Started my daily ficlets to make the hiatus pass, then decided to keep going with a 2nd cycle, and then a 3rd, 4th, etc through 47th cycle. Now cycle 48!

Cycle 48/Day 1000 special: So, yes, in this cycle, a milestone I had to do something special for.
In this cycle I'm passing my 1000th consecutive day of gleekathon! So for this, the cycle will feature:
* 21-day/chapter story for the Sunshine Girls series (This Little Light of Mine)
* 14-day/chapter story special for day 1000 (Let Me Tell You A Story)
* One-shot installments from 12 series + 2 non-series
* And for this cycle and this cycle alone (I swear), 7 'triple shift' days, with 3 chapters/stories going up in the day!

This is a double shift day. There will be one more upload today: This Little Light of Mine, chapter 16.

"Drummer Boy & Burger Girl"
Finn/Elsie (OC-ish) + band
Familiar Strangers series
(all series now listed under the communities tab in my profile)

(Day two of birthday week for the one and only, the fabulous, the exquisite, yes, mag721! :D)

He had taken her to dinner first, as promised. Knowing where they would be headed afterward, they had gone for something more casual, both in dress and in choice of restaurant. She'd shown up in a t-shirt and jean shorts, sandals, and hair swept in a ponytail that should have sparked the Cheerio connection if he hadn't figured her out already. Either way, he had a feeling this was much more her own style than about anything else he'd seen her in.

He had left the choice up to her for where they'd go to dinner that day – her turn – and they'd ended up going for pizza. It had been her thought that they could bring some back with them for when they went and met up with the band. So when they arrived it was with two large boxes in hand.

He could see the whole way over to Sam's how anxious she was, though she'd play like she was just cool, and it sort of made him happier. He'd told her about the band before, and she had wanted to know about them, so Finn had told her.

After a number of them had graduated, they had lamented the fact that they all wouldn't be performing together anymore. Little by little the idea had come about that they could form a band. There were five of them in the band which, in light of how it had come to exist, they had called The Remedy: Finn on drums, Sam on lead guitar, Artie on bass, and his girlfriend Lucy on guitar as well, and Tina on lead vocals and sometimes keyboard.

It dawned on both of them separately that putting them in contact with old classmates at the same time might wash out some 'secrets.' For Elsie, it was the revelation to Finn of exactly how they had first known each other, while to him it was for her to realize he'd already found out everything. It could all come out right there, except for something Elsie knew.

A couple days before, she had gotten a call, a blast from the past in the form of Tina Cohen-Chang. She had heard through her boyfriend Mike that Elsie had gone out with Finn, and that she would be coming by practice. She wanted to catch up, and there Elsie had spilled the beans about this run around she had going with Finn, how he didn't remember her from Troubletones. Tina had been so amused, Elsie had a feeling she'd show up to find them all playing on her team.

When they arrived, they were all there, waiting, setting up… The moment they saw the pizzas they got a little saucer-eyed, but Finn declared they would be for after. He put the boxes down, hesitated, then pointed to… "This is Elsie." She waved, and they started coming up and introducing themselves. Finn watched this, confused. Sam and Mike knew her, he'd told them about her… Something shady was going on.

But for the moment they had pizzas cooling by the minute and a practice to get through. Elsie rode the couch with Mike while The Remedy took the 'stage' in the basement apartment. While they played, Elsie and Mike both cheered them on, and seeing how much fun she seemed to be having, Finn had to smile.

"So she told you?" Elsie spoke to Mike, the noise guaranteeing no one but the one at their side could hear.

"Yeah, couldn't resist. He has no idea?"

"Apparently not. Thanks for playing along."

"The look on his face… worth it," he told her, and she burst out laughing.

When the practice was done, it was open season on the pizzas. They were disappearing fast. Finn went to get a slice, even though they'd eaten before. When he turned around, he found Elsie now at his drums, holding the sticks like the whole thing cracked her up. He came up to find her mock playing. "Looks good," he told her, and she got a massive 'busted' grin.

"You should throw in one of these," she got to twirling one of the sticks between her fingers.

"Sure, if you want me to poke an eye out," he told her, and she cringed. "Go on," he nodded to the drums. She nodded – can I? "Let's see what you've got."

"You're about to find out why I'm a waitress and not a musician," she told him before taking a few shots at the drums. He finished his slice, wiping his hands before coming up behind her. He lined up his arms with hers, his chin coming at her shoulder, which made her smile. He covered her stick-holding hands with his own.

Maneuvering this from behind her wasn't the easiest thing, especially once she started laughing, but he made her play out a bit. When she started muttering 'big finish, big finish' he kicked things up and she just laughed on as he made her play.

"Okay, I'm taking these home," she told him, breathless.

"The drums or my arms?" he teased, but then realized what he'd suggested. She didn't miss a beat.

"Do you think I'll carry these on my own?" she met his eye, turning her head to him with a smirk and he nearly lost his footing. "Or you can just bring the sticks, and we'll break out the pots and pans," she suggested. "Carrying these up to my place might be kind of tiring, you know?"

"Yeah, they are," was all Finn managed to say.

"Good, so that's settled," she gave a slow nod, which he matched until she leaned in and kissed him.

She had gone into the kitchen to get a slice of pizza, just in time for the last one, and as she stood there talking with the others, Finn signalled Sam and Mike over. "Why'd you guys introduce yourselves like you'd never met her?" The two shrugged.

"Been a while, she could have forgotten," Mike explained.

"I hear that happens," Sam nodded, and Mike looked like it was taking him everything not to laugh. In the kitchen, that was less of an issue. Artie, Lucy, and Tina were already laughing.

"It's not mean, is it?" Lucy asked.

"We're just messing around with him," Artie shrugged. "Besides, you started it," he looked to Elsie.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," she played innocent. "And, hey, it's been good to see you guys again. You were great," she complimented.

"We try," Tina smiled.

When they finally left, Finn drove Elsie home. The car pulled to a stop, and he grew quiet. Had she been serious before, or… "So is Elmer all good with food and water back at your place?" she asked.

"He is," Finn nodded, and smiled.

"Good," she got out of the car. He poked his head out.

"Elsie?"

"Pots and pans, Hudson," she called after him. So he followed.

THE END

A/N: This is a one-shot ficlet, which means that signing up for story alert will not bring you any alerts.
In the event of a sequel, the story will be separate from this one. And as chapter stories go, they are
always clearly indicated as such [ex: "Days 204-210" in the summary] Thank you!