#formal ascot tie

[yewelshtabby]

The Aristocravat

Bob and I have made another item, a simple shirt replacement for Spy that gives him a nice paintable silk cravat, also featuring an alternative style that allows you to paint the shirt.

Please consider voting for this item by clicking here!

[cobragardens]

Aziraphale's Ascot: An Analysis

What's most interesting to me about the ascot Aziraphale is wearing when he turns up in Crowley's car in 1967 is that it's very fashionable.

An ascot (American), or day cravat (British), is a band of material meant to be worn inside the shirt collar, terminated on each end with a long wide tongue of that same fabric.

The band goes around the back of the neck, and the tongues are tied in the front and tucked into the open neck of a collared shirt. An ascot displays a wide sweep of color just below the wearer's face to flatter their complexion and show their personality.

And the late 1960s was the ascot's peak of popularity. The Duke of Windsor wore them; the mods wore them; British Invasion bands wore them. Fred wears an ascot in the Scooby-Doo cartoons. Lance Corporal Shadwell wears one. They were a huge trend.

On the surface this doesn't seem like Aziraphale at all. His previous appearances indicate his stylishness in ancient Rome is merely serendipitous overlap of Roman fashion with his personal preferences for white robes, blond hair in a Brutus cut, and gold wing-themed jewellery. In 1601, 1793, 1941, and all contemporary scenes, his style is decades to more than a century off the fashion of its time. We know he's into bow ties by 1941, and he's hardly one to adopt a style merely because it's popular; so why the ascot in 1967?

One possible explanation is that Aziraphale misses the clothing of the Victorian period and leaps at the chance to wear something that harks back to a time when he felt at home, sartorially speaking.

I don't think that's it, though, at least not in Show Omens. For one thing, traditional ascot ties (what a British person would call an ascot or an ascot tie, rather than a day cravat) are not at all the same accessory as the ascots of the 1960s: they're formal rather than semi-casual daywear; they're made of thicker silk, often with a woven rather than printed pattern; and they're worn outside the shirt and collar. More importantly, we've got two scenes of Aziraphale in the Victorian period, and he's not wearing an ascot tie in either of them: he's wearing a long cravat tied in a wide bow, a precursor to his bow ties.

I therefore propose a different explanation for the ascot of 1967.

As Aziraphale has clearly never been anywhere near a polyester fibre in the whole of his celestial existence, and as he always affects an appearance of idle hereditary wealth, we must presume that this--

--is silk. (In fact in the 1960s, a silk ascot in light colors was a signal of upper-class status.)

And we know Aziraphale likes silk, because by 2023 he's been wearing a silk velvet waistcoat for 200 years.

I again advance the argument that, despite himself, Aziraphale is a voluptuary by nature: a person who directs their energies toward the pursuit and enjoyment of pleasure, especially (but not solely) sensual pleasure.

He can control his appearance at will, and yet he has a barber; that means he enjoys the pleasure of a haircut and maybe a hot shave. (I have similar suspicions about his manicured hands.) The barber has recommended new cologne, which means Aziraphale has an old cologne, which means he likes to smell beautiful scents. He eats for sensual pleasure. He drinks for sensual pleasure (much more so than Crowley, who drinks for the pleasure and escape of inebriation). He listens to music for sensual pleasure. He attends the theater for pleasure. Reading is as much a sensual pleasure inside your own head as it is intellectual self-stimulation (which is its own kind of pleasure in turn); and believe me, collecting books is as much a sensual pleasure as a logistical and a philosophical one.

Aziraphale even agrees to an Arrangement with a demon to give himself more spare time for his pursuit of human pleasures. And then he and the demon become friends, because what could be a greater pleasure than indulging yourself in the good company of someone clever and kind and beautiful, who flirts with you and tells wicked jokes you mustn't laugh at--except perhaps for the pleasure of making that person smile in return?

Fun fact: The silk of which casual ascots are made is finer than the silk of either traditional ascot ties or neckties, because ascots/day cravats are made to be worn inside rather than outside the collar.

In 1967, instead of his usual crisp bow tie around his usual tightly buttoned collar, Aziraphale wears an open collar and a day cravat because the fashion of the 1960s lets him keep silk against his skin.

And there's one other thing, too. Compare Aziraphale's ascot to Lance-Corporal Shadwell's, or to the standard ascot knot:

The edge of Azirapale's ascot sits below the edge of his shirt collar where it should sit above, and the cascade spills almost an inch in front of his Adam's apple instead of flush against his neck. Aziraphale has tied his ascot low and loose.

It allows him to bare more of his throat to Crowley than has been sanctioned by custom for 2,000 years.

How long after Aziraphale reverted to bow ties did Crowley think about that?

[skyflyinginaction]

Obey Me character design analysis ( Mephistopheles, Raphael, Thirteen)

The character designs of Obey Me are unique because their designs say more about the characters themselves than any game I know. 

Before I was originally going to talk about the seven brothers’ character designs first, I realized that it would take a while to research the meaning of the brother's designs. With the brothers, I couldn’t figure out their design since it is difficult to pick apart their designs from a look and it might take extensive research to know what aspect of their design means for their personality. Firstly when it came to hairstyles I thought that the creator made the character Ikemen's design since it is a romance sim so I might do one of the brother designs in the future.

When it comes to the character designs from Obey Me, the designs are based on the character's personality and way of speaking. To further show individuality in characters the creators do it in how their hair is drawn (is it dry, bristly or fluffy, etc.)how they wear their clothes (do they wear it properly or sloppily) what they are holding. This might come in handy in case you need to design a character to obey me. 

When I was looking at concept art these are the designs that stuck out to me. It is due to how easy it is to tell what sort of characters they are at just a glance by looking at their designs that is the main reason why I chose these 3.

What I am about to say is based on what I talked about with someone about it so what I’m writing is mostly based on what I told them.

Mephistopheles

Let's start with Mephistopheles, 

I used Google Translate to decipher the Japanese characters in the concept art so the translation could be wrong.  

Mephistopheles has strong eyelashes and a squire boxy eye with short slanted eyebrows, his eye has a strong straightness to them. This references that he values conduct and follows the rules, a stickler to tradition and his status and that fact he is blunt and expressive with his emotions he cannot hide what he's feeling and cannot deviate from the norms.

He has a two-block hairstyle, his hairstyle maintains a clean-cut image and slicked back in a two-block outfit puts more emphasis on him being a noble and giving the impression of posh and neatness.

For the rest of his appearance, for the clothes he wears a jewel broach, an ascot, a belt, cuffs, and a long tail coat in his rad uniform this screams nobility in his design.

The cane attached to his waist can reference the fact that gentlemen or nobles are usually seen carrying canes, another reference to his nobility and his gentlemanly conduct.

Mephistopheles wears an ascot in his uniform, an ascot tie is used for formal wear this can infer the fact that he is a noble and that Mephistopheles cares about his appearance so he would be likely to be dressed formally so it likely be posh and tidy. 

Mephistopheles values being stable and orderly; this is in how he presents himself to others in that he puts effort into his appearance.

In his Japanese concept art, Bonbon is said in his profile, in Japanese, it refers to a son of an elite who was spoiled by his parents. This can infer his personality as well. 

In the concept art it has been pointed out that Mephistopheles and Raphael have the same skin tone, I think this is supposed to emphasize that they are similar in their design as well as their writing that they are similar.

Being born in nobility it would be likely that his design would reflect that he is a noble as well as the small details to reference a bit of his personality. 

Raphael

Unlike Mephistopheles, Raphael's design was not as easy to tell at just a glance when it comes to Raphael's clothes. It's a lot more difficult to explain since I don’t know most of the details in his clothes. 

Raphael has a white and black color scheme in his design angels have a white color scheme in their designs but Raphael is white on black which implies that he is a heaven hitman.

Raphael has tassels at the end of his clothes, and Luke has the same tassels in his clothes too. The tassels at the end of his clothes are used for someone with high status; they are used in royal, distinguished clothing, or military clothing. This is used for people with high status and distinguished positions that align their important positions. Luke reports directly to Micheal the archangel and Raphael’s status as a seraph who is Michael's subordinate. 

Raphael has a flower-like whorl in his hair or a flower Mitsuba has the color green in his clothes; they look like leaves. I think the mitsuba can be a reference to the fact he is the third archangel, his hair coming down makes his hair look soft. 

The leaf pattern is seen in Luke and Raphael's clothes but I think it's a fig leaf, I think this references their important position and that a fig leaf pattern used in their clothes is a reference to the bible.

The diamonds on Raphael's clothes are sparkles. At first I thought they were stars at first but when I researched I found out there are no stars in the celestial realm. Has a hair ornament that is shaped with the same sparkles as seen in his clothes. Sparkles are light and shiny; this might reference the comments that angels are bright.

Raphael has droopy eyes which give a soft impression making him come off as approachable yet slow to read the room the eyes and hair give him more of a soft impression with his droopy eyes hiding a ferocious strength.

Thirteen

Lastly, I wanted to talk about Thirteen's design. I saved Thirteen's design for last because her design is awesome. It is jam packed with so many details that relate to her character.

There are skulls sprinkled in her design. Skulls are something we associate with death. It matches perfectly because she is a reaper.

Another interesting detail is her butterfly bracelet in Japanese culture butterflies have a strong association with death since it has been said that butterflies carry the souls of the departed, another tie to the fact she is a reaper.

Her shirt is black and white the black and white color scheme is reminiscent of a reaper.

Thirteen has a strong goth punk aesthetic, she has a tattoo on her leg, boots, choker, and metal earrings. Her design is the opposite of Mephistopheles since his design is centered on the fact that he is a noble and Raphael because he is a high-ranking angel her design stands out due to how punk it is.

Her design is based on two subcultures punk and goth punk, punk is a subculture focused on self-expression, freedom, and rebellion certain aspects of her character reference this she does her own thing not involve herself in groups, and enjoys wreaking havoc with her traps and doesn’t hesitate to say what's on her mind this adds to the fact that reapers don’t fit in with three realms I think in line with punk forging her identity. She wears a goth punk in her design but has a twist on death.

Her individuality is shown in the way she wears her school uniform. She doesn’t wear her uniform properly and it is tied to her waist. This references how she doesn’t conform to others' standards and the creaked heart on her coat goes in line with her chaotic personality.

Her hair color is a pink and violet gradient with the inside blue, and pink hair giving a very feminine feel and since blue is regarded as a gloomy color I find that this references that she is a reaper Thirteen has messy long hair and messy strands go everywhere they show her wild personality in her hair her entire design screams chaotic and it shows in how the hair and clothes are done. 

Let's zoom in on her face. There is an interesting design aspect the designer replaced the white in her eyes with black the team did someone creative to introduce a reaper a new species in Obey Me by changing the white in her eyes. 

Thirteen has cat eyes with slit iris in them, this goes in line with her playful and mischievous personality with the short eyebrow putting more emphasis on her blunt and strong personality. Cats are considered trickers and I think this falls in line with how she causes chaos and mayhem since she is unpredictable Thirteen has cat-like traits such as being independent as she goes off of her own do things her way, and the fact she is aloof not affected by the event of the story and the way when she yells is Solomon looks like a cats hair standing on end.

Near her eye she wears eyeliner and makeup. This is interesting because you don’t see another character have makeup in their design. There is something in how she does her makeup. Her eyeliner and eyelashes are straight and smudged and violet and pink. This references her hair color; the makeup and eyeliner go in line with the fact that she is goth.

Out of all the designs in the post, I find that Thirteen design says more about her personality, though she's a reaper many details in her design reference her personality as both fun-loving and a reaper.

When it comes to the designs of obey me I wasn’t sure what to start with. The designs are less than distinguishable such as the hairstyles looking nearly identical to each other like Levi with Raphael and Mephis with Lucifer and Asmo. 

When it comes to the designs of the brothers The brothers are designed based on the image of their names Though I don’t think that’s the case with Mephistopheles.

Mephistopheles means “not loving light.” The impression of this name can infer how he despises Lucifer for stealing his place as Diavolo's right-hand man. That might be why his bangs resemble Lucifer's side bangs but that’s just my thinking.

The clothes of angels show a lot of skin and make no sense design-wise but I think since they're not humans they don’t worry about functionality that much in clothes.

When it comes to the designs of Raphael and Thirteen they did not just focus on the fact that they are Reaper and Angel respectively but also focused on their personality in their design.

If you are having trouble deciding on what clothes should be designed for your character well the team gets The inspiration for the designs of the clothes from comics, movies, art, and fashion magazines. And also from sweets, flowers, and stationery.

There’s no basis for how to Obey Me character design and when it comes down to it there is no real design basis. I think the team just wants the players to have fun creating their characters. 

Though I could be wrong when I am talking about these three designs I hope I effectively explained their designs to the best of my ability.

[orionscelt]

Finally put together a character sheet and some details for Tristan - bunch of info under the cut.

Date of birth: 7th of January Nationality: British (English/Scottish) Blood status: Pureblood Height: 6’0 House: Ravenclaw Wand: Hawthorn , dragon heartstring core , 12 ½”,slightly springy.

Boggart: Public ridicule. Patronus: Sparrowhawk Polyjuice: Metallic blue , lake water and Iron. Amortentia: Pear , green tea, rain.

Best subject: Study of Ancient Runes Favourite subjects: Charms, Potions Favourite teacher: Professor Sharp (ex colleague of his father, he really enjoys talking to sharp out of class about his and his fathers adventures at work - what he was allowed to hear at least ). Worst subjects: Divination ( he has 300 better things to do than stare into a ball for an hour). Transfiguration ( his mind wanders constantly and more often than not the results are a tad disastrous). Least favourite subject: Divination Least favourite teacher: Professor Binns , self explanatory. Quidditch: Keeper - mostly plays casually , usually he's too busy to play official matches so acts as a reserve. 

Best friends: Sebastian Sallow,  Ominis Gaunt , Amit Thakkar , Samantha Dale

Clothing style: Muted blue , green and brown. Practical and warm - scuffed muddy boots, a navy blue pea coat with a bronze trim, his house scarf. Yule Ball: 1890s formal dinner jacket with a white waistcoat and periwinkle ascot tie.

In no particular order~ Traits: Dependable, Humble, Curious, Analytical, Too trusting, a lil Socially Awkward, will misinterpret things if people aren’t straight forward with him. Likes: Researching sites of ancient magic, swimming, keeping pet beetles on the windowsill next to his bed, cricket, quidditch (keeper) , horses, cider, Edinburgh rock (sweets), morning tea with his Ravenclaw roommates,  buying his friends gifts. Dislikes: too much noise, people staring, his friends being passive aggressive or indirect... dugbogs.

Favourite Beasts: Unicorns and Nifflers

Residence: Coombe , Oxfordshire.

Father: Gowan Sterling  Mother: Laith Sterling (maiden name Knox) Paternal grandparents: Graeme Sterling - Agnes Sterling

Both parents are aurors (as well as his ex-auror grandmother) - His mother; a particularly stubborn and headstrong witch continued her job after Tristan was old enough to be without her; his grandparents have looked after him for most of his life. Much to his parents dismay; after still not showing any evidence of any magical ability in his early teens he was assumed a squib, so was sent to an academy in Oxford in hopes of a successful career in the muggle world. He receives his letter on a trip with his classmates to London. Fig happens to be an old classmate of his grandfathers.

His grandparents run their farm where they mostly grow wheat , trees and a small range of magical plants tended to by his grandmother. He’s particularly close to his grandfather.

Future Occupation: Ministry of Magic Independent researcher/ magi-archaeologist

✨bonus dumb meme i can't get out of my drafts✨

[sirduck48]

Here is my headcanon profile on Duck.

•His full name is Montague Bawden Calladine.

•He is 34 years old and was born on the 28th of October 1990.

•He was born and raised in Devon, and still lives there.

•He is autistic and hypermobile. He sometimes needs a cane to walk. His joints also click and dislocate a lot, and his muscles and joints grow stiff and ache if he doesn't stretch them for a while.

•Physical appearance wise, he is 6'8 and stout. He has medium green eyes, long eyelashes, pale skin and thick, long (waist length), wavy, dark auburn hair. He has slightly prominent cheekbones and freckles on his upper nose and cheeks, but they are not very visible.

•Personality wise, he is serious but knows how to have a laugh, hardworking, elegant, sophisticated, highly intelligent, curious, sensible, logical, mature, introverted, gentlemanly, witty, old fashioned, modest, observant, proper, eloquent and formal (there is a lot more but I will be here all day if I say everything). He has high standards for himself and other people (mainly himself), and loves an intelligent conversation. He greatly enjoys his comforts (a hearty meal, a good book by the fire, a stroll in the forest, etc.).

•He is a very fancy chap with sharp attire and wit. He is always seen wearing a white buttoned shirt, a dark green tweed fedora, overcoat, waistcoat and trousers, a deep burgundy ascot tie, mint green duck socks, black oxford shoes, and a black analogue watch on his left wrist. His fashion sense is very sharp and dapper indeed.

•His special interests are fashion, vintage trains, birds, fish, insects and art.

•He is a moderately famous art critic, known and loved for his uniqueness and blunt yet fair opinions. He is rich, but he doesn't talk about it.

•He lives on his own in a large cottage with a big garden, a stream and various flowers, bushes and fruit trees. A large forest is ten minutes away from him, where he often goes on strolls.

This is all my opinion.

[the-nerds-in-black]

If you don't mind me asking, what inspired your designs for the LiB human forms? Why did you give them the looks that you did?

I love this question!! I'll explain a bit of my design process. (Be prepared, it is a long explanation!)

First and foremost, I wanted to retain their color schemes, but sort of "normalize" them in a sense. The lords dress very bright and wacky, and I wanted to keep that but also make them look like someone you could just pass on the street. So, the first thing I did was assign them natural hair colors. A more natural blonde for Tinky, ginger for Wiggly (because I found it funny), etc etc..

I also tried to make their clothes more "believable". You dont really see a lot of people walk around in shiny, brightly saturated, monochromatic outfits in everyday life. Personally, I think we should normalize that, but whatever. So, I broke up and spread the color throughout their outfits. Pokey still has blue, but its only in his pants and tie. Tinky still has orange and a little bit of red, but he doesnt have those neon yellow matching jacket and pants combo like in canon. Basically the first step in designing them was making them look.. kinda normal!

Then the second part! Relating them to my pre existing lords designs!

Disclaimer!! These are old designs from months ago, and Ive been slowly redesigning them so they aren't exactly accurate to how I envision the Lords!

But anyway, then comes the easy part, making them look like my interpretations of the lords! Face shape, nose type, hair texture, body type, etc etc. I did accidentally make Tinky less husky as a nerd, which wasnt intentional, so when I draw him later he will be a bit stockier!

As for exact design choices for each of the Nerds In Black, this is how I designed them!

Pokey

His outfit is meant to resemble Paul's outfit by the end of tgwdlm. Its pure irony and I am a sucker for that! It also feels like something Pokey would wear casually: formal but not too formal. The little heels are purely for show. In the future I'd probably draw him with chunkier heels. The little streak in his hair comes in a later chapter!

Tinky

I really channeled nerd energy into his design. The short sleeved button down over a t-shirt speaks to me. Also gave him a watch because I felt it was the easiest way to allude to who he is. Plus, it matched the shape language of his glasses! (Which alludes to his goggles in canon) When I draw him in the future I am drawing him a bit chubbier and with messier hair. Also, ive never written about it or drawn it, but Tinky still has an overbite!

Wiggly

He is actually pictured in an outfit that will show up in the next few chapters! It's a dressier outfit than what he woke up in. The inspiration comes from a funny place actually: Grace's outfit. White shirt, cardigan vest, a little ascot resembling tentacles, its just a slightly more masculine (and green) version of her outfit. And this serves a purpose! For now, I'll say that Grace and Wiggly have a surprising amount of things in common, and they are sort of like foils to each other. It was also important to make him look non threatening, including his lanky frame and freckles. Basically, i wanted to emphasize his insecurities, the parts of himself that he believes make him weak, so that he can't avoid facing them head on!

Nibbly

I went a little silly for this one. PERSONALLY, and this is my opinion, I dont.. really care for Nibbly's outfit in canon, but I tried to keep the skirt, pigtails, and overall feminine expression. I feel like the dark sweater contrasted well with the skirt and peppermint inspired accents. Honestly, im not sure if this one is one of my favorites and I may rework it a little, but I still think its cute! Plus he has a little gap between his teeth! Also, the corset was a fun idea I had, and I think he will get it in a later chapter. The strings on the corset are supposed to resemble sharp teeth too.

Blinky

Being fr I have no idea what i was thinking with the polka dots on the hoodie. Maybe like.. eyes? Definitely going to rework that. Anyway, I wanted Blinky to be dressed very modestly. Its sort of meant to represent that he prefers to watch and not be watched. The face mask also serves that purpose, plus obscuring his mouth. I also kept his glasses, but made them a necessity. Its an added weakness, and worse, its a weakness that was once his strength.

In conclusion...

Overall, I think Pokey, Wiggly, and Tinky are my strongest designs that have a lot of thought into him! I will be changing a feel small things in the future, but for now I think they are fine.

And that's my design thought process! Thanks for asking about it :3

[plaindangan]

Wonder how the V3 cast would be redesigned to suit their curvatures? I know their canon outfits are already great but who’s to say a new wardrobe will hurt anyone~?

Disclaimer: R18 material! If not to your liking then please do not view!

Presenting the V3 'Plainverse' designs!!! (...for at least one ask probably XD)

V3 Redesigns

Kaede

Casual - Kaede wears a pink, sleeveless, pink shirt with an orange ascot around her neck to replace her tie. Below her, while the purple skirt has been lengthened (in addition to be adorned with more musical notes) towards her left slide there’s instead a mesh that reveals quite a deal of thigh as well. Footwear is just regular white sneakers and socks. 

Formal - Back to the classic sweater vest + dress shirt combo, though the tie has been replaced with a bow tie. Skirtwise, her thighs are fully covered by a silky violet skirt and on her feet are silky white socks with pink heels. On her hands are long, fancy, white gloves.

Maki

Caretaker - Maki wears a dark red turtleneck sweater and a pair of black, tight-fitting, Mom jeans (adorned with a cartoony skull on them). In addition, she also wears a black apron with a sewn on pouch. On feet, black boots. According to Maki its to ensure she’s considered less of a threat as possible (though one has to wonder if wearing Mom jeans were also necessary in that department~) 

Assassin - When on her ‘other job’ or really off the clock, her choice of wear is a long, dark hoodie that's similar to what Izayoi from DR3 wears. The coat itself is lined with various knives she can whip out at a moment’s notice. Beyond that, she’s now wearing a dark red sports bra underneath. She’s wearing black pants too with this one, though they aren’t the same Mom jeans as before.

Tenko

Tenko’s new outfit has her dressed in in something that best describes as a lewd version of an aikido pants. She was wearing light blue hakama pants, though throughout the thighs of its, there was a noticeable hips vents that exposed her thighs. Tenko’s blue kimono is open enough to expose her light green sports bra and enough of her belly too. On her feet are a pair of socks and sandals. To top it off, she replaces her ribbon with a belt around her hakama pants and her bell around her neck.

Himiko

For Himiko, she opted to go for the red leotard route for her new look, with an addition of dark fishnets for good measure. Beyond that, she also wears a black tie with dark brown gloves and elf-like shoes. Around her usually is a black cape and her signature magician’s hat.

Angie

Don’t worry about her yellow jacket, that’s never changing from her! That said, she has taken to wearing a yellow towel around her waist (and nothing else underneath~) She had switched to a blue tube top too after some complaints…though even that seems like a poor substitute for her ballooning bust now~ She’s also wearing a flower crown now…because flower crowns are cool.

Miu

Miu’s choice of wear has to do with her new pink overalls. For one, she always keeps one strap unbuttoned to show off her white crop top underneath, which has her mouse mascot icon on it, and a good deal of her belly. Also wearing a set of black boots, fancy gloves and her signature goggles as well. 

Kirumi 

Taking Miu (why) and Kaede (double why!!)’s advice, Kirumi decided to ‘tweak’ her outfit a bit. Namely, her dress was dramatically shortened. Her skirt reached only slightly past her upper thighs now, and in their place she was wearing spider themed stockings and black shoes to with it. Beyond that, the maid uniform, a standard black suspender skirt and white dress shirt affair, was showing off her large bust fairly well too. Her purple cross tie is not helping matters~

Tsumugi

With a director beret’s on her head and carrying a duffel bag on her back, she’s now wearing a plain white shirt, with a basic dark hoodie to boot. Though, it should be stated the hoodie is zipped up up halfway up her shirt…and covering a logo of sorts? Can also see her wearing a pair of white sneakers as well. Also, just wearing basic blue jeans!

[dragonmuse]

I'd love to see a date to the ballet enough on its own - but a date to the ballet where Izzy has to be civil to Stede? Double yes!

(you were not alone anon! Here is the ballet date)

Izzy bought new clothes for the ballet. 

Sometimes, one needs armor to go into battle and he didn’t think his court suit was going to cut it. Generally, Lucius helped him pick out clothes, but they were years deep in this now and Izzy had actually listened most of the time they were shopping. He knew what Lucius liked him in, and the stores where the salespeople were helpful without being irritating. 

He got dressed before Lucius got there. If Lucius didn’t like any of it, than he could easily change. Or just strip as a last ditch effort to avoid this entire exercise. A nice thought. Except yesterday Read had bounded up to him with even more than her usual enthusiasm. 

“You’re coming to see the show with us tomorrow?” Her eyes had been wide and bright. “Really? I thought you guys were just flirting or something weird.” 

“I’m coming.” he sighed. 

“Oh my god, it’s such a good one. Have you ever been before?” She didn’t wait for him to say no. “Okay, so I’m going to send you a summary of the plot. Stede usually does one for me, so I’ll just forward it on to you because it helps a lot and the one in the playbill is usually okay, but not detailed enough.” 

“Read-” 

“It’s really beautiful,” she went on, practically spinning in place and Jesus fuck, what was he supposed to do with that. “I hope you like it!” 

“I’ll give it a shot,” he gritted out because that was as generous as he could be. 

“Awesome!” 

So no. He was probably not even going to try to seduce his way out of this which was probably for the best. Wiles were not his strong point. 

The suit was a deep green verging on black, the vest only a shade or two lighter. Wearing a vest feels odd these days, an affectation cast aside along with the ascots Lucius had worn daily when they met. Izzy wasn’t sure when he’d stopped entirely, but they had mostly drifted out of his wardrobe now.  

“Goblin!” Lucius called as he came in. “Are you hiding under the bed because that would be hysterical?” 

“I’m here,” he stepped out of the bedroom. 

Lucius was in his ‘theater outfit’.  Slate gray pants with a faint pink pinstripe, pink button down. The tie was diagonally pink, gray and gold striped, the tiepin Izzy had bought him complimenting it well.  His hair was done up though, slicked to one side in an attempt to lay it flat. The wave was already re-emerging. There was the artful scruff that he’d been experimenting with lately and combined with the pressed shirt.  

“Mm, so you are,” Lucius gave him a once over, a smile slowly forming, tip of his tongue caught between his teeth. 

“All right?” Izzy checked.

“Yeah. Good lord. More than all right. Where’d this come from?” 

“Usual place.” 

“Mm,” Lucius reached for him, fisting a hand around Izzy’s black and gold tie, using it to draw him close. “We should get dressed up more often.” 

“Why?” Izzy’s concentration had narrowed considerably, words barely penetrating. 

“Anticipation,” Lucius grinned and leaned down to just barely kiss him, a brush of lips. “Behave tonight?” 

“Promised already,” he reminded him with a shiver. 

“Mm, I know. I like to hear it though.” 

“Yes, I promise to be nice to your horrible boss,” he muttered. 

“Mhm, good,” he could practically taste Lucius’ smile. “I won after all.”

“You did,” Izzy smiled right back. It had been something to see that pile of goods.  

Read knocked on the door. “Ready?” 

Lucius sighed, planted a slightly firmer kiss on Izzy’s lips, then took a step back. “Ready!” 

The theater was exactly what Izzy had been picturing, austere and old filled to the brim with people stuffed into formal wear though there was mixed in some younger faces in more casual gear. 

Bonnet was standing among them and somehow the man didn’t even fit in here. There was something just slightly off about the way he wore formal clothes or maybe it was that the colors were hair to bright, a little too bold in the face of a sea of sober grays and black. Even Lucius’ faded pink or Read’s sky blues seemed to jump out like Bonnet’s fuschia did. There was just something painfully obnoxious about the man that gritted against reality. 

It was, Izzy could admit if only to himself, admirable in a way. 

“Hello!” Stede waved. He had a fistful of programs which he fanned out to them. “Lucius, I’m so glad you came!” 

“Don’t get used to it,” Lucius plucked two of the programs, handing Izzy one. Read took hers, already paging through it. “I said I would for your birthday and here I am.” 

“I think you’ll find it’s really a present for you! I’ve always said if you’d just give it a good try, you’d really enjoy it.” 

“Sure,” Lucius said dully. 

Izzy, in what he hoped looked like a very normal manner, reached down and took Lucius’ hand. This was not a thing he did with any regularity or really ever with this many people around,  but Lucius accepted with a grateful squeeze. 

Everything had just snapped into focus. In the back of his mind, Izzy had known that Lucius didn’t actually enjoy ballet particularly. He liked musicals and he loved plays, but he had mentioned not being particularly ‘attuned to dance’ which meant he didn’t get it (something Lucius hated admitting about the arts and was happy to say about virtually anything else). Pete might’ve agreed to come, but there was no way he’d stay awake or if he did, stay in his seat the whole time. 

So rather than being a normal human about it and jus task, Lucius had schemed his way into having a date, who was now obligated to sit there and not be an asshole about it. Izzy fought down a hysterical laugh. 

Sometimes, the gulf between them was so wide that Izzy had no idea how he and Lucius even spoke the same language. And sometimes, he was suddenly and viciously reminded that they were very much alike. 

“Spartucus, huh?” Izzy asked to fill the sudden expectant silence. Bonnet blinked and changed focus. 

“It’s not my personal favorite,” Bonnet gave him a speculative look. “Have you gone to much ballet?” 

“None,” Izzy shrugged. “But hey, new things. Right?” 

“Right,” Bonnet narrowed his eyes at him suspiciously. Izzy looked back at him with even blankness.  “Well. I hope you find it enlightening.” 

“It’s a good show,” Read said, apparently oblivious to the tension. Izzy knew she wasn’t, but as long as it wasn’t directed at her, she’d let it roll off her back. “Lots of dance fighting.” 

“Yes, I suspect you’ll get a few ideas,” Bonnet favored her with an indulgent smile. Ugh. Read smiled back at him.  “Perhaps you’ll eventually do a little bit of ballet for us?” 

“Yeah,” she said readily. “But not yet. It’s a work in progress, you know?” 

“Isn’t it always,” Bonnet agreed. “We might as well get to our seats.” 

Lucius, wisely, put himself between Bonnet and Izzy, but otherwise offered nothing substantive as Bonnet prattled on about production and costumes to a willing audience of Read and a bored one of Izzy. He didn’t interrupt though or offer up prodding comments. Everytime an obvious place for a remark went unfilled, Bonnet shot him a look. 

Expectant. And maybe a little disappointed when nothing came up. 

Oh for fuck’s sake. 

The lights went down before Izzy could consider how to deal with that. The ballet was...certainly something that was happening. There was a lot of moving around and while it was impressive what the human body was capable of, it did leave Izzy feeling a little numb. When he glanced across the row, he could see Read elbows on knees, leaning forward as if she could consume the entire thing with her eyes alone. Bonnet seemed if not equally enrapture, certainly very taken. 

Lucius had a glazed expression and when he caught Izzy looking, he rolled his eyes expressively.  Izzy offered up his hand and Lucius took advantage, making a slow perusal of digits as he often did when they were watching something. It was lulling and familiar and if Izzy also wound up with a glazed expression, it wasn’t due to any failure of the performers. 

At intermission, the lights jumped on and Lucius shoved up. “I’m getting a drink. Iz?” 

“Just water.” He stayed behind while Lucius left. Read got to her feet, heading for the bathroom. 

Bonnet rattled his playbill ominously. 

“Why did you ask him here if you knew he’d hate it?” He asked. That was civil, right? No swearing, tone even and not abrupt. 

“I didn’t know,” Bonnet shrugged. “I thought perhaps he hadn’t given it a fair shot. He can be very stubborn. I’m not sure you’ve noticed.” 

“It’s come up,” Izzy shook his head. “Read seems happy.” 

“She does, doesn’t she? Lovely girl.”  And...she was. What was Izzy going to do with that? Argue? “You know if she keeps taking lessons, there will likely be a recital.” 

A recital. Jesus fuck.  Obviously Izzy would go. He’d have to find some words to shove into his mouth so she’d known she’d done well. She took his compliments seriously even when they barely broke two words. 

“What the fuck does pas de deux mean?” He asked reluctantly. She’d said that a few times. 

“Oh...do you actually want to know?” 

“No,” he said bluntly. “But apparently I fucking should so tell me.” 

“Well really, I don’t-” 

“...please,” Izzy gritted out. Civil. He was going to be civil. 

“I wish you wouldn’t do that,” Bonnet wrinkled up his nose. 

“So do I, but I made a promise and I’m not breaking it because you can’t handle the results,” he informed him smoothly. Lucius could show at any second and he was not going to be caught out speaking in anger even if the words were fine.

Civil. Fucking. Civil. 

So Lucius came back with two bottles of water to find Bonnet animatedly explaining the art of the duet in dance while Izzy listened, blank face, and actually absorbing the damn lesson. 

“Okay then,” Lucius handed Izzy his water, sat down and listened too until the lights flickered and Read hustled into her seat. 

“The bathroom line is always so long,” she bemoaned. 

The second half was also fine. Izzy caught more of the story now, but he didn’t think he’d ever be great at following things. Lucius had gotten ahold of Izzy’s cuff by the end, smoothing the skin beneath leather over and over and clearly half out of head with boredom. 

By the end, even Stede seemed grateful it was over. 

“I did not expect it to run so long,” he admitted. “I’ll owe you a drink, Luc. Tomorrow night?” 

“Sure,” Lucius agreed. “Read?” 

“I’m going to Anne’s for a bit,” she checked her phone. “I’ll see you both later.” 

They cleared out into the open night air. Bonnet hestated, coming alongside Izzy for an instant.  Did this still count as the ballet? Probably. 

“Yes?” He asked patiently. 

“It’s admirable. How well you perform for him,” Bonnet said lightly. “Considering you’re not much of an actor.” 

“This ends the second you leave my sight,” Izzy returned in the same voice. “And I will not be tricked into the same stakes again. Get in whatever grand insult you want, it’s your moment.” 

“Quite the contrary,” Bonnet’s gaze flickered to Lucius, who was a bare few feet away, saying his good nights to Read. “I was going to say thank you. As it happens. For bringing her into our lives. And..well. For a lot of other things.” 

Izzy stared at him, Bonnet gave him a strange half-smile. Sincere as anything. The man was a mystery that was also definitely a bomb. A glitter one, but a bomb nonetheless. 

“Start walking,” Izzy advised. “Maybe don’t stop until you get into the middle of traffic, then hang there for a bit.” 

Bonnet barked a laugh, the smile blossoming into something more familiar. “Good night, Iggy.” 

“Fuck. Off. Bonnet.” 

“Iz?” Lucius glanced up. 

“Yeah?” 

Bonnet was laughing as he walked away and that seemed to offer enough of a cover. Damn the man. He’d bet that was even intentional. 

As they walked to the subway, finally alone, Izzy had to tell him, 

“I would’ve come if you’d just asked, pup.” 

“Would you?” Lucius frowned. “And been nice?” 

“Yeah,” he sighed. “Not a lot of things I wouldn’t do.” 

“But then I would’ve been forcing you, basically.” 

“What did you think this was? A pleasure cruise?” 

“No...I know. But you agreed and it was a probability thing.” Lucius frowned. “Ah, fuck. I messed up, didn’t I? ” 

“Not with me. Bet was fair,” Izzy assured him. “But you should’ve just told him no.” 

“I tell him no a lot. Saying yes is basically a birthday present and that guy is hard to shop for.” 

“All right. But you know. Next time.” 

“Thanks,” Lucius hesitated, then took his hand. “Good?” 

“Yeah,” Izzy allowed. He’d started it after all. 

And maybe it wasn’t such a bad thing to twine his fingers with Lucius’ and head back home together. Who cared if they were pastel and inky puddles of color? They didn’t have to match to hold hands. They just had to stand against the world at the same angle.

[sixpossumsinatrenchcoat]

Auditions — ch 2 (of 5) — lockout

Hajime is just wandering down the beach, thinking about how to track down Komaeda without Chiaki and Sonia finding out and getting all stupid about it, when he trips over a lump in the sand and falls flat on his face. “Oh!” the lump greets him giddily. “Hajime! What a nice surprise.” ...Just his luck. “Hey, Komaeda-kun.” “Are you ever going to drop the formalities?” Komaeda laughs. “You could call me anything you want, you know. I wouldn’t mind.” “Uh huh.” “Even if it was really mean.” Hajime had got that impression, yeah.

[Danganronpa 2 spoilers thru the 3rd trial. You can start from ch 1 here: https://ao3.org/works/51548557/chapters/130285615]

Hajime doesn’t have a crush on Komaeda. It’s just that, now that the girls already brought it up, he can’t stop thinking about how bad it would suck if he did.

It’s Sonia’s fault, really. As the Ultimate Princess, it's her job to decide what’s true. To impose her will on the world around her and expect it to bend to her. Sonia got it in her head that there was a problem to solve, and now suddenly there’s a problem. And the problem is that, all of a sudden, Hajime can’t just be fucking normal around Komaeda. 

“Hajime!” a scratchy voice greets him, and Hajime spits his coffee halfway across the table.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Komaeda says sunnily. “I didn’t mean to ruin your appetite. I should really know better, haha! Looking at me would make anyone sick.”

“N-No,” Hajime rasps. He’s still trying to wring the coffee out of his alveoli. “That’s n—” 

But he can’t force the words past all the coughing. Which is annoying, because for once, Komaeda doesn’t seem to be in one of his moods. His eyes shine clear and bright: serpentine, not jade.

“Haha! Sorry, Hajime. That’s luck for you. But hey, I’ll see you around!”

Hajime can’t swallow around the lump in his throat. So he chokes on it. 

###

“You’re being really annoying,” Chiaki tells him later.

“I’m what?”

“Being really annoying.”

Okay, so he obviously heard her. “How so.”

“All this stuff about Komaeda,” she says calmly, without looking up from her game. “I mean. If you want to know what he’s thinking, shouldn’t you just ask?”

Hah. Wow. Right. Shows how much she knows. Komaeda would never just answer a question. That’s why Hajime has to stay two steps ahead by never asking one.

Chiaki looks dubious. “Are you sure you’re not just scared?”

“S-Scared??” Hajime sputters. “How—or, I mean—of what?”

"I dunno." Chiaki’s eyes stay locked on her screen. "Being wrong. Being embarrassed. Not being on the same page."

“Wh— I’m scared of dying!”

Chiaki's game lets out the crunchy little blip-blp-bl000p of Game Over. When she finally looks up, she looks distinctly unimpressed. “You and everyone else.”

###

Okay, this is getting ridiculous. 

The girls just got in his head a little. That doesn’t mean they’re right. Sonia gets fired up about all kinds of stuff that isn’t real. J-dramas, mostly. Sometimes she’ll get so wrapped up in a series, it's like she can't even remember where fiction ends and reality begins. She’ll start prodding Hajime to trade his tie for an ascot, or begging Chiaki to let her put her hair in pigtails ‘please, Chi-chan, just for tonight; I just know you’ll look -just- like Ai-sama!’

This is probably the same thing. Probably Sonia has been binging some ridiculous BL office drama and got it in her head that Hajime and Komaeda are star-crossed lovers, and not just two normal kids having an insanely traumatic semester. (Well. One normal kid and one total wild card. But the point stands.)

Hajime just has to remind himself of what’s real. By hanging out with the actual Komaeda. And then he’ll remember that, in real life, Komaeda is fucking terrifying. 

Besides. To have a crush on someone, you probably need to know literally anything about them. Any tiny, insignificant little detail that feels true. And Hajime knows full well that he’s never gonna get that from Komaeda. Komaeda is a mystery wearing another mystery as a hat. He’s a ludicrous fucking layer-cake of facades. Masks on masks on even weirder, more unsettling masks until you finally accept that you’re never going to reach the bottom, because it’s masks all the way down. 

…Like he said. Fucking terrifying.

###

Hajime is just wandering down the beach, thinking about how to track down Komaeda without Chiaki and Sonia finding out and getting all stupid about it, when he trips over a lump in the sand and falls flat on his face. 

“Oh!” the lump greets him giddily. “Hajime! What a nice surprise.” 

…Just his luck. “Hey, Komaeda-kun.”

Komaeda laughs. “Are you ever going to drop the formalities? You could call me anything you want, you know. I wouldn’t mind.”

“Uh huh.”

“Even if it was really mean.”

Hajime had got that impression, yeah. “Is there something you want me to call you?”

“Huh? What I want doesn’t come into it! A worthless animal like me shouldn’t get any say in the matter.”

Ugh. Komaeda always looks so cheerful when he’s degrading himself. It’s honestly really disorienting. “Komaeda-kun, then.”

“Haha! You’re so stalwart, Hajime. So unyielding. The hope that might be born of such resolve… Just thinking about it gives me goosebumps!”

“Komaeda-kun,” Hajime says abruptly. He almost loses his nerve when Komaeda aims that double-barreled mirrored stare straight at him. Then he remembers that he definitely doesn’t have a crush. “Do you—uh. Do you ever think about anything other than hope?”

“Hm? What do you mean?”

“Like… I dunno. Stuff that catches your eye, or… stuff you want. For you, I mean. Not for ‘humanity’s future,’ or whatever.”

“Haha! Oh, Hajime. Even if I did want something, what would it matter?”

“But if it did.”

Komaeda frowns. (Hajime can never tell if Komaeda is making fun of him or listening with deadly seriousness. Or if maybe it’s both things at once? You can never really tell, with Komaeda.)

“‘But if it did,’” Komaeda muses. “Hm. I guess I must have desires, like anyone else. But I’ve never seen any correlation between wanting something and getting it. So maybe I’ve inoculated myself against… I don’t know. Expectation? Since it doesn’t seem very useful.”

Hajime lets out his breath. As usual, Komaeda’s given him a lot to think about. And as usual, Hajime has no idea what to do with it. “...Komaeda.”

“Yes, Hajime?”

“Do you ever just… not talk?”

“Haha! What an interesting question. But of course I do! Even a worthless animal like me can appreciate a comfortable silence, just like any other man. In fact, some of the most meaningful moments in my life passed me by without a single word. Just the simple understanding shared by two people who have no need for speech. Why do you ask?”

“Huh? Oh. No reason.”

###

“Hajime-kun,” Sonia tells him that night. “Your behavior of late has been… untoward.”

Huh? “Huh?”

“Or, rather—not untoward, but, perhaps… unseemly?”

“...Uh.”

Sonia sighs. “You are distracted, Hajime-kun. Which is wholly understandable, in the circumstance! I am not displeased so much as I am… concerned. Do not fear, Hajime! Such a trifling concern could not threaten our bond! If someone were to invoke the blood-rite of disrespect, I would not hesitate to take up arms in your name!”

“Oh. Or, I mean. Thanks?”

“Of course!! You are my comrade, and I yours! Should the need arise, I would defend you to my dying breath! ...But I would, of course, prefer to avoid such an outcome altogether.”

Hajime is lost. “I’m sorry, I have no idea what you're getting at.”

“Oh my god, Hajime,” Chiaki huffs, startling them both. Hajime thought she’d been asleep for hours. “She’s obviously talking about Komaeda.”

“In what world was that obvious??”

“Chiaki-chan speaks the truth,” Sonia admits. “I have the utmost admiration for you, but… I fear that this fixation may compromise your focus.”

“This what?”

“No, Sonia’s right,” Chiaki cuts in. “You’re all over the place, Hajime. No offense.”

“Wh– Of course I’m offended!”

“Unresolved tension poisons the mind,” Sonia agrees, nodding. “Left unchecked, it is as insidious as any neurotoxin. And your wits have been our salvation three times over. I wish to believe that no more of our beloved friends will come to harm, but…” She bites her lip and then shakes her head fiercely. “No. I will not allow it. I will not lose anyone else. Which means that I cannot allow you to succumb to distraction.”

“Okay? I… won’t?” 

“Then you’ll speak to Komaeda,” Sonia tells him. It doesn’t sound like a question. “And seize the answers that you so desire. By any means necessary.”

Hajime runs out of patience. “What answers!! What’s even the question? …And I do talk to Komaeda, by the way. I just talked to him this morning. It’s just that trying to get a straight answer out of him is pointless. So I’m not sure what you want me to say.” 

“I see,” Sonia sighs. “You refuse to make your feelings known.”

“My—??? I don’t have any—”

She shakes her head sadly. “The hard way, then.”

###

So that’s how Hajime winds up locked out of his own cottage, in his pajamas, on murder island. Barefoot. In the middle of the fucking night. 

###

“You guys,” Hajime says. Endlessly, excruciatingly reasonable. “This is crazy. You know this is crazy, right?”

“It is for your own good!!” Sonia wails through the door. “We only want you to be happy!!!!”

“Oh, I’m happy,” he says darkly. “I’ve never been so happy. The only way I could get any happier is if I was in bed. In my room.”

He can just barely hear Chiaki’s breathy monotone. “You can come back whenever you want. You just have to talk to Komaeda first.”

“And say what!!”

“Only you can answer that, Hajime-kun.” That would be Sonia, of course, sounding just as self-assured as she is totally off-base. 

“And if I refuse?”

There’s no answer. 

Hajime rolls his eyes. He’s not sure how Sonia managed to talk Chiaki into this ridiculous little game—or if maybe it was the other way around? Frankly, it’s a little out of character for either of them. But he can sort of see how, together, they might talk each other into it. 

Not that it really matters. Hajime isn’t planning to stoop to their level. Even if he wanted to play along, what would he even say? Hey, Komaeda-kun. Sorry to stop by so late! It’s just that my girlfriends think I have a crush on you, and they’re worried it’s going to make me worse at investigating murders.

…Yeah, no. Hajime will pass, thanks.

He kills a few minutes on the boardwalk, kicking his feet over the edge of the bridge and looking at the stars. Once he decides that it’s been long enough to lend a little credence to his story, he hops up and raps on the door. 

“Sorry, guys. He didn’t answer. He’s probably asleep.”

“You didn’t even knock!!” Sonia shrills.

Chiaki’s voice comes through a little quieter. “You know we can see you, right?” 

Hajime thunks the butt of his palm against his forehead. No, he did not know that. Obviously. “You’re seriously not going to let me in?”

More silence. 

“You guys are being crazy,” Hajime mutters. “This is, like… mutiny, or something.”

“It’s only mutiny if you’re in charge,” Chiaki points out. “This is just coercion.”

“…You’re gonna feel really bad if I get murdered.”

“W-We have faith in our classmates!” Sonia squeaks. 

“Shh,” Chiaki hisses. “You’re encouraging him.”

###

What else can he do? Grudgingly, reluctantly, very much under duress, Hajime makes his way to Komaeda’s cottage. 

The lights are on, but he can’t hear any signs of life. There’s no huff of breath, no scuff of human motion. 

Hajime squeezes his eyes shut. This is a nightmare. He’s not even properly dressed. He was already half-asleep when the girls asked him to “investigate” the “weird noise” that they definitely didn’t actually hear. So instead of his uniform, he’s stuck in a pair of ratty sweats and a sleep-shirt worn so thin that it’s more hole than cotton. It would almost be less embarrassing to lose the shirt entirely. But only almost.

Whatever. The girls just need to think that he tried, right? Then he can set all this exhausting crap aside and go to the fuck to bed. 

He raises one hand and taps at the door with just the tip of one fingernail. If he’s lucky, Komaeda won’t even notice.

“It’s unlocked!” Komaeda calls cheerfully, because of course he does. Because Hajime has never been lucky in his entire stupid life.

Well. No turning back now. 

Hajime takes a breath and shoves the door open.

###

Komaeda wasn’t lying. The door is totally unlocked. Hajime peers through the crack with all the grim trepidation of a man called to identify the body of his only son. "Uh. You, uh. Don't lock your door."

“Are you suggesting that I distrust our beloved classmates?” Komaeda asks mildly. He's lying on the floor, for some reason, even though his bed is literally right next to him. “That’s not very hopeful of you, Hajime. Besides. To be a stepping stone for such powerful hope would be my life’s greatest honor. If one of you Ultimates deigned to dirty your hands with my blood, I could die truly happy.”

Huh. It’s weird… Komaeda is saying the same weird shit as ever, but. It’s like his heart isn’t in it, or something? For the first time that Hajime can remember, Komaeda looks tired. Chewed down to the bone. Even when he was chained up in the old hotel, uncomfortable and underfed and utterly alone, he never looked like this. 

And why is he wearing his normal clothes? It's, like, one in the morning. Hajime might not remember how he got to this island, but he still found a neatly-packed suitcase waiting for him in his cottage. The dresser was stuffed with t-shirts and blazers and crisp white button-downs, a wardrobe that some fundamental corner of his brain recognized implicitly. But Komaeda’s room looks barren. Untouched. Like there’s no one living here at all.

Now that he thinks of it, this is probably his first time seeing inside Komaeda’s room. He’s not sure what he expected. Sculptures made from fingernails and human hair? A shrine in worship to some vague, unspecified future hope? But Komaeda’s room looks the same as anyone else’s. Wide glass windows. White wood walls. Unvarnished floors. Except that Komaeda has a fridge, for some reason. Why didn’t Hajime get a fridge?

“Um.” Hajime shifts his weight from one foot to the other. He can’t stop thinking about the pajama thing. Surely Komaeda doesn’t sleep in skinny jeans. “Uh. Do you… really mean that?”

Komaeda finally looks up. When he sees Hajime’s sleepwear—the frayed sweats; the overstretched shirt—his eyebrows go up. “Trying out a new look? It suits you.”

“Fuck off,” Hajime says tiredly.

“I mean it.” Komaeda’s eyes linger on Hajime’s collarbone and then drift slowly, almost languid, down his chest. “Haha!! You’ve been holding out on us, Hajime-kun.”

Hajime rolls his eyes. “You don’t always have to make fun of me.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it. I can’t figure out why everyone always seems to think otherwise. But putting that aside… What brings you here, Hajime? Unless…” Komaeda leans forward, suddenly eager. “Have you finally come to kill me?”

“Uh. No. Sorry.”

“I expected as much,” he sighs, leaning back on his palms. “Ah, well. Then why are you here?”

Right. That is the obvious question. “I'm. Locked out.”

“How strange! I thought our rooms only locked from the inside.”

Of course he wouldn’t just let it go. Hajime bites the bullet. “…Chiaki locked me out.”

Komaeda lets out a startled laugh. Hajime is at least 30% sure that this one is genuine. “But why was— Oh, Hajime, really? You and Nanami-san? Not that I can't see it, of course; two such inspiring minds, trapped in such… compromising circumstances. Still, Nanami-san is hardly worldly. However did you manage it?” Before Hajime can say a word, Komaeda is already answering his own question. “No… You would never make the first move, would you, Hajime? I’ll bet you let her seduce you.”

“Wh. What makes you say that.” 

For the briefest instant, Komaeda’s eyes flash with something like annoyance. “Haha! You’re an exceptional specimen, Hajime, but—if I can be honest? You’re unusually dense.” His smirk, when it arrives, comes with too many teeth. “I’ll bet you didn’t notice what she wanted till she reached out and took it.”

“It’s not like that,” Hajime says loudly. It is actually a little bit like that, but not in the way Komaeda means. “Or. Um. She just—sleeps over sometimes.” No, that still sounds way too suggestive. “Because of. All the murder?”

“I see. Because of the murder.”

“S-Sonia sleeps over too,” Hajime blurts out. Shit, is that better or worse? Why does it feel so important that Komaeda not get the wrong idea about Hajime being off the market? “Uhh. Chiaki wants to invite Kuzuryu. To sleep over. Also. As well.” What the fuck, what the fuck are you saying, why are you STILL talking????

“I see,” Komaeda says again, this time with a glimmer of amusement. “Well! That certainly sounds lively.”

“Y-Yeah.”

“You must have quite a lot of energy, for all that… hospitality.” Komaeda brightens. “Perhaps that’s your talent!”

God, Hajime hopes not. 

“You seem very flushed, Hajime-kun,” Komaeda says innocently. “Are you, perhaps, afraid?”

“Huh? No. Or—of what?” 

“To be alone with scum like me, of course! All alone at night, with someone so disreputable… Aren’t you just a little bit scared of what I might do?”

“What? No.” He’s surprised to find that he means it. Hajime really doesn’t see Komaeda killing him. Or anyone else here, actually. “You’re not gonna kill me, Komaeda. We’re both walking out of here alive.”

Komaeda looks impressed. “Do you know already how you’re going to die, Hajime?”

Ugh. “That’s obviously not what I meant.”

“Would you like to?” 

Hajime freezes. 

“I could tell you, probably,” Komaeda says. Still with that same friendly smile. “If you wanted.”

“Are you… threatening me?”

“That is a romantic thought,” Komaeda says thoughtfully. “But—no. I’m afraid that I could only take a guess. But I'm a very good guesser.” His eyes glitter. “Do you want to find out?”

“Uh,” Hajime chokes out. He tries to swallow, but his mouth is too dry. “But. Um. If you guessed right, and then it happened, then… isn’t it sort of like you did it?”

“Is that what you think?” 

“I asked first.”

Komaeda chuckles. “This isn’t a class trial, Hajime. I’m under no obligation to answer. But if you’re really that curious, then… yes. I suppose I do.”

“Oh.”

“Your turn.”.

“—Uh?”

“To answer something for me.”

Hajime stares like a deer in headlights. Tracking the coming impact but helpless to stop it. The thump of meat against the hood. The broken crunch of bone.

Komaeda smiles like a fox. “Why did Nanami-san lock you out?”

“Uhh,” Hajime says. “I—She thinks—or. I mean. Her and Sonia, they both… I guess they think I need to…” God, it sounds so fucking stupid. “I don’t know. ‘Understand you.’ Or something.”

“H-Haha!! Aw, come on, Hajime. Buy me dinner first, at least. I’m joking!” Komaeda laughs, while Hajime sputters. “After all, you’re our best and brightest hope. If you wanted to, you could take anything you wanted.”

Hajime chokes. 

Komaeda’s eyes narrow. “...Oh. That is what you want.” His mouth curves into a thin smile. It’s not a nice smile. “You’re easier than I thought, Hajime-kun.”

“I have to,” Hajime says, too loud. “Go. And. Break into my room?”

“The lock on the window sticks,” Komaeda says absently. “It never latches properly. So it’s easy to force it open.”

Great. That is really cool to hear from the scariest person on this island. “Uh. Thanks.” 

With one foot out the door, Hajime hesitates. “Komaeda?” 

“Yes, Hajime?”

“Do you know how you’re going to die?” 

For a second, Komaeda looks very, very tired. “Haha. Yes. I suppose I could take a guess.”

###

The instant his front door opens, Hajime is already hurtling through it. “I think Komaeda’s trying to seduce me.” 

Sonia brightens. “Oh, good for you!” 

“Yeah, congrats, Hajime.”

“No, I mean—”

“If this is about my prior concerns,” Sonia says bravely, “you needn’t worry! I've already come to terms. The chemistry was undeniable.”

Chiaki nods in agreement. “He’s grown on me a little. He hasn’t tried to kill anyone for ages.”

“He never—!!” Hajime takes a breath. “I just… really think he did that stuff because he knew we’d get through it.” I’m a very good guesser, Komaeda’s memory whispers, and another piece of the puzzle slides into focus. “He was… betting on us, I think. And. Trusting his luck.”

“Hah!” a new voice laughs. “Man, you sure know how to pick ‘em. You got a thing for blondes or somethin’?”

Hajime whips around. “K-Kuzuryu?????”

Against all odds, Ultimate Gangster Kuzuryu Fuyuhiko is sitting on Hajime’s desk, looking utterly at ease. When Hajime turns to stare, he shrugs. “Hey, I’m not here to judge.”

“No, I mean— What are you doing in my room???”

Kuzuryu bristles. “That’s a lotta judgment from a guy who’s shacked up with half the class, apparently.”

“I’m not—”

“Kuzuryu-san came looking for you!” Sonia says brightly. “He hoped to discuss something of grave importance! He was taken aback to find us instead, but it would have been horribly rude to leave him out in the cold.”

It is 86 degrees outside.

Kuzuryu’s hand finds the back of his neck. “Look, you don’t gotta dance around it, alright? I got it. I'll get out of your hair.”

“N-No, no, it’s not that,” Hajime rushes to explain. “It’s just. Uh. I… think we’re gonna need a bigger bed.”

If you wanna find out when I update next, you can always find the latest on ao3!

[dawnslight-aegis]

23. suit

Estinien grumbled under his breath as he walked into the dressing room, straightening his cuffs for the thousandth time. The best thing about being a dragoon had been the dispensation to wear his drachen mail in place of blasted formal wear, but when he’d suggested such a thing to Aymeric, the man had all but glared him out of his office. A suit had been delivered by courier three days later, with a very strongly-worded note about appropriate wedding attire.

His discomfort with the well-tailored outfit seemed to be shared by the groom, who was fussing with his ascot in front of a mirror – or, perhaps, judging by the distant expression on his face, Aymeric’s preoccupation had nothing to do with his clothes at all. Watching him tie and then untie the fabric for a third time snapped Estinien’s patience, and he strode across the room to turn his best friend away from the mirror by his shoulders, tugging the white silk straight and moving his hands alowly in an unfamiliar but practiced pattern. “Fury, you taught me to tie one of these bloody things, don’t tell me you’ve forgotten now.”

Aymeric chuckled as he relaxed, just a little. “I fear I might forget more than that before the day is done.”

“Why in the hells did you go to all this trouble, anyway? It’s no one’s damned business who you marry, you’re not obligated to throw the entire city a party just to try and keep them from talking.” They still would, too. All the people that had whispered bastard behind Aymeric’s back all those years would whisper foreign whore behind Kaede’s just as easily, whether they did the wedding “properly” before the Fury, or on a beach somewhere, with only a few important witnesses.

The other man let out a soft snort of amusement as he stepped back and inspected Estinien’s handiwork, apparently finding it sufficient. “You try being the leader of Ishgard, marrying the Warrior of Light, and see how much privacy you are afforded when it comes to such things.”

Estinien crossed his arms and shook his head. “No fucking thank you to the first, and I intend to for the second.” By which he meant Marzanna, not Kaede, and not for the first time he was struck by the oddness of their mirrored positions.

An expression flashed across Aymeric’s face for a moment – a combination of jealousy and longing, perhaps, certainly not for the woman but for the freedom to do as he pleased – but it was quickly subsumed by the restrained nervous excitement that he’d worn for the past moon. “Good. I shall have to start preparing my best man’s speech.”

“You even think about telling a single embarassing story from our youth, and I’ll give the job to bloody Urianger.” At least then, no one would understand what was being said.

“Heavens forfend. And after I did you the favor of passing your own speech-delivery responsibilities to Artoirel.” The amusement in the room slowly faded, and Aymeric sighed as they walked towards the door. “To be quite honest, I don’t know why I’m so nervous.”

Estinien shrugged, and slapped him on the shoulder, amused to see him stumble forward a step for once. “You won the war. You got the girl. Consider this a victory celebration. And if you ever get tired of the pomp and circumstance, I’m sure Marz and I could help you fake your death.”

That startled a laugh out of him. “Thank you, my friend. I’ll take it under consideration for the future.”

[afraidofchange]

untying your lover’s tie, using it to pull your lover into a kiss (cassandra & shepard teehee)

@herrage | for Shepard.

"Eager are we, Seeker?"

The Warden-Commander's lips split into a mischievous grin, blue eyes alight with an eagerness to match Cassandra's, as gloved hands tug at her waist, digging into the thick felt of her dress uniform. She hadn't expected the Inquisitor to host a formal party in celebration of their latest victory, but it was a good enough excuse to don something a little dressier than her old, battle-worn armor, for once.

But, as Cassandra removes her gloves, tossing them aside in favour of getting closer, carefully undoing the knot of the silver, silky material of her ascot tie, but using its ends to pull her downward and into a gentle, but passionate kiss; the taste of ale and wine come together as lips move against one another. In the midst of such an exchange, Shepard's hand reaches for Cassandra's hip, keeping her there, even as they finally part for breath.

"I thought I saw you eyeing me from across the tavern. I knew I kept this uniform for good reason, hm?"

[aercnaut-archived]

@wylanvansunshinc said: gimme lee's formal outfit

outfit headcanons!

following the vaguely historical aesthetic of lee's casual attire, lee's formalwear is edwardian inspired, practical and relatively sensible and follows the same basics as his usual coordination: clean, crisp shirt, a vest, neutral trousers, and a wool coat instead of his worn out duster. he only owns his one pair of boots, so he just wears those, but polishes them. as for neckwear, it'll typically be an ascot or a neckerchief rather than a tie or a bowtie. he can't keep much stored on his ship, so most everything needs to have a practical use as well as nonpractical.

important note: hester does have a tiny pearl bracelet she uses as a necklace. because its my blog, i make the rules, and if hester wants to look fancy she will, dammit!

[papionirecuds]

How to Wear and Tie an Ascot

An ascot is a type of neckwear that can add a touch of sophistication to your outfit. It is typically worn for formal or semi-formal occasions. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to wear and tie an ascot. 1. Choosing Your Ascot: – Select an ascot that complements your outfit. Common materials include silk, satin, or cotton. – Consider the pattern and color. Solid colors or subtle patterns are…

[silastreeguy]

[ID: Text that reads "Now live on Kickstarter" and below is an ornate logo that reads "Of Sense and Soul" in swirling muted gold calligraphy on a navy blue background. On the right, two light-skinned gentlemen hold hands as the right most one is handing the other some letters with a red ribbon. The left man, shorter, is wearing a gray suit jacket and a dark blue ascot and a white button down, has short, light brown hair, and hazel eyes. The rightmost man has darker brown hair, green eyes, and a well groomed beard. He's wearing silver, rectangular, glasses, a brown, less formal suit jacket, a mossy green vest, a black tie, and a white button down. They look at each other fondly in front of a faded white background of a Victorian era residential street.]

Our Kickstarter is now live! 😱💖

All your support means the world, thank you for being here with us! Of Sense and Soul is our Queer Victorian Romance visual novel and it has...

Two lives, one love story 🎩👓

Victorian setting 🕰️

Soft queer romance 🌈

Slow burn pining 🔥

Happily ever after 💖

Help us make Of Sense and Soul a reality and back our campaign here! 💪

(Backing is just one way to support the game; you can reblog & like this post to help us with our community challenges, too!)

Play our demo | Get our newsletter | Send us an ask 💌

[smokyjoesclothing-blog]

7 Top Ideas to Dress for Prom

Dressing to impress at Prom involves finding an outfit that reflects your personal style while also adhering to the event's formal dress code. Here are some tips to help you stand out:

1. **Choose the Right Suit or Dress**: Select an outfit that fits well and flatters your body type. For guys, a well-tailored suit in a classic color like black, navy, or charcoal is a safe bet. Have a little fun wearing a smoking jacket from smokyjoesclothing.com.  For girls, consider a dress that complements your figure and makes you feel confident.

2. **Accessorize Thoughtfully**: Add accessories that enhance your outfit without overpowering it. For guys, a stylish tie, pocket square with matching ascot and cufflinks can elevate your look. For girls, consider statement jewelry, a clutch, and elegant heels.

3. **Pay Attention to Grooming**: Make sure your hair is well-groomed and styled appropriately for the occasion. Guys may want to consider getting a fresh haircut a few days before prom, while girls may opt for a hairstyle that complements their dress.

4. **Choose Appropriate Footwear**: Your choice of shoes can make or break your outfit. Guys should opt for polished dress shoes that complement their suit, while girls can choose heels or flats that coordinate with their dress and are comfortable enough to dance in all night.

5. **Consider the Dress Code**: While you want to stand out, it's also essential to respect the prom's dress code. Avoid overly casual or revealing attire and opt for something classy and sophisticated instead.

6. **Personalize Your Look**: Add unique touches to your outfit to make it your own. This could be a quirky pair of socks for guys, a cool bowtie, or a colorful statement necklace for girls.

7. **Confidence is Key**: No matter what you wear, the most important thing is to wear it with confidence. Hold your head high, smile, and enjoy yourself at prom!

Remember, the goal is to feel comfortable and confident in what you're wearing, so don't be afraid to experiment and have fun with your outfit choices!  Check out Smoky Joes Clothing for jacket and accessory choices.  In stock and ready to ship.  Smokyjoesclothing.com