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ladyanput · 4 years

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Oh You Mother-

Alright, here it is. This has nothing to do with Seeing Green, it was just something fun I wanted to write.

Eva yawned as she stretched her body, the sun's bright rays pulling her out of her sleep. She stretched and went to sit up, but realized something was holding her down. She blinked the blurriness out of her eyes and sat up, giving a soft chuckle as soon as she realized that a woman had her head on Eva's chest, asleep, and also realized both of them were very naked. Well, this was certainly a nice thing to wake up to.

At the sound of Eva's chuckle, the woman's eyes fluttered open and their eyes met. The woman's cheeks blossomed red and she quickly sat up, then held her head with a groan.

"Mio Dio, my head really hurts.." The woman muttered softly, sitting back, finally allowing Eva to sit up, who herself was feeling a hangover coming on. "I had far too much to drink last night."

"You and I both." Eva agreed, then chuckled when the woman looked even more embarrassed. Suddenly Eva remembered; meeting this woman at a bar and talking with her for hours, flirting, and eventually going home with her. Her eyes drifted around the woman's bedroom before she smiled at her. "Do you need anything for that? I have some ibuprofen in my purse, that and water usually helps."

"Oh… Um, thank you." The woman's cheeks were even rosier now, but she smiled, knocking the air right out of Eva's lungs. Fuck, that was a gorgeous smile, on a gorgeous woman. "I guess we… Slept together."

"Yes, and you were wonderful." Eva hummed as she reached out and cupped the woman's cheek, running her thumb lightly over the woman's soft lips. "I wasn't rough or anything, was I? I've been told I get a bit fierce in bed."

"You were wonderful as well, I haven't felt like that in a long time." The woman admitted, her hazel eyes taking on a sparkle to them. Then she suddenly looked thoughtful, then embarrassed. "I'm sorry I.. I forgot your name."

"Eva. And yours?" Eva felt her grin widen as the woman laughed.

"Cécile." The woman returned warmly, then glanced over at the clock on the nightstand and let out a disappointed sigh. "I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to start getting ready for work."

One glance at the clock told Eva that she'd have to get ready too, but she didn't want this pretty woman out of her grasp just yet.

"Well if that's the case, why don't you and I have a nice shower." Eva murmured, pulling Cécile close and running her fingers through the woman's dark brown hair carefully. "Sounds nice, right?"

In response, Eva received a kiss.

…

"You didn't have to make breakfast." Cécile poured herself another mug of coffee as she watched Eva flip pancakes, smiling to herself.

"To be fair, I'm using your flour, eggs, milk, and other things." Eva pointed out and took a long swig from her own mug, both women now dressed for work. "And I kinda seduced you, so hopefully pancakes and bacon make up for that."

"I don't usually do that sort of thing. One night stands." Cécile took a seat at the kitchen table as Eva set two plates full of delicious breakfast. She blushed even more when she noticed the other watching her. "I mean, I have a daughter so I wouldn't want to be so careless. I think the only reason I actually took you home was because she's away at a sleepover."

"Listen, Cécile, you don't need to explain yourself to me." Eva reached out and gently took the blabbering woman's left hand, then noticed the ring on her ring finger. "Oh… I'm so sorry, I didn't…"

"I'm not married." Cécile blurted out in a slight panic, then her face visibly coloured. "I mean… I'm sorry. My husband passed away a few years ago, I could just never bring myself to take off the ring."

"... I'm sorry. I hope I didn't cause you any pain." Eva bit her lower lip gently as Cécile looked away, carefully withdrawing her hand. "You really love your daughter, huh?"

"I do. I'm sorry, I don't mean to make you feel bad." Cécile put in, then took a long drink of her coffee, suddenly looking tired. "I just… I don't want to hurt my daughter. I've been so busy with work that I'm barely home, or barely have time to socialize. Those akuma attacks are getting out of control and she's terrified, her boyfriend keeps calling to check on her and she had such lovely friends who always want to hang out. I feel like if I start dating again, she'll be under even more stress. I'm already involved so little in her life right now, I…"

"Cécile, it doesn't have to be us dating." Eva reached out and took her hand in a comforting manner. She forced herself to smile brightly in an almost carefree manner. Eva would be lying if she said she hadn't been thinking of asking her out on a date, but it wasn't like Cécile owed her anything. "It's just a bit of sex we had last night. We can go to work today and never see each other again, if you'd like. Sex doesn't automatically mean a relationship."

They soon began eating breakfast in an uncomfortable silence, Eva eyeing the pictures hanging on the kitchen wall. What caught her eye was on a small girl with brown hair and vivid green eyes, smiling brightly as she hugged a much younger looking Cécile. Something about the little girl sent this feeling to form in the back of her mind, but she decided to ignore it.

After dishes were put away, coats were on,and both women were out of the apartment building, they exchanged glances on the sidewalk.

"Well, I need to get to the embassy." Cécile smiled at Eva, who returned the smile. "Those ambassadors can never get stuff done without secretaries like myself."

"... If you think you're not so close to your daughter anymore,maybe try spending more time with her? Surely you're allowed to take a day off, or have lunch with her?" Eva smiled as she took out her umbrella, noticing the dark skies overhead. "Not that's it's my place to tell you how to live your life or anything."

"..." Cécile stared at her for what felt like the longest time, before she bit her lower lip. "I want to try. The… the whole dating thing, I want to try it. So maybe we could go out for lunch today? Could I bring my daughter too?"

"Sure, why not?" Eva's smile brightened considerably, before taking a pad of paper out of her purse and jotting down her phone number. "Here, just text me if you change your mind. We can meet at the Grand Paris. I had a reservation today, I'm sure I can add two more seats to my table."

"I think I'd love that." Cécile beamed and then quickly took the paper, tucking it into her purse. "So we'll meet you there at twelve?"

"Sounds perfect." Eva waved, and quickly, the two went their separate ways, both with wide smiles on their face.

…

Eva arrived at the high school in a chipper mood, happily waving to any teachers she passed, brightly greeting the principal, Mr. Arquette, who happily waved back before he took a guilty looking student into his office.

"Good morning, Eva." Caline Bustier smiled brightly as she stepped out of her classroom, looking prim and proper in her white pantsuit, that was spotless and ironed to perfection. Eva silently wondered if she ever spilled anything on that thing. She nodded in greeting, but remained silent and gripped her purse tighter, eyeing the classroom door. "Listen, I need you to fetch all of my worksheets from the printer room. I have a lot of assignments to hand out today."

"Sure thing." Eva shrugged and brushed past her, making her way towards the staff room. The papers could wait for a few minutes. She waved to a few of the teachers that were gathered around, drinking coffee and chatting as they snacked on a box of pastries from a familiar looking bakery box. She poured herself a mug of coffee and took a seat amongst the teachers, who all returned her smile. "Guess what she asked me to do this morning. She wants me to grab all of her worksheets, she's not planning on teaching today."

"She's getting lazier." One of the teachers commented as she picked up a danish from the box and took a bite of the sugary pastry. "Mmm, Tom and Sabine never let me down with my morning orders."

"She's been printing off a lot of worksheets and such. Is she even giving lectures anymore? It feels like she simply gives her class readings and does the worksheets, without truly doing anything." Another teacher sniffed in annoyance, choosing a muffin for himself. He then eyed Eva and grinned. "But we all know Caline doesn't know how to do her job, at least, not properly."

There were playful chuckles sounding around the staff room at his comment. Caline Bustier was an outcast, in a sense, with the staff at Lycée Saint Louis. They saw the woman as a teacher who didn't take her job seriously, given that her class was left to run wild, and had all been akumatized several times, save for a few students.

She tried so hard to be friends with everyone, but she just didn't have the respect of her fellow colleagues. They all saw her as a child playing dress up, in a sense. Her students got more detention than anyone, and the fact that she refused to discipline her students properly was a thorn in the other teachers' sides, because they had to deal with the bratty kids who wouldn't listen to authority. Mr. Arquette had even threatened to expel one miss Lila Rossi and Alya Césaire because of their behavioural issues; fake doctor's notes, outbursts of rage and violence when questioned… It was just a mess.

They had worried when they heard a TA was coming and asked to work with Caline, though many of them hoped that she would somehow rattle Caline's train of thought into something more sane, but no such luck. The teacher merely put all of her responsibilities on the TA and carried on thinking she was a beloved teacher, who had been moved from DuPont to Saint Louis because she was just so amazing that they didn't want her class of superb, inspirational, gifted students to be without her gifted guidance.

To be honest, it was the complete opposite. The only promising students in that class were Adrien Agreste; the famous model and heir to the Gabriel brand, Marinette Dupain-Cheng; an inspiring designer who seemed to be designing for many influential celebrities these days, and Nathaniel: whose comic he made with his boyfriend Marc seemed to be taking off at a breakneck pace and was already being picked up by a publisher.

But that was all, really.

And somehow, Evangeline had been guided into the staff and their companionship. A woman who had only been in France for five months had gotten into their good graces,instead of the new teacher who had been there now for three years.

"You look chipper today." One of the other teachers gave a sly grin, a devious glint in her eyes. "You brought someone home last night?"

"Actually, I was the one brought home." Eva smiled as she snatched a muffin from the bakery box and winked at the woman. "I even got myself a date. Well, I'm going out to lunch with her and her daughter, I think it's gonna be an 'I want my daughter's approval to date' kind of thing."

"And you're okay with that?"

"Why the hell not? She's… She's gorgeous and her smile is amazing. Sure, she's fairly older than me, in her mid thirties, but I wanna give this a chance."

"You're a cougar hunter, aren't you?"

"No! I'm, like, twenty four!"

There was laughter around them before Eva gave them a playful scowl and snatched two pastries from the box, much to the outcry of the other teachers. Eva spitefully stuck out her tongue and left the room without another word.

After getting an ungodly amount of papers from the printer room, Eva got to Caline's class, and she was greeted with the familiar scene of everyone crowded around Lila Rossi, enraptured with some tall tale she was telling about a prince and a Wayne boy fighting for her hand in marriage or something.

Evangeline rolled her eyes and made her way to the back of the class, where two students were seated alone.

"Good morning Mari, Adrien." Evangeline handed them each a pastry she had snatched, then had a devious little grin on her face. "How are my favourite kids today?"

"Father is making me do another photo shoot with the banshee." Adrien stated dryly as he happily munched into the chocolate filled croissant he was handed. He carefully eyed the TA, then smiled. "What's got you so happy today?"

"I'm so sorry, Alya, but I can't." Lila's voice grew louder as she sounded so regretful, pouting. "But my mother invited me to lunch as the Grand Paris. We're getting the best VIP table and she's going to be introducing me to a supermodel, who wants me to be her apprentice."

Marinette rolled her eyes and shared a smirk with Adrien and Eva, before she bit into her cinnamon bun. When Miss Bustier appeared, all of the students took their seats and class began. But Eva couldn't ignore the little niggle that was wriggling in the back of her mind, telling her that something was wrong.

…

As soon as lunch rolled around, Evangeline eagerly went and got her purse. As she headed towards the school entrance, Marinette fell in step beside her.

"I've filed to switch classes. Adrien too."

"Good. Glad you finally stop giving out second chances like they're candy." Eva smiled down at Marinette, ruffling her hair a bit. " Listen, I've got a date to get to, so you might just be stuck with Adrien at lunch today."

"Oh, we're actually going to Luka's for lunch. He, Kagami, and Chloé thought it would be fun to have lunch, we haven't had it together in a while."

"Kinda hard to do that when those three are constantly making kissy faces at each other."

"And Adrien is wanting into that relationship too." Marinette gave a soft giggle, then smiled up at the older woman. "Since we're eighteen now, I think he's getting bolder about his life choices. No more father dictating everything."

"And for you, no more classmates putting all the responsibilities on you. Just don't stress, fall in love again, maybe join the poly squad." Eva joked, winking. "You have lots of love to give, sugar cookie."

"Okay, enough poking into my love life, go deal with your own." Marinette let out a laugh and the two walked down the front steps. Just as Eva was about her hail herself a cab, one pulled up and out stepped Cécile. "Cécile? What are you doing here?"

"Eva? Oh, is this where you work?" Cécile's beautiful face lit up with a stunning smile as she strode over to the woman, taking her hands. "What a coincidence, my daughter goes here as well! And there she is!"

Eva glanced to where Cécile was indicating and felt her gut clench. Striding down the steps, surrounded by her entourage, was Lila Rossi. Her cat-like green eyes narrowed as soon as she set eyes on Eva, but she strode forward confidently, calling out to her mother and embracing her. She began talking louder, giving a dramatic performance for her faithful entourage.

"Mama, I'm so glad you're here! Let's hurry and get to the Grand Paris so I can meet your special friend!" Lila flipped her hair over her shoulder and smirked at Marinette and Eva, hands on her hips. "We wouldn't want to make such an important person wait, now do we?"

"There's no rush, Lila, don't worry." Cécile laughed as she returned her daughter's hug, then motioned to Eva. "She's actually right here. Isn't that lucky, now we all can go to the restaurant together?"

"Wait, Miss Bourbon is a supermodel? Isn't she a bit fat for that?" Alya's brows shot up as she eyed the TA skeptically.

"Supermodel? What are you talking about?" Cécile's brows drew together as she glanced at Alya curiously, then to her daughter. "I never said a supermodel. I told you I met someone special and she was nice enough to make room in her reservations for us to join her for lunch."

Marinette had to hold back a giggle as she watched Lila's face go bright red in embarrassment as her lie was brought to light. Many of her classmates were giving confused looks before Rose, innocent little Rose, stepped forward and shook Cécile's hand.

"Mrs. Rossi, it's so good to see you again! How was your time in Prague the other week? Wasn't it exciting that Damian Wayne and Roy Harper fought over her? You must have been so thrilled to have met the Achu royal family."

"What are you talking about? We've never been to Prague.. Lila?" Cécile glanced over at her daughter, who had begun to panic.

Marinette took a step back as she watched the chaos unfold and Lila's lies came to light. She felt a bit of glee as Alya kept demanding answers, while Cécile kept tearing every lie to shreds, right in front of the entire class. But then she remembered what Evangeline said earlier.

Slowly, she turned to her friend and saw that her face had gone stark white, even her lips had lost some colour.

"Eva?" Marinette spoke, suddenly drawing everyone's attention.

"Evangeline?" Cécile stepped forward, reaching for the woman, but stopped at the glazed look she saw in the woman's eyes. Eva couldn't hear anything, the blood was roaring in her ears and her mind was reeling.

"You planned this, didn't you? Why would you do this? You teamed up with Marinette to bully me!" Lila burst into tears, obviously trying to save face. "You motherfucker, you turned my mother against me! How do you know her?!"

"You just answered your own question, Miss Rossi." Eva's voice came out cold, hard, and her expression mirrored it. The class took a moment of silence to ponder her words, before the light of realization hit them.

Marinette couldn't help it, she began laughing. She quickly doubled over from the onslaught of laughter, before she wiped away her tears.

Lila's face went red and something dangerous sparked in her eyes. She launched herself as Marinette and aimed her claws at the girl, but Eva stepped forward and got in her way.

Eva didn't cry out as Lila's long manicured nails raked over her face and neck, leaving behind marks. She grabbed Lila's wrists roughly, stopping her attack after the Italian got a few hits in. She stopped the screaming girl from any further attacks and met Adrien's gaze as he made his way down the front steps.

"Adrien, please go get Miss Bustier and Mr. Arquette. It seems like we finally have a hold of Mrs. Rossi and now we can ask her all about those long absences and the false doctors notes." Evangeline smiled thinly down at Lila, whose eyes glimmered with rage and hatred. "Funny how things work out, hm?"

"You'll regret this." Lila hissed through clenched teeth as Adrien ran back into the school. "I'll make sure of it."

Evangeline just rolled her eyes and somewhat roughly guided Lila up the front steps and towards the principal's office.

…

"I just don't understand. Lila's told me that the school has been shut down for weeks at a time due to the akuma attacks, due to Ladybug and Chat Noir taking so long to defeat them." Cécile explained to a grave looking Mr. Arquette. "I don't understand, why would you all believe she was away on a trip with me?"

"Because that's what she told us. Not that I was fooled, I easily looked into her absences and I knew you and her were still in the city. Contacting you is quite difficult, Mrs. Rossi." Mr. Arquette rose a brow at the woman, who had the decency to blush in embarrassment. "Our daughter never gave us your new cell phone number."

"Oh, she told me she had, because I gave her my old phone since hers broke." Cécile out in, her lips pressed into a thin line as she eyed her daughter. "So you've been telling everyone that we've been traveling to exotic places? Lila, I'm a secretary with the embassy, not an ambassador. Why on earth would you be telling people that, I could lose my job!"

"It's also online." Eva piped in, arms crossed. Cécile flinched when she saw the blood dripping from the scratches on the woman's face as she had refused medical attention. "On the Ladyblog, with Lila also stating she's Ladybug's best friend. Your daughter has been a ringleader of some bullies in her class, telling lies and targeting a specific student, as well as sexually harassing Adrien Agreste. We've already contacted their parents, they should be here shortly."

"What?! Mama, you can't believe them, Evangeline hates me and used you to hurt me! She's upset because I refused her advances, she's a creep, a criminal, she's obsessed with me!" Lila screeched, tightly gripping her mother's arm with tears swimming in her eyes.

"That is enough, Ms. Rossi." Mr. Arquette snapped at Lila, making her flinch. "We've already had this long discussion with your false accusations towards Ms. Bourbon. Miss Bustier, control your student for once!"

Caline looked embarrassed and went to speak, but Mr. Arquette cut her off with a look, then returned his gaze to a dumbfounded Cécile.

"Your daughter has been causing quite the amount of trouble. When Miss Bourbon got here, your daughter began telling everyone that she was on the run from Canadian police because she enjoys little boys."

"She also told everyone that I touched her and tried to force her into sex." Evangeline's voice remained icy as she crossed her arms, her eyes cold and flat. "We tried contacting you at your home, at the embassy, but there was no luck. Miss Bustier here told Mr. Arquette not to bring this slander to the police, that she'd discipline Lila. She never did and it all got swept under the rug."

"Eva…" Cécile whispered, her horror growing and a nauseous feeling rolling over her. "I'm so sorry…"

"Not as sorry as I am." Eva turned towards Mr. Arquette, her body shivering gently. "I'm going back to the class. Someone needs to actually watch over them and keep them in line. I'll visit the nurse on my way there to get bandaged up."

Mr Arquette was quiet for a long moment, but seeing the swirl of emotions in the TA's eyes, he nodded and let her go. Once Evangeline shut the office door closed behind her, she heard screaming from both mother and daughter through it, making her shudder.

She walked in almost a daze, before slipping into one of the bathrooms. Nausea hit her full force and she got violently sick in one of the trash cans, before she dropped to her knees and began to sob.

…

Marinette watched as Eva entered the classroom, which had been gravely quiet. She watched as her friend stiffly walked and sat down at the teacher's desk, looking absolutely miserable.

"Miss Rossi won't be returning to class today. In fact, the authorities have been contacted, due to her assault towards myself." Eva muttered and no one dazed argue with her as they eyes her bandaged face, though Alya looked pissed.

" You set her up, you b-"

"Miss Césaire, hold your tongue before I come over there and make you close it. You're already on thin ice as well with the slander you made towards in on that tabloid of yours." Evangeline's words made Alya's mouth snap shut. "I honestly hope you're all happy now. I hope every action you made since meeting Lila was worth it."

The class was silent, then blinked and all of them rushed towards Marinette, shouting apologies. Marinette ignored them, tightly gripping Adrien's arm as she was swarmed by the apologies, the tears, the begging. But she watched as Eva laid her head on the desk and seemed defeated. And her heart ached.

It quickly spread around the school that Lila had been expelled and Miss Bustier had been fired for grooming things to get this out of control. That Lila had been dragged off school property kicking and screaming profanities, and many waited for an akuma, but none appeared. Hawkmoth found no use in the angry girl; she had failed far too many times for his liking, she was useless.

Marinette and Adrien transferred classes despite the begging and pleading of their former classmates

Mr. Arquette offered Evangeline Caline's job, much to the woman's surprise.

And it seems to get better. Though Alya herself was expelled not too long after, after lashing out and trying to slander Marinette and Eva on her blog once again, it seemed to get better.

No more bullying, the class was reined in, they behaved better, their futures looked brighter, if only a little bit.

Cécile never spoke to Eva again, heading back to Italy without another word

So Eva took the bottle of wine she had been planning.to share with Cécile and opened it, heading to her balcony to spend the night getting drunk.

When a familiar heroic pair showed up on her balcony, she invited them to join her, if only for one glass.

And she took a deep breath and smiled.

All is fine.

It would be fine.

She'd be fine.

Taglist: @vixen-uchiha @ravennightingaleandavatempus @2sunchild2 @crazylittlemunchkin @bee-wrecker @souleateralicestein @loysydark @kceedraws @realrandomposts @alienjoyful

#miraculous ladybug #miraculous oc #miraculous fic

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reivenesque · 4 years

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Cindereva CH12

Chapter 12: Her Prince Charming

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Dedicated to @himadrij who’s recent bingeing of this story has inspired me to actually start writing the next chapter. To the people who follow this story on AO3 this has been uploaded on there; but I am now positive the next chapter will definitely be up this century.

Fairy tale endings don’t happen to regular folk. At least, they don’t happen to Eva.

They happen to beautiful people like Noora and Ingrid. They happen to innocent, wide eyed girls like Vilde who dream about it since they were children. They happen to people who want it.

Eva never wanted it. At least, Eva never thought she deserved it because if life taught her anything, it’s that love doesn’t last and people you care about end up leaving you in the end anyway.

And up until that moment, she believed it with all her heart.

But Chris came back.

He made a promise to her and he kept it.

He came back to her.

He came back for her and to Eva that was worth all the fairy tales in the world.

She’s looking at his face, standing right in front of her and it’s hard not to believe that it’s all a dream; that it’s all in her head and she’s still back at her cottage lost in the throes of grief and sadness.

His face still looks the same, though his hair has grown – Eva can tell even though he has it brushed back neatly, not tousled and hanging over his forehead the way she’s become accustomed to seeing. Eva can spot a few new blemishes and scars that she knows hadn’t been there before, but it’s still the same face she sees in her dreams. His eyes are still the gorgeous green speckled with gold – intense and knowing though shining of experience and pain beyond his physical age – and they’re looking at Eva like she’s the only thing in the room worth looking at.

They’re looking at Eva in a way that makes Eva feel like she’s the only thing in the world that matters.

He’s dressed in a black uniform similar to the rest of his Southern kin though Eva notices that the Wolfhead embroidered across the left part of his chest and across his shoulder is woven with gold thread instead of silver like the rest of the Penetrators, and the eyes of his Wolf is adorned with two glimmering emerald stones – like the ones she remembers staring back at her through the darkness of the forest that fateful stormy night.

The only thing absent in that moment is his smile.

Chris looks as nervous and as emotional as Eva feels on the inside. It’s not something anyone else would have noticed because Chris hides his thoughts and his emotions better than most, but Eva can see it clear as day. His eyes sparkle under the light of the chandelier adorning the great ballroom, but they are also holding back emotions and tears and in that moment, Eva feels a little less nervous, if nothing else, it’s because she knows she isn’t alone in her feelings. She can see that Chris feels exactly the same and moment of amity comforts her, the same way Mrs. Skrulle’s grief had made her feel a little less alone with hers.

“Most gorgeous lady,” Chris says, unfurling his hand from where he has them clutched tight behind his back and extending it to Eva. His posture is slightly bowed in the show of respect Eva has come used to seeing, “Will you grant me this great honour?” he asks again.

Eva swallows the lump in her throat. Her heart has stopped thundering beneath her ribcage though it skips a beat when she tears her eyes away from Chris’s intense gaze to stare at the offered appendage.

Many a night has she dreamt of that moment; to feel Chris’s arms around her once again; to feel his hand gripping her own and his lips whispering comforting words into her ear.

Every single morning she wakes up in dampness made by her own tears and an overwhelming feeling of regret that she had woken up at all.

Her eyes find Chris’s gaze once again and keeps it. Without word she reaches over to place her hand atop his; basking in the familiar warmth of the calloused hands grasping onto hers like he never wants to let go again.

They don’t speak a single word when Chris leads her away from her friends and out onto the barren dance floor.

Out of the corner of her eye Eva can see the crowd parting without word – the hall is still and silent, only their eyes move following her and Chris interestedly as they make their way to the dance floor, Northerners and Southerners alike.

In the back of her mind Eva can hear as the scattered whispers rise up again, but it’s nothing new; nothing she hadn’t experienced from the moment she stepped in through the door. But somewhere, a single voice stands out, booming inside the hall above the other chatter. Eva doesn’t know who’s speaking but he must be one of the palace heralds. Eva doesn’t really understand what he’s saying when he announces to the masses:

“My lords and ladies, honoured guests of the crown; please make way for the first dance of the Crown Prince of the Southern Nation and his most beautiful Lady.”

Eva hears the words the man is saying but it doesn’t really register inside her brain. But she can hear the way the chattering grows in intensity and volume once the man finishes.

The only thing she can focus on, the only thing that matters in that moment is the man walking beside her, guiding her away from her friends.

Eva is aware of every single eye in that ballroom, townsfolk, nobles and royalty alike, being on her and Chris and at any other time, in any other situation, the realization would have petrified her. But Chris is there with her, holding her hand and keeping her close and Eva can’t seem to recall what it feels like to be afraid. For a moment, she can’t remember what it feels like to be alone because no matter how hurt she’d been by Chris’s absence, no matter how much pain it had caused her – he kept his promise. He came back and Eva doesn’t have to be alone anymore.

They don’t speak. Their eyes say everything that needs to be said.

Eva stops walking when Chris stops and he turns to face her, hand still grasping onto hers like a lifeline. He lifts up her hand he’s holding, plants a gentle kiss on the back of her knuckles before placing it gently on his shoulder before placing his now free hand on her hip.

The familiarity of the motion casts Eva back into her memories. She remembers dancing with her father when she was little, standing on his feet laughing as he twirled her about the room. She remembers dancing with her mother when it was just the two of them in the bedroom. She remembers the dancing teacher complimenting how fast she picked up the skill.

She never thought she’d ever get the chance to use what she’d been thought – the skill no one but Noora even knew she possessed.

Her left hand comes up to cover the hand Chris has extended to her and for a split second, the both of them just stand there unmoving, latching onto one another.

Then the orchestra begins playing a new set and Eva feels her body moving without her brain having to do much at all.

She’s gliding across the floor in Chris’s arms, feeling as of her feet aren’t even touching the ground at all.

Their bodies move together, floating past the rows of people crowding around to watch their dance. Once in a while Eva’s eyes catch a glimpse of the people they glide past, even the stoic, emotionless Southern women look enthralled by their dancing.

The melody rises and falls. Eva feels herself spinning in Chris’s arms, the hem of her skirt billowing around her like it’s been lifted up by faeries; the glitter on her dress sparkling under the light like shining of stars.

Eva closes her eyes and just feels the melody run through hers and Chris’s body. She doesn’t look at the crowd, she doesn’t look at the king up on the balcony looking down at the spectacle. She doesn’t look around for her friends. She doesn’t even look at Chris, only feeling the heat of his body rubbing up against hers and the thumping of his heart she can feel against her chest.

The crescendo of the orchestra hits fever pitch; Eva can feel it in the middle of her chest, twisting and winding and driving the breath from her lungs.

Higher and higher and higher it goes.

She grasps onto Chris’s hand as they spin and spin and spin around to the melody. It feels like they’re flying. Her dress floats around her like a beautiful mist, glittering in the air. The eyes of the Wolfhead on Chris’s shoulder sparkles menacingly at anyone who stares to long.

They spin and spin. The tempo builds and builds and builds until it reaches peak before there’s a beat and the percussions snap Eva out of her trance.

Her tears flow freely, like shiny droplets in the air before she throws her arms around Chris’s shoulders and latches on tight, burying her face in the curve of his neck. She forgets about the dance, she forgets about the palace and the king and all the people watching. She forgets about everything else because in Eva’s world right then there is only Chris.

The orchestra settles down into a more relaxed cadence leaving the focus completely on the two still figures embracing unmoving in the middle of the dance floor.

There’s a small commotion near the far left side of the room before a section of the gathered crowd is pushed aside by a lithe figure dressed in light blue, dragging her less than eager escort out onto the barren dance floor.

Noora knows it’s time for action, instead of just standing around stupidly watching one of the most precious people to her experience her moment of vulnerability in the public eye like that. So she grabs William around the wrist and without waiting or giving him a chance to refuse drags him past the cluster of people in front of her out onto the floor. There’s no room for arguments and hesitation and although William seems surprised at first by the sudden motion, he quickly catches on to her intention. By the time they’re out on the floor, taking some of the attention off of Eva and Chris still embracing each other tightly, William has his arm around her waist and the other guiding her hand.

Her eyes lock on to Vilde who has quickly followed suit, pulling a slightly more hesitant Magnus behind her.

The orchestra continues playing with no interruption so Noora and William begin to dance.

Slowly, people’s attention start focusing away from Eva and Chris as the dance floor gains more and more occupants. Immediately Noora notices with great pride that it’s the people of her town that begin to shuffle into the limelight. She spots the vendors and the shop owners and everyone who knows and cares about Eva. She spots Christina stepping onto the dance floor with a little too much enthusiasm, dragging one of shocked Penetrators behind her. Noora thinks she even recognizes him from the attack on the town all those months ago.

After a while she spots Sana standing to the side – surprisingly, she isn’t alone. One of the men dressed in the Penetrators uniform is speaking to her and though she looks completely disinterested in what he’s saying Noora can spot the smile tugging at the corner of her lips even from that distance.

Slowly the dance floor begins filling up; she can barely spot Eva and Chris until she stares harder into the dancing masses, but they’re there, right in the middle still lost in their own little world. Eva still has her face buried in Chris’s shoulder, her arms latching onto his neck tight and Chris has his arms locked around her, holding her close, his eyes closed and his cheek resting against the side of her head.

Noora almost cries. Almost, but she doesn’t. She made a promise to herself and to Eva that she wasn’t going to and she intends on keeping that promise.

Instead she smiles; wide and toothy and she looks up to find William’s eyes already on her.

“What?” she asks when he continues staring without saying word.

He doesn’t answer, his eyes continue their intense gazing until he eventually lets out a smile. “You’re beautiful,” he says, “And an amazing friend.”

Noora almost blushes. “Eva is an amazing person,” she says.

“That she is,” William says, “And she deserves an amazing friend, and she has it. I’m happy for her.”

Noora smiles at that (and a tear or two may or may not have appeared at the comment). “I am too. She deserves this. They both deserve this happiness.”

Williams nods at that.

Noora tears her eyes away for a moment to look towards Eva and Chris but finds the spot they were standing in just a moment ago empty. She looks around for them but can’t spot them among the gathered crowd anymore, but she isn’t worried. She knows that there’s no safer place for Eva to be than with Chris.

“Although, did I or did I not hear correctly when the herald said ‘crown prince’?” William says bemused.

Noora laughs at that. She’d heard the same and for that split second she was almost taken aback by surprise. But looking at Eva and Chris out there on the dance floor; seeing how beautiful they were together. Seeing that, although neither of them were smiling, Noora could sense the joy and the happiness rolling off them like a mist. Being there having the honour of witnessing all that with her own two eyes, Noora thinks that she can and will accept anything as long as it means that Eva finally gets the happily ever after she deserves.

And what better way to have a happily ever after than with an actual prince?

Though it doesn’t mean that Noora isn’t going to interrogate him for details at some point; it’s her duty as Eva’s best friend to watch out for her wellbeing after all.

Tbc.

#chriseva #mohnstad #skam #chris schistad #eva kviig mohn #lisa teige #herman tommeraas #skam fairy tale au #noora amalie sætre #william magnusson #reiven fics #reiven chriseva fics #fics: cindereva #my fic: cindereva

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dawnasiler · 5 years

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Her Skincare Secrets: An Interview With Celebrity Facialist Joanna Vargas

Joanna Vargas went from aspiring photographer to the most sought after facialist celebrities rely on for red carpet glowing skin. Naomi Watts, Julianne Moore, Eva Mendez and even P.Diddy are just some of the Hollywood celebs that have her on speed dial.

The secret to her success goes further than her signature LED and microcurrent facials (offered at the two salons she founded in LA and NYC) to refine and reshape skin. It’s her warming personality and sparkling good humour that makes her such a pleasure to work with.

Starting her own skincare line – Joanna Vargas Skincare Collection – was the next natural step. Loaded with natural extracts like chlorophyll and sweet potato, they help nourish the skin and give it that Hollywood glow.

But what does she uses on her own skin? In this interview, Joanna Vargas shares her morning and evening skincare routines, the products she can’t live without and the lifestyle hacks that help her achieve flawless skin:

When did you become interested in skincare?

I was obsessed with beauty products since I was a child. I can remember having so many different lotions and potions as a young child! I also was really into perfume- Opium was one of my favorite smells! I also really paid attention to photography, magazine ads and commercials. I started out wanting to be a photographer, then a makeup artist. I went to esthetics school for makeup, but really fell in love with skincare immediately!

What’s your skincare routine like?

I recommend a minimalist regimen: cleanse at night and apply a serum or a mask for sleeping. In the morning, cleanse or rinse, apply a serum, moisturizer and a sunscreen. I also exfoliate twice a week and do a beauty mask once a week.

Morning: I always wash my face at night, so in the morning I simply rinse my face with tepid water. I don’t like using extreme temperatures on my skin, because this tends to dry it out. I apply my Rejuvenating Serum to my face and neck and follow with Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer. I don’t wear much makeup for work – I think it’s nicer to see clean, fresh skin.

Night: I never go to bed without washing my face! I use my Vitamin C Face Wash, which is a foaming exfoliating cleanser. I take my makeup off with that as well, because I hate fussing with tons of products. I follow with my Daily Serum – the skin needs greens, and my formula is packed with vital greens for the skin. I apply it all over, even to the eye area. It makes the skin hydrated and lightens and brightens my face for morning. If I have a big event the next day, I will sometimes go to sleep with my Exfoliating Mask on my face. It really brightens and exfoliates for a nice, clean palette in the morning for makeup!

If you could only use three skincare products for the rest of your life, what would they be?

My all-natural, organic Daily Serum is packed with vital greens and is inspired by my love of green juicing. It contains my favorite ingredient, Galactoarabinan, derived from the larch tree. Galactoarabinan causes more cell turnover than a glycolic, but it’s also anti-inflammatory, so it doesn’t cause irritation, even on sensitive skin. It also contains Oat Grass Juice for the lymphatic system, Chlorophyll for oxygenation, Vitamins A,C,E and F found in leafy greens, and Hyaluronic Acid. You will look glowing and fresh, even when you don’t feel it! My celebrity clients use the Daily Serum as their secret weapon to keeping the glow in their skin!

I like my Exfoliating Mask for all skin types because it’s gentle, but will calm breakouts and resurface the skin. I encourage my celebrity clients to sleep in it the night before a red carpet event. It evens out pigment, takes down inflammation and after a good night’s sleep in it, you wake up fresh faced like you have just had a facial! It’s awesome for bringing that glow back to the skin, and it will really flatten any breakouts that you might have.

My Super Nova Serum because it is a retinol that is good for all skin types. It has soothing anti-inflammatory ingredients that support the skin, so it won’t get too red or too dry and helps control the oiliness of the skin while, gently addressing aging. This retinol is a clinical strength but is gentle enough to be used around the eye area as well, which is important to address fine lines.

What are your fave skincare brands and why?

I love my Joanna Vargas Skincare line because my products are made to show instant results and are made to work for everyone. The line is based on my belief that products should provide good nutrition for the skin. Once we have that, we will have glowing skin all the time. I think because I am a facialist, I know what people are looking for and I know how to make a client happy with their skin.

I love my friend Renee Rouleau- her products are genius.

What are your top 3 skincare tips to take care of your skin?

I start any good skincare routine with diet advice: if you are breaking out or if you simply have dull skin, the best solution is adding more greens to your routine. One of my best tips is to start by eating a bit of avocado everyday as part of your salad, or even throwing a half of an avocado into your morning smoothie. Avocado supplies the skin with healthy fats and phytonutrients to hydrate from the inside out and bring back your glow.

Exfoliate! Exfoliation is my secret weapon to having great skin. It’s the most often skipped step in people’s home routine but it really makes a huge difference in the way your skin looks and feels. Think of exfoliation as your way of creating a perfect canvas for your products and your makeup. You could be investing in the most expensive amazing skin care products at home, but if you don’t exfoliate, those ingredients won’t ever penetrate to make any difference at all.

If your skin is inflamed, red, or breaking out, you should always apply your products in a downwards motion on the face towards the sides of the neck. This encourages lymphatic drainage and brings down redness immediately.

What skincare treatments do you regularly have done?

I always recommend clients have facials once a month. Nothing you do at home can replace a professional exfoliation, extraction and attention!

I recommend LED light therapy, regularly, to help keep the skin calm and restore strength and health to the skin. LED Light Therapy uses red and infrared light to reduce inflammation, build collagen and speed the healing of the body. It’s a great instant glow and the long term benefits are lessening of lines on the face, thickening of the skin and overall healthy glowing skin! In my salon, we do several different treatments that involve LED light, but by far the most popular, is my patented RevitaLight Bed, which gives a client a full-body LED Light Therapy treatment.

Microcurrent is absolutely wonderful for lifting and toning the skin long term. I use electricity to drain out excess water, tighten the muscle and tighten the skin to make the jaw and cheeks look tight, lifted and youthful. Although it’s a non-invasive treatment, microcurrent is like going to the gym for the face. Most of my clients like to come every three to four weeks to really get the cumulative benefit. My signature Triple Crown Facial uses microcurrent and is favored by my celebrity clients. Since I designed this treatment myself, it is only available in my salon.

What lifestyle habits do you have that keep your skin in top shape?

Eating healthy is obviously good for many things, but if you want glowing skin, it is more important than you think to have a good diet. I find that the best skin diet is one that involves eating veggies of different colors for every meal and a green juice every day. There is really no substitute and it works on everyone! If I have a client who doesn’t eat salad or drink green juices, I tell them to go to Whole Foods and buy liquid chlorophyll, it tastes like mint, it oxygenates the skin, keeps skin clean, works from the inside out see a huge difference in your skin in a matter of days.

I would strongly suggest avoiding sugar, dairy and wheat. All of those things are hard to digest and lead to breakouts even in adult skin! Most people don’t realize that skin directly correlates to our digestive system. If we eat something we can’t digest or have trouble digesting, there are consequences!

Eliminating coffee in the afternoon when you are dragging your feet at work and substituting that with a green juice will do wonders for your face. It will decrease puffiness in the eyes and will even improve dark circles. Green juice will also help to oxygenate the skin, which means the skin will be better able to rid itself of impurities and bring in nutrients.

What’s in your makeup bag?

Thank you Joanna!

Check out her website to find out more about Joanna, shop her skincare line or book an appointment at her salon. You can also keep up with her on Instagram and YouTube.

Take The Guesswork Out Of Skincare Shopping

Get access to the “Pro Skincare Library” for exclusive skincare routine “cheat sheets” and tricks to help you navigate the beauty aisles jungle like a pro and immediately know what to pick off the shelves to achieve the gorgeous skin of your dreams - even when you’re drowning in an endless sea of skincare products.

Success! Now check your email to confirm your subscription and get access to the skin library.

Her Skincare Secrets: An Interview With Celebrity Facialist Joanna Vargas syndicated from Beautiful With Brains

#skincare #beauty #makeup

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devilishdewitt · 5 years

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Ladies of Burlesque, June 2019

Short’n’Sweet, off we go!

First things first, the most important part of any review I shall ever write:

~The Eternal Disclaimer~

It is hereby declared that this little nook of the world wide web shall be devoted to the praise & critique of the art of burlesque, specifically in Russia.

Let it also be known that I am first and foremost a benevolent force, and every single criticism is documented solely for the purpose of evolution, growth and inspiration, darling.

Never forget - it is fantastic that the burlesque scene in Russia has grown so much in the last few years. Brava, ladies! As a fact and a statement, it is absolutely fabulous.

However, I volunteer to wear the heavy crown of expertise, having seen many a show in many a place, and having a keen eye for detail and a heart hungry for that wow factor. I always come with an open heart, am quite easily entertained, and know how hard the craft is - I can overlook many a fault when there’s stage presence, charisma and that fire of passion. Oh, and self-irony.

All is sickly without self-irony.

Now, onwards! To fabulousness!

Ah, Michel! Beautiful as you approach it, delightful as you step in, courteous waiters, excellent food!

The stage seemed a tad bit too small and a little bit too close to the audience (to my liking), and seemed quite stifling, really. However, certainly not the worst option in Moscow!

Our gorgeous swan-queen host, Anja Pavlova was on top form both nights. Her hosting excelled - the marriage of her Moscow State University philosophy faculty, English teacher experience (hello, fantasies), European lady class and Russian intelligentsia wit provide endless charm, wittiness and grace. Brava!

The chorus line was better. The routine was polished, they had fun - and so they were fun to watch. But still, ladies! Waists! Synch! It’s not that hard! A little shape goes a long way!

You, dearest darlings, already know how much I adore Ladies of Burlesque.

However, h o w e v e r, there is just one thing I can’t for the life of me understand.

The fascination with Marie Weinberg.

Is she sweet? Undoubtedly.

Is she talented? Sure.

Is she good in this show? No.

Her tone of voice is just not suited to the mood, the vibe, the occasion.

Or she simply doesn’t make it work.

She seems dead scared every time she walks on stage, she doesn’t own the audience, she doesn’t seem to enjoy herself - and the audience feels it!

Being harsh is never my intention, and I have a healthy amount of self-doubt (believe it or not, darling reader!), so I decided to ask a certain number of fellow spectators. An opinion in unison…bland.

She doesn’t feel the energy of the songs she’s singing, either. She seems to simply enjoy the sound of her own voice.

And don’t even get my started on the crumpled, non-ironed dress (girl! Get a steamer!!) and the ill-fitting gloves. Oh, Whineberg…

Blanche de Moscou. Excellent! She completely transforms on stage. The sparkle, the charm, the stories, the moves - it’s all there! This time she entertained us with her “Pink 60’s” and “Kinky” acts. Both were great, though the Kinky one still isn’t Kinky - and even inserting a fox-tail butt-plug into her belle-chose (instead of it’s derrière-destiny) at the Kinky Party didn’t help the cause.

Elisha Fox - excellent as always. Unfortunate that the video projector got in the way of his dance flow (a very low ceiling for a tall performer (especially in those heels!)).

However, his magic is inextinguishable.

Especially the “My Little Pony” addition in the end of the “Magic Lamp” number…self-irony at it’s best!

I know what you’re thinking, darling. It seems as if I write about Elisha is every review. That’s because...it is the truth! He is indeed one of the few (ahem, two) performers who are invited to almost every event. All the cliques, groups and cults want a slice of his boylesque extravaganza. Of course it’s due to the fact that he’s really, really good - but also, he’s one of a kind, and being a boylesque performer in Russia is an act of bold, glittery rebellion.

However, Elisha does get elephantine bonus points for being, indeed, the first and only of his kind in Russia. So if I were to judge our luminary on an international scale, he wouldn’t shine quite as bright, and here’s why.

The marvel lends too much focus to the technique. Burlesque is about the magic of connection - that is what the tease does, creates electricity between the performer and the audience. The tease, the joy, the desire to inspire, the will to share the story...Elisha has everything. Now he has to let it go and enjoy his time on stage. The dancing is perfect, but it doesn’t have to be. Make eye contact! Make a mistake! Breathe! Allow yourself to be alive on that stage. Because the audience wants to be alive with you.

If I could make one wish on the lamp of our dazzling genie...it would be that Tanya, aka @konfetki, would look the part. The producer of such a dazzling event deserves to look as brilliant as the show. Oh, did I say deserves? I meant should. This is in no way an attack on anyone’s freedom of expression, but there are fairly simple style rules that would amp up the full experience. It’s a question of atmosphere, of vibe, of team spirit! When the team spirit is brilliance, you dress accordingly, darling!

It’s a damn shame that Victoria Semmybird wasn’t able to come. Tales of her Dumbo act travel far and wide, and St Petersburg burlesque quite often offers a refreshing quirkiness. Moscow takes itself so seriously...perhaps we shall see a flourish of comedic acts sooner rather than later!

Tamasina Beansun was alright. Her Vaping Moon act was syrupy, sensual and full of deeply-set inner emotional drama, and her Butterfly act was syrupy... sensual...and...well, you get me.

She did expertly get rid of a naughty button - rip it off and throw it away! That’s the temperament that could make her future acts truly shine.

Her Siberian Prime inseparable, Katerina Sahara, was her usual fabulous self. Starting with her Heartbroken act, that suits any occasion with its elegant languid flow & elements of enticing percussion. But it was her second act that really made the room explode with excitement. Take a Russian jazz-pop classic, add a feisty tropical/Cuban costume, add rum, twerking and brilliant charm and you got yourself a treasure.

Masha Arzamasova, a journalist, sex blogger and all-round brilliant lady did a stand up act on night 2 - and it was excellent. Sassy, confident, hilarious - the room was buzzing long after she sat back at her table. Refreshing!

I have a feeling that the Ladies might be lending this modest little writing endeavour a pinch of their attention, as Elena the Stage Kitten had her moment to shine and it was delightful! You go, Lena!

Wish I could say the same about Jeva Noir.

I must say, it takes talent to take one of the most adored and vivid female comic book characters - POISON IVY!!, choose the deliciously malicious Uma Thurman version, make some fern fans…and make it so bland.

Girl.

Posture.

That corset does NOT fit. It’s supposed to SYNCH YOU IN.

The wig is tragic. I’m sorry, but it’s just a fact.

Actually, no. I am not sorry. The reason why I’m making these comments is because I want the quality of Russian burlesque to rise and conquer the world. Someone’s gotta tell the truth!

The choreography is awkward and doesn’t do anything. It’s just moving for the sake of moving.

You can’t take one of the most ironically sexy songs in the history of mankind and NOT make fun of it or at least ENJOY it.

Apparently there is such a thing as too much glitter ( g a s p )

Also, sticky jewels on one’s forehead stopped working since every single festival-going chick started sticking them everywhere.

Caught a glimpse of Eva out of costume - my God, how gorgeous she is! Her elegant bob haircut suits her flawlessly, she carries herself with poise…so what happens when she’s in character?

A perplexing addition to the pantheon of LoB elegance.

I have the antidote to the sadness of this last paragraph, darling reader - our paramount lady, Anja. The two acts she brought to us this time were “A Lady Loves” (the big fan one) and “You’re My Thrill” (the moon act), dedicated to her lucky Persian prince husband.

Well, let me tell you, she was our thrill.

The lady loves and oh, the lady’s loved!

What really makes her stand out is the grace, the raw emotion, the adoration of the music (we can feel it in her bones), and just how much she loves this show and burlesque.

Another thing I must mention is the costume changes. God, I love a good costume change, and Pavlova did indeed bring. it. on.

From her breathtaking golden iris Mucha Bond-girl fantasy to a vivacious green glitter tassel Christmas tree fantasy (sewn in one night with no sewing machine!), it was endlessly entertaining and captivating - much like the lady herself! Also, the new wig length worked superbly well. I daresay that a longer style suited her much better than her usual curly bobs.

“Burlesque is unapologetic”, she manifests towards the end - and god damn, the gal is right! Unapologetic in its confidence, playfulness, storytelling and celebration of being alive in those bizarre, beautiful bodies of ours!

Hoorah, ladies and gentlemen! (of burlesque and beyond)

The Ladies of Burlesque Halloween show will take place on the 1st of November at the same venue, Cafe Michel.

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