( This is the worst possible thing he could read right now. WHAT does he have for him to wear? WHY is he doing this right now? It's suspicious. But he has to stick to his guns, and so... )
See you then.
( Despite how his normal short answer would result in him completely ghosting Kirma, Esikko actually shows up. He's dressed casually, comfortably, since he was told not to worry— slacks and a simple shirt. He stands near the flowers, since he's sure that's where Kirma will know to look, and scrolls on his Watch as he waits. )
it is a wagging dog that trots up to esi, easily finding his scent in the breeze; a plain box is tucked under his arm, and he tilts his head by way of greeting as their eyes meet. esi looks much the same as always; kirma expected no less, and yet, there's a tiny sliver of disappointment in it, for all the time they've spent apart. that's fine. the box is then presented to esi without much fanfare. its contents include a red evening dress, a pair of short heels, and... a dog collar.
( Suspicious. Esikko takes the box with a curious glance into the contents, his face immediately scrunching at the sight of not just a dress and heels, but a collar?
"Are you sure you didn't leave part of your own wardrobe in this?" Is what he wants to say. But he fixes his face rather quickly, puts on a little smile, and turns to walk towards a little alcove not far from here. )
If you want the surprise. Really, just make sure no one else walks up, and it should be fine.
( Is he... changing into this without even a comment about his outrage? Yes. Dress first! His shirt gets tossed to a bench to the side, followed by his pants, and he steps carefully into the dress, squinting at the size. Is this... going to work? )
who's suspicious now? before esi turns, kirma twitches forward a moment, as if to yank the box back; his eyes narrow as he holds himself back from such a gesture, from showing how unnerved esi's acquiescence has left him. instead, his lips press into a thin line before he turns around, even allowing his eyes to close. he's certain he'd ear if esi tries to abscond and be able to catch him in time— surely, it must be something like that?
surely. one ear twists back, half-folded, as dubious as it is eavesdropping. )
It's not such a problem if someone does see you. Is it?
( sex casino or whatever. he has never given much thought to the collection of cards, neither his own nor other people's. he is also sure that esi cannot be entirely bereft of them outside of the three he's certain of, but he does also wonder, for the first time... what that total even could look like. frownworthy thoughts. if nothing else, he's sure however this night ends will at least be a, hmm, unique situation shared between the two of them. that's the best way to put it. )
... There's no one else around, before you get too fussy. ( he'd know. )
( That's all he says in response, a rather lacking answer to all of that compared to what he usually gives. But maybe it can be written off as him fitting into this dress, how short it feels on his long legs when he knows it should be long, how he feels squeezed in these heels.
It's the struggling with the collar that gets him to hesitate for a moment before finally clearing his throat a little and speaking up. )
Could I get your help with this part? ( Asking. ) It's a little hard to buckle when I can't see it.
( ... "okay?" that's it? already, this inspired a great suspicion in kirma, but hearing esi ask, request assistance with something instead of demanding or refusing, it's...
it makes kirma think he really shouldn't be within arm's reach once the collar is closed, if nothing else. maybe the reticence is audible in his padded steps as he turns back to esi, approaching as one would a wounded animal liable to bite, ears at asymmetric angles. taking up the ends of the collar, he pauses. )
You can't get angry.
( it's (the day after) his birthday. that's all the warning esi gets, before kirma buckles the collar, eyes pointedly rolled skyward. that half-hearted attempt at granting modesty surely will be enough to evade esi's wrath. )
( The collar buckles, and Esikko's voice trails off as he feels something shift. Everything, really— he shrinks a little, his body feels strange all over, like a tingling, and then—
When he blinks, it feels almost like he's just been woken from a dream. Scrubbing at his eyes doesn't tell him much, but the tickle of longer hair down his back, down the low cut of the dress, does. And the way his feet slide more easily into the heels. And the way his chest, small as it is even now, fills out a little more...
Oh. He's a woman.
Immediately, rage fires up inside of him, but he catches himself quickly, eyes staring down at his own body, a breath escaping in something that's at least an attempt at a puff of a laugh. )
... I see.
( Not! Angry! In fact, he smiles, though it's a smile that may be even more ominous, as he reaches over to Kirma, to put his arms around him. To make him nervous. )
So this is what you wanted? Am I cute, at least?
( He already wants to kill him, but if he can at least get a compliment out of this, it might soothe his rage a bit. A bit. And if not, then maybe the ominous feeling that his kindness will leave can be enough. )
( yay! kirma practically springs away at the sound of esi’s voice, expecting a reaction far more volatile; when it fails to arrive, it makes his hackles rise further, from the terror the absence inspires. the smile, too. one ear folds back, then the other, then— they alternate, paralyzed by the indecision of knowing there’s danger yet failing to see any evidence of it.
it leaves him entirely unprepared to escape the sudden embrace that follows, and he freezes under the weight of esi’s arms, not unlike a rabbit caught in a trap. who knew such a clever plan could backfire so drastically. )
……… Yes.
( he manages to choke that much out, strained as it is. while it’s the genuine truth, this also may have been one of the rare occasions worth attempting a lie if it weren’t. )
Ah, but you’re… ( how does he put this, ) actually not mad?
( Mad? Mad? Oh, he's incredibly furious. In fact, it's fury that channels energy into the actions he takes, into the smile he's giving that feels weirdly ominous, or the way his hands hook together from around Kirma. He is absolutely going to ruin this man with kindness. )
Why would I be mad?
( It's laughable, saying that so sweetly, and so Esikko frees Kirma from his grip and takes a playful step back with a playful little laugh to release a little more of his tension. At the very least, this is going to be some fun fodder for later, for others— and so he lifts his Watch and taps through to the camera app to check himself out and snap a handful of posed pictures. )
( isn’t he enjoying it, just a little too much? that’s what kirma thinks— and in a way, that should be a good thing, that esikko doesn’t fully hate such a phenomenon. shouldn’t it? but.
in all honesty, there was a portion of this set up to be entirely at esi’s expense; a minor bit of fun, of mean-spirited enjoyment that in some ways would’ve been the real gift of the hour. without that, it makes him wonder if he misjudged things. maybe worse, misremembered them, a glaring flaw in an already imperfect memory.
more than anything else… he’s not sure where esi is taking them, so to speak, and that’s what unnerves him most of all. )
… Only while it’s on, ( is how finally he answers. the thought of inflicting such a thing on someone permanently and without warning strikes him as so thoroughly odd that he finds himself taken aback that esi’s mind would wander there first. ) Though I’m sure the house would be happy to negotiate, if you wanted more.
( a pause, both to chew his nerves down and to ensure that esi is done with his self-examination. ) Shall we walk? ( you know… their date… )
( Temporary. Thank the gods. He was going to have trouble keeping up this nice guy act if it wasn't. But it is, and judging by the angle of Kirma's furry ears, his plan is working fairly nicely, too. He seems unsettled, subtly so, and that's enough to lift the prince's mood just enough. )
Whatever you'd like. It's your day after all, so just lead the way.
( So friendly, so accommodating, he allows his arms to slip away from Kirma so that he can stand on his own. Here, he adjusts his dress a little, staring down at himself for a moment too long before he clears his throat and moves to walk with Kirma. )
Only while it's on sounds ideal, doesn't it? A short taste of something new. ( A pause, as he tries to formulate the next idea in a way that comes off more nice than it should. )
I take it you haven't had much luck with women, to be gifted something like this? I wonder why?
( It's spoken as if it's a genuine question. It's not. )
( sweaty pawed, kirma leads on. wandering the gardens, and— truthfully, even without the unexpected reactions, he hadn’t really formulated a plan past this point. collar goes on, ???, everything is great. that’s as far as he got. now—
the first two steps of that are ostensibly complete, but the third certainly hasn’t come to past. it might not come to pass at all, with the way esi is taking things so fully in stride that it wraps back around to him fearing for his life. somewhere, midway through the maze that he accidentally took them down after a wrong turn, he stops abruptly to turn back to esi. well, halfway back to esi; the rest of his attention comes as a sidelong glance with backwards ears. )
First of all— ( no, he hasn’t had much luck with women, but what does that have to do with anything? yet no articulate protest comes to mind, and he’s left staring in silence without any followup. no, wait, there’s one:
a sigh. )
You know, this isn’t… ( fun ) If you’d rather take it off and go. You can.
( A lie, and one that radiates with the invisible anger lurking beneath his too-sunny smile. But there's a joy to be earned in Kirma's suffering, in the promise that will come because of it, and so he puts up with this. Does more than that, in fact, by reaching to take one of Kirma's arms in something like a hug, meaning to walk like this. )
You did have plans for us, didn't you? I thought that you must have, considering how you asked me out here. So, I'll follow your lead.
( it’s impressive, the way that being given permission can feel more like a leaden weight around your neck, one that threatens to drag him down into the depths. his ears flick back and forth again, tension pulling at the corners of his mouth, but— )
Okay.
( he will lead. a thing that he is known for being extremely good at and full of confidence in. yeah. whatever. they’re just following his plan, the one that he definitely has, that has him striding with a shuffled purpose deeper into the garden maze with his date(?) on his arm.
he risks another glance at esi, who does indeed look quite good— unfortunately enough for kirma. wait, he’s getting distracted. he mulls over how to try and recover things in his favor; for all that esi yaps about wanting to be pushed around and taken advantage of, kirma is sure that trying anything of the sort tonight would simply end with him headless. trying to escape was already a failure. that only leaves…
wandering and hoping for inspiration. )
Is there really nothing you’d want to do? Since you’re— ( poor ) That is—
( … )
What would my luck with women have to do with it? Or supposed lack thereof. ( he’s stuck on this after all. the callout post was unnecessary. :( )
Well, because you've just turned a perfectly good man into a woman.
( "Perfectly good" has an interesting definition, here, in which he means himself. The misogynistic implications are also ever present. Still, aside from that, Esikko is still acting rather... pleasant. His expressions aren't nearly as sour as they tend to be, he keeps his annoyance shielded from his face and his walk, and his eyes drift along the sights of the garden, happy to take in the sight of lovely plants and flowers as they walk. )
If you had luck with women, you could just go meet with one of them, right? ( A smile, amused and too bright, flashes Kirma's way as Esi lifts a hand to tuck some of his hair behind his ear. )
Anyway, if you're looking for ideas... A nice fancy dinner is something I wouldn't refuse. You can even get a slice of cake for your birthday. ( That he clearly wants to eat himself. )
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
See you then.
( Despite how his normal short answer would result in him completely ghosting Kirma, Esikko actually shows up. He's dressed casually, comfortably, since he was told not to worry— slacks and a simple shirt. He stands near the flowers, since he's sure that's where Kirma will know to look, and scrolls on his Watch as he waits. )
no subject
it is a wagging dog that trots up to esi, easily finding his scent in the breeze; a plain box is tucked under his arm, and he tilts his head by way of greeting as their eyes meet. esi looks much the same as always; kirma expected no less, and yet, there's a tiny sliver of disappointment in it, for all the time they've spent apart. that's fine. the box is then presented to esi without much fanfare. its contents include a red evening dress, a pair of short heels, and... a dog collar.
don't worry about that one. )
I can turn around while you get ready.
( yeah he's being very sussy right now. )
no subject
"Are you sure you didn't leave part of your own wardrobe in this?" Is what he wants to say. But he fixes his face rather quickly, puts on a little smile, and turns to walk towards a little alcove not far from here. )
If you want the surprise. Really, just make sure no one else walks up, and it should be fine.
( Is he... changing into this without even a comment about his outrage? Yes. Dress first! His shirt gets tossed to a bench to the side, followed by his pants, and he steps carefully into the dress, squinting at the size. Is this... going to work? )
no subject
who's suspicious now? before esi turns, kirma twitches forward a moment, as if to yank the box back; his eyes narrow as he holds himself back from such a gesture, from showing how unnerved esi's acquiescence has left him. instead, his lips press into a thin line before he turns around, even allowing his eyes to close. he's certain he'd ear if esi tries to abscond and be able to catch him in time— surely, it must be something like that?
surely. one ear twists back, half-folded, as dubious as it is eavesdropping. )
It's not such a problem if someone does see you. Is it?
( sex casino or whatever. he has never given much thought to the collection of cards, neither his own nor other people's. he is also sure that esi cannot be entirely bereft of them outside of the three he's certain of, but he does also wonder, for the first time... what that total even could look like. frownworthy thoughts. if nothing else, he's sure however this night ends will at least be a, hmm, unique situation shared between the two of them. that's the best way to put it. )
... There's no one else around, before you get too fussy. ( he'd know. )
no subject
( That's all he says in response, a rather lacking answer to all of that compared to what he usually gives. But maybe it can be written off as him fitting into this dress, how short it feels on his long legs when he knows it should be long, how he feels squeezed in these heels.
It's the struggling with the collar that gets him to hesitate for a moment before finally clearing his throat a little and speaking up. )
Could I get your help with this part? ( Asking. ) It's a little hard to buckle when I can't see it.
no subject
it makes kirma think he really shouldn't be within arm's reach once the collar is closed, if nothing else. maybe the reticence is audible in his padded steps as he turns back to esi, approaching as one would a wounded animal liable to bite, ears at asymmetric angles. taking up the ends of the collar, he pauses. )
You can't get angry.
( it's (the day after) his birthday. that's all the warning esi gets, before kirma buckles the collar, eyes pointedly rolled skyward. that half-hearted attempt at granting modesty surely will be enough to evade esi's wrath. )
no subject
( The collar buckles, and Esikko's voice trails off as he feels something shift. Everything, really— he shrinks a little, his body feels strange all over, like a tingling, and then—
When he blinks, it feels almost like he's just been woken from a dream. Scrubbing at his eyes doesn't tell him much, but the tickle of longer hair down his back, down the low cut of the dress, does. And the way his feet slide more easily into the heels. And the way his chest, small as it is even now, fills out a little more...
Oh. He's a woman.
Immediately, rage fires up inside of him, but he catches himself quickly, eyes staring down at his own body, a breath escaping in something that's at least an attempt at a puff of a laugh. )
... I see.
( Not! Angry! In fact, he smiles, though it's a smile that may be even more ominous, as he reaches over to Kirma, to put his arms around him. To make him nervous. )
So this is what you wanted? Am I cute, at least?
( He already wants to kill him, but if he can at least get a compliment out of this, it might soothe his rage a bit. A bit. And if not, then maybe the ominous feeling that his kindness will leave can be enough. )
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it leaves him entirely unprepared to escape the sudden embrace that follows, and he freezes under the weight of esi’s arms, not unlike a rabbit caught in a trap. who knew such a clever plan could backfire so drastically. )
……… Yes.
( he manages to choke that much out, strained as it is. while it’s the genuine truth, this also may have been one of the rare occasions worth attempting a lie if it weren’t. )
Ah, but you’re… ( how does he put this, ) actually not mad?
( his beans are so incredibly sweaty right now. )
no subject
Why would I be mad?
( It's laughable, saying that so sweetly, and so Esikko frees Kirma from his grip and takes a playful step back with a playful little laugh to release a little more of his tension. At the very least, this is going to be some fun fodder for later, for others— and so he lifts his Watch and taps through to the camera app to check himself out and snap a handful of posed pictures. )
Hmm. This is temporary, right?
( His eyes slide over to Kirma expectantly. )
no subject
in all honesty, there was a portion of this set up to be entirely at esi’s expense; a minor bit of fun, of mean-spirited enjoyment that in some ways would’ve been the real gift of the hour. without that, it makes him wonder if he misjudged things. maybe worse, misremembered them, a glaring flaw in an already imperfect memory.
more than anything else… he’s not sure where esi is taking them, so to speak, and that’s what unnerves him most of all. )
… Only while it’s on, ( is how finally he answers. the thought of inflicting such a thing on someone permanently and without warning strikes him as so thoroughly odd that he finds himself taken aback that esi’s mind would wander there first. ) Though I’m sure the house would be happy to negotiate, if you wanted more.
( a pause, both to chew his nerves down and to ensure that esi is done with his self-examination. ) Shall we walk? ( you know… their date… )
no subject
Whatever you'd like. It's your day after all, so just lead the way.
( So friendly, so accommodating, he allows his arms to slip away from Kirma so that he can stand on his own. Here, he adjusts his dress a little, staring down at himself for a moment too long before he clears his throat and moves to walk with Kirma. )
Only while it's on sounds ideal, doesn't it? A short taste of something new. ( A pause, as he tries to formulate the next idea in a way that comes off more nice than it should. )
I take it you haven't had much luck with women, to be gifted something like this? I wonder why?
( It's spoken as if it's a genuine question. It's not. )
no subject
the first two steps of that are ostensibly complete, but the third certainly hasn’t come to past. it might not come to pass at all, with the way esi is taking things so fully in stride that it wraps back around to him fearing for his life. somewhere, midway through the maze that he accidentally took them down after a wrong turn, he stops abruptly to turn back to esi. well, halfway back to esi; the rest of his attention comes as a sidelong glance with backwards ears. )
First of all— ( no, he hasn’t had much luck with women, but what does that have to do with anything? yet no articulate protest comes to mind, and he’s left staring in silence without any followup. no, wait, there’s one:
a sigh. )
You know, this isn’t… ( fun ) If you’d rather take it off and go. You can.
no subject
( A lie, and one that radiates with the invisible anger lurking beneath his too-sunny smile. But there's a joy to be earned in Kirma's suffering, in the promise that will come because of it, and so he puts up with this. Does more than that, in fact, by reaching to take one of Kirma's arms in something like a hug, meaning to walk like this. )
You did have plans for us, didn't you? I thought that you must have, considering how you asked me out here. So, I'll follow your lead.
no subject
Okay.
( he will lead. a thing that he is known for being extremely good at and full of confidence in. yeah. whatever. they’re just following his plan, the one that he definitely has, that has him striding with a shuffled purpose deeper into the garden maze with his date(?) on his arm.
he risks another glance at esi, who does indeed look quite good— unfortunately enough for kirma. wait, he’s getting distracted. he mulls over how to try and recover things in his favor; for all that esi yaps about wanting to be pushed around and taken advantage of, kirma is sure that trying anything of the sort tonight would simply end with him headless. trying to escape was already a failure. that only leaves…
wandering and hoping for inspiration. )
Is there really nothing you’d want to do? Since you’re— ( poor ) That is—
( … )
What would my luck with women have to do with it? Or supposed lack thereof. ( he’s stuck on this after all. the callout post was unnecessary. :( )
no subject
( "Perfectly good" has an interesting definition, here, in which he means himself. The misogynistic implications are also ever present. Still, aside from that, Esikko is still acting rather... pleasant. His expressions aren't nearly as sour as they tend to be, he keeps his annoyance shielded from his face and his walk, and his eyes drift along the sights of the garden, happy to take in the sight of lovely plants and flowers as they walk. )
If you had luck with women, you could just go meet with one of them, right? ( A smile, amused and too bright, flashes Kirma's way as Esi lifts a hand to tuck some of his hair behind his ear. )
Anyway, if you're looking for ideas... A nice fancy dinner is something I wouldn't refuse. You can even get a slice of cake for your birthday. ( That he clearly wants to eat himself. )