Smiling up at the dark-skinned person I was kneeling before, I took the hand they held out and stood up, glancing down to take in the way the fabric seemed to almost cling to their hips and thighs before falling smoothly the rest of the way down their legs. Glancing back up with an even bigger smile, I gave them a quick hug that was only allowed due to the amount of time I had known them. It had taken several weeks just to be able to get closer than arm's length outside of when I was actively working on pinning or adjusting an item and so had no choice in getting closer.
"It's absolutely unfair how you can look so good in both skirts and slacks, Rae. Ahh, but at least I get to be the one to make them for you," I said, grinning at the tall form beside me as they slid the recently finished dress shirt over their long arms.
"Sweetie, I couldn't imagine finding anyone else with your eye for fashion. Not to mention your ability to put up with me, what with all that I put you through," Rae spoke with a grin, their ebony eyes shining with mischief.
"Well, it isn't like I can't just jab you with a needle if you get too outrageous to handle," I said with a laugh. "Besides, you've only managed to overstep that boundary once and I don't think it was on purpose. You just didn't know where I'd drawn my lines yet."
Stepping back, I took in the effect of the half-finished black slacks and the jewel green button up shirt, just needing the final stitching for the adjusted seams I had just pinned on the legs. The new seams would accent how long their legs were while showcasing their slim waist, while the bright jewel tone shirt flowed smoothly against their chestnut skin, clinging just a bit to their slim, muscular chest and arms without constricting their movement.
"Rae, if you ever find the right person for you, promise me you'll wear this on one of the dates! I swear you look good enough I almost want to ask you out myself, if not for the fact I know you would be far too much a handful for me to keep up with you even if I did have the time!" Winking at the sputtering figure, I turned and walked towards the doorway. "Leave the slacks in the usual spot when you are done changing. I'll finish the seams tonight and have it ready by the time you return this weekend. Payment as per usual?"
I laughed as I listened to them mumble, closing the door quietly behind me.
"Payment as per usual, yes, of course! And you know you love me, Kristen! Someday, you'll admit it! Maybe if you're lucky, I'll let you hold my hand for a bit!" If not for the peals of laughter that followed, I might have thought there was a chance Rae might be serious for a moment. As if!
Besides, it wasn't like I had the time or energy to keep up with them and their frequent nature hikes! I still had to get a job, what with rent coming up soon and my bank account couldn't keep paying bills forever. Especially after the amount I spent at the auction, leaving me feeling guilty for doing so, but the fabrics had been so beautiful!
"Sure, Rae! As if I have time for things like dates these days, let alone holding hands, no matter how good looking the person is! Do you think these side jobs are gonna pay my rent? I would need a lot more people asking for my crafts if that was going to happen! Oh! And the shirt you asked me to make is ready! It's in the box next to the closet! I hope your friend appreciates the amount of cash you're spending on them for that particular fabric!"
"Oh, he will, sweetie! He will! He's such a fashion junkie, I just know he'll love it! You have a real eye for style! Besides, that fabric you found is so soft, it's just to die for!"
He scowled as he poked at the shiny black paper covering the large box. He knew who it was from, since there was only one person who ever bothered to give him any... gifts. The only reason he hadn't burned the thing already was the fact that he was being watched. Even as he poked at the mass of curls forming the bow atop the box, he could feel those familiar black eyes following his every movement.
"Oh, for the sake of my sanity, just open it already Ashe! I've been waiting patiently for the past twenty minutes and I refuse to watch you poke at the thing for another twenty! I promise this time you'll like what is inside!" The figure was practically dancing in place by the time they finished talking, an eager grin on their lips.
With a sigh, he gave in to the torture that awaited him, knowing there was no more putting it off. Grabbing the nearby letter opener, he began slicing through the pieces of tape, slowly peeling the paper away to reveal the smooth, bone-white box inside. He refused to be rushed by the excited figure on the other side of the desk, instead slowing down even more when they tried to urge him to hurry up.
It wasn't as if there would be anything different about this gift, already knowing that it would most likely contain either another prank gift or something far worse, something he dreaded every time Azrael came into his office holding a box in their hands. A gift of clothing.
Specifically, a gift containing shirts. Brightly colored shirts with boldly printed sayings upon them, similar to the ones Azrael had taken to wearing in the past several years or so. It was hard to be sure of the time-frame since Ashe hadn't really paid much attention until the day Azrael walked in wearing a bright yellow monstrosity that featured a small red and green figure with a black ball for a head.
Azrael claimed it was some kind of alien from a tv show, but Ashe hadn't even been listening, too stunned by the blinding use of colors. Ever since then, it had only seemed to get worse as Azrael found more shirts to wear, hitting a new level of horror for Ashe when the first gift was given containing a single neon green shirt that was only outdone by the fluorescent yellow bear reaching out from the chest as if for a hug.
Ashe avoided talking about the strangely colored flames in the fireplace that evening, not wanting to find out what type of spirit must have possessed the shirt to cause such an unusual effect. That and he didn't want Azrael to find out and send another such possessed shirt in an attempt to try again at whatever it was they hoped to accomplish. Not that it had stopped the one-time angel.
No, if anything, it seemed the being was only encouraged to send more such 'shirts' as time passed, although Ashe had finally figured out that it was simply chemicals in the dyes that had caused the strangely colored flames to appear. That and he found out about the odd liking some groups of humans had for the bright, colorful shirts that Azrael had taken to so swiftly. It didn't make Ashe himself like the shirts any more than he had the first time he saw one.
If anything, it made him questions the sanity of the being, wondering if maybe the Fall had started having a greater effect on them. It wouldn't be the first time an angel had Fallen and not had any real effects until several decades later. However, a close watch ended up proving it to, in Ashe's mind, simply be bad taste on Azrael's part.
Which was proven once again as Ashe lifted the lid off the box to reveal several layers of bright, tasteless shirts piled upon each other within the box. Lowering the lid down again, he silently pointed at the door as the shadows behind him began stretching across the walls and floor, reaching out towards the dark-skinned being that quickly jumped back and hurried towards the door.
They were barely able to shout one quick plea before the door was slammed shut in their face, leaving them outside staring at the door in astonishment. Ashe had never gotten that upset with one of their pranks before. Maybe having that specific shirt resting on the top of the pile might have been in bad taste?
Naw, who wouldn't love the idea of Death riding on a pink unicorn with rainbows for the mane and tail? Especially on a shirt!
"By the way! Don't burn them all this time! The real present is inside if you look deep enough!" With a cackle at the thought of Ashe digging through all the shirts, Rae turned and left. There were gardens to tend to.
It would take days for Ashe to finally get curious enough to bring the box back out of his closet and dump the shirts all on the floor in front of the fireplace, using a pair of tongs to lift them one at a time and chuck them onto the small stack of logs inside. He only stopped when he saw the dark grey sleeve poking out from the blindingly bright shirts it had been hidden within.
Carefully pulling the fabric out, he almost expected it to be attached to yet another hideous shirt. It was an even greater surprise to see that the shirt was actually rather appealing to his eyes. As soon as he grabbed it from the tongs, he felt a small shock run through him at how soft the fabric felt against his skin, almost like someone had managed to combine the smoothness of silk with the softness of fur.
Looking closely, he almost dropped the shirt at the sudden realization that hit him. He'd seen this fabric not that long ago and dismissed it, having thought that the material looked far too plain for his tastes. Yet here it was, the cut making the material somehow look much finer than it had before. And to realize that it had such an appealing texture to it, far softer than many of the shirts he had acquired over the years.
Just where had Azrael gotten this from? And were there more?
