As he resumed editing, he couldn’t help but replay the call in his mind. Breckie Hill was just another client, he told himself. But something about the way she spoke to him—so candid, so unguarded—made her feel like more than that.

Y/N worked in silence for another hour, layering effects and fine-tuning transitions until his eyes burned from staring at the screen. Finally, he exported the draft and uploaded it to the shared drive for Breckie to review.

He closed his laptop, leaned back in his chair, and stared at the ceiling of his small apartment. The glow of the city lights filtered through the blinds, casting faint patterns on the walls. His thoughts wandered back to Breckie. She had a way of making her personality shine through, even in their brief interactions.

He shook his head, brushing off the thought. This wasn’t the first time he’d worked with a charismatic client, and it wouldn’t be the last. Still, he couldn’t deny that she stood out. Maybe it was the late-night calls or the way she trusted him to bring her vision to life. Maybe it was her laugh—unpolished and real—or the genuine excitement in her voice when she talked about her ideas.

The notification chime on his phone snapped him out of his thoughts. A new email from Breckie:
Subject: “OMG this is AMAZING!!!”

Y/N smiled and opened the email.

“Y/N, you’re a genius. The VHS effect is PERFECT, and the transitions are smooth as hell. You’re literally saving my life right now. Thank you!!”

He leaned back, a sense of pride washing over him. It wasn’t often that clients expressed their gratitude so openly. Before he could type a reply, another notification popped up—a direct message from Breckie.

Breckie: “Hey, I just watched the draft, and it’s amazing. But can I be honest? I feel like you’re way too talented to be stuck editing my silly videos.”

Y/N hesitated, unsure how to respond. He typed slowly:
Y/N: “Not silly if it’s paying the bills. Besides, your work isn’t silly—it’s smart. You know your audience better than anyone.”

The typing bubble appeared again, followed by a brief pause.
Breckie: “That means a lot, honestly. Thanks. Let’s chat more tomorrow—I have some ideas about where we can take this next.”

Y/N stared at the message for a moment before replying:
Y/N: “Looking forward to it. Goodnight, Breckie.”

“Goodnight :)”

---

The next day, Y/N woke up to his phone buzzing incessantly. He groaned, reaching for it on the nightstand. A string of notifications filled the screen—all from Breckie.

Breckie: “Sorry for the spam, but I just had the BEST idea!”
Breckie: “Are you up yet?”
Breckie: “We NEED to do a behind-the-scenes series. People love that stuff!”

Y/N laughed softly, still groggy. He typed back:
Y/N: “I’m awake now. Let’s talk about it.”

A minute later, she was calling him.

“Okay, hear me out,” she began, her voice bubbling with excitement. “I want to give people a look at what it’s like to work on these projects—like, showing them the editing process, but in a fun way. You could even be in it, if you’re cool with that.”

“Me? On camera?” Y/N said, taken aback. “I don’t think anyone wants to see that.”

“Come on, don’t sell yourself short,” Breckie replied, laughing. “You’re the brains behind all of this. People would love to see how talented you are.”

Y/N hesitated, but her enthusiasm was infectious. Maybe, just maybe, this could work.
--------------------------------------------------------------

Y/N stared at the blinking cursor in his message app. Breckie’s words from their last call echoed in his head: “People would love to see how talented you are.” It wasn’t that he doubted his abilities—editing had always been his strong suit—but putting himself on camera? That felt like uncharted territory.

He finally typed back:
Y/N: “We can give it a shot. Let me know how you want to set it up.”

Her response came almost instantly.
Breckie: “YES! You’re going to kill it. Can you meet on a video call this afternoon? We’ll plan everything.”

Y/N rubbed his temples. Video calls were another thing he avoided when he could help it, but he owed it to her to at least try.
Y/N: “Sure. 2 PM?”

Breckie: “Perfect. Can’t wait!”

---

At exactly 2 PM, Y/N clicked the link Breckie had sent him. Her face popped up on the screen, smiling brightly against the backdrop of a chic, minimalist apartment. She looked as vibrant as she sounded over the phone, her energy practically radiating through the screen.

“Hey!” she greeted, waving at the camera. “Thanks for hopping on. How’s your day been?”

“Pretty standard,” Y/N replied, adjusting his webcam so he didn’t look like he was broadcasting from the depths of a cave. “How about you?”

“Busy, as usual,” she said with a laugh. “But that’s the life, right? So, I’ve been thinking about this behind-the-scenes thing, and I really want it to feel authentic—like, super raw and unfiltered. But obviously, we’ll still make it look cool.”

“Authentic but polished. Got it,” Y/N said, jotting down notes. “What kind of content are you envisioning? Like tutorials, Q&A sessions, or just documenting the process?”

“A mix, maybe,” Breckie said, tapping her chin thoughtfully. “I was thinking we could start with you showing how you edit one of my videos. People love seeing all the details that go into it, and you’re a natural storyteller, even if you don’t realize it.”

Y/N snorted. “I think you’re giving me too much credit. My storytelling is all in the editing. The rest of the time, I’m just a guy clicking buttons.”

“Stop,” she said, rolling her eyes. “You’re way more than that. Trust me, people will eat this up.”

As they brainstormed, Y/N found himself easing into the conversation. Breckie had a way of making everything feel casual and approachable, even when she was throwing around big ideas. By the end of the call, they had a solid plan: a three-part mini-series showcasing the editing process, from raw footage to final product.

“Okay, this is going to be epic,” Breckie said, clapping her hands together. “I’ll record some intros and outros on my end, and you can start by filming yourself working on the next project. Sound good?”

“Sounds good,” Y/N agreed, though the thought of filming himself still made him uneasy.

“Awesome! Oh, and one more thing,” she added, leaning closer to the camera. “Don’t overthink it. Just be yourself. That’s what people want to see.”

---

Later that evening, Y/N set up his camera—an old DSLR he usually reserved for client projects—and angled it toward his desk. He pressed record, took a deep breath, and began talking to the lens.

“So, uh, this is my workspace,” he said, gesturing to the cluttered desk behind him. “Not much to look at, but it gets the job done.”

He felt awkward at first, stumbling over his words and second-guessing every sentence. But as he got into the flow of explaining his editing process, the discomfort started to fade. He showed how he organized Breckie’s clips, synchronized audio, and layered effects.

“This part’s always tricky,” he said, pointing to the timeline on his screen. “Breckie likes her transitions to feel seamless, but also punchy enough to grab attention. It’s a fine line, but once you nail it, it really elevates the whole video.”

By the time he finished, the camera battery was nearly dead, and Y/N realized he’d been recording for over an hour. He reviewed the footage, cringing at his awkward moments but also feeling a small sense of accomplishment.

---

The next day, Y/N sent the raw footage to Breckie with a note:
Y/N: “Here’s the first pass. Let me know what you think.”

Her reply came back quickly.
Breckie: “OMG, you’re a natural! This is amazing. I’ll edit my parts and send them back so you can combine everything. Can’t wait to see the final product!”

Y/N couldn’t help but smile. It was strange, feeling this level of collaboration with a client. Most of the time, he worked alone, sending finished projects into the void with little feedback. But with Breckie, it felt different—more personal, more rewarding.

---

A week later, the first episode of their behind-the-scenes series went live on Breckie’s platform. Y/N didn’t expect much reaction, but within hours, the comments section was flooded.

“This is so cool! I had no idea so much work went into these videos!”
“Y/N is low-key a genius. Can we get more of him?”
“Breckie and Y/N are such a vibe. Love this duo!”

Y/N stared at the screen, dumbfounded. He had always been the guy behind the curtain, the invisible hand shaping other people’s visions. Seeing his work—and himself—being appreciated so openly was a new experience.

His phone buzzed with a message from Breckie.
Breckie: “The response is insane! People love you. Ready for the next episode?”

Y/N: “Ready as I’ll ever be.”

Her reply came with a winking emoji.
Breckie: “Good, because I have some BIG ideas. Let’s make magic.”

For the first time in years, Y/N felt like he was part of something bigger than just another freelance gig. And as overwhelming as it was, he couldn’t wait to see where this unexpected partnership would lead.