Dancer; Kindergarten Para.
Bi.
dating Kit.
01/09/1990.
32.
Snake (WA)
Authored by Etienne.
Offline.
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Post by Devi J. Yun on Mar 27, 2019 2:17:28 GMT -8
Driftwood Dance Club's monthly drag night had been Devi's first ever paid drag show that he'd done when they first opened and started doing it. He was glad that his friends had never asked him to try to host, but it was a fun show, and there were a lot of people who recognized him as Vivi. There was a part of him that found it almost relaxing to be in the loud club for the show, where people recognized him for his stage persona, and his image, and it was too loud for much talking to be expected. He danced, and interacted with the crowd mostly with body language, and he could sing OK, and it didn't really matter if he mispronounced some words in this context, that wasn't why people were here.
His routine for getting ready took a while, more because of the makeup than anything else, and his routine was simpler than a lot of the other Queens who worked the show. The original idea for the outfit had been a bit spiteful towards his grandparents, but it was also something that he'd been excited about. The first time he'd visited Cambodia, he'd gotten the sampot and accessories often worn in dance performances in blues and golds [[picture]]. He had learned how to wear them correctly, though he'd known most of it from their grandparents putting the girls in sampot some when they were young, and the basics of some of the traditional styles of Cambodian dance. He'd gotten the chance to learn more each time he'd gone back. He'd also gotten a pair of soft shoes with embroidered gold patterns that matched the sampot even though traditionally Cambodian dances were done barefoot because Driftwood needed him wearing shoes for health reasons.
He didn't pad much for the costume. He thought that it didn't do the gentle fall of silk justice, but he gave himself enough curves for people to notice against his generally lanky frame. Even without the heels that the other queens that did the show wore, Vivi would be among the tallest people on the stage. His biggest focuses were on hair and makeup. He had enough hair these days that he only had to secure an extra hair piece for the long trailing black ponytail that he added starting under the golden head piece, and he worked some flowers into his hair and the gold bracelets and anklets that he also wore. It took a while to get everything in place, even though it looked almost simple when it was done. For the make up, his main focus was his eyes, lined in heavy black eyeliner that was drawn out to a sharp point, and then with a delicate bright blue line that split the black liner and made it pop more sharply. He worked a fade of eye shadow from blue right above the eye liner to gold near his brows, and he carefully styled his brows using various products to make them look thinner and more arched. His mascara was a navy blue so dark that it seemed almost black but help draw together all the other blues around it, and he dusted it with a golden glitter that caught in the ends of his lash extensions and glinted in the light. The rest of his makeup contoured his face and made it seem more delicate, with higher cheekbones and a more gentle jawline. He used a lipstick that was a rosy gold with a lot of shimmer to it. He looked in the mirror and decided that he was happy with it.
He could hear the crowd from the back room. They were starting to have their drinks and get excited. The host was already out there, and soon, it would be time for the call to the stage. Devi waited through the other Queens getting called up, and finally, the host called, "And now for the Queen whose been gracing this stage since the day that Driftwood opened its doors, our Cambodian Princess, Vivi."
Devi waved and smiled, taking on stage presence and incorporating some simple bits of dance footwork in the trip across the stage. There were cheers and people calling out various praises, and Devi just enjoyed the feeling. Vivi wasn't up first in the night's line up, so soon enough, Devi was backstage again, waiting for his turn to be up. After that, he would go into the crowd and mingle, performing on a smaller scale. He wasn't sure if there would be someone that he'd go out with from the other Queens, or if he'd wander around alone, but there would be people who wanted to dance with Vivi and be flirted with. It was a fun sort of night, and something that he never had the confidence for as just Devi.
Samnang Yun (and also technically Jiuk Robertson)
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Starbucks Manager.
Heterosexual.
Single.
04/11/1996.
27.
Rat (WA)
Authored by Redeim.
Offline.
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Post by Samnang Yun on Mar 30, 2019 10:26:47 GMT -8
"So... I found out my brother's a real person." Samnang told Jiuk. They had met for coffee after Jiuk got off work at a local coffee shop, neither of them feeling like having Starbucks.
Jiuk didn't even look at him, tracing the mouth of the cup. "Really? Which one?"
"Devi." Sam took a sip of his drink.
That was when Jiuk looked up at his friend, a hint of shock on his face. "Really? You two bonded? I thought you hated each other."
Samnang extended his arm, "I know! I thought he hated me too, so I just left it as being mutual. But it turns out all this time I thought he hated me because he was always closer to Kali. But he also drew away from her after That incident. He protected me from our grandparents when I kid, but I just didn't remember because... Well I don't really remember much from before I was like... twelve. He technically gave me my first tie, and traded it for the item our grandparents gave me. Apparently I'm his favorite sibling?? This all happened in a very short time and I'm still digesting it, honestly."
Jiuk raised an eyebrow, "That is... a lot. Indeed."
"He was also the first one to call me Sam."
"You always told me you came up with it on your own. You got used to it, which is why when yuo came across the name Samnang it was perfect." Jiuk said, then, feigning hurt, put a hand on his chest, "You mean you lied to me?"
"I thought I did!" Samnang said incredulously.
"Sammy how could you." Jiuk continued, putting his head in his hands.
"Oh stop." Sam protested, hitting Jiuk on the shoulder. as he rolled his eyes.
Jiuk lifted his head, resting his chin on his hand. "Anyway, we should go do something fun. It's been a while."
Samnang nodded, looking up events happening in the Greater Seattle Area. "Is Hwangjung working?"
Jiuk shook his head, finishing up his coffee. "No, he's in Korea. That's why you're spending the night tomorrow."
Samnang nodded, "Ah, right. Nothing really exciting is happening, though. I suppose we could just go hang out on Cap Hill or something."
Jiuk scrunched up his face. "I'm not really feeling Seattle right now. Check the gay clubs around here. Maybe something special is happening."
Sam continued his search. "Uh... Nothing. Though Driftwood - I don't know if that's a gay club or what, but they're having a drag night tonight. The doors open soon, too."
"I've never been to a drag night. Do we have to dress up?"
"I think only if you're performing. Besides, you won't catch me dead in a dress."
Jiuk laughed, and nodded. "Alright, alright. Let's finish our coffee and go check it out."
As they arrived at the club, they were a bit surprised at the turnout. "Lots o' people." Jiuk murmed as they went inside. As they went to order a drink and find a table, Sam teasing Jiuk for getting accused of having a fake ID, they were also looking around at the crowd.
"It's cause you're so cute." Sam teased, pinching Jiuk cheek playfully.
"Stop it!" Jiuk screeched at him in Korean, batting his hand away. "Anyway, it sure looks like a gay club."
Samnang chuckled, grabbing their drinks and handing Jiuk's to him. He shrugged, "The name sounds familiar, but this is my first time here." They sat down at a table close to the stage and waited for the performance to start.
As the announcer stated the name of the person, Samnang had a moment of looking interested. Cambodian people weren't unheard of in this area, but they definitely weren't common. But his eyes widened as the dancer came out on stage. He turned to face Jiuk with a look of disbelief.
Jiuk shared a similar look. "Isn't that-?" He began.
Samnang nodded, still in shock.
As the dance continued, both of their faces softened, though they were obviously still shocked. "He's not bad." Jiuk said, sounding impressed.
Again, Samnang just nodded.
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Dancer; Kindergarten Para.
Bi.
dating Kit.
01/09/1990.
32.
Snake (WA)
Authored by Etienne.
Offline.
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Post by Devi J. Yun on Apr 2, 2019 2:02:45 GMT -8
The second time Devi went up on the stage, he was more focused, more in the role and personality of Vivi. He interacted with the crowd, taking tips and flirting a little bit, all as a part of the show. He'd set a dance that incorporated elements from several styles, including Cambodian traditional dances to a piece or music that had been remixed from some Cambodian pop and some pop that would be more familiar to the audience.
He almost lost his focus when he spotted two very familiar faces in the crowd, but fortunately, he knew his dance routine backwards and forwards and in his sleep, and there was a part that he had to focus on because he'd managed to work doing a flip with only one hand down, and the other one artfully posed to make it look on purpose and stylistic, but also to be a bit of a safety to keep the weight of the headpiece from knocking it loose.
When he was done, he could hyperventilate backstage. It had never occurred to him that he might run into Sam and one of Sam's friends here, though after running into Sam at the competition, he should have known that it was bound to happen. He finished his dance, with plenty of applause and a good haul of tips tucked away, and he made his way backstage, where he had a few minutes to tidy his makeup and styling and tuck the tips away properly in his kit before he hit the club floor to be an entertainer for the night.
One of the other Queens backstage asked him, "You OK Vivi? You look like you saw a ghost."
He nodded and said sheepishly, "One of m'brothers and a friend were in the audience. Wasn't expecting it. At least it's the best of the brothers."
His friend laughed at him and said, "Well, I hope he's having a good time. You should go find him and make sure everything's chill."
Devi nodded and put himself back in the head space of being Vivi before sweeping out onto the club floor. He made his way purposefully towards where he'd seen Sam and Jiuk, though he did stop to give some hugs to regulars and join a few dancers in passing and take a photo with someone. He paused in front of Sam's table, and found that he didn't know what to say, especially with the music loud enough that talking meant basically yelling. He ended up managing a far too small, "Um, hi. I - uh - didn't expect to see you here."
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Starbucks Manager.
Heterosexual.
Single.
04/11/1996.
27.
Rat (WA)
Authored by Redeim.
Offline.
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Post by Samnang Yun on Apr 16, 2019 22:45:25 GMT -8
"Uh..." Samnang began. "Likewise." He was clearly still shocked to see his brother.
Jiuk was beyond amused, though, and gave Devi a short wave, "I heard Sam learned you were human lately." He joked. "That Cambodian dance was really cool."
Something seemed to click in Samnang's mind and he jerked up into a straighter position. "This is what you meant when you said you had a complicated relationship with gender?" Suddenly what he and his brother talked about back at the competition made sense, but he was still in shock about it all.
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Dancer; Kindergarten Para.
Bi.
dating Kit.
01/09/1990.
32.
Snake (WA)
Authored by Etienne.
Offline.
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Post by Devi J. Yun on Apr 16, 2019 23:26:13 GMT -8
Devi was honestly relieved that Sam seemed just as surprised as he did. It made him feel a little bit less uncomfortable with the whole situation. He smiled at both of them, glad that he still had his stage face on, it made it easier almost that he was wearing Vivi for this, Devi was confident as Vivi in a way that he wasn't in his day to day life.
His attention turned to Jiuk when the other man mentioned Sam figuring out that he was human, and Devi laughed a little bit, sound only half coming out. He said, just loud enough to be heard over the music, "That sounds about right."
When Sam suddenly blurted out his questions, Devi nodded and said, "This, um, yeah, basically. I mean, some other stuff kind of too, but mostly this."
Finally, he got himself composed enough that he said, the words stumbling together a little bit, "It's a little quieter over by the bar, the acoustics are set up to make sure the bartenders can hear. I can get you a drink or a small plate on me if you want. I'm still kind of working, so I'll have to duck out, but we could talk some."
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Starbucks Manager.
Heterosexual.
Single.
04/11/1996.
27.
Rat (WA)
Authored by Redeim.
Offline.
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Post by Samnang Yun on Apr 22, 2019 18:38:14 GMT -8
"I'm always down for free food." Samnang said, muttering it but still loud enough to be heard clearly. He seemed to be regaining his bearings. He clearly was still shocked though, and Devi's comment seemed to give him a few more questions, but he was settling into acceptance.
Jiuk nodded in agreement. "Free food or free drinks sounds great."
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Dancer; Kindergarten Para.
Bi.
dating Kit.
01/09/1990.
32.
Snake (WA)
Authored by Etienne.
Offline.
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Post by Devi J. Yun on Apr 22, 2019 23:16:35 GMT -8
Devi led the way over to the bar, glad that Sam and Jiuk had taken him up on the offer. He found a pair of seats down near the end, where it was quietest but that still had a good view of the stage. He flagged down the bartender for the night, who was one of his friends who had been involved in getting Driftwood, the bar and the dance crew, started. His friend said, "Vivi, darling, who have you got here?"
Devi smiled at him and said, "This is my little brother, Sam, and his friend, Jiuk. Get them a couple of free drinks and some snacks on my friends and family tab. And treat them nice, it's their first time here."
His friend arched an eyebrow at him, and Devi mouthed, "Good brother," at him. The bartender nodded and turned towards them, asking, "And what would you two gentlemen like tonight?"
Devi asked Sam, slightly unsure that he wanted to know the answer, "What do you think of Driftwood and the show tonight? My, uh, friends, some of the people from the crew, they started this place. It's part of the reason I've been doing this show so long."
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Starbucks Manager.
Heterosexual.
Single.
04/11/1996.
27.
Rat (WA)
Authored by Redeim.
Offline.
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Post by Samnang Yun on May 8, 2019 12:07:44 GMT -8
Sam and Jiuk followed Devi over to the bar and got comfortable, looking between Devi and the bartender as they conversed.
"Uh... Mimosa?" Samnang replied to the bartender hesitantly. He didn't often get special drinks, and was young enough, that he was still learning names. He also still seemed a little shell-shocked from the whole situation.
"White Russian for me, please." Jiuk said, smiling to the bartender.
Samnang turned to his brother when Devi began speaking. "Uh... yeah, no, it's uh... pretty cool. I mean I'd never been to a drag night but Jiuk said it'd be fun so I didn't know what to expect - definitely not seeing you but it's cool - anyway this seems like a pretty chill club. Did you help in starting it, too?" Sam's mouth seemed to be working fine despite his brain not.
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Dancer; Kindergarten Para.
Bi.
dating Kit.
01/09/1990.
32.
Snake (WA)
Authored by Etienne.
Offline.
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Post by Devi J. Yun on May 12, 2019 15:30:56 GMT -8
Devi shook his head and then made a little face. He said, "I mean, I helped with some of the fundraising, and I helped with some of the decorations and stuff, especially when they needed someone tall, but I didn't do any of the organizing."
He smiled at Sam though and said, "I'm glad you like it. I've got a lot of good memories here."
He stalled out, not quite sure what else to say. It there were people dancing, and he would have to circulate some soon because he was here to be part of the entertainment, but right now, he was being decorative near the bar, so he wasn't too far off. He could see a few of the other members of the crew scattered around the bar giving Sam and Jiuk glances, but the bartender talked to a few of them, and what was going on seemed to spread among his friends, so no one came over to check.
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Starbucks Manager.
Heterosexual.
Single.
04/11/1996.
27.
Rat (WA)
Authored by Redeim.
Offline.
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Post by Samnang Yun on May 29, 2019 18:24:13 GMT -8
"Huh," Samnang replied simply. "That's... that's pretty cool. Uh... thanks for the drinks, I guess."
"Could always quit Starbucks and become a bartender, work with your brother." Jiuk joked, nudging Sam's side in case the joking tone was lost on being louder than the music.
Samnang made a face. "I see my siblings enough. I wouldn't want to work with any of them. Please, Starbucks is my retreat." He replied back.
Jiuk laughed, though it got drowned out by music. "That's a big deal considering I've seen some of the worst regulars you have." Jiuk turned his attention to Devi, "But yeah, thanks for the drinks! This place is really cool. A great adventure for our first drag night. And anyway, we look forward to your next set." He said smoothly, noticing Samnang nod in agreement out of the corner of his eye.
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Dancer; Kindergarten Para.
Bi.
dating Kit.
01/09/1990.
32.
Snake (WA)
Authored by Etienne.
Offline.
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Post by Devi J. Yun on May 31, 2019 23:34:30 GMT -8
Devi chuckled a little bit at Jiuk's suggestion and said, just loudly enough to be heard, "I dunno if that plan would really work out. I'm here once a week at most. I have a different job."
He glanced around the room and saw some of the regulars, kind of friends, waving at him when he looked over. He gave Sam a quick, one armed hug and said, "I'll be back in a little bit, but I have some entertainering work to do."
Vivi walked with confidence across the dance floor, dancing with groups a little bit along the way, and found the people who'd been waving.
Devi smiled at them, still feeling a little bit thrown off of his persona as Vivi, especially for talking to people directly. The next set wasn't until later in the night, and that would be easier, just as walking across the floor had been. He glanced at Sam out of the corner of his eye, wondering how his little brother was handling the environment, and then he gave hugs to the regulars, dancing with them some, and half talking over the loud music.
He circulated the room for a bit, making it back over to where he'd left Sam and Jiuk about twenty minutes later.
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