Merry Christmas, KomoriSpirit! This fic is for you, for the Secret Santa exchange! I do hope you like it, and all the Brawn-ness, even though I fear that my portrayal of Brick isn't up to par...but enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own Total Drama.
Six months after the filming of All-Stars, Chris, in an attempt for a publicity stunt, decided to make the airing of the entire season open to a select few A-listers...and when they all declaimed, he brought back his other contestants. Most people had jumped at the chance, making sure to plan out their outfits, how they'd arrive, which reporters they'd talk to...others were far more lax, seeing the premier as more of an obligation than anything. For one contestant, however, this was a business opportunity.
"So," Brick asked. "What do you think?"
The cadet-turned-fashion designer was in a loft he rented, which was currently his workroom. Some of the former contestants had found out that he was willing to make high class outfits at affordable prices after a year in fashion school, and figured they could meet the dress code that way.
His current client, Noah, took an uninterested look in the mirror and his tuxedo. "Well," he said, with a slight hint of surprise. "I don't look like a train wreck."
Brick grinned, relieved that he liked it. "The total for that's going to be forty bucks, nut you don't have to pay it up front-whenever's okay."
"Really." Noah glanced at Brick. "You're too nice for your own good. You know that, right?"
Brick shrugged with a sheepish chuckle. "I mean, with the economy and all..." Honestly, he'd only started charging for these premier things when he realized that Tiffany and Co. charged a LOT for a necklace, and if he wanted to get one for his mother for Christmas, he'd need profit.
Noah walked over to his shorts and pulled out his wallet, giving Brick the full amount, as well as a ten-dollar tip. "Seriously, charge more. You are in serious need of new material." Of course, it was a hidden compliment, but considering Noah couldn't really ever say many nice things to people, Brick was happy all the same.
As the elevator door came sliding open, Noah picked up his clothes. "There's my ride," he said, walking to the elevator. He managed to make a hasty nod of acknowledgement to the next customer, who sighed as she watched Noah leave.
"Dawn!" Brick beamed at the girl from his own season as he made his way to her. "How's it going?"
"Well, unfortunately I passed Scott on the way here," Dawn replied, looking irritated at the name. "He was handling a grocery cart of...rat poison-" she practically spat the word out, "-and proceeded to tell me how rats looked when they died. As I left he was telling a story about how he found a whole family of rats once, and...and..." She balled her hands into fists. "I'm afraid there's something incredibly wrong with that boy."
Brick chuckled, stuffing the money into his pocket. "You and half the country," he replied. "He's not too bad, though, like everyone thinks."
"I know," the blonde replied with a sigh. "Deep in his aura, I could sense that he is a caring and kind individual-who for some reason, is madly in love with Izzy."
"What?"
"I prefer not to elaborate on things like that much." Dawn shrugged. "I see business is going well?"
Brick blinked. "You do? Oh right, read my aura and stuff, right?"
"Actually, I saw you put a handful of money in your pocket." Man, she didn't miss much, did she? "But I can see from your aura that Noah tipped you. From the way his tuxedo looked, I'm sure you deserved every cent."
The compliment was enough to flush Brick a little-he'd always felt that his work was pretty good. But vindication was always appreciated. "Well, thanks," he said, glancing at the closet near the mirrors. "Ready to try on your dress?"
The moonchild nodded, walking to the stool where Brick's aura indicated she go. Dawn wasn't usually one for buying high-end clothing, as she preferred wearing sustainable fabrics from recycled garments. There was a lot to be read in the way Brick scurried into the back: he was obviously excited about this dress, and hoped that she would be, as well.
"If you want, you can close your eyes," he called, peeking his head out. "I find that it adds to the surprise." Plus, people tended to see something and complain about it without seeing it on them first. That was what had made fitting Courtney take forever. That and all the alterations she'd forced him to make...was that what working with big name clients felt like?
Finding the dress he made Dawn he came outside, finding her eyes still closed. "Don't worry-you can wear your sweater underneath. Could you put your arms up?" She complied, and he carefully brought the garment down over her head. Put the headpiece on for effect, and...done!
Now for the moment of truth. As Brick took a step back, Dawn opened her eyes...and was blown away. The dress was beautiful, a blue-gray color with a defined waist and flowing skirt that stopped at her knees. The dress had a modest V-neck cut into see-through sleeves, which cut open at the elbow in a medieval fashion. And the only accessory, a small silver wreath of imitation vines, completed the picture, morphing Dawn into a character not out of place in a fairy story. She had to strip off of the stool, to really see if it was her.
Obviously the silence was a bit too much for Brick. "Curtains," he blurted, then shutting his mouth, realizing how stupid he must have sounded. But in all honesty, he was as dumbstruck as his client. He'd pictured Dawn in this before, but actually seeing it...he couldn't help but to admit she looked breathtaking.
Taking a break from the mirror, Dawn glanced back at him. "What?"
"Er, I used curtains for the fabric," he explained. "I know you like sustainable things, so I figured something like that would be nice. Ans the headpiece-I used parts of an old wreath my mother used to use for Christmas..." And now, time for the big question. "...Do you like it?"
Dawn had turned around back to her reflection, worrying Brick like crazy. Was she going to want something different? A new color? Was she going to have him scrap it completely? Keep it together, soldier, a little voice in Brick's head reassured. You know Dawn's not like that.
"It's beautiful," he barely heard her say.
He almost jumped in the air. "It is?"
"Yes. Brick, it's lovely. I've never seen such a nice sustainable dress before. But you picked beautiful colors, and it's comfortable..." Dawn looked at him and smiled. "I love it."
Brick was grinning from ear to ear. "Well, I'm glad you do. Whoever you're going with tonight is going to be a lucky man."
"Oh," Dawn frowned at that. "I'm actually not going with anyone. I don't mind, of course. I understand that a lot of people find me too strange." At this point, she was grateful that the cadet couldn't read auras, because he'd see a small part of her was slightly hurt. It did get upsetting, not having anyone interested in you save for shallow social-climbers.
Brick rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry..." Why'd he go and stick his foot in mouth like that? That wasn't the way to treat a lady!
"It's quite all right, Brick. It was an honest mistake." A pause, then: "Are you going with anyone?"
"Heh, nope. But like you, I'll be fine." He toyed with the idea of asking Jo, but when she mailed him a pink helmet covered in daisies on his birthday, he gave up on it. So he decided to go stag tonight. It wasn't like he wasn't all that used to it, though. But standing there, he came up with a solution. "You know, Dawn...since I'm not with anyone, and you're not with anyone...we could go together?"
The silence following that question was excruciating, even more so than waiting for her judgment on the dress. He was about ready to faint when she smiled and replied, "I would love to."
They left the loft shortly after, Brick having changed into his own tuxedo, and stopped at a small restaurant for an early dinner. Fortunately Dawn had been his last customer, so they were able to enjoy each other's company as if it were a real date, something both of them had secretly wanted, and that both were clearly enjoying.
Nobody had expected the two to be at the premier together. Sierra, who was actually acting normal again due to having full internet access, squealed and shook her date, Cameron, like a rag doll, as one of her ships looked like it may be canon. Zoey, who'd broken up with Mike when it was discovered that Vito had a pretty big part of his personality now, gave the couple a small thumbs up as Duncan led her away. Brick was a bit surprised by the two odd couples. "When did THAT happen?" he asked his date, who in turn shrugged. "Attraction appears when you least expect it," she replied. Both met eyes for a brief moment, and then turned away sheepishly.
Finally, the season started, and it was...well...
"That was one of the worst seasons of the show I've ever seen," Dawn said. Brick was driving her back home, and they like everyone who wasn't Chris or Sierra, hated it. Though the audience had had some interesting reactions: Lightning kept yelling at Jo when she was eliminated, sparking a huge war between the two. Anne Maria fangirled whenever Vito showed up, which would have irritated her date-except Justin was too busy staring at his hand mirror to even notice. Courtney and Scott, who'd had a messy break-up after the show's run, made gagging noises and sarcastic remarks any time they were on screen together, at which point Izzy, Scott's new girlfriend, would shoot a spitball at Courtney "for funzies!" And in the big finale, Dakota had to be held back from Chris by the entire audience for putting her Sam in danger. And the kiss Gwen gave Cameron led to Sierra starting a Gweneron hate blog similar to the Gwody one she'd made in the past. All in all, it had been an...interesting night.
Brick, who had secretly enjoyed that Jo had been flushed down a toilet and sent away in a balloon, shrugged. "But the effects were decent."
Dawn, who had enjoyed the treatment of Scott in the same manner, smiled a bit. "That is true..."
Her home being close by, the pair stopped, both reluctant to have to say good-bye. Brick ran out and opened the door for her, which Dawn thought was very gentlemanly of him. "This was fun," she said, taking the arm offered her. "Despite how horrible All-Stars was, I am glad that I got to learn more about you-things I couldn't merely read from your aura."
"Yeah, I'm glad I got to know you more too," he replied. Now he was regretting not getting to know her in their own season-Dawn was way better than a lot of the others that he spent his time with. As they got to the doorstep, Brick smiled. "See you soon?"
Dawn could tell what he meant and smiled, getting on her tiptoes and kissing his cheek. "How would Saturday sound?" she asked.
Brick's heart was racing, and he had no idea how to respond without looking like a total idiot, so he saluted. "I won't let you down," he replied, earning another smile from the blonde as she went inside. "Good night, Brick."
"G'night, Dawn!" And with that, the cadet practically floated to his car, still not believing his luck in having found a great girl. His mother would be thrilled.
Though, no one was a thrilled as he was.