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tearsofpearls
Mar. 5th, 2023 02:28 amunderyourskinHey, dude. You gotta minute? Need to pick your brain. Don't worry if you're tied up with Justin.
[ TEXT ] To Arian @
Mar. 5th, 2023 02:28 amunderyourskinunderyourskinWho: Jude Willis and Winston Slater
What: "Now you're in my life, I can't get you off my mind"
Where: Sydney, Australia
When: After this
Despite the heartbreaking mess that had them all converging in Sydney, Jude felt surreally content after his lengthy unexpected deep-and-meaningful chat with Reecy. Since Jude had returned to New York following his stint overseas with Doctors Without Borders, he and Reecy had resumed a friendship he truly valued because he always thought she was so wise and compassionate, he highly respected her not just as a person, but as a successful woman who always had the backs of the people she loved, no questions asked. He was glad he got to still call himself one of them after everything went so wrong with their romantic relationship which ultimately was mostly down to being incompatible, at the end of the day. And all that now led him to this very new, but very exciting, romance with her BFF (or as Reecy called him, her BFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF x infinity), Winston. The chat gave him so much food for thought, especially about Jude's insecurities of putting his heart on the line again and how much he wanted all this to work out, but especially in a sense of not repeating past errors with Winston that ended his relationship with Reecy.
It was the very early hours of the morning when he tiptoed back to the bed he was sharing with Winston here at the investment beachhouse on Sydney Harbour owned by Justin and Sasha. It was sprawling and luxurious enough that also staying there with them was Kyan and Reecy, Trey and Ash, Arian and Chance, with bedrooms still leftover. Winston had been battling another bad migraine triggered by the long-haul flight from New York and it had yet again knocked him. Jude was learning how Winston managed his chronic migraine condition and what he needed when one took him down. Winston was still out for the count when Jude went back to bed.
He crashed out for a few hours himself before he was woken by the urge to take a leak. This time, when he padded back into the bedroom from the attached ensuite bathroom, sliding back into bed to spoon Winston and snuggle into his back, Winston shifted with a muffled mostly-still-asleep hum of recognition. Jude tucked his arm more snugly around Winston's waist. "You're awake," he murmured, kissing Winston's back. "It's okay, babe. Go back to sleep. Nothing to get up for. Just rest."
What: "Now you're in my life, I can't get you off my mind"
Where: Sydney, Australia
When: After this
Despite the heartbreaking mess that had them all converging in Sydney, Jude felt surreally content after his lengthy unexpected deep-and-meaningful chat with Reecy. Since Jude had returned to New York following his stint overseas with Doctors Without Borders, he and Reecy had resumed a friendship he truly valued because he always thought she was so wise and compassionate, he highly respected her not just as a person, but as a successful woman who always had the backs of the people she loved, no questions asked. He was glad he got to still call himself one of them after everything went so wrong with their romantic relationship which ultimately was mostly down to being incompatible, at the end of the day. And all that now led him to this very new, but very exciting, romance with her BFF (or as Reecy called him, her BFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF x infinity), Winston. The chat gave him so much food for thought, especially about Jude's insecurities of putting his heart on the line again and how much he wanted all this to work out, but especially in a sense of not repeating past errors with Winston that ended his relationship with Reecy.
It was the very early hours of the morning when he tiptoed back to the bed he was sharing with Winston here at the investment beachhouse on Sydney Harbour owned by Justin and Sasha. It was sprawling and luxurious enough that also staying there with them was Kyan and Reecy, Trey and Ash, Arian and Chance, with bedrooms still leftover. Winston had been battling another bad migraine triggered by the long-haul flight from New York and it had yet again knocked him. Jude was learning how Winston managed his chronic migraine condition and what he needed when one took him down. Winston was still out for the count when Jude went back to bed.
He crashed out for a few hours himself before he was woken by the urge to take a leak. This time, when he padded back into the bedroom from the attached ensuite bathroom, sliding back into bed to spoon Winston and snuggle into his back, Winston shifted with a muffled mostly-still-asleep hum of recognition. Jude tucked his arm more snugly around Winston's waist. "You're awake," he murmured, kissing Winston's back. "It's okay, babe. Go back to sleep. Nothing to get up for. Just rest."
headingforsomethingWho: Reecy Chester-Wilson and Jude Willis
What: Late Night Deep-and-Meaningfuls
Where: Sydney, Australia
When: After this
The night sky was clear and covered in stars while the near-full moon cast a glittery streak across the surface of the ocean in the distance. There was something about the Australia sky that just seemed so much more crisp, clear, and fresh than Reecy had ever seen in her home country. She had a soft spot in her heart for this place, considering her baby brother in every way but blood was half-Australian. Though, some days, Justin seemed 100% Aussie. It had only really been since his real birth mother appeared that it was obvious how much of her genes he also shared. It was common for people to say Justin was Mark all over, which he was in so many ways, but you could see Alexis in his looks and there was no doubt all his musical and artistic talent came from her. Reecy thought Alexis was amazing and absolutely stunning. She wished she'd been able to spend more time with her and the way they would come to do that now was awful and made Reecy's stomach hurt far beyond even what the morning sickness was doing.
She picked up her wine glass and took a sip of the pretty decent non-alcoholic prosecco, trying to let the peaceful view of the ocean and beach beyond the backyard fence calm her. It wasn't really working. Her heavy heart was struggling with the enormity of knowing she had to try to visit Justin - and Sash - in the hospital tomorrow. It was unclear how his condition was and he didn't want visitors, though Justin's grandmother called her earlier and told her that Sash's mother was finally able to get to the hospital after all the covid roadblocks and Justin hadn't turned her away like he had been with everyone else. Right at this moment, even at this late hour, Mrs Stanford was still with both boys so no one really knew if she had any success breaching Justin's severe depression and grief trying to deal with the consequences of the car crash and hearing his dad had fallen off the booze wagon. Reecy was so worried about him. But she was also conscious she wasn't a blood relative and that trying to push Justin when he wasn't capable mentally or emotionally seeing people. He only ever shut down like this when he was having a severe episode with his bipolar or C-PTSD.
Further along the upper floor balcony where she had been sitting alone with her thoughts, she heard one of the glass doors slide up and Jude stepped out in just a pair of boxers and went over to lean on the railing, taking in a deep long breath and letting it out slowly. "How's the patient?" she asked, hoping she wouldn't startle him when he spotted her sitting there alone with only the moon and some fairy lights strung over the railing for light. "You look like you need a drink but I can't offer you anything with a kick, I'm afraid but it's as close to the real deal as you can get."
What: Late Night Deep-and-Meaningfuls
Where: Sydney, Australia
When: After this
The night sky was clear and covered in stars while the near-full moon cast a glittery streak across the surface of the ocean in the distance. There was something about the Australia sky that just seemed so much more crisp, clear, and fresh than Reecy had ever seen in her home country. She had a soft spot in her heart for this place, considering her baby brother in every way but blood was half-Australian. Though, some days, Justin seemed 100% Aussie. It had only really been since his real birth mother appeared that it was obvious how much of her genes he also shared. It was common for people to say Justin was Mark all over, which he was in so many ways, but you could see Alexis in his looks and there was no doubt all his musical and artistic talent came from her. Reecy thought Alexis was amazing and absolutely stunning. She wished she'd been able to spend more time with her and the way they would come to do that now was awful and made Reecy's stomach hurt far beyond even what the morning sickness was doing.
She picked up her wine glass and took a sip of the pretty decent non-alcoholic prosecco, trying to let the peaceful view of the ocean and beach beyond the backyard fence calm her. It wasn't really working. Her heavy heart was struggling with the enormity of knowing she had to try to visit Justin - and Sash - in the hospital tomorrow. It was unclear how his condition was and he didn't want visitors, though Justin's grandmother called her earlier and told her that Sash's mother was finally able to get to the hospital after all the covid roadblocks and Justin hadn't turned her away like he had been with everyone else. Right at this moment, even at this late hour, Mrs Stanford was still with both boys so no one really knew if she had any success breaching Justin's severe depression and grief trying to deal with the consequences of the car crash and hearing his dad had fallen off the booze wagon. Reecy was so worried about him. But she was also conscious she wasn't a blood relative and that trying to push Justin when he wasn't capable mentally or emotionally seeing people. He only ever shut down like this when he was having a severe episode with his bipolar or C-PTSD.
Further along the upper floor balcony where she had been sitting alone with her thoughts, she heard one of the glass doors slide up and Jude stepped out in just a pair of boxers and went over to lean on the railing, taking in a deep long breath and letting it out slowly. "How's the patient?" she asked, hoping she wouldn't startle him when he spotted her sitting there alone with only the moon and some fairy lights strung over the railing for light. "You look like you need a drink but I can't offer you anything with a kick, I'm afraid but it's as close to the real deal as you can get."
"Drunk talks, then drunk sleeps."
Oct. 24th, 2022 09:18 pmwriteyourownendingWho: Winston Slater and Jude Willis
What: First date fails
Where: The Library Hotel, NYC
When: After this
Jude was quickly reminded how much of a lightweight Winston was. He had only seen Winston drunk a collective twice in the entire time he had known him. He usually stuck to a couple of light beers, if he drank at all. Mostly, he had been the designated driver. But after sharing a bottle of prosecco with dinner, followed by a glass of wine with dessert, they went to the hotel’s rooftop bar for ‘literary inspired cocktails’. They got swept up in conversation and views of the city, losing track of how many they were having.
Winston had just been telling him a story about the time he was hit on by a pretty famous female popstar when he was interviewing her for the magazine he was working for at the time. Jude was hooked on every word. Not because he was interested in the popstar who sounded like she got too handsy for her own good but because he had discovered over the course of the last few hours that he really loved listening to Winston talk. He was softly spoken and eloquent, and Jude loved how descriptive he was when he told stories. He was also insightful and clearly had a deep wisdom that came from being a quiet observer of the world. He had always know Winston was a nice guy but this being the first time he had really had a deep one-on-one with him that didn’t involve — or was about — Reecy, Jude was noticing so much about him he missed just being the boyfriend of Winston’s best friend.
Winston’s curls were blowing softly in the breeze where they sitting at a corner table of the exterior bar and Jude took in the way his nose scrunched and his dimples were so prominent when he laughed as he described the way he had to dodge the popstar’s wandering hands with a strategically placed notebook over his lap. They were sitting close enough that their legs were touching and when Jude had placed his hand on Winston’s knee, Winston wrapped his around it and laced their fingers together. It was beyond nice to have that romantic physical touch with someone again after so long. It was just a bonus that it was with someone so gorgeous. Jude couldn’t take his eyes off him. He laughed with him, shaking his head. “You’re probably one of the only bi or straight dudes in the world who would’ve turned down her advances, you know. Some people would’ve actually paid a fortune to be on the receiving end. Look at that time a date with Justin was auctioned off for charity. Some rich tycoon paid literally millions for his daughter to win it, nothing more than a couple of hours in his presence. See? Fame. It’s nuts.”
Scrunching his nose up, Winston laughed again. Or, considering he was more than a little tipsy now, it came out more like a giggle-snort. “She’s really not my type.” He shrugged, taking the last mouthful of his cocktail and placed the glass down on the table in front of them. He ran his tongue over his lips, the sweetness of the elaborate mixology of different spirits that he couldn’t name if he tried. Keeping track of what he was drinking stopped a good few rounds ago. He was pretty much already, as Justin would say, half-cut from the shared bottle of prosecco over dinner. The thing was, even if he was comfortable earlier in the evening and easily relaxed into the night once it was evident it wouldn’t be awkward spending time alone together with Jude, he was still an introvert and things like first dates didn’t come easily to him. Drinks were always something to do with your hands. At least, besides the fact they had been holding hands for awhile now. That was way nicer than toying with the stem of a glass as they talked. His eyes turned back to Jude and he leaned in a little closer, and with a burst of boldness, suggested, “Should we go to the room now? It’s getting a little crowded and noisy here. I kinda just want you to myself for awhile. I’m not ready for this to stop yet. Unless you are…?”
“Me either,” Jude replied without any hesitation, even if he was surprised it was Winston to make the first move with that. He really thought he would’ve been the one to suggest moving things to the room they were checked into but Winston continued to take him pleasantly by surprise at every turn with this date. He rose from his seat and offered his hand to Winston to help him up, giving his pocket the required quick pat to make sure he had his wallet, phone, and keys before they left the bar.
( Even with the helping hand, as soon as Winston stood up, the alcohol went straight to his head and he stumbled a little but Jude easily caught him with secure arm around his waist... )
LOG, COMPLETE
What: First date fails
Where: The Library Hotel, NYC
When: After this
Jude was quickly reminded how much of a lightweight Winston was. He had only seen Winston drunk a collective twice in the entire time he had known him. He usually stuck to a couple of light beers, if he drank at all. Mostly, he had been the designated driver. But after sharing a bottle of prosecco with dinner, followed by a glass of wine with dessert, they went to the hotel’s rooftop bar for ‘literary inspired cocktails’. They got swept up in conversation and views of the city, losing track of how many they were having.
Winston had just been telling him a story about the time he was hit on by a pretty famous female popstar when he was interviewing her for the magazine he was working for at the time. Jude was hooked on every word. Not because he was interested in the popstar who sounded like she got too handsy for her own good but because he had discovered over the course of the last few hours that he really loved listening to Winston talk. He was softly spoken and eloquent, and Jude loved how descriptive he was when he told stories. He was also insightful and clearly had a deep wisdom that came from being a quiet observer of the world. He had always know Winston was a nice guy but this being the first time he had really had a deep one-on-one with him that didn’t involve — or was about — Reecy, Jude was noticing so much about him he missed just being the boyfriend of Winston’s best friend.
Winston’s curls were blowing softly in the breeze where they sitting at a corner table of the exterior bar and Jude took in the way his nose scrunched and his dimples were so prominent when he laughed as he described the way he had to dodge the popstar’s wandering hands with a strategically placed notebook over his lap. They were sitting close enough that their legs were touching and when Jude had placed his hand on Winston’s knee, Winston wrapped his around it and laced their fingers together. It was beyond nice to have that romantic physical touch with someone again after so long. It was just a bonus that it was with someone so gorgeous. Jude couldn’t take his eyes off him. He laughed with him, shaking his head. “You’re probably one of the only bi or straight dudes in the world who would’ve turned down her advances, you know. Some people would’ve actually paid a fortune to be on the receiving end. Look at that time a date with Justin was auctioned off for charity. Some rich tycoon paid literally millions for his daughter to win it, nothing more than a couple of hours in his presence. See? Fame. It’s nuts.”
Scrunching his nose up, Winston laughed again. Or, considering he was more than a little tipsy now, it came out more like a giggle-snort. “She’s really not my type.” He shrugged, taking the last mouthful of his cocktail and placed the glass down on the table in front of them. He ran his tongue over his lips, the sweetness of the elaborate mixology of different spirits that he couldn’t name if he tried. Keeping track of what he was drinking stopped a good few rounds ago. He was pretty much already, as Justin would say, half-cut from the shared bottle of prosecco over dinner. The thing was, even if he was comfortable earlier in the evening and easily relaxed into the night once it was evident it wouldn’t be awkward spending time alone together with Jude, he was still an introvert and things like first dates didn’t come easily to him. Drinks were always something to do with your hands. At least, besides the fact they had been holding hands for awhile now. That was way nicer than toying with the stem of a glass as they talked. His eyes turned back to Jude and he leaned in a little closer, and with a burst of boldness, suggested, “Should we go to the room now? It’s getting a little crowded and noisy here. I kinda just want you to myself for awhile. I’m not ready for this to stop yet. Unless you are…?”
“Me either,” Jude replied without any hesitation, even if he was surprised it was Winston to make the first move with that. He really thought he would’ve been the one to suggest moving things to the room they were checked into but Winston continued to take him pleasantly by surprise at every turn with this date. He rose from his seat and offered his hand to Winston to help him up, giving his pocket the required quick pat to make sure he had his wallet, phone, and keys before they left the bar.
( Even with the helping hand, as soon as Winston stood up, the alcohol went straight to his head and he stumbled a little but Jude easily caught him with secure arm around his waist... )
LOG, COMPLETE
underyourskinWho: Jude Willis and Winston Slater
What: The start of something
Where: The Library Hotel, NYC
When: After this and this
When they got out of the cab together, Winston couldn’t help but smile when Jude took his hand to lead him to wherever they were going to have dinner. He was going into this without any preconceived notions of what to expect. The best way to go about it was to leave the past in the past. It was gone, it was ancient history. He knew Jude wasn’t the same person anymore and he wouldn’t hold his past mistakes against him. What was the point in that? The point of the date was to get closer and get to know each other as they were now. Winston didn’t have any apprehensions going into it but he had been nervous since they locked in the date at lunch with Reecy the other day and she jabbed them both in the buttcheek with her Cupid’s arrow, hoping for the best.
Eventually, after leading Winston a little way up the block, Jude stopped and gestured to the place he chose. “Here we go! The Library Hotel,” he told Winston with a grin.
“The Library Hotel… this is where you picked for our date?” Winston looked up at the frontage and then back to Jude with a laugh, raising an eyebrow. “Weren’t we having dinner, or…?”
( Jude shook his head, waving his hand... )
LOG, COMPLETE
What: The start of something
Where: The Library Hotel, NYC
When: After this and this
When they got out of the cab together, Winston couldn’t help but smile when Jude took his hand to lead him to wherever they were going to have dinner. He was going into this without any preconceived notions of what to expect. The best way to go about it was to leave the past in the past. It was gone, it was ancient history. He knew Jude wasn’t the same person anymore and he wouldn’t hold his past mistakes against him. What was the point in that? The point of the date was to get closer and get to know each other as they were now. Winston didn’t have any apprehensions going into it but he had been nervous since they locked in the date at lunch with Reecy the other day and she jabbed them both in the buttcheek with her Cupid’s arrow, hoping for the best.
Eventually, after leading Winston a little way up the block, Jude stopped and gestured to the place he chose. “Here we go! The Library Hotel,” he told Winston with a grin.
“The Library Hotel… this is where you picked for our date?” Winston looked up at the frontage and then back to Jude with a laugh, raising an eyebrow. “Weren’t we having dinner, or…?”
( Jude shook his head, waving his hand... )
LOG, COMPLETE
"Cupid is a real straight shooter."
Jul. 2nd, 2022 03:14 amunderyourskinWho: Jude Willis, Winston Slater and Reecy Chester-Wilson
What: Cupid being a cheeky bitch
Where: Greenwich Village, NYC
When: A few days after this
Jude hadn't thought much into it when Reecy shot him a text and invited him for coffee. Sure, there was a lot of water under that particular bridge but a lot of time had passed too and Jude had reestablished himself with life back in New York after volunteering in Africa. It was the best thing he could've done to get his life together again and he could only thank Reecy forever loving him. She taught him a lot of valuable lessons about life and what he wanted out of it. He knew she was happily married to Kyan now and he couldn't be happier for them. They really were perfect for each other. He hoped he could find his perfect match one day too but that seemed a far way off considering he was working his ass off at the hospital and studying his Masters in Nursing. If nothing else, at least he was nailing his career more than he ever could've anticipated.
Things were pretty cool between them him and Reecy now and they'd had coffee together a handful of times since he came back to New York to get his shit together. He'd had a busy shift at work but chilling with coffee seemed like a nice idea. He didn't have much of anything else on his schedule, save for taking care of Holly the following week so Lewis and Lorenzo could have a night away together. After managing to contract covid three times since the start of the pandemic from working in a high-risk setting. It had taught him to remember to pause and enjoy life sometimes, especially with friends and family.
After his shift, he took a shower and changed into some clean scrubs because his place was too out of the way to duck home for a change of clothes. He was tired but he had always struggled to fall asleep easily after nights so may as well eat until the sleepiness kicked in. When he arrived at the cafe Reecy chose, the first thing he noticed was that she wasn't alone. She had Winston with her. "Hey, buddy. It's great to see you again. I didn't realise you were coming today. How's the head been since the awful migraine? It's nice to see you've got colour back in your cheeks," he noted, dropping into the spare seat at their table. "I was going to give you a call to make sure you bounced back okay after it but I didn't want you to think I was a stalker," he joked, grinning.
What: Cupid being a cheeky bitch
Where: Greenwich Village, NYC
When: A few days after this
Jude hadn't thought much into it when Reecy shot him a text and invited him for coffee. Sure, there was a lot of water under that particular bridge but a lot of time had passed too and Jude had reestablished himself with life back in New York after volunteering in Africa. It was the best thing he could've done to get his life together again and he could only thank Reecy forever loving him. She taught him a lot of valuable lessons about life and what he wanted out of it. He knew she was happily married to Kyan now and he couldn't be happier for them. They really were perfect for each other. He hoped he could find his perfect match one day too but that seemed a far way off considering he was working his ass off at the hospital and studying his Masters in Nursing. If nothing else, at least he was nailing his career more than he ever could've anticipated.
Things were pretty cool between them him and Reecy now and they'd had coffee together a handful of times since he came back to New York to get his shit together. He'd had a busy shift at work but chilling with coffee seemed like a nice idea. He didn't have much of anything else on his schedule, save for taking care of Holly the following week so Lewis and Lorenzo could have a night away together. After managing to contract covid three times since the start of the pandemic from working in a high-risk setting. It had taught him to remember to pause and enjoy life sometimes, especially with friends and family.
After his shift, he took a shower and changed into some clean scrubs because his place was too out of the way to duck home for a change of clothes. He was tired but he had always struggled to fall asleep easily after nights so may as well eat until the sleepiness kicked in. When he arrived at the cafe Reecy chose, the first thing he noticed was that she wasn't alone. She had Winston with her. "Hey, buddy. It's great to see you again. I didn't realise you were coming today. How's the head been since the awful migraine? It's nice to see you've got colour back in your cheeks," he noted, dropping into the spare seat at their table. "I was going to give you a call to make sure you bounced back okay after it but I didn't want you to think I was a stalker," he joked, grinning.
"You are my sunshine..."
May. 17th, 2022 01:32 amwriteyourownendingWho: Winston Slater and Reecy Chester-Wilson
What: BFF Catchup
Where: En-route to the beach
When: After this and simultaneous to this
Reecy pulled up at yet another intersection clogged with weekend traffic and Winston sighed, rubbing his face. He checked his watch because it felt like they had been in the car for ten hours, not ten minutes. "Why are we doing this again? Don't you have, like, a dance to rehearse or a husband to annoy? I was happy in bed."
Just over an hour ago, Winston had been buried under his covers in bed, gloriously oblivious to lunchtime approaching, when Reecy ripped his covers off and woke him up singing You Are My Sunshine. Besides swearing in about eight different languages in his head, Winston had seriously regretted ever giving her a key to his apartment he moved into a few weeks back. He still had boxes piled up everywhere and had only unpacked the essentials. Reecy could be painfully and annoyingly cheerful when she wanted to be and if she knew it was annoying you, she'd amp it up tenfold just to shit you. That was where he was when he dragged himself into the bathroom, bitching that, for some reason, she was even more of a pain in his butt than usual.
Now they were on their way to a 'much overdue BFF date' and all he was feeling was that he needed more sleep and possibly a few shots of alcohol. Not that alcohol had been much of his friend lately. He had always been a painful lightweight who got the worst hangovers but alcohol always seemed like a good idea at the time when it felt like there was nothing better to do. The sun was too bright and talk was too loud. He wasn't so much in a bad mood as in no real mood at all, which was probably worse to deal with. He respected that but it didn't make him want a sunburn at the beach either.
What: BFF Catchup
Where: En-route to the beach
When: After this and simultaneous to this
Reecy pulled up at yet another intersection clogged with weekend traffic and Winston sighed, rubbing his face. He checked his watch because it felt like they had been in the car for ten hours, not ten minutes. "Why are we doing this again? Don't you have, like, a dance to rehearse or a husband to annoy? I was happy in bed."
Just over an hour ago, Winston had been buried under his covers in bed, gloriously oblivious to lunchtime approaching, when Reecy ripped his covers off and woke him up singing You Are My Sunshine. Besides swearing in about eight different languages in his head, Winston had seriously regretted ever giving her a key to his apartment he moved into a few weeks back. He still had boxes piled up everywhere and had only unpacked the essentials. Reecy could be painfully and annoyingly cheerful when she wanted to be and if she knew it was annoying you, she'd amp it up tenfold just to shit you. That was where he was when he dragged himself into the bathroom, bitching that, for some reason, she was even more of a pain in his butt than usual.
Now they were on their way to a 'much overdue BFF date' and all he was feeling was that he needed more sleep and possibly a few shots of alcohol. Not that alcohol had been much of his friend lately. He had always been a painful lightweight who got the worst hangovers but alcohol always seemed like a good idea at the time when it felt like there was nothing better to do. The sun was too bright and talk was too loud. He wasn't so much in a bad mood as in no real mood at all, which was probably worse to deal with. He respected that but it didn't make him want a sunburn at the beach either.
"You can leave your hat on."
Jan. 8th, 2019 02:56 pmlikefatherlikesonWho: Justin Campbell and Sasha Stanford with the whole crew
What: The Full Monty... and so it begins!
Where: Rehearsal Hall, NYC
When: Day after this
The last couple of days had been a big deal for Justin and his fellow crew working for Caden's company, Drake Productions. A lot of changes were in the wind, a lot which Justin had known about in advance because it involved was three-pronged of what Caden was laying groundwork for: a Footloose on the road tour, Justin's simultaneous one-show-per-location solo tour, and the charity event where Caden's biggest male stars were going to be doing The Full Monty to raise money for a select group of charities important to to those who worked for him.
Along with that, Caden had just announced internally that the event would signal the start of a run on Broadway of his newly commissioned show, none other than The Full Monty: The Musical and his lead in the role of Jerry was the one and only Billy Willis, who had been the supporting in Footloose since almost the start. As a result, Justin's newly appointment sidekick stepping full-time into the role of Willard was Merlin (with Tori piggybacking primary understudy for both Ren and Willard's roles), who had already been jobsharing with Billy since Billy beat cancer, after winning a scholarship to work with Caden's company some time ago. Justin knew about this particular shuffle awhile ago when Caden was first in discussion with Billy about the role. Justin was over the moon for him, always happy to see his incredibly talented friends be offered lead roles. If anyone deserved it, it was Billy. Justin already had great chemistry with Merlin, who was a great Willard.
What that all meant was, not only were some of Justin's forever favourite people going on tour with him but they were all going to be working on a charity event with him to raise money for causes extremely dear to him. That meant there would be singing and dancing rehearsals and a lot of time being in each others company. He couldn't think of a better way to start the New Year after what turned out to be one of the worst years of his life.
He came bounding into the rehearsal hall hand-in-hand with Sasha, cheeks flushed and ready to go. "Okay, who's ready to go on a vocal warm-up? Wait, is everyone here?" His phone started to ring and he swore, trying to fish it out of the pocket of his skinny jeans to take the call. It ended a few minutes later and he gave a wave of his hand, going over to the piano to grab his microphone headset to put on. "Merlin's out for today, he's got a family emergency he's had to go out of town for. There's enough here to get started. We can all be in on this, even if you aren't a singer, because if you ain't see it yet, I'm going to cut you out of my life for good," he joked and sat down at the piano to start off the warm-up, Bohemian Rhapsody, adjusting his microphone at his mouth with a smirk.
What: The Full Monty... and so it begins!
Where: Rehearsal Hall, NYC
When: Day after this
The last couple of days had been a big deal for Justin and his fellow crew working for Caden's company, Drake Productions. A lot of changes were in the wind, a lot which Justin had known about in advance because it involved was three-pronged of what Caden was laying groundwork for: a Footloose on the road tour, Justin's simultaneous one-show-per-location solo tour, and the charity event where Caden's biggest male stars were going to be doing The Full Monty to raise money for a select group of charities important to to those who worked for him.
Along with that, Caden had just announced internally that the event would signal the start of a run on Broadway of his newly commissioned show, none other than The Full Monty: The Musical and his lead in the role of Jerry was the one and only Billy Willis, who had been the supporting in Footloose since almost the start. As a result, Justin's newly appointment sidekick stepping full-time into the role of Willard was Merlin (with Tori piggybacking primary understudy for both Ren and Willard's roles), who had already been jobsharing with Billy since Billy beat cancer, after winning a scholarship to work with Caden's company some time ago. Justin knew about this particular shuffle awhile ago when Caden was first in discussion with Billy about the role. Justin was over the moon for him, always happy to see his incredibly talented friends be offered lead roles. If anyone deserved it, it was Billy. Justin already had great chemistry with Merlin, who was a great Willard.
What that all meant was, not only were some of Justin's forever favourite people going on tour with him but they were all going to be working on a charity event with him to raise money for causes extremely dear to him. That meant there would be singing and dancing rehearsals and a lot of time being in each others company. He couldn't think of a better way to start the New Year after what turned out to be one of the worst years of his life.
He came bounding into the rehearsal hall hand-in-hand with Sasha, cheeks flushed and ready to go. "Okay, who's ready to go on a vocal warm-up? Wait, is everyone here?" His phone started to ring and he swore, trying to fish it out of the pocket of his skinny jeans to take the call. It ended a few minutes later and he gave a wave of his hand, going over to the piano to grab his microphone headset to put on. "Merlin's out for today, he's got a family emergency he's had to go out of town for. There's enough here to get started. We can all be in on this, even if you aren't a singer, because if you ain't see it yet, I'm going to cut you out of my life for good," he joked and sat down at the piano to start off the warm-up, Bohemian Rhapsody, adjusting his microphone at his mouth with a smirk.
"What's new, pussycat?"
Apr. 24th, 2016 12:07 pmheadingforsomethingWho: Reecy Chester and Romeo Dalton
What: BFF-in-Law time
Where: Aldo Sohm Wine Bar, NYC
When: Saturday night
Reecy and Romeo made a date to meet for a drink after their shows on Saturday night. Romeo was being all mysterious about something he wanted to talk to Reecy about, and that stuff drove her nuts. Of course, he knew that, so it made him do it more. Despite their initial aggressive dislike towards each other, she ultimately ate her words with Romeo. She had wrongly assumed he was a narcissistic, self-absorbed, nasty bitch, but then all of a sudden he was dating Winnie and everything had to change. If it hadn't, and they didn't get a long, Reecy knew she would have lost Winnie, and he was her rock. They had grown up together since babies, they were best friends, she was his fag hag. There was no way she could risk losing him. So, things changed and it turned our Romeo was an amazing person. He was a bitch, yes. A prized bitch; one of New York's finest. But he was also hilarious, sassy, and kind to people he knew deserved it. Soon, Reecy become one of those people, and she inevitably adopted him as another for her fag hag collections.
They picked Adlo Sohm Wine Bar, because Romeo was one classy bitch and he had standards. It was rare he would go to an average bar, though The Bondi was the exception. Romeo was a wine drinker, so this was a perfect choice for chilling out after their shows. They got a bottle to share and took a seat on one of the comfy sofas, settling in for a chat. She crossed her legs over and smoothed her dress down. "So, are you going to finally stop torturing me and tell me what it is you need to talk to me about? If you're looking for a surrogate for you and Winnie, I'll need to have a close look at my schedule and see if I can swing it." She was only joking, really, but honestly, if that was what they were asking, she would never say no to them. She was born via surrogate, she would gladly do it for her BFF.
What: BFF-in-Law time
Where: Aldo Sohm Wine Bar, NYC
When: Saturday night
Reecy and Romeo made a date to meet for a drink after their shows on Saturday night. Romeo was being all mysterious about something he wanted to talk to Reecy about, and that stuff drove her nuts. Of course, he knew that, so it made him do it more. Despite their initial aggressive dislike towards each other, she ultimately ate her words with Romeo. She had wrongly assumed he was a narcissistic, self-absorbed, nasty bitch, but then all of a sudden he was dating Winnie and everything had to change. If it hadn't, and they didn't get a long, Reecy knew she would have lost Winnie, and he was her rock. They had grown up together since babies, they were best friends, she was his fag hag. There was no way she could risk losing him. So, things changed and it turned our Romeo was an amazing person. He was a bitch, yes. A prized bitch; one of New York's finest. But he was also hilarious, sassy, and kind to people he knew deserved it. Soon, Reecy become one of those people, and she inevitably adopted him as another for her fag hag collections.
They picked Adlo Sohm Wine Bar, because Romeo was one classy bitch and he had standards. It was rare he would go to an average bar, though The Bondi was the exception. Romeo was a wine drinker, so this was a perfect choice for chilling out after their shows. They got a bottle to share and took a seat on one of the comfy sofas, settling in for a chat. She crossed her legs over and smoothed her dress down. "So, are you going to finally stop torturing me and tell me what it is you need to talk to me about? If you're looking for a surrogate for you and Winnie, I'll need to have a close look at my schedule and see if I can swing it." She was only joking, really, but honestly, if that was what they were asking, she would never say no to them. She was born via surrogate, she would gladly do it for her BFF.
[ FACEBOOK ]
Apr. 22nd, 2016 01:09 amheadingforsomethingWatching Justin Campbell sing a cover of Ex's & Oh's rehearsing for his charity concert on the weekend #fabulousboy #qualitytime — with Winston Slater and Romeo Dalton
"Let's get this party started!"
Feb. 21st, 2016 01:02 pmlikefatherlikesonWho: Justin Campbell, Kyan Wilson and everyone else at the Dirty Dancing opening night party
What: PARTY HARD
Where: Broadway, NYC
When: Saturday night
It was all about the understudies tonight with Caden arranging for the entire Footloose main cast to be able to be there for the opening night of Dirty Dancing. There was no doubt about it that they all had to be there to support Kyan, and wouldn't have missed it for the world. They were over the moon for him, and so proud. It went without saying - Kyan nailed the role of Johnny Castle. It had been a sell-out audience, and the standing ovation was totally deserved. Justin was bursting with pride. Kyan used to be his understudy, and despite a blip in the system with them in the early days, Justin couldn't be more proud of his friend now. It was clear why Caden 100% wanted Kyan for the role. He was the new Johnny Castle.
Needless to say, the after party was buzzing with excited guests before any of the actors and actresses from Caden's shows arrived. They had media and press obligations to see to before they could make it to the party, but they did eventually get there. The understudies from Footloose, Cinderella, and Grease would be able to come to the party once their own shows were done for the night. When Kyan and Louise arrived, with their supporting cast (including Skylar) arrived, it was time to really get the party started. Justin had ditched his expensive designer suit he had worn to the theatre for something more comfortable, and he came out to kick off the main party by getting everyone pumped singing Love Shack with Reecy and demanding everyone get up to dance.
What: PARTY HARD
Where: Broadway, NYC
When: Saturday night
It was all about the understudies tonight with Caden arranging for the entire Footloose main cast to be able to be there for the opening night of Dirty Dancing. There was no doubt about it that they all had to be there to support Kyan, and wouldn't have missed it for the world. They were over the moon for him, and so proud. It went without saying - Kyan nailed the role of Johnny Castle. It had been a sell-out audience, and the standing ovation was totally deserved. Justin was bursting with pride. Kyan used to be his understudy, and despite a blip in the system with them in the early days, Justin couldn't be more proud of his friend now. It was clear why Caden 100% wanted Kyan for the role. He was the new Johnny Castle.
Needless to say, the after party was buzzing with excited guests before any of the actors and actresses from Caden's shows arrived. They had media and press obligations to see to before they could make it to the party, but they did eventually get there. The understudies from Footloose, Cinderella, and Grease would be able to come to the party once their own shows were done for the night. When Kyan and Louise arrived, with their supporting cast (including Skylar) arrived, it was time to really get the party started. Justin had ditched his expensive designer suit he had worn to the theatre for something more comfortable, and he came out to kick off the main party by getting everyone pumped singing Love Shack with Reecy and demanding everyone get up to dance.
[ FACEBOOK ]
Aug. 7th, 2015 03:30 amwriteyourownendingIf anyone with Footloose tickets in the next 6 months want to make a quick buck, their scalping price has quadrupled since Justin's Flash Mob in the Park. 16 year old girls are going to start selling their kidneys on the black market to get into that theatre soon.
"You're my best friend."
Jan. 23rd, 2015 11:30 pmheadingforsomethingWho: Reecy Chester and Winston Slater
What: That awkward moment where everyone's awkward
Where: Medical Clinic in Brooklyn
When: Friday morning
Reecy wished she'd had the brain to remember that she and Winnie had the same doctor since childhood. As soon as he walked in and up to the reception desk, she was inwardly kicking herself repeatedly, and mentally bitchslapping herself over and over again. She tried to hide behind the magazine she had snapped up, but there she was, pulling the accidental cheesiness of holding it upside down pretending she was reading it. Which she only realised when she was staring at a model's package and it looked a weird shape. And of course, the only free seat left in the busy waiting room was next to her. She wanted the ground to open up and swallow her. Then all this mess wouldn't be happening. She could be banished to a black hole for the rest of eternity, which is where she felt she belonged.
She tried not to make eye contact. But that always meant it become more impossible to avoid it. Their gazes met for a moment or two before she was looking away and trying to turn her back on the empty seat. The poor old dude on the seat on her other side was probably worried she was about to climb into his lap. Winnie, though. Always the one to take the high road, even when he was as angry at her as he was. He stopped at the water cooler to get a cup of water and then came to take the seat beside her. She didn't say anything. He didn't want her to, so she didn't. Instead, she picked the magazine up again, making sure it was the right way up this time and tried to force herself to read something in it.
What: That awkward moment where everyone's awkward
Where: Medical Clinic in Brooklyn
When: Friday morning
Reecy wished she'd had the brain to remember that she and Winnie had the same doctor since childhood. As soon as he walked in and up to the reception desk, she was inwardly kicking herself repeatedly, and mentally bitchslapping herself over and over again. She tried to hide behind the magazine she had snapped up, but there she was, pulling the accidental cheesiness of holding it upside down pretending she was reading it. Which she only realised when she was staring at a model's package and it looked a weird shape. And of course, the only free seat left in the busy waiting room was next to her. She wanted the ground to open up and swallow her. Then all this mess wouldn't be happening. She could be banished to a black hole for the rest of eternity, which is where she felt she belonged.
She tried not to make eye contact. But that always meant it become more impossible to avoid it. Their gazes met for a moment or two before she was looking away and trying to turn her back on the empty seat. The poor old dude on the seat on her other side was probably worried she was about to climb into his lap. Winnie, though. Always the one to take the high road, even when he was as angry at her as he was. He stopped at the water cooler to get a cup of water and then came to take the seat beside her. She didn't say anything. He didn't want her to, so she didn't. Instead, she picked the magazine up again, making sure it was the right way up this time and tried to force herself to read something in it.
glamorqueenWho: Romeo Dalton and Liz Harrison
What: Let them eat cake!
Where: Liz's store
When: Wednesday afternoon
It had been a crazy morning. Romeo had done a life appearance on a morning breakfast show talking about Grease, so he had to be up a lot earlier than he normally would be. Then he had to squash an appointment at the day spa for The Works because he could never been seen without anything but perfectly manicure nails, and there was the quickie with Winnie at lunchtime when his lover came home for his lunch break. That actually turned into two quickies because they couldn't keep their hands off each other. Needless to say, Romeo had been very reluctant to let his lover go back to work, but alas, he walked him back and now had an errand to run.
He found the place he was looking for that came highly recommended by his agent who knew this place often did cakes for opening night parties, so that would work. It was all very cute and quaint, like it stepped out of a Fairy Tale or something. He went in and rang the bell on the counter that was currently unattended and took his compact mirror out of his bag to make sure his hair was all in place.
What: Let them eat cake!
Where: Liz's store
When: Wednesday afternoon
It had been a crazy morning. Romeo had done a life appearance on a morning breakfast show talking about Grease, so he had to be up a lot earlier than he normally would be. Then he had to squash an appointment at the day spa for The Works because he could never been seen without anything but perfectly manicure nails, and there was the quickie with Winnie at lunchtime when his lover came home for his lunch break. That actually turned into two quickies because they couldn't keep their hands off each other. Needless to say, Romeo had been very reluctant to let his lover go back to work, but alas, he walked him back and now had an errand to run.
He found the place he was looking for that came highly recommended by his agent who knew this place often did cakes for opening night parties, so that would work. It was all very cute and quaint, like it stepped out of a Fairy Tale or something. He went in and rang the bell on the counter that was currently unattended and took his compact mirror out of his bag to make sure his hair was all in place.
"Dumb all over."
Jan. 7th, 2015 10:36 pmglamorqueenWho: Romeo Dalton and Reecy Chester
What: Basic bitches everywhere
Where: Romeo's apartment
When: After THIS
After checking on Winston to make sure he was still breathing, Romeo, still in his pyjamas and bathrobe, went to make a pot of coffee in the kitchen. Normally, he wasn't much of a coffee drinker but after last night, he wasn't really in the mood for body conditioning. Winston had a terrible hangover, but Romeo escaped with a headache and seediness... both things he despised having. Coffee and maybe something disgusting like pancakes or waffles for breakfast. If he could be bothered. Half of him was just tempted to go back to bed with Winston, and just as the coffee was brewing and he was about to shut the percolator off and do just that, his doorbell went.
He tightened the sash on his bathrobe and went to get the door before the visitor rang the bell again. His apartment was modest in size, but his bedroom not very far from the front entrance so it could wake Winston up. Though, as soon as he opened the door and saw who it was, he was very tempted to just slam the door shut in her face. He didn't. Instead, he just stood there and gave her a cool stare-down. He didn't really have a single thing to actually say to her and he pulled his lips to the side to fight of the urge to sneer at her.
What: Basic bitches everywhere
Where: Romeo's apartment
When: After THIS
After checking on Winston to make sure he was still breathing, Romeo, still in his pyjamas and bathrobe, went to make a pot of coffee in the kitchen. Normally, he wasn't much of a coffee drinker but after last night, he wasn't really in the mood for body conditioning. Winston had a terrible hangover, but Romeo escaped with a headache and seediness... both things he despised having. Coffee and maybe something disgusting like pancakes or waffles for breakfast. If he could be bothered. Half of him was just tempted to go back to bed with Winston, and just as the coffee was brewing and he was about to shut the percolator off and do just that, his doorbell went.
He tightened the sash on his bathrobe and went to get the door before the visitor rang the bell again. His apartment was modest in size, but his bedroom not very far from the front entrance so it could wake Winston up. Though, as soon as he opened the door and saw who it was, he was very tempted to just slam the door shut in her face. He didn't. Instead, he just stood there and gave her a cool stare-down. He didn't really have a single thing to actually say to her and he pulled his lips to the side to fight of the urge to sneer at her.
"Gotta keep 'em separated."
Jan. 5th, 2015 08:34 pmwriteyourownendingWho: Winston Slater and Romeo Dalton
What: Outside influences
Where: Romeo's apartment
When: Sunday evening
Winston wasn't exactly sulking, but he was definitely not in the best of moods. It was one thing to know his best friend and her sidekick were hating on his boyfriend in their own domains, but to do it on his Facebook where he got emails notifying of the bitching, it was a surefire way to piss him the hell off. He was usually so placid, but he was sick to death of defending not only Romeo, but his choice to date Romeo... like he was in some way too retarded to make his own choices.
He lying on Romeo's bed in his underwear. The high from Justin's performance the night before was gone again and in place just the broody under-the-skin irritation. Romeo was doing Yoga at the end of the bed because it exercise he could do peacefully after his show to chill out before bed. Watching him, Winston didn't know why Reecy and Autumn hated him by default. Neither of them had remotely even attempted to get to know Romeo for who he actually was. Instead, it was easier for them to say he was a bitch to fuel their shitty attitudes. Sure, he was a bitch, but they weren't giving him any reason to be anything but.
"I mean it. I'm not going to talk to either of them anymore if they don't stop this shit. I've had enough. Justin and Billy ask me more how things are with us and those other two pains in my ass have never asked once. They've never said they're glad I'm happy. It's just sniping and bitching and pouting because I'm not doing what they want or dating the dull assholes they try to set me up with," he complained.
What: Outside influences
Where: Romeo's apartment
When: Sunday evening
Winston wasn't exactly sulking, but he was definitely not in the best of moods. It was one thing to know his best friend and her sidekick were hating on his boyfriend in their own domains, but to do it on his Facebook where he got emails notifying of the bitching, it was a surefire way to piss him the hell off. He was usually so placid, but he was sick to death of defending not only Romeo, but his choice to date Romeo... like he was in some way too retarded to make his own choices.
He lying on Romeo's bed in his underwear. The high from Justin's performance the night before was gone again and in place just the broody under-the-skin irritation. Romeo was doing Yoga at the end of the bed because it exercise he could do peacefully after his show to chill out before bed. Watching him, Winston didn't know why Reecy and Autumn hated him by default. Neither of them had remotely even attempted to get to know Romeo for who he actually was. Instead, it was easier for them to say he was a bitch to fuel their shitty attitudes. Sure, he was a bitch, but they weren't giving him any reason to be anything but.
"I mean it. I'm not going to talk to either of them anymore if they don't stop this shit. I've had enough. Justin and Billy ask me more how things are with us and those other two pains in my ass have never asked once. They've never said they're glad I'm happy. It's just sniping and bitching and pouting because I'm not doing what they want or dating the dull assholes they try to set me up with," he complained.
[ FACEBOOK ]
Jan. 5th, 2015 02:27 amwriteyourownendingPUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT
1) Stop being fucking bitches
2) I'm dating Romeo
3) I'm not stopping dating Romeo
4) The more you be bitches about it, the more I'll date him
5) The more you be bitches about it, the less I'll talk to both of you
6) Stop being fucking bitches
7) See steps 1-6, rinse, repeat
1) Stop being fucking bitches
2) I'm dating Romeo
3) I'm not stopping dating Romeo
4) The more you be bitches about it, the more I'll date him
5) The more you be bitches about it, the less I'll talk to both of you
6) Stop being fucking bitches
7) See steps 1-6, rinse, repeat
