Tumgik
#artist note 3: when he meets max hes gonna like (breaking) him. :)
brain-bompyr · 10 months
Note
Is the blog still alive? If so, I'd like to ask the following:
In a scale of 1 to 10 how [See list below] are you?
Sadistic
Morally questionable
Narcissistic
Manipulative
Likely to experiment on someone
Close to Max (1= Havent met, 10= Actually know each other a bit.)
Knowledgeable on bombers
Likely to throw hands with another Dastardly
Willing to help another Dastardly
Kinky
You can answer whichever you feel like.
"Ah, what a straightforward list of questions," Brain flashed an amused smile through his eyes, as he read through the list. " Although, a simple 1-10 scale may not cut it for some questions, ill be sure to let such special cases known. Just dont be surprised if i score a high median."
"I dont think any of the others would dispute me saying 10 here."
"read the rest of this list, you tell me. No rating."
"Assuming you dont mean the traits of NPD, and mean the more... Common usage of self-centeredness. If i am wrong, correct me. i am going to awnser 7, being generous to myself."
"8. At least an 8, i enjoy playing with the minds of others, for no reason sometimes. This whole list could be lies, and a lowly lifeform such as.. a human wouldnt know~."
"it depends on the person... It ranges from a 5 to a 9.5, granted thats if i had the opportunity."
"1. I have no idea who you are talking about."
"About... 9.5. Chances are, if i dont know something... Ill learn one way or another, i assure you."
"I'll go for a median of 5 for the whole team. The data on who i am the most willing to actually get my gloves dirty over is quite skewed. Plasma mostly, everyone besides golem at least once."
"most definitely i help most for my own gain... And theres a minimum to keep my title as a team member, i rarely ever help without a deeper motive. put that one down as a 6."
"mm.. what an interesting final question... Im not vanilla by any stretch, but its difficult to quantify that on a simple scaling system... As kink is quite relative from one individual to another. So dont mind ne playing coy with the numbers on this one. No rating."
"Hopefully that curiousity has been sated for now, hmm? Bear in mind this is simply how id rate myself, the artist may have other opinions."
2 notes · View notes
cheeseandbretboy · 8 days
Text
the painting i continued (from longer than a year ago) has too bright white highlights so i need to get rid of them AND quite possibly it would be nice to just give up and do whaeter and get on the train just ot look at all the stations i havent seen before nd cvt and listten to whip your kids on repeat again and again and have no money to afford to eat and find someone who is just so ?? and mean but not in that non self absorbed self absorbed way and stupid because everyone has too much to look forward to and too much to complain about and that makes everyone so yucky and hypocritical and ughghurejne me whenni have work tmr ALSO need to print out more movie photos AND anyone i meet gets so human and i get sick of them so easily but not myself so i will always be alone and thats a good thing unless im not listening to music then it is not so good bc i can hear my breathing an feel my skin also what even is life without music its just ------------------ no ty i do not want to be like amber or ritchie but oh i did thrift their shoes and also jasons but hes kind of an L WAIT that makes so much sense anyway that scene where they are walking in the store with the heavy combat boots that have been discontinued (why?) and a shotgun wow! imagine being tricked by a soda can what a loser anyway the sehleves ive built are really nice and after doing that with hands blistered and joints sore i realised i can fit everythign insdie it and oh god im gonna lose absolutely everything! and thn something even WoORSE hit me that none of this even means anytnign, what the flip, imagine this format will stop and we only live in the real world what then maybe just maybe musicals make sense and then i bash my head into my desk HOW COULD U FOR A SECOND THINK MUSICALS ARE OKAY blood is spurting just likein that scene in longlegs dilf, jokes no maybe nicholas cage hes too pasty this has gotten long uve recently discovered this rly underground and unpopular artist michael jackson yea nobodies really heard of him sigh WHY DO I HAVEA FRENCH BOOK OH GOD IM GOING TO HELL people should put everything ive ever ever made into a bible because that is all i am and i am so happy that is true so yea put this in as well and all my assigmnets and paintings and digital art from 2019 and old drawings and scribbles and south park doodles and short stories ad gore and all the deleted notes of measurrements (sigh why phone) and dont forget all the photos and the annotations i rubbed out later cuz they sounded dumb and too personal remember always to make ur writing as obscure as possible because people always look to make everything about them hey emotions are really stupid our brains are amazing at finding information so much of it but our conciousness is preoccupied with other stupid stuff like education and being horny so all we get is emotions that have been processed information so hey our thinking brain really is in the back seat and we cant change it yk im bnad! im bad! u knowit really really bad megamind... evan peters is eyeing me rn.. i did a really good job of diverting my mental problems its actually really good but i am hoping we can get back to them once they get fixed and maybe this dependence wiol go away too right maybe and wait a darn second are you telling me i wont find myself a tim burton anti hero what the flip unbelievable may i get a refund never sell your doc martens just break them in please the blisters and pus and blood will pass and they will be great i swear unless theyre the max platform types then u might have to keep getting pain but thats okay god dont tell me i need to work in the future although when i watched the movie for the 2nd time in cinemas there was 3 seconds where there was a doctor with a mask and wowww maybe i shld become one of those but i dontthink i have the right motivation maybe neurobiology maybe quantum mechanics mabe maybe even both like quantum mind god thats interesting but only after biology i need to get worried abt climate change and then realise OH MY GOD NOTHING MATTERS BUT OUR MINDS and thats
1 note · View note
Photo
Tumblr media
Top 20 Magnus/Alec fandom favourites - the results are in!
Thank you to everyone who submitted fics and voted in all the rounds of the poll - and, of course, thank you to everyone for following us! 
We’re very excited to announce the results of the second round of voting. As we explained before, we want to showcase as many authors as possible, so only one fic (the one with the most votes) has gone into the top 20 for each author. The list of all nominations will be posted soon.
The list is in order of author pseud from A - Z. Happy reading!
The Language of Flowers by astudyinfic (PG13 | 8/8 | 19,099)
Following the loss of his brother, florist Alec Lightwood wants to do something to remember him by. Enter tattoo artist Magnus Bane who brings beauty and love into his life. What starts as a one-time thing blooms into an expression of love for all the important people in Alec's life.
Paparazzi by Alxsteele (Not Rated | 31/31 | 219,060)
Magnus Bane is a pop star best known for his break up songs and wicked dance sequences. Alec Lightwood is an actor best known for being the object of Magnus' songs.
When Alec’s new tv show gets picked up, a series of events throws Magnus back into his life, bringing up a mess of memories and confusion. Forced to spend more and more time together, will they ever figure their feelings out?
Good Our Whole Lives by beatperfume (Explicit | 9/9 | 34,833)
They say that prostitution is the world’s oldest profession, and it’s just as true for the Downworld as the mundane one.
But this is the first time Magnus has ever heard of a nephilim hustling his crowd.
Reconstruction by bumblebeesknees (Explicit | 3/3 | 80,115)
It takes months for Valentine to find the Mirror, and longer still to defeat him. Afterward, Alec has another first that he shares with Magnus: the strange and tentative transition from being not together to back together.
He’s not handling it as well as he’d like.
Appassionato by chonideno (PG | 35,866 | 2/2)
Alec plays the piano every day, with great talent. One night, a note slips under his door: it's a request from an anonymous neighbor. Before he knows it, Alec picks up the habit of leaving his window open so his neighbor can listen to him. Requests keep coming. Slowly, two strangers start a conversation without words and let the music do the work for them.
Eyes On Me by clockworkswan (Mature | 5/5 | 102,076)
When a new same-sex dancing rule gets people talking, Magnus Bane decides to take the jump from Latin to Ballroom in order to prove that change is a good thing. Looking for a new challenge, he’s determined to win the Ballroom Championships and be crowned victorious in the first same-sex partnership.
Now all he needs are the right shoes, the right music, and the right partner.
~
Alec is well on his way to securing another victory for his parents’ prestigious dance school, yet a new face, and surprising feelings, might change that. When Magnus turns up, he sweeps more than dancing traditions off their feet.
As the competition rounds heat up, and dreams hang in the balance, can the pair prove themselves to a worldwide audience of fellow dreamers, critics and cynics?
Deeper Than the Truth by insieme (Mature | 149,820 | 15/15)
Alec Lightwood is a world-famous author, though the world knows him only under his pseud: Gideon Archer. Magnus Bane is a fashion designer who just happens to be a big fan of Gideon's work.
One Show Only by KouriArashi (Explicit | 7/7 | 29,410)
It's hard to stay in the closet when the guy you had a one-night stand with two nights ago turns out to be your new partner ... but Alec will be damned if he isn't going to give it a try.
Love Is A Gamble by la_muerta (Explicit | 20/20 | 44.768)
Upholding law and order in gold-mining town Nephilim Falls, population 1,700 souls, is the responsibility of Sheriff Alec Lightwood. As it is, Alec already has his hands full with the saloons and whorehouses making tempers rise and the men rowdy when the day's mining goes badly, and the constant threat of bandits in the hills. The last thing he needs is some no-count gambler setting up a gambling hall in his town. And what kind of name is 'Magnus Bane', anyway?
pillow talk by lacheses (Mature | 5/5 | 26,592)
Alec Lightwood falls in love, one nap at a time.
And the Oscar goes to... by Lecrit (Explicit | 1/1 | 21,494)
Working for Magnus isn’t easy. Magnus is out of control and Alec has to yell more often than not to get him to listen to him. He hates everything formal because it means he has to watch his mouth. Most importantly, Magnus is an incorrigible flirt.
Which would be alright if Alec wasn’t utterly, irremediably, unfathomably in love with him.
Based on this prompt: "AU where Magnus is an Oscar winning actor and Alec, his PA, is in love with him."
Set Me In Motion by lemonoclefox (Mature | 20/20 | 132,055)
“Is that your way of asking me to cook for you sometime?” Alec says. “'Cause I will.” The moment the words escape his mouth, Alec finds himself slightly panicking. Because he does not talk like that, ever―in a way that might even be considered flirting―and he still doesn’t understand what it is about Magnus that brings stuff like that out of him. More importantly, he has a boyfriend. Magnus, however, just looks mildly surprised as their eyes meet. “My, my. Master chef, good family name, and charming?” Magnus tilts his head ever so slightly. “Careful, Mr. Lightwood,” he says in a low, teasing voice, mouth curving up in a smile. “You’re gonna make me swoon.” ---
One night, Magnus spots a handsome stranger in the elevator of his apartment building – which wouldn’t be a big deal if said stranger didn’t turn out to be dating Magnus’s neighbor. The stranger soon becomes Alec, and their paths end up crossing more than once. A tentative friendship develops as they slowly get to know each other, and they both find that it’s effortless in a way neither of them has ever known. It's only when other kinds of feelings start getting involved that things become a bit more complicated.
A Horse That Loves You by Lemur710 (PG13 | 1/1 | 5,563)
Magnus rushes into battle to rescue Jace—and comes to terms with what it means to love a shadowhunter with a parabatai.
Days of Dark by magnusragnor, ohprongs (Mature | 9/9 | 97,115)
Alec clutches the worn out comic book in his hands, his eyes sweeping over Captain America’s stance on the cover. He still remembers how excited Max had been when he’d gotten it, going on and on about how Captain America helped people, how he just wanted to stop the bullies - how he was a hero.
Staring down at the star on Cap’s shield, Alec pushes away all his anger and grief, focussing on the single most ridiculous idea he’s ever had. He can hear Hodge's voice, clear as day:
“With great power, comes great responsibility.”
(or, the the amazing spider-man ish au)
Fools Rush In by Maleciseverything (Mature | 4/4 | 85,198)
Alec, Jace, and Simon go to Vegas for Jace's bachelor party and things get a little bit ridiculous.
Alec wakes up the next morning and...wait a minute, who's that in his bed?
Five Times Magnus Isn’t a Good Boyfriend And One Time He Is by notcrypticbutcoy (PG13 | 1/1 | 7,112)
Being a high profile celebrity makes it difficult for Magnus to find enough time for his personal life. Alec's feeling lonely after spending yet another night alone.
Or, in which Magnus is spending too much time at work, Alec confides in Chairman Meow, and Magnus tries to make everything better.
Adventure XXL by RedOrchid (Explicit | 9/9 | 26,858)
Tune in for a breathtaking adventure—Reality TV like you’ve never seen it before. Join us on an exhilarating ride where contestants are both pitted against each other to complete challenges and forced to find ways to cooperate—as we determine who has the intelligence, strength, creativity and charm to make it to the top.
Six teams. One game.
This is Adventure XXL.
(Aka Jace signs himself and Alec up for a stupid reality show. Once Alec’s there, he meets fellow contestant Magnus, and suddenly the stupid show doesn’t feel quite so stupid anymore)
pro bono by sarcasticfluentry (Explicit | 1/1 | 7,195)
After the Clave drops the charges against Isabelle and declares her free, Magnus decides he doesn't want Alec's bow and quiver after all. He gets something even better.
The first time by theonetruenorth (Explicit | 1/1 | 1,623)
“Alexander, my darling,” Magnus whispered, leaning over Alec once more to tenderly stroke his thumb over Alec’s lips, red and sensitive from kissing. “You take my breath away.”
veni vidi amavi by WendigoBaby (PG | 1/1 | 5,663)
Alec still looks so young, bright-eyed and with morning scruff covering his face; there are no grey hairs on his head, no wrinkles embedded in his skin, except for little crow’s feet around his eyes that came from smiling. The golden band around Alec’s right ring finger catches the light as he cuts the tomatoes, quick and efficient.
It’s an unspoken rule that warlocks rarely marry. Usually, it’s the fear of commitment with mortals - the promise of heartbreak after they pass lingering like a ghost over your shoulder or people not wanting to spend the entirety of their lives devoted to one soul. But Alec has always had a tendency to surprise Magnus.
150 notes · View notes
theartificialdane · 8 years
Text
Galactica, part 225
In this Violet hears news, Max takes a chance, Courtney hangs up, Jinkx is a friend, Bianca is compromised and Trixie enjoys halloween!
Thank you @veronicasanders @samrull and @toriibelledarling for being my awesome cowriters <3
“Yes. Yes. Yes of course Shannel, yes, I can do that.. No, no it’s fine. Yes I’ll confirm, yes. Okay. Yes, bye.”
Violet hung up, her head spinning. Shannel had just called her, telling her that Nina Garcia wanted to see her for a meeting about the spread she had gotten in Marie Claire. Violet was sure the entire thing had been approved by Bianca, had been told it was approved by Bianca, but after the call she wasn’t sure at all. She knew there was bad blood between Nina and Bianca, but she had no idea how much, because even though she had been Fame’s assistant, and that she was dating one of Bianca’s best friends, Violet had never been one who listened to gossip, the woman actually often turning out completely when she was out with Sutan, and the people he considered his family whenever they started talking.
Violet could have panicked, could have lost her mind and started redoing all of her work, but she wasn’t going to. What she had made was amazing, and she was going to convince Nina that she deserved the spread, because she did.
***
Courtney sat in her makeup chair, trying to calm her breathing. She’d been preparing for this concert for almost two months, and now that the day was finally here, and every one of her nails was bitten down to the quick, all she was trying to do was center herself, and nothing was working. She felt like a bundle of raw nerves. Why on earth had she convinced herself that she could do this? Who the FUCK did she think she was?
She chest felt tight and suddenly it was all too much. She jumped up from her seat, jostling the elbow of the makeup artist, stammering out a shaky, “Sorry, I’m sorry,” and fleeing through the green room, where Bianca sat with her family, Lucien, Latrice, a few of the label guys - all of them counting on her. She raced past them, out the back door of the theatre, into the dim alley, where she shivered in the dusk, tears pricking at her eyes.
Why was she such a disappointment? Why couldn’t she do anything right?
*
Bianca stood up, about to go after her distraught girlfriend, but Annette put an arm on her shoulder and said, “Let me go, love.” Bianca nodded and sat back down, handing Annette Courtney’s coat and sighing.
*
“The weather in this hemisphere is just horrifying,” Annette declared, stepping outside and wrapping Courtney’s slim shoulders in her coat. “I don’t know how you survive these winters.”
“You get used to it,” Courtney sniffled. She leaned her head against her mother’s shoulder.
“Now. You want to tell me what’s going on? I’m fairly certain you’re not pregnant.”
Courtney laughed through her tears. “No. I’m not pregnant.”
“Right, so what’s the problem, love?”
“What if I fuck everything up tonight?”
“Well…” Annette smiled, “It wouldn’t change anything, really. It wouldn’t change who you are.”
“I don’t know who I am,” Courtney admitted, fresh tears spilling down her cheeks.
Annette tucked her hair behind her ear. “Alright. Well, then, let me remind you.” She took her daughter’s hands and kissed them, then squeezed them tightly while she said, “You, my dear, are the headstrong, confident, independent girl who has never in your life backed down from an adventure. You left home when you were 17 because you found a program here in this city halfway across the world from everything you’ve ever known.”
Courtney shook her head. “You’ve got it all wrong, mum. I wasn’t...I wasn’t setting off on an adventure. I was running away.” Her voice broke. She felt so much shame, but she couldn’t bear lying to her mother any longer.
Annette took Courtney’s face in her hands. “Yes, you ran, but you ran towards something new. And look at this beautiful life you’ve built for yourself.”
Covering her face with her hands, Courtney’s voice shook as she said, “It’s not my life. It’s Bianca’s life, I don’t deserve any of this, it’s all because of her…”
Annette grasped Courtney’s shoulders, practically shaking her. “Oh really? Bianca wrote the music on your album? Did she? And sang the vocals? Bianca is getting up there to perform tonight? She’s giving your interviews?”
“No, but she…”
“Darling, listen, I’m not discounting everything that Bianca has done for you. Okay? But with or without her, this is what you were meant to do. And if you think that you don’t deserve it, or that you don’t deserve her, well then maybe she’s not the right person for you. Because you should be bursting with pride right now. Not because of all this, which is amazing, but it’s material. Because of who you /are/. Because you care about right and wrong. Because you are honest, and generous. Because I knew that when you left home, everywhere you went, you would leave things better than you found them.”
Courtney sighed. “You give me too much credit, mum.”
“Well, that’s what mothers do. It doesn’t make me wrong.”
Courtney closed her eyes. She did think that her mother was wrong, thought that she was seeing some rosy version of her that probably didn’t exist. A girl that Courtney wished she could be, but never felt that she’d ever truly been. Maybe if she just worked harder...
Gil poked his head out of the door. “What’s taking so fucking long out here? Annette, this is the longest damn pep talk in history. Courtney, there’s a whole theatre full of people waiting for you to shake your ass and sing some songs. Suck it up and come back inside before you freeze to death.”
“Well, that’s putting it bluntly,” Courtney said brightly, laughing and wiping her eyes. She squeezed Annette’s hand and followed her dad inside. “Fuck, Yara is gonna kill me, I think I cried off all my mascara.”
“I’m sure she can handle it,” Annette replied, squeezing her hand back.
***
As she waited for the lights to come up, Courtney gave herself a final, frantic pep talk. /Own the stage. Be a star. Be someone who deserves this. Be anyone but who you are inside./
And then the music began, and the stage lights hit her, burning her eyes, and adrenaline surged through her veins, and suddenly it all clicked, and everything she’d been working for made sense. And as she sang her heart out, lifted high in the air by two backup dancers, she realized that she was suddenly more herself than ever before. She was Courtney Motherfucking Act. And she was killing it.
***
Max could smell lemon, Ruby somehow always smelling like lemons, her hair in his nose, their legs intertwined. They were on the couch, Ruby snoring slightly since she had gotten home from work, a rerun of That 70s Show on the TV on low.
Max’s arm was asleep, but he couldn’t get himself to move, not when Ruby was there in his arms, soft, sweet, and perfect. He had talked to Katya, the teacher coming up in his friend as she had shown him horrifying diagrams on the internet, telling him with extreme enthusiasm of the inner workings of the female reproductive system.
Max had felt sick through the entire thing, he had considered maybe trying sex, for Ruby’s sake, not because he felt pressured, but because he could maybe consider possible trying it with Ruby. Max had been psyching himself up all day, his back slick with sweat when Ruby opened the door, Max telling himself that he could and would do it, but Ruby had just smiled at him when he had offered to ‘stick it to her good’ like Katya had suggested, and shook her head before pulling him to the couch.
Max wasn’t sure why Ruby liked him, or why he liked her so much, but he was so glad they both did.
***
Adore cheered, shoving her sister hard from behind. “Stand UP, you bitch, she was singing that song for you!”
Courtney had just finished a soulful ballad, and Adore was continuing her annoying habit of demanding standing ovations for every single number. Bianca turned, flashing her sister a dirty look. “Would you let me enjoy the fucking moment?”
“Enjoy it on your FEET!” Adore yelled over the crowd.
“Alright…” Courtney took a sip from the water bottle on her stool, using the moment to catch her breath. “So, for this next number, I need a little help. I’m gonna have to ask one of my oldest, bestest friends to come up on the stage with me for this one…” She looked out into the audience, squinting dramatically, eyes landing on Adore. “Ms. Delano, if you please…?”
“Who, me?” Adore replied, looking around. Alaska laughed.
“Can you please just get your ass onstage?”
“Yeah, okay.” Adore scrambled up the steps. She looked down. “I just...I don’t think this outfit is very…” she ripped open her baggy flannel shirt to reveal micro cutoffs and a halter top, earning a bunch of whoops and catcalls. She milked the moment, batting her eyelashes.
Courtney looked back at the audience, rolling her eyes. “You’ll have to use your imagination here, pretend Adore is wearing something slutty for this character.”
“Type casting.” Adore winked.
“Are you ready to fuckin’ sing or what?” Courtney asked, handing Adore a microphone.
“I’m ready! Let’s go!”
Courtney pointed to the band to cue them and the opening bars of Rent’s “Take Me or Leave Me” began to play.
“Every single day, I walk down the street,” Adore began. “I hear people say ‘Baaaby,’ so sweet… “Ever since puberty, everybody stared at me. “Boys, girls, I can’t help it, baby…”
Courtney tried to hide her grin, since her character was supposed to be glowering the whole time, but it was nearly impossible, watching her friend shine beside her. She managed to (mostly) keep it together, though, at least as far as the audience could tell.
As they hit the final notes, harmonizing perfectly, they managed to sing directly into each other’s faces without breaking down giggling like they’d done in every single rehearsal. “Take me baby...or leave me!”
They held a beat before shout-singing the last lines, “Guess I’m leaving! I’m gone!” and flouncing offstage in opposite directions.
In the wings, they turned around and Courtney caught Adore’s eyes. She was jumping up and down and clapping her hands, blowing kisses. Courtney reached out her hand as re-entered to bow. Adore put her arm around Courtney’s shoulders.
“You know,” Courtney said, “I never really understood why people thought Maureen was the hot one. Joanne is clearly the catch in that relationship.”
“The voluptous, Ivy-league educated woman of color with a full-time job? Yeah, I wonder what you like about her.” Adore rolled her eyes.
“Point taken. But like Maureen, she’s seriously such a twat, right? ‘Oh, I’m an artist, I refuse to pay rent...’”
Adore shook her head at Courtney sympathetically. “Awww...boo…so much self-loathing...”
“Shut up! That describes you just as much as me! More, even!” She crossed her arms.
Adore laughed and kissed Courtney on the cheek, branding her with a bright red lipstick mark. “Yes, buttercup.”
“I hate you. Go back to your seat before this turns into Freudian analysis.”
“Guess I’m leaving…” Adore said. “I’m gone!”
Courtney laughed as Adore skipped down the steps. “Good one.” She turned and walked back to her mark for the next number, turning back to the audience dramatically when the lighting changed. “Oh, baby baby…”
Adore jumped to her feet again, cheering loudly, as the giant video screens began playing Courtney’s “Baby One More Time” video. She nudged Bianca. “Look, B, it’s your favorite video! Stand up!!”
Bianca rolled her eyes. “You’re exhausting,” she replied to Adore, eyes still glued to Courtney, who she could swear just caught her eye and winked. Damn, she was hot up there. Suddenly, Bianca didn’t mind how much her feet hurt anymore.
***
After the concert, there was a small gathering at a local club and Courtney really expected to feel nothing but relief. But to her surprise, despite being exhausted, she missed the stage, and the lights, and the feeling she’d gotten when she was up there. She even managed a lengthy conversation with two LiveNation promoters to talk about adding dates to her tour. Just as she was running out of steam, and losing a patience for both of them talking directly to her chest the whole time, she was rescued by Jinkx, who put an arm around her and deftly guided her away, directing her attention to a conversation across the bar.
“So, see that dude Latrice is talking to? That’s my theatrical agent, David Greenberg. Right about now, he’s telling her that they’re doing another Cabaret revival and he thinks you killed ‘Maybe This Time’ and he wants to get you a meeting with the producers and are you interested in Broadway.”
“Are you SERIOUS?!” Courtney exclaimed, covering her mouth with her hand.
“Yup.”
Courtney turned and threw her arms around Jinkx’s shoulders, hugging her tightly. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” she cried.
Jinkx laughed. “You sang the song, honey.”
“Hey, bitch, get your hands off my woman!” Adore called, walking over with her arm draped over Alaska, clearly three sheets to the wind.
Jinkx rolled her eyes. “Which one of us are you talking to?” She pulled Adore’s hair gently.
Alaska laughed. “Good question!”
“You guys are all so mean to me, all the time…” Adore slurred, pouting.
“Oh yeah?” Jinkx asked, wrapping her in a hug and kissing her temples. “Like this?
Adore smiled sleepily at Courtney over Jinkx’s shoulder. “Yeah, so mean…”
Courtney laughed. “Yes, you really look like you’re suffering there. We should host a telethon.”
“A tragic life,” Alaska agreed, giggling.
***
“Ahem.”
Bianca turned from the bar to see Annette standing at her shoulder. She smiled. “Hi, Annette! Great show, huh? Your daughter is amazing.”
“Yes, she’s…” Annette smiled. “It was quite special for us to be here. I’m thrilled that we were part of this. She’s really something.”
Bianca nodded, sipping her wine. “She’s worked her ass off, so seeing it pay off like this...it’s incredible. I’m so proud of her.”
Annette sipped her own drink thoughtfully. “She may need to hear you say that...which isn’t to say that you don’t. She just...seems a little fragile right now.”
“Oh?” Bianca tried to keep her voice light, but her heart began to pound a little.
“I’m not sure why, or if it’s even my place to say anything. Maybe it’s all the pressure of this album, and the expectations. I’ve certainly never done anything like this, so I can’t really imagine, and she’s new to this world, so perhaps it will pass once she sees that she can sustain a career. Or maybe it’s a side effect of being an artist. I don’t really know. But it did seem that her confidence was shaken tonight, before the show.”
“Did I...do you think I’m adding to that pressure? Or--”
“Oh, heavens no, love! I didn’t mean that. I just...be patient with her. I can tell she’s trying to figure everything out, and it may take her awhile.”
“Okay…” Bianca felt slightly rattled. What was Courtney trying to figure out? Was their relationship something that she was uncertain about? She wanted to ask more questions, but didn’t want to ask Annette to betray her daughter’s confidence. So she finished by merely saying, “Thank you.”
“No, Bianca, thank you. For your kindness, and your generosity. We’ve had a lovely time.” Annette pulled her in for a big, warm hug, the kind that is distinctly maternal, and some of her anxiety dissipated, just a little.
***
HAPPY HALLOWEEN, V-LISTERS! Welcome to the holiest holiday of the year!
Obviously Li’l Courtney Act’s record label knows they are onto something with those nude pictures coming out, because they suddenly dropped her next music video, for Kaleidoscope, which is one of our favorite songs on the album. The video is about as millennial as it could get, all gender-swapping, sexuality-blurring, 90’s throwback fashion with a big rave type party situation at the end. I mean we didn’t really get it but she looks happy.
However, Li’l Miss Act explains it herself in this interview in today’s issue of The Advocate, which we’re just gonna post here verbatim because it’s just, so /very./ I mean it’s sort of equal parts insufferable and mildly endearing. WE ARE WATCHING YOU COURTNEY!
Kisses, V
THE ADVOCATE: So tell us about what inspired you when writing this song, and conceiving this video. Is all feels very personal.
COURTNEY ACT: It is! Very much! I think the lines that blur between gender and sexuality are really interesting. I always identified as straight, up until the beginning of this year, really, until I fell in love with a woman and it was like...suddenly I was seeing colors for the first time.
TA: Yeah, we heard B’s good in bed.
CA: That’s not what I meant! I mean I guess that too. (laughter) But, I also realized that any time I was really attracted to a guy, I told myself it was because of their strapping masculinity. Which is a thing we’re programmed to think is desirable, especially in places like where I grew up that have very provincial ideas about gender. But then, when I really broke it down, I realized that I liked these men, not because of their masculinity, but in spite of it. You know, like the football player with the long, beautiful eyelashes. Or this one guy I dated where i was just like, obsessed with his butt. And when I think about him now, like, that was a very womanly butt.
TA: A womanly butt?
CA: Yeah! Like round, and soft, and, you know?...Okay, and my brother--
TA: That was a /terrible/ transition!
CA: I know, I’m sorry. But my brother is a drag queen, and like, he dresses up in these beautiful clothes and becomes, not female but like this idea, this fantasy of what a female is supposed to be, and it’s so intriguing and beautiful, but in a whole new way, and I fell in love with drag watching him, because--
TA: This sounds a little...Flowers in the Attic.
CA: That’s what B says! I don't know that book. We don’t read incest porn where I come from.
TA: Maybe you should, it sounds like you’d like it.
CA: (Laughter) Maybe it would hit too close to home.
TA: This is taking an unusual turn…
CA: Sorry. But back to the video, I wanted to play with gender because I’m thinking about it a lot, because of my own views and how they’re changing. I always thought I had to be a certain way, as a female, and that men had to be a certain way, but I think all of that is kind of being turned on it’s head. And now every day I wonder, am I wearing this because I want to, or because society is telling me I should? Maybe I want to wear a really “girly” dress in one moment, and then more androgynous or traditionally masculine clothing the next day, and that’s okay. And it’s not just clothes, but that’s the most obvious expression, the first thing we see. I worked in fashion for awhile and I’m surrounded by it all the time because of Bianca and it’s just like...there’s so much EXPECTATION and I kind of have a natural need to question things, but also this desire to be easy-going, so that’s always an internal struggle.
TA: So basically you’re human.
CA: Is that what that is? What a terrible affliction. Is there a cure?
TA: None that doctors recommend.
CA: (Laughs) Right. So anyway, as you can tell, I’m in my head a lot.
TA: You don’t say!
CA: (giggles)
TA: We hear your next video is much lighter.
CA: Oh, yeah, Ecstasy. It’s pure fluff. Just a fun dance song. Dedicated to my bestie.
TA: Adore?
CA: Yeah.
TA: Wait just a second. You wrote a song called “Ecstasy” about your girlfriend’s sister?
CA: Okay, when you say it like that, it sounds bad. It’s not ABOUT Adore, exactly. It’s about us TOGETHER.
TA: THAT SOUNDS WORSE!
CA: No! Like, it’s about how we go out dancing together, and the freedom that brings.
TA: I’m gonna call you out here. The lyrics are “I kiss your lips, leave it on your tongue--”
CA: I’m not kissing Adore! We’re kissing other people! Oh god, this is a losing battle, isn’t it…? (cracking up)
TA: I think this is between you and Bianca. I mean, you did kiss Adore in your video.
CA: Yeah, well, Bianca knows that was the only time. And she was there. And besides, Bianca doesn’t get jealous. Because hello? She’s Bianca del Rio.
TA: Ha!
CA: It’s true! She’s been with like, supermodels and Oscar winners. She’s not exactly in a position to feel threatened.
TA: So the rumors are true?
CA: You heard the part about seeing colors for the first time, right? (wink)
TA: And on that note…
***
“Oh god, I’m so full.”
“Maybe we should have stopped three Kit Kats ago..”
“No way.” Trixie shook his head and reached out, his free hand rummaging through the giant bowl of candy on the table. Trixie was laying on the couch, his head in Katya’s lap, his pants unbuttoned as his stomach was beyond bloated. He and Katya had decided to spend Halloween in, Ivan not old enough to go out trick and treating, so it seemed natural for them to not go out, to watch Halloween films and to give candy to the children who came to their door.
Ivan had had a great night, the little guy loving the fact that both of his parents were home at the same time, the fruit he was allowed to gorge on and that he was dressed up as an avocado, through Katya was pretty sure her son didn’t have a concept of the soft felt costume Trixie had sewn for him. There was one minor flaw in their plan though. Katya and Trixie had both forgotten that there were no kids in the building, and so they had ended up with enough candy to feed a whole army.
“Your stomach is so tight…” Katya smiled, her hand gently kneading Trixie’s tummy, her nails scratching his skin. “My sweet little sugar bum.”
“I think you mean sugar belly.”
Katya laughed, and Trixie joined her, his entire body moving as she leaned down to kiss him.
“I love you. I love you so much.” Katya gave Trixie another kiss, quickly catching his lip between her teeth, her hand gliding down to his open pants, her fingers sneaking into his underwear and wrapping around his cock.
“Nnh, nooo.” Trixie whined, the man squirming around.
“No?” Katya smiled, another sweet kiss landing on Trixie’s lips.
“I can’t move.” Katya could feel how desperately Trixie tried to pump his hips, his belly holding him down, her hand moving torturously slow.
“Did my big strong man eat too much candy?”
“No..” Trixie shook his head, and Katya sped up her hand, Trixie's mouth falling open.
“That’s what I imagined.” Katya smiled and grabbed a piece of chocolate to force between her husband's lips.
38 notes · View notes
leslierosales · 8 years
Text
At the top of this year I was blessed to travel to Cuba, and I gotta say that my trip was uhh-may-zing! Pictures couldn’t righteously capture the beauty and essence of this country. This trip came together super last minute… 3 days before I had to travel to be exact. Not too many people knew that I was going, so it hit folks by surprise when I just popped up on social media with a Havana geotag.
After this pic went up, folks slid in my DM’s asking great questions about traveling there, where to stay and the whole visa process. It was easy and quick… And if you have the funds and airline credits, anything is possible. Here’s the breakdown:
12/28/16 9:00a pst : My homegirl talked me into meeting her in Cuba, she found a Southwest flight  for $67 from Fort Lauderdale to Havana. Even tho I avoid Southwest, Spirit and SoulPlane equivalent airlines, it was a no brainer that I hop on that deal. I was all ready gonna be in ATL for New Years so a quick Delta flight from ATL to FLL (used a Delta credit) was easy.
12/28/16 10:00a pst : Upon booking my flight Southwest directed me to a link to apply for a visa. There are only 12 reasons that they allow a US Citizen to visit, and “Tourism or For Pleasure” isn’t one of them. I applied under “Journalistic Activity”… because technically I write, take pics and blog. Plus I had a letter from an actual print magazine stating that I was visiting to write about my travels =) The visa cost $50, and I was approved within 30 minutes. Easy.
12/28/16 12:00p pst : I realized that my passport expires this March… They really take it serious when your passport expires within 6 months of travel, other countries might not let you in or your visa won’t get approved. So make a mental note to renew your passport at least 8 months before it actually expires. I called my travel agent and she was able to squeeze me in with an appointment at the Passport Agency the next morning.
12/29/16 10:00a pst : Got to my appointment at the Agency. Took new and cute Passport pic ($14 at the agency… Better to just go to CVS where they charge $5),  turned in my renewal app,  paid $110 to renew my passport and $60 to expedite it for next day service.
12/30/16 2:00p pst : Picked up my new passport! Went home & packed!
12/31/16 : Travelled to ATL and turned up.
01/02/16 : Travel day to Havana. I landed in FLL 3 hours before my flight departed. At the airport is where you pick up your visa then check into the flight. I didn’t have any trouble, and no one asked me any extra questions. Visa pick up and check in was easy breezy. One of our other travel mates had a hard time at his check in gate flying out of NYC. They were telling him that he couldn’t get on the flight because he’s not “authorized” to go. [Hater shit] They eventually let him on the flight and he made it to Cuba. The flight was about 50 minutes, which was perfect because I couldn’t have stayed in a Southwest plane longer than that, lol.
  THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE LEAVING THE US
Your cell phone carrier isn’t covered there, and you’ll automatically start roaming on their service… It’s expensive, so make sure you keep your phone on airplane mode while you’re there.
They sell wifi cards and have wifi hotspots within Havana, so you’ll have some contact with the outside world. It’s spotty tho.
Your debit and credit cards won’t work there, so bring enough cash and add on extra to that. Because once you run out of cash there, you’re screwed. I brought $1k with me, and spent no more than $300. A couple folks I travelled with ran out of cash, so I was able to cover them. [PayPal and Venmo transfers are clutch!] NOTE: When you transfer money especially on PayPal… Don’t put “Cuba” in the description. They’ll freeze your account and investigate you, lol. It happened to my homegirl!
If you can avoid it, don’t check a bag in. It takes a LOOONG time for bags to come out in baggage claim.
  Havana is beautiful! According to US standards, Cuba is a poor country. The buildings are old, cars are old, technology isn’t up to date, streets aren’t all paved, and food is scarce. However, they don’t know that they’re “poor”. They were rich in culture, and happy in love. EVERYONE was nice, like ridiculously nice. Never once did I feel in danger in an area that we would call “sketchy” in the US because of how it looked. It felt good, to be surrounded by so much culture and substance that I didn’t even care that my phone had no service. Being cut off from the US bullshit was freeing… No news updates about Trump bullshit, no social media, no distractions. I was 100% focused on life, and the moment I was living in. I was aware as fuck.
We stayed in an AirBnB in the Miramar neighborhood that’s a 10 minute drive from Old Havana and a 30 minute drive from the airport. There were 4 of us in a 3 bedroom apartment, at $85 per person for 2 nights. Our cab rides would range from $5-$10 per trip, split between 4 people. For $50 total, we took a 1 hour tour of the city in one of those old school drop tops. Fly shit! Later on that night we had drinks at the Hotel Saratoga, dinner at Los Nardos, and went to a nightclub called Sarao’s.
Notes: A full dinner entree ranges from $7-$13. The country does have a food scarcity, so the later in the night you go eat, a lot of food won’t be available anymore. Los Nardos ran out of chicken and fish by the time we got there at 9p.
  01/03/16 : Travel to Varadero, Cuba. For $100 ($25 per person), we hired a driver for the day to drive us from Havana to Varadero roundtrip (2 hours each way). I mean… The car was a bucket, but it got us there and back and it didn’t break down, lol. For the day we stayed at the Barcelo Solymar Resort, and through the resort we got a tour package that included a driver, snorkeling in Coral Beach, a tour and dip in the spring waters of the Saturn Caves, a ride to the beach for photo opp’s, and back to the resort for $36 per person. Again… Pictures don’t do any justice to its beauty!
  After we got back to Havana later that night, the 4 of us invited our driver to dinner with us. He was cool and funny, like an old uncle that has lived his life and is all about the turn up. We told him to take us to the best Italian restaurant he knew of, and so he did. It wasn’t the best, lol. At least the bill came up $30 total. After dinner, we went to a salsa spot called Casa de la Musica where a Spanish artist who looked like Drake’s father was performing. The vibe was authentic Cuba, and I loved it. People watching in other countries is the shit. Drinks are cheap…. $3-$5 for a cocktail, not bad.
01/04/16 : Morning frolic before my afternoon flight. We got up at 8am to take another walk around Old Havana, since me and one other person was leaving that day. We walked through the streets and made our way to Plaza de la Catedral and went into their Catholic Church. I never pass up an opportunity to send a quick prayer up and THANK the most HIGH. Spanish architecture is so elegant, monumental, and classic to me. I wouldn’t mind walking around and getting lost in the those streets just to enjoy the buildings.
  My American Airlines flight (used a credit) was at 3:30p so I left Miramar by 12p…. A 20 minute drive took an hour during Wednesday afternoon traffic. The check in lines at the airport are long, so is the passport control line, and the TSA line. Give yourself at least an hour in time to get through all 3 lines. The only cafe at my terminal ran out of food by 2:30p… Shit is real out there. You can buy bottles of rum and Cuban cigars through Duty Free. If your luggage is maxed out or you don’t check in a bag, I suggest getting your liquor from there. Note: Duty Free line was long, too. My flight was delayed an hour, which I was told is normal there. So keep that in mind if you have a connecting flight to your final destination. Luckily for me, I was flying into Miami and staying the night so the delay didn’t affect me.
I would absolutely go back and visit, I need to since I wasn’t there long enough. Travel and housing was pretty inexpensive and they’re prices are beyond reasonable. I suggest going before they realize how much more money they can make from tourism and before Trump fucks shit up for us.
  Traveling to Cuba: New Year, New Passport Stamp At the top of this year I was blessed to travel to Cuba, and I gotta say that my trip was uhh-may-zing!
0 notes