Ficlet: Ready to Wear | Mannequins!AU | popslash/cw rps
Hello everyone, happy Monday! So. I've been planning this little series for a quite a while and I've finally decided to start it. I'm going to post it weekly on Mondays, I think, and I don't have a plan for it aside from, I'll write some stuff and post it, and hopefully you all will be amused and delighted.
What is it, you ask? Ah. Well. So, remember these pictures of JC:
in which he looks like a mannequin? Well. It gave me this idea to write an AU where JC and Jared (as in Padalecki, YES) are mannequins in a mall, and at night they come alive and meet for coffee in the food court and lament about how they're in love with their shop managers and how hard life is as a mannequin.
What? It makes total sense! Anyway, so here's part 1, and I will be posting these as a series of ficlets because I don't feel like taking this seriously and writing it as a whole big thing. I mean, it's about MANNEQUINS, it's not going to be a serious endeavor. Enjoy!
Ready to Wear
Part 1: My So-Called Life
All in all, when it comes right down to it, life as a mannequin isn't nearly as boring as people might think. Partly, that might be because JC is quite fond of fashion and as far as he can tell, everyone is happier when they actually enjoy their jobs. It doesn't hurt that he has a really good view from his window, either. The Abercrombie store is right across from him, which means that all day, JC gets to stare at the hot mannequin in the swim trunks. Sometimes he can even see the Abercrombie sales people, too, and they wear even less than the mannequins.
So, no, it's not nearly as boring as it could be. JC feels really sorry for Justin, who mannequins down at the Hot Topic on level one. He's across from the Williams Sonoma and his view sucks, he just stares at pots and pans all day. Plus, he has to wear gross clothing with like, scratchy mesh and terrible band logos on. JC mannequins for the Banana Republic and all his clothes are fabulous and tasteful, he's really lucky.
It's still dark out, not even six in the morning yet, but the new fall line is debuting today so JC knows Lance will be in really early to start getting things ready. Lance is the best store manager JC's ever had, mostly because he's really hot, but also because he moved JC from the back of the store up to the front window right away on his first day. The quality of mannequin life is vastly superior when one is a window mannequin, JC thinks, feeling only slightly sorry for the floor mannequins he left behind on that fateful day because really, JC is very delicate and he just couldn't physically take all the jostling you get as a floor mannequin. Plus, sometimes the store clerks decide to unscrew heads, and that's the worst-you can't see anything and it's just a constant state of terror that some small child will come along and knock you right over. And it's boring. Life as a floor mannequin is just as boring as you'd think, and finding your head at the end of the day when the mall closes is such a pain in the ass.
So JC almost feels sorry for them, but then he sees the Abercrombie mannequin's abs flashing in the weird Abercrombie mood lighting (how they sell clothes in a dark store, JC can't even fathom, although probably it has something to do with the half-naked sales people) and immediately clamps down on any pity he might be feeling.
Sucks to be a floor mannequin, he thinks, and stares out his window happily.
*
"Okay everyone, let's get started on the new line. We're going to have to rearrange the entire front half of the store and get those tanks and bubble skirts restickered, so get moving!" Lance's voice echoes through the store and JC has to concentrate very hard on keeping still. Usually this isn't an issue because he's a mannequin, after all; he's a professional and it's pretty much his life's goal, keeping very still. But Lance has a really nice voice and besides which, his overall hotness makes JC's job very difficult, especially when JC knows that soon, Lance will be coming up to the front of the store to redress him and the other mannequin in the window, a girl who never talks and hardly ever moves from her stand, even really late at night when the rest of them raid the food court.
At first JC thought she was just shy, but now he's pretty sure she's a snob and half, ugh, because he overheard her talking to Gwyneth from the Armani Exchange one night about how she used to mannequin for Bloomingdales and how much she hates Banana and what a step down it is for a mannequin of her caliber. JC wants to roll his eyes just thinking about it, because seriously, she's fucking old for a mannequin and she knows it; she's lucky Lance keeps her in the window at all, and that her boobs are incapable of sagging. She doesn't appreciate Lance at all, JC thinks, which is just wrong. Because okay, maybe Lance has rather weird taste and doesn't put JC in nearly enough pink-pink is in, damnit, it's totally in and JC tries to convey this idea to Lance telepathically as much as possible, which only results in Lance wearing a lot of pink, but still putting JC in black and white and blue and other boring, non-pink colors-but Lance is really good at his job. He's the best manager JC's ever worked with.
And then Lance is there, all touching JC and gently removing his current outfit-a really boring sweater vest and light grey slacks ensemble-holding up various options to JC's body and clucking his tongue, saying things like, "Hmm, I'm not sure that really suits you, maybe with the studded belt, though." Lance always talks to JC like he's a real person, which is totally sweet. Lance is a good guy. And hot. JC maybe has a tiny crush on Lance.
Lance holds up a light pink button-down and presses it flat against JC's chest, tilts his head one way and then the other, making the hmming noise that JC knows means he's trying to decide. JC thinks, "Yes! Yes! PINK!" at Lance as hard as he can and accidentally twitches, which makes him bobble a little in his stand. Lance steadies him carefully and the mannequin next to JC-Snotty McBitch, JC likes to think of her as-rolls her eyes discreetly. Whatever, JC thinks. If Snotty McBitch can't appreciate the fabulousness of Lance-fondling, she's never going to get the pink thing. Just because she mannequined at Bloomies, she thinks she's so great. JC bets she lies about that anyway. She probably worked at Marshall Fields, and not even the good one in Chicago. Department store mannequins always think they're so special. As if.
Now comes the really hard part, where JC has to concentrate very hard on not thinking or moving or anything, because Lance is moving him around and touching him all over and smoothing out wrinkles, brushing his hands over JC's thighs and chest and waist and arms and it's, yeah, it's pretty much JC's favorite part of the job, right after the part where Lance steps back and looks him up and down, smiles wide and tells him, "Baby, you look fabulous."
Lance gets to work on Snotty, and JC can only sneak occasional glances as Lance redresses her. Across the way, Jared, the Abercrombie mannequin in the swim trunks with the fantastic abs, gives him a little smile and a wink. JC smiles back, and then lets his face fall into a flat, expressionless sort of blank mask thing. After a few moments of jostling Snotty, Lance sets her down, inspects her, and nods. Then he climbs out of the window and JC can hear his footsteps echoing across the floor as he walks away. He won't be back to redress them for at least two weeks.
Life as a mannequin isn't nearly as boring as you'd assume, but sometimes JC thinks it's a lot sadder than anyone would ever suspect, especially when you're in love with someone who doesn't even know you're alive. Literally.
What is it, you ask? Ah. Well. So, remember these pictures of JC:
in which he looks like a mannequin? Well. It gave me this idea to write an AU where JC and Jared (as in Padalecki, YES) are mannequins in a mall, and at night they come alive and meet for coffee in the food court and lament about how they're in love with their shop managers and how hard life is as a mannequin.
What? It makes total sense! Anyway, so here's part 1, and I will be posting these as a series of ficlets because I don't feel like taking this seriously and writing it as a whole big thing. I mean, it's about MANNEQUINS, it's not going to be a serious endeavor. Enjoy!
Ready to Wear
Part 1: My So-Called Life
All in all, when it comes right down to it, life as a mannequin isn't nearly as boring as people might think. Partly, that might be because JC is quite fond of fashion and as far as he can tell, everyone is happier when they actually enjoy their jobs. It doesn't hurt that he has a really good view from his window, either. The Abercrombie store is right across from him, which means that all day, JC gets to stare at the hot mannequin in the swim trunks. Sometimes he can even see the Abercrombie sales people, too, and they wear even less than the mannequins.
So, no, it's not nearly as boring as it could be. JC feels really sorry for Justin, who mannequins down at the Hot Topic on level one. He's across from the Williams Sonoma and his view sucks, he just stares at pots and pans all day. Plus, he has to wear gross clothing with like, scratchy mesh and terrible band logos on. JC mannequins for the Banana Republic and all his clothes are fabulous and tasteful, he's really lucky.
It's still dark out, not even six in the morning yet, but the new fall line is debuting today so JC knows Lance will be in really early to start getting things ready. Lance is the best store manager JC's ever had, mostly because he's really hot, but also because he moved JC from the back of the store up to the front window right away on his first day. The quality of mannequin life is vastly superior when one is a window mannequin, JC thinks, feeling only slightly sorry for the floor mannequins he left behind on that fateful day because really, JC is very delicate and he just couldn't physically take all the jostling you get as a floor mannequin. Plus, sometimes the store clerks decide to unscrew heads, and that's the worst-you can't see anything and it's just a constant state of terror that some small child will come along and knock you right over. And it's boring. Life as a floor mannequin is just as boring as you'd think, and finding your head at the end of the day when the mall closes is such a pain in the ass.
So JC almost feels sorry for them, but then he sees the Abercrombie mannequin's abs flashing in the weird Abercrombie mood lighting (how they sell clothes in a dark store, JC can't even fathom, although probably it has something to do with the half-naked sales people) and immediately clamps down on any pity he might be feeling.
Sucks to be a floor mannequin, he thinks, and stares out his window happily.
*
"Okay everyone, let's get started on the new line. We're going to have to rearrange the entire front half of the store and get those tanks and bubble skirts restickered, so get moving!" Lance's voice echoes through the store and JC has to concentrate very hard on keeping still. Usually this isn't an issue because he's a mannequin, after all; he's a professional and it's pretty much his life's goal, keeping very still. But Lance has a really nice voice and besides which, his overall hotness makes JC's job very difficult, especially when JC knows that soon, Lance will be coming up to the front of the store to redress him and the other mannequin in the window, a girl who never talks and hardly ever moves from her stand, even really late at night when the rest of them raid the food court.
At first JC thought she was just shy, but now he's pretty sure she's a snob and half, ugh, because he overheard her talking to Gwyneth from the Armani Exchange one night about how she used to mannequin for Bloomingdales and how much she hates Banana and what a step down it is for a mannequin of her caliber. JC wants to roll his eyes just thinking about it, because seriously, she's fucking old for a mannequin and she knows it; she's lucky Lance keeps her in the window at all, and that her boobs are incapable of sagging. She doesn't appreciate Lance at all, JC thinks, which is just wrong. Because okay, maybe Lance has rather weird taste and doesn't put JC in nearly enough pink-pink is in, damnit, it's totally in and JC tries to convey this idea to Lance telepathically as much as possible, which only results in Lance wearing a lot of pink, but still putting JC in black and white and blue and other boring, non-pink colors-but Lance is really good at his job. He's the best manager JC's ever worked with.
And then Lance is there, all touching JC and gently removing his current outfit-a really boring sweater vest and light grey slacks ensemble-holding up various options to JC's body and clucking his tongue, saying things like, "Hmm, I'm not sure that really suits you, maybe with the studded belt, though." Lance always talks to JC like he's a real person, which is totally sweet. Lance is a good guy. And hot. JC maybe has a tiny crush on Lance.
Lance holds up a light pink button-down and presses it flat against JC's chest, tilts his head one way and then the other, making the hmming noise that JC knows means he's trying to decide. JC thinks, "Yes! Yes! PINK!" at Lance as hard as he can and accidentally twitches, which makes him bobble a little in his stand. Lance steadies him carefully and the mannequin next to JC-Snotty McBitch, JC likes to think of her as-rolls her eyes discreetly. Whatever, JC thinks. If Snotty McBitch can't appreciate the fabulousness of Lance-fondling, she's never going to get the pink thing. Just because she mannequined at Bloomies, she thinks she's so great. JC bets she lies about that anyway. She probably worked at Marshall Fields, and not even the good one in Chicago. Department store mannequins always think they're so special. As if.
Now comes the really hard part, where JC has to concentrate very hard on not thinking or moving or anything, because Lance is moving him around and touching him all over and smoothing out wrinkles, brushing his hands over JC's thighs and chest and waist and arms and it's, yeah, it's pretty much JC's favorite part of the job, right after the part where Lance steps back and looks him up and down, smiles wide and tells him, "Baby, you look fabulous."
Lance gets to work on Snotty, and JC can only sneak occasional glances as Lance redresses her. Across the way, Jared, the Abercrombie mannequin in the swim trunks with the fantastic abs, gives him a little smile and a wink. JC smiles back, and then lets his face fall into a flat, expressionless sort of blank mask thing. After a few moments of jostling Snotty, Lance sets her down, inspects her, and nods. Then he climbs out of the window and JC can hear his footsteps echoing across the floor as he walks away. He won't be back to redress them for at least two weeks.
Life as a mannequin isn't nearly as boring as you'd assume, but sometimes JC thinks it's a lot sadder than anyone would ever suspect, especially when you're in love with someone who doesn't even know you're alive. Literally.