Alejandro/Katie
Just One Kiss - Alannah Myles
Katie loved the song that was blasting at the homecoming party. Alannah Myles was totally up her alley. And not only that, she had somehow snagged one of the most popular and hottest guys at school that night. Alejandro was in the zone, dancing alongside her. “Lets go to where Gwen and Trent are,” she suggested, tugging at his shirt.
He must’ve known he wasn’t in her league. One kiss would be enough to have bragging rights over Sadie for weeks. How hard could it be? She thought.
Alejandro was great with his hips. Most boys his age couldn’t dance to a thing.
“Where’d you learn how to do this?” She asked. Katie had been in dance for years, but she could only guess as to how he could’ve learned to do it.
"I've been to a lot of parties," he replied. "Practice makes perfect."
She’d practiced kissing with her friends, but had never done it with a guy before.
She moved with the beat, grabbing Alejandro by his shoulders.
She'd been waiting for this moment all night.
And that’s when it happened.
And like she’d predicted, it never happened again.
Izzy/Sadie
Brotherswing - Caravan Palace
Izzy liked the French bakery Sadie had chosen for their lunch date. Sadie’s week had been surprisingly eventful, so she found herself listening, occasionally sipping her Italian soda.
"Then Will was all like -- I swear -- he said he wished he was our manager’s wife so he would always have to listen to him complain.”
She laughed so hard that soda came out of her nose. She stifled it, knowing others were around, but she still banged the table in shock. "Is that what wives do?" She asked.
“He’s married; I’m guessing so.”
“I’ll have to keep that in mind…”
Duncan/Tyler
Luna - Smashing Pumpkins
Duncan slouched, leaning back on someone’s white car. It wasn’t his, but he wasn’t planning on stealing it, so he hoped it wouldn’t be an issue.
He waited for a few minutes, but he wasn’t a saint: his date had ditched him. He went out to the local Kiss Cliff, a staple of his high school, and was surprised to see someone in a bright red tracksuit looking out into the city with his shoulders slouched. He thought he looked stupid. "Did your girl ditch you too?"
The stranger jumped, not knowing Duncan was there. “Oh! I guess she did…”
Duncan took a swing of his cigarette. Tracksuit guy continued. "Which is weird, because me and Linds have been dating for like, three months.”
“Lindsay Peters?” He asked, wide eyed. Tracksuit guy nodded.
“Oh, you gotta be kidding me. She told me this was her favorite spot, and she was all on my ass yesterday, and she said she was free at 8…”
“I think you got the wrong idea. She’s no cheater.”
He seemed stubborn. Duncan, having no other plans and wanting to teach the kid something, sat down next to him by the cliff. “You can never tell when a girl’s gonna cheat. I used to date Courtney, and I never thought she would, until…”
DJ/Lindsay
Someone Keeps Moving My Chair - They Might Be Giants
DJ thought the animal curse might actually be making him lose his mind. Was it just him, or did Lindsay like him? It was the only way he thought would make sense of what she’d been doing to get his attention from basically day one of the season.
They were the last members of Team Victory, meaning she was hard to miss even without the little things that had added up and annoyed him.
She hummed when he was around, but no one else was. He had assumed she just did that around everyone at first. But, when he’d asked Leshawna, she’d never heard her do such a thing before.
She also showed him whatever magazines she was reading, hoping he would be interested. He never was, as fashion wasn’t his scene, but he liked seeing her happy and passionate about something.
Then, one day, she tapped her boots next to his sandals to some invisible beat while they were sitting next to each other in economy class.
"I've had it. Do you like me?"
"Finally!" She shouted. “I can't believe that was what made you realize how hard I've been trying to get you to realize. Of course I do!"
Beth/Sierra
Too Long - Daft Punk
Sierra loved hanging out with Beth. They did a lot together: show watching, card game playing, adventure seeking, fanfiction reading, even skiing. It was hard to believe she would likely soon be competing with her during the next season of Total Drama -- she heard it was going to be musical themed.
“--Totally,” replied Beth, twirling her hair and leaning back on the rolling chair by her computer. “Though, I’m more of a Lucas girl, you know?”
“You’re a Lucas girl?” She asked as much as she begged. “Sidney’s so much better than he is. I don’t see it.”
“Yup. Guilty as charged!”
"Oh my gosh -- we can't be friends anymore," she joked.
"Seriously! I think Marcus is the boring one too.”
“Well, that’s obvious. It’s like believing the Earth rotates around the sun,” she said. “I just can’t believe you’re one of them. That’s it, you still have that hammer?”
Beth had known her long enough to know she wasn’t kidding with that last question. “Fine. Let me get it, weirdo.”
She walked away to her closet and pulled out one that was comically large and bright red. It was Amy Rose’s Piko Piko Hammer, something Sierra had helped Beth make for her cosplay of the character a few months back. "Hit me with all you got."
Sierra wasn’t sure about that. She didn’t actually want to injure her, even if Beth herself was rather unconcerned about the prospect. "I’m gonna knock some sense into you!"
She swung comically large, poking Beth in the arm. She was relieved to see that’d been what Beth had been anticipating. “Now’s my turn, Sidney girl.”
"I better be made a martyr for this," said Sierra, preparing to possibly, actually, get hurt by this.
Beth charged her shot. But then, she kissed Sierra on the cheek instead of swinging.
"Oh my gosh! My first kiss! Now my Double Direction fic is gonna be super-duper accurate to the real thing! Now, if only I can get the Piko Piko Hammer into the plot..."
Owen/Noah
I'm Your Man - Leonard Cohen
“What’s so funny?” Asked Noah.
Owen snickered. “It’s just-- You look ridiculous.”
Noah flicked at the lapels of his tuxedo. “I look ridiculous? Yes, and you look like you wear these all the time.”
“Eyes on the road, Noah! Besides, I meant it.”
Him and Noah weren’t the type to frequent fancy, invite-only restaurants, but everyone from work would be there and expect him to attend. Owen liked his job, but it wasn’t often this funny, and he wasn’t looking forward to having to keep a mostly straight face as he watched Noah flounder having small talk.
Once they arrived, Owen was the chatty one. The food was good, but there wasn't much of it.
After living together for so long, everyone knew there was a, 'Noah,' in his life, but this'd been the first time many of them met him.
It gave him a warmth in his heart he couldn’t describe, listening as many of his coworkers slowly grew to like Noah too.
Alejandro/Sadie
Goon Gumpas - Aphex Twin
Alejandro took only a glance at the person next to him on the elevator. She wore a black and white tube top with pink shorts, clearly intending on heading to the hotel's pool. She looked out of place, like she was usually in a group and clueless on her own. He thought she pulled off the look quite well.
He was coming home to a hotel room he had to live in with Jose. The two of them worked as performers for one of the hotel’s shows, a situation he only merely tolerated. He wasn't looking forward to having to see him again, but it'd been how he’d lived for months.
The elevator ascended for a while, taking them from the bottom floor all the way to the top.
Then, the lights turned off and the elevator stopped.
"What happened?" The stranger cried before pulling out her phone. "Oh my god, Katie, I’m gonna die!"
sh*t. They must've lost power, he thought.
It might be a long night. But at least it was with company he didn't despise.
Yet.
Izzy/Lindsay
Tag, You're It - Melanie Martinez
Lindsay was fun to mess with, clueless and easily pleased. She was Izzy’s latest toy of the month.
Izzy wasn’t as rich as she was, far from it, but she’d taken her to the mall out of curiosity soon after they’d met. Izzy knew how much Lindsay loved to shop for too expensive, flimsy slop that was better left thrown into a ditch. It made her want to vomit, but she endured it, knowing it was important to her.
Then, she took her ice skating, just as a pick-me-up. When Lindsay inevitably watched her on the ice with a hunger she didn’t realize she had, Izzy knew she wouldn’t have to pretend from then on.
That was how they’d gotten into Izzy’s car, Lindsay desperate for affection and pinned beneath her.
Duncan/Noah
In Heaven - Fatboy Slim
Noah groaned. Duncan had insisted on taking him to some party Geoff was throwing. He hadn’t been interested in the least. He was coming on his own accord, not because of some dumb bet. He figured a party probably wouldn’t kill him.
It was frat boy heaven. Knowing how Geoff and Owen shared some of their brain cells, he figured he could find him easily in the mess. Everyone was there, so he knew Owen was around if he looked.
Once he was out of Duncan’s car, he set out to find him. He did surprisingly quickly, leaving him behind as they talked and judged everyone else. Noah did that, mostly, with Owen letting him and laughing when the note was spot on.
Hours later, Owen spotted something.
"Wow! What happened?" He asked, laughing his ass off. Noah stifled a laugh.
"It's very funny, I know," replied Duncan before looking over to Noah. "You want to go home, right? Now's your chance."
"I'm not getting into a car with frosting on the seats, sorry," he said, teasing Duncan and the remnants of cherry pie still clinging onto his shirt. It was clear he’d been pied in the face at some point. He’d heard Gwen laugh up a storm a couple minutes prior.
“f*ck you, too.”
Noah liked seeing him so distressed. "Know what can make me come with you?"
"What?"
Noah walked over before flicking his finger out, inching it down on Duncan’s shirt, then putting it near Duncan’s lips. Out of some automatic response, he licked his finger. Noah flinched -- he hadn’t known Duncan’s lips were pierced until warm metal was suddenly pulled on his finger, but his voice didn’t falter. “Get this all cleaned up. Looks like Gwen has a good taste in pie."
Katie/Owen
Human Being - KT Tunstall
Owen loved Katie. They didn’t share many interests, but to Owen, they were like peanut butter and jelly: complementary and complete.
So, he felt guilty as he led her further into the hike he’d wanted to take her on. Hiking wasn’t her style, he thought, she was hating this.
Even though she said she’d loved it by its end, he still felt bad for making her go through all the trouble.
The next time they were both free, he took her shopping.
No shops she liked sold clothes that fit him. Despite working so hard to please her, he hadn’t found the day fun at all.
“Shopping’s great,” she said, “but you don’t have to go with me again if you don’t wanna. I can tell…”
“I’m sorry.”
She laughed. "Lighten up! I'll go on as many hikes as you want to take me on. Within reason, of course, I’m only human."
Sierra/Lindsay
Mama's Gun - Glass Animals
Lindsay loved the summer weather. Sierra helped her sunscreen several times over, and soon, the two arrived. The diving spot looked beautiful. It was bustling with activity, teens of all kinds wanting to enjoy the clear water as much as they did.
Sierra guided her in quickly, being the first to dive before bringing out her inner tube for Lindsay to lounge in. She was much braver than she was. Lindsay was far more used to chlorinated pools, less so natural beauties, with large rocks everywhere and lifeguards nowhere to be seen.
Sierra wrapped her arms around her after Lindsay had fully dipped herself into the water. "Liking this place so far?"
"Totally," she said, splashing in the water with her hands. "Where'd you find it?"
Sierra smirked. "A lady never tells her secrets..."
Oh, Lindsay loved when she turned cheesy like that.
After having confessed she’d wanted to kiss her, Lindsay didn't have anything to hide from her anymore.
DJ/Tyler
Big Love - Fleetwood Mac
Tyler trailed after DJ as he ran. He could beat him one day, he just knew it. He loved to compete against him, and they did this a lot: each of them trying to outrun the other.
Their goal had always been to reach the entrance gate to Lindsay’s house, which sat on top of a large, intimidating hill.
One day, he finally did it. Tyler beat him.
But, he found himself scratching the back of his neck and worrying. He didn’t want this to be the end.
"Do we really gotta stop doing this?" Asked DJ.
"Makes the most sense, I think," said Tyler, unsure.
DJ didn’t look out of place near the flower garden on the other side of the gate. "Maybe we can try running to that house instead."
He pointed to one in the distance. Tyler was pretty sure that was Heather’s.
Even though running wasn't Tyler's favorite sport, he loved seeing DJ happy.
He didn't mind the idea of doing more things for him, really, so he accepted the challenge.
Duncan/Sierra
I Am The Pilot - KT Tunstall
Sierra had loved interviewing the Total Drama contestants for her blog. Her fans loved to see whatever miscellaneous ones she’d asked, all typed out nicely for others to read. Stuff like favorite colors, interests and most hated enemies were always nice, she thought.
Her interview with Duncan had caught her by surprise, however. She found herself agreeing with him on a lot of things.
Favorite color? Green, all the way, just like her.
Subway sandwich? Meatball.
Animal? Wolves.
Dog breed? Maltese. “But, don’t actually put that anywhere, you hear!?”
And when she’d put this information into her relationship compatibility calculator a couple days later, accounting for what she would answer, It said she and Duncan had a 92% chance of falling in love one day.
Perhaps if Cody didn't exist, she could control Duncan and how he lived, just like she wished to do with him. She knew he liked them bossy, anyway.
She shook her head side to side with a frown.
There must be something wrong in my code, she thought, there’s simply no way Duncan’s more compatible with me than Cody… Sieuncan doesn’t even sound right…
Beth/Izzy
Going to California - Led Zeppelin
Izzy's heart ached. She'd lied to everyone for so long. She had never been ‘crazy,’ only unmedicated and wanting to be an entertainer on TV.
She knew Beth hadn’t been, either. Beth had known this hadn’t been good for her back then, and only recently had Izzy realized how important that was.
She was driving to where she lived, North California, out of a want to reconnect. Nothing had gone to plan in her life after the show. She hated the acting world, and her body was no longer primed for acrobatics. She felt awfully sore these days.
She knew vaguely where most of the other Total Drama competitors had gone. But, Beth was one of the few who still had social media presences and a bright future.
She arrived on her doorstep and knocked.
They’d been chatting online for months. It was only a matter of Beth being home.
Tyler/Owen
Glass Onion - The Beatles
Tyler’s arms felt like jelly. He’d been playing volleyball with Owen and his friends for nearly an hour. The sun beat down on them, making him sweat buckets.
“Bro.”
“What?”
"You're so frickin' good at this game," said Tyler. "I didn't think you had it in you."
Owen tsked. "Looks can be deceiving. At least, that's what Noah always says," he replied. "I got muscle!"
Tyler wasn't sure if he was pulling his leg or not. So, he followed Owen's suggestion and squished his arm.
All he felt was a soft layer of fat while Owen took yet another swig from his water jug. He wasn’t sure what was more impressive: that Owen had tried so hard without muscle, or that he’d looked--
Well, that he’d looked so hot while doing it.
DJ/Sadie
Criminal - Fiona Apple
Sadie enjoyed looking at all the sights in the corner of Toronto DJ grew up in. She’d been raised in a small town, meaning basically everything here was new to her.
However, something was clearly eating at DJ. “Something wrong?” She asked.
He picked at the bench they were sitting on. “This place has changed so much since I’ve lived here,” he answered, clearly upset, but trying to downplay it. “This neighborhood used to have all sorts of people. Small kids, bratty kids, immigrants, you know -- everybody. They had fun, and played outside… But now, it’s just like everywhere else.”
Sadie kept her head low.
“I just wanted you to see this place, and-- I’m sorry.”
He rubbed her back. “At least you gave it a shot,” she said, appreciating him. “Same thing happened to Twig Harbour…”
They sat for a moment, collecting their bearings as DJ, yet again, was tearing up. “There must be at least one thing that’s the same,” she suggested.
His brows shot up, remembering something. Soon, they were off to an Ethiopian restaurant just across the street.
Beth/Katie
Operator (That's Not the Way It Feels) - Jim Croce
“You know computers, right?” Katie asked her.
Beth looked at her geriatric phone quizzically. “I can help, but I’m no Cody.”
“Thank you, thank you, thank you!”
Beth had liked Katie for a while now. She only saw her at school though, always hanging around Sadie, and she felt she hardly knew her.
But, Katie had learned from Lindsay that she was learning IT in one of the school’s shop classes. She’d told her that her phone was slower than it should be, and now Beth was in her crush’s house.
After some investigation, Beth learned that Katie had somehow downloaded a crypto miner on her phone. It wasn’t efficient, and Beth hadn’t known that even existed before, but removing it had been relatively simple.
"Wow, you know your stuff," she told her, smiling.
Katie ended up writing her Snapchat on a note and giving it to her.
As she left, Beth regretted not having the technical know-how to give Katie’s phone more issues in the future. She kept the note even after adding her.
Alejandro/Noah
The Ghost of Tomorrow - Madeleine Peyroux
Alejandro hated the thought of leaving him, but it had to be done. He never stayed in one place for long -- never settling down anywhere.
Or with anyone, for that matter, no matter how tantalizing it seemed.
Noah was very much asleep. It was early in the morning, around 5, and they'd both drunk a lot the night before. It was more than usual, as Alejandro could remember easily getting handsy, touching Noah on the shoulders and holding his hand. Turned out, his target had loved affectionate touches more than he let on, making his job simpler.
They'd booked a hotel room together and ended up sleeping in the same bed, despite getting a room for two.
They talked, and he listened to him bitch about the latest book he was reading, not caring about any book. He wished yesterday could last forever: is what he would say if he believed he would like that at all.
Alejandro got up from under the covers and got dressed. Then, he approached Noah’s nightstand to acquire what he’d gone through all of this to get: Noah’s drivers license, credit card, and company ID pass.
The identity theft looked to be a simple open-and-shut job. Alejandro didn’t look like a Kurian, but he supposed few within the conglomerate Noah worked for would know enough about Spanish surnames to come to the correct conclusions. Noah had clearance to most of their assets, and the pass couldn’t easily be forged. The license wasn't expired, and the credit card looked to be on the older side, meaning it was easier to abuse.
He left a note.
He was apologetic, but had to leave and never come back.
