You can call me Kloud ✮⋆˙ 20yo ✮ she/they ✮ writer & artist ✮ Multifandom (fandoms listed under the cut!!) ✮ Multishipper ✮ Yume/Selfshipper ✮ AuDhd, anxiety, dyslexia + more
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› Outerbanks
› Heartstopper
› Helluverse (Hazbin Hotel and Helluva boss)
› The Amazing Digital Circus
› Marvel
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⁺‧₊˚ ཐི⋆ What I will write⋆ཋྀ ˚₊‧⁺
› canon x canon
› canon x reader
› canon x oc
› rarepairs
✦•┈๑⋅⋯ ⋯⋅๑┈•✦
› fluff, angst, and hurt/comfort
› sfw with a bit of spice (suggestive, but not explicit)
Summary: Luna, the lead singer of the rising idol band AS-TRAL, has always been a rule follower. She plays by the book to make sure she and her other two members can keep living their dream career. But when a certain man from one of the most popular boy bands in the industry catches her eye, Luna finds herself breaking the very rules she swore to follow.
Chapter 2 - MAMA AWARDS
The ride back to the hotel was tedious. The girls were exhausted, and it made the drive feel much longer than it was. The black van hummed steadily through the night, city lights sliding across the tinted windows in blurred streaks of gold and white. Inside, the usual post-concert chaos had softened. Nova had already kicked her shoes off and was half-sprawled across the seat, head tilted back against the window. Gia was sitting beside them, leaning against the other window. Luna sat across from them, her hoodie pulled over her shoulders. Her hair was still slightly damp at the ends from sweat and styling spray. She stared out the window, watching the city pass in glowing streaks. The adrenaline was gone now, replaced by that familiar ache in her muscles that reminded her she was, in fact, human. Somewhere in the front, Pandora was speaking quietly to the driver.
Luna was so distracted, lost in her own mind, that she didn’t realize that her phone buzzed from her pocket. The vibration startled her. Luna jolted a bit from the scare, then dug into her pocket to find the source of her startle. Luna retrieved her phone and turned it on. The brightness of the screen made Luna squint, her blue eyes already sensitive to the light. She lowered her screen's brightness and then clicked on the notification. A message notification filled her screen, and she smiled subconsciously. Nova noticed immediately.
“Oh my god,” Nova groaned dramatically from across the van, lifting their head just enough to squint at her, “what or who are you smiling at?”
Luna shook her head, “I think you know.”
Nova’s eyes widened, “Oh my GOD!? He texted you???”
“Shh, oh my god, Nova, quiet down- Yes, he texted me,” Luna glanced down at her phone where his message filled the screen
Hey, are you done with your concert?
Luna smiled and typed back,
Yeah, we are almost back to the hotel, thank god
The typing bubble appeared almost instantly. Luna bit her lip as she watched the bubble. Nova made a choking noise that caused Luna to jolt.
“Are you serious? He’s actively texting back?” Nova whisper-yelled, suddenly wide awake. Gaia cracked one eye open beside them, visibly exhausted, “…Who’s texting Luna back?”
“Vayne,” Nova answered immediately.
Gaia shot up in her seat. Luna rubbed the bridge of her nose. “You two are insufferable.”
“You like him,” Nova accused dramatically.
Luna sighed, “I never denied that.”
Gaia snorted softly, rubbing at their eyes, “So is this serious now, or are you still in a ‘situationship’?” Luna cringed at the word and sighed, “I… I don’t know.” Nova stared at the blonde with wide eyes, “You don’t know!? Lun, you’ve been… texting this guy for almost four months!”
“It has not been almost four months.”
“It has almost been four months,” Gaia muttered sleepily.
Another message popped up before Luna could argue back.
Vayne: Good. You’re probably exhausted, your concert ran late. Proud of you, though. The clips online look insane already.
Luna felt warmth bloom in her chest despite how tired she was. Her thumbs hovered over the keyboard for a second longer than necessary. Across from her, Nova was staring at her like they were watching an intense kdrama. “Oh my god,” she whispered, horrified and delighted all at once. Luna shook her head as she thought about how the two met.
Almost four months ago was the MAMA awards, and it was the first year that AS-TRAL was invited, and the trio was buzzing with excitement and nerves. The plan was to get there and perform; if they didn’t win an award, that was fine, just get through the ceremony without mistakes. Or so that’s what Luna was telling herself.
The venue had been packed wall-to-wall with idols, managers, fans, cameras, and flashing lights that made everything feel unreal. Luna still remembered standing backstage in her outfit, fingers tightening around the edge of her jeans while Nova paced like they were about to fight a war, and Gaia repeatedly muttered, “Is this worth the emotional warfare we are going through right now?” Luna inhaled sharply, “This is one of the biggest award ceremonies in Korea… so yes, it will be worth it, just– don’t manifest disasters.” Luna huffed out a quiet laugh. Before anyone was able to respond, Pandora walked in, “If any of you faint on live television, I will personally bring you back to life just so I can kill you again.” Gaia chuckled and flashed a smile at Pandora. Luna inhaled slowly, “No one will faint.” She reassured, but it was more to reassure herself than it was to reassure Pandora. Pandora flipped a page on her clipboard without looking up, “In five minutes, you’re walking. In ten, you’re on stage. In fifteen, you’re either legends… or traumatized.”
“Comforting,” Nova replied flatly, rolling their eyes.
Luna exhaled through her nose, forcing her hands to unclench. Her reflection in the mirror looked too sharp, too polished. Her hair was pulled back, half up and half down, her blonde locks perfectly framing her face.
Then the stage manager called their name. Everything happened so quickly after that. The stage room was massive. The walk felt too short and too long at the same time, like her body couldn’t decide whether to run or freeze. The roar of the audience hit them before they even saw the stage.
Nova let out a low whistle, “Oh. That’s a lot of people.” Gaia’s eyes widened, “yeah–” They breathed. Luna kept quiet by making sure to walk alongside the other two. Before long, the trio was in the main room and finding their seats as the ceremony began.
The auditorium lights dimmed slowly, one section at a time, until the entire venue was cast in darkness. The stage lights turned on in a flash, setting the room in a bright blue and white glow. Luna sat between Nova and Gaia, posture straight, hands folded tightly in her lap so no one would notice how hard she was trying not to shake.
Nova leaned in slightly, whispering, “If I pass out, don’t let me hit the floor.”
“You’re not going to pass out,” Gaia whispered back.
“We got this,” Luna whispered, giving both the younger members a smile.
On stage, the first presenters came out. Applause filled the room, the trio joining in. The girls sat there watching performance after performance before they were called back to appear for their performance. Luna stood up and helped Gaia and Nova up, and they all hurried backstage while the last performers finished their song.
Backstage was loud and chaotic. Managers and workers scattered everywhere, running back and forth.
“I’m not running,” Nova called back over her shoulder, already half-jogging back to the group after getting their inner earpiece and mic in.
Gaia adjusted their in-ear, rolling her shoulders once, “If I fall on national television, just let it happen. It’ll be my legacy.”
Luna straightened out the mesh pieces that were sewn into her shorts and that flowed down around her legs like a skirt. “Our legacy will be kicking ass at this performance,” Luna tried to remain confident. The girls stood on the platform as they listened to the countdown from Pandora in their inner ears. Luna inhaled deeply. Nova grabbed Luna’s hand, Gaia following, and they squeezed hands as the countdown finalized, and the platform began to rise.
Luna stepped forward into the bright lights of the stage. The brightness was so intense it felt like stepping into another world entirely. The opening beat dropped, heavy and electric, and her body moved before her mind could catch up. Everything became motion again just as it did in rehearsal.
The choreography snapped into place like muscle memory. Nova shot into the performance with explosive energy, grin sharp and wild, feeding off the crowd like she was built for it. Gaia grounded the entire formation, every step precise, every turn clean, voice cutting through the track with control that made it look effortless. Luna’s voice carried over the instrumental, steady despite the chaos, emotions buried deep enough that only the performance showed through. Lights shifted across them in waves of blue, white, and gold, painting over them. The crowd was deafening, thousands of people, idols and fans, cheered from their seats.
When the final note played, the stage lights spun around before landing on the girls. The trio was covered in a sparkling light as silence filled the venue for half a second before erupting in applause. Luna stood frozen for a moment, chest rising and falling fast, sweat cooling on her skin under the lights. She grabbed the hands of the other members, took a quick bow, and then the three hurried off stage. Once they were backstage, they were once again surrounded by chaos. Pandora met them at the backstage door and handed them each a towel and a bottle of water.
Pandora looked over the three of them quickly, eyes scanning for injuries, wardrobe malfunctions, anything that went wrong. Finding none, her tense shoulders finally loosened, and she pushed up her glasses. “You killed that,” she spoke breathlessly, though there was obvious pride in her voice, “No missed marks, no mic issues, no one fell off the stage. That already makes this one of my favorite award shows!”
Nova gasped dramatically as she took the towel, “Wow. A compliment? From Pandora? Someone document this.”
“I take it back,” Pandora deadpanned instantly.
Gaia laughed softly, wiping sweat from the side of her face. “You love us,” Gaia responded with a wink. “I tolerate you professionally,” Pandora replied automatically, though the small smile tugging at her lips ruined the effect completely. Gaia smirked knowingly but nodded and continued to wipe down her face.
Luna unscrewed her water bottle, taking a long drink as her heartbeat slowly came down from the performance high. Her hands were still shaky with leftover adrenaline. The roar of the crowd still echoed faintly in her ears.
“You looked terrified before going up,” Pandora said, quieter this time, eyes landing on Luna, “But you did well, Luna.” Something warm settled in Luna’s chest. She nodded once as a smile spread across her face, “Thanks.” Before Pandora could respond, another staff member rushed past.
“Vi:XEN to stage in thirty seconds!”
The hallway immediately became chaotic again. Managers shouted over each other, stylists rushed past carrying backup outfits, and security began clearing space near the stage entrance. The three moved through the crowd, trying to get back to the main doors and to their seats. Luna adjusted the oversized jacket that she hung off her shoulders, still trying to cool down from the stage lights. Then someone slammed into her shoulder. Luna gasped slightly and turned to face the person she had just collided with. “Sorry!” A voice came from beside her. Luna’s eyes followed the sound. She was met with deep, almost green colored eyes. A guy stood in front of her, tall with silver, almost white hair falling slightly into his eyes despite obvious restyling attempts from staff. Up close, she recognized him immediately.
Vayne.
Leader of Vi:XEN.
The same band her brother got placed in just two years before she did.
For a split second, both of them froze. “Oh,” he said quickly, immediately letting go of her wrist once she steadied herself, “Sorry about that.” His voice was lower than she expected. Luna blinked once before shaking her head, “No, that was my fault, sorry!” Vayne smiled and went to respond, but was cut off by a shorter, dark-haired man ushering them onto the stage. “Vayne, move your ass, we’re on in ten seconds,” Ny-X complained as he grabbed lightly at the taller idol’s sleeve.
“Language,” Ares called automatically from further ahead without even turning around. Luna met Lune’s eyes, and they gave each other a quick thumbs up before they parted ways. The girls moved back to their seats to watch the performance.
The second AS-TRAL sat back down the lights dimmed again. The screams that filled the arena somehow grew even louder as Vi:XEN’s logo flashed across the massive screens overhead.
Nova grabbed Luna’s arm immediately, still buzzing with post-performance adrenaline. “Oh my god,” they whispered aggressively, “Luna. He was absolutely checking you out.”
Luna nearly choked on her water. “What? No, he wasn’t.”
“He literally froze,” Nova insisted, “Like fully froze. You can’t tell me that wasn’t checking each other out.”
Gaia snorted beside them, leaning back into their chair. “Yeah, and so was she.”
Luna turned toward them so fast her ponytail whipped over her shoulder, “I was not checking him out!” She whispered-yelled.
“You stared at him for, like, a solid five seconds,” Gaia replied calmly, uncapping another small bottle of water to sip from.
“That is not true.”
“It absolutely is,” Nova cut in immediately, “And he grabbed your wrist.”
“To steady me because we collided!”
Nova gasped dramatically, “Physical contact! Scandalous!”
Luna buried her face in her hands for a second, “You two are impossible.” The opening instrumental hit before either of them could continue teasing her. The arena erupted into deafening screams as Vi:XEN rose onto the stage.
The entire energy of the room shifted instantly.
If AS-TRAL’s performance was sharp and elegant, all precision and power. Vi:XEN was different. Their stage presence hit like a hurricane. The lights flashed crimson and silver across the stage as the members moved into formation. Vayne stood at the center, silver hair glowing almost white under the lights, his in-ear monitor catching the stage glare every time he turned his head. Nova let out a low whistle. “Okay. I get it now.”
Luna ignored them, though her eyes stayed glued to the stage. The beat dropped hard enough to vibrate through the seats beneath them. The choreography was aggressive and perfectly synchronized, every movement hitting with impossible precision. Ny-X’s rap cut through the instrumental sharply while ZeV and Shadøw moved across the stage like they were born there. Then Vayne started singing. Luna blinked in shock.
She’d obviously heard Vi:XEN songs before. Everyone had. But hearing them live was different somehow. Vayne's voice carried effortlessly through the arena, smooth and steady even while dancing. The crowd screamed louder every time he stepped forward. Nova leaned over, “You’re staring.”
“I’m watching the performance!”
“Mhm.”
Luna opened her mouth to argue again, but stopped when Vayne glanced toward their section during the chorus. Maybe it wasn’t intentional, or that’s what she told herself. There are hundreds of fans and other idols at the ceremony, and he was probably looking over at one of them…. Right?
By the time the performance ended, the entire audience was on its feet, cheering. Vi:XEN stood beneath the falling lights, breathing hard from the choreography before bowing together. As the members started leaving the stage, Luna caught sight of Vayne again near the stairs backstage. And for half a second, she swore he looked back in her direction.
The stage lights slowly settled after Vi:XEN’s performance, the venue still buzzing with leftover energy as stage crews rushed around resetting props and equipment. Giant screens overhead flashed sponsor graphics while the audience gradually sat back down.
Nova was still clutching Luna’s arm dramatically. “I’m telling you right now,” she whispered, “that man looked at you twice.”
“He looked at our section,” Luna corrected.
“He looked at you,” Gaia replied with a smirk. Luna rolled her eyes, and before she could respond, the lights zeroed in on the stage, and the announcers walked across to the mic stand in the middle. “Ladies and gentlemen,” one of the MCs announced brightly as the lights focused back onto the main stage, “welcome officially to the 2025 MAMA Awards!” The crowd replied with a round of applause. Music swelled through the auditorium as the hosts walked out beneath golden spotlights, smiling effortlessly despite the sheer chaos of the venue. Cameras immediately began sweeping across the audience, idols waving politely whenever they appeared on the giant screens.
Luna straightened up automatically the second she noticed one camera drift near their section. Years of media training kicked in instantly. Gaia and Nova followed her move, the trio smiling and waving at the camera as it passed by them.
The ceremony officially began after that. Award categories rolled one after another. Every few minutes, the room erupted again into applause and cheers.
Luna found herself slowly relaxing the longer they sat there.
At some point, Nova leaned over and quietly stole candy from the gift bag beneath Luna’s chair. Gaia nearly fell asleep during one of the slower acceptance speeches before jerking awake the second applause started again. “Did we win?” they mumbled sleepily.
“We were not nominated for that category,” Luna whispered back.
“Oh. Right, right.”
Then came the rookie category. The screens shifted colors overhead as dramatic music filled the venue. Luna immediately sat up straighter.
Across the stage, the presenter smiled toward the audience. “This year’s nominees for Best New Artist have shown incredible growth, talent, and impact on the industry.”
Clips began flashing across the massive screens.
AS-TRAL.
FANGZ.
Another rookie girl group.
Another rookie boy group.
The crowd applauded for each one. And as they did, Luna could feel the suspense and nerves grow. She clasped her hands together tightly in her lap while Nova bounced their leg nervously beside her.
Gaia muttered, “I’m going to throw up.” Luna glanced over and grabbed her hand, offering her other hand to Nova, who immediately grabbed and squeezed it tightly. The presenter opened the envelope slowly.
The pause felt cruel.
“And the winner for Best New Artist is…”
The entire arena held its breath.
“…AS-TRAL!”
Luna froze. Did she hear that right? Beside her, Gaia slapped her hands over her mouth. Nova all but screamed, scrambling to her feet. “Oh my god—get up!” Nova yelled, grabbing Luna’s arm. The trio scrambled up from their chairs, doing what they could to look graceful and professional. Luna could barely hear anything over the roaring in her ears. Gaia looked seconds away from crying. Nova was already crying. As they started toward the stage, Luna glanced out across the crowd instinctively and briefly caught Vayne standing with the rest of Vi:XEN, applauding for them.
He smiled when their eyes met.
The applause from the audience echoed through the venue while cameras followed their every movement. Luna grabbed ahold of Nova and Gaia’s hands tightly as they climbed the stairs together, terrified one of them was actually going to trip from the overwhelming rush of adrenaline. Nova was visibly shaking beside her. Gaia looked completely stunned. Luna was sure she looked no better. The presenter handed over the trophy carefully with a bright smile. “Congratulations.”
“Thank you,” Luna managed automatically, bowing quickly before accepting it with both hands. The award felt heavier than she expected.
The giant screen behind them flashed AS-TRAL in massive glowing letters while cheers continued filling the arena.
Nova immediately burst into tears again. “Oh no,” Gaia whispered, laughing through their own obvious emotions, “they’re crying again.”
“I can’t help it!” Nova choked out dramatically, wiping at her face before leaning toward the microphone. The crowd laughed softly in response.
Luna smiled beside them, letting the two younger ones have their moment.
Nova inhaled shakily, “First of all— thank you so much. Seriously. We didn’t think we’d even be invited here this year, let alone standing on this stage.” Their voice cracked slightly again, “Thank you to the stars for supporting us even when we were just some tiny rookie group posting dance covers online.”
The audience applauded warmly.
Gaia took the mic next, still looking mildly shell-shocked, “Thank you to our manager for not killing us during rehearsals,” she laughed softly. Gaia grinned before continuing, “And thank you to our staff, our company, and everyone who worked behind the scenes for us. We wouldn’t be here without you.”
Then the microphone was handed to Luna. She took a quick breath before speaking, “So… thank you. To everyone who listened to our songs, watched our performances, voted for us, supported us…” Her voice softened. “You made three girls who were terrified trainees feel like maybe we really belonged here.” The audience erupted into applause again.
Luna bowed quickly, cheeks warming under the lights as Gaia squeezed her arm proudly. As the girls started leaving the stage, the adrenaline finally crashed over her properly. Her legs suddenly felt weak.
“Holy shit,” Nova whispered as soon as they stepped away from the microphones. “We won a MAMA award.”
Gaia looked down at the trophy in awe, “I think I blacked out halfway through that.”
“You definitely did,” Luna laughed breathlessly as the trio made their way off the stage. Back near the stairs leading offstage, idols and staff applauded politely as they passed. The girls thanked them all quickly and headed back to their seats to watch the last of the award show.
Summary: Luna, the lead singer of the rising idol band AS-TRAL, has always been a rule follower. She plays by the book to make sure she and her other two members can keep living their dream career. But when a certain man from one of the most popular boy bands in the industry catches her eye, Luna finds herself breaking the very rules she swore to follow.
Roughly inspired by Mystreet/my mystreet sona and BTS
Chapter 1 - AS-TRAL
The stadium was packed with people. It was loud, almost deafening. Waves of screams crashed through the arena every few seconds, thousands of lightsticks glowing like stars in a galaxy. The air was filled with the scent of sweat and the faint scent of the girl's perfume.
On stage, Luna stood in the center, her chest rising and falling as the final notes of the song echoed out through the speakers. Strands of pale blonde hair clung to her face under the harsh stage lights, glitter dusted across her cheekbones and collarbones. Beside her, Nova spun effortlessly into the ending pose with a grin sharp enough to ignite the crowd all over again, while Gaia dropped low beside them, breathing hard but laughing breathlessly into their mic. The massive screen behind them flickered with images of galaxies and stars. The stars streaked across the screen, purple burning out into silver before fading to the main imagery.
The crowd exploded in screams. The stadium grew louder. Luna straightened up and smiled, watching all of the stars cheer from beyond the stage.
“LUNAAAA!”
“GAIA I LOVE YOU!”
“NOVA MARRY ME!”
Nova broke first. She toppled over laughing, her hands on their knees. That made the crowd grow louder. Gaia caught Nova's elbow before she could fully collapse; their shared laughter filled the air around the stage. Luna rolled her eyes, and her ponytail swung behind her as she turned to face the crowd fully. She lifted her mic to her lips, her voice carrying effortlessly through the stadium despite her exhaustion. “Stars! Thank you for coming tonight.” The audience roared back. Nova slid an arm over Gaia’s shoulders dramatically, raising her own mic to their lips, “Did you guys have fun tonight?” The audience responded with cheers. Gaia pointed into the crowd, “I think the stars in section B are trying to kill us, actually.”
The three turned to their left to see a group of crying fans waving banners, and Nova clutched her chest, “Aw, now I feel bad.”
“You weren’t saying that when you told them to bark earlier,” Luna muttered with a smirk. Nova’s jaw dropped as the giant screens immediately caught her horrified expression in perfect HD. “Luna!” she cried while the audience screamed. Gaia physically folded in half, laughing, nearly dragging Nova down with them, “You did tell them to bark,” they wheezed into her mic.
“And they DID!” Nova defended instantly, pointing accusingly toward the crowd. Luna chuckled, “See? This is why you can’t encourage them.”
“They don’t need encouragement,” Gaia laughed with a bright smile, “They came like this.” Nova stared out into the sea of glowing lightsticks with mock betrayal. “You guys are supposed to make me look cool.” A fan near the barricade screamed, “YOU’RE FAILING!”
Gaia nearly dropped their microphone entirely as she broke down in laughter so hard that tears stung at her eyes.
“Oh my god,” Luna muttered, turning away as her shoulders shook with silent laughter.
As the concert drew to a close, clips from tonight’s concert already flooded social media in real time, hashtags climbing rapidly as Stars lost their minds online. Luna stepped closer to the edge of the extended stage, crouching slightly to wave toward the fans near the barricade. The lights reflected beautifully off the rhinestones scattered across her black stage outfit, making her shimmer in the night. Despite the teasing, her expression softened. There was something surreal about moments like this. The fans, the lights, the noise, it all made her feel like she was floating. There were signs with their names written across them. Thousands of people singing their lyrics back word for word. It all made Luna stand in awe.
They have been performing for just under three years and have been in training for three years before that. Back then, AS-TRAL had been practicing in tiny mirrored rooms with cracked floors and cheap speakers that cut out constantly. Now they were here. Sold-out stadiums, world tours in the works, and screaming fans that chant their names. Luna swallowed hard as the emotions built up in her chest. She smiled and stood up We really mean it,” she said softly. “Thank you for supporting us.” The audience answered immediately, voices echoing throughout the stadium in overlapping screams and cheers.
Nova leaned her head against Gaia’s shoulder dramatically, “Don’t get emotional right now, Luna. If you cry, Gaia cries.” Gaia rolled their eyes and playfully elbowed the brunette, causing Nova to snicker under her breath, “I do not—”
“You absolutely do,” Luna interrupted.
Gaia pointed at her accusingly, “You cried during a dog food commercial last week.”
“That puppy found its owner!”
Nova laughed at her friends' playful bickering and brought her mic to their lips and gave the final words of that night. “Alright, Stars,” Nova said between laughter, trying and failing to sound composed, “Get home safe tonight, okay? Eat something, drink water, don’t pass out in the parking lot.”
“That is, unfortunately, a real warning,” Gaia added. Luna smiled warmly, lifting her hand in one final wave, “We love you. Goodnight, Stars!” The stadium shook one final time before the speakers played the outro music. Music swelled through the speakers as the three gathered together at center stage, hands linked briefly before bowing deeply toward the crowd. Cameras flashed like lightning across the arena, the massive screens above them displaying the AS-TRAL logo surrounded by drifting stars. Then the girls straightened up, waving as they backed toward the lift platform near the rear of the stage.
Nova was still blowing exaggerated kisses to fans while Gaia laughed beside them, and Luna could still hear thousands of voices screaming their names even as the stage lights began to dim.
The second they disappeared backstage and out of view of the crowd, the atmosphere shifted instantly. The noise from the stadium became muffled backstage, replaced with the chaotic rush of staff members moving in every direction.
“Great job!”
“Watch the cables—”
“Water’s in the dressing room!”
“Quick change team, let’s move!”
The adrenaline crashed all at once. Nova groaned dramatically the moment they were fully backstage, nearly collapsing against the nearest wall. “I can’t feel my legs.”
“You say that after rehearsal, too,” Gaia teased, though they looked equally exhausted, her eyeliner slightly smudged beneath the harsh fluorescent hallway lights. Luna laughed softly under her breath as she reached up, finally pulling her in-ears out with a relieved sigh. The sudden drop in noise made her ears ring faintly. Sweat clung uncomfortably to the back of her neck beneath her ponytail. Every muscle in her body ached, exhaustion finally creeping in now that the performance high was fading. Still, it was worth it; it was always worth it.
Not a moment later did their manager, Pandora, come rushing towards the girls. Her headset around her neck, a clipboard tucked under one arm, and glasses slipping down her nose. “You three were unbelievable tonight,” she said immediately, though her expression shifted into mock annoyance as she looked directly at Nova, “Why are fans barking at the security guards now?”
Gaia burst into laughter again.
Nova pointed defensively at Pandora, “That was not my fault.”
“It is absolutely your fault,” Luna snickered.
Pandora pinched the bridge of her nose dramatically, “I leave you alone for three hours, and suddenly the fandom acts like a zoo.”
Gaia laughed, “A beloved zoo.”
Despite the teasing, Pandora was smiling faintly, pride obvious in her eyes as she looked at all three of them. Three years ago, they’d been exhausted trainees sneaking naps in practice rooms.
Now they were headlining stadiums.
“Go,” Pandora said finally, waving them toward the dressing rooms, “Before one of you passes out.”
“That’s probably Gaia,” Nova replied instantly.
Gaia flipped her off without hesitation.
Luna snorted as she pushed open the dressing room door first. Half-finished makeup products littered the counters, spare outfits were draped over chairs, water bottles crowded every surface, and someone left their shoes in the middle of the room. The idols scrambled inside. Gaia collapsed onto the couch with a dramatic groan. Nova followed behind them, collapsing onto the floor in front of the couch. Gaia let their head fall back against the couch cushions with a dull thud, “Section B took at least three years off my life.”
“You encouraged them,” Luna reminded as she rummaged around to find where she left her regular clothes.
“I encouraged joy and whimsy.”
Luna chuckled, shaking her head. She laughed quietly under her breath as she caught sight of herself in the mirror. Her makeup was still mostly intact somehow, though glitter had migrated across nearly every inch of visible skin; that’s going to take a while to get off, she thought to herself. Sweat dampened the strands of blonde hair stuck to her neck and temples. Behind her, Gaia reached blindly toward the coffee table until her hand smacked against a water bottle, “Ow.”
Nova lifted her head slightly, “Did the table attack you?”
“Yes.”
“Tragic.”
Pandora sighed deeply from the doorway, still holding her clipboard as she leaned against the now open door, “You’re all disasters.” Luna shot her a look that made Pandora snort. “And yet,” Gaia smiled, cracking one eye open, “we’re profitable disasters.”
Pandora shook her head, “That is unfortunately true.” A staff member slipped into the room carrying fresh towels, bowing quickly before setting them down near the mirrors. Another followed behind with iced drinks and small containers of food that immediately caught Nova’s attention.
Nova sat upright so fast it startled everyone, “Oh, thank god.”
“You were dead thirty seconds ago,” Luna pointed out with a chuckle.
“I revived,” Nova replied, already grabbing at a container.
Gaia reached for one of the drinks without moving from the couch. “This is the power of catering.” Pandora shook her head as she checked something on her clipboard, “You’ve got thirty minutes before media photos.”
“No.” Pandora smiled. Gaia pouted up at the older woman. Pandora looked down at them from the doorway, utterly unimpressed by the pout despite the small smile tugging at the corner of her lips, “No amount of sad eyes is getting you out of press photos.” Gaia gasped softly like she had been personally betrayed, “You used to love my sad eyes!”
“I still do,” Pandora replied, automatically smiling.
Luna smiled and joined the other two around the table. She pulled a container over and dug in. The room settled into a familiar kind of chaos after that. Nova stole half of Gaia’s fries despite loudly insisting she “wasn’t that hungry.” Gaia complained the entire time, yet still let her do it. Pandora argued with someone over her headset near the door while scheduling tomorrow.
Every few minutes, though, Pandora’s attention drifted back toward Gaia without her even realizing it. Just little things like checking if they were actually drinking water, making sure she ate something, or quietly reminding her not to rub at their smudged eyeliner too hard because her skin was already irritated from stage makeup. Gaia noticed every single one.
Luna definitely noticed every single one.
Nova noticed too, unfortunately, which meant she kept grinning to themselves. Pandora was halfway through correcting tomorrow’s schedule on her tablet when Gaia suddenly reached out from the couch and hooked two fingers loosely through the sleeve of her blazer. It was subtle. But Pandora immediately stopped talking mid-sentence.
“…Move soundcheck to noon instead,” she mumbled into the headset distractedly, eyes dropping toward Gaia for half a second, “No, not eleven. Noon.” Gaia smiled lazily up at her from the couch cushions, still exhausted and glitter-covered. Pandora’s expression softened. Nova watched the entire interaction over the rim of her drink with the biggest grin imaginable. “You guys are so domestic it’s disgusting,” she announced.
Pandora nearly choked.
Luna burst out laughing while Gaia looked entirely unashamed.
“We are literally just existing,” Gaia replied
“You’re holding onto her like a sad cat.” Nova snickered.
“I am a sad cat.”
Luna smiled and got up, placing the empty food containers in the garbage. “Alright, media photos and then back to the hotel,” She clapped her hands. Gaia and Nova groaned but stood up alongside Luna.
Pandora immediately straightened, snapping back into manager mode as if nothing had just happened.
“Alright,” she spoke briskly into her headset, “hair and wardrobe check in two minutes. No one is allowed to look like they’ve been shoveling fries ino their mouth.”
Nova lifted a hand with a smirk, “Too late.”
“Especially you,” Pandora added without missing a beat.
Gaia stretched as she stood, wincing sotly as their joints popped, “Do we get emotional support snacks for surviving press photos?”
“You already ate them,” Luna replied as she leaned closer to the mirror to fix her eyeliner. Gaia huffed but moved with the others to fix their makeup and hair. Pandora moved to step out of the dressing room, glancing over all three of them as she pushed up her glasses, “Fix hair. Fix makeup. Stop looking like you just fought a war and won.”
Nova pointed at Gaia, “They literally almost died on stage.”
“I did not almost die.”
“You fell into me during the bridge.”
“That was artistic expression!”
“Okay, okay! Artistic expression or not, fix your makeup and hair, we only have a minute before photos,” Luna chuckled as she brushed through her hair one final time. Pandora was already halfway out the door when Gaia lightly caught her wrist again. Pandora paused and glanced back at her curly-haired lover. “Hey, my hotel is 287, come see me, please?” Gaia spoke lowly. Pandora’s cheeks blushed red, but she smiled and nodded. Gaia’s face lit up with a bright smile. She nodded and let go of Pandora’s wrist.
The trio finished their makeup and got their hair fixed up right on time and rushed off to the press photoshoot in a room further backstage. The room was colder than their dressing room. Luna shivered a bit as the cold air bit at the exposed skin of her arms. Rows of cameras lined the front, lenses already trained like a quiet army waiting for their target. Staff members moved quickly behind the scenes, adjusting lighting angles and calling out last-minute instructions.
“AS-TRAL in position in thirty seconds!”
“Fix the center mark—Nova, center mark!”
“Gaia, chin slightly up!”
“I feel like I’m being auctioned,” Nova muttered.
“You kind of are,” Luna replied calmly, already stepping into position.
Gaia rolled their shoulders once, “If I pass out, just pose around me.” Pandora stood off to the side, headset still on, but her attention flicked briefly to Gaia again; checking posture, checking balance, checking everything about her lover without saying a word.
Luna noticed and smiled to herself.
Gaia noticed too and gave Pandora a small thumbs-up, as if this was normal.
Pandora’s face flushed, and she immediately looked away, clearing her throat into the headset, “Positions.” The three took their marks. Nova leaned slightly toward Gaia and whispered with a smirk, “Try not to look like you’re in love with your manager on camera.”
Gaia whispered back without missing a beat, “Try to look alive.” Nova snorted and straightened back into her regular position as the cameras flashed. Pandora stepped just slightly closer to the edge of the frame, eyes scanning them one last time. For half a second, her gaze met Gaia’s, and Pandora felt her heart flutter. She inhaled sharply, biting her lip as she forced her gaze away. The lights flashed, and when Gaia looked back, Pandora was already in manager mode, her eyes glued to her clipboard, her glasses sliding down her nose slightly. Gaia smirked a bit and turned back to the rest of the girls.
Everyone celebrating his comeback in Mermaid Tales with cutsey art MEANWHILE IVE been thinking about this for A WHIIIILE and i finally got the drive boost to do it >w>
Pair: Travis Valkrum x Blaze O'hara x Kloud Bennet [oc]
Kloud hurried around the kitchen, trying to multitask as fast as her brain allowed her to. Today was Blaze’s birthday, and she had to make sure everything was perfect. Currently, her fiancés were upstairs, still in bed. “Okay, okay, frosting, candles, presents— presents!” Kloud spun on her heel, nearly slipping on the hardwood floor as she darted toward the counter where a small pile of neatly wrapped boxes sat. She adjusted one that had gone crooked, then paused, staring at them. Was this enough? Her fingers tapped anxiously against the counter. Blaze never asked for much, honestly, he’d probably be happy with just the three of them spending the day together, but that wasn’t the point. He deserved more than “just.” He deserved something that made his stupidly bright smile go soft and surprised, something that made him feel how loved he was. Kloud’s head snapped toward the ceiling. “Nope. No, no, no, stay in bed,” she muttered to herself under her breath, as if sheer willpower could keep two grown men contained in the bedroom. Another creak, then the unmistakable sound of Travis’s sleepy voice, muffled by distance, “…Blaze? Why’re you up…?” Kloud panicked. She lunged for the stove, turning the heat down before anything burned, then grabbed the cake that was still cooling, and shoved it (gently) further back on the counter. Her eyes scanned the room wildly before she sprinted to the base of the stairs. “DON’T COME DOWN!” she shouted. There was a pause. Then— “Uh,” Blaze’s deep voice rumbled, amused, “…Why?” Kloud thought fast, "I'm naked!” Blaze’s laugh rumbled down the stairwell, “Why are you naked downstairs, babe? And when has that stopped me before?” Kloud flushed, her cheeks burning red. “That— that is not the point!” she snapped, scrambling for control of the situation again. “The point is, you cannot come down here!” Travis’s quiet laughter filtered down next, softer, sleep-heavy. “Mi vida… if you’re trying to stop Blaze specifically, I don’t think that excuse is going to work.”
“Traitor,” Kloud muttered, earning a chuckle from the men. Blaze leaned slightly over the railing now, just enough for his messy hair and amused expression to come into view. “You’re acting suspicious.”
“I am not!”
“You just yelled that you’re naked in the kitchen at eight in the morning.”
“…Okay, that one’s on me,” she admitted.
Blaze’s grin widened. “So can I come down or—”
“No!” she cut in quickly, pointing up at him. “No coming down. Stay there. Both of you. Give me…” She glanced wildly back at the kitchen, “Five minutes.” Blaze rested his chin in his hand, clearly enjoying this far too much. “What are you hiding?”
“Nothing!”
“That sounds like something someone hiding something would say.”
Kloud groaned, dragging both hands down her face. “Blaze, I swear, if you come down here early, I will cancel your birthday.”
There was silence for a moment, and Kloud glanced up to where Blaze was leaning over the railing. His mismatched eyes squinted in a mock glare. “…You wouldn’t,” Blaze said, but there was laughter sitting just under his tone. Kloud smirked, “I would.” Blaze laughed, “Liar." Kloud laughed back and rolled her eyes, “Watch it, or I'm not ordering us pizza tonight.” That earned a gasp from the red-headed werewolf, “Ku’u Lani—”
“Ah, no, go back to bed with Travis, I’ll call you both down soon.” Kloud turned to head back into the kitchen, her tail swaying as she walked. Blaze huffed and made his way back into the three’s bedroom. “Okayokayokay—” Kloud rushed out under her breath, her hands already moving again as she darted between the counter and the stove. The frosting got one last frantic smoothing, her tongue poking out slightly in concentration as she tried to fix a corner that refused to cooperate, “Why are you like this—just be smooth!” She groaned. It was, in fact, not smooth. It was… fine. “Fine is fine,” Kloud mumbled as she quickly abandoned frosting the cake. She rushed over to the cabinet drawer, yanking it open with a force hard enough to cause the contents to roll around inside. “Candles, need candles,” Kloud talked to herself as she worked. She grabbed them, nearly dropping the box in her haste, and carefully pressed each one into the cake. One leaned slightly to the side. Kloud stared at it. “…You’re going to behave,” she told it quietly, nudging it straighter. It immediately leaned again. She narrowed her eyes. Moving on, she rushed to the table, adjusting the presents again—just a little closer together, then a little farther apart, then angled slightly because that looked more intentional. Her tail flicked behind her, betraying every ounce of nervous energy buzzing through her. Was it enough? She shook her head to clear her thoughts from her head. Her gaze lingered longer than before. The presents contained a hoodie she’d picked out because it reminded her of him. A small handmade charm she’d spent way too long on, for their matching charm bracelets. Something practical, Travis had helped her pick, because apparently she needed “adult supervision” when shopping, whatever that meant, she thought. And finally, some presents from Travis. Kloud’s eyes lingered on those for a second longer than she meant them to.
They were wrapped more neatly than hers, of course, they are. Crisp edges, clean folds, not a single piece of tape visible. She huffed quietly to herself, crossing her arms for half a second. “Show-off,” she muttered under her breath, but there was no malice to her words. “…Okay,” Kloud whispered, nodding once like she was convincing herself. “Okay, we’re good. This is good.” Before she could spiral again, she grabbed the lighter and flicked it on. One by one, she lit the candles, watching as each tiny flame came to life, flickering warm and gold against the soft morning light spilling through the windows. The crooked one still leaned. Kloud glared at it, lighter still in hand. “…I swear to Irene, if you fall over—”
Her thoughts were cut short when a floorboard creaked upstairs. “Mi Vida?” Travis called down, voice still thick with sleep, “Are we allowed to come down yet, or are you planning to keep us hostage?” She barked out a startled laugh, “One second!” Blaze’s voice followed, amused and warm. “That sounds like a no.”
“It’s a maybe,” she called back, already turning to glance one last time at the table. Her fingers fidgeted together for a second before she finally nodded to herself. “Okay. Okay, this is fine.” She squared her shoulders, lifted her chin, and took a breath. Then she shouted, “You can come down now!” Heavy footsteps thundered down the stairs almost immediately, and Blaze appeared first, hair a mess and hoodie hanging open to show he had clearly not bothered getting fully dressed before leaving their bedroom. Travis came right behind him, shirt half-buttoned, expression soft with sleep and amusement. Both of them slowed as soon as they entered the kitchen, their eyes landing on the cake, the candles, the presents, and then on Kloud standing in the middle of all her carefully arranged chaos. Kloud’s ears twitched nervously. “Happy birthday,” she mumbled quietly, suddenly feeling very small. Blaze’s expression changed the minute he heard his fiancée's voice. His eye lit up, and a smile spread across his face. “…You did all this?” he asked, voice low, like he didn’t want to break whatever moment had settled over the room. Kloud shrugged, suddenly very interested in a spot on the floor, “It’s not that big of a deal, I just… y’know…it’s your birthday.”
“Not a big deal?” Travis said gently from behind him, stepping forward and resting a warm hand against the small of Kloud’s back. “You’ve been up for hours. Threatened us at least three times.” “Four,” Blaze corrected absently, still looking at Kloud. “Right, four,” Travis agreed, sliding his hand to her hip to pull her closer to his chest. Kloud huffed, “You were not cooperating.” Blaze let out a soft laugh at that, finally moving toward her. When he reached her, he didn’t hesitate to wrap his arms around her waist and pull her from Travis’ arms into his own. Blaze buried his nose into his fiancée’s blonde hair, “Thank you, babygirl.” Kloud let out a small, startled sound before melting immediately, her hands coming up to grip the front of his hoodie. “It’s perfect,” he murmured into her hair. She shook her head against his chest. “It’s not, the frosting is uneven, and the candle is literally—”
“I like it,” he interrupted softly. “That candle is disrespectful,” she insisted. Blaze huffed a quiet laugh, pulling back just enough to look at her, “It has character.” Travis leaned against the counter beside them, arms loosely crossed as he watched them with an amused expression. “I’m personally very impressed it survived the morning.”
“It almost didn’t,” Kloud muttered. Blaze’s hand came up, brushing a bit of frosting off her cheek with his thumb. His touch lingered for just a second longer than necessary, his gaze softening even more. “Thank you, really,” he said, quieter now. Kloud’s ears dipped slightly, her face warming. “You didn’t even open anything yet.”
“I don’t need to.”
“You do,” she pouted, “That’s how birthdays work.” Blaze kissed the crown of Kloud’s head, “You two are more than enough.” Kloud hummed happily, her tail wagging behind her, “Oh yeah?” Blaze chuckled softly, pulling her closer, “Yeah… and maybe some pizza.”
