Perception - The Vamps/Youtubers crossover AU

1 - Launch Night

“Okay are you ready? He’ll be called out in approximately ten minutes. I repeat, ten minutes” an ageing red-headed woman shouted to the production crew as opposed to Connor, whom also needed informing. He was stressing, and it was beginning to show.

A younger woman then ran up to him, and ushered him in front of a metallic type of door, before attacking his face with a powder puff then reassuringly smiling at him then scampering off. Connor began playing with a few of his bracelets nervously, it was only a minute or two before he would receive the crowd’s first opinion of him.

“Focus the main cameras on Gemma, and we’re back in five, four, three, two...” the producer’s voice died down before the countdown finished, and the crowd erupted into thunderous applause as the show was back from the ad break.

Connor knew nothing about his introduction, whether his VT was to be shown after a clever pun or a simple line, all he knew was that he was to walk through the door after his video was broadcast. He was given a quick briefing of what questions will be asked by the host, Gemma, and he was left to make up some answers prior to it. He didn’t even know what number housemate he was, each housemate was brought to the building in a car only a half hour before they were to walk into the house.

He lost himself in thought for a fair few minutes, and only tuned in to reality at possibly the worst time.

His VT was now playing, and all of a sudden he had completely forgotten what he had said, with it being recorded a whole two months before the launch night. Connor could only hear parts of the VT, and the whole time he was dreading how the audience would react.

‘Hi, I’m Connor Ball, and I’m originally from Scotland but I’m shacked up in good old England’ he shuddered at his opening line, why did he have to try and sound so cool? It didn't work. At least in Connor’s opinion. It wasn't going too well.

‘Yeah, I’d say I was a pretty average guy, to be honest. I don’t try to be a player and I don’t try to be a Prince Charming’ he heard his past self say, and he shook his head disapprovingly. Why did he say that?

‘I’m definitely, one hundred percent single. I’m going into this with an open mind, if there’s a hot girl, I won’t lie and say I’m not going to go for it. Let’s hope the cameras don’t see everything’ Connor punched himself lightly in the arm. He must be coming across awfully, he was probably coming across as an arrogant guy, and he hated his past self for it. 

The rest of the VT went by in a blur, as Connor tried to shake any negative thoughts out of his mind before the door opened in front of him.

“Well what about that, huh? Anyway, here’s your next housemate, it’s Connor!” Gemma proclaimed, and the door swivelled open at the end of her sentence.

“Good luck kid” a crew member told him as Connor took his first step, then the next, and following the same pattern until he reached the long runway he had to walk down to reach Gemma. The crowd, surprisingly, were producing an ear-blistering level of applause, and it did help him relax, just a little.

He could make out a chorus of female voices screaming his name at the top of their lungs, and just before he spoke with Gemma he took a cautious glance at the board where his VT was shown not a minute ago, to see what pictures and gif-type things were used to introduce him. Thankfully they weren’t too bad, and were as casual as he would’ve liked.

“Well Mr. Ball, there seems to be quite a lot of love for you tonight! How does it make you feel?” Gemma asked with a smile before handing the microphone to Connor.

“Uh, it’s kind of overwhelming, I won’t lie to you. I honestly thought I came across like a loser in that VT” he answered warily, trying not to say anything that would cause the cheers to turn to boos.