Dress

"It's a simple bet. If I lose, then I'll wear the dress," Jo said.

"And if you win?" Brick asked.

"Then you'll have to wear it."

…

Brick bought the dress for her as a joke. He found her revulsion towards feminine clothing amusing. She squirmed at the idea of make up or high heels. He could imagine her reaction to wearing it. Still, he carefully picked it out. A skater dress would match her wardrobe. It would go with her laced up boots and grey pullovers. The black and floral design was subtle. No one would characterize it as showy. It was sleeveless with a V-neckline and a V-back. The possibility of her showing a little skin excited him. A smile crept on his lips thinking about it.

...

"That does not seem fair," Brick said. "It's supposed to be a gift."

"Don't play innocent. You know I hate dresses. Plus, I said I'll wear it. You just need to win the bet," Jo said.

Brick pouted.

"Soldier. If you think moping is going to change my mind, then you are sorely mistaken. Enough talk. You in or what?"

"Fine."

…

Brick had it mailed to his address. It came folded in a small vacuum sealed bag. He draped it over a chair, and stared at it for the afternoon. Now that he had it, he started to worry. He felt tinges of doubt about how she would react. It took him two weeks to muster up the courage to wrap it and hand it to her. His hand shook the whole way there.

...

"Okay. You ready?" Jo asked. "I'll count us down from three."

"Wait. Give me a second." He inhaled and exhaled slowly. "Do I hold my breath on '1' or 'go'?"

"On 'go'."

Brick closed his eyes in concentration. "Okay."

"Alright. Get ready. 3. 2. 1... go!"

Both of them took a deep breath and held it. Brick tried to focus on keeping it in. He was not going to lose. It felt like pushing down a bursting geyser rushing inside of him. Jo's face was stoic. Her jaw was clenched. Her piercing eyes stared squarely at Brick. After a few seconds, a slight grin crept on her face.

She winked at him.

It took Brick by surprise. She'd never done that before. Momentarily, he lost his concentration. His mouth shot open, and he coughed.

"Yes!" Jo called out. She lifted her hands into the air.

Brick covered his face in shame.

…

The thin polyester stretched between his broad shoulders. The dress fit him surprisingly well. He'd guessed Jo's size using his own measurements as a visual reference. The elastic around the mid of the dress dug in under his ribs. The skirt was a little high. The bottom of his boxers peaked out from below it.

Jo had a wide beaming smile. "Come on," she said. "Give me a proper show."

Brick reluctantly turned from side to side.

"No. That won't do. Model it! Put some effort into it."

"What do you mean?"

"Move around."

Brick walked towards her. He swept up his right foot, spinning in a half circle. The skirt raised slightly. Jo clapped loudly.

"Does this amuse you?"

"I'm loving every second," Jo gushed.

Brick stared at the ground. He kicked at one of his feet.

Jo crossed her arms. "Don't be like that soldier. It's less fun if you're moping the whole time. Look at how much I'm enjoying your gift. Isn't that what you wanted?"

"Not like this."

"Well, maybe you shouldn't have given me a gift with the intention of parading me around. The way I see it, this is a taste of your own medicine."

"That would have been different."

"Why?" Jo asked.

"Because you're a girl."

Jo frowned. She crossed her arms. "I'm no more of a girl than you."

"Right. Sorry." Brick hung his head.

Jo gave Brick a push. "Stop moping!" She insisted. "You're killing the vibe. If you don't start playing along, I'll make you parade around without it on."

Brick raised an eyebrow. "Would you want that?"

Jo took a step up to him. She grabbed the sides of the dress with both hands, just above his hips. "Maybe," She said. She pulled the dress up a little. Brick could feel her fingers brush against his sides.

"Jo?"

She let go. "But right now, you're going to keep it on. Got that? It's only fair. You lost the bet."

"It's not fair at all. You knew you'd win, that's why you suggested it."

"You're such a stick in the mud sometimes." She sat down on a chair. "Alright, if you're going to be so prissy about it. How about another bet?"

"Why would I agree to that?"

"I'll let you pick it. We can do whatever you like. Think of it as my thanks for the dress."

"What's the stakes?" Brick asked.

"What do you want?"

…

Brick sat across from her at the table. His arm was outstretched. He sat with his legs spread. The skirt was hiked up. His boxers hung out clearly. Jo extended her arm, matching him. They grabbed each other's hands. Their competitive glare matched.

"You're really going to challenge a girl to arm wrestling?" Jo asked.

Brick raised his eyebrows. "I thought you were no more a girl than me." He pointed out.

"You are the one wearing a dress," Jo agreed. "I'm not going to take it easy on you."

"I'd never expect you to."

"Okay. Let's do this."

They flexed. Jo was the first to push down. It was a sudden burst of force, like a running gust of wind pulling on his hand. Brick countered with his own push. He grunted, pulling the tide in his favor. He nearly got her hand onto the table, about to win.

Then, he felt her other hand rub up the inside of his thigh. She was reaching under the table. Slowly, her fingers crawled up his skin, until they curled just beneath his boxers.

Brick flinched in shock. Jo capitalized on his break of concentration. She put all her strength into throwing Brick's hand back onto the table. It hit with a thud.

"That was dirty!" Brick contested.

Jo laughed. "Course it was!" She smiled. "It's too easy to beat you. You're such a boy scout."

...

Brick stood still as she applied the lipstick. One of her palms held his cheek up, so that he made no sudden movements. The black mascara deepened his eyes, while the light blush made him look like a doll.

"I'm surprised you even own makeup," Brick said.

"Shush." Jo pressed a finger over his lips. "You're going to mess it up. Wait until I'm done." She carefully spread the lipstick evenly. After a moment, she licked her thumb, and rubbed it right below his bottom lip. "Okay. Looks good. Want to see?"

Brick shrugged his shoulders.

Jo pulled out a small makeup mirror. "No matter how much I protest, my family insists on buying makeup for me. The probably think I'll grow to like it, if I have it." She handed the mirror to Brick. "Don't be too hard on it. I don't have much practice."

Brick turned the mirror around his face. "Why do you even want this? You hate makeup."

"I hate makeup on myself. I don't hate it on everyone, especially not on you. Now I have my perfect girl, dress and all," Jo said.

"More like an abomination girl."

"Don't be like that. I think you're pretty."

"You're the only one who would think that."

Jo placed her hands on her hips. "Are you saying I did a bad job?"

"No. I didn't mean it like that." He wanted to touch the mascara. He was pulled to it. There was something magnetic about it.

"You like it, don't you?" Jo suggested.

"What? Why do you say that?"

"You haven't looked away from the mirror since grabbing it."

Brick closed the mirror abruptly. He handed it back to her. "I don't," he insisted.

"You don't need to. This is all for me, right?"

"I should have never agreed to that bet."

"Well, you felt the chance to see me in a dress and heels would be worth the risk."

"I feel like such a fool."

"You should." She placed the mirror back into her makeup bag. "Those were way too low of stakes. You could have asked for much more."

Brick stirred in his seat. "Are you saying you wanted me to ask you to do something worse?"

"No," she clarified. "I'm saying I would have done something worse, provided you won."

"Like what?"

"If you have no imagination, then that's your problem soldier."

"Why did you only ask me to put on makeup, if you were willing to up the ante."

"I was only matching what you suggested."

"What would you have asked me to do, if I'd went further?"

Jo paused for a moment. She looked him up and down. "Well, now that I have my perfect girl, it would only be fitting to take her on a date."

"In public?"

"You're not ashamed of me are you?"

"You're not the issue," Brick said. "Sorry I asked."

"That's fine with me. I get my perfect girl all to myself then." Jo passed her hand over Brick's ear, miming brushing long locks of hair.

Brick grabbed her hand. "Actually, how about one more bet?"

"Oh?" Jo said. "Want to go on the date after all?"

Brick shook his head. "No. I have a different idea."

…

"Alright," Brick spoke. "The rules are simple. The first one to look away or close their eyes for more than a blink will lose."

"How will we know whether it's just a blink or closing our eyes?" Jo asked.

"We'll know," Brick said.

Jo smiled. "Alright."

"Okay. You ready?"

"As ever, soldier."

"Good. 3, 2, 1, go!" Brick announced. Their eyes met. Their faces were only a couple inches apart. Brick could feel her breath on his cheeks.

"This could take a while," Jo said.

"I don't expect it to."

"And why's that?"

"I'm not going to tell you my strategy."

"I'm terribly afraid," Jo said. His dollish eyes blinked. The makeup made him look softer, like a carefully built cloud. "I will break you."

"Now that I'm expecting it, I don't think you will."

"Do you?" Jo asked. Her eyebrow raised. "Let's see how impenetrable my coy boy scout is."

She placed her hand on his thigh. The hairs on his leg stood up on her touch. A shiver crawled up his body. Her fingers fully grasped his skin, and moved up under the dress's skirt. His face was stern; his eye's narrow. Jo had a playful smile. Her hand brushed him up to his boxers, and snuck underneath, undeterred. Brick jumped back slightly.

"You're no match," Jo teased. Jo's hand kept moving up closer and closer. Brick twitched as he tried to stay calm, but then, the tension let out of his face. Jo stopped in surprise.

Brick leaned forward and kissed her. Instinctually, she closed her eyes as their lips touched. She let out a slight moan.

"Yes!" Brick raised his hands in the air. "I did it! I won!" Jo stayed still, watching him in a daze. She had no reaction. "Jo?" Brick remarked, a little concerned.

Jo pulled her hand from under his skirt, grabbed the front of his dress, and pulled him close to her. She brought him into a deep kiss. Her tongue piercing through his mouth. Brick had barely time to breath.

"Jo!" Brick mumbled in surprise.

Jo broke the embrace for a second. Her breaths were heaver. Her competitive glare returned. "My perfect girl. My perfect Brick."

"But the bet," Brick said between breaths.

Jo grabbed the sides of the dress with both hands, just above the hips. "Fuck the bet." She pulled the dress up a little. Brick could feel her fingers rub against his sides.

Brick was silent. He brushed his hand along her cheek, before bringing her face close to his into another kiss.

Fuck the bet.

…

Author's Notes:

This story took longer to write than expected. I tried to carefully pick every word, so that it felt just right. Brick and Jo are two of my favorite enigmas to write. I hope it came together in the end.

If you liked this, then check out my other Brick/Jo fic "Never Quite the Woman That She Wanted to Be".

Please Leave a Review.

Thanks. BJ.