20 for the ask game? 💜✨
Thank you for the ask! <3
20. Tell us about a memory you hold close to your heart.
I don't have a lot of fond memories, tbh, but the one that was really an all-around surge of good emotions is probably the whole thing with the London Comic-Con.
I was out of a very bad relationship and very depressed, then I discover Gotham and hyperfixate on it. I start writing fics. I make a friend in this fandom who then mentions going to the Comic-Con where a lot of Gotham stars would be present. And like, I have never understood wanting to meet a celebrity before, but Gotham was such a healing experience for me that I just had to go there and say 'thank you'. It was very important to me all of a sudden. I buy the Con tickets.
Everyone here always kept saying how difficult it was to get a visa to UK, and I have never travelled abroad alone before, but I decided that fuck it, I'm gonna do it. I collect the docs for the UK visa. I book the plane tickets and a room at an Airbnb. The visit to the embassy goes well, but the waiting period to get the approved visa is a bit close to my flight date. To not fret about it too much, I busy myself with finishing the case-fic I was writing, because it was very important to me that Robin signed it. I also decide to go all-in and prepare a cosplay suit (thank god that Gotham looks can be like, so very fancy, but also kinda normal? so I felt very dressed up, but not exactly as I was masquerading). It all feels so fun to prepare. Life is fun and exciting again! I'm learning to tie a bowtie without a mirror!
My fic was finished barely a week before my flight. I got my visa by then (one less worry). A friend helps me to print the fic so I could bind it - first I was gonna have it printed/bound professionally, but I took too long writing. So hand-binding it was. I did so many things wrong XD I packed in the last minute (it helped that I was only going for three and a half days), the glue on the fic 'book' was still drying and I kept worrying it would fall completely apart.
The flight goes well, the security check at Heathrow takes forever, but sooner than expected I'm in London and riding towards my destination. The room hosts are lovely and have a cute dog. I meet my fandom friend and it's so fun to finally talk face to face. Then, early next morning, I'm off to Comic-Con. All dressed up, but not anxious, because it's London, it's fancy, and I'm going to have fun. The queue to the Con is sooooo long, but it's fun standing in it because we're chatting and I keep noticing more and more Gotham cosplayers who are just soooo good, I love all of it.
The Con itself is a whirlwind of emotions. I have a photoshoot with Robin, which I almost forget about because we're chatting with more fandom friends, but I still manage to get there in time. Another queue. A lot of awesome cosplayers there too. I get so anxious alone. Then I meet Robin and the first thing he says is "You look amazing" and suddenly every bit of anxiety just vanishes and only joy remains. I meet him later for an autograph signing and I completely freeze up like an idiot because he's sunny and attentive and awesome and I want to look at him but I'm so, so, so shy. I do get an autograph on my fic though, which makes me happy. And I get to thank him for Gotham. And it feels unreal but it happened, and I'm so happy and grateful and hopeful again. More queues to meet other Gotham stars. Tired feet. Meeting awesome artists and awesome cosplayers. Getting merch. Talking my head off about Gotham. In the end we all go out to eat, a whole bunch of us that were almost strangers. It's the best time.
I almost get lost in London on the way back, because it was late and it was raining. I get back at almost 3 AM, drenched to the bone. My shoes won't dry until morning, so I'm resigned I'll have to wear heels for the 2nd day. It was even more of a whirlwind. More photos with cosplayers. A Gotham panel. I love the whole vibe of the event and I never want to leave. We stick around until the closing time and then we go out to hang out again.
And on what was left of my last day there, I went for a bit of quick sightseeing, and I couldn't see much but I loved every moment, even though I had to carry my luggage with me the whole time XD
It was amazing. Thank you for getting me to revisit this memory again~
