! CHARM ! CHARM !

( practice makes perfect )
( a tucker pillsbury fic )

GREEK THEATRE
los angeles, california
september 10, 2024
tuesday
3pm

the tattooed girl walked into the crypto arena wearing lowrise yet baggy jeans along with a cropped top that had the words 'faye-mira' on it.

"hello lover!" i chirped as i noticed my friend luna walking in behind me.

luna chuckled lightly, her soft voice a contrast to faye's cheery tone. "hiya!" she said, her blue eyes sparkling with friendly warmth. "excited for gracie's show tomorrow?" she asked, her words carrying a hint of excitement despite her shy demeanor.

i nodded eagerly, my black hair bouncing with the movement. "i am!" i replied with a broad smile. i looped my arm through luna's as we continued walking through the arena.

"it's always so cool seeing our friends perform. we're like a little music crew," luna said as we walked onstage where gracie was currently speaking with someone. today was only a practice session for the real thing.

"there you two are!" gracie exclaimed as she noticed them walking over. she was dressed in jeans and a hoodie.

i grinned and waved as we made our way over. "we're here!" she announced in a cheerful tone.

luna smiled softly, her eyes taking in the preparations going on around them. "rehearsal going well?" she asked gracie, her voice laced with curiosity.

"so far, so good," gracie replied with a nod. she gestured towards the stage, "just making sure everything is in place for tomorrow. we're going to do a few run-throughs later with you guys." she glanced at her two friends, her eyes lighting up. "i'm really glad you guys could be here for these shows. it means a lot."

i squeezed her arm briefly, "of course! we wouldn't miss it for anything. you're family, and we support you all the way."

luna nodded in agreement, "absolutely. we'll be right here rooting for you every step of the way."

"model!" gracie randomly yelled out.

faye chuckled and raised an eyebrow. "model?" she repeated, a hint of amusement in her voice.

luna looked equally puzzled, her head tilting slightly in confusion. "what's the 'model' for?" she asked curiously.

"model like role model." gracie muttered, referring to role model, the man she was on the joint tour with.

tucker, who had been sitting on the other side of the stage, chuckled when he overheard the conversation. he walked over to where the girls were standing. "you called?" he asked with a playful smirk, running a hand through his messy brown hair.

me and luna swiveled to face him. i chuckled again at his appearance, noting his carefree disposition.

"hey, model," gracie teased, using the nickname she often addressed him by.

luna offered him a small smile and a wave, "we were just talking about the rehearsal."

"luna jasper and faye singh." he said to the two girls. "tucker." he introduced himself.

i raised an eyebrow at the formal introduction, a smirk playing on my lips. "no need for the titles, tucker," i said with a wave of my hand. "we know who you are. big fan here."

tucker chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the edges. "ah, so you're familiar with my work, then?" he asked, his voice laced with mock-arrogance.

luna laughed lightly at his response. "very familiar," she chimed in.

i nodded, a grin spreading across my face. "your music has graced our playlists more times than we can count," she said.

gracie rolled her eyes sarcastically. "don't feed his ego. he'll never stop talking."

tucker feigned hurt, hand over his heart. "you girls wound me!" he dramatically proclaimed before flashing a grin. "but i'm honored that my music is a staple on your playlists, truly."

"don't be dramatic," gracie chided jokingly, giving him a small shove.

i chuckled, my expression turning more serious. "but really, we are huge fans. can't wait to perform with you guys tomorrow."

tucker nodded in agreement. "the feeling's mutual," he reassured. "and trust me, i've been looking forward to seeing you guys perform live." he then looked directly at faye. "is bambi on the setlist for you?"

i smiled, almost sheepish, at the mention of my new single. "i'm glad to hear that," i responded before nodding to confirm. "and yes, bambi will definitely be a part of my set list."

tucker lit up at her confirmation. "that's awesome," he said enthusiastically, a glint of excitement in his eyes.

gracie, standing next to him, shook her head at his reaction. "he's been going on and on about hearing you perform that song," she teased.

i chuckled at the revelation, my cheeks slightly pink. "oh yeah? i didn't know i had such a hardcore fan in you," i teased back.

tucker held his hands up, still sporting a grin. "guilty as charged," he admitted with a chuckle.

luna smiled at the banter between them, enjoying this playful exchange.

"alright, time to do some practice runs." the stage manager said in a monotonous way, she seemed annoyed.

"alright, time to do some practice runs." the stage manager said in a monotonous way, she seemed annoyed.

tucker then gave me a hand on my shoulder, "have fun out there." he said to me.

i took a moment to observe his tattooed hand and spoke, "where are you headed?" i asked.

tucker chuckled, his hand still on her shoulder. "i'll be here," he said simply, gesturing to the backstage area. "gotta get myself ready for my own performance. but i'll definitely be watching yours."

i smiled at him, his casual confidence somehow endearing. "well, i know i'll have a dedicated fan in the audience."

he returned the smile, his eyes still fixed on mine. "consider me your biggest hype man," he said with a wink.

i held back a laugh, trying to maintain my composure. "i'll be sure to look for your face in the crowd, then," i teased back, feeling a strange flutter in my stomach.

he chuckled. "you won't miss me." he lingered for a beat longer before removing his hand, giving my shoulder a gentle squeeze. "break a leg up there," he said.

i nodded, my heart beating slightly faster than normal, and then watched as he walked away.

luna, who had been watching the whole exchange, leaned in closer to me. "was it just me, or was there major flirtation going on there?" she asked in a low tone.

i took a deep breath, trying to control the flutter in my stomach. "oh, please," i tried to dismiss it, but the heat creeping up my neck betrayed me. "he was just being friendly, that's all."

CALDO VERDE RESTAURANT
los angeles, california
6pm

for dinner luna, gracie, tucker and me ended up at 'caldo verde.' the four friends were settled around a circular booth towards the middle of the restaurant. it was a cozy spot, the warm glow of the lamps casting soft shadows across the table.

"i haven't been here in forever," luna mused, looking around the restaurant, her eyes taking in the familiar aesthetics.

"it's so good though," gracie added, picking up the menu. "i could eat the portobello risotto every day."

"i'm thinking of going for the steak tonight," tucker remarked, casually skimming through his own menu.

"ooo, i love the steak here," i chimed in, my eyes still focused on the long list. "i might just do that and some truffle fries."

once the waiter came to take our orders, me, luna, and tucker ordered the steak and truffle fries, while gracie opted for the portobello risotto, and we all chose some sort of wine from the limited but exquisite list.

as we waited for our food, the conversation naturally shifted to tomorrow's show.

"i'm pretty excited," luna confessed, fiddling with the straw of her water mindlessly.

gracie, who was sitting next to her, nodded in agreement. "it's going to be amazing. the lineup is great, and the crowd is going to be insane."

i nodded, "la crowds are always great."

tucker shook his head, "they can be."

"bad experience?" i pressed.

he chuckled dryly, "yeah, you could say that." he took a sip of his water. "i performed here about a year or so back. the energy was completely dead, no one was singing along, they were just recording everything."

i grimaced at his words, feeling a pang of sympathy. i'd witnessed that scenario before and it was disappointing. "ugh, i hate that. it's so disheartening when the crowd is just there for the gram."

"exactly," he sighed. "i'd much rather have one engaged fan than a hundred who are just filming to show off later."

"it's worse when it's a sold out show." luna said.

i agreed, nodding emphatically. "absolutely. i've played for sold-out crowds before that just sit there like statues, music should be about connection, not just recording clout."

tucker nodded, his expression understanding. "yeah, it's like, come on, be present!"

gracie, who had been silently listening to our conversation, perked up at that. "well, tomorrow's crowd should be better. they're paying good money after all."

i chuckled at her comment, though i knew it was true. "let's hope they're there for the music and not just social media brownie points."

after a few minutes, the food arrived at our table, the aroma of it filling the air. as we began to dig in, our previous conversation was momentarily forgotten.

"mmm," luna groaned blissfully, biting into her steak. "this is heaven."

i followed suit, and god, she was right. the steak was cooked to perfection, tender and flavorful, the truffle fries were crispy and perfectly seasoned.

"this is damn good," i mumbled in between bites.

tucker, who was already halfway through his plate, nodded in agreement. "you guys weren't kidding, this is the best steak i've had in a while."

~~

as we stepped out of the restaurant, the cool night air hit us, a gentle breeze blowing through our hair. we were all still lingering in conversation, reluctant to call it a night just yet.

just then a white audi pulled up front, "that's my ride." luna said before pulling me into a hug. "great seeing you, faye."

i hugged her back, feeling a pang of sadness that the night was ending. "you too. i'll see you tomorrow."

she gave me one last squeeze before pulling away, then turned to the rest of the group, giving a quick wave. "night."

"night." we chorused, mirroring her wave as she climbed into the passenger side of the vehicle and it drove off.

as the car pulled away, the four of us stood in the glow of the streetlights, a comfortable silence falling over us.

"alright you two...my car's in the lot." said gracie.

tucker nodded and pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket. "so is mine." he then looked at me. "where's your car?"

"home, i got a ride here with gracie." i explained as i watched as he lit his cigarette.

he took a puff, the smoke curling around his face, before speaking again. "you live far from here?" he asked curiously.

i shook my head, pushing aside the small flutter in my stomach that his question had caused. "not too far. about twenty minutes, maybe?"

he nodded, exhaling another stream of smoke. "that's not bad."

gracie pulled out her keys and sighed, "faye, i would give you a ride but i've got to be at the arena much earlier than everyone for press and last minute things."

i laughed, waving off her concern. "no worries, gracie. i totally get it. i'll call an uber."

gracie shot me a grateful smile before she headed towards the parking lot, leaving me alone with tucker.

he took another drag of his cigarette, his gaze shifting from the horizon to me. "i can drive you." he said as he extinguished his cigarette on the ground.

i raised an eyebrow at his offer, slightly taken aback by the casual way he suggested it. "yeah? you sure it's not out of your way?"

he shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips. "not at all. plus, it's not every day i get to be a gentleman."

i couldn't help but chuckle at his reply, finding his lighthearted charm refreshing. "well, chivalry isn't dead then."

"not on my watch." he replied with a smirk, gesturing for me to follow him.

we walked in companiable silence towards the parking lot, the night air still slightly cool. the only sound that came from us were our footsteps echoing slightly.

we finally reached his car, a sleek black range rover with a red interior. "nice ride," i commented, sliding into the passenger seat.

he got into the driver's seat, a smirk on his face as he responded, "only the best."

as he started the car and connected his phone to apple carplay. the music came on, filling the space with soft music. he glanced over at me, his eyes catching mine momentarily before handing me his phone.

"can you type in your address?" he asked.

i took his phone, feeling the warmth from his hand as i did so. i quickly typed in my address, trying to ignore the flutter in my stomach.

i handed the phone back to him, feeling a little breathless for some reason.

he took the phone from me, a ghost of a smile playing on his lips as he did so. "all set." he said, his voice soft.

he turned his attention back to the road, the headlights of his car cutting through the darkness as we began our drive through the quiet streets.

we journeyed in comfortable silence for a few beats, only interrupted by the soft hum of the car and the occasional song playing.

i found myself stealing glances at tucker, watching as the city lights danced across his face.

he must've felt my gaze, as he turned his head slightly, catching me off guard. "like what you see?" he teased, a small smile lighting up his expression.

i felt heat creeping up my neck, embarrassed that he'd caught me staring. "i was just... admiring the scenery." i tried to play it off, my voice wavering slightly.

he chuckled, his eyes still flickering over to me every now and then. "sure, sure." he said in a tone that made it clear he didn't believe me.

~~

after a quiet car ride, which felt both long and short at the same time, we reached my house. the car came to a stop in my circular driveway, and i looked over at tucker, not quite wanting the night to end.

he turned off the ignition and the lights, plunging us into momentary darkness. it was a silent moment filled with tension. or perhaps it was just me.

he broke the silence first, his voice low "we're here."

"i see." i replied as i unbuckled my suitcase, "thanks for the ride..."

he nodded, his gaze still fixed on me. "any time."

i hesitated for a moment, my hand halfway to the door handle, torn between saying goodnight and prolonging the moment. but the logical side of me won out, and i reached for the handle.

i gave him a smile before walking to my front door, i looked back noticing how he hadn't driven off. he was waiting for me to get inside. i walked back over to his car, on his side.

he rolled down the window, his eyes questioning. "forget something?"

i shook my head, feeling the warmth of the car drift through the window. "no, i just...i feel bad. can i venmo you gas money or something?"

he chuckled, that same smirk playing on his lips. "gas money? really?"

i shrugged, feeling a little foolish. "yeah, it's the least i can do..."

he shook his head, waving me off. "don't worry about it. consider it a 'gentleman's privilege'."

i rolled my eyes, but i couldn't help the small smile that tugged at my lips. "you're way too proud of your 'gentleman' title."

he shrugged, "can you blame me?" he leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand which was resting on the edge of the car door. "i've been pretty chivalrous all night, haven't i?"

i nodded, "yeah, i guess so."

"and you appreciate my chivalry?" he pressed, his tone light hearted yet tinged with something else i couldn't quite name.

"wouldn't want anyone less chivalrous to drop me off," i replied, rolling with the banter. the atmosphere had turned playful. "so i guess i have no choice but to appreciate it, huh?"

"you make it sound like a bad thing to be chivalrous." he countered, his eyes locked with mine.

"you're right, thanks mr. chivalrous." i said as i backed up. "goodnight, tucker and get home safely."

he chuckled at the nickname, the sound sending a shiver down my spine. "goodnight, faye." he said, his voice low and smooth.

and with that, i unlocked and walked into my home.

closing the door behind me, i let out a breath i didn't realize i was holding in. my heart was racing, and i felt a little dizzy. what the hell was happening to me?

i leaned against the wall for a moment, trying to regain my composure. my mind was swirling with memories of the night. tucker's easy charm, his smirk, his eyes...

housekeeping notes!

first real into to tucker- what do we think??

wanted to let you all know that i've (finally) gotten on an uploading schedule. every friday there will be a new chapter...hopefully more often than that but expect a new chapter once a week on friday's.

i have a jacob elordi fic out now! the first two chapters are out! and i have a cooper koch fic! hope to see you all there 😘