Work Text:
Daichi’s fingers worked nimbly to finish the garment. He was cutting it close to the collection time as he stitched the final crystalline seed beads onto the sleeve edge, but it was details like these that his customers sought out of him, details and intricacies so fine and precise that they added an extra layer of luxuriousness to a handmade garment.
Holding the piece up, Daichi could picture in his minds’ eye the way the velvet brocade and satin would hang off of the young lady’s body. She was a small pale thing with blonde hair that bounced every time she walked. The peach would bring out the blush in her cheeks. The flowing sleeves would sweep around with the swish of the A-line skirt that would hit the tops of her knees. Silk peach blossoms were stitched up and down the bust. Girlish enough but giving off the air of elegance that she so desperately craved. It was a work that Daichi could be proud of. He poured hours of love and time into this. When the girl approached him in the shop with her partner, she had looked so shy and unsure, but with this dress, Daichi hoped that she would find the confidence to smile and dance without abandon at the Masquerade.
He held it up to his constant companion, an unusually large silver dog, with thick fur that glittered like moonbeams. He had been companions with his faithful hound for years. When he lost his parents at a young age and he was abandoned on the streets his dog had found him and kept him warm until the old man Ukai picked him up off the streets. He was the one who he turned to when things got dark, when he was unsure that anything was going right. Sure, the dog probably didn’t understand him, but he liked to think so. They had been together for so long after all. His neighbours often commented on the dog’s size, complaining that he was much too large and almost wolf like, but Daichi never truly cared about appearances, not outside business anyway.
He allowed the dog to inspect the garment from the other side of the room. “What do you think? Do you think she’ll like it?” he asked. The dog leaped into the air with a happy bark, large paws almost as big as Daichi’s hands thudding gently on the ground as he landed and a firm tail wag in response. Daichi chuckled. “I’ll take that as a yes then!”
Masquerade season was coming up fast and it felt some days like orders for fine coats and frocks were piling up into the hundreds and thousands. Ladies and Lords and everyone in between desired something or other from him. A new pair of breeches, a grand ballgown, a sweet slip, perfect for watching the fireworks in. It was all so much In reality Keishin wouldn’t allow him to take on that many orders but there were days that he felt the barrage would never end. Still, to stop him from going truly mad Keishin would boot him outside, cigarette in his mouth, to go take a break.
“It’s no good if yer eyesight goes cause you stay holed up inside all day. Go see your friends or something. Yer young, go find a date for the parties. Or go walk your pooch, fuck if I care,” Keishin grumbled. Keishin understood the value of taking breaks and Daichi really did appreciate it, despite glaring and flipping the bird at the older man before catching the coin purse that flew at his face, filled with enough change for him to grab a meal. His
The streets of Laguna were always busy and bustling. A series of islands connected by bridges that were beautiful white structures against the azure of the lagoon below. Trade came in constantly from all over the world, a cacophony of languages and tongues mixed together to create a vibrant and diverse score. Gondolas guided through the canals by magic would always await to take you where you desired to go, but Daichi preferred walking, more exercise for his dog. He had no time to languidly sit around in a plush boat, enjoying the scenery and the colour that this multicultural city brought.
Daichi’s walk took him to a familiar bakery where his best friend worked. The smells of sweet breads and pastries hit his nose as soon as he came into view. He could feel his stomach growling and his mouth watering but to his joy, as soon as he stepped inside, his order had already been prepared for him, set out on the counter neatly in an elegant white box. The soup was quickly placed next to the ribbon tied box in an elegant flask served up along with Asahi’s cheerful smile.
“Keishin finally kick you out?” Asahi quipped, a sharp tooth poking out as he smiled. He bent down to feed a couple of scraps to the dog.
Daichi nodded and grumbled, his hand finding the back of his aching neck to rub it before the hand reached into his pockets to retrieve the coin purse Keishin threw at him earlier. “Yeah, grumbling about my eyesight again but there is really so much work to do around this time of year, I just don’t know how I’ll get it done unless I keep at it constantly,” he said with a sigh, the coins he owed clinking gently as they found their way into Asahi’s palm.
“He’s right you know, can’t work if you’re blind and you sure as hell won’t work as well as you do if you’re a sleepy, grumpy sod!” Asahi quipped, his dog yipped in agreement. Daichi swore he saw a cheeky twinkle in its eyes as he wagged his tail, tongue lolling a little.
“I should hit you for that you know Asahi, and you! You’re a little traitor you know that” He knelt down to grab his furry friend by the scruff, fingers rubbing silk purse soft ears. Asahi sashayed through the back chuckling. The dog whined in understanding that he had made the wrong alliance.
“I don’t understand why you still haven’t named your dog Daichi,” Asahi said as he placed down a bowl of water for the dog. ”You’ve had him for years and still he’s just ‘Daichi’s dog’.”
“But he’s not my dog, he’s my friend and I dunno…” he paused to look at the silver creature guzzle water down happily, tail wagging contentedly. “I’ve tried to give him names but none of them fit him right. He doesn’t like any of them.” Daichi opened the container of soup and took a sip, letting out a sigh of satisfaction as the hot liquid snaked its way down his throat to curl up in his belly.
“He’s a dog, why should he care what you name him? I think Argent would be a nice name for him!” The dog in question barked indignantly and stuck his nose in the air at the name suggestion. Argent may be a pretty name but it was not his name. Daichi chuckled and pet the dog’s head, murmuring soft sounds to ease any offense Asahi may have caused.
“He’s my friend first and foremost, not I’m his master and calling him a name he doesn’t like is not going to do me any favours, so I don’t.”
Asahi shrugged and sighed. Daichi was always an odd one. He watched the pair leave his bakery as the cute gondolier passed by on his boat, letting loose a smile and a wave in Asahi’s direction. He could hear Daichi’s laughter as his face went a shade of vermillion that he didn’t think possible.
Back at the workshop Daichi settled back down at his workstation to continue on his orders, abandoning the soup and box of pastries, barely touched, but his companion, having none of it grabbed his shirt in its mighty jaws, pulling Daichi towards the place where he had laid the food to rest. Daichi had no choice but to consume the lunch that was lovingly prepared, not letting it go to waste. He fed the dog any remaining scraps he could not manage, and there always was. Asahi was always generous in his portions.
“You’re not going to let me starve huh?” The dog barked and nudged at him insistently, its large frame pushing into Daichi’s side lovingly. Daichi’s hand found the top of the dog’s head and stroked at the soft fur gaining a satisfied “murrrr” in response.
Daichi then returned to his work station. Back to stitching, back to beading and embroidering. He had moved onto a dashing deep aubergine frock coat. The lord in question had requested that his family’s crest be incorporated. Daichi stitched and used luxurious silken and metallic threads to paint hints of eagles along the hems. Grand and regal raptors just like the man who would don this coat. Feathers of grey and white curled on the cuffs, gold buttons accented the purple just perfectly. It was soft enough to touch but the firmness of the horsehair interfacing on the inside and the luxurious satin lining made this a jacket to be cherished and worn at many an auspicious occasion. Or at least that’s what Daichi hoped. He wished for another to be made for his lover. Teal blue with floral accents throughout. Unlike the straight and aquiline lines of the purple jacket, made to support and enhance the shoulders and the strong physique of the wearer, this jacket was much frillier. Much more fanciful and fussy. Only the best of the best. It would fall in gentle ripples and waves from the hip to the buttocks. When the wearer danced it would swirl like a circle skirt. He continued deep into the night, eventually losing consciousness at an early hour of the morning. Slumping over his work.
Arms, carrying him. Arms, encircling him. A pair of lips, on his neck. Softly, gently, curling up on his back. Softly, gently, a soft song in his ear. Softly, gently, off to sleep.
In the morning he woke up in his bed, his companion curled up alongside him. This always happened. He thought that it was always one of the Ukais. When he was a young trainee at the main house he would work himself to exhaustion by candlelight, desperate and eager to prove that he was a mouth worth feeding. He would always wake up in bed. When he asked Keishin or the old man Ikkei they always told him that they had nothing to do with Daichi waking up in bed. They joked that it was probably his giant dog that put him to bed.
That was all very well and good when he was a small child, skin and bones on the verge of starvation. However as he grew older, that excuse no longer flew. Looking over at his workstation he would see that his things were tidied away neatly, his chair would be pushed in. He would wake up with his shoes removed, stripped down to his underwear and his clothes would be folded neatly and put away. Daichi stopped worrying about it a good while back, instead grateful that his back didn’t suffer for it. If it was his dog, if it was a spirit, at least he got to bed at all instead of suffering for his stupidity. Masquerade season often made him a little loopy. Maybe he just worked so hard he didn’t remember sending himself off to bed. Maybe he sleepwalked? He just didn’t know.
What he did know was that his stomach was grumbling and that his dog needed to be fed. The little miss would be here today to make final adjustments on her dress before pick up so he had to look presentable and if his stomach grumbled, that wasn’t exactly presentable. He combed his hair, he put on a shirt and breeches that didn’t smell. Keishin would gripe at him for not having done laundry but fuck it. He cooked up some eggs and bacon that he found in the pantry and served it up with some lettuce and bread. He supposed Keishin had left those there too.
The guests arrived shortly after and Daichi set to work at showing the little miss and her partner the dress he created for her. The small blonde almost cried at the sight of it. Tears of joy bubbling up as she clapped her hands. This was exactly what she had been hoping for, whether she knew it or not. The important thing was that Daichi knew and that Daichi gave it to her.
Satisfied, the dog stepped outside with a small pouch. Satisfied that Daichi remained distracted enough for the rest of the morning with tea and cheerful conversation, entertaining the two high society ladies enough to forget about him for a while, he padded into an alleyway and then… grew.
He grew taller and taller, feeling his spine stretch and lengthen, feeling his bones grow more slender, his hips fill out to support his upright stance. His claws retracting, his teeth dulling and his ears and tail disappear into his back and hair.
He reached into the pouch he took from the house, filled with clothes for him to wear. It wouldn’t do for him to be wandering around with nothing but the skin on his back, not when he was pretending to be human. The clothes hung a little too large on his frame, they smelled of Daichi, they used to be Daichi’s. They were his now, he wore them when making errands around the town.
As much as he liked the Ukais, he couldn’t trust them completely to make sure Daichi was fed. Daichi wasn’t going to remember on his own either. When passion overtook him he would forget all else. Sure, he didn’t have to worry about his own stomach, he could find his own food to eat but Daichi was a foolish boy. A foolish forgetful boy who he loved and adored.
The day was bright, sunlight refracted along the canals and the painted glass. Gondoliers sung their songs as they ferried passengers around the town. Like Daichi, his dog much preferred to travel on foot. The exercise was comforting on his legs and reminded him of his days in the wild, fending for himself, feral and alone.
His walk takes him along the route that Daichi likes, the one that passes the green areas of the city. The island of trees and flowers. There’s a pavilion in the centre that is big enough for grand parties and will host one during the masquerade. The idea makes his heart beat fast, makes his breath catch and makes him lose focus enough that his ears and tail threaten to pop out, but they don’t.
He didn’t expect to run into an old member of his pack out here, not so close to normal humans.
“Suga! Get back here!” was all he heard before he hit the ground at full force. He hadn’t heard that name in a long time.
Damn… that hurt. He twisted around from his position on the ground, forcefully shoving the attacker off his back to leap back up onto his feet and growl.
“Ryuu…” he stood, feeling the impact rattle in his lungs. “I told you to stay away. I’m not part of the pack anymore. I have my own pack now.”
“The human kid… what the fuck man? We’re your family! Not him!” Tanaka nearly exploded, claws and teeth showing as he growled and threw what Suga thought was a tantrum. Looking over him, the guy had grown taller since he had last seen him, filled out a little more, gained more scars. He’d be a good leader for the pack if he calmed down if his sister didn’t get there first. Suga smiled calmly hoping that Tanaka would tire himself out or gain a sense of time and place. If what he said didn’t hurt so much he may have laughed.
He silently turned to walk away, hoping that Tanaka would not follow. He had things to buy, eggs, bacon, pasta, pick up bread from the bakery and some sou...
“YOU’RE NOT PACKMATES, YOU’RE HIS PET, YOU’RE HIS DOMESTICATED BITCH!”
Next thing Suga knew he had Tanaka pinned to one of the trees by the neck. He didn’t mean to he really didn’t mean to as fur began to sprout and his claws and teeth sharpened. He should have a better handle on his temper by now. He should but he had disrespected not only himself but Daichi. And Suga couldn’t stand for that.
“You don’t have a fucking clue what we went through together, pup,” he snarled, catching a glimpse of Tanaka’s big sister coming up to save his ass yet again. To drag him back home tail between his legs. He squeezed and growled a little for good measure.
“Suga… that’s enough, Ryuu was stupid. He doesn’t understand,” The woman’s hand gently placed over Suga’s furry wrist. Suga felt something soften himself at the gesture. Saeko was always one of his favourites. Ryuu was too, until he decided to badmouth him.
“He doesn’t need to… he needs to back off and mind his own business,” Suga growled, feeling his more human form come back.
Saeko nodded and picked Ryuu up by the scruff with one hand, smacking him up the head by the other. “I’ll leave you be now, but… don’t be a stranger, kay? We do miss you even if you’re not part of us anymore.”
Suga nodded in return and threw a hand up to wave as he walked away from the siblings. Their encounter made him wonder, how long had it been since he had been abandoned by the pack elders. Ryuu didn’t understand, he was too young, too green to know that his existence was unlucky. Too young to know about how he had been left to die by the pack elders. They have no place for a silver wolf.
He was near feral when he found Daichi, alone in the rain, small and shivering. Suga considered eating him at first, teeth tearing into sweet young flesh but the way that Daichi had reached out to him and stroked his fur so lovingly. Who was he to know that he wasn’t really a dog? His small hands were so tender and he was so kind, offering up the last scraps of food that he had managed to dig up from the dumps where he had found them. He did this all without expecting anything in return, only a small hope that Suga would stay a little longer so he would be less alone in the world. Suga couldn’t find the heart to leave him, instead focusing his time and energy in keeping the both of them fed and warm.
Keeping Daichi fed and warm was still the focus of his time and energy, even after Daichi managed to find more packmates, he still needed fed. Even though Daichi brought home the money with his talents and skills, he still needed to be looked after.
The market was a bustling hive of activity at this time in the morning. In Laguna the markets never quietened, there was always something to buy and sell, always a new thing to be found. Riches and luxuries to be traded easily and freely before being trickled down to the rest of the world. Suga avoided the rowdy luxury traders. They always shouted and waved their hands boisterously at him. Hands that tried to find purchase on his hips and ass. Hands that would always miss as Suga swerved and danced out of the way until he found his destination.
Yui’s stall. In the centre of the cacophony of colour, sound and scents was Yui’s stall. She was like him, except she preferred to keep a human form much of the time.
“I see you’re early today Suga!” she called in greeting, spotting his gently curling mop of silver hair. “A little muddy though, did ya get into a scrape?”
“Just a pup deciding that I was no better than a domesticated bitch. You know how it is I’m sure…”
Yui grimaced a little at the terseness of Suga’s talk. The way his face screwed up like he had just eaten a bitter lemon. It was sad watching him dance around his companion for the sake of his comfort but Yui knew better than to prod about the nature of his relationship with his human companion.
“But you’re planning on changing it soon right? Surely after so long he deserves to know?” She handed him his usual shopping, bacon, eggs and lettuce. All she could do was gently urge him.
“I do have something in mind… but it doesn’t stop me from being nervous about it. To look after him and have him look after me… I am content with the way things are. I’m happy to remain his canine companion.”
“Are you sure Suga?” she called after him as he walked away, her tail popping out hidden by the stall table. Suga turned to stick his tongue out at her, an attempt of lightening things up but the issue weighed heavy on his heart.
Was he content with the way things were? Truly?
He would need to get home soon. Daichi would miss him.
His path home took him past Asahi’s bakery. Asahi rushed out onto the street to greet him with a jovial grin. “Hey! You look a bit down today? I have some sweet breads and pastries that might cheer you up?”
Suga sighed and dug up a smile from within. He found it funny how Asahi never put two and two together. It wasn’t exactly that his kind were hiding. They just kept to themselves. Asahi placed his hands on Suga’s own and led him into the shop, preparing boxes and canteens for Suga to take with him.
Asahi chattered away in his deep, comforting timbre about the weather, about how busy business was, “So many people want fancy cakes for their masquerade parties! Are you going to any? Any plans with a special someone?” he asked with a smile and a wink as he tied a ribbon on a box of cream puffs.
“Maybe… I just don’t know what to wear really.” It was true. Suga only had this set of clothes that he had stolen.
“Mmmmm… If it wasn’t so soon I’d suggest you go to a friend of mine. He makes the best clothes in Laguna! He was trained by the grand master Ukai after all! His grandson didn’t want to continue the trade, much more content with sales and trading. He gets a kick out of it I think… but Daichi really is a wonderful tailor and dressmaker.”
Suga held back a small smile of pride. It was nice to hear people praise Daichi so highly, even if it was one of his old friends.
“But the man does not know how to take care of himself! He throws himself into his work so much that I wonder that if he didn’t have Keishin or his dog that he’d get fed at all!”
Suga couldn’t help himself, “He has a dog?” he asked, feigning curiousity.
“Yeah! A gorgeous beast if I ever saw one. Bloody huge, with fur like glistening moonlight,” Asahi trailed off and pictured the dog in his mind, sighing a little. “I’ve never seen a dog so beautiful! He’s built like a giant wolf but terribly well mannered, if not a bit sassy. It comforts me to know that Daichi isn’t cooped up alone all day. He really does work so hard,” Asahi said as he finished packing the boxes into a bag for Suga.
Suga smiled and tried to fight down the blush at all the compliments Asahi bestowed but instead handed him the coins needed to pay for all the food. This should keep Daichi fed and happy for a couple of days.
Escaping was easy, returning home was harder. With all the food he had bought he had to be discrete about entering their home to avoid getting caught.
He crept into the house, after removing his shoes, keeping his footsteps light and tucking the shopping close to his chest. Suga knew exactly which floorboards not to step on and the best hiding spots in case Daichi came out of his work room. He hoped that the ladies from earlier were gone. He listened and sniffed the air. Faint perfume remained, a gentle floral sweetness tinting the air but they seemed to be gone. Quietly, Suga exhaled a breath he didn’t know that he was holding in and crept into the kitchen to place the bag down.
Luckily for Suga, when he crept to the work room to peek he found Daichi slumped over his desk, sketching furiously. He was attacking the page with sharp pencil strokes to carve out outfits and designs. A warm fluttering filled Suga’s chest. The way that Daichi’s shoulders broadly set themselves in the attack, the way he tapped his foot rhythmically as he hummed a horrible tune to speed himself along. He loved this. Suga loved watching him like this. So lost Daichi was in his work that he did not notice Suga place everything away in drawers and boxes for later and shift back to his dog-like form.
A paw on the leg and a cold wet snout to the forearm was Daichi’s greeting. His dog gently “harrumphed” at him with a snort and a tailwag.
“Oh there you are! I was wondering where you had got to! The girls wanted to see you but you were out on a little adventure.” Daichi rose from his chair and cracked his back, each part of his spine popping as he reached up to the sky. He walked through to the kitchen to get a glass of water and found the tub of soup and a box. “Did you get food for me with Keishin again?”
If only Daichi knew. Suga wondered how he would react.
Suga watched quietly as Daichi sniffed the soup, humming in approval at the smell. His large and dextrous hands moved to the white box of Asahi’s bakery to untie his signature ribbon. He watched as Daichi absentmindedly wound the ribbon around his hand neatly like he would a tape measure and stick it into his pocket. There was beauty in everything Daichi did. From the way he would twirl a spoon in his fingers like he would a pencil to the way he would eat enthusiastically, appreciating and cherishing each bite. Suga knew too well that the absence of food early on in his life had left him a keen appreciation of food and a dislike of waste.
The thing Suga loved most of all is that Daichi would then sit on the floor with him and share the pastries and the soup that he did not eat. He would lovingly feed them to Suga with a smile so wide and content. These were the moments Suga lived for. The moments where it felt like it was just him and Daichi, together in their own little world, sitting in a warm spot of sunshine without a care in the world. If that meant being just Daichi’s dog for the rest of his life, Suga felt like he could deal with it.
After lunch Daichi returned to his work, the warm soup and sweet pastries sitting comfortingly in his stomach. He could feel and taste the love that Asahi put into making them. It made tackling the next project a little more bearable.
His last commission for masquerade season. He left this one until last because as far as he knew, this customer never stepped a foot inside his workshop, or if they did, it was while he was out. Still, they left a neatly written request of what sort of thing they would like, their measurements taken in the way that Daichi would write himself, everything was written exactly the way that Daichi would take notes for the customers who would sit for a consultation, like he had done it himself. Except he hadn’t. The request had come in a simple brown envelope and the money had been included (not a small sum at all), precisely or as close to the amount that Daichi would charge for the garments he was asked to make. The customer seemed to know him so well, and have his ways of working down to an exact science, which perplexed Daichi. Instead of letting the confusion and doubt linger in his mind Daichi took a deep breath and focused on the descriptions, letting the words plant themselves in his mind before his pencil touched the paper.
Moonlight, the clothes had to have the look and feel of moonlight touching the waters of Laguna. Daichi could picture in his mind the sort of build the customer would have from the measurements. Elegant and slender with a prominent curve at the hip and a round and plump buttocks. It would be interesting to fit the breeches without the customer there to try them but he was a professional, with the measurements alone he would do the best job possible.
Daichi went to his library of fabrics and perused through the bolts and swatches that were encased in wardrobes, drawers and chests galore. He horded them and treasured them desperately, a collection which had taken years to build up to the sheer volume it was today. Cloth merchants would frequently wave him down at the market to show him their newest acquisitions from lands with names that Daichi could not pronounce but the artistry and beauty behind each piece of cloth, each bolt of silk and each woven thread made his heart leap and do double backflips. At the beginning of his career, a simple apprentice, he could barely dream of being able to afford such luxurious fabric to work with but now he had a reputation, now he had enough money to invest in textiles and fabrics that would make a customer’s wildest dreams come to life.
Diligently he picked out the pallet he hoped that would grant the customer his heart’s desires. He spent a good deal of time holding up bolts of fabric together, trying different compositions, returning to his desk to update his notes. He felt, he gently pulled, he caressed the woven fibres to try and picture the correct feelings. The stretch along the bias, the cut of the edges, the curved seams. His communion continued for hours, like he was planning a seduction, until he was finally finished.
But even then he had the designs to sketch, he had to figure out exactly how to make the fabric fit so elegantly, so beautifully on the body of the customer. He did not know how the customer would carry himself, he did not have any inkling as to what sort of person this customer was. Or did he? Daichi stopped his sketches as he sat back in his seat, fingers trailing down to his side to find their way atop of his dog’s head. He rose in a daze and sat down on the couch he would use to greet and interview his customers and his close canine companion followed him all the while, head in his lap as Daichi pondered and considered.
To send only a letter and some money meant the person was mysterious. The measurements made the wearer of the garment out to be sensual, at least sensual to Daichi, (he always did prefer a larger curve in the hip and buttocks.) The person must love the waters of Laguna and the moonlight to wish to be dressed like them, fluid lines and fluid ways. Forever slipping out of his grasp, yet mystical like the moonlight and the water.
The mock up fabric slipped along his scissors with a snip and a swish. His threads pierced and poked through the garment as he stitched the test pieces of his pattern together to check for the drape of the fabric. He would then draw adjustments in chalk and cut further until he got the form he wanted before carefully unpicking the fabric and tracing the pieces onto paper to get clean lines from which he would cut the final pieces of fabric from.
It was a long and arduous process that took days of repetition for each piece in the outfit. A shirt, a waistcoat, a dress coat, some breeches and a cravat along with a mask to match for the masquerade. Each piece needed to be patterned, mocked up, adjusted, cut, sewn, adjusted and embellished to perfection. Daichi became a man obsessed slipping in and out of sleep, a project of love and devotion to his mysterious customer. He projected all of his ideal traits onto the gentleman who would wear it. He could imagine his pale form in his dreams as he went from his bed, ate, went to work, was forced to eat again by his canine’s reminder, fell asleep at his desk and then woke up in bed to only repeat the process again.
No one could say that Daichi was not dedicated to his craft.
Daichi finished the set of garments a mere hour before his deadline, the night before the masquerade. The customer asked in the note that they be left for him to collect in Daichi’s front room with the strict request that Daichi not be present during the collection. Not a hard request to fulfil when Daichi was eager to collapse into bed and sleep until he had to wake up for his own masquerade preparations.
The morning brought Keishin with some bacon rolls and coffee in hand to greet him. His dog was nowhere to be seen.
“I thought you’d want some help prepping for tonight’s madness. I’m not letting you get out of it this year! Gramps would never forgive me if I didn’t show you a good time. Speaking of, I got us tickets to the gala so you can see your distinguished customers up close. Gramps usually goes to see the fashions and shit but somethin’ to do with his health this year. Grandma’s got him under watch….”
On and on Keishin babbled while Daichi sat up bleary eyed in bed, risen from the dead. He gathered that he probably slept for… twelve, thirteen hours? Maybe fourteen if he had been lucky. He ate the bacon roll and drank the coffee while Keishin bustled around the house, tearing things out of closets for him to wear.
“I am capable of dressing myself you know… I do dress other people for a living,” Daichi grumbled, scratching his belly as he wandered downstairs to check that the bag containing the commission had been taken. To his relief, it had. “Have you seen the dog Keishin?”
Keishin stopped his searching and looked around him for a moment, looking for a large mass of silver fur in amongst the piles of clothing he had scattered everywhere. “Nah… He didn’t greet me when I came in. I suppose he’s gone off somewhere quiet. The streets are getting busy already. Don’t blame the pooch really.”
“Mmm…” Daichi hummed as he was approached by Keishin who jumped back in disgust as soon as he got a whiff of Daichi’s scent.
“Get in a bath. God damn Daichi you stink!” Keishin covered his nose with his sleeve dramatically as he rushed out of the room. The roar of the water coming out of the tap and hitting the tub soon followed after.
“I was working on a commission… I had a deadline to meet…” was Daichi’s weak reply. It was true, he had forgone bathing. Nothing unusual for him but Keishin still shoved him in a bubble bath to be finished off in a shower of insults.
“Deadline or no! You’re a stinky bastard!” Keishin knelt to pick up the discarded clothes on the floor.
“Thanks for that…” Daichi began to scrub his arms, picking up the scented bubbles to rub on his arms, washing away the stink and the sweat gathered from many days of hard work.
“No problem. You need a woman in your life Daichi. You need someone in your life to look after you. You’re a damn mess.”
“You never criticized my life before. What brought this on? You got yourself someone?” Daichi’s curious look turned into a sly grin as he saw Keishin’s ears redden as he turned away, blustering and coughing in embarrassment. “You have!”
“Maybe! I don’t know! Just come with me tonight and maybe we’ll see her…”
“Her huh? What’s her name?”
“I… don’t know…” Keishin slumped a little. “I don’t know her name, I just know that I would like to know it. Argh! Get yourself clean!” Frustration had bubbled up and won as he left the room with Daichi’s dirty clothes, leaving a fluffy clean pile of towels in his wake.
Of course Keishin would want him to settle down if he has found someone. It’s not cool nor alluring to a potential mate to be the caretaker of an adult man who sews for a living. If he was to be cut out of the equation then Keishin could be seen as being a really eligible.
Yet Keishin and Daichi spent the day together once Daichi had bathed and dried off. They organized his workshop before dressing for the party. Daichi soon saw through Keishin’s ruse. Although he probably did do most of the caretaking out of the goodness of his heart, he really wanted some fancy gear to wear for tonight to impress his potential lady love. Daichi couldn’t really fault him for that.
Upon leaving his home in the evening, Daichi could see that yet again, the city and the citizens of Laguna had spared no penny in creating a dreamscape of wonder and vibrancy for this year’s Masquerade. Hundreds upon thousands of people lined the streets, partying away to their hearts content in carnivals of song and dance, dressed in every colour of the rainbow. Masks covered everyone’s faces, from the simple elegant designs that covered only the eyes, to the intricate and frankly excessive full face masks which covered the entire head. Usually these masks depicted animals. Daichi found them to be too cumbersome and restrictive to have a good time.
The Masquerade was always, year in and year out a good time and this time Daichi was to be taken to the top, to the fanciest of parties, the gala.
Keishin waved down a pre-booked gondola for this event, they stumbled into the plush seating of the boat, hearts filled with eagerness and excitement at what the upper echelons of society had to offer in the way of a party. They were not disappointed. The path to the party was lit by candles that floated delicately on the water creating a skyscape to compliment tonight’s full moon on the dark waters of Laguna. It took Daichi’s breath away.
However, the location of the Gala itself was truly a spectacle to marvel at. A grand gazebo filled with wonder and light, connected to the mainland by bridges which were guarded by men who checked the guest lists frantically. Daichi and Keishin slipped past effortlessly, to be greeted jovially by the men and women inside.
This bubble in time was a source of inspiration for Daichi and also a proof of wish fulfilment. Here he could see many of his designs on display in the location they were always meant to be. He could see the way the ladies skirts would swish and swoop across the floor elegantly, visions of taffeta and silk making every lady feel like a fairytale princess. The men looked dashing and distinguished in their frock coats and waistcoats. Daichi spied the couple he had made the turquoise and aubergine outfits for. The pair were huddled together intimately in an alcove, drinking champagne, stroking each other’s knee as they leaned in, whispering sweet nothings into each other’s ears.
The girl with the peach blossom dress danced across the floor with her lady love, a delicate springtime flower, youthful and effervescent among some of the older ladies. She was guarded and protected by the envious and distracted by the dark haired spectacled woman who stole her breath and caused bubbles of laughter to burst forth from her lips.
This was exactly what Daichi wanted to see, his clothes making people happy.
Keishin stole him away from his introspection as he shot off into the crowd to greet a buxom blonde lady with short hair and a…. tail?
Was that a tail he saw? Daichi blinked and watched the swish of a tail, a golden fluffy thing with a white tip, dog-like. No one else seemed to mind. Looking around Daichi could see more of these tails and ears sprouting from various people. Did no one else see these appendages growing from people’s bodies?
But the way Keishin smiled and laughed with the woman, acted like a fool in front of her. He behaved in a baudy fashion, like a young man in love and the woman seemed to eat up all of the attention, lavishing him with flirtatious looks, swishes of her hip and dirty jokes in kind. Despite the tail and the ears situation, Keishin didn’t seem to care. Daichi couldn’t make out what they said as the music played and swept the pair onto the floor, dancing waltzes and jigs with one another.
So Daichi was left alone with his drink and the music to comfort him. He resigned himself to people watching for the rest of the night, grabbing from the canape’s every so often. Masked, he could be assured that no one would know who he was. He would have no customers coming up to him, begging for commissions drunkenly. He would not have to put up with the awkward situation of having to crawl away from a gaggle of high society belles.
As the night dwindled on with the revelry and high society fun that Daichi felt no need to join in on, his eyes caught sight of the mystery customer he had spent sleepless nights up on. In the middle of the dancefloor was a silver haired beauty, clad in the outfit Daichi had so lovingly assembled, waving coyly at him, beckoning him silently forward for a dance.
How could Daichi refuse that elegant outstretched hand? The angelic smile, with pointy teeth, behind the mask, golden eyes that sparkled brightly and a pair of ears that twitched atop his head. Ears? Again?
Yet he bowed and approached, holding the mysterious silver haired man in his arms as they took turns across the floor. Their steps falling perfectly into sync as they waltzed to the swells and dips in the dance band’s arrangement.
He was everything Daichi could hope he would be appearance wise. The measurements on paper matched up with the vision in his head, a beauty with a plump bottom and hips that would cause a gondola traffic jam and there it was… a tail. A silvery tail that reminded him of his own dog’s. Was this a trend he missed?
“Who are you?” he murmured in to the shell of his dance partner’s ear, voice huskier and deeper than he had intended it to be. The shiver it brought out in his partner was worth it as his hands, with sharp nails smoothed down his shoulders and another toothy smile which showed of particularly pointed canines caused Daichi’s heart to do a backflip in his chest.
“I’m just a fan of yours,” the man murmured back with a honey sweet smile coating his lips, soft pink plush things.
Time seemed to speed up and slow down all at once as they danced together, perfectly in tandum. When Daichi’s eyes glanced around to try find Keishin, he could see him nowhere, his attempts to spot his friend were thwarted by a gentle tug as his dance partner led him from the floor and out the door, across one of the bridges back to the streets.
It was too noisy for them to hold a conversation with one another as the party roared in the streets, colourful paper decorations and clothing attracting Daichi’s attention as his companion lead him through the throng. Even though this was a situation Daichi was unfamiliar with, he felt safe with this person, like nothing could go wrong.
He was offered sweet treats and drinks bought from the street vendors by his companion. Together they shared a night of wonder and unspoken connection, shared through touches in the hand, smiles and shared jokes and laughter until the bells chimed midnight and it was time of the masks to come off.
A single kiss was all he got, a sweet touch on the lips. His partner almost seemed to shoot up bravely to capture his lips and touch them to his own before he dashed away from Daichi. Daichi tried to follow but his partner had dashed away into the crowds, leaving Daichi feeling hollow and like he had missed something. The spell had been broken.
Had he missed something?
The morning brought with it sadness, his partner had left him but his dog returned, waking him up with a bark and a tail wag. Commissions for the masquerade were done, leaving Daichi a sense of nothingness. He had nothing to do for a little while until a bundle of new commissions were in. Which was awful because he could not stop thinking about last night.
He didn’t even get to see his face. He yearned, he wished, he just wanted to know more. Have a proper conversation, a sense of closure, not a kiss and a frantic goodbye.
“It’s just not fair,” Daichi murmured as he laid back in bed, tears prickling the corners of his eyes.
His sweet dog nuzzled into his side and licked his face, kissing the tears away as Daichi cried out his heartbreak.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t know you would cry Daichi,” were the words he heard as his faithful hound grew larger, and lankier, the fur growing shorter and then disappearing until the man he danced with last night laid next to him in the bed. Yet this was not an odd sensation to Daichi, it was something familiar and homely. “I just wanted to have one night with you…”
Daichi couldn’t believe it. He could see the young man around his age with silver hair that tickled his shoulders and ears, a beauty mark just under his left eye, delicious and honey golden in colour. A beauty to behold, the kind of gentleman who he would love to make clothes for, for the rest of his days. “Y-You’re... you’re my dog?!”
“Yes. I’ve always been by your side. I chose to live as your dog because as I protected you, you protected me. You’re my family. I love you Daichi. I’m sorry I made you cry”
Daichi blinked in disbelief and leaned back on the headboard of his bed, covering his face with his hand and dragging it down. “So… all this time… have you been the one looking after me? Have you been the one feeding me and putting me to bed at night?”
His shoulders were slumped, he looked so small as Daichi watched him. It was like he was almost afraid that Daichi would reject him. “Yes. I did all of those things. I’d understand if you didn’t want me here anymore. I lied to you so…” he took a breath, his voice beginning to shake with the difficulty of what he was about to say. “If you don’t want me here anymore…. I will go and leave you alone.”
Silence filled the air as Daichi considered what the youth said. He loved his dog with all his heart, he had such fun last night with him, trying out the street food and dancing the night away under the full moon. Dog or not… Daichi couldn’t bear to part with him.
“What is your name?” Daichi asked tentatively.
“Sugawara Koushi…. Suga I used to be of the Alder Clan but… I don’t belong there any more,” his voice petered out small and uncertain as Suga looked at Daichi through thick and fluffy eyelashes, claws gently scratching his knee nervously.
“Well Suga, I would like it if you lived with me. I don’t think I could survive without you, but you don’t have to be a dog any more if you don’t want to be.”
Suga’s smile caused a flurry of butterflies in Daichi’s chest, he could only beam back as Suga nodded. “I would like that very much, it would be a dream come true.”
Daichi took Suga’s clawed hands in his own and pressed his lips to them gently, eyes wandering down his naked body, his private parts only covered by a bushy tail, a pair of fluffy ears peeking out in bashfulness from the top of his head.
Daichi couldn’t wait to start making more clothes for Suga, he couldn’t wait to spend his days with him, no longer alone with no one to talk to. In his excitement he leaned forward and kissed Suga sweetly and tenderly. The sun rose higher in the sky, chasing away the morning sleepiness, yet Daichi and Suga spent their day in bed, talking and laughing like old friends. For they were old friends and they lived their days together, man and man, dog and man, happily ever after.