backstage | thomas sanders

chapter one

-taj-

vidcon is finally here. for some it means getting a glimpse of a featured creator. for me it's the chance to meet someone who has given me a lot of stability online. they've been a rock for me when everything felt to big for me to handle. besides a youtuber i've never met, they've been my best support.

so here i am, waiting nervously at the community stage for the person who's been helping me through the rough times. although i didn't know their name i was pretty excited to meet them.

"hi, are you the one i've been messaging?" i turned around and almost fell over from surprise. "t-that's me" they smiled and pulled me in for a hug and i hesitantly returned it.

the person who had helped me was the talyn as in talyn the friend of thomas sanders. "this is really weird, but you're thomas sanders' like best friend" they laughed and nodded "that's why you always seemed to crack up when i mentioned him" we both laughed and i couldn't keep the smile off my face.

"this is amazing meeting you" they agreed with me and we walked around the floor a bit. they had to be careful though when they saw thomas' fans or if we passed the booth selling merch from thomas. we kept talking and i didn't realize how much time had passed until my alarm for a panel went off. 

"oh i have a panel now!" talyn looked panicked when she saw what time it was. "taj....what panel are you going to?" i shrugged and looked into detail and i frowned. "it's yours" talon cursed under their breath before we both started sprinting towards the spotlight stage. 

thomas had a q & a with talyn and joan in five minutes and it would take some time to get there since there was a lot of people and we were across the convention from where we should be. by the time we got there some staff members were standing by the entrance to the curtains and once they saw talyn they ushered them in quickly. 

they waved to me before running behind the curtains. i looked around to see someone with a saved seat next to them. i walked over to them and politely asked if it was taken. "no, my friend won't make it so you can have it" i smiled and thanked her before sitting down. i was in the second row, on the very end so it wasn't half bad since the introduction was playing on the screens as the q & a started.

i smiled when i saw the host walk on stage. "hello vidcon!" everyone in the crowd screamed including myself. "today we have three people here for you to ask questions to using the #vidconaskthomas" a lot of people pulled out their phones and most likely pulled up twitter to tweet a question.

"now i know you guys don't want to wait all day so introducing thomas, talyn, and joan!" everyone started screaming again as they all walked on stage. talyn made eye contact with me before they all sat down. i smiled at them before i focused on the beginning q & a.

"first question: are any of you in a relationship?" the host started off with a common question and they all responded with a no. some people in the audience booed and i rolled my eyes. remember a long time ago when septiplier was pretty bad?

well some crazy people on the internet practically started a colt for thomas and jon cozart. there was fifty something people and there always seemed to be a few in every convention. the rest of the community thought they were crazy, but oh boy that didn't stop them.

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"take it easy guys, gals, and non-binary pals! peace out!" a lot of people jumped out of their seats and ran to the barricades in hopes they would walk down and take pictures. the staff told them that thomas, joan, and talyn wouldn't be coming to take pictures and the fans left.

i stayed behind since talyn had just texted me saying that they would get me back stage and that i should wait by the entrance. one of the security rolled his eyes when he saw me walking towards them.

"no fans backstage" his voice was gruff but his tone was obviously bored. "actually security, he's with me" talyn smiled at me as the guard let me backstage. "huh never thought i'd be back here" joan looked up from their phone and waved to me.

"you must be talyn's online best friend" i smiled and tried to contain whatever part of me wanted to scream since i was talking to the joan. "that'd be me!" we all started talking when i brought up thomas. "oh yah, he was talking to some industry people, he said he would meet us by the dogs and cats"

"i'm sorry did you say cats" i started grinning like crazy at the mention of the adorable animals. "oh boy" talyn groaned as they both led me further backstage. there was an open door with a gate set up and it was full of cats, from kittens to adults.

"oh"

"my"

"god"

i squealed before opening the fence carefully and setting myself in the middle of the kittens. "am i in heaven?" i asked, looking up to see joan and talyn laughing at me before joining me in the room. "they are so cute"

talyn said holding up a little black kitten. a soft mewl was heard and we all looked to see a small tabby kitten stretch itself out before settling in my lap. "awww it's so cute i'm not even mad it's getting fur on my black jeans" talyn laughed and i sent her a glare.

"if you wake this kitten up i swear to god i will fucking murder you" talyn laughed harder and this time joan joined them. i just scooped up the, now awake, kitten in my arms and touched noses with it. "you're all monsters" i mumbled, smiling as the kitten meowed.

suddenly an adult calico jumped on my stomach knocking me over causing me to yelp in surprise and they laughed harder. "hey talyn! are you with the cats!" i heard a voice shout and i recognized it as thomas'. i tried to get up, but now both cats were crawling all over me. 

i heard joan and talyn talking with thomas and i managed to move the tabby off my neck. "a little help talyn" i yelled from the floor. as the time passed, another cat had got on me so i needed a bit of help. they laughed and i felt a weight being lifted off my stomach and after all the cats were removed from my body, talyn helped me up.

"i swear you'd just leave me here if you could" joan rolled their eyes and talyn laughed. "i don't think you'd care also, thomas this is the guy i've been talking to online..." i zoned out on whatever they said next because i met thomas' eyes and i felt like i couldn't breathe.

no taj. you have no chance and you shouldn't want that. "thomas this is taj, he's gay" talyn's words snapped me out of my daze and i rolled my eyes. "is that all to know about me, that i'm gay" thomas laughed along with joan.

"you have a rainbow streak in your hair" a blush spread across my face and i ruffled my hair. "touché" i joined in their laughter and as we all cracked up i made eye contact with thomas and those stupid butterflies returned.