#Like I couldn't choose screenshots every moment was a highlight

[cozyfaee]

I can't with him I'm so done he's too cute and I'm too weak he was adorable this whole event

[goldenrulemotherfucker]

My NYCC experience!!

Ok finally time to ramble about getting to meet Ella and Walton last Friday!!!! This was my first time at NYCC and it was cool/huge/exhausting, and ofc the two of them were the major highlight. Long post (plus pics) under the cut!

Ahead of the con, I made shirts to wear in each of my photo ops, and I love how they turned out! My first photo op was with Walton, and he showed up with sunglasses on and waved at the line before we started going in. I don't need to tell you this, but he was being super lovely to every single fan, ofc. When it was my turn, he gave me his standard warm greeting, then noticed my shirt and said "Oh, Radiation KING! I like that!" I said "Thank you!" After the picture, he looked at me again and said, "Thank you, darlin'" and I responded "Thank you so much!!" He radiates charisma, just as much as you'd expect.

Next up was the Ella photo, and she didn't seem to notice my shirt. She said "Hi, how are you?" and I think I said "I'm good, how are you??" before quickly asking "Can we do a thumbs up?" She said "Of course!" (And then they snapped the picture wayyyy too fast, so I'm clearly half-blinking in it but was told it didn't "count" as a blink because my eyes are visible! Sighhh.) We both said "thank you so much" in near unison afterward. I love that she wore a yellow sweater, since it makes Fallout colors with the blue background!!

(Please don't reupload! Also tweeted here.)

After the photo ops, I was finally able to head to Ella's autograph line, which was really chaotic with a bunch of people waiting to be allowed to get in line (likely because she was originally supposed to be signing Thurs/Fri but changed to just Friday). When I was able to join the official line at long last, it took about two hours to get to her table (could have been much worse ofc). I was afraid they'd be rushing us through, but everything was lovely! I was able to get my auto personalized, choose my marker color, and give her the Fallout bracelets I made for her. She looked up when I mentioned them and said, "Oh my gosh, you're so sweet!" Then when she took the bag, she said "Oh these are beautiful, I really love the colors of that one! That's so pretty!" I couldn't tell which bracelet she was pointing to and decided in the moment that it didn't really matter. I just said, "I'm glad you like it! Thank you so much!" I'm really glad I had a gift for her so that I didn't freeze up and not say anything!!

(I had that screenshot printed myself because it HAD to be my fav scene, okay!!!!)

In other Fallout-related experiences, I made a bunch more bracelets to share and only handed out a fraction of them. I thought they'd be a cool icebreaker, and they sometimes were (like when I talked to some cool ladies ahead of me in Walton's photo op line), but I also got some mixed/confused reactions. I guess giving away free stuff to other fans isn't the normal con vibe?? But I'm here to be the change I want to see in the world, because fandom bracelets SHOULD be a thing! Concerts don't get to have a monopoly on this. In the artist alley, I also bought a Fallout fanart print and had a great convo with the artist, who explained that he knew someone who worked on S1 and basically info-dumped at me (in a good way!) about the rushed production schedule. He said it sounds like S2 is going to be better for everyone schedule-wise, so I was glad to hear that!!

By the time I left the con, I felt like my legs were going to fall off after a long day of walking and standing. Let's just say I've been humbled about what kind of shape I'm in. More than anything else in the world, I wanted to sit in a chair. I was actively fantasizing about it. I decided that I was going to hobble back to my hotel and drop off my stuff + change clothes to something less nerdy before dinner....unless I spotted an appealing restaurant first. And that is how I found myself at an Italian place on a corner not far from the Javitz, with all my con shit still in tow. They didn't have a table for one right away, so I was directed to wait at the bar. There were a few other people waiting there, too, and one of them had a Fallout box. I asked her what she got (she didn't know; it was a mystery box), and we chatted about the show a little. Long story short, I gave her the last bracelet of the night and ended up having dinner with her and her two cool friends (it was easier for the owner to sit us at a four-top anyway), which was so random but very fun and so classic NYC. And also refreshing after two solo dinners the nights before!! We talked more about Fallout during the meal, and at one point she said "you're making me want to rewatch now!" so 10/10 on that convo and restaurant choice.