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 Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2025 7:26 pm
He'd never been to a fashion show. Didn't know what was involved, really, and Christie wanted to keep it a surprised. She said she'd been looking forward to this show for a solid month, that she'd been doing Joellen-inspired works in anticipation of it. Weaving little design hooks into everything she made, particularly so Eles and the rest didn't always look like classless hoes.
The week before the fashion show, Christie brought him an outfit to wear for the occasion. Eles wasn't really sure what to call it — a one-piece something — but it resembled a dress in that it covered what it needed to cover. A gold ring formed the collar, which had a snap enclosure in the back, and pulled together all the individual lengths of fabric that comprised the fit. Most were rich satins, layered and bunched together on strategically placed gold rings. Two rested against his hips, pulled snug by the taught satin and draped over with a damask patterned royal blue silk. The ends of the fabric cascaded down asymmetrically, joined together by fringe that tapered in a dramatic curl. For the shoes, she brought him white flats trimmed with gold and fitted with accent pieces of the selfsame fabrics for the not-dress.
He'd gone through the trouble to wear it (and a lot of trouble it was, considering he had to don it on his own). He'd gone through the trouble to get his own ride to the fashion show and he'd gone through the relative boredom of watching the show itself. While disappointed that a fashion show didn't mean the audience could wear some of the pieces to try them out, it was still worth seeing for the novelty.
But after all of that, Christie never showed. Eles doubted he could get an explanation until the next time he worked, but it seemed to him like self-sabotage. Still, there was the backstage meeting component that she'd paid for, and he suspected she would rip him in half and use his skin for a new suit if he didn't report, in detail, how that went.
With a sigh through his nose, he palmed another glass of champagne off a tray on his way toward the backstage area. Showing the pass for scanning was easy enough, though the paper had gotten a little sweaty for where he had to store it.
He'd be meeting Trey Cameron, though. Whoever that was.
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Posted: Thu Jul 03, 2025 8:37 am
With the show over, Trey was taking a moment to drink a much needed glass of water in the privacy of an unoccupied corner back stage. Everything had gone well, at least on the runway, no small part in thanks to the frantic scrambling that always went on in the back. Models and outfits needing organizing, last minute tweaks to make, emergency repairs to do... shows were never easy or relaxing for those running. And this one had been one of the larger, more important ones... even if not so large that Joellen had actually attended it. Which had meant he had to be here, making sure everything ran as smoothly as possible.
And in a short while, the meet and greet would begin. Necessary evil, that. Time to meet the donors and people who had paid to gape at him and see the back stage, with all its wonder and magic. He was at least presentable already, since he'd had to walk at the end of the show and accept the applause on behalf of Joellen. His dark grey suit was neat as a pin, almost severely so, and perfectly fitted, pin striping emphasizing the clean lines. It juxtaposed the soft image his light makeup and hair made, the latter pinned back but otherwise left to fall loose in silky waves.
"The guests are here." Said a voice from behind him, calling Trey back to work. He handed the stage assistant the empty glass and tugged him suit straight, making sure the collar of his white shirt was standing up properly and covering the scar that ran up his neck. It wasn't a complete cover, but with his hair loose, it was good enough.
"Thanks, Katey. Let me know when the time is up, and make sure Marco gets the jewelry put away properly." He said as he swept out onto the floor, making his way through the bustling workers to the refreshment table that had been set up off to the side in a space cleared for the mingling guests. Someone was already serving them drinks and Trey put his smiling mask on as he waded into the fray, reaching out to shaking hands with the first person he reached, and then turning to another.
Generally, they were all the same sorts of people who showed up to these things. People with money who felt like they should have rights others don't have, people who wanted something from him they thought they could get this way, and those who just... genuinely loved the fashion, though they always felt like a minority.
There was a shorter, dark haired boy that he finally came to who held some interest and Trey offered his hand with his usual gregarious smile, sweeping the figure with a quick glance. The outfit was particularly flamboyant next to the rest of the group, but... amateur. Fashion student? He saw those from time to time...
"Trey Cameron. It's a pleasure to meet you."
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Posted: Mon Jul 14, 2025 5:41 pm
Whoever the ******** the boy in the violet and blue hair was, he looked gorgeous. Intensely ******** in the manner of 'I want you to look at me and think I'm intensely ******** and I want you to know I know you think that'. Which, Eles figured, was a good look for him. And Eles didn't mind if the boy could read that Eles was looking very disrespectfully.
He sipped the champagne — he wondered if he was old enough that anyone should be reasonably serving him alcohol — and watched a few of the other ones that flocked about in a sort of unbecoming frenzy. Some looked very young, probably not all that different in motivation from Christie, who dipped out on him. Others looked older, and if he had to guess, maybe like they invested in the business somehow? Or maybe they worked in the business previously and retired? As Eles did his meandering, he tried to listen in on some of their conversations to get a bead for it, but old people liked to drone on about things that didn't matter and Eles found it rather hard to hear over the din of disparate conversations.
Part of him considered just going up to one of these people and asking why they were there. But, he was wearing Christie's creation, and she had expressly forbidden him from opening his mouth at anyone in a manner that could possibly embarrass her. Why she trusted him to do this whole meet-and-greet business alone, however, Eles couldn't guess.
But he'd do his best. If he had to.
Oh, but The ******** One walked his way, how unexpected! Eles teethed the lip of his glass a little, pretending to be absorbed in something else before deciding, to hell with all the coquettish nonsense. He drained the glass like the irresponsible adult he was, set it aside on a table, and received this wet dream of a boy — Trey Cameron — with a genuine smile.
And absolutely no words. But he did mouth a few as he shook that hand and signed with his free hand. I can't speak, but I can hear. My name is Eles. Pleased to meet you.
Then, My friend is such a fan of yours that she got cold feet about attending. What a shame, it's been fun to watch the people.
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Posted: Sun Jul 27, 2025 2:01 pm
It was true, in all ways, that Trey did very much want to look '********'. Not in an approachable way, though. In very much a 'you could never hope to touch this, so all you get to do is look'. And look people did, in a way that both bothered him, and didn't. It was as complicated a concept as his feelings were... wishing not to be perceived, but if one must, then one wants to ******** command the room. So it wasn't a surprise when the young man's eyes ate him alive in a way he was quite used to... even if that look was more bold than people tended to display in public.
Their hands met and to his surprise, the other signed with his free hand. Unexpected, to say the least, but it was also a moment to feel pleased that this skill he had taken pains to learn so quickly was useful for more than 'work' with his superior.
Releasing the slim hand, Trey smiled as he signed back with as elegant of motions as he could manage, speaking at the same time.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Eles. I learned ASL to be able to speak with a friend, so I'm glad to be able to use it with you. I'm sorry your friend didn't stay. Are you also a fan of my modeling work? Or was it Joellen's, my mother's, designs that brought you today? She's not here, I'm afraid, so I've been running the show for her."
There was a lot more interest in this young man now than when Trey had come to greet him... it was so rare that he got to use ASL with anyone besides Faustite, and it called up memories, reminding him of worries he tried to keep tucked away. He hadn't seen Faustite in weeks... and news of his status were damned hard to come by. It didn't help that Eles reminded him of the fiery boy, either.
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Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2025 1:24 pm
Oh, look at that! A boy who could sign! Eles had been strangely lucky in finding boys who could either understand ASL or knew how to sign themselves. Helpfully, they were likewise intensely attractive. Perhaps he could add this boy to his growing collection of boy contacts.
He wondered what it must have been like to both model and direct like that. To be second fiddle to his mother, but in charge of doing all the work to keep the line going. Wear the clothes, stomp around in them. Pose, stomp back across the runway. Change, repeat. Pause, redirect people. Break up fights. Address the lighting issue or a sudden call-off or whatever. Wouldn't that be galling? All that work and no real recognition for it. Eles had never known a model who didn't crave the spotlight.
Both, he answered after a moment. My fashion sense is s**t. Good designers can make fashion seem a lot closer to art, so I've liked seeing some of the designs. She's got really good ones — even I can tell that.
But the modeling work is multipurpose for me. Came along to watch the modeling to get better with people, fabric, movement, lighting. Models are helpful for gesture drawing, he finished with a shrug.
You could make a trash bag look chic. And you kept the place from burning down. Think that's a job well done. He smiled, even as he sniped another glass of champagne off a platter.
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Posted: Wed Sep 17, 2025 6:25 pm
He let a sly smile slide across his face as he watched and 'listened'. Needing to watch the moving hands meant he couldn't keep his eyes on the young man's face the whole time, but he did his best to snatch glances, pairing the expressions with the gestures.
"Are you an artist, then? I suppose this is a good place to see bodies and cloth in motion. Joellen would be pleased to hear you think her designs are good." Inwardly, he laughed at the thought of her affront at being called merely 'good'. Even 'really good'. For a woman used to 'inspired' and 'magnificent' and 'ground breaking', he imagined it would gall her. But then, perhaps that would not be a bad thing. She'd sunk even more of herself into her fashion now that he had taken over the company, and that meant even less time spent in the 'real world'. Less time with real people who didn't live and breathe textile art.
"I would ask to see your sketches, but only if you feel up to sharing them." He waved a hand to brush away the compliment with a self-deprecating air he put on, casting his face into modest lines. "People tell me that, but truly, most of the credit goes to the clothing. I don't model the way I used to any more. It's something that becomes the center of your life, in a way, and I'm far too busy now with our business for it. I only step out occasionally, and sometimes for photos. More often I'm behind the scenes now, making sure everything runs smoothly. I've found that my experience on the runway helps me to anticipate problems off of it."
He was just as happy to stay out of the lights, these days. To be the one standing aside and watching, accepting the accolades when it was all done.
"I'm glad you seemed to have enjoyed it, though."
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