Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

(See the photo)

Fun to reminisce:
young years keep us young at heart,
counting our blessings

Meeting at Brakebills,
our early days. Quite splendid!
How long I’ve loved you

The joy of knowing
someone for a whole lifetime
loving then and now

Seeing your loved one
as he is now, but also
still young in your heart

(See the photo)

Looking

Looking for something
someone, our hearts calling out
hearing each other

Charmed by that tiny
song inside, unique beauty,
we stay, grow closer

Hearts beat: I love you
not quite daring to believe
yet we’re not alone

(See the photo)

Eliot

Repeating your name,
magic chant. I hope he’s cute.
And then: you appeared

I kept your name card,
slid it safe in my pocket.
The best spell: you’re here

(See the photo)

First Sight (Part 1)

First sight. We show our
personality cheat sheets:
dandy, supernerd.

Each is the other’s
catnip, Kryptonite: perfect,
made for each other.

Deep truth draws the eye.
Facades are windows. We’re two
vulnerable men.

(See the photo)

First Sight (Part 2)

Eliot

The first sight stands out.
Got to make an impression:
incoming first year.

Watching you approach
tugs my heart: smart boy, bag, tweeds,
fish out of water.

Quentin Coldwater?
You’ll love it here, I promise.
I’ll bring the sparkle,

You bring the spark: my
god, you’re cute. Hallucination?
You’re my dream come true.

(See the photo)

First Sight (Part 3)

Quentin

Beautiful living
statue lounging on the wall:
long, svelte, elegant.

“Atop, perfection”:
you’re Brakebills’ acme, all right,
top-notch torchbearer.

Epitome of
style, grace; that vest, old school chic;
looking smart, dapper.

You’re here? I want in.
your glance the real entrance test:
hot yes: “Follow me.”

(See the photo)

Hello, Love of My Life

Hello. I know you,
don’t I? You’ve lived in my dreams
my entire life.

At last, here you are.
Hello, love of my life. You’re
all the magic I need.

(See the photo)

Come Here

Eliot

Come here. That mouth needs
a mouth on it. Mine. Right now.
Pretty please, baby?

Quentin

Oh, god, Daddy’s here.
His look alone commands me.
Want me on my knees?

(See the photo)

Smitten

Quentin

Smitten means "to smite,"
past tense. You smote me, one blow:
knocked me flat: first sight.

Floored, I bounced back up,
reeling brain’s reality
stuck on illusions.

What else makes sense? You
gave me that look. Waited. Took
my shoulder. Your touch

Said I was precious;
long look plus urgency:
I matter to you.

Who are you, dream guy?
I’ll follow anyplace where
this magic stays real.

(See the photo)

Late (Part 1)

Eliot

Quentin is crucial.
Absolute priority:
get into Brakebills.

Late? You and I both.
Wish we’d met years ago, seen
you in my future.

Good luck, brightest boy.
We’re all smart here, so notice
I’m rooting for you.

(See the photo)

Late (Part 2)

Quentin

Late? All my nightmares:
final exam, class I’d forgot
to go or study.

“Follow me,” you said.
Eliot: name and body
a far better dream

Wish you’re beside me:
distract my anxiety
wonder of your face

(I made a lot more screenshots of this moment and put them together in a short video, where you can see them a bit more close up and slowed down.)

Late (Part 3)

Quentin

Wait, magic is real?
And I’m already behind?
How is this my life?

Please, let me get in.
I want to go to magic
school with Eliot.

Eliot (to Dean Fogg)

Quentin can’t be late.
You opened the portal. He
didn’t know. You’re late.

Don’t take him away.
We only just met. I need
time to work my spell.

(See the photo)

Mosaic Interlude

Nights under the stars,
kissing you like the first time,
loving you always.

Lying on our quilt—
afterglow in your arms, we
talk of early days.

(See the photo)

Interruption (Part 1)

Eliot

We'll brighten your day.
(I couldn't wait a minute
to see you again.)

Quentin

Interrupt me, please.
Short out my panic. Your face
makes sense of my life.

(See the photo)

Interruption (Part 2)

Eliot

You’re at magic school!
Campus tour? You’re safe with me.
I’ll show you magic.

Quentin

I can’t miss what I
never had, but I missed you.
Thanks for finding me.

(See the photo)

Interruption (Part 3)

Eliot

Bambi helps. Oh, yes,
he IS that cute. I love him.
There’s no help for this.

Quentin

At last it feels real:
This is my Fillory come true:
magic boy, my friend.

(See the photo)

So Soft (Part 1)

We’re so soft around
each other, even when I
don’t dare meet your eyes.

We’re not sharing yet:
beautiful wrapping; inside,
you’re even better.

Loving all of you,
too early to say a word,
but looking so soft.

(See the photo)

So Soft (Part 2)

Eliot

Focus on Bambi:
she’s my go-to, won’t mind when
feelings spill over.

Bambi knows this one
is different, helps: “He’s cute.”
I don’t need to ask.

These soft looks at her
also apply to you, Q:
Bambi helps again,

Because I don’t dare show
how much I care already,
so soft around you.

Please notice: I don’t
spend this much time with just
anyone: it’s you.

(See the photo)

So Soft (Part 3)

Quentin

I’m wowed from the start.
Glamorous, knowledgeable.
Tour of the campus?

Invaluable.
Look into the workings of—
not just magic; you.

I can’t look at you
Directly: you’re so bright. And
I’d just be staring.

El, you’re my magnet:
Lodestar, North Star, guiding light.
You look out for me.

I’m not alone here
because you’re by my side. My
fear melts around you.

(See the photo)

Happy Days (Part 1)

Quentin

Despite dire warnings,
those happy early days at school
swept me off my feet

Eliot

Walking on air: next
to you, feet light, showing off
levitation skills.

Fly with me, Quentin:
in my arms, through the sky, or
better still, in bed.

(See the photo)

Happy Days (Part 2)

Quentin

Three musketeers:
instant bond. Lucky
you waited for me, El:

Under your wing, in
your orbit, flying high, so
glad to be near you.

Margo’s fun: you two
make me feel safe, at home, your
bond unbreakable.

Eliot

“So, I met this boy…”
But this isn’t just some tale.
Bambi, help me cope:

I’m out of my depth,
because he’s so deep: giddy,
want to protect him:

But I can’t, can I?
just stay close, the two of us
walking beside him.

(See the photo)

Eliot

A party? Good news!
I just happened to bake. I
make nice arm candy.

(See the photo)

Quentin

You’re too sweet to need
any help from baked goods. Best
treat I’ve had all day.

(See the photo)

[Eliot and Quentin are both speaking together and taking turns in the following poem. I inserted identifiers in square brackets to clarify who’s talking. These are not part of the poem; they would not be read aloud. (Ideally, this poem would be performed by two speakers.) Each speaker continues until another set of square brackets names a different voice.]

[Both:] We’re starting over?
Solved the puzzle, back to Go?
What are the rules here?

All these memories.
[Q:] Two lifetimes. [El:] Brakebills came first.
Let’s start there, shall we?

[Both:] On the day we met…
[El:] Instant smolder. I couldn’t
believe my eyes, love.

[Both:] We both felt that bond:
[Q:] Inseparable, even
before we first kissed.

[Both:] On the day we met...
[El:] Your test. [Q:] Your interruption.
[Both:] Fine days at Brakebills.

The sweetest boy—[El:] Who
crossed my lawn. [Q:] Who had me at
“Hi. I’m Eliot.”

[Both:] Good thing we’re back now—
at the beginning. [Q:] Start again?
[El:] You bet your sweet ass.