#felix mitchell

The recording wraps up much later in the evening than expected, but the crew is happy with what they’ve come up with. Felix teases Nicole a little about her “hidden” voice, and she playfully nudges him in the ribs. Behind them, Isaac, who’s deep in conversation with Elli, stops abruptly.

Elliot looks at Isaac, then at the man deep in conversation with Dim, feeling somewhat confused. Isaac is often passionate about old-school artists, but he didn’t expect to see him… 𝙛𝙖𝙣𝙗𝙤𝙮𝙞𝙣𝙜 so much if he ever had the chance to meet one of his idols.

Suddenly it’s not just Isaac who seems starstruck by Zale’s presence. Although Nicole is usually the only one who dares to take the lead when it comes to the band, even she's impressed by his aura. Dim and Zale have noticed their sudden quietness, but only a faint smirk spreads across Zale's face.

Nicole, Elliot, and Felix slip away from the conversation, embarrassed by their lack of reaction. Isaac, on the other hand, decides to gather his courage. Even though Zale seems to be thinking about a future meeting, he doesn’t want to miss the chance to talk to him one-on-one.

@tiptoesims's most famous rockstar, Zale! Sooo excited to be able to do fun lil crossovers like this ehehe

Elliot doesn't really have time to mope about their situation. Dim has decided to deal with the band's future. If they want to become a big name in their genre, it's time to professionally record their first EP, instead of just making crappy recordings on a phone like they've been doing so far.

But as they move on to recording Elliot’s vocals, Dim frowns. Something seems to be missing to Death by Loyalty. A small detail that could, however, make all the difference.

Settling into the studio’s lounge area, Dim gets straight to the point. The band is solid, really solid for their age, but they need something else, a second vocalist who would make them even more distinctive. And the metal scene is particularly lacking in female vocalists.

Nicole lets out a loud gasp of surprise. Yes, she can sing, but her thing has always been the guitar. And singing is Elliot's thing. But the latter is anxious. Dim does have a point. Sharing the spotlight with someone else might actually make things a lot less stressful for him….

Dim pushes Nicole into the recording booth without asking her for her opinion and is immediately delighted. Maya nods, while the boys are stunned that she has once again managed to hide yet another of her many talents.

Despite all the stress, the concert goes exceptionally well. He forgets a few lyrics at times, but he knows how to make up for it. And soon the music takes hold of them all, so much so that the crowd and their cheers, those of Erica and Léonie, become nothing but fuel for their on-stage energy.

The concert is about to end when Simon walks through the bar’s door. He’s not really sure what made him come tonight; no one invited him, and he’s been stalking Nicole on social media. And seeing her inhabit the stage the way she does, radiant and charming, Simon instantly regrets coming.

Despite Erica’s reassuring words and all the rehearsals, the big day arrives all too quickly for Elliot’s liking, and he finds himself smoking cigarette after cigarette as his stress levels rise with every passing second. He’s not going to make it, no matter what anyone else says.

That’s how the other three band members found him, slumped on the couch in the shabby backstage room reeking of stale cigarettes and beer, looking so devastated that you’d think he’d just been told the worst news in the world.

Being there for Elli has become second nature over the years, and they know how to lend a sympathetic ear to the anxiety that tends to weigh on him more than necessary. No one is surprised to hear about his panic at the thought of going on stage; Isaac is even the first to share his feelings.

Much to Elliot's dismay, just as it's time to go on stage, everyone decides to join in on the most awkward group hug he's ever shared with his friends. He protests with his typical intensity, but deep down, he is especially grateful to have friends who accept him despite his "annoying" flaws.

Of course, Dim is right, even more so when Nicole is on stage with her guitar in hand; she forgets all her problems and lets herself be carried away by the music. They’ve made great progress lately, and the more they rehearse together, the more a sort of almost magical harmony develops between them.

Everyone is just as fascinated by how Elli becomes a different person once he’s on stage. He, who is usually rather in his own bubble and uses few words to express himself, is taking up the entire stage and forgetting the world around him, his voice resonating loud and clear throughout the room.

Dim appears to agree wholeheartedly, because once they’re done, he announces some big news: their first concert will take place at a bar in town! Everyone is thrilled at the idea, but Elliot fidgets, suddenly fully aware that they’re going to be performing 𝙞𝙣 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙖𝙣 𝙖𝙪𝙙𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚.

As soon as Felix and Isaac walk through the front door, Nicole jumps on her feet, barely glancing at Simon. Music has become an important part of the crew. It was always a safe place for Elli and being able to share it with them means a lot, more than he knows how to express it with his words.

However, Felix is having trouble focusing today, even more than usual and seriously disturbing everyone else. Isaac looks up at him, knowing he won’t stop until his point is made. For Elli, it does make sense. Finding a name band is mandatory, and Felix’s way of thinking about it makes sense.

Isaac lets himself sink to the floor, rubbing his face, exhausted by Felix. But he has to admit, Felix's idea makes sense given who they are, their personalities, and the fact that they look out for each other. And if even Nicole agrees with Felix… 𝘿𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝 𝙗𝙮 𝙇𝙤𝙮𝙖𝙡𝙩𝙮 it is.

Elliot finally chases everyone out of the living room, and the small group settles down quietly to give each other their gifts. Everyone picked someone ‘ randomly’, but Elliot found himself very practically offering a gift to Nicole. But the tensions between the two exes are now long forgotten.

Everyone managed to find a gift that was perfectly suited to the recipient. Nicole gives Isaac a journal so that he can finally write down all the songs that pop into his head, while Isaac gives Felix a box of mochi, which Felix is already ready to eat it all.

Felix found himself with the difficult task of finding a gift for his best friend. Elliot isn't picky, on the contrary, but buying something for someone who already has everything is never easy. And even if Elliot likes the gift… he obviously already has one at home.