Perfectly Imperfect | Lippa

"Helpless!" - Eight

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   Lin grumbled something inaudible as the chilly November air hit him the moment he stepped out of the apartment building.

Pippa's apartment wasn't that far from the theater, so they were going to walk.

   They both put on their hoodies, walking a few feet apart, trying to go unnoticed. Unfortunately for them, that didn't quiet work as planned.

   After ignoring a few reporters, the two made it to the theater and entered. Surprisingly, they were the last ones there. Anthony and Jasmine were whispering to each other affectionately as they always did, while Christopher and Oak were talking.

They all came over and greeted them, but they got straight to rehearsals, because Lin and Pippa were a bit late.

Today, it was My Shot, Take A Break, Alexander Hamilton, Blow Us All Away, and Helpless.

Great.

Pippa was extremely nervous about kissing Lin for the first time. Usually, she would have no problem, but since yesterday, she's been a mess about her feelings for Lin. She glanced over at him, not aware that he was thinking the exact same thing.

After what seemed like forever, it was time for Helpless. Pippa twirled her way on to stage, starting with her amazing 'Ooooh!'

Lin watched from the side of the stage, smiling to himself. But the thing is, he didn't know that he was smiling. Anthony sure as hell did notice, and nudged his side, smirking. Lin snapped out of his gaze and looked at Anthony, raising an eyebrow.

"You like her, don't you?" Anthony asked, chuckling lightly.

Lin's eyes widened slightly and he quickly shook his head. "No! I mean, of course I do, but not like that!" I mean, he wasn't exactly lying. He did like Pippa as a friend, but he was unsure if they could ever be more than that.

By this time, Pippa was already at her first 'Helpless!' Lin tensed up a bit, knowing that he would be up on stage soon. The rest of the song went by surprisingly quickly. Before he knew it, Lin was standing in front of Pippa, smiling at her.

   "Elizabeth Schuyler," Pippa said, curtsying. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

   "Schuyler?" Lin asked, raising an eyebrow and looking at Renèe.

   "My sister," Renèe responded, basically beaming.

   "Thank you for all your service," Pippa cooed.

   "If it takes fighting a war for us to meet, it will have been worth it." Lin gently grabbed Pippa's hand and leaned over, kissing it.

   "I'll leave you to it!" Renèe exclaimed and turned around, walking offscreen for a few moments.

   Lin lead Pippa to the back of the stage, holding her hands. Sadly, he had to let go and walk to the other end of the stage. But it wouldn't be long before he was on stage with her again.

   And there he was, standing in front of 'Philip,' begging for his 'blessing.'

   "My father makes his way across the room to you..."

   "Oooh."

  "And I panic for a second, thinking we're through.."

   "Oooh!"

   "But then he shakes your hand and says, 'Be true.' Then you turn back to me, smiling, and ah!" Pippa ran over to Lin, and they held hands, doing a little half-twirl. Then Lin did the same with Jasmine and Renèe.

   And then here came the part that he loved doing.

   Pippa and Renèe hugged tightly, and Lin did this little happy dance, but quickly stopped when 'Philip' walked back on screen. He handed Lin a drink, and he gladly took it, taking a small sip before handing it back and looked at Pippa.

   Lin made his way over to her, smiling. "Eliza, I don't have a dollar to my name, an acre of land, a troop to command, a dollop of fame."

   Pippa gave him a small smile.

   "All I have's my honor, a tolerance for pain, a couple of college credits, and my top-notch brain!" This made Pippa chuckle.

   "Insane, your family brings out a different side of me! Peggy confides in me, Angelica tried to take a bite of me-"

  She furrowed her eyebrows together and looked over her shoulder, but Lin quickly grabbed her hand, causing her to look back at him.

"No stress! My love for you is never in never in doubt, we'll get a little place in Harlem and we'll figure it out." They both turned towards the audience that wasn't there, and Lin reached his hand out, as if imagining their future. After that line, they turned to each other, but he looked down.

"Having to deal without a family since I was a child, my father left, my mother died, I grew up buck wild.."

Pippa gave him a sympathetic smile, and grabbed his hand again.

"But I'll never forget my mother's face, that was real." Lin smiled and got ready to twirl Pippa around the stage. "And as long as I'm alive, Eliza, I swear to god you'll never feel so--" He started twirling her around the room, which was one of his favorite parts.

"Helpless!" the company sang in.

"I do, I do, I do, I do!" Pippa started collecting letters from the dancers, and then placed them in a jewelry box, which Jasmine was holding up.

Lin was 'getting ready' for the wedding with Christopher. "Heyo, my life is gonna be fine cause Eliza's in it!"

"I look into your eyes, and the sky's the limit!" Pippa was standing at the far end of the stage, staring at the audience (that still wasn't there.)

Renèe and Anthony walk as partners down the imaginary isle, followed by Jasmine and Daveed. And then Oak came in as the flower girl.

Pippa and 'her father,' walked behind them. She gave her father a kiss on the cheek and he walked away. Lin came back on stage and walked over to her, swiftly sliding a ring on her finger. He stared at it for a few seconds before looking back up at Pippa. God, she was beautiful.

"Helpless..." she sang softly, her eyes trailing from Lin's eyes to his lips.

Pippa leaned in, but Lin didn't notice that he was doing the same. Their lips touched, and instantly locked on to each other. It was a few seconds before they finally had to pull away for air, but they were each smiling widely.

Both Lin and Pippa knew at that point, that that kiss was no ordinary stage kiss. It was a real, meaningful kiss.

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Look at these two uuuughhhh I love them so freaking much. I may or may not have rushed things a little, but shhhh, it was all worth it.