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nataliescatorccioapologist · 3 days

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A Travis Martinez Deep Dive/Character Analysis

Let’s talk about one of the most (if not the most) controversial characters in Yellowjackets! I definitely feel like many of Travis’ scenes and actions are misunderstood, so let’s dive in to his character and understand why he does what he does.

General Information

Travis Martinez is portrayed by Kevin Alves. He is described as being 16 years-old in the first drafts of the scripts, although it is unclear if he is still 16 in the final product or if he was aged up to 17 like the rest of the main cast in the teen timeline. His introduction in the script describes him as “lanky, sullen, teetering on the awkward, hormonal edge of impending hotness, a sensitive kid doing his absolute damndest to pretend he doesn’t care about anything.”

Travis attends Wiskayok High School in the (fictional) town of Wiskayok, New Jersey. His family consists of his father, Bill Martinez (who is the head coach of the Yellowjackets girls soccer team at WHS), his mother, and his little brother, Javi.

Relationship with His Family

We get a very brief glimpse into Travis’ home life before the crash in the Pilot episode, but it does give us a few hints of the conflicts present in his family. We see that Travis’ parents seem to have a distant relationship, with Travis’ father attempting to give his mother a kiss goodbye and her initially being resistant to it, but giving in only when she sees Travis watching. Travis rolls his eyes at this interaction, telling us it’s a common occurrence. Maybe it’s just me, but I’m definitely getting the sense that Coach Martinez has had some extramarital affairs and that Travis’ parents are only still married for the sake of keeping the family together.

Travis confesses to Nat that Coach Martinez was “a shit dad” and that he “didn’t even like” Travis. I think, at least in Travis’ mind, he has never been good enough to measure up to his father’s expectations. We get to see a brief sample of what Coach Martinez's parenting style may have been like in his scene with Jackie, in which his version of a "pep talk" is telling Jackie all of the ways in which the other girls on the team are better than her. I have a feeling Travis' dad often took the same approach with Travis; a gruff, "tough-love" demeanor that only resulted in a deep sense of inadequacy.

This dynamic has affected Travis' relationship with Javi, as well. My interpretation of their relationship is that, while Travis does deeply love and care for Javi, he also harbors some resentment towards him for receiving more softness and support from their father. This resentment only grows when the plane crashes and Travis is left completely responsible for Javi. He's feeling the pressure of having to be an example of masculinity for Javi and his new role as a father figure for Javi, all while dealing with the grief of his father's death. He's overwhelmed and afraid, and therefore he takes this out on Javi, which we can see particularly in the scene where he makes Javi spit out the gum their father gave him.

Travis is likely replicating the harsh parenting style of their father with Javi; it's all he knows. But, underneath, Travis loves Javi; enough to put himself through the trauma of digging up his father's corpse to get a ring for him and to trek through miles of snow in sub zero temperatures for months looking for him after he runs away.

This is why it is so, so heartbreaking when Travis loses Javi just as he's learning to show how much he loves him. My heart breaks at the thought that Travis will have to come back home and tell his mother that his father and little brother are dead.

Toxic Masculinity

It’s no secret that Travis is deeply, deeply insecure. And, as is the case with many young men, this insecurity manifests itself through sexism, unhealthy stoicism, hostility, and anger. It is important to remember that Travis is a teenager in the 90s, a time in which the sexualization of women in media was rampant. The Third Wave of feminism was underway, and with it came an increase of misogyny and backlash from men. Sexist jokes and comments were the norm, and Travis was likely surrounded by them in high school. As a result, we hear him call the girls "idiots," we hear him compare them to girls in porn magazines, we hear him tell Nat she should stick to "folding laundry" and "sucking ___" (we all know how that sentence was going to end). There's no true excuse for it, it's abhorrent behavior and it's unacceptable no matter what time period this is.

However, if we look into Travis' past, we can definitely find an explanation. Much of Travis' behavior can be drawn back to his insecurity and feeling that he is not good enough. We know he was bullied throughout high school as a result of Bobby Farleigh's "Flex" comment and we know that he feels like his father never really liked him; that he never felt good enough for him. Another aspect of Travis' insecurity can also be linked back to the idea of masculinity that has been fed to him by society: the strong, macho, stoic ideal. And it's clear (especially in Season 2) that Travis just does not fit this ideal. He's soft and sensitive, and because this goes directly against what he thinks he should be, he feels shame and embarrassment in himself.

And what do men do when they feel shame, insecurity, and/or sadness? They lash out. Men aren't allowed to show vulnerability, so they instead replace it with a more acceptable emotion: anger. And we definitely see this in the way that Travis lashes out at the people around him. And to make matters worse, Travis is one of the only men out there in the wilderness, making him feel even more pressure to be the strong masculine figure society expects him to be.

Reaction to Trauma

The pressure Travis feels to be "manly" bleeds into his response to trauma, as well. Travis has just watched his father die in a brutal and gruesome manner right before his eyes, and now he's out in the middle of nowhere with a bunch of teenage girls and a little brother to take care of. Most people would break down and cry.

Travis, on the other hand, is strangely apathetic. His only expression of emotion is anger. He snaps at Nat when she suggests that he help his brother, he yells at Javi and forces him to spit out the gum that is his only connection left to his father, he steals food from the others and blatantly insults them, and he essentially tells Javi to "get over it." Travis' coping mechanisms are clear: he distracts his grief with anger and he pushes away anyone that could possibly offer him support.

We see this again with another very significant trauma Travis endures: his sexual assault the night of Doomcoming. Travis is sexually assaulted by an entire group of girls, he clearly begs for them to stop (and they don't), and then he runs for his life and is almost killed. No one ever acknowledges this trauma and the next morning Travis is back to his usual ways, snapping at Natalie when she tries to emotionally support him and attempting to hurt her feelings to get her to stay away from him.

But it's clear, in both of these instances, that, underneath, Travis does care, and he is hurting. Despite him yelling at Javi, he wants to get his father's ring to make it up to him and support him. And when Nat doesn't budge and insists on helping him, Travis breaks down sobbing and admits that he "didn't want to" and that he is in love with her. (And in the script he even says that he wishes that Shauna had killed him that night, that's how strong his pain and shame are after Doomcoming!) Travis' hostile and abrasive behaviors are really a front he puts on to avoid being vulnerable, letting people in, and admitting to himself that he's struggling.

Relationship with Nat

Given Travis' tendency to push people away and hide his vulnerability, it’s not surprising that he forms a romantic connection with someone who mirrors his response to trauma: Natalie.

Their relationship starts off on shaky ground, marked by Travis' initial misogynistic remarks and even an incident where he points a loaded gun at Natalie. Despite this, Natalie is the only person who seems able to see through Travis' anger. Her own experiences with trauma—particularly the loss of her father—give her a deep understanding of what Travis is going through. Like him, she has developed a habit of distancing herself from others, driven by the pain of watching her father die and the lingering guilt of feeling responsible for his death.

This shared trauma—witnessing their fathers’ deaths and carrying the weight of guilt—creates the foundation of their connection. One pivotal moment that cements this bond is the scene where Natalie makes her first kill. Kevin Alves has explained that when Natalie and Travis kneel beside the dying deer and exchange a knowing look, it symbolizes the shared grief they both carry. In this moment, they are not just mourning the animal but, more profoundly, mourning their fathers together.

This scene serves as the emotional cornerstone of their relationship, which stretches over the next 25 years. Both Natalie and Travis are driven by guilt, shame, and self-loathing, and they both struggle with showing vulnerability. They have a pattern of pushing people away before anyone can get too close—a tragic cycle that defines their bond. They are trauma bonded and similar in all of the worst ways, which is what makes them so codependent and enmeshed, as they believe that no one else will ever understand them the way they understand each other.

Of course, Travis’ insecurity finds its way into his relationship with Nat, too. When Nat and Travis discuss having sex for the first time, Travis infamously asks Nat how many guys she has slept with. Nat immediately bristles, thinking that Travis is implying that she’s a “slut”, but, as the scene unfolds, we realize that Travis is actually just insecure about his own virginity in comparison with Nat’s sexual experience. He’s worried that, because of Jackie’s previous comments about Nat, sex with him won’t mean anything to Nat, whereas it would mean a lot to Travis. We can see how much relief he feels when Nat assures him that it does mean something to her, and “especially with him"; when she affirms he is good enough.

Travis’ tendency to get in his own head unfortunately makes itself known again when they actually attempt to sleep together; when Travis can’t get it up and runs out of the room. I think the script for this scene reveals a lot about what is actually going on in Travis’ head:

Travis’ feelings of inadequacy are spiraling here. He’s in awe of Nat and doesn’t feel good enough, and the pressure he’s putting on himself as a result is too much for him (and other parts of him…) to handle. As time passes in the wilderness and Travis lets go of some of his insecurity, we can see he becomes more communicative and releases some of his ego and insecurity as he discovers his spirituality (which we'll get into more in the next section).

Travis's love for Natalie is undeniable, but their relationship is inevitably toxic due to their shared trauma and self-destructive behaviors. After the crash, both turned to drug addiction as a way to numb their pain. Though they’ve tried to help each other stay clean over the years, their connection often pulls them back into destructive patterns. Every time Travis seems to be on the path to recovery, Natalie reappears, and she drags him back down with her again.

Javi’s death will create a huge, irreparable rift between them. It’s likely that Travis harbors deep resentment toward Natalie, not only for surviving when Javi didn’t but also for being a constant reminder of his lost brother. Yet, paradoxically, she is all he has left, and the thought of losing her, too, is unbearable. Despite their genuine love and care for each other, their relationship is fundamentally harmful.

Spirituality, Relationship with “The Wilderness,” and Development of a More Feminine Sense of Self

Season 2 marks a major shift in Travis’ character, and much of this is due to his newfound connection to Lottie. Travis’ desperation to find Javi makes him crave a sense of hope, and therefore makes him open to the idea of The Wilderness. Travis begins attending Lottie’s rituals, and expresses gratefulness towards her for the blood tea and reassurance that Javi is alive. As Travis becomes increasingly attached to Lottie and The Wilderness, we also see him become kinder, softer, and more vulnerable. Travis’ connection to The Wilderness allows him to release the societal norms and expectations that previously guided his toxic behaviors. He can let go of society’s idea of manhood and become a more authentic version of himself. We see that Travis has started to let himself show weakness, express emotion, and is much more open-minded and willing to consider other perspectives.

Lottie definitely becomes an important person to Travis in Season 2. I want to make something clear right now because I feel like it it very often misinterpreted. The writers have stated that Travis’ connection with Lottie is not meant to be interpreted as sexual in nature. Rather, Travis’ scenes with Lottie are meant to represent his spiritual connection with her and his need for guidance. The infamous sex scene between Natalie and Travis in which Travis has visions of Lottie present in the room is not Travis wishing Lottie was in Nat’s place, rather it is meant to represent the internal battle Travis is experiencing between his romantic love for Nat and his need for hope and spiritual belief. Lottie is being shown as a spiritual, religious figure in this scene. She’s not depicted in a sexual manner in Travis’ visions, but rather in a nurturing, holy light.

Nat and Lottie are directly opposed in this Season, with Nat representing pragmatism and Lottie representing faith. Travis is caught in the middle with his romantic connection to Nat and his faith in Lottie. While Nat tells him his brother is dead, Lottie tells him she knows he’s alive. Travis loves Nat, but it’s clear their differences in faith are creating a rift between them, and this rift is symbolized visually in their sex scene.

While Travis’ turn towards faith and spirituality does bring out a better, more likable side of him, it does, unfortunately, directly lead to his death in the adult timeline. While we likely won't get to see any more of Travis' story in the adult timeline, I am looking forward to seeing how he continues to develop in the wilderness and how his newfound spirituality and increasing disconnection with society will change him as a person.

Overall, while Travis can certainly be a deeply dislikable character at times, his development over the past two seasons has been fascinating to watch and he definitely has some hidden complexities that are starting to reveal themselves to the audience. Here's to Travis continuing to connect to his feminine side in Season 3!

#sorry this is absurdly long i just had so much to say i needed to yap about this insecure little man so badly #im going to do lottie next yall #sorry for doing a man first in this series #idk whats wrong with me #travis martinez #travis get behind me #yellowjackets #natalie scatorccio #travnat #javi martinez

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lottielov3r · 5 months

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prom?

summary- you gain the courage to ask your best friend to prom

warnings: yall this is long asf. fluff, its been sitting in my drafts for WEEKS, andd i rushed the end im sorry😔

1000+ word count.

you watched this little blonde girl trip over a rock and scrape her knee when she looked up at you with tears welling in her eyes, you immediately felt like you needed to help. you pushed up your glasses as you walked over to her and took some tissues out of your bag and helped dab the blood before deciding on what to say, "i'm y/n. i'm sorry you scraped your knee but you should be alright. what's your name?" she looked up as you flash small grin her way, "i'm jackie."

ever since that day in kindergarten, you and jackie had been inseparable, you were always there to protect her and she was always there to support you. you started going over to her house after school to play dolls which changed to watching movies, to playing video games, and now to cooking for her, driving her around town, and looking at her with a different type of love in your eyes.

you listen to the smiths as you pull up to her house, texting her that you were there. you push up your glasses and you tap the steering wheel as you watch her strut her way over to your car in a casual "shopping outfit", as she liked to call it. when she gets in she kisses you on the cheek, leaving a small mark of lip gloss which causes you to groan and wipe it off. "um excuse me? since when do you wipe off my kisses?" she says with a slight offended expression. "since jeff pinned me against my locker and asked me why you were kissing me on the cheek but you know i don't actually mind." you smile as you pull out of her driveway, heading towards the mall.

the two of you sat in comfortable silence, tv girl playing in the background, as you navigated the roads towards the mall.

"speaking of jeff, did he ask you to prom yet?" you watch as jackie frowns slightly at your question but tries to keep her composure. "uh no he hasn't, we haven't talked in a while actually, i think we're broken up right now but anyway. i think i'll just go with shauna and lottie, they don't have dates." you frown slightly at her words but you know she doesn't mean any harm when she doesn't bring up going with you, dances aren't really your thing anyway. "oh. yeah that's cool, it's next weekend right? maybe i can help you look for dresses in the mall?" you raise your eyebrows when her face lights up, knowing y'all will be in there for hours. "oh my god! yes totally good idea!"

you pull into the mall, getting out and walking into the nearest store. you help her review many dresses in many, many, many, colors. you turn around for the 19th time as you wait for her to finish trying on a dress. "okay turn around." you sigh as you turn around expecting to see an upset jackie but instead you see the most beautiful dress ever, she looks at you expectantly as you stare in awe, jaw slightly dropped. "i-i mean wow jackie. you look absolutely gorgeous in that dress, jeff missed out." she wraps her arms around your neck, blushing slightly, pushing your glasses up your face slightly. "you really think i look good in this?" she mutters in a slightly shy tone, you know she's just looking for some form of validation. "yeah, that dress will make anyone fall in love with you." you chuckle out, still taken aback from how it looked on her.

"even you?" you stare into her eyes at her words, you know you can't tell her that the dress isn't needed for you to fall in love, that you're already falling, that you've already fallen. "yea jax, even me." she grins at your words and pulls you down into a hug, sighing in your ear when you wrap your arms around her waist. "wanna watch bojack horseman at my place? you pick what we eat." you smile as she shakes her head yes. the two of you head back to your place but not before getting some shitty mall food. y'all watch netflix for hours until shes falling asleep on your shoulder, you shake her slightly in hopes to wake her up. "let me take you home, alright? put your shoes on." she groans as she drags herself to your car, getting in the back and laying down. when you pull into her driveway she mutters a small goodbye and blows a kiss your way when she reaches the front door.

now, you know that you shouldn't even be THINKING about going to prom because dances are not your thing plus jackies the popular team captain. you're just someone who is lucky enough to be her best friend. but when you realize that it's your senior year and you just couldn't miss out on seeing jackie in that dress again, you absolutely had to. you drove to walmart, bought a poster board, a net, a soccer ball, and other supplies. when you get home you get to work, it takes you three hours, and some tears, to finally be satisfied with the poster.

the next day at school you decide that after practice would be a good time to do it, that way the whole school wouldn't see if you got rejected. you know jackie will probably say yes but as you're walking up to the field you feel like bile is collecting in the back of your throat. you watch as she walks into the locker room and take your chance. you grab the poster and ball out of the bleachers, run from across the field and stand in front of the locker room door, praying that jackie walks out first. you hold your breath when the door opens, ready to speak until your eyes widen at the sight of taissa and van. "we're already going together but you can join us if you'd like." van says with a snicker, taissa elbowing her with a laugh. "i'm assuming this is for jackie?" she says as she points a finger at your poster. "yea it is, do you think she'll like it? i kinda rushed it but she doesn't have an official date and i wanted to ask her." you ramble out before you hear a soft gasp. you watch as taissa moves to the side to reveal a teary-eyed jackie. "oh uh.." you push your glasses up and glance down towards the sign thinking about if you should just say it's for someone else to avoid being rejected.

"is that for me?" jackie questions in a breathy tone, looking surprised. "yea, i just noticed that you seemed down about not having a date and honestly i wanted to ask you. dances aren't really my thing but you're my best friend and i just had to take you." you ramble out in a strung together sentences. she looks dumbfounded as she opens her mouth and closes it again, trying to get words out. taissa and van look in between you and jackie expectantly, silently hoping she'll say yes. you gulp as jackie walks up to you and grabs the back of your neck, pulling you in for a soft kiss on the cheek.

"was that a yes orrr?" you whisper playfully. jackie gives you an award-winning smile before nodding her head and licking her lips subtly. you stare at her lips feeling like it was just the two of you in this moment, like nobody could break the string tying you together. you lean in and kiss her lips, dropping the poster as you go to grasp her hips, you head swimming with love. you hear van let out a wolf-whistle as you pull away after a few seconds, your face heating up. "was that okay?" jackie questions as she looks up at you. "more than okay. still didn't get my yes though." she giggles at you before grabbing the ball you decorated, "if you can score this into the goal then i'll say yes!" she yells as she takes off to the field. "jackie what the hell!" you say as you sprint after her.

you guys were out there for an hour before finally getting her to say "yes."

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im gonna work on shorter fics yall i swear😭🙏 just let me get a grip first

and thanks to the anon who requested it, i hope it meets your expectations even though it's not exactly what you requested (sorry!)

#yellowjackets #jackie taylor #jackie taylor x reader #yellowjackets fic #fem reader #📁duckyworks

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oh-theatre · 5 years

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Sycamore High: Attire Time (Chapter 29)

A/N: FLUFFY TIME!! Anyway, i love Jackie?? Shes my lesbian bean and I would die for her. I know yall just met her but I know a little more about her and she's so sweet!!

summary: Paul realizes something

words: 2,157

warnings: swearing, kissing, dog

Ao3 Link

Paul sighed, Bill was right. He set his things down by everyone else's things while watching the group from afar. He approached carefully drawing the attention of everyone, he waved awkwardly. Emma stifled a laugh, he glared at her before turning his attention to Ted. The only person not looking at him, he plays with the dog allowing it to smother him with kisses. Paul clears his throat, Ted begrudgingly looks up. Paul gestures his head away from the group and Ted understands. He picks up Bonnie carefully handing her to Tommy who gives him an encouraging smile. Paul waits until Ted makes his way next to him, they walk out into the hall together in silence.

“So…” Paul starts, he might kick himself. He did this, he made it awkward and awful. Ted and Paul had fought before but never like this. Never one where they don't know if it will ever be the same.

“Are you going to talk or can I go back to the dog?” Ted spits. He misses Bonnie, and Tommy and honestly just hanging out with his friends. He's tired of the back and forth, the drama, the constant arguing. He wants to go back to sneaking into the principal's office, hijacking the speaker and delivering amazing, yes amazing speeches about mice.

“I just wanted to say I am sorry ok?” Paul responds. Ted nods, stuffing his hands into his pockets. “I was wrong and I shouldn't have been such a… a…”

“A dick?” Ted offers Paul chuckles.

“Yeah, a dick” Paul agrees, something connects as if slowly it's being glued back together. They stand silently but the air becomes more comfortable “So...you have a dog?” He asks, Ted looks up furrowing his brows.

“No, that's um... Bonnie” He answers, Paul, nods “Shes Tommy's dog…” Something freezes, Paul realizes he owes a lot more than an apology and Teds, not the only person he owes one too. “Look...Paul...I'm sorry I didn't tell you, I wanted too but I was just really confused and I don't know…” Ted admits, Paul wastes no time.

“No no it's fine” Paul rushes “You didn't have to tell me I was a jerk...I think I'm just really tired of all of this” He gestures around the school. Ted laughs. “I just wanna make sure you're ok and I wanna know what's happening in your life” He admits, his voice soft

“Ok, well then, I'm saying yes,” Ted says, besides Tommy Paul was the only other person who now knew. “I want them to...adopt me” And this was the first time he said it out loud. “Adopt me...I want them to...adopt me” Ted repeats, he isn't looking at Paul anymore. “Im...going to be adopted. I want them to...adopt me? Adopt me? They want to adopt-

“Ted? You ok?” Paul interjects fearing the glazed look his friend now possess. Ted snaps back, grounding himself.

“Yeah, yeah..”

“I'm glad you're saying yes,” Paul says, Ted laughs nodding “Hey maybe they'll get you a dog” He adds. Ted smiles, shaking his head. They begin walking back inside

“They better” Ted quips, Paul nudges him. “What? It's all I've ever wanted” He told him.

“Hey, your birthdays coming up” Paul suggests, Ted is taken aback. He's surprised that he forgot it, he feels his heart sink. His mom won't be there for his 17th birthday. Paul notices and stops them, he embraces his friend. Ted tenses but soon enough he melts into the hug much to the groups delight watching from afar. “Now can I please go meet the dog?” Paul asks pulling away, Ted laughs sniffling.

“Yeah come on” He gestures leading his friend over to the group. He seats himself next to Tommy, who kisses him sweetly on the cheek then proceeds to hand him, Bonnie. Paul sits in between Emma and Ted and watches expectantly. Ted carefully places Bonnie in Pauls arm, Tommy tenses, he doesn't mean to but he doesn't really trust many people with Bonnie. And he especially isn't Pauls biggest fan right now. Paul laughs softly delicately cuddling Bonnie, she fidgets wanting to return to Ted but soon enough settles into Pauls's arms.

~~~

“Tommy, can I talk to you?” Paul asks as the group finishes another number. It was 12:30 pm and they had been going for a while, Chad had just broken for lunch and the students were lining up for lunch in the green room. Tommy had stayed in the theatre to feed Bonnie her own food, asking Ted to grab him some lunch. He doesn't turn to Paul, tensing as he pets Bonnie.

“Is it bad if I say no?” He mumbles, he freezes realizing he said it out loud. Paul feels a pang of guilt hit him. “Sorry,” Tommy says turning to face Paul now. He stands dusting himself off. “Whats...whats um.. What's up?” He rubs his eyes.

“I wanted to apologize, I was really jerky last night and…”

And so Paul goes on to apologize, and Tommy listens. He feels grateful that Paul even gives him one and in the end the pair end of playing with Bonnie before joining the others for lunch. They sat on the floor in the green room surrounded by other groups of the cast and crew. They continue on eating for a while before Chad, followed by Greg and Henry enter calling everyone's attention.

“Attention! Everyone, after lunch costumers will be pulling you into the dressing rooms throughout the rest of the day to try on costumes! So be polite and nice and listen to your crew members” Chads said, the crew nodded in agreement “Alright, about 2 more minutes before everyone should start cleaning up” He said promptly leaving the room once again followed by Chad, Henry, and Greg.

“Actors hold” Jackie, the head costumer, called out. The cast paused looking up.

“Holding” They replied in unison. Jackie nodded before continuing, the crew moved behind the cast cleaning up and making their way to their jobs.

“I need Charlotte, Emma, Ted and Paul for costumes” She announced, the quartet smiled excitedly. They stand cleaning up their own food and following Jackie down the hall.

“Oh! I'm so excited! I love costumes!” Charlotte exclaims, Jackie smiles at her, Emma watches is she...blushing? “Hey J?” Jackie turns walking backwards now as she faces Charlotte.

“What's up buttercup?” Jackie asks Charlotte giggles. She goes to ask but they reach the boys dressing room “Alright, Ted, Paul, you guys go in there, Warner is there waiting for you guys” They nod and make their way into the room. The girls continue a little further until they reach the girls dressing room, Jackie opens the door ushering them inside. Charlotte immediately squeals. The room, though small, is beautiful. When you walk in there is a small nook for the makeup artist on the left. A small hallway leading to the main room is lined with costume shoes. To the left, there is 2 sinks and a bathroom. Then came this open space. To the right were rows of costumes hanging, each labeled with names. To the left were mirrors and seats, the counter was cluttered with sewing machines and papers.

“It's beautiful!!” Charlotte squeals, much nicer than the one back at hatchetfield high!” Charlotte says examining the room, Emma nods completely agreeing. She freezes coming across a mannequin that has a dress on it. The label reads ‘Charlotte/Bea’. “Oh my…” She sniffles, Jackie tilts her head.

“Charlotte, is everything alright?” Jackie cautions. Emma smirks knowing exactly what's happening.

“I love it” Charlotte chokes back a sob “It's just so beautiful” And she was right. The dress was full of color and light. It had a red bodice on the outer layer. It was placed over the shirt part, a blue long-sleeved collar shirt with flower designs. The skirt was a beautiful green, with red flower designs. It poofed out at the hip, fitting perfectly. “Can I try it on?” She squealed, Jackie was blushing hard now. Her face is completely red.

“Of course,” She said, she went over to remove the dress carefully “Here let me help you, I'll show Emma her dress and you can go into the bathroom and put on your base ok?” Charlotte nods racing to the bathroom. Jackie turns to Emma clapping her hands together. Emma laughs cautiously. She pulls a dress off of the rack and Emma struggles from keeping her jaw from dropping. Though simple it was gorgeous. Much like Charlottes it had a bodice but it melted into the sleeves. It was almost all black besides the white front and collar.

“Oh wow...I mean Jackie...this is..” Emma says in awe, words don't work right now.

“You too Perkins?” Jackie jokes, they laugh. “Well, I'm glad my hours making this won't go to waste” She teases handing the dress to Emma. Charlotte walks out wearing her base, Jackie freezes turning away immediately. Emma rolls her eyes playfully before entering the bathroom. Charlotte tilts her head.

“Ready for my dress!” She exclaimed Jackie nods still not facing her. She hands Charlotte her dress helping her get into it. She steps in lifting it around her, she pushes her hair out of the way while Jackie zips it up and buttons it up. Charlotte turns to face Jackie, who has her arms around her waist, they stand face to face now. A light pink dusting rose in their faces. They gazed, yes gazed, into each others eyes. “Hi” Charlotte mumbles practically onto Jackie's lips. Jackie remembers where her hands are and moves them quickly, Charlotte feels a sinking disappointment. They quickly push apart when they hear the bathroom door open.

“Lottie! You look amazing!” Emma comments stepping out in her own base. Charlotte, still blushing, nods thankfully in her direction. Jackie coughs turning to face Emma, the heat on her face calming down, she helps Emma quickly into her dress focusing on the dresses now, and not on the feeling of a heart beating rapidly in her chest.

~~~

“You look great” Paul claims as they walk into the green room in costume, Chad wants to see the four of them before continuing. Ted nods feeling weird, the costume is comfortable but he's never been in something so...extravagant.

“Thanks, you do too” And he did. Paul wore puffy pants and leather boots. His shirt was white, flowy and collared. With a brown leather jacket detailed with intricate things. Jackie really was a magician, and Paul, in Ted's professional opinion looked adorable. They walked in jaws dropping. Paul freezes as Emma turns toward him her dress swaying. She smirks lovingly seeing his costume, she walks up to him, wrapping her arms around his neck examining his costume.

“You look good Matthews” She quips, He blushes hard trying to stutter out anything that might make any sense. The rest of the group gathers, Bill and Charlotte looking at the boy's costume. Paul swallows.

“You look beautiful Em,” He says, she nods. She leans in kissing him softly. He kisses back, Charlotte squeals watching them. They pull away giving her a look.

“Sorry” She mumbles. They laugh, while Bill, Emma, and Charlotte examine his costume Ted peeks his head around feeling a sinking feeling at the absence of a be-speckled boy. “Ted you look great” Charlotte compliments

“I agree” Bill states, Ted, nods thanking them. They continue complementing each other, with Sam coming over complimenting Charlotte, in a...unique way. Ted here's a sudden stifled squeal from behind him and turns. He smiles as Tommy stands in the doorway to the green room. He's tense, staring at Ted, his hands balled into fists so hard he's turning pale. Pale besides his face which mirrors a tomato. The rest of the group watch Ted fiddles nervously with his costume.

“Gumdrop?” He wonders softly, Tommy muffles another squeal finally moving. He walks towards Ted examining his costume, Ted looks down consciously. “Do you...do you like it?” Ted asks softer than ever. Tommy meets his eyes, jaw-dropping.

“Like it?” he says baffled “Like it? Ted! I love it!” He exclaims He plays with Ted's costume. Ted could get a million compliments a day but Tommys is the only one that matters. He wraps his arms around the smaller boys waist kissing him. Tommy giggles through it pulling away, hands around Ted's neck. He looks at Charlotte whos keeping her excitement as lowkey as possible. “Sorry Charlotte, I think I stole your husband” He teases, the group laughs. Charlotte bounces happily. “You look beautiful Miss Bea Bottom,” He says, she bows thanking him. Tommy turns his attention back to Ted nuzzling his head into Ted's shoulder embracing him. The rest of the group split up into their separate conversations.

“I love you” Ted whispers, Tommy blushes smiling. He kisses Ted's cheek before whispering back.

“I love you too”

#sycamore high #tgwdlmhs #tgwdlm #the guy who didn't like musicals #musical theatre #theatre #musical #ao3 #starkid #archive of our own #writing #my writing #jon matteson #joey richter #lauren lopez #robert manion #jaime lyn beatty #corey dorris

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