Dressed to Impress
Friday, the 17th of Feb 2017, 17:00
Ruth hopped off the bus with Elyse in tow, the winter sun nearing its end as it descended down to the horizon. Despite the dazzling light, the cool chill of the season remained, lightly lashing against her exposed skin. The shelter did its best to keep the mild breeze from assailing them, posters upon the sides displaying local events or charity pleas. The buildings around them only stood a storey or two high, allowing the sky to paint itself blue, pink, and orange with a small smattering of clouds.
The din of the town’s high-street easily reached her ears, with vendors selling the last of their goods for the day or cars cautiously driving down wet roads. The smell was a little off though compared to the much more natural and unindustrialised Rockhampton, with a tinge of something acrid in every whiff. The grey curbs and darker pavement refused to yield to her steps, though the earth was just as hard from the cold with the morning frosts.
Still unsure of what exactly she was about to be subjected to, Ruth had worn her black hoodie with a white printed-fish t-shirt underneath, while her long navy-blue skirt shielded the worst of the wind from her legs. She did wear a pair of black leggingsand thin wool gloves just in case however, along with her hiking boots and had armed herself with a navy-blue bucket hat to stave off the wind.
Meanwhile Elyse was bundled up so much that the only part she could see of her was the locks of white hair and a pair of yellow eyes. Boots, thermal leggings, long thick charcoal-grey woollen skirt, black tank top, dark-green jumper and her winter jacket matching with her skirt, along with gloves, the scarf, headband, and earmuffsRuth’d bought her, completed with the trapper hat she’d given her; Ruth could only wonder how she wasn’t sweating to death in it. Still, she’d not heard a complaint yet but thought Then again, she’s stubborn enough to refuse to admit it as Ruth eyed her warily for a moment.
The yellow pair of eyes simply stared back in mild confusion, her breath misting from measured breaths. “Something on my face?”
“What lil’ I can see of it, no.”
“It’s cold Ruth” as another breath puffed out, almost as if on purpose.
“How’d y’know underneath that mountain of clothin’~?”
“Because it’s Feburary! My hair nearly froze on the walk to school this morning.”
The sight of a frantic Elly resurfaced in her mind, attempted to scoff down anything left from breakfast and nearly ran out the door with toast in her mouth. “Y’fault for sleepin’ in”
Ruth felt Elyse gently bump into her side, muttering softly despite knowing she’d hear “I can’t believe you of all people are lecturing me on that...”
“It’s a good feelin’~.”
“Well I hope Emma give you your comeuppance soon then. Speaking of which, where are we going now?”
They had arrived in the town of Chippenham, within the east of the Wiltshire county, to make good on the bet Ruth had lost to Emma during their match. Her phone had buzzed two days ago with Emma’s number and outside of small laughs had given nothing away barring the location of her home, arranging a time. Hopefully not my execution. ‘Sides, Emma doesn’t strike me as vengeful, even if she is… dangerous… Ruth silently admitted, not wanting to worry Elyse with possible jealousy.
After the three slow bus rides, they’d finally arrived at the stop Emma had mentioned and now were forced to trudge through the slushy pathways of half-melted snow and ice. Ruth casually took Elyse’s hand in hers, despite the simultaneous giddy and anxious feelings that raced up her body, like two warring serpents. The buildings seemed to subtly disperse as they approached a park, rolling green mounds glistening with melted frost with paved walkways cutting through the ground, occasionally with steps as needed for the steepness. The park itself was filled with bare trees muddy grass from the few people that were walking about or children playing around
“Just through this park then up the hill, only one up there apparently” Ruth finally replied.
“Well if she knows a princess, makes sense really.”
“How’d we get caught up in this then?”
“You’ve forgotten about your bet you lost already?”
“Look Elly, my memory ain’t that bad an’ it was to win the match y’know!”
“Ah huh~” despite not looking at her, Ruth could almost hear the smug look she was getting.
“An’ who was it that dragged me out of the limits again?”
“Yes, who was it that made sure you were safe and ensured we won the match~?” Elyse shot back, nearly making Ruth stumble as she pushed her shoulder up against her.
“...Yeah alright y’got me there…” Ruth admitted with a sigh, giving the hand a little squeeze and got one in response along with a flash of happy eyes from Elyse.
The pair took their time, the pathway still slippery and neither wanted to risk injury with another practise match already scheduled with Melksham oak next week.However something that caught Ruth’s attention more was the panting of an animal ahead. She prepared herself to change positions just as the rounded the corner, seeing a couple of people walking with their dogs. Shame, they look pretty friendly too Ruth thought as she watched a pair of small dogs chase each other recklessly, staining their bright coats with thick brown mud. The pair of arms that ensnared one of her own tightly gave Ruth the signal that Elyse had spied them too.
“Y’alright Elly, I’m here~” Ruth added, patting her lightly on the shoulder. Were the hat not in the way, she’d have stroked her hair but for now that avenuewas denied to her.
“S-sorry...”
Ruth shook her head twicefrom side to side “Not acceptin’ it, y’ain’t done anythin’ wrong.”
“Mmh…” coming out as more of a whimper than an affirmation.
Taking a measured breath, Ruth asked calmly “That hound still there?”
“It’s asleep.”
“Good. Y’let me know otherwise okay?”
“I will.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.”
Ruth smiled down at her, pulling Elyse’s head in to rest on her arm and tried to walk without her own fears pressing down on her. They did get several glances, some lasting longer that would be polite, but Ruth managed to push through her own emotions by placing Elyse higher on her priority list. Once they’d passed the dogs, she felt the clutching on her arm slacken but refused to let go entirely.
Now that they had left the park and began to climb the hill, the pathways were completely clear of ice and snow. Instead grit had been left behind and only slightly damp pavement remained of evidence of the morning weather. Soon enough they spotted the black-painted iron fencing and tanned-stonebrick wall that marked the boundary of the estate. What struck Ruth was that it was a lot smaller than she’d imagined.
It was a big house built from limestone, nearly four times the area of a normal home but it wasn’t a sprawling building that consumed an acre or more. The garden, from what she could see between the railing, was appropriately sized in respect to the house, having a half-dozen trees and numerous flowerbeds bare that extend from the flanks and rear of the home. She could see a very sharply dressed man directing a couple of labourers however, wondering if perhaps it was her father.
They arrived to the front of the manor, a plaque displaying [The Read Estate], as if to dispel any doubts they held.
Ruth whistled in respect, looking up at the three storeys in unison with Elyse, “Well, it’s certainly impressive.”
“It’s a little disappointing actually…”
Ruth jerked her head to Elyse with a raised eyebrow, pointing at the building and asked “We are lookin’ at the same thing right?”
“I meant the garden stupid~” Elyse snickered, earning herself a prod to the forehead from Ruth to which she let out a mild noise of complaint before continuing “It would be nice to see it in full bloom, even if it would be artificially organised~.”
“Well just curry favour with her an’ I’m sure she’ll let y’come round whenever y’want.”
“Perhaps, but would you~?”
Ruth could hear the teasing tone just dripping from every word she spoke, so decided to answer bluntly “No, would yerself?”
“I trust you so yes~” Elyse fluttered her eyelashes up at her in smug victory, especially as Ruth could feel the heat rising to her face.
“Y’so unfair~… Anyway let’s get this over with…!” As Ruth pressed the door buzzer. She noted the camera on the pillar beside her focused down at her, swallowing softly as the trepidation of unfamiliar territory began to creep up on her.
The front door opened to reveal a servant, head to toe in black and white spotless Victorian maid attire as she walked down the small set of steps with professional grace. Her chestnut curled locks of hair drifted down to her shoulders and back, her piercing green eyes within a fair face flashed up, pinning the pair of girls in place at her approach. She drew a key within her white apron, as clean as the fresh snow of this morning, and unlocked the iron gate with a crisp click of the mechanism.
“Miss Blackburn, Miss Waterman” she addressed them, giving a deep curtsy “We have been expecting you. Please, follow me.”
“Y-yeah, of course!” Ruth managed to stammer out while avoiding further eye contact. With a deep breath to steady herself, she let the maid escort her in while pulling Elyse along who stayed latched onto her arm. Together the pair were taken up the small steps to the stone patio and into the manor itself, the maid shutting the door behind them.
Ruth could only describe the smell as the definition of a pleasant fragrance, while the flooring besides the entryway matting was of spotless red carpets. Rich and polished oak furniture could be seen everywhere, the light from the tall windows shining what little remained all around the room, themselves flanked by luxurious crimson curtains. The lighting was aided by the ornate and antique lamps that gave a soft orange glow behind their translucent glass bulbs in the shape of tulips.Meanwhile the warmth of the inside was enough to make her already sweat a little, wondering if the whole home was heated just as much.
“If you would please remove your footwear and relinquish your outwear here, I shall ensure they are clean and ready for your departure.”
“I mean they’re not that dirty-oof!” before being cut off from a sharp but gentle jab in the side by an elbow.
“Thank you, miss?” Elyse asked, Ruth noting the added polite tone.
“YvonneCrewe” she formally replied, gently inclining her head as she did so. As they began to remove their boots and shed their jacket and hoodie along with their hats much to Ruth’s reluctance, a familiar voice echoed down the stairs before them.
“Ahh mes amis~! You found us without much trouble I hope~?” as Emma smiled down at them, before looking at Yvonne with a minor pout “Why did you not tell me they were here Yvonne?” Her blonde hair was still fashioned into a low ponytail, tied off with a bright pink hair-bow, while she was still dressed in her Hardenhuish uniform of white shirts and blazers with royal blue trims, skirts and ribbons all softly bouncing as she descended down the stairs.
“I was going to inform you once I had them resting in the guest lounge young Mistress.”
“Mistress hmm~? Someone’s trying to look good in front of mes amis~.”
“It is the duty of the servants of this household to uphold the standing and grace of this family” Yvonne began to recite, a hand over her heart, eyes closed “Therefore I am beholden to ensure that all guests here are shown with the upmost hospitality and respect I can afford.”
“You worry too much about that Yvonne.”
“I think you don’t worry enough young Mistress. We still need to curb those rumours…”
“Rumours?” Elyse piped up, her speech no longer muffled by the scarf that now hung upon the coat rack.
“Y’have some troubles Emma?”
Emma nonchalantly waved them off with a hand “Do not trouble yourself with that mon ami, I don’t consider it a real issue, just a nuisance. Anyway, I am taking them off your hands Yvonne, so go take a break after you deal with those.”
“But there is-” Yvonne started to protest but Emma cut her short with a single chopping gesture of her hand.
“I shall not take anything but ‘yes’ for an answer. Oui?”
“Yes young Mistress, as you ask” as Yvonne curtsied once more before bundling the clothing into a basket and swiftly taking the boots away, leaving them alone with Emma.
“How are we then Mon amis~?” she turned to them with a soft singular clap of her hands.
“Warmer now” Elyse breathed deeply in bliss, while Ruth was just happy to see her face again.
“Still waitin’ to hear the price of losin’ that bet.”
“Do you not like the anticipation~? The thrill of an unknown experience~?”
“She might” as Ruth motioned with her thumb at Elyse “but I don’t.”
“Please, it isn’t nothing unpleasant. Why, I have Liz do it for me all the time~!”
Ruth and Elyse shared a look between each other, sharing a very similar thought. If a princess is willing to do it, how bad could it be? “I’ll be the judge of that…” Ruth resigned herself with a sigh.
Emma simply gave a soft chuckle in response before twirling around, the skirt gracefully lifting and nearly in danger of flashing the pair. The turn of her head with a sly wink let Ruth know that was on purpose. She forced her eyes to look up and away as she could feel Elyse’s gaze on her, hopefully with a smirk and not a frown. “Follow me please Mes amis~”
They walked up the stairs, while Ruth simply observed the décor of the hallways that made her feel very small and poor, Elyse kept a firm grip on Ruth’s hand as they went. Lavish paintings and dazzling photos, both black and white as well as coloured, hung proud on the walls. Gently Ruth brushed her thumb over the back of Elyse’s smaller hand, hoping to soothe her as well as herself. With a response of a soft squeeze in return, Ruth silently exhaled through her nose. As the thought of what Emma’s parents did for a living to be able to attain all of this passed through Ruth’s mind, Elyse struck up the very same conversation with Emma.
“So what do your parents actually do for work Emma?”
Emma twirled while walking, turning to face them even as her feet effortlessly adjusted and kept pace in the same direction of travel. “Oh yes I never have had the opportunity to share!” before lightly clapping her fingers together in excitement. “My mère is on the board of directors for the ‘Armes de nettoyage de précision’ while my père is a British diplomat to the French Government.”
“Wait, so are y’French or British?”
“Well I was born on this island so some may call me only British but I like to think I am both, which is why I made sure I got dual citizenship” she announced with pride, flashing a pair of fingers up for emphasis likea peace sign.
“Dual citizenship…” Ruth could see Elyse musing on it, catching her eyes staring at the celing for a moment before contining “Does it come in handy much?”
“Non, at least for now. Maybe when I am older and free, I may find myself managing things in both places, oui~?”
“Already got y’path laid out huh?”
“I might see the path but who says I must follow it~?” as Emma flashed another wink at her. She forced her heart to act as normal, refusing to let it skip a beat especially within her girlfriend’s presence. It wouldn’t be so bad if she weren’t so pretty too. Focus Blackburn, focus on Elyse and her- before she felt the blood rushing to her head as memories resurfaced of the night of her birthday. Instead she decided to mentally recite spectre technical information and let Elyse drag her around to the right destination.
Thankfully Emma opened the final door to her ultimate fate soon after, revealing a room with racks upon racks of clothing of all manner of styles, shapes, sizes, and cultures. The walls rose high just like the corridors, easily two to three times her height while the scale could easily fit their whole dorm inside and have room to spare. Her eyes scanned further, seeing several light shades and white screens, alongside a tripod mounted camera pointing to a small array of deep red furniture, including but not limited to a chair, couch, and even a bed. The blinds at the windows of the room changed from open to shut at a mere clap of Emma’s hands, isolating them from the world outside.
“Now that we are here, I am sure you wish to know what you’ll be doing at my behest, oui~?”
“...I have an inklin’ I’ve caught on already…” as Ruth groaned. It was one thing to try on dresses and accessories she knew didn’t suit her, it was another to be photographed along with it. Worse was the fact that it was someone other than Marie, unsure of what demands or reactions she was going to get. Instinctively she hid behind Elyse, even crouching down to put her head under the shoulders.
“I would like to hear what she has planned for you Ruth” Elyse asked with a cautious tone, Ruth noticing her attempting to stand a little taller.
“Oui! I dare not make her do something her lover wouldn’t approve of~! All photos would be part of my private collection of course, only for the eyes of those I trust and to never be shared without your expressed permission. Even then, it shall only be for very private eyes and they will swear to secrecy. I am also willing to give you copies of the photos as well, either digital or if you are willing to wait a couple of days I can have physical ones mailed to you. As for the subject matter, I think we’ll start off with something a little more sharp than your current attire. Though something like a butler would be a step too far I think~…” as she could hear Emma contemplating deeply in thought already.
“Save me, just disapprove of it!”
“You made this bed, you have to lie in it.”
“Do y’not care about my feelin’s?”
Elyse turned around, clasping one of Ruth’s hand gently while the other cupped her cheek. “I do, so if you really really don’t want to do it then I’ll fight your corner for you” giving Ruth a warm smile that managed to calm her thumping heart. She thought she was safe until she heard the dreaded word come rolling off of Elyse’s lips.
“But” she continued, seeing the mischievous glint in her eyes once more and knew from that point on she was doomed “I really would like to see you in some of these outfits~.”
Ruth looked down at the floor in defeat, giving a heavy sigh as she realised there wasn’t any wiggle room to back out. After all, I did lose the bet fair and square…
“Alright… f-fine, I’ll… I’ll do it…” as she stood tall once more, spinning Elyse around so she could gently rest her head against the soft cloud of hair. The familiar feeling managed to calm her enough to lift her spirits again.
“Excellent~! There is a small booth over there to start disrobing in, I shall be along with your new clothing in but a moment~!” as she watched Emma waste no time, marching along the aisle of fabrics. She could see Elyse slowly giving them a curious glance too, her eyes darting between what Ruth presumed to be to her tastes. That or they're just plain exotic to her. Well I guess we should both make the most of it… maybe she’ll spoil me later tonight if I’m compliant~… Ruth thought, giving Elyse a sly look while her back was turned and whispered in her ears “Why don’t y’go pick some out too.”
Elyse turned her head up to look at Ruth, immediately narrowing her eyes “What are you up to?”
“Nothin’.”
“Nothing from you? I can practically see a pair of Fox ears sprouting from your head”
“Y’just seein’ Spirits again~.”
“Ah huh.”
“Yup~.”
“You’re not allowed to complain about what I bring then, are we clear?”
“Okay, I won’t complain~.”
“...why won’t you?” As Elyse narrowed her eyes further in suspicion. Ruth let the silence stew for a few seconds as she reluctantly broke the contact and began a delaying walk to the booth.
“I doubt she has anythin’ here that’d top what y’wore on Tuesday-.”
“T-that’s it, I’m finding the worse one!” as Elyse rushed into the hedgerows of clothing, leaving Ruth to enter the booth alone. A small seat along with various clothing hooks allowed her to get undressed to her plain black underwear relatively quickly. Even with her warm body temperature, she was thankful for the heating of the house that prevented her from freezing to death. At least, I hope there ain’t anythin' that tops that baby-doll… as she attempted to pass the time, only to catch her thoughts wandering back to Elyse.
Ever since her birthday on Tuesday, Elyse’d been smuggling herself into her bed. What was once a rare treat was now something she could enjoy every night, feeling her heart bursting with happiness each time. Not that she’s lost her teasin’ edge in the daylight, but I wonder if my heart’s goin’ to rot from how sweet she is when we’re alone at night~. Ruth rested the hands at the back of her head and leant against the wall, remembering Elyse’s cute face as she reached up to kiss her, or burying her head in her chest. Ruth had also made it a point to not only say good night to her every night but also tell her directly that she loves her. Even now it felt a little embarrassing to say it aloud without the mood being set, a small blush already creeping up on her face.
Before she had too much time to ruminate on it, she could overhear through the booth with Emma and Elyse whispering. Ruth simply tilted her head to gain better clarity on their words.
“You need to take her measurements or we won’t be able to find fitting clothing mon ami~.”
“Okay b-but, you know, isn’t that something you’re used to? I’ve never done it before!”
“If you want me touching up your girlfriend I won’t say no~-.”
“Y-you don’t need to touch her up t-to measure her!”
“I do if I want to get her bust, waist, and hips correct. We need her fitting snuggly into the dresses to look the best, right~?”
“A-alright… give me the tape then” Ruth could hear Emma softly giggle in response before the soft padding of footsteps arrived at the boundary of the booth.
Elyse cleared her throat and asked aloud this time “a-are you decent Ruth?”
“I think I’m pretty good lookin’ yeah-” was as far as she got with her joke before Elyse simply stepped through. Despite her bravado, Ruth watched as the yellow eyes rapidly scanned her head to toe, as if unsure of where next they would ogle her body. The instinct to cover her crotch and cleavage nearly wrestled control on her conscious mind but ultimately lost. Instead Ruth stood with hands on hips, lips pulled to the side with a slight smile.
“Pervert~” was all she said in response, seeing Elyse’s face flush with red in an instant, quickly phasing into embarrassment and then indignation as she pointed a finger up at Ruth.
“W-we both know y-you’re the pervert between us!”
“Ah huh, who’s bargin' into who in their undies?”
“You probably overheard us so be thankful I save you from her hands” Elyse pursed her lips, pulling the length of tape out between her hands and began to move to measure Ruth’s sizes.
“Y’know I’d never let another girl touch me but yerself~.”
“I-I know…”
“but I still appreciate y’concern~” Ruth reached out and gently pulled Elyse into a small embrace. She couldn’t help but softly sway from side to side, nuzzling their noses against one another as they looked into each other’s eyes. Ruth gazed deeply into them, seeing the little flickers of motion, no doubt doing the same to her. Unable to resist, Ruth softly planted a shallow kiss on Elyse’s lips, pulling her slightly closer at the same time.
Yet before she could pull away, Elyse pushed against her, lightly thumping into the wall behind them as they kissed deeper. Ruth’s eyes widened in surprise at the sudden boldness before indulging in Elyse’s whims, attempting to be as quiet as possible despite the want to vocalise her approval.
To her disappointment Elyse broke the kiss after a couple of seconds, withdrawing even as Ruth yearn for another, moving in to steal more before being intercepted by a pair of fingers.
“I know you’re just trying to delay-.”
“I ain’t.”
“Well even then, w-we can do it later tonight~…”
“Holdin’ y’to that~.”
“We’ll see if you can keep up~” as she flashed a challenging smirk up at Ruth, pulling her back into the centre of the booth before she lowered her head, hair covering her face “A-anyway, umm, take y-your bra off please” .
“Eh? Skippin’ a few steps aren’t we?”
“I need to measure your bust!”
“Ah huh~.”
“Either you take it off or I will.”
Ruth smirked down at the flustered Elyse, raising a single eyebrow in challenge as she raised both hands up beside her head. “Will you now~?” as she put on her most confident voice she could, even if on the insides she was screaming in gay panic.
The sight of the yellow eyes snapping up in shock and realisation was nearly enough to soothe her hammering heart, yet as she felt the gently brush of Elyse’s sweater against her bare skin she realised that she might have bitten off more than she could chew.
Despite having gone much further on that night, it didn’t change the fact that now was a completely different set of circumstances. Goosebumps ran up her skin as she felt Elyse’s hands reach the back of her bra straps, deftly unhooking it and feeling the support fall away. Even if she was in front of her girlfriend, Ruth still felt some measure of modesty and wrapped an arm around her chest to hide the most private parts. As Elyse pulled the bra off each arm in turn, she reminded Ruth “You’re going to have to let me measure it still.”
“Couldn’t I just tell y’the measurements?”
“Do you remember them from your check-up?”
“...No.”
“So were you just going to lie about them, or do you really not like me seeing you like this…?”
“N-no! That’s not what I meant!” Ruth stammered out, both hands reactively gripping on Elyse’s shoulders, as if she were about to run away. The revelation of what they were covering a moment ago came crashing into her brain as she saw Elyse’s eyes dart down. The warmth that flooded her face along with a bolt of panic that shot through her body nearly made her curl up into a ball then and there. Only through Elyse’s gentle touch as she caressed her cheek did she manage to avoid it, quickly shooting her own arms back into their protective stance.
Elyse remained silent, Ruth wondering if she was just tormenting her until she asked “Then, umm... what’s the problem?”
Ruth couldn’t look her in the eyes, knowing that if she did she’d just melt even further “J-just… y’know… e-embaressin’…”
“You’re usually so shameless though.”
“I-i’m still a girl y’know…!” Ruth looked at her through the side of her eyes, only to see Elyse look down at the parts hidden by her hands.
“I can see~.”
“Y’so mean…”
“Come on Ruth, you’re a very pretty girl~. I think it’s nice we’ll get to dress you up and make you a little more girly, especially since I’ll be the only ones who get to see it beyond today”
“I think if anyone else sees those photos I might just crumble to dust on the spot”
“Might have to give you Chuck’s old call-sign then~.”
“Hah hah…” Ruth laughed sarcastically, reluctantly moving her arms up and out of the way to not impede Elyse any further. Choosing to blind herself to the world, Ruth squeezed her eyes shut and instead just focused on her hearing. She could tell Emma was still browsing with her footsteps somewhere a half-dozen meters away.
“You’re like a fox showing it’s stomach right now~.”
“W-well, t-t-this is just how much I trust yerself…”
She couldn’t stop the squeak of surprised as the cold tape pressed itself against her back, each point of contact not made any easier to adjust, especially as Elyse brought it forward. The worry that she’d drag it out and tease her cruelly was unfounded as it seemed she tried to be as quick and concise as possible. In only a couple dozen seconds the measurements were done, including her hips and waist, and she was able to put her bra back on.
“There, not that bad, right?” Elyse patted her on the head, the soft and fuzzy feeling filled her chest before she turned to inform Emma.
Ruth felt a small worm of guilt after assuming the worst of her, even if she’d not mentioned it aloud, and wanted to quash it now. Before she could leave the booth, Ruth grabbed her hand, pausing her mid stride as spoke up “U-umm, l-listen…”
Elyse wordlessly turned her head, tilting it to the side as several locks of her thick white hair came with it.
“Y-y’can look all y’want later tonight, a-alright~…”
“O-oh, A-alright~…! I-i… umm… w-will~” Elyse half-stammered, a red tinge colouring her cheeks even as her eyes brightened in anticipation. Ruth relinquished her grip on Elyse, seeing her pass through the white curtain and awaited the first trial for this shoot.
She wasn’t kept waiting long as a small pile of clothing was thrust into the booth, along with Emma’s cheery voice “Here you go mon ami, the first one~. If you need help putting it on, just speak up~!” before the hands retreated back behind the curtain.
What surprised Ruth was that it wasn’t a traditional frilly clothing usually thrust her way. The tights were a thankful addition to the otherwise short deep-purple pencil skirt whose hem rested above her knees to more than a comfortable degree. Meanwhile the stark white shirt definitely contrasted with her skin, especially with the vest colour matching the skirt. A pair of black loafers slipped on nicely, leaving the only thing left to tackle was the bright red tie.
Deciding she was clothed enough, even if the pencil skirt was more awkward to move in that expected.Each step made her feel like she was going to trip over herself but managed to exit the booth without incident, holding the tie.
“Yeah, ain’t got a clue about this” she said while handing the article over to Emma, alsospyingElyse’s eyes sparkling at the sight of her.
“No worries mon ami, I thought as much~” as Emma expertly and deftly put it in a knot and had it straightened out in less than a handful of seconds “There~. What do you think dear~?” she asked towards Elyse while resting a hand on her chin thoughtfully.
“I’ve never seen her look so sharp.”
“I know~! Always in that stuffy SAHI suits whenever we meet…” Emma sighed as she rolled her eyes dramatically shortly before pulling Ruth over to the stage.
Ruth felt the need to defend the very gear that had no doubt saved more broken bones, batterings, and lives, that she could fathom “Hey, those suits are comfy y’know an’ they look cool to boot.”
“They are hardly something girls should be wearing outside of Spectres” She waved a hand in dismissal, physically positioning Ruth behind a counter and holding a cocktail shaker.
“I mean, it’s comfy so what’s wrong with that?”
“It has to show off your feminine wiles! Accentuate your good points! Wearing baggy or bulky clothing just hides it all from the world, a travesty in my eyes personally. Girls were made to look beautiful and fashion is all about turning a person into art.”
“An’ how is me pretendin’ to be a bartender ‘art?’”
“It’s like you have never heard of fancy dress parties before” Emma tutted disapprovingly, hands on hips.
“Uhh, well…” Ruth began, looking to Elyse who flashed her a sympathetic smile.
“I think we’ve lived in two different worlds Emma. I think most people don’t have the spare funds for one-off dresses.”
“Such a shame, I must invite the two of you then next time~.”
“You would?”
“Of course~! Perhaps the three of us and ma chère Liz can get up to some mischief~.”
“I don’t know…” Ruth tried to scratch the back of her head but Emma immediately tutted at her and quickly put her back into position, taking a couple of photos before continuing the conversation.
“Do you not like parties mon ami?”
“Rather… I don’t like crowds.”
“But we could have them all gazing at your shining beauty! Centre stage as they admire you, worshipping you like a goddess!”
“Y’just describin’ my nightmares at this point. ‘Sides, I only need one person to be lookin’ at me~…” as Ruth slyly shot Elyse a glance.
Elyse blushed slightly as their eyes met, unable to keep a smile coming to her face even while Emma looked between the pair with a smirk.
“You two are adorable, flirting so openly in front of me~” before once again physically repositioning Ruth again.
“W-we’re not flirting…!”
“We’re not?”
“Yes! I mean…!” Elyse began to chase her own tail, earning a rich laugh from Emma.
“Please, mes amis, do not worry about your relationship in front with me~. Rather, I’d be happy if you flaunted it some more~.”
“Dare I ask how?” as Ruth raised an eyebrow, eyes following Emma as she casually disappeared behind the camera.
“I have some ideas, some that you may find agreeable~” she said before a bright flashenveloped Ruth’s vision along with the distinctive camera snap. “Now, let’s add you to the scene mon ami~” as Emma ushered Elyse onto the stool before Ruth.
“Eh? I-i’m being a part of this too?”
“Of course~! That’s why you wanted to come, right~?”
“N-not entirely…”
“Was it that you were worried about me being alone with your lover, hmm~?”
“…”
“You’re so cute~” Emma continued, reaching out with a finger to stroke Elyse. Without even thinking Ruth grabbed the hand by the wrist, shocked at her own speed.
She gave an attempt to play it off coolly, keeping her tone friendly as she spoke“She's off limits.”
“My apologies mon ami~. What a ferocious girlfriend you have Elyse~”
“It wouldn’t be the first time she’s protected me~” Elyse beamed with pride, a smile so bright that Ruth felt like she was about to go blind.
Rut coughed politely as she let go of Emma’s wrist, standing straighter “W-well, it won’t be the last neither~…” as their eyes met, already losing themselves in the other again.
Emma’s two sharp claps managed to snap them both out of their delirium “Enough flirting, more posing~!”
This time Emma had Ruth pouring Elyse a drink into a small cocktail glass, complete with a little umbrella. As the familiar scent wafted up to her, she realised the odour was not water. “Is this real alcohol?”
“Of course, why wouldn’t it be?”
Ruth simply looked to Elyse, who looked back to Ruth with a slight pout before answering Emma “Because aren’t you also underage?”
“We are on private property so I do not see the problem, neither are we drinking it so what is the harm?”
“Can’t argue with that~” Ruth chuckled, pretending to pass over the drink to Elyse as the camera shutters snapped several times.
Elyse waited until Emma was done before sighing out “Neither of us can.”
Emma smiled behind a hiding hand “Perhaps I have misjudged you two as innocent rule-abidingladies. You must share now that you’ve piqued my curiosity!”
“It isn’t anythin’ too excitin’ y’know.”
“Let me be the judge of that” she added with a waggle of her finger “Also can you please lean over the counter to Elyse”
After complying with the pose request, pushing her bodyweight onto her elbows, Ruth eventually admitted “Well, y’know, just havin’ a few drinks with the ol’ man. Then once with Elly here over the holidays~.”
“Nickname~? Cute cute cute~! How drunk did you two get then?”
“I was fine-” Ruth began but was swiftly cut off by Elyse.
“You were not!”
“Y’don’t remember so y’can’t say.”
“I remember enough about it, alright?”
“I suppose, yerself on the other hand… yeesh~.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Pokin’ and proddin’ me in all sorts of places~.”
Emma raised a hand to cover her smirk as she commented “Oh my~.”
“I-i was n-not! ...Right?”
“Y’were. It’s a good job y’fell asleep quickly or I might’ve been in danger.”
“Of what?” Elyse shot her a suspicious glare, knowing that she was getting close the line and decided to reign herself back in.
“Dyin’ from y’cuteness~” Ruth flashed a big smile at her, especially seeing her stern expression melt away into a more subdued yet pleased pout. At that moment Emma snapped several more photos.
“Perfect, I think those will come out nicely~. Now let’s move onto the next outfit, which Elyse had something in mind, oui~?”
“I mean, I have no idea what it is, but it looked and felt pretty.”
“Show me, show me~!” Emma insisted as Ruth tailed behind the pair with interest, quickly arriving at the clothing in question, “Oh those are Yukatas.”
“y’what’s now?”
“They’re from the EAH, Liz knows a lot more about them but she showed these to me once and I knew I had to get some photos with her in one. You’re a little taller than her but we should be able to adjust it to make it fit, though admittedly she is better at dressing them than I am~.”
Ruth could practically see Elyse’s eyes sparkle at mention of a completely different culture, shining bright enough to make her flinch. Before she could even ask, Ruth nodded at her in agreement “Alright, I’ll wear one.”
“Any preference on colour or pattern?”
“Hmm…” as Ruth looked along the small line up. Ultimately her eye was drawn to the dark blue one, which white artwork of stylised fishes and waves. “This one’ll do.”
“’Will do’ she says” Emma mimicked aghast.
“If you want to see her care, get her hat shopping~.”
“Oh, so she cares about head at least then.”
“More like her hair and hare~.”
“You are repeating yourself mon ami.”
“I suppose I am~” as Elyse smugly looked up at the bemused Ruth who pulled her lips to the side at the corniness of the double meaning.
As a way to avoid having to explain for Elyse’s sake, Ruth asked Emma “So, this Liz, she travel the world or somethin’ as a princess?”
While picking out various ribbons and wraps, she responded “Her parents are both unofficial ambassadors of the UK, so they often take her abroad during the holidays.”
“Wooooow~. I can only imagine what kinds of things she sees~…” Ruth could hear the envy dripping in Elyse’s voice, subconsciously moving behind her to gently stroke her hair.
“Yes, she often regales me with all sorts of strange customs and impressive sights. Though she seemed to like Japan the most of all so far.”
“So far?”
“Well she brought back these yukatas to start with, as well as something called ‘matcha’ that they put in everything apparently. Then all the photos of their cities and landscapes she took would nearly be enough to cover every wall of this manor.”
“Sounds like she plays more than works” Ruth lightly joked but was faced with a surprisingly ticked off Emma huffing at her.
“Not at all! Ma chérie is amongst the hardest working girls I know.”
“Woah, didn’t mean to pinch a nerve there Emma.”
“No, I apologise for my outburst. I do not like it when someone bad mouths mes amis is all~.”
“She must be overjoyed to have you as her friend then.”
“Yes, well we have known each other since we were little~. Though I fear she doesn’t let anyone else get close to her now.”
“Because she’s a princess?”
“Or is it because of her parents?”
“Huh?”
“Well, it is perhaps a little of both” Emma sighed heavily, leading Ruth back to the booth with clothing in arms, “She’s got it in her head that the only people that want to get close to her are just trying to take advantage of her position and weath, but she is also independent to a fault. Then there is- well, that’s not my place to say.”
“Sounds rough.”
“Maybe I could introduce the pair of you to her, make some more normal friends, oui~?”
“Y’sayin’ y’not normal Emma?”
“Well, I wouldn’t say I am an average lady or I would be putting ma mère inherited beauty to shame~."
“I wouldn’t mind getting to meet a princess at least once~”
“Then I shall have to arrange a time for us to all meet soon, I am sure she would be delighted in meeting the pair of you especially~.Anyway, simply put this on and I’ll do the rest once you have.”
“Got it” as Ruth took it in, hanging it on the rack and slipped out of the bartender uniform as quickly as she could before putting on the yukata. Its sleeves hung low on her arms while the bottom nearly trailed against the ground, leaving her in wonder as to how this was meant to look good as she stepped out from the booth.
Deftly Emma began going to work, adjusting the hem to the height of her ankles and wrapping the left side over the top of the right, before wrapping a thin ribbon around her lower waist. With it nice and firm, she pulled the loose fabric at the back over it before wrapping another just below her ribs for additional support. Finally she wrapped a large ribbon over the upper wrapping, tying the end off with a bow and pulling it around behind her.
“Is it to your liking Elyse~?” Emma asked, drumming her fingers against one another in appreciation of the handiwork.
“Could we have it?”
“I could consider parting with it, though I would have to think of a price.”
“Decline her Elly, remember us bein’ here is already a price I had to pay.”
“Yeah but I think we got a bargain there Ruth~.”
“Well then, why don’t y’wear one?”
“Me? W-well she wouldn’t have one that’d fit me and I wouldn’t look good in one anyway-.”
“Not at all mon ami~! Your chest would stick out somewhat but that is a good thing, no~?”
“I-it isn’t!”
“I think it is~” Ruth commented, flashing a wink over at Elyse.
“You’re a pervert, you don’t count.”
“Then am I a pervert too~?” Emma slyly asked, pretending to look hurt.
“Ngh…! F-fine I’ll wear one if you stop this bullying!”
“Hardly bullyin’, ‘sides I just want to see y’all dressed up pretty too~.”
“W-well~…” as Elyse twirled a lock of hair in her finger “Couldn’t hurt to try~...”
“Would you like Ruth to take your measurements?”
“I still know them from my last check up…” While Elyse informed her, Ruth looked over the room and managed to catch herself in the mirror. The fashion so out of odds with what she was used to that she nearly didn’t recognise herself. She did have to agree it was pretty but as she walked to catch up to Elyse and Emma, she realised she couldn’t exactly run in it unlike the normal skirts she wore.
By the time she got there Emma was trying to insist on the black yukata on a reluctant Elyse. “Come now, it will contrast perfectly with your beautiful hair~!”
“N-no, I’d really rather another colour...”
“We can have a brighter ribbon to bring out more vibrancy if that is your worry.”
Ruth only needed a couple of seconds to realise exactly why Elyse wanted to avoid black yukata. Several artworks of dogs and dog-like creatures danced on the bright patterns. Fearing the worst, Ruth immediately went on high alert. Acting like a clingy girlfriend, Ruth wrapped her arms around Elyse’s waist while peering over her head at Emma “As her girlfriend, I’m vetoin’ her wearin’ the black. She’s cute so I want her wearin’ a cute colour like that pink one.”
“Is there nothing I can do to convince you mes amis?” Emma asked, giving a small stomp of frustration even as her tone conveyed a small undercurrent of pleading. Sorry Emma, if it was at my expense then I’d give in, but not at Elly’s.
“Nope, so doll her up in the pink one please.”
“Very well, but I promise the black would have looked better.”
“Pink’ll be cute enough an’ only I'll appreciate it as it ought to be~.”
“Fine, but there’ll be no complaints about the next set of outfits then for the both of you, oui~?”
“A-alright…”
“Yeah yeah, I won’t whine” Ruth brushed it off, leaving Emma to amass another set of clothing and left the pair a couple minutes of free time. “Y’alright?”
“Y-yeah.”
“It around?”
“N-not at the moment.”
Ruth hugged her a little tighter, swaying side to side as she nuzzled the side of her own head into her fluffy hair “Y’let me know an’ I’ll get us out of here, even If I have to kick up a fuss, alright~?”
“Okay~… T-thanks Ruth~.”
“Anythin’ for yerself Elly~” as she saw Emma with her back turned and pounced on the opportunity. Quickly she gave a small peck on Elyse’s cheek, retreating just as quickly before she could suffer a retaliation and whispered “one-nil~.”
“You’re on Blackburn…~”
“Surname~? Guess y’serious~.”
“Always with you~.”
Ruth couldn’t help the blush race to her face as Emma returned, eyes flicking between the pair with a very smug and knowing smile. “Making out behind my back are we mes amis~?”
“N-no!” they replied in unison, Emma barking a short laugh in response that simply dug the embarrassment in them further. Emma took Elyse to the changing room and just as quickly had her prepared and ready. The pink in Ruth’s mind was absolutely the right choice, being more of a pastel shade meant it didn’t stick out like a sore thumb. What Emma was right about though was how much her chest was flaunted despite the clothing’s best efforts. Ruth had to bite her inner lip to stop her eyes from being glued to the cleavage.
Unlike the first set of shooting, this time they all were taken together as a pair, being put into mainly close and hugging postures but a few Ruth suspected were a little more risqué considering the angle of the camera at points. Even as Emma directed them to lightly disrobed one another, neither refused, instead Ruth just found herself losing to the flow of the mood. At one point she even kissed Elyse on the lips, having crawled on top of her on the couch and a hint of Elyse’s underwear peeked out from behind the pink silky fabric.The tender moment lasted for several long seconds before the shutter sound snapped her out of it.
“I think that was the best one yet~” Emma remarked from behind the camera yet Ruth could easily imagine the grin she probably wore. Elyse blushed heavily as she looked away from the camera, yet Ruth could see her eyes lingering on herself.
She sighed as she got off from Elyse and sat on the couch properly, sinking into the comfortable leather “Y’really promise to not show anyone these?”
“You will get to cut any you don’t want Liz to see and any you want to keep to yourselves~.”
“Really trustin’ y’with this y’know.”
“I swear upon my family name I won’t show another soul without your permission. Have no worry mes amis, I do understand the importance of being discreet. Now let me go fetch you both your next clothing~!”
“Considering we’ve yet to hear anything of this sort about the Hale family, she’s probably telling the truth Ruth” Elyse replied, sitting up from her positionto snuggling against her side.
Without even a conscious thought Ruth simply nuzzled her head into the white hair and softly sighed through her nose. “Just the thought of this bein’ seen by the public is…”
Before she could complete her sentence, she felt Elyse’s hand slip into one of her own and gently lock fingers, pushing a little firmly into her for reassurance “I’ll make her regret it if she does.”
“Y’scary, y’know that~?”
“Good, it means you’re taking me seriously~.”
“Always do Elly~.”
“Then give me a kiss before she comes back~…”
Ruth smirked with a soft snicker before withdrawing from their snuggling, only to lightly lift Elyse’s chin with a pair of fingers “Y’wish is my command~.”
Indulging in the yellow pair of eyes for a long second, Ruth gave a soft yet deep kiss against the tender lips of her love. The little fluttery sigh in reply was a good signal for success in her books, her free hand wandering to resting on her partner’s reddening cheek. She quickly realised she was not the only one wandering when she felt a hand press the silky fabric into her thigh.
The urge to throw Elyse onto her lap or to push her down onto the couch was quickly overridden by a camera shutter and a flash. Both sheepishly broke off their make out session and sat like children caught doing something naughty red-handed.
“H-hey, c-can you delete that one?” Ruth saw Elyse attempt to ask, failing to make eye contact with their host.
“Non~. Punishment for not including me~.”
“Eh? Includin’?”
“Who wouldn’t want to kiss pretty girls. Flaunting it in front of me as well, scandalous~. On the other hand, having front row seats isn’t exactly a bad thing either~.”
“S-sorry…” as she saw Elyse fix her gaze to the floor.
“I ain’t apologisin’ for kissin’ her.”
“Like how you kissed her after our match~?”
“I meant what I meant.”
“Mmhm mmhm~. Very brave of you mon ami, you have my full support~! Regardless, it’s time to slip these on~.” Worry crept into Ruth upon hearing a very excited, almost insidious mirth in her tone. As she cast her eyes over, she saw two maid dresses. Except these were not the maid dress that Yvonne worn.
For one, the skirt was much, much too short. The chest was practically exposed outside of the white frilly outline, while the seams of the dress made the bosom look much more pronounced. The collar and most of the shoulders were also open to the air, with little to cover the upper arms as well. It was very, very, frilly however, noticing it on the skirt’s hem, apron, torso and sleeves.
“Y’kiddin’” were the first and only words that escaped Ruth’s mouth before the slow and smirking shake from Emma’s head confirmed the fear.
“And one for mon ami too, since you both agreed no complaints, oui~?”
The cornered pair looked at one another and realised they had no out. “A-alright, I’ll go first but if it’s too uncomfortable for Elly I’m vetoin’ it. I’m the one who lost the bet remember.”
“I’m sure I can convince her as you change mon ami~.”
Ruth simply narrowed her eyes in concern, flicking her gaze over to Elyse protectively. Getting a small subtle nod as reassurance, Ruth took the much too risqué dress for professional maid work and dragged her heels to the changing room.
Thankfully the Yukata came off easily but worryingly the same held true for putting on the maid dress. The air brushes against her exposed thighs with only knee-high socks to feeble protect her modesty. The bow of the apron draped down lower than the actual skirt, the hem resting barely below the middle of her thigh. Meanwhile her chest was daringly pushed up and together, showing a lot of cleavage in the mirror despite her smaller size. Topping it off was the headdress that comfortably sat on her head. The white frills contrasted against her tanned skin while the black simply seemed to highlight it.
This is way more embaressin’than the halloween dress… Ruth wanted to softly scream as she examined herself in the mirror, seeing that only the slightest movements could end up flashing her panties. The only good part of the outfit was its elasticity that prevented the chest from slipping off at all. There’s no way this isn’t a perverted outfit, why does she even have this. Speakin’ of her, I ain’t heard a peep outta ‘em.
Curious, Ruth stayed as silent as possible as she peeked as stealthy as she could through the booth’s curtain. What she saw was the pair communicating through their phones, not able to see the text from this distance as she only caught the conclusion with a little embarrassed nod from Elyse.
“Hey, what are y’makin’ her do?” Ruth demanded, swiping the curtain completely open in a single motion and standing tall despite the two eyes drawn to her making her want to wilt.
“Convincing her as I said mon ami, and now you’re changed, she can too~” Emma replied with a victorious smile, a red-faced Elyse diving into the booth behind Ruth. “It looks good on you~.” Emma remarked, her eyes giving several looks up and down, especially lingering in some areas.
“Hey, these ain’t for you.”
“It’s not like I’m touching them~.”
“Not the point…” Ruth muttered under her breath “Anyway, how come these are so low cut an’ short compared to Yvonne’s?”
“Because they’re french maid dresses, not english.”
“Y’pullin’ my leg. No way french maids wear this.”
“How would you know~?”
“Common decency.”
“Spoilsport, you’re meant to say that you don’t know” Emma pouted slightly with a roll of her eyes.
“Tough. I just want to reiterate that if-.”
“-’these photos are released that you will see me ruined’ yes your girlfriend has made that very clear. Please, tell me how I can assure you of my honest intentions mon ami?” Emma looked seriously at Ruth, hands on heart.
Ruth scrunched her face to the side,a hand rubbing the back of her head “C’mon, don’t make me look like the bad guy here…” before a thought crossed her mind “Alright, share with me a secret then. One y’would feel embaressed sharin’.”
Emma watched her closely, eyes lingering on her crossed arms before giving a reply “Fine, I can agree to that.” She sighed and crossed her arms, a finger rapidly tapping against her blazer being the only sound filling the room outside of the ruffle of fabric in the booth. Eventually she spoke up again “I once took a prototype spectre for a joyride in France when I was twelve.”
“Y’what?!”
“I was curious what it was like! I knew the theory of how to pilot one from all my reading, even if père wasn’t pleased. Thankfully it was a Sunday and there were not many employees to witness it, all of which got a healthy bonus from ma mère while I got a scolding of a lifetime…” Ruth watched her face shrink and cringe, wondering if she was still receiving it mentally to this day.
“Well, alright. I’ll trust yerself with this then.”
“Thank you mon ami, I will prove myself worthy of it~” as her smile quickly returned to her face, but her eyes lingered on her arm again.
“What, somethin’ stainin’ it?” as Ruth twisted to look at it.
“My apologies for staring mon ami, I was just thinking it was a shame your pretty skin has been scarred and wondering how it came about?”
“This?” as memories flashed in her head. Cold, wet, heart-pounding terrifying memories. Ruth lifted and turned her arm to look at the three long scars against her forearm. “Just provin’ myself to someone by doin’ somethin’ stupid I guess y’could call it.”
“Hmm~?” as Emma’s eyes flickered over to the changing booth.
“Why are all the pretty girls sharp as hell too?”
“Oh, you fancy me mon ami~?”
“If I wasn’t already head over heels for Elly, I might have fumbled up some courage to talk to y’one day” Ruth smiled nervously, sitting on the armrest of the couch.
“I’m flattered~”
“Not interested though huh~?”
“I never said that~.”
“Eh? Y-y’know I’m not actually askin’ y’out right?”
“I know but it is nice to be considered worthy of someone’s affection~.”
“...Yeah, it is~” as Ruth could hear a very muffled and quiet groan of anxiety coming from the booth and swivelled her posture to look at it.
Right on cue Elyse stepped out from the booth in the same attire. However the stark differences nearly made Ruth’s eyes pop out of her sockets. The skirt fit her better, actually getting to her knees, however the chest area was even more revealing than her own and left Ruth wondering how it was even holding up still.
Seeing both their gazes lingering to one spot, Elyse put her arms up defensively over them. “Perverts.”
“I’m allowed~” as Ruth attempted to put on her most cool tone, despite hearing her own blood racing at the sight of Elyse in such as revealing outfit.
“N-not right now stupid!”
“Come now Elyse, you’re very alluring and sexy right now, right mon ami~?” Emma flicked a glance over to Ruth. She felt Elyse’s gaze, even if her face was downcast, as if asking for approval.
“I, umm… Y-yeah, y’very, umm, attractive right now~…”
“Non, you can do better than that~!”
“I’m tryin’!
“Try harder~! Look at her~!” as Emma swept in behind Elyse, lifting her face from behind with one hand and the other gestured to areas.
“E-Elly, y’really pretty r-right now!”
“What about her legs~?”
“I-i like how short and l-lean they are, t-the socks make them l-look cute too~…!”
“And her hips~?”
“T-the skirt is m-makin’ my heart racin’-.”
“Chest~?”
“T-the sexiest part~…” she managed to say before her brain exploded and crumpled on the spot, instinctively curling into a ball as there wasn’t any doubt in her mind about the steam rising from her boiling hot face. It took everything she had to stop the images and noises flooding her mind that were seared in from her birthday. So much so that she was too distracted to realise when Elyse walked over to her and gently slipped her hands against her cheeks, lifting her head to face her.
“T-thank you Ruth~…” as she tapped their foreheads together, managing to fix her eyes into her own.
“L-look, I really mean it when I say y’real pretty Elly~.”
“I know, It’s, umm, nice to hear~” before she flashed a bright yet nervous smile up at Ruth, making her heart flutter despite its hard thumping.
Ruth nearly groaned when the camera shutter went off again, wanting to retreat into a ball again or throw it out the window.
She felt one of Elyse’s hands pull on hers, gently tugging on her to stand up “Come on Ruth, the sooner we get these photos done, the sooner we can slip out of these, right~?”
“R-right~…” as she reluctantly rose, squeezing her other hand hard enough to make her knuckles go white.
“You know, you’re really pretty too Ruth~…”
“W-which part~…?”
“Your eyes… and y-your legs~.”
“W-well, get y’eyeful now~…”
“If you insist~” before letting out a small giggle, strangely enough putting her at ease enough to continue with the photo shoot. This one she was much more clingy with Elyse, as much to enjoy her practically half-nude state as well as the reassurance her touch gave her. The feeling of her fair and smooth skin against her own was both blissful and calming, an intoxicating addiction that grew with every second.
Emma must have taken hundreds of photos of them in these outfits by Ruth’s count, only finally satisfied when Elyse was sat on Ruth’s lap facing her, holding hands and looking longingly into one another.
“There~! Now just one more outfit but I only have the one prepared.”
“You won’t hear me complaining~.”
“Ngh… makin’ me suffer alone is unfair” Ruth griped, deflating as she pushed her face into the abundant cleavage before her. She thought she’d get a cute reaction from Elyse, maybe get called an idiot and enjoy the giddy feeling.
However what she wasn’t expecting was her to sultry whisper in her ear “Then I’ll reward you tonight if you see it through~.”
Beating the blush to her face, she decided to deflect it back at Elyse “I’m holdin’ y’to that Elly so brace yerself for it.”
“Just, umm, be gentle then~…” Elyse retorted, causing the both of them to go bright red, especially as Emma cackled joyfully behind her camera with another snap.
Elyse went to change first, seeming to relax a little better in her normal clothing and followed Emma to the last outfit while Ruth changed. As she started to slip out of it, she caught herself in the mirror as a thought crossed her mind. M-maybe… maybe I should ask to keep this for later… N-no, y’really are a perv if y’asked that Blackburn! She managed to successfully keep her lust at bay and stripped back to her normal underwear, leaving the dress in a bundle in the corner.
The familiar tempo of Emma’s footsteps approached the booth but was surprised when she walked on it with nary a care.
“H-hey!” Ruth objected, immediately shooting her arms to block view to her underwear-covered parts.
“You’ll need my help for this one mon ami~” Emma assured her as she presented the article. Ruth was gobsmacked, backing up against the wall in shock as Emma beheld a wedding dress.The pure white fabric was so dazzling that she wondered if it would put Elyse’s hair to shame, while the translucent veils and cloth that accompanied the frills and lacing added a sense of subtle allure. Emma gave her commands and Ruth froze in a state of panic that she wondered how she’d ever survive a real wedding. The silky soft and smooth fabric clung snugly to her body, while her bust was covered appropriately unlike the last lewd outfit, though her shoulders and collar were still completely exposed aside from the strap. As a final flourish, Emma draped the veil over Ruth’s face with a big smile, yet she spotted tears in Emma's eyes.
To stave off her own nerves, she told Emma in a joking tone “Y’know this is just a photo shoot right?”
“Even so mon ami, the sight is still emotional, oui~?”
All she could do is nod “D-do… Do I look weird in it….?”
“Not at all Ruth, you look as beautiful as a white lily~. I’m not the one you want to hear it from though now, so let’s get her opinion~” as Emma parted the curtain, revealing Ruth to Elyse.
With a single careful step on unfamiliar shoes, Ruth presented herself to Elyse, hands firmly clutched into one another at her front. Elyse, sat on the couch, looked like her jaw was about to fall off and only remained on by the hands that slowly covered her mouth. Yet what Ruth focused on were the eyes that glistened slightly in the light, slowly scanning down and back up yet a sense of wonder never leaving them.
All Ruth could do is silently gulp and wait for her to speak, for once wishing she knew how to do makeup and actually apply it. Calm down Blackburn, it ain't like y'about to get married....Unless Emma's secretly a pastorshe was snapped out from her thoughts as Elyse stood up wordlessly and bounded over, sweeping up both of Ruth's hands in her own.
"Nervous~?" she asked, tilting her head to the side with a warm smirk.
"Well I don't see my bride in a dress so I'm wonderin' if she's goin' to leave me at the altar~...", Ruth attempted to play off her nervousness but knew Elyse could see through her in an instant, especially with how sweaty her her hands were getting.
Elyse reached up with a hand and flicked over the veil, giving a cheeky wink "I think when it actually happens, you'll be the one hiding~."
Ruth lowered her head, meeting Elyse who rose in response as they gently made contact with their foreheads "That so~?"
"Mmhm~. I'll wait though, even if it turns to night and day again~."
"But no longer~? Not very patient of yerself~."
"No because then I'll drag you out of whatever hole you've hidden yourself in~."
"Don't think I can cram myself into any hole in this fluffed up bundle of fabric~."
"Let's not be reductive Ruth, it's a wedding dress and you look wonderful in it~."
Ruth lost herself in Elyse's beaming eyes, while mischievousness and mirth danced in the yellow halos, her words remained direct and honest.
"...y'mean it~...?"
"Would I lie to you~?"
"Absolutely~" she gave a soft giggle, getting one in return before answering seriously "...but maybe not on this~."
"Let me prove it to you then~."
"Go ahead~."
Ruth felt a pair of hands rise to her warm cheeks, pulling her face closer and exchanged a tender kiss. Unlike their normal gentle battles of passion, Ruth let Elyse linger on her lips, almost as if feeling the emotions Elyse was channelling through their contact. Without realising Ruth pulled Elyse in by the waist, feeling her small body pressing up against her own that felt right. I'm so glad y'love me Elly~. So so glad~…
When the camera shutter attempted to ruin the moment, Ruth refused to let her indignation break the contact. Instead, as if to make a point, she continued to kiss the now flustered Elyse before wrapping her firmly in an embrace, her warm panting face against her chest.
"Y'mind Emma, we were havin' a moment…"
"Sorry mes amis, but I am sure you will both want a picture of that to mount on your bedsides~!"
"...I guess but c'mon...!"
"Couldn't we just have staged it?"
"And fake that pure emotion I saw? Non! Now that I have broken that spell, as much as I wished to see it last longer, shall we finish the final shoot and conclude our little bet~?"
"Alright, I suppose we do need to catch the last bus before we're stranded~."
"Ah, do not worry about that mes amis, I shall see you driven home safely~" Emma offered, putting a hand over her heart with a self-assured nod.
"A-are y'sure? Wouldn't want-."
"Thank you Emma, we'll absolutely take you up on that offer~!"
"Of course, it is the least I can do for being such willing subjects today~."
Ruth whispered in Elyse's ear "Do y'really want that?"
"Not every driver is your mum Ruth. You trust the buses right~?"
"...Alright y'got a point."
"Come on, let's get several shots of your pretty face so I can prepare myself for the real day~…"
"An' I get no practice~?"
"Good things come to those who wait~."
"Convenient excuse~..."
"If it's there, I'll use it~" as she gave Ruth a quick peck on the lips, Ruth managing to steal a second one before Elyse retreated behind the camera. As she was posed and presented, all Ruth could envision in her head was Elyse in her own wedding dress, waiting at an altar just for her. One day... One day soon... just you wait Elly~...