Page 6 of Gratification in Gluttony

“I’m gonna loosen some of the curls with my fingers. Give it a little volume,” he said, and Zef blinked one eye open to meet his black gaze in the mirror. “That okay?”

They contemplated a moment before dipping their chin. “Yes.”

“Okay, coming in with the hairspray.”

Doing his best not to make too much contact with their scalp or neck, Toni raked his fingers through a few sections of their hair to give some life and bounce to the curls. Then he sprayed it all down to ensure it held under the heat of the stage lights and their choreography.

After inspecting every angle, Toni clapped his hands and grinned. “Toni, you have outdone yourself tonight.”

“Give him a curling iron and a can of hairspray, and he turns more femme than me,” Gem grumbled as he dusted glitter over the colored powder on Zef’s eyelids.

Without opening their eyes, Zef smiled wide enough to show teeth, and Toni snorted, splaying his hands like he was a prize on a game show. “I contain multitudes, baby.”

Gem’s phone beeped, and he pulled it out of his tiny, leather shorts with one hand and read the message with a small, red eye as his main focus remained on Zef’s face. “Rusty got Ollie and Jude from the train station, and they’re on their way. I’ll go wait for them at the door.” Glancing up at Toni, he offered Toni the bottle of setting spray. “Finish up for me?”

“Sure.”

As they swapped places, Gem leaned down, nearly pressing his cheek to Zef’s. “Do you like it?”

Zef’s milky eyes opened, and they inspected Gem’s work with a lazy tilt of their head. A sly smirk curled their mouth, and when they spoke, their voice had a sultry glide they only possessed when they’d slipped into their stage persona. “It is perfect, Gemae. As always.”

Beaming, Gem gave the tip of their antenna a playful flick, and Zef gasped dramatically, shooing him away with an air of huffy, exaggerated offense.

“Off with you, you incorrigible deviant,” they chided, two hands fluttering in exasperation as the other two fidgeted with their lyric sheet.

Gem threw his head back with a cackle, then shimmied his way toward the side door leading to the main stage. “Break a leg out there, mommy! You look hot as sin.”

With an amused huff, Zef turned back to their reflection and played with a few of the curls, laying them this way, thenthat, until they were satisfied. They added extra glitter to their temples, then sat back in their chair.

“Mommy like?” Toni asked.

“I find that misnomer very uncomfortable,” they said dryly.

Toni laughed. “Noted.”

“But yes, I am very happy with the results.”

“You look sexy.”

“Under these specific circumstances,” they sniffed haughtily, “that is the point.”

Holding up the setting spray, Toni asked, “Any changes? Speak now or forever hold your peace.”

“I am ready,” they said primly.

The mist settled over Zef’s face and neck, and while they waved their four hands to dry it, Toni gathered up the explosion of makeup items Gem had left strewn across the vanity. “I’m gonna head to the bar so we can order drinks before the show. Do you need anything else?”

“No, but thank you, Toni. I appreciate your help.”

“Anytime,” he dismissed as he zipped up Gem’s bag and tucked it under the vanity for safe keeping.

Zef sounded much more themself when they said, “I value the time we spend together before my shows.”

That brought Toni up short, and he straightened slowly, studying Zef’s face as they avoided eye contact. “Me too, Zef.” A slight flush darkened their light green skin under their makeup, and they chewed on their thin bottom lip with their tiny, blunt teeth. Using the handle of an eyeshadow brush, Toni tapped their chin. “None of that. You’ll ruin your lipstick, and Gem’ll be pissed.”

Zef released a humored noise. “He would come on stage and try to fix it in the middle of my set.”

“And we can’t have that,” Toni said, making Zef shake their head. “I’ll see you out there?”

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