Work Text:
Gorgug:
It had started, naturally, with Gorgug.
Or should I say that it started with the Thistlesprings and their 54 page pamphlet on makeup hygiene, safe ethical chemicals and the importance of skincare.
The Thistlespring household (treehold?) was not big on makeup in general. Being a busy tinkerer and all around comfortable-in-her-body gnome, Wilma had not applied makeup since her wedding! To which Digby had told her afterwards
“Wilma, I love you dearly. And I shall love you as dearly when you’re old and grey as I did when we first met. You never have to put on makeup to be beautiful to me”
To which Wilma replied
“Oh Digby, I only thought that I should do something special for our special day! Don’t you worry about all that nonsense, I will dress however I want to; though I do love you very much too”
So there, the closest thing to makeup in the Thistlespring home was the soot marks left behind after a good old inventing session.
All this up until the day of a Fig and the Cig Figs’ album photo shoot where Gorgug had to sit tight while people fluttered about him with brushes and sponges, all accumulating to not very much to his untrained eye.
Fig had cherry red eyeshadow, she had thick dramatic eyeliner. Fig had bright purple lipstick to match her hair and glitter liberally dusted across her cheekbones.
Gorgug looked...smoother?
Halfway through the shoot Fig was called to help Gilear deal with his bank after being scammed, the teams had all filed out to relax outside the studio.
Gorgug was about to leave as well when his passive perception picked up on the pallet he’d seen being used on Fig earlier that day.
Inside were more little pans than he’d been expecting, curious, he’d hovered awkwardly for a moment before dipping a finger into the brightest red there and smearing it over his eyelids.
“Hey Gorgug sorry about that- hey nice eyeshadow!” Fig cheers when she re-enters
“Thanks” he murmurs, lips quirking up briefly
It did not in fact look great, it flared out at the inner corners of his eyes and it was patchy all over, more vibrant on one eye and less on the other
“Hell yeah, it’s punk”
The team hadn’t been happy at all, pulling out wipes as soon as they’d saw what he had done but Fig was having none of that.
She herded Gorgug away from them and rebelliously applied even more red until there was a solid colour and cleaned up around the edges for him.
When the coordinator begun yelling about how Gorgug shouldn’t be wearing makeup she told him to beat it.
The album cover ended up being a selfie:
Fig half turned from the camera flipping off their pursuers, slung over the shoulder of Gorgug who sports a wild grin as he laughs and laughs and laughs, brilliant red shadow smeared across his eyes.
(Extra)
It was after that that the 54 page pamphlet came in, and even later where the Wilma and Digby had gone out and brought Gorgug his own eyeshadow so he didn’t have to hang onto the one they’d inadvertently stolen from the photo shoot company.
(Fig kept it as their trophy though)
—————————
Fabian:
When Gorgug came to school with bright magenta makeup Fabian was not fazed one bit. It suited him and he seemed to like it.
Unfortunately for everyone though, they attended a highschool, and that meant that quirks and harmless preferences were mercilessly preyed on.
But Fabian was a new man, he’d killed toxic masculinity and he supports his friends now. You mess with one bad kid you mess with all of them. Watching Gorgug hunch in on himself hurt them all, and when he’d pulled his hood up and came out of the bathroom again with a clean face they all felt that.
Knowing that they couldn’t let it stand they sent him out for snacks during first break and got to work.
They had gone around to the most vocal bullies, by 3rd period they’d made it clear that this behavior was not tolerated under any circumstances (politely of course, very politely and perhaps with his hand on Frandrangors’ pommel and the glint of Riz’s’ gun in their peripheral vision).
When Gorgug came back from his snack run everything was back to normal, they’d thought it was fine then. Problem solved, Gorgug can go back to his experimenting but apparently it wasn’t that simple.
The barbarian would still sometimes wear makeup when they’d hang out after school, he still obviously enjoyed it and even kept some supplies at Mordred. School was obviously the issue here.
And Fabian supported his friends.
That night he’d brought a simple eyeliner brush pen and put it on his bedside so he wouldn’t forget.
Sadly the next morning he’d struggled a lot harder than he realized he would. He had had to leave and buy makeup remover because he’d tried so many times to get it right, how did his Mama do this everyday?!
Fig wore eyeliner occasionally, Cathilda too sometimes. Hell he’d even seen Adine wearing it during important stuffy political events!!
He was Fabian Aramais Seacaster! Son of Bill Seacaster! He would not be defeated by eyeliner, not when he didn’t even have to do both eyes!
Sometimes the pirates would wear thick lines of it around their eyes to help against the glaring sun on the waves.
Fabian could just do that and not worry about how straight his lines were or if the wing came to a perfect point. It was that Fabian *wanted* to look good, he wanted the elegance that came with winged liner and he wanted this to be something that he could do for himself.
When he’d finally gotten it right he stared at the mirror, turning his face this way and that to admire the sleek line. It was perfect!
With that he rushes down to the Hangman and together they thunder down the highway to Aegfort. Ready to take the student body by storm.
(Extra)
Fabian arrives halfway through the school day, having skipped all his morning classes and some afternoon ones. The bad kids were prepared to start a riot before he rocked up.
Otherwise school went fine, most people didn’t even notice the change and those who did and had a problem changed their minds quickly (the thud of Gorgugs’ heavy metal axe settling on the floor after being tossed casually from hand to hand just so happening to coincide with the onlooker hurriedly looking away)
—————————
Riz:
Riz Gukgak is a professional, a licensed private investigator. Growing up he’d watched all the detective films and to him there was nothing more professional, nothing more striking than the bright red lipstick on the mysterious, suave female detectives’ lips as they victoriously stood in front of a board of evidence, confident that they’d get the killer locked away for good.
It had never crossed his mind that he could pull off something like that, his mum wore red lipstick to work and as always looked badass as ever, but she’d never offered and he’d never asked.
Now though with Gorgug and Fabian both going to school wearing makeup, Riz wonders if he should give it a go as well.
He had the supplies after all...what’s the harm?
<3
It’s a regular Friday night hang out at Mordred manor, the Bad Kids are arguing over a movie when Riz knocks on the door (even though he has a standing invitation to lock pick his way in, and an actual key if he didn’t feel like it).
Jawbone opens the door and gives him a toothy grin
“Hey there kiddo. Looking good, looking good”
“Thanks Jawbone” he smiles, aware of how the red stretches with his lips and frames his sharp teeth.
Ushered inside he enters the living room, upon seeing him the Bad Kids all stop and stare. Slightly unnerved to be seen Riz rubs at his arm
“Uh, hey guys”
Was this weird? It was fine when Gorgug and Fabian did it but what if it’s different because it’s him? He probably looks so stupid, red didn’t work with all skin tones. Was the eyeliner too much? Stealing Fabians thing? It was a lot more subtle than the fighters but still.
Cringing back he shuffles towards the hall again, eager to be out of line of sight, safely hidden.
“Wait!” It’s Kristen, rushing forwards and grabbing his arm to stop him from bolting
“Wow uh, wait just-“ she says, staring at his face
“You look great” one of the other Bad Kids interjects
Smiling gratefully at them he shakes Kristens’ hand and slips into the living room proper, sneaking his detective film onto the top of their pile of movies.
Much later that night when all of the others are asleep, Riz looks at his reflection in the window, smiling at the pop of red striking out against the dark night.
(Notes)
A few days later one of the Bad Kids convince him to take off his newsboy cap while wearing makeup, everybody within a five mile radius is blinded and Kristen has another sexuality crisis.
Riz absolutely rocks the red lip black liner combo, simple, classic and classy. You cannot convince me otherwise.