#big day for those of us who are fans of listening to Katya talk!

[petrovna-zamo]

Omg Courtney Act on the pod with Katya?!

[artificialqueens]

Bad Mood (Trixya) - DenDenMonMon

Of Lovers, Friends and Everything in Between. Part 8.- Oral Sex

Title: Bad Mood Category: M/M Summary: Trixie is about to find out the curative properties of Katya’s oral skills. Notes: On the original challenge there were two number 45 entries, I almost did both, but finally decided to pick this one. Please remember that this is a work of fiction and any resemblance to reality is purely coincidental. Once again, female pronouns are used when they are in drag. Written: May 16th, 2020 - July 16th, 2020 (Honestly, it took me this long to finish this because stan twitter, and its cancel culture, made it hard for me to enjoy writing Trixya. Someone said it was easier if we thought of them as fictional characters within the fanfiction side of the fandom, and that made it so much easier. So now I’m back, back, back again!)

Bad Mood

I don’t think I have ever been happier in my entire life.

This is it. This is what I was born to do. This is me. This is who I am, Trixie Mattel.

Standing on the center of the stage, I line up with my sisters. We hold hands, lift them up in the air and take a bow. The crowd goes wild, the gays go insane. The yelling, the screaming, the clapping, the loud music, there’s nothing in the world that I like to hear more than that. The sweating, the foot pain, the tight clothes, those are things I could very easily live without; but it’s only a small price to pay.

As soon as we are allowed to leave the stage, I take my wig off. By the time I reach the last step of the ladder, my dress is already unzipped. I stumble with my own feet as I try to walk and undress at the same time. My body bounces between the wall and my friends. It’s fun and it makes me laugh hysterically.

We reach the dressing rooms, and I open mine with a loud scream, a scream filled with joy, laughter and pure happiness. Adrenaline runs through by veins, making my whole body pulse to the rhythm of my bloodstream.

Long fingers wrap around my arms and I recognize the owner right away.

“Bitch!” Maybe it’s out of pure excitement, maybe it’s because her ears are still buzzing, but Katya stops me and yells right to my face. “That was our best show yet!” She screams through bright red lips. Even when I’m halfway through the process of de-dragging, she’s still living her whole woman fantasy, and I’m sure we will leave this venue with her still in full drag.

Both her hands land on my shoulders and she shakes me, trying to physically make me understand her words. I let her. My body goes limp and I allow her to treat me like a rag doll. She laughs, I laugh. We look into each other’s eyes and the laughter turns louder. I can’t stop myself, my arms go around her and I pull her into a tight hug. This is so unlike me. If there’s anything that I can’t stand is physical contact like this and, here I am, breaking all my rules and initiating a hug.

Katya’s energy is contagious, I can feel my inner batteries recharging the longer I hug her. Unfortunately, our moment is interrupted when security knocks on the open door, saying that someone is looking for her. The sparkle in her eye is something that I’m familiar with, and the side smile taking over her entire face is the last confirmation I need.

The bitch is about to have sex.

I see her padded ass swaying as she exits the room, leaving me alone in the poorly lit room. It’s cozy, it’s cute. I like it. I’m even humming to myself as I take my makeup off.

Just when I’m about done, I see people rushing past my door. I go out, trying to see what’s the commotion about, and I crash into Alaska in the hallway. She is really in a hurry.

“Trix, come on!” She says pulling me by the arm.

“Why? What’s going on?”

“Remember those guys that met us at the airport?” I nod as she starts walking. “Well, Katya brough one backstage. They are doing it in her dressing room.” A giggle interrupts her every other word, because this whole thing sounds ridiculous. We all know Katya sleeps with fans, why is it such big news now?

We reach a bunch of people, all pushing each other and giggling like little kids. The door is opened just a crack, and they are all trying to look through it.

“Move, move,” Alaska makes way for us to reach the front and my heart stops.

Katya looks beautiful, so beautiful. That’s the first thing that registers in my brain. Her blonde hair falls like a courtine covering part of her face, making everything feel almost mysterious. She’s on her knees, her shoes thrown to the side. The naked guy she’s sucking is the last thing I notice. All I can think of is how sexy she looks. She’s all woman, pleasuring a guy who seems to be fully enjoying it. He is grunting, and breathing heavily. His fingers tangle in her wig and she moans loudly with him deep in her mouth.

This is… wrong. We shouldn’t be watching. We shouldn’t be here. We should be getting ready to go. I look around and see that most of the queens are, either still in drag, or wearing their normal clothes with a full face on. We are never leaving this place. I just wanna go.

“You guys, we should get going,” I try to call their attention, remind them we have a bus to catch. All I get is booing as they shove me away from the door.

Fine.

I don’t even want to see that anyway. They are clearly showing off. There’s no way they don’t know people are watching, they are putting on a show. Nobody makes those noises. Katya can’t possibly be that good, can she?

It doesn’t matter. I don’t care. I just wanna leave here. This dressing room area is hot and dirty, and I want out. My own room is tiny, and overheated. There are no fans or ventilation. The more I look around the place, the less I like it. The chairs have stains and so does the carpet. Gross. The room is dirty, who knows how many people have been here before me. And it’s messy, my stuff is thrown everywhere, picking it all up is gonna take forever.

Before anything, I need to get rid of the rest of these uncomfortable clothes. Being in drag is the absolute worst. Everything hurt. Everything smells. It’s disgusting. Moments like this make me wonder why I even picked this line of work. As I take everything off and throw it in its place, I remember how easy my life used to be working at the MAC counter. Simpler times.

It takes me a few minutes, but I finally get everything in the suitcases and ready to go. My face is still stained but it will go away once I shower. I walk out with my backpack on, ready to leave. Since, clearly, nobody is going to listen to me, I grab all my stuff and wheel the suitcases to the bus. The driver seems surprised to see me here by myself, still he rushes to my side and helps me with my stuff. He doesn’t disturb me as I sit alone, looking at my phone. He lets me be for as long as it takes for everybody else to get here. It feels as if days have passed before the small space is filled with loud laughter, yelling and screaming. Just like I predicted, Katya still looks… like Katya. Her lipstick is perfectly applied on her lips, and I have a million questions running through my head. Did she reapply it? What brand is it? Did it endure the sucking of a dick?

“But you ate his whole ass!” Someone shouts. I don’t register who when my full attention is focused on her flawless lips.

She shrugs a shoulder. “You know I love eating a good ass,” she says so casually, so easily; but then she can’t hold it any longer and burst out laughing. Her cool exterior cracks to let her goofy self be seen.

They are still talking about that guy’s ass when she sits next to me. I don’t wanna deal with that right now, so I close my eyes. Nobody notices I’m pretending and nobody bothers me. It’s hard to sleep on a bus, or a plane, or a hotel. Anywhere that is not my own bed, basically. My back hurts all the time, and the corsets I need for my different outfits just make everything worse. Putting and taking off my makeup, without giving my skin a day to breathe, is making me break out. There’s nothing I hate more than that, than this whole thing. Days and nights have no difference when all you see is the inside of a bus, crowded with the same faces, as it takes you from venue to venue, from airports to the next crappy hotel.

And that’s how the next week passes.

After several cities without a day off, I just feel tired, more than usual. My mood just keeps getting worse the more time I spend on this suspension of reality.

Honestly, I don’t even know where we are right now. All I know is that we have a full day here; then we have to catch a plane and start the Asian leg of the tour. I’m just glad that we get to rest. That’s the reason why I go straight to my hotel room as soon as the show is over.

The shower head has horrible pressure so I take as little time in there as possible, just enough to wash all the sweat away and get rid of the traces of makeup. When I walk out of the bathroom, wearing a pajama set that hasn’t seen a washing machine in weeks, I’m shocked to see Katya sitting on the bed.

“Geez, Brian, don’t they know about knocking in Boston?” I roll my eyes as I walk past her. Her. The whole woman that is Katya Zamolodchikova. The use of her actual name, of the man that lives underneath all the layers of hair and makeup, slips out in pure annoyance.

“Okay, enough.” She stands up, anger is visible in her features.

She kicks her heels off and her shoulders square up. Is she going to hit me? This wouldn’t be the first time a woman kicks my ass. I have never been punched by a drag queen before, though.

“Whip it out,” she orders, a long red nail points in the direction of my pants.

“What?” I ask, confused.

Her shoulders drop, and an exasperated sigh leaves her lips. “Take it out. You have been insufferable since you saw me sucking that guy’s dick, whip it out so I can suck yours.”

Out of instinct, my hands go down to cover my crotch. “Wha- No! You are insane.”

“Trix, okay, listen. Everybody has commented how you have been impossible to be around. I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be the bearer of bad news, but it is the truth, Mary. Now, they don’t know what caused it, but I know you and, bitch, you gotta get a grip!”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” My hand waves in front of her, dismissing her whole speech.

I try to walk away, put some distance between us.

“You are jealous.” Just like that, she stops me. Not physically, she’s still standing on the other end of the bed, but her words stop me cold.

“You need to leave.” The sentence, laced with anger, escapes me before I can think.

She walks to me, slowly, padded hips swaying with each step. She throws her synthetic hair back in one swift motion. I’m frozen in place, hypnotized by the femenine moves.

Her hand goes up to my chest, she doesn’t do anything, just rests her hand against my racing heart.

“Let me do it,” she whispers. Her face is so close to mine that I can detect the smell of coffee on her breath. “I want to do it. Do you want me to do it?” Her hand slides down, gently, caressing. “Do you want me to do it?” she repeats, in a serious tone this time. She’s actually asking for my permission.

I look deep into her eyes, those endless pools of emotion, framed by fake lashes. “You are a woman,” I blurt out.

A side smile takes over her face. “You have never been with a girl before?” She’s back to playful, a seductress that knows exactly how to play the game.

“I’m gay.” My mouth expels the words without asking my brain’s approval.

This time she laughs, loudly. “Bitch, I know that. And I also know that you need this. We need to do this so the world can have peace again. Please, God.” She makes a pause. Her free hand reaches the hem of her dress. “If you need a reminder of what I really am, I can show you my dick too.”

Once again, faster than my thoughts, my body reacts. I take hold of her wrist and stop her. “No. Don’t. I want Katya. I want Katya to do it.”

She doesn’t need an explanation, she knows exactly what I need, what I’m asking for. She doesn’t have to be told twice. This is the green light she was waiting for. We are doing this. Finally. No matter how hard I’ve tried to deny it. It doesn’t matter for how long I’ve tried to push the fantasy at the very back of my mind; it has always been exactly that, a fantasy. I have dreamed and daydreamed about being with her for a long time. At first it was about him, about Brian. The idea of being with someone so experienced always made me curious. Katya is so sexy, so sensual, that adding her to the mix just made sense.

Her lips land on the corner of my mouth, it’s quick and tender. My hand immediately goes up, to touch the spot. She’s by now kissing my chin, then my neck. The butterfly kisses continue as she makes her way down. No traces of lipstick are left behind. I seriously need to at least know the brand she’s using, it really is not coming off at all.

My thoughts are brought to a halt when her mouth reaches the waistband of my pants. She looks up, dark eyes piercing mine. She’s asking one more time if this is okay, and I can’t do anything but nod.

What happens after that is a blur. I feel the cool air hitting my legs, then I lift one foot at the time under her command as she removes my pants. The blonde wig gets closer and closer to my crotch. I can feel Katya’s hand on me and my eyes roll back. She takes me into her mouth. Her lips are soft, softer than I remember them. They feel so good around me. My head snaps back when I feel them on my pelvis. Like, even when I don’t like talking about it, I know I’m big, and she just took me all in.

My eyes grow wide, my mouth opens and an inhuman sound comes out from the back of my throat. I look down, my face most likely contorted in shock. The complete opposite to hers. She wiggles her eyebrows with her lips around my dick. The bitch knows what she’s doing, she knows her ability is impressive and will brag about it, even if it’s just through her stare. And I’m about to get the whole experience.

Katya’s moves are easy at first. She takes me in and out of her mouth at a slow pace. Her hand holds me by the base as she relaxes her throat and pushes me all the way in. She sucks me hard, before letting me go with a heavy exhale. Her tongue goes around the head a few times, then she’s licking up and down my length. And I’m feeling all of this since my eyes seem unable to remain open. But I want to see her. I want to get the full picture, a picture that will replace the mental images of her I use to jerk off to.

One of her hands goes between my thighs, opening them a bit wider. Next thing I feel is her head moving between my legs, licking my asshole. She releases me for just a second and, just like that, she’s behind me. Her palms land on each of my buttcheeks. “Oh, God,” she sighs against my skin. “I love to eat a clean ass.” I feel her hot breath first, and her tongue second. My senses are overloaded, making me feel everything at once. Her lips, her tongue, her hot mouth on my ass; the blonde hair tickling my legs, her hand still pumping me. It’s all too much.

It takes only a few seconds before I can’t take it anymore. My knees give out and I feel myself falling forward.

“Woah, there,” she lets out as she catches me. Her hands find my stomach as Katya pushes me back, preventing me from falling but, at the same time, pressing her face against my butt.

Without giving me a moment to recollect myself, she’s already back at eating my ass. “Wa-wait.” I try to stop her, but talking and breathing and feeling at the same time seems impossible. “I need to - just… give me a second.” With shaky legs I walk to an armchair and, more than sitting down, I drop myself on the cushion with a heavy sigh.

In the background, I can hear her laughing and the rustling of fabric as she stands up. “That good, huh?”

Mumbling is all I can do to answer her rhetorical question. Because she’s right, she is simply that good. Only a few minutes with her and I’m already at her mercy. I can’t even see straight, the whole room is spinning. I throw my head back as I feel my chest raising and falling. With one arm over my eyes, I try to calm my breathing unsuccessfully. Then I feel her again, her hands caress my thighs and there’s nothing I can do but grunt.

“Ready to finish what we started?”

Every cell on my body comes together to give me the strength that I need. I look down at her and nod. She’s biting her lower lip, trying to suppress a smile. Her lips are stained with red, the lipstick finally smudged. Surprisingly, it only makes her look even sexier.

She wiggles her eyebrows at me as she moves down, taking my entire length into her mouth. Her mouth is wet, and warm, and it feels oh, so good. I see the blonde wig bobbing up and down as she sucks me off. It’s time to turn one of my fantasies into a reality. My fingers run through her hair, luckily, she remembered to glue the wig this time. That’s the reason why I can actually take a hold of her hair and guide her to the pace that I want. With my fingers tangled in her golden locks, I pull and push her head as I please. She moans around me, enjoying how I’m taking control. The speed suddenly increases, as well as the sounds coming from her.

Katya takes me all in, then releases me, just long enough for her to curse out loud, before sucking me back in. Both of my hands are pushing her down by this point. Her eyes go up to look at me while she still has my entire dick in her mouth. Her eyelashes flutter as she lets me go. Then she smiles as she goes down on me again. This fucking bitch smiles! And that is it for me. My eyes roll back and my mouth falls open. There’s a hot wave taking over me as I cum long and hard.

I’m almost spasming, and she doesn’t even flinch. She drinks me all in, then licks me clean of any remaining.

“Welp,” she says getting up. The back of her hand cleans her own mouth, leaving a harsh trace of red across her cheek. “Now that I have sucked the bad mood out of you, the world can have some peace.” She laughs at her own words, and I chuckle right along with her.

“You know?” I get up with a smile on my face, an actual smile. “I had no idea I needed this. Thank you.” I find my pants and put them on, still feeling like I’m floating on air.

She shrugs a shoulder, proud of herself. “I may not have many talents, but I do know how to suck a dick.”

“And eat ass!” I add after her.

She laughs loudly, a hand gripping my arm as she does.

“No, really,” I assure her, stepping right into her space. “That was… amazing. Bad mood who? What? I don’t know her.”

Her laughter fills the air around us. “Not a problem.”

We share a smile, a knowing smile, a bond was just created. I pull her to me. I’m not going to thank her. A hug will have to do. My body feels so light, not a single drop of tension or stress left. I inhale deeply, she smells like sweat, and sex, and… Katya. It’s hot.

“Wanna stay and watch like a movie or something?” I ask, still smiling. “Maybe I could even return the favor.” The suggestion comes out casually. Deep down, though, I’m dying to experience more of her.

She waves a hand in front of my face. “Nah, no need. I actually have a trick coming over, but thanks! Maybe some other time.” She walks around and finds her shoes, putting them under her arm before she walks to me again. “Glad you feel better,” she says before placing a soft kiss on my cheek.

I watch her walk to the door, open it and then disappear behind her, leaving me alone in my hotel room. Wait, was the room always this ugly?

Ugh! I hate it here.

-End Notes-

Massive shout out to the authors on the AQ discord server, who allowed me to pick their brains and annoy the heck out of them so this story could come to life. Thank you so much for reading! See you again soon. -Monkey.

[avadaniels]

don’t be shy // craquaria

title: don’t be shy

pairing: miz cracker x aquaria

words: 7 096

tags: Youtuber AU, cis women au, Miz Cracker's name is Brianna, Brianna is 29, Aquaria is 24, Smut, brianna tops aquaria bottoms, brianna keeps her nails nice and short

ao3

Aquaria is shy. Brianna is apologetic.

"You should do a collab with AgeOfAquaria," Brianna Ackerman read, looking at the camera. The video cut to her laughing, and then to her saying, "What the fuck would I do with Aquaria?"

"Hello everybody! It's Brianna Cracker and it's time for this week's Revieeew with a Jew! Reviewing everything from film to foundation. As you know I never stop talking about the importance of mental health, so today I'm going to be reviewing a new musical on Broadway, Dear Evan Hansen!" She was over halfway through shooting episode #33 of Review with a Jew when the call came in.

"And that brings us to a very important factor in Evan's problems: Heidi. Heidi Hansen is a great mom. You can't deny that. But some of the things that make her great seem to make Evan's problems worse. Or at least, that's what Evan—"

Bzzzz! Bzzzz!

Leaving the camera rolling, Brianna looked down at her phone where it lay on the bookshelf behind her. She was surprised when she read the name on the caller ID. Trixie Mattel was the most popular YouTuber that Brianna had ever met, and the surprise she had felt when Trixie had asked for her phone number returned now, as Trixie actually contacted her for the first time.

Most of Brianna Cracker's YouTube channel happened because she had an idea and thought, "My fans would love this." So Brianna made a face and lifted her phone up in front of the camera.

"This is the life, girl," She said, making sure the camera had focused on the tiny screen before answering it. "Hello?"

"Hey girl, how are you doing? " Trixie said over the phone.

Brianna couldn't help but a laugh a little as she replied, "Oh my goodness, I'm doing good. How are you?"

"I'm good, thank you ," She said, graciously, with the sounds of the streets of New York City playing in the background. She was visiting from L.A., and apparently was having no trouble navigating the streets in her white patent leather pumps. "I just wanted to check in about the party tonight. I invited a few more people. "

When she paused, Brianna said, "Okay," unsure if she was looking for her approval. It was Trixie's party, basically, having started as a dumb idea she'd mentioned to Bob only a couple days ago. Until now, the guest list had been their small clique of New York Youtubers, and Trixie.

"New York people, you know ," Trixie went on to explain, "Sasha, Pearl, Aquaria. Anyways, I have a food emergency, and Monet say you were the girl to call. TIME FOR DINNERRRR! " Trixie yelled, making Brianna's heart seize for a moment as Trixie's shout dissolved into intense laughter.

Brianna heard herself laugh along, way too starstruck at this point—with Trixie Mattel quoting her jokes candidly—to really process what was happening.

"So, are there any good vegan grocery stores near Bedford and Avenue? "

Throwing a tense look at the camera, Brianna said, "Um, can I call you back in just a little bit? Because I am smack-dab in the middle of shooting Review with a Jew."

"Oh! " Trixie said, and laughed again. "Totally, girl. Hey, you should review those awful jelly shoes Katya loves. "

"Oh my god, I should," Brianna said automatically, idly wondering if Katya had been added to the guest list at this point, or if Trixie was just missing her best friend while she took some time off from YouTube.

"Okay. Call me back. See you ."

"Bye."

Brianna just looked at the camera as the line went dead, eventually tossing her phone back on the shelf. She gave a big sigh, knowing there was a million things to think about there, but unable to pull her mind away from finishing the video. "Heidi!" She announced. "Some of the things that make Heidi great seem to make Evan's problems worse."

+

Brianna Ackerman knew parties at Bob's apartment. She knew the front door opened to a huge open concept room, with 30th floor floor-to-ceiling windows wrapping around two sides of the kitchen-living-dining room. She knew the vegan food from a bakery Brianna had texted to Trixie would be spread haphazardly over the 10-person glass dining table, and a cheap bartender would be leaning over the breakfast bar, convincing everyone they wanted vodka-crans because he didn't want to go back into the fridge. Bob's four bedrooms would be securely locked, so as to protect the thousands of dollars of wigs, clothes, and camera equipment that had financed her success.

She knew what the elevator would sound like when she arrived at the right floor, though she didn't listen to it. Her thoughts were caught up in all the reasons why Bob and Brianna's clique of New York Youtubers didn't normally hang out with the likes of Sasha, Pearl, and Aquaria—people who’s content focused more on aesthetics than authenticity.

She did not know, however, just what tonight's party had in store for her.

Pushing into the apartment, the music was twice as loud as it normally was, and the dance floor—the entire room—was twice as full. People were screaming and jumping up and down. Bob was next to the mountain of food that was the dining table, halfway through chugging a bottle of clear liquid. When she saw Brianna come in, she didn't stop drinking, but her eyebrows shot up and she danced around a little to show her approval. Brianna made a beeline for her friend.

"That bad, huh?" Brianna said lowly, as Bob finished off the bottle and let out a loud ahhhh .

"I fucking hate all this, fucking, vegan food," She complained, picking up boxes and tossing them around the table. Then, Bob looked out into the crowd and screamed, "FUCK YOU TRIXIE MATTEL!"

When Brianna looked, she realized Bob had been talking directly to Trixie. Trixie didn't seem to care; when she locked eyes with Brianna she smiled brightly and started pushing through the crowd.

"I'm gonna draw stuff on Shae's face," Bob announced, shaking Brianna's shoulder. Brianna didn't know who Shea was. Bob just flipped Trixie off as she approached and disappeared into the fray.

"Cracker!" Trixie shrieked, pulling her into a hug.

"Hey!" Brianna returned, accepting the fruity, pink embrace of the most famous person she knew. When they broke apart Bri gushed, "Great party!"

Trixie tutted. "I didn't lift a finger.”

"You lifted your heels, though, and that's ten times harder," Brianna said, feigning pity.

Trixie threw her head back and scream-laughed.

Brianna chuckled along, feeling good. Maybe she could stand the beauty vloggers for a little while longer if Trixie kept laughing at her jokes.

Once Trixie fell out of her laugh she gasped, and reached ten long nails into Brianna's hair. "Oh my god, loooove," She said.

It was the same style she'd been wearing when she'd met Trixie, but that was months ago now and Brianna was sure Trixie was quite drunk. Straight, her golden blonde hair hung halfway down her back, but in the huge wavy curls Brianna could tease into it, the tips didn't reach the top of her tiny breasts. Trixie traced the big curl crowning Brianna's forehead, and she laughed.

Trixie had way less hair than Brianna, and today it was only in soft waves, with a flower crown circling her brow. "You have to come to L.A. soon so we can talk hair," She pleaded, but her attention was momentarily pulled away as someone called for her. "And bring some of those vegan donuts!"

And Trixie was gone.

Not sure how serious she was, Brianna tried not to dwell on the request too much and looked for Monet. She found Monet, Honey, and LeeLee in a quiet corner. They drank together, complained, and caught up. Lee Lee had just hit 1 million subs.

Eventually Brianna got bored of trying to ignore the crowd of beautiful people in shiny clothes dancing. She wanted a cigarette. She headed for the balcony.

Pearl was out there smoking a joint, and someone else was there too, but Brianna couldn't tell who. She stuck her head out into the cool night. "How long are you going to be?"

Pearl just flicked the joint onto the ground, putting it out with a heel. She stood, the long skirt of her dress swishing around her. Her eyes drooped, but Brianna thought she saw Pearl smirk a little as she pushed back inside. Brianna stepped out and pulled the balcony door shut behind her. The other person looked over.

Shit .

It was Aquaria. AgeOfAquaria Aquaria Needles. More subscribers than Miz Cracker Aquaria.

Brianna was frozen, but Aquaria's red lips turned into a small smile. "Hi," She said, waving as well.

I can't go back. And I have to get out of this weed smell , Brianna decided and took a couple tentative steps towards where Aquaria was leaning against the railing.

"I'm Aquaria. You read me in your video last week," She said.

Can't go back now , Brianna thought, not stopping until she was at Aquaria's side. She hadn't even known if Aquaria had seen Brianna publicly denouncing a collaboration between them, though after hundreds of angry comments on the video and a half-hearted tweet on Brianna's half, she guessed the drama had gotten back to the girl she may have been trying to insult just a little.

Aquaria just looked out at the city, black ponytail swishing around behind her. "Or tried to, at least."

Okay, rude . "I'm really sorry," Brianna said, jumping right in, "I just meant, like, our channels are so different, you know?"

"If you're implying that I wouldn't paint myself pink if my fans wanted me to...you're right," She admitted.

Brianna could tell it was still supposed to be a dig at her, but Aquaria was smiling so she did too. Aquaria raised her drink. Brianna fished a pack of cigarettes out of her clutch and offered one, but Aquaria refused. "Why are you out here anyways?" Brianna asked, as she lit a cigarette for herself. "Trixie Mattel is in there."

Aquaria just shook her head and said, "Parties..."

Brianna had no idea what she meant. But she nodded anyways, breathing smoke off to one side. Behind them, the music was leaking out the windows, and the sound of people laughing roared for a moment. Aquaria and Brianna ignored it expertly, drinking and smoking and listening to the streets below them. Brianna's feet were already starting to ache in her tiny pink pumps, but she didn't regret wearing them since they went so well with the silver elastic tube she was passing off as a dress. She couldn't help but check to see Aquaria wearing flat black platforms. Her short black dress went high up to her neck and flared at the waist in severe pleats, with silver rings drawing lines down her front and around her thighs. Brianna had hardly watched any of Aquaria's content, but she could tell Aquaria had made the dress.

"So, are you from New York?" Brianna asked, figuring she would be civil if they were going to be civil.

"No, I moved here for school," Aquaria said, readjusting her lean on the railing and turning slightly towards Brianna so she could see the makeup to go with the outfit. Red lips, black everything else. Then, she said, "Fashion school," as if Brianna could forget it.

But Aquaria was being cool. She wasn't mad about the Brianna Cracker video. She came to a party at Bob's house and was now willingly conversing with Brianna, who had been expecting a lot less. So Bri just nodded along. "You finished, right?"

Aquaria gave her a weird look. "I'm 24," She clarified, and Brianna guessed that meant she was too old for school.

"Sorry," Brianna said, "Yeah." She kept smoking, sort of wondering if she was standing too close to Aquaria but not really caring. Another chorus of laughs sounded behind them, and Brianna wondered if she should be inside networking. Then, she wondered why Aquaria wasn't saying anything and started to panic. "So, what's next for you?"

It was a question Brianna used to hate, and it looked like Aquaria was in the same boat. She sighed, saying, "I don't know," And took a big sip of her drink. "I'm not going to be a YouTuber forever," She promised Brianna, leaning over and getting as close as she had yet.

Brianna nodded along, finding herself wishing that Aquaria would lean just a little closer so her hair would fall over over Brianna's shoulder, for some reason. "Who are you going to be?"

Aquaria leaned away and stood up tall. The silver on her dress glinted with yellow lights. "I want to be a designer with my own label,” She explained in a clear voice, her determination and pride showing through. But when Aquaria looked down into her drink and grumbled, “Obviously."

Brianna didn't think, just pulled off her cigarette and echoed, "Obviously."

She instantly regretted it. Here she was, almost 30 with two dead end jobs, making fun of a 24-year-old for having a dream.

But Aquaria didn't get mad. She looked over, scandalized but almost laughing and spat, "Shut up!" She pushed Brianna's shoulder, but Brianna didn't go far.

Aquaria gave up after that, slumping back over the railing and looking down at the streets, sipping red liquid.

Brianna looked out as well. She tried to enjoy the sight, find places she knew, relish in the cool but not cold air. But all she could feel was some little happy satisfaction. She smoked and didn't listen or look to a single thing, just felt. Brianna thought about this person she was standing next to, who had dreams and lots of money and didn't mind hanging out with someone like Brianna, apparently.

The music bleeding through behind them changed, and Brianna's head snapped around automatically. As she said, "I love this song!" Brianna saw Aquaria also wore an excited face, and heard her express a similar sentiment.

Along with the happy in her head, Brianna felt a warmth stir in her belly that she ignored in favor of stomping out her cigarette as fast as she could. But once Brianna started back towards the balcony door, she heard Aquaria speak again.

"Brianna?" She said. It was the first time she had said that word. Her eyebrows had fallen to the waysides and she had one arm half stretched out, as if she had reached for Brianna's arm. "Will you dance with me?"

Brianna felt her stomach swoop as she pranced two steps back towards Aquaria to grab her hand. "Of course! Come on!"

It was clear as they re-entered the party that not everyone was as partial to Masseduction by St. Vincent as they were. But they didn't care, as Aquaria freely took Brianna's other hand as well and started dancing. Aquaria swung her ponytail and her hips, twisting around, and Brianna bounced her head and jumped in time. Aquaria wore a relatively serious face as they danced, singing along to the choice words she remembered. But Brianna knew from years of feedback that she was her best self when she was stupid, so stupid she was. She pulled faces and wiggled for Aquaria, eventually making her laugh.

At some point, Monet locked eyes with Brianna and gave her the most judge-y look Monet had ever managed, but Brianna just shrugged and turned back to Aquaria. They knew the words to the bridge. "Oh, what a bore, to be so adored ," Brianna, Aquaria, and anyone else dancing crooned. Aquaria's eyes were closed as she sang and she her now-free hands were drawing random shapes above her head. Brianna felt her mouth form the second line of the same words, but had given up entirely on focusing on dancing, as the tickles in her stomach and sneaking suspicion in her head finally confirmed that, Oh no. I like her.

But the night wasn't over yet.

They finished the song innocently enough, and then three more songs, before Aquaria finally excused herself to get another drink. Brianna took the cue and went to bother Monet.

"Bitch," Her loving New York sister greeted, "I know you're always networking, but that was 15 minutes of eye contact."

LeeLee piped up. "When you fuck her, actually look at her tits because I want to know whose are smaller."

Brianna just shook her head, taking someone's drink. "I was being nice! I said something..…unprofessional in a video," She covered, definitely not thinking about seeing Aquaria's tits.

"So when you hate-fuck her," LeeLee amended, to which Brianna flipped her off and left.

For the rest of the party, Brianna wandered aimlessly, not really feeling like dancing even when Honey and Bob got into it. She smoked, tried to talk to Trixie, tried to compliment the beauty vloggers, and drank.

Around 1:30, people started to filter out in favour of better things, and when Brianna saw Aquaria slip inside from the balcony and head for the door, she made quick goodbyes. She moved as fast as she could in her little shoes and made it out the door behind a long, black ponytail.

Aquaria realized she was there and gave a polite smile as she pressed the elevator button. In a 47-storey building, it was going to take a while for it to arrive. Brianna tried to hold out for a minute but she couldn't just stand there in silence. "So, did you have fun?"

"Yeah," Aquaria said, and then in a quieter voice, "It was nice to see everyone."

The elevator beeped as it arrived. They got on. Brianna waited to see if Aquaria would say anything. She didn't, just leaned against one wall and watched the numbers tick down, fiddling with a ring on her dress. "Hey," Brianna started as she stood against the opposite wall, and Aquaria looked up. "I'm hoping there's no more bad blood between us, going forward. It was really nice to meet you."

This time, Brianna swore she saw Aquaria blush as she looked down for a second and then promised, "Yeah, totally."

Brianna nodded. Aquaria sort of shifted, and crossed her legs. Bri went on, "'Cause we don't have to make a video, but we could still hang out, if you wanted to."

She watched the excitement build in Aquaria's face even though she was really good at hiding it. "Sure, can I have your number?" She asked nonchalantly, already clicking around on her giant iPhone.

Brianna shuffled across the elevator until she was well into Aquaria's personal space. The phone was barely balanced between three fingers, but Brianna still managed to tickle Aquaria's hand as she took it. She typed her name as, 'Bri [cheese emoji] [heart eyes emoji]", and texted herself "Hey it's Aquarius Noodles."

Aquaria smiled, almost laughed, when she took it back and saw what Brianna had done. Brianna didn't move to back away, but Aquaria put a hand on her arm to keep her in place anyways. "I did have fun tonight, thanks to you," Aquaria admitted or lied, probably a mix of both. "And this dress is incredible."

"You like it?" Brianna asked, unable to hide her smile and she glanced down at herself. Not everyone liked it when girls with big hips wore tight clothes, so Brianna was glad that Aquaria could deal with Brianna's ass.

Aquaria nodded and rubbed a thumb over the thin straps.

"Well you look amazing, as always," Brianna said, eyes flickering between Aquaria's eyes and lips, as if they were her only achievements that night.

There. Brianna definitely saw Aquaria blush beneath all the foundation and highlight. Between that and the way Aquaria's nails had settled to press semi-circles into Brianna's shoulder, Brianna felt her stomach warming significantly.

The air was still. The elevator beeped as they descended.

Brianna quelled whatever was rising in her chest to ask, "Can I kiss you?"

Aquaria said, "Okay," and Brianna let it flow up and spill over as she leaned up and pressed her lips against Aquaria's.

She was soft. She was warm. Brianna poured all the emotions that had been building inside of her all night into this kiss, breathing and telling Aquaria she was soft and warm and beautiful. Brianna was frozen in the moment, feeling the way their mouths fit together—and then Aquaria started to really kiss her.

Leaning down and tilting her head, Aquaria only got a second to try and intensify things before Brianna pulled away smiling. Aquaria breathed, and when she realized Brianna seemed happy she smiled a little too.

Ding!

Brianna breathed and stepped back as the elevator doors slid open. “Um,” She said as she skipped into the lobby, feeling Aquaria follow close behind. Brianna spun around, catching Aquaria by the arms. “Can I walk you home?”

-

Aquaria’s Brooklyn apartment was actually pretty close to Bob’s, especially compared to Brianna’s haunt in Manhattan, but the short trip was still agonizing with the way Aquaria would shoot half-lidded looks back over her shoulder, or brush up behind Brianna and ghost her hand along Brianna’s back. The wind had picked up in the warm September night, so they huddled close in their sleeveless cocktail dresses. Eventually they came to a posh building where Aquaria waved her keys and the door opened, a security guard exchanging nods with her as they passed.

Aquaria pushed the button for the 21st floor and Brianna pushed Aquaria against the mirrored wall. She could tell Aquaria liked it, by the way she sighed in her throat and accepted Brianna’s kiss when it came. Brianna’s fingers pushed against the tough fabric of her dress as her lips wrapped around Aquaria’s mouth. Aquaria got to work with her tongue, her nails finding Brianna’s scalp.

When Brianna slid one hand around to press over Aquaria’s ass, she heard another small sound come from her mouth, but then almost a gasp, like she was trying to silence it. Brianna broke the kiss and looked up under Aquaria’s false lashes. “Don’t be shy,” Brianna mumbled. She reached down even further to grab Aquaria’s ass properly as her lips attached to Aquaria’s neck.

She moaned .

Brianna swore inside her head. They both felt the elevator slow, and Bri reluctantly peeled herself off.

Aquaria happily led them down plush hallway after plush hallway, before waving into a door with its own security camera. It opened to an amazing apartment that Brianna could barely process with four drinks in her. All she saw was the pile of junk that had started as a couch where Aquaria threw their shoes, and then a dim hallway that led to—oh my god—a gigantic bedroom.

“This is as big as my whole apartment,” Brianna lied, mentally measuring the bed as Aquaria crawled onto it. Bri followed quickly. She re-attached her lips to Aquaria’s neck and went for the side zipper.

But before she even found her purchase, Aquaria reached up to stop her. They looked at each other, and Aquaria looked a little nervous.

“Sorry,” Bri said, taking her hand off the handmade dress and giving the other girl space. “I don’t want to break it.”

“No, I,” Aquaria said, looking away as she unzipped the dress a couple inches. She looked at the opening so Brianna did too, finding black lace underneath.

Brianna only had to realize it’s lingerie to guess what Aquaria was thinking. “Oh, um, do you want to…strip for me?” She asked, and the other girl’s nerves turned to embarassment—a good embarassment, judging by the light that twinkled in Aquaria’s eyes. “Just, oh my god, do it,” Brianna said, sounding not at all sexy but Aquaria scampered back off the bed anyways. Bri followed quickly, kneeling with her thighs apart so her dress rode up. She breathed, not sure what was about to happen but knowing she wanted it to.

Aquaria looked down over one shoulder and unzipped the rest of her dress—shirt, Brianna now realized, as the bodice fell open and the skirt remained intact. Aquaria turned and leaned down, closer and closer, until her lips almost brushed against Brianna’s. She grabbed Bri’s hand that had subconsciously navigated to her thigh. Aquaria brought the hand up inside her shirt, and as Brianna’s fingertips connected with the rough lace of her bralette, she pressed their lips together.

Brianna could feel everything. The saliva on Aquaria’s mouth, her soft breast beneath her hand, the heat pooling between their bodies. Bri was already started to have trouble breathing. She squeezed, and Aquaria backed up, licking her lips as Brianna leaned after her.

Aquaria stared Bri down as she pulled the shirt off. Fuck , Brianna thought, at the sight of the simple bra made of thick, black lace, and Aquaria’s dark nipples straining beneath it. Aquaria propped one foot on the bed and pulled the elastic out of her ponytail. She shook her hair, then started to draw it back up into a bun as she looked down.

Brianna was suffering. Aquaria was so close, so ready, but still so far and ignoring Brianna .

Once her hair was up, she turned to the side so Brianna was looking at the fateful second zipper keeping the black pleats securely around Aquaria’s waist. She unzipped it all the way down but held it in place. Aquaria spun the long way around to face the girl on the bed while keeping the skirt in front of everything Brianna wanted to see, before pausing and dropping it.

Brianna’s breath caught in her throat. The same severe lace drew a triangle pointing down from Aquaria’s hips, sitting low and hugging her tightly. She couldn’t help it, and Aquaria didn’t stop her: Brianna reached out and wrapped her hands around Aquaria’s ass, feeling the rough lace and imagining Aquaria squirming in it all night as she pulled her closer by it. Aquaria came and perched on her knees in front of Brianna.

Aquaria kissed her, and Brianna’s hands squeezed. Aquaria left no room for romance as she licked into and kissed Brianna. Pushing, breathing, sucking.

Then Aquaria’s nails reached Brianna’s thighs and started to push her dress up even farther. Soft tips ghosting under the fabric and then back along her skin, Brianna was so turned on it was starting to hurt. She kissed back hard, pressing her lips into Aquaria over and over, hungry for more.

But Aquaria didn’t give it to her. She gave Brianna a half-mischevious, half-unsure look before ducking to make-out with Brianna’s neck. Her hand slipped under the silver skirt again to play with the band of Brianna’s underwear.

“Mmm,” Brianna said, “Should I take them off?”

To which Aquaria responded. “Yes. I, yeah.”

Aquaria stood up while Brianna sat to wriggle her underwear off. Now she felt exposed, and a little wet, so Brianna kneeled again with her knees pressed tightly together as she waited for Aquaria to kiss her again. She reached out, but Aquaria just caught her hands in her own, throwing glances at Brianna’s stomach and keeping their lips a few solid feet apart.

“Oh. Do you, want to eat me out?” Brianna asked, voice even, body already reacting to the thought of it.

Aquaria’s eyes were darker even more than usual as she looked at Brianna. “I, um, want. Yes,” She managed, and touched Brianna’s knees so she would open them.

As Brianna adjusted to sit with her calves hanging off, Aquaria kneeled in front of the bed, pulling Bri closer to the edge. Brianna tried to breathe. Aquaria’s nails dug into her thighs, and then her mouth connected with the outside of Brianna’s lips. Bri grabbed at the sheets and felt herself throbbing. Keep it together .

Aquaria kissed, lower, all around the soft, slightly hairy skin between Brianna’s legs. Brianna focused on bringing air into and out of her lungs until Aquaria’s tongue dragged lightly up her clitoris, and she had to breathe out a whine. Aquaria attached her whole mouth around Brianna’s clit as she drew her tongue up and down, saliva going everywhere.

“Oh my god,” Bri said quietly, trying not to rock her hips. Her feet didn’t reach the ground sitting like this so she dug her heels into the bedframe.

Aquaria just moved slower, sucking and pressing her lips, moving them in circles on her clit. She kissed around, chastely, and then licked at Brianna’s sensitive spot again until she twitched. Aquaria took her mouth off for half a second. Brianna longed for it. Her fingers were already aching from clenching the sheets so tightly, and she tried to readjust only to grab right back on when Aquaria drew the flat of her tongue right over Brianna’s opening. Haze and pleasure filled Brianna’s brain. Knowing Aquaria was tasting her and all the stimulation from between her legs made Bri’s stomach tingle more and more.

Then Aquaria moved back to her clit, drawing her tongue in lines and circles around it, until every breath Brianna took was shallow and loud. One of Aquaria’s hands dug into Bri’s thigh while the other reached for Brianna’s hand. Aquaria guided it between her legs and to the opening of her vagina. Bri was quick to slide a finger in, pushing in softly as Aquaria drooled and pressed on her clitoris.

Soon enough, Brianna was uttering ‘oh’ every other press. Then Aquaria’s name. And then her face and neck and brain were full of incredible tingling, which built and built as Aquaria licked all around until it was physically impossible for Brianna to feel anymore pleasure than she was experiencing.

She drew her hand to Aquaria’s face, guiding her up to see Brianna half-lidded and biting at her bottom lip. Aquaria kissed her, leaned over her, and listened to Bri’s soft hums of content. Brianna accepted it and let Aquaria’s mouth push her to lean further and further backwards, until her mouth disappeared and Brianna actually had to look to see what was going on.

Aquaria just hovered an inch away and said, “You, um. Was it good?”

“Fuck, so good,” Brianna admitted, throwing an arm around Aquaria’s neck to kiss her and lay back on the bed. Aquaria was awkwardly hanging half off the bed but she held on for dear life as their mouths slotted together and moved like stillness would kill them.

When Aquaria pushed herself up on her forearms, Brianna wiggled backwards. It broke their kiss but they both moved up the bed until Brianna’s head was on the pillow and Aquaria was bearing down on top of her again. Licking over Bri’s teeth viciously, she pulled Brianna’s dress up and up until they separated again to pull it over her head. Before Aquaria could kiss her again, Brianna pushed at the bralette. Aquaria let her pull it off, and it temporarily snagged on her bun, but that just made Aquaria giggle as they pushed their lips back together.

Brianna was still coming down from her orgasm, but she could tell Aquaria was super turned-on by how she shuddered when Brianna ran her fingers down her bare sides. Brianna relaxed, let her muscles turn to jelly in the soft sheets, let Aquaria kiss her energetically. She felt where the lace panties were soaked through. She pushed them off and down to Aquaria’s knees. The only thing that slowed Aquaria’s lips was when Brianna let one finger tickle where Aquaria’s tailbone gave way to her ass. As she pushed her fingertip slowly between her cheeks, Aquaria froze, breathing hot air over Brianna’s smirk, eyes pressed shut.

Brianna took the opportunity to shimmy down an inch and take Aquaria’s nipple between her lips. She drew her finger up and down shallowly as she ran her tongue over the tough tip of her breast. Aquaria’s thighs were flexing. She pulled Brianna’s other hand off her back and threaded their fingers together. Brianna ran her fingers lightly over Aquaria’s ass and then squeezed, and Aquaria only pushed back into her hand. Brianna teased and licked until Aquaria’s breath was strained in her ear.

Brianna easily rolled them over, Aquaria landing surprised-looking on her back in the dark bedroom. Until Brianna kissed that look away. She put her tongue in Aquaria’s mouth and two fingers over her opening. She spread the wetness around and started working her clit, feeling Aquaria’s hands fist in Brianna’s hair. Brianna just focused on Aquaria, on how her legs slid around and her tongue responded emphatically to everything Brianna was doing. The panties—still around her knees—were getting in the way of her jerks and twitches so Brianna pushed them all the way off. She focused on moving her fingertips in the precise pattern that had little whines coming from Aquaria’s throat. When one hand suddenly yanked softly on Brianna’s hand, Bri broke their kiss and muttered, “You like that?” Immediately repeating what she had just done.

Aquaria’s face was flush with pleasure as she sounded, “Mmm hmm.”

Brianna smiled down at her. “Don’t be shy. Tell me,” She asked, pressing her fingers slowly down Aquaria’s vulva.

Aquaria shut her eyes and let out a quiet, ohhhhhh .

Brianna said, “Yeah,” in a really small voice to encourage her, and moved her fingers back up to Aquaria’s clit. Brianna moved them furiously, trying to get more sounds out of her. Everything between Aquaria’s legs was slippery at this point.

As the pleasure built, Aquaria gave a louder whine and a strangled, “Brianna.”

Lips pressing to her ear, Brianna asked, “Can I finger you?”

“Yes. Yes,” Aquaria repeated.

Brianna laid herself half on top of Aquaria with one leg draped over her thigh, so she didn’t have to concentrate on not falling down. One of Aquaria’s hands fell away to fist in the sheets. “Okay, relax,” Brianna advised, and breathed a soft sigh.

Aquaria copied the breath, and Brianna felt her muscles go lax beneath her. Brianna quickly rubbed her middle finger in the wetness between Aquaria’s legs, and then slipped the finger inside her.

Aquaria gave a nice, full moan.

Brianna wanted the sound on repeat. She moved the finger slowly, out, and then back in, feeling Aquaria’s walls and where they naturally stopped. Brianna gave a couple quicker thrusts before pushing a second finger inside.

“Ohhhh. Fuck,” Aquaria said, back arching against the bed. They were in it now, so Brianna wasted no time pushing in and out of Aquaria, getting faster and faster.

Brianna pressed kisses to her cheek, neck, and chest. She let Aquaria pull her hair and watched her head turn back and forth. The warm feelings had returned in her stomach, and with everything Aquaria did, they spiked and spread.

Aquaria started to whine more and more. “Oh. Ohhh, fuck. Brianna,” She crooned.

She felt Aquaria’s hips still a little as she settled into the motion, so Brianna adjusted the angle and thrusted, even and powerful and finally hitting that spot.

“Yes, fuck,” Aquaria said, holding onto Brianna’s hair for dear life. She didn’t have to say it; Brianna knew Aquaria was almost about to orgasm. Walls swelling around her fingers, Brianna pushed and pushed, feeling and hearing Aquaria’s every reaction.

Then Aquaria’s breath caught. She was clenching, and was Brianna fucking her through it. Up and over the edge. Brianna started to throb watching Aquaria’s face as she processed all the pleasure.

And then Aquaria was breathing, gasping. Relaxing into Brianna. Her heart beat loud over the relative silence as she stroked Bri’s hair softly. She was unable to keep the smudged-lipstick smile off her face, and she was absolutely beautiful to Brianna in that moment.

Brianna took her fingers out and hoped Aquaria wouldn’t mind as she wiped them randomly on the other side of the bed. They lay there like that for a moment, breathing and sprawled out, both staring up at the ceiling. Nice , Brianna thought.

She hiked her leg up a little more and moved to throw her arm over Aquaria’s stomach, but Aquaria caught her arm and rolled them over. It was Brianna’s turn to be surprised as she took in the excited look on Aquaria’s face, like her brain hadn’t just been flooded with oxytocin.

“I, can we, um,” Aquaria said, stuttering through the words before shutting her eyes and stopping in frustration.

Brianna could see it, so she reached one finger up to boop Aquaria’s nose and said, “Hey, what’s up?”

Aquaria breathed as she looked down and said, “One more time?” Plain and simple.

“Yeah, what do you—” Brianna started, but stopped when Aquaria sat up and put a finger between Brianna’s legs. She drew it out and then placed the whole thing in her mouth. She put on a show. She closed her eyes and slowly slid it out, grinding on Brianna’s stomach, and pulling the finger out with a pop . Brianna’s heart skipped a beat as she teased, “You’re a whore.”

But Aquaria just leaned close to Brianna’s ear and whispered: “Can we scissor?”

One orgasm was doing wonders for this girl’s confidence.

Brianna muttered, “Yes, please,” and Aquaria was moving. She kissed Brianna fully as she ran a hand down one leg, tickling and then raising the knee. Her other hand quickly found its place threaded with Brianna’s fingers. Aquaria sat up, sliding her own knee underneath, bracing herself against the headboard, and then throwing her other leg over Brianna’s other hip.

She grinded down in a circle, rubbing their clits together. It was hot and wet and amazing .

Brianna muttered a low, “Yeah,” to encourage her to keep going, and she did. The sensation built slowly, and Brianna was silently begging her to go faster. But Aquaria didn’t. Not, at least, until she grabbed Bri’s other hand and started sucking on two of her fingers.

Brianna shook her head in disbelief for a couple seconds as Aquaria started grinding faster and faster, and suddenly pleasure started possesing Brianna’s body. It came hot and quick, radiating out from where their bodies were pressed together. Little ‘ahh’s escaped Brianna over and over as it built and built inside her. “Fuck, Aquaria,” Brianna muttered, knowing she wouldn’t last long. Her whole body was on fire. Heat was curling up her neck and making her feet spasm. Aquaria just kept thrusting, slick but hard.

And then Brianna was orgasming, with a pained, “ Ohhh .” Aquaria’s hand was white where Brianna was squeezing it. She was frozen under Aquaria’s rocking hips, as pleasure filled her every nerve.

Brianna started to fall out of it, breathing deep and relaxing, but Aquaria kept going. Bri let her grind against her a few more times before stopping her. She fought through the haze that was settling over her brain to push Aquaria over. Brianna rubbed her clit with the flat of three fingers until the other girl came, moaning and shaking beneath her.

Brianna reveled in every second of it. All the wet spots they had left on the bed, every change in Aquaria’s breathing, every red semi-circle in Brianna’s skin.

But then the aches were settling into her muscle. The fatigue was overtaking her brain. She had one word in her head, and it was ‘home’.

She started to force herself to get up, but Aquaria’s hands were grabbing and pulling. Before Brianna knew it, she was wrapped in a duvet burrito with AgeOfAquaria Aquaria Needles, listening to soft, content breaths as they both fell asleep.

+ A few days later

Aquaria’s Q&A was read quickly off her phone. “Please collab with Brianna Cracker.” Her face lit up as she looked at the camera. “I think that would be awesome! I hope we can soon.”

+ The next week

“Thank you so much for watching,” Aquaria gushed quickly as she filmed the end of her third date makeup tutorial. “Like and subscribe down below. Remember, you don’t define beauty, beauty is defined by you!”

She started posing for the last few second of the video, but suddenly her ringtone sounded from where her phone was tossed on a pile of papers. She stood up and grabbed it, answering it as quick as she could, saying, “Hey hon.”

Sasha looked up from where she was lounging behind the camera. She had offered to help Aquaria edit a better outro and was hanging around while she filmed it.

“Hey sweetie ,” Brianna crooned through the phone. Aquaria was already blushing as she paced between her desk and her ring light. “ I watched your Q&A video .”

“Uhhh, did you like it?” Aquaria asked, voice light and teasing. Sasha was waving around and pretending to scream at her, but Aquaria ignored it expertly.

“It was very cute, darling ,” Brianna said, and then paused. Sasha was furiously typing and Aquaria just knew the groupchat would be blowing up on this call ended. Finally, Brianna spoke again: “Do you actually want to do a video? ” She asked.

Aquaria breathed. “I don’t think our channels are that different, not really.”

“Really? ”

Aquaria tried to walk as far from Sasha as she could when she muttered, “Why don’t you come over tonight and we can, um, talk about it.”

The line was quiet for a second. Aquaria turned around, and Sasha’s grin was shit-eating. Then, “Okay. Yes .”

“Yay!” Aquaria exclaimed, unable to stop herself from bouncing around and pumping a fist in the air. “I’ll see you at 8.”

“Okay. Bye baby. ”

“Bye cutie,” Aquaria signed off, and hit the red button as her face turned the same colour. She ditched the phone in her recording chair and ignored it as the buzzing began.

Sasha’s face was in her hands, perched on the arm of the couch. She looked up at Aquaria through thick, natural lashes and thick, black glasses. “‘Cutie’?” Sasha asked.

Aquaria just joined her on the couch and pulled the laptop onto her legs. “Alright,” She said, opening up her video editing software, silently hoping the lifeless light of her screen would balance out the heat in her cheeks. She looked at Sasha. “What do I do?”

Sasha just shook her head for a second, two, three. Eventually she shook herself out of the stupour and said, “Uh, this is gonna take a while, so you should go wash your face.”

“No,” Aquaria sing-songed, dragging the footage she had just filmed into the program, “I have a third date tonight. This is my third date look.”

Sasha just smiled and tilted her head. Aquaria stared back. Sasha announced, “You’re so gone, bitch.”

[shinyflareon]

Full of potential, Searching should probably keep looking for the payoff.

So now that the newest Overwatch comic, Searching, has been out for a couple days, I thought I’d give my thoughts on it now that I’ve had time to process. There was a lot of hype leading up to this comic; Zarya and Sombra are both fan-favorites, and a lot of people have been clamoring for something Zarya focused for a long time. But whether or not it lived up to that hype is...questionable. To me, it honestly read like a rough draft rather than a completed script.

tldr: lots of good ideas, but setup, pacing, and stilted dialogue meant that none of them were really followed up on.

Warning: long post, heavy image usage.

This comic immediately starts off on a bad foot for me. Presumably, it takes place immediately after the last scene in Sombra’s short Infiltration. Let’s recap that, shall we?

Chairman Volskaya asks Zarya “Do you know why you are here?”

Zarya emerges into the light of the window with a confident “I believe I do.”

What a great setup. Zarya has her mission, and we the audience don’t know exactly what it is, but there must be a reason that Katya called Zarya in for this, right?

Here’s where we get to the first panel of this comic.

What is this? Where’s that confidence from just a few moments ago? This makes it seem like Zarya wasn’t even briefed on the mission - in which case, why did she believe that she knew why Katya called her in? Was she under the impression that the assignment was somehow different? And that “I was wrong” narration bubble? That’s a cold open. There is precisely zero context as to what she was wrong about, or why she is so shocked and confused. It is assumed that the reader knows that the assignment is to find Sombra but really...that’s really vague. Is Zarya supposed to bring her into custody? Kill her? What actually is this assignment that you give to a soldier who has enough sense to point out that what it really calls for is a spy? Katya is frustratingly unhelpful in this regard. She plays on Zarya’s patriotism, appealing first to her compassion by showing some very calculated vulnerability and saying that she needs “a friend,” then to her sense of duty, keeping deliberately vague on the details and only saying that she wants Sombra “brought to justice,” and that Zarya is the only one she can trust to do it.

Then there’s this line.

See that line she says there? “We have something nobody has had before.” This line is going to be VERY important later on, so we’ll come back to it later.

And then we get...a montage. We spend almost a full page with Zarya just going to random locations and turning up nothing. The only purpose seems to be the stop in Hanamura to establish her Omnic racism (Omnicism?).

I mean, we get this guy, who looks like he might actually have a lead for her, but then decides against it after she’s rude to the Omnic server. Judging by the looks on his and the kids’ faces, it almost feels like she might as well have just outright dropped an N-bomb. But of course, this guy is never brought up again. Who is he? He looks like he might work for the Shimadas, but that’s pure speculation at best. Does he actually know anything about Sombra, or is the paneling just splitting up his speech to make it look that way? Why is Zarya even IN Hanamura in the first place? 

This whole initial travel montage just feels like padding. We should have ended that conversation with Katya with her saying something like “You are correct. You are NOT a spy. However, I have a contact in Numbani that might be able to give you a place to start looking...” and then cut straight to this panel.

Boom. One panel gets us straight to the chase, as well as giving us all we need to know regarding Zarya’s opinion on human-Omnic relations. I get that we had to establish the passage of time so Efi and Orisa could have their cameo (considering Orisa wasn’t built until after Doomfist attacked Numbani, but he didn’t break out of jail until well after Infiltration), but that’s easily rectified with just a throwaway mention of travel time. Then we get the introduction of the other half of this oddball buddy duo.

This is actually a pretty neat little exchange. It further cements Zarya’s dislike of Omnics, as well as throwing a neat little bone to Katya’s philosophy of working with ‘the enemy’ for the sake of duty and patriotism, which she again plays to Zarya’s senses of. Lynx provides a bit of brevity, though while it’s supposed to be sarcasm, there’s really no punch behind it. They just kind of...state things. Interestingly, when talking to Katya, Zarya refers to Lynx as an Omnic, not a robot. I guess even she knows better than to go throwing what are functionally racial slurs around when addressing her boss.

We get some exposition about Sombra and what she’s been up to, but it’s really nothing new. Zarya remarks that she “would rather die than understand a robot” and Lynx just sort of...makes a dry remark and takes it. We finally drop the ball that Sombra’s gone after Lumerico, and in conjunction with the sugar skull imagery and Los Muertos...existing I guess...the decision is made to go to Dorado. Lynx wants to tag along for unexplained reasons, and though Zarya flatly refuses...

she doesn’t actually seem all that bothered by it. Their dialogue is impressively casual for an Omnic-hating soldier and a laid-back Omnic hacker. Did Lynx sneak along in Zarya’s luggage? Did they bond on the plane ride? Over what?

Perhaps it was their love of montages, because guess what! That crack about knocking on doors turns out to be literal.

Zarya, I hate to break it to you, but reps are not enjoyable to everyone. To most people, in fact. Do we really need to waste time and space again watching you going around and narrate how difficult Sombra is to find, and how ‘weeks pass’ with no progress? No. We do not. You know what we would like to see? You actually interacting with your Omnic buddy more. Seeing how you actually come to start calling them ‘Omnic’ instead of ‘robot.’

Thanfully, this montage is short, and finally, we make some progress. And what incredibly awkward progress it is.

That’s Alejandra, the girl from Soldier 76′s short Heroes. And that’s Aleksandra Zaryanova, Sergeant in the Russian military, forgetting how to speak in complete sentences. Here, an example of how it could have gone:

“I’m listening. What is your name?”

“Ale...Alejandra.”

Zarya kneels and gives a wide smile. “Alejandra? My name is Aleksandra. How funny that we have the same name! We could be great friends.”

“That woman you’re looking for...has she done something wrong?”

Zarya nods, looking grim. “She has. She threatened another friend of mine, and hurt many people.”

“If I helped you...”

“You would be my hero.”

There. Just a couple more panels (easily replaceable with some of the montage ones), and the similar names between the two actually becomes a point of connection. Plus, you get to revisit the idea of “friendship,” this time from Zarya’s candid, honest perspective of it, and you still get to keep the reference to the Heroes short.

(How this little girl knows where to find Sombra, I have no idea, but we have to actually get the plot moving somehow. We’re already halfway through the comic.)

I cannot even begin to express how frustrated this makes me. This conversation starts up out of the blue as Zarya and Lynx are walking up to Sombra’s hideout. There are much better times to have a talk like this - say, during those weeks you spent asking every person in Dorado if they’ve seen her. Maybe even on the plane trip from Numbani to Dorado. It honestly feels to me like they just forgot that this was a conversation that needed to happen, so they shoved it in here right before the final encounter so that they could get it out of the way.

Speaking of which, Sombra has a physical hideout? That they can just walk right up to and melt the security off of? Sombra had to know she was being hunted. So she just...sat around waiting for them to show up?

This fight is pretty, but it just amuses me to no end remembering that Sombra’s actually one of the better characters against Zarya 1v1 considering that Sombra can hack Zarya’s shields away, and Zarya’s awkward fire patterns make Sombra’s mobility even harder to deal with. Then again, Sombra didn’t even try to hack her. But what’s that crack about winning the summer games supposed to mean?

Also Zarya built up her ult LUDICROUSLY fast. I wish I could do that.

And here’s the big whammy. Remember that panel I mentioned at the beginning? Where Katya said that she was giving Zarya “something nobody has had before?” THIS is presumably it. So now I have a question.

Why wasn’t that original exchange emphasized more?

This is HUGE. Sombra’s real name is something I NEVER expected to find out. Honestly, I don’t think we should have. Sombra is Sombra; giving her a name actually manages to detract from the entire idea of “erasing her past” that she was all about. Yes, this is a great point for drama in the story, but it also somehow...lessens her I think. Anyway.

A lot of people were wondering how Zarya knew this information. How she got it. And while a couple people have realized that this is what Katya was talking about, it blows my mind that the initial setup was treated as just another line of dialogue. Katya Volskaya has something on Sombra that no one has had before? That’s IMPORTANT. That piece of information alone deserves so much more emphasis than it got - maybe even a whole panel to itself. Something like this:

Panel 1: “I knew you would be. But don’t worry.” *Katya approaches Zarya and hands her the picture*

Panel 2, closeup on Katya looking very serious and confident: “To help you find your target, you will have something that no one has had before.”

It gives the line WEIGHT. It establishes to both Zarya and the reader that this thing is going to be the key to tracking and taking down Sombra. And it is shamefully wasted. Zarya lets her graviton surge run out, then threatens Sombra and just...lets her go. Keep in mind, on the previous page, this was the beginning of their encounter.

I see...consistency is not this comic’s strong suit.

Sombra threatens that the warehouse will blow up, but oh no! Lynx was hacked...back in Numbani? How? Where? Ugh...

Me either, Zarya. Me either. Though to be fair, it was never clear on what your mission even was, so...you can’t really fail if you didn’t know what the mission was to begin with.

Katya half-handedly tries to assure Zarya of her motives, and Zarya tries to bring the “friendship” theme to a close by going back to last-name basis with Katya. It’s an attempt at closure, but it just feels disjointed.

We end with Zarya abruptly abandoning Lynx to go back to Russia, and from there...somewhere else? It’s an annoying cliffhanger to say the least.

So...there you have it. My take on the new comic. To reiterate what I said at the beginning, there is a lot of potential here. Unfortunately, the weird pacing and stilted dialogue meant that almost none of it was actually brought to any kind of satisfying conclusion. The characters are all very flat, even the normally animated Sombra. Nothing is made clear to the characters or the audience, and we’re left with more questions than answers. We anticipated a circus, and all we got was a balloon and some stale popcorn. Ultimately, this comic is a victim of what it could have been, and suffers for not living up to its own potential.

[asynca]

Do something with Sombra! Sombra/Zarya or Sombra/Katya or Sombra/Symmetra or just Sombra being Sombra and booping someone!

Okay, I totally forgot the booping part. Whoops. 

Friends with Benefits - Katya x Sombra - SFW (sorry)

[AO3] | [FF.net]

-

Katya should have expected that woman would be back verysoon. ‘Sombra’, was it? Whatever her name was, Katya should have known. Peoplelike that didn’t stay away from people like her for very long. 

When she returned, she'd cause another security breach,Katya assumed. Maybe alarms, drama, chaos—that seemed like the sort ofsituation Sombra liked to manufacture. She clearly had a flair for drama, afterall.

What Katya didn’texpect was to wander into her office late at night after most of her staff hadgone home and find herself suddenly face to face with—

God! That woman,who was sitting poised on Katya’s executive table, legs casually crossed,shaking a Chinese Baoding Ball beside her ear and listening to it chime. “Huh,”she said, examining the ball. “Are these really all that relaxing? I alwayswondered.”

Katya’s breath caught in her throat. “You.”

“Yup,” Sombra said, pushing herself off the desk and doing alittle bow. “Me. Did you miss me? I bet you missed me. I’d miss me, and I betit gets pretty boring around here…”

Sombra had the look of someone who was allergic to ‘boring’.Katya, on the other hand, had come to welcome ‘boring’. It meant peace and stability;those short periods of time where Katya could get a full night’s rest and notworry about Russia or her daughter’s future. She didn’t say as much: as if she’dshare something so private with thiswoman. “What do you want?”

Sombra put the Chinese Baoding Ball back in its nest,theatrically shrugging. “Oh, I don’t know? World peace? A different haircolour? Actually, come to think of it, amiga, I’m pretty hungry right now, youknow it’s a long flight here…” When Katya looked less than impressed, Sombradropped the theatrics. “Actually, I did some research on my brand new friendand found some very, very interesting reading material on her, so I thought I’dcome pay her a visit. You know, see how she is.”

That seemed unlikely. “If you’re here to threaten me again, don’tbother. Just tell me what you want.”

Sombra scoffed. “Geez, you’re not even going to tell me howyou are? You’re not even going to ask how Iam?” She was grinning. “A good friend would ask me how I am.”

That grin gratedKatya. These power games grated her. She didn’t know if part of the wholeblackmail arrangement was that she was expected to play Sombra’s little gamesas well—and if it was, she didn’t know how she was going to manage it. She didthe best she could. “I think you know how I am,” she said clearly. “I think youknow how far back your agents sent our mech program. We’ll be months behind ourdeployment date. And every day we don’t deploy, we lose another farm. Another town.More people to the Omnic extremists.”

Sombra looked unmoved. “Hey, but at least the board willkeep you appointed as CEO, right? ‘Katya Volskaya, Saviour of Russia’? Can’t beSaviour of Russia if Russia doesn’t need to be saved, and no one needs mechsfrom Volskaya Industries if there isn’t a war. You won’t even need to bribeanyone.”

Did she really just— Well, she was right, but—“How dare you. Russia is my home.”

Sombra gave her a tired look. “Spare me the rhetoric, I’veseen all your emails. Talon and me, we did you a big favour.” She took a step towards Katya. “And I’m about to doyou another big favour, too.”

Katya wasn’t sure she wanted to know, so she didn’t ask.

“I know there’s a guy who’s been breathing down your neckabout the program, right? Isn’t he related to the president somehow? Secondcousin? Niece’s friend? I forget the details.” Katya had a feeling Sombra hadn’tforgotten the details at all: she meant the president’s son. “Anyway, word on the street is that he’s after a corporateposition here. Chairman, right? Someone who’d have a lot of power over you. That’s what people are saying.”

Katya didn’t know where this was going, so she opted tolisten. The president’s son and her did notsee eye-to-eye, he was far more militant and Katya was and she knew he was interested in being ‘Saviour ofRussia’ so he could use that reputation to get elected himself, one day. Frankly,it worried her.

“Anyway,” Sombra continued. “Let’s just say I found outabout a little thing he had going on at university. Did you know he was dating anOmnic girl for three whole years? The horror, right? I can’t believe he managedkeep it hidden for so long.” She didn’t sound very horrified.

Katya wasn’t, either. Well, perhaps a little horrified aboutthis woman’s apparent lack of scruples. But—Russiawould be horrified, and that was Sombra’s point. These photos could destroy himjust like the ones Sombra had of her could destroy her. “Is that true?”

Sombra gave her a sideways grin and a big nod, and showedher some photos in the air. “All true, my friend, all true, and all here.” Shetook a memory stick out of her pocket, slipped it into Katya’s breast pocket,and patted the pocket once. “I’m sure they’ll come in handy if you need to usethem one day.”

Katya… wasn’t so sure how to feel. On one hand, she wasdisgusted that Sombra thought that she, Katya, would put someone else in thesame position she herself had been put in. On the other hand… if it was achoice between using the photos in defence of her country, or not using themand letting a megalomaniacal, egotistical maniac take centre stage….

Well, it was a tough choice. She almost wished she’d neverhave to make it. But she knew what she’d decide.

And… on realising that… suddenly, Sombra’s decision toblackmail her became a lot less evil and a lot more… well, she didn’t know whatSombra wanted, did she? Maybe she hadpeople she was protecting? Still, there were unanswered questions—the wholething made her incredibly uneasy. “Why are you doing this?”

Sombra looked blankly at her. “Doing that?”

“Helping me. You could have just used these photos yourselfto do exactly the same thing to him as you are to me.”

That, Sombra laughed at. “You know, I did think of that!”she said candidly. “But you’re way cuter than he is. And you’re definitely lesscrazy than he is, so…” She shrugged. “Easy choice. And besides, Katya—I cancall you that, right? Katya?—we’re friends.”

This whole ‘friends’ thing made her uneasy, too. More games.“My friends don’t usually blackmailme.”

“Not openly,” Sombra told her easily.  She took another step towards her. “But, see,I’m not like your other friends, Katya. I’m waybetter.”

Katya was wholly unconvinced, and she couldn’t shake thatdeep uneasiness. “My real friendswould never—”

“—Pfft. How many peopledo you think are the Saviour of Russia’s friend because they like her as aperson, amiga? Be serious. They’re all about what they can get out of you:believe me, I’ve read all their messages. The only difference with me is that I’mupfront about it: I like you because I can get information out of you,” shesaid easily, without any hesitation at all. Then, she paused, thinking. “Also,you didn’t flinch when I held a gun at you before, either, and that’s sort ofcool, if you ask—”

“Do you have a point?”

“Yeesh,” Sombra said. “I was only trying to say the wholegun-thing was totally badass, that’s all. Anyway, my point from before is that,amiga, you’ve seen what I can do. Now imagine how useful I could be if I was your friend, too. That’s a pretty…shall we say, attractive proposition,right?”

There was something… about that choice of words. There wasalso something about how close she was standing, come to think of it. Sheassumed it was a cultural thing, but—

Sombra was looking directly at her. “I have another attractiveproposition for you, too, Katya.” She let the words hang in the air for amoment. “As I was saying before, I came across some very, very interestinginformation about your time in the army. You had a friend, there, I think? Eva,wasn’t it? I think you were close to her. Very close.”

Katya’s blood ran cold. She knew exactly what Sombra was referring to—even if she’d almost forgottenabout it herself.

“It’s sad you lost touch with this Eva, I guess? But Iunderstand why you don’t talk to her anymore, Katya. After all, Russia doesn’tlook kindly on those sort of… friendships, does it?”

Katya felt sick. This woman was dangerous. “What do you want, Sombra?”

Sombra shrugged. She was always so casual. “Nothing inparticular, amiga, I was just going to say that you and I have a lot more incommon than you may—”

More in common than—was she trying to say that she was alsoa—

Katya sharply turned her head to look directly into Sombra’seyes. Is that what this visit wasabout? More blackmail?! “Are yougoing to blackmail me to sleep with you as well? Is that it?”

Sombra actually looked genuinely surprised, and perhaps evena little insulted. “Are you for real?” she said, as if expecting further blackmailfrom her was ludicrous. “Honestly, what sort of person do you take me for? Iwas just hoping that now we’re being honest with each other, that we could getto know each other a little better, maybe bond over the things we share, but,yeah, anyway….” she said, sliding off the table. “Perhaps it’s best if I justleave you with the photos of the president’s son for now.”

Not trusting Sombra for a single solitary second, Katya’seyes followed her as she calmly and deliberately walked all the way to thedoor. She stood there for a moment, pausing to give Katya a deep, wicked grinover her shoulder. “Besides, amiga,” she said, “I won’t have to blackmail you to sleep with me.Eventually, you’ll be asking for it.”

Still giving Katya the wicked grin, she mouthed ‘adiós’,fanned her fingers in a wave, and then instead of using the door, she vanishedinto thin air.

[thebiggaylion]

Marshmello @ EDC Orlando 2017 (with Gareth Emery and Excision)

It’s April, ya’ll!  There’s no more excuses for cold weather, so could someone tell Mother Nature to knock it off with all the snow for my friends up north?  Music festival season is definitely underway, and us Floridians ain’t trying to rave in no snow (but shout out to those who manage to do it anyway!).  As long as we’re on the topic of northerners, one of my friends was talking to me regarding Marshmello earlier in the week.  I knew that when I got around to posting this segment that it would need to also include Excision, whom he loves.  So, since this same friend was my original inspiration for my first ever #ThrowbackThursday, (which was for Excision), it seems liked that conversation was the perfect sign from the universe on what to post this week!  Before we get into all that, though, I had to split this post, but decided to do it in a slightly different way.  Instead of just doing two parts down the middle, I’ve decided to take the Marshmello stuff and the non-Marshmello stuff and put them each in a post.  We’ll see how it turns out in the end... and while I don’t think I’ve ever explicitly stated this before, feedback has always been and will always be welcome!

YouTube | Facebook | Instagram What a great way to start the set!  No, this wasn’t his opener, but I think his remix of Waiting for Love is a huge improvement over what seemed like a bit of weird pacing of the original, so I just loved hearing it. Avicii - Waiting for Love (Marshmello Remix) https://soundcloud.com/aviciiofficial/waiting-for-love-marshmello Slushii x Marshmello - Twinbow https://soundcloud.com/aviciiofficial/waiting-for-love-marshmello

Find this photo on Instagram | Find this photo on Facebook So those folks who were dancing in front of me in the video above turned around, saw me, and she wanted a picture!  Turns out these Norwegians are actually from Norway, accents and all!  Usually I think of the other large music festival in Florida being the one to attract international visitors, but I suppose Orlando is still the tourism capital of the world, so of course there’s draw for folks to visit here besides EDC Orlando... but it was really cool to meet some legit international headliners!

Find this photo on Instagram | Find this photo on Facebook Of course, getting a pic with only part of the crew is never best, and this year the husband behind The Big Gay Lion could act as a photographer for folks who wanted a pic without the selfie perspective haha.  We actually ran into these folks once more on the way home after Day 1 was over!  I didn’t get any socials from them, but they’re as delightful as they look!

Find this photo on Instagram | Find this photo on Facebook Speaking of delightful (and selfie perspective), here’s another headliner that’s a good example of someone who saw me taking pictures, and decided to get one for themselves haha.  I didn’t get a line on this gal, but I love a headliner that’s all smiles and loves to get in close for a great pic!  And who doesn’t love a flower crown at a music festival?

At this point, the husband of the guy behind The Big Gay Lion wasn’t feeling Marshmello like I thought he would, so we walked around the festival for a little bit.  I was interested in seeing some of the other acts performing at neonGARDEN and circuitGROUNDS during this time slot anyway, so off we went!

YouTube | Facebook | Instagram We’re leaving kineticFIELD along the edge of Rainbow Road, kinda near the merchandise tent, and-... holy crap, would you look at this!  At the time I took this video, I didn’t realize how her altitude and such was controlled (there are two tech guys holding onto the whole thing, leading it around and such), but we’ve never seen anything like this at EDC Orlando’s past.  I decide this shot can turn into a decent atmosphere video, and decide to pan back to kineticFIELD.  You can see the Pulse Portal art installation on the left side of the video, just before I zoom into kineticGAIA).  Once I started paying attention to what I was hearing, I knew for sure I’d love this video... this song is one of my favorites! Ookay - Thief https://soundcloud.com/ookaymusic/thief

YouTube | Facebook | Instagram So we made our way over to neonGARDEN, and saw a dude I’ve always loved not only because of his amazing music, but because of the positive, energetic vibe he brings to his (now concluded) podcast series.  Even though I didn’t stay long, apparently the universe was smiling at me, because... I caught an ID haha.  This one doesn’t seem to be out yet, but both himself and Ashley Wallbridge dropped this for Armin van Buuren’s A State Of Trance 850, and the video link to that show is below, timestamped to it’s appearance in the stream (@48:30). Ashley Wallbridge & Gareth Emery - ID https://youtu.be/4OLfAFkL8EY?t=48m30s Ben Nicky - Cobra https://soundcloud.com/bennicky/ben-nicky-cobra

YouTube | Facebook | Instagram And speaking of amazing luck, I managed to catch this clip during Excision’s set at circuitGROUNDS while his awesome Harambe visuals were up.  The song that followed was fire too, so while I’m certain the entire performance was just as hot as last time, I’d like to think I caught one of the highlights! Excision, Datsik, and Dion Timmer - Harambe https://soundcloud.com/excision/x-harambe Whyel - Revolt https://soundcloud.com/harshrecordslabel/whyel-revolt-1

YouTube | Facebook | Instagram After heading back down Rainbow Road to kineticFIELD, we must have run into some of the folks we knew, for we stopped kinda far back.  Doesn’t bother me, cause that just means I can get the whole of kineticGAIA in my shot!  Also, here’s one of those pop-crossover moments that I love!  Yeah, yeah, Guns N’ Roses would probably die than be called “pop”, but “pop” is slang for “popular”, and if you think Sweet Child O’ Mine wasn’t popular, then you are too young to remember it being on the radio (or simply haven’t listened to a radio station that focuses on the 1980′s since then)!  Also, I think it’s great that Guns N’ Roses has a SoundCloud!  This song is back-linked on their SoundCloud page as being THIRTY-ONE YEARS OLD.  That’s not the oldest song I’ve ever posted about (the winner would likely be when Alison Wonderland dropped Bill Withers in 2016, which at the time was released forty-five years earlier!), but it’s reaching back in time for sure! Guns N' Roses - Sweet Child O' Mine https://soundcloud.com/guns-n-roses-official/sweet-child-o-mine Galantis - Runaway (U & I) https://soundcloud.com/wearegalantis/galantis-runaway-u-i-1 Reece Low - Bounce That Ass https://soundcloud.com/reecelow/reece-low-bounce-that-ass-original-mix-1

YouTube | Facebook | Instagram Here’s yet another pop-crossover moments!  Each song after the next was great, but I had no idea where he was going with his mix when I started recording haha.  Also, Papa Roach has a SoundCloud too?  And here I thought that platform may only get utilized for pop, hip-hop, and dance! Jack Ü feat. Kiesza - Take Ü There https://soundcloud.com/diplo/jack-u-take-u-there-feat-kiesza Knife Party - Boss Mode https://soundcloud.com/knifepartyinc/knife-party-boss-mode Papa Roach - Last Resort https://soundcloud.com/paparoach/last-resort RL Grime feat. Djemba Djemba - Valhalla https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cE_CUiteaM

Download High Res (35.4 MB) | Download Low Res (4 MB) End of the night?  More pyro!  I’ve been doing 15-frame GIF’s since I ran into the 2 megabyte soft limit on Tumblr, but this one I wanted to do with only 14 so I can get close to a perfect loop on that fire haha. At this point, the husband of the guy behind The Big Gay Lion starts getting all impatient, and wants to try to beat the crowd out of the festival.  Yes, I know that’s not possible with EDC Orlando.  No, he didn’t know that.  But after this moment, we walked back to the locker, got our stuff, and headed out.

Find this photo on Instagram | Find this photo on Facebook But before we got to the exit, I saw one of the most amusing totems of the year.  Maybe of all time?  A big ol’ screen shot of Trixie Mattel from her YouTube series with Katya called UNHhhh.  That’s not a typo, the title is just post-verbal.  The show is one of all-time favorites for the guy behind The Big Gay Lion, so he loves this pic!

Find this photo on Instagram | Find this photo on Facebook After exiting Tinker Field (and running into those Norwegian headliners at a crosswalk!), I got back to the car (may it rest in peace), and got the head dress off.  As you can see in this pic I snapped, my head dress wasn’t properly affixed to my noggin for Day 1, and there is almost zero remaining impressions on my forehead.  But, I was definitely messing with it all day, which was quite annoying.  The line of makeup you see missing from my forehead was intentional.  I figured if the head dress didn’t move, then I wouldn’t need to paint everything... man I was wrong, because if you look back at all my Day 1 stuff (which is easily done using my Tumblr Index!), you can see where the makeup stopped just below the headband in almost every one!  Ugh.  I tried to be lazy, and now it’s been immortalized in all my Day 1 pics from 2017 haha.  Don’t worry, as you may have already seen from my Day 2 stuff, I didn’t make the same mistake twice!

So there we go!  Probably one of my most musically diverse posts ever haha.  I did a lot of walking around this year--even moreso than I did in 2016--and while I did enjoy myself, it was hard to get into the groove.  I might have to let the husband of the guy behind The Big Gay Lion hang out with the biggest fan and his group of headliners so I can stick to a show I like and get into the groove properly!  But, that’s for seven months from now... only 218 days left to go, right?  Right!  Oh, and don’t forget there’s two parts to this post if you so desire to have this content split logically.  Love ya’ll, see ya next time! 🏳️‍🌈🦁❤

Links out for Harambe! Facebook | Tumblr (Index) | YouTube | Instagram | Twitter | Web

[artificialqueens]

Dance with the Devil, Chapter Two - Sunny

Hi! I’m back again with a new chapter! 

In this chapter we’ll see Adore waking up late and being thankful for Courtney before joining an interrogation. Aja and Katya are going to Louis’ Pizza, and, spoiler, they don’t eat pizza. 

I hope you enjoy! Please tell me what you think! <3

Adore realized she was a little late that day. It had been a rough morning for her. She slept through her alarm, and probably wouldn’t have woken up if it weren’t for Courtney. The girl had woken her up, saying that they were supposed to leave in a few minutes. Adore looked like a mess, but her hair was combed thanks to Courtney and her teeth were brushed. Courtney reminded her that she could do her makeup in the bathrooms later.

So Adore didn’t have to drive fast to bring Courtney to her job. She didn’t have to drive fast to get to her own job. But she still was late. The bathroom lighting turned out to be crappy, and Adore didn’t want to leave looking like a bigger mess than she felt.

“You’re late,” Bianca said, crossing her arms. Adore gave her an apologetic smile and carefully pushed her bag further over her shoulder.

“I’m sorry, I brought coffee,” She figured that the two minutes it took to get the coffee wouldn’t matter anymore.

Bianca tried to hide her small smile, but Adore saw it. She always did. Perhaps she was just so charming, because Bianca tended to be a little angry, but not with her. “Don’t be late again.” Adore promised not to be late again, knowing it would happen again next week. However, she told herself to not let that happen again. But then again, she had been telling herself that for years.

Adore sat down behind her desk, starting her computer. She liked her work, even though she rarely had anything to do. Maybe that was because people tended to underestimate her and her abilities. She liked to think she was a good cop, no matter what people tried to tell her.

“Adore,” Adore stopped typing, looking up at Shangela. “Can you join me for interrogation?” Adore jumped up, smiling.

“Of course,” She was happy, it had been a while since she had actually done an interrogation. “But why? Dela isn’t available?”

Even though there were no official partners at the precinct, Shangela and Dela usually worked together. Adore understood why, they were a great team, capable of solving crimes they shouldn’t be solving, but sometimes, it rubbed her, or someone else, the wrong way. They weren’t necessarily better than her.

“She is,” Shangela started walking to the small interrogation room. “She’ll be behind glass, listening with us.” Adore was still confused why Shangela asked her, though. “Don’t look so stressed, you’re a good cop.”

Adore smiled at Shangela’s words, following her as Shangela told her anything Adore hadn’t read in his file. Adore tried to remember everything, hoping her basic skills could get some answers out of the guy. Shangela opened the door to the interrogation room, looking intimidating for someone that small. The man that was sitting behind the table was short, and Adore could tell he had used drugs in the last 48 hours. He had been there since the day before. This was Mark Jackson.

Shangela sat down and Adore did the same. Neither one of them spoke, and Jackson just raised an eyebrow as he looked at them. Shangela carefully opened her file, even though she knew every word by heart.

“Well, Mark Jackson,” She didn’t make eye contact yet. “That’s quite the file.”

“A file full of lies, yes.” Adore tried to not put her judgy face on. He should know that was never going to work.

“Okay, so you know nothing about the South-West drugline?” Jackson scoffed.

“Even if I do, which isn’t the case, and even if I told you, which I wouldn’t,” Jackson leaned back in the chair. “You can maybe arrest two guys. You’ll never catch the whole line.”

“I wouldn’t underestimate us, Jackson.” Adore put in her two cents. “We don’t need you, but you need us.”

“Oh yeah? Why’s that?”

“A plea deal.” Shangela finished.

“Yeah,” Adore nodded her head, smiling slightly. “If you have useful information and are willing to actually help us catch at least some of the people involved, we can get you a deal. A deal you’ll probably like.”

Jackson leaned forwards again, he looked interested. “Okay, so what’re we talking about?”

“A few years less prison, no prison. Depends on the information you can give us.”

Shangela closed the file again,looking at the man in front of them. He seemed to be considering it.

“Okay, think about it,” Adore said, pushing her chair back.

“It’s not like you’re going anywhere.” Shangela smirked at Mark Jackson, following Adore’s lead. “Have a nice day, Jackson.”

They walked to the door, knowing that chances were Jackson was going to go for the plea deal later.

Shangela closed the door behind her, pumping her fist in the air. “Whooh!” She held her hand up for Adore to high five. “We have this one in the bag.”

“I sure hope so,” Adore grinned, giving Shangela the high five. “Do you think it’s true? That the South-West drugline already is so big we can’t catch them all?”

“No,” Shangela shook her head. “He was bluffing. Sources confirm the drugline has only been there for three months, and our most recent catches have only been working there for a short amount of time. They’re not organized enough.”

Thoughtfully, Adore nodded. “I’m sure you’re right,” She smiled, hoping to say something else, but Dela jumped from around the corner.

“You did it! He’s going to go for the plea deal! You’re amazing!” She hugged Shangela and Adore both with one arm, grinning like crazy. Adore laughed, hugging her back as good as she could.

Adore often thought it was a shame she wasn’t really close with anyone at work. Sure, she sometimes talked to Aja,  who seemed amazing, and Blair was always nice, but she didn’t have anyone who was like Dela was to Shangela. But then again, that might be hard to find.

“Dela, we should finish our paperwork so we can actually have a free day tomorrow,” Shangela pushed her away, smiling just a little bit brighter. “Thanks again, Adore. I’ll call you if he agrees to help, okay?” Adore nodded, pushing her hair back over her shoulder.

“Sure, see you later.” And so Adore went back to her desk, typing a little on the computer for god knows what, waiting until it was her time to do rounds, feeling just a bit better about herself.

***

Aja pulled her black hair back into a ponytail before she took her gun and went outside, where Katya had told her she’d wait. Katya was already there, smoking. When she saw Aja, she smiled, pushing her cigarette out against the wall, throwing it in the trash can next to the door and lifting her orange backpack up again.

“Glad you made it,”

“I’m not late,” Aja scoffed. They hadn’t even said a time, she just had to guess when Katya would be ready.

“I didn’t say you were late,” Katya shrugged, handing Aja keys. “You can drive, if you want.”

Aja took the keys, stepping into the car that was prepared for them. No one really had a car that was theirs; whoever needed one were handed keys. Everyone was expected to leave the car clean.

“You’re awfully quiet,” Katya said, playing with a small toy mushroom. “Don’t you like talking? I don’t know you very well.”

“I love talking,” Aja said, focussing on the road, rather than Katya. “I’m just not in the mood.” She wasn’t the biggest Katya fan, even though everyone seemed to love her. Sitting at the desk before her wasn’t the best to build a friendship.

Katya chuckled, putting her mushroom away again. “No need to be moody, Aja. Tell me something about yourself.” Katya certainly wasn’t going to give up.

“I’m Aja and I don’t want to talk to you right now.” It wasn’t that Katya wasn’t nice, it was just that Katya was… Weird.  And loud, which was annoying when everything was quiet. And slightly bossy.

“Rude,” Katya didn’t seem to actually think it was that rude. She sounded like this was a joke. “I like talking about myself and you don’t know me. So,” She turned her body a little to Aja. “I’m from Russia. I’m getting old. I like coffee and I shower with cold water only.”

Aja couldn’t help but slightly smile.

Katya gasped. “I saw that!” She laughed, shaking her head. “You can try to deny it, but my eyesight is very good.” Katya shifted in her chair, grinning a little, still. “We’re here, by the way.” Aja drove on to the parking area and stepped out of the car.

“So,” Aja fixed her jacket a little. “Purple wall?” She remembered that’s what Katya had said.

“Purple wall is actually a code name. It was used a few times when I started working here. It was a place where people left drugs for others to pick up. It was at a purple wall, first. But they had to move it because, well, they were out and exposed.”

Aja frowned, looking at Louis’ Pizza. “Okay, but what does that have to do with this case?”

“I don’t think we’re looking for a drug gang, this is might be another purple wall, just morde organized. Some employe probably keeps the drugs and around closing or opening time, they hand it out. It’s really easy to do.”

“You basically solved the case already, why did I have to come?”

“You’re convincing. Strong. We still have to get them to confess. We should eat pizza first, though.” Katya opened the door for Aja, letting her in first. Aja might not be a fan of being ordered around, but she was amazed by how fast Katya had connected those dots. Katya was a great detective, Aja wondered why she was still at the precinct and not at murder investigation or drug unit, even.

They chose a small booth next to the window, browsing the menu. Aja didn’t want to ask Katya anything, but the purple wall was really interesting. Besides, it was for the case.

“So why purple wall?” Katya raised an eyebrow at her. “I mean why did they call it purple wall.”

“Oh,” Katya chuckled, looking back at the menu. “Because the first place was behind a purple wall. It was broken down eventually, but they dropped off drugs and money there for about 15 months. It was just in sight, but they were good. The police only caught three people. So they kept it more secret, moving every few months.”

“If we find the one who organizes it in here, what happens?”

“The system will collapse and they’ll find another spot.”

“So why’re we doing this?” Pizza was the last thing on Aja’s mind right now. “It makes no sense. We can’t catch them all.”

Katya had a patient smile on her face, one that reminded Aja of a teacher. “That’s why we have to do it in secret. Make sure no one knows we arrested the guy and just place a few cops in here to finish it off. We won’t catch them all, but they’ll be vulnerable after this place is no longer available for them.”

That made sense. So Aja nodded. “Sounds like a logical thing,” She looked back at the menu. “And the ones that escape?”

“We’ll catch them later,” Katya shrugged, not seeming to have a worry in the whole world. “Don’t worry about it.” She found it hard to imagine Katya wasn’t worried about it.

“Hello, can I take your order?” A young boy smiled at them, notepad in hand. Even though Aja had been looking at her menu for a good couple of minutes, she ended up ordering what she always did; four cheese pizza.

Katya stumbled over her words a little bit before ordering a pepperoni pizza.

“Coming right up!” The boy smiled, turning around and walking away at top speed. When Aja looked back at Katya, she was looking at a woman in a hoodie, who looked like a heavy smoker. She was looking a little bit suspicious.

“You think she’s part of ‘purple wall’?” Purple wall felt weird to say, since there were no purple walls in the building.

“Maybe. She’s probably new, then. An addict, that’s for sure.” Aja wondered if she’d know this kinda stuff after years of working at the precinct.

“Great, let’s go and talk to her!” Katya focussed back on Aja, looking at her with a blank face before laughing. “What?”

“You can’t be serious,” She breathed out in between laughs. “That’ll blow or whole mission. You can’t ask someone if they’re here for drugs.”

“What’s your plan, then?” Aja crossed her arms, huffing. It was a great plan. The woman was new, anyway.

“We ask an addict to talk to her.”

“That’s your plan? Great, I’m so happy I joined you today.” Aja rolled her eyes. Her idea was better.

“Oh, cut the sass, Aja.” Katya chuckled, rolling her eyes. She took a sip from her water.t “Let’s just find her.”

“Her?” Katya was already getting up.

“We have contacts on the street.”

And so they left, without pizza. Aja knew they had to be quick, because the woman wasn’t going to stay longer then she needed to. Katya seemed to have time, strolling through streets at a pace that made Aja anxious but Katya seemed to feel comfortable.

“Can’t you walk any faster?” Katya only chuckled, playfully rolling her eyes.

After just a few minutes, Katya stopped by a building. “I’m not going to ask you to stay outside, but just know it’s pretty intense inside.” Aja nodded and Katya knocked on the door.

No one opened, which wasn’t a surprise when you looked at how the outside of the apartment looked. Katya opened the door after a moment of silence. It wasn’t even locked.

Aja hadn’t been doing this job for a long time, and this was the first time she actually had to break in somewhere. She was excited, but more importantly ready. Her hand was resting on her gun, while Katya still looked relaxed.

The smell that welcomed them was intense; it smelled as if people had died in here and other people had barfed on them before protecting their nose with dirty diapers.

“God,” Aja gasped. Katya only chuckled.

“Intense, right?” Katya didn’t step on any of the piles of whatever that seemed to lay everywhere, and Aja decided it was smart to do the same. She wondered how Katya knew her way through this house. Katya moved to a large door, which she opened. Behind the door was a staircase that looked everything but safe.

“Are we really going up there?”

Katya grinned, nodding. “I’ve been here before, it’s safe, don’t worry.” And so, Katya went  first. The stairs made a lot of noise, which didn’t feel safe at all, especially since they were breaking in.

When they got upstairs, there was just one big room filled with blankets, mattresses and one big window. The window was broken, but the glass seemed to be cleaned up, which comforted Aja, for some reason.

It wasn’t until Katya started moving forwards that Aja noticed that under a lot of the blankets were actual people. They were fast asleep, not even moving when the two women moved over the squeaky floors. It was disturbing to say at least.

Katya stopped before what seemed to be a random pile of laundry and lightly tapped it with her foot. “Izzy, wake up.”

[artificialqueens]

Ma'am, Please Don't Touch The Art (Sashea - The Wolf)

It’s been a few weeks since LA and Sasha can’t help fiddling with her phone. Out of the corner of her eye, she thinks she sees Vigor shake his head disapprovingly but she chooses to ignore it.

Two texts today and still no reply. Sasha knows a third would just look desperate so she puts down her phone. “Vigor, lace me up please?” Her assistant does so without comment. That’s how Sasha knows that Vigor knows that she’s got it bad.

-

In a strange twist of fate, Sasha’s in Chicago but most of the city’s more famous residents are traveling elsewhere. But Trannika is here, as always, and she’s quick to cheer up the Brooklyn artist. It’s easy to forget about your problems when watching the drunk host of the show crack jokes and slam back more Fireball.

Even still, Sasha can’t help take a video of Trannika’s funny antics and send it off with the caption, “Wish you were here to see this.”

-

Back in Brooklyn, things almost go back to normal. Aja’s invited her to go shopping with friends, the famous and fabulous designer Bcalla and none other than season seven winner Violet Chachki. Sasha’s only met those two in passing before and she’s only a tiny bit nervous as she agrees.

Sasha finds herself the last to arrive at the artsy coffee shop and is surprised to see Katya Zamolodchikova seated with their friends. Sasha hadn’t heard of her doing a gig in the area, but nevertheless, the zany blond fits right in with the small crowd of Brooklynites.

Katya greets Sasha in Russian, much to the latter’s amusement. Katya is every bit as lovable and crazy in real life but Sasha can’t help but notice how the supposed bitch of season seven is all smiles and laughter as she looks almost exclusively at the energetic blond.

Violet’s roommate and Aja trade conspiratorial looks and Sasha can’t help but get the sense that there was something going on between the two season seven queens, a notion cemented by the teasing Aja and the designer throw at the pair as they all go shopping. Sasha imagines she’d receive similar treatment if things ever happened the way she hoped.

Sasha sifts through the racks until she discovers a stunning orange dress. It would look out of place on herself, but she knew exactly who it would suit. She snaps a picture and sends it off with a text reading, “Too bad you’re not here thrift shopping with us. You’d look so gorgeous in this.”

A reply doesn’t come. Not for three days at least. Sasha tries to be happy she got a response this time.

-

It’s a rainy day in Brooklyn and Sasha decides it’s a perfect day to stay in bed with Vanya. But even cuddles with her Italian greyhound can’t keep her mind off the person she’s missing. Even Vanya’s eyes seem to say, ‘You need to get yourself a boyfriend.’

So Sasha snaps a picture of Vanya laying against her bare chest and posts it to social media with the caption, “Wish there was someone to cuddle here with us.” Lots of replies and offers, but not from the one person she wants. Sasha sighs but doesn’t stop refreshing her phone.

-

It’s good to see Trinity again. The pageant queen who can do so much more looks particularly happy tonight, even her silicone unable to mask the fun she’s having. She’s had a few shots in a row following a successful show and Sasha can hear her laughter throughout the club.

Trinity beckons her over and Sasha joins her sister on the faux leather couch. “She misses you, know you. Told me to tell you that when I saw you tonight.”

Sasha struggles to keep the smile on her face. If that were the case, why did so many of Sasha’s messages to her go unanswered for days, if at all? But Sasha hears herself saying, “Yeah I miss her too. But I know she’s too busy for me.”

Trinity takes Sasha’s head in hand. “Now you listen to me. She’s busy, that’s for damn sure, but not too busy for you. Don’t get into your big ole brainy bald head about that. She misses you and that’s a fact.”

Encouraged by Trinity’s words, Sasha sends off another text. But even Trinity can’t find anything encouraging to say when no reply is forthcoming. Sasha sinks into the couch and doesn’t even try to hide her disappointment.

-

Sasha is woken up by her phone. Her Twitter is blowing up and she tries to find out why. She’s been tagged in a post by her friend eating broccoli in an airport somewhere with the caption, ’@sashavelour it’s not the same without you" and Sasha’s heart soars. Of course the fans are going wild but she couldn’t care less about them right now.

Despite the excitement, Sasha’s got a gallery show to attend and it’s her works that are being showcased so she’s got to look her best. She kisses Vanya’s head and gets up to get ready, suddenly more excited for her day.

The gallery exhibition goes well and Sasha has been too busy to check her phone. There’s a million notifications but all Sasha sees are the texts. There’s three.

The first reads: “I loved your exhibit. Especially the pieces that look like me.”

Sasha’s eyes dart around. Surely she would have seen her if she’d been here.

The next reads simply, “I missed you.”

Sasha’s heart beats faster. Had she been here and not bothered to say hi?

The last text reads, “Go outside. There’s a coffeeshop. I have a surprise for you.”

After that, Sasha can’t be bothered with goodbyes. She gathers her things quickly and half walks, half sprints to the coffeeshop across the street. Vaguely she registers that it’s the same one she’d met Aja, Bcalla, Violet and Katya in not so long ago. She pushes open the door and spies Shea seated at a table, fidgeting with her phone, a long finished cup of coffee in front of her. Her eyes dart to the door and suddenly nothing else matters.

Within a second, they’re meeting halfway through the room, their lips meeting all the way as they don’t even think. Sasha’s just feeling, which for an intellectual like herself is a rare occurrence, but kissing Shea in front of the whole coffeeshop just feels so right. They never talked about it, but Shea’s lips are on hers and her lips are on Shea’s and nothing else matters in the world right now.

Shea tastes like coffee and chocolate and Sasha can’t help but laugh. Surely she’s dreaming this, she didn’t just kiss Shea Coulée in a coffeeshop full of people in Brooklyn. But Shea is cupping Sasha’s face as they both grin at each other like idiots and suddenly Sasha knows, this is real. She doesn’t have to pretend. Shea’s here with her.

“How did you-” Sasha begins but Shea cuts her off.

“Vigor told me. I’m sorry I’ve been so busy with the touring and everything. I wanted to surprise you, boo. They told me not to touch the art at your show. They must’ve known I would have touched you the second I saw you so I decided to wait for you here.”

Sasha chuckles. “You suck at answering messages.”

Shea smiles ruefully. “I know. But I’ll make it up to you.”

Shea picks up Sasha’s bag where she dropped it in her haste to reunite with Shea and slings it over her shoulder. She hold out her hand and Sasha takes it and leads the way out of the coffeeshop.

The next morning they wake with Vanya curled between them and the smile Shea gives her makes it all worth it. Sasha could just get lost in Shea’s smile and in the feel of her arms around her. This was all Sasha had ever wanted.

[artificialqueens]

Courtney’s Infinite Search for Love Ch. 8 (Witney) - Grinder

AN: So I took a break from writing (kinda) to focus on my University work or I’d fail majorly. But that’s all over for now so here’s the next chapter of Courtney’s story. This chapter is quite filler-ish not gonna lie so forgive me. But also I wanna thank those for the feedback on the draft chapter of Justifying the American Dream as I am super super excited to write it! You’re all so lovely.

~Grinder

“So, hopefully you bitches have brought feedback and ideas to the table this time.” Bianca questions, slamming her palm down on the table waking us up more.

I would groan at the collision of her hand on the table but I’m already trying to keep a bright smile with my hand in Alyssa’s under the table. We know everyone’s aware of it, but there’s nothing like a bit of discretion.

Dela and Bianca have brought the whole team of Tune.105 to discuss the station’s content as they do every fortnight. The whole team including Willam. And this time I’m not cursing her existence (well maybe with my inner voice I am). Instead I’m just showing off as I pretend to be secretive of my new relationship.

Alyssa and I have been dating for nearly a week now. In the beginning, I was really just looking for a one-night stand. But she had thanked me for a “wonderful” time and requested to see me more. To me, Alyssa is really naive when it comes to love. Kind of like one of those girls who when someone shows them one ounce of affection they’re expecting a wedding the next day. But she is sweet and kind hearted. And as I drunkenly crawled onto the bed next to her I thought of Willam’s jealous reaction. So I accepted Alyssa’s request to see each other more.

I’ve practically spent a whole week with Alyssa, fucking nearly every night. Does it get tiring? Well yeah, but it is so worth it, especially when I get to show off. Yesterday we were nearly caught out making out in the coffee room as Willam had walked in moments after we had finished up. Yeah, she missed everything but she hadn’t missed the sight of our lipstick smudged around our mouths. Then there was my favourite moment. I had this huge hicky on my neck and by huge I mean it was fucking massive and I needed Willam to see it.

Alyssa had been sent up to the station with free cupcakes during Willam’s 80’s show. Trixie and Katya hadn’t left since finishing their show so they were there too. Seeing this as an opportunity, I decided to give them out instead. I passed one to Willam (trying my best to keep a cheery smile and not a murderous one). Then I passed one to Katya. Then, pulling my hair over one shoulder, I leaned over to pass the last to Trixie, exposing the huge bruise like mark on my neck. I didn’t give Willam a second look which I regret now. But I would imagine she stared wide eyed.

That situation has been my favourite so far. I know it doesn’t sound like much but today is another day after all.

“I’m happy to say that I do have an idea!” Alyssa exclaims with excitement. “More guest stars.”

There’s a pregnant pause before Dela replies, “We have enough guests. We’ve had politicians coming in and out for the politics show for the last few weeks.”

“Yeah, but famous people, girl.” Alyssa elaborates.

“Well, if you can get Beyoncé in here, come back to me then, ‘girl’.” Bianca replies, her tone thick with sarcasm.

Alyssa looks slightly defeated, sighing and leaning back in her chair. Poor Alyssa. She really does try.

“To be honest, I like that idea.” I state causing heads to turn. “Who said anything about celebrities? You know we do quite a lot of music shows here yet we’ve never had live sessions from local talent. And besides, I know it is Election season and we’re all slowly getting stressed out so it would be good to put out something different. And not to mention, it could broaden our listenership.”

There’s another moment of silence as the team takes the suggestion into consideration. Fuck, is this awkward or are they actually listening?

“I can’t believe it. Of all the years I’ve run this station…” Dela starts “…I’ve never thought to have local talent guest star in shows.”

“I guess we should get on with finding talent then.” Roxxxy speaks up, looking to her team, Alaska and Matthew.

“Yes. I would appreciate it if you and the rest of the entertainment team could find someone have them in here by the end of the week!” Dela states, writing a few words on her notepad. “Get back to me when you find someone.”

I look to Alaska and her team, smiling as Alaska winks at me. Then I turn my smile to Alyssa who looks happier than ever. I squeeze her hand under the table as she strokes her thumb over the back of my hand. Talk about team work!

-_-_-_-

“Do you think this would look good on me, baby?” Alyssa asks, holding a black dress against her as she pulls faces in the mirror. She doesn’t realize it but she’s kind of blocking the way of other customers.

“Yeah, it’ll look great on you!” I tell her, trying to sound as enthusiastic as I can. I move in order to make room for a pissed off looking Granny. I roll my eyes as I hear the old woman mutter under her breath something about ‘hoes’.

Alyssa sighs quite loudly, turning to face me. “What would I do without you?”

I don’t get a chance to say ‘you’re welcome’ as she gives me a quick peck on the lips. I hear some boys nearby snicker and say shit like ‘Look! Lesbians!’ Why are boys so fascinated with lesbians anyway. I get that girls are majestic but Christ! Down boys!

“I might try this on actually.” Alyssa contemplates turning to look at her reflection again.

“Go for it then.” I reply, but she’s too engrossed in her reflection, pulling faces and tongue popping to herself. People are looking again which causes a bright red blush to burn my cheeks. “So are you gonna go try that on or…”

“What was that?” Alyssa mutters, still fascinated by herself image.

“Never mind.” I say, shaking my head.

-_-_-_-

“So we got either Purge: Election Year or the new Ghostbusters.” Alyssa informs me, turning away from her TV. “Which one would you prefer?”

“I don’t mind.” I reply, munching on a dorito.

“Actually I’ve been really wanting to watch something Disney recently. It’s been a long time. Oh my Gosh, I make it sound like I’m ancient, girl.” Alyssa pauses to laugh. “I’m feeling Beauty and the Beast.”

“Sounds great.” I reply.

And it was great. Thank God Alyssa doesn’t have neighbors because we would have had many noise complaints with all the loud and obnoxious singing. It was great.

Up until a certain scene.

“This is bullshit.” I blurt out as Belle fan girls over her new library. Shit.

Alyssa, who’s laying with her arms around me with her head on my chest, looks up to me with a confused look. “What?”

“Sorry, it’s just reminding me of someone.” I say, brushing it off.

Alyssa’s face falls slightly and she twists a lock of my hair around her finger. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“No, I’ll be fine.”

“Are you sure?”

A bottle of wine later, I’m just staring at the ceiling while Alyssa sits on the other end of the couch listening.

“…and then she built this big fort thing for us to chill out in. No one has ever done something like that for me. It made me feel I was worth all of the effort, you know? And weeks after, she stabbed me in the back. Literally. She took a long pointy knife and stabbed me right in my back with it.”

“Literally??” Alyssa questions, her eyes slightly widening.

“No. I wouldn’t even be here. What’s wrong with you?” I reply, taking a sip from the wine bottle. “We both went to this festival where she decided my attention wasn’t as valuable as the attention of some random guy.”

Alyssa’s eyes are wide again. “She didn’t cheat on you, did she?”

“She did! She was hoisted up on some van while he fucked the shit out of her. I saw it with my own eyes. And I haven’t been able to erase the image from my head since.” I pause again as my voice cracks. I don’t want to cry. There’s no way I’m crying over Willam. “And she had the audacity to try and act like nothing happened after. She only said that we weren’t right for each other and that we should see other people. So, here we are…”

Having one more sip of the wine, I look to Alyssa who’s eyes shift away from me and to the bottle in her hand as if she’s really thinking about what I’ve just said.

“…So…” she pauses, “Am I ‘other people’?”

Realizing my mistake, I put my bottle on the table, sit up and shuffle near her. “No. Of course not. You mean a lot to me, Alyssa.”

“I do?” She murmurs giving me puppy eyes.

“Yeah!” I exclaim. She’s silent. “I think…you’re really attractive. And you’re funny. And you have a good heart.” I pause contemplating on whether or not I should continue. With each thing I say I just feel guilt. Or is it just the misery that I’m feeling in the moment? “…And I know you’re gonna go far.”

Alyssa stifles out another laugh, rolling her eyes. “Girl, I may have the looks and personality but I’m dumb as fuck. I ain’t going nowhere.”

“You are not! I promise you, you can do anything you put your mind to.” I beam at her. I’m not going to lie but hearing Alyssa say these things is only making it worse.

She stifles a laugh as her eyes meet mine again. “You think?”

I caress her cheek with my hand before I answer, feeling a pang of guilt hit my heart. “I know. Besides, you’ve got class. Willam’s just messy. She has nothing on you.”

“Baby, stop.” She whines playfully slapping me on the shoulder as I lean forward and plant my lips on hers, trying to kiss away any thoughts of Willam and every good memory of her. Who needs the bitch anyway? That tiring…slutty…obnoxious…childish…trashy…restless…messy…careless…care free…spunky…free-spirited…bright…charismatic Willam.