April 28, 2011 – July 3, 2011
Masquerade
"Close your eyes."
Zechs did and felt Noin's fingers touch just under his chin, unconscious perhaps, and he imagined the look of concentration she might have had on her face. He fought to keep his own face straight as the brush tickled over his eyelids and in the crook of his eye, just under his brow, and by the bridge of his nose.
"And just what am I going to be?"
"Nothing in particular. To be honest I'm not all that sure what I would compare you to, if I had to pick only one thing."
"Phoenix," he said by way of suggestion. "Seems appropriate."
"I thought I would try something other than red."
"Ghost?"
"You're pale enough already."
"Mm."
"Hang on."
Noin left the chair that she had been sitting in, next to the couch where Zechs propped his elbows on the armrest and his chin on his folded hands. He kept his eye closed, hearing Noin's steps on the carpet as she returned; the creak of her chair as she sat down. He felt the presence of her hands around his face and twitched a little bit when he felt fingers brushing his fringe back again and the scrap of a metal clip against his scalp while she pinned the wayward pieces of hair away from his face.
He twitched again with the cold application of new paint following his brow line. He felt Noin's palm over the line of his jaw, just below his cheek where earlier paint was drying.
"What's so funny?"
Noin was giggling lightly. "I can feel you twitching" she said and Zechs felt a long stroke of the brush up by his hairline. "You're sensitive."
He felt the brush strokes move down his forehead from his hairline to just above his eyebrow. He opened his eyes a little and saw the amused smile on Noin's face. "This was your idea."
"You're the one who said you didn't want to wear another mask."
Zechs resumed watching Noin with his chin cupped in one hand, smiling just a little.
"Close your eyes again, and hold still."