#i love answering things in the askbox thank you for the very enthusiastic ask!!!

[crescentfool]

WHATS UR FAVORITE RYOMINA MOMENT FROM THE MOVIES I NEED TO KNOW!!!

HI FELIX!! thank you for the ask i am always happy to take more opportunities to talk about ryomina they are so special to me o7

it is VERY tempting for me to answer, "every fucking time ryoji showed up on screen!" ok this might be an exaggeration, i like 90% of his screentime, december 2nd ryoji should've been portrayed more like a pathetic wet dog imo but i digress. but hm... favorite moment.

while the helper's club montage has a very strong place in my heart (it permeated my braincells without my permission)!! i think my favorite part of ryomina's portrayal in the movies is the whole sentence finishing thing they got going on. i feel like that's a cop out answer but like.

there is something so so gut wrenching to me about how they start off by making it so that ryoji is the one finishing minato's sentences. always ryoji. BUT THEN!!! when they meet again at the top of tartarus to do battle on judgment day!! they turn it on it's head!! and it's minato!! who finishes the sentence!! and fuck man does it make me feel like i'm being kicked down a staircase.

and to have the sentence finishing happen again for such an important day?? god idk im gonna tear up and someone needs to like. give me like. a chew toy or something this makes me so fucking insane (blows up) (blows up).

so basically my favorite moment is really like, january 31st, but a lot of my attachment to it is BECAUSE they have that set-up in november with ryoji being the silliest fucking guy to have ever walked at gekkoukan. and oh man oh man the fucking. THE. when. WHEN THEY FOLLOW IT UP WITH MINATO SUMMONING THANATOS AFTER THIS?? yeah man. that's the fucking shit.

like i don't think the english language is enough to convey how much i love the artistic choice to have the flash frame of ryoji when minato summons thanatos. it's the hesitation and rebellion babey!!! the whole scene afterwards is so fucking juicy as well.

honorable mention to when ryoji jumped off the fucking roof at iwatodai station to tell minato that he has kindness in his eyes and that he doesn't like seeing him alone. what kind of guy does that. that's so fucking hilarious to me like actually. he was insane for that.

anyway that is my answer i HOPE u enjoyed reading it, god, ryomina still makes me eyes watery (it's been almost 2 years since i've met them??? what the fuck). i feel like others have echoed this sentiment before but nevertheless i was super happy to type it out :D

[reginarubie]

Hi Regina. I don't know if my comment went to you. Sometimes I get answers that they didn't get. So I'll send it again. I'm really curious about your recomment. I'm sorry if I bothered you.

WOW just WOW. Thank you for writing this masterpiece. As always.

The ballad in the tavern was vary interesting. Except it was hard to guess who was behind this. Maybe Black? Or just Daemon? I personally think that ballad was created through Mysaria under Daemon's orders.

It was so adorable that Aemond stood up to protect Sansa's honor. I grinned so much that my cheekbones are hurting now lol

And one of the things that always captivates me in this story is the relationship between Damon and Sansa. I was enthusiastic about Daemon approaching Sansa, but I didn't expect his interest in her to develop to that extent.

Was Daemon's fantasy with Rhaenyra fulfilled or broken after he married her? So he keeps looking for whores even though he's married to Rhaenyra, and now he's obsessed with Sansa?

I was surprised when Christon said that Daemon now prefers whores with red hair. Is he fascinated by Sansa's beauty and wit? Now I wonder what Daemon would do if he had a chance to capture Sansa or somehow have her now that his desire for her has been publicly revealed.

+ I honestly can't see Rhaenyra okay with her husband lusting after Sansa. I remember her displeasure had already been revealed before. And does Rhaenyra already know the content of that ballad? How would she react if she found out later?

Ciao nonny,

Sorry for the delay, I’ve been spending more time with my fam and my man and thus I’ve not paid that much attention to my askbox.

Tbh, nonny, who has created it? Mysaria is the most educated guess, kudos to you, she’s the link Daemon has with the small folk and, we know that Daemon for how brazen he is, knows that the love of the people is crucial when facing such a thing.

The difference between him and Sansa? Possibly the way they were raised. Ned raised his kids by showing them him sitting with his small folk and listening to their difficulties in hope to better their lives, instead the Targaryens believed — even the most “evolved” of them — that they were a different breed, better in any way and thus that those beneath them are to be content with being shown the least modicum of interest, they are useful to venerate them, but they do the least they could do for it because they should be venerated for the simple reason that they exist which goes against every Stark’ moral.

His fantasy with Rhaenyra is broken until he is in power. He had power over child-Rhaenyra, a power he lacks toward his wife (look at the chokehold scene). I don’t doubt there are feelings there, but Daemon’ first love is himself, first and foremost, and the people around him are reflection of it.

His fantasy with Rhaenyra was not broken because it was never whole. Daemon wanted to something, Rhaenyra was the mean for that something (the Iron throne, being loved) it’s a bit narcissistic by my humble opinion.

He’s obsessed with Sansa because Sansa has the backbone he likes with the femininity of youth and elegance that Rhaenyra has lost during the years — she was the Realm’s Delight, until she became a nasty entitled woman — Sansa instead whilst being older than his typical is still younger than Rhaenyra, feminine and not as brass. All things Daemon likes, but most of all, to him she’s intriguing, a mystery. That’s what intrigues him and makes him obsessed imo.

Rhaenyra was never okay with any of his escapades, look at Nettles. She’ll never be okay with it, at least on that degree Rhaenyra knows she deserves — like any other person — a faithful partner at her side.

As always thank you for dropping by! Sorry for the delay, know this, I read the ask as soon as you sent it (despite being unable to answer) and it makes me feel — like all of you taking time to write to me — very happy a writer indeed! So thank you!

As always sending all my love (and hope you like the new chapter) ~G.

[mirrorforevers]

silently • graham coxon/reader

this is a direct result of this prompt right here

don’t b sorry love, we’re all horny here. this prompt immediately took me out of my writer’s block so yeah gsdjsdhgsdj it was a blessing! tysm for sending it n i rly rly hope u enjoy reading it as much as i did writing it aaaaa i literally couldn’t stop. this one has a special place in my heart now.

also please tell me whatchu think abt this one on my askbox! unbeta’ed bc i love danger

word count: 2.809

warnings: smut. shameless, fast paced fluffy smut.

You couldn't understand why the hell he was so nervous. On the way to your parents' home he asked more questions than a 4-year-old on their way to a park - what are they like, what do they like to do, do they know Blur? Do you think they will find my shoe ridiculous? I'm sure they'll think I’m a weirdo. What did you tell them about me? Even the many kisses you gave him were not enough to calm him down, leaving you to assure him that even if your parents didn't like him - which would be impossible, Graham was never better and more pleasant to live with - you would continue to like him. Very much.

Couldn't live without him, actually.

When you arrive at the door, your mother greets you with a wide, surprised smile - it didn't even seem like she had been begging to meet Graham for months and meticulously planned every minute of the time you would spend together. Her friendly posture seemed to make him more comfortable, the fact that your father was traveling also ended up making him more relaxed. “Dads are always frightening,” he’d say. He agreed to spend the rest of the night there after having an extremely pleasant dinner.

While he does the dishes, you and your mother clean the table when you decide to stop by the kitchen to talk to your boyfriend.

"It wasn't that difficult, was it?" You ask, a daring tone in your voice.

He smiles sheepishly. "Everything went significantly better than I thought it would, honestly."

“You did well. Not that she is hard to please, but you are really sweet.” You kiss him on the cheek. (It's so cute how he still blushes at these things after months of dating.)

"Thank you, love."

"I mean it. I think you deserve a gift for being like this.”

He looks at you, starting to pay even greater attention to the direction of the conversation. “And what do you have in mind?”

You whisper in his ear in the most seemingly innocuous tone you can feign. “I, for one, think you should fuck me senseless in the room upstairs.” He smiles, gaze a little lost in his surroundings as it usually goes whenever he’s pleasantly disconcerted by your dirty talk. Your hands travel his body subtly under his shirt. He hisses: “Can’t wait.” His voice is weak. You love to tease him like that.

You give him a little peck where his mouth and cheek meet – and then you motion to leave after a wink. “See you in a few minutes.”

“Babies, sorry to interrupt,” your mom arrives at the door, instantly killing off the whole mood you’ve created. “I forgot to tell you, but some other people from our family will be here in a few minutes. We’re not done yet!”

Graham’s really confused. You shrug and give him some context – “My family just loves gatherings in general. And they’re excited that I have a boyfriend now, apparently.” To which your mom points: “Exactly! They want to meet you too, Coxon!”

You can feel the anxiety building in him again already. He’s so uncomfortable it hurts, and you know his head is spinning. He doesn’t want to let you down, and after your mom leaves, you go back to calming him down again. “Baby, it’s okay, I promise. If you­’re too overwhelmed we--”

“No, no. I signed up for this. I’ll be okay. I’ll have a drink or two…”

You completely discard this possibility. No associating alcohol to social abilities anymore after everything he went through because of it. “No. We’ll find other ways to calm you down.” After some seconds of a silent yet intense brainstorm, you have an idea. But you won’t tell him. “Ok, I know what to do to take your mind off the pressure. Just wait and see, and no beers, alright?”

“Alright… I guess.”

After giving him yet another peck while he finishes cleaning the plates, you quickly run upstairs to change from the tight jeans and band shirt you’re wearing to a very light and flimsy sundress. And that’s all the clothing you choose. It fits you well, and leaves not much to the imagination. You know it’s a family gathering, but it’s also summer, so no severe dress codes were being enforced in any significant way.

He reads your mind the moment he sees you in the dress, shaking his head in pleased disbelief at the sight. He mouths a small “you didn’t” while a stupidly joyful smile slowly shines over the tight expression of worry he once had. To which you mouth back: “I did.” You then go back to playfully teasing each other a bit while you take care of the sudden assembly’s preparations.

Your family members arrive and, as expected, they’re really thrilled to meet your guy. Graham answers so many questions, and ends up sharing so much of how he feels about you with them, and bit by bit, the warmth and wholesome aura of your closest relatives makes him feel truly welcomed. He feels like he knows you even better now, now that he knows where your energy and vitality come from. He could see bits of your personality in every single one of them – of course you are still the splendid whole, but still. It made sense.

Also, you noticed he didn’t take his eyes off you the entire time. He was hungry and you’re glad your plan worked. It was easier to forget about how hard sociability is when his mind was somewhere else.

After a while, though, you could sense him getting fidgetier. Even though he was considerably and visibly more relaxed than he was a few hours ago, that amount of social interaction, specially while sober, still drained a lot of his energy. You take his hands, announcing you two were getting something else to eat. You go to the kitchen, not bothering to turn on the lights, and though the house is empty you two could still hear the enthusiastic discussion your family is having outside, slightly drowned by the distance and the walls separating you now.

“You did so great, baby.” You smile, giving him a victory kiss while he envelops you in a tight hug. He’s proud of himself too, and he deserves to feel like that. “They love you already.”

“They’re just like you, in a way. I’m glad everything went well,” he sounds relieved, still tired, but relieved. “I couldn’t stop thinking about that proposal you made me earlier, though.”

“I know,” You plant a chaste kiss on his jaw. “I felt your eyes on me.”

This second kiss he gives you feels different. It’s longer. Famished. Purposeful. His hands are friskier now, traveling hastily throughout your body, and you alternate between giving in and becoming progressively more alert of your surroundings. You can have an idea of where this is heading. The swirling of his tongue around yours makes you dizzy, and the feeling somewhat akin to an electric shock – but milder, and definitely more carnal – that flows through your body when he bites your lower lip and brings your hips closer to his brings you back to reality. “We have to be careful,” you whisper, each of your lips just barely touching while you breathe each other’s air.

“I promise I’ll be. You look delicious in this dress, I… don’t know where to start.” He cups your cheeks while drawing imaginary lines across your lips with the tip of his thumbs.

“Think fast. Never took you for a quickie guy.” You chuckle.

“I like to take my time, yes, but some things can’t wait.”

And with that, with the dexterity and carefulness of a cat, he sinks to his knees in front of you, lifting up your dress with one hand and one of your legs with the other, your leg now resting on one of his large shoulders. He takes hold of your hips, angling you toward him. You hiss in anticipation, and you can feel your core burning in expectation too. Your hands now firmly grab the counter behind you for support while you turn behind you with attentive eyes to see if no one’s coming. You’re safe, for now. The thrill of getting caught is one that will never get old.

His eyes seek yours for reassurance. You, without a word, give it to him. You both look lovely bathed in moonlight. He teases you first, kissing and sucking at the skin on your inner thighs, moving closer and closer to your center until after a couple minutes of that sweet agony his lips graze across that aching part of you.

He flicks his tongue delicately through your folds, playing with your wetness. The way his hands caress your lifted thigh so delicately while his tongue inscribes poems to your clit is something that makes your stomach flutter, you simply can’t ignore those tiny adorable actions that make loving him so addictive and rewarding. Keeping yourself silent and struggling to remain somewhat composed to anyone who might see you from outside is a painfully arousing contradiction to the sensations you’re feeling. He’s doing his best to fuck you up, gradually setting a rhythmic pace to his movements with the intent to release the spring now starting to coil tightly low in your abdomen.

“Jesus, Gra—f-fuck. Fuck.” You whisper, breathlessly, while simultaneously suppressing a moan when he delves his tongue even deeper in your core, your fingers instinctively curling and closing a fist on his hair, making him groan. You buck your hips against his lips and you can feel sweat beading on the backs of your knees, heart threatening to jump out of your mouth by how fast it’s racing.

You suddenly freeze when you hear a voice from outside approaching the kitchen and you lightly tap his shoulder. Graham stops on command, but he won’t get up until he’s absolutely certain he should. He sprinkles your thigh with small kisses again, eyes droopy with the high from giving you the pleasure he knows he’s giving you while he admires you. The person heading for the kitchen takes a turn to the opposite side and you sigh in relief. “False alarm. Go on, baby.”

“Yes, ma’am.” You notice he’s panting, and you can only guess how hard he is, judging by the tone of his voice. The time you spent frozen wasn’t enough to completely burn out the fire he’d already created within you, but he’s determined to give you an orgasm before anyone can interrupt you again – now he had two fingers moving, stroking, curling inside of you in delightful ways while his tongue began to work your clit in tight little circles. You could feel him moaning against your sex, he really liked this. And fuck, he was good at it. He slips one more finger into you, his ring finger, making your pleasure soon explode into a trembling climax. You couldn’t stop the little sound you made and he kisses your thigh in reply while still lazily fucking you with his fingers. “So fucking beautiful,” he whispers.

One of your hands move to your mouth in order to cover the sound you really want to make. Graham, once again, looks really proud of himself.

He slowly pulls his fingers out of you and cleans them with his tongue before he lifts up again as inconspicuously as possible. You try to look like nothing happened, and you’re both glad that, apparently, no one’s giving a single fuck to whatever’s going on where you are. Given the realization, you look at each other and giggle. He then pulls you in a hug, voice husky when he teases, and confesses, “You can’t imagine how bad I want to fuck you right here. You’re the best thing that ever happened to me.”

“We’ll have to take this to the bedroom, love.” You reply, still recovering from your orgasm. You can’t risk more than you’ve already risked. He looks slightly…

Disappointed.

You smile. “You thrill-seeking bastard. You enjoyed this way too much, didn’t you?”

“Didn’t you?” He questions back, tickling your sides, a wide, satisfied smile on his face. God, you loved him so much. He pulls you back to him again, and you turn to the other side so he can grind against you from behind. He’s rock hard. “We have some thick curtains here, after all.” You say, mischievously, before you close the curtains as carefully as possible. He lifts up your dress once again, this time high enough so he can fill his hands with your breasts, and he, agonizingly slowly, teases your nipples with his fingertips while he keeps grinding against you. This, alone, gets you motivated enough for another round. “God, Coxon, you’re going to be the death of me.” Your voice’s painfully needy, just like every other part of you.

You spread your legs a little wider to give him better access to you. Feeling cool air against your bare ass, you bite your lip and screw your eyes shut when his hand squeezes your butt. “Dripping wet for me. You’re glistening.” He quietly notes, giving your butt a little kiss - you then look over your shoulder to watch him get his jeans open. His hard cock bounces against your ass as he pushes his boxers down. You wiggle to get him inside you while he tortuously slowly runs the tip of his cock between the slick folds of your pussy. When it bumps against your sensitive clit, you can’t stop the mewl of his name.

After a few more hard breaths, he was inside you. You’re hungry for him too, and the sound of your body clashing against his is something unbelievable. You begin in a faster pace than the one you’re used to – and that’s not a problem. At all. Speed is of essence, but you’re also starving for each other. It feels like no contact is ever 100% enough.

Your hands keep firmly gripping the balcony and when he lowers his chest against your back you can’t hold back the involuntary gasp that leaves your throat and echoes through the empty house. One of his large hands holds your hips in place while he fucks you mercilessly, the other one covers your mouth hastily – his shaky voice betrays how badly this is affecting him too. “Shhh, love. You don't want anyone seeing you in that state. So fucking tight around me.”

He was sinking more deeply into you with each thrust now, and trying to keep your eyes open while his now awaken dominant side is doing that to you, exactly the way you want him to, is torture. You feel like you’re going to pass out from the all the sensorial and contextual stimulation. “You want me to come inside you, baby?” To which you keenly reply with a nod, not bothering to uncover your mouth. This was perfect.

He edged his hips back so he reaches your most sensitive spot and his grip on your mouth constricts when he notices how loud you want to be. “Feels like a dream inside you but keep. Quiet.” His voice lowers to a breathy whisper against your throat and the hands that were holding your hips in place now snaked to the front of your body to help you get off. And like that, you do, coming a second time, this orgasm even more intense than the last. The way your walls twitch around his dick is enough to push him over the edge too, and you feel him spilling inside you. You milk him of every drop, and after you both ride off your high, you feel a tender kiss that lasts for a while in your scalp, a silent “thank you” while he slips out of you.

You put your dress back on place, trying to compose yourself before you can look another human in the eye again. You have a positively overwhelmed, just-woke-up-from-an-incredible-dream look on your face. “You better not get me addicted to this kind of risky shit.”

He laughs while he also does his best to look like not one hair or piece of clothing ever went out of place. “Sorry, Y/N, I think I already did.”

[redrattlers]

Hiya! Here are some numbers, hopefully they haven’t been asked yet 56, 57, 60, 61, 73, 77, & 82 ❤️

noah!!! hi!! thank you for stopping by the askbox ☺️

56. would you rather live in rural areas or the suburbs?

rural area 100%. I could not be more serious when I say I’m jealous of ashton irwin and his mountain-man-cabin-in-the-woods life he’s living right now. ultimate life goal is to own a cabin in the mountains on the canadian west coast. i just need open air and green spaces surrounding me, it’s what makes me happiest <3

57. do you take shampoo and conditioner bottles from hotels?

oh yea absolutely i do.

60. how many pictures do you have on your phone?

too many 18 877

61. have you ever peed in the woods?

as the camping and hiking enthusiast i am, of course i have!

73. do you want to get married?

I don’t have very strong feelings about wanting or not wanting a wedding tbh! if i do get married one day though, it probably won’t be a big thing. I love the idea of a wedding as a celebration of love, so with that in mind, I’d like to get married one day, yeah absolutely. but like I’m not spending a shit ton of time and money on trivial things, I just want to group the most important people in my life and celebrate and have a good time!!

77. do you miss anyone right now?

i haven’t seen my best friend in two years, he moved across the world and then covid happened😔 i’m saving up money to travel to him whenever it’s safe to do so!

82. favorite ice cream flavor?

answered here, but it’s cookie dough☺️

unusual asks?

[inmytaste-blog]

Señorita

Word Count: 3.2k

Warnings: A very encouraging Shawn and a self-confidence under construction

A/N: Another fullfilled request which made it into my askbox just today! I didn’t want to delay it and fall behind since Shawn released his new song just yesterday. This was very pleasing to write and I really liked the way it turned out. I hope I made that anon’s request justice and I truly hope it lived up to their expectations! Once again, feedback is very much appreciated and I would like to hear your thoughts on this piece! Till next time, happy reading!

__________________________________________________________

‘’Are you serious? A new song along with a new music video? Shawny you are treating your fandom so well lately, I’m impressed’’ you said, placing your arms around his neck and giving him a slight peck on his cheek, pleased with the news.

‘’Aye, does my fandom include you as well?’’ he said lowering his much larger figure in order to capture your lips in a proper kiss.

‘’I don’t think I want to disappoint you now that you have a lot on your plate babe’’ you jokingly stated and freed yourself from his tight grip, heading towards the kitchen.

‘’I think this answer pained me more… Nevertheless, I know you are the craziest fan there is no matter what you say’’.

Hearing Shawn’s words, you realized that he was more than right. You were indeed his number one fan and you always fangirled hard when something new was on its way concerning his career. So when Shawn announced to you that he would be working on a new song, you were on cloud nine. Someone would say that you were more thrilled when Shawn had a new project to deliver than himself and they wouldn’t be exaggerating. You knew something was coming up due to endless phone conversations and meetings between Shawn and Andrew so when the bomb exploded you exploded too.

‘’Whatever you say Mendes’’ you slyly replied and plopped down on your couch.

‘’So tell me more about this song. What is the concept behind it? Will you be singing alone or will it be a duet? When will you start shooting and rehearsing? Why are you so secretive?’’

‘’First of all, you are bombarding me with questions love. How can I answer all at once? Secondly, I can’t reveal anything else yet. Telling you was risky as it is so you will get no more information for today. Sorry.’’ Shawn explained and your face fell.

You weren’t really urging him to tell you everything because you knew that this industry works with a little bit of secrecy as well but you couldn’t deny the fact that you were disappointed that you wouldn’t be getting any more insights and details concerning his newest work. At this point, you wished he hadn’t shared anything related to this new song whatsoever because now you wanted to know everything there was to know.

‘’Fair enough. Guess who’s not getting any love from me today’’ you half-jokingly said and moved further away from Shawn to the other end of the couch.

‘’C’mon Y/N don’t be such a baby. Everything will be announced to you when it is the right time for it to be’’ Shawn argued and proceeded to hug you.

You slightly pushed him off but eventually gave in to his touch because deep down, you knew he was right. It wasn’t his fault that he couldn’t go into more depth about his work and it surely wasn’t fair for you to know everything beforehand while all his other fans around the world were kept in the dark. Besides, what’s the fun in knowing everything and having no suspense in your life?

That was something Shawn really adored and appreciated on you. It always made him feel safe and relaxed and it surely helped him more when he was ready to perform, shoot or record a new piece. His job was already pressuring enough and sometimes it got to the point that he would even call it suffocating. Having someone who was genuinely understanding and encouraging was a true bargain for him since he really wanted to leave his work back in the studio and be met with relaxation and relief when he got home.

And you offered him just that. You knew what you were signing up for when you agreed to date Shawn so you promised more to yourself to be the best version of you just for his own sake. You were more interested in his well-being than anything else especially when you found out all the story concerning his battles with anxiety in the past. You truly believed he was a person that deserved all the best in the world and you were more than honoured when Shawn chose you to be his companion; his rock who would give him all the best.

There were of course times when you would cross the line and you would be pleading for him to share something more when he was preparing something new but you knew when to stop. Shawn knew as well that you were firstly a fan and secondly a girlfriend when it came to his music and he was really thankful to have someone so supportive and so caring. But when he declared that he was in no position to share anything else, it was your signal to accept it and stop questioning further.

‘’Okay okay. I understand. But tell me at least this; will you be singing on your own or with other people as well?’’ you asked, aiming your puppy eyes at him, a feature you knew very well he couldn’t resist.

‘’Ugh, you are playing dirty Y/N, giving me this look which gets me everytime’’

‘’Please?’’ you pressed a little more.

‘’Okay, it will be a duet but this is all I have for you. Now, what movie does my number one fan want to watch with her superstar?’’

Truth was Shawn wanted nothing more than to stop playing games and just confess to you everything he knew so far about his new music video and song. It physically ached him to withdraw information from you, especially when you were being nothing but patient and enthusiastic with his hectic lifestyle. The only thing which was keeping him behind was the fact that he had arranged to sing and shoot with you. You were nothing close to famous or artistic, besides the very well-organised blog you were maintaining dedicated to your talented boyfriend, but other than that you had no contracts or business with the music industry.

However, Shawn wasn’t on the same page with you on this matter. He had heard you singing when you had first started dating and he was mesmerized by your voice. It combined a sweetness and a raspier metal which had driven him insane. He still remembered that moment up to this day and he never hesitated to ask you to join him when he was singing in his studio, even if it was for fun. The most outstanding thing of all was a file in your computer which consisted of some covers you had attempted when you first discovered Shawn’s music. Shawn really wanted to listen to them but you only agreed when you were official and you trusted him completely.

When his ears were met with the sound of your melodic voice, he felt like someone had casted a spell on him. The words of In My Blood acquired a completely new, a more profound meaning when they left your lips and they were interlaced with your unique sounds. He couldn’t help himself but transfer all the covers you had saved in that file to his phone without any second thoughts.

From that time on, he always made sure to raise the levels of confidence you had about your singing skills which to be frank, were the lowest they could be. It really puzzled and it even saddened him to know that his girl was so talented but she couldn’t appreciate her skills more. So the least he could do was ask you to sing or at least hum something when he was falling asleep or to accompany you in your private shower concerts. He was a sucker for your singing and you still laughed about it when he would praise you. But this never stopped him from getting the most he could of your beautiful voice.

Now Shawn tried to take things up a notch. He hated to know that your talent was not getting the recognition and the appreciation it deserved so when Andrew came up to him with a new suggestion for a song and a music video, Shawn realised this was the opportunity he was seeking.

‘’So, I was thinking that after the success of If I Can’t Have You, the fire’s still at your feet and another release will really keep the fans at the edge of their seats. What do you say?’’

‘’Y-Yes yes. Are you serious? Now that my tour is on, I have inexhaustible energy. Tell me all about it’’. Shawn wanted nothing more than to keep his portfolio full and this new song was the perfect chance for him to introduce you to the world of professional singing.

‘’Okay. My first thoughts have to do with the artists you will be singing with. I’m really rooting for a duet but if you want to include more artists, it’s up to you mate. What are your thoughts so far?’’ Andrew proceeded with the details and Shawn was more than ready to spill your name.

‘’Okay. I don’t know if you will see eye to eye with me about this and I can already tell you will be taken aback but my suggestion is Y/N’’. There was no turning back now. The only thing he could do was pray that Andrew would agree for you to do a duet with Shawn.

‘’Y/N? As in your girlfriend Y/N? Shawn are you sure? I mean I have no evidence that she can sing. Plus we don’t have much time to call her in and arrange a sound check with her’’

‘’I don’t think that will be necessary’’ said Shawn and he was quick enough to pull his phone out and let the room be filled with your version of Lost In Japan.

‘’You are a smooth motherfucker. I am waiting both of you next time for the rehearsal’’.

Shawn hadn’t really filled you in on what was going on so when he told you that you would be going with him to the studio you were a bit bewildered.

‘’And why do I have to come as well? Can’t you see that I am all comfortable watching Friends?’’ you matter-of-factly stated and Shawn dragged you from the couch.

‘’It is a surprise. Now get your bum up and go get ready. We are leaving in five’’.

‘’Okay okay sir’. But you’re buying me ice cream later’’ you pointed your finger at him and he chuckled.

‘’I sure am’’.

Shawn felt a little bit guilty that he hadn’t been completely honest to you about his duet but he knew that if he had spilled the beans and asked about your consent, you would be negative. Heck, he didn’t even have a clue what your reaction was going to be now but he decided to take his chances and risk it. He really needed to get you out of your cocoon and show you what you were really capable of, something you always kept your eyes closed to.

‘’Hello Andrew. It’s been a while. How are you?’’ you inquired when you reached the correct floor and Andrew hugged both you and Shawn.

‘’Shawn’s been a pain in the ass but I manage. How are you feeling sweetheart? Are you ready for your first?’’

‘’Um excuse me? What first?’’ you turned your glance at Shawn who was picking at his nails and was looking nervously at Andrew.

‘’Shawn dude, didn’t you tell her anything?’’

‘’I wanted it to be a surprise! Don’t blame me!’’ Shawn put his hands up and looked at you.

‘’Anyone care to explain?’’ you hated being excluded from what was happening so you were growing more aggravated by the minute.

‘’Y/N, dear, Shawn has brought you here to work on his new song called Señorita. You will be his duet for this song and for the video of course’’ Andrew explained and your jaws were on the floor. Shawn very well knew you were in no place to share your singing with the whole world and he still went and got you into this.

‘’Shawn what is he saying? What did you do?’’ you turned your attention to him and he cupped your face.

‘’I know you are going to pull the ‘’I can’t be exposed to basically the whole planet and my singing is not even that good’’ card but please hear me out. When I first listened to your voice I was amazed. You remember my first reaction. I instantly felt like an apprentice in singing in front of you. During those two years we’ve been together, I am more than pleased to see that I am the reason for the growth of your confidence when it comes to singing. Y/n please consider singing with me. Your talent deserves to be exposed and applauded’’ Shawn concluded and your vision had gotten blurry because of his speech.

‘’But-but how does Andrew know that I can sing? How does he know that this isn’t gonna be a flop?’’

‘’Um I know believe me’’ Andrew chimed in and just on cue, Shawn wiggled his phone between his fingers.

‘’You shady bastard’’ you smacked Shawn’s arm and he playfully acted as if he was hurt.

‘’So, what do you say baby? Will you be my Señorita in this song?’’

You still felt a little bit out of place and your guts were telling you that you would surely mess this up but the look Shawn was giving you and the feeling that he would be right beside you the whole time, boosted your courage and your confidence. Not really trusting your words at this point, you gave Shawn a shy nod and you swore that his eyes were like small stars radiating their glow.

‘’Is that a yes? Y/N baby you will not regret this I promise you’’ Shawn hugged you and lifted you up in the air before giving you a reassuring smile.

‘’Thank God. I don’t think I would be able to get someone else if she turned this down’’ Andrew remarked and you both fell in a fit of laughter.

‘’Okay. Get your sheets with the lyrics, get in there and blow me away’’.

Getting into the recording space, you felt your palms getting damp and your head slightly dizzy. Shawn must have felt your uneasiness and he placed the microphones opposite of one another, so that the only thing in front of you was Shawn and no one else. This little gesture put your nerves at bay and with a final confirmation, Shawn signaled for Andrew to start recording.

Throughout the song, your eyes were focused on the piece of paper which contained the words that came out of your mouths. You didn’t dare take a glimpse of Andrew, fearing that if you saw his disappointment you would collapse and this whole procedure would be wasted. Surely, this was the last thing you wanted, the first one being to please Shawn and not to embarrass him. He trusted you enough to get Andrew to agree and have you here singing so you just couldn’t betray his trust.

Reaching the main chorus, your eyes travelled to Shawn who was giving his all during the song and it dawned on you that it was the first time in a while that you were seeing him recording a song. Only this time, you were a part of it too. Shawn’s eyes fell on yours and the smile he gave you was enough to let you know that you were doing a pretty decent job for a first time. You knew that the song was going to be a bop nonetheless and being with Shawn in the act, really made you understand why all of his songs always made it at the top of the charts.

‘’ I love it when you call me Señorita

I wish I could pretend I didn’t need ya

But every touch is ooh la la la

It’s true la la la

Ooh I should be running

Ooh you know I love it

When you call me Señorita

I wish it wasn’t so damn hard to leave ya

Ooh I should be running

Ooh you keep me coming for ya’’

Shawn really adored the way the song was turning out. When he had first scanned the lyrics, the only person he could picture himself singing it with was you. The thing that he felt most freaked out about was that you both had first started seeing each other as friends before this fling between you two had developed. So, at least for Shawn, this song was once again speaking to him on another level. He felt really connected with it and now that he was singing with you, it made him feel even more connected to you as well. It would be a thing that would always remind you of what you are capable of when you are together and how the one makes the other discover something fresh for themselves.

Andrew was dumbfounded when you both started singing together and he was positive this was going to be another success for Shawn. He felt really relieved that you had decided to give this a go since the music industry was a department that was always in need of fresh blood and upcoming artists who had a flash of talent. Besides, the chemistry you had with Shawn was authentic and rare so the need to construct something similar with someone else was totally unnecessary.

‘’All along I’ve been coming for ya

And I hope it meant something to ya

Call my name I’ll be coming for ya

Coming for ya, coming for ya, coming for ya

For ya

(Ooh she loves it when I come)

For ya

Ooh I should be running

Ooh you keep me coming

For ya"

The song came to an end and if it wasn’t for the air conditioning unit in the small room, you would be a sweating mess. The look you exchanged with Shawn while the last words of the song were being spoken, really showed you how much Shawn loved you and that he truly believed you deserved to be loved by other people for your immense talented soul.

‘’And it’s a wrap. Guys…’’ Andrew started and you closed your eyes, not really wanting to be confronted or let down by his next words.

‘’You were fucking bomb. This is gonna be the song of the century. Well done. And Shawn, thanks for persuading our little star here to work with us’’ he said giving you a high-five.

Hearing Andrew’s words lifted all the weight off of your shoulders and you felt ten times lighter. Never in your wildest dreams had you imagined working with Shawn in a professional and official manner but here you were, blowing both of the boys away with your singing.

‘’Wow. That was-‘’ you didn’t let Shawn finish his sentence and you connected his lips with your very own in a passionate kiss.

‘’Thank you. For this amazing experience and for believing in me when I just didn’t’’ you truthfully said to him and his arms tightened around your shorter frame.

‘’I thank you for bringing out the rest of the passion I have for this job. You see, singing with you makes me feel things. And now that it happened for a much larger audience, it made me the happiest man alive’’.

Just before you could say or do anything else Andrew’s voice echoed through the walls, making you both jump.

‘’Don’t rest on your laurels kiddos. We still have a music video to shoot!’’

[bnha-steampunk]

Gear up, steampunk enthusiasts! After assembling and setting up some team-related things, the long-awaited mod introductions are finally here! We’ll try our best to make this zine as fantastic as it can be!

↓ ↓ ↓  Meet the mods  ↓ ↓ ↓

⚙ ⚙ Mod Kiri ⚙ ⚙

Name/alias: nekon (I went by ‘N’ in answering previous asks ^^)

Pronouns: She/her, they/them

Role: Head mod, graphic design and general mod

Experience: I’m mainly a graphics design mod for The Art of Manliness - a Kirishima zine, but I also help out a lot in managing asks, social media posts and communications for said zine. At the same time, I have contributed to 5 zines as an artist, including BNHA Wedding Zine, Girl Power! zine, Our Reality and more! I have done thorough research in managing zines and have talked to multiple experienced mods for this task. Thank you all for this amazing opportunity!! <3

Why I love Steampunk: I love the aesthetic and vintage feel steampunk art gives off. The color palette is amazing and such intricate details never cease to keep my eyes glued! The machinery and designs, desaturated yet breathtaking colors and steam concepts draws me in as well. I absolutely love steampunk and BNHA, so I had the idea to combine both and see what fascinating fusions can be done with quirks and steampunk technology!

Social Media: Twitter | Tumblr

                       ⚙ ⚙ Mod Intern Toko ⚙ ⚙

Name/alias: 1Estel1 (I went by “-E” in the askboxes ^.^)

Pronouns: He/Him

Role: Mod Intern

Experience: This is my first time being part of a fanzine project. I haven’t contributed to any fanzine prior to this one. My good friend reached out to me one day and said something along the lines of “Hey, you wanna be part of this thing I’m trying to do?” I was stoked, and I still am. I am very excited to work with everyone in creating this, since I love both BNHA and alternate history.

Why I love Steampunk: I love the aesthetic! Victorian England was the pinnacle of posh fashion. Combining this with the dominant technology at the time at an exaggerated scale makes for some epic spectacles that wouldn’t be possible in the real world. The colour palette of browns, oranges, and golds really brings out a feeling of being taken back two hundred years ago. Imagining a completely different world, where some event in the past changed the course of history, where the culture stayed the same for hundreds of years, and instead of evolving, it grew in scale to the maximum degree, just takes me away into this amazing fantasy land where technology progressed in the wrong direction, and it’s all just so very breathtaking. I want to share this weird passion I have for crazy fantasy scenarios with the world, and I figured to start with one of the biggest fandoms out there-Boku No Hero Academia!

Social Media: Twitter

⚙ ⚙ Mod Jiro ⚙ ⚙

Name/alias: Cate ( or Jiro, my goth girl )

Pronouns: She/Her/Dude

Role: Finance Mod

Experience: As far as finance in general goes, my career is accounting, and I’m going to school for it as well. I’m working as a Finance/Marketing mod on the Everyday Magic zine ( though I don’t think we have a tumblr yet ), as well as interning as Kaleidoscopic Zine as Finance Intern while being their primary writer as a contributor. I contributed as a chef to Sweet Teeth Cookbook Zine as well!

Why I love steampunk: The aesthetic is A+, and I’ve done a lot of costuming with the same aesthetic, which won me a handful of competitions! It’s always been a really interesting era, and I always end up circling back to it in projects, trying to add just a hint of the vibe to even the most opposite of aesthetics. 

Social Media: Tumblr

⚙ ⚙ Mod Kero ⚙ ⚙

Name/alias: Mel

Pronouns: they/them

Role: Layout Mod 

Experience: This is my first time being a Mod for a zine, but so far I have contributed/am contributing in five (5) zines: All You Can Eat: Tamaki Amajiki Fanzine and LOOP Music zine as an artist, and I am Here: An All Might Anthology, Help Wanted! BNHA Fanzine and BNHA Inksmith zine as a writer! I have also been in the BNHA Flash Bang and BNHA 1-B Big Bang as a writer, and my degree is in Visual Communications, of which relates to graphic design and layout design.

Why I love Steampunk: I just really love the idea of steam-powered machinery being used as a solution to the problems we’ve since found other ways to solve!

Social Media: Twitter

[sunshinemiranda]

After Hours - Lin-Manuel Miranda x Reader

Summary: Based on the prompt: “I have a key to the theatre, and sometimes I go there when I need to think. Apparently so do you.”

Words: 5,296 (ren and i are just...yeah)

Warnings: Swearing. 

A/N: From Ren (@alexanderhamllton) - Guys, it happened!!! Here’s my first collab with Liv, which I’m so so excited about, we wrote the whole thing in one afternoon and I couldn’t be more proud of the result. I hope you guys enjoy it as much as I do <3

From Liv - I am still dizzy from how much I enjoyed writing this. I finally had the honour of collaborating with Ren (aka real human sunshine) and it was so much more than I could have ever hoped for. Honestly, it is amazing. Happy reading!

askbox | masterlist

There is something very beautiful about a theatre without an audience. It is filled to the brim with potential, all these seats just waiting to be filled, an empty stage that could become an entirely different universe. The lights are dimmed down, and from inside a deserted Richard Rodgers, it is as if the entire world has stopped spinning.

You didn’t recognize the set anymore. Romeo and Juliet had faded to reveal two new love interests: Eliza and Alexander, their names synonymous with the Broadway musical. From the show you were a part of to the hit-show Hamilton that took over your old workplace, you only recognized the empty seats, so familiar to you even though you never had to step on stage; it took many promises of not touching a thing to your friend Jonah, who worked with the security of the place, to let you in.

Crew members are ghosts, who aren’t able to have an excuse to be on stage during the show’s run, but they are beyond useful. They are the backbone of the art the audience sees. You stood in the middle of the stage, looking out at the wide expanse of space, filling the air with your thoughts. In a room like this, your ideas and dreams had room to stretch and grow, lifting their waif-like limbs. Silence fell heavy, and remained unbroken. Slowly, your eyes closed and surrendered to a feeling of infinite peace.

“You’re not supposed to be here.”

You whipped around with a very loud, “Holy fuck,” and found that someone else seemed to spend their time in deserted theatres too.

“Who are you?” His voice was careful and intimidating, a combination rare to your ears, especially when you visited the theatre.

“Who are you?” It didn’t even cross your mind that you weren’t in a place to ask that question.

“I asked first.” He quipped, the shadow of a smile starting to tilt at his mouth.

“I asked second!” You hurried, then closed your eyes with a visible cringe. This was going horribly. “Sorry. You just sort of freaked me out with the whole, Phantom of the Opera style sneak-up.”

“I can respect someone that makes a Phantom reference,” he replied with a smile. “I’m Lin.”

“[Y/N],” you replied, crossing your arms. Why you were so defensive was beyond you, especially because the guy didn’t seem threatening at all. “I was a crew member on Romeo and Juliet, if that helps to explain my presence,” you took the small key from your pocket, shaking it so he’d know you were telling the truth. “I still have a key. Coming here kind of calms me down, sorry for intruding.”

He chuckled, looking past you at the rows of seats. “God, I can relate to that. I love coming here after hours. It’s like the calm after a storm. The water is still.”

An unexpected smile came to your face and you nodded, letting your crossed arms fall. “Yes! Exactly.”

“But seriously. You can’t be here.”

“Oh.” Your brow furrowed. “Right, sorry about that. I’ll show myself out.”

“You didn’t let me finish. You can’t be here. Let’s not let anyone find out.” He grinned, reaching his hand out for you to shake. It was an offer for what seemed like an adventure. “Deal?”

“Deal,” you replied, shaking his hand. “So… Lin. What brings you to the theatre after midnight?”

“I would really like to know your excuse first. I mean, this is my play.”

“I asked first,” you joked, making him chuckle.

“The pressure. The show is everywhere, and I’m proud of it, I really am, but it can be overwhelming. People expect too much, you know?”

“Not really. Romeo and Juliet didn’t do very well,” you smiled, walking towards the front of the stage before sitting there, your legs dangling over the edge. “But I do see your show everywhere, so I can only imagine the pressure.”

“Wasn’t this version the one with Orlando Bloom?” Lin asked, before sitting down next to you.

“Yep, turns out fame doesn’t compensate the lack of theatrical talent.”

“Ooh, harsh!” He pulled a hand to his chest as if he couldn’t quite believe it. “That’s Legolas you’re insulting, right there.”

“I’m not scared of an elf who never runs out of arrows.” You grinned.

He laughed, and it struck you that it was a good one. It came right from his chest, full-breathed, as it sort of took over his body. In the low lights, the shadows only allowed you to see aspects of his face. From what you could decipher, he was far prettier than any Romeo Montague could have been. With the echoing of both your laughs dissipating into acoustics bouncing off the walls, a silence fell that was more comfortable than you thought it would be. It struck you that Lin was a natural with people.

“Being on this stage makes me want to belt some Shakespeare,” you laughed, and he raised a mischievous eyebrow before standing, reaching out to pull you up with him.

“Now that’s something I want to see.” Lin grinned, ignoring your protests and hurried off stage to sit in the audience.

“Hey!” Blushing with embarrassment now, you squinted to search for him in the seats. “There’s a reason why I was in the crew and not cast, you know.”

“I’m waiting, Ms. [Y/N],” his voice called. It made a smile grow on your face.

“Before I start, I wanna say that you asked for this!” You warned him, before clearing your throat. “Should I go for Romeo and Juliet, or is that too cliché?”

“Whatever you like, I’m just the audience!” He shouted.

A pause settled into the theatre, and you closed your eyes, focusing on yourself. Every night, through working backstage, you would always take the time to admire one monologue. It was your favourite.

“Come, night; come, Romeo; come, thou day in night; for thou wilt lie upon the wings of night whiter than new snow on a raven's back.” You stepped forward, unable to see him in the audience, but ultimately alert to his presence. “Come, gentle night, come, loving, black-brow’d night, give me my Romeo, and, when he shall die, take him and cut him out in little stars, and he will make the face of heaven so fine that all the world will be in love with night and pay no worship to the garish sun.”

There was a long moment of silence, filled with electrifying tension, before he made his presence visible by standing and delivering the most enthusiastic standing ovation you had ever seen in your life.

“Okay, tell me again why you were in the crew and not on stage starring in the thing?” He laughed, running to the edge of the stage before climbing to meet you there. “That was amazing, you knew every line!”

“Thank you, I- I really liked that monologue, it was one of the few things I genuinely enjoyed about this gig, besides the place.” You looked around, remembering the many nights where the theatre was empty, without a set, without any props backstage, and you had total freedom to just wander around discovering all the little quirks it had to offer. “Have you guys found the secret room yet?”

“Secret room? I don’t think anyone’s found that yet,” he answered with a smile. “Do you know where it is?”

“I do, but it’s a secret after all,” you smiled, Lin shooting you a look.

“C’mon, you can’t just tell me there’s a secret room and not show me where it is, that’s just plain torture!” He argued dramatically, making you roll your eyes and laugh.

“Fine! Are you ready to climb some stairs?”

“Not at all.”

His answer made you laugh, and before you knew it, the two of you were taking the stairs backstage before heading down a small corridor, the ceiling so low you had to crouch before you had the space again. It was a small room, filled with old cables and mechanic gear, and on the opposite wall, a window. It didn’t open and you never figured out if it was because it was broken or sealed somehow, but it gave you a view of the stage no other room in that whole theatre would.

“It’s not that big of a deal, but it’s a fun place to watch rehearsals, you can see the wings and the stage at the same time,” you explained.

He stared, wordless, out the window, eyes widening as he took in the sight. You would see the entire Richard Rodgers kingdom from this point. His silence started to make you nervous.

“Legends say this was the old tech room before they got moved up there,” you pointed. “That’s why you can see everything.”

“[Y/N],” he murmured, turning toward you with wide eyes. The way he said your name sent a thrill down your spine. “Thank you.”

“Anytime,” your voice was almost a whisper.

You came back one night a week after that. And so, it seems, did Lin.  The two of you explored every nook and cranny of the theatre, and after-hours exploration became the day of the week you looked forward to the most. It became a silent pact that every Wednesday would be the night to meet up and engage in all kinds of shenanigans: you felt like a teenager again, sneaking around with a guy you just met in the middle of the night.

“Okay, Avenue Q or Book of Mormon?”

“Hands down Book of Mormon. Avenue Q is great, though. I just have a soft spot for Andrew Rannells.” You grinned, reaching into the bag of yogurt covered pretzels sitting on the stage between the two of you.

“She likes Andrew Rannells. A girl after my own heart!” He pulled a Southern Belle swoon, fainting back onto the stage as you laughed. 

“And you got to have him in your show too, lucky thing, ugh, I hate you.”

He reached over and snatched the pretzel you were holding inches from your mouth, grinning as he bit into it. “You would never.”

“Try me, Miranda. Wait, Singin’ in the Rain, or Sound of Music?”

In complete unison, the two of you announced, “Singin’ in the Rain.”

“I’m so whipped for Gene Kelly.” You sighed.

“You and me both.”

You lay down beside him, staring at the rafters in the ceiling, realizing that in doing so, you had closed the space by a considerable distance. He was close enough for you to reach out and trace the contours of his face, run your fingertips over his cheekbones and tap your index against his nose. Of course, you didn’t. But the thought was there anyway.

“Turn around, bright eyes…”

The quiet of the theatre was perforated by his voice ringing out softly, and you grinned. Stepping, as quietly as possible, closer and closer, you made your way to the orchestra pit where he was sitting at the piano, accompanying himself.

“Every now and then, I fall apart!” your voice startled him, but he knew that song like the back of his hand.

“And I need you now tonight,” your voices blended together while you both sang between smiles, Lin looking at you in adoration as you raised your eyebrows, surprised with the fact he didn’t even flinch before starting a duet with you. He played the notes without taking his eyes off you, and while a few weeks ago this would have intimidated you, now you wouldn’t trade that for the world.

“There’s nothing I can do, total eclipse of the heart...” you both finished the song together, the last notes he played floating around you before the silence.

“[Y/N].”

“Lin.”

“You didn’t tell me you could sing. That was beautiful.”

“It was beautiful because you were carrying it with your voice and the piano. Don’t get ahead of yourself now.”

“Hey, have I ever lied to you?” He grinned standing and taking your hand to tug you closer. “Here. I’ll show you the piano arrangement so you can carry it on the piano and your voice. Just like me.”

He placed his hands over yours to play the chords and melody with you, but you couldn’t spend a second of that time concentrating. He was so close, and smelled like cologne and the wood on the stage. The warmth of his hands was sending your head into a reeling mess.

“You’re not concentrating, are you?” He grinned.

You shook your head, looking down and hiding a smile when a strand of hair fell from the back of your ear. Lin’s hand slowly moved to put it back in place, and you couldn’t help but turn to face him, his lips now inches away  from yours. Your eyes shifted from his eyes to his lips, for a split second before you came back to your senses, biting your lip. He was so close, it wouldn’t take much to just move an inch and kiss him senseless, in a way you had wanted to for a while now.

“Mr. Miranda, have- oh, I’m so- I’m sorry.” Jonah opened the door abruptly, making you and Lin jump apart like scalded cats. A blush worsened the colour already on your cheeks, and Lin refused to look you in the eye.

“It’s okay, Jonah, what happened?” Lin replied, running his fingers through his hair while calming himself down.

“Just letting you know I’m leaving earlier tonight, I changed shifts with Marco and I thought it’d be better to let you know...” Jonah replied, scratching his head, his cheeks flushed.

“We’ll leave soon, Jonah. Thanks.” The security guard nodded before taking a weird bow before leaving, making the both of you giggle. Lin turned to you, a sheepish smile on his face. “I guess we’re not staying for long tonight.”

“From experience, I can say Marco is not the friendliest person I know,” you commented, now incapable of looking Lin in the eyes without blushing.

“Finally, someone says it! We better get out of here before he finds out we’re intruding.” He laughed, trying his best to smooth over the awkward moment.

Outside the theatre, the two of you said quiet goodbyes accompanied with shy smiles, and by the time you got home, your head was reeling with that same dizziness. God, you had it bad.

Lin was alone on the next Wednesday. She’s probably just late, caught up with some extra work, he thought, but the feeling of dread stuck in his stomach through the two hours he sat at the Richard Rodgers and pretended he had “work to do”.

He couldn’t help but absently wonder if it was his fault that you weren’t there. Maybe the “Almost Kiss Incident” had scared you away. The worst part of that realization was the fact that he might not have a chance with someone he’d fallen head over heels for. It made an endless feeling of inadequacy settle into his stomach, leaving him restless and messy.

Later that night, he asked Jonah if you had left a message, a sign, anything. But you didn’t. He didn’t have your number, or an address, but Lin also felt it wasn’t his place to ask you about you not showing up that night. It was technically a silent agreement, no strings attached, but he didn’t feel that way about it. He never felt that way about it. He only hoped that you didn’t either.

He started coming there on the nights that weren’t the “schedule” for you guys. He would try Mondays, Thursdays, Sundays, any time that you might be there just in case you had mixed up the dates or couldn’t make it on Wednesdays anymore. But he didn’t see you. Jonah noticed how Lin started to come more often and decided to step up, as your friend.

“Mr. Miranda?” his voice echoed in the empty theatre, where Lin was reading a book, pretending he wasn’t using it to waste time while waiting for you.

“Yes, Jonah?” he replied, without taking his eyes from the book.

“She’s not coming tonight.” The statement made him look, a mix of concern and disappointment on his face. “She usually doesn’t come that often. She started coming every week because of you.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Jonah,” he said, faking a smile.

“Sir, with all due respect… Before you, she would only come here maybe once a month, sometimes not even that. Her family doesn’t live here, in New York.” The security guard’s words made Lin realize how abnormal the whole situation was: you were both strangers until you met that one night, the random encounters turned into scheduled nights and that, in his head, was not the reason why he liked that theatre in the first place. Lin nodded, closing the book before saying goodnight to Jonah, leaving the building by the back door.

The next night Lin showed up after-hours was a Thursday, not a Wednesday. He didn’t have a show that night or any hope of finding you there anymore. This time around he actually needed the silence. When he got to the theatre, Jonah hurried towards him the moment he entered.

“She left a note last night,” he announced, holding a grin.

“She came here?” Lin couldn’t hold his disbelief, that quickly turned into a smile.

“Yes, sir. Asked for you and everything. Told her to leave a note in your dressing room but you didn’t show up today.”

“Ironic. It’s the first time in months I take a break on a day that’s not Saturday, and this happens,” he joked, before patting Jonah in the shoulder, heading inside the now empty theatre. “Thanks man.”

When he got to his dressing room, he immediately noticed the note, written on the back of one of those ads people hand out in vain on the streets, taped to the mirror.

Lin,

I’m sorry I didn’t come the past few weeks. I had an emergency with my parents and had to leave right away, didn’t know how to contact you. I’m back now, as you can see. I hope you haven’t forgotten about me yet. See you next week?

Whipped for Gene Kelly,

[Y/N]

PS: Here’s my phone number, can’t believe you didn’t have that already!

He smiled, grabbing his phone to save your number in his contacts within moments. There was no way he was going to go another two weeks without talking to you. He needed that. You didn’t hate him! Lin laughed to himself before folding the note and putting between one of the notebooks he kept around.

To: [Y/N]

From: Lin

See you next week.

Lin’s sleep schedule was fucked. Honestly, he had started sleeping till 1 on the weekends, falling asleep at 4 (on an early night), and all because of two things: he spent all his time waiting for his best girl at the Richard Rodgers, and without the after midnight talks that calmed him, it was too difficult to fall asleep. Without [Y/N], there seemed to be no organization in his life. When she appeared in the doorway, like an angel come to lift him from the groggy mess that was his life recently, he rubbed at his eyes, disbelieving and wondering if his lack of sleep had started to make him delusional.

“You look like crap, Miranda.”

It was the best thing he’d heard all month. Without a second thought, he hurried off the stage and surged toward you, pulling you into an unexpected hug that was long overdue. You stumbled a bit, at the sudden weight of his grasp but, with a laugh (and a blush), you were wrapping your arms around his waist and revelling in his warmth.

“I missed you, [Y/N].” He murmured into your hair, the strength of his hold telling you that he wasn’t planning to let go any time soon.

“And I missed you.” You replied, a bit of hurt tugging at your heart while you said this. He had no idea how you really felt.

He moved away, letting his hands slide down to take hold of both your hands instead. “Come on. We’ve got catching up to do.”

He led you up to the stage, the regular spot at the edge of the stage just waiting for the two of you. As you sat down, he twisted sideways, and before you could question his strange methods, his head nestled into your lap and he actually sighed, as if he had been waiting for this physical contact, this moment. Your heart fluttered.

“So, any special reason why you look this tired?” You asked, slowly combing his hair with your fingers.

He hummed, eyes closed as he took the moment to find repose. When he spoke, his voice was soft and mumble-y. “Mhm. Was waitin’ for you.”

Thank God he was turned away from you, because a flaming blush spread across your cheeks like wildfire. Did he have any idea how beautiful he looked, half asleep, with his head in your lap? It was altogether unfair, and your heart tugged again, the way it always did when he was around.

“Lin…” You breathed. “You need sleep, you dork. What the hell were you thinking?”

“That you hated me, or something.” He murmured. “I came here so many times, [Y/N]. So many times. And you weren’t here. I know some of the things I do are disappointing, but I couldn’t deal with the fact that I might just lose you. So I had to fight for it. I guess losing sleep is my way of doing that.”

“Stupid, stupid, thing.” You scolded, your heart starting to beat a thousand times faster at his words. “You aren’t disappointing, Lin.”

He smiled, choosing not to reply as you felt his breaths even out. Looking down, you brushed a hand over his cheek, curling over his body to see his face. 

“Lin? Are you-are you asleep?” You held back a chuckle that might jostle him and wake the sleepy figure once he nodded. Instead, you just kept on carding through his hair, looking down and endlessly staring at him, admiring, thinking over and over again about how much you adored this dork.

“You are so bright, Jesus, I’m sure you could power these stage lights for ten years.” The statement came from somewhere you had stashed away all your thoughts about Lin, including your feelings. It wouldn’t hurt to say them while he couldn’t hear, right? “I admire you so much, you have no idea. Don’t let yourself think you are inadequate, or useless, or just not worth it. Because you aren’t. You are the leader of this successful show, you have created so many things that have taken the world by storm. Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if I hadn’t met you here.”

A small smile had crept up on his lips as he tried his best to keep the sleeping facade in place. Unbeknownst to you, he had been listening, and all his hopes about a future with you became possible. He quickly pushed the smile from its place to listen to your words again. You didn’t notice.

The next day, Lin looked like a Puerto Rican ball of energy backstage. The whole cast and crew noticed he was on a roll, and Tommy hated to be the one to contact him about the bad news.

“Lin?” Tommy knocked on the doorframe of Lin’s dressing room before entering, revealing a half-dressed Lin being mic’d. “We have a problem.”

“Jasmine’s dress suffered a small… accident. No one knows for sure, she swears she didn’t trip, but the fabric of the Maria skirt was ripped in the back, really badly. Like all the way up to the bodice.” Lin’s eyes widened as he took in Tommy’s words: today was the day off for the wardrobe crew. One of them was available for emergencies, but added to this, there wasn’t enough time.

“D-Don’t worry, I know someone.” Lin waited a few seconds until they finished mic’ing him up and got to his phone, searching for your number in the contact list.

“[Y/N]?” His voice was rushed, but Lin was not the energetic type of nervous, he was methodical, and you recognized his tone right away.

“Everything okay?” You asked immediately, his tone setting off alarm bells in your head.

“Can you come to the theatre, like, right now? We had an incident with Jasmine’s dress and-”

“I’m leaving work right now, I’ll be there in ten, okay?” You quickened your pace, dodging people in the street, making your way to the Richard Rodgers.

“You’re a lifesaver,” he replied, relief taking over his voice.

“Don’t thank me yet,” you joked, hanging up the phone as you broke out into an almost-sprint.

By the time you got the theatre, Lin had already left a pass for you to come in, making it easier for you to rush your way to the dressing rooms. You ignored the looks from the cast that you only heard stories about and knocked on Lin’s dressing room door. When he opened, he was in all his Alexander Hamilton glory.

“Hey, Mr. Hamilton,” you smiled, trying without success to hide that you were the human version of the heart eyes emoji and it was getting embarrassing fast.

“Thank God you’re here!” His greeting was interrupted by the speakers announcing there was two minutes to places, and he rushed with you to the girls’ dressing room. “Jas, this is [Y/N], she’ll fix your dress, just… Show her the way, okay?”

“So you’re Lin’s guardian angel!” She greeted you. You didn’t have time to blush and simper at that but oh, how you did. A red colour spread across your nose bridge and you didn’t notice that Lin didn’t look any better. Stuttering, he hurried out of the room. Jasmine took the red dress from the rack. It looked bad.

“Jesus,” you murmured, staring at the tear that ranged from the hem of the skirt, all the way to the ties on the back.

“I know.” Jasmine sighed, sheepish.

“Okay. We can’t let these stitches be seen, so we’re going to do this inside out. You have red thread, right? Give me some time with the needle. I promise you, I’ll get it done.”

She handed you the sewing kit for emergencies and thanked you as many times as she could before someone called her to places, leaving you alone with your task. You took a deep breath before getting into work. The songs went by as you sewed the dress calmly, being careful to not let anything to visible. She’d need a whole new skirt later, but that would have to do it for now. When you finally finished, ‘History Has It’s Eyes on You’ was almost over. Reaching over to hang the dress in its place, you admired the work you managed to do in such short notice.

Jasmine rushed into the room, still wearing her yellow dress, squealing when she saw the red skirt fixed. “You are amazing!”

“It’s no big deal, just be careful with it. You’ll need to ask wardrobe for a new skirt later, okay?”

“Paul will kill me,” she laughed, her nerves mixed with relief. You helped her get dressed, being extra careful with the fabric this time. Once she was in her red costume, Lin knocked on the door.

“Come in!” Jas called, and he peeked in, closing the door behind him before looking up to see the repairs you’d made. He froze, speechless and not able to believe his eyes.

“She really is a guardian angel,” Jas grinned, breezing past him with a wink that you missed.

An awkward silence filled the room and you made yourself busy with fidgeting at the hem of the sleeves on your shirt.

“So how’s the show go-” You attempted.

“I love you.”

If there was any air in that room, you couldn’t tell. Your jaw dropped (quite unflatteringly) and you were about to answer when someone rushed into the dressing room.

“Lin, Lac has a few things to talk to you during intermission, if you could come real quick...”

“Uh, I-sure, yeah,” he replied, his eyes shifting from the stagehand to you. “I’ll be right back. Or after the end of the show, please-please stay until the end of the show?”

You nodded before Lin got literally pulled from the dressing room, his eyes never straying from yours. That left you alone once again. You took a deep breath, processing the words he just threw at you moments before he exited. It was too good to be true, right? It wasn’t possible. Nothing like this happened in real life. This was the ending of some sap’s favourite rom-com, not your life. Too many thoughts weighed too heavy on your mind, so you surrendered to distraction, deciding to watch the rest of the show from your secret room.

The view was even more extraordinary than you remembered. The lights looked different from up there, the performances looked more sharp and you noticed the patterns on the dance moves as the second act came on. Tears rolled down your face as you watched the last moments of the show, and you missed the final bows as you made your way downstairs once again. It was just when the cast was returning to their dressing rooms, still fully dressed in period costumes, that you found Lin. He met you halfway up the last flight of stairs, the steps levelling the two of you out just enough for him to look right into your eyes.

“Secret room?” He asked, his voice slightly above a whisper.

“Yep,” you replied, popping the ‘p’ and making him chuckle. “Listen, Lin, I just-”

Within seconds, he surged forward, hands cupping your jaw as he pressed his lips to yours, soft, forgiving, and altogether the sweetest moment you had ever witnessed. You reached up to brush your fingers over his cheek as he pulled away, searching your face to see if his decision had been a mistake. After seeing only soft eyes that looked adoringly back, a slow grin spread across his face.

“Thank you,” he whispered, letting his forehead rest against yours. His eyes closed momentarily.

“It was just a ripped costume.”

“No, I mean for everything. For always believing in me, for being the reason I fall asleep happy at night, for making me feel adequate. You are everything I need, [Y/N].”

His declarations resulted in a bright red blush and as screams and applause from his castmates surrounded you, you noticed (for the first time), that the both of you were in the middle of the after-show rush. You giggled, hiding your face on the crook of Lin’s neck as he turned around with a smile that could light up New York city.

He led you down the staircase, hand tucked into yours and still clad a Hamilton costume. The smile he kept giving you, he looks he didn’t have to sneak anymore, all of it had made your heart feel lighter than air. This was possible. It didn’t always happen, but some people were lucky enough to experience that.

“Lin.”

“Mhm?”

“That time on the stage, when you fell asleep in my lap. You were awake, weren’t you?”

He turned to you, eyes bright with mischief as he shrugged shamelessly. “I’ll never tell.”

You rolled your eyes, bumping his hip with yours. “I hate you.”

“I love you.”

You tried to fight it. You really did.

“Dammit, I love you too.”

“Oh thank God,” he grinned. “Otherwise I don’t know what I would have done.”