Practice Makes Progress

Ted wasn’t late to things. He made a point to be on time. He planned out to the second when to lock his door. When to start his car. When to pull into the parking lot. When to turn off his car. When to walk through the door. He planned when he should eat in order to have time to do dishes, and when to have time to maybe get a coffee before recording.

Today he did just that. Ted ate lunch at 11:45. He did his minimal dishes at 12:30. He started in his car at 12:45 and drove away by 12:47. He had a coffee in his hand by 1:03. He was parked back in front of his house at 1:16. He was inside his house and had locked the door by 1:19. He was upstairs in his recording room, shoes off, keys set in the kitchen, coffee in hand, by 1:28. And he was ready to join the discord call in t-minus two minutes.

Ted breathed a sigh of relief. Taking a celebratory sip of coffee, he closed his eyes for a brief second. In that second, there was a small pop sound in the distance, and every light in the Recording room flickered.

Ted paused. He’d seen California loose power before, he’d lived here through the wildfires and some minor earthquakes. This wasn’t any of those, but it was still off somehow.

Ted pulled his phone from his hoodie pocket. The time read 1:29. And, in the top right-hand corner of his screen, Ted saw that the little wifi symbol had disappeared.

Ted knew his router was fine, it had been working before he left. He looked over in the corner of his room where the router sat, and saw the router had seemed to shut off. Ted felt panic on fade in slowly. He required a router to do his job, to make rent and pay bills.

Maybe it’s just off for the day, He thought. Maybe just give it an hour and they’ll fix it.

Ted went to open his phone and-

Shit. 1:32.

Ted hurriedly opened the settings icon on his phone, moving quickly to turn on the Hotspot. If he could get his computer onto the hotspot, he would be able to join his friends like he should’ve two minute ago. His PC still had power, which was good. It was just the router that had died.

After a minute, Ted finally had his PC and web camera connected to the wifi. He smiled to himself, triumphant against the internet. Ted went to turn on discord, and saw his friends Charlie, Schlatt, and y/n waiting in a call for him.

y/n? Was y/n recording with them today? Are they the guest? Fuck. FUCK. Him being late is totally gonna help his stupid crush on y/n. I bet they think he’s sooooo cool being late to his own podcast.

Just as Ted clicked into the call, 1:41, there was a knock at his front door. He glanced back at the screen where he could see y/n excitingly talking to Charlie and Schlatt, and quickly muted himself and turned off his camera.

{Sorry}. He typed into the small chat bar. {BRB}.

Ted fled down the stairway in his home, and eagerly opened the door. Standing at the other side was Ted’s landlord, a very nice, very short man.

“Hey kid.” His landlord spoke with a deep, gruff voice. “Some idiot hit a pole down the street. Whole neighborhood’s out of internet. Should be fixed tonight or Tomorrow.”

“Okay. Is that it?”

Ted’s neighbor gave a soft wave and walked away towards another door in the apartment complex. Ted sighed, locking his front door, and went back upstairs.

As Ted made it to his recording room, he heard Schlatt laughing disastrously loud. He paused, standing in the doorway trying to figure out what Schlatt was laughing at.

“It’s not that funny!” y/n’s voice rang loud and clear through the speakers.

“Yes it is!” Ted could see a goofy smile break on Schlatt’s face. “You’re so embarrassed. It’s hilarious.”

“Schlatt I swear to god-“

“How long?”

“Schlatt! He’ll hear you.”

“He’s not even back yet, tell us.”

y/n chewed their lip, thinking. “A few months. I don’t know. I just— Schlatt stop laughing at me.”

“Don’t be shy now.”

“You’re the one with a crush on our friend.” Charlie finally piped up. “We want all the juicy details.”

Crush on who? Ted’s eyes narrowed. He walked into the room, silently taking a seat the desk and watching y/n. He took another sip of his coffee, thinking. Who could they have a crush on? Charlie’s friend? Charlie and Schlatt’s friend. It has to be someone I know right? Who do they both know that I don’t know?

“Sooo, how’d you hit it off?” Charlie played up a very much gossipy tone, almost trying to get y/n to spill over on the details.

“I don’t know we-“ y/n sighed. “I don’t know how to talk about it. I haven’t told anyone yet.”

“Then tell us! We’re great secret keepers. Right Schlatt?”

Schlatt burped in agreement.

“Fine. Well, we’ve never really been in-person friends. I think I met Ted on a server or some discord call years ago.” Him? You were talking about him? Ted unconsciously leaned in closer to the monitor. “And I mean, then we just hit it off. I kept trying to look for him in my friends’ streams, I looked for him in my games, and eventually we kept talking more. He’s just so nice you know? I mean, he’s really cute. He’s so pretty. And he’s so nice! He’s so fun to do streams with and he’s always funny.”

Ted’s phone buzzed on the table, and he looked down to see a text from Charlie: {are you here? Please tell me you are}

Ted’s fingers hesitated over his phone’s screen. He knew that if he looked up, he’d see y/n rambling on about him. He stared at the flashing bar on the digital screen in his hand. {I’m here. Is this real?}

{do you want it to be?}

Ted exhaled fearfully.

{Yes}

Ted's eyes flickered between the monitor and the small screen in his hands. y/n was still rambling, giggling every once in a while when Schlatt interjected. Ted cleared his throat momentarily, taking a sip of his coffee to accompany the action. y/n seemed to gasp, and ted turned towards the screen. He analyzed the call with a confused face, his camera wasn't on, Charlie or Schlatt hadn't said anything harmful. He went to turn on his mic and-

Oh. Charlie had turned it on.

"H-Hey!" Ted wasn't sure why he was stuttering. He had no reason.

"Hey Ted!" Charlie waved as Ted turned his camera on. Though Schlatt's mic was muted, Ted could see him heartily laughing. "Welcome back. Got everything you need?"

For a second, he thought Charlie winked at him through the screen. "Yeah I'm all set."

"That's great- oh nooo. Oh Schlatt." Charlie peeked down at what was supposed to be his phone. "We have that thing with Connor like, now. remember?"

Schlatt said something, but he was still muted and still visibly laughing.

"We'll be back in like 30 minutes."

Charlie and Schlatt logged off the call, leaving Ted and y/n alone.

"A- uh- car took hit a pole in my neighborhood. Took out the internet. It's why I was late."

"Oh! That's awful. I'm sorry."

y/n and Ted fell into a strange silence. How much was he supposed to know? Should he say anything? Should he just leave?

"How much did you hear?"

"Uhm... All of it?"

"Fuck." y/n chuckled, leaning down to put their head in their hands.

"y/n?"

"No, no it's okay." y/n sat back up. "We don't have to do this. I don't have to finish the episode."

"y/n-"

"It's okay I don't want to make it weird for you. I mean I knew that it would happen but god not so soon."

"y/n!"

"What, Ted?"

"I have a crush on you." y/n paused, watching Ted through a screen. "I was worried about being late because I thought you wouldn't like me. I sat here the whole time listening because I couldn't believe what you were saying. I just-"

y/n giggled, smiling through the monitor. "You what?"

"Do you wanna go for coffee? Sometime?"

"Yeah, I would love that."

-----------

God it hurt. 

It hurt to breathe. It hurt to sit up. It hurt to listen to his voice echoing through the vents in the shared home. 

y/n wasn’t sure when it had started hurting. She knew that a few weeks ago she had adored hearing his voice when she woke up and when she walked around the house and when she went to sleep. But at some point she had started to feel as though her chest was restricted every time he was near, like there were coils of something wrapped around her lungs and heart that throbbed whenever she thought about him or heard him or was near him. 

Which sucked, because Charlie was two rooms down the hall. 

Because of whatever was happening, y/n’s morning routine had changed a bit. Every morning she would get up and get into the shower in the bathroom directly across from her room, run the shower, and cough up blood into a tissue where hopefully no body could hear her. And, after what felt like a few minutes, she would get into the already running water and rinse whatever sickness she could off her skin. 

Today, after struggling to sit up without wincing and cough without being in noticeable pain, she stood in the warm water, letting it run over their face and down to the floor. She felt a bit guilty, wasting water this early in the morning, but she knew she’d rather pay a higher water bill than worry her housemates. 

After getting out of the shower, she got dressed into the comfy clothes she had brought into the bathroom with her and peeked out of the doorway. She could hear someone coming down the wooden floors, but didn’t see who it was yet, so y/n hurriedly went back into her room and shut the door. She let out a heavy sigh, feeling her chest restrict more as Charlie’s laugh echoed through the open house. The footsteps got louder, and y/n moved away from the door. She could hear the footsteps pass her door and go into the room next to hers, meaning it was probably Ted. 

y/n moved lightly over towards her dirty laundry and tossed in the old pajamas. She went and opened the blinds, letting in the natural San Diego sunlight flood the room. She moved over to her streaming set up; a few monitors, her her pc, a comfy baby blue chair and a tacky keyboard. She ran her hand over the keys as the computer warmed up. y/n was only a part time streamer, but she didn’t have a shift at her in-person job for a few more days, so she would have time to edit and/or stream today. But even then, with whatever was making her sick getting worse, she doubted she would feel good enough to go in. 

She was startled from her thoughts by someone knocking on the door. She whipped her head around to look at the door. “Come in.” She tried to speak loudly, but the words scratched at her throat and she did her best to suppress a cough that wanted to come up. 

Ted opened the door and closed it slightly behind himself. “A couple of us were going to go to the store but I don’t know if I should invite you now.”

“Why not?” Talking tore at her throat, like something sharp was stuck in the flesh and working its way up. 

“I know you won’t say it but you’ve sounded sick for a week now. I heard you coughing this morning.” y/n felt her face grow warm and she looked away from Ted. He walked towards her slowly and placed the back of his hand gently against her forehead. 

“Ted what are you doing.”

“Something parental. I’d like to think I’m the dad of us.”

“You grill something one fucking time.”

“And I’m good at it.” He took his hand away and frowned. “You don’t seem feverish.”

“Cause I’m not sick.” She swallowed another cough as she felt her throat grow hot and scratchy. She really hoped she wouldn’t bleed out of her mouth in front of Ted. She’d been fine not telling anyone so far. 

“y/n, I hate to ask you this, but as your father-“

“Not my father-“

“Shut up young lady. I feel required to ask you if this is morning sickness-?“

She grabbed the box of tissues off her desk and started hitting Ted with it. He laughed, jokingly blocking them, and she laughed too, until the laughs turned into a coughing fit. She turned away from Ted, hunching over so he couldn’t see her, but he still tried to help. 

“y/n you can’t breathe like that sit up. Please sit up.” Ted handed y/n the tissues and she took a few to cover her mouth. She began coughing more as she sat up straight. Even worse, she felt something dislodge from her throat and more blood came with out. Ted stepped away from her for a minute to grab something, then came back and gently rubbed a hand against her back. 

y/n slowly stopped coughing, and looked down into her fist of bloodied tissues to see several petals and thorns nestled into the paper, which somehow wasn’t unusual now. She clutched her hands shut before Ted could see. He got up and handed her both a water bottle and the small trash can from next her bed that was chalk full of more bloodied tissue paper. He looked between her and the trash can. 

“y/n?”

“Y-yeah Ted?” Her voice was horse as she tried to swallow the water. 

“Why are you coughing up flower petals?”

She froze, water still at her lips. She wasn’t sure how to explain, and thankfully she didn’t have to as Ted’s girlfriend, Maddi, appeared at the door. 

“Is everything okay? It’s been a minute since you came up.” Ted looked down at y/n again, then walked over to Maddi. The couple began whispering about something and y/n heard Maddi gasp. She came over and draped a loose hug over y/n’s shoulders. “I’ll get you some cough medicine okay? And we can take you to a doctor later.”

y/n didn’t have the energy to object, especially not to Maddi. She simply nodded and let Maddi walk back over to Ted. They both whispered amongst themselves, before Maddi kissed Ted on the cheek and walked out the open door. He looked over at y/n again and she stared at the tall man. 

“I’ll get you something for your throat. And I’ll make that rice thing you like for dinner tonight. Okay?” y/n nodded. “It’s me Maddi, Noah, Cooper, and Traves, so Charlie is gonna stay here.”

At the mention of his name, y/n fell into another violent coughing fit, this time blood coming from their mouth before they had the ability to reach for a tissue. Ted ran over to their side with the tissues in hand, watching them cough flowers and thorns covered in dark red liquid into their open hands. y/n gasped before erupting into more coughs. 

“Jesus fucking Christ.” Ted shoved tissues into one of their hands so they could cover their mouth while doing his best to clean off the other hand. He gently picked up the bloodied petals and stared at them in confusion. They were large white petals accompanied by small, black, razor-sharp thorns. He carefully dropped them into a tissue and put them in the trash can. “Isn’t your throat cut up?”

y/n nodded with their eyes closed, trying to not cry. Ted rubbed their shoulder for a minute, trying to find some way to soothe them. y/n swallowed the lump she could feel in her throat. “You should go to the store. I’ll be fine here.”

He contemplated for a moment, before nodding. “Alright. It’ll probably be an hour or so, we’re just going to Vons. Just text us if you need anything.”

y/n nodded as he walked away. Ted gently closed the door behind himself and walked down the hallway, past his room, to the room next door. He knocked on the door, and Charlie answered promptly with a smile. Ted could hear sound coming faintly from his headphones, meaning he was probably too involved in a stream to have heard the recent commotion. 

“Hey Ted what’s up?”

“We’re going to head to the store, until I’m back could you keep an eye out for y/n?”

Charlie felt as though his chest could burst at the mere mention of her name, but simply nodded as he tried to swallow a blush. “Y-yeah. She okay?”

Ted pursed his lips and shook his head, unsure of what to tell Charlie. Charlie wasn’t sure what to say either. He wanted nothing more than to rush to her side and comfort her, but if she had fought Ted so much on his help, she surely wouldn’t him to mention anything to anyone else, and Charlie was in the middle of working, and no one was even sure what was wrong. Or if she knew, she wasn’t talking about. 

Charlie nodded. “I’ll keep an ear out for her. Should I do anything?”

“I’m not sure. She’s just been coughing a lot. Maybe water I guess.” Ted breathed in, trying to stand taller and not act so stressed. “But we’ll be back soon. It’s just that you’re the only one here with her.”

Charlie genuinely felt flushed, knowing full well his face was bright red. Of course the thought of him and y/n being alone together would normally make him much more giddy than he wanted to admit, but now didn’t seem the time. 

Ted waved as he walked off and Charlie shut the door gently. He went back to sit on his chair, watching the twitch chat fly by as he put on his headphones, making sure one ear was left uncovered. He unmuted himself in the discord call he had been in and continued on his game, trying to give off that nothing had happened. 

In the other room y/n sat listening to Charlie laugh. She had moved from sitting on her chair to laying on the floor, finding that the stretching of her back helped her breathe easier. Charlie’s voice was always comforting, it was bright and joyous and always full of laughter. She really wished that right now it brought that same comfort, but every laugh wound her lungs tighter. She closed her eyes and sighed. She felt light headed, and soon she felt herself drift off into unconsciousness.

Roughly 45 minutes later, Charlie set down his headphones and put his computer to sleep. His game had ended on a high note, which he was thankful for, but now he felt he had to prepare himself. He took a deep breath, then walked towards y/n’s door. He wanted to knock, but took quick notice of the fact that the only sound in the house was himself. He paused, then went and turned the door handle. 

He gasped seeing y/n laying on the floor. She looked almost peaceful, but Charlie could just barely hear the raspy breathing. “y/n?” He walked closer to her, panic beginning to set in. Her lips were slightly blue, and why was she on the floor in the first place? Charlie knelt down by her and picked up her hand, trying his best to find a pulse, but quickly realized he didn’t know how. But he studied her hands; they were small compared to his, and her nails were more well-taken care of, but he could see a faint red trace of something in the lines of her skin and the edge of her nails. He gently dropped her hand and reached for his phone in his back pocket. He went through all his contacts until he found Ted, and quickly dialed the number, putting the phone up to his ear so y/n wouldn’t be awoken by another voice. Luckily, Ted picked up after the first few rings. 

“Charlie?” His voice crackled through the line and Charlie figured they must still be in the store. 

“Hey Ted, so I went to check on her and she’s asleep but on the floor.”

“Okay. Does she have a fever? How’s her breathing?”

“Uh. She’s breathing?”

“Alright. Well They’re at the checkout so we should be back soon.”

It was at this point y/n began to stir, slowly realizing that there was someone else in the room. Sleepily, she reached up and patted her hand against his chest.  “Ted?”

“Oh Ted she’s awake!” Charlie moved the phone to speaker so that Ted could hear y/n speak. “Hey Ted’s on the phone.”

She still seemed dazed. “Then who-“

“Charlie.” He took her hand in his and rested it against his own chest. He watched y/n’s eyes widen in recognition, then watched as she turned on her side and started coughing violently. “Oh SHIT.”

“Charlie? Charlie!?” Ted was slightly forgotten as Charlie hurriedly tried to get y/n to sit up and stop coughing blood on to the hardwood floor. He pulled her into his chest to try and help sturdy her, and watched in horror as she choked up blood and flower pieces into both her hands and onto Charlie’s shirt. The coughing didn’t seem to slow at all, so Charlie stepped away for possibly one second to try and grab both water and the plastic trash bin. 

He watched as y/n sat hunched over it, not looking towards him. The coughing began to slow, and he remembered that he had been on the phone with Ted. He reached back towards the call. “Ted they started coughing up blood-“

“I know we’ll be there soon. Noah, GUN IT.” 

The call disconnected and he turned back to the girl. She was shivering, but still hunched over the trash can. Charlie looked down at his shirt, then towards the ground where he had been sitting. “Holy fuck. Dude that’s a whole flower what the fuck.”

“Charlie-“ she choked again at his name and began coughing again, spitting out more and more large clumps of petals, and eventually whole flowers. He held his hands around her shoulders, not sure of how to help her. The second she stopped coughing, he leaned her backwards and handed her the water. 

“Listen when Ted gets here we’re taking you to a doctor. You’re gonna be just fine Alright?”

she nodded, trying to lean away from him. He wasn’t sure why. Maybe she didn’t want help, or his help specifically. Nevertheless Charlie sat nearby, waiting to see if she needed anything. The poor boy was worried sick, but he didn’t know how to tell her. He wanted nothing more than to hold her close make her smile, even covered in her blood. But still Charlie gazed at the girl, unsure of what to do or how to help. 

y/n took a loud, shaky breath and it startled Charlie. He scooted across the floor closer to her and draped an arm behind her to support her. Her eyes seemed tired and her lips were turning a purplish color. Charlie could hear car doors slam outside and he prayed it was Ted. 

“Charlie?”

He could hear the front door open and foot steps head clumsily up the stairs. “Yeah y/n?”

“I can’t breathe.” They coughed more, blood pooling in their mouth and splattering across more of Charlie’s clothes, accompanied by clumps of flowers. 

“Hey y/n wait-“ they fully collapsed on top of Charlie as Ted burst through the door. The two boys stared at each other for a moment, before scrambling to get her into the car downstairs. 

y/n woke up in a sterile white room with a tube down her throat and unfamiliar clothing on her person. She could hear the heart monitor next to her speed up as she clawed at the plastic tube. She felt like crying, but couldn’t make any sound. y/n could hear someone rush into the room but couldn’t see them. Her arms thrashed for a minute before she felt a familiar hand pull her down. A nurse ( she presumed ) took the tube out of her throat and helped her sit up. She could see now, even through the bleary tears, and could see Traves standing next to her while Maddi sat nearby. Traves smiled wide and nearly tackled the poor girl. 

“y/n! You’re okay!”

She nodded and Traves released her. She looked over to Maddi, who gave her a gentle smile. “W-Where’s-“

“The boys are out in the hall. Noah was doing paper work, Cooper went to get coffee, and the other two are fighting.”

“Yeah.” She looked back to Traves. “Ted kept telling Charlie to go home but he didn’t-“

y/n sat up forcefully, trying to not cough the blood onto Traves, but unfortunately they couldn’t avoid the hospital blankets. The deep red liquid seeped into the thin linens and Traves hurried around the room to find some sort of bowl. Thankfully Maddi pulled put a plastic container from under the bed and she was able to get y/n to lean over it enough. Traves ran out of the room to find some sort of medical professional, and two boys came storming in from the outside. Charlie watched in horror as y/n coughed up more and more flowers and thorns. It felt uncomfortable to watch, seeing as he was still wearing the same blood. 

A doctor pushed past him and came to y/n’s side. They fiddled with the monitors and machines until she stopped coughing. The nurses handed her water and napkins and took away the bowl of blood and plants. The doctor looked at her, then up at her housemates. “If you’d mind giving us a moment?”

Ted nodded and pulled Charlie out of the room. They all stood in the hallway, watching through the window as y/n and the doctor talked. She seemed to shake her head a lot and didn’t give a lot of vocal responses. 

Ted pulled Maddi close, an arm draped over her shoulders, and looked over to Charlie. He was staring at his hands as he tried to scratch the blood off of his nails and skin. Ted sighed, “Charlie, you should go home and change. I doubt anything else will get better. And you’re still wearing blood.”

Charlie grabbed the fabric and examined it. The blood was starting to dry and slightly crust over. A deep crimson color had stained both the cotton and his skin. He didn’t seem to react. Noah walked up to him, keys in hand, and patted him on the shoulder. “I’ll take you home.” Noah looked up at Ted. “We’ll be back soon.”

The two walked away and the other Cooper stared into the window. They could see the doctor talking but y/n didn’t seem to respond to them. The doctor walked out and turned to the waiting group. They walked up to them, holding a clipboard. 

“y/n is experiencing something called Hanahaki disease. It’s extremely rare, but curable.”

“Well what’s causing it?” Cooper sounded almost angry. 

“Typically, unrequited love. I know it doesn’t make sense, but this is a serious case. If she continues to refuse treatment, she will die.”

“Wait she’s refusing?”

The doctor nodded and Cooper pushed past to run into the room. Traves shouted after him, but they all followed him in anyways. Cooper was standing on the side of her bed as she stared wide eyed at him. 

“What the fuck do you mean refusing?”

“I don’t want the surgery.” Her voice was scratchy and she flinched as she talked. 

“You are out of your fucking mind if you think you’re dying on us.”

“I’m not trying to. I’d rather die than the other option.”

“What other option? There is no other option y/n. You’re getting that surgery!”

“No I’m not! Did they tell you what’ll happen if I get it?”

“You breathe normally? You stop coughing up fucking plants?”

“I’ll forget him. I’ll forget all about him and it’ll be like he never existed to me.”

“And is that really so bad? Is forgetting one person the worst thing in the fucking world? y/n you’re dying.”

“Cooper please I can’t forget him.”

“It’s just a guy-“

“No it’s not!”

“It’s not like it’s one of us!” y/n froze and the room went quiet. In a state of embarrassment and frustration, she began to stare down at her hands, almost avoiding everyone’s eyes. Cooper’s face fell and he glanced back to the group in the room with them. “Who is it?”

“Cooper it doesn’t-“

“Is it someone in the house? Or Schlatt? Jawsh? Please just tell us-“

“Cooper I don’t-“

“Ted?”

“Coop-“

“Traves?”

“Cooper-“

“Fucking Noah? Me? Who is it!”

“Is it Charlie?” Traves voice cut through the arguing and everyone froze. They stared at y/n, waiting for an answer, but instead she leaned over the side of the bed and began to spit out more and more blood and flowers. 

“Oh holy fuck HEY HELP.” Cooper ran out the door and began shouting for a doctor. A group of nurses and young looking doctors ran through the room and ushered everyone out. They watched as they messed with the tubes and machines in panicked disarray. Traves had to look completely away from the window to avoid crying. 

Ted’s face was stoic. “How did we not notice. She was sick and we didn’t notice. I sleep in the room next to hers. We all work together. We live together. “

“Charlie didn’t notice either.”

The group turned to look at Maddie in confusion. “Why would Charlie notice?”

“Ted, he’s been head over heels for her the whole time I’ve known you all. I’m surprised you didn’t notice that piece of it.”

Traves smiled and lightly shook Cooper’s arm. “This means she’s gonna be okay! Right? Charlie can tell her that he loves her and then she’ll be okay and she won’t forget him and we’ll all be fine. Right?”

No one responded as they watched the doctors walk out of y/n’s room. A nurse was still inside, checking things off on a clipboard, and they watched him as one of the doctors came up to them. 

“y/n’s condition is worsening. She’s lost a lot of blood that her body doesn’t have the ability to naturally regenerate. I’m sorry, but I don’t have high hopes for her.”

“But we know the guy.” Traves almost sounded desperate. “We know the guy so he can come here and wake her up and true love it up and all of that. She has to be okay.”

The doctor looked down at the papers in their hands. “If he can get here soon. Otherwise we will have to get her into emergency surgery. Maybe an hour. But we’re going to start her on some antibiotics for now. And make sure she keeps the oxygen mask on.”

The doctor walked away and Cooper rummaged through his pockets, muttering something about going to call Noah, and then walked towards the nearest stairwell. He sighed and dialed the number. Noah picked up slowly, almost to the last ring. 

“Coop?”

“Yeah hey. Uh they figured out what’s wrong.”

“Oh good! Charlie took a shower but I think he’s out. Do you need us-“

“Yeah.” Cooper swallowed whatever feeling was coming up. “Like literally as soon as you can.”

“Oh jeez okay.” Noah stood up and looked around for his keys. “Should we get anything-?”

“Okay this is gonna sound weird, but I need you to hype Charlie up.”

“To do what?”

“He needs to tell y/n he’s in love with her.”

“That’s- why?”

“I’ll explain it when you get here just get here. Like, now.”

Noah saw Charlie standing in the hallway and nodded at him to get to the door. “Okay we’re going.”

Cooper hung up the phone and the two boys lept from the house. Noah locked the front door as quickly  as possible and peeled off in the suburban car. He did his best to follow traffic laws, but the anxiousness ran up and down his skin. Charlie sat next to him in the passenger seat, fiddling with anything. He couldn’t think a clear thought. 

Noah cleared his voice and Charlie looked over at him. “So, can I ask.” Noah paused as he checked the mirrors for the millionth time. “Are you in love with her?”

Charlie’s face flushed bright red and he stared at the windshield. It had been a while since he forced himself to reckon with his feelings towards her, but of course he loved her. There was no denying it. He woke up every morning excited just to say hello to her and to make her laugh and to hear her talk. He’d been caught staring and gazing at her frequently, whether it was by the live stream chats or in pictures his friends took.  And after a long time of trying to come to a consensus, he decided to not tell her. Of course it hurt, knowing he could never tell her, but it kept peace in the house and her in his life. “That’s kind of subjective.”

“No it’s not. It’s a question. Charlie, are you in love with y/n?”

“I- why are you even asking this?”

Charlie watched as every road sign pointing to the hospital passed. “Because Cooper called me and I think you should tell her.”

“Oh god.” Charlie’s voice was barely above a whisper. He pressed his palms against his eyes and leaned forward. “Oh god.”

The two of them didn’t talk. They didn’t turn on the radio. They just waited for the drive to be over. 

Everyone in the hospital was waiting too. Ted stood pacing the wall of the room while Traves and Cooper sat by the window. Cooper kept checking his phone; a couple of their other friends had been informed of the situation and kept asking questions, but really he was just waiting for anything from Noah. 

A nurse came through the room and everyone watched as she took notes of several things on a clipboard at the edge of y/n’s bed. She turned towards Ted. “We’ll have to take her down in ten minutes. It might be good to wish her luck now.”

The nurse left and Ted sighed, resting his head between his hands. “This is terrible. This is fucking terrible.”

“Noah hasn’t texted yet.” Cooper sounded grim as he stared blankly at his phone. “They were supposed to be here by now.”

“They’ll be here.” Traves’s voice was like a whisper and anyone could tell he was trying to not cry. “Noah wouldn’t let us down. Charlie wouldn’t.”

y/n gasped and all the boys looked up at her. She coughed lightly, and Ted ran to pull the oxygen mask off her face so she didn’t breathe any blood back in. Her eyes were still closed. “I-It hu-urts, Ted.”

“I know, it’ll be over soon.” Ted glanced at the clock on the wall across from him. “It’ll be all fine.”

Coopers phone rang and everyone froze. The blonde boy stared at it. 

“It’s Noah.”

“Pick it up then!!”

He almost dropped it, but still was able to pick it up and put it on speaker. “Noah-?”

“Yeah we’re in here. We’re in the elevator they got mad at us for running but give it two minutes. Is she-?”

“She’s okay. She’s kind of awake.” Cooper looked over to see y/n turned towards him, doing her best to listen. He walked over to her. “y/n, Noah and Charlie are almost here okay?”

“C-char-“ she didn’t get to finish, instead choking up more flowers and vines and blood into the floor with a big splat sound. Ted tried to help hold back her hair, and as nurses came in they could hear running. Charlie came to a skidded halt in the doorway and watched in horror as they poked at the IV’s and and tubes in her arms. 

“We need to take her now.” Someone in a lab coat was arguing with Ted, who refused to let them move y/n’s gurney. 

“No. He will be here any second he-“ Ted looked at the doorway and sighed in relief. “Charles. Finally get over here.” He turned back to the group of doctors. “Five minutes alone. Give them five. Okay?”

A doctor (with some sort of seniority, Ted would guess) ushered out most of the medical staff, leaving just two younger doctors by the door. Charlie walked over to y/n’s side, gently taking her hand in his. He ran his thumb over the back of her hand and took a deep shaky breath. 

“Hey, we’ll be right outside okay?” Charlie nodded at Ted’s words as everyone else left the room 

Charlie did his best to act like he hadn’t been crying, but he knew it was difficult to hide. “Hey.” He cleared his throat and stared at y/n’s hand, glancing up to her face. She stared straight at him. “Please don’t say anything. I don’t want you to hurt yourself and I don’t want this to go bad. And I really wish that you weren’t sick somehow. I don’t even know what’s making you sick, I just wish I could fix it. Cause if I could, I’d fix it and take you out to this restaurant I found that looks out at the beach, and I’d tell you to order what ever you want and tell you how pretty you look. And I’d pay for us and then we’d go on a walk down a walking only street because I know you love those and I’d find this secret looking corner to sit in and I’d sit there and tell you how much I love you. And if you let me I’d hold your hand just like this.” He gave a half-hearted laugh as a few tears fell from his eyes. He laced their fingers together, pulling them upwards to press a soft kiss to her knuckles. He held her hand close to himself now, studying every feature of her face. She had been crying to, but was yet to say anything back per Charlie’s request. “Every where we went I would hold your hand and do little chivalrous things for you like kissing your hand, because that’s what you do when you love someone, and I love you so fucking much. I have loved you for so long it is brutal. And I’m sorry if this isn’t what you need but I need you to stick around so I can take you to that little restaurant and the brick street okay? Please?”

Charlie took his hands back, wiping away the tears from his cheeks and glasses. He opened his eyes to see that y/n had set aside the breathing mask and was now reaching their arms upwards. “Charlie.” Their voice came out soft and smooth, as if they hadn’t been vomiting plants. Charlie’s shoulders shook as he tried not to cry, but he still leaned down and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her up into his chest as much as the bed would allow. 

“Please, please don’t die on me.”

“Charlie I love you so much.” Her voice was almost like a whisper, but it was the best thing Charlie had heard all day. 

He sat up slightly, enough to look at her smiling at him. “Are- wait- really?”

She nodded at him and moved to press a small kiss to his cheek but Charlie shifted and she landed on his lips. Charlie took one hand to pull her closer, relishing in the feeling. At some point they broke apart, smiling as they leaned their foreheads against each other. 

They heard hurried footsteps and Charlie stood up straighter to watch Ted, Cooper, and Noah trip over themselves and nearly fall. He felt y/n squeeze his hand, and he ran his thumb over her knuckles again. 

Ted pointed between the two. “How is- is she- is it-“

“Take a breath Ted.” Charlie smiled softly at y/n then looked back to Ted. “I told her. You can take her now I guess.”

One of the doctors from the doorway spoke up; “well we will have to take a few scans of her chest to be sure there’s no further damage, but if she’s all clear she’ll be good to go home in a few days. 

y/n nodded at the doctor and they left the room. Charlie looked around at the group, confused. 

“I thought she needed surgery. You wanted me to tell her that I loved her because she was going into surgery.” He looked at y/n, then directly to Cooper. “Did I just get boofed.”

“Did we forget to tell him?” Ted looked over at Noah, who only shrugged. He looked back to Charlie. “Her being sick, okay this is gonna sound dumb, but she was so in love with you it physically made her sick. Like plants in her lungs.”

“But I loved her! Shouldn’t that have cancelled it out?”

“She didn’t know that.”

Realization washed over Charlie’s face, and he turned to y/n again. He pulled her into a tight hug. “I am so sorry. I literally could have prevented my this I am so sorry.”

“It’s okay.” She giggled for what felt like the first time in forever. “Let’s wait I til we get home for this conversation.”

“Yeah.” He released her slightly and moved to whisper just in her ear. “Just for the record, I am so happy that you love me, and I’m even happier you’re okay.” 

Ted sat on the edge of the stage. He swished his legs back and forth , staring at his shoes as they disappeared and reappeared beneath the graduation gown. The ceremony was in an hour, and he needed to be down in the gym with the rest of his graduating class in half that time.

Ted looked over at the cap that sat next to him on the stage. Some of his younger friends had surprised him with decorations; painted on stars and sparkles, with a couple highlighting pictures of him from over the years. It pulled lightly at the threads of Ted’s heart, knowing those photos were just memories now.

Ted leaned back, closing his eyes, and letting his head fall onto the hardwood of the stage. He huffed, breathing in deeply the stuffy air of the highschool theater, then opened his eyes. As he looked up, he expected to look up towards the ceiling and see all the batons hanging from the grid, instead, he saw y/n standing directly over him, staring straight down into his eyes.

“JEEZ-“ Ted jumped, rolling to the side and propping himself up on his elbow. y/n laughed at the boy, kneeling down to sit next to him.

Ted looked over at y/n. They were dressed the same as Ted, school clothes under a graduation gown. They wore their cords thrown over one shoulder, and their cap sat loosely on their head. It didn’t quite fit them, but it never quite fit anyone. Ted watched as y/n’s laugh faded, and their eyes traced over every detail of the theater. The old, tattered seats. The dusty grand curtain. The chips in the edging paint. The faint coffee stains in the audience carpet. The burnt out house lights.

“y/n?”

They glanced back to Ted, blinking away the tears in their eyes. “Y-Yeah? Yes Ted?”

“Did you… did you like playing Lacey? In the last show?”

“Did I like-?” y/n looked over at Ted, staring quizzically at the boy. “Of course I did.”

“Cool.” Ted forced his gaze forwards, creating an awkward staring contest between himself and the seats.

“Ted, is that what you really wanted to ask me?”

He paused, forming the words correctly in his mind. He decided to talk a bit slower this time, hoping to not embarrass himself. “Did you like playing Lacey? As in someone who was dating me?”

y/n smiled, laughing a bit to themself as they mulled over Ted’s question. “Teddy, are you asking if I liked acting like we were dating?”

Ted nodded, then quickly cleared his throat. “Y-Yeah.”

“Are you asking if I like you? If I have a crush on you?”

Ted nodded again.

y/n fully turned their body to the side, resting one knee towards ted as they stared at the boy. It looked like they were trying not to laugh. “Theodore Nivison, did you seriously wait until 20 minutes before we graduate, to ask the person who’s been flirting with you for four years, if I have a crush on you?”

“Flirting?”

“Oh my- you’re impossible.” y/n stood up from the stage, and righted the graduation cap on their head. “Four years of my life Ted.”

“Wait!” Ted stood up too, almost too quickly as he nearly took y/n’s face clean off the frame of his glasses. The boy now towered over y/n quite a bit at standing height, but he still leaned down to talk to them. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry I just— four years?”

“Yes four years!” y/n crossed their arms. More embarrassed than angry. “Four years of me flirting with you and doing theater with you and being your friend and— i didn’t want to kiss you on stage because then our first kiss was on stage in front of an audience and our director and our friends. Not just me and you on a date or something.”

“I could’ve taken you on a date?”

“Oh my— TED.”

“Right right.” Ted paused, considering for a moment. “Can I kiss you now?”

y/n felt their face flush, and they desperately found any words to say that didn’t melt in their own brain. “I— You— We— No!” (That is not what they wanted to say.) “Ted we need to graduate in fifteen minutes.”

“Right. Yeah, of course.” Ted bent down, retrieving his graduation cap from the ground. As he came up, he caught sigh of y/n, staring out into the house again. He breathed in deeply, taking the last moments of his highschool education in. “This is it, isn’t it? Four years all over?”

“Four years. Gone for good.” y/n sighed, almost content with the ending they got. “You ready?”

“Nah.” Ted took y/n’s hand in his, still staring out into the audience. “Let’s go.”

“Yeah.” y/n squeezed Ted’s hand, following as the boy led them off of the stage, out of the dressing rooms, and back into the school halls, leaving it all behind.

“Hey.” Ted dropped y/n’s hand, smiling down at them. “Race y’a.”

y/n huffed, running their hands over the the flannel material of their top.

“Break a leg.” This year, there was a freshman going around backstage before every rehearsal saying it over and over. Break a leg. Break a leg. Break a leg. God, y/n wanted to rip her head off.

A gentle hand crept over y/n’s shoulders, moving from their left to their right and settled in a calm grasp. “Careful there, doll.”

“You don’t have to be in character yet.” y/n stood with a sour look on their face as they watched the actors already on stage. Them and Ted’s cue was soon.

“What’s wrong?” Ted peered over at y/n, leaning down to better listen to their hushed voice. He had gotten even taller, standing a little less than a foot over them.

“Fucking— the freshman won’t shut up and I hate this stupid dress and wig and I have to kiss you in front of everyone.”

“Well, first, it’s just an underclassmen. They’ll learn. Second,” ted reached out and patted y/n on the head. “The wig is just for a couple hours. And third, you look great in the costume! They did a really good job.”

y/n shrugged, trying to hide a smile. “Your costume looks great, too.”

Ted was quiet, watching the stage alongside y/n. “Is it that bad to kiss me? I made extra sure to brush my teeth.”

“No it’s— extra? Are you usually unsure that you brushed your teeth?”

Ted paused, seeming almost embarrassed. “That’s not what I asked.”

“It’s not that bad.” y/n shrugged. “I just— in front of everyone. I know it’s only a stage kiss but it’s still terrifying.”

Ted seemed to want to say something, but instead y/n gave his hand a squeeze and walked out onto stage, holding character. Ted followed eagerly, jumping in just the same.

“Come on Lace, you know you want me.”

“Please Tommy, you’re a scamp.” y/n walked towards the opposite direction from where they entered.

“Aww, doll I’d stop for y’a. Why, I’d settle down and be a worthy man. Honest.” Ted reached out, taking y/n in his arms and swinging them around. y/n laughed.

“Oh Tommy, you’re a liar aren’t you?”

“Now Lace, you take me for that? Those woman in town best not be fillin your head. Not my best girl.”

“Your best girl? And I wonder who else’s heard that before?”

y/n wriggled themself free from Ted, heading further away from him. Ted caught up with them, grabbing them by the arm and flipping them to face himself. Ted slipped a hand around y/n’s waist, dipping them down lightly in a romantic manner. Ted moved quicker as he kissed y/n.

y/n’s brain felt deep fried. Static ran over their skin as ted pulled away, hands still around y/n’s waist. “See Lace? I promise. First kiss to my best girl.”

y/n pushed Ted off. “Tommy! You know better than to— than— oh you!”

y/n hurried off stage, Ted following after. Some other characters came on stage to continue the scene. Ted watched y/n take a breath, one they seemed to be holding for a while.

“That wasn’t so bad was it?” Ted took y/n’s hand in his and gave a gentle squeeze.

y/n smiled at the boy and squeezed his hand back. “Wasn’t that bad.”

“Halt! Foul villain.” y/n twirled the dulled fencing sword around their body in an impressive display. They ended by pointing the tip at Ted’s chest with about a three foot distance between them. “How dare you. You take my wife, you take my home, you take everything from everyone. You kill without mercy.”

“I have mercy.” Ted drew a similar sword from the hilt on his waist, holding it outwards towards y/n in a fighting stance. “But not for you. You could never deserve my mercy.”

y/n sighed and let the sword fall. The tip of it danced over the black stage beneath them. y/n rolled their shoulders back and looked at Ted with an evil sneer. “And you deserve nothing.”

y/n charged at Ted, letting the dueling swords clash over head. Ted pushed against y/n, the metal grinding. “Do better little soldier. Give me that much.”

“Alright pause.” y/n and Ted let go of each other, standing a couple feet apart with their swords at their sides. Both looked into the audience at the teacher standing at the foot of the stage. “Alright, we’re going to block this out then go over it a few more times. I’ll write it down so you can both copy it later. Got it?”

“Yup.”

“Yes.”

“Cool. Ted, proceed.”

“Okay. Uh, 7.” The metal swords clanged as Ted called out attack and defense positions for him and y/n to follow. They danced across the stage back and forth, making a path of battle. It came to a final clash, the sound of metal clanging as y/n’s sword fell to the ground and they fell with it. Ted breathed heavy with the tip of his sword pointed at y/n’s neck.

“Good. Good rehearsal today everyone. Text your rides, do whatever you need, I’m shutting everything down in half an hour.”

Students began shuffling about and gathering up their things, but Ted stayed still. He was staring down into y/n’s eyes, and they were staring up into his. A small smile crept its way onto y/n’s face, and they soon devolved into laughter.

“It’s not funny.” y/n rolled over laughing as Ted dropped his character. He ran a hand through his hair, smoothing back the sweaty streaks.

“You were so serious. I can’t believe— I mean you did good, it’s just intense.”

“So you’re laughing?”

y/n nodded, smiling as they looked up at Ted. “Can I get up now or?”

Ted extended one of his awkwardly large arms out to pull y/n up from their lying position on the ground. They dusted themself off and gathered their sword that had fallen earlier. “We could rehearse that tomorrow?”

“Yeah. Of course.” y/n smiled plainly at Ted, giving a curt smile. “I’ll see you tomorrow Teddy. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.” Ted watched y/n walk away, trying to think of anything else to say, but it was already too late.

The room was quiet aside from Ted. He had spent the last few minutes clicking around his monitor set up, launching the right games, making sure his camera was on and working, and that his mic was picking up sound correctly. It was almost ready for him to fully stream, except for one thing.

Ted pulled his cellphone out of his pocket and unlocked the device, searching through for his most recent text chain with his lover, y/n. No one outside of a specific few knew Ted was even dating someone, much less his entire fan base. And with how rarely Ted streamed? Him and y/n had both agreed long ago that if y/n was ever going to appear on stream, it wasn’t going to be for a while.

Ted typed quickly into the text bar, telling y/n he was going to start streaming momentarily. They were at the grocery store right now, and most likely wouldn’t see the text until they got in the car, but it was still better than leaving them unaware.

With the text sent, Ted turned full attention back to the monitors and began the stream, allowing Twitch to fully take in his face. Ted smiled as he watched the chat fill in, flooding the side of his live screen.

“Hi guys! Look at all of you.” Some familiar user names filled in as well. Ted leaned back in his chair a bit and stared into the camera, creating eye contact with the thousands of people watching. “Welcome to shit show.”

In the span of almost three seconds, Ted heard the front door fly open and shut, and someone run down the hall to the room he was streaming in. Ted meant to stand up and check the door, maybe mute his mic or turn his camera off, something. But too fast, y/n burst through the door and jumped into his lap, wrapping their arms around him and giggling into his ear.

“Ted. Help me with groceries.”

Ted glanced over their shoulder nervously, watching as the chat moved even faster. “I’m kind of in the middle of something.”

“Oh what?”

“Wait no-“

y/n looked back to see the recording set up on Ted’s monitors. “Oh cool what game are you recording. Minecraft? Or is it more Fiver stuff?”

“No. I’m not recording.”

“Then what are you—? Oh. Oh no.” y/n turned back to Ted with the realization washing over their face. “You’re live. You didn’t tell me! Oh god how long have you been live for.”

“Only a few minutes. I texted you!”

“Obviously not.” y/n snatched Ted’s phone off the desk and searched through his recent texts. They pulled up their most recent messages with him, noting that he had fully typed out the message without sending it.

“Shit. I’m sorry.” Ted glanced back to the monitors. “Well. Either you can sneak out or say hi.”

“I think sneak. I still have groceries in the car.”

“Okay. See you later.” Ted kissed y/n on the cheek as they snuck off of Ted’s lap and out of frame. Ted watched them walk away and then turned back to read the chat. Ted tracked y/n with his eyes as they shut the door, then turned back to his live chat.

“I can explain myself.” Ted watched the donations cue fill with messages, and thankfully his mods held them back. “That was my partner. They… yeah. That’s y/n.” Ted watched more messages go by. “No— no you can’t have y/n. They are mine, thank you. No you can’t their number either! Or their snap! Guys-“ Ted chuckled to himself, rubbing his forehead with his hands. “I understand you’re upset, and I’ll formally introduce them later. Guys!”

y/n listened from the other side of the door. They leaned against the frame, stifling laughs into their hand. Hearing Ted try and calm his audience was hilarious. They sank further against the door, devolving into giggles.

y/n fell back against the hardwood floors as the door opened. Ted stood over y/n lying on the floor, smiling down at them. “What’s going on over here?”

“Are you still live?” y/n spoke in a hushed manner.

“No. I left.”

“Okay. Well I’m bullying you.”

“Ugh. Loser activity.”

“Loser activity? I just bought your groceries!”

“Our groceries.“

“Whatever. I guess I’ll just return them.”

“No wait-“ Ted laughed as y/n got up, him wrapping them in his arms and pulling close. “I’m joking.”

“I know I know.” y/n accepted the embrace, leaning back into him. “I didn’t mean to mess up your stream.”

“It’s fine. It was bound to happen at some point.”

y/n chewed at the side of their mouth. “Is your fan base upset?”

“Very. They want to take you from me.”

“I’ll let them if they help me take in the groceries.”

“They did ask me for your number.”

“I’ll give it to them.” y/n shrugged. “Maybe then someone will help me take in the groceries.”

“I was gonna help you bring them in!”

“Oh, Where for art thou- I hate this.” Ted slapped his paper down on his leg in frustration. “Why did it have to be Shakespeare? We really could have done anything else and he chose Shakespeare?”

“It’s classic.”

“It’s boring.” Ted leaned back and closed his eyes for a moment.

“Even the part where they turn that one guy into a donkey?”

“That’s not even this show. And that’s so hard to get from the lines.”

“Alright. Well why don’t we try a different set of lines?” y/n flipped over the paper in their hands. “Side… 8?”

“Side 8?” Ted went searching for it as well. “Oh. Here: One that goes with him, I love him for his sake, And yet I know him a notorious liar. Think him a great way fool, solely a coward. Yet these fix’d evils sit so fit in him that they take place, when virtue’s steely bones look bleak i’ th’ cold wind withal, full oft we see cold wisdom waiting on superfluous folly.”

“Save you, fair queen!” y/n gestured wildly as they spoke as Parolles.

“And you, monarch!”

“No.”

“And no.”

“Are you meditating on virginity?” y/n looked up, waiting for the response from Ted. However, he was only holding a hand over his mouth as he tried not to laugh. “Are you— are you laughing at virginity right now?”

“No.” Ted and y/n stared at each other, hesitating, before Ted dissolved into laughter. He leaned back fully, allowing to overtake him. y/n looked away from the laughing boy as their face flushed furiously. Ted looked back over to y/n, still trying to talk through the laughter. “I’m sorry— no no I’m not laughing at you— I promise—“

“Whatever.” y/n looked away from Ted, still feeling slightly embarrassed.

“No wait. y/n.” Ted sat up and tried to stretch a hand out towards them, landing on their shoulder. “I’m sorry I wasn’t— I’m not laughing at you.”

y/n looked back to Ted. “Was virginity really that funny?”

“A little bit.”

“Oh. A little he says.” y/n rolled their eyes. “Mr falling-over-laughing.”

“Okay so now you’re laughing at me.”

“Only a little.” y/n smiled playfully at him. “I think it’s funny how much you laughed.”

It was Ted’s turn to become flushed. He turned away from y/n and chuckled. “Whatever.”

The air between them became stagnant. Ted searched through his head for something not-awkward to say, and y/n did the same. Ted continuously glanced over, trying to find something, anything to say. y/n rolled their tongue over their teeth. There was nothing to be said between them.

“Hey.” A door opened and they both sat up quickly and turned around towards it. An upperclassmen stood in the doorway holding a red plastic clipboard. “You’re up. Break a leg or whatever.”

y/n stood and walked to the door. They got there, held it open, and turned to look back at Ted. “Are you coming or not?”

He smiled and stood, making his way over. “Let’s go then.”

“Okay, Theodore, I want you to move your hand a bit to the right.” Ted’s face grew pinker by the second as he followed the choreographer’s instructions. He gingerly laid a hand on y/n’s waist while the other gripped their hand tighter. y/n tried not to laugh at him, but it seemed to be the trickiest part of the job.

“I won’t bite.” Ted’s blush got darker and y/n laughed harder. The awkward boy had begun to grow taller than y/n now, just tall enough he had to lean slightly to make conversation.

“Shut up or I will.” The choreographer physically grabbed Ted’s hands and moved them around, doing the same with y/n.

“Now. Couples, we want our main characters highlighted, but not drowned out. Slow dancing, quiet conversation, and staying put. All good?” A chorus of highschool students shouted out in agreement. The choreographer nodded and the waltzy music started up again.

y/n swayed to the music, taking Ted with them. y/n swirled themself around and moved back and forth in their little square of dance room. They watched Ted stare at the ground, stepping on y/n’s feet. “Look up dummy. Look at me.”

“No. This is already as terrible as it can get.”

“It’ll only get worse if you don’t actually put attention. Look up.” y/n let go of Ted’s hand to very take Ted’s chin and guide it to where he was forced to look at them. His blush deepened. “There.”

“A-Alright.” Ted resumed the dance. He shuffled his feet around in a box formation, gently sliding around by the ball of his foot. Ted could hear the actors onstage talking and repeating lines over and over, but all he could focus on was how y/n hand felt in his. How close they were to him. How they swayed to the music and danced under the theatrical lighting.

“Ted? Buddy?” Ted snapped back into focus to see y/n stepping away from him slowly.

“Oh shit did I do something-?”

“No no. It’s just, there’s more dances to learn. What were you thinking about up there? So distracted.” y/n smiled sweetly at him. “Come on. New position.”

Ted allowed y/n to move around and reposition his hands and arms. He ended with his hands on y/n’s waist and y/n’s hands gently cupping the side of his face. The music picked up again and the stage lights changed to more purple and blue tones to set the mood.

“So, how’s your day?”

“Pretty average.” y/n glanced off to look at another couple dancing. “Watched a squirrel get run over.”

“By who?”

“City bus.” y/n spun both them and Ted around, flipping roughly 180 degrees.

“I think I was expecting a school bus instead.”

“No, they only kill rats.” Ted snorted, trying his best not to laugh at y/n’s remark. “Oh please that was not that funny.”

“I’m not trying to-“ Ted stumbled over himself, falling into y/n. “Shut up!”

“You shut up.” y/n tried to be quiet as they started laughing too.

“Alright everyone thats it for the day.” Everyone stopped dancing as the director made announcements on notes and areas that needed to be fixed, and congratulating everyone on an otherwise good job. “Be here 3:45 tomorrow. Sharp.”

Ted and y/n stood together as everyone walked towards the classroom behind the stage. They were still holding hands. “Well. Good night I guess.”

“Yeah. Goodnight.” Ted waited just a moment before letting go of y/n’s hand. He then walked into the back classroom, leaving y/n alone on the stage.

“Hey pass me the drill?” y/n stuck out their hand expectantly, staring forwards at the joint that needed to be attached. Ted placed the heavy instrument in their open hand. They looked up to him, smiling. “Thanks.”

“No problem. Is this the…?”

“Diner.” The drill came to a stop, grinding in the screw. “It’s just the back flat. Once I’m done here I have to putty and then paint. There’s also maybe some trim? I don’t know. I know the base color is over there.” y/n gestured to a few feet away and Ted followed the direction with his eyes.

“Oh. Want any help?”

“Yeah actually.” y/n stood up and dusted off their knees. “If you grab the putty we can cover these screw holes.”

“Won’t that just make it harder to take apart?”

y/n hesitated, still staring at the incredibly large flat they’d built. “I guess. Let’s just paint then.”

The two worked together in peace; laying out paint trays, prying open cans, trading between brushes, and laying out the patterns. Together, they decorated the large flat to display the back wall of what would be a diner.

“I think it’s just the windows left.” y/n stood up, wiping the sweat from their brow with the back of their hand.

Ted looked over at y/n and smiled. “You’ve got a little something on your face.”

“Where?” y/n blindly touched at their face, trying to find what Ted was talking about.

“No wait— now it’s everywhere.”

y/n paused, realizing. “Ted, what color paint is on my face.”

“Blue. A lot of blue.”

y/n groaned, trying their best to feel where it was and scratch it off. “Damnit. I wanted to not get paint on me this time.”

“We both know that’s impossible.” Ted stretched his arms upwards. He watched y/n scratch at their face some more, before he sighed and reached over to them. “Hold on, just stop scratching for a second.”

y/n watched Ted walk towards where the paint was kept, pulling a paper towel from a rack and wetting it in the sink. He came back with it folded in a square in his palm. y/n intended to take it from him, but instead Ted gently placed a hand on the side of their face and tilted it. “Ted, what’re you—“

“You can’t see the paint, I can. Now stop talking or I’ll get it in your mouth.” Gently, Ted wiped all the drying blue paint off of y/n’s face. When he was done, he removed his gentle grip from the side of y/n’s face and crumpled up the paper towel. “There. All good.”

“Thanks.” y/n swallowed the heat rising to their face. “I— I’m not sure why else we can do to it.”

“It’s just the windows right?” y/n looked over at Ted. “I think we need the soaker for the trim stuff.”

“Yeah, but we’re not allowed to use the stapler.”

“Bet.”

“No— it’s a pneumatic stapler. We’re students.”

“Fine.” Ted rolled his eyes comically. “What do we do then?”

y/n shrugged. “Clean brushes?”

Ted agreed on the matter, joining y/n in cleaning. Carefully, the two gathered all of the supplies they’d laid out in their arms and carried it back to the workshop. While y/n closed up the cans of paint, Ted ran all the paint brushes and rollers through running water to wash the paint out. There was a gentle rhythms in the room: the calming sound of running sink water accompanied by the thudding of paint cans being closed with rubber mallets.

“Okay, I’m—“ y/n turned around to see Ted’s arms splattered with paint as he did his best. Unfortunately, he was only two brushes in and seemed to be struggling incredibly. “Uh, do you want help?”

“No.” Ted dropped the brush again, sighing to himself. “Yeah.”

“Just— here.” y/n stood next to him at the sink. Gently, they showed him how to run the water through and push apart the bristles in order to fully clean the brush, taking a substantially shorter time than Ted did. Ted followed y/n’s instruction, and the two spent the time together cleaning the brushes and rollers.

“Alright everyone, 20 minute lunch.” The director flicked his wrist, looking at the time on his watch. “I want everyone back by 2-oh-5, no later. We still have half of a show to do.”

y/n stretched their arms upwards, letting out a sigh. They’d been doing the same dance over for almost an hour now, and they weren’t excited to do it live any time soon. They looked over their shoulder, watching everyone else file offstage and run to their cars. Anyone who didn’t bring a lunch was either going to the 7/11 across the street or driving up to some fast food station. y/n was lucky enough to not bring a lunch, and therefore be one of those running across the street to hopefully buy an over priced cold sandwich. They went to gather the few things they needed, and walked out into the parking lot.

“Hey wait!” y/n stopped in the parking lot and turned. Ted was running towards them holding a fistful of money. Ted grabbed onto their hand and pulled them towards a lifted van that had a couple other upperclassmen in it that y/n didn’t know by name. Ted stopped just before opening the door, looking back to y/n. “We’re going to Subway, you want in?”

“Absolutely.” y/n pushed past Ted to sit in the van, finding themselves against a window. Ted politely introduced y/n to the two upperclassmen in the front seat, stating they were other tech crew he knew from run crew last semester. The entire group quickly pulled out of the parking lot and made their way to subway in two minutes’ time. The large group filed in, taking roughly five minutes to order all together, and then another two minutes to get back to the school.

“Alright kiddos. You’ve got like ten minutes. I’m going up to the light booth.” The driver shut the car after themself, locking the vehicle, and going inside the school. Ted took a seat on the parking lot curb and y/n joined him, unwrapping their sandwich in their lap.

y/n looked over at Ted. He was picking the extra lettuce that had fallen from his sandwich out of the wrapper and placing it in a napkin set on his knee. “What are you doing?”

“This.” Ted grabbed a handful of the lettuce, chucking it at y/n. They laughed trying to gather pieces to throw back at Ted.

“What the hell!” y/n laughed at the boy, watching him take a comically large bite from the sandwich. They continued laughing as Ted almost choked on it. “God don’t die now. Subway is the worst way to go.”

“Shut up.” y/n laughed as Ted tried to talk through a mouth full of food. He swallowed the bite, coughing lightly into a napkin. “You’re the worst.”

“Stop throwing fucking lettuce at me then.”

“No. You’re kind of cute with lettuce on your shirt.”

y/n felt their face grow warm as they looked away from Ted. “Whatever. How much time left?”

“Uh, five minutes?” Ted looked over at y/n. “Race?”

“To finish the sandwich?”

Ted paused, almost realizing how stupid what he said was, then tried to eat his sandwich as quick as possible. y/n joined him, hurriedly scarfing down the food. Unfortunately, Ted won by a landslide. He stood up and cheered, coughing a bit as he choked on his food.

“I win! It’s me! I’m the winner.”

y/n laughed lightly, getting up and folding up the rest of their sandwich in the paper wrapper it came in. They watched Ted do the same. The two walked inside together, walking over to the refrigerator that sat all the way inside the makeup room. y/n put their sandwich on the bottom shelf, Ted putting his right next to it. They turned to him with a kind smile. “Back to stage?”

“I guess. We’ve got like, two minutes.” Ted walked back out to stage with y/n following. y/n sat on the bench stage left, watching Ted stretch out his arms and legs as everyone else began to meander back either onto the stage or in the audience.

Ted made a groaning noise, pausing, then falling over on his back to the floor. y/n laughed at him again as he started to sit up. “The hell was that?”

“I popped something.”

“What kind of something.”

“My back.” Ted looked over, making his best old man impression. He sat up straight, imitating a cane. “Times are tough for old men like me.”

“Get up loser.” y/n lightly kicked him and he got up, sitting on the bench next to y/n.

“Happy now?”

“Yep.” y/n looked forwards as the director began talking again, leading to the end of the lunch break.