DWC February 2026
Day 5: Depth/Shimmer
Heart racing. Palms sweaty. A growing fear far worse than even the dread he felt on K’aresh last year.
“I don’t know if this is a g-good idea... I...”
Breathing shallow. Now his knees began to buckle. He tries his best to calm his nerves. Then she calls out.
“Everything alright Ruzzy?”
His breath hitches hearing his name.
“Y-yeah Dirii! Was just... getting my suit on!”
A playful giggle followed.
“Well, come on then! You’ll do great! It’s just us after all!”
Her sweetness knew no depth. The reassurance was enough to persuade her boyfriend to finally come out from behind the curtain and onto his makeshift stage. A suit made of countless golden sequins shimmered like starlight on a midnight ocean. Hair slicked back into a prominent pompadour and dark glasses to shield his eyes from the crowd and limelight alike.
“Woot baby! You look amazing!”
More sugar to take away the bitter taste of stagefright. Ruzzell attempts to straighten his posture as he gives a weak laugh, his microphone pitching terribly. He swiftly adjusts the feedback and height as his sole audience covers her pointed ears and offers another bright smile.
“So... Uh... I’m... I’m gonna sing a song here. It uh... is one of my father’s, Treble Jazzglam’s hits from The Diamond Lounge...”
A dry gulp pains his throat as he tries to swallow. Taking a glass of water, he wets his pipes, his hand trembling.
“Uh... H-his music always inspired me and... meant so much to my mother and everyone else struggling back then... I hope I can share some of that same magic with you guys...”
Dirii squeals in delight for her man as she bounces in her seat, clapping her hands. Her enthusiasm was contagious and helped put his nerves at ease. Taking out a remote, he clicks a large red button and from the side plays a pre-recorded music roll on his audiophone. A hiss of static followed by a synthesizer, bongos and drums, and electric guitar. The melody is down tempo and moody, typical of the sort often played in Goblin clubs. Less jazzy, more dream pop. Iconic for his late father. Before him on his podium was a notebook penned in Treble’s handwriting; the lyrics to his song scratched down and where to repeat the verses. Ruzzell’s breath was steamy as he readied himself for the first few lines.
“Do you cuuurse the moon, for taking yet anooother day?~”
His voice strains for a moment as he tries to extend each stressed vowel. Ruzzell was not a classically trained singer, but he knew he would have to try to improve.
“And do you blaaame the wind, for blowing youuu every way, except the way you want?~ I only came for the love~ I only came for the ride~ I only came cause I heaaard of this other siiide~”
He successfully strings along the lyrics to his rhythm, trying not to belt them out too early or too late.
“I only came for the looove~ I only came for the liiight~ And when I leave it’ll be on a full moon tide~ Up to the skyyy~”
Cold blood chills his fingertips as he knows what comes next.
“Trust me when I say~”
The melody peaks up for the chorus and now Ruzzell gives it his all.
“I’m a big star baby, but so far nobody knooows, but youuu~”
A successful croon! The rhythm begins to take over as his hips begin to sway. He cocks his fingers into a gun-like gesture and aims it at Dirii sitting on the lone seat before him.
“I’ve been travelling far on a big star, such a biiig staaar~”
Her eyes light up with a brilliant golden shimmer as she squeals again in excitement, clapping her hands rapidly for him. He matches her grin with his own famous golden smile, truegold fangs illuminating in the stagelight. Violet eyes dreamily peer over his shades as he looks right back to her.
“You can come too, if you want too~ You can just leaaave with meee~ Just a couple of stars on the big sea, on the biiig seaaa~”
His voice wavers slightly as he tries to stick the landing but commits to the soulful final lyric to end the chorus.
“And curse the moon, if She keeps you frooom meee~”
Dirii burst from her seat in absolute delight and storms the stage, taking a seat at the edge next to him. The song has a slight break, enough time for her to steal a kiss from his plush lips and giggle at him. He stifles a sappy chuckle himself before muttering something, pointing to the notebook. She glances over the lines he traced over with a grin and cleared her throat, trying to contain her rapture. The lyrics continue as Ruzzell resumes singing.
“Do you feeeel as though~ You lost what you had iiin your hands? And do you roooll the dice~ Just to see which waaay it lands?”
He spreads his hands out wide to her, then clutches them closed before shaking one, tossing out imaginary dice onto a presumed table.
“Well You Should Know By Now~ I only came for the looove~ I only came for the riiide~ I only came cause I heaaard of this other siiide~”
Reaching out to her, he tickles at her throat before continuing the next lyrics.
“Everybody's got a looove~ Everybody's got a liiight~”
His smile fades a little on the next few words.
“But not everybody leaaaves on a full moon tiiide, right?”
A slight turn of his head, the statement expressing disappointment in how things turn out in life.
“Oh... trust me when I say~”
The music builds once more, and he strikes a confident pose. Pointing to the notebook now, he urges Dirii to join in on the chorus together. Eyes darting to him and the pages; she blushes and quickly begins to stammer along with his crooning.
“I'm a big star baby but sooo far nobody knooows but you~ I've been traveling faaar on a big staaar~ Such a biiig star~”
She manages to keep the melody with him, though she nervously fumbles on some of the words. Despite the awkwardness of the duet, the mutual adoration and feelings were there and helped carry them along in a hokey way.
“Yeah, you can come too if you want to, you can just leaaave with me~ Just a couple of stars on the big sea, on the biiig sea~”
With a brilliant grin, and a rather spirited and cheeky taunt, he changes the lyrics slightly, as if to dare the moon herself to interfere in their feelings for one another.
“And curse Elune, if She keeps you frooom meee~”
Dirii gasps at such a comment, then pounces on him with a sudden hug and smooches him, knocking over the podium! Ruzzell manages to get a musical “Ooh!~” out before the song breaks down into a melodic solo. Between kisses and giggles, they mutter out the refrain together, soft kisses filling the room as the music slowly fades out, leaving the two lovebirds to bask in the glow of the limelight.
(Co-starring @peanutgoddess Dirii)
@daily-writing-challenge
