Quiet Backstage: A Series of Lippa Oneshots

Stress Makes You Do Weird Things

A play on a prompt from spaceysavannah xx

Stress makes people do weird things. And it depends who you are. For example, Lin forgot to trim his facial hair before this photoshoot for Hamilton at the Richard Rodger's, and Pippa forgot to tell Lin something very important.

It was toasty outside in New York the day the photos were being taken, and Lin was staring in the mirror that had been set up in their makeshift dressing rooms.

Since the shoot was outside, the team had set up some big tents, Great British Baking Show style, that were segmented into individual dressing rooms with fans and lit vanity mirrors.

There was an indoor and air conditioned renovated church that kept all of the technical equipment and had bathrooms for the cast and crew.

Lin stood in front of the mirror, slightly adjusting his ponytail. He realized that everything was coming to life. The Offical Broadway Cast photoshoot was happening just ten feet away from where he was standing.

He fiddled with the frill of his button down and started out onto set. "Good morning!" Lin called, a huge smile breaking out onto his face.

This was going to be a great day.

~~~~~

Meanwhile, Pippa was leaning against the wall of the bathroom in that renovated church. She clutched the pregnancy test in her knuckles, not even caring to look at it.

She'd been to doctors and she'd taken way too many tests. She'd known for almost three months now, and she was the only one who knew.

"Pip?" Jasmine knocked on the door.

Pippa flinched and panicked as she looked for a place to hide this test. "Coming!"

She anxiously slipped the test up the sleeve of her full ballgown, and headed out to set.

Nobody could know about this.

~~~~~

The photoshoot had begun right away and Pippa was immediately thrown into taking pictures with her Alexander Hamilton.

For a few shots, they would reenact scenes and/or iconic poses from the show, but in others, they'd just be truly candid, and have fun.

They started taking full group candid photos around two in the afternoon, and the New York heat was just beating down on the cast, who were in full layered costumes.

"Hey, Lin?" Pippa whispered warily through a smile.

"Yeah? What's up?" He also spoke through his teeth.

"I'm getting really dizzy."

At this, Lin completely snapped out of character and dropped his smile. "Cut this!" He called.

A few of the other cast members that were in the photos also snapped out of character and turned towards Lin.

"Can you walk or...?" Lin whispered.

"I can try..." Pippa nodded.

Lin called to whoever would listen to bring a bottle of water as he threw Pippa's arm around his shoulders.

They found themselves in the air conditioned indoors and sitting down faster than they expected.

"Hey, hey, Hon, someone's bringing you water, okay?" Lin coaxed, seeing Pippa's skin become more and more pale.

He rubbed her clammy palms, trying to help her breathe.

"No, Pippa, stop. Stop. St--" Lin spoke more and more rapidly as Pippa's hand and arm became more dead weight against his own.

Right as Pippa seemingly dropped, Daveed came dashing in with a bottle of water.

Lin convinced Daveed to let them be when he realized what had happened. He noted that he'd get emergency help if they needed it.

Lin sighed, anxiously pressing his fingers to Pippa's wrist, not knowing what else to do. He went to roll up her  blue sleeve when he ran into the secret that Pippa had been hiding.

Lin's eyes widened and he took the test from underneath her sleeve. Right as Pippa slowly started stirring.

"Hey..." Lin whispered as Pippa slowly sat up in her chair. "Here, drink this." Lin handed Pippa the uncapped waterbottle, slipping the test behind his back.

The two sat in silence and Pippa handed Lin the bottle back.

"Are you feeling okay?" Lin asked. 

"I'm sorry." Pippa whispered. "I'm sorry I didn't tell anyone."

Lin knew exactly what she was talking about. "Why didn't you tell me? This could've been prevented. Are you wearing your corset? Oh my gosh, Pip!" Lin momentarily panicked.

"No, Lin, I just didn't tell anyone because...because stress makes you do weird things." This sentence made Lin frown, but soon he understood. "Like you, not trimming your beard."