#we got quite the crew making the appearance here tonight lmao

[wexhappyxfew]

CHAPTER 9 - CONVINCING ENOUGH TO WRITE

October 2nd, 1942 - 1800 Camp Toccoa, Georgia, United States War Correspondent Esther Armstrong

Resentment of another within a company will benefit no one else other than the enemy. That was simple enough to have learned in basic classroom instruction in training or read from a textbook; to actually apply it was another. In war, pushing your differences aside or not, meant life or death in many cases. In basic, I could feel half the men take one look to me and assume they would never like what I was doing or who I am. Yet, when we ran nighttime maneuvers and I'd take point, we all trusted one another with our lives. Any man in that squad could've taken the second to dislike me for who I was and what I did, but there was always something greater than that. We had a war in front of us and a fight that was only being fed more wood to brighten the flame. It might have taken over two months for that to get nailed through all of our heads, but realizations like that grow you right up and make you realize there is greater things than the hatred of someone just like yourself. - Esther Armstrong, in her book, Stroke of Luck

[read the newest update here!]

tags: @mads-weasley @icantdecideofthename @cetaitlaverite @sergeant-spoons @vintagelavenderskies @ronald-speirs @easycompanys @hinkel-im-home

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[inmyarmswrappedin]

Ages ago, I asked people to send me scenes they wanted me to compared across the Skams, and then I kinda ignored it. This wasn't intentional, but rather because I wanted to do the scenes in chronological order. And the one I got for s1 was the Eva/Jonas breakup scene.

The issue is that Jonas is a very misunderstood character in international fandom. I felt like I couldn't begin to compare the scenes without getting into the fundamental conflict between Eva and Jonas, and I couldn't do that without getting into why Jonas hates Russetide, and I couldn't do that without a long post that was going to swallow up whole the other 7 versions of the scene.

I've never really let go of the idea of doing those comparisons, even though the anons that sent the original asks are probably long gone. I thought of a bunch of different ways to approach the asks, but nothing worked for me. Until recently, where I just decided to first explain Russetide, then compare the different Skam opening speeches, and THEN I will finally compare the breakup scenes.

But instead of explaining Russetide itself, which I think most Skam fans more or less understand, I'm going to explain SJEIKEN 2015. This song perfectly encapsulates what Jonas hates about Russetide. In fact, he quotes it in one of the scenes where he's being a dick to Eva!

Russetide is a tradition in all of Norway, but western Oslo (where Skam is set) is one of the richest areas in the country and, as such, they really go above and beyond with it. A bus is better than a van, the buses have to be decked out with the best sound systems. The crew has to have not just hoodies but also headbands and other merch, and it all has to follow the theme the crew has chosen. And if you really are the hottest of hot shit, then you actually commission legit artists to write a theme song for your bus. We can see this in s2, where the girls discuss The Penetrators theme song.

There are a bunch of different Norwegian artists that you can commission for your Russe song, but the most famous are probably TIX and the Pøssy Project. The Pøssy Project is a group of multiple songwriters, but all of its members have chosen to keep their identites anonymous because, as it turns out, ~Norwegian adults~ think everything I'm about to explain is trashy and disdainful. The one artist in The Pøssy Project that has always owned his participation in it is Andreas Haukeland, better known as TIX. (You might also know him as this year's ESC entry for Norway.) Why does TIX stand by these songs? Idk, probably because they're extremely popular, chart well, and make money, and by standing by them, he gets to perform them in gigs and profit off those creations.

SJEIKEN 2015 has featured twice in Skam, first in s1e1. It's also the song Pepsi Max is singing when they party at Sana's place in s4. And SJEIKEN 2015 featured so prominently in Skam because the song became a runaway hit the year before (the 2014-15 school year), breaking into the Norwegian charts as well as Spotify most playeds in Norway. It is a tremendously popular song that people loved.

So, who or what is SJEIKEN 2015 about? SJEIKEN is a 2015 Russe crew (meaning they graduated high school in 2015) who chose to make their Russe theme about... oil sheikhs. That is what sjeiken means. The song itself is about an oil sheikh called Sheikh Yer Bouti who declares tonight to be free of rules. His 400 wives are allowed to get drunk and be whores, just for tonight. Here are the lyrics:

Now, TIX has recently tried to become a mature artist, and so he was recently asked about SJEIKEN 2015 (again, a song he performs to this day). This was his response:

At a party, I met a girl who was crying over a boy she liked. She had built up her expectations that this would be the night she finally hooked up with him, but she was afraid that if she did, the guys would call her "whore". I thought about it a bit… It's actually quite true - if a boy hooks 10 girls at a party he is a legend, but if a girl hooks up with only one boy she may risk being called loose. That's absolutely ridiculous! So I said to her, "Tonight you are allowed to be a whore. Tonight you are allowed to hook up with him.”

And like, I just want to say this response is horseshit, first of all lol. But in case you for some reason thought this was supposed to be like a feminist anthem for a girls' russe buss (a crew like Los Losers for instance), let me share a picture of the SJEIKEN Russe crew:

(Count the moc... Oh wait, there aren't any.)

SJEIKEN (the Russe crew) also participated at a Russe event back in 2015. Here is how they chose to stage their song:

(The one thing I can say about this is that the boy playing a niqabi doesn't appear to have taken it off at any point, which is better than Skam Italia did.)

At this point, you might think that perhaps Jonas might have reason to be appalled that Eva, who he assumed shared his values, decided to get involved in Russefeiring. However, one other thing about Russefeiring is that literally EVERY YOUNG PERSON in Norway is supposed to love all of this shit. My evidence is very anecdotal, but I once asked a Norwegian high school student how many people aren't involved in Russefeiring. He said everyone is, the only people who aren't are the friendless losers. I also came across a Norwegian young woman's blog who said she preferred talking to people from abroad, because she didn't have to explain to them that she never actually did Russe, because to admit she hadn't, would immediately show her to have been a total outcast in high school. Like, this is an issue for people into their twenties.

So Jonas isn't just taking a stance to be cool, the fact that he is vocally opposed to Russefeiring in every way makes him (and the boy squad) total losers. In fact, Chris Schistad referred to Jonas as a nerd and the boy squad plainly wasn't in William's radar at all. It wasn't a thing like in Skam NL, where Kes' squad was leagues and miles above Noah's squad in terms of coolness (MOTHERfucker... don't even try to tell me Gijs was cooler than Kes lmao). Jonas would've been seen as a loser and a burnout, and that's what Jonas was talking about when he told Eva that she was always doing the popular thing to do. Because he very staunchly refused to participate in this tradition, despite the fact that doing so made him an outcast, because, for him, THAT was the moral thing to do.

Having read all this (you poor soul), and being on tumblr like you are, is it really that unthinkable that Jonas would think that Russefeiring and the culture associated with it is crap? Do you really think a 16-year old has the nuance to say, "you know, Russefeiring stands for everything I hate, but since you're friendless because of me, and this is your chance at having friends, I will put my ideals aside and support you in this." Absolutely not lmao. How many of you would even now shit on friends if they stepped outside the line of what tumblr considers woke? How many people on twitter turn on each other for transgressions like stanning the wrong Skams? Jonas was shitty because he was super rigid in what he considered the right way to behave, but in that sense, he was actually one of the most accurate portrayals of a specific type of Gen Z. Unlike idk, characters who quote fucking Animal Farm to talk about school festivals.

(And NOW that all of that has been established, I can finally begin dissecting season 1 lol.)

[smellslikemultifandomimagines]

smut prompts  9, 10, 16, & 23

ao3 request: The reader is Jason’s lover and is very quiet and a bit timid, but at night, she is cold and collected to focus on her vigilante work. She and Jason only made love once and she wants to do it again, but she thinks she’ll be boring bc she doesn’t have much experience unlike Jason. Batgirl offers advice, which involves seducing and making Jason mad. For the next few days, S/O has pretended not to notice her tempting Jason, sitting on his lap, teasingly touching his crotch or other parts, usually leaving early for work or other chores, all increasing Jason’s temptation. Finally, one night, they had to investigate some illegal work in a night club, and Batgirl dresses S/O in the most tight dress that shows her curves and other things to attract her. In the end, S/O got the evidence and the illegal business was arrested, but that night, Jason couldn’t handle it anymore.

prompts:

9: “1, 2, I’m going to fuck you.”

10: “The cuffs stay on, until I say otherwise.”

16: “I want to be the only one you feel.”

23: “Stop talking and put it in your mouth already.”

smut prompts are from here

warnings: smut → use of handcuffs, daddy kink, rough sex lol, dirty talk, pet names, throat fucking  // fem!reader // mentions of violence / injury. // not proof read either lmao

word count: 2.9k

Kinktober has finished, so the prompts are no longer in use, but thanks so much for participating!!

•:•.•:•.•:•:•:•:•:•:•:• ☾ ☼ ☽ •:•.•:•.•:•:•:•:•:•:•:•

From the moment Jason met you, he knew you were special. Although you were quiet and a bit withdrawn, you were dedicated to your work and knew what it took. It almost amazed him how you could be so timid at home or around him and the rest of the crew, yet be practically another person while working. Your job as a vigilante often required you to take down illegal drug rings and other like-businesses, and you knew just how dangerous it can be. 

The relationship between you and Jason new over time, and conjured up into something special. Though you were still quite quiet as relationships were still a new thing for you, Jason didn’t mind either way; in his words, “I’ll love you no matter how quiet or loud you are.” The lack of sex, however, gets you worried sometimes. Despite only having sex with him once, you still can feel he wants more. Jason doesn’t really like to communicate the wants in his life; he’s very much a person to let things happen when it’s time. It can come to your advantage though. You’ve never once felt pressured to do anything you don’t want to, nor feel like you have to do something just to please him. He’s patient. He’s kind. He’s everything you need. 

Nonetheless, you still feel like you have to bring more to the table. Dialling Batgirl’s number, you asked her for advice. Batgirl, being your oldest friend in this industry, obviously knew of your relationship with Jason. You and him decided to keep everything lowkey — more for the bad guys than anyone else. Knowing Jason will be out later today to find out more information about an illegal business that’s operating, you invite Batgirl over. 

•:•.•:•.•:•:•:•:•:•:•:• ☾ ☼ ☽ •:•.•:•.•:•:•:•:•:•:•:•

A small knock was placed on the door and a smile appears on your face as you answer it. 

“Hey, girlie!” Batgirl greets gleefully as she embraces you in a tight hug. Both of you walk over to the living room couch, where you had already placed two glasses of wine on the coffee table. 

“oh god bless, I need this,” Batgirl chuckles as she sits down with the glass in her hand. She takes a sip before repositioning herself to face you. “So, what’s up?”

“I don’t know, I just-“ you struggle to find the words, almost becoming embarrassed from having to ask advice on how to basically have sex with your boyfriend. “well, Jason and I have only had sex once and — I don’t know, I just don’t feel experienced enough to know how to do…anything.”

“So you want to know how to have sex?”

“no, well, yes, but no,” you stumble over your words causing Batgirl to chuckle sweetly at you. “I just don’t know how to start anything, you know?”

“Oh girl that’s easy. Maybe try and seduce him a little bit.” My eyes widen at her words.

Taking a bit mouthful of the wine, I ask “how do I do that?” 

“All you gotta do is tease him. Rub up on his arm, or ‘accidentally’ drop something so you can bend down and pick it up,” she advises. 

Batgirl stayed over for a little while until you got a text from Jason asking what you wanted for dinner, meaning he was close to home. You both gave each other a hug and after she left, you knew what you had to do. 

Hearing the click of the front door lock, you know Jason is home and you immediately got to work. You bend yourself over the kitchen bench away from him so your ass is gonna be the first thing he sees when he walks in. You scroll innocently through your phone and feel your heartbeat increase with each movement he took. You listen carefully as he took his boots off, leaving them at the door so they don’t track dirt throughout the apartment. 

“h-hey, gorgeous,” Jason stutters, completely caught off guard. You feel like letting out a little squeal of excited as you could tell it’s already working. 

“Oh hi,” you turn around and innocently bat your eyes at him. “how’d it go?” 

“Um,” he coughs. “yeah good, we got the name of the business. So now all we gotta do is track them down, which won’t be too hard.” 

“Oh good, I’m glad. We’ll catch them before they even know they’ve been caught,” I joke.  You both made your way to the couch and Jason took the remote, flicking through the channels on the tv. You knew you had to start somewhere, so you place your hand high on his thigh. Your hand is so close to his zipper, you almost feel like just getting down on your knees and taking him here right now. But how would he respond to that? Would he even like that? You shake your head and regain focus, trailing your eyes up to watch his face. He doesn’t seem all that bothered by it which surprises you a little bit. You know need to turn it up a notch, so you stand up and “accidentally” drop your phone. 

“oops,” you giggle as you bend over to pick it up, giving Jason a perfect view of your ass. He coughs and shuffles in his spot, coughing again as he looks down at his phone. Jason subtly watches as you walk into the kitchen and open the fridge. Your pour yourself another glass of wine and sigh as you saw nothing that you wanted to eat in the fridge. Sitting back down next to Jason on the couch, you ask if he wants take out. 

“yeah, I don’t mind. What’d you want?” He replies and opens up the Ubereats app. You ‘accidentally’ pour the tiniest bit of wine onto his pants, causing you to let out a fake gasp.

“oh my god, I’m so sorry. Here,” you reach forward and grab a tissue, dabbing it dangerously close to his crotch. Jason swallows thickly.

“oh, ah, it’s okay. I was just gonna go and change anyway,” he stutters, feeling the room become hotter by the second. And that’s when you know you’ve got him right where you needed him to be. 

•:•.•:•.•:•:•:•:•:•:•:• ☾ ☼ ☽ •:•.•:•.•:•:•:•:•:•:•:•

It had been a week of teasing and nothing had happened. Jason couldn’t tell if you were genuinely being innocent, or if you were trying to tempt him. Either way, you knew it was working just as you’d planned. The way his hands would ball in a fist in an attempt to control himself, or the way his breathing would become shallow every time you ‘accidentally’ brushed your hand over his crotch. It was all working.

Tonight was the night of the big bust of the underground business. Batgirl had come over while Jason was out with Tim Drake to secure traps in the club. 

“So,” she wiggles her eyebrows at me, causing my cheeks to heat up. “How’s everything with Jason?”

“Um, yeah, it’s going better than I expected. We haven’t done anything yet, but I feel like he’s really getting worked up over the teasing.”

“Well then I feel like you should wear this,” she smirks, taking out a black leather dress. It looks like it’ll be tight on you, but you accept anyway. Though Batgirl is known for being tough, she loves having a friend like you to spend time doing girly stuff with. You let her do your makeup, smokey eye of course, and you’ve never felt you’ve hotter in your life. It is honestly a confidence boost, and it makes you feel even more excited to try on the dress. The dress has bra padding inside so you didn’t need to wear a bra — how convenient. 

Coming out of the bathroom, Batgirl’s jaw drops and her eyes grow wide in either shock or lust, you couldn’t tell. 

“holy fucking shit. Jason is going to lose his goddamn mind after he sees you in that,” she gawks. You feel the heat rise in your cheeks again and sweat begin to form on your palms from nervousness. 

“I don’t know, are y-“

“oh my god shut up and look at you,” she grabs my hand and pulls me to the vanity mirror. “you’re stunning in that dress, and I’m sure Jason is gonna take you.”

“Oh my god,” you laugh and swat her arm playfully. Putting on some heels, you text Jason saying you and Batgirl were on your way to the club. 

•:•.•:•.•:•:•:•:•:•:•:• ☾ ☼ ☽ •:•.•:•.•:•:•:•:•:•:•:•

The strobe lights dance around the club and the music can be felt thumping through your chest. Jason looks up and notices you and batgirl already in the V.I.P zone where you’re gonna meet with the boss of the illegal business. His jaw, just like Batgirl only mere minutes ago, drops when he sees you in that stunning dress that compliments your figure so well. 

The boss enters the V.I.P lounge and you seductively stalk your way over to him, purring how you’ve been “waiting to see him.” The excitement in his eyes, and pants, humours you because you know you’re gonna bust him. You look at the asshole with bedroom eyes, and you finger curls in a ‘come here’ motion. He follows you out to a private room, where some of the crew are already waiting. 

“what’s going on here?” The Boss asks, turning to face you. 

“don’t act like you don’t know who we are,” you chuckle darkly at him, pushing him down into a chair. Jason ties the Boss up with rope while you interrogate him. 

“you’re gonna listen to me, and you’re gonna listen good. Shut your business down or-”

“How about a little game first,” the Boss snickers as he interrupts you. He leans back in the chair to admire the view of your gorgeous body. 

“oh sweetie,” you pout, hands grasping onto the sides of the chair so you can lean down over him. “I don’t play games.” 

“that’s a shame isn’t it. Would’ve been nice to fuck that gorgeous pu-“

“alright that’s enough,” Jason interrupts. Although you couldn’t see his face from under his mask, you knew he was pissed off at this Boss asshole.

“shut this business down or we’ll take out everyone you love,” Jason threatens. 

“why do I have to listen to you?” The Boss rolls his eyes. 

“Because we’re your worst nightmare,” you purr in his ear. “And baby, you don’t wanna mess with us.”

•:•.•:•.•:•:•:•:•:•:•:• ☾ ☼ ☽ •:•.•:•.•:•:•:•:•:•:•:•

Throughout the whole car ride, Jason was teasing you, with one hand on the wheel while the other toyed and teased your clit. Getting you so close to the edge before pulling his hand away completely. You knew your teasing would eventually build up his sexual frustration and cause him to unravel at some point, but you never thought he would tease you right back. 

The second you and Jason enter his apartment, you jump and wrap your legs around his waist, which caused your dress to hitch up to your stomach. You grind your hips up and rub your crotch against him as your hands tangle in his hair and pull at the strands of hair, making Jason groan into your neck as he plants rough kisses into it. He carries you to the bed and throws you down onto it.

“get on all fours,” he demands in a low voice. His eyes burn into you, watching as you turn your body around and stick your ass in the air for him. Jason gets out of his Red Hood suit, placing it on the chair in the corner of the room before stalking his way over to you. He wants you to beg for him. 

“now, do you think you’ve been a good girl?” He asks while kneading your ass, trying to work you to your breaking point.

“no, daddy,” you breathe out, twisting your fists in the bedsheets to release some frustration. Jason smacks your ass suddenly, causing you to yelp from the stinging sensation. 

“that’s right, princess.” He smacks his hand against your ass again. You bite your lip to stop you from moaning, and you can already tell that your ass is red and raw. 

“jason, please,” you finally plead. He spanks your ass again, a smirk forming on his face as he hears you moan. 

“that’s not my name,” his low voice causes your pussy to get even wetter. 

“i’m sorry, daddy,” you whimper. 

“I want to be the only one you feel,” he growls. “you understand?” 

Letting out a small ��mhmm,” Jason chuckles. 

“now count with me.” 

smack.

“1, 2, I’m gonna fuck you,” he leans over and whispers in your ear. A shiver runs down your spine and you feel like screaming ‘finally!’. Jason stands beside the bed and instructs you to kneel in front of him, already knowing what he wants. 

“Jay, when are you gonna fuck me. I need you so bad,” you practically pine for him. 

“Stop talking and put it in your mouth already,” he demands, eyebrows furrowing in frustration. Jason grunts as you take him in your mouth. A moan is suppressed as you bob your head up and down his cock, feeling his hands grip your hair. 

“fuck, babygirl. Your mouth feels so good on my cock,” he moans, throwing his head back. J bucks his cock into your mouth, smirking slightly as you gag. He lets out a grunt when he hits the back of your throat, and you hollow your cheeks so you can take more of him. His hips thrust into your mouth faster. His hands grips your hair so tightly, you let out a whine against his cock. 

Suddenly, he pulls you off him. Instructing you to lay on the bed, you do as you’re told. You watch in curiosity as he searches through his drawers, and your eyes widen as he pulls out a pair of handcuffs. Jason takes your hands and binds them to the headboard. 

“the cuffs stay on, until I say otherwise,” Jason instructs. He sits back on his knees and watches in amusement as you squirm underneath him.

“Jason, please,” you whine. 

“In a minute, princess.” he chuckles, tracing his finger up your thigh, stopping once he reaches your wet pussy. You continue to whine and sigh in pure frustration and your clit was throbbing angrily; just wanting and waiting to be touched. Being impatient was certainly an understatement at this point. Jason’s finger flicks your clit, and you gasp at the sudden feeling. His eyes never leaving your as he moves in closer, his tongue flicking up and down at a rapid pace. You gasp and moan, wanting to reach down and grip his hair, but the handcuffs on your wrists restrain you from doing such things. Jason’s tongue circles your clit, before he sucks hard on it, pulling back the skin and watching it snap back. His finger slams into you, causing you to let out a loud moan as he pumps it in and out of you. He proceeds to add another finger, curling it upwards. Your back arched and you once again, pull on the restraints, and subtly hissing at them.

“Oh Jay… please just uncuff me! I’ll be a good girl, I promise!” You beg, pulling on the handcuffs. You continue to whine he ignores you and pound his fingers inside you and hitting your g-spot. 

“Fuck!” you moan out, clenching around his fingers.

 “Can I cum?” You whine, rolling your hips into his hand. Jason grants permission and your vision turns to white. Your body has never shook so hard in your life and you’ve certainly never cum this hard before. 

“Thank you! Thank you!” You breathe out as you calm down from your high. Jason chuckles and sucks your wetness off his fingers. Reaching over, he pulls out a condom from the bedside drawer and rolls it on. A loud moan exists the both of you as he slides himself inside you.  Jason begins rocking his hips in a slow motion before gradually increasing the speed. 

“god,” he sighs into your mouth, pulling away and drooping his head into the crook of your neck, one hand gripping the bedsheet tight, while his other hand grasped your hip. Jason sits up on his knees and brings your leg up to his shoulder, driving his cock in deeper into you. He closes his eyes and lets out small grunts from the pleasure. He made you feel so good, you couldn’t help but scream his name and arch your back. Your hand came up to the headboard, gripping it tightly as he pounded into your wet pussy, making the bed squeak with each thrust. 

“Are you gonna cum again, princess?” Jason asks, holding your hips up as he gyrates his hips. You nod quickly, throwing your head back and rolling your eyes as you close them. Your body begins shaking as your orgasm took over you once again. Jason’s hips jolt as he cums inside you, his moans muffled through his lip which was sucked in and bit by his teeth. The grip on your hips softening as he calms down from his high. Jason pulls out and disposes the condom before cuddling into you tightly. 

“you know you can just ask for sex, right?” He teases, chuckling as he strokes your hair. Your cheeks flush a shade of red and you’re lucky that it’s dark in the room.

[7-wonders]

Blame It On My Youth

Summary: You’ve seen enough of Michael’s world to last you three lifetimes. Now, it’s time to show him some of your world.

Word Count: 4907

A/N: Did that sound a bit like the Little Mermaid? Yes. Do I care? No. Hope you guys enjoy, feedback is always appreciated and, if you feel so inclined, I would love if you reblogged, liked, and commented.

Read Mad Love (part one) HERE | Read Totally F***ed (part two) HERE | Read The Isle of Flightless Birds (part three) HERE | Read A Hard Day’s Night (part four) HERE | Read Pour One Out (part five) HERE | Read Where Angels Fear to Tread (part six) HERE | Read Naked & Afraid (part seven) HERE | Read Ironically Alive (part eight) HERE

Out of all of the fantasy books that you read as a child, none was more frustrating than Lewis Carroll’s classic Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland. It was a fine book, filled with whimsy and adventure, all things that a child can devour like candy, but one particular passage captured your attention and warranted your problem-solving abilities for an entire week after you first finished the book. The famous question of “why is a raven like a writing desk?,” posed by the Mad Hatter to young Alice at their tea party, drove you nearly as mad as a Hatter in trying to solve it. It’s not as if there was an answer; the protagonist, herself, declared that “I think you might do something better with the time than wasting it in asking riddles that have no answers,” but you were determined to be the first to solve this unsolvable riddle. Obviously, you didn’t solve the riddle, and the answer still eludes you to this day. You haven’t thought about that old riddle for quite some time, but your current predicament, and the amount of time spent thinking about it, gives you an odd sense of deja vu and reminds you of Lewis Carroll’s question with no answer.

It’s been two weeks since your trip to the Murder House, and your mind has spun with hundreds of questions that seem to have no answer. Michael, of course, hasn’t been any help at all. The man seems to be a walking paradox; when you don’t need him, he’s impossible to get rid of, and on the rare occasion that you do need him, he can’t be reached. You’ve been able to talk to him, your weekend visits to his mansion forcing you to make some conversation, but Michael has diverted every question you’ve shot at him. He doesn’t get mad that you’re constantly coming up with questions that, to you, have no answers, which only confuses you even more. Although you shouldn’t be pushing your luck after his show of mercy at his childhood home, you feel that you’re entitled to some answers.

Michael, the infuriating, confounding, caring husband that he is, has patiently reminded you time and time again that your finals are more important than any questions you may have. You hate it when he’s right, especially when he pulls out the contract and points out that it was you who made it a point to refuse dropping out of school. Your questions, he tells you, can be answered after you’ve finished the semester and gotten the grades you know you’re capable of. If you’re being honest, at this point you would take a year of being trapped in the Murder House over a week of finals (“Your dramatics truly never get old,” Michael commented dryly when you complained to him during a study break on Sunday). Finals week, you’ve decided, is certainly the work of Michael’s father.

Regardless of your opinions on the week of tests that largely decide your grades, the feelings of joy and relief that flood through you upon walking out of the classroom in which your last final of the semester was held. You have a high enough grade in the class to be able to keep your ‘A’ even if you flunk and, if you were brave, you would have just completely skipped the final. Worst-case scenarios, however, prevented you from doing so and made sure that you actually studied for this test. No matter how you did on the tests, you walk across campus feeling like you’re floating on air. No more school for an entire summer! The bliss that accompanies a last day of school does not, thankfully, fade with age.

Part of you wants to literally put the school in your rearview mirror and stay at least a mile away for three months straight, but you’re also a good person who promised to meet her friends for lunch and isn’t about to back out of a commitment. College dining halls, contrary to popular belief, are not nearly as clique-y as high school lunch rooms. Although there’s a few tables that everyone knows the athletes sit at, the rest of the tables are up for grabs. This can make things difficult when you’re one of the last to an already-packed dining hall and you have to awkwardly stand in the middle of the room while you search for your ‘group.’ Having friends like yours makes this move a lot easier, waving at you to get your attention once they notice that you’re looking around for them.

“You had finals today, right? How’d they go?” Kate and Brennan sit across from you, a bowl of cucumbers sitting between them. You grab at one when you take your own seat, deciding a water-based vegetable is better than nothing.

“They went okay, especially considering they were my last finals,” you reply, glancing around the table to catalogue who is and isn’t here. It’s the usual crew, but you take note of a new face. Shooting Kate a glance, she quickly picks up on your question.

“Oh yeah, you two haven’t met before! (Y/N), this is Mallory. She’s in my Russian Lit class, her other friends have already left for the summer so I invited her to come sit with us today.”

Mallory’s beautiful, her large doe-like eyes and golden leaf headband nestled in her brown locks giving her the appearance of some sort of angel. She’s wearing a black dress that’s cinched with a belt that matches the headband, her outfit looking like it costs as much as a couple of textbooks.

“Hi, I’m (Y/N),” you smile warmly, Mallory returning your smile and waving at you.

“It’s really nice to meet you, (Y/N),” she says.

“Why haven’t I seen you around campus before?” Although it’s a large and populated college, you’re sure that you would have remembered seeing someone as unique as Mallory.

“Oh, we must just run in different circles.” The buzzing of your phone draws your attention from the conversation, sending Mallory an apologetic look before checking the notification.

“How did your tests go?” You can’t help the smile when you see Michael’s message, thumbs flying across the keyboard to type a reply.

“I think they went really well, thanks!” 

Barely thirty seconds pass before Michael’s responded, and you stifle a laugh at the mental image of Michael sitting at his desk and just waiting for you to check your texts. 

“You should call me when you get a chance, maybe we can go out and celebrate?” After the Murder House escapade, you had become a lot more lenient with your “two phone calls a week” rule. Sometimes it’s actually you that calls him first, much to the shock and surprise of both of you. 

“Wow, our second date? Amazing, maybe we can even go steady after this lmao,” you can’t help the sarcasm, especially not when the opportunity is right there.

“-and--(Y/N),” Kate whines, drawing your attention back to the people in front of you.

“I was listening!” You unconvincingly insist.

“Really? What was I talking about, then?”

“Um...Brennan?”

“No, but nice try. I was talking about the end-of-year party at Colin and Noel’s.” Colin and Noel are two best friends who live together and, at least once a month, throw the type of parties that are the stuff of legends. The first, and only, time you went to one, Noel got so drunk that he body slammed himself onto the pong table, somebody tried to crowd surf, and multiple people ended up in the hospital with alcohol poisoning. 

That was on a regular Saturday in January.

“I don’t know, Kate, I’m still trying to recover from Thirsty Thursday at the Stadium House.”

“That was almost a month ago.”

“That’s the point,” you say jokingly. “But really though, I don’t like crazy parties, and I’d rather not deal with the cops.”

“They’ve scaled their parties back so much since the last time you came to one! No hospital visits related to events at their house, even!”

“Really?” You can’t help but be skeptical at her claim. 

“Really. Listen, you don’t even have to stay for long, but I’d really like to hang with you one last time before I go back home for the summer.” Kate smiles when you sigh, knowing she has you. A good chunk of your friends are all going off to the far corners of the country for the break, and this will probably be the last time that you’re all together for three months. 

“Alright, let me talk with, uhh--yeah, I should be able to swing by for a bit,” your friends don’t know about Michael yet, and you’d prefer to keep it that way.

“Yay!” Kate squeals, drumming her hands on the table in excitement. 

“I should get going.”

“I’ll see you tonight though, right?”

“...Right.”

“Are you going to the parking lot? I’ll walk with you if you are,” Mallory says, a twinge of guilt running through you at the realization that you practically forgot about the poor girl.

It’s impossible for you to say no, and you find yourself walking side by side with Mallory towards the parking lot. It’s a bit of an awkward silence, as it usually is when two people who don’t really know each other are left alone.

“Seriously though, how have we not met before? Are you a freshman?” You ask.

“No, but this is my first semester here. I transferred from a school in New Orleans.”

“Oh, I love New Orleans! I went there for a week last year, it was amazing.”

“Yeah, I, uh,” Mallory looks down towards her heeled shoes, nodding, “I miss it a lot.” Your heart aches at the sudden look of homesickness on your new friend’s(?) face, causing you to lay a comforting hand on her shoulder.

“Well, at least the school year’s over and you can go home now.”

“Actually, I think I’m sticking around for the summer. My aunt thinks it’s good for me to get out of New Orleans and out of my comfort zone. My best friend Coco’s letting me stay with her.” Mallory’s phone starts to ring, and she laughs when she looks at the caller ID. “Speak of the devil; it’s my aunt.”

“I’ll see you at the party tonight?” Mallory nods. 

“See you tonight, (Y/N).” Mallory watches you continue towards the parking lot, only answering her phone when you’ve rounded the corner. “Hey, Cordelia...Yeah, it’s her alright.”

////////////////////////////

Michael, as per usual, is in his office when you arrive at his home. Even though he has no logical way of knowing that you’ve arrived, the opening of his office door before your hand even makes contact with the knob gives you the sneaking suspicion that his Antichrist powers give him an advantage. You stroll in, Michael looking a little too nonchalant as he reads through some papers on his desk.

“Some serious Cooperative business?” You ask, falling into a chair on the other side of his desk. 

“You could say that,” he looks up at you, smiling. “How was your last day of the semester?”

“It was fine, finals were fine, it’s all fine, fine, fine.” You spin yourself in the chair, head falling back as you watch the blur of the ceiling above you.

“That’s a mood.” Stopping suddenly, you look at Michael in surprise before laughing loudly.

“Look at you, catching up on your slang!”

“Figured I’d try and actually learn what you were talking about.”

“Speaking of ‘moods,’ I might have something that would help to raise both of ours.” Michael raises an eyebrow, urging you to continue. “Some...friends of a friend are throwing a huge party tonight for the end of the year. Would you wanna go? I know you had talked about celebrating, but maybe we could celebrate this way?”

“You want me to go to a...college party? The same type of party that you drunk-called me from and where I had to get you from?”

Your face heats up at the reminder. “I’m not even going to be drinking at this party, I learned my lesson last time. Look, I know that you didn’t have the most normal upbringing, so maybe this could be your chance to experience some of the things you missed out on. You can’t tell me that you’re perfectly fine with going from a child to running your father’s army and planning the apocalypse practically overnight.”

Michael’s thinking about what you’ve said, which you’re not sure is good or bad yet. You know that you’ve made some good points, and he knows that you’ll go to the party even if he doesn’t. Maybe this is a question with no answer, like so many that you’ve encountered lately. Michael and parties don’t seem like they’d mix, and it’s impossible for you to read his mind like you can read his.

“Will I be out of place there?”

“Michael, there’s going to be so many people there that nobody will even look at you twice.” A lie; Michael’s far too beautiful for just one look.

“What time?” You aren’t even aware that you were holding your breath until he sighs and looks at you again.

“Really?” Michael nods. “Uh, probably nine or ten?”

“Is there not a set time for these parties?”

“Not really, just whenever people show up.” You stand up, smiling widely at Michael’s sudden apprehension and choosing to leave before he can change his mind. “I’ll leave you to your work!”

The good thing about being at the home of your Antichrist husband is that your wardrobe is limitless. A red satin top and a pair of black jeans (tightened with a Gucci belt, because how are you not going to take advantage of that?) is dressy, yet casual enough to be worn at a college party. When you trek down the stairs at a quarter to nine on a quest to scrounge around the kitchen for a quick meal, you’re not at all surprised to see Michael standing at one of the counters.

“You haven’t gotten dressed yet?” You ask, hopping up on the counter next to him and tearing apart a bread roll before popping a bite in your mouth.

“I figured I could just wear this to the party.” Michael’s expression sours when you laugh.

“I’m sorry, I promise I didn’t mean to laugh! It’s just--if you don’t want to attract a bunch of attention, then I wouldn’t suggest wearing a cloak, a suit, and a pair of red bottoms.” He looks down at his outfit, as if suddenly realizing how overdressed he is.

“But...I don’t know what else to wear?”

“C’mon, I’m sure we can find something in your closet for you to wear.” Michael hesitates when you grab his hand, obviously unsure of what to do next. “Kind of need you to lead the way, since I’m assuming your closet is in your bedroom that I’ve never been to before.”

“Right! Let’s go.”

The uncertainty that you feel at the threshold of Michael’s bedroom holds you back like a tether. It’s not as if anything unscrupulous is going to be happening, but the idea of invading the sanctity of your husband’s private bedroom is a little jarring. Peeking into the room, you’re reminded of a conversation you had with Michael during your first weekend here.

“Does every room look like this?” An unspoken question dangles in the air: does your room look like this? Michael grins widely, but it’s devoid of any of the emotions that a regular smile would accompany. It’s the smile of the devil. 

“Guess you’ll have to find out for yourself, won’t you?” He chuckles at the withering glare you give him, loping back towards the door and resting a hand on the silver handle. 

“So, every room does look the same,” you comment with a smirk, finally getting over your sudden fear and following Michael into his room.

“I had to have a little mystery surrounding me.” Michael smiles. “Are you going to help me or not?”

////////////////////////////

“Everybody here is in khaki shorts and printed shirts,” Michael hisses in your ear. Your hand grips Michael’s firm bicep, and you give it a teasing squeeze.

“Yeah, and you look a thousand times better than them. You always do.” Cars were already inconspicuously-but-not-really parked up and down the block, and you have to maneuver through at least fifty people just in the entryway and the living room. “College guys don’t really have a sense of style.”

“So I won’t lose you to one of these ‘boys,’ then?” Michael’s style, in your opinion, is timeless. You managed to work with his formal wardrobe, finding a white t-shirt and pairing it with an unbuttoned black shirt. The sleeves are rolled up to his elbows (although that part may be totally self-serving), and his black jeans are cuffed into a pair of boots. He still looks more formal than everyone else, but it’s way better than him showing up in a goddamned cloak.

“You never even had me in the first place,” you chuckle, shooting Michael a playful wink. “C’mon, let’s see if we can find any of my friends around here.”

There’s coolers set up in the kitchen to keep the different cans and bottles cool, as well as an array of liquor on the kitchen island. Michael looks like a fish out of water, standing around awkwardly while you start peeking into the coolers.

“I thought you said you weren’t drinking,” Michael comments.

“I’m not, I’m just trying to find some soda or water.”

“(Y/N)!” You turn around, smiling when you see Noel standing before you.

“Hey, bud.” Noel, one of two party throwers of legend, is a shorter guy who makes up for his lack of height with his absolute insane stockpile of never ending energy. His black hair is always carefully gelled and combed into place, and he dresses like a middle-aged rich dad who’s going boating for the weekend.

“Who’s your friend? If he’s a part of Sig Tau, he needs to get outta here before Colin sees him, because Colin still has a huge problem with--”

“No, don’t worry, he doesn’t go to our school.” Noel nods, drumming his hands on the table and picking up a bottle of tequila.

“In that case, can I get you two some shots?”

“I don’t know, Noel, I wasn’t really planning on drinking tonight.”

“C’mon, (Y/N), one shot’s not gonna get you fucked up. I’ve seen you drink before, you’re barely even gonna get buzzed.” He winks, already knowing that you’re going to say yes when you sigh.

“Two shots, then.”

Noel expertly pours two shots, sliding them your way with a friendly “enjoy” before leaving to continue his hosting rounds.

“What’s Sig Tau? Is that some sort of a cult?” Michael asks once Noel’s gone.

“It’s a fraternity, so close.” You slide a shot to Michael and pick up your own, downing it with a grimace. Michael just stares apprehensively at the clear liquid in the shot glass. “Are you not going to drink that?”

“What is it? It looked like you were drinking gasoline.”

“It’s tequila, which is kind of the same thing.”

“If I die, I’m holding you responsible.” Michael throws his own shot back, coughing and hacking as you cheer. “Satan, that was terrible. Why do people drink that?”

“I dunno,” you shrug, grabbing two bottles of water from a cooler and tossing one to Michael, “quick little buzz, palate cleanser, there’s a million different reasons.”

Michael grabs your hand and pulls you out of the way when a girl, clearly already drunk, nearly bumps into you on her search for another drink. She mumbles an apology, choosing to take the whole bottle of Jack Daniels with her instead of pouring it into one of the hundreds of red Solo cups stacked on the counter. His blue eyes meet yours and you both chuckle, silently agreeing to move out of the cramped kitchen and somewhere with less people. While the living room’s not any better, you do manage to run into Kate and Mallory.

“You made it!” Kate exclaims, pulling you from Michael to hug you. Her eyes are wide while also managing to droop at the same time, and you can almost guarantee that she’s crossed. 

“I told you I would be here,” you say, giggling when Kate affectionately boops your nose. Mallory’s standing awkwardly to the side, eyes flickering between you and Michael. Kate also seems to pick up on her friend’s sudden change in demeanor, and smirks when she notices the man trailing behind you.

“And just who is this, (Y/N)?”

“Oh, this is my--uh, my friend Michael.” ‘Friend’ seems like a good term to settle on; you can’t explain your true relationship, Michael is not your boyfriend, and ‘acquaintance’ would be weird to say. Kate wiggles her eyebrows at you, sticking her hand out for Michael to take.

“Helloooo, (Y/N)’s friend Michael.”

“So, do you two have the same classes?” Mallory asks politely.

“No, Michael isn’t in college. He...well, he does--”

“I work for my father,” Michael interjects, smiling down at you. “I’m learning the ropes before I take over for him.” It’s technically not a lie, and you’re impressed until you remember that this must be one of his Antichrist powers. Mallory nods, but you can see a hint of something--doubt, or maybe suspicion?--in her eyes. Kate gasps before anymore words can be exchanged, grabbing yours and Mallory’s hands excitedly.

“I love this song! Dance with me, please!” You don’t really have a choice, the small woman amazingly strong when she wants to be. You look back at Michael apologetically, but he just smiles and gestures for you to go with. 

The familiar bass that underlays all hip-hop songs thumps loudly through you, acting as some sort of an electric charge. Where you had once been bored and ready to quietly slip out of the front door, you’re now controlled by the beat of the song. The congregation of partiers who have also decided to dance grows larger with each passing second, enveloping your trio in the middle. While the dancing isn’t so much dancing as it is bouncing in time with the rhythm, it’s carefree in a way that you didn’t know you needed until now. Mallory takes your hands, both of you laughing as she spins you in a circle.

Michael leans against the wall, head tilted as he watches the dancing college students. More specifically, he intently watches you dancing with your friends. He’s intrigued, the corner of his mouth tilting up in a smile as you move in a way he’s never seen you move before. While you’re more relaxed around him now, you’re still so reserved in your mannerisms. Here, Michael sees a glimpse of who you once were before he dragged you into his life. You smile widely, singing the lyrics at the top of your lungs along with everyone else in the group of dancers. Your hair flows freely around your face, and he finds himself enraptured by the movement.

Would things have been different between you two if Michael wasn’t the Antichrist? Maybe, in another life, or another universe, you both would have attended the same college. The image pops into his head like it’s burned there; Michael sitting next to you on the first day of some nameless class, becoming friends with you first. Slowly but surely, your bond would only deepen, and from friends would spring lovers. Michael shakes his head imperceptibly: a fantasy. He can’t dwell on these silly theoretical questions that have no answers. It’s a fruitless pursuit, and nothing good will come out of fixating on the ‘what if’s.’

Michael jumps in surprise when you’re suddenly in front of him, being too wrapped up in his thoughts to notice the song ending and you making your way back over to him. You laugh, obviously delighted at finally catching him off guard. 

“I let you startle me that time,” he jokingly argues.

“Uh-huh, if that’s what makes this crushing defeat easier for you. Anyways, do you wanna get out of here? Kate and Mallory are the only ones I really came here to see, and if we’re not going to drink there’s not really any reason to be here.”

“I’m ready to go home if you are.”

“Actually, I might have a little detour for us…” you trail off, smiling conspiratorially.

“Oh?” Michael’s not sure if he should be excited or nervous for idea of yours, something that you easily pick up on. 

“I promise you’ll enjoy it.”

Twenty minutes later, you’re sitting on opposite sides of a booth in a small diner that you frequent with friends during the school year. A basket of french fries sits in the middle of the table, two tall glasses that are already beading with condensation standing guard next to the food. Amidst the fluorescent lighting, scratchy country music, loud ceiling fans, and run-down booths, you’re struck by how out of place Michael seems here, in your world.

He had stuck out like a sore thumb at the party, his uncomfortable posture and expensive clothing practically screaming that he did not belong in that small house. Here, in a restaurant with patrons ranging from a young family to an elderly couple, a middle-aged businessman to a homeless woman, he looks like some far-away traveler who landed in the wrong town. He’s a Renaissance piece of artwork, something far too beautiful and celestial for the eyes of these mere humans who couldn’t begin to comprehend the masterpiece that is Michael Langdon.

“Just what are we doing here?” Michael asks after the waitress, an older busty woman with red hair straight from the box, sets your order down and leaves. 

“We’re enjoying a late-night snack,” you say simply, grabbing at a fry and savoring the first bite into the just-fried food.

“A late-night snack consisting of french fries and--are these milkshakes?” Michael picks up one of the glasses, investigating its contents. 

“Uh, yeah? Have you never had a milkshake before?”

“(Y/N), my grandmother hid me away and refused to let me out of the house. Of course I’ve never had a milkshake before.” Your face falls, proving that you’re still not good at hiding your emotions like Michael is. Pushing the other glass towards him, you lace your fingers together and place them under your chin. 

“I’m honored that I get to be a part of your first milkshake experience, then. There’s vanilla and chocolate; try them both, and then you can have whichever one you like best.”

Michael looks uneasily between the two glasses, as if trying to decipher if one is poisoned. “Which one do you prefer?”

“I like them both,” you shrug. 

Finally, he takes a cautious sip of the chocolate. You’re mildly disappointed when he doesn’t have any sort of reaction, silently cataloguing his opinions on the flavor before taking a less-cautious drink of the vanilla. Without any fanfare, he pushes the chocolate back towards your waiting hands.

“They’re both good, you’re right, but I like this one better.” You smile, sliding the glass towards you and sipping the shake that he’s rejected.

“Um, Michael…” you trail, not sure how to phrase what you’ve been thinking of for the past week.

“Yes?”

“Would--is the offer to move in with you still on the table?” Michael smirks widely, and you rush to explain yourself. “It’s just that my rent is going up next month and it’s not worth it at this point, and your place is closer to campus. Plus, my cat likes you better than she likes me.”

You’re not sure why you’re nervous, since he’s obviously going to say yes to your request. You living with him was one of the only things he desperately wanted during the contract negotiations. When you think about it, you just don’t want him to get the wrong idea. It seems as if you’ve finally reached a comfortable relationship with Michael, a place where you tolerate him and could even see him as one of your friends. But an actual romantic relationship is so far down the list of things that you and Michael are, and you don’t want him to think that you’re finally going to be the loving wife that Satan wanted you to be. For lack of better wording, there’s no way in hell that will happen.

“Only because I like your cat better than you, and I wouldn’t want her to go homeless.” Your mouth drops and you laugh, picking up a fry and throwing it at Michael who, of course, deftly catches it in his mouth.

“You jerk!”

“You said it first, not me!”

“Fine,” you sit back against the booth and cross your arms over your chest, trying to keep your best poker face on, “but you should know that we’re a package deal.”

“Hmm, I suppose I can cope with that.”

“Do we have a deal, then?” Yet again, you’re struck by the irony of making a deal with the Devil (well, the Devil’s son, but close enough). Michael picks up his glass and waits for you to do the same, clinking your milkshakes together in agreement. 

“We, my dear, have a deal.”

////////////////////////////

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[jawnjendes]

shawn meets... | aria

SUMMARY: in the life of a rockstar, shawn mendes comes across some unique people. sometimes, things stray from the norm. (AU, shawn x every one of my oc���s)(continuation of goth gf)

AN: time jump lmao. sry in advance.

***let me know if you wanna be added to the taglist

previous chapter

aria’s [abandonded] origin story | aria’s playlist | masterlist

Eight months later.

Shawn was beyond tired. Shawn was not allowed to be tired. Shawn, the sun has almost gone down and we still have so much to do today! Stop sleeping and pay attention!

Honestly, nobody was keeping track of how many interviews had been done today. Shawn should have kept track, that way he would know how many were left before he was done for the day. He was only half listening to what his manager Andrew was saying.

“A lot of Internet stars want you these days,” he said. “This girl was the only one who had something interesting to do with you. Good thing you stayed in your sweats today.”

Oh yeah. A majority of the interviews Shawn did today were done over the phone. For some goddamn reason, he and his whole team had to move from place to place for each one. This was annoying, and this was Hollywood, apparently. At least he didn’t have to change for this interview, whatever it was going to be.

Andrew was leading the team through a plaza somewhere in Los Angeles. Shawn was just on autopilot at this point. He took a dinner break a couple of hours ago, but he just wanted to be done already. He wanted to go to bed, even if he wasn’t planning on sleeping. He couldn’t really sleep these days, and it was by choice.

The team stopped in front of a door that said “DANCE STUDIO” in white letters. As usual, Andrew made Shawn wait outside with Jake the bodyguard while the rest of the team went inside. It was a moment to let things sink in and breathe while he was almost alone. Shawn had to put on his happy mask once again, even if it was the last thing he felt.

“How you holding up?” Jake asked, watching him carefully.

Shawn knew what he was asking, but shrugged it off. “Just a little tired.”

“Nightmare,” he said with a nod.

“What? No, I don’t have those anymore.”

“I wasn’t asking, I’m telling you.”

He stayed quiet. It’s not like anything could be done about it right now. There’s other things to worry about. Andrew always told Shawn just to not think about it. Think about happier things, like walking into this damn studio.

Andrew came out of the room after a few minutes, gesturing for them to enter. Here goes another round of answering the same questions he’s been asked all day.

There were two studio lights stood on either side of a camera set up in front of the mirrors that spanned across the wall. It wasn’t the huge Hollywood set up he had gotten used to. There were chairs lined up against the wall away from the camera, and there was no crew either, just two girls handling everything. The life of YouTubers.

A blonde girl in glasses was fixing the lens on the camera, but she looked up and smiled at Shawn when he entered the room. The other girl with curly brown hair was doing the splits in the middle of the hardwood floor. She looked up as well, and was quick to get up and greet him.

"Hi! I'm Aria Mercer, it's so nice to meet you!"

Aria was very short, given that her head was tilted up to look Shawn in the eyes. She was in red sweats and a One Direction tee, making him feel better about his drab appearance.

"And I'm Sophie Jensen!" said the blonde as she approached the group. "We've heard so much about you! We love your music!"

Shawn grinned. "Thank you, it's nice to meet you too."

"So, you showed up in the appropriate attire, that's good," Aria said. "You ready to dance?"

Shawn's eyes widened. "That's what we're doing?"

"Your people didn't tell you?" Aria shot a mock disappointed look to his team, who had all collectively went to sit in the chairs against the wall. "But yeah, I'll be teaching you a few simple moves. Nothing dangerous or strenuous."

Sophie went back to the camera, looking into the viewfinder and pressing a button. "It's recording. Whenever you guys are ready."

For once, Shawn was glad Brian wasn't here to witness this. Lucky bastard got to go back to the hotel early. Still, he was going to see this in the foreseeable future, and that was enough to make Shawn nervous.

"Gotta warn you," he said to Aria, "I'm a huge klutz."

"It's okay, we'll have fun!" she reassured, and she reached over to rub his arm.

Her tiny hand left so many tingles on his skin. Shawn resisted the urge to scratch it away as Aria greeted the camera.

She didn't obnoxiously project her voice like other YouTubers. She wasn't like the rich socialites who were running the platform these days. She was a dancer, and she was bubbly and full of energy.

"Have you ever danced before?" she asked Shawn.

"I literally fall over twenty times a day," he replied. "Dancing feels out of my element, but I'm down to learning."

Aria giggled. "And you've got me as your teacher, so everything will be okay."

The first thing she taught him was the formation for a simple ballet turn. Shawn learned very quickly that standing on one leg with your toes pointed was challenging, to say the least.

"Okay, stay like that," Aria said, stepping towards him. "Let me fix your posture."

Shawn wanted to laugh, but he would lose his balance. He looked at his reflection in the mirror, Aria circling his body.

"Okay, relax your shoulders," she said, patting the area, "but squeeze your back muscles, it'll keep you straight. And squeeze your butt muscles too, it'll keep your legs straight."

She didn't touch that area, but her tiny hands were low on his hips. "Hm, so broad. You definitely have a dancer's body."

"Thanks?" he strained out.

"Elongate your neck as well, chin up."

His muscles were starting to hurt, clearly not used to having them flexed this way. He quickly gave out and lost the position.

"You do all that just when you turn?" he asked Aria.

"Claro que sí! And that's just the surface. There's spotting so you don't lose balance. And then there's the art of making it looks graceful and effortless."

With that, she did the turn. No, she did a pirouette, maybe five turns in a row. Shawn had a new appreciation for dancers now.

Aria taught him more moves, like the five positions of ballet. They were simple enough, but Shawn felt like his ankle might pop off during fifth position. He felt quite goofy with his arms up in the air, but Aria looked, as she said, graceful.

"And back to fourth, and plie," she said, bending her knees.

It looked easy, Shawn never skipped leg day. But with the position his feet were in, he was far from elegant. He couldn't help but laugh at how ridiculous he looked in the mirror.

"I take it you've danced your whole life?" he asked her.

"I have. And back to first."

"What's, like, the craziest move you can do?" he asked, now curious. He also wanted to see how flexible this girl was.

Aria tapped her finger to her chin as she thought about it. "Huh… good question. A fouette, I think. Either that, or an aerial."

"I have no idea what either of those things are, you have to show me."

An aerial, he quickly learned, is a no handed cartwheel. Aria took three large steps and practically did a front flip. Again, she was graceful as hell and made Shawn feel inadequate even though this wasn't a profession he planned to pursue.

A fouette was an incredibly complex turn that left Aria panting after she did ten in a row. She was a fucking champ.

When the video was done, the team was quick to rush Shawn, surround him, and get him to the next location. For once, he wasn't having it. He was quite taken with Aria after the short 30 minutes he spent with her.

"Wait!" he snapped, yanking his arm out of Jake's grasp. "Can't I thank our lovely host?"

Aria, who had quickly occupied herself by talking to Sophie, looked up in his direction.

"We have to go!" Andrew strictly told him.

"Just give me a minute!" Shawn said back.

With several stern looks, the team backed off. Shawn then approached Aria with more confidence than he should have had after being brutally humbled by the art of dance.

He put on his best smile. "Hey, just wanted to thank you for the experience."

"No problem." She smiled. "Showing people the way of dance is kinda my thing."

"Well, you're really good at it."

"Aw, thanks!"

Shawn looked at her, then at Sophie. Then, he gently took Aria's shoulder and led her away from the other girl. He cleared his throat before speaking again.

"Look, uh, tell me if this is too forward, but… I was wondering if you wanted to come by my hotel later tonight."

Her brown eyes widened, and then she looked down. "Dio mío. ¿En serio?"

Shawn blinked. "You just spoke Spanish."

"Sorry, I'm just a little thrown off. You're being serious?" She was blushing.

"Yeah. Kinda wanna see what else you can do with those legs." He smirked.

"Me va a dar algo," Aria mumbled. Then, she caught herself. "This is crazy."

He tilted his head. "How so?"

She chewed her lip as she looked at him. There was a look in her eyes that held the answer to his request. "You ever had like… a free pass? Like, you and your significant other talk about your crushes and which celebrity you'd go for. You're my free pass."

Shawn raised his eyebrows, flattered. "So that's a yes?"

Confliction spread on her features. "How long are you in town for?"

"I leave tomorrow." His heart started to race.

"I'll message you on Twitter later, okay? I, uh, need to see if I have something already planned."

"We have nothing planned!" called Sophie, obviously eavesdropping.

Aria's cheeks went even more pink as she looked at Shawn. "Okay, I guess I'm free!"

"Awesome. I'll send you the address." Shawn winked, even though he wasn't very good at it.

Still, Aria was beaming as she went back to her friend.

~

The only person who was supportive of this impulsive decision was Brian. It was a good thing Shawn brought him along on this weirdly wonderful journey. Shawn told him everything over dinner with the team, leaving out some details of the dancing part.

Brian high fived his friend. "It's about time you come back to your old self! Shawn the bachelor, revived!"

Shawn couldn't quite remember his old self. He hardly had any time to think about it. Brian sometimes reminded him of that old self, it was good to have him here.

"She was really hesitant," he said, "she might not even show up."

"But you took the initiative, and that's a good sign! Besides, if she ghosts you, it won't be hard to find someone else."

That was mildly comforting. More fish in the sea, and Shawn's sea recently expanded.

"Gotta get under someone to get over someone," Brian added.

Shawn couldn't argue with that. This Aria Mercer girl was a good place to start, given that she was completely different from the last girl he was with. This girl was smaller, and more bubbly. Flexible. Amazing curly hair. Shawn could definitely get down with someone who wears more than just one color.

If only he could find beauty in color again.

It wasn't until he was back in his hotel did Shawn start getting nervous. He sent Aria the address and his room number through a Twitter DM, forgetting to add a cheeky "can't wait to see you." After that, he jumped in the shower. Sure, it was just a measly hookup, but he wanted to be clean at least. He even made the effort to order a bottle of patrón to the room.

The bottle was delivered by the time Aria notified him of her arrival. Shawn thanked the room service person with a crisp twenty and quickly ushered them out. Shawn placed the patrón and two glasses on the table, and then checked his reflection in the mirror.

He took a deep breath to calm his nerves, but still jumped when there was a soft knock on the door. Maybe he should have waited an extra thirty seconds, because Aria still had her fist up when Shawn wandered.

She quickly put her arm down and grinned. "Hey."

"Hi. Come in," Shawn said.

His heart was pounding wildly when the two of them were officially shut inside the hotel room. Aria walked in front of him, making him get a look at her bare legs in tiny pink shorts. She placed her tiny backpack on one of chairs at the table.

Shawn noticed the golden lightning bolt and two clear circles on the pack, piquing his interest.

"You like Harry Potter?"

"Hm? Yeah!" Aria said. "I'm obsessed."

"What house are you?"

"Hufflepuff! You?"

Of course the first girl he hooks up with in months is the same Hogwarts house as-

"Gryffindor," he replied.

"Cool."

Silence fell between the two of them as they stood in front of the bed. Aria looked around the room, biting her nails. Shawn couldn't figure out how to step into the next part of this night. He wasn't typically nervous or awkward, but that was only because before this, he was getting intimate with the same person consistently. There was no reason to be nervous then.

"So, uh…" he trailed off.

"Do we just…?" Aria asked, taking a few steps closer.

Neither of them remembered hookups being this awkward.

"Do you want a drink?" Shawn asked, but Aria spoke over him.

"Come closer."

So he did, feeling his heart in his throat. Nervous energy radiated all over, it was almost suffocating. It wasn't the fun type of nervous.

"Closer," Aria said softly.

There was an inch of space left between them. Shawn was looking at her, but she wouldn't return the gaze. He gently placed his hands on her upper arms, slowly moving his head closer, bending more than usual given the height difference. This was like a bandaid that needed to be ripped off. Once that was done, then everything else could come naturally.

"I can't do this," Aria said when their noses were touching, her voice slicing through the silence like a knife.

He moved back, removing himself from her completely. His body suddenly felt much less tense, almost relieved. Before he could even think of anything to say, Aria kept talking.

"I thought I could do it because you're my free pass, and you're insanely gorgeous. But I need to be honest - I have a boyfriend."

Shawn felt his stomach drop. "You-"

"But he gave me his blessing!" Aria frantically interrupted. "I texted him, and he sent me a voice clip of his approval! You can listen if you don't believe me!"

She hurried to her Hogwarts bag, opening up the zipper and digging inside. Meanwhile, Shawn sat down on the bed, his mind spiraling.

He wouldn't have been able to do this either. Come to think of it, he wasn't even that attracted to Aria. He hardly knew her, apart from the fact that she posts dancing videos on YouTube. Hell, he didn't even think about what he wanted to do with her, he just went through the motions.

Aria turned back to Shawn, phone in hand. She stopped in her tracks, noticing his hunched shoulders. "Are you okay?"

Shawn didn't really speak of the ache in his heart to anyone. Again, there was just no time. Sometimes he was tempted to call Camila on the rare days off, but she was just as busy these days. He thought about texting Alessia, but she didn't speak to him anymore. Shawn didn't talk about it, but keeping it in wasn't doing it anymore.

"You were honest with me, so I owe you just the same," he began. "I only wanted to do this because I'm going through a breakup."

He expected her to scoff, or make some comment about how pathetic he is, but Aria simply sat down next to him. Her brown eyes were soft and sympathetic.

"Getting over someone by getting under someone." She echoed Brian's words. "I've been there."

"Hey, I'm sorry for putting you in this position-"

"It's okay," she said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Hey, I did the same thing when I was twenty years old. Actually, the guy I'm dating now was one of my rebounds."

Shawn cleared his throat. "Is that how you ended up together?"

"Nah, that's a whole other story. But while we're being honest, I have to tell you. Sleeping around isn't gonna heal your broken heart. A wise man once said that numbing the pain for a while will make it worse when you finally feel it."

Ain't that the fucking truth. Shawn felt the ache deep in his bones. It hurt so much it knocked the wind out of him.

"Did you love that person?" Aria asked after a moment.

Shawn couldn't stop himself. "I was so in love with her. She was the first person I ever loved, and it was everything I could have asked for."

"And it feels like you'll never find that again," Aria continued, rubbing his back.

Shawn nodded and took a breath. "Look, I'm sorry I'm dumping this on you. This is probably the opposite of what you expected to happen."

To his surprise, she grinned. "You're lucky I'm nice and have a need to protect heartbroken individuals. If you had hit up my friend Sophie, she would have kicked you while you were down. Besides, sometimes it's just easier to vent to a stranger."

Well, she wasn't wrong about that. Shawn felt more ramblings bubbling up the longer he sat with her. So maybe he would end up spending the night with Aria Mercer.

"Tell me about you, though," he told her. "I don't want this whole thing to be depressing."

The two of them sat up against the headboard, chatting for a while. Shawn learned a little bit more about Aria. She's been dancing since she was a toddler, but she took a hiatus from it after graduating high school. Her favorite color is red, she's a Virgo, and she graduated from that fancy university for vloggers two years prior. That's where she met her first love.

"I got really lucky that the first guy I dated was my first real love," she explained.

"The guy you're with now?" Shawn asked.

"No. That's Joe. My first love was named Dan," she said. "I gotta say, it's been almost five years since we broke up - and I'm very happy with Joe - but a small part of me is still soft for my ex."

Shawn nodded his head as he listened. "Why did you guys break up?"

Aria opened her mouth to answer, but she gave him a look. "You first."

"Fine, but we're opening that patrón."

She giggled. "Okay. I'll pour the glasses, you start talking."

For a moment, Shawn thought about it, thought about Ann. He hasn't seen her since the breakup. He has been back to Toronto in the four months they've been apart, but he never went looking for her. Why would he?

"She… she's insanely private," he began as Aria returned to the bed with two glasses. "She didn't want me talking about her in interviews, or even to my friends. I mean, people in our circle knew about us, but she always thought I was going to tell everyone her secrets or something."

"So paranoia was the cause?"

"I wouldn't say paranoia. I know she wanted her privacy, and I tried very hard to respect it. But people still managed to find her social media and some went to the extent of following us around in public."

Aria made a face. "Oof. I know what that's like."

"Yeah. I kept waiting for her to ask me to stay before they flew me out here. Kept waiting for her to tell me to drop everything and stay with her. But she never did. She pushed me to pursue this, and she chose to stay behind."

"That shows that she really loved you. She wouldn't let you give up all of this for her. We all make sacrifices for our careers."

Those words sunk in as they both took a drink. Shawn screwed his eyes shut momentarily as the bitter taste consumed him.

"Isn't all of this supposed to be worth it?" he wondered. "I know she's not the only girl out there, and she was incredibly different from me. But I haven't gotten the studio time I was promised. I haven't written a song in weeks. All I've been doing are photoshoots and interviews!"

Aria shifted in her seat, kicking off her shoes. "Hey, it will be worth it! Look, me and my ex broke up for kinda the same thing. He's also a YouTuber, and he was gonna go on tour. He asked me to go with him, to drop out of uni, but we were already falling apart. I just knew there wouldn't be room for me in his world. So we broke up, and I stayed in school. In that time, I formed a dance group, I got to interview one of my favorite bands, and I protested the shutdown of our campus."

Shawn took another sip of his glass. "Have you talked to your ex since?"

"Nope! Actually, he came out as gay last year, and I sent him a congratulatory tweet. He didn't reply." She chuckled sheepishly before draining her glass.

The two of them looked at each other for a moment. Then, Aria made a face, screwing up her eyes.

“We’re not pretending that this is good, right?” She held up her glass.

“Hey, it cushions the blow,” Shawn replied.

She scoffed and began typing on her phone. “You like slushies? Tacos? I’m postmating Taco Bell.”

Soon enough, they were munching on a 12-pack of mediocre tacos and putting patrón in their large Mountain Dew slushies. The mood lightened a lot quicker, and soon they were talking about other things. Soon, Shawn was laughing and half the patrón was gone. Boundaries and walls were coming down.

“What band did you interview?” Shawn asked.

“Five sauce,” Aria said. “It wasn’t even an interview. I made a dance to one of their songs and taught it to them. It was a jokey-joke video, but I got to talk to them and thank them for making amazing music.”

She pulled up the video on her phone and showed it to him. It was pretty hilarious to see the members of 5 Seconds of Summer try to dance as well as Aria did. It was like the video she did with Shawn today.

“I wanna meet them,” he said wistfully. “And I wanna meet Niall Horan.”

Aria gasped. “I love One Direction! Is Niall your favorite?”

“Honey, you have no idea.”

They talked about celebrity crushes. Aria’s were Demi Lovato, Liam Payne, and, still, Shawn.

“And I still didn’t make the cut,” he joked.

Aria smacked him shoulder. “We got this far. But evidently, I love my mans too much.”

“More than your ex?”

“Oh yeah.” Aria grinned to herself.

“You said his name is Joe, right? Is he a YouTuber too?”

That was when they fell down a YouTube rabbit hole. Aria showed Shawn her boyfriend’s videos, the ones she was in prior to their relationship. Apparently, they were friends for five years before becoming an item last fall.

“I don’t wanna talk too much about my love life, though,” she said. “Y’know, knowing that yours is…”

Shawn waved it off. “Hey, I’m feeling a buzz. I love love, even if I don’t have it. Tell me, girl.”

Aria thought for a moment. “Okay, here’s a fun fact. Me and Joe saw Bella’s video that had you in it.”

He gasped softly. “Really?”

“Uh-huh! So Joe looked you up on Spotify and, and it was raining too! We had a cozy day with blankets and kissing and stuff and we listened to your music. And…” She paused, smiling softly. “When You’re Ready was playing the first time I told him that I love him.”

“Dude… that’s fucking beautiful.” Shawn placed a hand on his chest and sniffed. “I wrote that song about my ex.”

Aria scoffed. “Well, now it’s about me and Joe! It’s a Jaria song!”

Shawn was going to remember that. It’s a Jaria song.

“Why don’t you just go to him now?” he asked her.

“He lives in London,” she replied. “I want to live with him, but neither of us can agree on a place to live. He likes it hot, I like it cold. I don’t wanna be too far from family. We’ve still got our careers to think about.”

“But you were going to hook up with me?”

“Because he told me I can! Look!” She picked up her phone again and played a voice clip.

A male, British voice filled the room. “Well, how often do you get to say you fucked Shawn Mendes? Go on, love, have your fun. But if Dianne ever comes round again, I’m shooting my shot!”

“Who’s Dianne?” Shawn asked.

Aria waved it off. “No one. But do you see? I was telling you the truth. Joe and I fucked a lot in the past and fucked other people too! It’s kind of an open relationship, or… it was. I need to talk to him about that now.”

“Wow…” A memory came to mind. “My ex wanted to fuck one of the girls from Little Mix.”

Aria sat up on her knees. “I love Little Mix! I’ve choreographed so many dances to their songs!”

“Show me!”

If Aria was sober she might not have done it. She stood up in front of the bed and performed little snippets to four different Little Mix songs. She was so passionate and happy. If only she was single, and if only Shawn wasn’t hung up on some flowers…

~

They didn’t sleep together, but they shared a bed. They both woke up early the next morning to loud knocking on the door. Having been through this for a few months, Shawn didn’t have to guess what it was. He was probably running late to something, or the team was just in a hurry to get the day started.

“I’m sorry,” Shawn sleepily mumbled. “You’re gonna face my manager.”

“Fun,” she mumbled back.

She rolled out of bed quicker than he had anticipated. She grabbed her shoes and stumbled to her Harry Potter bag on the table. Then, she gave Shawn a salute.

“See ya round, rockstar.”

“Hey,” Shawn called as he sat up. “Thanks for sticking around. I know you didn’t have to, and I really appreciate it.”

She smiled. “Let me know when you’re in LA or London or something. Maybe you’ll get to meet Joe.”

“Yeah, I’ll let you know.”

“And listen, don’t let your people push you around all the time. They work for you. Demand more studio time if-”

More sharp knocks. Aria sighed.

“You have more power than you think,” she continued. “Demand more studio time. Demand counseling if you really need it. Don’t let them take advantage of you.”

Shawn nodded, feeling a pit in his stomach. “Thank you, Aria.” He stood up and went for a hug, his chin barely touching the top of her head. Who knew a girl that small could be so powerful?

Anyway, Aria made a quick but polite greeting to Andrew as she exited the hotel room. As soon as she was gone, the team filled her absence. Tiffany walked in pulling a clothing rack with today’s outfit choices. Anna came in with her bag of makeup and hair products, gesturing for Shawn to come sit in the chair by the table. Jake walked in looking strong and mighty as hell. Brian was the last one to enter, two coffees in hand.

He had an eager grin on his face as he approached his friend. “How was she?” he asked, handing him a coffee.

Before Shawn could answer, Andrew piped up.

“Speaking of women,” he said, “since you want to get over someone, we got someone else for you to theoretically get under. I talked to Justin on the phone last night, and he thinks it’s time everyone saw the romantic side of Shawn Mendes.”

“I don’t want a girlfriend,” Shawn said. “Actually, I have some stuff I wanna talk to you about.”

Andrew said nothing as he typed on his phone. When he finished that tasked, he disregarded everything his client had said. “You’ll like this girl. She’s a friend of yours, after all.”

next chapter

_______

taglist: @normalcyisoverrated-beyou @justordinaryjen @chillingbythesea @iloveshawnieboi @shawnsunflower @someoneunimportantxx 

[mcarfield]

This utter self-indulgence has been sitting in a word doc for days. I have no idea how Tony commentary and livestreams work and none of these reporters would be talking this much about a nominee and his “friend/date” but honestly whatever, it was a delight to write. I know nothing about Peer Gynt either, so all that commentary is probably woefully wrong. It just fit with the timeline. This fic was not written with accuracy in mind so suspend your disbelief for a bit. It was meant to be at least somewhat serious but somewhere along the way became a parody of social media eh.

LITERALLY I CANNOT WITH THIS FIC. I WOULD READ 80 DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF TONY NIGHT LIKE THIS AND 80 DIFFERENT RED CARPETS WITH THESE TWO AHHHHHHHH

ALSO:

@mcarfields  WHATEAHGDAJKGHK WHAT JTUST HAPPENDNE

^ THIS PERSON IS ME LOLOLOL <333333333

The Tony Awards @TheTonyAwards  And the #TonyAwards Red Carpet has officially begun! Tune in to @NY1 to see arrivals, interviews and more Red Carpet coverage.

Deadline Hollywood Livestream of 2020 Tony Awards, courtesy of Nordstrom and hosted by Maya Reynolds and Michael Thomas:

MR: And the Red Carpet has officially begun. 

MT: Various members of New York theater and arts elite have begun to arrive at Radio City Music Hall in New York City for the 74th Annual Tony Awards wearing stunning ball gowns and tuxes. Who should we look out for this year, Maya?

MR: This year’s a competitive one, Michael, but it’s certain that all eyes are on the Scottish James McArdle, this year’s breakout star in a Jonathan Kent adaption of Ibsen’s Peer Gynt. McArdle won American acclaim in 2018 for his performance as Louis Ironson in Tony Kushner’s epic two part play Angels in America but this is the first year he’s been recognized by the American Theater Wing… [Goes on to discuss other stars and favorites]

MT: Thanks, Maya, for the brief summary of who to look out for. Let’s take a look at the Red Carpet to see who’s arrived.

prior walter stan @andygarfields  OMG OMG I THINK I SAW ANDREW ARRIVING

lizzy @rainyday  anyone happen to see who james mcardle arrived w?? saw him putting his hand out to someone in the car but the stream cut before i saw who it was :/

emily @bwaystan  @rainyday didn’t see who it was but was definitely a guy. wearing a black suit i think? ugh did anyone see his face?

James McArdle News @jmcardlenews James has arrived at the Tony’s in a stunning dark blue tux [Attached: Two photos of James leaving his car and walking to the Red Carpet]

MR: And some of the Best Leading Actors in a Play have arrived. Leading the pack is Nathan Lane for his…[Goes on to discuss Lane’s role]. And here comes James McArdle, greeting Lane with a hug. Lane and McArdle were co-stars in the 2017 National Theatre production of Angels in America and both were involved in the 2018 Broadway Transfer. Warm smiles all around. 

MT: Andrew Garfield is not far behind McArdle in greeting in Lane. Curious that Garfield is in attendance tonight. He is not nominated for anything this year and isn’t presenting, but there is Oscar buzz for his performance in Guillermo Del Toro’s upcoming project. 

MR: Garfield and McArdle have remained close friends since working together in 2018. They have both become regulars at each other’s premieres and performances. 

emily @bwaystan  DID ANYONE SEE IF JAMES ARRIVED WITH ANDREW? he’s wearing blue but cant find any pictures of the guy who got out of the car with james so annoying

Andrew Garfield Source @agarfieldsource  @bwaystan Can confirm that James and Andrew arrived together. 

prior walter stan @andygarfields  HOLD UP JAMES TOOK ANDREW AS HIS DATE??? im dead

MR: Thanks for the fashion update, Michael. Back to the Red Carpet interviews. James McArdle is now reaching the step and repeat. Michael, care to tell us about what he’s wearing?

MT: Sources tell us McArdle is wearing Versace tonight and looking very dapper in it. Dark blue seems to be his signature at these events.

MR: And here comes Michael Arden with husband Andy Mientus on his arm. Tell us about what they’re wearing, Michael.

TONYS TONIGHT @jamesmcardles  JAMES KILLED THE STEP AND REPEAT LOOK AT HIM IM SO EMOTIONAL [Attached: Three photos of James, looking stunning in deep cobalt blue with hair artfully disheveled]

MR: McArdle has returned to the step and repeat with Garfield, posing for pictures together.

MT: They’re rather touchy tonight. Garfield is wrapping his arms fully around McArdle now, clearly saying something to make McArdle laugh.

MR: Garfield just adjusted McArdle’s bowtie in a touching show of affection.

MT: Garfield has gone off to make small talk and McArdle is finishing up his photos, making his way to the gaggle of reporters clambering for an interview with the actor. 

MR: Is it me or does he look somewhat surprised at how many people want to talk to him?

MT: He definitely does, Michael. McArdle of course looked criminally handsome at the step and repeat but you can tell he is not yet accustomed to this attention. Just another reason why he’s so likable. 

MR: McArdle sidesteps reporters to rejoin Garfield, who has been standing off to the side chatting with good friend Carey Mulligan, who is presenting tonight. 

MT: Garfield dutifully kisses McArdle on the cheek in a show of support. It seems McArdle and Mulligan have met before, judging by their familiar greeting.

MR: Ah, Ben Platt has arrived. He’ll be presenting… [Goes on to discuss other arrivals]

TONYS TONIGHT @jamesmcardles  DID ANYONE ELSE SEE THAT CHEEK KISS?? 

emily @bwaystan  y’all know I’m not one for conspiracy theories…but andrew and james are awfully cuddly tonight…

Vanity Fair @VanityFair  Watch our interview with Best Leading Actor in a Play nominee, James McArdle, on the Tonys Red Carpet. [Attached: Video, James standing with reporter in crowd on the Red Carpet] Transcript of Vanity Fair Interview: Interviewer: Congratulations on your nomination, James! JM: Thank you, thank you. Interviewer: How does it feel to be here at the Tony’s with a nomination? JM: Well, I try not to bog myself down with awards and all that, focus on the work. But it does feel brilliant to have the recognition, I’m very grateful the play is getting the attention it deserves. The cast and crew is truly just so talented and they work so hard, so I’m very pleased that this is all happening. Interviewer: You’re based in Glasgow still, correct? How does it feel to live in New York again? JM: Much better than it did last time, to be quite honest. I’m stayi—I’ve got a nicer apartment now, I made the mistake of living uptown last time. Downtown is calmer, to me. I don’t like the crowded streets, the smell, eurgh. Interviewer: Thinking about staying longterm? JM: [Laughs but does not answer the question] Interviewer: What do you like about New York? JM: Well, often I’m really here for the people, or specific people. I do like the anonymity you get in a crowd here. And the food! So much cheap food everywhere. Hazardous to my health, but… Interviewer: You’ve attended the Tonys once before, yes? JM: [Nods] [Behind him, Andrew appears, whispering something in his ear. James grins and says something back, his hand over his mouth. The interviewer watches, rapt.] Interviewer: What’s changed between now and then, apart from the obvious? McArdle: [Clearly distracted] Umm…Well…Sorry, what was the question? Interviewer: Does it feel different to be here now with a nomination than before when you were not nominated, in what felt to many like a mistake? McArdle: Oh, it absolutely feels different. Lots more attention on me now, which is something to adjust to. I try to keep my head down, do my work, but with all the cameras and everything…Well, it’s a lot. Last time, it was more relaxed, I wasn’t in the spotlight. I quite enjoyed the parts where there weren’t cameras in my face. Interviewer: [Laughs] Well then, one more question before you go, so we don’t keep this camera in your face for too long. Any advice for struggling, aspiring actors and actresses? JM: Don’t take roles because they’ll make you famous, take roles that mean something. Of course, sometimes you’ve got to take roles because a role is a role and you need rent. I’ve done that a lot through my career. But once you have the privilege of choice, prioritize the work, not the career. Interviewer: Thanks so much, and good luck tonight! James: [Absentminded, already turning away to talk to Andrew] Thank you!

TONYS TONIGHT @jamesmcardles  lol did anyone see that vanity fair interview? james was so out of it, whats up w him lmao?

tony night!! @mcarfields  @jamesmcardles andrew was totally distracting him, what did he say to him?

prior walter stan @andygarfields  andrew and james look sooooo good tonight holy shit?? and what did andrew say to james in that interview, can anyone read lips?

emily @bwaystan  ok someone has to find out what andrew was saying to james I’m dying of curiosity!

Andrew Garfield Source @agarfieldsource  Andrew has yet to have an interview, but he did crash James McArdle’s interview with Vanity Fair, though we can’t determine what he said to James.

TONYS TONIGHT @jamesmcardles  also, anyone else notice how james didn’t answer when they asked if he was staying in nyc longterm? hmmm…

MT: I hate to bring up the dreaded internet, but it seems that Twitter has blown up with speculation about Andrew Garfield and James McArdle since Garfield interrupted McArdle’s interview and distracted McArdle quite noticeably. Questions about the nature of their friendship have been raised over the past two years, but have never been taken very seriously.

MR: Garfield has hinted that he is perhaps not straight in several articles this year, including one with OUT Magazine, but has yet to confirm anything explicitly.

MT: Looks like a new hashtag has surfaced tonight: #McArfield

MR: Moving away from rumors…

MT: Kelli O’Hara has arrived, looking gorgeous in red [Goes on to talk about O’Hara]

tony night!! @mcarfields  ok i slowed down some gifs from the vf interview, but still can’t tell what andrew said to him!

emily @bwaystan  @mcarfields wait is that james blushing?

tony night!! @mcarfields  @bwaystan YES I THINK IT IS

emily @bwaystan  @mcarfields WHAT DID ANDREW SAY

tony night!! @mcarfields  @bwaystan lets make #WhatDidAndrewSay trend tonight lol

BroadwayWorld @BroadwayWorld  Eight times James McArdle stopped our hearts at the Tony’s Red Carpet [Attached: link to article including various pictures of James looking incredibly handsome on the Red Carpet]

Entertainment Weekly @EW  Surprised to see Andrew Garfield at the Tony Awards tonight? So were we! Check out our interview with the Tony winner here. [Attached: video, Andrew on the Red Carpet with reporter] Transcript of EW interview: Interviewer: Andrew, good to see you here tonight! AG: Good to see you too, good to see you too… Interviewer: Last time we saw you at the Tony’s was when you were nominated for your performance as Prior Walter in the 2018 revival of Angels in America. What’s it like coming without the stress of a nomination? AG: Oh, well I was just happy and lucky enough to be nominated then, and I’m equally happy to be here now, supporting my—erm—friend James McArdle. Interviewer: You and James became friends during Angels, right? AG: We did, we did. That play really bonded us all together, I think we became a peculiar type of family, really. Of course, after it ended, we didn’t want to see each other ever again. [Laughs] But then after a bit of a break from each other, when we see each other again, it’s like we’re one big family. I love them all very much. And I’m really just so proud of James and so happy he’s getting the recognition he deserves. Interviewer: I’ll bet. Have you seen the show? AG: Oh yeah. I’ve seen it about five times now. It’s a truly amazing production. Interviewer: So, are you presenting anything tonight? AG: No, I’m not. Just here for support. Interviewer: You’re such a good friend. AG: [Laughs] Well, thank you, I suppose? Interviewer: No problem! What’s next for you? AG: Well, I’ve got Guillermo’s movie coming out soon and after that’s finished, I’d like to return to theater, so I’ve got a few things lined up. Interviewer: In New York? AG: Afraid I can’t say… Interviewer: Such a tease! AG: Sorry, sorry! It’s all very secret right now. But I am very excited for the project. Interviewer: What’s your one piece of advice for award shows, whether you’re nominated or not? AG: Eat! Eat lots of protein. There’s so much champagne at these things and you end up forgetting to eat and then it’s past midnight and you’re at the Carlyle and well…I won’t get into it. Interviewer: The afterparty is quite famous… AG: Oh it’s a good time. Interviewer: Are you going to attend? AG: Tonight? Who knows? As I get older, my energy for those things wanes…The person I’m seeing and I, we’re much more inclined towards dinner parties and movie nights now. It’s quite boring. Interviewer: You’re seeing someone? AG: [Nods, looks around] I am. Interviewer: Is it recent? AG: [Smiles at someone behind the camera] Not really. Interviewer: You don’t look like you’re going to tell us. AG: [Laughs] I probably won’t. Interviewer: [Laughs] That’s cruel! AG: I’m sorry! Interviewer: Well, I’ll pester you about it later. Have a good time tonight. AG: You too, thanks.

Andrew Garfield Source @agarfieldsource  CONFIRMED: Andrew is seeing somebody, it isn’t new, but he has yet to say who it is.

tony night!! @mcarfields  i cant be the only one who picked up on the lack of gender in andrew’s answer right?

MT: Andrew Garfield has created a bit of a stir tonight by admitting he’s in a relationship but has yet to say who it’s with.

MR: Looks like the guests are streaming into Radio City Music Hall now. The show starts in about ten minutes.

MT: Let’s take a look inside the theater where guests are taking their seats.

The Tony Awards @TheTonyAwards  Welcome to the 74th Annual Tony Awards! Tune in only on @CBS for the whole show.

Andrew Garfield Source @agarfieldsource  Andrew is sitting in the center left beside his friend and date James McArdle. Look out for a blue tux and you’ll find him. [Attached: Two screenshots of a stream, zoomed in on Andrew and James, heads bent together. The second photo reveals Andrew to be beaming at James.]

tony night!! @mcarfields  holy shit when the camera panned across the theater i screenshotted james and andrew and i swear that’s james’s hand on andrews leg [Attached: Very blurry photo zoomed in on James and Andrew. James’s hand is just barely noticeable on Andrew’s knee.]

TONYS TONIGHT @jamesmcardles  I’m so relieved james’s award is early I can’t handle the stress

MR: Our first award tonight is Best Leading Actress in a Play. A very competitive category this year.

[Twenty minutes later]

emily @bwaystan  AHHHHH HERE IT COMES

TONYS TONIGHT @jamesmcardles  if james doesn’t win i’ll eat my own foot then the entire american theater wing

tony night!! @mcarfields  I’m so nervous and excited james better win ugh

MT: And one of the hotly anticipated awards of the night approaches: Best Actor in a Play. We’ve got some great contenders in his category.

MR: Here comes Bernadette Peters with the envelope…

The Tony Awards @TheTonyAwards  Congratulations to James McArdle for his first Tony win! [Attached: Photo of James in character with loopy type beside it reading: Winner! Best Leading Actor in a Musical James McArdle, Peter Gynt

TONYS TONIGHT @jamesmcardles  TONY AWARD WINNER JAMES MCARDLE

MR: McArdle really did have a spectacular performance this year.

MT: Agreed. He does deserve this award. And—

MR: Oh, that was unexpected.

MT: Quite.

tony night!! @mcarfields  WHATEAHGDAJKGHK WHAT JTUST HAPPENDNE [Attached: Four screenshots of stream, close ups of Andrew leaping to his feet at the announcement, followed by James joining him in standing. The last one is Andrew with his arms wrapped around James in a deep kiss.]

emily @bwaystan  holy fucking shit.

prior walter stan @andygarfields  did that just happen.

Entertainment Weekly @EW  BREAKING: Andrew Garfield and James McArfield share a congratulatory kiss after McArdle’s Tony win

Olivia @oliviag  is andrew garfield dating that guy or what?

tony night!! @mcarfields  CONFIRM THEYRE DATING YOU COWARDS AGHGHDG THAT KISS

MT: A good speech by McArdle upon winning his first Tony. Clearly a very genuine and humble guy.

MR: I look forward to seeing his future work.

TheaterMania @theatermania  Click here to see pictures of THAT kiss at the Tony’s everyone’s talking about. [Attached: Link to article]

tony night!! @mcarfields  SOMEONE RELEASE JAMES’S POST WIN PRESS CONFERENCE

The Tony Awards @TheTonyAwards  Watch Tony Winner James McArdle’s post-win press conference below! Excerpt from press conference: Reporter: Care to comment on your now viral kiss with Andrew Garfield? JM: Well, I suppose I don’t much of a choice…[Laughs around the room] How d’you mean? [More laughs] Reporter: Are you just friends? JM: No, we’re not just friends. We are together [Shifts uncomfortably] Reporter: How long have you been together? JM: I think Andrew and I would prefer to answer those questions at a later date. Reporter: How does it feel to have won a Tony? [End excerpt]

MCARFIELD CONFIRMED @mcarfields  MCARFIELD IS CONFIRMED WATHT TH FUCK

Andrew Garfield Source @agarfieldsource  Andrew is confirmed to be in a committed relationship with fellow actor and Tony winner James McArdle. [Attached: Four photos. The first: a photo from an EW photoshoot from the 2018 Angels in America press junket. The second: a photo of James and Andrew eating outside in New York, Andrew with his head thrown back laughing. The third: James looking on with a equally proud and fond look in his eye as Andrew is interviewed at his last movie premiere. The fourth: a higher resolution photo of James in Andrew’s arms from that night, eyes closed, lips pressed against each other’s, looking positively in sync and blissful.]

Local New York Trends:

#Tonys2018

#PrideMonth

#USWNT

#Beyonce

#McArfield

BuzzFeed @BuzzFeed  21 Times We Were Totally Blind to Andrew Garfield and James McArdle’s Love [Attached: Link to article] Excerpt from article: 4. [Gif of Andrew smirking on Ellen when she asks if he’s seeing anybody] That time we just thought Andrew was being coy for kicks but was actually seeing someone. 5. [Hi-Res photo of Andrew and James at the Oscars last year, James with a friendly arm around Andrew on the Red Carpet] When Andrew took James as his date to the Oscars and we just thought they were friends. 6. [Five photos taken on different nights on an iPhone of Andrew entering the stage door for Peter Gynt] The fact that Andrew went to Peter Gynt five times and every time went to the stage door and we thought he was just a supportive best friend. 7. [Photo of Andrew and James in the Mediterranean, laughing in the water] When they went on vacation together and we thought it was just a platonic trip. 8. [Two photos of Andrew and James standing outside the IFC Theater, looking up at what was playing that night] All the times they were caught out and about in the city and we never realized they were on a date. 9. [Photo taken on an iPhone of Andrew in a theater, standing and clapping with visible tears in his eyes] That time Andrew cried at opening night of James’s play and we thought it was just because the ending was sad. [End Excerpt]

broadway.com @broadwaycom  Watch our exclusive post-Tony’s interview with James McArdle and Andrew Garfield. [Attached: Video, James with his arm slung around Andrew’s waist and Andrew leaning his head on James’s shoulder, both facing the interviewer with punch-drunk grins on their faces.] Transcript of Broadway.com Interview: Interviewer: So, you two made the headlines today with your confirmation that you’re dating. AG, JM: [Laugh] Interviewer: Did you plan to come out tonight? AG: Not tonight specifically… JM: [Turns to Garfield] We’ve talked about it. AG: [Looks right back] At length. JM: Yeah, we made sure we were ready, and then I heard my name called and Andrew looked at me and— AG: [Shrugs, still looking at McArdle] I had to kiss him. Interviewer: How long have you been together? JM: Two years this… [Pauses] AG: Sunday. Interviewer: Wow, that’s a long time. AG: It feels very long and very short, really. JM: Yeah… Interviewer: Have you put any thought to where you’re going to put your Tony, James? JM: Oh, Christ, no. I just got it! AG: It’ll look quite nicely next to mine. JM: A perfect pair. Interviewer: Andrew, you played an iconic gay character, Prior Walter, two years ago. Why come out now? AG: [Pauses] I know I could have come out earlier. I don’t think my career would have suffered. But it was something very personal to me, how I got to the place where I felt I could acknowledge and embrace those parts of myself. And of course, it coincided with being with James and we felt we wanted to keep this to ourselves for as long as we could. I do feel as though people feel entitled to know things about my personal life that ordinarily no one would really give a s*** about. But with this, if I can set an example to young LGBTQ actors, wherever they might be, then I want to do that. For a long time I fooled myself into thinking I didn’t owe anyone anything. But I do owe the community a lot and I was able to come out and I got to the place where I was comfortable, and I had a lovely boyfriend by my side and there was really no reason not to. James has just been so lovely through it all, I count on him in too many ways and I love him dearly for it. JM: Andrew’s really been very brave through it all. He lives a very high-profile life and we’re very aware of that. Trying to balance it all is just a part of life now and he does it so well. Interviewer: You two are adorable. AG: [Laughs] Yes, I think so. Interviewer: What’s next for you two Tony winners? JM: I just got mine, can’t I breathe? [Laughs] AG: After Peter Gynt closes, we’re going on a much needed vacation. We’ve both been incredibly busy this past year and because we’re both based in different cities, we’ve been moving around. It’s been lovely to have James here for so long. Interviewer: Any thoughts about staying in New York permanently, James? JM: [Turns to Andrew with a smile] We’ve discussed it. AG: Which is really saying something. If James is contemplating moving to New York, you know something’s up. [All laugh] Interviewer: We’d be very glad to have you. JM: Thank you. Interviewer: James, tell us about the moment you heard your named called. JM: Very surreal. I hadn’t really processed it, I heard my name and thought, oh that’s not me but then Andrew was standing and everyone was looking at me and I realized, well, f*** I won, I’ve got to go up there and make a speech. And then I saw Andrew, and suddenly we were telling everyone about us and I had won a Tony and had to go on stage and cobble together my thoughts. Of course, I promptly forgot everything I had thought to say. I can’t remember anything I said up there, actually. Could have all been rubbish but [Shrugs] no one’s said anything about me making an utter fool of myself so… AG: You were very articulate and poised. JM: See, I have him to remember if I cock everything up. AG: We make a great team. Interviewer: That you do. Well, congratulations on your much deserved win, James! JM: Thank you. Interviewer: Have a good night, you two!

AndrewGarfieldOfficial [Instagram post: two photos. The first: James accepting his Tony. The second, clearly taken the morning after: James seated at a kitchen table, his Tony sitting beside the plate of eggs before him, looking at the person behind the camera with an unmistakably loving look in his eye and a soft, bashful smile on his face] Caption: In case you were wondering, I am so in love with this Tony award winning idiot. We are a proud two-Tony household now!