It will never be clear when I disappear

At this time, you and your girls were in the dressing room, preparing the space for your star's arrival. Somewhere in the background played cheesy love song, making you dance and sing along. Nancy had laid out a comfortable chair and prepared a towel to cover the actor's body while they worked. Alice was already laying out cleansers and skincare products to prep his face and scalp. You, meanwhile, were preparing a makeup palette, a wig net, and modeling wax. You'll be using it a lot. Together, you moved like one well-oiled machine. You were no stranger to this, having already worked on a couple of projects. And what could be a better reward than doing the makeup for one of the villains in the upcoming series? And not just anyone, but Victor Gideon. Oh, if your mom knew, she'd be thrilled and ask for an autograph. That woman loved horror movies, and she especially loved him. Maybe you'll get one in the meantime if he agrees.

"I just feel like he's not listening to me at all," Nancy complained, wiping the dressing room glass out of boredom. "I keep asking him to go out, sending him event posters. And he just nods, staring at his phone!" Her lower lip puckered forward in an adorable pout. Alice nodded sympathetically, patting her on the shoulder. "I think it's easier for you to change your partner than your approach." She clicked her tongue, causing Nancy to throw up her hands. "You can't say that—!"

"Quiet." Your voice called the girls' attention. The room fell silent, and their gazes turned to you. "Discuss your personal lives a few tones lower, we're on the clock." You pointed to your wristwatch for emphasis. "Mr. Gideon should be arriving any minute now, let's try not to scare him off." You finished your speech on a light note, causing their shoulders to relax. And as if you were a prophet, there was a knock on the door. The three of you stood at attention, and you answered loudly. "Come in!"

The door creaked open, allowing a long shadow to slip inside. A man ducked his head to avoid brushing the doorframe and entered. He was impeccably dressed in an olive-green suit and leather shoes, only his waistcoat slightly stretched by his protruding belly. His clothes were pressed and smelled pleasantly of some expensive cologne, which tangled under nose but didn't irritate it. He wore sunglasses, which he quickly removed. "Good morning, ladies, Victor Gideon, I'm most flattered." He introduced himself with a pleasant smile and a bow of his head. You could now see his entire face. His dark, slightly curly hair, graying at the temples, was neatly combed back, and his eyes gave off a playful sparkle in the light. The rectangular shape of his face was softened by the fat around his chin and cheeks, and the wrinkles of his expression added charm to his smile. It was immediately obvious that behind the fearsome body, there was hidden a great soul. "We'd be happy to work with you," you replied with a smile of your own. While your colleagues stared in a shock, clearly making a mental note that, no, the articles about him hadn't exaggerated his height, you continued. "My name is Y/n, and this is Nancy and Alice. We'll be your makeup artists." Breaking out of their stupor, the women quickly nodded and made sounds of agreement. However, Victor didn't even bat an eye or make a cocky comment, even though he could have. After the introductions, the routine had begun. Familiar and mechanical. Nancy's gentle yet confident hands eased the man into the seat, gliding around his shoulders as she tied the towel. Alice's fingers, nimble and firm, applied products to the plains of his face and hair. And finally, you stepped in, transforming you three into one hydra, with one goal: to turn the man into a nightmare. Together with Alice, you sculpted his new skin, adding scars and wrinkles. Nancy secured an ash wig and helped Victor put on contact lenses, making his eyes shine amber. Near the end, you secured the sculpted torso onto him, which had a long scar from his throat to his lower belly and glued golden teeth. Victor didn't even look uncomfortable, clearly accustomed to the process.

While he went to the back of the room to change, the three of you took the visor out of the special case. It was probably one of the most detailed and expensive props, so it was kept with special care. And it was quite heavy... It occupied you so much that only the heavy clatter of leather shoes notified you of Victor's return. You froze as soon as you turned around. The man who came in was unrecognizable, even though you had been working on him for several hours. The air around him was completely different now. Oppressive, coiling like a snake and with a hint of rubbing alcohol. He took the visor from the table with one hand and put it on with a graceful movement as if out of habit. Then he flashed you a grin, his languid voice touching your ears. "How do I look?" In response, he heard a quiet squeal from Nancy and saw Alice's proud smile as she crossed her arms. After exchanging glances with your girls, you voiced it. "Absolutely bewitching."

Pleased with yourselves, the three of you sent Victor to the set. Unfortunately, due to the narrow rooms and halls where the shoot was taking place, you weren't able to see your creation in all its moving glory quite a while. Nancy was about to give up and go on a break, but then the moment you've been waiting for came. With a creek, the door to the room opened, and Grace cautiously entered, lighting her way with a flashlight.  Glancing into the depths of the room, she stepped back with a surprised gasp. A man she didn't know was sitting by the fireplace while classical music from a gramophone was flowing through the room. Thunder and lightning flashed behind the curtained windows before the woman uttered a timid "H-Hello?" There was a pause in the air before the man spoke up. "It hasn't been easy." His head lolled slightly towards her. "But after much effort, here we finally are." The man's mysterious words did not add understanding to the situation. It was as if he wasn't talking to her, but at her. "Who are you?" Grace's voice was demanding, but still shaky. Slowly, the man reached for a visor that sat on the table next to the gramophone. "I'm the one who planted that body." He put it on his head. "I'm the one that brought you here." Listening attentively, the woman watched as the stranger rose to his full, terrifying height. "I know now that you're the one that I've been searching for. The special one. The chosen one." Rounding the chair he was sitting on, the man finally appeared in front of her. "Miss Ashcroft." The lock clicked shut. Grace was trapped. The stranger advanced slowly, like a predator cornering its prey. All her struggles turned out to be meaningless in the face of his power. It was enough for him to just grab her fragile neck and cut off the oxygen. "Shh..." The reassurances he whispered to the unconscious body looked like mockery. The last line was delivered with an almost giddy chuckle. "Rest now, Grace. We have so much to do."

"CUT!"

At the same moment, Victor released the actress and gently set her on her feet. "Is everything okay? I wasn’t too rough?" It was touching to watch the transition from character to actor. How his features softened in genuine concern. Grace shook her head, giving him a smile. "No, no, I'm fine. Your performance was great." While she was taking a sip of the water that was served to her, Victor took off his visor to give his head a break from the weight. "Likewise, dear. You've done a very good job of embodying the horror of the heroine." He praised, causing the woman to blush slightly. "Do you really think so? This is my first big role.… I'm afraid I'm getting lost in your shadow." Victor grinned, giving her a friendly pat on the shoulder. The film crew was moving in the background about their business, wrapping up for today. "Don't belittle yourself, Grace. We all started somewhere." The man bent down slightly so that the woman would not have to strain her neck. "You have the makings; I can see that. And after this movie, others will see it too." The ease with which these words came to Victor said a lot about him as a person. There was no vanity or envy of a young colleague in him, only quiet sincerity and honesty. Grace visibly cheered up and said a quiet thank you before leaving.

After filming was over, Victor found his way back to the dressing room, where you were already waiting for him. You could even say lurking. The makeup removal went in the same orderly fashion, but this time livelier. You all discussed the recent filming together, and sometimes you three slipped in compliments for Gideon. To this, he replied calmly and courteously. "I'm flattered." However, the actor was also very fond of giving compliments. He praised both your work speed and your talent for creating an image. "Without you, my dears, my character wouldn't have such charisma." It was immediately clear that it would be a pleasure to work with him. After a short acquaintance, it was confusing why people were so afraid of him. And even more so why they spread rumors. That was probably the price of popularity. Even without the scandals, detractors always gathered around famous people. As if they had nothing else to do, but let's not dwell on it. After makeup removal, Victor returned to comfortable clothes with a sense of relief and went to the exit to get some fresh air and wait for his driver. Nancy and Alice had already left, and you were the last one behind to pack up. A caterer knocked and entered the room. "Hot tea, as you requested." You barely had time to thank her as the woman immediately disappeared. Two cups. No, it's a sin to complain about such luck, but it will be inconvenient for you to take public transport home like that. Throwing on your coat, you hurried out into the cool spring evening. That's when you ran into Victor, who was still waiting for the car to arrive. You thought about it for a moment and, shrugging your shoulders, went over to him. "Do you like ginger with honey?" You asked casually, offering him a cup. The man looked up from the phone and smiled, accepting it. "I do, in fact. Thank you." You both took a sip before you continued. "Don’t mention it, I had an extra one." You waved goodbye to him as you walked out of the studio grounds. "Have a nice evening, Mr. Gideon!" He waved back, "You too. Stay safe!" On that note, you went your separate ways.