#i wondered if the uk just having tables with chairs around them feels as foreign

[pippastrelle]

Tag your country x

[artificialqueens]

(Love)Sick Overseas (Phianca) - Albatross

AN: Phi Phi is feeling a bit under the weather but determined not to let it ruin her vacation. And who should she happen to run into on her way back from picking up cold medicine but Bianca Del Rio?

Just a short, fluffy little Phianca sickfic. And yes, I do think they’d be cute together and no, @VeronicaSanders, there will be no Bitney sequel. No Bitney, ever.

Getting sick in the middle of his trip to the UK had certainly not been part of Jaremi’s plan. No, he had been looking forward to this excursion for months and he’d be damned if something like the sniffles was going to stop him. At first it wasn’t even anything too serious; just a sneeze every now and then or a runny nose in the morning. But by the fourth day it was clear the symptoms were not going away…if anything they were getting worse.

But Jaremi was stubborn, if nothing else.

A bit of cold medicine until it all passed and he’d be fine…at least, that’s what he told himself.

Now here he was, returning from his second trip to pick up some OTC cold remedy and his nose was already protesting mightily. Even his throat was starting to feel scratchy but Jaremi was determined to continue his vacation plans uninterrupted. So what if his head was a little foggy or he was slightly unsteady on his feet every now and then?

Drinking had the same effect so all was good to his mind.

With enough effort he could remember his way around the city and all the places he wanted to visit and that was fine with him. Once he returned to the hotel with this last batch of cold medicine, he’d be off for a bit of shopping around town. Who knows? He might just find some new inspiration for his drag looks while he’s out there. That’d certainly be a plus.

As he was pondering over which stores he wanted to stop at first, a vibration from his pocket captured his attention. Curiously, he pulled the phone from his cargo shorts and felt his heart jolt a little as he recognized the name flashing across the screen. No other than ‘Roy/Bianca’ along with a small icon showing a fully beat and smiling face of the queen in question.

Somewhat amused and certainly wondering as to what his long-time friend could possibly need, Jaremi answered the phone on the fourth ring with a pleasant, “Hello?”

“Turn around, bitch,” came the joking voice on the other end.

Almost painfully, Jaremi instantly twisted himself around at Roy’s insistence and found the older queen speedwalking to meet him. The sharp turn caused his head to spin a little more than it ought have but Jaremi pushed the feeling aside as he greeted his close friend with a bright grin. Before he could even ask what Roy was doing here, he felt a light and friendly rap to his arm as the older queen bitched him out, “I was calling your name for the last two minutes. Looked like a fucking idiot with you ignoring me! You got earbuds in or something, bitch?”

Scratching the back of his head in embarrassment, Jaremi admittedly vaguely that he had just been lost inside his own thoughts for the last block or so. Rolling his eyes, Roy accepted the answer and asked what Jaremi was doing all the way out here.

“Vacation. Sightseeing,” the younger queen replied. “Just relaxing for once. What about you? Got another show out here or something?”

He knew that answer was unlikely. Not that he stalked Bianca’s tour schedule by any means, but he often made sure he was at least up to date on known shows and as of two days ago he was sure Roy was still tucked away somewhere in the US doing god-knows-what for his next tour. So it came as little surprise when Roy replied with a shrug of his shoulders, “No, just on vacation, too, I guess. If you could call it that. Courtney has some event next week and asked for my help. Figured I’d make a real trip out of it in the meantime. Relax too, you know?”

Nodding in perfect understanding, Jaremi knew all too well what Roy meant. After all, he was one of the hardest working queens in the business. He hardly ever took time off for himself. Even when he wasn’t touring, he always had his hand in something whether it was for a future project or just to help another performer. It was admirable but often Jaremi wondered if Roy would eventually burn out going on like this. It wasn’t his business but he did worry from time to time. More than he’d ever admit verbally to anyone. 

Even now Roy seemed a bit anxious just to be doing something and seeing Jaremi must have felt like a godsend as he immediately proposed that the two head out for lunch and catch up. Jaremi could see that he was itching to talk about something of substance and didn’t have the heart to say ‘no’ or even to delay until later in the day. So he simply followed Roy in a state of reluctant obedience as he eagerly led them off down the street to a cafe he’d spotted the day he arrived. Roy had already been on his way there when he found Jaremi so it almost felt like a sign from the universe to invite the younger queen…if Roy believed in that sort of thing.

Though their styles of drag were quite a bit different, especially with Phi Phi lending herself more to cosplay as of late, there were still a number of similarities the two had bonded over. Whether it was creating new and unique looks, comparing tips on how to overcome certain costume design challenges, or just an easygoing kiki with one another as they gossiped over whatever drama had recently been stirred up in their drag centered universe. There was never a lack of topics to discuss, though today Jaremi seemed a bit out of it.

Normally he had a sharp wit, far more than what he’d normally dare say around most other queens, yet this afternoon he wasn’t nearly as quick with the shady remarks. Instead he let Roy dominate the conversation almost entirely rather their typical back and forth. Despite how much Jaremi had tried to hide it, he could feel his mind growing increasingly cloudy as their meal went on. He wished at the very least he had taken some of the medication he had brought but it almost felt a little rude to do so. If only he could subtly sneak off to take some of the pills but even going to the bathroom whilst carrying the bag would have been suspicious.

So all he could do was suffer in silence as his nose began to clog up and his throat felt increasingly dry in spite of however much he drank. And though Roy didn’t comment on it, he had certainly noticed the change from their typical kiki sessions. At first he thought Jaremi was simply tired, and once or twice he worried he was actually boring him, but still Jaremi was trying his hardest to pay attention, not even sparing a glance to his phone, so Roy figured it had to be something else.

One of Jaremi’s usual habits was to go all out on desserts, sampling at least one or two with every meal in a foreign country, but today he declined to even look at that particular menu. It was then that Roy knew for certain something was definitely off with the younger man. As they awaited their checks, he questioned his companion quite bluntly, “What’s up with you, queen? You’ve been out of it since we got here.”

Jaremi faltered for a moment before immediately trying to defend himself but Roy’s withering gaze stopped him mid-sentence. Ashamed, he reluctantly admitted that he was getting sick and hadn’t had a chance to take his next round of medicine before Roy had caught him on the street. He expected Roy to withdraw in concern for his own health because after all, his voice was his money maker, but instead Roy did something quite unexpected. He actually scooted his chair closer and around the table as he touched Jaremi’s wrist in concern. His brows knit together in sympathy that sharply contrasted his exasperated voice asking, “Why didn’t you say something? We could have done this another day! Or even just waited until we got back to the states!”

Shrugging Jaremi tried to play off the situation as though it weren’t as big a deal as Roy was making it. His voice was quiet and starting to show evidence of his illness as he replied, “It’s fine, really. The symptoms aren’t too bad. And it’s been awhile since we talked…It was nice just to catch up by ourselves.”

Shaking his head, Roy muttered, “Idiot.”

The statement would have been more scathing had it come from anyone else but Jaremi’s heart felt like fluttering again as he heard Roy state quite definitively, “Let’s get you back to your hotel.”

Their checks arrived at that moment and despite how usually he’d do anything to keep himself from acting like a child in front of strangers, Jaremi couldn’t stop himself from whining, “I have plans!”

“I don’t really care,” Roy declared apathetically with his trademark glare. “You’re going back to your hotel even if I have to walk you to your room myself.”

The pair stared each other down and if Jaremi had any intention of disobeying Roy’s demand, he ought to have pretended to give in right then but the silent argument went on long enough for Roy to figure out that he’d better follow through on his initially empty threat. Otherwise Jaremi would be back on the streets as soon as his back was turned, probably hacking up phlegm in just a few hours to boot. 

No, if he wanted Jaremi to rest, he’d have to escort him back to his hotel and wait until the younger man fell asleep. Which shouldn’t be too long considering how heavy-lidded his eyes already looked.

Much like a rent-a-cop on duty, Roy ushered the protesting queen back to his hotel room. To his surprise it took little more than a sharp glare and a few cutting words to convince Jaremi to take his medication and at least sit on the bed. Beyond that, Jaremi utterly refused to do anything else to indulge Roy’s unwanted mothering. He was all but pouting and nearly on the verge of a temper tantrum that would have rivaled one of Alaska’s yet Roy stood firm with remarkable patience.

“Sleep will be good for you,” he reasoned in as best of a persuasive tone as could be managed, “You already look like you’re about to drop from exhaustion anyway.”

Jaremi couldn’t stop his eyes from rolling at the statement, however true it might be. His muscles were starting to give out and probably the only thing that kept him going right now was his desire to defy the older queen at every turn. But Roy was determined to outlast him. Despite how eager he was for something meaningful to do earlier; getting a sick Jaremi to relax and go to sleep seemed far more important. Deciding to take an approach he had followed a number of times before, he made a shooing motion with his hand and told him to lie on his stomach.

Skeptical, Jaremi only gave him a brief glance, essentially saying, ‘The fuck?’

Rolling his eyes once more, Roy urged him, “Just do it. I’m not gonna do anything sketchy or weird.”

Still, Jaremi was unconvinced…at least until he heard a quiet, almost suspiciously gentle attempt at persuasion, “I promise….Please lay down?”

It was highly unusual to hear such a tone from Roy. Typically he’d just give up after awhile or make some sort of scathing remark but today he was actually being…soft. It was a little off-putting but Jaremi found that he genuinely liked seeing this more caring side of his friend. Thinking at the very least he trusted Roy not to do anything unwholesome, Jaremi relented and laid on his stomach in the middle of the bed while his head rested on a pillow.

He turned to look at Roy as he carefully set himself down on the edge of the mattress so as not to cause it to dip any more than necessary. Just as the younger man was wondering what he planning, he felt the light trace, almost scratching of fingertips running across the expanse of his back. An involuntary shiver rose through his spine at the sensation but much to his surprise he found himself almost leaning into the touch for more.

His voice bordered on a happy purr as he admitted, partially muffled by the pillow, “That feels really good, actually.”

Practically hearing the smirk Roy was undoubtedly wearing, the older man mentioned, “Yeah, Adore loves it when I do this whenever she gets sick or hungover.”

Then almost immediately thinking better of it, he quickly added, “That doesn’t leave this room.”

There was an edge to his voice that caused Jaremi’s stomach to turn but all he gave Roy in response was a content nod. As was the Roy’s intention, the body beside him was slowly relaxing and drifting off to a lazy lull of a sleeplike state. Almost as an afterthought, and perhaps mostly influenced by his sick addled mind, Jaremi found the courage to ask, “What is going on between you two any way?”

This was a common topic of debate amongst the queens and fans alike but no one really had a satisfying answer. Figuring now was as good a time as any, Jaremi took his chance to ask Roy directly. Sounding quite used to the question, the older queen replied with a chuckle in his voice, “What do you think?”

He genuinely wanted an answer, Jaremi realized, and would wait very patiently until the younger man gave him one. Almost guiltily, he forced himself to examine both his own feelings and what he’d observed first and secondhand of the two queens’ atypical relationship. Sounding unsure yet still a bit hopeful, Jaremi answered softly, “I think…you’re just really good friends.”

He turned his head up to face Roy and study his reaction yet much to his surprise, he found a calm, pleased smile waiting for him. The elder queen nodded his head in confirmation and it was there they let that particular conversation drop. Burying his face into the pillow for a minute, Jaremi couldn’t deny just how light and happy he felt. His heart was racing and he was sure his illness had nothing to do with it but either way, he was satisfied with what he had learned.

He was almost at the point of falling asleep when Roy drew back his fingers. Jaremi’s drowsy eyes reopened and he turned to look at the older queen once more. He was mildly surprised to find Roy sliding fully onto the bed to lay beside him.

Trying not to let on just how happy was, Jaremi slowly drawled out, “Gonna stay here till I fall asleep?”

There was a hint of a smirk resting on Roy’s lips as he replied casually, “Maybe a little after that too…Is that alright?”

Feeling like a child who’d just gotten everything and more that they could ever want for Christmas, Jaremi nodded his head and bit back a quiet yawn. 

Roy’s eyes had gone noticeably soft as he gazed down at the half sleeping form beside him, still struggling futilely to stay awake. He almost chuckled at the fruitless effort but hid it behind a fond smile instead. He raised a hand to ruffle Jaremi’s hair and urged him once more to finally go to sleep. This time there was no protest, no argument as the younger queen nodded and nestled himself snugly amongst the pillows. 

In another very un-Roy-like behavior, he leant down and pressed a brief kiss to Jaremi’s cheek. In truth it was just a little too close the lips to have been accidental but Jaremi was all too willing to let that slide for the time being. All he said in response through his bright grin was a sing-songy declaration of, “You’re gonna get sick tomorrow.”

Shaking his head, Roy laughed softly and affirmed quite adamantly, “I’m not gonna get sick.”

“You’re definitely gonna get sick,” Jaremi mumbled half into the pillow as his eyes slid shut.

Whatever Roy said in response was muffled and unheard as Jaremi dozed off into a content, dream-filled state. True to Roy’s assertions, the next day he felt perfectly fine. Not a trace of Jaremi’s cold to be found in his system. The day after however…that was another story.

[aintnothingleft]

wash us away // mini fic // ch. 1

Rosalia was Niall’s girl—except she wasn’t, and Harry has the stars to thank.

mini-fic story page

Rosalia was Niall’s girl—except she wasn’t. Harry’s eyes had settled on her before he knew this, watching the way her red dress skimmed the floor and the light hit her exposed shoulders. This was the first time they met. She had been a little brash, although very apologetic, which Harry accredited to the glasses of champagne that she took long sips of as if she didn’t know what else to do with her hands. It was the Cancer Research UK Charity Ball, and while Harry supported the cause, he was in desperate need of a drink. The bar, located at the back of the main hall and up a series of steps, was largely deserted, except for the few that loitered in the area. Among them was Rosalia, who had been standing alone at the end of the bar with a glass of champagne, looking either lost or bored—he hadn’t decided. He made his way up to the bar, a few feet away from her, to make his order. The bartender was preoccupied with another attendee, and Harry took the time to admire his surroundings. Glancing over at the girl next to him, he noticed her looking at him curiously. He broke the ice with a casual hello. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to stare. I’ve just heard a lot about you. I’m Rosalia, I’m friends with Niall.”

Ah. Harry recognized her. She was the American Niall had met in an Irish pub, of all places, some months ago. Despite the distance, the two had been quietly joined at the hip. Niall claimed they were just friends and refused to speak more on the matter. She slept in his guest bedroom.

He shook her hand. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“Likewise.”

And she smiled. Harry didn’t want to admit that he was curiously attracted to her. Although Niall denied it, he had a small suspicion that there was something more to their friendship than he had let on.

But Harry couldn’t help but smile back at her. Rosalia hoped that he didn’t notice the flush in her cheeks that had resulted from a mixture of alcohol and staring at his dimples. She didn’t think anything of it, however. You would have to be blind not to notice how attractive he is, she thought.

The bartender approached the pair, and Harry ordered more champagne for the both of them.

“That’s a beautiful dress.”

And it was—deep red silk that hung off her shoulders and plunged slightly down her chest and grazed the carpet beneath them.

Rosalia hesitated but thanked Harry with a soft smile. She paused again, then stated as if it were a secret, “it doesn’t feel right to wear something so expensive. Niall bought it for me, but honestly, this dress cost about the same as a semester of my tuition. It’s Oscar de la Renta.”

Harry thought he detected a hint of sarcasm mixed with the incredulousness, but wasn’t quite sure how to respond. He didn’t have to, as Rosalia took another long sip of champagne and continued.

“Doesn’t it feel weird to you sometimes? Knowing that some of the outfits you wear could cover the cost of someone’s tuition? In the U.S., at least, it’s fucked. My loan payments start soon.”

Then she sighed--a deep sigh that she felt in the back of her chest, and her eyes squeezed shut for just a moment too long.  “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude. You’ve obviously worked very hard for your money, and I didn’t mean to sound so judgmental.”

Harry, although slightly offended, knew that she meant no harm and made an effort to wipe the surprised look off his face. He wanted to tell her that he donated to charity but stopped himself. While this was true, (he was at a charity ball after all), he thought of the cars and houses and clothes that he owned that perhaps did err on the lavish side.

The bartender brought over their glasses, and Harry lifted his flute with a soft “cheers.”

Rosalia smiled again and took a sip of her own. She was embarrassed that she had brought up money around someone with so much of it and cursed the champagne that had been flowing freely down her throat all night. But the bubbles were sweet and welcome to the foreign and unfamiliar scene she was dealing with tonight. “I should find Niall, I think they are serving dinner soon.”

“I’ll come with you,” Harry offered. “It’s been a couple months since I’ve seen him.”

They walked back into the ballroom together, weaving through tables and chairs in search of Niall. Harry didn’t mind chatting with Rosalia in the meantime.

“So, tell me about yourself.”

Harry almost cringed at his own words; it was like he was trying to pick up a girl in a crowded bar. She grimaced back at his question.

“I don’t think there’s much to tell. I’m from Vancouver, Oregon, but I went to college in Eugene. I’m working in a coffee shop there...well, I’m searching for an actual job. I graduated in December, and, well, it’s May.”

“S’alright though,” he responded, although he really had no idea what he was talking about. Harry sometimes tried to imagine himself as a student but had little success in those thoughts. “What did you study at university?”

“International Studies, but I’m looking for a job with an NGO or nonprofit. There aren’t very many international relations jobs unless you move to a really big city like D.C. or New York. Or London, I suppose.” Rosalia grimaced again to herself at the thought of the cost of living in somewhere like D.C. or San Francisco.

“Would you want to move to a bigger city someday?”

Rosalia watched how his eyebrows pushed together as if he was in the midst of a serious conversation. She stifled a giggle.“Yes, definitely! But I’m sticking to Eugene for now, so I can save up some money.”

“What sort of nonprofit do you want to work at?”

“I’m not really sure! Anywhere that will hire me at this point, I guess. I just want to be able to make a difference, you know? Otherwise, what’s the point of it all.”

“To be happy?” he asked genuinely.

“I think that’s what would make me happy,” she offered.

As if to respond, Harry’s eyebrows pushed together again.

“Also, I’m sorry again about that tuition comment.”

He promised her it was okay. They found Niall, who had been busy chatting with people who Harry recognized and who Rosalia had never met, and he watched the smile that broke across Niall’s face when he saw the two of them approach.

“Harry! You’ve met Rosa, I see! I was gonna introduce ya’ two.”

“We met at the bar,” Rosalia replied with a sly smile, and her and Niall both laughed. Harry found himself watching them interact--they way they touched but never lingered. Niall’s hand grazed across her palm for a brief moment, but he made no effort to hold it.

While Niall responded to someone’s question, Rosalia turned to Harry and, in that same voice that reminded him of a secret whisper, said, “I’m glad I met you, I didn’t know anyone here besides Niall.’just gets a bit boring and all.” Harry was glad he had met her too.

***** The next day, Harry made a call to his agency. He wasn’t certain of all of the logistics, only the idea; however, he knew that he wanted Rosalia involved. Harry couldn’t decide exactly why--if he wanted her to feel proud of him or if he was embarrassed at how money had seemed so trivial to him recently or if, maybe, he was doing it for purely selfless, good reasons. Harry sent a text to Niall.

It was hours before he responded with her number, surprisingly with no further questions asked, and Harry contemplated between texting or calling her. He decided on the latter, pulling at his lip while the phone rang.

“Hello?”

“Hi, it’s Harry. Er, Harry Styles”

“Oh, hi!” She pipped in surprise, and he chuckled in response. “Um, what’s up?

Harry assumed that Niall hadn’t told her he’d asked for her phone number. “Look, I’ve thought about that comment you made yesterday...about your dress and tuition. I’ve pitched an idea to my label, and, well, they’re all for it because it’ll be good PR and, ehm, it’s my money technically,” Harry took a pause, struggling to string his words together. “Basically, I want to set up a scholarship fund using a portion of ticket sales from my concerts? I think for the U.S. and U.K. right now, and then we can look into extending it to other countries. I don’t really know where to start, but I was wondering if you’d want to join the project. I’d pay you a salary, of course.”

Rosalia was caught off guard; she hadn’t even gotten fully dressed yet for the day and was being offered her first real job since graduating.  “Harry, I would love to! But the thing is that I’m flying back home in a few days. The 18th to be exact.”

“That’s not a problem,” he responded. “You can work remotely, it doesn’t matter. I would just want to arrange a meeting with Megan Fitzpatrick, who’s joining on from my label, and myself before you go to run through some logistics. She’ll probably be handling most of the UK side of this. Or, if you want, I can connect you to someone in LA? I’ll be flying in at the end of the month”

“No, this week works for me. Could we do Monday or Tuesday?”

“Yeah, I’ll let Megan know and have her get in touch with you, alright?.”

Rosalia  paused. “You know I don’t have experience with this stuff, right?”

“Everyone has to learn somewhere. Just prepare some ideas, and you’ll be great.”

“Thank you, Harry.”