𝔹ℝ𝕆𝔸𝔻𝕎𝔸𝕐 𝔹𝔸𝔹𝕐 !

send one to have our muses meet for the first time.

“Sorry, were you just talking to me?”

“I think you dropped this.”

“You look lost. Need some help?”

“I don’t usually talk to strangers, but…”

“You’re sitting in my spot.”

“Whoa! Careful!”

“We’ve never met, right? You seem familiar.”

“Is that seat taken?”

“Sorry, I think I just spilled something on you.”

“You’re blocking the doorway.”

“Were you just staring at me?”

“Excuse me, do you know the time?”

“Wait — are you the person I’m supposed to meet?”

“I’ve been sent to find you.”

“Please don’t be alarmed, but I think we have the same bag.”

“Do you work here?”

“I’m fairly certain that’s mine.”

“You’ve got something on your face.”

“Sorry, I thought you were someone else.”

“Do you know the way to ___?”

“You’re hurt. Do you need help?”

“That’s a fine ___ (cloak/hat/book/etc.). Where did you get it?”

“This might sound strange, but can I hide behind you for a moment?”

“You look like you could use a friend.”

“I think your dog just stole my lunch.”

“Hey, you dropped your coin purse.”

“I think we’re stuck in here together.”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to overhear, but…”

“Are you the new neighbor?”

“First time in town?”

“I’m not sure if this belongs to you, but…”

“You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“I’ve been hearing a lot about you.”

“Do you mind if I join you?”

“I think you’re in the wrong place.”

“You seem… out of place.”

“Don’t take this the wrong way, but are you following me?”

“That was a close call.”

“Not to alarm you, but someone’s watching you.”

“Mind if I walk with you?”

“You look like you’re in trouble.”

“Was that your doing back there?”

“You don’t look like you’re from around here.”

“That was impressive. How’d you manage it?”

“I’m guessing you’re not here by accident.”

“Do I want to know what just happened?”

“You might want to keep your voice down.”

“Is it always this strange around here?”

“I have a feeling we’re about to become acquainted whether we like it or not.”

“ am i not good enough? ”  

“ you’ve been so quiet. what’s on your mind? ”  

“ why did you help me? ”  

“ who do you fight for? ”  

“ why do you hate me? ”  

“ have you come to laugh at me in my miserable state? ”  

“ you’re not dating anyone, are you? ”  

“ i’ve got your back, okay? ”  

“ where do you think you’re going? ”  

“ how long have i been asleep? ”  

“ are you going to kill me? ”  

“ why can’t i come with you? ”  

“ we all have secrets, don’t we? ”  

“ did you want to be alone? ”  

“ why should i trust you? ”  

“ wait. did you hear that? ”  

“ promise me? ”  

“ why are you talking like we’ll never see each other again? ”  

“ do you remember anything at all? ”  

“ what? no witty remark? nothing clever to say? ”  

“ you wanna know what your problem is? ”  

“ may i have this dance? ”  

“ can i ask… what happened? ”  

“ how many people have you killed? how many? ”  

“ do you ever hear yourself? ”  

“ would you run away with me? ”  

“ could you be happy here with me? ”  

“ you can’t or you won’t? ”  

“ you slept with them, didn’t you? ”  

“ well, how do i look? ”  

“ after all you’ve done how can i possibly trust you? ”  

“ why can’t you let me in? what are you so afraid of? ”  

“ what did they do to you? ”  

“ so why’s it so important anyway? ”  

“ where have you been? ”  

“ why are you looking at me like that? ”  

“ why did you come? ”  

“ what are you doing out here by yourself? ”  

“ is… that my shirt you’re wearing? ”  

“ you… don’t like me very much, do you? ”  

“ why does it always have to be a fight with you? ”

“ why can’t you look me in the eye? ”  

“ can you forgive me? ”  

“ what if i never see you again? ”  

“ you were going to leave without saying goodbye? ”  

“ how about a little midnight snack? ”  

“ are you… smelling me? ”  

“ how did you get this scar? ”  

“ what do you want in exchange for it? ”  

hearing  those  three  important  words  slip  past  her  lips  was  enough  to  cause  donovan's  heart  to  swell  with  unadulterated  affection.  he  wasn't  used  to  hearing  those  words,  especially  from  someone  that  actually  meant  them.  his  mother  claimed  she  loved  him,  of  course,  but  it  was  difficult  for  him  to  believe  so  after  everything  she's  ever  put  him  through  in  childhood  and  in  adulthood.  then  there  was  the  countess  and  that  was  the  ultimate  betrayal  for  him;  something  he  never  thought  his  heart  would  mend  from  ...  not  until  he  met  @bwaybaby,  that  is.  she  was  the  light  at  the  end  of  this  very  long,  dark,  and  dank  tunnel.  he  wanted  out  of  this  hotel  and  he  never  had  a  reason  to  until  he  met  her.  she  was  his  new  reason  for  living  and  he  had  no  intention  of  losing  her.

❛  i  love  you  too,  baby.  god,  i  love  you.  you  have  no  idea,  ❜  he  breathed  out,  chuckling  under  his  breath,  in  pure  disbelief  that  he  had  gotten  so  lucky  to  have  someone  like  her  in  his  life.  he  simply  could  not  stop  staring  at  her;  eyes  wandering  over  her  unforgettable  face.  the  way  the  crinkles  on  her  cheeks  made  her  eyes  shine  bright  with  hope  and  affection.  he  never  thought  he'd  have  someone  look  at  him  in  this  way.  he  hummed  from  the  bottom  of  his  throat  when  her  delicate  fingers  threaded  through  his  dark  locks,  ❛  then  let's  leave  tomorrow.  or  now.  i'd  even  go  now,  anywhere,  with  you.  i  just  want  to  be  with  you,  baby.  i  don't  ever  want  to  lose  you  ...  ❜  he  whispered,  getting  lost  in  her  loving  gaze.

he  could  see  just  how  much  pain  she  was  going  through  just  by  the  longing  gaze  that  shined  within  her  emerald  hues.  he  couldn't  imagine  everything  she  had  gone  through  and,  really,  he  didn't  know  all  of  it.  but,  he  wanted  to.  he  wanted  to  know  everything  there  was  to  know  about  her  so  he  could  be  here  for  her  in  the  exact  way  she  needed.  he  wanted  total  transparency  because  he  has  never  felt  this  way  for  someone  else  before;  not  even  the  countess.  he  was  so  scared  of  doing  the  wrong  thing.  he  caught  every  tear  that  escaped  with  a  gentle  thumb  and  same  thumb  came  down  to  trace  her  bottom  lip,  other  hand  still  cradling  her  face  as  if  she  was  a  fragile  dove.  he  nodded  at  her  question,  ❛  i  want  whatever  you  want,  ❜  he  told  her,  leaning  in  only  to  press  a  tender  kiss  to  the  corner  of  her  mouth.  he  comes  back  to  look  into  her  eyes,  ❛  if  you  want  a  kid,  then  baby,  i'll  give  you  a  kid.  and  it'll  be  the  most  fucking  beautiful  kid  to  ever  live,  ❜  he  chuckled,  offering  a  smile  in  hopes  to  make  her  feel  better.

he  nodded,  hoping  to  make  her  feel  like  she  didn't  need  to  go  into  details  about  this.  he  stares  up  at  her,  staying  relaxed  on  his  side  when  she  sits  up  against  the  headboard  of  the  bed;  again,  unable  to  help  himself  from  admiring  her.  his  hand  comes  up  to  rest  atop  her  heart,  feeling  her  heart  beat  thrumming  against  his  palm.  he  could  feel  her  erratic  emotions  through  her  heart  beat;  wishing  he  could  calm  the  storm  that  overtook  her  from  the  inside.  ❛  i  know  that.  of  course  i  know  that.  and  i  want  it.  however  it  needs  to  be  done,  whatever  needs  to  be  done  ...  ❜  he  told  her  and  then  thought  about  it.  could  he  ...  have  kids?  i  guess  we'll  find  out,  he  thought.  ❛  let's  do  this,  my  love.  ❜

“God, I fucking love you,” Baby repeated, this time with more passion behind her words, as she leaned forward from the bed frame to crash her lips against Donovan's. She never thought she would have met someone after Caleb's tragic passing in the car accident; up until this point she'd been performing for others, simply keeping herself alive for the sake of her mother & father along with the fans that came to see her night after night on stage. Her life was one big performance — always wishing that she'd been the one to die that fateful evening instead of her beloved — up until Donovan came into her life, that is.

Arms wrapping around his neck to pull him closer to her bare chest, her gaze never once fades from his as she laughs underneath her breath at his next unexpected declaration. “They'll be the most gorgeous kid on the playground, if they look anything like you,” Baby whispered as she pressed her lips against his once more, grinning from ear to ear as she did so, before reaching over to grab her phone at the mention of leaving the hotel. She'd only been booked for the press release of the pro-shot of the musical and her stay was up at the hotel. If Donovan wanted to leave this place behind and come back to New York City with her, then who was she to question his intentions?

But the phone was a mere distraction from the tears that swelled in her eyes from the truth that laid behind the surface of her needing fertility treatments. There was some hope that the two of them could have a child naturally, given that her and Caleb got pregnant, but the doctors had told her that was almost a one in a million chance.... or something like that, Baby had tuned them out the moment she had heard the good news back then. Now, she was hoping for some more good news with the love of her new love of her life, unable to stop her heart from pounding against her chest out of pure excitement for the beginning of what was to come between them.

[  ....  ]               donovan  felt  his  heart  aching  with  a  heavy  weight  of  love  and  despair.  her  words  meant  everything  to  him  because  he  knew  every  word  that  came  from  her  lips  was  the  honest  truth  of  how  she  felt.  he  always  knew  he  could  trust  @bwaybaby  with  every  fiber  of  his  being,  with  every  ounce  of  blood  he  had  within  him.  she  was  his  everything  now  and  he  couldn't  imagine  his  life  without  her  in  it.  she  brought  a  light  at  the  end  of  his  tunnel  that  he  didn't  know  even  existed.  she  was  special;  unlike  any  girl  he's  ever  met  and  he  wasn't  going  to  let  that  go,  not  ever.  he  needed  her  now  ...  she  had  to  know  that.  he  effortlessly  shook  his  head  at  her  question,  ❝  no,  no,  of  course  not.  i  know  you'd  never  lie  to  me.  i  trust  you  ❞  he  tells  her  through  a  soft  whisper,  his  vulnerability  completely  raw  and  visible  to  her,  not  bothering  to  hide  it  at  all.

her  offer  had  come  out  suddenly  and  unexpectedly.  it  was  true,  he  had  nothing  here  that  was  worth  staying  for.  he  lived  his  mundane  days  out  in  this  hotel  alone  until  baby  had  come  along  and  his  mother  ...  it  would  be  a  dream  to  not  have  to  see  her  wretched  face  again.  he  sighed  softly,  ❝  i  don't  have  anything  here.  you're  the  only  thing  worth  living  for  ❞  he  confessed  to  her,  coming  out  naturally  and  it  felt  right.  he  fluttered  his  eyes  shut  for  a  brief  moment  as  everything  began  to  sink  in  and  visions  of  a  new  life  with  baby  began  to  flood  his  mind  like  a  tsunami.  he  nodded,  opening  his  eyes  back  up  to  meet  hers,  a  newfound  glistening  of  hope  had  resonated  in  his  hues.  ❝  when  can  we  leave  ?  ❞  he  asked  plainly,  a  smile  forming  on  his  lips  as  the  thought  of  their  future  was  bright  in  his  mind.

his  eyebrows  furrow  in  bewilderment  when  she  informs  him  that  there  was  something  else  he  should  know  before  officially  deciding.  worry  began  to  settle  in  his  bones  as  all  the  horrible  possibilities  of  what  she  might  say  began  causing  a  panic  in  his  mind.  was  she  hiding  something  from  him?  was  there  someone  else  all  along  or  was  he  that  someone  else?  he  swallowed  nervously,  a  thick  lump  stuck  in  his  throat  as  he  pondered,  but  he  was  pulled  away  from  the  nightmare  train  of  his  thoughts  when  she  began  explaining  to  him.  his  eyes  rounded  out  when  she  reveals  the  secret  she's  been  hiding  from  him  but  it  wasn't  at  all  awful  like  he  had  envisioned.  he  noticed  the  tear  that  rolled  down  her  cheek,  his  thumb  came  up  to  wipe  it  away  gently,  caressing  her  afterwards.  he  saw  her  in  a  different  light  now  but  a  brighter  one;  full  of  life  and  wonder.  he  never  thought  about  having  kids  but  he  was  never  opposed  to  it.  he  would  want  to  ...  if  it  was  with  her.

❝  that's  not  going  to  make  me  run  if  that's  what  you're  thinking  ❞  he  informed  her,  his  voice  held  a  tone  of  reassurance.  ❝  if  you're  wanting  kids,  baby,  if  that's  what  you  truly  want,  and  if  you  want  to  do  it  ...  with  me  ...  then,  i  would,  yes  ❞  he  told  her  truthfully,  leaning  forward  to  press  a  loving  kiss  to  her  forehead.  ❝  anything  that  makes  you  happy,  i  would  do  for  you.  ❞

Baby was about to argue with him about his words—knowing Donovan must’ve had some reason that kept him tied to this hotel after all these years—but she digressed, simply shrugging her shoulders with a shit-eating grin tugging at the corners of her mouth once he asked when they could leave. Her two weeks in Los Angeles were almost up— that meant they needed to start making arrangements, and soon… assuming what she told him next didn’t send him running for the hills, like she half-expected it to.

“I love you,” Baby whispered under her breath, eyes fluttering shut for a brief moment, as if she could freeze this exact second in time like a photograph. It felt right: saying those three big words while lying there in his arms, her heart pounding in her chest as she braced herself for his reaction to what she’d tell him about the fertility treatments. She brought her hands up to gently thread her fingers through his thick hair, repeating the motion as she returned to the conversation they had left hanging. “We can leave whenever you want to leave, babe,” she said softly.

That was, of course, if he still wanted to leave with her back to the Big Apple. She couldn’t stop the tear that slipped down her cheek, only for Donovan to catch it with his thumb. That small act of tenderness triggered another tear, this one likely brought on by the hormone injections she’d been giving herself over the last few weeks. And really… could anyone blame her with how sweet he was being? Baby swallowed hard, unsure if Donovan fully understood the weight of why she was undergoing the treatments in the first place. It wasn’t just because she wanted to be a mom— though she did, even back when she was single and starting the process. But her endometriosis had ravaged her insides, making it nearly impossible for her to conceive naturally. Yes, she’d gotten pregnant once before, with Caleb, but that had ended in tragedy. A memory too painful to bring up now, no matter how deeply she was in love with Donovan. “You… want to have a kid? With me?” Her voice cracked as she spoke, on the verge of completely breaking down. “You’d be willing to do something like that for me? Be… be a donor?”

AND THE WINNER FOR BEST NEW ARTIST IS…

365 Days of Six Queens