My Dear Melancholy (Daveed Diggs x reader)

Poets Society

and there you stood, a proud smile on your face in front of the school. tonight was the night, the night where young poets got to raise their voice and make their thoughts known.

you were introducing the high schoolers, the mic you were using had a few dents but it was working so that's all you cared about. the podium was used for everything, assemblies, arm rests, even a table for lunch.

daveed was welcoming everyone in with rafael, he had warmed up to you; the weather did the opposite. it was winter, right before the break. rafael was staying home over the weeks like you two because things seemed to get bad and then worse, and then terrible. you were pretty sure it would be all online after the two weeks off, which would only propose bigger issue with space in the little house.

clyde and soccer liked the snow, their paws would freeze sometimes and that seemed like it hurt but other then that, it seemed like they were built for the snow.

two hands held your waist and slightly scared you, "just me." and voice you wake up to was right in your ear, "everyone is ready, we just gotta wheel this hunk 'a trash out on the stage." daveed walked around and met you face to face. "your makeup looks great."

a bold winter lip, you wanted to get a little fancy. daveed wore typical teacher clothes but added a tie, you wore a nice dress you always kept but never had a use.

"thanks, i like the trim." daveed had wanted to grow out the beard but after noticing the grey hairs he quickly cut it to stubble. "wanna help me bring this out?" you pointed to the stand and mic.

daveed nodded and helped you, there was parents and other students waiting in the auditorium. the place seemed packed but it was distanced, all completely sanitary.

the poets would keep their masks on right before they would start talking, then right after they would put it right back on.

"hello and welcome, take a seat, thank you." you paused, "i hope everyone is doing well, i know i am because of this amazing night," this lead into applause, you quickly glanced down at your notes. "before i introduce our first speaker i want to thank the creator if the poets society: rafael casal and daveed diggs, please, give them a round of applause..." the claps filled the room again, they were seated in the front row, they stood, waved, and sat back down. "now, let's begin, our first speaker is reginald little, grade nine!" he walked out and waved, he took the mic and headed to the middle.

"abel makkonen, grade twelve!"

"sean turner, grade eleven!"

"solána rowe, grade ten!"

"robyn fenty, grade twelve!"

words tumbled around the room and seemed to bounce off one another. everyone was so amazed by these kids and what they had to say, some were even brought to tears. the high school kids seemed as though they were adults, they were already wiser then most. their faces after the applause and the standing ovations seemed to bring a new light in, all their hard work was finally being recognized and loved. maybe they kept what they wanted to say to themselves even though they weren't alone, or maybe they wanted to scream their poem louder for everyone to hear; it doesn't matter.

nothing did, nothing mattered in that hour and a half. the poems seemed to wipe the film of structure off everyone's eyes, world was being seen in a different way right then and there. and these kids were only in their teens.

you looked over to see daveed, his smile wasn't wide where the corners of his eyes were wrinkling. the smile was simply his lips pulled back, everything was said through his eyes. they seemed to be looking at a painting that looked like a photograph. he watched these poets swing their arms around and grasp everyone's attention, he watched the kids he's taught with pure admiration, pure joy. as if he raised them all- and some he did. you could tell, he was proud.