If I weren't so biased, none of this would have happened.
My graduation was fast approaching, and with it, the graduation ball. The rest of my class would of course be dressed to the nines, but I always prefer a more homemade approach. To this end, I had made some twenty-odd different outfits for this monumental occasion.
Trouble was, I needed a model.
I could have just used myself, but I think I look good in pretty much everything, so that approach was out. Velvet had, admittedly, gotten a little tired of being used as my live mannequin, so I didn't approach her about it.
What I needed was a blank slate. Someone new, fresh…
Young.
Ruby Rose wasn't at all unapproachable. In fact, I had to assume her looks made her the subject of a lot of flirtation. And it wasn't like she kept to herself, always out and about, exploring the grounds well past the point where she should know every nook and cranny of the place.
So why was it so hard for me, Coco Adel, the practical queen of flirtation and small talk… to actually talk to her?
It always struck me as good practice to be at least amiable with my fellow team leaders. I had a good enough repertoire with Arc, and Cardin and I… tolerated each other, when he wasn't being an absolute asshole. But Ruby… there was just something about her that, every time I'd try to talk, something would seize up in my chest, and I'd lose the nerve.
This wasn't right. I was an older student. And a more attractive one, objectively. This was supposed to be the other way around, damn it all!
But today would be different. I wasn't just trying to make small talk. This time, I was a woman on a mission.
It took a bit of looking, but I found Ruby in the courtyard, polishing that scythe of hers. I walked up to her, and she looked up from her work.
"Oh, hi, Coco!" she chipperly greeted. "How are you doing?"
"Fine, just fine," I responded, adjusting my shades. "Listen, Ruby… I need to ask a favor of you."
"Oh? What is it?"
"Well, as you probably know, graduation is coming up fast, and I find myself unable to decide what to wear for the after-party. So… would you mind modeling for a few outfits for me?"
She folded up her scythe. "Oh, sure thing! I've never modeled for anything before. Might be fun."
I couldn't help but smile at her demeanor. "Yeah, might be. Come over by my dorm, say… around 5 or so?"
"Sure thing! See you then." And she left without much else to say.
I felt something loosening in my chest I didn't even realize was that tight at all.
"Okay, you ready?"
"Just a minute, I need to get this… there."
I had arranged my dorm into a makeshift catwalk. Separated the walk-in closet I had installed (long story) and arranged a little runway for Ruby. I was of course sitting on the far end, ready to see what I had in store for myself.
"Okay, ready for the first one?" I heard her call from the closet.
"Ready," I responded.
She hesitantly stepped out of the closet, wearing the first outfit in my lineup: A long, brown little number, that went all the way to her knees. Luckily, we had the same body type. The strands wrapped around her neck, giving way to a long open back, with the fabric converging around the bottom of her ribcage. I had actually based this one off what I wore to the Vytal Dance. By nature a braless dress, and I could tell she was blushing. She gave a little turn.
"So… uh, what do you think, Coco? Would, uh… would you look good in this?"
No doubt, she did. But I had outgrown it. "Put it on the 'No' rack, Ruby," I said.
"Okay," she said as she stepped back in.
It was only a couple minutes before she stepped back out. This one looked like it had come straight out of Vallywood. A long black dress that went all the way down to her feet, with a slim collar and double straps, accessorized by opera gloves and a pearl necklace.
Yeah, I could pull that off. "That's a definite finalist."
"I'll put it under 'Maybe,'" she said, going back in for another dress.
For some reason, we went through about ten immediate "No"s. I had no idea what I was thinking when I tried to make a pastel pink kimono.
And then she stepped out again, and I once again had faith in my tailoring abilities.
This one was a rich blue. The skirt went all the way to floor length, layered with strings of baubles going up to the waist. I had added some accentuated shoulder pads, with these cute little white gloves that rounded out the whole ensemble. She looked like a princess.
Unfortunately, "princess" was not the look I had aimed for.
"It looks good, Ruby, but… I'm gonna have to say no."
She stepped back in. I made a mental note to talk to her partner about that one.
The next dress on the table was a royal purple affair, tea length. I was really experimenting with this one, or at least, that's the only reason I can find for it having lace sleeves and an exposed midriff. I had to pass.
Now it seemed we were getting to the good stuff. This was an eggshell ankle length, thin shoulder straps, and a hem that ended right at her sternum. It seemed more like a wedding dress than something one would wear to a graduation ball. I told her to discard it for our current purposes, but put it back on the rack. In a special place.
The next few dresses she tried just blur together in my mind. Trumpet… Forest green… Necklace… royal blue… I was almost getting bored of clothes. God, when has that ever happened?
And then, right as I guessed we were getting to the last one, I heard from the closet…
"Coco! Coco, the zipper's stuck!" I raised an eyebrow, looking at the door.
"Stuck?"
"J-Jammed, I think. I can't see it, I can't reach it, I…" I heard her sigh. "I need your help."
I got out of my chair and walked over to the closet. It wasn't locked, so I just opened the door. I walked in, closing the door behind me. Thankfully, the dressing room was big enough for two.
She already had her back to me, and I could see the problem. The shoulders of the dress weren't all the way up, and it was preventing the zipper from going any further. I chuckled, walking towards her.
"I see your problem."
"Then fix it. Please."
I tossed both ends of the dress up, and pulled up the zipper. "There we go."
"Oh, thanks." She started to turn towards me. "So… what do you think of this one?" I hummed, looking over the dress she had on.
I found myself drinking in every inch of her in this dress.
Because, if I may be so bold in proxy… She looked ravishing. The dress fit her curves like a glove. Every inch of her was given the attention it so sorely deserved. Strapless it was, with a material that shone like leather, but looked soft as cotton. And the color… that deep crimson…
"…You know what?" I said at last. "That dress looks better on you than it ever will on me."
I noticed a small blush forming on her cheeks. "Aw… thanks, Coco."
I laughed. "I'm serious, Ruby. You really pull that one off. In fact, I…" It was my turn to blush now. "I think I modeled that one after what you wore to that Vytal dance."
She gave a flattered giggle. "Really?"
"Sure," I replied, fighting valiantly to keep up my diva-esque composure. "You looked… pretty good. Still do." I gave a nervous smile.
She blinked in a way that was just on this side of batting her eyes. "Well… thanks for letting me keep this."
I nodded. "I'll just, uh… let you change back into-" A hand stopped me from exiting the dressing room.
"Wait," I heard her say. I raised an eyebrow, turning back towards her.
"Coco, I… I've been meaning to tell you something, for a while now. And if I don't tell you now, I don't think I ever will. See, I… I'm not sure that I want you to leave. I mean, I know you have to, but… I've enjoyed taking classes with you, sparring, I've especially enjoyed this… and…" She couldn't make eye contact. It was kind of adorable.
"And? Come on Ruby, I won't bite."
"Yeah, and you won't do this, either. But I will." Before I could ask what she meant, I felt a rather sudden, but not at all unwelcome, warmth on my lips. For a second, I didn't know what to do. But after a little, I kissed her back.
And that tight feeling in my chest was washed away as I did. Her embrace, her kiss, the warmth from her body, it all felt so… right.
It fit like a glove.
After what felt like a pleasant eternity, we both broke away. Ruby's face was red as could be, and I imagined mine had matched. I almost didn't notice that my sunglasses had slipped off.
I smiled. "We'll keep in touch, yeah?"
"Yeah, I'd like that," she responded.
It took a couple seconds for me to compose myself again. "I'll uh… I'll just let you change," I stammered, walking out of the closet.
It took a couple day's deliberation, but I eventually settled on one she hadn't even modeled. Chocolate brown, tea length. Simple, but… so beautiful.
After the graduation ceremony, I was mingling in the after-party, amidst a sea of "Congratulations" and "good lucks," when… I saw her. Ruby. Wearing the dress I gave her.
I felt that flutter in my chest, the same one I felt a few weeks ago. I walked over to her, and started talking. And kept talking. At some point we started dancing. The night slowed down. People left. But we were still there. Just enjoying each other's company.
I'll never forget that night. How, for one instant, in the vast expanse of time and space…
We fit each other like a glove.