for: @aurorabaystarter

"Do you want this?" X asks, holding out the champagne flute that he had been thrust into his hand by a passing waiter in offer so he could get rid of it without being wasteful.

closed for: @bradley-banner

On a normal night, on a better night, Santiago would have given his ex-wife a wide berth for the sake of the atmosphere of the event being hosted at her hotel. A better man should have, a smarter man would have but he embodied neither as he stepped in Bradley's path with an unreadable expression so she couldn't mingle her way by him.

"We need to talk."

He knew if he made it a request, he would be met with a no, so he didn't.

closed for: @callme-harris

"How do you think your cover is faring over at Oasis?" Bo asks the man to his left, thinking aloud. Harris' night off was well-deserved, but on one of the rowdiest nights of the year Bo couldn't help but wonder what hands his club was in.

closed for: @jordanmitchell

The second Bo had moved away from Jordan, Silas stepped into the space with a face like thunder that even a mask covering half of it couldn't conceal.

"Finished chatting?"

Despite his best efforts -- none at all -- he can't help how it sounds like an accusation the moment it leaves his lips.

daphne merely wanted to forget — to wipe the memory of tonight’s events from her mind. however, short of overindulging in drink and enduring a debilitating headache whilst inevitably being lectured by her eldest brother or mother, she could not think of an effective way to rid herself of the sheer humiliation she felt. she had been foolish, as foolish as any young woman could be. she supposed she should be thankful, to be done with the delusion she had concocted. the brunette stilled upon hearing approaching steps and took in a breath, donning her measured expression. relief settled on her features and a smile tugged at her lips when she saw her sister, francesca approaching. “dearest sister,” she greeted the younger woman. “i see your internal sibling radar is functioning well.”

closed starter for @frannieb​

closed for: @vanessagable

After officially meeting his sister's boyfriend -- the sister part still felt somewhat surreal, the fact he had met someone the same height as him just added to that -- he missed where X had disappeared to because he was distracted by watching Van. The champagne flute had barely been in her boyfriend's hand a second before she had lifted it from him and proceeded to down it with ease.

( There's that family resemblance. )

"Damn, you made that champagne your bitch. I thought this was more of a sip it kind of vibe."

closed for: @peterbasara

"What the fuck are you wearing?"

closed for: @finn-brooks

when: 11:30ish

Outside the venue once again, Lucky had practically made a yo-yo of himself for most of the night with the way he kept stepping outside and returning, just to repeat the steps not long after. The drinking, the dancing, the amount of people milling around made for both a fun night and a somewhat overwhelming environment at the same time. His throat already felt a little hoarse from how much he had smoked, so he opted to not spark up another like he needed justification for being outside, opting instead take out his phone.

He opened his contacts and scrolled until he reached F, the number always one he was going to dial that night regardless, hitting the video call option with his thumb as he pushed his mask up off his face and let it rest on his head like sunglasses as he awaited an answer.

ziggy 📲 cherry.

Ziggy [7.13pm]: [selfie of masquerade outfit] Ziggy [7.13pm]: Peep the fit. ✌🏼😌✌🏼 Ziggy [8.42pm]: Okay, I've arrived. So far so good. Food's dope!!! Ziggy [9.09pm]: Oh shit, Bradley Banner's actually here. Is it clickbait if I get a shot of her behind me and use it for a thumbnail? Ziggy [9.17pm]: Your service being so bad WILL be the end of me, FYI. Ziggy [9.17pm]: Hope you're having fun though! I've wanted to go Joshua Tree you know. I'm only mildly offended you didn't ask me to come. Ziggy [9.46pm]: I'm going to be chronically offline too. For the rest of 2023 actually. That's achievable. Bye-bye. Ziggy [9.46pm]: Happy New Year! 🥳 Ziggy [10.33pm]: [picture of the phantom of the opera of the masquerade] Ziggy [10.34pm]: This is real btw there's legitimately a Phantom of the Opera here broooo 😭💀 Ziggy [10.58pm]: You won't fucking believe who's here. Lmao. Ziggy [10.58pm]: We need to debrief when you're back. Ziggy [12.01am]: Okay fuck this ball

closed for: @macaulaymontgomery

"Not only did I make sure that you got home from Europe, but that you had a home to get to, roof over your head and all that jazz and not once in the sixteen different chances you had this week and tonight did you think to say, yo bro you've misinterpreted the theme. I see how it is."

edwina approached her sister from behind, linking their arms when she reached her. “you look beautiful, didi. as always.” she glanced up at her sister with a beaming smile. the past week had certainly been difficult for the pair as they were rocked with a scandal, but now that everything was out in the open, edwina was hopeful that they would grow even closer. she cast her gaze out to the ballroom at all of the masked figures. there is a beat of silence as she attempted to search for a certain viscount at the centre of the scandal and possibly of her sister’s heart. she hadn’t spent much time around the gentleman but the look on kate’s face told her everything she needed to know. “i may have much to learn but i do believe that the world would remain intact if you allow yourself to be happy.”

closed starter for @shvrmas​

closed for: @vanessagable

With the countdown just about to start, X set off on an expedition to find gold — his girlfriend wearing it rather than the precious metal, though he would have argued she was more of a treasure — which stopped almost as soon as it had started as he found her near the bar.

If she was getting another drink he made it impossible with his interception, both his hands taking one of hers so he could lead her onto the dancefloor with him where the exuberant ruckus was.

“C’mon baby, it’s almost midnight.”

He added to the noise around them with a chant of his own, performing it as enthusiastically as he did any song of theirs on stage.

“Off, off, off, off.”

That request was usually about her clothes, and it would be later once they left, but there and then it’s solely about her mask and his desire to kick of the New Year with a view of his favorite face.

closed for: @benj-hyun

"Where's Ric?" Santiago asks, looking around for the man as if he might pop out at any second. He hadn't checked beforehand that the pair of them would attend together, but seeing as that was how they did most things, it seemed a safe bet that if he had found Ben then Ricardo wouldn't be too far off.

closed for: @dancingdanvers

"How is that baby not born yet?" Bo says in lieu of a traditional greeting, a whiskey in one hand for himself and a Diet Coke in the other for Sloane -- not a Coke Zero, he learned that lesson fast at the last dinner their parents hosted -- passing the latter to her as he occupied the seat beside her.

"Dramatic already, like their mother."

I did these illustrations for @beholdingthegaytimes 's fic 'It's Only Forever, Not Long At All' which is a part of The Endless Big Bang 2023.

The brunette’s night hadn’t exactly gone to plan and now here she was, indulging in food. Her glance shifted to the last dessert on the plate and reached for it, however, when she did so, she noticed another hand reaching as well. She withdrew immediately and offered the other a smile, her cheeks burning with embarrassment. “Pardon me,” she said with a gentle nod. “Please,” she gestured towards the treat, hoping the other woman would claim it, “I insist.”

@purelegnces​