Page 5 of The Arrival
Nino moves toward the door. “Thanks. I can’t wait to see Haru.”
“Come, come.” Junichi leads them down the short hall and toward the formal dressing room, which houses a small stage, a three-paneled mirror and a closet full of Haruka’s formal kimonos and Nino’s suits.
“Shaping the hair was tricky,” Junichi continues. “But it’s the perfect length right now, so I think I nailed it.”
“If you implemented everything we discussed, I’m confident that you did,” Aries says as the three of them approach the sliding paper door. “Mytask was easy, given that my muse is rather Herculean to begin with. This wasn’t much of a stretch.”
Junichi enters the room first, but Aries steps aside to let Nino pass. He enters, and the moment Nino sees his mate reflected in the mirrored panels in front of him, he stops. His pulse thrums in his temples as he breathes out. “Wow…”
“Behold,” Junichi says, lifting his arm in a grand gesture. “My masterpiece.”
“He’s perfect!” Aries steps around Nino, walking forward to face Haruka and take him in. “Excellent work, Jun. You could pursue costume design if you truly wanted to. The taste level in combination with your technical skill and flair for drama… it’s all here.”
Junichi folds his arms. “This is fun on occasion, but I think I’d be an uptight and stressed-out asshole doing it all the time. I’d want everything to be perfect, but then I’d be held to obnoxious shit like production schedules, opening-night reviews and costume changes—researchfor historical accuracy. No thanks. You’re a better man than me for managing all that.”
“Mm.” Aries nods. “I blame the production schedules for these gray hairs. You don’t have any gray, even though we’re the same age. How is that fair?”
The conversation between Junichi and Aries fades to the edges of Nino’s psyche as he steps forward to stand directly below his mate on the pedestal. Junichi has perfectly swept Haruka’s slightly overgrown hair up in neat sections so that it smoothly curves into points, giving the effect of blueish-black flames—or a moonlit ocean with its waves frozen in place. His dark toga is long, flowing and smartly draped all the way down to his ankles. Where Nino’s exposed skin has received a subtle golden-bronzed treatment, Haruka’s face, hands, arms and shoulders have been painted in a rich shade of sapphire blue.
Nino looks up at his mate, awestruck. “What do you think?”
Haruka’s expression is flat as his eyes flicker down to Nino’s face. “I feel like a clown.”
“You don’t look like one. You look beautiful. I think we chose well.”
“Is this your true impression of me? God of the dead?”
Nino takes hold of his hands, then slowly brings them up toward his mouth. “Not usually, but at the moment, yes, a little. Your stoic demeanor matches this costume perfectly—”
“Dios mío,do nottouch him.” Junichi stalks forward. “Please don’t mess up my hard work before anyone gets to see and appreciate it. Just restrain yourself for a bit, lover boy.”
Dropping Haruka’s hands, Nino frowns. “The whole night?”
“Well, most of it,” Junichi says, walking toward the closet and pulling a garment bag from inside. “Don’t smudge him—especially his face.”
Haruka smirks. “You did not think this through.”
Nino shakes his head, grinning. “Are you doing this on purpose? I feel like you’re very in character right now.”
Haruka places his index finger under Nino’s chin, raising his head. “You look delicious.” He slides the tip down, lightly tracing the length of Nino’s neck, past his Adam’s apple and stopping just atop the thick material of his breastplate. The sensation is feathery and makes his groin pulse. “I like you in a skirt,” Haruka says. “May we keep this?”
“I bought that fabric and made this especially for tonight,” Aries says. “All of his gold accessories are on loan, but yes, the toga, cape and kilt are yours to keep.”
Haruka raises an eyebrow, grinning. “Good.”
Sighing, Nino lifts his palms, resting them against the silk fabric at Haruka’s narrow waist. “Why do I suddenly feel like it’s going to be a very long night?”
“You’ll live.” Junichi checks his reflection in one of the mirrored panels. He places a white partial mask against the top half of his face. “Aries, are you sure you won’t come? We can sneak you inside. It won’t be a problem.”
Their guest shakes his head. “I must pass—my flight to Shanghai tomorrow morning is insanely early. But rest assured, the thought of rebelling against the staunch social norms engrained within me and crashing an aristocracy party isveryappealing. Thank you for the kind offer.”
“Have it your way, darling.” In a flourish, Junichi whips the fabric of his cape so that it floats and moves behind him. As it settles against his shoulders, he clips it together just at his neck and over his fashionable suit. He turns, fanning out the floor-length cloak again as he stalks toward the door. The action reminds Nino of a great magician exiting the stage after a standing ovation.
“Let’s go, gentlemen,” Junichi says. “Asao is waiting with the car.” He disappears into the hallway, leaving the three of them gaping after him.
“Is it just me, or should he wear that all the time?” Aries smiles, then gestures for Nino and Haruka to leave first.
“It suits him.” Haruka firmly takes hold of Nino’s hand as he steps off the platform. “I envy his attire. Why couldn’tIhave that costume? Why am I the only one painted in an ostentatious color? At what point in Greek mythology did Hades becomeblue?”
