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[deniles]

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[deniles]

Don't consider it a trade... consider it an offering.

[He smirks. Is he serious? It's so hard to say.

The next few days go by fine. Niles starts getting ready for the engagement presentation where all the nobles will be coming to see him for the first time. Niles is unfortunate enough not to have the same tailor as Ryoma... Oboro. Who still does not like him.

So he goes to the in house tailor, and the day before the ceremony, he receives his outfit in his room. Alone.

Minus Saizo behind him.]

...Saizo. What color is this?

[It's pink. Floral. Bright. The exact opposite of all of Niles's clothes.]

[lightninglobster]

[Saizo is silent at first, eyeing Niles sullenly as if he's expecting some trick or trap, gazing hard at the cloth as if there was some secret to be gleaned from it... but it's garishly pink cloth, with no tricks or traps that Saizo can find.

It's definitely not his color.]

It's pink. I didn't think you cared for pink.

[deniles]

I asked for it in black to match Ryoma's red.

[He looks at it and lets out a sigh as he sits down and carefully looks it over. It's...]

...There's not even time to make a new one, is there? We go out tomorrow.

[lightninglobster]

[Well. That's a conundrum, now isn't it? Saizo's brow wrinkles like he's frowning, dead eye opening to a slit as he stares at the pink garment. It is beautifully made, richly detailed

and absolutely meant as an insult.]

There is always time for mistakes to be corrected. The tailor must have misheard you.

[At least, that's what the idiot better say, if the way Saizo is picking the robe up and starting for the door is any indication.]

[deniles]

[Well, there goes Saizo. Meaning Niles is going to follow after him carefully.]

Misheard me. I'm sure that's it.

[Considering he never brought up the word 'pink', he's starting to believe that this was the first of the many sabotages he'd experience here.]

[lightninglobster]

If it wasn't an honest mistake, it's going to be a problem.

[And you do not want to be Saizo's problem. He cuts a look to Kagero as he passes her, her eyes lingering on the pink garment with an arched brow and a small frown. She matches pace with Saizo for a moment, going the opposite direction from him as the red haired ninja lets himself into the tailor's room.][Target sighted. The tailor is in Saizo's sights.]

[deniles]

[The tailor looks up from what he’s working on, an outfit for one of the nannies.]

Ah, hello Saizo and Niles. Is there something wrong?

[Niles pauses and frowns, looking from the outfit to the tailor.]

This... isn’t what we discussed. I didn’t want pink.

[The tailor just smiles and moves over.]

I think pink would be better for the event. Have you even tried it on?

[Which was proof enough that the tailor actively went against Niles’s wishes. Which leads to him frowning.]

[lightninglobster]

Lord Niles.

[Saizo is not here to play this shit, son. His eye narrows when the tailor opens his fat gob, straightening up as he stares the man down.]

Pink was not what was asked for. Why did you deliberately choose against his highness' wishes?

[deniles]

[It causes the tailor much discomfort to be stared down like this. Niles is, however, looking a bit more confident that he’s not being an asshole. The tailor straightens up.]

Black is such a dark color. It wouldn’t look good on Lord Niles or for the event.

[It almost sounds like the words Lord Niles are disgusting to the tailor.]

Pink is nice and everyone will like it.

[lightninglobster]

[Saizo doesn't need to blink.]

Lord Niles has a dusk complexion and carries black well. Pink will clash with his majesty's red outfit.

[He stresses red, and turn pauses. Brow wrinkling.]

Not that it matters, because you were given a direct order that you ignored. Why?

[deniles]

I simply believe that it will go over much better.

[As if the argument ended there. Niles looks from the outfit to the tailor and back. He has one moment to be an asshole, so he takes it. Grabbing the scissors and using them as a throwing knife, lodging in the wall behind the tailor. The tailor looks shocked and scared.]

I don’t care if it goes over well. I want to look nice beside Ryoma. Make me ablack outfit.

[No shit taken.]

[lightninglobster]

You were not asked what you thought of your orders. You were told to follow the specifications given.

[Saizo doesn't even flinch when Niles makes a point, brow raising.]

Are you colorblind? Incapable? Do you not have the skill required?

[deniles]

[Niles is thankful Saizo is right beside him just as unhappy. If he wasn’t? He might have been more quiet. The tailor looks nervous as he becomes surrounded.]

It’s black. How hard is it to do this in black? Do you need help? Maybe someone to replace you?

[Found another pair of scissors.]

Saizo. Get Ryoma before I wear red tomorrow. All over.

[lightninglobster]

Did you want to match instead?

[Ryoma's voice is warm and pleasant as Kagero pulls the door open for him, arms folded in the doorway. The king immediately drifts to his husband, arms around him--and fingers on the wrist of the hand with the scissors--as Saizo straightens up, still indignant and feeling feisty.]

How's the last fitting going, love?

[deniles]

[Niles lets out a sigh as he feels Ryoma wrap around him. The voice is soothing. Taking a long breath, he finally relaxes. The tailor does too. Ready to prove he was right.]

Take a look at what Saizo has.

[Giving the scissors to Kagerou who only holds them. They can be given back if needed.]

[lightninglobster]

[Ryoma looks, patiently, studying the pink garment with a perfectly neutral face... though there is just the slightest crinkle in his brow.]

Oh. Were they showing you one of Sakura's robes as an example piece?

[deniles]

[Niles just looks at him. Pausing for a moment.]

No.

[The tailor looked far less sure he might win here.]

[lightninglobster]

Oh.

[Ryoma's brow is doing a thing--it's a very subtle thing, but it anyone who can read Ryoma can see the displeasure writ clear on his face, eyes narrowed and lips quirked ever so slightly downward.]

... so why is it here? Where is your actual robe?

[deniles]

T...this is his actual robe, Lord Ryoma...

[The tailor looking nervously for some support as Niles let out a small sigh.]

I was hoping to match yours. Black and red look so good together.

[lightninglobster]

[The thing Ryoma's brow is doing is getting more defined. More frowny.]

Black and red look lovely together, especially if you accent it with bits of gold and white. Pink is a good color, but... we're announcing our engagement in the fall. It's hardly appropriate.

[And here, Ryoma's head cocks ever so slightly, arms folding over his chest.]

How did you arrive at pink as a color for the robe?

[deniles]

I... I just thought black... would not look nice for the engagement.

[The tailor getting more and more skittish as Niles just looks at Ryoma again, sighing.]

I would not have an issue if you wanted me to wear it.

[If Ryoma liked it, Niles would wear it, no questions asked.]

[lightninglobster]

It would look perfectly fine if you put the color offsets and decorations where they'd been requested--the robe itself would be dark, with bits of color around the neck and shoulders and lower hem to keep it bright.

[Ryoma had seen the sketches, damn it. And now the Slight Frown has turned into an out and out frown as he looks between Niles and the tailor.]

I don't want you to wear something that makes you unhappy.

[deniles]

[He looks from the robe, and then back to Ryoma.]

And it would make me unhappy to even try it on.

[The tailor truly looked unhappy with all of this. Looking from the robe back to Ryoma.]

Unfortunately, Lord Ryoma, due to the other outfits I have, I'm unable to-

[But before he could finish what he was saying, Niles looked at Ryoma.]

Please. Get Oboro to do mine. I trust her to make us look similar. She did yours, right?

[lightninglobster]

[Ryoma is frowning--and it deepens to a scowl as Niles outright rejects the garment, and the tailor begins to ply excuses.]

And if those obligations are so important you cannot successfully deliver custom from the royal family, perhaps I should release you from my employ. I wouldn't want you to miss on such golden opportunities.

[Ryoma's tone was sharp--almost mocking, as he took Niles' hand and turned for the door.]

Come. Let's find Oboro, beloved.

[Ryoma would beg if he had to, pink robe held in his other hand.]

[deniles]

[As the tailor continued to try and make excuses, Niles turned and left the room with Ryoma, sighing.]

You know. I really tried to be decent. You can ask Saizo.

[Please believe that he wasn't going out of his way to cause problems. Please.]