#samn tomcee

Tomcee - I've never seen the Cabaret, but when I searched it up, the makeup inspired me. I also gave him hollow eyes, since it's cool, but it also shows his loss of humanity.

Wilhelm - The face being blocked was an idea I had since SAMN came out. Its because Jim and Jamie never really get a good look of his face in the beginning since the room is dark and he lands face down on the floor. And the one time you finally do get to see it (after Wilhelm drops his Julie/Lucy disguise) there's no face there. Plus, I just feel like it fits someone who can shapeshift, having no face of their own

The lights turn on, and a quiet murmur spreads through a crowd neither of the performers can see, and never will see.

The Emcee waits in the stage left wing, looking at Wilhelm who's in the wing across from him.

"We have a performance," the Emcee mouths, though Wilhelm could hear the words as if they were a whisper an inch from his ear. The taller man enters the stage, facing the black of the audience.

"Hallo, everyone! Wilkomen! We have quite a show for you, my dears. Today, me and my friend try to keep up with a rising tempo as we dance. It will get faster and faster, and whoever falls first will be humiliated in front of everyone!"

Wilhelm comes on stage and they face each other. Wilhelm's piercing eyes staring into the empty socket that was the Emcee's. Slow ballroom music starts and they grab hold of each other, starting to dance. It's easy, almost as if it was familiar. Maybe it was. Wilhelm couldn't know.

"This is an interesting game," Wilhelm mumbles, glancing away from the Emcee.

"Not what we usually do, but there's something compelling out there that we must recreate."

"Hm? Ethel requested this?"

"Yes. And no. It wasn't direct orders. Just a feeling."

Wilhelm squintied his eyes in thought as the music slowly sped up, them easily following along. "Out there? What do you think is out there?"

"That we are recreating?"

"That, and just in general."

"Well, I wouldn't be surprised if it had to do with those boys. What were their names? Micheal and Jim?"

"Jamie, and Jim."

"Ah ja, most likely them."

"And what about everything else out there?"

"Why does that matter, mein Freund?"

"Oh, you know why."

The music kept speeding up, and the two kept following along. The audience seemed entertained. Laughter and cheers emitinating from the void. The performers didn't care though, too focused on each other.

"I know why?" the Emcee asked. "I don't think I do, Wilhelm. I don't wonder about what's beyond the stage. The cabaret is all I need."

"I wonder, though. I wonder a lot."

"You always wonder," the Emcee said affectionately.

"You did as well, didn't you?"

"What do you mean?"

Despite moving so fast they were practically a blur, the two were never out of breath. Never bore a sweat. Neither of them remembered the feeling of being tired. Wilhelm always wished he did. The only time being a corpse was fun was when he actually was one.

"Emcee, you know what's out there."

"Uh, no I don't."

"But you know what will make you know."

Wilhelm reached a hand to the Emcee's powdered white face. Everything stopped once he rested it on his cheek. The Emcee stared at him, a rare subtle expression of surprise

"Your eyes, der Liebling," Wilhelm whispered, rubbing his thumb under the Emcee's eyes. "One day you will have to put them back in." The Emcee silently shook his head. "I can't go on not knowing who I am, you must tell me who I am—!"

"Nein! We know I cannot do that!" The Emcee suddenly shouted, shoving Wilhelm. Staring at each other, the Emcee eventually looked away, suddenly going stiff as he looked at the audience. They had gone silent.

Quietly, the curtains closed.

"Wunderbar," the Emcee sighed. "Ethel has heard our outburst."

Wilhelm tugged at his gloves, nervous of what that old lady would do.

"Wilhelm?"

"Hm?"

"Maybe you should remove your eyes, too."

"They're what little I have left of my face. I won't choose to be ignorant like you."

The taller man began to walk off, not before turning to Wilhelm one last time. "I am not ignorant. I am acting. We all must act, otherwise this show will stop. And we cannot have that."