So I got to thinking about my theater days while I was a sleepy little thing so I decided to start writing this with how Raz is a born performer after I watched the new West Side Story with my mom lol

I don't see Lili as one for performing though so I put her as a techy mainly cause her dad wanted her to make some friends her own age lol Soooooo here we go! Hope you guys enjoy this!

I grumbled as I fiddled with the drill bit that was seemed to be disagreeing with the drill that one of the other techs had brought to me.

You'll think by our first full run-through of the show that one of these idiots would learn how to fix their own shit but nope. Bring it to Zanotto. Have her fix it all. She should know after all.

I pulled the drill bit out from where it was sitting in the mouth of the drill after spinning it loose.

How do you even put one of these in sideways?! What kind of jackass can do that? It literally starts grinding when you twist it tight.

"Having fun there, Lils?" I turned my head toward the voice that was suddenly beside me and felt a good bit of my frustrations melt away.

When I first joined the theater program here at Motherlobe Theatrics, I hated it. The people annoyed me and I thought it was all a waste of my time.

But then this actor before me crossed my path and I forgot my hate for the program nearly at once.

"Hey Raz." I smiled as Razputin gave a bright gleam in reply to my greeting. I gave him a once-over and noticed he was in his costume already. Which was honestly the reason why he was just wondering about the scene shop I was working in. "Hey! You can't be in here in costume! Director Forsythe will lose her shit!" Raz gave me a chuckle as he gestured toward the empty scene shop we were standing in.

"See anyone else here?" I shook my head as I already knew what the boy was hinting at.

"I'll keep your little secret run off then." I smirked at him as he gave me a grateful smile.

"I knew you would make a great alibi!" He chuckled at himself before glancing down at the drill I was messing with. "Everyone else is off changing anyway. I'm to report to the stage in a little for a mic check and then I'm off to be bored once more."

"Aw, so sad." I let sarcasm drip in my voice as I put the drill bit back into the drill I was fixing. "So you come to annoy the techy?"

"My favorite techy, thank you very much." I smirked as I nudged him with my shoulder.

"Favorite, huh?"

"Who else would let me bother them while they're working?"

"Dogen?"

"He's cool, but he's always mumbling to himself while he works. Something about thinking real squirrels living in the woodpile over there?" He pointed his thumb over his shoulder over by where we kept the different-sized wood pieces we used separately from one another.

"Yep sounds like Dogen." I shrugged it off as I twisted the drill head tight. "So I'm your favorite cause I'm sane?"

"You're my favorite cause I enjoy your company." He gave me a soft smile that I distracted myself from as I gave the drill a quick battery test.

I wouldn't admit it out loud, but I found Razputin... Interesting. He was kind and passionate. It was obvious that acting and singing meant a lot to him. Even if it was something his family was quite forceful with. Something about them being a whole family of performers themselves? I never questioned it really. He was talented on his own merit. After all, he was our leading man for every showcase I was a part of since I joined here.

He was funny thought too. And sweet. He's also a bit of a nerd but in a charming way. Like he could ramble about these comics he loves and it could still be as captivating as his performances.

Meaning all in all: To say I have a crush on the boy is an understatement.

"Hey, I got a random question for you." I gave him a curious look as I placed the drill back onto the table it was left on for me.

"What's up?"

"Do you have a favorite play?" He tilted his head a little to the side like a dog would as he continued. "Doesn't have to be a play-play. Can be a musical too. I'm just curious what yours is."

"I-." I thought for a moment as I turned my full attention toward him. "I honestly don't have one."

"Seriously!?" I shushed him as I glanced around the scene shop to make sure no one else was around still to see him. "Oh come on! You gotta have a favorite play!" The green-eyed boy gave me a wide smile as he adjusted his costume's button-down. "Everyone in the theater has a favorite play!"

"Oh yeah?" I gave the boy a curious look as I crossed my arms over my chest. "What's yours then?"

"Easy." Razputin seemed to joyfully scuff as he crossed his arms over his chest as well. "West Side Story."

"And what's that about?" He gave me a wide-eyed look before dropping his arms to his sides.

"You've never heard of West Side Story?" He started to count on his fingers as he seemed to count some of the important pieces of the play. "A modern-day Romeo and Juliet? The Jets? The Sharks? Played by Jimmy Bryant? None of that rings a bell?"

"Nope. None of it." The boy gave me a look as if I had stomped on his dreams for a moment. "What? I told you my father was the one that pushed me into this."

"Still." After a moment, a lightbulb seemed to have lit off for him as excitement sparked in his eyes. "How about I sing you a song from it? There are quite a few iconic ones from it! Who knows, maybe you'll like it!" I blushed lightly at the thought of the boy singing for me but I pushed down the warmth within my stomach quite quickly as I swallowed hard.

"I guess you could." I spoke in a soft little mumble as the boy excitedly bounced on his heels.

"Hell yeah! I'll do you one even better then! I'll sing you my favorite one. It's one of the lead's solo songs. It's a beautiful one! You'll love it!" He adjusted his shirt a little before gesturing to the seat not far from us. "Take a seat and I'll give you a mini-performance!" I did as he told before looking up toward the boy. He was obviously clearing his throat before closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. As if mentally placing himself into character before opening his eyes to show the softest look within his green orbs.

"The most beautiful sound I've ever heard. Maria, Maria, Maria, Maria." He sang softly as his eyes fluttered shut. "All the beautiful sounds of the world in a single word. Maria, Maria, Maria, Maria." His eyes opened once more to give me the softest look before bringing a bit more power to his voice as he continued. "Maria, Maria, Maria!" He placed a hand over his heart as if he was telling me how much he truly loved the girl he was singing for. "I've just met a girl named Maria. And suddenly that name will never be the same to me!"

God how I wish he was singing like such with me in mind.

... Did I really just think that?

"Maria! I've just kissed a girl named Maria and suddenly I've found how wonderful a sound can be!" He wasn't gesturing too much like he normally would on stage, but it was obvious he was still putting a lot of feeling into the piece. As if he was auditioning for the role but knew that the director didn't want anything over the top. "Maria! Say it loud and there's music playing." Suddenly his voice softened once more as he continued. "Say it soft and it's almost like praying." He continued singing, but a lot of it was going within one ear and out the other. I was purely focusing on the sound of his voice and how honestly heavenly it was to hear. Once he held out the last note, a soft one of the girl's name once more, I couldn't help but stare at the boy in awe as he gave me the proudest smile in reply.

"Whatcha think?" I shook my head as I snapped back into reality softly.

"No wonder why you get the leads." The boy chuckled at my brainless reply before giving me a bow.

"Well thank you. I try my best." He laughed a little more for a moment before smiling softly. "But did it ring any bells? Or still don't know the play any?" I sat and thought for a moment before a memory rang within my head.

"I feel pretty. Oh, so pretty. I feel pretty, and witty, and bright. And I pity any girl who isn't me tonight." I watched my mother with awe as she twirled around the kitchen with ease. Her voice being probably the most beautiful sound anyone in the world was destined to hear. "I feel charming. Oh, so charming. It's alarming how charming I feel and so pretty. That I hardly can believe I'm real." She stopped suddenly as her eyes landed on me. Her face was a blur in my memories, but I could tell she was smiling down at me as she knelt down to sing to me. "See the pretty girl in that mirror there? Who can that attractive girl be?"

"Is it me, momma?" I gave her a toothy grin as she laughed gently toward me.

"Oh absolutely, my little one." She tapped the tip of my nose as she gestured to all of me. She sang once more as she continued. "Such a pretty face. Such a pretty dress. Such a pretty smile. Such a pretty Lili!"

"I feel stunning." Before I knew it, I started singing softly the next part of the song she was singing all those years ago. "And entrancing. Feel like running and dancing for joy. For I'm loved by a pretty wonderful boy." But my version was a lot more dreadful sounding than the original song. My voice was in a minor key as I sang the end of the third verse.

"Wow." I snapped back into reality as a bright blush took over my cheeks. I looked up toward Raz to see his mouth was slightly open as he was staring at me in awe. "I didn't know you could sing."

"I-. I don't-! I mean-." I stuttered a moment before I got frustrated with myself and took a breath before letting it out slowly. "My mom was into broadway. It was how my folks met. She would sing all the time. I used to mimic her a lot of what she did."

"So you do know West Side Story then! If you know I Feel Pretty then!"

"Honestly? Hearing you sing reminded me of when my mom sang the song a lot when I was little. I-." I hesitated as I tried to remember why exactly my mom would sing the song so often. "I think she actually played Maria once. Maybe? I don't remember much about her."

"Really?" Raz lowered himself onto the scene shop floor as he gave me a sad look. "At least you remember her singing though. Voices are really important to performers. I bet if she wanted you to remember anything about her, it would be her voice."

"Sucks when you can't even remember her face though." I grimaced at the sadness in my voice as I hated how sensitive and open I can be with the boy before me.

"You still have memories of her though." A soft smile brought itself to his lips as he reached out and gave a gentle pat to my left knee. "Even if it came about from my poking." He gave me a gentle laugh I couldn't help but add to with my own. "If anything though, I bet she would be proud of your voice. I know my father would gloat quite a lot about how I got my voice from him."

"I forget your whole family performs." I smiled at the boy as pride seemed to swell in his chest.

"The Musical Aquatos are ones to see!" He puffed out his chest from his sitting position as a bright grin took over his face. "I'm just one of a talented lot! You should have heard my grandma before she got her vocal tremor. It was one to hear! She used to be an acrobat too!" He took a moment to rub his chin as he went into thought. "Kinda odd how we all went down the musical route there. I think in another life we would have been just a family of acrobats by how performing is in our blood."

"I wouldn't doubt it." I chuckled at the thought as I crossed my right leg over my left since I had the chance. "I should ask my dad about the Maria thing though. If anyone would know it would be him."

"Your dad is an actor too right?"

"Director."

"Ah~ no wonder why he pushed you into the technical stuff then."

"Actually I chose to go into tech."

"Really?" He seemed quite shocked with that as he leaned back onto his palms. "You got one hell of a voice though. Even if it was a major key song put into a minor tonality."

"I never sang in front of someone else before."

"WHAT!?" I gave him glare at how loud he was before he gave me an apologetic look. "Sorry, but-. Wow. You would knock a crowd dead at an audition! Honestly! You got a gift for sure." I blushed at his compliments as I knew by the gleam in his green orbs that they were true to him.

"Thanks, but no thanks. I would be frozen in place before I could start."

"Well if you ever change your mind, I could always help you with that." He gave me a gentle smile as he sat up straight once more. "I would love to perform with you if you ever do." I felt my face completely flush at the genuine tone of his voice as he spoke.

Damn this boy! Damn him!

"Don't you have a scene to get to?" I was a little snappy at him with that but he wasn't frightened by it. He seemed to grow quite accustomed to my reactions as he jumped up to his feet.

"Oh yeah! Thanks for reminding me! Singing for you was a good warm-up though." He started making his was out of the scene shop before turning on his heal and giving me a smirk. "But hey, if you ever want another mini-performance, I won't hesitate to sing for you again. Hell, maybe we could sing together. Maybe Tonight?"

"Tonight?"

"It's from West Side Story. It's from it's balcony scene."

Balcony scene-?

I felt myself blush even harder as he gave me a quick wink.

"Think about it! I gotta get going!" He turned on his heel and left with a small wave over his shoulder. "See you backstage, Lili!"

Modern Romeo and Juliet. Balcony scene-.

I put the pieces together slowly as I bit the inside of my cheek.

Again, damn that boy.

My eyes couldn't pull themselves away from where he took his leave as I felt my heart skip a beat.

Wouldn't change him any though. Not even a little.