Heronstairs: A Fluff Collection

Day One

"Okay, folks, let's run that scene one more time from the top, and then we can all go home and get some sleep," the director from the first row of the audience, consulting first her watch, then her clipboard.

On stage, Will wiped his brow tiredly, having just recovered from one of the most energetic dance numbers in the show. The dancers on stage grumbled quietly among themselves, stretching tired limbs and taking the places for the beginning of the number for a fourth time.

From the pit, their small, ragtag group of musicians seemed to share the sentiment, sighing and returning instruments and clever hands to a ready position.

"One, two, three, four!"

The theatre burst into a flurry of perfectly choreographed motion and sound, everyone hoping to get it right enough to finally head home.

When the number ended, performers and musicians seemed to hold their breath while the director looked at her notes with pursed lips. "Hey, Carstairs?" she called loudly, waiting through the tiny ensuing scuffling until he appeared from offstage, headset around his neck and cord trailing behind him.

"Yes Charlotte?"

"What do you think? Are the Young Americans ready for this season's run of performances?"

To the general relief of the stage, he grinned, pushing his hair off his face with a nod. "I think they'll bring the house down."

"Then let's go get some sleep," Charlotte said, putting her things back into her bag and shaking her hair loose from the bun it was always tied in during a rehearsal. "Jem, if you have any notes, find the people you need to talk to while they're getting out of costume. Everybody know what time to be here tomorrow before the matinee show?"

An affirmative chorus answered her, and she smiled. "Alright. Dismissed! Good work today, people!"

Will walked back to the dressing rooms in the wings of the theatre, exhausted but pleased. Magnus ran up to him, looking about as happy to be going home as Will felt.

"What a day, huh? You going out tonight, or heading home to reunite with your bed?"

"Definitely home," Will replied with a laugh. "I think Carstairs would have my head if I showed up to a call time with a hangover."

"Glad we understand each other," came an amused voice from behind them. Turning quickly, Will found himself with the stage manager, possibly the most adorable member of their entire group. As tall as Will yet impossibly thin, he was built like a dancer; thin and strong with legs that seemed to go on for miles. He was wearing black jeans (he would wear slacks to the performance tomorrow, he always did, but he wore skinny jeans to rehearsal and Will was having trouble meeting his eyes) and a button up shirt rather haphazardly rolled to his elbows. His hair looked almost white under the stage lights, mussed from wearing his headset all day and altogether unfairly adorable.

It was a distinct possibility that Will had been nursing a crush since he'd joined this group and met this gloriously sarcastic and handsome asshole that headed the tech crew.

"A couple of brief notes, gentlemen, and then you're free to go," Jem continued affably. "Come and find me when you're out of costume, I'll be on stage. Pass the message along to the rest of the cast?"

"You got it," Magnus said before Will could inevitably embarrass himself. "Nice job on the light cues today, by the way, the effects were fantastic."

Jem looked away, pleased, before smiling and waving the comment off. "Nice work to the both of you as well. A nicely lit stage doesn't do much good without a show on it."