don’t get when preparing for a film, I imagine?
CM: You certainly don’t get five weeks to prepare! With film, you have to more or less come to the table ready to go, character in place. Or at least, be ready to throw it out. With theatre, you get to distil the detail. Being able to work your character out with other actors and the director in the rehearsal room is one of the best parts for me. It’s a very active process. There’s so much energy in the rehearsal room. It makes it exciting, all these different energies — and it’s funny how quickly the roles emerge, how we begin to become the characters. I’ve worked with the director, Jeremy Herrin, before. And I love him. He’s so brilliant, it’s overwhelming.
TDH: Is preparation for a film role down to you on your own then? Not so much the collective experience of theatre?
CM: That is the big difference, yes. But for me, the prep work is the same. I feel like I never switch off. I’m always looking, or aware of real life around me, to provide (for my research). I don’t usually go out of my way or have a plan. Like, if I’m doing a particular accent, I will listen out for that or find someone to speak with who has it. Or if I overhear something that fits with a character I’m researching, then I will store that, I guess.
TDH: Have you ever had any really good advice from other actors?
CM: I’ve worked with some really great actors. And I think one of the big lessons, for me, has just been how respectful and how unstarry they are. There’s a common misperception that, when someone is in the public eye, they are somehow some other entity. But it’s not like that. The really great actors have the same fears, concerns and insecurities we all do. I love to learn, especially from older actors — just watching them, always learning, letting go of their ego.
TDH: Would you have any advice to pass on?
CM (laughs): I don’t think I would presume to know any great bits of wisdom. But I would say — and this would be to anyone, not just actors — that if you are truly passionate about something, no one will be able to talk you out of it. I think that’s a pretty good barometer as to whether you’re doing the right thing for you.
TDH: What films did you enjoy growing up?
CM: When I was younger, I was drawn to the darker or slightly weirder movies, like Dark Crystal or Big Trouble in Little China. Then later, I liked films like 21 Grams, American Beauty, Magnolia — stories told in interesting, slightly off ways. I’ve always been a sucker for those. And even better if it’s accompanied by some weird music, like something by Thomas Newman.
TDH: Was acting something you’ve always been drawn to? Was it in the family?
CM: No. It’s not in the family, so there were no influences there. Acting was something that I just seemed to be doing, was always drawn towards; school plays, any drama. I grew up in Armagh, and there was always some kind of drama I could do.
TDH: You went on to study acting — first in Belfast, and then at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. But then, in your last year, something unexpected happened?
CM: As part of our final assessment, we had to do two scenes we had prepared. And we went down from Glasgow to London for this. It was crazy, I can’t even really remember. Just a whirlwind. It was the first time I’d ever been in London. Everything was just so new!
TDH: And this is where you were cast for the lead in Vernon God Little?
CM: Yes, this is when I met the director, Rufus Norris. Like I said, it was a whirlwind!
TDH: It’s one of those moments when something really changes the direction of your life.
CM: Completely! It really set me on a course; I can’t imagine how it would have gone otherwise.
TDH: You seem equally comfortable on stage or film, and you’re certainly busy with both! You recently did Simon Amstell’s Benjamin, which premiered at the London Film Festival, and which is quite an original story.
CM: It’s out now. And yes; the narrative, along with the honesty of the script, is incredible. Also, with amazing direction.
TDH: What about downtime, how do you stay balanced?
CM (laughs): I can’t say I subscribe to balance! I don’t really switch off. And when I’m working, the scales are definitely tilted towards whatever I’m doing at the time. It can be quite intense. There’s so much going on, so much to take in and work out. It just takes over, completely.
TDH: How about between jobs?
CM: Between jobs, I hang out with friends. Go out, don’t go out – no agenda. It’s when normality becomes the luxury.
TDH: And I have to ask, what’s your relationship with fashion, do you have one?
CM (laughs again): No! I do rely on good people, though, to guide me!
TDH: Finally, what’s next?
Colin Morgan: Nothing I can talk specifically about yet. But generally, it will be to keep challenging myself, to keep working at what I’m interested in, and keep hoping to at least land on my feet. Or at least, one foot. Yes, I’d be happy to keep landing on one foot! I’ve got a lot of ideas, and projects I would like to develop. Telling stories, that’s what I’m interested in — and I don’t know yet what form this will take, but it’s definitely within the next few years. It really is about the whole journey, going through it. It’s not just about the end result.
.
All My Sons runs at The Old Vic from 13 April until 8 June 2019.
On 14 May, as part of NT Live, the play will be broadcast live in cinemas across the UK and Europe: www.ntlive.nationaltheatre.org.uk
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ambitionsource · 5 years
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AMBITION Season 1 ♫ “Before the Storm” [ 1.11 ]
CREATED BY Esther (rapunzles) & Maggie (quincywillows)
CH-CH-CH-CHANGES – The sophomore stars throw their hat in the ring for the chance to attend a highly regarded performance summer program, but only three students can progress from Adams to the final audition. Lucas has a daunting decision to make.
60 Minutes (15K words) || No warnings apply.
[ ← Birds of a Feather ] [ S1 Synopsis ] [ The World Will Never Be the Same → ]
( Follow along with the music on Spotify here! )
INT. AAA - HALLWAY - DAY
The halls of Adams greet us for the penultimate episode, cutting between shots of the setting we’ve come to know and love. Through windows in the doors, students rehearse in the music and dance studios. The locker hallways are pristine and decorated for the end of term. Graduation memorabilia is all around.
As the scenery shifts, the voice of Principal Hunter lectures on the importance of the school, everything that the institution stands for. Next to bulletin boards where students are welcome to jot down their summer plans to share, a display case in the atrium shows photos and mementos from the past school year. Les Mis is certainly included, as well as the winter showcase.
Jack: Adams exists to give students the chance to pursue a passion. Something important to them, so pivotal to their future endeavors and true happiness that they can’t even fathom doing anything else. It’s a silly notion, to some, but I’ve always admired that piece to it. That chance to give a young mind the power and potential to do whatever it is that they’ve always dreamed about.
Focus eases in on one advertisement on the bulletin board in particular – an informational flyer about the Kossal Summer Program, which has been referenced multiple times since the pilot. In bold lettering, the text “rising juniors only,” seems sharply emphasized.
Jack: More than anything, I try to give our students as much opportunity as possible. Getting here was the first step, and then I want to help them reach higher. Achieve further. Find access to doors and avenues that they may not have even known existed or felt capable of entering. I work hard to create that space. I work hard with all of the faculty and staff here to foster that environment, where any student can come to a safe, inclusive environment and throw their hat in the ring.
INT. AAA - JACK’S OFFICE - DAY
It becomes clear why JACK HUNTER is monologuing. He is in his disciplinary meeting with WYATT LIVINGSTON, following their deduction that he is the one running AAA Confessions.
Jack: Thus, it’s always such a shame when someone deems to take advantage of this space, and twists it into something it shouldn’t be.
Wyatt doesn’t seem all that impressed. Jack questions him on why the hell he would create a page like this, or barring that, be a part of it in the first place. Wyatt claims he didn’t make the Insta, but Jack presses the question again. Not buying it.
Wyatt dispels Jack’s rosy view of the school, claiming it’s no oasis for creativity and collaboration. It’s a cesspool of egomaniacs and cutthroat competition, and he knows it. The whole reason that the AAAC even works at all is because of the collective terrible attitude at the school. It’s a “safe environment” for them to take shots at each other and be as repulsive and reductive as they all actually are.
Jack snaps at this, claiming that’s not entirely true. He references the very targeted attack on a single student just a few days ago with Lucas, which Wyatt clearly orchestrated and was not just the full petty whimsy of the student body. Unable to fully deny this, Wyatt admits his hand in making some of the initial posts, but he didn’t orchestrate anything. If anything, the Lucas White Trash Dump Day is a perfect example of what he’s talking about – he lit a match, and the sophomore class set the whole forest on fire with it.
Wyatt: Besides, it’s not my fault that everyone hates Lucas. He does that to himself.
Jack doesn’t want to hear anymore. He doesn’t think he can face it. He moves onto discussing punishment, positing what he believes are fair consequences – expulsion, effective immediately. This finally seems to knock Wyatt off his high horse. He claims that’s bullshit considering one student can beat up another and not get kicked out, but he makes a couple of mean anonymous posts and he’s on the chopping block?
Jack argues that it’s the principle of the thing, and that every situation is different. The situation between him and Lucas was an isolated incident with bigoted implications, whereas the page has been an ongoing toxic presence at the school –
Wyatt: But I don’t deserve to get punished for it! I didn’t create the page!
Jack: Fine. Fine, if that’s the case, then tell me who did. Tell me who should take the fall for this, and we can renegotiate your involvement.
Wyatt can’t, because he doesn’t know. Nobody does. Jack takes his silence as an admission of guilt, but it’s evident that he is truly distraught about taking the consequences for it. Perhaps the severity of the punishment may be a bit too harsh…
After a beat, Jack claims that he will take some time to determine the proper punishment. Until then, Wyatt would be smart to keep his head down and enjoy his last couple weeks of sophomore year without further trouble.
Wyatt rises in a huff, storming out. Jack waits until he exits before letting his composed facade crumble, obviously overwhelmed by the chaos this whole situation has caused.
Hopefully, it’s about to come to an end. But not without some major decisions…
Cue opening titles.
INT. AAA - BLACK BOX THEATER - DAY
ANGELA MOORE is at her desk in the black box classroom, fretfully flipping through the schedule of the touring spot she’s been offered. She’s cross-referencing it with her personal calendar, obviously not thrilled with how much it’s consuming of her current life.
She’s been waiting so long for an opportunity like this. It’s her dream, yet now that it’s in front of her she doesn’t know what to do with it. Angela lifts her head, gazing blankly at the empty classroom around her. Wondering what it would be like to leave it behind…
SHAWN HUNTER breaks her out of her daze, entering with coffee and a breakfast bagel. He hands it to her and she takes it gratefully. He tentatively asks if she’s made any decisions yet, to which she gives a definitive no. Still very much in the realm of indecision.
Shawn seems relieved that it’s not a guaranteed yes, but being in uncertain territory isn’t much better. But uncertain ground they’ll continue to tread…
Song Cue ♫ ♪ “Ain’t It Fun” as performed by Tufts Beezlebubs || Performed by Nigel Chey, Yindra Amino, Chai Fresco, Nick Yogi, Clarissa Cruz, and Haley Fisher
INT. AAA - AUDITORIUM - DAY
NIGEL CHEY leads this acapella rendition, playfully rehearsing with his fellow sophomores. It’s one of the few numbers we’ve seen so far that gives due focus to the other performers in the classroom, and it gives an upbeat (if subtly ominous) musical start to the episode.
He dances around the stage with YINDRA AMINO, CHAI FRESCO, NICK YOGI, CLARISSA CRUZ, and HALEY FISHER. In keeping with the truce, most of the techies are hanging around with them and half-grooving along while working on set pieces. DYLAN ORLANDO sways with ASHER GARCIA in a bouncy waltz, the latter somewhat singing along.
DAVE WILLIAMS shows off his usual terrible dancing. Nigel sings directly to JADE BEAMON at one point, and she just about passes out. Yogi films the jam session with his A/V club camera to commemorate the end of the year.
Absolutely charmed.
INT. AAA - HALLWAY - DAY
While the acapella underscores, FARKLE MINKUS is making his way through the hallway after finishing up at his locker, headphones blocking out the rest of the world. He seems a little out of it, traversing the school with less of the impatient, high-maintenance energy than he was bursting with earlier in the year. Subtle, but definitely a shift.
DARBY WINTERS and SARAH CARLSON catch up to him, startling him into conversation. As he removes his headphones, he struggles to catch up to their fast-paced questioning.
Darby: … your audition number? We want to start taking bets on whether you’re going to be able to best Maya or not in this final epic diva showdown.
Farkle: My audi – okay, slow down pixies, and start over. I can’t understand you at warp speed.
They eagerly ask him if he has decided what song he’s using for his audition. Suddenly feeling as though he’s forgotten something, he asks them what the hell they’re talking about.
Sarah: The Kossal auditions? They’re this weekend. Preliminaries are going to be all this week. [ Like he’s stupid. ] You know, the most coveted opportunity of the year?
Farkle: Oh. Oh… yeah. Yeah, I guess I forgot.
Sarah raises her eyebrows, clearly shocked. Darby breezes right past it, telling him he should really start thinking about it, although he’s likely to do amazing regardless. As they flutter away, Farkle shakes off his daze.
He honestly can’t believe he forgot about the program he’s been waiting all year to audition for. But suppose when you actually get friends and stop being all-consumed by your one passion, that’ll do it to you.
INT. AAA - ERIC’S OFFICE - DAY
ERIC MATTHEWS is sitting down with RILEY MATTHEWS, obviously excited about whatever information he’s about to share with her. She still has her focus set on a different matter, though, and figures that’s what the meeting is going to be about.
Riley, hopefully: You’ve figured out who is running AAAC?
Eric: … still working on that. But making progress, undoubtedly.
Riley sighs, slouching back in her seat. Eric promises her that what he has to tell her is just as exciting, another great opportunity here at the end of term. He goes on to explain that at the conclusion to each school year, Michael Jacobs and the school board fund an art gala in which all the major art magnet schools from the area come together to celebrate their achievements of the past year and share in their love of the craft.
He slides a small invitation across the table for her to look at. On the front is a fancy-looking ballroom where the event is usually held, with details and logistics on the backside.
Eric: Now, obviously Jack and I will be attending, as principal and MVP of Adams.
[ Riley glances at him, giggling at his given title for himself. ]
Eric: But we’re allowed to bring one student as a representative for our school, and we were thinking you.
Riley: [ blinking, taking a moment to realize she heard him correctly ] Me – me? You want me?
Eric: The nomination was unanimous.
Riley is evidently stunned by this. Eric goes on to explain all that she helped achieve at AAA that year, particularly how instrumental she was in bridging the divide and improving the overall quality of culture in the sophomore class. There is no one else they can think of more deserving of the opportunity. She should be proud of everything she’s accomplished this year.
The caveat, however, is that the gala conflicts with the district-wide audition evening for Kossal. So should she get chosen from the school-level auditions to progress onward, she would have to decide which one to attend. Riley claims she’s not planning on auditioning anyway.
Eric: What? Why on Earth not?
Riley: Are you – are you serious? You literally just said to me –
Eric: You know, you’re right. You’re right, shh. We’ll unpack that later.
Eric opts instead to highlight all the fun aspects to the gala that Riley should start gearing up for. She gets to dress up! There’s performances, and dancing, and great food! Oh, and she gets to bring a plus one, so she should start thinking about who she might like to bring along.
INT. AAA - AUDITORIUM - DAY
Class has assembled for the day, bustling into their seats and alive with restless end-of-term energy as Angela brings their attention to the front. She goes on to talk further about the Kossal program, how it is an intensive six-week summer camp in upstate New York where participants are deeply immersed in the art of performance. It is one of the most highly anticipated opportunities of the year for the sophomore class. The program boasts many notable alumni, and they’ve rarely had a student attend it from AAA who didn’t see success in their future.
As she describes it, it’s evident that MAYA HART and Farkle are both totally invested. ZAY BABINEAUX seems inspired too, but less openly determined than the other two divas. Everyone else is somewhere in between, indecisive about whether it’s worth it to try for it at all.
Angela continues on, explaining the catch – given it’s highly selective criteria, the audition process is staggered and competitive. It starts at the school level, where they will select three of their best students to move on to the district-wide auditions. From there, one lucky student from Adams will get to experience the program.
The techies are like… great. This week is going to be hell, isn’t it. ISADORA DE LA CRUZ exchanges a look with DYLAN ORLANDO and ASHER GARCIA, who look less than enthused. Angela dismisses them to work on their auditions or final projects, whichever they deem fit.
In the wings, Farkle pulls Maya aside. In an attempt to preserve their new and blossoming friendship, he proposes that they should help one another with their auditions. Essentially, be there to support one another rather than fall into their usual habits. Given the circumstances, it’s very unlikely that they both won’t progress to the next round, and he doesn’t want their naturally competitive instincts to come between them.
Maya is surprised and a bit hesitant towards this initiative, but she’s not going to be the one to cause trouble. Besides, as far as she can tell, Farkle does seem entirely genuine in his motivations. She agrees with a “hell yeah,” taking a pass on the drama if they can hack it.
They shake on it, agreeing they’ll be on each other’s teams.
INT. AAA - CAFETERIA - DAY
Zay is at his usual table, YINDRA AMINO and NIGEL CHEY occupying the other primary seats around him. They’re engaging in their typical comfortable conversation, Zay allowing them to take the brunt of it.
His focus shifts when CHARLIE GARDNER approaches with lunch in hand, coming to stand awkwardly by their table. He and Zay hold eye contact for a long moment, before Charlie asks if there’s room for him to join them. Although there’s clear tension, Yindra and Nigel don’t seem to pick up on it.
Zay claims there’s room, because he actually has to get going. He rises to leave without much more to say to Charlie. It’s clear this stings a bit, and Charlie watches him go before sliding into the seat he just vacated.
Yindra snaps him out of it when she asks whether or not he’s planning on auditioning for the Kossal program. Charlie says no, as he has a family obligation – there’s this big communal springfest dinner at his church that same night that is super important to his parents. His mother is part of the planning committee, and all that.
Nigel explains that he and Yindra were both considering it, but with only three spots and three known divas, it sort of seems like improbable odds. Charlie nods along, but he’s not really paying that much attention to their complaints. His gaze keeps lingering on the doors where Zay left.
INT. LUCAS’S APARTMENT - DAY
LUCAS FRIAR hastily makes his way from the hall to his bedroom towards the door, obviously on a mission. He has his phone pressed between his shoulder and his ear, slipping on his boots.
Lucas: I’ll be there in like five minutes, you can pick me up at the usual corner. [ a beat ] No, tell Dylan he’s not coming over. [ beat ] Yes, I have the fireworks, now could you –
From the kitchen, his mother calls out for him. This is pretty unusual, so Lucas tells Asher he’ll be there in a minute before hanging up and sauntering back towards the kitchen.
INT. LUCAS’S APARTMENT - KITCHEN - DAY
Lucas pokes his head in, finding GRACE FRIAR seated at their small dining table. She’s petite, disarmingly beautiful, and looks deceptively too young to have a teenage son. She asks if he has a minute to chat about something. He starts to state that he has plans, but rather than explaining to his mother that he’s off to go set off illegal fireworks with his dumbass friends, he figures he can spare the few seconds to talk.
Lucas settles into the chair across from her, and the closer we are to her the more the cracks in her dainty exterior seem to show. There are healing bruises on her face from the events of 1.09, and once you notice them underneath the makeup, it’s hard to unsee.
She goes on to explain that through one of her friends at work, she was able to get in touch with the dean of admissions at McCullough, a private all-boys boarding school in upstate New York. Given Lucas’s excellent academic record at AAA – behavioral record aside – Grace believes that if he applied, he could totally get a spot in their elite student body for the last two years of high school. She wants to put his application in for the fall, if that’s something he might want.
Lucas, stunned: You mean… you mean like leave triple A?
Grace hurriedly explains that she knows AAA was never Lucas’s top choice as far as schooling. He never had any artistic interests, there were just no… better alternatives. But this school has excellent reviews, top rated academics. It’s in the countryside rather than the city, so maybe the fresh air could do him good. A little space. And all of its alumni go on to have successful careers as doctors, lawyers, entrepreneurs – whatever Lucas decides he wants to do.
Lucas doesn’t know what to think. Never before has there been another option besides AAA, and the mere prospect of it seems impossible to fathom. Not to mention, so much has changed in the past year at the school he always claimed he hated. He doesn’t know how to answer.
Grace claims that he should take the next couple of weeks to consider it, as the application isn’t due until then anyway. It just might be a viable different route, an… escape from everything going on here. A loaded conversation to drop so suddenly…
Angela, pre-lap: How is anybody supposed to make a decision like this?
INT. AAA - ERIC’S OFFICE - DAY
Angela is hanging out with Eric in his office, both of them relaxing after the students have cleared out for the day. They’re sharing sodas in fancy glasses (i.e., what they’re allowed to consume on school property), and Eric is leaning back with his feet up on his desk as they muse.
Angela laments her current situation, definitely feeling torn between two worlds.
Angela: It’s like, all my life, I had one dream. This gig, this draining, paradoxical, invigorating art of performing, that was it for me. All of this from acing an audition to getting a spot on a tour or production, I mean, that was the whole plan, you know? That would fall into place, and the universe would do the rest.
Eric: I hear you, sister. Amen.
Angela: But here I am, finally steps away from the dream. It’s right in front of me. I can taste it. And… I’m holding back. I’m hesitating. How can I be hesitating now?
As Eric points out, there’s a chance her dreams have changed. She certainly has, as has he, and everyone else they know. Hell, look at how much they’ve all grown in just this school year alone.
Eric: Beginning of this year, Jack and I fought about everything.
Angela: Believe me, I remember.
Eric: You and Shawn couldn’t even look at each other, and the school was at war. Quite literally, given everything that conspired after.
Now, all things considered, they’ve found harmony. They’ve found peace, and they’re on their way to almost quelling the last remaining symbol of bad blood. They opened themselves to change, and it turned out to be exactly what they needed.
Eric: Change happens, and it’s scary. But it can be good. You shouldn’t run from it. In fact, it may behoove you to listen to what it’s trying to tell you.
Angela ruminates on this, taking a long sip of her cola. Much to think about.
INT. BABINEAUX HOME - NIGHT
Zay is eating dinner with OMAR BABINEAUX and DONNA BABINEAUX, attempting to find the right time to tell them about the summer program. As Omar wraps up discussing a new development at work, Zay takes a deep breath and gears up to speak. Donna beats him to it, however, suddenly remembering an important news bulletin they meant to share with him.
His older sister Jada was selected for an exclusive study abroad program this summer. She’ll be studying fashion in Milan and Paris, so they’re planning a family vacation there as well to take advantage of the opportunity. It’s an exciting update, but definitely throws a potential wrench into Zay’s quest for Kossal.
Donna: Isn’t that exciting?
Zay: Oh, yeah. Yeah, that’s… I mean, dope.
Omar: What were you going to say, Zay? Looked like you had something on your mind.
Zay: Just that, uh… my grades have really turned around since fall semester. So the tutoring did actually help. That’s all.
He doesn’t push the issue further, allowing his parents to congratulate him and take back control of the conversation. Might as well be a sign… right?
INT. JACK’S APARTMENT - NIGHT
Jack and Shawn are having their traditional dinner. Shawn raises his glass in a toast, cheering on Jack for catching the dumbass who was running the AAAC. Jack takes the praise, but hesitantly. After they both drink, Jack expresses his qualms about how to progress with punishment towards Wyatt.
Shawn shares no such reluctance to be brutal.
Shawn: What do you do when you catch a cold, Jackie?
Jack: Down a pint of Gatorade and hope for the best.
Shawn: [ with an eye roll ] Okay, how about a malignant mole? A tumor? Any sort of cancerous presence?
Jack: Well I’ve been lucky enough not to –
Shawn: You remove it. You cut the thing out so it’s disease can’t spread. It’s that simple.
Jack points out that some might say similar rhetoric about, say… Lucas, to which Shawn scoffs. He claims that they’re completely different situations.
Shawn: Listen, Friar is a mess all his own. I would know. But he isn’t going around using slurs towards other students, or posting increasingly vitriolic hate just to rile people up. There’s a difference.
Jack references the fact that Wyatt claims he’s not the moderator, that there’s another student running it. Shawn blows this off, stating that has to be a lie.
Shawn: [ with his mouth full ] I would know. I used to lie to get out of trouble all the time.
Jack: Once again, you continue to reassure me of your right state of mind to be teaching the youth of tomorrow…
Shawn states that Jack knows what the right decision is, he’s just wallowing in it. And if he won’t do the right thing, then he’ll just take matters into his own hands. Jack knows he’s just shooting the breeze, but he is also like don’t do anything stupid please, I have enough to deal with.
INT. MATTHEWS APARTMENT - NIGHT
That night, it’s just CORY MATTHEWS and Riley there for dinner at the apartment. In the midst of the meal, Cory congratulates her on being selected as representative, and there’s a soft moment between them reflecting on just how far she’s come in a year. He’s so, so proud of her.
She agrees that there is a lot to think about, like what she’s going to wear and who she should bring along. Cory additionally mentions the decision over which song to perform for her audition for the summer program, until Riley expresses that she isn’t planning on auditioning.
Much like Eric, Cory is totally opposed to this notion. He states that she should at least throw her hat in the ring, and it’s even more low stakes for her considering if she doesn’t make it to the district level, she has another plan already in place.
Cory: Other potential conflicts aside, you shouldn’t keep yourself from getting the chance to run the bases by never letting yourself take one swing at bat.
INT. RILEY’S BEDROOM - NIGHT
This sentiment is still lingering with Riley as she gets ready for bed. She hesitates, glancing up at her moodboard to search for inspiration.
It’s drastically different than when it was first made, more intricate and decorated than ever. Lots of little details have been added, including photos of her classmates, playbills from Les Mis, and lots of other little mementos throughout the school year.
She zeroes in on one item in particular – a scrap of notebook paper. It’s the note she and Lucas were passing back in forth in 1.10, during Maya and Farkle’s rendition of “Bop to the Top.” While the majority of it is just a back and forth about how Lucas doesn’t know what the movie is and he thinks Maya and Farkle aren’t that good, the most important statement is the last.
As Riley is defending their performing abilities, he’s followed up with a very bold counterargument: “You’re better.”
It’s evident that is the reason the conversation is hanging up at all. She hangs on this, lightly smiling… wheels are beginning to turn in her head again…
INT. AAA - AUDITORIUM - DAY
Charlie shows up to the auditorium early, finding Zay on the stage exactly as he hoped he would. He’s running through what would have been his audition routine, the vaguely familiar orchestral arrangement from A Chorus Line playing on his iPhone speaker. Charlie hangs back and watches for a moment, in awe of Zay’s obvious skill as always.
Charlie: Looks pretty good.
Zay is surprised by his presence, both because he didn’t realize he was there and because he’s suddenly deeming him worth talking to again. He rushes to turn off his speaker, taking a second to catch his breath. Then he forfeits the stage, saying that he’ll get out of his way if he needs to use it. Charlie rushes to stop him, asking if he’ll give him just half a second to talk.
Zay looks wary, but he doesn’t leave. He crosses his arms, waiting for Charlie to say his piece.
Charlie: I’m sorry I’ve been acting so distant. Ghosting you, and stuff. I don’t have an excuse. I’ve just been… it’s been weird.
Zay: Bit of an understatement.
Charlie: I haven’t exactly felt like myself much, lately. [ a beat, then he laughs ] Honestly, it’s more like I don’t even know what “myself” actually is. Kind of wondering if maybe I ever did.
[ It’s really hard not to empathize with him. Zay is clearly softening. ]
Charlie: Anyway, it’s not a good reason to treat you the way I did. I can’t explain why I did what I did, but I’m genuinely sorry. I never meant to hurt your feelings. And regardless of what’s going on with me, I don’t want to lose you. I mean, someone has to be able to keep up with me around here.
Zay can’t help but chuckle, earning a hopeful smile from Charlie. But the deal isn’t closed yet.
Charlie, sincerely: I understand if you can’t forgive me. I just wanted you to know.
There’s a moment of silence. Charlie may as well be holding his breath. Then, Zay sighs.
Zay: I don’t know what your so-called God has you used to, but I wouldn’t call what you did unforgivable. Or maybe I’m just a gracious deity.
Jokes aside, he’s accepting the apology. Charlie is clearly relieved, laughing in spite of himself and nodding. Zay mirrors his smile, before prodding further on what he mentioned earlier.
Zay: What did you mean by that? Not feeling like yourself?
Charlie: I don’t know. It’s like… do you remember during acoustic week, we talked about your lack of friends?
Zay: Well, I wouldn’t phrase it like that, but yes.
Charlie: It’s… I guess it’s kind of like that. What I talked about, that feeling where you feel like you’re outside yourself. Only… way worse. Like now I’m out there, and I don’t even recognize the person I’m looking at. It doesn’t feel like me anymore. Or maybe it never really was.
Zay can tell that Charlie is seriously struggling with this. Charlie goes on to explain that he was scared that things were changing, but now he doesn’t even know if that’s the case anymore. He isn’t sure if things are changing, or if he’s just becoming aware of how things already are. He can’t figure out which is worse.
Vague cryptic statements aside, Zay states that he’s there to help if he thinks he needs it. Charlie thinks on it, before agreeing that just doing something fun to get his mind off everything might be exactly what he needs.
Charlie: And, well, you’ve always been the expert on that front.
Zay: This we know. I’ll see what I can do.
INT. AAA - HALLWAY - DAY
Riley catches Isadora in the hall, asking if she’s seen Lucas. After she suggests checking the usual places, Riley follows up by asking whether or not Isadora is planning on auditioning for the summer program. Her derisive laugh is enough of a response.
Isadora: Are you kidding me? I’m not trying to insert myself into that bloodbath. Farkle, Maya, and Zay can take it, I’m not aiming to scrap in the last two weeks of school.
A valid analysis of the situation. Even still, Riley makes her focus on her as she states that she truly believes Isadora is good enough to earn herself a spot on her own merit. Then she flutters off, Isadora unable to hold back the ghost of a smile at the touching sentiment.
INT. AAA - PRACTICE ROOM - DAY
Maya and Farkle are in the same practice room where they met for tutoring in 1.03, running through some scales together with the latter on piano. They’re interrupted when KATY HART shows up, nervously poking her head in and clearly not sure if she’s in the right place. Maya eagerly leaps forward to greet her, hugging her and guiding her into the space.
Farkle is surprised, Maya quickly catching them both up to speed. She explains that her mother had never seen the inside of the school before, so she was able to work something out with Jack so that she could come by for lunch and stick around to see her audition. Katy expresses awe over how state-of-the-art the facilities are, Maya walking her through everything in their current room. Farkle watches them, obviously touched by their tight-knit relationship.
As Maya goes into further detail about what their practicing for and the summer program, Katy grows anxious again. She’s uncertain about the financial aspect of it. Farkle jumps in, helpfully stating that the summer program is all-expenses paid. That’s partially why their audition process is so thorough – they want to make sure only the most deserving and talented students are mixing and mingling at this shindig.
Good news, for the Harts at least. Katy brightens again, eagerly requesting to hear a little bit of what they’ve been working on. Maya claims that she’ll get to see the full audition in just a bit, but she pleads for a sneak preview. Farkle raises his eyebrows, wiggling his fingers over the keys to show he’s ready.
Maya relents, gesturing her mother towards the chairs to settle in and listen. Then she exchanges a look with Farkle, nodding to count each other in. She closes her eyes, taking a deep breath. Then, as Farkle hits the first chord…
Song Cue ♫ ♪ “Listen” as performed by Glee Cast  || Performed by Maya Hart
Maya kicks off this brassy display of her vocal talent, true evidence to how hard she’s worked all year. “The Wizard and I” was impressive, but this is a whole new level of ambition. It’s raw with emotion, even more so given the fact that her mother is there to witness. She smiles at her as she sings, obviously one of her greatest sources of inspiration.
INT. AAA - AUDITORIUM - DAY
As the performance continues, it shifts to Maya center stage performing for Angela, Shawn, Jack, and Eric. A large crop of her classmates are there to cheer her on as well – Farkle, Zay, Charlie, Riley, Isadora, Darby, Sarah, etc. How nice it is, seeing the divas show up to support one another rather than tear each other down…
As she finishes, her classmates burst into resounding applause. Angela, grinning, thanks her. Katy wipes a couple of tears. Maya can’t stop smiling, nodding gratefully with the spotlight shining all around her.
EXT. AAA - LUNCH COURTYARD - DAY
Lucas and Isadora are at lunch, the latter rattling off what she thinks her summer plans are going to be with this short film idea that came to her during first period. She’s already got storyboards going in a notebook.
Lucas isn’t listening. He’s distracted, watching the other goobs in his techie crew throw food at each other and crack up and live their generally silly existences. Isadora realizes he’s a million miles away and snaps him out of it, asking him if he heard a word she said.
Lucas: Please. Of course I did.
Isadora: Right. So what was I thinking was going to be the climactic plot twist that makes the entire short and dare I say rivals Alfred Hitchcock?
Lucas: You know I don’t understand that reference.
Isadora, bluntly: You really should. Well?
Lucas: … okay. Okay! I wasn’t listening. You caught me, congratulations. You’re Sherlock of the month.
Isadora makes an offhand comment about how she doesn’t see why she bothers to open her mouth, but Lucas is already zoning out again. It’s clear that the decision of McCullough is all he can think about, so he ventures the topic – albeit vaguely – with his most trusted source.
Lucas: Can I ask you a question?
Isadora: Was that not just a question?
Lucas, deadpan: You’re fucking hilarious, seriously.
Isadora: [ with a smirk ] I know. Anyway, go on.
Lucas finds a way of twisting the decision to leave into a thinly veiled alternative scenario, almost like… a scientific hypothetical. Something she would inherently understand.
Isadora: You realize that most often supposed “hypotheticals” are in fact very real situations that one is simply posing as a hypothetical –
He waves her off, going with the ruse anyway. He lays it all down before asking for her advice as to how she would proceed to make the most effective choice. She plainly states that she would make a list of pros and cons to each outcome. From there, it’s far simpler to deduce the best method moving forward.
Lucas absorbs this, nodding along and thanking her. Then she continues on with her film sketch, but he’s already checked out again. Already mentally crafting his list…
INT. AAA - GIRLS DRESSING ROOM - DAY
Sarah and Darby are in the dressing room with Chai, hanging out before class resumes. As Darby touches up her makeup, the three of them discuss whether or not they’re auditioning. Sarah complains it’s not really worth trying either way, and Chai concurs. But she blithely states she wasn’t planning on auditioning anyway. In fact, she won’t be returning next year, either.
Darby: [ whipping around and smearing mascara on her cheek ] Oh my God, WHY?
Chai: Relax, Darbs. It’s not goodbye forever. I was able to work out a study abroad sort of situation with Principal Hunter given that I’ll be spending the year in London.
Sarah: London? Where the hell did that come from?
Chai: Well, papa’s still attempting to win over me and mom after getting caught with his pants down with the secretary in our parlor –
Darby, sadly: It’s always the parlor… I’m so glad we don’t have one.
Chai: So he’s paying for me to spend the year across the pond. And it’s like what, am I gonna say no? I can hate his guts and spend his money, thank you very much. I’ll be studying the dramatic arts in the birthplace of Shakespeare, Andrew Lloyd Webber, wandering the West End…
Certainly a not-too-shabby alternative to AAA for a year, that’s for sure. Their conversation is interrupted as Riley enters to drop her things, Darby cheerfully posing the same question to her. Despite her former hesitation, Riley admits that she’s been considering it more and more. Sarah scoffs, asking her if she thinks she stands a chance against the divas. Riley shrugs and states that even if she doesn’t, that’s not a good enough reason to sit it out entirely.  
Chai applauds her confidence, but manages to underhandedly point out that it will give her yet another opportunity to publicly fumble like she did all the time at the start of the year. Sarah laughs along and Darby can’t help but giggle, although her expression is more apologetic.
Riley takes the hit, wishing all of them well with their own endeavors and keeping her chin up before heading out to the auditorium. Chai watches her go, but the expression on her face isn’t resentment. In some ways, it seems closer to envy.
Darby: Hm. Maybe I’ll audition, too.
Sarah: Yeah, uh-huh. I’ll believe it when I see it.
INT. AAA - TEACHER’S LOUNGE - DAY
Jack manages to catch Angela in the teacher’s lounge, brewing a thermos of coffee before she’s due back in the auditorium. He requests a moment to chat with her if she can spare it, which she happily does. The two of them settle in at a round table.
Jack poses the Wyatt problem, giving as much context as possible before asking Angela what she would do in his shoes. He notes the perspective he’s already gotten from Shawn. Angela grants that she isn’t surprised at all that he had that response, but is reluctant to provide her own.
Angela: I don’t know if you want to ask me. I can hardly make my own choices.
Jack: I just want to know your thoughts. Honestly.
Angela hesitates. She explains that she knows what Wyatt did was irrevocably wrong, from the despicable words to Isadora all the way through to the involvement with the confessions page and his targeted derision towards Lucas. It’s bullying in all its varied forms, and it shouldn’t be tolerated. Even still… she expresses hesitation at ousting him so harshly and hastily.
When Jack prods further, Angela points out that Wyatt is still one of her students. He’s making dozens of poor choices, she can concede that, and he deserves to be punished. But she’s also seen him in his brighter moments, instances of participation and camaraderie and learning. That exists in him just as much as the nastiness. As Jack has said himself, it’s never simply black and white, especially with adolescents who have so much growing to do.
For Angela, it just seems a little cruel to kick him out with so little time left in the school year. But she’s a softie, she claims, so what does she know? Maybe that’s not the best advice. Especially if he intends to leave an impression to deter others from exhibiting the same behavior. Jack thanks her regardless, insisting that her feedback was helpful.
Jack, softly: If you do decide to leave us this year as well, you will be sorely missed. I can promise you that.
Ouchie. Angela nods, suddenly a little more somber than before as Jack leaves her to it.
EXT. NEW YORK STREETS - DAY
Charlie is out with Zay, the two of them walking side by side as they make their way through the streets while keeping up a conversation. Zay refuses to tell him where they’re headed. Charlie is nervous, but also clearly excited. Invigorated with that infectious energy he gets from being around Zay Babineaux.
Zay declares they’ve made it, turning the corner. Curious, Charlie jogs to keep up.
EXT. NEW YORK STREETS - DANCE LOT - DAY
Zay has dragged them to a back alley park, the empty lot transforming into a break dance spot in the after school hours. A group of a couple dozen or so students is assembled, both older and younger than them. It’s sort of an impromptu crew, coming here after school to jam and challenge each other and just groove together. Most of them are also quite similar to Zay in displaying confidence in their unique sense of style – and come off pretty distinctly queer.
Charlie is more than intimated. He states he can’t do this before whipping around and trying to leave, but Zay grabs his shoulders and pulls him back. He braces him, going on to explain that as long as they’ve been friends – hell, even just classmates – Charlie has always seemed most centered when he’s dancing. These people, they’re the exact same, in fact they’re the experts at using it for self-expression. Zay is positive Charlie has never experienced dancing with freedom quite like this.
There’s a moment where it seems like maybe he’s being convinced… but no. He’s still scared. He tries to run again but is thwarted when one of the older, more respected members of the crew greets Zay and calls them over. Nowhere to hide, Charlie sheepishly follows Zay as he bounces over to greet his acquaintance.
Zay eagerly introduces Charlie, nudging him into standing straighter and not shying away from the moment. The assembled dancers sort of swarm and welcome him warmly, asking him what kind of dancing he’s into and if he thinks he can keep up. After a little bit of banter, let the dancing jam session begin!
Song Cue ♫ ♪ “Step Up” as performed by Samantha Jade  || Instrumental
Yes, it’s the title track from Step Up. Yes, this entire sequence sort of feels like it’s ripped straight out of a Step Up movie. But that’s all part of the fun, and watching the teenagers all groove together and encourage each other is engaging to watch. The dancing is fresh, enthusiastic, clearly important to every single one of the kids assembled there.
Charlie is no exception. It takes a little while him to loosen up, the other dancers showing him new moves or helping him get comfortable. But true to Zay’s word, once he relaxes it’s like he transforms – he’s a completely different person. In his element, grounded, alive.
When the bridge hits (“And when the symphony plays, I feel my feet / Lifting from underneath”), focus zeroes in on just Zay and Charlie. In an instant they’re pulled together, and suddenly they’re dancing more with one another than we’ve seen thus far. Sure, they’ve done duets before, but never have they experimented with a dance that really includes the other.
But it’s good. Really good. And it seems pretty natural for the both of them to work out. As the bridge descends back into the chorus, they blend back with the rest of the crew and end out the jam session. Afterwards, the crew applauds, pulling Charlie into the group and giving him pats on the back. A new source of family, maybe…
His smile is impressively bright. Zay mirrors it. It’s impossible not to.
INT. AAA - SHAWN’S APARTMENT - NIGHT
Angela and Shawn are at his apartment, having just finished up watching a movie. Well, sort of watching a movie, sort of on the road to Netflix and chilling.
After breaking a kiss, Angela tentatively broaches the topic of what will happen for the two of them if she decides to go on tour. Shawn bristles a bit, claiming that she’s decided then. She disputes this, stating that she’s far from having decided anything in an attempt to keep the situation from imploding. But Shawn has already pulled away, getting to his feet and busying himself by turning off the TV and hitting the lights.
Angela: Shawn, would you listen to me? I haven’t made a choice. I’m just… I’m trying to figure out my plan.
Shawn: You can’t make plans until after you’ve made the decision! [ off her expression ] You’re avoiding it because you don’t want to choose. You want there to be an easy out, but there’s not. You have to decide.
After a little more back and forth, Shawn points out that this is starting to feel eerily like the conversations they had right before the last time things ended badly between them. Angela frowns, stating that it’s different this time. They’re different.
But Shawn has already been emotionally spooked. He asks if he can be alone for a bit, retreating to the bedroom and leaving her alone to stew in it. Angela groans, flopping back on the couch and covering her face.
Weird, how not making a decision can almost make things worse…
INT. CHUBBIE’S DINER - NIGHT
Charlie and Zay are getting a late dinner at Chubbie’s, a credit in part to Charlie’s growth considering plenty of people can see them there who know them. But they’re friends, after all, so what does he have to hide? Just dancing pals.
He thanks Zay for taking him to the lot, stating that while he’s not entirely upright again, he does feel better. Zay is happy to have helped. When the two of them reach for the plate of fries at the same time, there’s a moment where their hands brush together and that tension returns between them again. Zay glances at Charlie, who is staring at their hands.
Then, Charlie proceeds for the fry as normal. Not commenting on the moment, but not immediately shying away from it either.
As he pops the fry into his mouth, he asks Zay what his plan for the summer program is. The number he was working on in the auditorium seemed pretty legit. Zay shrugs it off, claiming he’s not doing the audition. Charlie nearly chokes on his fries.
Zay: Jesus, man. [ sliding his water across the table in case he needs it ] If you survived the scary dancing pit, don’t let a stray potato take you out.
Charlie: What do you mean you’re not auditioning?
Zay: It’s no biggie. My family has this whole summer plan already, and I don’t want to mess with it. Not to mention the Farkle and Maya of it all, who knows what they might do if someone presents even a shred of competition –
Charlie, incredulously: I can’t believe I’m hearing this right now. You need to audition. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and you’re too good to pass it up.
Zay: Um, could say the same to you.
Charlie: Yeah, thanks, but I’ve got enough going on internally without adding a stressful audition into the mix. Think you can admit to that.
Zay: Yes, you certainly are a bit of a basketcase at the moment…
Case in point, Zay needs to do this. Charlie won’t hear anything else, and he’s sure his family will understand. He at least needs to try. Zay contemplates this – the notion of actually giving it a shot as well as Charlie getting fired up on his behalf – before eating another fry.
INT. AAA - BOYS DRESSING ROOM - DAY
Farkle is gearing up for his audition, doing vocal warm-ups and mouth stretches in the mirror. Yogi and Dave are also present, shooting the breeze and poking fun at Farkle’s pre-show rituals. Dave shares that he heard Riley might be auditioning too, which freaks out Farkle. He wasn’t expecting more than the three of them to audition, and suddenly the calm of this whole situation feels precarious.
Maya pokes her head in, checking for Farkle and telling him they’re ready. Yogi and Dave tell him to break a leg, but he ignores them as he marches out of the dressing room.
INT. AAA - AUDITORIUM - DAY
Farkle and Maya make their way into the wings, the spotlight gleaming on stage and waiting for him. He stands apprehensively in the shadow of the curtains, suddenly prickling with stage fright he’s never really experienced before.
Maya gives him a bracing pat on the shoulder, pulling him out of his own head. She jostles him a bit, giving him a smirk and assuring him that he’s got this.
Wow, how nice it is to have friends instead of adversaries. Farkle nods, exhaling through his lips and regaining his performance mojo.
Song Cue ♫ ♪ “Not the Boy Next Door” as performed by Glee Cast  || Performed by Farkle Minkus
The instrumental precedes him, setting us up for a jaunty, energetic solo as Farkle marches his way onto the stage. It’s an enthusiastic and skillful performance, delivering all of the star power and talent that he’s been serving since “Man About Town” but leaner, looser, more an expression of heart rather than a strangled declaration of perfectionism.
More than anything, it’s clear he’s having fun, which can’t be said for every performance he’s given over the course of the year. He totally loses himself in the number, spurred on by the encouraging cheers from his classmates who came out to see him – notably Maya and Riley, amongst scattered other performers.
He’s out of breath when he belts out the final note, but boy, did he make an impression. Angela thanks him proudly, the rest of the judges smiling as well.
INT. AAA - TECHNICIAN’S BOOTH - DAY
Lucas is alone in the booth, in his usual chair. He’s got his pros and cons list in a small notebook, tapping his pen against it as he contemplates it. Presently, there’s a couple more cons than pros.
He raises his gaze to look at the booth around him. Much like the moment that gripped Angela in the black box, Lucas becomes acutely aware of the fact that he may never be back in this space after the school year is done. It’s oddly surreal. His pen starts tapping faster out of instinct.
He’s broken out of his fugue when Riley pops in, knocking lightly before stepping inside.
Riley: I hope I’m not intruding.
Lucas: No, uh, no. It’s fine. You’re fine. What’s up?
Riley can tell he’s not quite himself, but she chooses to brush past it for now. She’s a bit nervous herself, given what she’s there to talk to him about. After a bit of beating around the bush – a pointed eyebrow raises from Lucas to make it evident he knows she’s beating around the bush – Riley works up the courage to ask him to be her date to the Jacobs gala.
Before he can respond, she launches into a frantic ramble explaining exactly what it is and what he’d be expected to do. Lucas does his best to absorb her words at warp speed, obviously stunned she considered to ask him at all.
Riley: [ following her breathless explanation ] Essentially, it’s just a fanciful folly for the arts, but apparently I’m good enough to represent. And I’m supposed to bring a plus one, and I’ve been giving it a lot of thought, and I just keep… I figured it might be nice to have a technician there as well. I couldn’t think of another person better suited for the job.
Lucas: … wow.
Lucas, still slow from the shock, admits that he’s flattered. And he concurs that her reasoning makes sense, bringing a technician along and all that. Riley nods along, chewing her lip and twisting her fingers together.
Lucas: But uh… no.
Riley: No. [ blinking ] No?
Ouch. Lucas presses his lips together, managing a shake of his head. Suddenly, the booth feels a million times more claustrophobic. As Riley tries to digest this turn of events, Lucas scrambles to provide an explanation of his own.
Lucas: Again, I really appreciate you considering me. But it seems like a pretty important thing for the school, or whatever, and a whole glamorous to-do. I just think that there’s a lot riding on you, here, and you should present yourself accordingly. Pick someone more… fitting to the role.
Riley: [ timidly ] What if I think you fit the role?
Well, hard to argue with that. Yet somehow, Lucas finds a way, still declining the invitation although with less certainty the second time around.
Riley is stung, stumbling out a few assurances of “cool” and “sure.” Lucas is apologetic, seemingly genuinely so, but at present Riley just needs to escape. She makes an excuse and darts out of there, Lucas watching her go. There’s a moment where it looks like he might go after her, but it passes without action.
Instead, Lucas sighs and pulls his notebook back onto his lap. He stares at his lists, grabbing his pen and adding Riley to the bottom of it. It’s in the middle of the page, not clear at all which column she falls under.
INT. BABINEAUX HOME - NIGHT
As Donna prepares for dinner and Omar chats with her from the table with his work, Zay barrels into the room and declares that he has something to tell them. He doesn’t give them the chance to react as he claims he wants to audition for the Kossal summer program, rattling off what it is and why he wants to do it. He states that he wants to go on the summer trip and this may not even work out, but the chance feels too important to ignore and really important to him.
When he finishes, he’s out of breath. He stares at his parents, wide-eyed, waiting for their reaction. Unsurprisingly they are more than supportive, telling him to go for it and show everyone at that school why he is the best they’ve got. The rest, they’ll figure out later. Zay exhales in relief and hugs his mom, earning a laugh from her.
INT. BABINEAUX HOME - ZAY’S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Zay retreats to his bedroom, obviously in far better spirits than earlier in the week. He crafts a message to Charlie, before deciding that’s not enough. He pulls up his contact, dialing his number instead.
INT. GARDNER HOME - CHARLIE’S BEDROOM - NIGHT
Charlie sees Zay light up his phone, grabbing it and escaping out to his balcony. He answers on the fourth ring, not keeping him hanging.
Zay tells him what his parents said, and that he’s going to audition. Charlie congratulates him, claiming that he knew it would all work out.
Zay: How is it when I always think I’ve got the one-up on you, you repay the favor before I even realize it?
Charlie, charmed: Well, I have to be the expert at something in this relationship.
Zay hangs on his acknowledgement of their friendship as a “relationship,” before pushing past it. He repeats the sentiment that his parents said about proving that he is the best AAA has, and Charlie seconds it without hesitation.
Song Cue ♫ ♪ “The Music and the Mirror” as performed by A Chorus Line Original Cast || Performed by Zay Babineaux
INT. AAA - AUDITORIUM - DAY
Starting from the opening piano tinkles, focus is solely with Zay on the stage. As much an honorary diva as he is, he’s more so a team player than anything else, so this ownership of center stage feels long overdue.
And boy, is it worth the wait. Zay absolutely destroys the classic triple-threat number, singing the hell out of it and then proceeding to dance the hell out of it. It’s four minutes dedicated to giving the star our undisputed attention, and it feels more earned than words can describe.
As the dance unfolds in the second half, focus cuts to some of the friends who have come to see him audition. Nearly the entire class is there considering how popular he is, all in awe of his dancing ability as they should be. Charlie looks prouder than ever. Riley is basically jumping out of her seat from excitement. That’s her first friend!
The judges are deeply impressed, and seemingly grateful at their current three auditionees there’s not actually a decision to make. Farkle seems less relieved, starting to get a little bit antsy as they applaud Zay and he gives a confident bow.
INT. LAW OFFICE - DAY
Riley visits her mother at work, distinctly out of place in the high intensity and strait-laced setting of the law office with her thrift store tee and flare jeans and propensity for knocking things over. It’s a relief when TOPANGA LAWRENCE emerges from her office and happily gestures her in, freeing her from the scrutinizing gaze of her colleagues at the front.
INT. TOPANGA’S OFFICE - DAY
Topanga and Riley catch up as they settle in, Riley primly sitting in the large leather chair opposite her mother’s desk. When prompted on how school is going, Riley offhandedly explains all of the stuff going on at school with things winding down to summer. When Topanga gets wind of the summer program, she comments what a wonderful opportunity that sounds like and questions whether Riley is going to audition.
Riley admits that she was thinking about it, but has sort of decided she’s not going to. Topanga totally turns the usual argument on its head, wondering why Riley would ever hesitate when she’s so gifted but more so curious as to why she’d neglect such a great opportunity when they’re certainly forking over a chunk of change for her to attend the school in the first place. A fair point, but not the most empathetic approach.
It’s encouragement in its most aggravating form. Rather than motivating Riley it almost completely turns her off to the whole thing. Although she states she’ll continue to consider it, her expression makes that statement difficult to buy. Tough day for Miss Matthews…
INT. AAA - AUDITORIUM - DAY
Class is assembled before first bell, discussing all the auditionees so far and how nothing has been much of a surprise. Wyatt is cleverly keeping his mouth shut giving he’s on probation, but somehow his classmates manage to pull some commentary out of him.
When he says something harsh towards Zay’s performance Charlie starts to refute but Lucas beats him to it, firing back with a dig at Wyatt that makes most of the assorted group chuckle but also wince. Pissed at being ridiculed by him once again, Wyatt serves up a harsh reality check of his own.
Wyatt: At least we know if there was a competition for which one of them to get rid of, there’d be a unanimous decision across the board.
The message is clear enough. Isadora jumps in and tells Wyatt to fuck off, but Lucas is less reactive. In fact, he’s totally blithe when he says something offhand in response, alluding to the fact that Wyatt might very well get his wish.
He gets up, retreating to the booth and leaving an uncomfortable and uncertain quiet in his place. The situation feels serious, but none of them have any clue why…
INT. AAA - BLACK BOX THEATER - DAY
Angela is still grappling with her own indecision, alone in her classroom. Only this time, Shawn isn’t there with coffee and a warm gesture to rescue her.
She checks her phone, revealing a couple of messages sent to him that have gone unanswered. Frustrated, running out of time, and as uncertain as ever, Angela shuts off her phone and jumps to her feet. Unable to sit still any longer.
Song Cue ♫ ♪ “Should I Stay Or Should I Go?” as performed by Jools Holland & Kylie Minogue || Performed by Angela Moore
Launching into this anthem for indecision, Angela dances around her classroom as she lets out her aggravation. It’s refreshing to get another track with our favorite performance coach showing off why she’s been offered a touring position in the first place. The vocals are top notch, but the emotion behind them is what really sells the rendition.
As she continues to sing, she makes her way out into the halls…
INT. AAA - AUDITORIUM - DAY
In the following montage, Angela’s singing underscores both she and Lucas going through their day as they continue to balance their decisions. Whereas Angela is more about chewing up the scenery and expressing reluctance to leave, Lucas is observing the things about the school he enjoys (his fellow technicians, the booth, the occasional moments where the performers are entertaining) along with all the things he hates (the drama, the stupidity, the incessant singing). With every beat, he makes a little note in his list when no one is paying attention.
Angela finishes off the montage at center stage, dipping her head back and absorbing the spotlight. Exasperated, but evidently no more at home than when she’s performing. It does truly feel like an impossible decision.
Then, she closes up for the night, clicking off all the lights and shrouding the place in darkness.
EXT. OUTDOOR HIDEOUT - DAY
The montage concludes for Lucas somewhere just out of the city, more wilderness than we’ve seen yet. He’s seated on the hood of Dylan’s jeep which is parked in the clearing just beyond the trees, sort of a natural hideaway that the three of frequent somewhat often. Asher and Dylan focus on setting up something further into the space, leaving Lucas alone.
He’s got his list again, distracted by it rather than the task at hand. Asher jogs over with Dylan on his heels, the two of them questioning why he’s been out of it this week and why he’s waiting up. Dylan holds up a bottle rocket impatiently.
Dylan: Come on. We know you like to have first light.
Idiotic antics aside, Asher observes Lucas for a moment before wondering if he knows that if something major were going on, he could talk to them about it.
Asher: Whatever’s going on, you know you could talk to us about it, right? [ off Dylan’s nod of agreement ] I mean, no guarantee that we’d have good advice –
Dylan: [ with a snort ] Definitely not.
Asher: But we’d listen. We got your back. You know?
Lucas examines the two of them – his truest lieutenants – and just takes them in for a long moment. It’s difficult to imagine what his day-to-day would be like without them in it.
He assures them he’s aware, then tells them not to worry about it. He directs them to go finish setting up the rocket, to which Dylan cheers and sprints back over. After they’ve gone far enough away, Lucas takes a moment to add their names on the pros side of the list as a totally separate entity from the rest of the techies.
With that, he officially comes out to an even tally – no clear decision. All that remains in flux is Riley, now having been underlined and with a couple of question marks. This indecision’s killing me…
INT. AAA - ERIC’S OFFICE - DAY
Jack stops by Eric’s office, surprising him given they rarely have cordial friendly chats with one another. He attempts to play it casual at first, commenting on how lovely the auditions have been so far. Since only three have auditioned, guess their job is pretty simple, huh?
Eric: Yeah, for sure. And why are you here again?
Jack: What? I can’t come by to have a chat with my best counselor?
Eric: I’m your only counselor.
Jack: And?
Eric gives him a look, breaking his facade. Jack relents, easing further into the room to settle into the chair opposite his desk. He gets into his qualm with Wyatt once again, especially now that Shawn and Angela have given him opposing advice.
He still feels stuck. He wants to make the best choice as an administrator, but he also knows that teenagers are stupid. They’re ignorant. They make mistakes. He’s seen that shift firsthand all year long, in just about every single one of their students. But he doesn’t want this behavior to continue either…
Eric empathizes, giving Jack what he’s been wanting to hear this entire time which is simply that there isn’t a right or easy decision. He just has to go with his gut. Considering he’s an excellent educator, Eric has little doubt that he will make the best one.
Jack appreciates the sentiment, but still isn’t convinced. He asks Eric what he would do in his position, seeking counsel from him seeing as that’s presumably his job title and all that.
After a beat of contemplation, Eric states that he thinks he would ask Wyatt to leave. Not because he’s irredeemable, but because they have to think about what is best for the collective. Regardless of how they feel about individual students, what always matters most is how all of them can best proceed. Isn’t that true?
Jack takes this to heart, genuinely grateful for the help. Eric accepts his gratitude, offering him an encouraging smile.
INT. AAA - AUDITORIUM - DAY
Lucas is seated on the edge of the stage, one leg dangling off the side as he painstakingly wraps microphone cables. Riley makes her way in from the audience entrance, hoping to find Isadora and stumbling into him instead. Their staging mirrors their face off at the end of 1.03, now with Riley standing in the aisles and looking up at him on the stage.
They’re a bit awkward with one another as she asks whether he’s seen Isadora, given how recent his rejection of her was. He claims he doesn’t know, curiously wondering why she’s trying to find her. Riley expresses that she wanted to ask her about the audition, letting it slip that she has almost effectively decided she’s not going to do it.
Lucas is shocked, coming off more miffed than he intends to. He questions if she’s serious, not believing there’s a world in which she’s not auditioning. Riley stammers into an explanation, Lucas remaining unimpressed as she lists all the factors that have stacked against her in the past week. He claims none of that matters.
Lucas: This is just you stepping back into the shadows because suddenly overwhelming factors have come into play. You’re really just going to go back to how things were? As if you’ve learned nothing?
Riley: [ scoffing ] Are you really about to give me this lecture right now?
[ Lucas rolls his eyes, diverting his attention back to his cables. But Riley isn’t finished, storming closer to the stage. ]
Riley: So what, you just want me to rock the boat for the sake of rocking the boat? You want me to just do whatever my mother says I should?
Lucas: This isn’t about your mom. And this isn’t about rebellion either. This is about you, and the fact that you are too damn talented to be stepping out of the spotlight just because other people want it. Just because someone else wants what you have doesn’t mean you have to give it up.
Choice words, and not a bad point. Riley absorbs this, crossing her arms and looking at her feet. Lucas gazes at her for a long moment, twisting the microphone cable in his fingers.
Lucas, calmer: Earlier this year, someone told me that if something is important to you then you go out and do it. No matter what anyone else tells you to do or how to be. You stand up for yourself.
Lucas gets to his feet, placing the microphone in the box with the rest and snapping the lid shut. He hops off the lip of the stage, passing her to head back towards the technician’s booth. But he hesitates once he’s passed her.
Lucas: Are you really going to go back to hiding in the chorus line?
He doesn’t give her the chance to respond, marching towards the back of the auditorium. Riley looks over her shoulder and watches him go, obviously torn up all over again. For what it’s worth, what she wants suddenly seems less muddled than before…
INT. AAA - HALLWAY - DAY
Thus, march onward Riley does. She approaches the audition list, hesitating before officially adding a fourth name to the roster. All the sudden, there’s actual stakes to this game. As she writes her name, a voiceover of her introducing herself before her audition pre-laps…
INT. AAA - AUDITORIUM - DAY
Riley is alone center stage, spotlight shining on her. She’s squinting to attempt and see Eric, Angela, any of them – but it’s like they’re not there at all. Basically the entire class has showed up in the seats, wanting to see how a non-diva contender plans to throw down with such a bold move against the status quo.
Angela grants Riley permission to begin whenever she’s ready. Her fingers are shaking as she holds the microphone stand. She closes her eyes, taking a deep breath and grounding herself.
Song Cue ♫ ♪ “She Used to Be Mine” as performed by Sara Bareilles || Performed by Riley Matthews
If there’s a pivotal example of how much a performer can blossom in the span of a year, then this performance would be it. Although she starts out timid, Riley delivers an impassioned and powerful rendition of the Broadway belter, obviously channeling all of her emotion and passion into it like never before. It’s stunning, breathtaking, the kind of game-changer that throws this entire competition into a toss-up.
It’s a testament to how far she’s come that nearly the entire class seems impressed. They’re supportive too, smiling and nodding as she decimates the number. Isadora is smug on her behalf, glancing to the other techies proudly. Even Farkle is playing nice, although he’s starting to get a little twitchy…
INT. AAA - TECHNICIAN’S BOOTH - DAY
As she rounds out the number, focus draws to Lucas in the booth. He’s totally captivated, although not that surprised – he’s the one who told her she had it in her, after all.
Still, there’s a contemplative edge to his expression. Trying to figure her out, wondering if he could actually walk away from her…
INT. AAA - HALLWAY - DAY
Inspired by Riley’s bold move, suddenly the audition list is swimming in the names of other hopeful auditionees. Farkle is staring at it, trying extremely hard to keep his cool and not freak out over the increasing loss of control.
Maya joins him, poking her chin over his shoulder and eyeing it as well before stating that he can’t keep watching it like this. Yet the two of them stare transfixed for a second longer, Maya physically having to turn them both away from it to break the trance.
She gives a pep talk, stating that they both gave kickass performances and all there is left to do is let the deliberation speak for itself. When Farkle doesn’t seem convinced, she tells him she’s getting him away from it. They’re getting out of there – they’re playing hooky. Now there’s a way to get the attention of a goody-two-shoes academic.
Farkle: Um? I’ve never missed a day of class in my sixteen years.
Maya: Aw, so honored to be your first time! Let’s go.
She grabs his hand, yanking him down the hall.
EXT. NEW YORK STREETS - DAY
Launching into their day of freedom, Maya and Farkle are meandering their way about town. They’re window shopping in the fashion district, sipping fancy coffee drinks and trying to find their zen – Farkle’s is pointedly marked decaf.
As they chat, they somehow gets on the subject of the local theater scene and the hangouts for up and coming performers. Farkle claims that his parents have membership at this elite club lounge where a lot of Broadway performers congregate and rehearse.
Maya: What’s it called?
Farkle: Emerald City, I think.
Maya: [ stopping cold ] WHAT?
Farkle: I know, feels a little on the nose, but –
Maya grabs him by the shirt collar, yanking him towards her and causing him to drop his drink. She’s got a frenzied gleam in her eyes.
Farkle: I was drinking that!
Maya: You have access to the Emerald City lounge? Where the future stars of Broadway mix and mingle? Where it’s rumored Carly Rae Jepsen snuck her way in and was able to get her stint as Cinderella? How have you never told me this?
Farkle: Ow, unclaw me, please! [ as she does so ] I don’t know, it never came up. I’ve always wanted to go, but I didn’t want to go alone. And to be fair, we weren’t exactly chummy for me to be sharing these things.
Maya: I know, I’m surprised you weren’t just bragging incessantly about it. And listen, had you mentioned this sooner? We would’ve been friends ages ago.
Farkle gives her a look, Maya nudging him playfully before insisting they have to go. If the only reason he’s never gone is because he didn’t want to go stag, well, that problem is now solved.
She starts to drag him down the street but he gets her to slow down, first thanking her for getting him out of that school and out of his own head. He truly needed it, and he’s grateful for it – and her. Maya grins, shrugging it off like it’s nothing.
Song Cue ♫ ♪ “One Short Day” as performed by Wicked Original Broadway Cast || Performed by Maya Hart & Farkle Minkus
As the jaunty and uplifting descent into glamourous kicks off, Maya and Farkle dance their way through the streets together as only two divas in paradise can. It’s endearing and comfortable, such a far cry from “What Is This Feeling?” in 1.03. It also doesn’t paint NYC in such a bad light either. In fact, it’s pretty damn beautiful.
On the beat where Glinda tells Elphaba they’re going to be late for “Wiz-a-mania,” Farkle gets caught up checking his phone. People are posting on their own accounts about how auditions are going, and the competition seems to be getting thicker and thicker. But Maya pulls him out of it, yanking him down the stairwell to the hidden depths of Emerald City.
INT. AAA - AUDITORIUM - DAY
As Farkle and Maya enter the depths of the working performers, a montage ensues of the rest of the sophomore class performing their auditions.
INT. EMERALD CITY LOUNGE - DAY
An eclectic, shimmering testament to Broadway and those struggling to work in it, Emerald City is somewhere between a bar lounge and a dressing room. Maya and Farkle watch in awe as working actors and dancers buzz around them, before inevitably pulling them into the dance. Because it’s television, and musical television, and we can do what we want.
After the very necessary and super cute kick line, Maya and Farkle come back together to share their moment on the lyrics “and then just like now we can say…” Farkle states that they’re “two good friends,” before Maya takes his hand and holds their joined fingers up between them. “Two best friends.”
Then the professionals pull them back into the number, rounding out the number with a flourish. What a way to spend a school day!
INT. AAA - TECHNICIAN’S BOOTH - NIGHT
Lucas is back in the booth, although not in his usual chair. A little further into the booth, a panel has popped out of the wall and leaned against the electrical cabinet. And it’s the basic crawl space of an alcove that is revealed behind it where Lucas has built his hideaway, the place he sleeps when he’s avoiding going home. It’s not much, but it’s the coziest space he’s ever known.
This is where he is now, cooped up and regarding his full list. Cons include the horrible competitive environment, all the performers, the constant singing, etc. The pros, however, are strong and difficult to ignore – Isadora at the top and underlined, the techies, Mister Shawn, Principal Hunter (someone has to keep his life interesting), Dylan and Asher…
And yet, the tally comes to an even draw. All save for Riley at the bottom, somehow having become the deciding factor.
The booth door opening scares Lucas out of his melancholy. He scrambles to get up and start frantically attempt to hide everything away, when Isadora appears around the other side of the electrical cabinet. She tells him to relax, he doesn’t have to pack away his whole set-up. Also, she brought dinner. Lucas tries to act indifferent about her discovering his shelter, but she truly isn’t all that impressed.
Isadora: You really thought I didn’t know about all that? It’s not hard to deduce. You hate being at home. You’re always in here, and you’re always here first thing in the morning, which I know isn’t plausible otherwise because you’re not a morning person.
Lucas: Well, when you put it that way. [ a beat, softer ] Forget you’re a genius, sometimes.
Isadora: [ with a shrug ] You’re my best friend. It’s not that hard to figure you out.
He sits back down in his alcove, Isadora settling down across from him. She asks how his “hypothetical” is going. He defensively wonders if she’s figured that all out too, which she admits she has not. But she claims that if it were truly important, she knows he would tell her.
In this case, far from the truth. There’s a reason he’s avoided telling her what’s going on outright – he can’t imagine how she would take the news that he may be leaving for good. He explains that he’s hit a dead end and doesn’t know how to move forward. He’s done the pros and cons like she said, but he’s torn on this last factor that might tip the scales in either direction.
Isadora: First things first, is it an important factor? If it’s extraneous, then you shouldn’t even bother with it.
Lucas: … yes. Yeah, it is. How do I determine where it falls?
Isadora: Well, if this were an actual scientific theory, your next step would be to draft an experiment. Decide what you want your hypothesis to be – which outcome you want it to be, unless we’re talking null hypothesis – and then find a way to test whether or not it’s true. That’s what any good scientist would do. Basic scientific method.
Lucas takes this in, already puzzling over how to accomplish such a thing. Isadora distracts him by tossing food at him, commanding him to eat. He relents, digging in with her.
INT. ANGELA’S APARTMENT - NIGHT
Angela is typing out an email to the touring company, effectively making her decision. From the looks of it, it seems as though she’s going to decline the offer. She’s interrupted when there’s a knock at her door.
Shawn is on the other side, holding a bouquet of flowers and ansty with earnest. Angela starts to question what he’s doing but he cuts her off, stepping in past her and launching into a poem from the book she gave him. The thematics are essentially well-matched to their current situation, and Angela can’t help but giggle in a what are you doing sort of fashion.
When Shawn finishes the recitation, he puts the flowers on the table and takes her arms. He’s breathless with nerves, but clearly wants her to hear him.
Shawn: I’ve changed a lot since the last time we had these conversations. I have, but I sure wasn’t acting like it. I’m sorry about the way I reacted, and I don’t care if you want to pursue this thing. In fact, I’m proud of you, and I want you to, if that’s what you want. And if it means another few years apart, then so be it. We came back to each other once.
Angela doesn’t even know what to say. She doesn’t know how to convey that she was going to decline the offer, or if she even still should with this turn of events. Thankfully, she’s saved by the bell, in this case her cell phone ringing. He steps back and allows her to pick it up.
As she engages with the call, we can tell that the news is shocking. Shawn tries to get something out of her as she listens, desperately trying to get a read on the situation. When she hangs up, she just stares at him for a couple of seconds.
Shawn: Ange, you’re killing me.
Angela manages to stammer out that she’s been offered a role in an off-Broadway show. Then, she’s finally able to grin. She repeats the statement, trying to make herself believe it. It’s not her big break, no, but it’s a start – and it’s here. She doesn’t have to go anywhere. The two of them, her time here, aren’t finished quite yet.
Shawn pulls her into a hug, lifting her and spinning her. When she lands back on her feet, the two of them share a big damn kiss –
INT. AAA - HALLWAY - DAY
The sophomore class is assembled outside the door to the black box, anxiously waiting for Angela to put up the finalists for Kossal. The performers are trying their best not to throw jabs at each other, while the techies hang back against the wall and watch the near stampede in mild amusement.
Lucas: If any of you decide you’re going to the pit because of this, can I watch?
Riley tells them to ignore him, reminding the core group that whatever happens, they’re going to be happy for one another. They all agree, although it’s hard to tell if that sentiment is going to hold true…
Angela emerges, silence immediately settling over the crowd. You could hear a pin drop. She begs for a moment to escape once she puts it up before they all stampede, then moves to pin the list onto the bulletin board. She dives back into the classroom and slams the door just as the wolves descend, trying to see who got the three coveted spots.
Farkle elbows his way through, making it to the front first and getting a look for himself. From his expression, we can almost imagine the list before we see it.
Zay Babineaux. Maya Hart. Riley Matthews.
No Farkle Minkus. No summer program. No successful path to the top.
Sound grows muted around Farkle as the others get close enough to look for themselves. He can’t bring himself to react. He can’t even breathe.
He’s jostled out of it when Charlie bumps him in the back on accident, en route to giving Zay an enthusiastic hug. Maya and Riley eagerly congratulate one another, turning expectantly towards Farkle. Obviously not certain what to say to him, but hoping he’ll opt to take the gracious approach instead and make it easy on them to enjoy their laurels.
What do they want from him? A congratulations? Farkle doesn’t have it in him to give. He sort of sputters an incoherent statement and backs away, trying to wrap his head around it. How this could have possibly happened.
Zay: Seriously? Are you about to diva meltdown? What happened to being happy for each other?
Farkle, panicked: Yeah, well, that’s easy to say when –
Charlie: It’s okay, dude. There will be other opportunities –
Farkle is beyond that. He’s sliding back into manic, figuring he must have let himself slip up somewhere along the way. Or that this is all some elaborate ruse on their part – like they all knew if they got him off his game, he’d be easier to thwart.
Zay: You think I’d choose to be friends with you just to get some made up advantage over you? Believe me, man, I don’t hate myself that much.
Riley: Farkle, that’s not true –
Maya: Farkle. [ breaking through the haze, over everyone else ] Can’t you just be happy for me?
She holds his gaze, obviously hurt. Hoping he’ll say the right thing. But all he can manage is a non-answer.
Farkle: I – need a second. I need – just leave me alone.
Farkle storms away towards the auditorium, desperate to escape. The others watch him go, a myriad of emotions swirling around them but disappointment being the most unifying one.
Zay: Guess people don’t really change.
Maya looks more wounded than anyone else. She breaks away from the group, marching in the other direction.
INT. AAA - JACK’S OFFICE - DAY
Jack is having his final conduct meeting with Wyatt, having made his decision on what his punishment will be. Eric is also present.
The final verdict is somewhere down the middle: Wyatt is being expelled from AAA effective at the start of the new term, but he will be allowed to finish out the remainder of this school year. Wyatt doesn’t have any complaints at this point, resigned. He claims that AAA is a hellscape and totally corrupt. The administration clearly has their favorites, and they have no idea how rotten the place is from the inside out.
Eric, calmly: You seem quite critical of this so-called rotten environment, in spite of how you had an active hand in keeping it alive…
Wyatt chooses not to comment, Jack dismissing him. As he heads out, he warns Jack that getting rid of him isn’t going to get rid of the problems at Adams. For one, he’s not the creator of the AAAC, but more pointedly the page is not the perpetrator of all the mean stuff people say about each other. They do all that themselves. Like he’s been saying, it’s just the messenger. And they’ve just shot it.
Wyatt: So if you really believe you’re making a difference, maybe you try tackling the toxic waste that serves as the very core of this school. But that would require actually being a competent administrator, so…
Eric rises and shoos him out, Jack taking the intended hit anyway. He closes his eyes and rubs his temples as Eric shuts the door behind Wyatt, releasing a sigh and claiming he thinks they made the right choice expelling that kind of bad energy.
When Jack doesn’t seem placated, Eric settles down across from him and comes to his defense. Wyatt is just postulating, and he made a good decision.
Jack nods along, but it’s evident there’s a lingering inkling of doubt…
INT. AAA - ATRIUM - DAY
As Wyatt exits the front office, he pulls out his phone. He crafts a message to AAA Confessions, warning them that Jack is on the warpath. The page is probably going to be officially shut down before the end of the school year. What are they planning to do?
The confessions page starts a message back… then doesn’t respond. Wyatt never gets an answer.
INT/EXT. LUCAS’S BEDROOM / LUCAS’S FIRE ESCAPE - DAY
Lucas is flipping through the McCullough pamphlet, but he can’t stomach looking at it for too long. Still feels like too daunting a decision to make.
He climbs out onto his fire escape, settling down and releasing a sigh. He stares out towards the city for a moment, then reaches into his pocket and pulls out his phone. He starts a message to Riley, but nothing he wants to say comes out right. He finds himself calling her instead.
Lucas: Hey. I know I said… [ a beat ] things have been kind of… [ willing himself to be outright ] Do you still need a plus one?
Let the experiment begin…
INT. AAA - HALLWAY - DAY
School has emptied out for the day, only a few stragglers left behind. Farkle is back in front of the bulletin board, staring at the three names and unable to believe that he’s not there.
Something about him isn’t quite right. He’s frantic, frenzied in a way that’s beyond just disappointment from a jilted diva. The longer he glares at the list, clenching his jaw and fidgeting in place, the worse the hysteria seems to become.
Song Cue ♫ ♪ “It’s All Over” as performed by Glee Cast || Performed by Farkle Minkus (feat. Zay Babineaux, Maya Hart, Riley Matthews, Isadora De La Cruz, Charlie Gardner, and Lucas Friar)
[ Lyrics specific to characters – follow along here! ]
Farkle spits the words “Miss Moore was supposed to love me, I turn my back and find myself out on the line” towards the list, before whipping around –
INT. AAA - AUDITORIUM - DAY
And suddenly center on a brightly lit stage. It’s almost glaringly bright, to the point where it would hurt to look at. If you’re not in his immediate line of sight, then you’re shrouded in shadow – which is how the figures standing on the stage look to him until they make themselves known and step into the light to argue with him.
Although the rest of the core group is included in the number, it’s more than clear that they’re not actually there. This isn’t actually Maya, Zay, even Lucas singing in opposition to him – they’re all in his imagination, but it doesn’t make it feel any less real. In regards to who is saying what, well, if you read any set of specific lyrics in this show, let it be this number.
As Farkle grows more and more frantic, the opposition towards him grows more and more pronounced. Although this whole thing started with a dashed dream, the way he’s so emotional over them all “dropping” him through the course of the song or turning him away seems like a greater trigger for him than the missed opportunity. So it’s not actually clear what is causing the meltdown, or if he really knows himself.
All he knows is that the entire core group is telling him it’s all over, and he’s fighting against it with whatever he’s got – back to the teeth-gnashing, scrappy, obsessive starlet who clawed his way to first on stage at the start of the school year.
No, Farkle Minkus is far from going quietly. He’s not going anywhere, and he swears that this isn’t how this is going to end.
Oh, boy…
END OF EPISODE.
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seoulscenarios · 6 years
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Kang Daniel College AU
Uhhhh,, happy 300!!! And I’m back with a new college series for wanna one!!! haha i know what you’re thinking, us doing wanna one content??? crazy, but this has been in the works for a while and i finally thought this was the right time to post it! And don’t worry, there will still be stray kids content as well i just wanted to take a break from all the stray kids content we have been putting out
side note: for the dance mentioned throughout this pls click HERE to see the dance that inspired this whole au tbh i promise you won’t regret it!!
-Major: business studies
-Minor: contemporary dance
-Sports: Star player of the football team (mainly bc EVERYONE adores him) but he rarely plays anymore bc he kept falling asleep during practice but they still keep him on the team bc how can you deny him anything
-Clubs: president of the bboy club, claims bboying IS a valid enough reason to set up the club despite the student board protesting it, set it up anyway, is also a very active member of the dance society and everyone was shocked that he didn’t apply for the president role but he skated away on his skateboard yelling about bboy he’s just a child at heart really
-Daniel is by far the most popular kid on campus
-Everyone knows who he is, even the professors on the other side of campus who have nothing to do with him knows who he is
-I mean, how could you not he’s literally the most happy and friendliest person in the world with a smile gracing his face for just about everyone
-Is always seen around campus in slacks and tee, normally a snapback on his head as he whizzes past you on his skateboard
-He’s literally the epitome of skater kid, big headphones around his neck blaring music as he speeds past you on the way to class
-Most people wonder how he’s a business major bc he looks like he should be part of the dance squad or sporting majors but Daniel,,,, actually kinda likes business
-He’s not massively passionate about it but he’s good at it and he enjoys some classes
-Is the perfect partner for group presentations bc he’s so diligent at any task you give him, though occasionally he doesn’t always understand what he’s supposed to be researching but rather than pestering his group mates at like 3am when he’s kinda high on energy drinks he comes into the meeting the next day with really garbled notes and they have to gently tell him exactly what to research and his face lights up
-His favourite class by far is his practical business class where he gets to go on an internship at a company bc he 1) gets out of class, 2) gets to go on fancy business trips with his boss which means fancy food and 3) leaves behind Jisung who is constantly nagging him in their dorm
-Not to mention,,, he wears a suit (which he proudly wears bc his mom gave it to him as a present when he got into college)
-The entire campus collectively swoons as they see Daniel walking across campus with a briefcase in hand as he’s with Seongwoo
-Even all the women at the company he interned, especially the older ones, swooned and doted on him as well
-Like,,, Daniel was sure it could be against company protocol that these women give him gifts and stuff but the boss just turned a blind eye to it bc he had way more important things to deal with
-Besides, Daniel appreciated it when they gave him food vouchers and stuff bc it meant he didn’t have to spend his or Jisung’s money on food
-Not that Jisung was ever in the dorm most of the time anyway, being a medical student and all he practically lived at the hospital
-Which meant that Daniel may or may not have sneaked in Peter and Rooney the first weekend his mom came to visit him
-(Jisung got the shock of his life when he went to flop on his bed and it MOVED,,, he beat Daniel’s ass bc he hadn’t agreed to this)
-After a few hours though, Jisung was cuddling Rooney in bed and Daniel was very smug whilst Jisung threw a lab report at him lmao
-Daniel running an Instagram account for the cats? Most definitely
-Was it the most followed account related to their university? Of course it was 
-Everyone who came up to Daniel on campus 95% of the time they’d ask to meet Peter and Rooney, but Daniel was adamant that only a few select people could meet his girls
-Literally only the boys had met his favourite girls and never would he allow any slander on them, any hate comments would be deleted and a swift block if there was more than one offence
-(Jihoon and Woojin tweeted abt how ugly Peter and Rooney were and it took WEEKS of apologising and buying Daniel food for him to unblock them and add their contact details about, no one gets away with vagueing Peter and Rooney on his watch)
-Their dorm room, for lack of better words, was AWFUL
-To the point that Minhyun had given up all hope that they’d ever listen to him or actually care for the fact he’d spent a whole Sunday cleaning their room bc he was stressed and he just refused to ever go to their room again for fear of a migraine and cold sweats
-Like,,, Daniel’s side was littered with cat treats and toys, bits of paper and sweaty dance gear though the picture frame of him and his mom was proudly displayed on his desk practically spotless and Jisung’s side,,, well let’s just say med books and scrubs galore
-Despite Daniel’s extroverted persona, he was very much a homebody and loved spending weekends on end cuddled up in bed with his cats binge watching Netflix or playing games tbh
-However, if he had a bboy competition or dance practice expect him there at LEAST 20 minutes early bc he loved dancing and it gave him time to warm up properly so he didn’t injure himself
-(Story time: once Daniel was rushing to dance class and tripped over his feet and injured his thumb. He didn’t think much of it until he was 30 minutes deep into his dance practice and fell flat on his face doing a spin bc his hand gave up on him. Turns out he fractured his radial bone in his fall and Jisung was very shocked to see him sat in the emergency room when he was doing his rounds)
-So yeah, Jisung despite his busy schedule always made sure Daniel was on time or early for things especially dance so he didn’t injure himself
-But boy can he dance
-Like, everyone was in awe of his dancing
-Obviously, he was extremely well known for his bboying bc quite frankly it was incredible at just how talented he was at it bc who the heck decides that spinning themselves around like that was something you could be really good and dedicate urself to but seeing Daniel do it ur like yeah ofc why wouldn’t you want to
-What shocked everyone though was the fact that he was INCREDIBLY good at contemporary dance
-There was a dance competition he attended in first year and the captain of the dance team asked him to do a special stage for contemporary and he enthusiastically agreed bc,,,, well he didn’t have opportunities to showcase it a lot in big routines
-It’s extremely safe to say that the audience was left breathless when he finished and rumour has it that Jisung cried at the end, though he would vehemently deny this at the time when his eyes were red from crying and Minhyun kept passing him tissues none too discreetly whilst his kids all laughed at him
-Ever since that day Daniel has always been scouted by the dance majors to help them choreograph their dance piece for their contemporary dance module
-Which also happened to be one of the dance modules Daniel took
-He really likes to help out and has a difficulty saying no to people
-Coincidentally, this contemporary dance module is where he first encountered you
-You are, for want of better words, are the most untouchable and icy person
-Everyone on campus found you intimidating bc you always appeared unapproachable, cold, distant and too elegant for people to even breathe near you for fear that you could possibly stab them
-You were also rumoured to be from an incredibly wealthy family,,,, though what they didn’t know was that your family cut you off and cast you out bc you pursued dance against their wishes
-All you were left with was your inheritance and whatever money your grandma and aunt sent you as a monthly allowance
-You didn’t hate this persona the student body had given you, it just meant that you were incredibly lonely and often times felt quite empty when you saw people around campus laughing and having fun with friends, and all the couples holding hands and going on dates
-Coming from such a background you had never know what it was like to make friends or fall in love
-You only knew business partners and were taught from a young age that everyone had an ulterior motive when they asked you to be friends
-Safe to say, you kinda already had this icy persona cultivated from such a young age
-Though when you got cut off you had hoped that people around you would see differently
-However, once the rumour mill starts it’s hard to get it to stop
-So you just roll with it, even if it makes the classes you attend awkward or you feel that dread of loneliness when you get back to your single dorm, unable to invite anyone round
-When you got to 2nd year, the option to specialise in contemporary and modern dance became available and you immediately jumped at the chance bc you LOVE this genre so much
-If anything it represented your life in a way
-You wanted to break free from this old, restricted you into a new, free you
-Your first day of contemporary and modern class was unlike anything you had experienced before
-Everything was different yet familiar to you that you left the class buzzing with excitement and nervousness
-After a few weeks, you were slowly emerging as the class’s top student much to everyone’s exasperation
-They all just rolled their eyes whenever your teacher praised you or used you as an example to the other students, which they hated tbh
-Only one student didn’t act like that
-And, you’ve guessed it, that one person is Daniel
-Admittedly, at first, you didn’t get him whatsoever and you actually rolled your eyes as you saw his 6ft frame stumble through the door, cast decorating his hand looking entirely out of place
-You honestly didn’t understand why he was there, especially when during the introductions he told everyone that he was a business major and did dance as a minor
-You just didn’t get the hype around him whatsoever, everyone else adored him and fawned over him both inside and outside of class that you didn’t want anything to do with him
-Which confused him when he tried to greet you in class one day and you just shrugged him off and went back to stretching
-All of that changed when ur dance teacher gave out your first assignment and had given you a duet piece with a certain Kang Daniel and inwardly, you groaned
-Not only were you going to have to cooperate with Mr Popular, but the whole class was glaring at you and whispering about favouritism and bribery
-Daniel, on the other hand, was DELIGHTED to finally work with you
-You see, you had caught his eye from the first day of class and he was so perplexed at everyone’s disdain for you
-In his eyes, you were an incredible dancer and Daniel really wanted to collaborate with you, and maybe he found u kinda cute but shhhhh
-After your teacher finished all their announcements about this upcoming assignment, Daniel bounded over to you like the big puppy he is
-“Hi, I’m Daniel! I can’t wait to work with you, it’s going to be so much fun!” his mouth is upturned into that big smile and his face is all crinkled bc he’s smiling so hard
-You’re just a little overwhelmed bc why is he so enthusiastic it’s literally 9am and ur running on iced coffee but as u stare at him u realise,,,, hey this boy is kinda cute when he smiles
-“Uh, yeah hi my name is Y/N”
-Nice one Y/N, you think to urself as you watch Daniel’s face drop as you returned his greetings very unenthusiastically
-“So, have you got any ideas about the project or songs you like?”
-He’s trying so hard bless him but ur just not very cooperative bc heck,,, no one has ever tried to spark a conversation with you ever at this college that u don’t really know what to do
-You just blink at him slowly and he’s a bit confused, pausing scrolling through his playlist of songs and he just looks at you
-“Are you okay? You’re a bit, I don’t know, dazed?”
-“Oh, um, yeah I’m fine just early morning class haha”
-“You’re never normally like this though”
-O H
-You can pinpoint the exact moment that Daniel maybe kinda regretted saying that to him bc he completely froze and was staring at the ground, red tinting his ears
-Cute,,,, wait does that mean that THE Kang Daniel has noticed me in class before??Aӣ1;
-Anyway,, it’s an awkward few moments with u and Daniel not saying to each other and trying to forget what he just said
-He continues to scroll through his playlist and you decide to go and stand next to him so you could see the songs
-They were all pretty good songs, the boy has good music taste
-But one in particular caught your attention
-“How about this one?” you pointed at one of the songs
-It was a song you loved and had always wanted to dance to, and the lyrics were too beautiful and really fitted the dance style
-Daniel’s eyes lit up when he saw what you were pointing at
-“That’s one of my favourites! Let’s listen to it now” and before you could even protest, Daniel had plugged in his headphones and then shyly put the other headphone piece into your ear
-WHELP THERE GOES MY HEART
-For the remainder of the class, the two of you sat in relative peace listening to the song and occasionally sharing ideas about what theme and moves you wanted to include
-As the class drew to a close, you couldn’t help but notice just how damn attractive Daniel was and u found yourself glancing at him way more often than you should’ve been and you nearly didn’t notice class finishing
-You were packing up your stuff when you felt a hand tap ur shoulder
-It was Daniel
-“Uh.. I was wondering if maybe I can give you my phone number so we can…. Meet up and practice?”
-Was Daniel blushing?? Ofc he was, how could he not he thinks you’re really cute and attractive and he doesn’t normally give his phone number out to anyone
-(He literally has his friends, mom and a few classmates from his societies and that’s IT)
-You blush as well, putting ur number into his phone and handing it back with a small smile
-ICY PERSONA WHO???
-Ur classmates were all very intrigued by this behaviour bc they’ve never actually seen you talk to anyone nor have they seen Daniel act so,,,, shy around someone
-Well, you get an immediate text from Daniel and ur first thought is,,,, why is he so damn cute???
-He just sent you loads of emojis and stuff gosh he’s really just a kid huh
-You quickly realised that Daniel was a very enthusiastic person and loved to text you what seemed to be all the time
-Like, you even asked if he actually slept and he reassured you that he does sleep bc his roommate made sure he did
-The first week of being acquainted with Daniel was such a shock to you bc he’d always say hello to you whenever he saw you and if you were walking to class u can bet that Daniel would frighten the living daylights out of you when he ran up behind you and slung an arm around your shoulder, asking about your day and ur like Daniel pls,,,, don’t do that again
-As the weeks progressed, you became much closer to Daniel and it wasn’t long before you were rarely seen without him
-Heck, you had even been invited to meet his cats bc he kept talking about them and showing you pictures that you joked about saying “maybe you should just let me meet them for myself”
-Well Daniel’s eyes lit up and he grabbed your hand, pulling you to his dorms whilst enthusing about Peter and Rooney that you couldn’t help but laugh
-Jisung gave you a funny look, that only Daniel noticed bc u were too busy cooing over Rooney, and Daniel FLUSHED
-Yeah, Daniel never lets anyone meet his cats bc they’re too precious to him and Jisung was like,,, oh baby u like them don’t you, you don’t let anyone meet your cats unless you like them
-Daniel tells him to shut up, red blooming all up his neck and ears and Jisung freaking smirks and whips out his phone to text the gc
-You’re oblivious to this all bc you’re cuddling Peter and Rooney on Daniel’s bed and ur startled out of ur cooing to Daniel sitting beside you, lifting Peter onto his lap
-(You end up falling asleep with Rooney and Daniel is like,,, is this an angel? He lays a blanket over you and brushes your hair softly, taking in all your features)
-(That’s when he realises okay maybe Jisung was right and maybe he does like you just a bit more than the admiration he had and maybe he wants to date you and stuff but you didn’t hear that from me)
-(Cue Daniel sending panicked texts to Jisung and just getting winky faces in return)
-ANYWAY
-Back to the duet the two of you were doing
-Creating the choreography almost came like second nature to the both of you and you always ended practice on such a high note
-There was one move you were always kinda reluctant to do
-And it was a jump into Daniel’s arms
-It’s not that you didn’t trust him not to catch you,, you just have never done this before and you were nervous
-Daniel constantly reassures you practice after practice but still,,, you’re too tense to complete the move
-It wasn’t until your final practices that you told Daniel that maybe you could do this
-He grabs your hand and rests his other one on your cheek, looking deep into your eyes
-“Trust me, I won’t let you fall”
-That doesn’t mean you’re not nervous but when you’re going through the motions of the song, immersing yourself in the music you realise that maybe the jump isn’t so bad after all
-You throw yourself into Daniel’s arms and his arms wrap securely around you
-You feel at ease
-And you realise, as the song progressed that maybe you wouldn’t mind staying in Daniel’s arms for longer
-You couldn’t deny that over the past few weeks that you grew closer to Daniel that you found yourself falling for him
-All the late night texts, Netflix “dates” and everything else, you saw the happy puppy vibe that you found yourself drawn to
-“Hey Daniel, for the end of the dance….. maybe we should ask for a curtain to be put up and we could you know…… pretend to kiss behind it?” you ask shyly, eyes cast downwards not wanting to see Daniel’s reaction
-Well, this boy was BLUSHING bc this was unlike anything you had ever suggested choreography wise and pretending to kiss his crush?? Kinda heartbroken but at the same time,,,, he was THRILLED
-It wasn’t like your choreography wasn’t suggestive as you decided to go for a love theme, focusing on the getting into a relationship and the fears of it, but a kiss??? That was so intimate for Daniel and he was not okay
-“Uh yeah!!! I think it could work!!! Let’s try adding it to the routine before the next lot of kids come in” and he bolts to the music desk to put the music back on
-When it comes to that part, Daniel gently holds your face and draws you close to him
-His touch is electrifying and you lean closer into him, eyes flicking to his lips momentarily
-You swear he was about to lean in but before you could find out, someone knocked on the door and you two jumped apart from each other
-“Uhh bye Daniel I’ll see you tomorrow for the performance yeah?” and with that you bolted, leaving a very confused Daniel touching his lip slightly before he went back to his dorm with a slightly dazed look
-Well, the two of you were kinda awkward as you met the next day donned in ur performance costumes
-The two of you were wearing matching loose white shirts and black slacks, and you were gripping onto some black blindfolds that were featured in ur performance
-U were kinda nervous bc you hadn’t ever performed a duet with someone you actually liked before and Daniel sensed that as he handed you a water bottle
-“Y/N, you’ll be fine we’ve done this 1000 times and we could do it a 1000 times more and I still would have no words to describe how incredible you are” he mumbled into your hair, arms wrapped around you tightly
-You sink into his embrace, letting him give you words of comfort and sweet nothings
-You stayed like that for what seemed like forever and were only interrupted by the backstage crew member who announced that you guys were up soon
-As you stood in the wings, Daniel interlaced his fingers with yours and smiled at you
-These past few weeks working on this project seemed to have flown by and you were sad that it was coming to an end
-Just as you were about to say something to him, he led you onto the stage, hands still intertwined and you swear you heard some guys wolf whistle (you did, Seongwoo and Woojin let out the biggest wolf whistles and Jisung had to literally clamp a hand over their mouths but he did admit that you two looked like a real couple)
-When the music kicked in, everything felt so…. Electric
-All of Daniel’s touches on you left little shocks on you and you were dizzy from how much you craved his touch even more
-As the song reached an end, Daniel grabbed your hand as you went to move behind the curtain and pulled you back to him
-And his hands landed on your waist and before you knew it, you felt his lips crash against you as the song hit it’s climax and you immediately melted into his touch
-Well, all of Daniel’s friends were wolf whistling now and the two of you broke apart to the sound of thunderous applause and whistles and a disapproving look from the mc of the evening
-Daniel just gave you an embarrassed grin and tugged you off stage, a matching grin gracing your face
-Well, it’s safe to assume that Daniel definitely asked you to date him after this performance much to the hollering of everyone backstage and the roar of approval from his friends when he introduced you to them properly, holding your hand tightly
-Dating Daniel is an actual dream
-I mean you’re dating the actual campus god and everyone is absolutely shocked that their campus golden boy is dating the most feared and iciest person on campus
-Thought,,, they were absolutely bowled over at the fact you no longer seemed so unapproachable and perfect as you laughed happily at whatever Daniel was telling you, leaning into his shoulder as the story got funnier
-Like,,, who was this person they thought they knew?? They’re gone lmao
-Daniel is also the CRINGIEST boy to date
-If he wants to kiss you he’ll be like “baby you’ve got something there” and before you could check he’d grab your chin and kiss you softly on the lips and ur like,,,, Kang Daniel u need to stop
-Jihoon and Woojin just look on disgusted bc how the HECK can you fall for his trick every single time
-Jisung just coos bc it’s like watching his baby grow up and find love, before swatting at the boys bc they’re making retching sounds or something
-Sleepovers at Daniel’s??? Absolutely especially when Jisung is on night shift and he has the place to himself wink wonk
-Lmao no, his cats are too precious to him he doesn’t want to scar them
-That’s reserved for when ur at ur place instead hehe
-Daniel really loves to have an arm around you at all times, especially around your shoulder bc it makes him feel so manly and protective what a dweeb
-He also teaches you how to ride his skateboard, though you protest a lot bc heck I may be a dancer Daniel but I have no balance on actual ground much less a skateboard I will fall
-He just grabs your hands and guides you slowly around the park, grinning as you shriek turning corners or something
-Will reward you with hundreds of kisses later though so is it worth it?
-Sometimes when ur not covered in bruises bc u kept falling off and rather than helping you Daniel ended up laughing bc he found it really funny
-Someone help him please
-Nights with Daniel are spent with Netflix playing in the background as you cuddle with the cats and he’s running his hand softly through your hair as you tell him all about how growing up you could never be you and always had to be perfect your parents
-I’m not saying he cried when you told him that you got cut off and haven’t seen your parents in years,,, but that’s what I’m saying bc he’s such a family orientated guy that he doesn’t know how you coped
-You have to wipe his tears away, calling him an idiot before kissing him deeply and well,,,, u kinda get the idea from here (daniel got a little caught up in the moment and forgot his cats were there lmao)
-Oh, speaking of family he definitely introduces you to his mom like a month into dating
-He tried to do it beforehand but Jisung literally locked his skype account so he wouldn’t scare you off lmao
-You needn’t have worried though bc Daniel’s mom ADORED you and was fawning over you on skype
-She basically became the mother you never had and she always text you asking if you were doing okay and stuff it’s just really sweet
-She comes up one weekend to see the two of you and now Daniel has three new photos on his desk next to the one of him and his mom
-There’s one the three of you together, then you and his mom,,,, then one of you and him that his mom took bc you looked so happy and in love that she couldn’t resist taking a photo how CUTE
-Anyway,,, he constantly is leaving his clothes at your place bc he’s forgetful but also he really wants to see how small you’d look in his clothes bc he’s a GIANT lbr here
-You do turn up to class one day wearing his shirt and Daniel malfunctions for the rest of the day bc it should be illegal how cute you look in his clothes
-Seongwoo and Sungwoon just snicker at him bc he’s so dazed that he missed his mouth whilst eating at the cafeteria bc he’s too busy staring at you
-Please protect this baby at all costs bc he’s so accident prone but also,,, he’s a damn mess and needs all the love in the world thnx bye
-You two are just sickeningly in love and it’s the best thing ever
-Daniel really helped you to grow and express your true self more and more and you couldn’t be more grateful whereas you helped Daniel love something beside his cats and mom
-Like,,, he was finally discovering how to love something and it was so pure and raw that you saw stars every time he looked at you, touched you, kissed you that galaxies were painted in your eyes and at the centre of it all was Daniel
-Young love huh, it’s truly remarkable
and that was the first installment of the college series for wanna one!! i hope you enjoyed it and i’ll be back very soon with some more content!!!
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