Another Day In Paradise | Danny Johnson x Reader

A Million Different Party Streamers

"Aaaaaaaaaaand..." Brahms stretches out the word for far too long, smoothing out your hair one last time, "Done! God, I should be a professional dresser!" Whether a 'dresser' was a real job you were unsure, but you knew, yeah, Brahms would be damn good at it. Your hair had been touched up to perfection, going perfectly with the vibe of the suit your rich friend had purchased you. You were the last one to be styled (Save for needing to tie Norman's bowtie) and you were the hottest group of friends you'd ever seen. 

"Shit," Michael hummed, stepping back up to the mirror to smooth out the front of his suit for the billionth time, "I never knew I'd be able to pull off this fancy bullshit."

"Well, you can- We all can." Norman was grinning from ear to ear, unable to containing his pride in you all and your newfound confidence. It was like watching his own children realize how wonderful they are. "When we walk into the gymnasium we're going to blow minds!" The boy stepped up to you and held out the ribbon of his bowtie. You rapidly got to work flipping up his collar and beginning the knot that you'd, for some reason, memorized as a child while playing dress-up. Enthusiastically, Jason signed the sentence 'who knew nerds could look so beautiful?' 

"I know, right? Talk about a glow-up," Brahms held his hand flat underneath his chin, battering his perfect lashes; it looks like he'd applied a little mascara to make them extra dark. He looked like a doll, to be totally honest; some sort of expensive china one that only pretentious children play with. "We should make a Tiktok. My followers keep saying they want to see me in one of the fancy suits I always brag about. I'm pretty sure they think I'm lying about my riches." You finish with Norman's bow and pat his shoulders with a smile, soaking up the one he returns to you. Smiles from him were refreshing; they made you feel whole in a way you never knew possible. 

"What followers?" Michael mocks, and Jason is quick to follow with the teasing, signing 'you probably only have three'. "Even that's generous, Jay." The two snickered at their jokes and Norman turned to hit them half-heartedly on the arm, though he was snickering too.

"For your information I'm a Tiktok sensation. I'm 20k away from a million." At this, all jaws dropped.

"A MILLION?" The shout rings out in unison, three voices belonging to people who are positively aghast. "How the fuck don't people at school, like, freak out about you?" You say as you scan the room looking for his phone to prove this all, "And why haven't you shown us your videos? Jesus, Brahms, get your phone right now and let us see!" 

"Fine, but you have to promise not to simp for me more than you already do," He spoke cheekily, and pulled his phone from the interior pocket of his jacket- as all of you crowded around him, he went to open TikTok, relishing the surprise in all of your faces. As he clicked on his profile you realized with a second wave of shock that he was dead serious. Clicking on his latest video (one he'd uploaded two days ago) you realized why no one at school knew it was him. He went by an alias, simply known as 'The Boy', and he wore a mask that was made of smooth porcelain. You had never seen it in person but now you more than wanted to. It was eerie and frightening in the same way as a hairless cat, with an undeniable underlying cuteness.

"Jiminy crickets," Norman said through a laugh, leaning closer to snatch up the phone and scroll to the next video, "You've got more than a million likes on- on all of these!"

"I know," With a giggle, Brahms leaned back into the couch, propping his arms up behind his head. "I played piano for them once and everyone just about lost it- that's one of my most popular videos- something about my hands." 

"Go get that stupid mask. I want to ask your followers if I'm hotter than you." Michael's words were greeted by an immediate outburst of agreement. This was a competition now. Before you knew it, Brahms was wearing his mask (and offering one to you, Michael, Jason and Norman as well- Norman didn't want to be in the video at all, so he declined.) and propping up his phone in front of a whole setup he seemed to pull out of nowhere. Another huge perk of rich parents- this TikTok rig must have been more than a thousand dollars. With you in a porcelain mask similar to Brahms' own, but with rose cheeks and a crack underneath one of the hollow eye sockets, you were sure you'd win this impromptu contest, though your three participating  friends were quite the lookers as well. Jason had been offered a beat-up hockey mask that Brahms had used one year for Halloween, Michael donning an orange paper-mache one that had made in grade school for Brahms' father. After the video, Brahms promising to share the results after the dance, the four of you were ushered out the door as Norman fretted about being late.