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stories-sometimes · 4 years

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I’ve Made A Huge Mistake {4/?}

Peter Parker x Reader, Quentin Beck x Reader

Summary: Peter just wanted to enjoy his trip to Europe, maybe even confess his feelings to his best friends.But along came a mysterious new hero to ruin those plans. Peter and his class are aged up and in college.

Warnings: Violence in later chapters, manipulation, age gap

Word Count: 1893

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The holiday became a whole lot less fun overnight. Originally it was meant to be a break for Peter, away from being a superhero, away from avenging, away from all his responsibilities. But, like always, some otherworldly being came and fucked that all up for him. And Peter was supposed to confess his feelings for her in some romantic candle-lit restaurant in Venice, or at the top of the Eiffel Tower. But Beck came along, swept her off her feet and fucked that all up for him. Even though Fury had said he didn’t have to join the mission, Peter knew, in the back of his head, that some way or somehow he would get dragged into the situation again. There would be another world-ending threat that would inevitably pop up in another city, one that Peter couldn’t ignore.

The two of them returned from Fury’s base in the early hours of the morning. She was incredibly giddy, a grin plastered across her face for the whole journey. He’d seen her get like this before, the time her 8th-grade crush asked her to the winter dance, or when Peter scored them tickets to a Star Wars premiere. It was the most beautiful expression Peter could ever be graced with - when he caused it he felt on top of the world, when another guy caused it he fell into a pit of jealousy. He tried his best to be happy for her, she was over the moon, Beck seemed like a good guy. He didn’t control her, he had no right to dictate who she could and couldn’t date. But he just couldn’t, he could never feel content if she was with someone else. So he let her talk about this perfect guy, acknowledging her ramblings just enough to not be rude: because that’s what a best friend does. And he’d rather be her friend than be nothing at all.

“Are you sure you’re good?” Peter asked Ned the next morning as they waited for the bus.

“Seriously, don’t worry, getting tranqued by Nick Fury is probably the coolest thing to ever happen to me.” Ned reassured him, way too positive about getting knocked out. Peter laughed nervously at his response.

“I’m just happy I don’t have to go to Prague.” Peter said as they absentmindedly did their handshake.

“Good news,” Mr Harrington said, bursting out of the hotel door, “we’re going to Prague.” He announced.

“Prague?” Peter asked, along with a few of the other students. Of course Fury would interfere.

“Yeah, tour company upgraded us. You should've heard me on the phone with them. I really gave them hell. All I heard was crying.” The teacher continued as a much bigger, sleeker black bus turned the corner. “Look, our upgraded ride.”

“Peter, what’s going on?”

“I think Nick Fury just hijacked our vacation.” One of the agents Peter saw last night stood outside the bus, purposely ignoring Mr Harrington’s feeble attempts at an introduction.

Once the group was on the bus Peter pulled out the case Fury gave him the night before. He opened it to reveal a pair of glasses, identical to the ones Mr Stark used to wear. Peter stared at them, unsure whether to feel happy at the sight of them or to burst into tears over his late-mentor. A note on the front read ‘For the next Tony Stark, say EDITH’. He read it aloud as he placed them on his face.

“Stand by for a retinal and biometric scan.” The glasses lit up. Peter watched curiously as a model of his face appeared in front of his eyes. “Scan accepted.”

“Hello?” Peter asked, a series of questions filling his head.

“Hello, Peter. I am EDITH, Tony Stark's augmented-reality security and defence system. I have access to all of Tony's protocols.” The AI explained.

“Cool.” Really Peter, he thought to himself, even with all the questions spirling in his mind all he could say was cool.

“Would you like to see what I can do? EDITH stands for “Even dead, I’m the hero.” Tony loves his acronyms.”

“Yeah, he did.” Peter laughed affectionately. At least he could have this link to the late, great Iron Man.

“I have access to the entire Stark Global Security network including multiple defence satellites as well as back doors to all major telecommunication networks.” She continued to fill him in. Peter glanced around the bus, multiple views of people’s phone screens popping up. It ranged from students begging their parents for more money to Mr Dell searching up witchcraft. So much for science professors.

“Is she texting Beck?” Peter asked before he fully realised what he was saying, “no, no, that wrong.” He said, sinking down into his seat. He had to respect her potential relationship, no matter how much it pained him. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Betty and Ned sat next to each other, repeatedly texting ‘I miss you’ to each other. He grimaced at how completely cliche they were. The bus soon pulled into a village centre, allowing a quick toilet break. Flash left first, filming a video as he continued his attempts for insta fame. Peter got off last, only being able to step off the bus before he was stopped and instructed to go into a building opposite from him. Inside stood a tall blonde woman dressed near-identically to the agent driving their bus.

“Hi, I’m Peter.” He introduced himself nervously.

“Close the door.” She said firmly, her Eastern-European accent thick. He turned, immediately obeying her, honestly slightly intimidated by her. “Take off your clothes.”

“Excuse me.” Not exactly where he had expected that to go.

“You told Fury Spider-Man cannot be seen in Europe. So I made you this, another suit.” She handed him an all-black suit.

“Um, thanks. I’m sure it fits fine.” He replied awkwardly.

“Take off your clothes.” She said bluntly.

“Okay,” He whispered, unzipping his pants and pulling them down, “this is embarrassing.” He tried to alleviate some of the tension. Suddenly Flash walked into the building. His face went pale, scared he would assume the worst.

“Damn Parker, you got a hooker, didn’t think you had it in you.” Flash joked, taking a picture of the scene in front of him before walking back outside. The woman pulls out a gun, aiming it carefully at the back of Flash’s head.

“No, no, no, please don’t shoot,” Peter said in a panic as he made the agent lower her gun. “I’ll sort it out.” He grabbed the new suit, and ran out of the building, pulling his pants back up as he did so. “Flash, Flash, stop!”

“Honestly Parker, I can’t tell if I should make fun of you or congratulate you. That takes a lot of balls.” He continued to laugh.

“That, that wasn’t what it looked like.”

“Then what was it?” Peter opened his mouth, attempting to respond, but nothing came out. He ended up opening it and closing it over and over again, looking like some fish stuck on the land.

“Exactly.” Flash replied, walking towards the bus, “Wait,” he turned back, a smirk on his face, “What do you think she’d think about this?”

“What do you mean?” Peter asked cautiously.

“That her best friend, little Penis Parker, is secretly a perv.” Flash smiled as somehow more colour drained from his face. “Bet she’d love that.” He said, stepping onto the bus. Peter panicked, running back to his seat and shoving EDITH onto his face.

“Hey Peter, how can I help you?” Peter began to mumble an explanation, “I’m having difficulty hearing.” EDITH responded.

“There’s this guy, Flash Thompson, he’s got this photo of me and -”

“Is Flash Thompson a target?”

“A target?” Peter turned to see Flash, he had the picture up, ready to send the photo to the rest of his class. He knew he could tell her the truth about the situation, she’d understand, but still, he wanted to keep her from seeing it. “Yeah, he’s a target.”

“Target confirmed, initiating strike.”

“Initiating what now?” Peter asked, sitting up slightly straighter in his seat. Peter watched a map appear in front of his eyes showing an attack drone being released from a Stark satellite. “Shit.” He immediately stood up, out of his seat. He made his way over to where Flash was sat, all while keeping an eye on the ever-nearing drone.

“Cool glasses Parker,” Flash said, grabbing them off Peter’s face, “when d’you become so rich.”

“Flash, please, give ‘em back.” Peter went to take them back but Flash kept batting his hands away. “Flash, I’m serious.” He said, going for Flash’s face, accidentally knocking him out in the process. Peter stepped back, shocked. Sometimes he forgot his own strength. He brushed it off, sliding the glasses back onto his face. “I’m so sorry, EDITH don’t kill Flash.”

“Peter do you want me to call off the drone strike on Flash.” The AI asked.

“Did you just punch Flash?” A classmate asked at the same time.

“No.” Peter answered quickly. But EDITH had mistaken that for him answering her question.

“He’s knocked out.” Another shouted.

“Look, baby mountain goats.” Peter pointed out the window, successfully distracting the group. As the drone went to fire Peter jumped up, pushing through the roof window, shooting his webs out. Luckily for him enough were caught on the drone to disable it, making it crash down the mountain beside them. He landed, terrified anyone saw what he’d just done and how close he’d come to killing a classmate.

“Peter, I know you think we haven’t noticed,” Betty began causing Peter’s eyes to widen, “but your new look, I love it. Right babe?”

“Yeah, it’s super classy.” Ned agreed. Peter let out a sigh of relief, collapsing into a seat next to his other best friend.

“What the hell was that?” She scolded him before he could properly relax.

“I may or may not have almost killed Flash.” He was slightly worried that he had pissed her off as she continued to stare dumbfoundedly at him. Soon he was reassured by her bursting out laughing.

“You’re a fucking idiot Peter.”

“Well, you know -”

“No, no, you are genuinely the biggest dumbass I’ve ever met. How did you ever do that?”

“Um, these,” He took off the glasses, handing them to her, “they’re what Mr Stark gave me. Turns out saying someone's target sets a military level drones on them.” She couldn’t stop laughing. “I’m sure he’d be real proud of me.”

“Don’t,” Her voice turned more serious, “he obviously trusted and believed in you so much. And he’s hardly someone who never made mistakes. He’s the least perfect avenger, and still, he achieved more than anyone else in the world could even dream of. He would’ve expected to make hundreds of mistake and fuck up time and time again. But he wouldn’t have given you these if he think you could clean up all those messes.”

“Thanks.” He whispered a slight confidence boost after that little speech.

“I’m serious,” she said, resting her head on his shoulder, “you’re pretty fucking awesome Parker.” And there was the ego boost. They stayed there in comfortable silence for a while, both perfectly content. Not long after she began to uncontrollably laugh again. “You almost killed Flash fucking Thompson.”

@cool-ontherun-world

@eleventhdoctorsangel

@chubby-tink

@eridanuswave

#peter parker #peter parker x reader #peter parker imagine #peter parker x you #peter parker x original character #quentin beck #quentin beck x you #quentin beck x reader #quentin beck imagine #marvel fic #ive made a huge mistake #mysterio x reader #mysterio #mysterio imagine #spiderman #spiderman far from home

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lostsoulobsidian · 4 years

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She likes detective stories

ElongSue fanfic, Ralph Dibny/Sue Dearbon (kind of, implied I guess). The Flash CW

After an interview with Sue’s former boyfriend, Ralph thinks about her and he's shocked to notice he's starting to see her as something else than a case.

It hadn't been easy, getting an appointment with Mr. Wladon. He was quite busy, being the head, in Washington, of the consulate of Modora, a tiny but wealthy republic in Eastern Europe.

He was also the man whom Sue Dearbon had had her most serious relationship with, according to her parents.

Ralph had had to call to the consulate several times, but his secretary kept giving him the round around, because he was a nobody, until he decided to throw discretion away and say it was about Sue’s disappearance. After that, the secretary rushed to call him back to make an appointment.

Once he was, at last, at his magnificent (and maybe a bit pretentious) office, he got to study the guy. Bito Wladon was a handsome, well dressed and dark-haired man, with a fancily trimmed beard and almost as tall as Ralph himself. Obviously, that young lady was used to have only the finest in everything - clothes, jewels... and boyfriends.

"Mr. Dibny". He greeted, extending his hand to him; his English had a weird accent. "My secretary informed me that you want to talk about Susan Dearbon. I-I didn't know she was missing. I thought she was on a trip across Europe''.

Sue's parents had spread that excuse around for all the not-so-close friends, relatives and acquaintances for the sake of discretion. Starting a nationwide search when she could have just fled for her own will would have entailed a scandal for both the Dearbons and Sue herself.

"When was the last time you saw Miss Dearbon?"

"In July of last year, when we broke up. We went separate ways since then."

He sharpened his senses. Being dumped is a good motive for revenge.

"I know this could be a little personal to ask, but why did you break your relationship? Was it a mutual decision or...?”

Wladon seemed embarrassed but answered anyway.

"She did break up, but it was my fault. I... proposed to her, I think before she was ready. Maybe I scared her. She said she was sorry but didn't want to tie herself down to anyone."

"Sorry to hear it", Ralph tried to sound sympathetic.

"I knew she didn't believe in marriage, but I had to try. She is the most amazing woman in the world, and I would have been the luckiest man if she had accepted me. But I doubt there’s someone so lucky. She never got too attached to anyone. She’s a free spirit".

For some reason, Ralph started to feel uneasy.

"Do you know if she had enemies, anyone who would want to harm her for some reason..."

"I don't think she has enemies; she is the kind of person who everybody likes. But she might have gotten into trouble".

"Trouble?", Ralph raised his eyes from his notebook. "Could you explain that?"

"Well, she has a thing for detectives".

He blinked in confusion.

"I beg your pardon?"

"I mean, she likes detective stories, mysteries. With passion. She has read all the books about mystery and crimes, and has watched every movie and show with detectives, especially the noir genre. Though her favorite are the ones of The Thin Man series."

"The Thin Man?"

"Yes. You know, the classic films with William Powell and Myrna Loy. They are her favorite movies."

"The Thin… all right". Ralph wrote the title on his notebook. He didn't know whether it would be useful but knowing his target's thoughts and preferences could help him to track her steps.

"She liked this detective thing so much that she liked to play it in the real life. She used to think her life as a mystery, adventurous story; and see herself as a detective amateur."

"Like Nancy Drew, you would say?", Ralph pointed out.

"Sort of", Wladon nodded with a smile. "She used to see hints for crimes or conspiracies everywhere and liked to follow the tracks she considered to be the most important, like it was an actual investigation", he recalled. "Her friends and I didn't mind that hobby of hers, it was one of her little eccentricities that made her so special. But now I think she might have run into something dangerous. Maybe, a real crime."

"I see", Ralph answered. "Do you remember something she could have said about those so-called 'investigations' of hers? Anything remarkable?"

"I don't know, she liked to follow up so many seeming clues... I remember once she told me she thought there was a dark, criminal organization wherein the highest echelons were involved. I didn't pay her much attention; she was always with those conspiracy theories. I'd wish I had listened to her so I could provide you with more details. I don't know whether she was right or wrong, but I couldn't forgive myself if something has happened to her."

Should he follow up on that "dark organization" track? Maybe he should gather more information from other sources. Until that, it seemed too vague for centering his investigation on it.

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that. Thank you for your time, Mr. Wladon."

Ralph was quite sure that Bito Wladon was not responsible in Sue Dearbon's disappearance. Husbands, boyfriends (including former husbands or boyfriends) ... used to be the first suspects when a woman went missing, and usually not without a reason. Ralph's instincts didn't use to fail him. He used to know, just looking into the suspect's eyes, whether they were innocent or guilty. Many times, the husband or boyfriend was the culprit, like Regan Gimlin.

But that was not the case. Wladon's eyes didn't show guilt nor fear. He seemed to be ambitious and condescending, sure, and there was something in his eyes that Ralph didn't like, but he felt it had nothing to do with Sue. He seemed truly worried about her, maybe a bit more than worried. If he had to, Ralph would had bet that he was still in love with her.

Maybe he didn’t like him simply because he was a politician. Ralph had never liked politicians.

He turned to leave, but Wladon called him:

"Mr. Dibny?"

"Yes?" He turned again to him.

"Please find her and make sure she's safe".

"I will", he promised.

His suspicions were correct: Wladon still loved his ex-girlfriend and couldn’t cope with having lost her. Ralph couldn't blame him, though. He would have felt the same if he were in his place. Not that he would have the chance of knowing how it would be like, ever. He never was able to make work his relationships with regular girls, so a top-class one like Sue Dearbon would never even look at him.

That night, he looked again into the file of his case. He took a photo of his target and looked to it for a while. It was a pretty recent one, maybe from a couple of months before she went missing.

He had to admit she was quite attractive. No, she was gorgeous: her dark hair framed an angel face, and she had beautiful blue eyes and a cheerful, sweet smile. Her features were classy and somehow fragile, the kind that made you want to wrap her in your arms forever, to protect her. And something in her eyes was inviting and defying at the same time.

"A free spirit", Wladon had said.

The kind of girl who could drive any man crazy.

The kind of girl who could become any man's dream.

"She has a thing for detectives..."

He shook his head. What the heck was he thinking? Those thoughts were out of character for him. He was a professional, and she was his target. Nothing more.

He would have to be careful or would end up like the guy from that classic movie he watched ages ago... Laura, it was called. In that movie, a detective investigates the murder of a pretty, classy woman (not very different of Sue Dearbon), and he obsesses so much over her that he ends up falling in love with her memory...

(Later, it was revealed that she's alive, but that was not the point).

Sue Dearbon was not dead, he could feel it. She was alive somewhere, but she surely was in trouble, like Wladon said. Why else had she vanished with no trace, nor telling a thing to her worried parents.

She was alive somewhere, waiting to be found. Waiting to be rescued.

And he was the right person to do it.

"She likes detective stories"...

He searched for The Thin Man first movie and found it in one of those TV on demand channels. The main characters, played by Powell and Loy, were Nick and Nora Charles, a married couple who investigated mysteries together. The story was a little predictable and Ralph solved the crime much before the end of the movie, but he liked it. It was quite funny, and the Charles' relationship was couple goals.

But later, when he went to sleep, he had quite a weird dream. He was in The Thin Man universe, he was Nick Charles, and Sue Dearbon was Nora, his wife. And, just like the Charles, they lived an adventurous life, investigating mysteries together. And they were madly in love.

He woke up abruptly, sweating on his futon. Even more than usual.

"What the..." he muttered astonished. "Stop with this nonsense, Ralphie. Now", he ordered himself.

That dream was totally stupid, of course. But somehow it made appear a strange feeling of longing in Ralph's soul that didn't go away for a long time.

TRIVIA:

Bito Wladon, in DC comics, is the ruler of Modora and the villain Sonar. In The Elongated Man miniseries (1992) he's the main antagonist and in Justice League Europe issues #46 to #50 he even tries to steal Sue away from Ralph to make her his consort.

It is stated that Ralph and Sue Dibny characters are inspired in Nick and Nora Charles, from The Thin Man book (by Dashiell Hammett, 1934) and its subsequent film adaptations, starring William Powell and Myrna Loy.

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artificialqueens · 5 years

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Beneath the Amber Moon, Part 5 (Galactica AU Group Fic) – TheDane & Veronica

Heyyy!! Welcome to Part 5 of “Beneath the Amber Moon,” a group fic set in the Galactica Universe. Click here for previous chapters.

We hope you’re enjoying it! Let us know what you think!

Summary: Day 4. All aboard for champagne wishes and caviar dreams...

/////

Fame looked out on the deck of the superyacht, pride momentarily filling her chest. Everything was perfect, from the precisely iced champagne to the decadent crackers with caviar to the hand plucked organic strawberries and the almost naughty pure chocolate cake she had selected for dessert. Fame had even saved an outfit for the occasion, her new Hermes set in white linen and the lovely goose egg sized sapphire earrings Patrick had given her sending just the right vibe of chic, without it being overdone and redundant.

Bianca looked as she always did, and while Fame was a little disappointed, it was also fully expected that Bianca hadn’t dressed up. Her friend boarded in what she always chose for any tropical adventure, a bright patterned caftan that was almost insulting with its colors.

The waiters handed out champagne, and Bianca took a sip, a smile playing on her lips. Karl had gotten the memo, the man showing up looking like he had just stepped out on the beach on the French Riviera, Sutan and Violet also looking appropriately done up. Fame hadn’t known what she had expected from Violet on the trip, the black haired woman never great company. Even though she was amongst the people Fame generally favored, on this trip she could just as well have been invisible.

Alaska and Jinkx showed up next, Jinkx looking radiant in a red bathing suit that was both age appropriate, and that matched perfectly with her sarong and the delightful emerald on her hand. Alaska was also decked out, the blonde wearing more and more jewels, but unlike Raven, Alaska had a sense of taste and Fame congratulated herself once again on hiring Alaska back when she had been nothing but a just out of college mess. Alaska had grown up to be beautiful, and while Raja and Raven walked on, kids in tow, Fame to give Raven that she was beautiful, that had never been up for discussion, but the Russian was practically dripping with jewels, her lilac getup clearly there to show off her tan and the body that once again looked physically flawless, having spent hours with a trainer.

“Welcome, welcome.” Fame smiled, Juju and Detox of course arriving second to last, but Fame had gotten used to it. Life with kids really seemed so dreadfully inconvenient. “Please treat yourself to the spread!” Fame gestured at an array of luxury treats flown in for the cruise.

Fame heard Karl snort, and she barely kept from rolling her eyes. She was happy she had picked some of the more attractive male staff for the cruise, Karl somehow becoming even more of a man-eater after Sutan had moved to Paris, which didn’t make sense, but who she to judge.

“I can’t wait to spend two days in total luxury with my dearest friends to celebrate, well, me!” Fame smiled, her eye catching on Adore who looked like her usual mess, Courtney on her arm, and Fame sighed, accepting that Adore’s favorite accessory was there as well.

After a toast, Fame took everyone on a grand tour, making sure they knew where the various bars and lounges were, the beautiful guest suites where they’d be sleeping, the wave pool and jacuzzis, the sauna and spa, the movie theatre and library. She directed Raja and Raven’s nannies to the large, colorful playroom outfitted with everything the kids could possibly want, including a wide array of child-friendly snacks and their own personal steward. Julia and Owen immediately voiced their resounding approval, shooing their parents from the room so that they could go nuts.

Fame led the rest of the group back to the breakfast spread on the upper deck. Juju (who procured a phone from her bra the moment Fame looked away, an emergency going on at her salon) and Violet set up camp in one of the interior lounges. Fame had gotten used to Violet’s sour disposition, the poor girl still looking like she wished she was anywhere but in Brazil. She let them be, noting to one of the stewards to be sure to check on them often.

/////

Courtney took a deep breath. She didn’t want to round the corner, but she knew she had to. It wouldn’t do at all to keep avoiding Bianca’s friends, and so she steeled her nerves and walked out onto the sun deck.

“Well well well, what have we here!” Sutan whistled, looking at Courtney in her golden bikini. “If you don’t mind me stating my professional opinion Miss Act, you’re looking like fucking perfection. Karl, have you seen her ass?”

Karl pulled down his sunglasses, straightening his back a little. “She has cleaned up quite nicely.”

“... Thanks?” Courtney offered a wary smile, letting Karl catch her by the hand and pull her into a lounger beside him.

“Something’s different about your face, too.” He studied her intently for a moment before snapping his fingers. “You’re not overplucking your eyebrows anymore. You look a million times better. An inspiration. Have you had your ass measured lately?”

Sutan laughed, pushing Karl. “Save that for Milano, my friend.” Sutan moved, sitting at the foot of Karl’s lounger and handing Courtney a nearby glass of champagne Karl was drinking. He himself was having a bottle of beer.

“How do you feel about Asia?” Karl asked.

“Uh...Free Tibet?”

“No, for work!” Sutan laughed. “You’re basically every marketing department’s wet dream right now. Look at you. You’re bright, bubbly, the all-American-”

“Australian, remember?”

“-Dream, a mature mind in the body of someone who’s so healthy they practically glow.” Sutan smiled. “How do you feel about partial nudity?”

“You would be perfect.” Karl took a sip of his champagne. “The market is oversaturated with garbage from Russia right now.”

“Hey!”

Karl laughed, raising his glass to Raven in the jacuzzi. “It’s a fashion catastrophe waiting to happen. Global warming is kicking in, but instead of CO2, it’s 14-year-olds from Eastern Europe getting fucked by their managers and being dumber than dirt.”

“What are you guys talking about?” Raja looked at them in confusion. “Why haven’t I heard of this?”

“America is so last year sister dearest.” Sutan smiled. “Haven’t you heard? Asia is the place to be if you want to make serious buck.”

“As I’ve been telling everyone for years, but no, we only start believing me when Sutan moves to Paris to follow his dick.”

“I think what Karl is trying to say, very unsuccessfully,” Sutan rolled his eyes, a smile playing on his lips. “Is that there would be incredible career opportunities for you right now in Asia. Judy Hua from China has sent feelers out about a face for her newest collection, and someone like you could-”

“Judy Hua? Courtney is a Guo Pei girl if there ever was one. Act, don’t you even dare consider signing with Elite. They’re a terrible agency.”

“Terrible? We’re the best in the business.”

“Just because you write something, doesn’t mean it’s true.”

Courtney sat back, slightly overwhelmed. This was the most attention she’d ever gotten from either man, and she wasn’t exactly sure how she felt about it. On the other hand, they were both very good at their jobs, both clearly with business on the brain, so maybe she should be listening to them.

Sutan laughed. “Excuse me, what agency discovered and represented Cindy Crawford, Raven Petruschin, Linda Evangelista, Iman, Raja Gemini and Naomi Campbell?”

“You can’t name your own sister.”

“Oh, what’s the sound of that? That’s the sound of you having a 20% transfer rate last season.”

Karl rolled his eyes, turning to Courtney. “If you ever feel like making money off of those 32B’s, don’t go with him.”

“... How do you know my cup size?”

“A lucky guess.” Karl smiled, his eyes glinting with delight.

“Secret of the trade Courtney darling.” Sutan swept in, clearly sensing her discomfort. “Any agent worth their salt has to be able to guess that you’re 5’5, have Swedish or Danish somewhere in your bloodline, maybe mixed with just a little bit of Spanish-”

“Portuguese, how did you-”

“See.” Sutan smiled. “It’s not really that hard.” Sutan looks her up and down. “You’re... What would you say Karl? 115?”

“115- or actually. Courtney. Flex please.” Courtney did as requested, and Karl laughed. “No my man, that’s 117 of Supergirl-made muscles.”

Bianca strode over, hand on her hip, having walked in on only the tail end of the conversation, but already irritated by it.

“Hey!” she barked. “Will you two fuckheads stop objectifying her?”

There was a brief pause, and then everyone - Karl, Sutan, Raja, and Raven, burst out laughing, mocking Bianca mercilessly.

“You fucking hypocrite!”

“Sorry for stepping on your toes, there, B!”

“I guess you’re the only one allowed to objectify pretty blondes, eh?”

“We’re not trying to fuck her, for Christ’s sake…”

Bianca glowered, not quite willing to admit the grain of truth in what they were saying. Courtney was the only one not laughing, meeting Bianca’s eyes and giving her a sympathetic smile. And maybe the look went on a little too long, because Bianca began to feel that familiar tingling, finally breaking off the eye contact.

Courtney bit her lip. And when Bianca pulled off her caftan to reveal a sexy, figure-hugging black one-piece, she inhaled sharply. Fuck, she looked good.

“Court! Come here, boo!”

Courtney looked up to where Adore was calling her, scrambling to her feet and hurrying over, relieved for the interruption, muttering, “Thank god…”

Bianca watched her go, a twinge of regret in her belly.

“Happy now? You scared her off,” Bianca said, and Sutan laughed.

“Come on, B, you must get where we’re coming from. That girl is a gold mine.”

“You’re gross,” Bianca grumbled, leaning back in her chair.

“It’s literally our job to scout talent, Bianca. You just do it for fun,” Karl teased.

“True. Why don’t we just parade a bunch of girls in front of you two assholes and you can rate them on marketability?”

“Know what?” Sutan said thoughtfully. “That’s actually not a bad idea…”

/////

“Do you need any help?”

Juju looked up from her phone, surprised at the gentle tone of Violet’s voice.

“You seem anxious.”

Juju smiled, Violet’s concern so kind. Violet did look a little better, but Juju’s mother's heart had a hard time not worrying about her. If it wasn’t for Sutan’s reassurance, and the pictures she had seen of Violet’s work in Paris, she would be genuinely concerned for the girl.

“My holiday replacement just messed up our orders.” Juju sighed. “It landed in New Jersey of all places and my entire staff has their thumbs up their ass, so now I have to find a courier.” Juju blew a bit of her hair aside, the strand falling into her face. “For such an expensive resort, you’d think their wifi at sea would be better.”

“I still know the number to a great courier company.”

“You do?”

“Mmh.” Violet reached out, holding her hand open. “I can call them if you want?”

Juju gave Violet her phone, a bright smile blossoming on her face. “You’re a lifesaver, Violet.”

/////

“Come here, Gracie!” Alaska cooed, holding out her arms, waiting for Grace to go down the slide.

Jinkx sat nearby with Owen and Julia, patiently teaching them how to fold an origami balloon while simultaneously playing peek-a-boo with Tanya in her nearby high chair. Isolde was wandering around the room unsteadily, trailed by her nanny.

Alaska strolled over with Grace in her arms, bending down to kiss Jinkx on the top of the head.

“Auntie J, is this right?” Julia held up her origami, and Jinkx nodded.

“Yeah, looks great! Just make sure you get the corner sharp…” she pressed down, showing Julia how to make the crease.

“No! Isolde! NO!” Owen yelled as a chubby little hand reached out to grab his paper crane, stuffing it into her mouth. Her nanny scooped her up apologetically, the sound of her shrieks echoing off the walls of the playroom. Her screaming set off Tanya, who began to wail out of either sympathy or competitiveness.

“We can make another one,” said Jinkx, seeing Owen’s lip quivering, giving him a reassuring hug. “Look, let’s use this cool blue striped paper!”

“Those babies are very naughty,” Julia explained to Jinkx, who smiled.

“They’re still learning,” Jinkx said. “I’m sure someday they’ll be as wonderful as you guys.”

Julia raised an eyebrow, the move so like her mother that Jinkx almost burst out laughing.

“Maybe,” she said, and Jinkx grinned.

“I guess we’ll see.”

/////

Adore let out a frustrated groan, peering through the glass at her girlfriends in the playroom.

“What’s wrong?” Courtney asked her.

“I’m so conflicted. Cause I really wanna play with those legos but I don’t want to make Alaska start awwwing again about how good I am with children.”

“You’re not that good with children,” Courtney said. “It’s just that you are a child.”

“Yes! Exactly! Thank you…” Adore sighed. “Why does that room look so fun? Omigod they have mini pizzas. I’m so jeal.”

“I mean, we could play with the kids and eat mini-pizzas...or, we could go to that empty bar over there and drink mimosas and I can tell you about how I almost jumped Bianca’s bones a few minutes ago.”

“Yes! Let’s do that!” She wrapped her arms around Courtney’s waist and pulled her, giggling, into the bar.

/////

“Wow!” Raven let out a gasp of delight as they disembarked from the yacht. An absolutely stunning private beach lay ahead, with what Raven could tell even from afar was an elaborate lunch spread set up for them. She took Violet’s hand, excited that the younger woman was finally joining them, thrilled to have the chance to catch up with her. They had barely seen each other on the trip so far, which Raven had every intention of making up for. Fortunately, Raja and the nannies were handling her girls, which left her free to enjoy the afternoon, and her friends, and the warm sunshine.

“Fame! This looks marvelous!” Raven called, and Fame turned back to her, beaming.

“Just a little light lunch,” she said with a wink. “A meal amongst friends.”

Raven laughed, clearly seeing the various stations with chefs in white coats standing by to cook food to order.

“Yes, of course, just a casual little beach picnic.”

Violet let out a small giggle, shaking her head, and Raven grinned at her, the sound making Raven’s heart clench.

“What looks good to you, Vi? Ooh, look, he’s ready to grill fresh fish for us! Don’t you like Butterfly fish?”

“I do.”

“Uuh, there’s stuffed crab shells too!” Raven pulled Violet with her, Violet’s hand gripping Raven’s tighter and tighter. “Don’t worry, I’ll order for you.”

Violet nodded, thankful that her brief panicked grip of her friend's hand had been read if she was worried about ordering, when she was truly struggling to not vomit everywhere. Raven started piling their plates, Violet once in a while pointing at something Raven made the waiter staff add. The two women found a place near the water, Violet not touching the fish Raven had picked out for her, the scent of the fish making her even more nauseous than the seaweed from the day before, but she kept her lips tightly together, not wanting to ruin the moment. However, Violet didn’t need to worry, Raven not even noticing as she chatted away, happily filling Violet in on everything that had happened since the last time they had seen each other.

/////

“Is there something on my face?”

Raja looked over at Karl, touching her cheek since her friend had been watching her with a wry smile the entire lunch. Raja had both twins on her lap, Tanya making her way through a plate of mangos with the determination only a toddler could have, while Isolde needed help with the tiny bites of chicken Raja had been able to find in the buffet. It was glorious to spend this much time with her babies, Raja often missing entire days of the twins’ lives if they weren’t already up when she went to work.

“Don’t worry.” Karl smirked. “You’re handling motherhood much more gracefully than Juju did.”

“Oh shut up.” Raja laughed. Juju had been a mess for the first few years after Kelly had been born, but there was a world of difference of being a mother in your early 20’s, to having your first baby at 44. Raja had expected Karl to look away, to go back to whatever he was doing, he and Patrick sitting next to each other and often getting into the longest debates about the stupidest things, but this time, Karl continued watching her.

Raja was used to her friend’s attention, though it had grown to become less and less as they got older. The man used to stare at her, unashamed, in a way he had never looked at Sutan when they were most alike. Raja had worn her hair like her brother for a few months years and years ago, and in that period they had even made out a few times when Karl was particularly drunk. Raja had done it for the fun of utterly messing with a friend, the thrill of gaining leverage she knew she could use later, while Karl had moaned Sutan’s name against her lips.

“It’s your own hair, right?”

Raja smiled, flipping her long grey locks over her shoulder. “What are you planning, Mr. Westerberg?” Raja’s hair was indeed her own, and it was a matter of pride for her. Raven loved it as well, her wife almost caring more about the health of Raja’s hair than her own.

“Just wondering if you ever get tired of motherhood and work.” Karl took a bite of his food, Raja barely catching the piece of mango that fell from Tanya’s mouth, the little girl stuffing her cheeks way too tight. “It must be so boring to be stuck in an office all day.”

“Unlike you?” Raja smiled, giving Tanya a glass of water. “You’re not being very subtle right now.” Karl was clearly fishing for an answer to whenever or not Raja would ever return to modeling, and she could see why. There had been a recent upswing in older models, the weight of someone like her wearing jewelry or modeling a handbag, even selling cosmetics in the pages of a magazine giving the brand depth and dependability that a 16 year-old face simply could not provide.

“Would you consider it?”

“For the right price.” Raja smirked, knowing fully well that if she even considered accepting, she’d have a wife that would go ape shit, Raven still far from over her days of throwing plates and destroying vases if she was provoked enough. “Court me, and we’ll see.”

“I just might.”

/////

“Having fun?” Sutan put his hand on Violet’s lower back, his girlfriend sitting at the bar, sipping at a ginger ale, which made Sutan pause for a second, Violet usually only favoring the beverage if she was feeling exceptionally under the weather. “Hey, are you feeling okay?”

“I’m fine.” Violet smiled, but Sutan swore he could hear a tiredness in her voice.

“Do you need something?” Sutan pressed a kiss against her hair, the faint scent of lavender calming the worry that was gnawing in his stomach. “I don’t want-”

“I just felt nauseous. It’s already passing.” Violet leaned into his side. “I’m a big girl, remember? I know my limits.”

“Sure you do.” Sutan ran a hand through Violet’s hair, enjoying the closeness.

“Don’t be an asshole.” Violet smiled, though they both knew Sutan was right. “I’m going to go back to the boat.”

“To lay down?”

“To get the sketches I made for Courtney.” Violet had stayed awake for most of the night, working away, the woman pulling pencils and paper from places Sutan hadn’t even imagined they could fit when he had seen her overpacked suitcase, the pile of magazines and clothes taking up all the space.

“Do you want me to go with you?”

“I’m good.” Violet stood up, giving him a brief kiss. “Thank you.” Sutan wanted to protest, but Violet had already left, heading for the dock in her flat summer sandals.

Sutan sighed, rubbing his head. He knew that he shouldn’t worry, but he couldn’t help but feel a little bad about dragging Violet to this humid climate that so obviously didn’t agree with her. However, she had said she was fine, so he would have to trust her. Sutan grabbed another beer and a cocktail from the tray and walked over to sit down beside Bianca.

“I got you a refill.”

Bianca looked up, puzzled.

“Are you trying to get me drunk? Because I don’t think I need to tell you that you’re barking up the entirely wrong tree.”

“God no,” Sutan laughed, pushing the drink closer to her. “So about that panel thing...”

“Are you seriously still thinking about it?”

“It’s not a bad idea.” Sutan smiles.

“Pffft…”

“I’m serious! Like, a model search but with professional critiques?” Sutan said.

“Like in malls? Do those still exist?”

“No! It’s not that- I don’t want it to be like the Elite competition. I always thought that was shit anyway.”

“Fun coming from one of their all-time winners, huh?”

Sutan rolled his eyes. He’d had girls win more times than he could count, but even he knew that it was a bit of bullshit.

“I’m talking about the real deal, Bianca. A show that’s, that’s educating them, getting them booked, showing them what it takes to make it in the business? Like that other show you judge, umh, the one with the designers?”

“Project Runway?”

“Yes!” Sutan takes a swing of beer. “Like that! Project Runway for models, but without the shitty deadlines.”

“We’d need a better name, obviously. Something with models in it. Like, Supermodel.”

“We both know the supermodel died in the 90’s.” Sutan looks at Bianca. “What about.. Star model?”

“You’ve stayed in France too long. Star model, what a shitty fucking name. Even Top Model would be better.”

“Top model! Yes, exactly like that. America’s Next Top Model!” Sutan smiled, punctuating every word with a hand gesture. “I’m just saying Bianca. We could make a killer team, you and I, lend it some credibility.”

“We’ve never worked together on anything, ever.”

“How hard can it be? You have TV experience. And you just said yourself, I know how to pick them. Besides, you know I film well.”

“Debatable, but go on.” Bianca smiled, caught up in Sutan’s words.

“We sweet talk Jinkx, get the capital to shoot a pilot, find some actual brands, hire a few noteworthy photographers. We put them through the ringer - professional level shit, and see who rises to the challenge. Girls turn 18 every day, Bianca.”

“Who would even want to watch that?”

“Everyone who likes to watch gorgeous people suffer, so, essentially, everyone.”

“Hmmm...you’re sick, but you might not be wrong.”

“Cheers to that!” Sutan held up his beer bottle, clinking it against Bianca’s glass.

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perfectlinnamonroll · 7 years

Text

Seeing the Sights [Lin-Manuel & Reader]

Summary: You never thought helping a tourist out would make such an impact on your life.

Word count: 3214

Warnings: a swearword or two, mentions of dragon slaying

Author’s notes: This is a completely platonic piece. No romance. None at all. I wrote it because, as someone eloquently put it, “I just want to be friends with Lin, is that so much to ask?”. This is exactly how my meeting with Lin would go down in a perfect universe. Self-indulgent? You bet. At first I wanted to include a scene where reader tries to teach Lin a bit of their language, but it just didn’t want to fit anywhere. Maybe I’ll post it separately later, since it was pretty hysterical. Polish is a hard language to learn, guys. Also, the reader’s gender neutral! (Just a warning - I’m not a native English speaker, so this might be a little awkward in some places. If you notice any mistakes, please point them out to me!)

“Co podać?” (“How can I serve you?”)

“Miętowe z czekoladą, poproszę” (“Mint and chocolate, please”), you said to the vendor, already excited to taste the sweet treat. It was the nineteenth of May, and that was your first ice cream this year. You always had to be careful about eating frozen food, since you were prone to catching colds, but the air was perfectly warm. An ideal day to enjoy some minty goodness.

You’ve been lucky this semester: no classes on Fridays. At first, you’ve been planning to get some work done, but seeing the pleasant weather outside you decided to get some “you” time. It’s been a while since you’ve taken a break, and your skin was yearning for sunlight.

You strolled down Basztowa Street, observing both people rushing towards the shopping mall and crows hanging around the park on your left. You liked this place; it was right in the heart of Cracow, but it never felt truly crowded, probably thanks to the greenbelt surrounding the Old Town. It was a perfect spot to people watch; something about here made you feel less lonely. Well, at least less than usual.

It was hard, starting university in a whole new city. Even though you were familiar with Cracow before, thanks to many weekend trips, living on your own was still challenging. You found yourself missing your family a lot. Making friends never came easy to you, so most of your free time was spent exploring the city and expanding your Spotify library. Not exactly what you thought life would look like at this point, but it was nice enough. Usually.

You were about to head towards the main square and check out your favourite bookstore when you noticed a man standing nearby and looking around frantically. He was the only stationary person in the smooth flow of pedestrians. That, combined with the lost expression on his face, made him stand out like a sore thumb. Was he lost?

He must have felt you staring, as he caught your eye in a matter of seconds. To your surprise he started walking right towards you. You bristled reflexively; he was definitely older than you, more or less in his mid-thirties. There was no telling what he was about to do.

“Excuse me”, he said, looking at you like you were his last hope. “Do you speak English?”

Oh. Just a tourist, then, you thought, relaxing a bit. It explained why he looked so lost.

“Sure. Can I help you?”

His relief was almost palpable. “Yes, thank you! I’ve been looking for an ATM for like, half an hour already, all those streets look the same and no one I asked was able to guide me…”

His voice sounded vaguely familiar, but you were unable to put your finger on it.

“Oh, okay”, you replied, trying to think of the best way around. “You need to go down this lane,” you gestured to a nearby street, “then turn right, go straight ahead, turn left into the third street you pass, and then the ATM should be right around…”

You stopped, watching the guy. The lost look was back on his face, and you were sure he wouldn’t be able to follow your directions properly. There was no denying that the streets of Cracow could very well be a maze to someone who didn’t know their way around.

“You know what,” you said, “it’ll probably be faster if I just go with you.”

The man brightened at the suggestion.

“Would you? I mean, thank you, but I don’t want to take so much of your time…”

“It’s fine”, you waved your hand. “I don’t really have anything to do right now. Might as well help a guy out.”

You started walking, the guy matching your pace. The silence felt a bit awkward, so you decided to make some small talk on the way.

“So I gather that you’re not from around”, you started. “Just a short visit or are you planning to stay?”

“Nah, I’m only here for a week”, he replied. “A friend invited me. Never been to Eastern Europe before.”

“Do you like it so far?”

“Yes, a lot! It has this… quaint feeling?” He gestured to the tenements around you. “It feels like time travel, a bit. Those buildings are older than my country. It’s incredible.”

“Oh, are you from the US?”, you realised. That’s what his accent suggested, but you weren’t sure before. Most native English speakers sounded more or less the same to your ears, unless they spoke with a heavy drawl.

“Yeah! You ever been there?”

You laughed.

“No, and I don’t think I ever will. Applying for a visa is a pain in the ass.”

The smile on the guy’s face dimmed a little.

“Right, I forgot you guys still have to get visas. That’s a shame.”

You shrugged. “It’s alright. Not really a fan of the US, to be honest.”

“Oh? Why?”

“Well,”, you started, without thinking too much, “your gun laws are ridiculous, for once. You don’t have Kinder Surprise eggs, too, and no paid maternity leave. The country was more or less built on genocide and slavery. Most of your population are kids of immigrants, and yet there’s so much xenophobia and racism. And don’t even get me started on your last elections, that was ridiculous...”

You ended your rant abruptly, realising your mistake a second too late. You didn’t know anything about this guy and you just insulted his home country. In a big way. You knew your inability to shut up would one day put you in big trouble, and it seemed like the day has finally come.

A heartbeat later, however, the man begin to laugh. A wave of relief crashed through you. Thank God he wasn’t offended, or this situation might have become really unpleasant.

“Fair enough”, he said, a trace of laugher still noticeable in his voice. “I can’t say I don’t agree. But there are lots of cool things about America too, you know. Oh, and by the way,” he extended his hand to you, “I’m Lin.”

“Y/N”, you replied, shaking his hand. “Nice to meet you.”

Your little chat was going so well, you didn’t even notice that you managed to arrive at the ATM in the meantime. A part of you was reluctant to leave Lin. You had fun talking to him; it made you feel much less lonely. Still, he was a stranger, and it probably wasn’t like someone more than a decade younger than him would be his ideal company on vacations, anyway.

You accompanied him as he did his withdrawal, making sure he didn’t struggle with operating the ATM. As far as you knew, most of them had the option to switch to English, but they could’ve been different from the US ones.

Things went smoothly, though. As Lin pocketed his cash, you fidgeted a bit.

“So, I guess you’re on your way to check out the rest of the city. Hope you have fun and don’t get lost again”, you said, turning around to leave.

“Wait”, he blurted out. Surprised, you stayed in your spot. “My friend works late tonight, so I’m on my own here, and… would you mind showing me around a bit?”

The request caught you off guard. He actually wanted to spend more time with you? Was this some kind of a trick? He seemed nice, sure, but who knew if he wasn’t actually a thief, or a kidnapper, or just some sort of a creep? Your doubts clashed with the good first impression, and you found yourself unable to find your words.

Lin, noticing your silence, started to fret. “I mean, you don’t know me, and you’re probably busy, it’s fine, I just-“

You took a deep breath. It’s not as if you were in some sort of deserted place, you figured. There were lots of people around; it was unlikely he would try any funny business. And it wasn’t like you had anything better to do, really.

“Sure”, you said, interrupting him. “I, um, have a day off anyway. Didn’t make any plans. So, yeah, if you want to…”

The look of surprise on his face was quickly replaced with a bright smile. “Thanks! So, where to now?”

You showed Lin the Old Town, making sure to point out all the famous landmarks. You didn’t know all that much about the city’s history, but Lin didn’t seem to mind. Everything fascinated him – from the Veit Stoss altarpiece, to Wyspiański’s stained glass windows in St. Francis church, to the Wawel Castle. He seemed to enjoy Polish food, too, which you were adamant he tries at least once. In turn, he insisted on buying some grain to feed the pigeons on the main square, laughing as five of them sat on his shoulders.

It should’ve felt weird, hanging out with a much older guy that you barely knew, but you were really enjoying yourself. Making friends with Lin was easy, and you were glad for his company. It gave you an opportunity to hone your English, as well as see the familiar city with new eyes. And he was just fun - asking interesting questions, constantly joking around, never missing a chance to do something silly and make you laugh.

You were in a souvenir shop, with Lin determined to at least consider buying every tacky thing he laid his eyes upon, when your phone suddenly ringed. “SILENCE! A MESSAGE FROM THE KING!” You reached into your pocket to read your message.

“Nice ringtone”, said Lin in a teasing tone. He was looking at mugs with traditional folk prints, but you could tell his focus suddenly shifted to you for some reason. He looked almost… nervous?

“Thanks”, you said. “It’s my mum’s text notification. Thought it’d be funny. You know Hamilton?”

“Yeah”, he replied somewhat absentmindedly, still eyeing the mugs.

“Well, figures, it’s much more of a thing in the US. Not many people here have heard about it”, you said, pocketing your phone and turning to browse through tote bags.

“So how come you know it?”

“Spotify thought I’d like it, and it was right”, you grinned. “It’s really good. Wish I could see it live.”

“But that’d require travelling to that hated US”, Lin joked.

You shrugged. “Doesn’t matter anyway, I don’t have the cash.”

Lin finally settled on some postcards and a plushie of the Wawel Dragon and you returned to the main square to rest a bit and enjoy the afternoon. It was around six PM, and though there was quite a lot of people, the place didn’t feel crowded. You sat on a fairly secluded bench, watching the horse carriages come and go. The clopping of hooves on the cobblestone was one of your favourite sounds, lulling you into a peaceful state.

You glanced in Lin’s direction, your attention focusing on the green plushie in his bag. It occurred to you that you hadn’t visited the statue on Vistula’s bank. A shame, since it was funny to watch people’s reactions when it started to breathe fire.

“Do you even know the Wawel dragon’s story?”

“There’s a story?”, Lin asked in return, taking the toy out of the bag.

“Oh yeah. Everyone knows it. One of the Polish classics.”

“Well then, would you mind telling me?”

“Okay, so,” you began, “there’s this den under the castle hill, right? In the legendary times of king Krakus, a dragon lived there. It was a nuisance, mostly, setting things on fire, eating livestock, killing people… You know, general dragon-y things. So the king said that whoever killed it would get to marry his daughter. It was a pretty sweet deal, so many valiant knights tried to slay the beast. They all failed, though. By which I mean died.”

Lin giggled.

“Then, one day, instead of another knight, a shoemaker’s apprentice showed up and said he would kill the dragon. He stuffed a sheep skin with sulphur and left it outside the den. The dragon soon found and ate it, and because of the sulphur, it started to feel like it was burning inside. It figured that water should fix this problem, so it went to the Vistula river and started drinking. It drank so much, its belly kept swelling with all the water, and finally it exploded. The apprentice married the king’s daughter and became the next king, and they lived happily ever after.”

“That’s one cool story”, Lin grinned. “Now I’m even more glad I bought the plushie.”

“It’s short and simple, but it’s a good one. And the moral rings true.”

“What moral, exactly? Don’t eat sulphur?”

“Well,” you said, looking at the Sukiennice hall, “Hamilton has basically the same one, doesn’t it? Anyone can become someone, if they’re clever and use their head. A bit cliché, but still relevant.”

You glanced at Lin. He kept staring at the plushie dragon, looking thoughtful.

“Think that’s the message of Hamilton?”

“Well, it’s a complicated story with many possible morals to find, I guess. It’s also about finding your voice, supporting your family, the conflict between patience and drive, about legacy, and knowing when to push on and when to take a break… But the ‘zero to hero’ one seems the most important to me. Hamilton’s story proves that hard work pays off. It says so right in the first verses, right? How does a bastard, orphan… and so on… grow up to be a hero and a scholar? He got a lot farther by working a lot harder, by being a lot smarter, by being a self-starter.”

You started rapping the verses at the end, earning a laugh from Lin. “Hey, that was mean. I know it was probably the whitest rap you’ve ever heard, but I’m trying.”

“No, it was pretty good.”

“I can hear the sarcasm in your voice. Think you can do it better?”

“And what if I can?” Lin’s smirk kept getting bigger.

“Oh, it’s a bet now? Well, I guess I could get you a coffee. But there’s no way you’d do better than my rendition of My Shot.”

“You’re on.”

You got off the bench. The hours you spent rapping along to My Shot were now finally gonna pay off. There was no way you were going to lose this.

You rapped the whole first part, stopping right before Lafayette’s verses. You were quite pleased with yourself: didn’t need to stop for breath, got all the lyrics right… There was free coffee in your near future, and you could almost taste it already.

Lin clapped enthusiastically, grinning at your performance.

“Okay”, you said, sitting down. “Now it’s your turn.”

Lin hesitated for a second. Then he hopped off the bench and stretched his arms, which earned him a laugh. Smirking, he cleared his throat and began rapping, starting at “I imagine death so much it feels more like a memory”.

And your jaw dropped.

He finished after one chorus and looked at you smugly.

You still couldn’t quite believe what your ears were telling you. But there was no mistaking that voice. Now you knew why it sounded familiar from the start.

“So I believe you owe me coffee”, said Lin, still grinning like crazy.

You struggled to find your words.

“That was unfair”, you managed at last.

Lin shrugged. “Never said I was gonna play fair.”

“I can’t believe I didn’t realise earlier.” Now that you knew, it seemed so obvious.

“Can’t believe you listened to it often enough to memorise the lyrics, but never once saw a picture of my face.”

“I was gonna check out a bootleg recording… after my exams.”

“Bootleg? Really?” Lin looked displeased.

“It’s not like I can fly over an ocean to watch it live”, you said defensively.

“Well,” Lin smiled at you. “Why not?”

You stared at him.

“You can’t be serious.”

“I am, though.”

”I still can’t afford the trip, even if you could get me tickets.”

“That’s really not a problem.”

“And why would you do that for me, anyway?” You raised your eyebrows. “I’m just a fan you met at some exotic European country on vacations. And quite a shitty one at that, because I didn’t even recognise you. You’re saying that you’re willing to pay for my plane, a hotel room, my ticket, and then fly me back?”

You couldn’t interpret the look on Lin’s face. Was it… disbelief? Disappointment?

“You’re not just a fan”, he said with a serious voice. “You’re Y/N who helped me find an ATM in this maze. Who agreed to spend their day off with a stranger giving him a tour of their city, free of charge – free of any ulterior motives, in fact. Who showed me all the best places around, fed me great food, told me a local fairytale. Without you, I’d probably waste most of that time on getting lost, and never find half of those amazing things you showed me. So, yeah, I’m willing to fly you to the US. Mostly so I can prove you wrong about that country and make you enjoy your stay as much as I enjoyed today. But also because I’d just like to see you again. I had fun.”

“So… you had fun with a fan?”

Lin groaned. “And they say that rhyming “son” with “sun” was bad.”

“Sorry, I couldn’t help myself”, you grinned. “It’s just… it all seems kinda unreal, you know?”, you gestured in his general direction. “I was just casually enjoying an ice cream this morning, and now Lin-Manuel Miranda is inviting me to the US at his expense. What’s next? Mark Hamill showing up and asking me to be an extra in the new Star Wars?”

Lin laughed.

“Well, if you’d like to, that could be arranged…”

“No”, you interrupted him. “God, no. That’s enough of surreal stuff for one day, thank you very much. Can we… go back to when you were just a nice foreign guy I randomly met? Without all that being famous, my-shows-were-on-Broadway, I-sell-out-theatres stuff?”

Lin’s smile dimmed a little.

“There’s no escaping my celebrity status, eh? Even here, half a globe away.”

You stopped, looking at him. He was right. Even on vacations on a different continent, he had no break from being the Lin-Manuel Miranda.

“I’m sorry”, you said, biting your lip.

Lin shrugged. “Well, it was to be expected. Felt nice, though, being able to be just… Lin. It’s been a long time since I’ve been able to walk around a city and be completely anonymous.”

You fell silent for a moment.

“I’m sorry”, you repeated. “It’s not like you changed in any way in the last twenty minutes. It’s just hard not to look at you differently when I found out you’re the guy I’m listening to on repeat every day. I’ve never met anyone even remotely famous before.”

“It’s fine. If I shut up before and didn’t bring up Hamilton, you probably would never recognise me”, he laughed a little.

“Fair enough. So,” you held out your hand to him. “I suggest we just go back to being Y/N and Lin, unlikely friends bonded by an ATM hunt. What do you think?”

Lin shook your hand with a wide smile.

“Fine by me.”

#lin manuel imagine #lin-manuel imagine #lin imagine #lin x reader #lin manuel x reader #lin-manuel x reader #lmm imagine #lmm x reader #lin & reader #lin manuel & reader #lin-manuel & reader #hamilcast imagine #hamilcast x reader #actual fic

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