• Hearts will be Flooded •

[Greyson Wesley Drozdov]

It was still strange being away from Lincoln Center. That theatre, those hallways; they had been Greyson’s true performing home for most of his professional career. He had done tours and visited friends across the country, all with different theatres and different places they called home, but Lincoln Center was his. From exhausting corps rehearsals to private one-on-one trainings with some of the greatest dancers that graced the ballet world, he had built himself in that theatre; had left his sweat and blood on those historic floors. He still spent time there rehearsing for the upcoming season of shows and still got his fix of performing the classical ballet moves he cherished, but he was itching for the high of being center stage in the main theatre again. Being under those spotlights with the feeling of an excited audience watching as he created art with his dance partner was a kind of drug that was more addictive than any narcotic, and Greyson was really fixing for a hit. Being on Broadway was still performing, but this kind of dance wasn’t what set his heart aflame. It was a different kind of story telling and an art form all in its own, which he could very much appreciate especially when the leading lady held so much of his heart, but Broadway wasn’t and never would be his home.

Greyson had had an end date picked for his run since he’d negotiated the contracts for this whole escapade. He had needed one in order to be granted permission from the Company, but it was still a long enough stint to have him itching to be done. It was enough to make Audrey smile and give them a chance to spend more time together, and that was all he had wanted. Learning the ins and outs of Wicked had been fun and had brought some looseness back into his dancing, but Greyson was excited to becoming to the end of his musical theatre run. He still had a few weeks left and he was cherishing every moment that he got to share a stage with the woman who made him fall more in love with every song she sang; however, he was looking forward to going back home.

Knowing that this would most likely be a strange occasion, Greyson’s stepmother had arranged a night out to the theatre to see him in something very outside of his element. She had sprung for tickets for the whole family, including Annabeth and Annalise, Greyson’s step-sisters who rivaled Audrey for real estate on his heart. Not having any blood-related siblings of his own, he doted on the girls like they truly were and the lines of “stepfamily” had been blurred a long time ago. He hadn’t introduced Audrey to the entire Drozdov-Snowe clan yet, mostly for fear of what his nosey sisters would try to drag out of his girlfriend, but he was hoping the excitement of a show would help divert their attention at least a bit. When his stepmother had reached out about attending a show, he had eagerly set up a dinner date for the lot of them. He and Audrey had been spending time together anyway following shows so it was simply a spin on plans that they usually had in place.

As the final curtain came down and the backstage erupted into its usual chaos to close for the night, Greyson was one of the first ones up to the dressing room to change back into his street clothes. Usually, he was in some version of sweats and a comfortable shirt; something bordering on pajamas but still appropriate enough to be out in public. Tonight, however, he scrubbed the stage makeup from his face and slid into a nice shirt and slacks, something fancy enough to not get a teasingly scolding lecture from his stepmother.

With one last look in the mirror to make sure his face was clean, Greyson slung his usual stage duffel over his shoulder and said goodbye to the rest of the ensemble gentlemen. He took the short walk up to Audrey’s dressing room and knocked twice on the door, a goofy smile of excitement on his face. He was ready to introduce her to his family so they could see how wonderful she was, too.

• • •

TAG: audrey juniper carver
WORDS: 719!
LOCATION: At the Theatre, Broadway
LYRICS: Shirtsleeves by Ed Sheeran
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[audrey juniper carver]

Audrey loved sharing the stage with Greyson, even if most of the time she wasn’t supposed to be acknowledging that he was there, dancing by her when she was singing. It was nice being able to spend that extra time with him. The stolen moments before shows and during the intervals were something they never got to share normally. She knew he would be going back to his own world soon, back to where stories were told solely through dance, and where he was centre stage. Audrey would miss him once he was gone, miss the extra time they were currently spending together, but she wouldn’t try to keep him here any longer. It wasn’t his world, but hers. She was grateful that he came to it, shared it with her for a little while, but she understood that he had his own dream to get back to. She couldn’t go and leave Broadway for a long time. Hell, she didn’t want to leave it for even a little while! The stage was her home, and performing was her whole reason for getting out of bed every morning.

Of course, Greyson had given her another reason now, too. He kept her smiling even when directors had her feeling like she could cry. Sometimes they demanded so much from their leading lady and there were days and rehearsals when she was pushed so far and felt like she was hanging over the edge, holding on by just her fingertips. Everyone had a bad day, everyone felt that stress, but Audrey had always struggled to handle it well. She was the type to cried when things became too much. She couldn’t run it off or put it into something else. She just bawled it out until her eyes were red and puffy and her throat was scratchy and useless for her profession. Having another good thing in her life helped balance everything out and stop her from reaching that breaking point as often as she once did. Greyson kept those grey clouds at bay even if he didn’t realise he was doing so when he sent her a silly little text just to see how her day was or to let her know what time he was going to be out of rehearsals or done with a show.

Audrey was obviously nervous about meeting his family. He spoke so much about them that she knew it was a big deal for them to like her. She had felt butterflies all the way through her performance that night, but at the same time had come away from the final curtain call feeling like it had been one of her best shows to date. Her dressing room was a mess, as always, but she was trying to be quick in getting out of her costume so that Greyson and his family wouldn’t be left waiting on her. She knew she took longer than most changing back into her casual clothes after a show since she had to strip body paint from her skin and not walk out of the theatre still looking like the witch she played on stage. It had taken a long time in the beginning, but she had a routine down now which made things quicker and better for her. When Greyson knocked at the door she was still in her robe, wiping away the last stubborn flecks of green from her body. It was always the same spots that took the extra scrubbing to clean up – around her nose and ears, the eyebrows and hairline, and one odd spot by her left collarbone. “Yeah? ‘Mon in!” She didn’t want people to wait on her, but she still wanted to quickly put on a bit of normal make-up and then slip into the dress that was hanging on her clothing rail. Her hair post-show was best in a bun which she had already done.

• • •

TAGGED! Greyson Wesley Drozdov
WORDS! 655!
LYRICS! Don’t Come Down - - - The Maine
NOTES! <3

[Greyson Wesley Drozdov]

Greyson didn’t exactly have the definition of a normal upbringing, and it was something he kept buried down where no one would notice. During his younger years, he had always tried to hide the lack of a mother in his life and the fact that Russian blood ran just as strong through his veins as the American. It was too complicated to explain to other children, especially when the piece they most often took away was the fact that his existence was the result of a mistake. There were glimpses of his roots, the kind that no one would notice unless they knew what they were looking at; the type that disappeared as soon as one caught sight of them. Greyson wasn’t ashamed of being his father’s son, but there was a dark part of him that always revolted against any mention of his mother. She had been a wonderful ballerina; he’d seen videos of her performing, dancing in the way only true artists could. She had also been deeply troubled and unstable, the result of two decades of abuse in the cutthroat Russian ballet industry. Her death had made headlines in the performing arts world there, and it was a secret Greyson kept buried in the deepest part of his heart. Luckily, Greyson’s father had worked hard to bring him to the states to save him from the chaos that could have otherwise been his life. What could have happened otherwise still haunted Greyson’s nightmares sometimes.

His father had tried tirelessly to make sure Greyson had everything he possibly could, but there had always been a large piece missing until Miranda and her daughters came into the picture. They made quite the happy family now with the memory of Elena Petrov a far off whisper only ever presenting itself when the sunlight would catch Greyson’s eyes the right way, or when he’d smile in the smirking lilt that his mother had.

Greyson knew his love of dancing came from her; he’d known it was in his blood from the moment he saw his first ballet. Michael, his father, was very far from artistically inclined and that left only one other option. Learning about his mother had been a painful experience for Greyson but it had also shown him how important it was to take care of himself. She was why he made it a priority to go to the gym, despite his hours already in the studio; that time was his mental clarity space, where he could decompress and work out the frustrations of the day. He monitored his health with a close eye, eating healthy foods and being unafraid of going to therapists if he needed it. Elena was proof of how years of work could wither a passion into a death sentence, and Greyson was determined to never let that happen to him. This was an underlying reason behind his current status on Broadway and why he had continuously jumped at the chance to push himself outside the usual boundaries of a content career at Lincoln Center. Stepping away from the standard shows and rotating company of dancers gave Greyson the opportunity to miss ballet; he could fall in love with it all over again the moment he stepped center stage once again in the theatre he loved to call home.

Being closer to Audrey was obviously the main reason he’d chosen to escape on Broadway this time, and she had made every moment worth it. He was so proud to see her every night and share in the magic that she brought to an audience, and he was hoping his family would feel the same.

Greyson popped his head around her dressing room door with a wide smile on his lips. He liked the routine they had now; liked that he didn’t have to trek through the city to see her and could just hop down the hall. "You need any help with that makeup?” he called as he walked in, a sly smirk on his lips. "You know I’m always willing to assist in the shower.” He came up to wrap his arms around her waist, planting a kiss to a tiny speckle of green flecked on her ear.

• • •

TAG: audrey juniper carver
WORDS: 706!
LOCATION: At the Theatre, Broadway
LYRICS: Shirtsleeves by Ed Sheeran
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[audrey juniper carver]

There was no ‘star quality’ that ran through the blood of the Carver family. If Audrey looked back through the thin book her aunt had compiled of the family tree, most of them had been labourers, married into life just as similar to the one they came from. Right up until her there was no one who reached for the stars and wanted to shine there with them. They had lives to be proud of, for sure, but Audrey couldn’t do that. She couldn’t sit back comfortably and stay with the life she had grown up in. It had been easy, yes, and they didn’t struggle like some families did to put food on the table and warm clothes on their backs. However, it was boring. Nothing exciting happened unless she went out looking for it. She thrived on that electric feeling; the one that accompanied nerves and pushed her along regardless of the warnings behind her. She might have made a mistake, fallen off the path a time or two, but Audrey picked herself right back up and started again. She was driven, even though many people only saw her chattering away and flitting from one thing to the next like there was too much space between her ears. Those people didn’t really know her though, and they never took the time to get to know her either.

Audrey would rather sit and chat with an entire cast until she knew the ins and outs of their lives. She loved listening to people tell their stories. It was especially fascinating to hear when she realised how used she was to seeing them play a character on the stage. It happened when she was around veterans of the stage – the people she had been the audience to long before she was a co-star – and also when she was only able to hang out with a cast member long after rehearsals were through and they were performing on the stage. No one seemed to have a quiet life with no plans. Everyone she knew was rushing to the theatre or away from it. They had family waiting to squeeze some quality time in with them. They had friends who had already been celebrating a birthday for two hours before they could even think of making their way to the bar. Then there were the times when all of that living just left a person so tired that all they wanted was their bed and to not think until the next day. Audrey had experienced all of those things. It could be messy and complicated and she had grown tired of explaining her life and her routine to people who weren’t from the performing world. It wasn’t the same as working a nine to five, or even working shifts. It was almost non-stop, full of new demands and requests and it would be easy to live nowhere else but on Broadway. As a romantic though, Audrey didn’t want to be married to the stage. She wanted to fall in love with someone, and the world they shared together.

Audrey fixed Greyson with a look through the mirror. He was terrible for her routine, but she didn’t want him to stop coming to her dressing room and teasing her. “You already missed that part.” She said, picking up the damp towel from her chair to smack him lightly with. “Unfortunately mirrors and showers don’t pair well. Otherwise all of this would be gone.” She leaned in over her dressing table to make sure that there was no more body paint around her nose, or lingering on her eyelashes. “You can help me with my dress, however.” She pointed to where it was hanging. Audrey quickly grabbed her make-up bag and almost effortlessly began applying just a thin layer to cover the odd pimple around her chin, and to take away the shine from her now clean nose.

• • •

TAGGED! Greyson Wesley Drozdov
WORDS! 660!
LYRICS! Don’t Come Down - - - The Maine
NOTES! <3

[Greyson Wesley Drozdov]

Dancing came as naturally to Greyson as breathing. It was in his blood; woven deep into the core of his very being with an undeniable pull that kept him coming back for more every time he had considered quitting. The aching muscles, difficult choreography, and relentless hours had made quitting an easy choice, but he had never been one to give up in hard times. He had found himself through dancing and developed into the person he knew he was born to become; someone who poured his soul into everything he did without an ounce of regret.

Finding someone who understood that passion had always been hard for Greyson. Dating ballerinas was out of the question; he saw enough of them at work. While harmless flirtations weren’t off the table, he had seen messy relationships explode throughout the company and cost jobs in an industry that did not have time to play games with fickle hearts. It was why he had kept his attention focused on building his career and a list of people he could partner with rather than sleep with. And, with many of his hours being devoted to Lincoln Center, it didn’t leave much room for mingling out in NYC. Greyson was so thankful he had reunited with Audrey; she was someone who could understand that a large part of his heart would always belong to the stage and she hadn’t tried to pry that away. Ballet was part of who he was just as much as theatre was a part of who she was, and it only made Greyson fall harder for her. Even when their time together was short and involved the kind of delirious exhaustion that could only come after two show days, being with her made him feel like nothing else mattered. Not his misstep on stage or the tightness in his shoulder from rehearsing new lifts; she made him live in the present moment and never failed to keep him smiling.

He met her eyes in the mirror, mischief playing in his as he embraced her. He chuckled as she hit him with the towel but went to get her dress. "I apologize in advance for anything my nosy sisters ask,” he stated, leaning back on her dressing table as he watched her. She was beautiful without the makeup, but he knew better than to tease her about it. His favorite way to see her was never glammed up in Broadway costumes, but in pajamas after a show, curled up with him and not worried about the world keeping its prying eyes on her. "They can be… annoying,” he laughed, shaking his head. He waited for her to finish her makeup, holding out her dress. "You’re beautiful, y’know that right?”

• • •

TAG: audrey juniper carver
WORDS: 461!
LOCATION: At the Theatre, Broadway
LYRICS: Shirtsleeves by Ed Sheeran
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[audrey juniper carver]

Audrey could talk for hours about what she loved about being on stage. She would probably bore a hundred people with her talking about it, but then Audrey never did really know when to be quiet once she got started. She was a chatterbox through and through, though some people only knew her to be quiet backstage, resting her voice between performances. There were definitely days when she needed to lock herself in the dressing room, steamer on, lozenges popped like candy, and honey and lemon tea on the go. She also wondered those days if it was wise to be as chatty as she was when her job was so demanding on her voice.

However, many people who “knew” Audrey, didn’t really know her at all. They saw her as a social butterfly (which she was) but they didn’t care to learn about the rest of her. They didn’t know about the long baths with oils and relaxing music. Or how she loved to curl up in her big armchair with a hardback book and listen to the rain falling against her windows. She often fell asleep with American Dad re-runs almost muted on her television when she was alone. And she enjoyed her trips to the gym, both the classes that she took and the old workout routines she had developed with a PT before he left for another, more expensive, gym. She had been happy with where she was and wasn’t the type to pay more just because she could afford it. She’d rather save it for a rainy day, or a time when she might be without work. She had her fingers crossed that it never came to the latter though.

Audrey was looking forward to tonight. She rarely had the chance to socialise with people who didn’t live and breathe for the performance. There was her family back in Philly, of course, but it just wasn’t the same. They were family! “I have a sister of my own,” Audrey chuckled and wiped a rogue bit of lipbalm from the corner of her lip. “I’m completely aware how…blunt they tend to be.” Standing up so she could slip into her dress, she locked eyes with Greyson. “You realise all siblings are designed to be annoying, right? Part of the package.” She loved her sister dearly, but there were also times when Audrey could just about strangle her. It had been that way their whole lives and they didn’t hide it. Their mother had once joked that they would kill for each other or actually kill each other. A smile spread of its own volition and Audrey stopped getting ready to wrap her arms around the shoulders of her boyfriend. Greyson was so easy to be around, and she fell harder for him with every passing day. “Only because you remind me.” She teased, kissing him lightly. Reluctantly she stepped back so she could change into her dress. She didn’t like to keep people waiting and Greyson was more than a bit of a distraction when he was around.

• • •

TAGGED! Greyson Wesley Drozdov
WORDS! 520!
LYRICS! Don’t Come Down - - - The Maine
NOTES! <3

[Greyson Wesley Drozdov]

Greyson hadn’t grown up with siblings; his stepsisters had come into his life when he’d been halfway through high school, while he had one foot already out the door as he spent most of his time in a dance studio or doing whatever he could to ensure his admittance into a decent performing arts university. Life had been quiet around his home and his father had maintained a relatively typical bachelor lifestyle for most of his upbringing; it was to be expected with how young the man had been when Greyson had come into the world, but he had been determined to raise the boy himself and that was exactly what he did.

Still, Greyson had missed out on the whole happy family, typical American dream scenario that many of his friends had. His early memories and the silly moments that only came with being a kid often included dancing or spending time with his father; that was his entire family and whenever he had been asked to explain it for stupid school projects he always wished his photo could be as large as some of his classmates’. Maybe it was part of the reason he tried hard now to make time for his little sisters or to go home for family dinners on his nights off; he wanted to make up for the moments he hadn’t been able to experience when he’d been younger and begging his father for a dog just to have a companion around their lonely apartment. Now, it was his sisters demanding to be invited to his apartment so they could play with his troublesome French bulldogs who often ruled his life more like dictators than companions, and it was beautiful family portraits that decorated the hallways of the Drozdov homes. Greyson always had photos of them all together and could carry on excited conversations about the girls’ newest accomplishments like the best of proud older brothers. They were a patchwork family that he was very thankful to be a part of.

He should have introduced Audrey to them all earlier, and he knew it. He’d been fielding prying questions for weeks now. His stepmother knew there was a girl stealing him away from family dinners and the occasional afternoon lunch with his parents, but Greyson had been trying to enjoy every moment he could with the woman entirely capturing his heart. Their time together had already been fleeting enough and he hadn’t wanted to sacrifice a moment of it by sharing her with anyone else. But, the more and more he fell in love with his little actress, the more he knew he’d have to bring her home eventually and there really was no better time than after stunning them all with a killer Broadway performance.

Greyson’s warm hands reached out to help Audrey with her zipper, fingers trailing along her skin as he secured it into place. She was stunning and he knew how lucky he was to have her. Chuckling back at her, he smirked, "Yes, but I don’t usually bring home girls and their annoyance seems to multiple the second someone new walks into the room.” Tucking some hair behind her ear and tilting her face up towards his, he teased, "And they’ve never met a famous Broadway star before.”

• • •

TAG: audrey juniper carver
WORDS: 551!
LOCATION: At the Theatre, Broadway
LYRICS: Shirtsleeves by Ed Sheeran
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[audrey juniper carver]

Audrey’s family had been incredibly supportive of her dreams. There had been a few teenage talks when her grades weren’t the best they could be, but Audrey had seen more to life than high school. She had friends and amateur dramatics, dance clubs and after school singing practice. She lived a full, active life and her family understood that she did it all for her dreams; dreams that were now coming to fruition and Audrey couldn’t be happier for it. She still had a close relationship with her family even if they didn’t see each other much outside of the holidays and birthdays. They had all come down for her opening night as Elphaba, but typically they couldn’t make all of Audrey’s shows and she didn’t want them to travel all the way down when she was only in the chorus line, or dead by the end of the first act. Broadway wasn’t cheap, after all. She was too busy to head back to Philadelphia regularly and she knew her sister was also sowing the seeds for her own career, as well as making attempts to start a family with her husband, Boomer. Their parents, although talking about retirement, were long from it. She didn’t even know what they’d fill their time with if they did retire. Audrey expected them to have grandkids by that point to keep them busy, though she wasn’t sure if any would come from her. She was less keen to settle down into domesticated life than her sister.

That wasn’t to say that someday she might want it. She still considered things early with Greyson, but she was crazy about him, she could admit to that much. However, they both led demanding lives and while it was nice to have him share the stage with her for a while, she knew it would go back to their version of normal soon. They were still finding their balance with their jobs and their life together, and Audrey had been hurt too many times before to jump in with her eyes closed. Maybe that was a sign that she was growing up, or maybe she just didn’t want to ruin something that had been lingering since college. She didn’t enjoy overthinking this sort of thing; she felt it went against her spontaneous nature. Meeting the family was quite a step though, and one she hadn’t taken too many times before. She knew how much his family meant to Greyson, and so she wanted to make the best impression tonight, both on and off the stage.

She smiled, lazily looping her arms around Greyson’s solid shoulders. “Technically, you didn’t bring me home. You brought them to me.” She teased, just because she could. “And now they have to see that I’m not really the Wicked Witch of the West.” Her smile grew a little more, looking up at Greyson through her lashes. “I’m hardly famous. Besides! You’re a well-known name in ballet. It would be no different.” She pressed her lips to his, taking this chance while they had some privacy. She couldn’t get enough of Greyson sometimes, her heart fluttering in her chest as she pushed herself onto her toes to be closer.

• • •

TAGGED! Greyson Wesley Drozdov
WORDS! 542!
LYRICS! Don’t Come Down - - - The Maine
NOTES! <3

[Greyson Wesley Drozdov]

 Greyson hadn’t told Audrey everything about himself; he hadn’t told her about the Russian half of his DNA. He talked about his stepmother and sisters often, yet he had never brought up the topic of his biological mother or the fact that he wasn’t born in New York. It wasn’t necessarily a big secret he was keeping on purpose, but it also wasn’t something he had tried to bring up to her. He didn’t talk about this with many people outside of his father and, even then, it was only on very rare occasions. He and his father had both tried to move on from the chaos that had been Greyson’s introduction into this world, but Greyson also knew that his passion for dance came from that half of his heart. His father was supportive and his stepmother always tried to come see shows when he was in something new or for a season’s opening night, but neither of them had a love for the stage like he did. Neither of them could understand the siren’s call that kept pulling him back to the theatre time and time again.

Maybe it was part of the reason he felt so comfortable with Audrey. Even though they were from different corners of the performing arts world, she understood why he gave his entire soul over to this profession that demanded every part of his heart and then some. Greyson sometimes wondered if, had he known his mother, would he still have chosen to follow her into the ballet world? Would he still have picked dancing over everything else, knowing the repercussions that could come along with it? He often asked himself that last question, especially on the days where his body ached from learning new choreography or he was getting up early yet again to hit the gym before training that afternoon. If he had chosen his father’s path instead, his life would have been so completely different than the world he existed in now and he had to wonder what that version of himself would have looked like. He was still his father’s son in so many ways, but his mother’s heart beat loudly inside his strong chest.

If things kept progressing like he hoped, Greyson knew he would have to explain it all to Audrey eventually. He was comfortable taking things slowly with her and didn’t mind spending time to enjoy each other, but this was a part of his past that he was going to have to reveal soon enough. He just didn’t quite know how quite yet.

The smile that graced his lips was the smirking, tender one reserved for only her. He pulled her close to himself and chuckled, shaking his head at her teasing. "I’ll get you home to a Drozdov family dinner yet,” he replied, pressing his lips to her forehead. With a laugh, he picked up her jacket and held it up for her to slide into. "I promise, I’ll let you do wicked things to me after we’re done with dinner and back at my place. Just don’t try to send my little sisters up in a tornado before then.” He offered her his arm to try and get them move out of the theatre. Greyson had warned his parents that it took some time to get out of makeup and onto the street, especially with Audrey’s crazy green paint, but they were used to it by now. They had seen him in countless performances and knew the drill.

Trying to usher her down the stairs and outside, Greyson commented, "And I’ll be back home at Lincoln Center before you know it. But, for now, you are the shining star and I’m merely a chorus boy who can barely keep a tune.” He grinned at her as they reached the bottom of the stairs and the stage door that kept a solid barrier between them and chaos, taking a moment and adjusting his usual theatre duffle on his shoulder. "Are you ready for this?”

• • •

TAG: audrey juniper carver
WORDS: 676!
LOCATION: At the Theatre, Broadway
LYRICS: Shirtsleeves by Ed Sheeran
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[audrey juniper carver]

Audrey appreciated Broadway over Hollywood simply because she could walk down the street on a Saturday morning with a messy bun holding back unwashed hair, let her face breath without make-up hiding any blemishes, and wear her workout gear while she grabbed coffee and breakfast. No one looked twice at her, and no flashes came from behind cars or under bushes. It was a different kind of ‘celebrity’ – if she could even call herself by that title. Broadway stars lived on stages and at stage doors, but away from that they could be anyone they wished to be. She knew an actress who had the cookie cutter lifestyle when she was out of character, gushing romance down the phone in her dressing room when her husband called to wish her luck each night.

Audrey wondered if she would ever have that. She had dated actors and those who had permanent stage fright. None of them had supported her the way Greyson did when it came to her career. It might have been because he had seen her determination in Julliard, or perhaps it was just because he shared her passion for performing. She didn’t need him to spell it out for her; all that mattered was that he cared enough to be her sounding board after a stressful day, or help her out with de-greening herself. Audrey would do the same for him, too. Even if she was exhausted and craving her bed she’d go with him for dinner after a show to let him talk out his day or ask her if she thought he was wrong about something. She rarely told him he was. The stage – be it acting or dancing – came with a long line of divas who thought themselves entitled to everything. It was a difficult to stay on the right side of humble when they were around, or to hold back letting them know they weren’t as brilliant as they thought themselves to be. Audrey would happily take criticism, even if it made her cry or doubt something for a short while because she knew she could come back stronger thanks to it. How else would she improve her talents?

“How wicked are we talking?” She asked with a devilish smirk, checking she had everything she needed before leaving. Her phone, keys and wallet were in her bag, and she’d grab her duffel tomorrow when she was back in the dressing room being painted green again. She flicked her hair from her eyes, preparing for the mayhem that was typically the stage door. “I’ll miss this when you’re back at Lincoln.” She knew Greyson’s stint here wasn’t permanent and she would never ask him to make the move to her world. Audrey knew his passion was ballet and she loved watching him when she had the chance, but just this; going home together, grabbing food, and not having to check her phone in the interval to make or cancel plans. “As I ever am.” Audrey had surprised herself. She was looking forward to tonight and any nerves she might have were buried beneath the excitement. She liked where things were going with Greyson, and this meal with his family seemed to be yet another step in the right direction for their relationship. "What have you told them about me? Do they know we knew each other at Julliard?" She didn't want to spend her night reliving stories Greyson may have already told his family.

• • •

TAGGED! Greyson Wesley Drozdov
WORDS! 571!
LYRICS! Don’t Come Down - - - The Maine
NOTES! <3

[Greyson Wesley Drozdov]

Some of Greyson’s favorite rehearsals and classes were the ones where the other dancers snuck their kids in for the day. It made the room feel so much more fun when there was a little ballerina in the making trying to keep up with their mother on the barre or twirling around in front of the large mirrors to the music resounding off the studio walls. One day, he hoped he would be in a place to bring his own son or daughter in to see just what happened to put on the dazzling shows that seemed to go off flawlessly on the large Lincoln Center stage. He wanted his possible future kids to understand how important the arts were, even if they didn’t follow the family legacy of dancing. Ballet had been such a huge part of his world and he only hoped he could pass that on to whoever came next in his family line.

Greyson couldn’t keep the lust out of his gaze as he met Audrey’s eyes, pulling her close and reaching down to place a lingering kiss on her lips. He loved that smirk, the one that usually came with a comment meant just for him or linked to some inside joke they shared. He really loved how simple it was to be with her, even if they were exhausted or processing the stress that came with both of their demanding careers. She always made him feel better, no matter what was happening, and was his favorite way to stay energized even when every part of his body wanted to lay in bed for the whole day. "Just you wait until we get back,” he said, placing quick kisses down her jaw to her ear.

His smile softened at her statement regarding him moving back to his true home. He hated having to move on from this show, but his passion didn’t lie on this stage and he was definitely feeling that loss. He missed his challenging ballet routines and the organized chaos that came with a full cast of dancers, and he really missed the theatre family he had back there. Being welcomed into this show was easy, but it wasn’t the true family he had built back at Lincoln Center; those were his people and they always would be. "You could always come join the ballet world. I’m sure the Principal Dancers wouldn’t eat you alive too badly,” he joked, reaching down to kiss her forehead and lace one of his hands with hers.

"They know you’re amazing, but that your fashion choices during dance class were sometimes questionable,” he teased with a smirk as he confirmed her question. He had told them a decent amount about her and where they’d originally met, but he had carefully avoided mentioning the crush he’d had on her back then. They knew she was special to him and that her career meant as much to her as Greyson’s did to him, which was hard to find a balance of in the performing arts world. But, he was also leaving space for her to tell her own story; she deserved the space to be her own person and not only be seen through his loving gaze.

Greyson pushed through the door and held it open for Audrey, trying to keep his practiced smile for the crowd of theatre goers gathered there. But, he knew he was really just there as arm candy for the leading lady who took his breath away every time she sang on stage.

• • •

TAG: audrey juniper carver
WORDS: 593!
LOCATION: At the Theatre, Broadway
LYRICS: Shirtsleeves by Ed Sheeran
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[audrey juniper carver]

Audrey had “met the family” only a few times in her life. There had been a high school boyfriend and then one after Julliard; although she met them by accident when they were grabbing ingredients to try making homemade pizza. It felt different this time though. Maybe it was because she was older now, or maybe it was because Greyson was far more special to her than they had ever been. Audrey fell for guys far too easily, but none of them had known her quite like Greyson had. They may not have been the best of friends in Julliard, but he knew her work ethic, understood just how much blood, sweat and tears she had injected into her art. Other guys had often thought a pretty face and a half decent voice was enough to get you on Broadway. There had been a man in her past – whom she had only worked for, not dated – who insisted Audrey got roles because the director was obviously hoping to get a little something more out of her. He was a sleaze who, thankfully, was rarely at the restaurant when Audrey was scheduled in.

She would be lying if she said she wasn’t even a little bit nervous. Audrey wasn’t as worried about meeting the family as she was them thinking of her as a distraction to Greyson. It was a ridiculous thought, she knew as much herself, but there was always something whispering in the back of her mind. If he was ever – by some chance - criticised for slacking, she would blame herself. The reality of it was slim, but it was probably her only concern in the young relationship. Everything else was exactly how she hoped it would be, and even on the evenings where they were too tired to spend time together, she found herself smiling at the silly, cute messages they exchanged until one of them passed out. If it was Audrey, she typically fell asleep with her phone in her hand, trying to get the last message in but rarely achieving it. His kissed elicited a soft giggle from the Broadway star, who almost had to push him away to ensure they actually got out of the dressing room. “Now, now, don’t be making promises unless you intend on keeping them.” There was a twinkle in her eye; the one that often meant Audrey was looking for trouble.

Audrey laughed loudly, slipping her hand into Greyson’s and entwining their fingers. “I’m pretty sure my ballet skills would be more than rusty. I took an extra, optional, dance class as Julliard just so I could work on my spaghetti arms.” Audrey could dance when a role required it, but of the three elements that made up the Performing Arts it was her weakest. She took a little longer, worked a little harder to nail the choreography, but those who had worked with her knew she would give it her all; even if she stumbled once or twice or blanked during rehearsals. “Hey, my fashion choices were on point!” It was so far from the truth, but Audrey enjoyed this familiar joke. “Besides, growing out bangs is more effort than it seems.” Her hairband had mostly been to keep the too-short-for-a-hair-tie lengths out of her eyes.

The stage door was always something of a carnival, and many a night Audrey would sign playbills and take photos with those patiently waiting. Tonight was not one of those nights. Instead she shouted her thanks for coming, waved at a few, and got through the crowd with relative ease. Curling into Greyson against the cool night air, she glanced around the ever-busy street. “Not to be dense, but where are we meeting them?” She couldn’t remember if he had already told her. Pre-show Audrey was always a little bit flaky about things not related to her performance.

• • •

TAGGED! Greyson Wesley Drozdov
WORDS! 656!
LYRICS! Don’t Come Down - - - The Maine
NOTES! <3

[Greyson Wesley Drozdov]

Greyson didn’t bring people home to meet his family unless they were very important to him. Even with the Company, he had only introduced the Drozdov-Snowe clan after he had established a place for himself and they’d visited so he could give his sisters a little backstage tour. He usually tried to keep his work, family, and private lives separate so that he was able to give each the needed attention and balance for him to stay sane. It wasn’t easy being someone with a job that dictated most of their life, and he tried to keep those spheres separate in order to maintain his own mental health. By leaving work in the studio and not being asked about it at home, he could spend time enjoying his family and vice versa.

However, Audrey was someone he was excited to introduce. She had become a large part of his world rather quickly, even if they were taking things a little slower in the beginning, and now with them sharing a theatre, Greyson often saw more of her than he did anyone else. He loved being able to share that time with her, lounging on her dressing room sofa before the show and getting to walk her home afterwards. But, it was high time that he let his worlds collide so he could bring together the most important parts of his life.

Greyson had no doubts about his father and stepmother adoring Audrey as a person. She was everything they wanted for him; sweet, intelligent, beautiful, and more. There was the fact that his father had always had a strange attitude towards Greyson dating other performers, an understandable fear that stemmed from experiences leading to Greyson’s very existence. While Audrey wasn’t like any of the ballerinas that filled Greyson’s usual world, he had carefully left out mention of her career for as long as he could. His stepmother had eventually dragged it out him, and Greyson had dutifully noted the expression that crossed his father’s face when he’d launched into his tale about the couple meeting at Julliard and how they’d both grown to pursue their respective careers. Still, Greyson had every faith that Audrey would fit right in with his family; at least, he really hoped so.

Audrey being a distraction was probably the one thing both of his parents would love her for. He had a tendency to throw himself completely into the Company and dancing, whether that was doing extra rehearsals or spending his mornings at the gym to push his body even further than performances already did. Greyson could be consumed by his passion for that world, and it was so easy for him to get lost. Being with Audrey encouraged him to take a break, even if that sometimes included him dragging her along to the gym on occasion. She made him pop his head out of performing so he could be a real person, and that was something his parents had been working on for years. Even their banter and flirting at the theatre now reminded him that he didn’t always have to sacrifice everything for his job; he could be a human, too.

Greyson followed her out into the chaos of stage dooring, one he was all too familiar with. He usually did his best to sign playbills and take photos with those who asked, smiling and putting on the show that these fans were looking for. But, tonight, he followed Audrey’s lead and quickly ducked away from the crowd. Wrapping his arm around his girlfriend, Greyson guided her up the block. He had instructed his family to meet them ahead on the corner so they could avoid the fray and crowds, so it was easy to spot the little family.

Annabeth and Annalise Snowe looked nothing their stepbrother. They were nowhere near as lanky as him, and both had the dark brunette hair of their mother with chocolate eyes to match. They were on the shorter side with soft facial feature, but each had developed their own unique style as they’d grown into teenagerhood. Annabeth, the older who was quickly approaching her final year of high school, had recently chopped her hair into a short bob in an effort to appear older as she prepared for college visits. Annalise, the youngest and most cheerful of the entire family, was becoming obsessed with fashion and art, much to the pain of her parents’ wallets. These girls were two of the brightest lights in Greyson’s life, and it was easy to see by the giant smile that split his face as soon as he was close enough to see them. Greyson led his girlfriend up to the group, only releasing her to be embraced by his sisters as they gushed about the show. Annalise tucked herself under his opposite arm, sharp eyes looking to Audrey; Greyson doted on his youngest sister, and the place at his side was usually filled by her as they shared their love for the art world.

Miranda Snowe was beautiful in the kind of way that aged like fine wine. She had once been a lawyer at Greyson’s father’s firm but had given it up when she’d married so she could work for nonprofit organizations and spend more time with their combined family. Now, Greyson was her pride and joy, and she loved the opportunity to support him in all of his endeavors, both professionally and personally. She stood at Michael Drozdov’s side, arm looped through his. Greyson looked an awful lot like his father. He had inherited his blonde hair, broad shoulders, and strong facial features, but everything else about Greyson came from his mother. The bright eyes, height, thin build, and natural grace all came from the unfortunate woman and served as constant reminders of the other half of his DNA.

Greyson easily bent to kiss Miranda’s cheek, nodding to his father as he released his sister in favor of wrapping his arm back around Audrey. He smiled down at his girlfriend and looked back to his family with a proud twinkle in his eyes. "This,” he grinned, squeezing Audrey gently, "is Miss Audrey Carver. Leading lady of tonight’s show and someone I’m so excited to introduce you to.” Nodding to his family members in turn, he introduced the small clan, trying not to overwhelm her too much. "That’s Annalise and Annabeth, my stepsisters and Miranda, my mother, and Michael, my dad.”

Miranda smiled warmly at Audrey, reaching out to embrace her in a light hug. ”We hug in this family, if that’s alright, dear,” she smiled, bright and easy going. She had been looking forward to meeting this young lady and it was already easy to see how happy she made Greyson. ”It’s such a pleasure to meet you. He’s been hiding you away for so long.”

Michael gave her a short nod, the small smile tugging on his lips a ghost of the one that usually graced Greyson’s. His father was the usual stoic lawyer and had never been one to process emotions externally. However, the stepdaughters at his side were the complete opposite.

Annalise had retreated to her stepfather’s side after being forsaken by Greyson and was fixing Audrey with something between a hateful and awed glare. She could appreciate how amazing Audrey’s performance had been tonight and knew she was talented to be on such an impressive stage, but the woman was also stealing her brother’s favored attention. Annabeth, on the other hand, smiled brightly at Audrey. ”I completely don’t understand how you’ve been putting up with him this long, but it’s been so nice not fighting over leftovers with him at dinner,” she teased, giving her older brother a playful smirk that he returned.

”Alright, alright, that’s enough,” Miranda scolded as she shook her head at them and turned her attention back to Audrey, ”Let’s get these two some food. You both must be starving after that show! Are you alright with pizza, Audrey? Grey usually likes the carbs after dancing but I’ve never taken an actress to dinner before.”

Michael herded his stepdaughters towards the restaurant they’d chosen, letting Miranda walk with the couple as the girls continued to bicker up ahead. Greyson kept his arm tight around Audrey’s waist, trying his best to be supportive in what he could only assume was overwhelming.

• • •

TAG: audrey juniper carver
WORDS: 1400
LOCATION: At the Theatre, Broadway
LYRICS: Shirtsleeves by Ed Sheeran
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[audrey juniper carver]

Audrey knew people kept work and personal life separate. She knew it was supposed to be beneficial to their mental health and help build good relationships on both sides of the line. It had never been something she managed all that well. Maybe it was because she became good friends with so many of the people she co-starred with. Maybe it was because, in the past, she had a habit of falling for all the wrong men who just so happened to share the stage with her. Not all of those encounters had been relationships; some had been harmless crushes that were cruelly dashed when his girlfriend or fiancée came to the show. She had felt her heart break in the faces of beautiful women too many times to recall. At least with Greyson she hadn’t been mistaken in his friendly advances. He had liked her and there was no one else in the picture to make things awkward. Now she just had to keep faith in the idea that he would not break her heart.

Nothing so far had made her doubt where things were going between them; if anything, she would have thought those flags would appear during Greyson’s stint in Wicked. It was one thing to travel parallel in the world of performing arts, but it was something else to merge, even for a short time. They were almost inseparable over the last few weeks. If neither of them was on the stage they were together. He lazed in her dressing room while she was painted green and did her traditional pre-show routine. He was there again once he was ready to leave and she was still making sure she wasn’t going into the street looking like The Incredible Hulk. They shared more meals together, took their time going home and saying goodbye in the evenings, and yet the magic was still very much there. Audrey still felt those sparks whenever he touched her, felt positively like she could float away when he kissed her. Because of that, she wanted his family to like her. She didn’t want them going away wondering what on the great green earth Greyson was doing with her.

Audrey smiled as she watched Greyson greet his family. In the moment she missed hers and thought about giving them a call before tomorrow night’s show. The nerves still had her stomach in knots, but she was hoping that it didn’t show as Greyson introduced her to his family. She returned his stepmother’s hug easily, laughing at the remark. “It’s perfect. And I’m sure he’s not been deliberately hiding me, just…happy about the coincidence.” She joked, knowing that busy and conflicting schedules were the demons of their world, and that sometimes all either of them wanted was to forget the rest of the city even existed.

It was easy to notice the similarities between Greyson and his father, and for a moment she wondered if she looked as much like her mother as relatives often said whenever they had parties and get togethers. Her mind, ever distracted, took a moment to come back into the present which meant she missed entirely the look that his youngest sister was giving her. Audrey wasn’t intentionally rude, but there were times when her own little bubble enveloped her, leaving her oblivious to everything else. Thankfully, those moments were short, and usually she could apologise and make amends for whoever she had accidentally snubbed – if she was called out on it.

“Oh, he has his charms.” Audrey looked up at Greyson fondly, resting her hand on his chest as she turned her attention back to Annabeth. “And he probably knows better than to take any food from me when I’m ravenous.” Audrey was either not even slightly hungry or she felt like she was starving. There was no in between. She had to make sure she snacked healthily throughout the day or else she would be inhaling a huge meal right before the show and no one wanted to perform on a full, bloated stomach. “I could eat just about anything and everything after a show.” Audrey laughed, not ever the type to behave like a rabbit and only eat rations of lettuce. The way she saw things she could eat whatever she liked, so long as she kept active and healthy, too.

She kept herself curled into Greyson’s side, her arm around him as she realised where they were going for food. “I love this place.” She announced, grinning as they moved through the door. “It’s probably the best and worst thing about being on Broadway; I could eat here every night if I only had the energy.” Greyson would understand what she meant. Some nights she left the staged filled with adrenaline and the belief that she could party all night. Other nights she wasn’t sure she had the strength to leave her dressing room, let alone make it back to her apartment.

• • •

TAGGED! Greyson Wesley Drozdov
WORDS! 839!
LYRICS! Don’t Come Down - - - The Maine
NOTES! <3

[Greyson Wesley Drozdov]

Greyson didn’t have any doubts about his relationship with Audrey. Even with all of the extra time they’d been spending together, he continued to fall more and more for her with each passing day. They complemented each other in a way that was simple and easy, but he loved making that blush rise to her cheeks with sly comments or innuendos whispered in dark corners of the theatre. Seeing her own a stage every night was something he was thankful to experience, and still his heart beat fastest when they were curled up together and away from the blinding lights of New York. He loved having her all to himself, no makeup or power ballads needed; just her in one of his old college shirts, his arm wrapped around her, and both of them almost asleep from an exhausting day of shows.

Those moments were the ones that made Greyson realize just how much he wanted this to work with her. He wanted to be the one she turned to after work, and the one who got to show her off at opening night parties. He wanted to be the one laughing with her over silly mishaps or burnt cooking endeavors when he tried a new recipe. He wanted to build something that couldn’t be taken away by anyone, and he wanted her to want that too.

He had been trying to let Audrey guide the pace of their relationship, not wanting to scare her off or pull her in too deep before she was ready. He could see the hesitation in her sometimes, but he worked hard to try and ease any of the fears that dared to cloud her pretty head. The last thing he wanted was for her to bail out because he had tried to move faster than what she was comfortable with. He was in no rush for things to go beyond dating right now, but he knew he wanted more one day with someone when the time was right. He wanted a family; he wanted to build something the same way his father and stepmother had done, even if that meant adopting or building a patchwork family of his own. He wanted kids, and a house outside the city; he wanted a life where he could be someone important off the stage, too.

Greyson squeezed Audrey lightly, keeping her tucked close to his side as they walked towards the restaurant. He wanted her to feel at ease with his family so that, maybe, she’d be willing to come for a real family dinner one day when they hadn’t both just finished a performance. He wanted to include her in more of his life, and he hoped she’d give him the opportunity to do the same if things continued going well.

"He doesn’t bring anyone home to us because they’re scared of his sisters,” Miranda joked, giving her daughters a playful glare. "They’re the Three Musketeers and get into too much trouble.”

Greyson faked insult, chuckling and shaking his head. "You can’t reveal all our secrets before we’ve eaten! Besides, they don’t get that from me. I was a perfect gentleman before you all came into our lives.”

Miranda rolled her eyes, smiling brightly as Audrey commented on the restaurant. "I’m so glad! Grey was no help picking a place. He can go on and on about that corner coffee shop but couldn’t give me a hint about a dinner spot.”

Michael had already given their name for the reservation and a waiter was quick to show them to a table, the girls already chattering about what parts of the show they’d enjoyed most. Michael pulled out his wife’s chair and Greyson did the same for Audrey, purposefully putting her next to Miranda and away from his sisters.

"Order whatever you’d like,” Greyson grinned at Audrey, taking his spot next to her and flipping open the menu. He quickly skipped to the page of flatbreads, hoping to find something lighter so he wouldn’t feel gross for his workout class in the morning. "My father’s treat. Least they can do for making you suffer through family dinner,” he joked in a whisper, reaching up to peck his lips to her temple.

And not a moment later, his sisters were already bickering about their order, both of them requesting different things and trying to negotiate with Michael and Miranda for the best option. "Grey will share with me if you won’t!” Annalise pouted loudly, elbowing her sister who had been refusing to order the kind of pizza she wanted.

"We’ll order a few for the table and everyone can share,” Miranda scolded, turning her attention to Audrey and opening the drink list between them. "Would you split a bottle of red, dear? I know Grey won’t touch the stuff, but you deserve a drink after that amazing show tonight.” Greyson smirked, trying to keep his eyes on his menu but enjoying the fact this his stepmother was already trying to get Audrey drunk.

"Let her be, Mandy. You don’t need a whole bottle of that bitter stuff,” Michael laughed, his sparkling eyes meeting his son’s. "What kind of pizza do you want, Audrey? The girls make all the decisions around here; Greyson and I just follow along for the ride.”

• • •

TAG: audrey juniper carver
WORDS: 894!
LOCATION: At the Theatre, Broadway
LYRICS: Shirtsleeves by Ed Sheeran
NOTES: <3 <3 <3