What better day to post cozy artwork than the day pumpkin spice lattes launch at Starbucks? This is my 2nd year participating in @coartremix and the 2nd time I get to remix artwork by @alexalexinii! The original art is one of my all-time favorites. The fair isle knits and the holiday vibes are so good. There’s something so adorable about going out to get a Christmas tree and then trying to wrangle it home.
Because I’m ridiculous, the station listed outside is Dalston Kingsland which is on the same line as Hackney Wick. Another Easter egg is that the poster next to the tube sign is advertising Cirque Watford’s show, Fjäril, from my cirque au.
Thank you to @ic3que3n for moderating this event and hosting art sessions! It was so great to get to connect with other artists!
I got to remix my beloved, my precious, @rbkzz vision of Agatha and Niamh living their sapphic magickal goat herding best lives, as in the OG Arts.
This is the most conceptually and compositionally complex piece I’ve ever done and I also barely understand procreate and suck at colouring so ‘twas a CHALLENGE.
The backgrounds are blurred stock images from Pexel.
The rest is my own highly questionable ability. 😅🥲 (Agatha’s dress nearly killed me.) (Wtf winged goats are hard.)
One of my remixes (I signed up for 2 🫠 why past-me, whyyy?!) is of this cute and mischievous moment by @stardustasincocaine !
I struggled with ideas on how to differentiate my interpretation and, after much brainstorming, ended up in Hallowe'en mode:
As I was drawing, my brain came up with a whole backstory, so if you want to read a little mini-fic accompaniment, check under the cut!
@coartremix
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It was a perfectly acceptable thing for grown-ups to do, Baz thought...
He'd even asked Penelope Bunce, and she'd confirmed it. Many of their Normal friends did it as well.
Wearing the same Hallowe'en costume every year, that is.
Baz enjoyed it. It was an annual event now - to have his vampirism publicly appreciated, applauded even (albeit unknowingly).
He'd also had his satin-lined cape made custom, of course. Plus, fitting into his waistcoat each year proved to be good motivation to avoid the weight gain that often accompanied middle-age.
Yes, Baz had come to relish Hallowe'en over the years.
…Although not nearly as much as Simon.
It was Baz's idea initially - he'd had the "DRAGONBOY" shirt printed as a surprise and gifted it alongside a pair of plastic devil's horns for good measure. After seeing Simon's joy over letting his monster bits hang out at the Ren Faire in America, Baz thought passing his wings and tail off as a costume on Hallowe'en was the next logical outlet.
Each year on Hallowe'en morning, Simon would vibrate with excitement. He'd hit the gym extra hard the weeks leading up to Hallowe'en so that his slutty little Dragonboy costume would show off "his pump" (whatever that meant). Sometimes people would stop him for photos on the street - asking if Dragonboy were some 'new Marvel superhero' that they hadn't yet heard of. Baz and Penelope would keep their magical instruments close at hand in case a quick "these aren't the droids you're looking for" was needed (though most Normals seemed happy to suspend disbelief and accept the explanation of mechanical wings and tail) (especially after they'd imbibed a few too many Hallowe'en cocktails).
It seemed almost as though each year Simon's mischievous spirit became more apparent - as if Dragonboy were becoming a distinct persona who awoke 1 day a year, reveling in wreaking havoc and embracing his dragon parts and devil bits entirely.
Leading up to the big day, Baz never knew what Dragonboy antics Simon was planning. When he pried once, Simon had snapped "You plotted against me for 8 years at Watford, Baz! It's my turn. And come on, it's only for one day of the year!" (Baz didn't correct the fact that he'd barely ever plotted at all, despite teenage-Simon's accusations...)
Suffice it to say, after years of Dragonboy's mischief... Everyone was on ready for the unexpected on All Hallow's Eve.
“Hey Baz… Trick or treat?” Dragonboy now asked with a mischievous smirk (while Spadey caressed parts of Baz wholly inappropriate for a public party).
“Plotting something, Snow?” replied Baz with a raised eyebrow, trying to appear mildly irked.
Though he knew whether he were about to be tricked with a variety of blood flavoured ice cubes in his cocktail or treated to a quickie in the bathroom, he'd be happy to play along with Dragonboy's plot.
