#⋆ THE AFTER PARTY

[satorisoup]

★THE AFTER PARTY

⋆ 7 - REST

when kuroo had said “keep it up”, you’re almost sure this probably wasn’t what he had meant.

it’s been almost a week since the recording of the first song in the album, and ever since you went home on a praise high that day, you’ve worked non stop with hardly any sleep. you’ve been cooped up in your home, slouched at your desk buried in crumpled paper and pen ink. the result of your effort being 3 songs in the matter of 6 days, including revisions on each one of the drafts. it had seriously taken a major toll on you, exhaustion showing in areas of your face, and your body was about ready to give out given the lack of rest it had. however, you were scheduled to be in the studio today, and you were definitely not about to let some lack of shut eye stop you from your work.

upon entering the studio, all four band members reside inside, working on their own tasks at hand. when they hear the jiggle of the doorknob and see you come through, you’re greeted with the sounds of “hello’s” and the boisterous “hi y/n!” from bokuto.

“hey everyone, here’s the drafts.” you simply state, stack of papers dropped onto the small table near kenma as you move to take a seat before you could topple over.

kuroo doesn’t fail to throw questioning glances at you. the bags under your eyes are apparent, dark and slightly puffy. your face is written with fatigue and your movements are more sluggish, and the ink of colored marker that stains your hands isn’t helping your case. your debility is visually obvious when he gazes at you as you allow yourself to sink slowly into the big chair.

“there’s 3 songs… all revised. please read over them and tell me what you think. if you need me to fix anything, i’ll take it home.”

a course of thank you’s are heard from everyone besides the lead singer, who reads over the pages quietly, brow quirked into a furrow when he hears the last of your previous sentence.

“i marked your lines with your initial, akaashi-“ you cut yourself off with a sudden yawn, “is there anything you want to change?”

akaashi looks from the paper to you with a shake of his head, “no, i think it’s quite good… but, are you alright?” he asks.

“oh… yes im fine. i just want to make sure you don’t need me to revise something before i go home and get started on the rest.” you simply answer, as yet another short yawn escapes your mouth that you cover with your hand.

“you’re not taking anything home.” kuroo says abruptly.

your head darts to kuroo before he continues to speak, almost woken up by his curt words, although there was clear concern evident on his features.

“you wrote all of these in less than a week?” he asks.

you slowly nod in answer, “yes, is it too little…? i could start-“ you try to finish, but you’re rather quickly interrupted.

“you’re not starting on anything today either. it’s obvious you’re exhausted. when is the last time you slept?”

you suddenly feel silenced, kuroo moving to stand as he speaks his last sentence.

“please, go home. you need to rest.”

your eyes slightly widen as you look to him in complete surprise, wanting to deny him, but the stern and determined look on his face tells you that it’s probably not the best idea to argue, especially since you worked for them. you can’t help but feel bad though, this was your fault for overdoing it, and it couldn’t possibly make a good look for you to be going home on one of your first days of true work.

“are you sure?” you ask him, voice hesitant and tone one of embarrassment.

“yes. go home and sleep.” he answers, holding the door for you when you gather your bag, saying a quick goodbye to everyone else in the room.

when you’d made it out of the door, you didn’t walk far as kuroo still leaves it a crack open, bending down to your height to speak directly toward you.

“don’t worry about it, alright? we’ll see you soon.” he almost whispers, voice soft but mature when it passes through your ears.

you can feel a slight quickening of the beat of your heart at the close proximity he was comfortably displaying, but it dissipates almost a second after it had started. you nod your head in a thank you, a small wave towards him when you shuffle down the hallway towards the elevator.

you’ve realized so far that kuroo, along with the others, were less intimidating than they had seemed. it still had only been the third time meeting with them, however you could say that they all seemed like nice men. kuroo was kind enough to not only realize how completely out of it you were, but he also had the curtesy to send you home, even if it was quite the abrupt approach.

you really had to thank him for this, because there was nothing more that you craved than the cold but comforting feeling of your body sinking into your soft sheets and fluffy pillows.

finally arriving home with the toss of your keys hitting the kitchen counter, you already began to change and get situated in your bed. your conscious almost takes over as you lay down, and it starts to sink deeper into a sound slumber, but your phone dings before it gets the chance to completely envelop you.

he asked for my number?

your mind hums in curiosity when you look to the message again, wondering what he could want to meet with you about.

well, who were you to deny a free coffee?

<- PREV ⋆ MASTERLIST ⋆ NEXT ->

★ FUN FACTS

⋆ kuroo felt bad for how blunt he was even though he was trying to seem professional.

⋆ kenma understands how you were feeling, due to him not getting much sleep on the regular.

⋆ TAGLIST

if your name is in bold, i can not tag you.

@bontensbabygirl @aichiomei @toomanygoldfish @withlovekiki @strwbrryeyes @lifesucksweswallow @snail-squasher @le000xxgrd @1lovestrawberrymilk

[grangermonarque]

Yet another band AU from me!!! But its DUNGEON MESHI💥 I think I did well with assigning them each instruments. Falin is on vocals bc I'd feel like she would have a really good range in singing. Then Izutsumi in the bg rattling the tambourine off beat.

[mistercrowbar]

Sorry not sorry Shadowheart, from every Astarion romancer ever.

[hinamie]

I don't want to regret the way I lived

[doctorsiren]

The books reveal that Ford is actually a secret partier

(Available as a print on my Etsy Shop)

(wips under cut)

[somewhereincairparavel]

i will never understand how people have the heart to hate Jason even after they found out that his Ambrosia tastes like fucking sawdust. Ambrosia being tasty is like one single happy thing a demigod can have despite their tragic lives, because it reminds them of the home they once had, but lost. And Jason doesn't even have that, he doesn't even have a home to lose in the first place.

[deer-watcher]

[egophiliac]

c. can i ask what's happening with idia during the whole tsum thing

Idia gets into a fistfight with his tsum and loses

[americas-sass]

Using Lo-fi Study Nights at Seacaster Manor as a way to boost his popularity and help further the goals of his friends while also refusing to acknowledge that the actual purpose is to never have to be alone in that big empty house is PEAK Fabian behavior. Can anyone hear me?? Lou I am in your WALLS

[myrkulitescourge]

the way that one line from the new epilogue in an astarion romance is going to HAUNT me

just. what a profoundly intense thing to confess to someone.

like, just these six months of newfound happiness with you exerts a force on his heart equal and in direct opposition to two centuries of endless torment, the gnawing hunger and exploitation. this flashbulb-bright fraction of his long life holds the same gravity to him as years upon years of darkness and suffering.

in all likelihood, he hasn’t even known his lover for as long as his worst memory lasted, that year sealed away to go mad from starvation and sensory deprivation, yet he still tells them this brief time has been so fundamentally and powerfully important that the weight of even that unimaginable hell is vanishingly small compared to this present he has now and the future ahead of them both.

how am i supposed to act normal about this.

[bigfatbreak]

"with everything you've done, how will you sleep at night?"

"next to my wife."

dam ody go off king

[satorisoup]

★ THE AFTER PARTY

⋆ 5 - SWEETHEART?

the time to leave comes quickly, and you depart from your apartment around 2pm to drive to the location alisa had sent you. it’s about 17 minutes away, located in a busier area of tokyo.

when you arrive, you feel yourself grow unnecessarily intimidated. the building looks professional like a corporate location, and extends a bit wide, about two stories high.

walking inside with your bag clutched in between your arms, you’re adrupltly stopped by what looks to be a security guard.

“your name, miss?” he asks you.

“y/n l/n, sir.” you watch him scan over the tablet he held in his hands.

“hm. your name isn’t on this list.” he says, eyes flicking up to you suspiciously. you’re unsure what to say as you stare back at him.

“you need to leave. this is a private area.” he says sternly.

“im sorry, but alisa haiba asked for me.” you attempt to reason, but he continues to usher you back out of the doors.

“sure she did. again, you need to leave the premises, now.” he argues.

your foot is almost backed out of the doors you once came through before a voice interrupts.

“ah, y/n, there you are!” alisa says as she makes herself known, eyeing the security guard as she beckons you over to her.

“this is an extremely important client. call me here before you try to kick someone out again.” she says, voice completely switched from the sweet tone she usually holds. the security guard frantically mumbles a ‘yes ma’am’.

you hold a still expression before alisa is brightly talking again.

“i’m so sorry about that! we have to take precautions sometimes. it wont happen again. let me give you a tour!” she says with a wave of her hand.

she walks with you around the building, each door embellished with its meaning on the front. you pass through each hallway, eventually leading to the elevator. when you exit, you take notice that the upper story is much more quiet than the bustling area below.

up here, the doors now have their selected titles surrounded in gold plaques. “NEKODANI OFFICE” and “BREAK ROOM” are just two examples of the few doors you see. you finally reach the end of the hallway, and alisa comes to a stop in front of the door.

“this is our recording studio. you’ll be spending quite a bit of time in this area.” she remarks before she smiles and continues. “the band is in here right now. ready to meet them?” she says as she reaches her hand for the doorknob.

you completely still after realizing what had just slipped from her mouth, having almost no time to react. your heart drums into your ears as you look to her with widened eyes, about to ask her to repeat her words, but she beats you to it by swinging the door open fully.

the room you stand outside of drops to such a silence that you could hear the drop of a pin. 4 pairs of eyes travel towards the entry way, not a single word uttered. alisa steps to the side, and your feet stay planted to the floor, legs not allowing you to move forward and you’re not exactly sure why, but you feel like you’re about to piss your pants.

“boys, welcome your new songwriter.” alisa speaks up, shattering the noiseless room.

the door closes behind you, and you can feel the stares radiating through your skin. your nerves eat at you with your eyes trained to anything but the people in front of you, and the only thing that utters out of your mouth is a short and hardly audible “hello.”

you hear the squeak of a chair and loud, rumbling footsteps until a presence makes itself known in front of your feet, and it speaks.

“did you know it was my idea to hire a songwriter? im pretty smart, don’t you think?” an excited voice rambles to you, and you find the courage to look up.

a tall and buff statured man stands in front of you, almost too close, hair spiked with frosted white tips and black roots. his golden eyes are wide and there’s a smile on his face as he waits for you to answer his partially rhetorical question. you try to find the words to say before another voice cuts in.

“you’re scaring the poor girl, bokuto. back up.” he says, placing a hand on the shoulder of the man, bokuto, in front of you.

his black hair waved at the framing of his face, eyes that colored gunmetal paired with a more lean build to him, and he gazes at you before he moves his friend out of the way.

“i’m sorry, excuse bokutos behavior.” he says to you.

“i would’ve punched him.” yet another voice cuts in. he lazily walks into view. a smaller height, and longer hair that sweeps into his face. blonde tips and dark roots, his eyes squinted and irises yellow.

“as if you haven’t done that before, kenma. you all are being too damn awkward.” the last bellows.

he comes forward with his hand extended for you to shake. his black hair swoops on one side of his face, honeyed eyes and a cheshire grin. the tallest of the group, and he leans toward you.

“pleasure to have you here. my friends are kind of stupid, don’t mind them.” he grins and you hear one of the others scoff, your hand moving as you shake his.

he manages to break some of the tension in the room, and you’re finally able to fully scan all of the faces in front of you.

theres no denying why these guys are famous. they can sing, they can dress, and they all definitely have the looks. yes, the cliche heartthrobs.

your eyes stop at the first boy that had tried to talk to you, and you’re able to move from your spot as you take a couple steps to him, hand out to shake his.

“i guess i also have you to thank for getting me hired, sir. sounds pretty smart of you to me.” you say, answering his question from before, and he beams as he accepts your hand. afterwards, you take a step back to position yourself in front of all four men.

“y/n l/n. it’s nice to meet you all. im glad to be able to have this opportunity to work with you. i hope i don’t disappoint.” you slightly bow as you declare, nerves still on high but dissipating enough for you to be able to introduce yourself. one of them takes the hint after your introduction to properly let you know who they are this time.

“no need to be so professional, sweetheart.”

‘sweetheart’?

“that spiky haired fella is bokuto, our drummer. he looks all big and broody but he’s a teddy bear at heart, if you couldn’t tell. goody two shoes, that’s akaashi. he plays bass and sings. this quiet snarky kid here is kenma, he plays synths. don’t worry, he doesn’t bite.” he stops and places a hand onto his chest and continues, “im kuroo tetsuro. lead singer. i think akaashi might still be stingy about that though.” he jokingly remarks, eyeing akaashi with a grin when the latter rolls his eyes.

you nod your head in understanding and repeat the names in your head a couple of times, as to remember them thoroughly. alisa waves her hands before she begins to speak again.

“alright, y/n! this will be the building you come to for every scheduled day you have. i hate to be such a workloader, but if you could think of some ideas for the album right away, that would be wonderful… you should be on the agenda to come back here in 2 days.”

“i can do that. i should probably head home now then, it was nice to meet you all.” you wave quickly, goodbyes shared from the band, and alisa eventually escorts you out of the building.

when you’ve finally arrived home, you’re able to fully process the events of today. the security guard, the huge building, the band, the famous band that you just so happened to get hired to write songs for along with one of those incredibly attractive band members casually slipping a ‘sweetheart’ as if you hadn’t just met.

nevertheless, you shake those intruding thoughts off and begin to brainstorm, and you’re really praying this won’t be a mistake.

<- PREV ⋆ MASTERLIST ⋆ NEXT ->

★ FUN FACTS

⋆ bokuto got excited when you addressed him as “sir” because everyone else always says he’s unprofessional.

⋆ akaashi actually had no problem being the background singer, because he knew he wouldn’t like that much of a spotlight on him alone.

⋆ TAGLIST

if your name is in bold, i can not tag you.

@bontensbabygirl @aichiomei @toomanygoldfish @withlovekiki @strwbrryeyes @lifesucksweswallow @snail-squasher @le000xxgrd

[endomentendo]

I rendered the main Tadc cast from the au, enjoy :3

[newwavesylviaplath]

lana del rey at the 2024 met gala after party

[lotus-pear]

the dialogue choices in this game should be more diabolical

[shushmal]

The latest Family Video customer is barely through the door before Eddie explodes, "Ugh, Tyler."

Beside him, Steve scoffs in agreement, nose wrinkled with distaste. He's so hot. "Yeah, exactly, uugh."

"That should be his middle name. Ugh," Robin chimes in. Eddie's so glad they're in agreement about the bleach-spiked punk guy that graduated three years ago but is still bumming around Hawkins. "Steve, I can't believe you dated that guy."

Seriously, Tyler is the worst— Wait, what—?

"Wait," Eddie says, gaping at Robin. "What?"

"You could barely call it dating," Steve huffs.

"You were together for a month and a half," Robin says. She's got this evil grin on her face and is pointedly not looking at Eddie who is very desperate for Robin to look at him right now, please. "You drove that bum to Indy every weekend. He broke up with you on Valentine's day."

Eddie's weak "Tyler? Tyler Teaks?" gets completely ignored.

"I—" Steve says with haughty emphasis. "—broke up with him on Valentine's day. Don't get it twisted, Buckley."

Robin snorts and finally glances at Eddie. "Steve only broke up with him because the guy blew him off. On Valentine's Day. Which is basically getting broken up with," she tells him, and ignores it when Eddie whimpers at her.

"Yeah, but I'm the one to ended it!" Steve insits.

Eddie, finally, finds his voice, and says, "Tyler Teaks?! Harrington!"

"Ugh," Steve says, slumping against the counter. "I know." He cuts a glare over at Eddie after a moment. "I blame you for this."

"Me?!" Eddie shrieks, incredulous. He's pretty sure he's stepped into another parallel world. Perpendicular world? A world where Steve apparently dates guys—and guys like Tyler Teaks, no less. Eddie's sure he's gone completely batshit insane. "What the hell did I do?!"

Steve stands, cocking his hip the side, and looks down his handsome nose at Eddie. "You wouldn't be my New Year's kiss at Tina's party," he says. "So I had to settle for Tyler Teaks instead."

"What the fuck?" Eddie says, completely lost. "What—? You—? Tina—? KISS—?!"

Beside them, Robin is grinning, laughing, eyes going back and forth between them, munching on a stolen back of skittles—her own personal dramedy on stage before her.

"Yep," Steve says, popping the P. He looks distinctly bitter. "Pulled my best moves on you, and you turned me down."

"Steve," Eddie breathes. He reaches out, places both hands on Steve's shoulders, intent. The eye contact he forces Steve into is desperate. "I don't even remember getting to Tina's New Year's Party." He takes a deep breath. "I woke up in her mom's pantry the next morning with no shoes and no memory of how I got there."

Finally, Steve cracks, a big smile stretching his face. Robin cackles. "Yeah, I kind of figured as much," Steve sighs, wistful now. "You told me, and I quote, 'Steve Harrington, you are very beautiful and I want to have a summer wedding because you'd look beautiful-er with sunflowers'—"

"Don't forget the 'you look so hot in that sweater' part."

"—'But actually, I am a very straight man. So very super straight.' And then you crouched down on the floor and crawled away." Steve is biting his lip now to keep from laughing. Robin is not so nice. "Like I couldn't see you, and the handkerchief flagging in your pocket."

"Oh my god."

"Don't worry, it was really cute," Steve says, grinning. "But, I still needed a New Year's kiss, and unfortunately for everyone involved, Tyler was my only willing choice."

"Oh my god."

"Totally duped me though, he was super sweet the entire night," Steve sighs. His mouth is twisted into genuine regret now. "Plus, the next week, you acted like you'd never spoken to me before, so—"

"OH MY GOD."

Steve and Robin give him twin grimaces. Robin's is a lot more sympathetic. Steve's is confused. "Listen, man," Steve tries to soothe. "I'm sure that's pretty embarrassing, but it was a cute story! No hard feelings, I promise."

Robin's sympathetic grimace deepens.

"No," Eddie says, standing up straight. "I refuse. There is no way I turned down Steve Harrington for a New Year's kiss. There is no way."

"Wait—"

"Eddie, where—"

Eddie marches for the door, digging his keys out of his pockets. "Good-bye friends, I must go see a supergirl about time travel."