The Greatest Showman One Shots

Theatrics - Anne x Phillip

This one shot was requested by Louise190321! Thank you!

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She's dreamed about this night for many years. Finally, the chance to be able to watch one of the world's most incredible works of art, theatrical plays. Anne is deep in thought as she slips into her eccentric green dress, which was previously her mothers. Her mind buzzes with many hypothetical situations based on the coming events. Despite it being the most unlikely, Anne dwells on the situation in which she will only be greeted with a few piercing glares from pale-faced men and woman and not be disturbed, watching the play in peace. Although a small nagging thought barges in and destroys Anne's perfect fantasy. The thought that everything will crumble to pieces. The thought that someone may have the audacity to approach her and publicly humiliate her. She could handle it, couldn't she?

Anne shakes her head and attempts to silently reassure herself. Failure. She sits down on her nearby bed, resting her elbows on her legs and pressing the heels of her palms onto her forehead, her eyes now closed. She sighs, the exhilaration that was with her a mere minute ago now gone and evaporated into the evening air. The loose floorboard at her door creaks and Anne's head shoots up in fear. Her racing heart settles after she catches sight of her brother, who is resting against the wooden doorframe with a not-so-subtle look of worry on his face. Anne makes eye contact quickly before lowering her head again. "Annie?" He questions, calling Anne by her childhood nickname. Anne doesn't respond, prompting W.D to take a seat next to her. She leans into him and he wraps her into a comforting side hug, just as their mother did when the siblings were younger.

She leans her head on his shoulder and the whispers softly to him. "I can't do it. I just can't. It is all going to fall to pieces the second I step into the theater." W.D is puzzled for a quick second before he remembers Anne talking excitedly about the theater and how P.T had arranged a ticket for her to go. Anne fiddles around with the large, vibrant sleeves on their mother's old dress. W.D takes in a deep breath and repositions himself on the bed, resulting in Anne lifting her head from his shoulder and looking at W.D. "Who cares about what other people say and think. You've wanted to watch a play at the theater ever since you were a little girl. Don't let the stupid way society views people like us to stop you from fulfilling your dream." W.D reassures. Anne nods, plastering a small smile on her face despite tha worry that is still clawing at her subconscious.

"Thank you W.D. It is just ever since the night when everyone was staring at us while we were watching Jenny Lind perform, I've been self-conscious," Anne says, recalling the sugar-coated lie she told W.D that night after she ran out of the theater. If he knew what had actually happened with Phillip, W.D would've gone berserk and probably would've harmed Phillip. Anne pushes the thought of Phillip and lying to her brother to the back of her mind and she stands up from the bed. As she does so, W.D says, "I understand. Just don't let their views control your life. If you live by societies standards, you will never truly live." Anne nods as she grabs a pair of shoes from beside her wooden dresser and places them on her feet. She then walks over to the vanity mirror and fixes up her hair nicely.

W.D watches Anne as she expertly pulls her curly hair into a nice updo. He then starts to talk. Anne, who was accustomed to the silence, jumps slightly in her seat. "Have fun, okay. And please be safe." W.D walks over to his sister and places a steady hand on her shoulder. She looks at him in the mirror and nods, a reassuring smile on her face. He walks out of the room, leaving Anne in silence once again. She finishes up her hair and runs a hand down the front of her eccentric dress, smoothing out any wrinkles. Anne meets her own chocolate-brown eyes in the mirror and takes a steadying breath before stepping out into the evening air.