☆TRACK IIX: BETTER TO PRETEND PT. 2

[interdimanagers]

Who: Royals, Heroes, and Rebels.
What: Hit gameshow series “Fairy Trial” is celebrating one of its anniversaries, and it’s invited you onboard. Check out the OOC post for IC match ups!
When: March 21st.
Where: Sevetop Entertainment’s studio.
Warnings: Mingle log mystery bag.

“Every prince is a fantasy, The witch is inside of me. Her poison will wash away the memory.” ☆BETTER TO PRETEND The day has finally come for Fairy Trial filming to begin! No matter if they’ve arrived by limo or taken the bus, everyone involved gets star treatment as the makeup and costume departments go wild with the models they’ve been given. At least Sevetop has good accomodations. While it’s a chaotic and crowded scene, everyone still manages to fit in the two buildings Sevetop has dedicated for Fairy Trial’s purposes in this area. It’s one of the only points today that anyone will have a chance to everyone else. After all, once everyone involved in a particular challenge is done with, they’re hurried out the door and to their particular destination. Every challenge has a different area it takes place in, after all. For some pair ups, they’ll find themselves merely being escorted to another set on Sevetop’s huge property. Others will find themselves being escorted to some very classy transportation and taken outside of Vista City to special obstacle courses that simply wouldn’t fit anywhere else. On the bright side, once the actual filming is done no matter the location, the crew involved seems to relax considerably. Whether they’ve done great or not, Heroes and Royals are treated to dinner and a change out of their costumes. Good job, everyone. “We kill the lights and put on a show. It's all a lie, but you'd never know. The star will shine, And then it will fall, And you will forget it all.”

Comments

[thelittlemerman]

[Finnick's about to shoot back some scathing comment but he stops himself when he actually turns to look at Terry.]

Of course not, I knew it was too much to ask.

[traumatizing]

Just wait until it comes for the touch-ups.

[Terry inspects one of the bottles of foundation, ready to make a joke about someone being made up as a ghost until he sees it in his hand and... Wow has he really been spending that much time in his room?]

"Oh, you laughed politely at a joke. Better spend fifteen minutes letting us smooth out that line before anyone realises you're a human being."

[thelittlemerman]

[Finnick rolls his eyes and shakes his head. He likes looking pretty but at what cost, you know?]

Isn't that what post-production is for? There are only lines because there's so much caked on to begin with.

[traumatizing]

How else are they gonna make you look like porcelain without fifteen layers of make-up on your face?

[thelittlemerman]

Ugh.

[He's pouting petulantly.]

I assume you had the same treatment.

[traumatizing]

I lucked out. No one anticipated how little sun I've had lately, so they've got someone on hand to powder me if I get too shiny instead.

[He says it with a bit of a laugh like that's not actually a really depressing and worrying state of affairs.]

[thelittlemerman]

Mm, living in the city can do that to you.

[That's as neutral an answer as Finnick can give. He's actually been outside most days, wishing the water were warm enough to go for a swim. He does laps in the pool downstairs at Virgo HQ instead, but it's not the same.]

[Anyway this is an awkward pause and he should probably fill it.]

That, and working as much as we tend to do in this business.

[traumatizing]

[Terry nods and gives the bottle in his hand another look.]

How're you doing with all that anyway?

[It's about as vaguely as he can ask how Finnick's actually managing as possible.]

[thelittlemerman]

[Finnick has a lie at the ready, but instead he takes a deep breath, steeling himself to say the following as casually as he can.]

I think I'd like it all to stop for a little while.

[traumatizing]

Yeah.

[Terry heaves a sigh in sympathy, a heavy one that suggests he feels very much the same.] You coping okay?

[Not 'are you okay,' because they both know he's not. But coping is nothing to be scoffed at.]

[thelittlemerman]

[If this goes much longer Finnick won't be able to put on a brave face anymore, so he shrugs.]

I'll get by. There doesn't seem to be any pattern to who they'll fire or what they'll do to keep us all obedient, but at least I'm still around.

[traumatizing]

[Well, Terry gives him a small laugh.] Ever the optimist, huh?

[thelittlemerman]

[Finnick gives him a sharp grin.] That's my defining feature, can't you tell?

[traumatizing]

I thought your defining feature was those cheekbones.

[thelittlemerman]

[That catches Finnick so off guard that he laughs. He ducks his head almost like he's embarrassed by the joke or that he's laughing, but after a moment he recovers.]

I guess that depends on who you talk to.

[traumatizing]

Oh, all the tabloids, you know. Dining out on all the sordid details of our night at the Aqualine.

[thelittlemerman]

[Finnick smiles, huffing a laugh.]

Ah, what a magical evening.

[traumatizing]

[Terry laughs too, but it doesn't last. He's quiet for a moment, hesitating on saying what he's about to say. He does though. Can't help himself, this one.]

Hey, I, uh. I know we're not exactly friends or anything, but if you need to talk...

[He trails off into an awkward gestures, but the offer is genuine.]

[thelittlemerman]

[Finnick can't think of a way to tell Terry he's definitely not going to talk about anything, so he takes a deep breath and nods.]

I'll keep it in mind.

[traumatizing]

[That's about the response he expected, and Terry's not gonna push the issue. The offer's on the table, Finnick can do what he wants with it.]

Alternatively, if you just wanna complain about stylists. I'm great at that.

[Ha ha ha... Look at him dodging awkwardness here.]

[thelittlemerman]

[Finnick laughs softly.]

God, you should see some of the things...

[He trails off as he realizes he's about to say something that isn't entirely true. Fashion can be weird sometimes, but... he's never worn nothing but a fishing net for a photo shoot. His expression shifts from amusement to faint confusion and concern as he tries to figure out where the hell that came from...]

[traumatizing]

[He knows that look, it's becoming extremely familiar at this point. Terry's instinct is to put a hand out, reaching for his arm, but he thinks better of it halfway through the motion, pulling his hand back and putting it on the edge of the table instead.]

[He tips his head a little instead, voice low and a little concerned.] Remember something?

[thelittlemerman]

[Finnick lets out an incredulous huff and shakes his head.]

Nothing important.

[It's relatively mild compared to what he's seen before, and kind of hilarious. He doesn't remember feeling that embarrassed to be walking around in public like that - was that just something that seemed normal? What the hell is going on here.]