The plan for the streamer awards was easy: get ready together, drive to the show together and split up before sitting down together at the actual awards show. Why, you may ask? Simply because Foolish is scheduled for an interview and Gemma does not want to ruin it for him, nor get an interview herself.

"My fucking shoe won't stay tied," Foolish huffs, complaining probably for the fourth time in the last half an hour. "And my chain keeps twisting -"

Gemma looks up from her phone to glance at her partner next to her. Gemma knows him well enough to know he's nitpicking his outfit out of nerves. "You look really handsome," she reassurs him, reaching over to tilt his chin towards her. "Your interview's gonna go great, and we'll meet at our seats."

"Interview, seats, watch show." Foolish lists, "Yeah, yeah." He shakes his head as if to clear his head, "Have I told you how great you're looking?"

"Only like a billion times," Gemma grins, "one more won't hurt."

He snorts, giving her a once-over. "Well, this dress is driving me nuts, and you look so good."

"I'm sad we couldn't match outfits," Gemma pouts. "I would've slayed in dark red."

"True," Foolish nods, eyes fixed on the venue now that they've arrived. "Catch you inside?"

"See you inside," she nods, planting a kiss on his cheek before urging him to open the door so they can step out.

Foolish strides out first, Gemma trailing behind. They wave at the cheering fans outside, but Gemma feels oddly incomplete without Foolish's hand on her back. She makes sure to send him a sour look for it as they walk inside.

"Relax," he grins, barely holding back his laughter. "Didn't know you were that clingy."

"Funny," Gemma retorts, crossing her arms over her chest. Catching his eyes dip momentarily, Gemma shakes her head at him. "I'll go find Tina, looks like it's your turn." Meaning the interview. Emily motions him over eagerly.

Slowing her search for Tina, Gemma positions herself behind the cameras to watch Foolish's interview.

Suddenly, thinking he's so funny, Foolish beckons her over. Gemma awkwardly steps forward, seeking Emily's approval. Emily nods, ushering her into the frame. "Gemma! We share a goal today."

"Oh?" Gemma smiles. "Right, to beat Quackity!"

Emily looks puzzled, so Foolish explains, "I'm up against him for the Minecraft award, and Gemma's up against him for the international award." Emily nods in understanding. "We thought we'd team up to take him down."

"We're a little crazy like that," Gemma jokes. "He won last year; it's our turn this year."

Laughing, Emily says, "Wishing you both the best of luck! Good to see you, Gemma!"

Taking it as her cue to exit, Gemma waves at the camera and heads off to find her seat at last.

Gemma hears a familiar voice calling out from behind, "Gemma Diaz!" She can't help but smile, recognizing the playful tone. There's only one idiot who greets her that way.

Turning around, she finds Quackity grinning smugly, looking as mischievous as ever. "Quackity! Dude, it's so good to find you. I was gonna look for our table."

"No way," he responds, embracing her warmly. "So you're using me for my clout and for directions now too?"

"Exactly," she chuckles, hooking her arm through his as they start towards the auditorium. "You know me so well." she jokes, nudging him playfully. "Honestly though, my feet are already hurting from these heels, so I don't want to wander around aimlessly when you can do it for me."

Quackity glances down at her heels, then back up at her taller figure. "You're so tall like this, it's almost unfair. You should feel the pain." Indeed, with her heels, Gemma now stands a few inches taller than him. "I look like I'm just walking with my son."

Quackity chuckles, his eyes crinkling with amusement as they approach the guard at the door. They show their invites and receive their wristbands. "I want you to meet some people first, if that's okay?" he asks, glancing at Gemma.

Gemma worries her lip between her teeth, lipstick be damned. "Yeah, sure," she agrees, hoping she sounds more confident than she feels.

Quackity leads the way through the crowd, skillfully weaving between clusters of attendees. The auditorium is abuzz with the low hum of excited conversations and the occasional clink of heels. Under the lights, her room sparkles, making Gemma momentarily forget the discomfort of her heels.

"Here we are," Quackity announces, stopping in front of a group of people who look equally animated and engaged in their discussion. "Hi, guys!"

Laughter and greetings fill the air as Quackity receives a round of warm, enthusiastic hugs. Gemma catches the names Rae and Leslie, who she recognizes as Tina's roommates from the stories she's heard. The other two, a guy with an easy smile and another with a sharp wit, are introduced as Austin and Ludwig.

Once the greetings simmer down, Gemma steps forward with a friendly smile. "Hey, I'm Gemma, nice to meet you."

Rae steps up first, giving Gemma a welcoming hug. "You look so pretty!"

"Thanks!" Gemma responds, feeling the warmth of the group.

"Seriously, your dress is stunning," Austin chimes in, with Leslie nodding in agreement, both extending hugs that make Gemma feel right at home.

Ludwig, curious, tilts his head slightly, "Can I ask where you're from? Do I detect an accent?"

Rae playfully elbows him, "Lud, that's so weird to ask, what-"

But Gemma just laughs, waving off the concern. "No worries, it's totally fine," she reassures them with a grin. "I'm from Spain."

"Spain? That's awesome!" Leslie exclaims, her eyes lighting up.

"Yeah," Austin adds, "I've always wanted to visit. How did you meet Quackity? On the QSMP?"

"We actually met before," Quackity says, "We met on a friend's server before and I asked her to join QSMP."

The conversation shifts seamlessly to the event itself, with everyone quick to praise the organization and express their gratitude for being included. Ludwig steers the discussion toward Spain, fueled by his passion for GeoGuessr which showed him the country. Just as the topic heats up, Austin checks his watch and looks up with a regretful smile. "I've got to head out, guys. It's almost time for the show." he says, excusing himself from the group.

After a while, Quackity nudges her gently. "Ready to find our table now?" he whispers, a teasing glint in his eye.

"Lead the way, Captain," Gemma responds with a relieved and playful smile, grateful for the grounding presence of her friend in the swirling social seas of the event. Together, they excuse themselves from the group and head off to find their table, ready to enjoy the rest of the evening.

As they all settle around the table, Gemma finds herself among a mix of familiar and new faces. Foolish is to her right, while Tina, Cellbit, and Quackity are scattered around, along with four others she hasn't yet met. The woman sitting to her left, introduced as Brooke, shares a smile with her. "I'm sad Etoiles isn't with us," Gemma remarks, taking a sip of her wine. "We saw him on the way here, he gave Quackity such a dramatic hug, you'd think we were abandoning him to some terrible fate by making him sit elsewhere."

Tina leans forward, peering around Foolish with a sympathetic grin. "He's with Ludwig at least. I do miss him, though. They seem to be having their own fun."

Gemma never expected to win "best international streamer." She knew WSMP boosted her international following, but the other nominees were more deserving in her opinion. When her category is announced, she applauds Etoiles at another table and squeezes Quackity and Cellbit's hands at her own table, wishing them luck, and manages a polite smile when they call her name. Sipping her wine, she braces herself to cheer for the winner.

So, when they announce her name instead, Gemma's completely stunned. Brooke captures her flabbergasted expression, laughing as she snaps the photo. The room erupts—her table leads the roaring applause—and it suddenly hits her: she needs to make a speech. Gemma catches Foolish's eye as she rises; his hand squeezing her thigh in congratulations before she stands, a reminder of the camera currently pinned to her. Climbing the stairs, she takes a moment to gather herself before facing the crowd, her voice trembling slightly. "Oh my god," she begins, her hands clutching the podium, "it's such an honor representing Spain, as a female Spaniard, and it's just surreal to be speaking English here in Los Angeles." A nervous laugh escapes her as she brushes her hair from her face. "I grew up learning English through YouTube gameplays, never thought I'd make it, much less be successful enough to get here, and be nominated." she admits, pausing to hold back tears. "Sorry, I'm just really overwhelmed. It's incredible to connect with people globally as our job. Thank you for voting for me, thanks to my sister back in Spain, and to my friends here and all around the world," she scans the audience, her eyes finding familiar faces. "My heart is full of gratitude for everyone here, and so much respect for my fellow nominees." With a shaky hand, she retrieves her trophy and heads back, echoing a heartfelt "Thank you all!"

Descending the stage feels just as surreal, the audience's cheers and shouts of encouragement echoing in her ears. Once backstage, she ducks out of sight and crouches down, covering her face. "Don't ruin your makeup," she whispers to herself, even as tears slip down her cheeks.She remains crouched, trying to compose herself amidst the backstage bustle and lingering cheers from the crowd. She's still hunched over when she hears footsteps nearing.

When Gemma looks up and sees Foolish, her resolve crumbles completely. His face is lit up with pride as he extends his hand to help her up—a gesture she gratefully accepts. Without worrying about the watching eyes, she throws herself into his embrace, her sobs breaking free.

"Hey, hey," he soothes, his hand comforting on her back, the other cradling her head. "Are these happy tears?" he asks gently, his touch reassuring.

She can only nod, her face buried in his neck, her cries muffled.

"You gave a great speech, and you really deserved that award," he continues, his voice soft. "You looked amazing up there - Tina got teary."

At that, Gemma lets out a tearful laugh and clings to him tighter. Foolish hugs her back just as firmly. "I hate feeling so emotional; it feels silly."

With a gentle sigh, Foolish pulls back slightly, cupping Gemma's face in his hands. "Look at me," he insists as she keeps her eyes shut. When she finally opens them, meeting his gaze, he smiles warmly. "You just won an award, for fuck's sake."

Gemma searches his eyes, finding only warmth and understanding there, which makes her heart swell even more. His smile, kind and steady, anchors her in the whirlwind of her emotions.

"You're right," she whispers, her voice still shaky. "It's just... All of this feels like a dream. Winning, being here, it's all so much more than I ever imagined."

Foolish nods, his thumbs gently wiping the last of her tears away. "You've worked hard for this, and everyone knows it."

Taking a deep breath, Gemma lets his words sink in. "Thank you," she says, her smile returning. "For being here, for everything."

He gives her hand a reassuring squeeze. "Always," he replies. With one last soft look, Foolish leads her back towards their table, her spirits lifted and her heart full, ready to enjoy the rest of an unforgettable night.

I FOUND THE FULL (well not full but longer) THING I WROTE FOR THE STREAMER AWARDS!!!!!

this does feel like garbage and if you've read my other books (wink wink I update my squid game book "I Found" a lot so go check it out) you'd know I got better