luxken27 | Stacy in Bloom

Title: Stacy in Bloom
Fandom: Kids Incorporated
Universe: Canon (Season 5 – 1988)
Genre: Friendship/Romance
Rating: T
Summary: With her sister and best friend halfway around the world, who else is there for Stacy to turn to…but Ryan? When the consequences of their actions become clear, the two must decide if pursuing each other is worth breaking up the band.
Mega-meta resource thread: http://luxken27.livejournal.com/137711.html

Link: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5873801/19/

Sorry for the delay, all, but RL is really being a bear right now. Besides that, all of the things I posted between the last update and now kinda tapped out my muses for awhile. They're back on track now, so *fingers crossed* that I can get out a couple more chapters of this story before its sequel (or prequel) consumes me, LOL

References
[+] The title song is from episode 5x08, "The Guitarist":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jFOjZu0Mg8

It's a fairly decent cover of the Beatles tune, all in all, but holy guitar-playing overload, Batman! (Also, check out Stacy's guitar strap breaking about halfway through - that was, once upon a time, a background inspiration for one of the chapters of this story, LOL.)

[+] Devyn's and Kenny's audition for the band was the plot of episode 5x01, "The Pickups":

Watch on YouTube

[+] Shredding of mealy cafeteria apples was actually something I used to do with my best friend back in high school. We made jokes about the rotton fruit, and agreed that if we ever saw "apple bits" on the menu, it would be our proof that our cafeteria as just was gross as we assumed :P We didn't shred them, so much as carve things into them, but it was a fun conspiracy theory while it lasted. (Yes, my friends and I were dorks. What of it?)

This chapter is mostly concerned with closing the small Kenny subplot that was opened up a couple of chapters ago. I wanted to take the chance to highlight the fracturing friendship between Kenny and Devyn (so close in their first episode appearances in canon), and give their characters a bit more depth. Kenny has always struck me as pretty sensitive, and I needed for Devyn to be something more than just a slobbering fangirl and the driving force between the junior high set's speculation about Ryan and Stacy's relationship.

Plus - well, I really wanted the chance to explore a platonic friendship between a girl and a boy here. I believe it can happen without romantic feelings intruding (my own best friend in HS of apple-carving fame was a guy), but it's something that is sorely lacking in fandom. This show is, first and foremost, about the Kids' friendships, and this was my way of paying a bit of homage to that <3

This isn't the last we'll hear of Kenny's storyline, but I thought it important to wrap up fairly quickly, instead of dragging it along merely to mine it for angst. I think the story has gotten heavy enough without adding more to the pile!

For those of you who want more romance and less friendship, the next chapter focuses on softening the blow of the ending here, and looks at how Ryan arrived at his decision (with lots of private time with Stacy thrown into the mix, LOL). Their relationship is about to have some growing pains, so if that's your thing...stick around! =)

Stacy in Bloom | 19: Help!