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tobealostwanderer · 7 months

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DIVINITY | Chapter 1: Aftermath

Original date of writing: 4-1-2021 (minor revisions added)

CONTENT + WARNINGS: Mentions of war, petrification, royal whump, female whumper, female whumpee, manipulative language, immortal whumper, immortal whumpee, forced kneeling

Summary: Queen Fiona has been at war with the tyrannical Queen Sérah for quite some time, but now that she has acquired a godly artifact it’s time for revenge >:D

And then there was nothing. And then, there was cold. Sérah opened her eyes to darkness.

Her body ached. She tensed her sore muscles and sat up. It was silent. Too silent.

Somewhere in her mind she knew she lost the battle, somewhere she knew she’d been defeated, but the entire idea was so foreign to her that she couldn’t quite grasp it.

Her eyes adjusted to the darkness. At least she could make out the room she was in now.

The walls, the ceiling and floor were made out of cobblestone and there were no windows.

If she looked straight ahead, she could see an iron door.

There was a nauseating sense of familiarity in her surroundings; a word floating around in her head. She tried to block it out but it echoed in her mind.

Dungeon.

It was then that she noticed the chain attached to her ankle.

And it was then that the heat came rushing back into her body.

…How dare Fiona?!

How dare she treat Sérah like she was some… some common civilian?!

Oh, of all the nerve-

The iron door shrieked open, the light of the hallway framing a woman’s silhouette.

Sérah stood up, her pride burning white-hot in her chest.

A woman entered the room. Dungeon. No.

In her left hand she held a candle, seemingly unbothered by the hot wax dripping onto her skin. The warm light illuminated her face.

Piercing blue eyes bore into Sérah’s soul. Inky black hair shone indigo in the candlelight.

Sérah crossed her arms. “What’s the meaning of this, Fiona?”

Fiona let out a cold chuckle. “Well, you lost, didn’t you? I want my reward.”

Sérah’s heart skipped a beat. Unfortunately, she knew exactly what Fiona was talking about.

“I-” She laughed uncomfortably. “I wasn’t- I wasn’t serious about that deal! You’re idiotic to think otherwise.”

Fiona narrowed her eyes. “And yet, you made it. You promised. You said: ‘if I lose, I’ll surrender my kingdom to you.’ You lost. The only idiotic thing here is you thinking you can get away with it.”

Sérah clenched her fists. “If you seriously think I’m going to hand over the throne of Loren to you, you’ve got another thing coming.”

Fiona raised one eyebrow. “I don’t think you have any choice in the matter.” She flashed a crooked smile and pointed to the golden crown on top of her head.

Sérah laughed mirthlessly. “What, so because you have the Divinity Crown you think you can lock me up and order me around?” She tilted her head, looking at Fiona with a mocking smirk. “You let me wreak havoc upon this pathetic little place you call your realm for years. I really don’t think you have the spine to give me commands.”

She walked forward until the chain pulled taut.

“So drop the ‘I’ve got the Divinity Crown and that makes me superior to you’ act. You’re no fearless leader. You’re no true threat. So stop pretending!”

“I-I’m not-,” Fiona stuttered.

Ah. That hit a nerve.

Sérah decided to take advantage of the situation and called upon her powers-

…She called upon her powers…

WAIT. WHAT.

She attempted again. And again. There was nothing.

Fiona’s startled expression twisted into a satisfied grin.

“Oh no,” she spoke, without any empathy. “Where have your powers gone?”

Sérah attempted to lunge forward. Fiona stepped back and watched as she tripped over her chain and fell to the floor.

“What have you done to me, you-!” Sérah yelled.

Fiona interrupted her. “I wouldn’t finish that sentence if I were you.”

Sérah pulled herself up to her feet. “...Bitch.”

Fiona’s eyes grew wide, then immediately narrowed again. “Gods above, Sérah. Did nobody teach you manners? You will take that back.”

The intensity of her glare made Sérah’s breath hitch.

“I stand by what I said,” she mumbled.

Fiona lunged forward and slammed Sérah’s back against the wall, her arm pressing against her throat.

“I don’t have time for this,” Fiona spat. “Surrender to me, or pay the consequences!”

Sérah spoke through raspy breaths, trying to lift Fiona’s arm from her throat. “You’ll get nothing from me!”

“Very well.” Fiona dropped her candle and her fingertips grew blue. “Let’s see if this’ll convince you.”

A biting cold struck Sérah’s lower legs, which she found were now unable to move. The sensation stabbed into her like a million tiny knives, making her bite her lip to force a scream back down.

Her nails dug into Fiona’s flesh, desperately trying to remove the pressure from her throat.

“Do you really think this’ll do it?!” Sérah’s voice cracked. She wouldn’t surrender, not now, not in a thousand years, not ever. Fiona needed to know that. Fiona needed to stop trying.

“It’s not going to happen! Give up!”

Fiona responded by letting the cold climb further up Sérah’s legs, until she could see the ice crystals forming on her hips.

She gasped in agony. This couldn’t go on.

“Fiona, stop! It’s not happening!”

But Fiona kept going, covering Sérah’s torso, arms, neck. A million knives turned into a billion, -10 degrees turned into -20 turned into -30 turned into a cold a common thermometer couldn’t even comprehend.

Fiona’s frost invaded Sérah’s essence, freezing it solid until every last bit of warmth faded into nothingness.

“Last chance,” Fiona said as the cold halted at Sérah’s jaw. She removed her arm from her throat.

“Surrender now, and receive my mercy.”

Sérah’s lips, now turned blue, quivered as she forced the words out. “I don’t need your mercy.”

Fiona hummed, covering the last of Sérah’s form with ice.

She couldn’t do anything now.

She saw Fiona relax her muscles, look her directly in the eyes and smile.

“So, how long will it take for you to break?”

Sérah could barely comprehend her words, her body enveloped in pain and cold.

“I myself think…” Fiona tapped her chin. “A week?”

She shook her head. “No, too short. Two weeks?”

She rested her hand on her hip and tilted her head.

“Yes, let’s try that.” She snickered and let her fingertips trace along Sérah’s cheek. It only sent more jolts of agony through her body. Don’t give in. Don’t give in.

“I like talking to you when you can’t reply.”

How dare you. I’ll end you.

“Oh, well.” Fiona sighed. “I suppose we’ll see each other in two weeks.”

She moved to leave the room, but then whirled around again. “Oh, and if you haven’t come around by then, I have a lovely spot in the palace gardens for you.”

And just like that, Sérah was alone. Trapped in her own frozen body. Every single moment hurt.

Still, she knew surrendering wasn’t an option. The Loreni people depended on her- or, well, not depended, but they needed her leadership-... No, Sérah was quite sure the people of Loren would be fine.

Nevertheless, they shouldn’t have Fiona as queen, because- because-!

Oh, why was she even pretending she cared about the wellbeing of those useless idiots?!

Loren was supposed to be hers; her people work for her, fight for her, live for her and then die for her. Nothing about Sérah’s kingdom should have anything to do with Fiona, Divinity Crown or not.

She would have laughed to herself, if she could.

This was all a cute attempt, but one bound for failure. Her will wasn’t going to break because of a little cold, she could handle cold (but it's so cold) and she most certainly wouldn’t bow down to this spineless idiot and her newfound superiority complex. No, she was going to get out of here.

She couldn’t. Sérah had lost track of time, but no matter how long she’d been trying, breaking out was impossible. Every attempt at movement sent ripples of pain through her body and the hurt would confuse her so much that she had to start the entire train of thought all over again.

She needed a different plan, something to do once Fiona would release her. RELEASE, PLEASE, RELEASE-

STOP!

Well, she didn’t have any magic, so that was off the table, and even without the ice, she’d still be restrained, so a physical confrontation was useless as well.

This entire situation is useless-SHUT UP!

She would have to talk her way out. Threats. She could threaten Fiona, but with what?

She desperately scouted every corner of her brain for any leverage she could have over the Queen of Runengate, but there was nothing.

USELESS.

Alright, well, try again.

What did Fiona want? (Loren.) (But she wasn’t going to get it.)

What else did Fiona want? (Revenge, probably.)

Sérah cursed herself. Why couldn’t she come up with anything?! Why was she such a FAILURE.

No, no. Shut up. She wasn’t a failure. She just needed to think harder.

How many days had passed?

Sérah’d thought up a billion plans, all of them USELESS.

The more time went by, the more she considered just outright refusing Fiona. She’d be in this cursed state forever, but at least she’d suffer with her dignity still intact, right? (NO. NO, DON’T DO THAT. IT’S SO COLD.) It was the only option she had.

It wasn’t an option. It hurt so bad, it was so cold, it wasn’t an option.

This couldn’t be forever, it just couldn’t.

The only thing Sérah could do was surrender. USELESS. FAILURE.

But she couldn’t. WEAK. She couldn’t.

She wanted OUT. But she couldn’t.

It was the only option.

WEAK.

…She had to.

The iron door shrieked open.

OUT.

“I oh so wonder if you’ve changed your mind,” Fiona’s velvety voice spoke.

Sérah couldn’t think of anything, transfixed on the flame of Fiona’s candle.

“I suppose we’ll find out.”

Her fingertips turned blue again and the cold finally began to subside.

The frost left Sérah’s body slowly. She wanted it to be quicker and slower at the same time.

She never wanted to experience this again, but she knew what the thawing of the ice meant.

Once her entire body was free, she could do nothing more except collapse. Fiona caught her.

“I’ll have none of that.” Her fingers held an iron grip on Sérah’s shoulders. “We have things to settle first.”

“Don’t…,” Sérah spoke through ragged breaths. “Don’t make me.”

“Is that a refusal?” Fiona’s fingertips glowed threateningly.

Sérah’s eyes widened.

“Sérah, if you want to stay my frozen property forever, that’s completely fine with me.”

Fiona tilted her head and smiled cruelly. “It’ll be fun. I could reveal you in front of everyone and tell the world that you weren’t as strong as you made yourself out to be. How you’re weak. A failure. And you’d be powerless to stop me.”

That word. Powerless.

Sérah tried to get rid of the unfamiliar ache in her throat as her heartbeat quickened.

“No,” she whispered.

She could feel her fingers start to tremble, and she didn’t have the energy to hate herself for it.

Fiona’s features softened slightly. “...Or you can hand over Loren to me and live with the dignity you still have left.” She tilted Sérah’s chin up with her index finger. “Your choice, darling.”

Sérah’s thoughts raced. She had to. She couldn’t. She HAD TO. SHE COULDN’T.

…In the end, her body chose for her when she could feel herself nodding.

“Fine.” She had to force the words past the rock that seemed to have lodged itself in her throat. “Just don’t- Don’t ever- Don’t freeze me again.”

Fiona crossed her arms. “Kneel.”

…The word ripped through Sérah’s heart like a bullet. “What?,” she asked, out of breath.

Fiona’s expression turned ice cold. “I’m growing sick of your constant defiance, Sérah…”

Her usually smooth voice turned rough. “I said: KNEEL!”

“I can’t-” Sérah despised how shaky her voice sounded. “I can’t do that.”

Fiona’s fingers grew a vicious blue. “Very well then.”

Sérah’s breath hitched. “NO!”

Fiona quirked an eyebrow and pointed at the floor, expectantly.

Sérah could feel her back slide down the dungeon wall as everything inside her screamed at her.

WEAK. WEAK. WEAK.

The voices fell silent as her knees hit the floor. All that was left was an empty feeling of defeat.

Her tormentor laughed gleefully. “This is fun!”

Sérah’s vision grew hazy. Her head was light.

She needed to lie down, now.

Fiona dug her hands into Sérah’s hair and jerked her head upwards, forcing her to look her directly into the eyes.

“What are you so silent for? We’re not done yet. I’d like my surrender now.”

Sérah clenched her teeth. “Just bring me the papers, I’ll sign them.” Her voice sounded soft.

“No,” Fiona spoke, harshly. “I want to hear it.”

Sérah breathed in, biting her lip until she tasted blood.

“I-I formally-” Breathe out.

Her cheeks burned, the shame making her choke on every word. “I formally surrender the crown of Loren to- to Queen Fiona of Runengate.”

Fiona let go of Sérah’s hair and knelt down, caressing her red-hot cheek.

“There we are. Was that so hard?” She spoke gently. As if she cared.

“Let me go.” Sérah had had enough. “You got what you wanted.”

Fiona stayed silent.

Then burst into laughter.

“Let you go?! Who said anything about letting you go?!”

Sérah’s dizziness grew. She really needed to lie down.

“I- I thought-”

Fiona interrupted her.

“You surrendered. You’re finally mine. Why would I ever let you go?”

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tobealostwanderer · 2 years

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WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS ✦ S4E1 “Reunited”

– friend, by some definition of the word. – you could have stopped there…

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tobealostwanderer · 2 years

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someone pls write some arthur morgan x reader fics so i can feel something

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tobealostwanderer · 2 years

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You can have as many as you want.

(Because my Tumblr is a bad bitch it:

1. Sent the answer before I had finished writing it.

2. Deleted the ask.

Tumblr, why do you hate me so much?? Any way. I'mma post this, and I give 0 fucks if you do or do not want me to.)

aAaAaAAAAHHHH. Thank you v much, gosh you are so sweet!

Touch starved Erik is the best Erik! Prompts used where "I don't deserve you." And "Don't leave me." From some list I had saved. This turned out a little angsty at some point, but our Erik is just a complex boy who needs his time to work things out, so the fluff is still in there. Hope you enjoy it!

Couple: Erik (The Phantom of the Opera) x reader. Mainly Lerik and Kerik ksks.

Summary: Erik it's just too edgy to admit to himself that he's longing for for being touched gently and when the reader does so for the first time things go kinda wild.

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You sat at the couch at Erik's house, you still weren't so sure if his underground den in the middle of a lake fitted the concept of a (common) house, but the longer you spent down there the less you cared. By now it all had already acquired a sense of familiarity and homely feeling.

You had met Erik a year ago. A few days after what happened with Christine Dae you heard the sceneshifters talking about how they believed to have heard someone wondering down the basements of the Opera the same night The Dae had been abducted and that the whole Opera went crazy. Usually you were a really quiet person, and prefered to stay out of trouble but that day curiosity took the best of you. And by the sunset you were already under the fifth basement of the Opera Populaire.

You got lost many times, and many others you almost got killed by a trap, but at some point you came across an underground lake with a jetty where a small boat was tied. Without much thinking you got inside the boat and started rowing, not really knowing where you planned to get to. To your surprises after what seemed like a few hours of rowing aimlessly you could get a glimpse of some faint lights in the middle of a cave. Suddenly your strength came back to your already numb arms and you got to land in less that ten minutes.

You glanced around curiously. A voice inside your head was wondering what were so many candles doing down there, and most importantly, how they had gotten there but another voice onside you, the curious one who seemed to had just awakened today, told you to follow the path they seemed to mark.

As if in a dream you started walking, not really aware of what your body was doing. You felt like floating. It seemed as if you were in between a dream and reality,and that the glimmering candles told your body to follow them to wherever they lead to.

Eventually you got to what seemed to be a door and opening it, still not being completely responsible of your actions, you walked into what seemed to be a living room. You snapped out of your slumber because of the state of the room. Furniture had been flipped and pushed to the ground, the floor had vanished under a layer of what seemed to be shattered scores and glasses. Every room you walked into looked exactly the same.

Your heart almost escaped your chest when you found what seemed to be a room with a coffin laying at the floor. With fearful steps you finally made it to the casket where a beautiful cat laued inside. You kneeled in front of it and tried to pet it, but the animal simply held your glance for a few seconds before storming out of the room. Fearing for it to get hurt you chased it to one of the rooms that you hadn't already looked at. The first thing that you noticed was that next to the doorframe there was a switch, and you cursed yourself for not looking for them sooner. When the light turned on you couldn't believe your eyes.

There was what seemed to be a corpse laying at the floor. By how it looked you would have given it for dead, if it wasn't because the closer you got the more noticeable it became that the "corpse" was breathing, with some difficulty, but breathing.

It all hit you in a second. The Corpse Like Man that everyone had believed to be the Opera ghost, the spectrum that had hunted the Opera Garnier for years. It was alive, even if it did look dead. It was a living man who lived under the Opera and who had played with you all this whole time. A man who coughed violently and seemed to be bleeding out of a wound at his body, who wouldn't make it much farther if you didn't help him out at that moment.

When you finally came out of your thoughts you went to assist him. Despite the seriousness of his injuries and the apprehension that you felt about touching him the first times eventually you got him patched up. You also carried him to the bed you had found in one of the rooms without much of a trouble once you figured out that whatever it was the reason behind his looks, it wasn't contagious.

It took you some weeks to get him to be fully conscious and for him to have enough strengths to stand up for himself. The moment that happened he was furious with you. He shouted and yelled, cursing you for saving his life and making you leave the lake house, threatening you with your death if you ever came down to find him again.

But that didn't stop you. And eventually you didn't just come to make sure that he was okay and that he hadn't killed himself but because you enjoyed his company. At the same time the man, who responded to the name Erik had began to open up to you, allowing you two to become closer.

It all felt so far away in time now. As if it had taken place years ago. Erik and you became friends eventually and you felt like the two of you had developed some kind of unspoken relationship. But you never dared to speak with him about it, not after knowing what had happened with Christine. You didn't want to bring back any painful memories to Erik, and he had many.

Talking about Erik, you hadn't heard him nor seen him in the whole evening. You thought as you started to pack your things in your bag. You wished you had been able to spend more time together today, but he must have been busy to ignore your presence so abruptly.

As you got ready to leave you heard one of the many doors behind you opening up and turned around to see the man you had been thinking about walking out of a room, who was priming the sleeves of his suit. Erik looked up to you and his face seemed to have lightened up under the mask that he stubbornly kept wearing around you, even after you had told him several times that his face didn't disgust you any longer.

-My beloved- he spoke, opening his arms in a welcoming expression -what brings you down here at this lovely evening? Have you come to visit your poor Erik?

You shook your head when you heard how he addressed himself, it pained you at your heart. Holding your bag in your hands you swung slightly on your tiptoes in a playful way before answering him.

-Truth is I've been here the whole evening. But you seemed to be busy and I didn't want to disturb you. Actually, I was getting ready to make my way out.

The smile on Erik's lips faded away and a pout took it place. Erik did not let his disappointment go unnoticed and looked straight at your eyes before speaking in the saddest voice he could find -Oh, but why must you go? Don't leave me this early, my dear.

You chuckled at his manners, even when upset he was extremely theatrical. It may be the same with every men that advocated their life to their Opera's and music, you thought. The theatrical manners were a part of them.

-I'm coming back tomorrow, and you know it. No need to throw a tantrum over my departure.

You joked. Erik played along and placing a hand to his chest, as if he had been incredibly offended he went on.

-You insult me, miss. A man like me, throwing a tantrum as a mer infant?

-It wouldn't be the first time, would it darling?- you pointed out with a giggle.

-Touché- the masked man answered, accepting his defeatment with composure and dignity.

Your cheeks turned a soft red because of the playful flirting, which took place whenever you spoke to eachother. You placed one of your locks behind your ear nervously. The butterflies inside your stomach making you feel once more as if you were back to being that young teen who would snick out with all the other ballerinas to watch the handsome actors getting changed for the shows.

Without thinking twice you walked closer to Erik, who's look of surprise you didn't seem to catch, and placed a soft peck at the corner of his lips leaning on his shoulders to get to his face. You left Erik startled by your actions and it wasn't till you were back in front of him, looking straight at his eyes, that you realized what you had done.

-Oh! Erik I- you tried to excuse yourself, but the damage was already done, and you felt his anger rising and increasing as seconds passed by.

-Damn you!- he screamed- DAMN YOU, YOU LITTLE VIPER! Oh how funny of you. Haven't I've been hurt enough for you to play such tricks on me!?!- he said, pacing around you like a hunger lion over his prey.

-Erik, darling, I didn't mean to- you attempts of calming him down fell on deaf ears because Erik headed against you with all the rage he had locked inside.

-How cruel of you! Playing with a broken man's poor heart! You know fully well that poor unhappy Erik doesn't deserve you! But still you choose to play with my feelings. Only to end up leaving me behind, just as that Swedish girl did!

Tears had formed at your eyes as he spoke his hateful words. It was not till he stormed out of the room and locked himself that you allowed yourself to cry. Collapsing at the sofa where you had been sitting not so long ago and crying your heart out.

Hours had passed by when you heard a door opening. You did not need to open your eyes nor to stand up from the sofa to face the door in order to know that it was Erik the one who had come out of it. You heard his slowed down steps as he came closer and closer to you, like a frightened child about to confront his mother after having misbehaved. When he was finally standing in front of you, head down to the floor, he dropped to his knees, tugging at the hem of your dress while crying over your lap. You hands found their way to his head, where you started playing with the few strands of his hair in an attempt to calm him down.

When Erik had finally stopped sobbing and you two were now laying together, him on top of you, at the sofa. Erik's masked face was hidden at the croock of your neck as he clinged to your body with all his strengths, as if he was scared that you would disappear if he loosened his hold on you.

Whe Erik dared to cautiously look up at your face, in case that you were still mad at him.

-(Y/N)...- he asked, almost in a whisper. You looked back at him

-Yes?

Erik swallowed, he swallowed hard, doubting if he should go on with what he had thought.

-I- I wanted to ask you for something...

It was the first time since you had ever met that Erik was asking for something for himself. So you stood up slightly, making sure that Erik was still laying over you, wearing the softest smile you could to encourage him to keep going. Oh, you were so eager to get him whatever he asked for.

-What is it, dear?

Erik let out a shaky breath, and bitting his misshapen lip he found the courage enough to speak.

-Can you give me two kisses?- he asked a child like ring at his voice -one for now and one to save?

Tears made their way to your eyes once more. The fact that all he was asking for so fearfully was nothing more but a kiss tore your heart open.

With watery eyes you knelt on the stomach and pulled Erik up with you to later throw yourself at your poor man, taking his lips between yours without hesitation. The kiss took Erik by surprise, but even if he was a little astonished at the beginning he ended up melting down in your touch, kissing you back with the same fervour.

When you had to pull apart because of the air loss you took Erik's face between your hands, his blissful eyes looking at you in pure adoration. -You can have as many kisses as you want, my love. Now and ever. No need to ask for them.

Erik's mouth formed a big o, and his eyes looked watery behind his mask. A soft smile spread across his features before he pushed you against his chest, were you buried yourself, hugging eachother lovingly.

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tobealostwanderer · 2 years

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~~A new grave has been put in today please welcome our new arrival~~

Save The Show

You were never in the spotlight, your nerves would always get the better of you. You would stumble, mumbled, voices stuttered and cracked, and you became a mess.

But... That was only when you were in the spotlight, you felt more comfortable in the shadows. Nothing but dim light and darkness around you, letting everyone melt away getting lost in the music.

But even that came with its issues...

You were currently finishing up your hair, today you were getting ready for a final rehearsal before the show tonight.

You and your group were given the rare opportunity to perform in the Palais Garnier opera house, and everyone was ecstatic and even some jokes and half wishes of being given the chance to see and meet the Phantom.

While spotting the Phantom would be cool and might even amaze you, you had your skepticism about the whole Phantom bit. People have said and done crazy things for fame before, who's to say this isn't some elaborate scheme to attract attention?

You sigh letting the spray set in your head of curls bouncing a few to be sore they wouldn't fall out while you were dancing and moving around. Some of the curls were tight and well-placed others were a bit messy and fell from their original place but even if you'd prefer they stayed the way you placed them, you couldn't help but think the look gave you some character and you never minded that.

With that, you let onto the stage; taking your place with your partner Angel, his hazel eyes looking you over before he smiled fixing a curl and letting it fall over your face and you laugh.

You and Angel had always been best friends, the blonde male was handsome and needed a girl friend to help him mask his secret, and you were happy to help. It kept pesky sleazy pigs called men away from you and helped him keep his reputation by keeping his homosexuality a secret.

However, your smile drops when you almost fall over from a force bashing into your shoulder, looking over to see the star, the main attraction, the one and only muse known as a strawberry blonde beauty with a body to die for by the name of Caroline.

You and she never seemed to get along, you were fine and friendly at the start, but when you were cast as the leading role and her the understudy that friendly conversation turned to spiteful comments, you didn't even want the main role anyway that wasn't the role you applied for... So after lots of begging complaining, purposefully lessening yourself, and talking more than usual about how you've never sung Oprah before and how you would most likely mess up the show, you were placed in the background and Caroline became the star... But that didn't seem to calm her nerves any less...

You took a breath before getting in position for your dance, your voice was one of three background singers that were meant to harmonize with the lead but not overpower the lead or take the spotlight away from her.

But getting lost in the music can make it difficult...

You close your eyes letting Angel lead the dance as you sing your heart out, you had never sung in Oprah before this, but having taken advice from a mentor and getting lessons and now your first show was meant to help open you to more musical opportunities and you were glad you took the advice.

The music was hauntingly beautiful and the motions felt so touching and intimate, letting it flow through you. Almost gone... The only thing holding you to the stage... The world... The feeling of Angles arms grounding you.

Singing your notes, pouring all you had into it when suddenly... The music stopped.

Your eyes flew open and a frustrated sigh sounded throughout the empty theater, Coraline's eyes burning holes into your soul.

The instructor pinches her nose with a huff, "Darling... How. Many. Times do I have to tell you to keep your voice in check?! You keep singing over our main lead! As much as I appreciate your enthusiasm you are not the star here, you had the chance and you threw it away! Now, please!"

You mumbled an apology keeping your head down, hearing a scoff from Coraline.

The instructor huffs looking at you with a disappointing stare, whether it was because you couldn't follow her instructions or the fact she wanted you as lead but you turned it down was beyond you.

"From the top."

This was it the night of the show and you get like throwing up, but reminding yourself that in the shadows no one would notice you calmed you down only if a little...

The show was running smoothly, you danced when it was your part, sang, and gave Coraline props when your choreography had you do so.

It was all going so well... Until it wasn't.

Once the show hit an intermediate for the set and costumes to change it all went downhill.

The scene was the lead and the male love interest meeting at a ball and falling in love... However, when it was the lead's role to get on stage...she didn't show.

You weren't even on stage and you knew that by now Coraline aka the leading role was meant to be dancing her way through the crowd of dancing guests to get to the prince, so where was she?!

You were getting antsy and didn't was the night to be ruined, frantically asking where Coraline was before the final cue was given and it became clear to the audience something wasn't going right in the show.

But only getting answers of shrugging and frantic "I don't know"s and " I haven't seen her"s and running very low on time left you finally get the answer of "I saw her giggling with one of the guys meant to be in the background before she ran off with him, she must not realize that the halftime was over." Time was up, you panicked slipping on the lacy overlay on your ruffled dress and throwing on the leads mask before rushing out in the hope no one would notice, and the show wouldn't burn to the ground.

The back dancers didn't seem to notice the change in actress mid-way, but the man playing the prince did. But him seeing the frantic look and no sign of Coraline he got the idea of the situation and carried on as planned.

With your nerves and adrenaline pumping through you, you were able to get through the song to get to the next scene, you knew you were going to pay for your panic and stealing the spotlight bit you had to save the show.

But it wasn't all for nothing, because while most people were too entranced by the whole play to notice the switch in that scene, someone did.

He sat in his booth, his eyes only on you... Erik felt his breath hitch, you had stolen his breath away... Well... At least you would've if he had any...

(Might make a part two...)

#wanderer's fic rec

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