#bejeweled by bianca

[bitter69uk]

Born on this day 83 years ago (19 September 1940): effervescent and eccentric fuchsia-haired doyenne of British fashion, Dame Zandra Rhodes. She is of course the undisputed queen of the elaborately bejewelled float-y chiffon caftan, but I prefer Rhodes’ response to the rise of punk in 1977. To the revulsion of punk purists, Rhodes launched her own deluxe haute couture interpretation of punk fashion, with artful jagged rips and tears, embellished with glittering safety pins and chains! Some have claimed this made her “the high priestess of punk”, although I suspect the late Vivienne Westwood disagreed. Anyway, over the decades her clientele has numbered international jet set superstar names like Elizabeth Taylor, Jacqueline Kennedy, Cher, Bianca Jagger, Barbra Streisand and Princesses Margaret and Diana. But as far as I’m concerned, no one looked better in Rhodes’ signature caftans than drag mega-star Divine! (Rhodes and Divine were friends in the 1980s and in fact the only times I’ve ever spotted Rhodes socially, it’s been backstage at John Waters’ events in London, accompanied by Helena Kennedy QC and transgender trailblazer April Ashley). Pictured: portrait of Rhodes by Alun Callender, 2022.

[tic-loud-tic-proud]

Beneficial products for people with tics and Tourette Syndrome

Everything on this list is tried-and-true by me, someone who's had Tourette Syndrome their entire life. I hope that these can help you too!

*no links are affiliate*

Physical Tics

Elbow pads

[image: two black elbow pads with white accents]

These are the elbow pads that I use when I have tics involving hitting things with my elbows. The ones in the link are my favourite because they are soft enough not to scratch paint off of walls, and also don't limit arm movement.

Knee pads (volleyball)

[image: one black knee pad, used for volleyball, with the Nike logo on it]

Luckily, I used to play volleyball, so I already had these on hand when I developed a falling tic. I use my old volleyball kneepads for indoor spaces, while I use tougher roller-skating kneepads when I'm outside.

Fluffy Gloves

[image: two hands wearing brown and fuzzy fingerless gloves, the gloves have a pink pawprint on them]

I actually got this idea from someone here on Tumblr (I forgot who!) who uses them for slapping and hitting tics. They lessen both the noise and pain.

Thick Sweatband

[image: a teal sweatband on a white background]

This is a very discreet way to protect yourself from headbutting tics! Keep in mind that they only protect you from the impact on your skull, and not possible concussions.

Rollator

[image: a red four-wheeled rollator with a seat, from Drive medical]

A rollator can be a good item to have on hand if you have a recurring falling tic or paralysis tic- it keep you from being on the ground all the time! Rollators are also much cheaper than (proper) wheelchairs but have many of the same benefits.

Spill-proof cups

[image: four spill proof cups in blue, orange, pink, and green]

Although it can feel embarrassing to use a spill-proof cup, it's much less embarrassing than spilling hot liquids on yourself.

Glasses chain

[image: plastic black glasses with a long bejeweled chain]

If you wear glasses and have neck tics, these are a must have. Since they've become a trend recently, they can be found in all sorts of unique styles.

Pop-sockets, wrist straps, and heavy-duty phone cases

[image: a hand holding a black and white cell phone, on the case is a thick strap intended to ensure better grip]

Also a must-have if you throw things a lot. Bianca Saez on Youtube (B with Tourette's) has a video on how she created a pillow for her cell phone.

Neck stretcher

[image: a black piece of foam with dimples on it, intended for stretching neck muscles]

After long days of neck tics this little gadget can be really helpful with pain. This will not prevent permanent neck damage- please talk to a doctor about that.

Stress ball

[image: a gray and black fabric stress ball with a tag, the tag reads "IMAK ERGO: StressBall brownmed.com]

And not just for the reason you think! If you feel the need to throw something, having a soft stress ball nearby can prevent hurting others or breaking objects.

Vocal tics

Thick-fabric face mask

[image: an olive-green cloth face mask]

Although it doesn't necessarily help with vocal tics, it can help make them less noticeable. Wearing a face mask is also really helpful if you have coughing or sneezing tics.

Chewy Caramels

[image: a shiny gold bag labelled "Werther's Original". Below it says "Chewy Caramels"]

These are absolutely LIFE-SAVING. If I'm having a particularly bad tic day having something in my mouth to chew on is incredibly helpful. I also can't stand the taste of chewing gum, so these caramels are awesome. You can also get some that have throat soothers in them, which is so helpful if your tics are hurting your throat.

Social aspects

"I have Tourette Syndrome" Badge

[image: a red badge with the words "I have Tourette's" in a white font. The back of the badge is also shown.]

This is the exact pin that I use. It's extra-large and it gets straight to the point. Unfortunately people will steal these off my bags constantly, so I suggest getting multiple.

"I have Tourette Syndrome" card

[image: a business card with the following words:

Why am I swearing? This is not an act. I can't control it. Please don't be offended or afraid. I have a symptom or "tic" or Tourette Syndrome called "Coprolalia", which causes me to make swearing sounds or inappropriate remarks. This is a medical condition and I cannot control my tics. Treatment is limited and there is no cure. I am grateful for your understanding and empathy. My condition is covered by the American Disabilites Act. Visit Tourette.org to learn more.

The logo for the Tourette Association of America is visible in the lower right corner.]

These have saved me from so many embarrassing encounters. The card is very official while still being easy-to-read. Depending on where you live, your local Tourette Syndrome association might have specialized cards available in your language. I personally was able to make customized business cards that are specific to the tics I experience.

"Please ask before filming" badge by @wolfcat-hybrid

[image: a black, white, and red badge that reads "Please ask before filming!" with a drawn image of a camera crossed out with a red line]

I, as well as many other people I know who have Tourette Syndrome, have been recorded without consent multiple times. Although someone who thinks it's okay to film random people in public in the first place will probably ignore this badge, it might at least make them think twice. It also signals to anyone watching their video that you did not consent to being recorded. This manufacturer has all sorts of badges with similar messages!

.

If you have any other products that have been beneficial for your tics/Tourette Syndrome, please put them in the notes!

[moonlight-moondrops]

RFF Girls Weapon/Magic Headcanons

Mist: Light magic Rosetta: One-handed sword Melody: Water magic Lara: Healing magic Bianca: A bejeweled rapier Tabatha: Some kind of nature magic maybe? Eunice: A staff Anette: Dual blades Selphy: A war hammer Cinnamon: Telekinesis Uzuki: Her naginata Iris Blanche: Plant magic Iris Noire: Dark magic

[bejeweledbybianca]

Kids Custom Bamboo Earrings and Name Necklace Matching Set, Door Knocker Hoop Earrings Set Rainbow Color Accessories Ice Cream Collection

https://www.bejeweledbybianca.com/

[throneshq]

welcome  to  king’s  landing  helenys  farwynd  nee  blacktyde  &  warik  arryn,  the  king  has  been  expecting  you  !  please  send  in  your  account  within  the  next  twenty  four  hours  !  viva  biance  &  aaron  fontaine  are  now  taken  .

*     ──     [   viva  bianca  ,   cis  woman  ,   she  /  her  .   ]   :   in  the  frays  of  king  aerys  iii's   reign  ,  therein  remains  helenys  farwynd  née  blacktyde,  the  thirty  year  old  ruling  lady  of  the  lonely  light  .   rumor  has  it  that  their  loyalties  lie  with  house  farwynd,  house  blacktyde  and  house  greyjoy  and  they  are  against  the  targaryen  reign  .   they're  so  charismatic  +  dependable  that  it  makes  sense  ,   but  most  seem  to  look  past  their domineering  +  cunning  nature  .   when  they  come  up  in  conversation  ,   i'm  always  reminded  of  a  knowing  smirk  upon  painted  crimson  lips,  bejeweled  hands  wrapped  around  a  sword  and  the  smell  of  salt  water  air  .   [   m  ,  21+ ,   gmt+1  ,   she/her  ,   &   redacted  .   ]

*     ──     [   aaron  fontaine  ,   cis  man  ,   he  &  him  .   ]   :   in  the  frays  of  king  aerys  iii’s   reign  ,  therein  remains  warik  arryn,  the  thirty  two  year  old  ruling  lord  of  the  vale  /  eyrie  .   rumor  has  it  that  their  loyalties  lie  with  house  arryn  +  house  stark  +  house  royce  and  they  are  neutral  to  the  targaryen  reign  .   they’re  so  authentic  +  skillful  that  it  makes  sense  ,   but  most  seem  to  look  past  their  calculative  +  strong  willed  nature  .   when  they  come  up  in  conversation  ,   i’m  always  reminded  of  a  mind  as  sharp  as  steel  with  a  silver  tongue  to  match,  the  misty  mountains  crowned  with  thick  clouds  where  gods  whisper  and  a  soaring  bird  of  prey  riding  through  a  raging  storm  .   [  eden  ,  27  ,   est  ,   she & her  ,   &   no  triggers  .   ]

[jacklyn-flynn]

It’s finally here! The new chapter of Space Trash! You can find the full chapter here on AO3!

It’s a little on the long side, but hopefully worth it. Also, smut next chapter 😉

Jules and the crew heads to Redcliffe to finalize the alliance with the rebel mages but things go, per usual, spectacularly wrong. 

Jules couldn’t help but notice the occasional, curious gaze from the elf behind the bar in the Officer’s Club. It wasn’t necessarily intrusive but since they were the only ones in the room, it was hard not to notice. Jasoom was lounging lazily across her shoulders, his tail occasionally flicking across her cheek. His very presence was soothing and helped her not feel anxious about being the center of someone’s attention.

The woman busied herself behind the bar and then walked, or rather sauntered, over to Jules with a drink in her hand. She was rather unlike any of the other elves that Jules had met. Her hourglass figure was a sharp contrast to her usually tall, lithe brethren. Black pants molded to her legs, rising high on her wide hips and accenting her slim waist. Jules wondered if she knew that she had a wide rip across her right knee. She wore a navy blue flannel shirt with thick black lines that was mostly unbuttoned, showing a black shirt beneath with a lacy neckline. 

Her hair was dark green and perfectly straight, falling to the small of her back. It swung from side to side slightly when she walked. Silver rings adorned the tips of her ears, which was common, but the decorations in her lobes were completely foreign to Jules. There were wide circles through the lobes that she could see through, beyond the light mandala pattern that capped the front. 

She had a cute button nose under upturned eyes that were framed in dark liner with flicks at the corners. If it wasn’t for the friendly smile on her black-painted lips, she would have looked suspicious of Jules. 

“Can I sit?” Her voice was low for a woman but in a melodic way that harmonized well with her attire’s inclination toward black. 

“Please, help yourself.” Jules couldn’t help but smile back at the elf. 

“My name is Elbereth. Or El.” She slid gracefully into the seat and set the drink she’d prepared in front of Jules. “On the house for the lost Trevelyan.” 

“Oh, thank you. I appreciate it but I don’t drink.” Jules said with a gentle smile. 

“I know. You can’t get drunk. That’s what makes you a bartender’s best friend. I can get you to try all of my best experiments and get an unbiased opinion, “ Elbereth said cheerfully. 

Jules’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “I suppose that would make me quite the useful asset.”

El’s laugh was low and musical. “You aren’t a tool, dear. First of all, you can say no. Second of all, I’d like to give you companionship in return. Ya know, be friends.” 

Feeling a blush on her cheeks, Jules covered it by lifting the glass to examine the drink. It was in a small, square glass with very distinct layers. The bottom was a rich reddish-brown color. The next layer was more of a warm amber while the third was more of a bright gold. On the top was a very thin layer of something creamy. The entire thing smelled of hazelnuts and was vaguely woody and spicy. 

“All at once?” Jules asked, looking through her lashes at the elf who nodded, her smile broadening. With more hesitation then El was used to seeing when people drank shots, Jules brought the glass to her lips and drank it slowly. She was pleased to see Jules take some time to evaluate the flavor before swallowing the concoction. 

“That’s-that’s actually really good,” Jules said after a moment of contemplation. Her smile widened slightly. “I don’t get them often, but I’m quite fond of hazelnuts.” 

“I have some chocolate that you’ll love then.” El laughed, leaning back in the chair. “I’ll bring it with me on my next shift so that you can try some.” 

“I’m afraid I won’t be back for a while. We’ll be arriving at Redcliffe soon to meet with the leader of the rebel mages. She wants to talk more before she agrees to ally herself with the Inquisition.” Jules’s eyebrows furrowed. “Everyone just wants to talk. It’s exhausting, saying the same thing a dozen different ways. They make it so difficult and I don’t understand why. It should be easy.” 

El nodded sympathetically. “Politics require a unique form of communication. It’s one that not even the people who speak it fully understand. Honestly, I don’t know if you’ll ever get the hang of it.” 

Jules frowned and looked up at the elf again. “You don’t think so?” She sounded disappointed. 

“No, but that isn’t a bad thing.” Elbereth sat up again, leaning toward Jules. “Sometimes they get so lost in the talking they forget what they’re supposed to be working toward. A new voice is a disruption and sometimes disruption is what you need to break the cycle and get results. You aren’t a politician or diplomat, but that’s a good thing, Jules.”

  “I don’t even understand why they want me there. I’m just a Flea.” Jules reached up to scratch Jasoom’s head when he pushed it against her cheek. 

“You aren’t ‘just’ anything.” El gave her a smile. “You are a marvel, and we’ve only begun to see what you’re capable of.” 

()o()o()o()o()o()o()o()o()o()o()o()o()o()o()o()o()o()o()o()o()o()o()o()o()

Jules adjusted the belt of the holster that carried Zevran’s, or rather her, blades. The harness wrapped around her waist and then around each thigh, keeping the short blades tight against her legs, moving as she did. She smiled at her teacher as he disappeared into the transport with Cassandra. Cullen's smile was the one that caught her attention though. He reached out to her and she grasped his hand, letting him pull her closer to him. 

“I’ve seen how far you’ve come. You’re fast and lethal. But-” he hesitated, brows furrowed, “-I feel like I should tell you that it will be completely different when you’re in a real battle. It’s loud and it’s bloody and it’s scary.” Squeezing her hand, he brushed his fingers down her cheek. “Don’t lose your head. Breathe, stay calm, and stay close to everyone else. Most of all, be careful. I want you-I need you-to come back.” 

“I’ll be surrounded by very dangerous people. I promise I’ll be careful and that I’ll come back. Besides, we’re just going to talk.” She pointed out.

“I hope so.” He didn’t want to scare her any more than he probably already had. She was right. Jules would be in very good company. “Could I kiss you goodbye?” 

Immediately, Jules felt a flush spread on her cheeks. They had talked about their spontaneous kiss in the hallway. She’d been so relieved that she hadn’t driven him away. Jules had surprised herself with her impulsive gesture. They’d both agreed to take it slowly. Her to adjust to the feeling of attraction she’d never felt before, and him to ensure he didn’t take advantage of that. Other than that talk, it hadn’t been brought up again. Until now. 

“I would like that.” Her admission came with a hesitant smile. The confidence in his smile, however, made her shiver though she didn’t exactly know why. He bent his head, closing his eyes as he drew near. Her eyes fluttered closed and she pressed her lips to his. He was so warm and so inviting. She could do this all day long. She let out a hum of disappointment when he pulled away, her lips chasing his for a moment. “Will I get another one when I come back?” 

He laughed, sending warmth through her. Maker, he was gorgeous when he laughed. “Absolutely.” He walked her to the shuttle door, squeezing her hand before he released her. “Be safe.” 

With a nod, she turned away and mounted the ramp. Heading to the front, she rested her hand on the back of the pilot’s chair. “Cassandra, I-” With a start, she took a step back. “You aren’t Cassandra.” 

“Nope!” A pale silver-skinned Qunari woman grinned up at her. “Sure aren’t!” Small spiral horns peaked out of her mauve hair, their color a blend of her hair and skin. She wore black and grey leather pants and jacket, the Inquisition logo stitched on the breast. “Catch!” 

Jules’s hand shot up to catch the object that was thrown at her face. “Nice reflexes!” The woman complimented as Jules opened her hand to see what it was. It was a small dracolisk figure. The protruding horns and spikes were replaced with shiny little jewels. Even bejeweled, they were truly ugly creatures. When she handed it back, the Qunari set it on the console in front of her, affectionately turning it just so. “Thanks. My name is Sonja Trygvassen. Most people just call me Tryg.” 

Cassandra moved past Jules to take the co-pilot’s seat. “Ms. Trygvassen is a pilot that I’ve worked with extensively in the past. She’s quite good.” The Seeker was reserved with her compliments so Jules knew she meant it. “Since I am needed elsewhere, I thought she would be an adequate replacement.” 

“Adequate? I think that’s the nicest thing you’ve said about me, Cassie.” Tryg grinned. Jules saw Cassandra’s jaw clench at the nickname. She got the distinct impression that no one else was allowed to call her “Cassie.” Perhaps not even Tryg.

“Did you need something from me?” Cassandra asked, clearly hoping she wouldn’t ask about the nickname.

“I-um-I don’t remember,” Jules admitted. “I’ll just go take my seat. It was nice to meet you.” 

“Likewise.” Tryg gave her a nod and then turned back to her console. 

Shaken by the odd encounter, she returned to the back of the shuttle, taking a seat between Morgan and Zevran. Varric sat across from them, his precious Bianca cradled in his lap. His head was resting against the back of the seat and his eyes were closed. “Are you okay, Varric?” 

He didn’t even open his eyes when he responded. “Oh yeah, Precious. I’m just peachy. Nothing like hurtling through space into an atmosphere that sets you on fire in a tin can propelled by highly flammable fuel. What could possibly go wrong?”

Jules frowned and looked at Morgan, unsure by Varric’s reply if he was okay or not. “He’s being sarcastic. He’s scared of flying.” Morgan translated with a chuckle. 

“I’m not scared of flying,” Varric said indignantly, “I’m afraid of crashing.” 

The hydraulics of the shuttle door whirred as it closed. The solid thunk of the locks engaging was reassuring. To Jules at least. Varric looked like he was walking to the gallows. When the shuttle left the Herald’s dock, she noticed his knuckles turn white as he gripped Bianca. Jules couldn’t imagine being afraid of flying. “Is he going to be okay?” she asked quietly. 

“Only if we do not die.” Zevran's laugh always made her smile. 

“In other words, yes, he’ll be okay.” Morgan joined in the laughter. Varric made a mocking face, silently mimicking them and making it clear what he thought of their ribbing. “Let me know if you need someone to hold your hair for you.”

“Stow it, Beefcake.” The dwarf grumbled.

[lamaisongaga]

   FASHION CREDITS: LADY GAGA BY SØLVE SUNDSBØ

Lady Gaga covers Elle magazine’s December issue. The shoot, done by Norwegian photographer Sølve Sundsbø and styled by stylist (dream) team Sandra Amador and Tom Eerebout, focused on Gaga’s new Haus Laboratories makeup line. So it’s a combination of the hottest thing in beauty right now and killer Spring and Fall fashion.

Hair by Frederic Aspiras using Joico and makeup by Sarah Nicole Tanno.

The cover presents us Gaga in a lot of color, wearing look #2 from Marc Jacobs’ highly celebrated Spring/Summer 2020 presentation.

The sunny yellow suit comprises a fitted puff-sleeve wool blazer with matching buttoned vest, high-rise wide-leg trousers and a purple chiffon tie-neck blouse. She also opted for the floppy straw hat, which was made by Stephen Jones.

Most of the jewelry for this shoot is by Cartier. Here she wore their Love single small hoop earring in yellow-gold.

You have no idea how much I love these shots and this look. Gaga poses fiercely in a Schiaparelli Fall/Winter 2019 Haute Couture look which includes a raspberry-pink silk faille skirt-dress, metallic lamé jacquard tank crop top and mismatched bejeweled lizard earrings.

Her gold-tone five pocket pants and crystal face patch (worn as barrette) were seen on AREA’s Spring/Summer 2020 runway.

The gold metallic leather opera-length gloves are by Wing & Weft Gloves!

Her pumps are from Gianvito Rossi’s Fall/Winter 2019 collection. Like a precious collar, a pleated lamé frill decorates the Annabelle d’Orsay pump, delicately framing the ankle.

Next, the fashionista devours in a full Louis Vuitton Resort 2020 look, including a crystallized cape, crop top with silver tube embellishment, sculptural leather belt and black trousers. All embroidery was done by Atelier Montex.

Her jewelry for this look is by Yeprem. Firstly, she wore the 18K white gold and diamonds spiral hoop earrings.

Next, their interesting Claw 18k white-gold hand bracelet with 98 mixed round and marquise-cut white diamonds.

Her rings included a Resort 2020 stack illusion black strada chain chain and diamond ring, a marquise-cut diamond cocktail ring and 18k white-gold large ring, also made with round-cut and marquise-cut diamonds.

The shot of her laying on the ground in jeans and sneakers wasn’t intended to be part of the shoot but I’m glad we still got a glimpse of it in this video!

She wears a pair of Adidas Hypersleek Bianca lace-up leather sneakers.

For the penultimate photo, Gaga wears a look from Armani Privé’s Fall/Winter 2019 Haute Couture collection, which includes a black & white polka dot tailored suit jacket with fitted waist, and a pair of black wool gabardine trousers.

The abstract disc-shaped gold earrings with pearl details belong to Rodarte’s Spring/Summer 2020 collection.

Of course in a shoot like this, we can’t just leave out a label like Givenchy. The superstar rocked their double-faced gold link bracelet with twisted charm.

The lavender silk satin opera-length gloves are also by Wing & Weft Gloves.

For the final photo, the Italian-American beauty sports the same Armani Privé trousers as before but paired them with a wide-brimmed leather hat from Balmain’s Resort 2020 lookbook. The lace-trimmed bralette is Sandra’s own.

Gaga also wore a yellow gold version of Cartier’s Clash de Cartier small hoop earrings with diamonds.

She also reps a diamondless version of this Cartier yellow-gold Juste un Clou double wrap bracelet.

Next, the collection of rings on her fingers! On her right hand Gaga wears a yellow-gold version of Cartier‘s Clash de Cartier stud ring and the Tiffany & Co. True Wide gold ring.

On her left hand, she dons Tiffany & Co.’s T Two ring with clean lines and graphic angles, the Cartier Juste un Clou yellow-gold ring and the their Maillon Panthère yellow-gold ring. 

[everarddelanden]

Everard exited the golden elevator to find Bianca waiting in the jungle inspired lobby of the hotel. It was quite charming, how the fair woman with the bright features had such a powerful heartbeat. Not strange with her heritage, but a thing worth noticing when approaching her all the same. She looked most like a Hollywood celebrity to him. Not a rising star, but a multi Oscar winning household name sort of celebrity. Like Meryl Streep or Michelle Pfeiffer, but younger. It was the calm confidence she exuded and the way she always looked put together, like a true Italian woman.

"Buona Notte, Bianca." he gave a polite nod, then extended a bejewelled hand towards the exit. "Shall we?" His attire was comfortable tonight, still wearing a suit jacket under his woolen trench coat, but button down shirt and tie swapped for a dark purple turtleneck. He looked rather gaunt but apart from that as tended to as ever.

[diveronarpg]

In fair Verona, our tale begins with BRIGETTE DU PONT, who is TWENTY-FOUR years old. They are often called BIANCA by the CAPULETS and works as their SOLDIER. She uses SHE/THEY pronouns.

She was born adored, and all she knows is the spoils of being beloved. Her family, her friends, her superiors, and her subordinates – for she is BELOVED by them all. But a human can only go so long saturated in adoration before the sweetness sinks into them and turns them rotten. The blame should be placed foremost upon her parents, the ones who let the spoils they placed upon their youngest princesse fester until she knew she needn’t ask, because – regardless – she expected to receive. Her sister watched this happen, so she too receives some of the blame, because once Katarina realized that her protests fell upon deaf ears, she gave up, washing her hands of the sins and consequences that would arise from the spineless upbringing of her sister. No one else saw the way that Brigette watched, with careful, calculating eyes at the causal relationship between what she desired and what her parents gave her. What expressions would guarantee her desires, what phrasings would warrant an appropriate response. And they had no one to blame but themselves…

People forget, stars are not built, they are BORN. So, Brigette watched as their own sisterregarded them as a simpleton, a child spoilt, a brat. Simply because the world handed them what they want on a silver platter adorned and bejeweled in a manner befitting divinity. Simply because Brigette received, without opening their porcelain lips to ask. The blame of their slow rot should, secondly, be placed upon the shoulder of their peers. When they entered the halls of their elite education, the administration and student body considered themselves blessed. Little did they know that the heavens had given them the CURSE of Brigette Du Pont under the guise of a person made of silk, porcelain, and Paris’ latest luxuries. By the time their brand name shoes stepped foot off the marble floors for the last time, both student and staff discovered their psyches were a little worse for wear. Their hearts – a little more riotous and war-torn than they remembered. And they had no one to blame but themselves…

The next to blame, to bear the transgression’s of Brigette upon their shoulders are the elite. The ones who taught her how to spill BLOOD in the name of progress, to step upon the already downtrodden and be thanked, worshipped, praised for it. The numerous galas, fundraisers and decadent celebrations became the chessboard upon which she would exercise her mind, practicing both vicious and vivacious strategies. She would bat her long eyelashes, playing to the vices of men, women, and all those who would be subjected to her ministrations. Her words of saccharine would woo them into her bedchambers until they would spill their secrets and crimes against God into her ear. The next morning, she would awaken to a chamber of flowers, as though they were thanking her for the demise that would fall from the tips of her perfectly manicured fingers. And they had no one to blame but themselves…

Their rise to the rank of the Capulets quickly followed the acquisition of their new skill – and the rise of their own sister. For they had long heard of, and often longed for a place among the divinities of Verona, for gods belonged with their own kind and they were quite tired of entertaining themselves by playing upon the whims of mortals. But little does the Du Pont woman know that once a creature develops a taste for the conquest of flesh and mind, it can never be sated quite the same. GODS can be gluttonous beings – isn’t the most infamous story told how divine swallows divine, no matter whether or not they are kin? Careful, child, don’t let this world of murder and mobsters swallow you whole. Careful, Verona, don’t swallow this child and let them turn you into rot.

KATARINA DU PONT: Sister. The Du Pont girls have been known since infancy for their looks—ivory skin, golden locks, eyes like sparkling emeralds. It’s been said that their father’s wealth and their mother’s blood flows through their veins, a combination as enticing as it is deadly, but Brigette knows the truth—that Katarina’s eyes are green not from prosperity, but fromenvy—and she revels in it. She’s stolen any and all attention afforded to her older sister since the day she was born, and few things bring her more pleasure than the knowledge that she is—and probably always will be—the favorite daughter, a notion she’s loath to let Katarina forget. Brigettemocks the older girl for her rigidity, and Kat ridicules her for her immaturity, but Brigette has played her part exceptionally well; no one would ever believe the woman who cried bitch.    

CYRUS SLOANE: Intrigue. He’s the spitting image of the type of boy her father wouldn’t approve of, shunned by his family but arrogant enough to remain in their midst, and she likes him all the more for it. His attention is hard to come by and harder to keep, and she likes that, too—let it be known that she rarely turns down the occasional worthwhile challenge. She’s found she rather enjoys his company, and she seeks him out whenever she’s in the mood to cause a bit of trouble—often. It’s not often she finds someone who can keep up with her mischief and match her taunts with some of their own, after all. They’re a match made in hell, a cast-out boy-king determined to reclaim his throne and a spoiled princess who knows only how to take, and peace should rue the day they laid eyes on each other—if it doesn’t already. The West might have survived Bonnie and Clyde, but Verona won’t survive them.

JULIANA CAPULET & MAEVE PETRE: Faux friends. “You are the company you keep.” Such was her father’s reasoning for nudging his youngest into a friendship with his colleagues’ daughters, a contract not nearly as eternal as marriage but equally as binding. It was only fitting that the children of three of the most powerful men on the east side of the Castelvecchio should be inseparable, and for the first decades of their lives, they were. Tea parties, braids fastened with little pink ribbons, frosting-filled sleepovers—they had it all, the triumvirate of daddy’s little princesses, but as they’ve aged, Brigette found the two girls leave a taste in her mouth that’s far too sweet, even for her. Between Maeve’s goodness and the way the Capulets seem to dote on Juliana for no reason other than her last name, she can hardly stand to be around them for a few hours, but luckily, a few hours are all that’s really required of her to maintain her pristine image. Who said nice girls couldn’t have fun?

BORIS KOVROV: Disturber. Brigette has carefully cultivated the lessons she has learned from watching people. She has learned – through quite meticulous means – how to make her position in the mob all the more advantageous. However, the one man who has managed to keep his true desires well hidden is Boris – who she has seen time and time again. Yet, she has never gotten any closer to hearing the whispers that turn about in his head. He is as guarde as the pearly gates of heaven, letting few enter and none leave. But Lucifer made it through, and so shall she. For a man who holds all the secrets is dangerous indeed, but the man who gives none away? Well, he might be something to fear greater than the judgement of the Lord himself.

Brigette is portrayed by ELSA HOSK and was written by ROSEY. They are currently TAKEN by BREE.

[pixelcake5-art]

My Goretober 2018 Batches Masterpost

Batch #1: Jaclyn with Sharp Teeth, Chester with Zombie, Kathleen with Chained Up

Batch #2: Fanndis with Scary Cute, Penelope with Bejeweled, Natsuki with Blinded

Batch #3: Peppermint Butler with Neon Gore, Angel Dust with Stitches, Cyn with Decay/Plant Growth

Batch #4: Farm Jake with Horns, Ice King with Impalement, Multichrome with Robot Gore/Wires

Batch #5: Dementia with Blunt Weapon, Black Hat with Eyes/Multiple Eyes, Betty Groff with Gut Spill

Batch #6: Bianca with X-Ray, Raineth with Arrow, Bendy with Missing Limbs

Batch #7: The Brain with Brains, Arthur with Extra Limbs, Kathleen with Gunshots

Batch #8: Pearl with Glitch, Aku with Satanic Ritual, Popuko with Nosebleed

Batch #9: Finn with Lacerations, Max with Acid, Myself with Candy Gore

Batch #10: Game Grumps with Decapitation, Amy Nelson with Monster Girl, Cuphead with Shattered, Kathleen with Scary Costume

[bitter69uk]

Born on this day 84 years ago (19 September 1940): effervescent and eccentric fuchsia-haired doyenne of British fashion, Dame Zandra Rhodes. She is of course the undisputed queen of the elaborately bejeweled float-y chiffon caftan, but I prefer Rhodes’ response to the rise of punk in 1977. To the revulsion of punk purists, Rhodes launched her own deluxe haute couture interpretation of punk fashion, with artful jagged rips and tears, embellished with glittering safety pins and chains! Some have claimed this made her “the high priestess of punk”, although I suspect the late Vivienne Westwood disagreed. Anyway, over the decades her clientele has numbered international jet set superstar names like Elizabeth Taylor, Jacqueline Kennedy, Cher, Bianca Jagger, Barbra Streisand and Princesses Margaret and Diana. But as far as I’m concerned, no one looked better in Rhodes’ signature caftans than drag mega-star Divine! (Rhodes and Divine were friends in the 1980s and in fact the only times I’ve ever spotted Rhodes socially, it’s been backstage at John Waters’ events in London, accompanied by Helena Kennedy QC and the late transgender trailblazer April Ashley). Pictured: portrait of Rhodes by Simon Emmett, 2018.

[barbaraspinozzi]

💙💜💛💚🤍❤💖 𝘿𝙤𝙡𝙘𝙚 & 𝙂𝙖𝙗𝙗𝙖𝙣𝙖 𝙎𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜/𝙎𝙪𝙢𝙢𝙚𝙧 2021 #DGDevotionBag 𝙍𝙪𝙣𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝘾𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣. Le borse Devotion, tra i pezzi forti del brand, dal design senza tempo so chic che le caratterizza ovvero l'iconico cuore gioiello adornato di intarsi in perle e la tracolla in catena ispirata alla lavorazione dell'alta gioielleria, vengono proposte in nuovi modelli e sono già dei must-have. Uno sguardo nel dettaglio: la borsa Devotion a spalla multicolor in nappa intrecciata che coniuga eleganza e femminilità con una lavorazione realizzata interamente a mano da donne esperte di grande manualità e le Devotion bianca e rossa sempre in nappa intrecciata. Borse pronte per ogni occasione, resistono al tempo e alle mode rimanendo dei veri alleati di stile. 💙💜💛💚🤍❤💖 Per maggiori informazioni potete rivolgervi alle Boutique Dolce & Gabbana; potete verificare la disponibilità delle borse allo store.dolcegabbana.com ➡️ link in bio. #DGSS21 #DGWomen #DGSicilianPatchwork #DGBag #DGDevotionBag #lamodaèbellezza #lamoreèbellezza #DGStyle #DolceGabbana #DolceGabbanaCommunity @dolcegabbana @dolcegabbana_man @dolcegabbanafamily @dolcegabbanapassion @dolcegabbana.fanpage @official_dolcegabbana @dolceegabbana___ @dolcegabbana_love @dolcegabbanaworld @dolcegabbanacz @crisvegasdg @zh.olga.5862 @joanna.dglasvegas @fdc_isp7300 @dolce.qatar @dolcegabbana.archive @lamore_e_bellezza_ @ciao_dolcegabbana_lv @spaziodg_com @dg.joburg #DomenicoDolce #StefanoGabbana @stefanogabbana.01 @siqueiragui #Repost @ciao_dolcegabbana_lv (@get_repost) ・・・ Devotion please but in Braided Nappa leather ☝🏼😎😍 “Iconic and feminine, this small Devotion shoulder bag merges elegance and functionality. Refined and feminine, it comes in woven herringbone nappa leather, created through a special technique that is done entirely by hand by expert women with skilled craftsmanship expertise. The woven detailing creates a diagonal design and, as with the entire Devotion line, it is distinguished by the exclusive bejeweled heart fastening and the shoulder strap inspired by the techniques of high quality jewelers “ #dolcegabbanahandbags #dolcegabbanadevotion #dolcegabbana #handbag #luxury https://www.instagram.com/p/CNoxk2aHy2n/?igshid=1gk6vgdxs2f1k

[rupaulvisage-blog]

(The artwork above is not mine, it is an edited version of another artist)

Ok so Fauxteen (fauxteen.tumblr.com / instagram.com/fauxteen) and his Drag Race/Steven Universe crossover got me feeling all sorts of ways. Go check out his other work and support it because it’s all incredible!

I’ve always loved the idea of having a RuPaul’s Drag Race superhero crossover team ala Justice League, X Men, Sailor Moon etc. and his Steven Universe crossover is the best thing I’ve seen that comes close to that. (Other than Fire Crotch and Melanina henny.) So I decided to come up with a concept for a Drag Race super hero team, and use his artwork as a concept piece.        

For the design of the team, I wanted the queens to be unified with a similar texture but each have their own signature color and aesthetic. I took the standard colors of the rainbow (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple & pink) and added a few others (turquoise, brown, black & white) to round the number to 11.

Each Queens Assigned Color:

Bebe - Brown If you google image search Bebe, or go to her website, she is always wearing brown and is always in some sort of animal print, and these two go great together. Her iconic Cameroon look was cleary the inspiration for her outfit in the piece. The color brown also has a great animalistic quality to it which goes hand in hand with her brand. (The outfit seems to be inspired by her Cameroon look)

Tyra - White When I think of Tyra, I think of her in her iconic wedding dress which initially had me place her with white. What I love is that white represents light, hope and purity amongst many things, which is why it’s the color worn by brides and angels. It’s ironic to put Tyra in white, almost in the same way she calls herself “America’s Sweetheart.” It gives me life thinking of her in a pristine angelic outfit knowing the attitude she has. <3 #jump #twice (The outfit seems to be based on her Season 2 promo picture, but as well, the wedding dress which had the same shape)

Raja - Blue Not necessarily inspired by a look, but when I think of Season 3, I always think of the color blue because of the promo trailers for the season. I’ve naturally associated that with Raja, and the color fits her very well. It’s sleek, cool and royal which matches Raja’s qualities. When it’s right, it’s right. (The outfit seems to be based on her entrance look, wearing the cyclops hat)

Sharon - Green Green’s hard to pull off and Sharon can pull off anything. I’m instantly reminded of her pride boat look, as well as her crowning look when she wore green. It’s also the color associated with witches which fits her brand very well. (The outfit seems to be a combination of her Season 4 promo look, as well as her crowning look)

Chad - Pink Chad’s the closest a winner has come to being a Barbie girl. She was often critiqued for being too perfect, too pretty, and too polished. Pink goes well with Chad’s princess aesthetic, being a showgirl, and having the bubbly personality she does. (Her outfit seems to be inspired by her AS1 promo look, as well as yellow bang cut wig she wore in Season 4)

Jinkx - Orange I always think of orange with Jinkx mostly because of her hair. Many outfits come to mind as well including her Season 5 crowning look, and her Season 8 reunion look. Something about the warmth of orange and the cookiness of it matches Jinkx and her broadway aesthetic very well. (Her outfit seems to be inspired by her Episode 1 Hollywood look)

Bianca - Black Bianca is one that could’ve been many colors, such as red or purple, but I decided to go with black. She is known for claiming she has a black heart, as her forte is reading people and throwing shade. She is known for being “evil,” and the color black is associated with darkness. However similar to Tyra, having Bianca in black is ironic for we know that she actually has one of the biggest hearts. It’s fun seeing her look so evil when you know she’s the opposite. (Her outfit seems to be inspired by her Season 7 reunion look, and her wig from the Season 6 black & white runway)

Violet - Purple Need I say more? Her name and essence matches the color perfectly! The femininity of pink but so much edgier.(Her outfit seems to be inspired be her Death Becomes Her look)

Bob - Yellow From Bob’s logo, to her crowning look, to many of her photoshoots, Bob always seems to wear yellow and the color seems to match her very well, more so than any other winner. It’s very bright and sunny, and since Bob is all about making people laugh and stealing the show, she really is always the brightest one in the room. (Her outfit seems to be inspired by her Book Ball look)

Alaska - Turquoise Alaska’s like Sleeping Beauty, she’s either very blue or pink to me. For this design, I decided to go for a turquoise color. This matches her new association with snakes very well. It also fits with the original concept behind Alaska, in which her character is an alien from the planet Glamtron. Not to mention the color turquoise is very arctic (as in the state of Alaska which I often forget to associate with her.) She was probably the most versatile to pick a color, but I think turquoise is a right choice. (Her outfit seems to be inspired by her AS2 promo look, and her wig being classic Alaska)

Sasha - Red The bitch is always in red, and so many of her outfits have splashes of red to them. As well, after her performance to So Emotional with the rose petals, the color red fits her even better now. (Her outfit seems to be inspired by her entrance look which no tea, no shade has the same silhouette of many other outfits of hers. The wig is obviously from So Emotional)

For their actual powers, I only began to brainstorm but wasn’t having that much luck. Maybe Bebe can turn into a jungle cat, and Jinkx can put people to sleep with her singing (Hey Jigglypuff! I just saw Jigglypuff girl!) or maybe she can control the weather (“monsoon”). If you have any ideas let me know!

Also I’d love to here your ideas on a backstory, why they all fight together and how they got their powers, as well as what Ru’s position is in all of this.

I tried to think of one and came up with a rough draft below that needs a lot of work.

I’d love to see other ideas or concepts behind something like this.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BACKSTORY:

Long ago… before time as we know it… the world was made up entirely of the Gods. We know the famous ones, there was Zeus the king and god of thunder, Aphrodite the goddess of love and beauty, Poseidon the god of the sea, Ares the god of war, Hades the god of the underworld and so on and so on. But there was one god that seemed to escape the history books, and that god was known as… RuPaul! She was the god/goddess of one of the most powerful forces in the universe… queerness! (YAS GAWD!) She spread her eternal message of loving thine self before loving someone else and was easily the most fabulous god and one of the most powerful. Everybody loved her and looked to her for direction in the most troubling of times. Ru was in fact the god who invented colour and the rainbow itself. Many of the Gods had items that sourced their powers; Zeus had his lightning bolts, Poseidon had his trident, etc. RuPaul however carried the source of her powers upon her head in a luxurious crown. The crown was bejewelled with several gemstones along the surface, each gemstone a different color with a different power and meaning behind it. There are many stories from the ancient days about the goddess RuPaul, but those are for another time.

As the world began to evolve more and more throughout time, the gods naturally faded away and became one with the world…

When the world was in it’s 20th century, it was not in a progressive era that it should’ve been and was in need of some saving. In early 1960, a woman by the name of Ernestine became pregnant with a child. One day, a strange physic woman came to her and told her that her child was the incarnation of a legendary god, and that she was to name the child RuPaul. By the end of the year, Ernestine gave birth to the child, and as instructed, named him RuPaul. Ru began to grow up in the world without knowing who he truly was.

Then one day as he walking home, a young Ru walked past an old antique shop he had never seen before, and decided to go inside. The shop was filled with many wondrous things, and no one was in there except a mysterious woman who seemed to own the shop. Ru took a look around, and eventually came across a dazzling crown with various coloured jewels along the surface. It was like something out of a dream and he just had to have it! So Ru took the crown to the the front of the store and began to search his pockets for some money. The woman behind the counter just smiled at him and said “take this one on me.” Ru was so grateful, and just before he left the woman asked him for one more thing. She said she had one too many records in the store and asked him to take one off of her hands. She then gave him his very first record, a record containing the music of Diana Ross. With much appreciation for the gifts from the stranger, Ru left the store. That night at home, Ru was dancing around his room wearing the crown he got earlier, and truly feeling his fantasy. He decided to then play his new Diana Ross record. The music began, and as soon as she started singing, Ru’s crown lit up and all the powers within Ru were awakened. As time went on, Ru slowly began to learn who he really was, and what powers he possessed.

Around the time of the late 70’s, Ru went out in the world and began working as a female vigilante, using her powers to defeat crime against crime. She wore a fabulous iridescent costume and quickly gained public attention, making a name for herself. She met the likes of a woman named Michelle Visage who became Ru’s sidekick and trusted advisor. As well, she often worked alongside another vigilante by the name of Lady Bunny, who became Ru’s partner. Adventure after adventure, Ru sashayed and shantayed her way to victory in every battle. She saw many beauties of the world, as well as much of its darkness. Then, Ru made the biggest mistake any god could make… she fell in love. His name was Georges, and he was a farmer boy Ru met one night on the dance floor. Other than Michelle and Lady Bunny, he was the only one who knew Ru’s true identity.

One day, a new villain emerged on the scene. This villain however, was no ordinary foe Ru had faced in the past. He went by the name of Lord Padmunt and he possessed a tremendous amount of power, as well as led a powerful army of minions. The only one who could stop him was RuPaul, but Georges told her to be careful for she didn’t know the strength of his power. Lord Padmunt and Ru were great rivals who battled many battles for quite some time. With the powers of a god, Lord Padmunt could never defeat Ru. But then one day, he discovered her secret lover. He captured Georges as his prisoner and told Ru to surrender her powers, or the man she loved would die in front of her eyes. This wasn’t going to stop Ru who was determined to defeat Lord Padmunt. She managed to defeat him and banished him away, but in a terrible battle that severely injured both herself and Georges. Ru had a wide slash alongside her leg while Georges suffered a blow to the head. Georges was so severely hurt, that he was to remain in a coma for the rest of his life. Ru felt a tremendous amount of guilt on what had happened. As a god, she could easily heal herself of her injuries, but she didn’t have the abilities to heal Georges. Out of her love and respect to him, Ru surrendered her powers so that she could live the rest of her life as a mortal and have to endure the same pain inflicted upon Georges. With no powers, Ru swore to never fight another day in her life. Without her love, she went into a dark place and hid herself from the world, living in secrecy. The only two who knew of her whereabouts were Michelle and Bunny. The world believed Ru had died. And as their beloved hero was now gone, the people of the world strived to make it a better place in her honour and legacy. For some time, they actually did, and the world became a peaceful and more progressive place. But as we know, nothing last forever…

Much time had passed, and it was now the year 2008. The world was in happy place as Obama was just elected president. Ru watched the outside world through her television and was at peace in the direction things were headed, while knowing there was still more work the people of the world had to learn and do for themselves. However one day she was visited by her friend and former associate Michelle, who had come to deliver some news to Ru. Michelle had heard word of mouth through the grape vine, that a billionaire was trying to climb the ladder of the world to reach a more successful place. His name? Donald Trump. Michelle told Ru that this Trump character had plans to run for presidency and to hopefully become the successor to Obama. Although unqualified, Trump seemed to have a plan that would lead him to office without fail. Michelle would never bring news like this to Ru nowadays but she knew that this time it was important. She showed Ru a picture of Trump, and as soon as Ru glanced at his face, in an instant Ru recognized the smirk on Trump’s face and the gleam in his eyes. As a master of Scrabble, Ru also recognized that his name was an anagram of a name Ru once knew very well… Lord Padmunt. If he could manage to make his way to the highest position in the world, then there was no telling what danger lay ahead. Since Ru gave up his powers so he could grow old and live a mortal life in honour of Georges, he had previously vowed to never fight again, and he still vowed to honour that promise. But he knew something had to be done about this.

Ru went to a room in his lair with the highest amount of security, a room he hadn’t been to in years. In this room was his legendary crown. Ru took his crown and removed each of the eleven gemstones that were on its surface. Ru knew that by the end of 2016 to early 2017, Trump would become president. In this time, Ru knew he had to search far and wide to find eleven chosen ones who possessed enough charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent as Ru did to follow in his footsteps. He would give each individual a gemstone which contained a fraction of Ru’s powers. These would give the chosen ones many wondrous powers like the ones Ru once possessed. Michelle was worried about finding people qualified, but Ru assured her they were already out there. For as she had been reincarnated, so had all of her powers. With the help of Michelle Visage, Ru began his search…

[This is one method, where the queens are regular men who obtain super powers rather than pre-existing super beings who form a team]

In 2009, Ru came across Nea Marshall Kudi, a prince of his people in Cameroon who came to America and began working with wildlife and the UN. Ru found him to be the chosen one of his first gemstone, the golden brown sphalerite. This gave Nea the ability to transform into warrior, Bebe Zahara Benet. The world had a new hero and the first of her kind.

In 2010, Ru found James Ross, a runaway groom who was trying to escape his past and provide a better life for his young child. He worked his way through life by going to school during the day, while stripping at night. Ru gave him his second gemstone, the white diamond, and this gave James the ability to transform into warrior, Tyra Sanchez. While still having their own adventures, Bebe and Tyra also began to work as a team.

In 2011, Ru discovered Sutan Amrull. He was a creative makeup artist and photographer, who was highly spiritual. Ru gave him the blue sapphire which turned Sutan into the warrior, Raja Gemini. The team was now a trio.

In 2012, Ru found Aaron Coady, a club goer heavily involved in the punk rock scene, always getting into trouble, who often experimented with witch craft. Ru found him to be the chosen one to receiving the green emerald, which gave Aaron the ability to turn into Sharon Needles. Sharon joined the group as its fourth member.

Later that year, Obama was already leading into his second term, and Ru and Michelle knew they had work harder to finding successors to Ru’s powers before the end of Obama’s second term. They came across Chad Michaels, a former pageant winner, and current Vegas performer who possessed all the qualities in receiving the pink rose quartz. Chad Michaels now possessed the abilities to turn into super hero, Brigitte Love. However, in a bizarre plan that ended up working, Chad still referred to herself as Chad Michaels in hopes of using reverse psychology to protect her identity.

In 2013, the team came across Jerick Hoffer, a struggling Broadway actor who was best suited for the role of Ru’s next gemstone, the orange spessartine, which gave Jerick the abilities to transform into Jinkx Monsoon.

In 2014, Ru and Michelle began to keep a watchful eye on Roy Haylock, CEO of a successful company that catered to literature and reading. As the bad bitch in charge, she was the chosen one to receive the powers of the black gemstone, the schorl, giving Roy the great power of turning into warrior, Bianca Del Rio.

In 2015, the world was fascinated with its latest “It Boy” in fashion. A youngster by the name of Jason Dardo. Ru realized that this young model was in fact the chosen one to receive the powers of the purple amethyst, transforming Jason into vixen, Violet Chachki.

At the beginning of 2016, with three gemstones left, Ru and Michelle came across comedian Christopher Caldwell. After years of the team wondering who would be the chosen one to receive the yellow gemstone, Christopher fit the bill. He obtained the yellow citrine and became Bob The Drag Queen.

With two gemstones left, and Trump’s presidency coming closer and closer, Ru and Michelle worked twice as hard to find the two remaining chosen ones. But something funny happened. Justin Honard was a close ally of the team. He was dating Sharon around the time she joined the team, and although Sharon wasn’t suppose to, she revealed her identity to Justin. Because of this, Ru and the team kept Justin close as an assistant despite his difficult relationship with Sharon that ended up turning into a beautiful friendship. As they continued to search, in an epic battle against an enemy where Justin was held captive (similarly to how Georges once was), Justin was revealed to being the chosen one of a gemstone, and it turned out one of the chosen ones was under their nose the entire time. They threw him the turquoise gemstone transforming Justin into Alaska 5000.

Just as Trump was elected president, in 2017 the team finally found their final member. An artist who owned his own gallery by the name of Alexander Steinberg. He was given the red ruby, and it transformed him into warrior Sasha Velour.

As a new era of hatred begins, it’s the responsibility of RuPaul’s gemstones to help save the world…

[sirrudyard]

Inherent Vice (c) February 14th, 2015 Sir. Rudyard Snaggs 3/3 Tastefully Insatiable Un embraceable Insistently Instantly Vintage Superiority Complex Vs. God Complex Of 5 percentage A common Shaman In the pursuit of Szamanka From Sri Lanka By way of Casablanca Middle name Bianca Rear Chandeliers hung from her ears by Ivanka Delusions of grandeur competes Illusions of glamour Complete Notorious Vainglorious Vanity fair Your so vain At the train stop Purple rain drops Tears of Allah amulet Jewel of the nile Bejeweled Lovely style Hamlet Romancing a stone Chances unknown #inherentvice #hungchau #poetry

[bejeweledbybianca]

Handmade Personalized Mini Bamboo Hoop Earrings

[artificialqueens]

New Man Pt. 2 - Fucking Awful.

A/N: THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR KIND FEEDBACK! I am so appreciative that you took the time to read Part 1 of “New Man” and glad to hear you enjoyed it. You all make my little Grinch heart grow 10 sizes.

Here is Part 2 – I know I promised fluff and happiness, but the story took me in a different direction for this chapter. That said, this is Part 2/?? and if you bear with my I promise to take you to the Promised Land of kisses and glitter. Darkness before the dawn, right? 

A good chunk of this is flashback/Roy recounting how we got here, so not as much forward movement as background. Hope you don’t mind some heavy-handed exposition…

Last 2 things – I’m seeing what happens if I switch into Roy’s POV, because I like the narrative structure flipping back and forth between the 2. Would love to get feedback on that, and happy to adapt the structure to one POV or the other if you have strong feelings. AND THIS IS A LONG ONE, sorry if 3K words is brutal.

Thanks for readying, y’all are the real MVPs.

This was going really fucking great.

That was the only thing running through Roy’s mind as he felt Danny smile underneath his kiss. In the 4 hours he’d been in Seattle he thought he had totally screwed up his plan, but somehow things had gotten back on track. Clearly this was meant to –

And then Danny broke away. Suddenly, roughly. Ripping is lips away and pushing off with surprising force. Roy stumbled back a few paces as both men caught their breath.

“No. This is…you’re…no.” Danny picked up the lighter he’d dropped in the heat of the moment, still muttering to himself just low enough that Roy couldn’t hear. Then he grabbed Roy by the forearm and dragged him back into the bar – again, sudden and rough. Roy couldn’t help but giggle just a tiny bit, thinking how ridiculous Danny must look hauling a 40-year-old man off like a misbehaving toddler.

“This isn’t funny, man. What was…ugh!” Throwing his hands off dramatically, Danny let go and continued back to their friends. Shit, the kid was really frustrated and probably even a little mad. Roy steeled himself from the drunken giggles, rejoining the table a few seconds behind.

He was thankful that the crew didn’t acknowledge anything that had just happened – the benefit of drunk friends, amiright? Roy eased back into the group conversation, light chatter about who totally saw the ending coming on Westworld or what memes would make the best protest t-shirts. He took every opportunity to steal an unnoticed look at Danny, who was half participating in the discussion and half furiously clicking at his phone. In his cross-faded fog, Roy couldn’t tell what the kid was doing. Grindr? Writing a novel? Playing Bejeweled – that was still a thing, right?

His stealth staring mission was clearly a failure, though, evidenced by the sharp kick of Jinkx’s boot on his shin.

“OH what the fuck Jinkx?!” Curiosity became shooting pain as Roy clutched for his leg underneath the table.

“Sorry Roy, clumsy as ever! Let me grab you a drink, dull the pain. Come with me to the bar?” The redhead emphasized the last request with Uzo Aduba-level crazy eyes. This was not a request, and while Jinkx didn’t intimidate Roy he was too fuzzy to fight.

“Sure, queen. Somebody has to make sure you don’t drop the booze.” Oof, his snapbacks were weak tonight. The two left the table and headed to see Todd at the bar.

“I’ll take a –“

“Oh no, you’ll have a water. Todd, water for Bianca del Drunko. I’ll take a few shots of Jack for the table, and Ginger backs.” Roy pouted and raised an eyebrow, sorting through his Rolodex of Hate for a quippy insult about ginger and redheads and minj, but finding his speed dulled a bit by the smoke and alcohol.

Jinkx turned back to him. “Look, I don’t know what’s going on with you right now but get it together. Jesus, del Rio, you’re supposed to be the mature one. The rest of us get to fuck things up. Just drink your water and mellow out for a minute.” The redhead knew about Roy’s plan, his oh-so-secret plan to use this weekend to woo Danny, and could tell he was putting it at risk.

“Alright, alright Jinkx. Don’t get so worked up you fall asleep on me.”

The joke fell flat. “You can do better than that.”

“Damn straight I can. You –“

For what had to be the millionth time that night, Roy was interrupted. This time by his phone, pinging with a text – from Danny. Roy looked over to the table to see what was going on, but all he saw was the kid deep in conversation and finally ignoring his phone. Roy swiped to open…

Danny: What the hell, Roy? I know we haven’t gotten to see much of each other since I moved up here, but something is different about you and it’s really fucked. You’ve been acting like a bit of a cunt the last few weeks, you hardly call me or Shane or even your mom anymore, and now you’re here doing everything you can to cheat on your boyfriend? With strangers, with me…This isn’t you, and if it is then I’m not sure I know you anymore.

Roy scanned the text eight more times before throwing his phone down on the bar. Jinkx didn’t flinch, too occupied flirting with one of the cute bartenders. Seizing the moment, Roy grabbed the three shots of Jack the guy had poured and knocked them back in quick succession. It wasn’t until the slam of the last shot glass onto the bar that the redhead looked up, just in time to see Roy storming for the exit.

As he stood out on the curb, trying desperately to get an Uber with his now smashed up phone, there was only one thing running through Roy’s mind:

This was going really fucking awful.

—

Roy woke up suddenly, eyes snapping open to his unfamiliar hotel room lit by dawn creeping through haphazardly closed curtains. He rolled over to look at the clock – 5:12am. It figures, Roy was never one to sleep off a night of drinking. While most people spent the next day wrapped in blankets and sleeping like a rock until at least 11am, he always seemed to be yanked out of slumber after only a few hours of restless shut-eye. Sometime between 5am and 6am he would be awake, mind reeling and trying unsuccessfully to will himself back to sleep until the headache went away.

This morning was no different – only the pain was so, so much worse. Sure, he used three shots of whiskey to put an exclamation mark on a night of heavy drinking, but the pain that was nagging him most was emotional. Roy grabbed for his phone – oh right, it was smashed to shit by angry Bianca last night – and re-read Danny’s text. He was hit by a sudden wave of nausea, a feeling that made him want to cry as it made him want to vomit. He grabbed a bottle of water from the minibar, charge be damned, and chugged the whole thing has he tried to figure out how the hell he had screwed this up so badly.

—

His plan was never *simple*, but that wouldn’t be Roy’s style. As Bob had frequently told him, he was a “lover of complexity” and couldn’t help himself. The plan to woo Danny was no different.

To say he cooked this up when he caught Sky sleeping with one of his personal training clients 2 weeks ago was only half right. Roy had actually planned to spend the three months off between the US and UK legs of Not Today Satan to finally make a play for Danny, but bitch moved to Seattle before he could make any of the many grand gestures he’d cooked up. In the first few weeks after Danny left, when the kid’s social media had been flooded with posts about how much he loved Seattle and the people, Roy hit a real low point. Jealous, exhausted, and feeling quite sorry for himself, he met Sky in a bar and hooked up with him a few times before falling into an effortless relationship.

Effortless not in the good sense of the word, though; effortless in the sense that Roy put in literally no effort, and didn’t care to make it work. The guy was named SKY after all – Roy could barely believe he’d been able to fuck a guy named Sky for 2 whole months, but he supposed the abs helped. Sky was just a nice distraction, a pretty shiny toy to brag about when he needed to overcompensate in conversations with Danny and Shane…which had quickly become all the time. He learned a hot, rich boyfriend is a great way to deflect questions about himself or his wellbeing. The new man, combined with dialing the bitchiness up to 11, was like armor; helpful in denying to himself and the outside world that he was not in a good place.

But when Roy walked in on Sky with his 2pm-Tuesdays balls deep in his ass, he resolved that even in his lowest moments he had the self-respect not to date a cheater. So he cut if off with Sky and 20 minutes later booked a 2 week trip to Seattle. Time to put the Noriega-Haylock plan back in action, for the thousandth time in 4 years.

This time, Roy would show Danny how perfect and the right kind of effortless they could be. He would breeze into town – but let’s be real, Roy never breezes – and seamlessly integrate himself into the Seattle version of Danny’s life. He would meet the new friends, support him at all his local shows, become a member at the EMP…hell he’d even buy a few flannels and a beanie. At the same time, Roy would make his feelings for Danny abundantly clear. He was confident that Danny reciprocated them; he knew it in his heart, but he also knew because Danny had told him on more than one occasion. Three times over the course of their friendship Danny had been the fearless one and professed his love for Roy. Ok, so maybe fearless is the wrong word – the drunk and cross-faded one may be a more apt description – but the point was that Roy knew Danny wanted this as much as he did. He felt it in his soul, his mind, every fiber of his body. Now it was time to make it real.

After booking the flights, he called Dela to layout his plan. He knew he needed a confidante in this, and it wouldn’t be fair to Shane to put him in the middle of this.

“B, I’m really glad you’re finally taking the plunge with Danny. It’s been too long coming. But you realize you have 2 big problems, right?” Ben was his always-enthusiastic self, but had some concerns. “You still aren’t solving the long-distance and time problem you’ve always been worried about.”

“We’ll find a way to work through it. I have to stop using that as an excuse to not give this a chance.”

“Very big of you, and I agree. But, uh, the second thing – don’t you have a boyfriend?”

“Well, funny story – no. That was always a waste of my time – c’mon, his name was SKY – and I caught him getting fucked by a bear about an hour ago.”

“Oh sweetie, I’m so sorry! Are you ok? Are you alone?” Ben launched into caregiver mode, instantly making Roy uncomfortable.

“No, Ben I’m really fine. It was not –“

“I know Michelle’s in town, she’s always my breakup guru, maybe you should –“

Fuck. Roy realized a major problem. If he announced to his friends (and social media, shit) that he and his new man had broken up, his life would become an endless barrage of sympathy. Everything he’d done to ward off questions about the bags under his tired eyes, the increasingly infrequent and short calls to friends and family, and the mess in his usually tidy life would crumble. Roy couldn’t have that – he was fine, he was the caretaker for everyone else, and he couldn’t stand people to fuss over his well-being.

It was in that moment that he made the decision that made the plan *complex* - “Ben, stop. I’m fine, really I’m ok. Peachy fucking keen. But can I ask one favor of you? One tiny thing and I’ll name my next dog after you?”

“Anything, dear.”

“Do not – and I repeat, do NOT – tell anyone that Sky and I broke up.”

“What?” Ben was confused, understandably.

“I don’t want to deal with all of these conversations about it, and the only person who really needs to know right now is Danny. I’ll tell him in person when I’m in Seattle, please just keep quiet about it until then.”

“I’m not sure that’s the best…”

“Please, Dela. Just let me do this my way?”

After a long pause – “Ok, alright, sure. Let me go on record saying I don’t think that’s a healthy way to handle this.”

“Dually noted, Judge Judy. Thank you, I appreciate it.” Roy hung up with Dela and began crafting his “casual” message to Danny to tell him he’d be in town. Mid-way through the 5th round of editing, his phone rang: Jinkx.

“Hey Jinkx, can I call you back I –“

“Are you an idiot? I mean really, are the blonde wigs affecting your brain?” Jinkx steamrolled him.

“Excuse me?” “Dela is on with me – I know what you’re coming to Seattle to do –“

“Well now it’s to come cut up that bitch Dela’s wigs. I asked you one thing, you little fruit fly –“ “Sorry Roy, I –“

“Don’t apologize, Ben. He was right to tell me, he’s going to be out of town when you get here and someone has to help you not screw this up. I know we can’t talk you out of it, but at least let us try to support you. This is big risk, big reward, and it could – you’re going to need wing-people.”

Roy knew there was no point in fighting. As good natured as Jinkx was, bitch was aggressive. If we wanted to help, goddammit he was going to help. With a sigh – “Ok, you’re in on this. Great. But please let me handle this they way I want to – I need to. Danny and I are endgame to a long, long story and I have to do this the way I feel is right. If this gets out beyond the two of you, I will call Darienne and Roxxxy so that those shady elephants can trample you. Is that clear?”

“Sure, whatever you say.” Jinkx scoffed.

Ben soothed. “What Jinkx means to say, Roy, is we are here for you and support you. We are so happy you’re finally going after what we’ve all seen for years.”

“Yes, all that.” Jinkx reassured. “And I promise I won’t let you fuck it up.”

Roy laughed. “Gee, thanks.” Now, with less sarcasm – “I do actually appreciate it. But I think I got this.”

It was Jinkx’s turn for sarcasm. “Uh huh, sure.”

—

It did not bring Roy any joy to have proven Jinkx right. Again, he felt nauseous.

He had basically blown his chance with Danny on the first night but if he was being honest the mistakes started long before. The sexting. See, Roy refused to tell anyone else – not Shane, not Detox, nobody – about his breakup with Sky. That meant a lot of nights alone before his trip to Seattle, pretending to be busy to avoid having to be avoidant. That also meant a lot of solo wine nights, which somehow quickly devolved into sending dirty texts – so, so many dirty texts – to Danny. Now that he was committing to his pursuit, the fact that his every sexual fantasy had the same male lead was not something Drunk Roy felt the need to hide. At some point every night, his filter would disappear and he’d send Danny a (he thought) beautifully written description of the patterns he wanted to draw across his body with his tongue, the ways in which he wanted to tie up and be tied, the rhythms he wanted to pound into him, etc.

That Danny did not respond to these texts or bring them up in their regular conversations was a little confusing to Roy, but he was glad for it. He figured Danny just read them when he was equally pissed drunk – he knew he deleted messages as he read them – and forgot about it. At least that’s what he hoped, so that there could be some element of surprise in his plan. But seeing Danny’s reaction to the kiss and everything after, Roy understood he was wrong. It seemed like Danny was actually mad about it – not a reaction he had expected.

And then there was the bar – for that, Roy couldn’t muster an explanation or an excuse. He knew that he did this. During times of high anxiety and stress, Roy makes terrible decisions when he drinks. He tried for years to understand how or why, but for some reason worry plus whiskey turns him into a bad idea machine. This wasn’t the first time the same combination ended with him lip-locked (or worse) with a stranger that he later regretted. He should’ve just kept it low-key last night, not drinking much if at all so that he could play it cool with Danny. But nerves got the best of Roy, and from the moment he got on the plane he’d been building a buzz. By the time he got to the bar he was browning out, and he barely remembered how he ended up cuddled up with this random guy.

It wasn’t until Danny started singing that damn song that Roy realized what was going on. Immediately he was horrified – it looked like he was cheating on his boyfriend. Not only did he ignore the love of his life when he had flown to Seattle to see him, but he also appeared to be committing Danny’s #1 cardinal unforgivable sin. He immediately stood up and left the stranger’s table, and rejoined his so-called friends – What the fuck, why didn’t Jinkx stop him? What kind of wing-person was that? Roy sat for a few minutes, half seething and half feeling like he was actually going to die of embarrassment and sadness. When he saw Danny get up to leave, he jumped at the chance to catch him outside and apologize.

And yet – again, with the good ideas from Drunk Roy – instead of apologizing he found himself aggressively accosting Danny before going in for the kiss he’d dreamed about for years. And for just a few seconds, Roy thought everything was going to be ok. He thought that despite all his mistakes today, the last two weeks, the last few years…he thought he’d finally gotten it right. But we all saw how that ended…

—

Finished with a second bottle of water now, Roy emerged from his self reflective daze. He stared at the text from Danny hoping against all hope that he would feel better and last night could be erased and that he could save him and Danny. But when he looked down at the message for the thousandth time, he had to choke back searing tears.

I’m not sure I know you anymore.

“Sometimes I don’t think I know me anymore either, kid.” He muttered. He rifled through is bag to find some Benadryl – the only way he can sleep some days – and popped two of the pink pills before rolling back to bed. “But I’ll make this right. God and Joan Rivers help me, we’re gonna do this.”

Roy couldn’t fix anything now, so at least he could try to sleep.  

—

[End of Part 2]